Spear

I picked up my 9 year old son from school one day and as I always do I asked him how school went. On this day he said fine and told me that during recess he asked three boys if he could play with them and they said no. Needless to say I hurt for him. I like most parents worry about my child and this information soured my day. He told me the names of the three and I hurt more. They’re all generally good kids. Within my mind I said a quick prayer for my son and asked God to help him. Sometimes as parents it is very difficult to trust God and understand what he is doing with your child. But the lessons of this life must be taught and as all of us know the one on handling rejection is tough.
When we got home he had his snack and I read to him. At this time I was reading A Tale of Three Kings by Gene Edwards. It is the story of Saul, David and Absalom. On previous days we read about King Saul throwing spears at David and David not throwing them back. He would not throw Saul’s spear back or throw one of his own. I told my son this meant when others throw insult to harm you, you are not to throw insult back. This day, we read about when David finally fled King Saul and the kingdom, he left alone. I asked my son a question from the book, when you leave a kingdom why must you leave alone? I was not expecting the right answer, but that’s what I got. He told me if you leave with others you’re not leaving the kingdom you’re splitting the kingdom and taking part of it with you. The only way to leave is alone. I was amazed and in a split second I thought to myself that flesh and blood did not reveal this to him but the Holy Spirit did. There in front of me I saw God talk to my son. The Lord Jesus is with my boy and is shaping him and teaching him into the young man he wants him to be. The lessons of life are sometimes cruel and difficult but Jesus is with him and knowing that brings me joy and peace.

Table

“Love your enemies”. “Pray for those who curse you.” Turn the other cheek.” Forgive “seventy-seven times.” “Be last of all.” All things Jesus taught. Sometimes, we look at these teachings and think, they can’t be done. They can’t by us, but through Christ they can. Jesus is the vine and we are the branches. Jesus dwells in us and we in him. If we have close fellowship with him we can follow him in his teaching of non-resentment and non-retaliation. Part of the 23rd Psalm has always puzzled me. The phrase in verse 5, “Thou preparest a table for me in the presence of my enemies.” Why would God set a table for David so his enemies could look on? I believe that David is not to sit there and gloat. He is to invite them to dinner. They are to partake of the abundance that God has provided. The best way to destroy enemies is to make them friends. “But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in Heaven.” Matthew 5: 44, 45. We say we want to be like Jesus, to be the person he wants us to be. I have read that scripture uses the term “son of” as an adjective. So if someone calls you a “son of contentment” this means that you are a contented person. In the verse above we are “sons of the Father if we love our enemies. We are most like the Father and look most like him if we love our enemies. Do we really want to be like Jesus? Share your table. “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners Christ died for us.” Romans 5: 8. “He causes the sun to shine on the evil and the good, and sends the rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.” Matthew 5: 45.

Breakfast

In chapter 21 of the Gospel of John, some of the disciples are fishing on the Sea of Galilee. They are catching nothing when the risen Lord appears and tells them to cast the net on the other side of the boat. They obey and the net is filled with fish. John is the first to recognize Jesus. Peter ties his outer garment to himself and jumps in and swims to shore. John and the others stay in the boat and row in with the fish. When they get to shore the risen Christ serves them. He has built a fire and asks for some fish to cook. He serves them bread and fish for breakfast. God serving man! After they eat Jesus pulls Peter aside and asks “Simon son of John, do you truly love me more than these?” Do you think that Peter might have thought that swimming to Jesus with his clothes on proved that he loved Jesus more than the others? Peter answers “Yes Lord, you know that I love you.” Jesus reply’s “Feed my lambs.” Jesus tells Peter to do the work. If you want to show your love for me do the work I have given you. Jesus asks Peter the question again this time differently, without the comparison to the other disciples. “Simon son of John, do you truly love me?” Peter replies “yes”. Jesus answers “Feed my lambs” Jesus asks Peter the third and final time “Do you love me?” Peter is hurt but again answers yes. Jesus replies “Feed my sheep”. But this time Jesus tells Peter he is being sent to places he will not want to go, he will not feel like doing the work. Peter notices John and asks Jesus “Lord what about him?” It’s as if Peter wants to know Christ’s plans for John and if they include the difficulties that Peters will. Part of Jesus reply was “what is that to you? You must follow me.” Do the work I have for you.
Sometimes I expect other Christians to behave like me, to have the same concerns I have, to serve Christ the way I serve him, but we are all part of the body and have different roles. So Jesus asks me and you individually “Do you love me? Do the work I have for you. “But now God has placed the members, each one of them, in the body, just as He desired.”1 Corinthians 12: 18.

Prayer in Praise of Christ

Born as a son,
led forth as a lamb,
sacrificed as a sheep,
buried as a man,
he rose from the dead as a God,
for he was by nature God and man.

He is all things:
he judges, and so he is Law;
he teaches, and so he is Wisdom;
he saves, and so he is Grace;
he begets, and so he is Father;
he is begotten, and so he is Son;
he suffers, and so he is Sacrifice;
he is buried, and so he is man;
he rises again, and so he is God;
This is Jesus Christ,
to whom belongs glory for all ages.

Written by Saint Melito of Sardis

Galilee

Within the story of King Solomon building the temple of the Lord and the royal palace, there are four verses that are somewhat different than all that is around them. In 1 Kings we are told of the wealth, skill and time that it took for Solomon’s building projects. We are told of the planning of the temple and the arrangements for labor. Thirty thousand men sent here, seventy thousand sent there, eighty thousand stonecutters. We are told about the building of the temple and the gold and all the nations that contribute. The scripture gives us details about the temple furnishings and all the wealth that was placed within, bronze pillars, the Sea of cast metal and twelve bulls on which it was placed. 1 Kings continues with the golden alter, the golden table, the pure gold lamp stands. The Ark of the Covenant is brought to the temple as a great festival takes place among the people. God appears to Solomon two times, the temple is dedicated and God moves in with a cloud. The whole world comes to visit including the Queen of Sheba. Within all this, four verses tell of King Solomon giving twenty towns in Galilee to Hiram king of Tyre, 1 Kings 9: 10-14. Can you imagine the thoughts of the citizenry when they were given a way? During a great move of God and a time of national celebration they are used as payment for construction. To add insult to injury King Hiram is not pleased, he tells Solomon “What kind of towns are these you have given me, my brother?” And he called them the Land of Cabul. Cabul means good for nothing. I believe that at times we all feel like we are good for nothing. I look around at the talented and accomplished people at my church and the wonderful work that God is doing through them and I feel insignificant. But these four verses give me hope, for out of the land that was “good for nothing” came beauty, glory, grace and truth. Out of Galilee came one who was greater than the temple, (Matthew 12: 6), and greater than King Solomon, (Matthew 12: 42). So we should not feel insignificant. Out of our lives can come great beauty. We are qualified to be last of all. We are qualified to be servant of all. We are qualified to sit in the last chair. We are qualified to wash others feet. We are qualified to weep with those who weep and to laugh with those who laugh. Rejoice! Be glad, for we are like our master. We are Galileans! “We are weak in him, yet by God’s power we will live with him to serve you.” 2 Corinthians 13: 4. “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” Matthew 5: 3. I pray the remaining years that I have left on earth that something beautiful will come of it.