Devastated

One of the great theologians, Scarlett O’Hara, said in a time of great distress “tomorrow is another day.” If you don’t like receiving your theology from Scarlett how about from the Prophet Jeremiah? “The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases, His mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness,” Lamentations 3: 22-23. Jeremiah, unlike Scarlett, knew to hold on for the next day because he knew intimately God’s character. Jeremiah was a prophet that most did not want to hear. He did not fill large arenas. The popular false prophets told the citizens of Jerusalem what they wanted to hear. Jeremiah told them the uncomfortable truth. He brought God’s indictment against them. Their unrighteousness would bring punishment.
As he stood on a hillside overlooking the devastated war torn city, he wrote the great words “His mercies never come to an end, they are new every morning.” He wrote these words after seeing things that no human eyes should have to see. He wrote these words after being treated like no one should be treated. I don’t believe he had great joy in his heart when he wrote about God’s mercies. He was as devastated as the city. His laments are sorrowful and full of pain. “He had besieged me and surrounded me with bitterness and hardship. He has made me dwell in darkness like those long dead. He has walled me in so I cannot escape; he has weighed me down with chains.” Lamentations 3: 5-7. Walled me down with chains, besieged and surrounded! Jeremiah is paralleling his life with that of Jerusalem’s. His life has been bitter because he obeyed God, Jerusalem’s because they disobeyed. But then he remembered God! He remembered God and it brought him hope. “Yet this I call to mind and therefore I have hope: Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed,” Jeremiah 3: 21, 22. Jeremiah knew God, he trusted God, and he had experienced God. The words he wrote about God’s character were fact. God is merciful and that was enough for him to go on to the next day and the next.
We know more of God’s character than even Jeremiah. Jeremiah was looking ahead for the Messiah. We know, that “God so loved the world that he gave his one and only son..” We know that God gave His son to a world of chaos, devastation, bitterness and chains. Jesus experienced it all and he conquered. He loved us so much he was tortured and slain for us. Devastation is all around us, tsunamis, hurricanes, wars and terrorist have layed waste to many lives. Maybe the devastation is as simple as, being hurt by those we love, or the loss of a job. But then we remember God and there is hope.

Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? As it is written,
“For your sake we are being killed all the day long;we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.”
No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 8: 35-39.

Mixture

I saw the Lord seated on a throne high and exalted…. “Woe is me!” I cried. “I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the Lord Almighty.” Isaiah 6: 1&5. Someone told me this week that one sin is as bad as another. He spoke the truth and that is the great horror. There is a strange mix of joy, and horror in a relationship with God. The joy of being close and growing closer is very real but so is the horror of the awareness of sin and ugliness in my life. The closer my relationship to Jesus, the more I become aware, like Isaiah, of sin in myself and sin in the world.
Then one of the seraphs flew to me with a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with tongs from the alter. With it he touched my mouth and said, “See, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away and your sin atoned for. Isaiah 6: 6-7. Ouch!! Sounds painful and it is. Once sin is seen it must be repented of and cut out. I have found that sometimes God uses people who are just like me to do the cutting. He has used other Gary’s who are arrogant, prideful, selfish and hurtful to cut out the arrogance, pride, selfishness and hurtfulness in me. Sometimes sin is a one time occurrence that once revealed can be forgiven by saying I’m sorry and never doing it again. More than I would like to admit, it is deeper than that and can only be taken care of with pain. “My son do not make light of the Lord’s discipline, and do not lose heart when he rebukes you, because the Lord disciplines those he loves, and he punishes everyone he accepts as a son.” Hebrews 11: 5-6. And there is joy! He loves us. He changes us. He helps us to become the human beings he always intended us to be. Oh what a mix! “ If his sons forsake my law and do not follow my statutes, if they violate my decrees and fail to keep my commands, I will punish their sin with a rod, their iniquity with flogging; but I will not take my love from him, nor will I ever betray my faithfulness. I will not violate my covenant or alter what my lips have uttered. Once for all, I have sworn by my holiness…Psalm 89: 30-35.
“Holy, holy, holy is the Lord
Almighty;
The whole earth if full of his
glory.” Isaiah 6: 3.

Confession

I have a confession to make. I struggled with last weeks post. Jesus tells the woman at the well that when you drink the living water which He gives, you will never thirst again, never. I was thirsty last week. There have been times that I read the Bible, pray, seek Christ and it seems He is not there. So why the difference between my experience and Scripture? There could be many reasons. I think the main reason is one of not being able to see the forest because of all the trees. For the woman at the well and all who do not know Christ, there is nowhere to turn when life is full of burdens and struggles. They must rely on themselves or other flawed human beings. They may simply try to ignore the problem and use anything to forget. But the problems remain.
For the Christian there is given a Helper, a Comforter, Intercessor, Advocate, Strengthener, Councilor, the Holy Spirit. “He who believes in Me as the Scripture has said. From his inner most being shall flow springs and rivers of living water. He was speaking here of the Spirit…” John 7: 38, 39. The Christian is also given the living water of God’s word. “His delight is in the law of the Lord and in His law he meditates day and night. And he will be like a tree firmly planted by streams of water…” Psalm 1: 2, 3.
I still don’t think I quite understand what Jesus meant by never thirsting but this I do know, If I’m swimming in a large body of fresh water I don’t need to ever go thirsty. Jesus provides the Spirit in abundance, “welling up, flowing, bubbling, continually within.” John 4:14. I pray for you and me as the Apostle Paul prayed, that we “may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth and to know the love of Christ…according to the power that works within us.” Ephesians 3: 18, 19, 20. May we grow in Christ and come to the place where we will never thirst. May we comprehend, at all times, the enormity of His love.
“Deep calls to deep in the roar of Your waterfalls; all Your waves and breakers have swept over me.” Psalm 42: 7.

Thirst

I look danger in the face and laugh. I click the next blog button on Blogspot. I never knew there were so many knitters. Seriously I now know more than ever that the world needs Christ. They need him badly. I share him when I can and post comments, praying that they will follow the comment back to my blog. One of the most common types of blog is what I call the Blog of Angst. They write to find themselves, to work out their disappointments and frustrations. There are thousands of them, and they are thirsty for meaning, purpose and joy in their lives.
Jesus has a gift for all the bloggers of angst. A gift of living water. If you ask Jesus, he will give it. Jesus says to all who ask “But whoever takes a drink of the water that I will give him shall never, no never be thirsty anymore. But the water that I will give him shall become a spring of water welling up (flowing, bubbling) (continually) within him, unto eternal life.” John 4: 4 AMP. Jesus spoke these words originally to a woman at a well. A woman of angst. She was frustrated. She felt no doubt bitter disappointment over failure in five marriages. It doesn’t matter whose fault it was, his or hers. The result was the same. Five failed marriages and probably not much hope for the relationship she was in. She was thirsty.
Bloggers of angst, are you thirsty? The Psalmist writes that “As the deer pants for the water brooks, so my soul pants for Thee, O God. My soul thirsts for God the living God.” Psalm 42: 1-2. And who is this true living God? Jesus told the woman at the well and he tells you, “I Who now speak with you am He.” John 4: 26. Ask Jesus into you life. Believe, adhere to, trust in and rely on Him, and you will never, never thirst again.

Why do you spend money for what is not bread? And wages for what does not satisfy? Everyone who thirst, come to the waters. Isaiah 55: 2&1.

Disclosure

Prayer is like watching for the
Kingfisher. All you can do is
Be where he is likely to appear, and
Wait.
Often nothing much happens;
There is space, silence and
Expectancy.
No visible sign, only the
Knowledge that he's been there
And may come again.
Seeing or not seeing cease to matter,
You have been prepared.
But sometimes, when you've almost
Stopped expecting it,
A flash of brightness
Gives encouragement.

(Ann Lewin)

From, Watching for the Kingfisher,
published by the Methodist Publishing House,
ISBN 1-85852-256-0.

Pursuit

“A woman from Samaria came to draw water. Jesus said to her, give me a drink” John 4:7. So begins the conversation between the woman at the well and Jesus. This conversation is so much different than the conversation Jesus had with another non- Jewish woman in Matthew 15. (See last weeks post, Slain.) The difference is one of faith. The Canaanite woman of Matthew had strong faith in Jesus, even after being treated rudely by him and his disciples. The Samaritan woman doesn’t know who Jesus is. She has no faith in him. Jesus speaks to her first. Jesus pursues her. He wants her to know him. He wants her, as he does all of us, to put her faith and trust in him. Jesus will meet us where we are. The Canaanite woman’s large faith was exercised and shown to us by being greatly tested. She was ignored and ridiculed. The Samaritan woman who had no faith was pursued. Jesus knows how to treat each individual. One size does not fit all. He knows each of our needs and acts accordingly.
The one thing that the Samaritan woman believed about the Messiah was that he would know all things. “I know the Messiah is coming” (who is called Christ). “When He comes, He will tell us all things.” John 4: 25. Jesus through his love and mercy for her provided this. Jesus brings her to faith by telling her about herself. “You have well said I have no husband, for you have had five husbands and the one whom you now have is not your husband.” John 4: 18. Jesus told her this before she told him that she expected the Messiah to know all things. She tries to change the conversation to one about differences in theology. Jesus patiently answers her question but returns the conversation back to knowing God. At the end of this conversation Jesus plainly and directly tells her “I who speak to you am He.” John 4: 26.
Sometimes I can say God is Love without really thinking about what that really means. The Sovereign Creator loves us so much that he will pursue us. He comes after us. He speaks first. He tells us about ourselves. He‘s patient with us. He wants our love as much as we need Him. And that’s truly an amazing thought.

There will be more about the woman at the well and her conversation with Jesus in upcoming post.

Slain

“Lord, Son of David have mercy on me! My daughter is suffering terribly from demon-possession.” Jesus did not answer a word. Matthew 15: 22, 23. He ignored her. She was not insulted; her need was greater than her pride. This Canaanite woman knew who could meet her needs. So his disciples came to him and urged him, “Send her away, for she keeps crying out after us.” verse 23. She was persistent; she continually kept following after them to get to Jesus. Not only that but she was persistent in the presence of many, many who were condescending to her, and these many were the people who were closest to Jesus. Once again it didn’t matter her need was larger than her pride; her love for her daughter was greater than insult. He answered, “I came only to the lost sheep of Israel.” verse 24. Jesus tells her that he is here only to help certain people. For the third time she does not give up. The women came and knelt before him. Lord, help me! verse 25. And now what does Jesus do? He calls her a dog. He replied, “It is not right to take the children’s bread and toss it to their dogs.” verse 26. Was she hurt, was she crushed? No, she only knew the need of her daughter and she knew that Jesus was the only one who could help her. Though he slay me, yet will I hope in him. Job 13: 15. Her answer to Jesus seems even to have surprised him. Yes, Lord,” but even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their master’s table.” verse 27. Then Jesus answered, “ Woman, you have great faith! Your request is granted.” verse 28.
One of the great difficulties for us when we read this passage of scripture is that it seems so unlike Jesus. We can’t believe he could act in such a way, that he would respond in such a rude manner to this poor needy woman. Sometimes though Jesus would act much like an actor on stage to bring out the best in people. After the resurrection on the road to Emmaus Jesus acted like he was traveling further than the two disciples so that they would invite him to stay with them for the evening. Luke 24: 28-29. Jesus acted to bring out the best in this Canaanite woman so we could learn from her.
Is our need for Jesus greater than our pride? No matter how good the church there are always some in it who will ignore you. There are always people in it who are condescending because you’re not the right type of person, you don’t wear the right clothes, you’re not in management, or you don’t golf. Some of these people may even be in positions of leadership. But you must have fellowship, don’t let a few people keep you from experiencing all that God has for you. You can’t go it alone. Don’t let your pride keep you from your needs being healed. And her daughter was healed from that very hour. verse 28.

Example

Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who being in the very nature of God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance of a man, humbled himself and became obedient to death- even death on a cross! Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. Philippians 2: 5-11.
To me this is one of the most exciting passages of scripture. My heart beats a little faster when Paul writes that every knee should bow, every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. Jesus is so wonderful, but Paul uses this as an example which we should follow in our relationship with others. This is how we should behave toward other believers. Paul writes in these verses that Jesus did four things and expects us to do them as well.
1. He made himself nothing.
2. He took the very nature of a servant.
3. He humbled himself.
4. He became obedient.
When we are asked to do as Jesus did the passage becomes daunting. It is our very nature to exalt ourselves, to be self important, to be dominating and to do as we please.
It is clear we are unable to do this without the presence and power of the Holy Spirit. Do we really believe that we can do nothing without Christ? If we do we will pray. The very act of prayer is an act of humility. If we cannot humble ourselves before God how are we going to be able to humble ourselves before man? If we do not pray then we are trying to be self-sufficient and we will never be able to obey.
The Apostle Paul writes in Philippians 2 what we should be like with other believers. Is this how we are when we gather at our local church? “Make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interest, but also to the interest of others. Do everything without complaining or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure children of God. Philippians 2: 2-4, 14.” Let us pray.

Road

“Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life and only a few find it.” Matthew 7: 13 & 14. This is another of those verses that are disturbing. If you ask a group of people if they were going to Heaven most would say they are. According to Jesus that is not the case. How I wish this verse were reversed and told us that the majority would find life and only a few of the very worst of people would go to destruction. To write that most will go to destruction and not find life is difficult. But I didn’t say it, Jesus did. Am I more loving and compassionate than Jesus? No, no, no, and neither are you. For Jesus is love, and he came to this earth to die. To sacrifice his life, to suffer, that all who would accept his sacrifice, might take the narrow road to life. “Greater love has no one than this that one lay down his life for his friends.” John 15: 13. In the book of Romans the Apostle Paul wrote about the narrow road to life and it has become known as the Roman Road. “All have sinned and fell short of the glory of God.” Romans 3: 23. I have heard it said that we are not sinners because we sin, but we sin because we are sinners. We all in our heart fall so short of the goodness and purity of God. “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 6: 23. But God demonstrates His own love for us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5: 8. This is to me is the most amazing verse in scripture. To think that the Sovereign Creator of the universe would care for us at all is unbelievable! Add to that, that we are far short of what he created us to be and he still cares! He still loves! What is man that God is mindful of him? Yet Christ died for us! The last verses of the Roman Road state; “If you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.” Romans 10: 9. Welcome to the narrow road. “Whoever believes in Him will not be disappointed.” Romans 10: 11 & Isaiah 28: 16.

Danger

“Forgive seventy times seven.” Matthew 18: 22. There are many times in scripture that what I read disturbs me. When I first read, Jesus wants me to forgive others infinitely, continually and completely, I think to myself, I can’t do it. This is impossible! Then I remember that Jesus doesn’t tell us to do anything that he doesn’t do himself. The greatest danger to my fellowship with Christ is when I sin and must ask him to forgive me for something I have asked forgiveness for time and time again. When this occurs I am so ashamed. Thoughts come to me that he will not forgive, that there is a limit. He is so holy. He is righteous. He is perfect. He also is love and he is merciful. “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sin and purify us from all unrighteousness.” 1 John 1: 9.
Another danger is if I do not forgive. After Jesus tells Peter to forgive seventy times seven he tells the parable about the unmerciful servant. The servant after being forgiven a large sum of money by his master did not forgive a small amount that was owed to him. The master finds out and “in anger turned him over to the jailers to be tortured.” Matthew 18: 34. I have been in that prison, the prison of anger, bitterness and resentment. There is no happiness or joy in that place. Jesus paid a heavy price so that we may be forgiven. He “being the very nature of God”, “made himself nothing, and taking the very nature of a servant.” “He humbled himself and became obedient to death even death on a cross!” Philippians 2: 6, 7, 8. Torture. To not forgive shows us as insincere and ungrateful for what He did.

Ride On

Ride on! ride on in majesty! Hark! all the tribes hosanna cry; O Savior meek, pursue thy road with palms and scattered garments strowed.

Ride on! ride on in majesty! In lowly pomp ride on to die; O Christ, thy triumphs now begin o’er captive death and conquered sin.

Ride on! ride on in majesty! The angel-squadrons of the sky look down with sad and wondering eyes to see the approaching sacrifice.

Ride on! ride on in majesty! Thy last and fiercest strife is nigh; the Father on his sapphire throne expects his own anointed Son.

Ride on! ride on in majesty! In lowly pomp ride on to die; bow thy meek head to mortal pain, then take, O God, thy power, and reign.

Henry Hart Milman 1791-1868

"HENRY HART MILMAN." LoveToKnow 1911 Online Encyclopedia. © 2003, 2004 http://63.1911encyclopedia.org/M/MI/MILMAN_HENRY_HART.htm

Thunder

“And from the throne proceed flashes of lightning and sounds and peals of thunder.” Revelation 4: 5. One of the things I like best about Oklahoma is the thunder storms. I thrill to the hard rain, the low roll of thunder followed by the flash of lightning. Then the loud boom, which shakes the ground and the house. I feel the power of God and yet I realize that this is only an infinitesimal fraction of that power. In our own solar system Jupiter’s red spot is a storm that can swallow the earth whole. On a 12 inch scale, Earth would be one inch away from the Sun, Pluto 3 ½ feet. The nearest star other than the Sun would lie 4 ½ miles away! Our sun is only one lonely star among several hundred billion throughout the universe. Our galaxy is one amongst millions. Yet the Sovereign Almighty God who created all this became a man and lived among us! He was born not in a palace but a stable. He cried. His wonderful mother not much more than a girl herself cleaned him. He grew. He played. He worked. His muscles ached. He hungered. He ate. He was thirsty. He drank. He grew tired. He slept. He showed anger. He laughed with our children on his lap. He prayed. He fasted. He had compassion. He healed us. He fed us. He forgave us. He told stories. He taught. He taught us how to love. He showed us how to love. He told us to pray for those who persecute us, to love our enemies. He washes our feet and told us to do likewise. And then we killed him. I hear thunder.

“And I looked and behold in the midst of the throne and of the four living creatures, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as though it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent out into all the earth. Then He came and took the scroll out of the right hand of Him who sat on the throne.
You are worthy to take the scroll,
And to open its seals;
For You were slain,
And have redeemed us to God by
Your blood
Out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation,”
Revelation 4: 6, 7, 9.

Command

Love one another. God’s people should love one another. John the Apostle repeats over and over, love one another. “Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God.” 1 John 4: 7. “ Dear friends since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.” 1 John 4: 11. “ God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in him.” 1 John 4: 16. “We love because he first loved us. If anyone says, “I love God,” yet hates his brother he is a liar. For anyone who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen. And he has given us this command: Whoever loves God must also love his brother.” 1 John 4: 19-21.
The Apostle Peter instructs the Church to love one another. Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for your brothers, love one another deeply, from the heart. 1 Peter 1: 22. Finally, all of you live in harmony with one another; be sympathetic, love as brothers. 1 Peter 3: 8. Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. 1 Peter 4: 8.
Where do I begin in quoting the Apostle Paul writing about the Church loving one another? He wrote so much on the subject. Read chapter 13 of 1st Corinthians. Paul writes in Philippians to “make my joy complete by being like minded, having the same love in spirit and purpose. Philippians 2:2”.
Our Sovereign Lord Jesus commanded us directly to love one another. A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another. John 13: 34. Let me draw your attention to a couple of words, command and must.
For a command to believers that is so repeated and stressed in scripture why are we doing such a poor job? We treat church quarrels as a natural occurrence. What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don’t they come from your desires that battle within you? You want something but don’t get it. You kill and covet, but you cannot have what you want. You quarrel and fight. James 4: 1-2. In the meantime many of our brothers and sisters in Christ are being wounded. They leave our churches never to return. Do we care about the damage we have done? Do we regret the pain the wounds we have caused? Do we really take our Lord’s command seriously? Love one another. Be last of all. Be servant of all. Sit in the last chair.

Shepherd

I have been reading about names and titles in scripture that Jesus took for himself. Jesus says “I am the Good Shepherd.” John 10: 11. I have found that shepherds in Jesus time were looked down upon. They were continually in the field with their sheep and could not keep the rules of the orthodox, hand washing, ceremonial cleansing and stated hours of prayer. I have heard them called the homeless of their day. They did the hardest most time consuming work for the smallest of pay. Society did not think much of them but yet scripture, Old and New, is full of their example. I find comfort that Jesus identifies himself with the most humble of people. The shepherds may not have been able to keep the rules of the orthodox, but they spent their time with a strong awareness of God. Whenever they slept under the stars and were caught in the elements of nature, they, more than others were aware of God’s presence. I am reminded of the story of Christ birth. When God announced the birth of his son he did not announce it to the wealthy or the powerful. He did not announce it to Caesar. He did not announce it to Herod. He did not announce it the orthodox, Scribes and Pharisees. He did not announce it to the wise. The Magi had to study, search, and seek, but God split the skies open with angels who said to the humble shepherds, He’s over there! Be last of all. Be servant of all. Sit in the last chair.

Voice

I know a little about everyone’s future. We are all going to die. A voice tells Isaiah to “cry out”. Isaiah asks “What shall I cry?” The voice answers “All men are like grass, and their glory is like the flowers of the field. The grass withers and the flowers fall, because the breath of the Lord blows on them. Surely the people are grass.” Isaiah 40: 6-8. Everything we take pride in ourselves about will end and be forgotten. Some are great writers; they and their writings will eventually be forgotten. Some are great artists, they and their drawings, paintings, sculptures, photographs, and music will end. Some are proud of their exploits but in the end they are nothing, for they all will perish. Some are intellectuals and have great pride in their intellect but that too will die. We are grass! We are grass! Our glory is like the flowers that fade and fall. We live and then die all too quickly. But there is a way for permanence. The voice continues, “The word of our God stands forever.” Isaiah 40: 8. If we stand with God’s word than we too will stand forever. The Apostle John writes, “In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God, and the Word was God! The Word became flesh, and made his dwelling among us. We beheld his glory, the glory of the One and Only who came from the Father full of grace and truth….grace and truth came from Jesus Christ. Yet to all who receive him, to those who believe in his name he gave the right to become children of God.” John 1: 1,14,17,12. We do not have to die. We can have permanence and live eternally with God. God tells Isaiah, “Your dead will live; their bodies will rise. You who live in the dust, wake up and shout for joy. Your dew (fruitfulness) is like the dew of the morning, the earth will give birth to her dead.” Isaiah 26: 19. “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” John 3: 16. Trust in Christ today, and live.

Shoes

Jesus: I tell you the truth, among those born of women there has not risen anyone greater than John the Baptist.
John: After me will come one who is more powerful than I. Whose sandals I am not fit to carry.
Jesus: For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat.
Whose sandals I am not fit to carry!
Jesus: For I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink.
Whose sandals I am not fit to carry!
Jesus: I was a stranger and you invited me in.
Whose sandals I am not fit to carry!
Jesus: I needed clothes and you clothed me.
Whose sandals I am not fit to carry!
Jesus: I was sick and you looked after me.
Whose sandals I am not fit to carry!
Jesus: I was in prison and you came to visit me.
Whose sandals I am not fit carry!
Jesus: I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine you did it for me.
Whose sandals I am not fit to carry!
Jesus: I tell you the truth, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do it for me.
Whose sandals I am not fit to carry!
Paul: Be happy with those who are happy, and weep with those weep. Live in harmony with each other. Don’t be too proud to enjoy the company of ordinary people. And don’t think you know it all.
David: Come let us bow down in worship, let us kneel before the Lord our Maker.
Whose sandals we are not fit to carry.


Matthew 11: 11, Matthew: 3: 11, Matthew 25: 35-36, Matthew 25: 40, Matthew 25: 45, Romans 12: 14-16, Psalm 95: 6.

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