Tag: God

Nine out of ten

Re: Verse reading – Psalm 103; Luke 17:11-19 (day one)
“Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine?  Was no one found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?” (Luke 17:18)

The numbers tell a story.  Ten lepers experience a miracle. Nine of them rush back to their lives and families without feeling ANY OBLIGATION to express thanks or seek a relationship with God.  The gift, not the giver, is what they wanted.  His hand, but not “His face” the Bible describes it in another place.  Strangely, the one who DOES perceive the duty/opportunity to go back and connect with God is a Samaritan!  In this story at least, the more blessed you are the more likely to take God’s grace for granted.  God has simple expectations.  “The kindness of God leads you to repentance.”  (Romans 2:4)  Those who receive His help should turn to Him in gratitude and worship.  Nine out of ten times, however,  it doesn’t work.

Enter into the joy

Re: Verse reading – Deuteronomy 8:10-18; Matthew 25:14-30 (day seven)
“Well done, good and faithful slave; you were faithful with a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your Master.”  (Matthew 25:23)  Who is the most joyful person you know?  Is she/he active in serving others or caught up in the pursuit of leisure and self?  I think I know the answer.  When Jesus described the life of service to God and others, He did so in terms of joy.  Not burden. Joy! Not the kind that enters into me (“I’ve got the joy, joy, joy, joy down in my heart!”) but rather a joy that I enter into by the surrender of life to the purposes of God.  We were made for good works.  (Ephesians 2:10)  So,it makes sense to me that one of the rewards of working with/for God is a deep satisfaction.  Don’t delay!  Find a place of service!  Joy will come.

More or less?

Re: Verse reading – Deuteronomy 8:10-18; Matthew 25:14-30 (day six) 
“For to everyone who has, more shall be given. . .but from the one who does not have, even what he does have shall be taken away.” (Matthew 25:29)
New Testament scholars call it “the law of spiritual capital”.  If we have a job (and do it), we will be offered more jobs.  If we have a gift (and use it), more opportunities will come.  It is no conspiracy that 80% of the work is always done by 20% of the people.  Jesus says that this is just the way things work!  The reverse is true for those who do not have jobs (almost certainly because they have ignored or refused the obvious opportunities. . .”I am busy”, “I don’t feel qualified”) or if we do not do the job already ours then, eventually, the opportunities will stop coming.  God-given gifts atrophy when unused. God does not waste grace.  Which will it be for you?  More or less?

Deflecting the Praise

Re: Verse reading- Deuteronomy 8:10-18; Matthew 25:14-30 (day four)
We all enjoy the praise of others…probably way too much.  One of the character qualities we have taught our children is to ‘deflect the praise’.  Deflecting the praise requires humility.  When praised, our response should be to immediately remember those who have invested in us to enable us to accomplish that deed and then to acknowledge it openly…It may be financial provision, or a teacher who taught us the skills, or parents who sacrificially provided for us to have the opportunity to learn.  Deflecting the praise to others not only recognizes their contribution, but it reminds us of God’s provision in our lives.  Humility replaces pride.  “God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” (James 4:6)  God, in His Sovereignty, has given us talents, promises, skills, and opportunity.  May we never forget the source of our blessing!

Resources

Re: Verse reading–Deuteronomy 8:1-20; Matthew 25:1-46 (Day Three) 
“I will put you in charge of many things.”  It’s easy to read this portion of scripture as if it says, “You can now take it easy, because you’ve arrived.”  But we don’t steward resources in order to get rewarded with a life in which we can waste resources.  We steward resources because are made in God’s image.  God is the maker of all things, and he stewards the things he has made.  When we steward what we have been given by honoring God and doing good to others, we live true to that image in which we are made.  We then rise to the high calling of living like God lives.

Making the most

Re: Verse reading–Deuteronomy 8:10-18; Matthew 25:14-30 (day two)
Recently I read an article of a former classmate of mine who has just been named to a highly esteemed position in the early music world in New York City. I was delighted to hear of his success, but then the inner voices began; you know the ones. He’s younger than you…this will bring him fame, and fortune…look at all his success. It is so easy to covet and lose sight of what God has done for each of us. As I reread the Parable of the Talents, I was quickly reminded to make the most of what God had given to me. God’s measure of success is vastly different from mine, and it would be folly to think that I know how to better use my gifts than the Lord. God has uniquely blessed each of us, and we are to find a way to cultivate it, so there will be a great return on His investment.

Talented people

Re: Verse reading–Deuteronomy 8:10-18; Matthew 25:14-30 (day one) 
“A man going on a journey. . .called his servants and entrusted his property to them. To one he gave five talents of money, to another two talents, and to another one talent.”  (Matthew 25:14-15)  Our English word actually comes from this story.  In the time of Christ, a talent was a coin or weight of measure.  As the gospel spread through the world (and we praise God for it’s gradual, powerful influence) talent came to mean a God-given ability or skill.  There are no untalented people!  That is what Jesus would say.  Some receive many gifts.  Others few.  All some.  “But to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good.”  (1 Corinthians 12:7)  The important point is that we all owe the Giver effective use of His gifts.  Money, time, family, freedom, health, opportunities, skill, education, creativity, mentors. . .What has God given you?  What will you employ in His kingdom service?

Shelter and shadow

Re: Verse reading–Mark 10:35-45; John 13:12-17; James 2:14-17 (day seven) 
“He who dwells in the SHELTER of the Most High will abide in the SHADOW of the Almighty.” (Psalm 91:1)
“If you know these things, you will be BLESSED if you do them.”  (John 13:17)
Jesus calls us to a life of blessing.  What He commands of us is difficult, no argument, but very beneficial.  His formula for abundant life.  In the ancient world a shadow was a good thing, a cool, protected place to stand in the desert heat.  Jesus promises this cool blessing to all who surrender to His life and example.  It is not enough to know what He teaches.  We must do what He teaches.  We must deny self and ego and begin to serve others. Those who do so begin to experience the results that are promised to the children of God.  Do you desire to live in the shelter and shadow of the Almighty?  Believe and begin today!

Christlikeness

Re: Verse reading- Mark 10:35-45; John 13:12-17; James 2:14-17 (day four)  How do we know how to act as a Christian?  In any given situation, how do we know how to respond?  We have an example…Jesus has come to earth to show us how to respond to God.  As a child of God, our character, our behavior, our actions should follow the example of Christ.  In our reading today, Jesus gives us an example of servant hood.  There was an expectation on Jesus’ part that the disciples follow His example.  Albert Schweitzer once said, “I don’t know what your destiny will be, but one thing I know: the only ones among you who will be really happy are those who will have sought and found how to serve.”  Schweitzer recognized what Jesus taught…if our lives do not look like Christ…if we do not follow His example…our relationship is not genuine.  There must be a visible obedience in our lives to confirm our true relationship.  Christ-likeness is our goal.  How are you measuring up?

Actual

Re: Verse reading–Mark 10:35-45; John 13:12-17; James 2:14-17 (day three)
“You also should wash one another’s feet.”  Question: Why did Jesus wash his disciples’ feet?  Answer: Because their feet needed washing.  Jesus did not take this action in order to teach his disciples a lesson, though it did teach them.  He did not do what he did as a demonstration of servanthood, although it demonstrated plenty.  His action was rooted in actual service, not servanthood theater.  The example Jesus set for them was not one of sentiment (“How sweet that the Son of God is doing a menial task”), but love (“I will do good to you”).  When we move from a motivation that says “I am supposed to serve” to one that says “I will do good to people in need”, we begin to serve like Jesus taught us.