“The angel said to the women, ‘Do not be afraid, for I know you are looking for Jesus who was crucified. He is not here; he has risen, just as he said.’”
Matthew 28:5-6
Have you ever wished that you had been there? Drinking the water that had been turned to wine, witnessing Lazarus walking from his tomb, in the crowd fed with a few loaves and some fish, on the mountain where Jesus met with Moses and Elijah, at the empty tomb on the first day of the week. Have you ever wondered they – the apostles and other disciples – they were there and they didn’t get it. The angel had to remind them that Jesus had told them what was going to happen. I have wished and wondered those things and then this thought occurred to me.
I wonder if the apostles and all the other heroes of faith are in heaven watching us and thinking. They – us that is us – they have all our stories; they know what happened and what will happen. They have experienced their own miracles, why don’t they get it? Why do they still doubt? Why do they have to be reminded what Jesus told them?
I began to think what is it that links us with them why even when we know the truth do we doubt, do we have to be reminded? From Noah to now we are all human, even when we know the plan we still have to make the journey one step at a time without being able to see the end. Our minds cannot truly comprehend the greatness of God and so we often suffer from a kind of spiritual Alzheimer’s. Noah knew the plan… but had never experienced rain, Abraham moved to a new land without knowing where he was really going. The disciples followed not clearly understanding what was happening and the Apostles helped to change the world not truly comprehending the effect they would have. We do our best to remember the stories but we too must walk by faith and not sight. We – like those who have gone before do not really understand all that we will do in the name of Jesus and we cannot see where we are going. So we like them doubt and need to be reminded.
Here is the best part – Jesus doesn’t mind sending us reminders because when the light goes on we worship authentically with our whole lives and the people around us are changed as well.
He is not here. He has risen – just as He said. HE is Risen indeed.
A prayer
Father – Thank you for the daily reminders that you have a plan, that You desire good things for Your people. Thank you for being patient with us when we doubt and grumble. Forgive our unbelief. Grant us the faith we need to take the next step – to stay the course, so that like those who have gone before we too will one day see Your face and fully understand. In the name of Jesus Amen.
Monday, April 25, 2011
Monday, April 18, 2011
Worship - The Best Lifestyle
“Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.”
Colossians 3:16-17
Sunday morning we enter into the church sanctuary, the band starts and we sing, clap or lift our hands in worship. Maybe we listen to Christian music on the radio as we do our errands – maybe we call this worship too. But worship is so much more than that. Worship should be the lifestyle of choice for every Christian and that is what should set us apart from everyone else.
Paul in his letter to the Colossian church wants them to understand that there is more to worship than the songs they sing, or the prayers they pray or even the reading of God’s word. Don’t misunderstand me all three are important aspects of worship – over and over in Scripture we see the importance of all three of these activities. But have you ever thought about your attitude as worship? Have you ever considered how you treat others as worship or not? Do you consider what you do for a living worship?
Jesus tells us that we are to love God and others. When we love one another that is worship and it lets God know we love Him. When we have attitudes of gratitude and humility we are living the lifestyle of worship. Being a good employee, who works with integrity, is also living the lifestyle of worship. I could go on and on about how every aspect of our lives can and should be a continual act of worship but I think you get the idea.
This week choose the lifestyle of worship – it will set you apart and I think you will come to believe that it really is the best lifestyle to live.
A prayer
Father – You alone are worthy of our praise and worship. May we give you that worship with our whole lives, with the attitudes we display, with how we treat one another, yes even in how we do our work. May whatever we do or say be an act of worship. Grant us what we need to live the best lifestyle – the lifestyle of worship. In the name of Jesus Amen.
Colossians 3:16-17
Sunday morning we enter into the church sanctuary, the band starts and we sing, clap or lift our hands in worship. Maybe we listen to Christian music on the radio as we do our errands – maybe we call this worship too. But worship is so much more than that. Worship should be the lifestyle of choice for every Christian and that is what should set us apart from everyone else.
Paul in his letter to the Colossian church wants them to understand that there is more to worship than the songs they sing, or the prayers they pray or even the reading of God’s word. Don’t misunderstand me all three are important aspects of worship – over and over in Scripture we see the importance of all three of these activities. But have you ever thought about your attitude as worship? Have you ever considered how you treat others as worship or not? Do you consider what you do for a living worship?
Jesus tells us that we are to love God and others. When we love one another that is worship and it lets God know we love Him. When we have attitudes of gratitude and humility we are living the lifestyle of worship. Being a good employee, who works with integrity, is also living the lifestyle of worship. I could go on and on about how every aspect of our lives can and should be a continual act of worship but I think you get the idea.
This week choose the lifestyle of worship – it will set you apart and I think you will come to believe that it really is the best lifestyle to live.
A prayer
Father – You alone are worthy of our praise and worship. May we give you that worship with our whole lives, with the attitudes we display, with how we treat one another, yes even in how we do our work. May whatever we do or say be an act of worship. Grant us what we need to live the best lifestyle – the lifestyle of worship. In the name of Jesus Amen.
Monday, April 11, 2011
Friends
“You are my friends if you do what I command. I know longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you.”
John 15:14-15
Do you get that? Jesus – the incarnation of the One True God, the Creator of the universe, the King of kings, calls us friend. Sit with that for a moment, let it sink in – you and I are friends of God. He shares all that He knows about God with us – so we know God’s business.
Friendships are important to our well-being. Recently I got to spend some time with some “old” friends – we spent an afternoon celebrating the retirement of one of our gang. It was great to see people I hadn’t seen in a while and for all of us to greet one another with many hugs – being really glad to see one another after so many years.
Made a new friend also in the recent past – making new friends is also fun, you can never have too many people with you on the journey of life. Then there are far away friends – these are the friends you can’t wait to meet even if you have to wait until heaven to meet them. Friends help us get through the drama of life. They celebrate the good times with you and hold you in the bad times, they offer words of encouragement, condolence or they are just present in the moment with you.
Jesus, calls us friend and He is there celebrating the good, sharing in our pain and just being present in the moment with us.
A prayer
Father – Thank you for the friends we have both old and new. Thank you that we do not have to face this life alone that our friends are there to journey with us. Thank you that Your Son counts us among His friends – may we love one another the way that He loves us. Help us today to let our friends know just how much they mean to us. In the name of Jesus Amen.
John 15:14-15
Do you get that? Jesus – the incarnation of the One True God, the Creator of the universe, the King of kings, calls us friend. Sit with that for a moment, let it sink in – you and I are friends of God. He shares all that He knows about God with us – so we know God’s business.
Friendships are important to our well-being. Recently I got to spend some time with some “old” friends – we spent an afternoon celebrating the retirement of one of our gang. It was great to see people I hadn’t seen in a while and for all of us to greet one another with many hugs – being really glad to see one another after so many years.
Made a new friend also in the recent past – making new friends is also fun, you can never have too many people with you on the journey of life. Then there are far away friends – these are the friends you can’t wait to meet even if you have to wait until heaven to meet them. Friends help us get through the drama of life. They celebrate the good times with you and hold you in the bad times, they offer words of encouragement, condolence or they are just present in the moment with you.
Jesus, calls us friend and He is there celebrating the good, sharing in our pain and just being present in the moment with us.
A prayer
Father – Thank you for the friends we have both old and new. Thank you that we do not have to face this life alone that our friends are there to journey with us. Thank you that Your Son counts us among His friends – may we love one another the way that He loves us. Help us today to let our friends know just how much they mean to us. In the name of Jesus Amen.
Monday, April 4, 2011
HE Hears Your Cry
The LORD is righteous in all his ways and faithful in all he does. The LORD is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth. He fulfills the desires of those who fear him; he hears their cry and saves them.
Psalm 145:17-19
The drama of life can at times be overwhelming. Unexpected health problems, renewed unemployment, natural disasters and the list can go on and on. Yet the sun shines, the birds sing and life continues when perhaps we would like it to stop so we can get off and rest for a while before re-entering the battle. During these times it can seem like God is nowhere near, we sometimes wonder why? Why do I have to be sick, why can’t I find a job, why is there so much violence and suffering?
Jesus told us life would not be easy but that He would be with us. He hears us when we cry and He desires to give us good things. King David the writer of today’s verses could relate to the trials of life, He often cried out in his anguish to his GOD. The whole of Psalm 145 is David’s praise for a God who is faithful, a God who is near. Sometimes we need to draw nearer to him by reading His word, praying and fasting, and praising Him for all He has already done.
I don’t know what you may be facing today – important decisions, financial trouble, relationship issues or whatever – I do know that God is there waiting for you to call on him, when you do He will give you peace and will work out things out as He sees fit and in His time. He wants the best for you – stand on that promise today. I will be praying for you.
A prayer
Father – Sometimes the drama of life gets to be too much for us to handle. We need you to walk with us and hold us. May we seek you each and every day. Thank you for all You have done and all You will be doing in our lives. May we find rest in You. In the name of Jesus Amen.
Psalm 145:17-19
The drama of life can at times be overwhelming. Unexpected health problems, renewed unemployment, natural disasters and the list can go on and on. Yet the sun shines, the birds sing and life continues when perhaps we would like it to stop so we can get off and rest for a while before re-entering the battle. During these times it can seem like God is nowhere near, we sometimes wonder why? Why do I have to be sick, why can’t I find a job, why is there so much violence and suffering?
Jesus told us life would not be easy but that He would be with us. He hears us when we cry and He desires to give us good things. King David the writer of today’s verses could relate to the trials of life, He often cried out in his anguish to his GOD. The whole of Psalm 145 is David’s praise for a God who is faithful, a God who is near. Sometimes we need to draw nearer to him by reading His word, praying and fasting, and praising Him for all He has already done.
I don’t know what you may be facing today – important decisions, financial trouble, relationship issues or whatever – I do know that God is there waiting for you to call on him, when you do He will give you peace and will work out things out as He sees fit and in His time. He wants the best for you – stand on that promise today. I will be praying for you.
A prayer
Father – Sometimes the drama of life gets to be too much for us to handle. We need you to walk with us and hold us. May we seek you each and every day. Thank you for all You have done and all You will be doing in our lives. May we find rest in You. In the name of Jesus Amen.
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