Do Not Be Afraid to Move Forward

"Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life." Matt 6:25-27 NRSV

There have been times in my life when I have been quite confrontational when it comes to injustice. Where others were shrinking back and warning me that I should too for safety's sake, I have advanced. I did indeed consider the worst case scenarios before I advanced. What is the worst thing that could happen to me? What is there to fear? Nothing, not even death. I have eternal life.

When considering a new venture; whether it be a new job or investing in a project or a person or whatever challenge the day might bring; again, the same question. What have I to fear? Nothing. Life in this world is temporary. It will all pass. I have eternal life.

Jesus knowingly went forward to the cross; to his death, that we might live. He could have gone in the other direction. He could have; but, he did not. He did not shrink back from saving the world; even though much of the world would reject him. He did not pretend that everything in the world was okay. He was willing to give even his life because the world was not okay.

Do not fear. Our Father in heaven loves you. Believe this and you too will have nothing to fear. You will be much more able to attempt to make radical changes within yourself and in the world around you with the knowledge that God is with you and for you. The world may abandon you. You may even lose many things in this world that you now treasure. But, there is nothing to fear. By faith, you have received eternal life.
 
May God help us to always stand in His truth; in His Way, no matter what possible dangers may lay before us. May He help us to remember that we have nothing to fear for through God's own Son, Jesus the Christ, we have eternal life.

God's Peace - Pr. J

Luke 12:22-34 God Provides

Luke 12:22-34
It has been a long winter, but I believe it's finally over for a few months. The birds have returned and they are busy living life. The geese and ducks are busy saying good morning outside my back door. Quite a bit of music they make in the mornings. Robins had returned before the snow had even left the ground this year. I would have thought they might have starved to death with no ground to eat from. Yet, they survived. God somehow managed to provide for them.

Jesus told his disciples that they are not to worry about their lives. They are to trust their Father to provide for their earthly needs. They are to seek his kingdom and the things they need will be provided. He said, "Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom. Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out, a treasure in heaven that will never fail, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." (vs 32-34)

Where is your heart today? Is it focused on things of this world or the Kingdom of God that has been promised to you by the shedding of our Saviour's blood? Our Father has blessed us abundantly in this world; what more could we want than to live in His presence; singing his praises with even the geese and the ducks?

God's Peace - Pr. J

P.S. This is a link to the songs of joy I heard last night :) A pleasure to hear! Creation sings for joy. Summer is finally here! (You will have to view in full screen if you want to see as well as hear.)
 

Mark 4:1-20 Planting

My first garden, years ago, was a travesty. Well, not totally, a few things grew. But, my cucumbers, which grew to full size were orange. It was just weird. I found there were a couple of problems that I had not considered. First, there was not enough drainage as the garden was at the bottom of a slope and second; the soil was not good for cucumber growth. That was my last year for cucumbers in North Carolina.

For good growth there must be a good start. The ground must be just right to receive the seeds and help them to grow. There must be enough water, but not too much and there must be enough sunlight and, again, not so much that they burn and die.

And, so, we have the parable of the sower. I am always astounded when people tell me their children have never been in a church. They want them to make their own choices of religion when they grow up. I'm thinking this is an excuse given mostly by people in whom the seed has not been placed in fertile ground in the first place, My concern is that if they do not prepare their children to receive the Word as adults, they will be like the path where once the seed has been planted, the birds will eat it up. Or, like the thorny or rocky places where plants do not grow well. There is a chance, a small chance, that they will grow; but, odds are against it.

Like the garden that I planted without much forethought; so parents who do not plan ahead and give their children fertile ground to grow in, the fruit will not be what we hope for. I have known full grown adults who have never been to a worship service - not in their whole lives. And, they are genuinely afraid to enter because they do not know what to expect. I have just never figured out how anyone could think that their children will be able to make a real choice, if the parents do not even begin to teach them what their choices are when they are young.

God's Peace - Pr. J

Matthew 17:14-26 - Mustard Seed

He replied, “Because you have so little faith. Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.” (Matt 17:20-21 NIV)

It is almost unbelievable to me that we do not have the faith of a mustard seed. I said, almost. The evidence is there. No mountains have been moved that I know about, lately. There are plenty of sick people to be healed, hungry to be fed, and a world full of lonely people who know no peace.

But, again, I said "almost unbelievable." Remember the story of the mustard tree? "Then Jesus asked, 'What is the kingdom of God like? What shall I compare it to? It is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his garden. It grew and became a tree, and the birds perched in its branches.'” (Luke 13:18-19)

The mustard seed does not miraculously grow into a tree overnight. It takes times. It is more of a process.  A seed is planted. It is watered and fertilized. The mustard seed actually has to do nothing to make itself grow. It grows because that is in the nature of the mustard seed. Such is the Kingdom of God. All our hard work at trying to fix things and create a utopia here on earth amounts to nothing without faith in the One who provides the increase. It is God who provides the blessings.

Indeed, I have seen some pretty miraculous healings in my lifetime. I have seen things accomplished for the good of man that many would have thought were not possible. But, like the mustard seed growing into a full blown tree that will feed the multitudes of birds, so the Kingdom of God is growing. Slowly (at least according to our reckoning of time), but surely it is advancing bringing with it wholeness and peace.

God's Peace - Pr. J

Nehemiah 11 - God Bless the City Dwellers

Not sure what to make of this...
     "Now the leaders of the people dwelt at Jerusalem; the rest of the people cast lots to bring one out of ten to dwell in Jerusalem, the holy city, and nine-tenths were to dwell in other cities.  And the people blessed all the men who willingly offered themselves to dwell at Jerusalem." (vs 1-2, NIV)

Was it really that horrible to have to live in the city of Jerusalem, that the people drew lots to see who would have to live there and blessed those who willingly offered to live there?  The text doesn't exactly inform me as to why this would be.  Then again, for some reason, I did not sleep well last night and I may not be thinking so well this morning.  Maybe, I'm just not getting it!

But, I sure can empathize with the thinking that living in a city would be a sacrifice.  I know that there are people who would have it no other way.  But, coming back from the NALC Convention in Golden Valley, MN last week and driving about 10 mph all the way through the Twin Cities on I-94 was a good reminder that I did not want to ever live in a city again.  Personally, I like the woods!  I enjoy the solitude.  I can hear distant cars.  But, when I wake up in the morning it is the birds chirping and some of the larger birds even squawking that I hear.  During the warmer seasons, the frogs and crickets sing me to sleep at night.  One New Year's morning, I heard a baby bear crying as (I assume) it was being born.  Much better sounds to me than roaring engines and screeching brakes and neighbors partying.

Yes, let us pray for and bless all those who live in the cities and in the country, too.  Bless all whom God has called to serve as they serve, live where they live.  And... God bless you too.  

Pr. J.