Isaiah 53 - Jesus Died For The Sheep Who Had Gone Astray

We typically hear the reading of Isaiah 53 every year during Lent, on Good Friday, along with verses beginning at verse 13 of the 52nd chapter of Isaiah.

It is a reminder of why Jesus had to die. That is, for us, because of our own sinful ways... "We all, like sheep, have Gone astray, each of us has turn to our own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all." (Isa 53:6 NIV)

Jesus took upon himself our pain and he bore our sufferings. He was crucified for our transgression and for our iniquities. It is by his wounds that we are healed. It is by his sacrifice for us that we are made whole!

We may hear this lesson on Good Friday, but I am reminded of it often. For, I, like all of you, often act like a sheep that has gone astray. Whenever I mess up big time (that is sin), God's gentle Spirit reminds me why Jesus had to suffer persecution and such a cruel death. He died bearing our sins, those sins we commit today and will commit tomorrow. Through faith in him, our sins (of even today and tomorrow) were crucified with him.

May God help us to more faithful to the one who was and is faithful to us.

God's Peace - Pr. J

P.S. Don't forget to read Isaiah 53 - you will recognize it immediately if you've ever attended at Good Friday Service at Zion or most congregations anywhere.

Proverbs 27 - Planning And Boasting Not The Same Thing

Planning ahead has never been part of my husband's routine. He's finally come around to letting me know what is on his schedule for the next day so that I can plan my schedule so that we will have time together.  I have planned many vacations just to go on them alone or with our children or our grandchildren. He built an addition on our house a few years ago. It's a real nice addition. But, he had not planned anything in advance. There was no blueprint of any kind! At least none that he would share with me. We went to the hardware store and lumber yard as each step of the project advanced and he decided what he needed at the time. There was no estimating the cost in advance of the project. I don't think my husband had ever read or heard Luke 14:28-30 (NIV). “Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Won’t you first sit down and estimate the cost to see if you have enough money to complete it?  For if you lay the foundation and are not able to finish it, everyone who sees it will ridicule you, saying, ‘This person began to build and wasn’t able to finish.’"

From childhood, he; however, had this first verse from Proverbs 27 engrained into his being. "Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what a day may bring." Somehow, for him, boasting and planning had become synonymous.

The verse says "do not boast." It does not say, do not plan ahead. Proverbs is a whole bunch of wisdom sayings put together, one after another. But, as with all of scripture, we read need to read them in the context of all scripture. When we take a look a the story from Luke it says we indeed should be planning ahead, and Proverbs would be reminding us not to boast of things not yet accomplished.

I'm a planner. I like things organized so I know what is coming up. I like things done quickly and efficiently. Planning helps me with this. After 40 years, I am finally getting use to not knowing what my husband is planning and he's finally coming around to wanting to have some kind of plan.

Planning with others what you will do tomorrow is not the same thing as boasting about what you will do tomorrow.

God's Peace - Pr. J.

Psalm 129 - Move Foward in Christ! Live Life!

"They have greatly oppressed me from my youth, but they have not gained the victory over me." (Psalm 129:2 NIV)

We've all met someone, maybe many someone's, who blame their very poor attitudes toward life, toward others, toward God, on the way they were raised. Granted, our environment effects the way that we live. It effects who we are or whom we present ourselves as. But, it doesn't have to. With the help of God, we can have victory over all those negative things that have entered into and seek to influence our lives; whether they happened 50 years ago or yesterday.

For those who insist on blaming their "hard luck" of today on the parents who raised them decades ago: give it up, please!  Get on with your life. Move toward a better future. Quit blaming others whom you may not have even seen in a few decades and live life today!  And... if you have a counselor or therapist who keeps you dwelling on the past, better find another one. One that will help you focus on living life today and tomorrow and all the other tomorrows. Certainly, you can remember the past. It might teach you what you shouldn't be doing for your sake and for the welfare of others. But, move on. Move forward. As that favorite hymn reminds us: "Onward Christian soldiers." Don't be going backwards. The only way to victory is with Christ, moving forward, not backward to the miry pits you've dwelt in. Christ has the victory over sin, death and the power of the devil. Receive His help. Receive His love. Know that He, not your and anyone else's past, has the victory over all that would keep you from living life to the fullest as a child of God. You have been freed in Christ! You are no longer in bondage to yesterday! Live Life!

"The blessing of the Lord be on you!" (vs 8)

God's Peace - Pr. J