Love The Lord Your God

"Hear, O Israel: The Lord is our God, the Lord alone. You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your might."

Deut 6:4-5

Lonely, frustrated, tired?

Thoughout my life I have spent a lot of time alone mainly due to either my husband's or my careers. I am often asked if it bothers me to be alone. The answer is no. I am never alone. I have lived long enough to know that there is One who loves me more than all others. He is with me always. He is there for you always.

When we find ourselves tired and weary; lonely or frustrated, there is one we can turn to. Love the Lord your God, who loves you, with all your heart, and with all your soul and with all your might even when you think you don't need him. That is when you really need Him the most.

God's Peace - Pr. J

Rest For The Weary

“Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest."

Matt 11:28 NRSV

 

Jobless, homeless, hungry, and cold: that is the state of a lot of Americans. So many are weary of struggling to survive from day to day. We live in a country of some pretty big extremes. It amazes me when the political upper class speak like people earning $50,000 a year are poor. In 2012, the National Center for Law and Justice estimated that one out of sixteen people were living in deep poverty; that is they lived with income 50% below the poverty line. Imagine living like that! Those who live in deep poverty will never see this blog. They do not have access to computers or the internet. Just maybe our elected officials make so much money they have lost touch with the reality of what kind of struggles many Americans actually live with. $50,000. a year is not poor. One can feed and clothe and shelter their families on $50,000 a year.

 

Personally, I get weary of people who have I-Phones and I-Pods; have more bedrooms than children; and, take vacations two or three times a year complaining that they don't make fair wages or are broke. We need to remember that we are representatives of Christ. He calls us, even as he called Peter to feed his sheep.

 

May God help all of his representatives to feed his sheep; to help carry the burdens of others so that they might find rest. The followers and representatives of Jesus the Christ must step up and do this as it seems quite apparent that our elected representatives don't have much of a clue as how to do this.

Pr. J

With Wings Like Eagles

Even youths will faint and be weary,
    and the young will fall exhausted;
but those who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength,
    they shall mount up with wings like eagles,
they shall run and not be weary,
    they shall walk and not faint.

Isaiah 40:30-31 NRSV

We all get weary from time to time. Physical weariness can sometimes actually be quite satisfying when it comes from a long, hard day of work. However, I have not found emotional, mental, or spiritual weariness to ever be satisfying. It is a struggle for many to overcome this type of weariness that often brings depression. It is not overcome alone. We must wait on the Lord and trust Him to renew our strength. He will send His Spirit upon you so that you might once again soar like the eagle through the trials of the day.  

 

In Christ, we shall run and not be weary.

 

God's Peace - Pr. J

The Lord Renews Our Strength



On Eagle's Wings

Life brings us a lot of challenges. There are days when I wonder how I will manage to be in so many places at one time. There are so many people in need; so many who suffer; so many who are alone and lonely. How can we help them all? I make a lot of lists. If I don't, by the time I get home, I realize that I have not gotten to someone I had intended to get to.

It can seem overwhelming at times. Lists help to keep me on focus. But, more importantly rising early to study God's word and to spend time in prayer is essential if I want to be prepared to meet the day and any challenges the day might bring. I find strength in God's word and in his presence. I need to be able to talk to him and listen to Him and trust Him.

Isaiah reminds us that we are to wait and to trust in the Lord. He will give us the strength to meet the challenges.

"Have you not known? Have you not heard?
The Lord is the everlasting God,
    the Creator of the ends of the earth.
He does not faint or grow weary;
    his understanding is unsearchable.
He gives power to the faint,
    and strengthens the powerless.
Even youths will faint and be weary,
    and the young will fall exhausted;
but those who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength,
    they shall mount up with wings like eagles,
they shall run and not be weary,    they shall walk and not faint." Isaiah 40:28-31 NRS 

We all grow weary at times. Trust in and lean on the One who does not for His strength never fails Him or us.

God's Peace - Judy 

Luke 13:31-35 Threats Do Not Dissuade

Luke 31-35 NIV
Run! Herod wants to kill you, some Pharisees had warned Jesus. Oh well! Whatever! Jesus had a mission and he was not going to run from Herod. He would continue driving out demons and healing people until he reached his goal. His goal was the cross. He was going to die, so what difference did it make whether Herod was looking to kill him or not. He wasn't about to let a few threats dissuade him from continuing the work he was called to do.

Personally, I get a bit weary of the threats. I am not Jesus. But, he is with me and gives me strength to continue onward wherever he will call or send me. He has led me this far. He will lead me home. I know that even though Jesus' journey took him to death on the cross; it also took him through death to the Kingdom of God. So, threats may wear me down a bit, but they will not strike me down completely. I will continue toward the goal, even if it includes a journey to the cross (which it will).

God's Peace - Pr. J

Isaiah 40 - You Worship A What? A Piece Of Wood?

One of my favorite scriptures....  It includes the scripture that predicts, the forerunner of Jesus, John the Baptist's coming:

"A voice of one calling:
“In the wilderness prepare
the way for the Lord;
make straight in the deserta highway for our God"" (Isa 40:3 NIV)

As well as a reminder that the LORD will tend His flock like a tender shepherd and the verses that the favorite hymn "On Eagle's Wings" comes from.

"Do you not know?
Have you not heard?
The Lord is the everlasting God,
the Creator of the ends of the earth.
He will not grow tired or weary,
and his understanding no one can fathom.
He gives strength to the weary
and increases the power of the weak.
Even youths grow tired and weary,
and young men stumble and fall;
but those who hope in the Lord
will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
they will run and not grow weary,they will walk and not be faint." (Isa 40:28-31)

The LORD is the everlasting God. As I was reading this chapter anew this morning, it struck me how we have this awesome God who created and cares for all things. He is God! Yet, much of humankind prefers to make their own gods.

 ^"With whom, then, will you compare God?
To what image will you liken him?
As for an idol, a metalworker casts it,
and a goldsmith overlays it with gold
and fashions silver chains for it.
A person too poor to present such an offering
selects wood that will not rot;
they look for a skilled workerto set up an idol that will not topple." (Isa 40:18:20)

It is quite unimaginable to me to consider building (creating) a god to worship and neglecting to worship of the One true God who created us. Why in the world would anyone worship an image made of metal or wood made by their own hands. No matter how well it is made, it is still an inanimate object and can do nothing for you. If you have to create it, it is certainly no god! It can do nothing for you!

Worship then the One who can. The One who gives strength to the weary. The One who created you, who created all the world and all that is in it. Worship the one who can and will not only give you strength when you are weary, but peace when you are troubled.

God's Peace - Pr. J