Showing posts with label Israelite. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Israelite. Show all posts

Sunday, March 7, 2021

God Calls The Lowly

 Photo by Pr. Judy Mattson

For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called:

But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty;

And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are:

That no flesh should glory in his presence.

But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption:

That, according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord.
                                                                                      (1 Cor 1:26-31 KJV)

David a mere shepherd boy; the youngest in his family, was chosen by God to be king over Israel. 

Joseph, the youngest son of Israel was despised by his older brothers. They sold him into slavery. Yet, God had a plan for Joseph. Although, he began his life as a slave in Egypt he became the second most powerful man in all of Egypt saving the country including his brothers who had betrayed him from starvation. 

And... there in a time when women were nothing we find Deborah leading the Israelite army and defeating the Canaanites. Yet, it was not Deborah who defeated the enemy. Deborah gave the honor and glory to God for making them victorious. 

God can and does use some of the least expected of people to save the people.  He sent Jesus to us to be born of humble beginnings; born of a virgin, born in a barn, to save the world. Even as an adult he had no place of his own to call home. (Luke 9:58)  He and his disciples stayed wherever someone would invite them in. He lorded over nothing in this world; yet, he is the Lord of all. 

All glory belongs to God! Those who exalt themselves will be humbled. According to words of Jesus: 

"But he that is greatest among you shall be your servant.

And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased; and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted."
                                                                                       (Matt 23:11-12)

The disciples also wanted to be first in Jesus' life. They let their egos take charge of them and they argued about who among them were the greatest. 

"But they held their peace: for by the way they had disputed among themselves, who should be the greatest.

And he sat down, and called the twelve, and saith unto them, If any man desire to be first, the same shall be last of all, and servant of all." 
                                                                                        (Mark 9:34-35)

God calls whom He will call and most often he does not call those who depend on or glory in their titles and their own honor. He calls those who trust in Him. He most often calls those who the world would least expect to lead them. He calls those who are willing to serve Him and not themselves.

The last shall be first and those who place themselves first in this world; above all; better than others, shall in the end be last. 

God's Peace - Pr. J.

Tuesday, February 4, 2020

I Saw Thee

Jesus saw Nathanael coming to him, and saith of him, Behold an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile!

Nathanael saith unto him, Whence knowest thou me? Jesus answered and said unto him, Before that Philip called thee, when thou wast under the fig tree, I saw thee.

Nathanael answered and saith unto him, Rabbi, thou art the Son of God; thou art the King of Israel. 
                                          (John 1:47-49 KJV)

Some of us take a long time before we make the move to get to know Jesus. It is sometimes even longer before we begin to actually follow him. It was not so with the first disciples. They pretty much dropped everything immediately to get to know him and to follow him. Nathanael was amazed that Jesus knew who he was before he met him. This knowledge was enough to get Nathanael to want to know Jesus.

It might take us some time to even begin to get an inkling as to who this Jesus is. But, it takes no time for Jesus to get to know us. Whether we know him or not. He knows us. He has always known us. He is always with us. He knows what we are doing even before we do it. He is the Son of God, after all. Won't you take the time to get to know the King of Israel; the King of Kings?

God's Peace - Pr. J

Saturday, August 25, 2018

I Know You

When Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward him, he said of him, “Here is truly an Israelite in whom there is no deceit!” Nathanael asked him, “Where did you get to know me?” Jesus answered, “I saw you under the fig tree before Philip called you.” Nathanael replied, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!” 
                                         (John 1:47-49 NRSV)

Some of us never bother to try to get to know Jesus. Others of us take a long time before we make the move to get to know him and most of the time it takes us even longer before we begin to actually follow him. It was not so with the first disciples. They pretty much dropped everything immediately to get to know him and to follow him. Nathanael was amazed that Jesus knew who he was before he met him. This knowledge was enough to get Nathanael to want to know Jesus.

It might take us some time to even begin to get an inkling as to who this Jesus really is. But, it takes no time for Jesus to get to know us. Whether we know him or not. He knows us. He has always known us. He is always with us. He knows what we are doing even before we do it. He is the Son of God, after all. 

If a celebrity came to town, I know a whole lot of people who would go out of their way just to be in the same building with them. Won't you take the time to get to know the King of Israel; the King of Kings, Jesus the Christ, our Savior and Lord?

God's Peace - Pr. J

Sunday, February 4, 2018

I Saw You

When Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward him, he said of him, “Here is truly an Israelite in whom there is no deceit!”  Nathanael asked him, “Where did you get to know me?” Jesus answered, “I saw you under the fig tree before Philip called you.” Nathanael replied, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!” John 1:47-49 NRSV

Some of us take a long time before we make the move to get to know Jesus. It is sometimes even longer before we begin to actually follow him. It was not so with the first disciples. They pretty much dropped everything immediately to get to know him and to follow him. Nathanael was amazed that Jesus knew who he was before he met him. This knowledge was enough to get Nathanael to want to know Jesus.

It might take us some time to even begin to get an inkling as to who this Jesus is. But, it takes no time for Jesus to get to know us. Whether we know him or not, he knows us. He has always known us. He is always with us. He knows what we are doing even before we do it. He is the Son of God, after all! May God help us all to get to know more fully the King of Israel; the King of Kings?

God's Peace - Pr. J