Showing posts with label oxen. Show all posts
Showing posts with label oxen. Show all posts

Saturday, June 6, 2020

Caring For All Of Creation

photo by Pr. Judy Mattson

Psalm 8
O Lord, our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth! who hast set thy glory above the heavens.
Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings hast thou ordained strength because of thine enemies, that thou mightest still the enemy and the avenger.
When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained;
What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him?
For thou hast made him a little lower than the angels, and hast crowned him with glory and honour.
Thou madest him to have dominion over the works of thy hands; thou hast put all things under his feet:
All sheep and oxen, yea, and the beasts of the field;
The fowl of the air, and the fish of the sea, and whatsoever passeth through the paths of the seas.
O Lord our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth!

When God created all things, he put man in charge of taking care of his creation; the whole creation. That means to take care of one another as well! It does not mean that we get to destroy what God has made. It means to care for it.

Life in this world is rather short. But, life does not end there. All of the material things we have amassed will be gone. What will be left? Ask yourself this: "Will I have eternal life in the presence of the creator of heaven and earth? Will I get to see and be with the one who lived and died and lives again for me and for all people?"

The way that we have often cared for one another is evidence enough that we do not deserve eternal life in His presence. We have way too often turned our backs on God and on our fellow human beings. But, by faith in Him we have eternal life, anyway. It is His gift to all who believe in Him.

How excellent is the name of the One who created all things and who saves us in spite of ourselves! May God create in us new and clean hearts that we might love and and care for one another more fully.

God's Peace - Pr. J. 

Saturday, June 9, 2018

I Cannot Come



When one of those at the table with him heard this, he said to Jesus, “Blessed is the one who will eat at the feast in the kingdom of God.”
Jesus replied: “A certain man was preparing a great banquet and invited many guests. At the time of the banquet he sent his servant to tell those who had been invited, ‘Come, for everything is now ready.’
“But they all alike began to make excuses. The first said, ‘I have just bought a field, and I must go and see it. Please excuse me.’
 “Another said, ‘I have just bought five yoke of oxen, and I’m on my way to try them out. Please excuse me.’
 “Still another said, ‘I just got married, so I can’t come.’
 “The servant came back and reported this to his master. Then the owner of the house became angry and ordered his servant, ‘Go out quickly into the streets and alleys of the town and bring in the poor, the crippled, the blind and the lame.’
 “‘Sir,’ the servant said, ‘what you ordered has been done, but there is still room.’
 “Then the master told his servant, ‘Go out to the roads and country lanes and compel them to come in, so that my house will be full.'"                                                                                                                   (Luke 14:15-23 NIV)

We all have excuses. Everyone, it seems, wants to be present at the great banquet table in the Kingdom of God after they enter through the gateway of death. But, not so many realize that the banquet table of the Kingdom is prepared just about every Sunday (sometimes more; sometimes less). This feast of Jesus Christ is for you. He invites you. The one who died for you and has prepared a place for you welcomes you. Yet, what is the response? Is it "I cannot come?" What better things do you have to do this Sunday?

The Kingdom of God is at hand. The table has been prepared for you. You have been invited. "Come, for everything is now ready."

God's Peace - Pr. J.