Have Mercy Upon Us; Ash Wed 2022

Do What Is Right; Live In Peace

And when he had called all the people unto him, he said unto them, Hearken unto me every one of you, and understand:

There is nothing from without a man, that entering into him can defile him: but the things which come out of him, those are they that defile the man.

If any man have ears to hear, let him hear.

And when he was entered into the house from the people, his disciples asked him concerning the parable.

And he saith unto them, Are ye so without understanding also? Do ye not perceive, that whatsoever thing from without entereth into the man, it cannot defile him;

Because it entereth not into his heart, but into the belly, and goeth out into the draught, purging all meats?

And he said, That which cometh out of the man, that defileth the man.

For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders,

Thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness:

All these evil things come from within, and defile the man.

                                                                                                                  (Mark 7:14-23 KJV)

These verses seem pretty cut and dried to me. It is not what you eat that defiles you although you absolutely should make sure that you're not eating something that will make you physically ill. It is who you have chosen to be that defiles you. What is in your heart manifests into what you think and say and do and that is what causes a person to be defiled; to be sinful causing harm to themselves and others.

Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.

Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you. (Phil 4:8-9)

God's Peace - Pr. J.

First Priority: Loving The Lord

Now it came to pass, as they went, that he entered into a certain village: and a certain woman named Martha received him into her house. And she had a sister called Mary, which also sat at Jesus' feet, and heard his word. But Martha was cumbered about much serving, and came to him, and said, Lord, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone? bid her therefore that she help me. And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things: But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her.

                                                                        (Luke 10:39-42 KJV)

Every Christian knows that we are called to love and serve one another or at least I hope we know that. But, this story about Jesus visiting Mary and Martha reminds us that there is more to it than that. Just prior to the story about Mary and Martha, a lawyer asks Jesus what we must do to inherit eternal life. 

And he answering said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbour as thyself. (Luke 10:27)

That is exactly what Mary was doing: loving the Lord while Martha was busy about doing good things. Don't get me wrong! Good things are good! But, living in the presence of God and loving Him is most necessary.

Sometimes, our busyness can get in the way of experiencing the joy of living in God's presence and of living in His love. Our good works can interfere with our worship of God when we spend so much time doing good works that there is no time left to experience real life with and in Christ.

Good works are good; but loving God is the first priority. Trust God; love Him and good works will follow that love. 

That lawyer didn't especially care for Jesus' answer so he wanted to know who his neighbor actually was. Jesus tells a parable about  a Samaritan who helped a man who had been beaten, robbed, and left the man who died on the side of the road. A priest and a Levite had come by before the Samaritan and had ignored the man lying there. Of course, the one who helped was the good neighbor. Out of compassion, he was willing to help.

We must be careful that our good works are truly helpful and not just busyness (excuses) that will keep us from the loving relationship that the Lord desires to have with us.

God's Peace - Pr. J

Salty

You are the salt of the earth; but if salt has lost its taste, how can its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything, but is thrown out and trampled under foot. (Matt 5:13 NRSV)

I am a salt eater. I like seasoning in my food. My husband tries to avoid salt for health reasons. But, I do not. Often, when cooking, I will sneak a pinch in. I would rather have it absorbed into the food and not tossed on top of it. Tossed on top, the food becomes way too salty and the flavor of the food itself is lost.

I, like the food I eat, can be a bit "salty" at times. Sometimes, I have to apologize for seasoning my attitude just a little too much. But, I do not intentionally add salty language or attitude for the sake of effect. When I exhibit "saltiness" it is a part of who I am. It is mixed in with the rest of my personality or being.

My saltiness is particularly exhibited when I encounter Christians who claim to be Christians; yet, their lack of saltiness for the Lord and their false gods are clearly visible. Yes, I get a bit defensive and a little offensive when false gods rear their ugly heads in the world and "Christians" around me.

Long ago, I figured out that God did not intend for his people to be door-mats to be stepped upon like the salt that has been thrown out in Jesus' parable. He expects us to stand up and do the right thing. He expects us to worship Him and to follow in the footsteps of the one who died that we might live with Him.

I do not anticipate losing my saltiness. Sometimes, we have to be a bit salty so that the Word and will of God is known by others. We're not of much use if we sit around and let the Word of God be ignored or disrespected. If anything should be trampled under foot, it should be the false gods that we have a tendency to gravitate towards.

May your life be filled with the salt of life. May the Lord, the One God, fill you with His Word, with His truth, and with His life.

God's Peace - Pr. J.

The Meaninglessness Of The Love Of Things

The older I get and death becomes more of a reality, the more I lapse into moments of thinking that life is as meaningless as Solomon would imply. Why all the years of toil, if it is to be gone in a second? This toiling after amassing riches is totally meaningless. Living life to amass things means that we will miss out on living and enjoying our lives in Christ in the here and now. We can; after all, only serve one God. 

Solomon's words of wisdom in the book of Ecclesiastes tell us:

The lover of money will not be satisfied with money; nor the lover of wealth, with gain. This also is vanity.

When goods increase, those who eat them increase; and what gain has their owner but to see them with his eyes?

Sweet is the sleep of laborers, whether they eat little or much; but the surfeit of the rich will not let them sleep.

There is a grievous ill that I have seen under the sun: riches were kept by their owners to their hurt, and those riches were lost in a bad venture; though they are parents of children, they have nothing in their hands. As they came from their mother’s womb, so they shall go again, naked as they came; they shall take nothing for their toil, which they may carry away with their hands."
                                                                        (Eccl 5:10 - 15 NRSV) 

That is not to say work is evil. We should work if we expect to eat. But, it becomes very bothersome, even a burden, when one works only to amass riches. Jesus told this story to a crowd who followed to listen to Him: 
 

Then he told them a parable: “The land of a rich man produced abundantly. And he thought to himself, ‘What should I do, for I have no place to store my crops?’  Then he said, ‘I will do this: I will pull down my barns and build larger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. And I will say to my soul, Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; relax, eat, drink, be merry.’ But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life is being demanded of you. And the things you have prepared, whose will they be?’ So it is with those who store up treasures for themselves but are not rich toward God.”
                                                                             Luke 12:16-21

Our work should bring joy to us as well as to others. Live life! Enjoy the life that God has given you! Whether it is in the hours you spend laboring or during the hours you are relaxing with your friends and family, life here on earth is to be lived and enjoyed. Life, abundant life, is a gift from God.

This is what I have seen to be good: it is fitting to eat and drink and find enjoyment in all the toil with which one toils under the sun the few days of the life God gives us; for this is our lot. Likewise all to whom God gives wealth and possessions and whom he enables to enjoy them, and to accept their lot and find enjoyment in their toil—this is the gift of God. For they will scarcely brood over the days of their lives, because God keeps them occupied with the joy of their hearts. (Eccl 5:18-20).

Focus your journey here on earth, not on amassing wealth or power to the exploit of others, but on living life so that God may be glorified.

And... may the peace and joy that is found in being in relationship with God, our Father and with one another, through His Son, Jesus the Christ, be with you always.  

Pr. J