Where Were You?

Then the Lord answered Job out of the whirlwind, and said,

Who is this that darkeneth counsel by words without knowledge?

Gird up now thy loins like a man; for I will demand of thee, and answer thou me.

Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth? declare, if thou hast understanding.

Who hath laid the measures thereof, if thou knowest? or who hath stretched the line upon it?

Whereupon are the foundations thereof fastened? or who laid the corner stone thereof;

When the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy?

Or who shut up the sea with doors, when it brake forth, as if it had issued out of the womb?
                                                                                   (Job 38:1-8 KJV)

Where were we when the Lord did all these things? Were we there advising God? Were we even there to witness it? Of course not! We were not there. He is the creator and we are his creation. Who are we to question his motives? Who are we to consider that we might have more insight; more knowledge; more wisdom than God? Who are we to judge God? Who are we to be making decisions that clearly go against his will for humankind? 

The Lord is our God. He is the only true God, the creator of all of the heavens and earth. Listen to him! 

God's Peace - Pr. J.

Brother's Keeper

"Or what man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone?

Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent?

If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?  Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets." 

                                                                                       (Matt 7:9-12 KJV)

"And the Lord said unto Cain, Where is Abel thy brother? And he said, I know not: Am I my brother's keeper?" (Gen 4:9) 

After killing his brother, Cain would not answer the Lord directly when asked where his brother was. His retort was "Am I my bother's keeper?" Consider today if you are your brother's keeper. And, are you your brother's children's keeper? I hope that you are answering in the affirmative.

Our lives can be full of chaos and not just ours. Everyone has down times. Let us not be the ones to bring those down times to others. Let us not harm those close to us by considering our own desires above the needs of others. May God help us to remember to look out for not only our needs but for the needs of those around us as well.

Yes, you are your brother's keeper. If you, yourself, are a child of God then you would respond in the affirmative when it comes to helping those around you. 

God's Peace - Pr. J

Follow Him, Where!

Then Peter said, “Look, we have left our homes and followed you.” And he said to them, “Truly I tell you, there is no one who has left house or wife or brothers or parents or children, for the sake of the kingdom of God, who will not get back very much more in this age, and in the age to come eternal life.” (Luke 18:28-30 NRSV)

Such a hard saying! What does this mean!

I have never understood it to mean that we must throw our family members under the bus. I do understand it to mean that the we must make sure that God comes first in our lives. Nothing and no one can become the priority over God. That being said: just as we are to care for and serve others we should serve our families. But, we should never put their or our own selfish desires before the will of God. God comes first for without him we cannot truly love anyone else.

The Kingdom of God comes first. If the world is so important to you that you cannot put aside an egotistical and materialistic self-serving life-style then why pretend that the Kingdom of God is important in any way to you?

Jesus' early followers left family, homes, businesses to follow Jesus. They were willing and often did give up their very lives for the sake of the Kingdom of God. There are many around the world who are still willing and still do.

Then he said to them all, “If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me. For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will save it. (Luke 9:23-24)

Something to consider: Are you truly a follower of Jesus or is your Christianity merely a badge to wear when needed to please, appease, and impress those around you? Will you deny yourself and take up the cross to follow Jesus?  If we follow in his footsteps, it will take us to the place where he carried his cross; to where he died upon it; and ultimately to the Kingdom of God where he reigns eternally. It would take us to places where those who cling to the world would fear to go.

The journey is definitely worth making. But, there is a cost. It cost Jesus his life. This same Jesus who died on the cross said we are to take up our crosses daily and follow him. Follow him where? To the cross? To death? Is there a limit on the places that we are willing to follow him to? Is there a limit to what we are willing to die to in this world in order to follow him?

May God grant us courage and strength to take up our crosses and follow him wherever he would lead us.

God's Peace - Pr. J