Tuesday, March 22, 2016

“As long as you are proud you cannot know God. A proud man is always looking down on thing and people: and, of course, as long as you are looking down you cannot see something that is above you.”  ~ C.S. Lewis

JOSHUA 7,8

After the defeat of Ai, Joshua humbles himself and all of Israel before God...

34Afterward, Joshua read all the words of the law—the blessings and the curses—just as it is written in the Book of the Law. 35There was not a word of all that Moses had commanded that Joshua did not read to the whole assembly of Israel, including the women and children, and the foreigners who lived among them.

LUKE 2:25-52

Jesus as a young boy...

 46After three days they found him in the temple courts, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. 47Everyone who heard him was amazed at his understanding and his answers. 48When his parents saw him, they were astonished. His mother said to him, “Son, why have you treated us like this? Your father and I have been anxiously searching for you.”

49“Why were you searching for me?” he asked. “Didn’t you know I had to be in my Father’s house?”^f 50But they did not understand what he was saying to them.

51Then he went down to Nazareth with them and was obedient to them. But his mother treasured all these things in her heart. 52And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man.

JOURNAL

At 12 years old, Jesus is drawn to the word and the prophets.  I can never imagine a 12 year old being content to hear and listen to scripture being read for 3 days.  How did he eat, didn't the teachers wonder about his parents?  In the end Jesus is obedient to his parents but their is never a doubt as to where his devotion is anchored.

In thinking about this in my own life it is apparent the lack of devotion to scripture, prayer and humility before God.  In success, I don't immediately turn to God and give thanks, I also find that I crave other things other than the teaching and hearing of God's word.  I realize that my heart is divided at times yet being honest about this is the first step in embracing the God who loves me. To know that Christ who was perfect stands in my place and has inhabited my heart gives me a joy and removes shame in ways that "better behavior" never can.

Therefore, in order to keep me from becoming conceited, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. 8Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. 9But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. 10That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong. (Ephesians 4:14-16)