“Gratitude looks to the Past and love to the Present; fear, avarice, lust, and ambition look ahead.”
1 KINGS 1-2
9Adonijah then sacrificed sheep, cattle and fattened calves at the Stone of Zoheleth near En Rogel. He invited all his brothers, the king’s sons, and all the royal officials of Judah, 10but he did not invite Nathan the prophet or Benaiah or the special guard or his brother Solomon.
11Then Nathan asked Bathsheba, Solomon’s mother, “Have you not heard that Adonijah, the son of Haggith, has become king, and our lord David knows nothing about it?(1:9-11)...
2“I am about to go the way of all the earth,” he said. “So be strong, act like a man, 3and observe what the Lord your God requires: Walk in obedience to him, and keep his decrees and commands, his laws and regulations, as written in the Law of Moses. Do this so that you may prosper in all you do and wherever you go" (2:2-3)
2“I am about to go the way of all the earth,” he said. “So be strong, act like a man, 3and observe what the Lord your God requires: Walk in obedience to him, and keep his decrees and commands, his laws and regulations, as written in the Law of Moses. Do this so that you may prosper in all you do and wherever you go" (2:2-3)
LUKE 22:54-71
54Then seizing him, they led him away and took him into the house of the high priest. Peter followed at a distance. 55And when some there had kindled a fire in the middle of the courtyard and had sat down together, Peter sat down with them. 56A servant girl saw him seated there in the firelight. She looked closely at him and said, “This man was with him.”
57But he denied it. “Woman, I don’t know him,” he said.
58A little later someone else saw him and said, “You also are one of them.”
“Man, I am not!” Peter replied.
59About an hour later another asserted, “Certainly this fellow was with him, for he is a Galilean.”
60Peter replied, “Man, I don’t know what you’re talking about!” Just as he was speaking, the rooster crowed. 61The Lord turned and looked straight at Peter. Then Peter remembered the word the Lord had spoken to him: “Before the rooster crows today, you will disown me three times.” 62And he went outside and wept bitterly.
JOURNAL
Living in the moment can be a terrifying ordeal. Reading this morning I really was compelled to think of the doubt, fear and worry that must have gripped Bathsheba, Nathan, and Solomon. Their future looked completely in doubt. A betting man would have put the odds that this was the end of the road for them. Then for Peter he has to be in complete shock, he is gripped by fear and all looks lost so he even denies knowing Jesus 3 times.
Often the present moment is scary. Often it doesn't seem to match the desires of our heart. We don't get the benefit of seeing the future. That's what this business of faith and our relationship with God is all about. God asks us to trust him in the midst of terrifying uncertainty. Scripture proves to us, that is in these moments that we can take comfort because God is always up to something good. We may be in the midst of hell on earth and it may seem dark and scary, but God is still up to something good.
Trusting that and finding the joy in the present is the challenge and the essence of faith. I must remember and take hold of the truth that God is in today. I can see evidence of him in the past, but that's not where he resides...I can trust that he's in the future but that future does not yet exist...so the only place I can experience him is right here, right now in this moment.
Living in the moment can be a terrifying ordeal. Reading this morning I really was compelled to think of the doubt, fear and worry that must have gripped Bathsheba, Nathan, and Solomon. Their future looked completely in doubt. A betting man would have put the odds that this was the end of the road for them. Then for Peter he has to be in complete shock, he is gripped by fear and all looks lost so he even denies knowing Jesus 3 times.
Often the present moment is scary. Often it doesn't seem to match the desires of our heart. We don't get the benefit of seeing the future. That's what this business of faith and our relationship with God is all about. God asks us to trust him in the midst of terrifying uncertainty. Scripture proves to us, that is in these moments that we can take comfort because God is always up to something good. We may be in the midst of hell on earth and it may seem dark and scary, but God is still up to something good.
Trusting that and finding the joy in the present is the challenge and the essence of faith. I must remember and take hold of the truth that God is in today. I can see evidence of him in the past, but that's not where he resides...I can trust that he's in the future but that future does not yet exist...so the only place I can experience him is right here, right now in this moment.
Often the present moment is scary. Often it doesn't seem to match the desires of our heart. We don't get the benefit of seeing the future. That's what this business of faith and our relationship with God is all about. God asks us to trust him in the midst of terrifying uncertainty. Scripture proves to us, that is in these moments that we can take comfort because God is always up to something good. We may be in the midst of hell on earth and it may seem dark and scary, but God is still up to something good.
Trusting that and finding the joy in the present is the challenge and the essence of faith. I must remember and take hold of the truth that God is in today. I can see evidence of him in the past, but that's not where he resides...I can trust that he's in the future but that future does not yet exist...so the only place I can experience him is right here, right now in this moment.
31So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.
MATTHEW 6:31-3
MATTHEW 6:31-3
No comments:
Post a Comment