"Are you capable of forgiving and accepting in love a world which has disappointed you by not being perfect, a world in which there is so much unfairness and cruelty, disease and crime, earthquake and accident? Can you forgive its imperfections and love it because it is capable of containing great beauty and goodness, and because it is the only world we have?...And if you can do these things, will you be able to recognize that the ability to forgive and the ability to love are the weapons God has given us to enable us to live fully, bravely and meaningfully in this less-than-perfect world?”
1 KINGS 10-11
1King Solomon, however, loved many foreign women besides Pharaoh’s daughter—Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Sidonians and Hittites. 2They were from nations about which the Lord had told the Israelites, “You must not intermarry with them, because they will surely turn your hearts after their gods.” Nevertheless, Solomon held fast to them in love. 3He had seven hundred wives of royal birth and three hundred concubines, and his wives led him astray. 4As Solomon grew old, his wives turned his heart after other gods, and his heart was not fully devoted to the Lord his God, as the heart of David his father had been. 5He followed Ashtoreth the goddess of the Sidonians, and Molek the detestable god of the Ammonites. 6So Solomon did evil in the eyes of the Lord; he did not follow the Lord completely, as David his father had done.(11:1-6)
LUKE 24:1-35
1On the first day of the week, very early in the morning, the women took the spices they had prepared and went to the tomb. 2They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, 3but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. 4While they were wondering about this, suddenly two men in clothes that gleamed like lightning stood beside them. 5In their fright the women bowed down with their faces to the ground, but the men said to them, “Why do you look for the living among the dead? 6He is not here; he has risen! Remember how he told you, while he was still with you in Galilee: 7‘The Son of Man must be delivered over to the hands of sinners, be crucified and on the third day be raised again.’ ” 8Then they remembered his words.
9When they came back from the tomb, they told all these things to the Eleven and to all the others. 10It was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the others with them who told this to the apostles. 11But they did not believe the women, because their words seemed to them like nonsense. 12Peter, however, got up and ran to the tomb. Bending over, he saw the strips of linen lying by themselves, and he went away, wondering to himself what had happened.
JOURNAL
Everything matters. Solomon has immense wealth, peace, the favor of God and he still seeks the favor of forbidden women and succumbs to worshiping their Gods. Solomon has everything he could ever want and it still is not enough. It was the same with David...although David did not worship other God's his pursuit of a forbidden relationship caused him unnecessary suffering and the death of one of his mighty men. Every human on this planet in one way or another can relate. Maybe we don't worship a foreign God or have an affair that ends in murder...but I know in my own heart and mind I drift away from the promise and the beauty of God. I find my mind wandering and thinking about what circumstance or situation would make me happier and more fulfilled or how could things be easier or when I withhold my best out of rebellion and laziness...and there it is I'm in the same mindset as Solomon.
So where then does that leave us...Right where we must be....broken and searching for a savior. Here then is the miracle of the resurrection. For although all is lost in human terms...it is glorious and righteous in spiritual reality. God is not bound by our laws and our weakness. God gives life where it no longer exists, God turns a perceived failure into the greatest moment in human history. How foolish is it to rely on human success, human opinions, human wisdom. I believe this is why Paul cries out in absolute frustration in Romans...
21So I find this law at work: Although I want to do good, evil is right there with me. 22For in my inner being I delight in God’s law; 23but I see another law at work in me, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within me. 24What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death? 25Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord! (Romans 7:21-25)
That's the miracle...he has made a way that is not dependent upon my own success or failure. He has provided a path with the only requirement that I accept and follow. It's not a token get out of jail free card, it is far greater, it is truly deepest desire of my heart.
Everything matters. Solomon has immense wealth, peace, the favor of God and he still seeks the favor of forbidden women and succumbs to worshiping their Gods. Solomon has everything he could ever want and it still is not enough. It was the same with David...although David did not worship other God's his pursuit of a forbidden relationship caused him unnecessary suffering and the death of one of his mighty men. Every human on this planet in one way or another can relate. Maybe we don't worship a foreign God or have an affair that ends in murder...but I know in my own heart and mind I drift away from the promise and the beauty of God. I find my mind wandering and thinking about what circumstance or situation would make me happier and more fulfilled or how could things be easier or when I withhold my best out of rebellion and laziness...and there it is I'm in the same mindset as Solomon.
So where then does that leave us...Right where we must be....broken and searching for a savior. Here then is the miracle of the resurrection. For although all is lost in human terms...it is glorious and righteous in spiritual reality. God is not bound by our laws and our weakness. God gives life where it no longer exists, God turns a perceived failure into the greatest moment in human history. How foolish is it to rely on human success, human opinions, human wisdom. I believe this is why Paul cries out in absolute frustration in Romans...
21So I find this law at work: Although I want to do good, evil is right there with me. 22For in my inner being I delight in God’s law; 23but I see another law at work in me, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within me. 24What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death? 25Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord! (Romans 7:21-25)
4Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one.a 5Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. 6These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. 7Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.
DEUTERONOMY 6:4-
DEUTERONOMY 6:4-
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