The kingdom of God is close at hand:
repent and believe the Good News. MK 1:5
repent and believe the Good News. MK 1:5
JOB 19:21-27
My Soul's Beloved,
Too often people, even those who love us dearly, do not fully understand or know how to help when we go through trials. They can be physical, mental, or spiritual and all well-meaning people can offer are platitudes. They make all the right humming noises and say things they think they are supposed to say or think we want to hear, or that they believe will help. Yet, more often than not, they just weary our soul and their words are tedious. Instead of fumbling with words and trying to say the right things we wish they would just stay by our side in quiet sympathy.
Job wished his friends would just shut up and empathize with him in his great suffering. He had lost everything except his faith in God and that in itself was awe-inspiring. As he talked to his friends trying to make sense of it all, all they needed to do was just listen to him instead of trying to come up with all kinds of erroneous explanations as to why God had allowed him to go through the most bitter trials that a man can endure.
He pleads with his friends to just sympathize with him and not condemn and rebuke him for sins they imagined he committed to offend God.
Job said:
Pity me, pity me, you, my friends,
for the hand of God has struck me.
Why do you hound me down like God,
will you never have enough of my flesh?
Ah, would that these words of mine were written down,
inscribed on some monument
with iron chisel and engraving tool,
cut into the rock forever.
Pity me, pity me, you, my friends,
for the hand of God has struck me.
Why do you hound me down like God,
will you never have enough of my flesh?
Ah, would that these words of mine were written down,
inscribed on some monument
with iron chisel and engraving tool,
cut into the rock forever.
Amid his terrible agony of mind, body, and soul, Job knew that God loved him. He believed that he had a right relationship with God. He didn't understand why but refused to believe that God was punishing him rather than just testing and purifying him. Job passed all the tests that Satan visited on him and Satan lost - Job remained steadfast in his faith and in his love for God.
Lord, grant us the faith of Job to continue to hold fast to You no matter how great the storm that batters us on every side. Faith will see us through all the battles we must fight for as long as we live and we trust You to bring us to our eternal home safely
This I know: that my Avenger lives,
and he, the Last, will take his stand on earth.
After my awaking, he will set me close to him,
and from my flesh I shall look on God.
He whom I shall see will take my part:
these eyes will gaze on him and find him not aloof.
PSALM 26(27):7-9,13-14
I am sure I shall see the Lord’s goodness in the land of the living.
O Lord, hear my voice when I call;
have mercy and answer.
Of you my heart has spoken:
‘Seek his face.’
It is your face, O Lord, that I seek;
hide not your face.
Dismiss not your servant in anger;
you have been my help.
I am sure I shall see the Lord’s goodness
in the land of the living.
Hope in him, hold firm and take heart.
Hope in the Lord!
I am sure I shall see the Lord’s goodness in the land of the living.
LUKE 10:1-12
God chooses, God calls, God appoints, God equips, and God sends. We as disciples, like the 72 that You sent, must be ready and willing, as soon as we hear Your voice, to get us and go out into the world carrying Your light with us to fulfill the mission that You entrust to us.
Every disciple plays a part in establishing the Kingdom of God and drawing it near. To the extent that I labor to bring in the harvest, I am doing my part, no matter how small and insignificant the work entrusted to me, I am building Your Kingdom. And when I complete my life on earth I will stand before You to give an account of my work, my faithfulness in doing it, and You will show me whether or not it has borne any fruit for the glory of God and for Your Kingdom.
I have no resources of my own to carry out my mission I must ask for and rely on You to provide all that I need. Armed with faith, hope, and love in Your Word and equipped with its power, and with the help of Your Holy Spirit, and all the saints and angels I will shine Your light in the world and You will be glorified in my life according to Your will. Help me, Lord, I place all my hope in You.
He said to them, ‘The harvest is rich but the labourers are few, so ask the Lord of the harvest to send labourers to his harvest. Start off now, but remember, I am sending you out like lambs among wolves. Carry no purse, no haversack, no sandals. Salute no one on the road. Whatever house you go into, let your first words be, “Peace to this house!” And if a man of peace lives there, your peace will go and rest on him; if not, it will come back to you. Stay in the same house, taking what food and drink they have to offer, for the labourer deserves his wages; do not move from house to house. Whenever you go into a town where they make you welcome, eat what is set before you. Cure those in it who are sick, and say, “The kingdom of God is very near to you.” But whenever you enter a town and they do not make you welcome, go out into its streets and say, “We wipe off the very dust of your town that clings to our feet, and leave it with you. Yet be sure of this: the kingdom of God is very near.” I tell you, on that day it will not go as hard with Sodom as with that town.’
No comments:
Post a Comment