If anyone loves me he will keep my word,
and my Father will love him,
and we shall come to him. JN 14:23
JAMES 1:12-18
My Soul's Beloved,
Trials abound in my life and in the lives of those dearest to me. Today, I am reminded that in the testing, our character is revealed. Most of our troubles are a direct result of the sinful choices we make, and they affect not just the sinner but the entire family. We fail to consider our actions. We are ignorant of Scripture that warns us over and over of the consequences of disobedience to Your Word, and when tribulations and suffering are our lot because of the bad choices we have made, we become disconsolate, worried, anxious, and we chafe at the weight of the cross that we have brought upon ourselves.
Lord Jesus Christ, Son of the Living God, You know that we are sheep and we need You, our Good Shepherd, to seek us, lead us, heal us, and assist us to receive all that You desire to give us. Thank You, Lord.
Happy the man who stands firm when trials come. He has proved himself, and will win the prize of life, the crown that the Lord has promised to those who love him.
Never, when you have been tempted, say, ‘God sent the temptation’; God cannot be tempted to do anything wrong, and he does not tempt anybody. Everyone who is tempted is attracted and seduced by his own wrong desire. Then the desire conceives and gives birth to sin, and when sin is fully grown, it too has a child, and the child is death.
Make no mistake about this, my dear brothers: it is all that is good, everything that is perfect, which is given us from above; it comes down from the Father of all light; with him there is no such thing as alteration, no shadow of a change. By his own choice he made us his children by the message of the truth so that we should be a sort of first-fruits of all that he had created.
PSALM 93(94):12-15,18-19
Happy the man whom you teach, O Lord.
Never, when you have been tempted, say, ‘God sent the temptation’; God cannot be tempted to do anything wrong, and he does not tempt anybody. Everyone who is tempted is attracted and seduced by his own wrong desire. Then the desire conceives and gives birth to sin, and when sin is fully grown, it too has a child, and the child is death.
Make no mistake about this, my dear brothers: it is all that is good, everything that is perfect, which is given us from above; it comes down from the Father of all light; with him there is no such thing as alteration, no shadow of a change. By his own choice he made us his children by the message of the truth so that we should be a sort of first-fruits of all that he had created.
PSALM 93(94):12-15,18-19
Happy the man whom you teach, O Lord.
Happy the man whom you teach, O Lord,
whom you train by means of your law;
to him you give peace in evil days
while the pit is being dug for the wicked.
The Lord will not abandon his people
nor forsake those who are his own;
for judgement shall again be just
and all true hearts shall uphold it.
When I think: ‘I have lost my foothold’;
your mercy, Lord, holds me up.
When cares increase in my heart
your consolation calms my soul.
whom you train by means of your law;
to him you give peace in evil days
while the pit is being dug for the wicked.
The Lord will not abandon his people
nor forsake those who are his own;
for judgement shall again be just
and all true hearts shall uphold it.
When I think: ‘I have lost my foothold’;
your mercy, Lord, holds me up.
When cares increase in my heart
your consolation calms my soul.
Happy the man whom you teach, O Lord.
MARK 8:14-21
My Soul's Beloved,
My Soul's Beloved,
Truly, Lord, I have no perception. My mind is closed. I have conveniently shut my mind to the countless blessings You have showered on my family and me. I am obtuse. Today You say to me, ‘Why are you talking about having no bread? Do you not yet understand? Have you no perception? Are your minds closed? Have you eyes that do not see, ears that do not hear? Or do you not remember? When I broke the five loaves among the five thousand, how many baskets full of scraps did you collect?’ Why is your heart heavy? Why are you letting your black mood and your sour disposition color your relationship with those you love? This is displeasing to Me.
Lord Jesus, I am truly sorry for forgetting that You are good, kind, faithful, loving, compassionate, and full of mercy. Grant me the grace to focus on Your blessings rather than on the trials and crosses laid on my loved ones and me. It is only through suffering endured with grace that we can receive a share in Your glory.
The disciples had forgotten to take any food and they had only one loaf with them in the boat. Then he gave them this warning, ‘Keep your eyes open; be on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees and the yeast of Herod.’ And they said to one another, ‘It is because we have no bread.’ And Jesus knew it, and he said to them, ‘Why are you talking about having no bread? Do you not yet understand? Have you no perception? Are your minds closed? Have you eyes that do not see, ears that do not hear? Or do you not remember? When I broke the five loaves among the five thousand, how many baskets full of scraps did you collect?’ They answered, ‘Twelve.’ ‘And when I broke the seven loaves for the four thousand, how many baskets full of scraps did you collect?’ And they answered, ‘Seven.’ Then he said to them, ‘Are you still without perception?’
No comments:
Post a Comment