God's Love of People

As I begin the Book of Romans, I take a special notice to what I normally just pass over. Paul, in all off his letters, shows is genuine care , concern and love for the peopl ethat he is writing to. He truly cares for these people. he is not just writing cordial greetings to set up what he really wants to say. I can tell he cares because he stakes his ministry and relationship with God on his statements towards these people. He sites God as his witness to his longing and encouragements he recieves from them. Furhtermore, he is genuinely encouraged by them. He could easily come to thee people as an authority and teach and preach as he sees fit. But, he is really encouraged and edified by their faith.

I need to continue in this example. I wouldnt say that I do not follow in Paul's footsteps, but I know I could be doing better...

"Make Every effort to live in peace with everyone and to be holy; without holyness no one will see the Lord. See to it that no one falls short of the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many. See that no one is sexually immoral, or is godless like Esau, who for a single meal sold his inheretince rights as the oldest son. Afterwards, as you know, when he wanted to inherit this blessing, he was rejected. Even though he sought the blessing with tears, he could not change what he had done." Hebrews 12:14-17

We must be patient before the Lord. It is too easy to look at what is immediately infront of us and make decisions based on that state of things. Our humanity and captivity ion our human bodies is often distracting from eternity. Esau sold his birthright for a meal. I can relate. He was probably so hungry he thought he was going to die. At that point he probably thought that a birthright would be of no value if he were to die. Even more if he kept his birthright and died, his brother Jacob would have recieved the right anyways. It wasn't as if he sold it outside fo the family. But he failed to follow in his grandfather's example. Abraham believed that God could bring Isaac back from the dead to fulfill His promise. Esau, was short-sighted on God's ability and on teh bigger picture.

I need to remember to remain faithful to what I knwo to be true of God and of eternity. The current worldy state of things, my current view of reality, which can be easily flawed, is not superior to what God has made sure. That is the faith I do not see.

Lord strengthen me and help me to continue to see the things of faith that are not visible to me...

Discipline and Faith

Today as I read Hebrews 12 I am significantly in need of these words. v7, 'Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as his children." God thank you for your discipline, please guide me towards the heart condition or lesson I need to learn.

v12 references proverbs 4:26. This chapter tells its reader to gain wisdom and understanding at any cost. God, Give me wisdom. I know that you tell us, (James1) that you wil give wisdom to all who ask. I need your wisdom now.

I want to stress out or scramble to do 'what I can do' to fix this situation. I need to be patient. Seek you wisdom, and have FAITH that you will work where I cannot see. I know that this thing that I stress over is something you want to see successful. I will believe, like Abraham did, that you can bring about your promises in another way than I can see or than what goes along with nature. You are God, and you will be honored and praised in this event. I trust you Lord, you are faithful. Teach me your ways andlet me understand your intentions. I love you My God...

Hebrews 11, 'Faith'.

As I ponder faith, 'being sure of what you hope for, and certain of what you do not see', I am drawn towards the 'unseen' part of faith. I normally have no trouble having faith in the 'sure' and 'certain' area. I fI ma told or read or sense that someting is to be true then it is easy for me to have assurance about it. But it is the unseen that I have trouble with. Knowing what is unseen or keeping the unseen in teh foreground of my daily life, that is a struggle for me. I have alot of faith in the less visible prts of the things that I easily see, but I don not do as good of a job at the things that are truly unseen. I can have faith that our house will sell because everyday we clean it and live in it, so we 'see' it and I can have faith that it will sell. I can see everyday my wife's belly getting bigger and so I can have faith that our baby is growing and that God is prpareing us to be parents. But I forget about other things that I maybe should have faith in. I need to have more faith in the fact that God is at work where I am not. Lord please increase my faith and help me to have faith where I do not see.

Possessions & Eternity

"You suffered along with those in prison and joyfully accpted teh confiscation of your property, because you knew that you yourselves had better and lasting possessions. So do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded." Hebrews 10:34-35.

As a ponder this passage I am brought to the idea of worldliness vs. stewardship. Where is the line? Well, I guess Iknow where the line is; whenever eth earthly possessions I have come between my intimacy with God, or other people, then my reliance or love of them has gone too far. Probably the fact that stewardship came up while reading this is a good indicator that I am crossing the line. Because I am coming up with excuses.

Yes, we are to be good stewards of the gifts and earthly recources that we have been given. So, it is not that we are to have a blanket disdain for all things of this world. Because God did create ths world, and call it 'good'. Sinfulness has corrupted creation, but there is still goodness remnant in creation.

But, more importantly, am I following Christ, with the same furvor that I once did? Do I live every day in the confidence and assurance of the life that is to come? Am I fully connected to the promises and expectations that are associated with the Gospel message? I woudl have to say, not as much...

Rather I am more focussed on the idea of bringing the kingdom of God here on earth. Now, that is not a gross departure form the expressed will of God. But, it s imbalanced. I need to search out the eternal goal of our faith. I need to realign my vision to match more completely with the eternal vision of God for humanity and all of creation...

Ya, um, what's that for?...

As I read through Hebrews, I find an interesting dynamic happening. My reaction to what I am reading is almost paralleling the way I currently feel in my day-to-day realtionship with God. Here's what I woudl say is snapshot of this..."Its' goin great,... that seems good,...there is no problem,...I like what I see, but I don't feela strong connection at all"

The whole sacrificial system, seems like there is some solid logic to it, but it seems so inadequate. Yes, in light of teh new covenant it is inadequate, and that is the point. But, even if you try to look objetively at it, it seems like I would have had some huge disconnects with it. I think I might have gotten bored with it. Where is the practical connection? Maybe its not supposed to be practical. Maybe I am not in touch with my sinfulness. Whn I am more aware of my sinfulness I feel a stronger need for Christ, I realize my inadequacies. Am I becoming too prideful? Or does God want me to experience this time? What could he be teaching me?

I have been thinking alot abotu Grace and Truth lately, and their balance in life. It seems like I am in a place where I am expereincing a measure of grace that is overshadowing teh truth of my sinfulness. Not that I have forgotten my sinfulness, but It is not factoring in to my day-to-day.

Its interesting, scripture is clear that it is the removal of our sinfulness that allows us to have a relationship with Christ, now and for eternity. Yet, while I am in this body, and in this world, it is the distance from my sinfulness that is keeping me from an intimacy with God.

I guess that's where grace needs truth. Because the truth is, I am not as far from my sinfulness as I feel or am aware currently. My God is a God of truth. And it is in that truth that He will relate and be intimate with me.

"Lord help me to see myself the way You see me..."