Repent or Perish

 "But unless you repent, you too will all perish." Luke 13:5 NIV

Jesus is responding to the people who are talking about Galileans killed by Pilate, and others who died when a tower fell down.  The people wondered if those who were killed were being punished for their sins.  Jesus says that anyone who does not repent will ultimately perish.  We are all sinners. The Book of Revelation tells us that there is a second death for those who are not in the book of life.  We may live a long time on this earth but if we do not repent and turn to God, we will be subject to the second death and will not live with God in heaven.  We do not know exactly what the lake of fire is like but it is at the very least a symbol of destruction. Jesus always made the consequences of rebellion and unbelief very clear.

Lord, I pray that people will have their hearts opened to the truth of your Word, that they will see the futility and meaninglessness of a life without You.  Thank you for your grace that forgives our sins when we repent, and for your mercy as we continue to sin even as your spirit works in us to make us more like You.

Unlimited Love

 "Friend, I am not being unfair to you.  Didn't you agree to work for a denarius?" Matthew 20:13 NIV

In the Parable of the Workers in the Vineyard, the landowner goes out early in the morning to hire workers and agrees to pay them a denarius for their labour.  Throughout the day, he hires more workers, some late in the day.  At the end of the work day, he pays all the workers one denarius.  The early hires complain. In Chapter 19 Jesus promises eternal life to those who follow him.  In this parable,  he is clarifying that no matter when a person comes to faith, the reward is the same - eternal life with God. Our essential purpose is to have a loving relationship with God and it doesn't matter if we are early or late coming to that relationship.  It also reminds us that God's love is not finite.  He can give all of us his love infinitely without diminishing the love to anyone. Jesus is also reminding us not to compare our spiritual life to one another.  We each have a unique relationship with God.

Dear Lord, don't let me be like the older brother in the Parable of the Prodigal Son, jealous of the gracious favour of God towards others.  Let me rejoice whenever someone comes to know you, early or late.  Thank you Jesus for your individual care.

Who Is This?

"They were terrified and asked each other,  "Who is this?  Even the wind and waves obey him!" 

Mark 4:41NIV 

The disciples were in a boat with Jesus one evening.  A bad storm blew up threatening to swamp the boat. Jesus was sleeping and his disciples woke him up as they were worried they would drown. When Jesus got up he told the wind and waves to be quiet and still. Instantly, it was calm.  At this demonstration of his power over nature, the disciples were terrified. Surely this was no mere man sitting in the boat with them.  People of all nations had over the centuries tried to control nature either by sacrifices or rituals or prayers.   None of these activities had ever worked and yet here was Jesus speaking a few words and exerting his control over the elements.  Suddenly the disciples knew that Jesus was more powerful than any man. Although Jesus had never given them any reason to fear him, their guilty consciences made them fear that he would punish them and that their human strength would be no match for him.

God is a mighty God but I don't need to fear his retribution if I come to him in humility and love. Above all else, He wants to be in loving fellowship with us.  Thank you, Lord, that even though you are all powerful that you are a gracious, merciful and most of all loving God who always wants to bless us.

Growing Seed

 "the seed sprouts and grows, though he does not know how."  Mark 4:27 NIV

The Parable of the Growing Seed speaks to the inevitable growth of the Kingdom of God.  The seed, the Word of God, sprouts and grows in good soil as was described in the previous Parable of the Sower. The growth of the plant is mysterious as it happens no matter what the farmer does.  Whether he is sleeping or awake, the plant grows regardless and so it is with the faith and spiritual life of a Christian.  The spirit of God causes the Christian to grow so that he will produce fruit: love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. This passage reminds us that God is in control and his will for the Kingdom of God to grow and produce a harvest will prevail.  There is nothing that Satan can do that will overcome God's purposes.  Even as we sleep, God's spirit is working in our hearts so that our faith will grow and mature.

Thank you, Lord, for this assurance of our development.  We are not left on our own to navigate this world and, in spite of our mistakes, You comfort us with the knowledge that You can do immeasurably more than we can imagine.

Goodness and Love

"Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life."  Psalm 23:6 NIV

What a beautiful assurance this is for followers of the Shepherd.  This is not to say that we will never experience hardship or loss or pain,  but even within those difficult situations we will experience goodness and love.  Our lives will never feel empty and we will always have others who love us.  That may only be one other person, but we will never be totally alone.  God will find ways to show us his unique love for us and to comfort us when we are suffering.  The apostle Paul suffered in many ways, yet he was able to claim that no matter the circumstances, he was content. Content because he saw the goodness and love that were infusing his life.  What deep blessings are available to those who trust in the Lord. And sadly, what blessings unbelievers miss out on by going their own way.

Thank you, Lord, for this wonderful assurance of your care.  No matter where I am, or what happens to me, your goodness and love are with me.  An eternal blessing that will follow me all the days of this life and the life to come.

Unexpected

 "'You fool!  This very night your life will be demanded from you.'" Luke12:20NIV

The parable that includes this passage talks about a successful farmer who has such a good crop that he is going to build new barns to store it.  He plans to retire and enjoy the benefits of his wealth.  God tells him that he will die that night.  The farmer has done a very good job of providing for his physical needs.  He was diligent in the administration of the farm and is reaping the rewards of his good husbandry.  He feels that he deserves his pleasant retirement.  But God reminds us that we never know when we are going to die and we should be living our lives as though our death was imminent. This farmer thinks he is in control of his destiny and doesn't give any consideration to his spiritual relationship with God.  He is his own god.  When he dies, all his material wealth will go to someone else and he will be left with nothing because he has no spiritual wealth. How true the old saying that "you can't take it with you."  However, a relationship with God is forever and it goes with us when we die.  His love for us, our love for him is eternal.

I pray that I won't be deluded into thinking that life is about gathering riches so that I can have a "well-deserved" retirement.  Every day should be a day to bring the love of God to those around me, even if it costs me financially.  To be a good business person is useful, to be a loving servant of God has eternal benefits.

Two Masters

 "You cannot serve both God and Money." Matthew 6:24NIV

This verse does not say that a person cannot have money and also serve God.  It says you cannot "serve" money and serve God.  To serve money means to make it the most important thing in your life. It means that monetary gain takes precedent over relationships, both with others and with God. Because God is love, relationships are what is important to a Christian.  Our relationship with God, our relationships with other people are the most important considerations in our life. Love of money leads us to be more selfish and ultimately that leads us to loneliness.  Money may buy many amusements and adventures but these diversions are like sugar that gives a quick hit of pleasure and then leave one with a sugar low. Giving money preeminence always leads down in life. It is a basic human need to be loved and love, and money will never buy us love.  Money can be used for good purposes, to encourage and sustain others, and in that way it is an expression of love, but money as an end in itself is a dead end.

Let me remember that the money that God gives me is not only to bless me but to bless others.  Show me how to use my money as an expression of your love.  Remind me that money is not security; only a right relationship with God brings security.

The Rocky Road

 "It sprang up quickly...But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched..." Matthew 13:5-6 NIV

In the Parable of the Sower, one of the soils is the rocky soil where the seeds germinate quickly but the roots don't go down into the soil. When the hot sun comes out, the plants shrivel up and die. Sometimes people hear Christian teaching about the blessings of the Gospel and they are attracted to the possibilities of a better life.  Their understanding of Christ's teachings is unbalanced.  They believe that all their troubles will go away if they become Christians.  They believe they can keep living their lives in the same way as they did as non-Christians but tack on a few Christian rituals and that then their life will be full of happiness.  The Christian life does bring many blessings but it also necessitates repentance, sacrifice, and servanthood.  The rocky soil does not allow roots to grow, roots that would  transform a heart.  When the inevitable difficulties of life occur, an un-rooted person is annoyed and angry, and determines that there is nothing to be gained by following Christ.

I pray that I will keep the whole message of the Gospel in my mind and heart. I will remember the sacrifices of Jesus and his apostles. I should not expect that I will not be required to also make sacrifices. But the Good News is that difficulties are only for a time, and life with Christ is for eternity.

A Good Crop

"Others, like seed sown on good soil, hear the word, accept it, and produce a crop..." Mark 4:20 NIV

The last category of soil in the Parable of the Sower is the good soil which allows the seed to germinate, grow, and eventually produce a crop. This soil must be soft and friable.  The good soil can withstand drought and flood much better than the hard-packed path so even adversity does not preclude a profitable harvest.  A heart of good soil is a heart looking for God, for truth, for goodness, for love.  It longs to be in relationship with God and others.  Even before the planting of God's word, the heart of good soil looks to nature and marvels at the diversity and beauty of creation. It asks questions about the Creator of such a wonderful natural world. It is enthusiastic about receiving answers to its questions when it hears God's word. It is a heart that looks outward and does not focus on pride and selfish desires.  

Lord, till my heart so that I will be able to grow the your Word into fruit of the spirit that will bless me and the world around me. Discipline me when my heart goes hard and bring people into my life that will encourage me to be humble before you.

Thorns

 "Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants." Matthew 13:7 NIV

In the Parable of the Sower, one of the soils is described as having thorns.  When Jesus explains the parable, he said that the thorns represent worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth. It' s easy to see how worrying can draw us away from God but the deceitfulness of wealth takes a bit more pondering about.  How does wealth deceive us? Wealth can make us feel secure without the need of God's provision or guidance.  Wealth can delude us into thinking that  we acquired our material riches because of our own hard work or because we are "good" people, believing that God was not involved in our blessings. We can trust our wealth to solve our problems with health, relationships and security. This is delusion as only God is reliable. A comfortable lifestyle with many distractions can lead us away from our Christian friends and prayer.  We may fill up our time with so many pleasurable activities that we have no time left to help our friends, family or needy people in our communities.

I pray that I will remember that all blessings come from God. I don't need to worry about my future as He is taking care of it. I also pray that I will look money squarely in the face and see it for what it is - something that can be used for good purposes or something that can simply make me more selfish and addicted to entertaining activities.

The Beaten Path

"some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up."  Luke 13:4 NIV

This passage from the Parable of the Sower gives "the path" as the first example of a type of soil that the Word of God can land on. Is that because it is the most prevalent type of soil? A path is a well-beaten route, the usual way to get somewhere.  It can seem as the safest way as it is so frequently used. But this soil represents a heart that is very set in its way.  The person who always takes the same path and is unwilling to explore new ideas, may unfortunately be unable to even contemplate God's truths. In short order, wordly voices will clean up the seeds of salvation, leaving the path clear and smooth for the person to follow. He will not notice that anything ever lay in his way. He will continue on with his fellow sojourners who also are treading the path, making it harder and harder, more and more impenetrable.

I have areas of my life that are hard beaten paths and I pray that God will till up those areas so that they can grown spiritual fruit.  Lord, help me to see how I can dig up the paths that are leading friends and family to heart ache and distance from you.

Trust

 "Trust in the Lord with all your heart."  Proverbs 3:5

So much said in so few words.  Some areas of our life are easier to give over to God than others.  I find I have given too much importance to my country and my politicians.  My country gives me a sense of home and belonging, and I feel uncomfortable when I feel it is threatened by inner or outer forces.  "Trust in the Lord."  I need to trust that God takes care of me no matter where I am, no matter the country, no matter the politicians.  My home is with God, in this life and the life to come.  When I remind myself of that truth, I can ride the waves of unpredictable situations with greater calmness knowing that the circumstances do not affect God's purposes for my life. Good news, indeed.

I pray that whenever I get caught up in the issue of the day that I will stop and remember that I am God's child, in his care, with a blessed life on this earth and after I die.  Looking at his wonderful creation will help me to see the majesty, glory and power of God. Let me be a light and not a messenger of gloom.  God has given us a message of love and hope, not discouragement and fear.

Unloving Spite

 "So they began to celebrate...The older brother became angry and refused to go in."  Luke 15:24,28NIV

This passage is from the end of the Parable of the Prodigal Son.  The wayward son has returned home and his father, ecstatic to have him back, has prepared a feast to celebrate the event.  The older son, who diligently worked on his father's farm when the younger son was away squandering his inheritance, refuses to join in the festivities.  He claims his father never threw him a party and is jealous of the show of affection directed at his brother.  He does not love his father and so he cannot share in the joy that his father is feeling.  All he feels is spite.  He wants his brother punished. How often are we guilty of wanting people to "pay for their sins" even when they show repentance. How unwilling we are to be joyful about God's gracious mercy to others. 

Lord, help me to remember how many times you have been abundantly gracious to me.  Let me rejoice with the angels when a sinner repents.  Help me to love all your sheep in the same way that you do. Strip me of the pride that says, "I am so good because of what I do."