May 16, 2017

JUDGE NOT, CONDEMN NOT, FORGIVE

Luke 6:37

Judge not, and you shall not be judged. Condemn not, and you shall not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven.

Personal Challenge

Wait a minute, God! Just yesterday you were telling me that You are my rock and my salvation, my foundation and my refuge, and now you are telling me not to judge or condemn, but to forgive. Why is that? Why can't I act as Your own personal righteous judge and shame everyone around me into submission to You (and me, of course)? If You were the vengeful, angry God that so many people make You out to be, then maybe this would be so. However, You are love! You are grace! You are Mercy! So why wouldn't you expect me to not be judgmental or condemning? You have not judged or condemned me, so You desire that I behave in a similar way to those is my life. You have Forgiven me of so very much, asking nothing in return, so why wouldn't you expect me to do the same with everyone around me. I know that this is what You want from me. I know that this will please and glorify You. Help me to set aside my personal agenda, my self-centeredness, and selfish desires, and live this way for You. Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy!

May 15, 2017

O, GOD...

Psalms 71:1-3 (70:1-3 LXX)

O God, in You I hope; may I never be put to shame.
Deliver me in Your righteousness, and set me free;
Incline Your ear to me and save me.
Be to me a God for protection
And a strong place for salvation,
For You are my foundation and my refuge.

Encouraging Words

Once again, the Psalmist captures the essence of a life-long relationship with our living God. Someone who has spent their life in the hands of God always begins by acknowledging that it is Him that we put our hope in. That person acknowledges that it is God alone who is righteous and that only He can deliver us and set us free, This person knows from experience that God inclines His ear to His children and saves us, that He is our protection and a strong place for salvation. Our God, the creator of all, the benefactor of all, our source of life, love, and mercy is our foundation and refuge, There is none other that we would choose to put our hope in. There is none other that I will choose to put my hope on, for I have seen the works of His hands over, and over, and over again. Glory be to God, our Hope, our Protection, our Strong Place, our Foundation, and our Refuge.

May 13, 2017

Saint of the Week

St. Ephraim the Syrian

May 12, 2017

MERCY!

Luke 6:32-36

But if you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. And if you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners do the same. And if you lend to those from whom you hope to receive back, what credit is that to you? For even sinners lend to sinners to receive as much back. But love your enemies, do good, and lend, hoping for nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High. For He is kind to the unthankful and evil. Therefore be merciful, just as your Father also is merciful.

Personal Challenge

Mercy! It is something that we all want to receive from another, but something that we often do not want to give to others, especially if we do not like them, or what they do, or what they stand for. Jesus teaches us that it is easy to show love and mercy to those who do the same to us. It is not even that hard to do it to those who match our concept of nice and lovable people. But He wants us to show love and mercy to our enemies, to those who are rude, obnoxious, hostile, or mean to us. He wants us to love the unlovable, to take care of those who either can't take care of themselves or are unwilling to. He wants us to love those who take advantage of us or those whom we love. Jesus teaches that by doing this we are showing our love for Him. How can I do this when I have my thoughts on me and what I want? I can't by myself. I need His help. Lord have mercy! Lord have mercy! Lord have mercy!

May 11, 2017

BEING LED THROUGH LIFE

Psalms 63:8 (62:9 LXX)

My soul follows close behind You;
Your right hand takes hold of me.

Encouraging Words

One of my favorite things to do in life has been to take hold of one of my children's hands and lead them to where I want them to go. And now I have the privilege to do this with my grand­children. Sometimes this leading is to walk my child or grandchild through some scary situation. They know that I am there to protect them, to guide them, and to comfort them. Sometimes it has been to lead them to something new and exciting that they have not yet experienced. Life cannot be much better than doing this in the life of someone you love and care for, whether it be a child, a grandchild, a spouse, a friend, or anyone else. This is the image that comes to my mind when I read this verse. I visualize my Lord, my Father, my Abba, reaching to take hold of my hand and saying, "Follow me! I will walk through this with you! I have some­thing wonderful to show you on the other side!" That is how He treats us, with love, grace, compassion, and mercy. Glory be to God? Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on me, the sinner... and Your child?

May 10, 2017

THE MORE I LEARN THE LESS I KNOW

Judith 8:14

You cannot plumb the depths of the heart of man, nor grasp the thoughts of his mind. How then do you expect to search out God, who made all these things, and come to understand His mind or comprehend His purpose? No, brothers! Do not provoke the Lord our God to anger.

Personal challenge

We are often so arrogant in the midst of our earthly wisdom and intellect. That arrogance usually plays out by acting as if we know the mind of God and speak as if we are His personal spokesperson. I have been attempting to live a Christian life for more than half a century. That is a long time, I remember those days when I practiced my faith with others who prided themselves on how many books by the right Christian authors they had read, or how many scriptures they had memorized, or whatever earthly measurement was used to assess one's understanding of God. This has never worked for me and now works even less as I strive to live as an Orthodox Christian. I have come to the point where recognize that the closer I get to my Lord, the more I learn about Him, then the farther from Him I am, because I am a sinner, and the less I know about Him because He is unknowable. This truth is humbling! Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy!

May 9, 2017

LIVING GOD'S WAY

Luke 6:27-31

"But I say to you who hear: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, and pray for those who spitefully use you. To him who strikes you on the one cheek, offer the other also. And from him who takes away your cloak, do not withhold your tunic either. Give to everyone who asks of you. And from him who takes away your goods do not ask them back. And just as you want men to do to you, you also do to them likewise."

Personal Challenge

Are You kidding me, God? Do You have any idea how hard it is to live this way? The answer to the first question is, "No!", God is not kidding here. And the answer to the second question is a resounding, "Yes!" Of course, Jesus knows exactly how hard it is to love this way because He did it! Jesus also knows that we cannot do this on our own. That is why He sent the Helper, the Holy Spirit, to live within us and to empower us to live this way. If we go back to the two core commandments that we are asked to follow, then we will see both why and how we are to do this. We are to live our lives loving God and loving our neighbor. It is from this life lived in love that we begin to understand how to sacrifice our wants and needs for others. It is not easy, but it is what we are to do. Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, the sinner!