simple and clear

Meanwhile Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest and asked him for letters to the synagogues at Damascus, so that if he found any who belonged to the Way, men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem. Now as he was going along and approaching Damascus, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. He fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, ‘Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?’ He asked, ‘Who are you, Lord?’ The reply came, ‘I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. But get up and enter the city, and you will be told what you are to do.’ The men who were travelling with him stood speechless because they heard the voice but saw no one. Saul got up from the ground, and though his eyes were open, he could see nothing; so they led him by the hand and brought him into Damascus. For three days he was without sight, and neither ate nor drank. (Acts 9:1-9, NRSV)

Sometimes I wish the signs God gave me were simple and clear, like being blinded on the road and hearing the voice of Jesus speak to me. Or a burning bush and the voice of God bellowing…

But would I follow? And maybe, just maybe, God’s signs to me are simple and clear, and I just can’t see/hear them because I’m too caught up in looking at my own sin and not able to let go to see them or hear them.

Plus if a voice came from the clouds, or from a burning unconsumed bush I would run away screaming like a little girl!

Jesus does call each of us in a simple clear way that we can understand and only we can understand. That is why Moses got a burning bush and Saul was knocked down and blinded on the Damascus road. That is what they needed. That was their 2X4!

God hits you with what you need, and yes it is always simple and clear. Just listen and tune into God and you will see the sign!

God’s acolyte

For once you were darkness, but now in the Lord you are light. Live as children of light— for the fruit of the light is found in all that is good and right and true. Try to find out what is pleasing to the Lord. Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them. For it is shameful even to mention what such people do secretly; but everything exposed by the light becomes visible, for everything that becomes visible is light. Therefore it says, ‘Sleeper, awake! Rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.’ (Ephesians 5:8-14, NRSV)

You were once a part of the darkness, but now that you have discovered the grace of Christ in your life, you are light!

You are light and need to shine in the darkness to bring evil to light. You need to live your life so your actions preach the good news of the salvation we all have in Christ Jesus. For everything that is done in the darkness will be exposed in the light. You as the working hands and feet of God, the bearer of His light to the world are one who exposes His love to the world and exposes the works of evil and darkness happening.

Live your life as God’s acolyte! Showing for His light and love!

Word!

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through him, and without him not one thing came into being. What has come into being in him was life, and the life was the light of all people. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it. There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. He came as a witness to testify to the light, so that all might believe through him. He himself was not the light, but he came to testify to the light. The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world. (John 1:1-9, NRSV)

The logos was with God and was God and everything came into being through Him…

Jesus was with us before the beginning of time in God, and He came to live among us in the flesh as the Son of Man, the Word of God. He is the living word and comes into out lives to know who we are and to help us know who God is and how we react together.

He came among us to know us and to live us, to show us how to live. He is the living word of God made flesh and we are to testify to Him and tell the world He is the true light shining in and through us.

Always there

The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures; he leads me beside still waters;  he restores my soul. He leads me in right paths for his name’s sake. Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I fear no evil; for you are with me; your rod and your staff—they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord my whole life long. (Psalm 23, NRSV)

What a wonderful psalm and one that we all know very well.

We go into auto pilot when we hear this, because it is said or heard during Lent, and at most funerals… But do we miss the richness if we go into autopilot mode on it?

We hear that God is our shepherd and He will provide our every need. That He watches over us by protecting us from the smallest peskiest hindrance. You see anointing the head of the sheep with oil kept the flies and other flying things away.

God sets a table (communion?) before us and our enemies to we can sit down and have table fellowship with God!

But the part I think we miss, because we like to focus on the bright pretty images…

“Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I fear no evil; for you are with me” The valley of death is how many of us know it. We don’t like to think about being in darkness or pain or dark valleys, but even in the darkest place we find our selves, as the picture shows us, God is always with us!

So take comfort that God will always be with us, when we are in a bright sunny place, or when there is nothing but gloom and darkness closing in, He is always there!

Rules for life

So then, putting away falsehood, let all of us speak the truth to our neighbors, for we are members of one another. Be angry but do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, and do not make room for the devil. Thieves must give up stealing; rather let them labor and work honestly with their own hands, so as to have something to share with the needy. Let no evil talk come out of your mouths, but only what is useful for building up, as there is need, so that your words may give grace to those who hear. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with which you were marked with a seal for the day of redemption. Put away from you all bitterness and wrath and anger and wrangling and slander, together with all malice, and be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ has forgiven you. (Ephesians 4:25-32, NRSV)

This is the non readers digest version of the golden rule. We need to understand whose we are and why we are here.

You see your life is not your own and everything you do and or say reflects on the one whose you are.

We need to not allow anger to over take us or cause us to do things that we shouldn’t do, or would not portray the love of Christ.

We can not take what is not ours. We must make an honest and upright living, dealing with everyone the same.

We can not let anything evil come out of our mouths, for as Jesus said what comes out of a person is really what is inside of them.

Everything we do and say must show the love of Christ, because the truth and truth speech can not be refuted and will change people!

So live your life like Christ lived His, and show forth His love always!