A Ransom for Many

A small part of our reading jumped out at me, because it wasn't all that long ago that I learned about it myself.  It's Matthew 20: 26-28 "Not so with you.  Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be your slave - just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many."

The words that give this a deeper meaning, once you understand them, are "Slave" and "Ransom". 

• I learned more about these when I did a Bible study "The Stranger on the Road to Emmaus".  If you EVER get the chance to take this Bible study don't hesitate a second.  If you don't think you'll take a Bible study - then just buy the book and read every page...there is soooo much information in here, a big portion of which the Old Testament is explained and makes the New Testament way more meaningful too.  It's really really worth reading.

Starting with the first word, slave/slavery, there are two parts to be aware of.  First, in Biblical times, people had literal slaves...who were born into slavery, or sold into it as property, or became one if unable to pay back a debt.  A slave was helpless to save him or herself from their situation...they had to have someone else "redeem" them.  To be "redeemed", meant that another individual has to purchase the slave's freedom.  It meant that the slave was no longer held captive once the "ransom" - the money paid for release from captivity - canceled their debt.

The other side of the word slave/slavery relates to our sin nature.  Since Adam and Eve in the garden, we are all born as sinners (slaves).  In this sense, we as slaves are also helpless to change our own situation.  In today's reading Jesus says he has come to give his life as a ransom for many.  His death pays the price to release us from sin's captivity...his blood "redeems" us, and it is this "ransom" that was paid which sets us free.  We no longer owe the cost of sin with our own death.  The debt we owed from our sinful nature is paid in full by Jesus on the cross.  This redemption does not mean that we're never going to sin again...but now we are no longer helpless - we can choose who we serve.

Definitely Devotionally Challenged - in a different way

So, I originally joined this blog, so that I could encourage myself to read the daily devotions EVERY DAY. Has that happened? No. Do I wish it had? Yes.  I am truly Devotionally Challenged at this point, but in a different way. Rather than reading and understanding or interpreting the devotions daily, I find myself struggling to make sure that I keep up my relationship with Christ on a daily basis.  It's the little things that I find keep me thinking about the Lord every day. For instance, today I found myself in a discussion with a coworker about using the Lord's name in vain. I'm not going to say that I have never done this, and I am not going to say the I never swear. But there is something about using the Lord's name in vain constantly throughout the day (like she does). It drives me crazy. I try to think about what it would be like if we used other names like that. What if people used my father's name as a curse? I just don't get it.

Anyway, I figured if I jotted down some of my thoughts about how I am working on my relationship with Christ, that I will be more likely to start to do it more consciously. Here's to hearing form me more often.

Childlike Faith

"Jesus said, Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these." (Matthew 10:14)

This whole chapter just screamed "relationships" to me.  It started out with relationships between men and women.  Just five chapters ago we read how John the Baptist was basically murdered because of his public opinions on marriage and divorce.  In Chapter 19, verse 3 we read about the Pharisees trying to trick Jesus into choosing a side...in that day there were two schools of thought - one group supported divorce for any reason - the other only for marital unfaithfulness.  Jesus' answer was just to focus on marriage - that it was more important for people to decide against divorce from the beginning...and that not everyone is intended to be married.  Kind of different from the views we teach our children, isn't it!?!    The idea of growing up, getting married, having children - it's kind of a fantasy world that children imagine and dream about...made me think that maybe, as parents, we should talk more seriously about it with our kids and pray more about it too.

Which brings up the children being brought to Jesus.  The disciples rebuked the people bringing their kids to see Jesus...which means they've already forgotten Matt 18:5 "And whoever welcomes a little child like this in my name welcomes me."  When they tried to prevent the children from bothering Jesus in our reading today, they (like so many in that time, and today) got caught up in the organization of our worldly kingdom, that they forgot about His divine purpose.  The children don't think about all of the education, rituals, or outward appearances that adults get confused with...the children are an example of the simple faith needed to believe in Jesus.

Then finally we see the young rich man who wants to figure out what good deeds he can do to get into heaven.  Jesus told him to follow the commandments, and when asked "which ones"...He only listed six, which upon further investigation, all refer to relationships with others.  So the young man said he's done that already, then Jesus told him to sell all his stuff and give away his money.  This, the young man would not do.  He made wealth his idol here on earth...and in doing so he violated the first and greatest commandment.  We haven't read it yet (but it's also in the Old Testament under Deuterotomy and Leviticus)...in Matthew 23 we will see verses 37-39 "Jesus replied, Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.  This is the first and greatest commandment.  And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbors as yourself'."  Jesus was asking for childlike faith from the rich young man, don't you think?

FYI

To make this site a little more interactive...I've sent all current "followers" an e-mailed invitation for you to be capable of posting your own entries - not just comments.   This way - I'm not the only one able to post on the blog every day.  Anyone who is a "follower" will be able to make their own posts, and everyone who reads the blog can make comments.  So if you've been reading this blog, and want to be allowed to make posts too...become a "follower" and I'll add you.  :-)

Seventy Seven - Seriously?

So how am I supposed to keep track of forgiving someone 77 times (some translations say seventy times seven)?  Well, I guess that's the point - not to keep track.  I'll admit, I still like to hold a grudge sometimes...I've gotten much better over the years at letting things go, but every now and then I don't forgive as easily as I should.  But when I sit and think of the many many many things that God has forgiven me for...it makes it easier to let go of any hurt or anger and just forgive.

The Parable of the Unforgiving Debtor seems kind of ironic - that the one guy who had just been completely forgiven his debt of 10,000 talents immediately goes after a guy who owed him 100 denarii.  I looked it up, 10,000 talents was 600,000 times more than the 100 denarii debt!  Can you imagine being forgiven such a huge amount as that...and then attacking someone else for something so little?  Oh...wait.  Yep, I've done that too...

Wait Till You See This...

The Transfiguration gave three of the disciples a brief glimpse of who Jesus really was.  At that time, many people beleived that Jesus was one of the great prophets come back to life.  However, in this Chapter we read that Jesus was talking with Moses and Elijah, the two greatest prophets in the Old Testament.  I wondered what that meant, and my Bible notes said that Moses represents the law, or the old covenant.  Elijah represents the prophets who foretold the coming of the Messiah.  Their presense with Jesus confirmed His mission to fulfill God's law and the words of God's prophets.  Just as God's voice in the cloud over Mt. Sinai gave authority to his law, God's voice at the transfiguration gave authority to Jesus' words.

So how is everyone doing with their reading?  Closing in on our first month...has it gotten easier?  Or is it still hard to find the time on a regular basis?  Have you noticed any changes - maybe you're praying more, or a struggle you've had is loosening it's grip on you?  Just curious...you don't have to share anything if you don't want to...

Short on Wisdom

While reading through Proverbs 3, the part that really spoke to me were verses 11-12:

• My son, do not despise the Lord's discipline and do not resent his rebuke, because the Lord disciplines those he loves, as a father the son he delights in.

Nobody likes getting into trouble, especially my two boys.  No...they're not just boys...they are classic examples of "strong willed boys".  They want to do what they want, when they want, the way they want.  So we have a big challenge in our parenting, because in our discipline (which means teaching and training) we need to find creative ways to help our boys want to listen...to make them want to do what we want them to do.  Our goals are similar to most parents - to help our children grow into mature individuals who understand right from wrong, who have strong morals and positive values and to develop a deep foundation spiritually.  In a lot of what we do, we try to allow natural consequences to teach a lesson...like when they're jumping off the stairs, or running too fast through the house.  Telling them to stop running makes them want to run more!  Letting them trip and stub their toe, or fall when they jump and hurt their knees...that creates a lasting impression in their minds that creates an understanding for the next time they want to take those risks.  They develop their own sense of what's good and bad behavior...maybe not what an adult would label as "wisdom", but it's a start!

Reading these two verses in Proverbs 3 is an example of how God uses the same loving discipline to teach and to train us...so that on our journey of faith we are able to develop understanding of right and wrong, discernment to make wise choices, patience, and trust in the Lord's ability to provide for us.

He is Not Hidden

It was interestsing to learn that Psalm 9-10 might have originally been a single acrostic poem (making up one Psalm in the original Greek version of the Hebrew Bible - the "Septuagint").  Even read as separate, they both show us how God is there for us always...even if what He allows us to go through is painful (which will happen to at least some of us after the football game today!).  He is there building us, growing us, and preparing us for this life and eternity with Him. 

I got an e-mailed devotional today that I really liked from Wisdom Hunters.  It's not an exact correlation to our reading today, but I thought I'd share it here anyways...

Power of the Path
“I [the angel of the Lord] have come here to oppose you because your path is a reckless one before me.” Numbers 22:32b
The path you choose is the path you use. It may be a path of pride or a path of humility. The path may stimulate purity or impurity. It could be a path of wisdom or a path of foolishness. The path may be one of cooperation or a path of independence. Your path may be family friendly or hostile to the health of your home.

Be careful how you seek after success, because you can easily veer down the path of lost accountability. The path you choose is the path you use, so be very wise about the choices you make. Make sure that the path you traverse follows through the woods of God’s will. Your path is a picture of overlaid choices. One after another, your daily decisions dig out a well-beaten path.
 
But, do not be deceived—every path leads somewhere. Your current path is not insignificant. If it is a path of preparation, then prepare well. A well-prepared path paves the way for opportunity. Do not complain about the limitations of your circumstances when you have not been a good steward of your resources, relationships, finances and skills. Choose the path of patient preparation.

The more you prepare, the wider this path becomes. The less you prepare the narrower it becomes. The path of preparation may seem long and onerous at times, but be patient and stay the course. Your faithfulness now will bolster your influence later. The path of preparation requires persevering patience. Travel this path with focused attention. Enjoy the journey, for these may be the simplest days of your life. The path of preparation is the strong foundation of any excellent and eternally significant endeavor.
 
Another path to walk wisely upon is the path of personal intimacy with God. It is easy to overlook this path because of familiarity or busyness. But, without a worn-out path to God, you will wear out. It is a path that requires discipline, but the fruit of your faith’s exercise will serve you throughout life.
 
When you walk the path of intimacy with God, He fills you with His peace, security and hope. This is not a path of quick fixes; rather, it is one of trust and endurance. Traveling a path without God is like walking in the country on a moonless night. Or, it is like running through a city during the day—blindfolded.

In either case there is a lot of activity, but the activity is filled with fear, confusion, misdirection and eventual hurt. Indeed, the path of God is not without pain or uncertainty. But, as you travel on His path, you are filled with His presence. The presence of God is peaceful. It is purifying and pleasing to the soul.
 
Moreover, life in itself is one big path. If you travel alone, it is daunting but, with Christ, it is edifying. The path of Christ is bumpy at times, but His freedom is exhilarating. As you travel with God, be ever mindful of His guardrails of grace, love and law. They are there for your protection. They keep you from straying off His path of kingdom purpose. 

The worldly road most traveled is reckless compared to the less traveled path of heaven’s security. Choose daily the wise path of confession and consultation with your creator. The path of obedience to God leads to peace with God. He is a friend to be admired, and a friend to be feared. Allow His opposition to lead you back down His path. His path is what’s best. Travel it with Him and travel it for Him!