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“Your word is a lamp to guide my feet and a light for my path. Psalms 119:105
With today’s technology, we can put light into the darkest places and make them seem almost like daylight. Yet when David penned these words it’s important to remember that the light that they had was simply a torch or a lamp. It didn’t show everything in the area, it only showed a few feet in front, a few feet in back and a few feet side to side. The word of God, the Bible, offers us insight into the path that we lead. Some of us are walking through shadows of physical darkness because the doctors report wasn’t good. Some of us are walking in darkness today because of fear of the pandemic, or because of the unknowns regarding our government. Some of us are walking through relational darkness. The loneliness and disappointment is overwhelming. Perhaps the worst darkness of all is the darkness we walk through when God seems distant. God never promises to show us everything that hides in the darkness, but he does promise us light for today’s path. This verse reminds us that we can trust God for the here and now and leave the past and the future up to him. With Jesus by our side, we need not fear the darkness.
“O Lord, I will honor and praise your name, for you are my God. You do such wonderful things! You planned them long ago, and now you have accomplished them.” Isaiah 25:1
My family accuses me of being beige! My clothes are beige! My personality is beige! Even my language tends to be a little beige at times! I tried to tell them, I’m not beige I’m just consistent! I just move steadily along. But in reality, I’m not sure Christian should ever be beige when it comes to the things of God. Isaiah says I will praise you God God. His praises based on the wonderful things that God has done for him. His praises based on the fact that God does exactly what he says he’ll do he’s done it that way before he’s doing it in Isaiah‘s lifetime and he’ll do it in the future. That’s the God we serve. The limitations it says that his love and mercy for us is new every morning. The Psalmist writes and says he’s our rock our refuge. Isaiah says he’s a wonderful God. How can you be beige when a wonderful God like that loves you so much and has promised to take care of you. God keeps his promises!
I’ve been thinking a lot lately about love and hate. It seems in many ways lately we have far more examples of hate than love. Love seems to be defined in some circles as a weak emotion, or as measured by what the object of our love can do for us. “How can you fill my desires?” “What will you do for me?” Far too often ‘love’ ends when needs aren’t met; opinions aren’t valued; desires fall short; dreams are shattered.
Especially for us who claim to be followers of Jesus Christ, love must always be defined by the perfect example of love, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, the Messiah, the Son of the living God.
One of the most popular verses in the Bible is John 3:16, ““For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.”
But we often overlook the very next verse, and to me this verse sets the stage for the previous verse and life in general. “God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him.” (John 3:17) Imagine that! NO condemnation! Paul writes the same thing in Romans, “So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus.” (Romans 8:1)
That’s love! Being passionate about a relationship with someone who is, in every way, shape and form different than you with absolutely no chance to measure up to your standards.
Jesus calls us to love! Especially to love those who are brothers and sisters in the faith. “So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other.” (John 13:34)
So how can we, as believers in Jesus do anything other than love? Recently I’ve seen so much hatred expressed on social media. Some has been by non-believers and that’s to be expected. But much Seems to be directed towards professing Christians who may read a different version of the Bible, attend a different denomination, or hold to different opinions on doctrine or theology.
Brothers and sisters. Let us not forget we are to shine the light and love of Jesus wherever we go! John puts it bluntly. If you don’t love, question who your God is.
Few people that are successful started at the top. I have a friend who is a billionaire. He started by cutting and selling firewood. Now he owns 5 corporations and about 50 banks.
What’s true in the business world is true in life. You want to do great things for God? You want to see his power flow through you? You want to see victory over that habit? You want to get out of debt? You want to start eating healthy? These are all things we hope for.
I think the ‘trick’ is to start small. Too many times we try to change everything all at once. This leads to frustration, discouragement and eventually giving up trying all together. Take small steps. What sins are you holding on to that need to be brought before the power of all-mighty God? What attitudes are you justifying because you’ve been hurt too many times? Who do you need to forgive?
Choose one thing today that needs to to change. Take the first step. Tomorrow do it again. If you mess up don’t give up. Start over. Growth that lasts takes time and we serve a patient, loving and understanding God.
