pastorjohnb

Thoughts and musings on faith and our mighty God!

Tag Archives: evils


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Joyous and Abundant in Love

Reading: Matthew 16:24-28

Matthew 16:24 – “All who want to come after me must say no to themselves, take up their cross, and follow me.”

Immediately following Peter’s scolding of Jesus and Jesus’ correction of Peter, we turn to Jesus explaining the cost of discipleship. To me this is one of the great paradoxes of our faith. To truly follow Jesus is to lose one’s own life. If one totally surrenders one’s life to the lordship of Jesus Christ, it would seem a great cost. But once surrendered, life becomes free and full, joyous and abundant in love. It is a hard price to initially pay, but it is one that would be gladly paid again and again once new life is experienced.

Jesus begins with this statement: “All who want to come after me must say no to themselves, take up their cross, and follow me.” Saying “no” to oneself is to deny our sinful wants and desires, placing Jesus and others ahead of self. This is not a call to abject poverty, but a call to generously sharing what we have – time, talents, resources, faith… To take up one’s cross is a call to stand for love, justice, goodness… It becomes a “cross” when standing up and/or speaking out involves suffering on behalf of another. Jesus’ stand against sin and death cost him his life. Our price is likely to be less, but there is often still a price to be paid for standing against the evils of this present world. A willingness to suffer for Christ and for others is a commitment to following Jesus.

When we follow Jesus, living out these steps, we “lose” our life but we find new life in Christ. One day Jesus tells us he will return and will “repay” each for the life that they have lived. Freed from the evils of this world, the life to come for all who follow Jesus will be joyous and abundant in love. Because of this, we eagerly await the coming of his kingdom.

Prayer: Lord God, thank you for Jesus’ example of loving you and others more than himself. In his teachings and in his life we can see how to surrender our life, how to pay the cost joyfully, and how to serve lovingly. Lead us and guide us so that we can walk in Jesus’ example day by day, O God. Amen.


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One to Exalt

Reading: Isaiah 2:10-18

Isaiah 2:17 – “People’s pride will be brought down and human arrogance humiliated. The Lord alone will be exalted on that day.”

Photo credit: Shane Rounce

We return to the beginning of Isaiah again this week. In chapter 1 we read about Judah being far from God, turning to idols and foreign powers to save them. The leaders were taking advantage of and oppressing the least among them. Even so, God offered grace and mercy, forgiveness and restoration – if the nation would humble themselves, confessing and repenting of their sins. If only…

Turning to verse 10, Isaiah suggests that the people “go into the rocks” to hide from the Lord’s terror. The sin of Judah will be dealt with. The people’s “proud gazing” and “humanity’s arrogance” will be brought low. The day is coming, says the prophet, when all that is prideful, haughty, and lofty will be “laid low.” These sins have led Judah to the precarious place that they find themselves in.

Next we find a list of some of the things that humankind’s pride can be rooted in: natural resources, man made structures, the means of war. In our day, does the list look much different? Pride and arrogance continue to drive many of the sins and evil of our day. Again speaking of the difficult and painful day soon to come, in verse 17 we read, “People’s pride will be brought down and human arrogance humiliated. The Lord alone will be exalted on that day.” It is good and right to that God alone is exalted, that God alone is worshipped. It is a choice that we can make. May it be so in our lives. Yes, may it be so.

Prayer: Lord God, it can be so easy to look around, to see others with ‘things’ we’d like – power, status, possessions. Once there it is an easy step to lust and envy, to greed and want. But to desire and pursue these things us to move in the opposite direction of you. The world is all about self, elevating self, gathering things. In that arena, pride and arrogance are rampant and infectious. Shield us from these desires. Lead us to find our worth in you. Guide us to seek you above all else. Center our lives on worshipping you alone. Amen.