pastorjohnb

Thoughts and musings on faith and our mighty God!

Tag Archives: responsibility


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He Continues to Call

The disciples struggled to understand Jesus a lot of the time.  He often had to explain His parables and teachings to them.  They often said and did things that must have puzzled or maybe angered Jesus.  When Jesus instructed them to feed the crowd or to heal people they didn’t think they could really do that.  The disciples are a lot like us.

Today we in the church struggle with similar things.  Many will not take on some responsibility.  We just want to come on Sunday and worship and go home.  Many fear others who are different.  We just want to sit in our same pew and talk to the same people.  Many think of ministry to engage in but they are stuck in fear.  We don’t like risk and maybe we think we are not up to the task after all.  Many just want things to be nice and the same and comfortable.  We don’t ask the hard questions and we do not desire to pursue a deeper faith.

As we read the Bible or hear the stories at church we often wonder how the disciples did not ‘get it’.  We think it is so plain to see what Jesus meant and what He expected of them and knew they could do.  Yet in spite of their many failures, their lack of trust, and their petty arguing, Jesus never gave up on them.  He faithfully continued to pour into them, to teach them, to mold them.  In the end, the disciples accomplished some amazing things.  They built a church.

The good news is that He does not give up on us either.  Through what we read in the word, through the messages we hear, through the voice of the Holy Spirit – He continues to call us to live out our faith and to grow into the person God created us to be.  Like the disciples, sometimes we doubt.  We think maybe Jesus is looking for someone else or when we hear the testimony of someone for whom God has made a difference, we think Jesus wouldn’t do something like that in our life.  At times we are just like the disciples.  We question, we doubt, we fear.  Yet Jesus never gives up.  He wants us to have abundant life, free from fear and worry.  He continues to call.  In faith, may we follow Him.

Scripture reference: Mark 9: 30-34


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Good Stewards

After flooding the earth, God makes a covenant with Noah and his sons to never again destroy all life with a flood.  The rainbow is the symbol of this promise.  It is interesting that the covenant is just not with mankind, but with all living creatures and with the earth itself.

It is often said that mankind is God’s highest form of creation.  God even set man to steward over the earth and all living creatures (Genesis 1).  From the beginning, in the Garden, man was to care for the earth and all other life.

The rainbow was God’s promise to preserve and protect life, all life.  In the very end, God ill redeem and restore all of creation when He establishes the new heaven and earth.  All will be made whole again.  It is mankind’s responsibility to care for this earth and all of life on this earth until that day comes.

Our relationship like the earth is like the relationship between a parent and child.  The choices and decisions we make are (or should be) for the best interests of the earth.  And at times the earth is something we cannot control – storms, earthquakes, when it rains or snows, being just a few examples.

Even if most of us do not directly work with the earth or the other living creatures that inhabit the earth, we can make daily choices to do things like recycling and conserving water.  In our purchases, in how we vote, and in how we voice our public opinion, we can make decisions and choices that reflect other’s care for and use of the earth and it’s resources.  In these small ways we too can be good stewards of the natural world.

Scripture reference: Genesis 9: 8-17


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The Privelege of Being Family

In the array of colors that fill the horizon as the sun breakthrough at dawn, one catches their breath as you realize the quiet presence of God.  In the afternoon thunderstorm one hears the thunder and sees the lightning and senses the power of God.  Psalm 8 open with, “O Lord, Our Lord, how majestic is your name in al the earth!”

Standing at the window viewing a sunrise or watching a storm, one is pretty awed yet can also feel pretty small and insignificant at the same time.  At this one can wonder, “Who am I?” in the big scope of God’s creation.  Verse 4 of Psalm 8 voices this: “What is man that you are mindful of him?”  Yet within this we also see that He is mindful of us.  The psalm goes on to revel our role: “You made him ruler over all the works of your hands.”  This is an amazing gift that also comes with large responsibility.Within each of us, created in His image, we have God’s love, compassion, mercy, hope, …  We also have within us His capacity to heal, nurture, restore, and care for His creation.  What a privilege!!


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It’s Great Outside of the Garden

As Adam and Eve eyed the fruit of the forbidden tree I wonder what was battling in their minds.  Did they go back and between the idea of all the other foods that God provided for them each day versus eating this one that He said they couldn’t have?  To me it is almost like telling a small child not to touch the burner on the stove because it is hot – what do they do?  Touch the burner!  And the child gains wisdom, just like Adam and Eve did when they ate that fruit.  They saw they were naked and covered themselves up.

This event plunged Adam and Eve, and really all of us, into the rough and tumble world.  As the knowledge of good and evil filled their minds, hearts, and eyes they were forever changed.  There was no going back.

I wonder if we would really be better off if we were still in the Garden.  Wouldn’t it be a little like being in heaven?  God walks with them daily, provides for their food and shelter…  Now don’t get me wrong – heaven will be greater than the greatest thing one cold ever imagine – but I like this world.  I like being able to see and decide between good and evil.  I like being able to pursue God and a relationship with Him.

In the world outside the Garden we all need each other.  Adam and Eve clothed each other.  As we look at our imperfect world, are there others that we can clothe, feed, …?  The responsibility to care for the world and for others has shifted to us.  The question now is: what am I ready to do for God and for others?  What are YOU willing to do?