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GODS' WORDS
Imperfect People Sometimes Stand on Holy Grownd.
One day Jesus chose three of His disciples to go with Him atop a high mountain, and to their amazement, He was 'transfigured' before them. "His face shone like the sun, and His clothes became dazzling white. Suddenly there appeared to them Moses and Elijah, talking with Jesus" -Mt. 17:2-3
These first Christians were flesh and blood sinful humans who were standing in the presence of God ( In Christ) on holy ground. Indeed, they were privileged to get a real view of the glorious resurrection body...that we will enjoy along side Jesus in Heaven.
Though stunned by what he saw, Peter asked Jesus to prolong this moment of splendor. "Lord, this is good that we are here; if you wish, I will make three dwellings here, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah." Then God spoke from above, saying "This is my well beloved Son; listen to Him!" All three disiples 'hit the dirt' with a thud! The relization that they were standing on 'holy ground' in the presence of Jesus, the Holy One from heaven filled them with fear. They felt so imperfect' in the middle of such holy company---Jesus, with Moses and Elijah! Jesus put them at ease and stilled their fears. What a foretaste we come to be with God.
In the Bible, the word 'perfection'comes from the word that means 'fulfillment' or 'completion. It means we are in the process of moving toward fulfillment. So when Jesus says "Be perfect, as your Heavenly Father is perfect". He is not preaching perfectionism . Rather, He is asking us to come along with Him on the daily adventure of becoming more godly...one gradual step at a time. God sent the Holy Spirit to every heart that will trust Him---to empower us to 'want' to take these steps. God plan for us is to grow into His purpose for us. Paul says, " Let's stop going over the same old grounds again and again. Let us go on to other things and become mature in our inderstanding---as strong Christians ought to be," --Eph. 1:9-10 As the Lord stands with us,,,taking us higher places...He allows us to stand on holy ground.
Knowing that, we want to do 'what Jesus would do' if He were physically present. And He is present in and through us! So, though he does not call us to 'perfectionism', He does expect us to set the standard for the world...moving toward fulfilling His plan for our lives'. For example, living in Christ, we can not commit adultery, we can not steal, we can not worship idols...etc. What joy when imperfect people like us stand on Holy ground!
Are you standing on holy ground?
Keep Our Christian Lives 'In Balance'
In Luke 10 we see the sisters, Martha and Mary, about to receive Jesus as a guest in their home. Martha demonstrated what we call a 'Type A' personality...scurrying about with preparations---even after Jesus arrived. Mary, by contrast was more 'lade back', eager to sit at Jesus' feet and listen to Him. She could be called the 'Type B' personality---no frenzy and not so much action in 'doing tasks' to make things 'just right.'
Jesus wanted Martha to calm down, and to partake then of the 'one thing needed'---nurture by the Lord who is the Living Word. He gently reminded her that she was 'distracted' and needlessly concerned about many details. Martha was so busy with ministry---a good idea---that she had forgotten to come and connect with Jesus her Lord---an even better idea.
Earlier in Luke 10, Jesus affirmed that we need to "Love the Lord our God with all our soul and all our srrenth, and all our mind---and then we are equipped to 'Love our neighbor as ourselves."
We embrace 'service to others' as we do God's Word, but to be in sync with God's instructions for action---we must first spend time with the Lord. That's what Jesus calls 'the one thing that isour greatest need'.
Is it your?
Jesus Came From Haven Not to 'Wow Us But To 'Woo' Us
"In the beginning was the Word, and The Word was with God, and the Word was God. And the Word became flesh, and lived among us, and we have seen His glory, the glory as a Father's only Son, full of grace and truth." John 1: 1, 14
We have just celebrated the birth of Jesus Christ, and yet , Bethlehem's manger is not the beginning of the story of Christ. In today's Gospel, we are told Jesus was part of the Triune God before time began. Christmas merely represents the moment when our eternal God took on a humand form. All things began with Jesus Christ, and all things will end with Him. Jesus came to earth to shine God's light upon us...to open our eyes to God and His will and ways for us.
God has unlimited power and splendor. He could have delivered Jesus with "shock and awe", in a way that would have dazzled and stunned the world. But God is too gentle and compassionate for that. Rather then try to "wow" us, God basically comes in Christ to "woo" us...that He might win our hearts.
Of Jesus' gentle coming, the hymnist says, "Hail, the heaven-born Prince of Peace; Hail the Son of righteousness! Light and life to all he brings; risen with healing in his wings. Mild He lays His glory by; born that we no more may die. Born to raise each child of earth, born to give us second birth. Hark the herald angels sing; Glory to the new-born King." What is 'shocking' and awesome is how God 'Woos us...in Christ.
Does He Woo you?
SON...SHINE On Me...And Through Me...To Others."
It was in the beginning, "God said, "Let there be light"., and there was light, and it was good" -Genesis 1. Most every day, as we look about us, we marvel at the often breath-taking beauty of God's light Enlightened and curious, we then want to see more of God. One wisely pleads, Let the light of your face shine upon us, oh Lord." -Psalm 4:6 Later the Psalmis says gladly, "Your World is a lamp to my path." Psalm 119:105
The Lord not only 'illuminates' our daily journey, but desires also to build within us a 'source of light'---that will guide us along every pathway of life. God wants us to empty ourselves of everything but Him, and to allow His spirit to fill our lives.
When we surrender 'all' to him, then Jesus may say to us,'you are the light of the World... ...Now let your light so shine that people will see your good deeds and praise your Father in Heaven." Matthew 5: 14, 16
Jesus says, No one lights a lamp and then hides it...or put it under the bed. Instead he puts it on a stand, so that those who come in may see the light." -Luke 8:16. We thank God for enlighting our lives and thatwe may share 'the light of Christ' with others.
ARE YOU!!!