We can get caught up in the gross spiritual negligence of the chief priests or we can read their story as stark warning for our own. When we accuse, we become an accomplice with the enemy. And if we cannot lay aside our accusations long enough to hear from God, we may be delighting in a downstairs agenda.
Category: Devotions
“Today, if only you would heard His voice, “Do not harden your hearts as you did at Meribah, as you did that day at Massah in the wilderness, where your ancestors tested Me; they tried Me, though they had seen what I did.” (Psalm 95:7b-9…
One of things I admire most about Jesus is the fact that His mindset doesn’t falter in deteriorating circumstances. He maintains His principles even in deep distress. He is able to hold to the values of heaven even amidst the ugliest throes of humanity.
The church as a whole is distracted, distant and distraught. A global pandemic plus isolation plus rapid inflation has sent many folks into personal tailspins and the body of Christ is limping along severely dismembered.
You and I have heard and seen the goodness of God, have we not? We have witnessed His glory. And He, in His wisdom and mercy, sets us in situations with people who need to know Him personally. In those moments, we may feel the ‘call to testify’. I’m not talking about crushing folks with our theological blows and wowing them with our spiritual superiority. I’m talking about engaging in authentic, relational conversation and remaining sensitive to the leading of the Holy Spirit amidst it.
When we remember what comes next, when we take the time to consider the depth of joy and wonder that weighs enough to tip the scale on cancer and school shootings, dialysis and depression, on corrupt politicians, fraudulent court proceedings, record inflation and all the other ugly things fallen man has made prominent — well, it lightens the load for today by some measure.
The truth is, we can worry our way through the night or we can worship our way through the night. One way is exhausting, the other is restorative. When it’s your turn to stand as a watchman, how will you wait?
Seeking is all-encompassing. Seeking God means letting every lesser frivolity fall to second, third, or even last place.
Jesus called us to love before He called us to preach and before He filled us with power.
Today, Mary’s story reminds me that gratitude is a critical element in the parenting but also in our own personal growth. We will never outgrow our need to be grateful.