Scripture: Wisdom of Solomon 1:13-15, 2:23-24
The Wisdom of Solomon is a book that is not found in most people’s Bibles. I find it pretty sad since it is such a great inspirational book. Although I do not claim to be a Bible scholar so if you know why it is not included please lt me know.
It says God did not make death and does not delight in the death of the living. Death is not our natural state we were not created to die. It is a poison. We are all infected with a poison that will eventually lead us all to distruction. We are getting consumed by greed, envy, pride, lust, along with countless other things. These things take over our lives and consume everything good about us until we have nothing righteous left in our lives.
When humanity decided to become their own god we decided to keep company with the advisary or the enemy instead of the Creator. The Creator is the source of life, if we keep company with Him we are filled with light and life. The flip side is when we run from God and keep company with the devil, focusing our live on our own personal satisfaction we are slowly consumed. The company of the devil is like a parisite sucking the life out of humanity.
Today consider the company that you are keeping. Are we filling our lives with God, or are we consuming the poison of evil lusts.
Scripture: Job 38:1-11
Where were you? Where where you when the world was created? We often think we know so much. We have therories about almost everything, but when it comes right down to it we know next to nothing. We are still wondering about a great number of things. We have television shows dedicated to trying to prove mysteries that many of us question. Questions like where exactly did Amelia Earhart’s plane go down, or did it?
One of the greatest mysteries is how did humans emerge to life? There are several therories: Aliens, God, evolution. The crazy thing is none of these therories can be proven beyond a shadow of doubt. There are holes in every therory even the ones we believe the most. There are only therories because science is based on observation and the origens of live cannot be observed because NO ONE was around.
Job is asked where he was when Earth became. The answer is pretty clear, “I wasn’t there!” Yet we all debate this issue as if we know exactly how it happened, as if we were a witness to the actual event. There are things we will never know, things we are not supposed to know. We are not supposed to know exactly what our friends are thinking. If we did not only would the relationship be boring, but we would probably end up disliking everyone.
Imagine if we did know everything? there would be no reason to pursue knowledge, no reason to build relationships, or to even create art. In essence we would be nothing more than animals, smart animals. Our curiosity, creativity, and emotions are part of our humanity. As is the ability to recognize that we cannot know it all.
Job was give a chance to recognize his true humanity. He was given the oppertunity to pursue not only knowledge but a deeper relationship with God. So where were you? As you pray examine your humanity, who you are and where you are, who you are around. Maybe even why you are…
Have fun just imagining with God, and sittin in Job’s place.
Scripture: 2 Corinthians 6:1-13
The most striking thing about Paul is that he pretty much speaks with deep conviction and emotion. It is strange that one of the deepest theological minds is also one of the deepest emotional people in history. He is consistantly speaking about loving the people to whom he writes his letters. This passage is no different.
He speaks of his journey with Christ. He does not sugar coat it as many do in today’s culture. He actually does the exact opposite. Why on earth would anyone want to willingly live through the highs and lows in the Paul’s life, from being considered a god to being exicuted a number of times.
We live in a culture where the influence of the church is in decline. I have often wondered if the reason is that we have forgotten to be real. Paul says do not accept the grace of God in vain. I sat for a while just considering this. What is accepting God’s grace in vain? I can come up with several ideas, many I have to admit I have and in some cases still participate in. Things like hypocrisy, neglect, injustice, and self justification. It is taking the knowledge we have about what we think God is about and building rules and regulations around it. In short becoming pharisees, knowing everything about God and the correct way of living but not living it in your life.
I consider my own traditions of faith, we have several Quaker groups that each claim to be the true authentic representative of the Religious Society of Friends, yet each of these group have developed new traditions in an expression of faith that rejected tradition. So in truth none of us are truely Quaker, but Quaker hybrids. That is not completly bad as long as we are authentic to our testimony. I broaden my view to the various other denominations, each has a unique expression that they intensely focus on many at the expense of all other expressions. It gives us a narrowing view of what life with Christ truely is.
It is difficult to both stop this trend or even to reverse it but it is needed. We as followers of Christ should be the most honest about our faith, life, and experiences not because we want everyone in our business instead to bring hope that even though we struggle we can overcome through the strength given by the Spirit of God. It is not uncomon for people to stay away from Christ or the church because they do not have their life “in order” yet. Here’s a news flash, I am a minister of the Gospel and neither do I! If I were to go around saying come to Christ and he will keep your house from going into foreclosure, not only would I distroy your faith but I would damage the influence of the church in the community. God does care about our lives, he cares so much that he will not get overly involved. The flip side is that if we get more involved in Life with Him we will grow spiritually and have a more disiplined life so we may become more able to face the challenges life gives us.
Today I consider what areas of life I am being dishonest about, and I am praying that God will open my mind up to the truth.