FRIDAY, JULY 14 - SPIRITUAL THOUGHTS

 FRIDAY, JULY 14, 2023 - SPIRITUAL THOUGHTS

Okay, a tough discussion today.  Many churches use a “Lectionary” - an approach to expose people to a good part of the Scriptures in three years.  We are in Year A - where the Gospel Readings are from Matthew; in Year B - the Gospel readings are from Mark (the shortest Gospel) and some from John, and in Year C -the Gospel readings are from Luke

In one of the recent common lectionary readings we have Matthew 10:

“Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword.  For I have come to turn “a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law a man’s enemies will be the members of his own household.

“Anyone who loves their father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves their son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. Whoever does not take up their cross and follow me is not worthy of me. Whoever finds their life will lose it, and whoever loses their life for my sake will find it.

“Anyone who welcomes you welcomes me, and anyone who welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me.  Whoever welcomes a prophet as a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward, and whoever welcomes a righteous person as a righteous person will receive a righteous person’s reward.  And if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones who is my disciple, truly I tell you, that person will certainly not lose their reward.”

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HOLD IT - TIME OUT!!!

Our Christmas readings frequently include Isaiah 6:0 “For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us; And the government will rest on His shoulders; And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace”

Ah, yes, the PRINCE OF PEACE

But here Matthew slams us with “Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword.”

I don’t like swords.  I like when “swords will be beaten into plows”.  Get rid of swords, get rid of wars, get rid of hatred.

BUT - again - TIME OUT!!!

 

For I have come to turn “a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law a man’s enemies will be the members of his own household.”

No, say it isn’t so.  

But, I know of too many families that are split, that are estranged.  One friend (RP) is separated from her son.  Another friend (MN) was split from her daughter-in-law (and indirectly blames the DIL for her son’s suicide).  ET’s son doesn’t come to see her and (seemingly) thinks she would be better off dead.

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How can I “preach” LOVE WINS - when not even Jesus says that LOVE WINS? 

Turn a man against his father, a daughter against her mother?  Families are for LOVE.  And, what’s worse is that it is JESUS himself that says that is HIS PURPOSE (For I have come to …)

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And, 

“Anyone who loves their father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves their son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. Whoever does not take up their cross and follow me is not worthy of me. Whoever finds their life will lose it, and whoever loses their life for my sake will find it.

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Ah, this is the point of the lesson.  

For the past year, I’ve been infatuated with INFINITY.  I know I am a finite (and thus weak) human being. I can (and did) LOVE my father and mother dearly - but it seems as if God is saying “Go Deeper” - and to go deeper we need first to FIND God.  

(Note, as a Christian, I would say that is to find Jesus.  But as I have aged, I know of others that are seriously searching for that deeper relationship - I don’t know if my answer - my truth - the Light of my Life is the same for them.  Can they find that INFINITE through another method?  I don’t know.  Can they find the INFINITE through Buddha or Mohammed?  I don’t know.  For me - that deeper personal relationship between a weak human and the INFINITE is Jesus)

Make searching for that INFINITE in your life your priority.  Be a pilgrim seeking God.  

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Do you remember the children’s game of “colder, warmer, and hotter”?  A person hides something and then a second person looks for it.  The first person gives hints like “colder” - you are going away from the item; or “warmer” if you are getting closer to the item; and “HOT” if you are within arms reach of the item.

It seems that the plan is:

“But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.” (Matthew 6:33)

So, (maybe) it really is that:

LOVE WINS

(God’s PERFECT LOVE)

LOVE TRANSFORMS

(God’s touch is like a magic wand - restoring me to the proper perspective)

SEEK THE KINGDOM OF GOD FIRST

KAREN ANNE WHITE, ©, JULY 14, 2023