Complaining

Luke 7:32 They are like children playing a game in the public square. They complain to their friends,

'We played wedding songs
   and you didn’t dance,
so we played funeral songs,
   and you didn’t weep.'

Jesus has a way of dealing with us so directly and cutting to the heart of the matter!  The people of Jesus' day tended to complain about all things.  John came and he was too solemn.  Jesus came and he was not solemn enough.  How I find that same mindset in myself some days.  Complaining that God doesn't do more.  Complaining when I have to go through things I don't enjoy.  Complaining when the weather is bad.  Complain when life is too good because I am just waiting for something to happen to mess it up.   Complain, complain, complain.  Sometimes I feel like my prayer list becomes a complaining list.  God, why are you not answering my prayers like I want you to? 

My prayer today is that I would learn to dance in the times of joy that God sends my way.  To really enjoy the moments of peace and joy that God brings into my life.  Too many times I am too focused on what it next to really enjoy the right now!  

My prayer today is that I would learn to weep when it is time to weep.  To have a deep compassion for the things in my life and my world that break the heart of God.  To not be willing to just escape from the world of trouble, but to walk right in and embrace the pain.  

Dance my friends!  Dance!

Grow Up!

Luke 2:41-52:    Vs. 52 And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men.

We have only one story of Jesus as a middle school age kid.  Nothing of his later teens or his days as a young adult.  What a gap in time!  If Jesus was wise enough at age twelve to amaze the people at the temple, imagine what he could have done in his twenties.  But God's plan for Jesus was to wait until he was around thirty years old to begin his public ministry.  What was Jesus doing?  Growing!  He continued to grow in his wisdom - being able to apply his knowledge to life.  He grew up physically in a normal fashion.  The awkward teenage years, the growing pains, learning social skills, and all the other things that go along with growing up human.  And Jesus grew in his favor of God.  The writer of Hebrews says that Jesus learned obedience to God the Father.  That even though Jesus was fully God, he was also fully human and his human side needed to learn obedience to the Father.  The amazing balance of God between grace and favor!  That God loves us unconditionally, and yet as we follow God with our lives we can be favored by God.  What a mystery of the faith.  Jesus also grew in his favor with people.  He learned from his experience with getting lost from his parents at the temple that he must submit to his parents, even though he was the Messiah.  He learned about people and what makes us tick.  God sent Jesus to be with us!  To experience the human condition.  So the writer of Hebrews could say we have a High Priest in Jesus who is sympathetic with our human condition.

I realize if Jesus needed to grow and he was fully God and fully man - I will always need to grow!  I may be done with the growth of stature - been 6 foot tall since 8th grade - but in all the other areas of this verse I must continue to grow!

Gospel Inspires us to DO GOOD

Titus 3:4-8 (New Living Translation) 

But—“When God our Savior revealed his kindness and love, he saved us, not because of the righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He washed away our sins, giving us a new birth and new life through the Holy Spirit. He generously poured out the Spirit upon us through Jesus Christ our Savior. Because of his grace he declared us righteous and gave us confidence that we will inherit eternal life.” This is a trustworthy saying, and I want you to insist on these teachings so that all who trust in God will devote themselves to doing good. These teachings are good and beneficial for everyone.

Paul reminds Titus, a leader in the early church about the Good News of Jesus.  It truly is Good News!

Paul also reminds Titus that the Good News will help people to trust more completely in God.  The more clearly we understand God's message and plan the more we can trust Him.  The Good News will also help us devote our lives to doing good.   We don't do good deeds to earn our salvation, but because we are have been rescued by such and amazing and loving God, we are inspired to act like Him!  

Will my doing good make a difference?   Yes – by the power of the Holy Spirit working in and through you!  You have to keep believing that God is using your good deeds to impact the world.      "Not only does each of your actions have a direct impact on the world, but also every choice you make sends a message to those around you… We create momentum for each other… Don’t let anyone convince you that you have no power – together we have the power to change the world.  All significant changes in the world start slowly, at a single time and place, with a single action.  One man, one woman, one child stands up and commits to creating a better world.  Their courage inspires others, who begin to stand up themselves.  You can be that person." (Better World Handbook, Ellis Jones, Ross Haenfler, Brett Johnson with Brian Klocke) 

b.    Lead others by doing good and inspiring them to do good.