Do We See and Are We Looking?

Daniel 7:9-10, 13-14

As I watched:

Thrones were set up
and the Ancient One took his throne.
His clothing was bright as snow,
and the hair on his head as white as wool;
His throne was flames of fire,
with wheels of burning fire.
A surging stream of fire
flowed out from where he sat;
Thousands upon thousands were ministering to him,
and myriads upon myriads attended him.

The court was convened, and the books were opened.
As the visions during the night continued, I saw

One like a son of man coming,
on the clouds of heaven;
When he reached the Ancient One
and was presented before him,
He received dominion, glory, and kingship;
nations and peoples of every language serve him.
His dominion is an everlasting dominion
that shall not be taken away,
his kingship shall not be destroyed.

Sometimes I get so wrapped up in my own little world that I tend to forget how great and grand God is. As a person I am limited to understanding God but through my senses. However living in a small village in rural Illinois I see vast flat plains without much character. It wasn't until recently when I saw a journey from the U.S. through outer space, then back into a human person and how deep we are on a molecular level did I begin to realize the vastness of God's creation.  This reading helps me to put into perspective how mighty God is, and yet at the end of the day he desires a deep personal relationship with little 'ol me. My attention isn't anywhere near as diversely drawn as God's and I have a hard time connecting with my 6 children. In verses like these I am so humbled and grateful that God took the time to make me and to worry about me. 

John 1:47-51

Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward him and said of him,
"Here is a true child of Israel.
There is no duplicity in him."
Nathanael said to him, "How do you know me?"
Jesus answered and said to him,
"Before Philip called you, I saw you under the fig tree."
Nathanael answered him,
"Rabbi, you are the Son of God; you are the King of Israel."
Jesus answered and said to him,
"Do you believe
because I told you that I saw you under the fig tree?
You will see greater things than this."
And he said to him, "Amen, amen, I say to you,
you will see heaven opened
and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man."

Without a doubt God is watching you even now, not to be some tyrant who chooses to snoop in on you at every second, but as a father that watches over you with love and concern. He sends things in your path to help you overcome daily obstacles and to overcome the evil in this world. It's up to us by using the free-will God gave us to choose which path to follow. Nathanael could have chocked up Jesus' recognition to a cheap parlor trick, but instead he heart was open to the divine. How do we choose to view the world in which we experience God and evil each day? I'll be honest it's easy in this world to close and harden my heart and expect the worst of everything because of the immense evil in this world, but for me the love that comes from God shines and wipes out the shadow of darkness on my good days. I'll admit it, I am weak and sometimes easily fooled. In my attempt to follow the discipline of Jesus Christ though I awake each day and work quickly to get to my time of prayer so that I can start my day balanced and open to all of God's love.

God,

I love you so very much. Thank you for sending your son so that we could learn from him. Help us to see you and your loving actions each and every day. Help us to learn from you so that we can experience your majesty and rejoice for eternity in your heaven. Help us to look past our own little worlds we construct around ourselves and help up to move out and beyond into your world where so much love is needed.

In Jesus Christ's name I pray,
Amen

All For Nothing, Or all for the One?

HagGi 1:1-8

On the first day of the sixth month in the second year of King Darius,
The word of the LORD came through the prophet Haggai
to the governor of Judah, Zerubbabel, son of Shealtiel,
and to the high priest Joshua, son of Jehozadak:

Thus says the LORD of hosts: 
This people says:
"The time has not yet come to rebuild the house of the LORD."
(Then this word of the LORD came through Haggai, the prophet:)
Is it time for you to dwell in your own paneled houses,
while this house lies in ruins?

Now thus says the LORD of hosts:
Consider your ways!
You have sown much, but have brought in little;
you have eaten, but have not been satisfied;
You have drunk, but have not been exhilarated;
have clothed yourselves, but not been warmed;
And whoever earned wages
earned them for a bag with holes in it.

Thus says the LORD of hosts:
Consider your ways!
Go up into the hill country;
bring timber, and build the house
That I may take pleasure in it
and receive my glory, says the LORD.

Why is it sometimes I find myself trying to do things for the wrong reasons? For many years I had worked and toiled for what seemed like a good idea, to make money to buy stuff. Later in life I worked to make money and to build security. It hasn't been until recently that I have realized work has nothing to do with either of these ideas. These are ideas of the world, and I bought the ideas of the world, hook, line and sinker. Work I have come to know is for me to build character and virtue. Working to buy stuff turns me into a slave because there is NEVER enough stuff. Working for security or retirement is a beautiful idea, but truth be told I could die this very night and what would a million dollars in the bank do for me.  Please know that I am not suggesting that you should throw caution to the wind and never prepare for old age or that you should live a life of poverty, but having a misaligned focus on procuring treasure or riches is empty folly. I try now to work for the benefit of building myself up and to work to help God and his mission. I work to use my talents to help those in need.

LuKe 9:7-9

Herod the tetrarch heard about all that was happening,
and he was greatly perplexed because some were saying,
"John has been raised from the dead";
others were saying, "Elijah has appeared";
still others, "One of the ancient prophets has arisen."
But Herod said, "John I beheaded.
Who then is this about whom I hear such things?"
And he kept trying to see him.

How often do I "see" God or Godly things in the world and have the absence of understanding. I will admit it is quite often. I allow myself to be distracted and disconnected from God. It's these times when God arrives and I don't understand him. I am like Herod and I am perplexed by the word but at the same time I want to be around it. It's not until I let go of my ego and what I want, my will, and pursue God's will that I will understand and find happiness that is completely fulfilling.

God,

I love you and I will admit that most times I am a complete idiot. Please be patient with me and teach me. Wake me up and shake me hard if need be. Deep down I know that your way will make me happy. Help me to ignore the pursuit of pleasure and and chase your satisfying happiness. Help me to turn all my talents and treasure over to you so that it can grow up to 100-fold. Not for my benefit, but for yours and my neighbors so that I can become complete. Help me to choose Thy will over my will. I love you. You have done so much for me, and I am not nearly grateful enough.

In Jesus Christ's name I pray,
Amen

God is With You, Are You With God?

Reading 1Ezra 9:5-9

At the time of the evening sacrifice, I, Ezra, rose in my wretchedness,
and with cloak and mantle torn I fell on my knees,
stretching out my hands to the LORD, my God.

I said: "My God, I am too ashamed and confounded to raise my face to you,
O my God, for our wicked deeds are heaped up above our heads
and our guilt reaches up to heaven.
From the time of our fathers even to this day
great has been our guilt,
and for our wicked deeds we have been delivered up,
we and our kings and our priests,
to the will of the kings of foreign lands,
to the sword, to captivity, to pillage, and to disgrace,
as is the case today.

"And now, but a short time ago, mercy came to us from the LORD, our God,
who left us a remnant and gave us a stake in his holy place;
thus our God has brightened our eyes
and given us relief in our servitude.
For slaves we are, but in our servitude our God has not abandoned us;
rather, he has turned the good will
of the kings of Persia toward us.
Thus he has given us new life
to raise again the house of our God and restore its ruins,
and has granted us a fence in Judah and Jerusalem."

I find solace in the idea that God will be with me whenever I call. I have been through good and tough times, and God has always been there for me. Thing is, I haven't always been there for God. How about you? I know far too often I have been a fair weather friend to God, or rather a bad weather friend. When things are going great I don't chat with the Big Man that much, however when peril that I think I cant handle on my own comes my way... LOOK OUT. I will be praying up a storm! At least that is the life that I used to lead. I'm still not the greatest, and have a long way to go, but I work to keep in touch with God everyday.

GospelLuke 9:1-6

Jesus summoned the Twelve and gave them power and authority
over all demons and to cure diseases,
and he sent them to proclaim the Kingdom of God
and to heal the sick.
He said to them, "Take nothing for the journey,
neither walking stick, nor sack, nor food, nor money,
and let no one take a second tunic.
Whatever house you enter, stay there and leave from there.
And as for those who do not welcome you,
when you leave that town,
shake the dust from your feet in testimony against them."
Then they set out and went from village to village
proclaiming the good news and curing diseases everywhere.

It can be rather daunting to be a follower of Jesus in this day and age. I constantly worry about being shouted down and ostracized for my faith. Here in the age of smart phones, social media and cameras everywhere it seems as though everyone is always watching. Imagine going door to door and talking to people about your faith face-to-face. I have often heard about how our current society with all its advancements has actually separated us from one another. The fact is though that Jesus calls us to get in each other's face (albeit compassionately). I reckon the next time I feel the call to share my faith with the emotions of fear soon following, I will think of the apostles walking town to town with no stick, sack, food or money, let alone a change of clothes. If they could do it and change with world. Talking to those I know in my everyday wanderings seems simple in comparison.

God,

I love you. You have done so much for me. Help me to have the courage to share your son's love in this weary world. Help his love to help me glow so that I may share his good news with all that I pass. Help me to get out of my comfort zone and from behind my phone where the real world is. For this world and all the people in it you made is absolutely beautiful, and I know that by experiencing all it has to offer first-hand will deliver me with a happiness that only you and your creations can offer.

In Jesus Christ's name I pray.

Amen