A beautiful shot of a sunrise at Dolly Sods Wilderness Area, near where I graduated from high school.
Joyful are people of integrity,
….who follow the instructions of the Lord.
Joyful are those who obey his laws
….and search for him with all their hearts.
They do not compromise with evil,
….and they walk only in his paths. Psalm 119:1-3 NLT
********
One thing about being a school bus driver is that I have seen many beautiful sunrises. I love beholding the faintest of glows on the horizon, Father, when the sun is just barely tinting the sky. It brings to mind a passage from Lamentations 3:22-23. It reminds me that regardless of where we stand before You, Father, whether we are close or have distanced ourselves, “Because of [Your] great love…[Your] compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.” NIV
I am so grateful that You love me – You love all of us. And not just those who are loveable. And not just those who love You back. You love every single person whom You have brought into existence. Your compassions for us never fail. Not because we deserve them or have earned them but because You are love. (1 John 4:8)
Matthew 5:43-48 gives us quite the challenge. Lord, we are not adherents to the law spewed out by the religious leaders of Your day, but we might as well be. The whole idea of loving our neighbors (those that are loveable) and hating our enemies is an idea that we easily gravitate to. And WAY too many people flesh that out, not just on occasion but every day!
Here’s Your response to that mindset, “But I say, love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you!” v44
See those exclamation points? Your words are not just idle suggestions – You mean business! From my vantage point, I would think that if anyone could have reason to hate, it is You, Lord. You literally give us everything and are we grateful? …some of us yes, but most of Your creation, not in the least. We are so arrogant and full of ourselves that we go so far as to deny Your very existence!
But what do you do? You give Your “sunlight to both the evil and the good” and You send Your “rain on the just and the unjust alike.” v45c
And that’s the kicker, God calls us, his “true children”, to act as He would act, “to be perfect, even as [our] Father in heaven is perfect.” Vs 45,48 NLT
Lord Jesus, that word “perfect” is daunting, to say the least, but it is a calling to be all we were made to be. You know our limitations and You know how far we can be stretched. I would pray that I would be Your “true” child. Your love is long-suffering, and You will never give up on me. “Because of Your great love…[Your]compassions never fail. They are new every morning.” Amen –so be it!
(Nov 27th, 2016, Mon, 6:59 am)
Feb 2nd, 2023, Thurs, 5:09 pm
