The Most Excellent Portion
I’m glad that I am in Your hands, Father. Nowhere else is secure, of that I am certain. In these trying times, that is where I want to be.
Luke 18:18-23 (<<click here to read the passage)
Growing up many of us were experts at sizing up portions. Maybe you had a freshly baked chocolate cake for a special occasion and when it came time for dessert, we would eye each piece that passed by us hoping that no one else got a bigger piece than we did and also hoping that we got a bigger piece than everyone else! (Gotta look out for #1, right?)
The older we get, hopefully, that mentality begins to wane. Moms are great at making sure everyone gets a good helping and then they clean up whatever’s left, small or nonexistent. Even when Karen and I go out to eat, on occasion I have to corral my brain. “We ordered the same entrée and her’s looks bigger…hmmm.” And I know that if she thought it was, she would be the first to want to switch plates!
Another thing we might do as we mature is to deliberately offer a larger or better portion to someone else. To those we love we offer the best there is…though on the downside, I doubt many of us would be disappointed if they insisted that we have the better portion…right?
The rich young man in this interaction with Jesus came to Him offering the best He had. In essence, he was wanting to make sure he had all the bases covered when it came to obtaining eternal life in God’s Kingdom. He was a pretty good guy, so I’m guessing he felt pretty confident that he did, he either was concerned that he had all of his ducks in a row or he was looking for a pat on the back for confirmation that he was set. But…he wasn’t…
In a way, Jesus accepted the good portion but then asked for the better portion, too. The rich young man hadn’t anticipated that and became very sad, for he was very rich. v23
By no means was Jesus being selfish. If anything, He wanted what was best for the young man. The young man had given a very generous gift, but in all honesty, he had kept back for himself the most excellent portion of all. It was what he cherished most…and Jesus knew he had done so.
We’ll go on to discuss the next few verses in greater detail but Jesus made it very clear to those around him that those things we hold so dear to our hearts, in the scheme of eternity, will be as nothing in comparison with what He offers to us. Nothing will be given up that won’t be returned many times over, either now or in eternity.
Lord Jesus, You know best. May we wholeheartedly give to You all that we are and all that we have. Then we can stand back in wonder as You have Your way with them in our lives. For us, it is never a loss but a great reward!
Oct 20th, 2020, Tues, 12:48 pm
As a Child
It is a bit of an oppressive day, Father, but may I focus on You – the warmth of Your love, the brightness of Your spirit in mine. Amen.
Luke 18:15-17 (<<click here to read the passage)
I’ve mentioned it before, but one of my greatest jobs was the time I served as a Children’s Pastor back in the late 90s. That’s probably why I enjoy being a school bus driver, too! Children definitely bring their own set of unique challenges but overall, it is a joy – their smiling faces, their laughter, their chatty conversations. Their delight brings me delight. Their heartache brings me the same.
Here’s a cute short story about kids.
A pastor was giving the children’s message during church. For this part of the service, he would gather all the children around him and give a brief lesson before dismissing them for children’s church.
On this particular Sunday, he was using squirrels for an object lesson on industry and preparation. He began by saying, “I’m going to describe something, and I want you to raise your hand when you know what it is.” The children nodded eagerly.
“This thing lives in trees… and eats nuts…” No hands went up. “And it is gray… and has a long bushy tail…” The children were looking at each other, but still, no hands were raised. “And it jumps from branch to branch and chatters and flips its tail when it’s excited…”
Finally, one little boy tentatively raised his hand. The pastor breathed a sigh of relief and called on him. “Well,” said the boy, “I know the answer must be Jesus… but it sure sounds like a squirrel to me!”
You have to laugh!
As verses 15-17 clearly convey, Jesus loved children. He also makes it very clear that “…anyone who doesn’t receive the Kingdom of God like a child will never enter it.” v17
Children are naturally beings of faith. Most children – unless they’ve been taught otherwise – will believe what they are told. They are trusting. Early on, they are not jaded by the pain and deceit of which there is an abundant supply in the world. And on top of that, all in all, their love is unfathomable – deep and wide.
The older we get, the more difficult it is for us to maintain these highly desirable traits. This old sinful world wears on us. We become faithless, untrusting and the love we felt and found in abundance once upon a time, we find to be so, so allusive.
As we mature, as followers of Christ, we realize the utmost importance of reclaiming these attributes. Our goal should be to get back to the basics that we had down-pat as children. If we can do that, the Kingdom of God will be ours! May it be so!
Oct 19th, 2020, Mon, 12:42 pm
Grace Unexpected
Sing to the Lord, all you godly ones!
…..Praise his holy name.
For his anger lasts only a moment,
…..but his favor lasts a lifetime!
Weeping may last through the night,
…..but joy comes with the morning. Psalm 30:4-5 NLT
********
I was searching for a good story to go with the passage of Scripture at which I was looking. I subscribe to a site that shares daily humor called Good Clean Funnies (gcfl.net). As I searched, this story stopped me in my tracks. It is not one of humor, and though it is from many years ago, it is a must-read.
The boy stood with back arched, head cocked back, and hands clenched defiantly. “Go ahead, give it to me.”
The principal looked down at the young rebel. “How many times have you been here?”
The child sneered rebelliously, “Apparently not enough.”
The principal gave the boy a strange look. “And you have been punished each time have you not?”
“Yeah, I been punished, if that’s what you want to call it.” He threw out his small chest, “Go ahead I can take whatever you dish out. I always have.”
“And no thought of your punishment enters your head the next time you decide to break the rules does it?”
“Nope, I do whatever I want to do. Ain’t nothin’ you people gonna do to stop me either.”
The principal looked over at the teacher who stood nearby. “What did he do this time?”
“Fighting. He took little Tommy and shoved his face into the sandbox.”
The principal turned to look at the boy, “Why? What did little Tommy do to you?”
“Nothin, I didn’t like the way he was lookin’ at me, just like I don’t like the way you’re lookin’ at me! And if I thought I could do it; I’d shove your face into something.”
The teacher stiffened and started to rise but a quick look from the principal stopped him. He contemplated the child for a moment and then quietly said, “Today my young student, is the day you learn about grace.”
“Grace? Isn’t that what you old people do before you sit down to eat? I don’t need none of your stinkin’ grace.”
“Oh, but you do.” The principal studied the young man’s face and whispered. “Oh yes, you truly do…” The boy continued to glare as the principal continued, “Grace, in its short definition is unmerited favor. You cannot earn it; it is a gift and is always freely given. It means that you will not be getting what you so richly deserve.”
The boy looked puzzled. “You’re not gonna whup me? You just gonna let me walk?”
The principal looked down at the unyielding child. “Yes, I am going to let you walk.”
The boy studied the face of the principal, “No punishment at all? Even though I socked Tommy and shoved his face into the sandbox?”
“Oh, there has to be punishment. What you did was wrong and there are always consequences to our actions. There will be punishment. Grace is not an excuse for doing wrong.”
“I knew it,” Sneered the boy as he held out his hands. “Let’s get on with it.”
The principal nodded toward the teacher. “Bring me the belt.” The teacher presented the belt to the principal. He carefully folded it in two and then handed it back to the teacher. He looked at the child and said. “I want you to count the blows.”
He slid out from behind his desk and walked over to stand directly in front of the young man. He gently reached out and folded the child’s outstretched, expectant hands together and then turned to face the teacher with his own hands outstretched.
One quiet word came forth from his mouth. “Begin.” The belt whipped down on the outstretched hands of the principal.
Crack! The young man jumped ten feet in the air. Shock registered across his face, “One” he whispered. Crack! “Two.” His voice raised an octave. Crack! “Three…” He couldn’t believe this. Crack! “Four.” Big tears welled up in the eyes of the rebel. “OK stop! That’s enough. Stop!” Crack, came the belt down on the callused hands of the principal.
Crack! The child flinched with each blow, tears beginning to stream down his face. Crack! Crack! “No please,” the former rebel begged, “Stop, I did it, I’m the one who deserves it. Stop! Please. Stop…” Still, the blows came, Crack! Crack! One after another.
Finally, it was over.
The principal stood with sweat glistening across his forehead and beads trickling down his face. Slowly he knelt down. He studied the young man for a second and then his swollen hands reached out to cradle the face of the weeping child.
“Grace…”
Received from William H. Rayborn
Oct 18th, 2020, Sun, 7:01 pm
No One’s Gonna Change My Mind!
It may be overcast today, as some rainy weather is headed our way, but it is beautiful, none the less. The beauty of autumn is everywhere. Thank You, Father, for the multifaceted splendor of Your creation!
Luke 18:9-14 (<<click here to read the passage)
Isn’t this world a mess? There are so many who just do what they want to do. No one call tell them any different, because they know what is best for them and for you, too! And what is truly tragic is that this mentality is not just one you will find out and about in our everyday world, it is also rampant in the church!
I crossed paths with a dear friend yesterday and we had the opportunity to catch up just a bit. One thing we talked about was how neither of us read or listen to all the junk out there on social media – especially in the areas of politics and people’s response to COVID-19 and all that goes along with that!
One simply cannot post an opinion or support a view without being inundated with some kind of opposition. And a good part of it is nasty! Unkind things. Hurtful things. Things we shouldn’t think, much less say and God forbid that we would put it out there on social media for all the world to see…keeping in mind that what is put out there will always be out there…somewhere.
Jesus shared a parable about two men who had gone to the temple to pray – a Pharisee (a very well-versed teacher of God’s Law) and a tax collector (a thieving despised sell-out to the Romans if there ever was one!)
Here are the words Jesus used about the Pharisee:
…people who trusted in themselves…
…posing outwardly as upright and in right standing with God…
He began praying to himself in a self-righteous way…
Now that statement there really gets me! To whom are we supposed to pray? My answer would be God but, no, this “expert” in God’s Law began praying to himself!
There wasn’t an ounce of humility. There was no repentance. The Amplified Bible uses the word ostentatiously to describe how he stood to pray. The Cambridge Dictionary defines it as doing something in a way that is very obvious and is an attempt to make people notice you. It was all about him and how good he saw himself as being. As Jesus said this man trusted in himself and honestly believed he was righteous.
But then, how did Jesus reference the tax collector?
He didn’t stand so everyone could see and hear him, he stood at a distance…
He wouldn’t even raise his eyes toward heaven…
He struck his chest [in humility and repentance]…
He pleads for God’s mercy and grace.
He admitted he was an [especially wicked] sinner…
Many of us like to believe that we know it all and loudly (and often obnoxiously!) proclaim our opinions and no one is going to change our minds. We are the end-all and anyone who believes otherwise is flat out wrong!
Lord Jesus, may we be as the tax collector, for you said of him,
…this man went to his home justified [forgiven of the guilt of sin and placed in right standing with God] rather than the other man; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but he who humbles himself [forsaking self-righteous pride] will be exalted.” v14 AMP
Amen…
Oct 15th, 2020, Thurs, 1:10 pm
Be the Victor!
Thank You, Father, for who You are and for who You made me to be. May I be ever striving to be that person. Amen.
Luke 18:1-8 (<<click here to read the passage)
Sometimes the best thing I can do is to put the Word out for us to take it in.
Now Jesus was telling the disciples a parable to make the point that at all times they ought to pray and not give up and lose heart, saying, “In a certain city there was a judge who did not fear God and had no respect for man. There was a [desperate] widow in that city and she kept coming to him and saying, ‘Give me justice and legal protection from my adversary.’ For a time he would not; but later he said to himself, ‘Even though I do not fear God nor respect man, yet because this widow continues to bother me, I will give her justice and legal protection; otherwise by continually coming she [will be an intolerable annoyance and she] will wear me out.’” Then the Lord said, “Listen to what the unjust judge says! And will not [our just] God defend and avenge His elect [His chosen ones] who cry out to Him day and night? Will He delay [in providing justice] on their behalf? I tell you that He will defend and avenge them quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, will He find [this kind of persistent] faith on the earth?” AMP
As believers in Christ, it is important to be transparent. And so, I want to share from my own personal experience.
Up to the middle of this past August, I had been dealing with some personal issues on a couple of fronts. I didn’t like being controlled as I was. No one but myself was putting these things on me. I struggled under the weight of them. Off and on throughout my life, I have dealt with them. Sometimes I was powerful enough to not let them control me and other times they just ran me over and it was easier than fighting them.
But on August 17th I once again went to my Father, realizing that only in His strength, only with His wisdom, only with His mindset could I be the victor. So that was my prayer. And here it is almost two months later and in Him, I am conquering that which once trampled me underfoot!
As God has empowered me to overcome, so He can empower anyone! If we give ourselves over to Him, nothing – absolutely nothing – can separate us from his love (Romans 8:31-39<<click here to read the passage).
But, again from experience, we cannot give even the smallest of footholds to the enemy, be that the greater deceiver himself, or our own hearts and minds which are bent to sin and destruction. Every day when the thoughts that have overpowered me in the past begin to even peek around the corners of my mind, I stop them dead in their tracks by calling out to my Father…and He is there!
…will not [our just] God defend and avenge His elect [His chosen ones] who cry out to Him day and night? Will He delay [in providing justice] on (our) behalf? I tell you that He will defend and avenge (us) quickly. v7 AMP
Each day I give myself over to God. It is truly the only possible way to overcome whatever wants to overtake and control us. Whatever we struggle with, God can enable us to be the victor!
My continued prayer for myself and you is that when Jesus – the Son of Man comes, that He will…find [this kind of persistent] faith in each of us! Amen!
Oct 14th, 2020, Wed, 12:18 pm