Take Up the Gauntlet
It was a full and productive day, Father. Thank You for the energy and drive to get things ready for Sunday and beyond.
Matthew 20:20-28 (<<click to read the passage)
Even reading through this passage yesterday, I realized there was more to work through than the idea of your disciples listening to You, Lord. Yes, You have addressed the “first will be last, last will be first” mindset but You threw down the gauntlet once more.
Making sure that I was using the phrase “throw down the gauntlet” correctly caused me to do a Google search and here is what I found.
Today the phrase “throw down the gauntlet” means to challenge or confront someone, but in its earliest use it wasn’t meant as a metaphor, but was a physical action intended to issue a formal challenge to a duel. The word itself comes from the French word “gantelet,” and referred to the heavy, armored gloves worn by medieval knights. In an age when chivalry and personal honor were paramount, throwing a gauntlet at the feet of an enemy or opponent was considered a grave insult that could only be answered with personal combat, and the offended party was expected to “take up the gauntlet” to acknowledge and accept the challenge. https://www.history.com/news/what-does-it-mean-to-throw-down-the-gauntlet
Now I realize there is no insult in Matthew’s passage but You undoubtedly had thrown out to Your disciples a formal challenge. And though they would not really be attuned to Your kingdom mindset until the coming of the Holy Spirit, they would eventually “take up the gauntlet” and in so doing acknowledge and the accept the challenge to “be different” – to be servants to one another.
Lord Jesus, may we “take up the gauntlet” “not to be served but to serve others”. You, Lord, are our example. May we follow You with all our might!
Aug 23rd, 2018, Thurs, 8:58 pm
In One Ear, Out the Other
Oh, Father, there is so much going on in my life right now that I feel stretched taut. I pray that I would be undoubtedly aware of Your calming presence in my spirit. I know You have placed me where I am and I trust You to get me through. Amen.
Matthew 20:17-28 (<<click to read the passage)
Lord, this is the third time that You have predicted Your death. First, in Matthew 16:21 – where Peter took You aside and reprimanded You – and then in Matthew 17:21-23 – where it simply says, And the disciples were filled with grief.
The first two instances invoked a response – but this time it seemingly went in one ear and out the other, as they say. Jesus, You had been speaking of humility and not thinking as the world thinks. Your encounter with the rich young man then Your parable of the vineyard workers both drove home the idea that what this world stressed as important wasn’t! Worldly firsts would be last, those who served in You with all their heart, soul, mind, and strength though last in this world, would be first where it really matters – in Your Kingdom.
Now maybe their minds got stuck on Your words in Matthew 19:28, where You spoke of them sitting “on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel” but really! Can we say the word inappropriate?
How many times in our own lives are we talking with someone, maybe even about something very important and they just sort of zone out? And then pop back in the conversation with a totally off the wall statement? All the in-between stuff, no matter how important, literally went in one ear and other the other.
Lord, You had been speaking of humility and Kingdom priorities and had just proclaimed your pending death– for a third time even! – and they have the audacity to come up with a request of having the two seats of honor reserved for themselves!
Of course, Lord, You handled it gracefully and kindly put them in their place…but it had to hurt. Surely You had to want to scream, “Have you heard anything that I just said?!”
But, Lord, am I – are we – any different? Please forgive our indifference…our dullness…our selfishness…our blindness…our deafness… May we be aware of You and who You are. May we be selfless. May the scales fall from our eyes. May our ears be unstopped. Heal us. Please make us whole. Amen.
Aug 22nd, 2018, Wed, 9:08 pm
It’s Not Fair!
Help me, Father, to come together with You each morning. I know it is best but some mornings it is surely a struggle. Nights seem short but You will give me the strength I need for the demands of the day. Thank You for Your loving care over me.
Matthew 20:1-16 (<<click to read the passage)
We like to think that we are so advanced here in the 21st century but in so many ways we are no different than those from any given era of history. In Jesus’ parable, a landowner goes out early to hire workers for his fields who agree to work for the standard wage – no harm, no foul. As the day progresses he hires more workers, a few even hired for only an hour’s labor. When the time comes to settle accounts with all, the landowner pays those hired last the same as those hired first – a full day’s wage. Those hired first screamed, “Foul!” They had worked the whole day! They had labored through the heat of the day! And these newcomers got the same pay – totally unfair!
Would we have responded any differently? I doubt it. I’m sure it did nothing to appease their anger but the landowner replied, “Should you be jealous because I am kind to others?” Other translations say it can be translated, “Or is your eye envious (evil) because I am good?”
What will our reactions be when we all stand before God on that final day of judgment? Will there be those who are audacious enough to be angry because dirty, rotten “sinners” – only because they sought forgiveness at the last moment – are welcomed into God’s presence for eternity?
It all comes down to grace. And just like sin is sin – grace is grace. There is absolutely no grading scale on sin – no big sins or little sins – sin is sin. Grace is not measured out, a little here, a little more there. Grace is poured out in lavishly, inundating the receiver, nothing held back. God’s loving kindness knows no limits – the word extravagant falls way short of doing it justice! We all can be recipients of God’s grace…and amazing it is!
Aug 21st, 2018, Tues, 6:33 am
The Need to Be First
Father, there are so many areas in my life in which I am blessed and Your hand is behind them all. May I never stop giving credit (and praise!) where it is due! Amen.
Matthew 19:27-30 (<<click to read the passage)
Even as children we latch on to the idea of “being first” and all of its rights and privileges. A couple of weeks ago we visited a small restaurant. It was a Friday night and it was quite busy. We were waiting for a table but many others were coming and going with take-out orders. A mother and her young daughter came in for a pick-up order and not too long after they entered another lady stepped in and in that there was not any particular order in which to stand at the entrance, she stepped in front of them. In a matter of seconds the daughter acknowledged the perceived injustice of the act quietly to her mother, “She cut in front of us. We were here first.” Of course, when the order was placed determined who got what when not who arrived first to get their order.
But aren’t we all of that mindset? For example, a lane is closed on the highway and we are directed to merge into one lane. Someone decides to squeeze in at the last possible moment and we are annoyed. “I obeyed the signs. I got over when I was supposed to. I was here first!”
And we do it all the time! But if Jesus were in the same situation would He let it bother Him? Not for one second. So many people are ahead of us or over us or at least they like to make sure we think so. Some get there honestly but unfortunately, others get there under questionable circumstances. Often those who are “first” lord it over us and we feel slighted.
When it comes to the things of this world we can feel excluded, left out, downright last in line. We hold to Biblical truths and are rejected. Because we hold them to be absolute we are disdained for not being tolerant of other viewpoints. We are shoved to the back.
Should this bother us? Should we demand to be accepted? Should we, at all cost, claw our way to the front? Jesus very clearly states in Matthew 19:30, “But many who are first will be last, and many who are last will be first.” NIV
Lord Jesus, may we keep our eyes on You. May we never forget that the things this world deems as important will pass into oblivion and only the things of Your kingdom will pass the test of time, lasting for eternity. Amen.
Aug 21st, 2018, Mon, 9:00 pm
Through the Eye of a Needle
Father, being officially diagnosed with diabetes recently has been an adjustment. Thank You for a caring wife who is by my side to help me along through this part of my journey. Thank You for the tools given to me in order to help manage everything. And thank You for the blessing of tenacity to stick to what needs to be done. All praise goes to You!
Matthew 19:23-26 (<<click to read the passage)
Most people I know are pretty self-sufficient. Some have more than others but most basic needs are met. We are very blessed. But can those blessings, if we are not careful, become a detriment – especially a detriment when it comes to our relationship with God?
Self-sufficiency and dependence are on separate ends of the spectrum. Is it possible to truly give our all to God if a good portion of our energy and efforts are making sure that we take care of meeting our own needs? Those mindsets seem to be diametrically opposed.
After speaking with the rich young man,
Jesus said to His disciples, “I assure you and most solemnly say to you, it is difficult for a rich man [who clings to possessions and status as security] to enter the kingdom of heaven. Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man [who places his faith in wealth and status] to enter the kingdom of God.” AMP
A footnote in the Amplified Bible states, “These declarations of Jesus directly contradicted the teaching of the Pharisees that God bestows wealth on those He loves and chooses.”
So understandably the disciples “were completely astonished and bewildered” so much so that they exclaimed, “Then who can be saved [from the wrath of God]?”
How in the world can any of us make it? We may not consider ourselves well off but we are taken care of pretty well – and we lay claim, quite often, to taking credit for it! So are we really in any different position that the rich young man? Was he doomed? Are we doomed?
Jesus answers that question,
“With people [as far as it depends on them] it is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”
Lord Jesus, thank You for Your mercy and compassion. You know we are weak and frail, especially when it comes to our spiritual health. Help us to count our blessings but to give credit where credit is due and to trust You for our salvation…not ourselves.
Aug 19th, 2018, Sun, 6:27 am