Tag: bible

Renounce Retaliation; do you have it in you? to get along with everybody? Not insisting on getting our revenge? Romans 12:17-19

Romans 12:17-19 Amplified Bible

17 Never repay anyone evil for evil. Take thought for what is right and gracious  and proper in the sight of everyone. 18 If possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. 19 Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave the way open for God’s wrath [and His judicial righteousness]; for it is written [in Scripture], “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,” says the Lord.

The Word of God for the Children of God

Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end. Amen, amen.

Romans 12:17-19 states,

“Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men. If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men. Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.”

This text from the book of Romans offers much needed, highly valued guidance to Christians of any generation on how to live in accordance with their faith and values, their morals and ethics particularly in their interactions with others.

Our reading begins with an admonition; “Recompense to no man evil for evil.”

This call for non-retaliation stresses the importance of responding to negative actions or treatment with kindness and forgiveness rather than revenge.

This principle reflects the teachings of Jesus, who urged his followers to

“turn the other cheek” and to love their enemies (Matthew 5:38-48).

Revenge is one of our most natural instincts.

Unfortunately, it is fast becoming how our world preferably works, for we live in a “dog eat dog” world, where if you get in my way I will forcibly remove you.

It is a natural response to being our wronged, then—but it is not a Christian one. Therefore, we should guard against it continuously. Even if we avoided it yesterday, a dangerous circle that’s not guaranteed we will do so again today.

Perhaps the sports arena is the place where we see most how easily revenge becomes the motivator for our plans and actions.

If an opposing player fouls you and it is not picked up on and punished by the referee or umpire, what are you and I most apt todo?

Our natural instinct is to find a way to get them back. So we plot and plan and pick our moment and “make it even.” And as it goes on the sports fields, so it goes in life—at least in our imaginations if not in any of our actual behaviors.

But then the Scripture cuts across, looking to permanently separate that natural instinct from our consciousness with the words “Never avenge yourselves.”

The passage then urges individuals to “whenever possible live peaceably with all men,” recognizing the value of our maintaining peaceful relations with others to the best of one’s ability.

This demonstrates our commitment to fostering harmony and understanding in relationships, even in the face of hardcore adversity or conflict.

Our pursuit of peace aligns with the broader biblical message of reconciliation and our promotion of unity among all believers and the broader community.

Paul did not only outlined the principle; he demonstrated it.

He was ministering in an environment giving him every reason for lethal retaliation: he himself was defamed, beaten, mocked, and imprisoned.

He was most likely still alive when Emperor Nero and his government were on a blood lust rampage turning the Christians into torches in the palace backyard.

They tied faithful followers of Jesus to stakes, drove those stakes deep into the ground, covered them in wax, and set them on fire—and still the command was “Never avenge yourselves!”

These verses provide a powerful reminder to believers, urging them not to take vengeance into their own hands.

Instead, they are most strongly urged to yield to the divine prerogative of justice, as it is written,

“Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.”

Deuteronomy 32:34-36 New American Standard Bible

34 ‘Is it not stored up with Me,
Sealed up in My treasuries?
35 Vengeance is Mine, and retribution;
In due time their foot will slip.
For the day of their disaster is near,
And the impending things are hurrying to them.’
36 For the Lord will vindicate His people,
And will have compassion on His servants,
When He sees that their [a]strength is gone,
And there is none remaining, bond or free.

These verses echo the Old Testament teachings found in Deuteronomy 32:34-36, emphasizing responsibility for administering justice ultimately rests with God.

Leviticus 19:18 New American Standard Bible

18 You shall not take vengeance, nor hold any grudge against the sons of your people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself; I am the Lord.

Surrendering our sinful desires for retaliation, trusting in God’s judgment, we discover His Shalom and release the burdens of carrying out justice ourselves.

The sad truth is too often we fail to distinguish between the application of divine law, which is solely God’s prerogative; the application of criminal law, which is solely the state’s God-ordained responsibility (Romans 13:1-4); and our practice of personal revenge, for which our Bible provides us no mandate.

We are permitted to pursue criminal justice from the state, seek legal recourse in our multi-tiered judicial systems, always remembering it will not be perfect, was not designed to be final; but most of all, though, we are called to entrust ourselves to God’s ultimate divine justice, just as His Son did (1 Peter 2:22-24).

1 Peter 2:22-24 New American Standard Bible

22 He who committed no sin, nor was any deceit found in His mouth; 23 [a]and while being abusively insulted, He did not insult in return; while suffering, He did not threaten, but kept entrusting Himself to Him who judges righteously; 24 and He Himself [b]brought our sins in His body up on the [c]cross, so that we might die to [d]sin and live for righteousness; by His [e]wounds you were healed.

We must live into and out from our faith remembering that today is probably not the day of final judgment, and we are certainly not qualified as a judge.

We have a supreme calling as citizens of an eternal kingdom rather than any earthly kingdom.

Unbelievers won’t be drawn to Christ if they see His followers proclaiming that, First, God is the only just Judge and then second, acting as though we ourselves are the only ones who have that exclusive right to mete out summary judgment.

Our hypocritical actions will affect those around us who are struggling with sin.

Let it be that they are won to Christ by His love and never be driven away from considering Christ by our misuse of judgment, wholly inappropriate retaliation.

Finally, Romans 12:17-19 offers a timeless, profound message for believers, urging them to embody forgiveness, integrity, and mercy in their interactions.

It calls individuals to relinquish their desire for retaliation and trust in God’s ultimate justice.

By adhering to these principles, believers exemplify the transformative power of the gospel in their lives, fostering harmonious relationships and upholding the values of their faith which is taught, retaught and demonstrated by Jesus.

In the name of God, the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit …

The Works and the Word of God.

For the music director. A Psalm of David.

19 The heavens tell of the glory of God;
And their expanse declares the work of His hands.
2 Day to day pours forth speech,
And night to night reveals knowledge.
3 There is no speech, nor are there words;
Their voice is not heard.
4 Their [a]line has gone out into all the earth,
And their words to the end of the world.
In them He has placed a tent for the sun,
5 Which is like a groom coming out of his chamber;
It rejoices like a strong person to run his course.
6 Its rising is from [b]one end of the heavens,
And its circuit to the [c]other end of them;
And there is nothing hidden from its heat.

7 The Law of the Lord is [d]perfect, restoring the soul;
The testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple.
8 The precepts of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart;
The commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes.
9 The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever;
The judgments of the Lord are true; they are righteous altogether.
10 They are more desirable than gold, yes, than much pure gold;
Sweeter also than honey and drippings of the honeycomb.
11 Moreover, Your servant is warned by them;
In keeping them there is great reward.
12 Who can discern his errors? Acquit me of hidden faults.
13 Also keep Your servant back from presumptuous sins;
Let them not rule over me;
Then I will be innocent,
And I will be blameless of great wrongdoing.
14 May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart
Be acceptable in Your sight,
Lord, my rock and my Redeemer.

Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end. Amen, amen.

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The most subtle most blatant lie; the naivete by which it is acknowledged; the ignorance by which we partook; the eternal sin, separation from God. Genesis 3:1-5

Genesis 3:1-5 New American Standard Bible

The Fall of Mankind

3 Now the serpent was more cunning than any animal of the field which the  Lord  God had made. And he said to the woman, “Has God really said, ‘You shall not eat from any tree of the garden’?” 2 The woman said to the serpent, “From the fruit of the trees of the garden we may eat; 3 but from the fruit of the tree which is in the middle of the garden, God has said, ‘You shall not eat from it or touch it, or you will die.’” 4 The serpent said to the woman, “You certainly will not die! 5 For God knows that on the day you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will [a]become like God, knowing good and evil.”

Word of God for the Children of God

Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end. Amen, amen.

Sometimes we might hear or even tell little lies in attempts to be polite or to spare someone’s feelings.

Though not recommended, those kinds of lies are far different from lies that are told out of callous disrespect. self-interest for personal gain or even malice to harm others.

Of all the lies told in history, the most blatant, malicious lie of all took place when the devil tempted Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden (Genesis 3).

There Satan, appearing as a serpent, lied about the consequences of disobeying God’s command not to eat the fruit of one of the trees in the garden.

In this way the devil aimed to thwart God’s design for his creation and to mar his human creatures forever.

Satan lied about God’s own truthfulness.

His false insinuation awakened a jealousy and desire in our first parents, and the results have reverberated across our world ever since that day, causing hostility, suffering, and death.

Jesus came to save us from the certain destruction we would face, and he called Satan out as “the father of lies.”

How do we overcome the deadly shadow of lies in our world?

We do so by acknowledging God never lies (Hebrews 6:18) and he hates lying.

And we turn to Jesus, the true light and living truth (John 14:6), asking him to help us recognize the truth and to share it with our neighbors everywhere.

Doing so, begins our initiation into God’s redemption plan by learning of and listening to, His Voice of truth, sharing his truthfulness, love with all people. 

The Voice That Should Not Be Heard

Adam had named the animals.

None of them had named him.

None of them spoke.

But here, one does.

Eve should have recoiled.

Her instincts should have screamed.

Instead, she listened ….. “Did God really say…?”

It was not a question.

It was a seed of suspicion.

A carefully baited hook.

God had offered abundance.

The serpent framed it as restriction.

He painted the Giver as a hoarder.

He cast God as the villain.

Eve replies.

She knows what God said.

But already, the wind has shifted.

She entertains the serpent’s tone.

She meets him on his terms.

And once she gives her attention, he gives her a lie:

“You will not surely die.”

The most dangerous lies are the ones that wear truth like perfume.

This one smelled like enlightenment.

But it stank of death.

The Moment the World Tilted

They didn’t fall by accident.

They didn’t stumble into rebellion.

They wanted what God had withheld.

They desired the thing He had called forbidden.

They looked at the serpent, looked at the fruit, and decided that God was not providing enough abundace.

Eve reached.

Adam stood beside her.

Silent.

Watching.

The man who had walked with God chose to follow his wife, who was following a snake.

She handed him the fruit. He took it.

And the earth groaned.

But the fall did not begin with the bite.

The fall happened in the silence.

In the desire.

In the shift of allegiance that happened quietly inside them before the fruit ever touched their lips.

The Tactics Have Not Changed

The serpent has no new tricks.

He still whispers.

He still distorts God’s words, maligns God’s heart, promises what he cannot give. He still makes sin look like freedom and obedience look like slavery.

And fallen hearts still believe him.

We don’t fall like Adam.

We fell in Adam.

He was our representative.

Our federal head.

When he listened to the serpent, so did we.

When he chose sin, so did we.

And since that day, we’ve been born loving what we ought to hate.

We don’t start in Eden.

We start east of it.

The First Fruits of Rebellion

“Their eyes were opened.”

Not to beauty.

Not to wisdom.

But to utter shame.

They saw themselves, and they couldn’t bear the sight.

They grabbed leaves.

They stitched fig and fear into coverings.

For the first time, they felt the need to hide.

Then came the sound.

The familiar footfall of God walking in the cool of the day.

A sound that once brought joy now triggered dread.

They ran.

They didn’t want to be found.

Shame had shifted their compass.

Guilt weighed like stone in their chests.

The One who formed them now terrified them.

The presence that once gave life now promised judgment.

And so they hid in the trees, like children caught in the act.

Their innocence had curdled into fear.

Their openness had twisted into evasion.

The Shattered Illusion of Innocence

All of it…every broken marriage, every hospital room, every open grave…traces back to this garden.

This moment.

The ache of our world is not random.

It has visible roots.

And they grow here.

Sin did not arrive as any grand display of cataclysmic rain, thunder lightning..

It came with a barely audible whisper.

A question. A look. A silence. A bite.

And now every child is born into a world where our shame is native and guilt is inherited. Every conscience carries that imprint of that first slip of the tongue.

Everyone is guilty.

Everyone is exposed.

And no one can ever sew enough fig leaves to become clean again.

The Gospel Truth of this that the Master Gardener Still Walks His garden.

He still comes walking.

Not with a sword, but with a question:

With a still small, quiet voice shouting ….

(Your Name) … “Where are you?”

Not because He doesn’t know.

But because He wants you to know.

(Your Name) … “I AM is still here … Where are you?”

Still hiding?

Still covering yourself in effort and shame?

Still listening for the hiss of the serpent wrongly saying;

“Did God really promise that He will always with you until the end of time?”

“So, (your name) … where is God’s promise to always be with you now?”

Step out.

He is calling.

The One created us, set our feet in His Garden of Eden, who showed mercy when He clothed Adam and Eve, freely offers robes of righteousness soaked in blood.

The Life Blood of His only Begotten Son … Jesus

John 19:28-30 New American Standard Bible

28 After this, Jesus, knowing that all things had already been accomplished, in order that the Scripture would be fulfilled, *said, “I am thirsty.” 29 A jar full of sour wine was standing there; so they put a sponge full of the sour wine on a branch of hyssop and brought it up to His mouth. 30 Therefore when Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, “It is finished!” And He bowed His head and gave up His spirit.

The One who banished Adam and Eve from His Garden, now invites us back…not by works, but by grace.

(Your Name) … are you ready this time to receive of the abundance of His grace?

Are you telling the truth?

Or are you lying to God … still … again?

In the name of God, the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit ….

Praying …

Prayer for Protection, Guidance, and Pardon.

A Psalm of David.

25 To You, Lord, I lift up my soul.
2 My God, in You I trust,
Do not let me be ashamed;
Do not let my enemies rejoice over me.
3 Indeed, none of those who wait for You will be ashamed;
[a]Those who deal treacherously without cause will be ashamed.

4 Make me know Your ways, Lord;
Teach me Your paths.
5 Lead me in Your truth and teach me,
For You are the God of my salvation;
For You I wait all the day.
6 Remember, Lord, Your compassion and Your faithfulness,
For they have been [b]from of old.
7 Do not remember the sins of my youth or my wrongdoings;
Remember me according to Your faithfulness,
For Your goodness’ sake, Lord.

8 The Lord is good and upright;
Therefore He instructs sinners in the way.
9 He leads the [c]humble in justice,
And He teaches the [d]humble His way.
10 All the paths of the Lord are faithfulness and truth
To those who comply with His covenant and His testimonies.
11 For the sake of Your name, Lord,
Forgive my wrongdoing, for it is great.

12 Who is the person who fears the Lord?
He will instruct him in the way he should choose.
13 His soul will dwell in [e]prosperity,
And his [f]descendants will inherit the [g]land.
14 The [h]secret of the Lord is for those who fear Him,
[i]And He will make them know His covenant.
15 My eyes are continually toward the Lord,
For He will [j]rescue my feet from the net.

16 Turn to me and be gracious to me,
For I am lonely and afflicted.
17 [k]The troubles of my heart are enlarged;
Bring me out of my distresses.
18 Look at my misery and my trouble,
And forgive all my sins.
19 Look at my enemies, for they are many,
And they hate me with violent hatred.
20 Guard my soul and save me;
Do not let me be ashamed, for I take refuge in You.
21 Let integrity and uprightness protect me,
For I wait for You.
22 Redeem Israel, God,
From all his distress.

Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end. Amen, amen.

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Truth and Justice? The high priest has torn his robes, shouting, “What need do we have of any further well paid witnesses? You have heard that blasphemy. What do we think now?” Mark 14:63-64

Mark 14:63-64 Amplified Bible

63 Then [a]tearing his robe [to express his indignation], the high priest said, “What further need do we have of witnesses? 64 You have heard the blasphemy [that is, His claim to be the Son of God]. What is your decision?” And they all condemned Him to be [guilty and] deserving of death.

Word of God for the Children of God

Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end. Amen, amen.

Truth and Justice?

Truth and/or Justice?

Truth without Justice?

No Truth and No Justice?

For a few extra dollars … Truth? Justice?

Exodus 20:16 Amplified Bible

16 “You shall not testify falsely [that is, lie, withhold, or manipulate the truth] against your neighbor (any person).

Courtroom dramas can make for interesting and engaging stories. Why?

Because often in a court of law, two of the most basic concerns for living together in society come into sharp focus: truth and justice.

These two main concepts are the foundational principles behind the ninth commandment: “You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor.”

In settling a dispute between two parties, the ancient people of Israel had neither a police force nor crime labs to produce evidence.

They had to rely on the testimony of witnesses to resolve legal disputes.

This was especially true in high-stakes cases involving murder, treason.

Only on the testimony of at least two witnesses could the truth of a crime be discovered.

Then justice could be served to protect the innocent and hold the guilty accountable. And if a witness was found to be a liar, that person received the harshest of penalties (Deuteronomy 19:16-19).

Deuteronomy 19:16-19 Amplified Bible

16 If a malicious witness rises up against a man to [falsely] accuse him of wrongdoing, 17 then both parties to the controversy shall stand before the Lord, before the priests and the judges who will be in office at that time. 18 The judges shall investigate thoroughly, and if the witness is a false witness, and he has accused his brother falsely, 19 then you shall do to him just as he had intended to do to his brother. So you shall remove the evil from among you.

Authentic justice in any society is impossible without authentic truth-telling.

When all people ever hear is lies, their life together as citizens and neighbors is severely undermined, reduced to uncertainty and chaos, seriously mistrusted.

Sadly, because of rampant lying and disinformation in our societies today, it’s difficult to trust anything some people say.

True or False or Who Cares or What Difference Will it Make?

We need to have the fullest trust, the utter importance of telling the truth.

God never lies.

Nor should we, as we seek to love him and our neighbors. 

What is there to gain?

What is there to lose?

Who is going to know our testimony is bought and paid for?

Who is going to care our testimony is bought and paid for?

The Shredded Garment: A Reflection on the Weight of Witness

In Mark 14:63, we find a powerful moment in the trial of Jesus: “Then the high priest rent his clothes, and saith, What need we any further witnesses?”

This verse offers profound insight into the intensity of this scene and provides deep theological reflection on the nature of truth, testimony, and the unwitting revelation of the divine.

The act of the high priest tearing his garments is laden with symbolism and significance.

In Jewish culture, such an action signified extreme grief, anger, or protest.

It was a public demonstration of what was perceived to be a blasphemous act by Jesus.

High Priest’s represented the pinnacle of religious authority among the Jewish people, charged with upholding laws and traditions that governed their faith.

Yet here he stands, torn between duty, the growing realization of the professed identity of the one who is now standing in judgment before him. In this tableau of high tension, we witness the clash between human tradition and divine truth.

First, let us examine the significance of witnesses.

The high priest’s question, “What need we any further witnesses?” reveals his desperation for affirmation of his own beliefs.

Faced with the undeniable, unfathomable truth of Jesus’ divine claims, he seeks closure and validation, vastly eager to mark the verdict against the blasphemer.

But do we not also live in a world where we seek validation of our own beliefs?

Are we not often like the high priest—seeking truth not in its entirety but also in fragments that align with our biased assumptions and pre-trial conclusions?

Truth is a rare commodity in the world today.

We are bombarded by social media opinions, yet discerning the objective truth is often clouded by personal biases and societal pressures and political agendas.

The high priest was confronted not only by the man standing before him but also by the incalculable weight of the truth that came with Jesus’ presence.

In tearing his clothes, he revealed not only his “righteous” anger at Jesus, but also the unraveling of Old Covenant practices in the face of the coming of the New Covenant which within a relative short time period, Jesus will embody.

Furthermore, this moment reveals the consequences of human conviction when it meets divine revelation.

The high priest’s need for proof exposes a heart unwilling to recognize the truth directly in front of him—the Messiah.

Jesus had performed miracles, taught with unmatched authority, and fulfilled prophecies long anticipated.

Yet, when it came to the crux of their beliefs, the high priest was ensnared by the fear of losing faith, his power, his wealth and the established temple order.

We, too, in our Christian lives, must ask ourselves: what truths are we unwilling to confront because they threaten our worldview or the comfort of our beliefs?

As followers of Christ, we are called to bear witness to the truth of who He is.

Each of us carries the weight of testimony, not just in grand declarations but in everyday actions and attitudes.

The high priest’s refusal to acknowledge Jesus gives us a sobering reflection on how easily rejection of the truth, truth giver, can lead to spiritual blindness and estrangement from God- how can our orthodoxy be any less true than Christ’s?

Are there areas in our lives where we, likewise, dismiss the truth of God’s word?

Are we resistant to allowing the Holy Spirit to convict us, convert us and lead us into all truth no matter what could, should do to us, promised in John 16:12-14?

In the tearing of his garments, the high priest signified a rending not just the fabric, but a metaphorical tearing of the old ways as he faced the New Covenant being brought forth by Jesus.

In our daily lives, may we be willing to allow the truths of Scripture to challenge us and tear away the misconceptions and falsehoods that bind us.

Thus, as we meditate on Mark 14:63, let it remind us not only of the urgency of our witness but too sacred, call to take off our shoes or sandals and embrace the truth of Jesus passionately and courageously, purposefully and authentically.

Let us be people who will intentionally discern truth from falsehood, willing to allow God’s transformative work to ‘rend’ our hearts toward Him and propel us forth as witnesses of the Gospel message and testimony of His grace and love.

May we be ready to embrace the truth, which is not just a set of beliefs but the very person of Jesus Christ, who is the way, the truth, and the life (John 14:6).

In the name of God, the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit,

Praying ….

Psalm 16 Complete Jewish Bible

16 (0) Mikhtam. By David:

(1) Protect me, God,
for you are my refuge.
2 I said to Adonai, “You are my Lord;
I have nothing good outside of you.”
3 The holy people in the land are the ones
who are worthy of honor; all my pleasure is in them.

4 Those who run after another god
multiply their sorrows;
To such gods I will not offer
drink offerings of blood
or take their names on my lips.

5 Adonai, my assigned portion, my cup:
you safeguard my share.
6 Pleasant places were measured out for me;
I am content with my heritage.

7 I bless Adonai, my counselor;
at night my inmost being instructs me.
8 I always set Adonai before me;
with him at my right hand, I can never be moved;
9 so my heart is glad, my glory rejoices,
and my body too rests in safety;
10 for you will not abandon me to Sh’ol,
you will not let your faithful one see the Abyss.
11 You make me know the path of life;
in your presence is unbounded joy,
in your right hand eternal delight.

Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end. Amen, amen.

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O’ God! Your righteousness is always eternally right, Your revelation is the only truth I require. Psalm 119:142

Psalm 119:137-144 Complete Jewish Bible

צ (Tzadeh)

137 You are righteous, Adonai;
and your rulings are upright.
138 You have commanded your instructions
in righteousness and great faithfulness.
139 My zeal is destroying me,
because my foes have forgotten your words.
140 Your word is refined to complete purity,
and your servant loves it.
141 I may be small and despised,
but I do not forget your precepts.
142 Your righteousness is eternal righteousness,
and your Torah is truth.
143 Trouble and distress have overtaken me,
but your mitzvot are my delight.
144 Your instruction is righteous forever;
give me understanding, and I will live.

Word of God for the Children of God

Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end. Amen, amen.

Eternal Truth: The Righteousness of God

142 Your righteousness is eternal righteousness,
and your Torah is truth.

In our chaotic, ever-changing world, where truths can often feel fluid, we find ourselves grabbing our compasses and endlessly walking from one horizon to another in search of a foundation that withstands the shifting sands of popular opinion and circumstance.

The Bible, divine in nature, offers such a stabilizing force through the words of the psalmist in Psalms 119:142, which proclaims,

“Thy righteousness is an everlasting righteousness, and thy law is the truth.”

This powerful declaration invites us to delve deeper into the nature of God’s righteousness and the enduring truth as manifested, as revealed, in His law.

Understanding God’s Righteousness

To comprehend the impact of the psalmist’s assertion, we must first explore the nature of God’s righteousness.

Unlike human righteousness, which is very subjective and swayed by culture or circumstance, God’s righteousness remains constant—eternal and unchanging.

In Psalm 119, we are reminded that His righteousness is “everlasting.”

This indicates that it transcends time, existing before creation and enduring beyond the end of the world.

This aspect of God’s character offers us many assurances.

In a world rife with injustice, confusion, ethical and moral ambiguity, we can take solace in the fact that God’s standards of right and wrong do not shift.

They remain steadfast, providing a reliable guide for living.

Furthermore, God’s everlasting righteousness reveals His justice and holiness.

The law He established ensures we draw closer to understand the significance of righteousness in our relationship with Him and with one another.

The Law as Truth

“Thy law is the truth.”

This statement emphasizes that God’s law is not merely a set of rules to follow; rather, it embodies the very essence of truth.

In John 14:6, with uplifted untroubled hearts, we discover that Jesus Himself is the way, the truth, and the life.

Just as Jesus is the fulfillment of the law, the law reflects God’s character and His desire for humanity to live in steadfast harmony with His will.

The law conveys God’s expectations, reveals sin, points to the righteousness that is fulfilled through Christ.

In every commandment and statute, we see a glimpse of the divine nature.

Thus, when we adhere to God’s laws, we align ourselves with the eternal truth that leads to abundant life and blessing.

The law exposes deceit, protecting us from the falsehoods that seek to ensnare our hearts.

Living in Response

How then, should we respond to such profound declarations about God’s righteousness and truth?

First, we must cultivate a heart that seeks after His righteousness.

Matthew 5:6 reminds us, “Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.”

Psalm 34:8-10 Amplified Bible

8 
O taste and see that the Lord [our God] is good;
How blessed [fortunate, prosperous, and favored by God] is the man who takes refuge in Him.
9 
O [reverently] fear the Lord, you His saints (believers, holy ones);
For to those who fear Him there is no want.
10 
The young lions lack [food] and grow hungry,
But they who seek the Lord will not lack any good thing.

This hunger is not passive; it generates action and determination to know God’s Word and apply it in our lives.

Moreover, acknowledging that God’s law is truth propels us into intentional obedience.

It compels us to study His Word daily, seeking wisdom and understanding to navigate the complexities of life.

As we grow in wisdom, knowledge, we are reminded that obedience to God’s commandments is not burdensome but a pathway to freedom (John 8:31-32).

John 8:31-32Amplified Bible

The Truth Will Make You Free

31 So Jesus was saying to the Jews who had believed Him, “If you abide in My word [continually obeying My teachings and living in accordance with them, then] you are truly My disciples. 32 And you will know the truth [regarding salvation], and the truth will set you free [from the penalty of sin].”

In Psalm 119:142, we encounter a profound reminder of God’s nature as a righteous judge and the law as His unwavering truth.

As we diligently reflect on this verse, let us strive to embrace His everlasting righteousness and walk in His truth with devoted hearts.

May we likewise find strength and courage to proclaim His righteousness and adhere to His truth—daily living as beacons of His hope in a world yearning for genuine justice and authenticity and His Shalom.

May our lives reflect the righteousness of God, anchoring ourselves in His eternal truth and without hesitation, freely sharing that light with others.

Psalm 19 Amplified Bible

The Works and the Word of God.

To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David.

19 The heavens are telling of the glory of God;
And the expanse [of heaven] is declaring the work of His hands.
2 
Day after day pours forth speech,
And night after night reveals knowledge.
3 
There is no speech, nor are there [spoken] words [from the stars];
Their voice is not heard.
4 
Yet their voice [in quiet evidence] has gone out through all the earth,
Their words to the end of the world.
In them and in the heavens He has made a tent for the sun,
5 
Which is as a bridegroom coming out of his chamber;
It rejoices as a strong man to run his course.
6 
The sun’s rising is from one end of the heavens,
And its circuit to the other end of them;
And there is nothing hidden from its heat.

7 
The law of the Lord is perfect (flawless), restoring and refreshing the soul;
The statutes of the Lord are reliable and trustworthy, making wise the simple.
8 
The precepts of the Lord are right, bringing joy to the heart;
The commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes.
9 
The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever;
The judgments of the Lord are true, they are righteous altogether.
10 
They are more desirable than gold, yes, than much fine gold;
Sweeter also than honey and the drippings of the honeycomb.
11 
Moreover, by them Your servant is warned [reminded, illuminated, and instructed];
In keeping them there is great reward.
12 
Who can understand his errors or omissions? Acquit me of hidden (unconscious, unintended) faults.
13 
Also keep back Your servant from presumptuous (deliberate, willful) sins;
Let them not rule and have control over me.
Then I will be blameless (complete),
And I shall be acquitted of great transgression.
14 
Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart
Be acceptable and pleasing in Your sight,
O Lord, my [firm, immovable] rock and my Redeemer.

Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end. Amen, amen.

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Would that I could see the limits to everything human, no horizons can contain God’s boundless commands! Psalm 119:89-96

Psalm 119:89-96 New King James Version

ל LAMED

89 Forever, O Lord,
Your word [a]is settled in heaven.
90 Your faithfulness endures to all generations;
You established the earth, and it [b]abides.
91 They continue this day according to Your ordinances,
For all are Your servants.
92 Unless Your law had been my delight,
I would then have perished in my affliction.
93 I will never forget Your precepts,
For by them You have given me life.
94 I am Yours, save me;
For I have sought Your precepts.
95 The wicked wait for me to destroy me,
But I will [c]consider Your testimonies.
96 I have seen the consummation of all perfection,
But Your commandment is exceedingly broad.

Word of God for the Children of God

Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end. Amen, amen.

Psalms 119:96 encapsulates a profound truth about the limitations of human understanding and the infinite horizons of God’s commandments.

“I have seen a limit to all perfection, but your commandment is exceedingly broad.”

This verse invites us to reflect on the contrast between the fleeting nature of human achievements and the boundless wisdom of God’s word.

In a world where perfection is often sought yet seldom attained, this scripture reassures us that while human endeavors will fall short, God’s teachings are boundless and provide guidance that transcends all time and circumstances.

Psalms 119:96 delves deep into the recognition of human limitations.

The psalmist acknowledges that while humanity strives for perfection—whether in moral actions, achievements, or societal standards—there exists a uncrossable boundary to such endeavors.

This recognition of “a limit to all perfection” serves as our humbling reminder that teaches no matter how hard we try, we will inevitably encounter flaws and failures, imperfections and incompleteness in our lives.

In contrast, psalm 96 celebrates the boundless nature of God’s commandments.

The phrase “your commandment is exceedingly broad” suggests that divine instruction extends far beyond human comprehension and capability.

It implies God’s law is not only extensive in its scope but rich in depth, offering wisdom and direction which leads, guides, and moves individuals through the intricate complexities of life.

This verse encourages believers to seek solace and guidance within the depths of God’s word, which stands firm and reliable when our human efforts falter. 

Additionally, verse 96 underscores the importance of divine guidance in navigating life’s challenges.

While human understanding is finite, God’s commandments offer infinite living wisdom that can lead to a more meaningful fulfilling transformed life.

The psalmist expresses an intense love for God’s law and reflects upon the inexhaustible blessings coming from a believers adherence, obedience to it.

Throughout the psalm, there is a recurring emphasis on the need for guidance, understanding, and the transformative power of God’s word.

In this context, verse 96 serves as a pivotal reflection on the limitations of our human endeavors compared to the incalculable vastness of divine instruction.

Reflecting on Psalms 119:96 invites us to confront the nature of perfection in our own lives.

In a society that often glorifies success and perfection, this verse challenges us to embrace our imperfections and recognize the limits of our understanding.

It encourages us to shift our focus from striving for unrealistic standards to our seeking guidance in God’s word, which is evermore-relevant and applicable. 

This verse prompts us to consider how we can integrate God’s commandments into our daily lives.

Are we allowing the teachings of scripture to test and transform our thoughts, inform our decisions, shape our characters, and influence our relationships?

The Psalmist’s acknowledgment of God’s commandments “exceedingly broad” informs, suggests, teaches, there’s always going to be more to learn and apply, encouraging a lifelong engagement, roller coaster journey of  spiritual growth.

Moreover, Psalms 119:96 can serve as an invaluable source of comfort during moments of our greatest temporary failures and our deepest disappointments.

It reassures us that while we may face limitations, God’s guidance is infinite and can lead, guide and direct us to greater understanding and fulfillment.

By embracing the breadth of God’s commandments, we find peace and purpose, knowing we are guided by a wisdom that far transcends our human experience.

As we each day try to navigate through all of our life’s complexities, may we continually seek the boundless richness of God’s law, allowing it to illuminate our paths and transform our hearts, reminding us that true perfection lies not in our temporary achievements but in our eternal relationship with the divine.

In the name of God, the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit. Amen

Praying ….

18-20 “Come. Sit down. Let’s argue this out.”
    This is God’s Message:
“If your sins are blood-red,
    they’ll be snow-white.
If they’re red like crimson,
    they’ll be like wool.
If you’ll willingly obey,
    you’ll feast like kings.
But if you’re willful and stubborn,
    you’ll die like dogs.”
That’s right. God says so.

61 1-2 God, listen to me shout,
    bend an ear to my prayer.
When I’m far from anywhere,
    down to my last gasp,
I call out, “Guide me
    up High Rock Mountain!”

3-5 You’ve always given me breathing room,
    a place to get away from it all,
A lifetime pass to your safe-house,
    an open invitation as your guest.
You’ve always taken me seriously, God,
    made me welcome among those who know and love you.

6-8 Let the days of the king add up
    to years and years of good rule.
Set his throne in the full light of God;
    post Steady Love and Good Faith as lookouts,
And I’ll be the poet who sings your glory—
    and live what I sing every day.

Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end. Amen, amen.

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Exactly, how familiar are we with this command to the ancients, Go! get to the heart of the matter, anger doesn’t mix well with personal relationships. Matthew 5:21-26 

Matthew 5:21-26 New King James Version

Murder Begins in the Heart

21 “You have heard that it was said to those [a]of old, ‘You shall not murder, and whoever murders will be in danger of the judgment.’ 22 But I say to you that whoever is angry with his brother [b]without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment. And whoever says to his brother, ‘Raca!’[c] shall be in danger of the council. But whoever says, [d]‘You fool!’ shall be in danger of [e]hell fire. 23  Therefore if you bring your gift to the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, 24  leave your gift there before the altar, and go your way. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift. 25 Agree with your adversary quickly,  while you are on the way with him, lest your adversary deliver you to the judge, the judge hand you over to the officer, and you be thrown into prison. 26 Assuredly, I say to you, you will by no means get out of there till you have paid the last penny.

Word of God for the Children of God

Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end. Amen, amen.

This passage is part of Jesus’ famous Sermon on the Mount, where He addresses the deeper implications of the commandment against murder.

Matthew 5:21-26 is discussing the teachings of Jesus regarding anger and reconciliation. Jesus emphasizes being angry with someone is as serious as murder and instructs we should seek reconciliation before offering gifts at the altar.

Jesus likewise teaches that anger and insults can be as serious as murder in God’s eyes, warning that such displays of unchecked anger leads to judgment.

He urges us to make quick reconciliation with others before offering worship.

There are very serious spiritual implications to be aware of …
  • Anger as Sin: Jesus equates anger with murder, highlighting the seriousness of harboring ill feelings.
  • Reconciliation: Immediate reconciliation is crucial before engaging in worship, indicating relationships with others are vital to one’s relationship with God.
  • Judgment: The passage sternly warns of judgment for unresolved anger and disputes, dramatically stressing the need for strict personal accountability.

This teaching encourages believers to cultivate shalom and resolve conflicts promptly, reflecting the heart of Jesus’ message about love and community.

What implications of anger in Matthew 5:21-26 for modern relationships?

Matthew 5:21-26 emphasizes that anger is equated with murder, highlighting the real seriousness of unresolved anger and the critical need for reconciliation.

Other biblical teachings, such as those in Proverbs and Ephesians, also stress the very real importance of our managing anger and seeking peace, reinforcing the idea that our displays of unchecked anger can lead to destructive outcomes.

A Soft Answer Turns Away Wrath (Proverbs 15:1 New King James Version)

15 A soft answer turns away wrath,
But a harsh word stirs up anger.

Proverbs 12:16 New American Standard Bible

16 A fool’s anger is known at once,
But a prudent person conceals dishonor.

Proverbs 14:29 New American Standard Bible

29 One who is slow to anger has great understanding;
But one who is [a]quick-tempered exalts foolishness.

Proverbs 19:11 New American Standard Bible

11 A person’s discretion makes him slow to anger,
And it is his glory to overlook an offense.

Proverbs 27:3-6 New American Standard Bible

 A stone is heavy and the sand weighty,
But the provocation of a fool is heavier than both of them.
4 Wrath is fierce and anger is a flood,
But who can stand before jealousy?
5 Better is open rebuke
Than love that is concealed.
6 Faithful are the wounds of a friend,
But [a]deceitful are the kisses of an enemy.

What historical context influenced Jesus’ teachings on anger and reconciliation in Matthew 5:21-26?

Jesus’ teachings on anger and reconciliation Matthew 5:21-26 were influenced by the Jewish understanding of the law, particularly the commandment against murder, which was repeatedly interpreted by the ancient scholar’s narrowly.

He expanded this interpretation to include the inner condition of anger and contempt, emphasizing the highest importance of reconciliation and those serious, even violent, consequences of unresolved anger in relationships.

Matthew 5:21-26 addresses the seriousness of anger and its consequences, emphasizing that being angry with a brother or sister is subject to judgment, equating it with murder in terms of moral, ethical, spiritual accountability.

Jesus teaches the unrelenting importance of reconciliation, urging individuals to settle disputes quickly to avoid greater consequences, highlighting the need for inner purity and peace in both our individual and community relationships.

Key Teachings
  • Anger and Judgment: Jesus equates anger with murder, stating anyone who is angry with a brother or sister is subject to judgment. This highlights the deep seriousness of harboring anger in one’s heart.
  • Reconciliation: Jesus instructs if someone recalls a grievance while offering a gift at the altar, they should first reconcile with that offended party before continuing with their offering. underscoring the priority of resolving conflicts.
Consequences of Anger
ActionConsequence
Being angry with a brotherSubject to judgment
Insulting a brother (e.g., “Raca”)Answerable to the court
Calling someone a foolIn danger of hellfire
Practical Application
  • Settling Disputes: Jesus advises settling matters quickly with adversaries to avoid escalation and potential legal consequences. This teaches the value of addressing conflicts promptly. (Matthew 5:43-45, Acts 13:9-11, Romans 12:19-21)
  • Inner Purity: The passage emphasizes that true righteousness involves not just external actions but also the inner condition of our hearts. Maintaining peace and purity in relationships is essential for establishing fulfilling spiritual lives.

By focusing on these teachings, individuals are encouraged to reflect on their attitudes and actions, striving for reconciliation and inner peace.

In my less than stellar moments of anger, hurt, resentment, or sometimes even out of shear frustration and annoyance, I have called others or thought of them as “stupid,” “uneducated” “hopelessly naive” as the religious leaders of Jesus’ day did when they called a spouse, children also brothers or sisters a “fool.”

According to Jesus, this kind of attitude violates the sixth commandment by showing my deeply rooted contempt for others made in the image of God.

I must confess I am too often guilty of automatically diminishing other people.

I need to continually plead, pray, humble myself, in the presence of God, to forgive me, to create within my heart a much deeper, genuine love for others.

What about you? 

In the name of God, the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit. Amen

Psalm 85 Complete Jewish Bible

85 (0) For the leader. A psalm of the sons of Korach:

2 (1) Adonai, you have shown favor to your land;
you have restored the fortunes of Ya‘akov,
3 (2) taken away the guilt of your people,
pardoned all their sin, (Selah)
4 (3) withdrawn all your wrath,
turned from your fierce anger.

5 (4) Restore us, God of our salvation,
renounce your displeasure with us.
6 (5) Are you to stay angry with us forever?
Will your fury last through all generations?

7 (6) Won’t you revive us again,
so your people can rejoice in you?
8 (7) Show us your grace, Adonai;
grant us your salvation.

9 (8) I am listening. What will God, Adonai, say?
For he will speak peace to his people,
to his holy ones —
but only if they don’t relapse into folly.
10 (9) His salvation is near for those who fear him,
so that glory will be in our land.
11 (10) Grace and truth have met together;
justice and peace have kissed each other.
12 (11) Truth springs up from the earth,
and justice looks down from heaven.
13 (12) Adonai will also grant prosperity;
our land will yield its harvest.
14 (13) Justice will walk before him
and make his footsteps a path.

Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end. Amen, amen.

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Today will always remain tomorrows yesterday. Never to become indebted to all of tomorrow’s troubles today. Matthew 6:25-34

Matthew 6:25-34 The Message

25-26 “If you decide for God, living a life of God-worship, it follows that you don’t fuss about what’s on the table at mealtimes or whether the clothes in your closet are in fashion. There is far more to your life than the food you put in your stomach, more to your outer appearance than the clothes you hang on your body. Look at the birds, free and unfettered, not tied down to a job description, careless in the care of God. And you count far more to him than birds.

27-29 “Has anyone by fussing in front of the mirror ever gotten taller by so much as an inch? All this time and money wasted on fashion—do you think it makes that much difference? Instead of looking at the fashions, walk out into the fields and look at the wildflowers. They never primp or shop, but have you ever seen color and design quite like it? The ten best-dressed men and women in the country look shabby alongside them.

30-33 “If God gives such attention to the appearance of wildflowers—most of which are never even seen—don’t you think he’ll attend to you, take pride in you, do his best for you? What I’m trying to do here is to get you to relax, not be so preoccupied with getting, so you can respond to God’s giving. People who don’t know God and the way he works fuss over these things, but you know both God and how he works. Steep your life in God-reality, God-initiative, God-provisions. Don’t worry about missing out. You’ll find all your everyday human concerns will be met.

34 “Give your entire attention to what God is doing right now, and don’t get worked up about what may or may not happen tomorrow. God will help you deal with whatever hard things come up when the time comes.

The Word of God for the Children of God.

Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end. Amen, amen.

Matthew 6:27 comes in the middle of Jesus’ teaching about anxiety.

He has already said, “Take no thought for your life” in Matthew 6:25, not because food, drink, clothing, and bodily needs do not matter, but because anxious care is the wrong master for the soul.

Then, in Matthew 6:26, He points His disciples to the birds of the air.

They don’t farm, store up, or build barns, yet the Father feeds them.

The point isn’t that birds are lazy.

Anyone who’s watched a bird work at building a nest knows better.

Consider the complexities of flight for the very tiny Hummingbird …

How Fast Do Hummingbirds Fly? Speed, Wingbeats, and Flight Science
How fast does the average hummingbird fly?

The point is that they live under God’s providential care.

Now Jesus asks a piercing question:

“Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature?”

Will the tiny Hummingbird add one cubit unto its stature?

F.Y.I. One biblical cubit equals the length of one forearm or about 1.5 feet.

The question exposes anxiety’s false promise.

Worry presents itself as responsible, alert, and necessary.

It acts as though if we think long enough, fear hard enough, and rehearse every possible outcome, we can somehow gain control over life.

But Jesus brings us back to reality.

Anxiety can’t add even a “cubit” to our height, our lifespan, our strength, or our security.

It can, however, drain the body, cloud the mind, and burden the heart, but it can’t actually accomplish what it promises.

The word “stature” may refer to bodily height, though some understand it more broadly as the length of one’s life.

Either way, the meaning is clear.

There are limits we can’t cross by worrying.

A man can’t think himself taller.

A woman can’t worry herself into a longer life.

A believer can’t add one inch to God’s wise design by carrying a burden the Father never commanded them to carry.

This isn’t a rebuke against diligence. 

Scripture praises wise labor, planning, and foresight. 

Proverbs teaches the value of preparation, discipline, and prudent action.

Jesus draws a firm line between responsible stewardship and restless anxiety.

Planning asks, “What has God given me to do?”

Anxiety asks, “What if God doesn’t take care of my needs?”

One is faith working through obedience.

The other is fear trying to enlarge the throne to fit its bloated stature.

Verse 27 also humbles modern pride.

We live in an age that often treats the body, future, identity, and personal fulfillment as things we can fully engineer.

Self-improvement has its place, but Scripture won’t flatter our illusion of control.

We’re creatures.

We’re dependent.

We’re limited.

Which is not bad news when the One who rules over our limits is our heavenly Father.

Matthew 5:38-48 New American Standard Bible

38 “You have heard that it was said, ‘Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.’ 39 But I say to you, do not show opposition against an evil person; but whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other toward him also. 40 And if anyone wants to sue you and take your [a]tunic, let him have your [b]cloak also. 41 Whoever [c] forces you to go one mile, go with him two. 42 Give to him who asks of you, and do not turn away from him who wants to borrow from you.

43 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ 44 But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45 so that you may prove yourselves to be sons of your Father who is in heaven; for He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and  the unrighteous. 46 For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Even the tax collectors, do they not do the same? 47  And if you greet only your brothers and sisters, what more are you doing than others? Even the Gentiles, do they not do the same? 48 Therefore you shall be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

Skeptics have interpreted verse 27 as being fatalistic, implying that Jesus is saying that exercising any extra effort is pointless.

But that misses the context.

Jesus isn’t forbidding extra action.

He’s exposing anxiety.

The same Bible which says worry can’t add a cubit also commands our steady honest work, prayer, generosity, and watchfulness.

Proverbs 6:6-8 New American Standard Bible

6 Go to the ant, you [a]lazy one,
Observe its ways and be wise,
7 Which, having no chief,
Officer, or ruler,
8 Prepares its food in the summer
And gathers its provision in the harvest.

Biblical faith isn’t passive resignation.

It’s active trust under God’s authority.

Distorted religious views wrongly interpret verse 27 into a denial of ordinary responsibility, as though trusting God means neglecting work, health, family duties, or wise decisions.

That’s not what Jesus teaches.

Birds still fly.

Farmers still sow.

Parents still provide.

Believers still labor.

The difference is God’s people aren’t called to live as though the universe rests squarely upon their “mightily human” shoulders.

Thankfully, it doesn’t.

We are not the titan Atlas whose eternal burden in holding up the earth.

Most of us have enough trouble keeping our calendars straight; we’re not qualified to run providence nor expected to support more than Titan can.

If honest, many of us spend more time living in tomorrow than we do today.

Our minds wander to the doctor’s appointment next week, the conversation we need to have, the bills waiting to be paid, the future of our children, our careers, our health, or the prayer we’ve been waiting for God to answer.

Before tomorrow even arrives, we’ve already lived it a hundred times in our minds. Since most of tomorrow is overloaded by unknowns, we spend most of our time worrying about tomorrow because far too many what-ifs are at play.

The problem is the things we worry about never happen the way we imagine.

Jesus knew this tendency in the human heart, which is why He asked such a simple yet profound question: Can worrying add a single hour to your life?

Of course it can’t.

Worry doesn’t make us more prepared.

It doesn’t change outcomes.

It doesn’t solve tomorrow’s problems before they arrive.

More often than not, it simply steals today’s peace.

I’ve found myself doing this more times than I can count.

During difficult seasons, I would lie awake imagining every possible outcome, and most of the outcomes I imagined were worst-case scenarios.

I thought that if I could prepare for the worst, it might not hurt as much if it has already happened. But instead of protecting my heart, worry only exhausted it.

I realize that during those times of severe worrying, I spent precious moments carrying burdens that never became reality.

I borrow tomorrow’s trouble, missing the grace God already provided for today.

Or missed out on answered prayers and blessings given today, because I was so focused, preoccupied, on tomorrow.

And if I’m being brutally honest, I missed the joy in today as well. Sometimes worrying about the future would completely ruin my day or multiple days.

How many beautiful moments have we overlooked because our minds were somewhere else in the future? How many answered prayers have we failed to notice, or acknowledge because we were already anxious about the next one?

Jesus isn’t asking us to pretend tomorrow doesn’t exist.

In our Scripture from Matthew’s narrative, He’s asking the question as He invites us to remember who will already be there when tomorrow comes, because worrying does nothing for us; it doesn’t add a single hour to our life.

The God who sustained us yesterday will not suddenly stop being faithful in the morning. Maybe that’s why He only gives us enough to sustain us for today.

If He gave us tomorrow’s plan and successful outcome today, we might stop depending on Him tomorrow.

Verse 27 doesn’t minimize our worries.

It redirects them.

It asks us to admit what anxiety can’t do, so we may entrust ourselves to the God who can do all things wisely, righteously, and lovingly.

THREE SUGGESTIONS TO MEDITATE UPON
  1. What future situation have I been carrying that God never asked me to carry today?
  2. How has God faithfully provided for me in past seasons that once caused me anxiety?
  3. What would change about my life if I truly believed that God is already waiting for me tomorrow?

So, instead of trying to solve every unanswered question before we fall asleep, simply place tomorrow back into the hands of the One who already holds it.

Our future has never been safer than it is in the hands of our faithful Father.

Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end. Amen, amen.

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If? What do we mean by ‘if’? Are there any reasons for anyone uttering such phrases as ‘if,’ among His believers? Mark 9:22-25

Mark 9:22-25 New American Standard Bible

22 It has often thrown him both into the fire and into the water to kill him. But if You can do anything, take pity on us and help us!” 23 But Jesus said to him, “‘If You can?’  All things are possible for the one who believes.” 24 Immediately the boy’s father cried out and said, “I do believe; help my unbelief!” 25 When Jesus saw that a crowd was [a]rapidly gathering, He rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to it, “You mute and deaf spirit, I [b]command you, come out of him and do not enter him [c]again!”

Word of God for the Children of God

Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end. Amen, amen.

Mark 9:24 Amplified Bible

24 Immediately the father of the boy cried out [with a desperate, piercing cry], saying, “I do believe; help [me overcome] my unbelief.”

This cry came from a man who was heartbroken over the state of his son.

He was desperately hoping Jesus’ disciples could help, when they couldn’t, he began to feel more and more doubt if help was going to materialize for his son.

Jesus’ words that prompted this cry for help were both the gentle rebuke and the reminder that he needed in that moment – refocus on what God can do!

…Everything is possible for one who believes.’ (Mark 9:23)

I have needed to hear that on my Christian journey as well.

For, as much as I love the Lord, there have been times when I’ve veered into doubt. Every other word churning from deep within my crying soul was “if”

If my attitude came out of fear, discouragement, even impatience, it’s revealed a weakness in me. But within the conversations and the healing in this account, I’ve found great reassurance and hope that my faith can mature beyond “if?”.

Becoming stronger in our faith is a lifelong process.

The great news is that we are not expected to mature on our own.

God will do the work in our hearts.

We do have an important part to play in His plan, though.

The Meaning of ‘Lord, I Believe; Help My Unbelief’ in Mark 9:24

What the man shouts here can sound contradictory.

He claims to believe, yet, in the same breath he also confesses to unbelief.

It took me a whole bunch of studying to appreciate the wisdom in his words.

Now I see that this father understood that faith in God is not a one-and-done choice or just a simple switch that God turns on at our moment of salvation.

Early on as a believer, I had been taught the idea that God changes us gradually, as the layers of an onion are peeled off.

This can apply to faith.

How much we grow in our belief over time depends on “if” we are willing to:

  • Let go of trying to control
  • Submit to God’s will
  • Trust in God’s ability
  • being teachable in the truth of the Word of God.
  • believe that the word “if” loses its value when face to face with the Word of God.
  • feast upon the deeper implications from this truth: 30 He (Jesus) must increase [in prominence], but I must decrease. (John 3:30 Amplified)

The father quickly realized he needed to admit his inability to heal his son.

Then he declared that Jesus could do the healing.

“If” He could help. “If” He was inclined to help. “If” He was being truthful.

“If” he would not require a fee for His service – not moving until he was paid.

Mark 9:23 Amplified Bible

23 Jesus said to him, “[You say to Me,] ‘If You can?’ All things are possible for the one who believes and trusts [in Me]!”

The result was joyous—his child’s health was renewed, and his faith increased.

“”If” only someone, anyone, would take pity and “Help My Unbelief!””

A (sincere, insincere), prayer for faith that God wants us to give our answer to.

Suggestions and Prayers to Ask God to Help Our Unbelief

This account describes a parent that has been engaged in a long-term struggle for his son’s life.

Most situations we find ourselves dealing with are not quite so dramatic.

But if we can take the principles in Mark 9, apply them to prevent doubt from creeping in during all sorts of momentary or ongoing challenges in our lives.

1. Help My Unbelief About Reconciliation

Relationships are an integral part of God’s design for us.

But as imperfect humans, we can easily find ourselves estranged from Him, and others who are important to us.

In some cases the problems get resolved right away. But on occasion, for whatever reason, we stay separated longer. While a personal connection is “on hold,” we can choose to let pessimism set in, or we can keep pursuing God.

Lord, I admit my doubt that this relationship (with You, with another person) can be reconciled. It has been damaged, and has stayed broken for a long time. Your Word says that Jesus came so that we could be reconciled to You, and calls us to be reconciled to each other. I ask that You help me do my part, and then to rest in expectation that You are working for good here. I pray this in Jesus’ name, Amen.

2. Help My Unbelief When I Struggle to Forgive

The command to forgive is woven all through the Bible. But when we are hurt or betrayed by someone, our tendency is to automatically turn far away from that person rather than going toward them. In those difficult moments, we can let our feelings lead us, or we can choose to faithfully obey God’s call to seek peace.

Heavenly Father, I am struggling to forgive, and wonder if I’ll ever be able to. The pain I feel is real, and I don’t know when it will ease. But Jesus taught that we are to forgive others so that we may be forgiven ourselves. So, even as I’m still feeling anger and hurt, Lord, help me to decide to have grace for this person. Please make me willing to release my feelings, trusting that You will take care of both of us in this situation and bring peace. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.

3. Help My Unbelief About Healing

When we study God’s promises about healing, our natural response to physical or mental health conditions is to sigh in relief, and lift them up. Sometimes an answer to our prayer comes right away. But other times, healing is very slow in coming. We can allow the waiting lead us to despair, or to draw closer to God.

Father God, I confess that I am battling doubt that You will heal me (my family member, friend, etc.). Health conditions are always worrisome, and this one has gone on for a while. I know You promise in Your Word to “heal all our diseases” and make us whole. But as I wait, Lord, let me not fall into despair, but to become more confident that I will see Your goodness. I pray this in Jesus’ name. Amen.

4. Help My Unbelief About Provision

Scripture gives us so many great examples of how God cares for His people. But if our needs do not get met as quickly as we would expect, it can be challenging to remain quiet, settled and keep calm in our spirit. We can navigate this season impatiently, in expectation of how God will work. God answers sincere prayers.

Gracious Lord, I come to You and confess my doubt that You will provide for me. All through history, You have watched over Your people, knowing what we need before we ever pray about it. So, Father, help me to believe those truths, and to know in my heart You are already working. Replace my fear with hope. I pray in Jesus’ name, Amen.

Mark 9:14-27 is a stirring description of one of Jesus’ miraculous healings.

With His words, He saved a boy from a tormenting spirit. With other words, Jesus brought the father to a new level of belief and faith.

I relate to that father’s plea about weakness, because if I’m honest, it echoes my own. I’m so grateful God invites us to grow, and then walks side by side with us.

Each step we to take, from confession to proclaiming our confidence, pleases Him.

So, “if” we are indeed ready and sincere, let’s start the next part of the journey.

In the name of God, the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit … Amen

Psalm 42

Longing for God
For the choir director. A Maskil of the sons of Korah.

1 As a deer longs for flowing streams,
so I long for you, God.
2 I thirst for God, the living God.
When can I come and appear before God?
3 My tears have been my food day and night,
while all day long people say to me,
“Where is your God?”
4 I remember this as I pour out my heart:
how I walked with many,
leading the festive procession to the house of God,
with joyful and thankful shouts.

5 Why, my soul, are you so dejected?
Why are you in such turmoil?
Put your hope in God, for I will still praise him,
my Savior and my God.
6 I[a] am deeply depressed;
therefore I remember you from the land of Jordan
and the peaks of Hermon, from Mount Mizar.
7 Deep calls to deep in the roar of your waterfalls;
all your breakers and your billows have swept over me.
8 The Lord will send his faithful love by day;
his song will be with me in the night—
a prayer to the God of my life.

9 I will say to God, my rock,
“Why have you forgotten me?
Why must I go about in sorrow
because of the enemy’s oppression?”
10 My adversaries taunt me,
as if crushing my bones,
while all day long they say to me,
“Where is your God?”
11 Why, my soul, are you so dejected?
Why are you in such turmoil?
Put your hope in God, for I will still praise him,
my Savior and my God.

Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end. Amen, amen.

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Exploring the importance of prayer, solace, solitude, seeking God amidst all the distractions of life’s busyness. Mark 1:29-39

Mark 1:29-39 New American Standard Bible

Crowds Healed

29 And immediately after they left the synagogue, they entered the house of Simon and Andrew, with [a]James and John. 30 Now Simon’s mother-in-law was lying sick with a fever; and they immediately *spoke to [b]Jesus about her. 31 And He came to her and raised her up, taking her by the hand, and the fever left her, and she served them.

32 Now when evening came, after the sun had set, they began bringing to Him all who were ill and those who were demon-possessed. 33 And the whole city had gathered at the door. 34 And He healed many who were ill with various diseases, and cast out many demons; and He would not permit the demons to speak, because they knew [c]who He was.

35 And in the early morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house, and went away to a secluded place, prayed there for a time. 36 Simon and his companions eagerly searched for Him; 37 and they found Him and *said to Him, “Everyone is looking for You.” 38 He *said to them, “Let’s go somewhere else to the towns nearby, so that I may also [d]preach there; for this is why I came.” 39  And He went into their synagogues [e]preaching throughout Galilee, and casting out the demons.

Word of God for the Children of God.

Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end. Amen, amen.

As we come together in faith and fellowship, our hearts stirred by the power of God’s Word, the quiet comfort of His presence, and the unity of the Holy Spirit.

Our hearts are like parched ground, thirsty for the Living Water, and today, we are here to drink deeply from the deep well of His Word.

We turn our attention to the Gospel of Mark, specifically Mark 1:29-39. 

In this passage, we see our Rabbi Jesus, not just as a healer and miracle-worker, but also as a man of prayer and solitude.

We see Him seeking God in the quiet places, away from the hustle and bustle of daily life.

We see Him prioritizing His relationship with the Father, even amidst the noisy, pressing demands of His earthly ministry.

Isn’t it true that we too often find ourselves caught up in the busyness of life, with little time for prayer and solitude?

How often do we prioritize our relationship with the Father?

How often do we purposely seek God in the quiet places?

The great British preacher Charles H. Spurgeon once said,

“True prayer is neither a mere mental exercise nor a vocal performance. It is far deeper than that – it is spiritual transaction with the Creator of Heaven and Earth.”

This quote holds a mirror to our souls, quietly urging us to reflect on the depth and sincerity of our own prayer life.

Today, we will focus on three main points:

the significance of prayer in Jesus’ life,

solitude as a spiritual discipline,

and seeking God in solitude.

As we delve into these important topics, may our hearts likewise be open to the transformative power of God’s Word and His Spirit.

Significance of Prayer in Jesus’ Life

When we look at the life of Jesus, we see a man constantly in communication with His Father.

This communication was deep, intimate, and consistent.

It was a lifeline, a source of strength, wisdom, and direction.

It was a priority.

This is evident in our Scripture today, where we see Jesus rising very early in the morning, while it was still dark, to go to a quiet and secluded place to pray.

The first thing that stands out for us is the timing.

Jesus chose to pray early in the morning, while it was still dark.

This was an intentional decision to start the day with God, seek His face before anything else.

It was a decision to prioritize prayer over sleep, comfort, or convenience.

This shows us the importance Jesus placed on prayer.

It was not an afterthought or a last resort.

It was the first order of business, the foundation of His day.

Secondly, we see Jesus chose to pray in a secluded place.

He did not pray in the synagogue, in the marketplace, or the midst of the crowd.

He chose a quiet, solitary place, away from distractions, demands of the world.

This shows us that Jesus valued solitude in prayer. He understood the need for silence, for stillness, for a space where He could hear the voice of God clearly.

Another thing we see is prayer was a regular part of Jesus’ life.

It was not a sporadic activity, but a consistent habit.

In Luke 5:16, we read “Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.”

This shows us prayer was not just a part of Jesus’ routine, but of His lifestyle.

It was not just something He did, but something which He lived.

It was not just an event, but a way of life.

Lastly, prayer wasn’t a personal practice for Jesus, but also a public example.

In Matthew 6:9-13, Jesus teaches His disciples how to pray.

He does not just tell them to pray, but shows them how to pray.

He gives them a model, a pattern, a blueprint.

This shows us Jesus saw prayer not just as a private discipline, but also as a communal duty.

He understood that prayer is not just about individual communion with God, but also about corporate connection with God.

In all these, we see a picture of Jesus as a man of prayer.

We see His commitment to prayer, His dependence on prayer, His discipline in prayer, and His teaching on prayer.

We see His reverence for prayer, His respect for prayer, His reliance on prayer, and His instruction on prayer.

We see His passion for prayer, His practice of prayer, His persistence in prayer, and His propagation of prayer.

As we quietly reflect on these, let us ask ourselves:

Is prayer a priority in our lives?

Do we seek God first thing in the morning?

Do we find a quiet place to pray?

Is prayer a consistent habit in our lives?

Do we teach others how to pray?

These are challenging questions, but they are necessary questions.

They confront us with the stark reality of the necessity for our prayer life and compel us to evaluate our relationship with God.

They push us to examine our hearts, align our lives with the example of Jesus.

They inspire us to strive for a deeper, more meaningful, powerful prayer life.

Solitude as a Spiritual Discipline

As we continue to reflect on the life of Jesus as depicted in the Gospel of Mark, we find solitude was a vital aspect of His spiritual practice.

Amid His busy ministry, Jesus often withdrew to solitary places to commune with the Father.

This intentional solitude, far from being a mere escape from the demands of His ministry, was a spiritual discipline which Jesus practiced to nurture His relationship with the Father.

We see this clearly in Mark 1:35, where it is written,

“And rising very early in the morning, while it was still dark, he departed and went out to a secluded place, and there he prayed.”

Here, Jesus models for us the discipline of solitude. He rises early, while it is still dark, and goes to a secluded place to pray.

This is not a casual, incidental act.

It is a deliberate, intentional purposeful practice.

Jesus makes time for solitude.

He prioritizes it.

He seeks it out.

And in that solitude, He prays.

This act of Jesus seeking solitude for prayer is not an isolated incident in the Gospels.

In Luke 5:16, we read, “But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.”

This phrase “often withdrew” indicates this was a regular practice for Jesus.

It was a rhythm of His life.

He regularly sought out solitude for prayer.

This was not something He did only when He felt like it or when He had some spare time.

It was a discipline He practiced consistently.

In solitude, Jesus found a space to be alone with the Father, away from the distractions and demands of the world.

He found a place where He could focus solely on the Father, where He could pour out His heart in prayer, where He could listen to the Father’s voice.

This solitude was not a luxury for Jesus.

It was a necessity.

It was a vital part of His relationship with the Father.

Greek word study.

The Greek word used for “secluded” in Mark 1:35 is eremos, which can be translated as “desert,” “wilderness,” or “lonely place.”

This word is used in several other passages in the New Testament.

For instance, in Matthew 4:1, we read that Jesus was led by the Spirit into the “ἔρημος” to be tempted by the devil.

In Luke 15:4, Jesus uses the word “ἔρημος” in His parable of the lost sheep, where the shepherd leaves the ninety-nine sheep in the open country and goes after the lost sheep until he finds it.

In these passages, “ἔρημος” is a place of testing and seeking.

It is a place of solitude and isolation.

It is a place where one is stripped of distractions and comforts, a place where one is confronted with one’s own vulnerability and dependence on God.

This is the kind of place Jesus sought for prayer.

He sought a place of solitude, a place of undistracted communion with the Father.

In our own spiritual lives, we too need to practice the discipline of solitude.

Like Jesus, we need to find our own “ἔρημος,” our own place of solitude where we can be alone with God, where we can focus on Him without distractions, where we can cry out, then pour out our burdened hearts to Him in prayer.

Seeking God in Solitude

As we now find ourselves standing on the threshold of a compelling truth: the practice of seeking God in solitude.

This is not a fleeting idea or a momentary pause in the narrative.

It is a recurring theme, a rhythm in the life of Jesus that we too are invited to embrace.

The first truth we encounter in this practice is the power of solitude to foster intimacy with God.

In the quiet, away from the distractions and demands of the world, we are able to focus our hearts and minds solely on God.

It is in these most precious moments of solitude we are able to hear the still, small voice of God, speaking to us, guiding us, and drawing us closer to Himself.

Henri Nouwen quote.

In his book, “The Way of the Heart,” Henri Nouwen, a respected Christian writer, captures this thought beautifully when he says,

“Solitude is the furnace of transformation.”

In the solitude, in the quiet, we are transformed.

Our hearts are softened, our minds are renewed, our spirits are refreshed.

We are drawn into a deeper relationship with God, a relationship marked by intimacy and transformation.

Next is the power of solitude to provide direction.

In the solitude, away from the noise and confusion of the world, we are able to discern the voice of God, guiding us and leading us in the way we should go.

It is in these moments of solitude that we gain clarity and direction for our lives.

Psalm 46:10 says, “Be still, cease striving and know that I am God.”

Matthew 6:6 The Message

6 “Here’s what I want you to do: Find a quiet, secluded place so you won’t be tempted to role-play before God. Just be there as simply and honestly as you can manage. The focus will shift from you to God, and you will begin to sense his grace.

In the stillness, in the quiet, in that secluded place of Shalom, where there is no pretense, no fanciness, we come to know God in a deeper, more personal way.

We come to understand His heart, His will, discern His purpose for our lives.

The third truth we encounter in this practice is the power of solitude to bring renewal.

In the solitude, away from the weariness and burdens of the world, we find rest, refreshment, and physical and spiritual renewal in the hushed presence of God.

It is in these moments of solitude that we are refreshed and restored, equipped and empowered to continue in our walk with God.

Isaiah 54:9-10 The Message

9-10 “This exile is just like the days of Noah for me:
    I promised then that the waters of Noah
    would never again flood the earth.
I’m promising now no more anger,
    no more dressing you down.
For even if the mountains walk away
    and the hills fall to pieces,
My love won’t walk away from you,
    my covenant commitment of peace won’t fall apart.”
    The God who has compassion on you says so.

The fourth and final truth we encounter in this practice is the power of solitude to foster a deeper commitment to God.

In the solitude, miles away from the distractions and temptations of the world, we are able to focus our hearts and minds solely on God.

It is in these moments of solitude that our commitment to God is deepened and our resolve to follow Him is strengthened.

God is always there, waiting for us to come to Him.

He’s not just a God of the Sunday service or midweek Bible study or meal table..

He’s a God of those earliest mornings, the latest nights, the quietest moments, the loudest ones, and everything in between.

He’s a God who wants to be involved in every part of our lives.

So, let’s make the effort to seek Him, to spend time with Him, to listen to Him.

Let’s make prayer and solitude a priority, not just something we do when we find the time to think about it or because our smart phones batteries are zero.

Because truth is, we will never remember to set an alarm to just find the time.

We have to make the time.

And when we do, we’ll find that our relationship with God deepens, our faith strengthens, and our lives become more aligned with His will.

We’ll find that we’re not just going through the motions of religion, but living out a relationship with our Creator, the very author of everything we are now.

There’s nothing more fulfilling, more satisfying, or more beautiful than that.

In the name of God, the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit, Amen

Praying …

The Works and the Word of God.

For the music director. A Psalm of David.

19 The heavens tell of the glory of God;
And their expanse declares the work of His hands.
2 Day to day pours forth speech,
And night to night reveals knowledge.
3 There is no speech, nor are there words;
Their voice is not heard.
4 Their [a]line has gone out into all the earth,
And their words to the end of the world.
In them He has placed a tent for the sun,
5 Which is like a groom coming out of his chamber;
It rejoices like a strong person to run his course.
6 Its rising is from [b]one end of the heavens,
And its circuit to the [c]other end of them;
And there is nothing hidden from its heat.

7 The Law of the Lord is [d]perfect, restoring the soul;
The testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple.
8 The precepts of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart;
The commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes.
9 The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever;
The judgments of the Lord are true; they are righteous altogether.
10 They are more desirable than gold, yes, than much pure gold;
Sweeter also than honey and drippings of the honeycomb.
11 Moreover, Your servant is warned by them;
In keeping them there is great reward.
12 Who can discern his errors? Acquit me of hidden faults.
13 Also keep Your servant back from presumptuous sins;
Let them not rule over me;
Then I will be innocent,
And I will be blameless of great wrongdoing.
14 May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart
Be acceptable in Your sight,
Lord, my rock and my Redeemer.

Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end. Amen, amen.

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Take a Sabbath day for God’s sake! No going through the motions, not honoring the Sabbath with pretense and deceptive words, nor with hearts while encased in cement of our sins. Genesis 2:1-3

Genesis 2:1-3 English Standard Version

The Seventh Day, God Rests

2 Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them. 2 And on the seventh day God finished his work that he had done, and he rested on the seventh day from all his work that he had done. 3 So God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it God rested from all his work that he had done in creation.

The Word of God for the Children of God.

Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end. Amen, amen.

After creating the heavens and the earth, God gave us the example of taking a rest, and he blessed the seventh day of the week as holy.

Does that mean God was exhausted like we can be at the end of a week of work?

No, God has infinite power and energy; he doesn’t need rest as we do. Psalm 121

God paused because he was finished creating.

We are limited and finite in our power and energy, however, so we all need to rest from our work.

To help us, God built into the rhythm of our world the gift of a day of physical and spiritual rest.

Does God’s gift of a day of rest mean that we can use this rest for whatever purpose we like?

No, at the very heart of taking a day of rest is the deliberate pause to confess that God is our Creator, sustainer, and provider.

The fourth commandment reminds us that we depend on God to provide rest for us.

However, if we use that day of rest merely for our own delight, we act as if the day belongs to us because we have earned it.

When we honor God’s gift of rest as the commandment directs us to, we acknowledge that only in God do we find authentic the rest we truly need.

Sabbath rest is very deeply rooted in the biblical narrative, beginning with the creation account and extending through the teachings of Jesus and the apostles.

The Sabbath is a day set apart for rest and worship, serving as a sign of the covenant between God and His people.

Creation and the Sabbath

The origin of the Sabbath is found in the creation account in Genesis.

After six days of creation, God rested on the seventh day, sanctifying it as a day of rest. 

Genesis 2:2-3 states,

“And by the seventh day God had finished the work He had been doing, so on that day He rested from all His work. Then God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it, because on that day He rested from all the work of creation He had accomplished.”

The Sabbath in the Mosaic Law

The Sabbath was codified in the Ten Commandments given to Moses on Mount Sinai. 

Exodus 20:8-11 commands,

“Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the LORD your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your manservant or maidservant, nor your livestock, nor the foreigner within your gates. For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea and all that is in them, but on the seventh day He rested. Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and set it apart as holy.”

The Sabbath was a sign of the covenant between God and Israel.

As written in Exodus 31:16-17 :

“The Israelites are to observe the Sabbath, celebrating it as a lasting covenant for the generations to come. It is a sign between Me and the Israelites forever; for in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, but on the seventh day He rested and was refreshed.”

Sabbath Observance in Israel

In ancient Israel, the Sabbath was a day of rest and worship, marked by the cessation from labor and a focus on spiritual matters.

Violations of the Sabbath were taken seriously, as seen in the account of a man gathering sticks on the Sabbath in Numbers 15:32-36, who was put to death for his transgression.

Prophetic Insights and the Sabbath

The prophets often called Israel back to proper Sabbath observance, linking it to social justice and spiritual renewal.

Isaiah 58:13-14 emphasizes the blessings of honoring the Sabbath:

“If you turn your foot from breaking the Sabbath, from doing as you please on My holy day, if you call the Sabbath a delight, the LORD’s holy day honorable, and if you honor it by not going your own way or seeking your own pleasure or speaking idle words, then you will delight yourself in the LORD, and I will make you ride on the heights of the land and feed you with the heritage of your father Jacob. For the mouth of the LORD has spoken.”

Jesus and the Sabbath

In the New Testament, Jesus’ approach to the Sabbath was revolutionary.

He emphasized the spirit of the law over the letter, challenging the Pharisaic interpretations that had burdened the people.

In Mark 2:27-28 , Jesus declared, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. Therefore, the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath.”

Jesus performed several healings on the Sabbath, demonstrating that acts of mercy and necessity were in keeping with God’s intent for the day.

His actions highlighted the Sabbath as a time for restoration and refocusing, aligning with the deeper spiritual rest that He offers.

The Crucifixion, the Creation, and the Meaning of Sabbath Rest

As we consider those events leading up to the death and resurrection of Jesus, there is a moment that regularly gets overlooked. That moment is Saturday, the Sabbath day, and it is easy to miss because nothing really happens on that day.

 Yet the fact that nothing happens is exactly what makes it beautiful and worth our attention.

So Much Work, So Little Time

In our 24/7 world, there is pressure to squeeze productivity out of every second.

We have a task-based mindset that pushes us to do more in less time so that we can do more later in the time we have now freed up.

It seems that the technology we use to make our lives easier and more efficient only creates new tasks to be done, leaving us frazzled and stressed.

Not only that, but the ability to ‘unplug’ from the world has become more and more difficult.

Working from home, once considered unusual and ineffective, has become the norm even for those who go to a building to work.

School is done over the internet virtually.

Even when we are ‘off,’ our devices and the internet are calling to us and reminding us there are more tasks to be done, more that needs our attention.

Yet God sets Genesis 2:2 squarely in front of us to deal with.

This pattern of rest, established and practiced by God Himself, is not in the Bible as a ‘maybe’ statement, but a resounding command, life-defining rhythm echoing throughout the centuries and through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus.

Saturday: The Day God Rested, Again

On the Sabbath they rested according to the commandment. – Luke 23:56

Most of us are familiar with the events of Holy Week, the week starting with Palm Sunday and leading to the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus.

The crucifixion was Friday, the resurrection was Sunday, but what happened on Saturday?

Well, nothing really. Jesus was laid to rest before the beginning of the Sabbath and rose again after the Sabbath. So on Saturday, nothing happened, or did it?

God’s timing is never a mistake.

Everything Jesus did was a fulfillment of prophecy, including his crucifixion in relation to Passover, his resurrection on the feast of first fruits, and it is not surprise that the ‘Silent Saturday’ in between is filled with purpose as well.

Just as God ‘rested from the work He had done’ after the creation of the world, it makes perfect sense Jesus, following the rhythm established by the Father, also ‘rested’ after the ‘work he had done’ in securing a new creation and the redemption of humanity.

Even as Jesus laid in the tomb, prophecy was being fulfilled and the ordinances of God satisfied.

Why We Must Learn to Wait and Rest

Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord! – Psalm 27:14

This Silent Saturday echoes the moment of rest from Genesis.

The work was done, it was finished, and then came a day of quiet.

Because the work is finished, we too can rest in Christ.

When Jesus died, the hope of his followers was also on the verge of death.

From their perspective, the one who they followed and believed in had died like a common thief.

Yet when it seemed nothing was happening, things were happening, things had happened:

“And behold, the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. And the earth shook, the rocks were split. The tombs also were opened. And many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised and coming out of the tombs after his resurrection they went into the holy city, appeared to many”. When the centurion and those who were with him, keeping watch over Jesus, saw the earthquake and what took place, they were filled with awe, said, “Truly this was the Son of God!”’- Matthew 27:51-54.

In our waiting, God is working.

He is working in ways we will never see nor know, and give us rest in him as we prepare for what is to come, and as we seek to focus on him and him alone.

This day of silence between the crucifixion and resurrection, this Sabbath day of rest, was to be followed by the most important event in history.

The Roman guards were put in place to make sure that the tomb of Jesus stayed closed and that no one would move the stone from the outside.

In the quiet, in the Saturday silence, they could never have anticipated that its ‘dead’ occupant was soon to be living fully capable of opening it from the inside.

The Sabbath in the Early Church

The early church grappled with the observance of the Sabbath, especially as Gentile believers joined the predominantly Jewish community.

The apostle Paul addressed this issue in Colossians 2:16-17 , stating,

“Therefore let no one judge you by what you eat or drink, or with regard to a feast, a New Moon, or a Sabbath. These are a shadow of the things to come, but the body that casts it belongs to Christ.”

The shift from the Jewish Sabbath (Saturday) to the Lord’s Day (Sunday) in the Christian practice reflects the resurrection of Jesus, which occurred on the first day of the week.

This transition underscores the new creation inaugurated by Christ’s victory over sin and death.

Theological Significance of Sabbath Rest

Theologically, the Sabbath rest points to the ultimate rest found in Christ. 

Hebrews 4:9-10 speaks of a “Sabbath rest for the people of God,” indicating that believers enter into God’s rest through faith in Jesus.

This rest is both a present reality and a future hope, as Christians anticipate the eternal rest in the presence of God.

The Sabbath rest, therefore, is not merely the cessation of physical labor but a profound spiritual reality inviting believers to trust in God’s provision, reflect on His creation, experience the peace, restoration coming from abiding in Him.

Talking about It …
  • What do you think it must have been like for the disciples the day after Jesus died? Now, 2000 years later, what would it be like for us to live in the moment?
  • Why is it so difficult for us to wait on God when we know that he is faithful and his promises are true?
  • What are some ways that we can rest in Christ? Should take our rest in Christ?
  • How can we be at peace when we can’t see, know what God is doing behind the scenes? 
  • What steps can we take this week to make sure that we are studying, praying the Scriptures, about our following God’s rhythm of Sabbath rest in our life?

In the name of God, the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit. Amen

Praying …

How Great Are Your Works

A Psalm. A Song for the Sabbath.

92 It is good to give thanks to the Lord,
    to sing praises to your name, O Most High;
2 to declare your steadfast love in the morning,
    and your faithfulness by night,
3 to the music of the lute and the harp,
    to the melody of the lyre.
4 For you, O Lord, have made me glad by your work;
    at the works of your hands I sing for joy.

5 How great are your works, O Lord!
    Your thoughts are very deep!
6 The stupid man cannot know;
    the fool cannot understand this:
7 that though the wicked sprout like grass
    and all evildoers flourish,
they are doomed to destruction forever;
8     but you, O Lord, are on high forever.
9 For behold, your enemies, O Lord,
    for behold, your enemies shall perish;
    all evildoers shall be scattered.

10 But you have exalted my horn like that of the wild ox;
    you have poured over me[a] fresh oil.
11 My eyes have seen the downfall of my enemies;
    my ears have heard the doom of my evil assailants.

12 The righteous flourish like the palm tree
    and grow like a cedar in Lebanon.
13 They are planted in the house of the Lord;
    they flourish in the courts of our God.
14 They still bear fruit in old age;
    they are ever full of sap and green,
15 to declare that the Lord is upright;
    he is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in him.

Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end. Amen, amen.

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