Daily Meditations
When I let go of what I am, I become what I might be. –———Lao Tzu
We spend a lot of time concerned with ourselves. It is a natural things to do but what if we didn’t? What if we let go of ourselves and just let God be in charge. I think it would be amazing what would happen. What would we be like? Why don’t we try it?
Incredible God, help us to let go and let you! AMEN
God always required something deeper than religious legalism.—-Eric Metaxas in Bonhoeffer.
In Christianity we have many different denominations. I grew up in several of them. I was expected to learn about each and understand what I had to do to be a part of the belief. As a youth I saw them as the rules of belonging. Unfortunately, it seemed to me that many of these tenets were created to keep the lines of a certain denomination clear….to set it apart from the others. This gave me difficulty.
As an adult, the rules I want to follow are not really rules but a way of life. The life that Jesus led and the one that he wants us to follow. He told us how..Love the Lord your God with all your heart and all your soul and all your mind. …Love your neighbor as yourself. These are the only ones we must try our best to follow.
Discerning God, help us to live as you would have us live..to follow your example in all that we do. AMEN
Jesus, I found, bore little resemblance to the Mister Rogers figure I had met in Sunday school, and was remarkable unlike the person I had studied in Bible college. For one thing, he was far less tame. ————-Philip Yancey in “The Jesus I Never Knew”
Someone once said to my husband “Jesus was a conservative.” My husband replied “he was so conservative he got himself crucified.” I really don’t know the story of anyone less conservative than Jesus. He ate with tax collectors, touched women (taboo) and didn’t follow anyone’s rules. I am sure he wishes we could learn to be as open and loving as he was.
Radical Jesus, you followed only the image of God’s kingdom and want us to help bring it to fruition. Help us to see that. AMEN
Religious liberty includes freedom to change one’ religion or belief without consequent social, economic and political disabilities. Implicit in this right is the right freely to maintain one’s belief or disbelief without external coercion or disability. ——–World Council of Churches
We are all so divided. Not just into totally different religions but into divisions within religions. So often we cast stones at those of other faiths or other denominations. Jesus called us to love one another. He did not include the word “if.”
Matthew 22:36-40 New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)
36 “Teacher, which commandment in the law is the greatest?” 37 He said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the greatest and first commandment. 39 And a second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40 On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.”
If you can’t believe in God the chances are that your God is too small. —J.B. Phillips
We are so good at creating in our minds a God who is like us. We need for God to be reasonable and make everything work out the right way. That is our right way. This is not God. God is infinite. We will never understand him. Any image we have is not big enough. God is intimate. God came near in the presence of Christ to help us understand. We missed most of it. God is unreadable, beyond understanding, way bigger than our minds can comprehend. Just accept it.
Unimaginable God, you have tried everything to help us see your greatness. Give us the wisdom to accept you as you are. AMEN
He maketh me to lie down in green pastures.………….Psalm 23
Have you ever thought about the word “maketh” in this part of the Psalm? God didn’t just ask us to rest. He makes us rest. The trouble is we don’t take this seriously. There is always something to be done. Things pull at us 24/7. But God “maketh me to lie down.” God demands that we take time to stop, rest and be at peace. Keep that in mind.
Caring God, you know that we cannot race through every day and still hear your voice. We must lie down in green pastures. AMEN
8 Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.
Many times I have heard people say, “you are what you eat.” It seems to me that we are also what we think, If we spend all of our live talking about bad or unhappy things, then we are unhappy. If we concentrate on happy things, then our outlook is different. This piece of scripture hits the nail on the head. We need to be thinking of noble, right, pure, lovely and admirable things.
Direct our thoughts, Lord. We need your guidance and help to keep thinking good things. AMEN
Jesus chose love rather than power. –————Suzanne Boyd
Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely.– John Dalberg-Acton
I think that the quote above makes if perfectly clear why Jesus made the choice he did. It did not please some of his disciples. They had a different plan. Jesus makes it clear with his ministry that his is the right choice. Power is an idol. Don’t make the mistake of choosing it.
Heavenly father, remind us that love is the only choice. AMEN
The truth is a person not a set of rules.————–unknown
The truth is a person and that person is Jesus. Jesus is not a set of rules. We humans have tried to turn our faith, our belief, our Christianity into a set of rules. A set of do’s and don’ts. Jesus said love one another. Love God and your neighbor. That’s all it takes. If we could just do those things life would be amazing.
Extraordinary God, help us to see the truth and follow it. AMEN
