Matthew 25: 34 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. 35 For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, 36 I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.'
37"Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when did we see you...' "
Such earnest innocence in the reply. I can almost hear it - the utter surprise uttered to the Lord.
"Lord, when did we see you...?"
"You mean it was a test from you, my Lord? Oh, how could it be? We did not even give much thought to it. I don't mean we do it thoughtlessly, never Lord. But it was so natural, Lord. There was always only one thought, and we never have second thought about it. And our hearts were filled with joy when we were at it. Well, it was hard work but there was no burden at all, Lord."
"Lord, when did we see you?"
"Well, my child. Indeed, you did not see me, because I was living in you."
Wednesday, November 26, 2008
Saturday, November 1, 2008
It was not easy to be a Pharisee
the Pharisee
The pharisees were the experts in Israel as regards fulfillment of the law. They were the holy ones, and their name means "the separated ones." In other words, their striving for justice and holiness separated them from the run-of-the-mill Jew.
It was not easy to be a pharisee, it entailed fasting and prayer and a scrupulous fidelity to countless laws and their application. It was involved and arduous.
It was quite understandable that any man doing all those things would think himself superior to others.
And I believe if I am in the shoe of a Pharisee, I would think likewise too, but in a more subtle way than how our Lord described in the Gospel.
Don't I?
I count (in my mind) the sacrifices I made for the Lord
I "whine" (rather pray) about the "burden" of the ministry
I checklist the ministries I serve in, especially the important ones.
I am (so what) proud of my knowledge of the Scriptures compared to others.
I milestone my "journey" with the Lord
The pharisees were the experts in Israel as regards fulfillment of the law. They were the holy ones, and their name means "the separated ones." In other words, their striving for justice and holiness separated them from the run-of-the-mill Jew.
It was not easy to be a pharisee, it entailed fasting and prayer and a scrupulous fidelity to countless laws and their application. It was involved and arduous.
It was quite understandable that any man doing all those things would think himself superior to others.
And I believe if I am in the shoe of a Pharisee, I would think likewise too, but in a more subtle way than how our Lord described in the Gospel.
Don't I?
I count (in my mind) the sacrifices I made for the Lord
I "whine" (rather pray) about the "burden" of the ministry
I checklist the ministries I serve in, especially the important ones.
I am (so what) proud of my knowledge of the Scriptures compared to others.
I milestone my "journey" with the Lord
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