Goodwill Ambassadors

 

Job 14:1-2 (GNT) - We are all born weak and helpless. All lead the same short, troubled life. We grow and wither as quickly as flowers; we disappear like shadows.

Job lost everything.

He lost his home.

He lost his children.

Then, to compound matters, he lost his health.

His lament in chapter 14, serves to remind us that we are here for a short time.

In his letter to the Hebrews, Paul reiterates that message.

Hebrews 13:14 (GNT) - For there is no permanent city for us here on earth; we are looking for the city which is to come.

Yes, our days are numbered.

As I grow older, the gray in my beard advances steadily upward.

I even hear noises in my joints that I never heard before.

Perhaps the strongest reminder is the increasing frequency of funerals I attend.

But for the believer, signs like these are neither cause for alarm nor fear.

We are born into this world.

And, when the time comes, we will depart it.

But unlike us, God has neither a beginning nor an end.

Therefore, his love for us never ends.

And it is that love which sustains us through our days,

And that same love allows us to look forward to the future with hope.

But how is this even possible?

Paul provides the answer in his letter to the Philippians.

Philippians 3:20-21 (GNT) - We, however, are citizens of heaven, and we eagerly wait for our Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, to come from heaven. He will change our weak mortal bodies and make them like his own glorious body, using that power by which he is able to bring all things under his rule.

The dictionary defines ambassador as: “an authorized representative or messenger.”

And, since we are citizens of heaven, that is the role we have.

The season of Lent should also serve to remind us of this.

Not one of us knows exactly how much time we will have here.

What is important is to make the most of the time we do have.

And we do that by loving God and loving our neighbor.

Then, when our work is done, we will leave this world behind and go on to our heavenly home.

Blessings,

Jim Pokorny

The Other Brother Jim

Look for me at https://faithfulfeetteam.blogspot.com/ on Friday, March 3, 2023.

I will be back here on Friday, March 10, 2023

Living in Expectation

 

Zephaniah 1:7 (GNT) - The day is near when the Lord will sit in judgment; so be silent in his presence. The Lord is preparing to sacrifice his people and has invited enemies to plunder Judah.

One fundamental belief in Christianity is the belief that Christ will return once more.

This belief has ancient roots going back to Old Testament prophecies.

Zephaniah was a prophet who lived six centuries before the birth of Christ.

He is referred to as a Minor Prophet.

This has nothing to do with the importance of the book that bears his name.

Rather, it has to do with the brevity of his book as compared to those of the Major Prophets.

Zephaniah opens the chapter with the day of judgment.

In verse seven, Zephaniah urges believers to “be silent in his presence.”

In Matthew 24, Christ tells his followers about the coming destruction of the Temple.

Matthew 24:44 (GNT) - So then, you also must always be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you are not expecting him.

Naturally, they ask Jesus when this will occur.

Jesus tells them about future troubles.

He also tells them that no one knows when He will return.

Jesus advises them to “always be ready.”

There were those who lived in fear of this knowledge.

Many are still afraid.

But for the faithful, there is no need to fear.

Instead, we should live in hope.

How we choose to occupy our time should prepare us for that coming day.

The way in which we live our lives should be an example to everyone.

Our lives should demonstrate that we await His return in hope.

And that demonstration must be rooted in love.

1 Corinthians 13:13 (GNT) - Meanwhile these three remain: faith, hope, and love; and the greatest of these is love.

Blessings,

Jim Pokorny

The Other Brother Jim

Look for me at https://faithfulfeetteam.blogspot.com/ on Friday, February 17, 2023.

I will be back here on Friday, February 24, 2023