…And Let It Begin with Me

 

Psalm 38:9 (NRSVue) - O Lord, all my longing is known to you; my sighing is not hidden from you.

In Psalm 38, a penitent psalmist prays for healing.

But individuals are not the only ones in need of healing.

Today’s headlines reveal just how much the world needs this.

The fifth chapter of 1 John includes a testimony about the Son of God.

Moreover, it includes a promise.

1 John 5:14 (NRSVue) - And this is the boldness we have in him, that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us.

These verses coupled with the time of year put me in mind of a carol.

I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day was originally a poem written by Longfellow in 1863.

In time, it was set to music.

As we see the state of the world, the psalmists longing is akin to ours

They are reflected in Longfellow’s lines…

And in despair I bowed my head;

"There is no peace on earth," I said;

"For hate is strong,

And mocks the song

Of peace on earth, good-will to men!"

Similarly, John’s words remind us that God hears and answers our prayers.

You can see that connection in Longfellow’s next lines…

Then pealed the bells more loud and deep:

"God is not dead, nor doth He sleep;

The Wrong shall fail,

The Right prevail,

With peace on earth, good-will to men."

God knows our longing.

Even our longing for peace in a world long accustomed to conflict.

God can heal individuals.

God can heal nations.

Indeed, He can heal the world.

Where world leaders, diplomats and generals fail, God can succeed.

God created this world.

He sent His Son into this world to redeem it.

And, with the help of the Holy Spirit, each of us can make our concerns known to God in prayer.

All of which reminds me of lines from another song we cherish this time of year...

Let there be peace on earth

And let it begin with me

 

Blessings,

Jim Pokorny

The Other Brother Jim

Look for me at faithfulfeetteam.blogspot.com on Friday, January 5, 2024.

I will be back here on Friday, January 12, 2024

Refinement and Love

 

Jeremiah 9:7 (NIV) - Therefore this is what the Lord Almighty says: “See, I will refine and test them, for what else can I do because of the sin of my people? 

Jeramiah lamented the state of the people.

He lamented their sins and deceitfulness.

But Jeremiah received the word of the Lord.

The people would experience difficulties and hardships.

But this was not punishment for punishment’s sake.

God would use these difficulties to test and refine His people.

But what does “refine” mean?

In practical terms, to refine something means to make it undergo a process to remove impurities.

But this is not a painless process.

Metals are often subjected to intense heat until the metal melts and the impurities are drawn off.

Oil is refined by exposing it to a combination of heat and pressure.

So, to refine us, God may subject us to times of difficulty.

At what point do we start becoming refined?

Most probably it starts when we learn to rely more on God than in ourselves.

Christ spoke of refinement as well.

He did this when He foretold of persecution.

Mark 13:13 (NRSVue) - and you will be hated by all because of my name. But the one who endures to the end will be saved.

For all that He was, many despised Christ.

Those who followed Him were likewise hated.

Also, persecution is not confined to the past.

People still hate those who follow Christ today.

But even this hatred refines us.

It tests us to see what the limits of our faith are.

How are we to respond?

Christ told us how.

Matthew 5:44 – (NRSVue) – But I say to you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,

That is a true test for those who aspire to be God’s people.

One of life’s greatest ironies is that those who are hardest to love need love the most.

Followers of Christ will face difficulties.

They may even face hatred and persecution.

But it is through this refinement that we can follow His will for our lives.

And that includes loving those who hate us for what we believe.

It even includes loving those who hate who we believe in.

Blessings,

Jim Pokorny

The Other Brother Jim

Look for me at faithfulfeetteam.blogspot.com on Friday, December 15, 2023.

I will be back here on Friday, December 22, 2023