2015.07.22: personal encounter

Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping?
Whom are you looking for?”
She thought it was the gardener and said to him,
“Sir, if you carried him away,
tell me where you laid him,
and I will take him.”
Jesus said to her, “Mary!”
She turned and said to him in Hebrew,
“Rabbouni,” which means Teacher.


difference between
eyewitness and believer
sinner and forgiven
grief and joy
conversion of heart

2015.07.21: fear vs. love

When Israel saw the Egyptians lying dead on the seashore and beheld the great power that the LORD had shown against the Egyptians, they feared the LORD and believed in him and in his servant Moses. – Ex 14:30-31

fear of the Lord
prevents the doing of bad things
dreading judgment day
 

“For whoever does the will of my heavenly Father
is my brother, and sister, and mother.” – Mt 12:50

love of the Lord
encourages doing good for goodness sake
and looking forward
to the homecoming embrace

2015.07.20: resolute

And they complained to Moses, “Were there no burial places in Egypt that you had to bring us out here to die in the desert? Why did you do this to us? Why did you bring us out of Egypt? Did we not tell you this in Egypt, when we said, ‘Leave us alone. Let us serve the Egyptians’? Far better for us to be the slaves of the Egyptians than to die in the desert.” – Ex 14:11-12


we are faint of heart
at the first sign of trouble
we cower and complain
we fear not death
for all shall die
what we fear is the unknown
the anxiety that it brings
the suffering:
imagined and real
that may or may not come
the uncertainty of it all
what we want is assurances
and signs of faith
since we have none

all we really need
is to remember your promise
made long before
the foundation of the world
when we were chosen
and called to be:
you have plans not for our harm
but our prosperity
and a future full of hope

all we have to do
is calm our faint heart
and stay resolute
in trusting and following you

2015.07.19: warning to false leaders

When he disembarked and saw the vast crowd, his heart was moved with pity for them, for they were like sheep without a shepherd; and he began to teach them many things.- Mk 6:34

My sheep hear my voice, says the Lord;
I know them, and they follow me. – Jn 10:27

He came and preached peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near, for through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father. – Eph 2:17-18

He guides me in right paths
for his name’s sake. – Ps 23:3

Woe to the shepherds who mislead and scatter the flock of my pasture, says the LORD. – Jer 23:1


the good shepherd
feels compassion for all
who come to him

he regards not
their birthright

he considers not
their social class

he judges not
their worthiness
under the law

he welcomes all
who choose to repent
and follow him

woe to those
false preachers
who turn away any
who hears his voice

woe to those
false shepherds
who mislead his flock

woe to those
false teachers
who scatter his followers

the Kingdom of God
is here