A Greater Pleasure

From whom do kings of the earth take toll or tribute?  Matthew 17:22-27  Much like the Israelites before Moses, there are times when I am guilty of remembering the small pleasure in the midst of what really was a miserable situation. For example, being paid well in an unfulfilling job. In difficult times it can be easy to dismiss the fact that I was serving at less than my capacity because I was being paid well. I was giving too much tribute to the money. To know God, trust and believe in God’s plan, is to raise our consciousness towards the omnipotence of God.  We can not expect to live in this physical world and not follow its rules without consequence. However as children of a living God we do not owe tribute to the world. Our tribute is to God who is not limited in power. As believers, we are free to expect God to provide for us especially in times when we need God the most and directly in the face of what the world demands from us. In the end awaits a far greater pleasure.

Image Credit: Google image

The Willing Heart

“You give them something to eat.” Mark 8:30-46  All they had were five loaves of bread and two fish! Yet God is not concerned with the how much but rather the heart that is willing even in the scarcest of times. Be thankful and give. God will not only provide the rest he will provide it abundantly.

…”I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.”  John 10:10

Five Loaves Two Fish

Taking the five loaves and the two fish, he looked up to heaven, and blessed and broke the loaves… and all ate and were filled. Those who had eaten the loaves numbered five thousand men – Mark 6:30-46.  Clearly feeding five thousand people with five loaves and two fish is a miracle of miracles. At my son’s pre-school no child ever went without lunch, even when someone forgot and there were many days when one or more children forgot their lunch. The teacher would orchestrate a table of sharing. Every child would put their sandwich for the day in the middle of the table and they would all sit around the table and eat one half sandwich at a time. Whatever snacks they had in their lunch they were allowed to keep or add to the buffet. There was always a few half sandwiches and some snacks left over. Perhaps not a miracle of miracles, but one of my most favored explanations of a Jehovah Jireh (The Lord Who Provides) for our needs today as well as a demonstration of faith and compassion. Christ is always at work through God’s people.

Share God’s Gift Of Love

“As long as the earth endures, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night will never cease.” (Gen. 8:22) There is always someone to be fed, someone to be clothed and someone to be comforted. Through us, God provides abundantly. Our blessings and gifts great and small are intended to be shared. Find someone to share them with everyday and God’s Love is continually released in the world.

If everything we do is done for God. there is no such thing as part-time.

1 John 3:16-24 How does God’s love abide in anyone who has the worlds goods, and sees a brother or sister in need and yet refuses help?  Little children, let us love not in word or speech, but in truth and action.

1 Peter 4:10-11 Like good stewards of the manifold grace of God, serve one another with whatever gift each of you has received. Whoever speaks must do so as one speaking the very words of God; whoever serves must do so with the strength that God supplies, so that God may be glorified in all things through Jesus Christ. To him belong the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen.