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The Potter and God’s Process

God told Jeremiah, “Up on your feet! Go to the potter’s house. When you get there, I’ll tell you what I have to say.”

So I went to the potter’s house, and sure enough, the potter was there, working away at his wheel. Whenever the pot the potter was working on turned out badly, as sometimes happens when you are working with clay, the potter would simply start over and use the same clay to make another pot.

Then God’s Message came to me: “Can’t I do just as this potter does, people of Israel?” God’s Decree! “Watch this potter. In the same way that this potter works his clay, I work on you, people of Israel.

At any moment I may decide to pull up a people or a country by the roots and get rid of them. But if they repent of their wicked lives, I will think twice and start over with them. At another time I might decide to plant a people or country, but if they don’t cooperate and won’t listen to me, I will think again and give up on the plans I had for them.”

“So, tell the people of Judah and citizens of Jerusalem my Message: ‘Danger! I’m shaping doom against you, laying plans against you. Turn back from your doomed way of life. Straighten out your lives.’”

“But they’ll just say, ‘Why should we? What’s the point? We’ll live just the way we’ve always lived, doom or no doom.’” Jeremiah 18:1-12 MSG

I wondered why God would tell Jeremiah to go watch the potter at his craft before he gave his warning message through Jeremiah to the people of Israel about the consequences of their continued rebellion against him. I don’t know much about making pottery (though I have some lovely pieces hand made by some friends), so I looked for information. I found a lot of tutorials on Youtube that won my appreciation of the time consuming process of preparing clay, the precision involved in centering clay on the wheel and the craft of shaping it with the careful pressure and movement of the potter’s hands.

However, for the purposes of this devotional, the best information I found was in these two books: Run With the Horses, Eugene Peterson’s book on Jeremiah (referring to Jeremiah 12:5), and A Layman Looks at the Lord’s Prayer by W. Phillip Keller. Each of them has chapters on the potter’s house, the potter, and the importance of pottery, and the value of the metaphor as it points to how God desires to shape and mold us into the image of Christ.

Eugene Peterson points out how revolutionary the invention of pottery was to the ancient way of life. For centuries nomadic people had to constantly move around in search of food and water for their families and herds, because they had minimal ways of carrying food and water with them. When pottery became available, it was possible to safely store grain and carry water. It also contributed to people being able to stay in one place near a source of water, and grow and store their own food.

In his chapter on “In Earth, as it is in Heaven”, W. Phillip Keller describes his visit to a primitive potter’s little house in Pakistan. He and a missionary friend were shown the complete process: from reaching down into a pit for a suitable handful of clay, kneading it into pliability, placing it precisely on a heavy round stone and shaping it as a beautiful goblet.

Keller was deeply impacted throughout the experience about how, in each part of the process, God brought to his mind scriptures from the Psalms, the Lord’s prayer, and Jeremiah, that searched his own heart and soul. Particularly telling was when the potter’s hands began to feel resistance in the clay from minute bits of sand which ultimately destroyed the original design and necessitated making something different from the same clay.

A question for each of us: how resistant am I to God’s molding and shaping process in my life? Join me as we each ponder this question and ask God what he desires to do in our lives. Also, I recommend both of the books as additional encouragement in the process.

The Potter and God’s Process2023-03-25T08:58:34-06:00

A Case for Lament

Oh, that my head were a spring of water and my eyes a fountain of tears!
I would weep day and night for the slain of my people.  Jeremiah 9:1 NIV

This is what the Lord Almighty says:
“Consider now! Call for the wailing women to come; send for the most skillful of them.
Let them come quickly and wail over us till our eyes overflow with tears and water streams from our eyelids.

The sound of wailing is heard from Zion:
‘How ruined we are! How great is our shame!
We must leave our land because our houses are in ruins.’ ”

Now, you women, hear the word of the Lord; open your ears to the words of his mouth.
Teach your daughters how to wail; teach one another a lament.
Death has climbed in through our windows and has entered our fortresses;
it has removed the children from the streets and the young men from the public squares.  Jeremiah 9:17-21 NIV

The kind of lament described above, isn’t familiar to most of us in this country. Until I researched it, I didn’t know that people (usually women, in certain cultures), were trained to be lamenter/wailers. They were to be available to grieve with people who had experienced loss of something or someone.

For many of us, it is hard to freely express our grief openly. I have been grateful for this church community and the help I’ve received during a number of deaths in my family. I am also grateful for books I have been given and for support groups that are available, to enable people to share in each other’s griefs and struggles. I could have used help with more than one loss, particularly when I was a child.

I’ve mentioned before that because of a physical illness that our parents had (which meant that we had to be isolated from them periodically), my sister and I were moved around among different family members a number of times from our infancy on. Sometimes these moves included my younger sister and me, but sometimes, we were split up to live with different sides of the family. I am fourteen months older than my sister, and it was easier for some of the relatives to have us one at a time rather than together.

Our father died when I was four and my sister was three. When our mother got well, we were moved to live with her, her sister and their mother in New Mexico.

When I was 10, our mother got sick again. In the spring of 1953, because it was easier to isolate one of us while our grandmother was nursing Mom, my sister remained in New Mexico, and I was sent to live with our father’s sister and her husband in Denver,.

I turned 11 in August of 1953 and Mom died in November. We had been getting progress reports via daily postcards up until the phone rang at 9:30 one night, I remember saying, “Mom’s gone!”. I couldn’t cry for weeks. My aunt wasn’t very concerned, but my uncle was, and he resorted to a ruse to help me.

My aunt in New Mexico had sent a card with a $5.00 bill in it. There had been 2 of them in Mom’s purse. My sister and I each got one. I saved mine for weeks. My uncle rushed in one morning and asked if he could borrow it as he needed to pay the paper boy. I gave it to him, but said that it was the last thing I had from Mom. I started to cry, and cried for a long time that day. After that, every time I started to cry, my aunt would ask, “What are you blubbering about?” or threaten me with, ”I’ll give you something to cry about!” I learned to stuff my grief around everybody.

I still am more apt to cry for joy than for my own grief. I am learning that Jesus shares my sorrow and that he is safe to cry with.

Do any of you reading this relate? Ponder Matthew 5:4 “Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.” I recommend Darrell W. Johnson’s book, The Beatitudes: Living in Sync with the Reign of God.

A Case for Lament2023-03-18T23:53:59-06:00

God Forsaken – God Remembered

Now the word of the Lord came to me saying, “Go and proclaim in the ears of Jerusalem, saying, ‘Thus says the Lord,

I remember [earnestly] the lovingkindness and devotion of your youth, Your time of betrothal [like that of a bride during the early years in Egypt and again at Sinai], When you followed Me in the wilderness, Through a land not sown. Israel was holy [something set apart from ordinary purposes, consecrated] to the Lord, The first fruits of His harvest [in which no outsider was allowed to share]….’”
Jeremiah 2:1-3 AMP

,,,, This is what the Lord says:

“What fault did your ancestors find in me, that they strayed so far from me?
They followed worthless idols and became worthless themselves.
They did not ask, ‘Where is the Lord, who brought us up out of Egypt
and led us through the barren wilderness, through a land of deserts and ravines,
a land of drought and utter darkness, a land where no one travels and no one lives?’
I brought you into a fertile land to eat its fruit and rich produce.
But you came and defiled my land and made my inheritance detestable.
The priests did not ask, ‘Where is the Lord?’
Those who deal with the law did not know me; the leaders rebelled against me.
The prophets prophesied by Baal, following worthless idols.” Jeremiah 2:4-8 NIV

Looking at a chart of the kings of Judah and Israel, only 7 in Judah did what was right in God’s eyes. Three, one of which was Solomon, started well when they were young, but did evil as they grew older.

The United Kingdom was split after Solomon’s reign into Judah in the south and Israel in the north. Thirteen of the kings in Judah did evil, and all 19 in Israel did evil. Along with the priests and prophets who deceived the people with pleasing words (living under such leadership for so many years), it is not surprising that the majority of the people refused to listen, much less desire to change, as a result of God’s warnings to them through Jeremiah.

I can barely imagine how it grieved God to see his people continually slide into evil, rejecting his continuing effort to draw them close to himself in covenant fellowship and love.

In Ezekiel 33:11 NIV, God says,

”Say to them, As I live, says the Lord God, I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that the wicked turn from his way and live. Turn back (change your way of thinking), turn back [in repentance] from your evil ways! For why should you die, O house of Israel?”

And Jesus as he wept over the city:

“Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were not willing.” Matthew 23:37 NIV

Let’s take time as we study Jeremiah to learn from his interaction with God and what God told him to say about how to draw close to God in our own lives. Psalm 1 is a good reminder of how to focus on remaining in God’s love and care.

Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers,
but whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and who meditates on his law day and night.
That person is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither—whatever they do prospers.
Not so the wicked! They are like chaff that the wind blows away
Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous.
For the Lord watches over the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked leads to destruction. Psalm 1:1-6

God Forsaken – God Remembered2023-03-04T11:24:04-07:00

A Hope of Spring

The word of the Lord came to me, saying, “Jeremiah, what do you see?” And I said, “I see the branch of an almond tree.” Then the Lord said to me, “You have seen well, for I am [actively] watching over My word to fulfill it.” Jeremiah 1:11-12 AMP

I did some research about almond trees and found that they grow best in hot dry climates that do get cold in the winter, such as in the Middle East where Jeremiah was living when God gave him the vision mentioned above. Almond trees there are the first to flower in the still chill weather of spring and as such are a symbol of hope.

“For I know the plans and thoughts that I have for you,” says the Lord, “plans for peace and well-being and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.” Jeremiah 29:11 AMP

This scripture from Jeremiah is one of the most often-quoted verses in the Bible. I have seen it on pictures, banners, coffee mugs and t-shirts. It is also a message of hope. It is so encouraging that it is easy to pull it out of the context in which it was given. In the Bible it shows up as a promise for those who survive the exile to Babylon and has instructions and conditions for those who are able to return to Jerusalem.

For thus says the Lord,  “When seventy years [of exile] have been completed for Babylon, I will visit (inspect) you and keep My good promise to you, to bring you back to this place.” Jeremiah 29:10 AMP

“Then you will call on Me and you will come and pray to Me, and I will hear [your voice] and I will listen to you. Then [with a deep longing] you will seek Me and require Me [as a vital necessity] and [you will] find Me when you search for Me with all your heart. I will be found by you,” says the Lord, “and I will restore your fortunes and I will [free you and] gather you from all the nations and from all the places where I have driven you,”’ says the Lord, “and I will bring you back to the place from where I sent you into exile.” Jeremiah 29:12-14 AMP

“For if you thoroughly change your ways and your behavior, if you thoroughly and honestly practice justice between a man and his neighbor, if you do not oppress the transient and the foreigner, the orphan, or the widow, and do not shed innocent blood [by oppression and by unjust judicial murders] in Jerusalem, nor follow after other gods to your own ruin, then I will let you live in this place, in the land that I gave to your fathers [to live in] forever and ever.” Jeremiah 7:5-7 AMP

I’ve come to love and admire Jeremiah as I dive deeply into his life, calling and writings. He listens to God and gives the messages he is told to give even when he knows they will be ignored. He grieves over what he knows will come if the nation and its leaders don’t pay attention and change. He declares that hope is what God promises if warnings are heeded and change occurs before disaster strikes. He is honest in prayer with God.

During this season of Lent, as we study the book of Jeremiah, take some time to imagine what his life was like and what you can learn from him in your relationship with God. I’ll be praying for us all.

A Hope of Spring2023-02-25T19:46:44-07:00

The Gospel – Good News of the Kingdom

The Person Prophesied

The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is upon me,
for the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the poor.
He has sent me to comfort the brokenhearted
and to proclaim that captives will be released
and prisoners will be freed. Isaiah 61:1 NLT

The Good News Prophesied

In that day the deaf will hear words read from a book,
and the blind will see through the gloom and darkness.
The humble will be filled with fresh joy from the Lord.
The poor will rejoice in the Holy One of Israel. Isaiah 29:18-19 NLT

The lame will leap and dance,
and those who cannot speak will shout for joy. Isaiah 35:6a NLT

The scoffer will be gone,
the arrogant will disappear,
and those who plot evil will be killed.
Those who convict the innocent by their false testimony will disappear.
A similar fate awaits those who use trickery to pervert justice
and who tell lies to destroy the innocent. Isaiah 29:20-21 NLT

Jesus Preaches the Good News of the Kingdom

Later on, after John was arrested, Jesus went into Galilee, where he preached God’s Good News.
“The time promised by God has come at last!” he announced. “The Kingdom of God is near! Repent of your sins and believe the Good News!” Mark 1:14-15 NLT

John the Baptist has a Question

John’s two disciples found Jesus and said to him, “John the Baptist sent us to ask, ‘Are you the Messiah we’ve been expecting,
or should we keep looking for someone else?’” Luke 7:20 NLT

Jesus in Action

At that very time, Jesus cured many people of their diseases, illnesses, and evil spirits, and he restored sight to many who were blind.
Luke 7:21 NLT

Jesus’ Message to John

Then he told John’s disciples, “Go back to John and tell him what you have seen and heard—the blind see, the lame walk, those with leprosy are cured, the deaf hear, the dead are raised to life, and the Good News is being preached to the poor.”
And he added, “God blesses those who do not fall away because of me.” Luke 7:22-23 NLT

Fifteen years ago this month I had the privilege of being on a team of writers who wrote the daily devotionals for Lent. They were printed in a book entitled, “Faces on the Way to the Cross”. One of the devotionals I wrote was on Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead. I wrote it as if each event was a headline in a local or national newspaper.

Example: “NEWS FLASH!! MAN DEAD IN BETHANY LIVES!!!!”

I have to ask myself as I study if I have grown “blind” to what God would have me see in each scripture? Have I gotten “deaf” to His voice reminding me to be patient when things don’t happen the way I want or as quickly as I think they should? As you read the devotionals this week, ponder the different ways God would have you come alive in seeing and hearing God through the good news of God’s Kingdom.

The Gospel – Good News of the Kingdom2023-02-18T10:11:29-07:00

Keep On Reading! Keep On Listening!

In 1969, my maternal grandmother(Granny), was able to get a “Books for the Blind” record player and some talking books from the organization for the blind. Granny could see to get around but could no longer see to read, which was a deep grief for her. My sister’s family and mine went together to buy Granny a King James Bible of her own. It was on, as I recall, 60 LP, 16 speed records. She was thrilled.

Granny lived with her daughter, my Aunt Carol, in Las Cruces, New Mexico. When I went to visit them, Granny and I would sit in her bedroom and listen to various books and usually at least one of the Bible chapters she was currently in. The sewing machine was in her room, and I could sew while we listened.

I missed listening to books when I got back home and was a bit envious because there wasn’t any way to get them for me. Then a year or so later I read about an audio lending organization in Norman, Oklahoma where I could get Bible study cassettes. It was great—they came in the mail, I listened, and sent them back in exchange for others. My favorite teacher was Howard (Howie) Hendricks. I enjoyed his voice and his ability to make comments stick. One talk I treasure is a conversation he’d had with Dr. Harry Ironside who said, ”The hundredth time I read this verse, God brought this to mind.” Howard said, ”A HUNDRED TIMES?!!!!” At that time, I guess, Howie couldn’t imagine doing that.

I don’t know how many times I’ve read various parts of the Bible, but there are certain favorite scriptures where the Lord has shown me something I hadn’t thought about before. For instance: “Delight yourself also in the Lord and He shall give you the desires of your heart.” (Psalm 37:4) NKJV. He brought to mind, “If I really am, ‘delighting myself in the Lord’, He IS the desire of my heart and I can ask Him what his heart’s desires are for me.”

About 12 years ago, South Fellowship did the “Ninety Day Through the Bible” program. I did much of my reading via audio, because I had a business finishing quilts for people, and I could do the sewing while listening. There were things I heard and remembered better than when I would read the same sections. Later, I would go through and mark my Bible so that I could go back to those verses and ponder them.

I am grateful these days for various Bible apps that contain multiple versions that I can move back and forth in. Some have audio and study tools, as well as access to suggested teachers and videos. I’ll be praying that your Bible reading/listening becomes a desire of your heart and a delight to you.

Keep On Reading! Keep On Listening!2023-02-11T11:07:52-07:00

God’s Voice Through People

So He said, “Go out and stand on the mountain before the Lord.” And behold, the Lord was passing by, and a great and powerful wind was tearing out the mountains and breaking the rocks in pieces before the Lord; but the Lord was not in the wind. And after the wind, [there was] an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake, [there was] a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire; and after the fire, [there was] the sound of a gentle blowing. When Elijah heard the sound, he wrapped his face in his mantle (cloak) and went out and stood in the entrance of the cave. And behold, a voice came to him and said, “What are you doing here, Elijah?” 1 Kings 9:11-13 AMP

Several years ago a friend said to me, “Carolyn, you always have a story. Maybe you need a switch so we can shut you off!”

It’s true, my life, the who, what, where, when, why and how of me is a story. So is yours. So are all the people who’ve ever lived.

I’m a reader and, along with the stories of people in the Bible who heard God speak to them, I read biographies and memoirs of people who down through the centuries have heard God speak to them. What I have noticed is the different ways that people have heard from the Lord, which encourages me when I hear from Him through a story or an unexpected person.

Forty years ago when my children were in what would now be called middle school, I was struggling with being a mother. I wasn’t a bad mother, but I thought I needed to be better in some areas. So, in the women’s Bible study, I routinely asked the women to pray that I would become a better mother. One of the women invited herself to my house for lunch, and in the process of our conversation, told me that the reason I wasn’t a good mother was that my mother had died when I was 11, so I hadn’t had anyone to model after.

I was crushed and resolved to become such a good mother that I wouldn’t be blamed for what I couldn’t help. I became an angry, critical, and rigid person, who for almost a year, made my husband concerned and my children fearful. Some of my closest friends tried to help, but I wasn’t ready to listen.

One day my son and I had a set-to about something he had broken that I had told him not to touch. He and I were both crying. My thirteen year old daughter said firmly, “Mom, you’ve got to listen to me. We want to become what you want us to become, but it will come from the inside of us or not at all. You get certain expressions on your face and tones in your voice so we shut you out!” And I thought, “God, it’s not fair. Now in addition to being a good student, she’s wiser than me!” But I heard, and I broke.

I went for counseling and cried the whole time I was telling my back story. The counselor listened and then said to me, “What I’m hearing is that all your life you have had to perform more than adequately in order to get any love. You need to remember that God loves you – no “performance” required. Although I had said that to other people, I heard it for myself this time.

Through my daughter and my counselor, I heard God speak to me. I still hear him in His quiet voice reminding me of His presence and his love.

How about you? Has God’s gentle voice spoken His love into your life through unforeseen people? I’ll be praying for you to listen for His voice speaking His love to you through someone this week.

God’s Voice Through People2023-02-04T17:31:38-07:00

An Unexpected Gift

Where can I go from Your Spirit?
Or where can I flee from Your presence? Psalm 139:7

When I was a child, a popular Christmas song that was used to keep us children in line was “Santa Claus Is Coming To Town”. Adults used the lyrics to remind us of how we shouldn’t behave prior to Christmas, because Santa Claus was constantly aware of how good or bad we were, and it might keep him from bringing gifts to us. We were told that we “better not cry” or “pout” because that would be bad. Also that Santa Claus was aware of us even when we were asleep, so our dreams might be suspect.

Thinking back, I wonder if some of my ideas about God’s knowledge and perception of me were carried over in my mind from those reminders. I know that I have been anxious over a lot of years wondering if I was being a good enough wife, parent, grandparent, co-worker, friend and neighbor. There was always something, and even someone who let me know that I was failing, and the implication was that God knew it and was disappointed with me.

Through a lot of years of Bible study, prayer, some counseling and much reading, I have learned differently, and Psalm 139 has been a major Old Testament help. Though, I continue to get frustrated and anxious about things. For instance, this week it has been about some technology that has been updated, reminding me how little I know and how stupid I feel. I know God doesn’t see me or treat me that way.

Recently I was asked, “when I felt least afraid and anxious” and I told about my experience in the hospital on Christmas Eve, 2020:

On December 16, I tested positive for Covid 19, and because we could check my oxygen level and it was low, the Dr. told me to get to emergency. I was admitted to the hospital and at 2:00 a.m. on December 20, I was taken to ICU because I needed more oxygen than I could be given where I was. I was able to let my son know, and he contacted my daughter. They talked to the Dr. and were told “that if I had to go on a ventilator, I might not make it out”. I knew that, too.

Obviously, thanks to the Lord, a lot of people praying, and the wonderful care I received from all the hospital staff, I did “make it”. There are so many good things that have come from that experience. It was not a bad thing to be wholly dependent on God for my attitude and on the kindness of the various medical staff. I don’t remember being afraid or anxious about the outcome.

By Christmas Eve night, still in ICU, I remember telling God that “if I couldn’t be where I wanted to be, I was with Him in the best place I could be with such caring people”. As strange as it may sound, the whole experience was a life changing gift for me and is a cherished memory.

Reading and pondering Psalm 139 is especially helpful for focusing on how fully we are known and cared for by God. Although verses 19-22 talk about external enemies, too often I find that my own memories, thoughts and attitudes are my “enemies’’. I am so grateful for the prayer at the end.

Search me [thoroughly], O God, and know my heart;
Test me and know my anxious thoughts;
And see if there is any wicked or hurtful way in me,
And lead me in the everlasting way. Psalm 139:23-24 AMP

Take some time to read Psalm 139. Perhaps use a different Bible than you usually do. Perhaps the Amplified, the Message or King James versions.

An Unexpected Gift2023-01-28T12:06:58-07:00

Paul: Prisoner, Preacher, Practitioner

For I have learned to be content [and self-sufficient through Christ, satisfied to the point where I am not disturbed or uneasy] regardless of my circumstances. Philippians 4:11b AMP

The things which you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, practice these things [in daily life], and the God [who is the source] of peace and well-being will be with you. Philippians 4:9 AMP

Some of you reading this may remember a newscaster named Paul Harvey who had a radio program from 1951-2008. My favorite part of the program was called, “The Rest of the Story.” During his broadcast, he would tell the backstory of some headline news that gave a different perspective on an event and the people involved. What he said was verifiable truth. I enjoy reading and learning about the people in the Bible in the same way and especially their relationship with God.

The Apostle Paul is one of my favorites. His back story is traumatic and I wonder what kind of memories may have haunted him over the years, which awes me that he could write the two verses above and others like them in most of the epistles.

In Philippians 3:4-6, Paul gives a brief description of his early life of his confidence in his nationality, education and Pharisee zeal in persecuting the church, as well as his faultless obedience to the law. Acts 9 tells about Saul (Paul’s) conversion and Ananias being sent to restore Saul’s sight and what the Lord’s call would be on his life. When Ananias is reluctant, the Lord said,

“Go, for this man is a [deliberately] chosen instrument of Mine, to bear My name before the Gentiles and kings and the sons of Israel; for I will make clear to him how much he must suffer and endure for My name’s sake.” Acts 9:15-16 AMP

I wonder how I would have responded if I had been told beforehand what I would live through to follow Jesus.

What I see in and appreciate about Paul is that he “learned to be content”, which indicates he practiced the very same things he told other followers of Christ to do. He was in prison in Rome when he wrote Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians and Philemon, and in all of them he gives thanks for the people in those locations and encourages their growth in Christ Jesus. Though Paul was in chains for preaching and living the gospel of Christ, he was not chained-up inside himself. He practiced what he preached.

Along with me, take some time to read Philippians and find out more about how Paul encourages us to keep going in releasing our anxieties in Christ Jesus.

Paul: Prisoner, Preacher, Practitioner2023-01-15T00:10:34-07:00

Stewards of Light

And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. God saw that the light was good, and he separated the light from the darkness.
Genesis 1:3-4 NIV

This, in essence, is the message we heard from Christ and are passing on to you: God is light, pure light; there’s not a trace of darkness in him.       1 John 1:5 MSG

“Here’s another way to put it: You’re here to be light, bringing out the God-colors in the world.” Mathew 5:14 MSG

“Again, the Kingdom of Heaven can be illustrated by the story of a man going on a long trip. He called together his servants and entrusted his money to them while he was gone.“ Matthew 25:14 NLT

Having pondered the Matthew 25:14 story for years, I have wondered, what if instead of money, the man entrusted the people on his estate to the servants. So I’m going to share an abridged, personal paraphrase of this scripture:

When the owner of a large estate was preparing for a long journey, he met with three of his servants. Promoting them to stewards, and according to their abilities, he put them in charge of managing his property and the people living there. To one steward he gave a large city; to another he gave a midsize town; to the third he gave a small village.

During the meeting, the first two paid close attention to everything the owner told them. They focused on his facial expressions, with their ears open to the tone of his voice, so that after he was gone, they would remember his charge to them – as well as his smile and his manner. The third kept glancing at the others, because he felt that he was not treated as well as they. When the meeting was over, the first two stewards left with the earnest desire to represent the owner as they found him: kind, generous and loving. The third carried envy and bitterness within himself, and so he decided to portray the owner to the village as unkind and selfish.

The owner was gone for several years. When he returned, he called the three stewards to an assessment. The first steward arrived with his family and a crowd of people from the city, all desiring to see and honor the owner that the steward had portrayed by his wise, kind management of the city. The second steward, also, arrived with his family and a crowd of townspeople, because he too had managed their town with wisdom and kindness.

The third steward came alone, because neither his family nor any of the people in the village wanted to see an owner so mean and uncaring that he would put such a manager over them.

When I think of Matthew 5:14, that we are to be light in the world, I think of the battery powered, triple candles I place in the windows at my house. They shine from Thanksgiving until the batteries run out of power well after Christmas.

I also think of how Paul puts it in 1 Corinthians 6:19 “Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God?”

The Holy Spirit is the power by whom we are able to carry the light of Christ into the world as we live in our homes, neighborhoods, church, wider community, and the world.

As we go about each day, let us ponder the way the Holy Spirit empowers our lives to reflect the light of Jesus and his way through us to our families, church and the surrounding community.

Stewards of Light2022-11-19T13:18:39-07:00
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