A Sharp Contrast with Darkness---Day 296 Through the Bible

                     Just as the light in this picture is an obvious contrast with the dark foreground,
                the positive God of the Universe stands in sharp contrast with the darkness of this age.

 (Today's Scripture readings: Jeremiah 33:1-34:22; Psalm 119:57-64; Proverbs 27:21; I Timothy 3:1-16)

God is the epitome of positiveness and stands as a stark contrast to the negative culture of darkness we call "home" (this world).  He says in Jeremiah 33:3, "Call to Me, and I will answer you"---how many times do we find ourselves ignored?  God never ignores us!  He goes on in verse 3, "I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things, which you do not know".  God always has time for us and He wants to share with us these "great and mighty things" which we do not know!  We live in a fallen world, a culture of death and darkness. God however, says He will bring health and healing and "reveal to them the abundance of peace and truth" (v. 6).  He gives freedom to the captives.  He rebuilds, cleanses, and pardons (v. 7-8). Because of all the positive things God does, He says, "Then it shall be to Me a name of joy, a praise, and an honor before all nations of the earth, who shall hear all the good that I do to them; they shall fear and tremble for all the goodness and prosperity that I provide for it" (v. 9). What kind of words would describe "the wake" of our presence--when we pass through do others recognize that positive, pleasing "aroma of Christ" (2 Corinthians 2:15)?

I love this phrase in Psalm 119:57, "You are my portion, O Lord".  As positive and wonderful as God is--why would anyone not want Him to be "their portion"?  It could be because of pride and more than likely it has something to do with the fact that they don't know this God, this epitome of positiveness! 

In I Timothy 3, we see that God has standards for leaders in the Church. "A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, temperate, sober-minded, of good behavior, hospitable, able to teach; not given to wine, not violent, not greedy for money, but gentle, not quarrelsome, not covetous; one who rules his own house well, having his children in submission with all reverence" (v.2-4). The deacon also "must be reverent, not double-tongued . . . holding the mystery of the faith with a pure conscience" (v. 8-9).  Their wives, as well as their children, are also brought into this: "Likewise, their wives must be reverent, not slanderers, temperate, faithful in all things" (v. 11).  This passage could serve as a guide for self-examination and prayer, not only for church leaders, but for everyone, as it presents God's standard for living an exemplary life as a Believer.