The view of the mountains and valleys below is breath taking.
Roan Mountain borders NC and TN and is located less than an hour from Mt. Celo Church.
The word "accountability" is written all over today's readings in Deuteronomy. In fact, I counted the word "you" 40 times in chapter 13, and again, 40 times in chapter 14. Amazing! God evidently wants us to be involved in our relationship with Him. His love for us has the potential for being the catalyst that inspires us to "hold fast to Him" (Deut.13:4). As the Apostle John says in I John 4:19, "We love him, because He first loved us". We are the children of the Lord our God, His chosen people, a special treasure (Deut.14). If we could only grasp how much we mean to God our Father and how great His love is for us, it could change our lives! He has spelled out His love for us in a book called The Holy Bible.
God sees the dangers of being enticed away from Him. He is jealous over us, knowing He is the only true God--there is no other besides Him (Mark 12:32). We are living in a time that showcases the results of turning away from God, of tolerating sin, of consenting to evil, and of compromising our values. However, even though we live in such a culture, we are accountable to God for the way we live before Him. God tells us that where sin is concerned, we are not to "pity", "spare", or "conceal" anything that separates us from Him. He desires to show mercy toward us, have compassion on us and bless us. However, we must see evil as He sees it and not build up a tolerance for it. We are to humble ourselves, seek His forgiveness, and turn from our wicked ways (2 Chronicles 7:14), in order to receive the healing we need. God wants to bless us!
We get a glimpse of what God wants for His people in an annual festival called the Feast of Tabernacles. Israel was instructed by God to faithfully save a tenth of their increase (in addition to their tithe for God's work) and take their families once a year to the place God would chose, and there enjoy for themselves, this tithe. If they had been blessed abundantly and it would be difficult to carry their tithe, God allowed them to change it into money. They were instructed to spend this money "for whatever your heart desires". What a blessing (and fun) to take a tenth of your income and spend it all in a seven day period for whatever you desire! This was a blessing for them from God, and they were to rejoice before the Lord with their families during this festival. Also, every third year, they were to save a tithe that would go to the Levites, the strangers, the fatherless, and the widows, among them. The reason for this? "That the Lord your God may bless you in all the work of your hand which you do" (Deut.14:28-29), also see Malachi 3:10).
In Luke, we read the story of Simeon and Anna, and see God's Providence and perfect timing demonstrated here. God blessed Simeon as well as Anna. I have a puzzle that depicts Simeon holding baby Jesus in his arms. I can imagine the joy this godly man must have felt as he held this baby, perhaps with tears streaming down his wrinkled face, recognizing he was holding "the Consolation of Israel"! Dr. Stanley gives this comment: "the old soldier foresaw that the greatest battle of all time would be faced, fought, and won by this tiny child. There he stood, breathing the breath of Christ, whole in the arms of God". This passage about Simeon is not as well known as the rest of the Christmas story, however, it touches a chord in my heart as no other passage of Scripture does.
We are being offered "a great salvation" (Hebrews 2:3)! May God open our eyes to His power and His greatness, and help us come to know and understand who He is. May we come to realize what we are being offered by the very Creator of the Universe, and what a tremendous gift has been purchased for each of us by the death and resurrection of God's Son! May we rejoice in living holy lives before Him and "hold fast to Him" as we live out our lives with a sense of accountability to God in a culture that has lost its way.
"Preach the gospel at all times and when necessary use words"--St. Francis of Assisi.
No comments:
Post a Comment