Good morning,
When God sat down to plan the heavens and the earth, he came up with a perfect plan. The Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit put together a plan that was filled with awesome beauty, unbelievable complexity, endless variety, and a perfect test for those who would be created in their image. When Jesus, the Son and Creator, came as a human being, he came exactly as God’s prophets said he would. He was conceived in a humble God fearing virgin, he was born in Bethlehem, he grew up in a town known for it’s wickedness, yet he never sinned even once during his years on earth. When he began his public ministry, he was despised by the religions leaders, and even his own followers had problems understanding who he was. Jesus gave them in one short sentence what had been true right from the beginning of time. He said, "If you love me, obey my commandments.(John14:15) What our Lord longs for is that we not only get to know him and obey him, but we also do what he has told us to do with a special heart direction in what we do. Isaiah knew what the Lord really longed for when he wrote, LORD, we show our trust in you by obeying your laws; our heart's desire is to glorify your name.(Isa.26:8) Our Savior gave us the best gift we could ever have when, from that cruel cross he prayed, “Father, forgive them, for they don’t know what they are doing.”(Lk.23:34) He did what he did because of his love for us.
There is another gift that we could give our Savior this year that would make our Lover’s heart full of Joy. He longs for us to give ourselves to him with the same attitude that he had serving us while here on earth. Jesus never looked down on us while living with both friends and enemies who really didn’t understand him. Paul reminds us that when Jesus came, he took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being.(Phil.2:7) When going through overwhelming pressures, he humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal's death on a cross.(v.8) He came to love and save as many as possible because they couldn’t really know him without God’s special helper, the Holy Spirit. Peter also addressed the people who were a part of the church in his day when he said, you who are younger must accept the authority of the elders. And all of you, dress yourselves in humility as you relate to one another, for "God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.”(1 Pet.5:5) God’s family found themselves dealing with all the changes that came with obedience under the law and living in love because of God’s saving grace. Then, as in now, our Enemy does his best to get the young and the old to require ministry their way. Peter was pointing back to our Savior when he wrote, So humble yourselves under the mighty power of God, and at the right time he will lift you up in honor.(v.6) Since all of us are still struggling with sin issues as well as rapid cultural changes, may the Lord help us to live in humility and love toward one another until we stand together before His throne in perfect harmony.
2 Samuel 22:31 "God's way is perfect. All the LORD's promises prove true. He is a shield for all who look to him for protection.
Roy Wisner
