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Some reflections on this
week's scriptures.
From the Book of Wisdom, "For you show your might when the perfection of
your power is disbelieved..." Just when I think I have encountered the
limits of God's love I am overwhelmed with its unimaginable depth and
breadth. When I feel defeated by sickness, sin, or death God's power
breaks through with healing, forgiveness, and resurrection. Have you
ever experienced a limit to God's love in your life?
"...In those who know you, you rebuke temerity." Temerity is foolish
boldness, to act in a rash way. Someone who knows the Lord should know
better than to behave in so foolish a way. Don't we all do it
though? Even though we have experienced God's patience and forgiveness
in our own lives, we rashly condemn others for the same mistakes we make
over and over again.
Matthew's gospel reminds us that Jesus spoke to the crowds in parables.
Why parables? How do you get the average person to consider the
ways of God? We know that we are made in the image of God. When we
listen to parables we experience God in the image of man. Jesus used
these simple parables. "The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed
good seed." God sowed good seed in this world so where does evil come
from? Jesus said an enemy's hand can be seen in this. But God is
patient. Let the weeds and the wheat grow together, then there will be a
time of reckoning. The weeds will be destroyed and the wheat will be
safely gathered into the barn.
"The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed..." At first it is the
littlest of all the seeds, but contained in that little seed is the life
force of a great bush. Are you a mustard seed? Has God hidden something
wonderful in you? What secret has he planted in your heart?
"The kingdom of heaven is
like yeast...mixed with three measures of flour..." A little bit of
yeast can go a long way. You would hardly notice it lost in three
measures of flour and yet it can make the whole batch rise. God has
folded you into a family, a job, a neighborhood, how will you effect the
whole batch around you? Will you make them rise or bring them down?
Whoever has ears to hear ought to hear! |
