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"Not that I speak from want; for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am" (Philippians 4:11)
One of the most humorous posters that I have ever seen, beloved, was of a toddler in a high chair who was quite literally "wearing" his supper! His head was covered with spaghetti noodles and his face, arms, and chest with sauce. And as cute and funny as that picture was, what really made it complete for me was the caption beneath it. In large letters were these familiar words:
THIS IS THE DAY THAT THE LORD HAS MADE! I WILL REJOICE AND BE GLAD IN IT!
And judging by the virtual ear-to-ear grin on that little guy's face, he was certainly "glad" in all of that spaghetti mess!
I find a wonderfully appropriate lesson for us as adults today in the image that I have described for you here. Do we really believe that in every circumstance of life that "this is the day that the Lord has made"? When we are circumstantially splattered with the noodles and sauce of everyday living, can we actually "rejoice and be glad in it"? The confident declaration of the Apostle Paul to the church in Philippi lets us know clearly what his own personal reply to this question was:
"I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am"
If you know anything at all about Paul's life, beloved, you know that in many circumstances he found himself "splattered with spaghetti sauce"! Life was tough for the apostle more times than it was not. Yet he faced each day with the certain conviction that it was indeed the day that the Lord had made and he was determined to be content in it. He was able to do that because he believed with all his heart that God is in complete control. His circumstances were meant to glorify God and to strengthen Paul in his daily walk. Can you and I have the same conviction today, beloved? Can we take on life's splatter and declare with assurance that "this is the day that the Lord has made"? We can if we know that God loves us and only desires His best for our lives! So enjoy your spaghetti!
Ron
Monday, May 25, 2015
Sunday, May 17, 2015
Living in a Disproportionate World
"But realize this, that in the last days difficult times will come" (2 Timothy 3:1)
One of the most popular D.C. Beltway "buzz-words" that we hear being bandied about in recent days is the word disproportionate, beloved! More accurately, it is most often linked to another word forming the all too familiar claim of "disproportionate wealth" supposedly plaguing society today. In fact, it seems that this present administration seems to be obsessed with the concept. Very simply, too many people have too much money while too many have too little. Ergo, disproportionate wealth!
What fascinates me, however, is how so many can claim to be champions of solving the disproportionate wealth problem while at the same time apparently failing to realize that we all live in a "disproportionate world"! Scripture makes it very clear that we are living in a world that is horribly gone wrong, a world that is out of balance and off-kilter in every way imaginable. The Apostle Paul described this world-wide condition to the believers in the city of Rome in this way:
"For we know that the whole creation groans and suffers the pains of childbirth together until now" (Romans 8:22)
This present world is suffering from being out of balance spiritually with our Creator, beloved. We have fallen horribly short of the glory of God and are hopelessly ensconced in bondage to sin. We are in an eternal slavery from which we cannot hope to extricate ourselves. As Paul wrote to the believers in the city of Ephesus in his day:
"And you were dead in your trespasses and sins" (Ephesians 2:1)
The good news is that, though man could not deliver himself from his disproportionate world, God in mercy did that for him. In Jesus' laying down of His life on the cross for our sins the way was opened for us to know full and eternal restoration into a glorious relationship with God. What we could not do, God has done and all because He loves us and is not willing that any should perish.
Let man rail on and on, if he chooses to do so, about the ridiculous notion of disproportionate wealth. We who are followers of Jesus Christ know that God will one day restore all balance and symmetry to this disproportionate world of ours and that every eye will behold it and every tongue will confess it. It will be on that day, beloved, that God will set everything right.
"They will not hurt or destroy in all My holy mountain, for the earth will be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea. Then it will come about in that day that the nations will resort to the root of Jesse, who will stand as a signal for the peoples; and His resting place will be glorious" (Isaiah 11:9-10)
"The earth will be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea"! Does not that statement describe beautifully God's healing of our disproportionate world? In that day "the nations will resort to the root of Jesse," meaning that King Jesus will rule on the throne of David and the peace of God will cover the earth. Everything "disproportionate" will be set right and all will exist in harmony for God's glory and for the good of His people. To God be the glory!
Ron
One of the most popular D.C. Beltway "buzz-words" that we hear being bandied about in recent days is the word disproportionate, beloved! More accurately, it is most often linked to another word forming the all too familiar claim of "disproportionate wealth" supposedly plaguing society today. In fact, it seems that this present administration seems to be obsessed with the concept. Very simply, too many people have too much money while too many have too little. Ergo, disproportionate wealth!
What fascinates me, however, is how so many can claim to be champions of solving the disproportionate wealth problem while at the same time apparently failing to realize that we all live in a "disproportionate world"! Scripture makes it very clear that we are living in a world that is horribly gone wrong, a world that is out of balance and off-kilter in every way imaginable. The Apostle Paul described this world-wide condition to the believers in the city of Rome in this way:
"For we know that the whole creation groans and suffers the pains of childbirth together until now" (Romans 8:22)
This present world is suffering from being out of balance spiritually with our Creator, beloved. We have fallen horribly short of the glory of God and are hopelessly ensconced in bondage to sin. We are in an eternal slavery from which we cannot hope to extricate ourselves. As Paul wrote to the believers in the city of Ephesus in his day:
"And you were dead in your trespasses and sins" (Ephesians 2:1)
The good news is that, though man could not deliver himself from his disproportionate world, God in mercy did that for him. In Jesus' laying down of His life on the cross for our sins the way was opened for us to know full and eternal restoration into a glorious relationship with God. What we could not do, God has done and all because He loves us and is not willing that any should perish.
Let man rail on and on, if he chooses to do so, about the ridiculous notion of disproportionate wealth. We who are followers of Jesus Christ know that God will one day restore all balance and symmetry to this disproportionate world of ours and that every eye will behold it and every tongue will confess it. It will be on that day, beloved, that God will set everything right.
"They will not hurt or destroy in all My holy mountain, for the earth will be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea. Then it will come about in that day that the nations will resort to the root of Jesse, who will stand as a signal for the peoples; and His resting place will be glorious" (Isaiah 11:9-10)
"The earth will be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea"! Does not that statement describe beautifully God's healing of our disproportionate world? In that day "the nations will resort to the root of Jesse," meaning that King Jesus will rule on the throne of David and the peace of God will cover the earth. Everything "disproportionate" will be set right and all will exist in harmony for God's glory and for the good of His people. To God be the glory!
Ron
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