Wednesday, April 9, 2014

Never Too Far Gone or to Far Wrong. Job 24-25; Galatians 1

May the mumbling commence!

God loves us.  That’s a miracle.  We must be lower than worms in the sight of the Lord.  Read Bildad’s thoughts in Job chapter twenty-five:

Then Bildad the Shuhite replied: 
"God is powerful and dreadful. He enforces peace in the heavens
Who is able to count his heavenly army?
Does his light not shine on all the earth? 
How can a mere mortal stand before God and claim to be righteous?
Who in all the earth is pure? 
God is so glorious that even the moon and stars
scarcely shine compared to him. 
How much less are mere people, who are but worms in his sight?" 

Thank You, O God, for loving us so much that You sacrificed Your Son!  May we be transformed in the light of Christ just as the Apostle Paul was (and is).  Read from Galatians chapter one:

Dear brothers and sisters, I solemnly assure you that the Good News of salvation which I preach is not based on mere human reasoning or logic.  For my message came by a direct revelation from Jesus Christ himself. No one else taught me. 
You know what I was like when I followed the Jewish religion – how I violently persecuted the Christians. I did my best to get rid of them.  I was one of the most religious Jews of my own age, and I tried as hard as possible to follow all the old traditions of my religion. 
But then something happened! For it pleased God in his kindness to choose me and call me, even before I was born! What undeserved mercy!  Then he revealed his Son to me so that I could proclaim the Good News about Jesus to the Gentiles. When all this happened to me, I did not rush out to consult with anyone else; nor did I go up to Jerusalem to consult with those who were apostles before I was. No, I went away into Arabia and later returned to the city of Damascus.  It was not until three years later that I finally went to Jerusalem for a visit with Peter and stayed there with him for fifteen days.  And the only other apostle I met at that time was James, our Lord's brother.  You must believe what I am saying, for I declare before God that I am not lying.  Then after this visit, I went north into the provinces of Syria and Cilicia.  And still the Christians in the churches in Judea didn't know me personally.  All they knew was that people were saying, "The one who used to persecute us now preaches the very faith he tried to destroy!"  And they gave glory to God because of me. (Verses 11-24)

No!  We can never be too far wrong or too far gone.  God can redeem us – if we choose to turn to him.  Be blinded by the light of Christ so that we may see more clearly than ever before.  What a paradox!  What a blessing!

Enough mumbling for now…

Peace Out

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