Here is how to join us in reflection of the spirit of this upcoming holiday season.
Two thoughts on this verse & devotional story. The first is about family, specifically my family. My dad was the one that took me to church faithfully as a child and the one who instilled a great deal of my beliefs about my faith. Given the several recent deaths in the family and the ever-aging grandparents and aunts/uncles, I am very torn about their salvation. I feel confident that I will see my husband and my father in heaven again one day, but I'm not so sure about many other very important members of my family. I really struggle with how and when to share more of my faith and when to invite them to church. I just pray and ask God to give me the right words to be able to speak with them to ensure that they are going to Heaven one day.
The other aspect of this passage is the verse itself that remarks about how foolish and naive the disciples, Jesus' family and other of the day were about Jesus and his teachings. We can study the Bible, seeing how obvious the parables and lessons that Jesus was trying to teach. What really disturbs me today is that we do not recognize this same problem in Christianity today. Yes, we can clearly decipher the parables and do all sorts of bible studies on every verse and chapter, BUT where along the way did we, as Christians, lose the bigger picture?
Why is there more hate than ever directed at Christians? Why are we so disdained by the secular world? Why are most Christians defined by their hypocrisy and once a week appearance in a church? Where did we lose the message of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, gentleness and goodness that Jesus outlined in the New testament? Why aren't Christians fighting for the poor and homeless? Why aren't Christians among the leading advocates of taking care of the environment and fragile earth entrusted to us? Why aren't Christians giving more and more of their wealth to the poverty stricken areas and being active in the political process to create genuine change? WHY- because we "lack faith" in the lessons that Jesus taught us.
GOOD NEWS OF THE DAY: I'm excited to see a genuine, real, authentic revival in the Church that's returning believers to the faith of Jesus and the principles by which he lived his life.
1 comment:
I hear you Amanda - especially the concern about loved ones in the family who we are not sure if they really have accepted Christ in their hearts or not....
Like you , it was my dad who is instrumental in my being a Christian. Although my mom goes along with us... she really does not seem to have the personal relationship we have with Jesus. I can only hope she does and I am just not seeing it or that she will before her time comes to leave the earth....
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