Relationship vs Religion

In Luke chapter two, Mary and Joseph brought the eight day old baby Jesus to the temple to be presented to the Lord. After they entered, an old man named Simeon and an old woman named Anna separately proclaimed that this baby was the Messiah, the Savior of Israel. I have always marveled at that. How did these two old people recognize in an eight day old baby what the religious leaders did not recognize in a full grown man who was preaching the Word of God? There is only one explanation and it cannot be in religion because both had access to the scriptures. It had to be in the processing of those scriptures.

When we think about processing the word of God our tendency is to lean on education or intelligence levels. In Jesus' day, the most learned were the religious leaders. They had access to the scriptures and to gifted teachers so they were rightfully considered the most intelligent men of their day. Yet they did not recognize Jesus. In fact, they were the ones that plotted his death.

Again I ask you: how did two old people with no social class or education recognize in an infant what the most intelligent men of the day did not recognize in an adult? And does that cause you some concern that you might miss Him too? Because it does me.

I believe God wants us to know and understand His word. And yet, if our knowledge and understanding comes from human wisdom then we don't need God. We were created for relationship and it is in relationship that we will find wisdom.

While I should hunger for His word - that very word should draw me to Him. I find myself reading His word and then laying it down to talk to Him about what I read. OR reading His word and being reminded of something I need to ask forgiveness for. OR talking to Him and searching His word to find the answer to my question. If I bury my head in "the book" I may know "the book" but I will miss the relationship with the author.

In this season of my life, I am the caregiver for my dying father. He has cancer over his entire body and I have found myself struggling with my role as daughter/caregiver who happens to be a registered nurse. I tend to not be very smart when it comes to dealing with my own family and I have to step back sometimes and really think hard about what is the right thing to do. This morning in the early morning hours - as is my custom - I was half asleep and speaking to the Lord about His goodness and my love for Him and He brought to my mind the concerns I have had about my father. In the quietness of those moments He seemed to open my mind to the reality of Who He is. He is the author of life and He knows when my dad will go home and that time will be perfect. For Daddy, for me, for my sister and brother and for the Lord Himself. And I had peace.

That is relationship. It's not having all the answers. It's living with some of the mystery and yet trusting the One to Whom we believe. And that sweet ones, is abundant living.

Here Today, Gone Tomorrow

You probably read my welcome to FPM's blogspot on Monday. It was our birth day..... and our funeral was on Tuesday when our blog spot was inadvertently DELETED. Hey! It may be a record for blogs.

But it gives me an excuse to do a little teaching. Life is like my blog. Here today. Gone tomorrow. I'm not talking about death - though I could. I'm talking about opportunity. Opportunity to make an impact on your world for the kingdom comes every day. It may present itself in a person or a problem, a temptation or a trial. But opportunity it is.

Most of us want an encounter that shouts "ministry" not problem. We tend to think that problems are all about consequence and rarely connect the reality that our response to trouble is an opportunity to reveal the God of Light to a world that is dark. We long for health and prosperity rarely to reveal a God of Blessing but of a life of favor. Our challenge in this life is to take advantage of every opportunity each day presents to showcase our relationship to the Living Christ.

When my blogspot disappeared it could not come back under the same name. The gods of blogs are quite unforgiving. One shot and you're out. Not so for you and me. His mercies are new every morning. You have a brand new opportunity this morning to make today count. 24 hours of opportunity present themselves to you. Make them count - for His sake.