"If you meet your enemy's ox or his donkey going astray, you shall surely bring it back to him again....Is this not the carpenter's son?" (Exodus 23:4; Mt. 13:55)
One could say, "Is this not the life of, 'the carpenter's son?'" Consider for a moment the connection of these two passages. The first is the result of the second, Jesus, "The Word of God," expressing to ancient mankind His intent for human relationships in the earth, a life of, "....more blessed to give than to receive." Jesus spent most of His 33 year revelation in the Earth as, "the carpenter's son." I would loved to have bought a piece of furniture Jesus' made. I'm sure Jesus had the customer in mind more than Himself. But then, again, this is Jesus, "the Good Shepherd," the One Who, "gives His life...."
This is the Memorial Day weekend in the United States of America. Memorial Day celebrates the lives of all who gave their lives to preserve the USA, and freedom loving people everywhere. When I was a kid, it was just Memorial Day, celebrated every year on May 30, no matter what day of the week it was. Then pleasure loving Americans decided they wanted longer weekend holidays, so the Congress moved several traditional historic holidays to set dates so that we could have that greatly desired "long weekend." Humans are a species of convenience.
There was a time in human history when there appeared, "the carpenter's son," Jesus, the One Who told Moses to instigate the command in our text. He does not draw us to "worldly pleasures" or "modern conveniences. "The carpenter's son," calls us first to Himself, then to others, to help them, yes, even serve them, "If you meet your enemy's ox or his donkey going astray...." Consider how Jesus affirms greatly that repentant sinner, who said, "I give half of my goods to the poor...." Too many probably think of this as "sacrifice," and many people think of sacrifice as giving up something one would really rather keep for oneself. But is it really? I thought today that perhaps the concept of the "sacrifice fly" in baseball is a good description of our text and how we are called to live in this life in Jesus Christ: We do something to advance another. What a novel thought on a weekend which for many is merely a weekend of convenience.
Father, in Jesus' Name, I pray my life will always be motivated by advancing another. Amen.
One could say, "Is this not the life of, 'the carpenter's son?'" Consider for a moment the connection of these two passages. The first is the result of the second, Jesus, "The Word of God," expressing to ancient mankind His intent for human relationships in the earth, a life of, "....more blessed to give than to receive." Jesus spent most of His 33 year revelation in the Earth as, "the carpenter's son." I would loved to have bought a piece of furniture Jesus' made. I'm sure Jesus had the customer in mind more than Himself. But then, again, this is Jesus, "the Good Shepherd," the One Who, "gives His life...."
This is the Memorial Day weekend in the United States of America. Memorial Day celebrates the lives of all who gave their lives to preserve the USA, and freedom loving people everywhere. When I was a kid, it was just Memorial Day, celebrated every year on May 30, no matter what day of the week it was. Then pleasure loving Americans decided they wanted longer weekend holidays, so the Congress moved several traditional historic holidays to set dates so that we could have that greatly desired "long weekend." Humans are a species of convenience.
There was a time in human history when there appeared, "the carpenter's son," Jesus, the One Who told Moses to instigate the command in our text. He does not draw us to "worldly pleasures" or "modern conveniences. "The carpenter's son," calls us first to Himself, then to others, to help them, yes, even serve them, "If you meet your enemy's ox or his donkey going astray...." Consider how Jesus affirms greatly that repentant sinner, who said, "I give half of my goods to the poor...." Too many probably think of this as "sacrifice," and many people think of sacrifice as giving up something one would really rather keep for oneself. But is it really? I thought today that perhaps the concept of the "sacrifice fly" in baseball is a good description of our text and how we are called to live in this life in Jesus Christ: We do something to advance another. What a novel thought on a weekend which for many is merely a weekend of convenience.
Father, in Jesus' Name, I pray my life will always be motivated by advancing another. Amen.
When Peter, an 18 year old Norwegian, "heard the call to evangelize China, on that day he not only emptied his wallet into the collection plate, but included a small note with the words, 'and my life.'"
"Looking unto Jesus"
Hebrews 12:2
"Looking unto Jesus"
Hebrews 12:2
