August 13, 2010

8-13-10 Friday, 6:30 am Springfield, clear, hot.

Last night I sat in the backyard at 10:15 staring up into the night sky, hoping to see a meteor. After a few minutes I heard somebody snoring in my backyard, and discovered it was me! I was so comfortable and relaxed in that reclining camp chair, I could have spent all night. The temperature had moderated, and there were no bugs. Alas, having seen no shooting stars I retired. This morning I arose early (5:15) and have been reading scripture, communicating through Facebook and Skype and feeding the thirsty humming birds.

Nehemiah 5:14 ff He states that he did not draw on the governors allowance, even though his predecessors and even their assistants “took advantage of the people.” Nehemiah said “because I feared God, I did not act that way.” He applied his faith and belief in God to his personal practice. This is the mark of a mature believer. In verse 16 he says “I also devoted myself to working on the wall and refused to acquire any land.” There is an adage which says that each of us has a choice with our lives “to either make a better world, or to get a better place in the world.” Clearly Nehemiah chose the former, even as he and every leader great or small is tempted to get a better place (selfish) or to unselfishly make the world a better place.

I Cor 8:1-13
Yesterday the key concept I took from the previous chapter involved two words – absorbed; attached. Paul was warning the Corinthians (and Bruce Baxter) not to become absorbed by the world, nor attached to the things of the world. This was powerful direction for me yesterday.

This morning Paul’s words in verses 1b-3 speak directly to me “But while knowledge makes us feel important, it is love that strengthens the church. Anyone who claims to know all the answers doesn’t really know very much. But the person who loves God is the one whom God recognizes.”

Guide me Lord as I seek to grow in love, and thus strengthen the church. Guard me from being puffed up, feeling important, seeking knowledge with any wrong motive or consequence. Today I labor to prepare the weekend message concerning your return, contrasting the approach of the cult of Jehovah’s witnesses, whose leaders claim a lot of knowledge. I am yours holy Lord today, each hour, each minute.