What could these three possibly have in common? If you read below, you will see how I've tied these all in with each of this Sunday's readings. But first here's another added verse from 1 Chronicles 28:9b....
....for the LORD searches every heart and understands every motive behind the thoughts. If you seek Him, He will be found by you; but if you forsake Him, He will reject you forever.
Yikes! Who wants to be rejected, especially by God?! This is where it is a good thing to have a proper fear of the Lord. My husband always said about raising our kids, "Fear is the biggest motivator". We must realize there are consequences for our actions. Well, just like God says He is everyone's Father, He would be lacking in responsibility if He didn't teach us well. So, instead of speaking through prophets, like He did in the Old Testament, He sent us a living and breathing Messiah in Jesus Christ, not just to preach about having fear of the Lord, but to show us how we should be conducting ourselves during our life here on earth.
We are now starting the Advent season, preparing for the commemoration of the birth of the Christ Child. The first reading from the Old Testament's prophet Jeremiah, chapter 33, verses 14-16 predicts....
....for the LORD searches every heart and understands every motive behind the thoughts. If you seek Him, He will be found by you; but if you forsake Him, He will reject you forever.
Yikes! Who wants to be rejected, especially by God?! This is where it is a good thing to have a proper fear of the Lord. My husband always said about raising our kids, "Fear is the biggest motivator". We must realize there are consequences for our actions. Well, just like God says He is everyone's Father, He would be lacking in responsibility if He didn't teach us well. So, instead of speaking through prophets, like He did in the Old Testament, He sent us a living and breathing Messiah in Jesus Christ, not just to preach about having fear of the Lord, but to show us how we should be conducting ourselves during our life here on earth.
We are now starting the Advent season, preparing for the commemoration of the birth of the Christ Child. The first reading from the Old Testament's prophet Jeremiah, chapter 33, verses 14-16 predicts....
14 " 'The days are coming,' declares the LORD, 'when I will fulfill the gracious promise I made to the house of Israel and to the house of Judah.
15 " 'In those days and at that time I will make a righteous Branch sprout from David's line; He will do what is just and right in the land.
16 In those days Judah will be saved and Jerusalem will live in safety. This is the name by which it will be called: The LORD Our Justice.'
I've often said that whatever the Scripture readings were on any given Sunday, it seemed like they were always relevant to what was going on in either my life or in the news. I will expand upon one of today's readings slightly because this one seems to relate to all the controversy over Tiger Woods car crash and his alleged affair, which if true, may very well have prompted all the turmoil in his life right now.
From the first book of letters from St. Paul to the Thessalonians
1 Thessalonians 4:3-8
3 It is God's will that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality;
4 that each of you should learn to control his (or her) own body in a way that is holy and honorable,
5 not in passionate lust like the heathen, who do not know God;
6 and that in this matter no one should wrong his brother (or sister) or take advantage of him (her).
The Lord will punish men (women) for all such sins, as we have already told you and warned you.
7 For God did not call us to be impure, but to live a holy life.
8 Therefore, he who rejects this instruction does not reject man but God, who gives you His Holy Spirit.
In the gospel from Luke today, there are more warnings about the end of time, such as in this new movie 2012. However, I imagine the movie will not mention all that is said here....
From Luke 21:25-36
25 "There will be signs in the sun, moon and stars. On the earth, nations will be in anguish and perplexity at the roaring and tossing of the sea.
26 Men will faint from terror, apprehensive of what is coming on the world, for the heavenly bodies will be shaken.
27 At that time they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.
28 When these things begin to take place, stand up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near."
29 He (Jesus) told them this parable: "Look at the fig tree and all the trees. 30 When they sprout leaves, you can see for yourselves and know that summer is near.
31 Even so, when you see these things happening, you know that the kingdom of God is near.
32 "I tell you the truth, this generation will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened.
33 Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will never pass away.
34 "Be careful, or your hearts will be weighed down with dissipation, drunkenness and the anxieties of life, and that day will close on you unexpectedly like a trap.
35 For it will come upon all those who live on the face of the whole earth.
36 Be always on the watch, and pray that you may be able to escape all that is about to happen, and that you may be able to stand before the Son of Man."
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