“MORE WORTHWHILE WORDS”
“…and if my people who are called by my name humble themselves and pray, and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, forgive their sin, and I will heal their land.”
– 2 Chronicles 7:14
Over the past few weeks I have shared some quotes for living. Here are some other worthwhile words… from 2 Chronicles 7:14… as King Solomon prayed and the people watched the burnt offering consumed right before their very eyes. Yep. Good old Old Testament stuff… and Solomon’s way of standing in awe before God rather than remain standing in sin. As in days of old… days like today when our life shifts from summer activities to Fall school behavior we see in front of us have similar call.
So, you call yourself a Christian? How do you know? How do others know? Do you tell them? Do they know enough that they see the Jesus in you? Are you proud of claiming this description? Or are you the humble one who knows deep down inside that you are not deserving to claim Jesus’ name? At least on your own , that is.
The great teacher and theologian Martin Luther put in his explanation of the catechism’s rendering of the Creed… Is it possible for me to believe in Jesus at all? Read on…
“I believe that I cannot by my own reason or strength believe in Jesus Christ, my Lord, or come to Him; but the Holy Spirit has called me by the Gospel, enlightened me with His gifts, sanctified and kept me in the true faith. In the same way He calls, gathers, enlightens, and sanctifies the whole Christian church on earth, and keeps it with Jesus Christ in the one true faith.” (Creed / 3rd Article)
So God was right. Our need to seek God’s face and pray is real. Humble hearts actually walk with a better gait only to discover it’s in the following rather than the being in charge of our own destiny that makes the difference .
Do you have problems? Is your life messy? It’s not God’s fault. But the consequences of our unfaithfulness continue to put hurdle after hurdle in our path. How much time we waste dealing with replacing a lost wallet and credit cards or how our lives are disrupted by a fender bender or worse someone steals your car. For some, recovery mode seems to be a daily appointment and for every empty seat at worship less and less of God’s work gets accomplished and fewer people are served.
But, get this… God is patient… God waits… God knows the outcome before we act… “if my people will seek my face…” God says… the encounter Jesus desires of each of us… one by one… season after season…
Today is a good day to make that turn… to seek the face of God … a time to have an encounter with Jesus. What is it that you want? And what is it that you are willing to do? God has acted and has consumed the sin of the world… not by burnt offerings … but by the sacrifice of his Son…
Albert Einstein once said… “doing the same thing over and over expecting different results is the definition of insanity”… backed up by that great question from Dr. Phil… “how’s that workin’ for you?” Well? That just might be your burden for the day or maybe you will find some hope in the last verse of an old Stephen Stills song…
“And we all know that people ain’t made to live lonely
They need to be trusted and loved by one only
That one, special one who can just let it be
And remember that Jesus gave love away for free”
God is waiting. Jesus set the bar. Faith matters.
The Rev. Dr. Brian K. Gigee is a long-time resident of Pearland, having pastored four churches over the last four decades in Texas and Louisiana. Read more following Brian’s blog ‘murmurings’ at https://briangigee.wordpress.com/. Send comments and/or questions to godworks247365@gmail.com.
