Getting In Trouble

Tuesday January 13, 2015

One day during class, Adrianna Harris noticed something disturbing - one of her young classmates cutting himself with a small razor. As she perceived it to be a grave situation, she did what she thought was the right thing to do - stepped in, took the razor from him and threw it away. But instead of receiving praise, her compassionate act earned her a 10 day suspension. Asked if she would do it again, Adrianna replied : "Even if I got in trouble, it didn´t matter because I was helping him... I would do it again even if I got suspended."

Just as Adrianna´s act of compassion sparked controversy in her school, Jesus' compassionate act sparked a religious feud with the Pharisees.

Always jabbing at Jesus and looking for an opening for a knockout punch, the Pharisees used a man with a deformed hand as a way to bait the Saviour into breaking their law (Matthew 12:10). Jesus told them that if Jews were allowed to care for animals in dire situations on the Sabbath, how much more should they set aside rules and codes to care for people (vv. 11-12).

Jesus is Lord of the Sabbath, so He could regulate what is and isn´t permitted on that day (vv.6, 8). Knowing that it would land Him in hot water with the religious leaders (and it did), Jesus restored the man´s hand to wholeness (vv. 13-14).

Even if we get in trouble, sometimes we´re compelled to go against traditions and preferences to help people in need. When we help them, we imitate God (Ephesians 5:1), reveal the genuineness of our faith (James 2:14-17) and share our brothers' and sisters' burdens (Galatians 6:1). - Marvin Williams

Read
Matthew 12:9-14
Going on from that place, he went into their synagogue, and a man with a shriveled hand was there. Looking for a reason to accuse Jesus, they asked him, "Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?"
He said to them, "If any of you has a sheep and it falls into a pit on the Sabbath, will you not take hold of it and lift it out? How much more valuable is a man than a sheep! Therefore it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath."
Then he said to the man, "Stretch out your hand." So he stretched it out and it was completely restored, just as sound as the other. But the Pharisees went out and plotted how they might kill Jesus

Esther 4:8-16
He also gave him a copy of the text of the edict for their annihilation, which had been published in Susa, to show to Esther and explain it to her, and he told him to urge her to go into the king´s presence to beg for mercy and plead with him for her people.
Hathach went back and reported to Ester what Mordecai had said. Then she instructed him to say to Mordecai, "All the king's officials and the people of the royal provinces know that for any man or woman who approaches the king in the inner court without being summoned the king has but one law : that he be put to death. The only exception to this is for the king to extend the gold scepter to him and spare his life. But thirty days have passed since I was called to go to the king."
When Esther´s words were reported to Mordecai, he sent back this answer : "Do not think that because you are in the king´s house you alone of all the Jews will escape. For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father´s family will perish. And who knows but that you have come to royal position for such a time as this?"
Then Esther sent this reply to Mordecai : "Go, gather together all the Jews who are in Susa, and fast for me. Do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. I and my maids will fast as you do. When this is done, I will go to the king, even though it is against the law. And if I perish, I perish."

Question to Ponder
When was the last time you asked and acted on the question : Is there anyone who I can show kindness to today?
Even if you get in trouble, what rules and rituals do you need to ignore in order to help someone in need?

**Article taken from ODJ (Our Daily Journey with God) Dec 2014 - Feb 2015

Sift Your Dreams

Monday January 12, 2015

The memory vivid. My wife Merryn and I sat in emotional pain, talking.

"If this is really our last chance to have a baby and it doesn´t happen," Merryn said, "I need something else." We´d spent the past decade trying everything to start a family -IVF treatment, healing prayer, adoption - all without success. We now awaited the result of one final IVF round. "If it doesn´t happen," she said, her face downcast, "I have to have something else to look forward to."

Ironically, the previous 10 years had been fulfilling for my career. I had started a national radio show, written some books and spoken at conferences. I´d been living my dreams.

"If this IVF doesn´t work, I´d like to start again," Merryn said. "Overseas." Overseas? I thought to myself. And leave all I´ve accomplishe here behind? Merryn needed a new dream, but fulfilling it required relinquishing my own.

Dreams are important. But as much as our lives should be sifted of drunkenness, immorality, quarrels and jealousy (Romans 13:13), so our dreams must be sifted too - sifted by love. As Paul says, our ultimate obligation is to love each other (v.8). When sifted by love, some of our dreams can help others fulfill their dreams. We´re to be like Jesus (v.14), who relinquished His own dreams for us (Philippians 2:3-11). Would I do that for Merryn? I didn´t like the cost.

Well, we ultimately left Australia and moved to England where Merryn got a dream job at Oxford University. And I got an unexpected contract to write a book to help others through their own pain.

Jesus may call us to sift our dreams for others. But He often gives us some new dreams in return. - Sheridan Voysey.

Read

Romas 13:8-14

Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for he who loves his fellowman has fulfilled the law. The commandments, "Do not commit adultery", "Do not murder", "Do not steal", "Do not covet", and whatever other commandment there may be, are summed up in this one rule : "Love your neighbour as yourself." Love does no harm to its neighbour. Therefore love is the fulfilment of the law.

And do this, understanding the present time. The hour has come for you to wake up from your slumber, because our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. The night is nearly over; the day is almost here. So let us put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light. Let us behave decently, as in the daytime, not in orgies and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and debauchery, not in dissension and jealousy. Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the sinful nature.

Philippians 2:3-11

Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.

Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus :

Who, being in very nature God,

did not consider equality with God 

something to be grasped,

but made himself nothing,

takin the very nature of a servant,

being made in human likeness.

And being found in appearance as a man,

he humbled himself

and became obedient to death -

even death on a cross!

Therefore God exalted him to the highest place

and gave him the name that is above every name,

that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,

in heaven and on earth and under the earth,

and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord,

to the glory of God the Father.

Question to Ponder

If your biggest dream became a reality, who else would benefit?

How willing are you to relinquish a dream for another person?

**Article taken from ODJ (Our Daily Journey with God) Dec 2014 - Feb 2015 issue