Rich Opportunities At Hand

Would you look at these guys! (Matthew 16:5-23) The disciples are sitting in another boat all frustrated (probably blaming somebody) because they forgot to bring the bread. And their worry about their stomachs causes them to misunderstand Jesus' important reminder to watch out for the hypocritical teaching of the religious leaders.

So, as the bread discussion continues, Jesus sounds amazed at their little faith. What's with worrying about enough bread when He had just fed five thousand plus with five loaves and four thousand plus with seven loaves. "And how many basketfuls did you gather?" He asks about the leftovers.

I'm wondering what truth or opportunity do we miss when we get to worrying about having enough - be it food, money, ability etc. Has not God provided over and over again in wonderful ways? Let's give all these cares to Him (I Peter 5:7) and focus on the rich opportunities at hand. 

The God Who Satisfies

I just love how Jesus' compassion just spills over in our readings (Matthew 15:1-16:4). You would think it would be enough that He heals and frees tons of people that are brought to Him. But at the end of chapter fifteen, He realizes that these people have been with Him three days and have no food. What He says is so significant: "I do not want to send them away hungry..."

Of course, in this instance He is talking about physical hunger. He does not want them to faint on the way home. So He takes the disciples offering of seven loaves and a few small fish (not even big ones) and does the impossible. Four thousand men plus unnumbered women and children are fed - with seven large baskets left over. 

What I love is that it says: "They all ate and were satisfied."  

That is my God!  He does not send those who come to Him away hungry. He has compassion on all. As we turn or return to Him, He runs to meet us (Luke 15:20-22) and welcome us and begins to satisfy our needs. 

Readings for this week:

M-T  Matthew 15:1-16:4

W     Matthew 16:5-23

Th    Matthew 16:24-17:13

F      Matthew 17:14-18:6

Look and Listen

Ever been in such an emotional storm that you think you are not going to make it; then it gets worse! The disciples seem to be in that kind of place in today's reading (Matthew 14:13-33).

And it was Jesus who started it all: "Immediately Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to the other side."  They get a long way from shore and are finding themselves more and more battered and hindered by the contrary winds. It gets very very late and all of a sudden they see something walking toward them on the the water. "'It's a ghost,'" they said, and cried out in fear."

But then the One on the water spoke words that were probably burned into their hearts and need to be in ours. "Take courage! It is I. Don't be afraid." The disciples find out at the end of this adventure that this One can make the furious unrelenting wind stop. At that point they cannot help but worship and exclaim, "You are really the Son of God." (New Living Version)

I come away from this account with two words - Look and Listen. I want to remember in the middle of any storm or fearful apparition to look to Jesus and listen for those words, "Take courage! It is I. Don't be afraid." As I keep my eyes on Him, the wind will finally stop. Then nothing will be left but to worship.

Family Matters

Great 4th to you all,

Hooray, it's a holiday when we have an excuse to get together and eat and talk and maybe watch fireworks. And if some in the family can not make it, I bet they do remember times in the past when they were there.

Jesus also comes back to His old neighborhood in our reading today (Matthew 13:51-14:12). But He certainly does not end up getting a very warm welcome. His old neighbors and friends are too blinded and deafened by pride to accept new truth from the hometown guy. After all, this is just the carpenter's son, and the rest of the family is nothing special. "And they were deeply offended and refused to believe in him." And the bottom line is that Jesus could not help these neighbors in His usual wonder-full way.  

I'm wondering today as we gather if there might be one among us whom God is wanting to raise up as a leader in new ways of loving and serving. It may even be the former "black sheep" or troublemaker. God can do the impossible in people. If we can refrain from old habits of judging, comparing, and put down talk, we might just see or hear God doing a new thing in those we love.

Lord, open our eyes and our ears today to Your work of making us new in Christ, especially in our families that matter so much to You. Begin that work with me.

Love,

Ouida

Comments appreciated in goodnews2women.blogspot.com

The Real Treasure

I'm wondering about all the stories describing the kingdom of heaven. It must be pretty important for us to understand. In fact before the second one in today's reading (Matthew 13:34-50), Jesus says, "Are you listening to this? Really listening?" (The Message)

Then out rolls one of the best. It is the story of the man stumbling in a field upon a treasure that is worth more than he could ever dream of.  Can't you just see him hiding the treasure, glancing around, and then running crazy with joy to sell everything possible to get that field and fortune for himself.  I mean this treasure is worth more that anything he has and everything he has all combined. 

That's our story. We have found the unimaginable treasure of life with Jesus as our King, Savior, Provider, Defender, Redeemer and Friend. This fortune is worth more that anything we have and everything we have all combined. With Christ as our King we have the real treasure, and crazy joy gratefulness must be our response. 

The One Who Never Sleeps

I think we all should have been farmers. Truth seems to grow so much easier in that context (Matthew 13:18-33). The farmer in Matthew 13 has a big problem. He's worked hard and and planted good seed and is looking forward to a rich harvest. Now his help tells him that there are weeds growing all in the field. In fact the Amplified Version calls this weed, darnel (a weed resembling wheat). In other words it looks so much like the real stuff that you don't know its worthless and crowding and sucking life out of the good until you see the fruit.

This sure sounds like some stuff in my life. So what happened? The story says that while everyone was asleep an enemy came in and sowed the weed seed that is now growing. Mmmm..... That makes me think that someone needs to stay on guard, and the only one I know that never sleeps is God. (Psalm 121:3-4)

Lord, I place my hope in You to be my guard and keep the enemy from sowing darnel (lies and deception) in my heart and mind. Thank You for all the ways that You have done this that I don't even know about. Thank You for reminding me to keep letting You be my guard and guide in "paths of righteousness". May You Who Never Sleeps be honored as You gather a rich harvest.

Why the Stories?

Great start of a brand new week and month to you,

Don't we love stories!  Children love stories. We get to participate in stories - often in our imagination or at least in our feelings. Our loving Creator knows this and so used stories or parables to teach life changing truth (Matthew 12:46-13:17).

It puzzled the disciples who seemed to like hearing straight out truth. But Jesus' reply lets us know that not all people have the same receptivity to His truth: "Whoever has ears, let them hear." And those who are receptive will receive more and more of the Good News. Jesus used stories to help people be more ready to really hear His life giving words. 

And the part that is thrilling is in the last two verses: "But blessed are your eyes because they see, and your ears because they hear. For truly I tell you, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it."

Folks, that's us!  We have an abundance of Jesus' stories, accounts, straight out truth, testimony of friends and on and on. We can read, memorize, and think about in spare moments Good News that godly people in the past would have given their eye teeth to know about. Let's do it today!

Love, 

Ouida

Comments appreciated on goodnews2women.blogspot.com

Readings for this week:

M - Matthew 12:46-13:17

T - Matthew 13:18-33

W - Matthew 13:34-50

Th - Matthew 13:51-14:12

F -  Matthew 14:13-33