WATCHWORD:
34 “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the creation of the world. 35 For I was hungry, and you fed me. I was thirsty, and you gave me a drink. I was a stranger, and you invited me into your home. 36 I was naked, and you gave me clothing. I was sick, and you cared for me. I was in prison, and you visited me.’ 37 “Then these righteous ones will reply, ‘Lord, when did we ever see you hungry and feed you? Or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38 Or a stranger and show you hospitality? Or naked and give you clothing? 39 When did we ever see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ 40 “And the King will say, ‘I tell you the truth, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me!’ Matthew 25:34-40
You know the generous grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. Though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that by his poverty he could make you rich. 2 Corinthians 8:9
Meditation:
Technology – Bah Humbug!
The moment someone asks me what my computer “operating system” is, my eyes cross and I get this uncomfortable feeling that, somehow, I am stupid beyond words. What the heck is an operating system, anyway? Why would I need to know that?
Well, this is ALL I know about operating systems, and it is probably wrong: Whatever it is, it dictates what my computer can do and provides a kind of guidance for my use of Word and other software features. (How off base am I?)
As I write this, a strange thought comes to mind: When Christ came into the world, did He introduce a new operating system? See, I said that was a strange thought.
Can we call religion an operating system? Doesn’t the secular view of religion operate on the principle of “If I obey, therefore I will be accepted by God? That may be the secular view, but that is not the basic principle of the operating system called the gospel of Jesus Christ. What Jesus has brought to us is — I am accepted by God through the work of Jesus Christ, and, therefore, I obey.
I often wonder how those following Judaism approach God. Was their operating system based on 613 laws, and you are accepted by God through obedience to each law? I don’t know how they do that, I know very little about Judaism, but I do wonder how complex that system must be.
In his book Prodigal God, Timothy Keller makes this statement: “We habitually and instinctively look to other things besides God and his grace as our justification, hope, significance, and security. We believe the gospel at one level, but at deeper levels we do not. Human approval, professional success, power and influence, family identity, all of these serve as our hearts “functional trust” rather than what Christ has done… as a result we continue to be driven to a great degree by fear, anger, and lack of self-control.”
Wow! All of those worldly influences tend to pull us away from the basics of God’s operating system — Jesus Christ. My analogy of technology may break down here, but it seems to me that the solution rests in understanding and taking the gospel more deeply into our hearts. This is where meditation on the Word, making it part of ourselves, becomes more and more of a guiding principle for us. The more completely we come to Jesus, the more completely His principles guide our lives. Amen.
Favorite Bible Verses:
Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Ephesians 3:20-21
Closing Prayer:
My Lord God,
I have no idea where I am going.
I do not see the road ahead of me.
I cannot know for certain where it will end.
nor do I really know myself,
and the fact that I think I am following your will
does not mean that I am actually doing so.
But I believe that the desire to please you
does in fact please you.
And I hope I have that desire in all that I am doing.
I hope that I will never do anything apart from that desire.
And I know that if I do this you will lead me by the right road,
though I may know nothing about it.
Therefore will I trust you always, though
I may seem to be lost and in the shadow of death.
I will not fear, for you are ever with me,
and you will never leave me to face my perils alone. Amen.
— “The Merton Prayer” from Thoughts in Solitude
