Journey to the Cross 2017, Day 10

Saturday, Day 10:  Matthew 10                     

The End. Over. Finished. Completed. Done. But that’s not always true. The end heralds new beginnings. Just as we end one month, the next day we begin another. We get fresh starts – every year, every month, every week, every morning . . . . We can’t undo the past, but we can learn from it - and God can redeem it and use it for good. I was reminded of that one morning as several of us sat chatting – and suddenly the inconsequential segued into the very important.

I love that touch of God when He whispers through our lives and touches chords that can be shared for His glory. The topic of suicide arose – and in a moment of tender trusting transparency a couple of us shared how it has affected our lives. It was a God-moment. I had a distinct sense of knowing why I was there in that moment at that time, and I love that God takes the painful places in our history and uses them for His glory – redeeming them, and making them Kingdom-useful.

Matthew 10 is my chapter for today. In the listing of the 12 disciples, I noted that the punctuation groups the names by twos. I knew they were sent out by twos, but had never paid attention to the punctuation before . . . . Go. Freely give. Be on your guard. Proclaim.

I also note they were sent very specifically to the Lost Sheep of Israel.  They are God’s chosen people, and were the first to have the opportunity to hear – but the message inherent in this chapter is that many will not.  Jesus warns his disciples that persecution will come, but not to fear.

“Do not be afraid of those who can kill the body, but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell.”

Sometimes I am guilty of thinking of God in too warm and fuzzy of terms . . . rather like a small toddler whose father is the King – a child who freely crawls into the throne room and up into his daddy’s lap with no fear of reprisal, just the expectation of warm, loving arms to lift him up and hold him….   It is an image I love.

Yes, one day He will separate the sheep from the goats, the wheat from the weeds . . . . He is a God of Judgment as well as a God of Mercy.  Certainly, I want to hold Him in the proper highly esteemed place He deserves – but I also love knowing Him as El Roi, the God who sees me – and loves me in spite of myself . . . .

Jesus’ final words in this chapter are piercing:  “So everyone who acknowledges me before men, I will also acknowledge before my Father who is in heaven, but whoever denies me before men, I will also deny before my Father who is in heaven.”

Humor for today:
At Sunday School they were teaching how God created the whole world –  including human beings. Little Johnny was especially interested in the part of the story that told how Eve was created from one of Adam’s ribs.

Later in the week when Johnny’s mother noticed him lying down on the couch, seemingly in pain, she asked him what the matter was. Johnny responded, “I have a pain in my side. I think I’m going to have a wife.”