I am going to visit my boss at home, to ask a favour. If I knock on the door of his house, and his mother answers, what should I do?
a) Brush past her and ignore her completely?
b) Say a curt greeting and then walk right on in?
c) Politely ask her to go see if he will come speak with me?
I imagine any sensible person picked c). Even if my boss is known to be a hard man, I might even score a couple points by being very kind and respectful to his mother. If I do this, does it mean that I am now working for my boss's mother? If she sends me on an errand for her and promises to butter up my boss for me, does THAT mean I am now working for my boss's mother, or that I am no longer working for my boss?
I am going to visit the king of the land, to plead my case. He is known for bestowing his abundant favour on his friends and for treating very harshly his enemies, and as of yet, I do not know for sure which way he will look at me; am I his friend or his foe? Crossing the courtyard, I see his mother in the way. How can I enhance my chance of being well received by the king?
a) Take my chances on my own, and rely on my own merit and charming personality?
b) Tell the king's mother that she has no authority and no power and that her son the king doesn't need her, so she should just buzz off?
c) Take this rare and fortunate opportunity to show her respect and reverence, and ask her to put in a good word with me for the king?
If I pick a) I am being prideful and should not be surprised if the king turns me away, or worse yet, chastises me for wasting his time.
If I pick b) I should rightly EXPECT chastisement from the king, who loves his mother dearly.
If I am smart, and pick c) does this mean that I am now pledging allegiance to the king's mother, and withdrawing it from the king? What if the king's mother asks me to do something in return for putting in a good word, does this mean that I have committed treason against the king?
I am seeking to win favour with God, the Creator of the world, who has condescended in His great mercy to be born of a virgin in time. I also know that I am infinitely less than He, being made of nothing, and that I have already offended Him more times than I can count. When I think on this my heart is broken within me, all my bones tremble, at the presence of the LORD, and at the presence of his holy words.
My courage falters even more as I remember the intended fate of the unfaithful people Israel that is related by Moses.
"The LORD said to me: I see that this people is stiffnecked: Let me alone that I may destroy them, and abolish their name from under heaven, and set thee over a nation, that is greater and stronger than this."
But Moses, who already had favour with God pleaded with Him.
"And when I came down from the burning mount, and held the two tables of the covenant with both hands, and saw that you had sinned against the LORD your God, and had made to yourselves a molten calf, and had quickly forsaken his way, which He had shewn you: I cast the tables out of my hands, and broke them in your sight. And I fell down before the LORD as before, forty days and nights neither eating bread, nor drinking water, for all your sins, which you had committed against the LORD, and had provoked Him to wrath: For I feared His indignation and anger, wherewith being moved against you, He would have destroyed you. And the LORD heard me this time also. And He was exceeding angry against Aaron also, and would have destroyed him, and I prayed in like manner for him."
An entire nation saved by the prayer of Moses! Oh if I could only ask Moses to pray for me! If only he were not dead!
At this thought, my conscience rebukes me sharply, bringing to mind the words of the Saviour, Christ Himself.
"And concerning the resurrection of the dead, have you not read that which was spoken by God, saying to you: I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob? He is not the God of the dead, but of the living."
Then... Moses lives! I may certainly ask for him to pray for me to the LORD our God! He interceded so willingly for an entire nation, which had offended God so grievously, and on account of his prayers they were spared from destruction!
By now my conscience tells me: "Fear not: your God, and the God of your father hath given you treasure."
What treasure is this? What treasure can give me, such a wretched sinner, greater courage to approach the LORD sitting on His throne, and all the army of heaven standing by Him, than to ask for the prayers of Moses?
"When Jesus therefore had seen his mother and the disciple standing whom he loved, he saith to his mother: Woman, behold thy son. After that, he saith to the disciple: Behold thy mother. And from that hour, the disciple took her to his own."
The Apostle St. John took Jesus' mother for his own! Of course! Who better to help us go to God, than she, by whom He chose to come to us! And should we not imitate St. John and take her for our own mother? The Apostle St. Paul says we should.
"That we might give ourselves a pattern unto you, to imitate us."
It is clear. The mother of the living God, the Blessed Virgin Mary was chosen out of all the creatures of God for the greatest honour of all, that of raising and caring for God Himself, made flesh. There is therefore, no creature who merits higher favour than Mary, who is indeed living in heaven, with her Divine Son.
Showing posts with label worship. Show all posts
Showing posts with label worship. Show all posts
Monday, November 22, 2010
God wants us to worship Him in spirit and in truth
God wants us to worship Him in spirit and in truth.Do you spend more time watching tv, than you do with God each day? If so, then you are not worshipping Him in spirit. God has to be first in your life every day, not just once a week, but EVERYDAY. Christ gave His life for you. Are you giving your life for Him? You should be, if you are worshipping Him in spirit.
Jesus made the comment about worshipping God in spirit and in truth when he talking to a Samaritan woman at the well of Jacob (Israel). At the end of his conversation with her he states:
" . . . Woman, believe me, the hour cometh, when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father. Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews. But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. God [is] a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship [him] in spirit and in truth." (John 4:21-24) Our family worship should bring the spirit of God into our midst.We must be careful because the enemy wants to hinder worship. He doesn’t want us to have the closeness with God that we need.
If God has revealed the truth to you about something in the Bible, but you choose to ignore it, because it does not fit in with what you like, and because it doesn't 'feel' nice, then you are rejecting the Holy Spirit's guidance.
The Holy Spirit alive in us, growing into a beautiful fruit tree. The fruit that the Holy Spirit produces is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Making use the fruits of the spirits one can worship god in spirit and truth.
Jesus made the comment about worshipping God in spirit and in truth when he talking to a Samaritan woman at the well of Jacob (Israel). At the end of his conversation with her he states:
" . . . Woman, believe me, the hour cometh, when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father. Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews. But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. God [is] a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship [him] in spirit and in truth." (John 4:21-24) Our family worship should bring the spirit of God into our midst.We must be careful because the enemy wants to hinder worship. He doesn’t want us to have the closeness with God that we need.
If God has revealed the truth to you about something in the Bible, but you choose to ignore it, because it does not fit in with what you like, and because it doesn't 'feel' nice, then you are rejecting the Holy Spirit's guidance.
The Holy Spirit alive in us, growing into a beautiful fruit tree. The fruit that the Holy Spirit produces is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Making use the fruits of the spirits one can worship god in spirit and truth.
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