Sunday, July 8, 2018

8 July 2018 - results may vary



And whether they heed or resist—for they are a rebellious house—
they shall know that a prophet has been among them.

As Mother Teresa knew, we are not called to be successful. We are called to be faithful. We are not responsible for the decision other people make about Jesus. But we are responsible to be sure that they know enough to decide.

If I say to the wicked, ‘You shall surely die,’ and you give him no warning, nor speak to warn the wicked from his wicked way, in order to save his life, that wicked person shall die for his iniquity, but his blood I will require at your hand (see Ezekiel 3:18).

We must say "Thus says the LORD GOD!" regardless of how likely we think it is that others will listen to us. On the other hand we don't just speak words which we know will only alienate others from us or make them feel condemned and hopeless. The words we are called to speak are always at least implicitly an invitation to come to the LORD for healing. Indeed we are not called to speak just any words about the LORD. We are called to speak the words which he himself gives us to speak.

for I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which none of your adversaries will be able to withstand or contradict (see Luke 21:15).

Even still, in the mystery of free will we will not always see success.

So he was not able to perform any mighty deed there,
apart from curing a few sick people by laying his hands on them.

Jesus himself goes even to places that reject him. Whether or not they reject him he loves them. He offers himself to them. We must do the same. We must not limit our love based on the expectation of the reward. We are called to love even our enemies, even those who obstinately choose to remain so in spite of the best efforts on our part.

It is difficult to love when don't see that love reciprocated. Maybe we're planting a seed that will grow later. But even if not, the necessity of loving remains. That love is inherently worthwhile, important, and valuable, even if the reason is hard to see in the moment. We need to rely on the LORD's grace for the strength to move beyond the need to see the fruit of our work.

Three times I begged the Lord about this, that it might leave me,
but he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you,
for power is made perfect in weakness.” 

Let us fix our eyes on the LORD and plead for his mercy. We do experience the contempt of the proud and the mockery of the arrogant when we stand up for Jesus. We need the LORD's mercy to keep our hearts open and flowing with his love.


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