Working With God

Jim:

Nahum 1:1-13
Verse 9 asks, “Why do you plot against the Lord? He will make an end; no adversary will rise up twice.” This reminds me of the saying, “Fool me once, shame on you; fool me twice, shame on me.” But the truth is that the sovereign God puts an end to human sin and evil, puts an end to oppression, puts an end to corruption, on God’s terms and in God’s time. Nahum can confidently say words to the effect of, “Don’t bother ignoring the will of God. You may think you are getting away with something, but you’re not.”

1 Peter 1:13-25
In years past I underlined verse 13 in my Bible: “Therefore prepare your minds for action; discipline yourselves; set all your hope on the grace that Jesus Christ will bring you when he is revealed.” Hoping in God through Jesus Christ is a gift given by God. But once we have that gift, once we have the faith to believe and live according to God’s will, we are called to do so. And that requires discipline and hard work. It requires study. It requires participation in the community of faith.

Matthew 19:13-22
Verses 13 through 15 offer Matthew’s take on a familiar story. “Then little children were being brought to him in order that he might lay his hands on them and pray. The disciples spoke sternly to those who brought them; but Jesus said, ‘Let the little children come to me, and do not stop them; for it is to such as these that the kingdom of heaven belongs.’ And he laid his hands on them and went on his way.” I find the last few words to be the most interesting. After blessing the children Jesus moved on, continued in his ministry in other places. Jesus could have been very comfortable blessing children and healing the sick for the rest of his natural life. But it was essential that he keep moving, even though (or especially because) he was moving on toward Jerusalem and the crucifixion. Jesus had great affection for the least members of society, and he knew that the best thing he could do for them, for the women, children, lepers, and so forth, was to obey the will of God.