Faith. Power. Light and dark. Hypocrisy. Promises. Relationship status. Service. God the creeper. God the Lion, Lamb, and Root of David. Lots to think about.
The part I like to think about is how blessed the disciples were just to be in Jesus' presence. Sometimes I think I wouldn't like it, because it would be too weird to see God in a weak human form. And to try and worship him? It'd be weird. But other times, like now, I think about how the disciples heard so much wisdom and insight and revolutionary ideas from this man. But they also got to know Him. What he looked like. The way he talked. What his voice sounded like. The way he moved his hands when he really got into whatever he was talking about. The way he broke bread. The smile he made when he saw kids running around. The smile he made when he healed someone. The smile he made when his disciples got it. His laugh when someone just said something really funny. How he ate. His small talk. His face when he was moved with compassion. His face when he was moved with anger at the Pharisees or the sellers in the temple. It'd be so cool to just be able to see it all.
Best part is, I will! I just have to wait in the meantime.
Love you!
Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God. Psalm 42:11
Matthew 17
Jesus' transformation--like his baptism, I have to remember that this was not the day and age of CGI and awesome movies. Even if it was, it would still be ridiculous to be there when it happened.
Faith. It's powerful. And yet it's hard to gain much faith, because we are such a generation of reason and straightforward answers. Faith is messed up. Convoluted. No easy answer.
Thought that just struck me: Judas Iscariot wasn't always a bad guy. In fact, he was a good guy right up until he decided to betray Jesus. He probably drove out some demons, healed people, preached... after all, he went out with the other disciples in Mt 10. Weird. I'm so used to thinking of him as the bad guy.
Interesting random story on taxes. Don't offend them, go fishing, there's your money. This story shows that Christians are to pay taxes (as much as some of us would like to complain about it. I'd have so much more money if my paycheck didn't keep having tax taken from it...), and it shows God's hand in controlling circumstances. God made someone lose a 4-drachma coin in water, made a fish pick it up then go up and get caught by Peter. God's still doing that today. He makes sure the floor tips me a least once a week. It's usually just a penny or even a dime, so it won't pay for my taxes, but whatever.
Chapter 18 I wonder if that child remembered Jesus picking him up that one day and telling people how to enter the kingdom of heaven. If they were like, 3, probably not. But if they were like, 6 or 7, maybe. Wouldn't that be exciting...
Everybody knows verse 20, but what about verse 19? "Again, I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything you ask for, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven." There's a promise.
Hypocrisy. It's despicable. And yet it's hard to be able to judge those who do it, because you know that it's so easy to do yourself. Obviously it's something you try not to do, but it can be an easy trap.
Chapter 19 Marriage. Divorce. Staying single. Apparently, if you can, you should be single. I can. Now. God might bring a man into my life that I'll marry. But I don't know who, when, or even if. And I am okay with that now.
I'd like to say, "If Jesus told me to sell all I have and follow him, I would do it in a heartbeat." But would I? I wouldn't know until it happened.
Interesting. I don't know if it happens elsewhere, but when the disciples are like, "if rich people can't get into heaven, who then can be saved?" Jesus "looked at them and said" instead of just "said". I don't know if it's significant, but it must have been some look.
Chapter 20 Verses 1-16 are pretty interesting. One of my favorite obscure parables, I think. I'm not quite sure why.
Because my gift is service, I like verses 26-28. They make me happy.
Proverbs 5 Among all the "listen to wisdom and correction and don't be taken in by adultery" verses, there's this verse that I like. Verse 21: For a man's ways are in full view of the LORD, and he examines all his paths. Reminds me of Psalm 139.
Revelation 5 The lamb that looked like it had been slain. I love that lamb. He's also a lion. In the same chapter, he's a lion and a lamb, and the root of David...