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The intent of Pilgrim Processing is to provide commentary on the Daily Lectionary from the 1979 Book of Common Prayer. The format for the comment is Old Testament Lesson first, Gospel, and Epistle with a portion of one of the Psalms for the day as a prayer at the end.

Tuesday, December 7, 2010

7 December 2010

Psalm 26, 28; Isa. 5:13-17, 24-25; 1 Thess. 5:12-28; Luke 21:29-38

The anger of God is directed against the honored men and nobility of the city but not exclusively. Those who follow after them are equally guilty. It sounds as though not much in human nature has changed in history. There are always those who esteem themselves highly and right there with them are those who are willing to esteem and exalt them. In our world today we see men in politics and business who are courted and touted because they excel in their fields and there are those who hang on their every word. There are also preachers who have such fame and are greatly esteemed by the people, whether they preach the word of God or not. Our role is to glorify and enjoy God, not ourselves or other men. It is the height of folly to follow men and it is arrogance to tell others to follow us, we are to attach them firmly to Jesus not to ourselves. Whose kingdom are we building?

Tom Petty wrote a song called the waiting and the chorus begins with the phrase, “The waiting is the hardest part.” That is true in the Christian life as well and Jesus knows it, here encouraging them to be diligent in their waiting. We tend to make waiting a passive exercise but what Jesus tells us that it is actually an active command, we are to watch ourselves that we not become “weighed down with dissipation and drunkenness and cares of this life.” Christian waiting is a time of preparation for the coming of the king and He has told us how to live in that time. There is much work to be done in the meantime before His coming again. Are we busy in waiting or are we simply waiting?

We have duties to one another, beginning with respecting and esteeming those who are “over us” who admonish us in the Lord. There is to be authority in the church and there is to be accountability and we are to appreciate that authority. I am thankful that in my ministry I have had Godly men over me who were able to admonish me when necessary in ways that I respected them more for their concern for me and my parish. We are to also admonish one another when necessary in order that we do wait actively and well. This life matters to the Lord as it is a testimony to Him to those who do not yet believe and even to those who will never believe.

Blessed be the LORD!
For he has heard the voice of my pleas for mercy.
The LORD is my strength and my shield;
in him my heart trusts, and I am helped;
my heart exults,
and with my song I give thanks to him.

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