Isaiah sees current destruction and judgment but says it
isn't over yet. He, unlike Jeremiah, is
not weeping and wailing over the situation, he sees it as justice, God's
punishment on those who rejected His Law.
As the people of God we enjoy the covenant promises but we have a
greater responsibility for what we have received than those outside that
covenant community. Judgment is harsher
on those who are His people than on those who have not received the revelation of
truth, good, and His presence. In our
family I am certainly less tolerant of the things my kids do wrong than those
who do not know the truth. My expectations
of my children are higher than my expectations of those who do not know the
Lord. Are my expectations of myself high
enough?
Heaven and earth will pass away but my words will not pass
away. Jesus certainly had a high opinion
of His words but He was speaking the eternal words of the Father, so it wasn't
arrogance but humility and truth that caused Him to speak thus. He warns the people not to be caught unaware,
that there is coming a day of judgment that is real. His caution is not to be weighed down with
the cares of the world but rather to keep our eyes on the prize, the kingdom of
God and be careful to walk in light of the truth we know. We have all the wisdom and information we
need in order to safely navigate this life in order to enter eternal life, it
is now a matter of walking in that wisdom.
Easier said than done isn't it? We
have to be intentional about our walk, disciplined and alert at all times.
Paul is quite specific about the things that characterize kingdom
living and preparation for the coming again of Jesus. Here is the basic list he provides the
Thessalonians. Listen to and obey those
who are in spiritual authority, esteem them highly for their work. Be at peace with one another but tell the
truth to one another. Don't allow people
to be lazy either spiritually or physically.
Encourage those whose faith is weak, help those who need help, be
patient with everyone. Don't repay evil,
always do good. Rejoice always, worship
every chance you get, pray all the time, let your life be characterized by
being thankful for all things and in all things. Abstain from all evil, not just the things
other people see. Again, it seems easy
but it requires us to live by the Spirit, not by our flesh, we need
transformation and we need to recognize our reliance on Him always if we are to
live right. Prayer is not an option.
No comments:
Post a Comment