Embrace

"The Lord will keep you from all harm-He will watch over your life; the Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore"- Psalms 121:7-8 (NIV).

There's the story of the young boy who told his mother he was old enough to walk to school without his mother. She agreed with him, kissed him goodbye at the door and waved as he turned the corner. The young boy walked to school doing things young boys do: kicking rocks, stopping to pet a neighbor's dog, eating his lunch snack along the way. He felt quite triumphant when he arrived at his school. Little did he know, you guessed it, his mother had been following him from a distance, ready to intervene if he needed her. Oh, the power of a parent's love for their child. We would die for them. How much more the love of God for His children? The Lord faithfully watches over us now and will throughout eternity. And He did die for us...but death could not hold Him. Even now He sits at the right hand of God, interceding for us until we come home. Can you imagine the hug that young boy got when he returned home? Children of God, there are mighty loving arms awaiting your return home. Embrace that thought. 

Pardon Me

"Moses said to the Lord, "Pardon your servant, Lord. I have never been eloquent, neither in the past nor since you have spoken to your servant. I am slow of speech and tongue"- Exodus 4:10 (NIV).

Who was the shepherd, Moses, that he would go before Pharaoh, who was seen as a god (3:11)? What if the oppressed Israelites refused to believe God had sent Moses and refused to follow him out of captivity (4:1)? If the downtrodden Israelites won't listen, why would Pharaoh, King of Egypt, listen to someone with a speech impediment (6:30)? Why would Moses, with all these doubts and evident poor qualifications, not feel like the wrong choice? So, Moses asked God to be pardoned. Gideon was hiding from the Midianites when an angel called him to be a mighty warrior (Judges 6:11-12). David, the youngest brother, was taking a lunch to his brothers on the battle line, when he was empowered to grab five stones and face a giant (1 Samuel 17). Esther was called to save her people, at risk of her own death, by approaching the king without being summoned (Esther 4:11). Whatever your excuse, however evident, you are not pardoned. Yours may be that weakness through which God displays His strength (1 Corinthians 12:9).   

Bullied

If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated Me first. If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you"- John 15:18-19 (NIV).

We should anticipate being "bullied" by the world if we are in Christ. The more we reflect the Lord Jesus, the more resistance we will encounter in this world. Count it a blessing, brothers and sisters, a symbol of truth, that the world sees Christ in you. It sounds absurd that we would feel joy, even relief, to know the world hates us. Jesus foretold that the world would hate us because of Him, but if we stand firm to the end we will be saved (Matthew 10:22). The temptation to follow the ways of this world, to feel accepted, will cause many to fall away and abandon their faith as time draws nearer to Jesus' return (1 Timothy 4:1). That's why the Apostle Paul encouraged us to be on our guard; stand firm in our faith; be courageous; be strong...to the end (1 Corinthians 16:13). You do not belong to this world, brothers and sisters, because Jesus chose you out of this world.

Fellow Ambassadors

"Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God's people and also members of His household"- Ephesians 2:19 (NIV).

Established in part by the Vienna conventions, diplomatic immunity gives immunity to foreign ambassadors to work in host countries, but they are expected to respect the laws of the host country. We are to be responsible members of our community. Christians have diplomatic immunity while here on earth. Our citizenship is not of this world; but, while we walk this earth, waiting on our going home, we are Christ's ambassadors. Our conduct is part of our witness, God's appeal through us, to lost souls of this host country, to be reconciled to Him, defect you might say, and become citizens of heaven (2 Corinthians 5:20). I urge you to walk worthy of your calling, fellow ambassadors (Ephesians 4:1). 

Oh Happy Day

"But you, brothers and sisters, are not in darkness so that this day should surprise you like a thief. You are all children of the light and children of the day. We do not belong to the night or to the darkness"- 1Thessalonians 5:4-5 (NIV).

All of us have been the unsuspecting victim of a mischievous individual hiding and then jumping out to scare us. The shock runs the full length of our body and nerves because we were unprepared for the sudden appearance. Paul was instructing the new Thessalonican Church to be ready for the unknown day that Jesus returns. How can you be ready? By watching! Paul encouraged then, as I encourage now, that believers build each other up to wear the full armor of God and walk worthy of their calling, so that we may live together with Him (vs. 6-11). Do not let the day when Jesus comes take you by surprise. Oh happy day!