~ "Food for thought..."

"Thou shalt not avenge, nor bear any grudge against the children of thy people, but thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself: I am the Lord." (Lev 19:18)

Leviticus is not one of my regular reads in the Bible.  It is, however, read and quoted by many, often inaccurately.  Interpreting God's Word requires one to read all of it, not just one chapters, and more specifically, not just one verse.

This particular verse reminds us early on that we are not to judge others, that we are to love one another as we love ourselves.  We are told about love 314 times, so it must be important.  God's Word defines for us the sins that are displeasing to him, and the course of action to be taken (which is to be repentant of our sins).  It is not our place to judge the sins or repentance of others.  We are responsible for sharing God's Word, not enforcing it.

Take a moment and ask yourself if you are truly sharing the love God asks us to share.  Am I a hypocrite or a Christian?  Do I accept that we all sin differently or do I consider my sins less offensive than the sins of others simply because I attend church or read my Bible?  Instead of pointing the finger or condemnation today, try to point the finger of love!

~ "Burdens..."

"Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." (Matt 11:28)

Most of us work (or have worked) for the majority of our lives.  After years and years, we become tired.  Then it's time for retirement.  We get an income from the government based on what we've worked.  It is not where near what we've earned throughout our lifetime, but it is designed to be supplemented by a pension or savings.  Many of us will not be able to fully retire simply because there is not enough money to sustain a decent way of life afterwards.  With the outrageous unemployment figures, many of us have depleted our savings in order to keep our heads above water and not fall into the "homeless" category.  

There is good news!  When it is time for us to leave this world for the next, we do so the same way we came here - naked and with nothing.  Yet, we will gain so much more than we ever dreamed possible here if we profess our faith in God and our acceptance of Jesus Christ as our Savior.

Jesus frees us from the burdens of sin, demands of religious leaders, oppression and persecution and weariness in the search for God.  The rest that Jesus promises us is love, healing and peace with God, not the end of labor.  A relationship with God changes our meaningless toil into spiritual productivity and purpose.  In other words, we have a goal to work toward.  

Let Jesus fill your heart and soul with his love and the burdens of this world will melt into the promises of the next!