I love America and the freedom we have here.
Today at lunch as my friend prayed over our food I was thinking about how rare it is to see people praying in places for their food, or whatever they are praying for.
I began to think of the places where it is illegal to pray, worship, read your Bible or even talk about God in public, and how blessed I am to live in a country where I don't even have to think twice about doing any of that!
Then I got to thinking how many times I don't do something as simple as bless my food, an easy chance to talk with my savior, and I simply just don't do it! That freedom is a privilege, and I take it for granted day after day. And when I do pray at meals, it's just at dinner or whenever someone else takes the initiative.
I can't believe I don't take the opportunity more often!
and yeah i really don't feel like writing. i hate writing. goodbye.
Tuesday, January 14, 2014
Thursday, January 9, 2014
The Good Samaritan
Luke 10: 25-37 - Jesus Tells the Parable of the Good Samaritan
I love this story, and it seems like every time I read it I learn something new. Tonight, my heart was hurting so deeply for someone I care about more than myself. I was sitting in bed, crying, and by the grace of God I thought to myself, "turn to scripture". Usually, I just cry myself to sleep, curse life for sucking so bad, and eventually shrug it off. But lately, I have been trying to make an effort to talk to God more, and talk about God more. And I've been asking him to give me the desire to serve him, because let's be honest, sitting down and reading a book (yes, even the Bible unfortunately) just doesn't sound as appealing as sleeping in, or sitting on the couch watching my show, being lazy. And praying usually turns into a "try not to fall asleep" time. It's sad, but it's true. That's how I have been, or had been. I have really been working on it, and I have seen changes. Like tonight, when I got the idea to read my Bible when I was sad, instead of trying to deal with it myself. Or when I see someone hurt, or trying to achieve something, and instead of saying to myself, "I hope they are okay" or, "I hope they reach their goal" I will pray to God, the author of life, the one who can actually do something about the situation. It's all by the grace of God. My dumb little selfish brain couldn't have thought of that on my own, it's all God.
So tonight I read Luke 10, and it of course it was great. I've been attempting to really read and study the verses and chapters that I read, instead of just breezing through. I've been trying to apply the passages to my life, because if I just read it and leave it at that, what was the point?
What I learned tonight from the passage above is that while the man, a Jew, was laying naked and half dead on the side of a road, two people passed him, saw him, and not only did nothing, but took the effort to get as far away as possible. The two people were a Levite and a priest, both people involved with religion (you know, that label people claim that makes them "good"). Then a Samaritan comes along, an enemy of the Jewish people, and sees the man on the road and decides to help. Not only did he get him to safety, he went above and beyond to make sure this man was treated right. He dressed his wounds, walked to the inn while the man rode his donkey, paid for a few nights stay for the man, and promised to pay for whatever other expenses the man makes.
To see the priest and Levite walk by one of their own, and ignore a man in need, is sad. To see the Samaritan, who is supposedly an enemy, look at him and realize the man is no worse than he is, that he is just another human being who is in need of help, to put all the differences behind and find the similarities, is amazing.
It makes me think of how often I have had a "holier than thou" attitude towards others, so much that it blinded me from doing the simplest of things, and helping someone in need. God created us all in his image, we are all equally sinful, dirty…human. I should be viewing everyone with love. How many people have I thought were not as good as me, wether I thought they were dirty (literally), or more sinful, or not as smart, etc. and completely turned away, refused to love them unconditionally as God has loved me.
I need to apply this to my life, to put away the so called differences that don't even matter, and realize the similarities between myself and my peers, and reach out to them. Help them. Love them. Whether it's the homeless man asking for some change, or a coworker complaining about the job, or a sibling who I am fighting with, just anyone, whoever.
Everyone is my neighbor. No matter what color, belief, race, education, paycheck, etc. God calls me to love my neighbor, Jesus defined my neighbor. Now it's my time to be obedient.
I love this story, and it seems like every time I read it I learn something new. Tonight, my heart was hurting so deeply for someone I care about more than myself. I was sitting in bed, crying, and by the grace of God I thought to myself, "turn to scripture". Usually, I just cry myself to sleep, curse life for sucking so bad, and eventually shrug it off. But lately, I have been trying to make an effort to talk to God more, and talk about God more. And I've been asking him to give me the desire to serve him, because let's be honest, sitting down and reading a book (yes, even the Bible unfortunately) just doesn't sound as appealing as sleeping in, or sitting on the couch watching my show, being lazy. And praying usually turns into a "try not to fall asleep" time. It's sad, but it's true. That's how I have been, or had been. I have really been working on it, and I have seen changes. Like tonight, when I got the idea to read my Bible when I was sad, instead of trying to deal with it myself. Or when I see someone hurt, or trying to achieve something, and instead of saying to myself, "I hope they are okay" or, "I hope they reach their goal" I will pray to God, the author of life, the one who can actually do something about the situation. It's all by the grace of God. My dumb little selfish brain couldn't have thought of that on my own, it's all God.
So tonight I read Luke 10, and it of course it was great. I've been attempting to really read and study the verses and chapters that I read, instead of just breezing through. I've been trying to apply the passages to my life, because if I just read it and leave it at that, what was the point?
What I learned tonight from the passage above is that while the man, a Jew, was laying naked and half dead on the side of a road, two people passed him, saw him, and not only did nothing, but took the effort to get as far away as possible. The two people were a Levite and a priest, both people involved with religion (you know, that label people claim that makes them "good"). Then a Samaritan comes along, an enemy of the Jewish people, and sees the man on the road and decides to help. Not only did he get him to safety, he went above and beyond to make sure this man was treated right. He dressed his wounds, walked to the inn while the man rode his donkey, paid for a few nights stay for the man, and promised to pay for whatever other expenses the man makes.
To see the priest and Levite walk by one of their own, and ignore a man in need, is sad. To see the Samaritan, who is supposedly an enemy, look at him and realize the man is no worse than he is, that he is just another human being who is in need of help, to put all the differences behind and find the similarities, is amazing.
It makes me think of how often I have had a "holier than thou" attitude towards others, so much that it blinded me from doing the simplest of things, and helping someone in need. God created us all in his image, we are all equally sinful, dirty…human. I should be viewing everyone with love. How many people have I thought were not as good as me, wether I thought they were dirty (literally), or more sinful, or not as smart, etc. and completely turned away, refused to love them unconditionally as God has loved me.
I need to apply this to my life, to put away the so called differences that don't even matter, and realize the similarities between myself and my peers, and reach out to them. Help them. Love them. Whether it's the homeless man asking for some change, or a coworker complaining about the job, or a sibling who I am fighting with, just anyone, whoever.
Everyone is my neighbor. No matter what color, belief, race, education, paycheck, etc. God calls me to love my neighbor, Jesus defined my neighbor. Now it's my time to be obedient.
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