March 18th People Reflection

Saturday 3/18/2006

Matthew 18.1-17-I’m telling you, once and for all, that unless you return to square one and start over like children, you’re not even going to get a look at the kingdom, let alone get in.

Numbers 5-6-GOD bless you and keep you, GOD smile on you and gift you, GOD look you full in the face and make you prosper.

Ecclesiastes 5-we should make the most of what God gives, both the bounty and the capacity to enjoy it, accepting what’s given and delighting in the work.

1 Corinthians 1.18-25-I will confuse those who think they know so much.

Galatians 6.11-18-All that matters is that you are a new person.

Psalm 119.137-144-I am in distress, but I love your teachings.

"Have a good workout." A computer voice that greets me when I scan my membership tag. The greeting is nice but the voice is not human. It’s a computer after all. There is really no feeling or emotion involved. No interaction between people. No real love is there. Just a greeting. Sometimes my faith gets that way. And then I think of what Jesus tells me in scripture. Be like a child. Return and start over. Children have emotion. Children learn. Children laugh and live life in the present. Children are alive and active moment by moment and then collapse and rest. When I’m most like a child and when I’m with God as his child; I feel his face- I feel his gaze- I feel his gifts and blessings in my life. I feel most alive when I play with God in his kingdom. Not without emotion or feeling like that computer generated greeting. We should make the most of the here and now and enjoy the blessings God has given us. It’s when I think I know so much that I fall. It’s when I think I can take care of it all that I fall. Those are the times that God confuses me and I realize how much I need and depend on God. Because I can’t save myself. At those times I need to realize that only in Jesus can I become that "new person" that I need to be. In those times of distress I need to reach out to Jesus’ teachings. And that’s full of emotion and life- pain and joy- love and laughter---"Have a good workout."—Yea- in more ways than one- but I think I’ll live the here and now- full of emotion and life.

Prayer- Jesus- give me a good workout this day as I play with you in your Kingdom. -- Amen