Are You Waiting For God To Take Responsibility?
Good Morning Friends,
Patience is a virtue but often it is God’s patience waiting for our action of faith that is the tipping point of grace. In today’s scripture, we have a message for those who think they are living by faith but not getting the results, they had hoped for. No disrespect here but, Are You Waiting For God To Take Responsibility?
Scripture: Remind them to be subject to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for every good work, to speak evil of no one, to avoid quarreling, to be gentle, and to show every courtesy to everyone. For we ourselves were once foolish, disobedient, led astray, slaves to various passions and pleasures, passing our days in malice and envy, despicable, hating one another. But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of any works of righteousness that we had done, but according to his mercy, through the water of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit. This Spirit he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.
Titus 3:1-7 (NRSV)
On the way to Jerusalem Jesus was going through the region between Samaria and Galilee. As he entered a village, ten lepers approached him. Keeping their distance, they called out, saying, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!” When he saw them, he said to them, “Go and show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went, they were made clean. Then one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, praising God with a loud voice. He prostrated himself at Jesus’ feet and thanked him. And he was a Samaritan. Then Jesus asked, “Were not ten made clean? But the other nine, where are they? Was none of them found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?” Then he said to him, “Get up and go on your way; your faith has made you well.”
Message: Many of us say we are living by faith but really do not understand that faith is more than simply believing God will take care of things while we wait. Sure, God is in control and certainly excessive worry is inappropriate, but scripture is not always clear for me when it comes to faith and appropriate actions. Reason alone does not get us to an answer. Scripture can be applied in error. That is why a leader is important in deciding an issue. For, at our core, I do not know anyone who really likes waiting. It can be a test of our faith and even make us less thankful. Sometimes there are good reasons to wait. So, what are we to do when we are waiting? How are we to cure ingratitude that might develop in the wait? Perhaps the first thing to do is to realize that while we are waiting, it really takes a lot of effort to believe that God hears our prayers for healing and belonging. We need to be connected to a power that keeps our physical and spiritual hearts beating. Like the Israelites in the desert we need the Spirit guiding us. Of course, sometimes waiting is a process that is dictated by law and scripture and at other times it is awaiting something very new. The thing is that we are to have a degree of expectancy that something desired and miraculous is going to happen. In today’s text, we have a story within a story for the healing of people was tied up into the story of the coming of the Messiah and the reality is that Israel had been waiting a very long time for this to happen. The Jewish lepers had been waiting too but ultimately still relied on the law. Maybe the Samaritan was healed as a demonstration of new way though Christ. It was more that interesting that the Samaritan who had been part of the leper colony could not return to be part of the larger Jewish community once healed. But regardless his healing is the whole healing and not just the physical one. And it is this faith in something new and whole that glorifies God.
Pray we be obedient to the Spirit. Pray we honor God with our faith. Pray we have a faith that prompts action, obedience and thankfulness. Pray we remind each other of our Christian responsibilities. Pray we put our hope in God’s promises. Pray we expect mercy from Jesus even as we wait. Pray we trust in the Lord and not on our own understanding. Pray we realize that God works all things together for good for those called to a holy purpose. Pray that in seasons of waiting we take advantage of the opportunities to witness God at work in and through us for our eternal good and God’s glory. Pray we are cured both physically and spiritually. Pray we are made whole. Pray we realize how our Christian responsibilities apply to our lives. Pray we are reminded of obeying people in authority. Pray we are considerate toward all people. Pray we remember that we are loved by God.
Blessings,
John Lawson
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