Storms and Foundations

"I will show you what he is like who comes to me and hears my words and puts them into practice. He is like a man building a house, who dug down deep and laid the foundation on rock. When a flood came, the torrent struck that house but could not shake it, because it was well built. But the one who hears my words and does not put them into practice is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. The moment the torrent struck that house, it collapsed and its destruction was complete." (Luke 6:47-49)

You and I have two choices: dig deeply or cut corners.

Digging deeply requires time, sweat and perseverance. That's why it's hard work. Cutting corners requires little time, sweat or perseverance. That's why it's easy.

But when storms blow across our lives, I know the foundation I'd rather have.

rich
rmaffeo@comcast.net

A Sunday Religion?

Then Balak sent other princes, more numerous and more distinguished than the first. They came to Balaam and said: 'This is what Balak son of Zippor says: Do not let anything keep you from coming to me, because I will reward you handsomely and do whatever you say. Come and put a curse on these people for me.' " (Numbers 22:16-17)

Modern Balaks make similar promises: Let's do what we want, when we want with with whom we want. Don't take your Sunday religion into the rest of the week. It'll spoil your opportunities for advancement, weatlh and fun.

If you remember the rest of the story in Numbers, you know what God thinks of Sunday-only faith. Doing what we want, when and with whom we want costs a lot more than any sane person would be willing to spend for what modern Balaks call advancement, wealth and fun.

rich
rmaffeo@comcast.net

Our Desert Closet

"And the child grew and became strong in spirit; and he lived in the desert until he appeared publicly to Israel." (Luke 1:80)

John the Baptist followed the pattern of all spiritual giants like Moses, Elijah, Isaiah, Ezekiel, Paul and, of course, the Lord Jesus. They all went for a time to the desert, far from the distractions that pull us from intimacy with God.

You and I can't leave our families or jobs and do as they did. But we can enter our closets each day -- I prefer the morning -- and spend an hour growing in intimacy with the lover of our souls.


rich
rmaffeo@comcast.net

Liturgical Reading for June 9

Part of today's liturgical reading is from Matthew 5:20-26:

I tell you, unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will not enter into the kingdom of heaven. (verse 20)
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Matthew 5:20-26:

If anyone was meticulous about the rubrics of their faith – it was the Scribes and Pharisees. If anyone faithfully attended worship services, tithed, prayed and fasted – no one matched their zeal. If anyone was assured heaven . . . .

However, the Lord Jesus told anyone who’d listen, religious works aren’t enough. We need something more. Much more. We need what none of us can attain on our own: the very righteousness of God.

And that’s what Calvary is all about – the righteousness of God credited to us. St. Paul would say it later to the Corinthian church:

”So we are ambassadors for Christ, as if God were appealing through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. For our sake he (God) made (Christ) to be sin who did not know sin, so that we might become the righteousness of God in him." (2 Corinthians 5:20-21)

The Father made Christ to be Sin. Why? So that we who confess our sins to God and plead for His forgiveness would become the righteousness of God in Christ.

Think of it. When we humble ourselves before God and confess our sins, God clothes us with Christ’s righteouness.

Oh, how great is His mercy; how unfathomable His grace.

rich
rmaffeo@comcast.net