Within a field there stands a tree,
surrounded by a fence so tall.
A sign reads private bars the way,
As people say “don’t look at all”
But I say look it is beauty by God
created by Jesus Christ the Word
but others “what does this babbler say”
as if the sound falls on ears unheard
A rather strange start to the day. I was reflecting on how Jesus Christ is here for all, but all will not accept Him. Why do so many doubt or even refuse to believe? Perhaps many are comfortable in this world, and are forgetting the Lord’s sacrifice on the tree that was to end all punishment for sin, because He took it. Sadly many will not accept this gift and think they can go to God on their own terms and stand in front of Him and not be punished. Jesus wants to be there for us.
10 By that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.
A saint George’s day parade in the town. It was full of music, and life as the uniformed groups paraded up and down proudly, the children loving each moment in the sun, but the seemed to be something lacking. As if we were celebrating to someone that no one really knew.
Is there any point to celebrating Saint Georges day with no reference to the faith George died for; for following his faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Saying prayers to help us to be good people without referencing the Son who died for our sins, Jesus Christ. Without accepting that we have miserably failed to turn this world around and we all need to turn to Jesus Christ to give us the solution, for Him to come in all His glory as our heavenly King.
Saint George was by all accounts a Roman soldier who came to the Christian faith and refused to give up his faith. He was be-headed for refusing to abandon his faith in Jesus Christ. It is a pity that many organisations seem to be abandoning many founding principles about God, just because many other people do not believe. It is more of an priority too keep our faith in these times, especially if we reflect on saint George. Saint George’s treatment echoes across to Iraq where Christians are keeping their faith and even being beheaded or crucified for keeping to their faith, today, this hour.
This reminded me of when Paul arrived in Athens and they were all questioning life and asking good questions, but there was something missing. Like they had forgotten the legacy handed down to them.
2 Then Paul stood in the midst of the Areopagus and said, “Men of Athens, I perceive that in all things you are very religious; 23 for as I was passing through and considering the objects of your worship, I even found an altar with this inscription:
TO THE UNKNOWN GOD.
Therefore, the One whom you worship without knowing, Him I proclaim to you: 24 “God, who made the world and everything in it, since He is Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in temples made with hands. 25 Nor is He worshiped with men’s hands, as though He needed anything, since He gives to all life, breath, and all things. 26 And He has made from one blood every nation of men to dwell on all the face of the earth, and has determined their pre-appointed times and the boundaries of their dwellings, 27 so that they should seek the Lord, in the hope that they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us; 28 for in Him we live and move and have our being, as also some of your own poets have said, ‘For we are also His offspring.’ 29 Therefore, since we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Divine Nature is like gold or silver or stone, something shaped by art and man’s devising. 30 Truly, these times of ignorance God overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere to repent, 31 because He has appointed a day on which He will judge the world in righteousness by the Man whom He has ordained. He has given assurance of this to all by raising Him from the dead.”
The telling line that jumps out at me today is were it reads;
Truly, these times of ignorance God overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere to repent,
Have we dropped back into the times of ignorance. It doesn’t suggest we hide our faith because public opinion suggests many don’t follow this faith. Be proud and use the power of the cross. God commands us to proclaim our faith and if that means we are cut down like Saint George was cut down then we are to accept that challenge.
Within a field there stands a tree,
the gate is unlocked and ready.
A sign reads defiantly “seek within”,
Jesus Christ is here for many.
Amen
with blessings
Graham
365 Exhortations 