Weariness and Responsibility by James Hastings

Make me as one of thy hired servants

"The prodigal son asked for hired service because he was sick of freedom.

There had been a time when freedom was the only thing he wanted.

The desire of it had led him away from his home to the far land.

The routine of home, the tediousness of that dull person his elder brother,

the restraint of a younger son living in his father's house-

these had become intolerable to his young blood.

He heard the call of the sparkling world beyond the horizon of the homestead.

There a man might live without restrictions and go as he pleased.

He went, a lad light-hearted and easily seduced.

He found his freedom, and did what he liked.

Soon all his guidance of his affairs was gone, and he was whirled along in a rush of pleasures,

the mere sport of circumstances and of lusts.

Freedom is a noble thing, if it be accompanied by a clear mind and a powerful will that keeps its self control.

So this prodigal son had claimed his freedom before he was capable of managing it.

And it utterly wrecked his life.

Now he is, as well may be, afraid of it.

Afraid to trust himself.

He genuinely and ardently longs for someone to control him, and its this change of heart that redeems the incident.

This then is the mood of the returning prodigal who has his speech prepared for the meeting of his father. But that speech was never uttered.

When father and son have met there is no longer any word of hired servants. Fear, shame, distrust of self, the burden of responsibility, are all swallowed up in love.

One sight of the father's face, the great embrace of the beloved arm thrown around his rags,

the tears that fall upon his neck,

these settle all the problems which in cold blood we settle otherwise.

Self distrust even has passed, for love has found a natural and happy solution.

No hard responsibilities, no unbearable lonely freedom is give to us to manage rightly.

For the father is there, and we have learned at last to love him.

And that love has become a far more commanding law than hired service can ever know.

But God insists, He will give no external law written on tables of stone.

He will write His laws on our hearts.

He will not call us servants even in answers to our prayers.

He has called us friends and sons of His household,

and He will not consent to any less honorable relation.

But the love that Christ brings and reveals makes all the difference.

That love is indeed fulfilling the law,

as all who are laboring and heavy laden may discover.

Love changes the look and feeling of all things.

Go about your daily duties, your readings, your praying, assuming that you are God's child, acting in all things as if you were.

He will make it right.

He IS making it all right.

You are incapable and helpless...

Like Augustine 'Take me Lord, for I cannot give myself

Keep me Lord, for I cannot keep myself'. "

Matthew 2... Dreams

In Matthew ch 2, there are 4 dreams that take place.

In each, the Lord uses them to instruct people to go or not go places.

1st : " And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route. (v.12)

2nd : "When they had gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream, 'Get up', he said take the child and his mother and escape to Egypt. Stay there until I tell you, for Herod is going to search for the child to kill Him.'" (v.13)

3rd: "After Herod died, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt and said Get up and take the child and His mother and go to the land of Israel, for those who were trying to take the child's life are dead." (v.19)

4th : "Having been warned in a dream, he withdrew to the district of Galilee, and he went and lived in a town called Nazareth." (v.22)

I love how God talks to Joseph in the dreams and not Mary.

Mary has been blessed among women to carry Jesus.

But God is directing and guiding Joseph, allowing him to be head of the family.

And about dreams, I know we all have bizarre dreams and not everyone has a significant meaning.

But I also have blessed to be warned about things in my dreams.

Will I fight a doctrinal war over this? No.

But I have had dreams , I pray over them for God to reveal the meaning to me..

And sometimes, not nearly enough :) , I get answers and they have helped me.

Proverbs 16.... highlights

" The preparations of the heart belong to man

But the answer of the tongue is from the Lord."

v. 1

"Commit your works to the Lord,

And your thoughts will be established"

v. 3

( this is wonderful when applied directly)

"In mercy and truth

Atonement is provided for iniquity

And by the fear of the Lord, one departs from evil."

v. 6

(this will not be the last time you see mercy and truth together)

"A man's heart plans his way

But the Lord directs his steps."

v. 9

( many a time I have been in a position I have not directed)

"Pride goes before destruction

And a haughty spirit before a fall"

v. 18

Psalm 2

"Why do the nations rage

And the people plot a vain thing?

The kings of the earth set themselves

And the rulers take counsel together,

Against the Lord and against His Anointed, saying

Let us break Their bonds in pieces

And cast away Their cords from us

He who sits in the heavens shall laugh

The Lord shall hold them in derision

Then He shall speak to the them His wrath

And distress them in His deep displeasure

Yet I have set My King

On My holy hill of Zion"

v. 1-6

Not the full Psalm..

What do you think?

Leviticus 7

First I would like to say that when Moses went to Pharoah...

to proclaim "Let my people go", it's sole purpose was for the Israelites to worship God.

They needed 3 days journey into the wilderness to worship because it would be considered detestable in the sight of the Egyptians.

And in turn, the Egyptians would stone them.

Well, as we get to Leviticus 7 and we learn all the rules and regulations for the different offerings, I get why they needed 3 days journey.

They are to offer animals without blemish to God,

they are to sprinkle the people with the blood

they are to burn the fat to the Lord

And the priests alone can eat the meat.

Yesterday I talked about the sin offering,

Today it's about the trespass offering and the peace offering.

Basically the same rules apply,

sacrificed in a holy place, eaten in a holy place.

But there in verse 17 it says " the remainder of the flesh of the sacrifice on the third day must be burned with fire."

Hmmmm. What does this make us think of?

All these sacrifices are once again a trailer of Christ.

Would it be accurate if the priests left the flesh there until the 5th day?

No.

Christ was risen on the 3rd day.

Tedious, tedious, tedious rules,

not for rule sake,

but to portray Christ accurately.

Matthew 1

I find it interesting that in Matthew Chapter 1 we learn that Mary is pregnant,

and Joseph is considered a just man by wanting to put Mary away secretly and not wanting to

make her a public example.

I think that is nice.

I think it is considerate.

I think I would want him as a friend.

But just?

Wow.

Is just from the word justice?

Law abiding?

Wouldn't he be just if he did make a public example of her?

Anyway, I like it.

I like that being compassionate is also just.

And then the angel came and told him about this Holy Son.

His name is Jesus.

For He will save His people from their sins.

Proverbs 15: 3

"The eyes of the Lord are in every place

Keeping watch on the evil and the good."

I can forget that the Lord is in every place.

It seems to me that I can think He sees when I am thinking of Him.

Silly but true.

He is looking at the evil and the good.

Which is both scary and reassuring.

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.

This conjures up a little smarts.

The eyes of the Lord are in every place.

May this scripture affect me.