I want to talk about humility. I had an aha moment this week, when studying Revelation about myself. I tend to be the helper, not one that calls for help. A trait that my father instilled in me about standing on my own two feet. My mother always encouraged me to be gracious in accepting help, but I frequently found it hard to do. Which brings us to today, what happens when I don’t ask for help or deny the help offered to me? Well, it turns out that I am being quite possibly selfish. When I refuse help, I am denying the blessing that comes to me and the blessing bestowed on the giver of that help. God works both ways doesn’t He. That gentle tap on the shoulder, that whisper in the ear or even that twist of the ear to get my attention. God please forgive me for my selfishness, let me be more mindful of the blessing that flows both ways
Isaiah 25:6-9 6)The LORD of hosts will prepare a lavish banquet for all peoples on this mountain; A banquet of aged wine, choice pieces with marrow, and refined, aged wine. 7)And one this mountain He will swallow up the covering which is over all peoples, even the veil which is stretched over all nations. 8)He will swallow up death for all time, and the Lord GOD will wipe tears away from all faces, and He will remove the reproach of His people from all the earth; For the LORD has spoken. 9)And it will be said in that day, “Behold, this is our God for whom we have waited that He might save us. This is the LORD for whom we have waited; Let us rejoice and be glad in His salvation.” This is a wonderful scene created for us, the highly honored guests. God will remove the pain and suffering of being a human and celebrate with us.
Psalm 24 1)The earth is the LORD’S, and all it contains, the world, and those who dwell in it. 2)For He has founded it upon the seas and established it upon the rivers. 3)Who may ascend into the hill of the LORD? And who may stand in His holy place? 4)He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who has not lifted up his soul to falsehood and has not sworn deceitfully. 5)He shall receive a blessing from the LORD and righteousness from the God of his salvation. 6)This is the generation of those who seek Him, who seek Your face–even Jacob. 7)Lift up your heads, O Gates, and be lifted up, O ancient doors, that the King of glory may come in! 8)Who is the King of glory? The LORD strong and mighty, the LORD mighty in battle. 9)Lift up your heads, O gates, and lift them up, O ancient doors, that King of glory may come in! 10)Who is the King of glory? The LORD of hosts, He is the King of glory.
Revelation 21:1-6 1)Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth passed away, and there is no longer any sea. 2)And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of the heaven from God, made ready as a bride adorned for her husband. 3)And I heard a loud voice from the throne, ”Behold, the tabernacle of God is among men, and He will dwell among them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself will be among them. 4)and He will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there will no longer be any death; there will no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain; the first things have passed away.” 5)And He who sits on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” And He said, “Write, for these words are faithful and true.” 6)Then He said to me, “It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give to the one who thirsts from the spring of the water of life without cost.” A glimpse of what is to come, a glorious promise that we are awaiting. What a day, time that will be to dwell with God in the New Jerusalem.
John 11:32-44 32)Therefore, when Mary came where Jesus was, she saw Him, and fell at His feet, saying to Him, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.” 33)When Jesus therefore saw her weeping, He was deeply moved in spirit and was troubled, 34)and said, “Where have you laid him?” They said to Him, “Lord, come and see.” 35)Jesus wept. 36)So the Jews were saying, “See how He loved him!” 37)But some of them said, “Could not this man, who opened the eyes of the blind man, have kept this man also from dying?” 38)So Jesus, again being deeply moved within, came to the tomb. Now it was a cave, and a stone was lying against it. 39)Jesus said, “Remove the stone.” Martha, the sister of the deceased, said to Him, “Lord, by this time there will be a stench, for he has been dead four days.” 40)Jesus said to her “Did I not say to you that if you believe, you will see the glory of God?” 41)So they removed the stone. Then Jesus raised His eyes, and said, “Father, I thank You that You have heard Me. 42)”I knew that You always hear Me; but because of the people standing around I said it, so that they may believe that You sent Me.” 43)When He had said these things, He cried ;out with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come forth.” 44)The man who had died came forth, bound hand and foot with wrappings, and his face was wrapped around with a cloth. Jesus said to them, “Unbind him, and let him go.” What I see is that Jesus understands what it is to be in pain and grieving, He also underscores to Martha what He had said before. Jesus is the glory of God, through His telling us of the might of God, the compassion of God, the will of God. Incredible, all inspiring awesome God the Father and His glorious Son. The gift of the Holy Spirit given to us in our baptism, how blessed are we to have these gifts, the life given to us. Praise be to God.
I hope that you take some time to think about these scriptures. It is always relevant to give time to God. He waits for us in our struggles even when we are refusing to accept help! Dwelling together on Sundays is a privilege, a gift for me and you. Fellowship is a desire of God for us. He calls us to be in fellowship with each other, encouraging, listening, being part of each other’s lives. In fact, He calls us to love one another.
Through Christ, Seek God,
D.J. Schoneweis