Jesus, we sometimes think of the Law as being something that Moses received, as a Jew, for the Jews, carved in stone a long time ago. We see that our entire culture more or less rejects large portions of that Law.
What limitations does an angel have?
We do not fully understand what kind of power the angels have but since they do Your good pleasure it seems safe to assume they can do anything You want them to do. We often limit our hopes by placing our own earthly perspective on things that simply exceed our understanding and sometimes exceed our faith.
How risky is it to deny God?
In these difficult times, help us realize that our commitment to You needs to be bold and consistent. Keep us from wavering as the world’s values, in terms of Your expectations, are in a steep decline. Given the profusion of sin, the gate to heaven may indeed be narrow.
Sometimes I feel so impotent…does God care?
When it seems that our soul is melting with heaviness we can become very discouraged and depressed. Help us know that the difficulties of life are so very brief, though very real, and that we are able to overcome these ill feelings in Your strength, not ours.
Inexpressible joy…a saved child.
Father, we are Your children and You have taught us that the saints are on tiptoes, so to speak, watching for the arrival of a soul into the kingdom. Your joy in our redemption, made possible by Jesus’ cleansing, preparing us for entry into Your presence, is even greater than our joy in our children.
Deny God? Not me, not ever!
The children are a special treasure in Your eyes. What is it Father that we adults lack? Do we lack the forthright nature of a child? Their innocence is genuine, not contrived. Their faith in Your love and the love of those around them is not like our faith as we mature. Our faith in other adults is usually conditional, based on how things are going at the moment
Sure, heaven is going to be great…but this is awful!
Father, Peter tells us a very important fact. We have been given a “living hope”. Yes, heaven awaits, but here we learn that our hope, made evident here and now, by our faith in the resurrection of Jesus Christ, our Savior, is a present reality.
The fruit of heaven; the tree of life.
Now we see that Your Spirit says to the churches (that includes us), that if we “overcome”, and we know that means overcome the evil spirit that Adam’s sin brought upon all mankind, we will be allowed to eat from the tree of life in the midst of the Paradise of God. In Genesis You clarified that we who are permitted to eat of the tree of life will live forever.
Are wisdom and prudence the greatest gifts?
Jesus, being wise and prudent would seem to be a very good thing. How is it that here You say that Your teachings are hidden from the wise and prudent and revealed to babes? We know the answer from Your word. Prudence and wisdom, of which Solomon had abundance, did not necessarily always lead to a closer walk with You.
I stand in awe of God’s creation…how can it get better?
Father, these words describe a reality that is catastrophic, the final event that precedes New Jerusalem, a permanent place of security and joy. You have told us that nothing, not one thing, that we now see will survive.