Meditation

12/13/2022

“Gather to me my consecrated ones, who made a covenant with me by sacrifice. And the heavens proclaim his righteousness, for God himself is judge. ‘Hear, O my people, and I will speak, O Israel, and I will testify against you: I am God, your God. I do nt rebuke you for your sacrifices or your burnt offerings, which are ever before me. I have no need of a bull from your stall or of goats from your pens, for every animal of the forest is mine, and the cattle on a thousand hills. I know every bird in the mountains, and the creatures of the field are mine. If I were hungry I would not tell you, for the world is mine, and all tht is in it. Do I eat the glesh of bulls or drink the blood of goats? Sacrifice thank offerings to God, fulfill your vows to the Most High, and call upon me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you will honor me.’” (Psalm 50:7-15 – Covenant People )

Covenant people face God’s judgment when we do not keep covenant commitments. God expects us to do more than go through worship ceremonies. He expects our total dedication to Him and His way of life and expects our dedication to our commitment. God expects us to do more than go through worship ceremonies, beloved, He expects all that we do and say to honor His Word and the covenant that was made with Him and with all of us.

PRAYER FOR THE DAY:

Dear Abba, many times we have committed our hearts, minds, and souls to serving You alone. Today, we are closer to the Day of the Lord than ever before, so our prayer today is to stay as close to our commitment than ever before, for we have not pulled away from our commitment and fully intend to continue to mature in our faith, so that on the Day of the Lord, when Jesus returns, we are ready and able to fulfill our commitment and also to have increased the kingdom of the faithful through our works as You expect us to. In the meantime continue to pray our troops serving in faraway lands and those in the continuing conflict between Russia and Ukraine, that a peaceful solution might be found and let the fighting be silenced. We also pray for those who are suffering in body, mind, and/or spirit, with friends, family, and for those we don’t know. Amen

THOUGHT OF THE DAY:

“Thoughtfulness is to friendship as sunshine is to a garden.”

SECOND THOUGHT OF THE DAY:

“Woe to you who long for the day of the Lord! Why do you long for the day of the Lord? That day will be darkness, not light. It wil be as thugh a man fled from a lion only t meet a bear, as though he entered his house and rested his hand on the wall only to have a snake bite him. Will not the day of the Lord be darkness, not light—-pitch dark, without a ray of brightness? ‘I hate, I despise your religious feasts; I cannot stand your assemblies. Even though you bring me burnt offerings and grain offerings, I will not accept them. Though you bring choice fellowship offerings, I will have no regard for them. Away with the noise of your songs! I will not listen to the music of your harps. But let justice roll on like a river, righteousness like a never falling stream!’” (Amos 5:18-24 – Justice )

Injustice invites graphic description and grave judgment. A society which builds its gross national product on the gates of oppressed citizens cannot expect to enjoy its luxurious standard of living for long. Justice must move from the worship house to the economic and judicial center of society. Without in the streets prayer in the pulpit is meaningless. Justice and righteousness cannot be be temporary measures for political expediency. They must be constant streams watering all policy statements and action in a society. The people of God should never neglect assembling for religious activity, but such activity does not please God unless the people are involved in righteous living that produces and maintains justice in all human affairs and relationships. God’s people must live according to His standards before we can expect God to accept our gifts as proper expressions of worship. He expects to precede rites of worship.