Monday, January 4, 2016

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Psalm 2, verse 11
Serve the LORD with fear; exult with trembling, accept correction lest he become angry and you perish along the way when his anger suddenly blazes up. Blessed are all who take refuge in him!

To fully understand this verse we must know who the writer is referring to. In verse 10 the writer states “Now therefore, O kings, be wise; be warned, O rulers of the earth.  Serve the Lord with fear.  Our God is a just God and to those who have been given much; much is required. Kings (and the 1 percent’ers) to be wise must humble themselves. It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of the needle then for a rich man to get into heaven. The "Eye of the Needle" has been claimed to be a gate in Jerusalem, which opened after the main gate was closed at night. A camel could only pass through this smaller gate if it was stooped and had its baggage removed.[1] 

I also with this verse picture Mary Magdalene. Mary who by many accounts was a very rich woman financed our Lord’s ministry. We see in this verse the shadowing of her kissing of His feet and at the same time the hardening of Judas’ heart:  who on seeing her act of love and wanting riches refused to humble himself and died in his pride.

Does Christ desire us to serve with Fear and trembling?

I noticed the other day that my two dogs when I come in are so excited about seeing me that they tremble with excitement. I think our God wants our hearts and our desires. I think we should have the humble fear that a loved child has for his or her parents, full of love and respect and that we should be excited too. So let us approach each day with the kind of excitement that makes us tremble ready to do the will of God? 

Today is the 11th day of Christmas.  The 11 pipers piping is a sign for the eleven faithful apostles.  It is interesting to note that Judas’ sin was due to fear, greed, pride and envy.  Today would be a good day to read about the remaining 11 pipers and their courage to create a kingdom of God and change the world.  The 11 pipers are Simon Peter, Andrew, James, John, Phillip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James bar Alphaeus, Simon the zealot, and Judas bar James.



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