The LORD will keep you from all harm - he will watch over your life; the LORD will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore. —
One of my hardest challenges as a parent knows that I can't ultimately protect my children from some hurts and heartbreaks. Some of that pain is necessary to help them mature and grow. Some of it is just the agonizing result of living in a fallen world.
But, we can be fully confident that if we share the Lord with them, if they give their lives to his will, nothing can steal them from his ultimate victory, care, and reunion with us and with him.
Knowing how we love them, imagine how much the Father loves us and longs to bring us to that place of safety in his house! Until we get home, isn't it comforting to know that he is watching over us and those we love, now and forevermore?
Luke 2:28-32
Simeon took him [Jesus] in his arms and praised God, saying: "Sovereign Lord, as you have promised, you now dismiss your servant in peace. For my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the sight of all people, a light for revelation to the Gentiles and for glory to your people Israel."
God's gift to Simeon was truly precious and touching. Yet Simeon is just the embodiment of all of every nation, race, and culture who are seeking God's salvation. God's salvation, as Luke loves to remind us again and again, is for all people! What's more, God's light has dawned. Let's greet that dawn and share it with others.
Ezekiel 18:31-32
Rid yourselves of all the offenses you have committed, and get a new heart and a new spirit... Repent and live! –
God reminds us to turn away from our own self-seeking ways. He calls us to turn to him with a willingness to obey his will. If we refuse, we must know that we are walking the road that leads to death. God longs to do the work of rebirth and renewal, but he asks us to turn from our destructive ways and offer our hearts to him to be made new by his Holy Spirit.
Repentance is to turn off the road leading to destruction and onto the road that leads to the Father's house, the place of life.
One of my hardest challenges as a parent knows that I can't ultimately protect my children from some hurts and heartbreaks. Some of that pain is necessary to help them mature and grow. Some of it is just the agonizing result of living in a fallen world.
But, we can be fully confident that if we share the Lord with them, if they give their lives to his will, nothing can steal them from his ultimate victory, care, and reunion with us and with him.
Knowing how we love them, imagine how much the Father loves us and longs to bring us to that place of safety in his house! Until we get home, isn't it comforting to know that he is watching over us and those we love, now and forevermore?
Luke 2:28-32
Simeon took him [Jesus] in his arms and praised God, saying: "Sovereign Lord, as you have promised, you now dismiss your servant in peace. For my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the sight of all people, a light for revelation to the Gentiles and for glory to your people Israel."
God's gift to Simeon was truly precious and touching. Yet Simeon is just the embodiment of all of every nation, race, and culture who are seeking God's salvation. God's salvation, as Luke loves to remind us again and again, is for all people! What's more, God's light has dawned. Let's greet that dawn and share it with others.
Ezekiel 18:31-32
Rid yourselves of all the offenses you have committed, and get a new heart and a new spirit... Repent and live! –
God reminds us to turn away from our own self-seeking ways. He calls us to turn to him with a willingness to obey his will. If we refuse, we must know that we are walking the road that leads to death. God longs to do the work of rebirth and renewal, but he asks us to turn from our destructive ways and offer our hearts to him to be made new by his Holy Spirit.
Repentance is to turn off the road leading to destruction and onto the road that leads to the Father's house, the place of life.
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