God, despite all your talk of easy forgiveness and grace in abundance, you set very high ideals for us. Help us to turn away from the fast easy happiness and promises of those behaviors, attitudes and things which pull us away from you.
Help us to accept you love and share it as you command so we can strengthen our bonds with you and our friendship with Jesus. Give to us the obedience of your friend Abraham so we will follow you wherever you lead us. Amen.
Study
http://www.usccb.org/nab/052206.shtml
With today’s reading from John 16, it is hard to envision the recruitment posters for this new church. In less than one chapter, we can come up with a laundry list of reasons to avoid this new church. David Letterman’s Top Ten List might put it this way:
“Reasons to Become a Christian.”
They hated me without cause.
They will also persecute you.
They will expel you from the synagogues.
Everyone who kills you will think he is offering worship to God.
Grief will fill your hearts.
They do not believe in me.
You will no longer see me.
The ruler of this world has been condemned.
You will weep and mourn, while the world rejoices.
I have much more to tell you, but you cannot bear it now.
Stop already! What happened to all the talk about love and service?
Salvation does not spring forth from the world. Salvation belongs to God. What comes from the world tempts us toward sin. Those who resist sin will not find the path easy going. Works of this world make easy and empty promises that will not last.
You Deserve a Break Today.
Put a Tiger in Your Tank.
Delta is Ready When You Are.
We’re Number 1.
Political leaders talk about security. Corporate giants try to prove their greatness. Those with ambition want to lead, not serve. If we just buy the right product, eat the right food, take the right drug, watch the right programs, or listen to the right music, everything will be alright. While those in the advertising and PR worlds try to always give a positive “spin,” Jesus tells it like it is. Jesus never promised us a rose garden. Jesus just promises eternal happiness in the next life with him. This life, though, may not be so easy.
Action
Christianity is not a spectator sport. How will you make someone’s life better this week?
Habitat for Humanity will be building affordable housing units at Route 29 and Waples Mill Road and converting apartments in Arlington into affordable condominium units. Can you assist those projects with a little sweat equity when the work gets off the ground?
Who out there is working to make YOUR life easier?
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