Light Dawns for the Just
Brothers and sisters, we earnestly ask and exhort you in the Lord
Jesus that, as you received from us how you should conduct yourselves to please
God—and as you are conducting yourselves—you do so even more. For you know what
instructions we gave you through the Lord Jesus. (1 Thessalonians 4:1-2)
Light dawns for the just; and gladness, for the upright of heart. Be
glad in the Lord, you just, and give thanks to his holy name. (Psalms
97:11-12)
(Jesus told the parable of the wise and foolish virgins, in which
the foolish virgins went to buy oil, only to find the door locked when they
returned.) “The other virgins came and said, ‘Lord, Lord, open the door for
us!’ But he said in reply, ‘Amen, I say to you, I do not know you.’ Therefore,
stay awake, for you know neither the day nor the hour.” (Matthew 25:11-13)
Piety
Let us pray: Lord, please don’t lock us out. You have called us to
piety, study, and action. Through these pursuits, we seek to come to you and
dwell in your house forever. If we can’t live there with you, then we at least
want to visit. If we can’t visit, then let us look in through the windows and
see your face. If the curtains are closed, let us touch your door because we
know if we knock in prayer, then the door will be answered. Make us worthy to
enter by strengthening our faith in You, our hope for God’s Kingdom and our
love for our sisters and brothers. Amen.
Study
How much “oil” is in your “lamp?”
What are you going off to buy? Oil for your lamp or something less
enduring?
The notes to this chapter in the N.A.B. (Revised Edition) suggest that
our actions (or good deeds) are signified by the reference to oil in the lamps.
Those who have lived a life filled with action/deeds consistent with what the
Lord asks of us are the ones who will be ready when “the bridegroom” comes.
This follows from earlier in Matthew when the Lord said, “Everyone who listens
to these words of mine and acts on them” will be saved.
It does not matter what your New Year’s Resolution was or whether you
stuck with it. Our lives must be filled with right actions and right
relationships now and in the future. Don’t wait until January 1, no matter what
we have done in the past, today is not too late to make your plan to start
September 1.
Action
How and where you spend your money matters. Do you remember the Ideal
talk from your weekend? A new group of Babe Chicks will hear it next weekend. How
did the speaker get you to assess how you use your time, your talents and your
treasures?
Have you begun to buy “fair trade” products? Buying certified products
makes good social, economic and ecological sense. It cuts out intermediary
buyers and guarantees small farmers and families a fair price that exceeds
their production costs. It also helps protect the environment.
You can’t abandon everything but what if you tried to shift the
purchase of 5 percent of the products you purchase next month to fair trade
products. You could shift where you get your coffee, tea or chocolate. To begin
to research what fair trade products are available, visit this site: https://www.fairtradecertified.org/shopping-guide/where-to-find-fair-trade
No longer do you need to look in small boutiques. You can find fair
trade products online and, in many stores, where you may already shop: Costco,
Target, Aldi, and others.
The Fair Trade Certified™ seal signifies that your product was grown,
harvested, or made with care by farmers and workers according to rigorous
social, environmental, and economic standards. To help you make a difference
with your dollar, we make it as easy as possible to seek the seal on products
while you shop.
No comments:
Post a Comment