Jacobs Thoughts and Doings

“But ask the animals, and they will teach you, or the birds in the sky, and they will tell you; or speak to the earth, and it will teach you, or let the fish in the sea inform you.  Which of all these does not know that the hand of the LORD has done this?  In his hand is the life of every creature and the breath of all mankind.”

Job 12:7-10

I had my second cup of breakfast coffee on the back porch this morning.  Anna Ruth was having her devotional inside. The warmth of the rising sun touched my soul and reminded me of the magnificent goodness of God.

A robin in its finest Spring colors searched for food under the maple tree.  My trusty binocs took me into another world, where the marvels of each feather and blend of strong colors left me amazed.  Its alert, erect stance, yellow bill held high impressed me.

While I was concentrating on the robin two catbirds flew in.  The first thing they did was get a drink from the pond.  Maybe they are the ones that raised a brood of young here last year and blessed us for months.

Out of the corner of my eye I saw a beautiful rufous crowned chipping sparrow, low in the grass, now with head held high as its familiar call announced its arrival.

The house wrens have been here for over a week now – they have taken up residency in the box near the swing – singing their hearts out as they welcomed the new day, the new year. I know there must be fresh eggs in the nest.

A crow flew over “cawing” its familiar good morning call.  Yes, we see you!

While I was thrilled by the songs of the birds, another sound caught my ear, the call of the frogs in the pond.  What was a croak to me had some meaning for our frogs who spent the Winter in the pond.  I could only imagine what they were trying to say!

To top off all this beauty our oriental blooming cherry tree, now in full amazing bloom, spread its limbs wide to capture every wave of light that came from the sun overhead.  For a week this tree will bless all who take the time to pause and absorb its beauty.

I needed to get on with my day, so I went inside where I took a quick glance out the kitchen window and was amazed and pleased to see a ruby throated humming bird flashing his sun-lit ruby chin feathers, feeding with delight at our feeder, the first of this season.  Can it be?

The warmth of the sun stirred my soul and the wonders of our natural world once again set me to singing a song of thanksgiving and praise.  Thank you, God, for speaking to me through nature once again.

Each May we enjoy the bleeding hearts, beside our back porch.  This flower is one of my all time favorites, and Anna Ruth’s as well.  We absorb its soft beauty.

I, John, am the one who heard and saw these things. And when I had heard and seen them, I fell down to worship at the feet of the angel who had been showing them to me.  But he said to me, “Don’t do that! I am a fellow servant with you and with your fellow prophets and with all who keep the words of this scroll. Worship God!”

Revelation 22:8, 9

“WORSHIP GOD!”  Great advice.

I adore many things.  For instance, I find that my heart leaps at things eternal.  I muse on my experiences, and the experiences of others.  I love History and what it teaches.  I embrace the stories of those who have learned to walk with God.

I experience the divine presence as I ponder his amazing universe that I inhabit.

I am overcome with the wisdom that has come to me through others.  I can list a thousand things that I love.

But what, my soul, is the greatest? 

The answer is as profound as it is simple.  The greatest thing a human being can do is to WORSHIP GOD! 

The Holy Spirit directs John, having seen God, to stop writing!  Enough for now, John! Get on with living considering what you have seen and heard.

As John, I embrace Jesus as He embraces me. There is no higher purpose in life.  All we do grows from that.

They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads.  There will be no more night. They will not need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun, for the Lord God will give them light. And they will reign for ever and ever.

Revelation 22:4. 5

The final words of the Revelation are true.  We stand in awe.

We see the face of God, our Savior and we are his forever. 

Darkness is no more because God’s light reveals everything.

The eternal Kingdom of God has come.  By grace, were in it!

We will reign in that Kingdom of God forever and ever.

AMEN AND AMEN

“I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, who is and was and is to come—the Almighty.  John, your brother and partner in the tribulation and kingdom and perseverance that are in Jesus, was on the island of Patmos because of the word of God and my testimony about Jesus.” 

Revelation 1:8, 9

“I, John, your brother and partner in the tribulation and kingdom.”  John is writing to the seven churches in Asia, and, in turn, to all believers.  The aged John, leader in the church of Jesus Christ, friend of Jesus and faithful leader in the body of Christ, and much more – including a prisoner of Rome on the Island of Patmos, off the coast of Greece.  This is the same John that wrote, by the inspiration of God, of the glories of the Kingdom of Heaven, now on earth.

He is now old, experienced and tested in the furnaces of life.  He is writing to the seven churches in Asia.  He sees himself as their partner in tribulation and fellow member of the new thing on the earth, the Kingdom of God.  He is being preserved by Jesus Christ himself though his situation is perilous.

Jerusalem is destroyed, the Temple razed.  The nation of Israel is scattered. All hopes that Israel would arise as a strong normal nation are dashed. It is into this desperate situation that God spoke, through John.

The hope of all believers is not in a nation called Israel but in the New Kingdom that Jesus inaugurated by his sacrificial death and resurrection.  Rome has turned against the believers.  John is himself  their prisoner.

That, friend, is the backdrop of our own discipleship.  Forces of the enemy are arrayed against the church of Jesus Christ.  This is the constant reality the church experiences.  May we hear what the Spirit is saying to us today, in Century number 21.

And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.

Matthew 24:14

We have been thinking for some weeks now about the new thing on the earth, “The Kingdom of God.”  Ancient Jewish prophesies point to this day.  The Kingdom is now a reality and open to all who believe.  Because of the life, death, resurrection and teaching of Jesus Christ, we are invited to enter that kingdom. I can barely take that in.

My mind tells me that there are many kingdoms of the earth, each claiming our allegiance.  One thing marks them all, they all eventually fade into oblivion.  I live in the United States of America, a strong state with the most powerful armed forces ever mustered.  It is tempting, even for Christian believers in this land, to somehow convince ourselves that our national kingdom will endure forever.   If we are not careful we find that we begin to think that our secular nation is the true picture of the reign of God on the earth.

I am not disparaging our political dreams but I find the Spirit of the Lord helping me to realize that no matter how societies try to be Godly, they reflect only some of the aspects of the Kingdom of God and of Jesus, the Savior.  The Kingdom of God will be here after all earthly kingdoms cease.  The door into that Kingdom is open to all who will believe in the saving grace of Jesus Christ.  Are we in that Kingdom?  If so, how does that shape our entire lives?

“The gospel of the kingdom.”  We might say, “The Good News of the Kingdom of God.”  It is now to be preached in all the world as a testimony to all nation.”  Emphasis is on the “now.”  Jesus won salvation for all who will believe – Jews, Gentiles, whoever.  “All” can be saved.  Preach this Gospel now!

Having won the victory that made it possible for all mankind to be saved, Jesus turns to all those who follow Him and leaves them with a simple but awesome task, “Preach the Gospel of the Kingdom to all nations.”  That is it!  Then “the end will come.”

All heaven turns the ear to hear the saved ones preach the Good News that invites all people of every culture, in all times, to follow Jesus Christ.

Is this the center of my message?  Is this what I teach and preach?  Is this the center of my thought and life?  I come up short.  There are so many other good things to preach so if I am not careful I neglect the heart of the matter, the coming of the Kingdom of God among us.

Buttercups are now in full bloom, welcoming the warm Spring sun beside our house.  Their shining petals are unique in that they exude yellow light.  When youngsters we plucked them and then tucked them under our chins where they exhibited their lovely golden light.  Still one of my favorite Spring flowers.