Reflecting the Image (by Carla Sunberg)

Scripture Psa. 37:3        Trust in the Lord, and do good;         so you will live in the land, and enjoy security. 4     Take delight in the Lord,         and he will give you the desires of your heart. Observation Examining the landscape of humanity it’s easy to get discouraged. It seems especially true that the wicked are flourishing and living the good life, and yet this Psalm juxtaposes faith against that view.  But it’s hard for us to find that place of peace while living in a world that is so full of change. The Psalmist suggests that it’s time to trust in the Lord, and this is evidenced by engaging in the good. There is something active required of those who will have faith and trust in the Lord. This is not a passive, but an active relationship. Engaging in the good for the Israelites meant that they would be able to live safely and securely in the promised land. Their part...

Scripture   Philem. 22   One thing more—prepare a guest room for me, for I am hoping through your prayers to be restored to you. Observation Paul is writing this letter in prison and is hoping that he will be set free. With faith that he will be freed, he asks that a guest room be prepared for him at the home of Philemon. There are two important aspects of this request and they include prayer, and action. The hope of liberation is not just on Paul’s part, but it is also something into which he asks the family of faith to participate. They, too, are to pray and in faith, prepare a guest room for Paul. This hope of liberation is not only for Paul, but also for Onesimus. More than likely Paul is hoping to come to Colosse and personally see how the reception has been for Onesimus. It is through prayer and hospitality that God is able to bring about freedom for both a prisoner and a slave. Application We are all prisoners of some sort in our lives. Maybe we have become prison...

Scripture   Micah 6:8 He has told you, O mortal, what is good;         and what does the Lord require of you     but to do justice, and to love kindness,         and to walk humbly with your God? Observation The king had become ignorant of what would please God. He had determined to appease God by offering sacrifices but this is not what God wants. It had all be made clear in the covenant and therefore the king’s ignorance is inexcusable. God wants a holy people who reflect the character and nature which would be revealed in Jesus Christ, that is, obedient and spiritual people who will do justice. John Wesley says, “He—God hath already told you in his word, with what you ought to come before him. To do justly—To render to every one their due, superiors, equals, inferiors, to be equal to all, and oppress none, in body, goods or name;…To love mercy—To be kind, merciful and compassionate to all, not using seve...

Scripture   John 13:34 I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another. Observation This new commandment is given to the disciples in the midst of the last supper. Jesus has demonstrated his love for his disciples at the beginning of the evening by washing their feet. This becomes a new commandment because the love is initiated on the part of Jesus Christ. It is the fulfillment of the old command to love the Lord and your neighbor. Jesus reached out in love to his disciples, humbling himself before them so that they could experience his love in action. As this love flow from Jesus, so it flows into his disciples, those who have been adopted into the family of God. From that incredible love flows a love for one another. It is a mutual love which is demonstrated in service to one another and to the world. The command is to love, and that loves comes from the wellspring of holy love found by fellowshipping with God. ...

Scripture   Psa. 15   A Psalm of David. 1     O Lord, who may abide in your tent?         Who may dwell on your holy hill? Psa. 15:2        Those who walk blamelessly, and do what is right,         and speak the truth from their heart; 3     who do not slander with their tongue,         and do no evil to their friends,         nor take up a reproach against their neighbors; Observation The desire of David is to dwell in the holy space of God’s presence. Jesus’ life provided the pathway for all of us to join him on the holy hill, to be transformed by God’s holy presence. We are constantly drawn up the hill so that we can abide in fellowship with our holy God. Being in God’s holy presence becomes transformational because the Lord’s holiness begins to work on the impurities which may be found in our li...

Scripture   Psalm 27:8     “Come,” my heart says, “seek his face!”         Your face, Lord, do I seek. Observation In the midst of David's Psalm we discover an on-going and continuous relationship with God. We are instructed to seek the face of God, but at the same time God’s face is not hidden from us. When we catch a glimpse of the face of God, by divine intervention the yearning in our heart grows. Our desire becomes more and more for the face of the one who is constantly facing in my direction, drawing me ever closer to God’s holy presence. Therefore, we believe it is a command, but at the same time it is God’s divine work in our lives. The more we seek God, the more that our hearts are stirred by the longing to be in God’s presence. Along the way we discover that we are falling in love. We become lovers of God who earnestly desire the beauty that is found in Christ. This song and prayer of David’s begins to resonate within our hear...

Scripture   Phil. 2:12   Therefore, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed me, not only in my presence, but much more now in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; 13 for it is God who is at work in you, enabling you both to will and to work for his good pleasure. Observation Paul was anxious for the believers in Philippi to continue in their spiritual growth. He loved these people dearly and wished that he could be with them in person. He had a great concern that these people would not continue to grow spiritually. He wanted them to keep moving closer and closer to Jesus and to do this without fear. Jesus had provided everything they needed for salvation, but they needed to live into that salvation. It’s just like grabbing the hand of the one who is reaching out to rescue you from the edge of the cliff. You have to grab the hand that is ready to save you and then give yourself to the rescue process, instead of fighting! God is at work in th...