Seek the
Lord while he may be found, call upon him while he is near; let the wicked forsake their
way and the unrighteous their thoughts; let them return to the Lord, that he may have
mercy on them, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon. For my thoughts are not your
thoughts, nor are your ways my ways, says the Lord.
"Two different worlds. We live
in two different worlds." So go the lyrics of a pop song from many years ago.
Communication is difficult if we don’t speak the same language. It is exponentially
more difficult if our attitudes and thought patterns and values are also on a different
frequency.
MY THOUGHTS ARE NOT YOUR
THOUGHTS, NEITHER ARE YOUR WAYS MY WAYS.
Human thoughts, human ways, tend toward a
generous helping of self-admiration. We might be heard to declare with Frank Sinatra,
"I did it MY way!"
"I’m not a murderer or a thief. I obey the Golden Rule.
I’m really a pretty good person. Surely God will welcome me into his
kingdom."
MY THOUGHTS ARE NOT YOUR
THOUGHTS, NEITHER ARE YOUR WAYS MY WAYS.
God challenges those prideful human
expressions. He says, "All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God."
"By grace you have been saved… not of works…it is a gift of God." Yet
even while knowing our prideful, rebellious ways, our Lord invites us to his banquet. "Come,
ALL who are thirsty…you who have no money (possible translation: "you who
have no moral or spiritual purchasing power")…Come, buy wine and milk without
money and without cost."
The cost for that free banquet was paid two millennia ago when the Lord
chose to share our life experiences directly, personally, and painfully.
"Come, eat and drink without cost," he says. And this
is the invitation we hear every Sunday as we are invited to the Lord’s Table. The
"Free Lunch" is ready. Come. Eat. Be satisfied. And live!
We thank you, Heavenly Father, for your generous invitation. Give
us grateful hearts for this priceless banquet that energizes us to fully appreciate and
enthusiastically live in the new day that dawned on that first Easter morning.
Wil Johnson |
