Sunday, May 24, 2015

The Great Plains Annual Conference of The United Methodist Church Daily Devotion for Sunday, 24 May 2015

The Great Plains Annual Conference of The United Methodist Church Daily Devotion for Sunday, 24 May 2015
Today pleas be in prayer for:

Nanette Roberts

Olathe: Grace UMC

Kansas City District

Sylvia Romero

Olathe: Center of Grace

Kansas City District

Glen Shoup

Leawood: Church of the Resurrection UMC

Kansas City District

This Week's Lectionary

Day of Pentecost - Red

Ascension Sunday
Acts 2:1-21

Psalm 104:24-34, 35b

Romans 8:22-27

John 15:26-27; 16:4b-15

Lectionary Scriptures:

Acts 2:1 The festival of Shavu‘ot arrived, and the believers all gathered together in one place. 2 Suddenly there came a sound from the sky like the roar of a violent wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3 Then they saw what looked like tongues of fire, which separated and came to rest on each one of them. 4 They were all filled with the Ruach HaKodesh and began to talk in different languages, as the Spirit enabled them to speak.

5 Now there were staying in Yerushalayim religious Jews from every nation under heaven. 6 When they heard this sound, a crowd gathered; they were confused, because each one heard the believers speaking in his own language. 7 Totally amazed, they asked, “How is this possible? Aren’t all these people who are speaking from the Galil? 8 How is it that we hear them speaking in our native languages? 9 We are Parthians, Medes, Elamites; residents of Mesopotamia, Y’hudah, Cappadocia, Pontus, Asia, 10 Phrygia, Pamphylia, Egypt, the parts of Libya near Cyrene; visitors from Rome; 11 Jews by birth and proselytes; Jews from Crete and from Arabia. . . ! How is it that we hear them speaking in our own languages about the great things God has done?” 12 Amazed and confused, they all went on asking each other, “What can this mean?” 13 But others made fun of them and said, “They’ve just had too much wine!”

14 Then Kefa stood up with the Eleven and raised his voice to address them: “You Judeans, and all of you staying here in Yerushalayim! Let me tell you what this means! Listen carefully to me!

15 “These people ar en’t drunk, as you suppose — it’s only nine in the morning. 16 No, this is what was spoken about through the prophet Yo’el:

17 ‘Adonai says:

“In the Last Days,

I will pour out from my Spirit upon everyone.

Your sons and daughters will prophesy,

your young men will see visions,

your old men will dream dreams.

18 Even on my slaves, both men and women,

will I pour out from my Spirit in those days;

and they will prophesy.

19 I will perform miracles in the sky above

and signs on the earth below —

blood, fire and thick smoke.

20 The sun will become dark

and the moon blood

before the great and fearful Day of Adonai comes.

21 And then, whoever calls on the name of Adonai will be saved.”’[a][Footnotes:

Acts 2:21 Joel 3:1–5(2:28–32)]

Psalm 104:24 What variety there is in your works, Adonai!

How many [of them there are]!

In wisdom you have made them all;

the earth is full of your creations.

25 Look at the sea, so great, so wide!

It teems with countless creatures,

living beings, both large and small.

26 The ships are there, sailing to and fro;

Livyatan, which you formed to play there.

27 All of them look to you

to give them their food when they need it.

28 When you give it to them, they gather it;

when you open your hand, they are well satisfied.

29 If you hide your face, they vanish;

if you hold back their breath, they perish

and return to their dust.

30 If you send out your breath, they are created,

and you renew the face of the earth.

31 May the glory of Adonai last forever!

May Adonai rejoice in his works!

32 When he looks at the earth, it trembles;

when he touches the mountains, they pour out smoke.

33 I will sing to Adonai as long as I live,

sing praise to my God all my life.

34 May my musings be pleasing to him;

I will rejoice in Adonai.

35 May sinners vanish from the earth

and the wicked be no more!

Bless Adonai, my soul!

Halleluyah!

Romans 8:22 We know that until now, the whole creation has been groaning as with the pains of childbirth; 23 and not only it, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we continue waiting eagerly to be made sons — that is, to have our whole bodies redeemed and set free. 24 It was in this hope that we were saved. But if we see what we hope for, it isn’t hope — after all, who hopes for what he already sees? 25 But if we continue hoping for something we don’t see, then we still wait eagerly for it, with perseverance.

26 Similarly, the Spirit helps us in our weakness; for we don’t know how to pray the way we should. But the Spirit himself pleads on our behalf with groanings too deep for words; 27 and the one who searches hearts knows exactly what the Spirit is thinking, because his pleadings for God’s people accord with God’s will.

John 15:26 “When the Counselor comes, whom I will send you from the Father — the Spirit of Truth, who keeps going out from the Father — he will testify on my behalf. 27 And you testify too, because you have been with me from the outset.

John 16:4 But I have told you this, so that when the time comes for it to happen, you will remember that I told you. I didn’t tell you this at first, because I was with you. 5 But now I am going to the One who sent me.

“Not one of you is asking me, ‘Where are you going?’ 6 Instead, because I have said these things to you, you are overcome with grief. 7 But I tell you the truth, it is to your advantage that I go away; for if I don’t go away, the comforting Counselor will not come to you. However, if I do go, I will send him to you.

8 “When he comes, he will show that the world is wrong about sin, about righteousness and about judgment — 9 about sin, in that people don’t put their trust in me; 10 about righteousness, in that I am going to the Father and you will no longer see me; 11 about judgment, in that the ruler of this world has been judged.

12 “I still have many things to tell you, but you can’t bear them now. 13 However, when the Spirit of Truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth; for he will not speak on his own initiative but will say only what he hears. He will also announce to you the events of the future. 14 He will glorify me, because he will receive from what is mine and announce it to you. 15 Everything the Father has is mine; this is why I said that he receives from what is mine and will announce it to you.

John Wesley's Notes-Commentary for:

Acts 2:1-21

Verse 2

[2] And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting.

And suddenly there came a sound from heaven — So will the Son of man come to judgment.

And it filled all the house — That is, all that part of the temple where they were sitting.

Verse 3

[3] And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them.

And there appeared distinct tongues, as of fire — That is, small flames of fire. This is all which the phrase, tongues of fire, means in the language of the seventy. Yet it might intimate God's touching their tongues as it were (together with their hearts) with Divine fire: his giving them such words as were active and penetrating, even as flaming fire.

Verse 4

[4] And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.

And they began to speak with other tongues — The miracle was not in the ears of the hearers, (as some have unaccountably supposed,) but in the mouth of the speakers. And this family praising God together, with the tongues of all the world, was an earnest that the whole world should in due time praise God in their various tongues.

As the Spirit gave them utterance — Moses, the type of the law, was of a slow tongue; but the Gospel speaks with a fiery and flaming one.

Verse 5

[5] And there were dwelling at Jerusalem Jews, devout men, out of every nation under heaven.

And there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews — Gathered from all parts by the peculiar providence of God.

Verse 6

[6] Now when this was noised abroad, the multitude came together, and were confounded, because that every man heard them speak in his own language.

The multitude came together, and were confounded — The motions of their minds were swift and various.

Verse 9

[9] Parthians, and Medes, and Elamites, and the dwellers in Mesopotamia, and in Judaea, and Cappadocia, in Pontus, and Asia,

Judea — The dialect of which greatly differed from that of Galilee.

Asia — The country strictly so called.

Verse 10

[10] Phrygia, and Pamphylia, in Egypt, and in the parts of Libya about Cyrene, and strangers of Rome, Jews and proselytes,

Roman sojourners — Born at Rome, but now living at Jerusalem. These seem to have come to Jerusalem after those who are above mentioned. All of them were partly Jews by birth, and partly proselytes.

Verse 11

[11] Cretes and Arabians, we do hear them speak in our tongues the wonderful works of God.

Cretans — One island seems to be mentioned for all.

The wonderful works of God — Probably those which related to the miracles, death, resurrection, and ascension of Christ, together with the effusion of his Spirit, as a fulfilment of his promises, and the glorious dispensations of Gospel grace.

Verse 12

[12] And they were all amazed, and were in doubt, saying one to another, What meaneth this?

They were all amazed — All the devout men.

Verse 13

[13] Others mocking said, These men are full of new wine.

But others mocking — The world begins with mocking, thence proceeds to cavilling, Acts 4:7; to threats, 4:17; to imprisoning, Acts 5:18; blows, 5:40; to slaughter, Acts 7:58. These mockers appear to have been some of the natives of Judea, and inhabitants of Jerusalem, (who understood only the dialect of the country,) by the apostle's immediately directing his discourse to them in the next verse.

They are full of sweet wine — So the Greek word properly signifies. There was no new wine so early in the year as pentecost. Thus natural men are wont to ascribe supernatural things to mere natural causes; and many times as impudently and unskilfully as in the present case.

Verse 14

[14] But Peter, standing up with the eleven, lifted up his voice, and said unto them, Ye men of Judaea, and all ye that dwell at Jerusalem, be this known unto you, and hearken to my words:

Then Peter standing up — All the gestures, all the words of Peter, show the utmost sobriety; lifted up his voice - With cheerfulness and boldness; and said to them - This discourse has three parts; each of which, Acts 2:14,22,29, begins with the same appellation, men: only to the last part he prefixes with more familiarity the additional word brethren.

Men of Judea — That is, ye that are born in Judea. St. Peter spoke in Hebrew, which they all understood.

Verse 15

[15] For these are not drunken, as ye suppose, seeing it is but the third hour of the day.

It is but the third hour of the day — That is, nine in the morning. And on the solemn festivals the Jews rarely ate or drank any thing till noon.

Verse 16

[16] But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel;

But this is that which was spoken of by the prophet — But there is another and better way of accounting for this. Joel 2:28

Verse 17

[17] And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams:

The times of the Messiah are frequently called the last days, the Gospel being the last dispensation of Divine grace.

I will pour out of my Spirit — Not on the day of pentecost only, upon all flesh - On persons of every age, sex, and rank.

And your young men shall see visions — In young men the outward sense, are most vigorous, and the bodily strength is entire, whereby they are best qualified to sustain the shock which usually attends the visions of God. In old men the internal senses are most vigorous, suited to divine dreams. Not that the old are wholly excluded from the former, nor the young from the latter.

Verse 18

[18] And on my servants and on my handmaidens I will pour out in those days of my Spirit; and they shall prophesy:

And upon my servants — On those who are literally in a state of servitude.

Verse 19

[19] And I will shew wonders in heaven above, and signs in the earth beneath; blood, and fire, and vapour of smoke:

And I will show prodigies in heaven above, and signs on earth beneath — Great revelations of grace are usually attended with great judgments on those who reject it.

In heaven — Treated of, Acts 2:20.

On earth — Described in this verse. Such signs were those mentioned, Acts 2:22, before the passion of Christ; which are so mentioned as to include also those at the very time of the passion and resurrection, at the destruction of Jerusalem, and at the end of the world. Terrible indeed were those prodigies in particular which preceded the destruction of Jerusalem: such as the flaming sword hanging over the city, and the fiery comet pointing down upon it for a year; the light that shone upon the temple and the altar in the night, as if it had been noon-day; the opening of the great and heavy gate of the temple without hands; the voice heard from the most holy place, Let us depart hence; the admonition of Jesus the son of Ananus, crying for seven years together, Wo, wo, wo; the vision of contending armies in the air, and of entrenchments thrown up against a city there represented; the terrible thunders and lightnings, and dreadful earthquakes, which every one considered as portending some great evil: all which, through the singular providence of God, are particularly recorded by Josephus.

Blood — War and slaughter.

Fire — Burnings of houses and towns, involving all in clouds of smoke.

Verse 20

[20] The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before that great and notable day of the Lord come:

The moon shall be turned into blood — A bloody colour: before the day of the Lord - Eminently the last day; though not excluding any other day or season, wherein the Lord shall manifest his glory, in taking vengeance of his adversaries.

Verse 21

[21] And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved.

But — whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord - This expression implies the whole of religion, and particularly prayer uttered in faith; shall be saved - From all those plagues; from sin and hell.Psalm 104:24-34, 35b

Verse 25

[25] So is this great and wide sea, wherein are things creeping innumerable, both small and great beasts.

Creeping — This word is common to all creatures that move without feet.

Verse 26

[26] There go the ships: there is that leviathan, whom thou hast made to play therein.

Leviathan — The whale.

Therein — Who being of such a vast strength and absolute dominion in the sea, tumbles in it with great security, and sports himself with other creatures.

Verse 20

[20] Thou makest darkness, and it is night: wherein all the beasts of the forest do creep forth.

Darkness — Which succeeds the light by virtue of thy decree.

Verse 29

[29] Thou hidest thy face, they are troubled: thou takest away their breath, they die, and return to their dust.

Hidest — Withdrawest the care of thy providence.

Verse 30

[30] Thou sendest forth thy spirit, they are created: and thou renewest the face of the earth.

Spirit — That quickening power of God, by which he produces life in the creatures from time to time. For he speaks not here of the first creation, but of the continued production of living creatures.

Created — Other living creatures are produced; the word created being taken in its largest sense for the production of things by second causes.

Renewest — And thus by thy wise and wonderful providence thou preservest the succession of living creatures.

Verse 31

[31] The glory of the LORD shall endure for ever: the LORD shall rejoice in his works.

Rejoice — Thus God advances the glory of his wisdom and power and goodness, in upholding the works of his hands from generation to generation, and he takes pleasure in the preservation of his works, as also in his reflection upon these works of his providence.

Verse 32

[32] He looketh on the earth, and it trembleth: he toucheth the hills, and they smoke.

He looketh — This is a farther illustration of God's powerful providence: as when he affords his favour to creatures, they live and thrive, so on the contrary, one angry look or touch of his upon the hills or earth, makes them tremble and smoke, as Sinai did when God appeared in it.Romans 8:22-27

Verse 22

[22] For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now.

For the whole creation groaneth together — With joint groans, as it were with one voice.

And travaileth — Literally, is in the pains of childbirth, to be delivered of the burden of the curse.

Until now — To this very hour; and so on till the time of deliverance.

Verse 23

[23] And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body.

And even we, who have the first-fruits of the Spirit — That is, the Spirit, who is the first-fruits of our inheritance.

The adoption — Persons who had been privately adopted among the Romans were often brought forth into the forum, and there publicly owned as their sons by those who adopted them. So at the general resurrection, when the body itself is redeemed from death, the sons of God shall be publicly owned by him in the great assembly of men and angels.

The redemption of our body — From corruption to glory and immortality.

Verse 24

[24] For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for?

For we are saved by hope — Our salvation is now only in hope. We do not yet possess this full salvation.

Verse 26

[26] Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.

Likewise the Spirit — Nay, not only the universe, not only the children of God, but the Spirit of God also himself, as it were, groaneth, while he helpeth our infirmities, or weaknesses. Our understandings are weak, particularly in the things of God our desires are weak; our prayers are weak.

We know not — Many times.

What we should pray for — Much less are we able to pray for it as we ought: but the Spirit maketh intercession for us - In our hearts, even as Christ does in heaven.

With groanings — The matter of which is from ourselves, but the Spirit forms them; and they are frequently inexpressible, even by the faithful themselves.

Verse 27

[27] And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God.

But he who searcheth the hearts — Wherein the Spirit dwells and intercedes.

Knoweth — Though man cannot utter it.

What is the mind of the Spirit, for he maketh intercession for the saints — Who are near to God.

According to God — According to his will, as is worthy of God. and acceptable to him.

John 15:26-27

Verse 26

[26] But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me:

When the Comforter is come, whom I will send from the Father, the Spirit of truth, who proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me — The Spirit's coming, and being sent by our Lord from the Father, to testify of him, are personal characters, and plainly distinguish him from the Father and the Son; and his title as the Spirit of truth, together with his proceeding from the Father, can agree to none but a Divine person. And that he proceeds from the Son, as well as from the Father, may be fairly argued from his being called the Spirit of Christ, 1 Peter 1:11; and from his being here said to be sent by Christ from the Father, as well as sent by the Father in his name.16:4b-15

Verse 4

[4] But these things have I told you, that when the time shall come, ye may remember that I told you of them. And these things I said not unto you at the beginning, because I was with you.

I did not tell you these things at the beginning, because I was with you — To bear the chief shock in my own person, and to screen you from it.

Verse 5

[5] But now I go my way to him that sent me; and none of you asketh me, Whither goest thou?

None of you asketh me — Now when it is most seasonable. Peter did ask this before, John 13:36.

Verse 7

[7] Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you.

It is expedient for you — In respect of the Comforter, John 16:7, etc., and of me, John 16:16, etc., and of the Father, John 16:23, etc.

Verse 8

[8] And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment:

He — Observe his twofold office; toward the world, John 16:8, etc.; toward believers, John 16:12, etc.: will convince - All of the world - Who do not obstinately resist, by your preaching and miracles, of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment - He who is convinced of sin either accepts the righteousness of Christ, or is judged with Satan. An abundant accomplishment of this we find in the Acts of the Apostles.

Verse 9

[9] Of sin, because they believe not on me;

Of sin — Particularly of unbelief, which is the confluence of all sins, and binds them all down upon us.

Verse 10

[10] Of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more;

Of righteousness, because I go to my Father — Which the Spirit will testify, though ye do not then see me. But I could not go to him if I were not righteous.

Verse 11

[11] Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged.

The prince of this world is judged — And in consequence thereof dethroned, deprived of the power he had so long usurped over men. Yet those who reject the deliverance offered them will remain slaves of Satan still.

Verse 12

[12] I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now.

I have yet many things to say — Concerning my passion, death, resurrection, and the consequences of it. These things we have, not in uncertain traditions, but in the Acts, the Epistles, and the Revelation.

But ye cannot bear them now — Both because of your littleness of faith, and your immoderate sorrow.

Verse 13

[13] Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.

When he is come — It is universally allowed that the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost dwell in all believers. And the internal agency of the Holy Ghost is generally admitted. That of the Father and the Son, as represented in this Gospel, deserves our deepest consideration.

Verse 15

[15] All things that the Father hath are mine: therefore said I, that he shall take of mine, and shall shew it unto you.

All things that the Father hath are mine — Could any creature say this?

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Upper Room Ministries, a ministry of Discipleship Ministries

PO Box 340004

Nashville, Tennessee 37203-0004 United States

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Sermon Story "The Promise Received" by Gary Lee Parker for Sunday, 24 May 2015 with Scripture: Acts 2:1 The festival of Shavu‘ot arrived, and the believers all gathered together in one place. 2 Suddenly there came a sound from the sky like the roar of a violent wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3 Then they saw what looked like tongues of fire, which separated and came to rest on each one of them. 4 They were all filled with the Ruach HaKodesh and began to talk in different languages, as the Spirit enabled them to speak.

14 Then Kefa stood up with the Eleven and raised his voice to address them: “You Judeans, and all of you staying here in Yerushalayim! Let me tell you what this means! Listen carefully to me!

15 “These people ar en’t drunk, as you suppose — it’s only nine in the morning. 16 No, this is what was spoken about through the prophet Yo’el:

17 ‘Adonai says:

“In the Last Days,

I will pour out from my Spirit upon everyone.

Your sons and daughters will prophesy,

your young men will see visions,

your old men will dream dreams.

18 Even on my slaves, both men and women,

will I pour out from my Spirit in those days;

and they will prophesy.

19 I will perform miracles in the sky above

and signs on the earth below —

blood, fire and thick smoke.

20 The sun will become dark

and the moon blood

before the great and fearful Day of Adonai comes.

21 And then, whoever calls on the name of Adonai will be saved.”’[a][Footnotes:

Acts 2:21 Joel 3:1–5(2:28–32)]

I will never forget that day when my father and mother took me to Jeursalem for the Feast of Pentecost. This is the Feast that we remember God giving the Torah to us who are Israelites. I remembering studying this in the Synagogue School where my Rabbis would ask us questions about the Torah, then at break I rememer my fellow students and I would talk about this Rabbi who chose His Disciples from uneducated or sinners of the Torah. We heard stories of this man' teachings and healings, but the Rabbis said that this man could not be the Messiah Promised because He was from Nazareth, not Bethlehem. We also heard the stories about His beating by the Temle Guards and Roman soldiers before He was crucified and died like a criminal on an execution stake. Yes, we heard stories about His disciples saying that He was raised from the dead walking among them for 40 days before being taken back to His Father-God. Now, we are here remembering God giving us the Torah and we hear a rshing mighty wind coming down into that Upper Room in that house where we see tongues of fire descending on the heads of the people in the room. Suddennly, we hear the people speaking in other languages other than Hebrew and Aramaic because there were people here in Jerusalem from other countries whether they are Jews or Converts to Judaism. I heard some people say that these people in the Upper Room must be drunk, but then the leader of this group, Peter was his name, stood up and said that they were not drunk, but this is what was promised in the Prophetic Book of Joel. In the last days, there were be young people with vision and old people dreaming dreams. Then, this man sahred about this Jesus who truly is the Messiah of Israel and He is not dead, but alive sitting at the right hand of the Father in the Kingdom of God. Suddenly, I heard myself along with others asked what we needed to do to be saved. Peter told us to repent of our sins and embrace Jesus for who He is the Messiah the Son of Man and Son of God-you know-god-incarnate. I repented as did others and was baptized receving the promised Holy Spirit as they did and I realized that I was a Completed Jew or Messianic Jew. What a day that was and I partook of a common meal with them conclusing with eating the Body of Jesus and drinking His Blood in partaking of the Holy Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist as you will do today coming forward singing the Hymn "Come Holy Spirit"

1. Come, Holy Spirit, I need you

Come, sweet Spirit, I pray

Come in your strength and your power

Come in your own gentle way

2. Come as a rest to the weary

Come as a balm to the sore

Come, Lord, as strength to my weakness

Fill me with joy evermore

3. Come, Holy Spirit, I need you

Come, sweet Spirit, I pray

Come in your strength and your power

Come in your own gentle way

4. Come like a spring in the desert

Come to the withered of soul

Lord, let your sweet healing power

Touch me and make me whole

5. Come, Holy Spirit, I need you

Come, sweet Spirit, I pray

Come in your strength and your power

Come in your own gentle way

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San Diego, California 92104-1844, United States

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Today's Devotional:

The Upper Room Daily Devotional "What Is Right" for Sunday, 24 May 2015 - Scripture: 2 Kings 18:1 It was in the third year of Hoshea the son of Elah, king of Isra’el, that Hizkiyahu the son of Achaz, king of Y’hudah, began his reign. 2 He was twenty-five years old when he began his reign, and he ruled for twenty-nine years in Yerushalayim. His mother’s name was Avi the daughter of Z’kharyah. 3 He did what was right from Adonai’s perspective, following the example of everything David his ancestor had done. 4 He removed the high places, smashed the standing-stones, cut down the asherah and broke in pieces the bronze serpent that Moshe had made; because in those days the people of Isra’el were making offerings to it, calling it N’chushtan.* 5 He put his trust in Adonai the God of Isra’el; after him there was no one like him among all the kings of Y’hudah, nor had there been among those before him. 6 For he clung to Adonai and did not leave off following him, but obeyed his mitzvot, which Adonai had given Moshe. 7 So Adonai was with him. Wherever he went out to battle, he did well. He rebelled against the king of Ashur and refused to be his vassal. 8 He drove the P’lishtim back to ‘Azah and laid waste to their territory from the watchtower to the fortified city.

9 It was in the fourth year of King Hizkiyahu, which was the seventh year of Hoshea son of Elah, king of Isra’el, that Shalman’eser king of Ashur advanced against Shomron and laid siege to it. 10 At the end of three years they captured it — that is, Shomron was captured in the sixth year of Hizkiyahu, which was the ninth year of Hoshea king of Isra’el. 11 The king of Ashur carried Isra’el away captive to Ashur and settled them in Halach, in Havor on the Gozan River and in the cities of the Medes. 12 This happened because they did not heed the voice of Adonai their God, but violated his covenant, everything that Moshe the servant of Adonai had ordered them to do, and would neither hear it nor do it.

13 In the fourteenth year of King Hizkiyahu, Sancheriv king of Ashur advanced against all the fortified cities of Y’hudah and captured them. 14 Hizkiyahu king of Y’hudah sent this message to the king of Ashur at Lakhish: “I have done wrong. If you will go away from me, I will pay whatever penalty you impose on me.” The king of Ashur imposed on Hizkiyahu a penalty of ten tons of silver and a ton of gold. 15 Hizkiyahu gave him all the silver that could be found in the house of Adonai and in the treasuries of the royal palace. 16 It was at that time that Hizkiyahu stripped the gold from the doors of the sanctuary of Adonai and from the doorposts which Hizkiyahu king of Y’hudah himself had overlaid, and gave it to the king of Ashur.

Hezekiah prayed, “Remember, LORD, how I have walked before you faithfully and with wholehearted devotion and have done what is good in your eyes.”[2 Kings 20:3 (NIV)]

In the Old Testament, people’s lives are repeatedly classified in one of two ways, as a sort of scriptural eulogy: either “he did evil in the eyes of the Lord” or “he did what was right in the eyes of the Lord.”

I rarely consider my life in such simple terms. Media messages entice me to dwell on how nice I look as I age, the type of decor in my home, and what I do for a living. It is easy to forget that — in light of eternity — obedience to God is much more important than such trivialities.

It can be tempting to ignore God’s standard of selfless love, but all those life summaries in the Old Testament remind me that my choices need to be anchored to something bigger than I and bigger than my shifting emotions. My choices should revolve around God and what pleases God. When God reflects on the sum of my life — who I was and what I did — I want to hear, “She did what is good in the eyes of the Lord.”

Missionary Renegade

Sunday, May 24, 2015

The Great Plains Annual Conference of The United Methodist Church Daily Devotion for Sunday, 24 May 2015

This Week's Lectionary

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