Missionary Renegade: The Daily Guide. grow. pray. study. The United Methodist Church of the Resurrection in Leawood, Kansas, United States for Tuesday, 21 June 2016

Tuesday, June 21, 2016

The Daily Guide. grow. pray. study. The United Methodist Church of the Resurrection in Leawood, Kansas, United States for Tuesday, 21 June 2016 - "God never abandons us"

The Daily Guide. grow. pray. study. The United Methodist Church of the Resurrection in Leawood, Kansas, United States for Tuesday, 21 June 2016 - "God never abandons us"
Daily Scripture: Psalm 13:3 (2) How long must I keep asking myself what to do,

with sorrow in my heart every day?

How long must my enemy dominate me?

4 (3) Look, and answer me, Adonai my God!

Give light to my eyes, or I will sleep the sleep of death.

5 (4) Then my enemy would say, “I was able to beat him”;

and my adversaries would rejoice at my downfall.

6 (5) But I trust in your grace,

my heart rejoices as you bring me to safety.

(6) I will sing to Adonai, because he gives me

even more than I need.

Hebrews 13:5 Keep your lives free from the love of money; and be satisfied with what you have; for God himself has said, “I will never fail you or abandon you.”[Hebrews 13:5 Deuteronomy 31:6] 6 Therefore, we say with confidence,

“Adonai is my helper; I will not be afraid —

what can a human being do to me?”[Hebrews 13:6 Psalm 118:6]

7 Remember your leaders, those who spoke God’s message to you. Reflect on the results of their way of life, and imitate their trust — 8 Yeshua the Messiah is the same yesterday, today and forever.

Reflection Questions:

“The world would be a nicer place if everyone had the ability to love as unconditionally as a dog.”[M.K. Clinton (Author)]
We humans talk a lot about “unconditional love,” and sometimes pledge it to one another. But actually doing it is so demanding that we very seldom live up to it. Our dogs, on the other hand, often seem to manage it. And when they do, they show us one of the key qualities of God that the Scriptures taught. We can always depend on God’s love for us.

Sometimes we quote Hebrews 13:5 as though it is just about money. But this passage was really about in what or who we put our trust. Are there experiences you look back on and realize that the fear you felt at the time was unnecessary, that you could trust God? How can you apply the principles of this passage to any current circumstances triggering fear in you?
If you’ve had a dog (or other pet) who was always there for you, imagine that dependable loyalty multiplied by being embodied in the God of the universe. Do you tend to see God as absent when you need God most, as sort of dependable (because they say so in church), or as a genuinely reliable presence whose steadfast love is with you at all times and in all circumstances?

Today’s Prayer:
Dear Jesus, thank you for being with me right now. Keep me aware of your strong, loving presence, today and every day. Amen.
-------Insights from Ally Drummond

Ally Drummond is currently serving as a Congregational Care intern at the Church of the Resurrection. She is a sophomore at the University of Missouri—Kansas City, majoring in Sociology with a minor in Family Studies. Ally loves exploring and experiencing all things Kansas City!
My family owns two dogs–one is a Great Dane and the other is a mastiff mix. Growing up, though, we had two Labrador Retrievers–a black one named Boo and a yellow one named Cameron. I remember one winter night where their love and loyalty for each other and the rest of the family was apparent to us all.
My family had just come home and immediately let the dogs out in the backyard. We have a pool in our backyard, and since it was winter, there was a black tarp covering the empty pool. A few minutes after letting the dogs outside we started to hear incessant barking. After not being able to tame the barking from inside the house, my Dad finally went outside and found Cameron running around the perimeter of the pool. Cameron was desperately trying to show him Boo had fallen into the pool, but Dad couldn’t see this right away because the dark winter night sky and the black tarp camouflaged Boo. Even after my Dad realized what had happened and came to Boo’s aid, Cameron faithfully stayed next to her, crying for help and never abandoning Boo’s side until they were safely reunited, at which time they affectionately embraced one another. Dogs are able to model for us an unconditional love that we only find in the Lord. A kind of love that is never wavering and always present.
Both scripture passages from Psalm and Hebrews speak of this idea–God will never abandon us. I feel as if many Christians struggle to fully grasp the sort of faith He calls us to have in Him. In Psalm 13, David cries out to the Lord, because he realizes he can only overcome his downfalls by placing all his trust in the Lord. It takes courage to be as faithful in God as David is being. In Hebrews 13, we are being reminded that no amount of worldly possessions can replace or separate us from the steadfast love that God can provide. Both scriptures act as reminders for us to place all our faith in the Lord, because He will never abandon us.
How amazing is it that God loves us so relentlessly that He still calls us to be His children despite all we have done? No matter what pit we fall into, God will always be right by our side, calling us to reach out to Him. Just as Cameron desperately did as much as she could to save Boo from her fall, God will never stop pursuing us, despite all our faults and shortcomings. It’s nearly impossible to grasp that sort of unconditional love, but our call as Christians invites us to have faith in this steadfast love and pursuit, which we can only find in the Lord.