Coffee With The Lord

Sometimes two stories in Scripture are placed next to each other by the inspired writer for the truth they communicate by contrast.  This often happens in the gospel records, which are not strictly chronological, but sometimes arranged topically.  This morning during my time of “coffee with the Lord” I read two such accounts… What Jesus said about the “scribes” (religious leaders – who were especially thought of as Jewish Bible scholars) and the “poor widow” and her gift.

Think about it…

The pompous, proud, image-driven “scribe” – really a greedy hypocrite.  Set over against the devout, sincere, selfless “poor widow” – motivated by sacrificial generosity.  So who won the admiration and praise of our Savior, Jesus Christ?  Here it is right out of the Bible – truth taught by contrast…

“And in his teaching Jesus said, ‘BEWARE OF THE SCRIBES, who like to walk around in long robes and like greetings in the marketplaces and have the best seats in the synagogues and the places of honor at feasts, who devour widows’ houses and for a pretense make long prayers. They will receive the greater condemnation.’”

“And he sat down opposite the treasury and watched the people putting money into the offering box. Many rich people put in large sums.  AND A POOR WIDOW came and put in two small copper coins, which make a penny.  And he called his disciples to him and said to them, ‘Truly, I say to you, this poor widow has put in more than all those who are contributing to the offering box.  For they all contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty has put in everything she had, all she had to live on.’”  (From Mark 12:38–44 ESV)

Let that sink in… Those who please the Lord, capture His attention, and win His approval are often not those who appear righteous (in fact those people are often “self-righteous”).  The ones that win the Lord’s approval are simple, sincere believers who are NOT self-seeking (and instead they are self-giving)… I can tell you which side of that contrast I want to be on!  Oh Lord, help me to be more like the “widow” – and NOT like the “scribe”!

Yesterday, I highlighted from my Bible reading Apostle Paul’s tribute to ordinary people who were not rich (and may even have been poor) yet gave generously to others out of a heart of love …

Then this morning I read these words in my Bible in the very next verses and it brought to my knees in thanksgiving and worship…

“For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ that though he was rich, yet for your sake He became poor, so that you through His poverty might become rich!” (2 Corinthians 8.9)

I had just finished reading that verse and another came to mind… “He [our Heavenly Father] Who did not spare His own Son, but gave Him up for us all – how will He not also, along with Him graciously give us all things?!” (Romans 8.32)

Someone has framed it this way… G-R-A-C-E!

God’s

Riches

At

Christ’s

Expense

What an absolute, mind-boggling, display of generosity – it tops anything we might do!  I’m incredibly grateful!!  Oh, may my giving in some small way reflect both my Heavenly Father’s and my Savior’s gift!!

Sometimes it just seems like evil has the upper hand!  Those that belittle righteousness, mock the reality of God, and scorn those who seek to follow Christ often seem to have the wave of public opinion going their way.  Godly, biblical values are spurned in public policy and those who embrace them are labeled as bigots.  In fact, sometimes it may seem like God Himself has “cast off His people” as a consequence of their own compromise and sin…

Ever feel like that?

Today I read a Psalm that seemed to put some of those thoughts into words and turned them upward in a prayer…

“O God… REMEMBER your congregation, which you have purchased of old, which you have redeemed… REMEMBER!…  How long O God, is the foe to scoff?  Is the enemy to revile your name forever? … Yet God You are my King from of old, working salvation in the midst of the earth! … REMEMBER how the enemy scoffs and foolish people revile your name! … Arise, O God, defend your cause! … REMEMBER how the foolish scoff at you all the day!” (taken from Psalm 74.  Read the whole Psalm.)

These are some of the words I uttered to God this morning as my prayer… “Oh, Lord, REMEMBER!”  Why not make them yours as well.  I don’t want to be a victim… I want to make a difference, I want to be an intercessor!