When you open your heart to Jesus, and ask Him to forgive you and cleanse you by His blood, He gives you a blameless heart—then you are the person the Lord is looking to work through! When you understand the fact that God longs to work in your life, your faith will increase. Your hope will increase. And God's work in your life will increase!

Saturday of the Fourteenth Week in Ordinary Time

Isaiah 6:1-8

Psalm 93:1ab, 1cd-2, 5

M atthew 10:24-33  "A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a servant above his master; (25) it is enough for the disciple to be like his teacher, and the servant like his master. If they have called the master of the house Be-el'zebul, how much more will they malign those of his household? (26) "So have no fear of them; for nothing is covered that will not be revealed, or hidden that will not be known. (27) What I tell you in the dark, utter in the light; and what you hear whispered, proclaim upon the housetops. (28) And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul; rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell. (29) Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? And not one of them will fall to the ground without your Father's will. (30) But even the hairs of your head are all numbered. (31) Fear not, therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows. (32) So every one who acknowledges me before men, I also will acknowledge before my Father who is in heaven; (33) but whoever denies me before men, I also will deny before my Father who is in heaven.

Meditation by Patrick Borchers

B oth readings today remind us of the gulf between Earth and Heaven, between the temporary and the eternal and between the human and the divine.

I find these challenging themes and I suspect I’m not alone.  Our human brains are set up to comprehend the earthly, the temporary and the human.  Attempting to comprehend the heavenly, the eternal and the divine requires a considerable exercise of our God-inspired imaginations.  Perhaps it would be easier if we had the experience that Isaiah did seeing God on the throne, but I’m sure that my reaction would have been one of terror as was his.

In Jesus’s case, his disciples saw him in human form (and did not really begin to understand his divine nature until the Resurrection) so in a sense we can better relate to the experience of the disciples as Jesus attempts to prod them into thinking beyond their earthly existence.

Still I find some comfort in all of this.  If Biblical figures such as Isaiah and the disciples struggled and found themselves unworthy, perhaps we ought not to scold ourselves unduly for entertaining some of the same thoughts.  Sometimes we have to experience the divine in the human.  We returned not long ago from a family vacation.  Even though four of my five children are past high school age all but one was able to join us.  Perhaps in the ordinary sense a round of miniature golf might not seem like a divine experience.

But having the whole gaggle of us together laughing and joking together reminded me that there are little bits of heaven here on earth if we look hard enough.  They aren’t found in power and wealth but in those tender and human moments.

Supplementary Reading

Blameless

For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth to show Himself strong in behalf of those whose hearts are blameless toward Him - 2 Chronicles 16:9

A re you looking for God to move in your life today? The Bible says that God is actually looking to show Himself strong in the Earth. He is looking for those who have a blameless heart toward Him.

When you open your heart to Jesus, and ask Him to forgive you and cleanse you by His blood, He gives you a blameless heart—then you are the person the Lord is looking to work through! When you understand the fact that God longs to work in your life, your faith will increase. Your hope will increase. And God's work in your life will increase! Have confidence in this scripture today. Begin to thank God for giving you a clean and blameless heart. Thank Him for choosing to work in you.

As you thank and praise Him, expect Him to act! Expect to see Him move mightily on your behalf in every area of your life!

Heavenly Father, thank You for the blood of Jesus which cleanses my sins and gives me a blameless heart. Search my heart today and remove anything that isn't pleasing to You. I open my heart and invite You to work in every area of my life. I bless You and thank You for Your faithfulness, In Jesus Name. Amen.—Joel & Victoria Osteen

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GOD BLESS US ALL!

O Theos Na Mas Evlogisi!
PRAY as if everything depended on HIM. ACT as if everything depended on YOU.