The Blue Church

In Jesus’ very first sermon, He jolts us by asking us not just to tolerate our enemies, but love them (Matthew 5:44, 45). “Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven.

Reading through the Psalms I’m once again struck by the many references the psalmist makes to his enemies, and God’s. There are warring armies, threatening adversaries, and faithless friends, all of whom disturb the peace and create chaos. Who are they?

Alexander Pope’s line about a little learning being “a dangerous thing” was never better illustrated than when a famous atheist called the God of the Old Testament a bully and a narcissist.

When the ancient garage door opener finally died, I wasn’t all that surprised, and at my first opportunity, bought and installed a replacement. It worked like a dream for months, and I was quite proud of myself (in the good sense, of course).

Jesus was on planet earth less than thirty-four years, and He never wrote a book or built a cathedral. Yet, His message is going to the ends of the earth because He delegated the task to others.

We’ve all laughed when someone scurries around looking for his car keys, all the while holding them. Maybe we’ve even been that person. It’s comical because we automatically stop looking when we’ve found what’s missing.

The question was direct and to the point, just like all of Jesus’ questions. The Twelve had just seen Jesus feed the five thousand, but now people were turning from Him and walking away.

Isaiah 55:8, 9 are among the more quotable verses in our Bible. Some of us, no doubt, have memorized them, and most of us have voiced their sentiments in so many words:
“‘For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
neither are your ways my ways,’ declares the Lord.

The longest chapter in the Bible, Psalm 119, is a treasure trove of insights regarding God’s Word and how the believer relates to it. All but two of its verses (see if you can find them) use one or more synonyms like “commands,” “precepts,” “laws,” and “decrees.”