Long ago God spoke many times and in many ways to our ancestors through the prophets. 2 And now in these final days, he has spoken to us through his Son. God promised everything to the Son as an inheritance, and through the Son he created the universe. 3 The Son radiates God’s own glory and expresses the very character of God, and he sustains everything by the mighty power of his command. Hebrews 1:1-3
The phrase that caught my attention this morning was, The Son radiates God’s own glory and expresses the very character of God. “Like father, like son.”. “He’s the spitting image of his dad”. “He’s a chip off the old block”. Yes, you saw the Father when you met His Son, Jesus. Everything Jesus did and said was a direct reflection of His Father, God. He may have looked like a regular Jew and upheld all Jewish traditions. He may have talked like a Jew and followed the Ten Commandments, studied in a Jewish school, had his Bar Mitzvah, and been baptized according to Jewish tradition, but there was something different about Him. He ate with sinners, loved the unlovable, touched the untouchable and called the uneducated and lowest in society to follow Him. He was always honest and communicated with each audience in ways they could easily understand. Yes, He was the express image of His Father.
He made it easy for us to understand and follow His Father. Instead of ten commandments, He taught just two, Love God-Love others. If we follow those two, the others will be automatic. Over the years the church seems to have made it so complicated. What if church membership were as simple as Kingdom membership. What if when a question of behavior or action came up, we simply asked two questions – Does this honor God and His Word? Is this helpful and loving toward others?
Now let’s bring it home to us. What if we asked those same two questions before we made decisions and choices each day. I’m not talking about which cereal, or kind of soup to buy (unless it negatively affects your health), but things like, whom should I reach out to today? How can I encourage someone today? To whom do I need to say “NO” today? I said He simplified it for us, but sometimes I think I would rather just have that list of dos and don’ts instead of having the gift of free choice to obey or disobey. How about you? Do you express the very character of your Father each day?
Father, I have been working on my choice to love You and love others for seventy-two years and am still falling short some days. Please, Jesus, You know my heart, keep correcting and reminding me when I am tempted to make an unloving choice. Your mercy and grace are beyond my comprehension. Your unconditional love for me is overwhelming. I am so thankful that You know me inside and out and surround me with Your love and protection. Forgive me, Father, and create in me a loving and clean heart this day.
Journey with Joyce 