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This morning went for a run.
A new thing for me.
Have been trying out my legs over the last little while to see if I can run again without back pain / re-injury.
According to my wife I haven't run since before she met me.....
Hmmm..... 32 years.... 
So far so good.
Ran for about 40 minutes.
About 13000 steps including cool down....

While I ran I listened to Jesus tell stories..... 
Not just stories, but illustrations of what the Kingdom of Heaven is like.
I listened to the parable of the Minas - Luke 19:11-27
- Giving his servants resources
and then after leaving for some time
coming back and checking to see
what they had done
with the opportunities he had given them.
One multiplied it 10x
one 5x
one kept it safe and returned it intact.....
A very similar parable to the one recorded in Matt 25:14-30

but what impacted me was the
harshness of the ruler in the story.
High expectations on those he trusted to invest his resources
but also no latitude with those who hated him
or even the one who 'preserved' his money....

27 "But those enemies of mine
who did not want me
to be king over them -
Bring them here
and kill them in front of me."

Whattt!???

Jesus is telling this story about himself.
This is no 'meek and mild Jesus' of Sunday School fame....
This is a king who takes no guff
Who is not around for a popularity contest
Who does not play political 'nice guy'

This is not my 'Canadian Jesus'.....

In fact, my thought was
This sounds like Old Testament times....
Not the New Covenant of Grace and Mercy
and being super nice.....

Hmmm....

I know that the God of the Old Testament is the same God
as the New....
But what does that LOOK like?
How does that WORK?

Jesus, paints a picture of the future (New Testament)
and it is pretty cut and dried
not much 'grey'
or room to 'fudge'

Lord Jesus,
I think I have been missing some pieces
I think that I may have been neglecting
some parts
about You
and Your Kingdom.

Your disciples only had the
Old Testament Pictures of You....
and why do I think that should be so different
from what I read in the New....?

Hmmm...

The fear of You....
...the beginning of wisdom....
More in Awe
of You today
than yesterday.

Yes

PJ