daily meditation: the bread and wine

Proverbs 9:4-6

"Whoever is simple, let him turn in here!"
     To him who lacks sense she says,
"Come, eat of my bread
     and drink of the wine I have mixed.
Leave your simple ways, and live,
     and walk in the way of insight."

If we are called to eat of the bread and drink of the wine that wisdom has prepared in order that we may live, then let us go get it from the one who gave it. Namely, Jesus. He is the bread. He is the wine.

James says if anyone lacks wisdom he should ask for it and it will be given. I assure you, it is given. Wisdom, in all its greatness, is wrapped up in the person and works of Jesus Christ. Eat of him. Drink of him. And, then, live.

-joe

daily meditation: slow seduction and a quick fall

Proverbs 7:21-23

"With much seductive speech she persuades him;
     with her smooth talk she compels him.
All at once he follows her,
     as an ox goes to the slaughter,
or as a stag is caught fast
     till an arrow pierces its liver;
as a bird rushes into a snare;
     he does not know that it will cost him his life.

Too often we think that temptation happens only in the instant before our sin. In reality, temptation seduces us slowly, feeding us small lies and empty promises over days, weeks, months, and years. It is this slow seduction that makes our fall seem so sudden.

Beware the steady voice of the adulteress. She calls daily in the streets. Shut your ears to her words so that none of them can get it. Fill yourself, instead, with sweet Gospel truths so that you can "say no to ungodliness and worldly passion."

-joe

big-bellied promises

God has made promises which, in the end, will stand tall and erect over all the commands he has given us. He will not allow his word to fail. And this...this (in the words of John Bunyan) is one of the absolute, will-not-fail, big-bellied promises of God. It contains within its belly all the conditional promises based on our obedience. It holds them because Christ accomplished them for us so that this one mighty covenant would stand:

"All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out. For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me. And this is the will of him who sent me, that I should lose nothing of all that he has given me, but raise it up on the last day. For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.”
(John 6:37-40 ESV)

My constant failures cause me to doubt, but this gives me hope.

-joe