And another of His disciples said unto Him, Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father. Matt 8:21

Tug of war is a sport to test the strength of two opposing teaming. The object is to overpower the opposing team and pull the rope a determined distance toward the home team side. The competition begins with the teams aligned at opposite ends of the rope, facing the ground and away from a rope. Upon hearing the command, the teams immediately turn to the rope, take hold of it and pull towards their home with all their energy. So often the victor is determined by the initial advantage gained at the start to be ready, with a quick response, and commitment of all their might and strength. This is also true for success and victory in Christian living. Be ready, respond immediately and be fully committed. The scripture passage illustrates an example of one who came to Jesus with a sincere request, yet not ready to respond and follow Jesus. The man had a responsibility to care for his elderly father until his father’s death. It seemed an honorable delay to care for his father and return to follow Jesus at a more appropriate time. The man was drawn to Jesus for his greater gain rather than God’s glory. He allowed his priority of responsibilities hinder him from following Jesus. Jesus knew the man, his responsibilities and the man’s father. Jesus cared for the man and his father, and He would have cared for the man’s father had he chosen to follow Him immediately and completely. The man had an opportunity to walk with the Son of God, but the cares of life competed for his obedience. My friend, priorities of life constantly compete for devotion to Christ and challenge our obedience to follow God’s word. When God reveals His will, the opportunity to respond is limited. Occasions to minister to others may pass quickly. When impressed to pray, stop immediately and pray. When impressed to go to a neighbor or friend, go immediately and not at a more convenient time. Timing of obedience is crucial. What shall we say when we hear the Master’s call? “Suffer me first go and” care for a matter of great concern or will He hear us say “Here am I! Send me” (Isa 6:8). “If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit” (Gal 5:16). Be ready, respond immediately, and commit to follow the Spirit. “Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh” (Gal 5:16). Father, teach me Your ways that I may be ready to hear Your call and respond immediately, obediently and without hesitation. In the blessed Name of Jesus. Amen.

But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life. John 4:14

I pray that you had a blessed and wonderful day of worship this past Lord’s Day with your local church. I pray that your heart and soul were refreshed by the preached word of God. There is nothing more soothing than a cool drink of water to our dry lips on a hot day, sunny day. Yet, to plunge in a cool pool of water, splash into a watery lake, or wade into a flowing stream can be refreshing to the body, heart, and soul. Our scripture passage reminds us of the refreshing flow that comes from Emmanuel’s vein. It is the eternal flow that renews faith, restores hope, and redirects us into the path of righteousness. The woman who came to well in the heat of the day, had an unquenchable thirst, disappointed by human love and her flawed character not tolerated by neighbors and long passed friends. Her hope was fading, her faith was failing and had fallen into discouraging time and confusion. She was sincere in her efforts and faithfully seeking to appease her sick and weary heart with the things of the world and religion but found herself empty and always thirsting. Her thirst continued, her soul was dusty and dry until the day she met the Stranger, who offered her “a well of water springing up into everlasting life.” The Stranger, who traveled far out of His way, became her salvation. He refreshed her soul with hope, restored her heart with faith to believe, and redirected her path in life that her proclaimed good news to family, friend, and foe. My friend, Jesus travels down the dry, dusty roads of life to seek out the thirsty and weary soul. He refreshes with living water that “whosoever drinketh…shall never thirst.” Have you tasted the living water? You have within your soul “a well of water” that will refresh, renew, and restore you with eternal life that is filled with “faith, hope, and love” (Gal 5:22) that many others might believe for themselves “the Christ, the Savior of the world” (Jn 4:42). Father, thank You for the Living water of life that flows from Emmanuel’s veins. Thank You for the blood of Jesus Christ that forgives our sin and cleanses us from all unrighteousness (1 Jn 1:9) that the water of Eternal life may freely forever flow, and we thirst no more. In the blessed Name of Jesus. Amen.

“And when the burnt offering began, the song of the LORD began also with the trumpets, and with the instruments ordained by David king of Israel.” 2 Chr 29:27

I recall as a child coming into my grandparents’ home and hearing my grandmother singing or humming different hymns from the ole’ church hymnal. Depending on the tune, I could tell a lot about her attitude or her mood at the time. She seemed to always have a mindfulness for the Lord. Our scripture passage reminds us that songs are a part of our presenting and praise to the Lord. The passage follows a time when the children of Israel had been captives in a strange land. For years in their captivity, there was not a song and sacrifice in the temple. The Levite priests were dispersed, and the temple was unkempt, the lamps unlit and the altar was unused. There was not a song in the temple. The temple was silent, dark, and overgrown with thorns and weeds. To the strangers’ eye who pass by, the temple appeared intact, but “the song of Lord” had long gone and the people were slaves in a foreign land. Yet that all changed when they returned to the homeland, to the presence of the Lord and the temple was restored. In the presence of the Lord “the burnt offering began, the song of the Lord began also.” The time had come for refreshing, renewal, and the children of Israel were restored in the presence of the Lord. Friend, are there times when it seems you are a captive in a foreign land? Your heart is overgrown with the cares of the world? The incense of prayer no longer burns as before. By all appearances, the ordinances of a religious life are well preserved, but inwardly “the song of the Lord” has died out of your heart and the lamp of your life is covered in darkness. My friend, there is a song that awaits you. God yearns to receive, restore, and forgive. Be refresh and renewed in the Lord. “Repent…and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord” (Acts 3:19). Hear the Father say, “return to Me, and I will return to you” (Mal 3;7). Father, thank You that You will never leave us nor forsake us and that You are with us to the end. By Your presence, hear my cry and restore Your song to my heart. In the blessed Name of Jesus. Amen.