After vision

Friends,

Our prayers are often full of requests, and rightly so. The Lord knows the desires of our heart, and expects us to bring those desires to Him. But that is not the end of the story ...

Matthew 20:32-34 [NKJV]
So Jesus stood still and called them, and said, What do you want Me to do for you?
They said to Him, “Lord, that our eyes may be opened.” So Jesus had compassion and touched their eyes. And immediately their eyes received sight, and they followed Him.

Notice that Christ does indeed ask what these men want from Him, and they are not bashful or modest in their request. They are blind, and they desire sight. Jesus, in His boundless compassion, touches them and delivers them from blindness.

We were blind. He touched us. And now we see.

But do we, as these men did, follow Jesus?

Be encouraged, Jose

Is this any way to choose a leader?

Friends,

Whether we like it or not, our leaders are a reflection of ourselves. If we choose to ignore the laws of God, then our leaders will defy them as well. If our desires are for material wealth and power, then we will follow those men whose ambitions are for material wealth and power.

Isaiah 3:6 [NKJV]
When a man takes hold of his brother
In the house of his father, saying,
"You have clothing;
You be our ruler,
And let these ruins be under your power,"

Brothers and sisters, let us follow only those who follow Christ. Let us pursue righteousness, so that we will seek out the men who seek righteousness to be our leaders.

Be encouraged, Jose

A call to Jesus

Friends,

Our Lord is pursuing you and me. In His deep and infinite love, He is chasing us. He has paid a price far higher than we can comprehend simply to claim us as His own. He has responded to this request ...

Song of Solomon 2:17
Until the day breaks
And the shadows flee away,
Turn, my beloved,
And be like a gazelle
Or a young stag
Upon the mountains of Bether. [NKJV]

Where does this request come from?
Who cries out for the Lord to "Turn ... and be like a gazelle", racing towards us?

It is the desire of the new heart, of the new man in Christ. It is heard when the LORD creates in us a new heart. And the Lord of lords hears that desire and comes running.

Be encouraged, Jose