APRIL 18 "I'M SOOOOO TIRED"

  Unlike the world, we do not just find ourselves physically tired, we also find ourselves spiritually tired. Not only are we having to deal with issues at work, home & school but we are also having to contend and deal with spiritual issues, issues we are struggling with and then trying to help others with spiritual issues they're struggling with and I'm tired, are you? 

I have to say that while I was shocked to read that the tribe of Ephraim did not get rid of the Canaanites [ 10 They did not dislodge the Canaanites living in Gezer; to this day the Canaanites live among the people of Ephraim but are required to do forced labor. ] I have to also say, that I'm not so surprised. What the Ephraimites don't realize, is that if you don't fight now, you will have to fight twice as hard later. The worse words Jesus ever spoke were "go the extra mile". Is there a principle in that admonishing that we have yet to understand? Why didn't they "dislodge" the Canaanites? Obviously because they were tired and exhausted. One more battle, one more fight, is it really necessary? What are the options? Eventually they regret the day they let the Canaanites live there among them. And who suffers....their children! The older generation is not so much influenced as the younger by the ways of the Canaanites, but their children get ensnared.

I'm tired, I'm exhausted, but if I knowingly walk away or avoid a fight now, I will have to deal with the issue later and now there will be damage. The Ephraimites are a good tribe to study and learn from. I believe they represent our lives more so than the other tribes. Their motto and ours is....."the least I have to fight, the better. The Ephraimites by nature, take the path of least resistance. The Ephraimites have a mindset of "this is good enough", the Ephraimites have a mindset of "I'm tired, let's just settle for this", "I'm tired, please let's not make a big deal out of this". The Ephraimites are the Post Modern, American, Nuclear Family. Many folks this year are going to fight in a battle that they were avoiding years back and now even if they win, it will only be a partial victory, it will only be a "lessor of two evils" and should they (we) have fought at the onset we/they would have won a full victory. The other tribes may have fought longer and harder than Ephraim but at least when they were done, they could relax and enjoy the fruits of their labor. It's your choice, fight now, fight harder, go the extra mile and get complete victory, or fight later, fight twice as hard and end up with a partial victor or the lessor of two evils, the choice is ours. God allows Ephraim to do this, even though He knows it will not go well with them, it's their choice and that same God leaves the choice to us today.

Posted by Richard P Swift at 8:26 AM

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

NOVEMBER 6 "DOES GOD STILL DO MIRACLES?"

 The Psalmist writes, "who can list the glorious miracles of the Lord!" I dare say, there are some reading this blog that might challenge that!"  They would say, "list them, I'm hard pressed to think of one! How'' your miracle life? Miracles go hand in hand with opportunity. We have our lives so structured and we don't venture out in faith, we keep it safe. Well then don't complain you have no miracles. Peter had to step out of the boat to experience a miracle, but don't forget there was a handful of other disciples that stayed in the boat, safe and experienced no miracle! You can have it both ways.  Christians who venture, in faith, are the ones that have the "lists of miracles" to write about.   "Does God still do miracles? In your intellect you say, "yes of course", but in your heart what do you say? God does miracle, yes! Does He do miracles for you? Do you encourage others to believe in miracles and now you need ...
Read more

NOVEMBER 21 "CLASS WARFARE IS AN UGLY THING"

     There’s no denying, James is not that fond of “rich people”.  If it was only this reference in Chapter 5, that would be bad enough, but James has taken jabs at the rich in other chapters as well. No doubt, James did not grow up with affluence of any kind. We know from the Gospels that Joseph and Mary (James’ parents) were poor. Historians believe that Joseph died at an early age, as he is not mentioned in the Gospels; except in the early stages of Jesus’ life. Now with Joseph dead, James & Jesus, probably had to work that much harder to make ends meet at home. Jesus himself takes a jab at rich people saying, “ it is easier for a camel to get through the eye of an needle than for a rich person to get into heaven ”.  I’m sure in the  Church  of  Jerusalem  where James was an elder, there were not many affluent people in that congregation. However we cannot deny that it was Joseph of Arimathea, an affluent man , a prominent member of th...
Read more

FEBRUARY 8 "ABANDONED IN MY TIME OF NEED"

   This may end up being one of the greater indictments against The Church of Jesus Christ at our judgement; that we abandoned our brothers and sisters in their most dire time of need. In our reading today, the Psalmist eludes to a time of great anguish in his life and because of this his strength is failing; he then goes on to say concerning his friends, "I am a dread to my friends....I am forgotten by them". Unfortunately, it is when we are not at our best that our brothers and sisters in Christ seem to get turned off by us and often abandon us when we need them the most! Why is that? Is it because of selfish reasons, after all, who doesn't want to hang around upbeat people full of joy and victory, but are there not times that we need to also grieve with those that are grieving?! Another reason is their weakness probably turns us off, "why are you even struggling with this ....what's wrong with you!!?" Thence, we're turned off and leave them to struggl...
Read more