The Devotional - A Look at the Book #630

by Jesse Abel

The Devotional – A Look at the Book #630

Papa “J” May Say

Looking at things from the top down or the bottom up is a from of understanding for most of us; in this way we feel we do not miss the train as we lag behind, nor ran over by the express train that never stops where we are standing… get it? Proverbs 4:7

Thoughts about Life

Yesterday I said all of that so that I could research the message for today. On board with our group of eight were twelve to twenty Orthodox Jews from Brooklyn, NY. I had the wonderful opportunity to be sitting next to one of the middle managers of that group. It was not long before we began to talk about our beliefs. He was a follower of Rabbi Kushner, he and his companions were on a pilgrimage to Russia to visit the grave sight of another Rabbi who along with other Rabbis of Orthodox Judaism followed. I was able to share the LORD Jesus with the man, but the web of religion ran historically deep within his tradition and training. If time permits and my memory permits, I will give as much detail as possible. The stories that transpired with him during this trip were awesome. Every couple of hours the group would gather near the rear of the aircraft and pray, rocking back and forth as you might see at the Wailing Wall at the Temple Mount. The things I have to say will not be in chronological order since there is nothing in my brain these days that is chronic other than a lack of categorical memory. More tomorrow as it is near the time for our first meal on the plane.

Ecclesiastes 9

Verses 4-6 – Today while you are alive you will share in the rewards of life; have you ever looked at life that way? You have the reward in front of you that one day you will die; do you look at this event as a reward? Of course, if you have ever watched a comedy/drama called “Monk” on television, his gift of solving crimes could be classified by him at times as a gift or a curse depending on the obstacles he faces. So then the reward of life from his perspective is found in the wave of his hands; sometimes from the top, sometimes from the bottom, sometimes from the rear and sometimes from the front. But our Creator has a better plan. Proverbs 3:5-6

What are the obstacles of daily life? Knowing that one day death will come; knowing also that the dead know nothing about this side of living forevermore. This can frustrate the mind knowing that love ones and enemies will begin at your departure too replace your memory with other folks who are still vertical. Your share of the reward of life has ceased. So what should or what can be done? Can we do anything about the reward of living? NO! But we can to something about the reward of dying. John 11:17-27

Everything under the sun is alive but temporal because it is subject to death, so it is simple really, if you live this life for the reward of it… you lose; big time. Living this life for the reward of eternity, Matthew 16:24-28 and being a disciple of Christ is not a reward based on the standards of time; notice how Jesus puts it in Luke 10:17-24. Don’t you just love the written Word of God?