Continue...

Continue loving...
2 Samuel 13:1-14:33

"When King David got over Amnon's death, he missed Absalom greatly." (2 Samuel 13:39)

Amnon was certainly a bad guy in the Bible. He forced his half-sister to have sexual relations with him and then hated her and sent him away from her. Absalom was so angry at his brother Amnon's behavior that he eventually took revenge on him, killing him in his drunkeness. And David was sad at the death of his son, crying out loud. But eventually, after he had gotten over Amnon's death, David missed his son Absalom greatly and wanted him to come back. His pain hadn't died but neither had his great love for his son, for either of his sons. That is the strange and powerful characteristic of true love... that it continues.

Continue praising...
Psalm 66:1-7

"Everything on earth, shout with joy to God! Sing about his glory! Make his praise glorious! Say to God, 'Your works are amazing!'" (Psalm 66:1-3)

This morning I am certainly praising God for the "amazing things He has done for people." So many blessings have been continually poured out into my life- wonderful family and friends and a comfortable home to come home to. And when I was worried I prayed to the Lord to know how my love was feeling, and God even answered that prayer for me. A love who also loves me and supports me in my many endeavors, as I speak at YAC on Saturday and as I seek You and seek to do Your will. Lord, Your works are amazing! I praise You, God, and I thank You for the multitude of good things that You have given me in my life.

Continue following...
John 6:60-71

"Jesus said, 'That is the reason I said, 'If the Father does not bring a person to me, that one cannot come.' After Jesus said this, many of his followers left him and stopped following him. Jesus asked the twelve followers, 'Do you want to leave too?' Simon Peter answered him, 'Lord, who would we go to? You have the words that give eternal life. We believe and know tht you are the Holy One from God.'" (John 6:65-69)

When confronted with the hard teaching about coming to the Lord only through Jesus' sacrifice and coming to know Jesus only after being brought by the Father, it'd certainly be easier to do an 'about face.' Turn around and hit the road, just stop following. But as the saying goes, 'when the going gets tough, the tough get going.' Simon Peter puts it best- even though it's hard, they wouldn't want to leave. Jesus has the answers, the answers with ultimate authority that they have been looking for. Although the teachings are not easy, they don't have another place to find those answers... and so even in our unbelief or our lack of understanding, we continue to follow Jesus and continue to try to understand these teachings.