Ordinary Time: Monday, August 24, 2009

Old Testament Lesson

1 Kings 1:5-31

One of the constants throughout human history is that people plot and scheme for power. We saw it with Absalom, we see it here now. On both sides. We see one said saying I'll be king, and we see another saying, make us king! That may be one of the most amazing parts of David's life. He never plotted against the king. When Saul was king, David told his men to not harm Saul, even when in doing so, it would have made David king. David would not do that.

Unfortunately, that lesson was not passed down to David's children, as it seems one after the other was always trying to figure out a way to be king. David understood it was a life lived in love and service to God that matters most, not your title. The children never understood. They wanted the title more than they wanted to walk with God. May we learn the lesson that they never did. May our walk with and service to God matter more to us than any title we would could ever possess.

New Testament Lesson

Acts 26:1-23

We see Paul recount his conversion for the King, tell how we had come to saving faith in Jesus, how Jesus had appeared to him and told him to go, preach this good news. Jesus had called him to something, given him a vision and a mission, and told him to go.

What a powerful foundation. To have Jesus give you a mission and then send you out. But, we each have that. Now, I don't know what your specific calling is, but God has called each of us to something. We each have special gifts that no one else has, we have things that only we can do, we are gifted in unique ways, called to unique things.

Right now, there's something you can do, that only you can do! No one else can! God has made you special and gifted. Follow Him. Trust Him. And He will lead you to where you need to be to be doing what you need to be doing!

Gospel Lesson

Mark 13:14-27

We see Jesus recounting what the Second Coming will look like. We can focus on all the things we don't understand about the Second Coming, we can focus on the way it looks like things will be bad. Or we can focus on the fact that Jesus does not leave His people and will return for them. We are never alone. We are never without hope. Jesus will not leave not forsake us. He will come again for His people! Don't lose hope. Don't give up. God has not forgotten you. Jesus will not leave you. He is here with you now, and He will return for His people!