Ordinary Time: Monday, September 15, 2009

Old Testament Lesson

1 Kings 21:17-29

The Lord is a God who longs to bring grace and forgiveness. Even Ahab, one who had done terrible, terrible things when he heard of God's coming judgement, he stopped and repented. And the Lord did not bring the judgement against him that he rightly deserved. The Lord is a God that wants to forgive and restore. The Lord is a God that doesn't delight in punishing His children. When we take one step towards God, He comes running after us. Even one as Ahab, who had done so much against God, when he stopped and repented, the Lord gave forgiveness.

Our God is a God of forgiveness and second chances. May we live the life changing power of God's grace today.

New Testament Lesson

1 Corinthians 1:20-31

Paul reminds us today that God is beyond our mind's ability to understand. His ways are higher than ours His thoughts are beyond our thoughts. His plans are good and righteous and always for our God. The thing with God is that while we don't always know what He's doing; we don't always know what He's up to, it will always be for the good of His children. It will always be for the good of those that love Him and are called by Him.

Even when we don't understand. Because we can't understand. But, we can trust. Because while we might not know exactly what He is up to; we do know this. God loves us.

Gospel Lesson

Matthew 4:12-17

Jesus began preaching, and preached this simple message - Repent for the kingdom is near. To repent means not just to stop sinning, but to turn away from it. To make a 180 degree turn. And, just as importantly, turn to God. How can we stop sinning? How can we turn? How can we do these things? Only through God and His power. That's why to turn away from sin, we must turn to God. All things are possible through God. When we turn to God, we can do more than would ever thing possible.