The phrase ‘associate with the lowly’ keeps coming back to me since reading Romans 12 again a few weeks ago. Why does it keep coming back to me? what is God telling me apart from the obvious?
Lowly – meaning – Low in status or importance; humble. (https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/lowly)
I think I’ll just take it how it is and not try to analyse it too much – don’t get above myself, we are all made in God’s image – not just some. It reminds me of this scripture:
and if you pay attention to the one who wears the fine clothing and say, “You sit here in a good place,” while you say to the poor man, “You stand over there,” or, “Sit down at my feet,” have you not then made distinctions among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts? Listen, my beloved brothers, has not God chosen those who are poor in the world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom, which he has promised to those who love him? But you have dishonored the poor man. Are not the rich the ones who oppress you, and the ones who drag you into court? (James 2:3-6)
also:
I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.’ Then the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’ (Matthew 25:36-40)
learn to do good; seek justice, correct oppression; bring justice to the fatherless, plead the widow’s cause. (Isaiah 1:17)
God’s world is an upside down world which is actually the right way up.
Learn to Do Good (learn to! you don’t have to be perfect)
Seek Justice
Correct Oppression (love this)
Bring justice
Plead the widow’s cause
But not for your own good or well being or getting a warm ‘fuzzy’ feeling or for any ‘thanks’ you might get
Because it is the right way to go….it is God’s way….
Again, the only way to this is through Jesus –
- Jesus was born to a virgin who was impregnated by the Holy spirit, it had to be a virgin birth as he had to be pure/holy so he could be a sacrifice.
- He went through his life and never ever sinned (so he could be a sacrifice for our sins) but because he went through life as a man he understands everything we may go through. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. (Hebrews 4:15)
- He was fully a man and fully God
- He was betrayed by one of his own disciples
- He was cheered into Jerusalem one week and then put to death and jeered at by the same people a week later – they let a real criminal go free rather than Jesus (we are fickle).
- He proclaimed the kingdom of God everywhere he went, healed people and delivered them from demons. He also performed miracles (and still does).
- After being betrayed and found guilty, he was scourged until the flesh hung off his body and his bowels were exposed. He was jeered at, spat on and ridiculed. Yet he never defended himself.
- He was crucified – and it happened exactly as predicted in the old testament (psalm 41:9, Isaiah 53:7, psalm 22:1-2, psalm 22:7-8, psalm 22:15, psalm 22:17-18 – read them, then read John 19).
- When he died, the veil/curtain in the temple tore in two – this curtain was what separated the people from the presence of God (the holy of holies) they had to go through a priest in order to get to God and even the priest could only pass through the veil once yearly. It was sin that separated them from God. (After the death and resurrection of Christ there was direct access to God. Jesus was the bridge). When Jesus died people also rose from the dead and it was pretty dramatic:
And when Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, he gave up his spirit. At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook, the rocks split and the tombs broke open. The bodies of many holy people who had died were raised to life. They came out of the tombs after Jesus’ resurrection and went into the holy city and appeared to many people. When the centurion and those with him who were guarding Jesus saw the earthquake and all that had happened, they were terrified, and exclaimed, “Surely he was the Son of God! (Matt 27:50-54)
- Jesus body was taken down, prepared and taken to a garden tomb, a large rock was placed in the entrance.
- Jesus was resurrected and the tomb left empty – which ensures when we come to him and make him Lord over our lives (in charge) and we say sorry for trying to do it alone and put him in charge – we then have eternal life with him and a relationship with the God who made us and loves us.
- He later ascended into heaven
- Jesus defeated death.
We are made for and by God. Remember that. Think about that. That is why we are here (There is so much more than what I’ve written above but I want to keep it simple).
Like someone said to me when I first went to church and kept returning but was not yet saved, they challenged me with “why are you here?” It was a good challenge, it made me think. So thank you Mr D W if you read this. You know who you are.
So, hello and “why are you here?”
It’s a lengthy one today, but it just sort of flowed man……It was helpful to me in sorting my thoughts and examining scripture. Thankyou for reading!
The Shepherds Adventure 