Daily Office Readings for Friday of the 3rd Week of Advent 2020: Year 1
AM Psalms 40 and 54; PM Psalm 51;
Isaiah 10:5 to19; 2nd Peter 2:17 to 22; Matthew 11:2 to 15
“They promise them freedom, but they themselves are slaves of corruption; for people are slaves to whatever masters them. For if, after they have escaped the defilements of the world through the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and overpowered, the last state has become worse for them than the first. For it would have been better for them never to have known the way of righteousness than, after knowing it, to turn back from the holy commandment that was passed on to them.” (2nd Peter 2:19 to 21)
I think most of us truly are slaves to whatever masters us. What masters us today is varied. Some of us are mastered by the calendar, some by information technology and social media, some by a lover, some by the desire to achieve or maintain power, and even some by a false sense of divine call to judge and condemn others. If we are to be true Christians, the only Master we should have is our Lord Jesus and His call on our lives. We should be empting ourselves in order to let him enter us and continue His works here on earth.
I have heard that once we know, we can’t un-know. I think it is different when it comes to what we believe. We might believe that the world is flat, but once shown its roundness, we change, we go from what we used to believe to what we now believe. As children we are told so many fabrications, the Easter bunny, the Tooth fairy, and even Santa Clause (although a believer in the Resurrection, I believe Saint Nicolas lives). So what is to make us, as children or adults, set aside our Lord Jesus to be real?
I believe it is our own adult participation in what we preach that makes the difference. The Easter bunny and the Tooth fairy are for children only. But this Jesus, who ever He is, seems to be respected by mom and dad as well. Adults should be seen praying, going to church, performing acts of charity and so forth, all in the Name of our Lord Jesus. That’s a big difference. When we as adults live out our faith heritage by prayer and practice we show who our Master is. Young folks and others are always watching us. We teach by prayer and practice. We also pray that we don’t fall away from practice. It truly is harder to come back, but is definitely possible.
We don’t master our Lord Jesus or dismiss Him as we mature, we surrender to him. He masters us and we find pleasure and delight to do His will, always.
Let us hear what the Spirit is saying to, and through, the saints of God, and then ponder anew what the Almighty can do. John
onewhoponders 