Confluence and Faith

   "All things work together for good for those who love the Lord and are called according to His purpose." (Romans 8:28) Confluence or Holy Confluence might be a concise way of labeling that scripture. Was there confluence yesterday (July 3rd) and today (July 4th) in the scriptures I read from "Forward Day by Day" and the journey my mind, and happenstance took me on as other scriptures came to mind?
   Yesterday the scripture from the Revised Common Lectionary as found in "Forward Day by Day" was Acts 8:26-40. It lead me to post this comment on both Facebook and the comment section of Day by Day:

The author of today's meditation says in part that, "Obedience, it seems, leads to bravery…" This is a part of the lesson we can take from the account of Philip and the Ethiopian official. A quote from Hebrews 10:35a says, "Keep on being brave!" (I hope that I am not proof-texting here). Verse 36a says, "Learn to be patient, ..." Further on in Hebrews the author says, "Faith makes us sure of what we hope for and gives us proof of what we cannot see." (Hebrews 11:1) So can it be said that there is a combination of faith, patience, and bravery that we can employ in our vocations as laypersons?

[Scripture from the Contemporary English Version]

For Social Justice

Grant, O God, that your holy and life-giving Spirit may so move every human heart that barriers that divide us may crumble, suspicions disappear, and hatred cease; that our divisions being healed, we may live in justice and peace;through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

(Book of Common Prayer [Episcopal] page 823)

Notes from Barclay on following a path.

Today, July 11, 2015, the gospel lesson from the Revised Common Lectionary, was Mark 1:14-28. I had a question about something in this passage (I don't now remember what) that sent me to William Barclay's book about Mark. As I looked through the sections that related to this gospel I came across several sections that I had previously highlighted. Because they spoke to what is the theme of this blog I have decided to list them here:

In The Gospel of Mark by William Barclay:

Page 11 - "God is charestically a God who is working his purpose out … We are within that purpose, and because of that we can either help or hinder it. … Life would be very different if, instead of yearning for some distant and at present unattainable goal, we did all that we could to bring the goal nearer."

Page 16 - "Why was it that John (the Baptist) made an impact … upon his nation? … He was a man who lived his message. … his whole life was a protest. … the reality of his protest against contempory life. … He wa a man who gave himself a chance to hear the voice of God."

Page 17 - "John, the man was the message, and because of that people listened."

Page 18 - "John's one aim was not to occupy the center of the stage himself, but to try to connect men and women with the one who was greater and strongerthan he; …"

Page 31 - "The call of God can come to any of us, not only in the house of God, not only in the secret place, but in the middle of the day's work. As MacAndrew, Rudyard Kipling's Scots engineer, had it

From coupler flange to spindle guide 

I see thy hand, O God;

Predestination in the stride

of yon connecting rod."

[I'm not comfortable with the predestination part (another discussion for another time) but experiencing God in everyday life is comforting.]

Page 31 - "this is not to say that there are none who think themselves into Christianity; but for most of us following Christ is like falling in love" [When I originally read this I entered a note that said, "True; but soon after we must think. that takes some effort."]

Page 32 - He (Jesus) offered them (the disciples) a task. He called them not to ease but to service. It has been said that what we all need is something in which to invest our lives." 

"Invest" is an interesting word because it speaks to how we "spend" our time; our lives. 

Enoch walked

Today I was reminded of Enoch and the scriptures Genesis 5:22a and 24. Verse 24 says, "Enoch walked with God then he was no more, because God took him." In a sermon, some years ago, a United Methodist minister expanded on this section of scripture by saying that he could visualize God and Enoch walking and talking. One day they walked a long distance as they talked and God said to Enoch we're closer to my home today; why don't you come home with me."

Given the name of this blog I thought it appropriate to post that memory. In our lives do we walk with God? If we do do we talk with Him by both speaking and listening and if we do can we hope that someday God will say to us, "... why don't you come home with me?"