It's been one month since I've been back in America from Zambia.
Two traveling monks reached a river where they met a young woman. Wary of the current, she asked if they could carry her across. One of the monks hesitated, but the other quickly picked her up onto his shoulders, transported her across the water, and put her down on the other bank. She thanked him and departed. As the monks continued on their way, the one was brooding and preoccupied. Unable to hold his silence, he spoke out.
"Brother, our spiritual training teaches us to avoid any contact with women, but you picked that one up on your shoulders and carried her!"
"Brother," the second monk replied, "I set her down on the other side, while you are still carrying her."
What is the purpose of the law?
Does the law permit good deeds on the Sabbath, or is it a day for doing evil? Is this a day to save life or to destroy it?
-Jesus
I've seen literally the poorest of the poor in Kesempa. What of those brothers and sisters who cannot help but break the laws of the old covenant?
They cannot practice the Passover meal they don't have the resources. They cannot eat kosher foods they don't have the privilege of choice. They cannot wear the appropriate clothes it is all donated. They have leprosy, making them ceremonially unclean.
But now God has shown us a way to be made right with him without keeping the requirements of the law, as was promised in the writings of Moses and the prophets long ago...So we are made right with God through faith and not by obeying the law...Well then, if we emphasize faith, does this mean that we can forget about the law? Of course not! In fact, only when we have faith do we truly fulfill the law.
-Romans 3
I praise You Jesus for saving us. Thank You for making us right through faith in You and not by obeying the law. The law is only truly fulfilled when we simply have faith in You.
But those who depend on the law to make them right with God are under his curse, for the Scriptures say, “Cursed is everyone who does not observe and obey all the commands that are written in God’s Book of the Law.” So it is clear that no one can be made right with God by trying to keep the law. For the Scriptures say, “It is through faith that a righteous person has life.” This way of faith is very different from the way of law, which says, “It is through obeying the law that a person has life.” But Christ has rescued us from the curse pronounced by the law. When he was hung on the cross, he took upon himself the curse for our wrongdoing. For it is written in the Scriptures, “Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree.” Through Christ Jesus, God has blessed the Gentiles with the same blessing he promised to Abraham, so that we who are believers might receive the promised Holy Spirit through faith.
-Galatians 3
Abba I cling to Your promise of Your unfailing faithfulness. I cannot obey the laws of the old covenant. I cannot make myself holy. My salvation, my righteousness, my holiness, my relationship with You depends entirely on You, Your love and Your faithfulness.
Jesus I trust in Your blood. I trust in Your sacrifice. I trust that Your faithfulness stretches beyond the Jews, beyond the law. beyond to the tiniest villages in Kesempa to the abandoned brothers and sisters in the Leper Village. I trust that You can save me. You and You alone.
Thank You for Your freedom. Thank You for Your sacrifice. Thank You for grace and mercy. Without You, my rock, I am dead. We are all doomed without the great redeemer's love.
Help me love as the second monk loves and not do evil as the first.
Two traveling monks reached a river where they met a young woman. Wary of the current, she asked if they could carry her across. One of the monks hesitated, but the other quickly picked her up onto his shoulders, transported her across the water, and put her down on the other bank. She thanked him and departed. As the monks continued on their way, the one was brooding and preoccupied. Unable to hold his silence, he spoke out.
"Brother, our spiritual training teaches us to avoid any contact with women, but you picked that one up on your shoulders and carried her!"
"Brother," the second monk replied, "I set her down on the other side, while you are still carrying her."
What is the purpose of the law?
Does the law permit good deeds on the Sabbath, or is it a day for doing evil? Is this a day to save life or to destroy it?
-Jesus
I've seen literally the poorest of the poor in Kesempa. What of those brothers and sisters who cannot help but break the laws of the old covenant?
They cannot practice the Passover meal they don't have the resources. They cannot eat kosher foods they don't have the privilege of choice. They cannot wear the appropriate clothes it is all donated. They have leprosy, making them ceremonially unclean.
But now God has shown us a way to be made right with him without keeping the requirements of the law, as was promised in the writings of Moses and the prophets long ago...So we are made right with God through faith and not by obeying the law...Well then, if we emphasize faith, does this mean that we can forget about the law? Of course not! In fact, only when we have faith do we truly fulfill the law.
-Romans 3
I praise You Jesus for saving us. Thank You for making us right through faith in You and not by obeying the law. The law is only truly fulfilled when we simply have faith in You.
But those who depend on the law to make them right with God are under his curse, for the Scriptures say, “Cursed is everyone who does not observe and obey all the commands that are written in God’s Book of the Law.” So it is clear that no one can be made right with God by trying to keep the law. For the Scriptures say, “It is through faith that a righteous person has life.” This way of faith is very different from the way of law, which says, “It is through obeying the law that a person has life.” But Christ has rescued us from the curse pronounced by the law. When he was hung on the cross, he took upon himself the curse for our wrongdoing. For it is written in the Scriptures, “Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree.” Through Christ Jesus, God has blessed the Gentiles with the same blessing he promised to Abraham, so that we who are believers might receive the promised Holy Spirit through faith.
-Galatians 3
Abba I cling to Your promise of Your unfailing faithfulness. I cannot obey the laws of the old covenant. I cannot make myself holy. My salvation, my righteousness, my holiness, my relationship with You depends entirely on You, Your love and Your faithfulness.
Jesus I trust in Your blood. I trust in Your sacrifice. I trust that Your faithfulness stretches beyond the Jews, beyond the law. beyond to the tiniest villages in Kesempa to the abandoned brothers and sisters in the Leper Village. I trust that You can save me. You and You alone.
Thank You for Your freedom. Thank You for Your sacrifice. Thank You for grace and mercy. Without You, my rock, I am dead. We are all doomed without the great redeemer's love.
Help me love as the second monk loves and not do evil as the first.
