Monday, April 5, 2010

Day 2 of the Omer

If you count the omer beginning with the day after the 7th day Sabbath during Passover then today is day 2.  The scripture we have for today's omer count is Leviticus 19:18 - loving your neighbor as yourself.  Another resource I'm using this year is from Tim Hegg and the scripture he had was Ex 29:46 - we shall know that He is the L-rd G-d who brought us out of the land of Egypt that He might dwell with us.  Isn't this a picture of love?  In our sin we are separated from Him and chained to a life of slavery - but He humbled Himself to the point of death on an execution stake to deliver us from slavery.  He came to us, He pursued us and wooed us back to Himself.  Even though we were in a darkened state of our own making, He demonstrated His love for us in that He gave us His only begotten Son.  Romans 5:8

I am challanged and compelled today to try and emulate the Messiah's love - to love the unloveable and be patient towards others.  I cannot do it in my own flesh but must rely on His love through me.  I know this is possible because of His abundant grace in my life which gives me the power to act against the dictates of my flesh.

A few years ago, I had a student in my 1st grade class who was gangly and very immature.  I knew during the Summer this child would be in my class the following school term and found myself really dreading it because I didn't think I had the capactiy to love this child and treat him without disdain.  I was sickened by this reality and really spent considerable time that summer praying that Yeshua would have mercy and strengthen me for what I knew I didn't have within myself to do.  That first week of school I remember an incident so clearly as if it was yesterday.  I was preparing materials for the children and I happened to look over at this child and all of a sudden this overwhelming love came over me for this child.  He no longer appeared to me to be a gangly, immature unloveable child - instantly I fell in love with him and he remained one of my favorites that year.  We were bound together through a higher power and I thought he was the cutest child I've ever seen.  To this day, he greets me with joy and gladness whenever we run into each other.

We can take anything to the L-rd in prayer - He promises He will not despise us Psalm 51:17

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