A daily, Bible-based perspective of hope,
encouragement and exhortation.
Daily
Encouragement on
Thursday, January
24, 2019
Bindnagle
Lutheran Church
Church built
in 1803, Lebanon County, PA
(Click to enlarge)
(Click to enlarge)
"A
Lesson From Rubbernecking"
Message
summary:
If
we get distracted easily
and struggle with
rubbernecking on our
journey to heaven our
focus may need regularly
redirected so that we
very intentionally "fix
our eyes on Jesus"!
Listen to our
message on your audio
player.
"I press on
toward the goal to win
the prize for which
God has called me
heavenward in Christ
Jesus" (Philippians
3:14). "Let us fix our
eyes on Jesus"
(Hebrews 12:2).
I am bound for
the promised land,
I am bound for the promised land
O who will come and go with me
I am bound for the promised land.
I am bound for the promised land
O who will come and go with me
I am bound for the promised land.
Rubbernecking
is an expression used to
describe what happens
when drivers slow down
to observe a traffic
accident. The term
"rubbernecking" refers
to the physical act of
craning one's neck,
performed in order to
get a better view. When
driving on one side of a
multi-lane highway the
traffic on the side that
did not have an accident
will inevitably slow
down due to the
rubbernecking curiosity
of drivers on the
unaffected side. I
admit, I've done that.
That got me
thinking about our
journey through this
life to heaven expressed
in the song "Bound For
The Promised Land" and
in the Scripture "the
goal to win the prize
for which God has
called me heavenward
in Christ Jesus".
As we make this
journey we can so easily
get distracted by what we
see along the way.
- Sometimes it's something that directly affects us and that we ourselves experience; a trial that we encounter such as we would experience if we were in a traffic accident. Those trials inevitably come in life and we trust the Lord to get us through them. Jesus said, "In the world you will have tribulation" (John 16:33).
- Other times it's a matter that indirectly affects us such as when we are on the same side of the road as the accident and traffic stops or slows which throws off our schedule. That happens a lot in life.
- At other times we really aren't directly affected but we and many others get distracted by curiosity.
I was
considering this and I
mused how I tend to
rubberneck at the
inevitable results of
mankind's rebellion
against God. My focus of
course should be "the
goal to win the prize
for which God has called
me heavenward in Christ
Jesus" and as the
writer of Hebrews stated,
"Let us fix our eyes on
Jesus." However
admittedly far too often I
get my eyes off the prize
and focus on the carnage
around me.
Now this
requires some balance
since we want to stay
informed regarding
national and international
conditions. But at least
in my case I am very prone
to get distracted and
redirect my focus which
can lead to discouragement
and at times even despair.
Another verse
comes to mind as I prepare
this message. "Beloved,
do not be surprised at
the fiery ordeal among
you, which comes upon
you for your testing, as
though some strange
thing were happening to
you" (1 Peter 4:12).
For many of us a
fiery ordeal and testing
is due to a health crisis,
being in an accident, a
financial or family
struggle and so forth. But
when Peter wrote these
words he was very likely
speaking of a fiery ordeal
and testing due to
persecution, an experience
hundreds of millions of
our fellow believers
experience presently.
However let us
consider just the phrase,
"Do not be surprised".
Why should be surprised at
the direction of a nation
and world increasingly
rejecting God and His
standards of living? The
Bible speaks of reaping
what is sown (Galatians
6:7) and this concept
applies not only to
individuals but to
nations.
If we get
distracted easily and
struggle with
rubbernecking on our
journey to heaven our
focus may need regularly
redirected so that we very
intentionally "fix our
eyes on Jesus"!
Onward to the
prize before us!
Soon His beauty we’ll behold;
Soon the pearly gates will open;
We shall tread the streets of gold.
Soon His beauty we’ll behold;
Soon the pearly gates will open;
We shall tread the streets of gold.
Be encouraged
today,
Stephen & Brooksyne Weber
Daily
prayer:
Father,
we're reminded
often in Scripture
of the eternal
inheritance that
awaits the
faithful. We
anticipate that
day when we will
behold Your beauty
and know the
fullness of Your
love. But it's on
our journey below
that we get
sidetracked or
caught up in
matters that
distract our
attention from
that which has
lasting eternal
value. Help us not
to be surprised by
the trials that
come upon us but
enable us to
endure because we
know that You want
us to be faithful,
to stand the test,
and to keep our
eyes fixed on
Jesus, the Author
and Perfecter of
our faith. Amen.
Stephen & Brooksyne Weber
Daily
prayer:
Father,
we're reminded
often in Scripture
of the eternal
inheritance that
awaits the
faithful. We
anticipate that
day when we will
behold Your beauty
and know the
fullness of Your
love. But it's on
our journey below
that we get
sidetracked or
caught up in
matters that
distract our
attention from
that which has
lasting eternal
value. Help us not
to be surprised by
the trials that
come upon us but
enable us to
endure because we
know that You want
us to be faithful,
to stand the test,
and to keep our
eyes fixed on
Jesus, the Author
and Perfecter of
our faith. Amen.
Farm in
southern Dauphin
County, PA
We've not had
a deep snow yet this
season but enough to add
some additional interest
to this rural photo.
(Click
to enlarge)
Today's
Suggested
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