Thursday 2 Jul 2020

July 2: Matthew 16:1-4

Key Verse: Matthew 16:3
and in the morning, ‘Today it will be stormy, for the sky is red and overcast.’ You know how to interpret the appearance of the sky, but you cannot interpret the signs of the times.

Devotion:
How many times have you checked up on sayings like “red sky at night, shepherds delight?” Sayings like these have been used and depended upon by many people over the past – and now we know there is scientific basis for some of these sayings. But we do not trust in and believe biblical sayings… I look at the arguments going on in churches about the Black Lives Matter movement and wonder what goes through people’s minds as they try to make sense of things for themselves.

There is no way on earth we can support the way in which black people have been treated in the past, and this is not just America but has roots in countries all over the world. I was born in a British colony and was taught lies in school based on what the British colonialists wanted me to know. The more I read about the work Christians were doing behind the scenes to try and get help for the under-class, the more I got involved and the more I was alienating myself from many of my ‘white friends.’

Jesus taught a ministry of full inclusion and not exclusivity. Too much of the modern world is built up on the lies of many generations and those lies need to be exposed. For much of my life I have wondered who is actually telling the truth because I have seen so many things which have been against Christ’s teaching in churches and governments. I don’t condone violence to support a cause, but when the governments themselves are covering up the truth there are going to be people who cannot take it any more, people who will have to use violence to get themselves heard.

Many countries will call this terrorism because it is so violent. What we need to do is to preach the gospel message Jesus brought to us, and if that means going against the very countries we have been brought up in, then Jesus’ ministry must be upheld. If we stick to our old ways we can never move forward to embrace Christ’s truth, we will be stuck with the old ways, ways which have been causing us problems for far too long.

Points to Ponder:
Do you really believe we are all God’s Children?

Will you open your heart and home to everyone?