Perspective after a 10 mile Journey
Acknowledging
God is One
Sounds easy enough, doesn't it. At least it does until we also acknowledge that acknowledging is not just something we do with our heads, but also our hearts, and even more than that our lives. When we acknowledge in that way, everything about us begins to change. That may be why we don't always do it.
John tells the story of a man who had been paralyzed for many many years lying beside a pool at Bethsaida. When Jesus approaches him, he asks what seems like an obvious question - "Do you want to get well?" It is a good question. Sometimes the response is not as obvious as one might think.
As we move into a New Year, the question is not just one of whether or not we agree that God is one, but whether or not we will acknowledge it with all that we are, every aspect of our lives. That is what Pastor Isaac explores with us this morning in he explores this story, his story, and God's counsel to the children of Israel as they starting a new beginning in their lives as well.
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Deuteronomy 6
Now this is the commandment, the statutes, and the ordinances, which Jehovah your God commanded to teach you, that ye might do them in the land whither ye go over to possess it;
2 that thou mightest fear Jehovah thy God, to keep all his statutes and his commandments, which I command thee, thou, and thy son, and thy son's son, all the days of thy life; and that thy days may be prolonged.
3 Hear therefore, O Israel, and observe to do it; that it may be well with thee, and that ye may increase mightily, as Jehovah, the God of thy fathers, hath promised unto thee, in a land flowing with milk and honey.
4 Hear, O Israel: Jehovah our God is one Jehovah:
5 and thou shalt love Jehovah thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.
6 And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be upon thy heart;
7 and thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thy house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.
8 And thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thy hand, and they shall be for frontlets between thine eyes.
9 And thou shalt write them upon the door-posts of thy house, and upon thy gates.
10 And it shall be, when Jehovah thy God shall bring thee into the land which he sware unto thy fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give thee, great and goodly cities, which thou buildest not,
11 and houses full of all good things, which thou filledst not, and cisterns hewn out, which thou hewedst not, vineyards and olive-trees, which thou plantedst not, and thou shalt eat and be full;
12 then beware lest thou forget Jehovah, who brought thee forth out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.