Good Samaritan

After spending some time discussing the parable of the Good Samaritan, the professor of my New Testament class asked us to spend two weeks focusing on Christ's charge to "go and do...likewise" (Luke 10:37). I tried to put an extra effort into praying for eyes to see those in need, and I committed myself to really try to emulate the example the Samaritan. I don't know exactly what I was expecting, but it didn't happen. Nothing really changed. All I really did was greet more people than normal and get to know their names. It seemed like such a minute form of service.  Yet, as I thought about it, I realized that, in a very small way, my little effort to get to know more people and to greet them by name reflected God's love.  He knows each of us by name, He always remembers us and we are precious to Him. I think of Isaiah's messianic declaration: Can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? yea, they may forget, yet will I not forget thee. Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands; they walls are continually before me  (Isaiah 49:15-16). I have felt God's awareness of me and it was a privilege to be able to, in my imperfect and clumsy way, demonstrate to several people that God was aware of them.

God's Chastening

Yesterday, I was reading in the book of Job and these verses from chapter five stood out to me:

“I would seek unto God, and unto God would I commit my cause: Which doeth great things and unsearchable; marvellous things without number: … Behold, happy is the man whom God correcteth: therefore despise not thou the chastening of the Almighty: For he maketh sore, and bindeth up: he woundeth, and his hands make whole.” (8-9; 17-18)

Verses 8-9 just resonated with me.  Most of the time, I am oblivious of God’s hand in my life, but there are moments when I’ve glimpsed it. Those glimpses make me want to seek God. So, while in some ways His doings are unsearchable (which I take to mean baffling or inscrutable), I’ve seen that they are marvelous and great.  There are some things in my life right now that are hard to understand.  I’ve sometimes asked, “Why do I have to go through this? Why isn’t it simpler?” But, I always feel strongly that all of this is a part of God’s curriculum—He is trying to teach me and help me become something better and essentially different than what I am now.  That idea, I feel, is reflected in verses 17-18.  God corrects us so that we can be happy.  Some of the experiences He gives us make us sore or wound us, but God is the great healer and He will always bind up and make whole.  I believe that the “wounds” God inflicts on us are like a surgeon’s incisions—they hurt, but are necessary for our healing. All of this reminded me of John Donne’s Holy Sonnet XIV:

Batter my heart, three-person'd God ; for you
As yet but knock ; breathe, shine, and seek to mend ;
That I may rise, and stand, o'erthrow me, and bend
Your force, to break, blow, burn, and make me new.
I, like an usurp'd town, to another due,
Labour to admit you, but O, to no end.
Reason, your viceroy in me, me should defend,
But is captived, and proves weak or untrue.
Yet dearly I love you, and would be loved fain,
But am betroth'd unto your enemy ;
Divorce me, untie, or break that knot again,
Take me to you, imprison me, for I,
Except you enthrall me, never shall be free,
Nor ever chaste, except you ravish me. 

Two Great Commandments

As I was having a brief scripture study this morning, I read this quote:

“The world largely ignores the first and great commandment—to love God—but talks a lot about loving their brother. . . .

“. . . But only those who know and love God can best love and serve his children, for only God fully understands his children and knows what is best for their welfare. Therefore, one needs to be in tune with God to best help his children. . . .

“Therefore, if you desire to help your fellowmen the most, then you must put the first commandment first.

“When we fail to put the love of God first, we are easily deceived by crafty men who profess a great love of humanity. . . . " ( Elder Ezra Taft Benson, C.R. Oct. 1967, p. 35.)

I do feel that today's society talks a lot about loving their brother--acceptance, open-mindedness, non-discrimination. These are undoubtedly good things, but if they are not applied within the framework of God's will, they are an unfaithful and fallible guide.