Isaiah 45:1-5, 2 Peter 3:12, 14, 18, Psalm 90: 2-4, 10, 14 & 17, Mark 12:13-17

Isaiah 45:1-5

“I have taken you by the right hand

to subdue nations before you

and strip kings of their armor,

to open the gateways before you

so that they will be closed no more.

2 I will go before you to level the slopes,

I will break the gates of brass

and destroy the iron bars;

3 I will give you treasures hidden in darkness

and riches stored in secret places,

so that you may know that I am Yahweh,

the God of Israel who calls you by your name.

4 For the sake of Jacob my servant,

of Israel my chosen one,

I have called you by your name

and given you your mission

although you do not know me.

5 I am Yahweh, and there is no other;

there is no God besides me.

My Beloved God, what wonderful and awesome assurances You give me in these verses. What is there to say my Lord and my God except to bow my head and say thank You.  Pour out Your Holy Spirit over me and never, ever may I offend You by grevious sin.

2 Peter 3:12, 14, 15, 18

12 as you wait for the Day of God and long for its coming, when the heavens will dissolve in fire and the elements melt away in the heat. 14 Therefore, beloved, as you wait in expectation of this, strive that God may find you rooted in peace, without blemish or fault.15 and consider that God’s patience is for our salvation. 18 Grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ: to him be glory, now and to the day of eternity. Amen.

St. Peter urges us to live good, holy, upright lives as we wait for Your coming and a new dawn.  He reminds us that if You have not destroyed us yet, it is because You want us to be saved and finally Beloved, all lovers can love more fully if they strive to know the one they have vowed to love.  Help me to grow  in grace and knowledge of You in order that I may love You daily more and more.

Psalm 90:2-4, 10, 14 & 17

Lord, you have been our refuge through all generations.

2 Before the mountains were formed, before you made the earth and the world, from eternity to eternity – you are God.

3 You turn humans back to dust, saying, “Return, O mortals!”

4 A thousand years in your sight are like a day that has passed, or like a watch in the night.

10 Seventy years to our life or eighty if we are strong, yet most of them are sorrow and trouble; speed­ing by, they sweep us along.

14 Fill us at daybreak with your goodness, that we may be glad all our days.

17 May the sweetness of the Lord be upon us; may he prosper the work of our hands.

The Psalmist is so right, our lives no matter how long they may seem to us are just a flash in Your sight and so You show us mercy.  You pity us and are compassionate.  It is You alone who give meaning and purpose to our life.  The sweetness of Your Presence and our knowledge of You makes life a glorious adventure with You.

Mark 12:13-17

13 They sent to Jesus some Pharisees with members of Herod’s party, with the purpose of trapping him in his own words. 14 They came and said to Jesus, “Master, we know that you are true; you are not influenced by any­one, and your answers do not vary according to who is listening to you but you truly teach God’s way. Tell us, is it against the Law to pay taxes to Caesar? Should we pay them or not?”

15 But Jesus saw through their trick and answered, “Why are you testing me? Bring me a silver coin and let me see it.” 16 They brought him one and Jesus asked, “Whose head is this, and whose name?” They answered, “Cae­sar’s.” .” 17 Then Jesus said, “Return to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s.”

Foolish Pharisees, they wanted to trap You the Eternal Word in Your own words.  Beloved, often we use flattery but our intent is far from pure.  You see through all these phony guises.  The message is clear.  What belongs to the world is paltry what belongs to You is everything that ever is, was or shall  be in heaven  and on earth.