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Gleanings From The Word

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  • A Lesson From the Lilies – no need to worry

    A Lesson From the Lilies – no need to worry

    I snapped these tiger lilies some years ago. I came across them in my photo file, and they brought a passage of Scripture where Jesus reminds us to trust God to mind.

    And why are you worried about clothing? Observe how the lilies of the field grow; they do not toil nor do they spin, yet I say to you that not even Solomon in all his glory clothed himself like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, will He not much more clothe you? You of little faith! Matthew 6:28-30

    So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. Matthew 6:34

    It’s a familiar passage. I’ve often seen it illustrated with beautiful white lilies. It’s true that many lilies are white, but the Middle East has a plethora of other colorful lilies as well. 

    It’s impossible to know for certain what species of lily Jesus was speaking of, or what his hearers pictured. In fact, it might not have been a lily at all. The word translated in our English Bible is the word שׁוֹשַׁנָּה, shoshanah in the Old Testament, and κρίνον (krinon) in the New. Either word can mean any of a variety of flowers 

    The image is likely far more colorful than we picture. The call to not worry doesn’t change if we change the flower. Jesus is making the point that is that even ordinary, fleeting field flowers surpass Solomon’s glory in their God-given beauty.

    We often skip by passages like this because they are so familiar. Yet, it’s worth stopping here to meditate.

    If God put that much care and beauty into simple flowers, how much more does He care for us? We were designed to be in eternal fellowship with God. Just stop and think about that concept for a moment.

    It’s profound. Who are we that God should love us that much?

    If God loves us that much, what do we have to worry about in the long run?

    There is great peace and joy in knowing we can trust God to guide us through whatever we face. It’s humbling to imagine that He cares for us that much.

    It’s no wonder that the Psalmist could write… What is man that You remember him, and the son of man that You care for him? Psalm 8:4

    Trust God. He has it all under control.

    Be blessed 

    Kevin 

    You might find this interesting: “Are there tulips in the Bible”

    SUMMARY

    The “lilies” Jesus pointed to were likely far more colorful than the familiar white lily, and that vivid image sharpens the point. If God clothes fleeting wildflowers with beauty that surpasses Solomon’s glory, how much more does He care for us, made for eternal fellowship with Him?

    TAKEAWAY

    The flower Jesus referenced may have been any number of colorful wildflowers. The image is richer and more vibrant than tradition has led us to picture. 

    God lavishes extravagant beauty on simple, short-lived field flowers. His care for us, designed for eternity with Him, is all the more staggering. 

    The familiar passage is worth stopping to really sit with. If God has this covered, what do we have to worry about?

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    Right belief or right living? It’s both!

    Beautiful roses, one of my favorite flowers.

  • Beautiful But Deadly: What the Bible Says About Adultery

    Beautiful But Deadly: What the Bible Says About Adultery

    Siberian Iris - Beautiful but deadly

    There are several stands of this Siberian Iris in our backyard. For a short time, they display beautiful purple bearded flowers like these. The rest of the season, its long, tall green leaves provide visual interest in the landscape. Unlike some of the flowering plants we grow, no part of this iris species is edible. They can be toxic to pets and cause severe abdominal issues for the human folk. They could be labeled beautiful but deadly.

    The Bible speaks of many things that could fit the label beautiful but deadly, including many forms of sin. Our world largely ignores the warnings. Often, the warnings are not only ignored, but the issue is at best winked at and at its most outlandish, celebrated as both normal and desirable.

    While that could apply to many sins, this morning I’m thinking of adultery. It comes in many forms, but it makes the list of the Ten Commandments.

    You shall not commit adultery. Exodus  20:14

    Almost 9 chapters of the book of Proverbs speak against it.

    My son, pay attention to my wisdom,
    Incline your ear to my discernment;
    That you may keep discretion
    And that your lips may guard knowledge.
    For the lips of a strange woman drip honey
    And smoother than oil is her speech;
    But her end is bitter as wormwood,
    Sharp as a two-edged sword.
    Her feet go down to death,
    Her steps take hold of Sheol. Proverbs 5:1-5

    Depending on how you count, there are between 50 and 80 verses that speak against adultery in the Bible. Some commentators take the count even higher, to over 100.

    Adultery isn’t just a sin issue and rebellion against God. It’s a covenant issue, breaking the covenant of marriage between husband and wife. It isn’t a gender issue; both genders break the covenant, although women report doing so at a slightly lower ratio.

    Popular culture tells us it’s fun, freeing and might even be good for marriages. God says don’t do it.

    The attraction may be beautiful, but beware. Remember, it is beautiful but deadly.

    Keep your covenant. 

    Be blessed 

    Kevin 

    General Revelation: Why No One Can Claim They Didn’t Know

    SUMMARY

    Like the beautiful but toxic Siberian Iris, adultery is an attractive sin that Scripture repeatedly and clearly warns against — a covenant-breaking choice that culture celebrates but God forbids.

    KEY POINTS

    The Bible addresses adultery extensively, from the Ten Commandments to nearly 9 chapters of Proverbs, with somewhere between 50 and 100+ verses speaking directly against it

    Adultery is fundamentally a covenant issue — a breaking of the marriage bond — not merely a moral infraction or a gender-specific failure

    While popular culture frames adultery as liberating or even beneficial, God’s consistent message across both Testaments is unambiguous: keep your covenant

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