Devotion
Who has the Right
Frances Taylor
We know that there can be debates as to which denominational – or non-denominational – church is the one that is "correct." In a way, Jesus answers this question. No one can do mighty works in his name and be against him. Now he presumes that these men and women are acting in good faith and not trying to win power for themselves. We may differ on how we worship, or even the necessity of organized worship, but if we are intentionally following Christ, who's to say that we are somehow less worthy of leading people to faith in Jesus. Some of the best discussions I have had are with people whose denomination is different from my own. I have also been allowed to preach in churches of different denominations, and have invited others into my church to preach. Just as God has given each of us different gifts, I believe that we need to listen to others in order to appreciate the wealth of knowledge that God has revealed to those who believe. Sometimes it's hard for us to admit that we don't have all the answers. It's hard to accept that someone else could be right too, even though we might disagree.
I belong to a Scripture reflection group that meets weekly. It is fascinating to hear what each person sees in a particular passage. I'm sure you have often seen other interpretations than I have given you to think about! Are you wrong; am I wrong? I think we both may be wrong or right! The important thing is to realize that Jesus speaks to us in a way that is for us. Scripture is called the living Word of God because it is meant for all people of all ages and time. Let us ask the Holy Spirit to help us to be open to all who speak in the name of Jesus.
Prayer
Dear Jesus, you have given us an example of not judging those who speak in your name. Let us ask the guidance of the Spirit to learn what you want to say to us each day. Amen.
Devotion
Abraham is Father of All
Frances Taylor
There are questions in every age about the importance of the Old Testament for Christians. Abraham is considered to be the Father of Faith for Jews, Christians and Muslims. We forget that it was Abraham who believed in the doctrine of only one God. It is through him and his descendants that this tradition comes down to us. Another fact that we can overlook is that Jesus was Jewish. He was born a Jew, lived as a Jew, died, rose and ascended into heaven as a Jew. Because we believe that he was the Messiah, the Christ, and we follow him, we are called Christian. Without the Old Testament, we wouldn't understand the promise of salvation; we wouldn't understand why it was important for Jesus to be of the family of King David. We would not understand his teaching either, because Jesus quoted from Scripture – the Old Testament – frequently. He told us that he came to fulfill the Scriptures, not to abolish them. In the same way, we can ...
