DAILY READING
REFLECTION
It's All Connected
by Judy Webb
I started to visit a chiropractor about back pain that impeded my daily living. As my aching back improved, I started to talk with the chiropractor about other issues. Then one day when he asked how I was feeling I decided to tell him about my sore neck and shoulders. The pain made it difficult to turn my head from side to side.
I couldn’t understand how he could fix this. I began to quiz him, and he simply replied, “Everything is Connected.” I thought about this, and it began to make sense, reminding me of the song about the Neck Bone’s connected to the…” song. (Of course, then I had that tune stuck in my head for a day.)
I came across a similar idea of connectedness when preparing to write on the text from Matthew 11:12-19.
“Whoever has ears, let them hear.” (Matthew 11:15)
I was surprised to discover other locations in scripture where the words from verse 15 appear. This was exciting, I felt there must be much more meaning to these words than I first imagined.
Revelation 2:11 “He who has an ear, let him hear.” Sometimes truth is difficult to grasp.
Jesus concluded the Parable of the Sower with Luke 8:8 “Whoever has ears to hear, let them hear.” The seed on good soil stands for those with a noble and good heart, who hear the word, retain it.
Matthew 13:43 “Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Whoever has ears, let them hear.” From the parable of the weeds.
This repetition continues regarding John the Baptist. 11:10 reads: “I will send my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way.”
Again, in Malachi 3:1, “I will send my messenger who will prepare the way before me.”
And Isaiah 40:3, “A voice of one calling in the wilderness, ‘Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him.’”
John was preparing the way for Jesus, by telling people to change their ways, repent and get ready. It is the same message today, the message of ADVENT. Get ready, repent and watch for Jesus. To enter the Kingdom, one must exercise faith in both John's message and Jesus' identity as the One John heralded.
PRAYER
Dear Lord,
This season of Advent is great time to reflect on Jesus and to repair our relationship with Him. These four weeks are set aside to ponder our lives and make any changes necessary in order to welcome Jesus.
