OzThoughts Thursday 26th February 2009

OzThoughts Thursday 26th February 2009

[ In preparation for Easter read a Christian book during Lent which is now. ]

The Salvation Army has a number of well known mottos and slogans. One which is prominent when thinking of our work in the community is “Heart to God and Hand to Man”. It expresses a similar thought as the religious scholar’s answer to Jesus question in the passage from Luke’s Gospel we read today:

25 Just then a religion scholar stood up with a question to test Jesus. "Teacher, what do I need to do to get eternal life?"
26 He answered, "What's written in God's Law? How do you interpret it?"
27 He said, "That you love the Lord your God with all your passion and prayer and muscle and intelligence—and that you love your neighbor as well as you do yourself."
28 "Good answer!" said Jesus. "Do it and you'll live." (Luke 10 The Message)

We all know that the slogan is used by the Salvation Army in a powerful comment on our motivation and practice in our assistance to individuals and communities in need. It is linked often with our fundraising for our community work.

Jesus was not talking about a public relations slogan or even the basis for doing good in society. He was talking to an individual about eternal life and how to get it. Eternal life comes from a right relationship with God and a right relationship with other people.

“Others” was one of the Salvation Army’s earliest mottos. It is interesting to put ourselves in the place of the religious scholar and see how Jesus would challenge us about our relationship with “Others”. What “other” would Jesus use instead of “Samaritan” if Jesus was talking to me?

PRAYER: (Using the Song Book as our Prayer book):

[Listen: Hymn Tune: Maryton: http://www.regalzonophone.com/audio/MF347%20-%20Hymn%20Tunes%20-%20(a)%20Maryton%20(b)%20Ramsgate.mp3
(This recording also includes the hymn tune: O Disclose Thy Lovely Face - Song 412) ]

O Master, let me walk with thee
In lowly paths of service free;
Tell me thy secret; help me bear
The strain of toil. the fret of care.

Help me the slow of heart to move
By some clear, winning word of love;
Teach me the wayward feet to stay,
And guide them in the homeward way.

Teach me thy patience; still with thee
In closer, dearer company,
In work that keeps faith sweet and strong,
In trust that triumphs over wrong;

In hope that sends a shining ray
Far down the future's broadening way,
In peace that only thou canst give,
For thee, O Master, let me live.
Author: Washington Gladden (1836-1918)
The Salvation Army Song Book: Song Number: 519

Luke 10:25-37 (The Message)
25 Just then a religion scholar stood up with a question to test Jesus. "Teacher, what do I need to do to get eternal life?"
26 He answered, "What's written in God's Law? How do you interpret it?"
27 He said, "That you love the Lord your God with all your passion and prayer and muscle and intelligence—and that you love your neighbor as well as you do yourself."
28 "Good answer!" said Jesus. "Do it and you'll live."
29 Looking for a loophole, he asked, "And just how would you define 'neighbor'?"
30-32 Jesus answered by telling a story. "There was once a man traveling from Jerusalem to Jericho. On the way he was attacked by robbers. They took his clothes, beat him up, and went off leaving him half-dead. Luckily, a priest was on his way down the same road, but when he saw him he angled across to the other side. Then a Levite religious man showed up; he also avoided the injured man.
33-35 "A Samaritan traveling the road came on him. When he saw the man's condition, his heart went out to him. He gave him first aid, disinfecting and bandaging his wounds. Then he lifted him onto his donkey, led him to an inn, and made him comfortable. In the morning he took out two silver coins and gave them to the innkeeper, saying, 'Take good care of him. If it costs any more, put it on my bill—I'll pay you on my way back.'
36 "What do you think? Which of the three became a neighbor to the man attacked by robbers?"
37 "The one who treated him kindly," the religion scholar responded.
Jesus said, "Go and do the same."

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