Many things which God does and asks us to do cause us to pause and wonder. His ways and thinking are so far above ours that we have trouble processing it all. Such is the case with God's asking Abraham to sacrifice Isaac, the son of promise, as a burnt offering. Such a request shocks us and provokes many questions. How did Abraham process it all?
Some people advocate individual prayer, Bible reading, meditation, etc. for their faith and religious practice. This is generally brought about by their desire (for any number of reasons) to distance themselves from "organized religion." Although individual spiritual growth is needful, is this approach compatible with the teaching of our Lord? Is there anything missing?
What we believe affects the way we do life. If I don't believe that Jesus was raised from the dead, then His resurrection won't affect how I live. If I do believe it happened, His resurrection empowers me to live a life filled with hope. It gives me an eternal perspective of things which helps me endure adversities and make the sacrifices necessary to live the Christian life.
We have all been taught to be "good stewards" of our resources which God has given to us. But how many of us think about being good stewards of our time and the opportunities which God sets before us? In our lesson, a woman seizes an opportunity for which she is highly commended by Jesus, and by which she teaches us some important lessons.
