Hosea (32″ x 40″ Oil Painting)
Friday 7 August 2009 | 3:18 pm | Laura -
Keep yourselves in God’s love …
Be merciful to those who doubt; snatch others from the fire and save them;
Jude 1:21 – 23a NIV
At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked,
“Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” He called a little child and had him stand among them. And he said: “I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.
Matthew 18:1-4 NIV
I found the combination of these two truths from the Word to be perfectly captured in this picture of my son, taken when he was just three. I saw a mixture of childlike tenderness and sadness in his face. The plastic fire hat that he wears says “Fire Chief”. How does one attain this position of highest authority and rank? It is a title given to one who has proven their ability to lead by consistently laying down their life and running into the fire to snatch others out.
Save – G4982 – Sozo – 1) to save, keep safe and sound, to rescue from danger or destruction
Snatch – G26 – Harpazo – 1) to seize, carry off by force
There is urgency to this act! This grabbing or grasping is not an insensitive, angry or hateful action. It is one prompted by sacrifice and love!
The battle is not against the people! It is against the fire which unmercifully seeks to devour them – their lives, the lives of their family members and their homes.
Do I have these qualities in my live?
Could I be described as one who is childlike in my tenderness, mercy and love?
If I passed that part of the examination would I pass the next?
Is there enough profundity to those characteristics to make me so sad at the thought of others perishing; I would volunteer to run into fires and snatch them out?
Also influenced by Psalms 1:1-3, Jeremiah 17:8 and Philippians 4:8