Have I Understood?

 

 

Matthew 13: 47-53

The Parable of the Net

⁴⁷ “Once again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was let down into the lake and caught all kinds of fish. ⁴⁸ When it was full, the fishermen pulled it up on the shore. Then they sat down and collected the good fish in baskets, but threw the bad away. ⁴⁹ This is how it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come and separate the wicked from the righteous ⁵⁰ and throw them into the blazing furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

⁵¹ “Have you understood all these things?” Jesus asked.

“Yes,” they replied.

⁵² He said to them, “Therefore every teacher of the law who has become a disciple in the kingdom of heaven is like the owner of a house who brings out of his storeroom new treasures as well as old.”

⁵³ When Jesus had finished these parables, he moved on from there.

As Jesus has been explaining, the Kingdom of Heaven is offered to all, but it is we who make the choice to accept or reject it. To a new convert, all is new, fresh and exciting, like running on a trail through a beautiful forest for the first time. For those who have been on that trail for many years, it often seems to lack its initial luster, and we can slide into the dangerous "take it for granted" or "I deserve this or better" stages. To maintain the openness and outlook of a a "first timer" requires humility and effort.  Letting prayer time slide or diminish is not healthy. Spending time to find the treasures new and old is the ideal. Let's go for it!

Bro. Rene

Dear God, no matter how busy I am, may I understand the importance of  and  not slack off on the precious treasure of spending time with you in prayer. Amen.