Deutero Q

I preached this past Sunday from Revelation 5, focusing on Jesus as Lion and Lamb. What a wonderful truth: Jesus is at once both Lion of the tribe of Judah and the Lamb of God. As Lion, He is strong, courageous and kingly. As Lamb He is gentle. "A bruised reed He will not break and a smoldering wick He will not snuff out" (Isaiah 42:3).

Those of us who follow in the footprints--or "pawprints," if you will--of Jesus do well to emulate Him. There are times when we need to roar (for example, standing up in defense of the poor and needy or roaring against those who would distort biblical truth) and there are times when we need to show forth the lamb-like nature of our Lord. There are hurting people in need of tenderness and compassion.

Jesus is both Lion and Lamb. May that scriptural truth lead us to adoration and emulation of our great God and Savior!

I was reading Jeremiah 22 yesterday and have not been able to shake verse sixteen: He defended the cause of the poor and needy, and so all went well. Is that not what it means to know me? declares the Lord.

Notice the connection here between concern for the poor and knowing God. As an evangelical Christian, I certainly recognize the importance of Bible study, prayer and worship--but Jeremiah 22:16 is huge! Therein God equates concern for the poor with knowing Him!

Do we want to know God better? Then let us turn not only to the Bible and prayer (these are vitally important, of course) but also to the poor and needy. Active concern for hurting people could well be the missing component in many of our attempts to know God better.