Galatians 2:16-20 (Epistle)

16 knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law but by faith in Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, that we might be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the law; for by the works of the law no flesh shall be justified.17 But if, while we seek to be justi fied by Christ, we ourselves also are found sinners, isChrist therefore a minister of sin? Certainly not!18 For if I build again those things which I destroyed, I make myself a transgressor.19 For I through the law died to the law that I might live to God.20 I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved meand gave Himself for me.

Luke 12:16-21 (Gospel)

16 Then He spoke a parable to them, saying: “The ground of a certain rich man yielded plentifully.17 And he thought within himself, saying, ‘What shall I do, since I have no room to store my crops?’18 So he said, ‘I will do this: I will pull down my barns and build greater, and there I will store all my crops and my goods.19 ’And I will say to my soul, “Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years; take your ease; eat, drink, and be merry.” ‘20 But God said to him, ‘Fool! This night your soul will be required of you; then whose will those things be which you have provided?’21 So is he who lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.

Joshua Schooping Reflection Nov 17David says in the Psalms: “It is good for me to draw near to God; I have put my trust in

the Lord GOD, That I may declare all Your works”(Psalm 73:28).It is good for us to draw near to God.Our God is truly wonderful.And not only is He wonderful, He is also approachable.We can always come to Him.As Christ says, “for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your

souls”(Matthew 11:29).Our Lord is gentle, and He loves when we come to Him.And so the question naturally arises: What are some ways that we can draw close to

Him?Well, one of the most amazing things about Jesus is that He meets us where we are.Jesus comes to us.In fact, that is one of the most amazing things about Jesus is that He is Emmanuel,

which is a name that means “God with us.”This means that wherever we are, God is right there.God is there when we are happy, and He is there when we are sad.He is there when we win, and He is there when we lose.God reigns in heaven, and He also lives in the hearts of the humble.As He says in Isaiah, “I live in a high and holy place, but also with the one who is

lowly in spirit.”And as David says in the Psalms, “If I ascend into heaven, [God] You are there; if I

make my bed in Sheol, behold, You are there. If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, even there Your hand shall lead me, and Your right hand shall hold me.”

In short, God promises to guide us and uphold us wherever we are.Even when things are challenging, God is right there, speaking in a still, small voice.And so one of the best ways we can draw near to God is by becoming peaceful and

calm, so we can hear God's still, small voice.As David says in the Psalms, “LORD, You have heard the desire of the humble; You will

prepare their heart; You will cause Your ear to hear.”When we trust in the Lord, He gives us the strength to rest in His love.The Lord actually tells the holy prophet Isaiah: “In returning and rest you shall be saved;

in quietness and confidence shall be your strength.”When our hearts become peaceful, we are strengthened, and we also feel joy, and this

joy we can share with others.Not only are we more joyful, we are more helpful, we are more patient, we are more

kind, and we are more loving, because we know that God is with us.Glory to Jesus Christ!