No one sins in isolation.
Though the Bible is plain the each one will die for their own sins, our sin affects those around us.
Certainly the devastation of Judah, and Israel before that, resulted from idolatry and disobedience of the nation.
Sin affects everyone; this is its ripple effect.
Achan is a prime example. He disobeyed and took some spoils in the victory at Jericho as the Israelites entered the promised Land. Then the whole nation was defeated in the next battle because of the disobedience of one. It was a lesson to the people; sin comes with a high cost.
No sin occurs in isolation, regardless of the perspective of the perpetrator.
At some point, even if not immediately, every sin affects someone else.
Lord, please forgive.
Restore.
Renew.
Lamentations 5:7
Joshua 7
Thursday, July 19, 2012
Crowd psychology and political posturing: Jesus goes to Jerusalem
Matthew 21:10-11
"Who is this?" they asked.
It was not a complicated question, though the answer was.
Though the crowds were giving Christ a king's welcome, they acknowledged Him only as a prophet.
To acknowledge Him as king would bring Roman opposition.
So, did ignorance and/or fear mix with political savvy?
Matthew 21:23-27
More political posturing, this time the chief priests and elders to avoid opposition of the people - the crowds in Jerusalem for Passover.
Matthew 22:15-22
Now the Pharisees and Herodians join forces to try to get someone (other than they themselves) with more influence mad at Jesus: King Herod and the Roman government or religious zealots.
June 12, 2012
"Who is this?" they asked.
It was not a complicated question, though the answer was.
Though the crowds were giving Christ a king's welcome, they acknowledged Him only as a prophet.
To acknowledge Him as king would bring Roman opposition.
So, did ignorance and/or fear mix with political savvy?
Matthew 21:23-27
More political posturing, this time the chief priests and elders to avoid opposition of the people - the crowds in Jerusalem for Passover.
Matthew 22:15-22
Now the Pharisees and Herodians join forces to try to get someone (other than they themselves) with more influence mad at Jesus: King Herod and the Roman government or religious zealots.
June 12, 2012
James' juxtaposition
James 1:15,18
James juxtaposes birth with birth.
Desire births sin. Sin births death.
But
The Father through the Word births Life.
One birth brings life; the other death.
There is a gestation period for both, though not readily seen to the casual observer, and sometimes missed even by those involved.
As all fauna in creation do not have the same gestation period, neither do people,
either in sin and death, or in life.
God has long intended His words to be Life, and to be lived, not just studied.
They are the path to true Life which is found only in Christ.
June 16, 2012
Deuteronomy 32:47
John 5:38-40
James juxtaposes birth with birth.
Desire births sin. Sin births death.
But
The Father through the Word births Life.
One birth brings life; the other death.
There is a gestation period for both, though not readily seen to the casual observer, and sometimes missed even by those involved.
As all fauna in creation do not have the same gestation period, neither do people,
either in sin and death, or in life.
God has long intended His words to be Life, and to be lived, not just studied.
They are the path to true Life which is found only in Christ.
June 16, 2012
Deuteronomy 32:47
John 5:38-40
Paul vs the Eleven
God is sovereign. His choices are intriguing. They confound me.
To reach Jews, God chose simple, uneducated men.
What a stark contrast with the educated elitists who had established a caste system in which the uneducated could never attain to the highest levels.
Thus, the disciples knowledge and powerful message and preaching obviously had a different source.
To reach Gentiles, God chose one from the Jewish educated elite.
He reformed Saul to be the vessel to present Christ clearly to pagan cultures.
June 16, 2012, after reading Galatians 1-2
To reach Jews, God chose simple, uneducated men.
What a stark contrast with the educated elitists who had established a caste system in which the uneducated could never attain to the highest levels.
Thus, the disciples knowledge and powerful message and preaching obviously had a different source.
To reach Gentiles, God chose one from the Jewish educated elite.
He reformed Saul to be the vessel to present Christ clearly to pagan cultures.
June 16, 2012, after reading Galatians 1-2
Wednesday, July 18, 2012
Snow White and the Huntsman (and common grace)
Common grace, the Gospel incognito, thinly veiled and disguised, recognizable only to those who seek, persist, and strive to understand, that they might see...
The most epic stories are those that most clearly reflect the True Gospel.
There is an appeal many do not understand; they know only that they were affected deeply,
perhaps expressing it as moved, or stirred, though likely not recognizing it was the Spirit of God nudging their spirit and soul to recognize truth.
The "Lord of the Rings" trilogy is one such epic saga that reflects the True Gospel,
as do "The Chronicles of Narnia," and more recently, the "Harry Potter" series.
And so, in this fairy tale, "Snow White," there are many reflections of the gospel.
A kingdom is happy and complete, then evil enters by way of deception.
The king dies, betrayed by his love, just as Adam chose deception and disobedience when prompted by his love, and death entered the world, "by fairest blood the curse is done."
The king's forces were defeated and fled into exile, living in an occupied country.
The heir to the throne, the only hope for the kingdom was locked in a tower, imprisoned,
just as Jesus, the true heir of all things, forfeited the boundlessness of eternity and limitlessness of deity to take on flesh, to be imprisoned in a body of frailty.
In the tower, Snow was a captive with no escape, just as we are captives to our sin, broken, and enslaved to our fear of death. The whole of the kingdom was trapped in a living death, alive in body but dead in spirit - no joy, no hope, no peace, only despair.They knew not the way, they were passive, living in defeat, paralyzed by fear and afraid to fight.
We see the witch, evil personified (as the serpent in the garden), preying on the lives of others, especially, but not only, beautiful young women. She steals their life, their vitality, their beauty, their essence, destroying, killing, ...
This is always the way of the thief who comes only to steal, kill and destroy, beginning with deception by which he skulked into the kingdom.
Against this backdrop, in the midst of her captivity, Snow prays,
"Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your Name,
Your kingdom come, Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
Forgive our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil."
Prayers for deliverance from [spiritual] bondage are always heard and answered. We did not know the way until Jesus made and showed the way to life. And so, the fairies come in disguise (as do angels) to show Snow the way of escape, the way out of her prison. The escape is perilous, she is in danger from her adversaries, as well as from nature. If she is captured, all will be lost, evil will win,
hope will die.
As long as there is life, there is hope.
Neither is our escape from sin absolute, a once-for-all event. Jesus' sacrifice and our salvation is a once-for-all event, but our sanctification is a slow, gradual, tedious process on a road rife with pitfalls, just as Snow faced in her flight from the Queen and into the Dark Forest.
But this is a time of preparation for Snow, not a time of mission. Our Lord spent the majority of His earthly existence in preparation for a brief three years of ministry - a ministry which began with a blessing at His baptism. People soon realized He was Life incarnate. So also, Snow was blessed even as the dwarves had begun to realize that life and healing were in her.
She takes on the mission to regain the kingdom, to wrest it from evil's grasp. In the ensuing battle, one of the dwarves demonstrates the meaning of love, sacrificing himself, taking the arrow to protect Snow. There is no greater love than this.
Yet, there is a deception, a seeming betrayal, and life is murdered; Life dies, and with it, hope.
The blind dwarf who is the Seer knows this is wrong, it cannot be, and yet it is. (True sight is not confined to the eyes; "Blessed are those who have not seen and yet believe.")
Snow is dead; mourned by the remnant that remains of the kingdom. The Huntsman is heartbroken; his wife is dead and now Snow is, too. In his grief, he gently kisses her lifeless form and leaves.
One thing is stronger than death - love. Just as God demonstrated His love in allowing Christ to die for us while we were still sinners, in love, the Father would not allow His Son to remain in death, and brought about His resurrection after three days.
Life returns! Love conquers death with Life. Now Life sets out to defeat the darkness and despair of the witches' slavery. Snow issues the call to die (to self) rather than spend another day in this "living death."
What a powerful phrase! Apart from the life and salvation found in Christ, all exist in a living death.
It takes Snow's call to arms to wrest the remnant from the complacency of security and to realize the battle had long been raging around them, yet they would not choose to fight for the kingdom.
Now, however, they responded to the call and equipped, taking the battle to the enemy's fortress.
The battle is joined. At first it seems to go in favor of the attackers, but the defenders regroup. Snow goes after the Witch, knowing her secret and that she can only be defeated by fairest blood, by Snow's own blood. Snow did not know if it would cost, but was willing to sacrifice, her own life. In like fashion, the bondage and slavery of sin could only be defeated by, sin could only be atoned with, innocent blood, and only Jesus' blood met that requirement. The curse was undone by Christ's blood.
Yet it seemed Snow could not possibly defeat the Witch Queen. Then Snow's blood was spilled (only three drops), and the curse was lifted. The Witch Queen was destroyed.
All that had been lost, and even forgotten, was rebirthed. Renewal came.
Life returned to the countryside bringing renewal, restoration, hope and joy.
June 4,10,25, 2012
The most epic stories are those that most clearly reflect the True Gospel.
There is an appeal many do not understand; they know only that they were affected deeply,
perhaps expressing it as moved, or stirred, though likely not recognizing it was the Spirit of God nudging their spirit and soul to recognize truth.
The "Lord of the Rings" trilogy is one such epic saga that reflects the True Gospel,
as do "The Chronicles of Narnia," and more recently, the "Harry Potter" series.
And so, in this fairy tale, "Snow White," there are many reflections of the gospel.
A kingdom is happy and complete, then evil enters by way of deception.
The king dies, betrayed by his love, just as Adam chose deception and disobedience when prompted by his love, and death entered the world, "by fairest blood the curse is done."
The king's forces were defeated and fled into exile, living in an occupied country.
The heir to the throne, the only hope for the kingdom was locked in a tower, imprisoned,
just as Jesus, the true heir of all things, forfeited the boundlessness of eternity and limitlessness of deity to take on flesh, to be imprisoned in a body of frailty.
In the tower, Snow was a captive with no escape, just as we are captives to our sin, broken, and enslaved to our fear of death. The whole of the kingdom was trapped in a living death, alive in body but dead in spirit - no joy, no hope, no peace, only despair.They knew not the way, they were passive, living in defeat, paralyzed by fear and afraid to fight.
We see the witch, evil personified (as the serpent in the garden), preying on the lives of others, especially, but not only, beautiful young women. She steals their life, their vitality, their beauty, their essence, destroying, killing, ...
This is always the way of the thief who comes only to steal, kill and destroy, beginning with deception by which he skulked into the kingdom.
Against this backdrop, in the midst of her captivity, Snow prays,
"Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your Name,
Your kingdom come, Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
Forgive our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil."
Prayers for deliverance from [spiritual] bondage are always heard and answered. We did not know the way until Jesus made and showed the way to life. And so, the fairies come in disguise (as do angels) to show Snow the way of escape, the way out of her prison. The escape is perilous, she is in danger from her adversaries, as well as from nature. If she is captured, all will be lost, evil will win,
hope will die.
As long as there is life, there is hope.
Neither is our escape from sin absolute, a once-for-all event. Jesus' sacrifice and our salvation is a once-for-all event, but our sanctification is a slow, gradual, tedious process on a road rife with pitfalls, just as Snow faced in her flight from the Queen and into the Dark Forest.
But this is a time of preparation for Snow, not a time of mission. Our Lord spent the majority of His earthly existence in preparation for a brief three years of ministry - a ministry which began with a blessing at His baptism. People soon realized He was Life incarnate. So also, Snow was blessed even as the dwarves had begun to realize that life and healing were in her.
She takes on the mission to regain the kingdom, to wrest it from evil's grasp. In the ensuing battle, one of the dwarves demonstrates the meaning of love, sacrificing himself, taking the arrow to protect Snow. There is no greater love than this.
Yet, there is a deception, a seeming betrayal, and life is murdered; Life dies, and with it, hope.
The blind dwarf who is the Seer knows this is wrong, it cannot be, and yet it is. (True sight is not confined to the eyes; "Blessed are those who have not seen and yet believe.")
Snow is dead; mourned by the remnant that remains of the kingdom. The Huntsman is heartbroken; his wife is dead and now Snow is, too. In his grief, he gently kisses her lifeless form and leaves.
One thing is stronger than death - love. Just as God demonstrated His love in allowing Christ to die for us while we were still sinners, in love, the Father would not allow His Son to remain in death, and brought about His resurrection after three days.
Life returns! Love conquers death with Life. Now Life sets out to defeat the darkness and despair of the witches' slavery. Snow issues the call to die (to self) rather than spend another day in this "living death."
What a powerful phrase! Apart from the life and salvation found in Christ, all exist in a living death.
It takes Snow's call to arms to wrest the remnant from the complacency of security and to realize the battle had long been raging around them, yet they would not choose to fight for the kingdom.
Now, however, they responded to the call and equipped, taking the battle to the enemy's fortress.
The battle is joined. At first it seems to go in favor of the attackers, but the defenders regroup. Snow goes after the Witch, knowing her secret and that she can only be defeated by fairest blood, by Snow's own blood. Snow did not know if it would cost, but was willing to sacrifice, her own life. In like fashion, the bondage and slavery of sin could only be defeated by, sin could only be atoned with, innocent blood, and only Jesus' blood met that requirement. The curse was undone by Christ's blood.
Yet it seemed Snow could not possibly defeat the Witch Queen. Then Snow's blood was spilled (only three drops), and the curse was lifted. The Witch Queen was destroyed.
All that had been lost, and even forgotten, was rebirthed. Renewal came.
Life returned to the countryside bringing renewal, restoration, hope and joy.
June 4,10,25, 2012
Psalm 100, upside down
Shout for joy to the Lord all the earth.
Worship the Lord with gladness;
Come before Him with joyful songs.
Know that the Lord is God.
It is He who made us, and we are His;
we are His people, the sheep of His pasture.
Enter His gates with thanksgiving
and His courts with praise;
give thanks to Him and praise His Name.
For the Lord is good and His love endures forever;
His faithfulness continues through all generations.
Psalm 100 is one of my many favorite psalms of praise.
It begins with our actions, and ends celebrating who God is.
But reading it this morning, I realized it works just as well in reverse,
from the bottom up.
Then it begins with God's nature and character, and ends with our response.
The Lord is good and His love endures forever;
His faithfulness continues through all generations.
So enter His gates with thanksgiving
and His courts with praise;
give thanks to Him and praise His Name.
Know that the Lord is God.
It is He who made us, and we are His;
we are His people, the sheep of His pasture.
So worship the Lord with gladness; Come before Him with joyful songs.
Shout for joy to the Lord all the earth.
Worship the Lord with gladness;
Come before Him with joyful songs.
Know that the Lord is God.
It is He who made us, and we are His;
we are His people, the sheep of His pasture.
Enter His gates with thanksgiving
and His courts with praise;
give thanks to Him and praise His Name.
For the Lord is good and His love endures forever;
His faithfulness continues through all generations.
Psalm 100 is one of my many favorite psalms of praise.
It begins with our actions, and ends celebrating who God is.
But reading it this morning, I realized it works just as well in reverse,
from the bottom up.
Then it begins with God's nature and character, and ends with our response.
The Lord is good and His love endures forever;
His faithfulness continues through all generations.
So enter His gates with thanksgiving
and His courts with praise;
give thanks to Him and praise His Name.
Know that the Lord is God.
It is He who made us, and we are His;
we are His people, the sheep of His pasture.
So worship the Lord with gladness; Come before Him with joyful songs.
Shout for joy to the Lord all the earth.
May 10, 2012
A Disciple's Monologue, Post Crucifixion
Jesus is crucified.
Dead.
Buried.
Now what?
What was the point of these last three years?
How can I go back to what and who I was?
Now it's the third day, and this morning we find out His body is missing: It's not in the tomb.
All day ... wondering. What can this mean?
We're meeting tonight.
(We kept the place a secret.
No point in tipping our hand to those that had Jesus killed.)
Maybe we'll eat, though no one has been hungry, really.
Well, we're here and locked in, just in case the authorities come looking for us.
Jesus appeared! Out of nowhere, just appeared out of thin air!
He is Alive!
What difference does it really make?
I boasted I would never turn away, even if I had to die.
All the other guys said the same, but
I was the only one who denied Him,
Three times I denied knowing Christ.
What hope is there for me?
I'm going [back to] fishing. Who's with me?
It was a bad night of fishing.
The next morning a guy on shore asked if we had any fish.
I almost shouted back, "NO! And THANKS FOR ASKING!"
But one with a cooler head answered first and just said, "No."
He told us to throw our nets on the other side of the boat.
I'm not sure why we did. No one ever fishes off that side of the boat.
But we had nothing to lose, except to be thought as fools, and I'm sure I'm already there.
Too many fish! We'll have to tow the net to shore.
Wait. This happened before ... Three years ago ...
It's Jesus!
Three times he asked me if I loved him, one for each denial.
When I would not boast
Jesus reinstated me.
He commissioned me.
He loves me.
John 18-21, What Peter might have said.
March 20-21, 2012
Dead.
Buried.
Now what?
What was the point of these last three years?
How can I go back to what and who I was?
Now it's the third day, and this morning we find out His body is missing: It's not in the tomb.
All day ... wondering. What can this mean?
We're meeting tonight.
(We kept the place a secret.
No point in tipping our hand to those that had Jesus killed.)
Maybe we'll eat, though no one has been hungry, really.
Well, we're here and locked in, just in case the authorities come looking for us.
Jesus appeared! Out of nowhere, just appeared out of thin air!
He is Alive!
What difference does it really make?
I boasted I would never turn away, even if I had to die.
All the other guys said the same, but
I was the only one who denied Him,
Three times I denied knowing Christ.
What hope is there for me?
I'm going [back to] fishing. Who's with me?
It was a bad night of fishing.
The next morning a guy on shore asked if we had any fish.
I almost shouted back, "NO! And THANKS FOR ASKING!"
But one with a cooler head answered first and just said, "No."
He told us to throw our nets on the other side of the boat.
I'm not sure why we did. No one ever fishes off that side of the boat.
But we had nothing to lose, except to be thought as fools, and I'm sure I'm already there.
Too many fish! We'll have to tow the net to shore.
Wait. This happened before ... Three years ago ...
It's Jesus!
Three times he asked me if I loved him, one for each denial.
When I would not boast
Jesus reinstated me.
He commissioned me.
He loves me.
John 18-21, What Peter might have said.
March 20-21, 2012
Circumstances, Perceptions, Reality
We have this treasure in jars of clay: we are hard-pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. 2 Corinthians 4:7-8
When I focus on my circumstances, I perceive that I am
hard-pressed,
perplexed,
persecuted,
struck down,
abandoned,
punished.
I ask,
"Why me?
What have I done to deserve this?"
Why do I act this way?
Because my focus is not just on my circumstances,
it is completely and totally on me.
I see nothing outside myself.
Caught up in such navel-gazing,
I become my own idol.
I presume to judge God by my experiences, or because of them,
"If God loved me, he would never allow ..."
In the midst of all that I feel and experience,
I need to remember God's reality:
I am
never alone,
supported,
protected,
raised up.
These light and momentary troubles,
these difficult circumstances
these trials and persecutions
build perseverance,
character and hope to achieve eternal glory.
In a conversation about this, Jesse replied:
"So we are called to an apocalyptic ministry,
meaning that we are peeling back the curtains of reality
to see the world as it truly is, God's world."
However, it seems to me these curtains are not curtains of reality,
but only curtains of perceptions,
specifically, the way I perceive reality.
The curtains of my perceptions must be peeled back
in order to see the true reality, God's reality.
Why is this necessary?
I have lost touch with reality.
"the reality, however, is found in Christ. ...
Such a person ...has lost connection with the Head"
The Head is Christ.
So when I lose touch with Christ,
I lose touch with reality.
These verses in Colossians comfort me. Does that seem odd?
The comfort is simple:
I cannot lose something I never had.
If I never had touch with Christ,
I cannot lose touch with him.
If I never had touch with reality,
I cannot lose touch with it.
How does this comfort me?
Simple.
If I once had contact, I can have contact again!
How is this possible? (All things are possible with God.)
I must change my focus,
take it off myself, and
fix my eyes on Jesus,
the Author and Perfector of my faith.
Help me, Lord.
February 20-21, 2012
Colossians 2:17-19; 2 Corinthians 4:18; 5:7
When I focus on my circumstances, I perceive that I am
hard-pressed,
perplexed,
persecuted,
struck down,
abandoned,
punished.
I ask,
"Why me?
What have I done to deserve this?"
Why do I act this way?
Because my focus is not just on my circumstances,
it is completely and totally on me.
I see nothing outside myself.
Caught up in such navel-gazing,
I become my own idol.
I presume to judge God by my experiences, or because of them,
"If God loved me, he would never allow ..."
In the midst of all that I feel and experience,
I need to remember God's reality:
I am
never alone,
supported,
protected,
raised up.
These light and momentary troubles,
these difficult circumstances
these trials and persecutions
build perseverance,
character and hope to achieve eternal glory.
In a conversation about this, Jesse replied:
"So we are called to an apocalyptic ministry,
meaning that we are peeling back the curtains of reality
to see the world as it truly is, God's world."
However, it seems to me these curtains are not curtains of reality,
but only curtains of perceptions,
specifically, the way I perceive reality.
The curtains of my perceptions must be peeled back
in order to see the true reality, God's reality.
Why is this necessary?
I have lost touch with reality.
"the reality, however, is found in Christ. ...
Such a person ...has lost connection with the Head"
The Head is Christ.
So when I lose touch with Christ,
I lose touch with reality.
These verses in Colossians comfort me. Does that seem odd?
The comfort is simple:
I cannot lose something I never had.
If I never had touch with Christ,
I cannot lose touch with him.
If I never had touch with reality,
I cannot lose touch with it.
How does this comfort me?
Simple.
If I once had contact, I can have contact again!
How is this possible? (All things are possible with God.)
I must change my focus,
take it off myself, and
fix my eyes on Jesus,
the Author and Perfector of my faith.
Help me, Lord.
February 20-21, 2012
Colossians 2:17-19; 2 Corinthians 4:18; 5:7
Tuesday, July 17, 2012
Why do we sing?
Psalm 137:4 How can we sing the songs of the Lord while in a foreign land [in exile]?
With great joy and hope!
In this fleeting exile, we are foreigners and aliens,
strangers passing through, looking forward to our future home ...
So why do we sing?
We sing in anticipation.
We sing because the promise is sure and our hope is secure.
We sing because the home we seek is better than this.
We sing because we cannot be silent.
We sing because of the Lord's abundant, steadfast, unfailing love
that overflows into exceeding great mercy and amazing grace.
We sing because we have been given a new birth
into a living hope that does not disappoint us.
We sing because we have been rescued,
delivered from the dominion of darkness and
transferred into the kingdom of light,
the kingdom of the Son the Lord loves.
We sing because we love God who first loved us.
We sing because God is
more awesome,
more holy,
more righteous,
more powerful,
more faithful,
more loving,
more compassionate,
more gracious,
more merciful,
more perfect,
more ... just ...
more in every way than we can possibly imagine.
We sing because one day
our exile will end,
our faith will be sight,
all will be redeemed, restored and righted.
We sing because the kingdoms of this world
will again become the Kingdom of our God of of His Christ!
Alleluia!
July 17, 2012
With great joy and hope!
In this fleeting exile, we are foreigners and aliens,
strangers passing through, looking forward to our future home ...
So why do we sing?
We sing in anticipation.
We sing because the promise is sure and our hope is secure.
We sing because the home we seek is better than this.
We sing because we cannot be silent.
We sing because of the Lord's abundant, steadfast, unfailing love
that overflows into exceeding great mercy and amazing grace.
We sing because we have been given a new birth
into a living hope that does not disappoint us.
We sing because we have been rescued,
delivered from the dominion of darkness and
transferred into the kingdom of light,
the kingdom of the Son the Lord loves.
We sing because we love God who first loved us.
We sing because God is
more awesome,
more holy,
more righteous,
more powerful,
more faithful,
more loving,
more compassionate,
more gracious,
more merciful,
more perfect,
more ... just ...
more in every way than we can possibly imagine.
We sing because one day
our exile will end,
our faith will be sight,
all will be redeemed, restored and righted.
We sing because the kingdoms of this world
will again become the Kingdom of our God of of His Christ!
Alleluia!
July 17, 2012
Sunday, July 15, 2012
Fun in my childhood home?
My youngest son sent me a text about he and a friend playing with the vacuum at church yesterday, and having a little too much fun.
I responded about remembering doing things like that; lots of fun!
Then a secondary thought followed close on the heels of the first,
"unless Dad was around."
I probably did have fun with Dad at some point,
but I do not remember anything other than maybe 42.
I grew up in a home of fear, not laughter.
Could be my faulty memory (and jaded),
but I do not remember random laughter in may parent's home.
That was always one of the refreshing things about the grandparents, uncles, aunts, cousins, ...
Laughter!
Joy! (even if shallow)
Life was lighter (in both senses), more colorful,
more enjoyable, and somehow easier to bear,
than
in the sullen, fearful, dark, dull, dreary, heavy and wearisome place
in which I lived and called home.
Small wonder I left home as I did, given my perceptions.
And it was not only my perception.
Scot (my youngest brother, 16 years my junior) when he was about 8 or 9,
told my wife that he did not like it when we left after a visit because,
"When you leave, the sun goes away."
June 7, 2012
I responded about remembering doing things like that; lots of fun!
Then a secondary thought followed close on the heels of the first,
"unless Dad was around."
I probably did have fun with Dad at some point,
but I do not remember anything other than maybe 42.
I grew up in a home of fear, not laughter.
Could be my faulty memory (and jaded),
but I do not remember random laughter in may parent's home.
That was always one of the refreshing things about the grandparents, uncles, aunts, cousins, ...
Laughter!
Joy! (even if shallow)
Life was lighter (in both senses), more colorful,
more enjoyable, and somehow easier to bear,
than
in the sullen, fearful, dark, dull, dreary, heavy and wearisome place
in which I lived and called home.
Small wonder I left home as I did, given my perceptions.
And it was not only my perception.
Scot (my youngest brother, 16 years my junior) when he was about 8 or 9,
told my wife that he did not like it when we left after a visit because,
"When you leave, the sun goes away."
June 7, 2012
Why do we judge?
Why do we judge others?
What is our motivation?
We are desperate to feel good about ourselves.
Yet, ruined by our sin,
we recognize our faults, our weaknesses, our sins,
even if we are not consciously aware of them,
the Holy Spirit is at work in our subconscious to reveal them to us,
to convict us that we may repent.
The human response to such a light shining in our dark places is twofold:
self-renovation/self-improvement projects
and
comparative living.
We try to get better to assuage our conscience, and
we compare ourselves to select others that we may feel better about our lives
due to our higher performance standards and successes.
In the end, all our comparisons fail us.
We are morally and spiritually bankrupt.
We all know this at some level.
It is the driving force and motivation to be better
and to compare ourselves to those who are worse.
Forgive.
Redeem.
What we truly need is not a better life,
but a new life;
rejuvenation rather than renovation.
June 5, 2012
What is our motivation?
We are desperate to feel good about ourselves.
Yet, ruined by our sin,
we recognize our faults, our weaknesses, our sins,
even if we are not consciously aware of them,
the Holy Spirit is at work in our subconscious to reveal them to us,
to convict us that we may repent.
The human response to such a light shining in our dark places is twofold:
self-renovation/self-improvement projects
and
comparative living.
We try to get better to assuage our conscience, and
we compare ourselves to select others that we may feel better about our lives
due to our higher performance standards and successes.
In the end, all our comparisons fail us.
We are morally and spiritually bankrupt.
We all know this at some level.
It is the driving force and motivation to be better
and to compare ourselves to those who are worse.
Forgive.
Redeem.
What we truly need is not a better life,
but a new life;
rejuvenation rather than renovation.
June 5, 2012
Janae - Heart of a Champion
Janae received the "Heart of a Champion" award at the choir banquet last night.
Mr. Farren originated that award for Jesse,
for those who have struggled to overcome some challenge in their lives,
and have done it in a way that encourages and inspires others.
It brought tears to my eyes.
Brandon mentioned her discussion with him about whether to graduate early or return for her senior year, about my being away, ...
The he told a story to address the importance and power of music,
with a baby in an NICU improving when her brother sang to her, ...
It brought me back to Jesse's birth again.
I shared that with a few people including Brandon (Farren).
I wept.
Janae and many friends cried.
Janae, as one of the Spirit Leaders, got to address the group.
She was nervous and was open about that before reading one of her writings on their senior year.
As with her others, this one was powerful, using striking imagery.
When she was finished, she received a standing ovation.
Lord, my words are incapable of expressing all my pride, awe, amazement,
and so many other things I feel for her,
and my gratitude to You for giving me such a beautiful,
intelligent, gifted, and talented daughter.
Janae Elisabeth,
God has answered with a precious gift,
my Faithful Princess.
May 19, 2012
Janae - my only daughter
Jesse - my eldest son
Brandon Farren - Canyon High School Choir Director
Mr. Farren originated that award for Jesse,
for those who have struggled to overcome some challenge in their lives,
and have done it in a way that encourages and inspires others.
It brought tears to my eyes.
Brandon mentioned her discussion with him about whether to graduate early or return for her senior year, about my being away, ...
The he told a story to address the importance and power of music,
with a baby in an NICU improving when her brother sang to her, ...
It brought me back to Jesse's birth again.
I shared that with a few people including Brandon (Farren).
I wept.
Janae and many friends cried.
Janae, as one of the Spirit Leaders, got to address the group.
She was nervous and was open about that before reading one of her writings on their senior year.
As with her others, this one was powerful, using striking imagery.
When she was finished, she received a standing ovation.
Lord, my words are incapable of expressing all my pride, awe, amazement,
and so many other things I feel for her,
and my gratitude to You for giving me such a beautiful,
intelligent, gifted, and talented daughter.
Janae Elisabeth,
God has answered with a precious gift,
my Faithful Princess.
May 19, 2012
Janae - my only daughter
Jesse - my eldest son
Brandon Farren - Canyon High School Choir Director
Home? A confession and a prayer
Home - the places I longed to go when growing up, that were desirable to me were
my great-grandparents Robinson, and
my grandparents Robinson
(before I realized the two-faced nature of my grandmother,
before her affections turned to the younger grandchildren).
My home was not a refuge, not an example, not a place I longed to go.
It colored my view of Booker, I am sure.
Conflict permeated the very fiber of my parent's marriage, of my home life.
My church in Booker became a bit of a refuge, a respite, a home, a place where I was accepted,
a place without conflict.
(But that came at a price because my mother did not accept that church or my faith
because I attended that church. So my choice brought conflict and judgment.)
I lived for events that took me away from home:
camps (always 4-H), overnight band trips,
tours (4-H short course to Washington, DC, European Wind Band tour, mission trips to Brasil),
visits to grandparents, fishing trips, ...,
in general, for things that got me away from my parents.
When I left for college,
I never wanted to go home.
I only went when I had to go, felt compelled to go.
I dreaded going home.
When possible, I took others with me,
not because my home was a wonderful place I wanted to share,
but as a buffer between me and my parents, and to expand their horizons,
to challenge their biases and prejudices (when I took Africans, black men, into my father's home).
Those are the attitudes about home and family I brought into my marriage, my home.
It was not intentional, but it was there, below the surface.
I brought the conflict, the anger, the dread, the separation (emotional distance and reluctance).
This is why my residence has not always felt like my home (personal),
Sherilyn's home, my kids' home,
yes, but not necessarily mine.
The room and bed I share with my wife,
in the way I referenced them,
were hers, not mine or ours.
Lord, grant Sherilyn and the kids the grace to forgive me.
I have not always longed to be home, to be with them,
though I do so now more than ever before.
May 13, 2012
my great-grandparents Robinson, and
my grandparents Robinson
(before I realized the two-faced nature of my grandmother,
before her affections turned to the younger grandchildren).
My home was not a refuge, not an example, not a place I longed to go.
It colored my view of Booker, I am sure.
Conflict permeated the very fiber of my parent's marriage, of my home life.
My church in Booker became a bit of a refuge, a respite, a home, a place where I was accepted,
a place without conflict.
(But that came at a price because my mother did not accept that church or my faith
because I attended that church. So my choice brought conflict and judgment.)
I lived for events that took me away from home:
camps (always 4-H), overnight band trips,
tours (4-H short course to Washington, DC, European Wind Band tour, mission trips to Brasil),
visits to grandparents, fishing trips, ...,
in general, for things that got me away from my parents.
When I left for college,
I never wanted to go home.
I only went when I had to go, felt compelled to go.
I dreaded going home.
When possible, I took others with me,
not because my home was a wonderful place I wanted to share,
but as a buffer between me and my parents, and to expand their horizons,
to challenge their biases and prejudices (when I took Africans, black men, into my father's home).
Those are the attitudes about home and family I brought into my marriage, my home.
It was not intentional, but it was there, below the surface.
I brought the conflict, the anger, the dread, the separation (emotional distance and reluctance).
This is why my residence has not always felt like my home (personal),
Sherilyn's home, my kids' home,
yes, but not necessarily mine.
The room and bed I share with my wife,
in the way I referenced them,
were hers, not mine or ours.
Lord, grant Sherilyn and the kids the grace to forgive me.
I have not always longed to be home, to be with them,
though I do so now more than ever before.
May 13, 2012
Temptation and Idols
Temptation. What do these things have to do with it?
Idols?
False prophets?
Idolatry?
We tend to relegate these things to the ancient past, far away countries, or other religions.
But that is not the message I get from reading Jeremiah, James, and Paul's Epistles.
All these things are real.
Today.
Here.
In my life.
Jeremiah decries false prophets, because they lead us to sin, and sin deprives us of good.
But how do words written 1500 years ago apply today?
I am confronted constantly with false prophets in our culture, in the media, and in our country.
If we look, we can see them at work, at school, at the store, even at home and church.
Some claim the authority of God, telling me how to live, how to act, how to overcome, how to ...
Others are prophets of the many idols that permeate this place,
this time,
this culture,
this country:
prosperity, tolerance, freedom,
justice, peace, power, might,
politics, capitalism, science,
happiness, positive thinking, education,
philosophy, ...
How is it that these things, these idols are so appealing to us, to me?
Our idols are the lies we want to believe,
the ones we want to be true.
That is why they are so seductive to us;
they begin with our own evil desires,
with our own vain imaginations.
Since it begins with us,
it takes little incentive or external motivation
to begin digging our own cisterns (though broken)
because we want them to hold water.
We want to believe that if everyone is educated,
life will be better,
people will be more tolerant,
tyrannical governments will fall,
wars will cease,
justice will prevail,
freedom will reign, ...
We want to believe that thinking better thoughts
will improve our overall well-being,
will bring happiness,
peace,
prosperity, ...
The false prophets are just that: False.
Wrong, though they continue shouting lies.
None of these things has the ability to free me from the lies that have me bound.
The truth that frees in not in the making and studying of many books.
This truth is only found in the One who is
The Truth, the Life, and the Way,
Jesus Christ, the Ever-Living One,
Firstborn from the dead,
my Hope and my Salvation,
the Author and Perfecter of my faith.
Help me, Jesus.
I repent, deliver me from my idols.
Renew me in Your presence.
May 11-12, 2012
Jeremiah 5-6, Lamentations 2:14, James 1:14-15
Idols?
False prophets?
Idolatry?
We tend to relegate these things to the ancient past, far away countries, or other religions.
But that is not the message I get from reading Jeremiah, James, and Paul's Epistles.
All these things are real.
Today.
Here.
In my life.
Jeremiah decries false prophets, because they lead us to sin, and sin deprives us of good.
But how do words written 1500 years ago apply today?
I am confronted constantly with false prophets in our culture, in the media, and in our country.
If we look, we can see them at work, at school, at the store, even at home and church.
Some claim the authority of God, telling me how to live, how to act, how to overcome, how to ...
Others are prophets of the many idols that permeate this place,
this time,
this culture,
this country:
prosperity, tolerance, freedom,
justice, peace, power, might,
politics, capitalism, science,
happiness, positive thinking, education,
philosophy, ...
How is it that these things, these idols are so appealing to us, to me?
Our idols are the lies we want to believe,
the ones we want to be true.
That is why they are so seductive to us;
they begin with our own evil desires,
with our own vain imaginations.
Since it begins with us,
it takes little incentive or external motivation
to begin digging our own cisterns (though broken)
because we want them to hold water.
We want to believe that if everyone is educated,
life will be better,
people will be more tolerant,
tyrannical governments will fall,
wars will cease,
justice will prevail,
freedom will reign, ...
We want to believe that thinking better thoughts
will improve our overall well-being,
will bring happiness,
peace,
prosperity, ...
The false prophets are just that: False.
Wrong, though they continue shouting lies.
None of these things has the ability to free me from the lies that have me bound.
The truth that frees in not in the making and studying of many books.
This truth is only found in the One who is
The Truth, the Life, and the Way,
Jesus Christ, the Ever-Living One,
Firstborn from the dead,
my Hope and my Salvation,
the Author and Perfecter of my faith.
Help me, Jesus.
I repent, deliver me from my idols.
Renew me in Your presence.
May 11-12, 2012
Jeremiah 5-6, Lamentations 2:14, James 1:14-15
Sunday, May 13, 2012
To my wife, on Mother's Day, 2012
It must be hard to be a mother.
At least, that is how it looks to an outsider who observed his mother (a mother of three sons), and my wife, the mother of four plus one (three sons, one daughter, with an extra son).
Some time in high school, I stopped telling my mom about my life. She worried.
One of my sons (and my daughter until recently) was a bit like that. My wife worried.
Another son and our extra son tell nearly everything about their lives, and my wife worries.
I like to do things that some people think are dangerous and my wife worries that my children will lose their father.
We found out several years ago that I have a health problem, and my wife worries.
She worries about our kids, their
- futures
- relationships with their parents
- relationships with one another
- relationships with others
- potential spouses and future marriages
- faith
- choices
- political views
- financial stability
- and a host of other things.
She worries that
- she did too little and gave them too much freedom
- she did too much and was over protective
- she did not spend enough time with them
- the occasional turbulence in our marriage scarred them for life (She loves peace and absence of conflict, and too often I have been a source of conflict in our marriage, and especially with our kids.)
- we did not do enough to establish their faith.
I do not know if all women are prone to worry, but these two are. Maybe the curse from the garden goes beyond the birth event to the emotional travail of rearing and caring for children.
I suspect they worry because of their great love for their kids, and out of concern for their personal inadequacy to meet their children's needs.
My wife seldom recognizes
- what a wonderful mother she has been
- how much the kids appreciate the time she gave them
- how strongly they understand that she loves them unconditionally
- how she has been the fabric that holds our marriage and family together
My beautiful bride and precious mother of our children, I love you with all my heart.
Faithfully yours,
Clay
Wednesday, April 11, 2012
A Man Tormented, Yet Not Destroyed
In the narrative in Mark 5, we meet a man in crisis, whose life is in shambles.
A legion of demons inhabited him,
driving him away from family,
away from friends,
away from everyone,
out into the tombs.
He had grown progressively stronger.
The people had tried many times to restrain him,
fearing his strength and troubled by his cries.
They sought protection from him, and in pity,
tried to offer him some protection from himself
since he practiced self-mutilation.
So they bound him with twine ... he broke it.
He grew stronger.
They bound him with rope ... he broke it.
He grew stronger.
They bound him with a chain ... he broke it.
He grew stronger.
They bound him with chains and clamped his feet in iron.
He grew stronger and tore them apart.
No one was strong enough to subdue and
nothing could restrain him.
What was the point in trying?
So they left him alone.
The human mind, soul and spirit was incapable
of withstanding the demonic habitation,
nor was it strong enough to resist the
sociopathic, psychopathic, self-destructive behavior.
Yet for all his torment, the man was still under some degree of protection;
the demons could not kill him,
as in Job 1 and 2, God placed limits on Satan's activity.
His life was preserved that God's glory and power would be revealed
and manifested, displayed in the sight of all people.
His spirit and soul longed for freedom from that which possessed him,
that which bound his spirit, crippled his mind, and tortured his soul,
from that which was bent upon, yet kept from, his destruction.
An external power, greater than the internal powers that inhabited and bound him,
was all that could bring freedom; One who could come,
bind the strong man and steal his possessions.
And so Jesus came into this tormented man's life,
binding the powers that once bound him,
preventing any further harm,
stealing this man from their realm of influence.
Jesus sent the legion of demons into a herd of pigs,
which were quickly destroyed,
as the demons accomplished their goal, destruction,
what they had long desired to do, and tried to do,
but could not do, to the man.
In four events within 24 (or maybe 48) hours,
Jesus demonstrated authority and power
over nature as he calmed a storm,
over demons and evil spirits as he freed this man,
over illness as he healed the woman from her bleeding,
over death as he raised Jairus' daughter to life.
These events Mark recorded remind us that Jesus is stronger
than all the forces at work in the world.
As John later wrote,
"Greater is He (Christ) who is in you than he who is in the world."
Father, help us lean upon Your power and the completed work of Christ,
recognizing that we are powerless to fight any of these battles on our own.
We are weak; You are strong. Sustain us.
Meditation on Job 1:12; 2:6; Mark 4:35-5:43; Luke 11:21-22; 1 John 4:4
April 11, 2012
A legion of demons inhabited him,
driving him away from family,
away from friends,
away from everyone,
out into the tombs.
He had grown progressively stronger.
The people had tried many times to restrain him,
fearing his strength and troubled by his cries.
They sought protection from him, and in pity,
tried to offer him some protection from himself
since he practiced self-mutilation.
So they bound him with twine ... he broke it.
He grew stronger.
They bound him with rope ... he broke it.
He grew stronger.
They bound him with a chain ... he broke it.
He grew stronger.
They bound him with chains and clamped his feet in iron.
He grew stronger and tore them apart.
No one was strong enough to subdue and
nothing could restrain him.
What was the point in trying?
So they left him alone.
The human mind, soul and spirit was incapable
of withstanding the demonic habitation,
nor was it strong enough to resist the
sociopathic, psychopathic, self-destructive behavior.
Yet for all his torment, the man was still under some degree of protection;
the demons could not kill him,
as in Job 1 and 2, God placed limits on Satan's activity.
His life was preserved that God's glory and power would be revealed
and manifested, displayed in the sight of all people.
His spirit and soul longed for freedom from that which possessed him,
that which bound his spirit, crippled his mind, and tortured his soul,
from that which was bent upon, yet kept from, his destruction.
An external power, greater than the internal powers that inhabited and bound him,
was all that could bring freedom; One who could come,
bind the strong man and steal his possessions.
And so Jesus came into this tormented man's life,
binding the powers that once bound him,
preventing any further harm,
stealing this man from their realm of influence.
Jesus sent the legion of demons into a herd of pigs,
which were quickly destroyed,
as the demons accomplished their goal, destruction,
what they had long desired to do, and tried to do,
but could not do, to the man.
In four events within 24 (or maybe 48) hours,
Jesus demonstrated authority and power
over nature as he calmed a storm,
over demons and evil spirits as he freed this man,
over illness as he healed the woman from her bleeding,
over death as he raised Jairus' daughter to life.
These events Mark recorded remind us that Jesus is stronger
than all the forces at work in the world.
As John later wrote,
"Greater is He (Christ) who is in you than he who is in the world."
Father, help us lean upon Your power and the completed work of Christ,
recognizing that we are powerless to fight any of these battles on our own.
We are weak; You are strong. Sustain us.
Meditation on Job 1:12; 2:6; Mark 4:35-5:43; Luke 11:21-22; 1 John 4:4
April 11, 2012
Wisdom and Temptation
We are a people obsessed with wisdom. We think it holds the answers.
We learn nothing from Solomon, the wisest man who ever lived.
Solomon indulged his mind, heart, eyes and body, claiming to be guided by wisdom.
He pursued many sins, sating all his desires, yet was left empty and unfulfilled.
Wisdom has only one role in helping us relative to temptation:
Counseling us to avoid it.
We choose whether to listen to the voice of wisdom ...
or not.
Like the young man in Proverbs 7, we may choose to go places where sin abounds.
We may think our wisdom will protect us.
Paul is clear, though, about the futility of wisdom in restraining sensual indulgence.
Overcoming sin and temptation is a matter of power and authority,
God's authority through Christ's victory on the cross,
not our wisdom, resolve and strength of mind or will.
Only Christ can take our thoughts captive, provide a way out and
rescue us as we submit ourselves to Him and share in His death.
Meditations on Ecclesiastes 2:1-14; Proverbs 7; Colossians 2:20-23;
1 Corinthians 10:13; 2 Corinthians 10:3-5
April 10, 2012
We learn nothing from Solomon, the wisest man who ever lived.
Solomon indulged his mind, heart, eyes and body, claiming to be guided by wisdom.
He pursued many sins, sating all his desires, yet was left empty and unfulfilled.
Wisdom has only one role in helping us relative to temptation:
Counseling us to avoid it.
We choose whether to listen to the voice of wisdom ...
or not.
Like the young man in Proverbs 7, we may choose to go places where sin abounds.
We may think our wisdom will protect us.
Paul is clear, though, about the futility of wisdom in restraining sensual indulgence.
Overcoming sin and temptation is a matter of power and authority,
God's authority through Christ's victory on the cross,
not our wisdom, resolve and strength of mind or will.
Only Christ can take our thoughts captive, provide a way out and
rescue us as we submit ourselves to Him and share in His death.
Meditations on Ecclesiastes 2:1-14; Proverbs 7; Colossians 2:20-23;
1 Corinthians 10:13; 2 Corinthians 10:3-5
April 10, 2012
Sunday, March 18, 2012
What right do I have to sit in judgment?
Of course, the answer is none, but to get there, consider James 2:1-13. James elaborates,
"If you really keep the royal law found in Scripture, 'Love your neighbor as yourself,' you are doing right. But if you show favoritism, you sin and are convicted by the law as lawbreakers. For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it. For he who said, 'Do not commit adultery,' also said, 'Do not murder.' If you do not commit adultery but do commit murder, you have become a lawbreaker."
It is no surprise that James chose these two of the Ten Commandments, nor that he started with, "Love your neighbor as yourself."
Jesus established the latter as the second greatest commandment (though not one of the Ten).
(Matthew 22:34-40)
In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus redirected murder and adultery from mere physical acts to thought, attitudes, and intents of the heart. In such consideration, we are all guilty, and thus condemned as lawbreakers.
We have all judged or disdained a neighbor
(Redefined in Luke10:25-37 as anyone with a need, or less directly in Matthew 25:34-36 as one of the "least of these." Incidentally, the Samaritan fulfilled Matthew 25:34-36 for one who was naked, injured, ..., a "least of these" neighbor.),
or expressed a curse in our hearts out of frustration,
or looked at a woman with lust and a desire to consummate what should never be cheapened, ...
Since we are all lawbreakers, what right do we have to sit in judgment on others?
Absolutely none!
Jesus emphasized this point to the religious leaders who brought to him a woman caught in adultery.
(Where was the man? Adultery takes two.) He allowed the one without sin could cast the first stone. Whatever it was Jesus scribbled in the sand revealed those men's hearts to them, and they all went away without condemning the woman, without judging her.
Gratefully, mercy triumphs over judgment!
March 12, 2012
"If you really keep the royal law found in Scripture, 'Love your neighbor as yourself,' you are doing right. But if you show favoritism, you sin and are convicted by the law as lawbreakers. For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it. For he who said, 'Do not commit adultery,' also said, 'Do not murder.' If you do not commit adultery but do commit murder, you have become a lawbreaker."
It is no surprise that James chose these two of the Ten Commandments, nor that he started with, "Love your neighbor as yourself."
Jesus established the latter as the second greatest commandment (though not one of the Ten).
(Matthew 22:34-40)
In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus redirected murder and adultery from mere physical acts to thought, attitudes, and intents of the heart. In such consideration, we are all guilty, and thus condemned as lawbreakers.
We have all judged or disdained a neighbor
(Redefined in Luke10:25-37 as anyone with a need, or less directly in Matthew 25:34-36 as one of the "least of these." Incidentally, the Samaritan fulfilled Matthew 25:34-36 for one who was naked, injured, ..., a "least of these" neighbor.),
or expressed a curse in our hearts out of frustration,
or looked at a woman with lust and a desire to consummate what should never be cheapened, ...
Since we are all lawbreakers, what right do we have to sit in judgment on others?
Absolutely none!
Jesus emphasized this point to the religious leaders who brought to him a woman caught in adultery.
(Where was the man? Adultery takes two.) He allowed the one without sin could cast the first stone. Whatever it was Jesus scribbled in the sand revealed those men's hearts to them, and they all went away without condemning the woman, without judging her.
Gratefully, mercy triumphs over judgment!
March 12, 2012
Should God reward you on your own terms?
Elihu, a young man, fervent if not humble, had been listening with great interest to the conversations among Job and his friends. By the time Job's three friends stopped talking, Elihu was bursting with words, and spoke in defense of God's actions and sovereignty. In the midst of his discourse, he said,
"Suppose a man says to God,
'I am guilty but will offend no more.
Teach me what I cannot see; if I have done wrong,
I will not do so again.'
Should God then reward you on your own terms,
when you refuse to repent?
You must decide, not I;
so tell me what you know."
(Job 34:31-33)
Admitting guilt, though necessary for confession, is not the same as repentance.
Neither is vowing to change behavior.
No remorse or brokenness is implied in that confession,
no godly sorrow, without which there is no repentance.
(2 Corinthians 7:9-12)
The world's rules and basic principles are in opposition to those of Christ,
based as they are on idolatry, self-worship, self-help,
human philosophy and (foolish) wisdom.
(See Colossians 2:20-23)
All who claim they will come to God after they have changed,
after they have cleaned up their life, are coming to God on their own terms,
assuming (falsely) they can fix themselves apart from God.
Since the fall, this deception has been hard-wired into our (sin) nature.
Help us, Lord, set us free.
Strip away all our delusions.
Draw us to the cross and the Life that only comes through death.
March 5, 2012
"Suppose a man says to God,
'I am guilty but will offend no more.
Teach me what I cannot see; if I have done wrong,
I will not do so again.'
Should God then reward you on your own terms,
when you refuse to repent?
You must decide, not I;
so tell me what you know."
(Job 34:31-33)
Admitting guilt, though necessary for confession, is not the same as repentance.
Neither is vowing to change behavior.
No remorse or brokenness is implied in that confession,
no godly sorrow, without which there is no repentance.
(2 Corinthians 7:9-12)
The world's rules and basic principles are in opposition to those of Christ,
based as they are on idolatry, self-worship, self-help,
human philosophy and (foolish) wisdom.
(See Colossians 2:20-23)
All who claim they will come to God after they have changed,
after they have cleaned up their life, are coming to God on their own terms,
assuming (falsely) they can fix themselves apart from God.
Since the fall, this deception has been hard-wired into our (sin) nature.
Help us, Lord, set us free.
Strip away all our delusions.
Draw us to the cross and the Life that only comes through death.
March 5, 2012
What is man that you make so much of him?
Job cried out in the midst of his emotional and physical pain, feeling God had painted a bullseye on his back (7:17ff).
"What is man that you make so much of him,
that you give him so much attention,
that you examine him every morning and test him every moment?
Will you never look away from me, even for an instant? ...
Why have you made me your target? ...
Why do you not pardon my offenses and forgive my sins?"
This question is not answered for Job, though we are able to glean the answer from other settings.
In Psalm 103:11-12, love and sin, rather forgiveness, are inseparably connected -
because God loves us as high as the heavens are above the earth,
He finds a way to separate, to remove, our sins from us as far as the east is from the west.
In John 3:16-19, we learn God loved the world so much that, in His only Son Jesus Christ,
He made a way for us to not perish but have eternal life,
for us to be delivered from the condemnation that is the natural result of our sin,
to provide light and truth to rescue and redeem us from our darkness.
Apart from love, there is no concern for sin, disobedience, darkness ...
But because God's love for us is so immense,
He could not overlook our sins.
He could not abide that we should die in our sins.
He made us alive with Christ, even through we were dead in our transgressions,
saving us by His grace (Ephesians 2:1-10).
Thank You, God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, for such a
boundless,
amazing,
all-consuming,
self-sacrificing
love.
March 3, 2012
"What is man that you make so much of him,
that you give him so much attention,
that you examine him every morning and test him every moment?
Will you never look away from me, even for an instant? ...
Why have you made me your target? ...
Why do you not pardon my offenses and forgive my sins?"
This question is not answered for Job, though we are able to glean the answer from other settings.
In Psalm 103:11-12, love and sin, rather forgiveness, are inseparably connected -
because God loves us as high as the heavens are above the earth,
He finds a way to separate, to remove, our sins from us as far as the east is from the west.
In John 3:16-19, we learn God loved the world so much that, in His only Son Jesus Christ,
He made a way for us to not perish but have eternal life,
for us to be delivered from the condemnation that is the natural result of our sin,
to provide light and truth to rescue and redeem us from our darkness.
Apart from love, there is no concern for sin, disobedience, darkness ...
But because God's love for us is so immense,
He could not overlook our sins.
He could not abide that we should die in our sins.
He made us alive with Christ, even through we were dead in our transgressions,
saving us by His grace (Ephesians 2:1-10).
Thank You, God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, for such a
boundless,
amazing,
all-consuming,
self-sacrificing
love.
March 3, 2012
Tuesday, March 6, 2012
A New Year's Prayer (for every day)
Help me, Lord, to put off my old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires.
Make me new in the attitude of my mind, and help me put on the new self,
created to be like You, Lord God, in true righteousness and holiness. (Ephesians 4:22-24)
Renew me in knowledge in the image of my Creator. (Colossians 3:10)
I pray that I would offer my body as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God,
as a spiritual act of worship. I pray that I would not be squeezed into the world's mold,
but that I will be transformed by the renewing of my mind, so that I can test and approve
what God's good, pleasing and perfect will is. (Romans 12:1-2)
I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father,
may give me the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that I may know Him better.
I pray that the eyes of my heart may be enlightened in order that we may know
the hope to which He has called us, the riches of His glorious inheritance in the saints,
and His incomparably great power for us who believe. (Ephesians 1:17-19)
I pray that God will fill me with the knowledge of His will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding, in order that I may live a life worthy of the Lord and please Him in every way:
bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with
all power according to His glorious might so that I may have great endurance and patience,
and joyfully giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified me to share in the inheritance of
the saints in the kingdom of light. For He rescued me from the dominion of darkness and
brought me into the kingdom of the Son He loves, in whom I have redemption. (Colossians 1:9-12)
I pray that out of His glorious riches He may strengthen me with power through His Spirit in
my inner being, so that Christ may dwell in my heart through faith. I pray that I would be rooted
and established in love, and may have the power together with all the saints to grasp how
wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge -
that we may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of Christ. (Ephesians 3:16-19)
I pray that my love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight,so that
I may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ,
filled with the fruit of the righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ -
to the glory and praise of God. (Philippians 1:9-11)
Now Him who is able to do immeasurable more than all I ask or even imagine,
according to His power that is at work within me, to Him be glory in the church
and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen. (Ephesians 3:20-21)
Now go back and pray it again, changing the pronoun from I/me to we/us, or inserting the name
of your spouse, children, parents, pastors, friends, ...
Prepared to accompany a sermon on January 1, 2012.
Make me new in the attitude of my mind, and help me put on the new self,
created to be like You, Lord God, in true righteousness and holiness. (Ephesians 4:22-24)
Renew me in knowledge in the image of my Creator. (Colossians 3:10)
I pray that I would offer my body as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God,
as a spiritual act of worship. I pray that I would not be squeezed into the world's mold,
but that I will be transformed by the renewing of my mind, so that I can test and approve
what God's good, pleasing and perfect will is. (Romans 12:1-2)
I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father,
may give me the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that I may know Him better.
I pray that the eyes of my heart may be enlightened in order that we may know
the hope to which He has called us, the riches of His glorious inheritance in the saints,
and His incomparably great power for us who believe. (Ephesians 1:17-19)
I pray that God will fill me with the knowledge of His will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding, in order that I may live a life worthy of the Lord and please Him in every way:
bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with
all power according to His glorious might so that I may have great endurance and patience,
and joyfully giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified me to share in the inheritance of
the saints in the kingdom of light. For He rescued me from the dominion of darkness and
brought me into the kingdom of the Son He loves, in whom I have redemption. (Colossians 1:9-12)
I pray that out of His glorious riches He may strengthen me with power through His Spirit in
my inner being, so that Christ may dwell in my heart through faith. I pray that I would be rooted
and established in love, and may have the power together with all the saints to grasp how
wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge -
that we may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of Christ. (Ephesians 3:16-19)
I pray that my love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight,so that
I may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ,
filled with the fruit of the righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ -
to the glory and praise of God. (Philippians 1:9-11)
Now Him who is able to do immeasurable more than all I ask or even imagine,
according to His power that is at work within me, to Him be glory in the church
and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen. (Ephesians 3:20-21)
Now go back and pray it again, changing the pronoun from I/me to we/us, or inserting the name
of your spouse, children, parents, pastors, friends, ...
Prepared to accompany a sermon on January 1, 2012.
I need a Transcendent God
Made in God's image,
we think God is like us.
We make Him (and all our idols) in our (own) image.
Are we petty?
So is God.
Are we judgmental?
God must be, too.
Is our love conditional?
So is God's.
Do we think some sins are heinous,
while others are character flaws,
and some even slightly amusing?
Obviously God must have the same perspective.
What hollow, shallow, impotent, imperfect gods we imagine!
I long for,
no,
I need,
I must have a transcendent God,
One who is completely other than what I am,
not at all like me.
I can worship such a God.
I will exalt the Lord as a glorious,
strong,
holy,
powerful,
majestic King
who brings peace to His people.
I will worship this Lord and King as my God.
Inspired by Psalm 50:21 and Psalm 29 (and many others)
02-29-2012
we think God is like us.
We make Him (and all our idols) in our (own) image.
Are we petty?
So is God.
Are we judgmental?
God must be, too.
Is our love conditional?
So is God's.
Do we think some sins are heinous,
while others are character flaws,
and some even slightly amusing?
Obviously God must have the same perspective.
What hollow, shallow, impotent, imperfect gods we imagine!
I long for,
no,
I need,
I must have a transcendent God,
One who is completely other than what I am,
not at all like me.
I can worship such a God.
I will exalt the Lord as a glorious,
strong,
holy,
powerful,
majestic King
who brings peace to His people.
I will worship this Lord and King as my God.
Inspired by Psalm 50:21 and Psalm 29 (and many others)
02-29-2012
Psalm for the Fatherless
The Lord is my Father,
for my earthly father failed me.
The Lord receives all orphans and outcasts.
He comforts the fatherless,
holding them in His arms.
The Lord restores all who are downcast and broken,
all who feel betrayed and rejected.
The Lord provides for all who are in need,
the poverty-stricken and empty.
The Lord protects the helpless and weak,
the powerless and exposed.
He answers all who call on Him in truth.
He is my Shelter.
Even when I feel abandoned
and trialed beyond my strength,
far beyond my ability to bear;
He enables me to stand.
Surely the abundant,
boundless,
enduring,
unfailing,
compassionate,
gracious,
merciful,
self-sacrificing,
redeeming,
saving love of the Lord
will pursue and
protect and
keep me all the days of my life, and
I will dwell
in the house of the Lord
forever.
2-26-2012
for my earthly father failed me.
The Lord receives all orphans and outcasts.
He comforts the fatherless,
holding them in His arms.
The Lord restores all who are downcast and broken,
all who feel betrayed and rejected.
The Lord provides for all who are in need,
the poverty-stricken and empty.
The Lord protects the helpless and weak,
the powerless and exposed.
He answers all who call on Him in truth.
He is my Shelter.
Even when I feel abandoned
and trialed beyond my strength,
far beyond my ability to bear;
He enables me to stand.
Surely the abundant,
boundless,
enduring,
unfailing,
compassionate,
gracious,
merciful,
self-sacrificing,
redeeming,
saving love of the Lord
will pursue and
protect and
keep me all the days of my life, and
I will dwell
in the house of the Lord
forever.
2-26-2012
Tuesday, February 14, 2012
The Greatest of These ...
"And now I will show you the most excellent way."
I Corinthians 12:31
"Now these three remain: faith, hope and love (charity). But the greatest of these is love"
I Corinthians 13:13
Remain, abide, from the Greek word meno - to stay (in a given place, state, relation or expectancy), continue, dwell, endure, be present, remain, stand, wait for
Three things are enduring.
Love alone is based upon, and indeed, flows from, the very nature of God: God is love, love is God.
Hope is based upon, and in, the promise of God.
Faith flows from God's history of fulfilling His promises, resulting in a certainty He will do so in the future.
But without a God of love as the foundation and motivation, there is neither promise nor fulfillment.
Since hope and faith flow from, and are meaningless without, God's love, love is greater, the greatest.
Apart from love, faith and hope do not exist.
02-13-2012
I Corinthians 12:31
"Now these three remain: faith, hope and love (charity). But the greatest of these is love"
I Corinthians 13:13
Remain, abide, from the Greek word meno - to stay (in a given place, state, relation or expectancy), continue, dwell, endure, be present, remain, stand, wait for
Three things are enduring.
- Faith - a reasoned trust that God will fulfill His promise based on His track record, that He always has kept His word
- Hope - the promise of a future, redemption, salvation, forgiveness, an inheritance
- Love ...
- John 3:16 For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son ...
- Romans 5:8 God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners Christ died for us.
- I John 4:8-10 Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.
Love alone is based upon, and indeed, flows from, the very nature of God: God is love, love is God.
Hope is based upon, and in, the promise of God.
Faith flows from God's history of fulfilling His promises, resulting in a certainty He will do so in the future.
But without a God of love as the foundation and motivation, there is neither promise nor fulfillment.
Since hope and faith flow from, and are meaningless without, God's love, love is greater, the greatest.
Apart from love, faith and hope do not exist.
02-13-2012
Saturday, January 28, 2012
The Promise of the Sunrise and the Glory of the Sunset
The sun, with the moon and stars, signs to mark seasons and days and years.
"Sunrise, Sunset. Sunrise, sunset. Swiftly flow the years."
Tevye and Golde used the passing of the sun to symbolize the passing of time in
"Fiddler on the Roof."
I always have loved sunrises and sunsets.
Even when I had a morning paper route in high school, as the sun rose,
there were times I would take the advice of the Jerry Reed song, "Today is Mine,"
playing on my stereo, and take "the time to watch it rise."
I have taken hundreds of pictures of sunrises and sunsets,
often getting up early or staying up late,
driving or biking or hiking or climbing
to a place with a better view.
I moved to Albuquerque, NM last summer.
My apartment opens to the east with a view across the Rio Grande Valley
to the mountains.
I watch the sun rise as I read my Bible, eat breakfast, reflect, and journal.
I have taken pictures of sunsets and sunrises on water:
the Gulf of Mexico, and lakes and rivers in many places.
I have used windmills, grass inflorescences, trees, and rock formations
to frame the sun on its path.
Clouds figure prominently in the beauty of the sunrises and sunsets in
the Texas Panhandle,
framing the sun, enhancing the colors, changing the light patterns.
In Albuquerque, hot air balloons drifting south along the valley
often add variety in color and shape.
But I think my favorite sunrises to watch involve mountains,
though not all mountains are created equal.
I recently went to Laughlin, NV.
I looked across the Colorado River as the sun rose
over the Black Mountains in Arizona. It was inspiring, ...
But ...
the colors are more complex in Albuquerque as the sun rises over
the Sandia Mountains.
Why? I'm not sure.
Both ranges are about 4000 to 5000 feet above, and about 12 miles east,
of their respective rivers.
The starting elevation is much different. Laughlin is at 535 feet,
while Albuquerque sits at 5300 feet.
Perhaps it's just the difference in the mineralogy and vegetation, but ...
Perhaps the thinner atmosphere and slightly higher humidity in Albuquerque
enhance the colors.
Perhaps the steep slope of the west face of the Sandias makes the change from
light to dark more drastic.
Whatever it is,
the silhouettes are more dramatic;
the nuances are more pronounced;
the palette is more varied.
Thanks, Lord, for the beauty with which You surround us to proclaim Your glory.
Though I enjoy sunsets, which may be glorious,
I have a greater appreciation for the symbolism in the sunrise.
Each day promises a new start and reminds us that we have been
brought out of darkness,
transferred into the Kingdom of Light, and
that the Son of righteousness,
the Light of the world,
is rising in our hearts.
The sunrise reminds us that Light overcomes darkness, and
the darkness cannot resist light, and
that one day darkness will be dispelled,
completely defeated.
The kingdoms of this world will become the kingdom of our God and
of His Christ, and
He shall reign forever and ever! Amen!
Hallelujah!
The glory of a sunset symbolizes that of a life well-lived,
one to whom the Master will say,
"Well done, good and faithful servant ..."
This is the blessing promised to those who finish the race and fight the good fight.
They will receive the inheritance.
The kingdom prepared since the creation of the world awaits ...
Sunrise
Genesis 1:14-19; Proverbs 4:18; Lamentations 3:22-23
John 1:4-5; 8:12; Colossians 1:13; 1 Peter 1:9; Revelation 11:15; 21:23-24
Sunset
Matthew 25:21,23,34; 2 Timothy 4:6-8; 2 Peter 1:14
January 27-28, 2012
"Sunrise, Sunset. Sunrise, sunset. Swiftly flow the years."
Tevye and Golde used the passing of the sun to symbolize the passing of time in
"Fiddler on the Roof."
I always have loved sunrises and sunsets.
Even when I had a morning paper route in high school, as the sun rose,
there were times I would take the advice of the Jerry Reed song, "Today is Mine,"
playing on my stereo, and take "the time to watch it rise."
I have taken hundreds of pictures of sunrises and sunsets,
often getting up early or staying up late,
driving or biking or hiking or climbing
to a place with a better view.
I moved to Albuquerque, NM last summer.
My apartment opens to the east with a view across the Rio Grande Valley
to the mountains.
I watch the sun rise as I read my Bible, eat breakfast, reflect, and journal.
I have taken pictures of sunsets and sunrises on water:
the Gulf of Mexico, and lakes and rivers in many places.
I have used windmills, grass inflorescences, trees, and rock formations
to frame the sun on its path.
Clouds figure prominently in the beauty of the sunrises and sunsets in
the Texas Panhandle,
framing the sun, enhancing the colors, changing the light patterns.
In Albuquerque, hot air balloons drifting south along the valley
often add variety in color and shape.
But I think my favorite sunrises to watch involve mountains,
though not all mountains are created equal.
I recently went to Laughlin, NV.
I looked across the Colorado River as the sun rose
over the Black Mountains in Arizona. It was inspiring, ...
But ...
the colors are more complex in Albuquerque as the sun rises over
the Sandia Mountains.
Why? I'm not sure.
Both ranges are about 4000 to 5000 feet above, and about 12 miles east,
of their respective rivers.
The starting elevation is much different. Laughlin is at 535 feet,
while Albuquerque sits at 5300 feet.
Perhaps it's just the difference in the mineralogy and vegetation, but ...
Perhaps the thinner atmosphere and slightly higher humidity in Albuquerque
enhance the colors.
Perhaps the steep slope of the west face of the Sandias makes the change from
light to dark more drastic.
Whatever it is,
the silhouettes are more dramatic;
the nuances are more pronounced;
the palette is more varied.
Thanks, Lord, for the beauty with which You surround us to proclaim Your glory.
Though I enjoy sunsets, which may be glorious,
I have a greater appreciation for the symbolism in the sunrise.
Each day promises a new start and reminds us that we have been
brought out of darkness,
transferred into the Kingdom of Light, and
that the Son of righteousness,
the Light of the world,
is rising in our hearts.
The sunrise reminds us that Light overcomes darkness, and
the darkness cannot resist light, and
that one day darkness will be dispelled,
completely defeated.
The kingdoms of this world will become the kingdom of our God and
of His Christ, and
He shall reign forever and ever! Amen!
Hallelujah!
The glory of a sunset symbolizes that of a life well-lived,
one to whom the Master will say,
"Well done, good and faithful servant ..."
This is the blessing promised to those who finish the race and fight the good fight.
They will receive the inheritance.
The kingdom prepared since the creation of the world awaits ...
Sunrise
Genesis 1:14-19; Proverbs 4:18; Lamentations 3:22-23
John 1:4-5; 8:12; Colossians 1:13; 1 Peter 1:9; Revelation 11:15; 21:23-24
Sunset
Matthew 25:21,23,34; 2 Timothy 4:6-8; 2 Peter 1:14
January 27-28, 2012
Died yet Raised!
Colossians 1:12-14; 2:11-12; 3:1,5,10
Like the Colossians, everything has changed for us.
We have been rescued from the dominion of darkness
transferred into the kingdom of light,
the kingdom of the Son God the Father loves.
We have died to the sinful nature,
been buried with Christ in baptism,
been raised with Christ through faith in God's power.
YET ...
we live as if nothing has changed;
we submit to the same rules of morality by which we lived before Christ
forgave us
redeemed us,
raised us,
set us free;
we continue as if our bondage to the old self and way of life had never been broken.
We have not made the necessary adjustments to our new position,
with subsequent changes in our attitudes and actions,
changes that do not cause the change in position, but
flow from it.
We have died with Christ,
so we must continually
put to death the flesh and its ways.
We have been raised with Christ,
so we must continually
put on the new self which is being renewed in knowledge in our Creator's image.
set our hearts and minds on things above.
recognize our position in Christ:
God's chosen people,
holy,
dearly loved.
Recognizing this,
we walk through Christ's power,
clothing ourselves with compassion, kindness, humility,
gentleness, patience, bearing with others and forgiving,
being clothed constantly with Christ's love which results in peace.
We constantly must choose
to be thankful,
to dwell in Christ's word and
let it dwell in us through meditation, prayer and application.
to sing for joy,
to do everything, word and deed,
in the Name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ,
giving thanks to Him,
thereby bringing glory to God through the fruit Christ produces in our lives.
Lord, help us live in the truth of the change You have wrought in us.
Set us free.
January 27, 2012
Like the Colossians, everything has changed for us.
We have been rescued from the dominion of darkness
transferred into the kingdom of light,
the kingdom of the Son God the Father loves.
We have died to the sinful nature,
been buried with Christ in baptism,
been raised with Christ through faith in God's power.
YET ...
we live as if nothing has changed;
we submit to the same rules of morality by which we lived before Christ
forgave us
redeemed us,
raised us,
set us free;
we continue as if our bondage to the old self and way of life had never been broken.
We have not made the necessary adjustments to our new position,
with subsequent changes in our attitudes and actions,
changes that do not cause the change in position, but
flow from it.
We have died with Christ,
so we must continually
put to death the flesh and its ways.
We have been raised with Christ,
so we must continually
put on the new self which is being renewed in knowledge in our Creator's image.
set our hearts and minds on things above.
recognize our position in Christ:
God's chosen people,
holy,
dearly loved.
Recognizing this,
we walk through Christ's power,
clothing ourselves with compassion, kindness, humility,
gentleness, patience, bearing with others and forgiving,
being clothed constantly with Christ's love which results in peace.
We constantly must choose
to be thankful,
to dwell in Christ's word and
let it dwell in us through meditation, prayer and application.
to sing for joy,
to do everything, word and deed,
in the Name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ,
giving thanks to Him,
thereby bringing glory to God through the fruit Christ produces in our lives.
Lord, help us live in the truth of the change You have wrought in us.
Set us free.
January 27, 2012
How did we get from betrayal to boasting?
Luke 22:21-23 Jesus told the disciples one of the Twelve would betray him. Wouldn't you like to have eavesdropped on the conversation to understand it turned to v. 24, "Also a dispute arose among them as to which of them was considered to be the greatest"?
It probably started innocently, with questions.
Who do you think he means?
Maybe it's _______?
Fill in the blank: Bartholomew, Simon the Zealot, James the Lesser, Philip, ...
(The name probably depended upon who was asking the question.)
Could it be me?
Then a subtle shift occurs in the conversation, as it cascades among the disciples.
No, it could never be me!
I would never betray Jesus!
I will fight for him!
As will I!
And I!
I will fight beside him!
So will I!
I will die for him!
Me, too! I will be faithful to the end!
Then the claims begin to escalate even more, as the testosterone in the room
jostles for position.
Jesus trusts me - He takes me (Peter), James, and John with him and
leaves the rest of you behind.
That's right. He's grooming us to be his lieutenants.
He obviously thinks we're more deserving than the others.
We've been with him the longest.
I wonder which one of us will sit at his right and left in the kingdom?
Gotta be me!
No, not you! You get off track too easily. He will pick someone steadier.
I suppose you mean he will choose you? That's a laugh.
...
They were probably close to asking Jesus to resolve the issue.
But as He was fully aware of their conversation,
He preempted their question, v. 25-27.
Jesus shocked them with His perspective on greatness.
You suppose My kingdom is like all the other kingdoms on the earth. It is not.
Greatness in my kingdom is not about loyalty or valor or honor or authority;
it's about meekness and service.
Be like a little child, helpless and humble and totally dependent.
Serve the body, My body. Meet needs.
Then you will be truly great.
Lord, help us come humbly into Your presence, as we truly have nothing about which we can boast.
January 22, 2012
It probably started innocently, with questions.
Who do you think he means?
Maybe it's _______?
Fill in the blank: Bartholomew, Simon the Zealot, James the Lesser, Philip, ...
(The name probably depended upon who was asking the question.)
Could it be me?
Then a subtle shift occurs in the conversation, as it cascades among the disciples.
No, it could never be me!
I would never betray Jesus!
I will fight for him!
As will I!
And I!
I will fight beside him!
So will I!
I will die for him!
Me, too! I will be faithful to the end!
Then the claims begin to escalate even more, as the testosterone in the room
jostles for position.
Jesus trusts me - He takes me (Peter), James, and John with him and
leaves the rest of you behind.
That's right. He's grooming us to be his lieutenants.
He obviously thinks we're more deserving than the others.
We've been with him the longest.
I wonder which one of us will sit at his right and left in the kingdom?
Gotta be me!
No, not you! You get off track too easily. He will pick someone steadier.
I suppose you mean he will choose you? That's a laugh.
...
They were probably close to asking Jesus to resolve the issue.
But as He was fully aware of their conversation,
He preempted their question, v. 25-27.
Jesus shocked them with His perspective on greatness.
You suppose My kingdom is like all the other kingdoms on the earth. It is not.
Greatness in my kingdom is not about loyalty or valor or honor or authority;
it's about meekness and service.
Be like a little child, helpless and humble and totally dependent.
Serve the body, My body. Meet needs.
Then you will be truly great.
Lord, help us come humbly into Your presence, as we truly have nothing about which we can boast.
January 22, 2012
Tuesday, January 10, 2012
Luke 10:38-42: A Sketch from Martha's Perspective
I can almost hear Martha's thoughts, her inner monologue;
maybe because I have heard similar rants from others, or
maybe because I have heard the echos in my own mind.
"All these guests.
At mealtime, no less.
And where is Mary?
Certainly not in the kitchen.
No! She's in the other room,
with the men,
hanging out,
relaxing
and laughing.
Who's left to do all the work?
That's right!
Dependable old Martha,
the reliable, trustworthy,
kitchen wench.
It's just not right!
Jesus ought to do something about this!
Jesus will do something about it.
He's about fairness and equality."
So Martha works up the courage to leave the kitchen and
go interrupt Jesus in the living room.
"LORD, tell Mary to HELP me."
Jesus' response was puzzling and unexpected,
"Martha, you're upset and worried about many things,
but only one thing is really important.
Mary has made a better choice than you.
I will not take it from her."
Martha wants to storm back to the kitchen, but
the wind has been (temporarily) lost from her sails.
She goes back to the kitchen slowly,
the wind gaining strength with every step.
The monologue resumes.
"What has Mary chosen that I haven't?
Laziness?
Certainly not responsibility!
Who's going to make sure there's food
for ALL these people
if I don't prepare it?
That's right.
No one!
If I went into the other room and just sat there,
what would happen at meal time?
Everyone would be hungry and looking at me,
expecting me to put food on the table
because that's what I always do.
It's not like we are a rich family who can afford
to have a servant do all that work.
So, who's going to make sure I'm not embarrassed
in front of all these guests and the Master?
Only me.
What other choice do I have?
Laziness?
To be an inhospitable host?
To be embarrassed before my friends and house guests?
How can a choice that leads to laziness,
embarrassment and
shame be
better?
So, here I am,
being responsible.
AGAIN.
The only one, ...
No one else volunteers.
No one helps.
Only me ..."
And her resentment and bitterness
grows,
until finally,
LIGHT
penetrates
the self-serving
darkness of her soul.
She understands what her Lord was saying,
"Martha,
though your faithful,
dutiful service is appreciated,
that's not why I came.
I came to be with you,
not to share your food.
I came to fellowship because I love you,
not because your house is clean.
It's not about you or your service -
it's about relationship.
Mary chose relationship over duty.
I will not take that from her.
Will you make the same choice?
That is my invitation to you.
Repent of your self-serving duty and
self-righteous sacrifice, and
come be with me.
You may still serve,
but with a different motivation and outlook.
Martha,
I love you.
Come,
BE WITH me."
maybe because I have heard similar rants from others, or
maybe because I have heard the echos in my own mind.
"All these guests.
At mealtime, no less.
And where is Mary?
Certainly not in the kitchen.
No! She's in the other room,
with the men,
hanging out,
relaxing
and laughing.
Who's left to do all the work?
That's right!
Dependable old Martha,
the reliable, trustworthy,
kitchen wench.
It's just not right!
Jesus ought to do something about this!
Jesus will do something about it.
He's about fairness and equality."
So Martha works up the courage to leave the kitchen and
go interrupt Jesus in the living room.
"LORD, tell Mary to HELP me."
Jesus' response was puzzling and unexpected,
"Martha, you're upset and worried about many things,
but only one thing is really important.
Mary has made a better choice than you.
I will not take it from her."
Martha wants to storm back to the kitchen, but
the wind has been (temporarily) lost from her sails.
She goes back to the kitchen slowly,
the wind gaining strength with every step.
The monologue resumes.
"What has Mary chosen that I haven't?
Laziness?
Certainly not responsibility!
Who's going to make sure there's food
for ALL these people
if I don't prepare it?
That's right.
No one!
If I went into the other room and just sat there,
what would happen at meal time?
Everyone would be hungry and looking at me,
expecting me to put food on the table
because that's what I always do.
It's not like we are a rich family who can afford
to have a servant do all that work.
So, who's going to make sure I'm not embarrassed
in front of all these guests and the Master?
Only me.
What other choice do I have?
Laziness?
To be an inhospitable host?
To be embarrassed before my friends and house guests?
How can a choice that leads to laziness,
embarrassment and
shame be
better?
So, here I am,
being responsible.
AGAIN.
The only one, ...
No one else volunteers.
No one helps.
Only me ..."
And her resentment and bitterness
grows,
until finally,
LIGHT
penetrates
the self-serving
darkness of her soul.
She understands what her Lord was saying,
"Martha,
though your faithful,
dutiful service is appreciated,
that's not why I came.
I came to be with you,
not to share your food.
I came to fellowship because I love you,
not because your house is clean.
It's not about you or your service -
it's about relationship.
Mary chose relationship over duty.
I will not take that from her.
Will you make the same choice?
That is my invitation to you.
Repent of your self-serving duty and
self-righteous sacrifice, and
come be with me.
You may still serve,
but with a different motivation and outlook.
Martha,
I love you.
Come,
BE WITH me."
A Father's Prayer (inspired by Proverbs 9)
Tune my kids' ears to hear the invitation of Wisdom, not Folly.
(Keep my ears tuned to Wisdom, as well.)
Folly's song is loud, insistent, sometimes belligerent,
and hard to ignore.
Wisdom's melody is soft, unobtrusive,
and gently persistent,
but original, meaningful and appealing,
not like elevator music remakes.
Wisdom's lyrics have content and power,
in stark contrast to Folly,
who has little beyond a loud, driving beat.
Help us walk in the fear of the Lord
and knowledge of the Holy One,
that we may have wisdom and understanding.
(Keep my ears tuned to Wisdom, as well.)
Folly's song is loud, insistent, sometimes belligerent,
and hard to ignore.
Wisdom's melody is soft, unobtrusive,
and gently persistent,
but original, meaningful and appealing,
not like elevator music remakes.
Wisdom's lyrics have content and power,
in stark contrast to Folly,
who has little beyond a loud, driving beat.
Help us walk in the fear of the Lord
and knowledge of the Holy One,
that we may have wisdom and understanding.
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