Sunday, February 8, 2014

Sunday, February 8, 2014

Be merciful to me, O Lord, for I am in distress; my eyes grow weak with sorrow, my soul and my body with grief. My life is consumed by anguish and my years by groaning; my strength fails because of my affliction, and my bones grow weak. (Ps 31:9-10)

Have you ever felt like this? I sure have. Far more often than I care to think about. Maybe it's my advancing age. (Where did all those years go?) Maybe it's the dreary winter weather - so cold and snowy. Maybe it's day after day watching the news and hearing of the atrocities being committed in the world. Maybe it's waking up each morning and waiting to discover which of my body parts are going to give me trouble that day. I do know that there are some days when it is difficult to just put one foot in front of the other.

But the Psalmist goes on to say, 'But I trust in you, O Lord; I say, "You are my God." My times are in your hands; deliver me from my enemies and from those who pursue me.' (Ps 31:14-15)

Those enemies can be my thoughts or my fears or my aches and pains. But when I look to the Lord and lean on him, then he will hold me up and see me through. To know that I can go to sleep and God will cause my heart to keep beating and will cause my body to continue breathing with no effort on my part. How wonderful is that? We all get discouraged at times and it's so important to read and hear the familiar stories again and again. Joseph and Moses and Abraham and Job and all the rest. Flawed people who endured many trials and rejoiced in many triumphs. People just like us who questioned and suffered loss and had fears and yet we see how God led them through it all and never gave up on them. It's the only answer. He will see us through.

And so I also say, "You are my God. I will trust in you." Amen.

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Saturday, February 7, 2015

Saturday, February 7, 2015  [Finishing Well]

Matthew 25:1-13 (c.f. Exodus 27:21)

Being on the high school track team was fun for me, not because of the joy of my event (shot-put and discus), but because I got to watch the "4x4 relay."  The 4 x 400 meter relay is a race where 4 people each run 400 meters to complete the race (1600 meters in total).  On every 4x4 team, one of the most important runners is the one running the last leg of the race, the anchor leg.  The reason why the anchor is so important is because s/he is responsible for finishing the race.  Week after week, our team worked out every day, building stamina, doing running drills and form exercises all for the purpose of finishing the race well.  

Jesus tells the parable of the ten virgins, among others, to illustrate for us what it looks like to finish well.  The kicker is that we have no idea when the race is over!  So, Jesus tells us, essentially, that we need to live each day as though the finish line is well in view - to be "watchful."  Five of the ten virgins were watchful.  Along with their lamps they had brought extra oil knowing that the bridegroom could return at night.  The other five had no oil to burn.  So the five wise virgins walked in the light of their lamps, while the five foolish virgins walked in darkness.

"I am the light of the world.  Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life." (John 8:12)

Many reduce following Jesus to saying a sinner's prayer once, attending a church on Sundays, or doing a few acts of kindness here and there.  This is what the five foolish virgins did.  They had lamps, but no oil.  This is the same as knowing who Jesus is, but never following Him, never really knowing Him.  And what does that mean, to follow Jesus?  It means having a funeral for the god of myself everyday and living for Something, Someone, greater. It means loving when self wants to hate, giving when self wants to hoard, listening when I want to tune Him out...the list goes on.

We are all in the anchor leg of our race, whether we want to believe it or not.  So there are two questions for us:

1.  Are you running?

2.  How will you finish?

"You know that in a race all the runners run, but only one runner gets the prize. So run like that. Run to win!" (1 Corinthians 9:24 ERV)

Feb 6

 Psalm 30:5 Weeping may remain for a night, but rejoicing comes in the morning.

 This is the picture of the victorious Christian life. It is the continual struggle between weeping and rejoicing, the night and the morning.
As Christ-followers we have been called to live in both time frames. Because of the fallen world and our own sinful desires, there is ubiquitous "night" in everything. The darkness of this "night" is a scary place ...to be.
When "night" stories are told, they are usually accompanied by heavy hearts and moist eyes. I sense the "night" in my own life as I struggle with new limitations and concerns about my health. But most of all, I am overwhelmed with the "night" when I consider the spiritual futures of my children and grandchildren.
Surviving in the "night" is something every Christ-follower must prepare for. The greatest danger to us is if we settle down in that darkness. If we remain in the darkness, we will eventually become discouraged and it will destroy our faith.
But there is hope. There is a morning to look forward to. Even though we may hurt now, even though the darkness seems impenetrable, God has promised that morning is coming. We will see a sunrise, and when that occurs, we will rejoice. God himself has said that the darkness will eventually give way to the brilliant sun rays of a new dawn.
In the end, God and the morning will win. No darkness on earth is permanent. I pray today for each of you that your morning of joy will come quickly. If you have been weeping and living in darkness, it is time to walk into the SON shine.

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"Multiplying leaders to change the world"

Thursday, February 5

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2015

Exodus 21:22–23:13

Matthew 24:1–28

Psalm 29:1–11

Proverbs 7:6–23

 

 

“The Lord sits enthroned over the flood;

    the Lord is enthroned as King forever.

The Lord gives strength to his people;

    the Lord blesses his people with peace.” (Psalm 29:10,11)

 

 

Having provided the Ten Commandments, God now turns to providing practical laws for the governance of Israelite society.  At the center of these laws – and this society – would sit God, “enthroned as King forever.”  God seals today’s passage with this command:  “Be careful to do everything I had said to you.  Do not invoke the names of other gods; do not let them be heard on your lips.”  These words recall the first of the Ten Commandments.

 

God provided guidance to His people regarding justice and mercy.  Importantly, God sets forth the principles of restitution and that the punishment should fit the crime (“an eye for an eye”).  In our human hearts, we may have a tendency towards brutality, particularly in the face of loss.  We also may struggle with the oppression of the “have-nots” by the “haves,” typically to preserve their own good fortune.  God Himself understands where to mete out justice and where to extend mercy.  If we trust our human spirits, we will fall short in this regard, but God through His Word and Spirit may provide direction.

 

Please take note of God’s heart for the “have-nots.”  He urges that the Israelites not take advantage of the widow, the fatherless, the borrower, and the foreigner.  These laws recall God’s compassion for each person and the value of each human life, owing to God’s createdness.

 

Thinking about the law points to an important truth from 1 John 3:4:  “Everyone who sins breaks the law; in fact, sin is lawlessness.”  God provided helpful boundaries to us through His law.  When we step outside those boundaries, our rebelliousness leads us to sin.  Before trusting in Christ, this sin brought death.  After becoming a Christ-follower, sin damages our fellowship with God, much as poor treatment of our friends might hinder our relationships with them.

 

Modern “wisdom” suggests that each person is ultimately the arbiter of his own law.  We have taken up the utilitarian philosophy of John Stuart Mill, which has translated ultimately into:  “If my behavior doesn’t negatively impact you (or me), then it’s okay for me (and you).”  While this treatment may prove convenient, it ultimately degrades everyone because, eventually, one person’s selfishness ultimately imposes on another’s autonomy and well-being.  Considered differently, eventually human rebelliousness will degrade everyone into lawlessness.

 

Instead, God has created us as rational, moral beings and made us accountable to Him and to one another.  The utilitarian principles discussed above prefer no accountability because it impinges on “do as you please.”  Justice demands truth because we won’t be able to identify wrongdoing without it.  Without justice, we will have further lawlessness.  At the center of an orderly, flourishing society, therefore, sits truth.  We understand from God’s revelation to us, as with the Israelites in Exodus, that God provides the righteous truth that we desperately need.

 

As believers, we seek to model the Lord Jesus Christ, who came “full of grace and truth.” (John 1:14)  We should embrace truth and justice but also seek His heart to offer mercy and forgiveness.  By studying the Scriptures as we are doing together, we may become well-acquainted with His boundaries and how to apply His truth in a hurting and confused world.

 

 

Lord God, we seek You today and deeply desire Your truth.  Guide us according to Your wisdom, and protect us from wandering out of Your boundaries.  Help us to determine where to apply justice and where to apply mercy.  Transform our hearts to follow after Yours.  In Jesus’s Name, amen.

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Feb. 4

Matthew 23:13-39

Jesus came to teach us how to live our lives by Kingdom principles such as mercy, love, kindness, and forgiveness.  In this passage I think He drawing a definitive line in the sand and calling attention to attraction to religion versus attraction to God.  The Pharisees were so caught up in their obedience and details of the laws that they were totally missing the love of God.  Jesus points out 7 "woes" - or 7 ways to illustrate how they missed the mark.  In verse 13 He warns against not letting others enter the Kingdom and not entering themselves.  In verse 15 He points out that the Pharisees were trying to convert people to be more like themselves and less like God.  Jesus emphatically tells the Pharisees that their traditions mean more to them than God's word and they ignore the importance of justice, mercy and faith.  Keeping up appearances and acting spiritual to cover up sin means very little to God.  So what does all of this mean to us in our lives today?  I would like to think I've learned from my past and my present behavior and attitudes reflect the change Jesus has made in my life.  I guess that's what Jesus meant by washing the cup on the outside only.  Do I appear to lead a Christian life or do people see Christ in me?  This is something that has become essential in my life.  I must admit, I feel very blessed to be a part of a community that is seeking the same goal and moving together through reading The Word to seeing and loving God more clearly.

February 2: The persistence of His mercy

Exodus 15:19-17:&
Matthew 22:1-33

Psalm 27:1-6

Proverbs 6:20-26

Reading today's (ok, yesterday's - and I apologize this is a day late!) Old Testament reading, I was struck by the persistence of God's mercy.  Consider: he'd just freed the Israelites from Egyptian slavery, having parted the sea that they might walk across it, then washing away their foes that they might get away free, and shortly after Miriam sang her song of praise, they sinned, grumbling about the lack of water.  So God gives them water, and promises them that if they obey His commands, He would "not bring on you any of the diseases I brought on the Egyptians, for I am the Lord, who heals you."  God basically tells them if they were obedient, He'd take care of them.  Shortly after that reassurance, however, they grumbled AGAIN.  This time, they wanted food.  So God sent quail for meat, and manna for bread - but He commanded them to take only so much for each day, not to keep it overnight, except before the Sabbath when they were to take double, and not to go out on the Sabbath.  So having been provided for, this time they didn't just grumble - they DISOBEYED.  They (1) gathered more than they were supposed to; (2) kept the manna overnight; and (3) went out on the Sabbath.  And yet, despite the persistency of their sin, the Lord remained with them.

That realization is always so encouraging, particularly on days when one might be struck by feelings of unworthiness, worry and fear.  That, despite our sinfulness, we can still sing the Lord "is my light and my salvation - whom shall I fear?"  That we know we do not have to be afraid of anyone, even when besieged by an army.  That because of His love we are still able to come to Him, to ask that we be permitted to dwell in His house, to rely on His protection.  This is heartening to think of for myself.  Even more so, when I think of my children, it is a joy and a relief to know that God will be with them - though war break out against them, even then they will be confident.  

Tuesday, February 3, 2015

Exodus 17:8-19:15
Matthew 22:34-23:12
Psalm 27:7-14
Proverbs 6:27-35

What would you do if given the opportunity to meet with God in a dense cloud and hear His voice?  I tell you, I would definitely follow all of the advice Moses passed along to Israel.  Just the thought of hearing the voice of God is something that causes me to pause here at my desk in wonder and awe.  Many years ago, my mother used to take me to see movies and especially to Radio City Music Hall.  Initially, she probably took me so my father would not have to babysit me and probably for the company as well.  I do know that I saw many movies and shows with her, but none lasted more in my memory than The Ten Commandments.  I still remember the movie theater, the town and especially the movie (I was all of 7 years old), so you can imagine the impression this movie and God made on my life .  All of the miracles that Moses performed, the burning bush, his hair gone white on the mountain top, the parting of the Red Sea, and coming down with the ten most simple rules from God for a good Godly life. 

Matthew confirms the commandments with the greatest of these being to Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.  And the second is to Love your neighbor as yourself.  If we love God with all of our being, it should be easy to love our neighbors and ourselves because there would be no room for evil to dwell within us.  Unfortunately, even given these ten basic rules to a wonderful life, God also gave us free will. This ability to make our own choices always leads us into dangerous waters.  Thank God we can ALWAYS come back to Him because he is the only loving Father when we repent.  Even if we do not repent immediately, He never leaves us alone.  This brings me such comfort, because there were many times when I truly felt all alone.  However, the Lord, in His infinite wisdom has put SO MANY Godly people in my life who are of constant support and encouragement that I know that He sent them.

Matthew also reminds us to listen to the rules of those in charge but do not practice what they preach.  Even in today's world, many in power exalt themselves way above their status.  It is so nice and comforting to know that the Lord loves the humble.  The ones who pray in private and do not show themselves as important or better than anyone else.  We are His children and His sheep - to follow in His footsteps with love, understanding and forgiveness is truly the best path.  This world does have a way of pulling us into detrimental thinking and acting, but if we remember the commandments and the fact that God only wants the best for us you would have to be crazy not to follow.

And there you have it - my interpretation of the ease with which to attain a wonderful life.  Now I just have to follow the rules!!!  AMEN and God bless you all.