Yesterday I was reading John 6, about the feeding of the 5000, or 20,000 if you want to be that way about it. Jesus lifts His eyes and sees the multitudes coming towards Him. Throngs of people, each with a myriad of problems. Jesus saw all the issues, sickness and sin, relational and financial troubles, spiritual bankruptcy and personal poverty. All of it lay bare and naked before the eyes of Christ. But rather than all of that, He deals with something that, comparatively, seems small and trivial. "How are we going to feed them, Philip?" I believe He fully intended to deal with the other needs, healing their sick, preaching the kingdom of heaven, speaking parables that brought clarity to the law that had for so long been unattainable and darkened by the bureaucracy of the religious elite. But for now, let's just meet the simple, most basic need they have: they need lunch.
Predictably, Philip responds in much the same way that I would have, and indeed, have responded many times. "Lord, two hundred denarii would not be enough money to give everyone of these people just a little bit of food. We can't afford to give everyone a taste, let alone serve them a full meal!"
O thou of little faith. Does the Maker of heaven and earth have need of your money? No. What I am looking for is the seed of your faith.
Then Andrew pipes up, a little more optimistic then his friend over there. "Well, there is a young boy here who has 5 loaves of bread and 2 small fish. . ." and as if recognizing the inanity of what he was saying while he was saying it, he adds, "but what is that among so many?"
O generation of unbelief! Does the Giver of Life have need of your resources? No! I knew what I would do when I walked up this mountain. I knew what I would do when I saw the crowds coming. I knew what I would do when I asked Philip where we could get the bread from. And I know that at the end of the day, there will be 12 baskets of fragments leftover. Do you believe, my friends? How long will you set your sights on temporary, physical fixes? What will you do when you run out of answers? Will you doubt My hand and My goodness? You have walked with Me long enough that you ought to know by now that if you'd only believe, you would see the glory of God.
In the early 1800s there was a man to whom God asked a similar question. "What will we do, George, with the orphans of England?" George Muller was not a man of position, influence or wealth. But he was a man of faith, and he figured that if God cared enough about the issue to ask the question, He cared enough to provide the answer. By the end of his life, George Muller cared for some 10,000 orphans, and built schools that enable 120,000 children to receive an education, most of whom would never have had the opportunity to set foot inside a schoolroom. He never solicited for money, no fundraiser banquets, no radio or TV beg-a-thons, no collection table outside of the local butcher stall, no 5K run in the countryside. Just faith. Faith that the God of the Bible was the same yesterday, today and forever. He believed and he saw the glory of God. Not only were thousands of children cared for in a home with a family that loved them, but they both heard and saw the love of Jesus, and when planted in their hearts, it sprung up and bore eternal fruit.
What about me, today? I know that I am at a point in my life where all I can see are the obstacles on the road, the fallen trees, the potholes and the 'No Trespassing' signs. I find myself evaluating situations and decision that must be made based on what seems most plausible, without realizing that with God all things are possible. He has no need of my resources, abilities or connections. He only asks for an empty vessel, willing to be filled up with Himself and poured out on others, only to be filled again. What can be considered ludicrous in the hands of the Almighty? Is there anything too difficult for God?
Tell the people to sit down, Meag. It's time to eat.
"The hand of the Lord came upon me and brought me out in the Spirit of the Lord, and set me down in the midst of the valley; and it was full of bones. Then He caused me to pass by them all around, and behold, there were very many in the open valley; and indeed they were very dry. And He said to me, 'Son of man, can these bones live?' So I answered, 'O Lord God, You know.'" Ezekial 37:1-3,
Thursday, December 12, 2013
Monday, August 19, 2013
He's Always Been Faithful to Me
The story of Deuteronomy chapter 1 is frighteningly similar to my own walk with the Lord and, I'd imagine, the walk of many other believers as well. Slowly by slowly, I am learning that although my relationship with God is a personal one, there is nothing wholly unique about it. I will never walk down a road or experience something that someone has not first encountered before me.
So here is Israel, delivered from the bondage of Egypt after some 400 years, through miraculous signs and wonders. No one could deny that it was Almighty God who brought them out; the gods of the Egyptians were powerless to stop Him. Nor could the Israelites deny that it was God who brought them through the wilderness. They had the daily reminder of a cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night to recall the hand of God on their camp, should they ever forget who had done all of these things. The only part that Israel had to play in this unfolding drama was to obey. The Lord didn't ask for their resources, creativity or skills; He simply wanted them their obedience to His command. Stay inside your houses and put the blood of the slain, unblemished lamb on the posts of your doors. Trust that the Angel of Death will pass over you. Go out and fight in battles in which you are out manned and out artillaried (is that a word?), and trust that I will do the fighting for you. Go with no food and trust that I will provide the bread that will sustain your bodies. Do as I say and trust Me. Thus far, He had not failed them. But as they stood on the property line of their inheritance, with their toes hanging over the edge of the Promised Land, they doubted. They allowed their hearts to become discouraged and their minds caught up in the giants that stood before them.
But Moses said to them:
"Do not be terrified, or afraid of them. The Lord your God, who goes before you, He will fight for you, according to all that He did for you in Egypt before your eyes, and int he wilderness where you saw how the Lord you God carried you, as a man carries his son, in all the way that you went until you came to this place. Yet for all that, you did not believe the Lord your God, who went in the way before you to search out a place for you to pitch your tents, to show you the way you should go, in the fire by night and the cloud by day."
Wait! The Lord went before them, fought for them, and even carried them, and they still found reason not to believe? It is easy to point the proverbial finger at them and demean them for their lack of belief, but how often have I allowed my own momentary circumstances and present problems overshadow what I know to be the faithfulness of God in my life. Unfortunately, more often than I care to admit. Let's be real, a year ago, I never would have imagined that God's plan for me would be to spend 6 months in Uganda, working with and serving alongside some of the most incredible, amazing people I have ever met. I would never have imagined the freedom the Lord would have produced in my own personal life, as He set me free from my own self-made prisons. I would have never believed the relationships that would be strengthened, and those that would be destroyed, as these things began to take place. And I would have never conceived the joy of living life in His presence and learning to abandon myself to His will. Yet here I am, and it was all God. I did nothing to force His hand in any way, other than chose to believe His promise was true and faithful. Sometimes I think He not only got me to this place (both metaphorically and literally) not only despite myself, but sometimes in spite of myself.
I bring so little to the table. All that God asks of me is my life. That sounds costly, but only until I realize that my life is not my own. The moment "I gave my life to the Lord" He took possession. He now owns it. He paid the bill on it, and it stands to reason that He owns the title and rights as well. How can I attempt to hold back from Him what is not mine to keep and what is His to have?
"Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? for you were bought at a price, therefore glorify God with your body and with your spirit, which are God's." 1 Corinthians 6:19-20
I think of Paul's statement in to his "son" Timothy, as he recalled what the Lord had brought him through and the confidence he had that God would continue to bring him through all present and future trouble. Think about it, if any one had reason to question God it was Paul. The man was beaten, stoned, shipwrecked, thrown into prison, rejected by both his brethren and the Gentiles, deserted by friends, bitten by snakes. . .but in the end, God caused him to stand fast. Paul understood the promise that Jesus had made, in this world we will have tribulations. Not one of the promises we prefer to meditate on, but it is a promise nonetheless. Expect trouble and trial, but know that the promise comes with an assurance also, be of good cheer, for I have overcome the world. When fearful situation come my way, and my own hearts wants to rebel and despair at them, may I remember that if I only keep my eyes on Jesus, I can walk on water too!
"But the Lord stood with me and strengthened me, so that the message might be fully preached through me, and that all the Gentiles might hear. Also I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion. And the Lord will deliver me from every evil work and preserve me for His heavenly kingdom. To Him be glory forever and ever. Amen!" 2 Timothy 4:17-18
So here is Israel, delivered from the bondage of Egypt after some 400 years, through miraculous signs and wonders. No one could deny that it was Almighty God who brought them out; the gods of the Egyptians were powerless to stop Him. Nor could the Israelites deny that it was God who brought them through the wilderness. They had the daily reminder of a cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night to recall the hand of God on their camp, should they ever forget who had done all of these things. The only part that Israel had to play in this unfolding drama was to obey. The Lord didn't ask for their resources, creativity or skills; He simply wanted them their obedience to His command. Stay inside your houses and put the blood of the slain, unblemished lamb on the posts of your doors. Trust that the Angel of Death will pass over you. Go out and fight in battles in which you are out manned and out artillaried (is that a word?), and trust that I will do the fighting for you. Go with no food and trust that I will provide the bread that will sustain your bodies. Do as I say and trust Me. Thus far, He had not failed them. But as they stood on the property line of their inheritance, with their toes hanging over the edge of the Promised Land, they doubted. They allowed their hearts to become discouraged and their minds caught up in the giants that stood before them.
But Moses said to them:
"Do not be terrified, or afraid of them. The Lord your God, who goes before you, He will fight for you, according to all that He did for you in Egypt before your eyes, and int he wilderness where you saw how the Lord you God carried you, as a man carries his son, in all the way that you went until you came to this place. Yet for all that, you did not believe the Lord your God, who went in the way before you to search out a place for you to pitch your tents, to show you the way you should go, in the fire by night and the cloud by day."
Wait! The Lord went before them, fought for them, and even carried them, and they still found reason not to believe? It is easy to point the proverbial finger at them and demean them for their lack of belief, but how often have I allowed my own momentary circumstances and present problems overshadow what I know to be the faithfulness of God in my life. Unfortunately, more often than I care to admit. Let's be real, a year ago, I never would have imagined that God's plan for me would be to spend 6 months in Uganda, working with and serving alongside some of the most incredible, amazing people I have ever met. I would never have imagined the freedom the Lord would have produced in my own personal life, as He set me free from my own self-made prisons. I would have never believed the relationships that would be strengthened, and those that would be destroyed, as these things began to take place. And I would have never conceived the joy of living life in His presence and learning to abandon myself to His will. Yet here I am, and it was all God. I did nothing to force His hand in any way, other than chose to believe His promise was true and faithful. Sometimes I think He not only got me to this place (both metaphorically and literally) not only despite myself, but sometimes in spite of myself.
I bring so little to the table. All that God asks of me is my life. That sounds costly, but only until I realize that my life is not my own. The moment "I gave my life to the Lord" He took possession. He now owns it. He paid the bill on it, and it stands to reason that He owns the title and rights as well. How can I attempt to hold back from Him what is not mine to keep and what is His to have?
"Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? for you were bought at a price, therefore glorify God with your body and with your spirit, which are God's." 1 Corinthians 6:19-20
I think of Paul's statement in to his "son" Timothy, as he recalled what the Lord had brought him through and the confidence he had that God would continue to bring him through all present and future trouble. Think about it, if any one had reason to question God it was Paul. The man was beaten, stoned, shipwrecked, thrown into prison, rejected by both his brethren and the Gentiles, deserted by friends, bitten by snakes. . .but in the end, God caused him to stand fast. Paul understood the promise that Jesus had made, in this world we will have tribulations. Not one of the promises we prefer to meditate on, but it is a promise nonetheless. Expect trouble and trial, but know that the promise comes with an assurance also, be of good cheer, for I have overcome the world. When fearful situation come my way, and my own hearts wants to rebel and despair at them, may I remember that if I only keep my eyes on Jesus, I can walk on water too!
"But the Lord stood with me and strengthened me, so that the message might be fully preached through me, and that all the Gentiles might hear. Also I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion. And the Lord will deliver me from every evil work and preserve me for His heavenly kingdom. To Him be glory forever and ever. Amen!" 2 Timothy 4:17-18
Wednesday, June 12, 2013
The Least of These
And as much as you've done it to the least of these my brethren, you've done it unto Me.
Matthew 25
Recently we were in youth service discussing the story of the good Samaritan. Grant brought up an interesting point. Here you had a priest and a Levite, two people who were studied and trained in the law. When they saw the man half-dead on the side of the road, what did they do? They defied the essence of the very law that they professed to revere. It wasn't so much their lack of compassion that is shocking as it is their blatant hypocrisy. The law could all be summed up in 2 statements, love the Lord you God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength, and love your neighbor as yourself. But these two very religious men, when they saw their neighbor in need, kept right on walking.
I wonder, how often do we do the same thing, especially those of us in full-time ministry We can become so caught up in the religiosity of our service that we forget what pure and undefiled religion before the God the Father is: to visit the orphans and widows in their distress and to keep one's self unspotted from the world. We put ministry in a box, giving it a window in which it is allowed to be performed. But once "ministry time" is over, that's it! We're free. In doing so, we miss out on so many of the blessings that cannot exist in formal ministry time. When ministry becomes about activity instead of people, the purpose of ministry is lost.
Recently, I was grading some of the books we use for school outreach. This kid came over, his name is Godfrey. He has some kind of mental disability; people say he's deaf but I don't think that's quite his problem. He sat next to me and wanted to help. I rolled my eyes. Really, grading books is not my idea of a good time and I would much rather do it quickly and get it over with. Having this kid help me would only slow the process down. Lucky for me, I'm a total push-over and he has a great pout-y face. I gave him my red pen and page by page, we graded the books together. It took twice as long as it probably would have had I done it myself. But hearing his laugh and seeing his smile, and giving him the one-on-one attention that he needs, was worth the extra time.
There are so many times that I have been a priest or a Levite, unwilling to obey the spirit of the law, but this time God managed to get me where I needed to be. And I'm so thankful. My lesson: don't put ministry in a box. It's not necessarily about getting things done; it's about people. Give of your time and energy to benefit people as opposed to projects. Next time you the Lord puts a Godfrey in your path, don't roll your eyes. Take some time to spend with him. Jesus said that if you give one of these little ones a cup of cold water in His name, you will by no means lose your reward. That time isn't wasted; it's invested in eternity.
Monday, June 10, 2013
Decisions, Decisions
It can be very easy to be loyal to a person or a cause when everything is going well. We have an incredible capacity to look at things through rose colored lenses, in the romantic light of emotion or the adrenaline rush of the moment. But things very rarely continue in that way. And when the tint has rubbed off your lenses, or when the emotions are gone or when the adrenaline has died down, what then? Loyalty is tested during adversity and opposition. It is easy to stand by someone when the sun is shining and a cool breeze is blowing. If the audience is positive, support the show by all means. But what about when that person's cause necessitates them to stand out in the pouring rain? What about when thunder shakes the ground and lightening flashes across the sky? What about when the crowd throws stones instead of roses?
I can remember my emotions after an unfortunate event last November. Not to be all political or anything but hey, this is my blog! :) I love my country. I love what she stands for (or stood for), for the rich, godly heritage she possesses, for the bravery of men and women who have laid down their lives to protect the freedoms that she offered to hard working, honest people. Yes, I love my country. That said, I fear my government. And in recent years, long before President Obama, the American government has gotten out of hand. We have representatives who represent themselves instead of the people, an activist judiciary system, politicians who are bought out right and left. . .I could go on. I would never incite a rebellion, but I have always said that if a just rebellion began, I would not hesitate to take up arms and to fight in it. That's what I said. Then November came. I was crushed, physically, mentally, spiritually. At that point I truly believed that there was going to be a revolution. For the first time, I was faced with the possibility of having to eat my words. What if something did happen? How loyal to my principles and my word would I be then? Was I really willing to fight for my liberty and constitution? Was I ready to defend them in order to preserve them for future generations? Would I really rather die fighting to be free than live under the tyranny of another? So far, that hasn't been tested yet. But I'm pretty sure my answer is "yes."
I look forward into the future. One day, I may have this same question facing me in a relationship. I'm sure it will be easy to stand by my husband when life together is new and fresh and we're still "in love." But what about when it's been a few years and things aren't quite as new and fresh as they once were? What about when God is calling him down a road that I don't particularly want to go on? What about when his vision pushes me out of my comfort zone? What about when he's outright wrong and has a lousy attitude? How will my vows and commitment hold up when my pride is hurt or when I disagree? Will I be able to stand by the man that God has given me then? I pray that He gives me the strength and the humility in that moment to say emphatically, "yes."
But such things must be practiced. God gives us small portions. He will not entrust us with a kingdom if we cannot first rule our own house.
So here's the scenario: I have always told the Lord that I would go wherever He sends me. But what if He sends me somewhere wholly different than I was expecting? Would I be willing to truly leave my life in His hands, not only my heart but my physical being also? Will I continue to follow Him even if the risk is high? He has given me the strength to say "yes" in this moment. I believe that He will give me the strength for future moments and the wisdom for future decisions.
Jesus, today I confess to You all of my presuppositions about life, my plans and my misgivings. I lay them before the cross and repent of holding onto rights that never really belonged to me in the first place. You are sovereign, Lord. In light of who You are and all You've done in my life, I choose, in this moment to surrender to You. My only desire is to be used of You. Have Your will and Your way in my life, Lord. Do what You want in me and through me. Wherever You send me, God, I will go.
Shape me into a vessel of honor that is fit for Your service, pouring out only what has been poured in. Thank You for being willing to take broken, weak vessels like me and reshape and remake me into something useful. It truly is a work of transformation.
"But none of these things move me; nor do I count my life dear to myself, so that I may finish my race with joy, and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God." Acts 20:24
I can remember my emotions after an unfortunate event last November. Not to be all political or anything but hey, this is my blog! :) I love my country. I love what she stands for (or stood for), for the rich, godly heritage she possesses, for the bravery of men and women who have laid down their lives to protect the freedoms that she offered to hard working, honest people. Yes, I love my country. That said, I fear my government. And in recent years, long before President Obama, the American government has gotten out of hand. We have representatives who represent themselves instead of the people, an activist judiciary system, politicians who are bought out right and left. . .I could go on. I would never incite a rebellion, but I have always said that if a just rebellion began, I would not hesitate to take up arms and to fight in it. That's what I said. Then November came. I was crushed, physically, mentally, spiritually. At that point I truly believed that there was going to be a revolution. For the first time, I was faced with the possibility of having to eat my words. What if something did happen? How loyal to my principles and my word would I be then? Was I really willing to fight for my liberty and constitution? Was I ready to defend them in order to preserve them for future generations? Would I really rather die fighting to be free than live under the tyranny of another? So far, that hasn't been tested yet. But I'm pretty sure my answer is "yes."
I look forward into the future. One day, I may have this same question facing me in a relationship. I'm sure it will be easy to stand by my husband when life together is new and fresh and we're still "in love." But what about when it's been a few years and things aren't quite as new and fresh as they once were? What about when God is calling him down a road that I don't particularly want to go on? What about when his vision pushes me out of my comfort zone? What about when he's outright wrong and has a lousy attitude? How will my vows and commitment hold up when my pride is hurt or when I disagree? Will I be able to stand by the man that God has given me then? I pray that He gives me the strength and the humility in that moment to say emphatically, "yes."
But such things must be practiced. God gives us small portions. He will not entrust us with a kingdom if we cannot first rule our own house.
So here's the scenario: I have always told the Lord that I would go wherever He sends me. But what if He sends me somewhere wholly different than I was expecting? Would I be willing to truly leave my life in His hands, not only my heart but my physical being also? Will I continue to follow Him even if the risk is high? He has given me the strength to say "yes" in this moment. I believe that He will give me the strength for future moments and the wisdom for future decisions.
Jesus, today I confess to You all of my presuppositions about life, my plans and my misgivings. I lay them before the cross and repent of holding onto rights that never really belonged to me in the first place. You are sovereign, Lord. In light of who You are and all You've done in my life, I choose, in this moment to surrender to You. My only desire is to be used of You. Have Your will and Your way in my life, Lord. Do what You want in me and through me. Wherever You send me, God, I will go.
Shape me into a vessel of honor that is fit for Your service, pouring out only what has been poured in. Thank You for being willing to take broken, weak vessels like me and reshape and remake me into something useful. It truly is a work of transformation.
"But none of these things move me; nor do I count my life dear to myself, so that I may finish my race with joy, and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God." Acts 20:24
Friday, May 31, 2013
Time to Fade
It was a humid day in the Palestinian territory of the Roman occupation. The hot sand jumped into his sandals, burning the bottoms of his feet. As he neared the Jordan, his eyes swept over the mass of people. It seemed as though this was the only place in all Israel where everyone could gather, regardless of social or economic status. Business people, tax collectors, soldiers, the average Joe. . .are those Pharisees over there on the edge of the crowd? No, no I don't think so, but one has to admit, it is an impressively diverse assembly.
Above the low-toned murmuring of the crowd, a solitary voice rose, strong and gruff. Although the people continued to talk it sounded across the plain with unwavering pitch and strength.
"Bear fruits worthy of repentance and do not begin to say to yourselves, 'We have Abraham as our Father,' for I say to you that God is able to raise up children of Abraham from these stones! And even now the ax is laid to the root of the trees. Therefore every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire."
Those who were listening stepped back in an awestruck hush. This man pulled no punches. He was not only unconcerned with pleasing and pacifying people, but he seemed to almost go out of his way to shock and offend, especially the pseudo-religious crowd. Who was he, the camel skinned, bug-eating desert fox of a lunatic? The only thing he would say about his identity was some cryptic quote from the prophet Isaiah, something about a voice crying out in the wilderness. Yes, that was easy enough to see, but who was he?
By the time the man had picked his way through the crowd and to the edge of the water, there was already a line of people waiting to be baptized. He stood quietly and patiently with the rest of them. The baptist handled each person with authority and surety, knowing that his message and mission had been ordained for him by God. As he reached out to take the stranger's hand, he glanced up into his face and immediately shrunk back. Fear would be the wrong word. Wonder, perhaps. Struck dumb for a few moments, he looked innocently into the man's face, confusion mingled with hope. It seemed as though the baptist must have been having a telepathic argument for after a few moment of silence he quietly said, "No. No, I need to be baptized by you and are you coming to me? I am not even worthy to lose the straps of your sandals, let along baptize you for the remission of sins?! You - "
"John, let it be so for now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness."
With trembling hands he received this simple, strange man into the waters of the Jordan. As he came up, the baptist heaved a heavy sigh, as though relieved to be finished with this task. But no sooner had the responsibility been lifted from his shoulders than his face turned towards heaven as a sound echoed across the landscape. Some said it was thunder, but John swore it was the voice of God bellowing from the clouds, "This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased." The skies parted and something like a dove alighted on the man - the Spirit of the Living God.
Moments seemed to stand still and the scene became posed as a snapshot, as if waiting for artists of future centuries to paint it. This once roaring lion had become a gentle lamb, and the great prophet that crowds had thronged to see was now diminutive in the presence of this young Nazarene. The man turned and walked away, heading out towards the desert. When he was half-way through the crowd, words burst forth from my lips and I, I John the Baptist, cried out with all the strength in me, "Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!!!!"
There is was, my last hoo-rah. Even after I spoke I questioned what I'd just said. This man? Was this man really the long awaited Messiah? His calloused hands spoke of his position as a man who worked with his hands. His simple garments were typical of an ordinary peasant. He was not tall, or muscular, nor even particularly handsome. In short, there was nothing at all even remotely impressive about him. He was a simply man, not the warrior King we'd all been expecting.
But as I watched his lone figure fade into the distance, my mind raced back to the Messianic prophecies that spoke, not of a king who would conquer the Romans, but rather of a king who would conquer the hearts of men. He would not save us from the oppressive tyranny of Rome but from the oppressive tyranny of sin. His kingdom would not be of this world. He had come to set things right between a holy God and a rebellious people. But before he could win our hearts, he must first become like us, clothed in mortality, with all of our frailty and needs. Yes, this was He, the Messiah. He came with nothing but a thunder clap and dove to announce his arrival, but he had come.
I realized something else in that moment. My job was done. My purpose in life was completed. At the age of 30 I had accomplished my mission. The promise was about to be fulfilled and there was absolutely nothing I could do to move the process along. The Desire of Nations had come, and now, he must increase and I must decrease.
Above the low-toned murmuring of the crowd, a solitary voice rose, strong and gruff. Although the people continued to talk it sounded across the plain with unwavering pitch and strength.
"Bear fruits worthy of repentance and do not begin to say to yourselves, 'We have Abraham as our Father,' for I say to you that God is able to raise up children of Abraham from these stones! And even now the ax is laid to the root of the trees. Therefore every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire."
Those who were listening stepped back in an awestruck hush. This man pulled no punches. He was not only unconcerned with pleasing and pacifying people, but he seemed to almost go out of his way to shock and offend, especially the pseudo-religious crowd. Who was he, the camel skinned, bug-eating desert fox of a lunatic? The only thing he would say about his identity was some cryptic quote from the prophet Isaiah, something about a voice crying out in the wilderness. Yes, that was easy enough to see, but who was he?
By the time the man had picked his way through the crowd and to the edge of the water, there was already a line of people waiting to be baptized. He stood quietly and patiently with the rest of them. The baptist handled each person with authority and surety, knowing that his message and mission had been ordained for him by God. As he reached out to take the stranger's hand, he glanced up into his face and immediately shrunk back. Fear would be the wrong word. Wonder, perhaps. Struck dumb for a few moments, he looked innocently into the man's face, confusion mingled with hope. It seemed as though the baptist must have been having a telepathic argument for after a few moment of silence he quietly said, "No. No, I need to be baptized by you and are you coming to me? I am not even worthy to lose the straps of your sandals, let along baptize you for the remission of sins?! You - "
"John, let it be so for now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness."
With trembling hands he received this simple, strange man into the waters of the Jordan. As he came up, the baptist heaved a heavy sigh, as though relieved to be finished with this task. But no sooner had the responsibility been lifted from his shoulders than his face turned towards heaven as a sound echoed across the landscape. Some said it was thunder, but John swore it was the voice of God bellowing from the clouds, "This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased." The skies parted and something like a dove alighted on the man - the Spirit of the Living God.
Moments seemed to stand still and the scene became posed as a snapshot, as if waiting for artists of future centuries to paint it. This once roaring lion had become a gentle lamb, and the great prophet that crowds had thronged to see was now diminutive in the presence of this young Nazarene. The man turned and walked away, heading out towards the desert. When he was half-way through the crowd, words burst forth from my lips and I, I John the Baptist, cried out with all the strength in me, "Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!!!!"
There is was, my last hoo-rah. Even after I spoke I questioned what I'd just said. This man? Was this man really the long awaited Messiah? His calloused hands spoke of his position as a man who worked with his hands. His simple garments were typical of an ordinary peasant. He was not tall, or muscular, nor even particularly handsome. In short, there was nothing at all even remotely impressive about him. He was a simply man, not the warrior King we'd all been expecting.
But as I watched his lone figure fade into the distance, my mind raced back to the Messianic prophecies that spoke, not of a king who would conquer the Romans, but rather of a king who would conquer the hearts of men. He would not save us from the oppressive tyranny of Rome but from the oppressive tyranny of sin. His kingdom would not be of this world. He had come to set things right between a holy God and a rebellious people. But before he could win our hearts, he must first become like us, clothed in mortality, with all of our frailty and needs. Yes, this was He, the Messiah. He came with nothing but a thunder clap and dove to announce his arrival, but he had come.
I realized something else in that moment. My job was done. My purpose in life was completed. At the age of 30 I had accomplished my mission. The promise was about to be fulfilled and there was absolutely nothing I could do to move the process along. The Desire of Nations had come, and now, he must increase and I must decrease.
Monday, May 20, 2013
Sure Shot
I want to do the right thing
I want to be the sure shot
I want have my mind straight
I want to have my point got
I want to be a good man
I want to have my act down
I want to be the future
And I want to be right now
Sometimes I feel like I could change the world, but I don't know where to start. I dig and come up empty, collecting an empty heart
I want to see a life change
I want to see a new man
I want to fight the good fight
I want to take right stand
I want to be like Jesus
I want to pour my heart out
I want to pick my cross up
I want to hear the mob shout
I'm wide awake and thinking about the cross, the Trinity apart. I dig and come up empty, collecting an empty heart
I want to do the right thing
I want be the sure shot
I want to have my mind straight
I want to have my point got
I want to be like Jesus
I want to pour my heart out
I want to pick my cross up
I want to hear the mob shout
Sometimes I feel like I could change the world, but I don't know where to start I dig and come up empty. . . I'm wide awake and thinking about the cross, the Trinity apart. I dig and come up empty, collecting a sacred heart.
-lyrics by O.C.Supertones
I want to be the sure shot
I want have my mind straight
I want to have my point got
I want to be a good man
I want to have my act down
I want to be the future
And I want to be right now
Sometimes I feel like I could change the world, but I don't know where to start. I dig and come up empty, collecting an empty heart
I want to see a life change
I want to see a new man
I want to fight the good fight
I want to take right stand
I want to be like Jesus
I want to pour my heart out
I want to pick my cross up
I want to hear the mob shout
I'm wide awake and thinking about the cross, the Trinity apart. I dig and come up empty, collecting an empty heart
I want to do the right thing
I want be the sure shot
I want to have my mind straight
I want to have my point got
I want to be like Jesus
I want to pour my heart out
I want to pick my cross up
I want to hear the mob shout
Sometimes I feel like I could change the world, but I don't know where to start I dig and come up empty. . . I'm wide awake and thinking about the cross, the Trinity apart. I dig and come up empty, collecting a sacred heart.
-lyrics by O.C.Supertones
Divine Interruptions
Isn't it interesting how often the silliest and most petty things can annoy us, and yet they can be the most wonderful gifts from God. It isn't often the big challenges that beat me up; those are obvious. I'm ready for those fights. They are so in your face, they can't be ignored or overlooked. Sometimes the enemy masquarades as an angel of light; other times he's full on red jump suit, pitchfork and long pointy tale. But it's the smaller, less obvious, more insidious things that are likely to trip me up. Yet, when I put my annoyance aside, I often find that God has something else in mind and maybe, just maybe, it's better than my own desires.
OK, so I feel ridiculous even saying what it was that bothered me on Friday (so I won't), but on our way back from the islands, something happened that annoyed me. I ended up having to sit in part of the boat that I didn't want to be in because I alway get sick when I'm sitting there. Whereas I usually don't mind getting wet, it aggravated me that day. And there was no escaping the constant spray of water that kept jumping in from the side of the boat. The lake was pretty rough that day, so I felt even more sick in that section than I usually do. The water was getting on my nerves. I prayed silently, God, what is the point of this? I could have sworn I heard Him say, Because I'm here and I want to talk to you.
There in the boat, in the sick section, Jesus was waiting to talk to me. Not rebuke me, or chide me or say anything radical. . .He just wanted to hang out with me. I felt like the disciples when they realized that the God who made the lake and the storm that they were stuck in, was the same guy that was sleeping in their boat. The God who create Lake Victoria, the waves that were throwing us around, the body and equilibrium that was making me sick in reponse to the motion of the our vessel, was sitting beside me wanting to just chat. And we did. He stills my heart and I am able to pour it out to Him, the things that burden me, lift me, confuse me or make sense to me. But that's not even the best part. The boat ride from Zinga back to church is almost 2 hours, so there is plenty of time. And when the Lord stills my heart, it allows me to hear Him speak too. Sometimes He answers my questions, sometimes He shares His heart with me, sometimes He asks me the deep, probing questions that I fear to answer but in the safety of the moment and the solitude of the conversation, I am able to face the fears that no one else knows about and bring them to Jesus who alone is able to dissolve them in light of His all sufficient power. The boat rides from the islands truly have become the most spiritually engaging and best times of fellowship I have with the Lord.
And to think, I was annoyed because of an off seating arrangement! Maybe next tie that happens, I will recognize it as a divine interruption and like Paul did, when the Lord refused to let him go to Asia and Bithynia, conclude that the Lord has called me elsewhere. And it isn't always some radical call, some crazy mission or some tremendous battle to fight; it often just a call to be quiet and spend some time with Him. That's the only place we learn to recognize the radical call, the crazy mission and get the strength to fight the battles. How cool is our God?
And behold,, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind tore into the mountains and broke the rocks into pieces before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind; and after the wind an earthquakee, but the Lord was not in the earthquake; and after the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire; and after the fire a still small voice. So it was, when Elijah hear it, that he wrapped his face in his mantle and went out and stood in the entrance of the cave.
1 Kings 19:11-13
OK, so I feel ridiculous even saying what it was that bothered me on Friday (so I won't), but on our way back from the islands, something happened that annoyed me. I ended up having to sit in part of the boat that I didn't want to be in because I alway get sick when I'm sitting there. Whereas I usually don't mind getting wet, it aggravated me that day. And there was no escaping the constant spray of water that kept jumping in from the side of the boat. The lake was pretty rough that day, so I felt even more sick in that section than I usually do. The water was getting on my nerves. I prayed silently, God, what is the point of this? I could have sworn I heard Him say, Because I'm here and I want to talk to you.
There in the boat, in the sick section, Jesus was waiting to talk to me. Not rebuke me, or chide me or say anything radical. . .He just wanted to hang out with me. I felt like the disciples when they realized that the God who made the lake and the storm that they were stuck in, was the same guy that was sleeping in their boat. The God who create Lake Victoria, the waves that were throwing us around, the body and equilibrium that was making me sick in reponse to the motion of the our vessel, was sitting beside me wanting to just chat. And we did. He stills my heart and I am able to pour it out to Him, the things that burden me, lift me, confuse me or make sense to me. But that's not even the best part. The boat ride from Zinga back to church is almost 2 hours, so there is plenty of time. And when the Lord stills my heart, it allows me to hear Him speak too. Sometimes He answers my questions, sometimes He shares His heart with me, sometimes He asks me the deep, probing questions that I fear to answer but in the safety of the moment and the solitude of the conversation, I am able to face the fears that no one else knows about and bring them to Jesus who alone is able to dissolve them in light of His all sufficient power. The boat rides from the islands truly have become the most spiritually engaging and best times of fellowship I have with the Lord. And to think, I was annoyed because of an off seating arrangement! Maybe next tie that happens, I will recognize it as a divine interruption and like Paul did, when the Lord refused to let him go to Asia and Bithynia, conclude that the Lord has called me elsewhere. And it isn't always some radical call, some crazy mission or some tremendous battle to fight; it often just a call to be quiet and spend some time with Him. That's the only place we learn to recognize the radical call, the crazy mission and get the strength to fight the battles. How cool is our God?
And behold,, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind tore into the mountains and broke the rocks into pieces before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind; and after the wind an earthquakee, but the Lord was not in the earthquake; and after the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire; and after the fire a still small voice. So it was, when Elijah hear it, that he wrapped his face in his mantle and went out and stood in the entrance of the cave.
1 Kings 19:11-13
Lonely Communion
"I communed with my heart, saying, Look, I have attained greatness, and have gained more wisdom than all who were before me in Jerusalem. My heart has understood great wisdom and knowledge."
Ecclesiastes 1:16
What a sad set of words, "I communed with my heart. . ." That which brought such communion into being, the great knowledge that Solomon had attained, may have been very impressive indeed, but to commune with one's self. . . is there a more lonely existence?
Speaking from a point of experience, I would have to say that the human will is quite capable of deceiving itself into a state of contentment and self-satisfaction; the novelty of being a megalomaniac can last for a long time. For me, however, it eventually ended. There came a time when the fabrication of self-importance was turned to shreds and the illusion of self-significance lost its luster. I was forced to face reality, and reality was that the only person impressed with my accomplishments was myself, and even that was a facade.
I think that this is true of anyone who heaps up for themselves knowledge and experience. Some of the greatest minds down through centuries may have attained greatness and information but they failed to comprehend the answer to the greater questions of life: who am I, how did I get here, why am I here and what is the purpose of life?
It is the story that C.S. Lewis tells in his allegorical novel portraying his own conversion, The Pilgrim's Regress. Unlike in John Bunyan's epic tale of the Christian life, the pathway for Lewis was not one of going forward but rather one going backwards. As with many intellectuals, he accumulated all of the experience and knowledge that the world told him should have, but eventually the road ended, the destination was reached but the search remained unresolved. Only when he began let go, give up and put down all of the things that had blinded him and hindered him could he see the obvious truth that had been in front of his face the whole time: Jesus.
As with everything else in this world, apart from Jesus, it is meaningless. God gave us creative and curious minds with which He intended us to explore and discover. By exploration and discovery, we find Him and the way by which fellowship with Him is possible. But when wisdom becomes an end unto itself, we are left to commune with nothing except our own heart. I can only speak for myself but I am not that impressive. After a while, I get stale and boring. And trust me, communing with my heart (yours too) will inevitably lead to destruction.
"The heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked; who can know it?" Jeremiah 17:9
"Most men will proclaim each his own goodness, but who can find a faithful man?. . . Who can say, I have made my heart clean, I am pure from sin."
Proverbs 20:6,9
So the question becomes for me, can I, as a believer, put any weight in the accumulation of knowledge and intellectual superiority? Truly, there is a great need for Biblically literate Christians, who can defend the faith against the wisdom of a Godless world. But if knowledge is both the means and the end, I find myself in fellowship with my own evil heart. I know that God, through the power of the Holy Spirit, is constantly working and shaping me into the person He wants me to be. It is the great process of sanctification. But it is just that, a process. My spirit (soul) is redeemed once for all, but my mind and my heart (emotions and will) must be renewed and cleansed daily, most times more. That can only happen when I am in continual fellowship and under constant subjection to the will of God. As soon as I begin to commune with my own heart, I begin to flirt with trouble.
"These things indeed have an appearance of wisdom in self-imposed religion, false humility, and neglect of the body, but are of no value against the indulgence of the flesh. If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. For you died, and your life is hidden together with Christ in God." Colossians 2:23 - 3:3
Ecclesiastes 1:16
What a sad set of words, "I communed with my heart. . ." That which brought such communion into being, the great knowledge that Solomon had attained, may have been very impressive indeed, but to commune with one's self. . . is there a more lonely existence?
Speaking from a point of experience, I would have to say that the human will is quite capable of deceiving itself into a state of contentment and self-satisfaction; the novelty of being a megalomaniac can last for a long time. For me, however, it eventually ended. There came a time when the fabrication of self-importance was turned to shreds and the illusion of self-significance lost its luster. I was forced to face reality, and reality was that the only person impressed with my accomplishments was myself, and even that was a facade.
I think that this is true of anyone who heaps up for themselves knowledge and experience. Some of the greatest minds down through centuries may have attained greatness and information but they failed to comprehend the answer to the greater questions of life: who am I, how did I get here, why am I here and what is the purpose of life?
It is the story that C.S. Lewis tells in his allegorical novel portraying his own conversion, The Pilgrim's Regress. Unlike in John Bunyan's epic tale of the Christian life, the pathway for Lewis was not one of going forward but rather one going backwards. As with many intellectuals, he accumulated all of the experience and knowledge that the world told him should have, but eventually the road ended, the destination was reached but the search remained unresolved. Only when he began let go, give up and put down all of the things that had blinded him and hindered him could he see the obvious truth that had been in front of his face the whole time: Jesus.
As with everything else in this world, apart from Jesus, it is meaningless. God gave us creative and curious minds with which He intended us to explore and discover. By exploration and discovery, we find Him and the way by which fellowship with Him is possible. But when wisdom becomes an end unto itself, we are left to commune with nothing except our own heart. I can only speak for myself but I am not that impressive. After a while, I get stale and boring. And trust me, communing with my heart (yours too) will inevitably lead to destruction.
"The heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked; who can know it?" Jeremiah 17:9
"Most men will proclaim each his own goodness, but who can find a faithful man?. . . Who can say, I have made my heart clean, I am pure from sin."
Proverbs 20:6,9
So the question becomes for me, can I, as a believer, put any weight in the accumulation of knowledge and intellectual superiority? Truly, there is a great need for Biblically literate Christians, who can defend the faith against the wisdom of a Godless world. But if knowledge is both the means and the end, I find myself in fellowship with my own evil heart. I know that God, through the power of the Holy Spirit, is constantly working and shaping me into the person He wants me to be. It is the great process of sanctification. But it is just that, a process. My spirit (soul) is redeemed once for all, but my mind and my heart (emotions and will) must be renewed and cleansed daily, most times more. That can only happen when I am in continual fellowship and under constant subjection to the will of God. As soon as I begin to commune with my own heart, I begin to flirt with trouble.
"These things indeed have an appearance of wisdom in self-imposed religion, false humility, and neglect of the body, but are of no value against the indulgence of the flesh. If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. For you died, and your life is hidden together with Christ in God." Colossians 2:23 - 3:3
Sunday, May 12, 2013
As Rivers Run
As rivers run into the sea
So God's love pours inside of me
With all the flow and energy and power it imparts
The rivers empty out themselves to the seas own empty heart
Though smashed against the jagged rock
And thrown against the shore
It does what it must to reach the one
In desperate need of more
A beaten, bruised and bloodied Son
Delivered up to die
Pressed between two boards of wood
Nailed and lifted high
To hang between two wretched thieves
And bear the ridicule
Of His killers, brethren, own creation
Made to be a fool
Regardless of the splintered wood
Or jeering of the crowd
His blood, His love has been poured out
On humble hearts who've bowed
Who made all things and is all things
Emptied Himself to be
The fullness of salvation
For as dry and barren me
Now exalted in the heavens
Where He rules with all command
He still pours out living water
On the broken, thirsty land
So God's love pours inside of me
With all the flow and energy and power it imparts
The rivers empty out themselves to the seas own empty heart
Though smashed against the jagged rock
And thrown against the shore
It does what it must to reach the one
In desperate need of more
A beaten, bruised and bloodied Son
Delivered up to die
Pressed between two boards of wood
Nailed and lifted high
To hang between two wretched thieves
And bear the ridicule
Of His killers, brethren, own creation
Made to be a fool
Regardless of the splintered wood
Or jeering of the crowd
His blood, His love has been poured out
On humble hearts who've bowed
Who made all things and is all things
Emptied Himself to be
The fullness of salvation
For as dry and barren me
Now exalted in the heavens
Where He rules with all command
He still pours out living water
On the broken, thirsty land
Thursday, May 9, 2013
Being Flexible is Fun!!!
There are some moments that are just ridiculously priceless. We never would have thought them up or tried to fabricate them but they turn out to be one of the best experiences. That was last week at school. Grant, Addy, Tim and I were suppose to serve lunch. No big deal; we've helped with it before. How hard can it be to serve it ourselves. Well, it turns out that when both doors are locked and all the school staff are in a meeting, it's pretty difficult. Not really sure of what to do, we stood around somewhat awkwardly for a while until one of us, it was either Tim or myself, started dancing. Within seconds, we had a huge circle of kids, just shimmying this way and then changing directions. Somewhere in the midst of the revolution of our giant circle, someone would lose the grip of another's hand and the whole thing would be thrown off course, which is, of course, hilarious. It looked like an African square dance gone wrong. . .or a Jewish hoe-down that wasn't quite kosher. But it was so much fun. To see the look of ectasy on the kids faces as they whirled around in circles with the 4 crazy mzungus made my heart leap. For so many children here, their childhood is cut short, or squeezed in. Childhood is so precious. In America, where we have the ability to protect their childhood we force them to grow up so quickly. Where their innocence can be kept, we strip it away. Jesus said to let the little children come unto Him and do not forbid them, for of such is the kingdom of heaven. Never look down on a child. They are precious in the sight of God. I guess I should be really thankful that Christ said that unless one becomes like a child they will never enter the kingdom of God. I felt like a little kid that day; but you know what? That's alright. It felt good. It's like I've been saying all along, it's no virtue to be so self-conscious that you can't laugh at yourself. I laughed at myself that day, and I laugh at the memory. Who knows, maybe it'll be one of the memories the kids remember and laugh at too.
Thursday, April 25, 2013
Prayer Is Not Passive
"Continue earnestly in prayer, being vigilant in it with thanksgiving."
Colossians 4:2
Prayer. It is the door-knocker into the throneroom of God Almighty, the key that unlocks the treasure chest of spiritual blessing, the admission into the armory of the heavenlies. As such, one would think that believers would take it a little more seriously and a little less like a pathetic platitude thrown at a milk-toast God who isn't really listening and doesn't really care. But how often is this the attitude? We pray before meals, we're not really sure why, and mention something about when someone is sick. When things get a little sticky and a little too hard for us handle, we get desperate and might pray for a whole 10 or 15 minutes. But other than that, prayer is little more than an apathetic, lazy cop-out that probably won't do any good, and is kind of a waste of time, especially when we could actually be doing something, but hey, we could give it a try. I mean, it's not gonna hurt anything, right? But really, we should save prayer as the last resort, when you know, all we can do is pray.
But Scripture says to be vigilant in prayer, not passive. Continue earnestly, or steadfastly, or diligently in prayer. 1 Peter 5:8 says, "Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about as a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour." Don't be foolish or naive, child of God; the enemy would love for you to think that prayer is merely a religious rite that should be reserved for special occasions and extreme situations. He may even convince you that is a bother to God that you bring your requests before Him, and presumptuous for such a small thing to be thought worthy of prayer. But what we must realize in such an attack is that coming before God is a right given by grace, not one that is deserved.
"Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize withour weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldy to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need."
Hebrew 4:14-16
The right to enter the throne room comes from the blood of Christ. It is only through His sacrifice that we can come to the Father. But now that it has been granted to us to come to God, we have a responsibility in it as well. Just as an American citizen has the right to vote, they also bear it as an obligation. Regardless of how corrupt the government may be, to not be involved on any level in the political system forfeits one's rights to complain about what is going on. Then again, it is also possible to use your right and fulfill your obligation but do it in the wrong way, by being uninterested or flatout wrong in who and what you vote for. Again, James 4:2-3 states, "You lust and do not have. You murder and covet and cannot obtain. You fight and war. Yet you do not have because you do not ask. You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures." This Scripture has been misquoted and misused too often. Anyone who knows me knows that I am not a name-it-and-claim-it adherent but, believer, realize that when you pray in faith and earnestness, you are calling for all the resources, strength and ability of your Father in heaven, whose good pleasure it is to give you the kingdom. "Or what man is there among you who, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent? If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask for them." Yes, it is true that the Lord allows trouble in our lives. He promised that we would have tribulations in this life. Paul said that all those who would live godly in this world would suffer persecution. But He is also a loving Father who doesn't like the suffering in this world any more than we do; in fact, He despises it more, seeing as He created a perfect world that has now been perverted by the stain of sin. And while those things are allowed in our lives, to focus on them rather than on the goodness and love of the Lord, is a twisted view of the relationship.
Here's the crazy part, when earnestness and vigilance characterize our prayer life, our hearts will become intertwined with His. His desires will become our desires. His ways in His world will be what we strive for, and not a new car (shout out to Paden there - brother, you know who you are). Prayer is not the quarter you drop in the vending machine of heaven; it is the way in which we engage in the war taking place on the battle ground of the spiritual realm. And when we begin to pray the way that we are called to pray, our motives, desires and requests will reflect more of God's heart.
A haunting lyric penned by Keith Green reveals the heart behind so much of our praying:
"Bless me, Lord! Bless me, Lord! You know, it's all I ever hear. No one aches, no one hurts, no one even sheds one tear. But He cries, He weeps, He bleeds and He cares for your needs. And you just lay back and keep soaking it in."
May God rid this self-seeking, passive, apathetic approach to prayer from the heart of His church. Wrestle in prayer, struggle, sweat, weep, cry, prostrate yourself before the Lord - understand the profoundity of this thing called prayer, the reality of the war and the power of the One to whom you present your petitions.
The Beginning of a Friendship????
Some people just seem to be magnets for certain kinds of characters. Whether willingly or unwilling, there seems to be some kind of bizarre attracting force between the two dynamics. In my case, it's little boys who have a unruly, defiant streak. They are the ones that most people give up on the fastest, have the least amount of patience with, shush the quickest and blame the problems on the most. But of course, they usually are the cause of the problems. After almost 7 years of childcare, babysitting jobs and even work in a spouse abuse shelter, I've had a few of these. Tyler, Wyatt, Jacob, Austin. Nobody wanted to deal with them, so they, more or less, got thrown to me. But that's fine. Sure they try my patience, but they intrigue me also. Because their unruliness and defiance isn't just unruliness and defiance. There's usually a deeper underlying issue. That issue doesn't justify their bad behavior, but it does explain it. I have always wanted to understand that deeper issue and help them overcome it, because the truth is, that most of the kids with that attitude have a tremendous amount of potential. If they could only learn self-control and respect, what amazing influences they would be. If they are so good at being bad, think of how good they could be at being good!
Enter Patrick. He's a little boy with big smile and an even bigger attitude. When Patrick loves you, my does he love you. But when he doesn't love you, which he claims is quite often, look out! I have been on both sides of his fence, just today. I don't know yet what Patrick's deeper issue is. But I know one thing. The behavior definitely has a root. Every time he tells me how much he doesn't like me, he always waits to see if I will tell him again that I still love him. He seems to want to push the envelope to the point of no return. I will not chase after him or beg him to be my friend. But even in the short amount of time that I will be here, I want him to understand that I'm always available for a hug or game or smile or song or whatever he wants. Sometimes he just wants to sit and talk. It's always a half English/half Luganda type of thing. I'm lucky if I understand the half English part. But hopefully, he'll never know that.
For whatever reason, Patrick seems to want assurance of love. This is where the difference between American and African children stops. All children have an innate need and desire to be loved, and to know that no matter what, that love will not fade or change or disappear based on circumstances or behavior. If a child is secure in love, more often than not, their behavior falls in line because they want to please the person who loves them. My buddy Tyler, when he got upset, used to back into me and grab my hands. I would wrap him as tight as I could. I remember how it felt when his body went limp in my arms. All the tension of the situation that angered him was gone; he knew that he was with someone he could trust and who loved him, no matter how he reacted. I wasn't always happy with him, mind you, but I still loved him. And believe me, if anyone knew, Tyler knew when Miss Meaghan was not happy. But he also knew that when he came to me, I would hold him until he calmed down. He would turn and look up at me with those dark brown eyes of his, wipe the dirty blond hair out of his face and give me the biggest smile ever. "I'm OK," he would say. "Alright, Old Man. Good job. I'm proud of you." With that, he head off to go play again.
I see so much of Tyler in Patrick, and I can't help but wonder if he just wants to know for sure, for really, really sure, that when I say I love him, I mean it. All kids need boundaries. They need standards and disciple. But they also need love. Maybe Africa isn't so different from the States. Sure the face of things looks a little different. Economics may be different, society may be different, culture, music, priorities may be different. But the weightier matters, that of love and trust and family are very much the same. I aim to get past Patrick's rough exterior to his little heart. I want him to know that there is at least one person who loves him, even when he doesn't love me. Isn't that what it looks like to love like Jesus loved? He loved me when I didn't love Him. He was the father, waiting for the prodigal daughter to come home long before "home" ever crossed my mind. If Jesus loved me that much, how much more can I show that love to Patrick? Please join with me in praying for this little boy. He is precious in the sight of God, and he has stolen my heart, even with all his strange and often annoying ways.
"But God demonstrated His own love towards us in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." Romans 5:8
"In this is love, not that we loved God but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins." 1 John 4:10
"And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you." Ephesians 4:32
Tuesday, April 9, 2013
Here We Go!!!
Today is the day, my friends! Meet the Africa teams:
Kenya
Uganda
Ok, meet the Central American teams too!
Costa Rica
Guatemala
Kenya
 |
| Ian Osterland, Amy Sunde, Paden Belleque |
 |
| Grant Smucker, Adelaide Riggle, Meaghan Mahoney, Timothy Bennet |
Ok, meet the Central American teams too!
Costa Rica
 |
| Tina Montefusco, Jessica Andre |
Guatemala
 |
| Monica Gutierrez, Jillian Grace, Michaela Magin |
IGNITE Winter 2013
For anyone wondering what my team look like or what we have been doing in the past 3 months here is the link to a video that was made condensing phase one into a small capsule. :) Enjoy!
http://vimeo.com/62720601
Saturday, April 6, 2013
Wonder
O God of every lofty mountain
And all low-hanging mist
By You all things were made
And in You all things do exists
You rule o'er every towering mountain
Each blade of grass and flower
And all creation does declare
Your majesty and power
O God who walked redemption's road
While beaten, ripped and torn
Thorns on Your head, cross on Your back
Bearing ridicule and scorn
There upon the cursed tree
A sacrifice of love
Was spilled out for all mankind
The Lamb's own perfect blood
O God of perfect holiness
Of righteousness and light
Before You imperfections quake
And darkness flees at Your sight
Who can stand before the Truth
Your judgments all are pure
In You there is no shadow
Every word You speak is sure
O God whose reign will rule the world
Who's coming back again
Every tongue will declare Your glory
And before You every knee will bend
Your kingdom will not falter
Your rule, it knows no bounds
As our praises rise before You
The earth trembles at the sound
O God of all that was and is
And that will ever be
Let me not forget to wonder
That You stoop to talk to me
In light of all You are
And all the mighty things You do
May every fiber of my being
Become a act of praise to You
Having a Form of Godliness
"For I say to you, that unless your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and the Pharisees, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven."
Matthew 5:20
They were some of the most highly educated and well respected men of their day. Trained in the law both to copy and perform, the scribes and Pharisees were certainly on the upper ring of the religious hierarchy. Their prayers were grander, their fasts were longer, their charitable deeds were more visible, even their phylacteries were bigger! How could anyone exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees.
"The scribes and Pharisees sit in Moses' seat. Therefore whatever they tell you to observe, that observe and do, but do not do according to their works, for they say and do not do." Matthew 23:2-3
And Jesus goes on to expose their hypocrisy and self-righteousness. That what happens when we begin to see "least-of-these" commandments in Scripture. We begin to mentally hi-lite the verses we deem as important and relative and white-off, so to speak, those that we consider obsolete or inconvenient. As did the scribes and Pharisees, we can claim to esteem the Scriptures, all the while denying the wholeness and power thereof.
In Matthew 15, Jesus asks the religious leaders,
"Why do you transgress the commandment of God because of your traditions? For God commanded saying, 'Honor your father and mother and he who curses father or mother, let him be put to death.' But you say, 'Whoever says to his father or mother, Whatever profit you might have received from me is a gift to God - then he need not honor his father or mother. Thus you have made the commandment of God of no effect by your traditions. Hypocrites! Well did Isaiah prophesy about you saying, 'These people draw near to Me with their mouths, and honor Me with their lips, but their hearts are far from Me. And in vain they worship Me, teaching as doctrine the commandments of men."
And therein lies the ultimate issue, that of the heart. They said with their mouths that they esteemed the law but really it was to them the writings of dead men, in desperate need of their help and expertise. They outwardly appeared to be honoring the commandments, but they were using it for their own benefit. They went so far even as to literally bind the Scriptures to their foreheads and hands, but they were manipulating it for their own selfish purposes. That's not respect; that's hypocrisy.
As believers now, how often do we act the same way? Do we behave as thought the Scriptures were nothing more than the writings of dead men? Probably more often then we care to admit. At least, that's true for me. May the Lord stir in His people an awe and reverence for His word.
"For the Lord of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of the soul and the spirit, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart." Hebrews 4:12
Application: Memorize Colossians 2:18-3:4
Matthew 5:20
They were some of the most highly educated and well respected men of their day. Trained in the law both to copy and perform, the scribes and Pharisees were certainly on the upper ring of the religious hierarchy. Their prayers were grander, their fasts were longer, their charitable deeds were more visible, even their phylacteries were bigger! How could anyone exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees.
"The scribes and Pharisees sit in Moses' seat. Therefore whatever they tell you to observe, that observe and do, but do not do according to their works, for they say and do not do." Matthew 23:2-3
And Jesus goes on to expose their hypocrisy and self-righteousness. That what happens when we begin to see "least-of-these" commandments in Scripture. We begin to mentally hi-lite the verses we deem as important and relative and white-off, so to speak, those that we consider obsolete or inconvenient. As did the scribes and Pharisees, we can claim to esteem the Scriptures, all the while denying the wholeness and power thereof.
In Matthew 15, Jesus asks the religious leaders,
"Why do you transgress the commandment of God because of your traditions? For God commanded saying, 'Honor your father and mother and he who curses father or mother, let him be put to death.' But you say, 'Whoever says to his father or mother, Whatever profit you might have received from me is a gift to God - then he need not honor his father or mother. Thus you have made the commandment of God of no effect by your traditions. Hypocrites! Well did Isaiah prophesy about you saying, 'These people draw near to Me with their mouths, and honor Me with their lips, but their hearts are far from Me. And in vain they worship Me, teaching as doctrine the commandments of men."
And therein lies the ultimate issue, that of the heart. They said with their mouths that they esteemed the law but really it was to them the writings of dead men, in desperate need of their help and expertise. They outwardly appeared to be honoring the commandments, but they were using it for their own benefit. They went so far even as to literally bind the Scriptures to their foreheads and hands, but they were manipulating it for their own selfish purposes. That's not respect; that's hypocrisy.
As believers now, how often do we act the same way? Do we behave as thought the Scriptures were nothing more than the writings of dead men? Probably more often then we care to admit. At least, that's true for me. May the Lord stir in His people an awe and reverence for His word.
"For the Lord of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of the soul and the spirit, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart." Hebrews 4:12
Application: Memorize Colossians 2:18-3:4
The Law of Love Fulfilled
"Do not think I came to destroy the law and the prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill."
Matthew 5:17
There are lots of Bible verses that I could quote but I'd rather quote a Catholic philosopher, St. Thomas Aquinas. Not my favorite of the Catholic quotes in my repertoire, but it sums up my thoughts on this verse pretty well: Love God and do what thou wilt; this is the whole of the law.
Christ is the word made flesh, grace and truth revealed. As the word (or the Law) became flesh and fulfilled, only one thing remained: to love the Lord. The requirement to keep the law in order to obtain salvation is abolished because Christ fulfilled the the righteous requirement of the law in His sacrificial death. As believers, we then relinquish all claims to self-reliance. all is fulfilled in Jesus Christ. We are not under the law but under grace. Can I therefore, do whatever I want, whenever I want, however I want? In Paul's epic words, Certainly not!
If the one law that remains is to love God, will by actions not line up with His word? It is not because I am bound again to the law, but as a voluntary act of love towards God. I recognize that the law cannot save me, nor can it keep me, but I also recognize that it is the guideline by which I can live the better life. The commandments of God are not burdensome as the apostle John puts it; rather they are for my good. But perhaps more than that, they afford the opportunity to die to myself and help others. Paul says in Romans 14:14-21
"I know and am convinced by the Lord Jesus that there is nothing unclean of itself; but to him who considers anything unclean, to him it is unclean. Yet if your brother is grieved because of your food, you are no longer walking in love. Do not destroy with your food the one who whom Christ died. Therefore do not let your good be spoken of as evil; for the kingdom of God is not eating or drinking, but righteousness, joy and peace in the Holy Spirit. For he who serves Christ in these things is acceptable to God and approved by men. Therefore let us pursue the things which make for peace and the things by which one may edify another. Do not destroy the work of God for the sake of food. All things indeed are pure, but it is evil for the man who eats with offense. It is good neither to eat meat nor drink wine nor do anything by which your brother stumbles or is offended or is made weak."
My liberty is nullified if it stumbles my brother and sister. If Christ gave up what was His by right for the sake of His creation, how much more should I give up what is only mine by grace for my fellow servant?
"Do to others as you have them do to you, for this sums up the law and the prophets."
Matthew 7:12
Application: Today I will look for an opportunity to live my the law of love rather than the law of liberty.
Matthew 5:17
There are lots of Bible verses that I could quote but I'd rather quote a Catholic philosopher, St. Thomas Aquinas. Not my favorite of the Catholic quotes in my repertoire, but it sums up my thoughts on this verse pretty well: Love God and do what thou wilt; this is the whole of the law.
Christ is the word made flesh, grace and truth revealed. As the word (or the Law) became flesh and fulfilled, only one thing remained: to love the Lord. The requirement to keep the law in order to obtain salvation is abolished because Christ fulfilled the the righteous requirement of the law in His sacrificial death. As believers, we then relinquish all claims to self-reliance. all is fulfilled in Jesus Christ. We are not under the law but under grace. Can I therefore, do whatever I want, whenever I want, however I want? In Paul's epic words, Certainly not!
If the one law that remains is to love God, will by actions not line up with His word? It is not because I am bound again to the law, but as a voluntary act of love towards God. I recognize that the law cannot save me, nor can it keep me, but I also recognize that it is the guideline by which I can live the better life. The commandments of God are not burdensome as the apostle John puts it; rather they are for my good. But perhaps more than that, they afford the opportunity to die to myself and help others. Paul says in Romans 14:14-21
"I know and am convinced by the Lord Jesus that there is nothing unclean of itself; but to him who considers anything unclean, to him it is unclean. Yet if your brother is grieved because of your food, you are no longer walking in love. Do not destroy with your food the one who whom Christ died. Therefore do not let your good be spoken of as evil; for the kingdom of God is not eating or drinking, but righteousness, joy and peace in the Holy Spirit. For he who serves Christ in these things is acceptable to God and approved by men. Therefore let us pursue the things which make for peace and the things by which one may edify another. Do not destroy the work of God for the sake of food. All things indeed are pure, but it is evil for the man who eats with offense. It is good neither to eat meat nor drink wine nor do anything by which your brother stumbles or is offended or is made weak."
My liberty is nullified if it stumbles my brother and sister. If Christ gave up what was His by right for the sake of His creation, how much more should I give up what is only mine by grace for my fellow servant?
"Do to others as you have them do to you, for this sums up the law and the prophets."
Matthew 7:12
Application: Today I will look for an opportunity to live my the law of love rather than the law of liberty.
Be A Lamp in the Window for My Wandering Boy
"Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven."
Matthew 5:16
Imagine, it's a cold dark night. Your wet from the incessant snow falling gently all around you. You're tired from tramping through the slush and ice. In the distance you see a light as you move closer to it, you find a house. All you can see from the outside is the welcoming glow of the oil lamps through the frosted windows beckoning you in. Christian, you are the oil lamp inside that house.
But do we realize that the lamp in and of itself has no value or usefulness. It is merely a decorative knick-knack whose sole purpose is to collect dust. Ah, but add oil and a wick and the lamp becomes an instrument of infinite value to a cold, weary stranger, who can now find refuge in the house. And as the light casts its friendly glow, it doesn't bring glory to itself; it shines so that the house might be recognized as a place of shelter.
Apart from the Light of the World and the fuel of the Holy Spirit, we are useless brick-a-brack. Jesus said in John 15:5 - "Without Me, you can do nothing." I love what Moses tells Israel in Deuteronomy 7:6-8:
"For you are a holy people to the Lord your God; the Lord your God has chosen you to be a people for Himself, a special treasure above all the peoples on the face of the earth. The Lord did not set His love on you nor choose you because you were more in number than any other people, for you were least of all the peoples; but because the Lord loves you and would keep the oath which He swore to your fathers. . ."
I bring nothing to the table. All I am is an empty vessel, powerless to do anything on my own. But when I am available to the Lord, He fills me with His power and lights the wick. I become both useful and beautiful. But wait, it gets better!
Not only do I myself become a thing of value, bearing both light and warmth, but the light that now emanates from me proves the house to be a suitable shelter, a place of refuge for weary souls. When my light shines before men, it brings glory to my Father in heaven. God doesn't need my help to prove His worth; He doesn't need my light to expose Him for who He is. He Himself dwells in unapproachable light. But the eyes of the wanderer are darkened and they need something or someone to show them the way. I am so glad that the Lord uses weak vessels to prove His glory.
But isn't it funny how prideful we can get? The light is not my own, the power is not my own, the room is not my own. All I have to offer is completely from the Lord. He deserves the glory and the praise.
"We are His workmanship, created for good works in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them." Ephesians 2:10
Matthew 5:16
Imagine, it's a cold dark night. Your wet from the incessant snow falling gently all around you. You're tired from tramping through the slush and ice. In the distance you see a light as you move closer to it, you find a house. All you can see from the outside is the welcoming glow of the oil lamps through the frosted windows beckoning you in. Christian, you are the oil lamp inside that house.
But do we realize that the lamp in and of itself has no value or usefulness. It is merely a decorative knick-knack whose sole purpose is to collect dust. Ah, but add oil and a wick and the lamp becomes an instrument of infinite value to a cold, weary stranger, who can now find refuge in the house. And as the light casts its friendly glow, it doesn't bring glory to itself; it shines so that the house might be recognized as a place of shelter.
Apart from the Light of the World and the fuel of the Holy Spirit, we are useless brick-a-brack. Jesus said in John 15:5 - "Without Me, you can do nothing." I love what Moses tells Israel in Deuteronomy 7:6-8:
"For you are a holy people to the Lord your God; the Lord your God has chosen you to be a people for Himself, a special treasure above all the peoples on the face of the earth. The Lord did not set His love on you nor choose you because you were more in number than any other people, for you were least of all the peoples; but because the Lord loves you and would keep the oath which He swore to your fathers. . ."
I bring nothing to the table. All I am is an empty vessel, powerless to do anything on my own. But when I am available to the Lord, He fills me with His power and lights the wick. I become both useful and beautiful. But wait, it gets better!
Not only do I myself become a thing of value, bearing both light and warmth, but the light that now emanates from me proves the house to be a suitable shelter, a place of refuge for weary souls. When my light shines before men, it brings glory to my Father in heaven. God doesn't need my help to prove His worth; He doesn't need my light to expose Him for who He is. He Himself dwells in unapproachable light. But the eyes of the wanderer are darkened and they need something or someone to show them the way. I am so glad that the Lord uses weak vessels to prove His glory.
But isn't it funny how prideful we can get? The light is not my own, the power is not my own, the room is not my own. All I have to offer is completely from the Lord. He deserves the glory and the praise.
"We are His workmanship, created for good works in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them." Ephesians 2:10
Sunday, March 24, 2013
It's Not How You Start
"But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified."
1 Corinthians 9:27
"But he who endures to the end shall be saved." Matthew 24:13 It's the end of the game that counts, not the beginning.
King Joash of Judah started out great. He did what was right in the sight of the Lord and rebuilt the temple according to all the specifications of the law of Moses. The kingdom was prosperous under him and the people followed God. Then Jehoida the priest died. All too soon Joash forgot the council of this godly man and turned instead to the advice of the elders of the land. The nation soon turned against the Lord and to the worship of idols. Joash's heart was so full of wickedness that he ended up murdering Jehoida's sons whom God sent to warn him to repent. Later on, Joash's own servants murdered him for the brutality he showed to the son's of Jehoida.
King Uzziah was another one who started out well. The Bible says that he sought the Lord and God made him proper in wealth and military strength, so much so that "his fame spread far and wide, for he was marvelously helped" until he became strong. When he became strong, his heart was lifted up, to his destruction, for he transgressed against the Lord his God." (2 Chronicles 26:15-16) To make a long story short, he got a little too big for his britches. In his pride and delusional self-reliance, he entered the temple to burn incense and the Lord struck him with leprosy. He died a leper. And do you know that neither of these kings were buried in the tombs of the kings. It's not how you start, it's how you finish.
I am a notoriously bad finisher. It is the discipline that the Lord has convicted me of this week. At the beginning of a project, I'm gung-ho, all in, let's do it! But about 60% of the way through, I get distracted or amused with something else. I lost interest in what I started and no longer care about seeing it through to completion. Or I become compulsive about it and take it to an unhealthy level of obsession that occupies my mind constantly in disproportionate ratios to any other thought or consideration. Either way, it's a bad ending. And that is how I have functioned through most of my adult life. . .and not-so adult life.
This one discipline or lack thereof, bleeds into every aspect of my life. Diet, guitar, art, Scripture memory, reading, relationships, ministries. . .even as I put my degree program on hold for a year to come to Potter's Field, I half expected to quit not because God was calling me to leave it but because I'm bored of it.
But you know what I can imagine? In my mind's eye, I can imagine the absolute thrill and ecstasy it must be to hear the voice of Jesus say, "Well done, thou good and faithful servant. Enter into your rest." I want to hear those words. I want to feel the smile of my Father. It will probably be the same scene as when a child presents a picture to their parent. They tried to color in the lines, but the crayons got unruly. The started using "real" colors, but there were so many pretty ones that they just had to use them all. No, I'll never master this thing they call life, but I want to finish it well. Maybe not in first, but I'm sure going to try.
Application: I will finish memorizing Acts 20:22-32
I Did It On Purpose
"Do you not know that those who run in a race all run but one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may attain it."
1 Corinthians 9:24
This verse screams one word at me: Intentional. It means to be "done consciously," "fully considered," "not impulsive," "done or acting in a careful or unhurried way." For me, that carries a lot of weight with it, because, quite honestly, I am not a person of intention.
I'm from New York. New Yorkers are always going somewhere. We often don't know where we are going or why, but by Jove, we're going there! I guess if you look like you know what you're doing, nobody will question you. I know so many people back home who are constantly moving but never necessarily doing anything. They had no intent, no purpose. I was one of them. I allowed myself to become so caught up in the rat race that I lost my vision. Even though at the end of the day I was tired and worn out from the nonstop activity, I felt useless. What value was there in what I was doing? I could point to a number of noble causes that I was involved in and most people would have said that I was mature young person but the truth remained that there was no intent behind by motions. I was aimlessly living and allowing life to happen to me. Let me tell you, that will drain the life out of you. . .fast!
I think one of my main issues with being intentional is in the definition. In order to intentionally do something, one has to carefully and fully consider it and approach it in an unhurried way. That means that you know what you're getting into. You've weighed the cost and determined that it is worth it. Being intentional holds the implications of commitments. Jesus said that whoever puts his hand to the plow and turns back is not worthy of the kingdom of heaven. In Luke 14:28-32, He says,
"For which of you, intending to build a tower, does not sit down and first count the cost, whether he has enough to finish it - lest after he has laid the foundation, and is not able to finish it, all who see it begin to mock him, saying, 'This man began to build a tower and was not able to finish it.' Or what king, going to war with another king, does not sit down and first consider whether he is able to with 10,000 meet him who comes against him with 20,000? Or else, while the other is still a great way off, he sends a delegation an asks for conditions of peace."
So should my life be, intentional and committed. No one wins a race on accident. I want to run this race of faith in such a way that I might attain the prize.
Not Worth It?
"I have become all things to all men, that I might by all means save some. Now this I do for the gospel's sake, that I may be a partaker of it with you."
1 Corinthians 9:22b-23
While reading the Principles for Christian Service book a few weeks ago, a certain line struck me. The author first quotes 2 Corinthians 4:5 which says, "For we do not preach ourselves but Christ Jesus the Lord, and ourselves your bondservants for Jesus' sake." Then he makes this statment, "We serve God's people, not for our sake, or even for their sake, but for Jesus' sake." Wow, that's pretty incredible. I guess it links back to the "whatsoever you've done to the least of these, you've done it unto Me."
The Lord has been so gracious in dealing with me on this issue. My inclination is to not like people. It's not necessarily that I particularly dislike them, I just don't like them. I tend to think the worst and keep my expectations low. I've learned a lot about that in recent days but before I go there, what is God's summation of the humanity?
"The heart is decietful above all thins and desperately wicked. Who can know it?" Jeremiah 17:9
"Then the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great on the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually." Genesis 6:5
Oh, but that's the God of the Old Testament. The Jesus of the New Testament would never say something like that! He just wants us all to get along. Really?
"Brood of vipers! How can you, being evil, speak good things? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks." Matthew 12:34
And you don't even want to know what He said to the Pharisees in Matthew 23, or how He cleansed the temple, or how the apostle Paul quoted the Old Testament, as well as said some of his own things about the wickedness of humanity. No, mankind is certainly basically bad. However, the reality of man's unworthiness does not effect God's response to us. In fact, it was the reality of our unworthiness that made Christ go to the cross. Had we been worthy, He wouldn't have needed to come.
"For when we were still without strength, in due time, Christ died for the ungodly. . .But God demonstrates His won love towards us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us." Romans5:6,8
Jesus only ever did the things that please the Father. He spoke what the Father told Him to speak, He did what the Father wanted Him to do. Yes, Jesus loves us but He also set a precident for us in our attitude towards service. Ministry isn't about us or even about "them." It's all about Him.
Somedays, there are just some people who don't seem "worth it" to me. It is especially at those times that I need to remember to do all things as unto the Lord. After all, if Jesus died for me, the epitome of unworthiness, how much more should I be willing to die for others.
Application: Today, I will serve others even when I don't particularly want to or feel that they don't deserve it.
Wednesday, March 6, 2013
Whose Righteousness
And be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith."
Philippians 3:9
I don't know, maybe I am one of those fanatic, right-wing extremists but I happen to believe in hard work and personal responsibility. I was raised in a home where that was valued and taught. Once upon a time, my family qualified for government assistence. Of course, we never accepted that because my parents believed in hard work and living within our means. We did without, we skimped and scraped. We always had food on our table and a roof over our heads. My dad worked as many hours as he had to to see to that. We were always provided for.Now I continue to live that kind of life. I've worked in some capacity since I was able. Before coming to Potter's Field I worked a full time job on top of college course. I refused to incur student loans. I paid my tuition out of my own pocket. When I needed a car I bought it for cash with my money that I'd saved. It's nothing fancy, just a 2000 Daewoo station wagon. It's got its personality flaws but it's my car. I bought it. I pay my own insurance. It's mine. It belongs to me. I work hard for what I want/need and if I can't afford it, I do without until I can afford it. Simple as that.
It's that self-reliance, pull-myself-up-by-my-own-bootstraps mentality that makes this verse difficult to me. Why would I want righteousness from God when I can have my own righteousness? Well, there's a very big problem with my righteousness - it comes from the law, the law that I cannot keep.
"For as many are of theworks of the law are under the curse; for it is written, 'Cursed is everone who does not continue in all the things which are written in the book of the law, to do them.' But that no one is justified by the law in the sight of God is evident, for 'the just shall live by faith.' Yet the law is not of faith, but the man who does them shall live by them."
Galations 3:10-12
The problem with my righteousness is that I am incapable of keeping the whole law 100% of the time. And in the sight of a holy God, anything less than perfection is filthy rags. Seems like a high standard? An unattainable objective? It is. Because the standard is not Joe Shoe sitting next to you; it's Jesus. As a perfect God, He cannot allow imperfection otherwise He ceases to be perfect. But His mercy is so great, He does not leave me to my own filthy rags. He offers me His own righteousness. He fulfilled the whole of the law, thereby becoming the perfect sacrifice for my sins. So the choice is mine. I can either be found in my own filthy, stinky rags, like a ragged street urchin or I can be found in Christ, robed in His righteousness, clean and pure in the eyes of God, not of my own merit or effort but only because of what He's already done for me.
"For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, on account of sin: He condemned sin in the flesh, that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according tot he flesh but according to the Spirit."
Romans 8:3-4
Application: Tonight before bed I will spend time meditating on Psalm 4, which speaks of the God of my righteousness.Monday, March 4, 2013
Rubbish
“Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ.”
Philippians 3:8
I can remember when I was a little girl, staring up at a poster of names of Jesus. Not all His names, mind you, but a lot of them, at least, to a little girl they were a lot. In those younger, innocent days, I wanted to study every one of them. I wanted to know Jesus in every aspect of His name. Then I got older and distracted. The frame on the poster broke and it sat between the wall and the couch for who knows how long. I heaped up for myself work and school, this and that and eventually forgot about the names of Jesus. Now I’m in NoWhere, Montana with nothing to grab my focus except Christ. Actually, in one of our classes we are reading through the life of Christ and writing down the names/attributes of Jesus. Often times the whiteboard is completely filled. Funny how the past comes back to haunt you. J
Derailing from that train of thought for a moment, it’s not that the things that distracted me were bad necessarily, although I certainly added plenty of “bad” to my list of things to do. Regardless, they were distractions, distractions from the best thing, distractions from Jesus. In the vast scheme of things, they were rubbish.
“He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of ME. And he who loves son or daughter more than ME is not worthy of Me. And he who does not take up his cross and follow Me is not worthy of Me.” Matthew 10:37-38
God doesn’t want us to not love people. On the contrary, He commands it! Not only are we called to love people but our enemies, no less. But if we love people more than we love God, um, that we’re going to have a problem. Counting those things as rubbish, we hold them loosely, not counting them worthy to get between us and the Lord.
But when those things are laid down at the feet of Jesus, He blesses us more than we would ever imagine. He restored to Job wealth and family. He will restore to us in the ways we’d never suspect. But more than that, we gain Christ. He is the prize. He is the pearl of great price. He is the treasure that we seek. And as we gaze into His face, all the things of this world will grow strangely dim in the light of His glory and grace.
Application: Today I will make a list of 3 things that I am holding onto and lay them down at the foot of the cross.
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