Panic or Ponder

When I was a younger man, I was convinced that when I reached a certain age, I would have life figured out, that the questions would be settled by time and experience. Many questions have found answers, but many remain. What I now realize more than then is the importance of being willing to wait, to walk through the mystery with faith intact. God’s ways sometimes confound me, sometimes confuse me. How about you?

Faith has taught me to worship Him even in such moments.

The Christmas story brings us a moment like that in the life of Jesus’ mother. We read this: “But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart.” (Luke 2)

That sentence, in the middle of Luke’s story of the birth of Jesus, brings me wonderful peace. Mary was told about God’s plan in Nazareth by an angel and yet at the day of the birth of Jesus when she heard about the angelic announcement during the visit of shepherds, she was left to wonder at it all. It did not make sense to her, at that moment.

Reflecting on that same thought of her wonder, Mark Lowry wrote a song that asks “Mary, did you know…? One of the verses says -

Mary, did you know
That your baby boy is Lord of all creation?
Mary, did you know
That your baby boy will one day rule the nations?
Did you know
That your baby boy is heaven's perfect Lamb?
This sleeping child you're holding
Is the Great I Am?

When that blessed woman stood 33 years later at the foot of the gruesome cross where her Son hung dying I wonder if Mary retreated to that Holy Night, to the words of shepherds and angels she has stored up in her heart so that she could draw comfort from knowing that He and she were in the center of the will of God?

As we live through days where noise and confusion is all too common, when our lives go sideways with disappointment, when the future is murky – let’s be willing to return to the Word of God, to the declaration that “in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”  (Romans 8)

When fear pushes us toward panic, let’s choose instead to ponder! As we pause and think, His Spirit can whisper to us about the wonder, the mystery of the Incarnation (God in flesh.)  He is Immanuel - ‘God with us!’

Let’s make sure that in all our celebrations the momentous message is kept in mind. It is summed up this way - "Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.” (Luke 2:11-12, NIV)

I pray for you a most blessed Christmas,
a renewal of love for the Savior,
a re-centering of faith on Him, and
a recommissioning to service of the Baby of Bethlehem,
now the Lord of Heaven and Earth, our King!

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The Heavy Burden of Expectations

Our celebration of Christmas usually comes with a burden of great expectations. The bright lights and nostalgic songs stir up different longings in each of us, don’t they? We want to heal broken relationships. We hope to connect with our family in a way that is meaningful. We want to find the kind of faith that settles our restless heart. We wish for …  yes, you would likely answer that question differently than I would.

But there are choices that we can make that will help us to find our way into the New Year with a richer, fuller heart as we reflect on Christmas, 2024.

First, let’s adjust our expectations of ourselves and others!
Deep inside of us, we can become almost childish thinking that surely the carols, the candles, or even Old Saint Nick will change our lives. We love Dicken’s story of the transformation of Old Scrooge in that tale - "Christmas Carol."  Life doesn’t work that way.

Just because it is Christmas that miserable person that rains on your parade is highly unlikely to turn into Sam Sunshine. Be realistic! Know, too, that one gift or gesture, as nice or generous as it may be, cannot erase something hurtful from the past. Face the fact that a marriage that is cracking at the seams won't be repaired by an expensive gift. If we are realistic about the limits of the day, it will help us to celebrate with more joy.

Second, focus on the spiritual part of the Season.
Yep, you've heard that before, too, haven't you? It is celebration of Christ's birthday. You won't find Him on Amazon.com or in the twinkling lights of the decorations. Giving gifts can be a lot of fun. Decorating our homes and offices can add a festive air. Parties are great, sometimes.

It is worship, however, that brings true peace, which connects us to the One who came to be our Prince of Peace. Every year in my pastoral ministry I have urged people to carve out moments in which they can listen to God's voice, pray, meditate, and know Gods’ peace. Mostly we don’t!  But, I hope you will.

Serve someone in the Name of Jesus with no ulterior motive. Go to church having prepared your heart to participate in the corporate acts of worship.

Third, admit to yourself - "I cannot do it all!"
Somebody will be disappointed that you didn't get to their party. Somebody won't get the perfect gift. The pie you bake might turn out with a burnt crust. Uncle Joe may growl at your kids and remind you that you are a failure as a parent. Nobody’s 100%, able to please, and mega-competent.

It's all right to be human. Admit it - first to yourself. If you own your own humanity, it is a way to unload a ton of pressure.

And, don't forget to be child-like.
Give yourself permission to experience some wonder. Let the Grinch be cynical! Laugh at those things that are absurd. Hug Grandma. Sing, even if you can't, and enjoy the experience. Ponder the story of a Baby born in a manger, of Shepherds who heard angels sing, of God come to earth to change everything, including your eternal destiny. Ask God to give you the eyes of a child again.

I think if you'll do these things, January 1st will roll around, and you'll wish it were still Christmas, instead of being glad it is gone for another year. Let me know, won't you?

Read these ancient words today. I pray that you will experience something like the wonder in the word from the Word.

"And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered. And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn. And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.

And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord." (Luke 2:6-11, KJV)
"And all they that heard it wondered at those things ..." (Luke 2:18, KJV)

There we find the hope of humanity, our salvation, and an anchor for all of life’s storms.
Remember Jesus!

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Time to Think About It

Did your Mom ever give you a ‘time out?’  When you were disobedient or making life difficult for her perhaps you heard her say something like this – “You need to go sit on the sofa and get yourself together.” It might have just been a frustrated parent saying, “I need a break.” But, in the best world, it is a discipline aimed at forming some greater awareness, a way for the errant child to hopefully understand what he is doing and how he needs to adjust.

Did you know that God gives us a “time out” occasionally? He never just gets tired and puts us out of sight. His purpose is to help us grow in grace, to come to a place where we are better prepared to receive His will.

Part of the story of Jesus’ birth includes a kind of ‘time out.’  An older priest was selected to be the one who entered the Holy Place bearing incense, offering up the prayers of the people to a Holy God. It was a privileged honor, perhaps the only time he got to do it in his entire lifetime.  While Zechariah was there, God’s messenger showed up telling him he was going to be a father, something that was naturally impossible given the advanced age of his wife, Elizabeth, and himself.

Luke tells the story. Zechariah asked the angel, “How can I be sure of this? I am an old man and my wife is well along in years.”  The angel said to him, “I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, and I have been sent to speak to you and to tell you this good news. And now you will be silent and not able to speak until the day this happens, because you did not believe my words, which will come true at their appointed time.”  (Luke 1: 18-19)

Zechariah got a ‘time out!’  HE had nine months of silence in which to ponder his relationship with God, to think about his depth of faith and the experience changed him. Their son was born just as Gabriel had said. His name? John, the one we call ‘the Baptist’ who was the forerunner of Jesus. His father regained his speech the day he named his son, whose name literally means “The LORD graciously gives.”

Are you questioning God, wondering about His love, pressed by the many activities and responsibilities of life, especially in this Season? Give yourself a ‘time out.’ 

Tish Harrison Warren writes “Advent exists so that every heart can "prepare him room." And this preparation cannot merely be an abstract idea. We prepare Christ's room by rearranging our schedules to prioritize silence, contemplation, and reflection. That doesn't mean we have to escape to a monastery ...  but the call of Advent is to make space and time to be healed and renewed, even if it's only for a few minutes a day.”

As has been said many times, our lives will be overtaken by the tyranny of the urgent unless we learn to put the important things first. God asks us, as His people, to keep Him first, to listen for the whisper of the Spirit and to walk in the Way He plans for us.

Finding that way will require time of worship, time alone to reflect, intentional focus on contemplative prayer. Perhaps you need to give yourself a ‘time out?’

Our word from the Word is a simple prayer, first prayed by a little boy named Samuel, as God called him to a lifetime of service. We would do well to make it our prayer.

“Again the Lord called, “Samuel!” And Samuel got up and went to Eli and said, “Here I am; you called me.” “My son,” Eli said, “I did not call; go back and lie down.”

Now Samuel did not yet know the Lord: The word of the Lord had not yet been revealed to him. A third time the Lord called, “Samuel!” And Samuel got up and went to Eli and said, “Here I am; you called me.”

Then Eli realized that the Lord was calling the boy. So Eli told Samuel, “Go and lie down, and if he calls you, say, ‘Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening.’” So Samuel went and lay down in his place. The Lord came and stood there, calling as at the other times, “Samuel! Samuel!”

Then Samuel said, “Speak, for your servant is listening.”  (1 Samuel 3)

Here I am, Lord, listening and waiting on You. Amen.

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God wins!

My Christian Education class of 5th and 6th graders is doing a survey of the Bible this year. Last night we came to the book of the Revelation. How does one take such a complex book and even make it remotely comprehensible to such young minds? l summarized it this way - God wins.

It is true that the book is full of words we find hard to fully understand and images that are strange and wonderful, but the richness of the book comes in its revelation of Jesus Christ as Master and Lord and King.

When we are discouraged or afraid John’s description of our Majestic Lord cannot help but renew our faith, right? “He was wearing a long robe with a gold sash across his chest. His head and his hair were white like wool, as white as snow. And his eyes were like flames of fire. His feet were like polished bronze refined in a furnace, and his voice thundered like mighty ocean waves. He held seven stars in his right hand, and a sharp two-edged sword came from his mouth. And his face was like the sun in all its brilliance.” (Revelation 1)

The following chapters recount, in strange symbolic language, the triumph of the will of God and the struggles of His people as He works with them by His power, carrying them through incredible times of suffering and pain. God’s messenger tells John about the victory. “Now have come the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God, and the authority of his Messiah. For the accuser of our brothers and sisters, who accuses them before our God day and night, has been hurled down. They triumphed over him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony; they did not love their lives so much as to shrink from death. Therefore rejoice, you heavens and you who dwell in them!”  (Revelation 12:10-12)

You are NOT a victim of evil nor are you helpless when temptation comes. Full of the Spirit and trained by the Holy Word, you can triumph!

And then we come to this, the glorious declaration of the end of the human saga and the full Revelation of Christ. “Praise the Lord! For the Lord our God, the Almighty, reigns. Let us be glad and rejoice and let us give honor to him.

For the time has come for the wedding feast of the Lamb, and his bride has prepared herself. She has been given the finest of pure white linen to wear. For the fine linen represents the good deeds of God’s holy people.

… Then I saw heaven opened, and a white horse was standing there. Its rider was named Faithful and True, for he judges fairly and wages a righteous war. His eyes were like flames of fire, and on his head were many crowns. … On his robe at his thigh was written this title: King of all kings and Lord of all lords.” (Revelation 19)

In Advent, we will celebrate the birth of the Baby in Bethlehem, the Savior who came to reveal the love of God and save us from our sin. AND, we will renew our hope in the Coming King who defeats sin, Hell, and death, ruling in perfect justice. Yes, friend, keep the faith. It is true: God wins!

The word from the Word urges us to stay steady, to finish well with hope. Take it to heart as you begin this new week. ^“But thank God! He gives us victory over sin and death through our Lord Jesus Christ. So, my dear brothers and sisters, be strong and immovable. Always work enthusiastically for the Lord, for you know that nothing you do for the Lord is ever useless.”  (1 Corinthians 15:57-58)

God wins. Amen

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Pardoned!

The political world is full of noisy debate today following the choice of the out-going President to give his son a full and sweeping pardon, reaching back for a decade, for crimes for which he was facing sentencing later this month. The pardon power of the President is one area in which his authority is much like that of a king. It cannot be challenged!

I, too, am a person who has been pardoned! There were no crimes in my life, but there is sin – choices that alienate me from my Heavenly Father and put me in the way of judgment. I am not unique in that. The Scripture says that "all have sinned; all fall short of God’s glorious standard." (Romans 3:23, NLT) It is mistaken to think that only some great moral failure or murder is of concern to God. He sees selfishness, pride, love of things other than Himself as ‘sin.’  The inescapable fact is that we all fail.

The result is spiritual death!  "For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 6:23, NLT)

We do not like to talk much about sin these days, do we? Oh, yes, we may admit that we make ‘mistakes.’  We love to excuse our choices by pointing to victimization, addiction, or poor parenting as the cause. We are influenced by those things and more, but the fact remains that God has given us the ability to choose our course. We need to know that our finger-pointing and blaming will end when "each of us will give a personal account to God." (Romans 14:12, NLT)

 Is there hope? There is but it is not found in self-improvement, resolving to do better, or personal piety. The stark truth is that no amount of ‘trying’ can change the basic fact of our sinful guilt before a holy God. How I love the words of the second chapter of Ephesians that invite us to a new life, one prepared by God’s unconditional and undeserved pardon.

Even if they are familiar, let these inspired words fill up your mind today. "Once you were dead, doomed forever because of your many sins. … But God is so rich in mercy, and he loved us so very much, that even while we were dead because of our sins, he gave us life when he raised Christ from the dead. (It is only by God’s special favor that you have been saved!) For he raised us from the dead along with Christ, and we are seated with him in the heavenly realms—all because we are one with Christ Jesus.

And so, God can always point to us as examples of the incredible wealth of his favor and kindness toward us, as shown in all he has done for us through Christ Jesus. God saved you by his special favor when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it. For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so that we can do the good things he planned for us long ago." (Ephesians 2:4-10, NLT)

The truth is that we are more than pardoned!
WE are justified, our sins forgiven then erased because of the grace of God and the love of Jesus who died to save us and rose from the dead to lead us to new life.

As you begin this new week, thank God for His love.
Refuse to live with guilt or shame or fear. Instead, receive the gift.

The word from the Word is a powerful truth to live by- “With the arrival of Jesus, the Messiah, that fateful dilemma is resolved. Those who enter into Christ’s being-here-for-us no longer have to live under a continuous, low-lying black cloud. A new power is in operation. The Spirit of life in Christ, like a strong wind, has magnificently cleared the air, freeing you from a fated lifetime of brutal tyranny at the hands of sin and death. " (Romans 8:1-2, The Message)

NO more sin, no more death. I am a child of God.  Are you?

________

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Kept by Hope

Thanksgiving Day was full of loving warmth among friends, funny stories, and great food. I was not eager to see it end. Coming home in the evening to my living room, I sat there gazing at the Christmas tree’s sparkly lights. Overcome with emotion, tears blurred my vision. Oh yes, I am ever so thankful for my children, the rich life I have known personally, and the treasure of many relationships. “Unforgettable” is the way I would describe God’s amazing gifts to me, but I also deeply feel the ache of memories that are full of love but past tense.

My reflections led me to a place where I realized again that despite the inevitable advance of time and age, the inescapable pain of loss to death, there is God’s gift of hope. Christians now step into the brief season of Advent, remembering the One Who came to reconcile humanity to their Creator, and anticipating that He will come again with the complete revelation of the reign of God and the destruction of evil!

The cornerstone of Christianity is the Resurrection of Christ Jesus from the dead which Paul called the “first-fruits” (evidence) of our own immortality. "But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep." (1 Corinthians 15:20, NIV) The many I have laid in their graves are not lost to me forever! My own inevitable appointment with death is not a grim end, but a glorious beginning. This is the HOPE that sustains me.

On a grander scale, Advent announces hope to the world; a place too often marred by war, disease, suffering, floods, and fire. In words defying our full understanding, we are told that the King will come with perfect justice, banishing suffering, wiping away every tear. When Jesus returns, there will be the fulfillment of the promise of John’s Revelation - “Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.” He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!” Then he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.” He said to me: “It is done. I am Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To him who is thirsty I will give to drink without cost from the spring of the water of life." (Revelation 21:3-6, NIV)

So, friends, let’s receive the call of the Spirit in Whom we have hope. The word from the Word says - "Wake up! Strengthen what remains and is about to die, for I have not found your deeds complete in the sight of my God." (Revelation 3:2, NIV) We look forward in faith, with hope, and live with joy!

________

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The not so simple challenge

Let’s take on a challenge together – to be thankful!  Put a daily reminder in your phone, post a note on your fridge. This week practice real gratitude. That sounds simple, but if you listen to your words and those of the people around you, you will discover how much time we spend being anything but grateful. If there is one ugly part of being American, it is that sense of entitlement that makes us think that life owes us a favor. Challenge – be thankful!

Start with the Lord! At the very beginning of the day offer a specific prayer of thanks; for someone, something, for Jesus, for eternal life, for life, for the hope of a new day. Do more than - ‘thank you, God.’   Psalm 136 is a good template if you need a way to get started. “Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good. His faithful love endures forever.” Psalm 136:1 (NLT)

Continue with people you meet! Express your thanks to that woman at the coffee counter, with a smile. Tell your spouse they are appreciated. Write a note to your friend and say “thank you” in a meaningful way. Make it personal!

Genuine thankfulness enriches those who practice it. Gratitude grows faith that makes us pray with expectation. When we are wrapped up in Self, when we complain and criticize too much, we lose sight of what God can do. We do not take the provisions that our Father makes available to us because we become consumed with the desire to live life on my own terms.

Real gratitude is enriching to others. Who does not feel encouraged when someone reminds us of our value to them, or of some way in which we have made life better for them?

God’s will is that we are thankful. The Word simply says- “No matter what happens, always be thankful, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.”  1 Thessalonians 5:18 (NLT)

10 men approached Jesus because they were in a desperate situation. They were ‘lepers.’  Because of their disease, they were required to live in isolation from friends and family, surviving by begging. They were generally despised because most people thought they had leprosy because had done something deserving of God’s judgment! To be a leper at that time was a kind of living death! 

These men heard about Jesus’ healing work and when they saw him, they yelled “Have mercy on us!”  He directed them to an act of faith. “Go show yourself to the priest.”  If a person’s skin issue cleared up, the priest could certify that and allow them to return to society.

"And as they went, they were cleansed. One of them, when he saw he was healed, came back, praising God in a loud voice. He threw himself at Jesus’ feet and thanked him—and he was a Samaritan. Jesus asked, “Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine?" (Luke 17:14-17, NIV) The tragic part of that story is that just one even thought to go back to Jesus and express his gratitude. Luke includes the detail that the grateful one was another kind of social outcast, a Samaritan; not a ‘true child of God’ in the opinion of the majority.

The Bible obscures his true reaction with a dry phrase saying that he was  ‘praising God in a loud voice.’  He was yelling, pointing at his new skin, jumping up and down, and crying. He didn’t kneel reverently when he found Jesus. He threw himself at His feet in an expression of complete humility, realizing he deserved nothing and received everything.

Does the Lord Who gives life and grace to you,
Who has made you part of His eternal family,
Who has fully paid for your deliverance from death,
find Himself looking at a person who, like the nine of Luke’s story, has forgotten the Source of those blessings? Do you remember to give thanks?

Ready to take the GRATITUDE challenge? Make those reminders and start to give thanks. Take a cue from Paul about how to become grateful. We start by becoming totally Jesus focused. "I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through him who gives me strength." (Philippians 4:12-13, NIV)

Here’s a word from the Word, an ancient song sung by those who recalled the Lord’s mercies in restoring His people to their land and faith after a long time in captivity. Make it your song today.

"When the Lord brought back his exiles to Jerusalem, it was like a dream!
We were filled with laughter, and we sang for joy. And the other nations said,
“What amazing things the Lord has done for them.”
Yes, the Lord has done amazing things for us!
What joy!

Restore our fortunes, Lord, as streams renew the desert.
Those who plant in tears will harvest with shouts of joy.
They weep as they go to plant their seed, but they sing as they return with the harvest."

(Psalm 126, NLT)

Don’t be one of the 9 who forgot their Source!
Be the 1 who was thankful!

___________

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That’s not what I ordered

I went to a local eatery this week and ordered fajitas. Anticipating the sizzling skillet full of chicken strips, peppers, onions, beans, and rice – I was ready for dinner. What showed up was nothing like any ‘fajita’ plate! Boiled vegetables and chicken in a white tasteless sauce, flooding the rice and beans … served with corn tortillas. Yes, I experienced missed expectations. But, it was only dinner and not really a big deal.

Disappointments of a much larger scale and with more impact on our lives will come to each one of us. Nine years ago, the sledgehammer of death hit me hard. Bev, my late wife, wrestled with God as she lay dying. It was, at least in our understanding, an untimely death at the age of 61.  I, too, struggled to reorient my dreams and hopes around a life without my loving partner.

So, what missed expectations are you wrestling with today?

In this world there are plenty of things that happen to us that can break our heart or at least frustrate us. You could name a dozen things in a moment, I’m sure!

My Dad was fond of saying that we can respond to life’s disappointments by becoming bitter or broken. Bitterness will cause us to close our heart off from life, to turn inward, and likely to turn into a hard, mean person. The Christian who chooses instead to let herself experience the pain, to weep, to set aside demands for immediate relief breaks the power of Self and opens her life to the amazing restorative Presence of God.

That is the essence of FAITH, the willingness to let God be God even when His ways are inscrutable. “Faith sometimes requires trusting God when there is no apparent evidence of him—as Job did. Trusting in his ultimate goodness, a goodness that exists outside of time, a goodness that time has not yet caught up with.”  (Disappointment with God, Philip Yancey)

Psalm 73 brings the wonderful wisdom of God to us in times of missed expectations. I have read it too many times to count, each time finding diamonds of truth and powerful encouragement to renewed faith.

We do not know the reason for the writer’s disappointment and anger, but he is furious at the world and with God! He complains about the prosperity of the wicked, the apparent joy of those who have no regard for God and others. Can you feel the raw emotions in these words? "Was it for nothing that I kept my heart pure and kept myself from doing wrong? All I get is trouble all day long; every morning brings me pain." (Psalm 73:13-14, NLT) I confess that I have been in that place.

Then he goes to worship, entering God’s Presence, and with faith the song shifts to renewed hope. "Then I realized how bitter I had become, how pained I had been by all I had seen. I was so foolish and ignorant— I must have seemed like a senseless animal to you. Yet I still belong to you; you are holding my right hand. You will keep on guiding me with your counsel, leading me to a glorious destiny. Whom have I in heaven but you? I desire you more than anything on earth. My health may fail, and my spirit may grow weak, but God remains the strength of my heart; he is mine forever." (Psalm 73:21-26, NLT)

In the middle of it all, take his counsel. Set aside the thoughts of revenge. Take captive the endless questions of ‘why’ and ‘how’ replacing them with a silent trust that rests squarely on God’s promise to be your eternal reward. Look upward and wait even when it hurts.

The word from the Word is another favorite passage, drawn from the preacher Habakkuk. May his faith inspire us to trust. "Even though the fig trees have no blossoms, and there are no grapes on the vine; even though the olive crop fails, and the fields lie empty and barren; even though the flocks die in the fields, and the cattle barns are empty, yet I will rejoice in the Lord! I will be joyful in the God of my salvation.
The Sovereign Lord is my strength! He will make me as surefooted as a deer and bring me safely over the mountains. (For the choir director: This prayer is to be accompanied by stringed instruments.)" (Habakkuk 3:17-19, NLT)

O for grace to trust Him more! “Endurance is not just the ability to bear a hard thing, but to turn it into glory.”  (Disappointment with God)

________

 

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Show some respect, OK?

In our worship yesterday, we sang – “If you curse me then I will bless you, If you hurt me I will forgive, And if you hate me then I will love you, I choose the Jesus way.”  (Jesus Way, Phil Wickham)  It is a great song, one that is tops on my list of those we learned in church this year. (Jesus Way – link here)

As I sang the words, I asked myself if I really understood the depth of the commitment of which I sang?  Was I ready to forgive, ready to bless, ready to love? 

When we sing of our desire to love Jesus, when we tell Him in song that He is all we desire, that He is more than life to us, I believe we need to reflect carefully. 
Are we singing truth or merely mouthing words?  
How about our public prayers? 
Are they an honest reflection of our heart, our faith, or are they just nice phrases formed around creating good feelings. 

When we sing about aspirations about which we have not really thought, if we pray without passion, we show disrespect to the Lord of Life.  What if our awe of Him was such that we actually wept over our sins, celebrated our victories, and honestly brought our doubts, fears, and temptations to Him?

Worship that is only shaped by platitudes becomes a Band-Aid™ covering our soul wound without letting the Spirit do His healing work.

The Bible warns about the offense of insincere worship.

"Guard your steps when you go to the house of God. Go near to listen rather than to offer the sacrifice of fools, who do not know that they do wrong.  Do not be quick with your mouth, do not be hasty in your heart to utter anything before God. God is in heaven and you are on earth, so let your words be few. … When you make a vow to God, do not delay in fulfilling it. He has no pleasure in fools; fulfill your vow. It is better not to vow than to make a vow and not fulfill it. Do not let your mouth lead you into sin. … Much dreaming and many words are meaningless. Therefore stand in awe of God." (Ecclesiastes 5:1-7, NIV)

Awe!  I believe that it is the most neglected part of true worship in our noisy busy gatherings, marked with swirling graphics, videos, and lack of silent breaks.  All the noise will make us spiritually deaf!

Francis Chan in Forgotten God, writes – “A little bit of spirituality added into our lives is not what God has in mind. … Jesus’ call is to radical faith, to be willing to suffer anything and forsake everything for the sake of Gospel.”  Real spiritual hunger will lead us to worship that is deeply dependent on the Spirit, which listens carefully for His direction because we know we cannot live as He desires without Him.

I understand the impulse to talk faster and louder when anxiety overtakes us, when things go terribly wrong, or when we cannot understand why.  There are moments when we encounter our uncertainties and we tend to bravely babble on mistakenly thinking that IF we say the right things often enough or loud enough, we can somehow make them happen.

Better to take a lesson from a suffering saint of the Old Testament named Job. Though a man in right standing before God, the Lord allowed him to lose everything. Even Job’s best friends concluded that all the tragedy must somehow be his fault, the result of some secret sin. Job patiently sat through their sermons and even took the ranting of his wife, who urged him to ‘curse God and die’ in stride. 

Then one day Job could take it no more and he challenged the Almighty to explain Himself.  In so many words, Job said, “Lord, I want vindication. What kind of God are you anyway?”  Then, he listened.  I love this verse: “I am unworthy—how can I reply to you? I put my hand over my mouth. I spoke once, but I have no answer— twice, but I will say no more.” (Job 40:4-5, NIV) 

Job showed ultimate respect to the LORD by silencing himself, by setting aside his own demands – “I put my hand over my mouth!”  He abandoned words to stand in awe.  He never really got an explanation, but he found an answer in the wonder of God’s transcendent Presence. 

I pray that I will love my heavenly Abba better and more deeply. 
My prayer this morning is
“Lord, help me to show You more respect, by listening more and saying less.”

Here’s a word from the Word.  Live it.  “My dear friends, as you have always obeyed … continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose." (Philippians 2:12-13, NIV)  

Our need is less about a solution or even relief. The Presence of the God changes us if we will engage with Him, standing before Him in awe.

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(Video of this blog at this link)

The Jesus Way

If you curse me then I will bless you
If you hurt me I will forgive
And if you hate me then I will love you
I choose the Jesus way

If you’re helpless I will defend you
And if you’re burdened I’ll share the weight
And if you’re hopeless then let me show you
There’s hope in the Jesus way

I follow Jesus I follow Jesus
He wore my sin I’ll gladly wear His name
He is the treasure He is the answer
Oh I choose the Jesus way

If you strike me I will embrace you
And if you chain me I’ll sing His praise
And if you kill me my home is heaven
For I choose the Jesus way

I choose surrender I choose to love
Oh God my Savior You’ll always be enough
I choose forgiveness I choose grace
I choose to worship no matter what I face
I choose the Jesus way
I choose the Jesus way
I choose the Jesus way
I choose the Jesus way

Oh I choose the Jesus way

 

Jonathan Smith, Phil Wickham © Be Essential Songs; Cashagamble Jet Music; Phil Wickham Music; Simply Global Songs CCLI License #810055

Looking for You?

The story of my Grandfather’s Christian conversion brings me a thrill every time I tell it. The Grandpa I knew was a man who sat in the same place in that little church in Truesdale, Iowa every Sunday morning and evening. “Brother Scott” was often asked to lead out in prayer. His heavily accented English (he was a Danish immigrant) still echoes in my memories as he invited “our loving Heavenly Father” to come to bless our gathering. He was not always that man. I am told he was quick to swing a fist in fights and fond of alcohol but one night he heard a girl evangelist tell the story of Jesus’ love and life changed. Some might say he found God, but the truth is, God was never lost. God found Grandpa!

He is a seeking God, looking for those who are wayward, lost, confused, or without purpose.

Jesus visited the home of a man who was a social outcast, a truly sinful crook, name Zacchaeus and after a long dinner, the man was changed. The story ends with this declaration: "For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost.” (Luke 19:10, NIV) John tells us that “God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son.”  (John 3.16)

Our need is met with His resources. He seeks, He saves, He restores us to our place in His family.

Jesus told three stories about this which are recorded in Luke 15. Seems that people of poor reputation, whose sins were public and obvious, gathered to hear Jesus teach. Some ‘religious’ people who were unaware of their own spiritual need huffed that He “welcomes sinners and eats with them.” Jesus answers their criticism with the stories of a Lost Sheep, a Lost Coin, and a Lost Son to drive home the point that God seeks out those who are far from Him and accepts those who turn around and come home, regardless of their past!

The first story is a beautiful illustration that ONE person matters to God. The shepherd who has one missing sheep goes out to find that one even though ninety-nine are safe in the pen! When the lost lamb is recovered the shepherd "goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep." (Luke 15:6, NIV)

He tells of a woman who lost a coin. "Does she not light a lamp, sweep the house and search carefully until she finds it?" (Luke 15:8, NIV) Her diligent search reminds us that we are God’s treasure and He seeks for us, too. "I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.” (Luke 15:10, NIV)

The best story is the last one, about a headstrong young man who asks for his inheritance, abandons his father’s household, lives it up, and ends up broken and alone. Some might expect that the father would say that he got what he deserved. Jesus says that our Father in heaven is not at all like that!

When the lost son puts together an appeal to just ‘work on the farm for food’ and heads home thinking he will find an angry Dad, he discovers amazing grace and profound love. Even after a thousand readings of this story, I cannot read the words without tears filling my eyes. "So, he got up and went to his father. “But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him. “The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ “But the father said to his servants, ‘Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate. For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ So, they began to celebrate." (Luke 15:20-24, NIV)

I have wandered and wondered so many times only to be restored by the God who seeks!  I cannot claim to find Him, for it is His love that finds me.  It is not fear that drives me back to Him, it is love that draws me to His open arms.

Lost? Confused? Wandering? Wondering?
Convinced by some that you need to make a deal with God to find His acceptance?

In truth, He is seeking you, inviting you to come home. Will you?

The word from the Word profoundly states His love, reminding us of its power to change us – sinners to sons, to keep us until we are safely home forever.
"But God is so rich in mercy, and he loved us so very much, that even while we were dead because of our sins, he gave us life when he raised Christ from the dead. (It is only by God’s special favor that you have been saved!)" (Ephesians 2:4-5, NLT)

"I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will give you mighty inner strength through his Holy Spirit. And I pray that Christ will be more and more at home in your hearts as you trust in him. May your roots go down deep into the soil of God’s marvelous love. And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love really is. May you experience the love of Christ, though it is so great you will never fully understand it. Then you will be filled with the fullness of life and power that comes from God." (Ephesians 3:16-19, NLT)

Let God love you to life today!
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(Video of this blog at this link)