When I was 18, I got a blistering sunburn. The one thing that stands out to me about that experience is that cold creamy lotion gently applied to the burned skin felt like sandpaper being scraped across the skin. What normally would be a soothing process – gently rubbed in lotion – became a very irritating and painful process.
Trying to comfort someone who is grieving can be like that – especially in the early stages when the world has just turned upside down and nothing can make it right again. No matter what anyone says or does, it doesn’t make the grief stop or even subside. Nothing can fix it. And so we have person after person telling us what to say or not say, do or not do, when a friend is grieving. And much of it is coming from the experts – those who have grieved deeply.
On my journey through grief, the one thing that stands out to me is that everyone grieves differently and responds differently to attempts to comfort. What I find comforting to me may actually be irritating to someone else. Some of that stems from the relationship to the deceased. Some has to do with whether or not the grieving person has been through hard loss before. Some has to do with the depth of faith of the grieving person and in whom or what that faith is found. Some of it just has to do with personality. I don't think anyone can write the perfect textbook for dealing with grieving friends or come up with the perfect list of what to say/not say, do or not do for a grieving person.
Each person needs space and time to grieve in their own way. One loves to receive cards, another hates the constant reminder that the world has just been upset by significant loss. One needs to hear people say, "I'm sorry for your loss." And another wants to punch the next person that says that. One needs a friend to sit with them. Another wants to be alone for a while. And that can all occur in the same household and change with an individual from hour to hour and day to day. After I got over the shock and the earliest, hardest grief, I began to realize that people were not trying to annoy or hurt me. Their hearts intended to be loving and caring. And I began to receive whatever they offered as a gesture of their love (a healing lotion) rather than an affront (sandpaper) to me even if they didn't say what I wanted to hear or do what I wanted them to do. No one can read minds and when I was in the deepest part of my grieving, I was in no position to tell others what I needed. So it was a learning experience for me to try to be gracious with whatever people offered. Some obviously clicked better for me than others. But in the end, they all cared the best way they knew how. And I'm grateful.
In II Corinthians 1:3-4, Paul says, “Praise the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and the God of all comfort. He comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any kind of affliction, through the comfort we ourselves receive from God.”
We need not be afraid to reach out to those around us who are grieving. God through His Holy Spirit is able to instruct us if we are uncertain what we should say or do. And even if the grieving person responds a bit roughly, understand it is not because you failed but because their grief is so deep that even creamy lotion will feel like sandpaper for the moment. Pray for them and pray with them if they will allow it. Pray God’s peace and comfort over their troubled and weary souls. And if you are able, walk with them over the long haul – however long it is. I recently sat with someone whose spouse had died five years ago. As they spoke about the experience, tears streamed down their face as if it had just happened last week. When everyone else is done comforting (usually within a few months), the grieving person often takes the social cues and quits talking about it though they are far from done with their grieving. We have the opportunity to be a caring and listening friend and continue to bring comfort through the years when needed. We can pass on the comfort God has provided for us.
God, Your grace is sufficient to meet all of our needs – especially when we are overwhelmed by our circumstances and feelings. And as we experience that grace and heal from our afflictions, please give us the grace to reach out to others and offer them the hope that we ourselves have received from You. Thank You. In the precious name of Jesus, Amen.
Monday, October 12, 2015
Thursday, October 1, 2015
God is Alive! Am I?
In the morning I prayed, “God, here I am. I give myself completely to You today to use as You see fit. Let my words to others be Your words, that they would receive the message that You have for them. Help me to stay out of the way and let You work Your good for others.” And then I went about my day. I went to work and people came in and out of my office for various reasons. Small conversations happened here and there. I wasn’t so aware whether God was working any good for them. But sometimes I just don’t see it.
Then it happened. There was a young woman sitting across the room outside my office and I could see her through my office door. I felt the urge to go to her. So I did. I knew her by name and have had a few conversations with her in the past, so she is not a stranger to me. I asked her how she was doing and there was hesitation in answering. I could tell she was feeling down and gave her space by showing interest but not pushing. As she talked about what was happening in her life, I responded here and there and began to sense that God had things to say to her and was working His good for her. I could relate to her pain and spoke of how God had used hard times in my past to work His good in me. I told her how God truly is good and He truly has our best interest at heart. He does not let anything happen to us that He cannot use for our good. It’s hard – sometimes it is so very hard, but God is good. And we will become vessels of His love when we learn to trust Him and allow Him to do His work in us. Tears ran down her face as we talked. Tears formed in my eyes and my voice too. Then she said, “My pastor is planning to do a teaching on forgiving God. I didn’t think I needed it because I didn’t need to forgive God for anything. But after this conversation, I see that I do need it. Thank you.” And it hit me. God was using me to work His good. He was preparing this young woman to receive words and learn how to trust Him to work His good in her life.
As I was reading I Corinthians this morning, I noticed something I had previously glossed over many times. “In this way, the testimony about Christ was confirmed in you.” It is tucked in this passage: “I always thank my God for you because of God’s grace given to you in Christ Jesus, that by Him you were enriched in everything—in all speech and all knowledge. In this way, the testimony about Christ was confirmed among you, so that you do not lack any spiritual gift as you eagerly wait for the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ.” I Corinthians 1:4-7 HCSB.
Most of our churches are a pretty big mess – just like the Corinthian church was. Many people go through the motions each week of sitting in a church service, sometimes listening, sometimes distracted by thoughts or commotion around them, but mostly observing with little participation. And I wonder what a church service would be like if people couldn’t wait to get there and share what God has been doing in their lives throughout the past several days. We think of our testimony as the day we said yes to Christ and then we are saved and that is the end of our story. But what of the testimony of this week? Of yesterday? Of today? Does God just save us so we can go on doing the same things in the same frame of mind we did before we were saved?
In a recent email devotional from Walk Thru the Bible, I read, “When we become Christians, we exchange our citizenship on earth for citizenship in heaven. Therefore, we live according to the value system in heaven, not the value system on earth. On earth we look out for ourselves, and we satisfy our own wants and desires. In heaven we look out for the welfare of others.” And I wonder, am I holding on to a dual citizenship. We are saved by God’s grace, but are we fully living according to the value system of heaven or are we holding on to the value system of earth. If we are holding onto the value system of this earth, we do not have an active testimony of what God is doing daily in our lives.
It is this daily testimony of God working in us and through us that speaks into the lives of others with encouragement, grace, comfort, and healing which then gives them a testimony to speak into the lives of others. I envision a church full of people who have a daily testimony of God working in them, coming together and sharing with joy all that God is doing. Our churches should not be a place where we are asking if God exists. Indeed it should be obvious that He is alive and well as we encourage each other through our daily testimony of His grace at work in us and through us.
Thank you, Father, that You do not leave us here to fend for ourselves but that You are always available if we invite Your presence in our daily lives. Today, I present myself as a living sacrifice to You to do with as You will – to work Your good in me and in those You bring into my life. And to You I give all the honor and glory which belongs to You for what You have done and are doing in my life. I thank You and praise You. In the powerful name of Jesus, Amen.
Then it happened. There was a young woman sitting across the room outside my office and I could see her through my office door. I felt the urge to go to her. So I did. I knew her by name and have had a few conversations with her in the past, so she is not a stranger to me. I asked her how she was doing and there was hesitation in answering. I could tell she was feeling down and gave her space by showing interest but not pushing. As she talked about what was happening in her life, I responded here and there and began to sense that God had things to say to her and was working His good for her. I could relate to her pain and spoke of how God had used hard times in my past to work His good in me. I told her how God truly is good and He truly has our best interest at heart. He does not let anything happen to us that He cannot use for our good. It’s hard – sometimes it is so very hard, but God is good. And we will become vessels of His love when we learn to trust Him and allow Him to do His work in us. Tears ran down her face as we talked. Tears formed in my eyes and my voice too. Then she said, “My pastor is planning to do a teaching on forgiving God. I didn’t think I needed it because I didn’t need to forgive God for anything. But after this conversation, I see that I do need it. Thank you.” And it hit me. God was using me to work His good. He was preparing this young woman to receive words and learn how to trust Him to work His good in her life.
As I was reading I Corinthians this morning, I noticed something I had previously glossed over many times. “In this way, the testimony about Christ was confirmed in you.” It is tucked in this passage: “I always thank my God for you because of God’s grace given to you in Christ Jesus, that by Him you were enriched in everything—in all speech and all knowledge. In this way, the testimony about Christ was confirmed among you, so that you do not lack any spiritual gift as you eagerly wait for the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ.” I Corinthians 1:4-7 HCSB.
Most of our churches are a pretty big mess – just like the Corinthian church was. Many people go through the motions each week of sitting in a church service, sometimes listening, sometimes distracted by thoughts or commotion around them, but mostly observing with little participation. And I wonder what a church service would be like if people couldn’t wait to get there and share what God has been doing in their lives throughout the past several days. We think of our testimony as the day we said yes to Christ and then we are saved and that is the end of our story. But what of the testimony of this week? Of yesterday? Of today? Does God just save us so we can go on doing the same things in the same frame of mind we did before we were saved?
In a recent email devotional from Walk Thru the Bible, I read, “When we become Christians, we exchange our citizenship on earth for citizenship in heaven. Therefore, we live according to the value system in heaven, not the value system on earth. On earth we look out for ourselves, and we satisfy our own wants and desires. In heaven we look out for the welfare of others.” And I wonder, am I holding on to a dual citizenship. We are saved by God’s grace, but are we fully living according to the value system of heaven or are we holding on to the value system of earth. If we are holding onto the value system of this earth, we do not have an active testimony of what God is doing daily in our lives.
It is this daily testimony of God working in us and through us that speaks into the lives of others with encouragement, grace, comfort, and healing which then gives them a testimony to speak into the lives of others. I envision a church full of people who have a daily testimony of God working in them, coming together and sharing with joy all that God is doing. Our churches should not be a place where we are asking if God exists. Indeed it should be obvious that He is alive and well as we encourage each other through our daily testimony of His grace at work in us and through us.
Thank you, Father, that You do not leave us here to fend for ourselves but that You are always available if we invite Your presence in our daily lives. Today, I present myself as a living sacrifice to You to do with as You will – to work Your good in me and in those You bring into my life. And to You I give all the honor and glory which belongs to You for what You have done and are doing in my life. I thank You and praise You. In the powerful name of Jesus, Amen.
Saturday, May 9, 2015
What is a Demon?
We live in a world that is “reality” oriented. Those of us who grew up as scientific discoveries were being made exponentially learned that if you couldn’t see it, touch it, or taste it, it didn’t exist. Yet, as we read the Bible, Jesus was frequently casting out demons. Many have decided that they are psychological events, brain chemistry issues, or that a person is just “messed up”. What are demons? We can’t see them, touch them or taste them. Or can we?
In the Gospels, we see several versions of the story of a demon possessed man. He lived in the region of the Gerasenes. He was seen as someone totally out of his mind – out of control and dangerous to others and himself. Today we would have him on the psych ward in the hospital heavily sedated with drugs. While no one could “see” the demons that possessed him, Jesus could. He talked to them and told them to leave the man. I wonder why Jesus allowed the demons to go into the pigs. That farmer lost a lot of income and/or food!
But today as I read this story once again, I realized that one of the reasons Jesus could have allowed the demons to enter the pigs and allow the pigs to run into the lake and drown was to demonstrate that demons are real. They do horrible things to people. And people are helpless to free themselves of these demons.
So I wonder then, do demons exist in people today and if so, what do they look like?
Yesterday, I spent several hours with a friend whom I love dearly. She is about 5 feet tall and a few years ago, she weighed about 125 pounds. She was joyful and enjoyed life to the max. A couple of days ago, she weighed in at a new low of 80 pounds. She is skin and bones and is beginning to look like a holocaust victim. No, she doesn’t have cancer. She is anorexic. Does she want to die? She says not. Why then does she refuse to eat enough to stay alive, I ask. “I don’t know,” is her simple answer. “I just don’t know. I think I can fix it, but I can’t.” Is it an addiction, I wonder? “Yes,” she says, “I am addicted to losing weight. Seeing the scale keep going down brings me great joy.” Even if it keeps taking you closer to death, I wonder. “I can’t stop,” is her answer.
As I sit and gaze at her fragile, pale, cold body (it is 80 degrees F and she only takes her sweater off when in the full sun) I begin to wonder, is this what demon possession looks like today. If Jesus were to come upon her, what would He say to her? Would He talk to her or to the demons possessing her? Would He set her free from this addiction that binds her and brings her closer and closer to death? I believe He would. Would He wait for her to accept Him as Lord of her life before healing her or would He heal her instantly? And out of her gratefulness would she would want to stay with Him forever?
I try to broach the subject of Jesus being able and ready to heal, but she does not appear to be interested in that right now. She is not sure what to do with the historic Jesus so tries not to think about it too much. But what of Jesus in me through His Holy Spirit? Am I willing to release Him to do His work in me and others with whom I engage in friendship and conversation? How much will He do if she says she is not interested in being healed?
I watch Jesus extend healing in many ways in the recorded stories throughout the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. Sometimes He is walking by and sees a need and responds. Sometimes people come to him and ask and He freely touches and heals. It seems to be His heart to heal anyone who comes and asks.
But one story leaves me pondering… Matthew 19:16-22, Mark 10:17-22, and Luke 18:18-23 all tell the story of a rich young ruler who comes to Jesus wondering what he must do to inherit eternal life? After talking about what he is already doing, Jesus gives him an answer. He was to sell all his possessions and give to the poor. Why did Jesus ask him to do that? Was the man addicted to wealth? Was that what bound him and had his full focus? Was that what he trusted to take care of him?
What was the man’s response? “After he heard this, he became extremely sad, because he was very rich.” Luke 18:23 He apparently walked away from Jesus sad but still bound. I don’t see Jesus running after him saying, “Wait! Come back! Let’s talk some more about this.”
It seems that the one ingredient of being freed from an addiction is a desire to be free. How sad it is to watch someone continue in the chains realizing that they cannot help themselves but refusing the help that is extended to them. It is like handing bread to a hungry, starving person and have them say, “No thank you. I am content to continue starving.” I believe that not only was the man grieved, but Jesus was grieved as well.
And I grieve with Him for all those who are bound by addictions even after healing has been extended to them. They are those to whom Scripture refers, “And He replied: Go! Say to these people: Keep listening, but do not understand; keep looking, but do not perceive. Dull the minds of these people; deafen their ears and blind their eyes; otherwise they might see with their eyes and hear with their ears, understand with their minds, turn back, and be healed.” Isaiah 6:9-10
Oh LORD God! Open the eyes of the blind! Open the ears of the deaf! Open the minds that are closed! Help them to see your hands stretched out to them desiring to heal them. Teach me when to pursue and when to allow them to walk away. Oh that they would see you and be free from the chains that bind them! My heart weeps for them – for all of us who find ourselves bound by things that take us further away from You. Teach us to trust in Your healing grace and to walk free beside You, learning from You, breathing in Your grace and breathing out Your praise. Amen.
In the Gospels, we see several versions of the story of a demon possessed man. He lived in the region of the Gerasenes. He was seen as someone totally out of his mind – out of control and dangerous to others and himself. Today we would have him on the psych ward in the hospital heavily sedated with drugs. While no one could “see” the demons that possessed him, Jesus could. He talked to them and told them to leave the man. I wonder why Jesus allowed the demons to go into the pigs. That farmer lost a lot of income and/or food!
But today as I read this story once again, I realized that one of the reasons Jesus could have allowed the demons to enter the pigs and allow the pigs to run into the lake and drown was to demonstrate that demons are real. They do horrible things to people. And people are helpless to free themselves of these demons.
So I wonder then, do demons exist in people today and if so, what do they look like?
Yesterday, I spent several hours with a friend whom I love dearly. She is about 5 feet tall and a few years ago, she weighed about 125 pounds. She was joyful and enjoyed life to the max. A couple of days ago, she weighed in at a new low of 80 pounds. She is skin and bones and is beginning to look like a holocaust victim. No, she doesn’t have cancer. She is anorexic. Does she want to die? She says not. Why then does she refuse to eat enough to stay alive, I ask. “I don’t know,” is her simple answer. “I just don’t know. I think I can fix it, but I can’t.” Is it an addiction, I wonder? “Yes,” she says, “I am addicted to losing weight. Seeing the scale keep going down brings me great joy.” Even if it keeps taking you closer to death, I wonder. “I can’t stop,” is her answer.
As I sit and gaze at her fragile, pale, cold body (it is 80 degrees F and she only takes her sweater off when in the full sun) I begin to wonder, is this what demon possession looks like today. If Jesus were to come upon her, what would He say to her? Would He talk to her or to the demons possessing her? Would He set her free from this addiction that binds her and brings her closer and closer to death? I believe He would. Would He wait for her to accept Him as Lord of her life before healing her or would He heal her instantly? And out of her gratefulness would she would want to stay with Him forever?
I try to broach the subject of Jesus being able and ready to heal, but she does not appear to be interested in that right now. She is not sure what to do with the historic Jesus so tries not to think about it too much. But what of Jesus in me through His Holy Spirit? Am I willing to release Him to do His work in me and others with whom I engage in friendship and conversation? How much will He do if she says she is not interested in being healed?
I watch Jesus extend healing in many ways in the recorded stories throughout the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. Sometimes He is walking by and sees a need and responds. Sometimes people come to him and ask and He freely touches and heals. It seems to be His heart to heal anyone who comes and asks.
But one story leaves me pondering… Matthew 19:16-22, Mark 10:17-22, and Luke 18:18-23 all tell the story of a rich young ruler who comes to Jesus wondering what he must do to inherit eternal life? After talking about what he is already doing, Jesus gives him an answer. He was to sell all his possessions and give to the poor. Why did Jesus ask him to do that? Was the man addicted to wealth? Was that what bound him and had his full focus? Was that what he trusted to take care of him?
What was the man’s response? “After he heard this, he became extremely sad, because he was very rich.” Luke 18:23 He apparently walked away from Jesus sad but still bound. I don’t see Jesus running after him saying, “Wait! Come back! Let’s talk some more about this.”
It seems that the one ingredient of being freed from an addiction is a desire to be free. How sad it is to watch someone continue in the chains realizing that they cannot help themselves but refusing the help that is extended to them. It is like handing bread to a hungry, starving person and have them say, “No thank you. I am content to continue starving.” I believe that not only was the man grieved, but Jesus was grieved as well.
And I grieve with Him for all those who are bound by addictions even after healing has been extended to them. They are those to whom Scripture refers, “And He replied: Go! Say to these people: Keep listening, but do not understand; keep looking, but do not perceive. Dull the minds of these people; deafen their ears and blind their eyes; otherwise they might see with their eyes and hear with their ears, understand with their minds, turn back, and be healed.” Isaiah 6:9-10
Oh LORD God! Open the eyes of the blind! Open the ears of the deaf! Open the minds that are closed! Help them to see your hands stretched out to them desiring to heal them. Teach me when to pursue and when to allow them to walk away. Oh that they would see you and be free from the chains that bind them! My heart weeps for them – for all of us who find ourselves bound by things that take us further away from You. Teach us to trust in Your healing grace and to walk free beside You, learning from You, breathing in Your grace and breathing out Your praise. Amen.
Wednesday, April 8, 2015
Forgiven and Free to Love
We all desire to be loved and accepted by others. It is a basic need to belong and know others care about us. People without that can feel pretty lost in this world. I wonder if it is this desire that causes us to strive to put our best foot forward – to only show others the parts of us that are good, clean and acceptable. Our churches are full of people putting on their Sunday best, pasting smiles on their faces and assuring everyone that they are fine and doing great. Yet in all of us lurks dark corners – places in our lives that are still a work in progress, places of pain and need, places of guilt over sin we can’t seem to shake.
As I ponder the story in Luke 7:36-50, I see the religious Simon the Pharisee holding fast to the laws and expecting Jesus to appreciate the fact that He was invited to a meal. Simon may have been trying to impress Jesus with just how good he was. And then there is the sinful woman who sheds many tears just being in the presence of Jesus. She understands her grievous sins and seeks healing. As she weeps at His feet, she notices His feet have not been washed and she uses her tears to wash them and dries them with her hair. She then proceeds with the added touch of perfume and kisses to his feet. Jesus responds with mercy and grace, accepting her expression of love and using it all as a teachable moment.
While Simon is busy judging Jesus for not being able to tell a sinful woman when he sees one, he totally misses the mercy and grace Jesus extends to all who seek Him. Those of us who have grown up in Christian families going to church every Sunday may quickly find ourselves a little closer than we want to admit to being a “Simon” in this story. We haven’t done outrageous sinful things that tag us as “sinners” to the public eye. We try to maintain a good public persona and find it beneficial to keep a low profile on the areas of our lives that still need redemption. But here’s the catch on that… if we don’t expose the areas of our lives that need redemption and ask Jesus for His mercy and grace, we don’t experience the great love that He lavishes on us through mercy and grace. And if we don’t experience our need for that mercy and grace, we cannot love God or others the way God intends for us to do. Jesus says, “But whoever has been forgiven little loves little.” Luke 7:47b
Herein lies a key to becoming a loving church that draws others to Jesus… we need to be quick to confess and seek forgiveness for the sins in our lives in order that we can be free from a judging spirit and free to love and accept others in spite of their sins so that they too can come and experience the mercy and grace and healing of Jesus. Admitting that we have sinned and confessing that sin helps us realize our need for Christ and His mercy. It keeps us humble and approachable. And the freedom that comes from being forgiven brings an energy that is inviting to others. Many would call that love. Whoever has been forgiven much loves much.
Father, I too have sinned and need your grace and mercy. Open my eyes and show me where I am hiding things to protect my image. Help me to expose them and seek Your forgiveness. Teach me to love as You love – a love full of mercy and grace so that others will come to know You as their loving God. In the precious name of Jesus, Amen
As I ponder the story in Luke 7:36-50, I see the religious Simon the Pharisee holding fast to the laws and expecting Jesus to appreciate the fact that He was invited to a meal. Simon may have been trying to impress Jesus with just how good he was. And then there is the sinful woman who sheds many tears just being in the presence of Jesus. She understands her grievous sins and seeks healing. As she weeps at His feet, she notices His feet have not been washed and she uses her tears to wash them and dries them with her hair. She then proceeds with the added touch of perfume and kisses to his feet. Jesus responds with mercy and grace, accepting her expression of love and using it all as a teachable moment.
While Simon is busy judging Jesus for not being able to tell a sinful woman when he sees one, he totally misses the mercy and grace Jesus extends to all who seek Him. Those of us who have grown up in Christian families going to church every Sunday may quickly find ourselves a little closer than we want to admit to being a “Simon” in this story. We haven’t done outrageous sinful things that tag us as “sinners” to the public eye. We try to maintain a good public persona and find it beneficial to keep a low profile on the areas of our lives that still need redemption. But here’s the catch on that… if we don’t expose the areas of our lives that need redemption and ask Jesus for His mercy and grace, we don’t experience the great love that He lavishes on us through mercy and grace. And if we don’t experience our need for that mercy and grace, we cannot love God or others the way God intends for us to do. Jesus says, “But whoever has been forgiven little loves little.” Luke 7:47b
Herein lies a key to becoming a loving church that draws others to Jesus… we need to be quick to confess and seek forgiveness for the sins in our lives in order that we can be free from a judging spirit and free to love and accept others in spite of their sins so that they too can come and experience the mercy and grace and healing of Jesus. Admitting that we have sinned and confessing that sin helps us realize our need for Christ and His mercy. It keeps us humble and approachable. And the freedom that comes from being forgiven brings an energy that is inviting to others. Many would call that love. Whoever has been forgiven much loves much.
Father, I too have sinned and need your grace and mercy. Open my eyes and show me where I am hiding things to protect my image. Help me to expose them and seek Your forgiveness. Teach me to love as You love – a love full of mercy and grace so that others will come to know You as their loving God. In the precious name of Jesus, Amen
Friday, March 13, 2015
Holy is His Name
“Do not misuse the name of the Lord your God, because the Lord will not leave anyone unpunished who misuses His name.” Deuteronomy 5:11
Growing up in a home filled with faith and trust in God, swearing was never an option. That was a misuse of the holy name of the Lord our God. Even slang was not allowed because it was considered words that were other forms of the swear words. I always considered that the keeping of this law to not misuse the name of the Lord our God.
But as an adult maturing in faith through the years, I have begun to wonder… is that all it means? Or may there be even deeper meaning in this command.
I wonder, would it be misusing the Lord’s name to say, “The Lord told me…” when it was really just a thought in my own mind? Or would it be misusing the Lord’s name to say, “God wants you to do…” when it is really my wanting the other to conform to my standards? How quickly and without thought do we credit God with our own thoughts or call on His name while doing our own thing?
I wonder, if we pray to God but don’t believe He is listening or caring about our prayer, are we misusing His name? If we fail to trust in the power of His name, are we misusing the name of God? When we use a prayer to preach a sermon to those listening, are we misusing the name of God?
In a time and place that has become so comfortable with God that we treat Him as one of the gang, I wonder if we have lost something deep and meaningful – a respect and awe of a holy and powerful God. Since the printing press came into being, Bibles are printed and distributed and easily accessible to much of the world. Do we believe that they are God’s words to us and they are holy? Or have we made them as cheap as the paper they are printed on?
As I write this, I am aware that some may be saying, “But Jesus changed all that. He ushered us into the presence of God so we can call him Abba, Daddy.” That is a comfortable place in a relationship. And for sure this is true. But it was at a terrific cost to Him. Without the atonement of the blood of Jesus, we could not stand in the presence of our Holy God. And because Jesus has made Him accessible to us and intercedes for us doesn’t negate His holiness.
I wonder if we could truly grasp the power behind His name, if we could experience the awe of worship of our Holy God, would we live a more victorious life on a day to day, minute by minute basis. Would we long to be in His presence instead of having to force ourselves to spend time with Him? Would we see Him working in situations that seem difficult or hopeless?
Oh God, open my eyes to see Your magnificent power, Your great and awesome love, and Your tender mercy. Show me where I am using Your name carelessly and create in me a sense of awe and wonder at who You are. Amen.
Growing up in a home filled with faith and trust in God, swearing was never an option. That was a misuse of the holy name of the Lord our God. Even slang was not allowed because it was considered words that were other forms of the swear words. I always considered that the keeping of this law to not misuse the name of the Lord our God.
But as an adult maturing in faith through the years, I have begun to wonder… is that all it means? Or may there be even deeper meaning in this command.
I wonder, would it be misusing the Lord’s name to say, “The Lord told me…” when it was really just a thought in my own mind? Or would it be misusing the Lord’s name to say, “God wants you to do…” when it is really my wanting the other to conform to my standards? How quickly and without thought do we credit God with our own thoughts or call on His name while doing our own thing?
I wonder, if we pray to God but don’t believe He is listening or caring about our prayer, are we misusing His name? If we fail to trust in the power of His name, are we misusing the name of God? When we use a prayer to preach a sermon to those listening, are we misusing the name of God?
In a time and place that has become so comfortable with God that we treat Him as one of the gang, I wonder if we have lost something deep and meaningful – a respect and awe of a holy and powerful God. Since the printing press came into being, Bibles are printed and distributed and easily accessible to much of the world. Do we believe that they are God’s words to us and they are holy? Or have we made them as cheap as the paper they are printed on?
As I write this, I am aware that some may be saying, “But Jesus changed all that. He ushered us into the presence of God so we can call him Abba, Daddy.” That is a comfortable place in a relationship. And for sure this is true. But it was at a terrific cost to Him. Without the atonement of the blood of Jesus, we could not stand in the presence of our Holy God. And because Jesus has made Him accessible to us and intercedes for us doesn’t negate His holiness.
I wonder if we could truly grasp the power behind His name, if we could experience the awe of worship of our Holy God, would we live a more victorious life on a day to day, minute by minute basis. Would we long to be in His presence instead of having to force ourselves to spend time with Him? Would we see Him working in situations that seem difficult or hopeless?
Oh God, open my eyes to see Your magnificent power, Your great and awesome love, and Your tender mercy. Show me where I am using Your name carelessly and create in me a sense of awe and wonder at who You are. Amen.
Tuesday, January 27, 2015
Leaning In To God
How do you survive the hard things in life? How do you interpret your world when ‘disasters’ overtake you? How do you view/understand God in the midst of deep trials and tribulations?
So much can be learned from the stories of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob and they are often labels as the patriarchs of our faith. But it is the story of Joseph that I go back to over and over and each time, I seem to learn a little bit more about who God is and how to deal with ‘life’ as it comes at me.
Because we know the end of the story, it is easy to discount the intensity of the circumstances Joseph dealt with along the way. But Joseph dealt with a lot of real life issues from the time he was born. Because his father singled him out as special among his brothers, he dealt with jealousy and with never being ‘one of the guys’. It must have been lonely for him as a child growing up. This must have caused a vicious cycle in family relations as the more his father doted on him, the more his brothers reacted causing his father to dote on him and protect him even more causing the brothers to react even more, etc.
But God… When Joseph was a teenager, God gave him two visions that seemed to totally deny what was happening in the family. His brothers were picking on him now, but in the future, they would be bowing down to him. This was the icing on the cake in terms of how his brothers treated him and even drove them to getting rid of their ‘problem’. They sold Joseph into slavery.
As a slave, Joseph must have wondered about the visions he had. Were they just wild dreams or were they something to hang on to?
But God… Joseph somehow decided to be a man of integrity and to serve his master well. Somehow, he held on to the faith he had learned from his father Jacob and lived by the principles he had been taught. And God caused him to prosper and be promoted to caring for everything in his master’s house. Could I hold on to faith and prosper in an environment I was forced into not of my own choosing?
Then more adversity hit. He was falsely accused of attempted rape by his master’s wife. That landed him in prison. And for several years, Joseph lived in a dungeon. If anything could have caused Joseph to lose hope, this surely could have.
But God… Somehow Joseph was able to be a model prisoner and God once again prospered him and he was soon put in charge of the other prisoners. Joseph must have exuded leadership skills. No matter where he was, he rose to the top. I can’t imagine being anything but depressed in a situation like he was in – falsely accused and forced into a horrible environment.
But God… Because Joseph continued to trust God, he had the opportunity to interpret dreams for two inmates. When his interpretations proved to be accurate, he hoped this would help him be released from prison. But there he sat, year upon year until Pharaoh had a dream that no one could interpret. Then he was remembered and given opportunity to interpret the dream.
And God… Because Joseph had been faithful and continued to trust in his God, he was given the interpretation and because he was a born leader, he not only interpreted the dream but cast vision for how to deal with the famine that was around the corner. Pharaoh recognized a capable leader when he saw one and immediately put Joseph in charge. And Joseph worked hard for Pharaoh and was rewarded well.
But God… This could have been the end of the story, but God was not done yet. There was one more thing that needed to happen. And the famine did its work in Canaan and eventually brought Joseph’s brothers to him. And just as his vision had indicated, they bowed down before him and then his father came and bowed down before him as well. And the title of this story could have been “Joseph’s Revenge,” but it wasn’t. How hard it must have been for Joseph to work through all his feelings regarding his brothers! It must have taken years of praying to God, trusting God and believing that “all things work together for the good of those who are called according to His purposes,” even though Paul had not yet penned those words of Romans 8:28.
Joseph reveals his understanding of how God works in his words to his brothers when he revealed himself. “So then, it was not you who sent me here, but God.” Genesis 45:8a It was Joseph’s belief that God was in control of all of the circumstances he found himself in and that if he was faithful to God, God would prosper him. He believed that God used his brothers to propel him into these circumstances so that he could prepare the way for them to come later and be saved from starvation. He was able to forgive his brothers for what they had done to him because he believed that God was in control even of that circumstance.
I wonder if how I view my circumstances reflects my relationship with God. Can I be totally submitted to Him in a way that would allow me to even prosper under false accusation and finding myself in a place I did not choose for myself? Am I willing to lean in to God and trust his sovereignty even when I am not comfortable with my place or my surroundings?
Lord, may it be so. May I learn to prosper wherever You place me, knowing that You are God, You are sovereign, and You are with me in the good times and in the hard times. Thank You for recording this story of Joseph to help me learn to know You more.
Monday, January 19, 2015
Hold Nothing Back
It’s not a new concept for most of us who have grown up in the church. We talk about “giving our all,” or “sacrificial living,” or “giving until it hurts,” and many other phrases that indicate we are fully yielded to God. But I wonder how much we mean it and live it.
Abraham got it in a way that few people ever do. God said, “Get up and go to the place I will show you.” And Abraham got up and went. God said, “I will give you a son in your old age.” Abraham believed, but gave in to Sarah’s pleading and Ishmael was born. God said, “I still plan to give you a son through Sarah.” And He did and Isaac was born to Abraham when he was 100 years old and Sarah was 90. Amazing!
Now a few years later, God told Abraham to take Isaac and “Go to a place I will show you and sacrifice your son.” And Abraham got up and took Isaac and went! I wonder if you or I would be able to do that. I think I would be saying, “I don’t think I heard you right, God. Surely you don’t mean that. You just gave me this son so it doesn’t make any sense that you would tell me to sacrifice him. Do you want to try again? I’m sure I’ll hear it differently the next time.” But Abraham got up and went!
There are a couple clues along the way that Abraham thought there might be more to it than what appeared at the moment even as he trusted and obeyed. When he left the servants and took Isaac to the place of sacrifice, he said, “We will worship and then we will come back to you.” Genesis 22:5b. It sounds like Abraham is believing what God told him previously about his offspring becoming “too numerous to count.” Genesis 16:10 Yet he continued to go forward with Isaac. He went all the way to binding Isaac and placing him on the altar and raising his knife. Thankfully, God intervened and provided a ram caught in the thicket. Abraham must have felt great relief. [Big sigh!]
For many years, I have read this and would not allow myself to stop and ponder what Abraham was doing. It was so foreign and far from my imagination that a father could slay his son, I would read over it quickly and not allow it to penetrate my mind too deeply. I pushed Abraham and what he did as far out of my focus as I could and focused instead on the trauma of Isaac and wondered how this incident affected his relationship with his father from there on out.
But now, as I ponder, I think, “Talk about a teachable moment!” Surely after the incident was over, Abraham hugged Isaac thanking God for returning his son to him. And he likely took the opportunity to teach Isaac about listening to God and obeying even if he doesn’t fully understand. God can be trusted – even with the most precious belonging we have!
“Do not do anything to him. Now I know that you fear God, because you have not withheld from me your son, your only son.” Genesis 22:12
Now I must ponder, what is my most precious belonging? Can I give this to God to do with as He will, or do I hold on to it/him/her tightly, fearing what would happen to me if I ‘lost’ this possession. What am I holding back? Could I come to a point of trusting God that would allow me to not just give it up but to actually sacrifice it and leave it to God if He will restore it or keep it?
I cannot come to a place of sacrificial living until I trust in God’s deep love for me. When I realize that God held nothing back including His One and Only Son Jesus in order to provide a way to restore my relationship with Him, I can begin to come to a place of trust that says, “I hold nothing back from You, God. I am willing to sacrifice it all to live in obedience to you.” God used Isaac to bring about Jacob who became Israel and had 12 sons whose descendants became the 12 tribes of Israel and after several generations birthed the Messiah. God can do big things when we are willing to obey – whatever He is asking us to do.
Oh Lord, show me what I am holding back and help me to release my hold on it and live in obedience to You. While I struggle to let go, I can hardly wait to see what you will do with your infinite wisdom, power, and love applied to my most precious possession. Amen.
Abraham got it in a way that few people ever do. God said, “Get up and go to the place I will show you.” And Abraham got up and went. God said, “I will give you a son in your old age.” Abraham believed, but gave in to Sarah’s pleading and Ishmael was born. God said, “I still plan to give you a son through Sarah.” And He did and Isaac was born to Abraham when he was 100 years old and Sarah was 90. Amazing!
Now a few years later, God told Abraham to take Isaac and “Go to a place I will show you and sacrifice your son.” And Abraham got up and took Isaac and went! I wonder if you or I would be able to do that. I think I would be saying, “I don’t think I heard you right, God. Surely you don’t mean that. You just gave me this son so it doesn’t make any sense that you would tell me to sacrifice him. Do you want to try again? I’m sure I’ll hear it differently the next time.” But Abraham got up and went!
There are a couple clues along the way that Abraham thought there might be more to it than what appeared at the moment even as he trusted and obeyed. When he left the servants and took Isaac to the place of sacrifice, he said, “We will worship and then we will come back to you.” Genesis 22:5b. It sounds like Abraham is believing what God told him previously about his offspring becoming “too numerous to count.” Genesis 16:10 Yet he continued to go forward with Isaac. He went all the way to binding Isaac and placing him on the altar and raising his knife. Thankfully, God intervened and provided a ram caught in the thicket. Abraham must have felt great relief. [Big sigh!]
For many years, I have read this and would not allow myself to stop and ponder what Abraham was doing. It was so foreign and far from my imagination that a father could slay his son, I would read over it quickly and not allow it to penetrate my mind too deeply. I pushed Abraham and what he did as far out of my focus as I could and focused instead on the trauma of Isaac and wondered how this incident affected his relationship with his father from there on out.
But now, as I ponder, I think, “Talk about a teachable moment!” Surely after the incident was over, Abraham hugged Isaac thanking God for returning his son to him. And he likely took the opportunity to teach Isaac about listening to God and obeying even if he doesn’t fully understand. God can be trusted – even with the most precious belonging we have!
“Do not do anything to him. Now I know that you fear God, because you have not withheld from me your son, your only son.” Genesis 22:12
Now I must ponder, what is my most precious belonging? Can I give this to God to do with as He will, or do I hold on to it/him/her tightly, fearing what would happen to me if I ‘lost’ this possession. What am I holding back? Could I come to a point of trusting God that would allow me to not just give it up but to actually sacrifice it and leave it to God if He will restore it or keep it?
I cannot come to a place of sacrificial living until I trust in God’s deep love for me. When I realize that God held nothing back including His One and Only Son Jesus in order to provide a way to restore my relationship with Him, I can begin to come to a place of trust that says, “I hold nothing back from You, God. I am willing to sacrifice it all to live in obedience to you.” God used Isaac to bring about Jacob who became Israel and had 12 sons whose descendants became the 12 tribes of Israel and after several generations birthed the Messiah. God can do big things when we are willing to obey – whatever He is asking us to do.
Oh Lord, show me what I am holding back and help me to release my hold on it and live in obedience to You. While I struggle to let go, I can hardly wait to see what you will do with your infinite wisdom, power, and love applied to my most precious possession. Amen.
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