Sing a New Song

Isaiah 42 contains the prophecy of the coming of Jesus. As I try to put myself back in the towns and villages in the time of Isaiah, I find a people who have lost sight of their God. They have a history full of amazing things God did for them, and while many of them still follow the letter of the law they were given, they don’t really know why they do this. It is their culture. They do it because it is what they do. But they have come to trust in themselves and in other nations and their gods. And their true God has gotten lost in their many gods. Through Isaiah, God said to them, “I am the Lord; that is my name! I will not give my glory to another or my praise to idols.” Isaiah 42:8

God’s love for His people is so evident in the prophecies of Isaiah. He pleads with the people to turn their hearts and minds back to the Lord. This prophecy implores the people to remember their God and return to Him. “I, the Lord, have called you in righteousness. I will take hold of your hand. I will keep you and will make you to be a covenant for the people and a light for the Gentiles, to open the eyes that are blind, to free the captives from prison and to release from the dungeon those who sit in darkness.” Isaiah 42:6-7

Isaiah says it’s time to sing a new song to the Lord. “Sing to the lord a new song, His praise to the ends of the earth…” Isaiah 42:10 And God promises, “I will lead the blind by ways they have not known, along unfamiliar paths I will guide them. I will turn the darkness into light before them and make the rough places smooth. These are the things I will do; I will not forsake them.” Isaiah 42:16

As he continues on, Isaiah tells the people they will go through some rough times. “When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze. For I am the Lord, your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior.” Isaiah 43:2-3a His promise is not that they will not have difficulties, but that He, their Savior, will walk with them each step of the way. All of Exodus shows us just how closely and intimately God walked with the Israelites in the past. What we see there is the physical experience of ‘God with us’. Isaiah prophesied and we now live in a time when God has demonstrated and promised His presence with us through Jesus and the Holy Spirit.

When we awake each morning, the promise is here for us. God will walk with us. We are not alone. Whether it is a ‘happy’ day or a day filled with pain and anguish, God does not abandon us. He constantly reaches out to us with His strength and comfort, loving us in ways we cannot fathom. But there is something we must do in order to receive that. We must look to Him and reach out to Him. And because He is the Great I Am, the Creator and Master of the universe, when we look to Him, we will sing a new song!

I often join the birds in the morning and sing worship and praise songs to my Abba Father. They are usually songs others have written and I have learned from singing them in church or hearing them on the radio or CD. This morning, God gave me a new song. It is a song that comes out of the waters and the fires I have been walking through knowing that my God is with me. He goes before me, He walks with me and He is my rearguard.

A New Song to Abba

You are my strength, You are my song;

I sing a new song all day long.

When things come I would not choose;

You are my song in morning dews.

When I arise, I look to You,

And praise Your Name even when I’m blue.

I know Your hands hold all that comes,

As surely as the rising sun.

You’ll go before, prepare the way;

And carry me through, each thing today.

You fill me with Your truth and love,

Prepare my heart from things above.

As day goes on, things steal my mind;

So much to be and do I find.

Yet You will call me to Your knee;

And hold me fast and comfort me.

When evening comes, when shadows fall,

I come to You, on You I call.

I take each thing that I have done,

And pray it glorifies Your Son.

You are my strength, You are my song;

I sing a new song all day long.

When things come I would not choose;

You are my song in morning dews.

A New Perspective

It has been a while since I have taken the time to put down in words my journey and my thoughts and inspirations. But it is time again. As I sit in my ‘special place’ and look around me, I notice that for the first time I can ever remember, I feel a bit ‘crowded’ by the trees and plants in the full bloom of summer. Through the winter months, I have enjoyed seeing the sky. I get up every morning and look out at the sky and talk with God. But I can’t see much of the sky in my little ‘haven’ of green. Previously, I have completely enjoyed ‘hiding out’ in my little green world behind our house. I wonder what has changed… What is it I am looking for in the sky that I miss when trees are in full leaf?

As I ponder this, I realize that I am constantly scanning the sky looking for Jesus to return and I feel crowded by the trees because I can’t see as much of the sky and fear I won’t see Him as quickly. As I struggle to put things in perspective, I realize that my perspective has changed. Rather than hoping the Lord won’t return before I have time to …, I long for Him to return and take us all to live with Him in Heaven.

In Luke 14, Jesus tells the parable of the Great Banquet. The master prepares a great feast and invites many to come. But they begin to make excuses – I bought a new field and need to check it out, I got some new oxen and want to try them out, I just got married and don’t have time. All these things that seem so important to us in this world distract us from the 'feast' prepared for us. It is not that any of them are wrong. They just pale in contrast to what God sees as important. 

In the parable, the master becomes angry at those who refuse to come. He sends his servant out to find all the poor, the blind, the lame. And when there is still room, he sends the servant out to the highways and byways to find anyone who will come. While we are busy being good people with big plans, all doing good things, God is gathering those who will listen for His voice and come to His banquet table. He is growing His kingdom person by person – those who are not too preoccupied with this life to come.

Yes, my perspective has changed. While I live in this world and need to ‘function’ in it each day, I’m spending time at the Master’s banquet table, I’m listening for His voice and watching for Him to return. The things in this world are just that – things. The things of God are eternal.

“It will be good for those servants whose master finds them watching when He comes.” Luke 12:37

In the Middle of the Desert

When the journey gets long, people begin asking, “Are we soon there?” Children sometimes begin whining and complaining. A wise parent has packed away a few ‘new’ things to pull out to distract them for a while and make the trip go faster for them. It is the middle of the journey that seems the longest and hardest and tries the patience of all – leaders and followers alike. The Israelites were no exception. 

Egypt was far enough behind them that they forgot about the excessive hard work and the bondage of slavery. They remembered only the good food they had to eat – and the variety of it. Now, in the desert, though they were free from bondage and on their way to the Promised Land, they were getting bored with manna and began to crave other food. They complained and wailed until the “Lord became exceedingly angry and Moses was troubled.” Numbers 11:10b I wonder if Moses was ‘troubled’ because of the wailing or because he wasn’t sure whether God had just enough of it and was going to wipe them all out. 

Moses’ patience was tried to the max and he asked God what he had done to displease Him that He would put the burden of all these people on him. In fact he went on to say, “If this is how you are going to treat me, put me to death right now – if I have found favor in your eyes – and do not let me face my own ruin.” Numbers 11:15 As a leader (who was reluctant to begin with), Moses’ frailty became most apparent in this stressful situation. God understood that He had asked Moses to do a pretty big thing and had been present with Him all the way. 

In His tenderness, God once again looked out for Moses. He had provided Aaron to help Moses get started. Now He provided 70 elders to help share some of the burden of the people. Though God could have done it with Moses alone, He allowed for Moses’ human frailty, his need for human support in managing this body of people. 

Then God turned back to the people and told them to get ready because He was going to give them what they asked for until they had so much they would begin to hate it “– because you have rejected the Lord, who is among you, and have wailed before him, saying, ‘Why did we ever leave Egypt?’” Numbers 11:20 The people had lost sight of following God and were focused on what they didn’t have instead of what God had provided and where He was leading them. 

The word ‘rejected’ seems strong – yet I wonder how quickly I ‘reject’ God’s promises and focus on my circumstances. Even Moses wondered how God was going to give these people meat. There wasn’t enough livestock among them to feed them all and hunting wasn’t too good in the desert. “The Lord answered Moses, ‘Is the Lord’s arm too short?’” Numbers 11:23

In this moment of stress, Moses lost site of the power of God to do what He set out to do. His circumstances were yelling pretty loudly and his hearing of God’s voice was dimmed by the wailing of the people around him. It was the middle of the journey. The people ‘craved’ meat over following the Lord to the Promised Land. They lost sight of the goal and were focused on their immediate circumstance.

I wonder how often I lose sight of the goal in the middle of a journey. I am easily distracted and sometimes forget I even have a goal. That is when circumstances become overwhelming. If I lose sight of the goal, I can no longer determine what is worth my attention and what needs to be ignored. I can no longer determine what I need for the journey and begin to crave things I don’t need. If I lose sight of God leading in my life, my cravings will take over. 

God gave the Israelites what they wanted – meat in the form of quail. But with it came a plague that killed many of them. “Therefore the place was named Kibroth Hattaavah [means graves of craving] because there they buried the people who had craved other food.” Numbers 11:34

 

I look around me and I wonder how many people are driven by their craving rather than their worship and obedience to God. And I look at the things people crave – love, attention, food, drugs, alcohol, pornography, gossip, electronics, and so much more – and I wonder how many are buried in graves of craving – figuratively or literally. And I ask myself, what is it I crave? If it is anything other than seeking the Lord my God with all my heart, soul, and strength, where will it lead me? 

Every day I make choices. I can choose to follow my God – even if the journey is long and goes through a desert or two – or I can choose to follow my cravings to an early grave. Lord, please give me wisdom to see and identify the cravings and step back from them, knowing that You alone are God and You alone can fulfill all of my needs. Amen.

It's About Him... and Us!

I keep hearing, "It's not about us, it is about Him." And I don't disagree that we are to bring glory and honor to Him as we live out our lives. But God has been showing me that He is all about relationship - us and Him together. He doesn't 'need' us, but He invites us into relationship with Him. "But we ought always to thank God for you, brothers loved by the Lord, because from the beginning God chose you to be saved through the sanctifying work of the Spirit and through belief in the truth. He called you to this through our gospel, that you might share in the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ." II Thessalonians 2:13-14

So I wonder… what does this look like in day to day life as we know it? What does it mean to “share in the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ?”

“Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.” Romans 8:17

While I miss Andrew so much, I can already see many of the good things God has brought out of my suffering. I know that God can even use a tragedy such as this to bring His good into this world. There are many who have awakened to God and I believe will be in heaven because of this stimulus. And who knows the ‘ripple effect’ of those souls. I know that many have gotten off the fence and are actively seeking Christ and actively sharing Christ’s death and resurrection with others. I know I have been changed and feel a much stronger sense of urgency regarding the Kingdom of God vs. the kingdom of this world. Things have become just things. The future is all about heaven, not so much about retirement and grandchildren. Those things may come if God so ordains it, but my truer focus is heaven and being with Christ and seeing friends and family including Andrew again.  

In the song, “Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus,” there is a phrase, “and the things of this world become strangely dim, in the light of His glory and grace.” I think I finally understand that phrase. I understand better, “being in this world but not of it.” I always thought that meant it was okay to be different because of my beliefs. But I think it is more than that. It is being one with Christ and heavenward bound, but taking care of those around us in this world while we are here. Our acted out priorities reflect our souls. Having Andrew in heaven has brought home the reality of heaven and my eternal future there and the thin veil that separates us. While I live in this world and love those God has given me in this world, it is not my final destiny. I see beyond this world much more clearly.

“It is written: ‘I believed; therefore I have spoken.’ With that same spirit of faith we also believe and therefore speak, because we know that the one who raised the Lord Jesus from the dead will also raise us with Jesus and present us with you in his presence. All this is for your benefit, so that the grace that is reaching more and more people may cause thanksgiving to overflow to the glory of God. Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.” II Corinthians 4:13-18

Jesus shared in God’s glory because He was willing to die in our place in order that we could be saved. I believe that what gives God glory is seeing our faces turning toward Him, seeking Him with everything we have – wanting a deep relationship with Him and inviting others to come along. If we have some small part in introducing people to Him, we share in His glory. And I can hardly wait for the day when we shall see Him face to face.

One of the things that has become clear to me is that God is working all the time. Just because I cannot see what He is doing does not mean He is taking a ‘hands off’ approach to my circumstances. I need to keep talking with Him and trusting Him to be doing what is best in the situation. I am so glad He is the God who can be trusted, that He is the God who loves, nurtures, and does what is best for us.

“Now to him who is able to establish you by my gospel and the proclamation of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery hidden for long ages past, but now revealed and made known through the prophetic writings by the command of the eternal God, so that all nations might believe and obey him—to the only wise God be glory forever through Jesus Christ! Amen.” Romans 16:25-27

Pharisee ‘Smack Down’ Or …

In my Bible, Mathew 23 is labeled “Seven Woes.” So I’m primed. As I read through the chapter, what stands out is, “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites!” Six times, the woes begin with this. And I cheer, “Go get ‘um, Jesus!”

But then I wonder… what lessons are in these words of Jesus that I am missing? What will keep me from becoming a ‘hypocrite’ and falling under these ‘woes’? And what will keep me from being deceived?

Even before the ‘woes’ hit, Jesus strips them of their pride in their positions. “The teachers of the law and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat.” Matthew 23:2 These men have put themselves into a position of adding to the laws to the point that no one could possibly remember and follow them all and then judging people when they failed. They decorated themselves to stand out and made themselves important in the eyes of the people. They loved their titles and expected people to honor them.

But Jesus said, “You are not to be called ‘Rabbi,’ for you have only one Master and you are all brothers. And do not call anyone on earth, ‘father,’ for you have one Father, and He is in heaven. Nor are you to be called ‘teacher’ for you have one Teacher, the Christ.” Matthew 23:8-10

As I look at our ‘religious systems’ today, I see us labeling our leaders as father, teacher, pastor, reverend, doctor, or even naming movements after the leader (Bill Hybels and Willow Creek, Rick Warren and Saddleback, Robert Schuller and Crystal Cathedral, or Pentecostal movements following Randy Clark, Rodney Howard Browne, Patricia King). Followers put these people up on a pedestal and repeat everything they say as ‘gospel truth’ and follow in droves. We forget that God’s Word is the Truth and that His Holy Spirit is available to dwell inside each of us giving us wisdom to discern His Truth in any given situation. Instead, we determine our truth based on who we follow. Jesus is warning us that pride in position is dangerous – both from a leader and a follower standpoint!

Then the ‘woes’ hit. “You shut the kingdom of heaven in men’s faces… you make him [your convert] twice as much a son of hell as you are… blind guides… neglected the more important matters of the law – justice, mercy and faithfulness… full of greed and self-indulgence… you appear to people as righteous but on the inside you are full of hypocrisy and wickedness…” Matthew 23:13, 15, 16, 23, 25, 28

Jesus left the ‘woes’ with a compassionate cry, “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing.” Matthew 23:37 When I read all of the chapter with that compassion in mind, it reads slightly different – not so much as a harsh judgment as a plea to open their eyes to the reality of where they have gone – far away from the God who walked with Adam and Eve in the Garden, far away from the God who spoke with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, far from the God who rescued his people from Egypt and led them to the Promised Land, providing manna each day and causing their clothing to last and not wear out. They maintained routines and rituals, but forgot the relational God to whom those rituals pointed.

This chapter is followed by Jesus teaching his followers about what was to come yet before the ‘end of the age.’ Jesus warns that “false Christs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and miracles to deceive even the elect – if that were possible.” Matthew 24:24 And I wonder, how could the elect be deceived?

I wonder if maybe this isn’t a Pharisee ‘smack down’ so much as it is a warning to us all… God is not about blindly following a prescribed set of rules or behaviors – going to church a prescribed number of times a year, being baptized in a certain manner, doing whatever the pastor, priest or teacher says, disciplining ourselves to the ‘spiritual disciplines,’ etc. I believe that God absolutely wants our obedience, but He wants it in the context of relationship with Him. We can study the Bible with our brains and totally miss that God is showing us who He is with His Spirit within us. We can attend church every Sunday and even on Wednesday evenings and totally miss that God is there working in and through the lives of each of us. Knowledge of His Word is so very important to us as we navigate all the deceit around us, but relationship with Him is what will give us the finer discernment and wisdom as we sort out what is Truth. From the Creation of the world to the second coming of Christ, God is all about relationship. He wants a personal relationship with each one of us – not with a select few who will tell the rest of us what to do. “You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.” Jeremiah 29:13 He is not hiding – He wants us to find Him – for ourselves and with others. “For where two or three gather in My name, there am I with them.” Matthew 18:20

Thank you, Father, for your great love and compassion demonstrated to us through the ages and even now, daily in our lives. Open my eyes to see You today. Open my ears to hear Your voice today. Protect me from deceit. Fill me with Your wisdom to discern. Thank you, Father. In the precious name of Jesus, Amen.

God Knows Our Weakness

God led the Israelites out of Egypt. After 400 years, they had begun to take on a lot of things that were not part of who God had set them apart to be. They spent 40 years in the wilderness while God worked at getting the ‘Egypt’ out of them. Throughout the Old Testament, we can still see that often when things began to go bad for them, they ‘returned’ to Egypt. They made agreements with Egypt to protect them. They got horses and chariots from Egypt. God tried over and over to convince them that He was enough – they could trust Him. But each generation had to rediscover that for themselves.

Jesus said, “If your hand or your foot causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life maimed or crippled than to have two hands or two feet and be thrown into eternal fire.” Matthew 18:8 He was telling us to get rid of anything in our lives that leads us away from God. And Paul said, “Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the sinful nature.” Romans 13:14

I wonder how many things I have in my life that continue to lead me away from God instead of toward God. It is easy to see the bolder things like books, movies, and activities that are anything but godly. But what about the many activities that are ‘good’ things. I can take an inventory of my day for seven days in a row and begin to see that I am very busy doing a lot of good things. When I get so busy doing good things that I don’t have time to meet with God, to pray and meditate on His Word, to meet with and encourage other believers – activities that grow my faith and trust in God – do those ‘good things’ become some of the things I need to get rid of?

And I wonder where I turn when I need help… In who or what do I put my trust? When I need to be comforted, where do I go? Some of us eat more, shop more, exercise more, work more, when we are looking for comfort. What is the ‘Egypt’ in my life that I run to whenever I am scared or uncomfortable? Whatever that is, I need to get rid of it or flee from it. That is what keeps me from experiencing God’s caring for me, His mercy and grace for me.

Jesus said, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” Matthew 11:28 Peter said, “Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.” I Peter 5:7

“Were can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence?” Psalm 139:7 There is nowhere in this world or universe that God is absent from. No matter where I am, God is there for me. He is the one in whom I can put my trust. He is ready and able to help me. I just need to get rid of all other places I turn for help and go straight to Him. He can be trusted. I need only look back a short distance in my life to see what He has done for me. As I remember those things, I see that He really can be trusted. When I center my trust in Him, I can experience His peace and His strength in my life. My weakness becomes a vessel to demonstrate His strength and glory.

Holy Father, I am so grateful that You are always here for me – that I can trust You. I choose to keep my eyes on You today and pray that Your strength will sustain me, Your wisdom will guide me, and Your love will comfort me. Amen.

The Power of NOT Prayer

From the memorized prayers of a toddler to the sung prayers of a singing family, prayer has always been a part of my life. Yet even though I cannot remember ever not praying throughout a day, there have been times when I was not so sure the prayers were going anywhere in particular.

Today as I was praying through my prayer journal, I began to wonder if my praying was important to anyone. Does it really make a difference in someone else’s life if I pray or if I don’t pray? And it suddenly hit me – If I believe in the power of prayer, how much do I pray and intercede for others and my family and myself? If I am NOT praying, what is God NOT doing because I lack faith? Do I take prayer seriously? Or is it just a few mumbled words here and there, before a meal, before I go to bed?

What could God be doing if I spent more time praying? Would it unleash power in my life and in the lives of those for whom I pray? What would that power look like?

The Amalekites attacked the Israelites. Moses told Joshua to take some men and go fight them. He said he would take the staff of God and stand on top of the hill. Aaron and Hur went with Moses. “As long as Moses held up his hands, the Israelites were winning, but whenever he lowered his hands, the Amalekites were winning. When Moses’ hands grew tired, they took a stone and put it under him and he sat on it. Aaron and Hur held his hands up – one on one side, one on the other – so that his hands remained steady till sunset. So Joshua overcame the Amalkite army with the sword.” Exodus 17:11-12

The battle and the lives of the Israelites were at stake. But Moses grew weary. Because he wasn’t alone, he had help. Aaron and Hur could have said, “Go, Moses, Go! Keep those arms up. Joshua is depending on you.” But instead, they came along side of Moses, one on each side. They gave him a rock to sit on and then held up his arms.

To me, this is a wonderful picture of prayer. Prayer is not a ‘wasted’ activity nor an exercise void of power. Sometimes we cannot see as clearly as Moses did, but we hear people’s stories. It is a blessing to hear something like, “I almost gave up, but then I felt this surge of power in my life and I got back on track,” when I know I was praying for them to get ‘back on track’.

Prayer is not just a Christmas list (desires) or grocery list (daily needs). It is a time of aligning my thoughts and my life with what God is doing – a time of seeking His wisdom and instruction – a time of interceding for others who are struggling in this life. Sometimes I do it on my own. Sometimes I need an ‘Aaron’ or ‘Hur’ in my life to hold up my arms while I intercede for others. Sometimes, I need to be an ‘Aaron’ or ‘Hur’ and hold up someone else’s arms while they intercede for another.

While I am interceding, I am also watching for answers. They don’t always come when we expect them or the way we expect them. But they do come. If I am so sure of that, am I also sure that if I don’t take the time to pray, someone is losing a battle. If prayer makes a difference, then NOT prayer also makes a difference. So if you’ll excuse me now, I have some praying and interceding to do.

Stopped in my Tracks!

I set a goal of how far I was going to read in Exodus today. But I didn’t get too far before I was stopped in my tracks! I missed it in Exodus 13:9, but in a previous read, I had circled the words in Exodus 13:16. The words were ‘hands’ and ‘forehead’. Because they were circled, I read what I had written before and decided to ponder them a bit before moving on. I wondered if they might be related to the hands and forehead in the book of Revelation…

“This observance [Passover] will be for you like a sign on your hand and a reminder on your forehead that the law of the Lord is to be on your lips. For the Lord brought you out of Egypt with His mighty hand.” Exodus 13:9 “And it will be like a sign on your hand and a symbol on your forehead that the Lord brought us out of Egypt with his mighty hand.” Exodus 13:16

I wonder what a ‘sign on your hand’ and a ‘symbol on your forehead’ meant in the culture of the day. There are two things that are common to all people – we think and we do – not necessarily in that order. Some think and then do, some think as they do, and some do and then think. But those two activities pretty much make up who we are. We think with our heads and do with our hands. Somehow, I believe that is tied up in these verses.

The Israelites were freed from their slavery – led out of Egypt by the mighty hand of God. Now they were commanded to keep His laws and to remember what He had done for them. They were to pass this on to their children by example. As they celebrated Passover, they were to tell their children about what God had done for them. “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.” Deuteronomy 6:4-9

God does not want to be put on the shelf and pulled down once a week or twice a year. He wants to be part of every aspect of my life – every thought I have and everything I do – my forehead and my hands. I remember who God is and what He has done for me when He is part of my thoughts throughout the day and when He is influencing everything I do with my hands. I am to be consumed by Him! The more time I spend with Him, the more He influences me and becomes part of who I am.

To those who do not belong to God, Jesus said, “You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father’s desire. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies.” John 8:44 With that description of the devil in my mind, I looked at Revelation 13 where John describes for us the beast. “He had two horns like a lamb, but he spoke like a dragon… he performed great and miraculous signs… he deceived the inhabitants of the earth… He also forced everyone, small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on his right hand or on his forehead, so that no one could buy or sell unless he had the mark, which is the name of the beast or the number of his name.” Revelation 13:11-17 “If anyone worships the beast and his image and receives his mark on the forehead or on the hand, he, too, will drink of the wine of God’s fury, which has been poured full strength into the cup of his wrath.” Revelation 14:9-10

Satan tries to appear like a lamb. Jesus is called the “Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world.” John 1:29 The father of lies is trying to be a counterfeit Jesus. He wants his mark to be on us – on our hands and our foreheads. He wants us to be consumed with him rather than being consumed with Jesus, the true Lamb of God.

I choose every day. I choose in everything I do and every thought I have. Will I have the mark of Jesus Christ the true Lamb on my forehead and on my hands, or will I have the mark of the counterfeit, the beast on my forehead and on my hands? What will I teach my children and my friends and anyone with whom I have contact? The mark of the beast isn’t just something for the end times. How I live my life reflects every day the One to whom I belong.

Great is Thy Faithfulness

“Because of the LORD’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. I say to myself, ‘The LORD is my portion; therefore I will wait for him.’” Lamentations 3:22-24

I woke up this morning with the song, “Great is Thy Faithfulness,” on my mind. Tomorrow, it will be a year since our son suddenly went to be with Jesus. And I have to admit that during the past few weeks, I have once again experienced a higher level of unsettledness in my emotion. But each time the emotion surfaces, God’s Spirit within me quietly reminds me, “I have been with you every day and I will continue to be with you. Keep your eyes on me.”

And then I begin to recount the ways God has been faithful. There is not much use in dwelling on the theology or doctrine of suffering. If we learn nothing else from Job, we can see that the arguing of doctrine among his friends only took Job further from his source of comfort. What Job craved was communion and comfort from God. When God finally spoke, the first words out were, “Who is this that darkens my counsel with words without knowledge? Brace yourself like a man; I will question you, and you shall answer me. Where were you when I laid the earth’s foundation? Tell me, if you understand. Who marked off its dimensions? Surely you know! Who stretched a measuring line across it? On what were its footings set, or who laid its cornerstone – while the morning stars sang together and all the angels shouted for joy?” Job 38:2-7

Job’s response was meek. “Surely I spoke of things I did not understand, things too wonderful for me to know… My ears have heard of you but now my eyes have seen you. Therefore I despise myself and repent in dust and ashes.” Job 42:3b, 5-6

It is so easy to think that we are in control of our own little worlds – if I do this, then that will happen. We design our own “truth” and believe that the total results in our lives are dependent upon what we say and do. We forget that we are created beings and there is a God whose wisdom and knowledge are far beyond anything we can think or imagine. Paul says, “Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.” I Corinthians 13:12 He is reminding us that God has the whole picture and we only see a reflection or shadow of it.

As I recount the journey we have been on, I realize that God has provided everything we have needed every step of the way. In fact, He has gone before us teaching us and assuring us of His great love, providing friendships 30 years before that even though ‘dormant’ would rise and nurture and comfort us. He took us through ‘trial runs’ as friends suffered great loss and shared what they were learning through their experiences. He prepared us spiritually and emotionally to be able to stand through this trial even though it took us right to the edge of being able to physically breathe.

He blessed us with much joy and great relationship with both of our sons. He provided especially sweet times in the weeks before and even the day before through a special phone call with even the detail of how to set the mirrors on his car so I could drive it safely in heavy traffic.

He blessed us with family and friends who took care of us, nurtured us, thought for us when we couldn’t think for ourselves, and prayed with us when we were too weak to go on. He dried our tears and continues to dry our tears as we look up and see that He is using even our tragedy to His honor and glory. More and more people are finding new and deeper relationship with God as they realize their own mortality and see what God has done for us and will do for them. No one is promised their next breath, and as we realize that, we look to God who removes fear of death and promises eternity with Him.

Friendships have blossomed and grown as we comfort each other. Family are not the only ones who feel the pain when someone leaves us. Friends hurt deeply as well – especially when the friendship was deep and valued. And as we navigate our pain and learn from our own suffering, we become more able to comfort others on their journeys of pain and suffering as well. “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God. For just as the sufferings of Christ flow over into our lives, so also through Christ our comfort overflows.” II Corinthians 1:3-5

And here we are, one year later… God has walked with me one day at a time. The fellowship is deep and comforting. I will never be the same. The trajectory of my life has changed. I now understand so much more what Jesus accomplished through His resurrection. Yes, He gave us the gift of forgiveness of sins and of eternal life through that. But He also gave us the gift of living free from the fear of death. “Since the children have flesh and blood, He too shared in their humanity so that by His death He might destroy him who holds the power of death—that is, the devil—and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death.” Hebrews 2:14-15

While I live, I no longer fear death. But something else has changed. I understand so much more about heaven and going to live with Christ there. “Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me. In my Father’s house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.” John 14:1-3 Jesus was comforting His disciples before His death on the cross. I understand more now that the disciples were grieved over losing their friend and Christ was telling them, “This isn’t the end… we will see each other again.” This is not a final good-bye but rather a passage. Our son simply went before us and we will see him again soon, just as Christ went before the disciples and promised them they would see Him again soon.

I understand also why the disciples and Paul were able to live their lives with abandon. Paul put it quite clearly when he said, “For me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.” Philippians 1:21 Every day I walk on this earth, I enjoy fellowship with my Father and I am grateful for every breath He gives me. But if I die, it will only get better. It is not the end. It is the beginning of a new life with Christ for eternity. I look forward to that.

In the meantime, “Your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” Matthew 6:10 I understand that this is a fallen world and not God’s best for us. That is to come. But while I am here, God has things for me to do. He is at work even now on this earth and I am His servant – one day at a time walking hand in hand with God.

Hide and Seek

Though I believe Adam and Eve were very real people, they often masquerade as fictional characters in my mind. Maybe it is because their lives were so very different from my own. While their lives were very different, there are still ways I can relate to them as I read their account regarding eating the forbidden fruit in the Garden of Eden. Today I took a walk in the Garden with Eve…

For every action, there is a decision point. I wonder how often we open ourselves up to poor decisions by thoughts we entertain long before the decision is made. For Eve, the serpent raised the question, “Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden’?” Genesis 3:1b Underlying this question is the question about obedience. Had Eve been firm in her resolve to be obedient to God, she would have turned her back on the serpent at this point and not even entertained his question. However, she chose to enter into conversation with him and allowed him to convince her to do what she knew to be wrong. I wonder how often I rationalize rather than obey. I wonder how often I commit the same sin Eve did in the Garden of Eden. How easy it is to blame Adam and Eve for the state the world is in – yet how often do we question rather than obey when God speaks to us.

“Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves.” Genesis 3:7 We use words like ‘street-wise’ and ‘loss of innocence’ to describe a knowledge that is gained through difficult life experiences and poor decisions. Adam and Eve lost their innocence that day. And what they felt was shame. I wonder how many times I have allowed myself to go places I should not have – watched a movie that was questionable, entered a discussion that was less than godly, thought of ways to ‘get back’ at someone – and have lost innocence as a result. And then when it is just me and God, I understand my shame as I stand next to his holiness. Like Adam and Eve, I try to sew fig leaves together – make excuses and rationalize – to cover my shame as God approaches me. But it doesn’t fool God.

“Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the Lord God as he was walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and they hid from the Lord God among the trees of the garden. But the Lord God called to the man, ‘Where are you?’” Genesis 3:8-9 Adam and Eve were trying to hide from God because of their shame in being disobedient. I wonder how often I have moved away from God or tried to hide from Him when I know I am not behaving well or being disobedient to something He has called me to. The more we disobey, the further we move away from God, not wanting to hear Him. Yet, God did not give up. He pursued them. God is already seeking reconciliation with the human race in Genesis 3! God could have put an end to everything right there. But He didn’t. He pursued Adam and Eve even though they were hiding from Him.

When they see they cannot hide from God, Adam and Eve do the next best thing. They begin to rationalize their behavior and blame others. Adam points the finger at Eve and Eve points the finger at the serpent. (Genesis 3:11-13) All three of them have made their own decision to be disobedient, yet rather than own it, they accuse/blame each other. I wonder how often I have tried to take the focus off of myself and blame or accuse others for my disobedience. Thoughts like, “I couldn’t help myself. It was the school system I was in… If s/he hadn’t done this, I wouldn’t have done that… It’s in my genes. I don’t have a choice…” Those are all efforts to absolve myself of responsibility for the choices I make – to blame others and circumstances for my behaviors.

We refer to ‘the curse’ when we talk about the consequences of disobedience. (Genesis 3:14-19) I wonder how often I blame Adam and Eve and ‘the curse’ when I don’t like my circumstances. Yet, if I am honest with myself, I too have been disobedient and tried to hide from God. And there are always consequences for disobedience. David said in the Psalms, “All have turned aside, they have together become corrupt; there is no one who does good, not even one.” Psalm 14:3

“The Lord God made garments of skin for Adam and his wife and clothed them.” Genesis 3:21 While it doesn’t say an animal was sacrificed, that would be the only way the “skin” would become available to make the garments. Another creature had to pay the price of the disobedience. And for generations, sheep, goats, bulls and doves were sacrificed for the sins of the people. I wonder, when I am disobedient, who or what pays?

Because of the loss of innocence, Adam and Eve were banished from the garden and the Tree of Life in order that they would not live forever in their disobedient state. (Genesis 3:22-24) This led to death, the ultimate penalty for disobedience. In an odd way, I am grateful for death because it ultimately puts an end to disobedience that separates us from God. However, God is a God of Reconciliation and restoration and, thankfully, death is not the end. As we read the New Testament, we see God’s plan unfold on another level as He sends Jesus, His Only Son, to be the ultimate sacrifice. Through his death and resurrection, he offers us the gift of reconciliation – a restoration of our relationship with God. In spite of my disobedience, Jesus is willing to stand in the gap and allow me to have a relationship with God, the Creator of the universe. “Now it is God who makes both us and you stand firm in Christ. He anointed us, set his seal of ownership on us, and put his Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come.” II Corinthians 2:21-22

When I accept this gift of grace and healing, I am restored to a right relationship with God and can look forward to being with him forever after my death on this earth. “But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.” I Corinthians 15:20 “With that same spirit of faith we also believe and therefore speak, because we know that the one who raised the Lord Jesus from the dead will also raise us with Jesus and present us with you in his presence.” II Corinthians 4:14

No more hide and seek for me. I just want to obediently walk with God where he has placed me now. And because of what Jesus did for me, I can look forward to walking with him forever. Death isn’t the final word. Jesus is!