Limited perspective, unlimited hope for the new year

Consider the ant, you sluggard; learn from its ways and be wise!  It has no commander, no overseer or ruler, yet it stores its provisions in summer and gathers its food at harvest. --Proverbs 6:6-8

I wonder what the horizon looks like to an ant?  I can just imagine a weather-ant in front of a green screen, standing on two legs, holding a clicker in one, and pointing with three others to imaginary numbers.  "And it's going to be a gorgeous day, with visibility up to fifteen feet from high atop the ant hill.  Watch for automatic sprinklers set for 7:00 a.m., and remember the giant children coming home from school at 3:00 p.m.--don't want to see any of you squished on the sidewalk."

The point is that from their perspective, their world is relatively small.  And no matter how hard they do their jobs, most of them are subject to things outside their control--a small boy discovers the properties of light with a magnifying glass, wrecking the lives of some unsuspecting ants; a little girl drops her candy on the ground, and when she tries to pick it up and brush the ants off of the sticky sweet, some of the stinging insects could end up in her clothes, and cause her to dance uncontrollably.  They may have ant-dreams of finding a picnic, but can they really plan for that?

We are like the ants in that respect.  We go about our lives, doing the best we can.  We struggle to carry life's burdens, which appear to be up to six times our body weight.  And just about the time we carry a few crumbs home to store them up for the winter, some calamity strikes, and our homes are destroyed by a shovel larger than we can imagine, or there is wide-spread sickness and death caused by a poison introduced from outside the colony.

I, for one, could not have begun to predict the events of the past year when I was ringing in the new year in 2013.  I had no idea I would lose one job and get another.  I could not have imagined what effect joining a new church and being more faithful in tithing would have in our lives.  Neither could I have predicted that my children would both move home, that one would get a job and the other would get a dog.  These were not my plans.  I did not resolve to do any of those things.

None of the things we take for granted are in any way guaranteed.  Our homes, our health, our handiwork--all could be gone in the blink of an eye.  It is by the grace of God that we have them; it is by his mercy that we keep hold of them.  That, I think, is why the Bible teaches against prideful boasting.

Now listen, you who say, "Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money."  Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow.  What is your life?  You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.  Instead, you ought to say, "If it is the Lord's will, we will live and do this or that."  As it is, you boast and brag.  All such boasting is evil.  Anyone, then, who knows the good he ought to do and doesn't do it, sins. --James 4:13-17

If it is God's will, we will act on our plans.  But all the while, we must remember the words of Jesus in the Model Prayer: "Our Father....Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven."  We must stay attuned to the Will of the Father.  This doesn't mean that we are to quit our jobs and just wait for the Lord to come.  Remember what James said in the passage we just quoted--whoever knows to do good and doesn't do it, commits a sin just as grievous as doing something we know to be wrong.

In 2014, pray that God will make His ways clear to you.  I can guarantee that if you attuned to the will of God, then the changes He brings will be less traumatic to you.  If you put on too much pride, God's humbling will be painful, and maybe even humiliating.

We are called to be sheep.  Our job is to follow the Good Shepherd.  Sheep are not called to be load-bearing animals.  Sheep are not called to be astronauts, seeing the world from God's perspective; instead, we are called to share.  When a sheep is shorn of its wool, it is not embarrassed.  That wool accumulates dirt and stains when it stays on the sheep.  In the hands of the shepherd, that wool becomes fibers for a man to weave, giving him work to do with his hands; it becomes warm clothes and blankets for a mother to gather and provide for her children; it becomes an artistic tapestry that a child can appreciate, for it reminds her of her mother's love, her father's work, the shepherd's faithfulness, and the sheep's act of selfless giving.

Many spend their lives gazing at stars, when they should keep their heads down and their eyes closed.  For it is in the spirit of prayer that we can see the heavens more clearly.

Jump for Joy

 But for you who revere my name, the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its wings.  And you will go out and leap like calves released from the stall. --Malachi 4:2

Rejoice in that day and leap for joy, because great is your reward in heaven. --Luke 6:21






(props to my friend John Brewer for posting this pic)

We have just concluded the Christmas season.  Soon the decorations will be stored away, the tree will be taken down, and the presents will all be taken out of their boxes and put to use.  We will all go back to our jobs and the joys of Christmas will be a memory.

Wait a minute.  Why can't we keep the joy?

Do you remember seeing a child jump up and down after seeing their gifts? Do you remember being that child who jumped up and down, squealing when you saw your presents?  Don't tell me you grew out of it.  Maturity does not steal your joy, not always.  Many times we describe a situation, and our reaction to it, as being "like a kid in a candy store." The more literary among us would describe it as having a certain joie de vivre.

Don't let life steal your joy.  Here are three reasons why:

The Joy Of The Lord Is Your Strength
Someone once said, "Laughter in the face of danger is a mark of courage."  Some may think him a fool who laughs, but there is no fear in him.  Are we not called to be fearless?  When Moses commissioned Joshua to lead the nation of Israel into the Promised Land, he said, "Be strong and courageous.  Do not be afraid or terrified because of them for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you." (Deuteronomy 31:6).  Those words give comfort--they are the very "tidings of comfort and joy" that we sang about all during the Christmas season.

The words "The Joy of the Lord is your strength" come straight from Scripture.  After an extended exile in Babylon, the prophet Nehemiah led the people in restoring the Temple in Jerusalem.  He found the ancient scrolls, the Law of Moses, and had them read to the people.  The people responded by weeping at the words they heard.  But Nehemiah encouraged them not to weep our mourn. "Go and enjoy choice food and sweet drinks, and send some to those who have nothing prepared.  This day is sacred to our Lord.  Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength." (Nehemiah 8:10).  There will come a day when we are ushered into the presence of the Lord, in all His heavenly splendor.  Some of us may weep on that day, but the Father will comfort us.  "He will dry every tear from your eyes."  We will be stronger there than at any time during our lives, all because of His power and grace.  This power and grace is available to us today, we just don't realize it.

Joy Is A Fruit Of The Spirit
As born-again believers in Christ, we have the Spirit of God living in us.  We should be so controlled by the Spirit, so filled full of God's grace and glory, that others will see Jesus in all that we do and say.  The Apostle Paul said, "May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit." (Romans 15:13)

A favorite scripture of many is Jeremiah 28:11: "For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future."  If that does not bring you joy, then perhaps you should reconsider your relationship with God.

Joy Is An Outpouring Of The Realization Of His Grace
"Though you have not seen Him, you love Him; and even though you do not see Him now, you believe in Him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls." (1 Peter 1:8-9).  In his book Grace is not a blue-eyed blonde; Grace is the Joyous Unmerited Blessing of God, Eugene C. Rollins writes:

In Lieberman's classic, Peace of Mind, he tells us that we learn in the book of Joshua that there is no peace without a deep sense of justification.  There is no peace without a sense of I'm standing in and under God's grace, God's unmerited, undeserved, unearned kindness toward me.  Without that, there is no peace.  There is no social peace without soul peace.  There is no soul peace without a harmonious relationship to our Creator.  Soul peace.  Soul peace is found in that stand of grace. Standing under the justification of God, as I am aware that God looks at me and sees me just as if I'd never sinned.  Not that I am forgiven: I am. Not that I am pardoned: I am. Not that I am reconciled; I am. But just as if it never happened. That is what is abundant. Standing in that grace brings the justification.  The justification brings an abiding inner peace, and that abiding inner peace brings joy.  Not happiness. I'm not much on happiness.  You can find happiness anywhere, absolutely anywhere. You can find it in a bottle.   You can find it in a pill. You can find happiness anywhere and almost everywhere, but joy--that is something that is deep within that is contented.  That's something deep within that is OK. That comes out of peace. Peace comes out of justification.  Justification comes out of our stance and grace.

Wow.  What a concept.  Grace given to me, so that I am justified before God.  Being justified before God gives peace to my soul.  Soul peace leads to joy.  It makes me want to shout!

Joy to the world! The Lord has come
Let earth receive her King!
Let every heart prepare Him room
And heaven and nature sing
And heaven and nature sing
And heaven, and heaven and nature sing
Joy to the world! the Savior reigns
Let men their songs employ
While fields and floods
Rocks, hills and plains
Repeat the sounding joy
Repeat the sounding joy
Repeat, repeat the sound joy
No more let sin and sorrow grow
Nor thorns infest the ground
He comes to make
His blessings flow
Far as the curse is found
Far as the curse is found
Far as, far as the curse is found
He rules the world with truth and grace
And makes the nations prove
The glories of His righteousness
And wonders of His love
And wonders of is love
And wonders and wonders of His love

  

Public rebuke versus private redemption

I recently came across an interview from Katie Couric that I thought was timely, in light of the popular discussion these days.  I do not know when this piece aired, and I do not know who the guest, Carl Lentz, is except that he is pastor of a Pentecostal church in New York City that meets in a dance club and has thousands in attendance each week.

Katie Couric: How do you feel about the sort of tolerance issue that I was talking to Joel (Osteen) about?  I mean, do you guys have positions on, say, gay marriage and things like that?

Carl Lentz: We have a stance on love, and everything else we have conversations.

Katie:  So what does that mean?

Carl:  Exactly that.  Often people want you to make these big statements...

Katie:  Pronouncements

Carl:  Yeah, about things, and I don't think it's fair.  I don't think a public forum is always the best place to talk about something that's so sensitive and important to so many, because a public forum--there's no discussion there.  And everybody's situation is unique.  So, I've been with some people who are like, "Make a statement about this."  And I'll say, like, "Why?"  I'd rather have a conversation, you know, with that person; because if I make a statement publicly, there's no discussion, there's no explanation--there's just this comment.

Katie:  Just to play devil's advocate, do you feel like you have a moral imperative to speak publicly about some of these more controversial issues?

Carl: No, because we try to be like Jesus.  Very rarely did Jesus ever talk about morality or social issues.  He was about the deeper things of the heart.  Often people want to talk about behavior modification.  Our church isn't about that.  You can get behavior modification doing yoga, or going to a karaoke thing--you can change a little bit there.  We're about soul transformation. So you start talking about some of the symptomatic stuff--that's not what we're about.  We're about talking to people about their heart, and the condition of their soul.  And some of that stuff out-works itself. But we're not out to change people, because we can't.

Think about that for a minute.  What were the major themes of the most public statements of Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount? Blessings in your present circumstances.  Love for your enemies.  Not judging others.  It was in the very private moments that he called out sin--the story of the woman at the well comes to mind.  There is probably a very good reason that there was only an audience of three at the Transfiguration--only Peter, James and John had the privilege of seeing Jesus in his heavenly state.  We have no eyewitness accounts, unless you believe that the Gospel of Mark was dictated by the Apostle Peter; we only have written descriptions from Matthew, Mark and Luke, none of whom were actually there.  It was a very emotional, very intimate experience.  Much like salvation.

Think of these two very different experiences:  In one, a member of the Jewish religious hierarchy approaches Jesus under cover of darkness.  Jesus could see, in this one-on-one, face-to-face encounter, that Nicodemus had some soul-searching, serious questions about how to approach God.  Jesus cut to the chase immediately: "I tell you the truth," he said. "No one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again."  Nicodemus was clearly a literal thinker.  His question seems ludicrous to anyone except those who think in very literal terms.  "How can a man be born when he is old? Surely he cannot enter a second time into his mother's womb to be born!"  This give and take between the two men led to possibly the most famous verse in all of Scripture: "For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life."  Jesus led Nicodemus from religion to relationship, from condemnation to unconditional love.  He even spoke to Nicodemus' background in the law when in the same conversation Jesus said, "This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil."

Now think about almost every Super Bowl broadcast you have seen.  Some guy in an end-zone seat, usually wearing a rainbow wig so he will stand out from the crowd, holds up a sign that reads "John 3:16".

Both Jesus and rainbow-wig guy have the same message.  But which one is more effective?  When Jesus gave the Great Commission, he didn't say, "Go ye therefore to every sports venue and hold a banner with my name."  He didn't say, "Teach them all things by way of putting religious bumper stickers on your cars."  And he sure didn't say, "At every opportunity, give an interview to a magazine where you describe one particular sin in very graphic detail in order to illustrate why you think it is a disgusting practice."

What he did say was that we should teach and disciple all people.  What he didn't say was that we should teach or disciple them all at the same time.  The best way to teach is individually, or at least in a small-group setting.  Why do you think many colleges boast about a low student-teacher ratio? Why do students who fall behind need one-on-one time with a tutor? Because that is the best way to teach.  And what is discipleship?  It is showing people how to live as Jesus lived.  The very best way to do that is to have the student follow the teacher around--not follow you on social media, or follow your radio and television broadcasts or even your sermon series on books and DVD. 

But back to the issue that everyone seems to be talking about this past week.  My philosophy professor in college, who has since retired, recently shared this post on Facebook:

If it were possible to come to the Bible with no pre-conceived ideas of right and wrong, the Bible rather clearly says that homosexuality is wrong--whatever the implications and applications that entails. It is a rather complex issue. (Note also that it clearly teaches that lying and gossiping, along with a good number of other things are wrong; lying seemingly, perhaps, gets the most attention).

If we could come to the Bible with no idea of how we ought to live, it clearly... says that we are to love each other, and that has many implications and applications. Christian love is more complex than appears first glance.

So we look for ways to live between these two concepts. We tend to gravitate, because of our prejudices, one way or the other. Truth lies somewhere in the middle along a shifting line depending on the relative situation. We don't want to be wishy-washy, so we polarize rather than having no clearly absolute answer.

I don't have the answers, however I am certain of one thing (one of the few things I am certain about) and that is that Christian love is trumps.

I guess the point of what I am saying is this: if we have a broad audience, we should speak of broad things, like love and mercy and justice.  If we want to identify specific sins of specific people, we should have those conversations in private, in person, and only after a lot of prayer.  If people make a blanket statement publicly, it is very easy to tune out their message.  Then the conversation is controlled by the media.  It is much better, showing more humility, to have discussions with people one at a time, so that their specific needs can be met with the message of Christ.  Remember Jesus' rebuke to the Pharisees: don't point to the splinter in your brother's eye until after you have removed the log from your own.

Crazy Love, Outrageous Gifts, Given By Our Father

My daughter and I watched a movie last night called "We Bought A Zoo."  Really cute, and heartwarming.  And, as usual, I saw some spiritual truths.  In the movie, Matt Damon plays a grieving widower with two children, Dylan, who is 14 and very bitter, and Rosie, who is 7 and very, very cute.  Everyone yearns for the missing mother, who died of an undisclosed illness, and whose image is seen throughout the film.  It made me think of our spiritual lives, where we yearn for Christ, and see Him in all things, but only if we look for Him and stop wallowing in our current situation. "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 what is unseen.  For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal." (2 Corinthians 4:16-18)

In one particular scene, the dad (played by Matt Damon) is preparing dinner.  They start to cook what appears to be some corn on the cob, and he tells the children that he forgot to buy butter.  He says it will be up to them, they have a vote, but he just wants them to know that it is 9 miles to the nearest grocery store, and 9 miles back.  So he asks them to ask themselves, it is worth driving 18 miles for butter?  Needless to say, the next time we see the dad, he is coming back from the grocery store with butter in his shopping bag.

To me, this was a powerful illustration.  What dad among us has not done some outrageous things for our children?  I know I have.  And in our human limitations, we all wish we could have done more.  Yet look at the lengths our Father in Heaven goes to for us. "Which of you," the Bible says, "if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone?  Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake?  If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!" (Matthew 7:9-11).

Stop right now and count your blessings.  Think of all the good things you have in your life, things that you have very little control of--your health, your family, your possessions.  We tend to take these things for granted, but the Lord has blessed us with them.  Like Job in the Bible, if all these things were taken from us in one fell swoop, we would know that God had allowed it to happen.  Unlike Job, however (for most of us), we would not praise Him in our losses. "Naked came I from my mother's womb, and naked I will depart.  The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; may the name of the Lord be praised." (Job 1:21)

In another scene of the movie, the young Dylan, the son, was asked to turn off the light in the garage.  A simple task, to be sure, but one that needed to be done.  But Dylan does not focus on the task at hand.  He notices a crate in the garage that is labeled "Live Snakes".  He can't help himself--he must open the crate and look in.  When he sees the serpents raise their heads and hears their hissing, he slams the lid shut and runs out of the building.  Unfortunately, he does not secure the latch, and the snakes escape.  In the morning, they find an infestation of snakes in their home and their yard.  To his credit, young Dylan takes responsibility for it, but he is consumed by guilt.  "What an idiot!" he calls himself.

Now, isn't that so much like us, in so many ways?  Our Father gives us a task to do, and we get distracted by sin.  No matter how well marked the path to sin is, no matter how large the letters on the sign, we still are tempted to open the box and peek in.  Like the ancient Greek myth of Pandora's Box, once it is open it is impossible to shut up again.  Sin slithers in, like a serpent.  It multiplies in our lives, and becomes an infestation.  And instead of going to the Father, we spend precious time and effort blaming ourselves.  Wracked with guilt, we become a hindrance in the effort to contain the critters, rather than humbly offering to help.

Finally, in one crucial scene of the movie, Matt Damon pulls on a sweatshirt that had been a favorite of his wife's.  When she was alive, she kind of took it over from him.  Now that he misses her so much, he puts on the garment that he has not worn in years.  I don't want to ruin the movie for those who have not seen it, but in doing this he finds a huge blessing.  Huge.  A life-changing blessing, that had been provided for by his wife for him before she died, and without his putting on the garment, he would not have found.  In fact, earlier in the movie he had considered throwing the sweatshirt away.

We are all called to put on the righteousness of God, like a cloak.  "I delight greatly in the Lord: my soul rejoices in my God.  For he has clothed me with garments of salvation and arrayed me in a robe of righteousness." (Isaiah 61:10).  We can choose to throw it away.  We can choose to keep salvation locked in a closet.  But the blessing comes when we wrap his grace around us, when we clothe ourselves in God's provision.  Then we find "a good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over will be poured into your lap." (Luke 6:38).

You hear me when I call

You are my morning song
Though darkness fills the night
It cannot hide the light

Whom shall I fear?

You crush the enemy
Underneath my feet
You are my Sword and Shield
Though troubles linger still

Whom shall I fear?

I know Who goes before me
I know Who stands behind
The God of angel armies
Is always by my side
The One who reigns forever
He is a Friend of mine
The God of angel armies
Is always by my side

My strength is in Your name
For You alone can save
You will deliver me
Yours is the victory

Whom shall I fear?
Whom shall I fear?

And nothing formed against me shall stand
You hold the whole world in your hands
I'm holding onto Your promises
You are faithful
You are faithful

And nothing formed against me shall stand
You hold the whole world in your hands
I'm holding onto Your promises
You are faithful
You are faithful
You are faithful

I know Who goes before me
I know Who stands behind
The God of angel armies
Is always by my side
The One who reigns forever
He is a Friend of mine
The God of angel armies
Is always by my side

Read more: Chris Tomlin - Whom Shall I Fear (God Of Angel Armies) Lyrics | MetroLyrics 

God Keeps His Promises

Nevertheless, because of the covenant the Lord had made with David, the Lord was not willing to destroy the house of David.  He had promised to maintain a lamp for him and his descendants forever. --2 Chronicles 21:7

 We all remember the story of Noah's Ark, and the promise of the rainbow.  That may be one of the earliest Bible stories we heard as children growing up.  Some may call it a myth, but the world has not been destroyed in a flood, has it?

God is faithful.  "What if some did not have faith? Will their lack of faith nullify God's faithfulness? Not at all!  Let God be true, and every man a liar." (Romans 3:3-4)  In other words, your lack of faith in my God does not mean that my God does not exist, or that he cannot or will not do all that He has promised.

In the books of Chronicles in the Old Testament, there are successions of kings, some good, some evil.  In the verse cited above, the king was Jehoram, the son of Jehoshaphat.  Dad was a good king, following the laws of God.  Son was a bad king, leading the people of Israel into idolatry, following in the steps of Ahab (whose wife, you may remember, was Jezebel).

God's patience must have been running thin, because he considered wiping out the entire family of Jehoram.  Yet the youngest son, Ahaziah, was spared.  Even though God knew beforehand that Ahaziah would also be wicked and not follow in His ways, his very life was spared because of a promise that God had made to King David.  I wonder if Ahaziah ever thought about that?  Probably not.  Even today, the promises of God are kept, and some of us enjoy the fruit of God's hand even if we don't recognize it.  "God works in mysterious ways."

The promise to "maintain a lamp for him (David) and his descendants forever" was prophetic.  In the first chapter of John, Jesus is described as the Word made flesh, and the Light of the World. "In Him (Jesus) was life, and that life was the light of mankind.  That light still shines in the darkness, and the darkness has never put it out." (John 1:4-5, Phillips Paraphrase).

Think about that.  God promised to have a descendant of David as ruler over Jerusalem and the Nation of Israel forever.  Whenever Israel sinned against God, and the people were taken into exile, there was always a princely descendant of David ready to assume the throne once the people were restored to their homeland.  But who is the king of Israel today?  It is Jesus, the Son of God, whose human family was of the house and line of King David.  And Jesus is our Light.  "Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path." (Psalm 119:105).  Who did John say was the Word made flesh? Who did the writer of Chronicles say was the Lamp maintained by God?  They are one and the same.

Light of the world, You stepped down into darkness.
Opened my eyes, let me see.
Beauty that made this heart adore you, hope of a life spent with you.

[Chorus]
And here I am to worship,
Here I am to bow down,
Here I am to say that you're my God,
You're altogether lovely,
Altogether worthy,
Altogether wonderful to me.

King of all days,
Oh so highly exalted, Glorious in heaven above.
Humbly you came to the earth you created.
All for love's sake became poor.

[Chorus]
Here I am to worship,
Here I am to bow down,
Here I am to say that you're my God,
You're altogether lovely,
Altogether worthy,
Altogether wonderful to me.

I'll never know how much it cost to see my sin upon that cross.
I'll never know how much it cost to see my sin upon that cross.
And I'll never know how much it cost to see my sin upon that cross.
No I'll never know how much it cost to se my sin upon that cross.

[Chorus]
Here I am to worship,
Here I am to bow down,
Here I am to say that you're my God,
You're altogether lovely,
Altogether worthy,
Altogether wonderful to me.
So Here I am to worship,
Here I am to bow down,
Here I am to say that you're my God,

A love borne out in service

Service which is rendered without joy helps neither the servant nor the served. But all other pleasures and possessions pale into nothingness before service which is rendered in a spirit of joy.  --Mahandas K. Gandhi

I will confess that pride is one of the sins with which I struggle the most.  At any point of comparison with another that I feel superior, I will boast in it.  In any position in which I am placed, I instantly find others in lower positions to whom I may compare myself favorably. Had I gone into medicine, I would have been the doctor with the god complex, the one the nurses all hate to work with.  Had I gone into the military, I would have been the captain with the complex, the second lieutenant with "small man syndrome" at whose orders the sergeants would all roll their eyes.

When I got my first job in my current career, I would boast that I had a master's degree.  Most people didn't care.  The ones who were willing to engage me in conversation about it would ask where I received it from, or what my field of study was.  When I would tell them that my degree was from a Baptist seminary, in Religious Education, the conversation would suddenly stop.  No one could think of any way a seminary degree in religious education could help me in the business world, much less in the field of insurance.  So those kind people would either walk away, or would change the subject.  God bless those who would forebear my obnoxiousness.  They had more of a servant mentality than I.

That servant mentality is what I'd like to spend a few minutes discussing.  When Paul said, "Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves," (Philippians 2:3), he probably had Jesus in mind.  Jesus personified servant leadership.  But the way that Jesus served was not just to show us how to serve one another; it was done out of complete and utter love.  Follow me in John chapter 13.

It was just before the Passover Feast.  Jesus knew that the hour had come for him to leave this world and go to the Father. --John 13:1a

Jesus had every right to lord it over his disciples, because he was, in fact, Lord of all.  We who are limited in human nature can barely grasp the concept of what Jesus was feeling at that moment.  He knew that he would suffer death withing 24 hours of that time.  If you or I had that knowledge, that we were condemned to die in a day, what would we be thinking?  Get away from me.  I need to be alone.  None of this matters now.  There is no tomorrow.  We would be bitter, selfish, and rude, wouldn't we.  Yet Jesus knew that he would awaken in the presence of his Father, the almighty God of Heaven.

If I was a prince, and I found myself in chains in a prison, I would be petulant.  If I were told that tomorrow I would be reunited with my father the king, and would be restored to the castle where I grew up, with all of the rights and privileges of royalty bestowed up me, I would probably be plotting revenge against my captors.  In a way, this was where Jesus found himself.  But he was not feeling any of those emotions that we would feel.

Having loved his own who were in the world, he now showed them the full extent of his love. --John 13:1b

How did he show them he loved them? Did he embrace each one and tell them all personally how much they meant to him? No. Did he promise them prominent positions in his kingdom? No.  Did he lavish them with gifts? Not really.

Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God; so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist.  After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples' feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him. --John 13:3-5

With the knowledge that he was all-powerful, and with a sense of his history and his destiny, he showed them the full extent of his love by stripping off his clothes and kneeling before each one of them.  He didn't even demand that they bring him a basin or that they fill it with water.  He likely picked up his own basin and drew the water out himself.  And as he washed the filth off their feet, it was transferred to him--he used his own hands to wash, and the towel that was wrapped around himself to dry them off.  Not only was this a foreshadowing of his sacrificial death, in which he took all the sins of the world upon himself; it was a picture of what true love is.

If we are truly committed to living the way Jesus wants us to live, and to glorify him in our actions, we will do more of this kind of work ourselves.  We will hold the hand of the sick, even those with contagious diseases; even, I daresay, those with diseases that were contracted out of sinful conduct (venereal disease, pregnancy out of wedlock, AIDS, etc.)  We will feed the hungry around us without judging--without the attitude of "get a job, and make better decisions in life and you won't be in this situation."

A famous German theologian once wrote, “By judging others we blind ourselves to our own evil and to the grace which others are just as entitled to as we are.” ― Dietrich Bonhoeffer, The Cost of Discipleship. This same man wrote what is now called the Serenity Prayer, which is repeated at the end of every AA meeting. Most Christians in the pews on Sunday would not think of spending Saturdays at AA meetings, or soup kitchens, or hospice.  And why not? Because we do not all have the servant-spirit of Jesus.  We would rather compare ourselves favorably to those in need than to help them.  We have succumbed to the sin of pride, and take no joy in service.

The second greatest commandment is to love your neighbor as you love yourself.  This is true even if your neighbor is poor and in need.

Trials, Tribulations, and Truth

 

Do not pray for easier lives.  Pray to be stronger men. --John F. Kennedy

Tough week.  Sunday I had recommitted to God that I would be more faithful to him, that I would strive with my whole being to glorify him in all that I do.  Remembering the Sunday before, when I had worked for 10 hours running back and forth, serving with all my strength; then having to walk 1.2 miles to the employee parking lot where I had left my car.  I thought about how far it was, and how long it would take me to walk there (it would have taken even longer to wait for the employee shuttle, the line was so long.)  Then I realized that all I could do was take one step at a time.  One foot in front of the other, and soon, I was at the next stoplight; then I was at the Youth Ballpark; then I was at the parking lot, in view of my car.  That was the lesson that I have been learning--don't bellyache that the destination is too far, just start the journey and keep going.

So I had this going on early this week.  Claiming God's promise in Isaiah 26:3: "You will keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on Thee."

Then came the test.

I get a phone call on Thursday.  Emergency.  Don't leave work, but there's this thing.  Big thing.  Been coming on for a couple of days.  Needs to be dealt with.  Difficult.  Hard.  Don't want to face it, but can't avoid it.  I'm coming home.  No, don't.  But I can help.  DON'T LEAVE WORK!!! Okay, but call me.

Try to do my job, but can't concentrate on the task at hand.  Then I get another call, this time from a client. The payment I sent didn't get there.  I check it.  Yes it went out, to this address.  What do you mean that's not the right address?  And the payment that was due to you, you were going to use it to pay your rent? And to buy diapers for your baby?  And now you have nothing until the corrected payment gets to you next week? And your landlord is threatening eviction?  Hang on, my boss is saying something--yes, I know that late payments could result in fines against my company.  Yes, I know that interest payments are due if the late payment is my fault.  Yes, sir, this late payment is my fault.

Tell me again why I got out of bed this morning?

Praying hard all the way home.  A scripture is brought to mind.  Romans 8:28: "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose."  Yes, but Lord, I should have left work to deal with this emergency.  Yet, I know that if I had left, I wouldn't have heard from the client, and I wouldn't have been able to correct the address and re-send the check.  But I feel so bad for the young mother who is in such dire straits, and it is my fault she didn't have the money she was expecting.  In a perfect world, I wouldn't have messed up the payment.  In a perfect world, I could've been available during this emergency.  In a perfect world, there wouldn't have been any emergency, and there would have been no need to leave work, and no double-bind, and no feelings of failing twice in one day.

So much is out of my control.  And when life gets complicated, the things I do have control over don't always go according to plan, so it adds to the trouble.  Yet in John 16, Jesus said these soothing words:

I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace.  In this world you will have trouble.  But take heart!  I have overcome the world. --John 16:33

Peace
He did not say there would be peace in the circumstances.  He did not say that in my own strength I could achieve peace.  He said, "In me you may have peace."  No matter what we are going through, he is our peace.  All he asks from us is faithfulness.  When Peter had the faith to walk on water, he took his eyes off of Jesus, and when he saw the wind and the waves--when he saw the circumstances of where he was--he started to sink.  We must remember the words of Jesus ("I have told you these things"), and meditate on them rather than worrying and being consumed with our circumstances.  It is hard to understand, but we know what Paul said in Phillippians 4:7, "And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus."

Trouble
We live in a fallen world.  We don't have to look very far to see things that would not happen in a perfect world--hunger, homelessness, hopelessness and despair.  We only have to turn on the news networks to see that these problems are world-wide, not just in our own neighborhoods.  God may give us opportunity to fight injustice, or to feed the hungry, or to bring hope to the hopeless.  But if we visualize the scope of the problem, the breadth and depth and height of it, we could very easily get discouraged.  We must look only at what we can do in this moment.  One step, one day at a time.  God promises that one day, he will wipe every tear from our eyes.  Isaiah 16:5 promises, "In love, a throne will be established; in faithfulness, a man will sit on it--one from the house of David--one who in judging seeks justice and speeds the cause of the righteous."  That is what I think of when I read the first part of the Lord's Prayer: "Thy kingdom come." Even now, Lord Jesus, come quickly!

Overcome
He is faithful.  He is powerful.  He who turned water into wine can turn chaos into calmness.  We, who are called by his Name, can overcome the world, as well.  1 John 5:4-5 says, "For everyone born of God overcomes the world.  This is the victory that overcomes the world, even our faith.  Who is it that overcomes the world? Only he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God."  Are you an overcomer? God is faithful, and he can work through those who are faithful to him.  No one can do everything; but everyone can do something.  A tremendous journey begins with one step, and is followed by another step, then another, and another until you are in a different place than when you started.

I am pleased to tell you that the emergency was dealt with.  The crisis is not over, but by God's grace it will resolve well.  And on Friday I got a call from that client, who had informed me that I had made that error on her payment, the error the could have so many different consequences.  She thanked me for being so thoughtful and caring.  She won't get the money until next week, but her landlord has promised to work with her, and she has family that can help her buy diapers and baby food for her daughter.  Even though I felt hopeless in those situations, by God's grace I was faithful in always trying to do the right thing, one step at a time. To God be the glory, who can bring peace under any circumstance, and bring victory through my failings.

Daddy, why did he have to die?

As parents, we have all had to explain the concept of death to our children at one time or another.  Perhaps the loss of a pet has given us an opportunity to teach the biological cycle of life to our children; or, if the pet died in an accident, we may have taken the opportunity to teach children about how fragile life is, and how it is important to follow safety guidelines.  It is more difficult to explain the death of a loved one, either a friend or a relative.  Sometimes we must admit to our children, and to ourselves, that we just don't know why.

In the eleventh chapter of the Gospel of John, some dear friends of Jesus sent word to him that their brother, Lazarus, was sick.  They begged him to come and heal Lazarus.  The sisters, Mary and Martha, had seen Jesus heal others: complete strangers on whom Jesus had compassion.  They knew he was able.  They assumed, because of their friendship, that he was also willing.

Jesus sent an answer back with the messenger that had brought the news of Lazarus' illness.

When he heard this, Jesus said, "This sickness will not end in death.  No, it is for God's glory so that God's Son may be glorified through it."--John 11:4

When the disciples, who knew of Jesus special friendship with this family, heard this, they probably thought it was a good thing--the sickness would not result in death, and that Lazarus would recover.  They also knew that it was not a good time to travel.  Lazarus lived in Bethany, which was about two miles from Jerusalem.  The Pharisees and High Priest in Jerusalem had put a price on Jesus' head--they wanted Jesus dead.  So it came as no shock to them that, although "Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus; yet when he heard that Lazarus was sick, he stayed where he was for two more days." (John 11:5-6).

However, on the third day, Jesus told his disciples that they would go to Judea, the region where Jerusalem is.  They strongly warned him against this move.  The Jewish leaders were ready to assassinate him.  They already knew that Jesus had said that Lazarus wouldn't die.  In fact, Jesus made a cryptic remark about Lazarus falling asleep, and the disciples totally missed the reference.  If he was sleeping, wasn't that a good thing? Wasn't rest for him just what the doctor had ordered?  Jesus had to explain to them that Lazarus had already died.  This likely confused the poor disciples--if Lazarus was dead, why go to him?  Especially since Jesus would likely be arrested and killed if he went anywhere near Jerusalem.  Nevertheless, Jesus' mind was made up, so the disciples prepared to go with him.  "Then Thomas (called Didymus) said to the rest of the disciples, 'Let us also go, that we may die with him'."

Jesus' friend Lazarus was dead.  Jesus, if he went to Jerusalem, would probably be killed.  Thomas felt like loyalty to Jesus was a thing worth dying for, and he was resigned to his own death, as well.  But Jesus didn't go there to die.  He went there to glorify God.  Everything Jesus did was to glorify God.  Even allowing his friend Lazarus to die would glorify God.  And it would be a foreshadowing of Jesus' own death and resurrection.

See, people then, like people now, believe that death is final.  Sure, they may believe in a resurrection some day.  And if you pressed them, most who believe in the resurrection at the last day don't know whether it will be a physical resurrection, or merely a spiritual one, where "those who have fallen asleep will rise to meet him in the air."  And we certainly can't predict when that resurrection will take place.  Jesus was showing his friends and disciples that 1) death is not final, and 2) he had power over death, and could predict the day of his own resurrection.  It would be within 3 days of his death.  But the disciples didn't see that until much later.

The way that people react to Jesus, both in this story and also today, tell a lot about that person.  As we have seen, the disciples were looking out for Jesus, trying to protect his image, trying to keep him from being killed.  They probably also had a personal reason to protect Jesus: as he went, so would they.  But as we will see, those in Jerusalem would either see Jesus in faith, in despair, or in doubt.

Looking to Him in Faith
When Jesus made it to Bethany, his friend Martha met him on the way. "Lord," Martha said to Jesus, "if you had been here, my brother would not have died.  But I know that even now God will give you whatever you ask." (John 11:21-22).  Her faith was greater than that of the disciples.  She met Jesus in faith and hope.  The question on her mind was the same question everyone had, as we will see in a minute.  Jesus had demonstrated the ability to heal; Lazarus was sick; therefore Jesus could have healed him.  He could have prevented this death.  Why?  Martha had an idea of why.  That is why she said that God would hear Jesus' prayers, implying that if Jesus prayed for Lazarus to be raised from the dead, God would hear him and make it happen.

Her faith was relevant to the situation.  It was real.

Jesus said to her, "Your brother will rise again."  Martha answered, "I know he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day."  Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life.  He who believe in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never did.  Do you believe this?"  "Yes, Lord," she told him. "I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who was to come into the world." --John 11:23-27

She knew in her heart that Jesus would do things that her mind could not conceive.  Her faith in him was real.  God would be glorified, whatever happened.

Running to Him in Despair
Jesus was still outside the village, and Martha went to get Mary, who was still mourning in the house.  With a little encouragement from Martha, Mary went out to meet Jesus.  Sometimes we get so overwhelmed by our own circumstances that we need some encouragement to even pray about it.  That's what despair does--it drives a wedge between us and our Savior.  As Martha put feet to her faith, she led Mary to where Jesus was.  Mary fell at Jesus' feet, not in worship but in mourning: she was too emotional to stand.  Her question was the same as her sister: why hadn't Jesus come to prevent all this?  "Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died."

Jesus had compassion on her.

When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come along with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in spirit and troubled. "Where have you laid him?" he asked. "Come and see," they replied.  And Jesus wept. --John 11:33-35

Jesus was God in the flesh.  He had the power to forgive, the power to heal, and the power to even raise people from the dead.  Yet he was not without emotion.  He felt empathy with Mary, who was so overcome with grief that she could not see who was before her.  He wept with her in her sorrow.  That's what Jesus does: he meets us where we are.  Whatever situation we find ourselves in, He is there.  We only need to look for him.

Eyeing Him with Doubt
There were many from Jerusalem who had come to mourn with Martha and Mary.  Lazarus had no doubt been a pillar of the community. He was well respected, even loved by many of the Jews who had come to his memorial service four days after Lazarus' death.  They looked at Jesus, who had risked a lot to be there.  They saw him weeping with Mary.  They had mixed feelings about Jesus--his loyalty and friendship were admired, but the same nagging question ate at their hearts.

Then the Jews said, "See how he loved him!"  But some of them said, "Could not he who opened the eyes of the blind man have kept this man from dying?" --John 11:36-37

Imagine their surprise when Jesus called on Lazarus to come out of the grave.  Those who doubted before now saw Lazarus standing before them, wrapped in strips of linen with a burial cloth over his face.  Jesus said, "Did I not tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God?" (John 11:40).  God had glorified the Son before their eyes, and Jesus had glorified the Father.

Many, no doubt, believed.  Others, however, thought it was a trick--either a body double, or that Lazarus had not actually died.  This was certainly the mind-set of the chief priests and Pharisees, who convened a meeting when they heard of this.

"What are we accomplishing?" they asked.  Here is this man performing many miraculous signs. If we let him go on like this, everyone will believe in him, and the Romans will come and take away both our place and our nation."  Then one of them, named Caiaphas, who was high priest that year, spoke up, "You know nothing at all! You do not realize that it is better that one man die for the people than that the whole nation perish."   He did not say this on his own, but as high priest that year he prophesied that Jesus would die for the Jewish nation, and not only for that nation but also for the scattered children of God, to bring them together and make them one." --John 11:47-52

Some doubters can't see the forest for the trees.  Yes, Jesus performed the miracle, but he must be stopped or we will lose our place in society.  Our whole nation could be turned upside-down!  It's not just that they don't believe, it is that they don't want to believe.  They are comfortable in their unbelief, and want to do everything they can to maintain the status quo.

So whether we eye him with doubt, or fall at his feet in despair, or look to him in faith, we know that Jesus is a force to be reckoned with.  Those who try to obliterate him and his message only serve to show that he is our sacrifice.  Those who are caught up in circumstances beyond our control may become emotional, but if we have a friend who brings us to the feet of Jesus, he can lift us out of despair.  Those whose faith is strong know that God will be glorified in all things; He will fight for us, we only need to be still. (Exodus 14:14)

Again, if you are a parent, your children may hear of Jesus' birth in the coming months, as we approach Christmas.  They may hear of his death, either now or at the arrival of Easter.  What will you tell them when they ask, "Why did Jesus have to die?"  Our response should be, "So that God could be glorified."

For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom his whole family in heaven and on earth derives its name.  I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge--that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.  Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen. --Ephesians 3:14-21 

Perseverance: The Insanity of Hope

Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him. --James 1:12

Conventional wisdom gives us the statement: "The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results."  This sounds like a truism.  In fact, it is specious. Hogwash, really. A complete and utter lie. Here's why.

We teach our children the nursery rhyme/lullaby "The Itsy-Bitsy Spider" (also known as "The Eensy-Weensy Spider.") Why do we teach children that song? To counter any future waves of arachnophobia? Because it sounds simple and sing-songy? Because we like the hand motions? NO!!  We teach children the song because at its core, it has a life meaning.

The itsy-bitsy spider climbed up the water spout.

This is what spiders do.  They climb.  You never see spider webs on the ground.  They are always up high.  Why? Because spiders eat flying insects.  To catch flying insects, you have to be where they are.  Up.  Climbing, then, is vital to a spider's survival.

Down came the rain and washed the spider out.

Adverse conditions are inevitable.  The Bible says, "the rain falls on the just and the unjust alike."  In this case, the rain was a major setback to our eight-legged friend.

Out came the sun and dried up all the rain.

Another universal truth: when bad times come, they don't last forever.  Neither do sunny days.  Life is full of ups and downs.  The rains may last for a season, but they do not last forever.

And the itsy-bitsy spider climbed up the spout again.

Once the conditions were normalized, the spider tried again.  He didn't give up.  He didn't say to himself, "It's no use climbing up over and over.  It's just going to rain again."  Nor did he try to adapt, hoping to evolve into an acrophobic vegetarian.  No.  Instead, he picked himself up, dried himself off, and tried again.

Over the past few weeks my posts have kind of followed a theme, with a few instances of chasing down rabbit trails.  If you have read The Curious Christian Conservative lately, you have seen admonitions against sin.  One of the arguments against faithfulness might be, "You don't know what I've been going through, or subjected to.  I've been doing the best I can, but this life has just beaten me down."

If anyone knew of life's hardships, it was the Apostle Paul.  He wrote,

[I have] been in prison more frequently (than other Christians), been flogged more severely, and have been exposed to death again and again.  Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one.  Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, three times I was shipwrecked.  I spent a night and a day in the open sea.  I have been constantly on the move.  I have been in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits, in danger from my own countrymen, in danger from the Gentiles; in danger in the city, in danger in the country, in danger at sea; and in danger from false brothers.  I have labored and toiled and have often gone without sleep; I have known hunger and thirst and have often gone without food; I have been cold and naked.   --2 Corinthians 11:23-27

And yet he wrote to the church in Rome these words: "And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God.  Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope." (Romans 5:3-4)  Where does hope come from? From the character developed through perseverance in the face of suffering.  We must develop a habit of hope in hardship.  And this flies in the face of conventional wisdom.

Those who continue doing the same thing over and over again expecting different results have a hopes springing up within them that the conditions may change for the better.  Like our hero the spider, we continue climbing up the water spout of life, hoping that it won't rain, and that someone will not turn on the spigot. No matter how often we get washed out, we always try again.  Foolishness to the world, but faithfulness to God (See 1 Corinthians 1:20-25).

We may not realize the difference we are making.  We try to make an impression on the world, but the world has a heart of stone.  No matter.  Think about this: "Dripping water hollows out stone, not through force but through persistence." (Ovid).

Don't lose hope.  Hopelessness leads to despair, and despair to death.  Jesus said, "I have come that they might have life, and have it more abundantly."  The more I read Hebrews 3:13, the more encouragement I get from it: "But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin's deceitfulness."

Thank God that my hope is not based on my history.  The devil likes to remind me of past failures, of secret sins that clung to me like a bad odor for so long that I became numb to it.  The logic is that I am not worthy of God's grace, because I am not good enough.  The truth is that "God demonstrated His love for us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." (Romans 5:8).

We can defy conventional wisdom by keeping hope alive, for hope is what keeps us going. It is what gets us up out of bed every day.  Hope is why the spider kept climbing up the water spout.

Expect a Miracle

"Neither this man nor his parents sinned," said Jesus,"but this happened so that the work of God might be displayed in his life." --John 9:2

Ten years ago, when my wife and I separated, my sister gave me a refrigerator magnet that said, "Expect a Miracle."  Little did I know that nine months later, my wife and I would reconcile and re-marry each other. Those familiar with the situation at the time thought that it would have taken a miracle for us to get back together.  But by God's grace, it happened.  At many points in time since then, I'm sure my wife has thought it a curse rather than a blessing, but I have not regretted it one minute.

There are many times in life where the circumstances we find ourselves in seem insurmountable.  But we know that with God, all things are possible.  And that's what I want to visit with you about today.  My last blog post was based on the 8th chapter of John's gospel.  As we move into chapter 9, Jesus and his disciples encounter a blind man along the road.  He was probably begging, as his disability prevented him from any type of gainful employment.  Jesus looked at him with compassion.  The disciples, however, looked in judgment.  They assumed that the disability was the result of sin, either in the man's life, or perhaps his ancestors.  Having been brought up in the Jewish tradition, they had long been taught that God's wrath would be visited upon the third and fourth generations.

There is a certain truth in that.  Actions do have consequences.  Bad decisions can come back to haunt you.  "Be sure your sins will find you out." (Numbers 22:23)  If you have been caught in a sin, I encourage you to confess it and repent--commit in your heart to never do it again.  If it is too much to commit to never doing it again, ever, then commit to stand against that sin today.  Two key points in the Lord's prayer come to mind: Jesus said, "Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil."  He also said, "Give us this day our daily bread." In other words, let me not worry about tomorrow's needs; give me today what I need today.  If that is deliverance from temptation, God is able.  Hebrews 3:12-13 says,

See to it, brothers, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God.  But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin's deceitfulness.

The more you train your heart toward God and your head toward His thoughts, the more He will bless you.  I'm not talking about a works salvation.  I am a believer in grace, and have benefited from God's grace as much as anybody.  What I am saying is that the less God has to carve out of our lives, the more He can use us; the less we have to empty ourselves, the more He can fill us.

On the other hand....
Not all of our circumstances are the result of our sinful nature.  Sometimes we find ourselves in a predicament through no fault of our own.  We are walking with God, living our best life, and something tragic happens.  Or, like the case of the blind beggar in John 9, we are at the mercy of life from the very beginning. This man had been born blind.  He did not run with scissors; he did not play carelessly with a pellet gun; he didn't even look at too many nudie pictures.  (Each of these activities comes with a warning in our culture--"Don't do that, or you'll put your eye out" or "You'll go blind".)

What possible good could come out of this situation?  Well, if you were able to have the work of God put on display in your life, that's pretty darn good.  I'm sure this man didn't get up that morning wishing he had his sight.  He and his parents had probably given that up years ago.  They may have been resigned to their fate.  "It is what it is," they may have thought.  Or maybe not.  Maybe this man had heard of the miracles that Jesus had done, and maybe he found a place to be where he knew Jesus would find him.  We may never know.  What we do know is that when Jesus healed him, he became a witness to those he knew, and also to the religious leaders of the day.  Three times the Pharisees asked him how it was that he had gained his sight. The man did not need to study theology or religion to give his testimony--"I was blind, and now I see."  This testimony made his unbelieving parents throw him under the bus (instead of taking his side, they said, "He is of age, ask him").  It even got him kicked out of the synagogue.  But I believe this man probably thought it was worth it to be able to see clearly.

The application is simple.  Whatever situation we find ourselves in, give glory to God.  We can be a witness in poverty as well as in riches; in pain as well as in perfect health; in slavery as well as in freedom.  With God's help, we can overcome.  And in some cases, if God so chooses, we can be delivered from our predicament in grand fashion, so that our message, our testimony, can get a wider audience.  That's why it is so important to be faithful.

Don't be discouraged.  Do you think that Paul and Barnabas knew that they would be thrown in prison for preaching the word of God?  Maybe, maybe not.  But I'll bet they didn't expect to be awakened by an angel, and find their shackles undone, the chains lying on the ground and the prison doors opened for them. Look at Hebrews chapter 11.  The writer lists several Old Testament figures who could not see the future, but remained faithful so that God could use them.  Each of them was commended as one who pleased God. "And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him." (Hebrews 11:6).

Spend your life earnestly seeking God, and at the end, you will see that God has blessed you richly.  Maybe in ways that you didn't recognize at the time.  Maybe not in ways that the world measures success.  But you are blessed by Him if you believe in Him, and confess Him as Lord.

To hear with my heart
To see with my soul
To be guided by a hand I cannot hold
To trust in a way that I cannot see
That's what faith must be 

When the universe fell from His fingertips
He decided He wanted some fellowship
But the man and the woman would not submit
So He made a better way
When the moment was right He sent His own Son
And He opened the way so that everyone
Could have hope and believe that when time was done
He'd be able to make us one 

Chorus 

Now I understand that there is a key
It's Jesus in me, a reality
That God is in Christ and that Christ's in me
That with faith I see what is unseen 

Chorus 

That's what faith must be

Committed to sinning

I attended a conference this week, and I picked up some freebies from the vendors' booths. I put three of them on my desk to remind me of my spiritual condition. The first toy is the smallest. It is a figure made up of a little yellow ball, just a bit bigger than a golf ball. He has a face, with round eyes and a round open mouth, giving him an expression of surprise or confusion. He stands on two stubby little feet that stick out below to keep him from rolling all over the place. And on top there are two stubby little hands, both stuck in a "thumbs up" position. It is as if he likes everything--he gives a thumbs up to what is on the right AND what is on the left. Either that, or, he is standing in the middle of the road hitchhiking, not caring which direction he goes. Whoever stops and picks him up first will determine his destination. Do you ever feel like that?

The second toy I picked up and put on my desk is a plastic figure of a wolf.  He has beady eyes and sharp teeth.  His gray wolf head is perched atop an anthropomorphized wolf body, standing on human hind feet, and his forelegs are very muscular, like a human bodybuilder.  He stands about four inches tall, and balances on the two hind feet and his fluffy wolf tail.  He symbolizes Evil to me.  When I look at him I think of the scripture found in John 10:10, where Jesus describes himself as the Good Shepherd, guarding against the evil one: "The thief comes only to steal, kill and destroy; I have come that they might have life, and have it to the full."  Who is "they"? The sheep, of course.  But that is not all that a wolf, or his canine cousins, will steal.  Remember the 1988 movie A Cry In The Dark where Meryl Streep plays an Australian woman Lindy Chamberlain who went on trial for the disappearance of her daughter.  This story was made all the more memorable in a 1991 episode of Seinfeld, where Elaine mocks an insufferable party guest with the line, "Maybe a dingo ate your baby."  But I digress.  This wolf looks mean and tough.  He would snatch a sheep from its fold if there were no Shepherd to protect it.  The wolf would steal your joy if you let him.  The wolf stands to the left of my little yellow friend.  The wolf stands ready to snatch up the little yellow ball, much as a dog would do while playing fetch.  With this monster wolf figurine standing over him, it is no wonder the ball has a dazed and confused look on his face.

The third toy I found at the conference is a six inch plush lion doll.  He has soft, golden fur and a fuzzy mane that makes his head look twice as big.  He represents Jesus, the Lion of Judah, or Aslan, if you prefer a reference to C.S. Lewis.  I imagine this figure lying in front of the sheep pen, daring any wolf to come up and try to steal a tiny lamb from the fold.  He stands to the right of the little yellow fellow, ready to defend if needed.  But unlike the wolf figurine, the expression on his face is warm and friendly.  He looks like he would be genuinely hurt if the little guy chose to go play with the wolf instead of staying near.

With all that in mind, let me tell you about the sermon I heard in church last Sunday.  The preacher talked about being a slave to sin.  His text was from John 8.

To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, "If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples.  Then you will know the truth and the truth will set you free."  They answered him, "We are Abraham's descendants, and we have never been slaves of anyone.  How can you say that we shall be set free?"  Jesus replied, "I tell you the truth, everyone who sins is a slave to sin.  Now a slave has no permanent place in the family, but a son belongs to it forever.  So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed." --John 8: 31-37

See, most of us do not just commit sins.  Instead, we are committed to sinning.  Let me tell you what I mean. Most of us know beforehand what we are going to do, and how we are going to cover it up.  "Don't tell your mother," is a line many Dads use when they put their kids in compromising situations.  (Moms use the line, "Don't tell your dad", too, but not quite as often, I suspect.)  As soon as we do what we want, we start thinking about how to lie, confuse, mislead, obfuscate the truth, or just change the subject if asked about it.  I heard a guy in a Celebrate Recovery meeting say that he used to visit inappropriate websites.  But to hide the fact from his wife, who could check the browser history on his computer, he would go to Rent-A-Center, rent a laptop, call up the adult sites, then turn the laptop back in before his wife came home.  He went to all that trouble just to make sure she didn't know what he was doing at home alone.  This is what Jesus meant when he said we were slaves to sin.

Jesus goes on to explain the basic difference between a slave and a son.  The distinction is important, because we who have joined God's family have become sons, heirs of God and joint-heirs with Christ Jesus. Does this mean that as Christians we do not sin?  By no means!  Let's look at the Scripture reference again. Who is Jesus talking to? "To the Jews who had believed him."  These were believers in Jesus.  Were they sinners? Of course they were.  But Jesus was teaching them that they were no longer slaves to sin.  What happens to slaves who disobey?  They get punished.  They get separated from their Master and their family and friends, either by being imprisoned or by being sold to another.  That is what he means when he says "A slave has no permanent place in the family."  But to those who belong to God, they have a privileged position.  They do hold a permanent place in the family.  Instead of punishment, they receive forgiveness.  Instead of banishment or imprisonment, they are promised a place at the King's table, and a room in the King's palace.

It is pretty hilarious what the Jewish believers were telling Jesus during this lesson.  "We are children of Abraham, and we have never been slave to anyone."  Has anyone read the Old Testament?  At one time or another, the sons of Abraham had been slaves to just about everyone.  Assyrians, Babylonians, Chaldeans, Egyptians, Persians--the list is endless.  How could they say that they had never been slaves to anyone, when at the very time they were speaking with Jesus, they were subjugated by the Romans?  And yet we today are in the same state of denial.  We look at headlines in the news, and hear of murderers and adulterers and think, "I am not that bad." But what did Jesus say? If you look at a woman with lust in your heart, you have committed adultery in your mind.  If you hate your brother, you are as guilty as the murderer in prison.

So what are we to do with our sin?  Hebrews 12:1 says, "Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us."  Avoid it, shun it, and throw it off.  Don't leave the door open to sin, because your enemy, the devil, "comes to steal, kill and destroy."  Would you leave your home unlocked, with the door cracked open, so that a thief could walk in and take away your possessions? No!  So why would you plot in your mind how you will do this or that, but later you will act like nothing ever happened?  "Be sure your sins will find you out." (Numbers 32:23)  Do not let sin steal your joy.  Ask for and claim the forgiveness of God, but also shut the door to sin so that it doesn't happen again.

I was in an insurance seminar once, and the instructor told of a Christian Pastor who took to heart the scripture that says to take in strangers.  He would open his home to homeless people, to those recently released from prison, and to just about anybody.  Most of the time, when the house-guests left, they would take something of value with them.  He lost so many of his possessions, and made so many claims against his home-owners policy, that the insurance company dropped him.  He could not get anyone to sell him home-owners coverage because of his insistence on opening his home to felons and drug users.  And yet how often do we put our spiritual life into the same peril by opening the door to old habits and attitudes, and then wondering why God would allow us to lose our sense of safety and security?

Going back to my little yellow ball-shaped buddy on my desk, the one with the confused look on his face and both thumbs up.  It reminds me of the Native American proverb about an elder who tells his grandson that there are two wolves that are fighting inside of him.  One wolf is angry and mean, while the other is gentle and loving.  The grandson looks up and asks, "Grandfather, which one is winning?"  The wise elder answers, "Whichever I feed the most."  This story tells a lot about human nature, how we have a dual nature of sin and sonship.  I think it is derived from the oriental idea of Yin and Yang, the equal amount of black and white, of good and evil inside us.  Jesus, I think, did not teach that.  I believe he taught us to banish evil from our lives, to place it outside the camp, and to live in the light of God and in His presence.  There should always be more light in our lives than darkness.

Earlier I quoted from John chapter 8, where Jesus admonishes us not to be slaves to sin, but rather to act like sons.  Earlier in the chapter, John tells the story of the woman caught in adultery.  The pharisees threw this woman, probably naked, into the public square and dared Jesus to take a stand.  The Law said she should be stoned to death.  Jesus said, "Let him who is without sin cast the first stone."  One by one the accusers left.  Finally, the woman alone stood before Him.  He did not accuse her, but rather told her to "go, and sin no more."  Do you ever wonder what happened to that woman after her encounter with Jesus? Was she the paragon of sinless perfection? Probably not.  She probably didn't ever become a leader in the church.  She probably stopped prostituting herself, stopped the affair she was having with the Pharisee. However,  she likely committed some sins as she went on with her life.  But rather than allowing the sin to define her, she could now ask forgiveness.  She could enjoy restoration into the full fellowship of God the Father through Jesus Christ the Son.

And so can we.

Get off the struggle-bus

My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. --1 John 2:1

Former First Lady Nancy Reagan took a lot of flak for her slogan, "Just Say No".  The cause she had taken up was the use of illegal drugs, especially among young people.  Obviously, her heart was in the right place.  But those who saw addiction first hand criticized her unmercifully, because clearly the problem of drug addiction was bigger than a simple slogan.  Even in the area of prevention, which the slogan was meant to address, the slogan was inadequate, because the pressures among inner-city youth were greater than a white woman in the White House could possibly know.

And yet, in all its simplicity, there was a kernel of truth in those three words.  When confronted with illegal drugs, whether from a friend or from a local drug-pusher, the individual had a choice to make:  either I will use, or I won't.  This choice would define millions, and would divide a whole generation into two camps--users, and non-users.  Some of the users would become addicts, and some would kick the habit when they got older.  But none of the non-users would become addicted.  Not one.  This didn't make them cool, or popular, or better than their peers.  It didn't necessarily make them more successful, because it was merely one in a hundred-thousand choices they would make over a lifetime.

In the Christian world, many of us get caught up in the verse at the top of this post.  It is simple, and direct: do not sin.  John encouraged his followers, and by extension all of us, to make good choices; to decide to do right; to be like Christ.  And when we fail in that endeavor, when we do sin, many times we beat ourselves up.  We get caught in a destructive cycle (common in addiction--face it, we are all "sin addicts") including powerlessness, shame and guilt, distrust, and reenacting sinful patterns in new situations.

Here is a very personal example.  Last month I faced the consequences of a bad financial decision, one that ultimately cost my entire savings to make right.  When I was right in the middle of it, my son asked me a direct question.  "Dad, how do you see yourself?"  Since I was mired in guilt, and despondent about my situation at the time, I answered him with some pretty depressing descriptors: I am a sinner.  I am a dead-beat.  I'll never have any wealth to pass on to my children because I continuously make poor financial decisions.  And my sinful choices affect other areas of my life, not just my house-hold finances--my morals, my character, my identity.  Like the story of the Prodigal Son, I was mired in the pig-pen, ready to feed on the husks that the pigs eat.

For those of you who follow my posts regularly, you have probably noticed that I have not written anything in the last three weeks or so.  I was so caught up in powerlessness, shame, guilt and distrust that I felt useless.  I had a doctor's appointment, and because of my family history, I needed a biopsy.  I can't tell you what a literal pain in the butt that was, but afterward I couldn't help wonder what would happen if I had cancer.  Would I be able to work? Would I be a burden to my family? Would they be better off without me? And after I received the results, when the doctor said it was benign and I was all good, my first response was selfishness.  "Why the heck did I have to go through that procedure if there was nothing to be worried about?"  The next thought I had was more humble, but still I was stuck in despair and despondency.  "Why were my tests all benign, when my brother-in-law (and others I know) is battling cancer?  Why was I spared and he was not?"

God had to hit me with a Clue-By-Four

This morning I got out of bed with a purpose.  I had noticed some things around the house that needed attention, but for the last three weeks I had put off.  Dust bunnies on the ceiling fans.  A leak in the dishwasher.  Today, I told myself, I would not complain about those things.  I would do something about it.  So I rolled up my sleeves and went to work.  After I was done, there was nothing left (that I could see) to complain about.  The house was clean, the dishes were washed, and there was no water in the floor to be tracked through.

I realized there was a corollary with my spiritual life.  I had not read my Bible in three weeks.  I had not spent any time in prayer.  I was beating myself up for an what I saw as a foundational flaw in my spiritual make-up, but it was not my Savior who was accusing me.  It was myself who had taken up the chant of the Accuser, the Father of Lies, the Prince of Darkness.  Satan had successfully driven a wedge between me and the Everlasting Source of Light and Life.  It was clearly time to draw back the curtains and air out some things.  Time to do something about it, rather than curl up in darkness and fear and complain that I am such a bad person.  Time to ask for forgiveness rather than assume God hates me.

You see, we forget that there is more to the verse that began this message.  John didn't say, "My children, do not sin."  He went on to say this:

But if anybody does sin, we have one who speaks to the Father in our defense--Jesus Christ the Righteous One.  He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world. --John 2:1b-2

I would go so far as to amend verse two, to paraphrase it this way: He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for the sins we have already committed in the past, but for the sins we will commit today and tomorrow and forever.

The story of the First Adam and the Fall is telling.  Genesis 2:8-9 says, "Now the Lord God had planted a garden in the east, in Eden; and there he put the man he had formed.  And the Lord God made all kinds of trees grow out of the ground--trees that were pleasing to the eye and good for food.  In the middle of the garden were the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil."  You know the story.  Eve was persuaded by the Serpent to eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, and she gave it to Adam to eat, as well.  The first couple had a choice to make: either to live forever (by eating from the Tree of Life), or to get a conscience (by eating from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil.)  They made their choice, and the consequences were that fellowship with God was disrupted.  In order to know Evil, we had to experience it, along with the guilt, shame and despair it brings.

All of us know good, and all of us know evil.  Sometimes we choose good over evil, and sometimes we don't.  When we don't, our conscience accuses us, because we know good from evil.  And when the Second Adam came, in the form of Jesus Christ, he again offers us Abundant Life.  If we partake in His body and blood, we can restore the fellowship that was lost.  But we still have the conscience that was born in Eden.  Our conscience accuses us when evil encroaches.  Our only hope is to plead the Blood of Jesus, which covers our sin.  That is why we maintain a fellowship with Him.  When the fellowship is broken, we fall into Stinkin' Thinkin'.