Worship for the Weekday
Why?
.
Romans 5:12-21
12. Therefore as sin came into the world through one man and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all men sinned -- 13. sin indeed was in the world before the law was given, but sin is not counted where there is no law. 14. Yet death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those whose sins were not like the transgression of Adam, who was a type of the one who was to come. 15. But the free gift is not like the trespass. For if many died through one man's trespass, much more have the grace of God and the free gift in the grace of that one man Jesus Christ abounded for many. 16. And the free gift is not like the effect of that one man's sin. For the judgment following one trespass brought condemnation, but the free gift following many trespasses brings justification. 17. If, because of one man's trespass, death reigned through that one man, much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man Jesus Christ. 18. Then as one man's trespass led to condemnation for all men, so one man's act of righteousness leads to acquittal and life for all men. 19. For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by one man's obedience many will be made righteous. 20. Law came in, to increase the trespass; but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more, 21. so that, as sin reigned in death, grace also might reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
In other words: God’s grace turns our world upside down! It’s just not logical to be loved in spite of our sin! It doesn’t make sense that no matter how defiant and disobedient we are, God loves us all the more! How can that be?! It seems so improbable that God in the form of Jesus Christ would walk the earth among us and stand in silence before his accusers. Why didn’t he defend himself? Why didn’t he lift his eyes to heaven and call out to his heavenly father! Why didn’t he lift his hands to heaven and make the sun dark and earth tremble as he was offered one last chance to beg for a pardon? Wby?
Why did he do that? Why would anyone? It is inexplicable to be loved so powerfully! It is inexplicable to be loved so powerfully! It is unfathomable that a God so big would love us so very much. It is unimaginable that we are of such great value to one so great and mighty! The One who made the earth and placed the stars in the sky--the One who waits for us in heaven -- Alpha and Omega -- is the One who watches over us and cares for us and loves us through this journey called life on earth.
But again, we must ask, “Why?” I don’t know! I love my children beyond description -- and my husband. I would certainly die for any of them. But would I die for you? Would I silently walk up that hill to be hung on a cross for my neighbor across the street? Or for the person in the check out line at the grocery store? Or the mechanic who works on my car? No, most probably not. Would you?
Law came in, to increase the trespass; but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more, 21. so that, as sin reigned in death, grace also might reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
I am even more puzzled and awe-struck since my Walk to Emmaus a couple of weeks ago! During that weekend one of the team leaders assigned to us lifted a prayer that contained a praise that has stuck with me. She praised God because Jesus would have died for any one of us. For only one of us. Jesus would have died for me alone. And I know that in my heart -- he would have died just for me-- just for you -- just for the cable guy -- just for the postal worker -- just for the homeless man on the street corner with a sign.
You know what? He did! Jesus died for you. Why? I guess we’ll only know the answer to that when we get to heaven.
I hope you spend today reveling in truth that Jesus died for you. And that you are humbled and awed at the thought that he would use you to minister to his world.
Mary
Abundant Blessings
.
Mark 6:7-13, 30-44
7. And he called to him the twelve, and began to send them out two by two, and gave them authority over the unclean spirits. 8. He charged them to take nothing for their journey except a staff; no bread, no bag, no money in their belts; 9. but to wear sandals and not put on two tunics. 10. And he said to them, "Where you enter a house, stay there until you leave the place. 11. And if any place will not receive you and they refuse to hear you, when you leave, shake off the dust that is on your feet for a testimony against them." 12. So they went out and preached that men should repent. 13. And they cast out many demons, and anointed with oil many that were sick and healed them.
30. The apostles returned to Jesus, and told him all that they had done and taught. 31. And he said to them, "Come away by yourselves to a lonely place, and rest a while." For many were coming and going, and they had no leisure even to eat. 32. And they went away in the boat to a lonely place by themselves. 33. Now many saw them going, and knew them, and they ran there on foot from all the towns, and got there ahead of them. 34. As he went ashore he saw a great throng, and he had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd; and he began to teach them many things. 35. And when it grew late, his disciples came to him and said, "This is a lonely place, and the hour is now late; 36. send them away, to go into the country and villages round about and buy themselves something to eat." 37. But he answered them, "You give them something to eat." And they said to him, "Shall we go and buy two hundred denarii worth of bread, and give it to them to eat?" 38. And he said to them, "How many loaves have you? Go and see." And when they had found out, they said, "Five, and two fish." 39. Then he commanded them all to sit down by companies upon the green grass. 40. So they sat down in groups, by hundreds and by fifties. 41. And taking the five loaves and the two fish he looked up to heaven, and blessed, and broke the loaves, and gave them to the disciples to set before the people; and he divided the two fish among them all. 42. And they all ate and were satisfied. 43. And they took up twelve baskets full of broken pieces and of the fish. 44. And those who ate the loaves were five thousand men.
Old, familiar story. But this morning I instantly recognize the message of this “miracle.” First, Jesus sends his disciples out with no provisions, no extra clothing, no money. He wants them to trust that He is all they need -- his message, his love, and their faith in him. And when they return they excitedly recount to him all their adventures -- like 8-year olds home from a birthday party! I don’t mean to be condescending--those 12 men were so much like all of us, weren’t they? They were fishermen, tentmakers, tax collectors--quite a motley crew, indeed. They adored this man! They longed to be in his presence! They obeyed him to the very best of their ability but, often I’m sure, they went off shaking their heads--without one glimmer of understanding. But all that Christ required was obedience. And they tried mightily!
And Jesus wanted them to know, deep in their hearts--to their very core--that once he was gone from their presence on earth, he would still provide for them--after all--he told them (and us!) to ask God for anything in his name and it would be granted! Jesus, over and over again, demonstrated that God’s abundance was in proportion to his power and might, his majesty and his love. None of which we can even fathom! None of which we could ever approach!
Jesus is compassionate toward us today, just as he was toward that throng of hurting, needy souls who sought him and followed him around, hoping for merely a touch of the hem of his garment. If only they, and we, would understand that when we ask God for something we ought not to limit the reward he wants to give us. We ask him to give us a new job, but one never materializes. Rather, when we ask Him to let us know if this is the job where he wants us -- for a reason only He may know -- we get a raise, or a transfer, or a promotion, or a call for a job interview with another company. The apostles didn’t understand that Jesus could provide so much more than what was right in front of them. And we miss that too! We ask God to heal us of our chronic pain, but miss the opportunity to ask him to heal the strained and difficult relationship with a family member or co-worker. If we ask merely for healing in our lives--according to God’s will and purpose--we will certainly find prayers answered far beyond what we anticipated!
Ask and ye shall receive. Seek and Ye shall find. Knock and the door shall be opened. Don’t limit God! Ask for His bounty, His blessings, His love. He will shower them all down upon you! You won’t believe how wonderful your life will be. And even if things don’t seem to work out the way you would like them to here on earth--never forget that God waits for us in heaven at the end of time!
I hope and pray that on this Memorial Day, you thank God for the blessing of Freedom. And that you never limit the pouring out of blessings in your life, by limiting God.
Mary
A Family Reunion
.
2 Corinthians 5:16-21
16. From now on, therefore, we regard no one from a human point of view; even though we once regarded Christ from a human point of view, we regard him thus no longer. 17. Therefore, if any one is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has passed away, behold, the new has come. 18. All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; 19. that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. 20. So we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We beseech you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. 21. For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
From now on? A new creation? These are two phrases that stand out for me since my Emmaus Walk. Also, what do I do with all this new information, this new level of self-awareness and self-discovery? Am I not from now on even more frustrated and disappointed by and at living “in the world?” Paul tells the Corinthians--and us--that the answer to that is a resounding “NO!” Once we know Christ--really know him--we are truly jubilant to be used as one of his ambassadors! The world is waiting for us to tell them the real news of the day! Christ died on the cross--for me, for you, for each of us--individually, and for all of mankind.
That death, that sacrifice, makes us all members of the same family. And now every day is to be like a family reunion! Oh, there is still the wayward uncle, and the rebellious niece, the eccentric brother-in-law and the neurotic sister. But all of them are in our family. And God sent his son for them. So now that we have this big, crazy, wonderful, diverse and interesting extended family, we get to work--and minister to them, and love them, teach them and comfort them, rejoice with them and never stop telling them how much God loves them and wants them to come into his fold. My “earthly” family all live far away--I hardly ever get to see them in person. There are times when I miss them terribly. And that’s how it is when we are apart from our “heavenly” family too!
When we don’t go to church, we don’t have the opportunity to worship with our family. When we go to work and don’t minister to our co-workers, we’ve passed up a chance to change a life. When we are a part of God’s family through Christ, we view all the other human beings God has placed in our lives with the same love we have for those quirky, eccentric, wayward aunts and uncles and cousins! We may not like what they do or how the act, or even how they live--but we love them anyway. That’s what “From now on” means to me. Now that I have experienced the saving grace of Jesus Christ up close and personal, I am compelled to no longer regard others from a human point of view--but from the point of view of Jesus.
So now my challenge is how do I become more like Christ? That’s probably a discussion for another day! Today I’m going to focus on this great big heavenly family God has given me and figure out my place in that family.
I hope today you throw a great big family reunion! And that you extend the love of Christ to every single “relative” you meet!
Mary
Beyond Understanding
.
Psalm 51
1. after he had gone in to Bathsheba.> Have mercy on me, O God, according to thy steadfast love; according to thy abundant mercy blot out my transgressions. 2. Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin! 3. For I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me. 4. Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done that which is evil in thy sight, so that thou art justified in thy sentence and blameless in thy judgment. 5. Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me. 6. Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward being; therefore teach me wisdom in my secret heart. 7. Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. 8. Fill me with joy and gladness; let the bones which thou hast broken rejoice. 9. Hide thy face from my sins, and blot out all my iniquities. 10. Create in me a clean heart, O God, and put a new and right spirit within me. 11. Cast me not away from thy presence, and take not thy holy Spirit from me. 12. Restore to me the joy of thy salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit. 13. Then I will teach transgressors thy ways, and sinners will return to thee. 14. Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God, thou God of my salvation, and my tongue will sing aloud of thy deliverance. 15. O Lord, open thou my lips, and my mouth shall show forth thy praise. 16. For thou hast no delight in sacrifice; were I to give a burnt offering, thou wouldst not be pleased. 17. The sacrifice acceptable to God is a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise. 18. Do good to Zion in thy good pleasure; rebuild the walls of Jerusalem, 19. then wilt thou delight in right sacrifices, in burnt offerings and whole burnt offerings; then bulls will be offered on thy altar.
This past weekend I participated in an Emmaus Walk. It is, from what I understand, similar to the Cursillo and a couple of other experiences. From Thursday night through Sunday night, one is immersed completely in a “world set apart.” No television, watch, radio, cell phone or anything else which connects you to the “world.” And throughout the weekend, every vestige of our pride is stripped away, all our masks pulled off, all the walls we have built around ourselves are knocked down. And what is left? Just you and God. Yep, just you and God.
I get the feeling that David is in this same place as I read this psalm. Of course, he has just committed adultery, but the expanse of this psalm is more than that single transgression. I certainly recall, at some point over last weekend, feeling the way David seems to in Psalm 51. Broken. Reduced to the lowest common denominator. The enormity of our sinfulness washes over us. And as we recall and tick off in our minds every wrong we’ve ever done, in comes Jesus, cleansing us with his blood, washing us clean, making us pure white. The enormity of God’s love becomes the only truth to which you cling. The expansiveness of his mercy becomes our only mantra.
Just me and God. A Christian song I listen to often in my car has lyrics that always make me stop and think about this way of being: “When no one is watching . . . just you and the wind . . . who are you then? When the masquerade is over and the healing begins . . .” A broken spirit and a contrite heart -- that’s what is left. I was shell-shocked by Sunday night - almost in a trance and I am still walking around in a bit of a daze. Just me and God. As each vestige of my former self was stripped away, I fathomed an even greater degree of God’s love for me.
David felt that! He knew he was a sinner--born a sinner, lived a sinner, will die a sinner. But God cannot stand the thought of our not spending eternity in heaven with him! So he gave us a way to get there in spite of ourselves! Oh yes, I was convicted--on every level and in every way--I was reminded in no uncertain terms that not only am I not in charge, but that I never was -- nor will I ever be! And that has become a tremendous reassurance to me!
I hope today you offer up the vestiges of your sinful humanness to the God who made you and loves beyond understanding. And that you’ll transform your life to be more like our Savior Jesus Christ.
Mary
My Eyes are Toward Thee
.
Psalm 141
1. I call upon thee, O Lord; make haste to me! Give ear to my voice, when I call to thee! 2. Let my prayer be counted as incense before thee, and the lifting up of my hands as an evening sacrifice! 3. Set a guard over my mouth, O Lord, keep watch over the door of my lips! 4. Incline not my heart to any evil, to busy myself with wicked deeds in company with men who work iniquity; and let me not eat of their dainties! 5. Let a good man strike or rebuke me in kindness, but let the oil of the wicked never anoint my head; for my prayer is continually against their wicked deeds. 6. When they are given over to those who shall condemn them, then they shall learn that the word of the Lord is true. 7. As a rock which one cleaves and shatters on the land, so shall their bones be strewn at the mouth of Sheol. 8. But my eyes are toward thee, O Lord God; in thee I seek refuge; leave me not defenseless! 9. Keep me from the trap which they have laid for me, and from the snares of evildoers! 10. Let the wicked together fall into their own nets, while I escape.
My NIV translation says “come quickly to me!” That’s how I call out to God! Hurry up God! Please hurry! I am so impatient that I struggle constantly with “resting in Him.” But it’s not out of being demanding and trying to be the center of attention that I call out to the Lord! No! It’s because I usually get myself so far along the path to trouble or sin before I realize where I am that I really do need God in a hurry! I won’t bore you with details, but my entire devotion this morning could be about Verse 1!
Oh, Verse 3 is certainly applicable too! “Set a guard over my mouth, O Lord, keep watch over the door of my lips.” I can’t help but believe that God knew I would need this prayer when He inspired David to record this Psalm? I have a tendency to speak before I think -- just blurt out the first thing that comes to mind! That may not be a sin, but it’s certainly caused me and others pain.
David asks God to place people in his life who will guide him, direct him, hold him accountable for his actions. We all need help and, while God is everywhere, is all-knowing, all-seeing, He wants us to help each other out. That’s why he put us on earth with other people! That’s why we tend to seek out others, and form small groups and attend social gatherings--we were made to be in community. And we need to be in community to avail ourselves of all the supports that affords us.
Keep me from the lure of “the world.” It’s pretty tempting sometimes to take the easy path, to throw up our hands and decide we’re tired. It can be a real struggle to set ourselves apart and to stay focused on God and our relationship with him. Phones, televisions, radios . . . everywhere we go . . . noise . . . drowning out the still small voice of God calling to us; murmuring to us that we are not alone, that we will never be alone; assuring us that He will guard our hearts and our minds, if we will just turn to him.
Today I hope you keep your eyes toward your Lord God. And that you rely upon his power and might to keep you set apart from the wicked and the evildoers.
Mary
A Dose of Faith
.
Psalm 139:1-18
1. O Lord, thou hast searched me and known me! 2. Thou knowest when I sit down and when I rise up; thou discernest my thoughts from afar. 3. Thou searchest out my path and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways. 4. Even before a word is on my tongue, lo, O Lord, thou knowest it altogether. 5. Thou dost beset me behind and before, and layest thy hand upon me. 6. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high, I cannot attain it. 7. Whither shall I go from thy Spirit? Or whither shall I flee from thy presence? 8. If I ascend to heaven, thou art there! If I make my bed in Sheol, thou art there! 9. If I take the wings of the morning and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, 10. even there thy hand shall lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me. 11. If I say, "Let only darkness cover me, and the light about me be night," 12. even the darkness is not dark to thee, the night is bright as the day; for darkness is as light with thee. 13. For thou didst form my inward parts, thou didst knit me together in my mother's womb. 14. I praise thee, for thou art fearful and wonderful. Wonderful are thy works! Thou knowest me right well; 15. my frame was not hidden from thee, when I was being made in secret, intricately wrought in the depths of the earth. 16. Thy eyes beheld my unformed substance; in thy book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them. 17. How precious to me are thy thoughts, O God! How vast is the sum of them! 18. If I would count them, they are more than the sand. When I awake, I am still with thee.
I’ve missed two days of posting devotions. On Friday I was in Blackstone, VA on my “Walk to Emmaus.” On Monday, I was almost numb from the intensity and enormity of the previous 3 days. The Walk is an intensely spiritual experience where one meets Christ on an intimate, personal level. Everything is stripped away until you are left with only what is referred to in Psalm 139. Just you and God. Wow! Powerful! Frightening! Humbling! Overwhelming!
So much of the experience has not even begun to seep into my conscious thought yet. That part of my brain has already been drawn back to “the world.” But there is a part of my heart and mind and soul that has been forever changed. To be touched by the Holy Spirit -- to meet the risen Christ on the Road to Emmaus (Luke 40:13), to begin to grasp how very much God loves us--it is unspeakable! David had a grasp of that love--he comprehended that God loved him in spite of all his flaws, his weaknesses, his disobedience, his human-ness. More than that, that God loved him so much he could never be apart from him--or us!
He cannot stand to apart from us! Even though he knows our darkest thoughts. Even though he sees the depth of our sinfulness. Even though he sees the magnitude of our sin! He just loves us too much to hold all that against us! We are never alone, because he cannot cut those “apron strings!” We are his beloved, perfect creations. And like those two travelers on the Road to Emmaus after Christ’s death, even when we’re at our lowest point, even when we feel so small and insignificant, that’s when God steps in!
We are fearfully and wonderfully made--because we’re made in his image and likeness! When we look in the mirror, reflected back to us is a part of God! I’ll say it again: Wow! You and I are a part of God. And even though He knows everything about us -- knew it before we were even conceived -- he loves us anyway!
I hope you the next time you have a “Road to Emmaus” day, you remember that those two travelers met Christ on that journey. And when you reach the limit of your capacity as a human being, you’ll remember that God is always standing by with a little extra dose of faith!
Mary
Because of Me
.
Galatians 1:11-24
11. For I would have you know, brethren, that the gospel which was preached by me is not man's gospel. 12. For I did not receive it from man, nor was I taught it, but it came through a revelation of Jesus Christ. 13. For you have heard of my former life in Judaism, how I persecuted the church of God violently and tried to destroy it; 14. and I advanced in Judaism beyond many of my own age among my people, so extremely zealous was I for the traditions of my fathers. 15. But when he who had set me apart before I was born, and had called me through his grace, 16. was pleased to reveal his Son to me, in order that I might preach him among the Gentiles, I did not confer with flesh and blood, 17. nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before me, but I went away into Arabia; and again I returned to Damascus. 18. Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to visit Cephas, and remained with him fifteen days. 19. But I saw none of the other apostles except James the Lord's brother. 20. (In what I am writing to you, before God, I do not lie!) 21. Then I went into the regions of Syria and Cilicia. 22. And I was still not known by sight to the churches of Christ in Judea; 23. they only heard it said, "He who once persecuted us is now preaching the faith he once tried to destroy." 24. And they glorified God because of me.
Verse 24 is actually what caught my eye this morning. “And they glorified God because of me.” Wow! There is no arrogance in this statement; no conceit; no pride or self-importance. Rather a deep, reverent humility. And gratitude. And a message that cannot be ignored: God uses the least, the lost, the sinners, the broken and the wounded to do his amazing work on earth! God even uses those who formerly persecuted his beloved! And he makes them eloquent and he fills their belly with a fire. And he turns them loose, into a sin-filled fallen world.
I don’t know about you, but I have some skeletons in my closet. Certainly, thankfully, none compare to those that Paul has put on display and recounted! Paul’s point though, is that it doesn’t matter what you’ve done. It doesn’t matter how you lived in the past. It doesn’t matter who you used to be. What matter is how God, through his magnificent grace, because of the sacrifice of his Precious Son, and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, transforms us. We become new creatures. We become his “ambassador in chains.” We turn from our former lives and take up a new mantle.
We are now God’s beloved--actually--we always have been! That’s the message. We ARE God’s beloved. And he will take us as we are, where we are and love us, and mold us, and change us to be more like Him. That is the mystery, that is the miracle, that is the Glory of God!
Paul didn’t seek the counsel of others. He didn’t ask if they thought it was a good idea to preach to the Gentiles. He didn’t seek the approval of man -- even of the renown apostles. He just did what God instructed as divinely revealed. He just couldn’t help himself, because God’s love so surprised him, so amazed him, caught him so off-guard, that he just couldn’t help but tell everyone about their own opportunity for a new life in Christ.
I hope today you glorify God through your actions, your thoughts and your words. And that you rejoice with me in God’s ability and willingness to use such as me for his glory.
Mary
Keep the Faith
.
Joshua 1:8
This book of the law shall not depart out of your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it; for then you shall make your way prosperous, and then you shall have good success.
2 Timothy 4:1-8
1. I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus who is to judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingdom: 2. preach the word, be urgent in season and out of season, convince, rebuke, and exhort, be unfailing in patience and in teaching. 3. For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own likings, 4. and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander into myths. 5. As for you, always be steady, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, fulfil your ministry. 6. For I am already on the point of being sacrificed; the time of my departure has come. 7. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. 8. Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that Day, and not only to me but also to all who have loved his appearing.
“Be unfailing in patience and in teaching. For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching.” I am not a patient person! I am, however, less patient with myself than I am with others. But I do also lose patience with those who continually ignore or deny the truth! It’s so frustrating! But the world launches a great attack--it’s so easy to recruit an army to fight for self-satisfaction, enjoyment, self-involvement and instant gratification! Who wouldn’t want that? Why wouldn’t I enlist?!
Paul reminds Timothy why: our salvation is at risk! He assures Timothy he knows how difficult it can be--even when listeners are receptive, it can be challenging to find just the right words, say exactly the right thing to enlighten them to the truth. And he knows that it is possible to keep on working, even when tired, alone, physically and emotionally spent. And it is possible because of Christ. His sacrifice for us is the reason we keep at it! And the promise of eternity! We are tasked to bring others to that same promise--it’s what we’re “supposed to do.”
Joel expresses a very similar sentiment, though at this point in history there was not the same sense of urgency--Jesus didn’t come on the scene for a long, long time after Joel lived. Meditate on the book of the law day and night. Today’s application might be to cut out a few television shows--really are very many of them worth 30 or 60 minutes of your valuable time? Some might be, but . . . how many hours a day do we have available that we can spend part of that time absorbing and consuming what “the world” has to offer?
Don’t give up. Even when you want to. Even when you’re tired. Even when you think you’re not making a difference. Because you are. And you can be certain that you are because you’re not in it alone: you have The Holy Spirit to sustain, encourage and compel you. And with that fuel and ammunition you are invincible! Even in death, you are victorious because of the victory Christ won for us once for all. So hang in there!
Remember, Paul was conflicted earlier in the New Testament on whether he should ask God to let him live so he could continue preaching, or to take him to heaven, so he could receive his final reward. I think that’s what Paul is saying: even if you don’t know it, even if you don’t feel it, even if there is absolutely no tangible sign that you have succeeded at the task of evangelism, you’re a winner! Because of Jesus Christ.
I hope today you fight the good fight, run the good race, keep up the good work. And that you meditate on the book of the law all day long.
Mary
Hopefully Optimistic
.
Psalm 119:17-24
17. Deal bountifully with thy servant, that I may live and observe thy word. 18. Open my eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law. 19. I am a sojourner on earth; hide not thy commandments from me! 20. My soul is consumed with longing for thy ordinances at all times. 21. Thou dost rebuke the insolent, accursed ones, who wander from thy commandments; 22. take away from me their scorn and contempt, for I have kept thy testimonies. 23. Even though princes sit plotting against me, thy servant will meditate on thy statutes. 24. Thy testimonies are my delight, they are my counselors.
1 Peter 2:4-12
4. Come to him, to that living stone, rejected by men but in God's sight chosen and precious; 5. and like living stones be yourselves built into a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. 6. For it stands in scripture: "Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone, a cornerstone chosen and precious, and he who believes in him will not be put to shame." 7. To you therefore who believe, he is precious, but for those who do not believe, "The very stone which the builders rejected has become the head of the corner," 8. and "A stone that will make men stumble, a rock that will make them fall"; for they stumble because they disobey the word, as they were destined to do. 9. But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God's own people, that you may declare the wonderful deeds of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. 10. Once you were no people but now you are God's people; once you had not received mercy but now you have received mercy. 11. Beloved, I beseech you as aliens and exiles to abstain from the passions of the flesh that wage war against your soul. 12. Maintain good conduct among the Gentiles, so that in case they speak against you as wrongdoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation
One of those “God-incidences” that I “randomly” found two scripture on being an alien, a sojourner! These are especially timely for me right now, but really, they are always timely when we live our lives based on our faith! The world has one set of standards and believers have another. We’re told we’re crazy, we’re told we’re dreamers, unrealistic, silly, hopelessly optimistic, because we don’t allow our lives to be ruled by “the world.” We have a higher ruler! We have a ruler who has existed since before time began! And he is ruler above all rulers, king above all kings, God above all gods!
Really, just living in the world presents us daily challenges and choices we must make about how to act, what to say, how to present ourselves and how we respond to others. More, how we respond to the world and the influences of those who may not have heard the commandments by which we live. Our souls long for the perfect statutes of our amazing God! Our hearts long for the perfect love and peace of our Savior, Jesus! And words cannot fully explain either one! We cannot formulate a sentence nor describe through any medium the perfection found in perfect faith, perfect faithfulness, perfect longing and seeking for that perfection! We only have our actions and our words as strangers and sojourners in this world. And that is what will be our testimony to those who have not understood. Then they will understand that we are
hopeFULLY optimistic, because we believe and live by the promise of the Cross.
I hope today you gather together with other strangers and sojourners and find strength in numbers and hope in your shared faith. And that you’ll reach out to other travelers on this earth and offer them perfect hope.
Mary
A Crown of Thorns
.
Revelation 4:9-11 NASB
And when the living creatures give glory and honor and thanks to Him who sits on the throne, to Him who lives forever and ever, the twenty-four elders will fall down before Him who sits on the throne, and will worship Him who lives forever and ever, and will cast their crowns before the throne, saying, " Worthy are You, our Lord and our God, to receive glory and honor and power; for You created all things, and because of Your will they existed, and were created."
I imagine that each of us will fall down before our God at the end of time! Those elders, who were mighty, strong, powerful on the earth just took one quick look at the glory of God and recognized that all they had acquired, ruled over, owned, loved, was nothing--absolutely nothing. Worthless. Less than nothing. They threw the crowns before the throne! Surely they thought, “Oh, my God, how small is man.” And “how meaningless is all we placed value in.”
So often we get caught up in the day-to-day “emergencies” and to-do list items. We tear around, with a great sense of urgency--I must accomplish this task or that. People are counting on me. We race to this place, the cell phone never stops ringing, the gas tank is never full, we’re never still--constant motion--important business this thing called living. But aren’t we really fooling ourselves?
Aren’t we really saying to the world, “Look at me! I’m important. I’m busy. I’m never finished with all my very necessary tasks.” We really can’t help it, though. It seems that the more technology that has made available to us, the more complicated our lives become! I fought hard NOT to get a cell phone, but realized it did no good for the rest of the family to have one if I didn’t, too! We are breathless, just trying to live! And the world tells us that’s how it’s supposed to me. Now is what matters. You are what matters. Acquire a whole closet full of those crowns--heck--buy a house with 700 square foot garage in which to store the “extras!”
Notice I used “we!” I know of what I speak! Oh how we build a world around ourselves that insulates us from the truth! God is in heaven -- but he’s also in earth -- in all of it. And we just build walls around ourselves to keep Him out--because we just don’t have time to sit down, alone, in a quiet place, and figure out what a life focused on God would be like. We don’t want to cast our crowns -- we want to wear them -- they define us! They let the world know who we are and what we stand for.
We forget that Christ wore a crown of thorns. No other crown, no matter how shiny, how sparkly, how heavy could ever satisfy us! No other crown looks so beautiful as the one our Savior wore for us. Nothing we ever do, acquire, or possess will ever make us feel so loved and so valued as Jesus on that cross, adorned with nothing but a thorny crown.
I hope today you cast your crowns of this world at the foot of the cross. And take some time to think about what really matters in your life.
Mary
The Hand Of God
.
Exodus 33:12-23
12. Moses said to the Lord, "See, thou sayest to me, `Bring up this people'; but thou hast not let me know whom thou wilt send with me. Yet thou hast said, `I know you by name, and you have also found favor in my sight.' 13. Now therefore, I pray thee, if I have found favor in thy sight, show me now thy ways, that I may know thee and find favor in thy sight. Consider too that this nation is thy people." 14. And he said, "My presence will go with you, and I will give you rest." 15. And he said to him, "If thy presence will not go with me, do not carry us up from here. 16. For how shall it be known that I have found favor in thy sight, I and thy people? Is it not in thy going with us, so that we are distinct, I and thy people, from all other people that are upon the face of the earth?" 17. And the Lord said to Moses, "This very thing that you have spoken I will do; for you have found favor in my sight, and I know you by name." 18. Moses said, "I pray thee, show me thy glory." 19. And he said, "I will make all my goodness pass before you, and will proclaim before you my name `The Lord'; and I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show mercy on whom I will show mercy. 20. But," he said, "you cannot see my face; for man shall not see me and live." 21. And the Lord said, "Behold, there is a place by me where you shall stand upon the rock; 22. and while my glory passes by I will put you in a cleft of the rock, and I will cover you with my hand until I have passed by; 23. then I will take away my hand, and you shall see my back; but my face shall not be seen."
OK. Moses is not a “happy camper.” Excuse the pun! Remember he hid from God for 40 years before he ever led his people out of slavery and into the desert! And now, after everything he’s done, obediently and faithfully, God is telling him to keep at it. Don’t give up. Don’t lose your patience with Him. He has a plan. Remember? The plan? But Moses has determined that this whole thing is much more than he bargained for and he’s pretty fed up. Who wouldn’t be? He spent 40 days and nights up on the mountain receiving the “words of life” from God. And when he returns what does he find? A golden calf! Carousing! Drunkenness! A major party the likes of which he’s never seen!
And down go the tablets. The words are obliterated. His fasting meant nothing! He’s way past his wit’s end, he’s had it and he wants to quit! But God and Moses have a special bond. God loves Moses so very much – even though parents aren’t supposed to have favorites, God just can’t help himself! He loves Moses the way a parent dotes on a long-awaited new-born child. He actually speaks to Moses in person—face-to-face, the way a neighbor speaks to another neighbor! In fact he even allows Moses to bicker with him! He allows Moses to push the limits—because he understands the tremendous fortitude and faith and vitality and courage that are required to fulfill God’s plan!
God recognizes that Moses needs supernatural encouragement if he’s going to give it another shot! So what does He do? He arranges an “up close and personal” encounter! 19. And he said, "I will make all my goodness pass before you, and will proclaim before you my name `The Lord'; and I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show mercy on whom I will show mercy. 20. But," he said, "you cannot see my face; for man shall not see me and live." 21. And the Lord said, "Behold, there is a place by me where you shall stand upon the rock; 22. and while my glory passes by I will put you in a cleft of the rock, and I will cover you with my hand until I have passed by; 23. then I will take away my hand, and you shall see my back; but my face shall not be seen."
And you know what? God loves us this much too! He lovingly cradles us when we are in anguish. He places us in the cleft of the rocks when the storms of life threaten to toss us around. He sends people into our lives to love and guide and care for us. He exhibits His glory in our lives in countless ways! If only we weren't so “stiff-necked” and would recognize God’s presence in our world and our lives.
God’s glory is so tremendous that it cannot be contained, confined, controlled! And He wants us to remember that He never leaves us alone—to our own resources! He is with us. Always. He places His loving, comforting hand upon us every second of our lives. He loves us and knows us by name!
I hope today you feel the hand of God upon you. And that you offer your life as a living sacrifice of thanks and praise for His faithfulness.
Mary
Spur One Another On
.
Hebrews 10:19-25
19. Therefore, brethren, since we have confidence to enter the sanctuary by the blood of Jesus, 20. by the new and living way which he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh, 21. and since we have a great priest over the house of God, 22. let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. 23. Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful; 24. and let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, 25. not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.
My NIV translation of verse 24 replaces “stir up one another to love and good works” with "spur one another on to love and good works.” It’s a subtle difference, but spurring one another is what caught my attention this morning! Stirring up one another indicates more of a need to begin a process, where spurring one another on, makes me think of a continuation. Since I haven’t unpacked any dictionaries yet (I know, it’s hard to believe!) I’m going to wing this one and hope I’m not so far off base that readers are distracted from my point!
Actually, the writer’s exhortations are included in verses 22-25: Draw near with full assurance of faith. We can have faith without hesitation because of Christ! We are to purify our hearts and minds from worldly thoughts and actions to those of a redeemed believer! We are to encourage and uplift others in their faith walk, and meet together—in church, but also in small groups and gatherings to worship God together and share our faith with others. And we are to continue all this through good times, bad times, day-in and day-out. Because really, the bad times are not as bad as they would be if we had no faith!
But I refer back to “spurring one another on.” As I stated, this one instruction is what caught my attention this morning. Reading that verse prompted me to a thought process that led to a self-realization that I’m not very proud of. But I am grateful to have this realization and so grateful that God has put into my life people who do spur me on. I’ve noticed that I sometimes fall into a form of negativity that is really judgment of others. Not “prejudice” in the sense of judging a group or class of people, but rather assigning negative attributes to individuals—either those I know or those I hear about on the news or read about in the newspaper. Some time ago I recall making a statement about Saddam Hussein that “some people are beyond deserving mercy.” What a horrible, awful, self-righteous thing to say! To his credit, one of my dearest friends and spiritual mentors gently reprimanded me.
And throughout the past several months as I have dealt with stressful issues in my job, helping our daughter as she prepares to move and begin a new chapter in her life, keeping our son on track and working toward his short-term goals, and then, of course, moving . . . Well, you get it! Throughout the past few months I’ve noticed how quickly I assign negative attributes to people! I guess Rick Warren would remind me that “it’s not about me!” Fortunately, my husband has gently redirected me, and sometimes has actually been a bit put out by my negativity/judgments! He spurs me on to reframe my thoughts and, basically, to remember that we all are sinful and broken. I am drawn back to Tuesday’s devotion where we are instructed to “Rend our Hearts.”
Stress is about me. It is the symptom of making life about me. It’s about putting “me” in the center of my universe. I thank God for my friends and especially for my husband this morning. He knows of which he speaks, because he’s been down that path too! That’s how being a Christian works, I think! I share my journey and my lessons learned and you share your journey and your lessons learned . . . and we all benefit! We all spur one another on!
I hope today you will put God and the loving sacrifice of his precious son squarely at the center of your world. And that you will be spurred on by the love and faith of other Christians in your life.
Mary
Taking a Leap of Faith
.
Hebrews 11
1. Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. 2. For by it the men of old received divine approval. 3. By faith we understand that the world was created by the word of God, so that what is seen was made out of things which do not appear. 4. By faith Abel offered to God a more acceptable sacrifice than Cain, through which he received approval as righteous, God bearing witness by accepting his gifts; he died, but through his faith he is still speaking. 5. By faith Enoch was taken up so that he should not see death; and he was not found, because God had taken him. Now before he was taken he was attested as having pleased God. 6. And without faith it is impossible to please him. For whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him. 32. And what more shall I say? For time would fail me to tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets -- 33. who through faith conquered kingdoms, enforced justice, received promises, stopped the mouths of lions, 34. quenched raging fire, escaped the edge of the sword, won strength out of weakness, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight. 35. Women received their dead by resurrection. Some were tortured, refusing to accept release, that they might rise again to a better life. 36. Others suffered mocking and scourging, and even chains and imprisonment. 37. They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were killed with the sword; they went about in skins of sheep and goats, destitute, afflicted, ill-treated -- 38. of whom the world was not worthy -- wandering over deserts and mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth. 39. And all these, though well attested by their faith, did not receive what was promised, 40. since God had foreseen something better for us, that apart from us they should not be made perfect.
I sat on my deck again this morning. Have I mentioned how much I love my deck?! At one point the birds and other creatures were making such a racket, I almost had to come inside, because I was so distracted! We have a woodpecker who hangs out in one of our trees—I haven’t seen which one yet. I wonder if it’s the same one who used to desperately attempt to pound a hole in the siding of our former house down the street. It may well be, because after several minutes of battering the tree, he must have flown overhead and began banging like mad either on the house, or more likely the garage—then squawking in dismay and frustration, flew back to his tree and began again in earnest. One would think that all this talk of nature and God’s creations might have sent me to the Psalms. And I did spend some time there this morning, trying to decide which one to share.
But then, for a reason only God can explain, I turned my head slightly (I try to sit facing a different direction each morning) and saw my squirrel! That crazy squirrel is as regular as clockwork! He has a morning routine that I have observed almost every day I’ve been in this house! And the very first time I watched him, I thought of taking a “leap of faith!” I don’t know where he starts his morning routine or how it ends, as I only observe this one portion of his scheduled activities each morning. When he catches my attention he’s perched on the edge of the garage roof (he must jump to the roof from a tree, and the sound draws my attention (?). He pauses ever so briefly, and takes a huge leap off the roof to a scrawny, half-dead branch that the tree trimmers forgot to cut off this tree long ago. I couldn’t believe that leafless branch would even hold him the first time I witnessed this aerial stunt! But every morning . . . a slight pause . . . a huge leap . . . and then hanging on for dear life till the branch stops swinging and he can steady himself to continue about his day.
This chapter of Hebrews lists just about every well-known bible figure you could call to mind—and some I have to look up! It recounts all the great and glorious things that regular, ordinary, every day people were able to accomplish because of their faith. By faith. Not by self-confidence. Not be self-reliance. Not by sheer force of will. By faith. By a certain knowing, by a belief in something greater than themselves. By assurance of God’s power to act in their lives. I think all of these folks understood they weren’t what most of us would consider “outstanding” people. They were people just like us. Oh . . . but wait! They had outstanding faith! They had unwavering faith! They relied upon God, had confidence in Him, and believed without doubt that when He makes a promise He keeps it.
By faith. That’s all the “know-how” we really need to live our lives. Faith in a power above all powers. Faith in a God who made woodpeckers and squirrels. Faith in a God who made me and you. Faith in a God who removes the complicated debate about who, what, where when and how!
I hope today, you allow your faith to steer your life and guide you in your decisions. And that when others ask you how you can be so sure and confident about your decisions, you tell them, “By faith.”
Mary
Rend Your Hearts
.
Joel 2:1-2
1. Blow the trumpet in Zion; sound the alarm on my holy mountain! Let all the inhabitants of the land tremble, for the day of the Lord is coming, it is near, 2. a day of darkness and gloom, a day of clouds and thick darkness! Like blackness there is spread upon the mountains a great and powerful people; their like has never been from of old, nor will be again after them through the years of all generations. Fire devours before them, and behind them a flame burns. The land is like the garden of Eden before them, but after them a desolate wilderness, and nothing escapes them. 12. "Yet even now," says the Lord, "return to me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning; 13. and rend your hearts and not your garments." Return to the Lord, your God, for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love, and repents of evil. 25. I will restore to you the years which the swarming locust has eaten, the hopper, the destroyer, and the cutter, my great army, which I sent among you. 26. "You shall eat in plenty and be satisfied, and praise the name of the Lord your God, who has dealt wondrously with you. And my people shall never again be put to shame. 27. You shall know that I am in the midst of Israel, and that I, the Lord, am your God and there is none else. And my people shall never again be put to shame.
Like many people, I generally view some of the Old Testament books are a little “heavy” and like to wait until I have time to really study all the intricacies of the stories. But a dear friend shared with me a few months ago that verse 25 had special significance for him. And I have since become very interested in Joel. Have you seen any television shows or movies that depict a swarm of locusts? They literally consume every living morsel in their path. They leave not one blade of grass, not one shoot of a seedling, not one seed of grain. Everything is consumed, devoured, ravenously, in a blink of an eye – and then they’re gone. They leave behind a barren and desolate landscape.
The context in which verse 25 was referenced by my friend had to do with all the years he spent apart from Christ. And I think this whole book so vividly portrays the pattern of turning from God (or never knowing Him) and then returning. Whether we think of the excesses of our youth, the slavery of addictions, the sins of omission, shameful acts and thoughts, slavery to sin of any kind, that kind of life could be compared to the locust swarm. In the end we are devastated, barren, empty, spent. . . and then in steps God. He opens his arms and welcomes us. Even though we ignored him, defied him, scorned and cursed him.
God does restore those years. No, we can’t go back in time and relive them – the way we wish we had in the first place. But he uses the hurt, the pain, the grief, the remorse, and even the lessons learned, to reshape us, we have been through the refiner’s fire, and now we are new creatures. We can use our past to remind us that we don’t want to go back there! We can find courage and strength, wisdom, and even joy in living life now! Even on our worse day now, could it really ever be as bad as a day in our life without our Lord and Savior?
I think these verses are also about forgiveness. God wants us to be like him. That means we are to demonstrate the same depth and generosity of forgiveness to others in our lives as he has for us. That’s not easy—even after receiving the unfathomable gift of God’s forgiveness! But we have a model now: the years the locusts have consumed vs the rest of our lives in God’s family. I have some growing to do, because I struggle with true, genuine, absolute forgiveness. And I know God wants me to reflect upon those locust-eaten, desolate years in my own life, when I determine how much and how often I will forgive others.
I hope today you rend your heart and thank God for the years he has paid back to you. And that you will never again be put to shame, because the Lord is your God and there is none else.
Mary
My Dwelling Place
.
Psalm 90:1-2
1. Lord, thou hast been our dwelling place in all generations. 2. Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever thou hadst formed the earth and the world, from everlasting to everlasting thou art God.
Psalm 91:1-2
1. He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High, who abides in the shadow of the Almighty, 2. will say to the Lord, "My refuge and my fortress; my God, in whom I trust."
I suppose that opening first thing this morning to scripture about a “dwelling place” is not really that surprising! We have been in our new house 1 week plus a day as of this morning! We are certainly enjoying our new house, yard, garage, but most especially we enjoy our new deck. It’s right off the kitchen and we’ve had breakfast there more than once – and lunch and dinner several times, too! I sat out there this morning, in fact, as my new “space” isn’t quite ready for me to go “live” yet. The sun was up, and rising in the sky, it was just the right temperature, and our back yard is like a park—lots of birds, squirrels, trees, and bushes. Did I mention I really love our deck?!
We’ve learned some lessons through this process, too. We’ve discovered, much to our dismay, that we have accumulated way, way too much “stuff.” And we’re not even sure what a lot of it is! Our new garage is more than ½ full of “stuff.” Last night after I planted some flowers, I walked into the garage and immediately came up with three boxes slated for the dump! Really, three! My daughter sat out there for several hours sorting through the boxes that hold her memories and treasures and discovered that she, too, had a great big trash box! Even our son, who is very sentimental and hangs on to absolutely everything, declared last Saturday, after about 10 hours of non-stop packing and moving, that he didn’t want anything else left in the house or his room! He was tired of moving and no wonder he had such poor organizational skills! Who could be organized with all this stuff!?
I also read quite a few verses about idol worship this morning! But I decided to focus on the idea of God being our true dwelling place. No matter where we live, no matter if we sit on a deck early in the morning, or at the kitchen table in our efficiency apartment, our one true dwelling place is God and His love! His shelter is spacious and expansive! It’s miles and miles of woods without mosquitoes; it’s hours and hours of wandering over mountains with no jagged rocks to cut your feet, it’s perfect in every way – with enough room for everyone. We love our new house. But more than that, we love our Lord. We thank him every day for placing us in this new home that was filled with love by the previous owners.
Our dwelling place is our Lord. We have been reminded of that truth throughout this past week. His love never breaks, never gets scratched or dented. His love is true and sure, and never fails us. All this stuff is just “stuff” and it gets in the way of living. We’re doing a lot of unburdening ourselves of stuff as we go through boxes. We’re getting rid of a lot of stuff. We don’t want any more idols in our lives! We don’t want anything to get in the way of dwelling in the shelter of the Most High. (O.K., honestly, we will keep some stuff we don’t really need . . . we’re not that far along in the process yet!)
It feels good to be back on track! It feels good to share my life lessons with my friends. It feels good to be reminded that God is my dwelling place throughout all eternity!
I hope today as you leave your earthly dwelling place, you’ll remember that the dwelling place of the Lord is ever present and sure. And that you’ll invite some guests in to His house today.
Mary
MOVING - YIKES!
PLEASE BEAR WITH ME AS WE AWAIT INTERNET ACCESS AT OUR NEW HOME!
I THANK GOD EACH DAY FOR THE WONDERFUL LIFE HE HAS GIVEN ME AND I AM SO GRATEFUL FOR YOUR PARTICIPATION AND INVOLVEMENT IN THAT LIFE.
WE HOPE TO BE 'LIVE' BY MONDAY, 5/9/05
THANKS!
