Today's passage: John 21
"He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, Lovest thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things: thou knowest that I love thee. Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep."
There have been days when I have wondered how Peter felt after denying our Lord. If he feels like I am feeling today, then he felt like there was no use trying to accomplish anything, because he would surely fail. The Lord knew I was going to need this chapter this morning. I didn't know it, but He did. He knew I was going to wake up feeling a little like Peter this morning. He knew that I would feel defeated because I failed Him in a particular area in my life for the umpteenth time. Before I started reading this morning, I told God I was certain I would probably not be blessed by His Word and I would understand why. Even though I had confessed my sin and asked Him for His help, I still felt that I would probably be of no use.
I'm reading about Peter's failure. Some people may think, well, I would never fail Jesus that poorly. That is the wrong view to take. We all fail Jesus that poorly any time we fail Him. But God has encouraged me this morning. Even though I've read these events numerous times, it feels fresh to me, because I feel like Peter did. Jesus was persistent in letting Peter know, he was still His chosen vessel. Just as Peter denied Jesus three times, Jesus insists on him declaring his love for Him three times. And Christ gives Peter a job to do. I know Peter loved his Lord, even though for a few hours he wouldn't admit to it. I know Peter was ashamed of his treachery (the gospels tell us that he wept bitterly after the rooster crowed). I know Peter was certain that His Lord would not claim him as His disciple again. Aren't you glad that wasn't the case? Aren't you glad that when we have messed up, again, that God still welcomes us in His arms and allows us to serve Him? I am. I'm so thankful God is not done with me yet. I'm so grateful that He allows me to ask for His forgiveness and restores fellowship with me. I know that He can help me overcome areas in my life that I am still lacking. I know because I see areas in my past where He has given me victory. My pastor often says he knows that God is not finished with him yet. He knows this because he is still breathing. This is true for all of us. I've checked, and I am breathing today, so God is not done with me. I don't want to be done with Him. I want to serve Him today, better than I did yesterday. I want to look forward to the times in my life just like Peter had, when he proclaimed Christ to over three thousand people, when God used him to heal a lame man, when God delivered him from a prison cell. If Peter's story had ended in John 21, many of us would have given up a long time ago. Peter's failure shows me I will fail. Peter's humility shows me I will be humbled. Peter's discouragement shows me I will become discouraged. But Peter's victories shows me I can be victorious.
Father God, thank You so much for Your Word. Thank You that when I don't feel like reading it will accomplish anything because I have failed You so miserably, that You prove me wrong. Thank You for knowing exactly what I need to see everyday, and Lord, with Your help, I ask for Your guidance and ability to avoid failing You today. I know You still want to use me, just as You used Peter.
Showing posts with label John. Show all posts
Showing posts with label John. Show all posts
Tuesday, July 26, 2011
Monday, July 25, 2011
Purchasing Peace
Today's passage: John 20
"But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our PEACE was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed." Isaiah 53:5 (Bolded and capitalized word--mine for emphasis).
When I was first married, and my husband worked the afternoon shift (which meant he didn't get home until after midnight) there were evenings that I had the spooks. Every noise in the apartment gave me the shivers. I would sleep with the blankets pulled up to my chin while my heart beat so hard I felt like it was going to bounce me out of the bed. As soon as I would doze off, I would be startled awake by another sound which sent the heart palpitating again. I would repeat Psalm 56:3, a verse I had often taught my preschool Sunday school class, "What time I am afraid, I will trust in thee, what time I am afraid, I will trust in thee, what time I am afraid I will trust thee" and that would settle my heart somewhat. Usually the only thing that really calmed my fears completely was when I saw the cause of the noise. When I discovered it was our large Paku fish bumping around in his tank, or a neighbor moving furniture in a nearby apartment, or old furnace pipes hissing and knocking, my heart stopped racing, and I was able to laugh at my nervousness.
Jesus has risen. Witnesses have told the disciples this, including two of their own (John and Peter). They do not know where He has gone, but they are remembering that He told them what would happen after three days. Sunday evening they are gathered together in a room somewhere. Maybe they were going to discuss their strategy for the days ahead. Maybe they just needed to assure each other they were not alone, because they were certainly afraid of what the Roman soldiers would do to each of them. Their mood was fearful, maybe even paranoid. Any person who would have tried the doorknob ("when the doors were shut") would have hushed them. Any pounding on the windows or heavy steps outside would have them hiding behind furniture. Perhaps this is why Jesus doesn't come through the door, He just appears among them. He knew that anyone coming through that door would have sent them into hysterics, so He chose the way He had gone through doors before He had come to this earth, supernaturally.
"...came Jesus and stood in the midst, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you. And when he had so said, he shewed unto them his hands and his side." Now I have always believed Jesus told the disciples to have peace because they were afraid. It makes sense, and I believe that is one of the reasons. But look what He does next. He shows them something. He shows them why they will now have peace. He shows them His wounds. He shows them that they will have peace forevermore because He just purchased peace with God by His death on the cross. This makes me want to shout. Jesus was not just talking about having peace in their present situation, He was talking about having peace for eternity. He was talking about the only way to really have peace in our lives, by trusting in His work on the cross. Thomas was not present in the room at the time, and of course, we all know the statement he makes about not believing Jesus has resurrected until He sees the marks on Christ's body. Jesus appears to Him and what does He say first? "Peace be unto you". What does He invite Thomas to do next? To examine the punctures in His body. Why? Because He wanted Thomas to have the lifetime of peace that His death had bought. He is showing Thomas why He can have peace. And He shows us how we can have peace as well.
Just as my fear of the scary noises in my apartment subsided when I could justify the noise, so can my fears about my future be appeased when I realize how Christ offers me peace. Are you at peace today? Are you worried and anxious about where you will go after this life? Jesus offered His body so that you don't have to wonder or fear.
Lord Jesus, thank you for showing us how we can have peace. It is only through You that my heart can be settled about my eternal future and everything else in my life. Thank You for knowing all my fears and soothing them. Thank you for knowing everything about me, and showing me why I need never be afraid.
"But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our PEACE was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed." Isaiah 53:5 (Bolded and capitalized word--mine for emphasis).
When I was first married, and my husband worked the afternoon shift (which meant he didn't get home until after midnight) there were evenings that I had the spooks. Every noise in the apartment gave me the shivers. I would sleep with the blankets pulled up to my chin while my heart beat so hard I felt like it was going to bounce me out of the bed. As soon as I would doze off, I would be startled awake by another sound which sent the heart palpitating again. I would repeat Psalm 56:3, a verse I had often taught my preschool Sunday school class, "What time I am afraid, I will trust in thee, what time I am afraid, I will trust in thee, what time I am afraid I will trust thee" and that would settle my heart somewhat. Usually the only thing that really calmed my fears completely was when I saw the cause of the noise. When I discovered it was our large Paku fish bumping around in his tank, or a neighbor moving furniture in a nearby apartment, or old furnace pipes hissing and knocking, my heart stopped racing, and I was able to laugh at my nervousness.
Jesus has risen. Witnesses have told the disciples this, including two of their own (John and Peter). They do not know where He has gone, but they are remembering that He told them what would happen after three days. Sunday evening they are gathered together in a room somewhere. Maybe they were going to discuss their strategy for the days ahead. Maybe they just needed to assure each other they were not alone, because they were certainly afraid of what the Roman soldiers would do to each of them. Their mood was fearful, maybe even paranoid. Any person who would have tried the doorknob ("when the doors were shut") would have hushed them. Any pounding on the windows or heavy steps outside would have them hiding behind furniture. Perhaps this is why Jesus doesn't come through the door, He just appears among them. He knew that anyone coming through that door would have sent them into hysterics, so He chose the way He had gone through doors before He had come to this earth, supernaturally.
"...came Jesus and stood in the midst, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you. And when he had so said, he shewed unto them his hands and his side." Now I have always believed Jesus told the disciples to have peace because they were afraid. It makes sense, and I believe that is one of the reasons. But look what He does next. He shows them something. He shows them why they will now have peace. He shows them His wounds. He shows them that they will have peace forevermore because He just purchased peace with God by His death on the cross. This makes me want to shout. Jesus was not just talking about having peace in their present situation, He was talking about having peace for eternity. He was talking about the only way to really have peace in our lives, by trusting in His work on the cross. Thomas was not present in the room at the time, and of course, we all know the statement he makes about not believing Jesus has resurrected until He sees the marks on Christ's body. Jesus appears to Him and what does He say first? "Peace be unto you". What does He invite Thomas to do next? To examine the punctures in His body. Why? Because He wanted Thomas to have the lifetime of peace that His death had bought. He is showing Thomas why He can have peace. And He shows us how we can have peace as well.
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| Thomas Feeling Jesus' Wounds--Taken from Standard Bible Readers, Book Five By Lillie A. Faris, Illustrated by O.A. Stemler and Bess Bruce Cleaveland The Standard Publishing Company, 1928 |
Lord Jesus, thank you for showing us how we can have peace. It is only through You that my heart can be settled about my eternal future and everything else in my life. Thank You for knowing all my fears and soothing them. Thank you for knowing everything about me, and showing me why I need never be afraid.
Sunday, July 24, 2011
Passover Pictures
Today's passage: John 19
I am really glad that I am not a Jew living during Old Testament times. I don't know about you, but the thought of butchering a lamb for Passover each year, makes me queasy. The smell of blood on my doorposts makes me shudder. It's a beautiful picture, but pictures are for the eyes, not for the nose and other senses. I've had the misfortune of coming across dead animals, and they do not smell good. Maybe lambs have no smell when they are dead, so that is why God chose it, but if they are like any other animal, the carcass stinks. Envisioning the father of each family swiping the blood across the doorposts is pretty in my head, but in real life, he would be covered. The blood would have dripped like wet paint, and anyone who traipsed in or out would trudge though it and bring it into the house. Blood spatters everywhere, it is not easy to contain. This was messy work. Flash forward to the day of Christ's death.
It is the beginning of the Sabbath day during the week of the Passover, the first day of unleavened bread. John says, "(for that sabbath day was an high day)." There are numerous parallels between the Passover and Christ's death. Books have been written about them. I've known many of them, but one I hadn't remembered before was the use of hyssop. When Jesus expressed that he was thirsty, a sponge of vinegar was offered to him. This sponge was atop a hyssop branch. I've read two or three explanations for what hyssop is. One said it was a small bush similar to marjoram, another said it was like a caper plant with long branches. For me, the second makes more sense, for how would a little bush be able to reach Jesus on the cross?
When I was reading about preparation for the Passover in Leviticus 23, I had not realized that the way the Israelites were to apply the lamb's blood to the doorposts of their house was with a hyssop branch. Accident? No way. Jesus was the Passover Lamb. His blood was about to be applied so that God could pass over our sins. The hyssop branch was extended to Him and I'm guessing the sponge came down with some blood on it, since by this time, Christ's blood was everywhere. It had been dipped in blood, just as they had done in the Old Testament. The blood had been applied, not to doorposts this time, but to the hearts of all who would believe.
Another thing I had never really thought about until I was reading the verses about John and Mary becoming a new family, was the fact that Christ was indeed the firstborn. Jesus had brothers and sisters, but He was Mary's first child. At the original Passover, the firstborn lamb (without blemish) was offered up as the sacrifice. It's blood would spare the firstborn of every family that applied it. Those families who did not apply the blood (Pharaoh included) found their firstborn sons dead the following morning. Jesus took the place of that lamb. He was the Lamb. When God looked down and saw the blood flowing from the cross, it was acceptable to Him, and He would pass over all those who applied the blood of His Son. He still does that today. Christ's blood was enough, it IS enough. All we need do is accept His death as our substitute.
I'm so glad I am not living back in Old Testament times. I am thankful that I do not have a bloody mess to deal with each year at Passover. I have a Passover Lamb that shed His blood. He did all the work, I only had to apply it.
I am really glad that I am not a Jew living during Old Testament times. I don't know about you, but the thought of butchering a lamb for Passover each year, makes me queasy. The smell of blood on my doorposts makes me shudder. It's a beautiful picture, but pictures are for the eyes, not for the nose and other senses. I've had the misfortune of coming across dead animals, and they do not smell good. Maybe lambs have no smell when they are dead, so that is why God chose it, but if they are like any other animal, the carcass stinks. Envisioning the father of each family swiping the blood across the doorposts is pretty in my head, but in real life, he would be covered. The blood would have dripped like wet paint, and anyone who traipsed in or out would trudge though it and bring it into the house. Blood spatters everywhere, it is not easy to contain. This was messy work. Flash forward to the day of Christ's death.
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| Jesus' Death on the Cross--Taken from Standard Bible Story Readers, Book Six By Lillie A. Faris, Illustrated by O.A. Stemler and Bess Bruce Cleaveland The Standard Publishing Company, 1929 |
When I was reading about preparation for the Passover in Leviticus 23, I had not realized that the way the Israelites were to apply the lamb's blood to the doorposts of their house was with a hyssop branch. Accident? No way. Jesus was the Passover Lamb. His blood was about to be applied so that God could pass over our sins. The hyssop branch was extended to Him and I'm guessing the sponge came down with some blood on it, since by this time, Christ's blood was everywhere. It had been dipped in blood, just as they had done in the Old Testament. The blood had been applied, not to doorposts this time, but to the hearts of all who would believe.
Another thing I had never really thought about until I was reading the verses about John and Mary becoming a new family, was the fact that Christ was indeed the firstborn. Jesus had brothers and sisters, but He was Mary's first child. At the original Passover, the firstborn lamb (without blemish) was offered up as the sacrifice. It's blood would spare the firstborn of every family that applied it. Those families who did not apply the blood (Pharaoh included) found their firstborn sons dead the following morning. Jesus took the place of that lamb. He was the Lamb. When God looked down and saw the blood flowing from the cross, it was acceptable to Him, and He would pass over all those who applied the blood of His Son. He still does that today. Christ's blood was enough, it IS enough. All we need do is accept His death as our substitute.
I'm so glad I am not living back in Old Testament times. I am thankful that I do not have a bloody mess to deal with each year at Passover. I have a Passover Lamb that shed His blood. He did all the work, I only had to apply it.
Saturday, July 23, 2011
Gethsemane Times
Today's passage: John 18
I do not feel capable enough to comment on the next few passages of Scripture. Do the chapters affect me? Yes. Do I take anything from them? Yes. Do I see anything new? Sure. But I feel ill equipped to explain Christ's suffering, because I have never suffered. Nobody has suffered as Christ has, but I feel there are people close to me who have a much better idea of what testing is. I am surrounded by people going through difficulties. It seems almost callous to sit at a computer screen some days talking about trusting in God, and allowing Him to work through me. Sometimes it sounds so generic and fake. I don't feel that way when I'm writing it, but then I look at people who are living their faith in a tangible way, and think to myself, "What do I know?" The faith that is tangible is a cousin's family who day in and day out tend to their comatose son and his various medical emergencies. The tangible trials are the ones of my in-laws coping with the daily struggle of her adjusting to life in a wheelchair because bone cancer has taken her ability to walk. I'm not sure why I am going down these avenues today. I just have been thinking recently that I can read God's Word, I can get joy from sharing it, I can feel like God has shown me something to apply in my life, but I look at people around me who understand far better than I do. I would venture that there are people who could understand Christ's turmoil better than I can. I am sure that persecuted Christians around the world are in their own Gethsemane right now. These people understand that they may be facing death head-on soon. They could empathize with Christ's arrest, trial and subsequent persecution. I can't.
The more I see trials in the lives of people around me, the more I realize I don't know anything. I've said before that I really only want to sympathize with others, I don't really want that empathy. But then again, will I ever really understand God's work without those testings? If you are going through some Gethsemane times in your life, I'm sure you are thinking, "Here, sister, you can certainly have mine." I am not saying I would gladly take them, because I wouldn't. I am just saying, you, who are going through these rough patches, are closer to God for them. Easy for me to say, right? Yes, easy, and hard. Easy because I can sit here, knowing that so far, my life has been peaceful and easy. Hard, because I don't know what to say to those of you who are having difficulties. I can say the trite thing, "Trust God". I can quote numerous passages of Scripture about how God can comfort you in your troubles. I don't even know if anyone reading this today is having troubles. I know this, someday you might be. And so will I. Maybe I'm writing this for posterity's sake, for when I am further down the road in my life and I look at the hurdles ahead. When I think I can't make it over the hurdle, I can look back at the time in my life when there were none, and see how God has brought me along. I'm obviously in a very reflective mood today, and really don't feel like I've shared much. Yet, I feel better just getting it out there, regardless of who reads this. Jesus went to His Gethsemane to gather strength from His Father, maybe God is just preparing me for mine.
I do not feel capable enough to comment on the next few passages of Scripture. Do the chapters affect me? Yes. Do I take anything from them? Yes. Do I see anything new? Sure. But I feel ill equipped to explain Christ's suffering, because I have never suffered. Nobody has suffered as Christ has, but I feel there are people close to me who have a much better idea of what testing is. I am surrounded by people going through difficulties. It seems almost callous to sit at a computer screen some days talking about trusting in God, and allowing Him to work through me. Sometimes it sounds so generic and fake. I don't feel that way when I'm writing it, but then I look at people who are living their faith in a tangible way, and think to myself, "What do I know?" The faith that is tangible is a cousin's family who day in and day out tend to their comatose son and his various medical emergencies. The tangible trials are the ones of my in-laws coping with the daily struggle of her adjusting to life in a wheelchair because bone cancer has taken her ability to walk. I'm not sure why I am going down these avenues today. I just have been thinking recently that I can read God's Word, I can get joy from sharing it, I can feel like God has shown me something to apply in my life, but I look at people around me who understand far better than I do. I would venture that there are people who could understand Christ's turmoil better than I can. I am sure that persecuted Christians around the world are in their own Gethsemane right now. These people understand that they may be facing death head-on soon. They could empathize with Christ's arrest, trial and subsequent persecution. I can't.
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| Jesus Prays in the Garden--Taken from Standard Bible Story Readers, Book Six By Lillie A. Faris, Illustrated by O.A. Stemler and Bess Bruce Cleaveland The Standard Publishing Company, 1929 |
Friday, July 22, 2011
Heavenly Home
Today's passage: John 17
I used to listen to a lot of contemporary Christian music. One of my favorite singers was Wayne Watson. There is a song he sings that kept running in my head as I was reading this passage. The song is "Home Free" and the lyrics that especially struck me were these:
A few years back, my husband and I visited Hawaii to see a friend who lived there. I had lived there as a girl. The year before we had vacationed in California which had thoroughly impressed my husband. I assured him, Hawaii would be way more impressive. I tried to describe it, I showed him pictures, but none of that measured up to just how beautiful the islands are. When we stepped off the plane, and drove from the airport, he finally understood what I was talking about. He wants to go back (so do I). No description I could give was enough to help him understand what Hawaii was like. Words could not describe it well enough. Don't you think Heaven is the same way? We have so many passages in the Bible that talk about it, but our words can never describe such a perfect place. We can't get on the internet and google search it so that we can view pictures. Nobody has come back from there to tell us about their visit. But Jesus had been there. He had lived there up until He was born as a baby. He knew what it was like. How many times in His human life, had He thought about going back? How many times had He wished His time here on earth was up so He could return to His Father and His home? He came here to accomplish a purpose, but in this chapter He refers many times to returning to "the glory which I had with thee before the world was." The cross is going to be hard, but going home will be easy.
I guess the reason the Wayne Watson song kept running through my head is because I really don't get just how great Heaven is. And when God calls someone Home, they are finally going to get to see what I haven't seen yet. They don't want to come back here. Why Jesus ever left Heaven to begin with is only because of His incredible love for me. Once I've been, I won't want to leave. This is hard to grasp, because there is nowhere on earth that compares. We joke about wanting to live someplace we've visited for the rest of our lives, but not even Hawaii is perfect. Beautiful, yes. Friendly people, yes. Laid back, yes. But it has its problems too. I know this because I actually lived there for a while, it would be hard for my husband who only spent a week there to see this. Heaven is perfect. Heaven is ideal. Heaven is paradise.
The chorus of the Wayne Watson song says:
I used to listen to a lot of contemporary Christian music. One of my favorite singers was Wayne Watson. There is a song he sings that kept running in my head as I was reading this passage. The song is "Home Free" and the lyrics that especially struck me were these:
"Out in the corridors, they pray for life, A mother for her baby, A husband for his wife, Sometimes the good die young, it's sad but true, But as we pray for one more heartbeat, The real comfort is with You."We miss people when they are gone, but if they are saved, they are going Home. Jesus knew this as He was about to face the cross. He was not looking forward to the pain He was about to take on, but He couldn't wait to get back Home. I imagine 30 some years in human flesh was plenty for Him. I imagine He was glad to leave behind the skepticism and disdain in this sinful world. He had left Heaven, and He was about to go back. I can't understand this. I have never even had a glimpse of Heaven. If God sent me a postcard with just a little preview, I'd be anxious to leave this world too. We have become so attached to the things of earth because that is all we know. It is kind of like going on vacation for the first time somewhere. I may see pictures or have heard stories about a particular place, but it does not replace actually visiting.
A few years back, my husband and I visited Hawaii to see a friend who lived there. I had lived there as a girl. The year before we had vacationed in California which had thoroughly impressed my husband. I assured him, Hawaii would be way more impressive. I tried to describe it, I showed him pictures, but none of that measured up to just how beautiful the islands are. When we stepped off the plane, and drove from the airport, he finally understood what I was talking about. He wants to go back (so do I). No description I could give was enough to help him understand what Hawaii was like. Words could not describe it well enough. Don't you think Heaven is the same way? We have so many passages in the Bible that talk about it, but our words can never describe such a perfect place. We can't get on the internet and google search it so that we can view pictures. Nobody has come back from there to tell us about their visit. But Jesus had been there. He had lived there up until He was born as a baby. He knew what it was like. How many times in His human life, had He thought about going back? How many times had He wished His time here on earth was up so He could return to His Father and His home? He came here to accomplish a purpose, but in this chapter He refers many times to returning to "the glory which I had with thee before the world was." The cross is going to be hard, but going home will be easy.
I guess the reason the Wayne Watson song kept running through my head is because I really don't get just how great Heaven is. And when God calls someone Home, they are finally going to get to see what I haven't seen yet. They don't want to come back here. Why Jesus ever left Heaven to begin with is only because of His incredible love for me. Once I've been, I won't want to leave. This is hard to grasp, because there is nowhere on earth that compares. We joke about wanting to live someplace we've visited for the rest of our lives, but not even Hawaii is perfect. Beautiful, yes. Friendly people, yes. Laid back, yes. But it has its problems too. I know this because I actually lived there for a while, it would be hard for my husband who only spent a week there to see this. Heaven is perfect. Heaven is ideal. Heaven is paradise.
The chorus of the Wayne Watson song says:
Home free, eventually. At the ultimate healing, we will be home free. Home free, its more than a feeling. At the ultimate healing, we will be home free.Someday we will all be home free. And we will never want to return to this earth. We will fully realize what Jesus left for us when we arrive in Heaven. We will then know, words were not enough to describe Christ's Home, that He left for a little while, for me.
Thursday, July 21, 2011
Laboring
Today's passage: John 16
"A woman when she is in travail hath sorrow, because her hour is come: but as soon as she is delivered of the child, she remembereth no more the anguish, for joy that a man is born into the world. And ye now therefore have sorrow: but I will see you again, and your heart shall rejoice, and your joy no man taketh from you."
How clearly I remember the birth of my first son. My poor husband had just worked his shift (4PM-12AM) and had barely been home an hour when my water broke. I called the doctor and was instructed to go to the hospital. I didn't have a lot of pain--at first. Around 2AM the contractions started, and were pretty much non-stop. I was expecting a breather between each one. I had been told that when they first start there might be five minutes in between narrowing within a minute of each other. Now maybe my labor was different from others, but that never happened. I would say a 30 second delay between each contraction, and that's how it proceeded for hours. I couldn't turn over in bed without a contraction, I couldn't carry on a conversation without a contraction. It was certainly more intense than I had ever expected. Around 3:30AM the nurse asked me if I wanted medication. I caved. Mostly because I had no idea how long the labor would last, and I knew I would have no strength to push when the time came. She administered Stadol which really did nothing but make me groggy. I could still feel each contraction, I was just too drowsy to be able to protest. Finally around 9AM I was given an epidural (and when you are having contractions the entire time, it certainly is nerve-wracking trying to stay still when a long needle is about to pierce your back). In short time, I couldn't feel the contractions anymore. I really pity the pioneer women. I have sympathy for the pregnant ladies during the Depression. Bless the ladies today who choose natural childbirth. You are braver than I am. I admit that I am a wimp and a sissy. I can't imagine having gone another 4 hours with the contractions I was experiencing. Thank you, Lord, for modern medicine. Around 12 PM it was time for the most strenuous part of the labor. Two hours of pushing, and finally my doctor had to use forceps to get him out. (This tells you a little about the stubbornness of my first child). I didn't cry, like I expected to when I first held him. I was just so relieved to be done with the labor process. No, the tears came later. When we were alone that first night, and I held him in my arms, I admired each tiny feature and am certain no baby ever born was as handsome as he was (until my second and third son were born, and they are the only ones that I think could ever compare). In the middle of the labor process, going through those hideous contractions (sorry expectant mothers), I remember thinking to myself, who on earth would ever do this more than once? But that night, holding my son, I understood why. Obviously, my first labor experience did not deter me from going through it two more times. I'm thankful God was more merciful with my next two labors. Each was only four hours, and far less difficult.
Jesus is about to experience the worst pain anyone could ever go through. This would be far more difficult than any woman's labor. It would be worse than the torture any man has ever experienced, and I've heard of some pretty grueling tortures. The disciples are about to sorrow as they have never sorrowed before. They are about to have their world turned upside down. They will be afraid, upset, discouraged, paranoid. They will feel deserted and alone. They will wonder what comes next. But Jesus explains to them that just as a woman goes through that pain in childbirth, it is only for a short while, then comes the joy for a lifetime. How true that is! These disciples were going to have three days of pain and confusion, but following that, they would have a glorious future. Many of them would experience death in a similar fashion as their Lord, but they would go to a Heavenly home. Jesus would die such a painful death for me. He knew the joy on the other side when I would someday accept Him as my Savior. That would be worth all the pain. If He had moments on the cross, thinking "Why am I going through this?" He would think of the many who would believe on Him. He would think of the joy He would have when each person, one by one, accepted His work on the cross as payment for their sins. He would think of the disciples boldly going forth after His resurrection and proclaiming His words. He would think of how Heaven would be filled with the people He loved. Well, not all the people He loved. There would still be many who would reject Him. There would be some at the foot of the cross who would die never believing. Knowing what He does now, knowing the suffering, the grief, the torture, the pain, would He do it again? Yes. If it was the only way to purchase our salvation, He would do it again. Why? Because it was worth it.
Would I have had another child if I hadn't had the medication that aided me through that first delivery? Absolutely. The pain was awful, but if it was the only way to have my child, then I would have no qualms repeating it. If my second and third deliveries were as intense, I would do those again too. Why? Because my kids are worth it. And for some strange reason, God thinks I'm worth it too. I don't understand why. I can only say this. Maybe somebody today reads this, and can't understand why Jesus would die the way He did. I don't understand why. I just understand that He had to. He had to do it to save our souls. Nothing we do can ever accomplish what He did on the cross. No prayer we say, no money we give, no presence in any house of worship, no kindness, no rite of baptism will ever wash away the sin nature we carry with us. Only Jesus could take care of that. It is only by believing that His death on the cross accomplished the payment for my sin, that I can have the joy that follows. It is only by going through the turmoil of recognizing my filthy sins, repenting, and accepting what Christ did for me, that I can understand the eternal joy He brought. If you have any questions about how you can know about the home in Heaven God has prepared for you, please see the page (Understanding Salvation). He went through the pain, to bring the joy. And you are worth it.
"A woman when she is in travail hath sorrow, because her hour is come: but as soon as she is delivered of the child, she remembereth no more the anguish, for joy that a man is born into the world. And ye now therefore have sorrow: but I will see you again, and your heart shall rejoice, and your joy no man taketh from you."
How clearly I remember the birth of my first son. My poor husband had just worked his shift (4PM-12AM) and had barely been home an hour when my water broke. I called the doctor and was instructed to go to the hospital. I didn't have a lot of pain--at first. Around 2AM the contractions started, and were pretty much non-stop. I was expecting a breather between each one. I had been told that when they first start there might be five minutes in between narrowing within a minute of each other. Now maybe my labor was different from others, but that never happened. I would say a 30 second delay between each contraction, and that's how it proceeded for hours. I couldn't turn over in bed without a contraction, I couldn't carry on a conversation without a contraction. It was certainly more intense than I had ever expected. Around 3:30AM the nurse asked me if I wanted medication. I caved. Mostly because I had no idea how long the labor would last, and I knew I would have no strength to push when the time came. She administered Stadol which really did nothing but make me groggy. I could still feel each contraction, I was just too drowsy to be able to protest. Finally around 9AM I was given an epidural (and when you are having contractions the entire time, it certainly is nerve-wracking trying to stay still when a long needle is about to pierce your back). In short time, I couldn't feel the contractions anymore. I really pity the pioneer women. I have sympathy for the pregnant ladies during the Depression. Bless the ladies today who choose natural childbirth. You are braver than I am. I admit that I am a wimp and a sissy. I can't imagine having gone another 4 hours with the contractions I was experiencing. Thank you, Lord, for modern medicine. Around 12 PM it was time for the most strenuous part of the labor. Two hours of pushing, and finally my doctor had to use forceps to get him out. (This tells you a little about the stubbornness of my first child). I didn't cry, like I expected to when I first held him. I was just so relieved to be done with the labor process. No, the tears came later. When we were alone that first night, and I held him in my arms, I admired each tiny feature and am certain no baby ever born was as handsome as he was (until my second and third son were born, and they are the only ones that I think could ever compare). In the middle of the labor process, going through those hideous contractions (sorry expectant mothers), I remember thinking to myself, who on earth would ever do this more than once? But that night, holding my son, I understood why. Obviously, my first labor experience did not deter me from going through it two more times. I'm thankful God was more merciful with my next two labors. Each was only four hours, and far less difficult.
Jesus is about to experience the worst pain anyone could ever go through. This would be far more difficult than any woman's labor. It would be worse than the torture any man has ever experienced, and I've heard of some pretty grueling tortures. The disciples are about to sorrow as they have never sorrowed before. They are about to have their world turned upside down. They will be afraid, upset, discouraged, paranoid. They will feel deserted and alone. They will wonder what comes next. But Jesus explains to them that just as a woman goes through that pain in childbirth, it is only for a short while, then comes the joy for a lifetime. How true that is! These disciples were going to have three days of pain and confusion, but following that, they would have a glorious future. Many of them would experience death in a similar fashion as their Lord, but they would go to a Heavenly home. Jesus would die such a painful death for me. He knew the joy on the other side when I would someday accept Him as my Savior. That would be worth all the pain. If He had moments on the cross, thinking "Why am I going through this?" He would think of the many who would believe on Him. He would think of the joy He would have when each person, one by one, accepted His work on the cross as payment for their sins. He would think of the disciples boldly going forth after His resurrection and proclaiming His words. He would think of how Heaven would be filled with the people He loved. Well, not all the people He loved. There would still be many who would reject Him. There would be some at the foot of the cross who would die never believing. Knowing what He does now, knowing the suffering, the grief, the torture, the pain, would He do it again? Yes. If it was the only way to purchase our salvation, He would do it again. Why? Because it was worth it.
Would I have had another child if I hadn't had the medication that aided me through that first delivery? Absolutely. The pain was awful, but if it was the only way to have my child, then I would have no qualms repeating it. If my second and third deliveries were as intense, I would do those again too. Why? Because my kids are worth it. And for some strange reason, God thinks I'm worth it too. I don't understand why. I can only say this. Maybe somebody today reads this, and can't understand why Jesus would die the way He did. I don't understand why. I just understand that He had to. He had to do it to save our souls. Nothing we do can ever accomplish what He did on the cross. No prayer we say, no money we give, no presence in any house of worship, no kindness, no rite of baptism will ever wash away the sin nature we carry with us. Only Jesus could take care of that. It is only by believing that His death on the cross accomplished the payment for my sin, that I can have the joy that follows. It is only by going through the turmoil of recognizing my filthy sins, repenting, and accepting what Christ did for me, that I can understand the eternal joy He brought. If you have any questions about how you can know about the home in Heaven God has prepared for you, please see the page (Understanding Salvation). He went through the pain, to bring the joy. And you are worth it.
Wednesday, July 20, 2011
No Longer Looking
Today's passage: John 15:12-27
"If I had not come and spoken unto them, they had not had sin: but now they have no cloke for their sin. He that hateth me hateth my Father also."
Ever forget to look for Jesus' coming? Do you get up each morning thinking, "This might be the day?" If you are like me, I think about it, but not every day. It is certainly not the first thought in my mind. How tired would the Jews have been of looking for the Messiah?
One of the things that set Judaism apart from every other faith system at the time, is that it is monotheistic. They worshipped only one God. For Jesus to come to earth and then tell them that they are still monotheistic but their God is not one, but three in one, was probably a very confusing leap for the religious Jews to make. They knew Messiah would come, sent from God, but they had always supposed He would be from among the people. As early as Genesis, when Cain is born, Eve makes the statement, "I have gotten a man from the LORD." She is already looking for the One that was promised. This is why in the Jewish culture, a son was so important. He might be the Messiah, the One who would deliver the people, their Moses. Perhaps the people at first thought that Moses was that Messiah. He had the pedigree, born among them but elevated to princely status. He leads them out of Egypt, but then they spent numerous years in the wilderness. This was deliverance? What kind of Messiah would leave them in the desert?
Maybe it would be Joshua. He had been Moses' right-hand man. He was a commanding general. So maybe they hadn't completely rid the land of all their enemies, he gave it a good college try. He dies and they are at least in the land, but they are still having to keep their enemies at bay. Doesn't seem too Messianic.
Saul? He proves to be a disappointment. David? He is a shepherd boy who God raises up to be king. He is a very popular king, at first. He has to fight the enemies within his own family almost as much as the enemies in the land, but he mostly prevails. He also dies and leaves his kingdom in the hands of his wise son. Solomon is able to keep the peace for as long as he reigns, but I don't think the Messiah would compromise his faith to do this. I don't think the Messiah would allow other religions to worship in his palace so they would stay friends. (Hmmm, I wish our government would learn from Solomon's mistakes.)
What about the prophets? Elijah? He was taken up in a fiery chariot. Now the Messiah would have taken the people up with him, but they were left behind. Isaiah? Jeremiah? They had been carried away to Babylon as well, they didn't seem to be taking an active role in freeing the people. The list could go on and on. Every impressive person never seemed to fit the Messiah's profile. This is because Isaiah 53 says, "he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him." The Messiah would not be some charismatic leader. He would not have a procession announcing His presence. He would not have an entourage fulfilling a rider before each performance. He came humbly. He came without fanfare. He came without all the trappings of success. And because He came in this way, the Jews could not wrap their mind around it. They grew tired of looking for the Messiah, until they no longer looked at all. Maybe once in a while a child was born, and they wondered. Maybe once in a while a leader would present himself, and they paused. But mostly, they went about their day-to-day never giving it a thought. When Jesus comes onto the scene, they had stopped looking for a while. Too many false prophets had come. Too many zealots had tried to wrest control from the Romans. Why keep looking when you would continue to be disappointed? By this time, they had their checklist of who or what Messiah would be. Jesus did not fit that checklist. That's because it wasn't God's checklist.
I think the Jews would be rather surprised to hear that they hated God. I think they would be offended by this statement. I know they would. They hated Jesus because He exposed their sin, but they also hated Him because He was another in a long list who had not fulfilled their Messianic ideal. They were tired of looking.
I may not seem like I'm tired of watching for Christ's coming, but when it is not the first thought each morning, and the last thought each night, and many thoughts in between, I must be. When I am not grabbing each person that passes by and telling them about Christ, my actions show that I am not watching. When I am not keeping things in order, confessing my sin each day, it is evident that I have become indifferent about His return. Do I keep a checklist of when I think Christ will return? Sure, the Bible gives some hints, but it could be any day. It might be today. Am I looking? Or have I grown too tired?
"If I had not come and spoken unto them, they had not had sin: but now they have no cloke for their sin. He that hateth me hateth my Father also."
Ever forget to look for Jesus' coming? Do you get up each morning thinking, "This might be the day?" If you are like me, I think about it, but not every day. It is certainly not the first thought in my mind. How tired would the Jews have been of looking for the Messiah?
One of the things that set Judaism apart from every other faith system at the time, is that it is monotheistic. They worshipped only one God. For Jesus to come to earth and then tell them that they are still monotheistic but their God is not one, but three in one, was probably a very confusing leap for the religious Jews to make. They knew Messiah would come, sent from God, but they had always supposed He would be from among the people. As early as Genesis, when Cain is born, Eve makes the statement, "I have gotten a man from the LORD." She is already looking for the One that was promised. This is why in the Jewish culture, a son was so important. He might be the Messiah, the One who would deliver the people, their Moses. Perhaps the people at first thought that Moses was that Messiah. He had the pedigree, born among them but elevated to princely status. He leads them out of Egypt, but then they spent numerous years in the wilderness. This was deliverance? What kind of Messiah would leave them in the desert?
Maybe it would be Joshua. He had been Moses' right-hand man. He was a commanding general. So maybe they hadn't completely rid the land of all their enemies, he gave it a good college try. He dies and they are at least in the land, but they are still having to keep their enemies at bay. Doesn't seem too Messianic.
Saul? He proves to be a disappointment. David? He is a shepherd boy who God raises up to be king. He is a very popular king, at first. He has to fight the enemies within his own family almost as much as the enemies in the land, but he mostly prevails. He also dies and leaves his kingdom in the hands of his wise son. Solomon is able to keep the peace for as long as he reigns, but I don't think the Messiah would compromise his faith to do this. I don't think the Messiah would allow other religions to worship in his palace so they would stay friends. (Hmmm, I wish our government would learn from Solomon's mistakes.)
What about the prophets? Elijah? He was taken up in a fiery chariot. Now the Messiah would have taken the people up with him, but they were left behind. Isaiah? Jeremiah? They had been carried away to Babylon as well, they didn't seem to be taking an active role in freeing the people. The list could go on and on. Every impressive person never seemed to fit the Messiah's profile. This is because Isaiah 53 says, "he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him." The Messiah would not be some charismatic leader. He would not have a procession announcing His presence. He would not have an entourage fulfilling a rider before each performance. He came humbly. He came without fanfare. He came without all the trappings of success. And because He came in this way, the Jews could not wrap their mind around it. They grew tired of looking for the Messiah, until they no longer looked at all. Maybe once in a while a child was born, and they wondered. Maybe once in a while a leader would present himself, and they paused. But mostly, they went about their day-to-day never giving it a thought. When Jesus comes onto the scene, they had stopped looking for a while. Too many false prophets had come. Too many zealots had tried to wrest control from the Romans. Why keep looking when you would continue to be disappointed? By this time, they had their checklist of who or what Messiah would be. Jesus did not fit that checklist. That's because it wasn't God's checklist.
I think the Jews would be rather surprised to hear that they hated God. I think they would be offended by this statement. I know they would. They hated Jesus because He exposed their sin, but they also hated Him because He was another in a long list who had not fulfilled their Messianic ideal. They were tired of looking.
I may not seem like I'm tired of watching for Christ's coming, but when it is not the first thought each morning, and the last thought each night, and many thoughts in between, I must be. When I am not grabbing each person that passes by and telling them about Christ, my actions show that I am not watching. When I am not keeping things in order, confessing my sin each day, it is evident that I have become indifferent about His return. Do I keep a checklist of when I think Christ will return? Sure, the Bible gives some hints, but it could be any day. It might be today. Am I looking? Or have I grown too tired?
Tuesday, July 19, 2011
Weeds and Wildflowers
Today's passage: John 15:1-10
I have mentioned before that I had been doing more gardening this year than in years past (How Does My Garden Grow?). I had weeded most of my flower beds, sown some perennial wildflower mix, watered and was waiting to see what would grow. Pretty soon, shoots were appearing, only I couldn't be sure if the shoots were for the seed I had sown or for the weeds that had already been residing in the soil. We went on vacation for three weeks, and when I returned, all of the beds I had labored over were lush with wildflowers and weeds. So I started the process over. My biggest problem? I couldn't really tell what was weed and what was wildflower. Some of the weeds I recognized right away. I know dandelion stems and leaves and promptly removed those. I'm pretty familiar with clover so I uprooted that. The clover was difficult because it entangled itself among the wildflowers. Several wild vines have been growing beneath the fence line (our fence is just basic chain link). Every year, my neighbor and I pull at the root, chop at it, and every year it continues to grow back and then it takes root in the ground and produces blooms. The flowers are sometimes pretty but they bring the bumblebees and prevent anything else from growing there. Something else I've noticed about weeds. They can have started in a neighbor's yard and as the wind carries the seed, it will transplant itself in other people's yards. My neighbor and I questioned why the flowers we want to see grow won't do that. Why is it that the flowers and bushes I want to do well have to be nurtured, watered every day, given the right soil levels, and weeds can grow anywhere whether I want them to or not? As I was sitting on a stool, pulling these weeds one by one, because I had to be careful not to tear out the wildflowers I had sown, I noticed something else. My wildflowers had delicate stems and leaves. If I pulled out a weed that was close to it, sometimes it would uproot with it, or it would lean once the weed next to it had been pulled. The weeds all had sturdy stems and strong leaves. Some of the plants had a bud that had not bloomed yet. Was it weed or wildflower? How would I know? I would have to wait for it the flower to open. I would have to see its fruit.
In this chapter Jesus says He is the true vine. This tells me that there have been other vines that have come before Him that have not been the true vine. There have been impostors. There have been weeds passing themselves off as wildflowers. Jesus tells us that if I am a branch that is not bearing fruit I will be cut off. Why? Because nobody can tell what I am. Nobody will know whether I am from the true vine or an impostor vine unless I produce fruit. This is different from purging. Purging is cutting a plant at a key junction so that it can produce more branches.
Jesus tells me that the way I am to bear fruit is to abide in Him and Him in me. This is not a partnership. He is the lifesource. If the main stem of any plant were to be cut, all the branches attached would die with it. If a tomato plant lost some branches and they tried to fuse themselves onto a cucumber vine, they would soon die. Why? Because the vine did not produce those branches, and they will not produce the right kind of fruit. Sometimes it might take a little while to recognize branches that are not producing fruit, or branches that have tried to attach themselves to the vine. When the fruit is produced, they will be recognizable and can then be cast off. Sometimes fruit looks very similar. Berries look a lot alike. A person who has been gardening awhile will know the difference. If I am reading His Word and abiding in Him, I too will know the difference between the fake vines growing up around me and His Vine. I will be able to identify those branches that do not belong to the Vine and not be fooled by their fruit. I shouldn't have to wait for their flowers to bloom to be able to identify them. If I am abiding, I will know them as soon as they start to branch out.
I have mentioned before that I had been doing more gardening this year than in years past (How Does My Garden Grow?). I had weeded most of my flower beds, sown some perennial wildflower mix, watered and was waiting to see what would grow. Pretty soon, shoots were appearing, only I couldn't be sure if the shoots were for the seed I had sown or for the weeds that had already been residing in the soil. We went on vacation for three weeks, and when I returned, all of the beds I had labored over were lush with wildflowers and weeds. So I started the process over. My biggest problem? I couldn't really tell what was weed and what was wildflower. Some of the weeds I recognized right away. I know dandelion stems and leaves and promptly removed those. I'm pretty familiar with clover so I uprooted that. The clover was difficult because it entangled itself among the wildflowers. Several wild vines have been growing beneath the fence line (our fence is just basic chain link). Every year, my neighbor and I pull at the root, chop at it, and every year it continues to grow back and then it takes root in the ground and produces blooms. The flowers are sometimes pretty but they bring the bumblebees and prevent anything else from growing there. Something else I've noticed about weeds. They can have started in a neighbor's yard and as the wind carries the seed, it will transplant itself in other people's yards. My neighbor and I questioned why the flowers we want to see grow won't do that. Why is it that the flowers and bushes I want to do well have to be nurtured, watered every day, given the right soil levels, and weeds can grow anywhere whether I want them to or not? As I was sitting on a stool, pulling these weeds one by one, because I had to be careful not to tear out the wildflowers I had sown, I noticed something else. My wildflowers had delicate stems and leaves. If I pulled out a weed that was close to it, sometimes it would uproot with it, or it would lean once the weed next to it had been pulled. The weeds all had sturdy stems and strong leaves. Some of the plants had a bud that had not bloomed yet. Was it weed or wildflower? How would I know? I would have to wait for it the flower to open. I would have to see its fruit.
 |
| Garden of Flowers in the Rain--Taken from Standard Bible Readers, Book Two By Lillie A. Faris, Illustrated by O.A. Stemler and Bess Bruce Cleaveland Standard Publishing Company, 1925 |
Jesus tells me that the way I am to bear fruit is to abide in Him and Him in me. This is not a partnership. He is the lifesource. If the main stem of any plant were to be cut, all the branches attached would die with it. If a tomato plant lost some branches and they tried to fuse themselves onto a cucumber vine, they would soon die. Why? Because the vine did not produce those branches, and they will not produce the right kind of fruit. Sometimes it might take a little while to recognize branches that are not producing fruit, or branches that have tried to attach themselves to the vine. When the fruit is produced, they will be recognizable and can then be cast off. Sometimes fruit looks very similar. Berries look a lot alike. A person who has been gardening awhile will know the difference. If I am reading His Word and abiding in Him, I too will know the difference between the fake vines growing up around me and His Vine. I will be able to identify those branches that do not belong to the Vine and not be fooled by their fruit. I shouldn't have to wait for their flowers to bloom to be able to identify them. If I am abiding, I will know them as soon as they start to branch out.
Monday, July 18, 2011
Starring Role
Today's passage: John 14:16-31
When I was in high school, I enjoyed being involved in theater. My junior year, we performed "Our Town". I had a bit part as a girl who questions someone in the cemetery. By default, I ended up playing one of the principal characters, Mrs. Webb (the mother of George, one of the two main characters.) It is a long story how I ended up with the role and cost me a friendship through no fault of my own. My senior year, we performed "Grease" with major editing, and I was really hoping to be a pink lady but instead ended up playing the school principal rather than a principal role. I was really disappointed. I whined and complained about it. I grumbled that even people in the chorus were in more scenes than I was. I look back now at how I reacted, and wish I could take that girl by the shoulders and give her a good shaking.
"Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you." I have something that not everyone has. As a believer in Christ, I have the Holy Spirit dwelling in me. He wants to be a major player in my life. He can be if I allow Him. I wonder if there are times when the Holy Spirit is disappointed that He doesn't have more of a starring role. Maybe there are times He has had a principal part, and other times when I have designated Him as the supporting cast. I thank God for being my Father, I thank Jesus for dying for me. I thank God for the Holy Spirit, but do I ever acknowledge the Spirit Himself. He is the third person of the trinity after all. Doesn't He want to be recognized? Do I ever pray, "Holy Spirit, thank You for Your work in my life." Some denominations overexaggerate His work in our lives, but I think some denominations maybe deemphasize what He does for us. Without the Holy Spirit, I wouldn't understand a single word in my Bible. Without the Holy Spirit, I could not be convicted of my sin. Without the Holy Spirit, I would not have the comfort and peace that God shows me. It is through Him (the Holy Spirit) that I am able experience any of these things. He is God, He should get more credit.
If you have ever been to live theater, you may notice that when the play is over, the actors come out on stage to take their bows. The smaller roles come out first, with people applauding of course. The major roles are saved for last, as the applause builds and sometimes culminates in a standing ovation. The Trinity all have major roles. God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit all deserve the credit in my life. They have been equally involved in how He has worked in my life. The Holy Spirit would never demand my attention, but I ought to give Him more credit than I do.
When I was in high school, I enjoyed being involved in theater. My junior year, we performed "Our Town". I had a bit part as a girl who questions someone in the cemetery. By default, I ended up playing one of the principal characters, Mrs. Webb (the mother of George, one of the two main characters.) It is a long story how I ended up with the role and cost me a friendship through no fault of my own. My senior year, we performed "Grease" with major editing, and I was really hoping to be a pink lady but instead ended up playing the school principal rather than a principal role. I was really disappointed. I whined and complained about it. I grumbled that even people in the chorus were in more scenes than I was. I look back now at how I reacted, and wish I could take that girl by the shoulders and give her a good shaking.
"Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you." I have something that not everyone has. As a believer in Christ, I have the Holy Spirit dwelling in me. He wants to be a major player in my life. He can be if I allow Him. I wonder if there are times when the Holy Spirit is disappointed that He doesn't have more of a starring role. Maybe there are times He has had a principal part, and other times when I have designated Him as the supporting cast. I thank God for being my Father, I thank Jesus for dying for me. I thank God for the Holy Spirit, but do I ever acknowledge the Spirit Himself. He is the third person of the trinity after all. Doesn't He want to be recognized? Do I ever pray, "Holy Spirit, thank You for Your work in my life." Some denominations overexaggerate His work in our lives, but I think some denominations maybe deemphasize what He does for us. Without the Holy Spirit, I wouldn't understand a single word in my Bible. Without the Holy Spirit, I could not be convicted of my sin. Without the Holy Spirit, I would not have the comfort and peace that God shows me. It is through Him (the Holy Spirit) that I am able experience any of these things. He is God, He should get more credit.
If you have ever been to live theater, you may notice that when the play is over, the actors come out on stage to take their bows. The smaller roles come out first, with people applauding of course. The major roles are saved for last, as the applause builds and sometimes culminates in a standing ovation. The Trinity all have major roles. God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit all deserve the credit in my life. They have been equally involved in how He has worked in my life. The Holy Spirit would never demand my attention, but I ought to give Him more credit than I do.
Sunday, July 17, 2011
Homeless
Today's passage: John 14:1-15
In the previous chapter, Jesus has just finished telling His disciples that He is about to die. They are visibly upset. Jesus starts Chapter 14 with words of comfort. He tells them not to be troubled. Then He tells them a little about Heaven. He tells them about the mansions there. I'm wondering why He tells them about this over every other thing in Heaven. He doesn't talk about no pain or death (which is what He is about to go through), He doesn't tell them about how there will be no sadness there (which is what they are feeling), he tells them about the homes. Why? These men have been following Jesus for almost three years. They had left their regular jobs, some of them had left families, they had left their homes. Now Christ's ministry was at an end. What were they supposed to do now? They did not know what the future held for them. They did not know that God was going to use them to spread the Gospel. I think their greatest fear was, "Where am I going to live?" They were wondering how they would make a living. They had stayed in people's homes because they were Christ's disciples. Nobody would invite them in now. Jesus wants them to know, that even if they are homeless here, they have a home in Heaven. And not just a place of belonging, but an actual house. A big house too!
I just find it amazing that Jesus was about to go through such agony in a few hours, and He doesn't dwell on that, He doesn't discuss how hard it will be for Him. He focuses on what is troubling His followers. It would seem that with everything about to take place (and the disciples have no idea what is about to happen) wondering where they would live would seem the most trivial thing to worry about, but not to Jesus. He never finds a single care in our life meaningless, He never regards any of our feelings as irritating.
As a mother, how often have I trivialized my children's fears? How often have I just said, "Oh, don't worry about that." Jesus recognizes my fears, and helps me to overcome them. He sees what troubles me and gives me comfort. Do I really try to understand when my boys are legitimately afraid of something? Do I try to toughen them up by telling them they shouldn't be afraid of those things? Of course they shouldn't be afraid, but sometimes they just need to be told that I understand why they are. Jesus did not give the disciples any evidence that their problems for finding earthly homes would be solved (in fact, they wouldn't need any) but He acknowledges their fearfulness and tells them about their certain future. I may not always be able to offer a solution to the scary predicaments my kids will face, but I can assure them by taking their hand, and helping them along the way.
The disciples might not have had a home on earth to return to, but they would be far happier in the one God had prepared for them. And knowing that, was motivation to get them through some hard days ahead.
In the previous chapter, Jesus has just finished telling His disciples that He is about to die. They are visibly upset. Jesus starts Chapter 14 with words of comfort. He tells them not to be troubled. Then He tells them a little about Heaven. He tells them about the mansions there. I'm wondering why He tells them about this over every other thing in Heaven. He doesn't talk about no pain or death (which is what He is about to go through), He doesn't tell them about how there will be no sadness there (which is what they are feeling), he tells them about the homes. Why? These men have been following Jesus for almost three years. They had left their regular jobs, some of them had left families, they had left their homes. Now Christ's ministry was at an end. What were they supposed to do now? They did not know what the future held for them. They did not know that God was going to use them to spread the Gospel. I think their greatest fear was, "Where am I going to live?" They were wondering how they would make a living. They had stayed in people's homes because they were Christ's disciples. Nobody would invite them in now. Jesus wants them to know, that even if they are homeless here, they have a home in Heaven. And not just a place of belonging, but an actual house. A big house too!
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| In my Father's house are many mansions--Taken from Standard Bible Readers, Book Two By Lillie A. Faris, Illustrated by O.A. Stemler and Bess Bruce Cleaveland Standard Publishing Company, 1925 |
As a mother, how often have I trivialized my children's fears? How often have I just said, "Oh, don't worry about that." Jesus recognizes my fears, and helps me to overcome them. He sees what troubles me and gives me comfort. Do I really try to understand when my boys are legitimately afraid of something? Do I try to toughen them up by telling them they shouldn't be afraid of those things? Of course they shouldn't be afraid, but sometimes they just need to be told that I understand why they are. Jesus did not give the disciples any evidence that their problems for finding earthly homes would be solved (in fact, they wouldn't need any) but He acknowledges their fearfulness and tells them about their certain future. I may not always be able to offer a solution to the scary predicaments my kids will face, but I can assure them by taking their hand, and helping them along the way.
The disciples might not have had a home on earth to return to, but they would be far happier in the one God had prepared for them. And knowing that, was motivation to get them through some hard days ahead.
Saturday, July 16, 2011
Snake Bite
Today's passage: John 13/Genesis 3
"I speak not of you all: I know whom I have chosen: but that the scripture may be fulfilled, He that eateth bread with me hath lifted up his heel against me."
For a couple of years now, I have been struggling with pain in my heel. It started slowly, sometime after I had my third child. When I would get out of bed in the morning, it would be difficult to put any weight on it. The pain some days was almost unbearable. I tried wrapping it, massaging it, medicating it, nothing seemed to work. Obviously the first question would be, "Why didn't you go to the doctor about it?" Many moms will understand this, sometimes we are too busy to take care of ourselves the way we ought to. Mommies tend to put off what they need to do for themselves to take care of their families. My husband had taken on sidejobs in addition to his regular job, and his health issues (which seemed far more serious at the time) were the only ones we could schedule appointments for on his actual days off. When I finally was able to get to the doctor, she guessed that I have plantar fasciitis (an inflammation of the heel tissue) with a possible bone spur. She recommended avoiding backless shoes (goodbye my beloved sandals) and stretching the heel muscles with some physical therapy exercises. I followed her recommendations. I started doing the stretches, but my youngest was only a few months old at the time and still in the unpredictable sleep pattern stage. It seemed no matter how early I would get up to do these, he would wake up in the middle of my stretching. It was hard to get into a routine, and I got out of the routine for so long, that I forget to even do them now. I need to put a message on my alarm in the morning that says, "Stretch!" You would think that hobbling around the house on one foot for the first part of the morning would be reminder enough, but I'm so focused on what I need to get done, it doesn't even occur to me. I've lived with the pain for so long, it is just second nature.
I am thinking back to the verse in Genesis, when God is rebuking the serpent in the Garden of Eden. "And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel." The heel that would be lifted up against Christ was an infected heel. It was a heel filled with Satan's venom. It would do a lot of damage in the coming days. It was the heel of Judas Iscariot, the betrayer.
We have been subjected to Satan's devices for so long, we are practically immune to them. We notice a little bite at first, maybe we try to do something about it, but eventually we get used to it. The pain continues. We limp from place to place, hardly noticing that our whole foot is infected and the infection is spreading. Eventually, the infection weakens our heart. We haven't taken any medication to counteract its effects, we've become accustomed to parts of our body not functioning properly. It is not surprising when we make ungodly decisions because we haven't had proper therapy. We haven't read our Bible, we haven't prayed, we haven't attended church, we haven't guarded our eyes and our minds. Satan's poisonous bite, without proper medical attention will destroy us. If I don't take the time to tend to it, I will do something I will regret. I wonder if this is what happened to Judas. He had no idea that Satan had possessed him because it started in his heel, the farthest part from his heart, and worked its way up until it was too late. There is a remedy for a snake bite. Destroy the snake. Christ did that when He died on the cross for me. When I accepted Christ, I have the power to bash the serpent in the head, and prevent him from injecting his poison. He will scurry away and find another victim. In God's time, Satan will not be able to infect anyone else. But how many will fall prey before his time is up?
The obvious solution to my heal mending would be to follow the doctor's orders. I should remind myself every morning to do those exercises before my heel becomes an even worse problem. If I have become accustomed to the pain, I really ought to do something about that.
"I speak not of you all: I know whom I have chosen: but that the scripture may be fulfilled, He that eateth bread with me hath lifted up his heel against me."
For a couple of years now, I have been struggling with pain in my heel. It started slowly, sometime after I had my third child. When I would get out of bed in the morning, it would be difficult to put any weight on it. The pain some days was almost unbearable. I tried wrapping it, massaging it, medicating it, nothing seemed to work. Obviously the first question would be, "Why didn't you go to the doctor about it?" Many moms will understand this, sometimes we are too busy to take care of ourselves the way we ought to. Mommies tend to put off what they need to do for themselves to take care of their families. My husband had taken on sidejobs in addition to his regular job, and his health issues (which seemed far more serious at the time) were the only ones we could schedule appointments for on his actual days off. When I finally was able to get to the doctor, she guessed that I have plantar fasciitis (an inflammation of the heel tissue) with a possible bone spur. She recommended avoiding backless shoes (goodbye my beloved sandals) and stretching the heel muscles with some physical therapy exercises. I followed her recommendations. I started doing the stretches, but my youngest was only a few months old at the time and still in the unpredictable sleep pattern stage. It seemed no matter how early I would get up to do these, he would wake up in the middle of my stretching. It was hard to get into a routine, and I got out of the routine for so long, that I forget to even do them now. I need to put a message on my alarm in the morning that says, "Stretch!" You would think that hobbling around the house on one foot for the first part of the morning would be reminder enough, but I'm so focused on what I need to get done, it doesn't even occur to me. I've lived with the pain for so long, it is just second nature.
I am thinking back to the verse in Genesis, when God is rebuking the serpent in the Garden of Eden. "And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel." The heel that would be lifted up against Christ was an infected heel. It was a heel filled with Satan's venom. It would do a lot of damage in the coming days. It was the heel of Judas Iscariot, the betrayer.
We have been subjected to Satan's devices for so long, we are practically immune to them. We notice a little bite at first, maybe we try to do something about it, but eventually we get used to it. The pain continues. We limp from place to place, hardly noticing that our whole foot is infected and the infection is spreading. Eventually, the infection weakens our heart. We haven't taken any medication to counteract its effects, we've become accustomed to parts of our body not functioning properly. It is not surprising when we make ungodly decisions because we haven't had proper therapy. We haven't read our Bible, we haven't prayed, we haven't attended church, we haven't guarded our eyes and our minds. Satan's poisonous bite, without proper medical attention will destroy us. If I don't take the time to tend to it, I will do something I will regret. I wonder if this is what happened to Judas. He had no idea that Satan had possessed him because it started in his heel, the farthest part from his heart, and worked its way up until it was too late. There is a remedy for a snake bite. Destroy the snake. Christ did that when He died on the cross for me. When I accepted Christ, I have the power to bash the serpent in the head, and prevent him from injecting his poison. He will scurry away and find another victim. In God's time, Satan will not be able to infect anyone else. But how many will fall prey before his time is up?
The obvious solution to my heal mending would be to follow the doctor's orders. I should remind myself every morning to do those exercises before my heel becomes an even worse problem. If I have become accustomed to the pain, I really ought to do something about that.
Friday, July 15, 2011
Bandwagon Fans
Today's passage: John 12:12-50
I am a converted Cubs fan. Actually I am a converted baseball fan. I never really watched major league baseball before I was married, because it moved too slowly, but I have always been a sports fan in general. Watching games with my husband in our early years of marriage, convinced me that either I better start enjoying this sport or I would be in for some long nights of boredom. It wasn't hard to start liking it, especially in the years they were doing great, like 1998, which happened to be our first year of marriage. The following seasons were a little slower until 2003. Any baseball fan knows what happened to the Cubs in 2003. In Game 6, at Wrigley Field, five outs from going to the World Series (they had not been since 1945), an incident with a foul ball flustered the Cubs and cost them the game. They squandered their opportunity in Game 7 and Cubs fans around the world were heartbroken. Since 2003, the Cubs made back-to-back appearances in the first round play-offs only to be eliminated after the first three games both times. This year is the first season I have not watched a single game. I just became so disillusioned with management decisions, with favorite players being traded, with getting so close and never getting there, that I had to stop watching. Maybe next year is the Cubs fan motto. Well, maybe next year I can start watching them again, I just couldn't stomach it this season. Some might think that I am a bandwagon fan, because I am not watching them while they are losing (and I assure you, they are not having a great season). I take exception to this. In thirteen years I have watched plenty of losing seasons. Would I watch them this year if they were winning? More than likely. But even genuine fans can get fed up.
What on earth does all this have to do with the passage in John? This is the passage of the Triumphal Entry. It is Passover week. This means that Jerusalem will be packed with people. Jews from all over the country (and maybe some other countries) will travel to Jerusalem to worship for the Passover feast. The marketplace will be brimming with produce to attract customers. Innkeepers will prepare every vacant room for the influx of guests. The Temple will be filled to capacity. Then Jesus comes riding into the busy city on the back of a donkey. The people see this, many of them followers of Christ, and create a path of palm tree branches and colored coats.
What a sight to see! If I had been in the market, and heard this commotion, I more than likely would have put down my bag of pistachios to see what was taking place. If I had been offering up prayers in the Temple, and saw a throng of people gathered at the Jerusalem gate, I may have abandoned my prayer shawl to hear what was happening. Jesus did have genuine believers in that crowd, but He also had a lot of bandwagon fans who were completely happy with Him when He was performing miracles and challenging the Roman government. When He said things like He said in verse 32, "And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me." they were not so happy. They didn't want to think about what He really came to do, because it made no sense to them. It would be like telling a Cubs fan that her team plays baseball but not for the purpose of going to the World Series. Verse 34 tells me exactly what the Jews' mindset was, "The people answered him, We have heard out of the law that Christ abideth for ever: and how sayest thou, The Son of man must be lifted up? who is this Son of man?" Now I have a question. They said they had heard this out of the law. Usually the law is referring to the first five books of Moses. Had they read past that? Did they read the whole Book? Plenty of places in the prophetic books told them of the death of the Messiah. Why were they ignoring those parts? Don't I do this sometimes? Don't I want to cling to certain passages, and forget about others?
I have referred to Philip and Andrew before in one of my other posts, but I need to refer to them again. After Christ has made his entry, there are some Greeks who want to talk with Jesus. I'm guessing they are Greek Jews because it says "them that came up to worship at the feast." To whom do they make their request to address Jesus? Philip. He then asks Andrew, and together they tell Jesus about the Greeks desire. It seems to me, even though Philip and Andrew had different outlooks on life (see my post, Anticipating Andrew, Pessimistic Philip) they were the most approachable of all the disciples. People felt they could talk to them. Isn't that the first step in bringing someone closer to Christ? If a person doesn't feel like she can talk to me, how will I ever be able to share my Lord with her?
Are these Greek Jews bandwagon fans of Jesus? Maybe. They haven't been in this country to see what Jesus has done, although I'm sure His miracles were news fodder throughout Mesopotamia. They had only heard the highlights, they hadn't seen an actual game. Maybe that is why when Jesus is entreated here, He responds with His mission to die. He makes it clear that they will have to be satisfied with the highlight reels, because His miracle work seems to be at an end. He will be going to His death in a few short days. Can you imagine the disappointed "Awwww" from these Greeks who wanted to see some action? What was their real motivation? Were they true followers or were they just jumping on the bandwagon?
I'm afraid that even today, Jesus has some bandwagon followers. They will follow Jesus as long as He is doing something spectacular in their life. Do I treat Him so callously? Do I treat Him like I've treated my beloved Cubs this year? Have I said, "Lord, you haven't done anything for me lately, I will worship you again next year."? Haven't done anything for me lately? How about, I saved your soul. How about, I've given you every breath in your body. How about, I've let you live in a country of freedom and plenty. So many blessings, He has given us, and yet some people fail to see them. Lord, help me never to treat You so lightly. Help me to never take for granted all that You have done. Help me not to tune You out when I'm not happy with Your answers. I want to be Your follower in good times and bad, not just when it looks like You are winning the game.
I am a converted Cubs fan. Actually I am a converted baseball fan. I never really watched major league baseball before I was married, because it moved too slowly, but I have always been a sports fan in general. Watching games with my husband in our early years of marriage, convinced me that either I better start enjoying this sport or I would be in for some long nights of boredom. It wasn't hard to start liking it, especially in the years they were doing great, like 1998, which happened to be our first year of marriage. The following seasons were a little slower until 2003. Any baseball fan knows what happened to the Cubs in 2003. In Game 6, at Wrigley Field, five outs from going to the World Series (they had not been since 1945), an incident with a foul ball flustered the Cubs and cost them the game. They squandered their opportunity in Game 7 and Cubs fans around the world were heartbroken. Since 2003, the Cubs made back-to-back appearances in the first round play-offs only to be eliminated after the first three games both times. This year is the first season I have not watched a single game. I just became so disillusioned with management decisions, with favorite players being traded, with getting so close and never getting there, that I had to stop watching. Maybe next year is the Cubs fan motto. Well, maybe next year I can start watching them again, I just couldn't stomach it this season. Some might think that I am a bandwagon fan, because I am not watching them while they are losing (and I assure you, they are not having a great season). I take exception to this. In thirteen years I have watched plenty of losing seasons. Would I watch them this year if they were winning? More than likely. But even genuine fans can get fed up.
What on earth does all this have to do with the passage in John? This is the passage of the Triumphal Entry. It is Passover week. This means that Jerusalem will be packed with people. Jews from all over the country (and maybe some other countries) will travel to Jerusalem to worship for the Passover feast. The marketplace will be brimming with produce to attract customers. Innkeepers will prepare every vacant room for the influx of guests. The Temple will be filled to capacity. Then Jesus comes riding into the busy city on the back of a donkey. The people see this, many of them followers of Christ, and create a path of palm tree branches and colored coats.
 |
| Jesus Riding in on a Donkey--Taken from Standard Bible Readers, Book Six By Lillie A. Faris, Illustrated by O.A. Stemler and Bess Bruce Cleaveland The Standard Publishing Company, 1929 |
I have referred to Philip and Andrew before in one of my other posts, but I need to refer to them again. After Christ has made his entry, there are some Greeks who want to talk with Jesus. I'm guessing they are Greek Jews because it says "them that came up to worship at the feast." To whom do they make their request to address Jesus? Philip. He then asks Andrew, and together they tell Jesus about the Greeks desire. It seems to me, even though Philip and Andrew had different outlooks on life (see my post, Anticipating Andrew, Pessimistic Philip) they were the most approachable of all the disciples. People felt they could talk to them. Isn't that the first step in bringing someone closer to Christ? If a person doesn't feel like she can talk to me, how will I ever be able to share my Lord with her?
Are these Greek Jews bandwagon fans of Jesus? Maybe. They haven't been in this country to see what Jesus has done, although I'm sure His miracles were news fodder throughout Mesopotamia. They had only heard the highlights, they hadn't seen an actual game. Maybe that is why when Jesus is entreated here, He responds with His mission to die. He makes it clear that they will have to be satisfied with the highlight reels, because His miracle work seems to be at an end. He will be going to His death in a few short days. Can you imagine the disappointed "Awwww" from these Greeks who wanted to see some action? What was their real motivation? Were they true followers or were they just jumping on the bandwagon?
I'm afraid that even today, Jesus has some bandwagon followers. They will follow Jesus as long as He is doing something spectacular in their life. Do I treat Him so callously? Do I treat Him like I've treated my beloved Cubs this year? Have I said, "Lord, you haven't done anything for me lately, I will worship you again next year."? Haven't done anything for me lately? How about, I saved your soul. How about, I've given you every breath in your body. How about, I've let you live in a country of freedom and plenty. So many blessings, He has given us, and yet some people fail to see them. Lord, help me never to treat You so lightly. Help me to never take for granted all that You have done. Help me not to tune You out when I'm not happy with Your answers. I want to be Your follower in good times and bad, not just when it looks like You are winning the game.
Thursday, July 14, 2011
Planning
Today's passage: John 12:1-11/Matthew 26:6-13/Mark 14:3-9
I have never been much of a goal-setter. I know people who have a timeline of exactly what they want to happen in five, ten, fifteen years. This is not a bad thing, I am not being critical. I should do more of it myself. I just know I would get very frustrated when I looked at my goals and found that I was nowhere near to reaching them. It is my goal to become a published writer someday. I have taken very small steps towards that goal, but if I had set a timeline on it, I am probably about 10 years past it. It is frustrating, but I would not change the events that have kept me from that goal. Having three kids in that timeline is a pretty good excuse for not getting it done, and if God gave me three more and pushed my timeline further down the road, I would be perfectly happy with that (don't tell my husband I said that). Sometimes our goals are not in God's timeline. Sometimes our goals are not even in God's plan for our lives. Maybe I've learned to accept that to the point that I just do not set any goals at all, which is not really a good thing either.
When reading only the verses in John, it would seem that this event is taking place at Lazarus' house. Lazarus is sitting at the table (I always picture him at the head of the table), Martha, as always, is serving, and Mary comes from her bedroom with this stark white box. This is the picture I have always had in my head. In the other passages of Scripture, Mary's name is not specifically given, so I always forget that she is the one who has made this great sacrifice. This is not how it happened at all. They are not at Lazarus' house, they are in Simon the leper's house. In the other Scriptures, it does not appear that Simon is present (this would make sense since lepers had to live out of the city).
I heard an excellent sermon once about the fact that they were in Simon the leper's house. After Lazarus had died, it might stand to reason that if the man of the house was no longer living, his property would have been sold off and the sisters would have to find someplace new to live. Since Simon is not mentioned in the passage here, just that it was his house, it would seem logical to think that if Simon was still leprous and living outside the city, if he had no family to inhabit his home, he might have rented his home out to another family. This would make Mary's act of worship even greater because she might have been able to use this perfume as payment for another property. Verse 2 says "...but Lazarus was one of them that sat at the table with him." This wording makes it sound as if Lazarus might be a guest too. If he and both of the sisters are visiting in this home, than something here really struck me. In the past, I have always envisioned Mary, overcome with devotion, fetching her box and spilling its precious contents upon Christ. But if they are a guest in this home, she would have brought this box with her. That means she was not just overcome, she had planned this. She had given this careful thought, and had decided that she was going to surrender something to Christ.
Have I considered the things I should surrender to my Lord? Or do I wait until I just can't stand it anymore and I'm bowled over by emotion before I give up the things I should already have given up? Goal-setting is a great thing. Have I ever set any goals as to what I want God to do in my life? Have I ever told the Lord He can have something before He even asks for it? There would have been nothing wrong if Mary was living in this house and did suddenly decide to do this for Jesus, it may have happened that way. But God should not always have to ask us for what is already His. He should not have to break us down to the point that we are finally willing to surrender. Remember, just a chapter earlier, Mary had lost a brother and then had him resurrected. She could have waited for another tragic event to take place before she decided to make this sacrifice. She could have held back, resisted the Spirit's leading, and held on to her valuable package. She chose to give it up, but it took some heartache to get there. Maybe God could spare us some heartache if we would evaluate some things in our life beforehand and put them at His feet before He makes the suggestion.
Notice that she was not only willing to surrender the box, but everything in it. I may say to God, "Here I am, Lord" but if I don't yield everything in me, I am only giving Him part, not all. My God deserves all that I have to give. He deserves so much more than what I do for Him. Lord Jesus, help me to examine my life today, and see what You want from me before You have to ask for it. Let me surrender things before You have to take them. Let me make plans and set goals on how to serve You better before having to be told.
I have never been much of a goal-setter. I know people who have a timeline of exactly what they want to happen in five, ten, fifteen years. This is not a bad thing, I am not being critical. I should do more of it myself. I just know I would get very frustrated when I looked at my goals and found that I was nowhere near to reaching them. It is my goal to become a published writer someday. I have taken very small steps towards that goal, but if I had set a timeline on it, I am probably about 10 years past it. It is frustrating, but I would not change the events that have kept me from that goal. Having three kids in that timeline is a pretty good excuse for not getting it done, and if God gave me three more and pushed my timeline further down the road, I would be perfectly happy with that (don't tell my husband I said that). Sometimes our goals are not in God's timeline. Sometimes our goals are not even in God's plan for our lives. Maybe I've learned to accept that to the point that I just do not set any goals at all, which is not really a good thing either.
When reading only the verses in John, it would seem that this event is taking place at Lazarus' house. Lazarus is sitting at the table (I always picture him at the head of the table), Martha, as always, is serving, and Mary comes from her bedroom with this stark white box. This is the picture I have always had in my head. In the other passages of Scripture, Mary's name is not specifically given, so I always forget that she is the one who has made this great sacrifice. This is not how it happened at all. They are not at Lazarus' house, they are in Simon the leper's house. In the other Scriptures, it does not appear that Simon is present (this would make sense since lepers had to live out of the city).
I heard an excellent sermon once about the fact that they were in Simon the leper's house. After Lazarus had died, it might stand to reason that if the man of the house was no longer living, his property would have been sold off and the sisters would have to find someplace new to live. Since Simon is not mentioned in the passage here, just that it was his house, it would seem logical to think that if Simon was still leprous and living outside the city, if he had no family to inhabit his home, he might have rented his home out to another family. This would make Mary's act of worship even greater because she might have been able to use this perfume as payment for another property. Verse 2 says "...but Lazarus was one of them that sat at the table with him." This wording makes it sound as if Lazarus might be a guest too. If he and both of the sisters are visiting in this home, than something here really struck me. In the past, I have always envisioned Mary, overcome with devotion, fetching her box and spilling its precious contents upon Christ. But if they are a guest in this home, she would have brought this box with her. That means she was not just overcome, she had planned this. She had given this careful thought, and had decided that she was going to surrender something to Christ.
| Mary Anoints Jesus' Feet--Taken from The Children's Friend (Part 4) By Mrs. Adelaide Bee Evans Review and Herald Publishing Association, 1911, 1928 |
Notice that she was not only willing to surrender the box, but everything in it. I may say to God, "Here I am, Lord" but if I don't yield everything in me, I am only giving Him part, not all. My God deserves all that I have to give. He deserves so much more than what I do for Him. Lord Jesus, help me to examine my life today, and see what You want from me before You have to ask for it. Let me surrender things before You have to take them. Let me make plans and set goals on how to serve You better before having to be told.
Wednesday, July 13, 2011
Purified
Today's passage: John 11:47-57
"Then from that day forth they took counsel together for to put him to death. And the Jews' passover was nigh at hand: and many went out of the country up to Jerusalem before the passover, to purify themselves."
Reading verses 54-55, is it no wonder that Jesus called them vipers and hypocrites? One day they are consulting how to have Jesus killed, and when I say consulting, I don't mean just referring to it, I mean they were studying all avenues how to be rid of Him. It was a war counsel. They were deciding where it would best be done, who would take the lead and when it would be carried out. They had to plan carefully because He had multitudes following Him. They couldn't simply go in and arrest Him, the people might riot and then chaos would ensue. Perhaps this is why in a few chapters, we will see them take Jesus in the early hours of morning, they knew not many people would be awake.
So each day, they are having these war counsels, trying to finalize plans, it must have been more than one day because the verse says, "...from that day forth..." but the Passover is approaching, and they will need to start making preparations for that. During the day they are inspecting lambs, cleaning the Temple for the feast, apparently purifying themselves, but at night they are plotting someone's death. This purifying must only be outer, because there is certainly no inner cleansing taking place.
I'm wondering how often I harbor hate, bitterness, envy, jealousy, pride during the week, and then go for my ritual purifying on Sundays and Wednesdays as if everything is fine. Do I confess these sins on a daily basis? Most weeks I try to, but there are days I'm certain I don't. I'm no different than the Pharisees when I argue with my husband just before a church service and then walk in with a smile on my face and shake hands with the greeter. I may as well be having a war counsel if I walk into the church building ready to avoid someone I have had a confrontation with, toward who I may still have bitter or hateful feelings. I shouldn't enter God's House hoping that will make me pure, I ought to enter God's House pure already so that my heart is ready to receive what He has for me that day. How many times have I missed blessings in church because I have unconfessed sin in my life? How often might a person in the service have received Christ, but because of lugging my unexamined sins with me, the Holy Spirit was hindered? This is serious stuff. Too often I go to church to purify myself, when I need to evaluate my daily activities to rid myself of the impurities before I walk in the door. Am I a hypocrite? I would say no, but its hard to guard against all hypocrisy. Am I a viper? I think specifically of a snake coiling around and sinking his fangs into someone's back--backbiting. The Pharisees were guilty of this, so am I. I don't like to think of it as that at the time of the conversation, but when I say something negative about another person, and that person is not part of the conversation, that is what I am doing. Guilty as charged. How much more effective would all our churches be, if we learned not to do this? How much more could we accomplish if when we started to do this to one another, we would shush each other. Literally, shush someone who is starting to talk negatively about someone else. I wish I had been shushed a few times this week.
It is Wednesday. This means I will be going to prayer service tonight. I have a lot to confess to the Lord in the next few hours. I want to go to church purified on the inside, not just on the outside.
"Then from that day forth they took counsel together for to put him to death. And the Jews' passover was nigh at hand: and many went out of the country up to Jerusalem before the passover, to purify themselves."
Reading verses 54-55, is it no wonder that Jesus called them vipers and hypocrites? One day they are consulting how to have Jesus killed, and when I say consulting, I don't mean just referring to it, I mean they were studying all avenues how to be rid of Him. It was a war counsel. They were deciding where it would best be done, who would take the lead and when it would be carried out. They had to plan carefully because He had multitudes following Him. They couldn't simply go in and arrest Him, the people might riot and then chaos would ensue. Perhaps this is why in a few chapters, we will see them take Jesus in the early hours of morning, they knew not many people would be awake.
So each day, they are having these war counsels, trying to finalize plans, it must have been more than one day because the verse says, "...from that day forth..." but the Passover is approaching, and they will need to start making preparations for that. During the day they are inspecting lambs, cleaning the Temple for the feast, apparently purifying themselves, but at night they are plotting someone's death. This purifying must only be outer, because there is certainly no inner cleansing taking place.
I'm wondering how often I harbor hate, bitterness, envy, jealousy, pride during the week, and then go for my ritual purifying on Sundays and Wednesdays as if everything is fine. Do I confess these sins on a daily basis? Most weeks I try to, but there are days I'm certain I don't. I'm no different than the Pharisees when I argue with my husband just before a church service and then walk in with a smile on my face and shake hands with the greeter. I may as well be having a war counsel if I walk into the church building ready to avoid someone I have had a confrontation with, toward who I may still have bitter or hateful feelings. I shouldn't enter God's House hoping that will make me pure, I ought to enter God's House pure already so that my heart is ready to receive what He has for me that day. How many times have I missed blessings in church because I have unconfessed sin in my life? How often might a person in the service have received Christ, but because of lugging my unexamined sins with me, the Holy Spirit was hindered? This is serious stuff. Too often I go to church to purify myself, when I need to evaluate my daily activities to rid myself of the impurities before I walk in the door. Am I a hypocrite? I would say no, but its hard to guard against all hypocrisy. Am I a viper? I think specifically of a snake coiling around and sinking his fangs into someone's back--backbiting. The Pharisees were guilty of this, so am I. I don't like to think of it as that at the time of the conversation, but when I say something negative about another person, and that person is not part of the conversation, that is what I am doing. Guilty as charged. How much more effective would all our churches be, if we learned not to do this? How much more could we accomplish if when we started to do this to one another, we would shush each other. Literally, shush someone who is starting to talk negatively about someone else. I wish I had been shushed a few times this week.
It is Wednesday. This means I will be going to prayer service tonight. I have a lot to confess to the Lord in the next few hours. I want to go to church purified on the inside, not just on the outside.
Tuesday, July 12, 2011
Weeping
Today's passage: John 11
The days preceding Lazarus' death must have been torturous for his sisters, Mary and Martha. They had already sent word to Jesus, they expected His arrival at any moment. I can imagine, managerial Martha instructing Mary to get the beds ready for Jesus and his disciples. She most likely had a menu planned for the days He would be there. Mary would have been sitting by Lazarus' side, recalling their childhood days, holding his hand, soothing his forehead, while Martha kept busy changing wash basins and providing clean linens to ward off any more disease in the house. We don't know what Lazarus died from, we just know he had been sick. Then the unthinkable happens. Lazarus dies. I imagine even Martha stopped her busyness for the last few hours of Lazarus' life. I imagine that even she sat with Mary by his side, as they watched him take his last breath. They would have cried together. They would have tried to comfort one another. They may have wondered what would have happened to Jesus, to keep Him from coming.
Shortly after, Martha would have gotten to work on the arrangements. She would have hired mourners (that would be an interesting job description--professional mourner), she would have selected a burial tomb, she would have told friends and neighbors to put out word that her brother had died, and would have made arrangements for the memorial service. She would have had a reception afterward and would knead the bread herself. Martha would hide her grief beneath the work that needed to be done. When Jesus does arrive, it is Martha that goes out to meet him. She seems to have the greater faith this time, because she tells Him that even now He could heal her brother.
Mary is noticeably missing. She has stayed behind at the house. Melancholy Mary, the emotionally sensitive sister, the one who in the next chapter will break her box of precious ointment and pour it on Jesus' feet does not come out to meet Jesus right away. Her brother's death has challenged her faith. She seems to have lost some of it. Was this the same Jesus who had healed so many? Was this the One who had eaten at their table, with their living brother, time after time? Maybe Mary was feeling foolish. She had believed that this was God's Son. Had she been mistaken? I can't claim to know what was going on in Mary's mind and heart, but I would have doubted, wouldn't she? She finally leaves the house and goes out to meet Jesus, but out of grief, just falls at his feet. I would not have known how to talk to Jesus after this event. I would have averted my eyes lest He should see my disappointment. My shoulders would have shook with weeping as I kneeled at His feet, eyes cast down, wishing for an explanation. I would have trembled when I spoke, trying to restrain the hint of bitterness creeping into my tone. I don't know at all, if this is what Mary's reaction was, from her words it was evident she felt God had let her down--"...Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died." I may be reading too much into these words, but it certainly sounds as if Mary's heart is breaking not just because her brother was dead, but because the only One who could have saved him, had not.
Is this why, in verse 35, "Jesus wept"? He knew that Mary would not understand all this. He knew that not understanding would cause her additional pain. He knew that not understanding would lead her to feel deserted by Him. I wonder if Jesus still weeps for us when we don't understand what He's doing? I wonder, if when we are going through the emotional wringer, Jesus is emotionally wrung as well, because He knows we can't see what's coming next? He knows we are clueless that He is about to do the miraculous. Jesus is about to raise Lazarus from the grave, but until He does, Mary is in pain. As His children, this must bring Him pain too.
When I face a Lazarus time in my life, I need to not forget that Lazarus didn't stay dead. He was brought back to life. Though the four days he was dead seemed infinite, I need to patiently endure what God is working in my life and know that it is painful for Him to watch me go through it.
The days preceding Lazarus' death must have been torturous for his sisters, Mary and Martha. They had already sent word to Jesus, they expected His arrival at any moment. I can imagine, managerial Martha instructing Mary to get the beds ready for Jesus and his disciples. She most likely had a menu planned for the days He would be there. Mary would have been sitting by Lazarus' side, recalling their childhood days, holding his hand, soothing his forehead, while Martha kept busy changing wash basins and providing clean linens to ward off any more disease in the house. We don't know what Lazarus died from, we just know he had been sick. Then the unthinkable happens. Lazarus dies. I imagine even Martha stopped her busyness for the last few hours of Lazarus' life. I imagine that even she sat with Mary by his side, as they watched him take his last breath. They would have cried together. They would have tried to comfort one another. They may have wondered what would have happened to Jesus, to keep Him from coming.
Shortly after, Martha would have gotten to work on the arrangements. She would have hired mourners (that would be an interesting job description--professional mourner), she would have selected a burial tomb, she would have told friends and neighbors to put out word that her brother had died, and would have made arrangements for the memorial service. She would have had a reception afterward and would knead the bread herself. Martha would hide her grief beneath the work that needed to be done. When Jesus does arrive, it is Martha that goes out to meet him. She seems to have the greater faith this time, because she tells Him that even now He could heal her brother.
Mary is noticeably missing. She has stayed behind at the house. Melancholy Mary, the emotionally sensitive sister, the one who in the next chapter will break her box of precious ointment and pour it on Jesus' feet does not come out to meet Jesus right away. Her brother's death has challenged her faith. She seems to have lost some of it. Was this the same Jesus who had healed so many? Was this the One who had eaten at their table, with their living brother, time after time? Maybe Mary was feeling foolish. She had believed that this was God's Son. Had she been mistaken? I can't claim to know what was going on in Mary's mind and heart, but I would have doubted, wouldn't she? She finally leaves the house and goes out to meet Jesus, but out of grief, just falls at his feet. I would not have known how to talk to Jesus after this event. I would have averted my eyes lest He should see my disappointment. My shoulders would have shook with weeping as I kneeled at His feet, eyes cast down, wishing for an explanation. I would have trembled when I spoke, trying to restrain the hint of bitterness creeping into my tone. I don't know at all, if this is what Mary's reaction was, from her words it was evident she felt God had let her down--"...Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died." I may be reading too much into these words, but it certainly sounds as if Mary's heart is breaking not just because her brother was dead, but because the only One who could have saved him, had not.
Is this why, in verse 35, "Jesus wept"? He knew that Mary would not understand all this. He knew that not understanding would cause her additional pain. He knew that not understanding would lead her to feel deserted by Him. I wonder if Jesus still weeps for us when we don't understand what He's doing? I wonder, if when we are going through the emotional wringer, Jesus is emotionally wrung as well, because He knows we can't see what's coming next? He knows we are clueless that He is about to do the miraculous. Jesus is about to raise Lazarus from the grave, but until He does, Mary is in pain. As His children, this must bring Him pain too.
When I face a Lazarus time in my life, I need to not forget that Lazarus didn't stay dead. He was brought back to life. Though the four days he was dead seemed infinite, I need to patiently endure what God is working in my life and know that it is painful for Him to watch me go through it.
Backstage Pass
Today's passage: John 10
"The Jews answered him, saying, For a good work we stone thee not; but for blasphemy; and because that thou, being a man, makest thyself God."
How opposite this statement is. Little do the religious leaders know that He, being God, made Himself man. The stubbornness of the Jews here, not just the Pharisees, to see that Jesus is God's Son, is exhausting. This passage takes place during the Feast of Lights, or what Jews today call Hannukah (pick a spelling--there are several variations). The Jews still celebrate a miracle God performed between the Old and New Testaments, when God kept the lamps burning for eight days with the small amount of oil they had. Even today, the Jews celebrate this holiday by lighting one candle for each of the eight days of the feast, thus earning this celebration the name "Festival of Lights". It was a reminder how the Maccabee family had revolted and cleansed and purified the Temple after Antiochus Epiphanes IV defiled it by erecting a monument to Zeus at the altar.
Jesus comes into the Temple and is immediately surrounded by these Jews. I'm wondering if they are actually blocking Him from entering because He does not get any farther than Solomon's porch. Perhaps as they celebrate this feast of the Temple's cleansing, they do not want it to be defiled again, especially by this impostor. Their attitude seems to be, "We will let you have admittance, if you tell us who you really are." They say in verse 24, "...How long dost thou make us to doubt?" Did any of them really have doubts? Were some of them wavering or was this just another ploy? Jesus tells them He has already told them who He was, He has worked miracles, what proof are they waiting for? I think recalling this time when their stystem was so corrupt, they want Him to start a revolution. I think they are daring Him to overthrow the Romans. They thought they were doing right by refusing to let Him in the Temple. Wow! Think about that! Not letting God into His own House. But don't we do that everyday? If we know Christ as Savior, He has already been admitted into our hearts, but does He have a backstage pass? Does He have admittance into every part of our life? Do I block Him off from places until He works the way I want Him to work? You do this for me, God, You show me who You really are, and I'll let you have this part of my life. Do I block Him as He is entering? Do I question Him when He is ready to cleanse me and use me?
Help me, Lord, not to ask you to prove Yourself to me. Help me not to question who You are and help me to give You unlimited access to every part of my life.
"The Jews answered him, saying, For a good work we stone thee not; but for blasphemy; and because that thou, being a man, makest thyself God."
How opposite this statement is. Little do the religious leaders know that He, being God, made Himself man. The stubbornness of the Jews here, not just the Pharisees, to see that Jesus is God's Son, is exhausting. This passage takes place during the Feast of Lights, or what Jews today call Hannukah (pick a spelling--there are several variations). The Jews still celebrate a miracle God performed between the Old and New Testaments, when God kept the lamps burning for eight days with the small amount of oil they had. Even today, the Jews celebrate this holiday by lighting one candle for each of the eight days of the feast, thus earning this celebration the name "Festival of Lights". It was a reminder how the Maccabee family had revolted and cleansed and purified the Temple after Antiochus Epiphanes IV defiled it by erecting a monument to Zeus at the altar.
Jesus comes into the Temple and is immediately surrounded by these Jews. I'm wondering if they are actually blocking Him from entering because He does not get any farther than Solomon's porch. Perhaps as they celebrate this feast of the Temple's cleansing, they do not want it to be defiled again, especially by this impostor. Their attitude seems to be, "We will let you have admittance, if you tell us who you really are." They say in verse 24, "...How long dost thou make us to doubt?" Did any of them really have doubts? Were some of them wavering or was this just another ploy? Jesus tells them He has already told them who He was, He has worked miracles, what proof are they waiting for? I think recalling this time when their stystem was so corrupt, they want Him to start a revolution. I think they are daring Him to overthrow the Romans. They thought they were doing right by refusing to let Him in the Temple. Wow! Think about that! Not letting God into His own House. But don't we do that everyday? If we know Christ as Savior, He has already been admitted into our hearts, but does He have a backstage pass? Does He have admittance into every part of our life? Do I block Him off from places until He works the way I want Him to work? You do this for me, God, You show me who You really are, and I'll let you have this part of my life. Do I block Him as He is entering? Do I question Him when He is ready to cleanse me and use me?
Help me, Lord, not to ask you to prove Yourself to me. Help me not to question who You are and help me to give You unlimited access to every part of my life.
Acceptable
Today's passage: John 9
I don't think it was by accident that Jesus decided to work another miracle on the Sabbath. I think Jesus purposely did this--not out of spite but because He wanted people to see these rules the Pharisees enforced were their own, not God's. Also, maybe Jesus was trying to set a precedent. When we meet with Him on the Lord's day (then on Saturday, today on Sunday) He is going to show us a blessing.
A family has a child who is born blind. In this culture, the automatic assumption is that this is God's punishment, either for sin on the parent's part or on the child's part. I wonder what life would have been like for this blind child. People with disabilities have come a long way since the first century. What kind of stigma had this man carried with him all his life? Was he shunned because people were certain that this terrible malady must have been brought on by sin? Were his parents shunned because they must have done something to cause this blindness? After Jesus heals him, the Pharisees want proof the man had been blind to begin with. Was Jerusalem that big a town? I mean I realize they would not have known everybody, but I'm guessing since they were so particular about who to invite into their elite group, and who to avoid, they would have recognized this man. Also, usually the only source of income for someone with an infirmity as this would be begging. I doubt the Pharisees would have ever thrown a coin into his cap, but would he not have jogged their memory? The Pharisees call the man's parents to testify that this son had been blind from birth. They distance themselves from their own child. They had become accustomed to being judged for their son's blindness, maybe they resented him for it, maybe they resented God a little too. Jesus probably had a particular reason for choosing this blind man. Jesus tells His disciples that this blindness is not the result of sin, it is in him so that years later, He could work a miracle.
What things in my life might I resent? What things do I assume have been brought on by other people as a result of sin in their life? Maybe its not that at all--maybe its something God has put in place to bring glory to Himself someday.
The blind man starts to preach. He is incredulous that these "holy" leaders who have relegated him to a life of rebuke and disdain (even in his own family) because they taught his infirmity was the result of sin, do not recognize this Jesus. He scoffs at them as they have so often scoffed at him. He bought into this belief that he must be no good, that he had done something to cause this, because they have told him so all his life. I imagine that everyday he woke up, he tried to discover what sin he had committed to bring on this blindness. How much had he probably tried to overcome this stigma? What good works had he attempted to make up for the bad that had brought this on. In verses 30-33, the man makes it clear that Jesus must be from God, because (according to their rules) God would not heal someone living in sin, therefore, he must not be sin-cursed if God healed him. Let me be clear, we are all born sinners. We are sinners not because of a particular sin we have committed, but because of the nature we have inherited through Adam and Eve. But because of that nature, we do commit particular sins. Many of us are susceptible to some sins over others. What I struggle with, may not be what someone else struggles with, and their temptations are not always mine. I don't want anyone reading this to take away that this man had been good all his life, and that is why Jesus saves and heals him. No, this blind man is a sinner as well, but that doesn't mean that the blindness that took place from his birth was a result of his own or his family's sin. He still needed to be saved from his sins, just not anything in particular that would take away his blindness. Is it hard to see why this blind man believes immediately in Jesus when He reveals He is God's Son? He accepted him, just as he was.
I don't think it was by accident that Jesus decided to work another miracle on the Sabbath. I think Jesus purposely did this--not out of spite but because He wanted people to see these rules the Pharisees enforced were their own, not God's. Also, maybe Jesus was trying to set a precedent. When we meet with Him on the Lord's day (then on Saturday, today on Sunday) He is going to show us a blessing.
 |
| Jesus Anoints the Blind Man's Eyes with Clay--taken from Standard Bible Story Readers, Book Two by Lillie A. Faris, Illustrated by O.A. Stemler and Bess Bruce Cleaveland The Standard Publishing Company, 1925 |
What things in my life might I resent? What things do I assume have been brought on by other people as a result of sin in their life? Maybe its not that at all--maybe its something God has put in place to bring glory to Himself someday.
The blind man starts to preach. He is incredulous that these "holy" leaders who have relegated him to a life of rebuke and disdain (even in his own family) because they taught his infirmity was the result of sin, do not recognize this Jesus. He scoffs at them as they have so often scoffed at him. He bought into this belief that he must be no good, that he had done something to cause this, because they have told him so all his life. I imagine that everyday he woke up, he tried to discover what sin he had committed to bring on this blindness. How much had he probably tried to overcome this stigma? What good works had he attempted to make up for the bad that had brought this on. In verses 30-33, the man makes it clear that Jesus must be from God, because (according to their rules) God would not heal someone living in sin, therefore, he must not be sin-cursed if God healed him. Let me be clear, we are all born sinners. We are sinners not because of a particular sin we have committed, but because of the nature we have inherited through Adam and Eve. But because of that nature, we do commit particular sins. Many of us are susceptible to some sins over others. What I struggle with, may not be what someone else struggles with, and their temptations are not always mine. I don't want anyone reading this to take away that this man had been good all his life, and that is why Jesus saves and heals him. No, this blind man is a sinner as well, but that doesn't mean that the blindness that took place from his birth was a result of his own or his family's sin. He still needed to be saved from his sins, just not anything in particular that would take away his blindness. Is it hard to see why this blind man believes immediately in Jesus when He reveals He is God's Son? He accepted him, just as he was.
Monday, June 20, 2011
Identity Crisis
Today's passage: John 8:30-59
When I hear stories about children who were abducted at a young age, my heart melts for the family. To have someone who belongs to you taken from you, must be the hardest thing a parent would have to go through. In some cases, the children are found years later, safe and unharmed with another family. Sometimes it is a crazed woman racked with grief who is trying to replace her sorrow by stealing someone else's child. Sometimes it is a childless man who is trying to give his barren wife some measure of happiness by robbing another family of their joy. People in pain do irrational things. They take a child that does not belong to them and live on the lam to stay undiscovered. Can you imagine the confusion of the child when he is told that this is not his family? He had not been abused (I know that this is not always the case), he had not been mistreated. Can you sympathise with the identity crisis this child would face? The courts would order him back into the arms of his real parents but I don't think he would be ready for an embrace. He wouldn't know these people. Yes, they knew who he was, but he had spent his entire life with another family. It is not his fault he has no recollection of his real parents. He is not to blame for the foreign emotions he feels towards these people who are seemingly ripping him away from the family he has known all this time. With time, he will adjust, he will learn to like the things his family likes, he will learn to enjoy the food his family enjoys, he will start to act the way his family acts, but the transition will be rough.
How must God have felt, when in the Garden of Eden, Satan ripped us away from Him? We were a family. Everything was ideal. The garden was perfect and beautiful. Adam and Eve had no sin nature, they were growing to be just like their Father. Then Satan, with one self-gratifying act, lured us away from the Father who created us. Since then, Satan has been our father ever since. Is it no wonder that in this passage, the Jews are boggled by what Jesus tries to tell them? They don't recognize their true Father, because they are too blinded by the father they have been serving. They think God is their Father, but they have been deceived. They have been patterning their lives after someone they thought was their father, but then are thrown into an identity crisis. Jesus confronts them with the truth about their family, and understandably they do not take it too well. They accuse Jesus of being the fake, they are certain their family is secure. They can't see that the father they have been with, has been an impostor, and it is hard for them to see the truth. None of us would want to believe that we are not with our real family. A reunion with our real Father may not be all hugs and kisses. We would be learning to become a whole new person. We would have to adjust to the likes and tastes of our new Father. With time and with knowledge, this transition would become easier, and we would forget that we had not been His children all along.
A parent who loses a child will do everything to have that child returned to them. They will hire every investigator in the nation, they will hop planes to any country, they will drain their bank account, take out a second mortgage on their house, do anything in their physical power to get that child back. So did God. He let His Son pay the ultimate price to bring us back to Him. Jesus died on the cross, so we could be returned to our true Father. Sadly, not every abducted child is found. Not every stolen child is reunited with his family. Some never are discovered again. I'm so glad that did not have to be the case for me. I may not always be familiar with my Father's ways, but everyday I am learning a little more. I'm so glad He came looking for me, because I would have spent a lifetime serving a father who had no love for me. Thank you, Lord, for rescuing me. Thank you each day for teaching me Your ways so I can love what You love, and hate what You hate. When I grow up, I want to be just like You.
When I hear stories about children who were abducted at a young age, my heart melts for the family. To have someone who belongs to you taken from you, must be the hardest thing a parent would have to go through. In some cases, the children are found years later, safe and unharmed with another family. Sometimes it is a crazed woman racked with grief who is trying to replace her sorrow by stealing someone else's child. Sometimes it is a childless man who is trying to give his barren wife some measure of happiness by robbing another family of their joy. People in pain do irrational things. They take a child that does not belong to them and live on the lam to stay undiscovered. Can you imagine the confusion of the child when he is told that this is not his family? He had not been abused (I know that this is not always the case), he had not been mistreated. Can you sympathise with the identity crisis this child would face? The courts would order him back into the arms of his real parents but I don't think he would be ready for an embrace. He wouldn't know these people. Yes, they knew who he was, but he had spent his entire life with another family. It is not his fault he has no recollection of his real parents. He is not to blame for the foreign emotions he feels towards these people who are seemingly ripping him away from the family he has known all this time. With time, he will adjust, he will learn to like the things his family likes, he will learn to enjoy the food his family enjoys, he will start to act the way his family acts, but the transition will be rough.
How must God have felt, when in the Garden of Eden, Satan ripped us away from Him? We were a family. Everything was ideal. The garden was perfect and beautiful. Adam and Eve had no sin nature, they were growing to be just like their Father. Then Satan, with one self-gratifying act, lured us away from the Father who created us. Since then, Satan has been our father ever since. Is it no wonder that in this passage, the Jews are boggled by what Jesus tries to tell them? They don't recognize their true Father, because they are too blinded by the father they have been serving. They think God is their Father, but they have been deceived. They have been patterning their lives after someone they thought was their father, but then are thrown into an identity crisis. Jesus confronts them with the truth about their family, and understandably they do not take it too well. They accuse Jesus of being the fake, they are certain their family is secure. They can't see that the father they have been with, has been an impostor, and it is hard for them to see the truth. None of us would want to believe that we are not with our real family. A reunion with our real Father may not be all hugs and kisses. We would be learning to become a whole new person. We would have to adjust to the likes and tastes of our new Father. With time and with knowledge, this transition would become easier, and we would forget that we had not been His children all along.
A parent who loses a child will do everything to have that child returned to them. They will hire every investigator in the nation, they will hop planes to any country, they will drain their bank account, take out a second mortgage on their house, do anything in their physical power to get that child back. So did God. He let His Son pay the ultimate price to bring us back to Him. Jesus died on the cross, so we could be returned to our true Father. Sadly, not every abducted child is found. Not every stolen child is reunited with his family. Some never are discovered again. I'm so glad that did not have to be the case for me. I may not always be familiar with my Father's ways, but everyday I am learning a little more. I'm so glad He came looking for me, because I would have spent a lifetime serving a father who had no love for me. Thank you, Lord, for rescuing me. Thank you each day for teaching me Your ways so I can love what You love, and hate what You hate. When I grow up, I want to be just like You.
Sunday, June 19, 2011
Illuminating
Today's passage: John 8:1-29
I must do a little promoting. In Bible college, required reference materials in several of my Bible classes was A.T. Robertson's A Harmony of the Gospels. It was published by Harper & Row in 1950. I have no idea if it is still in print. Let me also say, I know nothing of the background of this author so I do not want to endorse his theology. There are notes at the bottoms of the pages, which I usually ignore, but I find this to be a very useful tool when reading the gospels. There may even be a better version of this type of book out there, this is just the one I have. If you know of a better version, comment below (if you can, since it seems nearly impossible to do so) and let other readers in on your find. This is one of those books that I really feel I have gotten my money's worth even beyond the classroom. It lays out, verse by verse all of the gospels side-by-side, so you can contrast/compare each event that is found in each of the gospels. I've noticed that many study Bibles have an appendix with a side-by-side layout of the events in Christ's ministry, and that is also helpful, but this gives all the gospels verse by verse. It also shows the passages that stand completely alone and are not mentioned in any of the other gospels. John has a lot of stand-alone's, this being one of them.
I have always been taught that when the adulterous woman is brought before Jesus by the religious rulers, He stoops down to write in the dirt floor. Many have suggested that Jesus wrote the names of the people that had lain with this woman. But He was in the temple. I might be wrong, but I think there was flooring in the Temple. I'm not saying dirt and sand couldn't have collected there, but I'm pretty sure the Jews tried to keep the Temple pretty immaculate. However, I think the thought on those names being written is probably correct. Since John is the only gospel that records this event, I might have to imagine a little. I mean, this is God. Could He not have supernaturally written their names on the ground? Maybe that is what caused the rulers to stammer and abruptly leave. Maybe it wasn't so much their names, because verse 9 does say "being convicted by their own conscience, went out one by one, beginning at the eldest, even unto the last" as the manner that the names were written. Maybe the reason the woman believed so quickly is because of what she had just witnessed. This certainly would have convinced her that it was God who had just forgiven her of her sins, and commanded her to "sin no more".
Of course, if this is the case, it certainly did nothing to dissuade the rulers from continuing to attack Jesus. If nothing else, it probably fueled the fire a bit. Jesus launches into the Light of the World discourse. The Pharisees attack Him at every point. They are insistent on stopping what they believe is His foolish babble. In Jewish law, it was customary to have two witnesses to prove identity. Jesus says the two witnesses are Himself and His Father. The Pharisees want to know where His Father is. Jesus tells them that if they knew Him, they would know who His Father is. This is the part I find interesting. He says this to them when they are in the treasury of the Temple. Now, I'm convinced, that even locations in the Bible are mentioned for a reason. Why does John name this particular location when talking about knowing the Father? The treasury is where the Temple funds were collected. The Pharisees always made a big show about giving their money to the Lord (remember the story of the widow who gave all she had, and Jesus praises her for giving all rather than the Pharisees who had given much, but could have given much more?) Is He trying to indicate something by making this statement in this particular place? Is He again rebuking the Pharisees for their so-called love when they don't love God enough to give as much as they should? Were they short on their tithes? Were they even robbing the treasury? I know that is a lot to suggest, and I am not saying it is the case, but it does make me wonder. Jesus did say, "For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also." (Matthew 6:21) Where is my heart? Where I invest my money probably indicates a lot. I've invested a lot of it in good things. I can't think of anything better than putting money into my boys' schooling for a Christian education. I tithe, I give to missions, I give special offerings. But how much more could I do? If I didn't put so much into that satellite TV, how many more missionaries could I be helping? How many more teens could I sponsor to go to camp? How much more could I give to keep my son's school running? I've heard many recently talking about giving up that daily Starbucks splurge to free up money to donate to a ministry. Believe me, I haven't had even a weekly Starbucks splurge, let alone a daily one. But maybe I could give up that second cup of coffee at home ( I don't know about you, but even ground coffee from the store has gotten expensive these days) to enable us to give more for the Lord. Maybe I could trust the Lord more for my daily needs instead of depending on credit cards and watching all the interest add up and drain me of extra money I could use for Him. Maybe the reason Jesus said all this in the treasury was not because He was making accusations as to what they were doing with the money, maybe He was just pointing out their lack of trust in the God who can supply all their needs. He surely can provide all mine. Do I trust Him enough to take those steps? Jesus tells me He is the Light of the World. He illuminates things in my life, that I didn't even know were there. Thank You for being the Light in my life, Lord Jesus. Help me to make you the Treasure of my heart.
I must do a little promoting. In Bible college, required reference materials in several of my Bible classes was A.T. Robertson's A Harmony of the Gospels. It was published by Harper & Row in 1950. I have no idea if it is still in print. Let me also say, I know nothing of the background of this author so I do not want to endorse his theology. There are notes at the bottoms of the pages, which I usually ignore, but I find this to be a very useful tool when reading the gospels. There may even be a better version of this type of book out there, this is just the one I have. If you know of a better version, comment below (if you can, since it seems nearly impossible to do so) and let other readers in on your find. This is one of those books that I really feel I have gotten my money's worth even beyond the classroom. It lays out, verse by verse all of the gospels side-by-side, so you can contrast/compare each event that is found in each of the gospels. I've noticed that many study Bibles have an appendix with a side-by-side layout of the events in Christ's ministry, and that is also helpful, but this gives all the gospels verse by verse. It also shows the passages that stand completely alone and are not mentioned in any of the other gospels. John has a lot of stand-alone's, this being one of them.
I have always been taught that when the adulterous woman is brought before Jesus by the religious rulers, He stoops down to write in the dirt floor. Many have suggested that Jesus wrote the names of the people that had lain with this woman. But He was in the temple. I might be wrong, but I think there was flooring in the Temple. I'm not saying dirt and sand couldn't have collected there, but I'm pretty sure the Jews tried to keep the Temple pretty immaculate. However, I think the thought on those names being written is probably correct. Since John is the only gospel that records this event, I might have to imagine a little. I mean, this is God. Could He not have supernaturally written their names on the ground? Maybe that is what caused the rulers to stammer and abruptly leave. Maybe it wasn't so much their names, because verse 9 does say "being convicted by their own conscience, went out one by one, beginning at the eldest, even unto the last" as the manner that the names were written. Maybe the reason the woman believed so quickly is because of what she had just witnessed. This certainly would have convinced her that it was God who had just forgiven her of her sins, and commanded her to "sin no more".
Of course, if this is the case, it certainly did nothing to dissuade the rulers from continuing to attack Jesus. If nothing else, it probably fueled the fire a bit. Jesus launches into the Light of the World discourse. The Pharisees attack Him at every point. They are insistent on stopping what they believe is His foolish babble. In Jewish law, it was customary to have two witnesses to prove identity. Jesus says the two witnesses are Himself and His Father. The Pharisees want to know where His Father is. Jesus tells them that if they knew Him, they would know who His Father is. This is the part I find interesting. He says this to them when they are in the treasury of the Temple. Now, I'm convinced, that even locations in the Bible are mentioned for a reason. Why does John name this particular location when talking about knowing the Father? The treasury is where the Temple funds were collected. The Pharisees always made a big show about giving their money to the Lord (remember the story of the widow who gave all she had, and Jesus praises her for giving all rather than the Pharisees who had given much, but could have given much more?) Is He trying to indicate something by making this statement in this particular place? Is He again rebuking the Pharisees for their so-called love when they don't love God enough to give as much as they should? Were they short on their tithes? Were they even robbing the treasury? I know that is a lot to suggest, and I am not saying it is the case, but it does make me wonder. Jesus did say, "For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also." (Matthew 6:21) Where is my heart? Where I invest my money probably indicates a lot. I've invested a lot of it in good things. I can't think of anything better than putting money into my boys' schooling for a Christian education. I tithe, I give to missions, I give special offerings. But how much more could I do? If I didn't put so much into that satellite TV, how many more missionaries could I be helping? How many more teens could I sponsor to go to camp? How much more could I give to keep my son's school running? I've heard many recently talking about giving up that daily Starbucks splurge to free up money to donate to a ministry. Believe me, I haven't had even a weekly Starbucks splurge, let alone a daily one. But maybe I could give up that second cup of coffee at home ( I don't know about you, but even ground coffee from the store has gotten expensive these days) to enable us to give more for the Lord. Maybe I could trust the Lord more for my daily needs instead of depending on credit cards and watching all the interest add up and drain me of extra money I could use for Him. Maybe the reason Jesus said all this in the treasury was not because He was making accusations as to what they were doing with the money, maybe He was just pointing out their lack of trust in the God who can supply all their needs. He surely can provide all mine. Do I trust Him enough to take those steps? Jesus tells me He is the Light of the World. He illuminates things in my life, that I didn't even know were there. Thank You for being the Light in my life, Lord Jesus. Help me to make you the Treasure of my heart.
Saturday, June 18, 2011
Puzzling
Today's passage: John 7
When I was a kid, math was probably my least favorite subject, mostly because of dreaded story problems. I think I did not develop reasoning skills until much later in life, because a story problem would cause a duh moment every time. Now, one of my favorite puzzles to do is logic problems. They are challenging and I like to unravel who did what. I'm still not a big mystery lover, but I do like to discover how things work. I guess my reasoning skills finally kicked in.
Chapter 7 seems to me like a logic problem. In this chapter, groups of people are trying to determine who Jesus is. At the beginning of the chapter, it is Jesus' own brothers who are questioning Him. They can't understand why He will not be more public about His ministry. They don't understand why He is not going with them to the Feast of Tabernacles. I imagine this is because they have always gone as a family in the past. Can you imagine what upheaval Jesus has caused in His own family? Can you imagine being one of His brothers and the backlash you would receive from living in this town? The perfect brother you grew up with suddenly decides to leave the carpentry shop, leave you with the responsibilities and travel like a nomad? Can you hear the gossip about this brother, and not knowing whether you should defend Him (He is your brother, of course) or shake your head and join in the mockery? It is understandable they would not truly be able to see who Jesus is because He is family. How do you prepare Your brothers that they have been living with God all this time? They want to have faith in Him, but they tell Him if He is real, He shouldn't be hiding in the shadows, He should be proclaiming Himself. Jesus explains to them it is easy for them to say that, they have a lifetime ahead of them. He doesn't. Of course, they don't understand this either.
After the rest of the family has departed for Jerusalem, Jesus also goes, but quietly and without notice. But Jesus never really goes anywhere unnoticed now. People at the feast, of course, recognize Him. There is a lot of debate among the people as to who Jesus is. Many of them believe in Him and say that another could not do all that He has done. Others think He is a good man, and others think He is a fake. Among those being the Pharisees. They argue He is only from Galilee and therefore, cannot be the Messiah, because the Messiah comes from Bethlehem. Why doesn't Jesus tell them where He was born? He could have put that all to rest if He had just told them about His birth, but He doesn't. He must have a reason. It's a puzzle I want to solve, but not all puzzles can be solved right away. I'm going to have to let that one simmer for a while and come back to it.
Jesus tells the Pharisees that they had a problem with Him healing on the Sabbath, but they have no problem performing a circumcision on the Sabbath. Why is that not breaking the Sabbath laws? He says, "Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgement." They were assigning certain rules to Him and then others to themselves. The Pharisees prided themselves about always following the Law, but the truth was, they only followed the parts of the Law that were convenient for them, ignored their mistakes, but made certain to point out other's flaws. The Pharisees are so infuriated with Jesus' claims, that they call in officers to arrest Him. Now, the Jews were always hesitant to have matters handled outside their own people, and I'm assuming that the officers referred to here are Roman. So, Jesus has really gotten under the Pharisees' skin for them to take this step. They can see the people believing He is the Messiah, right and left, and they are afraid that they will lose their power. The officers are even hesitant to take Jesus in, because His Words are not like anyone else's. The Pharisees are irritated that even the officials seem to have been duped, but do not force the matter.
Then Nicodemus pipes up, Nicodemus, the secret believer, the Pharisee who came to see Jesus by night, to really gather the truth about this Man. Nicodemus reminds the Pharisees that they have never condemned someone without a trial first. Why are these men so hasty to do away with their own procedures? In the past, when a pseudo-Messiah surfaced, they seem to have always followed the same protocol. With Jesus, they are throwing all reasonable measures out the window. Why? They obviously have never had someone as convincing as Jesus make these claims before. People in every province are believing the miracles, are convinced of His words. They are finding it hard to discredit Him. Every time they try to trip Him up, they fail. Every question they ask to cause Him to stumble is answered rationally. What more can they do to convince the people that He is not the One they think He is? They refuse to believe, because they are embarrassed that they have been wrong all this time. They cannot admit to this. Isn't that always the problem with unbelievers? When people don't want to believe, it is not usually because they don't think the other person is right, it is because they don't want to admit they were wrong. To become a believer in Christ, that has to be the first step.
The Pharisees would never admit that they were sinners, we see that on many occasions in the gospels when they sneer and snarl at publicans and others Jesus associates with. If this Teacher was so great, He would want to associate with them. They were the religious elite. He should want their approval. I don't know how many fake Messiahs had tried to get in good with the Pharisees, maybe all of them, after all, winning them over would be one step closer to convincing the people. If you could convince the Pharisees, the most visibly religious men of the faith, then the people would believe. Or would they? You see, people were believing in Jesus when Jesus made no attempts to woo them. This signaled something infinitely more dangerous. They were losing their influence among the people. If they hadn't put their stamp of approval on this Man, and He didn't seem to need it, the people were not as enamoured of Pharisaical influence as before. This is why they feel the need to get rid of Jesus at all costs. This is why they are even willing to get the Roman government involved. They will not open their eyes, and they don't want any more eyes to be opened.
I have to say that there are some puzzles I never solve. Sometimes, I have to set one down, walk away from it for a few days and then come back to it with fresh eyes. There are mysteries in God's Word, that I may never understand this side of eternity. Good thing I can keep coming back to God's Word, and look at it with fresh eyes each day. Maybe why Jesus does not announce his birthplace will always remain a puzzle to me, or maybe God just wants me to think about it for a little while longer. I know this, someday, I will know the answer.
When I was a kid, math was probably my least favorite subject, mostly because of dreaded story problems. I think I did not develop reasoning skills until much later in life, because a story problem would cause a duh moment every time. Now, one of my favorite puzzles to do is logic problems. They are challenging and I like to unravel who did what. I'm still not a big mystery lover, but I do like to discover how things work. I guess my reasoning skills finally kicked in.
Chapter 7 seems to me like a logic problem. In this chapter, groups of people are trying to determine who Jesus is. At the beginning of the chapter, it is Jesus' own brothers who are questioning Him. They can't understand why He will not be more public about His ministry. They don't understand why He is not going with them to the Feast of Tabernacles. I imagine this is because they have always gone as a family in the past. Can you imagine what upheaval Jesus has caused in His own family? Can you imagine being one of His brothers and the backlash you would receive from living in this town? The perfect brother you grew up with suddenly decides to leave the carpentry shop, leave you with the responsibilities and travel like a nomad? Can you hear the gossip about this brother, and not knowing whether you should defend Him (He is your brother, of course) or shake your head and join in the mockery? It is understandable they would not truly be able to see who Jesus is because He is family. How do you prepare Your brothers that they have been living with God all this time? They want to have faith in Him, but they tell Him if He is real, He shouldn't be hiding in the shadows, He should be proclaiming Himself. Jesus explains to them it is easy for them to say that, they have a lifetime ahead of them. He doesn't. Of course, they don't understand this either.
After the rest of the family has departed for Jerusalem, Jesus also goes, but quietly and without notice. But Jesus never really goes anywhere unnoticed now. People at the feast, of course, recognize Him. There is a lot of debate among the people as to who Jesus is. Many of them believe in Him and say that another could not do all that He has done. Others think He is a good man, and others think He is a fake. Among those being the Pharisees. They argue He is only from Galilee and therefore, cannot be the Messiah, because the Messiah comes from Bethlehem. Why doesn't Jesus tell them where He was born? He could have put that all to rest if He had just told them about His birth, but He doesn't. He must have a reason. It's a puzzle I want to solve, but not all puzzles can be solved right away. I'm going to have to let that one simmer for a while and come back to it.
Jesus tells the Pharisees that they had a problem with Him healing on the Sabbath, but they have no problem performing a circumcision on the Sabbath. Why is that not breaking the Sabbath laws? He says, "Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgement." They were assigning certain rules to Him and then others to themselves. The Pharisees prided themselves about always following the Law, but the truth was, they only followed the parts of the Law that were convenient for them, ignored their mistakes, but made certain to point out other's flaws. The Pharisees are so infuriated with Jesus' claims, that they call in officers to arrest Him. Now, the Jews were always hesitant to have matters handled outside their own people, and I'm assuming that the officers referred to here are Roman. So, Jesus has really gotten under the Pharisees' skin for them to take this step. They can see the people believing He is the Messiah, right and left, and they are afraid that they will lose their power. The officers are even hesitant to take Jesus in, because His Words are not like anyone else's. The Pharisees are irritated that even the officials seem to have been duped, but do not force the matter.
Then Nicodemus pipes up, Nicodemus, the secret believer, the Pharisee who came to see Jesus by night, to really gather the truth about this Man. Nicodemus reminds the Pharisees that they have never condemned someone without a trial first. Why are these men so hasty to do away with their own procedures? In the past, when a pseudo-Messiah surfaced, they seem to have always followed the same protocol. With Jesus, they are throwing all reasonable measures out the window. Why? They obviously have never had someone as convincing as Jesus make these claims before. People in every province are believing the miracles, are convinced of His words. They are finding it hard to discredit Him. Every time they try to trip Him up, they fail. Every question they ask to cause Him to stumble is answered rationally. What more can they do to convince the people that He is not the One they think He is? They refuse to believe, because they are embarrassed that they have been wrong all this time. They cannot admit to this. Isn't that always the problem with unbelievers? When people don't want to believe, it is not usually because they don't think the other person is right, it is because they don't want to admit they were wrong. To become a believer in Christ, that has to be the first step.
The Pharisees would never admit that they were sinners, we see that on many occasions in the gospels when they sneer and snarl at publicans and others Jesus associates with. If this Teacher was so great, He would want to associate with them. They were the religious elite. He should want their approval. I don't know how many fake Messiahs had tried to get in good with the Pharisees, maybe all of them, after all, winning them over would be one step closer to convincing the people. If you could convince the Pharisees, the most visibly religious men of the faith, then the people would believe. Or would they? You see, people were believing in Jesus when Jesus made no attempts to woo them. This signaled something infinitely more dangerous. They were losing their influence among the people. If they hadn't put their stamp of approval on this Man, and He didn't seem to need it, the people were not as enamoured of Pharisaical influence as before. This is why they feel the need to get rid of Jesus at all costs. This is why they are even willing to get the Roman government involved. They will not open their eyes, and they don't want any more eyes to be opened.
I have to say that there are some puzzles I never solve. Sometimes, I have to set one down, walk away from it for a few days and then come back to it with fresh eyes. There are mysteries in God's Word, that I may never understand this side of eternity. Good thing I can keep coming back to God's Word, and look at it with fresh eyes each day. Maybe why Jesus does not announce his birthplace will always remain a puzzle to me, or maybe God just wants me to think about it for a little while longer. I know this, someday, I will know the answer.
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