Turning to God

For not only has the word of the Lord sounded forth from you in Macedonia and Achaia, but your faith in God has gone forth everywhere, so that we need not say anything. For they themselves report concerning us the kind of reception we had among you, and how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God, and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, Jesus who delivers us from the wrath to come. (1 Thessalonians 1:8-10 ESV). Remember that in the century or so before Jesus’ birth the number of deities being worshiped in places like Thessalonica was vast. In addition to all sorts of traditional and local deities, the emperors of Rome had begun to be revered as gods. When Augustus became the first emperor he declared that his uncle Julius Caesar was a god. Then Tiberius did the same for Augustus, and so on, until the population began revering not only past emperors but the current one as deities. Caesar’s face eventually replaced the face of Zeus on their coins. What Paul had preached, and the new Thessalonican Christians had come to believe, was that Jesus, the man who was also God, was the incarnate face of the one true God. Claiming there was only one true God was radical. It wasn’t just a radical religious claim, either. Worshiping the gods, including the emperor, was a routine part of civic life. So it seemed narrow, even treasonous, to ignore them all and worship only the God revealed in Jesus. Paul is acknowledging the impact of the Thessalonians’ conversion. He realized that not only have they embraced some major new claims, like the resurrection from the dead, but they have also had to let go of a huge number of old beliefs and old ways. They are learning to look exclusively to Jesus, the “founder and perfecter” of their faith (cf. Hebrews 12:2). We do not live in a culture where this kind of idolatry is as easy to see; however, our culture has turned to many false “gods.” I love the presidential political season. Each candidate left in the race for the nomination of their party has their own theme. Hillary Clinton has “Solutions for America”; Ted Cruz adopts “Reigniting the Promise of America”; John Kasich has a complicated visual with the message of “For US”; Bernie Sanders simply says “A Political Revolution Is Coming”; and, Donald Trump declares “Make America Great Again.” There are two things of note in these. First, note I listed them in alphabetical order with absolutely no endorsement of any of them; and, second, none of them have pointed us to the only solution to the problems we face in our country or the world. I know it may not be “popular,” but wouldn’t it be refreshing if we could all recognize that our solutions cannot be found in anyone other than Jesus Christ. Until we turn to God, our problems continue unsolved and growing larger. Paul recognizes that this small church did exactly that and they found the real answers of life. My prayer is that we would adopt that principle of faith and practice! Men don’t save us!

Faith, Hope, and Love

We give thanks to God always for all of you, constantly mentioning you in our prayers, remembering before our God and Father your work of faith and labor of love and steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ. For we know, brothers loved by God, that he has chosen you, because our gospel came to you not only in word, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction. You know what kind of men we proved to be among you for your sake. And you became imitators of us and of the Lord, for you received the word in much affliction, with the joy of the Holy Spirit, so that you became an example to all the believers in Macedonia and in Achaia. (1 Thessalonians 1:2-7 ESV). Yesterday we began this little walk through Thessalonians. I ended the first devotional with a phrase Paul uses: your work of faith and labor of love and steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ. These are pivotal for us to understand if we are to grasp the message Paul has for this young community of believers. Paul and his companions are praying fervently for the church at Thessalonica. He expresses deep gratitude to God for them and takes their growth in faith as a sign that they have received not just the words of the gospel but also the Holy Spirit. This is true for all believers. The power to be steadfast in our faith comes not just because the message is compelling, or because it makes things easier, but because the Spirit enables us to believe even in really hard times. How else could the Thessalonians withstand affliction? How else could any of us, facing life’s challenges, stay rooted in the knowledge that we are loved and chosen by God? The suffering that Paul and his companions endured, and the suffering that the early church endured surely isn’t a “selling point” for the gospel; however, a God who makes people joyful even in the midst of affliction is the message that will draw the curious and weary everywhere. And it’s brought by messengers who have credibility because they too have suffered. There’s something mysteriously persuasive about a message that comes from the mouths of those who have sacrificed much for it. Even today, the power of the gospel radiates strongly from those living in places where they have been persecuted for their faith. Through the Spirit’s power, we can hold fast to the gospel and experience how the gospel holds us fast as well. This is the real work of faith in our lives; this is the labor of love that we perform in our relationships with those around us; and, this is the steadfastness of our hope in Christ. So many today have finally run out of other options to assuage their hurting hearts. They have tried so many different ways to escape the pain that dogs them day and night. We have the only means of escape. The only question for us is how we share it with them. May I encourage you to share with the knowledge of grace and forgiveness, not shame and judgment? You will see a great response!

Who Are We?

Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy, To the church of the Thessalonians in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ: Grace to you and peace. We give thanks to God always for all of you, constantly mentioning you in our prayers, remembering before our God and Father your work of faith and labor of love and steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ. For we know, brothers loved by God, that he has chosen you, because our gospel came to you not only in word, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction. You know what kind of men we proved to be among you for your sake. (1 Thessalonians 1:1-5 ESV). Today we are going to start reading through the first letter of the Apostle Paul to the Thessalonians. It won’t be an in depth expository study of the book; however, I hope we can find some principles that perhaps we may have missed in previous reading of this wonderful letter. We have two of the letters that Paul wrote to the Thessalonicans. There may have been more, these are the two we have preserved and included in our New Testament canon. It is one of the earliest writings in the New Testament. We do know a few things about the church itself. It was located in the northern Greek city of Thessalonica and was a very young body of believers at the time the apostle writes to them. We can see a glimpse of Paul’s concerns for them as a growing community of faith “in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.” He uses the word Ecclesia, the common Greek word for “church,” as he describes them. It was also used to refer to a wide range of gatherings and assemblies. His indication is that this new ecclesia is unique because it is gathered in the name of the one God who has become known in the Lord Jesus Christ. That was certainly a radical proposition in a culture that embraced many deities. You may have wondered if this letter surprised the members of this community of faith. Most interpreters believe that it didn’t as it may have been a response to some questions they sent to him. In fact, it would be easier if we had this previous communication to clear up some of the things he wrote. What we do have is a personal, compassionate communication from Paul’s heart to theirs. One of the interesting things about the letter (and all of the writings of the Bible) is that it was not simply meant for that church in that community. Even though they’re addressed to a far-away, long-ago community, they are meant for our eyes too. We too are members of the same ecclesia that is “in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.” These letters have news for all of us. The principle message we are going to see emerge throughout the letter is how the church is to be in a world that is at times hostile, and always dismissive. We are in that kind of culture, aren’t we? Paul would tell us to act with that same grace and love he encourages from them. Keep this in mind as we go forward in the coming days. We should focus on being a people with a labor of faith and a steadfastness of hope.

Sit a Spell with Jesus

Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.” And he who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” Also he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.” And he said to me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give from the spring of the water of life without payment. The one who conquers will have this heritage, and I will be his God and he will be my son. (Revelation 21:1-7 ESV). I read a true story from a palliative nurse in a children’s facility for the terminally ill. She related that as a terminally ill child was nearing the end of life. As her parents cared for her, they noticed her calm demeanor. When asked how she was doing, the girl said matter-of-factly that she was fine and wondered why her parents couldn’t see Jesus sitting next to her on the bed. What makes this story even more amazing is that this family had no spiritual background or connection to Christianity. There was no “default” that would lead the child to know Jesus before this experience. In the south we have an expression that invites someone to come and “sit a spell.” It’s just a kind way of inviting someone to make themselves at home and relax. I’ve had those experiences many times. While living in Middle Tennessee over the past few years one of my favorite times was spent sitting on the front porch of my friends’ home, drinking a cup of coffee, and listening to the sounds of the world go by. He lives in the country, with no neighbors nearby and no distracting noises from cars rushing down the road. On that porch you can look across the valley to the next ridge and simply breathe. It is one of the most relaxing settings. That’s the invitation of Jesus to us at death. While we have a lot of questions about heaven; will I know people who have passed away before me? what will it be like? if I have to sing, will I at least get a better-sounding voice? And of course, there is the super-spiritual questions about whether there will be hunting or fishing! Here’s what we know: heaven is a place that is uncorrupted by sin and suffering. It’s the place where God dwells in complete harmony and unity with his people, and the place where the pain of this life no longer exists. While the specifics are beyond imagining (cf. 1 Corinthians 2:9), we know that none of us will want for anything or wish that anything was different. We will get to go and sit a spell with Jesus! I believe that little girl experienced a preview of the greatest gift of heaven: the presence of Jesus himself. Won’t that be incredible? Sort of makes me “home sick” for that home!

Ending Well

Therefore, having put away falsehood, let each one of you speak the truth with his neighbor, for we are members one of another. Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, and give no opportunity to the devil. Let the thief no longer steal, but rather let him labor, doing honest work with his own hands, so that he may have something to share with anyone in need. Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you. (Ephesians 4:25-32 ESV). Please don’t read anything into these last few devotionals other than they seem to be a natural flow from our study into some of Elisha’s experiences. My health is as good as it has been for several years; retirement is suiting me well. That being said, today I want us to look at ending well. It is important to live well, but, it is also important to die well. The two are intertwined, though often people find a different perspective when the end of life draws near. This is especially true in regard to our relationships in life. A person’s perspective on human relationships often changes drastically as the end of life draws near. The urgency of tying up loose ends is very real. It makes me think we shouldn’t wait until we’re dying to enjoy the blessing that comes from restoring broken relationships. Sometimes I see families come together and work out tough issues; other times I see people hold their ground because they think they are in the right and the other person should make the first move toward reconciliation. Working out these issues often proves to be the difference between a peaceful or difficult death. One of the great things about moving back to Texas is seeing old friends again. I have not gotten around to everyone yet. I certainly hope to do so soon. However, I have noticed that it is pretty easy to pick up where we left off many years ago. Many things have changed in their lives and mine, but the relationship has remained. That’s a principle to develop in your life that will bear good fruit, especially in families. And, it is one of the great works of grace in our lives. Paul points us to the motivation for reconciliation: the reconciling work of Christ. When we don’t forgive, we reduce the impact of the forgiveness Jesus died to give us. Either we haven’t received forgiveness, or we haven’t grasped the totality of God’s grace. When we really understand God’s forgiveness, we begin to extend it to others more liberally. The main opponent to forgiveness is pride, which tells us to hold out and fight for our rights. The result of such pride at the end of life is usually regret and unhappiness. Don’t wait! Thank God for the forgiveness he offers and then begin the task of making things right with those in your life. It brings peace, gives comfort, and honors God. When we get to heaven, none of us will be able to boast of being “right.” Trust that to the Lord. It is above all of our pay grades to judge another.

Setting Regret Aside

Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Let those of us who are mature think this way, and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal that also to you. Only let us hold true to what we have attained. (Philippians 3:12-16 ESV). In learning how to appropriate the provision of God, especially in the midst of suffering and loss, I suppose we ought to begin at the beginning. That “start” is to set aside regrets. Throughout the course of our lives, we tend to accumulate a considerable list of regrets. The end of life often brings them up again, even when we thought we had dealt with them. I have talked to many people who felt forced in their lives to do things they have come to regret. There are others who have made decisions early in their lives that had they to do them over, would never make those decisions again. The Apostle Paul had his own list of regrets. He even called himself the “chief of sinners” (cf. 1 Timothy 1:15). Yet he was able to say with confidence that the things of the past would stay behind him as he strained forward to reach the goal. How can Paul say that? How can I tell someone struggling with the weight of guilt and shame that they can leave their regrets behind, find forgiveness, and receive a heavenly reward? Paul knows the key: “God has made me his own.” I remember one young lady who I came to know who was very tentative in getting to know me. She was my supervisor in one of the jobs I held briefly. Though I was older and more experienced, the job I took for that brief period of time place me in her supervision. The first day I reported to her for my assignment, she simply said, “I wouldn’t have hired you; but, they didn’t give me a choice.” I asked her why? She simply replied, “Because you are a preacher.” Well, no denying that; but, I really wanted to know why that made such a difference. She went on to share with me her story. At sixteen she made a bad decision that resulted in her becoming pregnant. She was forced to quit high school to have the baby. She decided, against virtually everyone’s advice to keep the child. Her parents were a great help. She went on to finish high school and took a job with a large home improvement store. She worked hard, took extra training opportunities, and advanced to management. At that time her son was ten years old. I was amazed. She looked at me and said, “I wish I had done some things differently.” My reply shocked her. I said, “I am so glad you didn’t do one thing differently. You kept and raised your son. You are a courageous woman.” There was no regret to be had in that. I know that’s not the answer for everyone. But it was her answer. We became great friends. We shared many moments of conversation. She was a good mom. Her son will no doubt be a blessing to others. Nothing you may have done puts you beyond the grasp of redemption. When you face the regrets in your life, you can be confident that God’s grace covers them all. Live into Christ’s future, not your past. Thankfully, my friend learned of God’s grace and found the ability to let go of some of his regrets and find peace. In Christ, so can you!

The Bane of Loss

Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of his saints. O LORD, I am your servant; I am your servant, the son of your maidservant. You have loosed my bonds. I will offer to you the sacrifice of thanksgiving and call on the name of the LORD. I will pay my vows to the LORD in the presence of all his people, in the courts of the house of the LORD, in your midst, O Jerusalem. Praise the LORD! (Psalm 116:15-19 ESV). It is not unusual for me to hear people tell me I simply don’t understand. In many cases that is the truth. There are many things I don’t understand. I have intentionally relegated all of those things to “questions to ask when I get there.” However, one of the things I do personally and experientially understand is the bane of loss. I’ve lost people and things. I have nearly as many folks on the other side waiting for me as I have around me now that I have grown a bit older. I have lost jobs and position; I have seen the loss of countless others, feeling the deep grief that threatens to overcome them. After doing the Elisha series, I thought it best to refocus our thoughts on what we have gained in the midst of our loss. These are the “precious” things of life. When we think about things that are “precious” we usually think about cute and cuddly things. Children, pets, and stuffed animals come to my mind. But the psalmist tells us that the death of God’s people, something that’s far from “cuddly,” is also precious in God’s sight. In other words, God not only provides an eternal solution to our sin problem but he is also particularly present and helpful through the dying process and provides strength for all who are directly affected. Some people are often amazed when they realize how much bad news I have heard in a typical day as a counselor. There are those who are struggling with broken relationships, deteriorating health, and financial setbacks that are overwhelming. One spouse, as she sat opposite her unfaithful husband, wept as she softly said to him, “How could you have done this to our children and me?” So many people see this ministry as one that has to be so depressing! I wouldn’t be truthful if I said it doesn’t affect me or that it was an easy job that one gets used to. Yet even in the darkest hours of death and loss, God’s promises and presence endure. Death brings us face to face with difficult issues and deep emotions. In the next few days I want to address some of them in the Morning Devotionals. I hope you will find help and hope. Whether you are dealing with loss now or later, it’s something we all face. God’s Word speaks to us and reminds us that he is faithful and will be with us until the end. I hope you will learn to relegate those unanswerable questions to that category of “things to ask when I get there.” Rest in the unchanging nature of our heavenly Father. You will not be disappointed.

Elisha - Pt 10

A man came from Baal-shalishah, bringing the man of God bread of the firstfruits, twenty loaves of barley and fresh ears of grain in his sack. And Elisha said, “Give to the men, that they may eat.” But his servant said, “How can I set this before a hundred men?” So he repeated, “Give them to the men, that they may eat, for thus says the LORD, ‘They shall eat and have some left.’” So he set it before them. And they ate and had some left, according to the word of the LORD. (2 Kings 4:42-44 ESV). This story follows right on the heels of yesterday’s devotional. I hope you will go back and read it if you haven’t already done so. Apparently, the famine is lifting in certain parts of the country, because some farmer has been blessed with a harvest, and has brought the first fruits to the man of God as a way of acknowledging that God is the one who blesses the earth to produce food. Elisha acknowledges the man’s faith by putting it to a further test, instructing him to use it to feed the multitude of hungry people gathered on the hillside. He simply says, “Give it to the people to eat” (v. 43). Again we have a foreshadowing of the events of Jesus’ earthly ministry. Centuries later, as thousands of people gathered to hear Jesus teach on the hillside by the Sea of Galilee, Jesus would echo these words in a similar situation. After the disciples come to him and ask him to let the people go since they have nothing to feed them with, Jesus says, “You give them something to eat.” (cf. Mark 6:37). In both situations they are astonished that they would be asked to accomplish such a great task. “How?” they cry. In response, Elisha testifies to the deepest truth of all: the flourishing abundance of Genesis 1-2 did not die in Genesis 3. God is still God, Elisha says, and is capable of taking a humble offering of bread and transforming it into a manna-on-the-Sabbath-like feast that meets both hunger and hope’s deepest longings. They will eat and have some left over. Elisha wants everyone to realize that the fundamental state of creation is abundance. God has declared that “they will eat and have some left over.” This is Jesus’ message throughout his ministry. God’s supply is not limited by either our weakness or his unwillingness. God is willing. In fact, God has already supplied our abundance. There is nothing lacking in the work of Christ. The Apostle Paul details this incredible gift of grace and restoration in his letter to the Roman Christians. Whatever we need is supplied in Christ; whatever we lack is more than given in Christ. I find it interesting that we so often fail to understand the limitless abundance we have in Christ. When our circumstance overwhelms, understand that you can go on. You can take the next step. You can see it through to the glorious end God has already provided and guaranteed to you through Jesus. Take heart today. The end of the story has been written; and, it’s a good ending for the child of God!

Elisha - Pt 9

And Elisha came again to Gilgal when there was a famine in the land. And as the sons of the prophets were sitting before him, he said to his servant, “Set on the large pot, and boil stew for the sons of the prophets.” One of them went out into the field to gather herbs, and found a wild vine and gathered from it his lap full of wild gourds, and came and cut them up into the pot of stew, not knowing what they were. And they poured out some for the men to eat. But while they were eating of the stew, they cried out, “O man of God, there is death in the pot!” And they could not eat it. He said, “Then bring flour.” And he threw it into the pot and said, “Pour some out for the men, that they may eat.” And there was no harm in the pot. (2 Kings 4:38-41 ESV). This story in our reading today is one of the most enigmatic in Elisha ministry. There was a famine and he and his disciples were hungry. They needed to forage for some food. That was a common practice in his day. They went out into the fields and gathered what they thought would be edible plants. No one had any idea they might kill the entire community. However, as soon as they tasted it they recognized the peril of eating it. It was deadly. They probably had found some of the wild desert gourds, or colocynth. The seeds inside the ripe gourd are edible after they are completely separated from the very bitter pulp. They are somewhat bitter themselves but rich in fat and protein. The flowers are also edible. The succulent stem tips can be chewed to obtain water; however, the fruit is a powerful laxative and can cause violent stomach cramps if ingested. This can even cause death. As this story describes it, creation after the Fall is a long way from the Garden. Now the earth experiences famine and produces food that brings death instead of life. In a fallen world our hopes and expectations fall desperately short of reality. We taste the physical and communal consequences of radical disruption in creation. The question raised is this: Are the gifts of creation good enough to sustain God’s people? Into this context Elisha manifests God’s abundant grace and providential care yet again. With a flick of the wrist, flour transforms the deadly stew into a life-sustaining meal. But the community is required to trust this is so before any evidence supports it. “Serve it to the people and let them eat,” Elisha says, after they have all cried, “Death in the pot!” In the end, God’s goodness prevails, death is defeated, the poison is undone, and the people eat and are satisfied. It is another illustration of the wonder of the work of Christ. Crucified, placed in a borrowed tomb, he defeats death forever in the resurrection! When our enemy tries to instill fear in us from any quarter, our answer is always that God has already secured the victory. Trust Him!

Elisha - Pt 8

Now the wife of one of the sons of the prophets cried to Elisha, “Your servant my husband is dead, and you know that your servant feared the LORD, but the creditor has come to take my two children to be his slaves.” And Elisha said to her, “What shall I do for you? Tell me; what have you in the house?” And she said, “Your servant has nothing in the house except a jar of oil.” Then he said, “Go outside, borrow vessels from all your neighbors, empty vessels and not too few. Then go in and shut the door behind yourself and your sons and pour into all these vessels. And when one is full, set it aside.” So she went from him and shut the door behind herself and her sons. And as she poured they brought the vessels to her. When the vessels were full, she said to her son, “Bring me another vessel.” And he said to her, “There is not another.” Then the oil stopped flowing. She came and told the man of God, and he said, “Go, sell the oil and pay your debts, and you and your sons can live on the rest.” (2 Kings 4:1-7 ESV). Most of the global economy is dependent on petroleum or its refined products to a great extent. This has steadily increased in the industrial era. We use some product of oil on a daily basic. Even if you do not use gasoline in any mechanical way, there are many other ways that oil affects our lives. If you are one of those folks stricken with seasonal allergies and you take antihistamine, you use petroleum; if you have carpet or wear synthetic sweaters, you use petroleum; or even if you happen to play some sport that uses an inflatable ball, you use petroleum. There are literally thousands of products that are produced from petroleum. The modern industrialized West is not the only “oil economy” history has known. In fact, many ancient cultures, Israel included, put a premium on oil. The difference is that our oil is petroleum based and theirs was taken from the olive. One of my seminary professors once said: “To Israel, olive oil was seen as a distillation of the glory of God in a jar.” The glory of the sun fell down from heaven on the tree, empowering its growth. The glory of the heavens fell down as rain, nourishing its budding fruit. The glory of the tree fell to the earth in the form of olives. When pressed, the glory of the olives was released in its most concentrated form. This glory of the olive tree, oil, was used for cooking, healing, and burning in lamps. Olive oil literally sustained the life of the community by feeding them, healing their wounds, and lighting their homes. Elisha was sensitive to the spiritual power of oil. When the widow revealed to him that she had a jar of oil, Elisha foresaw what God could do with it. Elisha knew the power that animated the oil was ultimately the power of God and that nothing, not the greatness of her need, not the emptiness of the vessels, not the threat of enslavement, not the small faith she possessed could prevent the power of God from moving in accordance with his purposes. What a lesson for us today! It is not what we do, but what God will do that makes the difference! There is the cornerstone of our hope. Our assurance rests in Him and nothing and no one else.

Elisha - Pt 7

Now the wife of one of the sons of the prophets cried to Elisha, “Your servant my husband is dead, and you know that your servant feared the LORD, but the creditor has come to take my two children to be his slaves.” And Elisha said to her, “What shall I do for you? Tell me; what have you in the house?” And she said, “Your servant has nothing in the house except a jar of oil.” Then he said, “Go outside, borrow vessels from all your neighbors, empty vessels and not too few. Then go in and shut the door behind yourself and your sons and pour into all these vessels. And when one is full, set it aside.” So she went from him and shut the door behind herself and her sons. And as she poured they brought the vessels to her. When the vessels were full, she said to her son, “Bring me another vessel.” And he said to her, “There is not another.” Then the oil stopped flowing. She came and told the man of God, and he said, “Go, sell the oil and pay your debts, and you and your sons can live on the rest.” (2 Kings 4:1-7 ESV). Yesterday we learned about the emptying power of death that wreaked havoc on this nameless widow’s life. Her cupboards, her heart, her bed, and her future are all empty. But she doesn’t sit down and give up, or wait for death to come and take her life as well. Instead, she cries out to Elisha, the man of God. Elisha represented the presence of God on earth and stood as the one in whom heaven and earth overlapped. In calling to him this woman cried out to God. The Hebrew word translated “cried out” is tsa’aqah (tsa-ah-QAH). It suggests the kind of visceral, desperate cry you would expect from someone in great pain or difficulty. A text in Exodus resonates deeply with today’s passage: “You shall not ill-treat any widow or orphan. If you do mistreat them, I will heed their outcry as soon as they cry out to Me” (cf. Exodus 22:21-22. Both “outcry” and “cry out” are this very word: tsa’aqah. The story of the widow’s oil is evidence that God is true to his word: he hears the cries of the vulnerable and weak, the oppressed and the downtrodden, and he will rise in love to lift them up so that they can testify with the psalmist: The LORD sets the prisoners free; the LORD opens the eyes of the blind. The LORD lifts up those who are bowed down; the LORD loves the righteous. The LORD watches over the sojourners; he upholds the widow and the fatherless, but the way of the wicked he brings to ruin. (Psalm 146:7-9 ESV). Today, if you happen to be in a situation that could be described as tsa’aqah, rest assured that Jesus has been there as well. He understands and in his empathetic response of grace, will indeed love you and walk with you to the end. His comfort is eternal and complete in every way. There will never be a time that you will be abandoned in your trial. That’s really good news!

Elisha - Pt 6

Now the wife of one of the sons of the prophets cried to Elisha, “Your servant my husband is dead, and you know that your servant feared the LORD, but the creditor has come to take my two children to be his slaves.” And Elisha said to her, “What shall I do for you? Tell me; what have you in the house?” And she said, “Your servant has nothing in the house except a jar of oil.” Then he said, “Go outside, borrow vessels from all your neighbors, empty vessels and not too few. Then go in and shut the door behind yourself and your sons and pour into all these vessels. And when one is full, set it aside.” So she went from him and shut the door behind herself and her sons. And as she poured they brought the vessels to her. When the vessels were full, she said to her son, “Bring me another vessel.” And he said to her, “There is not another.” Then the oil stopped flowing. She came and told the man of God, and he said, “Go, sell the oil and pay your debts, and you and your sons can live on the rest.” (2 Kings 4:1-7 ESV). This story is a roller-coaster ride of emotions, beginning in the depths of human tragedy. A father dies before his time, leaving a widow and two young children helpless and vulnerable, and ending with the soaring declaration: you and your sons can live (v. 7). However, before this incredible declaration is spoken there is a long period of profound difficulty. After all, this is a story about death and life. It is also a story about power; which has more power, life or death? Death is presented as an insatiable force, literally eating the woman out of house and home, leaving her cupboards, her table, her bank account, her bedroom, and even her future empty. It seems to most people that death isn’t satisfied until it has taken everything a person has. Death took from this woman the resources required for her to live, and now through the debt collector it also threatened to rob her of her last remaining joy and the source of her hope, her children. But in this story, as in so many other stories in the Bible, death does not get the last word. In fact, almost the last word in the story is “live.” Through the ministry of Elisha, God has transformed the woman’s fortunes from death to life. We are compelled to ask with the apostle Paul, “O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?” (cf. 1 Corinthians 15:55). This story testifies that with God life is more powerful than death. Elisha learns an incredible truth through this mighty miracle. Life wins! I have often wondered as I have ministered to grief stricken families if there wasn’t some way to ease the burden and pain of their minds. It seems though we know the end is one of victory, the pain overwhelms our sensibility and our emotions drive us to feel the pain of death. While I know that both experientially and intellectually, I also know that is not what Jesus died to give us. Don’t misunderstand. I am not saying that grief is somehow wrong; what I am saying is that feeling is not the end of the story. God has written a story of victory over death forever and sealed it in the resurrection of His Son. Be comforted in that undeniable, unshakeable truth! Life wins!

Elisha - Pt 5

When they had crossed, Elijah said to Elisha, “Ask what I shall do for you, before I am taken from you.” And Elisha said, “Please let there be a double portion of your spirit on me.” And he said, “You have asked a hard thing; yet, if you see me as I am being taken from you, it shall be so for you, but if you do not see me, it shall not be so.” And as they still went on and talked, behold, chariots of fire and horses of fire separated the two of them. And Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven. And Elisha saw it and he cried, “My father, my father! The chariots of Israel and its horsemen!” And he saw him no more. Then he took hold of his own clothes and tore them in two pieces. (2 Kings 2:9-12 ESV). I have distant cousins who are world famous bakers. The Termini Brothers Bakery, based in Philadelphia is known for their Italian pastries, breads, and especially cannoli. We had the opportunity to stay in Philadelphia not long ago in the hotel just across from one of their locations. Each morning I would walk across the street as soon as they were open and get Mary a fresh muffin and a box of cannolis. Of course, I couldn’t eat just one! I had to have my “double-portion.” That’s the sort of thing we think of when we read about the “double portion.” But this is to misunderstand our story. When Elisha asked for a “double portion” of Elijah’s spirit, he was not asking for twice as much spirit as Elijah had. Rather, this phrase has to do with inheritance. Fathers would divide their property equally among all their sons but would add an extra “portion.” So if they had four sons, they would divide their property into five shares. The eldest son would get the “double portion,” to which he was entitled by birth. So Elisha doesn’t ask Elijah for twice as much divine power as he had. He’s asking Elijah to consider him his eldest son and to give him the inheritance set apart for the heir. We too have received the “double portion” of God’s Spirit and are co-heirs with Christ. This is the incredible picture of just one of the amazing things about the gift of God through the work of Christ in our being adopted and becoming children of God. Though Jesus is the only rightful heir, the first-born, he has given to us a “double-portion.” This extends into every part of the blessing and benefit of being a child of God. He withholds nothing from us; and, nothing can separate us from that blessing. Typically this is most important to me when I am facing some difficulty or challenge in life. You may be in that position today. It may be in a relationship, your health, or financial in nature. Whatever you are facing you can be assured of the having the full attention and resource of God himself to face it with. Take that next step knowing that you can trust him to deliver you safely to your journey’s end. He will see you through victoriously.

Elisha - Pt 4

When they had crossed, Elijah said to Elisha, “Ask what I shall do for you, before I am taken from you.” And Elisha said, “Please let there be a double portion of your spirit on me.” And he said, “You have asked a hard thing; yet, if you see me as I am being taken from you, it shall be so for you, but if you do not see me, it shall not be so.” And as they still went on and talked, behold, chariots of fire and horses of fire separated the two of them. And Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven. And Elisha saw it and he cried, “My father, my father! The chariots of Israel and its horsemen!” And he saw him no more. Then he took hold of his own clothes and tore them in two pieces. And he took up the cloak of Elijah that had fallen from him and went back and stood on the bank of the Jordan. Then he took the cloak of Elijah that had fallen from him and struck the water, saying, “Where is the LORD, the God of Elijah?” And when he had struck the water, the water was parted to the one side and to the other, and Elisha went over. Now when the sons of the prophets who were at Jericho saw him opposite them, they said, “The spirit of Elijah rests on Elisha.” And they came to meet him and bowed to the ground before him. And they said to him, “Behold now, there are with your servants fifty strong men. Please let them go and seek your master. It may be that the Spirit of the LORD has caught him up and cast him upon some mountain or into some valley.” And he said, “You shall not send.” But when they urged him till he was ashamed, he said, “Send.” They sent therefore fifty men. And for three days they sought him but did not find him. And they came back to him while he was staying at Jericho, and he said to them, “Did I not say to you, ‘Do not go’?” (2 Kings 2:9-18 ESV). The Hebrew language is as different from English as any two languages can be. The structure of its grammar, the ways that words connect to make meaning, and even the range of meaning of individual words make reading the Hebrew Bible a profoundly cross-cultural experience. Not to mention a perennial challenge for translators! One passage that has confounded translators for centuries has to do with how many times Elisha strikes the waters of the Jordan River. The confusion is created by a peculiar grammatical construction in the Hebrew. The act of striking the water is narrated twice, once before and once after Elisha’s cry: “Where is the Lord, the God of Elijah?” (v. 14). The second narration can read either: “When he had struck the waters, they were parted,” or “And again, he struck the waters.” So, did he strike once or twice? Does it matter? It does! If Elisha had to strike twice, this means his first attempt at dividing the waters failed, and he had to call on the name of the Lord and try again. I think Elisha’s first act as a prophet was a failure. The waters did not part for him immediately. But he reoriented himself toward God and tried again, this time with success! Maybe this is a reminder that if we ask for the “double portion” (more on that tomorrow), we should be prepared to persevere even in the face of what seems to be failure.

Elisha- Pt 3

Now when the LORD was about to take Elijah up to heaven by a whirlwind, Elijah and Elisha were on their way from Gilgal. And Elijah said to Elisha, “Please stay here, for the LORD has sent me as far as Bethel.” But Elisha said, “As the LORD lives, and as you yourself live, I will not leave you.” So they went down to Bethel. And the sons of the prophets who were in Bethel came out to Elisha and said to him, “Do you know that today the LORD will take away your master from over you?” And he said, “Yes, I know it; keep quiet.” Elijah said to him, “Elisha, please stay here, for the LORD has sent me to Jericho.” But he said, “As the LORD lives, and as you yourself live, I will not leave you.” So they came to Jericho. The sons of the prophets who were at Jericho drew near to Elisha and said to him, “Do you know that today the LORD will take away your master from over you?” And he answered, “Yes, I know it; keep quiet.” Then Elijah said to him, “Please stay here, for the LORD has sent me to the Jordan.” But he said, “As the LORD lives, and as you yourself live, I will not leave you.” So the two of them went on. Fifty men of the sons of the prophets also went and stood at some distance from them, as they both were standing by the Jordan. Then Elijah took his cloak and rolled it up and struck the water, and the water was parted to the one side and to the other, till the two of them could go over on dry ground. (2 Kings 2:1-8 ESV). I have pastored several churches in the forty-five years of vocational ministry I have had thus far. My last church, Santa Fe Baptist, was one of the most difficult to leave. There were many reasons for that. We had many friends in that fellowship; we felt a part of the fabric of the community. While we still have those friends the separation of geography makes it more difficult to stay in touch. One of the things that has made it easier is the warm welcome we have received from family and friends in Texas. One of the first weeks we were back I was able to spend time with several folks who had been friends here just as those in Middle Tennessee were. It has made me reconsider the transitions of life much more than ever before. Transitions are never easy. Elijah takes his job as God’s prophet with ferocious seriousness; he doesn’t want the mantle dropped. Elisha, likewise, is serious about becoming a prophet but doesn’t know what it is like to bear the title: “Man of God.” Ultimately it is God who ensures the successful succession of the prophetic ministry in Israel. After Elijah’s dazzling departure, Elisha picked up his mantle. He didn’t sulk, he wasn’t paralyzed by anxiety; he simply took up where his mentor left off and headed back to the Jordan. It was now his responsibility to lead God’s people “further up and further in” to God’s preferred future. But the mantle didn’t only fall from Elijah. Eventually it would fall from Elisha too and be taken up by another prophet. These transitions have been a part of our lives for centuries, and through Christ we all must accept our role in taking up the next part of our journey in a way that will point people to Christ.

Elisha - Pt 2

O LORD, how manifold are your works! In wisdom have you made them all; the earth is full of your creatures. Here is the sea, great and wide, which teems with creatures innumerable, living things both small and great. There go the ships, and Leviathan, which you formed to play in it. These all look to you, to give them their food in due season. When you give it to them, they gather it up; when you open your hand, they are filled with good things. When you hide your face, they are dismayed; when you take away their breath, they die and return to their dust. When you send forth your Spirit, they are created, and you renew the face of the ground. (Psalm 104:24-30 ESV). For those of you who have known me for any time at all, you know that I am not a picky eater with one absolute exception. I never eat tuna. That has caused all sorts of issues through the years. Some folks can’t understand my aversion to such a staple. Without going into any detail, suffice it to say I would need to be in dire need of food before I would eat any form of that fish. Things were a bit different in the day of Elisha. You and I rarely go a day without food; however, it was not so for the people of Israel. Food was something they never took for granted. The food they ate was the food they raised. Famines were a common feature of life for all ancient peoples. In light of this, it is not surprising that Israel saw the provision of food as a tangible means of God’s loving presence. Our reading today celebrates that provision and blessing. In today’s passage, Elisha makes a meal, a sacrificial meal, before he runs off to minister to Elijah. Elisha feeds “the people” the meat of two oxen. Later in the cycle he removes a deadly poison from a stew and multiplies loaves. As we study the life and ministry of Elisha, it is easy to see how his character and works resemble many of the features of the ministry of our Lord. The story of the man from Baal-shalishah is very similar to the feeding of the 5,000 or the miracle of the multiplication of the loaves and fish. The famine that existed in the preceding story of the poisonous pottage is still in effect in this event (cf. 2 Kings 4:38-41). There the emphasis was on the flour which nullified the poisonous pottage, a picture of the Lord Jesus and His Word, the only antidote to the various poisons of the world. As the disciples were to learn from the feeding of the five thousand, so here we have a group of prophets gathered together around Elisha because it was to these men that God had given the responsibility of carrying His Word to an idolatrous nation. This was a difficult, if not impossible task apart from the divine enablement of God. They would face personal hardships, persecutions, times of want, and many other difficulties for which only God was adequate. In this text, they were called on to believe God and trust Him for all their needs and responsibilities. It was another example of how trusting the Lord never disappoints. He will not fail to provide all we need.

Elisha - Pt 1

And the LORD said to him, “Go, return on your way to the wilderness of Damascus. And when you arrive, you shall anoint Hazael to be king over Syria. And Jehu the son of Nimshi you shall anoint to be king over Israel, and Elisha the son of Shaphat of Abel-meholah you shall anoint to be prophet in your place. And the one who escapes from the sword of Hazael shall Jehu put to death, and the one who escapes from the sword of Jehu shall Elisha put to death. Yet I will leave seven thousand in Israel, all the knees that have not bowed to Baal, and every mouth that has not kissed him.” So he departed from there and found Elisha the son of Shaphat, who was plowing with twelve yoke of oxen in front of him, and he was with the twelfth. Elijah passed by him and cast his cloak upon him. And he left the oxen and ran after Elijah and said, “Let me kiss my father and my mother, and then I will follow you.” And he said to him, “Go back again, for what have I done to you?” And he returned from following him and took the yoke of oxen and sacrificed them and boiled their flesh with the yokes of the oxen and gave it to the people, and they ate. Then he arose and went after Elijah and assisted him. (1 Kings 19:15-21 ESV). Today we begin a short series dealing with the prophet Elisha. The cycle of stories dedicated to the prophet Elisha in the opening chapters of 2 Kings is fascinating. Every story is full of meaning, nuance, and paradox; each one reveals something profound about God’s power, purposes, and presence in this world he so deeply loves. The cycle, taken as a whole, stands as a testimony to the truth that Abraham Joshua Heschel declares in his landmark study The Prophets. He wrote: “There is a living God who cares.” In the story immediately preceding today’s reading we find Elijah depressed and despondent, on the run, and complaining to God. It was a quick descent from the heights he experienced 40 days earlier when he defeated and destroyed the prophets of Baal on Mt. Carmel. But here, on the mountain with God, Elijah thinks he’s the only prophet left, the only Israelite still faithful to God. God is patient in dealing with him. He takes him to the “cleft of the rock” and shows him the incredible grace and mercy that only comes from a God who delivers his only begotten Son to redeem man. God has a way of breaking through Elijah’s false pride and narrow sense of reality. God reminds Elijah that he is not alone and that God’s purposes are larger than Elijah’s life and ministry. Anoint Elisha in your place. The prophetic work will not cease with Elijah but will continue on in the ministry of Elisha. Over the next few days we will look closely and carefully at Elisha’s ministry. We will discover that the God who revealed himself through Elisha is the same God who is at work in and through us today. Please be encouraged that regardless of where you find yourself in your journey, God has not forgotten or forsaken you. He has provided you with great grace that only leads to victory.

Thinking About Home

The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD forever. (Psalm 23 ESV). One of the surprising things about moving back to Texas is the feeling that we have come home. This is the area we have spent the most time in, but it certainly is not “home.” Familiarity can be deceptive at times. And, even though much has changed in the area over the last decade, there are still those reminders of what once was. It feels familiar and comfortable. That deception can rob one of a great hope. David makes mention of this in our reading today. I love Isaac Watts’ paraphrase of Psalm 23: “My Shepherd will Supply my Need.” He says of the last verse: The sure provisions of my God Attend me all my days; O may Thy house be my abode, And all my work be praise. There would I find a settled rest, While others go and come; No more a stranger, nor a guest, But like a child at home. God’s presence is described as a safe sanctuary, a home where a beloved child rests in the secure knowledge of God’s love and care. Unlike a stranger or a guest, he can let his guard down and simply be himself. Home is where we know we belong. Whether your childhood home was a stable place where you felt safe and loved, or a place filled with fear or sadness, you probably recall yearning for a sense of belonging, of being wanted, of being loved unconditionally. You probably still want that. We carry remnants of our childhood yearnings, whether fulfilled or unfulfilled, throughout our lives. Whether they’re our wounds or our triumphs, we may spend a lifetime trying to heal or to make sense of them. God wants to be home for you wherever you go. God is the dwelling place where you are known, where you can discover wholeness in the midst of brokenness. May you know the deep love of the Lord who provides, protects, and consoles, and who always leaves the light on to welcome you back. The wonder of it all is that we have Him now and forever.

My Inmost Parts

For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother's womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well. My frame was not hidden from you, when I was being made in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them. (Psalm 139:13-16 ESV). I hope today’s devotional will much more inspirational than maudlin; however, it does deal with the truth that all of us are fearfully and wonderfully made. Some of that wonder is to be found in the process of aging. When we moved back to Texas one of the first trips I took was to see both my brothers. One is older than I and the other younger. To me we all look old! I had not seen them for a while, though we talk often. The drive with my younger brother was about five hours, so we had ample opportunity to catch up on all the family news. Spending the weekend with our older brother gave us a chance to do the same with him. My conclusion was that we are indeed aging. Some of that is graceful and some is not so graceful. With each of us having had some sort of major illness to deal with in the last few years, each with their continued residual effects, I decided we really aren’t as strong as we once were. That brought me to our reading today. This psalm beautifully describes how we are designed and sustained by a loving Creator. It can evoke pain, though, for those who struggle with a loved one’s physical challenges. I know that while my mind knows what to do, my body simply doesn’t follow directions very well. I want to be able to walk as fast as some others; however, there are times when a “shuffle” is my top speed! Of course, I would never want to give the impression that my situation is nearly as difficult as so many others, but it has changed with the years. My encouragement comes in knowing that this is God’s plan for me. That’s the real truth that sets us free from the deterioration of age. God knows us intimately even before we are formed: “your eyes saw my unformed substance.” This doesn’t resolve the questions of why things unfold as they do, questions we or our loved ones may struggle with when facing physical or cognitive losses. But it does reveal that God is steadfast and present to us through all of it. Our bodies are the physical expression of who we are, but they do not tell the whole story. Every one of us bears God’s image, no matter what circumstances shape our bodily lives. And as anyone whose life has been impacted by a special needs child or adult can tell you, a person does not need to have full physical or cognitive abilities, or even a long life, in order to make a meaningful mark on the world.

The Winning Sound

Make a joyful noise to the LORD, all the earth! Serve the LORD with gladness! Come into his presence with singing! Know that the LORD, he is God! It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture. Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise! Give thanks to him; bless his name! For the LORD is good; his steadfast love endures forever, and his faithfulness to all generations. (Psalm 100 ESV). I read all kinds of crazy little surveys. Please don’t think that any of them are particularly “scientific” or accurate for that matter. They are merely interesting. One I saw not long ago was from a study designed to measure the joy that listeners experienced when they heard various sounds. I have no clue why the study was commissioned, nor do I know how it was conducted; however, the results were revealing. Of all the sounds that were played for the sample group of adults in the study, the winning sound was that of a child laughing. It was greater than any of the various kinds of music, the various sounds of birds chirping and singing, and even more pleasurable than the sound of ocean waves rolling into the shoreline. Perhaps it only further shows evidence that human beings are God’s best handiwork in the created world. That thought took me to our reading today. It is a classic psalm of thanksgiving. Further, it reminded me that the joyful movements described in it come alive when we see children captivated by music and singing, praising God through the irrepressible urge to dance with delight. They are blissfully free of the self- consciousness that limits the expressiveness of most of us who are older. The noise of children isn’t always delightful, of course, and those who spend time around adolescents might note that their musical preferences are not necessarily filled with joyful praise. However, whether it is a song of joy on our lips, a lament of confusion or pain, or even a cry for help, our voices are heard by our compassionate God who remains steadfast from generation to generation. Even when one generation struggles just to find a basic understanding of another, Christ holds it all together, assuring us that God understands our deepest hopes and biggest fears. The life of Jesus, his death and resurrection invites us into the embrace of a God whose love can transform and redeem us beyond our imagination. Perhaps you are too inhibited to break out into the kind of song described by the psalmist in public. Well, find a private place and make your joyful noise. I’m not talking about a giggle or a chuckle. Give yourself the wonderful medicine of a good old fashioned belly laugh. After all, what is there that can threaten our good He is working together on our behalf? Give it a try and see if you don’t do better.

God Bending Down

Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. And when they saw him they worshiped him, but some doubted. And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” (Matthew 28:16-20 ESV). I get an opportunity to be around children a lot. Some would say it keeps me young, others say it only ages me more. I have found it to be some of both at times, and always a learning lesson in the making! One of the classic stories comes from a little girl on our soccer team. She and her preschool brother were walking up to the practice field and the little boy was toddling beside her trying to jump up to something she was holding high above her head and well out of his reach. When she came on to the field, I asked her what he was doing. She responded, “Oh, he wanted to have some of my candy.” I asked her what she was doing and she replied, “He can’t jump very high, so I always hold it up higher than he can jump until he gives up.” From simple tasks like holding a spoon or taking a step to more advanced accomplishments like speaking, reading, or playing a musical instrument, human beings learn as they grow. Everything has to be learned. Spiritual growth, too, must be nurtured and learned over a lifetime. We simply aren’t born knowing how to be followers of Christ. Shaping a child to be generous and loving requires effort and patience. These things have to be learned. Most of us are still at it. Attaining the “measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ” (cf. Ephesians 4:13) is a journey; and, like growing from infancy to adulthood, discipleship doesn’t have shortcuts. It takes time, we all need help, and there will be mistakes. There is no age requirement to being reborn. It’s amazing and mysterious. No wonder Nicodemus was puzzled when Jesus told him to be born again, not through his mother’s womb but by water and the Spirit (cf. John 3:1-8). Thank goodness God loves us and works through us whether we’re rookies or seasoned disciples. He does not hold up the treat higher, keeping it just out of our reach. He bends down to make sure it is easily within our capacity to attain it. That’s our example of discipleship with our children and others. It really isn’t as difficult as it might seem. After all, we only need teach what we have already learned. God does not expect us to teach what we don’t yet know. He does expect us to share with others the lessons we have already experienced. Some of those may not yet be finished lessons. They still may be great learning tools. Make it your priority to bend down like Jesus and give to others what he has given you.

Like a Small Child

And they were bringing children to him that he might touch them, and the disciples rebuked them. But when Jesus saw it, he was indignant and said to them, “Let the children come to me; do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of God. Truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it.” And he took them in his arms and blessed them, laying his hands on them. (Mark 10:13-16 ESV). Today we turn our attention to one of my favorite scenes from the ministry of Jesus. It is easy to picture the experience in comparison to a Sunday morning at most churches. The disciples in this scene are acting as very well-intentioned, sincerely wanting to keep distractions away from whatever important things Jesus is doing or saying. They remind me of dedicated ushers trying their best to minimize disruptions in a worship service, or disapproving people in the pew frowning at parents trying to deal with a wailing infant or a fidgety toddler during a sermon. The disciples only want to ensure that Jesus’ ministry doesn’t get derailed by interruptions. What they don’t realize is that the children are not an interruption. They are the ministry. They embody the very message Jesus is trying to get across. As his arms reach out to gather the children, he enacts his message of good news, aiming it precisely at those who lived on the edges of society, powerless and voiceless. This is no baby-kissing photo op like those staged by politicians. Jesus mysteriously tells his listeners that they all must receive the kingdom as a child. The kingdom is offered to those who don’t have any inside connections to rely on, those who would be brushed aside by much of the world. It’s for the curious and inquisitive. It’s for people who make no pretense of being able to earn it for themselves. It’s for those who will ask “why,” and seek understanding. It’s for all who can receive such an undeserved gift with sheer gratitude. Somehow we lose those things as we grow older. Something as simple as the smell of a spring rain becomes lost in the inconvenience of the rain to our schedule; or, the incessant questioning of a child becomes an interruption to our thoughts or immediate goal. I have found that just slowing down enough to allow myself the luxury of recognizing that my schedule is not always God’s schedule has brought an enormous amount of peace. Maybe it’s the transitional period I am in right now. We’re really not fully settled. We have moved back to Texas, but are living with our oldest son and his family until the house is finished. It has been the motivation to just roll with the changes. I am beginning to think that’s all God really wanted me to see again anyway. There is no great lesson here. It is the simplicity of adopting the attitude of a child and going with the flow all around me. You know, I am finding that a much better place to be. My encouragement to you is to recapture the wonder of childhood in the midst of the complex world of schedules, deadlines, and stress you live within.

Taking a Hike Together

And when they had performed everything according to the Law of the Lord, they returned into Galilee, to their own town of Nazareth. And the child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom. And the favor of God was upon him. (Luke 2:39-40 ESV). Last Sunday we had a little celebration for David’s birthday. Before they came over for snacks and a relaxing visit, he, Becca, and Maggie went to the Dinosaur State Park in Glen Rose, Texas to hike some of the trails. The picture of David and Maggie walking up one of the trails is such an incredible illustration of the life of Christ. David is having no difficulty negotiating the trail, but he waits on Maggie to toddle along at her on speed. He is letting her grow into a great stride as she grows into her full height as an adult. That takes time and paitience. I have seen this in many other situations. When Faith and Logan were born, over twelve years ago, the first time I saw them was in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. Together we marveled at the tiny, new lives in front of us; they were after all a mere 4 pounds each. However, looking at them now you would never know they were so tiny then. Often Christian parents ask me to pray for their new baby. I find it so powerful to call to mind the image of Jesus coming to this world as a baby. It is an image bursting with the conviction that God intimately understands all of human life. He does not do this from afar, or even just from the perspective of Creator, but because God entered history in the same way each one of us does, as a baby. I marvel at what that says about the character of our God. Of all the “incarnations” God could have picked, God chose to become a baby. God didn’t skip over the processes of gestation, infancy, and childhood development. There is no point on the trajectory of the human lifespan that God has not experienced and understood. From birth to death, God claims solidarity with us, making each step sacred on the developmental journey. Our God is a God who joins us, and whose fullness was pleased to dwell among us, even in the messiness, danger, and fragility of an infant’s body That’s especially comforting to me now as I find my mind willing though my body seems to be unable to comply with some of the directives from it. My mind might tell my body that I can still play soccer with the kids; however, my body is shaking its head in utter disbelief! I’m just not as strong as I might have once been. God knows that and empathizes in a way that brings great comfort to me. He has been here too. He takes the hike with me and walks at the pace I am able to toddle.

From the Least to the Most

I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call—one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all. But grace was given to each one of us according to the measure of Christ's gift. (Ephesians 4:1-7 ESV). The English language has many ways to express superlatives. Technically, we would define the comparative superlative as an adjective which compares three or more nouns. This takes the comparison of nouns to the highest degree. An example would be: “My team is the best.” With the end of March Madness we have one college basketball team emerge as the “best.” At least at the time the final game was played Villanova was the best of all the teams in the nation, albeit that decision didn’t finalize until the last half second of the game! They beat North Carolina and were declared the best. Have you noticed how often we compare people as well as things? Sometimes the outcome is based on performance, while other times it is based on other comparatives. These can be age, experience, training, achievements, or any one of many more measurable factors. In regard to this we often assign more importance, authority, and power to adults, particularly those who take on significant leadership responsibilities. However, God’s kingdom simply does not rank people that way. Even, and sometimes especially, those who appear to have no power by the world’s measurements have a crucial role to play in the story God is continuing to weave throughout history. For example, in Christian traditions where we see the practice of baptism after a profession of faith in Christ, this establishes an identity that can emphasize a critical change affecting the rest of life. It emphasizes that baptism is received as a gift, that it isn’t something we achieve on our own. Whether you received that gift as a child or whether you experienced it later in life, your baptismal identity as a Christian, united to Christ in his death and resurrection, is the foundational identity that breathes life into all the other identities and roles you may take on. In this common identity we are equally valuable members of Christ’s body, no matter how many years we’ve lived. Truly, God’s spirit blows where it wishes (cf. John 3:8) and is poured out upon young and old alike (cf. Joel 2:28). What a mystery to behold, that the teenager is equally essential to the kingdom of God as the wisest or most accomplished adult. I like that kind of comparative!

Jumping for Joy!

The LORD your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over you with gladness; he will quiet you by his love; he will exult over you with loud singing. I will gather those of you who mourn for the festival, so that you will no longer suffer reproach. Behold, at that time I will deal with all your oppressors. And I will save the lame and gather the outcast, and I will change their shame into praise and renown in all the earth. At that time I will bring you in, at the time when I gather you together; for I will make you renowned and praised among all the peoples of the earth, when I restore your fortunes before your eyes,” says the LORD. (Zephaniah 3:17-20 ESV). Sometimes I get the opportunity to see God through the eyes of a child. It is an amazing look into the perception of joy and gladness that permeates the character of our heavenly Father. Some time ago I was visiting in the Sunday School class of some preschoolers and I sat in one of the little chairs beside a very intent little girl. As I sat down I asked her to explain her drawing to me. It was a colorful drawing that was more scribble than portrait, but as she began to talk I was amazed at her insight. She started with a figure. “That’s God,” she said. “What’s God doing?” I asked. “Jumping up and down,” she said. Then she drew something underneath God. “That’s a trampoline,” she said. Then, off to the side, she had drawn another figure. “That’s me,” she said. She had also added a thought bubble by God’s head filled with X’s and O’s. She announced that while God was jumping up and down, God was thinking about her. This little child was latching on to what she was hearing in Bible stories and experiencing through people at church. She was discovering a God who loved her deeply. She was claiming God’s delight over her, and in turn it brought her delight. This was a child’s budding faith at its best, searching and finding a love that is so expressive and undeniable. In her mind’s eye was a vivid portrait of a God who is giddy with love for her, a God who will not forget her. I was reminded of this truth last weekend while at the soccer fields. We were sitting on the sidelines watching another team playing after our game had concluded. They were older players. Suddenly from across the field a little boy of about four or five came trotting across the field during play. He trotted toward us, tears welling up in his eyes, and began to inform us that he was lost. He couldn’t find either his big brother or his mother. As we walked him safely off the field and toward the field where he should have been playing, a woman began to run toward us. As she neared, the little boy began to run toward her and she scooped him up into her arms and danced around in the joy of finding her child who was lost. That’s how it is when the Lord “exults over us with loud singing”! I am not sure whether to be more amazed that I have been redeemed, or that the Lord cared to redeem me in the first place. Either way, I know I am jumping for joy with Him! That’s worth celebrating today!

Spring Days

I will greatly rejoice in the LORD; my soul shall exult in my God, for he has clothed me with the garments of salvation; he has covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decks himself like a priest with a beautiful headdress, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels. For as the earth brings forth its sprouts, and as a garden causes what is sown in it to sprout up, so the Lord GOD will cause righteousness and praise to sprout up before all the nations. (Isaiah 61:10-11 ESV). Mary and I haven’t made the drive down some of the back roads in the Hill Country of Texas yet, though it is scheduled soon. It is springtime in Texas and that means the bluebonnets and Indian paintbrushes are in bloom. The roadsides are covered in a palette of blue and orange wildflowers that can amaze even the most casual of observers. Since moving back to Texas a month ago I have noticed a different kind of beauty than we experienced in Middle Tennessee. There can be no denying the beauty of that area with its own varieties of wild flowers, flowering trees, and the foothills of the Smoky Mountains; however, I must say that God has a way of painting beauty wherever we look. Isaiah takes a moment to use this truth to underscore the absolute declaration of God’s purpose in bringing salvation to His creation in our reading today. I find myself forgetting the wonder of what God has accomplished on our behalf at times through the work of Jesus. This is especially true when things seem to be more difficult than others. I have often called those times the “winter” of our lives. When everything appears to be moving easily through life and we are not facing any challenges, it is then that it seems to be more of the “spring” of life. I am grateful that God brings the “springtime.” Perhaps you are in a time of life that is filled with the challenges of health, relationship, finances, or heartache. Take some time to do an inventory of the blessings God has graciously provided in your life. It is difficult I know. But start with the undeniable truth of eternal life and work your way back to the present. Think of those friends you have known, the people who have been an inspiration to you, or the faithful who look on from heaven waiting for you to join them in a wonderful reunion someday. Look for those moments in your life when God grants a serendipitous encounter with His grace. It may be little more than a kind smile or acknowledgement from a stranger; but, it was a moment that lifted your spirit and gave you a momentary respite from the trial you are walking through. Greatly rejoice in the Lord! He HAS clothed you in the salvation of Christ!

A Time to Rest

Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them. And on the seventh day God finished his work that he had done, and he rested on the seventh day from all his work that he had done. So God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it God rested from all his work that he had done in creation. (Genesis 2:1-3 ESV). For the past few days I have been thinking about work. As human beings we need work; however, we also need rest. Both are central to our humanity. Work and rest are creation gifts from God to provide for our joy and satisfaction in life. Jewish Bible scholar Abraham Heschel agrees when he turns conventional wisdom on its head and says, “The greatest hope for the progress of mankind is the Sabbath.” God worked, and God rested. In so doing he established the cycle of six days of work and one day of rest. We can ignore this cycle, but only to our peril. The creation account provides a divine pattern and ordinance for us. The word Sabbath means to cease from our labors. This is not cessation of all activity but rest from the kind of activity we do the other six days. It does not suggest idleness but employing ourselves in other ways. This may include corporate worship and other direct activities that restore the health of our soul, as well as many other things that provide for the rest God intended for us in life. I remember one of the first Sundays that I pastored at Santa Fe Baptist Church in Middle Tennessee. I had so many opportunities to learn and love while I was there. I am convinced there is not a better community of faith anywhere and miss their fellowship greatly. One of those first Sundays, a good friend, Bucky Rowland and a young boy came in to the service late. They were dressed in camouflage and still had a bit of the woods emanating from their clothing! It was a hoot. After the service, they explained they had been out on the young man’s first deer hunt and killed a deer. Of course, they needed to take care of the initial processing so the meat would not spoil, but that made them a bit late for church. They were both very apologetic. My response was, “I am so glad you took the young man out to experience this part of God’s creation. What a great lesson you have taught!” He did look at me a bit odd; but, that’s all a part of the Sabbath rest. The rhythm of working and resting is built into the creation. We desperately need this Sabbath rest, partly because we are human, and on account of the fall, because we are rebellious sinners. At the heart of the fall was a refusal to accept our humanity, our finiteness. In the Sabbath, we can embrace our humanity and declare our trust in God’s provision. I hope yesterday was that kind of day for you. If not, revisit your need for the recharging of strength and vitality that comes from a Sabbath rest.

Work, a Curse or a Gift?

And to Adam he said, “Because you have listened to the voice of your wife and have eaten of the tree of which I commanded you, ‘You shall not eat of it,’ cursed is the ground because of you; in pain you shall eat of it all the days of your life; thorns and thistles it shall bring forth for you; and you shall eat the plants of the field. By the sweat of your face you shall eat bread, till you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken; for you are dust, and to dust you shall return.” (Genesis 3:17-19 ESV). I have come to realize that retirement is just as much “work” as a full time career. I suppose that’s not true for everyone, but in my case, I have found just as much stuff that needs to be done as before. I can’t say I am disappointed about that. I would not be a good person to just sit around and while away the hours with so much that could be done around me. I suppose my Dad’s early teaching of a strong work ethic has not waned with the years. That realization brings me to a strong principle for us today. Work is a gift of God in creation. Of course, our reading helps us to recognize that the fall introduced frustration into our work. We must be careful to note that the curse God pronounces in Genesis 3 is not on the man but upon the ground. As with everything else, work also has been affected by sin. Yet work does not cease, although now it can involve toil, boredom, frustration, and disappointment. Because work is what it is, some people choose the way of idleness. The apostle Paul had to warn the Thessalonians against the sin of idleness: “‘If a man will not work, he shall not eat.’ We hear that some among you are idle” (cf. 2 Thessalonians 3:10-11). This mistaken reaction to the fallen nature of work leads to a loss of our dignity as God’s image bearers. Because of the seeming futility of work, we are sorely tempted to avoid it. In addition to the loss of dignity, idleness also results in the loss of personal fulfillment and joy, the loss of our sustenance, along with sinful activities that eventually follow. God has made us in his image as workers. When tempted to be idle we need to remember work is not a curse but is something God blesses and sees as good. When tempted to take the easy way of entitlements, we need to remember that work is a gift of God. One last thing is important before we leave this topic. There can be a difference between work and a job. I really don’t have a job anymore. Oh, I do a few things with my writing and still counsel and disciple others; but I am for the most part retired from a job. I still have work to do though. If it is no more than fixing some “secret ingredient pancakes” for my grandchildren before they go off to school, that is a gift of God. Take some time today and think about what God has given your hand to do in the stage of life you find yourself. Have you accepted the joy accompanying that gift; or, are you resentful thinking you have to “work”? Gifts are always more fun!

Happy Birthday, David!

And the Lord said, “Who then is the faithful and wise manager, whom his master will set over his household, to give them their portion of food at the proper time? Blessed is that servant whom his master will find so doing when he comes. Truly, I say to you, he will set him over all his possessions. But if that servant says to himself, ‘My master is delayed in coming,’ and begins to beat the male and female servants, and to eat and drink and get drunk, the master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he does not know, and will cut him in pieces and put him with the unfaithful. And that servant who knew his master's will but did not get ready or act according to his will, will receive a severe beating. But the one who did not know, and did what deserved a beating, will receive a light beating. Everyone to whom much was given, of him much will be required, and from him to whom they entrusted much, they will demand the more. (Luke 12:42-48 ESV). I am always happy to learn from my children. It seems some of the best lessons of all come directly through them. Each of their birthdays is an “excuse” for me to share some of those with you. Today is David’s birthday. Somehow the time has slipped away and he is 37. Since today is a Saturday, he will be working and we will be celebrating tomorrow. You may think that’s awfully unfair for him to have to work on his birthday; however, it is a great lesson in faithful service. Our reading today is from a series of parables Jesus uses to teach stewardship to his disciples. The chief protagonist in this parable is "the faithful and wise manager." The noun is Greek oikonomos, which means "manager of a household or estate. This word is modified by two adjectives. The first adjective is Greek pistos, which is best translated as “faith.” The second adjective is Greek phronimos, which means "pertaining to understanding associated with insight and wisdom.” The steward isn't just anyone, but one whom the master appoints to this leadership function. The main duty mentioned here is to give his fellow servants their food allowance at regular stated intervals. The steward that Jesus holds up for acclaim is not doing something particularly flashy or creative. He is just continuing to do his duty, day after day, without fail, without forgetting, without unexplained lapses. His virtue is faithfulness. You can count on him. Since moving back home I have had the opportunity to visit with David while he is at work. We had some business to attend to and being there in person was an added bonus. Watching him work with those under him was a wonderful example of someone just doing what was faithful. There was never any doubt who was in charge; but, there was always a mutual respect of the things that needed to be done by each person for success to be achieved. That’s a very unusual thing in the car business. I am reminded that whatever position in life I have been given, it is to be discharged with faithfulness, gentleness, and authority. That’s not always an easy balance to achieve. It works where we work, in our homes, and in our relationships at large. Think about how you can be a faithful steward of what God has given you to do today. Regardless of your level of responsibility, this principle applies. And, thanks David for another lesson! Happy Birthday!

That's No Joke!

But on the first day of the week, at early dawn, they went to the tomb, taking the spices they had prepared. And they found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they went in they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. While they were perplexed about this, behold, two men stood by them in dazzling apparel. And as they were frightened and bowed their faces to the ground, the men said to them, “Why do you seek the living among the dead? (Luke 24:1-5 ESV). April Fool’s Day is upon us. It may be of interest for you to know it is an annual spring tradition that originated in France in the mid 1500’s by the decree of either King Charles the IX or Pope Gregory, historians aren’t really sure which one. Back in 16th century France, the new year began on April 1 but then King Charles and Pope Gregory implemented a new “Gregorian” calendar for the Christian world. It switched New Year’s Day from April 1 to January 1. Unfortunately, with communication in those days being without Face Book, IM, or Fox News, many didn’t hear about the change. Others obstinately refused to make the switch. Such backward people came to be labeled “fools” and were made the objects of practical jokes or sent on “fools’ errands.” This harassment evolved over time into the practice of prank-playing on the first day of April. After reading today’s verses, it dawned on me that the angels at the tomb could have been chucking a bit as they said, “Why do you seek the living among the dead?” chuckled. It was as if they were gently rebuking the women for looking for a dead guy in that tomb! Well, it’s no joke… not for them and not for us. Jesus is not among the dead. The resurrection is the cornerstone of our hope and peace. It is interesting that there are countless people today still trying to find Jesus among the dead. They gingerly dig ancient sites around Jerusalem trying to find some bones to prove the existence of Jesus. Can I remind you that it’s not up to you to figure out exactly how the molecular structure of a human body could circumnavigate the atoms of rock. It’s not up to you to reach a certain level of moral behavior or religious understanding to attain heaven. It’s up to Jesus. He did it for you. He is risen. Because Jesus is risen, you know that God has accepted his death as your punishment for guilt. Because Jesus is risen, you know that the greatest powers of evil cannot manipulate you in your weakest moment. Because Jesus is risen, you know that the gates of eternal paradise in heaven have been opened to you and your Christian loved ones who die in the Lord. Some churches still practice an ancient religious custom of gathering on the Sunday after Easter and trading jokes. Stories with unexpected endings, surprise twists, even a sense of humor – to remind each other that in his battle for our souls against the power of sin and Satan, and the finality of death, Jesus had the last laugh. Celebrate Jesus’ resurrection today. Live your resurrection every day. And you’ll be nobody’s fool.