The Tiniest of Prayers

For this reason, because I have heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love toward all the saints, I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers, that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him, having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come. And he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all. (Ephesians 1:15-23 ESV). I have often heard the wisdom of the warning about the subtlety of Satan. One of my favorite quotes comes from Howard Hendricks who said, “He never messes around with the trivial, but goes straight for the crucial: our prayer life.” Hendricks said that Satan had no qualms about Bible study, as long as we were not praying. Nor does Satan quaver when we talk to people about Jesus, as long as we are not praying. Hendricks would have agreed with the old hymnodist William Cowper as he wrote, “Satan trembles when he sees the weakest saint upon their knees.” That’s the impact of our reading today. The apostle Paul prays for Christians to know “the immeasurable greatness of his power for us who believe.” Notice that Paul does not pray that God would give us power, but that we might know the power that is already in us. Paul explains that this power is the very power that raised Jesus from the dead, enthroned Him at God’s right hand, and made Him head over all things “for the church”. It is power “for the church” that God made Christ head over all things. God’s power works in us as we might pray in His powerful name. I like what Kreeft writes about this power: I strongly suspect that if we saw all the difference even the tiniest of our prayers to God make, and all the people those little prayers were destined to affect, and all the consequences of those effects down through the centuries, we would be so paralyzed with awe at the power of prayer that we would be unable to get up off our knees for the rest of our lives. Do not be surprised that Satan attacks your praying. He trembles at the “immeasurable greatness” of God’s power at work in you. Pray today, even the tiniest of prayers!

Cookie Monster

Awake! Why are you sleeping, O Lord? Rouse yourself! Do not reject us forever! Why do you hide your face? Why do you forget our affliction and oppression? For our soul is bowed down to the dust; our belly clings to the ground. Rise up; come to our help! Redeem us for the sake of your steadfast love! (Psalm 44:23-26 ESV).

I have a confession to make. I am the “Cookie Monster.” Anyone in my family will tell you that I cannot resist any cookie. Chocolate chip are the best; but, none are safe from my reach. Mary indulges me by purchasing a package on a regular basis. She also scolds me for not eating them in moderation. I cannot just eat one or two. I have to grab a handful and eat them all in one quick setting. I suppose Oreos are better for me since I at least pull them apart and pretend there are more than there really are. In fact, as I sit and write today’s devotional, I’m also munching through an entire package of Graham Crackers. Please feel free to chasten me as you desire; I deserve nothing less. Also know that it will probably not make any difference in my behavior. I am convinced that I cannot survive without an abundance of cookies! At least there is a spiritual lesson to be learned here other than not practicing this bad habit. We all have what might be called a “spiritual sweet tooth”. That is to say we all crave the spiritual equivalents of cookies for every meal. It is fortunate that the Lord knows better. He knows I need more than cookies in my spiritual life. He knows that my faith needs more than just the mountaintop highs of ecstasy and delight. So in God’s providence He works through the moments like the psalmist experiences in today’s reading. The psalmist declares that he feels as if God has forgotten and forsaken him. It is important to note in this psalm that these feelings do not come from any sin in the psalmist’s life (cf. vv. 17-19). The psalmist says that he feels covered with “deep darkness”. It is that time in his life that he feels the silence of God in a way that appears to suck the very moisture from the earth. It is dry and arid at a time when he is desperate for a drink of water. A. W. Tozer acknowledges this experience and advises “to ignore it or to tell God about it without any sense of guilt.” The effectiveness and reach of your prayers must never be measured by any of your feelings about them. Your faith in God’s goodness and faithfulness will grow as He weans you from too many spiritual cookies. With just a few weeks remaining in Lent, perhaps today would be a good time for you to cry out to the Lord in your distress. Tell him your frustrations and commit yourself to trusting his path for your life. He will work it together for good no matter how bad it looks right now.

The Samaritan Outcast

On the way to Jerusalem he was passing along between Samaria and Galilee. And as he entered a village, he was met by ten lepers, who stood at a distance and lifted up their voices, saying, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us.” When he saw them he said to them, “Go and show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went they were cleansed. Then one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, praising God with a loud voice; and he fell on his face at Jesus' feet, giving him thanks. Now he was a Samaritan. Then Jesus answered, “Were not ten cleansed? Where are the nine? Was no one found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?” And he said to him, “Rise and go your way; your faith has made you well.” (Luke 17:11-19 ESV).

Song of Ascents is a title given to fifteen of the Psalms, 120–134 (119–133 in the Septuagint and the Vulgate), each starting with the ascription Shir Hama'aloth (Hebrew: שִׁיר המַעֲלוֹת‎‎, meaning "Song of the Ascents"). They are also variously called Gradual Psalms, Songs of Degrees, Songs of Steps or Pilgrim Songs. The Songs of Ascents were the pilgrim songs for those traveling Up to Jerusalem. Jesus was traveling along the border between Samaria and Galilee where normally He could Expect Opposition. Typically Jews and Samaritans would have kept separate, but common adversity creates strange fellowship. Outside of the village, ten men with leprosy all Cry Out, “Have Mercy!” Jesus hears their cry, sees them, and tells them to “Go, show yourselves to the priests.” This would have meant something slightly different to the Jews and to the Samaritans. For the Jews, showing themselves to the priests would mean they had been cleansed, so they anticipated healing and went. The Jews present would have viewed the Samaritan as doubly unworthy, first because he was a Samaritan, and second because he had leprosy. Leprosy could be cured, one’s ethnicity couldn’t be. To which priest would (or could) the Samaritan go, given that he’d still be considered unclean even if he’d been physically healed? It would have been a logical conundrum: do you go to a Jewish priest as their law required, knowing you might be rejected? Or do you show yourself to a Samaritan priest? Does that count, after all, Jesus—a Jew—said priests (plural)? One thing became clear: Jesus made him clean. So he returns, praising God! Either way, his perspective showed he knew the right answer. The other nine were content following religious procedures. This Samaritan, blessed with leprosy in order to be physically healed by Jesus, receives a further and more significant blessing: saving faith and eternal spiritual healing. “Your faith has made you well,” Jesus says. All of us have been outcasts because of our sin. Jesus has made each of us whole! Easter celebrates that healing!

Cows and Life

But godliness with contentment is great gain, for we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world. But if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content. But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare, into many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs. (1 Timothy 6:6-10 ESV).

Contentment is one of the most valuable gifts of grace. Last week I met David and Becca for lunch. Of course, Maggie was the star attraction for the lunch. We met at a Barbeque restaurant in Ft. Worth that has an outdoor patio and is located on a beautiful spot on the Trinity River. A part of the decorations is a life size statue of a cow. You can see it is a big hit with Maggie. She kept pointing to it and saying “cow.” I took her over and sat her on it to “ride” for a while. I learned a great deal about cows and life. According to Maggie, cows go “mooooooo…” (the emphasis is on the Texas drawl when making that sound). And, as you can see from the picture there is nothing more satisfying for her than riding on top of the cow; and, nothing more satisfying for grandpa than watching her while she does! That’s contentment. I don’t like to think of myself as a malcontent, but sometimes I am. Now, it is true that, like anyone, I have unmet desires, unfulfilled hopes, and unattained dreams; but, that’s not what makes me discontented. The key is in my expectations. This is the emphasis of the apostle in our reading today. Paul says, “But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that.” (1 Timothy 6:6-8). Here is the key: I’m not contented when I expect things out of God that I have no right to expect. God is not obligated to grant my three wishes (or five or one). When I trust God fully to give everything I need to live a life that honors Him, my job is to live that life. He knows what I need. And He knows the desires of my heart. And God is able to make all grace abound to me (cf. 2 Corinthians 9:8). This is godliness with contentment. Not my doubting the resources or the goodness of God. Not my being God’s backseat driver. But trusting Him and taking Him at His word. That may be the most difficult thing about the life of a believer. It is simple trust. It’s not a simple thing to accomplish; but, it is simple rather than complex. It is not full of steps and processes. It is not a protracted chain of sacrificial deeds. It is resting in an absolute knowledge that he will bring good from all things to my life. How’s your contentment?

Birth to Death

For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith. Who is it that overcomes the world except the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God? This is he who came by water and blood—Jesus Christ; not by the water only but by the water and the blood. And the Spirit is the one who testifies, because the Spirit is the truth. For there are three that testify: the Spirit and the water and the blood; and these three agree. If we receive the testimony of men, the testimony of God is greater, for this is the testimony of God that he has borne concerning his Son. Whoever believes in the Son of God has the testimony in himself. Whoever does not believe God has made him a liar, because he has not believed in the testimony that God has borne concerning his Son. And this is the testimony, that God gave us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life. (1 John 5:4-12 ESV).

There’s a question I want us to ponder today as we continue to move through Lent: “If Jesus hadn’t been born as one of us, fully human, would His death have been for us?” Sometimes we can be in such a hurry to get to the empty tomb of Easter that we barely stop long enough at the cradle or the cross to know the importance of His birth or death. Think of the things he did to show his humanity. Look at his baptism by John as an example. Our reading today speaks of this: “This is the one who came by water and blood– Jesus Christ. He did not come by water only, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit who testifies, because the Spirit is the truth. For there are three that testify: the Spirit, the water and the blood; and the three are in agreement” (verses 6-8). Had Jesus come to earth incognito, lived and taught and died—with no baptism, no one knowing He was the Son of God—there would be no identification with us in our sinful lives; and, no identification with us in His death; and, no identification for us in His resurrection. But Jesus loved the Father, obeyed His will, and revealed Him to us. Jesus identified with us through the power of the Spirit during His incarnation. He identified with us in a baptism for sins, ones He never committed, and simultaneously unleashed the Spirit’s conviction upon our sinful state and had the Spirit’s affirmation of Jesus’ divine nature. Therefore, He was revealed as “God with us” in His teachings. And He identified with us on the Cross by paying for our sins. When the Holy Spirit came as Jesus promised, the Spirit testifies, the water of baptism testifies, and the shed blood of Christ testifies that victory is ahead for those who believe this testimony: Jesus is the Son of God.

Touchdown

Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy, to the church of the Thessalonians in God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. We ought always to give thanks to God for you, brothers, as is right, because your faith is growing abundantly, and the love of every one of you for one another is increasing. Therefore we ourselves boast about you in the churches of God for your steadfastness and faith in all your persecutions and in the afflictions that you are enduring. (2 Thessalonians 1:1-4 ESV).

I know it’s not a very good picture, but it is a special one to me. It’s my grandson crossing the goal line for a touchdown in one of his first games. Logan, in Aledo black and orange, was given the ball for an end around to the left. As he took the ball he saw a gap in the middle of the line and cut through the crease outrunning the defenders for a 16 yard dash to the touchdown. I was proud… and cheering loudly! It was fun to watch him celebrate as he ran to the sidelines with teammates giving him high-fives. He was smiling after the game from ear to ear. Everyone likes an “attaboy” from time to time. Being recognized for doing a good job, affirmed in something that we’ve worked hard to accomplish is always a good feeling. That’s what the apostle is doing as he begins his letter to the church at Thessalonica. Our reading is a cheer along the marathon of life to them. We should think about that as we get closer to Easter. With the finish line ahead, sometimes the final lap can feel like such a struggle that if it weren’t for a good coach instilling in us the desire to finish the race, finishing strong would be difficult, if not impossible.The Apostle Paul knows what he’s talking about. Arguably, there have been few who suffered as much as Paul (cf. 2 Corinthians 11:23-12:10). For us, reading the writings of the Apostle Paul can be likened to being coached by the world record holder for endurance in suffering. In these writing he gives us some keys to enduring suffering and being worthy of our calling. They are continually growing in both faith and love. Keep up your pace! No pain, no gain! The hecklers will eventually eat your dust and you will be proven faithful. So Paul calls out some encouragement to finish strong, With this in mind, we constantly pray for you, that our God may count you worthy of his calling, and that by his power he may fulfill every good purpose of yours and every act prompted by your faith (2 Thessalonians 1:11). I hope you’ll spend some time today recognizing that you are closer than ever to crossing the goal line. And you will cross it successfully. Jesus has already opened the crease in the defense and it leads to the touchdown of life! Give yourself a high-five! You’re almost there!

Coffee Beans

Now this I say and testify in the Lord, that you must no longer walk as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their minds. They are darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, due to their hardness of heart. They have become callous and have given themselves up to sensuality, greedy to practice every kind of impurity. But that is not the way you learned Christ!— assuming that you have heard about him and were taught in him, as the truth is in Jesus, to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness. (Ephesians 4:17-24 ESV).

Not long ago I saw a wonderful illustration. The “science guy” placed some coffee beans in the bottom of a glass beaker and poured boiling water in to cover them. As he was talking about the process of “brewing” the coffee, the camera focused on the beaker. As I watched, the water — once clear and pure — began to reveal that the coffee beans were leaching coffee into the water. Clean and clear became stained as the coffee coloration arose from the beans and permeated the water. I must confess I quickly tuned the lesson out as I began to think about how even when we are unaware, a little anger and bitterness can flavor our entire lives. That brought me to our reading today. The apostle encourages us to be careful in our lives, knowing that even a tiny bit of sin will affect our whole life. Like coffee beans in hot water, we can deceive ourselves into believing that sin and anger and bitterness can be contained, compartmentalized, in an otherwise new and spiritual nature. It can’t. Paul goes on to say, “In your anger do not sin. Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold.” (cf. Ephesians 4:26-27). I’m a pretty accurate. To get there it takes practice. Real marksmen get really good at hitting targets, doing damage, perhaps even taking lives with practice. So, let me make a correlation. If you get mad at your car, your computer, or the weather or traffic you’re practicing being mad and upset. Then when someone crosses your pathway, they are in range of your rage. The Scripture says, A soft answer turns away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger (cf. Proverbs 15:1). The louder we get, the angrier we become. Get softer. Practice whispering. While we may view it as being containment of hazardous waste (anger, bitterness, rage, malice), these things can pollute our lives in hidden ways. That’s why Paul says to get rid of it all. Don’t contain it; don’t hide it; don’t compartmentalize it; and whatever you do, don’t give the devil that kind of leverage in your life. As we continue our journey through Lent, take a moment to ask, “Am I whispering enough?”

Remembering

Know then in your heart that, as a man disciplines his son, the Lord your God disciplines you. So you shall keep the commandments of the Lord your God by walking in his ways and by fearing him. For the Lord your God is bringing you into a good land, a land of brooks of water, of fountains and springs, flowing out in the valleys and hills, a land of wheat and barley, of vines and fig trees and pomegranates, a land of olive trees and honey, a land in which you will eat bread without scarcity, in which you will lack nothing, a land whose stones are iron, and out of whose hills you can dig copper. And you shall eat and be full, and you shall bless the Lord your God for the good land he has given you. (Deuteronomy 8:5-10 ESV).

In Deuteronomy, a book that the Jewish Bible simply calls Devarim (meaning words), Moses gives a farewell address to the people who will enter into the Promised Land. Moses will not be allowed to enter and will die in Moab, yet he reminisces about the goodness of God and His promises for Israel’s future. A central theme of Deuteronomy is encouragement to remember and not to forget. While that might seem like the same encouragement coming and going, there is an important distinction which we see in our reading today. Just prior to these verses they are told to remember that God faithfully led them in the desert for 40 years; their clothes never wore out; neither did their sandals; they had food to eat; and water to drink. Day after day for 40 years God was faithful. Every day for 40 years, God ensured they would have no doubt His hand had delivered them. He was continually delivering them. Forty years, the full lifetime of everyone under the age of 40, God had proven His faithfulness every day of their lives. This was grace in the desert. We are also told this grace in the desert had a purpose; it was to humble them and test their hearts so they would be prepared to keep His commands, even as they experienced prosperity. Later, in verse 18, God reminds them neither grace nor wealth are earned. Both are a gift from the hand of God. They weren’t to remember the testing per se but only that God proved He is faithful and He is good. The other point of the message was “Don’t forget.” This was their responsibility. Don’t forget to obey God because it has consequences. In verse 19, the mounting case of “pride goes before the fall” warns of a dramatic conclusion: they would be destroyed. God did His part for 40 years demonstrating His faithfulness. But entering a land of promise and temptation, wealth and idolatry, obedience and destruction, they were not to forget their role. They were called to observe the commands of the Lord, walk in His ways, and revere Him. It would serve us well if we were careful not to forget the LORD also.

The Scenic Route

Now Moses was faithful in all God's house as a servant, to testify to the things that were to be spoken later, but Christ is faithful over God's house as a son. And we are his house, if indeed we hold fast our confidence and our boasting in our hope. Therefore, as the Holy Spirit says, “Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion, on the day of testing in the wilderness, where your fathers put me to the test and saw my works for forty years. Therefore I was provoked with that generation, and said, ‘They always go astray in their heart; they have not known my ways.’ As I swore in my wrath, ‘They shall not enter my rest.’” (Hebrews 3:5-11 ESV).

I have a notorious reputation for being easily lost. I suppose you could say that I am “directionally challenged.” I cannot tell you how many times I have the voice of my GPS simply declare, “Recalculating.” I know that the inflection and tone of the mechanical voice is always the same, but I promise that I sometimes think it really wants to say, “Really? You’re lost again?” And to complicate matters, I am like most guys in that I don’t like to be told how to get somewhere. I would rather wander about than admit that I’m lost. I like to think I’m just taking the scenic route. Well, Moses wasn’t afraid to ask God for direction. So, the forty years of wandering about the wilderness weren’t Moses’ fault. Moses was going exactly where God was leading the Israelites. This brings me to my thought for today as we continue to see Lent move us closer to the celebration of the resurrection. God’s ways involve a circuitous route to a straight line destination. Life is what happens while we’re busy planning; and it is life, true life, that He desires to give us by taking us on the scenic route, building our faith. Now, on the scenic journey, we will see things and experience things that prepare us for the greatest parts of our journey. The scenic route is a journey of relationship and of formation. It seems God is constantly wanting me to hear him:  Be Still. I see the straight line because I’m in heaven. The only reason you see pointlessness is because you can’t see My point.  Be Still. I have things planned for you along the journey. You don’t need to take out a map as long as you have Me by your side.  Be Still. I’m not making you make your own way. I’m asking you to seek My way.  Be Still and Know that I AM God. I’m perfectly serious about how you view Me. So, think about it today. Are you still in the hand of God, seeking His direction by faith? Or are you wrestling, squirming, and wandering in your unbelief? Go ahead, relax, it’s the scenic route. You’ll get there just fine.

The Little Moments

Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified. (Romans 8:26-30 ESV).

Tomorrow I’ll be going to the hospital for a very simple surgical procedure. It should be without complication though the doctors will be prepared for any possibility given my past health history. I suppose that ought to concern me, though I can truthfully say it is the least of my worries. I’m more concerned with not being able to travel down to the hill country and see the bluebonnets that are now in full bloom! Perhaps next week will be just as beautiful. This though did give me pause to recall the wonderful plan and purpose of God. Our reading today underscores the meme I found, “Life is not a matter of milestones, but of moments.” When we truly trust the Lord to work our good from every experience, there is nothing too simple or insignificant that we experience. Every day we have an opportunity to find God; every day we have an opportunity to let God into our lives, to appreciate God’s work, to make a small difference in some else’s life, or to serve. Perhaps there is someone in need, someone who is searching, or someone who is not looking at all, not thinking, but that one act of kindness on my part, one act of grace could bring them to the realization that God is there, in their lives, reaching out, yearning to be embraced. I like to help people. I like to help fix things and solve problems. I like to give directions. I like to help people at Home Depot or Lowes who may be looking for something or trying to decide what to buy to solve their “do it yourself” problem. They are easy to spot. Sometimes I pass a complete stranger that looks like they could just use a smile and a kind word. I came to the realization that God presents me with opportunities every day to make a small difference in people’s lives. If I can make someone think, “that was nice, he didn’t have to do that” then I was part of God’s plan that day. I’m also reminded of the times when I passed those opportunities by and didn’t act on the moment. I realize all too often I come up short. Fortunately, thanks to God, if I just pay attention, I’ll get another chance tomorrow. Join me and look for those moments. I wonder who I’ll be able to help among those who will be helping me tomorrow!

San Giuseppe

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God. And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil. For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed. But whoever does what is true comes to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that his works have been carried out in God.” (John 3:16-21 ESV).

Recently I saw a post from a cousin (Angela Emmite Tripp) with a picture of the “St. Joseph’s Altar” she did in her home. I remember this tradition very well growing up in our very Sicilian family. The tradition began in Sicily, where San Giuseppe is regarded by many as their Patron saint, and in many Italian-American communities, thanks are given to Joseph (the earthly father of Jesus) for preventing a famine in Sicily during the Middle Ages. According to legend, there was a severe drought at the time, and the people prayed for their patron saint to bring them rain. They promised that if he answered their prayers, they would prepare a large feast to honor him. The rain did come, and the people of Sicily prepared a large banquet for their patron saint. On a typical St. Joseph's Day altar, people place flowers, limes, candles, wine, fava beans, specially prepared cakes, breads, and cookies, and zeppole. Foods are traditionally served containing bread crumbs to represent saw dust since St. Joseph was a carpenter. Because the feast occurs during Lent, traditionally no meat was allowed on the celebration table. The altar usually has three tiers, to represent the trinity. After the celebration food was always taken to the poor and needy of the community. We also had a tradition in our family of reacting the coming of Jesus. Two of the children in the extended family would dress as Mary and Joseph and be centered in the room to remind everyone of the great sacrifice these two made to help bring the Savior into the world. Prayers and hymns were sung and lots of food was shared together. As I was reminded of these days by the post, I also recalled the reading today. As we continue to prepare for Easter, we must not lose sight of the incredible love of God to send His “only begotten Son” on our behalf. There are many people who worship other gods; however, none of those religions are based on the love of their god for them. We worship a God who loves us first and foremost; He extends grace and atonement to us through His work. I urge you to think on that great love today. He will not fail you or forsake you.

EKG

Jesus withdrew with his disciples to the sea, and a great crowd followed, from Galilee and Judea and Jerusalem and Idumea and from beyond the Jordan and from around Tyre and Sidon. When the great crowd heard all that he was doing, they came to him. And he told his disciples to have a boat ready for him because of the crowd, lest they crush him, for he had healed many, so that all who had diseases pressed around him to touch him. And whenever the unclean spirits saw him, they fell down before him and cried out, “You are the Son of God.” And he strictly ordered them not to make him known. (Mark 3:7-12 ESV).

As many of you know, in 2014 I had surgery to correct the Atrial fibrillation and flutter in my heart. It has been very successful since then and no further recurrence has been detected. I must say that I always have a bit of anxiety when I go to the doctor and they want to do another EKG to check my heart. Last week was one of those moments. I am preparing for a minor bit of corrective surgery on my left hand and the doctors ordered another one. As the technician finished I asked to see the printout. She said, “Oh, it’s perfectly normal.” I was relieved since it didn’t show any of the signs of irregularity that would have been there prior to the procedure to repair my heart. However, it still had those ups and downs to signal the pulsing of my heart. That reminded me of my life’s journey. It has been full of ups and downs, peaks and valleys. All of us have that common experience. The real key is in understanding that God has plans for each of us and they are good (cf. Romans 8:28). God’s consistent message to all of is that He is always with us. As we trust Him, the journey becomes a pleasant excitement. Joseph is our best example. To truly understand all that Joseph experienced before we meet him at 30 years of age, it is truly necessary to read his life story from the beginning. Unfortunately we do not have the space, but we can look into our own lives and review our experiences, the good and the bad, because none of us, even though we are the apple of God’s eye and created in His image, live the smooth and easy life, for a reason. Joseph had a heart of gratitude, not letting his past unhappy moments define his whole person. The questions we need to explore are simple: Do I trust God completely with my life? Do I give in to my troubling times? Do I talk to God openly and honestly about how I am feeling spiritually? Do I see the good and let the bad truly live in the past? These are tough questions to ponder but very necessary for a grateful and peace filled life in this life. Use those questions to do a spiritual EKG today.

Old Habits

Now John's disciples and the Pharisees were fasting. And people came and said to him, “Why do John's disciples and the disciples of the Pharisees fast, but your disciples do not fast?” And Jesus said to them, “Can the wedding guests fast while the bridegroom is with them? As long as they have the bridegroom with them, they cannot fast. The days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast in that day. No one sews a piece of unshrunk cloth on an old garment. If he does, the patch tears away from it, the new from the old, and a worse tear is made. And no one puts new wine into old wineskins. If he does, the wine will burst the skins—and the wine is destroyed, and so are the skins. But new wine is for fresh wineskins.” (Mark 2:18-22 ESV). We continue in our Lenten series. I hope you are finding it easier to continue your resolve to add those things you committed to adding at the beginning of the season. I’m afraid that as the time passes it seems our old ways often pinch the new resolve that we so sincerely make at the beginning of any new venture.

Our reading makes mention of this principle today. The need for “new wineskins,” or a different way of looking and acting is not merely placing the new on the top where there is no mixture of the new and the old (like vinegar and oil). It is a complete new beginning. As Lent proceeds and I am attempting to put new practices into my life to draw me closer in my relationship to God, I must remember that the new practices (like new wine) must be put into new wineskins (a new, more open body and mind) in order for there to be a permanent, lasting change. I cannot expect to merely patch up the holes in my journey to become whole. It really is not like spring cleaning when we merely move things around a bit and make some extra room for other things we want to add to our lives. Our challenge is to open up to the relationships God desires for us to have in our lives that will bring mutual benefit based in the kindness we show to one another as have been shown to us in the love of Christ. In Genesis, Joseph asks to be remembered when it is well with the wine steward. However, as soon as the wine steward’s fortune was restored, he forgot about Joseph. It is easy to get caught up in the routine so that there is not time nor energy to allow new ways of serving to be tested, new friendships formed. Mark reminds us how Matthew followed the call of Jesus without hesitation. I forget my call and often fail to allow the love of Christ which is within me to be visible to others; and, I hesitate to find new opportunities to serve. I need new eyes which see the opportunities for different service. I need a willing heart to sit and listen and to be aware of where God has placed me in relationship to others; serving God is not always doing but also a renewing of those relationships.

Healing and Love

And when he returned to Capernaum after some days, it was reported that he was at home. And many were gathered together, so that there was no more room, not even at the door. And he was preaching the word to them. And they came, bringing to him a paralytic carried by four men. And when they could not get near him because of the crowd, they removed the roof above him, and when they had made an opening, they let down the bed on which the paralytic lay. And when Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven.” Now some of the scribes were sitting there, questioning in their hearts, “Why does this man speak like that? He is blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?” And immediately Jesus, perceiving in his spirit that they thus questioned within themselves, said to them, “Why do you question these things in your hearts? Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Rise, take up your bed and walk’? But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”—he said to the paralytic— “I say to you, rise, pick up your bed, and go home.” And he rose and immediately picked up his bed and went out before them all, so that they were all amazed and glorified God, saying, “We never saw anything like this!” (Mark 2:1-12 ESV).

In whatever way and at whatever time we come to Jesus, it is the right way and the right time. Jesus meets us with love and healing. The paralyzed man on the mat was unable to come on his own. He needed the support of friends. Unable to get to the door, he is lowered through the roof. He meets Jesus flat on his back, unable to move. He does not speak or ask aloud for healing; perhaps he does not have the words or feels unworthy to say them. In this time period, physical infirmity was regarded as punishment for personal sin or for the sins of one’s parents or ancestors. Perhaps the paralyzed man felt unworthy to even be in Jesus’ presence, but Jesus reads his heart and knows his need. In love, Jesus first heals the broken spirit, “Son, your sins are forgiven.” Although these words serve as a demonstration to the priests and the people of His divinity and power to forgive sins, I believe Jesus’ first concern was to meet the needs of the man before Him. He gives a hurting man love and heals the man’s spirit before he heals the body. Jesus wants us to be not just physically well, but also emotionally and spiritually well. He wants us to be whole. Jesus meets each of us where we are, in whatever way we are able to approach Him. He sees Zaccheus hiding in a tree and welcomes him; He meets the Samaritan woman as she draws water alone because she is ashamed to be at the well with the other women; He meets Nicodemus in secret in the middle of the night. He waits patiently and lovingly for us to look His way or move into His presence. And when we do, He enfolds us in His healing love as we are able to receive it. And we are home. Come home today.

A Simple Note

Now among those who went up to worship at the feast were some Greeks. So these came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, and asked him, “Sir, we wish to see Jesus.” Philip went and told Andrew; Andrew and Philip went and told Jesus. And Jesus answered them, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. Whoever loves his life loses it and whoever hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. If anyone serves me, he must follow me; and where I am, there will my servant be also. If anyone serves me, the Father will honor him. (John 12:20-26 ESV).

I’m not getting senile. I know the reading today is the same as yesterday. I really couldn’t quite leave it. You have heard me say many times how important an encouraging word or gesture is to others. Perhaps one of the most powerful of those gestures is a handwritten note of love or thanks. Truthfully it is one of the most difficult things to do. Since the beginning, people have struggled with the right way to say thank you. From prehistoric grunts around a campfire (Urrrp…good meat) all the way to present-day postings on Face Book (shout out to my peeps!), we’ve come up with lots of easy ways to say thanks. Phone calls, emails, text messages all get the job done. But a handwritten thank-you note is much greater in impact. It tells our friends and family that we went out of our way to sit down and write just to them, because they’re worth it. And if that’s not an improvement over the campfire grunt, what is? The hardest part of writing a thank-you note, for many, is just starting it. How do I begin? Does it sound forced? Can I say enough to fill the page? To help you face your fears, here’s a simple thank-you letter template:  First, greet your recipient. Don't forget to make sure you're using the correct form and spelling of the person's name, as well as anyone else's mentioned in the note. Even if it is a close family member, familial names are so important to us.  Second, express your thanks. Begin with the two most important words, “Thank you.”  Third, add specific details. Tell them how you felt because of what they did. The emotion of gratitude is vital for encouragement.  Fourth, end with your regards. Tell them how you feel toward them. Expressions of love become the most powerful of seeds planted in someone’s life. What a way to spend the remainder of your Lent! Write a note everyday… a real paper note, written by hand and sent by “snail mail.” What a blessing that will be.

Before I Die

Now among those who went up to worship at the feast were some Greeks. So these came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, and asked him, “Sir, we wish to see Jesus.” Philip went and told Andrew; Andrew and Philip went and told Jesus. And Jesus answered them, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. Whoever loves his life loses it and whoever hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. If anyone serves me, he must follow me; and where I am, there will my servant be also. If anyone serves me, the Father will honor him. (John 12:20-26 ESV).

One day, not far from her home in New Orleans, artist Candy Chang noticed a large abandoned building. She said, “I thought about how I could make this a nicer space for my neighborhood, and I also thought about something that changed my life forever. In 2009, I lost someone I loved very much. Her death was sudden and unexpected. And I thought about death a lot, and this made me feel deep gratitude for the time I’ve had and brought clarity to the things that are meaningful to my life now. But I struggle to maintain this perspective in my daily life. I feel like it’s easy to get caught up in the day-to-day and forget what really matters to you.” With permission from the town and her neighbors, Chang turned the eyesore into a work of art. She covered one side of the house with chalkboard paint. Then, she stenciled a few words on the wall approximately 80 times. The stencil read, “Before I die I want to…” She put a bucket of chalk near the wall. Soon there was a wall full of wisdom, wants, and wishes. When I read this story I was amazed how easy it is to forget the eternal nature of our lives in the pressing urgency of the daily demands. We’ve all heard about “bucket lists”; however, this is something different. Our reading today emphasizes this truth. As we continue to focus our attention on Lent, wouldn’t it be great to ponder the investment we make with our lives for the future? I wonder what kind of “grain of wheat” I am in the lives of the people that touch me each day. What harvest will be born because they came into contact with me? It’s at this point that the temptation to get deeply theological and feel guilt or shame for not having been a “witness” to every soul that crosses our path. Please don’t. Of course there are times when sharing the gospel is the seed to be planted; however, there are even more opportunities to simply speak a word of cheer or encouragement to those who are struggling through their journey. That’s the wheat that becomes the bread of life. Make that a goal of your life. Write that on your wall of “before I die” things to do.

The Pleasures of Life

The Lord is my chosen portion and my cup; you hold my lot. The lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; indeed, I have a beautiful inheritance. I bless the Lord who gives me counsel; in the night also my heart instructs me. I have set the Lord always before me; because he is at my right hand, I shall not be shaken. Therefore my heart is glad, and my whole being rejoices; my flesh also dwells secure. For you will not abandon my soul to Sheol, or let your holy one see corruption. You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore. (Psalm 16:5-11 ESV).

It sounds strange to talk about the “pleasures of life.” However, all of us would rather experience pleasure than pain. I certainly do. Recently I went to the airport to pick Mary up after having been on a short trip with her sister to New Mexico. It was wonderful to hear her talk about the things she saw and did while on this little mini-trip. They rode the train from Santa Fe to Albuquerque. It is called the New Mexico Rail Runner. Evidently it was quite the adventure. I have never ridden a train; and, I must admit I was little envious she had this experience without me. Sounds silly, but I thought about the fun and “pleasure” of the new experience and couldn’t help but compare it to the mundane experiences I had staying at home. Don’t you feel that way at times? Doesn’t a bit of discontent get stirred deep in your soul as you hear of the adventures others experience? It often seems that there is always the waiting routine of life that robs us of even a small adventure. How do we avoid such letdowns in life? In today’s reading, David reminds us the secret to living a life of pleasure isn’t dependent on where our feet tread but in WHOM our feet follow. A life of joy isn’t found in chasing adventure but in chasing our Savior. And, according to Psalm 16:11, when we choose to keep company with Jesus, prayerfully seeking Him first and obeying His directions we find true contentment right where we are. So, as you picture the ordinary life you wake to each day, the demands and the delights, the giggles and the grumbles remember that your journey is going to end in the most spectacular fashion. Your real home lies beyond the veil of death in the eternal city of God. With all of the things that you are called upon to do in this life, they all have purpose in the wisdom and will of our Father. Enjoy the trek!

Where Do Your Tears Go?

Be gracious to me, O God, for man tramples on me; all day long an attacker oppresses me; my enemies trample on me all day long, for many attack me proudly. When I am afraid, I put my trust in you. In God, whose word I praise, in God I trust; I shall not be afraid. What can flesh do to me? All day long they injure my cause; all their thoughts are against me for evil. They stir up strife, they lurk; they watch my steps, as they have waited for my life. For their crime will they escape? In wrath cast down the peoples, O God! You have kept count of my tossings; put my tears in your bottle. (Psalm 56:1-8 ESV). Have you ever wondered where prayers go? The Scripture has a little bit to say about our prayers. Moses was instructed in the building of the tabernacle to construct an altar where the incense would burn all day before the Lord allowing the smoke to drift upward to Him symbolizing the prayers of the people (cf. Exodus 40:5). The Apostle John saw the “prayers of the saints” gather like incense and placed before God in a golden bowl (cf. Revelation 5:8). In our reading today David wrote that the prayers of God’s people were like tears collected in a bottle.

As you know I enjoy woodworking. It has become a little more than a hobby lately as I have been selling some pieces to folks as a way of making a little extra retirement income. One piece that I made recently came as a “custom order” from my granddaughter, Faith. She wanted to have something to hang on her bedroom wall. We went to First Monday and she began to show me some pieces that were “sorta” like she wanted. She described exactly what she wanted; picked out the metal ornament and waited for me to finish it. Three Kerr jars and a little handiwork later she has it hanging in her room. As I was doing it for her, I was reminded that God reminds is intimately concerned with every aspect of our lives. God doesn’t judge whether our sorrow is “valid.” But because of His compassion, He catches every tear that is shed. It doesn’t matter how big or small, trivial or important, the sorrow might be. David drew comfort in knowing that no matter what he was going through, God had great compassion on him and gathered all his precious tears in a bottle. David trusted God with his life and his future. He wasn’t embarrassed about his tears, and we need not be either, even when we wish we could hold them back. Life challenges us. Children grow. Seasons of change bump into our normal status quo. When this happens, tears often spring up and efforts to contain them fall short. No matter what sorrow we face today, we can have confidence God cares. How blessed we are that God gives our prayers a special way of celebrating His love for us. God hears every word said or thought from his children. Go ahead, talk to him today!

Texas Canyon

By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place that he was to receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going. By faith he went to live in the land of promise, as in a foreign land, living in tents with Isaac and Jacob, heirs with him of the same promise. For he was looking forward to the city that has foundations, whose designer and builder is God. By faith Sarah herself received power to conceive, even when she was past the age, since she considered him faithful who had promised. Therefore from one man, and him as good as dead, were born descendants as many as the stars of heaven and as many as the innumerable grains of sand by the seashore. (Hebrews 11:8-12 ESV).

There is a great group of rock formations in southeast Arizona called the Texas Canyon. The picture here is of one known as “the Whale.” You can easily see a whale rising from the depths of the sea and breaking the surface for air in it. There are many others in this state park that are so lifelike that they seem to have been sculpted. You can easily pick out the formations of the “elephant,” “dog,” and “dinosaur.” I’m told there always seem to be new “sights.” The park recommends ending the excursion with looking across the top of Texas Canyon to see what appears to be the outline of a human face that is looking toward the heavens to see God. This outline changes but the face always is looking to God. It is a great reminder that we should always be looking for God and anticipating God’s presence in our lives. During this season of Lent we look forward to the greatest gift of all, Jesus dying for our sins. While this is not unfamiliar to us, it is new every day in so many ways. I think it is so easy to mistake our relationship with the Lord as one that remains static. It is not at all. It is dynamic, ever-changing in his revelation of himself to us for each moment of our journey. The only thing that remains the same is the surety of our destination. We will all end our journey in heaven; however, we are constantly surprised by the path taken to get there. The wonder of change ought to be an inspiration to us. To think that the Lord is constantly revealing another part of his nature and character to us is wonderful. It should be one of our goals to discover the depths of his grace and mercy with fresh eyes each day. Sometimes a new look will appear from unlikely changes in our path, but they will always be for our good. There will be always be the comfort of the familiar and the excitement of something new with our eyes on God. Perhaps that‘s why I enjoy sitting on the deck in the evening and watching the sunset over the hills in the distance. It is always different and the same. It is different because of the changes in the sky; but, it is the same in that it is always God’s doing. It reminds me of how great he is and how much I can trust him. How about you?

Perspective

His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire. For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love. For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. (2 Peter 1:3-8 ESV). Tomorrow begins spring break for the schools in our area. My older grandchildren are looking forward to a week without homework, schedules, and tests. They asked me if I was looking forward to “some time off.” I said, “I’m on spring break all the time.” I really don’t have much of a schedule since retirement. I make my schedule when I get up in the morning and adjust according to how Mary and I feel during the rest of the day.

When thinking about that, it reminded me of how important perspective is in our lives. We all have a different way of viewing things. You may have seen some of the drawings that ask the question of what we see first in them. The picture attached here is one of those. Which way did you think the man was facing when you first looked at the picture? Was he looking directly at you; or, was he facing to the right? It’s one of those things that can make us ponder a bit. Life is like that. Whether we are looking at things “in the long run” or we are making “mountains out of mole hills,” as Christians our desire should be that our perspective be conformed to that of Jesus. The more time we spend with God the more clearly we will see. The more we gain God’s perspective. Elijah was derailed with God’s perspective by discouragement. Paul lost a dear friend, Demas, because Demas lost his vision to worldliness. Naomi allowed bitterness to affect her perspective due to the losses in life. Moses vision was blurred by anger because of Israel’s murmuring. Stress greatly affects our perspective and we lose sight of what God has planned for us. Jonah’s vision was clearly blurred by prejudice against the people of Nineveh. If we do not pursue growing and developing in God’s perspective our perspective will become blurred by stagnation and we will become “blind, and cannot see far off” (v. 9). The more time we spend with Christ the more our perspective will be changed. We must learn to run to seek God’s face when dealing with a situation and ask for forgiveness when we have gone off path. Doing so will remove the blinding effects and give us a fresh Godly perspective.

One of Those Days

The Lord reigns; he is robed in majesty; the Lord is robed; he has put on strength as his belt. Yes, the world is established; it shall never be moved. Your throne is established from of old; you are from everlasting. The floods have lifted up, O Lord, the floods have lifted up their voice; the floods lift up their roaring. Mightier than the thunders of many waters, mightier than the waves of the sea, the Lord on high is mighty! Your decrees are very trustworthy; holiness befits your house, O Lord, forevermore. (Psalm 93:1-5 ESV).

Ever have one of those days where you go to bed and your mind is racing because of a situation that you can’t seem to stop thinking about it? You lay there hour after hour and now, not only are you thinking about it, but you are also thinking about the lack of sleep you are getting and the long day you have tomorrow. Ever have one of those days where you wake up exhausted before you’ve even started the new day? Ever had one of those days when nothing seemed to go the way you hope or expected? “We all seem to have one of those days at one time or another. At one time or another we all feel like Charlie Brown on the pitcher’s mound when a screaming line drive is hit right back at us! The question has to be, “So, what do you do when they come?” Let me make a few observations that are born out of the truth revealed in this season we are celebrating. First, do your best not to panic. We don’t need to panic simply because we can have faith in the grace of God. We can learn to lean upon the grace of God. God’s grace is mentioned over and over throughout the Bible. God’s grace is His love that offers us mercy, forgiveness and redemption. Jesus came to die for our sins and to redeem us from our sins. It’s His compassion. He knows what life is like. Jesus came and experienced its hardship. He can relate to you. He has compassion. His grace is also seen in His supernatural help in our life. It’s born out of His love and compassion toward us. It comes through our knowledge of His love toward us through Jesus Christ. From that love He gives “grace.” Grace is His ongoing supernatural help to you in every situation. Second, go quickly to the Lord with your plight. Tragically we often turn first to others and our own devices. Go to the Lord first. When I have one of those days, the first thing I do is ask God for His grace to be multiplied in my life. That’s where the real power is, not in ourselves or others. The writer of Hebrews put it this way: Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need. (Hebrews 4:16 ESV). Come on, let’s take the mound again and pitch without fear. The Lord does reign!

My Family

And his mother and his brothers came, and standing outside they sent to him and called him. And a crowd was sitting around him, and they said to him, “Your mother and your brothers are outside, seeking you.” And he answered them, “Who are my mother and my brothers?” And looking about at those who sat around him, he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers! For whoever does the will of God, he is my brother and sister and mother.” (Mark 3:31-35 ESV).

The United States is typically divided into eight “sections.” We place Alaska and the Hawaiian Islands in two distinct categories because of their separation from the contiguous states; however, the rest are divided in Pacific states, Northwest states, Southwest states, Midwest states, Southeast states, and Northeast states. I love the little challenges that show up from time to time on social media asking us to count the number of states we have been to in our travels. I’ve only been to 30 of the 50 states. I still have the remainder on my “bucket list.” Mary and I have lived in three of these states. While most of our lives have been in Texas, we have also lived in North Carolina and Tennessee. Having pastored several churches over more than four decades we have also lived in several cities spanning these three states. It has been a journey that was always eventful. In each of the places we have lived we were always “at home.” I have come to believe that was true simply because our home was never dependent on geography or a physical structure. We’ve owned our home and resided in parsonages; we’ve lived in apartments, condominiums, and large homes of various styles. The key was always our family. Early in college Mary and I decided that no matter how nomadic our lives might seem, we were always going to be at home because we were there together. Like ships, home would always be where we would lower our anchor. This is precisely the truth Jesus expressed in our reading today. When told that his “family” was outside he questioned them asking “who” was his family? It was not a denial of those with whom he had grown up with. We see great care and concern that his mother be taken care of as he dies on the cross when he instructs John to take his place as the elder son. The key is rather in the truth that all of those who would follow him in faith are his family. That ought to bring us great comfort. Wherever we are, whatever we are experiencing, we can know that we have a family in Christ. We will never be homeless or alone.

Tempted

Now the serpent was more crafty than any other beast of the field that the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God actually say, ‘You shall not eat of any tree in the garden’?” And the woman said to the serpent, “We may eat of the fruit of the trees in the garden, but God said, ‘You shall not eat of the fruit of the tree that is in the midst of the garden, neither shall you touch it, lest you die.’” But the serpent said to the woman, “You will not surely die. For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate, and she also gave some to her husband who was with her, and he ate. Then the eyes of both were opened, and they knew that they were naked. And they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves loincloths. (Genesis 3:1-7 ESV).

I like the little story told by another writer where a woman had been shopping and had bought a dress that she knew she couldn’t afford. “Why did you do it?” her husband asked. “I just couldn’t help it,” she said. “The devil tempted me.” “Why didn’t you say, ‘Get thee behind me, Satan’?” the husband asked. “I did. But he just leaned over my shoulder and whispered, ‘My dear, it fits you beautifully in the back.’” There is no doubt from our reading that the devil is very crafty. Satan’s deceptive tactics are seen initially in the form he takes. The serpent, before the fall, was different than the poisonous, repulsive reptile we know. Apparently before the curse it was an attractive animal which did not cause Eve any fear or repulsion. He takes the form of this beautiful creature. It is all a part of his plan that he appeals to our natural desires in an attempt to separate us from God. Disguised as a crafty serpent, Satan came to tempt Eve. As a created being, Satan has definite limits. Although he is trying to tempt everyone away from God, he will not be the final victor. God promises that Satan will be crushed by one of the women’s offspring who is the Messiah. Temptation feeds off our own tendency toward self-reliance. The serpent tempted Eve by getting her to doubt God’s goodness. He implied that God was strict, stingy, and selfish for not wanting Eve to share his knowledge of good and evil. Satan made Eve forget all that God had given her and instead focus on the one thing that would bring her harm. His strategy was to cause doubt in the intention of God toward them. His tactics have not changed. The next time you are feeling low and thinking about what you have endured, consider the great gifts of God toward you. When you feel abandoned, remember the great sacrifice Jesus has already made on your behalf. It is this sacrifice that forever proves his intention of love and grace toward us.

In His Hands

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. (John 3:16-17 ESV). As we continue to prepare for Easter through these brief devotionals, I cannot help but marvel at the love our Heavenly Father has for us. Our reading today is the epitome of this truth. I have always searched for the perfect illustration of this love. It has always been just short of the incredible depth of God’s love. Perhaps that which has most often come to me is best to share here. Life is not always easy. We can become blind-sided by illness, job loss, broken relationships, or death. Our Heavenly Father's promise to always be there for us can sometimes be difficult to believe.

When I was about eight years old, my Dad began to take me fishing with him. We would get up early in the morning, long before the sun had come up. We’d load our gear into the car and make the short trip to the docks in Galveston. Our first order of the day was to pick up some live bait from the shrimp boats that had just come in from their nightly excursions. It was a wonder to me. I would walk down the piers following closely behind my dad, knowing that all was right with the world. Some of the fishermen knew him and would call out his name as he approached. Somehow it made me feel just a little stronger, a little more important than I really was. We’d get some shrimp and head out to the shallows of the bay. The water was always warm enough not to need any waders, though Dad always put his on. I watched as he donned his equipment. I copied him as best as I could. Finished we’d walk out into the flats. Since he was six feet tall and I was less than five feet tall, I was always deeper in the water than he was. He never went deeper than I could manage, and I never complained that it was too deep. After all, he was there. His love for me would save me from anything that I might have happen. One day, as I was wading through the water, I stepped off into deeper water. The surprise of going under must have startled him. Before I could regain my feet under me, he had me by the shirt collar and pulled me up to the shallower water where I could stand easily. I was never worried; his hands were always big enough and strong enough to get me to a safer place. Funny how that works; God’s love is like that. He walks with us and will never let us fall into the deep without being there to pluck us from destruction. That’s a great love! It may be that you are experiencing one of those times in your life when it seems as if you have forgotten to wade through the high water on your own. You haven’t. He loves us so much that he has redeemed us from all peril. Trust yourself into his hands today.

Sunlight through the Trees

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. He came as a witness, to bear witness about the light, that all might believe through him. He was not the light, but came to bear witness about the light. The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God. And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. (John 1:1-14 ESV).

Several years ago as Mary and I drove the loop through Cade’s Cove in the Smoky Mountains in the fall, I happened to stop and look through the sunroof of our car. The view was spectacular. As the light filtered through the leaves that were turning various shades of green, red, orange, and yellow, I couldn’t help but think how clear and distinct they appeared the closer to the light they were. The fall colors were so much brighter than in the shadows. This reminded me of how true that is in our spiritual lives. The closer we are to the light of Jesus, the clearer everything becomes. Every shade of beauty is reflected through him. We are never more vibrant than when he uses his light to touch others through us. Harry Dixon Loes, who studied at the Moody Bible Institute and the American Conservatory of Music, was a musical composer and teacher, who wrote or co-wrote several gospel songs. One of those is the very familiar children’s song, “This Little Light of Mine.” The song has since entered the folk tradition, first being collected by John Lomax in 1939. Often thought of as a Negro Spiritual, it does not, however, appear in any collection of jubilee or plantation songs from the nineteenth century. Under the influence of Zilphia Horton, Fannie Lou Hamer, and others, it eventually became a Civil Rights Anthem in the 1950s and 1960s, especially the version by Betty Fikes. Regradless, it could easily become our personal anthem this Lenten season. There are those who live in the shadows of personal tragedy and trial who are merely waiting for us to bring the light we have received through Christ to their corner of the world. This is no ordinary light. Wherever it shines it has the power to overpower even the darkest of places. Let you light shine!

Damaged in Transit

Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us. For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. (Romans 5:1-6 ESV).

I’m always looking for the bargains. Not long ago as I walked down the aisle of the grocery store looking for the “red tag sales” I noticed something that really caught my attention. At the end of an aisle there was a bin filled with dented cans and missing labels. The sign said, “Damaged Goods.” There was no organization, no real rhyme or reason, just random items that were not shelf worthy. And suddenly, it struck me. There have been those times in my life when I felt just like that. Life sometimes delivers the unexpected. Lessons learned in the school of hard knocks bruise us, dent us and remove the label that defines who we are. We feel as if we have been tossed into a bin, no longer worthy of a place on the shelf. Some people substantiate the lie that we are second class failures and all hope is gone. So, I leaned over and intentionally chose a dented can with no label from the bin. I got it home and placed it on the can opener with anxious anticipation. The whir of the can opener finally penetrated the metal lid to reveal sliced peaches in sugary syrup! What a treat to open this can and be greeted by one of my favorite fruits. The can was damaged but the contents were still good. God must have smiled. It was at that moment that a wonderful eternal lesson was rekindled. I have been damaged. We all have to some degree. You may be one of those “damaged” by life. You may be thinking that you are not living the life that you dreamed about when you were younger. The dreams and hopes for your life have long since faded into the backdrop of life. Challenges and trials have overpowered them, making them little more than a distant shadow. I want to remind you as we travel through this Lenten season that the damage that you have suffered has only made the contents of your heart so much sweeter, so much more compassionate. They have served to lead you to a place where you could experience the grace of God so much more. You may have been looked down upon and judged by many who have seen your label missing and slapped on their own. They want to place you at the bottom of the life’s bin. Let me remind you that Jesus paid as high a price for those at the bottom as He did for those that are proudly displayed on the top shelf. Your hope will not put you to shame!

Looking Past the Facade

Philip found Nathanael and said to him, “We have found him of whom Moses in the Law and also the prophets wrote, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.” Nathanael said to him, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” Philip said to him, “Come and see.” Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward him and said of him, “Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom there is no deceit!” Nathanael said to him, “How do you know me?” Jesus answered him, “Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you.” Nathanael answered him, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!” Jesus answered him, “Because I said to you, ‘I saw you under the fig tree,’ do you believe? You will see greater things than these.” And he said to him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, you will see heaven opened, and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man.” (John 1:45-51 ESV).

Looking different does not mean we are different. And, when we treat others according to what our prejudices are toward them we fail to recognize the wonder of the unlimited grace of God. When Nathanael was told by Philip that the Messiah had come to fulfill the prophesies, he replied to the news with skepticism. His doubt was not based on religious or political beliefs, but on the city from which Jesus had come, Nazareth. Nathanael’s reply to Philip was, “Can anything good come from Nazareth?” As Christians, we are called to see past the prejudices of the world and look beyond the facade. For many of us, this is a difficult task. Our cultural background, environment, experiences, and worldly influences seem to draw us into preconception and bias, if for no other reason than expediency. Modern life can be complicated, with many distractions and responsibilities. Life can also be frightening; news of crime and violence can make even the most stalwart fear for their own safety and that of their family. It can be so much easier and safer to identify, classify, and catalog people based on our preconceptions, rather than take the time and risk to evaluate every individual based on their own merit. Nathanael held his own preconceptions. It took Jesus only a few words to change Nathanael’s presumptions about Nazarenes; Nathanael soon recognized him as “the Son of God” and “the King of Israel.” Even Nathanael, a godly man without guile, came very close to dismissing the greatest gift of all, the salvation of mankind in Jesus Christ. How much easier would it be for us, then, to dismiss him in the same circumstances? Let us make Nathanael’s story an inspiration to look beyond our own preconceptions and to strive to see the light of Christ in everyone around us.

A Great God

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).

The history of the hymn How Great Thou Art begins with Mr. Carl Gustaf Boberg (1859-1940). He was a Swedish pastor, editor, and member of the Swedish parliament. Mr. Boberg was enjoying a nice walk when a thunderstorm suddenly appeared out of nowhere. A severe wind began to blow. After the storm was over, Mr. Boberg looked out over the clear bay. He then heard a church bell in the distance. And the words to How Great Thou Art begin to form in his heart. He thought, “O Lord, my God, when I in awesome wonder, consider all the worlds Thy hands hath made.” There was such calmness after the fierce storm he could only utter those words of peace. This poem, titled “O Store Gud” (O Great God) was published in 1891 in Witness of the Truth, the weekly newspaper that Boberg edited. It was later translated in German. In 1927, it was published in a Russian version of the German text. It was translated by Stuart K. Hine, the English missionary to Ukraine. He found some version of the Russian text and sang it at an evangelistic meeting with his wife. He then translated the first three stanzas into English, which was sung at an evangelistic meeting in England during World War One. He published the first three verses (in both English and Russian) in 1949 in Grace and Peace, a Russian evangelistic paper which Hine edited. He later wrote the fourth verse as a triumphant message of life eternal. J. Edwin Orr of Fuller Theological Seminary is said to have brought the hymn to America. After hearing it sung in India, he introduced it to various Christian groups in America. In 1954, Dr. Cyrus Nelson of Gospel Light Publications copyrighted and published the song. And, then it was sung by George Beverly Shea at the London Crusade of the Billy Graham evangelistic team in 1954. He later sang this song over 100 times during a revival in New York at a Billy Graham Crusade. This caused the hymn to receive new attention in Sweden and America and be published in several songbooks. Today millions across the world continue to sing this beautiful song giving God all praise, glory, and honor for his greatness. My prayer is that you would use these days before Easter to truly recognize the greatness of God which surrounds you every day of your life.

The Prophet's Prejudice

For an overseer, as God's steward, must be above reproach. He must not be arrogant or quick-tempered or a drunkard or violent or greedy for gain, but hospitable, a lover of good, self-controlled, upright, holy, and disciplined. He must hold firm to the trustworthy word as taught, so that he may be able to give instruction in sound doctrine and also to rebuke those who contradict it. (Titus 1:5b-9 ESV).

Today we continue in our Lenten series with a look at the importance of communicating the love and grace of God. The Apostle Paul talks to Titus in our reading today and addresses some characteristics of the Christian leader. They are good words for all. To fully understand these things, a look at Jonah is instructive. Jonah despised the free mercy of God. He did not want to go to Nineveh because he knew God would have mercy on his enemies. He did not want their repentance; he wanted their doom. The elder brother in Jesus’ Parable of the Prodigal Son (cf. Luke 15:11-32) is much like this prejudiced prophet. When the prodigal returns home, he is angry that the father has shown mercy. Just like Jonah outside Nineveh, the elder brother sulks outside the father's house. The problem is that they don't like the free mercy of God. It calls their supremacy into question. The lesson that God was trying to teach Jonah, and us through him, is that God loves to show mercy and that we his people should "do justice, love mercy, and walk humbly with our God" (cf. Micah 6:8). And it's implied in the very word "mercy" that no racial or ethnic or national barriers can disqualify a person from God's love and our love. Jonah did not quickly learn that truth, so God continues with his education in chapter four. The world views Christianity as more of an angry political activist movement than a spiritual organization devoted to handing out hope and healing to a hurting world. Too often, when the world is hurting, our response is to say, “Well, it serves them right. We warned them this would happen.” Certainly the Bible talks about not loving the world, or the things of the world. We are commanded to come out from among them and be separate. We are called to be salt and light in a sinful world. We are called to speak out boldly with prophetic voices calling people to repentance. But all of this must be presented with compassion and concern. Truth must be spoken in love. Like Jesus, we are to people full of grace and truth. Our culture must know us as truth-tellers, but we must be truth-tellers with tears, for it is not we who are the victims, but they. They are the ones who are enslaved to sin. They are the ones whose minds are darkened. They are the ones whose eyes are blinded. When we interact with our enemies, it must not be out of hate and spite, but out of love and compassion.