Outstretched Hands

Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love. In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God abides in us and his love is perfected in us. (1 John 4:7-12 ESV).

I know that talking about “outstretched hands” in our day of personal distancing and the real danger of spreading COVID-19 seems to be inappropriate. However, it is a topic that we should consider as we move through this season of Lent. However, there is a real sense of the importance of understanding this image in light of the work of Christ through his death, burial, and resurrection. Our reason for celebration during this season is based completely in the reaching out of God through Christ to each of us. John Calvin noted that we are moved to repentance not by the threat of God’s law but by the promise of his grace. The threat of the law will only make us run from God, unless we know that he will receive us when we turn back to him in repentance. I’ll never forget a story told by Robert Schuller. He was invited on a mission trip to the tropical jungles of the Amazon. A missionary had been working with a tribe that had a great fear of Caucasians, having had little positive contact with them. Schuller and the missionary worked their way deeper and deeper into the jungle with no sighting of this reclusive tribe. “Where are they?” Schuller asked. The missionary replied, “They’re all around us, but they won’t come out until they know it’s safe.” Finally, the travelers arrived at a clearing. The missionary said, “Here’s what you have to do. Sit on the ground, stretch out your hands, and smile.” So that’s what Schuller did. For what seemed hours, he sat and smiled with outstretched hands. At last, a single native crept silently out of the jungle and shyly touched his hand. It was the beginning of a movement toward grace that has flourished over the decades. Of course, I’m not suggesting that you go to the Walmart parking lot and sit with outstretched hands waiting for people to come to you. However, even in our day, there are ways to symbolically show your desire to connect with others. It requires open, inviting hands extended to others through what we say and do. On the cross, God, in effect, stretched out his hands and smiled, showing that he loves us. Demonstrate that love for others in all that you do!

Life from Death

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 can easily remember the times when my father-in-law taught me how to seed a lawn by hand. Bruce Perry, known by many as “Doc” because of his Ph.D., in plant genetics was one of the most brilliant men in the world of agriculture I’ve ever known. His work in developing various strains of onions, potatoes, and tomatoes is still a standard today. He knew how to grow any kind of plant. Of course, when we purchased our first home, he was the first one I turned to in order to get the yard started. It was hard work, but it produced the best yard in the neighborhood. Perhaps the greatest sacrifice came from the seed though. Each one of the Bermuda grass seeds had to die for the runner’s to start covering the ground. The world of agriculture knows that life can only come from death; harvest can only come from the sacrifice of the seed. As I have attempted to show each day of our Lenten series, the cross is central in the transformation of our lives. So far we have focused on the power of the cross, on what God actually did at the cross. But I also want to look at the wisdom of the cross, on what God teaches us through the cross. That wisdom changes us too. In today’s reading Jesus illustrates the first lesson of God’s wisdom by pointing to his upcoming death. For Jesus, his last week on earth had begun. His crucifixion was just five days away; and, this was the time to clarify what would happen so that his disciples would understand when it did. So Jesus used a picture from agriculture that his listeners would understand: “Unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds.” Everyone knew that the death of seeds in that sense was necessary for a harvest. But Jesus was referring to his own death. He was saying, in effect, “Unless I die, there cannot be an abundant harvest of changed lives.” His death was necessary for the salvation of many lives. That sounded foolish to the Jews who heard this farmer’s wisdom, because they thought their Messiah would never die (v. 34). But Jesus spoke the truth, and then he carried it out. We are the result of the death of that “seed.” How much ground are you going to cover?

I Didn't Sign Up for This!

By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers. But if anyone has the world's goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God's love abide in him? Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth. (1 John 3:16-18 ESV).

Today’s devotional is not about marriage and divorce. I can talk to you about that personally if you like. It is more about how we view our circumstance and the call to be a part of the community of faith. Toward the end of Mary’s stay in the hospital after her surgery, she said, “I know you didn’t sign up for this, but thank you.” I confess I said the same thing to her as she did to me when she tended my bedside after some of my more extensive surgeries. My answer was simple: “Sure, I did. I signed on when we got married.” Today I want us to look at a different relationship. We have a similar relationship with Christ through faith. The Scripture talks about Jesus being the groom and the faithful being the bride. So, in fact, we have a marriage contract that we have affirmed through faith. In the final days before his death, Jesus talked a lot about sacrificial love. Those words seem very lofty and elevated. It’s hard for many of us to imagine having to lay down our lives in love. But the words of our reading today bring those words down to the hard reality of a hurting world. John repeats Jesus’ words about laying down our lives for one another; then he guides us out into the mean streets of our cities, into the shabby homes of the poor, into the shoes of a discouraged church member who has lost his job. Here is the test of love. How do we respond to a real person in need? If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother or sister in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him? It’s easy to turn away from the needy. We’re busy. We’re already stretched. We’re not sure how we can help. Besides, maybe the person brought it on himself. Still, true love gives birth to pity. We must not forget that when God looks at us in our need, tough he could justifiably turn away, he responds with love and grace. He feels pity, compassion, mercy, and love for us in our need. And on the cross he loved us with actions and in truth. The wisdom of the cross shows us how love saves the needy. There cannot be a greater example of this love than what Jesus has already done for us. He died the death we deserved, and paid the debt would could never pay. So, did you sign up for the hard stuff of life? If you are a believer, the answer is “yes.” Use this season of Lent to deepen your love!

Even in the Little Things

For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works. (Titus 2:11-14 ESV).

COVID-19… a scourge from the devil or a gift from God? Just asking such a question may certainly elicit a multitude of response that would range from the absolute confirmation for either the devil or God. There would also likely be many people who would fall between those two with answers targeting “the fallen nature of the world” to simple chance. Let me make a suggestion to resolve this conundrum. It doesn’t matter whose “fault” it is. It only matters who is in power to work good from it all… and that One is our God! Once we get past blaming someone for our plight, regardless of what it is we are set free to rest in the unshakeable grace of God. Our reading today speaks to this with a clear call to “good works” (v. 14). I am not suggesting that we can save ourselves by being good. We are only saved by “Christ crucified … the power of God and the wisdom of God” (1 Corinthians 1:23-24). That is the plain truth. The Scripture cannot be clearer at this point. However, we cannot either deny that we are saved so that we can do good to others. The meme with a quote from Steve Maraboli reminded me of that truth today. Jesus gave himself “to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good.” He did that not just for his own sake, and surely not just for our sake. It was also for the world’s sake. Before the world will believe in Jesus, it needs an epiphany, a revealing of the reality of God. God has already given the world one epiphany: “The grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people.” That was the first coming of Jesus. And God will give the world another epiphany: “We wait for the blessed hope—the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ.” That’s the second coming of Jesus. Between those two epiphanies, there is an ongoing epiphany, the one for which Jesus gave up his life, to create a people who are eager to do good. But, we’re under orders to shelter in place! I hear you, though we have not reached that point in our county of residence yet. Our bordering counties to the east have; and, Mary and I are self isolating going our only for essential tasks. However, that does not mean we cannot be creative in the expression of a kindness to others. Perhaps it’s just a note. We have the world at our fingertips through the internet. Use it for the expression of kindness rather than the excoriation of those who differ with our point-of-view. Imagine what a phone call or text of kindness and grace might do for someone who is terrified in these difficult days! As we look forward to Good Friday and Easter next month, let us do good, even if it is but a “little thing.”

Please, Mr. Custer...

Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert. The wild beasts will honor me, the jackals and the ostriches, for I give water in the wilderness, rivers in the desert, to give drink to my chosen people, the people whom I formed for myself that they might declare my praise. (Isaiah 43:19-21 ESV).

OK y’all, while I hope today’s devotional will encourage and inspire you, I also hope to bring a both of laughter into your day. You may remember a march novelty song, sung by Larry Verne in the 60’s. There is a video of the song that you must really spend three minutes and watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dXRarvh-BxQ. It was written by Al De Lory, Fred Darian, and Joseph Van Winkle and rose to #1 in 1960. It is a comical song about a soldier's plea to General Custer before the climactic Battle of the L:ittle Bighorn against the Sioux. I call that song and video to you attention because the soldier asks an important question. Lamenting, he calls out, “What am I doing here?” It is a question many have asked through the years. It certainly is not limited to philosophers and theologians. And it’s not only “What am I doing here?” The question is more personal: “Why am I here?” Our reading offers an answer through the prophet Isaiah. Later the Apostle Peter will take up the answer (cf. 1 Peter 2:9-10). God gives the same answer in both places. He simply sais he formed his people for himself, that we may proclaim his praise, and we “are a chosen people … God’s special possession,” that we may “declare [his] praises.” The truth stands today for all God’s people. And each one is a valued part of this people (cf. 1 Corinthians 12:12-27). I heard a preacher once say poetically, “We have been formed for God’s praise, informed about Christ for his praise, and conformed to Christ for his praise.” I would add that we are also being transformed by Christ for his praise. Anything that falls short of his praise must be labeled deformed or, at best, unformed or uninformed. There are no exceptions. Every thought, every action and attitude, every glance, every memory and desire, every plan and hope, all are to be for his praise and only for his praise. And here is the amazing truth. Though our sin brings sorrow and detracts from praising God, it is forgiven so that we may give God praise: “In [Jesus] we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins … for the praise of his glory” (cf. Ephesians 1:7, 12). Lent is a good time to live up to why we are here! In such a critical time as we find ourselves these days, dare we do anything less that focus our actions and voices in giving God praise?

Run with Endurance

Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted. (Hebrews 12:1-3 ESV).

My oldest granddaughter, Faith, participates in several extra-curricular activities through her high school. One of those is Cross Country Running. She also runs the long distance races on her track team in the spring, but fall is devoted to the rigors of the often hilly terrain selected for a 2 or 3 mile race. I must say she is pretty good at it as well. She is pictured here on the left (#25) in a race last year. I remember well her first races. In the beginning she was as much concerned with finishing as she was with winning. Ultimately her best finish has been a 3rd place finish in the district race. The key is in building endurance and a will to finish the course. Endurance is essential in life. In the larger context of our reading today the Apostle Paul illustrates in rapid succession Christian living by comparing it to the life of a soldier, an athlete, and a farmer. I have had a taste of each of these examples. I can well extrapolate his point. He writes to Timothy, bracketing his images with the words “Join with me in suffering …I endure everything for the sake of the elect” (2 Timothy 2:10). Soldiers endure discipline, separation, combat, and at times a seemingly arbitrary commanding officer. Athletes endure training, sweat, sore muscles, and at times defeat, which can be heartbreaking and humiliating. Farmers endure uncertain weather, cantankerous animals, balky machinery, and at times devastating loss. Of course, endurance is not limited to these three professions. Plumbers, accountants, teachers, students, parents, nurses all endure. Add your own occupation to the list. Being human requires endurance. And endurance requires grace. That’s why Paul prefaces his call to endurance with these words: “Be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.” No one endured more than Jesus. He endured the cross as he took on himself the penalty for all our sin that we might have life. So we fix our eyes on him, who focused on the joy of winning that victory for us. Lent is a good time to fix our eyes on Jesus, to ponder his grace and his endurance. Endure with that grace!

Touching the Untouchable

For you have not come to what may be touched, a blazing fire and darkness and gloom and a tempest and the sound of a trumpet and a voice whose words made the hearers beg that no further messages be spoken to them. For they could not endure the order that was given, “If even a beast touches the mountain, it shall be stoned.” Indeed, so terrifying was the sight that Moses said, “I tremble with fear.” But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to innumerable angels in festal gathering, and to the assembly of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God, the judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous made perfect, and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel. (Hebrews 12:18-24 ESV).

Our reading today goes back to the experience of Moses while in exile. He was tending sheep and saw a bush engulfed in flames, but not burning (cf. Exodus 3:1-6). As Moses approached the burning bush, God warned, “Do not come any closer.” God restrained Moses with good reason. God knew that an unholy man approaching him would face death. So his words that seem to reject are actually words of love, not unlike a parent’s warning to a child to be careful near a fire. While the words speak compassion, they also remind us of the contrast between God’s law and God’s grace. The Law says, “Do not come any closer. You are not worthy.” However, grace declares, “I have made you worthy, through Jesus.” God’s grace calls us to come. Four times in one verse in Isaiah, the Lord urges, “Come” (cf. Isaiah 55:1). Jesus calls, “Come to me” (cf. Matthew 11:28). The writer to the Hebrews in our reading today rejoices, “You have come to God.” James summons, “Come near to God” (cf. James 4:8). The Bible’s final chapter adds three more invitations: “Come” (cf. Revelation 22:17). The Law was never intended to be instructions in how we should live. Of course, they are incredibly thorough and if we could actually live these laws in our relationships with God and others we would be far better. However, they were designed to reveal the absolute failure in each of our lives. As good as we may be, we cannot live up to these expectations. The law somberly warns us of our perilous position as sinners before a holy God. Thus, God sends His only begotten Son to softly call us to His purchased grace. This is what we celebrate at the end of this Lenten season. It is his call to us to “Come, for all is well.” Jesus has come to earth so that we might come to God. Lent is a good time to come closer to God. Turn your attention to Him today as the One who beckons you!

The Imprint of Quiet

How lovely is your dwelling place, O Lord of hosts! My soul longs, yes, faints for the courts of the Lord; my heart and flesh sing for joy to the living God. Even the sparrow finds a home, and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may lay her young, at your altars, O Lord of hosts, my King and my God. Blessed are those who dwell in your house, ever singing your praise! Selah Blessed are those whose strength is in you, in whose heart are the highways to Zion. As they go through the Valley of Baca they make it a place of springs; the early rain also covers it with pools. They go from strength to strength; each one appears before God in Zion. (Psalm 84:1-7 ESV).

In Ancient Chinese philosophy, yin and yang is a concept of dualism, describing how seemingly opposite or contrary forces may actually be complementary, interconnected, and interdependent in the natural world, and how they may give rise to each other as they interrelate to one another. Of course, I am not advocating for Chinese philosophy, or for that matter any other philosophical point of view other than Christianity; however, there is a message here that is underscored in our reading today. Action and stillness are both necessary for a well-rounded life. We might tend toward one or the other, with action perhaps more to our liking in our fast-paced world today. Yet I also sense that a longing for quiet asserts itself at times. Our reading bears the imprint of quiet: “My soul yearns, even faints, for the courts of the LORD” (v. 1). The swallow nests quietly with her young near God’s altar. Yet caring for the young is also about action. Psalm 84 pictures a balance of both quiet and action. “Ever praising you” is an example of continual action while enjoying the quiet blessing of dwelling with God. “Blessed are those … whose hearts are set on pilgrimage”; they move from quiet reflection to action, going “from strength to strength” till they appear before God. Being “a doorkeeper in the house of my God” sounds like a quiet responsibility, and yet one “whose walk is blameless” leads a life of action. Whether you are sheltering in place, quarantined, in voluntary isolation, or socially distancing yourself from others, please remember the balance necessary for peace. We need vigorous action and sweet quiet; and, we need them in the proportion to what God ordains for us. As the psalmist puts it, “Lord Almighty, blessed is the one who trusts in you.” One of the tools I often turn to is my writing. Whether you have been a “writer” in the past or not, use this time to jot down some of your thoughts and emotions. Write some letters to your children or grandchildren about this time in your life and theirs. These words will become cherished memories for them late. The Lenten season is a great time to focus on both your action and our quiet.

Calm as the Sea

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. (Ephesians 1:15-21 ESV).

I grew up on Galveston Island. It is just over three miles wide and merely twenty-seven miles tip to tip in length. Our house, which was built above our grocery store, was ten blocks from the beach. It was an easy bike ride and often visited. While I prefer the mountains for a peaceful moment today, I still remember with great fondness the wonder of the Gulf. Now, that is not to say it did not have times of storm and tempest. We lived through the third most destructive hurricane in US history. However, it is much as Wayne Muller has said: “Even in the middle of a hurricane, the bottom of the sea is calm. As the storm rages and the winds howl, the deep waters sway in gentle rhythm, a light movement of fish and plant life. Below there is no storm.” There is a peace and calm about that depth. The Apostle Paul reminds us of the power of God to bring calm to our hearts and minds in his prayer today. He asks that God will open, or enlighten, the eyes of our hearts that we may “know him better,” have “the Spirit of wisdom and revelation,” and know the hope of all that God promises to us. With hearts open to the wonder of all that God has done, we are empowered by his Spirit to live faithfully for him, as Jesus did. When we are open to God’s working in and through our lives, we are like a blank page on which he writes his poetry, an empty canvas on which he works his artistry, softened clay with which he molds his vessel. Perhaps the right combination is openheartedness and single-mindedness; perhaps it is that place when our heart and mind are equally devoted to the God of infinite wisdom. William Henry Temple Gairdner, a missionary to Cairo, Egypt, prayed as a young student, “Come in Jesus, and make me brave, retiring, humble, hardy, large-hearted, strenuous, pure, loving.” And then at home briefly in Scotland, he stood on a windswept seawall and asked God to make him “calm, pure, fresh, fragrant, open, and spacious as the sea.” Make that your prayer today!

Hanging on His Words

And he was teaching daily in the temple. The chief priests and the scribes and the principal men of the people were seeking to destroy him, but they did not find anything they could do, for all the people were hanging on his words. (Luke 19:47-48 ESV).

In the last few days we have had ample example of what the phrase “Hanging on His Words” looks like. We have been able to witness countless press conferences from every corner of the professional world dealing with the Corona Crisis. Our reading today takes us to the Triumphant Entry when Jesus entered Jerusalem to the shouts of the crowd, celebrating him as their promised King. On Monday and Tuesday he taught in the temple, frustrating the religious leaders, who wanted to kill him but were unable to “because all the people hung on his words.” In fact, within five days he hung on the cross as they had expressed in their words of condemnation. In just that short a time the people didn’t want him anymore. “The whole crowd shouted, “Crucify him! Crucify him!’ …With loud shouts they insistently demanded that he be crucified, and their shouts prevailed” (Luke 23:18-23). As bad as that seems, we should also recognize that our words also bear responsibility for Jesus’ death. We ought to examine our words in light of whether they are “full of grace” or not (cf. Colossians 4:6)? Do we consistently “speak the truth in love” (cf. Ephesians 4:15)? Is what we say “helpful for building others up according to their needs” (cf. Ephesians 4:29)? Does our “gentle answer” turn away wrath, or does our “harsh word” stir up anger (cf. Proverbs 15:1)? In a time of crisis it is so easy to be disagreeable rather than disagree. And, it should be easy to determine when we have crossed that line. If you are speaking of someone instead of something then you have fallen from words that change, transform, and heal to judgmental cynicism. As our nation becomes more and more polarized we ought to use this season of Lent to reexamine our speech. Our silent and gracious Savior took our sins on himself, and we are healed by his saving work, in which he declared once for all, “It is finished.” May we be finished with words that hurt, and may we give our tongues to words that heal. Lent is a good time to review how we use our tongues, and in our reviewing, to repent.

Fragments of Life

And when the hour came, he reclined at table, and the apostles with him. And he said to them, “I have earnestly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer. For I tell you I will not eat it until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God.” And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he said, “Take this, and divide it among yourselves. For I tell you that from now on I will not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.” And he took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” And likewise the cup after they had eaten, saying, “This cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood. (Luke 22:14-20 ESV).

One of the places we have visited each time we are in Washing DC is the National Cathedral. As you can see from the picture I’ve attached to today’s devotional, it is extravagantly appointed with stained glass throughout the worship area. Actually this photo does not do justice to the beauty that cascades throughout the expansive room as the sun shines through the perfectly placed fragments of colored glass forming each mosaic. It is amazing that such artistry can be produced from mere fragments of glass, but it is. This provides me with the basis for a word of encouragement to each of us today. The Bible details the continuous fragmentation of life and relationships throughout the stories of each of the books. There is Adam and Eve, Cain and Abel, Noah and his sons, Abraham and Lot, Sarah and Hagar, Jacob and Esau, Joseph and his brothers all in just the first book of Genesis; and, then Miriam and Moses, David and Absalom, Jew and Gentile, and even Paul and Barnabas. Soon the Christian world will remember the brokenness that brought Jesus to the cross, so that we could be freed from our wretched slavery to sin (cf. John 8:34-36). Our reading today shows us the brokenness in the symbolism of the Last Supper as Jesus broke the bread for distribution to the disciples. We all “break bread” into fragments and call it “celebration” when we have our own observances of Communion. I wonder if we understand the full significance of what we are doing. It is so much more than mere liturgy or practice. In mimicking the example of Jesus we should be able to remember the great price Jesus paid for our freedom from sin and eternal life. What was once just a broken, fragmented life is more than restored. It is now joined together in a beautiful portrait of freedom and purpose. Lent is a good time to mourn our brokenness and find our wholeness in Christ!

Hide and Seek

And they heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden. But the Lord God called to the man and said to him, “Where are you?” And he said, “I heard the sound of you in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked, and I hid myself.” (Genesis 3:8-10 ESV).

It would be very unusual that you have not played the game of “hide and seek” at some time in your life. While it was not born out of a game, this was the first reaction of Adam and Eve after their sin. Our reading shows us this clearly. In fact, here we have the first question God asks in the Bible. At first look, it may seem a bit strange. We might think God would ask, “What have you done?” since Adam had disobeyed God’s instruction not to eat from the tree in the middle of the garden. But the question God asks is “Where are you?” Of course, God knows exactly where Adam and Eve are. God’s question makes clear to us that we cannot hide from him (cf. Psalm 139:7-12), that we belong in his presence, that he made us to walk with him. But the guilt of our sin pushes us to try to hide. We try to cover up or run away, not wanting to face up to what we’ve done. And, that is certainly not a game. This season of Lent gives us an excellent opportunity to focus on the “where” of God’s question. Where are we in our journey with God. The Bible uses the word “way” for the first time in Genesis 3:24, saying that the “way” back to the garden was blocked by an angel with a sword. But God loved the world so much that he provided the way back to him, and to full life again, through Jesus Christ, who said: “I am the way and the truth and the life” (cf. John 14:1-6). Walking with the Lord means constantly answering the question “Where are you?” and emerging from our hiding places that we may see ourselves in the light of God’s grace. We are so often reactionary. In our reaction to circumstances and others along our journey it is easy to fall into the “flight or fight” of our human nature. Our first response to anything that may seem painful or challenging is to run away (flight). Even in our closest relationships we rarely find the courage and wisdom to face the challenges of life. So we run, trying to hide. Ultimately, we are either found, or forced to respond differently. Avoidance cannot be maintained. We then turn to an aggressive response (fight). That never turns out well (cf. Proverbs 15:1-4). My encouragement to you is to examine where you are at this point in your life. There is no need to hide from God, even if you could. He desires to join you in your journey, helping you to bear the burden in your life!

He is Enough!

The former priests were many in number, because they were prevented by death from continuing in office, but he holds his priesthood permanently, because he continues forever. Consequently, he is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them. For it was indeed fitting that we should have such a high priest, holy, innocent, unstained, separated from sinners, and exalted above the heavens. He has no need, like those high priests, to offer sacrifices daily, first for his own sins and then for those of the people, since he did this once for all when he offered up himself. For the law appoints men in their weakness as high priests, but the word of the oath, which came later than the law, appoints a Son who has been made perfect forever. (Hebrews 7:23-28 ESV).

COVID-19 continues its march across our country and daily we are being informed of more measures to “flatten the curve.” I encourage you to be both wise and gentle in your actions. Resist the temptation to become anxious or frantic. Mary and I are certainly taking this health threat very seriously. Because of our age and physical conditions we are isolating as recommended by our physicians. Thankfully, we have family close to us who are being very attentive to our needs. Of course, other family members have been very attentive in checking on us and doing what they can from so far away. We are blessed beyond measure. With our present technology I am also able to continue most of the ministry developed with people in need of pastoral care and direction. Even with all of that said, I also know there are many who are not in the same position. My prayers are the same for all of us… trust in the One who is able to “save to the uttermost.” As we continue in this Lenten season, our reading is timely, both for our celebration of the Resurrection and strength in this crisis. Jesus is a complete Savior, “he is able to save to the uttermost” (v. 24). In fact, in the full text of our reading the writer goes even further. He is a welcoming Savior, he saves “those who come to God through him.” He is an unfailing, praying Savior, “he always lives to intercede” for us. Jesus is a fitting Savior, he “truly meets our need.” He is a righteous, unimpeachable, unblemished Savior, he is “blameless, pure.” He is a “holy” Savior, “set apart from sinners.” He is an ascended Savior, “exalted above the heavens.” Jesus’ atoning work is finished—“he does not need to offer sacrifices day after day … he sacrificed for [our] sins once for all.” And he is a willing Savior, “he offered himself.” Again, Jesus is the only Savior (cf. John 14:6). Please be wise. Take this crisis seriously, but remember that our God is sufficient. He has proven Himself more than abundantly capable in every circumstance of life. Deliver your fear and anxiety to Him!

Ears to Hear

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. (John 1:1-13 ESV).

Seldom am I so far behind in the writing of Morning Devotionals that I am actually able to write with the most current events in mind. Today’s devotional is being written just the day before it is posted. So, my references will be contemporary to our situation with the COVID-19 pandemic. Of course, I will not reference any political issues or opinions. Frankly I cannot accept that this crisis is politically based or motivated. Some are trying to make it such; however, I believe it is completely rooted in the plan and purpose of God. Throughout the Gospels and in the first three chapters of the Revelation, Jesus warned us to have “ears that hear” (cf. Matthew 11:15; Mark 4:9, 23; Revelation 1:1-3:22). When John begins his rendering of the story of Jesus, he uses this same principle. It is not until several paragraphs into his gospel account that he actually names who he is writing about (cf. John 1:17). But in his earlier sentences John does tell us a lot about Jesus. He declaresJesus was present in the beginning, from before there was time. He was not only in on every part of the creation of the universe, but he was also involved in ways beyond our imagining. Everything that came to be, even light, even life itself, owes its existence to him. He was and is God. Then this same beyond-our-imagination being came into the world as a part of his own creation. He came within the limitations of time and space and was born a flesh-and-blood human being. He came especially as a member of a struggling and politically oppressed nation, a people that the Father had chosen and had already guided for two thousand years. Then the strangest thing happened. When Jesus came into the world he had created, that world did not recognize him. Even his own people refused to receive him. In this crisis filled season, I pray we will remember Jesus’ work of grace on our behalf. Do not be so arrogant or merely remiss in rejecting the call of God in this time. Listen to him saying, Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest (Matthew 11:28 ESV).

The Oil of Repentance

For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven: a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted; a time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; a time to seek, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away; a time to tear, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak; a time to love, and a time to hate; a time for war, and a time for peace. (Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 ESV).

Lent is a wonderful time in the Christian calendar. It begins with Ash Wednesday. Many Christians mark this as the first day of this season of reflection and repentance leading up to Resurrection Sunday (Easter). In some church traditions a mark of ashes is placed on a person’s forehead, as a reminder of sin and of Christ’s sacrifice to save us. In the Old Testament, people put on sackcloth and ashes as a sign of mourning, often because of their sins. They recognized that their sins grieved their Lord and God. Similarly, people would be anointed with oil as a sign, but not of mourning. Being anointed with oil was a sign of favor and holiness, a calling that God had in mind for every believer. This was an outward sign of an inner reality. Today we might see baptism as a similar symbolic mark. It signifies the faith that has been born within us through the calling of God in the Holy Spirit that marks us as God’s covenant children. We have been called to be part of his family. The water symbolizes the washing away of sin and the rising to new life we receive in Christ. Regardless of whether you have been baptized with water, received your ashes in worship, or anointed with oil, today should be a day to confess your sins and to strive toward holiness as you reflect on the journey of Christ to the cross. It is a time to mourn our shaky obedience. But it is also a time to dance. We take comfort and joy in the fact that Christ’s sacrifice for us paid the penalty for our sin. We can go forward in calm, delightful assurance that Jesus’ anointing becomes ours, with the promise of new life with God forever! As you reflect on this wonderful opportunity of calling, find that one person God puts in your path today to give or get a kind expression of the grace of God. It may be just the thing that will allow you to “set the people free”! We are all in some way like Moses… called to lead others to the Promised Land!

Anointed as Prophets and Priests

Children, it is the last hour, and as you have heard that antichrist is coming, so now many antichrists have come. Therefore we know that it is the last hour. They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us. But they went out, that it might become plain that they all are not of us. But you have been anointed by the Holy One, and you all have knowledge. I write to you, not because you do not know the truth, but because you know it, and because no lie is of the truth. Who is the liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ? This is the antichrist, he who denies the Father and the Son. No one who denies the Son has the Father. Whoever confesses the Son has the Father also. (1 John 2:18-23 ESV).

Have you ever been called a prophet, or a priest, or a king or queen? Most people rarely think of themselves that way. The Scripture would differ with that stance. But God does. He lifts us up to live a full life of blessing and purpose. That includes the ministry of grace to others. This is the ministry of the prophet-priest. Jesus Christ, Son of God the Father, was anointed with the Holy Spirit. As the Bible teaches, Jesus is our chief Prophet. This means he fully reveals to us the will of God and how God calls us to live. Jesus is also our perfect High Priest, who gives us access to God and has delivered us through the one sacrifice of his life for us. What’s more, Jesus is our eternal King, who governs us by his Word and Spirit. And we share in his anointing. We are called to believe and trust in Jesus and to honor his name, to serve as living sacrifices of thanks, and to reign with him forever. As the Spirit of God works in our lives, we gradually become like Jesus. Our identity begins to align with his. Our love and obedience to Christ grow as we carry out our calling as prophets, priests, and rulers who serve God. This becomes our identity. Some might say that they aren’t public speakers and can’t do this kind of work. I would remind you that was Moses’ excuse as well. He told God he couldn’t be what God was asking him to be because he had a speech disability. God simply answered saying He’d already thought of that and it was taken care of. He gave Moses the answer long before the calling. Additionally we need to recognize the ministry of grace is not often “preaching” or speaking. It most often is the kindness expressed in acts of mercy and compassion. We have an uncommon opportunity to practice those acts in this day of crisis and anxiety. As you consider all these things during this season of Lent I hope you will focus on Jesus and his sacrifice for us. Build up and plant!

Look Into His Eyes

For we did not follow cleverly devised myths when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty. For when he received honor and glory from God the Father, and the voice was borne to him by the Majestic Glory, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased,” we ourselves heard this very voice borne from heaven, for we were with him on the holy mountain. And we have the prophetic word more fully confirmed, to which you will do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts, knowing this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture comes from someone's own interpretation. For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit. (2 Peter 1:16-21 ESV).

In Greek mythology there’s a story about Medusa, a terrifying woman with snakes for hair. Anyone who looked directly at her would turn to stone. There is much more to that story, however, I use it only to introduce the truth that Paul presents in our reading today. He tells the good news that if you look directly at Jesus in faith, he will transform your stony heart into a heart that is alive forevermore. Decades after it happened, the Apostle Peter wrote our reading today. It details the incredible moment when Jesus was transfigured on a mountain before their very eyes (cf. Luke 9:28-36). The disciples who witnessed that event saw his glory, and they never forgot it. It changed their lives forever. They were transformed. That, says the apostle Paul, is the secret of our own metamorphosis: “We all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord‘s glory, are being transformed into his image” (2 Corinthians 3:18). Let’s see if I can use the common experience that most of us have shared looking in a mirror, especially during our teenage years. It would be common to begin a thorough self-examination: “Is that a new pimple? Do I need to shave? Is that hair out of place?” That’s the idea behind this text, except that Paul talks about gazing not at himself but at the glory of Christ. Change will come when, as an old hymn says, we “turn [our] eyes upon Jesus, [and] look full in his wonderful face.” We need to turn our eyes to Christ, who was not only transfigured but was also crucified and raised from the dead to live and rule forever. What better time to do this than in this season of Lent? It affords us the inspiration to examine ourselves without fear and defeat. He has given us the power to be transformed! Turn your eyes upon Jesus!

Our Large Italian Family

Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God abides in us and his love is perfected in us. By this we know that we abide in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit. And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world. Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God. So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him. By this is love perfected with us, so that we may have confidence for the day of judgment, because as he is so also are we in this world. There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. (1 John 4:11-18a ESV).

Today is the Little Italy Festival of Galveston County. It is being held in Dickinson, one of my boyhood hometowns. This annual event is times to occur on the Saturday prior to the feast day of St Joseph, honoring and exhibiting Sicilian-Italian customs, traditions, food, and culture. Mary and I were so looking forward to being there this year. Of course, her recuperation is not at the point where she can make the trip this year. We were looking forward most of all to seeing some old friends and family we have been geographically separated from for decades. The picture I’ve included today is a family gathering from the maternal side of my family. As you can see, we had a large Italian family! Oh, I’m the boy standing behind the woman seated in the center front row. I was about ten years old at the time. I am prompted to point all of us to our larger family. Most of the adults, as well as some of the children in this photo are now deceased. However, because of the grace of God shown to us in the work of Christ, we will all be reunited. This reunion will be much larger and last forever. Just like there will be Italians at the festival who are only related by their common heritage and experiences, so then our reunion will be with the full community of faith. There is one other thing I’d call your attention to as well. It is in this community that others come to believe in God’s love, because it takes the love of fellow believers to give the real- life experience of God’s love. Indeed, “if we love one another, God lives in us.” This means we can experience God fully only in community. Of course, we can also have solitary moments of God-consciousness. But it is in community where we grow to know the fullness of God’s love. “If we love one another … his love is made complete in us.” I’m sorry I won’t be able to see my Italian family today, but there is a day coming when we will all be together forever! Is that true for you?

The End of the Chain

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 8:29-30 ESV).

As we continue our Lenten devotionals it is important that we anchor our thoughts in the eternal plan of God. It could not be more plainly revealed as in today’s stunning verses. One of the great Reformation confessions calls this “The Golden Chain of Redemption.” It’s easy to see the reason for such a description. Note how the various clauses are linked together like a chain: “For those God foreknew he also predestined … And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified” (vv. 29-30). There’s no break in the chain. God is the subject of each verb, and the main actor in the drama of salvation. And the same people are the object of each verb. Each one of them is totally encircled by that golden chain and absolutely assured of complete salvation. The cross is anchored in that love, set up and supported by that golden chain of our redemption. However, the most encouraging truth in all of this is the ultimate purpose of God’s love. The Apostle Paul says it is that we might “be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters” (v. 29b). This transformation is not rooted in our behavior. It is not a result of our reaching an acceptable level of performance. It is not as if we are all somehow competing for a limited number of positions on the team. The “competition” has already taken place; in fact, the race has already been won. Jesus has dealt a final blow to our greatest enemy. We have been transformed forever from the enemy of God to His beloved children. Perhaps you have had such an experience as a child. Everyone gathers on the playground for a pickup game of football, soccer, baseball, or any number of games that were popular in those days. Two “captains” were appointed and the rest of us waited to hear our name called. Of course, the sooner our name was called the more proudly we could walk to our team. The longer it took to be chosen, the more embarrassing the experience. Sometimes it would even drive us away from the game completely just to find ourselves sitting alone, excluded from all the others. That is not what God has done. He sent Jesus to make sure that we were picked first! We were picked before the foundation of the world to be just like the Captain of the team! What a comfort! Think on that truth this season! That’s the end of this chain… loved and accepted!

Strong Words orWise Silence

Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him; fret not yourself over the one who prospers in his way, over the man who carries out evil devices! Refrain from anger, and forsake wrath! Fret not yourself; it tends only to evil. For the evildoers shall be cut off, but those who wait for the Lord shall inherit the land. (Psalm 37:7-9 ESV).

Following Mary’s surgery I had a great opportunity to make a decision of whether to use “strong words or wise words?” I am glad that I chose the latter rather than the former. Once Mary was cleared to transition to a regular room from ICU we discovered the importance of the RRT (Rapid Response Team). She had a close call with low blood pressure causing her to nearly pass out. The nurse in the room with us at the time called the code for the RRT while I was supporting her head and trying to support her weight from further fall. Within seconds there were a dozen people who converged on the room. Some brought equipment, one had a rolling crash cart, and I was relegated to the perimeter of the scene, helplessly watching. One of the last people to arrive, though still within a minute’s time, identified herself as one of the hospital chaplains. She asked me if I needed to sit down or have a drink of water? I wanted to shout, “NO! I want my wife to be OK”! Fortunately I didn’t say anything. My silence was intentional. I’ve learned through the years that our reading is true. We often need to be “still” before the Lord. That’s one of those wise responses to life. There are several of those in this psalm: trust,” “do good,” “dwell,” “enjoy,” “delight,” “commit,” “be still,” “wait.” All these words are used in reference to the Lord. The psalmist calls us to “trust in the LORD”; “take delight in the LORD”; “commit your way to the LORD”; “be still before the LORD”; “wait patiently for him.” And we can only “do good” in the strength of the Lord. We can only “dwell in the land” that God gives us. We can only “enjoy safe pasture” that the Lord promises and provides for us. And, fretting is discouraged three times in these verses. It doesn’t take long to figure out why. When we fret, we do not trust in the Lord, we do not delight in the Lord, we do not commit our way to the Lord, we are not still before the Lord, and we do not wait patiently for the Lord. When we fret, we do not do good, we do not dwell with God, and we do not enjoy the Lord’s safe pasture. Fretting, like a termite, nibbles at the trusses of trust. Fretting dehydrates our delight into the dryness of despair. Fretting babbles and gabbles away our stillness. Trusting in the Lord and fretting are incompatible. Lent is a good time to turn aside from fretting and be filled with faith. Take inventory of your resources. Make a renewed effort to employ wise silence.

A Small Kindness

Your steadfast love, O Lord, extends to the heavens, your faithfulness to the clouds. Your righteousness is like the mountains of God; your judgments are like the great deep; man and beast you save, O Lord. How precious is your steadfast love, O God! The children of mankind take refuge in the shadow of your wings. They feast on the abundance of your house, and you give them drink from the river of your delights. For with you is the fountain of life; in your light do we see light. (Psalm 36:5-9 ESV).

Last week was one filled with the reminders of kindness. I suppose Mary’s stay in the hospital gave us such a first-hand illustration of kindness in so many ways that I am forced to insert this devotional into the queue for Lent. Some of the examples of kindness were obvious, like the excellent care we received from the doctors, nurses, and staff of Baylor Hospital in Ft. Worth. However, some were more subtle. For example, one of the chaplains at the hospital was waxing conciliatory and quoted Plato in an effort to encourage me, saying, “Plato urges us to be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle.” While this was at a moment when I wanted to yell at the world, it did bring me back to the kindness of God. It was a strange road to get there, but get there I did. We have a little different language in Texas than most folks. I thought I was fluent in Texan, but I read a new idiom recently. Eighteenth century English dramatist and writer Douglas Jerrold said of his good friend, “He so kind he would have held an umbrella over a duck in a shower of rain.” Human kindness is a dim reflection of God’s kindness. Our reading today is so encouraging to me. It is this eternally vast look at the kindness and “steadfast love” of God that is foremost in the song. Remember who the author of the psalm was. David was a man who knew the hardships and disappointments of life. He also intimately knew and trusted the kindness of God. He also understood the steady pouring out of that kindness. God’s love and kindness was not given as a result of anything David did or didn’t do. His life was something of a mess at times being an adulterer and murderer. God loved him in spite of his failure, not because of it. The same is true of each of us. We have lost hard battles with sin. I’ve heard it described that Jesus’ umbrella is cross-shaped, protecting us from a deluge of God’s just wrath. God, our Father, is kind beyond measure. He does this “in order that … he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus.” Lent is a good time to reflect on God’s kindness.

Just Tast It

Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good! Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him! Oh, fear the Lord, you his saints, for those who fear him have no lack! The young lions suffer want and hunger; but those who seek the Lord lack no good thing. (Psalm 34:8-10 ESV).

It’s always a challenge to get children to eat all of the veggies we want them to in the early stages. Actually, I can’t say that I blame them after I’ve smelled some of those jars of baby food. Our oldest grandchildren were always very particular about what they liked and didn’t like. Logan didn’t like pizza; and, even now, at 16, he doesn’t like spaghetti sauce. He’s more of a “meat and potatoes” kind of guy. Faith, on the other hand, doesn’t like any condiments (lettuce, tomato, pickles, mayonnaise, or mustard) on her hamburger. That’s almost a sacrilege in Texas where we have a Whataburger in ever town! I’ve often been heard saying, “Just try it. You might like it.” The first time I chicken-fried some venison, I never thought I get either of them to try it. They were hesitant, but once they tried it, they both loved it, coming back for seconds. This is the impact of the psalmist in our reading. He is entreating his audience to just try the Lord! The taste of the Lord is also indisputable. The psalmist invites us to “taste and see that the LORD is good.” I have tasted, and I agree. The Lord is good. He is very good. He is superlatively good. He is unfailingly and eternally good. I had cause to be repulsed from that taste recently when Mary had to have the emergency colon surgery as a result of what should have been a simple procedure. It was not until much later that I realized how much good God was giving us. Of course, the pain of recuperation and recovery is not easy to tolerate, but as it turned out had she not had the surgery when she did it could have been catastrophic. The song is right: “God is good — all the time.” Lent is a good time to “lift up the cup of salvation” and say, “The LORD is good.” Bible commentator Matthew Henry elaborates on this idea: “Let God’s goodness be rolled under the tongue as a sweet morsel.” When David says, “Taste and see that the Lord is good,” he is calling us to figuratively take a bite — to try for ourselves by our own experience — and find out exactly how satisfyingly good God is. The apostle Peter applies the same language in when he says, “You have tasted that the Lord is good” (1 Peter 2:3). To taste and see that the Lord is good, we must trust God and seek Him as our sole source of protection and provision. The only way to genuinely taste and see that the Lord is good is to put the matter to the test, to try and experience His goodness for yourself.

In Good Hands

Sing for joy, O heavens, and exult, O earth; break forth, O mountains, into singing! For the Lord has comforted his people and will have compassion on his afflicted. But Zion said, “The Lord has forsaken me; my Lord has forgotten me.” “Can a woman forget her nursing child, that she should have no compassion on the son of her womb? Even these may forget, yet I will not forget you. Behold, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands; your walls are continually before me. (Isaiah 49:13-16 ESV).

Our reading today gives us the context for one of the most often misquoted verses in the Bible Verse sixteen is repeated as “I have engraved your name on the palms of my hands.” Actually the word picture in this chapter indicates that God has engraved not our names, but our very selves, on his hands. The point is to show that God loves us, cares for us, and will never forget us. On the occasions that I have held my grandchildren’s hands I have often heard some reference to the “rough skin” of my palms. I have never done a lot of manual labor which would be one of the culprits for the rough skin. However, what little work I do, especially in the wood shop, I rarely use gloves. That, and the fact that I never use hand lotion, make for rough feeling skin. Typically this produces the response of “Grandpa, your hands are scratchy.” I always reply, “That just makes it easier for you to feel me holding on tight.” Life is not nearly as jovial as this picture. But, it will end with Jesus’ victory and his hands still holding us securely. Those hands can easily be understood as “rough.” They were scarred by the nails of the cross, but he has promised that he will never let go of his loved ones. All who believe in him as Lord and Savior are safe and secure in the palms of his hands. As Jesus promised, “I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand” (cf. John 10:28-29). The picture I’ve chosen today is that of a religious figurine of a little boy resting in strong hands. I can think of no better truth to remember during the next few weeks of Lent. It is a good time to reflect on God’s powerful hands and to see ourselves engraved there. In Jesus’ last recorded prayer, he said: Holy Father, keep them in your name, which you have given me, that they may be one, even as we are one. While I was with them, I kept them in your name, which you have given me. I have guarded them, and not one of them has been lost except the son of destruction, that the Scripture might be fulfilled. (John 17:11-12 ESV). Let those be your words to treasure this Lenten Season.

Asleep in the Boat

On that day, when evening had come, he said to them, “Let us go across to the other side.” And leaving the crowd, they took him with them in the boat, just as he was. And other boats were with him. And a great windstorm arose, and the waves were breaking into the boat, so that the boat was already filling. But he was in the stern, asleep on the cushion. And they woke him and said to him, “Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?” And he awoke and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, “Peace! Be still!” And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. (Mark 4:35-39 ESV).

We’ve actually looked at this reading recently while discovering some of the characteristics of Jesus revealed through His miracles. Today, I want us to see things from a slightly different perspective. This incident takes place after a busy day. Jesus tells his disciples to take the boat across the lake. Being tired from the long day of teaching and healing the people who were thronging to him by this time, he fell asleep in the stern of the boat while the disciples handled the oars. A sudden squall came up and threatened to swamp the boat leaving them all to drown. I’ve had some of those kinds of storms, especially recently with Mary’s surgery. I find it very comforting that this story says, “Jesus was in the stern.” In fact, he was in the back of the boat and in the midst of this squall he was “sleeping on a cushion.” This startling story reminds us that Jesus is present in the stormy times of our lives, the severe, harsh, hard times. And, when he rebukes the storm, “Quiet! Be still!” the disciples know that he cares for them in their times of severe struggle, fear, and terror. I need that. Especially in those times. The noise of the storm is loud, but His voice overpowers it all with a mere whisper. Sheldon Vanauken’s book A Severe Mercy relates the conversions of his wife and himself under the influence of C. S. Lewis, and his wife’s subsequent death in the prime of her life. His sequel, Under the Mercy, details his dark pilgrimage after her death. Both books convey the theme that in the most difficult and severe times of life there is mercy. In this merciful care, the Lord is with us always. Use this Lenten Season to remind yourself that Jesus endured the most difficult suffering of all so that we might live in hope under his mercy. I love the popular meme: “The Devil whispers in your ear, ‘You cannot withstand the storm.” And the warrior answers, ‘I am the storm!’” That warrior is Jesus… He is the Lion of Judah! Trust in him… lean into him.

A Hog is in the Well

I waited patiently for the Lord; he inclined to me and heard my cry. He drew me up from the pit of destruction, out of the miry bog, and set my feet upon a rock, making my steps secure. He put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God. Many will see and fear, and put their trust in the Lord. Blessed is the man who makes the Lord his trust, who does not turn to the proud, to those who go astray after a lie! (Psalm 40:1-4 ESV). The call came into the house one Sunday afternoon. I was resting after preaching that morning and scheduled to preach again that evening. The call was from two of my friends who had gone out earlier in the afternoon to hunt hogs on a catfish farm we had found earlier in the year. The owner was losing some of his fish to the hogs who ingeniously figured out that when they tore down the dams in the ponds the fish would come floating out like a vending machine. The voice of my friend sounded distressed as he said, “Help, preacher! My ox is in the ditch!” I steadied him a bit and said, “What happened?” Well, the story was much longer than we have room to relate here, but the end of it was that they had gone to the catfish farm just to look around and scared the hogs into a small stampede and one of them had fallen into an abandoned well. They needed me to bring a gun and help them kill it and extract it from the well. Against the protests of my wife, I loaded up and drove out there. When I arrived they hurried led me into the brush to the well. There was this 200 pound wild hog holding on to the rim of the well with both front hooves and its head resting exhausted on top. It was really pretty pitiful. The difficulty was that it began thrashing around violently when we tried to approach it. I actually just wanted to get a rope around it and drag it out to let it run off. I didn’t have time to clean a hog before church! Well, the story didn’t end well for the hog or us. We did have to kill the hog and when it sunk to the bottom we had quite the time getting it out. I couldn’t help but relate that experience to our reading today. All of us, including the hog, were severely “mired” in our trouble. The spiritual illustration was striking. Like all of humanity we were all in trouble. Some people may seem upright; others are obviously bent; still others seem irreparably damaged. Our trouble has different looks, yet we all need help. In fact, I was the only one with a solution of sorts. I had a rope, a gun, and a truck to pull with. Notice the truth here. Like Jesus, in order for me to help friends (and strangely the hog as well), I had to get into the mud surrounding the well. Jesus Christ did not stay on the high, safe ground of heaven (cf. Philippians 2:6-8). He did not merely extend a long arm that we could grab on to. He came down, slipped underneath us, lifted us up, carried us to safety, and sent us on our way. Lent is a good time to thank Jesus for lifting us out of the mud and giving us a firm place to stand. The great news is he died instead of us, unlike the hog and me.

Grumbling in Your Tent

Then they despised the pleasant land, having no faith in his promise. They murmured in their tents, and did not obey the voice of the Lord. Therefore he raised his hand and swore to them that he would make them fall in the wilderness, and would make their offspring fall among the nations, scattering them among the lands. (Psalm 106:24-27 ESV).

Today I’m going to be moving through the Lenten Season with devotionals that are written in the hope that we may grow in the spirit of encouragement and hope. After all, the end of this season brings us to the greatest declaration of hope the world has ever known. None of these will really “build” on the other, though I hope each will return us to a position of joy and gladness. Our reading today from the psalms is one that brings an uncomfortable sensation. The unpleasant feeling is conviction, as in conviction of sin. It calls on us to be aware of our grumbling. There are so many times we can catch ourselves grumbling. Perhaps you passed up the opportunity to fill your vehicle with gas yesterday and today the price jumped ten cents. Or, you looked online at the local library to download a book you had been looking forward to reading and suddenly it wasn’t available. One of my personal favorites is when I stop at the grocery store to pick up a few things and there aren’t enough checkout lanes open to suit my schedule. There are dozens more examples: in the car, stopped in a construction zone with no one working; in the kitchen I find dirty dishes in the sink with the dishwasher a mere arm’s length away; or, on the driveway and the inside of the windshield smears when I clean it. That’s the way of our discontent in our tent. I read a wonderful some of the reprint of Jeremiah Burroughs’ 1648 classic some years ago. It is titled The Rare Jewel of Christian Contentment. Perhaps one of the best quotes I took away from my reading was when he wrote: “Murmuring is below the spirit of a Christian.” It demeans the greatness of the gift of grace. It should not be a surprise that Jesus had to die on the cross. Our sins include even our grumbling, murmuring, complaining, and discontent. And he died without grumbling about our grumbling! Jesus didn’t grumble; “he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death—even death on a cross!” We, then, should “have the same mindset as Christ Jesus” (cf. Philippians 2:5-15). Lent is a good time to work on our attitude and give up our grumbling. I’ve found the best way to do that is to recount the blessings of God’s gift of eternal life. Today may be awful… but eternity is another day closer!

That You May Know - Pt 20

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? He is not here, but has risen. (Luke 24:1-6 ESV).

We end our series highlighting the character and nature of Jesus with the greatest miracle ever recorded in history. Our reading describes the resurrection of Jesus simply declaring that the stone had been rolled away. These dear women had mustered up the courage in their deep grief to go to the tomb where Jesus’ body had been placed for the final preparation of the body for burial. There is no way I can imagine how they must have felt. Their hopes and dreams were destroyed and all that remained was one final act of kindness. They arrive and find the stone that had been placed in front of the entrance, sealed with the authority of the governor and guarded by two soldiers is rolled aside. Luke recounts that “they were perplexed” (v. 3). Then they see two “men in dazzling apparel” standing near the entrance. I can imagine their fear. They were not startled, they were terrified. It is the natural reaction of every human when confronted with the presence of an angelic being. Once they gathered themselves, they heard the angel says, “Why do you seek the living among the dead?” (v. 5). Tim Keller tweeted an remarkably insightful remark in 2016. I shall not forget it: The reason the stone was rolled away on Jesus' tomb was not so that Jesus could get out, but so that we could get in. That is the whole of the truth of the gospel. My pastor, Mark Mangrem, often says, “Jesus paid the price we could never pay and died the death we deserved.” There is great truth in that statement; however, I would add one other part to that equation. Jesus did indeed pay the price we could never pay; and, he died the death we absolutely deserved; however, he also conquered the enemy we had already surrendered to in the resurrection! This series has been titled “That You May Know.” My sincere hope is that you have not merely gained a bit of knowledge. I have not wanted to impart more information in these devotionals. My prayer is that you will have come to know Him… the Jesus who is God and Savior. My hope is that you have been transformed by the knowledge of Jesus who loved you from the foundation of the world and is calling you to eternal life even now. By that you will have hope and strength for all the challenges of your journey. Don’t wait another minute to celebrate this life He has provided for you!

That You May Know - Pt 19

While he was still speaking, there came a crowd, and the man called Judas, one of the twelve, was leading them. He drew near to Jesus to kiss him, but Jesus said to him, “Judas, would you betray the Son of Man with a kiss?” And when those who were around him saw what would follow, they said, “Lord, shall we strike with the sword?” And one of them struck the servant of the high priest and cut off his right ear. But Jesus said, “No more of this!” And he touched his ear and healed him. (Luke 22:47-51 ESV).

Our reading gives us the account of a miracle Jesus performed the night he was arrested. This story is told in all four gospels with various details added to each account. This is the only account where it names Peter as the one who wielded his sword. In Luke, after Peter cuts off the servant's ear, Jesus touches the man and heals him. Don’t forget that Luke was a physician and certainly would have paid close attention to the detail of a man’s ear being cut off! It is a clear revelation of the depth of compassion Jesus had for all people. After all, this man was there as the representative of the high priest. He was an enemy. Yet Jesus restored him. As usual Peter is all over the place. Cutting off ears in one instance and hiding by the fire in the next. I am sure Jesus appreciated Peter's loyalty, however, in this moment he rebukes him and tells him to put back his sword. In the passage Jesus also says that his kingdom is not of this world. If in fact he needed some help he could call down a legion of angels to deliver himself. But Jesus' calling was to submit to the authorities not overthrow them. It was all part of God's plan. Peter wanted to bring in the kingdom by force and Jesus says to Peter, "There is another way." Using force to bring in Christianity has rarely if ever worked well in the history of the church. This requires reliance on human means not divine power. This was one of the reasons Luther did not fight the authorities during the Reformation. Some of his more zealous followers wanted to start wars against the Romans, but Luther left it to God to justify the cause of the Reformation. For Jesus this meant allowing the Jews and the Romans to bring him to the cross. He could have stopped it at anytime, but allowed God to show his power in his time and brought about the salvation of the world through it. We are called to do the same and allow God to justify our cause. The compassion of Jesus, reflected through our daily lives is the real methodology of missions and ministry. I’m afraid we have strayed far from this practice in our divided, combative culture. Recapture the compassion of Christ. Change can happen, but only through the Holy Spirit!

That You May Know - Pt 18

In the morning, as he was returning to the city, he became hungry. And seeing a fig tree by the wayside, he went to it and found nothing on it but only leaves. And he said to it, “May no fruit ever come from you again!” And the fig tree withered at once. When the disciples saw it, they marveled, saying, “How did the fig tree wither at once?” And Jesus answered them, “Truly, I say to you, if you have faith and do not doubt, you will not only do what has been done to the fig tree, but even if you say to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and thrown into the sea,’ it will happen. And whatever you ask in prayer, you will receive, if you have faith.” (Matthew 21:18-22 ESV).

Our reading today describes one of the most enigmatic miracles of Jesus. However, it has much to say about the character of our Savior. The meaning, though widely varied, is pretty simple. Fig trees are for making figs. We plant apple trees because we want apples, peach trees because we want peaches, orange trees because we want oranges, and fig trees because we want figs. We might as well ask what good is an apple tree that doesn't produce apples? You might as well cut it down. Or curse it, as Jesus did the fig tree. Jesus knew the fig tree was barren the moment he saw it. Since the leaves and the fruit typically appear at about the same time, he could see the emptiness and uselessness of the tree at first glance. Cursing the fig tree was Jesus' way of saying that the whole nation of Israel had become spiritually barren before the Lord. They had the form of religion but not the reality. They knew the right words to say, but their hearts were far from God. It was a symbolic pronouncement of judgment. Some have protested that this was the act of a capricious demi-god. They would argue that the fig tree, after all, was doing what God had ordained that fig trees should do. If it was bearing no figs, that was perhaps because there had not been enough rain that year; or because someone else had already passed by and picked all the figs; or simply because fig trees don't fruit at the time of Passover; they fruit in the autumn. However, their argument lacks the basic understanding of the relationship we enjoy with the Lord. Bearing fruit is not a result of anything within the fig tree that has not already been placed there by God. So it is with believers. We cannot blame God for our failure in the simple act of honesty. He gives us the Holy Spirit that we might have the power to transcend the natural and achieve that which is supernatural. Jesus makes that very clear in the last verses of our reading. Jesus sees the heart. Our words and actions are empty if they are not rooted in the faith of belief. It calls us to a real relationship with Jesus, not a religion!

That You May Know - Pt 17

Then Jesus, deeply moved again, came to the tomb. It was a cave, and a stone lay against it. Jesus said, “Take away the stone.” Martha, the sister of the dead man, said to him, “Lord, by this time there will be an odor, for he has been dead four days.” Jesus said to her, “Did I not tell you that if you believed you would see the glory of God?” So they took away the stone. And Jesus lifted up his eyes and said, “Father, I thank you that you have heard me. I knew that you always hear me, but I said this on account of the people standing around, that they may believe that you sent me.” When he had said these things, he cried out with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out.” The man who had died came out, his hands and feet bound with linen strips, and his face wrapped with a cloth. Jesus said to them, “Unbind him, and let him go.” (John 11:38-44 ESV).

Our reading today is a part of a larger portion of Scripture that details Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead (cf. John 11:1-46). There have been so many books, sermons, and devotionals written about this even I hesitated to include it in our list. However, it became even more relevant to me with the death of my oldest brother recently. Jesus was no stranger to death. He attended funerals and mourned the death of friends and family just like we do. This story is a bit unique in how Jesus responded. Upon hearing Lazarus was sick, Jesus postponed returning to Bethany, and when he finally arrived Lazarus had been dead for four days, survived by his sisters Mary and Martha. That the context of our reading today. The key is in Jesus’ response to Martha: Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though he dies, and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?” (vv. 23-26). The most astounding thing here is the claim Jesus makes about himself: I am the resurrection and the life (v. 26). Think about what it means for Jesus to say he is the resurrection and the life; and imagine how insensitive a thing this is to say at a funeral — unless of course it’s true. Point is, Lazarus isn’t dead. His body lies in the tomb, yes, but ‘he’ is not dead. Jesus explains that for us… Lazarus is not dead because “whoever believes in me lives.” Martha thinks she understands. “Yes of course,” out spilled her correct doctrine. “He’ll live again at the last day. I learned my catechism. But Jesus isn’t saying that. He’s saying something far more radical. He’s saying that Lazarus lives now, as he and Martha speak, even though the grave holds his body. And Lazarus lives now because of who and what Jesus now is — resurrection and life in himself. The resurrection isn’t out there somewhere, an event in the future, as Martha thought. It’s right here, Jesus says. “It’s where I am. It’s who and what I am. Life, real life, indestructible life, is right here, Martha, speaking with you. I am where Lazarus is.” The life we dream of, the joys we chase, the hopes we sacrifice so much for, the fears and pain we medicate with drink or success or religion, all the pleasures and fulfillment and assurance we try to squeeze out of the few moments we have in this fleeting thing we call a lifetime — that life isn’t out there in our future. It is here, now, in Jesus! Now that is GOOD NEWS!