Love Is a Choice

 

The oracle of the word of the LORD to Israel by Malachi. “I have loved you,” says the LORD. But you say, “How have you loved us?” “Is not Esau Jacob’s brother?” declares the LORD. “Yet I have loved Jacob but Esau I have hated. I have laid waste his hill country and left his heritage to jackals of the desert.” If Edom says, “We are shattered but we will rebuild the ruins,” the LORD of hosts says, “They may build, but I will tear down, and they will be called ‘the wicked country,’ and ‘the people with whom the LORD is angry forever.’” Your own eyes shall see this, and you shall say, “Great is the LORD beyond the border of Israel!” (Malachi 1:1-5 ESV).

 

So much of the time we believe that love is a feeling. Frank Minirth, Paul Meier, and Robert Hemfelt wrote in Love Is a Choice: “Love is a choice and a decision that determines if it lives on or ends. It is a deliberate act that involves choosing and committing to a person that helps us work through tough times. Love is based on a promise and is represented by our marriage vows. It is not just a feeling, and you are not destined for any relationship other than the one you help create. Love is a choice, not an uncontrollable feeling, and you are in control of how you act in your relationships and how much you push past conflict and challenges.”

 

Our reading today is so counter-intuitive regarding God’s love. It almost appears that God is not acting in a loving way.  This causes a grave mistake on our part. We begin to assume that God’s love should meet our approval instead of the other way around. God’s comment on Esau is confusing in this way. Jacob and Esau were brothers, but for unstated reasons God chose to accept Jacob and reject Esau (cf. Genesis 27). Their father, Isaac, being deceived by Rebekah and Jacob, pronounced a lavish blessing on Jacob but only a limited one on Esau.

 

This is actually a very important lesson about love. Many of us think of love as a feeling that might lead to certain choices. But real love, God’s kind of love, is a choice that leads to feelings. These verses in Malachi are saying that God made a loving choice of Jacob (through no merit on Jacob’s part) but not of Esau. Through Jacob, God worked out his plan of salvation that led to Jesus. We might never know the reason for that choice, but we do know that God’s love is not led by feelings. We also know that God is motivated by the best “good” that can be (cf. Romans 8:28). This ought to lead us to love more, not less.  We don’t need to like someone to love them.

 

Love Is Hard

 

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).

 

Yesterday I ended the devotional with an encouragement to find ways in which we may express the love of God to others. I cannot deny that loving others is often hard. However, the Scripture is very clear in showing us this is the path God desires for us. It should not be a surprise when the Apostle Paul lists the fruit of the Spirit that love is the first to be listed (cf. Galatians 5:22-23). And, the spiritual qualities that follow are further elaborations on the primary fruit of love. It’s no wonder that 1 Corinthians 13, which details the attributes of love, has much in common with the description of the fruit of the Spirit. When we read there that love is patient, kind, and rejoices with the truth (cf. 1 Corinthians 13:4, 6) we see how the virtues of patience, kindness, and joy are expressions of love in action.

 

Perhaps the most difficult part of loving others is how often we define love outside of the example of Jesus and the instruction of the Scripture. It is no surprise to any of us who have lived even the shortest of adult life that we often see people loving the wrong things for the wrong reasons. Even our love for good things can often go wrong. Some of that is a language problem. When I say that I love to work in my woodshop, that insinuates that I would be willing to give anything for the time and resources to be in the shop most of the time. Yet, when I add up the time spent in the shop it is far short of a majority. Perhaps that’s merely a vocabulary problem. The truth of real love is to be found in the kind of relationships I have.

 

This points to the truth I have written on several occasions. It is the difference between doing the things that “get to do” or those that I’ve “got to do.” This is where it gets hard. Loving others, especially those with whom I disagree, is enormously hard. Yet, it is the way of Jesus.

 

Memorial Day, 2023

[Jesus said] “Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.” (John 15:13 ESV).

 

Memorial Day was first celebrated in Waterloo, New York. It is here that the most people assign the birthplace of this holiday. Of course, it is a somber holiday in that it honors the sacrifices made by thousands of service members who have given their lives to preserve the freedom, peace, and future of our nation. There are thousands of heroic stories that can be shared on this day. These are stories of lives cut short and families losing spouses, siblings, children, and parents. The losses have been enormous, and the freedom that has been preserved is priceless. 

 

I remember vividly my first introduction of such heroism when I attended Texas A&M and walked into the Memorial Student Center for the first time. In keeping with the university’s long-established custom of remembrance, showing respect to those who have died while serving in the United States Armed Forces is observed throughout the year, not just on Memorial Day. Perhaps the largest visual reminder of Aggies who made the ultimate sacrifice is the Memorial Student Center. The building, which serves as the campus’ student union, was dedicated in 1951 to all Aggies killed in action. And while the MSC has since been renovated and repurposed significantly over the years, the tradition remains that students and visitors are asked not to walk on the grass surrounding the building and to remove their hats upon entering. The eight Aggie recipients of the Congressional Medal of Honor — the nation’s highest military award for bravery — are also honored through a permanent display showcased inside the MSC. The names and likenesses of those former students are commemorated in the Hall of Honor. The Aggies Lost in Service Memorial at the east end of the hall lists the names of all Aggies who have died in past wars.

 

We ought to give thought as to how we can best remember those who have given their lives for our continued freedom. Jesus said, “There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends” (John 15:13). How can we honor the sacrifices that continue to be made?  Our freedom has come at so high a price we dare not squander it by seeking only to serve our own interests. We are free to live at liberty and pursue the happiness found in seeking to do the will of Almighty God. We can use our freedom as an opportunity to bless and serve others rather than using it to gratify our own desires. The freedom we enjoy was not purchased with gold or silver but with the blood, sweat, and tears of the ones that we honor today. As you remember the lives of those, who sacrificed for your freedom, ask God how you can be an instrument of His love.  

Jesus' Ascension - Pt. 5

 

And he said to all, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it. For what does it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses or forfeits himself? For whoever is ashamed of me and of my words, of him will the Son of Man be ashamed when he comes in his glory and the glory of the Father and of the holy angels. But I tell you truly, there are some standing here who will not taste death until they see the kingdom of God.” (Luke 9:23-27 ESV).

 

There was never a time during the teaching ministry of Jesus that He did not have a heavenward focus. Even as He knew the end of this ministry would be His death, Jesus continued to look beyond His earthly life. He understood there was nothing beyond death to fear; He knew the glory that awaited Him. The Ascension was merely a confirmation of what He already knew.

 

Of course this is not to minimize the suffering Jesus faced at the hands of sinful, stubborn people.  It does emphasize the implications this has for us. As God’s people, we can expect the powers of evil to treat us with the same destructive attacks. Perhaps you have been on the receiving end of others’ sinful behavior: abuse, neglect, harassment, or persecution. Jesus assures us that he knows what it is to experience hurt, and he points our attention heavenward to the glory that God reveals in his children (cf. Romans 8:18). His words sound clearly from heaven’s throne: follow me!

 

Sometimes, though, the temptation to deny Jesus comes not from hardship but from prosperity. Perhaps you have tried to live a life of self-fulfillment. Maybe you have been chasing pleasure or trying to soothe your loneliness in sinful ways. Perhaps having a relationship with Jesus embarrasses you or doesn’t seem important enough in your social circles. Jesus’ words remind us that true glory comes only from him.

 

The ascension reminds us of the glory that Jesus has with the Father right now. I hope we remember the glory of the crucified, resurrected, and ascended Lord. We must remember that even when difficulty or the appeal of riches and position seem to fill our experience Jesus is coming again. He will establish His kingdom on earth, ruling with true peace forever. Being with Him then will be a result of following Him now regardless of the suffering we may endure.

 

Jesus' Ascension - Pt. 4

The earth is the LORD’s and the fullness thereof, the world and those who dwell therein, for he has founded it upon the seas and established it upon the rivers. Who shall ascend the hill of the LORD? And who shall stand in his holy place? He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who does not lift up his soul to what is false and does not swear deceitfully. He will receive blessing from the LORD and righteousness from the God of his salvation. (Psalm 24:1-4 ESV).

 

Continuing our journey through understanding the significance of the Ascension of Jesus we come to this brief reference by David in the Psalms. Our reading today is a wonderful reflection of the conundrum we face in thinking about approaching the presence and person of God. There have been many answers designed through the millennia to offer the answer to that question. Some have offered various religious rituals and rites, while others emphasize the goodness of our behavior as the answer. None of those are the way into God’s presence.

 

A casual reading of David’s psalm might lead us to mistakenly believe he is telling us to do these things. It almost seems as if he is saying that the one who may ascend to God and stand before him must achieve the state of “clean hands and a pure heart.” We might be able to say that we have come close because of our religious practices or our behavioral choices and actions.

 

There are many examples in our common experience that speak to the truth that “close is not close enough.”  Even if you could achieve nearly perfect status in some of the common things in our life, it would still be an utter disaster. A 0.1% failure rate could have a major impact on airline safety. Can you imagine being alright with “almost landing safely?” Or how about having drinking water that is “nearly pure?” I do not want to face God with the retort of “I was almost perfect.” A really good effort is not good enough. God looks for perfection (cf. Matthew 5:48).

 

Though we are made to be near God, none of us has the truly clean hands and pure heart required to approach him. But God has provided One who can: Jesus, the “King of glory.” He has triumphed mightily over the forces of sin and death, and he has opened the way to heaven for us. Please recognize that Jesus has proven Himself worthy to go ahead of us and be the one who gives us clean hands and pure hearts by His work and sacrifice on our behalf. He has already ascended to the throne and is drawing us to be with Him!

 

Jesus' Ascension - Pt. 3

 

Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed ethe heir of all things, through whom also he created the world. He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, having become as much superior to angels as the name he has inherited is more excellent than theirs. (Hebrews 1:1-4 ESV).

 

Perhaps one of the most common questions I have been asked through the decades of ministry I have had is whether God is real. Many people believe in some concept of a divine being who has somehow brought all of creation into existence; however, believing in the reality of a God who interacts and relates to us is something a bit more difficult for some folks. We long to hear the voice of God; we do desire to possess the assurance that God is real. But often it can seem that hearing from God requires us to somehow climb into heaven. This is where the Ascension becomes so important.

 

In our reading today, the writer of Hebrews calls our attention to the variety of ways in which God speaks; and, none of these requires us to ascend to heaven ourselves. “Through the prophets at many times and in various ways” God has addressed his people. He has caused his Word to be written down. In the Bible we have the record of God’s interactions with sinful humanity, the stories of God’s people throughout history—and these help us to see the many features of God’s character.

 

Since Jesus came, we have even more information, for he has come into the world as the very Word of God (cf. John 1:1-4). Ultimately God’s communication to us can be summed up in one word: Jesus. By his life and death and resurrection— and especially his ascension— Jesus draws our attention to God in heaven.

 

Hearing the voice of God does not require some mysterious spiritual practice. All we must do is focus on Jesus, who— like a great megaphone—has come so that we might hear God’s voice and see his love in action here on earth.

 

Jesus' Ascension - Pt. 2

 

When the days drew near for him to be taken up, he set his face to go to Jerusalem. And he sent messengers ahead of him, who went and entered a village of the Samaritans, to make preparations for him. But the people did not receive him, because his face was set toward Jerusalem. And when his disciples James and John saw it, they said, “Lord, do you want us to tell fire to come down from heaven and consume them?” But he turned and rebuked them. And they went on to another village. (Luke 9:51-56 ESV).

 

I am notoriously bad with a sense of direction. That has been exacerbated with the advent of GPS mapping. Even when I have not input a specific direction into my navigation system, I like to have the map on the screen to give me a comfortable sense of not getting lost. And, yes, I have gotten lost on several occasions. Some of these have been epic, though I’ll not take the space today to detail them.

 

Jesus was not directionally challenged at all. Looking back on Jesus’ life, his first followers could see that he was always headed toward heaven. Though Jesus did great things in his ministry here on earth — healing the sick, giving hope to the poor and needy — he remained focused on the heavenward direction of his work. This desire to keep on moving toward his Father, for our sake and for his kingdom, led Jesus resolutely toward Jerusalem, toward the suffering and death that would pay for our sins and give us new life in his kingdom.

 

Unfortunately, many believers today do not share that sense of direction. As individuals and as communities, we can be shortsighted. We respond to opposition with a sense of competition that ultimately leads us to a win or lose positional relationship. We refuse to dialogue with people whose politics differ from ours. We lash out at relatives and friends who upset us. We respond with fear, instead of love, to people who are different from us. In our Bible reading for today, we are not told Jesus’ words of rebuke to his disciples. But from his life we see that God’s plan can use even seasons of struggle and opposition to point us heavenward. The cross, the tomb, and the ascension are all essential parts of Christ’s story.

 

We should take some time to reflect on how we react to others. Are there areas of our lives that could benefit from an understanding of how Jesus’ commitment to eternal things changed the way he acted. God’s big-picture work should lead us through suffering and death to the hope of glory.

 

Jesus Ascension - Pt. 1

 

So when they had come together, they asked him, “Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” And when he had said these things, as they were looking on, the was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight. And while they were gazing into heaven as he went, behold, two men stood by them in white robes, and said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.” (Acts 1:6-11 ESV).

 

The simplicity of Luke’s account of the Ascension of Jesus into heaven is remarkable. Our reading says, “And when he had said these things, as they were looking on, the was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight.” (v. 8). Both the Nicene and Apostle’s Creed have this reference within their composition as an affirmation of one of the foundational tenets of the faith.  Based on the teachings of the Bible, they remind us of something that is both wonderfully simple and astoundingly great: Jesus has gone bodily to be in the very presence of God!

 

The bigger question for most believers today is what the significance of this truth is. The main thing is that Jesus, who rose from the dead after dying to pay for all our sin, now lives and rules with God the Father in heaven. And yet Jesus is also with us always— through the Spirit of God, who comes to live and work in our hearts. Jesus’ ascension made all this possible.

 

Over the next few days, I want to explore the meanings embedded in this truth both on an eternal and contemporary application. It is important to know why Jesus returned to heaven; it is equally important to understand how He prepared his disciples for his heavenly reign; and, therefore, it becomes an instructional manual as to how we are to live considering our Savior’s role in heaven at God’s right hand. The Christian faith calls us to remember a simple truth: Jesus ascended. But it also invites us to grow in our faith in the ascended Lord. I hope this walk through the teaching of the Ascension will prove to be a great encouragement to you in your life. Today, simply acknowledge your absolute belief in Jesus’ Ascension.

Our Security Blanket

 

And they came to Jericho. And as he was leaving Jericho with his disciples and a great crowd, Bartimaeus, a blind beggar, the son of Timaeus, was sitting by the roadside. And when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out and say, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” And many rebuked him, telling him to be silent. But he cried out all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!” And Jesus stopped and said, “Call him.” And they called the blind man, saying to him, “Take heart. Get up; he is calling you.” And throwing off his cloak, he sprang up and came to Jesus. And Jesus said to him, “What do you want me to do for you?” And the blind man said to him, “Rabbi, let me recover my sight.” And Jesus said to him, “Go your way; your faith has made you well.” And immediately he recovered his sight and followed him on the way. (Mark 10:46-52 ESV).

 

I suppose all of us have some sort of “security blanket. Like Linus from the Peanuts cartoons, it is the one thing that allows us to achieve a sense of peace and tranquility no matter what the circumstances of life might be. In our reading today we see the character of Bartimaeus as he meets Jesus and has his sight restored. This story has a very important detail within it. Did you notice that in the phrase about Bartimaeus he is “throwing his cloak aside”? We should understand what is being conveyed in this detail.

 

Bartimaeus’s cloak was probably his only possession, and he needed it for his meager life. He was blind and could not see what people might toss to him as they passed by, so he would have to spread his cloak on the ground to catch bits of food or small coins that he might receive. Then he could find them on the cloak. In ­other words, he needed his cloak in order to gather his income. And at night he would wrap the cloak around his body for warmth. It was his bed.

 

When Jesus called the first disciples, they left everything behind to follow him (cf. Mark 1:16-20; 10:28). Similarly, Bartimaeus leaves his cloak behind as he jumps to his feet to come to Jesus, to have his life changed, and to follow Jesus. This really is the gospel in a nutshell. Bartimaeus leaves his security blanket behind as he comes to Jesus, gains his sight, and follows the Lord into a new life. I wonder if there’s something in your life that is keeping you from following Jesus with your whole heart, mind, and soul?

 

Eyes Wide Open

 

Deal bountifully with your servant, that I may live and keep your word. Open my eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of your law. I am a sojourner on the earth; hide not your commandments from me! (Psalm 119:17-19 ESV).

 

After rising from the dead, Jesus met several times with his followers. On the road to Emmaus, while he walked along with two of them, they didn’t know who he was while he taught everything about himself from the Scriptures. Only later, when he broke bread with them, were their eyes opened to see him as the Messiah, God’s Anointed One, the Savior (Luke 24:13-35).

 

Then later that same day, in Jerusalem, Jesus met with a large group of his disciples. And after he opened their eyes to see that he had risen in the flesh, Jesus explained that all of the Scriptures — “the Law of Moses, the Prophets, and the Psalms”— were fulfilled in him. For us to see and understand Jesus in the Scriptures, we too need our eyes opened. Although the psalmist couldn’t see Jesus or know what we know about Jesus today, the psalmist certainly understood the need for eyes to be opened to understand God’s Word.

 

Without our eyes opened, God’s Word can seem like a legalistic code to measure how others—and we—fail to live righteously. With our eyes opened, we see in God’s Word the living God who graciously reveals himself to us. We learn how to live the way God intends for us. We ultimately find the “wonderful things” of God’s grace and mercy—above all, in God’s gift of Jesus—and we live in gratitude for all he has done for us.

 

There are two ways that God “opens” our eyes. One is called general revelation. These are the things we can see and know about God from creation. The second is called specific revelation. This is what we can know from Scripture, especially the passages that describe Jesus. The gospels are the main source of that information, though Jesus can be seen throughout the Old and New Testaments. I’m always amazed that we seem to be so confused about what Jesus would or wouldn’t do based on this revelation of His character, will, and purpose. Perhaps this is a good time for all of us to reexamine our lives in the face of what we know about Jesus. Let’s make the psalmist’s prayer ours today… Lord open my eyes … let me walk with my eyes wide open!

 

A Bright Light

 

I tell you this, brothers: flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. Behold! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed. For this perishable body must put on the imperishable, and this mortal body must put on immortality. When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written: “Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?” The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain. (1 Corinthians 15:50-58 ESV).

 

I’m writing this late in the day, May 19, 2023. Earlier today I received a text from my oldest son that a very familiar writer, theologian, and pastor we both follow was placed in hospice care and gravely ill. His name is Tim Keller. A bit later in the day I received a notification that he had died. He was an American pastor, theologian, and Christian apologist. He was the chairman and co-founder of Redeemer City to City, which trains pastors for service around the world. He was also the founding pastor of Redeemer Presbyterian Church in Manhattan. For 28 years he led that diverse congregation of young professionals that grew to a weekly attendance of over 5,000. He was 72 years old. He will be missed by many. He was a bright light!

 

Perhaps one of my favorite quotes from him is: “All death can now do to Christians is to make their lives infinitely better.” Thinking over the many times I have read his works, this quote reminds me of one of my favorite passages, 1 Corinthians 15:50-58. I have chosen that as our reading today. It clearly declares the hope believers possess. Simply said: Death is not the end; it is the beginning of eternal life. That’s what Jesus said when standing at the grave of his friend Lazarus: “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die” (John 11:25-26). Life on earth is not a one-way journey to the cemetery. We simply change locations. We can be sure of this because of Jesus’ resurrection. We can be assured of this because of Jesus’ resurrection. Our future is assured. “Death has been swallowed up in victory.” And that victory includes our own resurrection in the new heavens and earth.

 

Hope's Two Daughters

 

Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good. Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor. Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord. Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality. Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them. Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. Live in harmony with one another. Do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly. Never be wise in your own sight. Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all. If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.” To the contrary, “if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.” Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. (Romans 12:9-21 ESV).

 

Augustine of Hippo said that hope has two daughters: “Anger and Courage. Anger at the way things are, and Courage to see that they do not remain as they are.” Because God desires peace for the whole creation, we are right to be angry at poverty and all that interferes with the peace He desires for us. “Hate what is evil,” says Paul. Indifference or apathy about injustice, oppression, and the suffering of others cannot produce hope.

 

Through the years I have worked with many impoverished people. Their needs were as different as they were physically. They may have needed housing, new skills, friendship, advocacy, or any of a dozen more things. However, the one thing they all had in common was their need of hope. This is true of all of us to one degree or another. We need to feel that life is still full of possibilities. Hope convicts us that the current condition of our world is not normative. Christians are above all a people of hope, and this does not refer to wishful thinking or naïve optimism but hope as “resurrection thinking and living.” In Jesus Christ, God has assured us that the future is open to God’s grace.

 

Anger is another consideration in this context. Anger by itself cannot bring positive change. Anger at evil must be accompanied by courage to act in ways that overcome evil. Paul describes that hopeful courage as consisting of patience, sharing both joys and sorrows, showing hospitality, and bearing each other’s burdens. People who have been changed by the grace of God fought to be wise enough to hate evil and determined enough to face each day with courage. Make that your goal today.

 

Always with Us

 

But now thus says the LORD, he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel: “Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you. For I am the LORD your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior. I give Egypt as your ransom, Cush and Seba in exchange for you. Because you are precious in my eyes, and honored, and I love you, I give men in return for you, peoples in exchange for your life. (Isaiah 43:1-4 ESV).

 

In most seaports there are special pilots that join with an incoming ship to guide it into port. These harbor pilots know the unseen obstacles under the water, as well as the currents and other details of the local port. The ship’s crew needs the harbor pilot with them on board so that they can respond immediately if there is danger ahead.

 

In our reading today we find a similar description from God. The Lord guides us through the overwhelming waters of life. The way ahead is unexplored and dangerous to us, but God comes alongside to reassure us. He is not impersonal, like the waters—or even like a pilot who guides a ship because it is his job. God calls us by name, and he assures us, “You are mine.” The Lord shows us tender compassion, spending time with us in the midst of our struggles. God not only knows the way; he also knows us as we travel it.

 

Jesus is with us always (cf. Matthew 28:20). He is Immanuel, “God with us” (cf. Matthew 1:23). It is a profound truth of the Christian faith that we are not alone but that our Lord and Savior continues to lead and guide us. If you feel like you are in the deep waters of life, know that Jesus is with you and let him be your hope.

 

I Need Your Help

 

The word of the LORD came to Jeremiah a second time, while he was still shut up in the court of the guard: “Thus says the LORD who made the earth, the LORD who formed it to establish it—the LORD is his name: Call to me and I will answer you, rand will tell you great and hidden things that you have not known.” (Jeremiah 33:1-3 ESV).

 

I never seem to find myself without a way of being humbled because of my actions. After the heart catheterization and returning to my room to rest for the evening, I was awakened by a technician coming to draw blood. She gently woke me by touching my shoulder. I opened my eyes and she said, “Your’ gown is sopping wet.” And it was. I said, I must have had a chill. They are not uncommon to me. She was very cheerful and told me she need to get some blood for lab tests. I merely offered both my arms and said, “Your choice” and smiled a bit. I didn’t feel bad, but I was cold and clammy feeling. She helped me into the gown and got her sample leaving me to fall asleep. A while later I woke up and felt disoriented and a bit panicked. I thought, “no problem” you can handle this. Think your way through it. That didn’t work! I reached for the call button and the nurse answered, “May I help you?” I said, “I need help please.” She said, “What seems to be wrong. I answered, “I don’t know.”

 

A nurse arrived quickly and asked, “What seems to be wrong?” Remember that I had just had the heart catheterization and angioplasty. They were worried I was having a heart attack. She was checking monitors, double-checking blood pressure and other vitals, as I said, “I don’t know. I feel disoriented and strange.” The more she talked me through my symptoms, the more I knew what had happened. I had a panic attack. With the lights now on and someone in the room with me, my anxiety began to subside. She was looking through the chart on the computer and said, “You didn’t have any of your evening medications, did you?” Well, one of those little white pills is specifically for anxiety and claustrophobia. In a matter of a few minutes, I realized what was happening and I was able to make the corrections necessary.

 

Here's the lesson. We have a “Call Button” to the Lord at our disposal. In our reading, the Lord says to Jeremiah, “Call to me and I will answer you, rand will tell you great and hidden things that you have not known” (v. 3). He will do that for us every time we seek Him! Humbled and grateful to have been reminded of His grace, I slept fine the rest of the night. He responds to every request for His help from His children.

 

Shelter in the Storm

 

Though the fig tree should not blossom, nor fruit be on the vines, the produce of the olive fail and the fields yield no food, the flock be cut off from the fold and there be no herd in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the LORD; I will take joy in the God of my salvation. GOD, the Lord, is my strength; he makes my feet like the deer’s; he makes me tread on my high places. (Habakkuk 3:17-19 ESV).

 

I am always gratified when readers of the Morning Devotional respond with comments and questions. One person recently commented with a question: “How can I find peace and joy in the midst of what’s going on today?” I took that to mean that they were looking for shelter in the midst of the storm that seems so pervasive in our culture. That may even be your question as you follow the news or receive a worrisome personal update. How do we respond to bad news and reports of trouble and struggle in so many places?

 

Our reading today is one of the most powerful affirmations of faith in all of Scripture. Faced with news of an upcoming war, the prophet Habakkuk anticipates food shortages and hunger throughout the land. But in the face of such calamity, he declares that he will still rejoice in God his Savior. External circumstances are not going to stop him from finding personal peace and joy in the Lord. He is describing his “storm shelter.” As Christians, we can rejoice in the midst of the most challenging circumstances because of Jesus’ death and resurrection. Even in the toughest of times, even the extreme of looking death in the face, we know that nothing “will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8:39).

 

During my most recent procedure I found myself a bit overconfident. After all, I had already been through this three times in the last five years. I was an “old hand” at this sort of thing. Well, God changed all of that when I found myself in a hospital that I had not been to before, with surroundings completely unfamiliar to me, and a completely different kind of anesthesia than I had before (I was absolutely wide awake and talking to the doctor during the whole procedure). At one moment I remember thinking, “This sure feels different.” That was during the time when I felt the movement of the “wire” through my vein as it snaked its way into my heart. I also remember the truth of our reading today. By his Spirit he comforts us. He is always in full control of our lives. That joyful reality gives us sure shelter even in the most difficult of times. It will for you as well.

 

God's Rain

 

Ask rain from the LORD in the season of the spring rain, from the LORD who makes the storm clouds, and he will give them showers of rain, to everyone the vegetation in the field. For the household gods gutter nonsense, and the diviners see lies; they tell false dreams and give empty consolation. Therefore the people wander like sheep; they are afflicted for lack of a shepherd. “My anger is hot against the shepherds, and I will punish the leaders; for the LORD of hosts cares for his flock, the house of Judah, and will make them like his majestic steed in battle. From him shall come the cornerstone, from him the tent peg, from him the battle bow, from him every ruler—all of them together. They shall be like mighty men in battle, trampling the foe in the mud of the streets; they shall fight because the LORD is with them, and they shall put to shame the riders on horses. (Zechariah 10:1-5 ESV).

 

We certainly aren’t strangers to the spring thunderstorms pictured here. Texas has its share of sudden storms and because the landscape is relatively flat the sight of one on the horizon is remarkable. Many Bible texts talk about the destructive power of storms and how sometimes God uses storms to bring judgment. But many other texts describe storms as bringing blessings, especially in the rains that water the land. Regular rainfall was essential for ancient cultures with limited irrigation systems. Access to clean water was essential for survival.

 

Zechariah reminded God’s people that the Lord is the source of rain. Zechariah’s prophecies were pastoral, emphasizing that God is at work in nature and is the source of the people’s power. We all need to ask God for his blessing and to live lives that reflect the source of that blessing. At that time, the people were rebuilding the temple of God in Jerusalem, so Zechariah reminded them that God calls everyone to turn away from sin and to serve him in faith. The closing chapters of Zechariah begin pointing to the coming Messiah (Christ), the Savior. Not only does the Lord provide rain for everyone, but in the coming kingdom God will provide all that everyone will need.

 

If we feel like our lives are in the midst of “a storm”, physically or emotionally, we ought to remember that it is those times when God is merely watering our spirit for growth. And, when our lives are in the midst of “a drought”, when we feel alone and helpless, we ought to simply ask God for the rain. Don’t be surprised if it comes in more than a sprinkle!

 

Recent Lapse

 

So to keep me from becoming conceited because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, a thorn was given me in the flesh, ha messenger of Satan to harass me, to keep me from becoming conceited. Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me. But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore, I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong. (2 Corinthians 12:7-10 ESV)

 

I have been writing Morning Devotionals for almost three decades now and I have never been caught unprepared for a possible lapse in publication. With my typical habit of writing in advance of publication and the incredible work of John Willians of the Genesis Group, I’ve always had a reserve of devotionals for those times when I was not able to write… until now! My sincere apologies to all of you who follow these each day. I was surprised with a mandate from my cardiologist to check into the hospital on Thursday of last week for another heart catheterization and possible blockages. I simply didn’t have enough in the queue to be able to go uninterrupted for that length of time. There is good news in all of these events. They did find another blockage and were able to repair it with angioplasty. So, I’m back and feeling great. It also served as a reminder to the truth of our reading today as the Apostle Paul reminds us that God’s grace is sufficient for us and in my weakness his strength is made perfect (v. 9).

 

This round was particularly plain in reminding me how fragile my strength is. Further, that reminder extended to more than my continued physical weaknesses. I expect that to happen with the advancement in age. But sometimes I fear my reliance on my personal emotional and spiritual strength gets too self-centered instead of grace-centered. I can assure you that message was loud and clear with this last episode. Truthfully it is so easy to become more self-reliant when things are going well. I find it becomes more of a temptation than I can withstand when everything seems to be going well. We should all be reminded that nothing goes well with God’s intervention and relationship. I certainly hope you’re not as obtuse as I am. My reminders are always a bit glaring. Think about that in your life today.

 

Wile E. Coyote's Downfall

 

The highway of the upright turns aside from evil; whoever guards his way preserves his life. Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall. It is better to be of a lowly spirit with the poor than to divide the spoil with the proud. (Proverbs 16:17-19 ESV).

 

Perhaps you are old enough to have grown up watching Saturday morning cartoons as I did. One of the staples of the morning was the Roadrunner and his exploits in avoiding Wile E. Coyote. Sometimes I felt sorry for the coyote. No matter how intricate his plans or how extensive his preparations, he always ended the chase in some personal catastrophe. Later I questioned why he couldn’t simply stop chasing the roadrunner. I’ve since come to understand it was simply because he was too proud to believe he would fail. Isn’t that a familiar repetition in our lives? How often have we done the same things repeatedly, expecting different results? That is not perseverance, it is are two kinds insanity!

 

Of course, there are two kinds of pride. Both have to do with being majestic or exalted in some way. One kind of pride is good, for example, when parents view the development of their children as remarkable. But the other kind of pride is very bad. That’s the one that gets us into trouble. Throughout Proverbs we read about the good development that can happen when someone pursues wisdom. True wisdom is gained through God. And even though a wise person can go through many ups and downs in life, the wisdom they’ve gained will help to hold their life together.

 

But beware of trying to keep it all together on your own. Beware of the pride that makes you think that anything you built on your own is worth more. Or that because you built it by yourself you won’t need anyone’s help to hold it together. Or, most dangerous of all, because you have been self-sufficient, you are a greater person than people who have relied on others.

 

That kind of pride leads to destruction. Poetically this verse is saying that if you have built something without God, then it isn’t built very well. It’s not built to last. Sooner or later, the so-called majestic life you built without God will simply fall apart. Do better that Wile E. Coyote… be wise, not arrogantly prideful.

 

But ... What If I'm Guilty?

 

There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death. For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do. By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh, in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. (Romans 8:1-4 ESV).

 

Yesterday I wrote about the destructive practice of self-denigration, or shame. I thought it might be good for a short follow-up to that devotional with one dealing with the truth of guilt. All of us want the answer to the question of “What if I’m really guilty?” We should begin by understanding there is a difference between shame and guilt. Shame always comes from our enemy, while guilt is rooted in the work of the Holy Spirit convicting us of our need to come to Jesus.

 

Guilt can rob us of our peace of mind and take the joy out of our lives. In Psalm 32 King David outlines what guilt did to him—and what it can do to any of us. David writes, "When I kept silent [in the guilt of my sin], my bones wasted away … Day and night your hand was heavy on me; my strength was sapped … "

 

But because of Jesus' resurrection, we can get rid of our guilt. We don't have to go through life looking over our shoulders, afraid that our past will catch up with us. We don't have to live with guilt; we can get rid of it by confessing whatever we have done. The apostle John affirms, "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins" (1 John 1:9). The apostle Paul says virtually the same thing: "There is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus."

 

Listen to the prompting of the Holy Spirit and come to the Savior, confess, and ask for forgiveness. If you don't know how to pray, ask someone to pray for you. There's forgiveness for all who come to him. Get rid of the shame; learn from the guilt; go forward in freedom.

 

Shame and Self-denigration

 

What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be9 against us? He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? As it is written, “For your sake we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.” No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:31-39 ESV).

 

I have come to a very important foundation truth through the years of sharing the gospel with others. It rises out of the popular practice of self-denigration. This is exacerbated by the loss of ability to disagree agreeably. Today we have seen more public displays of this than ever in my lifetime. How we got to this point is not nearly as important as how we stop it. The petty name calling and disrespectful shouting down of those who disagree with us is no more than bullying. Trying to shame others into submission leads to a belief that maybe there is something wrong with us. Well let’s settle a part of that equation: there is something wrong with all of us. It is called sin. However, there is a solution that forever resolves this condition. It is the grace of God through the work of Jesus.

 

Shame is a heavy burden. Shame weighs us down and hinders us from being who God has intended us to be. Sometimes shame is raw like an open wound—and with terrifying memories. We can also carry shame for years, living with insecurities, fears, and a sense of self-disdain because of hurtful actions and exchanges from long ago. Shame holds us down with the weights of judgment, condemnation, expectations, disapproval, and more. The freedom of resurrection life in Jesus, however, releases the burden of shame in our lives. Jesus carried our shame to the cross. He was betrayed, beaten, humiliated, and exposed, giving up his life to pay for our sin so that we might be released from the tyranny and shame of sin. Through Jesus’ death and resurrection, when we ask God for forgiveness, we are forgiven. God’s love frees us to let go of the ugliness of the past and move forward in confidence, knowing “there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” (Romans 8:1). And nothing can separate us from God’s love.

 

Learning to live in the confidence and acceptance of this new identity takes some time to figure out. While you work through the process, know that God is on your side, desiring that you live in the freedom and fullness of understanding who you are as a holy and dearly loved child of God.

Among the Thorns

 

And when a great crowd was gathering and people from town after town came to him, he said in a parable, “A sower went out to sow his seed. And as he sowed, some fell along the path and was trampled underfoot, and the birds of the air devoured it. And some fell on the rock, and as it grew up, it withered away, because it had no moisture. And some fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up with it and choked it. And some fell into good soil and grew and yielded a hundredfold.” As he said these things, he called out, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.” (Luke 8:4-8 ESV).

 

Texas has a unique beauty to it. This year has been a particularly beautiful spring. We have seen what is known as a “super bloom” among the many wildflowers that grow in the fields and pastures that comprise much of the state. However, there is an old proverbs among Texans that I am reminded of as I see the incredible vistas: “If it doesn’t bite ya, stick ya, or sting ya it don’t live here.” That may have been in the back of Jesus’ mind when he shared the parable of our reading with His disciples. He talks about seed that is sown on different ground, some falling among the thorns and being choked out before it could bloom. Funny how that works.

 

The application is so contemporary. Sometimes we find ourselves so wrapped up in our work that even when we’re at home, we’re not really “all there”. Then there are the times when we are so consumed by worry that we hardly notice the rich blessings around us. We become driven to reach that next pay grade, get that new car with all the bells and whistles, or scoop up that new smartphone that no one else has yet. If something like that is driving you, it’s time to step back, take a deep breath, and ask God if you are doing the right thing.

 

The pleasures and distractions Jesus is talking about in this parable don’t have to be sinful to choke our maturity in the Christian life. We ought to be honest with ourselves and the Lord. It’s not wrong to enjoy great blessings, to set goals for building a business, or to have a bucket list, but it would be a huge mistake to let anything, but the Lord be our motivator. Yesterday I touched on this principle when I wrote about pursuing contentment. If we are distracted or driven by life’s troubles and worries, or by trends, gadgets, or gains and the pleasures they seem to offer, we won’t grow mature in the truly good life God intends for us. Instead, we will let those things take over in our lives, choking out the rich and full life God wants us to enjoy forever. Recalibrate today!