I Who Speak to You Am He

Jesus said to her, “Go, call your husband, and come here.” The woman answered him, “I have no husband.” Jesus said to her, “You are right in saying, ‘I have no husband’; for you have had five husbands, and the one you now have is not your husband. What you have said is true.” The woman said to him, “Sir, I perceive that you are a prophet. Our fathers worshiped on this mountain, but you say that in Jerusalem is the place where people ought to worship.” Jesus said to her, “Woman, believe me, the hour is coming when neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem will you worship the Father. You worship what you do not know; we worship what we know, for salvation is from the Jews. But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him. God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.” The woman said to him, “I know that Messiah is coming (he who is called Christ). When he comes, he will tell us all things.” Jesus said to her, “I who speak to you am he.” Just then his disciples came back. They marveled that he was talking with a woman, but no one said, “What do you seek?” or, “Why are you talking with her?” So the woman left her water jar and went away into town and said to the people, “Come, see a man who told me all that I ever did. Can this be the Christ?” They went out of the town and were coming to him. (John 4:16-30 ESV). I just can’t seem to find a good stopping place when it comes to focusing on the unnamed characters of the Biel who played such an incredible role in the life and ministry of Jesus. Today we look at the Samaritan woman Jesus met at Jacob’s well. We do need to remember that some our nameless but memorable Bible characters in these readings are outsiders who with a variety of motives. Many of them really came just to see this “new” prophet of Israel; however, this woman is someone who went a step further. Having met this representative of Israel’s God and listened to words so intriguing, so searching, the woman went off to persuade her friends and neighbors in their turn to “come and see.” She who had come and seen then went and told. She left her water jar there with Jesus, but she would soon be back, bringing others. Perhaps the most significant exchange that Jesus had with her was not in the convicting declaration of her past failures. Surely everyone in the town knew of those. That would have been the reason she came to the well at such a late hour. Undoubtedly she wanted to avoid all of those who would have caused her any further emotional pain. I believe that when she declared her belief that a messiah was coming and Jesus simply said, “I who speak am he” that she must have been filled with all sorts of wonderful emotion. For her this was a moment of great victory. Her fear was turned to ease. She found such joy and courage she could not care what anyone in her hometown thought of her any longer. She had been set free from her shame and guilt. No wonder she invited them to come and see such a man. Perhaps we need to hear those words again. Walk in that freedom that Jesus is indeed who he claims to be!

The Wise Men

Then Herod summoned the wise men secretly and ascertained from them what time the star had appeared. And he sent them to Bethlehem, saying, “Go and search diligently for the child, and when you have found him, bring me word, that I too may come and worship him.” After listening to the king, they went on their way. And behold, the star that they had seen when it rose went before them until it came to rest over the place where the child was. When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy. And going into the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother, and they fell down and worshiped him. Then, opening their treasures, they offered him gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh. And being warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they departed to their own country by another way. (Matthew 2:7-12 ESV). Like so many other unnamed individuals God uses in His purpose, the Wise Men were outsiders, drawn to God’s land and God’s people by the news of something worth finding there. They came “from the ends of the earth” to find the One God had sent as His chosen King. It is interesting that we assume there were three men, or that they were kings. Actually the Bible doesn’t give us that information. There were three gifts presented; and, the gifts were extravagant, but we don’t know how many or what station they occupied in their culture. Yet they are there in Scripture as representatives of a vast multitude, with neither roots in Israel nor claims on Israel’s God, who are nonetheless drawn into Israel’s blessings. They have not even been the objects of anyone’s deliberate evangelistic efforts. It is interesting to consider why they came to Jesus. It should not be overlooked that though the Wise Men seem such colorful, exotic characters, it was simply in the course of their regular work that something had caught their attention and moved them to seek it out. They were astronomers. They made their life’s work to study certain phenomena in the stars and their alignment. One evening they saw something very unique and knew it would require their traveling to fully investigate its meaning. That quest led them to the savior. I find it of particular interest that this story can be repeated often both in the church and in our individual lives. Sometimes people turn up uninvited and unexpectedly in our lives. They may end up asking about Jesus. I wonder if we are always prepared to answer their questions. I have found those questions to be challenging at times. They challenge my ideas of what should or shouldn’t be considered “right.” Perhaps these guests may even threaten the status quo of our comfortable lifestyle. Herod certainly was uncomfortable in our reading today when these men came to him. His reaction denied the work of God completely. I fear we do the same at times. Our call is to be prepared to be caught up in God’s evangelistic plans, even if we have not been involved in making them. The Magi knew that. Maybe that’s why we call them “wise men.”

Frazzled

The angel of the LORD appeared no more to Manoah and to his wife. Then Manoah knew that he was the angel of the LORD. And Manoah said to his wife, “We shall surely die, for we have seen God.” But his wife said to him, “If the LORD had meant to kill us, he would not have accepted a burnt offering and a grain offering at our hands, or shown us all these things, or now announced to us such things as these.” And the woman bore a son and called his name Samson. And the young man grew, and the LORD blessed him. And the Spirit of the LORD began to stir him in Mahaneh-dan, between Zorah and Eshtaol. (Judges 13:21-25 ESV). Our reading today comes at the end of a wonderful passage that details the prophecy of the birth of Samson. It is also another example of another unnamed individual who played a prominent role in the purpose of God. Samson’s mother is simply called “the woman.” We know his name, which is Manoah, but not hers. Some might say this is simply a reflection of the culture of the time when women were regarded as inferior. We do know this is true in Jesus’ day. In fact, he spoke to this in several passages. Not only were there female disciples in Jesus’ following, there are other references that point to the equality of women in Jesus’ mind (cf. Mark 7:24-30; Matthew 15:21-28). It is easy to dismiss the notion that Samson’s mother is left unnamed because of some prejudice toward women. The truth is that it simply was not important to the central truth of the story. Neither she, nor her husband, was important to the story’s truth. It is God who does the work to bring a deliverer to the nation. The terror of the moment scatters Manoah’s wits, while his wife rises above it with bracing commonsense. “Use your head,” says Samson’s mother to Samson’s father. They are not yet Samson’s parents. They believe they are not able to have children. But a mysterious stranger has just told them that they are, after all, going to have a son. Then before their astonished eyes the “man of God” rises into the air and disappears! “It’s the Lord himself,” squeaks the husband in terror. “We shall be struck dead. No one can survive seeing God face to face.” “Don’t be stupid,” says the wife. “If we die, how are we going to produce the child he’s promised?” Well, that’s about right!

Isn’t it our common experience how easily we panic when faced with a particularly difficult experience? It is so much better when we are able to keep our wits about us when emotion threatens to blow away clear thinking. Getting frazzled at the circumstance of life denies the sufficiency of our God. The best way to face anything life may have for us is to remember that our God has “got it”! turn your frustrations toward Him and trust that His promise to work good is unfailing!

Pharaoh

“If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. Remember the word that I said to you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will also keep yours. But all these things they will do to you on account of my name, because they do not know him who sent me. (John 15:18-21 ESV). Another unnamed character of the Bible is the pharaoh of the Exodus. A pharaoh actually figured in the stories of Abraham, Joseph, and Moses. “Pharaoh” is mentioned even in the story of Solomon. At first we might think this individual must have lived a very long time, though it becomes clear that there must be several of him. It is somewhat like the eighteen kings of France who were all called Louis. Further, history tells us that “Pharaoh” was not in fact a name, but simply the Egyptian word for “King.” In one way the Pharaohs were all alike, and we don’t need to know the names that distinguish them from one another. All of them stood for a famous, historic, powerful empire, organized without any concern for God. Old Testament Egypt shows us what many New Testament Scriptures mean by the expression “the world.” It is uncanny how Egypt is so like the world we live in today. “Pharaoh” will admire and use men of God like Joseph when it suits him. But usually he ignores them, or suppresses them, or even persecutes them. There is an important message embedded in these stories. We shouldn’t be surprised when the pharaohs of our world ignore and work toward abolishing all of our Christian principles. Ravi Zacharias says: “The shift that is taking place is very calculated. Eastern religions are protected in today’s society because to critique Eastern religions is seen as culturally insensitive and prejudicial. But the Christian faith, which is the target of Western culture (but people have forgotten that it came from the East), is now the dartboard. Society can attack any aspect of Christianity.” This shouldn’t take us by surprise. Jesus said, “In the world you face persecution. But take courage; I have conquered the world!” There’s the real answer. Remember. There is a reason why we don’t know any of the pharaoh’s names from the Bible. They are of no consequence. They may be a part of the story, but only so far as they further the message that God is in control and working toward the deliverance of His people. Of course, we should be equipped to give a good answer to the charges against our faith; but, our faith is stronger than any charge leveled against it. Trust the character and work of God. He knows your name!

Potiphar's Wife

Now Joseph was handsome in form and appearance. And after a time his master's wife cast her eyes on Joseph and said, “Lie with me.” But he refused and said to his master's wife, “Behold, because of me my master has no concern about anything in the house, and he has put everything that he has in my charge. He is not greater in this house than I am, nor has he kept back anything from me except you, because you are his wife. How then can I do this great wickedness and sin against God?” And as she spoke to Joseph day after day, he would not listen to her, to lie beside her or to be with her. But one day, when he went into the house to do his work and none of the men of the house was there in the house, she caught him by his garment, saying, “Lie with me.” But he left his garment in her hand and fled and got out of the house. And as soon as she saw that he had left his garment in her hand and had fled out of the house, she called to the men of her household and said to them, “See, he has brought among us a Hebrew to laugh at us. He came in to me to lie with me, and I cried out with a loud voice. And as soon as he heard that I lifted up my voice and cried out, he left his garment beside me and fled and got out of the house.” Then she laid up his garment by her until his master came home, and she told him the same story, saying, “The Hebrew servant, whom you have brought among us, came in to me to laugh at me. But as soon as I lifted up my voice and cried, he left his garment beside me and fled out of the house.” As soon as his master heard the words that his wife spoke to him, “This is the way your servant treated me,” his anger was kindled. And Joseph's master took him and put him into the prison, the place where the king's prisoners were confined, and he was there in prison. But the LORD was with Joseph and showed him steadfast love and gave him favor in the sight of the keeper of the prison. And the keeper of the prison put Joseph in charge of all the prisoners who were in the prison. Whatever was done there, he was the one who did it. The keeper of the prison paid no attention to anything that was in Joseph's charge, because the LORD was with him. And whatever he did, the LORD made it succeed. (Genesis 39:6-23 ESV). The story of Joseph and Potiphar’s wife came to mind as I was writing yesterday’s devotional. I talked a bit about the unnamed people of the Bible. In our reading today we know some of the characters names. We know the young handsome man. That was Joseph. We know the older man. He was obviously important, a person of standing in the royal court, a man of influence and integrity, and Joseph’s master and owner. His name is Potiphar. But who’s the woman? She knows how to use everyone else for her own ends; she is forceful, manipulative, lustful, and vengeful. Surely the story records her name too; after all, she dominates the scene in this story. She is determined either to seduce or to destroy Joseph, browbeating his fellow-slaves, both betraying and deceiving her own husband Potiphar. Well, we really don’t need to trouble ourselves over a name for her, says the Lord. It’s of no significance in my scheme of things. From my point of view, as I tell the story, all she is there for is to forward my plans, in order to get my servant Joseph into the place from which he will rise to be Grand Vizier of Egypt, and the savior of nations. That’s how our God works. Again the message is clear. Trust in Him. He always has our good working!

Ole What's-His-Name

Praise the LORD! For it is good to sing praises to our God; for it is pleasant, and a song of praise is fitting. The LORD builds up Jerusalem; he gathers the outcasts of Israel. He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds. He determines the number of the stars; he gives to all of them their names. Great is our Lord, and abundant in power; his understanding is beyond measure. The LORD lifts up the humble; he casts the wicked to the ground. (Psalm 147:1-6 ESV). Sometimes I am not very good with remembering names. Inevitably I will ask my wife about “ole what’s-his-name” in reference to someone we have met in the course of our activities. I know there are various memory courses that can be done to improve that, but I have never done one. The results certainly show my not having improved through the years as well. As I read from the psalms recently, it occurred to me that God’s memory is far different than mine. The psalmist declares that God not only knows how many stars there are but also has a name for every single one of them. The verses surrounding this are not about stars but about the Lord’s people, who are just as numerous and whom he knows in the same sort of way. In fact, the particulars of every person who has ever lived, including his or her name, are all in God’s mind. With that thought in mind, it is intriguing to find some “anonymous” people mentioned here and there in Scripture. In fact, there are a number of well-known characters who remain anonymous. We hear the declaration of the queen of Sheba as she confirms the incredible wealth and power of Solomon, but we really don’t know her name. You certainly recall the story of the rich young ruler called, yet we don’t know his name. The paralytic that was lowered to Jesus through the roof is nameless; the demoniac Jesus healed at the Gadarenes is nameless. And, there are many more. We’re simply not told, so we don’t know. But God does. And perhaps that is the point. There are any number of things that for a variety of good reasons, not just curiosity, we should like to know, but that God doesn’t tell us. It’s as if to say, “Provided you know me, you can leave to me all the stuff you don’t know.” That is called trust. One day, of course, we shall know. That is called hope. Today, however, I simply don’t need all that knowledge. I merely need the One who possesses it. No wonder the psalmist begins by declaring “Praise the Lord!” there is so much to praise him for and about. I am always amazed and standing in awe of the glorious character and grace of our God. It is easy for me to begin every day with that thought. When I do, it makes every other part of the day go much better. Try it and see if I’m correct.

The Fear of God

Wisdom cries aloud in the street, in the markets she raises her voice; at the head of the noisy streets she cries out; at the entrance of the city gates she speaks: “How long, O simple ones, will you love being simple? How long will scoffers delight in their scoffing and fools hate knowledge? If you turn at my reproof, behold, I will pour out my spirit to you; I will make my words known to you. Because I have called and you refused to listen, have stretched out my hand and no one has heeded, because you have ignored all my counsel and would have none of my reproof, I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when terror strikes you, when terror strikes you like a storm and your calamity comes like a whirlwind, when distress and anguish come upon you. Then they will call upon me, but I will not answer; they will seek me diligently but will not find me. Because they hated knowledge and did not choose the fear of the LORD, would have none of my counsel and despised all my reproof, therefore they shall eat the fruit of their way, and have their fill of their own devices. For the simple are killed by their turning away, and the complacency of fools destroys them; but whoever listens to me will dwell secure and will be at ease, without dread of disaster.” (Proverbs 1:20-33 ESV). I am afraid that we have often misunderstood the concept of “the fear of the Lord.” There is a dichotomy in the Scripture concerning this principle; however, to ignore it in favor of a concept that does not include the awful consequences of ignoring God’s direction will bring nothing but destruction. It makes us vulnerable to the world without God’s strength and power. William D. Eisenhower puts it this way in his article 'Fearing God" in Christianity Today: Unfortunately, many of us presume that the world is the ultimate threat and that God's function is to offset it. How different this is from the biblical position that God is far scarier than the world …. When we assume that the world is the ultimate threat, we give it unwarranted power, for in truth, the world's threats are temporary. When we expect God to balance the stress of the world, we reduce him to the world's equal …. As I walk with the Lord, I discover that God poses an ominous threat to my ego, but not to me. He rescues me from my delusions, so he may reveal the truth that sets me free. He casts me down, only to lift me up again. He sits in judgment of my sin, but forgives me nevertheless. Fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, but love from the Lord is its completion. I think we begin by understanding to fear God is not to be afraid of him. God’s first word to us is always, “Do not be afraid.” Though facing God can be terrifying. Fear is the proper human response in the presence of God. Fear means we understand who we are and who we aren’t, as well as who God is. The fear of the Lord means living in a proper relationship to God. Eugene Peterson says fools “thumb their noses at wisdom.” Fools don’t get it; they don’t realize there is more to life than what they can see, taste, smell, touch, and hear. It is foolish not to know we ought to tremble and be on our knees when we come into the presence of God. This is the first step to Jesus’ grace. Have you taken that step? Solomon says that’s the beginning.