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August 29, 2010
Always and Forever
Read Psalm 66
“Blessed be God, because he has not rejected my prayer or removed his steadfast love from me!”
Psalm 66:20
As often as we are able to sit down for a family dinner, we conclude by sharing in a time of devotion. Typically this includes the reading of scripture, a story that is relevant to the passage of scripture that has been read, and prayers. This we do together. We read, listen, and pray together. But when it comes to nightly prayers, especially with our youngest son, it is typically my wife who is offered that great privilege. I try not to be too disappointed when he always wants his mother to pray with him just before he goes to sleep. After all, I know how powerful the prayers of a mother are. Like Saint Augustine, who attributed a great deal to the prayers of his faithful mother, I, too, was blessed by the prayers of my own mother. Fittingly, so have my two sons.
As it is that these nightly prayers are offered up within earshot, I often have the opportunity to listen in. There is one phrase that my wife offers that I have come to expect. Near the very end of the prayer, she will always say, “May this child remember that no matter what he does, we love him always and forever.” What a wonderfully comforting line. I am sure at some point in the years ahead we are going to be tested on this. And this unconditional love that we speak of may be tested as well.
The Bible is very clear when it tells us that God is a God of love. We see example after example in scripture of his great love for his children, even when they have challenged or tested him. That is good news, because certainly there are times when we, as his children, also test God. We do this when we hurt others, make bad decisions, and turn our focus inward towards ourselves and away from him. We test God’s love for us. Thankfully, as the psalmist reminds us, God “does not remove his steadfast love from us!” What a wonderfully assuring thought. No matter what we do, no matter how much we mess things up, no matter how many times we wreck the car, come in late for curfew, or blow a major test, God loves us always and forever. God loves us always and forever. May we find great rest and peace in that assurance.
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August 22, 2010
The Journey to Worship
Read Psalm 122
“I was glad when they said to me… ” Psalm 122:1
With what sense of emotion do you wake up on Sunday morning, put on your Sunday clothes, and make your way to church? Are you overwhelmed with joy? Do you look forward to being there? Or do you secretly hope that the noon day hour will come quickly so that you can get on with the rest of your day?
Psalm 122 is considered a psalm of ascent. Hebrew pilgrims would sing this Psalm as they made their way up to Jerusalem for the great Feasts of Passover, Pentecost, and Tabernacles. These were times to remember and give thanks. When they finally made their way to Jerusalem, the Psalmist tells us that he was “glad” when he was then able to join those going into the house of the Lord. It was an expression of thanksgiving for finally arriving at the place to which they had been travelling. It was an appreciation for the opportunity to draw near to God again. It is a reminder to us that worship is the place where we join with our friends to connect with our living God.
When we do so, we must, like the Psalmist before us, expect something. We must expect that God will meet us in our places of worship. That he will remember us as we remember him. And that he will offer his care and love as we do the same. That is why we should be glad, each chance we get, to make our pilgrimage to worship.
“I was glad when they said to me….let us go to the
house of the Lord.”
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August 15, 2010
Two Steps To Powerful Results
Read Mark 5:25-34
“And Jesus, perceiving in himself that power had gone forth from him, immediately turned about in the crowd and said, ‘Who touched my garments?’” Mark 5:30
The story of the woman who had been sick for so many years shows us something about how we are to live this life, especially in light of the particular challenges we face. After trying everything that she knew, and spending all of her resources, she turned to the one who could truly heal her. She put her faith in Jesus and believed that if she could just touch his garment then she would be made well. That is the first step. Faith is always the first step. We must believe that Jesus can heal us in his own perfect way.
The woman then puts her faith into action, which is the second step. Faith leads us to act. She does so by reaching out for Jesus. She is able, as he moves through the crowd, to grasp his clothes for just a moment. Her bold and yet simple gesture of faith is met with unmistakable results; immediately her “condition ceased!” By the power of Jesus, she is healed. Jesus’ power was unleashed because she had not only put her faith in him, but she was able to reach out to him as well. In light of this faithful action, Jesus tells her that it is her “faith that has made her well.”
What are you struggling with? What issue have you been trying to figure out? Perhaps it is a constant medical condition. Maybe it is a fractured relationship that you don’t know how to fix or a nagging sin or vice that you can’t seem to walk away from. All you know is that you have tried everything possible, including even seeking help from others, but nothing seems to have worked. If that is the case, then may the story of the sick woman be a word of hope to you. For putting your faith in the Savior, and reaching out to him, will unleash a power that will bring healing to whatever condition you have. It will. Because like the woman before us, “our faith in Christ will make us well.”
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August 8, 2010
Making Things Clear
Read John 4:27-42
“So the woman left her water jar, and went away into the city, and said to the people, ‘Come, see a man who told me all that I ever did.’”
John 4:28,29a
Jesus’ interaction with the Samaritan woman at the well models something very important for us. To understand it, we must first remember that her life was, at best, a train wreck. She had five failed relationships and was now with another man. This could not have been the life that she had hoped for; a life founded on a healthy, intimate relationship with someone who loved her as much as she loved him. Her encounter with Jesus changes all of that. Jesus lets her know that he is intimately aware of the details of her life. And in spite of being a Samaritan, a woman, and an adulterer, Jesus reveals himself to her as the Messiah. In doing so, the woman begins to see Jesus more clearly. She sees him for who he is. She then leaves the well, and her water jar behind, to go back into the city and tell others about her experience.
Like the woman at the well, we too have made some mistakes. Our sin may not have been her sin, but clearly we have all sinned. And like the woman at the well, we too seek to know this Jesus who meets us where we are and reveals himself to us. Through our worship, and study of scripture, the Holy Spirit accomplishes this for us and when the truth of Jesus is revealed to us, it begins to make some important things very clear; chief of which is our need for a Savior.
As we understand the work of Jesus, and his call to leave behind our water jar and embrace a new life, then we too will know the life that God has intended for us and we will respond just like the Samaritan woman, who made her way into the city to tell the story of Jesus to those who would receive her, so that they might come to know him as well. So will we!
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July 25, 2010
Others
Read Philippians 2:1-11
“Do nothing from selfishness or conceit, but in humility count others better than yourselves.”
Philippians 2:3
What do you think about the “others” of this world? You know, the folks who don’t talk like you. The ones who maybe don’t look or act like you or who have a different color of skin. How about the ones who don’t have as much or who haven’t achieved as many accolades? What do you think about them? What do you think of others who don’t believe what you believe and who don’t profess the same faith that you profess? Our human nature leads us often to simply lump “others” into their places and leave them there while we live our lives in our comfortable, exclusive cliques. It is an easy thing to do. But in doing so, we begin to see these others as lesser and we lose the image of God which they carry with them.
Paul reminds the Philippian Church, and in doing so reminds us, that we who have put our faith in Jesus Christ, are not to think of ourselves as above others, but to think of ourselves as humble servants. To be a humble servant means that we no longer see others as less than. Instead, we must begin to see them as being better than ourselves. This is not an easy thing to do. But then, following Jesus wasn’t meant to be an easy proposition. The same Jesus who carried his cross calls us to do the same on a daily basis. When we carry the cross we become aware of the weight of what he has done for us, and of what he has done for others, even if those others aren’t necessarily like us.
In the end, it is a matter of love. We are to love as Jesus loves us. So the next time you are tempted to think of someone as just an “other” remember that in Christ Jesus you are called to love them and reach out to them and care for them, just as God has done so for you.
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July 25, 2010
Others
Read Philippians 2:1-11
“Do nothing from selfishness or conceit, but in humility count others better than yourselves.”
Philippians 2:3
What do you think about the “others” of this world? You know, the folks who don’t talk like you. The ones who maybe don’t look or act like you or who have a different color of skin. How about the ones who don’t have as much or who haven’t achieved as many accolades? What do you think about them? What do you think of others who don’t believe what you believe and who don’t profess the same faith that you profess? Our human nature leads us often to simply lump “others” into their places and leave them there while we live our lives in our comfortable, exclusive cliques. It is an easy thing to do. But in doing so, we begin to see these others as lesser and we lose the image of God which they carry with them.
Paul reminds the Philippian Church, and in doing so reminds us, that we who have put our faith in Jesus Christ, are not to think of ourselves as above others, but to think of ourselves as humble servants. To be a humble servant means that we no longer see others as less than. Instead, we must begin to see them as being better than ourselves. This is not an easy thing to do. But then, following Jesus wasn’t meant to be an easy proposition. The same Jesus who carried his cross calls us to do the same on a daily basis. When we carry the cross we become aware of the weight of what he has done for us, and of what he has done for others, even if those others aren’t necessarily like us.
In the end, it is a matter of love. We are to love as Jesus loves us. So the next time you are tempted to think of someone as just an “other” remember that in Christ Jesus you are called to love them and reach out to them and care for them, just as God has done so for you.
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July 11, 2010
Automatic
Read Psalm 98
“Oh sing to the Lord a new song, for he has done marvelous things!”
Psalm 98:1
There is a soul-food restaurant that I know of in Athens, Georgia where the one-word response that is always offered by the server, no matter what the customer has ordered, is “automatic.” For example, if the customer ordered fried pork chops, collard greens, and yams the server would simply look at the customer and say, “automatic.” In other words; “no problem, coming right up.” It is an immediate response to that which is requested. It is the ultimate in customer service.
Worship is one way that we serve the living God. It is our response to the God who has offered us salvation in Jesus Christ. The first words of Psalm 98 make this clear when we are told to “sing to the Lord a new song.” We are told to do this for a reason. Why? “For (the Lord) has done marvelous things!”
Worship is our response to this incredible God and his love for us. When you think about it, our response should be no different from that of the waiters mentioned above. They show us exactly how we are to respond. God desires that our lives be a response of praise and worship to him. And from our hearts we should simply say, “automatic.”
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July 4, 2010
Expecting Results
Read Acts 12:1-17
“So Peter was kept in prison; but earnest prayer for him was made to God by the church.”
Acts 12:5
The old story is told of the Reverend Doctor William P. Jacobs, the pastor of the First Presbyterian Church in Clinton, SC, and the founder of both Thornwell Home and Presbyterian College, that during a particularly long drought back in the late 1800’s he called the congregation to a special service of prayer. At this service they joined their prayers together and boldly asked that God would bring an end to the drought. But the interesting thing about this story is that while the sanctuary was full that evening, only one person had thought of bringing an umbrella. That was Dr. Jacobs.
What does that story say to us about our understanding of prayer? While we are quick to pray for God’s intervention in our lives, whether it be personally, for the church, or for the country that we live, I wonder if we are as quick to believe that God will hear and honor our prayers? In other words, do we expect or look for the prayerfully requested results?
During the difficult days of King Herod, the early church committed itself to prayer. They prayed earnestly that Peter would somehow gain his release from prison. And when God chose to answer the faithful prayers of his people, look at how they responded. They kept the newly released Peter locked out of the house. Can’t you just see the look of bewilderment on Peter’s face? And can’t you just see the look of astonishment on the faces of those inside the house when they realized that their prayers had been answered.
We pray for many things. We seek the Lord’s favor in our lives and for those we love. But do we expect that he will actually be faithful to hear our prayers and respond? Peter was released from prison. It was an answered prayer. As the story goes, by the end of the prayer service years and years ago in Clinton, SC, there was rain. And only Dr. Jacobs walked him without getting wet.
Pray dear friends. And believe that the Father you are praying to will answer you!
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June 6, 2010
Staying Grounded
Read Colossians 1:15-23
“He is the image of the invisible God, the first-born of all creation;”
Colossians 1:15
One of the important disciplines that Christians must pursue is constantly staying grounded in the faith. This “grounding” occurs when we take time to study the Bible on a daily basis. It takes place when we enter into communion with God through prayer. It happens when we worship and serve with other believers. This helps us understand with greater clarity who God is and what he has done for us in Christ Jesus.
Of course what happens when we don’t make these things a priority is that we don’t have as clear an understanding of our God or what he has done for us, and we aren’t always able to respond to the difficult challenges of life in the ways that we should. This lack of grounding may even lead us to begin to look to other things for help. We may believe that consumerism, new-age spirituality, and even other religious beliefs offer the answers that we are looking for, or the relief that we desire. What most often happens is that these things just leave us wanting more; wanting something of substance that we can hold onto in the darkest of our nights.
Paul wrote his letter to the church at Colossae to make sure that they remained grounded in their faith. There were false teachers teaching false gospels and Paul knew that if these young believers were to fall prey to this it would leave them wanting. So he reminded them of the goodness of what he knew himself; which was the goodness of a God who had given the world his Son. This Jesus, Paul wrote, is “the image of the invisible God, the first-born of all creation.” He is “before all things and in him all things hold together.” Through him, and not anyone or anything else, those who believe are “reconciled in his body of death.” Christ had accomplished this for the Colossians. Christ has accomplished this for you!
Which means, as Paul writes, that there is only one thing for the believer to do.
“Continue in the faith; stable and steadfast, not shifting from the hope of the Gospel which you heard.”
In other words, staying grounded in faith means being grounded in Jesus and what he has done for you. In him, you will find the substance of life that you need when the storms arise.
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