Shhh! I Can't Hear You!

As time goes on, my husband and I are discovering the depths of "for better or for worse." We've done the richer-poorer thing, the sickness-health hurdles, but the better-worse challenge seems to be a bit different. The better-worse seems to come from within and seems to be grounded in the changes that occur in each of us as we grow older. For instance, as I age, I have grown even fonder of embracing the silence. I don't like loud noises. I'd rather do a crossword puzzle than watch TV. I like to read as Scott drives. And talking is more of an effort for me. Scott, however, has grown more talkative with age. His diminishing ability to hear means he speaks more loudly and requires me to repeat myself --often. He drives with the radio and likes to point out things along the way. And when he finds something on television we can both enjoy, he likes to talk over it. Sometimes I wonder when this will get better. Sometimes I pray it can't get any worse.

In 2 Kings 18, we find Hezekiah on the throne of Israel. Six years into his reign, the king of Assyria carried off the people of the northern kingdom of Israel and took their land. In the fourteenth year of Hezekiah's reign, Sennacherib, king of Assyria came to make a play for the rest of God's people, in Judah; he took possession of all of the fortified cities there. Hezekiah kowtowed, giving Sennacherib a large ransom, but it wasn't enough. Not long after, Sennacherib sent his officials to harangue Hezekiah for refusing further payment, for discussing with Egypt the possibility of an alliance, and for declaring his trust in God. This throng arrived, positioned themselves by the aqueduct in Judah, and began trash-talking. In Hebrew. So as to stir up the people. But the citizens did not become agitated or fearful; they did not try to pressure Hezekiah into surrendering to Sennacherib's demands. In fact, verse 36 tells us, the people remained loyal to their king, doing as he commanded:

But the people held their peace and answered him not a word; for the king’s commandment was, “Do not answer him. 

He'd given them an order, and they obeyed. Silently.    

Someone once said, "Better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to speak and remove all doubt." James, the brother of Jesus, devoted almost an entire chapter on the perils of a loose or wicked tongue. Movie theaters proclaim, Silence is golden. And Eve, confronted by the serpent's perversion of Scripture, responded with a perversion of her own. Would she not have been better served by keeping silent? Was there not something within her which perceived the serpent's guile and caused her to overstep, to add to what God had said as a means of shutting down the creature's overly critical accusation? Curt Thompson, in his book, The Soul of Shame, suggests the serpent's ultimate purpose was to disrupt the relationship between Creator and creation by creating doubt. Did God really say...? Eve hastily, boldly speaks so as to squelch the doubt that has crept into her own mind.

The people under Hezekiah's reign did not --Praise God! --doubt the ability of their king. And their king (at least, at this juncture) did not doubt the ability of his God. It may have seemed right to silence the dissenting voices of an enemy, to shout them down and tell them how wrong they were. But the people kept silent. 

Scripture exhorts us to speak, particularly when it comes to sharing the good news of salvation. But obedience to God's timing matters. Ecclesiastes 3:7 says there is a time to keep silence and a time to speak. It's important we are prepared to do both as God requires of us. To say it confidently, to say it truthfully, and to say it sweetly --even when we're called to repeat it again. 

      

Midweek: Ezekiel Fell on His Face

Recently, my husband read the book of Ezekiel for the first time. He described it as "intense." I thought that was a really nice way of putting it. It's been a minute since I've read the entire book, but my mind, like most people's, tends to go to end times, gem-encrusted wheels, acid trip sort of stuff. As I've previously mentioned (and recommended), I use Jennifer Lane's HIStory in 366 Days for my daily quiet time. The scheduled reading has taken me to the book of Ezekiel, and I've begun thinking more about the man.

When Ezekiel first writes of his experience, being called by God to prophesy to the exiles in Babylon, he introduces himself as an ordinary man given a vision of heavenly things: 

And above the firmament over their heads was the likeness of a throne, in appearance like a sapphire stone; on the likeness of the throne was a likeness with the appearance of a man high above it. Also from the appearance of His waist and upward I saw, as it were, the color of amber with the appearance of fire all around within it; and from the appearance of His waist and downward I saw, as it were, the appearance of fire with brightness all around. Like the appearance of a rainbow in a cloud on a rainy day, so was the appearance of the brightness all around it. This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the Lord. ~ Ezekiel 1:26-28

His response was to fall on his face in the fear of the Lord, humility, worship. Hallmarks of a bondservant to the Lord, hallmarks which I often feel are not as thoroughly exhibited in my life as I'd like them to be. I ask myself, Do I fear God enough? properly? I don't mean something I summon up, but have I taken the time today to focus on just how worthy of my reverence He is? Do I fully comprehend His magnitude, His glory, His holiness? And have I responded accordingly to His character? The answer is No, and it will remain that until I am fully sanctified; only then will I be able to fear Him in perfect humility and worship Him in absolute truth.

But here was Ezekiel, on his face before God. And God tells him to stand (2:1). Just go back to Adam and Eve for a minute. They'd sinned, disobeyed God's command not to eat of the tree in the center of the garden. It just so happened 😉the tree was The Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. And their eyes were opened, and they knew that they were naked (Genesis 3:7). What did they do? They immediately sought to cover themselves. They immediately felt vulnerable, exposed. When we fall on our faces before the Lord, the very act of it covers our most susceptible places, the private areas we normally cover and our hearts. We instinctively try to modulate our vulnerability, hide our weaknesses. But God spoke to Ezekiel: Son of man, stand on your feet, and I will speak to you. Stand! To stand before a holy, perfect, almighty God with one's most secret places exposed... Take a minute to think about that. Your most deeply hidden thoughts laid bare. The truth of your heart --those days you don't want to pray or sing or even smile, the bitterness toward God for taking your child, jealousy, doubt, lust, all of it --boldly positioned, eye-to-eye before the God who is a consuming fire. Could you stand? I can't imagine that any of us could. We'd ball ourselves up so tightly, weeping and crying out for God's mercy. Don't look! But for the blood of Jesus Christ! 

It is the Holy Spirit who stands Ezekiel on his feet and God begins to reveal the plans He has for this man, plans to face a hardened and rebellious people. 

And that's where we'll stop for today. I'll leave you with some time to think about this man. Forget for a moment the visions and object lessons that were a part of his commission, and focus on the man. A man out minding his business by the river, remaining faithful to his Lord while being exiled far from home; a man whom God would use in some very unconventional and grievous ways to deliver a message to a people who refused to listen, but God longed to save.   

More on Ezekiel next Wednesday!

Application May Vary, but Truth Remains

When I began writing Broken to Breathless, it was a means to express my gratitude for all God was doing for me at the time. Since then, it has become something of an outlet also. As I discover truths in my quiet time, on my walks, or as I just "do life", I share them with you: it provides a means of documenting them, celebrating them, and opening the floor for discussion, if you are so inclined. Today, I want to show you the breath, the life of God's word. You see, over the past several days a passage of Scripture has come to my attention in some pretty unexpected and unalike ways. So, first, the passage:

And I, brethren, could not speak to you as to spiritual people but as to carnal, as to babes in Christ. I fed you with milk and not with solid food; for until now you were not able to receive it, and even now you are still not able; for you are still carnal. For where there are envy, strife, and divisions among you, are you not carnal and behaving like mere men? For when one says, “I am of Paul,” and another, “I am of Apollos,” are you not carnal?

Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers through whom you believed, as the Lord gave to each one? I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase. So then neither he who plants is anything, nor he who waters, but God who gives the increase. Now he who plants and he who waters are one, and each one will receive his own reward according to his own labor.

For we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field, you are God’s building. According to the grace of God which was given to me, as a wise master builder I have laid the foundation, and another builds on it. But let each one take heed how he builds on it. For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. ~ 1 Corinthians 3:1-11

And, quickly, the varied contexts in which it was presented: a Bible study entitled "What Does It Mean to Be Spiritual?", a class aimed toward married couples, and a child's devotional. By all appearances, these three opportunities seem to have nothing in common but God's word. Perhaps that is the point.

At the Bible study, we examined the immaturity of divisions in the body of Christ. We serve communion at the rail. We serve communion in our seats. It seems crazy, but humans will human, and we allow these sorts of things to be a breeding ground for strife. Spiritual Christians reject immaturity. In the class we looked at the opposite side of the coin: the importance of maturity. The teacher gave the analogy of someone with twenty years of experience interviewing for a new position: they were turned down because the interviewer determined "it was one year of experience twenty times." In all those years, the person had not done what was necessary for growth in their career. Marriage is the union of two Christians --hopefully --moving toward maturity; but what happens in the interim can be difficult to navigate. Mercy is critical. Lastly, the devotional our son and I read examined the passage in terms of our efforts to share Christ with others: we are not held responsible for the outcome of our labor; our responsibility is to pray God's truths sink deeply into the hearts of those with whom we share them.

One passage, multiple applications, and all true. Psalm 119:105 says God's word is a lamp unto the feet of those who read and obey it; a light to their path. In all circumstances. In our personal growth, in our relationship with those in our home, and in our obedience to the Great Commission beyond our doors. The steadfast pursuit of maturity, with mercy, and always in prayer is the way we live our lives to the glory of God, and the living, multi-faceted word of God is our handbook. Thanks be to God!     

Point to the Hero

Only fifty years ago, the heroes of every young boy were astronauts and policemen. Every little girl wanted to be a mother or a nurse. How things have changed! The aspirations of our youth have gone from serving others to trampling others in the pursuit of self-service. And I know I'm probably sounding like and old-head --I'm sure those a generation or so ahead of me were saying the same types of things about us as we were coming up --but gone are the days when heroes were the norm. Gone are the days when a fireman descended from a tree, kitty cradled tenderly in his arms, and declared, "Just doing my job, Ma'am." Gone are the days when women lifted one another up, sat down in one another's kitchen for coffee, and took some sort of joy in their husband's comfort. Today, folks refuse responsibility for themselves; it's no wonder they refuse to take responsibility for others. Remove those things, those individuals who make life inconvenient for you. It's really very simple. But Scripture says otherwise. And, though it is difficult to traverse this little snippet of eternity --even more so when we're tasked with being kind to others and bearing our brother's burdens --it is not impossible. 

But there is a God in heaven... ~ Daniel 2:28 

In the historical record of Daniel of Judah, he has been carried off to Babylon --not his home in any sense of the word. The king of Babylon, Nebuchadnezzar, has selected the best and brightest of his captives to be trained in the ways of his country for his service. He's also grown, it seems, a bit disillusioned with some of the nationals he's had in his employment, and he's had a troubling dream. Tell me my dream and its interpretation! Now, the king wasn't looking to have his memory jogged; he was testing his spiritual advisors. If they could tell him the facts of his dream --something no one is able to do --surely, they could be trusted with an interpretation. Short version: Daniel hears of the order, and, after he and his friends pray, receives from God the details of the dream and what it means. Here's where I'd like to direct your focus, Daniel's response to the king when he appears before him (v. 27, 28): 

The secret which the king has demanded, the wise men, the astrologers, the magicians, and the soothsayers cannot declare to the king. But there is a God in heaven who reveals secrets, and He has made known to King Nebuchadnezzar what will be in the latter days.

Daniel confirms the argument of the other sages: no one can tell you the thoughts of your subconscious mind --not even I. He knows God has given him the information the king seeks. He's got it! But he is clear in shifting any attention from himself. He makes himself no better than any of the other spiritualists (with whom the king was thoroughly irritated). 

Secondly, Daniel plainly, incontrovertibly points to God. Daniel uses a two-step process in dealing with this pagan king. First, he deflects from himself and any good within himself (humility), and second, he points unequivocally to God (glory). Daniel did not waffle on the true Hero of this occasion, and he wasn't content with anyone else waffling either.

This is the point at which I begin to think about all of those times we are given the opportunity to be someone's flesh-and-blood "hero." Do we make it clear to them that in us lies no good thing, that apart from Christ we can do nothing? Are we adamant that the Source of our talents, our material resources, our desire to love and to help is Christ Jesus and Christ Jesus alone? Or do we preach Jesus but feel the need to draw the attention of others to our good deeds or our aptitudes? Do we blush and say, Just doing my job, Ma'am -- humble, perhaps, but failing to point to the true Miracle Worker? God was using a pagan king, revealing to him the future for ages! Did you catch that? If Daniel had made it all about himself, his abilities, wouldn't that have been the lead of this story? Daniel of Israel, seer of all seers! Not, Nebuchadnezzar, God wants your worship, too. Or, if Daniel had not pointed to the God who sought to reveal to the king of a heathen nation the promise of a heavenly kingdom, would the focus have moved past its historical value? 

John 3:27 assures us, A man can receive nothing unless it has been given to him from heaven. Not the gifts we share or the gifts we receive. All of it transpires under the authority of the Almighty so that none of us can take credit for what we possess or imagine we are entitled in any way. So that in all things, He will increase and we will decrease (John 3:30), and our God will always be the Hero others aspire to know.      

Midweek: Pure, Authentic, Uncompromising

I have a confession: Halloween was my favorite holiday; and if I'm being fully transparent, it probably still is. The difference is, I don't celebrate it anymore. The difference is, I view it with extreme caution, eyes wide open, knowing what it is and knowing I cannot go back no matter how much I am tempted. Attached to Halloween are over forty years of fond memories, and the perfect chill that comes over our part of the country, the heralding of the holiday season, the colors... For me, it is the perfect storm. A storm in which I can become lost at sea if I compromise my principles to enter it.

This is not a rant about the evils of a pagan holiday or the "innocent" way in which portals to the demonic are opened right within our homes, however true those things may be. What I am personally apt to do is blur the lines. Or maybe I speak of human nature in general. Listen to the words of God through the prophet Jeremiah:

And the Chaldeans who fight against this city shall come and set fire to this city and burn it, with the houses on whose roofs they have offered incense to Baal and poured out drink offerings to other gods, to provoke Me to anger; ~ Jeremiah 32:29 

He's talking about Jerusalem here; the people of Judah, God's people, who offered incense (worship) to pagan gods on the roofs of their homes! How? How did God's chosen people go that far astray? Well, lest we think ourselves so far above all this... Halloween. Again, I'm not looking to hate on Halloweeners or to be legalistic about all of this, but am I personally okay with carving a pumpkin or two, entering our son in the Halloween parade, hanging some bats in the tree out front? A "Christian" Halloween event with which I used to be associated had costume guidelines: No witches, no demons, no dead. It was simply a dress-up day. So why on the 31st of October? We often justify our "alternatives" with the argument that it is so difficult for our children to be excluded from the "fun" of Halloween or the "fun" of believing in Santa Claus. Why is "fun" or being perceived as "normal" by the world so important to us?

When the children of the world are having a "good time" getting pregnant at age twelve or boosting cars at thirteen, when the seven-year-old next door is playing Call of Duty for six hours on a Sunday morning, are we finding similar-yet-just-different-enough options so they don't feel ostracized? I hope we are telling them Absolutely not; this is dangerous, this is unhealthy, this is not what God intended for you. And what about us, Moms? Do our yoga pants have Namaste printed down the leg? Does our popcorn have a Buddha on the bag? What about you, Dads? Do you have a few beers or swear just a bit --you know, the "milder" ones --when you're watching the game with the guys on Sunday? What about our playlists? What sort of music are we allowing into our homes and our hearts? Only the "cleaned up" versions? Don't kid yourselves. 

I'm guilty. I have found all sorts of ways to compromise, to fit in culturally though I am called to stand out. It's not so difficult for me to understand how the people hand-picked by God could have strayed to the point of worshipping pagan gods on their rooftops. What if it had all begun with trying to appear relevant? with wanting to be "normal"? finding a similar-yet-just-different-enough alternative so they weren't so excluded? Or maybe it wasn't a conscious decision at all, and that could be the problem. Maybe it was a complacency toward all the little ways the world's ways creep into our ways and we accept it as "just the way things are."

Our Lord and Savior died and rose again, releasing us from the bondage of this world, to walk in newness of life. It is our uniqueness of devotion, of purpose, of love for one another, of lifestyle that points others to the One who procured these things for us. It is God's intent that we do not (or should not) look like the world: that is the hook, so to speak. The world can find its own reflection everywhere it turns. Does it find the pure, authentic reflection of Christ alone in you?        

An Untrustworthy Source. A Trustworthy God.

Oh, how the mighty have fallen!

Okay, maybe not the mighty, but another icon of celeb spirituality has revealed himself to be a grifter, a sycophant playing to the masses, a flash-in-the-pan Christian. And, once again, Christians have taken to social media to warn us all, this is the time to be vigilant; to be discerning. Well, yes; but isn't the time to be discerning before we endorse every personality who claims to have had a "real encounter with Jesus"? Nevertheless, discernment helps us spot the fakes, right? Did you know it helps us know truth, also?  

In 2 Chronicles 35 Josiah, king of Judah, had led God's people into a time of repentance and revival in Jerusalem. The Passover that was celebrated was unlike any other for hundreds of years prior. The temple had been cleaned and prepared, brought into the fullness of its function once again. And the king of Egypt was using Judah as his thoroughfare. Huh?

Yep, we have this account of a glorious return to serving the Lord, celebrating His deliverance, and then this seemingly odd non sequitur. But this is God's book, so, of course, there's a point. 

King Josiah and Judah were riding a wave. Life was good. God was foremost. But then, the presence of evil (or perceived evil) in the form of a king --a king, specifically, of a nation from which the people had been delivered. Remember the Passover celebration? Upon hearing of the king's presence, Josiah prepared to go to battle; but Egypt's king had messengers on the way. 

What have I to do with you, king of Judah? I have not come against you this day, but against the house with which I have war; (v.21) 

But it didn't stop there, because there was more to the king's message:

...for God commanded me to make haste. Refrain from meddling with God, who is with me, lest He destroy you.

Was Egypt a God-fearing nation? Certainly not. Did Josiah have a right to be suspicious? Sure! But the problem was, he failed to filter the king of Egypt's message through the lens of God's sovereignty. We don't read that Josiah prayed. We don't read that Josiah asked the leaders in the temple to seek God's direction. Instead, what we do read is the confirmation:

Nevertheless, Josiah would not turn his face from him, but disguised himself so that he might fight with him, and did not heed the words of Necho from the mouth of God.

from the mouth of God. God had indeed spoken to Necho. Josiah, however, ignored the word because he did not value the source. And, in the natural, with good reason. The source was the king of a pagan land. The source was the king of a people allied with some of the strongest military factions of the day. But just as God accomplished His will by working in the heart of another king of Egypt (Exodus 5-13), God was well able to speak to this king. All Josiah had to do was ask God for confirmation. All he had to do was humbly seek Truth. Instead, his mind was made up: he trusted his own thoughts, waged war against Necho, increased the strength of Babylon (who would later overtake Judah), and was killed in the process. 

So, the question: How does one get discernment? And the quick answer --I've held your attention long enough --through prayer, study of the Scripture, and application. Discernment is wisdom, knowledge applied. So, in order to increase it --like any muscle or skill --we have to exercise it: we've got to go through some drama if we want to learn how to apply what we know. That drama is not only the field on which we practice, but it usually keeps us in a place of humility, a place where we realize we don't know it all and must trust the One who does. The more we read about God's character, and the more we learn of His benevolence to His people, the more our knowledge is increased; we then take what we have learned and apply it. God is faithful. God is true. God is just. I can trust Him. Likewise, we pray with those things in mind, praying His will is accomplished, and asking Him for wisdom as we navigate life. We take our eyes off of the specifics of our circumstances --the source, the "odds", the lack of time, the diagnosis --and we place our thoughts directly on the One who can do exceedingly abundantly above all we can ask or imagine, the One who is faithful and true, the One who knows the end from the beginning, the One who cares for His people and will never leave us.  

You Can't Say You Weren't Warned

I grew up in the happy little armpit of Pennsylvania known as Delco. Perhaps you've heard of it, and not in a good way. Delco is a string of little towns all known for traffic lights, pizza places, and generally angry residents. Oh, and cops. There were loads of cops! Growing up, we all knew about them. Which township was a bit more forgiving; which borough would give their own mother a ticket. We knew where they hid to catch speeders, which members of the force had an axe to grind and with whom, and what days of the week financial cutbacks worked to the benefit of those who didn't always mutter to themselves S-T-O-P at intersections. In the event one person of our friend group was stopped by the local municipality's law enforcement, the word was out. If the officer winked, we took liberties. If he got out his ticket book, each of us heeded the warning; sometimes going so far as to avoid the area altogether.

I was reading this morning in Jeremiah 35. The Rechabites were separatists of sorts. An ancestor, more than one hundred years prior, had commanded his family that none should drink wine, grow grapes, or even build houses, so as to not distract them from the worship of God. Setting up a tent every couple of months being less time consuming than dusting each week or roof repairs when necessary, I suppose. Anyhoo, God told Jeremiah to invite the Rechabites to the house of God and offer them wine. He wasn't trying to hang them up --after all, He hadn't given them the command anyway; He was using their commitment as an object lesson for all of Judah. They didn't fail Him. The Rechabites refused to drink, saying:

We will drink no wine, for Jonadab the son of Rechab, our father, commanded us, saying, ‘You shall drink no wine, you nor your sons, forever. You shall not build a house, sow seed, plant a vineyard, nor have any of these; but all your days you shall dwell in tents, that you may live many days in the land where you are sojourners.’ Thus we have obeyed the voice of Jonadab the son of Rechab, our father, in all that he charged us, to drink no wine all our days, we, our wives, our sons, or our daughters, nor to build ourselves houses to dwell in; nor do we have vineyard, field, or seed. But we have dwelt in tents, and have obeyed and done according to all that Jonadab our father commanded us.

In fact, they even explained, the only reason they'd stayed in Jerusalem so long was because of the furious attacks of Nebuchadnezzar; otherwise, they would have been long gone.

And God's point was made. An ancestor many years before, a mere mortal, had given his family a command, and here were the Rechabites, still obeying it; their patriarch no longer with them; no fear of consequences were they to have just a sip or linger one day more. Now, they were being offered drink by God's prophet. In God's house. If ever there was license, surely this was it! But they refused, holding fast to their vow. Yet, Judah, the people of the One True God, His eternal presence with them in the temple, had been warned time and time again by the prophets He sent, had seen their brothers in Samaria carried off by the cruel Assyrian army, and still refused to obey. They disregarded every admonishment and silenced the prophets. They continued in their offenses toward God. The word was out that God wasn't playing around. But even the practical lesson taught through the faithfulness of the Rechabites would go unheeded and Judah would suffer the catastrophic results of their rebellion. 

Scripture tells us that God's Torah accomplishes all He wills it to do. If we heed it, it will serve to inform us, transform us, and protect us. If we ignore it, it will be the evidence against us before The Judge. Though I was pretty hard-headed back in the day, defying the tried-and-true recommendations of friends was generally not in my playbook. Had I done so and broken the law, their warnings as well as the law itself would have served to condemn me. We warned you! For those who observed the warnings we exchanged, they were valued acts of mercy on a natural level. How much more the words of wisdom contained in Scripture and the sage advice dispensed by pastors and other seasoned saints?

Midweek: What's in a Name?

George Foreman was famously known for naming all five of his sons "George". I used to babysit for a family who had generations of "James Paul"s and "Paul James"es; they'd alternate with each generation's firstborn son. Leadership coaches will tell you it is critical to address people by name often throughout a conversation to reinforce a sense of teamwork and personal investment. "Mister John Smith" is not the same --grammatically or otherwise --as "Lord Jesus Christ". 

Now, none of this may come as a surprise to you, but we often do not understand the nuances of language and customs from other cultures. In a western world, names are typically not structured in the same way they are in other civilizations. Likewise, they do not bear the same significance as a name or the naming of a child. The culture in which Jesus was raised and His birth recorded was quite different from modern western cultures. And it's important we keep that in mind when reading Scripture. As Inigo Montoya famously stated, You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means.

First of all, let me address the name of our incarnate Lord and Savior, the name, "Jesus". According to gotquestions.org, Jesus means “Yahweh saves” or “Yahweh is salvation.” Transliterated from Hebrew and Aramaic, the name is Yeshua. This word is a combination of Ya, an abbreviation for Yahweh, the name of Israel’s God (Exodus 3:14); and the verb yasha, meaning “rescue,” “deliver,” or “save.”

Next, there is "Christ": not a last name --"Jesus Christ," like "John Smith" --but His title. He is the promised Messiah. Again, from gotquestions.org:

Messiah comes from the Hebrew word mashiach and means “anointed one” or “chosen one.” The Greek equivalent is the word Christos or, in English, Christ. The name “Jesus Christ” is the same as “Jesus the Messiah.”

Jesus is the promised Savior, the promised Deliverer.

Lastly, the word "Lord." Also a title, but more of a confession --or, at least, it should be. 

We hear a lot about "manifesting" these days, speaking things into existence. If you want to be successful, you look at yourself in the mirror and tell yourself you are successful. No need to throw the baby out with the bathwater, that sort of confession can provide the hype one might need to take a test with confidence (providing you've studied) or conduct a difficult meeting (providing you've prepared); but generally, there's no amount of "speaking things into the universe" that causes things to happen. The verbal confession or declaration of Jesus as Lord does not mean He is. But I've issued something of a challenge to myself: rather than tossing around the name Lord Jesus Christ --whether in my prayers or in songs or among those I teach --rather than using it as thoughtlessly as I use the acknowledgment "mister," pause and ask, Is He my Lord? For He cannot be my Lord truly, unless I am indeed surrendered to Him; unless my life --all of it, every part --is yielded under His authority. If it is not, the word, no matter how often it is used, does not mean what we think it means: I am not acknowledging His lordship over me; I am not declaring His dominion over my will and my way. I am merely using a word no more meaningful than "Mister Jesus Christ."

I challenge you all, with me today to --each time you read the name "Lord Jesus Christ," each time you sing the name "Lord Jesus Christ," each time you speak the name "Lord Jesus Christ" --take that moment to think of the surrender necessary to make that statement true. And give your all to the one whose name is above every other name. 

By His Stripes We Are Healed

Have you ever watched an airplane cross the sky? From the ground, it almost looks sluggish. After all, my finger can trace a path from one tree to the next in a split second, but that 757... 

Have you ever raced a toddler? Little feet moving as quickly as they can, dozens of steps to your one.

Have you ever waited for news from your spouse's surgeon? or watched her walking up the drive as you hung the last decorations for her surprise party? The waiting is very different in each case.

Point being, perspective changes everything. That enormous jet is traveling hundreds of miles an hour; but to the observer on the ground, it is barely in motion. That toddler is frantically working to cover the same ground on tiny legs that you can cover with one stride. And time? It's all the same hour, sixty minutes, 3600 seconds; but the thing that transpires at the end of that hour impacts our attitude toward the wait. What is taking so long? Or, Stall her, please!

I have been thinking about the finished work of Christ on the cross. Yes, His work is sufficient for the atonement of my sin. His work restores my relationship with my Creator, a relationship once broken by the aforementioned sin, and receives me (and anyone who trusts in Jesus) into the family as a child of God. His resurrection assures me of mine, guaranteeing a newness of life in which I can walk today and a face-to-face relationship I will enjoy one day. And, yes, that is more than enough; but is that all? 

Take, for instance, Isaiah 53:5:

But He was wounded for our transgressions,
He was bruised for our iniquities;
The chastisement for our peace was upon Him,
And by His stripes we are healed.

There are those who would argue this means physical healing: Jesus suffered physical stripes and by them, our physical bodies are healed. 

First of all, does mankind suffer any physical ailment worse than the deadly spiritual enemy of sin? Matthew 10:28 warns, Do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. The greater danger by far is the eternal death of the spirit. 1 Peter 2:24-25 equates Christ's stripes with the death of sin and the healing of those who believe unto righteousness. A spiritual healing.

Secondly, if God's words through Isaiah are the promise of physical healing all the time, every time (for those who possess "enough faith" in them), how is anyone to get to heaven? Without physical death, those with exemplary faith would still be among us; never dying, always healed of their diseases, but not yet realizing the fullness of the promises of God.

And thirdly, if the torment Christ suffered is the catalyst of physical wellness for all who believe, did believers prior to His death never recover from illness? Did pagans always die of sinus infections or battle wounds? Obviously, healing was present in the world --by God's design and grace --prior to the death of Christ on the cross.   

David Guzik, in his Enduring Word Commentary on Isaiah 53, writes:

[Complete healing] is not promised to every believer right now, just as the totality of our salvation is not promised to us right now. The Bible says that we have been saved (Ephesians 2:8), that we are being saved (1 Corinthians 1:18), and that we will be saved (1 Corinthians 3:15). Even so, there is a sense in which we have been healed, are being healed, and one day will be healed.  

Guzik takes the position that while healing does occur in this lifetime, there is not an immediate, comprehensive guarantee of physical well-being; we can, however, rest assured we will one day be completely physically whole. Just as Matthew 8:16-17 equates the words of Isaiah (53:4) regarding Christ's suffering with physical restoration in that day, Jesus did not heal everyone on earth, nor did everyone He healed cheat a physical death later. Like the aircraft crossing the sky or the exertions of the toddler or the nature of a wait, our perspective is critical. Healing, as it occurs in God's economy is not beholden to a calendar or a clock. What we see as the plodding of days or that to which we exert all our energy trying to make some headway is under His sovereignty and within His power. The wondering if today will be the day or pleading for just a little more time --all of it is at the discretion of a loving God who cares for His people in ways we do not always agree. But He knows the end from the beginning and He is good. When He says we are healed, we are healed; His word is as good as done. But for the time being, our mortality impacts our perspective, our system for measuring time is at odds with God's infinity; a disparity that causes us to stand in awe of One so great and trust His plans for our healing.

You Haven't Got Time

Therefore, to him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin.

~ James 4:17

In the days of kings, Israel's story was troubled. Not too far off from their history with the judges God appointed --the obedience, apostacy, judgment, repentance, obedience cycle in which they remained for years. Only, in the period of kings, kings were not their rescuers; kings led the people one way or the other, into rebellion against or into relationship with God. King Ahaz of Judah was one of those "against" sort of fellows. His son, Hezekiah, was the polar opposite, and by God's mercy, he became king when his father died. In 2 Chronicles 29, King Hezekiah's reform is recorded, and it began with the opening and restoration of the temple of God which Ahaz had looted, defiled, and barred from use; returning the people to worship God's way, beginning with the priests themselves. 

Hezekiah's words to the priests (v.5) in The Complete Jewish Bible are rendered this way:

consecrate yourselves now, consecrate the house of Adonai the God of your ancestors, and remove the filth from the Holy Place.

In other words, and to us today, "Wash up! Dust off your Bible and get to reading! Gargle with a bit of salt water and start singing praises at the top of your lungs! Toss out all of your distractions, brain rot, and foolishness! Review your schedule and your finances; start pledging those things to the Lord! Give your legs the workout they've been missing and kneel in prayer!" Remove the filth from God's holy place, your heart.

In Verse 10, Hezekiah explains:

Now it is in my heart to make a covenant with Adonai the God of Israel,

God put it on his heart. King Hezekiah was open to hearing from the Lord. He was open to receiving correction and obeying it immediately and to the full. He spent the time being still and waiting for God to speak.

Verse 11:

My sons, now is not a time for being negligent; for you are the ones Adonai chose to stand before him and serve him as his ministers, offering him incense.”

As Hezekiah was called to lead the nation, so the priests had been called to lead all of the people in their worship of God. The burden Hezekiah had on his heart, he shared with those leaders and encouraged them to obey immediately and to the full. It's interesting that these priests were probably much older than their earthly king (Hezekiah began ruling at the age of twenty-five), but he spoke to them with affection and authority --My sons. And he communicated the urgency and gravity of the task ahead. Hezekiah saw a window of opportunity; he had no idea how long he would reign, if any would oppose him or assassinate him. He had no idea if God's judgment would come so quickly on Judah, they wouldn't have time to repent. He, perhaps, realized something about himself: If I don't act on this now, I will get waylaid by all sorts of other things, and it will never get done. He knew God had given him the authority and the desire: it was time to act. And act they did! (I'll leave you to read on and discover that for yourself.) Hezekiah didn't waste any time. In fact, Hezekiah approached the situation as though he didn't have time to waste time. He knew what needed to be done, and he did it immediately and to the full. As a result, he and the people of Judah were blessed because of the covenant they had made to follow the Lord and obey Him in all things. 

Is there something God has spoken to you through His word? Is there something that has been on your heart, something you believe God wants you to do? Are you even listening, taking the time to hear Him speak? Maybe you have completely lost your way, and the weight of doing life without God is His beckoning you to return to Him. We never know what life holds and we never know how little time we will have to worship God with our voice and our service. Obey today. You haven't got time to waste time. 

 

Midweek: Gaining Some Tonnage

We just returned from an appointment with our vet. Good news! Luci has lost a couple pounds. Maintaining proper weight, in our case, benefits all of us. It's less strain on her joints, I am not being dragged into traffic each time she attempts to chase a squirrel, and my husband won't have to learn to cook for himself while I'm in traction from injuries sustained while wrestling with her tonnage. And it's not just quantity. While an occasional doughnut might be okay for my husband, for Luci, it's a hard No! Her dog food provides the proper nutrients for her canine adventures. Poor nutrition and adiposity even besiege our pets in our culture of excess.

I was just talking to a friend of mine, however. She is looking to gain weight. In fact, she was excitedly telling me she wants to be obese... 

...in her spirit! 

I don't think anyone has to be taught how to add a few inches to their waistline; but do we know what it takes to fatten our spirits? Not just adding flubber, excess; but real weight, the perfect plumpness that feeds the development of the body's systems. Fitness and strength are vital. So, how do we add tonnage to our spiritual weight?

First of all, regular meals. Skipping Bible reading, prayer time, church attendance robs the body of food. Jesus is bread, our sustenance for life. These spiritual practices are not the means by which we reach God; they are the means by which we hold on, in our finitude to the One who is infinite, the One who came to earth to ransom us. Physical beings have a relationship with an eternal, spiritual Being through regular spiritual disciplines --frequently. We engage in praise, pray unceasingly, and give thanks throughout the day (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18) The more we praise Him, the more we discover His worth. The more we engage in prayer, the more we find to say up to Him. The more we give thanks, the more things we find to appreciate. We get fat with the fullness and character of His Spirit in our spirit. 

And it's not just frequency, it's volume! The Scriptures are living and active; not that they change, but we can never completely exhaust them. They change us. Every.Time.We.Read.Them.With.Intent. Don't expect real change if you're reading a verse-a-day, skimming through some pithy little lesson about it, and checking a box. You will get exactly that to which you apply yourself in the manner in which you apply yourself. Pithy it is! But if you really want spiritual corpulence, ask the Holy Spirit to lead you as you read. Read as much as you can without your eyes glazing over and the children growing faint with hunger. Look up terms with which you are unfamiliar. Pray some more. Read the study notes. Memorize verses. Meditate on passages throughout the day. Pray again. And wait for God to move. Take your time and read it as many times as you must. Volume matters.

Lastly, content. I'm reading the Bible, what can possibly be unhealthy about that? you ask. Nothing, but the content we consume outside of our times of Bible reading matters. I can eat salads until I'm blue in the face, but if I chase each one with a 2-liter bottle of sweet tea and a party size bag of chips, my "healthy habits" don't stand a chance. Yes, I'll gain a ton, but none of it will sustain me for the race. The bulk of my consumption is at best, empty; at worse, detrimental. Much of what counts for "content" on social media is brain rot. We're not studying things out; we're clicking on thumbnail after thumbnail, allowing content creators to determine what we see. I'm guilty of both falling down the rabbit hole of content I never would have searched out for myself, and finding the short answer (or the answer that most resembles my own) and calling it quits. The truth is, neither of those is sustenance. Neither of those will fatten my spirit in a way that benefits me or brings glory to God. And do I have to mention the things we watch during our "leisure time"? If it doesn't edify the body of Christ (IOW: if you wouldn't show it to your Christian brothers and sisters), it's not going to edify your life in Christ.

For Luci to thrive in her adult years, it's important she remain active and well-nourished; that her intake is carefully monitored. For each of us to thrive in this very short season of eternity, we should strive for good spiritual health; a corpulent spirit, bursting with nourishment, indulged by all of the things that supply it; perpetually growing and gaining some tonnage! 

Equipping the Called

God doesn't call the equipped; He equips the called.

Let me just follow that up with an Amen! right now. 

As I child, I spent many an hour sitting on those durable little wooden chairs, staring as the weekly Bible story came into being on the flannelgraph of our Sunday school classroom. The teacher --each one, most of whom I no longer recall their names --outside of Sunday mornings, functioned as someone's mother or grandmother, hairstylist, cashier, what-have-you. But on Sundays, they wielded those little paper characters with such finesse and timing. Joseph was never mistaken for Daniel; the elephants from Noah's ark never wandered into the Christmas story. Our teacher --Tuesday's mild-mannered seamstress, or not --had skills! 

Then I think back to my days of teaching Sunday school, planning games and crafts; telling the story of Creation with songs and movement. I worked to engage students; to share with them the wonder of all God can do. I had my own set of skills! And it was rewarding, exciting. And --at least once --occurred at the expense of truth. Such was the former "me". Years ago, as I shared with a group of youngsters the Bible's account of Lazarus, I made a comment meant to add impact to the miracle of Jesus' raising His friend from the dead. I won't waffle; I said what I said. I told that group of young listeners that Lazarus was the only person Jesus raised from the dead, and He did so because He and Lazarus were friends. Perhaps you can see where I was going with this. I wanted to tie the resurrection of every person who has a relationship with Jesus Christ to Jesus' raising of His friend. The truth is, Lazarus was definitely not the only person Jesus raised from the dead during His earthly ministry: there were at least two others. Believe it or not, one of the astute little tikes called me out on it. Did I say, "Y'know what, Junior, you are absolutely right!"? Nope. I doubled down and made a terrible claim that perhaps, the others weren't really dead.

Now, I'm gonna stop right there and tell you just how nauseous it makes me to think those words ever came from my lips; I'm gonna tell you just how vulgar that was. But shame thrives in darkness, so let's just put that to death right now. I later confessed and repented, and I have been forgiven. But in that moment, it was ego. Plain and simple; cut and dried. I was not about to be corrected. Especially by someone who still eats off the kids' menu. So, I perverted the Holy Scriptures, mishandled the little lives with which I'd been entrusted, and defended my own pride. Ick! on so many disgusting, disturbing levels.   

That moment, however, has been a merciful and poignant reminder to me for many years. Merciful because I am forgiven. Merciful because the memory of it returns to me --not to condemn me, but to warn me and keep me faithful to the right handling of Scripture. Recalling the events of that day reminds me of my need for a Savior --no matter how many people I teach or how well-versed I become in Bible doctrine. And the memory of it is poignant; it sickens me. Praise God! 'cause if it sickens me, I have to marvel at just how much it sickened the God I worship. After all, I am still fumbling my way through this life. I am still getting it wrong. I, even by my simple humanity and ignorance, fail Him too often. But that vile feeling in the pit of my stomach when I'm reminded of my pride and the grave offense to which it gave birth, also reminds me of God's holiness, how perfect He is; and it draws me back to the assurance and wonder of His mercy. Only a God strong enough to forgive my sin, to give Himself that my sin might be abolished, only a God like that can even think of reimagining and redeeming my life as a teacher. And He has. 

He has equipped me. He has changed me. He has reshaped me by His mercy, His forgiveness, His word, and His discipline. As uncomfortable as it is to recall my offenses, they are the means by which God has transformed me --and continues to transform me --equipping me for the work He has called me to do. Teach. 

We have all been called to the mission field. Whether it is in our homes or our jobs, or sitting before a group of tiny, wide-eyed future missionaries. Don't worry that you're not equipped. You're not. But God who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ (Philippians 1:6). Soli Deo gloria!

Praise God I Can't!

My husband recently had surgery. (It seems to me, of late, I've started way too many conversations with those words.) Anywho, it was one of those easy-breezy, same-day-service kind of things. However, it knocked him for a loop! No extended stay necessary, but the plans he'd made for the following day, and the day after that, and the day after that, and the day after --Whelp, you get it --all scrubbed. And he was feeling really disappointed in himself. After all, he's a strong guy. He shouldn't be spending his days sitting under an icepack watching Matlock reruns. He is entirely capable. Until he wasn't.

Now, I'm not throwing shade; we all need time to heal. And, as a matter of fact, I am the person with the least amount of room to talk. I will stare the lion right in the eyes and reach for his lunch. Not because I'm brave; just because I'm defiant. I will finish my list of To-Dos only to start another list and add a few things more --all before noon. I will attempt things I should never attempt. I am capable. Until I'm not.

What I've learned, however, is that in man's economy that sort of capability is honored, rewarded; but in God's economy, not so much. Not that Scripture says we should be bungling fools or intentionally ignorant or just plain lazy. But we are to be vulnerable, humble. We are to be painfully aware of who we really are. The Apostle Paul, in 2 Corinthians 12:7-10, says he was given "a messenger of Satan," some sort of "thorn in his flesh" to keep pounding away at him; something he just could not overcome. He was incapable of getting rid of it. So, he pleaded with God to remove it. We don't know what it was, but God refused. What if it was a struggle with lust? What if it was gout? What if it was conflict with another of God's servants? Each of those things could potentially harm or reduce Paul's ability to minister. Why would God refuse? Because he didn't want Paul to be capable in and of himself. He wanted Paul, and all of us today, to seek His grace and rely on Him alone. It is in our lack, our inability, that the work of God can be put on display.    

As capable human beings we tend to resist trusting others; we forego vulnerability in favor of a "quick fix"; the certainties we can see, the solutions we invent, self-sufficiency. Even if we fail, at least we tried. But what if failure is something to be used by God for His glory? What if waiting and the passage of time is all part of God's plan? By His grace, we can wait for the glory of God to be revealed; we can see His might made manifest in ways we never imagined; we can experience the blessing of God even as we slog through seemingly impossible seasons. Our capabilities have the potential to rob us of knowing that blessing. And it is sometimes God's mercy when our methods fail, when our means cause us to stumble; for it is then we tend to regroup and turn our thoughts toward the One mightier than ourselves, mightier than our enemy. But when we succeed in our own efforts we succeed without knowing what God could have done with the situation; we succeed and become further convinced of our own capability; we succeed and convince ourselves we are well within God's favor. 

Like Paul, who gave thanks for the weakness in him that framed gloriously the strength of God, we, too, can Let go and let God. We, too, can stop looking to our own plans, our own qualifications, our own resources, that the manifest power of the One we serve might be given its due position. That many might see His handiwork. Praise God when we fall flat on our faces! Praise God when we fail in going our own way! Praise God when the season is long and the ground is dry! Praise God for the discipline of a perfect Father, one who wants to show us all He can do with the nothing we have. Praise God when He brings us to the knowledge we are incapable. That through our weakness, the Almighty is seen.

Midweek: Complete

It used to be, as children, rainy Saturdays were the worst thing ever. School all week, homework and early bedtime; but Saturday was the day for which we longed! Outdoors and endless play! With the advent of video games, I'm not sure that holds true much anymore. But in Grown-Up World, rainy Saturdays are just as good as the sunny ones. Rainy Saturdays are opportunities to clean the house and catch-up on laundry. Rainy Saturdays free us up for movie days, or pajama days. Rainy Saturdays provide the time we need to paint cardboard boxes. What? You don't paint cardboard boxes, too? Okay, I really didn't think you did, but my husband and I certainly do. During COVID, when Amazon deliveries were "essential" and boxes were plentiful, my husband began crafting buildings from said boxes so he and the grandchildren could play together. With our youngest now joining in on the brainstorming, they continue to keep me busy with commissions. This is the pharmacy; paint the windows and doors, please. Can you paint lamps on either side of the police station? The creation of our cardboard universe could go on indefinitely! The more we see and experience in the world God has created, the more ideas are ignited. As the boys play, the more they discover dearth. Mom! We really need a Wawa! (Sorry, Bud, you're on you're own there; I'm a Sheetz girl!) The more we examine our earliest works, the more rudimentary they seem compared to our newer buildings; thus, an update is requested.  

Not so with God and His world. Genesis 2:1 tells us the heavens and the earth were completed (NIV), finished (NKJV). God finished His work, and that includes all of His work. Henry M. Morris, in his book, The Genesis Record, explains the processes God employed were the processes of creating and making (innovation and integration). Those processes were completed when God's work was completed. What we witness today are the processes of conservation and disintegration, described in the two universal Laws of Thermodynamics; (at the risk of oversimplifying) in a closed system, energy remains constant, and randomness, disorder tends to increase. In short, no "big bang" of creation, as the energy of a closed system is what it is from its origin; and things don't spontaneously improve or integrate. Did your mother ever tell you, Dinner doesn't just make itself!? She was on to something there.

God is not continuing to design and craft new species. And neither is anyone else. Not that His creative juices have been exhausted or that He, by the work of creation, is Himself exhausted, but --Genesis 1:31, God saw everything that He had made, and indeed it was very good. It was very good, all that was needed, not just finished, but complete. There is no need for further creation. God's character is visible, expressed in all we see in the natural world. He is infinite, mighty, gloriously creative; a Protector fully aware of the needs of His people and fully capable of delivering. He is unrivaled at the creation game! And, praise Him, His work is finished. 

It's raining, however, and I have some painting to do.

  

A Reckoning of Blood

I'm thinking of blood right now. I know, weird; but stick with me. I give blood regularly. I like to give blood regularly; it's something I think is important. But lately, I've been unable to donate. These days, my blood, every drop of it must remain inside of me. No handouts, doctor's orders.

More than a year ago, a major trauma center in our area closed down. It was close to a city that itself, is broken and in need of healing. When it was operational, the neon lights of the center's ER were a welcome sight to victims of violence. Again, blood. Multiple gunshot wounds, and the life of a too-young man pouring out on a worn, cold floor.     

In Genesis 9, the floodwaters have receded, Noah and his family have emerged from the ark, their vessel of salvation from God's judgment, and God has repeated the order He had given the first human beings. Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth. This time there's something new: fear and dread; the fear and dread of animals for mankind. Why? Because animals are now given to humanity for food. But you shall not eat flesh with its life, that is, its blood. And God demands a reckoning:

Whoever sheds man’s blood,
By man his blood shall be shed;
For in the image of God
He made man.

The mention of blood is a theme that runs all throughout Scripture. Blood represents life. The loss of blood, the loss of life is an offense to God. He created each of us for a purpose. Westminster Shorter Catechism asks the question, What is man's chief end?, and offers the answer, Man's chief end is to glorify God and to enjoy Him forever. Our lives are not our own (1 Corinthians 6:19, 20). Perhaps that is why I believe blood donation to be so important: my blood, my life is intrinsically linked to the God who created not only me, but that too-young man whose life has been treated casually --either by his grievous decisions or by the decisions of others. My life is valued by the same God who values all the other players; the shooter, the victim, the first responders, the doctors and nurses, the frantic mother, the raging father. We are connected by blood; shed, donated, preserved and, hopefully, replenished if necessary.  

And, for those in Christ, we are joined as brothers and sisters by His blood. His blood that cleanses, atones, procures, redeems, reconciles, heals, frees, and unites. His blood poured out; life flowing from an execution stake, the destiny of criminals and the world's only sufficient Savior. His blood, His life, the only means by which new life is given to all who would stand under its fount. It is enough; it is eternal. It is the glorious display of God's hesed toward His creation. And it is blood that still today demands a reckoning and a response from every individual. What is yours? 

Chaos in Life; Character in Death

Samson, judge of Israel --what do you know about him? Well, if you've got a basic Sunday school knowledge of his life, you know he had long hair, was really strong, let Delilah get the best of him, but killed more in death than he did while he lived. But the account of Samson's life which begins in Judges 13 is not even close to being that simple. 

First of all, his mother was barren, and if we learn anything from Scripture, it's that God can work wonders with a woman labeled "barren". As such, the news she was going to have a baby was announced to her by a special messenger from God. He told her the child was to be consecrated unto the Lord, a Nazarite; she was not to drink of the vine or eat anything unclean, and he was not to cut his hair. When she relayed the information to her husband, Manoah, she confessed she'd not gotten the messenger's place of origin or name. Speaking of names, here's a fun fact: Manoah's name means "quiet, rest," but he seems unwilling to do that. He begins to pray the messenger would return; he wants to know more about how to raise this special boy. Have you ever considered the people who God places in your path? Have you ever prayed, Lord, show me how to minister to the people You send my way today? Have you asked God for the resources it will take for you to raise your children? There was nothing in this man, Manoah, that said, Yeah, I got this covered. He was chasing after whatever God was willing to give that he might accomplish the assignment he'd been given.

Secondly, the details. The announcement of Samson's birth encompasses all of chapter 13 and includes an account of what happened when the messenger did return. Chapter 14 develops the character of Samson the adult. He's arrogant, lustful, impulsive; not the usual qualities we look for in a redeemer. This same chapter covers Samson's marriage, the strange riddle Samson used to taunt his wedding party, and the giving of Samson's bride to another. Chapter 15 finds Samson using three hundred foxes to torch (literally) Philistine farms and set off a cycle of revenge that finally ends with a thousand Philistines being slain by Samson using the jawbone of an ass. Lastly, the bulk of chapter 16 records the seemingly never-ending deceptions of Delilah, an account that leaves most of us shaking our heads and wondering why Samson didn't just get himself outta Dodge before she could hire a barber. By verse 21 of the chapter, Samson is a blind slave in Philistine territory, and verse 22, renews hope with However. Something big is about to happen.

And that brings me to the final portion of Samson's life. We're told there's a celebration. We're given the words to the hymn they sang to their god. And in fewer than ten verses we're told of Samson's victory over three thousand Philistines which cost him his own life that day. Verse 26 records the words he spoke to the young man who led Samson like a dog into the temple that day, and in verse 28, we are privileged to read the cry of Samson's heart:

O Lord God, remember me, I pray! Strengthen me, I pray, just this once, O God, that I may with one blow take vengeance on the Philistines for my two eyes!

Samson asks for the ability to enact vengeance on his enemies and the enemies of God, but there seems to be more to it than that. There is an indication of repentance there, of a humility that only comes when one has been made to realize just how helpless they really are. Matthew Henry, in his commentary writes, The strength which he (Samson) had lost by sin, he recovers by prayer. In giving one's heart up to the Lord, in coming to know life in our physical bodies is not the highest end, there is infinite strength.

The details of his life are many and complex, but the simple gravity of his death surpasses them all, and not only because of the thousands he took with him. His final moments are a testimony to the strength of hearts broken for our King. Had Samson walked in that kind of surrender throughout his life, we can only imagine the return. Instead, it was his character in death that exhorts us today. May we live with humbled hearts and bring down the house while we still have more days ahead.  

 

Midweek: Work Has Been Canceled on Account of Words

Preach the Gospel at all times. Use words if necessary.

~ Saint Francis of Assisi

NOT the words of St, Francis and NOT necessarily biblical. What he did say was (and I'm paraphrasing), Your actions should match your words. Now, that certainly has the support of Scripture. But have you ever tried to share Jesus with someone? People can resist --rudely.  

I know individuals who have the gift of evangelism. They see an empty chair at the DMV and before anyone has opportunity to object, they're sitting there chatting up those around them and sharing the Gospel. One of my sisters, with absolutely no hesitation, will grab a bottle of vitamins off the shelf at the pharmacy and ask, If you take vitamins for good physical health, what are you doing for spiritual health? No matter the reaction, she engages in those conversations with enthusiasm as long as anyone will allow. Talk about conviction and thick skin! If attempts to share the Gospel don't get you kicked out of the pharmacy, they could get you cursed out, spit on, laughed at, or pulled into the office for the "workplace decorum" talk. In short, the use of words can be unrewarding. Jesus warned His disciples they would be hated by the world (John 15:18) and called out folks motivated by earthly desires (John 6:2-27).

Actions, however, tend to be better received. You can walk away from handing out sandwiches to the homeless and feel as though you've done something truly useful. You can drive the folks to and from their appointments and no one will flip you the bird. As a matter of fact, you may be spoken of in terms of salt and earth. Serving others through good deeds has its visible results and its tangible rewards. And who turns down a freebie? The chances of getting taunted when you're donating money are pretty near zero, I would think.

I'm not saying helping others is without merit. Scripture clearly says we are to help others. But it is extremely important we are rightly motivated: for the glory of the Father, first and foremost. Whatever accolades or warm fuzzies we get out of the deal are His gift to us, a mere byproduct. Additionally, it's important we don't lead others to develop wrong motives. If Jesus had continued healing and feeding with nothing more than "God bless you", the people would have been conditioned to seek only gifts, ignoring --or never knowing --the Giver. Jesus directed folks' attention to the Father and they crucified Him for it! Are we any less responsible for the message we deliver? If we're not making it crystal clear who God is, we will be held accountable. Would the people you are currently serving be thrilled to listen to a sermon or sit through a Bible study before you handed out the free backpacks? Are we teaching people that the God of the Bible is bigger than physical needs? Do we accept that, sometimes, we're not supposed to help? What if God is trying to do something with someone's situation, in someone's situation, in spite of someone's situation? And here we come, on our white horse, ready to rescue every damsel and plug every leak. Much easier to plug a leak than walk with someone through doubt and tears week after week; to say again and again, Let's pray; to watch as they struggle.

Daniel faced lions. His friends entered the furnace. Because there was a message. That message is still important today, and it is meant to be delivered in the form of actions that uphold our words, not replace them.