True Love

Readings for today: Proverbs 5-6, 1 Corinthians 13

“Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.” (1 Corinthians‬ ‭13:7‬)

Our world is so confused when it comes to love. Too many people have fallen for the lie that love is a feeling. Something you can fall in and out of. Something disposable. Something that comes and goes. We see it all the time when celebrities break up. When cultural influencers announce their separations on social media. They still “love” each other but their love is not strong enough to overcome their differences. Their love is not strong enough to overcome their infidelities. Their love is not strong enough to hold them together.

To many people have fallen for the lie that they must “love” themselves first. To do anything else is to subject oneself to abuse or dysfunction. The idea of sacrificing oneself daily for another human being. Putting that person’s needs above one’s own is anathema in our culture. Love must be “self-serving.” Love must lead to “self-actualization.” Love must demand that others love us the way we love ourselves.

Too many people have fallen for the lie that “love” is the same as sexual attraction. Everything is hyper-sexualized in our culture and to deny our animal attractions is now considered harmful. We are warned it might lead to depression and suicide. If we fail to affirm the sexual attractions of other people - no matter how disordered - we are hateful and bigoted and phobic.

Love has become a false god in our culture. A brutal tyrant with an insatiable appetite. He demands complete obedience and blind loyalty. His corrupting influence is now being felt in our schools and communities. In our courts of law and state houses. Even many churches are bowing at his altar. The results are devastating.

The Bible is clear…God is love, love is not God. It’s a critical distinction. God is love. God demonstrates His great love in the sending of His Son. God shows us what love is by sacrificing Himself in our place. God’s love is completely selfless. It puts our needs above His own. It is solely focused on the good of the “other.” It is not self-serving. It is not possessive. It is not resentful. It is not prideful. It keeps no record of wrongs. It patiently endures all for the sake of all.

God’s love bears all things. Even you. Even me. All of us are sinners. We are enslaved to our desires. We do the things we don’t want to do and we don’t do the things we do want to do. We can’t help ourselves.

God’s love believes all things. I have people in my life that I dearly love. They tell me they no longer believe in God. My response is always the same. “God believes in you.” God’s love can do no different. He sees each one of us as we ought to be. As He created us to be. As He redeemed us to be. And He longs for us to turn and embrace Him.

God’s love hopes all things. God will never give up on you. God will never stop pursuing you. God is relentless in the chase. His love drives Him. His great desires is that all should be saved and come to a knowledge of His truth.

God’s love endures all things. All of us are at war with God on some level. We rebel against His will. We reject His way. Our hearts are corrupt and deceitful and full of pride. They are always pulling us to go our own way. Do our own thing. Take our destiny into our own hands. God’s love endures our fits and starts. Our fears and failures. Our mistakes and missteps.

God’s love never fails. It will never fail you. It will never fail me. It will never fail the world. God’s love is enough. It died on a cross to satisfy the demands of justice. It willingly and joyfully took our place. Endured the punishment we deserved. Paid the price for our sin. God’s love would not stop until the work was finished. Until every last sin was wiped away. This is the love of God, friends!

Do you know you are loved by the God of the universe? Do you walk in His love? Rest in His love? Are you confident in His love? We aren’t talking about a feeling here. We are talking about an objective reality that is true whether we know it or not. Believe it or not. Understand it or not. Feel it or not. God’s love is the deepest, most profound truth undergirding the entire universe. His love is the foundation of all creation. His love provides meaning and purpose to human life. It is the telos or goal of our existence. Embracing this love is what gives us peace. Peace with God. Peace with others. Peace with ourselves.

Readings for tomorrow: Proverbs 7-8, 1 Corinthians 14

Belonging

Readings for today: Proverbs 2-4, 1 Corinthians 12:12-31

Irenaus. Origen. Cyprian. Cyril of Jerusalem. Ambrose. Augustine. All of them believed in the doctrine of Extra Ecclesiam Nulla Salus  - “There is no salvation outside the church.” This idea, of course, doesn’t sit well with us. We are highly individualistic. Suspicious of outside authority. Resistant to authentic community. Distrusting of institutions. We prefer to be more gnostic when it comes to our relationship to the church. We much prefer to describe our relationship to the church in generalities and abstractions. We say things like, “I don’t need to be part of a local church.” “I’m a member of the universal church and that’s enough.” “I can worship and serve God just fine on my own.” For a lot of us, these are not flippant comments. They are rooted in very real hurt. Very real pain. Very real betrayal that we’ve experienced at the hands of a local church. Perhaps it was a priest or pastor who abused us. The legalistic and pharisaical environment we grew up in. Maybe the church failed us in our hour of greatest need. Or maybe our protests truly are simply culturally conditioned. We reject the church for her hypocrisy. Reject the church for her bigotry. Reject the church for her outdated morality. Whatever our issues, too many of us keep the local church at arm’s length. 

Extra Ecclesiam Nulla Salus. There is no salvation outside the church. Would it surprise you to know the Apostle Paul believed this? Listen to what he says in 1 Corinthians 12:12-27, “For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks, slaves or free—and all were made to drink of one Spirit. For the body does not consist of one member but of many. If the foot should say, "Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body," that would not make it any less a part of the body. And if the ear should say, "Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body," that would not make it any less a part of the body. If the whole body were an eye, where would be the sense of hearing? If the whole body were an ear, where would be the sense of smell? But as it is, God arranged the members in the body, each one of them, as he chose. If all were a single member, where would the body be? As it is, there are many parts, yet one body. The eye cannot say to the hand, "I have no need of you," nor again the head to the feet, "I have no need of you." On the contrary, the parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, and on those parts of the body that we think less honorable we bestow the greater honor, and our unpresentable parts are treated with greater modesty, which our more presentable parts do not require. But God has so composed the body, giving greater honor to the part that lacked it, that there may be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another. If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together. Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it.” 

There are several key ideas to ponder and pray over from this passage... 

1. The Spirit of God makes us all one in Christ Jesus. Unity is not homogeneity. Unity is not unanimity. Unity is not about the erasure of our social, racial/ethnic, or economic distinctions. It is the submission of those things to the greater identity we share in Christ.

2. The local church is like a body. It has hands and feet. Eyes and ears. Head. Heart. Muscles. Organs. Bones. Each member of a local church is created and equipped by God to play a particular role. No role more or less important than the other. But not all roles are the same. A body is not made up of all feet. Nor is a body all hands. If the whole body were an eye, where would be the sense of smell? God has ordained that all the members of the local church - working together - make up the one body of Christ.

3. The local church has many parts. We are not a church of one! We cannot be the church on our own. We cannot say to our brothers and sisters, “I have no need of you.” That would be like cutting off your hand or tearing out your eye. There are parts of the body that are weaker. Parts of the body that are stronger. Parts of the body that are younger. Parts of the body that are older. Parts of the body that are richer. Parts that are poorer. Parts that are white. Parts black. Parts brown. Parts more educated. Parts less educated. Not all parts are the same. Not all are gifted in the same way. But all are necessary. All are equally important. All have value in God’s sight.

4. We are a part of the body of Christ and individually members of it. There is no salvation outside the church because there is no identity outside the church. Our love for God gets expressed in our love for one another. Our unity together reflects the unity of the Godhead itself. To keep the church at arm’s length. To never commit oneself to a local body of believers. To try and do the Christian life on our own is oxymoronic. It doesn’t make any sense and it certainly isn’t biblical.

I know we live in a time where we feel pulled in a lot of different directions. We have a lot of things competing for our time, attention, and resources. Furthermore, we tend to take a consumeristic approach to the local church and judge her by her ability to entertain us or hold our attention. As soon as life in the local church gets hard, we tend to bail. As soon as we feel let down or disappointed, we leave. Such immature behavior only stunts our spiritual growth and prevents us from experiencing the fullness of God’s grace and love. The next time you think to yourself - “I don’t need to go to church” or “Maybe it’s time for me to find a new church” or “I’m done with church”  - take a moment and read through 1 Corinthians 12. You cannot love Jesus without loving His bride, friends. And love is defined, not as a feeling, but a conscious decision to bear all things, believe all things, endure all things just as Christ did for us. 

Readings for tomorrow: Proverbs 5-6, 1 Corinthians 13

The Beginning of Wisdom

Readings for today: Psalms 148-150, Proverbs 1, 1 Corinthians 11:17-12:11

The world suffers because it lacks wisdom. It lacks understanding. Everyone does what is right in their own eyes. No one takes responsibility. There is always someone else to blame. We live in a world where it is hard for people to accept instruction. Hard for people to humble themselves and receive correction. We resort to yelling and screaming and pouting far too easily. We are a fragile and foolish people. 

The world is full of challenges. Monumental tasks that cannot be solved by human effort or ingenuity or intellect. The reality is we are not rational creatures. We are far more driven by desire than we like to admit. Far more inclined to selfishness and greed and hatred than we are inclined to acknowledge. Far more susceptible to temptation than we’ll accept. The reality is we are our own worst enemies. Every time we stare in the mirror, we are looking at one of the greatest barriers to progress in our world. We are broken creatures with an innate propensity for self-destruction. Our corrupt nature so often derails any chance we may have at making the world a better place. 

What this world needs is wisdom. Godly wisdom. And Solomon tells us if we want such wisdom, there’s only one place to go. “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise His wisdom and instruction.” (Proverbs‬ ‭1:7‬) God is the fount of all wisdom and understanding. It is God who sees the deep things of this world. God who makes sense of the universe and all that is in it. God who creates order out of our chaos. God who guides us through the maze that is human life. God who is our light in the midst of our darkness. God who is truth in the midst of all the lies. The reality is we live in a world awash with information. Google has given us access to the vast wealth of human knowledge but we don’t know what to do with it. Heck, we can’t even decide what is true or false, good or evil, right or wrong much less integrate that knowledge in any useful way. So if we truly want to make this world a better place. If we truly want to experience the abundant life Jesus promises those who would follow Him, we have to turn to God. We have to trust Him. We have to seek His wisdom above our own.

How often do you pray over the decisions you make? How often do you ask God for wisdom when faced with a difficult situation? How often do you go to God’s Word and rely on His Truth even it conflicts with how you think or feel? If this never happens, then I submit you are trying to live your life apart from God. You are trying to survive based on your own wisdom and strength. And I am here to tell you, it will eventually fail. God promises to grant wisdom to all who follow Him. All who will submit to Him. All who will surrender to Him. The fear of the Lord is truly the beginning of wisdom. 

Readings for tomorrow: Proverbs 2-4, 1 Corinthians 12:12-31

Cultural Blind Spots

Readings for today: Psalms 145-147, 1 Corinthians 11:2-16

Today’s New Testament reading is a weird one. Why in the world does the Apostle Paul care so much about hair style? Of all the issues he could have spent time on, why head coverings? Is that really the most pressing issue for the church at Corinth? Were the Christians there that caught up in how they looked? This is what makes Bible reading such a challenge. We can’t just read the words on the page and accept them at face value. We have to dive deeper to understand the cultural currents of the day and how these words fit if we want to understand. Furthermore, we have to acknowledge the cultural assumptions we ourselves bring to the text. We are not objective observers. We too have biases and perspectives that are shaped by current cultural movements like #MeToo, feminism, and, at a more fundamental level, the US Bill of Rights that will shape how we respond to the text. It’s hard to lay these things aside and hear what God is trying to say to His people.  

One of the foundational principles we must understand as we approach the Bible is that God never speaks to His people in a culture or a language they cannot understand. He meets them where they are. Consider Genesis 1 as an example. It is written to a people who held to an Ancient Near East cosmology. As such, they believed creation was less about how all the “stuff” of this world came into being and more about how they functioned. Creation was about bringing order to chaos rather than creating everything out of nothing. They would care less about how many actual 24 days God used to create and would have focused more on how God’s creation functioned for their benefit. Day One would be less about light and darkness and more about the creation of time. Day Two was less about the creation of heaven and more about the creation of weather systems. Day Three was less about the creation of earth and plants and vegetables and more about the creation of food. (For those interested in this topic, I would suggest reading John Walton’s excellent book titled, The Lost World of Genesis One.)

Fast forward a few thousand years. The Apostle Paul is speaking to a largely gentile audience in the Greco-Roman world about Christian worship. He speaks to them through the cultural norms of their day. It was a patriarchal society. Men most of the power. Women had some rights but only if they were freeborn Roman citizens. Culturally speaking, married women wore a veil over their heads as a sign of their virtue and honor. If a woman walked about unveiled, she was potentially signifying her availability. (This was not always the case. There is some evidence from ancient sources that married women did occasionally go out in public with their heads uncovered.) Furthermore, they only cut their hair during periods of mourning or if they dishonored their families. Men, on the other hand, rarely covered their heads. About the only time they did was when they entered a pagan temple to offer sacrifices. At such points, they would throw a bit of their toga over their heads to symbolize humility and submission. What’s the point? Well, entire theological systems have been built on passages like these despite the fact that they addressed to particular Christians in a particular culture at a particular time. Paul himself even prefaces his advice by saying, “Now I commend you because you remember me in everything and maintain the traditions even as I delivered them to you.” (1 Corinthians‬ ‭11:2‬) This is not a “Thus saith the Lord” situation but one in which Paul acknowledges he’s passing on a human tradition. Contrast his words with what comes later in verse 23 where he says, “For I received from the Lord what I also delivered to you…”‭ Obviously, Paul makes a distinction between when he’s speaking for Jesus and when he’s speaking for himself or his culture.

So what can we draw from this passage? After all, “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the people of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.” (2 Timothy‬ ‭3:16-17‬) First and foremost, it’s important to note that both men and women were involved in leading public worship. They both are expected to pray and prophesy within the context of the gathered worshipping community. Second, both men and women were expected to exercise humility. They were not to draw attention to themselves by the way they dressed or the way they styled their hair or any other thing having to do with their appearance. Third, and perhaps most strikingly, men and women enjoy equal standing before the Lord. “Nevertheless, in the Lord woman is not independent of man nor man of woman; for as woman was made from man, so man is now born of woman. And all things are from God.” (1 Corinthians‬ ‭11:11-12‬) Men are not greater than women. Women are not greater than men. They both have an equal share in the Kingdom of God.

One of the most important questions we must ask as we read Scripture is not so much “what does this mean for me?” but “what did this mean to the people who first heard it?” What was the author’s original intent? Why did they address the issues they did? What was going on in the culture of the day? How did the people back then understand their world? If we fail to ask these questions, the Bible can often seem anachronistic and old-fashioned and irrelevant to the issues we face in our own day.

Readings for tomorrow: None

People Pleasing

Readings for today: Psalms 142-144, 1 Corinthians 10:23-11:1

“I’m a people-pleaser.” I cannot tell you how many times I’ve heard that phrase. Mostly in a negative context. It usually signals a person struggles with healthy boundaries. They exhaust themselves trying to make those around them happy. They take too much responsibility for the emotional heath and well-being of their loved ones or peers. They lose any sense of their own identity as they wrestle with staying self-differentiated. As a pastor, I’ve helped many people re-assert themselves in relationships. Reclaim a sense of their own God-given selfhood as they seek to relate to others. Recover a healthy sense of value and self-worth as a human being made in the image of God.

The temptation in these conversations, of course, is to simply flip to the other side of the coin. It’s to let the pendulum swing too far the other way. The people-pleaser becomes the people-offender. Their boundaries become hard and strong and unyielding. They become inflexible and distrustful and resentful. They become self-absorbed and self-centered. They refuse to serve others. Sacrifice is a word that no longer fits their vocabulary. They live in constant fear of going back. They are constantly on guard against anything that might suggest a return to their former ways of doing things.

Neither of these approaches leads to life. Neither of these approaches will lead to the kind of intimacy God desires for us as human beings. Both are based in manipulation, power, and a desire to control those around us. God shows us a different way. Listen to how the Apostle Paul describes it, “All things are lawful,” but not all things are helpful. “All things are lawful,” but not all things build up. Let no one seek his own good, but the good of his neighbor…Give no offense to Jews or to Greeks or to the church of God, just as I try to please everyone in everything I do, not seeking my own advantage, but that of many, that they may be saved. Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ.” (1 Corinthians 10:23-24, 32-11:1)

At first blush, it looks like Paul himself has fallen into them trap of unhealthy people-pleasing. Let no one seek their own good? Give no offense to anyone? Try to please everyone in everything? I can almost hear the people-pleasers reading this beginning to hyperventilate a bit! ;-) Take a deep breath. Look at the very last verse. Christ, as always, holds the key. So confident was Jesus in the will of His Father, He could relinquish all things - including His very own spirit - into His Father’s divine hands. Jesus knew His Father was faithful. Jesus knew His Father was just. Jesus knew His Father would fulfill His promise to fill Him even as He poured Himself out. Jesus knew His Father would fulfill His promise to exalt Him even as He humbled Himself by becoming the Suffering Servant for all humanity. Jesus knew His Father would fulfill His promise to raise Him even as sacrificed His own life. What the Father did for Jesus, Jesus will do for us. Remember, Christ died for us. Christ gave up everything for us. Christ willingly sacrificed Himself for us. He did this not out of any sense of guilt or obligation but because He loved us. And the Apostle Paul knew this love. He abided in this love. He lived his life empowered by this love.

If you are confident in Christ’s love for you then you are set free to serve. Set free to place the needs of others before your own. Set free to sacrifice your rights willingly, even gladly, in order to please others. You no longer need to seek your own advantage. You no longer need to seek your own good. You no longer need to seek your own happiness or well-being. You are able to focus on what’s most helpful to those around you. Build them up rather than tear them down. Encourage rather than criticize. Bless rather than curse. Why do we do all this? Once again, Paul gives us the answer. Just as Jesus gave His life to save a lost world, so we must give our lives to save lost people. We must be willing to lay aside anything and everything in order to draw those we love - and even those we don’t love!!! - to Christ. This is why the Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us. It’s why the church exists. It’s why you and I were put here on this earth. Make it your aim to imitate Paul as he seeks to imitate Christ. Look for ways to please those around you so that you might win them for Jesus!

Readings for tomorrow: Psalms 145-147, 1 Corinthians 11:2-16

God is Pro-Life

Readings for today: Psalms 138-141, 1 Corinthians 10:1-22

Recently, the Supreme Court decided not to act on a law passed in Texas banning abortion after the detection of a fetal heartbeat which is usually around six weeks. It is the latest in a series of legal challenges seeking to overturn the landmark decision of Roe vs. Wade in 1973. I imagine there will be a flurry of lawsuits filed in the weeks ahead. The rhetoric will heat up and debates will rage over the lack of exceptions for rape and incest, a woman’s right to govern her own body, the lack of quality post-natal care in many cases, the quality of life for children born into poverty or with severe special needs, etc. And many of those debates are absolutely worth having. However, what is often lost in all the noise is the fundamental truth that every child conceived is an absolute miracle from God. Every child conceived is precious in His sight. Known and knit together by God’s own hands.

Human beings are sacred creatures. Made in God’s image. Fashioned after His likeness. Created to enjoy a unique and special relationship with their Creator. Listen again to how the Psalmist describes it in Psalm 139:1-18, “O Lord, you have searched me and known me! You know when I sit down and when I rise up; you discern my thoughts from afar. You search out my path and my lying down and are acquainted with all my ways. Even before a word is on my tongue, behold, O Lord, you know it altogether. You hem me in, behind and before, and lay your hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high; I cannot attain it.” Why on earth do we deserve such divine attention? What have we done to catch the attention of God? God loves us so much He pursues us. He seeks after us. He will not rest until we rest in Him. He wants to know us and He wants us to know Him. He sees our every move. He knows every thought. He is acquainted with all our ways. There is not a moment when His eye is not upon us.

“Where shall I go from your Spirit? Or where shall I flee from your presence? If I ascend to heaven, you are there! If I make my bed in Sheol, you are there! If I take the wings of the morning and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, even there your hand shall lead me, and your right hand shall hold me. If I say, “Surely the darkness shall cover me, and the light about me be night,” even the darkness is not dark to you; the night is bright as the day, for darkness is as light with you.” God is ever-present. He is always with us. Not because we have earned it. Not because we deserve it. But simply because He has decreed it. He is with the good and the evil alike. He is with both victims and perpetrators. He is with the Pope in His cathedral and the worst despots the world has to offer. That may surprise you. It may even upset you. But you have to remember God is a God of both comfort and conviction. He is a God of mercy as well as judgment. He is a God of grace as well as justice. To the godly, His presence is a joy. To the ungodly, His presence is a terror. His goal in abiding with humanity is to draw all of us to Himself. There is no place we can run from Him. No place we can hide from Him. Before God, all our secrets are laid bare.

“For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well. My frame was not hidden from you, when I was being made in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them.” God initiates a relationship with us even as we’re being formed in the womb. Even as He forms our inward parts, He is calling out to us. Singing over us. Looking forward to the day when we will embrace Him as Father. Even as our heart begins to beat, God looks forward to the day when it beats for Him. Even as our hands and feet begin to take shape, God looks forward to the day when we will reach out to Him. Run to Him. Even as our minds and hearts come into being, God is already planting in us a deep longing for Himself. This is true for every single child who has ever been conceived or who ever will be conceived.

“How precious to me are your thoughts, O God! How vast is the sum of them! If I would count them, they are more than the sand. I awake, and I am still with you.” (Psalm‬ ‭139:1-18‬) When our eyes are opened to the wonders of God, we are overwhelmed. Overwhelmed by His goodness. Overwhelmed by His greatness. Overwhelmed by His grace to us. God is unabashedly pro-life. Pro my life. Pro your life. Pro every life. From the womb to the tomb, God is on our side. He is with us. As believers, our place is to stand on the side of life. Always. Forever. In every area of life. We stand with the unborn whose lives are so fragile and vulnerable. We stand with the criminals whose lives could be cut short by the death penalty. We stand with the immigrants who have risked their lives for a chance at a new and better life. We stand with the refugees who had to flee for their lives from places like Afghanistan. We stand with the impoverished whose lives are a struggle every single day. We stand with the victims who have suffered in their lives from abuse or injustice or brutality at the hands of someone in power over them. We stand for life because God stands for life.

Readings for tomorrow: Psalms 142-144, 1 Corinthians 10:23-11:1

Meeting People Where They Are

Readings for today: Psalms 134-137, 1 Corinthians 9

Human beings are deeply complex creatures. They are an inscrutable mix of desires, passions, thoughts, life experiences, and core beliefs. They cannot be flattened into two-dimensional caricatures. They resist broad categorization. They refuse to conform to general stereotypes. Each person is unique. Each person fearfully and wonderfully made. I love how Christian Smith puts it in his book, What is a Person?…

“By person I mean a conscious, reflexive, embodied, self-transcending center of subjective experience, durable identity, moral commitment, and social communication who - as the efficient cause of his or her own responsible actions and interactions - exercises complex capacities for agency and intersubjectivity in order to develop and sustain his or her own incommunicable self in loving relationships with other personal selves and with the non-personal world.”

If you are like me, you had to read and re-read that statement several times to really understand it and that makes perfect sense. After all, we are made in the image of God. We are finite creatures created to reflect the infinite. We are temporal creatures created to reflect the eternal. We are mortal creatures created to reflect the immortal. As such, we should expect complexity. We should expect intricacy. We should expect enigma and inscrutability. This is normal when one speaks of the human creature. It’s also why we have to meet each person where they’re at. We can’t make assumptions. We have to lay aside any expectations. We have to approach each person individually with a heart to listen and learn.

This is the genius of Paul. He finds a way to meet each person right where they are. He treats each person as a unique creature worthy of God’s unconditional love. He believes with all his heart that no one is beyond the reach of God’s amazing grace. Listen to how he describes it from our reading today, “For though I am free from all, I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win more of them. To the Jews I became as a Jew, in order to win Jews. To those under the law I became as one under the law (though not being myself under the law) that I might win those under the law. To those outside the law I became as one outside the law (not being outside the law of God but under the law of Christ) that I might win those outside the law. To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all people, that by all means I might save some. I do it all for the sake of the gospel, that I may share with them in its blessings.” (1 Corinthians‬ ‭9:19-23‬) If Paul were using today’s categories, he might say, “To the Republicans, I joined their convention in order to win Republicans. To the Democrats, I joined their administration in order to win Democrats. I invited both conservatives and progressives into my life, listened and loved them well, in order to win them with the gospel. I spent time with those who were masked and unmasked, vaccinated and unvaccinated, refusing to use shame or fear to coerce behavior, instead choosing the way of grace in order to win them to Christ. I have become all things to all people that by all means I might save some.” This is the way of the Kingdom. This is the way of Jesus.

Over the last year to eighteen months, my heart has been broken by the number of divisions that have fractured the Body of Christ in America. Rather than cling to Jesus and walk in the way of grace, we cling to Self and walk in the way of the devil. We judge our brothers and sisters. We exclude and divide. We isolate and separate. We justify our sinful attitudes and actions by claiming “healthy boundaries” or by cutting those we consider “toxic” out of our lives. We rarely, if ever, acknowledge our own “toxicity”, of course. We shift blame. We externalize responsibility. Our problems or the world’s problems are always someone else’s fault. Even more tragically, those who differ from us are not just wrong, they are evil. They are beyond the reach of God’s forgiveness and grace. They are not worth our time or attention. They don’t deserve the gospel and they certainly shouldn’t be allowed in church. Sadly, I’ve heard and read these comments from people in my own church family and it breaks the heart of God. It is not the way of Jesus.

Friends, Jesus met us where we’re at. He came to us while we were still sinners. While we were still dead in our trespasses. While we were still at war with Him. He became our peace by tearing down every wall that separated us from Him. How can we - who call ourselves Christ-followers - not do the same for others?

Readings for tomorrow: Psalms 138-141, 1 Corinthians 10:1-22

The Key to Unity

Readings for today: Psalms 130-133, 1 Corinthians 8

Unity seems so elusive these days. Our families are divided. Our churches divided. Our communities divided. Our nation divided. Certainly, our world is divided. We divide along political lines. We divide along economic lines. We divide along social and cultural lines. We divide along ethnic lines. We divide along theological lines. We divide along generational lines. The issues are legion. Masking or no masking. Vaccinations or no vaccinations. Republican or Democrat. Progressive or conservative. Black or white or brown. African or Asian or Latino or European. Rich or poor. Old or young. Gay, Queer or straight.

As a pastor, I see it all the time. In fact, I have a front row seat to the pain. I also know the root cause. Idolatry. Human hearts are idol factories and it seems like the assembly lines of our souls are running 24/7 these days. Idols are anything - good or bad - that becomes an ultimate thing in our life. Anything that causes us to draw a line in the sand and separate from those we love. I think of the dear friends I know who no longer speak to their parents or their children because they have allowed a particular issue to trump the love they once shared. I think of dear friends I know who have jettisoned relationships of ten, twenty, thirty years simply because of how the other person voted. Most tragically, I think of brothers and sisters in Christ who have left churches - including the one I serve - or who have separated themselves from the fellowship of the saints because they have bought the lie the enemy is selling that those who think differently then them are going to hell or deserved judgment or scorn or are not worth their time.

Idolatry. It’s the besetting sin of the human heart. It is the source of all division. The root of so much relational pain. It is the greatest and most effective weapon in the enemy’s arsenal as he seeks to kill, steal, and destroy all God has made. Friends, listen again to God’s truth. Listen again to God’s Word as He casts His vision for His people…

“Behold, how good and pleasant it is when brothers and sisters dwell in unity! It is like the precious oil on the head, running down on the beard, on the beard of Aaron, running down on the collar of his robes! It is like the dew of Hermon, which falls on the mountains of Zion! For there the Lord has commanded the blessing, life forevermore.” (Psalm‬ ‭133:1-3‬)

Unity. Not unanimity. Not conformity. Not sameness. But a unity that transcends all earthly differences. A spiritual unity that binds our hearts together. A unity Christ prayed for, fought for, and ultimately won for us on the cross. At the foot of the cross, the ground is level. All have sinned. All stand in need of His grace. Not one of us better than another. Not one of us more worthy than another. At the cross, humanity is brought to its knees before her Lord. All idolatrous identities are cast down. All that we hold dear and think important, we throw at His nail-scarred feet. Oh, that we could keep our eyes fixed exclusively on Jesus! At the cross, God commands His blessing which is life forevermore!

So what does this life of blessing look like in real time? What does it look like when the person I live with watches a cable news channel 24/7 that I can’t stand? What does it look like when the person I work with takes a different position on masks or vaccines? What does it look like when the person I love goes down the rabbit hole of conspiracy theory? What does it look like when my child comes out to me? What does it look like when our national leaders fail? Or church leaders fall? Listen to the Apostle Paul’s words from 1 Corinthians 8, using the example of food being sacrificed to idols…

“Now concerning food offered to idols: we know that “all of us possess knowledge.” This “knowledge” puffs up, but love builds up. If anyone imagines that he knows something, he does not yet know as he ought to know. But if anyone loves God, he is known by God…For although there may be so-called gods in heaven or on earth—as indeed there are many “gods” and many “Lords”— yet for us there is one God, the Father, from whom are all things and for whom we exist, and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things and through whom we exist. However, not all possess this knowledge. But some, through former association with idols, eat food as really offered to an idol, and their conscience, being weak, is defiled. Food will not commend us to God. We are no worse off if we do not eat, and no better off if we do. But take care that this right of yours does not somehow become a stumbling block to the weak. For if anyone sees you who have knowledge eating in an idol’s temple, will he not be encouraged, if his conscience is weak, to eat food offered to idols? And so by your knowledge this weak person is destroyed, the brother for whom Christ died. Thus, sinning against your brothers and wounding their conscience when it is weak, you sin against Christ. Therefore, if food makes my brother stumble, I will never eat meat, lest I make my brother stumble.” (1 Corinthians‬ ‭8:1-3, 5-13‬)

Paul clearly gives up his “rights” in order to remain in relationship with those around him who do not share his understanding on idolatry. He refuses to put a stumbling block before them. He doesn’t want to be the one who gets in the way of them potentially coming to a deeper understanding of Christ. Instead, he walks with them. He willingly sacrifices on their behalf. He loves his neighbor by placing their needs before his own. He knows the limits of human knowledge. He knows at best it puffs up while love builds up. He knows it is useless to argue or cite statistics or share articles on Facebook. Instead, he seeks to walk alongside the “weaker” brother or sister. Love them where they are. Meet them where they are. Enter their life so that he might win them to Christ. How is he able to do this? He has complete confidence that “there is one God, the Father, from whom are all things and for whom we exist, and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things and through whom we exist.” Everything else is an illusion. Every other god an idol. Every other line in the sand simply not worth defending. Every other hill not worth dying on.

Readings for tomorrow: Psalms 134-137, 1 Corinthians 9

Songs of Ascent

Readings for today: Psalms 120-123, 1 Corinthians 6

Psalms of Ascent. Many believe these were the songs Israel sang as they ascended to Jerusalem to keep the three annual festivals detailed in Deuteronomy 16. They are songs of worship. Songs of praise. Songs of thanksgiving. They express the deep gratitude the people feel towards God for all He has done for them. They sing them together. They sing them as they gather. They sing them in good times. They sing them in bad times. One can almost imagine thousands coming to Jerusalem all singing these songs with one voice. It must have been a powerful, moving scene. In addition, many scholars believe these were the songs Israel sang at different high points in their history like the dedication of Solomon’s Temple or the rebuilding of the walls during Nehemiah’s time. Over and over again, Israel returned to these psalms to express their faith and trust in God. 

Christians have built on this tradition. Many churches throughout the world sing these psalms in worship. The Eastern Orthodox Church sings these psalms every Friday during Vespers. The Roman Catholic Church schedules these psalms to be sung during daily prayer. The goal is to remind Christians we are on our own pilgrimage to a Heavenly Jerusalem and these psalms build the spiritual intensity of the worship service as we prepare for the reading of the gospel. It’s a powerful thing to experience. 

These psalms are favorites among believers. Especially in times of trouble. In times of plague and pandemic. In times of national or personal crisis. In such times, we cling to the language of God protecting us. God guiding us. God providing for us. God helping us. “I lift up my eyes to the hills. From where does my help come? My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth.” (Psalms‬ ‭121:1-2‬) “I was glad when they said to me, “Let us go to the house of the Lord!” (Psalm‬ ‭122:1‬) “To you I lift up my eyes, O you who are enthroned in the heavens! Behold, as the eyes of servants look to the hand of their master, as the eyes of a maidservant to the hand of her mistress, so our eyes look to the Lord our God, till he has mercy upon us.” (Psalms‬ ‭123:1-2‬) There is something special that happens when we gather to sing these praises. Something deeply transformative. Something life-changing. We are encouraged. We are strengthened. We are blessed by the experience of being in God’s presence together and given the strength to endure.

The last year to 18 months have challenged Christians all over the world to think about the priority of corporate, gathered worship. What once may have seemed optional or discretionary or perhaps even disposable has taken on a new importance. You never know what you’ve lost until it’s gone, right? We’ve weathered “shelter in place” orders and restrictions on mass gatherings. We’ve endured fear and grief and loss and loneliness. Many of us know loved ones who got sick or perhaps even died. And the new Delta variant raises new fears of potential lockdowns. Our collective suffering creates a deep longing in our hearts. A longing for connection. A longing for physical touch. A longing for the presence of other people. Friends, God put these longings in our hearts. God hardwired these longings deep within our souls. It is never good for human beings to be alone and we are all struggling with the effects of this lonely, difficult season.

Thankfully, we can still gather. Some of us will choose to gather physically. Some will choose to gather virtually. While the latter is not an adequate replacement for the former, it is a blessing for those who may be sick or homebound or traveling or distant from those they love. As we gather, we sing. We sing the songs of ascent. We sing the praises of God. This is what Christians have done for thousands of years. Yes, even in the midst of pandemics like the Spanish flu or the Bubonic plague or when other diseases have ravaged the earth. I know many of us worship Jesus daily on our own. I know many of us experience Jesus profoundly as we hike or hunt or spend time in nature. But neglecting the worship of God with the people of God places us at risk. Especially in a time like this. Furthermore, it places us out of step with thousands of years of Christian history. It places us out of step with the will of God as revealed in Scripture. It’s frankly arrogant and prideful and foolish to claim we don’t need the church. God loves His bride. God loves His children. God loves having His family together. God loves hearing His people sing. God loves meeting His people in the sacraments. God loves teaching His people through His Word. Jesus said,  “For where two or three are gathered in My name, there am I among them." (Matthew‬ ‭18:20‬) 

Friends, I know this continues to be a challenging time. I know this continues to be a difficult season. I know many of us are tired and weary and ready to get back to “normal”…whatever that may be. My encouragement to you is to use this time to make corporate worship a priority. Plant your flag in the ground. Take a stand for your faith. Don’t let the devil gain a foothold in your life. Make sure God gets the time He deserves and the worship He demands. Don’t fall into the trap of giving up your Sunday mornings with God’s people! Don’t let anything come between you and your first love!

Readings for tomorrow: None

The Meaning of Wisdom

Readings for today: Psalms 119:105-176, 1 Corinthians 5

A few years ago I read a book that helped me parse the difference between wisdom and foolishness. Wisdom, according to the author, is when we see the truth and adjust our lives accordingly. Foolishness, on the other hand, is when we demand the truth adjust to our reality. To put it another way, wise people will meet the demands of life while foolish people will demand that life meet their demands. Wise people receive feedback when given, own their own performance, mistakes, and issues and take responsibility without externalizing blame or giving excuses. Foolish people become defensive very quickly when confronted, refuse to own their own shortcomings, and often externalize by blaming those around them. Wise people listen. Fools dismiss or ignore. 

Are you a wise person or a fool? How do you know? Well, how do you feel as you read the words from Psalm 119? What happens internally when you consider the demands of God’s Law? Are you the kind of person who embraces God’s commandments, however imperfectly? Are they your delight? Do you find yourself seeking to bend your life in submission to what God has revealed in His Word? Or are you the kind of person who resists God’s laws? Dismisses them? Ignores them? Rationalizes away your sin? When you read or engage God’s Word, do you seek to bend it to your will? Your life? Your desires? Are you a wise person or a fool? 

The Psalmist is clearly wise...

“I will never forget your precepts, for by them you have given me life...”

“Oh how I love your law! It is my meditation all the day...”

“How sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth!”

“Through your precepts I get understanding; therefore I hate every false way.”

”Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.”

“Your testimonies are my heritage forever, for they are the joy of my heart.”

“The sum of your word is truth, and every one of your righteous rules endures forever.”

‭‭(Psalms‬ ‭119:93, 97, 103-105, 111, 160‬)

The Psalmist loves God’s Word. Loves God’s Law. Loves God’s commands. The Psalmist seeks to do all he can to adjust his life to God’s Will. To live his life under God’s sovereign rule and authority. He makes no excuses for his sin. He doesn’t hide his shortcomings. He faces his failures honestly and transparently. And he seeks God’s face.  

Sadly, so many in our culture today are fools. Even more tragically, they sit in our pews and attend our worship services. As the Apostle Paul says in Romans 10:2, they have a “zeal for God but not according to knowledge.” They love God but not in the way He deserves or demands. Instead, they “do what is right in their own eyes.” They bend God’s Truth to their reality. They seek to make God’s Word null and void either through outright rejection or simple ignorance. They refuse to submit their lives to His will or certain areas of their lives to His will and as a result, they live lives of quiet desperation. They are not evil people. They do not have bad intentions. They simply are misguided. They bow to the pressure and anxiety and take the more expedient path rather than wait on God. I love the way Paul puts it in Romans 1, “Although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Claiming to be wise, they became fools...” (Romans‬ ‭1:21-22‬)

Let me be the first to say this is me! On some level. At certain seasons. When facing great stress or anxiety or fear. In particular circumstances throughout the course of my life, I have tried to bend God’s will to my own. I have tried to rationalize away my sin. I have tried to make twist and turn God’s Law to make it fit my life. To no avail. I have thrown myself against the will of God so many times until I finally broke. Finally surrendered. And with that surrender has come wisdom. Not perfection. Wisdom. Self-knowledge. Self-understanding. Seeing myself for who I truly am, warts and all. And learning to trust God’s ways above my ways. God’s thoughts more than my thoughts. God’s will more than my feelings. This is what it means to be wise, friends. The fear of the Lord truly is the beginning of wisdom!

Readings for tomorrow: Psalms 120-123, 1 Corinthians 6

Seeking the Mind of Christ

Readings for today: Psalms 113-115, 1 Corinthians 2

This weekend we are having our elder retreat. It’s an annual affair where the leaders of our church family go away for a few days to seek the mind of Christ. This year feels different however. The pressures of the past 18 months have taken their toll on all of us personally as well as our church family corporately. While we’ve navigated the crisis quite well thanks to the grace of God, it is still a crisis. People are still struggling to find a new normal. There is a growing realization that things will never return to the way they once were. Life from this point forward will be a blend of in-person and virtual activity. And yet the call remains to live out the Great Commandment and fulfill the Great Commission. So we are going away for a few days to seek the mind of Christ. To ask God for His wisdom in helping us meet and overcome the challenges we face in our world today. Thankfully, we know God is building His church. We know the gates of hell cannot stand against it. So we approach our time together with confidence that God is more than able to show us the way.

Seeking the mind of Christ is not just something pastors and elders do. It’s the primary responsibility of every Christian as we seek to navigate the challenges of this world. It is a higher priority that our own happiness. A higher priority than our own comfort. A higher priority than our own success. It is more important than our pride. More important than our public reputation. More important than our political allegiances. We know we have discerned the mind of Christ when there is spiritual unity and godly humility and mutual submission. We see the mind of Christ in action when there is forgiveness and grace and reconciliation. We recognize it in those who are willing to be last so that others might be first. Those who are willing to decrease so that others may increase. Those who are self-effacing and who practice the art of self-forgetfulness.

Seeking the mind of Christ has never been easy. The early Christians in Corinth struggled mightily with the concept and to embrace the practice. They were divided. They followed charismatic human leaders rather than Christ Jesus Himself. They sought the wisdom of this world. They wanted to be esteemed by the top philosophical thinkers of their day. They boasted in their own ability. The depth of their spiritual maturity. They stood in judgment over those who seemed “less spiritual.” They wanted all the credit for the ministry they were building. They refused to share the glory with another. They wanted to be known. They wanted to be influencers. They wanted to be taken seriously and treated with respect by the culturally elite of their day. But the gospel calls us to a different way.

How do we seek and find the mind of Christ? There is only one way path. The path of humility. Relinquishment. Surrender. Listen to how Paul describes it for his Corinthians friends…

“For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.” (1 Corinthians‬ ‭1:18‬)

“For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, it pleased God through the folly of what we preach to save those who believe. For Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles...For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.” (1 Corinthians‬ ‭1:21-23, 25‬)

“But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, so that no human being might boast in the presence of God.” (1 Corinthians‬ ‭1:27-29‬)

“For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. And I was with you in weakness and in fear and much trembling, and my speech and my message were not in plausible words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, so that your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men but in the power of God.” (1 Corinthians‬ ‭2:2-5‬)

These are some of the most powerful passages in the New Testament. They resonate deep within us for we recognize the Spirit who inspired them. God’s ways are not our ways and His thoughts are not our thoughts. God is not bound by human wisdom. God cannot be reduced to human categories. He is completely and utterly free from any constraints in this world. He makes foolish the wise. He makes weak the strong. So if we are to seek the mind of Christ, we must lay aside our natural inclinations. We must lay aside our pride and ego and desire to be in control. We must lay aside our anxieties and fears. Instead, we must trust Him to reveal Himself in His time and in His way. We must seek to know nothing except Christ. We must seek to follow Christ in His footsteps. We must align our hearts with Christ. As we do, we will find ourselves being built up together as God’s Temple. He will come to dwell in our midst. He will come to fill us and sanctify us.

Friends, resist the temptation to believe your own hype. Resist the temptation to believe you are “something” in this world. Resist any notions of power and privilege. Let go and let God have all the glory! The reality is we are simply servants of Christ. We are simply stewards of the mysteries of the gospel. We do not own the gospel. It is not ours to command or control. We do not own Christ. He is not ours to direct nor is He under our authority. God is God and we are not. Christ is Christ and we are not. We serve at His pleasure. We bow before His throne. We live and move and have our being under His sovereign authority. And this sets us free from all the strivings and struggles of this world. Seek the mind of Christ! Let your heart be filled with the love of Christ! Let all you do be motivated by a desire to honor Christ! This is His will for our lives.

Readings for tomorrow: Psalms 116-119:48, 1 Corinthians 3

Kingdom Work Requires Teamwork

Readings for today: Psalms 109-112, Romans 16, 1 Corinthians 1

No person is an island. No godly leader every goes it alone. As one celebrity Christian leader falls after another, it is good for us to reflect on Paul’s words from Romans 16. Paul is surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses. The burden of Paul’s work is shared by many. The names are listed for all to see. Phoebe. Pricilla and Aquila. Epenetus. Mary. Andronicus and Junia. Ampliatus. Urbanus and Stachys. These are just a few of the leaders Paul surrounded himself with as he carried the gospel to the Mediterranean world. We also know he journeyed with Barnabus, Luke, John Mark, and several others. The early church was wise to set apart teams of missionaries rather than commission them to go out on their own.

We would do well to follow their example. We live in a culture that celebrates the myth of the self-made woman or man. The woman who does it all. She has a fast-track career. Perfect kids. Volunteers on the local school board and teaches Bible study at church. The man who does it all. He climbs the corporate ladder. Prays with his kids every night. Serves his wife sacrificially. And is a leader in the community. We celebrate these women and men. We place them on pedestals. We follow them on social media. We read their books and take their advice. We seek to emulate them in all we do. Then they fail. They fall. They have an affair. They embezzle money. Their marriages and families fall apart. Their carefully curated public persona comes crashing down. And we are shattered. So disappointed. So discouraged. So let down.

Why do these things happen? The pattern is clear. Somewhere along the way, these men and women start to isolate themselves. They separate from their team. They believe their own hype. They put themselves beyond any kind of real accountability. The results are disastrous.

Friends, Kingdom-work is teamwork. Not even the Son of God could do it by himself! Throughout the Scriptures, we see great leaders of the Bible sharing authority. Moses raises up elders to serve alongside he and Joshua. David has an abundance of counselors to share the load. Jesus calls 12 disciples and the Apostle Paul thanks numerous people at the end of his letters for their support and encouragement and labor in the work of the gospel.

Who’s on your team? With whom do you share the burdens of your life? Are you and your spouse a team in your home? Do you give your children as much authority and responsibility as they can handle as they grow up? Do you share leadership at work? Do you give people around you the freedom to fail and learn from their failures? Do you empower your team to make real decisions and then hold them accountable? Are you intentionally raising up leaders to take your place? Do you submit yourself to accountability? These things are critical if you are going to do God’s work over the long haul.

For my part, I am deeply grateful for a group of elders who hold me accountable. They ask about my marriage. They pray for my family. They are not afraid to tell me “no.” I am deeply grateful for a wife who is a true partner in life and ministry. She gets in my face. Doesn’t believe the hype. Brings me back to earth when I need it. I am thankful for my children and the honest relationships we are cultivating with each other. I am thankful for colleagues who ask great, probing, personal questions that make me reflect deeply on life. I am thankful for a mentor of almost thirty years who constantly reminds me to maintain my first love. I am thankful for an accountability partner of almost 20 years who knows everything about me and who challenges me to live more faithfully for Christ. Without these people in my life, I would not be the man I am today. I would not be the husband I am today. I would not be the father I am today. I would not be the pastor I am today. Who’s on your team?

Readings for tomorrow: Psalms 113-115, 1 Corinthians 2

The Steadfast Love of the Lord

Readings for today: Psalms 107-108, Romans 15:22-33

“Whoever is wise, let him attend to these things; let them consider the steadfast love of the Lord.” (Psalm‬ ‭107:43‬)

Today’s Word comes at a good time for me. I’ve had quite a week. The Delta variant of COVID-19 continues to spread through our community so our local public health department decided to issue a mask mandate for children ages 2-11 as they head back to school. This created quite a bit of anxiety for many families in our community and in our congregation as you can imagine. The following day our county commissioners decided to opt out of the mandate but the school district decided to stay in which added a layer of confusion to the situation. It’s not been easy to navigate. At the same time, I am talking to many service men and women who are watching what is taking place in Afghanistan with horror. They cannot believe all their blood, sweat, and tears would be in vain. For some, it triggers incredible pain. For others, it’s brought back the nightmares. For still others, it comes with a tremendous amount of grief as they think about the Afghan friends who will be left behind. The situation is compounded by the arrogance of our political leaders and the blame-shifting on both sides of the aisle. It’s frustrating if not typical and real people continue to pay the price. In particular, I think of the Afghan pastors I am connected to through many missionary friends. They have let it be known that the Taliban are going door to door to hunt them down. Their lives are in danger. The lives of their families are in danger. The lives of those they serve in their congregations are in danger. And yet they remain faithful. It’s humbling and it brings me to my knees in constant prayer.

So it’s been a week. I’ve felt the pastoral burden of ministry keenly. I’ve had moments of frustration. Moments of doubt. Moments of anxiety. I’ve not slept real well. And that’s why I needed the reminder this morning of the steadfast love of God. I needed to take a step back and remember His goodness and grace. I needed to be reminded that He will not allow evil to have its way. Despite what I may feel or what I may think, God remains sovereign. He is at work. He is even now gathering His redeemed from the north, south, east, and west. He promises to satisfy their longing souls and fill their hungry souls with good things. He promises to bring them out of darkness and the shadow of death and break the bonds of their oppression. He promises to heal them and deliver them from their self-destruction. He promises to calm the storm and make the raging sea like glass.

Furthermore, God is at work judging those who do evil. He will turn their rivers into deserts and their fruitful lands into salty wastes. He will pour contempt on princes make them wander in trackless wastes. He will not allow their foolishness to stand. He raises up and lays low even the most powerful in this world. Kingdoms come and go. Empires rise and fall at His command. He shuts the mouths of the wicked. He exposes their lies. He makes them reel and stagger like drunken men. He brings them to the end of their strength. The end of their wisdom. The end of their resources. All so they will cry out to Him.

Friends, this is why the Psalmist declares whoever is wise, let him attend to the Word of God. Let her consider the steadfast love of God. Let him think on God’s goodness and God’s faithfulness throughout the generations. Let her count the blessings of God and offer thanksgiving and praise. You may have had a week like me. Perhaps you too are feeling the burdens of anxiety and fear and frustration and failure. Maybe you find yourself depressed or despairing over the circumstances of your life or the condition of our world. Turn to Christ! Place your trust in Him! He is strong enough to hold all things together when everything feels like it’s falling apart.

Readings for tomorrow: None

Seeking the Good of Others

Readings for today: Psalms 105-106, Romans 15:1-21

“We who are strong have an obligation to bear with the failings of the weak, and not to please ourselves. Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, to build him up. For Christ did not please himself, but as it is written, “The reproaches of those who reproached you fell on me.” (Romans‬ ‭15:1-3‬)

Another day. Another Word from the Lord that cuts against the grain. From the moment we wake up until we lay our head down at night, we are inundated with messages that foster a self-centered approach to life. Social media is literally built to reinforce self-absorption. Ads bombard us constantly with promises of self-fulfillment. Leaders from all walks of life - including the church - engage in self-promotion to increase their platform and spread their message far and wide. In fact, one can make a strong argument that our entire social system is built on a foundation of what famous Scottish moral philosopher, Adam Smith, termed “enlightened self-interest.” In his seminal work, The Wealth of Nations, Smith argues it is our individual need to fulfill self-interest that produces societal benefit and this forms the basis of what we now call the free market economy.

Writing in 1776, Smith could not have foreseen the complete breakdown of the moral framework in which he operated. He assumed that everyone shared his Judeo-Christian values which acted as a restraint on self-interest. He knew that the pursuit of self-interest wouldn’t produce societal benefit on its own. It required “enlightenment.” For Smith, this meant the ability to make short-term sacrifice for long-term benefit. It meant operating on principles of thrift and hard work. It meant holding to roughly the same core moral values which we might now call the inalienable rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Sadly, Smith was mistaken. Enlightened self-interest is not natural for the majority of people. Morality has been relativized. Long-term happiness has been dumped in favor of temporary pleasures. Christendom has broken down and been replaced by unrestrained hedonism.

That’s why the words of the Apostle Paul strike so close to home. In many ways, we are fighting some of the same battles he fought. The Roman world was awash with sin. Might made right. Lust was glorified. Power, wealth, and personal pleasure were among the highest goals. Into this world, Paul brings a Word from the Lord. A Word that would have sounded like a clashing gong or crashing cymbal to those who listened. A Word that confronted culture and turned everything upside down. We who are strong have an obligation to bear with the failings of the weak? Are you serious, Paul? The weak have only themselves to blame. The weak don’t deserve our help. The weak are a drag on society. Each of us should seek please our neighbor? Put his or her good above our own? Build them up? But if I spend my days doing that, who will take care of me? If I put my neighbors needs above my own, where is my guarantee that they will do the same for me? What happens to me if I pour myself out for those around me and don’t get anything in return? Are you crazy?

Even after two thousand years, Paul still sounds a little nuts. You hear it all the time. We have a responsibility to care for the Afghans fleeing their country? We have a responsibility to care for the unvaccinated who contract COVID-19? We have a responsibility to provide social safety nets for the poor and marginalized among us? We need to reform systems and structures to create more opportunity for those who’ve been historically oppressed? I have to care for my spouse who struggles with addiction? I have to bear with my child who has disrespected me? On and on the list goes. And those are just some of the questions I’ve had to field in the last week!

Friends, Christ did not come to be served but to serve and to give His life as a ransom for many. Christ did not come to please Himself but to offer Himself as a sacrifice for our sins. Christ did not come promote Himself but instead emptied Himself of all His divine glory in order to die on a cross for us. It is only those who lose their lives for Christ’s sake who will find them. Only those who give up their lives for Christ’s sake who will gain them in the end. Let the Holy Spirit crucify any selfish ambition or vain conceit within you - no matter how enlightened - so that Christ may reign in your mortal body and you experience the abundant life He promises to those who believe.

Readings for tomorrow: Psalms 107-108, Romans 15:22-33

My Life is not My Own

Readings for today: Psalms 102-104, Romans 14

“For none of us lives to himself, and none of us dies to himself. For if we live, we live to the Lord, and if we die, we die to the Lord. So then, whether we live or whether we die, we are the Lord’s. For to this end Christ died and lived again, that he might be Lord both of the dead and of the living.”(Romans‬ ‭14:7-9‬)

“My life is not my own.” This is one of the most fundamental truths in all of Scripture and yet it is perhaps the most difficult for me to accept. I was born and have been raised in a country founded on the principle of individual freedom. A nation whose founding documents proclaim that we hold certain “truths to be self-evident, that all people are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness.” I have been given incredible opportunities in my lifetime. I’ve had access to excellent education and healthcare. I have never faced discrimination because of my race, gender, or sexual orientation. I come from a stable family with parents who’ve been married for over fifty years who taught me the value of hard work, that nothing worth doing is ever easy. In short, everything in my experience reinforces the notion that life is what I make of it. Success or failure are entirely dependent on my hard work. Personal freedom is fundamental and my personal happiness is an inalienable right.

No wonder I struggle to accept the claim Christ places on my life. According to the Bible, I am never truly free. I am either a slave to sin or a slave to Christ. I am either a slave to sin or a slave to righteousness. I am either a slave to the prince of this world or a slave to the King of kings and Lord of lords. In either case, individual freedom is an illusion. It simply is not real. We are influenced far more than we like to admit. Family of origin issues shape how we see the world. Life experience can make us compassionate or cynical. Success or failure to can lift us up or beat us down. Physical limitations, brain chemistry, and the company we keep all make a significant impact on the choices we make on a daily basis. Access to healthcare or education create opportunity as does our economic or social status. And none of these things even begins to touch the basic spiritual reality that the Apostle Paul references here in Romans 14.

Remember Paul is talking to fellow Christians. People who have been bought with a price. Redeemed from this world. Saved from an eternity of judgment, hell, and death. As such, their wants, needs, and desires are submitted to Christ. His will is more important than their own. Following His way and seeking His righteousness becomes far more important than self-fulfillment. They no longer live for themselves. They no longer die for themselves. Through His death and resurrection, Christ has laid claim to their lives. He has purchased them with His own blood. He has ransomed them from slavery and they now owe Him their ultimate allegiance.

When this truth begins to lay hold of you, it changes everything. All of a sudden it hits you that nothing you have is truly yours to own. Not your time. Not your talent. Not your treasure. Not your opportunities. Not your achievements. All of these things are given to you to steward for Christ’s glory. All of these things are given to you to put to use for His Kingdom purposes. And a crown of righteousness awaits the one who truly places their life in God’s hands.

Readings for tomorrow: Psalms 105-106, Romans 15:1-21

Be Transformed

Readings for today: Psalms 96-98, Romans 12

I recently came across this quote from one of my favorite pastors, “I more and more find the precious part of each day to be the thirty or forty minutes I spend each morning before breakfast with the Bible. All the rest of the day I am bombarded with the stories that the world is telling about itself. I am more and more skeptical about these stories. As I take time to immerse myself in the story that the Bible tells, my vision is cleared and I see things in another way. I see the day that lies ahead in its place in God’s story.” (Lesslie Newbigin) It reminded me of what Paul says in Romans 12 about not being conformed to the patterns of this world but instead be transformed by the renewal of the mind through Spirit.

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

This is the difference Christ makes in a person’s life. He changes us from the inside out. He shifts our outlook and understanding of the world. He transforms our thoughts and our attitudes as we surrender more and more of our hearts to Him. Because we are so deeply satisfied in Christ. Because Christ meets our every need. Because Christ is the object of all our devotion and affection, we are set free. Set free to love. Set free to do good. Set free to honor one another. To put one another’s needs above our own. We are patient in affliction knowing it is but a season. We are constant in prayer because we know our Father hears our every word. We are set free to be generous because money has no hold on us. We can bless those who attack us or seek to do us harm because Christ Himself is our defense and our reputation is secure in heaven. Christ gives us the confidence to grieve with those who grieve and celebrate the success of others. Because we rest in the forgiveness and grace of Christ, we can extend it out to others which leads to unity and harmony. Humility rather than pride is our constant companion. And we can release the need to get even or get back because we trust in the justice of God.

I get asked all the time, “What makes a Christian different?” Friends, this is it! When Paul talks about not being conformed to the patterns of this world, he means rejecting the way of hate. The way of outrage. The way of selfishness and pride. He means rejecting the ways of sin and evil for the ends never justify the means. He means rejecting any compromise with godlessness and instead living a life of unconditional love and grace. He means laying aside our desire for control. Our desire for power. Our desire for wealth and privilege and position and instead humbling ourselves before God. Christians understand our lives our not our own. We have been bought with a price. We have been purchased by God. We are slaves to Christ. We have no will of our own. No desires of our own. We exist to serve Christ and to bring Him glory. This is our highest calling. Our life’s passion. Our greatest priority. And it is the world’s most desperate need. Salt and light, friends. This is what you are in Christ. Believe this! And live your life for Him!

Readings for tomorrow: Psalms 99-101, Romans 13

The Gift of the Psalms

Readings for today: Psalms 90-95, Romans 11

Every year as I make my way through the Psalms, I receive a great gift. The Psalmists lift my eyes above the hills. Above the horizons of my own life. Above my sinful tendency to “navel gaze” and focus on my own needs, wants, and desires. They direct me to God. They place Him in full view before me. They confront me with His character. They nourish me on His divine nature. They relentlessly remind me of His goodness and grace. They place words of praise in my mouth and in my heart and mind. They extol God’s infinite virtues. Righteousness. Justice. Grace. Mercy. Peace. Power. Love. The list is endless. Consider just a few of the verses we read today…

“Lord, you have been our dwelling place in all generations. Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever you had formed the earth and the world, from everlasting to everlasting you are God.”(Psalm‬ ‭90:1-2‬)

“I will say to the Lord, “My refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.” Because you have made the Lord your dwelling place— the Most High, who is my refuge— no evil shall be allowed to befall you, no plague come near your tent. For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways. “Because he holds fast to me in love, I will deliver him; I will protect him, because he knows my name. When he calls to me, I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble; I will rescue him and honor him. With long life I will satisfy him and show him my salvation.” (Psalm‬ ‭91:2, 9-11, 14-16‬)

“It is good to give thanks to the Lord, to sing praises to your name, O Most High; to declare your steadfast love in the morning, and your faithfulness by night, to the music of the lute and the harp, to the melody of the lyre. For you, O Lord, have made me glad by your work; at the works of your hands I sing for joy.” (Psalm‬ ‭92:1-4‬)

“The Lord reigns; he is robed in majesty; the Lord is robed; he has put on strength as his belt. Yes, the world is established; it shall never be moved. Your throne is established from of old; you are from everlasting.” (Psalm‬ ‭93:1-2‬)

“O Lord, God of vengeance, O God of vengeance, shine forth! Rise up, O judge of the earth; repay to the proud what they deserve!” (Psalm‬ ‭94:1-2‬)

“For the Lord is a great God, and a great King above all gods. In his hand are the depths of the earth; the heights of the mountains are his also. The sea is his, for he made it, and his hands formed the dry land. Oh come, let us worship and bow down; let us kneel before the Lord, our Maker!” (Psalm‬ ‭95:3-6‬)

Reflecting on these verses is deeply humbling which I believe is the Psalmist’s point. As we come face to face with God. As we gaze on Him in the beauty of His Holiness. As we experience the wonder of His love and grace, we should be brought to our knees. The fathomless depth of our sinful condition is revealed. All our secrets laid bare. God is God. We are not. God is good. We are not. God is righteous. We are not. God is faithful. We are not. God is love. We are not. As we come to grips with the utter brokenness of our condition, we are driven to helplessness and despair. We experience godly sorrow over all the ways we fall short of the glory God desires to reveal in us. As we grieve, we are being prepared by God’s Spirit for the transforming experience of His grace.

The reality is we have to come to the end of ourselves before we will turn to God. We have to be emptied of all our resources, all our strength, all our dependence on self if we are to be filled with God’s Spirit. And this is the heart of the gospel. Those who humble themselves will be exalted. The last shall be first. Those who sow generously and sacrificially will reap a harvest of righteousness. Those who lose their lives for Jesus’ sake will find them.

Readings for tomorrow: Psalms 96-98, Romans 12

Foundations of God’s Throne

Readings for today: Psalms 88-89, Romans 10:5-21

“Righteousness and justice are the foundation of your throne; steadfast love and faithfulness go before you.” (Psalm‬ ‭89:14‬)

It is tempting when we look at the growing chaos of the world around us to give into fear and anxiety. To get stuck in the mire of sadness and deep grief. If you are like me, your heart breaks for the brokenness and the broken people of this world. In recent days, the Taliban have almost retaken all the territory they lost in Afghanistan. I cannot imagine what it must feel like to be a woman or a Christian or even a moderate Muslim over there right now. The crisis at the southern border of the United States only deepens as thousands seek asylum from the violence and life-threatening poverty of their home countries in Latin and South America. Police officers are being targeted on a daily basis in some of our larger cities as violent crime increases. Ethnic and sexual minorities still feel the burden of discrimination in far too many places here at home and around the world. The Delta variant has rolled back much of the progress we made in dealing with the pandemic this past spring. Many of our children and teachers are facing the monumental challenge of making up for lost ground from the last year. It’s overwhelming to think about and there are few hopeful signs on the horizon. Why do such things happen? Why does humanity’s inhumanity seem set to play on an endless loop?

The Bible’s answer is clear. We have abandoned God. The only source of true life and light and love in this world. By His command the world was made and all that was in it. By His command human beings were shaped and formed in His image. By His command we were given a mandate to be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth. Exercising dominion in His name. This was the pathway to true progress. This was the road to righteousness. This was the journey to justice. But we abandoned His ways long ago. We chose to blaze our own trail. Build our own road. Cut our own path through the wilderness. And where has that gotten us? A world full of hate and anger and fear. A world full of violence and suffering and pain. A world full of injustice and inequality. We have remade the world in our own broken image and are suffering the consequences of our actions.

God calls us to a different path. The path of righteousness. The path of justice. Psalm 89:14 teaches us that God’s throne rests on these two pillars. Righteousness is about our standing before God. Clothed in Christ, we seek to become who we already are in Him. We follow His commands. We conform our hearts and minds to His example. We speak His truth. We live for His glory. We surrender all that we have and all that we are to Him. Justice is about the systems and structures we live under. Government. Business. Education. Media. Arts. Church. Family. These are by definition unjust because they are human creations and each generation must engage in the work to align them and re-align them with God’s Kingdom. When righteous people are engaged in justice work, the cities and communities in which we live flourish. When unrighteous people engage in unjust work, the cities and communities in which we live burn. This is the power God entrusted to us from the beginning and it is responsibility He has given us as human beings.

The Bible is full of all kinds of wisdom regarding the righteousness and justice of God. All of us should be seeking to become more righteous individually AND all of us should be working for justice systemically and collectively. This unique gift the church offers the world is Jesus. Governments pass laws. Social policy can be re-written and reformed. Law enforcement can enforce a host of new regulations. But none of it will make a bit of difference without the transformation of the human heart. Friends, more than ever, the world needs Jesus. Who are you sharing Him with today?

Readings for tomorrow: None

The Challenge of Election

Readings for today: Psalms 85-87, Romans 9:1-10:4

Today’s reading is a challenging one. Paul is asking deep questions about the promises and purposes of God. So much of which is shrouded in mystery. So much of which we will never know this side of heaven. Has the Word of God failed? Is God unjust? How can God fault those whom He has not chosen? These questions are important. It is vital to wrestle with them honestly and vulnerably. True faith welcomes such challenges and doesn’t settle for easy answers. 

To begin, we must check our assumptions at the door. There are no standards of justice outside of God. God is not answerable to any human legal code nor does He subject Himself to human notions of universal fairness. God is the Potter. We are the clay. This fundamental principle undergirds everything Paul will say in these few chapters. The baseline for this discussion begins with God being God and human beings being human beings. The Creator is not the same as His creation. The creation is not the same as its Creator. There is a massive, ontological distinction between the two that must be maintained if we are to find our way through this quandary.  

Second, because God is God, He has every right to exercise His sovereign choice over all He has made. He chose Abraham and Sarah out of all the families on the face of the earth. He chose Jacob over Esau before they were born. He chose Israel over Egypt. Moses over Pharaoh. The full witness of Scripture makes it clear that God freely chooses some vessels for honor and some for dishonor. Scripture makes it clear that God endures with patience “vessels of wrath prepared for destruction” so that He might “make known the riches of glory for His vessels of mercy.” Over and over again, we see this played out in the Old Testament. There is simply no other way to honestly interpret it. 

Third, what are we then to make of what’s happening with Israel? God’s elect? God’s chosen? “To them belong the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the worship, and the promises. To them belong the patriarchs, and from their race, according to the flesh, is the Christ, who is God over all...” (Romans‬ ‭9:4-5‬) Furthermore, what are we to make of the Gentiles? God’s non-elect? The pagans who’ve rejected God all their lives? Though they have not pursued righteousness somehow they attained it by faith! Does this mean God’s elect have been rejected? By no means! “For not all who are descended from Israel belong to Israel, and not all are children of Abraham because they are his offspring...” (Romans‬ ‭9:6-7) So ethnicity no longer serves as a determining factor when it comes to membership in God’s covenant community. What matters is faith and God has maintained a remnant - of which the Apostle Paul is one - who have been saved by grace. 

Fourth, what should we conclude from Paul’s words? God isn’t done! God’s plan for Israel is not yet complete! The Gentiles who have been grafted into God’s family should not become prideful or take God’s grace for granted for as Paul will say in just a couple of chapters, “Remember it is not you who supports the root but the root that supports you.” (Romans 11:18) Instead, the Gentiles should wait and pray for the day when the partial hardening on Israel is softened because the full number of Gentiles have finally come in and God saves all of Israel.

How will this happen? Paul has no idea. He simply knows God is faithful. He will never abandon His people. His love is steadfast, loyal, and true. So at the end of all this deep wrestling there can only be an exclamation of praise. God is God. We are not. Thanks be to God!

Readings for tomorrow: Psalms 88-89, Romans 10:5-21

Redemptive Suffering

Readings for today: Psalms 80-84, Romans 8

“The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him.” (Romans‬ ‭8:16-17‬)

What if I told you suffering was an essential part of the Christian life? Would it make you think twice about following Jesus? Would it cause you to re-evaluate what you believe? One of the great heresies of our time is prosperity preaching. It’s the idea that if you are faithful enough. If you are obedient enough. You will be blessed. God will grant you your heart’s desire. You will be wealthy. You will be healthy and strong. You will be successful. The television airways are filled with these messages. Prosperity preachers putting on a show and making bargains on your behalf with God. Implicitly or explicitly, they tie suffering to sin. They believe pain is a result of disobedience. They argue poverty and sickness is a result of a lack of faith. Such nonsense!

Paul makes it clear that those who follow Christ will share in His sufferings. Not because we seek suffering out. Not because Jesus demands His followers live in constant pain or poverty. But simply because the lives we lead put us at odds with the world around us. Our faith makes us aliens and strangers in our culture. It sets us apart. Makes us a target. Why? Because we serve a heavenly King. We belong to a heavenly Kingdom. Our primary allegiance is not to any earthly king or country. Not to flag or nation. Not to tribe or family. But to God Himself. By faith, we are adopted as His sons and daughters. By faith, we become part of His family. By faith, our citizenship is transferred from the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of light.

Jesus suffered. Jesus endured incredible pain. Jesus was tortured, falsely accused, and executed by the State because he posed a threat. His message subverted the kingdoms of this world. His preaching confronted the religious leaders of His day. He called them to repent. He called them to confess. He called them to lay down their wealth and power and position and authority for the sake of others. He called them to give their very lives away for the sake of the impure, unholy, rejected, and outcast. He upended social conventions. He tore down cultural taboos. Even the laws of nature obeyed Him! Disease disappeared. Demons were cast out. Death itself defeated. Watching Jesus work must have been awesome and frightening all at the same time.

Jesus followers - the people known as Christians - are called to the same way of life. Paul reminds us the suffering we endure for our faith is actually what makes us co-heirs with Christ! And we are not alone. All of creation suffers along with us under the curse of sin. Every single human being struggles under the weight of sin. The difference is that those who follow Christ have hope. We have the hope of an eternal life waiting for us when Christ returns to claim His own. On that great day, our adoption will be complete. Our sufferings will come to an end. Every tear will be wiped away. Every hurt healed. Every pain redressed. Every injustice set right. This is why our present sufferings aren’t worth comparing to the glory that will one day be revealed in us!

Readings for tomorrow: Psalms 85-87, Romans 9:1-10:4