Futility of Idolatry

Readings for today: Jeremiah 10-13, Psalms 16

Many years ago, I met a young woman in crisis. She was depressed. She was struggling with thoughts of self-harm. She was beginning to have suicidal ideation. She was not a Christian but came to me through a mutual friend, looking for help. As she shared her story with me, I asked her if she had any connection to spirituality and/or religious faith. She told me about her spirit animal, a purple fluffy dinosaur who she turned to when things really got dark and hard. I asked her if her dinosaur ever responded. She wasn’t sure. Just the thought, however, brought her comfort on some level. I told her I was glad she found comfort but asked her if it mattered that her dinosaur wasn’t real. She hadn’t given it much thought. “What if I told you I could introduce you to a God who is real, is actually with you in your suffering, and is able to heal?” I asked. She said she had never even heard such a thing was possible. So I shared the gospel with her and encouraged her to work with a licensed, professional Christian counselor who could help her address her depression and include a faith perspective.

I share this story to illustrate the futility of idolatry. One of the reasons the Bible considers idolatry so dangerous is because it is empty. It cannot deliver on what it promises. It cannot solve our problems. It cannot bind up our wounds. It cannot heal our disease. It cannot bring any real comfort or hope because it is all just wishful thinking. The gods and goddesses and spirit animals we believe in just aren’t real. They don’t exist. It doesn’t matter how many times we pray. It doesn’t matter how many sacrifices we make. It doesn’t matter how we feel. They aren’t real and will fail us in the long term.

Sadly, this isn’t a new problem. It’s a persistent one throughout the history of humanity, including among the people of God. Listen again to how the prophet Jeremiah talks about it, “This is what the Lord says: Do not learn the way of the nations or be terrified by signs in the heavens, although the nations are terrified by them, for the customs of the peoples are worthless. Someone cuts down a tree from the forest; it is worked by the hands of a craftsman with a chisel. He decorates it with silver and gold. It is fastened with hammer and nails, so it won’t totter. Like scarecrows in a cucumber patch, their idols cannot speak. They must be carried because they cannot walk. Do not fear them for they can do no harm  — and they cannot do any good.” (Jeremiah‬ ‭10‬:‭2‬-‭5‬ ‭CSB) The imagery is striking. Scarecrows in a field? Trees turned into totems by craftsmen? Pagan customs that are worthless? This is why God speaks so strongly against the ways of the nations. Do not learn them. Do not copy them. Do not adopt them. Hold yourself apart from them. These gods didn’t make the heavens and the earth. They have no real impact on the world. They cannot affect a person’s life.

So what should we do? Seek the Lord while He may be found. Call on Him while He may be heard. Why? Because there is no one like the Lord. Jeremiah 10:6, “Lord, there is no one like you. You are great; your name is great in power.” God is great and God is powerful. Unlike the false gods we surround ourselves with, God is the Creator of the heavens and the earth. He rules over all He has made. His impact on the world is real. His work in a person’s life is transformative. He can meet all our needs and address all our issues and heal all our hurts. Most of all, His love is real. We can have an actual relationship with Him. Furthermore, He wants to be with us. He laid down His life for us. His life and death and resurrection is a fact of human history. So let me encourage you to turn from your futile idolatry and turn back to the Living God.

Readings for tomorrow: Jeremiah 14-17, Psalms 17

A Life God Blesses

Readings for today: Jeremiah 7-9, Psalms 15

The Psalmist asks and answers a great question in our reading for today. “Lord, who can dwell in your tent? Who can live on your holy mountain?” (Psalms‬ ‭15‬:‭1‬ ‭CSB‬‬) The holy mountain, of course, is Jerusalem. Even more specifically, the holy mountain refers to the Temple Mount where Solomon’s Temple originally stood. This is the very place the people of Israel look for hope in the midst of their suffering and affliction. Sadly, however, they fix their eyes on the wrong thing. Instead of lifting their eyes above the hills to look to the One who actually brings help, they keep looking at the Temple, treating it like a sacred totem or talisman that will keep them safe. How often do we do the same? How often do we take the worship of God and turn it into an idol? Particular instruments? Particular spaces? Particular styles of worship? Particular buildings or properties? It’s so easy for us to place our trust in the blessings of God rather than God Himself.

God is clear. He wants obedience over sacrifice. It’s far more important to God that we follow His Word than go through the motions of worship. This is why He tells Jeremiah to prophesy against the Temple. The people of God are neglecting the very things that are supposed to set them apart. They neglect justice and mercy. They neglect truth and righteousness. Instead, they pursue selfishness and greed and then come to worship, assuming they can placate God. God will not be mocked. He is not some pagan deity who can be appeased. He is jealous for us. Jealous for a true, authentic relationship with us. He refuses to share our devotion or settle for a divided heart. He will not rest until He is first and foremost in our hearts.

Readings for tomorrow: Jeremiah 10-13, Psalms 16

The Surprising Impact of Repentance

Readings for today: Jeremiah 4-6, Psalms 14

What’s your first thought when you hear the word, “repentance?” I bet it has something to do with personal confession. Asking for forgiveness. Saying you are sorry for something you have done. Feeling bad about a sin you committed. Something like that. Certainly there is an aspect to repentance that is personal. It definitely involves sorrow over sin and asking for forgiveness and confession to God or to those we’ve hurt along the way. It also takes the next step to effect a change in behavior. You may have heard the word literally means “turn around.” Make a U-turn. Go the opposite way. Refuse to continue walking in the path of sinners. I love all of this about repentance but Jeremiah introduces yet another aspect to it in our reading today. The impact of repentance on others.

“If you return, Israel — this is the Lord’s declaration — you will return to me, if you remove your abhorrent idols from my presence and do not waver, then you can swear, “As the Lord lives,” in truth, justice, and righteousness, and then the nations will be blessed by him and will boast in him.” (Jeremiah‬ ‭4‬:‭1‬-‭2‬ ‭CSB) Israel’s “return” is another way of calling Israel to “repent.” They have wandered far from the Lord and He is calling them back home through the prophet Jeremiah. As if to sweeten the deal, God makes Israel a promise. If they return in faith to God, if they will return in truth and justice and righteousness, then God will use their repentance to bless the nations surrounding them and they, in turn, will also come to saving faith. The point God is trying to make here is that repentance is a powerful witness. It’s a demonstration of the grace of God in action. It shows the world what true, humble faith looks like and it is incredibly compelling.

As a pastor, I’ve been given the opportunity to speak across the nation and around the world. One of the things I always do when I am speaking to a new group of people is share my testimony. I want them to know a bit of my story and I always make sure to share the many times God has called me to repentance. The response I get when I share openly and vulnerably about my own struggles with sin is powerful. People feel drawn to those who are authentic and humble and who don’t pretend to have all the answers. Repentance opens doors that might otherwise remain closed. It softens hearts. It draws people in rather than push them away. It levels the playing field. It’s almost like God has hard-wired human beings to respond to it.

When was the last time you shared your testimony? Openly? Honestly? Authentically? When was the last time you were vulnerable with another person about your own struggles with sin and how the Holy Spirit has helped you along the way? Have you ever shared your story with another person? Friends, sharing about our struggles isn’t embarrassing or shameful if it points people to Christ. Sharing about the difficulties we’ve had in life or our “thorns in the flesh” and how God has met us and sustained us and transformed us along the way gives people hope that it can happen to them. Humbling ourselves, confessing our sin, and asking for forgiveness builds deep intimacy as we relate to other people which makes sharing our faith even more compelling and profound. Let me encourage you to begin sharing your story with others today!

Readings for tomorrow: Jeremiah 7-9, Psalms 15

The Love of God

Readings for today: Song of Solomon 5-8, Psalms 12

There is nothing like the love of God. No force in the universe is as powerful. Not gravity. Not electromagnetism. Not the strong or weak nuclear forces that hold together the atom. Not the laws of quantum physics or thermodynamics. God’s love is the connective tissue that holds all space and time and matter together. It is the animating force for all of life. Everything that has breath. Everything that crawls on the earth or swims in the sea or flies in the air. Every person on earth. All of it held together by the love of God. God’s love is the operating system of all of life. It is both the hardware and the software off which everything runs. It operates in the background and the foreground. It is both tangible and intangible. Concrete and incorporeal. Expressive and ineffable. And there may not be a better description of it than what’s written here at the end of the Song of Solomon…

“Set me as a seal on your heart, as a seal on your arm. For love is as strong as death; jealousy is as unrelenting as Sheol. Love’s flames are fiery flames  — an almighty flame! A huge torrent cannot extinguish love; rivers cannot sweep it away. If a man were to give all his wealth for love, it would be utterly scorned.” (Song of Songs‬ ‭8‬:‭6‬-‭7‬ ‭CSB‬‬)

Imagine how your life would change if you truly believed and walked in the love described here by Solomon. Imagine if you believed God had set you as a seal on His heart and arm. Imagine if you believed God’s love for you transcended death and Hades. Imagine if you believed God’s love for you was fierce and jealous. Imagine you believed God’s love for you could never be lost or expire or be extinguished, no matter what you said or did. Imagine if you believed God’s love could not be bought or earned but was a gift of grace. How would it change your life? How would it change how you lived? How would it change the relationships in your life? How would it change how you spent your time and money and energy? Imagine how different things would be for you if you tapped into this unquenchable, inexhaustible love every single day?

Readings for tomorrow: Jeremiah 1-3, Psalms 13 (No devotionals on Sundays)

Relationship with God

Readings for today: Song of Solomon 1-4, Psalms 11

For centuries, both Jewish and Christian interpreters of the Song of Solomon understood it as an allegorical poem depicting the love God has for His people. A love that is deep and intimate. A love that is stronger than death. Perhaps this is why the Song of Solomon is read during Passover each year. Passover is the celebration of the seminal event in Israel’s history, the deliverance of Israel from bondage in Egypt. Because of His steadfast, faithful, covenantal love, God acted within human history to set His people free. We celebrate a similar act of salvation at the Lord’s Table which is why some Christian traditions read the Song of Solomon whenever they eat the bread and drink the cup. They are honoring the God’s eternal, unchangeable, relentless love for His people. A love that will never let us go. A love that holds us together when everything else in this world is tearing us apart.

Yes, I know it sounds strange to our 21st century, post-modern, Western ears. We read the Song of Solomon and almost blush at the graphic imagery. We are uncomfortable with the sexual connotations and struggle to understand how this book could depict anything other than the erotic love a man has for a woman. It feels almost unholy to suggest otherwise. But this attitude only serves to underscore how little we understand about the love of God and the kind of relationship God wants with us. God wants a relationship that is deep and intimate with His people. He wants us to look forward with anticipation to the time we get to spend with Him. He wants us to be filled with longing for His presence in our lives. He wants us to search for Him earnestly until we find Him. Listen again to the words of the poem…

“Oh, that he would kiss me with the kisses of his mouth! For your caresses are more delightful than wine. The fragrance of your perfume is intoxicating; your name is perfume poured out. No wonder young women adore you. Take me with you  — let’s hurry. Oh, that the king would bring me to his chambers.” (Song of Songs‬ ‭1‬:‭2‬-‭4‬ ‭CSB‬‬)

“Listen! My love is approaching. Look! Here he comes, leaping over the mountains, bounding over the hills. My love is like a gazelle or a young stag. See, he is standing behind our wall, gazing through the windows, peering through the lattice. My love calls to me: Arise, my darling. Come away, my beautiful one.” (Song of Songs‬ ‭2‬:‭8‬-‭10‬ ‭CSB‬‬)

“In my bed at night I sought the one I love; I sought him, but did not find him. I will arise now and go about the city, through the streets and the plazas. I will seek the one I love. I sought him, but did not find him. The guards who go about the city found me. I asked them, “Have you seen the one I love?” I had just passed them when I found the one I love. I held on to him and would not let him go until I brought him to my mother’s house  — to the chamber of the one who conceived me.” (Song of Songs‬ ‭3‬:‭1‬-‭4‬ ‭CSB)

Doesn’t it change how you hear it? How you read it? How you understand it? With this frame of mind, listen to how God describes His beloved. How He describes His people. How He describes you and me.

“I compare you, my darling, to a mare among Pharaoh’s chariots. Your cheeks are beautiful with jewelry, your neck with its necklace…How beautiful you are, my darling. How very beautiful! Your eyes are doves.” (Song of Songs‬ ‭1‬:‭9‬-‭10‬, ‭15‬ ‭CSB‬‬)

“Arise, my darling. Come away, my beautiful one. For now the winter is past; the rain has ended and gone away. The blossoms appear in the countryside. The time of singing has come, and the turtledove’s cooing is heard in our land. The fig tree ripens its figs; the blossoming vines give off their fragrance. Arise, my darling. Come away, my beautiful one. My dove, in the clefts of the rock, in the crevices of the cliff, let me see your face, let me hear your voice; for your voice is sweet, and your face is lovely.” (Song of Songs‬ ‭2‬:‭10‬-‭14‬ ‭CSB‬‬)

“You are absolutely beautiful, my darling; there is no imperfection in you.” (Song of Songs‬ ‭4‬:‭7‬ ‭CSB‬‬)

Imagine how it would change you if you truly believed these things about yourself. Imagine how it would change you if you truly saw yourself as God sees you. Beautiful. Perfect. Beloved. Can you not see why God desires to have a relationship with you? Why He takes great delight in you? Why He has lavished on you every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places? God is deeply in love with you. He is eternally committed to you. He will never leave you or forsake you. He has your name graven on His hand and written on His heart and He will not rest until you, His beloved, turns and embraces Him with all your heart.

Readings for tomorrow: Song of Solomon 5-8, Psalms 12

True Joy

Readings for today: Ecclesiastes 9-12, Psalms 10

Lost in all the writer of Ecclesiastes’ talk about vanity and emptiness and chasing the wind is the number of times he encourages the reader to enjoy life. Enjoy the time they have been given. Enjoy the hours and days of blessing. Enjoy the seasons when life is good. Yes, you will experience bad times. Yes, you will experience hardship and adversity. Yes, you cannot place your trust in wisdom, wealth, influence, or a good name. But you can still find joy. Simple pleasures of feasting, friendship, and family. 

“Go, eat your bread with pleasure, and drink your wine with a cheerful heart, for God has already accepted your works. Let your clothes be white all the time, and never let oil be lacking on your head. Enjoy life with the wife you love all the days of your fleeting life, which has been given to you under the sun, all your fleeting days. For that is your portion in life and in your struggle under the sun. Whatever your hands find to do, do with all your strength, because there is no work, planning, knowledge, or wisdom in Sheol where you are going.” (Ecclesiastes‬ ‭9‬:‭7‬-‭10‬ ‭CSB‬‬)

To be sure, Ecclesiastes encourages a “sober” joy. A joy tempered by the realities of hard work, adversity, judgment, and death. A joy that transcends superficial happiness. A joy that springs from a deep love of life and all the blessings God has given. The profound joy that comes from a life lived before God in this world. The joyful life for Solomon is not all bubbles and rainbows and unicorns. It’s an utterly realistic joy. A joy that acknowledges the harsh truth about our broken world. A joy that walks eyes wide open to pain and suffering. A joy that doesn’t run from trouble. 

I’ve been a pastor for over twenty years. I’ve spent countless hours counseling people from all walks of life. I’ve served congregations on the East Coast, Deep South, Midwest, and, for the last fifteen years, out West in Colorado. A common thread running throughout all those conversations and cultures is the universal desire for happiness. A craving for joy. But far too often it’s a joy without hardship. A happiness without sorrow. An unrealistic expectation that life can be lived...indeed should be lived...without pain and suffering. In the most extreme cases, the person seems to believe God “owes” them such a life. It’s why one of the most frequent questions I have to help people wrestle with is “Why, God?” Why did God let this happen to me? Why didn’t God protect me from this tragedy? Why does God allow suffering? Why does a good God allow evil to exist in the world? Such questions, at their best, reveal the longing we all have for the world to come. The world where God will wipe away every tear, end all injustice, and heal every hurt. At their worst, they reveal a deep misunderstanding of the world around us. A false expectation that this life can be lived without experiencing hardship and pain. Ecclesiastes is clearly confronting the latter attitude. 

So how do you experience the world? When you wake up in the morning, what’s your expectation? Do you walk into life eyes wide open to both the good and the bad? Are you willing to embrace the ups and downs? Do you understand that life will be filled with pleasure and pain? Accomplishment and adversity? Success and failure? And do you seek the deeper joy God offers us in Jesus Christ?

Readings for tomorrow: Song of Solomon 1-4, Psalms 11

Smoke and Mirrors

Readings for today: Ecclesiastes 5-8, Psalms 9

The writer of Ecclesiastes is brutally honest about life. All is vanity, he says, over and over again. The original Hebrew of the phrase meaning, “all is smoke, all is vapor, all is hot air.” It doesn’t make life meaningless, it makes it confusing. It makes it contradictory. It lacks any kind of consistency. All of us know deep down this isn’t how it should be. The righteous should be rewarded and the wicked punished. Every single time. There should be no exceptions to this rule. Long life, deep joy, great wealth and honor should be reserved for those who live according to God’s law. Short life, deep bitterness, poverty and shame should be the fate of those who reject God’s law and go their own way. But what happens when the wicked flourish and the righteous perish? What happens when the lawless seem to be happy and the lawful struggle to find joy? What happens when the righteous are poor and powerless and oppressed while the unrighteous are wealthy and honored and accumulate great power and influence? These are the questions the writer of Ecclesiastes is struggling to answer and, if we’re honest, we’re still struggling to answer them to this day.

Taking a step back, I believe the fact that we wrestle with these questions is a clear indicator that God has indeed set eternity in our hearts. The very fact that every single human being no matter their faith or culture or life experience all ask these questions demonstrates there has to be something beyond this life. Something beyond this world. Something beyond that is calling to us. An echo of Eden in all our hearts. A longing for a return to true justice and righteousness and peace in the world. The very fact that we continue to strive for it despite all our failures throughout all of human history is strong evidence to me that there is a God who created us in a particular way and desires to have a relationship with us. Why else would we care? Why else would we fight so hard for things like universal human rights and to end slavery and oppression and provide relief for the poor? Why not survival of the fittest? Why not might makes right? Why not use my wealth and power and privilege to simply accumulate as much as I can throughout my lifetime?

Everything is smoke. Vapor. Hot air. It’s like we’re living in a steam room. Our vision of the world and other people and even ourselves is obscured by the water in the air. Even if we try to understand it, we will fail. If we work as hard as we can to probe the mystery, we simply cannot find clarity. Listen again to how the writer of Ecclesiastes puts it, “There is a futility that is done on the earth: there are righteous people who get what the actions of the wicked deserve, and there are wicked people who get what the actions of the righteous deserve. I say that this too is futile…I observed all the work of God and concluded that a person is unable to discover the work that is done under the sun. Even though a person labors hard to explore it, he cannot find it; even if a wise person claims to know it, he is unable to discover it.” (Ecclesiastes‬ ‭8‬:‭14‬, ‭17‬ ‭CSB‬‬)

So what’s the answer then? Resignation? Fatalism? Just put our heads down and endure? No. Over and over again, the writer encourages us to embrace contentment. Embrace the gifts we have been given. Enjoy them for as long as we can. Just don’t hold onto them. Don’t assume you will have them forever. Don’t place your trust in them. Instead, fear the Lord. This is the beginning and the end of all wisdom.

Readings for tomorrow: Ecclesiastes 9-12, Psalms 10

The Impact of Righteousness

Readings for today: Proverbs 28-31, Psalms 7

Righteousness is one of the most important qualities a person can develop in their life. The more righteous a person, the more the people around them are blessed. The greater the influence or authority or power a righteous person is entrusted with, the greater the impact they can make on the world. This is why God encourages the pursuit of righteousness above anything else. Jesus Himself, the truly Righteous One, says in the Gospel of Matthew 6:33, “Seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness and all the rest will be added unto you.” In other words, make the righteousness of God your aim in life and everything else you may be tempted to pursue - like wealth, reputation, influence, position, etc. - will follow. Not because you have earned it but because God has given it to you. He knows you can be trusted with it.

I often talk about this with the church I am privileged to serve. We have made it our goal to seek the Kingdom of God and God’s righteousness first as a community. We give generously and sacrificially to God’s mission both locally and around the world. We serve one another faithfully and well. We love each other unconditionally and we welcome the broken and hurting and suffering so they can find healing and restoration. We do all we can to minister at the intersection of the least reached and least resourced because we believe this is where God calls us to go. Do we do it perfectly? Of course not. We make all sorts of mistakes along the way but this is our general trajectory for which I am thankful. As we have pursued God’s vision for our life together, He continues to entrust with more and more souls, more and more resources, more and more responsibility, and more and more ministry opportunity. It’s deeply humbling and an example of what happens when God’s people seek to live righteously before the Lord.

Our reading today contains all kinds of promises for those who pursue righteousness. Imagine what would happen if more and more Christians would pursue righteousness? Imagine how our lives might change? How our communities might change? How our nation might change? How our world might change? The ripple of effect of the righteousness of God mediated through His people simply cannot be measured. Listen again to how the author of Proverbs describes it…

“When the righteous triumph, there is great rejoicing, but when the wicked come to power, people hide.”

“When the wicked come to power, people hide, but when they are destroyed, the righteous flourish.”

“When the righteous flourish, the people rejoice, but when the wicked rule, people groan.”

“The righteous person knows the rights of the poor, but the wicked one does not understand these concerns.”

“When the wicked increase, rebellion increases, but the righteous will see their downfall.”

“An unjust person is detestable to the righteous, and one whose way is upright is detestable to the wicked.”

‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭28:12, 28, 29‬:‭2‬, ‭7‬, ‭16‬, ‭27‬ ‭CSB‬‬

Think about all that’s wrong in the world today. Think about everything you read in the headlines or as you scroll through your social media feeds or hear on cable news. Think about the leaders we elect or appoint or follow. Think about the institutions we support. The cultural trends we help perpetuate. Think about the relationships in your life. Now ask yourself this simple question…are they righteous? If not, what can you do today to begin moving the needle?

Readings for tomorrow: Ecclesiastes 1-4, Psalms 8

More Humility

Readings for today: Proverbs 22-24, Psalms 5

There is nothing in this world that more humility won’t solve. There is no problem that cannot be tackled if all parties come to the table with open hands, open hearts, and open minds. We can talk about anything if we are willing to relinquish our need to protect our ego. Unfortunately, humility is one of the most difficult qualities to cultivate in our world today. From the moment we wake up until we go to bed, we are inundated with messages to put ourselves first, take care of ourselves first, and guard ourselves against anyone who would offer a critique. We have been conditioned to react rather than thoughtfully respond which means our conversations are often over-heated and unproductive and only perpetuate conflict, fear, hurt, and brokenness. Our pride is so costly. I’ve seen it cost people their marriages and families. I’ve seen it break apart businesses and cause people to lose their jobs. I’ve seen it split churches and small groups. Once you start down the road of pride, it’s hard to find the exit ramp.

Perhaps that’s why the Bible promotes the virtue of humility so often. It’s almost like we can’t hear it enough. “Humility, the fear of the Lord, results in wealth, honor, and life.” (Proverbs‬ ‭22‬:‭4‬ ‭CSB‬‬) Can God be any more clear? He promises to reward those who are humble with wealth and honor and life. Don’t make the mistake of thinking humility is a means to an end. If that’s how you read this verse, you are still fostering pride and ego. No, this verse is simply pointing to the fact that those who are humble and fear the Lord can be trusted with wealth and honor and life because they aren’t driven by these things. And because they aren’t driven by these things, they don’t play the comparison game. And because they don’t play the comparison game, what passes for “wealth and honor and life” can look different depending on the context.

When you read a verse like Proverbs 22:4, where you do find yourself focusing? Is it on the back half? Wealth and honor and life? If so, let me encourage you to confess to the Lord and ask His Spirit to purify you of your pride. If you find yourself focusing on the first half of the verse, then you are probably on the right track. Ask the Spirit to keep you there and to continue His sanctifying work within you.

Readings for tomorrow: Proverbs 25-27, Psalms 6 (No devotionals on Sundays)

The Danger of Pride

Readings for today: Proverbs 19-21, Psalms 4

There is no greater sin than pride. Pride lies at the root of all sin. It was pride caused Satan to fall from grace and glory when the heavens were young. It was pride that caused Adam and Eve to reject God’s command and go their own way. Cain’s pride was wounded so he killed Abel. It was Joseph’s pride that got him in trouble with his brothers. In his pride, Moses thought he could deliver Israel without God. Saul, in his pride, refused to make right sacrifices. David’s pride caused him to number Israel so he could see how powerful he was. Solomon, in his pride, thought he could worship lots of different gods and still remain faithful to Yahweh. Over and over again in the Scriptures, we see pride creep up in God’s people with devastating effect.

Pride is still our greatest sin. Pride makes us think we know best how to live our lives. Pride makes us think we can stand in judgment over God’s Word and determine what is relevant. Pride makes us think we are like God, discerning good from evil. But how’s that working out? When we look at the world around us, is it not pride that is the root cause of the violence? The suffering? The pain? Is it not the pride of nations that causes them to go to war? Is it not the pride of privilege that causes some to look down on others? Is it not the pride of wealth that causes us to accumulate more and more while others go without? Is it not pride that drives our decision-making on a daily basis? We do what’s best for us first without a thought for others. Haughty. Proud. Wicked. Scoffer. Arrogant. These are the labels God uses for us when we fall into this trap.

So what’s the answer? Humility. Not thinking more highly of ourselves than we ought. Or less of ourselves than we ought. But simply thinking of ourselves less. When we think of ourselves “less.” When we consider others before we consider ourselves. When we have the same mind that was in Christ Jesus who – though He was God – did not consider His prerogatives as God something to hold onto. We begin to become humble. We take on the form of a servant. We begin to look like Jesus. And humility comes with its own reward. “The reward for humility and fear of the Lord is riches and honor and life.” (Prov. 22:4‬) God blesses the humble. God blesses those who put Him first. Who put others first. He grants them His favor and they often find the very things they were chasing so hard after coming into their life. The difference, of course, is that these things no longer have any hold on us because Christ now has the tighter grip.

So are you a humble or a prideful person? Are you the kind of person who needs compliments? Needs to be told how good you are? Are you the kind of person who hates compliments? Hates it when you are recognized for something you did? Both are signs of pride, friends. Are you the kind of person who struggles to receive rebuke? Correction? Critique? Do you grow resentful and angry? Are you the kind of person who crumbles at the first sign of disapproval? All are signs of pride, friends. God wants you to think of yourself less. The truly humble person accepts honor and praise for the things they do well because they recognize God has blessed them. The truly humble person is generous with praise of others. Looks for opportunities to build others up. Looks for ways to share the glory while taking responsibility for any failures. The truly humble person rejects any attempt of the enemy to make them feel worthless, afraid, or of less value in the eyes of God. A truly humble person is free because they do not live for praise nor in fear of praise.

Readings for tomorrow: Proverbs 22-24, Psalms 5

Which Way?

Readings for today: Proverbs 16-18, Psalms 3

I was talking with a friend of mine recently who had visited a woman with severe dementia. Over the last few years, she has been robbed of so much. Her memories are gone. Her ability to recognize those she loves is fading. Her mental filters have deteriorated. She lives in a memory care unit at a local graduated care facility. So much has been taken from her by this wasting disease. Her life has been boiled down to its most basic, atomic level. All that’s left is Jesus. My friend was stunned at how she ministered to the other patients on her unit. She prayed with them. Shared Scripture with them. Told them all about her love for her Lord. It was inspirational to witness and it challenged both of us to think about what would happen if we found ourselves in a similar situation? If we suffered the same losses this woman has suffered, how would we respond? If you took away our mental faculties, our short and long-term memories, and our ability to think and process on a level that would allow us to live independently, what would you find? If you boiled our lives down to their most basic, atomic levels, would you find Jesus?

Make no mistake, this woman didn’t arrive here by accident. Her transcendent faith is the product of a life lived in one direction. She followed the way of Jesus from a very young age and it shaped her deeply and profoundly over the course of her life. Her love for Jesus was carefully nurtured and grown over decades and now she is able to lean on Christ even as her mind fails. It makes me think of the words of Solomon from our reading today.

“All a person’s ways seem right to him, but the Lord weighs motives.”

“When a person’s ways please the Lord, he makes even his enemies to be at peace with him.”

“A person’s heart plans his way, but the Lord determines his steps.”

(Proverbs‬ ‭16‬:‭2‬, ‭7‬, ‭9‬ ‭CSB‬‬)

God’s ways are higher than our ways. His thoughts are higher than our thoughts. God knows what’s best for us because He created us. He formed and fashioned us in our mother’s wombs. He knit us together in an absolutely miraculous and wonderful way. God knows the human heart. He knows it intimately. He knows it backwards and forwards. Upside and down. Inside and out. And He clearly lays out a path for us that leads to righteousness. God’s laws are not designed to be restrictive. Nor are they designed to rob us of all our fun or steal all our joy. God wants what’s best for us. He loves us like a Father and all He asks is that we would trust Him. Trust His ways above our own. This is why He sends Jesus. Jesus is the way. He models for us by the way He lives what a life fully surrendered to God and completely dependent on the Spirit looks like in the flesh. He not only shows us how to live, He shows us how to die and how to rise again.

If you ask most people what they think about Jesus, you will hear a lot of admiration. Even by those who do not believe in Him. And yet we continue to resist His ways? Why? Are our ways really all that much better? If you took your life and laid it alongside Jesus’ life, which one comes out ahead? Which way leads to greater freedom, greater love, and greater fulfillment? Which way leads to deeper relationships and an abundance of blessing in the world? Perhaps it’s time to lay aside your own way and follow the way of Jesus?

Readings for tomorrow: Proverbs 19-21, Psalms 4

Hope for our Community, City, Nation, and World

Readings for today: Proverbs 10-12, Psalms 1

Jesus calls His disciples the “salt” and “light” of the world. His desire is for His followers to live righteously so we might provide hope for those around us. It could be in our homes. It could be in our cities. It could be in our nation. It could be around the world. We are called “light” because God is light and in Him is no darkness at all. As such we live lives of integrity and purity and holiness and self-discipline and joy and peace. These things are the fruit of the Spirit’s presence and can only come from Him. Human beings, at their best, can only produce these things partially and temporarily, never fully and completely and permanently. We are called “salt” because through us God brings His righteousness and provision and protection to the world. As we “dissolve” into our communities, righteousness begins to work its way like leaven through a whole lump of dough. Evil is restrained. Sin is held in check. The Kingdom of God begins to advance. Lives are transformed. Hell is emptied. Heaven is filled. This is what God desires for His world and He works His great plan through His chosen people.

Jesus didn’t come up with this on His own. (Well, maybe He did since He is God!) He is essentially rephrasing what King Solomon once wrote in the Book of Proverbs. “When the righteous thrive, a city rejoices; when the wicked die, there is joyful shouting. A city is built up by the blessing of the upright, but it is torn down by the mouth of the wicked.” (Proverbs‬ ‭11‬:‭10‬-‭11‬ ‭CSB‬‬) Solomon could see the impact of righteousness on a nation. When he ruled with righteousness and made decisions according to God’s wisdom, Jerusalem rejoiced. All of Israel celebrated. Every family and every home was filled with joy. Even the pagan nations around him recognized the blessing of God. When Solomon began to follow his own heart and wisdom and when he sought to rule out of his own strength, the city began to fail. The nation began to suffer. Every family and every home struggled under the oppressive weight of his rule and reign. Enemies began to rise up all around him. After he dies, the nation is literally torn in two.

There’s nothing new under the sun. Human society has always functioned best when it seeks to run on the fuel of God’s righteousness. Human society has always suffered when it seeks to live off its own righteousness. We simply cannot produce what we need to thrive. In fact, we can barely produce what we need to survive. This is why it’s critical for God’s people to trust in the Lord with all their hearts and lean not on their own understanding. We must seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness if we are to fulfill our calling to be salt and light in the world. If we want to see revival come to our homes, our cities, our nation, and the world; we must pursue righteousness in our own hearts.

Readings for tomorrow: Proverbs 13-15, Psalms 2

Waiting on God

Readings for today: Proverbs 7-9, Psalms 150

“Anyone who listens to me is happy, watching at my doors every day, waiting by the posts of my doorway.” (Proverbs‬ ‭8‬:‭34‬ ‭CSB‬‬)

Listening. Watching. Waiting. Three essential ingredients to a deep and vibrant relationship with God. But they do not come naturally. I am much more apt to speak rather than listen. Much more apt to take action rather than sit back and watch. Much more apt to jump in and get involved rather than wait for the right time. I am an impatient man. I do not like waiting in lines. Waiting in traffic. Waiting for much of anything. 

Listening, watching, and waiting on God has always been a challenge for me. My prayers tend to be monologues. My time with Him can turn into a spiritual “to-do” list. Read your Bible. Journal. Pray. Wash. Rinse. Repeat. Historically, I’ve spent so little time in silence before the Lord. So little time waiting for Him to speak. I am always in a rush. Always in a hurry. Always on to the next thing. And I’ve been a pastor long enough to know I’m not alone.

I think this is why we are so quick to create idols. We want a god we can control. We want a god who meets our demands. A god who operates according to our schedule. Remember the people of Israel? Remember when they made the golden calf? A careful reading of the story reveals their impatience. Moses had been gone a long time. For all they knew, he could have perished on Mt. Sinai. They grew impatient. They grew restless. They wanted to get on with it. Lay hold of all God had promised. They wanted to worship. To celebrate their deliverance. Their motives were not all bad. They simply wanted it to happen on their timeline rather than God’s. So they turned to Aaron and asked him to get a move on. Aaron was anxious as well. So rather than lead, he followed. He gave into the people’s demands, making an idol for them to worship. A tangible God they could see and feel.

It is easy to criticize the Israelites. How foolish of them to worship a golden calf! As if we are any better! Sure, our idols are not made of gold or silver necessarily but they are no less real. We worship all sorts of things. A cursory glance at our checkbook or schedule reveals all we need to know about our true priorities. Our struggle to simply sit in God’s presence each day to listen, watch, and wait shows us the depths of our impatience. We want God to fit into our lives. We’ll give Him the gaps in our schedules. We’ll give Him the leftovers of our resources. We’ll throw Him a bone every now and then just to cover our bases. 

There are consequences when we fail to listen and watch and wait for God. How many times has our impatience cost us? How many times have we gone off half-cocked? Rushed into a situation we did not understand? How many times have we made a decision we later regretted because we didn’t take the time to get all the information we needed? Blessed indeed is the one who patiently listens to God’s voice. Watches at God’s gate. Waits beside His doors. How different would the Exodus story have been if the people of God had simply waited for Moses to come down before taking action? How different would your life or my life be if we simply waited for God to speak before taking action?  

Readings for tomorrow: Proverbs 10-12, Psalms 1

Wise Living

Readings for today: Proverbs 1-3, Psalms 148

Life fundamentally boils down to a choice. Will we follow our ways or will we follow God’s ways? Will we live according to our own wisdom or will we live according to God’s wisdom? Tragically, humanity seems “hell-bent” on following her own wisdom which is why for every step forward, we seem to take two steps back. Yes, we’ve made incredible progress technologically but we’ve made little to no progress when it comes to character. Corruption, deceit, selfishness, violence, greed, etc. are as prevalent as ever. We attack, dehumanize, demonize, and disparage those with whom we disagree. We divide, split, and fracture so easily, cutting off relationships one after the other. We have met the enemy and he is us. He or she is the person looking back at us in the mirror. Generation after generation seems locked on an endless cycle of “wash, rinse, repeat.”

Now imagine I told you there was a book you could read that would teach you how to live righteously? How to live with justice and integrity? How to gain knowledge and understanding in our world? Would you want to read it? Memorize it? Put it into practice? I imagine most of us would say, “Of course!” Well, there is such a book. It’s called Proverbs and it contains the sayings of one of the wisest people to have ever lived. King Solomon wrote these words with the hope that his children - and really all God’s children - would follow them and put them into practice. He wanted God’s people to chart a different course in this world than the rest of humanity. He understood that the world’s ways were played out. The best of human wisdom had failed. People needed something more and thankfully, God was there to provide. Listen to how he states the purpose of the book, “For learning wisdom and discipline; for understanding insightful sayings; for receiving prudent instruction in righteousness, justice, and integrity; for teaching shrewdness to the inexperienced, knowledge and discretion to a young man — let a wise person listen and increase learning, and let a discerning person obtain guidance — for understanding a proverb or a parable, the words of the wise, and their riddles. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and discipline.” (Proverbs‬ ‭1‬:‭2‬-‭7‬ ‭CSB‬‬) Wisdom and discipline. These two things are in such short supply in our world which is why we find ourselves in such a mess. And God loves us too much to leave us in our broken condition so He sends His Spirit to inspire Solomon to write these words so we can learn wisdom and discipline and begin to live the way He designed us to live.

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not rely on your own understanding; in all your ways know him, and he will make your paths straight.” (Proverbs‬ ‭3‬:‭5‬-‭6‬ ‭CSB‬‬) What does it mean to love God with all your heart? It means acknowledging Him in all our ways. It means submitting our entire lives to Him. It means surrendering all our wants, needs, and desires to Him and trusting Him to know what’s best for us. How do we do that? Here’s where Solomon gets very practical. He not only tells us what not to do but he tells us what to do as well. Don’t engage in violence and theft and dishonesty. Instead be a person of peace and contentment and integrity. Don’t seek to tear others down or slander another person’s character or entertain envy or jealousy. Instead seek the good of others, believe the best of others, and celebrate the success of others. As we put Solomon’s words into practice, we can be sure God will fulfill His promise to us. “The Lord’s curse is on the household of the wicked, but he blesses the home of the righteous; He mocks those who mock but gives grace to the humble. The wise will inherit honor, but he holds up fools to dishonor.” (Proverbs‬ ‭3‬:‭33‬-‭35‬ ‭CSB)

Readings for tomorrow: Proverbs 4-6, Psalms 149 (No devotionals on Sundays)

The Pursuit of Happiness

Readings for today: Psalms 1-2, Psalms 147

Everyone wants to be happy. Everyone wants to live a life full of joy. Everyone spends a lot of time and energy and resources chasing what we think will make us happy. It could be relationships. It could be success. It could be wealth. It could be health. It could be any number of hobbies and activities. Sadly, happiness seems to be in short supply these days. General happiness in the United States has been in decline since the early 2000’s across different age groups. In addition, numerous indicators of poor psychological health such as anxiety, depression, suicidal ideation, and self-harm have been on the rise. It seems strange when one considers all the built-in advantages in our society like the relatively high standard of living, social safety nets, low rates of violent crime, low rates of unemployment, etc. However, declines in social support and social capital, loneliness, isolation, obesity, substance abuse, social media, etc. all contribute to the general feelings of unhappiness that pervade society. So what’s to be done? Where can we go for help?

Thankfully, God’s Word provides an answer. It is clear. It is unambiguous. It is simple and straightforward. “How happy is the one who does not walk in the advice of the wicked or stand in the pathway with sinners or sit in the company of mockers! Instead, his delight is in the Lord’s instruction, and he meditates on it day and night. He is like a tree planted beside flowing streams that bears its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers.” (Psalms‬ ‭1‬:‭1‬-‭3‬ ‭CSB) So much of our problem comes from the company we keep. We have a tendency to listen to the advice of the wicked and walk in the path of the sinners and sit in the company of the mockers. If we’re honest, these monikers describe us as well! We think we can have it both ways. We can stand with a foot in this world and a foot in the world to come. We can chase all the things the world values - money, sex, and power - and still follow Christ. But God makes it clear that the only way to find true happiness is to reject the ways of this world, reject the ways of death, reject the ways of sin and evil and embrace the way of Jesus. God makes it clear that our delight must be in Him alone. He alone is worthy of our love and devotion. As we meditate on His Word day and night, the Spirit of God begins to bear supernatural fruit in our lives. Fruit like love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, gentleness, faithfulness, goodness, and self-control. As we bear this fruit in its season, our happiness does not wither and we become a blessing to those around us which leads to prosperity. Prosperity not just in wealth but in relationships. The very thing all social scientists identify as the key to human happiness!

So here’s the bottom line…does this Psalm describe you? When you step back and honestly evaluate your life, where do you find yourself? Are you walking in the advice of the wicked? Are you standing in the path of the sinner? Are you sitting in the company of mockers? Or are you delighting yourself in the Lord? Do you spend time with Him every day? Do you gather with His people for worship every week? Do you have deep, spiritual friendships with those who encourage you to follow Christ? Is your life fruitful and prosperous?

Readings for tomorrow: Proverbs 1-3, Psalms 148

Humility

Readings for today: Job 40-42, Psalms 146

Worship is intimately tied to humility. In fact, I would argue it is essential. It’s why we struggle to worship. It’s why we struggle to develop a passion for worship. We have little to no understanding of the vastness and splendor and overwhelming majesty of God. We also have little to no understanding of the depths of our sin and brokenness and weakness and insignificance in this universe. We think too highly of ourselves and too little of God. This is why worship can seem so foreign and so boring. This is why we struggle to find any consistent connection with God. The final chapters of Job offer an antidote to our pride. They reframe our understanding of our position in the world. They put us in our place.

I love how Job responds to God. “The Lord answered Job: Will the one who contends with the Almighty correct him? Let him who argues with God give an answer. Then Job answered the Lord: I am so insignificant. How can I answer you? I place my hand over my mouth. I have spoken once, and I will not reply; twice, but now I can add nothing.” (Job‬ ‭40‬:‭1‬-‭5‬ ‭CSB) Job is humble. Job acknowledges his insignificance. Job sees the error of his ways. He knows he has no right to demand anything from God. “Then Job replied to the Lord: I know that you can do anything and no plan of yours can be thwarted. You asked, “Who is this who conceals my counsel with ignorance?” Surely I spoke about things I did not understand, things too wondrous for me to know. You said, “Listen now, and I will speak. When I question you, you will inform me.” I had heard reports about you, but now my eyes have seen you. Therefore, I reject my words and am sorry for them; I am dust and ashes.” (Job‬ ‭42‬:‭1‬-‭6‬ ‭CSB‬‬) Job repents of his ignorance. He repents of his foolishness. He repents of speaking of things to wonderful and infinite for him to know. Job sees God and bows before Him. Job hears God and kneels in the dust and ashes.

I have often thought it would be good to read these final chapters from Job on a daily basis. Just to remind myself of who God is as Creator and who I am as creature. It is healthy to know my limits. It is good to know my place in God’s world. It takes all the pressure off to know how deeply insignificant I am in comparison to God. To know how weak and ignorant I am when it comes to the things of this world. For all my knowledge and understanding. For all my training and education. For all my experience and travels in the world. I know so very little. I am able to do so very little. The impact I make is so very small. And yet - because of God - there is a ripple created that He uses to change so many things. Because of God, even the faith of a mustard seed can move mountains. Because of God, even the meager offering a few loaves and a few fish can feed thousands. Because of God, even the smallest and most insignificant acts carry eternal weight and glory. When I repent of my pride and arrogance. When I empty myself of all my selfishness and greed. When I bow before the Lord and kneel in the dust and ashes of my own life, God is more than able to fill me and restore me and take me to heights I’ve never dreamed of and show me things I could never have conceived of on my own. When I am weak, He is strong. When I am ignorant, He is wise. All He asks for is trust.

Readings for tomorrow: Psalms 1-2, 147

Praise

Readings for today: Job 38-39, Psalms 145

When God reveals Himself to us, there is only one response…worship. Praise. Thanksgiving. Falling on our faces before Him as we realize how infinitely wide the gulf is between us. Today’s reading is a great pairing of some of the most awe-inspiring chapters of the Bible - where God answers Job from the whirlwind - and some of the most beautiful words of praise from the Psalmist. As I read them, I found myself on my knees before God offering up the words of the Psalm as a prayer.

“Then the Lord answered Job from the whirlwind. He said: Who is this who obscures my counsel with ignorant words? Get ready to answer me like a man; when I question you, you will inform me.” (Job‬ ‭38‬:‭1‬-‭3‬ ‭CSB‬‬) How often do I obscure God’s counsel with my ignorant words? How often do I try to remake God after my own image? How often do I lean on my own futile and finite understanding? For all my theological training, I have barely come to scratch the surface of my understanding of God. For all my years of ministry, I have barely begun to see the edges of His ways. For all the time and energy I put into my daily devotional time and weekly worship of God, I have barely dipped my toes into the depths of His love and grace. How can I then respond to Him? What words can I offer that won’t obscure His counsel or expose my ignorance? I can only offer words of praise. The words of the Psalmist. The Spirit-inspired words of David.

“I exalt you, my God the King, and bless your name forever and ever. I will bless you every day; I will praise your name forever and ever. The Lord is great and is highly praised; his greatness is unsearchable. One generation will declare your works to the next and will proclaim your mighty acts. I will speak of your splendor and glorious majesty and your wondrous works. They will proclaim the power of your awe-inspiring acts, and I will declare your greatness. They will give a testimony of your great goodness and will joyfully sing of your righteousness. The Lord is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and great in faithful love. The Lord is good to everyone; his compassion rests on all he has made. All you have made will thank you, Lord; the faithful will bless you. They will speak of the glory of your kingdom and will declare your might, informing all people of your mighty acts and of the glorious splendor of your kingdom. Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom; your rule is for all generations. The Lord is faithful in all his words and gracious in all his actions. The Lord helps all who fall; he raises up all who are oppressed. All eyes look to you, and you give them their food at the proper time. You open your hand and satisfy the desire of every living thing. The Lord is righteous in all his ways and faithful in all his acts. The Lord is near all who call out to him, all who call out to him with integrity. He fulfills the desires of those who fear him; he hears their cry for help and saves them. The Lord guards all those who love him, but he destroys all the wicked. My mouth will declare the Lord’s praise; let every living thing bless his holy name forever and ever.” (Psalms‬ ‭145‬:‭1‬-‭21‬ ‭CSB)

These words are worth meditating on. They are worth reading over and over again. Let them sink into your heart. Let them settle into your soul. Let your mind be shaped by them. Let your actions be inspired by them. Take up the challenge and declare God’s works to the next generation. Speak of His splendor and majesty to everyone you meet. Share His greatness. Offer your testimony. Tell others how good and gracious and loving our God is and how He has compassion on all He has made. Let the hurting know He is near. Let those who have fallen know the Lord is there to help. Let those who seek Him know He will be found. Bless His name day after day after day. This is our call.

Readings for tomorrow: Job 40-42, Psalms 146

The Vastness of God

Readings for today: Job 35-37, Psalms 144

A few years ago, I summited Mt. Sneffels. It’s one of 54 “fourteeners” (peaks rising above 14,000’) in Colorado and is known as the “Queen of the San Juans” because of the amazing views of the surrounding peaks and valleys. Those who know me well know how much I love hiking and climbing. Sneffels was peak number 15 for me and I’ve climbed several others multiple times. None of them are easy. In order to summit a 14er, one has to hit the trail very early. Sometimes before the sun comes up. You typically ascend thousands of feet so your legs take a beating. Sometimes there’s a nice trail, sometimes not. Depending the route, you can be dangerously exposed both to the weather or a potential fall. Many of them are over 10 miles round trip. You race the clock to beat the afternoon storms before they roll in. But the payoff is definitely worth it. Standing on the summit makes you feel like you’re on top of the world.

It’s also makes you feel very small. I think about the words we’ve been reading from Job when I think about my time on Sneffels or any of the 14’ers I’ve been blessed to climb. Words like “Do you know how God directs his clouds or makes their lightning flash? Do you understand how the clouds float, those wonderful works of him who has perfect knowledge? can you help God spread out the skies as hard as a cast metal mirror? Out of the north he comes, shrouded in a golden glow; awesome majesty surrounds him. The Almighty — we cannot reach him — he is exalted in power!” (Job‬ ‭37‬:‭15‬-‭16‬, ‭18‬, ‭22‬-‭23‬ ‭CSB‬‬) I can still see myself in my mind’s eye standing on the summit. It was a picture-perfect day. Not a cloud in the sky. I could see for miles and still my view was so limited. I could not see the foundations of the mountain on which I stood. I could not see to the end of the green valleys that stretched out before me. I could never determine the measurements of peaks that ranged all around. Only God knows these things. He laid the foundations of the earth. He stretched out His line and determined the height of each of the 54 14,000’ peaks as well as the 637 13,000’ peaks and the more than 1,500 12,000’ peaks. God laid the cornerstone for each and every one. He sunk the base of Mt. Sneffels deep into the earth so it would never tremble or fall. Reflecting on His omnipotence as I stood surveying the vastness of His creation took my breath away.

And then God showed me something even greater. As humbled as I was by the creative power of God, I was even more humbled by His righteousness. His holiness. His purity. The chasm that exists between the Triune God in all His splendor and majesty and glory and a weak and ruined sinner like me dwarfs any mountain I could ever climb. No matter how hard I try, I can never ascend to God. No matter how far I walk, I can never draw close to God. No matter how early I rise, there simply isn’t enough time for me to work out my own salvation. Shall someone like me find fault with God? Am I that foolish that I would put God in the wrong so that I might be right? If I am honest, the answer is yes. I am that foolish. In fact, my foolishness knows no bounds. I contend against God daily in thought, word, and deed. I often act as if I know best. I believe down deep that I am the master of my own fate, the captain of my own destiny. And when things go sideways in my life, my first instinct is often to complain to God. To act as I’ve been wronged or put out or somehow unfairly treated. Frankly, I am more than willing to condemn God in order to justify myself.

Thankfully, God isn’t done with me yet and He wasn’t done revealing Himself on top of that mountain. Like the great prophet Isaiah, I know “I am lost; for I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips…” (Isaiah‬ ‭6:5‬ CSB)‬‬ And still God loves me. Tears came to my eyes as I thought about the vastness of God’s love. It is wider than the valleys that lay before me. It is higher than the mountain peaks that surrounded me. It is truly measureless, boundless, infinite in scope. Despite my own limitations, I know there is an end to the earth. Given the right instruments and training, I know I could find the foundations of the mountains. I could stretch out a line across the valleys. I could even weigh the planet on a scale. Not so with God’s love. I cannot fathom it’s reach. I cannot grasp it’s heights or depths, it’s length or it’s breadth. It’s logic escapes me. It’s faithfulness astounds me. There simply is nothing like it in all creation.

Readings for tomorrow: Job 38-39, Psalms 145

Suffering

Readings for today: Job 32-34, Psalms 143

The introduction of Elihu to the narrative represents a turning point in Job. At first glance, Elihu just seems to be piling on. Repeating the same old tired arguments of Job’s friends. But a careful reading of the text reveals a significant shift. Elihu bursts onto the scene declaring his anger at both Job and his three friends. He believes he has something new to offer that has not yet been said. So what is it that Elihu brings to the table? It’s the idea that God allows the righteous to suffer in order to purify and to save. Perhaps the key passage is Job 33:12-30...

“Behold, in this you are not right. I will answer you, for God is greater than man. Why do you contend against him, saying, 'He will answer none of man's words'? For God speaks in one way, and in two, though man does not perceive it. In a dream, in a vision of the night, when deep sleep falls on men, while they slumber on their beds, then he opens the ears of men and terrifies them with warnings...” Remember, they had no Bible. No written records. So the Word of God would come to them in visions and dreams. Why? To punish? To judge? To wound? To destroy? No...”So that God may turn man aside from his deed and conceal pride from a man; he keeps back his soul from the pit, his life from perishing by the sword.” This is deeply significant as it adds a new layer of meaning to the story. God does allow suffering but it’s for our good. He uses suffering to purge the pride from us. The pride Job himself suffers from. Yes, Job is a righteous man. Yes, Job is a blameless man. But Job is also a sinful man. Though he has a heart after God, he is not perfect and God will use his suffering (as we will see at the end of the book) to cleanse the depths of Job’s soul. 

God not only warns us in dreams and visions and through His Word, he also uses our physical pain for our good and for His glory. "Man is also rebuked with pain on his bed and with continual strife in his bones, so that his life loathes bread, and his appetite the choicest food. His flesh is so wasted away that it cannot be seen, and his bones that were not seen stick out. His soul draws near the pit, and his life to those who bring death.” If we follow the logic of Job’s friends - whom Elihu rebukes strongly - we would conclude that those who suffer deserve it. They should go down to death. But that’s not where Elihu lands. His God is not a harsh judge but a faithful, loving Father who delivers His children ultimately from their pain and suffering. “If there be for him an angel, a mediator, one of the thousand, to declare to man what is right for him, and he is merciful to him, and says, 'Deliver him from going down into the pit; I have found a ransom; let his flesh become fresh with youth; let him return to the days of his youthful vigor'; then man prays to God, and he accepts him; he sees his face with a shout of joy, and he restores to man his righteousness. He sings before men and says: 'I sinned and perverted what was right, and it was not repaid to me. He has redeemed my soul from going down into the pit, and my life shall look upon the light.' "Behold, God does all these things, twice, three times, with a man, to bring back his soul from the pit, that he may be lighted with the light of life.” The key phrase being that last sentence. It is God who does all these things for man in order to bring his soul back from the pit, lighted with the light of life. 

This understanding squares with what Christians have said throughout the centuries. Martyrs facing their death without fear. Those who suffer enduring for the sake of something greater.  They understand God is at work even in the middle of their pain. They understand suffering to be part of this broken, ruined, created order. Ultimately, they embrace suffering as part of following Christ who Himself suffered on behalf of all humanity. Viewed from this angle, suffering is hard but good. God using it to bring about His will and His glory while also continuing to sanctify and purify own hearts in the midst of it all. The reality is Job needs to be humbled and indeed will be humbled before the Lord of Hosts. We need to be humbled as well. This is one of the most important lessons from the Book of Job for all of us.

Readings for tomorrow: Job 35-37, Psalms 144

The Search for Wisdom

Readings for today: Job 24-28, Psalms 141

Our world is awash in desire. Enslaved to feelings and emotions. Adrift in an ocean of chaos. How else to explain heartbreaking insanity that passes for truth these days? We reject any kind of sexual boundaries and are shocked when it leads to abuse, objectification, disease, and violence. We reject our bodies and are shocked when it leads to depression, anxiety and suicidal ideation. We selfishly exploit the resources of the earth and are shocked when it leads to pollution and sickness and war. We refuse to repent over past oppressions and are shocked when it leads to ethnic conflict. We refuse to restrain our greed and are shocked when it leads to class warfare on a social and political stage. Our unwillingness and inability to follow the ways of Jesus leads us into all kinds of pain and suffering and heartache which we then turn around and try to pin on God.

Our world is filled with knowledge. We have so much knowledge we literally do not know what to do with it. So much information coming at us from every angle. The average person is inundated with well over a hundred emails every day. Not to mention texts. Phone calls. Social media interactions. A single issue of the New York Times contains more information than a person a hundred or so years ago might have learned in an entire year. The news is relentless. The fake news endless. Technology ubiquitous. We cannot escape. We cannot rest. And what has all this knowledge gained us? Rising rates of depression, anxiety, and suicide. Rising rates of fear, violence, and hate. All this in a world that is demonstrably improving with each passing year. Why? What are we missing? What is the source of our persistent discontent?

Wisdom is the key to fulfillment in life. But, sadly, we simply do not know the path to wisdom or we refuse to take it. Today’s reading from the Book of Job is on point. "Surely there is a mine for silver and a place where gold is refined. Iron is taken from the ground, and copper is smelted from ore. The miner uses a flint tool and turns up ore from the root of the mountains. He cuts out channels in the rocks, and his eyes spot every treasure. He dams up the streams from flowing so that he may bring to light what is hidden. But where can wisdom be found, and where is understanding located? No one can know its value, since it cannot be found in the land of the living.” (Job‬ ‭28‬:‭1‬-‭2‬, ‭9‬-‭13‬ ‭CSB‬‬) Human beings are capable of great things. We climb to the highest mountains. We delve in the depths of the earth. We’ve learned to fly. We’ve explored the bottom of the oceans. We know how to do so very much. But for all our strength and power and knowledge and ability, we have yet to find the path to wisdom. We didn’t find it on the mountaintops. We searched for it in vain in the trenches of the seas. Despite our vast wealth we could not find a vender who sold it.

Only God knows the path to wisdom. Only God knows how to take all of our knowledge and order it in such a way that it leads to blessing and human flourishing. “Where then does wisdom come from, and where is understanding located? It is hidden from the eyes of every living thing and concealed from the birds of the sky. Abaddon and Death say, “We have heard news of it with our ears.” But God understands the way to wisdom, and he knows its location. He said to mankind, “The fear of the Lord—that is wisdom. And to turn from evil is understanding.” (Job‬ ‭28‬:‭20‬-‭23‬, ‭28‬ ‭CSB‬‬) Fear the Lord. Submit to His ways. Surrender to His will. Let Him guide and direct your steps. This is the path to wisdom. God’s promise to those who follow Him is that He will lead us into green pastures and beside still waters. To places of peace where our souls will be restored. Job understands we cannot find these places on our own. We cannot get to these places in our own strength. Our knowledge is simply not enough. We must let God take us by the hand. We must trust God with our lives and our future. We must have faith that He knows best.

Readings for tomorrow: Job 29-31, Psalms 142 (No devotionals on Sundays)