Noise

Readings for today: Luke 10, John 10, 11:1-54

Noise. There’s a lot of it in our lives. From the moment our alarm clocks go off until we finally put down the phone or turn off the television at the end of the night, our lives are full of noise. So many voices. Telling us all kinds of things. Much of it not good for us. The bully at school who tells us we’re worthless. The co-worker who’s so negative all the time. The spouse who badgers or berates us. The child who screams when they don’t get their way. The commercials that tempt us to think life is all about us. The subliminal messages coming through on social media that constantly invite comparison. The news outlets spinning world events to bolster a particular partisan worldview. The proliferation of fake news, gossip, and a rumor mill run wild. And, in the middle of it all, the still small voice of God whispering continually to our hearts.

Can you hear Him? Can you hear His voice? Amidst all the noise and distractions? When was the last time you sat in silence? I mean true silence. No one around. No devices present to distract. No radio. No television. Just you and God sitting in silence together. “My sheep hear my voice…” Perhaps one of the main reasons we struggle so much with our faith is we do not take the time to listen for God’s voice. We expect Him to compete with all the other voices in our lives. Shout them down. Yell over the top of them. We expect Him to make Himself known to us but we refuse to create space in our lives for that to happen. Instead, we expect Him to push His way in. Elbow His way to the front of the line. Then, and only then, will we turn and acknowledge Him.

Jesus doesn’t work that way. There’s a great story from the Old Testament about a man named Elijah. He went out to meet with God. A great storm whipped up. God wasn’t in the storm. A great fire raged. God wasn’t in the fire. A great earthquake shook the very ground. God wasn’t in the earthquake. Then a still small voice. Elijah covered his head. He knew he was hearing the voice of God. “My sheep hear my voice…” Do you want to hear the voice of God?

Making time to listen to God’s voice has looked different at different times in my life. When my kids were younger, I usually waited until the end of the day. After they went to bed. I would sit in my favorite chair in the living room. Nothing on. I would read God’s Word. Meditate. Pray. I’d think back over the events of my day. The people I met. The conversations I had. The work I was able to accomplish. I’d pay close attention to how I experienced each moment. And I’d lay those feelings before the Lord. At this stage in my life, I’ve shifted to early mornings. I sit in my rocking chair in my office, looking out my window at the Front Range. I ponder the day to come. What am I excited about? Nervous about? Who will I be meeting with and how can I serve them? What challenges will I be facing and how do they make me feel? All of these things I simply lay before Lord and ask Him to speak into them. Sometimes He does. Sometimes He simply reaches out and takes my hand. Let’s me know He’ll be with me no matter what.

My sheep hear my voice. I know them. They follow me. There’s nothing more comforting than walking through life with the Good Shepherd at your side.

Readings for tomorrow: Luke 12, 13:1-30

Projections

Readings for today: John 7-9

Good man. False teacher. Criminal. Blasphemer. Prophet. Messiah. Everywhere Jesus went, He caused division. People didn’t know what to make of Him. He defied human categories. He resisted worldly definition. He refused to be squeezed into a box or co-opted for any political, social, or personal agendas. Jesus was perfectly healthy and self-differentiated because He rested secure in His relationship with His Heavenly Father. He knew He came from God and to God He would return. He knew He was here to do His Father’s will and no other. He knew His purpose was to reveal His Father’s glory and that gave Him an otherworldly, even heavenly, authority that could not be denied. Humanity, however, hasn’t stopped trying to remake Him in our own image. We project on Him all our fears and anxieties and dreams and desires. The result is a caricature. A two-dimensional Jesus that bears no resemblance to the one revealed in Scripture.

I see it all the time especially in our current cultural moment. So many are trying to use Jesus to justify their political and social agendas. They cherry pick the verses about Jesus that support their position while conveniently ignoring or explaining away those that don’t fit their narrative. They use the words of Jesus like a club to shame those who don’t disagree with them. They treat Jesus like the ultimate trump card in any debate. They are always trying to claim Jesus is on their side. But here’s the hard truth. Jesus is on His own side. He is the King of kings and Lord of lords. All authority in heaven and earth has been given to Him. He will not rest until every knee bows and every tongues confesses His Lordship over their lives and over the world. He is reigning even now at the right hand of the Father and those who come under His reign transfer their primary allegiance to Him. We belong to a heavenly Kingdom that transcends all the false binaries of our world.

This isn’t an easy road to walk. It makes us aliens and strangers in the kingdoms of this world. It makes us seditious on some level because we will always be working for King Jesus and not for our own clan, tribe, or nation. Just like Jesus defied all earthly categories and resisted human categorization so we will as well. We will find ourselves walking a narrow road between Right and Left, Conservative and Progressive, or any other political/social binaries you can think of. This is not a “middle way” for that suggests compromise and cowardice. This is not some kind of “third way” because that suggests it’s one of many human options. No, it’s a different way altogether. A heavenly way reflecting a heavenly Kingdom. As Jesus said when confronted by Pilate, “My Kingdom is not of this world.” As Jesus prayed to His Father about those who would follow Him, “They are not of the world just as I am not of the world.”

Readings for tomorrow: Luke 10, John 10, 11:1-54

Authority

Readings for today: Matthew 10, 14, Mark 6:7-56, Luke 9:1-17, John 6

“Summoning his twelve disciples, he gave them authority over unclean spirits, to drive them out and to heal every disease and sickness.” (Matthew‬ ‭10‬:‭1‬ ‭CSB‬‬‬)

The gospel is not an idea. It’s not a human philosophy. It’s not a moral code. It is quite literally the power and authority of God. So when we talk about believing the gospel and receiving the gospel and laying hold of the gospel, we are talking about being filled with the literal power and authority of God. And why does God grant us such power and authority? It’s given so that we might fulfill the creation mandate and exercise dominion over all He has made. Jesus gave this power and authority to His disciples. And away they went, proclaiming the good news, casting out demons, healing the sick, and raising the dead. These signs and wonders served to authenticate the message they were preaching. 

I have seen this in action in our world today. In fact, I am in a place right now where such signs and wonders are common. Turns out Jesus is still granting His power and authority to His disciples! It’s one of the major reasons the church in Africa is growing at such an exponential rate. The church planters we support are filled with power as they go forth. They cast out demons. They heal disease. They raise the dead. They survive beatings, stonings, stabbing, shootings, and miraculously recover. I have personally interviewed hundreds of them over the years and have heard their testimonies. I have personally witnessed miracles of healing and resurrection and deliverance from demonic oppression and possession. To see the power of God in action is awe-inspiring to say the least. It brings me to my knees. 

How can we access such power? It’s not complicated. We simply keep the first and greatest commandment. We commit to loving God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength. The more we love God, the more we will serve God. The more we serve God, the more He will equip us for that service. The more we sacrifice for God, the more He will provide for us. The more we relinquish to God, the more He is able to use us. The secret to the power of the disciples in the early church or the disciples in the modern-day African church is their whole-hearted devotion to Christ. They do not try to live a double life. They do not try to have their cake and eat it too. They understand that holding onto the things of this world while laying hold of the world to come will only pull them apart. You cannot have it both ways. You cannot live with a foot in both Kingdoms. You either give yourself fully over to Christ and die to self or you hold onto “Self” and lose your grip on Christ. There is no neutral ground. 

So that brings up a really hard question we all have to face...if we are not experiencing the power and presence of Christ in our lives then it’s highly likely we have allowed some other “love” to gain a foothold. It could be a relationship we can’t live without. A lifestyle we refuse to relinquish. A preferred future we can’t let go of. A dream we won’t let die. It could be a sin we’ve allowed to enslave us. A lie we believe. How does one discern? How do we know? Engage in some healthy, prayerful self-reflection. Look at the life of Christ. What about Him do you find unattractive or unrealistic? Is there anything about what He teaches or how He lived that you find yourself resisting? When you hear His words and see His love, do you find yourself dis-believing on some level? Do you trust the lies of your own heart over the truth Jesus preaches? 

This is where the rubber meets the road in the Christian life. Following Jesus is a lifelong struggle to crucify the flesh with all its sinful desires and allow the Holy Spirit to align us more with Christ. It is a long obedience in the same direction. A marathon not a sprint. It forces us to constantly grapple with our greatest enemy...Self. But here’s the good news! The more the “Self” dies, the more the power of God manifests itself in our lives. The more the power of God manifests itself, the more the “Self” dies. This is the promise of the gospel and it lies within reach of every single person who calls on the name of the Lord! 

Readings for tomorrow: Matthew 15, Mark 7, 8:1-10

Identity

Readings for today: John 3-5

What does it mean to be “born again?” We talk about it in my country like it’s an abstraction. A spiritual rebirth that doesn’t seem to ripple into the rest of our lives. Poll after poll suggests there is no significant difference between the way Christians and non-Christians live. And far too many who claim to be “Christian” seem content to relegate their faith to an occasional Sunday morning experience, if they are part of a church at all. What a contrast to the men and women I meet over here in East Africa! Christians over here often pay a terrible price for their faith. They are persecuted. They are imprisoned. They are tortured. They are killed. Not only that but they often lose jobs and livelihoods. They are ostracized by their communities. Cast out of their families. Following Jesus costs them everything they hold dear.

So why do they do it? Because they are born again. Not of flesh and blood but of water and Spirit. They become a new creation so the old creation no longer holds any attraction for them. Their eyes are opened so why would they close them again? They’ve experienced new life so why would they ever turn back to death? They’ve been given a new identity. One that transcends family, tribe, and nation. They’ve received a new righteousness so why would they ever want to turn back to a life of sin? Like the woman at the well, they have tasted the Living Water. They drink from a fountain that never runs dry. They’ve been healed. They’ve been set free. This is all part of what it means to be born again. It’s what Jesus offered Nicodemus. It’s what Jesus offered the Samaritan woman. It’s what Jesus offers to you and me.

How does one become born again? We place our faith in Jesus Christ. We look to Him for our salvation just as Israel looked to the bronze snake Moses lifted up in the wilderness. We believe Jesus was lifted up on the cross in our place. We believe Jesus paid the penalty for our sins. We believe Jesus satisfied the justice of God. We believe Jesus was judged and condemned for us. All those who believe in Jesus and His saving work will be saved. Will be born again. Will be given eternal life. This is the promise of God.

Readings for tomorrow: Matthew 8:1-4, 9:1-17, 12:1-21, Mark 1:40-45, 2, 3:1-21, Luke 5:12-39, 6:1-19

Hunger

Readings for today: Matthew 4:1-22, 13:54-58, Mark 1:12-20, 6:1-6, Luke 4:1-5:11, John 1:35-2:12

After forty days and nights in the wilderness without food, Jesus was hungry. Such a small, ordinary, and obvious detail. I’ve often wondered why the Gospel writers chose to include it. Perhaps it was to reinforce the humanity of Jesus. Signal to their readers that Jesus suffered from human needs just like the rest of us. The need for rest. The need for food and water. These are points of connection we share with Him. But what if it’s meant to signal something deeper as well? What was Jesus hungry for? Food? He could have provided for Himself by turning stones into bread. Fame and glory? He could have thrown Himself down from the Temple and made a name for Himself. Power? He could have taken over all the kingdoms of this world in an instant.

It had to be tempting. After all, His Father had promised Him all those things and more. Why not reach out and take hold of them? Were they not His by divine right? Of course they were but Jesus was “hungry” for something more. He was hungry for God. He was hungry for His Father’s good pleasure and plan. He was hungry for the Kingdom of God and righteousness. And He knew to accomplish God’s ends through ungodly means would result in failure. Compromising on God’s truth would result in defeat. To give the devil even an inch would result in him taking a mile or more and Jesus would not have it. Why? Because His hunger was more than physical. More than emotional. More than intellectual. It was deep and spiritual and He refused to satisfy it through any other means than what His Father had ordained.

What about you? Do you hunger and thirst for God? Do you hunger and thirst for righteousness? Do you hunger and thirst for the Kingdom of God in your life? How are you satisfying that hunger? Are you turning to the means God has ordained for you? Prayer. Worship. Meditation of God’s Word. Sacrifice. Service. Where is the enemy tempting you right now to satisfy your hunger through ungodly means? Take a look at your schedule or how you spend your money or where your focus tends to be. Is there time devoted to God? Do you give generously to the work of the Lord? Are you focused on others more than yourself?

Readings for tomorrow: No devotionals on Sundays

Repent

Readings for today: Matthew 3, Mark 1:1-11, Luke 3, John 1:15-34

Human beings are a wonder. Truly. Relentless dreamers and visionaries. Hopeful to a fault. Possessed of the most incredible capacities for creativity and industry. It makes no sense. Not on the face of it. After all, our lives are like grass. Here today and gone tomorrow. The world in which we live is brutal and terrifying, filled with all kinds of violence and hate. The amount of pain and suffering we endure is immense. Death stalks us from the moment we’re born. Where do we find the strength to keep going? Why is every generation born with a spark that inevitably flies upwards? The Bible’s answer is clear. It is because we are made in the image of God. Created a little lower than the angels. A little less than divine. God-crowned with a glory and grandeur not our own. Made for an eternal purpose and given a mandate we simply cannot escape, no matter how hard we try.

This is why the message of repentance is such good news. I know we tend to consider “repentance” a bad word. We have a negative reaction every time we hear a preacher say it. And yet think about what the word means. It means a radical turn. A move in the opposite direction. A 180 degree shift in life. It’s a call to turn from death to life. Darkness to light. Despair to hope. Sorrow to joy. Violence to peace. Hate to love. Why in the world would we ever resist such a call? Why in the world would we ever reject such a call? There was a man named John who was sent from God to prepare the way for His Son. He came preaching a singular message. “Repent, for the Kingdom of heaven is at hand.” Thousands responded to his message. They could feel the truth of it in their bones. He tapped something deep inside them, something ancient and eternal. An original spark embedded within us in the Garden of Eden.

Repentance isn’t just about a “turn” but a “return.” A return to our original identity. A return to our original purpose. A return to our original home in the Garden and a recommitment to the original mandate for which we were made. Repentance is a call to stop running from God. Stop fighting with God. Stop hiding from God. Stop rejecting God. It’s a call to come home. Come home to the Father who loves us and adopts us and calls us His own. It’s a call to return from the far country where we have squandered our lives in self-absorbed living. God wants to put an end to our pain and sorrow and suffering. God wants to put an end to violence and hate. God wants to put an end to injustice and oppression and exploitation and corruption. God wants to put an end to sin and death. Repent. Believe the good news. The Kingdom of heaven is at hand.

Readings for tomorrow: Matthew 4:1-22, 13:54-58, Mark 1:12-20, 6:1-6, Luke 4:1-5:11, John 1:35-2:12

Word

Readings for today: John 1:1-3, Psalms 8, 104

Words. Words are important. They are essential to communication. We use words to express ideas, give shape to thoughts, and bring definition to the world around us. We use words to convey meaning and purpose and values. Words have power. The power to hurt and the power to heal. The power to hinder and the power to help. The power to curse and the power to bless. When we use words well, the world around us experiences life and love and joy and peace. When we use words poorly, the world around us experiences death and hatred and grief and violence. Words are critical to understanding our world and our place in it. Words are vital in discerning truth. Words are the key to learning wisdom.

As important as our words are, they are ultimately finite. They are limited. They cannot begin to describe the majesty and glory of our Creator. Our words fail when it comes to describing God. We can use every word that has ever existed in every language throughout human history around the globe and still not scratch the surface of God. He is beyond human words and human expression and human language and human understanding. This is why we need the Word.

Word. The Word is different than human words. The Word is God’s expression of Himself. God’s revelation of Himself. God communicating Himself to us in a language we can understand. Jesus is the Word of God incarnate. The Word of God made flesh and blood. But He has always been the Word. He was present and active at creation, speaking the universe into existence. He was present and active even before creation, existing in eternal fellowship with the Father and the Holy Spirit. One God, Three Persons, Blessed Trinity. In the beginning was the Word. John is deliberately recalling the opening words of Genesis to convey a fundamental truth. The Word is God. The Word is with God. The Word is the Creator God. And all that has come into being was made by Him and through Him.

This is a stunning revelation. Almost all of the creation narratives of the religions of the ancient world involved a great war between good and evil. Good typically wins and dismembers evil, thus creating the world and all that is in it. Creation birthed in conflict. The universe formed by violent processes from the beginning. Much of modern science would agree though they would depersonalize and demythologize it. The Big Bang is a violent explosion that results in a rapid expansion of matter. Stars are formed when molecular clouds collapse under the weight of their own gravity thus creating the conditions for nuclear fusion. When massive stars reach the end of their lives, they can turn into black holes with a gravitational pull so intense nothing can escape, not even light itself. Meteors pummel moons and planets throughout our solar system. Asteroids cruise through the universe primed for collision. It’s not a safe environment at all. So one can understand why the ancients believed what they believed.

This is what makes the creation story in the Bible so remarkable. God speaks the world into existence. God tames the chaos through Word not power. God makes everything good. God sets everything in order. God rests on the seventh day. There is nothing analogous to it in any other religion in the world. It’s one of the many reasons to believe it is divine revelation not human myth. It’s simply not credible to think that any human being or human society would come up with this on their own.

Readings for tomorrow: Genesis 3-5

The Holy Spirit

Readings for today: John 16-18, Psalms 110

Today’s reading introduces us to the Holy Spirit. What some have called the “forgotten member of the Trinity.” Because of the materialistic nature of Western thought and our discomfort with anything supernatural, we often forget the Holy Spirit and the active role He plays in our sanctification and salvation. As Christians, we do not struggle to wrap our minds around the Father. The Creator of heaven and earth. We similarly do not struggle to understand the Son. The Savior of our souls. We do struggle to understand the Spirit. The One who comes to live with us and dwell with us and point us to Christ. And yet, the Spirit is so important! He is the fulfillment of Jesus’ promise that though He would ascend back into heaven, we would not be abandoned. Not left stranded in this world. Doomed to wander as orphans and strangers in this world. 

The Holy Spirit is sent to accomplish several things. First and foremost, He is the Helper. (John 16:7). His role is to encourage and assist believers in following Christ. How does He do this? “When He comes, He will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment:” (John‬ ‭16:8‬ CSB) He operates as the “conscience” in the heart of every believer. He lets us know when we wander and stray. He tells us when we fall outside of God’s will. He brings us back in confession and repentance. He also leads us to righteousness. He doesn’t just show up when we do something wrong, He teaches us what is right and good and holy and pure.  He also reminds us all of God’s final judgment. An assurance for believers and a terror for unbelievers. 

The Holy Spirit also guides us into all truth.  He illumines God’s Word so that we may understand God’s ways more fully and seek to align our lives with Him. He gives us insight to see God’s activity all around us in creation. In the lives of those we love. Even in our own hearts. Sometimes He shows us what’s to come. Gives us a foretaste of heaven or a premonition of the future. Finally, and most importantly, “He will glorify Me, for He will take what is Mine and declare it to you. All that the Father has is Mine; therefore I said that He will take what is Mine and declare it to you.”‭‭ (John‬ ‭16:14-15‬ CSB) The main job of the Holy Spirit is not to draw attention to Himself but to point us to Christ. I think this is one of the reasons He is so often overlooked. He never self-promotes but instead fulfills the will of the Father and the Son to glorify Christ above all things. 

Belief in the Holy Spirit is essential for every Christian. Learning to hear His voice. Tap into His wisdom. Follow His will is what leads us to sanctification. He is the One who makes us more into the image of Christ and surrendering to His will in our daily lives is the essence of what it means to be a disciple.  

Readings for tomorrow: John 19-21, Psalms 111 (No devotionals on Sundays)

Following the Example of Jesus

Readings for today: John 13-15, Psalms 109

I am always struck by the foot-washing episode in John’s Gospel. Jesus taking on the role of a house servant and cleaning the feet of His disciples. He cleans the feet of the men who will abandon Him in the days ahead. The feet of the one who will deny Him three times. The feet of the one who will betray Him. It’s an incredible act of humility. And then Jesus takes it one step further. He commands His disciples to follow His example. It’s why some Christian denominations consider it a sacrament. They practice it regularly. Others practice it on Maundy Thursday which is the night we celebrate the Last Supper every year. Still others may not practice the act itself but they dedicate themselves to lives of service and sacrifice in recognition of what Jesus modeled for us by taking the servant’s role.

Many years ago, I served as a volunteer prison chaplain and led a Bible study on the Book of John. When we got to the foot-washing story, I brought a bucket and some sponges. It was incredible to see the reactions of the inmates. These were men who had become good friends. Men with whom I had shared a lot of life. We knew each other’s stories. I knew the crimes they had committed and they knew of my failures as well. We had been vulnerable with each other. Prayed with each other. Wept with each other. But there was something about washing each other’s feet that made us deeply uncomfortable. In fact, when I first suggested it, the immediate reaction was “no.” As I gently pressed them, tears sprang to their eyes as they nodded their heads. One or two continued to hold out but eventually did give in. Then they washed my feet and I too wept. It was one of the most spiritually intimate experiences of my life.

There is power in emulating Jesus. Power in following in His footsteps. Power in engaging in the same practices He set before us. Listen again to His words and think about what it might mean to put these words into practice in your own life. “So if I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done for you. “Truly I tell you, a servant is not greater than his master, and a messenger is not greater than the one who sent him.” (John‬ ‭13‬:‭14‬-‭16‬ ‭CSB‬‬) Jesus dedicated His life to serving others. Jesus gave up all His rights and privileges in order to stand in solidarity with the least and lost of our world. Jesus sacrificed His life in order to save sinners. And He calls us, as His disciples, to do the same for each other and for those around us. Whose feet can you wash today?

Readings for tomorrow: John 16-18, Psalms 110

Life isn’t Fair

Readings for today: John 11-12, Psalms 108

“Whoever told you life was fair?” If only I had a nickel for every time I heard this phrase from my father growing up. Typically it came when I was complaining about having to do more work than my two younger brothers. I was the oldest so was alway assigned the hardest chores and it didn’t make sense to me. Why didn’t my brothers have to pull their own weight? Why didn’t they have to do as much work as I did? Why couldn’t they help out more especially on the big projects dad always had planned in our backyard? It just didn’t seem fair. Looking back, I can see the lesson dad was trying to teach me. Life isn’t fair. The burdens are not equally spread out nor are the resources. Some face unbelievable challenges while others seem to cruise through life. Some work hard and barely get ahead while others work less and strike it rich. None of us have the same gifts. None of us are given the same opportunities. None of us put in the same amount of effort. So fairness clearly isn’t a value God built into the system.

Perhaps that’s what John was getting at when he summed up the fickle nature of human faith in John 12:39-40 CSB, "This is why they were unable to believe, because Isaiah also said: He has blinded their eyes and hardened their hearts, so that they would not see with their eyes or understand with their hearts, and turn, and I would heal them.” I know those are not easy words to hear. That doesn’t seem very fair. How is it that God would choose some and not others? How is it that God would open the eyes of some and not others? How is it God would regenerate some hearts and not others? How is it that God would actively blind eyes and harden hearts to the message of the gospel? I will not pretend to probe the mysteries of divine election in this post. Nor will I seek to untangle the Gordian knot of predestination vs. free will. I imagine that debate will last until Jesus’ return. Perhaps even beyond. It is not given to us to understand these things, only to accept them. And this is where our faith is put to the test. Do we believe God is good? Do we believe God is wise? Do we believe God is true? Do we believe God has a plan? Do we believe God is worthy? Do we believe God is righteous? All these things are called into question the very moment we read verses like these and think to ourselves “this doesn’t seem fair.”

It is a dangerous thing to question the nature and character of God. It is a fearful thing for the clay to say to the Potter, why have you made me thus? It is arrogant to demand God give an account to us or answer to our flawed notions of justice or meet our democratic standards of fairness. This is where growing up in America where our leaders must answer to the will of the people hurts us. Our cultural context works against us as we read. God is no democratically elected leader. He is our King. Our Lord. Our Sovereign. He created the universe and all that is in it. We are dust. We are ashes. We are nothing and it is only because God has decided to set His love on us that we are worth anything at all. It is only because God decided to make us in His image that we have dignity and honor. But these things are not our own! They are conveyed to us by God Himself for His own mysterious purposes.

So what if God – desiring to make known His power and reveal His glory – decided to make some vessels for honor and some for dishonor? What if God – desiring to make known His justice and righteousness – raises up some for glory and others for destruction? Does this make God unjust? Does this make God unfair? Does this call into question God’s goodness and righteousness? If we are honest, there can be only one answer. What right do we – created beings one and all – have to question our Creator? As the Apostle Paul says, “What right does the clay have to question the Potter?”

Here is where the rubber meets the road when we talk about surrender. We are called to lay it all in His hands. We give it all to Him. He alone is worthy of all glory and honor and power because He stands outside time and space and creation. He is far removed from any of our human notions of justice and righteousness. He does not answer to His creation. Furthermore, humility demands that we accept the fact that He sees far more than any of us do. He has an eternal perspective we cannot grasp. His wisdom is infinite and His knowledge without end. What seems paradoxical to us is logical to Him. What seems contradictory to us makes perfect sense for Him. What seems impossible to us is well within the bounds of His authority and rule and reign.

Readings for tomorrow: John 13-15, Psalms 109

Blindness

Readings for today: John 9-10, Psalms 107

Who is the one who is blind? The one who cannot physically see or the one who cannot spiritually see? In John 9, we have a record of Jesus healing all kinds of blindness. The cultural blindness of the disciples who believed in a closed world of cause and effect. Every physical ailment or illness or disability was a punishment for sin. Either the individual sinned and deserved it or their parents sinned and the judgment was passed down a generation. Then there is the spiritual blindness of the Pharisees who missed the forest for the trees when it came to the ministry of Jesus. Because they couldn’t “see” beyond their own legalism, they couldn’t rejoice with the man who was healed. Instead, they criticized Jesus for breaking the Sabbath and declared He must not be from God. Finally, there is the physical blindness of the man himself. A man who had not been able to see from birth. Jesus’ healing comes in two different stages for him. First, there is the healing of his eyes. Second, there is the healing of his soul. In the first case, it was a combination of mud, a ritual washing, and the power of Jesus who gave him his sight. In the second case, it was the power of faith given to him by the Holy Spirit that brought him salvation.

All of us suffer from blindness on some level. It may be physical. It may be mental or emotional. It may be spiritual. All of us need the healing power of Jesus in our lives to give us back our sight. I have personally witnessed and spoken with those who have been healed from physical blindness. It’s incredible to watch them see for the first time in a long time. I have personally witnessed and spoken with those who have been healed mentally or emotionally through prayer, medication, therapy, forgiveness, and reconciliation. It’s incredible to see their burdens lifted and the freedom they experience. I’ve personally witnessed and spoken with those who have been healed spiritually through the regenerating power of the Holy Spirit. There is nothing better than seeing someone come to saving faith in Jesus Christ!

Where do you find yourself today? What kind of healing do you need in your life? Where do you need Jesus to restore your sight? Pray to Him! Ask Him! He will answer. He will open your eyes in ways you cannot begin to imagine so that you may bear witness to His glory.

Readings for tomorrow: John 11-12, Psalms 108

No Condemnation

Readings for today: John 7-8, Psalms 106

We’ve all probably heard the phrase, “Love the sinner, hate the sin.” I don’t know about you but I have not found it all that helpful. First of all, those who do not believe are not convinced they are “sinners” and tend to resent the moniker. Second, it’s really hard to do. Separating one’s behavior from one’s identity is growing more and more difficult in our world. In fact, there are many who would argue it is impossible. And yet Jesus seemed to do it.  

The beginning of John 8 is a famous story. Maybe one of the most famous in all of Scripture. And though it’s origin is questionable - it doesn’t appear in the earliest and best manuscripts - it just sounds like Jesus so we tend to keep it in. A woman caught in the very act of adultery is brought before Jesus. The Pharisees and teachers of the law are almost gleeful in their condemnation. They can’t wait to pick up the first stone. They throw her down before Him, pretty convinced He will have mercy which in turn will allow them to accuse Him of breaking the Law. Of course, anyone familiar with the Law can already see the problems. If they caught this woman in the act, where is the man? According to Leviticus 20:10 both parties deserve the death penalty. Perhaps that’s what Jesus is writing in the dust? If they caught her in the act, why have they not carried out her punishment? The Law is clear. Perhaps it’s because they don’t really care about her crime but are far more concerned with trapping Jesus? 

Then Jesus does this extraordinary thing. He puts the onus back on them. “Let the one who is without sin cast the first stone.” He hasn’t condemned her nor has He affirmed her. He hasn’t condemned the Pharisees nor has He affirmed them. Instead, Jesus brilliantly lobs the ball back in their court and forces them to make their own decision. The Pharisees put down their stones and slowly walk away. The woman is left all alone, prompting this famous exchange. “Woman, has no one condemned you?” “No one, Lord.” “Nor do I condemn you. Go and sin no more.” 

I simply love this about Jesus. He accepts people for who they are but loves them too much to leave them there. He meets us right where we are, takes us by the hand, and leads us to a better place. He accepts us, warts and all, without affirming our sin. To the Pharisee, he says, “Are you really without sin?” To those caught in sin, he says, “I do not condemn you.” And to both, he says, “Go and sin no more.” 

As Christians, there is a lot in this world we simply cannot affirm. Changing attitudes in gender and sexuality. Abortion on demand. Racism and sexual abuse. Deceit and falsehood. Anger and hate. These things are not of God and yet so many embrace them. Defend them. Use them as means to another end. The answer cannot be rejection. Jesus simply will not allow us to walk away from anyone, including our enemies. So we must find a way - as Jesus found a way - to accept people for who they are without affirming their beliefs, attitudes, or behaviors. Thankfully, this is the heart of the gospel. While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. While we were enemies of God, Christ made peace with us. While we were pushing Him away, Christ embraced us. May the Spirit give us the courage to do the same!

Readings for tomorrow: John 9-10, Psalms 107

What does Jesus offer?

Readings for today: John 5-6, Psalms 105

The healing of the blind man at Bethesda is an amazing miracle. So is feeding the five thousand. So is walking on water. So are the many, many miracles Jesus performs over the course of His ministry. But what about the “large number” of disabled who also lay by the pool of Bethesda? Did they not long to be healed? What about the multitudes who went hungry every night in Palestine in the first century? Did they not long to be fed? What about the other boats on the water that night in Galilee? Did they too not want to survive the storm? These are important questions. They force us to ponder the purpose for which Jesus came. Was it to heal? Was it to feed? Was it to calm the storms in the world?

Jesus comes to give us eternal life. “Truly I tell you, anyone who hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not come under judgment but has passed from death to life.” (John‬ ‭5‬:‭24‬ ‭CSB‬‬) This is the work He was charged by His Father to do. It is the work of the Kingdom and the miracles He performed are only signs pointing to that larger reality. They are not ends in themselves. They are not the goal. After all, the man who was healed at Bethesda will get sick again. The five thousand who were fed that day in Galilee will be hungry again. The disciples who endured the storm on the Sea of Galilee will find themselves going through more storms in the years ahead. No, what Jesus has to offer is far more eternal, far more enduring, far more lasting. It is a life that never ends in a Kingdom that never ends celebrating a glory that never ends. The glory of the Father as it is fully revealed in the Son. Those who believe in Jesus receive this gift and their lives begin to transcend the boundaries of this world. The horizons of their lives are now set much higher, much further than any here on earth. And because they live with the Kingdom of Jesus fully in view, the things of this earth just don’t hold the allure they once did.

Imagine being free from the fear of disease. Imagine being free from the fear of hunger. Imagine being free from the fear of any storm that might come your way. This is the freedom Jesus comes to offer. This is the freedom we can have when we place our faith in Him and become part of His people. It’s a freedom we can experience in this life as we love and serve others the way He loves and serves us.

Readings for tomorrow: John 7-8, Psalms 106

The Call of the Christian

Readings for today: Psalm 106, John 1:4-14

I love how the Message version of the Bible describes the call of John the Baptist. “There once was a man, his name John, sent by God to point out the way to the Life-Light. He came to show everyone where to look, who to believe in. John was not himself the Light; he was there to show the way to the Light.” (John‬ ‭1‬:‭6‬-‭8‬ ‭MSG‬‬) John was not the Light. He was not the Christ. He was not the Messiah. As he himself will say later on, he isn’t even worthy to untie the Messiah’s sandals. John was simply a man. A man called to point the way to Jesus. A man called to prepare the way for Jesus. And there was no greater man born of a woman, Jesus says, than John the Baptist.

In a very real way, all Christians are called to be like John the Baptist. We inherit his mantle. We are called to point out the way to the Life-Light. We are called to show everyone where to look and who to believe in. We are not the Light. We are the little lights that reflect the greater light. We are like the moon that reflects the light of the sun. We don’t have light in and of ourselves. Our light comes from the presence of Christ living inside us. Our light comes from the treasure of the gospel which is deposited within us. As we live authentically and fully and completely for Jesus, the world catches yet another glimpse of the “Word become flesh” and the “one of a kind glory” which He reveals in and through us.

The Apostle John makes it clear that without the Light, the world is consigned to darkness. Without the Light, the world dwells in deep darkness with no hope of escape. Without the Light, the world is doomed to live in eternal night and this is what makes our calling so important. The world needs us to embrace our calling to be the light of Jesus in the world. To reflect His glory. To live the way He lived. To love the way He loved. To serve the way He served. As I heard a good friend of mine preach this past weekend, “It’s not enough to know what Jesus knows, we must become who He is.” Our hearts must be transformed. The image of God renewed and restored by His grace and power at work within us. We must become living, breathing, flesh and blood reflections of Jesus in the world. Only then will the world find hope. Only then will the unbelieving world find faith.

Only Christ can offer the Light we so desperately need. Listen again to how the Apostle John describes it, “The Life-Light was the real thing: Every person entering Life he brings into Light. He was in the world, the world was there through him, and yet the world didn’t even notice. He came to his own people, but they didn’t want him. But whoever did want him, who believed he was who he claimed and would do what he said, He made to be their true selves, their child-of-God selves. These are the God-begotten, not blood-begotten, not flesh-begotten, not sex-begotten.” (John‬ ‭1‬:‭9‬-‭13‬ ‭MSG‬‬) Friends, we are the “God-begotten!” The Born Again! The New Creation! May we live and move and have our being in Him.

Readings for tomorrow: Matthew 1, Luke 1:1-2:38