Month: April 2024

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Tension between justice and mercy.

Reading Time: 3 minutes

Jesus went into the synagogue again and noticed a man with a deformed hand. Since it was the Sabbath, Jesus’ enemies watched him closely. If he healed the man’s hand, they planned to accuse him of working on the Sabbath. Jesus said to the man with the deformed hand, “Come and stand in front of everyone.” Then he turned to his critics and asked, “Does the law permit good deeds on the Sabbath, or is it a day for doing evil? Is this a day to save life or to destroy it?” But they wouldn’t answer him. He looked around at them angrily and was deeply saddened by their hard hearts. Then he said to the man, “Hold out your hand.” So the man held out his hand, and it was restored! At once the Pharisees went away and met with the supporters of Herod to plot how to kill Jesus. Mark‬ ‭3‬:‭1‬-‭6‬ ‭NLT‬‬

I have written about the struggles with Jesus and the religious leaders before in other posts. The Jewish leaders, over centuries of silence from God, just continued to add layers of laws to God’s 10 and the additional societal/health codes God commanded the Israelites to live by to keep them safe and prosperous.

The Sabbath seemed to be one of the favorite laws to drill down on in a policy/procedure kind of way. Chabad.org list three categories: Basic Rules, Muktzeh Rules (forbidden objects to move), and Carrying Rules. There’s even a handy little chart for their 39 Melachos list – https://bit.ly/melachos. These and many others, became more than just impossible to fulfill, but they missed or drifted from God’s intent. God intended that His people rest! God still intends for us to rest.

The clash became a serious religious offense in Jesus’ day. And in the perfectionistic pursuit of the keeping their interpretation of God’s Law, they chose policy over personhood. Jesus made it abundantly clear about God’s intent – Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. The Sabbath serves the need for rest, but in that rest, humans were never to be held to serving that law. In the process of finding more legal minutiae, they lost the heart of God and to some degree, the heart of the Law. Namely mercy.

The religious system became so litigious, so loophole-crazy that it only served to pile on MORE work instead of relieving it! The result; harsh treatment for everyone, especially the poor, sick and needy. Isn’t that the way it goes? The deeper the detail of additional laws and the responsibility of keeping them, the more the socioeconomic/sociopolitical the whole system becomes. The rich either pay their way out or find a loophole around the law itself! The poor do not have the resources, time or ability to create their own loophole so they just continue to be lawbreakers.

Jesus cut right through all the ridiculous, add-ons of the original law – GET REST, and healed the suffering man with a withered hand! And remember, Jesus did not violate the Sabbath Law at any point! He only irritated the religious police/lawyers who were committed to bust lawbreakers with no thought to God’s intent, and no longer able to access the mercy of God. You can hear the religious leader’s defense, “I don’t make the laws, I only keep them!” Sound familiar?

As humans, we still do the same thing that the Pharisees did. We look for breaches in the law, try to fix it with policy-patches and then feel justified in arresting or fining the lawbreaker. The tragedy is that these men, who supposedly worked for God, knew nothing about their boss’s true nature and intent. And they lived a life without mercy. Justice and mercy will always be in tension and God is the only one who can truly have both!

Prayer

Dad,
Where would I be without your mercy? I would collapse under the weight of my own sin, my own deterministic decisions. I deserve the consequences of my behaviors, yet you have provided the way of forgiveness and erased my debt. How can I not, in turn, see others through eyes of mercy, and forgive them as well? Thank you for a fresh deposit of your mercy each morning. Amen.

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Sophisticated Idols.

Reading Time: 3 minutes

The idols of the nations are merely things of silver and gold, shaped by human hands. They have mouths but cannot speak, and eyes but cannot see. They have ears but cannot hear, and mouths but cannot breathe. And those who make idols are just like them, as are all who trust in them. ‭‭Psalms‬ ‭135‬:‭15‬-‭18‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Many of today’s idols are still fashioned and formed by human hands. I see them in person or in pictures of places around the world. They stand or sit as statues. They hang from car mirrors or are positioned on stands or small niches on the houses in my neighborhood. I see them prominently and boldly greeting me at some restaurants and stores. I see their brightly colored adornments and painted eyes looking at me with a steely stare.

These are the common, well known idols that have existed for thousands of years. And, just as the Psalmist declared back then, they STILL have mouths, eyes and ears! They are just as silent today as they were in antiquity. People pray to them, talk to them, and many still leave gifts of food or money, tokens of gratitude or bribes to winsomely stay in good standing. You don’t want these statues to decide to curse you rather than bless you. This kind of idolatry is alive and well even today. And, someone is making a fortune selling them!

But oh, these hand-fashioned, or machine-made creations are not the idols of the “enlightened.” No, no, no… the “new” ones are not physical at all – they are spiritual beings, which of course means that they may not have mouths, eyes and ears, but they most certainly speak, watch and listen. Yes, these sophisticated idols are of the dark realms, ordered about and orchestrated by the evil one, the liar, thief and enemy of humankind – Satan. These neo-idols do not require tangible gifts or sacrifices left at their ethereal feet, they desire something much more valuable to us. They require your allegiance and your soul!

They whisper lies and manipulate human desires to not only dissuade people from believing in God but to convince humans to believe in themselves as their own god! These idols aren’t hiding behind plaster or plastic statues, they are openly and defiantly leading folks to follow their own truth, whatever their heart wants. With promises of riches, power, position or fame, they offer more than just protection. They gleefully offer an alternative to the mean, vindictive, judgmental, unfair, unjust, singular path God! It’s insidiously popular to simply convince humans that there are in fact “other” gods. There’s a choice, an option – no need to believe in a one true God. Their smooth, subtle whispers to just try it out, just sample their agenda, their options, their ways. Go ahead, these idols say, take a peek, open that door. Eat the forbidden fruit; they promise you’ll love it. And they can get you more of it, anytime you want.

Solomon, the ancient wealthy and wisest human ever, wrote this in Proverbs 14:12, “There is a way that appears to be right, but in the end it leads to death.” Beware the sophisticated idols, they are even more dangerous than statues.

Prayer

Dad,
It is so clear that there is a battle for the human soul. Even though we were created in perfection, with the capacity and capability of choosing to disobey and do what we want, you still love us. You still fight for us, for what is best for us. I am so thankful you continue to pursue the human heart – even at its most rebellious stage, you died for us! May your light and love continue to penetrate the darkness and disordered desires of our soul. Amen.

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Serving a life sentence.

Reading Time: 3 minutes

I am writing to you, dear children, because your sins have been forgiven on account of his name. I am writing to you, fathers, because you know him who is from the beginning. I am writing to you, young men, because you have overcome the evil one. I write to you, dear children, because you know the Father. I write to you, fathers, because you know him who is from the beginning. I write to you, young men, because you are strong, and the word of God lives in you, and you have overcome the evil one. 1 John‬ ‭2‬:‭12‬-‭14‬ ‭NIV‬‬

The Apostle John does an amazing job, transitioning from a journalist for Jesus to a hard hitting, truth telling, author. He even becomes a powerful prophetic voice, miraculously beating death, then recording the apocalyptic book of Revelation! As a highly respected Apostle, mentor and elder statesman of the Church, his letters are both gentle, but fiercely poignant! I would say this, when looking at all the teachings, miracles and behaviors of Jesus, John becomes the best first step of not just interpreting Jesus’ ways, but of understanding the motives of God. John’s letters are also the best way to answer the question, “how then shall we live?”

Here in these verses John breaks down the audience of the very young in faith, the “teknion,” little child. The elders of faith, “patér,” a father, or senior. And, the youth of faith, “neaniskos,” a young man or youth. These groupings possibly identifying the simple stages or maturity levels of those who walk with Jesus.

To the young, understanding the beauty and power that God’s forgiveness of sin has on us as we look at our past. Even though we still sin, the freedom to see ourselves as new creatures, is vital for us to move forward in our faith.

To the elder, the mature, to “ginóskó,” to come to know, recognize from first hand experience who God is, has always been and always will be. This is a steady, unwavering faith, that rides the swells of tumultuous moments and of time, where doubt can cripple our faith later in life.

To the youth, who’s faith MUST “nikaó,” to conquer, prevail and subdue the “ponéros,” evil, wicked, pain-ridden, malicious, slothful seasons of attacks, traps and pitfalls of life. This conquering is a quest of a cool Greek root word, “niké,” victory!

These phases or seasons of life are such a powerful story of how one should determine to live their whole life as a solid follower of Christ. From babes to mature, from milk to meat, as the Apostle Paul puts it. Each season has its own battles, its own victories. These letters John writes are for encouraging and admonishing us to move from childish to full stature adults in being formed into the image of Christ Jesus. Each season can bring a person’s faith down. Each one has its own challenges and opportunities. Yet, with Christ we can, every one of us, be more than conquerors! There seems to be so many who have “fallen away,” “deconstructed,” or just chosen to walk away from the grace of God. I know it’s not easy to live a whole life of unwavering faith, but I am determined, despite my sin, distractions or doubts. I will serve and follow God all the way to the very end of this life! I am serving a life sentence of FAITH!

Prayer

Dad,
I am so thankful for the men who gave their lives for the continuation of the gospel. What a supernatural, providential gift this has been for all of us, eons later. I absolutely love Your Word! I fell in love with you first but immediately discovered that to know You, I had to know Your Word. It is truly eternal and life changing. I am yours to the very end!

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A contest of wills.

Reading Time: 3 minutes

Then Nebuchadnezzar said, “Praise to the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego! He sent his angel to rescue his servants who trusted in him. They defied the king’s command and were willing to die rather than serve or worship any god except their own God. Therefore, I make this decree: If any people, whatever their race or nation or language, speak a word against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, they will be torn limb from limb, and their houses will be turned into heaps of rubble. There is no other god who can rescue like this!” ‭‭Daniel‬ ‭3‬:‭28‬-‭29‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Of course the story of the three Hebrew young men defying the Babylonian king stands out as the epitome of peaceful resistance. Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah had set their minds and hearts on obeying God, so if a moral or ethical dilemma were to arise, they were already prepared to make that choice.

However, there is another major character in this story, the Babylonian king. He believed he was all powerful and could command whatever he wanted and it would be fulfilled. Jeremiah paints Nebuchadnezzar as a cruel enemy, but also as God’s appointed ruler of the world and a divine instrument to punish disobedience. Finding a willing narcissist to “rule” the world has never been difficult. It’s finding one that doesn’t let all of it go to their head and destroy everything – that’s the issue.

Several global leaders have risen and mistakenly believed that they were a god, unstoppable and without resistance. How God deals with Nebuchadnezzar is just as much a part of the story as the Hebrew young men! This story wasn’t really about the young men’s faith or courage, it was about God showing both the power to discipline those he loves as well as rescue those he loves. I imagine there have been thousands upon thousands of young and old men or young and old women, who have declared the same thing as Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. Yet they were not spared! And, each one chose the alternative ending, “But even if he doesn’t [save us]…we will never serve your gods or worship the gold statue you have set up.”

The contest of wills between maniacal leaders and God is all just bravado from men who believe they are in control. Daniel explained a dream that predicted the king would go insane for seven years, live in the fields like an animal, with long hair and fingernails, and eat grass. That’s exactly what happened! For a second time Nebuchadnezzar believed in the one true God, but it did not last.

Oddly enough, Nebuchadnezzar’s legacy, think antichrist, continues to offer a bizarre hope in his return. In the 1980’s Saddam Hussein started rebuilding Babylon, insinuating that he was the ancient king, returning to rule the world. In 2019, Vegas has even built gigantic Nebuchadnezzar statue, not so subtlety, declaring Vegas as the new Babylonian playground. The contest of wills between God and hubris humankind lives on. My bet is on God – He never loses.

Prayer

Dad,
If all this weren’t so incredibly sad and heartbreaking, it would be such a dark comedy! It is disturbing that we have the human capacity to bypass You, in hopes of any other possibility of saving us. There is such a desperation to search, such an expensive endeavor to seek a solution that avoids the one and only way to God – through Jesus. These demigods, these global fakes and antichrists, are just world class con artists! We need you so desperately! Pour out your Spirit once again on the earth. Breathe a fresh wind of mercy and grace before we destroy ourselves completely. Help us to see. Remove the blinders from our eyes to see and believe! Amen.

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Picking your own perfection.

Reading Time: 4 minutes

One Sabbath day as Jesus was walking through some grainfields, his disciples began breaking off heads of grain to eat. But the Pharisees said to Jesus, “Look, why are they breaking the law by harvesting grain on the Sabbath?” Jesus said to them, “Haven’t you ever read in the Scriptures what David did when he and his companions were hungry? He went into the house of God (during the days when Abiathar was high priest) and broke the law by eating the sacred loaves of bread that only the priests are allowed to eat. He also gave some to his companions.” Then Jesus said to them, “The Sabbath was made to meet the needs of people, and not people to meet the requirements of the Sabbath. So the Son of Man is Lord, even over the Sabbath!” ‭‭Mark‬ ‭2‬:‭23‬-‭28‬ ‭NLT‬‬

It would be interesting to have a list of the stories where Jesus tangled with the Pharisees and religious leaders specifically over breaking the Old Testament Laws of God.

Way back before God gave Israel the Ten Commandments, God instructed Moses to appoint 70 elders. God told Moses, these guys were specifically given to “bear the burden of the people,” you know, the needs, questions and constant complaints that people bring to leaders. And, God promised to take some of the Spirit on Moses and give it to these elders, kind of a Spirit-share program (‭‭Numbers‬ ‭11‬:‭16‬-‭17‬). Fast forward all the way to the New Testament, where we find those 70 elders then made up what was called the Sanhedrin. I’m not sure the promised “Spirit-shared” part came with this group throughout history. Combine this with the fact that after Israel returned from Captivity, the spiritual leadership (elders and priests) had seriously fallen apart because of years of idolatry, abuse of kingly appointed power and a general deterioration of true spiritual living. Even the Prophets would cease to exist.

Through Ezra the Scribe, a school for scribes was established. This from Chabad.org, “Ezra was born in Babylon, like many of the other great leaders, patriots and sages which the Jewish community in exile had produced. By profession he was a scribe; he used to write scrolls of the Torah, which he knew so well. Ezra was also a priest, a member of the priestly family of Aaron.” The construct of these socio-spiritual-political leaders would form the basis of the New Testament leadership that had many confrontational episodes with Jesus.

But policing the law would be more difficult than anyone would imagine. The “law” had exponentially expanded well beyond anyone’s capacity to keep it. It went from 10 Laws to 613 rules concerning the details of how to behave towards God and others. The 613 are basically rules on what to do when things go right, but also when they go wrong – 248 Positive Commandments (do’s) and 365 Negative Commandments (do not’s). But wait, there’s MORE! To make sure they followed every possible exception to the rules, they ended up with thousands of rules to legislate the original rules. There are even hundreds of “fence laws,” called “Eruv,” all dictating how to “legally” break the Sabbath!

Suffice it to say, managing these rules upon rules took up a lot of time and resources. The sad part is that by the time of Jesus, these rules had become so complicated they clouded the original intent of God’s plan. The average person just gave up trying to figure out how to please God. In fact, there was no real way to keep all the laws, therefore, no one could make God happy!

Because Jesus had a growing number of people talking about him and following him when he and his disciples came into town, the religious police/leaders felt it was their duty to confront him on his not-so-orthodox approach to their interpretation of the law. They had people watching and waiting for him, so the religious authorities could catch him in the act.

Of course there were plenty of opportunities! The Sabbath was the lightning rod of sacred confrontations. The Sabbath would be the low-hanging fruit because it would take place weekly and it was very noticeable if individuals were not keeping the expansive interpretation of the original Exodus 20:8, “Remember to observe the Sabbath day by keeping it holy.” Modern orthodox Jews even consider switching on or off an electric light a violation of the Sabbath because it “kindles or extinguishes a fire.”

Jesus loved breaking the additional human traditions because it allowed him to speak to the nonsense of our constant, nonsensical need to add to God’s law, thus proving our holiness or worthiness. FYI, Jesus was technically NOT breaking the Sabbath law because there is a huge difference between “harvesting,” grain – ie: WORK and “picking” food for a snack.

I wonder how much “church hurt” has been caused by people extending and adding to God’s intent for good, healthy behaviors into something restrictive and legalistic? Just think about all the hat, hair, pants and tattoo conversations! As long as I have a solid list of “do’s and don’ts,” I can depend on them instead of the righteousness that can only come through believing and trusting in Christ’s perfection for me.

Prayer

Dad,
I don’t know how folks have time to observe or monitor everyone else’s “supposed” sins, when we have so many of our own! I can barely keep up with my own shortcomings and failures – let alone track someone else’s. Help us God! Help me to not just think more like Jesus, but behave like him towards others. I have no desire to be the religious police, shaking down other’s sins! Let your grace and mercy continue to push against my tendencies to judge others. And, thank you for your perfection when you see me through the righteousness of Jesus.

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Keystone of purpose.

Reading Time: 3 minutes

The stone that the builders rejected has now become the cornerstone. This is the Lord’s doing, and it is wonderful to see. This is the day the Lord has made. We will rejoice and be glad in it. Please, Lord, please save us. Please, Lord, please give us success. ‭‭Psalms‬ ‭118‬:‭22‬-‭25‬ ‭NLT‬‬

In the Psalms, there is a lot of reference and reflection on the daily activities during those ancient days. So, in these songs, that means there is quite a bit of time spent on conflicts in relationships, or over land and even buildings. There are numerous references to war. Also, family and relationship dynamics all in a “kingdom” motif. And if human struggles weren’t enough, there was also the pressure to gain and keep land, as well as build forts, castles, temples, along with walls and intricate systems to protect cities.

At first, I thought about how difficult it must have been to get, keep and maintain both relationships and structures back then. Then I realized, we do similar today. There are still massive relationship struggles, some are power based, some just dealing with position, or betrayal. And, we may not all be dictators, leaders, presidents or monarchs, but we all have a place in society, all have some sense of responsibility and desire to move upward in power, position or even purpose. So, although we don’t currently speak in terms of war, subterfuge or kingdom maintenance, we all still struggle with human relationships and our plot of dirt, owned, rented or leased.

When Nathan is chastising King David and restoring him after repentance, David writes this Psalm bemoaning the difficulty in leading even after conquering all those who sought to take his kingdom, and capturing Jerusalem itself. In all this, David prophetically speaks of this special stone that goes in the foundation and becomes the most important structural piece of the entire building. The cornerstone. It wasn’t just a ceremonial brouhaha, like the picturesque shovel-shot when construction begins. No, it was the first stone set in the construction of a masonry foundation. All other stones will be set in reference to this stone, thus determining the position of the entire structure. It was both physically and metaphorically important to get it right.

Here David, somewhat referring to himself as the rags-to-riches, shepherd to sovereign story, sets the unusual significance of the moment. No one expected a field boy to become the critical component for the nation’s success! But this phrase, “stone that the builders rejected” became the prophetic picture of Christ. The normal, if not below average guy from Nazareth, who would become the anchor, THE cornerstone. The reference by which all human beings since the beginning of time would be placed in this world determined by Jesus.

Our lives, our future is not determined by accident, nor by our whim or choice. Our purpose is not discovered, nor achieved by just throwing a stone into a building, wherever we feel like it may fit. Our stone, our life, our mark is made in direct positioning to Christ and where God determines where we should be placed. Our absolute joy and purpose is only found, can only be found, in position to where Christ is, as the keystone of all humanity.

Prayer

Dad,
I may not completely understand the architectural necessity and meaning of the cornerstone, but I do understand my place according to who Christ is! I have found not just who I belong to, but also where I belong in this life and the Kingdom of God. I have been placed for a purpose! I gladly serve at your good pleasure. Lead me, use me wherever you see fit. I am thankful to submit to all that you have for me. Amen.

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Handmade by God.

Reading Time: 2 minutes

Then God said, “Let us make human beings in our image, to be like us. They will reign over the fish in the sea, the birds in the sky, the livestock, all the wild animals on the earth, and the small animals that scurry along the ground.” So God created human beings in his own image. In the image of God he created them; male and female he created them. Genesis‬ ‭1‬:‭26‬-‭27‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Several verses start with the powerful words, “God said…”

God said (’ĕ·lō·hîm way·yō·mer, amar: to utter, say).

God spoke:

  • And light existed out of nothing.
  • And a divide separated sea from sky. And the water (qavah: wait) or collected.
  • And vegetation, fruit and trees (min: kind, species) according to their own kind.
  • And in the (raqia: expanse) let (maor: a luminary) light appear, one smaller one to govern the night, and a larger one to govern the day.
  • And living creatures (chay: age, ne·p̄eš: living being) in the waters and the sky. Even great sea creatures (tannin: serpent, dragon, sea monster), all according to their kind (lə·mî·nê·hem).
  • And every sort of animal (chay, ne·p̄eš – living being) beast (wə·ḥay·ṯōw), creeping things (wā·re·meś), cattle (bə·hê·māh) all according to their kind (lə·mî·nāh).

But in verse 26 God said something different.

God said let us make…(na·‘ă·śeh). Let us make mankind (adam: man, mankind) in our image (bə·ṣal·mê·nū, tselem). All the other things God created, He spoke into existence. Then when it comes to humans, God fashions, makes us. As humans, we are exclusively different than all other creatures.

“The soul is first, in God’s image. This, as suggesting an external likeness, may refer to man’s reason, free-will, self-consciousness, and so on. But it is, secondly, in God’s likeness, which implies something closer and more inward. It refers to man’s moral powers, and especially to his capacity of attaining unto holiness.” But the third characteristic is dominion – having both authority and responsibility for all the rest of creation. Finally, it is God that determined the two physical differences between them – male (zakar) and female (neqebah) He created them.

I love the picture in Genesis 2:7, Then the Lord God formed the man from the dust of the ground. He breathed the breath of life into the man’s nostrils, and man became a living person. God (yatsar: to form, fashion) formed us out of the dust (aphar: dry earth, dust) and breathed (neshamah: breath) into his nostrils, the breath of life, and man became a living soul (nephesh: a soul).

Everything God created is good, but we are very good because we bear God’s image.

Prayer

Dad,
This who idea of we are, who made us, is so important when we are searching for meaning in our lives. I would think this makes the quest for answers so much easier. I would never really had a chance to discover purpose or even a future if you had not found me and offered me a new life. I am forever thankful for the way you have loved me and led me since I was just a teen. Amen.