Tag: Faith

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Not easy, but possible.

Reading Time: 2 minutes

“The message of the cross is foolish to those who are headed for destruction! But we who are being saved know it is the very power of God. As the Scriptures say, “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise and discard the intelligence of the intelligent.” So where does this leave the philosophers, the scholars, and the world’s brilliant debaters? God has made the wisdom of this world look foolish. Since God in his wisdom saw to it that the world would never know him through human wisdom, he has used our foolish preaching to save those who believe.” ‭‭1 Corinthians‬ ‭1‬:‭18‬-‭21‬ ‭NLT‬‬

The apostle Paul bluntly delivers the gospel message to the Corinthians who pride themselves in all things philosophical and metaphysical. The message of the cross looks like it is for morons. Paul uses the Greek word, mória – absurd. It’s exactly where we get the English word moron. Of course it makes no senses to human wisdom.

Human wisdom is thought to be the winner’s circle, it’s the best, brightest, strongest and triumphant. No self respecting human wants to be least, last or seen as a loser. Ah, but God’s way is not only through humility and suffering, but even more – humiliation in the worst form of judgment and execution. Cursed is the one who hangs on a tree (Deut 21:23)! So that the most innocent and perfect person would serve as a sacrifice for all.

Paul challenges the Corinthians with a question. Where does this foolishness leave the philosophers, scholars and brilliant debaters? It leaves them scratching their heads pondering their own theories and solutions on how to fix their own sin. How can we rid ourselves of evil? It’s in us, around us and permeates every part of our world.

Paul says that God chose our foolish preaching, the kérugma, heralding and proclamation of truth. Paul admitted that Jews seek signs or miracles (sémeion) and that Gentiles seek wisdom (sophia), but God would give them neither. God requires the simplest form of acceptance geared for the most common person in the world. Simple enough for a child. Simple enough for the frail, marginalized, weak and completely disadvantaged by any number of circumstances. For those who come from chaotic family origins or those who come from wealth and privilege. God requires faith. God reaches down from heaven, with that Michelangelo picture in mind, extending His hand and says, “grab it, and I’ll lift you out of your sin!” This is all possible because of the cross. And the proof you need is in the emptiness of the tomb. Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved! Boom! I love the cross and the resurrection.

Prayer

Dad,
For me, and for millions of others, I am so thankful that it requires the simplicity of faith. Because, that’s the only thing I had. I was seriously lacking in wisdom, human or otherwise. I did not have any experience in philosophy, advanced theology or debating. I only had a messy, broken life. That, and my believing you at your word, was all I could give. Thank you for saving me in my simple faith. Thank you for the permanent standard that all humans have to come to you with that simple requirement. They must believe.

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Forget the bread, what about my boy?

Reading Time: 3 minutes

“Some time later the woman’s son became sick. He grew worse and worse, and finally he died. Then she said to Elijah, “O man of God, what have you done to me? Have you come here to point out my sins and kill my son?” ‭‭1 Kings‬ ‭17‬:‭17‬-‭18‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Shocker, I just found out this past year that the widow mentioned in this story was a Gentile, not a Jew. And the Jewish people reading about the life and times of Elijah did not like it! Luke 4:25-26 and Acts 10:34-35.

There was drought and famine going on and widows had it the worse because they had little to no means to provide on their own. Elijah didn’t just ask her for her last meal, but her son’s as well. You can hear the resignation in the widow’s words, “we’ll eat it and then die.” Obviously no hope there.

Hello! Elijah wasn’t being greedy, he was being obedient. Elijah may have tried to ease the bluntness by asking for a drink of water first. Uh… fail. That wasn’t a smooth segue because of the drought. As she walked away, Elijah threw in the request, “…bring me a bite of bread as well.” Just a bite? I hope you hear the sheer awkwardness of being obedient to God in THE worst kinds of circumstances possible. Are we obedient regardless of what we know, see or sense? Woof.

Elijah gives her a promise, “For this is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: There will always be flour and olive oil left in your containers until the time when the Lord sends rain and the crops grow again!” The widow has just enough faith to be obedient. Promise made, promise kept. The widow provides Elijah room and board while he stays in the village of Zarephath. Why did Elijah stay? Because God told him to “live” there – “Go and live in the village of Zarephath. This next scene is disturbing in so many ways.

The widow’s son gets sick, then dies. The widow blames Elijah for her son’s death because he must be judging her sins. What? Wow. You see the ancient world was simple cause and effect. Someone gets sick, who’s to blame? Someone died, who sinned? God or God’s agents were directly held responsible because they obviously weren’t happy with something. It’s Elijah’s prayer to God that verifies this mindset. “Then Elijah cried out to the Lord, “O Lord my God, why have you brought tragedy to this widow who has opened her home to me, causing her son to die?” Why why why?

God seemed comfortable putting Elijah on the spot with the health and well being of the widow and her son. That’s doesn’t seem fair. The miracle of long lasting bread and oil supply wasn’t enough of an official credential proving that Elijah is a spokesperson for God? Elijah is bold, if not weird, in his prayer and physical application to make sure that God hears him. Was the “stretching himself” out over the child three times necessary? Apparently, the first time didn’t work, so he went for three (“three” may be a significant brain-bookmark for us in the future). God heard, God answered and raised the boy from death to life. Ah, then the widow says confidently… “yep, now I believe you’re from God and God speaks through you.”

God is really into us having faith! God loves us having faith. It is pleasing to him because it completely says “I trust you more than anything else going on in my life.” Faith doesn’t just make God happy, faith is the critical decisions that saves us and is saving us.

Prayer

Dad,
Wow. Both Elijah and the widow shared in the experience of having faith in you. I never saw that before. You asked Elijah to do and say some really tough things and I get the responsibility, but I did not grasp the level of trust that Elijah was exercising in you. It was important wasn’t it. I want to be obedient so badly, but it is ALWAYS diluted by the thought of what others will think when I follow through with what you’ve asked. It feels so much more risky when it comes to the question of “who do I want to please more?” You or people. I have faith, but need more courage!

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Paul’s neighborly prayer.

Reading Time: 3 minutes

“So we have not stopped praying for you since we first heard about you. We ask God to give you complete knowledge of his will and to give you spiritual wisdom and understanding. Then the way you live will always honor and please the Lord, and your lives will produce every kind of good fruit. All the while, you will grow as you learn to know God better and better.” ‭‭Colossians‬ ‭1‬:‭9‬-‭10‬ ‭NLT‬‬

I’ve been thinking and talking about how to be a neighbor, a good neighbor. I believe it’s all about listening and watching for opportunities, being led by the Holy Spirit. Times where we should see moments that appear to be odd or random as providential not accidental. Those moments could be happen at the grocery store, the gas pump, the quick-serve lunch or while walking through our own neighborhood.

I think it’s important to swap names, introducing ourselves like well-mannered people used to do. I think it’s important to write those names down to be able to do the exact thing that Paul is doing with the folks he met in Colossae. To be able to remember people’s name, because it’s very important for them to be seen and known. The other is to speak their name, before God, in prayer. Then using Paul’s prayer as a template, we can begin to pray for them and trust God for future moments of opportunity to love and serve our new friends.

Paul’s prayer is simple and can be easily memorized. We can ask God to give our neighbor and new friend a complete knowledge of his will, spiritual wisdom and understanding. Then we can pray that God will help them to live a life that honor and pleases God, producing every kind of good fruit (think of the 9 fruits of the Spirit). Then, wanting them to keep going and growing, that they would learn to know God better and better.

This prayer, that Paul prays over Colossae’s community of faith affirms something else I believe. Something simple, but should remind every one of us as believers that we are all responsible for. The word is DISCIPLE. And the thought is BE ONE, MAKE ONE. If we are a disciple, a follower of Jesus, we should be learning about God more and more, just like Paul stated. However, as believers, we should also be doing what Jesus commanded as he left for heaven. We should all be about making disciples. Who are you following, and who is following you? Who are you walking with to strengthen your faith, and, who is walking with you to do the same.

Being a good neighbor has the potential to being a good friend and hopefully that can turn into being a disciple by having someone follow you in your faith. Jesus had a group of 70 following him. Jesus chose to focus on 12 of them. But he specifically mentored 3 of them. This pattern is for all of us who say we are followers of Jesus! Who’s your 70, 12 and 3?

Prayer

Dad,
I am so thankful to not only follow you, but also have several men and women that have poured into my life. Some have discipled me, a few have mentored me. Thank you for Paul’s written pray for the folks in Colossae. It helps me know what to pray for with so many people on my own “neighbor” list as well as those who more closely follow me as I follow Christ. Most of all, thank you for continuing to help me grow and learn in wisdom and understanding, as well as grow in my faith.

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Simply BELIEVE.

Reading Time: 3 minutes

“One day as Jesus was walking along the shore of the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers—Simon, also called Peter, and Andrew—throwing a net into the water, for they fished for a living. Jesus called out to them, “Come, follow me, and I will show you how to fish for people!” And they left their nets at once and followed him. A little farther up the shore he saw two other brothers, James and John, sitting in a boat with their father, Zebedee, repairing their nets. And he called them to come, too. They immediately followed him, leaving the boat and their father behind.” ‭‭Matthew‬ ‭4‬:‭18‬-‭22‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Jesus was tempted, went home for a bit, then headed to Galilee, fulfilling another one of Isaiah’s (Isa 9:1-2) prophetic words about the messiah. Matthew was tracking his movements.

Then he immediately began his mission, preaching repentance and the coming Kingdom of God. But Jesus did not do this alone, he quickly enlisted a team around him. Four fishermen (Peter, Andrew, Big James and John) right there on the shores of Galilee. The rest of the twelve, Thomas, Nathaniel and Philip may have also worked as fishermen. Matthew was a tax collector, a Jewish sell-out working for Rome. Simon was a revolutionary, maybe a secret political terrorist of sorts. Judas may have been an accountant, but was know for thievery (John said he stole from their own ministry account Jn 12:6) and little James and Jude (no occupation mentioned).

The point is, Jesus specifically went after twelve. It is said that 70 followed, 12 were discipled but only 3 were mentored. Jesus spent a lot of time with the 12, but pulled the 3 aside to reveal/expose to them the heart and mission of what He was called to do. They were eye witnesses and STILL had doubts, fears and struggles. They lived with, ate with, travelled with Jesus and still had difficulty reconciling their faith with what they were experiencing! The twelve were first experiencers and responders and doubters all at the same time.

Jesus said something profound to Thomas AFTER his resurrection, after coming back from the dead. Thomas watched Jesus live, watched him die and physically stood in front of him after his resurrection and was forever tagged with the nickname, “the doubter!” Are you kidding, every single one of those who gathered after the resurrection were doubters until they saw Jesus with their own eyes! Jesus told Thomas the shocking truth. Jesus told him, “You believe because you have seen me. Blessed are those who believe without seeing me.” John‬ ‭20‬:‭29‬. That’s us folks! We are the believers WITHOUT seeing what Jesus closest friends and family experienced. Why? Because in very much God’s way, he has come to each one of us as individuals and called us out – out of darkness into light. Out of slavery into freedom. Out of professions and a past into a purpose and a task. We have seen because Jesus has shown himself to us and we believe and declare just like Thomas and the others, “my Lord and my God!” It is by faith we believe and we are happy (blessed) because of it. Come in closer than the seventy. Come in closer still, more than than the twelve. Come into to be mentored by Jesus and let him reveal and expose his mission to you and through you!

Prayer

Dad,
I believe. I am blessed because I have not physically stood before Jesus and thrust my hands in his hands and side. I am blessed because you made yourself real to me and that experience changed me forever. That moment is undeniable. I don’t care what happens in all the nonsense of religiosity and polity of Church. I don’t care about the controversies surrounding the famous platform pastors and the heresy wars among the christian elite. I don’t care about the cultural lies and subterfuge suppression of truth. I know what I know because you showed yourself to me, bid me to come, called me to your mission and I BELIEVE!

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Oh Little Town of Barley Bread

Reading Time: 3 minutes

“Then Elimelech died, and Naomi was left with her two sons. The two sons married Moabite women. One married a woman named Orpah, and the other a woman named Ruth. But about ten years later, both Mahlon and Kilion died. This left Naomi alone, without her two sons or her husband.” ‭‭Ruth‬ ‭1‬:‭3‬-‭5‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Three verses describe the most devastating story for a woman to experience in ancient times. Famine causes the couple to leave home and go to a foreign country, a country with more resources than their own. It was either starve or move. Elimelech and Naomi decided to move.

They make the roughly a 50 mile trip taking two weeks to travel on foot. The couple left Bethlehem, the house of bread to go to “the seed of my father.” The name Moab means “he is of my father,” a perpetual reminder of Moab’s incestuous beginnings of Lot’s daughters getting their father drunk so their lineage would not die in the desert. Interesting comparison to the two cities.

Elimelech and his wife survive the famine, only to succumb to something worse – all the males in their family die in Moab. Naomi is not just widowed, but her and her two daughters in law are alone.

What looks like the worst possible outcomes in a string of tragedies, is the backdrop of our own redemption!

Naomi had heard that her little bread town had sprung back to life, producing much of her nation’s barley supply. So she decides to make the trip back home. Even in her bitter state of mind there is grace when she tries to convince her daughters to go back to their families, try to find husbands, so they might have another chance at a life and family. There is an odd sense that Naomi feels responsible for her sons’ death and leaving these girls destitute without a future. Both girls wept, wanting to stay with Naomi. Then one of them decided it might be better to just go home, so Orpah left Naomi in tears. But Ruth wouldn’t leave. She too felt a strong bond with her mother in law. Samuel adds a critical detail, Naomi says, “your sister-in-law has gone back to her people and to her gods. You should do the same.” Ruth declares that she is not just staying with Naomi for her sake, but also because she has made a declaration, a decision that Naomi’s God would be her own God as well.

After returning home, back to the little town of Bethlehem, the story dramatically turns into a beautiful, romantic love story involving Boaz as Ruth’s “kinsmen redeemer,” the family redeemer of the Elimelech’s bloodline and legacy. What starts out as one of the worse tragedies in the Old Testament is cloaked in one of the critical moments in the historical birthright and lineage of Jesus, the Messiah.

Yet another example of God choosing a Gentile, a Moabite, a non-Jew to carry the family story. This gives me hope. My lineage, my family name, both of them – Spear and Garvin were not all that stellar when I received the baton. Yet, because of Christ, God has redeemed and restored my own family name to a place of honor and godliness. It’s all because of His grace!

What’s your story? Are you living in tragedy? Or have you come from some shameful stock such as Ruth, who’s relatives came from Lot and his own daughters? God can and does restore and redeem our travesties and turns them into triumph.

Prayer

Dad,
Wow! What a grand story 🙌🏼🙌🏼🙌🏼. You make all things new. You can make all things right. You can turn our mourning into dancing, our fears into faith. There are so many lessons to be learned here from Naomi, Ruth and Elimelech. Naomi, who wanted to change her name to Mary, found that although she came through bitterness, her life represented one of the sweetest parts of our Savior’s story. Thank You for being such a amazing weaver of good stories.

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Pendulum People?

Reading Time: 3 minutes

“Dear friends, you always followed my instructions when I was with you. And now that I am away, it is even more important. Work hard to show the results of your salvation, obeying God with deep reverence and fear. For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him.” ‭‭Philippians‬ ‭2‬:‭12‬-‭13‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Or, the age of anti-works. Are we so against works that we’re no longer gracefully good?

As a believer I think I would call Christians the “pendulum people.” Over centuries of history and experiencing God myself for the past 46 years, I have seen the Church swing from one extreme to the other. This “works” versus “grace” is just one example. Free will verses sovereignty is another.

One huge swing was from total social involvement in mission, like giving an actual cup of water with the gospel, to just giving the gospel only. At one point Christianity WAS a social gospel, hands on, running into plagues to care for the sick and such. Then it was deemed to liberal to only feed, cloth or shelter and possibly do it in the name of Jesus. So, mission was defined as just giving the gospel and not tending to real needs at all.

We’ve bounced around blaming styles of works and grace, competing and comparing one denomination to another. Both saying, “we’re better because we are Biblical!” When will we get it?

Paul writes to the Ephesians and says, “grace saves you!” Paul writes to the Philippians and says, “Word hard!” Which is it Paul? Of course we should know – it’s BOTH! How long will it take for us to see that FAITH and OBEDIENCE go together and can never be separated? Apparently, we will not fully get it until we reach heaven.

How can we love God and live for Him without both His grace and His power to do, to create, to WORK here on this earth as His Kingdom has arrived and is arriving. It is grace that saves us AND it is works that are the joy of that salvation! Paul says works are the results, the application, the outcome. He uses this interesting Greek word, only found here in Philippians. katergazomai – work out, bring about. It combines two words “work” and “down to the point or thoroughly.” He also adds these two “kick-in-the-pants” words: fear and trembling.

Of course these words are connected to obedience, not necessarily the work. When God rescues and redeems, He does so with purpose in mind. That purpose becomes a mystery and a delight to figure out and get busy with it. If you’ve ever seen a toddler or a preschooler “play,” you know to them it IS work. If you’ve every witnessed a master craftsman building, shaping or painting you’ve seen the joy of pure play. But we say “she’s working” on something or “he’s in his workshop.” God’s grace releases us, frees us to play, with joy, in this world – participating in the Kingdom of God. My advice, quit swinging to the extremes of the pendulum and get busy in the tension of being a human being. Live and love in the paradox of God’s will for us.

Prayer

Dad,
The older I get the more frustrated I become with the polarization of opinion! We fight about the edges of extremes and abandon unity. We quarrel in our corners wasting precious time pointing at each other to bolster our pride and embarrass your grace towards us. I just want to believe and obey. I just want to please you with faith and do what it is you’ve said. Should I become a friend of my brothers and an enemy of yours? Or, a friend of God and let you decide who will join with me? My faith and obedience is in you, for although I love my brothers and sisters, they are not the ones who saved me!

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What the providence?

Reading Time: 3 minutes

“Gideon crept up just as a man was telling his companion about a dream. The man said, “I had this dream, and in my dream a loaf of barley bread came tumbling down into the Midianite camp. It hit a tent, turned it over, and knocked it flat!” His companion answered, “Your dream can mean only one thing—God has given Gideon son of Joash, the Israelite, victory over Midian and all its allies!” ‭‭Judges‬ ‭7‬:‭13‬-‭14‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Coincidence or providence, your choice or God’s? Anyone who reads this part of a much larger story should be scratching their head. I love the stories in the book of Judges, likely written by Samuel. There are these grand, overarching stories like Gideon’s journey.

Gideon was called by God under supernatural means. Israel cried out for help, a spokesperson for God tells them to remember God had rescued them before and to quit worshiping IDOLS (the gods of the Amorites,” He also reminded them, “you have not listened to me.”

At the same time and in the next sentence, there is an “angel of the Lord,” lounging by a big, well known tree, “the great tree at Ophrah.” It is here that we find a theophany moment, where Jesus appears as an angel in the Old Testament.

Jesus calls Gideon a “mighty warrior,” Gideon takes a while to finally come around to believing it. Here in this moment with Gideon, we have some strange happenings that all look very coincidental – like positive accidents waiting to happen.

With only 300 men, God wakes up Gideon and tells him to get on with attacking the Midianites. Then, just to help the guy, says, “if you’re afraid…” what an understatement! God suggests that Gideon, “grab a friend and go down and spy on the Midianites camp.” Gideon, liking that idea goes on over to the enemies camp sometime before midnight. Gideon “happens” to arrive at the edge of the encampment “just as a man” is talking about a dream he had.

Have you ever noticed how wildly accurate the TIMING of God is? So many things, so many moving parts leading up to this very moment of the story – it is astronomically astounding how God does this. It seems that God can see our actual timeline going backwards! When in truth God is outside of time itself, so in his omnipotence, ALL time happens NOW! The entire scope of world history and future events are all in the present for Him. The visit with Gideon, battle with Midianites, the sudden return of Jesus and end of the apocalypse has already happened with God! To us or to Gideon it may feel very much like coincidence, but it is clearly not accidental!

Gideon overhears the dreamer’s account and application. Along with Purah’s confidence, “this dream can only mean one thing…” it was just enough to motivate him to action. Maybe Gideon’s crazy clay-pot plan was his own wacky idea, maybe not – we’ll never know. But 300 men with ram horns and clay-pot lamps against thousands of warriors it really sounds ridiculous. It’s such an amazing story of God’s ability to lead and guide us to bring about His plans. It’s also lesson for us about the tiny little faith of a once fearful farmer who came from nothing and became a fierce warrior for God. Am I, are you, a fearful farmer or a fierce warrior? We’ll never know until we do or don’t do, believe or don’t believe what God says.

Prayer

Dad,
Honestly, I’ve never been able to figure this all out. What feels like coincidence turns out to be providence! Yet, on the front of that decision is always fear and faith, doubt and discernment. If only I could be assured ahead of time, but that’s not going to happen is it? It wouldn’t be pleasing to you if I knew for sure. It wouldn’t be faith if it was for certain. I can always trust that even if I miss it or make a wrong decision, you’ve got me and will work everything out.

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When all you have is fear and faith.

Reading Time: 3 minutes

“Joseph, to whom she was engaged, was a righteous man and did not want to disgrace her publicly, so he decided to break the engagement quietly. As he considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream. “Joseph, son of David,” the angel said, “do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife. For the child within her was conceived by the Holy Spirit. And she will have a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” ‭‭Matthew‬ ‭1‬:‭19‬-‭21‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Joseph did everything right and still he was going to thwart the plans of God. Not only was Joe going to do things right, he was even going to do them with the best motives in mind. He was going to break the engagement quietly, privately, so it would not disgrace Mary publicly.

Joe was much older than Mary and we don’t know all the details of his and Mary’s life before their pre-arranged marriage. You knew that right? This wasn’t a whirl-wind romance of Joe sweeping young Mary off her feet and promising her the world. History is fairly quiet about the couple, especially after the “incident” of being with child out of wedlock. Joseph was said to have been married before and was a widow. Mary being so young and both families living in a poorer part of Israel (Nazareth), may have had few to no suitors for her father to choose from. None of that mattered really, because God’s will, His desires, His plans before time existed was for these two, Joseph and Mary to raise the Son of God.

What do you do when a good man, a righteous man is going to break up with the woman carrying the Messiah? Who’s going to have that kind of conversation with Joseph and get him to change his mind, because clearly Matthew tells us he had already made his decision. And when a man… especially a Jewish man makes up his mind, well, you know, there’s no changing that! No worries, that too was all planned out with God.

God sent a messenger, a powerful, high ranking messenger, an angel of the Lord. The message isn’t, “Marry the girl or else!” The message is don’t fear the consequences of marrying this girl. The consequences were real. No one in those days (or these days) was going to buy the whole “virgin birth” story. Everyone knows where babies come from and how they’re made! If Joseph wasn’t the daddy, it must be another man – but who?

Gossip would have torn through their town like a wildfire, destroying everything in its path. Then there’s the whole danger of Mary being dragged out in the town square and stoned to death for adultery, killing her and the child within her womb. We couldn’t have that happen right?

No; God, Joe and Mary had to keep this whole thing on the downlow and make sure it played out well with the whole community. So the fear of consequences of what would happen to Mary and the shame that Joseph would have to bear was very real. He wasn’t the one carrying a miraculous child from God, but he would need BIG faith to believe and raise the boy as his own. Notice, even in the miraculous intervention the angel didn’t force Joe to do God’s will. He told him not to fear and then flat out told him the why behind all the mystery. For this child would save his people from their sin! Wow, gives me the chills. The angel didn’t tell Joe that he would raise a warrior, a king, or ruler to conquer Rome and put Israel back on top as a global phenomenon like in the days of Solomon. No, this child would save Israel from their sin. Joseph must have known exactly what that meant because of his own lineage and legacy. Matthew had just told us about Joe’s bloodline, a direct heir of Abraham, Boaz, David and Solomon! Joseph knew his people’s own sin story and the need for a future redeemer. Joseph would not be raising just a king, he’d be fathering the King of kings. He wouldn’t be raising a military hero, he’d be fathering the Savior, THE one and only Messiah. We know the intervention worked because Matthew writes, “When Joseph woke up, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded and took Mary as his wife.” Great job Joe. Great job angel of the Lord. And great job God! Mission accomplished.

Prayer

Dad,
In those moments of decision, Joseph could not have known the part, the role he would play in history. He could not have known the results of his decision and how critical it really was. No, he only knew of fear and faith. He could have only known how he felt when he heard the news about Mary and the faith he had to have to believe the angel and follow through with obedience to marry the girl who was carrying our Savior. We never know how our decisions of faith effect the future. All we know is to trust you and obey. You’re the only one who knows how it all works together. May it be unto me to also believe and obey!

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Who’s my Mother?

Reading Time: 3 minutes 
“The son of the slave wife was born in a human attempt to bring about the fulfillment of God’s promise. But the son of the freeborn wife was born as God’s own fulfillment of his promise. These two women serve as an illustration of God’s two covenants. The first woman, Hagar, represents Mount Sinai where people received the law that enslaved them. And now Jerusalem is just like Mount Sinai in Arabia, because she and her children live in slavery to the law. But the other woman, Sarah, represents the heavenly Jerusalem. She is the free woman, and she is our mother.”  Galatians‬ ‭4‬:‭23‬-‭26‬ ‭NLT‬‬

The Apostle Paul uses his lawyer training, his pharisaical training to straighten out some questions regarding the Old Testament law. Paul takes these discussions very serious because it has a direct effect, not just on our salvation, but also on our behavior towards others – believers and nonbelievers alike. The very old story about Sarah and Hagar is a living object lesson to the approach the works versus grace and or perfection and judgment verses freedom and forgiveness. One doesn’t just lead to MORE sin, but also a mindset, a perception that the law gets one closer to God and separates them from the common sinner. This snobbery of perfection is WORSE than the than the clueless lawbreaker.

In our postmodern world, it’s not the direct following of the “big ten” commandments, it’s the casual substitution of other perceived rules that govern the “Hagar Covenant.” The enslaved mentality is wrapped up in Do’s and Don’ts.

The don’t’s
The don’ts are very physically apparent. Don’t dress a certain way. Don’t adorn yourself a certain way. Don’t tattoo yourself. Don’t do things that are clearly harmful to yourself and your family. Things like drinking alcohol, smoking or snorting whatever goes into your lungs – cigarettes, pipes, marijuana, vapes or cocaine. Don’t flaunt addictions like gambling, sex, porn or drugs. And, don’t hang out anywhere where “those” kind of people gather. And don’t curse and tell dirty NSFW jokes.

The Do’s
Do dress nice. Do go to church. Do read your Bible. Do be nice and kind. Do give to the church and the street-corner beggar, Don’t get caught gossiping, lying or cheating on things like taxes or business deals. It’s pretty clear that we have lists of Do’s and Don’ts.

The “doers” and “don’t-ers” know who’s who are are pretty happy being associated with their “people.” Sure, there are plenty of folks who play both sides, popping back and forth uncomfortably trying to have it both ways – do good er some times, don’t do good other times. In Paul’s day it was very clear who was supposed to be the righteous and who was clearly the sinner. Paul’s illustration to the churches in Galatia must have been super eye-opening and frustrating at the same time. He doesn’t compare the Do’s and Don’ts to appearances or un-ending list of behaviors. He says it comes down to faith in one of two ways.

Abraham & Sarah made a decision that became two different and quite oppositional ways to follow God. One, MAKE the promise happen by Hagar. Or two, RECEIVE the promise through Sarah. Two very different paths: One was a human plan, one was a God plan. One led to and still leads to SLAVERY the other led to and leads to FREEDOM. If we choose to live by religious rules and perceived perfection where God owes us salvation because we checked off a list, then this is what we get. We have chosen to forever be slaves to those rules, that ever-changing, non-transformative, transactional, self-motivated and determined righteousness. But if we choose the God plan, and receive the promise, we have to let go of all the natural human expectations on ourselves and others! When we choose the Sarah plan, the promise fulfilled, we will walk in a path of grace, mercy, forgiveness, understanding, wisdom and definitely drop the snobbery, the judgement, the eye-rolls and whispered comments under our breath. We’ll drop the unrealistic, unrelenting expectations of perfection and performance for us and others to prove ourselves worthy or pull ourselves out our muddy puddles of disappointment.

The God plan requires us to shut down our judgments and comparisons to others. It requires us to let God constantly wash our souls of the stench of selfishness and self righteousness. It is not easy! The former pharisee, Paul, reminds us “So, dear brothers and sisters, we are not children of the slave woman; we are children of the free woman.” Whose YOUR spiritual momma, Hagar or Sarah?

Prayer

Dad,
I choose Sarah! I choose your plans for my life and my redemption. I choose freedom. I cannot choose both Hagar and Sarah! And since I choose Sarah, I must renounce judgment and looking down on others who’s stories are unknown to me. I must renounce comparison and replace it with compassion. Thank you for reminding me who is my real mother in faith!

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Warrior Moms.

Reading Time: 4 minutes 
“Then Hannah prayed: “My heart rejoices in the Lord! The Lord has made me strong. Now I have an answer for my enemies; I rejoice because you rescued me. No one is holy like the Lord! There is no one besides you; there is no Rock like our God.” 1 Samuel‬ ‭2‬:‭1‬-‭2‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Then Hannah prayed. And the floodgates, bound up by angst and anticipation, burst out of her soul. Like a dam that had reached its maximum capacity. She either opens her soul to God or her heart would burst from holding in years of thoughts and emotions.

Who knew this girl had it in her? This is how it goes with quiet folk. It seems there is not much going on. They are quiet, keeping mostly to themselves and speak very little. The thought is, “they just don’t have anything to say.” Oh, but Hannah had words! Stored up words.

Moments of time and frustrations that had passed, it was all packed in tightly in her heart. Samuel tells us how hard it was for his mother, “Year after year it was the same—Peninnah would taunt Hannah as they went to the Tabernacle. Each time, Hannah would be reduced to tears and would not even eat. “Why are you crying, Hannah?” Elkanah would ask. “Why aren’t you eating? Why be downhearted just because you have no children? You have me—isn’t that better than having ten sons?” Her husband, asks her why? why? why? Aren’t I enough? Oh, poor Elkanah, he had no idea of what was going on. And, most of the time, I don’t know what’s really going on in my wife’s heart either (nor her knowing mine).

It’s recorded that Hannah speaks out twice, and briefly, early in the story. She pours out her soul before God in the tabernacle, the place God would visit from time to time. She says, “O Lord of Heaven’s Armies, if you will look upon my sorrow and answer my prayer and give me a son, then I will give him back to you. He will be yours for his entire lifetime, and as a sign that he has been dedicated to the Lord, his hair will never be cut.” Did you read that? It starts like a warrior’s prayer! The second time Hannah speaks out, it’s both respectful and humble – even though Eli did not deserve respect, she gave it anyways.

You need to know a couple of oddities about Eli at this time. One, Samuel tells us that Eli was sitting in his normal spot at the entrance to the tabernacle. Strangely, there are no chairs on the list of items that God wanted in the tabernacle. Why was Eli sitting? Two, Eli doesn’t recognize an earnest prayer before God and mistakes Hannah’s cries as drunkenness! Had there not been anyone emotionally expressing themselves before God in that place? Or was Eli so uncomfortable with such emotions that he would rather believe it was because of booze? Three, by the way, Eli died sitting in a chair! (1 Samuel 4:18, “Eli fell backward from his seat beside the gate. He broke his neck and died, for he was old and overweight.) Back to Hannah.

“Oh no, sir!” she replied. “I haven’t been drinking wine or anything stronger. But I am very discouraged, and I was pouring out my heart to the Lord. Don’t think I am a wicked woman! For I have been praying out of great anguish and sorrow.””

God grants her favor and gives her a son. Several years later, after Samuel is born and weaned, Hannah keeps her promise and brings little Samuel to the tabernacle and allows Eli to adopt him as a guardian. After Elkanah and Hannah dedicate their son to God and present sacrifices as a thanksgiving offering, Hannah let’s this magnificent prayer loose. This intense, raw, prayer comes gushing out. This prayer is the echo, a second stanza to the first prayer she began with when she asked God for favor to give her a son.

“My heart,” she says, “rejoices! the Lord has made me STRONG.” Watch out enemies. Shut your mouth, sister Peninnah. How dare you mock me in my suffering and how dare you doubt that God would grant me my heart’s desire! Hannah was no longer quiet. Hannah was no longer pitied. Hannah was now a WARRIOR MOM!

Now more than ever we need warrior moms. Moms and grand-moms that are sick of being mocked about unanswered prayers and unfulfilled godly desires! Moms that cry out to God “O Lord of Heaven’s Armies, if you will look upon my sorrow and answer my prayer and give me… my son back, my daughter back, my grandchildren back. That they would come home, returning to you Oh Lord of Hosts!”

Warrior moms pray and God hears and works miracles on their behalf. Moms, don’t let Peninnahs’, Elkanahs’ or Elis’ mock you, distract you or stop you from getting your prayers up and out to God. Be strong. Pray strong.

Prayer

Dad,
I may not be a mom, but I can recognize a warrior mom who boldly asks, seeks, knocks and relentlessly, patiently comes before you in faith! I don’t know if you have favorite prayers from favorite people, but I somehow believe these warrior mom prayers get the attention of heaven and priority in your grace. All that I ask is that you ANSWER these prayers. On behalf of the tears shed for a generation of lost sons and daughters – please ANSWER these prayers.