Tag: hope

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Our Grand Globe

Reading Time: 2 minutes

O Lord, what a variety of things you have made! In wisdom you have made them all. The earth is full of your creatures. Here is the ocean, vast and wide, teeming with life of every kind, both large and small. See the ships sailing along, and Leviathan, which you made to play in the sea. Psalms‬ ‭104‬:‭24‬-‭26‬ ‭NLT‬‬

The Psalmist often writes about God’s majesty and compares it to the grandness of the oceans of the world. I never get tired of looking out over the vast beauty of the sea! Whether I sit and gaze from a cliffside perch, dig my toes in the sand where the waves continually crash upon the shore, or look out from the bow of a ship sailing the deep blue depths where the horizon goes on forever. It is always an ominous moment. And, because I agree with the Psalmist of who created the massively vast ocean, I too am overwhelmed with God’s creativity.

Imagine sailing a great ship in ancient days and seeing a Leviathan, a giant sea creature playfully rise from the water and then disappear. Terrifying right? I have a tremendous respect for both the water and the beasts that live within it.

These are the visions and feelings the Psalmist wants us to emote about the grandness of God in all His glory. By the way, science has scoured the universes as far as they can telescopically see, searching for life out there somewhere. Our culture is obsessed with aliens and other life forms beyond the blackness and twinkling stars in the night sky. So far… nothing. Are we so unique and alone in creation. Is the earth deemed the “dark planet” as C.S. Lewis proposes in his space trilogy books? I don’t know.

However, I do know that God created a beautiful planet and determined to create us and give us this place to work, live and play. Even with its ominous dangers of places on the earth, and the even more dangerous humans who are broken and inhospitable, this place is still amazing. I agree with the author of this Psalm, what a great God we serve and what a glorious variety of things He has made.

Prayer

​Dad,
This place, this spinning, floating miracle is absolutely stunning to behold and explore. And the myriad of creatures and variety of plants are spectacularly amazing. From the mountains to the valleys, the deserts and the seas, we enjoy the beauty of all your creation. Thank you. As I fly past my five second neighbors on the highways of my city, I am also reminded of the individual beauty and wonder you created in every human being I see. Thank you for them as well. Let everything and everyone that has breath praise you for your unending beauty and grace! Amen.

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Unity in Diversity.

Reading Time: 2 minutes

The human body has many parts, but the many parts make up one whole body. So it is with the body of Christ. Some of us are Jews, some are Gentiles, some are slaves, and some are free. But we have all been baptized into one body by one Spirit, and we all share the same Spirit. Yes, the body has many different parts, not just one part. 1 Corinthians‬ ‭12‬:‭12‬-‭14‬ ‭NLT‬‬

In our recent sermon series we’ve been going through the image of God in us and through us. Our identity is reflective of God because He made us in His image. The Apostle Paul calls this out often within his 13 letters to the New Testament churches.

Here in Corinthians, Paul makes the case that even our body, made up of thousands of individual parts, make up one body. No part tries to outdo or take precedence over another. All our parts operate in total unity. Paul does not mention this, but the fact is Cancer is so dangerous and deadly precisely because it organizes rogue cells to commandeer control of the body. One cell becomes rebellious, seeking to destroy healthy cells by converting them to join their revolt.

Paul makes the unity object lesson, to point out the kind of unity believers should have in Christ. He uses two ethnic and two societal examples. Some are Jews, some Gentiles – both have been baptized into one body, one Spirit. Similarly, some are slaves, some are free – yet still we come into sharing the same Spirit. The Church is the one place where true diversity should exist!

The Bible doesn’t exalt or eliminate one ethos over another. All are created in the image of God, therefore ethnic groups should be celebrated. When culture aims to divide, bringing conflict and violence to obtain power of one over the other, the Bible aims to have unity within diversity because we are all one, all equal, all image-bearers of God.

Prayer

​Dad,
You know I absolutely love the beauty and wildly extravagant differences, not just in our humanness, but also in Your Church. Really, no two churches are alike! Yet we share the most important aspect of our existence – Christ! I do believe, going forward, it will increasingly critical for us to in unity on the basics of belief instead thrashing our differences in public spaces. And for those who are out of sync with the truth of the Word, I trust that you will separate them out in the end. Thank you for Your Church. Thank you that it is unstoppable in reaching across the thresholds of hell and snatching people from the gripping lies of the enemy.

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Waiting for Finality.

Reading Time: 3 minutes

And afterward, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream dreams, your young men will see visions. Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days. ‭‭Joel‬ ‭2‬:‭28‬-‭29‬ ‭NIV‬‬

This is among Joel’s most famously quoted prophecies. It however follows after the great and dreaded Day of the Lord. “You will have plenty to eat, until you are full, and you will praise the name of the Lord your God, who has worked wonders for you; never again will my people be shamed. Then you will know that I am in Israel, that I am the Lord your God, and that there is no other; never again will my people be shamed – vs.26‬-‭27‬. One promise God made to Joel that caught my attention. And God says it twice! ” Never again will my people be shamed.

Oh, my heart aches when I read this because I have only known a history of God’s chosen people, Israel being shamed. I know God is NOT referring to a nation, because throughout all the stories in the Bible, Judges, Kings and leaders have eventually failed. But still God promises a remnant, the “root of Jesse.” A few that God uses to rebuild a people set apart for Himself. And yes, because of Christ, we were grafted into the tree, and have become the children of God.
But still, the Jewish people, within the bounds of Israel or scattered throughout the world, are still living in shame.

I believe there are cycles that we go through, global cycles of pain, healing and restoration. We are in a very precarious cycle even now. The global and local scene is chaotic, unpredictable and violent. I know one thing – EVERYONE starts looking up! Modern culture seems to respond in a science+fiction (Sci-fi) manner, especially in media.

The writers, philosophers and producers start looking for hope in space, hope in technology, hope in scientific breakthroughs, and hope in human ingenuity as well. They will look for anything EXCEPT the creator for answers. But they all feel it, they all sense – just like we do, that we are in another cycle of instability. My hope is not in Sci-fi. Oh, I find it interesting. I’m even curious who these characters are talking to when they speak of aliens, gods or human heroes.

My hope is in God! My hope is not only in the fact that He is real, and He created us. It is also in the fact that God keeps His promises. He has proven this in His Word, the Bible. But not only that, which is really all that is necessary, God has also proven Himself to me personally! I have God’s Word + my experience in relationship with Him.

So, although it’s entertaining to see people scramble for answers in space, religious experiences or hang their hopes on humankind’s ability to fix or save itself. I’m betting my life on God. I don’t want or look forward for the END OF THE WORLD, but I do know it’s coming. Everyone knows it’s coming one day. What comes after that? It’s all in the book – the Bible.

Prayer

​Dad,
Robin said something last night that really hit me. Everyone is looking for the kingdom without The King! Everyone wants to be happy, wants peace and fulfillment out of this life. Everyone wants to be known, respected and feel valued. However, it’s within our human stubbornness to seek these things outside of You. “Oh, we want the good life, just without God!” Looking for other answers is like chasing shadows. Believing there is a way, a truth and a life outside of You is just a big fantastic, fabricated lie. We are so human. I’d ask for you to show Yourself in plain sight, but I know you’ve done that over and over. You are not hiding and neither is Your truth. Help us. Break our stone hearts and trade them out for hearts of flesh. Amen.

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Was Jesus mad?

Reading Time: 3 minutes

One time Jesus entered a house, and the crowds began to gather again. Soon he and his disciples couldn’t even find time to eat. When his family heard what was happening, they tried to take him away. “He’s out of his mind,” they said. But the teachers of religious law who had arrived from Jerusalem said, “He’s possessed by Satan, the prince of demons. That’s where he gets the power to cast out demons. ‭‭Mark‬ ‭3‬:‭20‬-‭22‬ ‭NLT‬‬

His family thought so! Mark’s gritty journal records a rare moment where Jesus’ mother and brothers may have thought he had truly lost his mind. It was commonly known at that time that ANY gathering that gained a crowd would catch the attention of the Roman authorities. I mean if Rome stood out for anything, it was law and ORDER – emphasis on order. As a culture, they weren’t known by “Pax Romana” (Roman Peace) for nothing. Peace at all cost was the way the Roman government would promise their citizens the safety, calm and quiet they paid good taxes to enjoy the “Roman Way.” Sound familiar? Yeah, riots, protests, homelessness, mayhem, violence and vigilantes do not make for a peaceful culture.

When Mark begins this confrontational passage, he does so by writing, “the crowds began to gather again.” To the casual reader, it means nothing. But to the first century reader, it means TROUBLE. Jesus’ mother, Mary, not only feared for her son’s life, she also feared for their family future as well as their community. A good Jew deeply care about the welfare of family and the community! These were not individualistic thinkers like we are today, they were group thinkers.

To further complicate things, the religious leaders were trying to figure out a very real dilemma – who is this guy and where does he get his charisma, his confidence and his authoritative demeanor? Why would demons obey this guy? Their answer: Jesus works for Satan! It just made sense to them. When the Jewish Scribes encountered Jesus, he baffled them. The Scribes worked for God. They meticulously study the Law. In their minds, the only reason a demon would obey Jesus is because he was their master. Oooh, get that. Jesus was in fact their master, but it did not mean that he was working with or for Satan, the trickster, the liar! Jesus gave them a little logic lesson about how the world works – civilization works because of unity, not division. It works because of cooperation not coercion. Jesus said, “A kingdom divided by civil war will collapse.”

Back to Jesus being mad. Most likely using the guise of Jesus being “crazy,” (existémi) not behaving like yourself, beside yourself, or mad – Jesus’ family were telling the crowd, “don’t listen to him.” They were not trying to stop Jesus from preaching or healing, they were trying to get the crowd to disperse before the guards showed up! Who knows, maybe there were already Roman guards keeping an eye on the whole scene!

In verse 31, Mark tells us that Mary sent word into the house, “come out, we want to talk to you.” Mark writes, “There was a crowd sitting around Jesus, and someone said, “Your mother and your brothers are outside asking for you.” This is when Jesus famously answers the messenger’s request with an amazing moral dilemma. First, Jesus asks, “Who is my mother?” “Who are my brothers?” Where is Jesus going with this line of thinking? Then he says, “Anyone who does God’s will is my brother and sister and mother.” Whoa. Bottom line, Jesus is not mad, he’s right. Jesus is not crazy, he’s smart, he’s wise.

There are some moments, there are some decisions where obedience to God’s will overrides the apparent need for safety and security. God is NOT safe. God’s will is not safe. Security, here, in this life is NEVER guaranteed! However, God’s will, God’s way is both safe and secure in fulfilling God’s plans. “Thy will be done!” Jesus was never “safe,” as we would understand it as “beyond harm.” Jesus was on mission to the most unsafe decision he would ever make! The Apostles were never safe. Most of them were martyred for their faith. The Apostle Paul was never safe. Read 2 Corinthians 11:23-27.

Jesus wasn’t mad, he was obedient. Will we choose safety or security over obedience? Also remember, obedience doesn’t look like some act of terrorism, violence or protest. Obedience is proclaiming and living the truth of the gospel – which is the gospel of peace and of love. Let God handle the judgment.

Prayer

Dad,
Let my life declare the power of your salvation. Let my words be graceful and merciful. Let my life match my words. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven! Amen.

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Chief Servant Officer.

Reading Time: 3 minutes

Care for the flock that God has entrusted to you. Watch over it willingly, not grudgingly—not for what you will get out of it, but because you are eager to serve God. Don’t Lord it over the people assigned to your care, but lead them by your own good example. And when the Great Shepherd appears, you will receive a crown of never-ending glory and honor. ‭‭1 Peter‬ ‭5‬:‭2‬-‭4‬ ‭NLT‬‬

The Apostle Peter, wrapping up his first letter to the churches, turns his thoughts towards those who lead in local churches. He writes, “And now, a word to you who are elders in the churches.” Peter uses the word, presbýteros – properly, a mature man having seasoned judgment & experience. I would like to say, it could be a mature “young” man, however the word is specifically used in a more senior context. In other words, it’s not just maturity, it is also age. How old would a “senior” be in the early church? Lifespans back then are difficult to nail down, but men normally lived to about fifty. And according to Numbers 8:25, there was a hard retirement at fifty as well – “and they must retire at the age of fifty.” When you’re young fifty sounds soooo old, like it’s approaching death! Of course, nowadays, reaching fifty is considered fairly young 🥴.

Peter has weighty words of specificity he gives to the elders who are leading churches. 1. Care for the flock. Shepherd (poimainó) them 2. Watch over them willingly. Look at them (episkopeó) diligently. Not grudgingly (anagkastós) with forced or compulsion, but willingly (hekousiós), freely, voluntarily. 4. Not for your own benefit (aischrokerdós), “base gain,” or greediness, but with eagerness (prothumós) cheerfully, passionately. 5. Not as a master, lording over them (katakurieuo), but as a (tupos) a constant and repeated pattern, a model, (ginomai) becoming someone to follow.

And when the chief shepherd (archipoimén) is revealed, you will receive a crown (stéphanos), a victors crown, not a (diádēma) royal crown – unfading, never-ending glory and honor.

Pastoring, shepherding and serving people is one of the most difficult callings in the Church world today. And, it has changed significantly over the past 100 years. Gone are the “Little House on the Prairie” days, the minister, played by Dabbs Greer, portraying the real life, Robert Alden (Pastored in Walnut Grove which he founded in 1875). Gone are the days of simple sermons, leading a few hymns and praying over Sunday potlucks on the lawn. The only core responsibilities that remained the same are marrying, tarrying and burying!

Today, Pastors are expected to be a business savvy/financial genius, HR expert, legal advisor, handyman, technical wizard, golden-tongued speaker, builder, blogger, podcasting guru as well as an emergency care, bedside faith healer. Yet, the calling hasn’t changed – shepherd the flock that God has given. My primary role is what it has always been in church ministry – a servant. Now I happen to be an actual elder (well over fifty) and so I am a chief servant officer. Pray for your Pastor, your Chief Elder and Servant who watches over you.

Prayer

Dad,
The advice and list that Peter gave us as Pastors is still completely doable! It’s harder today, but still very much possible. It’s all the other “required” expertises that make this Holy Calling much more of a challenge. I just can’t know what I don’t know or be who I am not meant to be! The expectations are impossible to fulfill! And, they are not from you. Our people want more, need more and maybe even deserve more than the average pastor can give. Plus, we are now in the top five of untrusted professions of society. We are so desperate for You to pour out Your Spirit on all flesh – fulfilling Your promise that Joel made so long ago. We need our sons and daughters to prophesy, old men to dream dreams, and young men to see visions. We are waiting, anticipating You and You alone. Amen.

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The walking drones.

Reading Time: 3 minutes

Jesus instructed his disciples to have a boat ready so the crowd would not crush him. He had healed many people that day, so all the sick people eagerly pushed forward to touch him. And whenever those possessed by evil spirits caught sight of him, the spirits would throw them to the ground in front of him shrieking, “You are the Son of God!” But Jesus sternly commanded the spirits not to reveal who he was. Mark‬ ‭3‬:‭9‬-‭12‬ ‭NLT‬‬

They walk among us. They are us, or they used to be. Horror stories and stereotypes have completely destroyed the truth or have severely masked it under mental euphemisms. A recent poll asked, “Do you believe demons are real?” Result, 45 percent of Americans believe demons and ghosts really exist. Ghosts? Seriously? Weirdly, they also found that Republicans are statistically more likely to believe in demons, ghosts and aliens than Democrats! 😳

The gospel journalist, Mark, has quite a few demon reality stories. How does one get possessed? Is it by invitation or infestation? Is it by brute force or sips and bits of lies believed over time? There is a whole section of theology (study of God) called demonology (study of demons). I was taught it was much better to study the ways of God, than the enemy. Sounds safer too, right?

The Bible is clearly filled with episodes where Jesus shows up and demons demonstratively show up as well. BTW: My fav demon story is the mad naked man in Mark 5. Mark’s whole purpose and presentation of demons or evil (unclean) spirits, as they are referred to, is to show the reader that Jesus has power and authority over all things! Power over demons is not considered a high level use of invoking Jesus name. It’s down there with healing the sick. Miraculously reproducing food, commanding wind and waves, and bringing the dead back to life – now that’s some power! In the very next section, Jesus appointed the apostles and gave them the authority to cast these dark, spiritual creature out of human beings! Also, Mark, the evangelist and author of this book wasn’t an apostle.

I am fascinated by a few facts:

One, Jesus wasn’t the least bit fearful nor intimidated by these hybrid human/demon encounters. I get the feeling that to Jesus, all the antics of shrieking, flopping about, and behaving like a wild animal came off about as scary as a toddler throwing a tantrum!

Two, Jesus deeply felt compassion, not for the demon, but for the human trapped inside! These humans, image bearers of God, imprisoned in their own skin, commandeered by some low level minion of satan.

Three, these creatures knew who Jesus really is! What a rip off! These puppet masters had the insight and ability to know the true identity of Jesus when thousands could only see him as a lowly carpenter’s son from Nazareth! I don’t think they were trying to “out” Jesus, I think they had to confess who He is – the Son of God!
And, for unknown reasons, Jesus did not cast them out at that time.

Bottom line; the ancient world and what we call “third world,” or countries filled with the poor and disenfranchised know all about demons and spirits. Us, on the other hand, live in a culture of denial. Like we are so enlightened and far too intelligent to believe that evil, darkness and chaos is at war with us! C.S. Lewis, in his book Screwtape Letters, reveals that “non belief” is much preferable in satan’s domain. We’ve got thousands of mental diagnoses (DSM-5) labels to cover up any possibility of demonic possession or oppression. I’m not a psychiatrist, but it seems that most of these disorders are rooted in our own rebellion to do whatever we want, or a deep seated need to find relief from someone else perpetrating on us! The Bible just defines it as sin or the wounds of someone sinning against us.

There may be hundreds of different methods on how a demon might take up residence in a human, but there’s only one way to kick them out – by the power of Christ!

Prayer

Dad,

I have no idea why we would think these things, these creatures don’t exist. And, I have no idea why we would be so blind, so full of ourselves to think that we could somehow “get along” with these spirits and that they might be helpful to get us what we want, what we crave or desire. In our denial of who You are, we seem to believe the strangest, darkest, most dangerous lies, believing it leads to freedom. It only leads to being the walking dead or evil drones for the enemy of our soul. Help us, Oh God! Reveal truth in our panmoralistic culture. Shine light in our dark hearts. We desperately need You!

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Bringing it full circle.

Reading Time: 2 minutes

This letter is from John, the elder. I am writing to the chosen lady and to her children, whom I love in the truth—as does everyone else who knows the truth— because the truth lives in us and will be with us forever. Grace, mercy, and peace, which come from God the Father and from Jesus Christ—the Son of the Father—will continue to be with us who live in truth and love. How happy I was to meet some of your children and find them living according to the truth, just as the Father commanded. ‭‭2 John‬ ‭1‬:‭1‬-‭4‬ ‭NLT‬‬

John, writing to the Church and the children of the Church is ecstatic (exceedingly rejoicing) to find out that some are still walking with Jesus!

John says, he finds them “living according to the truth,” NLT translation. Here the Greek is much more specific and full of meaning. John uses the word, “peripatéō,” from two Greek words – walk and around. It’s a picture of completion, of closure, to walk around to complete a circuit or coming “full circle.” Whys that important? The old phrase, “God’s got no grandchildren,” comes to mind.

Each person, each family member needs to make their own decision of believing and following Jesus. Some believe, but don’t follow! Some seem to follow, but don’t really believe. Being raised in a Christian household or going to church their whole life, can be the best or the worst experience, depending on their own faith being anchored in Christ or casually taken as a family heritage. I’ve heard it said hundreds of times, “My FAMILY is…. Catholic.” Or whatever their religious experience growing up. There is more than just an age of accountability, knowing God exists. There is also an age of personal responsibility, a lifelong commitment to follow Christ.

John’s excitement is met with another possibility; some, but not all of our children will walk in truth 😢. There have been plenty of books, discussions and podcasts concerning the “children of the Church,” walking away from Jesus, from truth. Whether it’s church hurt, or they believe God is too boring or too weak, mean or unfair – some are not coming full circle of the faith of their parents or spiritual leaders.

Can we, as representatives of the chosen lady, the Church do better? Yes, we can and should! Yet, some will choose to believe and live for Christ and others will not. Should we love them any less, or treat them as apostates? Absolutely not. John’s admonition is to love ONE ANOTHER, but he takes a seriously hard line when it comes to the truth of Christ! He writes in vs 9-11, “If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not receive him into your house or give him any greeting, for whoever greets him takes part in his wicked works.” I don’t plan on excommunicating anyone, nor denying children of the Church hospitality, but the seriousness of spurning Christ is real.

Prayer

Dad,
This is such a tough topic these days! I am sure there have been thousands of cycles of faith and denial over the eons. Are we in a period of a “cleansing of Your Church.” Is this the winnowing Jesus spoke of? It is so disheartening to hear of so many who seemingly gave up or walked away. Yet, I pray that your powerful grace and mercy, your rich love and kindness will lead all of those who’ve wandered, back to repentance, back home to you! Amen.

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Israel is still relevant to God’s story.

Reading Time: 3 minutes

For in that day,” says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, “I will break the yoke from their necks and snap their chains. Foreigners will no longer be their masters. For my people will serve the Lord their God and their king descended from David— the king I will raise up for them. “So do not be afraid, Jacob, my servant; do not be dismayed, Israel,” says the Lord. “For I will bring you home again from distant lands, and your children will return from their exile. Israel will return to a life of peace and quiet, and no one will terrorize them. For I am with you and will save you,” says the Lord. “I will completely destroy the nations where I have scattered you, but I will not completely destroy you. I will discipline you, but with justice; I cannot let you go unpunished. ‭‭Jeremiah‬ ‭30‬:‭8‬-‭11‬ ‭NLT‬‬

I say it ALL THE TIME – God’s stories are very long!

Whether I read an ancient text like this one in Jeremiah, written almost 3000 years ago, or I read the promises made to Abraham close to 5000 years ago – it does not matter. God stories are long stories. Yet time has no bearing on His promises, they are always fulfilled.

When God, apocalyptically tells Jeremiah the future, it can have immediate results as well as future applications at the same time. God did bring them back then and God will bring them back again! Jeremiah was writing to a rebellious, yet broken nation. Today, Jeremiah still speaks to a stubborn, yet broken nation.

What is it about Israel that makes it so controversial, so complicated? Is it truly because God declare the country to be His? And Jerusalem to be the object lesson of God’s faithfulness? Israel is such a small country, with 8,630 sq. miles and a population of about 9 million people. On the topic of ownership, the Israeli state was declared in 1948. Not only did God gift Abraham the land, but also bought the portions of the land legally and legitimately. There are several ancient transactions recorded in Genesis 13:15-17, and David’s purchase of the temple mount in 2 Samuel 24:18-25. Plus, the entire area known now as Israel was barren and almost worthless when Israel took it over in 1948, It is no secret that the Jewish people turned the dessert into a paradise! The Jewish people even resurrected a dead language that hadn’t been spoken for 2,000 years – Hebrew!

Israel’s GDP was $522.03B in 2022. They are the top in the field of agriculture, health, science, medical advancement, military weaponry and technology. Many of the best and brightest minds in the world are Israelites! The very long story has still yet to be fulfilled.

The Jewish people will one day recognize Jesus as their messiah! And God promises, through passages just like this one, that He will bring all His people back their land. They have been scattered all over the world, but they will return. They have been reviled, tortured and killed, but God still has His eye on His people and the promises made to ancient desert fathers, like Abraham, Isaac and Jacob will be fulfilled in modern times. Israel is still in the news because Israel is still waiting for the completion of all things, the end of days!

Prayer

Dad,
It is so heartbreaking to see the violence of war perpetrated on the folks in Israel and the Palestinian people. It is gut wrenching to watch the innocent be caught up in the mayhem and destruction of life, homes, businesses, schools and hospitals. We are a violent people at heart, especially when we wander from you and seek our own way. The struggle and deep seated hatred and anger is too complex for me to even understand. But, I know in all of this terror, you are at work to fulfill your promises, even extending life and freedom to those who behave as enemies towards you, if they would turn their heart towards you.

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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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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.