Tag: sin

Posted on

The slanderous snake returns.

Reading Time: 2 minutes

“Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted there by the devil. For forty days and forty nights he fasted and became very hungry.” ‭‭Matthew‬ ‭4‬:‭1‬-‭2‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Matthew jumps over a few years in Jesus’ life, taking us from three to thirty and quickly introduces John the Baptist who in turn introduces Jesus. We leave the ancestry and Christmas story to a thunderous annunciation – “And a voice from heaven said, “This is my dearly loved Son, who brings me great joy.””

Matthew then quickly thrusts us into a battle in the desert. The place where Jesus fasted and prayed – this was no longer eden and the landscape of the earth and the human condition were no longer paradise. John Mark Comer reminds us that this battle did not take place with physical weapons, like swords, knives or clubs. It took place with words – just words. Of course, that’s all it took to bring the first couple down in the beginning, they were just words; one of them a question in fact. With Eve the liar asked, “Did God say?” Here in the anti-Eden, the slithering slanderer planted a more subtle challenge… “if you are the Son of God.” Thinking Jesus might need proof at this point in his life? “Turn stones to bread,” the smooth talker said. Take control Jesus. It’s yours to command, if you’d like. If you are as they say, “really God.” Interesting that later on Jesus would replicate a few fish and some barley loafs into food for thousands who were hungry. The stones show up again when Jesus enters the city of Jerusalem riding on a donkey. Luke writes Jesus’ words, “If humans won’t praise, even the stones themselves will cry out!”

Two more temptations would come and Jesus wisely used God’s word, his own sword of the Spirit to fend off the little blood-sucking flea. The last temptation would come just before a betrayal and an ambush in another garden. Would Jesus drink the cup of suffering? The desert, the garden, the war and the win was all for us! Hebrews says it poetically perfect, “So then, since we have a great High Priest who has entered heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to what we believe. This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for he faced all of the same testings we do, yet he did not sin. So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most.” ‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭4‬:‭14‬-‭16‬ ‭NLT‬‬. The second Adam made everything right between us and God.

Prayer

Dad,
Jesus was tempted and passed. His only defense and weaponry was Your Word – the most powerful force in all creation. I am daily tempted, tested and faced with subtle questions as well as accusations and lies. I MUST hide your Word in my heart, not only so I do NOT sin, but also so I can win the battles within my own heart and mind. What lies do I want to believe to get my own way instead of submitting to your way? What God-Words can I store and retrieve to help fight these lies? Thank you for leading, guiding and protecting me as I learn to depend on your Word.

Posted on

Fretting follicles.

Reading Time: 2 minutes

“Lord, don’t hold back your tender mercies from me. Let your unfailing love and faithfulness always protect me. For troubles surround me— too many to count! My sins pile up so high I can’t see my way out. They outnumber the hairs on my head. I have lost all courage.” ‭‭Psalms‬ ‭40‬:‭11‬-‭12‬ ‭NLT‬‬

According to Blue Letter Bible, Psalm 40 was among Psalms collected and inserted in the songbook towards the end of David’s life. I don’t think David was being comedic here in his analogies, but I am a visual reader. Words and phrases bring pictures into my head.

As I read this Psalm, most likely written as David is approaching retirement, and put here as more of a reflective thought, I can’t help but see piles of sin outside the royal palace stacked up against the walls like a snow drift from a massive winter storm. And, if that’s not a enough, he then compares his sin to the number of hairs, albeit fleeting, on his head.

Look it up! The average black or brown headed person has about 100,000 hairs and blondes have 150,000. Do blondes need more for some reason? 100k of sins. How am I supposed to tally up all my sins throughout the years. Is there an app to track that? At first I thought, “oh, I’ve sinned way more than the number of hairs on my skull.” But 100K? No, I’m not going to do the math for you.

Let’s just agree we can all PILE up a lot of sin in a lifetime. And managing those sins can be quite the undertaking. In yesterday’s devo I wrote about Hebrews advice, “don’t count up or manage your sin,” look to the Savior who gracefully paid off our debt and just be grateful. I realize that here in Psalm 40, David was still under the law and the crushing guilt of all the awful things he had done. So his plea is understandable. Today, I don’t want to or have to count sin-snowflakes piled up or fretting follicles and the debt I’ve amassed. God’s tender mercies are still active and effective!

Prayer

Dad,
I may be running out of hairs on my head, but I am not running low on sin! I am glad I do not need to obsess over sins in my past. And when I confess and come clean with you about my current selfishness and self determined will, you forgive me and toss my sins in opposite directions, far from you and me. I am still thrilled to look at piles of mercy rather than piles of mistakes, mountains of grace verses molehills of guilt.

Posted on

That reminds me.

Reading Time: 2 minutes

“But instead, those sacrifices actually reminded them of their sins year after year. For it is not possible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins. That is why, when Christ came into the world, he said to God, “You did not want animal sacrifices or sin offerings. But you have given me a body to offer.” ‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭10‬:‭3‬-‭5‬ ‭NLT‬‬

It is interesting that Hebrews tells us what the old contract, the Law and the new contract, Christ’s own body accomplished – not only what each demanded, but what each fulfilled. Sola Scriptura, scripture interpreting scripture. If we were to listen to the scribes, pharisees and misinformed friends we would believe that parts of the law are still required, never being satisfied or fulfilled. The New Living Translation used the word, cancelled in verse 9. In greek, it says that Jesus’ own body “anaireó,” took up, away, or made an end to the repetitiveness of sacrifices, of guilt, of memories, of our sins.

What about those memories of sin? If I am honest, they are powerfully humiliating, embarrassing and unproductive. Oh, they help to remind me of just how big of a loser I am, but do nothing to keep me free and faithful in the future. Hebrews suggests that we quit rummaging around in the trash of our past, pulling out the old contract along with the many times we broke it and focus on something completely different – Jesus’ words written over every sin and failure, “PAID IN FULL.”

Instead of ruminating in the past and on my sin, I glance at the benefactor who forever banished my debt! I exchange the memories in my head from guilt to grateful. If you’ve ever had a tax lien, an overwhelming hospital or college debt and had someone pay it for you, cancelling the daily or monthly memories of that awful weight, you’d know what this is like. God doesn’t want us waking up every morning feeling like a worthless worm, a daily beggar laden with remorse, but a child of royalty. A child who’s father cleared our bankruptcy and encouraged us to fully live in the freedom of his grace. Be reminded of the Savior not your sin.

Prayer

Dad,
Like every grand story I’ve ever read, you’ve come to rescue me, not constantly remind me of my past faults, failures and sin. It still pangs me to remember or to tell the stories of my past. I try to focus on your promise, and provision of grace. That too takes faith. As much as I want to please you to have faith that moves forward, fulfilling the Kingdom of God, sometimes it takes faith to be reminded of what you’ve already accomplished, even in me! Thank You.

Posted on

Bending towards evil.

Reading Time: 2 minutes 
“And the Lord was pleased with the aroma of the sacrifice and said to himself, “I will never again curse the ground because of the human race, even though everything they think or imagine is bent toward evil from childhood. I will never again destroy all living things. As long as the earth remains, there will be planting and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night.” Genesis‬ ‭8‬:‭21‬-‭22‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Starting over, but still with broken, evil people who will always bend towards evil. God Completely annihilated the human population at the time of Noah, and yet still sin and evil was not permanently drowned with the massive, twelve month flood over the earth.

There is a lot questions and mystery concerning the flood that God doesn’t seem to be worried about nor interested in addressing. When Noah offers a sacrifice to God (which I believe God showed Adam, Eve, Cain and Abel how to do) from selected animals on the boat, God is pleased. Why? Because Noah understands the association of substitutionary death of an innocent animal to temporarily cover his and his family’s sin. This is an act of humility, obedience and best of all faith. God makes a unique promise, “I will never…” He says. The earth’s ground, in totality, will never be cursed because of US. Then God adds the perpetually sad commentary, “even though everything they THINK or IMAGINE is bent!” And it’s bent from childhood on.

In Chapter nine, God gives Noah and all humans thereafter a permanent sign of this promise (contract) – the rainbow. “Then God said, “I am giving you a sign of my covenant with you and with all living creatures, for all generations to come. I have placed my rainbow in the clouds. It is the sign of my covenant with you and with all the earth.” Genesis‬ ‭9‬:‭12‬-‭13‬ ‭NLT‬‬. I love that God makes a permanent, declarative and obvious sign in the skies that show up when it rains or the rays of the sun catch the mists of water just right. These moments make for a beautiful array of splendor and delight wherever and whoever you are. Sadly, the rainbow, which is intended to be a contractual observance of promise, has been abused by so many to represent anything but a promise and nothing to do with God.

Prayer

Dad,
This whole post apocalyptic, global flood story is fascinating. Noah and family, with their miracle boat ride for an entire year. Then the days leading up to the landing an evacuation of water. So amazing. This picture/object lesson of Noah making a sacrifice is epic because it completely takes place well before the law, and well before the Abrahamic Covenant. This super old story is still all about faith and obedience – not perfection. Noah and his family were certainly not perfect and did not have perfect children. Yet, they knew the situation concerning their sin and gratitude for saving them. Bravo 🙌🏼.

Posted on

Sin is in fact infectious!

Reading Time: 3 minutes 
“This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies says. Ask the priests this question about the law: ‘If one of you is carrying some meat from a holy sacrifice in his robes and his robe happens to brush against some bread or stew, wine or olive oil, or any other kind of food, will it also become holy?’” The priests replied, “No.” Then Haggai asked, “If someone becomes ceremonially unclean by touching a dead person and then touches any of these foods, will the food be defiled?” And the priests answered, “Yes.” Then Haggai responded, “That is how it is with this people and this nation, says the Lord. Everything they do and everything they offer is defiled by their sin.” Haggai‬ ‭2:11-14‬ ‭NLT‬‬

I love it when God asks questions. Isn’t interesting? This one seems to be all about a food preparation object lesson.

These are ancient times and God has given Israel “laws” to help them in the proper way to handle food. He asks them if the “holy” meat makes other foods holy just by touching them together. The modern word for making meat holy is called Kosher and it most likely became the standard for all food preparation and handling.

We know so much more about handling food than we used to and yet, we still have warnings and about mishandling our food supply line today – especially with things like Salmonella!

Corruption and defilement only seem to go one way. Good can’t “defile,” or making something clean just by contact or touching. Holy meat cannot make anything holy simply by contact. God’s point… it’s different with corruption, disease or sickness. Bad can corrupt or defile good with a simple contact point. The Apostle Paul uses this analogy when he writes to the churches in Corinth, “bad company corrupts good morals.”

God’s illustration is touching a dead body, where corruption and death has begun breaking down the cells which used to be alive. In this very natural death process the body is experiencing corruption where bacteria and germs do their job to return the body to the earth where it began.

Scientists, healthcare workers and food handlers know this instinctively, death is dangerously infectious!

God’s boundaries, His laws for Israel taught them to not touch the dead without careful cleansing and mandatory isolation from others so disease doesn’t spread. This is well before they knew why death was so dangerous! Then God speaking through Haggai lands this mind-blowing concept to them – SIN = DEATH. Sin is corruption. Sin breaks down all living things and brings death. God explains to them, everything we do, everything we offer, CANNOT be holy, clean or free of death itself. We have sin. We ARE sin. Therefore, everything we “touch” will become corrupted and die. Sadly, this includes things we offer to God – ouch. Of course, post Christ’s death and resurrection, making the final and completely perfect sacrifice for the penalty of sin, our offerings as someone contraction-ally in good standing with God can, in faith, offer redemptive acts.

Prayer

Dad,
Sin is so dangerous! It is so infectious. We have so many social viruses spreading among us these days. These popular crowd-sourced and driven ideals are laced with death! These grand social experiences and experiments are ruthlessly effective to bring death in our relationships, families, and civil structures. It’s like we, as humans, take great joy in passing around a soul-virus, with zero care or precaution to their effects on our lives. Truth has been trampled and swapped out for lies! You said this would happen. You told us this is what the end looks like. We need your mercy Oh God. We need your supernatural intervention to stop this fast spreading disease called sin.

Posted on

The priest and the politician.

Reading Time: 3 minutes 
“Then Jesus told this story to some who had great confidence in their own righteousness and scorned everyone else:” Luke‬ ‭18:9‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Jesus told a lot of stories. And, they are eternally effective. No matter what character you may relate to, you’ll find the commonality of humanity in these stories. It would be a mistake to overly identify with one and not the other. At some point in our walk of faith, our journey, it is likely that we play BOTH roles, depending on the stages of our spiritual maturity. Hint, the more “mature” stages can be the most unaware.

Jesus aims his word crafting skills at those with great confidence in their own righteousness. The confident compare and contrast with these regimented, performance based behaviors – what I do. The humble also compare to things they’ve done in the past and recognize them as wrong. One character mentions (to God, btw) how they are nothing like those around him. The —cheaters, sinners, adulterers, and most certainly (glancing over at) the tax collector! It is said that the sins you recognize and rail against are likely your OWN sins and desires, mirrored back in another human being. Obviously, a lavished lifestyle based on taking financial advantage of others instead of earning it is frowned upon. If the stereotype fits…

Then for the Pharisee, the bonum officium, good duties, are mentioned only to mask what’s really in his heart – “I fast twice a week, and I give you a tenth of my income.’” The other character, also, not only prays, but his entire posture lends to contrition. He stands off, away from others. He doesn’t even “lift his eyes to heaven.” And as he reflects on his own sin and standing before a perfect God, he “beat his chest in sorrow.” Then he prays “‘O God, be merciful to me, for I am a sinner.’”

What’s tough here is that one dutifully fasts and prays, the other rips people off and that seems all wrong. Is God applauding bad behavior and criticizing well known spiritual practices? No, no no – Jesus is wanting his audience to compare and contrast, not to each other, but to God – actually himself.

Can we compare to Jesus in purity of heart and behavior? Both characters pale. Can performance of spiritual disciplines stink before God? Are the smells of sins of comparison and judging others EQUAL to the smell of sins of ill-gained wealth and usury? Aren’t both sins as seeing ourselves to be entitled and deserving of advantage? In the light of motivation isn’t cheating and adultery both sins of using people for our own pleasure? Can fasting and tithing for the purpose of recognition, and personal power over others be exactly the same? Jesus is just showing us two sides of the same coin.

Jesus did not, would not do anything for this self-motivated glory we so crave! Jesus did not play the pharisee nor the politician in this story. He played the role of God and demanded his audience compare to that perfection. What about our characters, what happened to each? One of them “returned home justified before God.” The other went home, sadly unchanged, and worse off, further from God than ever. “For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”

Prayer

Dad,
When I compare to others, I may seem better than or worse, depending on my lens (wealth, spirituality, confidence, social standing). But when I compare myself in my thoughts and behaviors to you… well that’s just embarrassing! I must stop seeing others as less or more than me! We are ALL broken. We ALL fall short. We all fail at righteousness on our own. In this comparison game, I must remember not only who I WAS, but who I AM – a sinner saved by grace.

Posted on

Value people for the win.

Reading Time: 3 minutes 
“So watch yourselves! “If another believer sins, rebuke that person; then if there is repentance, forgive. Even if that person wrongs you seven times a day and each time turns again and asks forgiveness, you must forgive.” Luke‬ ‭17:3-4‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Jesus, in “red letter words” talks openly about sin. He does not do so as often as you might think. But here Luke records Jesus talking about it with some warnings. Seventeen opens with, “There will always be temptations to sin….” Then after reminding us that being a temptER is worse, Jesus lays out the warning, “watch yourselves!” What a thought. We spend a lot more time and energy watching OTHERS do their sin, than we do our own sin. It makes laugh when Jesus says, “IF” another sins. I think it’s more like “when,” right Jesus? 😬

Jesus uses this word that we have all kinds of stereotypes built around – REBUKE. Don’t we rebuke demons and our dogs? Sounds pretty harsh, right? It’s the word itself that fascinates me.

The Greek construction of this word is NOT match the imagery. The word is epitimaó: to honor, to mete out due measure, hence to censure. Properly, assign value as is fitting the situation, building on (Gk epi) the situation to correct (re-direct).

Its fundamental sense is “warning to prevent something from going wrong.” Think about this. The word comes from two words, epi: on, upon and timaó: to fix the value, estimate. We’d recognize the word timaó because it comes from the word “time.” So this often seen as judgmental word is really a deep sense of valuing someone to help point out serious consequences completely in the framework of timing! In my granddaughter’s preschool class, her teacher has a “red choice” vs “green choice” system to help the children understand choices they already made. That they were helpful or not helpful, kind or unkind. But what if they had a “yellow choice” indicator just BEFORE the behavior happened? The timing of the yellow choice warning or “rebuke” would be seen as a helpful, valuable, even a loving action.

It’s not an example of sin, but it would be much like Robin warning me, while driving, when she’s sees a pedestrian coming into the crosswalk as I’m about to make a turn. Her warning, her “rebuke” is a timely and valued moment that prevents me from hitting, thus hurting another.

Notice the order in which Jesus gives us this wisdom of God. If another believer sins (clearly just for Christ followers) – it’s already happened. The timely and valued warning is helpful for breaking a pattern that will absolutely lead to relationship breeches between us and God and us with one another! I think that’s why Jesus chases that truth with this. “Even if it happens seven times a day.” Well, there’s a fine “terrible two’s” scenario! I have to be vigilant and consistent MORE THAN ONCE. Yep. Oh, I hear you. If you were to say, “but what if they (we) don’t WANT those timely and valued warnings when they (we) are in process or planning of SIN! And, you’d be right. The warning, the rebuke, even when spoken in grace, is often taken as controlling or judging or even meddling in our private affairs.

Ah, that’s why we really don’t like the word! There’s a real possibility of someone flashing the yellow choice option, but they (we) REALLY want to ignore it. BTW, when Jesus says, “if” there is repentance, think of it in terms of not just being sorry… sorry would not have helped me or the person I hit in the crosswalk. The best way to look at repentance is exactly what the word means – metanoeó, “change one’s mind.” Thus, changing one’s behavior.

Prayer

Dad,
It seems like this conversation of unity, cooperation, mutual benefit and trust are much more difficult in a divided culture and specifically a community of believers. How can we trust each other to handle our lives, decisions and behaviors with this timely, valued warning? Most of the body of Christ perceives that “judging” anyone or anything is wrong and should be avoided. This makes rebuking almost impossible without massive drama and blowback. Have we, have I, isolated ourselves into a dark corner of self where we are not just alone in our sin, but also alone in seeing the blind spots we all have?This is really a sad situation we’ve gotten into. Will you help us (me) to remember that you know what you’re talking about and trust you in your eternal wisdom? Even when this whole topic feels like we are walking on eggshells, and fearing co-dependent reactions?

Posted on

Fake rainbows.

Reading Time: 3 minutes 
“From my earliest youth my enemies have persecuted me. Let all Israel repeat this: From my earliest youth my enemies have persecuted me, but they have never defeated me. My back is covered with cuts, as if a farmer had plowed long furrows. But the Lord is good; he has cut me free from the ropes of the ungodly.” Psalms‬ ‭129:1-4‬ ‭NLT‬‬

It is true, that from the time of Israel’s birth, back in the days of Abraham, the founding father, it is evident that the world, their enemies have been against them. And, reflecting back to 400 years of Egyptian slavery, their backs, as a collective illustration, are covered with lashes received as slaves back in this early years and metaphorically even today. Israel has been used as a the whipping post for the global animosities against the people of God, even against God himself. As Israel makes yet another trip back up to Jerusalem, there are many reflections for the way back home. Yes, Israel was disciplined and taken away specifically for their sins, their arrogant and very public flaunting of idols mixed with sexual, physical and sacrificial offerings to wooden poles creepy little stone-carved idols that sat in prominence in their homes.

Israel, like all prodigal sons and daughters did the shame-walk back home. Yet, through this very long and sad cyclical story, it is undeniable that we see ourselves – all of humanity living out this very same pattern. We want, we desire, we frolic after fancy things. We search, we run to and fro, from promise to promise that this pole, or that carving, this high or experience, these gods will fulfill and give us everything we desire!

We, like Israel, like the psalmist could say, “from my earliest youth my enemies have persecuted me.” The enemy is very real and very alluring, but the end results are ALWAYS the same. Brokenness, sin and shame await at the end of the fake rainbow. The enemy of our souls and of God delight in us finding broken promises of happiness and, of all things, freedom. We constantly struggle to be free of this presence of a holy God, so we run towards a gleeful captor ready to slap on the cuffs or ropes of slavery.

It is then that all the warnings, pleas and truth begin to dawn on us. Like Pinocchio found out on the island of pleasure, it was all a lie. Like Christian, in Pilgrim’s Progress, who seeks paradise but only finds detours, yet never releasing his burden and only increases it.

All of us are welcome to come to the same place the psalmist describes. The place where we see that God is good and can permanently CUT the ropes of the ungodly. For those searching for real freedom, not fake, flashy, self-fulling nonsense – but real and eternal freedom. There is but one way, the only way. That is through Jesus Christ and his gift of death, of salvation, of redemption, of transformation offered to pay for that freedom. But it requires our very life to be given in exchange!

Prayer

Dad,
The return to what’s good and right is a tough one. It feels so good to “come clean,” and rid the backpack of burdened sin and stupidity. It also feels so humiliating to return to the right path. Oftentimes I have seen my friends treated so badly when they wander, or even blow up their lives and families, knowing full well that judging them this way makes it near impossible to come home, returning to community. This walk back to Jerusalem is Israel’s shame walk, but at some point in our lives, it’s everyone’s walk. Help us love folks through their sin and welcome them when they’ve come home. We need your extraordinary, lavished grace to embrace.

Posted on

Doomed cycles of repetition.

Reading Time: 2 minutes 
“She defiled herself with immorality and gave no thought to her future. Now she lies in the gutter with no one to lift her out. “Lord, see my misery,” she cries. “The enemy has triumphed.” Lamentations‬ ‭1:9‬ ‭NLT‬‬

​We need mercy to escape the doomed cycles of repetition.

Poetic reality sets in on the people of Israel, personified in the city of Jerusalem. The city is the people, the people the city. There is a healthy recognition in deep grief. Their sin, our sin, will ALWAYS catch up to us. As humans, we have this unique ability to think we can do the deed and just keep running from the consequences! Jeremiah writes this incredible analogy; “He wove my sins into ropes to hitch me to a yoke of captivity.” And, I must never forget, captivity was true love and justice in action. Babylon was a decisive, punishment of discipline, not destruction.

From the dizzy heights of Solomon’s success, his global reach of riches and power, to the depths of being dragged off to another country and watching all of what Israel had become in the city of Jerusalem raided and burned to the ground. The warnings ignored. The threats thought impossible. Now the people must face reality. But did Babylon do it’s job? Did it work? Did it fix their sin problem? Did they repent and turn from their sin and deep cycles of immortality? Temporarily, yes. Permanently, no.

Even with the most massive lesson in all of history, the rise and fall of God’s own people and the picture of the city of God – the rehabilitation and transformation was only temporary. The permanent solution, our permanent resolve would not be found in these cycles of sin, repentance, mourning and change. It would only be found in the work of Christ, God’s own son.

Without God’s own solution to our selfish cycles of sin to confession and back again, we would be forever trapped in generational repetition. Jeremiah records these horrible moments to ultimately point to hopelessness with out Christ.

The city of Jerusalem, the people of God would never be the same and will never be the same until the final days of revelation that Jesus is the messiah. These writings are meant to be a reminder of our morbid morality and the power and mercy of God to redeem us even while we are caught in mid-cycle of sin!

Prayer

Dad,
Looking into the perfect mirror of your word and seeing a clear reflection of who and what I am, even in my best effort, is so depressing. These words are not ancient, they are transcendent and eternal! These glimpses of humanity only remind and reinforce what I already know – I am a selfish sinner saved only by grace and has nothing to do with my poor attempts to perfection. I rest, not on my promises to never sin again, but only on your Word, your promise to clean me, restore me from all unrighteousness. In that and that alone do I find solace, peace and most of all HOPE.

Posted on

Passion vs planning.

Reading Time: 2 minutes 
“Enthusiasm without knowledge is no good; haste makes mistakes.” Proverbs‬ ‭19:2‬ ‭NLT‬‬

I would think that passion makes the world go around. However, without a deep understanding of a problem, the history of its journey and the people involved, change will not take place. The new phrase is “change comes at the speed of trust,” but relationships, good feels and passion won’t give a solution or an idea enough traction for the long-haul known as deep change.

Passion does inspire. Passion, or enthusiasm (Greek: in God, filled with God) gives hope and lifts the soul to perk up and see a preferred future. But, without a plan, or knowledge as the wisdom writers put it, I find no path, no roadmap of where all the excitement is supposed to lead.

I Imagine a track star shooting off the starting block to race towards the finish line only to find there is no finish line, no track, no path. Instead she just runs in competitive fashion, filled with heightened adrenaline-fueled passion with no direction at all! The track, the route, the path and most importantly, the finish line IS the well marked plan, with a photo-finish ending. With no knowledge, no plan, it just results in wandering and possibly getting lost.

The Hebrew word for enthusiasm here is nephesh: a feminine noun. Meaning a soul, living being, life, self, person, desire, passion, appetite, or emotion. And the Hebrew word for mistakes is chata: to miss, go wrong, sin.

Prayer

Dad,
I would like both please! Knowledge and passion. I love the energy of passion that drives the clarity of knowledge or a plan. I want both because I need both. I would also love it if you could throw in wisdom, which James says I lack because I don’t ask. I am asking for wisdom as well. These are the things necessary for me to lead. Not just my life, but those you have called me to shepherd to, to care for and love. Help me get them where you want us to go and to be who you want us to be along the way. Thank you in advance.