Lent 2020 | Day 35: “Dawn”

If we are not careful, we can feel like we are enduring a night that will never end.

This could not be further from the truth. The beauty of our world is that for every night there is a morning. Some night may feel longer than we would like, but the world keeps right on turning.

The goodness of God protects us in days and times like these. He has order the universe to operate in such a way that we can trust in its constancy. Every cycle of evening and morning; every cycle of the change of seasons; even the cycle of life and death is a reminder that God is there, keeping everything in its place.

Uncertainty can cause us to waver and fret. But God never changes. God never wavers. God never forgets what he has promised.

The nigh may feel long, but we can hope in the fact that each nigh is followed by a glorious dawn.

Lent 2020 | Palm Sunday: “Celebrate”

Today is Palm Sunday.

I cannot remember the last time I missed gathering with my local congregation to celebrate during Holy Week. I find this time to be bittersweet. I pray that the Lord in his mercy brings this terrible time to a quick end. But even if it endures for a while longer, may we celebrate and rejoice that God’s grace in tribulation is not wasted or misplaced.

Every Sunday in Lent is not technically a part of the season of Lent. It serves as a reminder of the glorious resurrection of Jesus Christ because every Sunday is a celebration of what the gospel proclaims. So this Sunday, and every Sunday in the season of Lent, we will celebrate what it means to have been saved. So, rather than an extended devotion, I would like to offer you a song that can help us to focus our attention and to give worship to God for the sacrifice, ministry, mission, and purpose of His Son our Savior, Jesus Christ, as we celebrate the renewed life that we have in him. Let us celebrate today, for He is good and in all things he is faithful to us.

Lent 2020 | Day 34: “Watch”

What is the difference between seeing and watching?

Some would say not much. They both use your eyes. They both involve some form of observation.

However, there is something different in the intensity of engagement (at least I think so).

When we see something it usually means something registered in your visual field. It entered into your awareness, but it did not keep it.

When we watch, something else happens. Our focus is placed on the object of observation. We are just seeing what is happening. We are intent on making sense of what is happening.

As we prepare for Palm Sunday tomorrow, we should take a moment and take note. As Jesus entered into Jerusalem, there were many who saw him enter. But, not many were paying attention. Not many were focusing in on who Jesus actually was.

One of the great challenges of the Christian faith is that we can see and not notice. We can use our eyes and still not pay attention.

We are called to watch. To be more than just casual spectators. The Gospel calls us to vigilance in our labor. This is what it means to watch.

Lent 2020 | Day 33: “Darkness”

The power of darkness is an empty threat.

The Christian faith points us to and highlights the fact that we serve a God who is light. That means, if we are willing to accept it, that there is nothing this world can throw at us that either surprises God or diminishes his glory.

In spite of all the uncertainty the current state of affairs wants to heap on us, God is calling us to remember who he is. He has not changed. There is nothing that can happen in this world that can undo what God has done; that can unravel what God has planned and executed. God is unwavering and God is unimpressed with the darkness.

The reason the darkness feels so overwhelming is that we have a tendency to focus on what reminds us of those things that are not God. We know grace is not what we deserve. We know that God’s mercy feels wasted on us. We know this. Why? Because we know ourselves. The darkness is the warm blanket of accusation reminding us how bad we are.

The problem is, the real tragedy is that we have grown so used to the darkness, we don’t trust the light. We feel that if we approach it, too much will be exposed. Too much discovered. Too much revealed. And then, at our most vulnerable we will wonder how anyone, especially God, could accept us.

It is into this conundrum that God sends his son. Right smack dab into the middle of this mess we call the human experience, Jesus steps in and manifests how light dispels the darkness. How a God who is light and love can embrace what should be rejected.

The Gospel–the story to which Easter is the final climactic peak–is proof positive that light can truly vanquish darkness. That darkness a fear-inducing reality is a toothless, venomless foe.

Lent 2020 | Day 32: “Deliver”

There is something powerful about the way God prepared, equipped, and sent Moses that has always been a source of comfort and challenge.

The movie The Ten Commandments may be the reason I love Moses and the story of the Exodus. But, there is something powerful about the way God prepared, equipped, and sent Moses that has always been a source of comfort and challenge.

In Exodus 3, we find the exchange between God and Moses at the burning bush. It was a miraculous event. In that moment, Moses’s life was forever changed. He encountered the one true God, and that God gave him a mission to accomplish.

The crazy thing about this is that while Moses was the physical representation of deliverance, it was God who was bringing about. In verse 8, God tells Moses this is exactly how it was going to happen.

⁷Then the Lord said, “I have surely seen the affliction of my people who are in Egypt and have heard their cry because of their taskmasters. I know their sufferings, ⁸and I have come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them up out of that land to a good and broad land, a land flowing with milk and honey…” (Exodus 3:7-8a ESV)

There are several quick ideas I would like to highlight.

First, God was not blind. He tells Moses that he has come because he has seen the affliction of his people. In times like we find ourselves, I find this comforting. God does not have to remove the source of affliction for us to know he knows what is going on.

Second, God knew that suffering was taking place. Therefore, we can know that God knows that suffering is taking place now. God’s knowledge of suffering is a reminder to us that he is compassionate. God does not delight in suffering and he is not guilty of evil when he permits it. Our inability to understand the purpose of our present circumstances is not an indictment on God’s goodness.

Third, God had a greater good in mind of his people. God is a good God. He is also a good Father. He is not blind to our predicament and he is not indifferent to our tribulations. What we have to keep in mind, maybe even force ourselves to remember, is that whatever discomfort we feel (even if it includes death) pales in comparison to the promised blessings that await us. This is difficult in the middle of dark times. However, it is never too late to put our hope in God’s love and mercy, in his faithfulness and provision.

As we move steadily toward Easter, I would encourage you to take heart. We have not been abandoned. Our deliverer is nearer than we realize.

Do We Look More American than Christian? Part 6

Why have we sacrificed our souls for some earthly version of success?

Part 6: Gaining success, Losing my soul.

If our actions reveal:

We believe professional success is more important than spiritual success.
We spend more time in Church meetings than Gospel conversations.
We prioritize planning events over gathering for prayer.

Then the reality is:

We are gaining the world, but losing our souls.

How have we missed this? Why have we sacrificed our souls for some earthly version of success? What is it about the temptation of being popular in the American psyche that it outweighs our true need of being fully known and fully loved? (Check out the song “Known” by Tauren Wells).

Where your treasure is…

Who wouldn’t want the eternal things over the temporary things?

And yet, we find ourselves (“like a dog returning to its vomit” – Proverbs 26:11) in the same cycles of seeking after the things Jesus’s own disciples sought more than they sought Him (Mark 10:37).

We find ourselves wanting the external miracles more than we desire to see a deep transformation within ourselves and others (John 6:26-40).

We find ourselves chasing after earthy things that will only produce temporary results instead of spiritual things that can produce eternal results (2 Corinthians 4:18).

Step 1: Admit I have a problem.

In this moment it would be easy to point fingers at someone else’s life or someone else’s ministry. But it starts with me. It starts with you. It starts with us together learning to focus on our souls and the souls of others more than human measurements of success.

The church world is not any less susceptible to the worship of success over the concern for people’s souls. And we as the American church, I believe, have traded our soul to gain success.

Repent, and believe the Gospel.

So, what do we do about it? How do we gain our souls and lose success?

First, we die to our own “churchy version” of the American dream:
God being the one who prospers me in primarily my earthly life (as opposed to my eternal life). That what garners attention is big buildings and budgets. That what counts as successful are performance stages with audiences. Not to mention the book deals, the platinum worship albums, and the seeking of social media influencer status.

Second, we recover the dream of God for His people:

“Come, let us return to the Lord.
He has torn us to pieces;
now he will heal us.
He has injured us;
now he will bandage our wounds.
In just a short time he will restore us,
so that we may live in his presence.
Oh, that we might know the Lord!
Let us press on to know him.
He will respond to us as surely as the arrival of dawn
or the coming of rains in early spring.”
“O Israel and Judah,
what should I do with you?” asks the Lord.
“For your love vanishes like the morning mist
and disappears like dew in the sunlight.
I sent my prophets to cut you to pieces—
to slaughter you with my words,
with judgments as inescapable as light.
I want you to show love,
not offer sacrifices.
I want you to know me
more than I want burnt offerings.”
Hosea 6:1-6

We put all this effort into doing great things for God in the name of God that ultimately will burn up with the rest of this world. Remember, Jesus shifted the focus from the physical Temple to people as God’s Temple – meaning all physical things become secondary to people’s souls. And what attracts people to Jesus is not the building or experience, but the actual people living out the Gospel (Acts 2:42-47).

This Lent, let’s lay down our visions of earthly grandeur and reclaim God’s vision of eternal glory. May we be willing to “lose” success in the eyes of man in order to gain our souls – and the souls of others – in the eyes of God. Hear this critique from the words of two Christian musicians:

“Check it out,
The paparazzi flashes, and that they think that it’s you,
But they don’t know that who you are is not what you do,
True, we get it twisted when we peek at the charts,
Yo before we part from the start,
Where’s your heart?
You a pimp, hustler?
Tell me what’s your title,
America has no more stars, now we call them idols,
You sit idle while we teach prosperity,
The first thing to prosper should be inside of me.
We’re free…
Not because of .22s on the range,
But Christ came in range, we said yes now we changed,
Not the same, even though I made a fall,
Since I got that call, no more Saul, now I’m Paul.

I don’t wanna gain the whole world, and lose my soul”

“Lose My Soul” by tobyMac (feat. Kirk Franklin, Mandisa)

Read the Rest of Series

Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Part 4
Part 5
Part 6
Part 7

Lent 2020 | Day 31: “Innocent”

In the cross of Calvary, God’s judgment has fallen and the verdict has been given. The penalty of sin is death and Jesus has died for the guilty.

In the cross of Calvary, God’s judgment has fallen and the verdict has been given. The penalty of sin is death and Jesus has died for the guilty. The verdict was punishment and in the shedding of Christ’s blood, those who deserve damnation are adopted and given an inheritance.

This is the mystery of the Christian faith. The just God justifies the wicked and ungodly, declaring them innocent.

I can honestly say that even after all of my years as a Christian, when I think about this exchange is just doesn’t make sense. It is does not make sense for a holy God to do this. But then I remember he is also good.

The wrath of God is truly terrible. And yet, his grace is able to cover the sins of the entire world.

The perfect balance of all of these attributes within the Godhead is a mystery that cannot be properly understood. That none of these characteristics of God’s character are in conflict with each other is beyond comprehension.

Everyday I struggle to be consistent. To be even tempered, sober minded, kind, and gracious. And every single day I fail. Why? Because my sin nature is in competition with the new nature given to me by Jesus.

And still, God look at me through the filter of Jesus blood and does not condemn. God does not look at any of us and throw up his hands in disgust. The verdict has been given and God will not go back on his word.

We didn’t deserve, and we may even find reasons for why God should revoke his grace, but he never will. We have been declared innocent even though we were guilty as sin.

Hallelujah!

Lent 2020 | Day 30: “Release”

I don’t need as much as I thought I did. I don’t want as much as I thought I needed.

Our word today is “release.”

As we have made some adjustments in our home about how to handle our children being home and maintaining a semblance of routine, I have found myself realizing a couple of things.

First, I don’t need as much as I thought I did. Second, I don’t want as much as I thought I needed.

There is a simplification of life happening for me. I know that there are many who are still required to work. So, my thoughts are a reflection of the situation I have been put in. That being said, I have been surprised by how being forced to spend more time at home has reduced by carelessness in consumption. When I had access to anything, I could take advantage of that freedom and go and get it. But now that I have to stay at home, I realize that I don’t need those things. They are nice, but I don’t have to feel deprived or denied if I don’t get them.

The other thing that I have noticed is that now that I am not just getting stuff, my desire to have it is also going down. My awareness of this has peaked in the last couple of days. But I think it’s a lesson that I will take to heart.

I did not expect either of these realizations. But I am thankful for them.

What is something you have learned during this time of social distancing and quarantine?

Lent 2020 | Day 29: “Answer”

Thinking you know the answer does not mean you really do.

As we continue trying to navigate living in a world surrounded by an invisible enemy, I am reminded of something I learned many years ago. It is a principle that my father taught me about how to study the Bible. The principle is this: For every physical principle there is a corresponding spiritual one and vice verse.

What this means is that whenever we find and learn a principle in one area, if we take the time to plumb its depths, we may gain insight into the other.

One of the best examples of this is the idea of seedtime and harvest. All throughout scripture, and particularly in several of Jesus’ parables, the principles of agriculture are used. The purpose of these comparisons was to help his listeners understand the principle that governed a higher spiritual reality.

The problem is that if we do not understand the ideas and concepts that make up the examples being used, it will be difficult to understand the spiritual principle being taught.

This reality came into sharp focus when I served a small, rural church in a farming community while in college. One of the members had been a farmer his entire life. And his family had been farming in that area for three or four generations. During one of our bible studies, Jesus’ words in Luke 9 was the focus of discussion.

Jesus said to him, “No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.” (9:62)

I asked the “logical” question. Why is this true?

The seasoned farmer something like this (because I don’t remember exactly), “Because if he looks away from what’s in front of him, he can’t make a straight line.”

Was going to make some spiritual sounding point about commitment to the task, but a man who had plowed more fields than in his lifetime than I ever would saw the wisdom in the command.

I asked him to explain further. He went on to say that every farmer, before the time of tractors and GPS, would place a pole or marker of some kind at the end of each row. It was the plowman’s job to keep his eye on the marker. By doing this across the entire field, he would make straight rows that made it easier to plant and harvest. But it would also maximize the usage of the field.

Let’s just say my mind was blown. And so was my understanding of what Jesus was saying. By using a physical principle, Jesus was making a powerful statement about those who have been called into service in the kingdom. Thinking you know the answer does not mean you really do. This exchange taught me this valuable lesson.

As we continue our journey toward Easter and continue to practice the recommendations of our medical and civic leaders, I want to remind us all that there is still much work we can do. We can continue to redeem the time that we have been given for God’s glory, our edification, and our neighbor’s good.

Lent 2020 | 5th Sunday in Lent: “Celebrate”

Today’s the 5th Sunday in Lent. Every Sunday in Lent is not technically a part of the season of Lent. It serves as a reminder of the glorious resurrection of Jesus Christ because every Sunday is a celebration of what the gospel proclaims. So this Sunday, and every Sunday in the season of Lent, we will celebrate what it means to have been saved. So, rather than an extended devotion, I would like to offer you a song that can help us to focus our attention and to give worship to God for the sacrifice, ministry, mission, and purpose of His Son our Savior, Jesus Christ, as we celebrate the renewed life that we have in him. Let us celebrate today, for He is good and in all things he is faithful to us.

This was recently shared by Natalie Grant and her husband Bernie Herms.