December 31, 2023

Psalm 23: 5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies . . . (NIV)

This is the condition of God’s servant – always conflict, but always a spread table.*

I was thinking and praying about what to write in my final post for the year. Thinking: something about the clean slate of a new year and the clean slate of each new day. Praying: nothing. Thinking: something personal. Praying: God reminded me that there is something of me in every day’s installment. 

And so, I had my idea antenna up for weeks, praying that I wouldn’t miss the signal when it came. And suddenly, there it was - in a Sunday morning sermon. The preacher used this verse from the 23^rd Psalm, and – sorry, Jim – I have no idea in what context. But I knew it was the verse I had been waiting for.

So there I sat with a few hundred other believers, invited there by our Lord to participate in a meal which he has prepared for us. He asks that we remember him as we consume the emblems that represent his body and his blood. Inside our comfortable church building we are safe among our friends. Outside, though, we are surrounded by our enemies.

It seems that Satan has ramped up his attacks on God’s people and it scares me. The world hates us more every day. Well, didn’t Jesus tell us that would happen? Not to make it sound like it’s no big deal, but he also said to keep in mind that the world hated him first (John 15: 18). And still, he set the table, prepared the meal, and invited us to join him . . . in the presence of our enemies. As a witness to them and a reminder for us.

As often as you gather around the table of the Lord, savor the peace of the place and the moment. As you move forward and outward from that place and time, you take the Lord’s peace and protection with you. Into the enemy’s camp. 

It is God’s presence, not his protection, that gets us through life.*

December 30, 2023

John 12: 43 For they loved praise from men more than praise from God. (NIV)

“I am not who I think I am. I am not who you think I am. I am who I think you think I am.” . . .  Right or wrong, we define ourselves through other people’s eyes.*

In this verse, John is referring specifically to the Jewish leaders who were so fearful of losing their place in society that they refused to confess that they believed in Jesus. They allowed public opinion to dictate – and destroy – their lives. But couldn’t John’s condemnation also apply to us? How often are our actions determined by what we imagine others might think of us?

We might ask ourselves, though: is it completely wrong to care what other people think? I don’t know of any specific scripture that addresses the question but I think we can look at the life of Jesus and gather some insight into how much he cared about public opinion. And we would determine that he cared very little about it. At the same time, we see that while his actions were not driven by concern for being popular with the populace, he cared deeply for the public as individuals. And by his example we gather that caring for others requires some level of caring for their feelings and opinions.

Observe Jesus demonstrating his disdain for traditions, hypocrisy, and lack of charity. There is no doubt how he feels about behavior of that nature. Yet, he showed us that it is possible to deliver a stinging rebuke without belittling the person. His harshest words were saved for those with the thickest skin – the self-righteous religious leaders. With everyone else, he customized his delivery according to his audience. But he never diluted the truth out of fear of the public’s opinion.

If we want to be like Jesus, we should learn to speak the truth boldly and with love. And while we must not let public opinion deter us from our duty, we should be determined never to allow our zeal for duty to blind us to our need for kindness. 

Jesus calls us to engage the world in spiritual battle, not retreat from it in fear.*

December 29, 2023

Proverbs 11: 13 A gossip betrays a confidence, but a trustworthy man keeps a secret. (NIV)

Three can keep a secret if two of them are dead.*

I have two problems with being entrusted with another’s secrets: 

1) When I guard the secret but it turns out my friend is out there telling it to everyone else. I hate that – but to be honest, I think I hate it because it robs me of the fun of . . . spreading gossip. 

2) When the secret doesn’t seem like such a big deal and I forget that it’s a secret. I hate it because I want to be known as a person who can be trusted. 

In the community of faith, it is important that we be able to trust one another with our confidences. We are God’s instruments - his ears and mouth and heart – to help bear each other’s burdens. Being an accountability partner is a duty each of us should seek to perform for a brother or a sister. Who wants to confess a weakness to a blabbermouth? 

It is equally essential that we enjoy a reputation for trustworthiness among non-believers. We must ever be aware that the world watches us, and our ability to maintain a confidence is crucial to our witness. 

And a final reminder: not every secret we know is one that has been told to us. I have overheard, observed, and surmised many secrets that I was not meant to know about. Just because I never promised not to tell doesn’t mean I have permission to reveal someone else’s private matters. Gossip is wrong, no matter its source.

A person is always building trust or breaking it.*

December 28, 2023

Leviticus 22: 31, 32 “Keep my commands and follow them. I am the Lord. Do not profane my holy name. I must be acknowledged as holy by the Israelites. I am the Lord who makes you holy.” (NIV)

Holiness is not optional.*

How to be holy. . . Based on this passage, it seems simple enough. Keep God’s commands and follow them. Do not profane his holy name. Acknowledge him as holy. . . But wait! I am the Lord who makes you holy. After all those steps, it seems we still need God to make us holy.

So much of our spiritual energy is spent on trying to earn God’s favor. When we see something like this, we are thrilled to have such clear directions as to how to accomplish it. Until we are smacked in the face with the truth: we can’t earn God’s favor. We can’t make ourselves holy. So why does he tell us to keep his commands and not to profane his name and all that? I don’t know. As Isaiah expresses it: “Who has understood the mind of the Lord?” (Isaiah 40: 13) In answer to Isaiah: no one.

But here is what we do know: before God makes us holy, he expects us to put some effort into the process. Keep his commands. Follow him. Do not profane his holy name. Acknowledge him as holy. And he will do the rest.

No man can make himself pure by obeying laws.*

December 27, 2023

James 4: 13, 15 Now listen, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.” . . . Instead, you ought to say, “If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.” (NIV)

Sometimes, when all life’s lessons have been learned, we shall see how all God’s plans were right, and how what seemed reproof was love most true.*

One of my duties in the Supervisor of Elections office was to assist people with filing their paperwork to run for public office. Over the years, more than one candidate confided in me that they had prayed about their decision to run. I may have rained on their parade a bit by reminding them that while God might want them to run for office, it might not be his will for them to win. (Which turned out to be true in my own case as well!)

We may have learned the futility of attempting anything without first seeking God’s will but we often need to be reminded that success and happiness are not guaranteed results. Sometimes God’s will is the path we take, not the destination at the end of it. Many times God has led me down a fruitless trail – or so it would seem. But every dead-end had a purpose of its own – to test my willingness to obey; to strengthen my faith; to be a witness to someone else; or something yet to be revealed!

So, as James advises, we should preface our plans with, “If it is God’s will . . .” and then expect that we might not end up where we thought we would.

God’s plans can be on a greater scale than our worthy, heartfelt prayers.*

December 26, 2023

Luke 19: 10 “For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost.” (NIV)

It seems we’re often drawn to strategies rather than to a relationship.*

One time, when I was a little girl, our preacher and his wife and son came to visit. For some reason, our family took a stroll with them out through the field to the far reaches of our property. My brother, the preacher’s son, and I – all about the same age – wandered off into the woods a little ways while the grown-ups talked. The preacher’s kid, who was a city boy, panicked when he lost sight of his parents, and began to cry about being lost. My brother and I looked at each other in bewilderment. We could still hear our parents’ voices so we knew we weren’t lost.

My little friend had the opposite problem as the rest of the world: he thought he was lost but he wasn’t. The world is lost and doesn’t have a clue. Jesus came to seek and save the lost and he made it our mission, too. Seeking - and finding - the lost is not such a big job – they are all around us. But the next step is to convince them that they are lost.

I love step-by-step procedures, but obeying Jesus can seldom be broken down into a checklist. All lost people are not created equal. Each individual responds to the gospel in his own unique way. So when it comes to witnessing, there are two basic rules: know the person; and follow the Holy Spirit’s leading. 

Jesus enlisted us to carry out his mission, but at the end of it all, only he can save the lost. Getting them to that point can never be accomplished without the Holy Spirit’s intervention. Don’t try to do it alone!

You will never give testimony about the Lord Jesus without the presence of his Holy Spirit to guide, help, and empower you.*

December 25, 2023

Matthew 10: 34 “Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword.” (NIV)

Christ came to bring peace on earth, but not in an immediate magical way.*

Often, when I read Jesus’ words, I am a little puzzled and I have to ask myself, What is he talking about? For example, his declaration here seems contradictory to his whole purpose. Did not Isaiah predict that the Messiah would be known as the Prince of Peace (9: 6)? Didn’t the angels at his birth promise peace to men on whom his favor rests? (Luke 2: 14) Did the prophets and the angels get it wrong? 

I find it very helpful to consult Bible commentaries when I am confronted with a puzzling passage. I don’t always agree with their conclusions – although I acknowledge the superior knowledge and wisdom of these scholars – but they provide context that helps me to form my own theory. I am especially thankful for those who possess understanding of the nuances of the original language of the Bible. Here are some points of (possible) clarification that I gleaned from my research into this verse: 

• The word translated as “earth” should have been rendered “land.” Jesus was disabusing the Jews of the idea that the Messiah’s purpose was to bring peace and prosperity to them alone and not to the world at large. He wasn’t coming to deliver them from the Roman sword but to use the Roman sword to “cut off a disobedient and rebellious nation.”* 
• The sword was not his purpose but the result of it. Jesus preached love but mankind does not always respond well to his message. How often in human history has war been the cost of peace? Religion – Christianity in particular – has historically been the “great separating influence in the world.”* 
• The gospel, symbolically referred to as a sword, divides and separates. Hardly a peaceful notion. 

Satan has seen to it that the religion of love is not free to “propagate itself quietly and peaceably.”* But we can rest on Jesus’ promises: 

• “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” (John 14: 27) 
• “In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” (John 16: 33) 

On this day when we sing about peace on earth, let’s remember that Jesus, the Prince of Peace, has won the war.

The facts of Christmas, rhymed in carols, recited by children in church plays, illustrated on cards, have become so familiar that it is easy to miss the message behind the facts.*

December 24, 2023

Luke 9: 23 Then he said to them all: “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.” (NIV)

The great symbol of Christianity means sacrifice and no one who calls himself a Christian can evade this stark fact.*

I hate housework because it’s never done. You can’t just sit back and enjoy the fruits of your labor because in a matter of moments, someone comes along and makes a mess - even if you live alone! Yardwork, on the other hand, is much more satisfying – at least you don’t have to do it again the very next day!

Someone quoted a “wise person” as saying, “Life is hard because it’s so daily.”* And at first glance, it would seem that Jesus is telling us the same thing about following him. Every day we must deny ourselves and take up his cross. Makes it sound like drudgery, doesn’t it? Where is the joy in following Jesus?

What if we looked at it a different way – a positive way? What if we saw every day as a clean slate, a fresh new opportunity to deny ourselves, take up his cross, and follow him? What if every morning we could just forget the failures of yesterday and press on with following him today? It’s not something we have to do every day – it’s something we get to do every day. Shouldn’t we look forward to each new day with joy and anticipation rather than dread? 

How could you bring freshness, creativity, and new attitude to the daily grind?*

December 23, 2023

II Corinthians 7: 9 . . . yet now I am happy, not because you were made sorry, but because your sorrow led you to repentance. (NIV)

We do not want people to feel bad – but sin should make one feel bad.*

I had a friend who, though once a faithful follower of Christ, had let the world come between him and the Lord. When he was facing heart surgery, his wife asked me to pray for him. I said, “I will. But he might not be happy about what I’m praying for.” I have a family member who has gone from preaching the word to denying that God exists. He, too, would not be happy if he knew the nature of my prayers for him (if he believed in prayer, that is). In both cases, my concern is for their souls, not for their health or happiness.

Apparently, Paul’s previous letter to the Corinthians had caused some hurt feelings. You might say that Paul was sorry/not sorry about it. He felt bad for making them feel bad but their sorrow led them to repentance and so he was also happy. He could have let his feelings for their feelings prevent him from saying what needed to be said but Paul knew that matters of eternal consequence always trump emotional concerns.

We must be careful to follow the Spirit’s leading when we deal with people’s sensitive issues. There is often a fine line between saying what needs to be said and going too far. On our own, we tend to go to one extreme or the other – tiptoeing around the person’s tender feelings or blasting them with the brutal truth. Perhaps the Holy Spirit will even lead you to one of these extremes – but don’t go there alone.

Witnessing, confronting, reconciling – tricky business with friends and family. Enter into it prayerfully so that you, like Paul, can see repentance as a result – and be sorry/not sorry for the outcome.

Truth is truth, whether or not it is well received. If we speak the truth in love to those who need to hear it, we can leave the details – and the response of the hearer – in God’s hands.*

December 22, 2023

Isaiah 40: 18, 25 To whom, then, will you compare God? What image will you compare him to? . . . “To whom will you compare me? Or who is my equal?” says the Holy One. (NIV)

Our earthbound minds can’t completely fathom all he is and all he does.*

I love words. I get a great deal of satisfaction from finding just the right ones to express a thought. Precision in communication reduces misunderstanding and hurt feelings. So, when I read, “To whom will you compare God,” I take it as a personal challenge to accurately describe God. I have resources: 66 books of the Bible. I have first-hand knowledge: a relationship with him. Surely I know him well enough to draw a word-picture of him.

But I don’t. I know my heavenly Father well enough to know that I can’t possibly know him that well. If I used every description of him found in the Bible and added my own personal experience with him, I still would not have a complete picture. Just think what we know of the contrasting characteristics of his nature: love and vengeance; justice and mercy; almighty, majestic, powerful – and a newborn baby. He is the God of the big things and the God of the details. He created and organized the universe, and he hears my whining. But that’s not all . . .

Throughout scripture we get the idea that God wants us to know him. And so we know what he reveals of himself to us. If we attempt to go beyond his revelation in our rendering of him, we have wandered into dangerous territory. As someone has observed, “All other ideas about God are . . . false gods.”*

So don’t waste time trying to reduce God to a simile. He is beyond compare – in his own words – and we should seek to know him as he reveals himself to us - through his word and through his Spirit. And the more we know, the more we will know. That’s how it works.

Every aspect of God’s being transcends our knowledge, our experience, and our comprehension.*