Out In the Deep

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Believe Then See

In Devotional on February 21, 2012 at 8:32 pm

“Did I not say to you that if you believe, you will see the glory of God?” (John 11:40)

It may at first seem anti-intellectual that faith precedes sight.  This idea could get us into the wayward mess that claims in faith (rather arbitrarily) a million dollars for a worthy cause and then claims God is bound to come through.  The right idea, however, is that the things that God makes abundantly clear to us in Scripture are things we may not immediately ascertain but we will see them after we determine first to believe what is written.  I can choose to believe in the goodness of God and then His beauty shine in every corner.  Or I can disbelieve and seek my fortune in cynicism and scorn.  I can choose to believe that prayer is something I am called to do and then I will begin to see clearly the mystery that God is working behind the scenes.  Or I can sit in my intellectual snobbery and tell myself I’m too smart for such practices and feel contented in my sterile, miracle-less world.  Faith is not plunging into the irrational.  Faith is hearing what God says and taking it seriously – and afterwards, seeing what he means.

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Present Tense Sinner

In Devotional on February 19, 2012 at 6:10 pm

“The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’”  (Luke 15:21)

The startling revelation was not that the son was a sinner – everybody knew that.  The startling revelation was in the mind of the son when he finally awakened to this fact about himself.  It is easy to hide from our own sin.  We can, as the younger brother, relegate sin to some distant future preoccupation as we distract ourselves with our present goals and lusts.  We can, as the older brother, relegate sin to some past deliverance as we stand upon our present perfection.  It is difficult to be sinners in the present tense.  But when we are convicted of a sin and our heart is opened to admit it, this is a moment of grace.  Repentance then is the resulting act of turning back to God and when this happens, the father delights to welcome us home.

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The Hired Shepherd

In Devotional on February 17, 2012 at 4:39 pm

“He flees because he is a hired hand and is not concerned about the sheep.”  (John 10:13)

A hired shepherd has no stake in the sheep.  It’s just a job – a means to an end.  Similarly, those who involve themselves in Christian things lose interest when it stops being immediately beneficial.  It is a matter of heart.  Is God worth sacrificing for?  Is my spiritual life worth standing for?  Are other believers worth fighting for?  Or is it all something I’m involved in until something better comes along?

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