Archive for February, 2012|Monthly archive page
flood of tears, heretical group, joyful shouting, Psalm, saint augustine, Sow in tears
In Devotional on February 29, 2012 at 7:13 pm
“Those who sow in tears shall reap with joyful shouting.” (Psalm 126:5)
When Saint Augustine took up with a heretical group called the Manichees, his mother Monica sought a bishop to reason with young Augustine and convince him back to the truth. The bishop declined saying that Augustine was not in a place where he was willing to learn. The mother would not take no for an answer but pleaded with a flood of tears. The bishop said to her, “Go away from me: as you live, it cannot be that a son of these tears should perish.” At special times, God gives tears and anguish. These emotions fuel the prayer to a God who will deliver. There is no telling how long the sowing will take. But one day, there will be joyful shouting.
1 Timothy, call to prayer, cause and effect, difficult to pray, doubts, obedience to god, prayer works
In Devotional on February 29, 2012 at 9:30 am
“Therefore I want the men in every place to pray.” (1 Timothy 2:8)
Prayer can raise lots of questions and doubts for those of us who think too much. It is easy to be looking for results or a cause and effect. I never found that helpful. Sometimes we pray for the sick and their health improves. Other times they die. People prayed and found favor with government. Others prayed and found themselves still under tyranny. Some argue that we should pray because “prayer works.” Others live with the experience that when they pray their words seem to bounce off of an iron ceiling. But the call to prayer is not contingent upon our ability to figure it all out. It is in a willingness to make a habit (however big or small) to do it. Perhaps the results will become apparent; perhaps not. But every act of obedience to God is certainly favored over habits of disobedience whether our understanding catches up or not.
1 Corinthians, christian spiritual growth
In Devotional on February 26, 2012 at 11:51 pm
“So then neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but God who causes the growth.” (1 Corinthians 3:7)
The farmer works upon his garden and certainly his labor is necessary. But with all of his energy, he really only contributes, say, two percent of what is necessary for the crops to grow. The other ninety-eight percent comes from things without – the sun, the rain, the pollen-spreading wind, minerals, and the grubs turning over the soil. Our work in Christian spiritual growth and discipline is important and necessary. But we keep in mind that it is only a small part. The lion’s share of what causes the gospel to advance, lives to be healed, and the kingdom to express God’s administration is what God does with our faithful two percent. Don’t think our two percent is unnecessary. But don’t think it is everything.
exiles on the earth, Hebrews, Longing for home
In Devotional on February 25, 2012 at 6:10 pm
“Having confessed that they were strangers and exiles on the earth.” (Hebrews 11:13)
When I travel to place I grew up, my heart is stirred. Old memories and haunts call out to me. Though I am content with the place I live, there is stirred up within me that where I am is not really home. I miss some of the sights, the smells and the places. The reality is, if I moved back, this wouldn’t be adequate. The state is on the verge of bankruptcy. It has the same pollution and traffic. I would have problems for the simple reason that I would have to take myself with me. This nostalgia in my heart is really pointing me to a greater truth – the longing for God. In the age of heaven, I will have relationships and responsibilities. There will be sights and smells and experiences beyond my imagination. I will live under a perfect government. Also ringing true within my heart will be the truth: “I’m home.”
Christ has risen, Mark, messengers, sadness
In Devotional on February 24, 2012 at 8:29 am
“She went and told those who had been with him and who were mourning and weeping.” (Mark 16:10)
Sadness creeps in when we reach a dead end. Sometimes we need those faithful messengers to remind us that Jesus has risen. When all we see is gloom and disaster, these good voices remind us that God is working in a realm much greater and very much under His control. The disciples did not believe her at first, but we can learn from their mistake. Speak to my heart today: Christ has risen! And believing, I walk forth into my day.
glory of god, goodness of god, intellectual snobbery, John, world faith
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.
Luke, moment of grace, Older Brother, present tense, Prodigal Son
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.
hired hand, John, matter of heart, means to an end, sheep, spiritual life
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?
burning bush, insane ravings, Jehovah, jesus christ is lord, Jesus is Lord, John, unchanging god, unchanging nature, Yahwah, YHWH
In Devotional on February 16, 2012 at 7:04 am
“He said to them, ‘I Am. Don’t be afraid.’” (John 6:20)
God revealed Himself to Moses with the self-proclamation “I Am”. It spoke of His eternality and immutability (unchanging nature). No Jew would have dreamed of applying this term to anyone else other than the God of the burning bush. When Jesus proclaimed, “Before Abraham was I Am,” the Jews reeled in shock as they scrambled for rocks to stone the blasphemer. It was the insane ravings of a lunatic unless, of course, it happened to be true. The church affirmed this shocking claim and theology was born flowing forth from the proclamation “Jesus Christ is Lord” where “Lord” pointed back to “I Am”. Jesus is that name whose pronunciation and spelling got lost over the years due to the reverence people had for the Name and the reluctance to write it down. Jesus is Lord, YHWH, Yahwah, Jehovah, I Am. Today, when Jesus walks into the storms of our life, we don’t have to be afraid. The eternal, unchanging God is here.
Abba Father, John, powerless, Prayer Fear
In Devotional on February 13, 2012 at 11:50 am
“It is I; do not be afraid.” (John 6:20)
Fear can lead us to lash out in anger or it can lead us to simply give up in despair. In Christ, we are not to fear as we are given not the spirit of slavery that leads to fear but the spirit of adoption that cries, “Abba Father” (Romans 8:15). Nevertheless, this seems hard to grasp since the financial challenge, the conflict or the genuine weakness still exists that made us afraid in the first place. Here is the escape from fear: I am weak. God is great. This problem is His responsibility. Prayed as often as needed, this affirmation moves ownership of the situation off or your shoulders and upon the shoulders of a sufficient God.
