A Love That Cannot Be Broken

There are a lot of things that separate us from each other in this world. Anger, miles, language, and broken relationships can all create division at home, work, school and in the community. Sometimes the split is so severe that it seems the divide will never be bridged.

At times we may have the same feeling toward God. Events in our life can cause us to feel angry and distant from God. We may feel like we can’t talk to him, that our connection to him is forever broken. But Romans 8:38 tells us nothing can separate us from the love of God.

Like a coiled steel spring, the harder we push God away, the greater his force in reaching out to us. It is only our pressure on the spring that attempts to push God away. No matter how hard we try, we can never separate ourselves from the love of God.

Waiting on Standby

I noticed a man standing alone, anxiously waiting to hear his name. He was on standby in the gate area of the airport, waiting to see if he would be able to board the plane parked outside. If his name was not called he would not be able to board the plane and it would leave for its destination without him.

Such is life. We may have our own itinerary for our life, but in the end if our name is not on the right flight we will miss the destination of heaven. Revelation 20:15 tells us, “Anyone whose name was not found in the book of life was thrown into the Lake of Fire.” To get your name on the right flight, you need to go through the travel agent called Jesus Christ. Dedicating your life to Christ means you will not be left behind, tossed into the Lake of Fire because your name was not found in the Book of Life.

A life in Christ means living a life in the Spirit and catching the flights he reserves for you instead of settling for standby on the flights of your choosing. It is putting aside our agenda and focussing on serving God instead of the desires of the flesh. Revelation 21:27 tells us, “Nothing impure will ever enter it, nor will anyone who does what is shameful or deceitful, but only those whose names are written in the book of life.”

Don’t just settle for standby in life where you anxiously wonder if you’ll make it to the destination of heaven. Secure your ticket today by committing your life to Christ.

Listening to the Couselor

As you go through your day, how do you make decisions? How do you discern what is a good choice and what is a bad choice? Do you take time to pause and listen to the counsel of the Spirit of God?

In Luke 22:7-13, Jesus tells his disciples exactly what he has planned for their Passover meal. Everything is in place according to God’s plan. Yet Jesus tells his disciples to go and secure the room. They go and find everything exactly as Jesus said.
Notice that Jesus did not simply say, “follow me and I will show you where we’ll have our meal.” Jesus told his disciples what to look for — he told them God’s plan.

Following God’s plan for your life requires you to be attentive to where he is directing you. Like the apostles, it isn’t enough to just listen to what Jesus says, we must also act on the directions he gives us.

Responding to the Messiah

Once again I had the opportunity to attend a performance of Handel’s Messiah. No matter how many times I hear it, the music and the words continue to leave me in awe of what God did for us in sending his son Jesus to redeem us. Yet as I sat in the packed audience, I could not help but wonder how many of those seated in the auditorium missed the message of Jesus Christ being sung that afternoon. I wondered how many only saw this as a beautiful concert that made a nice Christmas tradition.

I have known people who sang in performances of the Messiah or accompanied the choir with a musical instrument. In rehearsal after rehearsal, they repeatedly heard scripture such as Isaiah 40:5, “And the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together: for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it;” or Luke 2:11, “For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord.” They watched audiences stand for the “Hallelujah” chorus where the words from Revelation 11:15 resonated through the auditorium, “…he shall reign forever and ever.” Despite hearing scripture over and over, their hearts remained cold toward Jesus Christ. They remained like those who Paul wrote about in Ephesians 4:18, “…they have closed their minds and hardened their hearts against him (NLT).”

It reminds me that sometimes the Christmas Story can become too routine or seeped too much in tradition. We can hear the words of scripture about Christ’s birth recited again and again without stopping to truly reflect on the significance of this event. This season be sure to meditate on 1 Corinthians 15:57 sung near the end of the Handel’s Messiah, “But thanks be to God, who giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” Let our Alleluia chorus be a true song of praise for God’s grace in sending his son Jesus to redeem the world.

 

Weeding Out Discontent

After a year of neglect, my old garden plot was overtaken by weeds. Remnants of corn stalks and brown, brittle garden plants were barely visible in the sea of green weeds that now dominated the plot of earth.

“How did this happen?” I asked myself. It amazed me how the weeds now dominated the garden to the point where it choked out the fruitful plants. I asked “how,” but I knew the answer to my question could be found in 1Thess. 5:16-18 where Paul wrote, “Rejoice always; pray without ceasing; in everything give thanks…”

The question is that if we are not filling our lives with praises for God, then what are we filling our lives with? The gaps presented by our inattention to God create opportunity for discourse and discontent with God. They become the small weeds in our fruitful garden that will eventually choke off the good plants if left to grow.

Praying without ceasing keeps us connected to God. It puts us in right relationship with Him. By rejoicing in all things; by giving thanks always; we are able to choke off the weeds of bitterness and anger that try to take hold when bad things happen in life. Praying without ceasing is like weeding our garden so that it will be more fruitful and filled with the joy of the Lord.

Relying on Faith in a Crumbling World

“Joshua Fought the Battle of Jericho” is a popular song for kids in church. One of the stanzas kids shout out is, “And the walls came tumbling down.” Indeed, Joshua 6:20 tells us that when the Israelites heard the trumpets they shouted and “the wall fell flat.” But there is one verse that makes me wonder if the entire wall was actually flattened.

In Joshua chapter 2, we read about how Rahab hid the men that Joshua sent to spy on the city. In 2:9, Rahab expresses her faith in God by telling them she knows “the Lord has given you this land.” She strikes a deal with the spies who tell her to tie a scarlet thread in her window and they would spare anyone in her house. But it is not this deal that gave me pause in this chapter.

If you read the chapter carefully, you’ll notice that 2:18 tells us something amazing, “…her house was on the wall. She was living on the wall.” Anytime a Biblical writer repeats a phrase they want you to take notice. Think about this for a moment. Verse 6:20 tells us the wall around Jericho fell flat and 2:18 tells us Rahab’s house was on the wall.

We know in verse 6:22-23 that the two spies “went in” Rahab’s house and spared her as well as her family. The wall fell flat except Rahab’s house which was on the wall. Imagine Rahab’s family huddled in that house as the Israelites shouted after the trumpets blared. Picture the tremendous noise and vibration as the wall crumbled around them. All they had was the scarlet cord in the window to tell them they would be spared from God’s judgement.

With the wall gone, the Israelites took Jericoh and destroyed everyone and everything as God commanded. Just as death passed over Israelite homes with blood over their doorway in the Passover in Exodus, destruction passed over Rahab and her family because of a blood-colored cord in their window. It was Rahab’s faith in God that brought salvation to her home.

As Revelation 11:15-18 tells us, someday the seventh trumpet will sound and judgement will be at hand for those opposed to God. Just as Rahab was spared, only the blood of Jesus Christ over the doorway of your life will save you from destruction. On that day, you will feel the noise and vibration of the world crumbling around you, but will be reassured by Rev. 12:11, “And they overcame because of the blood of the Lamb and because of their testimony, and they did not love their life even when faced with death.”

Empyting Our Life to Fill It With God’s Purposes

I stepped into the attic of our house and was amazed at how much stuff had accumulated in this small space. As I went through boxes and crates filled with things from my past, I kept telling myself, “It’s time to get rid of some of these things.” Suddenly I was struck by the discovery of an old Bible buried deep inside one box. It was a vivid reminder to me of how clutter can sometimes conceal God’s word in our life.

James 1:21 encourages us to “get rid of all the filth and evil in your lives, and humbly accept the word God has planted in your hearts, for it has the power to save your souls.” (NLT) Like that attic full of stuff, we can fill our lives with things that are not good for us. That in turn can hinder our ability to accept God’s word inside of us and our ability to live our lives according to God’s will.

It’s an imagery that Paul presents in 2 Timothy 2:20-21 where he describes the different utensils and their use in a household. “^If you keep yourself pure, you will be a special utensil for honorable use. Your life will be clean, and you will be ready for the Master to use you for every good work.”

If that Bible buried in a box had been the only thing in the attic, it would have been easy to find God’s word and his purposes for my life. It’s a vivid reminder to remove the clutter from our life and to focus on God.

O Death, Where Is Your Sting?

There I was in another funeral home with another friend grieving over the death of a family member. There was no warning. She died suddenly, leaving behind a husband, young children, family and friends. I gave him a hug and told him how sorry I was, but it felt so inadequate. I felt helpless. Nothing I could do would take away the deep sorrow he felt at such a devastating loss.

It’s a painful experience being separated from those we love. There’s a feeling that it just isn’t right, that this is not the way it should be. I cannot help but think if this is how God felt when Adam and Eve left the Garden of Eden after they sinned. In Genesis 3:22-23, God sends them out of the garden and separates them from the tree of life. From that moment on, death becomes a part of life.

It is that thought of separation that has often had me wondering what made Jesus weep in John 11:35. Was it his full divinity weeping over the separation of humans from God or was it his full humanity weeping over the loss of his dear friend Lazarus? Either way, moments later Jesus points us to our true hope when he commands, “Lazarus, come out!” (John 11:43-44) John then tells us that Lazarus emerged from the tomb.

In the midst of our grief, we can find hope that resurrection awaits those who believe in Jesus Christ as the Son of God. As Jesus told Martha, “Didn’t I tell you that you would see God’s glory if you believe?” (John 11:40, NLT) In that hope we can give praise for Jesus’ death and resurrection that has given us the hope of eternal life. ^“O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?” (1 Corinthians 15:55, NLT)

Avoiding Robotic Worship

On a recent tour of a factory, I watched with interest a robot painting automotive parts. Without fail, it painted the entire part with a flawless performance that resulted in a perfect coating of color. Once it finished that part, it moved on to the next one, going through the exact same motions without missing beat.

 It struck me as I watched the giant robot swaying back and forth that sometimes I act like a robot in my Christian walk. If I am not careful, I can get so caught up in the routine of reading the Bible, praying or even the act of worship that I find myself just going through the motions. On the surface it appears I am following Jesus, but my heart is not in it.

Psalm 51:16 in The Message tells us, “Going through the motions doesn’t please you; a flawless performance is nothing to you. I learned God-worship when my pride was shattered. Heart-shattered lives ready for love don’t for a moment escape God’s notice.” It’s a good reminder that in the midst of our brokenness, when we humble ourselves before God, we find ourselves ready to worship from deep within our heart.

God doesn’t want our mass-produced worship that merely goes through the motions of devotion to him. He wants humble worship that comes from our sincere love for him.  In Joshua 1:1, God tells Joshua as he takes over leadership of Israel following the death of Moses, “Give it everything you have, heart and soul.” (The Message) It’s the same way we should approach God with our worship — not with a programmed approach, but from deep within our heart and soul.

Ask Not What God Can Do For You, But What You Can Do For God

Photo: U. S. Army Signal Corps photograph in the John Fitzgerald Kennedy Library, Boston

It’s hard to believe it was 50 years ago today when John F. Kennedy gave his inaugural speech. On that day he recited those now infamous words, “Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country.” It was a stirring challenge that inspired a generation.

Yet that inspiration seems to have lost its shine. In a segment on the Kennedy inaugural on the CBS Sunday Morning show this week, Charles Osgood concluded the piece with a striking point. A recent poll showed that almost 80 percent of Americans are more interested in what our country can do for them. Only 15 percent said they were more interested in what they could do for their country.

It made me think about my faith in Jesus. If I slightly modify Kennedy’s famous quote to read, “Ask not what God can do for you, but what you can do for God,” how would I respond? Would I be enthusiastic about wanting to serve God or would I be more apt to look for what God can do for me? I question if I would be more like the 80 percent who want to serve as opposed to the 15 percent who want to serve?

Jesus says in Mark 10:45, “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” (NIV) It’s a challenge that requires us to put God ahead of self. As Jesus says in Matthew 16:24, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross, and follow me.” (NLT)

On this day in the history of your life, ask yourself what you can do for God.