When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is man that you are mindful of him, the son of man that you care for him?
It is always humbling when I come to this verse. The world is so big and so vast...and yet so detailed and intricate. And in all that, God knows me. God sent his Son to save me. The same as He knows you and sent his Son to save you. But were one of us the only human at all, He would still have done the same.
Then consider that He knows you and regards you not only in terms of the work of salvation, but He knows and cares...yes, actually, cares...about your everyday life. How awesome is that?
Challenge for Today: If you live somewhere where you can see stars, step outside tonight and take a look. Do this by yourself. And while you're there, consider how many there are, how you can't possibly count them, and God knows each one. But He also knows you, though you are so small looking up at them. If you live in a city or somewhere else with enough light pollution that you either can't see stars at all or can only see the brightest, then find something else that evokes wonder in God's nature and consider it. (If the issue is just clouds, though...wait until a clear night. There is nothing quite like the stars.) And consider that, unless you live in a cabin in the woods or a mountaintop in Hawaii, you probably can't even see all the stars that the Psalmist was considering when he wrote this Psalm. There are very few places left where you can!
Friday, December 19, 2008
Thursday, December 18, 2008
Short Break
All,
Sorry that I haven't posted much the last few days. I was sick Monday. (Sick to my stomach, then ended up sleeping all day until about 5 in the afternoon. I don't usually get THAT sick. I think it was food poisoning.)
Then this week, I've been working late to try and make up some hours and not go without pay for some of the week. :)
And...this is the big one. We've just moved, which is great. But my husband's family will be over for Christmas Eve, then my family will be over on Christmas Day. (Everyone wants to see the new place, of course!) So I've got to unpack the 100+ boxes that are in the living room and garage by then. So... I'll probably not write again until after this Christmas frenzy unless something pressing presents itself.
Thanks! And have a Merry and Blessed Christmas!
Sorry that I haven't posted much the last few days. I was sick Monday. (Sick to my stomach, then ended up sleeping all day until about 5 in the afternoon. I don't usually get THAT sick. I think it was food poisoning.)
Then this week, I've been working late to try and make up some hours and not go without pay for some of the week. :)
And...this is the big one. We've just moved, which is great. But my husband's family will be over for Christmas Eve, then my family will be over on Christmas Day. (Everyone wants to see the new place, of course!) So I've got to unpack the 100+ boxes that are in the living room and garage by then. So... I'll probably not write again until after this Christmas frenzy unless something pressing presents itself.
Thanks! And have a Merry and Blessed Christmas!
Sunday, December 14, 2008
Psalms 4:5-6
Offer right sacrifices and trust in the Lord. Many are asking, "Who can show us any good?"
I have started reading through the Psalms, as much or as little a day as necessary to be able to internalize what the verses say and make it applicable to my own life. A couple of days ago, I ran across this verse, and God just really laid on my heart that it is something we need to consider as Christians. The first part of the verse says "Offer right sacrifices and trust in the Lord". A clear command. Then the second, which I believe is just a continuation of the same basic train of thought, says that many are asking "Who can show us any good?"
I don't think the person making the sacrifices and trusting in the Lord is the one asking "Who can show us any good?" And I certainly don't think it is saying offer sacrifices and trust so God will show you some good. I think the verse is saying that there area many people out there who are searching for something. They're looking for "good" in two ways that our sacrifices and trust can fulfill.
First, people are looking for someone...anyone...who will do something good for them, help them out of their troubles or perhaps a desperate situation that they are in, be a friend to them, or just generally treat them with some respect and dignity and go out of the way to care about them. When we make a sacrifice for God's kingdom, whether it is a monetary offering to a church or charity, a donation to a family in need, the sacrifice of our time in some kind of service to church or community... we are touching those people. You truly have no idea whether something that seems small to you actually has a very large impact on someone else. That is where the trust comes in. When God lays it on your heart to make a sacrifice, large or small, then you trust that that sacrifice will end up bringing glory to His kingdom and bringing others to Him. You put the sacrifice out there...He's the one responsible for the results.
Second, I think that people are, in general, looking around to see "good" people. "Who can show us any good?" they say. When our leaders are corrupt, our justice systemoften fails to do its job due to technicalities, and there are all sorts of atrocities being committed here and abroad that seem completely senseless, then people tend to look and say there just plain IS no good. People are evil, and that's just how it is. In addition, they often look at Christians, who are supposed to be "good", and see us doing the same things as everyone else, and they think if they "religious people" behave that way, then what is the point of religion. But, really, people do look around looking for a "good" person, and that good person need to be you and me. That's what we are supposed to be doing!
Last, a comment from popular culture. I was thinking this over and deciding what exactly to say the other night, and The Night Before Christmas came on TV. You know...the old cartoon with the mice and the clockmaker. And they sang the cute song that I had never really even paid attention to before. (It is, after all, singing mice...) The chorus says, "Even a miracle needs a hand."
Well, I don't think God "needs a hand" to get His miracles done. I'm not saying that at all. God can do a miracle whenever He feels like it. But sometimes He calls you and I to help. I don't think for an instant that's because He needs our help. I think it is because, as a loving God, He gives us the opportunity to help. He allows us to partner with Him to bring about the result of a miracle. He uses our "hands" to deliver a miracle to someone else. I think if we are unwilling or too busy, He raises up someone else to that job, but what a blessing we miss out on if that is the case! I certainly don't want to miss out...though I'm sure I often have just by not looking and listening and being willing.
Challenge for Today: Look around for where God wants you to impact someone else...in a large or small way...and act on it.
I have started reading through the Psalms, as much or as little a day as necessary to be able to internalize what the verses say and make it applicable to my own life. A couple of days ago, I ran across this verse, and God just really laid on my heart that it is something we need to consider as Christians. The first part of the verse says "Offer right sacrifices and trust in the Lord". A clear command. Then the second, which I believe is just a continuation of the same basic train of thought, says that many are asking "Who can show us any good?"
I don't think the person making the sacrifices and trusting in the Lord is the one asking "Who can show us any good?" And I certainly don't think it is saying offer sacrifices and trust so God will show you some good. I think the verse is saying that there area many people out there who are searching for something. They're looking for "good" in two ways that our sacrifices and trust can fulfill.
First, people are looking for someone...anyone...who will do something good for them, help them out of their troubles or perhaps a desperate situation that they are in, be a friend to them, or just generally treat them with some respect and dignity and go out of the way to care about them. When we make a sacrifice for God's kingdom, whether it is a monetary offering to a church or charity, a donation to a family in need, the sacrifice of our time in some kind of service to church or community... we are touching those people. You truly have no idea whether something that seems small to you actually has a very large impact on someone else. That is where the trust comes in. When God lays it on your heart to make a sacrifice, large or small, then you trust that that sacrifice will end up bringing glory to His kingdom and bringing others to Him. You put the sacrifice out there...He's the one responsible for the results.
Second, I think that people are, in general, looking around to see "good" people. "Who can show us any good?" they say. When our leaders are corrupt, our justice systemoften fails to do its job due to technicalities, and there are all sorts of atrocities being committed here and abroad that seem completely senseless, then people tend to look and say there just plain IS no good. People are evil, and that's just how it is. In addition, they often look at Christians, who are supposed to be "good", and see us doing the same things as everyone else, and they think if they "religious people" behave that way, then what is the point of religion. But, really, people do look around looking for a "good" person, and that good person need to be you and me. That's what we are supposed to be doing!
Last, a comment from popular culture. I was thinking this over and deciding what exactly to say the other night, and The Night Before Christmas came on TV. You know...the old cartoon with the mice and the clockmaker. And they sang the cute song that I had never really even paid attention to before. (It is, after all, singing mice...) The chorus says, "Even a miracle needs a hand."
Well, I don't think God "needs a hand" to get His miracles done. I'm not saying that at all. God can do a miracle whenever He feels like it. But sometimes He calls you and I to help. I don't think for an instant that's because He needs our help. I think it is because, as a loving God, He gives us the opportunity to help. He allows us to partner with Him to bring about the result of a miracle. He uses our "hands" to deliver a miracle to someone else. I think if we are unwilling or too busy, He raises up someone else to that job, but what a blessing we miss out on if that is the case! I certainly don't want to miss out...though I'm sure I often have just by not looking and listening and being willing.
Challenge for Today: Look around for where God wants you to impact someone else...in a large or small way...and act on it.
Friday, December 5, 2008
Matthew 5:10-12
Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
We are blessed to live in a country where we don't go through the horrors of physical persecution every day. We can worship without fear of being hauled to jail, tortured, or even beaten or killed outside the law by followers of other religions. Christians in places like China and India face those possibilities every day. In many African nations like Somalia, it's the same. The laws either condone persecution, outlaw Christianity, or the authorities are simply too weak to enforce laws that protect various faiths.
However, we are not without persecution in the United States. I would never say that our situation even comes close to comparing to that faced by other believers throughout the world. However, verse 11 of this passage speaks loudly to us. "Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me."
It is frustrating to see in the media, in movies, on talk shows, and in all manner of public culture that Christians are portrayed as being close-minded, backward, even evil (as in the case of the religious fanatic mother in movies like Carrie...and that's not the only movie where that type of character appears). Or on talk shows, if a Christian speaks out in the audience defending the Bible, Biblical principles, the rights of Christians to show their faith in public, they are often shouted down by the very people who espouse the idea of religious freedom...for everything except Christianity. (And sometimes Judaism is thrown into the "intolerant" mix, as well, by those who advocate loudly for religious freedom.)
I am continually amazed that people will talk about the right to "believe whatever you want", but then turn and visciously attack the Christian for believing that Jesus Christ is the only way to God. And then many will go further and say that the Christian is intolerant for saying so or that they are racist or unloving...or any other of a long list of things that Christians are called unfairly. I think that sort of thing is what verse 11 is talking about. Sadly, I think we can expect to see even more of this and to see such opinions coded into law or legislated into "legal" by judges in the very near future. It seems to be the way the world, and especially our country, is headed, but it is to be expected and not a cause for dismay. In fact, if you read on to verse 12, it is a reason for gladness and rejoicing.
Challenge for Today: The challenge is two-fold. First, find a missionary or other Christian in another country that needs your prayers and lift them up. They are being persecuted in ways that we hope never to be.
Second, when someone takes a stab at you for doing something righteous or holding a belief you know is true and not backing down from it, don't be discouraged...and certainly don't be angry with them...but instead be glad. A tall order, I know...but the appropriate response!
We are blessed to live in a country where we don't go through the horrors of physical persecution every day. We can worship without fear of being hauled to jail, tortured, or even beaten or killed outside the law by followers of other religions. Christians in places like China and India face those possibilities every day. In many African nations like Somalia, it's the same. The laws either condone persecution, outlaw Christianity, or the authorities are simply too weak to enforce laws that protect various faiths.
However, we are not without persecution in the United States. I would never say that our situation even comes close to comparing to that faced by other believers throughout the world. However, verse 11 of this passage speaks loudly to us. "Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me."
It is frustrating to see in the media, in movies, on talk shows, and in all manner of public culture that Christians are portrayed as being close-minded, backward, even evil (as in the case of the religious fanatic mother in movies like Carrie...and that's not the only movie where that type of character appears). Or on talk shows, if a Christian speaks out in the audience defending the Bible, Biblical principles, the rights of Christians to show their faith in public, they are often shouted down by the very people who espouse the idea of religious freedom...for everything except Christianity. (And sometimes Judaism is thrown into the "intolerant" mix, as well, by those who advocate loudly for religious freedom.)
I am continually amazed that people will talk about the right to "believe whatever you want", but then turn and visciously attack the Christian for believing that Jesus Christ is the only way to God. And then many will go further and say that the Christian is intolerant for saying so or that they are racist or unloving...or any other of a long list of things that Christians are called unfairly. I think that sort of thing is what verse 11 is talking about. Sadly, I think we can expect to see even more of this and to see such opinions coded into law or legislated into "legal" by judges in the very near future. It seems to be the way the world, and especially our country, is headed, but it is to be expected and not a cause for dismay. In fact, if you read on to verse 12, it is a reason for gladness and rejoicing.
Challenge for Today: The challenge is two-fold. First, find a missionary or other Christian in another country that needs your prayers and lift them up. They are being persecuted in ways that we hope never to be.
Second, when someone takes a stab at you for doing something righteous or holding a belief you know is true and not backing down from it, don't be discouraged...and certainly don't be angry with them...but instead be glad. A tall order, I know...but the appropriate response!
Wednesday, November 26, 2008
Hebrews 13:15
By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is , the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name.
When you give thanks, you are offering a sacrifice of praise to God, according to Hebrews. And it says to do so "continually". As we approach the Thanksgiving holiday tomorrow, let us give thanks...but let us remember to keep that Spirit of Thanksgiving with us even after the turkey's eaten, the game is watched, and we've all returned home or watched our guests leave. Giving thanks shouldn't be a one-day deal, after which we return back to the regular grind of jobs, school, etc and forget that we are thankful.
I'll be away for a few days. Until then, everyone have a great Thanksgiving, safe travels, and remember...most of all...to be truly thankful. We have so much to be thankful for, so take some time to stop and think about it.
Challenge for Today: What are you thankful for?
When you give thanks, you are offering a sacrifice of praise to God, according to Hebrews. And it says to do so "continually". As we approach the Thanksgiving holiday tomorrow, let us give thanks...but let us remember to keep that Spirit of Thanksgiving with us even after the turkey's eaten, the game is watched, and we've all returned home or watched our guests leave. Giving thanks shouldn't be a one-day deal, after which we return back to the regular grind of jobs, school, etc and forget that we are thankful.
I'll be away for a few days. Until then, everyone have a great Thanksgiving, safe travels, and remember...most of all...to be truly thankful. We have so much to be thankful for, so take some time to stop and think about it.
Challenge for Today: What are you thankful for?
Monday, November 24, 2008
Matthew 5:9
Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.
This is one of my favorite verses in the Bible. It is probably the first verse I ever memorized, as my parents bought my sister and I a small coat-and-purse rack to hang in our room that had this verse printed on it in decorative letters, along with a picture of two little girls playing together. I think it was my parents' reminder to us to not kill each other in a preschool dispute.
Our world today desperately needs peacemakers. Everywhere we look, people are just looking for an excuse to be angry, it seems. How about being one of the people who diffuses a situation instead of expanding it? (Or, worse, starting it.)
Being a peacemaker doesn't mean just breaking up a fight, either. It doesn't mean temporarily getting people to settle down. It means helping to resolve the issues that caused the problem in the first place. This starts by ending any immediate fight or yelling match that's going on, but it continues by helping the two parties to come to terms and smooth the situation over.
We can first look at where we're not being peaceful people. But this verse extends far beyond that. It doesn't just say that people who have peace and who are peaceful are blessed. It says those who actively MAKE peace...those who foster an environment of peace around them. Let's be that kind of people.
Challenge for Today: Look around you for a situation where there is a lack of peace between two people. If it's that you need to go make peace with someone in your family or workplace or circle of friends, that's the first priority. But many of us already heed the words to "be reconciled to your brother". Today, turn your attention outward and look for situations around you where you can help people come to a peaceful solution or diffuse the problems in a relationship that's going sour. Maybe it's in the conference room at work where things are getting heated and you can be a voice of reason. Or maybe you have the privilege of counseling a friend who is hurting and having troubles with their own family. Urge them towards peace.
This is one of my favorite verses in the Bible. It is probably the first verse I ever memorized, as my parents bought my sister and I a small coat-and-purse rack to hang in our room that had this verse printed on it in decorative letters, along with a picture of two little girls playing together. I think it was my parents' reminder to us to not kill each other in a preschool dispute.
Our world today desperately needs peacemakers. Everywhere we look, people are just looking for an excuse to be angry, it seems. How about being one of the people who diffuses a situation instead of expanding it? (Or, worse, starting it.)
Being a peacemaker doesn't mean just breaking up a fight, either. It doesn't mean temporarily getting people to settle down. It means helping to resolve the issues that caused the problem in the first place. This starts by ending any immediate fight or yelling match that's going on, but it continues by helping the two parties to come to terms and smooth the situation over.
We can first look at where we're not being peaceful people. But this verse extends far beyond that. It doesn't just say that people who have peace and who are peaceful are blessed. It says those who actively MAKE peace...those who foster an environment of peace around them. Let's be that kind of people.
Challenge for Today: Look around you for a situation where there is a lack of peace between two people. If it's that you need to go make peace with someone in your family or workplace or circle of friends, that's the first priority. But many of us already heed the words to "be reconciled to your brother". Today, turn your attention outward and look for situations around you where you can help people come to a peaceful solution or diffuse the problems in a relationship that's going sour. Maybe it's in the conference room at work where things are getting heated and you can be a voice of reason. Or maybe you have the privilege of counseling a friend who is hurting and having troubles with their own family. Urge them towards peace.
Thursday, November 20, 2008
Are We Praying? - We Should Be
I decided to take a detour from the Beatitudes today. Don't worry, we'll get back to them. But this was just laid on my heart, and I wanted to speak about it while it is fresh and relevant.
Consider this verse, one that most of us know well (at least the second portion of the passage):
“When I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, or command locusts to devour the land or send a plague among my people, if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land” (2 Chronicles 7:13-14 NIV).
Now think about our nation's situation. We may not have plagues of locusts at our door or a drought across the entire land (though some portions of the country have certainly felt that pain), but our nation is about to go through a lean and dry time financially. It has, in fact, already started. We are hurting, and the downturn in the financial markets, the mortgage crisis, the possible failure of the large car manufacturers, and the failure of myriad other small businesses casts a shadow on us. Other problems are likely looming on the horizon, as well, in this regard.
Read that verse again now. It says "If my people, who are called by my name," will pray, seek God's face, and turn from our wicked ways...then the land will be healed. It doesn't say if everyone in the nation converts (though we should certainly be evangelizing as part of that seeking God's face). It doesn't say if they leaders get things right. And it doesn't say if everyone will pray. It says if my people will pray.
Are we praying? Do we care if our land is fixed? (Surely we all do.) Then why aren't we praying, seeking, and turning?
Challenge for today: Pray. Pray for our nation. Pray that you know how to seek God's face, and take one step to seek Him today. Pray that He shows you anything that you need to turn from...and make a 180-degree. Don't think about turning tomorrow or consider if you really need to turn from it. If there is something that you need to make a break with, a known sin, something that God lays on your heart while you are praying and seeking Him, run from it. And then KEEP PRAYING.
Consider this verse, one that most of us know well (at least the second portion of the passage):
“When I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, or command locusts to devour the land or send a plague among my people, if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land” (2 Chronicles 7:13-14 NIV).
Now think about our nation's situation. We may not have plagues of locusts at our door or a drought across the entire land (though some portions of the country have certainly felt that pain), but our nation is about to go through a lean and dry time financially. It has, in fact, already started. We are hurting, and the downturn in the financial markets, the mortgage crisis, the possible failure of the large car manufacturers, and the failure of myriad other small businesses casts a shadow on us. Other problems are likely looming on the horizon, as well, in this regard.
Read that verse again now. It says "If my people, who are called by my name," will pray, seek God's face, and turn from our wicked ways...then the land will be healed. It doesn't say if everyone in the nation converts (though we should certainly be evangelizing as part of that seeking God's face). It doesn't say if they leaders get things right. And it doesn't say if everyone will pray. It says if my people will pray.
Are we praying? Do we care if our land is fixed? (Surely we all do.) Then why aren't we praying, seeking, and turning?
Challenge for today: Pray. Pray for our nation. Pray that you know how to seek God's face, and take one step to seek Him today. Pray that He shows you anything that you need to turn from...and make a 180-degree. Don't think about turning tomorrow or consider if you really need to turn from it. If there is something that you need to make a break with, a known sin, something that God lays on your heart while you are praying and seeking Him, run from it. And then KEEP PRAYING.
Monday, November 17, 2008
Matthew 5:8
Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.
What does it mean to be "pure in heart"?
I pondered this for a long time. It doesn't mean being "pure"...because why add the "in heart". But does that "in heart" mean you keep your heart pure? Or that you're trying to be pure? (Much like old people can be "young at heart", but they are not physically young?) Or does it mean having a higher standard of purity...not just outward doing what is right, but actually meaning it and having that come from your heart? What exactly does it mean?
We've all heard this verse many times, and we all apparently just take it for granted that we know what the words "pure in heart" mean and how to apply them. But as I tried to think of something to write, I found that I really don't know what the phrase means. I can intuitively take a guess at what it means, and that's probably pretty close to the mark. I looked it up in other translations, and all the major translations (not paraphrases) use the exact same phrase, so apparently it's supposed to be self-explanatory.
Well...it is. I can tell you that "pure in heart" means just what it says...and we ought to just know what it means. But I certainly can't explain it to anyone else...so while it may be self-explanatory...it is not easily explained.
Anyone care to take a stab at defining the meaning...or even making a reasonable commentary on the subject? I find myself at a loss and invite other readers of the blog to have a try at today's verse. Especially if you have some extra knowledge or schooling that might help. (For example, you can go read it in the Greek and translate it to find out what the phrase means in the original.)
I dislike saying "I don't know..." because I am (but should try not to be) a know-it-all by nature. That's why I've been dragging my feet and not posting...I was trying to think of what to say. But on this one, I have to just say I don't know.
What does it mean to be "pure in heart"?
I pondered this for a long time. It doesn't mean being "pure"...because why add the "in heart". But does that "in heart" mean you keep your heart pure? Or that you're trying to be pure? (Much like old people can be "young at heart", but they are not physically young?) Or does it mean having a higher standard of purity...not just outward doing what is right, but actually meaning it and having that come from your heart? What exactly does it mean?
We've all heard this verse many times, and we all apparently just take it for granted that we know what the words "pure in heart" mean and how to apply them. But as I tried to think of something to write, I found that I really don't know what the phrase means. I can intuitively take a guess at what it means, and that's probably pretty close to the mark. I looked it up in other translations, and all the major translations (not paraphrases) use the exact same phrase, so apparently it's supposed to be self-explanatory.
Well...it is. I can tell you that "pure in heart" means just what it says...and we ought to just know what it means. But I certainly can't explain it to anyone else...so while it may be self-explanatory...it is not easily explained.
Anyone care to take a stab at defining the meaning...or even making a reasonable commentary on the subject? I find myself at a loss and invite other readers of the blog to have a try at today's verse. Especially if you have some extra knowledge or schooling that might help. (For example, you can go read it in the Greek and translate it to find out what the phrase means in the original.)
I dislike saying "I don't know..." because I am (but should try not to be) a know-it-all by nature. That's why I've been dragging my feet and not posting...I was trying to think of what to say. But on this one, I have to just say I don't know.
Monday, November 10, 2008
Matthew 5:7
Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy.
This verse, with its topic of mercy, brings up images of a judge presiding over a trial, passing down a sentence. Every accussed hopes for a merciful judge. And we all, of course, hope for (and are assured of, if we have a personal relationship with Christ) a merciful judgement from God. To show mercy means to not give to someone what is due for their sin or offense.
We may be tempted, because the majority of us are not in a position to judge anyone in any legal sense, to think, "When can I ever show mercy?" But we can show mercy every time we do not pay to someone what is due to them for an offense they have made against us.
When someone cuts in front of you on the highway, do you blare your horn at them and perhaps yell at them (maybe even using colorful language that you wouldn't use if anyone else was in the car)? When your spouse forgets it was their night to do the dishes, do you rip into them for it or, worse, give them the cold shoulder?When your best friend gossips about you, do you turn around and gossip about them to settle the score?
All of those are very natural, human reactions...but not merciful ones. Mercy would let the offense go, move on, and not seek to make the other person "pay". At the risk of letting you know how country I am, I'll tell you that one of my favorite phrases is "like water off a duck's back". It means when someone does something mean to you...or something bad happens to you...you just let it go. The water just rolls right off, like it would off the water-tight wings of an aquatic bird. I know it's not scripture, and there's probably something more theologically profound that should come to mind, but I think of this phrase often when tempted to respond in a viscious manner to something I perceive as a wrong against me.
Today's Challenge: Find one time when someone offends you. Instead of getting even, making them pay, or crticizing them unkindly, show mercy to them and let the offense go.
This verse, with its topic of mercy, brings up images of a judge presiding over a trial, passing down a sentence. Every accussed hopes for a merciful judge. And we all, of course, hope for (and are assured of, if we have a personal relationship with Christ) a merciful judgement from God. To show mercy means to not give to someone what is due for their sin or offense.
We may be tempted, because the majority of us are not in a position to judge anyone in any legal sense, to think, "When can I ever show mercy?" But we can show mercy every time we do not pay to someone what is due to them for an offense they have made against us.
When someone cuts in front of you on the highway, do you blare your horn at them and perhaps yell at them (maybe even using colorful language that you wouldn't use if anyone else was in the car)? When your spouse forgets it was their night to do the dishes, do you rip into them for it or, worse, give them the cold shoulder?When your best friend gossips about you, do you turn around and gossip about them to settle the score?
All of those are very natural, human reactions...but not merciful ones. Mercy would let the offense go, move on, and not seek to make the other person "pay". At the risk of letting you know how country I am, I'll tell you that one of my favorite phrases is "like water off a duck's back". It means when someone does something mean to you...or something bad happens to you...you just let it go. The water just rolls right off, like it would off the water-tight wings of an aquatic bird. I know it's not scripture, and there's probably something more theologically profound that should come to mind, but I think of this phrase often when tempted to respond in a viscious manner to something I perceive as a wrong against me.
Today's Challenge: Find one time when someone offends you. Instead of getting even, making them pay, or crticizing them unkindly, show mercy to them and let the offense go.
Sunday, November 9, 2008
Matthew 5:6
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.
Many of us, when we first became Christians (and again every time we go to a retreat, revival, or some other kind of event that gets us "fired up") instinctively thirst for righteousness. It is a natural response to drawing near to God. We know, somewhere in our souls, that not only is righteousness the RIGHT thing to do, but it is the thing that will, more than anything else, fill up the hollow parts of our life.
I think that in this verse "they will be filled" doesn't just talk about being filled with righteousness, which is what we are to hunger and thirst for, but it means being filled as in having the empty spots within us filled up...to be fulfilled and to be content. To have the spiritual equivalent of the full belly that we all anticipate physically on Thanksgiving Day.
Hungering and thirsting for righteousness leads us to follow God's commands, obey his principles for our life, and in so doing, we will find contentment that the things of this world just can't bring. So often, we hunger for riches, thirst for pleasure, and maybe even hunger and thirst for contentment as an end unto itself. We need to change our perspective to hunger and thirst for righteousness...and let the contentment work itself out as a result.
Challenge for Today: Find one place in your life where you are not seeking a righteous path. It may be your entertainment, the way you conduct your business, a relationship you have, or any number of things; then think of one way you can "seek righteousness" in relation to that.
Many of us, when we first became Christians (and again every time we go to a retreat, revival, or some other kind of event that gets us "fired up") instinctively thirst for righteousness. It is a natural response to drawing near to God. We know, somewhere in our souls, that not only is righteousness the RIGHT thing to do, but it is the thing that will, more than anything else, fill up the hollow parts of our life.
I think that in this verse "they will be filled" doesn't just talk about being filled with righteousness, which is what we are to hunger and thirst for, but it means being filled as in having the empty spots within us filled up...to be fulfilled and to be content. To have the spiritual equivalent of the full belly that we all anticipate physically on Thanksgiving Day.
Hungering and thirsting for righteousness leads us to follow God's commands, obey his principles for our life, and in so doing, we will find contentment that the things of this world just can't bring. So often, we hunger for riches, thirst for pleasure, and maybe even hunger and thirst for contentment as an end unto itself. We need to change our perspective to hunger and thirst for righteousness...and let the contentment work itself out as a result.
Challenge for Today: Find one place in your life where you are not seeking a righteous path. It may be your entertainment, the way you conduct your business, a relationship you have, or any number of things; then think of one way you can "seek righteousness" in relation to that.
Wednesday, November 5, 2008
Election Results - How Do We Respond?
This is a side-item to our regular Bible challenge. I sent this email today to some friends, and I got so much response from it that I thought I should post it here, in case anyone else finds it enlightening or encouraging:
All,
I really felt led to write this and send it out to a few people I knew would appreciate it. I'm sorry that it's wordy.
You all know that my choice for President would not have been Obama. (That's putting it mildly.) But, that is the decision we now have. Now we get to see what "change" means...if it means anything at all.
In all this, I know that many Christians, myself included, were praying for the elections, for our country, for the people voting to be given wisdom...and for the outcome of the election to be something used for God's glory. And we all know that it will be. Regardless of the outcome, there is a purpose to it.
And I just thought that, in the Bible, is says to be obedient to the powers in place in your government, and to respect them, and not to speak evil of them. (And it never says "as long as they are good rulers".) Obviously, there are times when we will need to speak out and speak up on some issues, and that is our right because...technically...each of us voters is "the ruler" of the country in some small measure. And it is our duty because we are Christians and are to do what is right and speak up for those who cannot speak up for themselves.
But there are other times when we will want to say something bad, something that is not constructive, something that is mocking or rude or even profane, because of how strongly we feel about the candidate chosen. This doesn't come from a legitimate desire to change policy, but just from a desire to vent our frustration and tear someone else down. And I can't really feel that that is right. I think as Christians, we ought not. But that is just my opinion.
I think that, whether we like his policies or not, we now have a President-elect, and there are several ways we can respond to that, such as getting more engaged in the political system and changing it. But there is one major way that we need to respond to that, and that is prayer.
Prayer for our nation. The kind of prayer many times a day, pleading with God to change our country...that we have been doing in the weeks leading up to this election. What will God do if we have that kind of repentence and focus on praying for a change of heart in our nation constantly...not just when an election looms. Many of us will be tempted to say, "Well, now that's done," and quit praying like we were. Don't! Just because the election is over doesn't mean we don't need prayer...we probably need it even more now with the new road our country may find itself on.
Prayer for Obama. (Yes, even if you don't like him personally.) We need to pray that he is prepared, that he makes wise decisions, that he has wise counselors around him to smooth out his inexperience, that God moves his heart to make moral and right decisions, and that he has the strength of character to stand up in the face of crises, international pressures, and domestic deficits.
And if you REALLY don't like him...all the more reason to pray for him, since the Bible says love your enemies and pray for those who spitefully use you. We as Americans need a President (no matter who he is) that is lifted up in prayer, as...like him or not..he's the one going to have to get the job done, and he will not and cannot do it right without some prayer. No one can. We've all stood behind our current, unashamedly Christian, President with prayer, and we need to stand behind the next one with the same prayer.
We don't need to pray that he'll get what he wants done. We don't need to pray that he puts his policies in place. We do need to pray that he has strength, courage, and most of all wisdom!
It's not unrealistic to think that even deep-rooted policies and beliefs will change on his part with enough prayer. He has claimed repeatedly to be a Christian. I don't know the state of his soul, which is between him and God, but I for one want to believe him on that and haven't seen any reason to think otherwise. Some of the things he thinks are misguided, and I think he is decieved on some points, but I don't see any reason to try to judge that he is not a Christian if he says he is. And if he is, then he is open to the moving of the Holy Spirit more than most, if we just pray for that conviction for him.
It's completely not far-fetched to think that, no matter his beliefs and convictions, they can change. I just want to leave you with this one verse to that effect:
The king's heart is in the hand of the Lord, as the rivers of water: he turneth it whithersoever he will.
Proverbs 21:1
The surrounding verses nowhere imply that the king, whose heart is in the Lord's hand, is a good king to start with. But that God turns the king's heart as it pleases him. Pray for that kind of turning.
Sunday, November 2, 2008
Monday, October 27, 2008
Day 3: Matthew 5:5
Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.
Websters defines the quality of being "meek" as:
1. enduring injury with patience and without resentment :
2 : deficient in spirit and courage :
3 : not violent or strong
Now, the second definition of Webster's "meekness", I think we can reasonably rule out as being interpretted in God's standard as a good thing, since the Bible lumps "cowardly" people into the same category as the "unbelieving and abominable and murderers and immoral persons and sorcerers and idolaters and all liars" (Revelation 21:8)...so deficient in courage is NOT the definition of meekness we're after here. I think it has more to do with the other two definitions.
Our society has become obsessively centered on "rights". Many of us insist that our rights not be trod on by anyone else. Of course, there is a problem with this when one person's rights and another person's rights overlap in an antagonistic fashion. Does someone have the "right" not to be offended by someone else's "right" to say what they want and utter a stream of curse-words? We are all obsessed with defending our rights...even from people who are not even necessarily trying to overstep them.
Yet, if we look at the definitions of meekness, it would appear that our approptiate response to such injury is to endure it...and to not resent the person who caused the injury in the first place. And definitely not to take a violent action against such injury.
This can be a particularly tricky area in regards not to strangers are non-believers (from whom we are often willing to take an emotional beating with little or no objection) but when dealing with our own families, loved ones, and fellow Christians. Especially in these relationships, we could use a healthy dose of looking at our responsibilities and focussing on those instead of spending our energy asserting our "rights".
No one's asking us to be a doormat, and the Scripture is full of examples of people who stood up for themselves and, more importantly, for their God when the situation warranted it. But in our me-obsessed society, we seem to believe that these situations where we should stand up for ourselves against someone else's attack are much more common than they actually are. We need to all step back and think before the next time we lash out with a verbally violent attack that leaves the object of our outburst ripped to emotional tatters.
Action for Today: Find one situation today where you perceive that someone else has done you wrong, violated your rights, or mistreated you. Instead of getting upset and stewing about it...or giving them a tongue lashing...or instigating an argument or fight, simply step back and ignore the insult if it is not important. Or carefully speak to that person about the wrong...in terms of love, not attacks...if it is.
Websters defines the quality of being "meek" as:
1. enduring injury with patience and without resentment :
2 : deficient in spirit and courage :
3 : not violent or strong
Now, the second definition of Webster's "meekness", I think we can reasonably rule out as being interpretted in God's standard as a good thing, since the Bible lumps "cowardly" people into the same category as the "unbelieving and abominable and murderers and immoral persons and sorcerers and idolaters and all liars" (Revelation 21:8)...so deficient in courage is NOT the definition of meekness we're after here. I think it has more to do with the other two definitions.
Our society has become obsessively centered on "rights". Many of us insist that our rights not be trod on by anyone else. Of course, there is a problem with this when one person's rights and another person's rights overlap in an antagonistic fashion. Does someone have the "right" not to be offended by someone else's "right" to say what they want and utter a stream of curse-words? We are all obsessed with defending our rights...even from people who are not even necessarily trying to overstep them.
Yet, if we look at the definitions of meekness, it would appear that our approptiate response to such injury is to endure it...and to not resent the person who caused the injury in the first place. And definitely not to take a violent action against such injury.
This can be a particularly tricky area in regards not to strangers are non-believers (from whom we are often willing to take an emotional beating with little or no objection) but when dealing with our own families, loved ones, and fellow Christians. Especially in these relationships, we could use a healthy dose of looking at our responsibilities and focussing on those instead of spending our energy asserting our "rights".
No one's asking us to be a doormat, and the Scripture is full of examples of people who stood up for themselves and, more importantly, for their God when the situation warranted it. But in our me-obsessed society, we seem to believe that these situations where we should stand up for ourselves against someone else's attack are much more common than they actually are. We need to all step back and think before the next time we lash out with a verbally violent attack that leaves the object of our outburst ripped to emotional tatters.
Action for Today: Find one situation today where you perceive that someone else has done you wrong, violated your rights, or mistreated you. Instead of getting upset and stewing about it...or giving them a tongue lashing...or instigating an argument or fight, simply step back and ignore the insult if it is not important. Or carefully speak to that person about the wrong...in terms of love, not attacks...if it is.
Saturday, October 25, 2008
Day 2: Matthew 5:4
"Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted."
No one wants to think about mourning. In fact, when I came across this verse, I thought that I really didn't even want to write about mourning. We don't want to be faced with a situation in which mourning is the natural response, because all such situations are, by virtue of what they entail, some of the most unpleasant situations anyone can ever face.
However, someone around you is facing that situation. They may be mourning the loss of a loved one or a friend. Or they may not be mourning the loss of a person...but maybe something else. They may be mourning the loss of a pet. Or maybe the loss of a thing, a position, a relationship, a job. Someone around you is mourning, or maybe you yourself are in the midst of that kind of trial. Whatever the case, this verse offers comfort about one of life's most...comfortless...times.
ACTION: Find someone who is mourning, and pray for that person, for God to give tehm comfort. It may be a family member, accquaintance, or co-worker, and if so, it's even more personal. Maybe it is someone in your church or Bible study group. If you are fortunate enough that no one around you is in a position to be mourning anything, then find someone on your local news and pray for that person. You don't know their whole situation...but God does. And maybe it may not seem personal to you if it's just a face in the news, but it is personal for them, and it is personal for God, and God does not always call us only to pray for or minister to our immediate circle of friends.
If you are yourself in a time of mourning right now, and if you are comfortable sharing that situation, post it here so that others on the blog can pray for you.
No one wants to think about mourning. In fact, when I came across this verse, I thought that I really didn't even want to write about mourning. We don't want to be faced with a situation in which mourning is the natural response, because all such situations are, by virtue of what they entail, some of the most unpleasant situations anyone can ever face.
However, someone around you is facing that situation. They may be mourning the loss of a loved one or a friend. Or they may not be mourning the loss of a person...but maybe something else. They may be mourning the loss of a pet. Or maybe the loss of a thing, a position, a relationship, a job. Someone around you is mourning, or maybe you yourself are in the midst of that kind of trial. Whatever the case, this verse offers comfort about one of life's most...comfortless...times.
ACTION: Find someone who is mourning, and pray for that person, for God to give tehm comfort. It may be a family member, accquaintance, or co-worker, and if so, it's even more personal. Maybe it is someone in your church or Bible study group. If you are fortunate enough that no one around you is in a position to be mourning anything, then find someone on your local news and pray for that person. You don't know their whole situation...but God does. And maybe it may not seem personal to you if it's just a face in the news, but it is personal for them, and it is personal for God, and God does not always call us only to pray for or minister to our immediate circle of friends.
If you are yourself in a time of mourning right now, and if you are comfortable sharing that situation, post it here so that others on the blog can pray for you.
Thursday, October 23, 2008
Day 1: Matthew 5:3
I heard a preacher once who talked about a man who came to a missionary in a foreign country and recited the Beatitudes. (Matthew 5:3-12) The story goes that the man was illiterate and had memorized the verses by rote. And when he had finished, the preacher said that was great, but now go and DO these things he had learned. The man responded that he had learned them by doing them, practicing each one until he knew it by heart...by experience as well as words. That seems like a simple and good place to start. These are some of the best known verses in the Bible, yet some of the most profound and rich with opportunities to put into practice.
Matthew 5:3 - Blessed are the poor in spirit: for their's is the kingdom of heaven.
When younger, I often struggled with what "poor in spirit" meant and why someone would be blessed to have that quality. After all, we talk alot about being "spiritually rich"...who would want to be spiritually poor?
(If anyone has a theological authority about what the phrase actually means, or a better translation of the original text and what it "really" means, I would be glad to hear that. Please post.)
After thinking about it a long time, I think that poor "in spirit" means living in a spirit of poverty, identifying with poverty, even if you are wealthy. Certainly there is nothing wrong with wealth. Certainly, God pours out his blessings on some individuals and has historically done so. Solomon is an especially good example of this. God never chastised him for being rich, and he never commanded us to be poor, either. Though Jesus did say it was much harder for a rich man to get into heaven than a poor one...but "be poor" has never been a command.
However, being "poor in spirit" is called blessed. We live in the richest nation in the world. If you live in America, you are among the absolute wealthiest people in the world. Only a small percentage of the world's population even lives at the standard of those at our "poverty line". To most of the world, our rich live like princes. We have SO much...and sometimes when seeing how much we have, we forget how much it really is and we take things for granted. To be "poor in spirit" means, I think, to set aside the concerns that go with richness, to set aside the comfort a complacency and the illusion that we are providing for ourselves...rather than having our needs met by God. (After all...it was He who put us in this rich country. No matter how much we worked for our goods, He richly stacked the deck in our favor by virtue of letting us be born where we were.) So... I think that this verse says that we are blessed if we remember that we may be rich in earthly things but we are poor compared to the richness of God, and all we have comes from him...and to remember that there are others who are not as fortunate as we and let our hearts be broken by that and moved to compassion.
Action Challenge for Today:
Choose one luxury of our western culture. Something you enjoy, maybe even something you need, that others do not have or cannot do. Voluntarily give that up for one week. Post that decision here, and give an update at the end of the week...were you successful in living without that excess for even one week?
Matthew 5:3 - Blessed are the poor in spirit: for their's is the kingdom of heaven.
When younger, I often struggled with what "poor in spirit" meant and why someone would be blessed to have that quality. After all, we talk alot about being "spiritually rich"...who would want to be spiritually poor?
(If anyone has a theological authority about what the phrase actually means, or a better translation of the original text and what it "really" means, I would be glad to hear that. Please post.)
After thinking about it a long time, I think that poor "in spirit" means living in a spirit of poverty, identifying with poverty, even if you are wealthy. Certainly there is nothing wrong with wealth. Certainly, God pours out his blessings on some individuals and has historically done so. Solomon is an especially good example of this. God never chastised him for being rich, and he never commanded us to be poor, either. Though Jesus did say it was much harder for a rich man to get into heaven than a poor one...but "be poor" has never been a command.
However, being "poor in spirit" is called blessed. We live in the richest nation in the world. If you live in America, you are among the absolute wealthiest people in the world. Only a small percentage of the world's population even lives at the standard of those at our "poverty line". To most of the world, our rich live like princes. We have SO much...and sometimes when seeing how much we have, we forget how much it really is and we take things for granted. To be "poor in spirit" means, I think, to set aside the concerns that go with richness, to set aside the comfort a complacency and the illusion that we are providing for ourselves...rather than having our needs met by God. (After all...it was He who put us in this rich country. No matter how much we worked for our goods, He richly stacked the deck in our favor by virtue of letting us be born where we were.) So... I think that this verse says that we are blessed if we remember that we may be rich in earthly things but we are poor compared to the richness of God, and all we have comes from him...and to remember that there are others who are not as fortunate as we and let our hearts be broken by that and moved to compassion.
Action Challenge for Today:
Choose one luxury of our western culture. Something you enjoy, maybe even something you need, that others do not have or cannot do. Voluntarily give that up for one week. Post that decision here, and give an update at the end of the week...were you successful in living without that excess for even one week?
Welcome to the Scripture Challenge
Hello!
Maybe you're wondering what this "Scripture Challenge" is all about. I felt led to start this blog, based on the truth that the Bible is challenging. It's not challenging in that it can't be understood. As one of my friends likes saying, its truth is simple enough for the youngest of children...but complex enough to interest the most learned theologian.
What I mean by "challenging" is that Scripture challenges us to be something other than we are. Simply reading Scripture may be uplifting. It may be enlightening. It may be encouraging. Or it may be simply an act of obedience, done out of habit because a preacher told you that you ought to. But putting Scripture into practice...now THAT can be life-changing.
In this blog, you will find a daily Bible study...or at least that is my ambitious intent. This study may be a verse, a passage, a chapter, or a whole story. But studying the day's passage should go beyond that. Read on it, think on it, meditate on it, even memorize it. But, most importantly... DO something about it. Apply it to your daily life.
Then...tell the other readers of this blog what you did, what you learned, how it turned out... how you were obedient...and how God worked in your life as a result.
Now, some may say, isn't that a bit much of "tooting your own horn"? What about humility? Well, there's a place for humility, and certainly if you feel something is private and not to be shared, then keep it to yourself. Some moments are personal. But there is also a place of encouragement and inspiration. And actions, good and bad, tend to be contagious. When one believer hears another believer's story, they may be inspired to take a similar step of faith. That's what testimonials are all about...and your "testimony" does not have to be simply about the moment you came to know Jesus personally, though that is certainly the most important testimony you have.
Your testimony can also be just letting others know what God has done for you, what you have learned in your walk with him. So take that step and testify if you feel so led! If you would like to share an experience or story anonymously, you can email me, and I'll post it for you as "one member of the blog told me..."
I hope that you enjoy this daily study/devotional, and that you get involved, by reading, studying, even memorizing the passage, but also by taking the specific challenge corresponding to the verse each day...or another relevant action to apply God's Word to your own life instead of merely hearing it.
What a difference Christians acting out their professed faith would make in their families, commuties, country, and world!
God bless you!
Maybe you're wondering what this "Scripture Challenge" is all about. I felt led to start this blog, based on the truth that the Bible is challenging. It's not challenging in that it can't be understood. As one of my friends likes saying, its truth is simple enough for the youngest of children...but complex enough to interest the most learned theologian.
What I mean by "challenging" is that Scripture challenges us to be something other than we are. Simply reading Scripture may be uplifting. It may be enlightening. It may be encouraging. Or it may be simply an act of obedience, done out of habit because a preacher told you that you ought to. But putting Scripture into practice...now THAT can be life-changing.
In this blog, you will find a daily Bible study...or at least that is my ambitious intent. This study may be a verse, a passage, a chapter, or a whole story. But studying the day's passage should go beyond that. Read on it, think on it, meditate on it, even memorize it. But, most importantly... DO something about it. Apply it to your daily life.
Then...tell the other readers of this blog what you did, what you learned, how it turned out... how you were obedient...and how God worked in your life as a result.
Now, some may say, isn't that a bit much of "tooting your own horn"? What about humility? Well, there's a place for humility, and certainly if you feel something is private and not to be shared, then keep it to yourself. Some moments are personal. But there is also a place of encouragement and inspiration. And actions, good and bad, tend to be contagious. When one believer hears another believer's story, they may be inspired to take a similar step of faith. That's what testimonials are all about...and your "testimony" does not have to be simply about the moment you came to know Jesus personally, though that is certainly the most important testimony you have.
Your testimony can also be just letting others know what God has done for you, what you have learned in your walk with him. So take that step and testify if you feel so led! If you would like to share an experience or story anonymously, you can email me, and I'll post it for you as "one member of the blog told me..."
I hope that you enjoy this daily study/devotional, and that you get involved, by reading, studying, even memorizing the passage, but also by taking the specific challenge corresponding to the verse each day...or another relevant action to apply God's Word to your own life instead of merely hearing it.
What a difference Christians acting out their professed faith would make in their families, commuties, country, and world!
God bless you!
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