Sharing the Story

Readings for today: Joshua 3-4, Luke 14:7-35, Psalms 80, Proverbs 12:27-28

“And Joshua said to the people of Israel, "When your children ask their fathers in times to come, 'What do these stones mean?' then you shall let your children know, 'Israel passed over this Jordan on dry ground.' For the Lord your God dried up the waters of the Jordan for you until you passed over, as the Lord your God did to the Red Sea, which he dried up for us until we passed over, so that all the peoples of the earth may know that the hand of the Lord is mighty, that you may fear the Lord your God forever." (Joshua‬ ‭4:21-24‬)‬‬

When you read through the history of Israel, it feels like you stumble over all kinds of altars. Memorials set up by the people of God to mark special occasions. Miracles. Signs. Wonders. Great victories won in the name of the Lord. These altars served as signposts that pointed to the steadfast faithfulness of God. The hope was that every time they passed by one of these altars, it would remind them to share the story once again. In this way, their faith was passed from generation to generation.

It has been my experience that those living in oral cultures – cultures where communication is primarily done through the spoken word rather than the written word – love to tell stories. They have no problem repeating them over and over again. They experience all the “feels” with each re-telling. It is exciting to listen to them share and keep alive the significant events that have shaped them as a people. The same was true for ancient Israel. Throughout the Old Testament, God’s mighty acts of deliverance are recounted in song, prayer, prophecy, as well as history. In this way, the faith of God’s people was preserved and strengthened in each generation.

It has been pointed out that Christianity is always one generation away from extinction. The most important thing we can do is tell the story of God to our children. Recount for them all the good things God has done for us. We need to remind them of His blessings in seasons of fruitfulness. His comfort in seasons of hardship and pain. His provision when resources are lacking. His joy when we experience great success. God is with us and the most important job of a parent is to make Him known to their children.

So what altars have you set up in your life? What stories do you find yourself returning to over and over again? What testimonies has God given you over the years? Do your children know how you came to faith? If you don’t have children of your own, have you sought out ways to share your stories of God’s faithfulness with the next generation?

Readings for tomorrow: Joshua 5:1-7:15, Luke 15, Psalms 81, Proverbs 13:1

Eat this Book

Readings for today: Deuteronomy 34-Joshua 2, Luke 13:22-14:6, Psalms 79, Proverbs 12:26

“This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.” (Joshua‬ ‭1:8‬)‬

When I became a Christian in college, I began a mentoring relationship with a man named Don Bachman. Don was a retired IBM executive who had cut short his career to pursue a calling to mentor young college men. The impact this man has made on my life and the lives of so many I know is truly extraordinary. Despite growing up in church, I really didn’t know much about the Christian faith. I rarely paid attention in worship and the youth group I attended focused more on how to be a good person than building a personal relationship with Christ. Don changed all of that for me. He relentlessly pointed me to Jesus, constantly challenging me to stay in the Word and in prayer. He held me accountable and wasn’t afraid to get in my face when I failed. He encouraged me regularly and faithfully and I grew in my faith as a result.

Growing in Christ isn’t rocket science. It simply requires faithfulness. Don taught me how to do three things. “Do these three things for the rest of your life and you will grow in your faith,” he said. First, spend time daily with God. The verse above was one of the first I memorized because it emphasizes meditation on God’s Word every day. It teaches us to immerse ourselves in the Bible. To listen for God’s voice. To hear and obey His commands. Prayerfully reading and reflecting on Scripture daily is an essential practice for everyone who would follow Christ.

Second, attend corporate worship every week. I know many Christians who believe they don’t need the church. They believe they can practice their faith on their own. This is a borderline heresy that is completely foreign to Scripture. God calls us into community. One cannot claim to love Jesus without also loving His Bride. Yes, church can be hard. Yes, the church is full of sinners. Yes, the church can be hurtful and painful. Such has always been the case. This is why God commands us to practice forgiveness and extend grace to one another. One cannot forgive in the abstract. One cannot extend grace in the abstract. One cannot love in the abstract. These things must be done face to face and that is why we must worship together.

Third, find a small group to follow Jesus with. Invite a small group of believers into your life with whom you can share your deepest, darkest secrets. As human beings, we have a great desire to be known. Building deep relationships with a few other believers who will pray for you, love you, confront you, encourage you, and hold you accountable is another essential practice if you want to grow in Christ.

Finally, I would add we all need a place to serve. A mission to give our lives to. A ministry where we can put our gifts and talents and abilities to work for God’s Kingdom. Do these three (four) things and you will grow in Christ. That’s what Don taught me and he was absolutely correct.

I have been a Christian for over twenty-five years. For more than a quarter century I have devoted my life to prayer and meditating on the Scriptures. I have endeavored to attend worship every week with my brothers and sisters in Christ in all sorts of contexts. I have always had a small group of other believers to lean on as I went through the ups and downs of life. And I have given my life in service to my Lord and Savior. God has been faithful. The intimacy I enjoy with Him is profound. It dwarfs all other relationships in my life. And I am thankful. It’s never too late to start, friends! Believe me when I say God loves to make up for lost time! If you feel disconnected or distant from God, let me encourage you to take the advice Don gave me all those years ago. Put these spiritual disciplines into practice and watch your faith begin to deepen and grow.

Readings for tomorrow: Joshua 3-4, Luke 14:7-35, Psalms 80, Proverbs 12:27-28

None like God

Readings for today: Deuteronomy 33, Luke 13:1-21, Psalms 78:65-72, Proverbs 12:25

”There is none like God, O Jeshurun, who rides through the heavens to your help, through the skies in his majesty. The eternal God is your dwelling place, and underneath are the everlasting arms. And he thrust out the enemy before you and said, 'Destroy.' So Israel lived in safety, Jacob lived alone, in a land of grain and wine, whose heavens drop down dew. Happy are you, O Israel! Who is like you, a people saved by the Lord, the shield of your help, and the sword of your triumph! Your enemies shall come fawning to you, and you shall tread upon their backs." (Deuteronomy‬ ‭33:26-29)

Think about the life of Moses. Saved miraculously at birth when his mother put him in a basket and floated him down the Nile. Raised as a prince in Pharoah’s palace. Exiled for murdering an Egyptian as a young man. Worked as a shepherd in Midian for his father-in-law. Called by God to deliver Israel. Challenged the greatest empire in the world. Instrument of God’s signs and wonders. Led Israel through the Red Sea to Sinai. Lawgiver. Witness to God’s glory. Faithful, if imperfect, leader who continued to point Israel to God in the midst of their wilderness wanderings. Angry sinner who forfeited the Promised Land. Great prophet who blesses Israel at the end of his life. Humble man who submits to God’s will and passes the leadership mantle to Joshua. 

Imagine you are Moses and you are at the end of your life. You have one last chance to speak to the people you’ve been leading for a generation. One last chance to speak a final blessing over them. After all you’ve gone through. After all you’ve seen. After all you’ve done. After all the headaches and heartaches this people have caused you. You might find it easier to curse rather than bless! But Moses is faithful to the end. He keeps his eyes on Jesus till the end. And with his dying breath he proclaims the glory of God. 

There is none like God. He rides the heavens to bring aid to His people. The skies above proclaim His majesty. There is none like God. He is your eternal dwelling place. He carries you in His everlasting arms. There is none like God. He gives victory to His people. He drives out the enemy. He keeps Israel safe and secure. There is none like God. He provides grain and wine in abundance. The land produces as the heavens open and the rain falls. There is none like God. He saves His people. He is the shield of their help. The sword of their triumph. There is none like God.  

How do you see God? Can anyone compare to Him? Is He your shield? Your strength? Your help? Do you declare His majesty like the heavens above? Do you bow before His greatness? Do you lean on His everlasting arms and find your dwelling place in Him? Do you look to Him for safety and security? For provision in times of need? Has He saved you? Adopted you into His family? Made you His own? Do you give Him the worship and adoration and praise He deserves?  

Readings for tomorrow: Deuteronomy 34-Joshua 2, Luke Luke 13:22-14:6, Psalm 79, Proverbs 12:26

Godly Responsibility

Readings for today: Deuteronomy 32:28-52, Luke 12:35-59, Psalms 78:56-64, Proverbs 12:24

“Everyone to whom much was given, of him much will be required, and from him to whom they entrusted much, they will demand the more.” (Luke‬ ‭12:48‬)

We live in a narcissistic age. We live in a “selfie” culture. All the attention must be on me. All the focus on my rights. It is rare to hear anyone talk about responsibility anymore other than to cast blame. I see it all the time on social media. I hear it all the time on cable news. I experience it all the time in interpersonal relationships.  

Jesus is crystal clear. To whom much is given, much is expected. We have a responsibility to God and to our neighbor. To shirk one or the other is to invite judgment. God designed this world to work in harmony. God designed humanity to care for His creation. But His design is dependent on each one taking responsibility to carefully steward the gifts God has given them. This is why the world is so broken. This is why humanity is so fractured. Sin keeps us focused on Self to the detriment of those around us. 

I see it here in Africa. I have been in southern Ethiopia for the last week where there has been a terrible drought. Climate change enacts a terrible price especially on the global poor. Someone asked me yesterday why God withholds the rain. I challenged that notion. According to a recent report by the World Bank, it would cost 150 billion a year to provide universal access to clean water. Perhaps instead of blaming God we should look in the mirror. God made us in His image and gave us dominion over all He has made. Our failure to be good stewards. Our failure to care for the most vulnerable. Our failure to fulfill the creation mandate is not on God. Imagine what could happen if the nations of the earth - and the people who live in those nations - directed their energy and attention to taking care of their God-given and God-ordained responsibilities rather than taking care of themselves? 150 billion is a drop in the global GDP bucket and yet, it would literally transform millions of lives. We don’t lack the resources. We lack the political and social and spiritual will to make it happen. 

The church is called to be different. To model for the world what it would look like to fulfill our responsibilities before God and one another. The communities where our churches are planted should be blessed. The people who attend our churches and belong to our churches should be loved and cared for. The church’s ministry and mission should be directed at equipping God’s people to die to self and live for one another. Sadly, the opposite is too often true. Especially in the American church where the average church-goer believes they are a consumer. They evaluate the local church based on how well it “meets their needs.” When they grow bored or tired or frustrated or upset, rather than obey Jesus and fulfill their responsibility to dig in and forgive, they bail. They go to the new church down the road. The results are devastating to the body of Christ. We become weak. Frail. Superficial. A mile wide and an inch deep. Meanwhile, the world around us continues to “wait with eager longing for the revealing of the sons and daughters of God.” (Romans 8:19) 

I’m tired of all the blame-shifting. Tired of our refusal to own our fears and failures. Our mistakes and missteps. Our sin and selfishness. It’s time to grow up, church! Time to grow up, humanity! Time to grow up and accept the responsibility God has given us as His image-bearers. Time to grow up and live into the calling God has placed on our lives as His children. Time to put aside the excuses. Roll up our sleeves and get to work. Through Christ we have access to all the power we need to do the work He has called us to in this world. All for His glory!  

Readings for tomorrow: Deuteronomy 33, Luke 13:1-21, Psalms 78:65-72, Proverbs 12:25

Blasphemy

Readings for today: Deuteronomy 31-32:27, Luke 12:8-34, Psalms 78:32-55, Proverbs 12:21-23

Jesus is the most influential and confounding person in human history. His moral teachings form the backdrop of entire legal and social systems. His example of radical grace and love sets the standard for interpersonal relationships. His rejection of the sexism and racism and greed of His day confronts the perpetual systems of oppression we human beings seem so prone towards creating. Money had no hold on Him. He was not interested in temporal power and authority. When the people tried to make give Him a throne, He chose a cross. No wonder the religious elite couldn’t make heads or tails of Him. No wonder the pagan authorities tried to wash their hands of Him. No wonder the powers and principalities of this world did their best to get rid of Him.

Jesus turned the world upside down and we’ve been struggling to come to grips with it ever since. A new norm has been established. A new Kingdom has come on earth. Founded on an alien value system. The poor are now rich and the rich poor. The weak are now strong and the strong weak. The powerless are now the powerful and the mighty are cast down. Those who are great are the servants. Those who are wise are the foolish. And those who seem to be cursed - poor in spirit, grief-stricken, meek, persecuted, etc. - are actually the blessed. Obviously, this man is either insane or He’s God. You don’t really have any other choices. There is no middle way. No neutral territory. No spiritual Switzerland to appeal to. Jesus stands in front of you, forcing a decision. Will you believe He is who He says He is or will you reject Him?

It’s okay to ask questions. It’s okay to have your doubts. It’s okay to express your fears.  “Everyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven.” This is new territory and Jesus understands it will take some getting used to. It’s like someone turned off the gravity and we are all floating around in a new space. It will take some getting used to. However, if we persist in closing our eyes. If we persist in sticking our fingers in our ears. If we keep trying to stubbornly plant our feet on the ground when the earth itself has shifted then we will not be forgiven. This is blasphemy. It is the persistent denial of the reality of the Kingdom of God and the Lordship of Christ. It is the rebellious denial of the work of the Holy Spirit which is the only means of salvation. To deny Him is to deny the Savior. It would be like continually ripping out the IV’s when all the doctor wants to do is take you into surgery and save your life. Do that for very long and you’ll lose your life altogether. 

So what do you believe about Jesus? Do you believe He is the Way? The Truth? The Life? Do you believe He is the Door? The Gate? The Narrow Road? Do you believe He is the Bread of Life? The Living Water? The Resurrection itself? Do you believe He has the power to offer you the forgiveness of sins and eternal life? What you believe about Jesus is the most important thing about you. Do not blaspheme! Believe in Jesus and be saved!

Readings for tomorrow: Deuteronomy 32:28-52, Luke 12:35-59, Psalms 78:56-64, Proverbs 12:24

Hypocrisy

Readings for today: Deuteronomy 29-30, Luke 11:37-12:7, Psalms 78:1-31, Proverbs 12:19-20

 “Beware the leaven of the Pharisees which is hypocrisy.” - Jesus

No one wants to be a hypocrite. No one but a truly evil person enjoys saying one thing and then doing another. Believing one thing and then saying another. We are sticklers for moral consistency. We demand it from our political leaders. We demand it from our employers. We demand it from our pastors. And we especially demand it from God. This is why so many people struggle when they read the Bible because they cannot fathom the kind of consistency it would take to be all the Bible reveals God to be. Just and merciful. Righteous and forgiving. Holy and gracious. All at the same time. No wonder so many believe the Old Testament God and the New Testament God are not the same!  

Jesus hates hypocrisy as well. He confronts the religious leaders on their sin. They used ritual purity laws to line their own pockets. They tithed down to the smallest of spices but neglected the more important matters of justice and love. They loved to be seen in public and leading worship but it was all a sham. The way of self-promotion. The experts in the law were no better. They created more and more laws to govern and regulate the smallest of behaviors with the result being a burden no person could ever bear. They did all this in the name of honoring the prophets and the spiritual leaders from Israel’s past but failed to see how it was their attitudes and actions that got these men and women killed as martyrs in the first place. They guarded the key to saving faith and only gave it out to those they deemed worthy thus depriving the Kingdom of Heaven of the very people God was trying to save. One can easily see why this would anger Jesus. 

Nothing is hidden in God’s Kingdom. That which we try to keep secret. Our private sin. Our selfish ambition and vain conceit. Our corrupt motivations. All of it will be revealed in the end as Jesus puts an end to hypocrisy once and for all. The reality is we are all hypocrites on some level. We claim to love God but hate our neighbor. We withhold forgiveness and refuse to reconcile. We rush to judgment and assume the worst. We are so negative and critical. We expect - even demand - that everyone around us extend us grace but refuse to do the same in return. We expect - even demand - that everyone put up with our failings but we are so quick to jump others when they let us down. We expect - even demand - that everyone meets our needs but refuse to help out when others are in need. We are a mess of logical inconsistencies and moral relativism. We ignore the tension this creates in our lives because it serves our narcissistic tendencies. The result is a rising tide of anxiety, depression, and despair. 

Why else do you think Jesus would warn us about hypocrisy? It is poison to our souls. It leads us to all kinds of addictive and compulsive behavior as we seek to medicate the gap between the person we are and the person we know God has called us to be. Rather than accept hypocrisy as some kind of permanent condition, we must rebuke it in the name of Christ. As believers filled with the Holy Spirit, we actually do have the power to live fully integrated lives of honesty and transparency before God and one another. Because we acknowledge and confess our sin, we receive forgiveness and grace. There is no pressure to perform. Pressure to appear to be something we are not. Pressure to live dis-integrated from self. We are free. Free to be who God created and called and redeemed us to be.  

Readings for tomorrow: Deuteronomy 31-32:27, Luke 12:8-34, Psalms 78:32-55, Proverbs 12:21-23

Blessings and Curses

Readings for today: Deuteronomy 28, Luke 11:14-36, Psalms 77, Proverbs 12:18

Two things are required if you truly want to understand the Bible. First, you must read it as a cohesive whole. The sum is greater than the parts. It tells an integrated story that you cannot understand if you try to read one section apart from the others. Second, you must understand your self. You are not a blank slate. You introduce bias into the equation every time you open up the book to read. You are a product of your environment. Your worldview is shaped by your circumstances. As such, you have a filter that you run all that you are reading through and it can often lead to misunderstanding. 

Today’s reading is a classic example. If you try to read Deuteronomy 28 apart from the larger story God has been telling up to this point time, you will completely miss the point. The point is NOT to obey God in order to gain the blessings. Our obedience is NOT a form of manipulation to get God to give us what we want. This is not a step by step process to health and wealth in this world. This is not a guarantee that life will always be easy or a way to avoid suffering. Unfortunately, far too many people read it that way. They flatten out the Scriptures. Dis-integrate this text from the larger context. Atomize the Bible into bits and pieces in order to support their own selfish desires. Most of us come to the text as Americans. Raised on the premise that if one works hard, one can succeed. We define success in terms of money made, possessions acquired, health maintained, etc. We view suffering as the ultimate evil. Something to be avoided at all costs. So when we come to Deuteronomy, we see a text that naturally fits our worldview quite well. It endorses the American Dream. It fits the American way of life like a glove. But then life happens. We experience failure. We get hurt. Our hearts get broken. We struggle through trials and temptation. And this leads us to doubt God. What happened to His promises? Why doesn’t He deliver? Is He not faithful?

We would do better to examine our own false assumptions. God is faithful. He has declared Himself to be good. He loves us with an everlasting love. His great desire expressed in the first and greatest commandment is that we would love Him in return. With all of our heart, soul, mind and strength. If we make love and devotion for God the great end of our lives, then we will follow His commands. We will find ourselves naturally seeking His ways. We will define our lives according to His terms. And the result will be blessing. Not in every single instance because that is not how life works but on balance. On the whole. When a person who loves God in the way He deserves and demands looks back over the course of their entire lives, they will see the life Deuteronomy 28 describes. Does that mean you will live in a large house? Drive a fancy car? Live off a flush 401k? Does it mean your marriage will never struggle? Your kids never suffer? Your relationships never break? Of course not. In this world you will face trials. In this world you will suffer temptation. In this world you will experience brokenness. But those who love God with all their hearts, souls, minds, and strength overcome the world. They see the trials in light of the eternal glory God is revealing in and through them. And it is more than enough. 

There is no greater freedom than living wholly for God. There is no greater joy in life than giving all you have to God. There is no greater peace than trusting God to meet every need according to His wisdom and the riches of His grace. There is no greater love than laying down our lives for the cause of Christ. All that you desire is within your grasp. All you need to do is deny yourself. Pick up your cross. And follow Jesus. The way to true fulfillment in this life is the way of relinquishment. Surrender. Submission. Give yourself to Jesus today and watch the blessings flow! 

Readings for tomorrow: Deuteronomy 29-30, Luke 11:37-12:7, Psalms 78:1-31, Proverbs 12:19-20

Offerings

Readings for today: Deuteronomy 26-27, Luke 10:38-11:13, Psalms 76, Proverbs 12:15-17

“A wandering Aramean was my father. And he went down into Egypt and sojourned there, few in number, and there he became a nation, great, mighty, and populous. And the Egyptians treated us harshly and humiliated us and laid on us hard labor. Then we cried to the Lord, the God of our fathers, and the Lord heard our voice and saw our affliction, our toil, and our oppression. And the Lord brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm, with great deeds of terror, with signs and wonders. And he brought us into this place and gave us this land, a land flowing with milk and honey. And behold, now I bring the first of the fruit of the ground, which you, O Lord, have given me.' And you shall set it down before the Lord your God and worship before the Lord your God. And you shall rejoice in all the good that the Lord your God has given to you and to your house, you, and the Levite, and the sojourner who is among you.” (Deuteronomy‬ ‭26:5-11‬)

Why do you give? Why do you put money in an offering plate? Why do you support the church or any other ministry? For the people of Israel, the offering gave them a chance to rehearse their salvation story. They reminded themselves that their provision rested ultimately on God. Not by the work of their hands. Not by the sweat of their brow. Not by their own might and power and wisdom and strength. God alone had saved them. God alone had delivered them. God alone had brought them to a land flowing with milk and honey. God alone was the source of all the blessings they had received. This is why they gave their tithes. At it’s best, the practice of tithing was a way of practicing faith. We give back unto the Lord that which He has given to us and we trust Him to provide yet again in the coming year. We give back unto the Lord and we trust Him to use our gifts to further His purposes in the world. 

I wonder what it would look like for us to rehearse a similar story when we gave? How could we put the great story of faith in our own words in a way that would connect and remind us on a regular basis that God is our provider and protector? For me, it might look something like this...

”I was blessed to be raised by Christian parents. Worshipping God every week as I grew up. Learning to pray. To read the Bible. To serve. But then I went to Boulder where my life fell apart. I walked away from God. I walked away from Christians. I walked away from the church. I became enslaved to my own desires. I became a drunk. I was depressed. I treated others shamefully. Eventually, my humiliation caught up with me. I lost friends. I flunked out of school. I hit rock bottom. Then I cried out to the Lord. He heard my cry. He brought people into my life who preached the gospel to me. He delivered me from darkness. Set my soul free to love and to serve Him. He blessed the work of my hands. He made my life fruitful. I am blessed beyond measure. And so, behold, I offer to my God the firstfruits of my labor. I offer to God the firstfruits of my resources. I offer to God my time and my talent to be used for His purposes. For He has given me far more than I deserve and provided for my every desire. This is my worship and I give it freely in faith.”

What’s your story? What story can you rehearse to remind yourself of why you give? God doesn’t need your money, of course, but the generous giving of our resources to God reveals the truth of where we place our trust. Are we storing up treasures in heaven or do we cling to the treasures of this earth? Are we giving cheerfully? Joyfully? With expectation? Or do we give out of obligation and guilt? Do we rest in the reality of God’s abundant provision or do we strive endlessly to provide for ourselves? 

Readings for tomorrow: Deuteronomy 28, Luke 11:14-36, Psalms 77, Proverbs 12:18

Mercy not Sacrifice

Readings for today: Deuteronomy 23-25, Luke 10:13-37, Psalms 75, Proverbs 12:12-14

“But when he heard it, he said, "Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. Go and learn what this means: 'I desire mercy, and not sacrifice.' For I came not to call the righteous, but sinners." (Matthew‬ ‭9:12-13‬)

The Old Testament is full of passages illustrating God’s concern for justice and holiness and purity. His judgment often seems harsh and unforgiving. And yet there is great mercy as well. Imagine a society where people truly cared for the poor? Intentionally harvested in such a way that it left gleanings for those who did not own fields? Protected slaves and women and children? Imagine a society where profit was not the goal but care for our neighbor? Imagine a society where justice was defined by how we treated the immigrant, refugee, orphan or widow? You actually don’t have to imagine it because this is the society God ordained for Israel. This was the heart of the Law. To create heaven on earth. To set Israel up as a light unto the nations. An example for all humanity to follow. Listen to just a smattering of verses from our reading today.

“You shall not give up to his master a slave who has escaped from his master to you.”

"You shall not charge interest on loans to your brother, interest on money, interest on food, interest on anything that is lent for interest.”

"If you go into your neighbor's vineyard, you may eat your fill of grapes, as many as you wish, but you shall not put any in your bag. If you go into your neighbor's standing grain, you may pluck the ears with your hand, but you shall not put a sickle to your neighbor's standing grain.”

‭‭“And if he is a poor man, you shall not sleep in his pledge. You shall restore to him the pledge as the sun sets, that he may sleep in his cloak and bless you. And it shall be righteousness for you before the Lord your God.”

"You shall not oppress a hired worker who is poor and needy, whether he is one of your brothers or one of the sojourners who are in your land within your towns.”

"You shall not pervert the justice due to the sojourner or to the fatherless, or take a widow's garment in pledge...”

"When you reap your harvest in your field and forget a sheaf in the field, you shall not go back to get it. It shall be for the sojourner, the fatherless, and the widow, that the Lord your God may bless you in all the work of your hands. When you beat your olive trees, you shall not go over them again. It shall be for the sojourner, the fatherless, and the widow. When you gather the grapes of your vineyard, you shall not strip it afterward. It shall be for the sojourner, the fatherless, and the widow.”

Any nation that proclaims to be rooted in the Judeo-Christian tradition must take these commands seriously. Any nation seeking the blessing of God must do things His way. Follow His commands. Push beyond their fear and place their faith in God’s provision and protection. Any nation that claims to serve God must do all it can to protect life from the womb to the tomb. The protection of life must form the foundation of it’s entire legal and social system. The welfare of all her people must be her passion and aim. Any nation that prays for God’s will to be done on earth as it is in heaven must stand ready to actually live according to the heavenly code. It must exchange earthly expediency for heavenly authority. It must be willing to risk it all for the sake of her faithfulness to God. 

I know we pray for God to bless America. We sing songs about the blessing of God. Our politicians end every speech with this sentiment. Friends, we will never receive God’s blessing until we walk in His ways. One cannot expect God to bless what He has already said He will not bless. One cannot expect to define justice apart from God and then claim His divine sanction. We must surrender as a nation. Bow our knee before the Lord. Trust Him. Believe Him. Place our faith in Him. Only then will we truly be “one nation under God.” 

Readings for tomorrow: Deuteronomy 26-27, Luke 10:38-11:13, Psalms 76, Proverbs 12:15-17

The Plentiful Harvest

Readings for today: Deuteronomy 21-22, Luke 9:51-10:12, Psalms 74, Proverbs 12:11

“The harvest is plentiful but the laborers are few. Therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest. Go your way; behold, I am sending you out as lambs in the midst of wolves. Carry no moneybag, no knapsack, no sandals, and greet no one on the road.” (Luke 10:2-4)

This is one of my favorite passages to teach on in Ethiopia. In just over fifteen years, we have preached the gospel to 3.5 million people. We have seen almost 600,000 come to Christ. We have planted well over 4000 churches and baptized almost 100,000 new believers. And still the harvest remains plentiful! What God is doing in Ethiopia has spilled out into South Sudan and Uganda. We already have our first church plant in Djibouti and just planted 25 more in Myanmar. I fully expect this revival to reach Somalia and Eretria in a few years and then jump the Gulf into Saudi Arabia and Yemen. By the time I die, I am praying God gives us a chance to plant churches in Mecca.

The harvest is plentiful but the laborers are few. We are asking God to raise up more church planters from our indigenous partner denominations. We are asking God to raise up more churches in America to join this work. We are asking God to bring His resources to bear so we don’t become the limiting factor in who God is seeking to reach. We need laborers who will pray. Laborers who will give. Laborers who will go. Laborers who will lead. There is an urgency to this mission! We cannot delay! We cannot let our fears get the best of us! God is sending us out as lambs amidst wolves. The work will be hard. There will be pain and suffering and persecution. Joining God on His mission always costs us dearly. But the price is worth it!

How are you engaged in God’s mission? Jesus tells His disciples to pray to the Lord of the harvest to raise up laborers and then in the same breadth sends them forth. They are part of the solution! They are part of the answer to their own prayers! They have been called by God to go into the harvest field to reap what God has sowed. The same is true for us. You cannot be a Christian without being a laborer! You cannot be a follower of Jesus without being sent! You cannot be a disciple without being a missionary! Get engaged, friends! Join your brothers and sisters around the world and start reaping the glories of serving Christ!

Readings for tomorrow: Deuteronomy 23-25, Luke 10:13-37, Psalms 75, Proverbs 12:12-14

Mountaintops and Valleys

Readings for today: Deuteronomy 18-20, Luke 9:28-50, Psalms 73, Proverbs 12:10

I think we can all sympathize with Jesus on some level. He comes off a mountaintop experience where He is transfigured before His disciples. He recaptures, for a brief moment, the glory He once held in heaven. He meets with Elijah and Moses. Again He hears His Father’s voice affirming Him as the beloved Son. But when He comes down the mountain into the valley of life, not much has changed. The people are still driven less by a desire to know Him and follow Him and more by a desire to get their needs met. They see Him as a means to another end rather than the end itself. So Jesus confronts them. Not in anger but in heartbreak. He has compassion even amidst His deep sadness. He knows what’s coming. He knows the Cross is beginning to loom large on the horizon. But the people still have desperate needs. And the disciples still argue over who’s going to be greatest. And they worry someone else might try to steal their thunder. Sound familiar at all?

We are not much different. So many come to Jesus not to follow but to get their needs met. They want a contract with God. You meet my needs and I will give you the worship you deserve. You heal my disease and then I will believe in you. You take care of the demons of my life and then I will follow you. Thankfully, Jesus is still gracious even in the face of our entitlement and privilege. Even after we accept Christ as our Lord and Savior, we get caught up in our pride. We jockey for position in the Kingdom. We want a share in His glory. We want to make our name great alongside His. We want - if not equal billing - at least a spot on the marquee. Thankfully, Jesus is still gracious even in the face of our pride and arrogance. He is not threatened by our posturing but instead continues His sanctifying work within us to make us humble.

I am sure all of us have had the mountaintop experience. Perhaps it was during corporate worship or on a retreat. Perhaps it was as you hiked in the woods one day or served God on mission. Perhaps it was a powerful movement of the Spirit that caught you unawares or a growing sense of God’s abiding love that touched your heart. We’ve all had these experiences and we also know the euphoria doesn’t last. We do eventually have to go back down into the valley. Back to real life. Back to the mundane. Back to the everyday. We have to return to work. Return home to the kids. Return back to the church which is filled with all kinds of sinners and saints. What was true for Jesus is true for us. The key is to keep our eyes focused on Him. To walk as He walked. Love as He loved. Serve as He served. 

Readings for tomorrow: Deuteronomy 21-22, Luke 9:51-10:12, Psalms 74, Proverbs 12:11

Remembering and Rejoicing

Readings for today: Deuteronomy 16-17, Luke 9:7-27, Psalms 72, Proverbs 12:8-9

“You shall remember that you were a slave in Egypt; and you shall be careful to observe these statutes.” (Exodus 16:12) 

How do you feel when you reflect on the Law of God? Do you feel frustrated? Resentful? Upset? Do you feel like your freedom is being impinged? God is being arbitrary? Do you feel the Law is bigoted? Outdated? Immoral even? 

I think about all the rules and regulations Israel was commanded to follow. Rules regarding their clothes. What they could eat or drink. How they should spend their time. When they could do business and when they had to close up shop. I imagine it was tempting for them to think of these laws as limiting. Restrictive. Capricious. As if God was setting out to take all the fun out of their lives. But then Moses reminds them of whence they came. They were slaves in Egypt. They came from nothing. They had nothing. They were nothing. Until God found them. Until God saved them. Until God delivered them and made them His own. Gave them His name. Chose them out of all the people on the face of the earth to reflect His glory. To be a holy nation. A royal priesthood. 

God’s Law is not arbitrary or random or designed to take the fun out of life. It serves to remind us who we are and, more importantly, whose we are. We belong to God. He delivered us from slavery to sin. He lifted us up out of the pit and the miry clay. He put a new song in our hearts. The song of the redeemed. He gave us a new identity as His child. He adopted us into His family. He gives us the gift of eternal life. God didn’t have to do any of these things. It would have been perfectly just to let us die in our sin. But God is merciful. God is gracious. God is faithful. He desires to save not destroy.  

Whenever we are tempted to question the commandments of God. Whenever we are tempted to push back on God’s standard for holiness. Whenever we are tempted to doubt the wisdom and knowledge and motivations of God. Whenever we are tempted to rebel, throw them off, go our own way. It is important to remember where we came from. Who we were without Christ. Who we would be without Christ. Where we would be without His love and compassion. Our eternal destiny absent His gift of eternal life. Remember and rejoice, friends! God loves you! God saved you! God delivered you! Joyfully follow Him! Joyfully pursue holiness! Joyfully embrace the life God’s calling you to lead so you can be the person He created and redeemed you to be!

Readings for tomorrow: Deuteronomy 18-20, Luke 9:28-50, Psalms 73, Proverbs 12:10

Walk by Faith

Readings for today: Deuteronomy 13-15, Luke 8:40-9:6, Psalms 71, Proverbs 12:5-7

“And he called the twelve together and gave them power and authority over all demons and to cure diseases, and he sent them out to proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal. And he said to them, "Take nothing for your journey, no staff, nor bag, nor bread, nor money; and do not have two tunics. And whatever house you enter, stay there, and from there depart. And wherever they do not receive you, when you leave that town shake off the dust from your feet as a testimony against them." And they departed and went through the villages, preaching the gospel and healing everywhere.” (Luke‬ ‭9:1-6‬)

It’s fascinating to read this passage as I board a plane to Ethiopia to train church planters. The men and women I have the privilege of spending time with over the next two weeks actually take this verse literally. They exhibit power and authority over demons. They cure disease. They heal. They raise the dead in some cases. I have seen it with my own eyes. Most of all, they proclaim the Kingdom of God in the villages where they go and plant churches by the hundreds if not thousands. It’s truly amazing. They have no money. No possessions. So they can take nothing for their journey. They go to villages where they have no family or friends or social contacts. They count on the hospitality of the town for provision. It is not always easy. They are often persecuted. Beaten. Attacked. Threatened. They are going to villages where the gospel has never been heard. Almost all of them carry scars. Some of them even die for their faith. Through it all, God is at work. He is changing entire nations.  

It’s humbling and convicting to ponder what a verse like this looks for my own life. I gave my life to Christ over twenty-five years ago. Committed myself to His service. I’ve been in pastoral ministry for almost twenty years now and have made sacrifices along the way. My family has lived on public assistance. We’ve struggled to make ends meet. Relied on the hospitality and generosity of the congregations we’ve served. It has not been easy. But I have never faced persecution. Never been attacked for my faith. Never felt threatened. I’ve also never healed anyone. Never cast out a demon. Never cured any disease. I have preached the Kingdom of God faithfully over the years all over the United States. God has used what meager gifts I have to offer to change lives and grow His Kingdom.  

Sometimes we can get caught up wondering why the supernatural doesn’t happen as often in the US as it does overseas. Part of it is because we are bored with the miracles that happen all around us everyday. Doctors and nurses who perform incredible acts of healing. Psychologists and psychiatrists who treat mental health. Local church pastors who cast out more demons than they know simply by walking with people through the ups and downs of life. Familiarity breeds contempt. However, another part has to do with our struggle to walk by faith. We’ve been given so much. Most of us have access to resources that most of the rest of the world can only dream of. And as Jesus said, “It is harder for a rich man to get into heaven than a camel to go through the eye of a needle.” We place our trust in ourselves. In our ability to provide. In our plans and strategies. We would never go on a journey with no staff, bag, bread, or money. We would never leave our luggage at home. We would never show up unannounced in a new village. These things just don’t fit our paradigm. And perhaps that’s why we don’t see the miracles.  

I always learn so much from my Ethiopian brothers and sisters. I am confident this trip will be no different. I am always asking God to show me what the next step is for my life and my ministry in Parker, CO. Walking by faith in America is different than walking by faith in Africa. But the same God is at work in both places. Where do you need to start walking by faith in your life today?  

Readings for tomorrow: Deuteronomy 16-17, Luke 9:7-27, Psalms 72, Proverbs 12:8-9

What has the Lord done for you?

Readings for today: Deuteronomy 11-12, Luke 8:22-39, Psalms 70, Proverbs 12:4

I love today’s reading. I have met men like the one Jesus encountered in the tombs. They are outcast. They are isolated. They are alone. They have no friends. They have no hope. They hear all kinds of voices. Their lives are a trainwreck. Often addicted, they use drugs or alcohol or both just to get some peace and quiet. The demons they face may be emotional, mental, and/or spiritual. Their challenges are so great, no one wants anything to do with them. They often end up in prison. That’s where I encountered them. And their plight is heartbreaking. 

The man Jesus meets is tormented. Naked. Alone. Starving. Living in ritual impurity among the dead. He might as well be dead himself. He has no hope. No future. No peace. However, for some reason unknown to Luke, this man goes to the shoreside on this particular day at this particular time and meets Jesus as He steps out onto the sand. The demons within him recoil in fear as they recognize the Son of God. They know they have no power over this man. All their fear tactics will not sway Jesus from His mission to set yet another captive free. Jesus casts them out. They flee into a herd of pigs. Chaos ensues. The pigs stampede into the lake and drown. This draws a crowd. The people come out from the city to see what the commotion is all about and they are shocked to see the man sitting next to Jesus in his right mind. Rather than rejoice, this scares them to death. What can this mean? What has just happened? What’s next? They ask Jesus to leave. The man wants to follow Him. Jesus instead sends him back to his city. Back to his town. Back to his village. Back to his family. Back to his community with these words, “Return to your home and declare how much God has done for you.” (Interestingly enough, Mark’s gospel tells the story of what happens when Jesus makes a second visit to this same region. Rather than run from Jesus in fear, the people respond in faith. This man’s witness clearly has changed the region.)

Telling others about Jesus is not complicated. It’s simply telling your story and making sure people know what part Jesus has to play in it. I remember sitting with an atheist friend of mine. He and I first met in a coffee shop outside Madison, WI. He and his wife had just had twins and we bonded over the shared experience. Our relationship began when I asked him to share his story which he was more than happy to do. After he got done, he turned the tables on me and asked me to share my story. Well...I can’t share my story without talking about how Jesus met me as a college student and changed the tragectory of my life forever. As our friendship blossomed, he kept coming back wanting to hear more about Jesus. It was a beautiful thing.  

What has the Lord done for you? And do you share it regularly and often with others? What miracles has God worked in your life? Do you let the people around you know? What blessings has God bestowed on you? Do you publicly give Him the credit? What testimony has God given you? Do you tell it to those you meet? Let me encourage to start. Talk to your neighbors. Your friends. Your co-workers. Take someone out for coffee. Grab a drink to share. Let them know what God has done and then watch God use your story to change their story all for His glory.

Readings for tomorrow: Deuteronomy 13-15, Luke 8:40-9:6, Psalms 71, Proverbs 12:5-7

Humility

Readings for today: Deuteronomy 9-10, Luke 8:4-21, Psalms 69:19-36, Proverbs 12:2-3

 “When the humble see their salvation they will be glad; you who seek God, let your hearts revive.” (Psalms‬ ‭69:32‬)

The great faithfulness of God should elicit humility in our hearts. When we come face to face with God’s greatness. God’s righteousness. God’s holiness. God’s unconditional love and grace. We should fall to our knees in gratitude and thanksgiving. We know ourselves. We know our sins. We know we are not perfect. We know our struggles. We know what we’ve suffered. We know the choices we make. We know the ways we’ve treated others or failed to reach out to those in need. We are a broken people. Our history is a tragic one.  

God’s Word is clear. It is not because of our righteousness that God saves. It’s not because of our goodness that God delivers. It is not because we are better than anyone else that God reaches down to us. God’s love comes to us in the depths of the darkness of our condition and lights the way. God’s grace is unmerited. It cannot be earned or achieved no matter how hard we work. It cannot be bought no matter how much we give. God’s favor is not something we can ever lay hold of in our own strength no matter how hard we try. It simply comes to us as an act of unconditional love.  

This was true for Israel as much as it is true for us. Not your righteousness. Not your righteousness. Not your righteousness. Over and over again like a refrain. God making it clear He is not acting on their behalf because they are good. In fact, it’s the opposite. They are stubborn and sinful and prone to wander. Just like us. No, God acts purely out of love and this should humble us deeply. It should set us free to be honest with ourselves and one another. To acknowledge our fears and our failures. To be transparent about our doubts and struggles and heartaches. Our relationship with God through Christ provides a secure foundation on which we can build our broken lives. 

Pride lies at the root of every sin. Pride warps our view of ourselves and others. Warps our view of the world around us. Makes us think wrong is right and right is wrong. Pride makes us think down is up and up is down. Pride exchanges the truth of God for a lie and we see the results all around us. Our world is suffering. Depression. Anxiety. Fear. Suicide. Substance abuse. Divorce. Sexual promiscuity is destroying relationships as well as contributing to the rise of STD’s. It’s like humanity has made a covenant with death. This is breaks God’s heart. It is not what He intends. So He reaches down to save us from ourselves. Lift us out of the holes we dig for ourselves. Set us free from the prison we find ourselves in. Praise be to God for His great faithfulness and love!

Readings for tomorrow: Deuteronomy 11-12, Luke 8:22-39, Psalms 70, Proverbs 12:4

The Faithfulness of God

Readings for today: Deuteronomy 7-8, Luke 7:36-8:3, Psalms 69:1-18, Proverbs 12:1

One of the things I love most about God is His great faithfulness. God always delivers on His promises. God always keeps His Word. God will never abandon His people. As I’ve mentioned before, Deuteronomy is Moses’ last sermon to Israel. He has led these people for decades. They’ve seen incredible miracles. They’ve experienced hardship and suffering. Now they stand on the cusp of the Promised Land. They can look over the Jordan River and see the land God has given them. But they also know the land isn’t empty. There are rival nations already living there. Pagan tribes who engage in all kinds of detestable worship practices. Driving them out will not be easy. It will require a long season of sustained warfare that will test their faith in God. 

So Moses reminds them of all God has done. Reminds them of why they were chosen in the first place. I love his words.  “For you are a people holy to the Lord your God. The Lord your God has chosen you to be a people for his treasured possession, out of all the peoples who are on the face of the earth. It was not because you were more in number than any other people that the Lord set his love on you and chose you, for you were the fewest of all peoples, but it is because the Lord loves you and is keeping the oath that he swore to your fathers, that the Lord has brought you out with a mighty hand and redeemed you from the house of slavery, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt. Know therefore that the Lord your God is God, the faithful God who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments, to a thousand generations,” (Deuteronomy‬ ‭7:6-9‬) God tends to stand on the side of the weak. The oppressed. The enslaved. He takes the side of the poor, the outcast, the sinner. He did not choose Egypt or Assyria or Babylon or any of the other far more powerful Ancient Near East empires. He chose Israel. He was faithful to the oath He swore to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. He refused to abandon His people to a life of slavery and death. 

God is faithful. He keeps the covenant. He is steadfast in His love. He is the guarantor of our relationship. Why can we count on God? Why can we trust God? Why can we believe God? Because He is faithful. To Himself. Faithful to His own character and nature. God never changes. He is who He says He is. That is why His name is “I am who I am.” Friends, no matter where life finds you today, God is faithful. He is with you. He will never leave you or forsake you for He is faithful.  

Readings for tomorrow: Deuteronomy 9-10, Luke 8:4-21, Psalms 69:19-36, proverbs 12:2-3

Alignment

Readings for today: Deuteronomy 5-6, Luke 7:11-35, Psalms 68:19-35, Proverbs 11:29-31

Many years ago, I had a lawnmower that went out of alignment. I think it happened when I mowed my yard during the cleanup after a hurricane. I was mulching all the downed branches and leaves when I hit a stump buried in the grass. The blade immediately stuck. The torque wrenched something deep inside the engine. From that moment forward, a shimmy began to develop. It was out of alignment. I did get two more years out of that lawnmower before it literally fell apart on me as I was mowing one day. The shimmy had loosened almost every screw holding the engine together and they all fell out at once.   

You and I were made to live for God. We were saved by God. Delivered by God. Chosen by God. He created us. He shaped and formed us in our mother’s wombs. We are fearfully and wonderfully made by God’s own hands. As such, He knows what’s best for us. He knows what leads to human flourishing and fulfillment. He knows what makes us tick and how we can find the deepest satisfaction in life. This is why He tells us, “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.” (Deuteronomy‬ ‭6:4-5‬) It’s why He gives us the Ten Commandments. It’s why He revealed Himself to His people at Horeb and it’s why He still reveals Himself to us today. It’s why He’s so passionate about us teaching His ways to our children and our children’s children. Because God wants them to know what they were made for as well.

Why do you think God gets so angry when we chase after other gods? Why is God so direct with us about true worship? Because God knows at the root of idolatry lies a heart that is out of alignment. And if we choose to live out of alignment with God’s purposes and God’s will for very long, something deep within us will begin to shake. A shimmy will develop that eventually will break loose. Our lives will be disrupted. We will literally fall apart because we are not in sync with our Creator. Over and over again, God promises that those who rebel against Him will eventually fall. Those who refuse to acknowledge Him will eventually be put to shame. Those who challenge His authority will eventually be defeated. God is a jealous God and He will not allow His creatures to live out of alignment with His will. 

I know that sounds harsh so let me put it another way. A more relational way. God will not allow the creatures He made in His own image to live out of alignment with His love. You see, His love and His will are the same. There is no difference between the two. The commandments of God are not arbitrary but designed specifically to teach us how to love God and each other. They are the concrete examples of what it means to walk in God’s love. They are not a list of demands you have to fulfill to earn God’s love. They are not a set of steps you have to take in order to gain God’s love. They are the fullest expression of how we live for God. They help align our hearts with God’s heart and the more we find ourselves loving God’s commands, the more we’ll find ourselves walking in God’s love. Where do you need to ask God to align your heart today? 

Readings for tomorrow: Deuteronomy 7-8, Luke 7:36-8:3, Psalms 69:1-18, Proverbs 12:1

Moses’ Final Sermon

Readings for today: Deuteronomy 4, Luke 6:30-7:10, Psalms 68:1-18, Proverbs 11:28

Congratulations! You have made it through what some consider to be one of the toughest stretches in all the Bible. Leviticus. Numbers. These are challenging books to be sure. Pat yourself on the back as we dig into Deuteronomy. 

The Book of Deuteronomy is a sermon. In fact, it is Moses’ final sermon to God’s people. His last will and testament as it were. His final chance to encourage. Challenge. Confront. Comfort. He’s now led Israel for decades. And he was no spring chicken when he got started! He’s led them out of Egypt. Led them through the wilderness. Led them through the ups and downs of the wilderness journey. He has personally witnessed the miracles of God. Delivered the Ten Commandments. Issued the Law. Under the mighty hand of God, he has created a system of worship, governance, economics, and military organization that will long outlast him. It is a remarkable accomplishment.

Now he’s at the end of his life. He’s not going over the Jordan. He will not set foot in the Promised Land. What would you say in Moses’ position? Given one last chance to address God’s people, what would be on your heart and mind? What would you want them to know moving forward? What lessons would you hope they learned? 

One of my favorite speeches of all time was delivered April 3, 1968 by Martin Luther King Jr. on the eve of his assassination. He sounds a lot like Moses in my mind. “Well, I don’t know what will happen now. We’ve got some difficult days ahead. But it doesn’t matter with me now. Because I’ve been to the mountaintop. And I don’t mind. Like any man, I would like to live a long life. Longevity has its place. But I’m not concerned about that now. I just want to do God’s will. And He’s allowed me to go up to the mountain. And I’ve looked over. And I’ve seen the promised land. I may not get there with you. But I want you to know tonight, that we, as a people will get to the promised land. And I’m happy, tonight. I’m not worried about anything. I’m not fearing any man. Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord.” I think at the end of the day Moses, like King, was happy. He knew he couldn’t go over to the Promised Land but he died knowing his great work was finished. He had witnessed the salvation of God’s people. He had seen the glory of the Lord.

When you finish your life, how will you feel? When you look back at all you’ve experienced. All you’ve accomplished. All you set out to do. When you think about your family. Your children. Your grandchildren. What will you want them to know about you? Say about you? Remember about you? Will it have anything to do with your faith in Christ?

Readings for tomorrow: Deuteronomy 5-6, Luke 7:11-35, Psalms 68:19-35, Proverbs 11:29-31

The Lord’s Prayer Life

Readings for today: Deuteronomy 2-3, Luke 6:12-38, Psalms 67, Proverbs 11:27

“In these days Jesus went out to the mountain to pray, and all night he continued in prayer to God.” (Luke‬ ‭6:12‬) 

Passages like this have been an enigma to me for most of my life. I learned to pray with my mother. When I would grow up, we would pray every night before bed. “Now I lay me down to sleep...” It was the same prayer followed by the same requests for family and friends. What it lacked in depth, it more than made up in creating a discipline that continues to this day. As I grew older, I layered in the Lord’s Prayer that I memorized in church. Eventually, I grew more comfortable so my prayers became more conversational. I would tell God all my fears. All my struggles. All my heartaches. Even though I wasn’t sure He was listening, I still kept up the habit. Then I came to faith in Christ. All of a sudden “prayer” took on a whole new meaning. 

I fell in love with prayer. I treasured my time with God. I looked forward to spending time with Him. He became the first thought when I woke up and the last thought before I went to sleep. Even so, praying all night? Not in my wheelhouse. In fact, anything longer than ten or fifteen minutes was a stretch. Most of the time I would just fall asleep. So I’ve always felt a little guilty when I come across this verse and others like it.  

But then, in 2009, I faced the greatest crisis of my life. My marriage was struggling. My relationships with my kids were strained. My work was cratering. I was depressed and anxious and afraid. I couldn’t sleep. I would stay up most nights pacing the floor. And in those moments, I turned to prayer. I cried out to God. I searched the Scriptures. I began to intentionally listen for the first time in my life and God answered. He confronted my sin. He assured me of His forgiveness and grace. And He directed me to the changes I needed to make in my life. My marriage began to get better. My relationships with my children improved. I received clear guidance to resign my job. God began to heal my heart. But I still wasn’t getting much sleep so I kept on praying. Now my prayers were for the future. Where would we go? What would we do? How would I provide for my family? For three straight months I averaged about two to three hours of sleep a night. But again, God was faithful to meet me there. In the darkness. In the silence. In the middle of the night with only the Bible for company.  

It was a powerful time for me and it taught me something about Jesus’ prayer life. Praying all night was not necessarily Jesus’ regular practice. That would be impossible. Jesus was fully human and needed rest. But when Jesus faced a difficult situation. When Jesus needed guidance. When Jesus was choosing the Twelve or dealing with the emotions of His imminent execution, He spent the night in prayer. He turned to His Heavenly Father for strength and wisdom.  

Most of us are carrying a heavy load. We are stressed. We are struggling. We are depressed. We are afraid. We are anxious. Many of the people I meet with tell me they have a hard time sleeping. But rather than turn to prayer, they turn to their technology. They scroll Twitter or Instagram. For hours. And never receive a bit of comfort. If anything, it only adds to their stress. Eventually, their mental health is impacted. Studies show a direct correlation between the amount of time we spend on social media and the high rates of depression in our society. So let me offer a radical suggestion. Instead of turning on your phone, go to your Heavenly Father in prayer. Talk to Him. Spend time with Him. Get your Bible out and sit in His Presence. Listen for His voice. Let His Spirit minister to you as only He can. In this way, you will find yourself praying like Jesus. 

Readings for tomorrow: Deuteronomy 4, Luke 6:30-7:10, Psalms 68:1-18, Proverbs 11:28

The Broken Heart of God

Readings for today: Numbers 36, Deuteronomy 1, Luke 5:29-6:11, Psalms 66, Proverbs 11:24-26

Today’s Psalm speaks deeply to my heart. “Bless our God, O peoples; let the sound of his praise be heard, who has kept our soul among the living and has not let our feet slip.” I love God. I love to praise God. I have dedicated my life to God. My life is rich and full and blessed as a result. I can look back on my life and see where God has helped me. Delivered me. Saved me. Strengthened me. I can see where He’s comforted me. Protected me. Healed me. Sustained me. Like the Psalmist I bless my God for these things. 

However, the Psalmist goes on. What is he blessing and praising God for? Trial. Struggle. Suffering.  “For you, O God, have tested us; you have tried us as silver is tried. You brought us into the net; you laid a crushing burden on our backs; you let men ride over our heads; we went through fire and through water...” Do I praise God in the midst of the storm? Do I bless God when the cares and worries of this world seem overwhelming? Do I give thanks for the suffering? I wish I could say I do. When I reflect on my life there is a lot of pain and heartbreak. I have taken a lot of shots over the years. Suffered many wounds. I live in pain. There is no balm for what I feel. No pill I can take that will make it all go away. My soul aches and there is no cure. 

I have asked God, “Why?” Why do I feel this way? Why can I not escape the pain? Why do I have to suffer so? His answer is always the same. “You asked me to break your heart with the things that break my heart. To give you eyes to see the world as I see it. I am answering your prayer. I am giving you my heart and it is a broken one. Broken for the sin and suffering and pain of the world.” So I am learning to give God praise. To bless God, as the Psalmist does, for the trials. “Yet you have brought us out to a place of abundance...Come and hear, all you who fear God, and I will tell what he has done for my soul. I cried to him with my mouth, and high praise was on my tongue. If I had cherished iniquity in my heart, the Lord would not have listened. But truly God has listened; he has attended to the voice of my prayer. Blessed be God, because he has not rejected my prayer or removed his steadfast love from me!” (Psalms‬ ‭66:8-12, 16-20‬)

The call to suffering is real, friends, for all who follow Christ. It is a call to self-denial. A call to crucifixion. A call to compassion which literally means “to suffer with.” We suffer as God suffers not for ourselves but for the sake of those we love. Those we live among. Those we encounter in our world. And the promise of the gospel is this...if we suffer with Christ, we will receive His glory. If we join Christ in His death, we will surely be joined to Him in resurrection. If we share in the sufferings of Christ, we will also share in His comfort. So praise Him, friends! Praise Christ! Bless Christ! Honor Christ! He is with you!

Readings for tomorrow: Deuteronomy 2-3, Luke 6:12-38, Psalms 67, Proverbs 11:27