Why it Matters - Good Shepherd

Readings for today: Ezekiel 33-36

Several years ago I was asked to step into a challenging leadership situation in another church. The pastor was embroiled in a deep conflict with his elders and congregation. Thousands had left the church feeling hurt. Serious allegations of spiritual abuse were leveled. Social media was on fire with story after story of people sharing their pain and heartbreak. When the elders asked the pastor to engage in self-reflection on his leadership style and assess how the church was doing, he somehow gave himself an “A.” The elders strongly disagreed. So much so they resigned in masse leaving the church without a duly elected board which is how I got involved. As I sought to untangle the mess, I spent many, many hours meeting with the different parties involved. The pastor. His executive leadership team. The elders. Other concerned members of the church. One of the things that quickly became clear to me is that, regardless of who was right and who was wrong, this particular pastor simply didn’t care for the sheep. Even when I confronted him on the fact that many of the “sheep of his pasture” were broken and bleeding all over the community, he was callous and dismissive. In his mind, their failure to embrace his vision for the church meant they were rejecting what the Lord had told him.

A similar dynamic existed in ancient Israel during Ezekiel’s time. The leaders of God’s people were false shepherds. Rather than feed and care for the flock entrusted to their care, they fed off the flock. They used them to their own advantage. They refused to strengthen the weak, heal the sick, bandage the injured, and bring back the strays. They ruled over the flock with force and control. They believed the flock fundamentally existed for their benefit rather than the other way around. The results were devastating. The sheep scattered. They became food for every wild beast. They were lost and alone and vulnerable. And the truly tragic thing is that the shepherds didn’t care enough to look for them.

What a contrast to God! He is the Good Shepherd. Listen again to His response. “As a shepherd seeks out his flock when he is among his scattered sheep, so I will seek out my flock. I will rescue them from all the places where they have been scattered on a cloudy, dark day. I will bring them out from among the peoples and gather them from foreign countries; I will bring them to their own land. I will feed them on the mountains of Israel, by the streams and all the inhabited places of the land. In a good pasture I will feed them; the mountain heights of Israel will be their pasture. There they will lie down in a lush pasture, and they will feed on rich grass on the mountains of Israel. I myself will feed my sheep and I myself will make them lie down, declares the sovereign LORD. I will seek the lost and bring back the strays; I will bandage the injured and strengthen the sick, but the fat and the strong I will destroy. I will feed them – with judgment!” (Ezekiel‬ ‭34‬:‭12‬-‭16‬ ‭NET‬‬)

All of us are called to be shepherds. To care for those entrusted to our care. It could be children. It could be aging parents. It could be extended family or friends who are experiencing a crisis. It could be our brothers and sisters in the church. This is particularly true for pastors and the sad reality is far too many act like the shepherds of Israel from our passage today. They treat their flocks as a means to their own selfish ends. It could be fame and fortune. It could be influence and power. It could be a sense of entitlement or selfish fulfillment. I know far too many pastors who act as if they believe the church owes them or exists to provide them with a comfortable lifestyle. As pastors, we must repent. We must continually check our own hearts to make sure we are not allowing any sense of entitlement or presumption to take root. Like Jesus, we exist to serve not be served. We must take what God says to Ezekiel seriously and seek to live our lives accordingly.

Readings for tomorrow: Ezekiel 37-40

Why it Matters - Pride

Readings for today: Ezekiel 25-28

Pride is an ever-present danger. It is the root of all sin. It is a fundamental attitude that says, “I don’t need God” or “there is no God.” Pride elevates Self and places him/her on the throne. Pride suggests “I don’t need any help.” Pride believes “I am sufficient on my own.” Pride asserts, “I am the master of my fate, the captain of my destiny.” None of these things are true, of course, but pride makes us believe them anyway. Pride blinds us to the utter weakness of our condition. Pride makes us think we are immune to random chance. Pride gives us a false sense of confidence that we are in control.

In Ezekiel, Tyre is the very embodiment of pride. It’s why the prophet spends so much time talking about her fall. She was the queen of city-states in the ancient world. Master of trade. Her ships traveled all over the Mediterranean bringing her great wealth and power. She built up a strong military. No one dared mess with her. As a city, she enjoyed order and peace which, in turn, allowed businesses to thrive. She built up strong alliances all over the Middle East. She was at the pinnacle of her power when Nebuchadnezzar came with his armies and literally wiped her from the map. As such, she stands as an example to all of what happens to even the greatest of human civilizations. And it’s why the princes of the kingdoms around her weep over her fall. They see in her their own doom as well.

Pride is a false god. An idol of our own creation. It places us in a position we were never designed to hold. Human beings were created to live in humble reliance on God. We were created to live in intimate relationship with God. Trusting Him for all our needs, wants, and desires. We were created to give glory to God in all we think, do, or say. All we create. All we produce. All the resources we accumulate are intended to be tools in our hands to bring God even more honor and praise. When we live in right relationship with God, we are humble and self-effacing. We don’t think too highly of ourselves nor do we diminish ourselves. We simply think of ourselves less. Our hearts and minds become consumed with serving God and blessing others in His name.

Why is it so tempting to give into pride? To begin to believe in ourselves rather than trust God? To start reading our own headlines and believing our own hype? The reality is that we all want a taste of glory. We all want a share in what God has done. We all want some of the credit when it comes to our achievements and success. We all enjoy being the center of attention on some level. This is why social media is so addictive, by the way. And pushing back against this tide is hard. Swimming against this current is exhausting. Cutting against this grain requires intentionality and discipline and self-denial because everything in our world today is geared towards the elevation of self. Every message we get from the world seeks to glorify the self. It’s why spending time before God each day is so critical. We need to be regularly reminded of the distance between us and God and what God has done to close that gap for us. Daily reflection on the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ keeps us on our knees before Him in humility and thankfulness.

Readings for tomorrow: Ezekiel 29-32

Why it Matters - Judgment

Readings for today: Ezekiel 21-24

We struggle with the judgment of God. We protest. We argue. We resist. We rebel. We refuse to acknowledge our sin before a holy God. We refuse to acknowledge our failures to keep His law. We refuse to acknowledge the ways we have perpetrated injustice and corruption and hatred and violence and greed and selfishness in our own lives. We make excuses. We want God to grade on a curve. We demand grace. But the reality is right in front of us. It is all around us. We are immersed in it. We live in an upside down world where right is wrong and wrong is right. Darkness is light and light is darkness. Truth is a lie and lies are promoted as truth. We’ve abandoned objective reality and substituted our own subjective experience. We no longer concern ourselves with facts and evidence but instead proffer all kinds of personal opinions as if it were divine wisdom and self-evident truth. The result is the descent into chaos that we are currently experiencing. It’s impacting every sector of society. Science is no longer science. Math is a tool of oppression. Words have lost their meaning. Everyone pretends to be an expert. We defy the laws of biology and nature. We indulge our lusts for wealth and power and sexual immorality. Truly we live in a lost and broken and utterly corrupt world.

Ezekiel was living in a similar time. God’s people had abandoned Him. They rejected His laws. They refused to walk in His ways. They embraced a thoroughly pagan lifestyle. The results were tragic. Injustice. Oppression. Greed. Selfishness. Corruption. Impurity. They were a complete mess. Listen to how God describes it to His prophet Ezekiel, “Son of man, the house of Israel has become slag to me. All of them are like bronze, tin, iron, and lead in the furnace; they are the worthless slag of silver. Therefore this is what the sovereign LORD says: ‘Because all of you have become slag, look out! – I am about to gather you in the middle of Jerusalem. As silver, bronze, iron, lead, and tin are gathered in a furnace so that the fire can melt them, so I will gather you in my anger and in my rage. I will deposit you there and melt you. I will gather you and blow on you with the fire of my fury, and you will be melted in it. As silver is melted in a furnace, so you will be melted in it, and you will know that I, the LORD, have poured out my anger on you.’” (Ezekiel‬ ‭22‬:‭18‬-‭22‬ ‭NET‬‬) Worthless slag. The material left over from the purification process of metal. A toxic combination of metal oxides that mix together. Utterly worthless for anything. This is how Israel now looks to God. So what does God do? He builds a furnace. He gathers His people together. He puts them through the fire so He can melt them. Purify them. Make them holy once again. The furnace is never easy to endure. The fire is hot. The wrath and judgment of God burns us to the core. Not a single part of us goes untouched. But it is the only way we can be transformed. It is the only way to separate us from our sin.

Perhaps you are enduring the furnace right now in your life? Perhaps you remember a time when you went through the fire? It’s never easy. Even for Christians. Yes, God pours out His wrath and anger and judgment on Christ. Yes, Christ fully satisfies the justice of God and turns God’s wrath away from us. However, it doesn’t mean God ceases to be a “refining fire” in our lives. God disciplines those He loves. He will not rest until all the dross and slag is purified from our lives. The process is always painful and hard and often takes us to the end of ourselves and beyond. But the good news of the gospel is that we are never alone in the fire. He is with us! He holds us in the midst of the fire and will not allow us to be consumed.

Readings for tomorrow: Ezekiel 25-28

Why it Matters - Self-Examination

Readings for today: Lamentations 3:37-5:22

One of the blessings of suffering is an opportunity for self-examination. A chance to reflect and consider the ways I may have contributed to the pain I am experiencing. It’s all too easy to blame others when we suffer. I think of a conversation I had recently with a young person who was talking about the trauma they experienced in high school. I have no doubt it was hard. I have no doubt they were bullied at times. I have no doubt they didn’t always get the support they needed. However, as I pointed out to them, they too bear some responsibility for the pain they experienced. They skipped class. They refused to listen to their teachers. They ignored their parents. All these things contributed to what they suffered. The same is often true when I counsel couples who are struggling in their marriage. It is extremely rare that only one spouse is at fault. Usually there is blame to go around. The same was often true when I counseled inmates in prison. Yes, there are variety of social factors that may have contributed to their criminal activity but they also bear responsibility for what they have done.

It’s why I find the honesty in Lamentations refreshing. Jeremiah, the author of the book, doesn’t just blame God. He doesn’t just blame the Babylonians. He doesn’t just blame the kings of his nation. He recognizes all of God’s people are to blame on some level for the ways they contributed to their own destruction. “Why should any living person complain when punished for their sins?” (Lamentations 3:39 NET) He openly acknowledges the rebellion of God’s people against the Lord which is why he calls for self-examination in the midst of all their suffering. “Let us carefully examine our ways, and let us return to the Lord. Let us lift up our hearts and our hand to the God in heaven.” (Lamentations 3:40-41 NET) Jeremiah knows God is faithful. He knows God is merciful. He knows God is compassionate. Because he knows this about God, he is confident that when he calls on God in prayer, He will answer. “I have called on your name, O Lord, from the deepest pit. You have heard my plea: Do not close your ears to my cry for relief! You came near on the day I called to you; you said, Do not fear! O Lord, you championed my cause, you redeemed my life.” (Lamentations 3:55-58 NET) Jeremiah knows if we repent and turn to God, He will draw us into His loving embrace once again.

Repentance requires honest self-examination. It requires humble acknowledgement of all the ways we have sinned. It requires us to take responsibility for our failures rather than try to shift the blame to someone else. It’s why the discipline of regular self-examination has always been a pillar of the Christian life. I think of the Jesuits who practice the “Daily Examen.” A rigorous process of self-examination where they ruthlessly cut through all the lies we tell ourselves to get to the heart of whether or not their thoughts, words, deeds, and desires have honored God. There are many other methods as well. The point is to remain as honest and humble before God as possible so we can grow in the likeness of Christ even when we are experiencing pain and suffering.

Readings for tomorrow: Ezekiel 1-4

Why it Matters - Lament

Readings for today: Lamentations 1:1-3:36

We’ve lost the ability to lament in our culture. The ability to sit in our pain. Embrace hardship and suffering. Honestly grapple with our fears and failures. I remember officiating a funeral years ago. A young woman had been tragically killed in a murder suicide. Hey ex-boyfriend had kidnapped her and taken her to the western slope where he shot her and then turned the gun on himself. She left a six year old son behind. At the funeral, all anyone could talk about was her partying. They made light of her alcoholic and drug-addicted lifestyle. They pretended like she was a wonderful mom when by all accounts, she had neglected her son. As the pastor, it was my job to close the service with words of hope. They were hard to find. I can still see that young boy sitting by his grandmother in the front row. I focused on him. I treated the time as if he and I were the only two people in the room. I told him what happened was a tragedy. I told him it was okay to cry. Okay to feel pain. Okay to grieve. I told him his mom wasn’t perfect and she made some tragic choices in her life and it was okay to feel angry about them. Most of all, I told him it was okay to bring all those emotions to God. To be honest and real with God. To let God know how he was feeling and I told him God would meet him there. I have no idea how much of it stuck. The boy was six years old after all. But the message definitely landed with many others who attended. They were thankful someone had the courage to deal with the reality of what happened rather than pretend. I can’t tell you how many funerals over the years that I’ve officiated at where I’ve had to do something similar. We just don’t know what to do with pain. We don’t know how to honestly grieve. We don’t know how to lament.

The Book of Lamentations is not easy. Mainly because we’re so uncomfortable with the idea of lament. It’s not something we practice. It’s not something we accept in society. We much prefer rage. We much prefer bitterness. We much prefer self-righteousness. We much prefer numbness which is why we seem to have a pill for every pain a person can possibly experience. Jeremiah, however, is not afraid of lament. He is not afraid to get honest and real and raw with God. Listen to his words again from Lamentations 3:1-9 NET, “I am the man who has experienced affliction from the rod of his wrath. He drove me into captivity and made me walk in darkness and not light. He repeatedly attacks me, he turns his hand against me all day long. He has made my mortal skin waste away; he has broken my bones. He has besieged and surrounded me with bitter hardship. He has made me reside in deepest darkness like those who died long ago. He has walled me in so that I cannot get out; he has weighted me down with heavy prison chains. Also, when I cry out desperately for help, he has shut out my prayer. He has blocked every road I take with a wall of hewn stones; he has made every path impassable.” Jeremiah is talking about God. He is talking to God about his pain and suffering and he is not afraid to blame God for making it all happen. He knows God will hear his prayers. He knows God already knows how he feels. And he trusts God even with the depths of his despair. But he doesn’t end there.

Biblical lament doesn’t just plumb the depths of pain and suffering, it also offers hope. After we’ve honestly grappled with all that has happened to us. After we’ve wrestled honestly with why it has happened and our part in bringing it about. Our hearts turn to hope. Not in us. Not in a turn of fortune. Not in a second chance. But hope in God. “The Lord’s loyal kindness never ceases; his compassions never end. They are fresh every morning; your faithfulness is abundant! “My portion is the Lord,” I have said to myself, so I will put my hope in him. The Lord is good to those who trust in him, to the one who seeks him. It is good to wait patiently for deliverance from the Lord. It is good for a man to bear the yoke while he is young.” (Lamentations‬ ‭3‬:‭22‬-‭27‬ ‭NET‬‬) Lament always turns us back to hope and that’s why it’s a critical spiritual discipline. It lifts our eyes heavenward even in the midst of our pain. It reminds us God is still good, still on the throne, and still in the business of deliverance.

Readings for tomorrow: Lamentations 3:37-5:22

Why it Matters - Blessed

Readings for today: Jeremiah 45-48

Sometimes I wonder why God is interested in my life. Of all the billions of people who live or who have ever lived on this earth, why in the world would God take time for me? I’m not all that important. I’m not all that significant. My life is pretty mundane as a general rule. I get up. Brush my teeth. Take a shower. Go to work. Come home. Eat dinner. Spend time with my family. Watch a show or read a good book. God has a cosmos to run. He has a universe to rule. He’s got nations to raise up and take down. Why would He take an interest in me?

Then I read this Word today for Baruch in Jeremiah 45. In the middle of one of the major prophetic books of the Bible which details the future empires and nations, God takes time out to address Baruch. Jeremiah’s scribe. His secretary. A man who barely makes a blip on the radar screen. We don’t know much about Baruch other than he was devoted to Jeremiah. He served as his scribe. His disciple. His faithful friend. He sticks with Jeremiah through thick and thin. Through all the ups and downs. He must have loved Jeremiah very much to share in his sufferings. According to Josephus, an ancient Jewish historian, Baruch was a member of the Jewish aristocracy. A chamberlain in King Zedekiah’s court. He was clearly a courageous man as he often acted as Jeremiah’s messenger and mouthpiece. He risked all kinds of danger to make known the Word of God. And God recognized his efforts.

“The Lord God of Israel has a message for you, Baruch. ‘You have said, “I feel so hopeless! For the Lord has added sorrow to my suffering. I am worn out from groaning. I can’t find any rest.”’ The Lord told Jeremiah, “Tell Baruch, ‘The Lord says, “I am about to tear down what I have built and to uproot what I have planted. I will do this throughout the whole earth. Are you looking for great things for yourself? Do not look for such things. For I, the Lord, affirm that I am about to bring disaster on all humanity. But I will allow you to escape with your life wherever you go.” (Jeremiah‬ ‭45‬:‭2‬-‭5‬ ‭NET‬‬‬‬) Baruch clearly went through times of depression. Times of deep discouragement. I am sure he despaired as he looked around at what was happening to his country. But God was faithful. He let Baruch know how and why these things would come to pass but also promised to preserve his life. No matter where Baruch went, God would be with him. He would protect him and provide for him. He would be blessed. (By the way, Baruch literally means “blessed” in Hebrew.)

What about you? How are you feeling as you survey the landscape of our nation today? What emotions rise up in your heart as you watch the news or scroll through social media? Have you found yourself - like Baruch - crying out to God saying, “These are bad times for me! It’s one thing after another. God is piling on the pain. I’m worn out and there’s no end in sight.” I know my own feelings of despair as I consider the mountain of gospel work that must be done in my church family, in my community, in our nation, and around the world. It is daunting to say the least! I believe God is breaking down what He has built and plucking up what He has planted in order to draw the world to Himself. In the midst of all that is happening, do I trust God to be faithful? To protect and preserve my life for as long as He wills? Do I trust God to be with me as I walk through the valley of the shadow of death? Am I willing to put the work in to be a blessing even if that means confronting the powers and principalities of our own world just as Baruch confronted the powers and principalities in his?

Readings for tomorrow: Jeremiah 49-50

Why it Matters - The End

Readings for today: 2 Kings 24-25, 2 Chronicles 36:1-21, Jeremiah 52

There does come an end to God’s patience. A point at which God simply withdraws His protective hand and turns us over to the consequences for our sinful decisions. I’ve seen it happen over and over again in people’s lives. They come to me at the end of their rope. Their life in tatters. The cascading consequences of their decisions an overwhelming flood. They are finally broken. They’ve hit rock bottom. God has brought them to the end of themselves and their resources and they have nowhere left to turn. As I listen to their stories, I often see where God gave them opportunity after opportunity to turn from their sin. To make godly decisions. To make good choices. Instead, they kept trying to do things their own way. It never works out. Our sin always catches up to us. It creates anxiety and fear. It creates addiction and compulsive behaviors. It results in all kinds of brokenness and heartbreak and pain.

What happens to us individually can also happen to us corporately. The end of the southern kingdom of Judah is a perfect illustration. For generations, God allowed the sins of His people to stack up. He offered them mercy and showed them kindness but they repaid Him with rebellion. They refused to listen to His commands. They refused to worship God as He deserved. Their nation became corrupt and oppressive, full of injustice, violence, and greed. God did His best to warn them. He sent them prophet after prophet. He spoke to king after king. But their downward spiral could not be arrested. Finally, God had had enough. “The Lord God of their ancestors continually warned them through his messengers, for he felt compassion for his people and his dwelling place. But they mocked God’s messengers, despised his warnings, and ridiculed his prophets. Finally the Lord got very angry at his people and there was no one who could prevent his judgment.” (‭‭2 Chronicles‬ ‭36‬:‭15‬-‭16‬ ‭NET‬‬) What a statement! There was no one who could prevent His judgment. No one righteous enough to stand in the gap like Moses once did. No one godly enough to fall on his knees and intercede as Samuel and Elijah once did. No one humble enough to lead God’s people back to the Lord as Hezekiah and Josiah once did. So God simply stepped back. He withdrew His hand. The Babylonians came in. Destroyed the city. Massacred the people. Executed the kings family in front of his eyes and then blinded him so it would be the last thing he would ever see.

If you are like me, you have loved ones who are lost. Loved ones who do not know God. Loved ones living in rebellion against God. It’s heartbreaking to watch. You know it won’t end well. You know they are inviting all kinds of pain and suffering into their life. And you may, like me, feel so helpless to prevent it. Here’s the reality. You are. We can’t make decisions for anyone but ourselves. At the same time, we can pray for them. We can wait on God to reveal Himself to them. And we can ask God to make us an instrument of His grace and peace and love in their lives so that when they do finally fall, they might turn to us for help. This is certainly my prayer for those I love in my own family and those I serve in our church family. Make it your prayer as well.

Readings for tomorrow: Jeremiah 41-44

Why it Matters - Reality

Readings for today: Jeremiah 25-28

We talk about it all the time in my home…the school of hard knocks. Reality being the best and most effective teacher. As each of my children has grown up, we have done our best to teach them and instruct them in the ways of the Lord. We’ve done our best to help them understand the consequences - good or bad - of the choices they make. We’ve done our best to come alongside them when they stumble and fall. But at the end of the day, each of them in their own way has had to figure some things out on their own. They’ve had to come face to face with reality and learn that the world is not very accommodating. When I take a step back, it’s a fascinating process to watch unfold. I’ve gone from being the smartest person they know when they are young to the dumbest person they know when they are teenagers back to pretty smart again when they get into their early twenties. Through it all, my wife and I’ve learned to be patient. To wait on the Lord. To wait on our children. To let them go through hard experiences and learn difficult lessons so that they will be better for it in the long run. Does it mean crying a lot of tears? Yes. Does it mean dealing with the anxieties and fears that come with parenting? Absolutely. Is it hard to watch your children go through suffering? Without a doubt. It continually keeps us on our knees before the Lord, hoping our children will relent and see the light and return to Him. Thankfully, all of them are on that journey and because we’ve loved them well, we get to be part of it.

Now step back and try to put yourself in God’s position. For generations, He has been reaching out to His people. He has sent them prophets and preachers. He has performed miracle after miracle. He has given them His Word and provided for them a Land. He has done all these things out of love but they have rejected Him. “Over and over again the Lord has sent his servants the prophets to you. But you have not listened or paid attention. He said through them, ‘Each of you must turn from your wicked ways and stop doing the evil things you are doing. If you do, I will allow you to continue to live here in the land that I gave to you and your ancestors as a lasting possession. Do not pay allegiance to other gods and worship and serve them. Do not make me angry by the things that you do. Then I will not cause you any harm.’ So, now the Lord says, ‘You have not listened to me. But you have made me angry by the things that you have done. Thus you have brought harm on yourselves.’” (Jeremiah‬ ‭25‬:‭4‬-‭7‬ ‭NET‬‬) The natural consequence of the people’s rejection of God is judgment. God will send Babylon against His people and all the surrounding nations. None shall escape. The whole land will become a ruin and a waste. And lest we think God is being too harsh here, God makes it clear that His judgment is righteous and just and good.

Human beings have never truly grasped the depths of their sin. We have never truly understood the depths of our depravity. We were given authority and dominion by God at the beginning of time but have made a complete mess of things. We want to be like God but we reign like a tyrant over a world that is suffering and tormented. We are selfish and greedy. We treat the earth like a disposable resource. We dismiss or ignore other human beings made in the image of God simply because they look different or act different or speak different or spend money different or vote different. And yet, God still loves us. God still reaches out to us. God is still patient with us. “Go stand in the courtyard of the Lord’s temple. Speak out to all the people who are coming from the towns of Judah to worship in the Lord’s temple. Tell them everything I command you to tell them. Do not leave out a single word! Maybe they will pay attention and each of them will stop living the evil way they do. If they do that, then I will forgo destroying them as I had intended to do because of the wicked things they have been doing.” (Jeremiah‬ ‭26‬:‭2‬-‭3‬ ‭NET‬‬) God longs for us to return to Him. He longs for us to return to His ways. He longs for us to return to His love. Today is yet another opportunity to turn back to Him. Why delay any longer? Why keep holding out? Why keep running from Him? The God who loves you so much is patiently waiting for you to come home.

Readings for tomorrow: Jeremiah 29-32

Why it Matters - False Prophets

Readings for today: Jeremiah 21-24

One of the things that makes my job more difficult is the popularity of so many false prophets in our world today. The internet is replete with them. Social media amplifies their voices to unprecedented heights. Their platforms are enormous and cut across all kinds of different demographics. I spend a lot of time sitting down with people I know and love and serve helping them discern whether or not the message they’ve heard from this prophet or that preacher or that person claiming to hear from God is actually true or not. Tragically, most of it is nonsense. I think of all the predictions from so-called “prophets” after the past several elections promising God would overturn the results. I think of all the language of “winds shifting”, “earth shaking”, “movements rising”, etc. and yet none of it ever seems to come to pass. Of course, a lot of it is just general enough to keep the person from ever being held accountable. Too many Christians have ignored the clear teaching of Scripture (Deuteronomy 18:21-22) that if a prophet claims to speak for God and what they say doesn’t come to pass, they are to be rejected and never given any kind of influence ever again.

False prophets are nothing new, of course. Jeremiah had to deal with them in his own day. In fact, most of chapter 23 is a fiery sermon against such people. Jeremiah doesn’t hold back in his harsh critique as he delivers God’s judgment upon them. It’s worth reading again. “‬“The Lord says, “I have heard what those prophets who are prophesying lies in my name are saying. They are saying, ‘I have had a dream! I have had a dream!’ Those prophets are just prophesying lies. They are prophesying the delusions of their own minds. How long will they go on plotting to make my people forget who I am through the dreams they tell one another? That is just as bad as what their ancestors did when they forgot who I am by worshiping the god Baal. Let the prophet who has had a dream go ahead and tell his dream. Let the person who has received my message report that message faithfully. What is like straw cannot compare to what is like grain! I, the Lord, affirm it! My message is like a fire that purges dross! It is like a hammer that breaks a rock in pieces! I, the Lord, so affirm it! So I, the Lord, affirm that I am opposed to those prophets who steal messages from one another that they claim are from me. I, the Lord, affirm that I am opposed to those prophets who are using their own tongues to declare, ‘The Lord declares….’ I, the Lord, affirm that I am opposed to those prophets who dream up lies and report them. They are misleading my people with their reckless lies. I did not send them. I did not commission them. They are not helping these people at all. I, the Lord, affirm it!” (‭‭Jeremiah‬ ‭23‬:‭25‬-‭32‬ ‭NET‬‬)

Perhaps you’ve found yourself under the influence of a potential false prophet. Perhaps a friend or family member has sent you a link of someone they listen to regularly. Perhaps you’ve found yourself starting to question the wisdom or the predictions of the person you’ve been listening to lately. Pay close attention. Jesus promises in the last days many will be led astray. Many false prophets and false messiahs will arise. Sadly, we’re seeing it happen in real time as too many pastors and preachers merge the gospel with partisan politics. Too many pastors and preachers claim divine authority despite the number of ways they divide and damage the Body of Christ. Too many pastors and preachers refuse to humbly admit where they have made mistakes. Too many pastors and preachers practice revisionist history in an attempt to make themselves look good. Too many pastors and preachers glibly string together all sorts of “prophetic sounding” language from the Bible in order to make themselves seem more credible. Too many pastors and preachers use the gospel and the local church to make a name for themselves and create a lot of wealth and influence and power. We must be wise. We must be discerning. We must be sensitive to the Holy Spirit. We must test everything by the Word of God.

Readings for tomorrow: Jeremiah 25-28

Why it Matters - Prophetic Burden

Readings for today: Jeremiah 13-16

The prophetic burden is a terrible one. It comes with incredible pain and suffering. It is accompanied by conflict and persecution. It is not a call that brings glory or honor, riches or wealth. It is costly. It will sap one’s mental, emotional, and physical strength. It will leave one often feeling weak and helpless. I have met many such prophets in my life. They are serving in some of the darkest places on the face of the earth. Their bodies bear the scars of their work. No one will ever know their name. They are desperately poor. They often go hungry and thirsty. They weep frequently. They feel so alone. They are beaten. They are threatened. They are left for dead. And yet, they never stop preaching. Never stop speaking God’s truth to those around them. They remind me of Jeremiah.

“Lord, you know how I suffer. Take thought of me and care for me. Pay back for me those who have been persecuting me. Do not be so patient with them that you allow them to kill me. Be mindful of how I have put up with their insults for your sake. As your words came to me I drank them in, and they filled my heart with joy and happiness because I belong to you. I did not spend my time in the company of other people, laughing and having a good time. I stayed to myself because I felt obligated to you and because I was filled with anger at what they had done. Why must I continually suffer such painful anguish? Why must I endure the sting of their insults like an incurable wound? Will you let me down when I need you like a brook one goes to for water, but that cannot be relied on?” (Jeremiah‬ ‭15‬:‭15‬-‭18‬ ‭NET)

I love the raw honesty of Jeremiah. He never sugarcoats his life. He never pretends his call is easy or fulfilling or fun. He is hurting. He is in pain. He suffers tremendously. He is attacked on every side. He has no friends to speak of. No one to share his burden. He sits alone. When he does open his mouth, he is “a man of strife and contention” to His people. They curse him when they see him. They hate what he has to say. They refuse to believe him. When Jeremiah first accepted God’s call, he rejoiced. God’s Word became his joy. It was an honor to be called by God’s name. But his joy has turned to sorrow. His rejoicing has turned to mourning. Honor has turned to shame. For the Lord’s sake, Jeremiah bears reproach. He is hated and despised. God has filled him with indignation. Honestly, it feels to Jeremiah like he got a raw deal.

Though I would never claim the prophet’s mantle, I have tasted a bit of Jeremiah’s pain. I have felt the indignation Jeremiah references when I have felt compelled to preach God’s truth and confront the idolatry of God’s people. I have been cursed for preaching on ethnic reconciliation. I have been criticized for confronting things like preference-driven worship, greedy and power-hungry preachers, or unhealthy and toxic congregational systems. I have taken shots over the years for my biblical views on sexuality and marriage. I have been attacked for the fact that I am pro-life from the womb to the tomb. I have to admit in my darker moments I too have wondered if I got a raw deal. But then the Lord encourages me just as He encouraged Jeremiah.

“Because of this, the Lord said, “You must repent of such words and thoughts! If you do, I will restore you to the privilege of serving me. If you say what is worthwhile instead of what is worthless, I will again allow you to be my spokesman. They must become as you have been. You must not become like them. I will make you as strong as a wall to these people, a fortified wall of bronze. They will attack you, but they will not be able to overcome you. For I will be with you to rescue you and deliver you,” says the Lord.” (Jeremiah‬ ‭15‬:‭19‬-‭20‬ ‭NET‬‬) God is faithful. If we take our stand on His Word, we will never be defeated or put to shame. If we walk in His ways, He promises to be with us and save us and deliver us. He will guide us and protect us. He will strengthen us and equip us for every task He sets before us. This call is not just for preachers like me. Not just for prophets like Jeremiah or my friends overseas. It is for every Christian. Every person who calls on the name of the Lord. So stand before the Lord, friends! Utter what is precious and good and righteous and true. Trust Him for your deliverance and salvation. He will stand by your side!

Readings for tomorrow: No devotionals on Sundays

Why it Matters - Entitlement

Readings for today: Jeremiah 5-8

I take far too much for granted. I imagine most of us do. The clean water that comes out of the faucet of my sink. The abundance of food available at the grocery store. The protection I received from first responders who dedicate their lives to serve our communities. A secure bank where I can put my money without fear. Reliable heat in the winter and air conditioning in the summer. Peaceful transitions of power politically in local, state, and national elections. Access to education and health insurance and a job I love. A wonderful family, a large group of friends, and a church family that is healthy and thriving and a joy to serve. If I am not careful, it’s easy for me to start to feel entitled. Like I’ve earned all these things. Like I deserve all these blessings. Treat them as if they are mine by right. Nothing could be further from the truth. They are all gifts from God’s own hands and I ignore this truth to my own peril.

Jeremiah preached against the entitlement of God’s chosen people. They had forgotten God, the source of all their blessings. As we read yesterday, they turned to “cisterns of their own making” rather than the “fountain of life-giving water.” The result is destruction. God builds on this theme in today’s reading. “The Lord said, “Go up and down through the streets of Jerusalem. Look around and see for yourselves. Search through its public squares. See if any of you can find a single person who deals honestly and tries to be truthful. If you can, then I will not punish this city. These people make promises in the name of the Lord. But the fact is, what they swear to is really a lie.” Lord, I know you look for faithfulness. But even when you punish these people, they feel no remorse. Even when you nearly destroy them, they refuse to be corrected. They have become as hardheaded as a rock. They refuse to change their ways. I thought, “Surely it is only the ignorant poor who act this way. They act like fools because they do not know what the Lord demands. They do not know what their God requires of them. I will go to the leaders and speak with them. Surely they know what the Lord demands. Surely they know what their God requires of them.” Yet all of them, too, have rejected his authority and refuse to submit to him.” (Jeremiah‬ ‭5‬:‭1‬-‭5‬ ‭NET‬‬) Noble and commoner. Highborn and lowborn. Master and slave. All of them have turned from God. All of them refuse to be corrected. All of them reject God’s authority. Even though God supplied their needs, they chased after other gods. Even though God provides for them, they refuse to acknowledge Him. Even though God protects them and has compassion on them and shows them mercy, they will not submit to Him. Self-righteous in their own eyes, they believe they are beyond accountability and judgment.

Tragically, God will shatter their illusions. He will destroy their delusions. He will bring them to their knees as they watch their entire way of life be destroyed. The “fiery bellows of judgment” will burn fiercely, consuming all that is in Jerusalem and leaving nothing, not even stubble, behind. It’s not easy to read these words much less preach them. These words aren’t even easy for God to say as even He weeps at the end of the eighth chapter over what is to come. And they serve as a warning for us in our own time. As our nation grapples with the increase of anger and hate, corruption and deceit, violence and pain; we cannot make the assumption that somehow we are immune from God’s judgment. The faithfulness of past generations will not save us. The moral and ethical capital our forebears saved up is almost spent and we seem incapable of producing more on our own. Our only hope is to turn to God before it is too late. Before He unleashes the “fiery bellows of His judgment” on us.

Readings for tomorrow: Jeremiah 9-12

Why it Matters - Disaster

Readings for today: Joel 1-3

I have seen the devastation of a locust plague firsthand. Crops that are destroyed. Herds decimated for lack of food. Famine in the land as people struggle to find enough to eat. A few years ago, locusts came to East Africa. They marched through nation after nation. Kenya. Ethiopia. Somalia. Uganda. South Sudan. Literally trillions of insects devastating fields and pastures. The plague lasted for almost three years and put millions at risk of starvation. It makes what we read today from the Book of Joel seem very relevant. “It is a huge and powerful army - there has never been anything like it ever before, and there will not be anything like it for many generations to come! Like fire they devour everything in their path; a flame blazes behind them. The land looks like the Garden of Eden before them, but behind them there is only a desolate wilderness - for nothing escapes them! They look like horses; they charge ahead like war horses. They sound like chariots rumbling over the mountain tops…they charge like warriors; they scale walls like soldiers…they burst through the city defenses and do not break ranks.” (Joel 2:2b-8 NET)

Where do people turn in the face of such calamity? Where do people go when faced with such a disaster? For the people of God, we turn to the Lord. We return to Him with our whole hearts. We cry out to Him for help. We ask the Lord to do what only He can do. Restore the years the locusts have eaten. Restore the fields and pastures. Restore the trees and vines. Fill our threshing floors with new grain and our vats with new wine. We call on God to fulfill His promise - “I will make up for the years that the arbeh-locust consumed your crops - the yeleq-locust, the hasil-locust, and the gazam-locust - my great army that I sent against you.” (Joel 2:25 NET) We call on Him because we can trust His character - “for He is merciful and compassionate, slow to anger and boundless in loyal love - often relenting from calamitous punishment.” (Joel 2:13 NET)

Books in the Bible like Joel do beg an important question. One we wrestle with constantly in our modern understanding of the world. We struggle to understand how natural disasters like locusts plagues could be signs of God’s judgment. We struggle to understand why God would allow such things to happen. In fact, many today believe the presence of suffering in our world to be the greatest apologetic against the existence of God. This is was not an issue most believers throughout history. They believed in God’s sovereignty. They trusted God’s sovereignty. They understood that everything that happens in life - the good, the bad, and the ugly - is used by God to draw us back to Himself. Back to a right relationship with Him. And that’s why Joel calls on them to repent even in the midst of their suffering.

Our world is full of all kinds of suffering and pain. It serves as a daily reminder that this world is not as it should be. It is not as it was created to be. We feel this deep in our bones. It’s like we all have this longing deep inside for another world. A different world. A world where we walked with God. The Bible calls it Eden. Many cultures call it Paradise. Many religions call it heaven. It’s the persistent echo of another time and another world that seems hardwired into our souls. Thankfully, God wants to lead us there. God wants us to join Him there. All He asks is that we turn to Him in faith.

Readings for tomorrow: Jeremiah 1-4

Why it Matters - The End

Readings for today: Isaiah 64-66

I meet people all the time who are asking the question, “Is this all there is?” Is this world all there is? Is this life all there is? Are the 70, 80, 90 years of life all I get? And to what end? I spend my life working hard to provide for myself and my family. I achieve some measure of success. I do my best to stay active and healthy. I enjoy some wonderful experiences along the way. My wedding. The birth of my children and grandchildren. Certain milestones or achievements that hopefully leave the world a better place. But then what? Is all I have to look forward to in retirement a slow, steady decline? Or perhaps a tragic diagnosis that robs me of what little strength I have left? Will my mind start to fail along with my body? Will I be missed after I’m gone? These are real, honest questions asked by many thoughtful people I’ve had the privilege of walking beside as a pastor over the years.

Thankfully, the Lord doesn’t leave us guessing. He doesn’t leave us groping about in the dark for answers. He tells us exactly what’s going to happen. He lets us in on the end of the story. Listen to how Isaiah puts it, “For look, I am ready to create new heavens and a new earth! The former ones will not be remembered; no one will think about them anymore. But be happy and rejoice forevermore over what I am about to create! For look, I am ready to create Jerusalem to be a source of joy, and her people to be a source of happiness. Jerusalem will bring me joy, and my people will bring me happiness. The sound of weeping or cries of sorrow will never be heard in her again. Never again will one of her infants live just a few days or an old man die before his time. Indeed, no one will die before the age of a hundred, anyone who fails to reach the age of a hundred will be considered cursed. They will build houses and live in them; they will plant vineyards and eat their fruit. No longer will they build a house only to have another live in it, or plant a vineyard only to have another eat its fruit, for my people will live as long as trees, and my chosen ones will enjoy to the fullest what they have produced. They will not work in vain, or give birth to children that will experience disaster. For the Lord will bless their children and their descendants. Before they even call out, I will respond; while they are still speaking, I will hear. A wolf and a lamb will graze together; a lion, like an ox, will eat straw, and a snake’s food will be dirt. They will no longer injure or destroy on my entire royal mountain,” says the Lord. (Isaiah‬ ‭65‬:‭17‬-‭25‬ ‭NET‬‬‬‬)

It’s a beautiful picture of the life to come. A life not lived in some vaporous, ephemeral, spiritual existence but one that is physical and tangible and as real as it gets. God is going to renew the heavens and the earth. The heavenly dimension where He lives and reigns will eventually absorb this world and all that is in it. Life as we know it will be transformed. All that is wrong about this world will be set right. Every injustice will be addressed. Every hurt will be healed. Every tear will be wiped away. Every grief will be comforted. Every pain erased. Death will be no more. Sin will be no more. Evil will be no more. God Himself will rule and reign over a renewed creation and a renewed people as He originally intended. This is the end of all things. This is the telos of all things. This is where all of history is headed.

So here’s our challenge…living with God’s end in mind. Living today for the world tomorrow. Trusting God for the future even as we labor in the present. Believing that every thought, every word, every action carries eternal weight because of what God has done and what God will do. Simply put, heaven is the answer to our deepest questions. Heaven is the satisfaction for our deepest longings. Heaven gives meaning and purpose to every moment of our lives. We are called to live as citizens of heaven in a world full of death. Our lives to be light in a world full of darkness.

Readings for tomorrow: 2 Kings 21, 2 Chronicles 33

Why it Matters - Justice

Readings for today: Isaiah 59-63

This past weekend, I had the pleasure of spending time with Dr. Vishal Mangalwadi. Dr. Mangalwadi is considered India’s foremost Christian philosopher as well as a leader in political, social, and educational reform movements. The author of over thirty books, he is a sought after speaker in churches and conferences and universities all over the world. He began his work among the rural poor in India, challenging the unjust caste system, and overcoming all kinds of hostility, persecution, and even imprisonment. He has continued to fight for justice and righteousness in the public square in his country as well as around the world. He was the featured speaker at India Christian Day which our church had the privilege of hosting this year and stayed over to speak at both our services on Sunday morning. He offered challenging words to all of us about the desperate need to raise up godly Christian leaders who would carry on the fight for justice and righteousness in our world. He didn’t pull any punches, calling out the church for her failure to be the light in the darkness. Most of all, he called us to again put the Scriptures at the center of our lives and our educational, political, and social systems. I know I walked away feeling deeply convicted.

Then I read Isaiah’s words this morning and my conviction only deepened. “The Lord watches and is displeased, for there is no justice. He sees there is no advocate; he is chocked that no one intervenes. So he takes matters into his own hands; his desire for justice drives him on. He wears his desire for justice like body armor, and his desire to deliver is like a helmet on his head. He puts on the garments of vengeance and wears zeal like a robe.” (Isaiah 59:15b-17 NET) There is no justice. There is no advocate for justice. There is no one who intervenes on behalf of justice. Feels very familiar especially when I consider the corruption and deception and exploitation and oppression that is taking place all around us. Every human system seems rife with it. Politics. Social systems. Educational institutions. All of them have turned away from the truth. They no longer promote justice. They no longer produce righteousness. And their failures are taking their toll on society at large.

God is not blind to what is happening. He sees it. He knows it. And He is preparing His judgment. We have only one hope. We must turn to God. We must seek His face. We must be filled with His Spirit. We must fulfill the commission He has laid upon us to “encourage the poor, to help the brokenhearted, to decree the release of captives, and the freeing of prisoners, to announce the year when the Lord will show his favor, the day when our God will seek vengeance, to console all who mourn, to strengthen those who mourn in Zion, by giving them a turban, instead of ashes, oil symbolizing joy, instead of mourning, a garment symbolizing praise, instead of discouragement.” (Isaiah 61:1b-3a NET) Yes, we attribute these words to Jesus because He quotes them in the Gospels but they apply all those who follow Him as well. As we live out our high and holy calling, as we pursue justice and righteousness in our communities, nation and around the world; Jesus is faithful. He will make us “oaks of righteousness, trees planted by the Lord to reveal his splendor.” He will use us to rebuild the “perpetual ruins” and restore the “desolate places.” We will be called “the Lord’s priests, servants of our God.” Why? Because the Lord loves justice and will repay us according to His faithfulness. This is His promise.

Readings for tomorrow: Isaiah 64-66

Why it Matters - Tension

Readings for today: Isaiah 54-58

The great Reformer, Martin Luther, taught that we learn to hear God’s voice in three primary ways. Oratio - Prayer. Meditatio - Meditation. En Tentatio - Within the “tensions” of real life. It is this last one that resonates most often with my heart. Many years ago, I took a trip to Rwanda. A nation still recovering from a horrific genocide that resulted in the death of over 1.1 million people. Spurred on by a racist national government with a history of systematic abuse and oppression, many ordinary, everyday people turned into rabid killers. They murdered and raped friends. Family members. Neighbors. Co-workers. Things turned so evil that some pastors turned on their congregations. They turned their church buildings into charnel houses. They lured their parishioners into traps with the promise of safety. One pastor even bulldozed his own church down on the heads of those he served. These events provide a dark backdrop to these words from Isaiah this morning... 

“They lament, ‘Why don’t you notice when we fast? Why don’t you pay attention when we humble ourselves?’ Look, at the same time you fast, you satisfy your selfish desires, you oppress your workers. Look, your fasting is accompanied by arguments, brawls, and fistfights. Do not fast as you do today, trying to make your voice heard in heaven. Is this really the kind of fasting I want? Do I want a day when people merely humble themselves, bowing their heads like a reed and stretching out on sackcloth and ashes? Is this really what you call a fast, a day that is pleasing to the Lord? No, this is the kind of fast I want. I want you to remove the sinful chains, to tear away the ropes of the burdensome yoke, to set free the oppressed, and to break every burdensome yoke. I want you to share your food with the hungry and to provide shelter for homeless, oppressed people. When you see someone naked, clothe him! Don’t turn your back on your own flesh and blood! Then your light will shine like the sunrise; your restoration will quickly arrive; your godly behavior will go before you, and the Lord’s splendor will be your rear guard.” (Isaiah‬ ‭58‬:‭3‬-‭8‬ ‭NET‬‬‬)

Rwanda was known for many years as a Christian nation. Some 90% of the population claimed to know Christ prior to the genocide. So how does one rationally explain how these same people ended carrying out one of the most gruesome pogroms in human history? Bishop John Rucyahana, a key figure in the forgiveness and reconciliation movement in the wake of the genocide, suggests it is because their Christianity only went skin deep. It hadn’t penetrated to the heart. Yes, they worshipped. Yes, they fasted and prayed. They had all the appearance of godliness but they did not love God with their hearts. Isaiah was facing a similar situation in his own time. The people of God worshipped, fasted, sang, made sacrifices. They appeared to follow God’s commands but in reality they were seeking their own pleasure. Their own power. The results were obvious to anyone who could see. Oppression of the weak. Violence. Dissention. Pride. All were hallmarks of Israel at the time.

In the face of such evil, God calls His people back to Himself. He calls them to lay aside their comforts, their safety and security, their wants and desires to serve a higher calling. A greater purpose. To humble themselves before the Lord and lay their lives and their future in His hands. Prior to returning to Rwanda, Bishop John was leading a flourishing ministry in Uganda. He was doing God’s work and many people were being saved. But God wanted Bishop John to leave his comfortable life and return to his own country. Bishop John reports hearing God telling him, “If you do not go there and present the healing gospel, then the fate of Rwanda will be in the hands of those who carry guns. If God is the remedy and the solution, whom shall He use, if you don’t allow Him to use you?” This powerful message from the Holy Spirit convicted Bishop John and he laid everything aside to return home. Isaiah calls his people to a similar return. To return back to God in faithfulness and service. To “remove the sinful chains, to tear away the ropes of the burdensome yoke, to set free the oppressed, and to break every burdensome yoke…to share your food with the hungry and to provide shelter for homeless, oppressed people.” God promises when His people commit their ways to Him, their light shall break forth like the dawn and the glory of the Lord will be their rearguard.

So...here’s the challenge for us...do we believe these words are as much for us today as they were for the people of God in Isaiah’s time? Do we believe God has called us to place our lives in His service? To loose the bonds of wickedness in our own communities and nation? To give all that we have and all that we are to the higher calling of righteousness and justice and peace? To set aside our own agendas and let God guide and direct our steps so that we might serve the oppressed and hungry and helpless in our midst? This is what it means to follow Christ. There are no other options. There is no other way.

Readings for tomorrow: No devotionals on Sundays

Why it Matters - Consolation

Readings for tomorrow: Isaiah 50-53

“How do people make it without Jesus?” I get this question a lot especially in times of tragedy and great loss. Death comes suddenly for someone we love, leaving us no time to say goodbye. A famine hits or a drought sets in and we watch our children suffer from hunger and malnourishment. Conflict breaks out. War between tribes. Villages are destroyed. Cities are looted. Residents are internally displaced. It’s brutal. It’s hard. All hope seems lost. And yet, even in the midst of the most difficult circumstances, people of faith find reserves of strength to draw on. They share what little they have with others. They find ways to serve even though they themselves barely have any strength. They experience joy even in the midst of grief and pain. All because of the presence of Jesus in their hearts and lives.

What set Israel apart from the other nations of the earth? The Lord. His abiding and faithful presence. The Lord persevered with Israel despite her sin, despite her rebellion, despite her rejection. And though He allowed her to suffer the consequences of her actions, He also was faithful to renew and restore. He met His people in the ruins of their lives. He visited them in the wilderness of their wandering. And He brought consolation. Comfort. Peace. “Certainly the Lord will console Zion; He will console all her ruins. He will make her wilderness like Eden, her desert like the Garden of the Lord. Happiness and joy will be restored to her, thanksgiving and the sound of music.” (Isaiah 51:3 NET)

Those who love the Lord live with a deep assurance. A certainty that undergirds them. A firm foundation on which they can stand. Jesus Himself talked about it. He talked about building one’s life on the rock so when the storms come and the winds blow, your home can stand. Isaiah would agree. “Those whom the Lord has ransomed will return; they will enter Zion with a happy shout. Unending joy will crown them, happiness and joy will overwhelm them; grief and suffering will disappear. I, I am the One who consoles you. Why are you afraid of mortal men, of mere human beings who are as short-lived as grass?” (Isaiah 51:11-12 NET) Do you live with this assurance? In the midst of stressful and difficult times, do you find yourself turning to the Lord for wisdom? When you experience grief and loss, do you find yourself trusting the Lord to give you hope and restore your joy? When you endure suffering and pain, do you find yourself looking to the Lord for healing and strength?

Readings for tomorrow: Isaiah 54-58

Why it Matters - The Absurdity of Idolatry

Readings for today: Isaiah 43-45, Psalms 80

“But is it true?” I often ask this question a lot when I meet with people who are not yet Christians. We talk about faith. We have deep discussions about the meaning of life. We discuss philosophy and religion and history and how humanity has interacted with the world. We compare and contrast belief systems and ethics. I don’t ever question their sincerity. Many of them are passionately devoted to their faith which I respect. They live lives I deeply admire. But eventually we do find ourselves coming to the fundamental question…is it true? Do the gods they believe in actually exist? Does their understanding of life and the universe and the world around us and even the human heart square with reality? This is where the rubber meets the road in our conversations and I find if I have done a good enough job listening and learning and loving them well, we end up in a sacred space where the Lord makes Himself known.

God is God. Without rival. Without peer. There simply is no other. And this God has made Himself known to His people. He has chosen them from before the foundations of the earth. He loves them and protects them. He guides them and directs them. When they go astray - as we all do - He lovingly disciplines them and corrects them. This is especially true when it comes to idolatry. God knows the poverty of our spiritual condition. He knows how tempting it is for us to worship gods of our own making. And He also knows how futile and empty and powerless such gods are. They are nothing. They have no form. They have no function. They have no authority or power. It doesn’t matter how sincere our devotion to them may be…they simply are not real. They do not exist. They are a lie. And that’s why God goes to such great lengths to make Himself known. He wants His people to know the truth. “I am the Lord and I have no peer.” “No god was formed before Me, and none will outlive Me.” “I, I am the Lord, there is no deliverer beside Me.” “I am the first and I am the last, there is no God but Me.” Over and over again, God makes it clear. He is God. There is no other. He is God. All other idols are worthless. He is God. He alone has the power to deliver and save.

Some place their trust in idols. Some place their trust in themselves. Some place their trust in their wealth and resources. Some place their trust in their influence and worldly power. All of it is an exercise in vanity. None of it has the power to deliver us from sin and death and the devil. None of it has the power to guarantee our eternity. Only God can provide the answers we are looking for. Only God can give us a sure and certain hope for the future. Only God can deliver on His promises. Because God is God and there is no other. Believe and trust and walk in this truth today.

Readings for tomorrow: Isaiah 46-49, Psalms 135

Why it Matters - Confidence

Readings for today: Isaiah 36-37, 2 Kings 18:9-37, 19, 2 Chronicles 32:1-23, Psalms 76

“Where is your confidence?” What a great question from our reading today! Where is your confidence? Is it in your strength? Your wisdom? Your wealth? Your influence? Is it in your allies? Those who may come to your aid in time of need? Is it in human plans and human schemes? Where is your confidence? This was the challenge put before the people of Judah by the messenger from Sennacharib. In the face of overwhelming odds. An army that dwarfed their own. A military machine that had swept through nation after nation. An unstoppable force that now lay encamped on their doorstep. Where was their confidence?

This was Hezekiah’s greatest test and he passed with flying colors. He forbid his people to respond. He didn’t argue or try to defend himself or try to buy his way out of danger. He simply took the words of the pagan king and laid them before the Lord. “Hezekiah took the letter from the messengers and read it. Then Hezekiah went up to the Lord’s temple and spread it out before the Lord. Hezekiah prayed before the Lord: “O Lord who commands armies, O God of Israel, who is enthroned on the cherubim! You alone are God over all the kingdoms of the earth. You made the sky and the earth. Pay attention, Lord, and hear! Open your eyes, Lord, and observe! Listen to this entire message Sennacherib sent and how he taunts the living God! It is true, Lord, that the kings of Assyria have destroyed all the nations and their lands. They have burned the gods of the nations, for they are not really gods, but only the product of human hands manufactured from wood and stone. That is why the Assyrians could destroy them. Now, O Lord our God, rescue us from his power, so all the kingdoms of the earth may know that you alone are the Lord.” (Isaiah‬ ‭37‬:‭14‬-‭20‬ ‭NET‬‬) Note what Hezekiah does not do. He doesn’t ask God to preserve his kingship. He doesn’t ask God to preserve his life. He doesn’t ask God to protect His Temple or even the city of Jerusalem. Hezekiah understands this battle is not about him. It’s not even about his people or his nation. It’s about God. It’s about God’s glory and God’s honor. So he calls on God to glorify Himself by delivering His people. He calls on God to defend His honor by humbling Sennacharib. He proclaims His faith in God as the one who commands legions and rules the nations of the earth. It’s a powerful prayer and one God answers miraculously.

Where is your confidence? When the principalities and powers of this world seem to be closing in on you, where do you turn? When things aren’t going your way and you feel hurt or betrayed by those you once thought were friends, where do you go? When the pressure is on and your situation is intense and you feel overwhelmed, who do you trust? The Lord or yourself? How do you pray? Do you pray with a desire to see God honored and glorified or are you just looking to get out of the situation you find yourself in? Let me challenge you to take Hezekiah’s prayer to heart and use it as a model the next time you feel anxious or afraid.

Readings for tomorrow: No readings on Sunday

Why it Matters - Restoration

Readings for today: Isaiah 23-26

God loves the world He has made. He loves everything about it. He loves everything within it. He spoke it into existence and shaped and formed and fashioned it with His own hands. God’s desire is to see the earth flourish. To see the world become what He designed it to be. He wants to see all the creatures, great and small, within it live lives of blessing and contentment and peace. This is God’s will. It has been His will from the beginning. It remains His will today. And it will be His will until the end of time. God is the same yesterday, today, and forever and His plans for the world have not changed, will not change, and do not change.

However, the creature God made in His own image. The creature God set up to care for and nurture and work and keep the earth has fallen. Humanity abandoned her original purpose. Rejected her original mandate to “be fruitful, multiply, fill the earth, and exercise dominion” over all God has made. As a result, creation suffers. The world is in turmoil. The Earth herself is cursed. Imagine you come home to your house one day only to find it full of black mold. Black mold everywhere. On every surface. Behind every wall. In every corner. The place would be toxic. Impossible to live in. There is no way to redeem it. No way to cleanse it. No way to get rid of all the corruption. What would you do? You would scrape the house. You would call in bulldozers. Earthmovers to clear the ground. And then you would rebuild. Essentially this is what God is doing in our reading today. He judges the earth not to destroy it but to cleanse it. Not to eradicate it but to prepare it for His great restoration work.

The earth, as it stands, cannot be redeemed. The corruption runs too deep. The rot goes all the way to the core. So God does what any good and faithful homeowner would do. He scrapes it. He scours it. He purifies and cleanses it with fire and judgment. “Look, the Lord is ready to devastate the earth and leave it in ruins; he will mar its surface and scatter its inhabitants. Everyone will suffer – the priest as well as the people, the master as well as the servant, the elegant lady as well as the female attendant, the seller as well as the buyer, the borrower as well as the lender, the creditor as well as the debtor. The earth will be completely devastated and thoroughly ransacked. For the Lord has decreed this judgment.” (Isaiah‬ ‭24‬:‭1‬-‭3‬ ‭NET‬‬) This is not an easy process. It will involve a lot of pain and suffering. A lot of tearing down in order to build up. “The earth dries up and withers, the world shrivels up and withers; the prominent people of the earth fade away. The earth is defiled by its inhabitants, for they have violated laws, disregarded the regulation, and broken the permanent treaty. So a treaty curse devours the earth; its inhabitants pay for their guilt. This is why the inhabitants of the earth disappear, and are reduced to just a handful of people.” (Isaiah‬ ‭24‬:‭4‬-‭6‬ ‭NET‬‬) God will not stop until His cleansing work is complete. He will not relent until sin has been eradicated once and for all. He will purify every nook and cranny, every crack and corner. He will ascend to the heights and plunge to the depths. No stone will be left unturned. No square inch of creation will escape His notice. The result will be complete devastation as God prepares His world for what’s to come. “The earth is broken in pieces, the earth is ripped to shreds, the earth shakes violently. The earth will stagger around like a drunk; it will sway back and forth like a hut in a windstorm. Its sin will weigh it down, and it will fall and never get up again.” (Isaiah‬ ‭24‬:‭19‬-‭20‬ ‭NET‬‬)

And what is the goal of all this terrifying work? The restoration and renewal of worship. All of creation joining together in song. The mountains and oceans. The rocks and trees and flowers. The stars and planets and other heavenly bodies. Every creature finding her voice. The fish in the sea. The birds in the air. The animals that walk the earth. Even in the insects that crawl on the earth. And humanity will be God’s great conductor. God’s great worship leader. Drawing all the different melodies into one resounding voice. “They lift their voices and shout joyfully; they praise the majesty of the Lord in the west. So in the east extol the Lord, along the seacoasts extol the fame of the Lord God of Israel. From the ends of the earth we hear songs – the Just One is majestic.” (Isaiah‬ ‭24‬:‭14‬-‭16‬ ‭NET‬‬‬‬)

Readings for tomorrow: 2 Kings 18:1-8, 2 Chronicles 29-31, Psalms 48

Why it Matters - Prophecy

Readings for today: Isaiah 18-22

There are a lot of people who claim to be prophets these days. They claim to speak for God. They claim to know the future. They claim to have seen visions and dreams. Almost all of it is utter nonsense. How do I know? Because their prophecies never come true. The true test of a prophet, according to the Bible, is if their predictions actually come to pass. “How can we tell that a message is not from the Lord?’ – whenever a prophet speaks in my name and the prediction is not fulfilled, then I have not spoken it; the prophet has presumed to speak it, so you need not fear him.” (Deuteronomy‬ ‭18‬:‭21‬-‭22‬ ‭NET‬‬) Sadly, I have seen far too many Christians fall for false prophets. They trust their words. They make decisions on what the person predicts. They buy their books and trinkets and whatever else the supposed prophet may be selling. It’s tragic. It’s an offense to God. It’s why God assigns the death penalty for false prophesy. He hates what they do to His people.

Isaiah is a true prophet of God. Everything he predicts in these passages comes to pass. Cush - think modern day Ethiopia and Sudan - ruled Egypt for a time and sought allies against Assyria. This happened during the reign of Hezekiah. Isaiah’s warning not to ally with Cush bore itself out when Assyria ultimately defeated the Egyptian/Cushite forces. Egypt experienced all kinds of civil unrest during the Late Period of her empire. Assyrian kings conquered Egypt in the seventh century BC and she later came under Persian, Greek, and Roman rule. Egypt and Cush were led away as captives when the Assyrians defeated their forces at Ashdod. Babylon fell to the Persians in 539BC. Edom steadily declined and eventually disappeared as a nation. The tribes of Arabia were crushed by the Assyrians as well. Jerusalem would eventually fall to Babylon, Shebna would be demoted, and Eliakim would assume higher office. Everything he says comes to pass. And that brings me to the most important prophesy from this section. A glorious vision of the future God has for the world. One that looks forward in anticipation to the end of days. “At that time there will be a highway from Egypt to Assyria. The Assyrians will visit Egypt, and the Egyptians will visit Assyria. The Egyptians and Assyrians will worship together. At that time Israel will be the third member of the group, along with Egypt and Assyria, and will be a recipient of blessing in the earth. The Lord who commands armies will pronounce a blessing over the earth, saying, “Blessed be my people, Egypt, and the work of my hands, Assyria, and my special possession, Israel!” (Isaiah‬ ‭19‬:‭23‬-‭25‬ ‭NET‬‬)

It’s incredible. God expanding His reach. God extending an invitation to the nations of the earth, including the former enemies of His chosen people, to worship Him. At that time, He will call Egypt “my people” and Assyria “the work of my hands” alongside Israel “my chosen possession.” It’s a foretaste of what John will later write about in Revelation 7 when he sees every tribe, tongue, and nation worshipping before the throne of God. It’s a vision we are called as God’s people to live out in our own day and time. Welcoming all who would come to worship with open arms. Regardless of ethnicity. Regardless of economic status. Regardless of cultural difference. Regardless of life experience. God has thrown open the doors of His house. His arms are wide enough to embrace all who would come to Him. He will not turn away any who would seek Him with all their heart.

Readings for tomorrow: Isaiah 23-26