Sunday, July 7, 2013
7 July 2013 - moved by hope
7 July 2013 - moved by hope
Today Jesus is trying to teach us about sharing the good news.
We are to be like Isaiah, with sufficient hope to proclaim the coming joy of the kingdom even in a world marked with suffering.
Rejoice with Jerusalem and be glad because of her,
all you who love her;
exult, exult with her,
all you who were mourning over her!
Hope is essential to the proclamation of the Gospel. We won't even set out without it. We will just mourn for our Church as the Israelites mourn for Jerusalem. In order to believe in the difference that sharing the good news can make we have to have the supernatural hope that comes from God.
When the LORD gives us a mission, whatever the size, there are many things which cause us to slow down and turn aside. We will have to let go of some of these distractions if the LORD is to work through us.
Carry no money bag, no sack, no sandals;
and greet no one along the way.
We tend to overcomplicate things. We often spend so much time figuring out what approach would be best that we are paralyzed. We never get around to delivering the message we've been entrusted. The LORD warns us against this. When he opens a path to us we are not to turn from it.
Do not move about from one house to another.
We have to put others first. Even if we have forego some comforts and pleasures we shouldn't let this distract us.
eat what is set before you,
What we have to tell the world is so important. When we really open ourselves to God and his mission for us he will confirm our words with signs and wonders.
cure the sick in it and say to them,
‘The kingdom of God is at hand for you.’
It won't go to our heads as if we're special somehow. It is precisely because we care about the one thing worth caring about that the LORD can work through us. Things that divide us are no longer relevant. It is empty to boast the LORD does mighty deeds through us. One thing matters: "a new creation."
Let God fill our hearts with the hope that comes from him. The world cannot give this hope. In fact, it tries at every opportunity to extinguish it. We only need to read the news for confirmation of that. If we receive this hope and act on it the kingdom will spread. This is how prosperity is spread over Jerusalem. This is how Satan falls like lightning from the sky. Seeing this, we rejoice in our God who has wrought it all.
Shout joyfully to God, all the earth,
sing praise to the glory of his name;
proclaim his glorious praise.
Say to God, “How tremendous are your deeds!”
Saturday, July 6, 2013
6 July 2013 - past the surface
6 July 2013 - past the surface
Rather, they pour new wine into fresh wineskins, and both are preserved.”
The old framework is insufficient for the Good News which Jesus brings. The criteria for judging whether something is holy or not have been upgraded. Before, one could tell simply by whether or not a set of external acts were performed.
“Why do we and the Pharisees fast much,
but your disciples do not fast?”
Even the disciples of John are confused. They know fasting is good so they assume that people who are doing it must be the most pious. Surely the ones practicing all of the mortifications are the holy ones and the ones who aren't must be lazy at best. Jesus tells us that this is not so. There are times when it is appropriate to fast. There are times when it is appropriate to feast. We can't tell whether someone is pious just by looking at which external someone chooses. The important thing to observe is that now in the New Covenant whether or not fasting is a good idea is determined by our relationship to Jesus.
The days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them,
and then they will fast.
We tend to choose badly. But if we stay near Jesus he can use us in spite of imperfect choices. Rebekah and Jacob conspire to steal the blessing from Esau. This blessing is vitally important for through it the promises to Abraham will eventually be fulfilled. Valuable is it is, lying is not commendable or praiseworthy. If anything, the value of the blessing makes it even worse. We can see how problematic it is by the strife it causes in their family down the road. And yet, God not only honors his promise by passing on the blessing he calls Jacob his chosen one.
For the LORD has chosen Jacob for himself,
In spite of our mistakes, God choses us for himself. Let us turn back to him with our hearts full of praise.
Praise the Lord for the Lord is good!
Friday, July 5, 2013
5 July 2013 - heritable blessings
5 July 2013 - heritable blessings
He said to him, “Follow me.”
And he got up and followed him.
Matthew knows that worldly success is not enough. His criteria for making decisions probably used to be having a comfortable life with as much worldly distraction as he could procure. As a tax collector he likely succeeded in providing these for himself. And in spite of that he is not content. Such a life is rough on relationships. Tax collectors aren't popular, as we can see from the comment of the Pharisees. His acquisitions clearly aren't enough to make him happy. When Jesus invites him he knows that his own resources are tapped out. He is able to make a wholehearted response.
Many of us are in the same boat with the Pharisees. We can't go all in because we have to protect our self-image as "good people." The LORD gives us opportunities every day to make radical choices of love for him instead of ourselves. So why don't we? We want to maintain the illusion that we've already arrived. We don't want to acknowledge all of the perfecting that we still need in order to stand before the awesome holiness of God in heaven.
“Those who are well do not need a physician, but the sick do.
And once we begin to make radical choices for God there is always the temptation to backslide. We are like the Israelites who quickly forget the hardships of Egypt in the midst of the desert. We begin to take for granted this new freedom we've been given. We take for granted the providence of God that sustains us on our journey. But we must not return to that land of slavery. We must safeguard the promises the LORD has given us. Abraham knows this and so is very explicit in his provisions for Isaac.
“Never take my son back there for any reason,” Abraham told him.
As we take concrete actions of faith God will unfold his plan for us. It sometimes doesn't seem like there is enough to sustain us on this pilgrimage. As we trust him we come to learn that he always meets our needs We come to trust that he will always provide enough for our journey.
Visit me with your saving help,
That I may see the prosperity of your chosen ones,
rejoice in the joy of your people,
and glory with your inheritance.
He said to him, “Follow me.”
And he got up and followed him.
Matthew knows that worldly success is not enough. His criteria for making decisions probably used to be having a comfortable life with as much worldly distraction as he could procure. As a tax collector he likely succeeded in providing these for himself. And in spite of that he is not content. Such a life is rough on relationships. Tax collectors aren't popular, as we can see from the comment of the Pharisees. His acquisitions clearly aren't enough to make him happy. When Jesus invites him he knows that his own resources are tapped out. He is able to make a wholehearted response.
Many of us are in the same boat with the Pharisees. We can't go all in because we have to protect our self-image as "good people." The LORD gives us opportunities every day to make radical choices of love for him instead of ourselves. So why don't we? We want to maintain the illusion that we've already arrived. We don't want to acknowledge all of the perfecting that we still need in order to stand before the awesome holiness of God in heaven.
“Those who are well do not need a physician, but the sick do.
And once we begin to make radical choices for God there is always the temptation to backslide. We are like the Israelites who quickly forget the hardships of Egypt in the midst of the desert. We begin to take for granted this new freedom we've been given. We take for granted the providence of God that sustains us on our journey. But we must not return to that land of slavery. We must safeguard the promises the LORD has given us. Abraham knows this and so is very explicit in his provisions for Isaac.
“Never take my son back there for any reason,” Abraham told him.
As we take concrete actions of faith God will unfold his plan for us. It sometimes doesn't seem like there is enough to sustain us on this pilgrimage. As we trust him we come to learn that he always meets our needs We come to trust that he will always provide enough for our journey.
Visit me with your saving help,
That I may see the prosperity of your chosen ones,
rejoice in the joy of your people,
and glory with your inheritance.
Thursday, July 4, 2013
4 July 2013 - hope never fails
4 July 2013 - hope never fails
I know now how devoted you are to God,
since you did not withhold from me your own beloved son.”
Isaac is everything to Abraham. He is the fulfillment of all of the promises that seemed impossible. He is blessing to Abraham enduring beyond his own life. Because of this he is more Abraham's future than Abraham's own life. Asking for Isaac's life is as if the LORD is asking for him to give up all of his fulfilled hopes and dreams as sacrifice to the LORD. But Abraham does not surrender his hope in the LORD. He only surrenders his right to understand its fulfillment. He reasons that God must even be able to raise Isaac from the dead to fulfill his promise (cf. Heb 11:9). The LORD doesn't ask for Isaac's life because he wants it. What he wants is for Abraham to have a heart like his own. The LORD wants Abraham to put him first. And just as God's heart gives us his only Son, whom he loves, so too does he wish to make Abraham's heart.
When we fear the LORD and put him first he is free to bless us. This archetypal act of faith unleashes some of the greatest blessings in human history.
Again the LORD’s messenger called to Abraham from heaven and said:
“I swear by myself, declares the LORD,
that because you acted as you did
in not withholding from me your beloved son,
I will bless you abundantly
Note that the blessings don't ever stop with one isolated individual. That isn't even their main locus. God waits for faith to unleash his power in human history. But once he unleashes it there are no boundaries to where it flows. This is how the faith of his friends saves the paralytic.
When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic,
The cry of the psalmist embodies this. He asks the LORD to bless his people for the sake of the LORD's own glory.
Not to us, O LORD, not to us
but to your name give glory
because of your kindness, because of your truth.
May we put the LORD first so that his power may be unleashed in us. May we see it and give glory to God.
When the crowds saw this they were struck with awe
and glorified God who had given such authority to men.
I know now how devoted you are to God,
since you did not withhold from me your own beloved son.”
Isaac is everything to Abraham. He is the fulfillment of all of the promises that seemed impossible. He is blessing to Abraham enduring beyond his own life. Because of this he is more Abraham's future than Abraham's own life. Asking for Isaac's life is as if the LORD is asking for him to give up all of his fulfilled hopes and dreams as sacrifice to the LORD. But Abraham does not surrender his hope in the LORD. He only surrenders his right to understand its fulfillment. He reasons that God must even be able to raise Isaac from the dead to fulfill his promise (cf. Heb 11:9). The LORD doesn't ask for Isaac's life because he wants it. What he wants is for Abraham to have a heart like his own. The LORD wants Abraham to put him first. And just as God's heart gives us his only Son, whom he loves, so too does he wish to make Abraham's heart.
When we fear the LORD and put him first he is free to bless us. This archetypal act of faith unleashes some of the greatest blessings in human history.
Again the LORD’s messenger called to Abraham from heaven and said:
“I swear by myself, declares the LORD,
that because you acted as you did
in not withholding from me your beloved son,
I will bless you abundantly
Note that the blessings don't ever stop with one isolated individual. That isn't even their main locus. God waits for faith to unleash his power in human history. But once he unleashes it there are no boundaries to where it flows. This is how the faith of his friends saves the paralytic.
When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic,
The cry of the psalmist embodies this. He asks the LORD to bless his people for the sake of the LORD's own glory.
Not to us, O LORD, not to us
but to your name give glory
because of your kindness, because of your truth.
May we put the LORD first so that his power may be unleashed in us. May we see it and give glory to God.
When the crowds saw this they were struck with awe
and glorified God who had given such authority to men.
Wednesday, July 3, 2013
3 July 2013 - doubts transformed
3 July 2013 - doubts transformed
So the other disciples said to him, “We have seen the Lord.”
The other disciples want Thomas to be able to share in the experience they've had of the risen LORD. So they tell him about what they've seen. But it seems to have the opposite effect. His heart is still no doubt crushed because the passion. There are rumors that the LORD lives and Thomas has probably heard these. He is no doubt pulled between hope and despair. It is probably wearing him down, little by little. And the disciples want to tell him that the hope is true, the despair is fading, destined to disappear. But instead they just make him feel more isolated. Why everyone else but not him, Thomas probably wonders.
Jesus came, although the doors were locked,
Jesus does not abandon Thomas to doubt. He in fact provides for exactly what Thomas requires.
Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here and see my hands,
and bring your hand and put it into my side,
and do not be unbelieving, but believe.”
But just the presence of Jesus is enough. Locked doors of fear and doubt are no obstacles to Jesus. Thomas's heart swells with faith in response.
Thomas answered and said to him, “My Lord and my God!”
Why does Jesus reveal himself in this way? Why create a situation where most of the disciples encounter the LORD but not Thomas? For one thing, he wants his resurrection to be known in the context of community and fellowship and not as an isolated stranger.
You are no longer strangers and sojourners,
but you are fellow citizens with the holy ones
But perhaps even more than that Thomas's doubts seem to give way to an even more profound experience of belief. And the experience is not just for him but for us all. When we have doubts we have one in heaven who can sympathize with us. In the world we can often only see the human side of a situation and not the divine, the death and not the resurrection. Thomas only sees the human side of the situation until Jesus comes to reveal himself to him. But Jesus comes to Thomas. When we don't have the faith to see the divine at work and can only see the human and the hopeless Jesus comes for us as well. He reveals himself to Thomas to reveal his heart for us all. Does this mean the LORD can even use our doubts to reach others? Emphatically yes!
Even as we once doubted we now join with our fellow citizens in the Church to tell the world that we too have seen the risen LORD.
Go out to all the world and tell the Good News.
So the other disciples said to him, “We have seen the Lord.”
The other disciples want Thomas to be able to share in the experience they've had of the risen LORD. So they tell him about what they've seen. But it seems to have the opposite effect. His heart is still no doubt crushed because the passion. There are rumors that the LORD lives and Thomas has probably heard these. He is no doubt pulled between hope and despair. It is probably wearing him down, little by little. And the disciples want to tell him that the hope is true, the despair is fading, destined to disappear. But instead they just make him feel more isolated. Why everyone else but not him, Thomas probably wonders.
Jesus came, although the doors were locked,
Jesus does not abandon Thomas to doubt. He in fact provides for exactly what Thomas requires.
Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here and see my hands,
and bring your hand and put it into my side,
and do not be unbelieving, but believe.”
But just the presence of Jesus is enough. Locked doors of fear and doubt are no obstacles to Jesus. Thomas's heart swells with faith in response.
Thomas answered and said to him, “My Lord and my God!”
Why does Jesus reveal himself in this way? Why create a situation where most of the disciples encounter the LORD but not Thomas? For one thing, he wants his resurrection to be known in the context of community and fellowship and not as an isolated stranger.
You are no longer strangers and sojourners,
but you are fellow citizens with the holy ones
But perhaps even more than that Thomas's doubts seem to give way to an even more profound experience of belief. And the experience is not just for him but for us all. When we have doubts we have one in heaven who can sympathize with us. In the world we can often only see the human side of a situation and not the divine, the death and not the resurrection. Thomas only sees the human side of the situation until Jesus comes to reveal himself to him. But Jesus comes to Thomas. When we don't have the faith to see the divine at work and can only see the human and the hopeless Jesus comes for us as well. He reveals himself to Thomas to reveal his heart for us all. Does this mean the LORD can even use our doubts to reach others? Emphatically yes!
Even as we once doubted we now join with our fellow citizens in the Church to tell the world that we too have seen the risen LORD.
Go out to all the world and tell the Good News.
Peter Furler - Hold On
"Just believe, I know you're gonna make it"
Tuesday, July 2, 2013
2 July 2013 - weather or not
2 July 2013 - weather or not
When he hesitated
Lot is told by the angels that it is time to get out of Dodge. But even though he knows punishment is coming to Sodom he hesitates. He needs to make a break with this part of his life but is reluctant to do so. The mercy of the LORD is so strong as to give him the push he needs as angels drag him and his family forth.
Look, this town ahead is near enough to escape to.
It’s only a small place.
The LORD plans for Lot to go farther but he does not insist. In the face of such a pressing disaster God still provides for Lot's human weakness. It is encouraging to see the LORD's provision for our mortal frailty in not insisting on perfection all at once.
“I will also grant you the favor you now ask.
Although Lot and his family are dragged from Sodom the LORD does not take away their free will. He shows mercy. But in the end, they must leave Sodom behind freely. They must make a decisive break with the land of wickedness.
But Lot’s wife looked back, and she was turned into a pillar of salt.
Their escape must be difficult. It is an arduous journey even without fire raining from the sky. But the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah is beginning. Sulphur is falling. Their past is being destroyed. It is, in a way, understandable that Lot's wife looks back. Let it be a lesson for us as to how dangerous it can be to look back when God is calling us on. The sins of the past can pull us back down and ensnare us. They can even be our undoing.
In the midst of the storms that assail us Jesus must be our certainty. All we have between us and the raging sees is the boat, that is, the Church. We see the waves toss it and we fear for our lives. Jesus appears to be unresponsive to our plight. We may be very tempted to try to something drastic out of fear just as Lot's wife did.
His disciples trust him more than this. They can still see that the boat in which he is traveling is the best option. They don't just jump overboard in fear. But their faith is still in need of perfecting.
They came and woke him, saying,
“Lord, save us! We are perishing!”
It is not that they are asking for the wrong thing. However, the presence of Jesus should be enough for them. If they truly recognize who he is they will not fear though storms may come. Even if he seems indifferent to the storms they will trust him. Even if he seems asleep they will realize that, in his divinity, he slumbers not, nor sleeps (cf. Psalm 121:4).
We must trust Jesus even in the midst of storms. Even if he seems asleep we can take comfort that he directs our hearts even at night (cf. Psalm 16:7). There is no need to fear. This ship won't sink. The Church will persevere. Eventually the storm will be calmed.
Then he got up, rebuked the winds and the sea,
and there was great calm.
We long for this great calm. Let us also have confidence that he intends it for us. Lot's wife doesn't look beyond her past or imminent sufferings and she is turned to salt. Trusting in the LORD we will be brought by angels to a place of calm heretofore unknown.
My foot stands on level ground;
in the assemblies I will bless the LORD.
Let us not neglect to be thankful for the wonders which the LORD does for us. They inspire us and draw us on. They help us to have confidence when the next storm comes. We know that he is the LORD and that every storm is subject to him.
“What sort of man is this,
whom even the winds and the sea obey?”
When he hesitated
Lot is told by the angels that it is time to get out of Dodge. But even though he knows punishment is coming to Sodom he hesitates. He needs to make a break with this part of his life but is reluctant to do so. The mercy of the LORD is so strong as to give him the push he needs as angels drag him and his family forth.
Look, this town ahead is near enough to escape to.
It’s only a small place.
The LORD plans for Lot to go farther but he does not insist. In the face of such a pressing disaster God still provides for Lot's human weakness. It is encouraging to see the LORD's provision for our mortal frailty in not insisting on perfection all at once.
“I will also grant you the favor you now ask.
Although Lot and his family are dragged from Sodom the LORD does not take away their free will. He shows mercy. But in the end, they must leave Sodom behind freely. They must make a decisive break with the land of wickedness.
But Lot’s wife looked back, and she was turned into a pillar of salt.
Their escape must be difficult. It is an arduous journey even without fire raining from the sky. But the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah is beginning. Sulphur is falling. Their past is being destroyed. It is, in a way, understandable that Lot's wife looks back. Let it be a lesson for us as to how dangerous it can be to look back when God is calling us on. The sins of the past can pull us back down and ensnare us. They can even be our undoing.
In the midst of the storms that assail us Jesus must be our certainty. All we have between us and the raging sees is the boat, that is, the Church. We see the waves toss it and we fear for our lives. Jesus appears to be unresponsive to our plight. We may be very tempted to try to something drastic out of fear just as Lot's wife did.
His disciples trust him more than this. They can still see that the boat in which he is traveling is the best option. They don't just jump overboard in fear. But their faith is still in need of perfecting.
They came and woke him, saying,
“Lord, save us! We are perishing!”
It is not that they are asking for the wrong thing. However, the presence of Jesus should be enough for them. If they truly recognize who he is they will not fear though storms may come. Even if he seems indifferent to the storms they will trust him. Even if he seems asleep they will realize that, in his divinity, he slumbers not, nor sleeps (cf. Psalm 121:4).
We must trust Jesus even in the midst of storms. Even if he seems asleep we can take comfort that he directs our hearts even at night (cf. Psalm 16:7). There is no need to fear. This ship won't sink. The Church will persevere. Eventually the storm will be calmed.
Then he got up, rebuked the winds and the sea,
and there was great calm.
We long for this great calm. Let us also have confidence that he intends it for us. Lot's wife doesn't look beyond her past or imminent sufferings and she is turned to salt. Trusting in the LORD we will be brought by angels to a place of calm heretofore unknown.
My foot stands on level ground;
in the assemblies I will bless the LORD.
Let us not neglect to be thankful for the wonders which the LORD does for us. They inspire us and draw us on. They help us to have confidence when the next storm comes. We know that he is the LORD and that every storm is subject to him.
“What sort of man is this,
whom even the winds and the sea obey?”
Monday, July 1, 2013
1 July 2013 - bargaining posture
1 July 2013 - bargaining posture
The LORD reflected: “Shall I hide from Abraham what I am about to do,
now that he is to become a great and populous nation,
and all the nations of the earth are to find blessing in him?
The LORD is training Abraham to have a heart like his heart. He wants Abraham to be merciful even as he himself is merciful. He puts Abraham in a situation where his prayers are the only thing between Sodom and Gomorrah and destruction. And Abraham understands that these are wicked places. They more or less deserve what they have coming. It is unclear why Lot ends up in such a place to begin with. Whatever the reason, the LORD has a higher purpose. He uses Lot to give Abraham stake is there. Abraham intercedes for the entire area because Lot's presence there means that there is more than the evil visible on the surface (which indeed runs deep).
Far be it from you to do such a thing,
to make the innocent die with the guilty,
so that the innocent and the guilty would be treated alike!
Although the LORD appears to be in a position of condemnation he only allows this to call forth mercy and repentance. If the cities are spared it will be out of mercy which pleads for them to have more time to repent. Slightly longer lives will be meaningless if they come to destruction in the end. But Lot lives there among them. There is a glimmer of hope in his presence. And the LORD wants Abraham to hold fast to this hope as he himself does.
Merciful and gracious is the LORD,
slow to anger and abounding in kindness.
He will not always chide,
nor does he keep his wrath forever.
We prefer it if we eventually find out what "merciful enough"entails. Seven times seven? More? But there is no formula or fixed destination for us. The only way to truly know what mercy means is to go as far as God is willing to go. There is no rest anywhere else.
“Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go.”
Jesus answered him, “Foxes have dens and birds of the sky have nests,
Who is to say if Abraham had decided to continue past ten righteous what the LORD would have done. Perhaps the cities would have been spared just for one. After all, strictly speaking, God saved us all for the sake of Jesus. Let us give our all to following him. His mercy is infinite, and so is his love.
The LORD reflected: “Shall I hide from Abraham what I am about to do,
now that he is to become a great and populous nation,
and all the nations of the earth are to find blessing in him?
The LORD is training Abraham to have a heart like his heart. He wants Abraham to be merciful even as he himself is merciful. He puts Abraham in a situation where his prayers are the only thing between Sodom and Gomorrah and destruction. And Abraham understands that these are wicked places. They more or less deserve what they have coming. It is unclear why Lot ends up in such a place to begin with. Whatever the reason, the LORD has a higher purpose. He uses Lot to give Abraham stake is there. Abraham intercedes for the entire area because Lot's presence there means that there is more than the evil visible on the surface (which indeed runs deep).
Far be it from you to do such a thing,
to make the innocent die with the guilty,
so that the innocent and the guilty would be treated alike!
Although the LORD appears to be in a position of condemnation he only allows this to call forth mercy and repentance. If the cities are spared it will be out of mercy which pleads for them to have more time to repent. Slightly longer lives will be meaningless if they come to destruction in the end. But Lot lives there among them. There is a glimmer of hope in his presence. And the LORD wants Abraham to hold fast to this hope as he himself does.
Merciful and gracious is the LORD,
slow to anger and abounding in kindness.
He will not always chide,
nor does he keep his wrath forever.
We prefer it if we eventually find out what "merciful enough"entails. Seven times seven? More? But there is no formula or fixed destination for us. The only way to truly know what mercy means is to go as far as God is willing to go. There is no rest anywhere else.
“Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go.”
Jesus answered him, “Foxes have dens and birds of the sky have nests,
Who is to say if Abraham had decided to continue past ten righteous what the LORD would have done. Perhaps the cities would have been spared just for one. After all, strictly speaking, God saved us all for the sake of Jesus. Let us give our all to following him. His mercy is infinite, and so is his love.
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