If you have enough time read 2 Corinthians 5.
God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. 2 Corinthians 5:21
Don’t know how many of you made it to worship yesterday or not. I had my ashes placed on my forehead by a kindergartener during our school chapel service. Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return.
Some might say that every day should be an “Ash Wednesday-like day” – a day where we take a real and hard look at ourselves and our shortcomings, our faults, our sins – a day where we take seriously our unworthiness – both in our relationship with the Lord but even in our relationships with one another. I know for certain that I do not deserve what the Lord so graciously gives me as I turn away from Him time and time again. But at the same time, do I really deserve even what my “loved ones” give me? I’m certainly no perfect husband or father or friend (and certainly not a perfect pastor either – and yet not only do they love me (most of the time) but they even pay me!).
No, the truth is I don’t want what I deserve and Ash Wednesday is a great reminder of this. I am a sinner – plain and simple – and what a sinner should get is not what I want. Don’t do the crime if you can’t do the time! If only life were truly that easy. I have done the crime, I still do the crime, and I will do the crime – and yet O my Lord, what can I do?
Yes, Ash Wednesday is a great day to stop and recognize and fess up to the fact that this person who is “me” is often broken, misguided, misused, overused, underused, abused, and just plain wrong – and the fault of this sinfulness rests squarely upon this same “me”.
AND YET, thanks be to God everyday is NOT Ash Wednesday. For God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
The journey which begins on Ash Wednesday always leads us to the cross of Good Friday and the cross always leads us to the empty tomb. And the empty tomb is empty because the crime has been paid for – and thanks be to God it wasn’t paid for by me!
But now that it has been paid for, I become the righteousness of God! Go figure that one out!!! He becomes my sin so that I can become HIS righteousness. (This by the way is called “love”.)
So, no – I probably won’t be treating every day as though it is another Ash Wednesday – even if it is good to reflect upon my sinfulness and unworthiness from time to time - I don’t know if I would be able to stand up under all of that guilt all of the time – even knowing He comes to take it away. Rather I like to spend most of my days as another Easter – basking in the freedom of what it means to now be the righteousness of God – and seeking to live this out with Him and one another.
What I refuse to do (though of course failure comes here at times as well), and this is the point of Ash Wednesday more than anything else, is to look at my sins and try to “take care of them” myself – through denial, blaming others (including HIM), and making excuses. For it is here that freedom is lost and our sins gain the greatest control over our lives.
I am but dust and while I can’t bring myself to life, there is ONE whose breath upon me will – and it is in Him whom I must place my trust.
Prayer: Thank you Lord for the love you give me – the crazy, undeserved, don’t-know-why-in-the-world-you’d-even-want-to-give-it love. And forgive me when I turn to the one in my reflection to accomplish that which you have already done. In your name, Jesus. Amen.
Thursday, February 26, 2009
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
More than Conquerors
If you have enough time read Romans 8.
If God is for us, who is against us? Romans 8:31
No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. Romans 8:37
Many of us have a hard time trusting in Jesus, and the victory which he promises, in relation to the “attacks” we receive from the world around us – the people, the events, the circumstances (whether these are intentionally against us or not). (You know what attacks I’m talking about – all those people – sometimes even those closest to us – and things that hit us hard in one way or another.)
How much simpler life would seem if I knew that in the end all of these attacks would cause me no harm (“no harm” and “no pain” are two different things) – that my victory over them was assured.
It wouldn’t mean that I could just go about life ignoring all of these things, assuming that they would just “take care of themselves” (that would be nice, right?!) – but it would mean, wouldn’t it, that I could face these things (or people) with a renewed confidence and hope and strength – and maybe even eliminate some of that fear and anger and need for revenge and anxiety that can come up otherwise.
Granted, most of us would probably wish that these “attacks” just weren’t part of life in the first place.
But remember, A servant is not greater than his master. If they persecuted me, they will persecute you. John 15:20.
The question if God is for us, who is against us? does not mean that there is no one against us. On the contrary, I think we can assume that what is against us is the same as what is against HIM! And if we look it won’t take very long to see SO MUCH that is against HIM – at times even including ourselves.
Rather this question is meant to recognize that even if we had the whole world against us (which, by the way, we don’t), HE is for us and with HIM for us, --- well, if even our greatest enemies of sin and death couldn’t have their way with HIM, what can?
More than conquerors. It is a growing process for us as HIS followers to recognize that this is in fact what we are – more than conquerors. In fact, we have trouble seeing ourselves as “conquerors” at all, much less “more than”.
What battle are you facing today – without or within? HE is for you. Now – who do you think will win?
Prayer: O Lord Jesus, help me to recognize that in you there is always victory – and that always means always. Give me perseverance and patience and trust as you bring this victory about. In your name, Jesus. Amen.
If God is for us, who is against us? Romans 8:31
No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. Romans 8:37
Many of us have a hard time trusting in Jesus, and the victory which he promises, in relation to the “attacks” we receive from the world around us – the people, the events, the circumstances (whether these are intentionally against us or not). (You know what attacks I’m talking about – all those people – sometimes even those closest to us – and things that hit us hard in one way or another.)
How much simpler life would seem if I knew that in the end all of these attacks would cause me no harm (“no harm” and “no pain” are two different things) – that my victory over them was assured.
It wouldn’t mean that I could just go about life ignoring all of these things, assuming that they would just “take care of themselves” (that would be nice, right?!) – but it would mean, wouldn’t it, that I could face these things (or people) with a renewed confidence and hope and strength – and maybe even eliminate some of that fear and anger and need for revenge and anxiety that can come up otherwise.
Granted, most of us would probably wish that these “attacks” just weren’t part of life in the first place.
But remember, A servant is not greater than his master. If they persecuted me, they will persecute you. John 15:20.
The question if God is for us, who is against us? does not mean that there is no one against us. On the contrary, I think we can assume that what is against us is the same as what is against HIM! And if we look it won’t take very long to see SO MUCH that is against HIM – at times even including ourselves.
Rather this question is meant to recognize that even if we had the whole world against us (which, by the way, we don’t), HE is for us and with HIM for us, --- well, if even our greatest enemies of sin and death couldn’t have their way with HIM, what can?
More than conquerors. It is a growing process for us as HIS followers to recognize that this is in fact what we are – more than conquerors. In fact, we have trouble seeing ourselves as “conquerors” at all, much less “more than”.
What battle are you facing today – without or within? HE is for you. Now – who do you think will win?
Prayer: O Lord Jesus, help me to recognize that in you there is always victory – and that always means always. Give me perseverance and patience and trust as you bring this victory about. In your name, Jesus. Amen.
Monday, February 16, 2009
Needed or Not
It seems very popular these days to "not need God" (though it will be interesting to see if new "needers" arise out of the present economic crisis). But here is a question: do we follow our Lord because we need Him? Or is there another, weightier reason? Whether or not we need God (yes, I admit that I think we do - but I think this is beside the point) is not the reason for following Him the truth that He wants to be our God and He wants us to be His people? Whether I want my sins forgiven or not, whether I want the joy, peace, hope, etc. which He can bring or not, whether I want to "get to heaven" or not - this Creator of ours calls us to Himself - that He may be with us and that we may be with Him. Is this not enough in itself for me to go and to spend my days in His presence?
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
More than a Feeling
If you have enough time read Matthew 18.
The servant’s master took pity on him, canceled the debt and let him go. Matthew 18:27
Have you ever tried controlling your feelings? When you do – what is your rate of success?
Emotions can be an extremely slippery item to put in check (not impossible, but certainly difficult).
In last week’s devotion on Crazy Love (past devos can be found below) we talked about how one of the ways to love someone else (especially those who might not be very good at showing love toward us) is through forgiveness.
One definition of forgiveness that I came across states that forgiveness is losing the feeling of the need for revenge because of another’s wrongdoing. Another is ceasing to feel angry against someone who has wronged you.
While these changes in feelings may certainly accompany, or follow, forgiveness, if this manipulation of our feelings is what actual forgiveness is – well then my guess is that many of us aren’t going to get very far when it comes to actually forgiving someone.
Personally I like the parable presented by Jesus as recorded in Matthew 18. In this parable, in order to illustrate forgiveness, Jesus uses the image of a king canceling the debt of his servant.
To me this is very helpful (and not just because we’re in an economy where lots of us could use our “debts” cancelled).
It is helpful because of this – on the one hand it recognizes that there IS an actual debt to be paid. My job isn’t to trick myself into feeling or thinking that what the person did really wasn’t wrong OR that they shouldn’t have to pay to make it up to me.
Rather forgiveness recognizes the reality of the wrong that was committed AND recognizes that they indeed should make up for it BUT then cancels this requirement that they make up for it. The debt – a REAL debt brought on by a REAL wrong – gets cancelled. I no longer am holding you accountable (“your account has been cleared”) for the wrong you have done. Payback is no longer necessary – indeed it is not accepted, for your debt is now gone.
At the same time, on the other hand, forgiveness as “canceling the debt” recognizes that there is still a cost involved. The king in the parable took a real loss by canceling the debt of his servant. He didn’t just feel differently toward the servant – he suffered a loss on his servant’s behalf. The king in essence paid the price to let the servant go free.
For us too, it would be foolish and unrealistic to think that forgiveness is something we can give away without cost. In fact the price we pay to forgive others is exactly the reason why in some cases we hesitate and even refuse to forgive. And yet – (and this is the key to it all, isn’t it?) – there is One who is willing to pay that price for them even when we can’t pay it ourselves. The One who pays the price so that we might have our debt cancelled is also the One who is willing to pay the price to free us to cancel the debt of those who owe us.
Having trouble forgiving someone – or forgiving them yet again? Go ahead – charge their debt to HIM this time – that is why He is here.
Prayer: Lord Jesus, you came both to reconcile us with our Creator AND to reconcile us with each other. Even as you draw us nearer to yourself, may your grace also wipe away the debts, the trespasses, the sins which we hold against one another – as you continue to show us what love truly is. In your name. Amen.
The servant’s master took pity on him, canceled the debt and let him go. Matthew 18:27
Have you ever tried controlling your feelings? When you do – what is your rate of success?
Emotions can be an extremely slippery item to put in check (not impossible, but certainly difficult).
In last week’s devotion on Crazy Love (past devos can be found below) we talked about how one of the ways to love someone else (especially those who might not be very good at showing love toward us) is through forgiveness.
One definition of forgiveness that I came across states that forgiveness is losing the feeling of the need for revenge because of another’s wrongdoing. Another is ceasing to feel angry against someone who has wronged you.
While these changes in feelings may certainly accompany, or follow, forgiveness, if this manipulation of our feelings is what actual forgiveness is – well then my guess is that many of us aren’t going to get very far when it comes to actually forgiving someone.
Personally I like the parable presented by Jesus as recorded in Matthew 18. In this parable, in order to illustrate forgiveness, Jesus uses the image of a king canceling the debt of his servant.
To me this is very helpful (and not just because we’re in an economy where lots of us could use our “debts” cancelled).
It is helpful because of this – on the one hand it recognizes that there IS an actual debt to be paid. My job isn’t to trick myself into feeling or thinking that what the person did really wasn’t wrong OR that they shouldn’t have to pay to make it up to me.
Rather forgiveness recognizes the reality of the wrong that was committed AND recognizes that they indeed should make up for it BUT then cancels this requirement that they make up for it. The debt – a REAL debt brought on by a REAL wrong – gets cancelled. I no longer am holding you accountable (“your account has been cleared”) for the wrong you have done. Payback is no longer necessary – indeed it is not accepted, for your debt is now gone.
At the same time, on the other hand, forgiveness as “canceling the debt” recognizes that there is still a cost involved. The king in the parable took a real loss by canceling the debt of his servant. He didn’t just feel differently toward the servant – he suffered a loss on his servant’s behalf. The king in essence paid the price to let the servant go free.
For us too, it would be foolish and unrealistic to think that forgiveness is something we can give away without cost. In fact the price we pay to forgive others is exactly the reason why in some cases we hesitate and even refuse to forgive. And yet – (and this is the key to it all, isn’t it?) – there is One who is willing to pay that price for them even when we can’t pay it ourselves. The One who pays the price so that we might have our debt cancelled is also the One who is willing to pay the price to free us to cancel the debt of those who owe us.
Having trouble forgiving someone – or forgiving them yet again? Go ahead – charge their debt to HIM this time – that is why He is here.
Prayer: Lord Jesus, you came both to reconcile us with our Creator AND to reconcile us with each other. Even as you draw us nearer to yourself, may your grace also wipe away the debts, the trespasses, the sins which we hold against one another – as you continue to show us what love truly is. In your name. Amen.
Friday, February 6, 2009
Lovin' grace.
One of the greatest things about messing up (did you even know there was anything great about messing up? And by the way I'll call it "messing up" only because it sounds more gentle than "sin" which of course is what it is) - anyhow - one of the greatest things about messing up has got to be - and yes, unfortunately I had to witness this first hand this week - has got to be how great is the grace of God. And we know that in all things God works for the good... (Romans 8:28) - but He wouldn't have to work all things for the good if we were already working the good ourselves, would He? It is only because our good doesn't always work, that He has to work all things for the good himself. And in His grace (yes, we'll call it amazing grace) He often works things even better than what our good - which we didn't do anyway - would have done on its own. I love grace!
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
e-devo: Crazy Love
If you have enough time read John 13.
A new command I give you: Love one another. John 13:34
Want to do something crazy today? Want to do something a little nutty?
Try this: love someone.
Really! Love someone.
But not just anyone. Some people are easy to love. You were probably already loving them before you began reading this devotion. Rather, we’re talking about those other people or that other person. The one you can’t stand. Or the one you simply try to ignore. The one who has a great gift at annoying you, whether they are trying to or not. Maybe even the one who turned against you or caused you pain. Maybe you can see them right now, maybe you haven’t seen them in years, maybe you might not have a chance to see them again.
Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.
Jesus spoke these words a couple hours after He had showed a token of His love by washing the feet of His twelve disciples – including the two feet which belonged to the man whom He knew was about to leave in order come back with others and to betray Him with a kiss.
If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even ‘sinners’ love those who love them. … But love your enemies… Luke 6:32, 35
On that night (and the following day!), Jesus showed them what true love really is. And since then, the crazy thing (the miraculous thing, the relationship changing, the history making thing) is that, by faith, He helps us to do the same.
If a good part of our walk with Jesus (whom we can’t see) is lived out in our lives with people (whom we can see) [see last week’s e-devo below for more on this] then loving them is not some extra little thing that would be nice to do if we could or if we ever got around to it. Rather, this is what life is about! And the difference which faith in Christ makes. This is why we are here – and why He has come.
Want some ideas to share some of this crazy love today?
Maybe washing their feet isn’t the best plan (though if you choose this option let me know how it goes).
Rather, how about seeing them differently – to see them as the image of God they are, even if that image can be hidden at times? (Listen here for more on this: http://www.emmanuelbaltimore.org/sermon/19.)
Or how about actually liking them (I’m still fully convinced that truly loving someone always includes liking them, and that denying this only gets in the way of our love)?
Or how about caring about what is going on in their life – both the good and the bad and lifting this up in prayer (even daily, perhaps)?
And, here is the winner: if they have wronged you, how about forgiving them? Radical thought right! Thank the Lord that He has done and continues to do the same with us. Should we tell them that we forgive them? Maybe or maybe not – but my guess is that it will at least show.
What other ways can you come up with sharing this – His – love today?
Prayer: Lord Jesus, at times the call you give me is too great to follow. In these times O Lord help me to deny myself and let the One who now lives in me – your Spirit – lead me to where you would have me go – especially in my relations with the pinnacle of your creation – people – even as flawed as we may be. In your name, Jesus. Amen.
A new command I give you: Love one another. John 13:34
Want to do something crazy today? Want to do something a little nutty?
Try this: love someone.
Really! Love someone.
But not just anyone. Some people are easy to love. You were probably already loving them before you began reading this devotion. Rather, we’re talking about those other people or that other person. The one you can’t stand. Or the one you simply try to ignore. The one who has a great gift at annoying you, whether they are trying to or not. Maybe even the one who turned against you or caused you pain. Maybe you can see them right now, maybe you haven’t seen them in years, maybe you might not have a chance to see them again.
Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.
Jesus spoke these words a couple hours after He had showed a token of His love by washing the feet of His twelve disciples – including the two feet which belonged to the man whom He knew was about to leave in order come back with others and to betray Him with a kiss.
If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even ‘sinners’ love those who love them. … But love your enemies… Luke 6:32, 35
On that night (and the following day!), Jesus showed them what true love really is. And since then, the crazy thing (the miraculous thing, the relationship changing, the history making thing) is that, by faith, He helps us to do the same.
If a good part of our walk with Jesus (whom we can’t see) is lived out in our lives with people (whom we can see) [see last week’s e-devo below for more on this] then loving them is not some extra little thing that would be nice to do if we could or if we ever got around to it. Rather, this is what life is about! And the difference which faith in Christ makes. This is why we are here – and why He has come.
Want some ideas to share some of this crazy love today?
Maybe washing their feet isn’t the best plan (though if you choose this option let me know how it goes).
Rather, how about seeing them differently – to see them as the image of God they are, even if that image can be hidden at times? (Listen here for more on this: http://www.emmanuelbaltimore.org/sermon/19.)
Or how about actually liking them (I’m still fully convinced that truly loving someone always includes liking them, and that denying this only gets in the way of our love)?
Or how about caring about what is going on in their life – both the good and the bad and lifting this up in prayer (even daily, perhaps)?
And, here is the winner: if they have wronged you, how about forgiving them? Radical thought right! Thank the Lord that He has done and continues to do the same with us. Should we tell them that we forgive them? Maybe or maybe not – but my guess is that it will at least show.
What other ways can you come up with sharing this – His – love today?
Prayer: Lord Jesus, at times the call you give me is too great to follow. In these times O Lord help me to deny myself and let the One who now lives in me – your Spirit – lead me to where you would have me go – especially in my relations with the pinnacle of your creation – people – even as flawed as we may be. In your name, Jesus. Amen.
Monday, February 2, 2009
More from Augustine - a repeated question
Victorinus: I want you to know that I am now a Christian.
Simplicianus: I shall not believe it, or count you as a Christian until I see you in the Church of Christ.
Victorinus (laughing): Is it then the walls of a church that make a Christian?
(From a 4th century conversation, as passed on to us in Augustine's Confessions.)
Over 1600 years later, the same conversations take place. Certainly it is not the "walls of a church", but can we claim Christianity as our faith apart from fellowship with his Church? OR can we be Christian without the fellowship of other Christians? OR can we have fellowship with Christ apart from fellowship with one another? (Another good question is this: can we have true and complete fellowship with one another apart from fellowship with Christ???)
Simplicianus: I shall not believe it, or count you as a Christian until I see you in the Church of Christ.
Victorinus (laughing): Is it then the walls of a church that make a Christian?
(From a 4th century conversation, as passed on to us in Augustine's Confessions.)
Over 1600 years later, the same conversations take place. Certainly it is not the "walls of a church", but can we claim Christianity as our faith apart from fellowship with his Church? OR can we be Christian without the fellowship of other Christians? OR can we have fellowship with Christ apart from fellowship with one another? (Another good question is this: can we have true and complete fellowship with one another apart from fellowship with Christ???)
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