John Chapter 9 - a whole chapter devoted to one miracle.
It's not just any miracle...Jesus heals a man who had been blind from birth. This was not just a "magic trick" that could have been done by anyone. Following the miracle, the man is questioned multiple times about it. And Jesus explains his actions to several people on multiple occasions. What is it about this story that has everyone all RILED up???
I encourage you to read the whole chapter in order to gain understanding through context, however I will only include part of it here as our focus.
S - John 9: 13-16, 39-41
They brought the man who used to be blind to the Pharisees. 14 The day that Jesus made the mud and opened his eyes was a Sabbath. 15 So again the Pharisees asked him how he received his sight.
“He put mud on my eyes,” he told them. “I washed and I can see.”
16 Therefore some of the Pharisees said, “This man is not from God, for He doesn’t keep the Sabbath!” But others were saying, “How can a sinful man perform such signs?” And there was a division among them.
Jesus said, “I came into this world for judgment, in order that those who do not see will see and those who do see will become blind.”
40 Some of the Pharisees who were with Him heard these things and asked Him, “We aren’t blind too, are we?”
41 “If you were blind,” Jesus told them, “you wouldn’t have sin. But now that you say, ‘We see’—your sin remains.
O - Oh how the Pharisees loved to pick apart everything and remind you of the "law". Let's look at a few details of this story and dissect the law for a minute.
First, Jesus uses mud. He sculpts it into a shape to place on the blind man's eyes. In the law, you weren't even allowed to "sculpt" the mud on the Sabbath, the Jewish holy day of rest. The simple fact that he picked up the mud and used it was going against Jewish law.
Secondly, he HEALED on the Sabbath. Now I don't know about you but the fact that he healed on ANY day is pretty amazing! I have never understood why they are getting all worked up and completely MISSING the fact that this guy Jesus just took a man that was blind and made it so he can see. They say he is not God and calls him a sinner specifically because he broke the "law". Seriously! Like wake up people.
I don't know Hebrew law well and it might be in there specifically not to do "healing" on the Sabbath, but my thought is that healing wasn't done on a regular basis, at least the full-on complete healing that Jesus was doing, and it was not the NORM. And it amazes me that they are fixating on the fact that he did something on the Sabbath. AND they are not SEEING what is right in front of them. They are so focused on the actions of the man and what the law says that they are missing God. It seems so silly to be fixated on the day of the week. I don't really get how that makes you a sinner. I don't believe that when God gave them the "laws" He intended for them to hold that above meeting people's needs. God gave them the "law" to set them apart from the rest of the world for the purpose of carrying out His plan of salvation, but it was not supposed to define them when it came to having a relationship with the Lord Almighty, the creator of the universe. And it was definitely not set in place to justify ignoring care for people at a basic level, which was exactly what Jesus was doing.
Going back to the mud again for a moment. I find it interesting that Jesus doesn't do something fancy to perform this miracle. He uses mud...from the ground...and then tells him to wash it off. This is what heals his eyes so he can see. Jesus chooses a very basic material, the same of which incidentally God used to create man in the first place, and does incredible "eye opening" things with it! (sorry, fun little pun there...I am my Father's daughter :)
In vs. 39 Jesus says he came for judgment so let's address this a moment. I think this is talking about how Jesus will be judged and take on the judgment for sin, even while he is sin-less. I think it would be easy to interpret this as him saying he has come to judge us. We would be missing his point by taking this view. Jesus came to show us how to live, and to save, not to judge. He is making a point to give us a play on the word "see" and using the miracle of blindness to sight to teach us to be open to what we cannot see with our eyes but can "see" with our hearts. We do not SEE God but can know Him. He sees us for what we can be instead of who we are in our sin. His plan of restoration includes us accepting the gift of salvation by faith and not by sight...we cannot always see God with our eyes, nor can we see what He has in store for us as He changes our hearts and lives, nor can we see or imagine the immeasurable blessings that He has to give.
In vs. 41 when He says that the Pharisees sin because they "see" it means that they are using their human eyes that have limited power to really see who He is, instead of being open to "seeing" God's plan for all of humanity. They are blinded by the law and their own limited interpretation of God's plan. They believed this was just for the Jewish people but God had a bigger plan in mind from the beginning and they are missing it.
A - There is so much here that we can apply to our own lives and I am humbly reminded to look within myself at my own sin. It would be prideful to say that I am a "good" person and follow the "law", which I do. In reality, I am just as big of a sinner as a murderer, which makes me cringe. My pride, losing my temper, judging others, and a handful of other sins, get in the way of my relationship with God. But I am also reminded that God sees me, little ole me, for who I can become in Christ, not who I am in the world. He has paid the price for my sin and the gospel says that there is NOTHING I can do to make God love me more, or less. NOTHING. (Romans 8) I did not earn my salvation by following the law, nor will I keep it or get a better spot in heaven because of "good behavior".
Let me address "good behavior" for a moment. We Christians are actually sometimes the WORST about holding this over people's heads. We say what you can and can't do. We judge others and we judge ourselves. I know a few people that are so wrapped up tight with guilt over something they have done, or something they didn't do, and perhaps even shame over something horrible that someone else did to them, that they don't love themselves, they don't think they are worthy of God's love, and they most definitely are NOT able to love others because they have nothing to give. Like an empty glass begging to be filled with water. On the other side of the spectrum are some other people that don't care what God thinks actually, and don't think they need Him. They want to justify their behavior because they are "good people" and follow MOST of the laws of the land while JUDGING Christians for speaking out about what is right and wrong. I've been unfriended on facebook for giving my opinion on social issues, which I guess is considered "judging", even though the other person giving their opinion about Christians and "bad" behavior didn't consider their own behavior "judging". Hmmm, but I digress.
But the worst of these in my opinion are Christians that act like they are "better" because they do all the "right things" and don't SEE the log in their own eye. They are happy to be proud of themselves for going to church, being in the "best" bible study where all the other "good" people are, giving money, going downtown to feed the homeless, and bringing you dinner when your husband has surgery. Oh, they won't ever say anything to those "less" than themselves that is judgmental...it will be all sugar and sweetness...but they are gossiping to their close friends about you or telling their kids that they can't play with your kids. I admit it...I know this because I have found myself guilty of this a time or two. It hurts to admit it and I just HATE it when I find myself influenced in this direction. I guess my opinion expressed here could be considered judging as well. I DO believe we need to stand true to biblical principles and there is a time and place, and a LOVING way, to address sin. Parents should be cautious and protect their kids from negative influences, but we should not be afraid to "mingle" with those that are not our "kind". After all, Jesus ate a meal with prostitutes and tax collectors!!! This is a slippery slope that we must be cautious of lest we turn people away from the church for what they SEE in us. Do they see Christ, or do they see US?
And so it is important to read John chapter 9 and remember that we too are guilty like the Pharisees of having limited sight. We see what we see with our eyes every day and justify our sin, judge others, fall into temptation, act based on what is right in front of us, or the fear that we feel from what we don't understand or "see" completely. Maybe our sight is limited because we are so focused on unaddressed pain in ourselves. We are blinded from God's ways because we see every day the ways of the world. We don't always see who God is or we don't see His plan because we forget where to look.
Hebrews 12:1-2 says "Therefore, since we also have such a large cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us lay aside every weight and the sin that so easily ensnares us. Let us run with endurance the race that lies before us, 2 keeping our eyes on Jesus, the source and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that lay before Him endured a cross and despised the shame and has sat down at the right hand of God’s throne."
That's right people. We keep our eyes on Jesus. That's what we do. Day in and day out we look to Jesus. And if we don't know how to do that, we keep looking...we seek Him and we mess up...and we learn a little bit...and we keep looking. This doesn't mean we DON'T have to worry about the law because God did give us the Bible, written by His divine power through 40+ authors, that all point to the same thing...God goes before us, He has our back behind us and frankly, He knows what He's doing cuz He like created the whole world or something! Maybe we should listen and stop trying to figure it out on our own. The Bible and the Holy Spirit are our guides. This is how we learn and the more we practice looking, the more we SEE. And when people look for God's plan and trust in Him, He works it all out. He restores, He saves, and He heals with simple materials like mud and water.
P - Oh that I would keep my eyes on you Jesus! I really stink at this sometimes. I sometimes see myself for what I've done in the past, what I haven't done yet, and very often how others see me. But you Lord see me as beautiful, and valuable, and you love me FOR my weakness because it all the more shows your great power when you overcome all that. Use me. Please give me the gift of sight to see your plan for my life and how you want to use me each and every day. I want to look to you and be blinded from the ways of the world. Please hide the temptations from me!!! I pray this prayer for my family and friends as well and especially those that may not believe that you love them, or that you want to use them for GREAT things. I pray they would see themselves as YOU see them and take a step toward loving you and seeking you. I pray they would be surrounded by those that love you and would show them how much love you have to give. May I simply be an instrument to guide others in this same way. Thank you Lord for the privilege of interpreting your word and being able to share it with others. This brings me great joy! I pray all this in Jesus' Holy name! Amen!
Showing posts with label Romans. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Romans. Show all posts
Sunday, August 11, 2013
Saturday, August 3, 2013
Self (control) is a 4 letter word
I have been thinking a lot about self-control and obedience the last couple months. It seems that many I've talked to lately are struggling with this subject as well. Whether it's "holding our tongue", staying out of the drive through, buying bigger and better "stuff", or resisting a temptation. Many Christians are challenged to be obedient and change our bad habits but it's HARD isn't it???
And what is it about the word "obedience" that makes us clench our teeth? At least it does mine! I'm a rebel...always have been. When someone tells me I can't do something, there's a part of me that says "Hmmm, why not?" or maybe "we'll see about that!" And yet when someone ELSE is breaking the rules, I'm very much the do-gooder, amazingly surprised at their actions. So don't get me wrong. I am a rule follower and take pride in doing the right thing. I don't like being in "trouble" so I usually follow the rules...unless it's a hard rule to follow or "someone else is doing it" and I might start considering the parameters of the "rule". Is it a rule that makes sense? Have we always done it this way and does it need to be changed? Does the person that set the rule really care if the rule is enforced? Is it more of a "guideline"? I'm a triangle...I want to know "what's the point?"
I think about obedience a lot because I seem to be my own worst critic when it comes to reaching a goal and "self-control" (or a lack there of!) seems to always be the biggest hurdle. And I KNOW I am not alone.
Which brings me to what I wanted to share from scripture this week...there is a point to this prequel I promise. I'm on a "detox" diet and I can't have anything fun for 11 days. That's not actually completely true...strawberries are fun...cilantro is fun. yeah, that's it. The rest is boring veggies and lean meat. I can't have caffeine, sugar, dairy, gluten or ANYTHING artificial/processed. I love food. Ask my family...I'll pretty much eat anything and love MANY things so it is not easy to have self-control this week. Sticking to the diet is hard but I am determined and I keep focusing on the fact that it is temporary torture.
Food isn't actually my biggest problem though. It's getting enough sleep and fitting in the exercise. (I'm up late writing right now because my house is quiet!) One of the other things I'm doing during the 11 days on this special diet that is supposed to be kicking up my metabolism a notch, is getting enough sleep and exercise. So how am I doing? GREAT on the diet and exercise part...just OK on the sleeping part. I have had 8+ hours of sleep 4 out of 6 days so far...tonight is not one of them. I guess that's not too bad. And if I'm really honest with myself, the problem is time management.
So with that confessional, let's take a look at what the scripture says on "self-control".
S - 2 Peter 1:3-9 (Holman Christian Standard Version/Apologetics Bible)
3 His divine power has given us everything required for life and godliness through the knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and goodness. 4 By these He has given us very great and precious promises, so that through them you may share in the divine nature, escaping the corruption that is in the world because of evil desires. 5 For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with goodness, goodness with knowledge, 6 knowledge with self-control, self-control with endurance, endurance with godliness, 7 godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love. 8 For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they will keep you from being useless or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 The person who lacks these things is blind and shortsighted and has forgotten the cleansing from his past sins.
O - First observation that just gives me such an amazing peace is vs. 3 which says that God gives us EVERYTHING "required" for life and godliness through His divine power. Did you catch that? EVERYTHING that is REQUIRED. Not everything we WANT. This is so important because I think our satisfaction level is such a HUGE part of living with self-control and obedience. Why is it that we convince ourselves that we "need" something, in the moment, on an impulse? We usually give in because we decide it is worth it to "enjoy" whatever it is that we think we NEED. We desire the enjoyment more than we desire to be satisfied in God and what He provides. Don't worry...I'm preaching to the mirror!
Next observation is about the promises that God gives. These are great and precious promises that allow us to SHARE in God's divine nature. We are not subordinates that He looks down on. Jesus calls us His friends and we are CHOSEN to "bear fruit". (John 15:15-16). He wants to SHARE His divine nature with us and help us escape the "corruption" that is in the world...evil desires are of the world and this is not OF God. He is not condemning US, He is condemning the evil desires, the temptations, the corruption that draws us away from Him and His promises. These promises are His protection. We have a choice to believe these promises.
The final observation I have is the progression of HOW to be useful and fruitful. The meaning behind this progression is that after we receive salvation (by grace/God's gift, not by works/what we DO) we are challenged and motivated by the Holy Spirit to seek God's path for us. This is like a path with many choices and it is in finding God's path that we find our purpose, how He will use us, and how we will produce "fruit". (see also Galatians 5:22 on the fruit of the spirit).
This is where the progression listed in this scripture is so interesting. The final step in this progression is love...I think this means it's the ultimate goal and is pretty important. We are asked to "supplement" our faith FIRST with goodness. To supplement means to complete or make an addition to. Then we are to supplement goodness with KNOWLEDGE and then it is through knowledge that we can then supplement our faith with self-control. This is not so much "smarts" as it is gaining wisdom. In other words, we must BEGIN and ACT. We must find a way to begin showing goodness and by our acts of goodness, (and I believe also with studying God's word) we will begin to find strength in showing self-control. AFTER we start working purposefully on self-control is when we can really find the ability to have endurance, godliness, brotherly affection, and love.
A - I believe this passage is saying that the key to obedience to God is self-control, which really comes from knowledge/wisdom and taking steps toward goodness. SELF-control is really putting GOD in control and a release of "self"...it's really "God-control". We must work towards finding a way to focus on God's provision and being satisfied in His blessings. If we do not open our eyes and renew our mind to see and think the things of God, then we will not be successful in our attempts at obedience. Oh yes, we will slip up, and even mess up royally. But that is also the beauty of a relationship with Christ. He advocates for us and has already covered our sin and mistakes with his own blood. God sees us for what we WILL be instead of what holds us back.
So I think I can conquer the diet thing this week without saying any 4 letter words...long term will have to come with opening my eyes and renewing my mind, to see God's provision and promises clearly. In order for me to conquer my "night owl" problem, I must focus on my satisfaction in the Lord, instead of the satisfaction I get from being in my house in the quiet late at night writing about it! Hmmmm...I'll have to work on that.
For more scripture on this topic, read David's efforts toward self-control in 1 Samuel 24:1-15;26:1-20
And read these scriptures for more encouragement:
Philippians 3:9
Galatians 5:13
James 4:2-3
2 Corinthians 3:5
1 Peter 1:13-16
Romans 8:26-28
P - Father God, you are the best Daddy because you provide ALL that we need. I am in awe that you never forget us, nor do you give up on us. You are persistent to draw us to you and remind us that your love is consistent, never-ending and readily available no matter what we have done, if we will receive it! I pray that you will show me how and where to take action to show goodness towards others and in so doing I will gain knowledge and wisdom on the path to self-control. Walking in your ways is my goal and I thank you that you see me for who I will become, not for what I have done. Give me strength and courage to be bold in my faith and not only stand up for what is right in obedience, but also to help and guide others to do the same. In the precious name of Jesus I pray. amen.
And what is it about the word "obedience" that makes us clench our teeth? At least it does mine! I'm a rebel...always have been. When someone tells me I can't do something, there's a part of me that says "Hmmm, why not?" or maybe "we'll see about that!" And yet when someone ELSE is breaking the rules, I'm very much the do-gooder, amazingly surprised at their actions. So don't get me wrong. I am a rule follower and take pride in doing the right thing. I don't like being in "trouble" so I usually follow the rules...unless it's a hard rule to follow or "someone else is doing it" and I might start considering the parameters of the "rule". Is it a rule that makes sense? Have we always done it this way and does it need to be changed? Does the person that set the rule really care if the rule is enforced? Is it more of a "guideline"? I'm a triangle...I want to know "what's the point?"
I think about obedience a lot because I seem to be my own worst critic when it comes to reaching a goal and "self-control" (or a lack there of!) seems to always be the biggest hurdle. And I KNOW I am not alone.
Which brings me to what I wanted to share from scripture this week...there is a point to this prequel I promise. I'm on a "detox" diet and I can't have anything fun for 11 days. That's not actually completely true...strawberries are fun...cilantro is fun. yeah, that's it. The rest is boring veggies and lean meat. I can't have caffeine, sugar, dairy, gluten or ANYTHING artificial/processed. I love food. Ask my family...I'll pretty much eat anything and love MANY things so it is not easy to have self-control this week. Sticking to the diet is hard but I am determined and I keep focusing on the fact that it is temporary torture.
Food isn't actually my biggest problem though. It's getting enough sleep and fitting in the exercise. (I'm up late writing right now because my house is quiet!) One of the other things I'm doing during the 11 days on this special diet that is supposed to be kicking up my metabolism a notch, is getting enough sleep and exercise. So how am I doing? GREAT on the diet and exercise part...just OK on the sleeping part. I have had 8+ hours of sleep 4 out of 6 days so far...tonight is not one of them. I guess that's not too bad. And if I'm really honest with myself, the problem is time management.
So with that confessional, let's take a look at what the scripture says on "self-control".
S - 2 Peter 1:3-9 (Holman Christian Standard Version/Apologetics Bible)
3 His divine power has given us everything required for life and godliness through the knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and goodness. 4 By these He has given us very great and precious promises, so that through them you may share in the divine nature, escaping the corruption that is in the world because of evil desires. 5 For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with goodness, goodness with knowledge, 6 knowledge with self-control, self-control with endurance, endurance with godliness, 7 godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love. 8 For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they will keep you from being useless or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 The person who lacks these things is blind and shortsighted and has forgotten the cleansing from his past sins.
O - First observation that just gives me such an amazing peace is vs. 3 which says that God gives us EVERYTHING "required" for life and godliness through His divine power. Did you catch that? EVERYTHING that is REQUIRED. Not everything we WANT. This is so important because I think our satisfaction level is such a HUGE part of living with self-control and obedience. Why is it that we convince ourselves that we "need" something, in the moment, on an impulse? We usually give in because we decide it is worth it to "enjoy" whatever it is that we think we NEED. We desire the enjoyment more than we desire to be satisfied in God and what He provides. Don't worry...I'm preaching to the mirror!
Next observation is about the promises that God gives. These are great and precious promises that allow us to SHARE in God's divine nature. We are not subordinates that He looks down on. Jesus calls us His friends and we are CHOSEN to "bear fruit". (John 15:15-16). He wants to SHARE His divine nature with us and help us escape the "corruption" that is in the world...evil desires are of the world and this is not OF God. He is not condemning US, He is condemning the evil desires, the temptations, the corruption that draws us away from Him and His promises. These promises are His protection. We have a choice to believe these promises.
The final observation I have is the progression of HOW to be useful and fruitful. The meaning behind this progression is that after we receive salvation (by grace/God's gift, not by works/what we DO) we are challenged and motivated by the Holy Spirit to seek God's path for us. This is like a path with many choices and it is in finding God's path that we find our purpose, how He will use us, and how we will produce "fruit". (see also Galatians 5:22 on the fruit of the spirit).
This is where the progression listed in this scripture is so interesting. The final step in this progression is love...I think this means it's the ultimate goal and is pretty important. We are asked to "supplement" our faith FIRST with goodness. To supplement means to complete or make an addition to. Then we are to supplement goodness with KNOWLEDGE and then it is through knowledge that we can then supplement our faith with self-control. This is not so much "smarts" as it is gaining wisdom. In other words, we must BEGIN and ACT. We must find a way to begin showing goodness and by our acts of goodness, (and I believe also with studying God's word) we will begin to find strength in showing self-control. AFTER we start working purposefully on self-control is when we can really find the ability to have endurance, godliness, brotherly affection, and love.
A - I believe this passage is saying that the key to obedience to God is self-control, which really comes from knowledge/wisdom and taking steps toward goodness. SELF-control is really putting GOD in control and a release of "self"...it's really "God-control". We must work towards finding a way to focus on God's provision and being satisfied in His blessings. If we do not open our eyes and renew our mind to see and think the things of God, then we will not be successful in our attempts at obedience. Oh yes, we will slip up, and even mess up royally. But that is also the beauty of a relationship with Christ. He advocates for us and has already covered our sin and mistakes with his own blood. God sees us for what we WILL be instead of what holds us back.
So I think I can conquer the diet thing this week without saying any 4 letter words...long term will have to come with opening my eyes and renewing my mind, to see God's provision and promises clearly. In order for me to conquer my "night owl" problem, I must focus on my satisfaction in the Lord, instead of the satisfaction I get from being in my house in the quiet late at night writing about it! Hmmmm...I'll have to work on that.
For more scripture on this topic, read David's efforts toward self-control in 1 Samuel 24:1-15;26:1-20
And read these scriptures for more encouragement:
Philippians 3:9
Galatians 5:13
James 4:2-3
2 Corinthians 3:5
1 Peter 1:13-16
Romans 8:26-28
P - Father God, you are the best Daddy because you provide ALL that we need. I am in awe that you never forget us, nor do you give up on us. You are persistent to draw us to you and remind us that your love is consistent, never-ending and readily available no matter what we have done, if we will receive it! I pray that you will show me how and where to take action to show goodness towards others and in so doing I will gain knowledge and wisdom on the path to self-control. Walking in your ways is my goal and I thank you that you see me for who I will become, not for what I have done. Give me strength and courage to be bold in my faith and not only stand up for what is right in obedience, but also to help and guide others to do the same. In the precious name of Jesus I pray. amen.
Thursday, October 7, 2010
Go against the flow...as God's LIVING sacrifice!
I'm doing something different today. Instead of sharing one of my daily SOAP devotionals I felt compelled, in light of my experience in the carpool line this morning, to write about one of my favorite verses that I use as a guiding principle EVERY day. I am writing this literally as I think of it, 95% unedited, so please share your thoughts.
S - Romans 12:1-2
"Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will."
O - There is so much power here!!! In Old testament times, the Jews were called to give sacrifices. These were animals or a portion of their harvest/hard labor, that they were asked to give to God. There were many guidelines on how these sacrifices were to be given in order for them to be genuine. Today, we are living in the post-resurrection of Jesus and are no longer asked to give physical sacrifices. However, we are asked to give of our time, our service, and our personal sacrifice. This is seen by God as a "living sacrifice" and is an act of worshipping God, or giving Him reverence. We are to do this because of God's mercy. In addition, we are to transform our mind to think in line with God's word, not the ways of the world. We are to live in the world without being a part of it. How do we sit on the fence between living both ways?
A - I have always been a rule follower...to a degree. In some ways I am a rebel because if something is more of a "guideline" than a rule, I tend to see what I can get away with...I like to "go against the flow" when it won't hurt anyone or get me in trouble! Sometimes I have been known to push the peddle to a speed that might be 5-10 miles above where it's supposed to be if I'm in a hurry. I have been known on occasion to go in the "out hole" in the school parking lot if no one was in the way. I have actually had the thought that "some rules are stupid" therefore they were "made to be broken." We aren't supposed to wear flip-flops to work, however some get away with this and so I do it too because "everyone else is doing it." However, I seem to know when being "too bold" is going too far and would NEVER want to create a hazard or safety issue. I like to keep it right below the line of "crazy" :) And I definitely want approval so I would never want to purposefully make someone mad at me. I find this always interesting in the church because many churches have "rules" about how we should all conform to doing things the "right" way, and yet there are many ways to do things. So who has the right way? Who gets to be an authority?
So here's the scene: This morning I was dropping off my son at school. He attends an elementary school on a busy street and the school has modified the entrance and exit this year to reduce traffic congestion on the main road. The parking lot has a CLEAR one way in and one way out entrance. There is even a median to keep drivers from turning left out of the school parking lot. Some have argued that the school has no right to keep parents from turning left out of the parking lot. This morning there was not one, but TWO parents in front of me that not only attempted to turn left, but they blocked traffic doing it. One went around the median into oncoming traffic in order to get out and even honked at a lady that was waiting to move forward, signaling to her that he wanted her to move up and get out of his way. He was definitely not going to let any median or sign or other parents hinder his attempts to get out quickly. I wondered to myself if this is how he does this every day?
My first thought on this was it made me mad that they would be so rude. I wanted to yell at them and set them straight! First of all, I might be a little bit of a rebel (and I confess I have turned left when no one else was there!) but I would never do "that!" And yet they were doing exactly what in some ways, I try to live by every day. They were going "against the flow" because they don't recognize the school as having authority on the traffic flow.
So I ask you, how do we recognize who is in authority in our Christian walk? So how do we know how far we should take it in our Christian walk to not conform to the world's standards and yet, we are called to model a Christian life? Some might argue that perhaps these parents were having an emergency therefore it required them to be rude and go against the traffic "guidelines." It occurred to me, in even this minor way, that there are people in the world that are hurting so badly, or so focused on SELF that they don't even have a desire to be open to thinking about how their actions might effect others. They justify their actions because of how the "world" has treated them perhaps. And this overlaps into parents that drink too much, do drugs, and abuse their children...people that rob stores or break into homes because they are in need of the money...beggars on the street that would rather have a handout than a job...the list goes on. Do we excuse this behavior because they "do not know what they do?" Even Jesus on the cross asked God to forgive those that persecuted Him. How do we make an impact on these that need a hand UP? We often think that we are "better" people because we are not doing these "blatant, unrepentant sins". How are we different? The key is with God's guidance. My little attempts to justify my "speeding" or going in the "out hole" in the school parking lot are really no different in God's eyes unless I am recognizing my sins as what they are. My rebellion should simply be an act of going against the world, following God and lining up my choices with God's word, not attempts to go against HIM. In addition, do I go against the flow when it comes to reaching some of these that don't even know how far off balance they are? So many in the world are comfortable in their little Christian lives that they don't even make the effort to look for how they can be a friend to those just like them in their community. We don't have to go to the food bank or the shelter or Mexico to serve those in need. We need to open our eyes to those right next door. Just this week I realized that I have given up inviting my neighbor to church because she has said no a couple times. I should be continuing to fight that fear of rejection and continue to invite her.
P - Lord God, you went "against the flow" and surprised everyone with sending your son as a humble servant instead of a "warrior". Jesus came to conquer the world but not in the way that anyone expected. Oh that I would want to be like Jesus! Help me to have courage to reach out in spite of my fears and have an impact on those around me that need you. With your help, perhaps they will know how much you love them and want to draw them to you, regardless of whatever they have done or the choices they have made. Thank you Lord that you love us, even as we make stupid choices before your very eyes. You are a big and mighty God and how blessed we are that you do not give up on us. I pray that you would continue to help me NOT conform to the world but to have a mind that is transformed and focused on serving you. Amen.
S - Romans 12:1-2
"Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will."
O - There is so much power here!!! In Old testament times, the Jews were called to give sacrifices. These were animals or a portion of their harvest/hard labor, that they were asked to give to God. There were many guidelines on how these sacrifices were to be given in order for them to be genuine. Today, we are living in the post-resurrection of Jesus and are no longer asked to give physical sacrifices. However, we are asked to give of our time, our service, and our personal sacrifice. This is seen by God as a "living sacrifice" and is an act of worshipping God, or giving Him reverence. We are to do this because of God's mercy. In addition, we are to transform our mind to think in line with God's word, not the ways of the world. We are to live in the world without being a part of it. How do we sit on the fence between living both ways?
A - I have always been a rule follower...to a degree. In some ways I am a rebel because if something is more of a "guideline" than a rule, I tend to see what I can get away with...I like to "go against the flow" when it won't hurt anyone or get me in trouble! Sometimes I have been known to push the peddle to a speed that might be 5-10 miles above where it's supposed to be if I'm in a hurry. I have been known on occasion to go in the "out hole" in the school parking lot if no one was in the way. I have actually had the thought that "some rules are stupid" therefore they were "made to be broken." We aren't supposed to wear flip-flops to work, however some get away with this and so I do it too because "everyone else is doing it." However, I seem to know when being "too bold" is going too far and would NEVER want to create a hazard or safety issue. I like to keep it right below the line of "crazy" :) And I definitely want approval so I would never want to purposefully make someone mad at me. I find this always interesting in the church because many churches have "rules" about how we should all conform to doing things the "right" way, and yet there are many ways to do things. So who has the right way? Who gets to be an authority?
So here's the scene: This morning I was dropping off my son at school. He attends an elementary school on a busy street and the school has modified the entrance and exit this year to reduce traffic congestion on the main road. The parking lot has a CLEAR one way in and one way out entrance. There is even a median to keep drivers from turning left out of the school parking lot. Some have argued that the school has no right to keep parents from turning left out of the parking lot. This morning there was not one, but TWO parents in front of me that not only attempted to turn left, but they blocked traffic doing it. One went around the median into oncoming traffic in order to get out and even honked at a lady that was waiting to move forward, signaling to her that he wanted her to move up and get out of his way. He was definitely not going to let any median or sign or other parents hinder his attempts to get out quickly. I wondered to myself if this is how he does this every day?
My first thought on this was it made me mad that they would be so rude. I wanted to yell at them and set them straight! First of all, I might be a little bit of a rebel (and I confess I have turned left when no one else was there!) but I would never do "that!" And yet they were doing exactly what in some ways, I try to live by every day. They were going "against the flow" because they don't recognize the school as having authority on the traffic flow.
So I ask you, how do we recognize who is in authority in our Christian walk? So how do we know how far we should take it in our Christian walk to not conform to the world's standards and yet, we are called to model a Christian life? Some might argue that perhaps these parents were having an emergency therefore it required them to be rude and go against the traffic "guidelines." It occurred to me, in even this minor way, that there are people in the world that are hurting so badly, or so focused on SELF that they don't even have a desire to be open to thinking about how their actions might effect others. They justify their actions because of how the "world" has treated them perhaps. And this overlaps into parents that drink too much, do drugs, and abuse their children...people that rob stores or break into homes because they are in need of the money...beggars on the street that would rather have a handout than a job...the list goes on. Do we excuse this behavior because they "do not know what they do?" Even Jesus on the cross asked God to forgive those that persecuted Him. How do we make an impact on these that need a hand UP? We often think that we are "better" people because we are not doing these "blatant, unrepentant sins". How are we different? The key is with God's guidance. My little attempts to justify my "speeding" or going in the "out hole" in the school parking lot are really no different in God's eyes unless I am recognizing my sins as what they are. My rebellion should simply be an act of going against the world, following God and lining up my choices with God's word, not attempts to go against HIM. In addition, do I go against the flow when it comes to reaching some of these that don't even know how far off balance they are? So many in the world are comfortable in their little Christian lives that they don't even make the effort to look for how they can be a friend to those just like them in their community. We don't have to go to the food bank or the shelter or Mexico to serve those in need. We need to open our eyes to those right next door. Just this week I realized that I have given up inviting my neighbor to church because she has said no a couple times. I should be continuing to fight that fear of rejection and continue to invite her.
P - Lord God, you went "against the flow" and surprised everyone with sending your son as a humble servant instead of a "warrior". Jesus came to conquer the world but not in the way that anyone expected. Oh that I would want to be like Jesus! Help me to have courage to reach out in spite of my fears and have an impact on those around me that need you. With your help, perhaps they will know how much you love them and want to draw them to you, regardless of whatever they have done or the choices they have made. Thank you Lord that you love us, even as we make stupid choices before your very eyes. You are a big and mighty God and how blessed we are that you do not give up on us. I pray that you would continue to help me NOT conform to the world but to have a mind that is transformed and focused on serving you. Amen.
Thursday, September 9, 2010
All we do IS worship
My SOAP devotional for 9/8
S - Revelation 4:6b-8
"...In the center, around the throne, were four living creatures, and they were covered with eyes, in front and in back. 7The first living creature was like a lion, the second was like an ox, the third had a face like a man, the fourth was like a flying eagle. 8Each of the four living creatures had six wings and was covered with eyes all around, even under his wings. Day and night they never stop saying: "Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty, who was, and is, and is to come."
O - This verse also correlates to visions in Ezekiel of the same 4 creatures, or cherubim. They seem to be guardians for the throne since they are covered with eyes, watching and observing. Their continuous praise accompanies their presence at the throne. It could be assumed that they are angels, with the purpose to worship and be examples for the reverence required not only in the Lord's presence but at all times. Others have done studies on these 4 creatures and how they relate to the 4 sides of our personalities, God's creation in His image. I find it so fascinating the emphasis on how they worship and give praise.
A - We were made to worship. We are created in God's image. The Lion is the goal-driven strength, the Ox is the diligent persistent worker, the Man is the creative, thinking creator, and the Eagle is flying overhead, looking at the big picture, introspective and yet powerfully wise. This is God in one, and we too have been given these qualities in varying degrees. We were created to do good works and yet with all the time we spend getting caught up in analyzing what we should do and how we should do it, we forget that ALL of it is worship. It all comes back to Romans 12:1 that says, "Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship." We must stop, and worship and we must DO while being mindful of our work as worship. It is all for the purpose of bringing glory to God.
P - Lord God, make me ever mindful of looking, and seeing, and doing, keeping my eyes on you, that in all things I would be at worship. Bless all my work for your glory. Steer me back on track when I focus too much on my "gifts and abilities" that you have given me, and forget that I can only do through YOUR strength and power, making myself pause to remember that I am acting on YOUR behalf. Amen.
S - Revelation 4:6b-8
"...In the center, around the throne, were four living creatures, and they were covered with eyes, in front and in back. 7The first living creature was like a lion, the second was like an ox, the third had a face like a man, the fourth was like a flying eagle. 8Each of the four living creatures had six wings and was covered with eyes all around, even under his wings. Day and night they never stop saying: "Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty, who was, and is, and is to come."
O - This verse also correlates to visions in Ezekiel of the same 4 creatures, or cherubim. They seem to be guardians for the throne since they are covered with eyes, watching and observing. Their continuous praise accompanies their presence at the throne. It could be assumed that they are angels, with the purpose to worship and be examples for the reverence required not only in the Lord's presence but at all times. Others have done studies on these 4 creatures and how they relate to the 4 sides of our personalities, God's creation in His image. I find it so fascinating the emphasis on how they worship and give praise.
A - We were made to worship. We are created in God's image. The Lion is the goal-driven strength, the Ox is the diligent persistent worker, the Man is the creative, thinking creator, and the Eagle is flying overhead, looking at the big picture, introspective and yet powerfully wise. This is God in one, and we too have been given these qualities in varying degrees. We were created to do good works and yet with all the time we spend getting caught up in analyzing what we should do and how we should do it, we forget that ALL of it is worship. It all comes back to Romans 12:1 that says, "Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship." We must stop, and worship and we must DO while being mindful of our work as worship. It is all for the purpose of bringing glory to God.
P - Lord God, make me ever mindful of looking, and seeing, and doing, keeping my eyes on you, that in all things I would be at worship. Bless all my work for your glory. Steer me back on track when I focus too much on my "gifts and abilities" that you have given me, and forget that I can only do through YOUR strength and power, making myself pause to remember that I am acting on YOUR behalf. Amen.
Thursday, April 15, 2010
Check your pride at the door
My SOAP devotional for 4/9
S - Psalm 5:4-7
4 O God, you take no pleasure in wickedness;
you cannot tolerate the sins of the wicked.
5 Therefore, the proud may not stand in your presence,
for you hate all who do evil.
6 You will destroy those who tell lies.
The Lord detests murderers and deceivers.
7 Because of your unfailing love, I can enter your house;
I will worship at your Temple with deepest awe.
O - The ultimate sin really is pride. God cannot tolerate ANY sin because it is against His very nature, and when we are too proud to claim we are without sin then that is really where the fault lies. For God is not about punishment, but this is for our own good. Why would we want a God that will pick and choose who He will save? Isn't it simpler to say that even while we are sinners, God in His mercy provided a way? And that way is to put aside our pride and worship Him with our whole heart, mind and spirit. (Luke 7:23 and Romans 5:8)
A - We must check our pride at the door. When we knock on God's door and He says, "Come in", it is because we have accepted that
1. we have sinned in some form or fashion
2. we cannot do life on our own, or become whole, without God
3. we desire to respond to God's gift of salvation in the blood of Jesus by taking a step without pride.
P - You are not a God created by human hands. You are not a God dependent on any mortal man. You are not a God in need of anything we can give, By YOUR plan, that's just the way it is. (Philips, Craig and Dean "You are God alone")
S - Psalm 5:4-7
4 O God, you take no pleasure in wickedness;
you cannot tolerate the sins of the wicked.
5 Therefore, the proud may not stand in your presence,
for you hate all who do evil.
6 You will destroy those who tell lies.
The Lord detests murderers and deceivers.
7 Because of your unfailing love, I can enter your house;
I will worship at your Temple with deepest awe.
O - The ultimate sin really is pride. God cannot tolerate ANY sin because it is against His very nature, and when we are too proud to claim we are without sin then that is really where the fault lies. For God is not about punishment, but this is for our own good. Why would we want a God that will pick and choose who He will save? Isn't it simpler to say that even while we are sinners, God in His mercy provided a way? And that way is to put aside our pride and worship Him with our whole heart, mind and spirit. (Luke 7:23 and Romans 5:8)
A - We must check our pride at the door. When we knock on God's door and He says, "Come in", it is because we have accepted that
1. we have sinned in some form or fashion
2. we cannot do life on our own, or become whole, without God
3. we desire to respond to God's gift of salvation in the blood of Jesus by taking a step without pride.
P - You are not a God created by human hands. You are not a God dependent on any mortal man. You are not a God in need of anything we can give, By YOUR plan, that's just the way it is. (Philips, Craig and Dean "You are God alone")
Thursday, March 25, 2010
Set apart and obedient
Here is my SOAP devotional for March 17th
S - Leviticus 10:10-11
"You are to distinguish between what is holy and what is ordinary, what is ceremonially unclean and what is clean. And you must teach the Israelites all the laws that the Lord has given through Moses."
O - My Life Application Bible footnotes say that this passage is the focus of the entire book of Leviticus. These guidelines and principles were to supplement the 10 commandments. The purpose of God's law was to teach the people how to distinguish between right and wrong, the holy from the common. The Iraelites needed to be taught these things because they had never had the law before. They were to set themselves apart from neighboring peoples.
A - It is hard for me to imagine a time before knowing "the law." For law-abiding people like me, it is hard to imagine having to be told all the details of these laws. I had to be taught the law at some time growing up I guess and now, even though I'm not perfect, staying within the law is a desire. And yet some of the sacrifice guidelines seem too much for me...so much detail seems irrelevant in the new covenant with Jesus. And still the whole focus REALLY is to be in relationship with the Lord and obedient to what God is calling us to do.
P - Lord, it seems tedious in some ways to read through Leviticus, but it makes me appreciate Jesus even more because we cannot possibly be perfect and I can't imagine how the Israelites followed these guidelines without making mistakes. But the law was necessary to set themselves apart and be holy and even today we need to be reminded to "not conform to the world." (Romans 12:2) Your word/law reminds us to distinguish right from wrong, otherwise we would slip into a "grey" area. Thank you God for the sacrifice you made in your son, Jesus. May I always remember and never forget to teach my children of following your ways and being obedient to you. May they learn from my example the importance of reading your word and seeking your will. Amen.
S - Leviticus 10:10-11
"You are to distinguish between what is holy and what is ordinary, what is ceremonially unclean and what is clean. And you must teach the Israelites all the laws that the Lord has given through Moses."
O - My Life Application Bible footnotes say that this passage is the focus of the entire book of Leviticus. These guidelines and principles were to supplement the 10 commandments. The purpose of God's law was to teach the people how to distinguish between right and wrong, the holy from the common. The Iraelites needed to be taught these things because they had never had the law before. They were to set themselves apart from neighboring peoples.
A - It is hard for me to imagine a time before knowing "the law." For law-abiding people like me, it is hard to imagine having to be told all the details of these laws. I had to be taught the law at some time growing up I guess and now, even though I'm not perfect, staying within the law is a desire. And yet some of the sacrifice guidelines seem too much for me...so much detail seems irrelevant in the new covenant with Jesus. And still the whole focus REALLY is to be in relationship with the Lord and obedient to what God is calling us to do.
P - Lord, it seems tedious in some ways to read through Leviticus, but it makes me appreciate Jesus even more because we cannot possibly be perfect and I can't imagine how the Israelites followed these guidelines without making mistakes. But the law was necessary to set themselves apart and be holy and even today we need to be reminded to "not conform to the world." (Romans 12:2) Your word/law reminds us to distinguish right from wrong, otherwise we would slip into a "grey" area. Thank you God for the sacrifice you made in your son, Jesus. May I always remember and never forget to teach my children of following your ways and being obedient to you. May they learn from my example the importance of reading your word and seeking your will. Amen.
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