Tag: Character of God

Alpha and Omega

What does it mean when I pray to “the Alpha and the Omega?”

“I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty.” Revelation 1:8 (NIV)

God exists. He is not bound by space or time. He was, and is, and will always be. And He is LORD of all that is, or was, or is to come. He is the source of all things, and they do not exist before or after or beyond Him.

As that relates to prayer– there is NOTHING that can take God by surprise; nothing that can exhaust His energy or His resources; nothing He has begun that won’t be completed; nothing lost that cannot be recovered or renewed. I can pray to Him about the most hopeless situation, knowing that God has already seen it from beginning to end.

He is Alpha– “The Beginning”–Except that God has no beginning or end. We do, and we understand time as a linear function. Everything else that we experience has a beginning, a middle, and an end in time. Dawn signals the beginning of the day; sunset marks the end of the day. Weeks, months, and years all have a beginning and an end. Our life cycle has a beginning and an end– we are conceived and born; we live; and we die. But we have a God-given curiosity to know “beyond” our own beginning. We study to see what came before us– history, genealogy, archaeology, paleontology– we want to know where we came from. And this is distinctly human. Cats don’t wonder about their lineage; dolphins don’t scour the seabed looking for bones and shells that may tell them about their ancestors. Humans, created in the image of God, want to understand and experience eternity past. And that is what God is– He was before the beginning. He is the source of our beginning. The Apostle John sums it up:

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were created through Him, and without Him nothing was created that was created. 4 In Him was life, and the life was the light of mankind. 5 The light shines in darkness, but the darkness has not overcome it. John 1:1-5 (Modern English Version)

He is Omega–“The Ending”–God has no end. But we do (at least our earthly life does). We do not want to think of death as the “end.” Scientists are constantly trying to explain what happens “after” death. And in spite of those who claim that there is “nothing,” most people have a hope (or dread) of what comes next. Even those who do not “know” God have a sense of immortality and eternity. We obsess about our “impact” our “legacy” on earth. How will we be remembered by those who come after? How long will our name still be part of someone’s memory or history? What is our ultimate destiny? Our ultimate “end” is to be with God. It is our purpose. It is how our earthly lives will be judged to have had real meaning. Was God our beginning and our end? Was He our first and last priority? Our best and highest thought? Heaven awaits us. There will be an “end” to life as we know it. But for those who trust in Jesus, there will be no endless darkness or soulless existence:

No longer will there be any curse. The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the city, and his servants will serve him. 4 They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. 5 There will be no more night. They will not need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun, for the Lord God will give them light. And they will reign for ever and ever. Revelation 22:3-5 (NIV)

When I pray to God, I’m not praying to the God of the Old Testament, the God of Ages Past, or the God of my parents– well, I AM– but more than that, I am praying to the God who always was, who surrounds me every second of NOW, and who will always be exactly as He always has been– Almighty, All-Knowing, Holy, Abundant, Gracious, Loving, Trustworthy, and All-Sufficient.

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Almighty!

I’ve been looking at the Names of God lately. In my last post, I meditated on “Adonai”– The LORD. God has the ultimate authority over all things. He is the Master; the King; the Ruler; the One LORD of All.

Today, I want to explore a related Name– Almighty. It is often used in conjunction with LORD. God is the LORD ALMIGHTY. Whereas LORD refers to God’s ultimate authority, Almighty refers to His Absolute Ability. He is all-powerful, all-wise– able to do exceedingly, abundantly, above all that we could ever ask or imagine (see Ephesians 3:20). There is literally nothing that God cannot do. There are many things He WILL not do– He will never leave or forsake those who are His; He will never be untrue to His own Word or break His promises; He will never change His nature or be untrue to it– but He CAN do whatever He wants.

And this is where we sometimes fail to grasp the fullness of His name, Almighty. We know that He is Mighty; that He is mightier than we are, at least. But He is the source of Everything! He is mightier than Nature–He spoke all of it into being! He is mightier than Time– He is unbound by time or age or deterioration. He is mightier than Sin and Death– He proved that through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ! He is mightier than the dark emptiness of space– He holds the entire Universe in His Hands!

And that brings me to the subconscious wonder of the name, Almighty. God is not JUST all-powerful and eternally capable. His Almighty nature is GOOD! All of His power is regulated and matched by Mercy and Grace! He has the authority (as LORD) and the power (as the Almighty) to be a terrible enemy. In fact, Job speaks of this repeatedly when he feels that God is punishing him unfairly (see Job 27). I can’t argue against God and win; I can’t grapple with God and defeat Him (Jacob tried that in Genesis 32). I am powerless against God– physically, mentally, spiritually–I cannot “win” against God by fighting, arguing, cajoling, bargaining, or using any weapon. There is no army, no spirit, no power that can budge God from His plans.

But God is NOT my enemy or my rival! Only Sin and my own rebellion and pride can make me an enemy of God. In fact, He wants a relationship with me; He wants me to live in peace and harmony with Him! He has moved Heaven and Earth to reconcile me to Himself through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ! He is like a mama bear or a lioness with their cubs, jealously guarding me from Sin and Death. He is my Father, my protector, my provider, and my Shepherd– the ALMIGHTY! And yet He cares about the smallest details of my life– He numbers the hairs on my head and keeps track of any injustice that has ever been done to me (or by me!) to be settled and made perfect on the Day of Judgment.

What a humbling thought! What a joyous reality! The Almighty LOVES ME! He LOVES YOU! And His Love is all-powerful and eternal. The ALMIGHTY IS LOVE! How can I not praise Him! How can I not see Him in every moment!

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Adonai–LORD

I’m choosing to focus for a few posts on the Names of God– titles, descriptions of His Character–that we can (and should) use in thinking about and praying to God. Today, I want to look at the term LORD, or Adonai, and what it signifies.

In English, we use the word “lord” to refer to someone who has power or authority over something– think “Lord of the Rings” or “lord and master”– someone with the power to control. In Hebrew, the word “Adonai” also means “Lord”, but in the plural form, denoting special respect or reverence. In the Bible, when we see LORD (in all capitals), it refers to the ONE who has power over all things– THE LORD, or MY LORD. (For a more detailed explanation, see https://www.christianity.com/wiki/god/what-does-adonai-mean.html)

There is an interesting passage in Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount in which Jesus uses the term “Lord.” He warns that not all those who use the phrase, “Lord, Lord” will enter the Kingdom of Heaven.

21 “Not all who sound religious are really godly people. They may refer to me as ‘Lord,’ but still won’t get to heaven. For the decisive question is whether they obey my Father in heaven. 22 At the Judgment many will tell me, ‘Lord, Lord, we told others about you and used your name to cast out demons and to do many other great miracles.’ 23 But I will reply, ‘You have never been mine. Go away, for your deeds are evil.’ (Matthew 7:21-23 The Living Bible)

We can use the name “Lord” and still not understand how fully Sovereign and Holy He is. When we acknowledge Jesus as “Lord”, we may simply mean that we think of Jesus (and the Father) as a “Lord” over certain aspects of our lives– He controls the weather, or we can pray to Him to change our present circumstances or make someone else do what we can’t make them do. But Jesus is not just a “Lord.” He is THE LORD–He is Adonai. This name (when printed in all caps) is often used as a substitute for the given Holy Name of God (Yahweh or YHWH). It IS who He IS– the One LORD over all creation. The One who is the Master of ALL. If we call Him, “Lord,” but ignore what He says, and only turn to Him as a last resort, or use His name only to sound Righteous, we are literally taking His Name in Vain and breaking the third Commandment!

What amazes me is that THE LORD of the universe wants to hear from me! He has no need of a relationship with me; there is absolutely nothing that I can bring to Him– even my obedience is only an acknowledgement of who He already IS, and the power He already has over me. He CAN make me obey Him; He has the power to circumvent my will and impose His will upon it. Yet, He chooses to ask me to follow Him; He not only tells me to obey Him, He tells me why and how! And He gives me the power (through His Holy Spirit) to do it!

God is ADONAI– He is THE LORD! And He is patient, compassionate, and humble. When Jesus came, lived among us, and died on the cross, it wasn’t because any of us deserved His substitutionary sacrifice for our Sin. It was an extension of His nature AS “LORD.” And isn’t that worth a prayer of worship today!

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April Fools

Yes, I know I’m early– April begins tomorrow, and the first of April is known as “April Fool’s Day.” It’s a day for pulling practical jokes and trying to “fool” people with fake news stories (actually, that can happen any day of the year, but it’s usually more obvious on April first). And when people tomorrow sit on a whoopee cushion, or bite into a frosted bagel, thinking it’s a donut, or they pass on a “breaking” news story about alien invasions, they will be laughed at and labeled “fools.”

But the Bible has a different outlook. We laugh at people who are deluded by headlines and gags; God warns us not to be deluded by our own thoughts and feelings.

The fool says in his heart, ‘There is no God.’ They are corrupt, their deeds are vile; there is no one who does good. The Lord looks down from heaven on all mankind to see if there are any who understand, any who seek God. All have turned away, all have become corrupt; there is no one who does good, not even one. Do all these evildoers know nothing?” Psalm 14:1-4 (NIV)

This doesn’t mean that corrupt people are corrupt merely because they are stupid, ignorant, or gullible, or that those who claim “there is no God” just don’t know any better. In fact, many atheists and agnostics know more about Biblical scholarship that most people who claim to be Christians! And many who claim to be Christians behave as though they don’t believe in or have any reverence for God!

What it IS saying is that even intelligent and well-read people can “fool” themselves into believing that God is irrelevant to the way they live their lives. Because they have not seen God act in dramatic fashion to bring justice– either punishment for their own corruption, or punishment for someone else’s injustice against them, they have concluded that God does not see, does not care, does not answer, or does not exist. They may be intelligent; they may even have a personal moral code of a sort. They may even base their “personal” morality on principles from the Bible. But they deny that God has any power or authority over their life. And this is just as true in the lives of people who carry the name of Christ as it is among atheists!

So why does the Psalmist call such people “fools?” Because God DOES see, He DOES bring Justice, He DOES answer– in His way and His timing. And when we forget that, or refuse to come to terms with that, we begin thinking that WE are in God’s place– that WE have the power and authority to do whatever we think is right or just and we can ignore God’s word, His warnings, and His sovereignty–or whatever parts of those we find inconvenient.

And many “fools” live their lives believing they are smarter, cleverer, and wiser than those who revere God. After all, their life circumstances are not so different from those who practice reverence and obedience– often they are wealthier, healthier, and more successful than their neighbors! What is the “reward” of being humble, obedient, and following a lot of “outdated and irrelevant” Biblical principles? In fact, on the face of it, it looks as though Christ followers are the real “fools!” We cannot “prove” God’s power in our lives if we are acting in our own power or measuring our life only through our current circumstances.

The Apostle Paul addresses this in 1 Corinthians, where many new believers were doubting the truth of the Resurrection. This is a central teaching of the Christian church, and yet it is a difficult reality to explain and teach to those who do not believe in life after death. A person who adopts a set of moral principles– even those taught by Jesus Christ– but doesn’t believe in the Resurrection of Christ can’t truly be called a “Christ-follower” or a “Christian.” But without the Resurrection, there is no life-changing power in a mere set of man-made rules, or the teachings of a dead folk hero.

We have preached that Christ has been raised from the dead. So how can some of you say that no one rises from the dead?  If no one rises from the dead, then not even Christ has been raised.  And if Christ has not been raised, what we preach doesn’t mean anything. Your faith doesn’t mean anything either.  More than that, we would be lying about God. We are witnesses that God raised Christ from the dead. But he did not raise him if the dead are not raised.  If the dead are not raised, then Christ has not been raised either.  And if Christ has not been raised, your faith doesn’t mean anything. Your sins have not been forgiven. Those who have died believing in Christ are also lost. Do we have hope in Christ only for this life? Then people should pity us more than anyone else. But Christ really has been raised from the dead. He is the first of all those who will rise from the dead. 1 Corinthians 15: 12-20

How does this relate to the pursuit of Prayer? If we pray to someone who “might” exist or who “may” hear us when we call, if we pray to someone who “probably” has the power to heal the sick or break the power of addiction, we really aren’t praying– we are foolishly practicing wishful thinking–we are gambling with our faith. AND, if we are praying, but then acting as though God won’t answer, we will not wait for His wisdom or wait to see His power at work in our lives. Instead, we will act on our own convictions, with our own limited understanding of the consequences (intended AND unintended) of our actions.

We can pray with confidence because God is Real; He really is Good; and because Christ really did rise from the dead in Power and Glory. Otherwise, we are praying in the mushy desire that God will rubber-stamp our requests, or that our daily circumstances are greater than God’s eternal promises. Let’s not fall into “foolish” thinking tomorrow– especially as it applies to the power of Prayer!

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Jephthah or Jabez?

There are many great examples of prayer throughout the Bible, but there are two that are often used out of context and applied wrongly.  One is found in the book of the Judges; the other in the Chronicles.

Jephthah was a mighty warrior– the son of a mighty warrior and a prostitute.  He had several half-brothers, but they wanted nothing to do with him.  He was an outcast for much of his life, but when things got tough, the people of the region changed their tune and begged him to be their leader and help deliver them from the oppressive Ammonites.   Before going into battle, Jephthah prayed, and made a tragic vow.  In fact, his vow has become a model of what NOT to do in approaching God.

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Judges 11:30-31 New American Standard Bible (NASB)
30 Jephthah made a vow to the Lord and said, “If You will indeed give the sons of Ammon into my hand, 31 then it shall be that whatever comes out of the doors of my house to meet me when I return in peace from the sons of Ammon, it shall be the Lord’s, and I will offer it up as a burnt offering.”

Upon returning from his success in battle, who should come out of the door of his house, but his only daughter, singing and dancing in celebration of her father’s victory!  Having made such a rash vow, Jephthah now has to fulfill it, and sacrifices his only child on the altar.

Many people read this passage of scripture and are shocked– how could God be so cruel?  Why didn’t he stop Jephthah from making such a rash vow?  How could he hold Jephthah to such a vow?  Doesn’t this prove that God is either clueless or deliberately cruel?  Either God knew that the tragedy would happen, and failed to prevent it, or he had no idea  of the outcome.

But I think this is a misreading of events and a misrepresentation of God.  Just before Jephthah makes his vow, the text states that “the Spirit of the Lord came upon Jephthah.  He crossed Gilead and Manasseh, passed through Mizpah of Gilead, and from there he advanced upon the Ammonites.”  People make note of the first part of verse 29, that the Spirit of the Lord came upon Jephthah prior to his making the rash vow.  But we should note that God’s Spirit did not require Jephthah to make ANY vow.   Jephthah’s vow was rash and ill-considered– these are not attributes of God or of His Spirit.  And God’s Spirit came upon Jephthah before he crossed his own native territory– territory he had fled early in life.  In crossing back through lands that now welcomed him after making him feel unwanted and ashamed, Jephthah gets cocky.  His vow is not about saving his nation from harm and oppression, or about bringing God glory.  It is about himself.  He mentions himself five times; his enemies, God, and his sacrifice, each twice; Israel never. 

Jephthah had an incredible opportunity, not only to save his nation, but to redeem his reputation and become a leader of might and integrity.  Instead, he is remembered for his rash vow.  I believe that God could have stopped Jephthah from making such a vow; and God could have kept his daughter from coming out of the house that day of her father’s return.  But I don’t believe it was cruelty that prevented him from acting.  I believe God is both omnipotent and good.  Jephthah learned the hard way that his rash self-promotion had disastrous consequences.  His daughter, who was innocent, could have berated her father, or cursed God– instead, she honored them both in a way that reflected her culture and teaching.  We are given a shocking reminder not to play games with our unknown future.  God does not keep us from our own folly, nor from its consequences, when we fail to seek His wisdom above our own pride.

In contrast, we see another prayer in 1 Chronicles:

1 Chronicles 4:9-10 New American Standard Bible (NASB)
9 Jabez was more honorable than his brothers, and his mother named him Jabez saying, “Because I bore him with pain.” 10 Now Jabez called on the God of Israel, saying, “Oh that You would bless me indeed and enlarge my border, and that Your hand might be with me, and that You would keep me from harm that it may not pain me!” And God granted him what he requested.

Once again, this prayer is sometimes taken out of context and misused to suggest that God is like a genie in a bottle, and that a pain-free life and expanded riches are ours just for the asking.  If we pray the prayer of Jabez, and we don’t see an immediate change in our circumstances, we sometimes question God’s goodness and His provision– doesn’t He care about our needs?  Doesn’t he hear our prayer?

Jabez, unlike Jephthah above, is described as honorable.  His prayer is more balanced and conscious of God’s sovereignty.  Jabez mentions himself five times, just like Jephthah; but he mentions God three times in supplication– asking God to be with him, help him, and bless him, rather than vowing what he can do for God if God grants him victory.    Notice also the context of the preceding verse.  His prayer is partly asking God to remove the sting and curse of his name, which meant “pain.”  He is not asking for enormous wealth or power, so much as asking for God’s presence and blessing.  There is a subtle, but important difference here.  Jephthah is playing at making a deal with God– If you grant me a victory, I will make it up to you by offering whatever comes out of my house.  Jephthah is asking for God’s help, but he is also vowing to give God “whatever comes out of the doors of MY house” (emphasis added). If a rat had come scurrying out, would Jabez have offered that? If it was a chicken or a lizard, or a lame sheep? And “whatever” came out of Jephthah’s house already belonged to God, and came from the hand of God, didn’t it?

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Jabez comes with nothing and asks God to be his portion and protection.  He makes no bargain with God contingent on God’s answer.  There is nothing in this prayer that assumes God’s riches will be his or that God owes him anything; only the faith that God is able to bless him, and that God, in his goodness can keep him from harm.

Jephthah, or Jabez?  Two examples…two very different outcomes.  May we have the wisdom not to confuse the two, or lose the lessons they teach.

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Summer and Winter, and Springtime and Harvest

Great is Thy faithfulness, O God, my Father;
There is no shadow of turning with Thee.
Thou changest not; thy compassions, they fail not–
As Thou hast been, Thou forever wilt be.

Summer and winter, and springtime and harvest,
Sun, moon, and stars in their courses above:
Join with all nature in manifold witness
To Thy great faithfulness, mercy, and love.

Great is Thy faithfulness. Great is Thy faithfulness;
Morning by morning, new mercies I see.
All I have needed, Thy hand hath provided:
Great is Thy faithfulness, LORD unto me.

According to the calendar, it is spring in Michigan right now. But we’ve experienced nearly all four seasons in the past two weeks! Some days were mild and sunny, others were rainy, windy, chilly, and a couple of days were even blustery with snow and sleet! Flowers have started popping up, birds have been chirping, even as the snow flies! My hall tree is covered in jackets, winter coats, hats, scarves, and caps. A few days, I’ve been in short shirt sleeves and sunglasses; the next days, I’ve needed a coat, hat, and gloves!

But even in days of chaotic weather, God is faithful! Even when I can’t decide what to wear, God is with me. If it should suddenly snow in June (and that HAS happened in Michigan before), God will not abandon me. Just as each day brings its own weather, each day brings God’s blessings.

Some days those blessings may include sunshine and bird song. Other days may include a much-needed hug from a friend, or a shoulder to cry on. Some days will bring both joy and sorrow, with God in the center of each. Each raindrop, each chattering squirrel, each beam of sunlight– all testify to God’s enduring presence. Each bud on the tree, each new tadpole, each wildflower in the forest, remind me that God is faithful to bring new life out of even the dead of winter.

Spring is a wonderful time to reflect on the goodness of God, and His wisdom in creating seasons– wet, dry, cold, hot, restful, chaotic– God is master of all the seasons, and all the days of our lives. And that is a bright thought, no matter what the weather brings today!


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Treetop Prayers

There is a zoo, about an hour from my house, where you can climb up on a platform at certain times of the day, and feed giraffes.  Since giraffes are not native to the American Midwest, this is probably the closest I ever have come, or ever will come, to a live giraffe, and I have enjoyed the opportunity to interact with this unique member of God’s creation.

Giraffes are grazers, but their unique bodies are not best designed for munching on grass or other low-lying plants.  Instead, their focus is on the tops of trees and tall bushes.  For me to feed a giraffe, I need to be at the level of the tree branches.  And it changes my perspective.  I’m no longer paying attention to ants and blades of grass.  I can see landscapes and clouds for miles stretching out around me.  Not a bad view at all!

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Yet giraffes are still grounded–they do not soar like eagles, above all the clouds and unattached to the earth.  Giraffes must still be on guard and prepared to flee danger from predators or grass fires.  But their unique height and perspective give them a better view to see the danger from far off, and act accordingly.

Sometimes, I think we are called to pray with a giraffe’s perspective–to look up and out and pray from the treetops–a little closer to God and leaving behind the small things of the world.  Lofty prayers of gratitude and praise; prayers that recognize that there is a big world of wonder all around us.  Prayers that look ahead and can see trouble on the horizon; to seek God’s face early and prepare for hard times ahead.

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This doesn’t mean that we will always be in a place to pray treetop prayers. Sometimes, we need to pray from the depths. There are days when we cannot lift our eyes without help from the very God to whom we pray. But we are called to walk THROUGH the valleys, not to stay in them! We should feel confident that God will still hear us, no matter where we may be.  But the Bible reminds us often that we should look up, ascend, raise our eyes, and change our perspective.

  •  I lift up my eyes to the hills. From where does my help come? My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth. Psalm 121: 1-2 (ESV)
  • Lift up your eyes and look to the heavens: Who created all these? He who brings out the starry host one by one and calls forth each of them by name. Isaiah 40:26
  • Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is… Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. Colossians 3: 1-2
  • But as for me, I watch in hope for the Lord, I wait for God my Savior; my God will hear me. Micah 7:7
  • So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal. 2 Corinthians 4:18
  • “Surely then you will find delight in the Almighty and will lift up your face to God.” Job 22:26
  • “But you, Lord, are a shield around me, my glory, the One who lifts my head high.” Psalm 3:3

I plan to take some time today for treetop prayer.  Will you?

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Be Still and Know…

Psalm 46
For the director of music. Of the Sons of Korah. According to alamoth. A song.
1 God is our refuge and strength,
    an ever-present help in trouble.
2 Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way
    and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea,
3 though its waters roar and foam
    and the mountains quake with their surging.
4 There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God,
    the holy place where the Most High dwells.
5 God is within her, she will not fall;
    God will help her at break of day.
6 Nations are in uproar, kingdoms fall;
    he lifts his voice, the earth melts.
7 The Lord Almighty is with us;
    the God of Jacob is our fortress.
8 Come and see what the Lord has done,
    the desolations he has brought on the earth.
9 He makes wars cease
    to the ends of the earth.
He breaks the bow and shatters the spear;
    he burns the shields with fire.
10 He says, “Be still, and know that I am God;
    I will be exalted among the nations,
    I will be exalted in the earth.”
11 The Lord Almighty is with us;
    the God of Jacob is our fortress.

When I am tempted to fret or worry, I like to read through Psalm 46. I love the way the psalmists use hyperbole to shrink fear and maximize faith– God is an “ever-present help”, we will not fear, “though the earth give way, and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea”, “He lifts his voice, the earth melts!” And I love that the phrase is repeated– “The Lord Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress.”

There is so much to unpack in just 11 verses of psalm! But I want to stick to two that always stand out to me.

First, the phrase, “the God of Jacob.” God is the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. He is the God of Moses, the God of Israel, the God of David…His titles are many. But in this case, He is the God of Jacob. NOT the God of Israel– even though God changed His name. No, He is the God of Jacob– the “heel grabber,” the son who stole his brother’s blessing and tricked his brother out of his birthright– the same Jacob who fled his homeland and worked for twenty years for his duplicitous uncle Laban. This is not the God of the victorious, but the God of those who have had to learn the hard way. He is the God of the one who has acted unjustly, and the God of one who has been treated unjustly. He is the God of the one who wrestles and demands a blessing, the God of the second son, the disappointed husband, and the grieving father. THAT is the God who is with US when we are in trouble and feeling overwhelmed by our own past mistakes, or our own inadequacies, or our unfair circumstances.

Secondly, the phrase “be still and know that I am God.” This same God who wrestled with Jacob, who blessed him in dramatic fashion, was the God who was with him through all the long and lonely night watches as a shepherd. Jacob, with his two wives, their two servants, and all thirteen or more of his children (12 sons and at least one daughter, Dinah)–spent a lot of his time surrounded by noises, nagging, responsibilities, and discord. Yet he took time to ‘be still.” And, though it took many years, and often came “the hard way,” Jacob did learn to “know” his God. He learned to trust that God would protect him, guide him, and bless him– and the generations that would follow him!

I am so grateful for this Psalm to remind me of God’s everlasting presence, His power to save and protect, and His sufficiency for every circumstance in my life. I’m so glad that the “God of Jacob” is the same God who sees me, loves me, and rescues me. I’m humbled to know that I don’t have to be clever enough or brave enough, or “righteous” enough to earn God’s help. I’m glad that the Lord Almighty is always with me. (see Hebrews 13:5) However, I still struggle to “be still and know…” I want to know by doing; by studying and making things happen. But to know God– to really know Him– I have to be still, to wait in silence and anticipation, to trust in what I cannot see and cannot do in my own power. I have to know Him as the Almighty, Omnipotent, Sovereign God that He is, rather than a God of my own imagination or the God I hear about or read about from someone else.

What a mighty God! The God of Jacob is MY fortress! And in stillness, meditation, and trust, I can KNOW Him!

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Free to Forgive

“Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.” (Matthew 6:12)

Imagine being a prisoner and being told that you were free to leave! Now imagine someone refusing to leave their prison cell, and choosing to stay locked up! Why would anyone do such a thing? And yet, there are stories of prisoners who have been freed– some of them found innocent of the crimes for which they were being held–who cannot seem to adjust to freedom.

For some, the issue is legal. Even though they have been exonerated, or have served out their sentence, they still face legal consequences–even if their conviction was overturned, or their sentence fulfilled, they still wear the tag of “convicted felon.” Their record, even if legally overturned, still hangs over their head when they apply for jobs, try to register to vote, or attempt to establish credit. For most, however, the issue is psychological. They still wear the imaginary label, “guilty.” “Not fit for freedom.” “Incorrigible.” And often, society does nothing to remove those labels, but rather reinforces the idea that once found guilty, a person can never redeem their life or legacy.

As Christians, we have been given a full pardon for our sins– regardless of whether we have spent time in a physical prison or not. We are free! But we can continue to live as though we are in prison– and worse, we can continue to put ourselves in a prison of unforgiveness toward others.

“If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9) God does not keep us in a prison of guilt and shame. He is faithful to forgive us, redeem us, and renew our mind and spirit. But part of that cleansing involves letting go of our “right” to hold grudges and cling to old hurts and bitterness toward others. God is faithful to forgive US; He is also faithful to act with justice on our behalf. In forgiving others, we are not denying the justice we deserve. And in forgiving us, God does not deny justice to those whom we have hurt!

God wants to give us true freedom– freedom from guilt and freedom from the burden of injustice. HIS shoulders are big enough to offer both– perfect freedom, and perfect justice. We are allowed to be free of both burdens when we trust God to take care of it all. And we are allowed to walk out of the prison of guilt, shame, bitterness, anger, vengeance, pride, self-righteousness, and self-loathing.

Let’s face it– we have all sinned. All of us have said or done things that have hurt others. We may not know the extent of the damage our words and actions have done, just as others may not be aware of how they have hurt us. And “hurting” people often hurt others in reaction. Jesus paid the price for our sins when He offered Himself on Calvary. His sacrifice stops the cycle of “unavenged” hurt.

Sin still continues to hurt us. Forgiveness doesn’t seek to pretend that what happened never happened, or that it didn’t matter, or that our hurt isn’t real and tragic. But forgiveness allows us to walk out of the prison of living with the label “victim” or “convict” that Sin slaps on our forehead or in our heart. It allows us to breathe the free air of God’s grace and the hope of a joyful, productive, courageous future!

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Sacrificial Prayer

I call this blog “Pursuing Prayer.” I believe prayer is a pursuit; a discipline that one can learn from, grow into, and practice faithfully in life. But prayer is also a sacrifice. It involves giving of time, space, and honest reflection.

Sometimes, prayer is a willing and joyful sacrifice. I want to come and spend time with My Father in praise and worship, adoration, and even asking for His guidance and wisdom. But sometimes, the sacrifice is hard. I may dread coming to God when I know I have been dishonest or unfaithful. Like any relationship, I cherish the easy times, the relaxing times, and the expectations of challenges met and conquered. I don’t look forward to the hard work, the waiting, or the corrections that God may have for me.

One type of sacrifice that doesn’t belong in the prayer of a believer is the Sin sacrifice. As described in the Old Testament books, the sin sacrifice had to be given to cover over the sins of individuals, priests and even the entire nation. The Israelites even had to give a sin offering for unintentional or accidental sins!

Unfortunately, I sometimes make the mistake of thinking that I must make a similar “sin sacrifice” in my prayer life– that I have to rehearse and recount all my past sins before God will hear me or act on my behalf. And that is NOT Biblical. If we are truly trusting in Jesus’ finished work on the cross, we are not obligated to offer token sacrifices as a means of covering over our past. Christ’s blood IS sufficient! (See 1 John 2:2, 2 Corinthians 5:21,1 Peter 2:24, and Romans 5:9 among others)

So when I talk about prayer of confession, I’m not talking about pouring out long laundry lists of sins I committed last week or thirty years ago. God already knows– in fact He knew about them before they happened!–and He has already forgiven me. That doesn’t mean that He wants me to pretend they never happened or that He doesn’t want me to feel the regret or understand the consequences of what I have done. Instead, He wants me to understand and rejoice in His overwhelming Mercy and Grace! My sacrifice, when I confess my sins, is a sacrifice of praise for God’s willingness to offer what I can never earn or deserve or atone for– complete forgiveness and restoration! I am agreeing with God about who I am and what I’ve done, AND about what He has done for me!

There are other times when prayer can be a difficult sacrifice. Sometimes, I am compelled to pray for those who have hurt me, or those whose actions have hurt others. I am commanded to pray for leaders– that may include church leaders who have sinned, or national leaders who have broken their promises or caused great damage. I am commanded to love my enemies, even if they never repent for things they have done.

Once again, I should be reminded of the sufficiency of Christ’s sacrifice for our sins. He didn’t just die for my Sin; He died for the sins that were committed against me. I may still feel the pain and consequences of that Sin for as long as I live on this earth. But I can trust and be confident that God has dealt with it. And that causes me to rejoice, because I can’t turn back time; I can’t undo the bad things that have happened; I can’t create perfect justice to punish my enemy. But I can let go of the burden of trying to make things “as they should be.” God will do it; He has promised! I can stop wallowing in the “what ifs” or the “what-could-have-beens;” the endless “whys” and “why me’s” that take up so much of my time and focus. Instead, I can leave them as a sacrifice on the altar of prayer, pledging my trust in the Almighty to heal and help me forgive as I have been forgiven.

We don’t practice the old animal sacrifices of the Old Testament. And we don’t have to! But sacrifice is more than just bleeding sheep and burning incense. Sacrifice is offering all of who we are to the One who created us, sustains us, forgives us, and gives us abundant life!

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