It struck me just the other day how similar these two words are in English. To serve is to work for; to perform a duty; to labor on behalf of someone else. A servant performs duties for a master; a worker serves his or her employer; I serve my customers as they visit my shop. To “deserve” is to work in such a way, or to show such qualities as to merit reward (or punishment).
Much of our Christian life here on earth is centered around service. I serve at church; “I serve a risen Savior;” even this blog is a way of serving– sharing the Gospel and what I continue to learn about prayer. Praying for others is a way of serving them.
But much of our culture centers around what we “deserve.” Even our service is often qualified and judged as being more or less worthy than other service. If I serve on a board of directors, it is considered more worthy, more deserving of respect, than if I serve as a janitor, a junior clerk, or a night watchman. If I serve in a public capacity as an elected official or an ambassador, I am considered more deserving than if I serve as a humble citizen. We see some positions as deserving of more money, more power, more respect, and more worth.
But that is NOT the way God sees our service. God gives good gifts, not because we “deserve” them, but because it is His nature to give. God sends the sunshine and the rain to everyone, regardless of whether they have “earned” a sunny day or “deserve” lovely flowers to grow in their garden. Similarly, when God allows for natural disasters, they affect both “good” and “bad” people in a region. Occasionally, God will show His divine favor by sparing a group, as He did with the Israelites in Egypt. The Egyptians were victims of ten plagues, while the Israelites, living in the land of Goshen, were spared. But that wasn’t because the Israelites “deserved” to be spared, nor that every Egyptian was “deserving” of punishment. Rather, the horror of slavery and oppression of the Israelites caused God to show His righteousness and His power to save those who were being unjustly treated. (A lesson our world has yet to fully learn!) And God promised Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob that He would be with their descendants forever, saving them from those who would oppress them. But in daily life around us, innocent people often struggle, while “bad” people seem to prosper. Why doesn’t God give us what we “deserve?”
What we “deserve” in this life is the consequence of our sin and rebellion against God’s holiness–and that is DEATH. A God without any mercy would simply allow for those consequences to take effect without any opportunity to repent or to experience His Blessing. God does NOT give us what we “deserve” here on earth. However, He notices our “service”– our desire and capacity to do good–at every level. He does not give higher value to those who serve in positions of power or authority– in fact, Jesus taught just the opposite:
25 But Jesus called them to him and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. 26 It shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant,27 and whoever would be first among you must be your slave, 28 even as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” Matthew 20:25-28 ESV
Prayer often seems like a humble service– we often pray alone or in small groups. Very few people are praised for being “prayer warriors,” and many pray without anyone even knowing about it. Except God knows. He hears and He delights in our prayers. We don’t pray in order to “earn” God’s favor, or anyone else’s approval. But we pray to a God who gives us far more than we “deserve.” And we serve a God who delights in even the humble acts we do for others. A God who has promised us Eternal life with Him in Heaven! Not as a reward for our service; not based on our worthiness or self-righteousness, but based on the worthiness of Jesus! Heaven is our reward for His great sacrifice. We don’t “deserve” it, but we can rejoice in it, even as we serve quietly and humbly here on earth.
Earlier this week, we celebrated Constitution Day in the United States. It went largely unheralded. The United States Constitution– the document on which all other laws are supposed to be based in this country– is relatively small. It takes about a half-hour to read it through, including all 27 amendments. It takes much longer to understand and make sense of it. One document that helps define and explain the Constitution is the Declaration of Independence.
One of the key phrases in the Declaration is this: “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.–That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, –That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness.”
But looking around today, it seems that not all American hold ANY truths to be self-evident– indeed, many people don’t hold any truths to be true! We like to pay lip-service to one phrase– “All men are created equal…” but even here, we cringe and rephrase it. “It’s not just ‘men’ who are equal– all genders are equal” “Everybody is equal.” But what do we mean by this new phrase? It is self-evident (I would argue) that everyone is NOT equal in all ways. Some of us are taller than others, or healthier or wealthier than others; some of us live longer than others. Some of us work in offices; others work in the wind and rain and snow. Some of us live in large mansions, while others live in motor homes, apartments, hospital rooms, or even homeless shelters. The “Truth” is that we are CREATED equal– we are equally valued by our Creator, and equally entitled to dignity, life, liberty, and the “pursuit of happiness” under the laws of the land. Our laws are not supposed to create an artificial “equality” of outcome or circumstance, but provide for equal protection and opportunities for everyone to live, experience freedom, and pursue their individual purpose and dignity.
And we are losing the self-evident truth that Government should derive its just powers from the consent of the governed– not the arbitrary will of unelected bureaucrats appointed without public consent and answerable to no one.
We have lost the self-evident Truth, and replaced it with clever and complicated ideals.
None of this is new, however. All the way back in the days of ancient Israel, the people lost the self-evident Truth about their nation and its unique covenant with God. The Covenant was simple. It did not take a long time to read through. There were Ten Commandments and several “amendments” of ceremonial and social rules. God gave Moses a list of promises– blessings and curses–if the nation of Israel would (or would not) uphold their portion of the covenant. God would be their ruler, and they would be His People.
But after the death of Moses and his successor, Joshua, the people abandoned the law and the covenant, until chaos reigned, and God invoked many of the curses against His own people. By the end of the book of Judges, we learn that, “..in those days there was no king in Israel; every man did that which was right in his own sight.” (Judges 21:25)
Such conduct led to Israel being invaded, defeated, and oppressed. Worse, they approached their religious leader, Samuel the Priest/Prophet, and asked for a human king in order to be just like the other nations– nations God had called out for being wicked, violent, and unjust. The reign of kings failed, too, and the nation was again invaded, dragged off to exile, and oppressed.
“We hold these truths..” is more than just a phrase in a national document. It is a guideline for justice, peace, and prosperity.
WE– It doesn’t work for the people of any nation to be divided about what constitutes Truth. “My truth,” “Your truth,” and “their truth” can’t live together in harmony.
HOLD– We must be firm in our commitment to the Truth, or we will be swept away by the latest philosophy, moral standard, or faddish practices of the world around us. That doesn’t mean that we can never admit a need for change– that’s what the amendment process is for– but when we keep letting go of standards which have preserved safety and guaranteed opportunity, replacing them with temporary power grabs and loosely defined concessions to the loudest complainers, we are headed for nationwide injustice, violence, and oppression
THESE– There are other “truths” we could have adopted back at the founding of our nation. We could have set up another monarchy. We could have developed an oligarchy, made up of a ruling class. We could have argued that only land-owners were “equal.” That life was not an “unalienable” right. That representative government was inefficient, and therefore not necessary.
TRUTHS– Not suggestions. Not prevailing opinions of the day. TRUTHS. Immutable, unchanging, solid, objective.
And what goes for the United States should be a warning for Christians everywhere. We are citizens of Heaven. There are truths that we should hold to– truths that should be self-evident in the life of every Christian. Jesus is LORD– not just a pal; not just a guru or a good teacher. He is the LORD. God doesn’t change– What He said a thousand years ago about loving God and loving your neighbor still applies today. He hasn’t changed His mind about life, or liberty, or the pursuit of righteousness… He hasn’t become less powerful or less Holy, that we should just do “whatever is right in our own eyes..” God’s Word hasn’t changed–His promises still hold; His warnings are still meant to be heeded; His will is still evident. God’s grace is sufficient! God is HOLY and JUST. And He is full of Mercy and Love. He will forgive; He will empower us to do His will; He will continue to transform us as we follow Him. God is Greater than Government. Whatever system of Government we live under in this life, God’s Kingdom is greater, more just, and everlasting.
These are truths worth holding! No matter what happens to the United States or its Constitution, I will continue to hold to the Truth of the Bible above all. May God in His Grace give us the strength, wisdom, and will to hold fast to what is true, and not just what is “American.”
We lost a family member a couple of weeks ago. We were shocked and heartbroken to hear of his loss. To know that we will never get to hear his laughter or watch his eyes crinkle up over a good joke; never hear him enthuse over history or a great movie; never enjoy the fellowship of being in the same room together again. He never got to retire from his job; never got to walk his daughters down the aisle; never got to enjoy the house he and my sister-in-law planned to build.
BUT
Chris had a wonderful life in many ways. He and his wife have three amazing adult children. He got to enjoy plenty of days loving nature and enjoying a good sunset over Lake Michigan. He harvested many morels each spring. He made music. He helped hundreds of people in hundreds of little ways. He was blessed.
We went to Chris’s funeral last weekend. We helped celebrate his life– his accomplishments and achievements, his vivid personality, his sense of humor– and we celebrated his Faith. Yes, there were tears at the funeral. We will miss Chris in the years to come. But we share his faith and his great hope. We will miss him temporarily. We will grieve for a few years. And then, we will experience a joy that will make us forget the grief! Not only will we see Chris again– to laugh together and share stories and songs– we will be in the presence of our source of Life, and Hope, Joy and Peace! We will be surrounded by the great cloud of witnesses as we live eternally with the One who loves us best!
Many years ago, another man died. There was grief, stunned disbelief, and terror. The family, friends, and followers of Jesus Christ mourned. They hid. Their world was dark with despair and anguish. All these years later, we look at paintings and sculptures of Jesus suffering on the cross. But, while we shudder at the horror of all He suffered, we do not look on such pictures with fear or despair. The Cross is not a symbol of Death’s ultimate victory, but rather its ultimate defeat. Jesus didn’t stay dead. His body was buried, but He did not stay there. We celebrate, not the horrors of the Cross, but the limits of its power to steal our joy.
This is where grief meets hope. It is where the past is overwhelmed by the promise of Eternity. Christians grieve– of course we do. We love life, and we grieve to see it end. We love being with friends and family– we feel an emptiness and an ache when someone we love is “missing.” But we do NOT grieve without hope. We acknowledge the brief sting of loss. But Death loses its sting in the light of Christ’s victory. There is no lasting victory in the grave. Our time is short; we are powerless to stop death from taking us; from taking our loved ones. But Eternity beckons! Even our time on earth gives us daily reminders– the sun rises each morning; spring comes after each winter; children grow into parents, and we get to love another generation.
Even when life is hard; when grief looms large and hope seems dim– hope does not disappoint! Because Christ LIVES!
Chris was buried earlier this week– his body was buried– but he LIVES. He is healed and freed of all the pains and frustrations of this earthly life, and because of Christ’s gift of Grace and Redemption, Chris is living all that he once hoped for. Because of Christ’s great gift, many of us will someday join him in singing God’s praises, in laughter, delight, and endless joy!
God keeps His promises. Not just small promises, not just some of them, or some of the time. God Keeps His Promises! Every single one. Every single time.
In this world of failed promises, assumed promises, “campaign” promises, and broken promises, it is almost impossible to believe. Surely there must be some promise that God has not fulfilled– some promise that he has taken back or “modified” somehow…
Isn’t there? There are people who claim to have examples– proof that God cannot be trusted. They list tragedies that God allowed to happen, or dreams that did not come to fruition. They list times they could not feel God’s presence, or understand His ways; times He seemed silent or harsh. Didn’t God promise His unfailing presence? Didn’t He promise peace and love and joy?
Good questions–just what DID God promise? To whom did He promise it? When? Were there some promises that were conditional, and, if so, what are the conditions?
God’s presence–Jesus said, “And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” (Matthew 28:20 ESV) There are numerous other passages where God says to Israel, or to one of Israel’s leaders, “I will never leave you or forsake you.” The writer of Hebrews echoes this in chapter 13 of his letter as he seeks to encourage early Christians. This is a solid promise, and one that we can trust. But we won’t always “feel” God’s presence. That’s one of the reasons for the promise– to give us an anchor for our faith when our feelings are confused. God will be with us even (and often especially) when we feel alone, frightened, overwhelmed by our circumstances. What makes the thought of Hell so frightening is that it falls outside of this promise– at the “end of the age”, there will be a time and place where God’s presence cannot be felt– God will not be there, nor will the essence of God be available. No love, no peace, no light, no life, no joy, no hope. Even those who utterly reject God in this life still have access to hopes and dreams, love and goodness, because God is still present in His creation.
God’s promises to Israel–God made hundreds of specific promises to the nation of Israel. Some were made for specific circumstances and times. Some were made to be eternal and never broken, canceled, revoked, or transferred. Many promises (including those given through prophecies) were given to specific nations, including Israel/Judah/Judea as it existed at that time. Others were given to a restored Israel– one that has not yet been completely restored. Other promises were made to those who are the spiritual heirs of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob– regardless of their genetic heritage. It is very easy to co-opt a promise that isn’t really ours to claim in the context of when or how it was given.
“Circumstantial” or “Personal” promises– God fulfilled certain promises to individuals throughout the Bible. These are recorded to remind us of God’s faithfulness and His power to bring about miracles. They are not meant to act as personal promises to us because We want the blessings that God gave to someone else in other circumstances.
“Difficult” promises– Not all God’s promises are ones we want to remember! God has promised that we will suffer. He promises that people will hate us, abandon us, or persecute us on account of our faith. Death and judgement are stark realities– God has promised that we will face both– and that we can face both without fear! Jesus himself foretold of natural disasters, war, poverty, disease, injustice, hunger and other difficult circumstances that will continue until His return.
“Victorious” promises– God has promised future restoration and renewal– eternal life, a new Heaven, and a new earth. But He hasn’t promised easy victory. He promises Justification, not “just a vacation” by Faith. When we face struggles, it is not God breaking His promises. And it is not always because we aren’t praying enough or don’t have enough faith. Sometimes, God sends us into the thick of the battle for reasons we don’t understand. He doesn’t give us the victory we think we deserve or the victory we dream of. But we can trust that the victory already belongs to Him.
Prayer is more than just a wish or a vague hope– it is trusting my life, my future, my fears, and my heart to the one who can be counted on to listen and to respond. Always!
“Times are tough!” I hear many people complaining about the economy lately. And they have good reason– gas prices, food prices, housing prices, taxes– everything is getting more expensive, and wages or other sources of income just aren’t keeping up.
While we may worry about the current economic conditions, we need to step back and look at a different economy– God’s economy.
This weekend, I wrote out checks and paid bills. I even put some money in the offering at church. But God doesn’t look at the amount of money I paid or gave away, how much I spent or saved, earned or invested. He’s aware, of course, of such things, but God looks at a different “bottom line.” God cares how I spend or save money, whether it’s pennies or thousands of dollars. But He also cares how I spend my time and energy. And my life is “richer” than just the money in my bank account or the things in my house.
God doesn’t give us everything we want– He loves us too much for that. Life isn’t about having the most “toys;” it isn’t about having the easiest or most entertaining experiences. It isn’t about “winning” and having “more.”
I have noticed that the happiest people are often those who have had to struggle the hardest. In God’s economy, it is His pleasure to give more than we can ask or imagine– but often in ways we would never expect. (see Ephesians 3:20-21) In God’s economy, I am rich. Not because of anything that I have done, or earned, or because I was born to a wealthy family or because I won the lottery. I am rich because of what God has done. And if I am tempted to doubt that, I can begin listing all the blessings of God– and I will run out of space and time!
God has given me life. I didn’t choose to be born. I did not have the power to create myself. But God made me unique among all the people who have ever lived. He gave me a body, a mind, a soul, and a spirit. He gave me thoughts and dreams and opportunities to grow and enjoy life.
God gives me hope and purpose and a reason to live. Life can be difficult. It can be painful. It can be tempting to see only the darkness, the grief, the regrets. But it can be beautiful. It can be almost painfully beautiful, sometimes. What a gift. And what a gift God offers in each new day. A new chance to hope. A new chance to strive. A new chance to make a difference.
God has given me family and friends. And sometimes, that can be a struggle! We aren’t perfect, and we don’t always see eye to eye. We step on the toes or we step on the feelings of others. But we also make each other laugh. We make each other stronger. We help each other grow. We enrich the lives of others, and others enrich our lives in return.
God has given me His word– His promises; His love-letter; His wisdom; His counsel; His power to shape my story. And yours! The Bible is not just a collection of stories or words. It is Truth. It is Grace. It is how we can KNOW the riches God has for each of us.
God has given me His Salvation. No matter what today brings; no matter what has happened in my past– whether things I have done, or things that have been done to me–God sees me as His child. And if I believe in Him; if I trust Him to be who He says He is– my Father, my Savior, my Lord–He will throw my past and my guilt “as far as the east is from the west”(see Psalm 103:12). I am debt-free! And I will inherit all that God will share with His children throughout eternity!
And God has given my His Presence. I am never alone. I am never forsaken or forgotten. NEVER. (Hebrews 13:5) If I am sitting in despair on an ash heap, seeing no hope and no future, God is sitting there with me, waiting for me to see Him, and accept that He is more than “enough” to get me through.
And with such riches, I can follow God’s lead and be generous in return. I don’t have the power to give life, but I can celebrate it, advocate for it, protect it, and remind others of its beauty and promise.
I can encourage others– with acts of service, with a smile, by faithfully lifting them up in prayer. What if we thought about hugs as endowments? What if, in God’s economy, every hug you give is worth $2,000? What if every prayer is like investing in a bank account? What if your smile is worth a fortune to someone today? I can be a friend to someone who feels unseen or unheard. I can share a conversation with someone who feels lonely. I can share a burden for someone who just needs a helping hand.
I can share God’s promises. I can share His wisdom. I can share His compassion. I can share His Mercy and Grace with those who least expect or “deserve” it. I can share my hope and my joy. I can help someone look up and look beyond a bad day. And where there is suffering and pain– I can share that, too, knowing it is part of God’s good economy. And maybe, as I offer my presence, I can help someone else see the presence of God sitting there with us both!
You may not feel very rich today. And in this world’s economy, you may be in great need. God may not shower you with cash or assets in the present moment. But God has promised to give you everything you truly need for life and Godliness (2 Peter 1:3-4)
I’ve been reading in the book of Numbers this week. Numbers is not the most exciting book of the Bible. Many of the chapters are about the census, or about further rules and regulations concerning sacrificial offerings, etc.. But the chapters from 11-15 detail a series of rebellions– grumblings against Moses and efforts to return to Egypt. These rebellions happen after over two years after God had led the people out of Egypt. For two years, they have been protected, fed, sustained, and instructed by God himself. His spirit has appeared as a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night throughout their journey. They have had manna and quail to eat, water from the rock to drink, and they have seen the vast army of Egypt drowned in a matter of minutes, while they were led through the sea on dry land!
And now, they are so close to the “finish line.” They are on the very doorstep of the land of Canaan; the land God had promised to GIVE them. All that is left is for Moses to send out some scouts to bring back a report about the land– its cities and farmland, its people and its produce. Those two years must have seemed like a lifetime, but now it would be coming to an end. God would provide a homeland; a place to build houses, raise crops, rear their children, and settle into lives of peace and prosperity.
So what happened? The scouts brought back a factual report. The land had fortified cities, and lush farmland. It was already planted with plenty of fruit trees and vineyards. And there were ancient people groups with mighty warriors. Israel had just taken a census. They also had mighty warriors, and a lot of them! Moreover, they had God’s promise that the land would be GIVEN to them as their inheritance.
They were so close! Victory, rest, and prosperity were so close they should have been able to taste them. Instead, their warriors moaned and wailed like infants. The same people who had vowed to follow the Lord at Mount Sinai, now planned to walk away from His promised prize. They decided to turn around and go back to slavery in Egypt–the same Egypt that God had decimated two years earlier by sending plagues and destroying its army.
Two years of camping and living “on the road,” lost in two hours of grumbling and fear-mongering. And the punishment? Forty years of needless wandering–time to realize what had been thrown away in petty worrying and imagining the worst. Time to regret their reaction and their failure to trust God. Time for God to show them, once again, His ability to keep them safe and sound in the desert places.
And the learning curve would be a steep one. Almost immediately, a group decided that they would “prove” to God that they were ready to conquer Canaan– on their own. But it didn’t work. Then a group decided that Moses was to blame for their misfortune. But they were “swallowed up.” In the forty extra years of wandering, group after group would challenge Moses (and God) and be destroyed from within. Moses, who had already lived forty years in the wilderness tending sheep, would have to repeat the task, shepherding the entire nation of Israel for forty long and difficult years. And even he would fall victim to his own frustrations, calling water from another rock, but doing it “his” way. Even Moses would fall in the wilderness, never getting to enter the promised land.
How many times have you noticed that the closer we get to a goal, the more likely we are to fall short. We sabotage our own efforts, or we rebel against good instruction. Sometimes we just give up a few yards short of the finish. We are just over half-way through the month of February. What goals or resolutions did you make for this year? How many of them have you stuck with?
Here are three things I take away from the lessons of Numbers 11-15:
Look Beyond. Don’t take your eyes off the prize! The scouts’ report was not all bad. Yes, the cities were walled and the warriors were big and fierce. But the walls of Jericho were eventually brought down without a single battering ram, siege ramp, or arrow! Don’t ignore the trials ahead, but don’t let them blind you to the blessings beyond them!
Look ahead, not behind. Don’t waste time living in past comforts or running from past mistakes. God has something better than whatever we’re going through now. But God isn’t waiting on the other side. He is beside us, around us, WITH us right now. He is patient with us. It may take us two years (or forty-two!) to reach a goal, but if we learn to follow God, we will never be forsaken.
Look UP! God’s spirit didn’t appear on the ground around the Israelite camp. He appeared as a pillar. God called Moses UP on Mount Sinai. We need to stop looking back at our past, or around, comparing ourselves to others, and look at God’s promises. In relation to our goals and dreams, we need to LIFT them up in prayer! Daily!
We are so close! Let’s keep going in the right direction towards God’s promises.
Last week, I saw numerous posts with New Year’s resolutions, promises, and goals. One that I saw repeated often was the phrase, “This year, I need more of Jesus and Less of Me.” And, while I can see the appeal of such a phrase, I’d like to take a closer look at what that really means in a practical sense.
It’s easy enough to say a phrase like this and then proceed to live exactly the same as last year– struggling to be a “better” person, a more Christ-like person–and wondering why it isn’t working. But what if we’re missing the real transformation we need this year by misunderstanding what this phrase really means?
“More Jesus.” Actually, there is no “more” Jesus to be had than there already is. We can’t “get” more Jesus. We already have access to all the Grace, Power, and Peace that Jesus can offer. We have His Spirit to guide us, His example to follow, His indescribable sacrifice to motivate us, His promises to sustain us…what “more” are we looking for?
What we really mean by this phrase isn’t more of Jesus, but more TO Jesus and more FOR Jesus– more of our devotion, more of our obedience, more of our submission, more of our learning to lean on Him. We need to make more room for Him, more time for Him, more energy.
“Less Me.” In today’s world that revolves around identity and self-expression, this is where we lose non-believers, and many Christians, as well. The language of the New Testament– Jesus’ own words in fact! — call for us to die to ourselves and be raised to new life in Him. To many people, this seems like a very bad bargain. Matthew 16:25 puts it this way: “For anyone who keeps his life for himself shall lose it; and anyone who loses his life for me shall find it again.” (The Living Bible) But look closely at this statement. Jesus is not promising death, but LIFE. (See also John 10:10) Jesus isn’t proposing to take away our life, but to help us find our best life. The word “life” in this passage can be translated as “life” or “soul.” When we think of “dying” to ourselves, or “losing” our life, we see only the negative. And death IS the ultimate negative. We don’t want to “die.” We don’t want to let go of this precious gift of life that we have been given. And it seems as though Jesus asks us to make a ridiculous trade– our life for His; our will for His; our self-control and determination for His mastery and domination.
Except that is Satan’s oldest and greatest lie! When Jesus says, “anyone who loses his life for me shall find it again,” He’s not promising a shadow life of slavery or degradation. God doesn’t want Holy zombies or robots, mindlessly and grudgingly following orders. He wants to bring us into the BEST and most abundant LIFE we can experience! But in order to experience any of it, we have to “get out of the way!” We have been given the ability to choose between right and wrong, between following God’s way or rebelling against it. It is when we believe the lie that God doesn’t love us, that He doesn’t have our best interests at heart, that He is withholding “something” from us– power, “fun,” happiness, achievement, etc.–that we lose our true life. We lose perspective, we lose joy, we lose peace, we lose our true purpose, we lost trust, and we lose hope. We get so worried that God will “cheat” us out of what we want in life, that we become enslaved to our own limitations and fears. I have hopes and dreams, but on my own, I will scheme, connive, compromise, and fall short of what I could become. I will let circumstances and bitterness determine my limits. I will betray all the promises of God for all the lies of the world. i may “win” the game of life, but in the end, I will still die. And I will die never knowing what I might have achieved WITH God, instead of in my own strength and wisdom.
So when we say, “Less Me,” what we really mean is less of my grasping, less of my whining, less of my demanding my own way, less of me shutting out others, less of me standing in opposition to God’s best for my life. ”More Jesus”– more trust in Him, more humbly walking WITH Him, instead of shaking my fists AT Him, actually results in “More Me”– not the ME that wants the world to revolve around only myself, but the Me that God created me to be! The Me that can only be shaped by a Master’s Hand. The created me bringing glory to and through the Creator!
So this year, instead of saying “More Jesus, Less Me,” maybe we should say, “Me Less, Jesus More!” Me less and less in the driver’s seat. Me less prideful and isolated. Me less prone to anger and bitterness. Me less in the center of my thoughts and plans for today. Jesus more in my daily talk. Jesus more in control of my emotions and reactions. Jesus more of my focus. Jesus more of my best and most trusted friend! And in the end, Me, More like Jesus made me!
Every year, I try to read the Bible from cover to cover…a little each day, beginning with Genesis on January 1, and ending with the last of Revelation on December 31. So yesterday, I finished the last verse of Revelation 22– AMEN! And today’s reading begins with “In the beginning…”
Once again, I will read the Bible as a cycle– “beginning” to “AMEN.” But the Bible, like most other books doesn’t really have a beginning and an end. Things happen “before” the beginning, and things happen after “the end.” The Bible tells us of the beginning and the end of our created earth. But where Genesis begins with darkness and void, Revelation ends with light and joy and victory! ”They all lived happily ever after…”
And I am reminded that God’s character shines through every page of His Word. He makes all things new! He creates! He redeems! He Blesses!
As we go into a new year, we can take great encouragement from the message of the Bible. Every year– every day, and even every moment–is filled with God’s presence and His promise of eventual renewal and redemption. We face an uncertain year in terms of human achievement and “progress.” War, famine, economic collapse, natural disasters, disease, heartbreak, and death– all are possibilities and even probabilities in our fallen world. But the Bible teaches that our problems, as enormous as they seem to us, are not outside of God’s power to redeem and redress.
His plan is to recreate, rejuvenate, and replenish. All our relationships; all our ambitions; all the landscapes of all our dreams– will one day be reshaped. All the terrors and tribulations of Sin and Death will be vanquished. There will be no more need for fear or distrust or even cautious optimism. It will be NEW– not just “new and improved”, but new and perfected! Whatever we pray for in the coming year, we can know that God will bring situations full circle from tragedy to eventual triumph. It may not happen today; it may not happen this year or even in this lifetime. But God keeps His promises from “the beginning” to the Final “AMEN!”
And on this first day of a New Year–let’s rejoice that God is the God of all New Things; the Maker of All Good and Perfect Gifts; the God who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or imagine (see Ephesians 3:20-21)!
Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see. 2 This is what the ancients were commended for.3 By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God’s command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible… 6 And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.
Faith is essential to prayer. Not only is it essential that we know the truth, we must depend on it. Those who lift up general prayers to some unknown “force” in the universe have no real hope that their prayers will be heard, instead of bouncing around among the planets in silent expectation. We pray to a God who sees, hears, loves, and works among us. And He will answer our prayers– in His way, in His time, and to our ultimate benefit.
That does’t mean that we must blindly believe everything we hear about God, or that we must agree exactly with everyone else who claims to believe. None of us has ever seen God face-to-face, nor can we claim perfect knowledge. But there are certain truths that do not change– God is GOD; creator, ruler, unchanging and Holy. God is who He says He is, not who someone speculates or imagines Him to be. God is mysterious, but He is “Knowable”–we see His character in the natural world, and we can see His reflection in the people around us who are all created in His image. Most of all, we have the testimony of Jesus Christ and of all who have followed Him and been transformed by Him. To all who earnestly seek Him, He has given us His Word, and His Spirit to guide us. And God is Good. Even though nature (and human nature) has been tainted and twisted by sin, God remains true to His own goodness. Even in the hard times, when God seems distant–especially when He seems distant–faith looks beyond our present circumstances, and the taunts of our enemies, to remind us of God’s providence, His Power, and His promises. Our present trials and calamities are not beyond His ability or His willingness to turn to good purpose, and they do not compare to the promises God has given.
Faith is essential to prayer, but so is faithfulness. Prayer is part of a growing relationship with our Maker. And like any relationship, it must be maintained. God is eternally faithful, but we are not–not in our own power or in our own will. And our faith, without faithfulness (in prayer, in devotion, in our everyday thoughts and actions) will wither and die. The same thirst we have for prayer in the valleys of life should be present when we reach the mountaintops. The same need we have to cry out for help should be the need we feel to cry out in praise. This will not happen without discipline, developed by daily seeking His face.
As we approach a new year, we can make many plans and resolutions– let one of them be to strive for faithfulness, especially in our pursuit of prayer. We know it is the right thing to do. And our faithfulness is not just for us. It blesses the heart of the One who was faithful even unto death. And it shines as an example to those around us– inspiring some to faith, and others to renewed faithfulness.
Finally, let’s also resolve to move forward a step each day, remembering that “The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; 23 they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. (Lamentations 3:22-23 ESV)
God’s mercies are new every morning. And our resolve should be renewed every morning. It is God’s faithfulness that allows us to work toward greater faithfulness. We will not keep our resolutions in our own power, nor will we keep them by remaining stuck in our past failures.
Let’s embrace the coming new year as an opportunity to stretch our faith muscles, grow in faithfulness, and move forward in mercy!
It was almost 160 years ago, during the darkest days of America’s Civil War, that Henry Wadsworth Longfellow wrote a poem “Christmas Bells” that would become the Christmas Hymn, “I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day.” His son had been badly wounded in battle; his wife had died just a few years earlier, and the nation was in ruins and chaos. No one knew how much longer the war would continue or what the final outcome would be; Longfellow did not know if his son would live, or if he would be paralyzed for life. As he listened to the bells of Christmas ringing from church towers, he poured out all his doubts and fears in verse. Yet he concluded, “The Wrong shall fail, the Right prevail, with peace on earth, good-will to men.”
Christmas is not just a celebration of “comfort and joy” that comes from tinsel and lights, cozy fires, or gifts under brightly lit trees. Christmas is about Hope in times of darkness. It is about promises kept; prophesies fulfilled, victory assured, even when it looks as though the Enemy has the upper hand.
It is horribly tempting in troubled times to wonder and question God’s ways– does He hear? Does He see? Is He asleep? Does He exist? How can a “good” God allow such suffering and pain? And like Longfellow, we listen to our circumstances, and they seem to drown out the message of Christmas– “For Hate is strong, and mocks the song of peace on earth, good-will to men.” The cannons of yesteryear may have been replaced with 24-hour news cycles or Facebook news feeds, with protests and terrorist attacks; war and political corruption; social tensions and economic turmoil, but the noise is still the same. There is hatred, deceit, destruction, and doubt in our world–it was present during the Civil War; it was present during the Roman occupation at the time of Christ’s birth. But that birth brought a singular hope– one that has become so familiar, and so casual as to be almost forgotten amidst the immediate urgent noises of the day.
The trappings of Christmas sometimes hide the very Glory of Christ’s Advent. God CAME. He LIVED AMONG US. He was humble. He felt the cold and heat of long days and nights; his feet got dirty from walking. He laughed and cried. And, He DIED. He felt agony and shame and fear as he gasped for breath, naked and bloody and facing sneers and anger from the crowd. But God IS NOT DEAD–He conquered death; He rose again victorious. And He did it so that our suffering is not in vain– our suffering is not the end of our story.
GOD IS NOT DEAD. Hope is not in vain. Nor does He sleep–even in the silence of our lonely nights, even in the noisy chaos of life in 2023–God has not stepped off His throne; He has not turned His back on mankind. “The Wrong shall fail–” though it may seem strong and strut arrogantly through the streets, shouting and threatening–God is the final authority. Nothing is hidden from Him. He sees every injustice, every secret sin; He hears every lie, every twisted truth, every deceit. And He has no favorites– there is no excuse, no “religious” exemption– ALL have sinned, and all will be held to account.
EXCEPT– because of that one birth and death and resurrection–the debt is already paid. “The Right (shall) prevail with peace on earth, good-will to men.” For those who listen beyond the noise of battle, the bells of Christmas ring “more loud and deep” with the hope and joy and strength that overcome our pain and struggle. Longfellow found that truth– and I’m so glad he shared it. I hope his words will continue to remind us to listen through this season for the true message of Christmas.
Pursuing Prayer 