One of my very favorite bedtime stories when I was growing up was about a little bear cub. ( “Why do you love me?” by Mabel Watts) He and his mother were on a walk, and the little bear kept watching other little bears. Some were getting in trouble–running away to play in the brier patch, or climbing trees to get honey–and meeting up with bees! Little bear knew that sometimes he was like that. Other bear cubs were kind and helpful. He knew that sometimes he was like those bears. At one point, the cub was confused and asked his mother, “WHY do you love ME?” After all, he realized that he was helpless and accident-prone. Without his mother, he would be lost, hungry, and in danger. Yet his mother was always there when he needed her– even when he said he didn’t! His mother’s answer provided solid assurance– “Because you’re MY little bear!” The story book is almost impossible to find now. It is long out of print, and has been crowded out by newer books with similar titles. But for 50 years, I have cherished this story of unconditional love, because it echoes the Biblical story of God’s love for each of us.
We find many reasons to question God’s love. We find ourselves in trouble, and we are afraid to ask for help or forgiveness. After all, we have done nothing to earn it. We don’t deserve it. Even our good behavior cannot save us from our own limitations. And our bad decisions can hurt others in ways we cannot “fix.” We may have walked away from God or sneered at His care of us. We may be lost and hopeless without God’s intervention on our behalf. Why would He help? Why should He look kindly toward us?
But God’s answer is the same as that Mother Bear–You are MINE! I Love you with an everlasting love!
Even when we wander and try to do things we shouldn’t or can’t, God is near, and ready to help. He wants us to walk with Him and follow Him; He wants us to turn to Him in our need. Why? Because we belong together; we belong to HIM. And when we see others behaving badly–even when their actions hurt us–God still loves them, too. He created each one of us to walk with Him, trust Him, learn from Him, and experience His loving care.
In fact, as children of God, we should be showing the same kind of unconditional love to others. That does not mean that we condone wicked or dangerous behaviors. But we should love in such a way that people may even question it– “Why do you love me?” Instead of sharing our anger, or our own self-righteousness, what if we shared compassion and held to the truth without arrogance or disdain? What a great opportunity to share the reassurance and hope we know in Our Father’s great love!
We don’t like to talk about (or write about!) prayers of confession and repentance. And yet, the Bible is full of such prayers. In fact, even the Lord’s Prayer contains the phrase “forgive us..” Even if we pray eloquent prayers of praise and petition, our prayers will be lacking without first evaluating our relationship with Christ and seeking His forgiveness and continued cleansing.
I know there are those who will challenge this statement– after all, once we have “accepted Christ,” aren’t we considered to have His righteousness? Haven’t we BEEN forgiven? If we must keep asking for forgiveness, does that mean that Christ’s death and resurrection are not sufficient to “save” us?
I do not mean to suggest anything of the sort. We ARE forgiven– past, present, and future– our names entered in the Lamb’s Book of Life. God isn’t holding on to a grudge over every future fib, flub, or fall. And nor should we. Confession in the prayer of a Christian shouldn’t be wallowing in guilt and shame, or confessing the same sins over and over, doubting that Christ’s finished work isn’t actually finished. But just as in all close friendships, we sometimes ask, “Are we ok?”, to clear the air and maintain closeness, it is appropriate to “fess up” with God– to clear the air– precisely so that shame and guilt DO NOT build up or slowly seep into our relationship.
God will not withhold His promised salvation from us if we are trusting in Him. We are justified, and our advocate, Jesus Christ, mediates for us constantly, just as the Holy Spirit indwells us to be able to overcome temptation and do what we cannot do on our own. But WE are still living in our fallen world and fallen bodies. We will find it difficult to trust; we will find it tempting to judge others; we will doubt our own decisions– did we really do “right”? And while God is eternally faithful– we are not; nor have we reached perfection in all our daily actions and thoughts. We are “okay” with God– but confession reminds us of that!
In the story of the prodigal son (Luke 15:11-32), the son rehearses a speech of confession. And even as he begins saying his rehearsed words, His father interrupts with complete reassurance of his love. How much more does God delight in reassuring us of His eternal, unfailing love!?
Two thoughts I’d like to add here:
One– It can be very easy for us to fall into confession as a works-based ritual. Confession adds nothing to Christ’s finished work on the Cross. We are saved by God’s Grace– period. Ten thousand prayers of confession will not make us “more” saved.
Two– It can be just as easy to avoid self-evaluation and discipline as we grow “comfortable” with our Christian Walk. Confession is not about “right” and “wrong” as much as it is about humility. The Apostle Paul says, “And I am sure that God who began the good work within you will keep right on helping you grow in his grace until his task within you is finally finished on that day when Jesus Christ returns.” (Philippians 1:6 The Living Bible)
We don’t need to be hampered by guilt, fear, or shame– but we should want to keep our relationship with God pure above all other relationships. And that means being willing to submit to God’s will and God’s discipline on a daily basis. Confession is not an admission of God’s failure to save us; nor of our commitment to follow Him. Rather, it is an admission of how important that relationship is, and how much we need to keep our commitment fresh, pure, and vibrant. God HAS forgiven us; He will continue to forgive– freely, and fully!– as we follow Him.
Of David. 1 The Lord is my light and my salvation— whom should I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life— whom should I dread? 2 When evildoers came against me to devour my flesh, my foes and my enemies stumbled and fell. 3 Though an army deploys against me, my heart will not be afraid; though a war breaks out against me, I will still be confident. 4 I have asked one thing from the Lord; it is what I desire: to dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, gazing on the beauty of the Lord and seeking him in his temple. 5 For he will conceal me in his shelter in the day of adversity; he will hide me under the cover of his tent; he will set me high on a rock. 6 Then my head will be high above my enemies around me; I will offer sacrifices in his tent with shouts of joy. I will sing and make music to the Lord. 7 Lord, hear my voice when I call; be gracious to me and answer me. 8 My heart says this about you: “Seek his face.” Lord, I will seek your face. 9 Do not hide your face from me; do not turn your servant away in anger. You have been my helper; do not leave me or abandon me, God of my salvation. 10 Even if my father and mother abandon me, the Lord cares for me. 11 Because of my adversaries, show me your way, Lord, and lead me on a level path. 12 Do not give me over to the will of my foes, for false witnesses rise up against me, breathing violence. 13 I am certain that I will see the Lord’s goodness in the land of the living. 14 Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart be courageous. Wait for the Lord.
There are a lot of scary things in our world– war, disaster, taxes, death, violence, injustice, disease, uncertainty, evil, darkness, even supernatural and spiritual darkness–enough to keep us frightened and sleepless every night! And we spend a lot of our time fearing the unknown–worrying about the future; worrying about things that have not happened, and may never happen! We worry about things that matter– the health and well-being of our loved ones, uncertainty about our job or home, crime and civil unrest in our nation or neighborhood, difficult decisions with serious consequences. We worry about things that are less urgent–someone laughing at us, hair loss, dropping a phone call, running out of gas, losing a game or an argument…
David had some real reasons to be fearful as he wrote Psalm 27–evildoers, enemies, war and armies, false witnesses, and violence. Yet, he found safety and strength in the Lord. We can take comfort in the message of this Psalm–God is faithful. He is strong. He is eternal and unchanging. He is a stronghold we can trust.
But before we get too comfortable, let’s take a closer look. David’s trust is not based on a superficial knowledge about God. David’s trust comes as a result of seeking God’s face and following in “your way” (v. 11). David’s life was proof of God’s strength and protection, because David’s life was filled with fearsome adversaries!
Many generations after David penned this Psalm, the prophet Amos wrote to the people of Israel– people who knew this comforting psalm, but had lost their fear–people who no longer sought the Lord’s protection or His ways.
Amos 5 Christian Standard Bible (CSB)
5 Listen to this message that I am singing for you, a lament, house of Israel: 2 She has fallen; Virgin Israel will never rise again. She lies abandoned on her land with no one to raise her up. 3 For the Lord God says: The city that marches out a thousand strong will have only a hundred left, and the one that marches out a hundred strong will have only ten left in the house of Israel.
4 For the Lord says to the house of Israel: Seek me and live! 5 Do not seek Bethel or go to Gilgal or journey to Beer-sheba, for Gilgal will certainly go into exile, and Bethel will come to nothing. 6 Seek the Lord and live, or he will spread like fire throughout the house of Joseph; it will consume everything with no one at Bethel to extinguish it. 7 Those who turn justice into wormwood also throw righteousness to the ground. 8 The one who made the Pleiades and Orion, who turns darkness into dawn and darkens day into night, who summons the water of the sea and pours it out over the surface of the earth— the Lord is his name. 9 He brings destruction on the strong, and it falls on the fortress. 10 They hate the one who convicts the guilty at the city gate, and they despise the one who speaks with integrity. 11 Therefore, because you trample on the poor and exact a grain tax from him, you will never live in the houses of cut stone you have built; you will never drink the wine from the lush vineyards you have planted. 12 For I know your crimes are many and your sins innumerable. They oppress the righteous, take a bribe, and deprive the poor of justice at the city gates. 13 Therefore, those who have insight will keep silent at such a time, for the days are evil. 14 Pursue good and not evil so that you may live, and the Lord, the God of Armies, will be with you as you have claimed. 15 Hate evil and love good; establish justice in the city gate. Perhaps the Lord, the God of Armies, will be gracious to the remnant of Joseph. 16 Therefore the Lord, the God of Armies, the Lord, says: There will be wailing in all the public squares; they will cry out in anguish in all the streets. The farmer will be called on to mourn, and professional mourners to wail. 17 There will be wailing in all the vineyards, for I will pass among you. The Lord has spoken.
18 Woe to you who long for the day of the Lord! What will the day of the Lord be for you? It will be darkness and not light. 19 It will be like a man who flees from a lion only to have a bear confront him. He goes home and rests his hand against the wall only to have a snake bite him. 20 Won’t the day of the Lord be darkness rather than light, even gloom without any brightness in it? 21 I hate, I despise, your feasts! I can’t stand the stench of your solemn assemblies. 22 Even if you offer me your burnt offerings and grain offerings, I will not accept them; I will have no regard for your fellowship offerings of fattened cattle. 23 Take away from me the noise of your songs! I will not listen to the music of your harps. 24 But let justice flow like water, and righteousness, like an unfailing stream. 25 “House of Israel, was it sacrifices and grain offerings that you presented to me during the forty years in the wilderness? 26 But you have taken up Sakkuth your king and Kaiwan your star god, images you have made for yourselves. 27 So I will send you into exile beyond Damascus.” The Lord, the God of Armies, is his name. He has spoken.
The people have an outward confidence– they believe themselves to be under God’s protection and blessing. They offer sacrifices and sing worship songs and revel in their success and peace. But God’s words are frightening and urgent. Those who arrogantly call for the “Day of the Lord,” expecting God to pass judgment on their enemies will find to their shock and horror, that God’s wrath falls on them as well. Their confidence has been misplaced, because it has rested on a false picture of God, and an exaggerated sense of their own righteousness. God warns them that judgment is coming– and even as He does, He issues an invitation– “Seek me and live!” (v. 4– see also v. 6 and v. 14). God has withheld judgment, He has given His people opportunity to follow His way. Instead, they have followed the ways of the very enemies they used to fear! Their feasts and festivals have become nothing but a mockery and an affront to God–the same people who claim to worship Him are perverting justice and oppressing the poor. They cheer for evil and refuse to listen to the truth.
God is a stronghold and a light to banish fear and darkness–but a stronghold or tower cannot protect you if you are wandering alone and unprotected or worse yet, if you are leaving the tower to embrace the enemy in the dark! God doesn’t just want to be a light at the end of the tunnel– He wants to be a light to show us the road right in front of us, and a light to banish the darkness where our enemy hides! When we have a proper “fear” of the Lord– when we recognize His wisdom, strength, and sovereignty– when we seek Him in humility and awe and need, and dwell with Him, we need not fear anyone or anything else. When we make empty boasts about God’s favor and protection while ignoring His ways, and we drown out His loving warning and His call to return to safety…we should be afraid– very afraid!
Father, may I find my confidence only in You. I want to dwell in Your house and seek Your face today and every day. Thank You for being eternally strong, righteous, faithful, and merciful! Thank you for giving us warnings and providing restoration, hope, and salvation. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
I love flipping through old photo albums. I’m reminded of special times and special people. Sometimes, the memories make me a little sad, as I see familiar faces of those who have passed away, or times of struggle or stress. But most of the time, memories fill my heart with gladness and comfort, strength and resolve.
I’ve been reading through the Psalms lately, and many of them speak of remembering. When God’s people faced struggles, they were told to remember the great stories of the past– the plagues of Egypt, the parting of the Red Sea, the conquest of the Promised Land, and many other times when God gave miraculous provision, restoration, and victory. These songs were not just a matter of recapturing the “glory days” of old– they were part of God’s command to remember and pass along God’s deeds and His laws to each new generation.
In the Psalms, we are also encouraged to remember our own past actions– both righteous and rebellious– and God’s faithfulness in spite of our failures. We are to remember God’s correction and discipline; God’s forgiveness, and His Mercy– not just in our own lives, but over many generations and throughout the years.
God instituted festivals, and rites, and Holy Days of remembrance– special times set aside for remembrance and meditation, because it is important to Him that we never lose our focus. We can get so wrapped up in the present (or worrying about the future) that we forget God’s timeless and eternal nature.
Even Jesus, before He went to Calvary, instituted a new rite of remembrance– Communion– in which He called His disciples to “do this in remembrance of me.”
Today, I want to pray a prayer of remembrance. I want to spend time in worship and gratitude for who God IS, but also for who He always HAS BEEN. Thank you for your eternal faithfulness, and for your eternal plan of Salvation. Thank you for the ways you have provided in my life, in the lives of those who came before, and in the lives of generations of faithful saints. May I remember your Great Love and Power as I face uncertainties in the day ahead. May the remembrance of you lead me to trust you completely, follow you boldly, and share you with those I meet.
Today is May 8th. Historically, this is known as V-E Day, or Victory in Europe Day. On this day, in 1945, the German forces surrendered, ending World War 2 in Europe. Parades and parties broke out in several cities. People celebrated the end of war and the promise of peace. But the war was NOT over– not for everyone. War continued to rage in the Pacific for several months. Prisoners in concentration camps were still being liberated, many of whom had lost their homes and families. And the devastation across Europe and North Africa would take decades to clean up. Millions were still facing food rationing and homelessness; there were unexploded bombs and land mines, craters and ruins–all was not suddenly peaceful and prosperous.
The events of V-E Day happened years before I was born. But my parents and grandparents remembered it well. And as someone who loves history, I look back on events of the past and ask, “What can I learn from this day?”
Today, I want to look at what “victory” looks like. Not the thrilling victory of winning a race, or the victory of one army over another in a past century, but true “victory”–an end to all war and struggle and pain and uncertainty. What will that look like?!
In my life, I have experienced small victories, and victories that seem large in the moment. Graduation ceremonies, job promotions, signing the papers on a new car or house, saying “yes!” when David proposed, and later celebrating our marriage with friends and relatives at our reception…These were all moments of celebration and victory. But like the victory of V-E Day, there was still work to do, challenges to face, and even difficulties and set-backs that clouded each victory. Even my greatest Victory– coming to faith and knowing my name is written in the Lamb’s Book of Life– is in the “here and now.” I still face trials and temptations in this life, even though I can claim victory over Sin and Death through the work of Jesus Christ. But true “Victory” is in the “not yet.”
It can be tempting, when celebrating our earthly victories, to get caught up in the momentary feelings of success and happiness. But what happens on May 9? What happens after the parade? What happens when we face the next challenge? I find myself too often disappointed with the fleeting nature of my victories in life. And in the disappointment, I lose not only the joy of the victory, but the strength of the promise of victories yet to come!
There is a day coming– one that will make V-E Day pale in comparison! Some day, the forces of Evil will be utterly crushed. It will be total surrender. No occupying forces, no rationing or homelessness, and no more death or destruction for those who have trusted in Christ. Just sweet Victory. In a moment; in the blink of an eye, God will say, “ENOUGH!” The war will end. The suffering will end. The waiting will end. The dead will rise and the living will be changed.
I can only imagine what that day will truly be like. But I can live with the certainty of a coming day of “Victory.” I can know the hope and the joy of each small victory today, as it reminds me that there is much more to come!
Thank you, Jesus, for each small victory today. Thank you for the ultimate Victory that I find in You!
In the Gospel of John, there is the curious story of Lazarus. Lazarus and his two sisters, Martha and Mary, were good friends of Jesus. There are other stories throughout the gospels of Jesus interacting with this family. But this story appears only in John’s gospel, and it contains some details that raise several questions.
The story begins with an urgent message. Lazarus is gravely ill, and the sisters send word to Jesus to come quickly. Yet Jesus seems to dismiss the message, saying that it is not a sickness that will end in death, and he lingers two days before he decides to begin the journey toward Bethany. There is no sense of panic or urgency in Jesus’s response. And, though it says he loved Mary, Martha, and Lazarus, he seems unmoved by their obvious distress.
When Jesus finally arrives, Lazarus has been dead for four days. The two sisters both mention, with some bitterness, that if Jesus had come sooner, their brother need not have died. Jesus never gets defensive, but he challenges the sisters about their faith. In his exchange with Martha, he says that her brother will rise again. She agrees that he will rise again in the resurrection at the end of time. But Jesus redirects her faith–“I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth on me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?” (v. 25b-26). Her statement of faith, in spite or her grief and bitterness, prompts her to act. She goes to find her sister and bring her to the Savior, that she might be comforted.
Martha’s faith is small comfort in the circumstances. Her brother is still dead. His body lies rotting in a nearby cave. Her faith is fixed in the distant future, even as the author of Life and Eternity stands next to her. Her belief is wispy– more of a wish or a dream than the solid God-in Flesh standing before her.
Yet Jesus chose to use this seeming defeat as a showcase for His power to give life and resurrection. Many people who saw this were transformed and put their trust in Him. Others saw Jesus’ growing ministry as a threat to their own power and authority. They reacted with fear and even anger, that Jesus would bring the miraculous into their well-ordered normality. The Pharisees, including the chief priest, Caiaphas, determined that Jesus must die in order to “save” them from the Romans. Instead of seeing Him as the agent of their eternal salvation, they saw Him as an obstacle to their limited “freedom” to operate under the Roman oppression.
What is my faith like as I pray today? Do I believe that God “could’ve” or “should’ve” solved a problem in my past? Do I believe that God is not acting fast enough or decisively enough? Do I have a wispy faith that God will make all things right in Heaven, but is uninterested in the “here and now?” Do I believe that God’s answers might upset my life or cause me to “lose” control?
God, as you challenge my faith, help me to declare even my weak and imperfect belief; help me to act on it, and bring others to you for comfort. For in doing, so, I may be preparing the way for an incredible miracle– for revival and renewal; for the glory of Your great Name! And help me to see your answers through eyes of faith, and not fear of the unknown. Help me to trust you for the future I cannot see– a future that is in your capable and loving hands.
One of the prayer models I like to use often is based on the acronym ACTS. ACTS stands for Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving, and Supplication. I like this model because it is well-rounded. It works like this:
ADORATION–I love to begin prayer by remembering and acknowledging God’s worth, His supremacy, His Holiness, and His majesty. It sharpens my focus on the WHO of prayer, rather than the WHAT of my worries or doubts. And it puts everything in the proper perspective. Sometimes, I come to God by praying a Hymn, or praying a Psalm, or remembering the many names of God.
CONFESSION–Confession is important in prayer, and since I want to concentrate on it, I’ll come back to this element below.
THANKSGIVING– Thanksgiving returns me to remembering what God has already done– for me, for others, throughout history, and just yesterday in my life. Instead of prayer being all about my needs, wants, or concerns, prayer should be an honest conversation with God. And that must include gratitude, because God is truly GOOD! If you ever doubt that, think about the first five minutes of your morning. If you awoke, you are alive (thank you, God!). If you heard your alarm, opened your eyes and saw anything, if you were lying on a bed, in a shelter with a roof, if you were able to sleep through the night without the terrors of war, slavery, starvation, torture, or chronic agonizing pain, you have much for which to be grateful. If you were able to get out of bed on your own, able to eat breakfast, get dressed, and you have a job to go to or a purpose to fulfill in this day, you are among the blessed. To withhold praise and thanksgiving is to miss one of the privileges of life.
SUPPLICATION–Yes, we bring requests to God. And He already knows what we need, what we desire, and what He has planned for us. So supplication is not about making God aware of our needs. But it is another act of acknowledging that God hears and responds to us. Because that’s the kind of God He IS! And because we have spent time Adoring, Confessing (to), and Thanking God, we know that we can present our requests without fear or doubt.
Most of us are fine with Adoring, Thanking, and Saying our requests, but Confession can be tricky– especially in our culture. What are the elements of Confession that trip us up? Mostly, I think, it’s a misunderstanding of what confession is (within the element of prayer) and what it is NOT.
Confession is defined as admitting to guilt, or to a crime or sin or wrongful act. But, even more basically, confession is an admission that we are not the ultimate authority over our lives or the lives of others. As such, we must confess before we can accept God’s atonement for our Sin. If we do not confess our need for God, we cannot accept, understand, or appreciate the depth and nature of His sacrificial Love for us. So when we pray, we must confess, not only God’s Glory in the heavens and the Earth, but His Sovereignty in our lives; His authority over our emotions, our thoughts, and our actions. King David gave us many great examples of confession in his Psalms– and they can be terrific models to use in our own prayers. (See Psalm 6, Psalm 32, Psalm 38, Psalm 51, and others.)
Confession in prayer is not primarily a list of our petty missteps– though we should be willing and able to name them, rather than denying what we’ve said and done–but a daily admission of God’s right to determine how we conduct our thoughts, our habits, our priorities, and our relationships, and acknowledging that God is Merciful, Gracious and Loving– beyond all our failures, mistakes, and even past rebellion. Confession shouldn’t focus so much on what we’ve done, as on how God is able to free us from guilt and shame, and how we intend to move on away from the past. We confess that our ways are not Holy, and in doing so, we underscore that God’s ways ARE Holy, perfect, wise, and good. God already knows our thoughts and actions, but WE need to be reminded of our goal– to run the good race (see Hebrews 12:1, and 1 Timothy 6:12) to follow Christ; to become more like God each day!
Confession is primary to the Christian Life– we confess that ONLY by the work of Jesus (the cross and resurrection) can we be reconciled to God. We cannot pray openly to God if we don’t believe–and confess– that this is true. God is not fooled by sweet talk or glib arguments. We cannot believe that Jesus’ atoning death and resurrection saved us if we don’t believe that it was necessary and good for Him to do so. And besides, confession is good for the soul!
“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 (KJV)
Confession has a negative reputation in many Christian circles, and it is misunderstood in others. Just listing our sins or admitting we did something wrong doesn’t have any value without the positive confession that Jesus is “the way, the truth, and the life.” (see John 14:6) In fact, a better definition of Christian confession is this– agreeing with God about who I am (a sinner/imperfect/unable to attain Holiness on my own), and who HE is (perfect/Holy/Sovereign/the One who Loves me absolutely)
When we pray today, I hope we will confess– positively, profoundly, willingly, and whole-heartedly. I hope we will humbly and honestly confess any actions or habits that are interfering with our Christian walk. And I hope we will joyfully confess that Jesus is LORD; that we are trusting in Him to guide us, intercede for us, and give us the power to live more abundantly in this life, and throughout eternity. What a great way to pray!
I love solving things–puzzles, mysteries, codes–I love finding the answer. It’s very satisfying. And I love reading mystery stories–Agatha Christie, Georges Simenon, Dorothy Sayers… But I have very mixed feelings about Sherlock Holmes. Always have had. I loved the intricacy of the mysteries themselves. They seemed impossible; unsolvable. Yet somehow, Holmes always knew the answer. And then, as he calmly explained how “elementary” it was, he would throw out details that no one else could possibly know without three doctorate degrees and a photographic memory.
I recently watched a series of TV episodes about Sherlock Holmes, and it struck me again. However, in our modern age, it is not so very impossible to become an expert on esoteric topics in almost no time. We have the internet, where vast amounts of information is available at the tip of our fingers. We can find facts about nearly everything, everywhere, at any point in history. We can virtually track people, visit places, experience adventures, and yes, even solve mysteries– all without leaving our couch. And while there are numerous dangers of relying on information found in cyberspace, there is no denying the easy availability of it.
One of the things I like about most mysteries is that they show the triumph of good over evil. Mysteries tend to show us, not only the impact of evil in the loss of life or property, the suffering of victims, and the need for vigilance, but the longing for order and knowledge and safety that we hope someone can “solve.” A good mystery story ties up all the “loose ends” and answers all the burning questions– “Who did it?” “How?” “Why?” By the end of the story, we feel victorious and safe and satisfied.
But reading mysteries or solving puzzles can give us a false sense of safety and knowledge. In real life, there are many unsolved puzzles, unanwered questions, and “cold” case crimes with no resolution. We are left asking “Why?” and “How?” about many of the things that have happened in our lives. And the answers are not “elementary”– even for the most intelligent among us.
As an adult, I read (and watch) the Sherlock Holmes mysteries with a different mindset. I know, from past experience, that Sherlock Holmes will always outwit the criminal. And I will probably learn some little-known fact– likely one that I never needed to know–that may be astonishing. But I am more interested in the character of Sherlock Holmes himself, now. Likewise with many of the other detectives I enjoy reading about. Because mysteries involve the triumph of good over evil, they attract writers who study the ongoing fight between the two. Mysteries often involve complex machinations, intricate plots, many-layered characters, and misleading information.
And the detectives are often equally complex and many-layered. Their startling intellect and deductive skills leave us in awe. Yet, they also have human frailties that lead them to overlook key clues or lead them to take risks beyond what we would consider wise. And many of them wrestle with the concept of good and evil–they are often tempted to take the law into their own hands, or to do something illegal in order to bring a criminal to justice. Thus, the reader is left with another mysterious question– just what is “Good” or “Evil?” Are there times when, in order to do “right” we may need to do something that others consider “wrong?” Can two “wrongs” make a “right?”
Some of the best detective characters are almost god-like in their ability to ferret out evil. But they are constrained in their ability to defeat evil. They are, in the end, human. Even Sherlock Holmes, with his arrogant assumptions and dizzying deductions, cannot wipe out evil; cannot keep it from touching and even ruining lives. In fact, as Sherlock Holmes (and others) discovers, intelligence is often a key ingredient of evil. “Stupid” criminals are easy to catch. The great detectives are needed to find the brilliant masterminds of evil; the ones who would otherwise go undetected and unstopped.
The man who created Sherlock Holmes, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, was an agnostic and, in later life, became a spiritualist. He wrestled with the concepts of good and evil and particularly with the concept of how a “good” God could allow evil to exist. He was skeptical of the existence of the Biblical God, but instead believed in the continuing existence of the human spirit after death. He believed that the battle between good and evil was left to mankind to solve. He, like his famous character’s sidekick, Watson, was a medical doctor. He was a man who worshipped science– a man who valued facts above all. In fact, the stories of Sherlock Holmes offer us what seems to be a triumph, not just of good over evil, but of facts over faith.
Today, we celebrate the triumph of faith and facts over skepticism and arrogance. Jesus, unlike Sherlock Holmes, did not come to the earth to “solve the puzzle of evil” by bringing individual human criminals to justice. He did not brag about His great intellect, though He dazzled the Jewish Priests of His day with His knowledge and understanding of Scripture. Jesus had no fixed address. He did not write treatises or analyze dust samples– He created nature; He had no need for further study! His disciples did not write about Jesus merely because He did miracles. They did not write about Him in order to become rich or famous. Instead, they were martyred and exiled. Jesus did not put an end to the corruption of the priesthood under the Pharisees and Sadducees. He did not break the yoke of the powerful Roman Empire. He died on a wooden cross, hung between two criminals, after being convicted in an illegal trial, and a farce of an appeal to Pilate. He was flogged, taunted, pierced, and buried in a borrowed tomb. He was, by all appearances, defeated by evil and death. He lost– by human standards and appearances.
But faith tells us that God is Good; that Jesus is God; that Good triumphs over evil. And the facts bear out our faith. Yes, Jesus died. It was recorded, affirmed, and witnessed. But that wasn’t the end of the story. He rose again. There is no body in the tomb. There are witnesses to His post-crucifixion appearances. There were witnesses of his ascent into Heaven. His disciples died for their testimony and continued faith in the face of persecution, torture, and threats. And believers over the past two millennia have lived and died in the faith. We are witnesses of His power to redeem, to restore, and renew lives.
The events of Good Friday and Easter present the ultimate mystery. Jesus, Son of God, Messiah– eternal, all-powerful, all-Good– became a sacrifice for us. He allowed Himself to be an innocent victim of Evil for our Good. And in doing so, He didn’t just “solve” a puzzle– He defeated the power of Evil once for all! We don’t have to know more than the enemy. We don’t have to chase down and outwit death. We don’t have to be terrorized by the threat of evil, the weight of our guilt, or the power of the grave. All we have to do to defeat the evil in our lives is to trust in the work of the Risen Savior and follow Him.
“Look at the proud! They trust in themselves, and their lives are crooked, but the righteous will live by their faith.”
Habakkuk 2:4
Is it rational to believe in God? About three and a half centuries ago, the French philosopher, Blaise Pascal, drew up what is now known as “Pascal’s Wager.” In it, he gives a “rational” justification for belief in God (theism). In it, he posits that if God doesn’t exist, it doesn’t matter whether or not we believe that He does. But if God is real, the consequences of our belief or denial are crucial. If the God of the Bible exists (along with heaven and hell, sin and salvation), the failure to believe will lead us to lose everything; the decision to believe will lead us to gain everything…there is no in between.
I’m not a big fan of Pascal’s Wager. Not because it’s bad logic, per se, but because it depends on belief, but not faith.
What’s the difference? Belief says that God exists–that He is supreme, that He controls our destiny, and that He must be obeyed. It will produce a life of theistic obedience to God’s Law, including a life of “good” works, moral conduct, and “right” thinking. But it will not produce a Godly character. It will not be a life of righteousness.
Faith, on the other hand, believes that God not only exists, but that He rewards those who earnestly seek Him (Hebrews 11:6) and that He so loved the world, that He gave His only Son (John 3:16) to save us from Sin and Death (1 Corinthians 15:56-7). It is not our belief in God’s existence that saves us and gives us life; rather it is Faith by His Grace! (Ephesians 2:8-9) in the nature and character of God– in the atoning work of Jesus as revelation and proof of His character– that saves us from Sin and Death.
Pascal’s Wager is a way of thinking about God. It can lead someone to believe, which can produce a life of Faith. But it can also produce a kind of life that is ruled by grudging obedience, resentment, and pride in one’s own powers of self-control and understanding. Faith lives in dependence and humility, and joyous gratitude for God’s gifts.
The prophet Habakkuk, who first wrote the phrase, “the righteous will live by faith,” learned this lesson in dramatic fashion. He “believed” in God– in His righteousness and justice. He spoke to God about the wickedness he saw all around him, among his own people. God gave him a difficult answer: Justice was coming in the form of an invasion by the Babylonians– a group known for their wickedness and cruelty and lack of justice! God’s answer was shocking and counter-intuitive. But Habakkuk chose to believe and put his faith in God’s Eternal Character, as God revealed the “rest of the story.” Israel would suffer; justice would be cruel–but God’s glory and His salvation would triumph. Habakkuk’s response was a song of praise. Regardless of his circumstances, Habakkuk would wait and rejoice, knowing that God’s ways are perfect.
It’s not difficult to say we believe in God. But are we living in Faith? I find it easy to let circumstances–especially injustice and wickedness–overwhelm me and rob me of peace and joy. But I find it comforting to know that my momentary doubts cannot stop God’s promises, His Mercy, or His power to help me live by Faith. That’s due to His righteousness, not mine, but through Christ, I can trust in it, walk in it, and live in it!
“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)
Pursuing Prayer 