Tuesday, February 12: Luke 9- The punch of Jesus' call.

I am temped often, probably too often, to lighten the blow of the call to follow Jesus. He is not a man calling followers to a Carnival cruise; He is a recruiter enlisting people in the army. The words He spoke at the conclusion of this chapter pressed me to think about the challenges of Jesus’ call to follow Him.

As they were walking along the road, a man said to him, “I will follow you wherever you go.” Jesus replied, “Foxes have dens and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head.” He said to another man, “Follow me.” But he replied, “Lord, first let me go and bury my father.” Jesus said to him, “Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and proclaim the kingdom of God.” Still another said, “I will follow you, Lord; but first let me go back and say goodbye to my family.” Jesus replied, “No one who puts a hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God” (57-62)

No place to lay His head... The call of Jesus doesn’t mean luxury or even necessarily stability in this life. It could mean a life of movement and even wandering. It could mean giving up of all normal creature comforts in ordered to be faithful. If we are going to follow Jesus we, too, may not have a place to lay our heads. I don’t normally think of this as a possibility of discipleship... but there it is.

The call of discipleship could cause us to miss some of those important life moments. Particularly in eras past, missionaries left families behind to go and serve Jesus on the frontiers. There was a time when they shipped their belongings to their new land of service in a coffin knowing that death was the only way they would make it back home.

The call of Jesus asks us to not look back on the life we could have had. We are forward looking people... looking forward to serving Jesus and His kingdom.

None of these make me feel particularly comfortable as I contemplate them.

Part of me wonders, why I have had it so easy? Am I truly faithful? How come I haven’t had to pay these costs? This last question makes me wonder if I have avoided some of Jesus’ calls because they are too costly. In other words, have I played it safe with my faith, wanting the ‘good things of this life’ even as I profess to follow Jesus?

I can be harsh toward myself in quiet moments?

I also wonder maybe Jesus knows I couldn’t handle these and He is just being kind to me. If so, it could only be grace...

Lord, speak to me as I ponder these hard questions. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.

 

 

 

Monday, February 11: Luke 8- What yield is my life producing?.

I found myself musing over the parable of the sower and its explanation. First the parable itself:

“A farmer went out to sow his seed. As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path; it was trampled on, and the birds ate it up. Some fell on rocky ground, and when it came up, the plants withered because they had no moisture. Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up with it and choked the plants. Still other seed fell on good soil. It came up and yielded a crop, a hundred times more than was sown.” When he said this, he called out, “Whoever has ears to hear, let them hear” (5-8).

Now the explanation:

“This is the meaning of the parable: The seed is the word of God. Those along the path are the ones who hear, and then the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts, so that they may not believe and be saved. Those on the rocky ground are the ones who receive the word with joy when they hear it, but they have no root. They believe for a while, but in the time of testing they fall away. The seed that fell among thorns stands for those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by life’s worries, riches and pleasures, and they do not mature. But the seed on good soil stands for those with a noble and good heart, who hear the word, retain it, and by persevering produce a crop” (11-15).

Reading the explanation I got to wondering if the seed among thorns people are ‘saved’ but they just don’t mature into fruitful believers. In our family garden sometimes things we plant don’t fully mature but are still edible. Last year we planted what we hoped would be onions... but they never matured and we ended up with a crop of scallions.

As I looked back at the parable, the clear indication is that only the good soil seeds produced a bountiful crop, indicating they alone are the ‘saved’ ones. This pushed me to realize that I was over thinking the parable. I mean Jesus’ clear intention is that the super yield of the good-soil seed is the point of the story.

As I pondered the parable more I began to realize that I was superimposing my 21^st century biases onto the text. Jesus never equates salvation with getting to heaven. Eternal life is part of salvation for certain, but salvation affects how we live in this world and producing fruit is the demonstration of our faith this side of eternity.

This thought/realization begs the question... How is my fruit producing going? Am I producing kingdom fruit? Are you?

Think about it.

Lord, may your Word nourish my soul and my life so that I produce a 100-fold bountiful crop. In Jesus’ name and for the sake of the Gospel’s advance I pray. Amen

 

An additional thought from verses 38-39: The man from whom the demons had gone out begged to go with him, but Jesus sent him away, saying, “Return home and tell how much God has done for you.” So the man went away and told all over town how much Jesus had done for him. Sometimes people say the Gospels don’t say Jesus is God. The more I read them the more I see Jesus’ divinity. Notice the bolded words in the above. Told to say how much God did for him, the healed man proclaims Jesus. This is a clear yet subtle explanation by Luke that Jesus is God.

 

Saturday, February 9: Luke 7- .

I was torn whether to spend my extended time with the story of the Centurion or the widow of Nain? The thought came to me, “Maybe it was the intersection of both.”

The two people Jesus helped were very different. The Centurion was an important man with servants and the widow was near the bottom of the social ladder. A widow with no son puts her in an incredibly vulnerable position.

Jesus apparently saw the need and was not particularly interested in station of life. In the Centurion, it is clear that Jesus saw faith. Luke makes this clear; from the voices advocating for the Centurion to his absolute faith in Jesus, his account is one of faith... faith rewarded by Jesus’ healing of this servant. The Centurion also stands as a witness against Israel since his depth of faith could not be found in all of Israel (see verse 9). 

The woman on the other hand had no one advocating for her. She was utterly alone. And yet Jesus saw her pain and stepped in. She never asked for help... likely a woman would not approach Jesus. Touched by her pain and loss Jesus heals her son in a dramatic manner. The result was not only the son’s resurrection but also the people praising God!

As dramatic and theologically rich as both of these stories are, at their base is Jesus helping a person in need. It didn’t matter to him if the person was wealthy, successful or not. It didn’t matter if the person was male or female. It didn’t matter if the person was Jew or Gentile. Jesus saw a need and blessed the people involved.

Jesus cares for people...

Jesus cares for you and me. What a wonderful thought on the eve of Sunday. Pondering this is a tremendous way to prepare for worship tomorrow!

Lord, as You cared for the Widow of Nain and the Centurion, You care for me. I am so blessed to be Your Son and disciple. Praise You, Father, Jesus, Holy Spirit. Amen and amen.

 

Friday, February 8: Luke 6- God's agent?!.

So much to choose from, I am at a loss where to pause and spend my time in contemplation. I sit in silence for a few minutes before I look back to the text. Somedays it is obvious where I should concentrate my thoughts and others not so much.

What do you want to say to me today Lord?

Looking back at the chapter, Luke’s report of some beatitudes coupled with their reversal hit me, particularly the ones about hunger. Blessed are you who hunger now, for you will be satisfied. Blessed are you who weep now, for you will laugh. ... Woe to you who are well fed now, for you will go hungry. Woe to you who laugh now, for you will mourn and weep (21 & 25).

Just the other day I learned that someone I know moderately well has no food to eat sometimes. This reality has hit me pretty hard. Even during some of my leanest years, like seminary, we always had food. Maybe some days dinner was plain pasta with sauce, but we had food. Not having food was never a situation.

I am haunted; learning someone I know has no food sometimes while I have plenty... more than plenty. Ouch, it stings. Reading the words of Jesus is a bit frightening...

Blessed are you who hunger now, for you will be satisfied...

Woe to you who are well fed now, for you will go hungry.

That’s the disparity between me and this other person, I am well fed; they are hungry. Jesus goes on to say that the hungry will be satisfied. It hits me, what if I am God’s person to help the one I know become satisfied? I am wondering what to do for them and how to help them while allowing them to maintain dignity. I am wondering what Jesus is calling me to do... and then how to do it appropriately, kindly, nicely.

Jesus, I have read verse 21 many times and always considered that You would make sure that the hungry become satisfied. And, Lord, that is still certainly true, but I am thinking that You want to use me to help this one person become satisfied. Am I hearing You correctly, Jesus? Am I hearing the voice of the Spirit correctly? I pray in Jesus’ name. Amen.

 

Thursday, February 7: Luke 5- Solitude.

It was not wilderness per se but solitude that caught my eye today.

One prime aspect of wilderness is solitude, being alone with self, facing God and self. Today we see Jesus spending time in solitude. But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed (16).

First, I notice the word ‘often.’ Luke makes it seem that Jesus regularly spent time alone with His Father in prayer and connection. Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.

In this place of solitude Jesus prayed. When I am truly in solitude, I can hear things I don’t hear when I am in the hustle and bustle of life. I can hear my inner thoughts and I can better hear the nudges of God. A thought comes to mind that could only be from the Lord. Because I can hear more clearly, I have an opportunity to act more faithfully. To be honest I can still say ‘no’ to the voice of God, but at least I hear it. I suspect I often miss the voice of God when I am moving at the speed of life much of the day.

And this brings me back to ‘often.’ Maybe, if like Jesus, I cultivate a regular and often pattern of being in solitude with God, I will learn to hear and distinguish God’s voice better so that I might even hear Him when I am moving at the speed of life, which is much of my normal day. Secondly, maybe I can cultivate slowing down so that my normal speed of life is a little slower so I can hear God a little better.

Maybe.

Now, I just have to cultivate those times of solitude…

Help me, Lord, find solitude time with You every day. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.

 

Wednesday, February 6: Luke 4- Wilderness.

Wilderness again attracts me. Luke records, Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, left the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness (1).

As we read, Jesus’ wilderness experience was a bit more intense and personal than most of our wilderness experiences, however, his challenges are ones that face most of us in one way or another.

Food, sustenance, provision… temptations to acquire what we need and beyond that, what we want come to every person. How we go about acquiring what we need is the test. Will I earn it honorably? Will I be satisfied if people I know have more than me? Will I trust God to provide what I need or will I go after it by my own strength and ability alone??? These are issues I face, everyone faces… How am I (you) doing with this test?

Authority, power, recognition… again, temptations and enticements to authority, power and recognition tap each of us in one way or another. The parent who lords it over children just because he/she can. The boss who imposes her/his will on subordinates because they can. These are examples of people seeking authority and power. It is not only upper crust people who exert authority, I suspect every human is tempted by this in one relational circle or another. How am I (you) doing with this test?

Testing God… trying to put God in a situation where He must act. First of all it is so foolish that we human beings could cause God to have to act. God is God and we are not. Yet, there are times when I test God. Sometimes the way I pray, as the words come out of my mouth, I hear myself trying to butter-up God with superlatives in order to make Him answer me. Or I repeat some pious action simply because God answered me once when I did that action. It is as if I am thinking God has to answer my prayer again.  One of the common sins of humanity is trying to ‘make God work for us.’ And that is getting things upside down. As I said, God is God and I am not!

Lord God, help me to keep priorities right and lines of authority correct. You are God and I am Your servant. Thank You, Father, for reminding me of this again today and for opening my heart to Your world. I pray this in Jesus’ name. Amen.

 

Tuesday, February 5: Luke 3- Supporting cast.

 

Usually I find myself gravitating to Jesus, but today I wanted to think more about John, like I did a couple of chapters ago.

John is in the desert; Luke tells us, during the high-priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came to John son of Zechariah in the wilderness (2).

In the quiet and solitude of the desert John heard God’s voice and he knew what to do. He went into all the country around the Jordan, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins (3).

John prepared the way for Jesus. It is clear from Jesus’ arrival that John knew he wasn’t the main story, simply the preparation for the main story.

John was willing to play second fiddle. He didn’t need to be the main story. He was obedient to his call, to be the preparer, the opening act before the main personality enters the stage. But unlike opening acts, John wasn’t hoping to be noticed so he could become a main act. John was content playing a small part in God’s cosmic plan of salvation.

I wonder, am I willing to do the grunt work for God, allowing others to fill the limelight? I hope so and I pray so, because more often than not, I am the supporting cast rather than the lead actor.

Lord, often it seems my role is the side role… please give me the grace to play my role well, to lift up and point to others and particularly Jesus. Lord, may I decrease so Jesus can increase. I pray in Jesus’ name. Amen.

 

Monday, February 4: Luke 2- Jesus grew …

The last story in this chapter, about Jesus being left behind in Jerusalem when he was twelve, launched my thinking. We know very little about Jesus' early life beyond His birth. Was He smart, precocious, athletic, coordinated? We know He could read, since He read the Synagogue scroll in Luke 4. Who taught Him? We do not know.

All indicators suggest He was an ordinary child. When He returns to His home town no one thinks He is anything special. Apparently, He was a normal kid, whatever normal meant in his era.

Thinking about Jesus' early years, I was drawn to verse 52. And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man.

He grew... He was a normal boy.

This brief verse shows us that Jesus grew intellectually and physically. He went through growing pains just like every kid. He had to learn to walk. And is mind and thoughts needed to develop. He grew in wisdom.

The last clause says much. Jesus grew in favor with God and man. Jesus learned to please God. I love that His faith and trust in God grew. Even as a child He was learning to trust the Lord. This verse underscores for me the place of teaching our youngsters and youth the way of God. Young people today can learn to grow in favor with God, too!

Jesus was a real human being... He grew. And His life reminds me that part of our growth is to grow in favor with God.

That's true for young people and old as well.

Lord, as I sit today... may my time with You in Your Word increase my growth and favor with You. Following Jesus' example and in His name, I pray. Amen. 

Saturday, February 2: Luke 1- Wilderness training.

I am reading a book by African Cardinal Robert Sarah titled, The Power of Silence Against the Dictatorship of Noise. It is an interesting but tough read; many of the Catholic writers and traditions he mentions are new to me. Anyway, in my reading yesterday, Cardinal Sarah pointed out that John the Baptist was honed by decades in the wilderness to be able to hear God’s voice. I remember thinking that I never paid any attention to John’s pre-ministry life.

Then today in my Gospel reading there it was, the lone verse about John’s early life and upbringing. And the child grew and became strong in spirit; and he lived in the wilderness until he appeared publicly to Israel (80).

Since John was about the same age as Jesus, and Jesus came to ministry about age 30, John was also 30-ish. He could easily have spent half his life in the wilderness. Did he live by himself or in some kind of community? Did he have access to scrolls of the Old Testament? Did he forage and spend his days in necessary toil and solitude? Probably but in reality we don’t know.

Jesus was sent by the Spirit into the wilderness for a time of testing prior to his coming out party and ministry years. Moses lived for decades in the wilderness shepherding his father-in-law’s flocks. Isaiah prophecies of the Lord, See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland (Isaiah 43:19).

The wilderness or desert is often a place of testing. It is a tough place where God’s people have learned the hard lessons of life with God.

I suspect that this is part of what Luke is communicating when he informs us that John lived in the wilderness. John had been tested and tried. He learned to hear God’s voice and follow God’s leading.

When Herod threatened John he didn’t fold because he was hardened by his wilderness time.

When crowds flocked to him he wasn’t swayed to an easier message because he was hardened by his time in the desert.

In a time when God’s voice was silent John heard from God and spoke for God.

Wilderness is powerful training for the person of God...

Have I spent enough time in the wilderness??? Have you???

Lord, I am a little nervous to pray... to pray for wilderness times. If I need them, Lord, send them... I pray with some fear and trembling in my voice. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

 

Friday, February 1: Jonah 4- Our forgiving God.

Jonah’s response to God’s relenting is fascinating. But to Jonah this seemed very wrong, and he became angry. He prayed to the LORD, “Isn’t this what I said, LORD, when I was still at home? That is what I tried to forestall by fleeing to Tarshish. I knew that you are a gracious and compassionate God, slow to anger and abounding in love, a God who relents from sending calamity (1-2).

All I could think about is how Jonah was willing to accept God’s second chance for himself, but was angry when God gave the same gift to Nineveh! How fickle we can be. How self-centered we can be.

I thought of Jesus’ story of the wicked servant in Matthew 18. The servant is forgiven a huge debt but then turns and jails someone who owes him a small debt. The wicked servant couldn’t see that with his debt forgiven he should forgive others their debt. That’s Jonah... he was forgiven, yet he couldn’t stand it that Ninevites were forgiven too.

I was trying to imagine the prodigal son being mad at his father for welcoming his older brother into the party.

As hard as it is for me to understand Jonah, how often do I carry the same attitude. God, why are you forgiving ‘them’? God, way are you blessing ‘them’? God...

Lord, open my heart to receive Your grace and to rejoice when Your grace is given freely to others... I pray this in Jesus’ name. Amen.

 

Thursday, January 31: Jonah 3- Second chances.

Then the word of the LORD came to Jonah a second time: “Go to the great city of Nineveh and proclaim to it the message I give you.” Jonah obeyed the word of the LORD and went to Nineveh... (1-3a).

Jonah is a story of second chances. The Lord gives Jonah a second chance to obey. And Jonah does. This second time he sets to the task God gave him right away. I guess 3 days in the belly of a fish changes a person’s heart.

I certainly do not want to presume on God’s grace, mercy and gift of a second chance, but over and over in the Bible God grants people an opportunity to change their wayward ways and return to Him.

Even as God gave Jonah a second chance, He did the same to Nineveh. Jonah records that people from the greatest (the king) to the least repented and represented their repentance by donning sackcloth and ashes. The king even issued an urgent decree to call on the Lord in the hopes God would relent.

God does relent. God spares the city just as He spared Jonah.

How often God has spared me... too many to count.

I am so thankful our God is a God of second (and 3^rd, 4^th, 5^th...) chances.

Thank You, Oh Lord, for the gift of forgiveness. Thank You, Lord, for the gift of another chance to bow before You, to worship and adore You. I pray in Jesus’ name. Amen

 

Wednesday, January 30: Jonah 2- Never beyond God's rescue.

Jonah thought he could run and hide from God. No sir. The all-knowing, all-seeing God saw him and found him.

I tried to imagine what he was going through… tossed into the raging sea, sinking beneath the waves and then somehow swallowed by a large fish. Amazingly, Jonah found himself alive and safe inside the fish. I wonder if Jonah even understood his situation???

Three days he lived inside this fish. What those days must have been like. Honestly, I cannot even imagine.

From the belly of the fish Jonah prays. I suspect I might have prayed, too. However, I think I might’ve been praying, “God, get me out of here.”

Jonah understands the entire ordeal as God was saving him. He recognizes the gracious hand of the Lord. The portion of his prayer that caught my eye and heart was this: “When my life was ebbing away, I remembered you, LORD, and my prayer rose to you, to your holy temple. “Those who cling to worthless idols turn away from God’s love for them. But I, with shouts of grateful praise, will sacrifice to you.… ’ ” (7-9a).

Jonah never gave up on God. He had sinned and he knew it. Still as his breath ebbed away he remembered the Lord and called to Him. God answered.

I pondered that. Even when we have sinned and are still living with the effects of our sin, God loves and cares for us. God hears our prayers and answers us. I don’t think we can say that God will always send a fish to rescue us; still He loves us and cares for us.

In Jonah’s case God had work left for him to do, so the fish was both a rescuer and a transport to his place of service.

I am surprised that in the midst of the prayer Jonah contemplates people who turn to idols rather than the Lord. Maybe that is the Spirit of God praying through Jonah preparing him for his assignment in Nineveh. Still that presence of mind is astonishing to me.  The recognition of those who turn to idols causes Jonah to affirm his grateful praise to the Lord, thus affirming his faith in the Lord.

Jonah reminds me that as God’s child we are never out of the reach of the Lord. And even when we blow it unintentionally or, like Jonah, intentionally disobey God, God will receive us back when we turn and cry out to Him. Another reminder in the story is that God has a mission for us to do. We might not be sent to a foreign land, but whatever it might be God knows what He is doing in calling us.

There’s so much in Jonah’s story… I’m kind of excited about tomorrow’s reading.

Lord, thank You for the adventure of Jonah and all we can learn from Your Word. Continue leading me in the adventure of faith. Where You send me I will go. And, Lord, if a balk at Your nudges, remind me of this prayer and my brother Jonah. Remind me that I cannot run away from Your call and will. I pray this in Jesus’ name. Amen.

 

Tuesday, January 29: Jonah 1- Glory goes to God.

Decades ago I heard a friend preach a 3-point sermon from Jonah. God said, “Go.” Jonah said, “No.” Then God said, “Oh.” It is one of the few sermon outlines I remember and it is hard for me to see other messages in the Jonah text than these three. I have to make it a point to open my mind and heart when I read Jonah beyond my friend’s three points.

So today before I cracked the pages of the book, I asked God to open me to new insights and aspects of the story.

Reading, I noticed the response of the crew and passengers after they tossed Jonah into the sea. First I noticed their pray prior to throwing Jonah overboard. They didn’t want to be guilty of murder, which is admirable. I’m also reminded that Jonah was tossed overboard, not by an angry mob hoping to save their skin. He is tossed into the sea at his request.

Then when he hits the sea, God calms the storm. It is at this point that I was drawn to the text. At this the men greatly feared the LORD, and they offered a sacrifice to the LORD and made vows to him (16).

That is a strong reaction! These men of many faiths offer a sacrifice to the Lord!

Now Jonah’s action of self-sacrifice is not exactly a ‘good work.’ He did cause the situation by his faithless running from the Lord. Still I was reminded of Matthew 5:16, In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven (16). Jonah’s honesty, if not his faith, helped these men see the Lord. I wonder, did any of them change allegiances to the Lord, or was this merely a blip on their spiritual radar. We will never know. Still glory went to God and people gained a better understanding of who He is.

Certainly I don’t have to correct something I did that was wrong for God to receive glory. It is, however, nice to know that even when I am selfish and sin, I can repair the situation and allow my actions, done in a Christ honoring manner, give glory and praise to God!

Lord, give me strength to live for You. When I sin, show me my error that I may make my confession to You. When I do what You would have me do, supply your Holy Spirit strength to accomplish all You desire. In the name of Jesus and for the advancement of Your kingdom, I pray. Amen.

 

Monday, January 28: Obadiah- Pride.

I wondered at first, “Why, God, are you so interested in Edom? She was never a major player on the world stage or in the future of Israel. Bit parts here and there, so why all your interest, God?”

I cannot answer for certain, but Edom was the descendants of Esau, son of Isaac, brother of Jacob (Israel), so Edom is Israel’s family. Where there should have been some familial connection, there was none. Maybe this accounts for God’s interest.

Setting aside my question… I tried to listen to God’s Word to them. Edom’s pride seems to be at the heart of God’s W,ord to them. And pride is certainly an issue I battle so my ears perked up. “See, I will make you small among the nations; you will be utterly despised. The pride of your heart has deceived you, you who live in the clefts of the rocks and make your home on the heights, you who say to yourself, ‘Who can bring me down to the ground?’ Though you soar like the eagle and make your nest among the stars, from there I will bring you down,” declares the LORD (2-4).

The capitol of Edom, Petra, is apparently an amazing place to visit. I have not been there, but there is no shortage of Petra info on the Internet. One of the NEW Seven Wonders of the World, Petra is a city cut into the rock. It apparently seemed impregnable to its inhabitant, but today it is an ancient ruin located in a desolate part of the world. Their ‘haven and home’ is nothing today.

Pride gives us a false image of self. Pride gives us a false belief in our security. Pride, the author of Proverbs reminds us, comes before a fall. (Proverbs 16:18 Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall.)  

I felt a prompting to read up on Obadiah. In one commentary I came across this explanation:

Pride was Edom’s undoing. Her deception, the concomitant of pride, was rooted in an inordinate self-estimation. Not taking God into account, they expressed their presumptuous pride in a defiant challenge, “Who will bring me down to the ground?” Even if the Edomites could “soar like the eagle” and “make your nest among the stars,” they would be powerless under the scrutiny of the wisdom and power of God.**

Warning Bill Gestal… to this day, pride comes before a fall. Not taking God into account is a destructive attitude. We are all powerless under the scrutiny of the wisdom and power of God.

I think about this personally. Whenever I am tempted to think I have everything under control I can manage my way out of this situation. I can… fill in the blank. And I do this without parallel thoughts of ‘God, would You help me?  God, would You lead me to the right way, solution, etc.?’ I am speeding down the highway to destruction. A devotion, I heard yesterday from a friend, reminded me that God’s ways are higher and wiser than our ways (read Isaiah 55). Yes, God has given me a mind to sort things through. Yes, God has given me friends with whom I can bounce ideas and options off of… but to stay only in the human plane and neglect God is to fall into Edom’s trap.

I wonder about this as I read the news from Washington, where our national leaders seem to have removed God from the equation. And add to this they seem to be looking inward, cutting ties with friends and allies relying only on self, us, the USA. I fear we are falling into Edom’s trap, thinking, Who can bring [us] down to the ground?

When I superimpose that thinking against this book of the Bible I do not see a good outcome.

Back to self… I need to be vigilant to keep pride under control.

Lord God, as I sit this morning, I pray to You and speak to myself, I will lean on You. I will use the gifts You have given me as I walk in relationship and connection with You to discern the way I am to go, regularly checking that I am in step with You.  I pray this in Jesus’ name. Amen.

 

**Complete Biblical Library Commentary - The Complete Biblical Library – Daniel-Malachi.

 

Saturday, January 26: Amos 9- Disaster precedes restoration.

Judgment meted out; disaster comes as a result of judgment, then comes restoration.

I sat with a group of people trying to figure out how to deal with someone who broke one of the significant rules of life and relationships. I repeat, the individual broke a significant rule and crossed a boundary, a significant relationship boundary. We wrestled with consequences of the action and the role of grace, love and forgiveness. It was a difficult conversation.

One person in the group said, something to the effect, “the individual has to feel the consequences of the action (sin) before restoration can be instituted.” As we wrestled with the situation, we discovered there was wisdom in this comment.

In this chapter God will bring judgment and then comes restoration…

Judgment is coming. Israel will feel God’s wrath. After that the ‘love-covenant of God’ kicks in and restoration is released for those who turn from their sin-way.

Sometimes in life we need to experience the pain of our bad and sinful actions before we can receive true forgiveness and restoration. Sin has consequences.

I found myself considering that final thought. Sin has consequences…

Yes, it does.

This is why Jesus had to die on the cross. He took the consequences we deserve upon Himself so that we do not have to bear the weight of our consequences….

Consequences were meted out… Jesus took them in our stead.

Oh my, the extend of Jesus’ saving action hit me, hard.

Oh, the gift Jesus gave us…

Lord, I am overwhelmed by your gift and the sacrifice You made accepting our consequence so that we could be brought back into relationship with the Father. Praise and thanks to Jesus for His amazing gift. In His name I pray. Amen.

 

Friday, January 25: Amos 8- .

The time is ripe, how will God bring His judgment upon Israel? History shows us that God used many avenues. Towards the end of the chapter Amos however focuses on one. “The days are coming,” declares the Sovereign LORD, “when I will send a famine through the land— not a famine of food or a thirst for water, but a famine of hearing the words of the LORD. People will stagger from sea to sea and wander from north to east, searching for the word of the LORD, but they will not find it. (11-12).

A famine of the word… God will shut His mouth and no longer speak to Israel.

Imagine living in a family where the Father refuses to speak. The one who loves and guides and protects and directs and helps and leads goes dormant, silent… This is part of God’s punishment… He withdraws His Words.

Words like ‘abandoned’ come to mind.

One really sad aspect of this is that at first the people weren’t even looking for it. They didn’t notice God had withdrawn His voice, and then they made up their own to ‘fill in’ for God. How sad.

A famine of God’s Word… Oh, Lord, may it never be so, in my life and in the life of my church. I fear, Lord, that there is a famine of Your Word in my world. But among your people, may it never be, Lord. May it never be. Amen and amen.

 

 

Thursday, January 24: Amos 7- Diligence is required.

As a person who works with wood and has refinished basements and built sheds, decks and the like, the imagery of the plum line caught my attention. If my work isn’t plumb and square, then it is out of whack… windows, doors, walls, cabinets won’t fit properly.

A plumb line is a tool to square things so they fit.

Israel was out of whack… she was no longer square with God’s directives. Where God wanted things one-way, Israel was crooked.

For this reason Israel was being judged. God called her back time and again. But Israel rejected the Lord’s appeals. It was as if the construction people disregarded the engineer’s designs and blueprints. Not only that when the engineer pointed out some problems the owner/construction crew refused to make the necessary corrections, so God is now condemning the building. It will be torn down because it is unsafe.

Israel is being torn down… they have disregarded all of God’s directives and warnings.

It is clear from verses 10-11 that Amos’ ministry included more than the words of this book. Apparently he spoke directly to the crown and foretold Jeroboam’s downfall, which was rejected by the court.

Unfortunately for the court, Amos was speaking God’s Word and God’s Word will come to pass. What God has said will happen…will happen.

Stepping back, verses like the 10 Commandments, Jesus’ repeated call to ‘love one another’, Galatians 5 and the ‘Fruit of the Spirit’ flood my thoughts followed by the question, “Is my life square and plumb with God’s revealed will for living?” Does my life and living square with God’s Word?

It is a constant battle to keep my life square with God’s Word. Vigilance, reflection, contemplation, and review of my life against the direction in God’s Word is a constant responsibility. Some days it is a chore to hold my life up to the scrutiny of God and His Word. Some days it feels as natural as breathing. Either way it is a necessity. It is all too easy to allow the push and pull of the world around me to knock myself out of plumb with the Lord.

This is why I sit regularly and read, study, consider and reflect upon God’s Word. Diligence is required.

Lord, I pray for strength to keep at it… to put in my time, inspecting my life for flaws, cracks and areas that are not square with You and Your Word. Send Your Holy Spirit to be Your engineer inspecting my life to make sure it is safe and strong. And prompt me, Lord, to listen to Your Holy Spirit that I may remain plumb with You. I pray this in Jesus’ name. Amen.

 

Wednesday, January 23: Amos 6- Complacency.

 

Complacency is not a good word particularly when it comes to issues of faith. God is angry. Not only is Israel sinning, but they are complacent about it. Life is good, so they think ‘ahhh, no worries.’ Complacency robs effort, drive, and determination.

The Lord hits them hard: Woe to you who are complacent in Zion, and to you who feel secure on Mount Samaria, you notable men of the foremost nation, to whom the people of Israel come! (1).

The Lord turns my thoughts from Israel to self. Am I complacent? Do I feel secure so that there is no spiritual urgency in me to press into the Lord? Professionally as a pastor, am I complacent or am I still learning, growing and striving to be all of the man God want me to be?

Success and security, while good, can become a negative if/when we grow complacent...

Lord, give me a thirst for You. Give me a hunger for more of You. Drive me to pant for you... that my hunger and thirst will drive out any inkling of complacency in my walk with You. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.

 

 

Tuesday, January 22: Amos 5- Consistency and integrity rather than hypocrisy.

Consistency... integrity... not hypocrisy, these are the words that came to me upon concluding my reading of this chapter.

God is angry with Israel. They pursued false gods, yet somehow they believe that by performing the ritual sacrifices of the faith, God Almighty is bound to bless them. Amos, as God’s mouthpiece, gives a stinging rebuke as the chapter concludes:

“I hate, I despise your religious festivals; your assemblies are a stench to me. Even though you bring me burnt offerings and grain offerings, I will not accept them. Though you bring choice fellowship offerings, I will have no regard for them. Away with the noise of your songs! I will not listen to the music of your harps. But let justice roll on like a river, righteousness like a never-failing stream! “Did you bring me sacrifices and offerings forty years in the wilderness, people of Israel? You have lifted up the shrine of your king, the pedestal of your idols, the star of your god— which you made for yourselves. Therefore I will send you into exile beyond Damascus,” says the LORD, whose name is God Almighty (21-27).

The word ‘your’ strikes me as highly important in verse 21. I hate, I despise your religious festivals... It is not that those religious observances were bad in and of themselves, in fact, they are good having been instituted by the Lord. But their observances of these religious festivals render them unacceptable because they are offered by people who were actually pursuing false gods, which is an abomination to the Lord.

God expects consistency, integrity, honesty. If you are going to worship God, GREAT... go for it. If you are going to pursue false gods, the Lord will not be pleased but at least He can do things to call you home. But Israel was pretending to love God while actually loving false gods. They are fooling themselves. And when God did things to get their attention, they didn’t pay any attention to them because they had duped themselves.

Israel’s sin begs the question of me... am I fooling myself? Am I consistent and full of integrity in my love for God? I am not perfect. I sin and fall short of God’s ideal, but am I pressing into the Lord and living as a person who has the Spirit of God in their life?

Again and again God’s Word causes me to examine my life.  Am I faithful to the Lord? Today is another call to do just that.

Lord, I avail myself to Your gaze. Examine me and know me and see if there is any wickedness in me and then purge that wickedness from me. I pray in Jesus’ name. Amen.

 

Monday, January 21: Amos 4- God's heart for the poor.

I found myself thinking... wow, how much God loves and cares for the poor!

Amos begins lambasting the women of Israel for neglecting the poor in order to live in personal comfort. Hear this word, you cows of Bashan on Mount Samaria, you women who oppress the poor and crush the needy and say to your husbands, “Bring us some drinks!” (1)

The remainder of the chapter is God’s response to these people who oppress the poor and crush the needy. It is not a response from the Lord I would want to face!!!

God’s indictment of these women got me thinking about my life and my treatment of the poor. If I don’t want to fall under a similar judgment then I need to evaluate how I treat people who are poor and needy.

First I spent a few moments considering my attitude toward the poor and needy? I ask questions like:

• Do I dis them?
• Do I think ill of people simply because they lack?
• Do I assume they are lazy simply because they have needs?

Where does my heart go when I think about or hear reports about or see people who are poor and needy?

Next I considered my actions:

• How do I treat people who are needy?
• How do I speak with them? Do I speak with them?
• Do I feel compassion for them?.. and then,
• Do I help them as I am able?

How about you? What are your attitudes and actions toward people who need help?

Lord God, I can have a stony heart. Help me to grow more like You, to be more helpful and caring to people who have needs. I pray this in Jesus’ name. Amen.