barrenness

“She was deeply distressed and prayed to the LORD and wept bitterly. And she vowed a vow and said, "‘O LORD of hosts, if you will indeed look on the affliction of your servant and remember me and not forget your servant, but will give to your servant a son, then I will give him to the LORD all the days of his life, and no razor shall touch his head.” 1 Samuel 1:10-11

Have you ever been so distressed that you prayed to the LORD and wept bitterly? This was the life of Hannah, the wife of Elkanah, who was barren and couldn’t have children, “because the LORD had closed her womb.” (v5). Not only was she barren, she was mocked and ridiculed by Elkanah’s other wife, Peninnah, who had children and also who “provoked Hannah grievously.” (The Bible never condones or approves of men who take more than one wife).

So Hannah, in desperation, goes to the temple to worship. The biblical author is also making us aware of the contrast between Hannah, this poor and destitute but godly woman, in stark contrast to Eli, the high priest who is responsible for leading the Hebrews in worship. Yet Eli has two incorrigible sons, who steal meat from the sacrificial offerings and sleep with women who are there to worship. God says He will put them to death because of their unrepentence (2:25).

So while Hannah is in the temple praying and pouring out her heart before the LORD, “Eli the priest was sitting on the seat beside the doorpost of the temple of the LORD.” (1:9). The contrast of these two people — the godly but despised woman crying out to God, and the priest who was supposed to be actively helping God’s children worship him rightly, but was sitting down on his chair — tells us a lot about this story and what the author wants us to see. We can interpret this contrast of characters as God’s favor resting upon those who are lowly and despised, yet who seek Him with all their hearts, with those who may have a position of high authority, yet the fear of the Lord is not in them.

We also see Eli’s lack of discernment on display. Instead of helping Hannah to seek the Lord, he just accuses her of being drunk.

After Hannah worships at the temple, “she went away and ate, and her face was no longer sad.” This is a beautiful picture of the heart of a godly woman. She prays and worships God before He answers her prayers. Because eventually God would grant her son. But Hannah doesn’t know that yet. She just sees the faithfulness of the LORD, YAHWEH, her personal God, before He has even acted on her behalf.

Hannah gives birth to a boy named Samuel, which means “heard of God” in Hebrew. She keeps her word to return him to the Lord. As soon as Samuel is old enough, Hannah takes him to the temple, to help Eli in the service of the temple. She makes a little linen robe for him.

And then she prays this beautiful prayer:

“My heart exults in the LORD, my horn is exalted in the LORD. My mouth derides my enemies because I rejoice in your salvation.”

“There is none holy like the LORD: for there is none besides you; there is no rock like our God.”

“The LORD kills and brings to life; he brings down to Sheol and raises up. The LORD makes poor and makes rich; he brings low and he exalts. He raises up the poor from the dust; he lifts the needy from the ash heap to make them sit with princes and inherit a seat of honor.”

This godly woman’s prayer, given in rejoicing and thanksgiving, barely mentions her own prayer request being answered. Instead, she gives glory to God for His faithfulness, His salvation, His providence, and His sovereignty.

Do we do this? Do we give glory to God in spite of our barrenness? You may feel, as I often do, distressed and bitter about events in life, in prayers that God has not seemed to answer. We may feel as if God has forgotten us.

But can we, as Hannah did, rejoice in the salvation of our God? Can He be enough for us? The fact that His presence goes before us, His Spirit lives inside us, and His Son ever lives to make intercession for us - can that be enough?

God would go on to use Samuel in a mighty, supernatural way amongst the people of Israel. As Israel’s first major prophet, he called the nation to repentence, and ushered in an era of kings and prophets that would ultimatly pave the way for Jesus, the Messiah, the greatest King and Prophet from Israel who would call the entire world to reptenence, and provide the atonement needed for all who would repent and believe in His Name.

Can we trust that God is using our barrenness to usher in His Kingdom? That He is using it all for His Honor and Glory? That though we can’t see and through what we don’t know, God is still over all?

Can we trust that God is not here to save us from our barrenness, but to save us from ourselves? He is my portion and my cup, in Him we have a beautiful inheritance.

I am praying that you and I could rest in that today.

a wrestling, a blessing

“And Jacob said, ‘Please deliver me from the hand of my brother, from the hand of Esau, for I fear him, that he may come and attack me, the mothers with the children. But you said, ‘I will surely do you good, and make your offspring as the sand of the sea, which cannot be numbered for multitude.’” -Genesis 32: 11-23

In this momentous scene in the beginning of the Bible, we see a few things playing out. Jacob has been given the birthright blessing that, according to culture at the time, should’ve been given to his older twin brother Esau. But because God had said, “The older shall serve the younger,” the birthright and the blessing of being the firstborn son has been given to Jacob. But Jacob, like all of us at times, is unable to rest in what God has already done for him. He falls victim to fear and unbelief. He fears his brother Esau, who is approaching him in the desert with 400 men. “Then Jacob was greatly afraid and distressed. He divided the people who were with him, and the flocks and herds and camels into two camps, thinking, ‘If Esau comes to the one camp and attacks it, then the camp that is left will escape.’”

Jacob, acting out of fear, tried to think his way out of the predicament by using chess-board logic. “If he does that, I’ll make this move instead.” But God isn’t interested in our chess-board logic. He wants to deal with the root issue in our hearts. So what does God do in the face of Jacob’s fear, his anxiety, and his distress? He doesn’t speak soothing words, or give him a soft pillow on which to lay his head. Instead, He wrestles with him.

It seems like a weird story, but it’s so beautiful when you think about what a gift and a blessing the struggle was for Jacob. Jacob was afraid of Esau, living in the dark night of the soul. But the LORD met him in a wrestling match — not with comfort or pleasure, but actually with a fair amount of pain. After all, Jacob limped for the rest of his life. And Jacob’s life was forever changed, because God gave him something even better than his immediate need.

God gave Jacob a new name, a new identity. His new name is “Israel,” which means “He strives with God.” And more importantly, God used the new identity He gave to Jacob to keep the covenant promise He made to Abraham to establish the nation of Israel, God’s chosen people. And Abraham was just a foreshadowing of Jesus, who would make a greater nation of people than Abraham — the Church, which we who are in Christ are now a part of.

We think God will always show us His love in the ways we most desire. But that wasn’t the case for Jacob. God could’ve just destroyed Esau’s army. But that wouldn’t have dealt with the fear in Jacob’s heart. So God wrestled with him and Jacob’s life was changed forever.

James 1:2-4 says, "Consider it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.”

God truly does make and keep His promises in the most amazing ways. And when we feel like wrestling with God, we can have assurance that on the other side of the wrestling is the blessing: the blessings of knowing we are His children, He is our Good Father, and He is always working for our joy, to make us steadfast and complete.

(Credit to Erik Miller, for his sermon series on Genesis 12-32)

desperate

And Jesus said, “Who was it that touched me?” When all denied it, Peter said, “Master, the crowds surround you and are pressing in on you!” But Jesus said, “Someone touched me, for I perceive that power has gone out from me.” Luke 8:45

This story in Luke 8, at first glance, seems to be randomly inserted into the narrative. Only a few verses earlier, a Jewish man named Jairus, ruler of the synagogue, is begging Jesus to come to his home and heal his daughter, who is on death’s door. The careful reader would be concerned with whether or not Jairus’ daughter will be healed.

But then Luke makes a detour. “As Jesus went, the people pressed around him. And there was a woman who had had a discharge of blood for twelve years, and though she had spent all her living on physicians, she could not be healed by anyone.”

One wonders why the gospel writer, Luke, takes a pause in his story about Jairus’ dying daughter to talk about a bleeding woman. We are never given her name, only a few details of her life; namely, that she was sick and destitute.

I’m inclined to believe that the theme of this woman’s life was desperation. For over a decade, she would have hoped and believed that one doctor or another could heal her. But none did. So when she reached out to Jesus in a last-ditch effort to be saved, she must’ve been truly desperate.

And Jesus, the Healer, knew right away. “Who touched me?” Though he was the Son of God, and knew who it was that touched Him, He asked so that others would see the glory of God. Just like when He brought Lazarus back to life, the Son always prays that the Father would be glorified. “Did I not tell you that if you believed you would see the glory of God?” he tells Martha and Mary.

So, in a move that was fully desperate, this woman reached out to Jesus and touched “the fringe of his garment,” and “immediately her discharge of blood ceased.”

It was her act of desperate faith that led her to be healed. It was Jairus’ act of desperate faith to ask Jesus to raise his daughter from the dead. Why would they do such a thing? Because people do crazy things when they are desperate.

If we are to view God rightly, we must see the absolute desperation of our position apart from Christ. In this story, we are the ones who are blind and bleeding because of our sin. Just as Jairus’ daughter was physically dead, so our souls are spiritually dead without Christ. We cannot heal ourselves, and our only hope is that Jesus, in His Saving Grace, will raise us from the dead and heal our sin sickness. As the Psalmist says, “Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits, who forgives all your iniquity and who heals all your diseases.”

I must have that same desperation of the woman who reached out and said to herself, “If only I can touch his cloak I will be healed.”

And when the woman saw that she was not hidden, she came trembling, and falling down before him declared in the presence of all the people why she had touched him, and how she had been immediately healed. And he said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace.” Luke 8:47-48

remembering

“Stand up and praise the LORD your God, who is from everlasting to everlasting.” Nehemiah 9:5

The backstory: The Israelites, previously exiled to Babylon because of their sins of idol worship, have been miraculously brought back to Jerusalem. Under the leadership of Nehemiah and the teaching of Ezra, the people have re-discovered the Word of God’s Law. There is much weeping as the Law is read aloud, for the people who are supposed to be God’s chosen haven’t been keeping the Law, and they know it. They see all their sins and repent in sackcloth and ashes. They hear about the festival of booths, which they are supposed to keep in remembrance of their days wandering in the wilderness. They hear the Word and do it (James 1:22).

Paul, writing to the Galatians, says that “For through the law I died to the law so that I might live for God….I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing!”

So what does that mean? The Israelites were keeping the Law all for nothing?

No. The Law of the Old Testament was precursor to Christ. It pointed to Him — Jesus said in the Gospels that the Law and Prophets spoke about Him. Paul also writes in Colossians that Jesus came to replace the festivals, the New Moon celebration, and the Sabbath. Jesus is our rest — and that’s why we still observe the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. These things were just a shadow of those to come (Colossians 2). Because of Jesus Christ’s perfect life, and his perfect, substitutionary atonement, acceptable to the Father, we can have complete freedom. Jesus came to fulfill the Law perfectly, which we could never do.

So…what do we do now? We do the same thing as the Israelites did. We repent of our hard-heartedness. We repent of loving other things more than God. But instead of putting on sackcloth, we put on Christ. His perfect robes of righteousness replace our filthy rags (Isaiah 64:6). We rejoice in our salvation, because “the joy of the LORD is our strength.” (Nehemiah 8:10).

the gospel of Esther

If you grew up in church, you’re probably familiar with the story of Esther. The king of the Medo-Persian empire, Xerxes, chooses Esther, a Jew, over all the other women in his 127 provinces to be his queen. Esther’s identity as a Jew remains hidden from the king per her cousin Mordecai’s advice. An evil nobleman named Haman finds out Mordecai is Jewish, and out of sheer jealousy and hatred, convinces the king to write an edict for the murder of all Jews. Mordecai tells Esther of this plot to kill the Jews, urging her to appear before the king and appeal for mercy for her people with the oft-appearing-on-Christian-coffee-mugs line, “Perhaps you were born for such a time as this.” Esther, after 3 days and nights of fasting, bravely approaches the king, risking her life for her people, and wins the king’s heart over, eventually leading to his calling off the slaughter of the Jews. Esther and Mordecai succeed in not just saving their people, but in giving them days of plunder and the slaughter of their own enemies.

As a child, I heard this story of Queen Esther many times. I think there was even a Veggie Tales episode about it. As an adult, I have to say I’ve wondered why this book is in the Bible. The book is famous for never mentioning the name “Yahweh” or God, though clearly all of the events in the book are orchestrated, designed, and sovereignly directed by God.

But another thought came to me this time as I was reading the book of Esther. I think Mordecai and Esther are supposed to be Christ-types, a picture of who Jesus is and what He came to do. I think as Christians (especially Christian women) we often imagine ourselves as Esther, bravely conquering the issues of the day, whether that’s with a bad boss, a stubborn child, or just the world in general. However, I think we had best see ourselves as what we really are - spiritually, children of God and His chosen people - yet practically, helpless when it comes to the evil conspiring to take hold of us and put us to death, as Haman sought to put the Jews to death. It’s interesting that the Bible makes no mention of the Jewish exiles having anything to do with their salvation. It rested solely on Mordecai’s request of Esther, whose courage in approaching the king led to the Jews being set free. I honestly think this is more than just a story of good vs. evil. It’s a story of us, helpless in our sin, being seen and advocated for by Jesus before the throne of God above, whose wrath is upon us for very good reason. Unlike King Xerxes, whose initial edict of the Jews was unjust, God’s wrath on us is perfectly just. Unlike Esther, we are unable to approach the throne of God the Father. We are disqualified because of our position as unrighteous sons of Adam. “Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned.” Romans 5:13

But the righteousness of Jesus is perfect. Jesus did not only humbly approach God the Father to ask for our freedom. He willingly went to the cross, despising its shame, and now He lives to make continual intercession for us so that we may approach God’s throne of grace. Jesus didn’t just fast for three days. He laid in the grave for three days, before the Holy Spirit breathed life back into Him, raising Him from the dead because He lived the perfect life and willingly died an agonizing death. Jesus didn’t just take a risk on whether he might die or not. He went to the cross knowing that He would suffer and die, and He did it anyways, because of His great love for us. “While we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5:8

The enemy of our souls, Satan, wants us to die. But Jesus came so that we might have life, and have it abundantly (John 10:10). Let us rejoice that Jesus came, bled, and died, “for such a time as this.”

all-sufficient merit

On Saturday night, as I was waiting for my Dyson vacuum to finish charging, I was listening to a song called “All Sufficient Merit.” As I sat down and listened to the lyrics, it really made me start thinking about Christ, and why the truth that He alone is sufficient, based on the absolute perfection of His life, death, and resurrection, is really, really good news.

At times in our lives where struggles are very real, and pain feels like it just won’t go away, I realized something: The all-sufficient merit that I have been given through Christ is the best thing ever. It is more precious than silver and gold, perfect health, perfect relationships, or anything else that life on this earth has to offer.

A dear friend and I recently got a chance to see the Cleveland Symphony Orchestra live in concert, playing the musical score for the Lord of the Rings: Return of the King. During the scene when the new King, Aragorn, looks at Arwen, the Elvish Queen and his one true love, I couldn’t help but think that this is how Christ looks at His Bride, the Church, whom He is coming back to redeem and restore not just to an earthly kingdom, but one can that never be taken away; an eternal, heavenly kingdom, where we will enjoy Christ together forever and ever.

“The Spirit and the Bride say ‘Come.’ And let the one who hears say, ‘Come!’ Let the one who is thirsty come; and let the one who wishes take the free gift of the water of life.” Revelations 22:17

covenant promises

In the seemingly endless genealogies of 2 Chronicles, I saw something amazing: in chapter 3, the descendants of David are listed. Every single one of them was a king on the throne of Israel, even until Jeconiah, who was carried into captivity by the Babylonians.

Why is this significant? Because of God’s covanent promise to David, that a descendant of David would forever reign on the throne of Isarel. And why do we have geneologies in the Bible? To show that YAWEH is a faithful God who keeps His promises, forever. Even though, as we read in 2 Samuel, the kingdom of Israel didn’t seem like a sure thing there for a while, because people kept killing each other, and it didn’t seem like David would ever get to be king. But because God promised, and anointed him through Samuel, God brought it to pass, even in the midst of an amazing amount of betrayal and stabbing (seriously, it’s like a rated R movie.)

Even after the kings of Israel were carried off captivity, hundreds of years later, another King was born in a manager in Bethlehem. Because God kept His Promise. His faithfulness to David, keeping His covenant promise…that really happened. The proof is in Jesus! His life, death, and resurrection!

We are not faithful, but God is. NO ONE can snatch us out of the Father’s hand (John 10.) Even DEATH could not snatch Jesus out of His Father’s hand! “O death, where is your sting?”

“Show us your steadfast love O LORD and grant us your salvation” - which He has done in Christ. Amen!

blessed assurance

“All mine are yours, and yours are mine, and I am glorified in them. And I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, keep them in your name which you have given me, that they may be one, even as we are one. While I was with them, I kept them in your name which you have given me. I have guarded them, and not one of them has been lost except the son of destruction, that the Scripture might be fulfilled.” -John 17:10-12

There comes a time, probably in every Christian’s life, when we may question whether we are really “saved” or not. (I put “saved” in quotation marks because it is common Christian parlance for being “in Christ”.)

However, the Bible makes it abundantly clear that we are not saved by our own merit, that we who are saved are part of the elect, and that those who are truly in Christ can never be taken away from Him.

Jesus, in the High Priestly Prayer quoted above, says this:
“All mine are yours.”
”Holy Father, keep them in your name which you have given me, that they may be one, even as we are one.”
”While I was with them, I kept them.”
”I have guarded them.”

Notice all the actions (verbs) taking place here, and notice who is doing the action. Jesus keeps us. He guards us. He presents us to the Father.

I emphasize this because it can become tempting to believe that we have something to do with our salvation. But the Bible makes it abundantly clear — we really don’t have that much to do with it. Man cannot come to God unless God would first draw him. This is essentially what the entire epistle of Romans is about. Man is utterly depraved (Romans 1:8-22); no one seeks God, nor looks to the things of God (Romans 3, Psalm 14); all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23). We were all “children of wrath” and lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of our body and mind (Ephesians 2:3-4).

But God, “who is rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ.” GOD HAS MADE US ALIVE TOGETHER WITH CHRIST. I don’t think I can emphasize this any more, the Bible makes it clear! God draws us to Himself because of His mercy. And if He has made us alive through Christ, NO ONE has the power to snatch us out of the Father’s hand! That’s why Jesus rose again — proving once and for all that death does NOT have the final word! JESUS is the final Word! (John 1:1).

Just listen to what Jesus says in John 10.

“The works that I do in my Father’s name bear witness about me, but you do not believe because you are not among my sheep. My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand. I and the Father are one.”

NO ONE IS ABLE TO SNATCH THEM OUT OF THE FATHER’S HAND!!! If it were up to us, we’d never make it! If salvation were dependent on our own works, no one would be able to obtain grace! (And then it wouldn’t really be grace, it would be a wage that we earn. And that’s NOT salvation.)

As an aside, when it comes to the Great Commission, how are we supposed to “go into all the world and preach the good news” IF we’re not even believing the Good News ourselves? Why would I want to share the gospel with someone if it goes like this: “Hey there’s this great God that you HAVE to follow. And if you do really good, then maybe He’ll have mercy on you and let you into heaven” NO! That is the opposite of good news. That is the opposite of the “light yoke” that Jesus has called us to bear in His name.

Our salvation is all about Jesus: His perfect life, His death and resurrection, His continual intercession for us at the Father’s right hand. It’s not about us. And that should give us immense hope! He who lived a perfect, sinless life, in whom every promise is “yes and amen…” He has called me. And He will keep me. “And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified.” Romans 8:30 He has sealed me until the day of redemption: “And it is God who establishes us with you in Christ, and has anointed us, and who has also put his seal on us and given us his Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee.” 2 Corinthians 1:22-23

Let the promise of blessed assurance ring into your heart today!

"it has pleased the Lord"

“And Samuel said to the people, ‘Do not be afraid; you have done all this evil. Yet do not turn aside from following the LORD, but serve the LORD with all your heart. And do not turn aside after empty things that cannot profit or deliver, for they are empty. For the LORD will not forsake his people, for his great name’s sake, because it has pleased the LORD to make you a people for himself.” 1 Samuel 12:20-22

In the context of this prayer, Samuel intercedes on behalf of the children of Israel, who have just demanded that Samuel anoint a king to rule over them. Samuel, the high priest, acknowledges the sin that Israel has committed in asking for a king; not that the request was wrong, but the heart behind it was wrong, because Israel was seeking to be like other nations around them; wicked, pagan nations that the LORD had commanded Israel not to follow.

So in this context, its even more surprising and even shocking that verse 22 states: “It has pleased the LORD to make you a people for himself.” In spite of Israel’s sin, it pleased the LORD to make them His people. In spite of all the sins that He knew that would commit against Him in the future, it still pleased Him to do this.

Thinking about that further and in the context of Scripture as a whole, there are many amazing things that the Bible says are pleasing to the LORD. Here is a short list. I have edited them to make them personal, and I hope that whoever is reading this can also read and believe that these promises are true for you, too.

1. It has pleased the LORD to make me His child, and that means I am co-heirs with Christ. Romans 8:16-17 “The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him.”

2. It has pleased the LORD to give me Jesus, my perfect older brother, who did not despise his inheritance like Esau, but for the joy set before Him, endured the cross, despising its shame. Genesis 25:34, Hebrews 12:2

3. It has pleased the LORD to give me some of the hidden manna, which is the Word of God; the white stone, which is real victory; with a new name written on the stone that no one knows except the one who receives it, which is real intimacy. Revelation 2:17

4. It has pleased the LORD to give me garments of pure white, which means I am clothed with the righteousness of Christ. Christ became sin for me, so that because of His death, burial and resurrection, I would have the same righteousness as God. This was done to show God’s righteousness, not my own. Romans 3:25, Revelation 3:5, 2 Corinthians 5:21

5. Though I have but little power, it has pleased the Lord Jesus Christ, who is the key of David, to open a door for me which no one can shut. He gives me the crown of life, and makes me a pillar in the temple of God. Revelation 3:7-8, 11-12

6. It has pleased the LORD to make me a part of His Kingdom of priests, who sing a new song to the King, who shall reign on the and over the earth to worship Him forever. Revelation 5

7. It has pleased the LORD to have compassion on me, to run toward me, to kiss me, to give me a robe and a golden ring, to kill the fattened calf and prepare for me a sumptuous wedding feast to celebrate, and I will sit on the King’s throne with Him to rule and reign with Him forever. Luke 15:20-24, Revelation 3:20

the church at Ephesus

“To the angel of the church in Ephesus write: ‘The words of him who holds the seven stars in his right hand, who walks among the seven golden lampstands.

I know your works, your toil and your patient endurance, and how you cannot bear with those who are evil, but have tested those who call themselves apostles and are not, and found them to be false. I know you are enduring patiently and bearing up for my name’s sake, and you have not grown weary. But I have this against you, that you have abandoned the love you had first. Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent, and do the works you did at first. If not, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place, unless you repent. Yet this you have: you hate the works of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who conquers I will grant to eat the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God.’”

As Jesus is speaking to the church in Ephesus, he offers both an exhortation and a rebuke. This is a pattern we’ll see throughout the letters to the 7 churches in Asia, which the apostle John writes about in Revelation.

Notably, each letter begins with who Jesus is. In the letter to Ephesus, Jesus holds the 7 stars, which are the angels of the 7 churches, and he walks among the golden lampstands, which represent the 7 churches. Seven is the number of “completion” or “perfection” in Hebrew literature, which is why it’s mentioned so often in the Bible.

First, let’s take a look at what the church in Ephesus is doing right. They are working and toiling with patient endurance — not for their salvation, but out of the desire to please God and live a life of holiness. They’ve tested the spirits of prophets and found them to be false teachers. I think we as the American church could learn a lot from this. They “cannot bear with those are evil, but have tested those who call themselves apostles and are not.” I think it’s worth noting that Jesus’ description of “those who are evil” is not aimed at the world at large but rather at people inside the church who were acting spiritual but who were proclaiming something other than gospel of Christ.

But in spite of this spirit of discernment, of all their toil and good works, Jesus said “I have this against you, that you have abandoned the love you had at first. Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent, and do the works you did at first.” Many noteworthy things here. The first thing I see is that abandoning our love for Christ is a sin that we must repent from. It’s not just forgetfulness; it’s not just being distracted; it’s actually a sin that Jesus calls us out of. Repentance is remembrance of who God is and what He has done; this act of remembering will lead us into deeper relationship with Him.

The second thing I see is the connection between faith and works. Jesus said they’ve abandoned the love they had at first; therefore repent and do the works you did at first. Works come out of a deep, abiding love for Christ. We work from our love for who Jesus is. That’s it. We’re not working to earn salvation, and we’re not working to keep it. That’s been done for us on the Cross. But faith does require works, which requires love.

Finally, Jesus says, “To the one who conquers I will grant to eat of the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God.” This is why the whole Bible is important — from Genesis to Revelation the same story is told. God told Adam and Eve not to eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. They disobeyed and brought sin into the world, and God had to drive them out of the Garden of Eden to prevent them from eating from the tree of life. But Jesus, who came to make all things new, offers us that very fruit. What a wonderful promise from the One who says:

“Fear not, I am the first and last, and the living one. I died, and behold I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of Death and Hades.”

fire on the altar

“Then Aaron lifted up his hands toward the people and blessed them, and he came down from offering the sin offerings and burnt offering and the peace offerings. And Moses and Aaron went into the tent of meeting, and when they came out they blessed the people, and the glory of the LORD appeared to all the people. And fire came out from before the LORD and consumed the burnt offering and the pieces of fat on the altar, and when all the people saw it, they shouted and fell on their faces.” Leviticus 9:22-24

These words of Scripture struck me in a new way this morning. I think the book of Leviticus is so good, so prescient, for our present day. Because it reminds us of what our sin costs. Aaron, the high priest, had to offer “sin offerings and burnt offerings and peace offerings.” Each time a person sinned, an animal’s blood was required. That’s what sin costs. Someone or something has to pay the price of offending a Holy God. Now Christ, our perfect High Priest, has shed all of His blood for all of humanity who will believe in Him. How great Thou Art!

Secondly, I see something about the fire of the Lord. It consumed the burnt offering on the altar. As stated earlier, we don’t have to sacrifice burnt offerings today, because of Jesus, but there is still something that God requires. He requires our very lives to be laid on His altar, to be burned up with His Holy Fire. Romans 12:1 “I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.” The book of Leviticus gives a us a bolder, bigger picture of what “a living sacrifice” really means. We are to lay our very lives down on the altar of God to be consumed by Him.

Third, I see the right response of the people of Israel. “When all the people saw it, they shouted and fell on their faces.” There is only one appropriate response to seeing the Glory of God. It is to fall on our faces and worship. The Israelites realized, in that moment, their complete inability to be seen by a Holy God and not be obliterated on the spot. Instead, He consumed their sacrifice, which was pleasing to Him.

“May the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer.” Psalm 19:14

holiness

“And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, “Speak to the people of Israel, saying, If anyone sins unintentionally in any of the LORD’s commandments about things not to be done, and does any one of them, if it is the anointed priest who sins, thus bringing guilt on the people, then he shall offer for the sin that he has committed a bull from the herd without blemish to the LORD for a sin offering. He shall bring the bull to the entrance of the the tent of meeting before the LORD and lay his hand on the head of the bull and kill the bull before the LORD. And the anointed priest shall take some of the blood of the bull and bring it into the tent of meeting, and the priest shall dip his finger in the blood and sprinkle part of the blood seven times before the LORD in front of the veil of the sanctuary.” Leviticus 4:1-7

The above is just one short passage from the book of Leviticus. This book was written to enshrine the laws that God had given Moses on Mount Sinai to the Hebrews, the purpose for which was to set them apart and make them a people holy unto Himself.

Anyone who gives only a cursory glance into the book of Leviticus would be amazed, or maybe even appalled, by the sheer number of mentions of blood, bodily fluids, and animal organs. In our modern day, where we buy pre-packaged meat at the grocery store completely severed of bones, tissue and organs, we really have no category for what this kind of animal sacrifice really looks like.

But that’s not our biggest issue. The glaring, gargantuan issue is that we don’t see God’s Holiness. I’m talking about “we” as in the larger, evangelical American church today, myself included. We think that God is our friend, that He is there is to answer all of our prayer requests, and if we “just ask, we will receive.” In a way, those things are true, BUT…the reason so many of us struggle in our Christian lives is that we don’t understand God’s Holiness. We have no grasp on it. We have no category for it. We’ve been deceived by the enemy of our souls into thinking we’re doing pretty good at this whole Christian thing, no need to get down on our knees and repent because God’s got us, right? I really wish I could say my life was different, but I know I am guilty of the same thing.

I think this is why the book of Leviticus is so, so, so incredibly relevant and important in our day and age. We really don’t understand the grace that we’ve been given through Christ. We really don’t have a concept for the mercy that God has shown us in not ending our lives immediately because of how wretched our sin has made us.

But when we read these passages of Leviticus, where it’s easy to imagine Aaron and the high priests being more butcher than preacher, we begin to get a glimpse of God’s Holiness and exactly what is required to approach Him. Clean, pure, sinless perfection. That’s the requirement. And none of us, no one that’s ever lived in this world, has been able to attain it. Except for Jesus Christ.

In John’s vision of the Lamb in Revelation, the four living creatures and the 24 elders fell down before the Lamb and sang a new song, saying,

“Worthy are you to take the scroll and to open its seals, for you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation, and you have made them a kingdom and priests to our God, and they shall reign on the earth.” Revelation 5:9-10

In spite of our soul-deep sinfulness, the blood of the Lamb has made a way for us to become holy. Not just holy — but a kingdom of priests to our God, where we will minister forever before Him and before His throne.

Let us approach His Throne with all the humility and honor that He deserves.

moses, the intercessor

“And Moses quickly bowed his head toward the earth and worshiped. And he said, “If now I have found favor in your sight, O Lord, please let the Lord go in the midst of us, for it is a stiff-necked people, and pardon our iniquity and our sin, and take us for your inheritance.” Exodus 34: 8-9

Moses, the man God called to deliver the Hebrew people out of Egypt, who performed signs and wonders unlike anything the world had ever seen before, whose staff parted the Red Sea but only after his fear and reluctance to approach the King of Egypt to beg for his people’s deliverance; whose life was marked by courage, character, and obedience, but also the sins of murder and unbelief. It’s true that Moses wasn’t a perfect archetype of Christ, but there is something quite wonderful in the story of the Israelites’ deliverance that shows us a beautiful picture of the Lion of Judah who was to come.

A quick recap of Exodus 32: God called Moses up to Mount Sinai to give him the 10 commandments, the famous laws that would show these former slaves how to live Godly, healthy lives. While Moses is receiving the 10 commandments, the people of Israel start to grumble (again). This time their complaint is “As for this Moses, the man who brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him.” Exodus 32:2 (As a side note, I always think this verse is funny, like they actually don’t know what happened to Moses? Or were they looking for an excuse to worship something else? I think there might be a lesson in here about taking our eyes off of what we know to be true, that leads us to create a god in our own image.)

Anyways, the Israelites say they just don’t know where Moses went, so Aaron, Moses’ brother and the high priest who has literally just recieved several pages of instructions on how to worship YAHWEH in His Holy Sanctuary (see Exodus 19-31), decided to melt down some gold rings and create the golden calf. We know the rest of the story; the people start dancing and singing to a calf made of metal perhaps only days after being given the command to not go near Mount Sinai, because it is God’s holy mountain, and if they touch it they will die. So the Israelites have a pretty good idea of God’s power, and His holiness…but they worship the calf anyway. Why?? I’ve always wondered this, but I think part of the reason was that God wasn’t moving quickly enough for them. A good friend brought this up, and I think it makes total sense, that when we perceive that God isn’t acting quickly enough in our lives, we start looking around for something else to worship. Yikes.

Back to the Israelites…they did a bad thing, and they knew it. When Moses confronted Aaron about it, and said, “What did this people do to you that you have brought such a great sin upon them?” Aaron said, “Let not the anger of my lord burn hot. You know the people, that they are set on evil. For they said to me, ‘Make us gods who shall go before us…..So they gave it [the gold] to me, and I threw it into the fire, and out came this calf.” Exodus 32:21-24

Several noteworthy things in this exchange:

1. When confronted with his sin, Aaron lied about his actions. Earlier in Exodus 32:4, it says, “And he [Aaron] received the gold from their hand and fashioned it with a graving tool and made a golden calf.”

2. Aaron’s lies not only sought to exonerate himself, but to blame the people of Israel for causing him to sin.

3. Aaron’s lies pointed to his inability to be a blameless high priest for the people of Israel. How could he atone for the people, while he himself was a sinner?

In contrast, Moses:

1. When confronted with the sin of the Israelites, Moses took action. “Moses stood in the gate of the camp and said, ‘Who is on the LORD’s side? Come to me.” Moses then instructed the sons of Levi to kill those in the camp who had worshiped the golden calf.

2. Moses took responsibility for the people’ sin, even though it wasn’t his fault. And he said, “If now I have found favor in your sight, O Lord, please let the Lord go in the midst of us, for it is a stiff-necked people, and pardon our iniquity and our sin, and take us for your inheritance.” Exodus 34: 8-9

3. Moses interceded on behalf of the people, begging God to save them, even putting himself forth as a substitute. “But now if you will forgive their sin — but if not, please blot me out of your book that you have written.” Exodus 32:32

And for these reasons, Moses is also the picture of the coming Messiah, the Christ, who would not just save the Israelites, but all people, from their sins. 2 Corinthians 5:21 says, “For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.”

Jesus came to call us out of our sin of idol worship, but He also came to give us the righteousness of God. Think about that: the righteousness that is alien to us — we were all like Aaron, worshiping idols and blaming other people for it — that sin, Christ took, and exchanged it so that we would be clothed in His perfect robes of righteousness. When Moses asked God to “take us for your inheritance”, this is the inheritance that’s been granted to those of us who are in Christ.

What an amazing truth that the story of Moses points us toward.

the call of Abram

Now the Lord said to Abram, “Go from your country and your kindred and your father's house to the land that I will show you. And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.” Genesis 12: 1-3

The call of God on Abram’s life was profound.

Which begs the question — who is this Abram guy, anyways?

Abram was actually a nobody. He was a random pagan shepherd from a desert in the Middle East called Ur of the Chaldeans. He and his wife, Sarai, were barren. Abram was 75 and Sarai was 65. Both thought they were too old to ever have any kids.

And yet here was the Lord, who promised that He would make Abram and his descendants into a great nation. So Abram answered the call. He “got up” and went out to the land God showed him; but then immediately, a famine hit. So Abram switched his course and went down to live in Egypt, because there was food there. Immediately, temptation strikes. Pharaoh and his court notice the beauty of Sarai, and take her for Pharaoh’s harem because Abram lied by telling Pharaoh that Sarai is his sister.

This does not go well for Pharaoh. “But the LORD inflicted serious diseases on Pharaoh and his household because of Abram’s wife, Sarai. So Pharaoh summoned Abram and said “What have you done to me? Why did you tell me she was your wife? Why did you say ‘She is my sister’ so that I took her to be my wife? Now then, here is your wife. Take her and go!”

I see several noteworthy things about God in this story.

1. God, YAWEH, the Everlasting Creator of Heaven and Earth, chose Abram from among all the people of the earth, through which to create a nation and a people for Himself. We see from Abram’s life that he wasn’t anybody special. He certainly hadn’t “earned” the right to be the Father of many nations. He was also barren! I think this is a picture of God’s love for His Chosen people, those whom He elects to be sons and daughters of God. We are spiritually barren. We have nothing going for us. We are all pagans, “no one is righteous, not one.” Romans 3.

2. But God, in His Infinite Mercy, reaches down and gives us these great and precious promises! God’s promises are FOR US. Even though the promise God gave to Abram was very great — “I will bless you, I will make your name great, all peoples on earth will be blessed through you” — I would propose that we have a greater promise today. We have Christ, the Risen Messiah, whom “every promise is yes and amen.” Our great High Priest, who ever lives to make intercession for us. He promises to never leave us nor forsake us! And that He will be with us even to the end of the age.

3. I noticed that God’s promise to Abram was not contingent upon Abram’s performance. The first half of Genesis 12 is God’s promise to Abram; the second half of the chapter is Abram falling into fear and lying to Pharaoh about his wife! (And how do you think Sarai felt about being thrown into Pharaoh’s harem just so Abram could save his own skin?) But God, who is rich in mercy, allowed Abram to leave Egypt safely. Isn’t it odd to us that God afflicted Pharaoh and his household with diseases because of Abram’s sin? In our moralistic minds, we think Abram should be punished for not keeping up his end of the bargain! But notice the great mercy of God, who kept His own promise that “whoever curses you I will curse.” Not only that, God used Pharaoh to bless Abram with sheep, cattle, donkeys, servants, and camels, which was serious currency back in those days.

I am encouraged that God’s promises through Jesus do not hinge upon my performance today. Lord, I need thee every hour! Help me to remember the promises of God!

straining forward

In Philippians 3:13-14, Paul pens the famous verses, “forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.”

What is this “upward call”? Is it the “resurrection from the dead” that Paul mentions in verse 11? Or is it a call to remain faithful here on earth? Yes. I believe it is both an exhortation to “strain forward” in the earthly life of faith we’ve been given, while also looking upward to that glorious Day when “the God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet.” (Romans 16:20). The imagery that Paul gives here is very active; he’s “straining forward” and “pressing on.” I think Paul knew more than any of us that the Christian life requires bold, continuous action! It’s not, “Oh I got saved! Time to wait for heaven and do whatever I want in the meantime.” We are to strain and press forward, “working out our salvation with fear and trembling.”(Phil. 2:12). Notice we’re not working FOR our salvation (shoutout to my friend Jules for pointing this out). “For it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.” God is working out His will in our lives for our good and His Glory. He does the work. But we have to be obedient to it, the “obedience of faith” that Paul talks about in Romans 16:26.

Paul continues in 3:17:

“Brothers, join in imitating me, and keep your eyes on those who walk according to the example you have in us. For many, of whom I have often told you and now tell you even with tears, walk as enemies of the cross of Christ. Their end is destruction, their god is their belly, and they glory in their shame, with minds set on earthly things. But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself.”

This passage, like so many of Paul’s letters, is both a warning and an exhortation. The first part is an exhortation for the body of Christ to “join in imitating me.” Why is Paul telling others to imitate him? He’s just explained the “upward call” of Christianity; how he formerly had confidence in his flesh to produce righteousness, but now, he depends on “not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ…” Phil. 3:9. He exhorts the Church to continue in that walk of faith.

But it comes with a painful warning — not all who are in the Church are to be imitated. Some, in fact, “walk as enemies of the cross of Christ.” What?! Is Paul really saying you can be a church member and be an enemy of the Cross? Apparently, he is. He goes on to describe these people as destined to destruction because of their earthly focus on pleasure (‘their god is their belly’) and they aren’t even ashamed about it (‘they glory in their shame’).

Because of these people and their influence, Paul ends with another exhortation to the Philippians, and to us, to “stand firm in the Lord.” We can do that today, with confidence, because “our citizenship is in heaven” and our Savior will soon “transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself.” Thank You, Jesus, that you will soon transform us from this body of sin and death into a glorified body where we will worship You forever!

job

“Then his wife said to him, ‘Do you still hold fast your integrity? Curse God and die.’ But he said to her, ‘You speak as one of the foolish women would speak. Shall we receive good from God, and shall we not receive evil?’ In all this Job did not sin with his lips.” Job 2:9-10

In the amazing story of Job, there was a man, “upright and blameless,” from whom God allowed everything to be taken: his ten children, his livestock, his houses, and eventually his health. And yet, Job refused to blame God.

The backstory to Job is pretty crazy. Satan appears before God, from “roaming up and down the earth.” It appears that Satan is looking for a new soul to torture, and God responds like this: “Have you considered my servant Job, that there is none like him on earth, a blameless and upright man, who fears God and turns away from evil?”

Satan, in response, whines that Job is only upright and blameless because of all the material blessings God has bestowed on him. God gives him permission to take these material blessings away, without harming Job. First the oxen and donkeys are struck down with the swords of the Sabeans. Then fire fell from heaven and burned up the sheep and servants. Then the Chaldeans formed a raid and stole the camels and servants. Then, when Job’s sons and daughters were eating and drinking, a great wind came across the wilderness and struck the four corners of the house, and it fell upon them, and they died.

In response to all this, the Bible says that Job fell on his face and worshiped God. “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return. The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD.”

I see several noteworthy things about God in this story:

1. God does not ordain suffering, but He does allow it. In Job 1:8 God said, “Have you considered my servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, who fears God and turns away from evil?”

2. God, even when He does allow suffering, is also merciful. He told Satan, “Behold, all that he has is in your hand. Only against him do not stretch out your hand.” Job 1:12

3. God is not blind to our suffering. He sees and hears us. In Job 2:3 God said to Satan, “He still holds fast his integrity, although you incited me against him to destroy him without reason.”

In the New Testament, Hebrews 4:14-15 puts it like this:

“For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”

Today, let us remember that God in His Sovereignty allows suffering in our lives, and yet we have the privilige of approaching His Throne of Grace for our every need.

worship

“But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him.” John 4:23

What did Jesus mean when He was speaking these words to the Samaritan woman at the well?

First, we must worship in spirit. That means worship needs to come from the heart. Like love, in 1 Corinthians 13, it must be genuine and real. It must come from a place of authentic faith. Does that mean we still worship even when we aren’t “feeling it”? Yes..and that’s because of what Jesus said next.

We worship God “in truth.” That means we exhalt God for Who He Is, and what He’s done for us. We humbly bow before Him because He is above every ruler, authority, and every other name that is on or under the earth. (Colossians 3). We worship Jesus, the image of the invisible God, who now sits at the right hand of God ever living to make intercession for us as our Great High Priest. (Hebrews ) And we worship the Spirit, who indwells believers, making us a holy dwelling, just as God the Father previously dwelled in a tent among the Israelite camp. We now have the Holy Spirit within us as believers, who, with many groanings, prays on our behalf to Jesus (Romans 4.)

So does that mean we worship even when we don’t feel like it? Yes. Does that mean we read the Bible when we don’t feel like it? Yes - searching the Scriptures is a form of worship.

Do we get together for worship just because it’s something to do? No. It’s not an emotional experience we’re seeking out. We are not looking for God to give US something - He’s already done that through Jesus. (Although yes, we also come to Him as our Heavenly Father for prayers of protection, peace, assurance, and more). But worship is something - really, it’s the only thing - that we can bring to our Heavenly Father. Just like the little drummer boy says: “I have no gifts to bring, that’s fit to give a king…” We don’t have anything to bring. Nothing but our sinful, broken selves. But being humbled by the grace we have been given, and amazed at the mercy we’ve been shown, we humbly approach the throne of Grace to life the name of the Lord. Like David says in Psalm 13, “But I have trusted in your steadfast love, my heart will rejoice in your salvation. I will sing to the Lord, for he has dealt bountifully with me.”

We, like David, have to be continually amazed at our salvation. We will all go through trials in life - Jesus promised us that. But what else did He promise - that He would be with us always, even to the end of the age.

When Moses came down from Mt. Sinai, after communing with God, his face shown with the glory of God so that a veil had to cover his face, for the Israelites were afraid. The glory of God is something to be feared; but not in a way that we’re afraid, like the Israelites. Isaiah also fell on his face when he was transported in the temple where the angels were singing “Holy Holy Holy.” We revere God for His Glory. Not in a fearful way, but because we know that as our loving Father, He will “graciously give us all things.”

True worship is costly. The person who perhaps demonstrates this the most is Mary, the sister of Martha, who broke a jar of expensive ointment and washes Jesus’ feet with it in John 12. The disciples protest, asking why the perfume wasn’t sold (it cost about $20,000 in today’s money) and given to the poor. Jesus replied, “the poor you will always have with you, but you will not always have me.” Mary understood the gravity, the weight of glory, of Who Jesus Was. His disciples didn’t yet realize. But Mary knew, and her worship reflected that. Her adoration cost her something. What is my worship costing me? Jesus said His followers must take up their cross, and follow Him. If I live my life pretty much how I please, and worship only when I feel like it, is that costing me anything?

On the contrary, what happens when we do give up something to follow Jesus and worship Him in spirit and in truth? We are blessed - with His presence, with His love, with His all-enveloping grace. We know that we have been given every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places (Hebrews). That’s already been done through Christ. We have been clothed with the righteousness of Christ (Romans 4), that’s already been done. The exchange has been made, and it wasn’t a fair trade (john Piper). None of us has ever sought righteousness or the things of God (Romans 3); none of us have looked for God; as a result, our lives are full of misery and pain. All of us have fallen short of the glory of God. But God, who is both Just and the Justifier, showed His righteousness at the present time by sending us Jesus (Romans 3:26). By doing this, He calls dead people to be made alive again (Romans 4:17) and those people, whom He calls into faith, will be justified, sanctified, and glorified (Romans 8:30).

This is Good News! Just as Lazarus was brought back to life physically, our spiritual lives are brought back from the dead when God chooses to “Make known the riches of his glory for vessels of mercy which he has prepared beforehand for glory” (Romans 9:22).

We praise God for this outpouring of generosity and offer Him all that we have through worship. When we come before Him to praise Him in spirit and in truth, we offer our lives to be a “living sacrifice, holy and acceptable and pleasing to God, which is your spiritual act of worship” (Romans 12:2).

When we do this, our lives will reflect the glory of God, and we will be effective ambassadors of the gospel, because our lives will carry the aroma of Christ.

lazarus

There is an old story that I love about someone named Lazarus, his two sisters, and a Man.

Lazarus died, and was buried in a tomb. His sisters were distraught. They couldn’t understand what was happening. Wouldn’t their brother’s death have been prevented if only things had been different?

The Man appears, but he’s too late. Lazarus has been dead in the tomb for four days. The Man tells Martha, the sister: Your brother will rise again. She, reaching deep into her theological toolkit, responds: Yes, I know he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day. The Man said, in a response that the world had been waiting for: I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die.

Do you believe this?

“She said to him, ‘Yes, Lord; I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who is coming into the world.’”

What a beautiful response to Jesus.

Then, they head to the tomb with the other sister. When Jesus saw the two sisters, and those who were with them weeping, He also wept.

And then, the Bible says, Jesus was “deeply moved in spirit.” My Bible notes that this phrase also means “indignant.” Picture this: Jesus standing at the tomb of Lazarus, indignant — that means to “feel or show anger or annoyance at what is perceived as unfair treatment”.

Who is he indignant towards? Who else but Satan, sin and death? Jesus said, “Take away the stone.” Martha, ever-practical, notes: “Lord, by this time there will be an oder, for he has been dead 4 days.” Jesus said to her, “Did I not tell you that if you believed you would see the glory of God?” They take away the stone.

And Jesus prays, “Father, I thank you that you have heard me. I thank you that you always hear me, but I said this on account of the people standing around, that they may believe that you have sent me.”

When he had said these things, He cried out with a loud voice: “Lazarus, come out.” The man who had died came out, his hands and feet bound with linen strips, and his face wrapped with a cloth.

Jesus said to those standing there, and to Satan, sin and death: “Unbind him, and let him go.”

Jesus, staring down the tomb, a picture of death, refused to let Lazarus be stolen by death. And because of Jesus’ perfect obedience to the Father, up to the point of dying a horrible death on a cross that He did not deserve, death and sin no longer have the final say in any of our lives. For His precious children, all of our sins are forgiven. Jesus came to bring life, that we may have it abundantly (John 10:10).

For Lazarus, and for us, death does not have the final say. Jesus is the Resurrection and the Life. Will we trust Him today?

a greater Hope

“We rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.” Romans 5:3-5

Have you ever wondered why a loving God allows suffering in the world? Starving children. Famine. Drought. Natural disasters. Why do these things happen if God is in control?

I’m not a theologian, and many people who are smarter than me have written about this before. But I would say this verse from Romans 5 says a lot about God and why he allows suffering in our personal lives. On a greater scale, He also allows suffering to happen in the world to bring people to Him — “For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly.” Romans 5:6

I think everyone with a pulse can take a look around at the world and know that something is not right. Why are innocent children starving? The simple answer (much more to dive into later) is that we are all sons of Adam, born into sin, and destined to die in our sin. “For if, because of one man’s trespass, death reigned through that one man, much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man Jesus Christ.” -Romans 5:17

But what about when God allows hardships in our own personal lives? We can see from Romans 5 why he does it — to produce character. But why do we need character? Why can’t God just make my life easy and comfortable? Why can’t everything go right all at once?

I believe it’s because God wants to produce a character in us that will reflect the light of His Glory, and also the life of His Son. Jesus suffered and died for the sins of the whole world (John 3:16), and His followers are meant to be molded into the image of Christ. As we are molded and shaped by Him, why should our lives look different from His? The apostle Paul considered it an honor to suffer and die for the cause of Christ.

In our own lives, when suffering comes, do we resist it? How many times I have prayed and asked God for the thorn to be removed, the desire to be taken away, the answer to come? And yet, I pray these things because I can’t bear to trust Him. And yet He asks this of me. In the quiet, stillness of my heart, He asks me to trust Him. With my future, with my past, with my present. Because my life is not my own. It’s a vessel. And it’s meant to be poured out for His Glory.

Life looks different when we believe in a greater Hope.

“Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgements and how inscrutable his ways!” Romans 11:33

belief

As I was walking this morning something struck me out of nowhere. I gave up that dream last summer of buying Frank’s property… I always just assumed that was a dream that had to die. But today as I walked by his house i realized that I do still have that dream, God in his perfect timing didn’t allow it to happen last year, but the desires to have these dreams in the first place all come from Him. As I walked and prayed, it was as if He was saying to me, Don’t you believe that I love you?

So that’s my challenge for today. Believing that God really loves me.