August 2015 – To Walk Worthy

The Love That Pursues

Reading the parable of the Prodigal Son (Luke 15:11-32) today, the love of the father is overwhelmingly tangible. Both sons demonstrated failure — the kinds of abject failures that emanate from deep within a heart that is yet to truly know the love of the father. One son sought to fill the inner void of his brokenness by gratifying his every desire — the other, by seeking approval for his performance and perfection. In both situations, the father went out to his son to invite and welcome and reconcile — to pursue as only love can pursue.

So, do you find yourself feeling like a failure lately? Job isn’t what you expected or hoped for? Jealous of others apparent success? Kids pushing you to the edge? Marriage is breaking you? Or, you know you have really screwed things up … and the consequences are becoming unbearably painful. Here this from Rebecca Van Noord: “Often, when we focus too much on our own failures, we don’t reach the point where grace changes us.”

Marvelous grace of our loving Lord,
grace that exceeds our sin and our guilt,
yonder on Calvary’s mount out-poured,
there where the blood of the Lamb was spilt.

Dark is the stain that we cannot hide,
what can avail to wash it away!
Look! there is flowing a crimson tide;
whiter than snow you may be today.

Marvelous, infinite, matchless grace,
freely bestowed on all who believe;
you that are longing to see his face,
will you this moment his grace receive?

Grace, grace, God’s grace,
grace that will pardon and cleanse within;
grace, grace, God’s grace,
grace that is greater than all our sin.
(Johnston)

There is no better news than this … the God Who is Love pursues failures like you and me! The Almighty God of all creation is pursuing us with Holy Love — the perfect and sincere and everlasting Love that we can only ever comprehend in knowing Him as our heavenly Father.

Just prior to telling of the Prodigal Son, Jesus gives two examples (Luke 15:3-7, 8-10) of loss and redemption and ends both of them with the proclamation that there is rejoicing in Heaven over even one sinner who repents.

So, will you be the son or daughter who wallows in your failure or perhaps sulks about the joy of others? Or will you repent and receive by grace the indescribable love and unspeakable joy of God the Father?

Yep, that’s Him … right behind you, still pursuing you, longing for you to know Him … longing to tell the angels that it’s time to rejoice again in Heaven.

Sowing & Reaping

Reading Hezekiah’s prayer in Isaiah 37 this morning … Rabshakeh, sent by Sennacherib the king of Syria, has mocked Israel and written-off Yahweh as just another god. Hezekiah begins his prayer with a declaration of praise to the Almighty Creator — a beautifully eloquent “hallowed be Thy Name!” He then urgently petitions Yahweh to hear the mockery of Sennacherib and to respond with salvation for Israel. Then the whole earth will know that Yahweh is like none of the so called gods of the kingdoms that have fallen to Sennacherib — Yahweh is God alone!

We live in a world that oppressively grows ever-more pagan and anti-Christ. Especially disturbing is the dismissal and mockery of God by declaring good to be evil and evil to be good. We see this as the worship of self rears its ugly head in so many ways — from unforgiveness and bitterness to the murder of inconvenient human life and celebration of immorality. I find my heart crying out for justice. Indeed, I’d be lying if I didn’t admit the outrage and anger I feel — and it’s strangely mixed with sorrow for those being deceived and destroyed.

It’s so easy to get waylaid by these emotions — to be distracted from what a righteous response should be. Hezekiah kept the right perspective, praying for God’s glory and only proper recognition. How can we accomplish this in our lives?

In Paul’s letter to the churches of Galatia, he declares something that is both an encouragement and an exhortation: “Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap.” (Gal. 6:7) We need to hear this — loud and clear! Our God can and does and will eternally defend His honor quite well, thank you! Vengeance is His for He alone can execute justice with mercy and love.

Be exhorted! If we sow in spite and hatred and vengeance, we will reap the bitter fruit of our own sin — and that is exactly what the enemy of our souls is hoping for! Sowing to the flesh is a demonstration of the god we serve. We must sow to the Spirit and reap eternal life. This is spiritual warfare and the battles cannot be waged in the flesh alone. Yes, we must do all we can to seek justice and mercy … in the gentle and humble walk of Holy Love as He fills us.

Be encouraged! Judgment has already been pronounced upon the forces of darkness — “lo, his doom is sure!” And hope is held out at the Cross of Jesus, in His precious Blood, for all those who are lost and deceived … yes, and for all of us who are His, our hope is glorious and eternal!

Lazy Faith?!

“I believe; help my unbelief!” (Mark 9:24)

I’ve often found it easy to relate to — yes, to identify with this passage. Did I say often? … a lot! I’m afraid this passage can be quoted as more of a crutch or excuse than we’d often like to admit. It’s far too easy to get stuck here — to acknowledge the diagnosis and be content. But that is entirely the wrong kind of contentment! This is the kind of diagnosis that calls for holy discontent. As JD Walt puts it, “Jesus waits for a generation who will not be content to live out their lives in the lazy place between belief and unbelief.”

In the greater context of this passage, it wasn’t the father of the demon-possessed boy that was so unbelieving; rather it was Jesus’ disciples — and they are confounded by their spiritual weakness. Jesus gives them the cure — prayer! Not ritualistic, going through the motions, gotta say the right words in the right order with the right emphasis incantations. But the kind of prayer that is born of intimacy — a relationship overflowing with the Spirit of Holy Love.

I don’t know about you, but lazy faith is not a characteristic I want to have my life marked by. May the Spirit of Holy Love be the very breath we breathe today. May the intimacy of this relationship overflow in continual prayer. And may we be so wholly discontent with anything less that we persevere unwaveringly in this pursuit.

Word & Light & Life

This morning my thoughts turned to Scripture — the Word — the Sacred Text. The more I’ve invested time and energy into reading and studying and even simply listening to the Word being read over and over again, the more I find that various passages are illuminated in new ways — further revealing God the Father, Son, and Spirit.

It brings to mind movie scenes of text, often ancient or cryptic, etched in stone or on brittle, aged pages — text that is obscured in some way from the understanding of many or all of the characters in the plot. Then something happens to bring meaning from what had formerly been hidden or confounding — perhaps there are even special effects to emphasize the event … and Bilbo or Harry or whomever receives new and special knowledge that comes with great privilege and responsibility. But there is something more ancient than any magic ever contrived by human minds or hands.

As we diligently search the Scriptures — as we emulate the faithfulness of the Bereans of old and so many more like them down through history — we are drawn ever deeper into relationship with the God Who is Love. We desire to know the all-powerful, all-knowing, ever-present, eternal One Who is beyond our human comprehension — and He reveals Himself through the illumination of His Word each day in new ways that sometimes leave us stunned to discover a Truth that was always there. And there’s always more — as abundant and boundless and infinite as Him Who is the Living Word!

Lord God, may I never cease to be amazed and filled with joyful desire to be led by You — deeper into Light and Truth. You are the source of all that is good and wonderful and pure. You are the special effects and the special knowledge — You alone are the Way, the Truth, and the Life. May the privilege and responsibility of being the loyal subject of You, my King, make me sincere and earnest in proclaiming the Good News that all may come and drink from this fountain — all may come and be made free and new in Christ — all are welcome to come and receive Jesus Who is the Word & Light & Life!