Morning: The sermon, "Imitate God," came from Ephesians 5:1-2. In this passage, Paul encourages his readers to imitate God and Christ by living a life of love. They are to imitate God as little children imitate their parents. We are to imitate Christ, in that we love by laying down our lives for others. We are to imitate God in righteousness, holiness, mercy, kindness, and forgiveness. Like God, we must initiate reconciliation, we must pave the way for forgiveness, and seek the good of others. As we imitate Christ, through sacrificial love, it is a pleasing aroma to God. After we come to Christ, we follow the pattern he has set out before us.
Evening: Business meeting.
Sunday, February 7, 2010
Saturday, February 6, 2010
A Grieving Heart
I can't seem to shake this sadness. It feels as if there is a tornado raging in the space between my heart and my gut, ripping my soul to shreds. But the pain is not mine. I keep thinking of the heartache now endured by people close to me. Loss. Broken dreams. Tears. In reality, it would be unnatural, unholy not to feel this sorrow. It is impossible to watch one we love being wounded so deeply, and not be affected.
I yearn for their comfort. I desperately want some insight into the reasons behind these events, but I am certain that I will probably never really get those answers. This time of darkness will most certainly serve a more noble end, although we cannot see that end just yet. To paraphrase Joseph's statement to his brothers, "Satan meant this for evil, but God meant it for good." Death is not a good thing. It is not what was intended in the original design of humanity. Death enter the world through Adam's rebellion. But just as Adam's sin brought death, so Jesus' death brings life.
In seeking to comfort some grieving souls today, I reminded them of what the psalmist said in Psalm 46:1, "God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble." They were, and are, also a balm to my own heart. As our refuge, the Lord is a place in which we hide and find protection. He shields us from the effects of Adam's sin, and from the effects of our sins as well. As our strength, he enables us to endure under the burden's of life, because he has promised us many great and precious promises. He cannot break his promises. As our very present help, he walks with us, dwells in us, and works through us to bring about his glory.
My heart is heavy for the hurt my friends are enduring, but hope resides there as well. I know his love for them is unquestionable. He demonstrated his love for us through Christ's death on the cross. My faith is not shaken, but my heart is stirred. I have found myself more prayerful, more reflective. I keep praising the Lord for the grace he has so clearly shown us, and I keep asking him to give me the wisdom to trust his grace even when I can't see it as clearly. I also keep praying for those who are hurting, knowing that God is with them and loves them with a love greater than mine.
I yearn for their comfort. I desperately want some insight into the reasons behind these events, but I am certain that I will probably never really get those answers. This time of darkness will most certainly serve a more noble end, although we cannot see that end just yet. To paraphrase Joseph's statement to his brothers, "Satan meant this for evil, but God meant it for good." Death is not a good thing. It is not what was intended in the original design of humanity. Death enter the world through Adam's rebellion. But just as Adam's sin brought death, so Jesus' death brings life.
In seeking to comfort some grieving souls today, I reminded them of what the psalmist said in Psalm 46:1, "God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble." They were, and are, also a balm to my own heart. As our refuge, the Lord is a place in which we hide and find protection. He shields us from the effects of Adam's sin, and from the effects of our sins as well. As our strength, he enables us to endure under the burden's of life, because he has promised us many great and precious promises. He cannot break his promises. As our very present help, he walks with us, dwells in us, and works through us to bring about his glory.
My heart is heavy for the hurt my friends are enduring, but hope resides there as well. I know his love for them is unquestionable. He demonstrated his love for us through Christ's death on the cross. My faith is not shaken, but my heart is stirred. I have found myself more prayerful, more reflective. I keep praising the Lord for the grace he has so clearly shown us, and I keep asking him to give me the wisdom to trust his grace even when I can't see it as clearly. I also keep praying for those who are hurting, knowing that God is with them and loves them with a love greater than mine.
Friday, February 5, 2010
The Thing About Words
Words are very powerful things. With our words we can build up others, or we can tear them down. In a moment of anger, we can loose our words like of volley of arrows piercing everyone in our sights. In a moment of passion, we can speak tender words that radiate with such intense heat that hearts are set ablaze. In a moment of joy, we can set forth words in a river of praise and adoration.
Yet in other moments, words fail. At a moment of deep loss, words often rest limp on the tongue. They may lodge in the throat with such violent opposition to being spoken that it feels as if we are being choked. They may rest heavily at the bottom of our hearts threatening to drive it deep down within us.
In moments like these, words fail to convey the anguish we feel in a way that seems adequate. When grief is at its heaviest, there really are no words to describe it. Words also fail to comfort at moments like this. Well aimed words, well honed by frequent use, fall short of the mark. A grieving heart doesn't want words, it wants relief.
So in times of grief, pack up your cliches, put away your fortune cookie proverbs, and stop shooting from the hip. Only God's Word, applied by his Spirit, has the power to heal. If we forget that, we're little more than clanging cymbals in ears of the grieving.
In the times where our words fail, it is time to weep with those who weep. It is time to gather around them and minister to their need. As we minister to them, we will speak to them God's Word. We will remind them what God has said through the Scripture. We will urge them to endure to the end. We will mourn this evil world with them, even as we long for the new world that is coming. For a day is coming, when our King will wipe the tears from our eyes. We know this because his Word never fails.
Yet in other moments, words fail. At a moment of deep loss, words often rest limp on the tongue. They may lodge in the throat with such violent opposition to being spoken that it feels as if we are being choked. They may rest heavily at the bottom of our hearts threatening to drive it deep down within us.
In moments like these, words fail to convey the anguish we feel in a way that seems adequate. When grief is at its heaviest, there really are no words to describe it. Words also fail to comfort at moments like this. Well aimed words, well honed by frequent use, fall short of the mark. A grieving heart doesn't want words, it wants relief.
So in times of grief, pack up your cliches, put away your fortune cookie proverbs, and stop shooting from the hip. Only God's Word, applied by his Spirit, has the power to heal. If we forget that, we're little more than clanging cymbals in ears of the grieving.
In the times where our words fail, it is time to weep with those who weep. It is time to gather around them and minister to their need. As we minister to them, we will speak to them God's Word. We will remind them what God has said through the Scripture. We will urge them to endure to the end. We will mourn this evil world with them, even as we long for the new world that is coming. For a day is coming, when our King will wipe the tears from our eyes. We know this because his Word never fails.
Thursday, February 4, 2010
The Lord Our Rock
"To you, O Lord, I call: my rock, be not deaf to me, I become like those who go down to the pit. Hear the voice of my pleas for mercy, when I cry to you for help, when I lift up my hands toward your most holy sanctuary" (Ps. 28:1-2, ESV).
The Lord is our only source of hope. It is helpful to remember that he is not deaf, even though sometimes it feels as if our prayers aren't heard. The process of waiting on the Lord, especially through difficult circumstances, can cause feelings of desperation. It can feel that we are about to be consumed by the events surrounding us, and that no one cares what happens to us, but these feelings are far from the truth.
The Lord invites us to call on him, he delights in hearing and answering the prayers of his people. He is our rock, unchanging, unbreakable, and solid. In him we take refuge. David reminds us that the Lord is the only one who can help. If we cry to him in desperation, he hears. If he hears, he brings about his glory and our good through our situation. He the Rock upon which we should build our lives.
The Lord is our only source of hope. It is helpful to remember that he is not deaf, even though sometimes it feels as if our prayers aren't heard. The process of waiting on the Lord, especially through difficult circumstances, can cause feelings of desperation. It can feel that we are about to be consumed by the events surrounding us, and that no one cares what happens to us, but these feelings are far from the truth.
The Lord invites us to call on him, he delights in hearing and answering the prayers of his people. He is our rock, unchanging, unbreakable, and solid. In him we take refuge. David reminds us that the Lord is the only one who can help. If we cry to him in desperation, he hears. If he hears, he brings about his glory and our good through our situation. He the Rock upon which we should build our lives.
Wednesday, February 3, 2010
Happy Birthday, Delia!
"Many women have done excellently, but you surpass them all" (Prov. 31:29, ESV).
I want to honor Delia today since it is her birthday, but I am finding it difficult to put my feelings into words. The words are there, but they feel too personal, too private. So I'll share a few of her excellent qualities.
Delia is my best friend, and I love her very much. I am grateful to God that he brought her into my life. When I see her, it makes me smile deep down inside. She is truly beautiful, both on the inside and the outside. She makes me want to be a better man.
Although it may sound kind of corny, I'll share a thought that occurred to me while watching Delia blow out the candles on her cake. I kept thinking, she's the one that blew out the candles, but I'm the one whose wish came true.
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
Why Should I Fear?
"The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?" (Ps. 27:1, ESV).
This Scripture is worthy of meditation (of course, all Scripture is worthy of meditation). This verse reminds us of the source of our courage. We are not to find solace in our own strength, because our strength is insufficient for the calling to which God has called us in Christ Jesus. We need a greater strength than what we possess.
David reminds us that the Lord is our light. He is the ray of hope that pierces the darkness of our night and drives the shadows of doubt away. The Lord illuminates our mind through the Spirit applying God's Word to our life. As he enlightens us, we see the dangers of sin so that we can turn away from them. The Lord shows us the path that leads to life.
The Lord is our salvation. He has delivered us from sin and death. He has rescued us from ourselves. He has paid the penalty of our sin on the cross, and bore our shame. The Lord saves us to the uttermost. By his grace, through faith in Christ, we are no longer objects of wrath, but the objects of his love and compassion.
The Lord is our stronghold. He is the fortress into which we run when the minions of Satan lay siege to our life. He is the shelter in which we rest as the storms of life rage overhead. He is our stronghold. The Lord is fortress that cannot be broken into.
As David allows these images to swirl in his mind he comes to one ultimate conclusion: I have no reason to fear anyone. Why should we fear when the Lord is for us. If Christ is for us, who can be against us. The reality is that all the world may be against us, but as long as Christ is for us the world will not overcome us in any ultimate or final sense.
Your righteousness doesn't depend on you. It depends on the righteous payment of Jesus, who died in your place. Your success doesn't depend on you. It depends on the God who works mightily through you by his Spirit. As you seek to obey him, remember that man can do nothing to you that God does not allow. He will uphold you and preserve you. Don't be afraid, only obey him.
This Scripture is worthy of meditation (of course, all Scripture is worthy of meditation). This verse reminds us of the source of our courage. We are not to find solace in our own strength, because our strength is insufficient for the calling to which God has called us in Christ Jesus. We need a greater strength than what we possess.
David reminds us that the Lord is our light. He is the ray of hope that pierces the darkness of our night and drives the shadows of doubt away. The Lord illuminates our mind through the Spirit applying God's Word to our life. As he enlightens us, we see the dangers of sin so that we can turn away from them. The Lord shows us the path that leads to life.
The Lord is our salvation. He has delivered us from sin and death. He has rescued us from ourselves. He has paid the penalty of our sin on the cross, and bore our shame. The Lord saves us to the uttermost. By his grace, through faith in Christ, we are no longer objects of wrath, but the objects of his love and compassion.
The Lord is our stronghold. He is the fortress into which we run when the minions of Satan lay siege to our life. He is the shelter in which we rest as the storms of life rage overhead. He is our stronghold. The Lord is fortress that cannot be broken into.
As David allows these images to swirl in his mind he comes to one ultimate conclusion: I have no reason to fear anyone. Why should we fear when the Lord is for us. If Christ is for us, who can be against us. The reality is that all the world may be against us, but as long as Christ is for us the world will not overcome us in any ultimate or final sense.
Your righteousness doesn't depend on you. It depends on the righteous payment of Jesus, who died in your place. Your success doesn't depend on you. It depends on the God who works mightily through you by his Spirit. As you seek to obey him, remember that man can do nothing to you that God does not allow. He will uphold you and preserve you. Don't be afraid, only obey him.
Monday, February 1, 2010
Seeking Forgiveness
"Make me to know your ways, O Lord; teach me your paths. Lead me in your truth and teach me, for you are the God of my salvation; for you I wait all the day long. Remember your mercy, O Lord, and your steadfast love, for they have been from old. Remember not the sins of my youth or my transgressions; according to your steadfast love remember me, for the sake of your goodness, O Lord" (Ps. 25:4-7, ESV).
Sometimes the simplest expressions make the most profound impact. Here David is expressing his longing for the mercy of God. If the Lord remembered (in order to punish) the sins of his people, they would be consumed by his rage. However, in his steadfast love he prepared a way for their forgiveness through the death and resurrection of his Son, Jesus the Christ.
David expresses a universal reality that we are all in need of instruction from God. If we are to find God, he must reveal himself to us. If we are to live a way that pleases him, it is his power that must manifest itself in us. David's terms are very personal, "Make me to know your ways," and "Teach me your paths." David's heart is fearing the sin within it.
This psalm is filled with confession. It expresses guilt and anxiety over sin. It drips with faith--ripe, full, and wounded. It is a faith wounded by its own stumbling. I do not know what David had been through prior to writing this psalm, but he obviously wanted forgiveness. And David knew exactly where to find it. He ran to the Lord.
David does not lay out a list of righteous acts which has a performed and ask God to remember them. He does not lay charges against his enemies, he merely acknowledges that they are many and fierce. What he asks is for instruction, mercy, and forgiveness.
This can be a reminder for us. In our sin, we need to turn to the Lord and seek forgiveness. We need to confess our sins to him, and seek cleansing. He is faith and just to forgive us of our sins, and to cleanse us of all unrighteousness (see 1 Jn. 1:9). If we trust him to forgive us, through Jesus Christ the Son, then we will be cleansed by his grace and for his glory.
Sometimes the simplest expressions make the most profound impact. Here David is expressing his longing for the mercy of God. If the Lord remembered (in order to punish) the sins of his people, they would be consumed by his rage. However, in his steadfast love he prepared a way for their forgiveness through the death and resurrection of his Son, Jesus the Christ.
David expresses a universal reality that we are all in need of instruction from God. If we are to find God, he must reveal himself to us. If we are to live a way that pleases him, it is his power that must manifest itself in us. David's terms are very personal, "Make me to know your ways," and "Teach me your paths." David's heart is fearing the sin within it.
This psalm is filled with confession. It expresses guilt and anxiety over sin. It drips with faith--ripe, full, and wounded. It is a faith wounded by its own stumbling. I do not know what David had been through prior to writing this psalm, but he obviously wanted forgiveness. And David knew exactly where to find it. He ran to the Lord.
David does not lay out a list of righteous acts which has a performed and ask God to remember them. He does not lay charges against his enemies, he merely acknowledges that they are many and fierce. What he asks is for instruction, mercy, and forgiveness.
This can be a reminder for us. In our sin, we need to turn to the Lord and seek forgiveness. We need to confess our sins to him, and seek cleansing. He is faith and just to forgive us of our sins, and to cleanse us of all unrighteousness (see 1 Jn. 1:9). If we trust him to forgive us, through Jesus Christ the Son, then we will be cleansed by his grace and for his glory.
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