Content or Complacent?

Content or Complacent?

Have you ever heard a friend or coworker recount a recent accomplishment that required real dedication and discipline and you were inspired? I could lose those last ten pounds. I could run a marathon. I could save my money and pay off my mortgage. For about 20 minutes. Then did you find yourself getting honest? But I won’t. I once saw a sign at a craft booth that said, “Sure, you could do it yourself, but will you?” I thought it was clever for its honesty. No, I won’t. So I’ll buy yours. And no price is too high for your creativity and discipline so I don’t have to test mine.

What is it that makes some people able to forge ahead and achieve their goals and some of us keep dreaming about them? I have a theory: we only change when our present circumstances are more uncomfortable than the effort it will take to alter them. Case in point: I was having some back issues recently so I began to visit my friendly neighborhood chiropractor. She suggested exercises, physical therapy, some x-rays and so on. I was faithful and compliant to the letter. Why? Because I was in pain and was willing to do whatever I was told to remove my pain. Pain is motivating. But as I’ve experienced some relief recently and my visits are over, the doctor has warned me to keep doing what we started as a preventive measure for the future. That will be harder. (But she’s reading this now, so of course I will be proactive in my vertebral health!)

But what about when the pain is gone? Why do we floss feverishly before a visit to the dentist but find it harder to maintain the habit for the next six months? Why do we work hard at relationships that are filled with conflict but tend to take for granted the ones that mean the most? Why is it easier to get to the gym and eat healthier food when we can’t fit into our favorite clothes? Because pain is motivating and comfort is king.

God knows this about us. He knew that the Israelites in the desert would cling to Him as long as they were wandering in the desert and depending on Him for their very sustenance and safety. He provided their food and water and protection when they cried out to Him. And as Moses neared the end of his tenure as desert leader (and of his life), God’s message to His people was a warning against complacency when the difficult nomadic life would turn into stability.

“¹³ So if you faithfully obey the commands I am giving you today – to love the LORD your God and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul – ¹⁴ then I will send rain on your land in its season, both autumn and spring rains, so that you may gather in your grain, new wine and oil. ¹⁵ I will provide grass in the fields for your cattle, and you will eat and be satisfied. 

¹⁶ Be careful, or you will be enticed to turn away and worship other gods and bow down to them.”     (Deuteronomy 11:13-16)

Deuteronomy is filled with the phrases “be careful” and “remember”. Why would God tell His people so often to be careful and to remember unless He was quite sure that they would be careless and forgetful? And why? Because they would no longer be motivated by pain, but would be experiencing physical comfort. Look at the pattern described in this passage:

1.     The people obey God. (verse 13)

2.     God blesses the people. (verses 14-15)

3.     The people turn away from God. (verse 16)

Sound familiar? When there is relational conflict or illness or financial panic, I run to God quite naturally. I find comfort in His Word and in His Presence when I’m sad or scared or uncertain. Desperation leads me – no, forces me to cling to Him. And that is a legitimate season. But when that season has passed and I experience healing, feeling His Presence in a lighter, more peripheral way, my spirits soar. For a while. Then I begin to doubt the authenticity of the relationship or my commitment to following Christ. Where is the desperation? Where is the longing? Is this feeling of contentment good for me? Will it last? What will the next trauma be?

Life, both physical and spiritual, comes in cycles. You may have noticed that. Like the meteorological seasons, life has growing times and dormant times. And if you’ve experienced both, you probably recognize that while you’re in the midst of one you can count on it changing at some point so you’ll experience the other. So how can we enjoy and take advantage of a growing season without becoming complacent and turning away from God? Part of the answer is found just a couple of verses after God’s warning.

¹⁸ Fix these words of mine in your hearts and minds; tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. ¹⁹ Teach them to your children, talking about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.” (Deuteronomy 11:18-19)

How do we keep our Sunday afternoon drive from straying out of the contented neighborhood and veering into complacency? By making God’s thoughts and desires so natural in our everyday life that we can have confidence in His Presence regardless of our emotional mood or temporary circumstances. Know God’s Word in our heads and value it in our hearts. Talk about God’s activity in our lives with our family and friends. Incorporate our Father into every aspect of our being.

Easier said than done, right? Of course. Because when I am desperate and in pain, I will do whatever I can to get out of that place. I will quit bad activities and leave unhealthy relationships when I have no other option. When I’ve hurt someone or lost enough money or feel enough physical pain, then I will change. But when that’s not the case, the carnal nature in me wants to do what I want to do, and it’s harder to see the potential damage in the consequences. If I turn away from God, as the passage in Deuteronomy warns will happen, it becomes increasingly difficult to hear the quiet wisdom of God’s Spirit guiding me into life. Instead, I choose to go back into the grave from which Christ raised me. Life to the full? No, thank you. I’ll choose death. It feels really pleasant right now. And I don’t want to feel guilty about it.

The flip side of this dilemma is that we can’t enjoy the season of grace and blessing that God gives us. We try to make it harder than it is. Am I missing something? Why is this so easy? What should I be doing for God so I can feel more challenged in my spirituality? What tragedy is around the corner? I used to do this when my husband and I were dating. We lived in different cities so our monthly visits were always over too quickly. But instead of enjoying every minute together, I would start whining on the last day about how much I would miss him and ruin part of the little time we did have together! Now I find myself tempted to do the same with God! I am still negatively affecting my enjoyment of a lovely relationship that will naturally have its ups and downs, but within which I can take great pleasure and grow to be my very best self.

So whether our tendency is to wait for the other shoe to drop or drop our defenses and turn away from God, these words Moses passes along are as relevant to us as they were to the Israelites thousands of years ago. God wants our hearts. He wants our devotion. And He wants to bless us in the context of relationship. How will we respond?

•  Read Romans 6:11, Galatians 2:20 and Galatians 5:1. How do they shed light on the topic discussed in this lesson?

• How do you react to times of grace and contentment? Do you tend to turn away from God and find yourself in old patterns? Or do you have to remind yourself to enjoy the season and not focus on something bad that might happen soon?

Back to Basics

Back to Basics

If you’re like me, you can hear an adult’s voice from your childhood in your head every time certain situations present themselves. Words of wisdom or warning that ring in our ears, reminding us of timeless truths that have been passed from one generation to another. From the messages we send the opposite sex by the way we dress to dinner etiquette when there are more forks than guests at the table, someone has ushered us into new frontiers of knowledge and those teachings stay with us. And, if we’re honest with ourselves, we wash our hands and brush our teeth because someone told us to do it a million times! (Anyone have kids?)

The apostle Peter had the heart of a teacher and wanted his learners to really, really get it. He seemed to love knowledge as much as he loved the ones he was teaching. Knowledge in the context of relationship, seeing growth and understanding, is one of a teacher’s most satisfying gifts. And what I’ve been experiencing lately is that it’s not always about new knowledge. Sometimes, like in 2 Peter 1:12-15, it’s the determination to keep alive the basic building blocks of learning – or faith – that’s necessary for effective education. Say it one more time, and maybe it will stick.                       

¹² So I will always remind you of these things, even though you know them and are firmly established in the truth you now have. ¹³ I think it is right to refresh your memory as long as I live in the tent of this body, ¹⁴ because I know that I will soon put it aside, as our Lord Jesus Christ has made clear to me. ¹⁵ And I will make every effort to see that after my departure you will always be able to remember these things.

Reading the preceding verses of chapter 1 gives the context, of course, for his phrases like “these things”. And notice that he is not spending every ounce of ink to present new facts to his students; he is telling them that until he dies, he will remind them of the same things he’s been teaching, and that he wants them to remember it all even after he’s gone.

The Old Testament book of Deuteronomy is similar. Exodus, Leviticus and Numbers are Moses’ story of trying to pass along the law, as God has given it to him, to the sometimes responsive, mostly rebellious, Israelites. The phrases “remember” and “be careful” are liberally sprinkled throughout Moses’ final book. And why tell the people to remember and be careful of the same things they’ve already heard if not for the fact that God was quite certain they would forget and be careless? (In high school a friend and I had an imaginary passenger in the car named “Care” for when our parents told us to “take care” when driving. We made sure to bring her everywhere since we were told to a million times!)

These basic building blocks of faith are good for us to remember. We don’t need to stop there and learn nothing further, but we do need to be careful and remember the foundational truths of our faith. They are the “spine” issues that hold up the body and create joy and unity in a community of Jesus followers. I’ve been reminded of these Christianity 101 lessons this week as I’ve been meeting with a college student who is discovering them for the first time. What joy for me to rediscover what she is learning as she approaches a relationship with Jesus. The kind of joy that one of my sisters-in-law (and sisters in Christ) expressed perfectly in a letter I received from her this week as she told me about a particularly impactful message she heard. She wrote,

“Ever since I heard this lecture I keep going back to Ephesians 2:8…it is still fresh to me. It brings me to tears as I take it in, as I grow in understanding of the completeness of the cross and resurrection. My salvation is a gift from God to me. I had really no part in the gift other than thanking Him for it…I treasure my salvation and the grace God has shown me.”

Don’t you love it?! It’s exactly what Peter is hoping his readers will take away: the impact of what we’ve already learned about following Jesus is exponentially satisfying as the relationship with Him grows and we change to be more like Him. Thanks be to God!

So what are those basic truths – those “spine” tenets – that can keep us going and lead us to deeper relationship with Christ as we fully appreciate them? Here are a few passages to ponder this week and keep in mind, looking for God’s confirmation and the joy of the Holy Spirit as we take them in again – or for the first time…

~Now brothers, (and sisters!) I want to remind you of the gospel… which you received and on which you have taken your stand. By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you…that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Peter, and then to the Twelve. (1 Corinthians 15:1; 3-5)

~For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith – and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God – not by works, so that on one can boast. (Ephesians 2:8-9)

~Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! (2 Corinthians 5:17)

~Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. (Romans 8:1)

~How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! (1 John 3:1)

~If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:9)

~He has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. (Colossians 1:13-14)

I don’t know about you, but I never get tired of hearing that I’m loved, I’m forgiven and I’m free. And that is what we are, dear sisters. That is what we are.

• This week choose one or two of these truths and ask God to make it fresh and alive for you so that you can more fully experience the joy of your salvation. If you have not made that commitment to believe in Jesus as the only way to God, search these passages and ask God to reveal Himself and His truth to you as He draws you closer to Him. 

Submission and Respect

Submission and Respect

The way this lesson hits you may depend on your reaction to a uniform or the word “supervisor” emblazoned on a jacket. Personally, I am comforted by the appearance of an authority figure and consider most SOPs as BFFs. This morning, on my way to my first experience as a potential juror for the great state of Washington, our bus driver took a wrong ramp and we ended up in a narrow tunnel with no obvious turnaround opportunity. Suggestions and pleas from the passengers were quick to be offered, but no decisive action was taken until the metro supervisor in an orange vest magically appeared and climbed on board. Someone had given clearance for something and progress was made. I watched with some interest the various interactions with our crestfallen bus driver as commuters exited the vehicle. Not all were pleasant. The woman behind me, however, encouraged the driver by saying, “tomorrow will be a better day”. Authority had rescued us and respect ruled the day. A happy ending was had by all.

The concepts of submission to authority and respect are discussed by one of the earliest New Testament writers, the apostle Peter, who elaborates on these ideas in one of his letters to the first century church. Take a look at how he makes his case:

¹³ Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every authority instituted among men: whether to the king, as the supreme authority, ¹⁴ or to governors, who are sent by him to punish those who do wrong and to commend those who do right. ¹⁵ For it is God’s will that by doing good you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish men. ¹⁶ Live as free men, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as servants of God. ¹⁷ Show proper respect to everyone: Love the brotherhood of believers, fear God, honor the king.

¹⁸ Slaves, submit yourselves to your masters with all respect, not only to those who are good and considerate, but also to those who are harsh. ¹⁹ For it is commendable if a man bears up under the pain of unjust suffering because he is conscious of God. ²⁰ But how is it to your credit if you receive a beating for doing wrong and endure it? But if you suffer for doing good and you endure it, this is commendable before God. ²¹ To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps. 

                        ²² “He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth.” 

²³ When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly. ²⁴ He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed. ²⁵ For you were like sheep going astray, but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.

  3 Wives, in the same way be submissive to your husbands so that, if any of them do not believe the word, they may be won over without words by the behavior of their wives, ² when they see the purity and reverence of your lives. (1 Peter 2:13 – 3:2)

Peter gives us a nice overview of his topic in the first verse of this passage: submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every authority. We don’t get to pick and choose which authorities we submit to, and we’re doing it for Jesus. Then he gets more specific in mentioning government offices, slave masters and spouses. And right in the middle of his human examples that anyone back in the day or today could relate to, he drops in Jesus.

Why submit? Peter is not the only New Testament writer to exhort followers of Christ to submit to authority. Paul tells the Christians in Rome that “everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. Consequently, he who rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves.” (Romans 13:1-2) God is a God of order and of images. Just the like tabernacle and the temple were images of deeper spiritual concepts, so is earthly authority a means for God to communicate His own sovereignty and power in our lives. And in case we think it was easier in biblical times to submit to the government, remember that Christians were imprisoned, persecuted, and killed for their faith under Roman rule after Jesus’ death and resurrection. The authorities that Peter and Paul told Christ followers to obey were often cruel and unfairly biased against their faith. But submission to authority is a crucial tenet of one who follows Christ. Peter’s letter tells his readers that by being good citizens they will keep foolish people from saying ignorant things about them and the God they follow (1 Peter 2:15). Jesus also told his followers that people would see their good deeds and give glory to God (Matthew 5:16). Submission to earthly authority reveals the character of one who follows God, the ultimate authority.

How is it possible? This is key to understanding and succeeding. Peter places the emphasis of example and resource for this difficult undertaking with Jesus alone. We are called to submit under trying circumstances because Jesus set an example. And his example was twofold – He showed us what it looks like (he committed no sin; he did not retaliate; he made no threats) as well as where it comes from (he entrusted himself to him who judges justly). Therefore Jesus is central to seeing submission with respect and He is the power by which it is possible to live that way. Submitting to authority with respect, especially when we don’t agree with or support the source of authority, is only possible by looking to Jesus and relying on Him for strength.

What does it look like? Practically speaking, there are myriad manifestations of this concept. Peter gives us examples of government, employment and marriage. The idea of a governor (mayor, president) or boss having authority over us isn’t very controversial. The ones who make and enforce the rules and have the power are considered authorities. And whether you’re grinding your teeth because of the outcome of the most recent election or you were counting down the days until the end of the previous administration, we have all had a taste of chafing under a government we don’t agree with. And many of us have labored under less than ideal employment situations, as well. Yes, we toe the line when asked to do so. Yes, we obey the law. But we reveal much about our attitudes and character by how we react to what we perceive to be unfair policies or treatment by those in authority over us. Disagreement is ok. Disrespect is not.  Among peers as well as in or under positions of authority, God calls us to answer everyone with respect and gentleness (1 Peter 3:15). Jesus modeled the perfect combination of submission with respect by being sure of his calling and clinging to his Creator. We are all made in God’s image – even those with whom we disagree. So when we find ourselves on opposite sides of political, social or philosophical fences, we are still called to follow Jesus’ example and entrust ourselves (as well as the outcome of our conversations and relationships) to him who judges justly.

What about submission in marriage? This topic is a little like apostrophes: sprinkling it around without understanding it causes more confusion than taking the time to understand it and put it into practice properly. (Apostrophes are one of my major grammatical pet peeves; don’t get me started…) And don’t even think we’re going to cover all the implications here. The one thing we can take from this passage is part of the first verse of chapter 3: in the same way… What way is that? The way of the previous verses, which describe Jesus’ example of entrusting himself to him who judges justly. Submission in any context is only possible by keeping our eyes on Jesus. Whether or not we are in complete agreement with a spouse or a boss or a government, we are called to submit with respect and that requires that I lay my prejudices, agendas, and timing aside to see people the way God does. And to trust Him with my circumstances. Even when I don’t see eye to eye with the authority over me, I can trust that God loves me and will work things out for my good and for His glory. And I am only responsible for my behavior and attitudes. When I’ve mastered those and can no longer find fault with the way I treat others, then I can start worrying about their behaviors.

Our reactions to people and circumstances in our lives that rub us the wrong way show the world what it’s like to live by God’s standards. How did Jesus not retaliate against the men who beat and mocked him? How did he bear the physical and spiritual pain of the crucifixion and separation from God for the sake of people who insulted and injured him? By trusting His Father. He himself bore our sins so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness. Submitting to and respecting those in authority is possible because Jesus lives in us. We choose respect and submission in relationships and we can only do that by looking to Jesus.

• How do you view authority? Are you like a golden retriever who rolls over and submits to anyone bigger than you? Or are you more like a wild horse who refuses to allow the bit in her mouth or a saddle on her back? Maybe somewhere in between? What past experiences or ideas lead you to view authority the way you do? Is it a biblical view? Ask God to show you His truth in this area.

• Is there someone in authority with whom you have a grievance? Are you treating him or her with respect? How can you be praying for a better outcome to your situation? 

Korah vs. Moses

Do you remember the verse from last week’s lesson in Jude that referenced some Old Testament characters named Cain, Balaam and Korah? It was verse 11 and this is what it says:

“Woe to them! They have taken the way of Cain; they have rushed for profit into Balaam’s error; they have been destroyed in Korah’s rebellion.”

The point about Jude’s letter to the churches was that there were men in the community spreading doctrinal lies and causing dissension . To make his point, Jude referred to three Old Testament examples of men who wreaked similar havoc among God’s people. Since I just happened to be reading through the book of Numbers this week, I got to discover that God wanted me to revisit Korah’s story in particular!

Because the format of these lessons is short, there’s no way we can explore all the references from one part of Scripture to another. However, when God makes His timing so clear and combines it with a life lesson I’ve been learning personally, it certainly merits circling back and taking a second look.

Korah’s whole story is found in Numbers 16 and it rivals any Lifetime Channel made-for-TV movie you’ve ever had the horror/pleasure of watching, I assure you. The Israelites are still in the desert, escaping from Pharaoh and heading to the Promised Land. With manna for breakfast, lunch and dinner, desert temperatures soaring, and all the laws God has mandated for His people, tempers are apt to flare. And although God has delegated all the leadership and service responsibilities perfectly, some are not happy with the present situation. Korah comes from the tribe of Levi so his family’s job will have something to do with the Tent of Meeting – God’s desert precursor to the temple in Jerusalem. Because Korah is a son of Kohath (Numbers 16:1), his family’s job is to be in charge of transporting all the holy objects in the Tabernacle from one location to another when the cloud of God’s glory moves them. They are not allowed to see or touch the sacred items (the priests alone are allowed into the presence of God’s holy objects and they alone can wrap them and prepare them for travel), but they are called in when the items are ready to be moved. (Numbers 4:1-20)

When we first encounter our antagonist it is as an insolent rebel, leading other disgruntled Israelites against Moses. Here is his complaint:

Korah, son of Izhar, the son of Kohath, the son of Levi, and certain Reubenites…became insolent ² and rose up against Moses. With them were 250 Israelite men, well-known community leaders who had been appointed members of the council. ³They came as a group to oppose Moses and Aaron and said to them, “You have gone too far! The whole community is holy, every one of them, and the LORD is with them. Why then do you set yourselves above the LORD’s assembly?” (Numbers 16:1-3)

Bottom line: who do you think you are, Moses? What’s interesting to note is that part of what Korah comes at Moses with is accurate. The LORD was with the whole community. And part of what Korah comes at Moses with is his own junk that he projects on Moses, namely that Moses thinks he’s better than the rest of the people and placed himself in a position of leadership and superiority. If you know Moses’ story at all you know what a reluctant leader he was. So how does Moses react? Look at verse 4:

When Moses heard this, he fell facedown.

Then he tells Korah that God will decide who is right in this situation and who is wrong. He doesn’t defend himself. He doesn’t run away from the confrontation. And he doesn’t try to minimize or smooth over the differences to keep a false peace. Moses goes into a physically humble position to hear from God and pause before answering the accusations coming at him.

There are many lessons to learn here about confrontation. Here are a few that God has given me the opportunity to witness and practice a lot lately.

1. Truth is often mixed with fiction. When someone comes at me with intense emotions or a problem in the relationship, there may be some truth in what they say. Korah started with a piece of truth to his confrontation, but then he went astray and took others with him. Only going to God for His perfect perspective will allow us to sort out what’s true and what someone is projecting on us based on their own issues, feelings and past experience. We can look for the truth, address it, and leave the rest in God’s hands. Helpful verse: If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. (Romans 12:18) Implication: sometimes it’s not possible and sometimes it doesn’t depend on you.

2. Humility is a good response to conflict. Moses didn’t fall on his face because he was submitting to Korah’s leadership or authority in any way. Moses’ posture reflected his willingness to seek God’s truth and release the results. The relationship Moses had with God had been tested and refined to such a degree that Moses knew God wouldn’t let this threat to the community go with impunity. And Moses had seen God’s power and knew it would be effective in a way that mere words or human reaction could never be. Moses and Aaron fell facedown 3 times in this chapter. They sought God’s direction at every step of the confrontation, each time choosing to put aside their own reactions, feelings and agendas to hear from God.

3. One unpleasant (and in this case deadly) confrontation, done well, can preserve real unity. The converse is also true: if we choose false peace by refusing to engage in a fierce conversation, with God’s help, it can be poison to a group. Korah and his cohorts had grumbled long enough and loud enough to have rallied 250 other men to their cause. And these were well-known leaders of the community who had been appointed to the council. What would have happened if Moses hadn’t chosen to go to God and face these guys head on? Leadership vacuum, factions, outright rebellion and mutiny among the million or so people traveling together. As it was, the death toll was pretty high (please read the whole chapter. It’s fascinating…), but it was a classic case of short-term sacrifice for long-term gain.

Bottom line, my junk is my junk, but I’m not taking on yours. And vice versa. When I’ve been in conversations with my husband or friends who want to vent, or when I have been on the delivering end of one of those conversations, God has been gracious to reveal His truth to me and help me reach real understanding with the person I’m talking to. When I went through a recent season of not knowing what I was going to do with my life and I wasn’t feeling confident or purposeful in my middle-aged years, I wanted to lay the bulk of that at my husband’s feet. If he was different and our marriage was better, then I would be happy. I am so glad God didn’t teach me the lesson the way Korah had to learn it! Whew. But even when the tables were turned and I’ve had the confrontation coming at me, I’ve been reminded of that childhood phrase, “I’m rubber and you’re glue; whatever you say bounces off me and sticks to you”. A strong relationship with Jesus is a little like that. When I fall facedown, figuratively or literally, and put myself aside to hear from Him, he reveals to me what’s really mine to own and what I can leave at the foot of the cross for Him to deal with.

There has been plenty for me to own, I can tell you. But it has been liberating to allow God to sort through what’s not mine and instead of throwing it back in the face of the one I really want to understand, I can feel empathy for their situation and hear his or her heart instead of just angry words.

We come into conflict for lots of reasons, but in Korah’s case, and in my own so many times, it’s our own insecurities and misperceptions of others that lead us to jump to wrong conclusions. If Korah had seen his role in carrying the sacred objects of the tabernacles as an honor because of the relationship he had with God, he may not have been so quick to envy Moses and Aaron the seemingly glamorous jobs they had. How many times have I looked at someone’s life and assumed it was better or easier or more fabulous than mine? Too many for me not to have some empathy for Korah, I’m afraid. Korah didn’t see Aaron’s pain in losing 2 of the 4 sons he had who were supposed to succeed him as high priest. Korah wasn’t aware of the inner struggle Moses had been through in changing his livelihood and identity 3 times during his life and becoming a leader in spite of his begging God not to give him the job. Korah’s focus was Korah. And that is another lesson altogether…

• Is there someone with whom you have an uneasy relationship or you’ve had an awkward encounter, and God is asking you to have a fierce conversation? Ask Him about it and ask Him how to begin the dialog, keeping the relationship and truth in mind as goals at all times.

• Are you content to be in the place and season of life that God has you in presently? Do you know your talents, personality and skills, and are you using them happily to serve God and others? As God fills and guides us in the unique way He’s wired us, we will see envy and misperceptions diminish.

• Are you aware of your junk? Do the same issues resurface over and over in your relationships? Are you willing to fall on your face, as Moses and Aaron did, to have God reveal your character flaws and allow Him to change you?

Picking Your Battles

Picking Your Battles

Recently I’ve been having some challenging dialog with a few of my nieces and nephews over content and methods of expression on Facebook. Because most of them live far away, I like using Facebook as a means of keeping up on their lives and seeing them in their world. We have quite a large family, and even if I can just catch a glimpse of which classes are hard and which relationships are thriving (or not), it helps me feel as though I know them a little bit. 

Often I find myself looking at their lives and wondering what kind of a parent I’ll be when my son gets to be that age. What will the conversation be like when this happens? Will my son engage in this or that behavior? How will I react? But just like spending a lot of time and energy worrying about when or if Charlie’s cancer will come back, anxiety over life’s potential worst case scenarios really doesn’t ever pay off. 

In the past few days I’ve been reading and rereading the letter Jude wrote to the early churches that helped me find some perspective in my meanderings through Facebookland. The things I worry about facing in the future are not the things that should necessarily be occupying my mind. The book of Jude is very short – only one chapter with 25 passionate verses. I would encourage you to read it through from start to finish.

Jude’s letter addresses “those who have been called, who are loved by God the Father and kept by Jesus Christ” (verse 1). And he encourages them to “contend for the faith that was once for all entrusted to the saints” because “certain men whose condemnation was written about long ago have secretly slipped in among you” (verses 3 and 4). There are foxes in the henhouse. Heretics in the church. And Jude is promoting a zero tolerance policy for heresy. 

In the short but powerful letter Jude writes, he uses some Old Testament examples of men who have rebelled against God and suffered the consequences as well as beautiful imagery to describe the effects these kinds of men can have on the community of faith they may infiltrate. 

Here are some examples of the attitudes and actions Jude warns his readers about:

• They are godless and change the grace of God into a license for immorality. (verse 4)

• They deny Jesus as Lord. (verse 4)

• They pollute their own bodies, reject authority and slander celestial beings. (verse 8)

• They are clouds without rain, blown along by the wind; autumn trees, without fruit and uprooted – twice dead. (verse 12)

• They are grumblers and faultfinders; they follow their own evil desires; they boast about themselves and flatter others for their own advantage. (verse 16)

• They are divisive. (verse 19)

Jude isn’t writing about outsiders exhibiting these behaviors. These men are in the church pretending to be part of the faith community. And they are a like a virulent disease that will spread to cause potentially irreparable damage to the body of Christ. 

So what does Jude propose as an antidote to the poison that’s found its way into the community? Harsh punishment? A robust dialog to reveal bad theology? A public tongue-lashing to shame the offenders? “Yeah!” we shout. “Let ‘em have it!” We’ll make signs that say, “Heresy Free Zone” with a big red circle and a slash through it. Let’s see what Jude’s suggestion is:

“²⁰But you, dear friends, build yourselves up in your most holy faith and pray in the Holy Spirit. ²¹Keep yourselves in God’s love as you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life.²²Be merciful to those who doubt; ²³snatch others from the fire and save them; to others show mercy, mixed with fear – hating even the clothing stained by corrupted flesh.”

Mercy? Prayer? Rather unexpected responses to the severity of the charge Jude has just laid out, don’t you think? But how beautiful in its focus. The first verses identify the readers as those who have been called and loved by God and kept by Jesus. A firm foundation and identity, to be sure. Then lines and lines of what to look for in the offending parties – in attitude, theology and actions. And a few encouraging words at the end, referring followers of Jesus back to our identities in Christ as a means of standing firm and resisting the forces of evil. The final verses of Jude’s letter place the burden of rebuttal squarely at the foot of the cross. Take a look:

²⁴To him who is able to keep you from falling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy – ²⁵to the only God our Savior be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore! Amen.

So, is it possible that Jude is telling us to press harder into our relationship with Jesus and maintain a good relationship with other believers in order to combat those among us who threaten to divide or damage our community? I think that’s exactly what he’s suggesting! And it’s brilliant! What if we knew our foundational beliefs so thoroughly and loved each other so well that counterfeits among us were obvious but not life-threatening? What if I knew the truth that I am kept strong by Jesus’ love so deeply that I could recognize a divisive force in the family of God, but was confident enough to keep encouraging other believers, even those who may doubt or have legitimate life issues to deal with? I’m not sure what the grumblers, faultfinders and godless men and women would do with that, but the rest of us sure would be better off if we could live that way, wouldn’t we? 

There is a healthy balance between doctrinal vigilance and paranoia. And there is no substitute for knowing what we believe and the One who has loved and saved us. However, in the face of heretical opposition, we can contend for the faith by going deeper with the Author and Perfecter of our faith.

• Do you know what the Bible says about Jesus’ deity? Salvation? Sin? Relationships? God’s character? My challenge for you this week is to research any areas of your faith where you are not sure what you believe. If you find yourself in a dialog about spiritual issues, ask God to reveal truth to you – truth about the issue as well as the heart of the one you’re speaking with. Our battle is not against flesh and blood but against the spiritual powers that wage war against our God. 

The Healing Process

The Healing Process

When my son Charlie was 8 years old he was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia. Cancer. And the three and a half years of chemotherapy, hospital visits, and all that accompanies the healing process has absolutely reshaped us as a family and as individuals. From the day we heard the word cancer in the ER at Children’s Hospital to our most recent anniversary post-chemotherapy, God has been teaching us, shaping us and making us stronger. Most importantly, He has been with us every step of the way. 

 

Because Charlie’s cancer wasn’t a specifically located tumor (leukemia is cancer of white blood cells, which I learned in the crash course of experience), there was no surgery to remove it, and his entire circulatory system (and beyond) had to be treated. Other cancers can be removed by surgery or concentrated radiation. So we waited over the months for the results of Charlie’s medication to take effect. It did and we are praising God to be cancer-free!

Just like the physical healing when cancer presents itself, spiritual and emotional healing can be a process, too. In the gospel accounts of Jesus’ ministry, we often see Him laying hands on people and then the immediate results of changed circumstances. The dead raised to life, bleeding stopped, evil spirits cast out. But one account in the gospel of Mark sticks out to me as unique among these. Take a look:

 

            ²² They came to Bethsaida, and some people brought a blind man and begged Jesus to touch him. ²³ He took the blind man by the hand and led him outside the village. When he had spit on the man’s eyes and put his hands on him, Jesus asked, “Do you see anything?”

            ²⁴ He looked up and said, “I see people; they look like trees walking around.”

            ²⁵ Once more Jesus put his hands on the man’s eyes. Then his eyes were opened, his sight was restored, and he saw everything clearly. ²⁶ Jesus sent him home, saying, “Don’t go into the village.”

 

This healing is the only one recorded in the gospels that happens in stages. What does that mean? I can tell you what it most certainly does not mean. This two-part healing does not mean that Jesus’ power wasn’t sufficient to heal the blind man. I wish to be crystal clear in stating that Jesus was God in His very essence and His power was and is complete and able to heal all our diseases.  

 

As for implications for us, this situation is chock full of them.  The fact that there is only one instance where Jesus healed in stages is significant. As we look at the miracles in the gospel accounts it is difficult to find a pattern for them. Some are personal, some are public. Some are with mud, some with spit. For certain healings, Jesus was right there with the person He healed, and for others He said the word and they were healed from a distance. But all of them, except this one, were completed instantaneously. Why the delay? We can only assume from the scriptural precedent set that Jesus was consistently perfect in His purposefulness. There were no truly unplanned encounters with Jesus as He took each and every individual into account when they experienced Him. This blind man is no different.

Here are some implications I see in this passage:

1.     The process and the timing are personal. This man, like us, had his encounter with Jesus exactly when it was meant to be and in the way it was meant to be. When we find ourselves in the aftermath of a painful life situation, God is fully aware of our circumstances. He is sovereign and intimate so His timing and His knowledge are perfect. That can be a source of comfort when it feels as if we are alone and shocked in our pain. God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. (Psalm 46:1)

2.     We learn things about God and ourselves during the healing process that we might miss if the change was spontaneous. The blind man began his encounter seeing nothing. Then he saw partially. Finally his sight was restored completely. The same is true for us as we work through difficult circumstances in our lives. When there are deep relational or personal wounds to heal, the process of growing is every bit as important as the end result. Conversations may need to happen over and over. Forgiveness may need to be offered again and again.  And when we find ourselves saying, “but I’ve already dealt with this!” it may be that God wants to ask us something new and reveal something else to us in the healing process. We should be different when it’s all over. 

3.     The most important part of being healed is being touched by Jesus. Whether your pain has been because of cancer, divorce, broken friendships, or betrayal, you can lift your head off the pillow each morning with hope if you allow yourself to be touched by Jesus in the process. This should be an encouragement, sisters. He loves us tenderly, completely, and with strength. Even in darkness, He is with us and is our comfort. 

4.     After we allow ourselves to heal completely, we will have more of God’s perspective to see clearly. When Jesus touched the blind man a second time “his sight was restored, and he saw everything clearly.” (verse 25) We understand God’s purposes better in hindsight. There are some life lessons we simply must experience to internalize. And God’s perspective makes us wise.

As I have walked through both physical and emotional healing in the past few years, I see great value and encouragement in this gospel story. When I wipe my tears and press into God for comfort, I sense His healing touch guiding me toward clear sight and deep breathing. The process isn’t neat. It isn’t easy. And sometimes it takes a really long time to move on. That’s okay. God’s not going anywhere until you’re completely healed. And even then, He wants to stay with us for the next challenge, loving us and shaping us more and more into His image. Thanks be to God!

• If you feel stuck emotionally or relationally, how can you lean into God, allowing Him to ask you, “do you see anything”? Sometimes just pausing to look at a situation from God’s perspective can open our eyes to how we’ve already grown and changed.

• This blind man was brought to Jesus by friends. Pray about who God may want you to bring to Him for healing in a difficult time. Look for opportunities to speak truth to them and love them toward God. Go to God in prayer, like these friends, begging Jesus to touch the one you love. 

Preparation and Anticipation

As I write this I am sitting at my friend's dining room table, looking out over her busy suburban neighborhood. Pedestrians with umbrellas and backpacks are making their way to the bus stop or the grocery store. Cars and bikes are taking residents to their morning destinations. Birds are singing and I see some spring blue sky poking through the rain-laden clouds from last night. The funny thing is I traveled from Seattle to Chicago to Frankfurt, Germany to witness this peaceful scene! My friend and I had been planning and anticipating this visit for two or three weeks and here I am!

 

Before I came I checked the weather forecast to choose an appropriate wardrobe. I did laundry to be sure my good jeans were clean. And I did some research online about Frankfurt and the surrounding area to get some ideas about what to see while I'm here. My friend and I emailed, facebooked and talked on the phone, getting more and more excited to spend time together. She always says that all you need to get on the plane is a passport and a credit card because you can buy what you need when you arrive, but both of us enjoy the preparation and anticipation that a new travel experience brings.

 

So you may be wondering if there is a spiritual implication to all this or if I'm just indulging my desire to have my own travel blog. I do have a point. Just before I left home I read the following passage from Leviticus about preparing and anticipating something big:

 

 

                On the eighth day Moses summoned Aaron and his sons and the elders of Israel. ²  He said to Aaron, "Take a bull calf for your sin offering and a ram for your burnt offering, both without defect, and present them before the LORD. ³ Then say to the Israelites: 'Take a male goat for a sin offering, a calf and a lamb - both a year old and without defect - for a burnt offering, ⁴ and an ox and a ram for a fellowship offering to sacrifice before the LORD, together with a grain offering mixed with oil. For today the LORD will appear to you.'" 

                ⁵ They took the things Moses commanded to the front of the Tent of Meeting, and the entire assembly came near and stood before the LORD. ⁶ Then Moses said, "This is what the LORD has commanded you to do, so that the glory of the LORD may appear to you."

                ⁷ Moses said to Aaron, "come to the altar and sacrifice your sin offering and your burnt offering that is for the people and make atonement for them, as the LORD has commanded."  (Leviticus 9:1-7)

 

Here's what jumped out to me: the second half of verses 4 and 6. Why are Aaron and the other leaders doing all this? Why are they finding the right animals and slaughtering them in just the right way? For today the Lord will appear to you in all His glory. And for Aaron and the others to be in the right place spiritually they needed to prepare. In this case, they needed to prepare the animals for sacrifice. In our case, Paul tells us (via the Romans a couple thousand years ago) to "offer your bodies as living sacrifices holy and pleasing to God - this is your spiritual act of worship" (Romans 12:1). We are the sacrifice we bring to God. Lives that reflect and respect Him.

 

There is no definite pattern or prediction to how God will choose to reveal Himself to us in all His glory. There are precedents, both scriptural and experiential, for God's glory to appear to individuals and to groups of people. For a specific purpose and for teaching people about Himself. He may overwhelm us or reveal Himself in small doses as His perfect plan dictates. That being said, I think there is something to the idea of anticipating and preparing for being in God's Presence and seeing how He will move among us. This may include preparing our hearts and minds for the day by reading a short devotional or settting aside time on Saturday night to prepare ourselves for the corporate worship experience of church on Sunday morning. The priests of the Old Testament went through elaborate rituals before they could come into the Holy Place to be in God's Presence. With our casual church services and somewhat lackadaisical approach to authority and tradition today, there can be a tendency to apply those same standards to God. We shouldn't. Our Father in Heaven is not "The Big Guy Upstairs" or "god" with a little g. He is I AM. The Alpha and Omega. Judge and Creator of all mankind and the universe. When we approach the throne of grace with confidence, we are not approaching without reverence and awe. He is our Father, but He is also the One who can pierce our souls with the conviction of His Word. He knit us together in our mother's womb, but He also causes earthquakes, hurricanes and the Northern Lights.

 

When we rush into God's Presence or fail to adequately prepare our hearts to hear or see Him move in our lives, we run the risk of missing the very specific and unique thing He may want to do in us. And we fool ourselves to think that whatever we have going on is more urgent or more important than slowing down to meet with our Savior. And how great it is to have the experience with God and share it in the community of believers. Look at the effect Aaron's preparation had on the rest of the Israelite community later in this chapter:

 

 

                    ²² Then Aaron lifted his hands toward the people and blessed them. And having sacrificed the sin offering, the burnt offering and the fellowship offering, he stepped down.

                    ²³ Moses and Aaron then went into the Tent of Meeting. When they came out, they blessed the people; and the glory of the LORD appeared to all the  people. ²⁴ Fire came down from the presence fo the LORD and consumed the burnt offering and the fat portions on the altar. And when all the people saw it, they shouted for joy and fell facedown.

 

What!? How awesome does that sound?! Aaron and Moses obediently prepared to come into God's Presence, in anticipation of experiencing His glory. In response, God appeared to the whole community and sent fire to consume the sacrificial offerings they had made. And the people fell down and shouted. What else could they do?! I want that kind of experience with God, don't you? I want to be in His presence and see His glory and be completely consumed by Him in all areas of my life. Because whether we have the encounter with God individually or corporately, the community of believers benefits from each of us being connected to God. I see it in you and you see it in me. We are connected in Christ. "The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts; and though all its parts are many, they form one body. So it is with Christ...if one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it." (1 Corinthians 12:12, 26) 

 

Let us prepare our hearts in anticipation of God's glory being among us. And let us encourage one another with our God stories as we grow closer to Him and see more and more of His glory among us. Amen?

 

• How do you prepare to come into God's Presence? Quiet times? Sunday morning? What can you do to remind yourself to prepare differently?


• Share a God eperience with someone this week and ask to hear someone else's God experience. You may even want to share your experience on the Cuppa Joe page!


• Pray for eyes to see God's glory around you this week. And encourage those around you in the community of believers to do the same.