To God be the Glory FOREVER, AMEN AND AMEN! ! !: June 2007

Saturday, June 30, 2007

The prophecies of Isaiah have given us a panoramic picture of the story of faith and of God's salvation plan for history. This includes His compassionate judgment on Israel's faithlessness, the special commissioning of His Servant to bring redemption, and the breathtaking glory of His coming kingdom. Our journey through Isaiah's prophecies has included judgment and mercy, idolatry and worship, despair and hope. What can we take away from today's final reading? Joy in the destination of faith's journey!

We're headed for a new heavens and a new earth. Things that characterize life in this fallen world will be no more, including pain, grief, infant mortality, the trials of old age, economic hardship, and violence. Instead, God's kingdom will be a place of peace, safety, prosperity, eternal life, and close fellowship with Him (65:17-25).

But the truth is that the destination of faith's journey is not so much a place as a Person, God Himself. When Paul spoke of pressing on toward the prize, he had in mind Christ Himself (Phil. 3:12-14). In the same way, Isaiah exalted the Lord as the unsurpassed sovereign Creator of all, who, while being a scourging fire to His foes, is at the same time a tender mother to His children (66:13). As God's people, we need to respond in humility, reverence, and absolute faith. What God has promised, will certainly take place—it's a done deal. In the meantime, we follow in the footsteps of our Savior and make His glory known among the nations.

God's covenant relationship with His people is first and foremost about His unfailing love. Though people may be obstinate and disobedient, a remnant will be saved, and through them, a Servant Messiah has brought and will bring hope and healing to the nations.

Friday, June 29, 2007

What my grandson quoted to me happens to be from the Bible, and perhaps the most important words in that whole book that's filled with important words. And they're our word for today from the Word of God. It's 26 words - words you may have heard a thousand times, or words you've never heard before. Whatever the case, listen as if your life depends on them. It does. John 3:16 says, "For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life." Those words are the key to everything you've been looking for your whole life - the answer to your greatest need - the deciding factor in whether you will spend eternity in heaven or hell. They really are the 26 words that change everything.

Nearly a century ago, a ruined man was walking along South State Street in downtown Chicago. He headed for Lake Michigan where he was intending to end his alcoholic, drug-addicted life. Suddenly he heard a familiar song coming from a building he walked by. The building was Pacific Garden Mission and the song was one his mother had sung to him as a little boy. As he entered, one of the workers greeted him and began to share with him those 26 life-changing words from John 3:16. That night Bill Ward opened his life to the Man who died for all his sin, Jesus Christ. And he would testify for the rest of his life that, from that moment on, he never needed or wanted another drink or another drug. My wife is Bill Ward's granddaughter, and she wouldn't be here were it not for the night he traded death for life.

For years, Bill Ward and his wife traveled this country, pulling a trailer with 26 words lettered on the side: "For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life." The same words his great-great grandson quoted to me just a few nights ago. When I told him that every time I tell a group of people about Jesus, I tell them those words, he said, "Well, if I keep going to Sunday School and learning more Bible stories, maybe someday I can be a preacher and I can tell them those words."

And now those words have come to you, demanding the verdict they have demanded for 2,000 years. God's Son has died to pay for your sins. Now what are you going to do with Him? There are only two choices. You can abandon all hope in any religion or self-righteousness and you can pin all your hopes on God's "one and only Son" who paid your death penalty. See, agreeing with Jesus won't do it. Liking Him, knowing all about Him isn't enough. Either you grab Jesus in total trust, or you reject Him and you pay forever for the sins that He already paid for. This is your life-or-death decision - eternal life or death. Would you let this be the day that you commit yourself totally to Jesus, making the same choice that has transformed five generations of our family and so many lives for so many years?

Slavery still exists in some parts of the world—Niger, for example. One human rights group estimates the number of slaves there at 43,000. In 2003, the country amended its law to penalize slaveowners with prison time. One chieftain offered to free his 7,000 slaves rather than face punishment. But the government felt embarrassed to admit that slavery actually existed, so it declared that it didn't, cancelled the manumission ceremony, and the slaves weren't freed after all.

Throughout his book, Isaiah proclaimed that repentance and God's forgiveness would set Israel free from sin. He knew the nation wouldn't listen during his lifetime, so he looked forward in time to a better day. Though then the nation followed “gods” as insubstantial as cobwebs (59:6), there would come a glorious day when sin would be acknowledged, the Lord would balance the scales of justice, and righteousness and integrity would once again characterize His people. That day would be like dawn breaking into the darkness (60:1-3). Some of this was fulfilled in Israel's return from exile in the days of Ezra and Nehemiah, including the rebuilding of Jerusalem. But other descriptions are still in the future, such as the reign of peace and prosperity and God being the “everlasting light” of His people (60:20).

These layers of fulfillment were indicated by Christ in Luke 4:16-21. Jesus quoted the messianic announcement that opens Isaiah 61, but stopped after verse 2a. The Messiah was all about justice, freedom, holiness, and redemption, but these purposes and qualities would be manifested differently in His first advent than in His second. The gospel came with His Incarnation, but the kingdom won't come in power until He returns. That day will see the glorious “wedding” of God and His people, a day of celebration and consummation toward which all of history is moving. On that day we shall all be “oaks of righteousness, a planting of the Lord for the display of his splendor” (61:3).

Wednesday, June 27, 2007

Sandra Corbett penned the words to a powerful modern worship chorus: “I worship You, Almighty God; / There is none like You. / I worship You, O Prince of Peace; / That is what I want to do. / I give you praise for You are my righteousness. / I worship You, Almighty God; / There is none like You.”

Worship is the focus of today's reading. Through all Isaiah prophesied, including the Servant Songs, he was calling Israel back to genuine worship of the one true God. He condemned false worshipers (56:9-57:13), including many of the nation's leaders, who had earned their descriptions as blind watchmen and selfish shepherds. They had led the people into covenant unfaithfulness by worshiping idols, including adopting the detestable pagan practices of sexual immorality and child sacrifice as part of “worship.” Their faith was misplaced, and God would expose and judge their rebelliousness.

True worshipers, by contrast, are righteous and humble and walk closely with God (57:14-58:14). He alone is worthy of worship and a strong refuge for His people. He dwells with the contrite and lowly in spirit, a fact that amounts to an invitation to the Israelites to humble themselves and repent of their sin. God's anger was just, but they could take comfort in seeing His larger purposes of healing, restoration, and comfort.

If they were not sure where to begin in turning from their idolatry, chapter 58 is a guide on how to repent. Facing up to the reality of sin is the first step, but the Israelites were acting as if everything were in good shape (58:1-3). They needed to realize that doing the forms of worship while at the same time living unworshipfully was and is useless. God sees the heart, and that is the measure of a true worshiper.

For such people: “The Lord will guide you always; he will satisfy your needs . . . You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail” (58:11).

Tuesday, June 26, 2007

When Hudson Taylor arrived in Shanghai, China in 1854, the city was under attack from rebels. Chinese regarded Westerners as “foreign devils” and did not allow them into the interior of the country. Taylor had failed to finish medical training, knew no Chinese, and was the first missionary in a new nondenominational society. Undeterred, he studied the language and culture and defied the government by taking the gospel inland. He also adopted Chinese dress and customs so that more people would listen to his message. Before he died, Hudson Taylor had succeeded in spreading the gospel into many unreached areas of China!

“God so loved the world” (John 3:16)—throughout Scripture and history we see God's global plan of salvation at work. As a result of Jesus' suffering, death, and resurrection, He extends an invitation (55:1-5) to all who are spiritually hungry to eat the Bread of Life and to all who are spiritually thirsty to drink the Living Water, and through them to be satisfied. They're a free gift. They're supremely satisfying, the “richest of fare.” They bring eternal life and show God's everlasting covenant love.

And so the Servant's mission brings us back again to God's covenant relationship with His people: “Your Maker is your husband” (54:5). The punishment of conquest and exile is temporary, whereas His covenant love is eternal (54:10). He's merciful and forgiving, a caring shepherd who gives His people joy and peace. He's also the divine Sovereign whose word means it's as good as done (55:6-13).

After the unexpected Messiah accomplished His unexpected mission, He will also fulfill the more expected purpose of coming in power. This prophetic timeline involves two separate Comings, in between which we're living. A new Jerusalem is still in the future, a city dominated by justice, righteousness, and intimacy with God. Even now, we're to be pursuing kingdom values until the King returns (56:1-8).

Monday, June 25, 2007

In his epistles, the apostle Paul spoke of a “mystery revealed.” To the Romans he wrote about “the mystery hidden for long ages past, but now revealed and made known” (Rom 16:25-26). He explained to the Ephesians: “This mystery is that through the gospel the Gentiles are heirs together with Israel, members together of one body, and sharers together in the promise of Christ Jesus” (Eph. 3:6; cf. Col. 1:26-27). To the Colossians he put it more simply—“the mystery of God, namely, Christ” (Col. 2:2).

At the heart of the mystery of the gospel lies the mystery of a suffering Redeemer, the paradox of a servant King. And nowhere is this mystery and paradox put more powerfully than in the fourth Servant Song of Isaiah. This poem can be divided into five stanzas of three verses each. The first stanza introduces the Servant or Messiah. To some extent, He's what we would expect—a wise and exalted figure. But in other ways He's a surprise—disfigured and marred. And He's going to “sprinkle” or redeem many nations, not just Israel. An unexpected mystery is being prophesied and revealed here.

The second stanza focuses on the unexpectedness of His being. The Messiah is supposed to be a king, but here He's “a man of sorrows.” The third stanza deals with the unexpectedness of His mission. He's supposed to rescue and conquer, bringing justice and peace, but here He's “pierced for our transgressions.” He's supposed to be received with praise and acclaim, but here He's misunderstood and wounded.

The fourth stanza goes on to describe the unexpectedness of His fate. He's supposed to be crowned as a king, but here He's “led like a lamb to the slaughter” and “assigned a grave with the wicked,” a victim of injustice. The fifth stanza summarizes the purpose of all this: Salvation. The Messiah's redemptive suffering is God's will, and so His death won't be the end. “He will see the light of life” again—that is, He'll be resurrected!

Sunday, June 24, 2007

The life of Josiah Henson was the inspiration for Harriet Beecher Stowe's famous novel, Uncle Tom's Cabin. After 41 years as a slave, Henson escaped in 1830 from Maryland to Canada via the Underground Railroad. He settled in Dresden, Ontario, where he pastored a church and started a school for escaped slaves. Recently, the cabin where he and his wife Nancy lived has been restored and is being developed as a historical tourist site commemorating the African-American fight for freedom. The site includes the house and a small museum.

The Messiah, too, came to set the captives free. “Awake! Awake,” cries a watchman. “Prepare and purify yourself for this great day of rejoicing. The slaves will be freed, the prisoners redeemed!” This is not just freedom for freedom's sake, but so that “the ends of the earth will see the salvation of our God” (52:10). This is welcome news indeed, or at least it will be to the Israelites in exile. The same God whose wrath will catch them like “antelope in a net” will fall irresistibly on their enemies as well. The same God who had set the slaves free in Egypt will also open the door for them to return to their homeland. The New Testament took the image of “beautiful feet” from Isaiah 52:7 and applied it to the Christian imperative to bear witness to the spiritual good news, the gospel of Christ (Rom. 10:14-15; Eph. 6:15).

The glory here goes to God, not Israel. In fact, the obedient Servant is strongly contrasted with sinful Israel. It's not God who forsook the “marriage,” but His people. They failed to write His law on their hearts and were swayed instead by human ways of thinking (51:7). The nation's sins needed to be punished. By contrast, the Servant, even though He'll be persecuted and suffer greatly, does not rebel but obeys perfectly. He knows that God will vindicate Him in the end (50:4-9, the third Servant Song).

Saturday, June 23, 2007

Handel's Messiah is his best-known musical composition. Though now associated with Christmas, this masterpiece was originally intended for performance at Easter. The scriptural lyrics were selected by Charles Jennens, an Oxford-educated literary scholar and friend of Handel's. After Handel composed the music, the oratorio premiered in Dublin as a benefit for men in debtor's prison. When it was played a year later in London, King George II was in attendance, and when he rose for the Hallelujah Chorus he began a tradition that endures to this day.

Messiah tells the same story as the Servant Songs of Isaiah, the story of a Savior who suffered and died for the sins of the world. The alternate shorter reading for today is the second Servant Song. The emphasis here is on the special call and mission of the Servant. The scope of His mission is the entire world. Just Israel was not enough—the Messiah would be a light to the Gentiles and bring salvation to the ends of the earth (v. 6). Distant nations are summoned to hear this prophecy, for it applies to “every tribe and language and people and nation” (Rev. 5:9).

What will the Servant do? “He made my mouth like a sharpened sword,” a phrase that indicates both revelation and rulership (v. 2; cf. Rev. 1:16). He is the One in whom God will display His glory; that is, in Him the promises to Israel will be fulfilled and in Him God's plan of redemption will climax (v. 3). Even though He'll be “despised and abhorred,” God will raise Him up; kings will bow down before Him (v. 7).

Although the Servant's mission won't be limited to Israel, the nation will be restored, and the rest of chapter 49 dwells on this. God could no more abandon Israel than a mother could forget her child (v. 15). The captives will be freed and restored to their covenant land and relationship, for “those who hope in [the Lord] will not be disappointed” (v. 23).

Friday, June 22, 2007

Early in history, people came together on the plain of Shinar. In their pride they decided: “Come, let us build ourselves a city, with a tower that reaches to the heavens, so that we may make a name for ourselves.” To save them from their own self-centeredness and folly, the Lord confused their languages in order to make their boastful project logistically impossible. If they couldn't talk to one another, they couldn't get the job done (Genesis 11).

Sooner or later, God always strikes down the proud. We know from yesterday's reading that the idols of Babylon wouldn't be able to resist God's decree, and now as further assurance of His care and justice, chapter 47 gives a poetic description of the future fall of Babylon. She who had been a queen among nations would become a slave. How proud were the Babylonians? They believed their empire would last forever. They thought they were invincible and could get away with any kind of wickedness. Worst of all, they said, “I am, and there is none besides me” (47:7-10)—a claim that is true of God alone.

“Listen up, Israel!” Isaiah was saying (48). “Don't be stupid! Why are you trusting idols to save you? Not even Babylon's idols will save them. Give worship where worship is due. God will not allow His glory to be wrongfully given elsewhere.” He continued to recite God's credentials in an attempt to get the people to respond in faith. He urged them to remember His care throughout history! If only they would listen—they could flourish in peace and righteousness. (Today's verse is the original context of the popular chorus, “Peace Like a River”—a warning and exhortation about lost blessings.)

Feeling superior is the wrong response for us. Honestly, are not our hearts close kin with the Israelites' hearts? We need to pray that God will replace our hearts of stone with hearts of flesh (Ezek. 36:26).

Thursday, June 21, 2007

Stradivarius violins are known as the best violins in the world. Famous musicians love to play them. These violins can be strong and powerful, soft and expressive, energetic and brilliant. Said one performer: “It's like a great race car. There's more power than you need and it responds to the slightest touch.” Antonio Stradivari was a master artisan who lived in northern Italy about 300 years ago. Many people have tried to imitate his unique way of crafting stringed instruments, but none have succeeded. That's one reason why “Strad” violins today are often worth millions of dollars.

Many would say that Stradivarius violins come close to musical perfection. Perfection is a rare commodity. In today's reading, Isaiah exalts God as perfect in every way. He alone is worthy of our worship. No one is like Him. He is the first and the last. His attributes include every kind of goodness and power imaginable: He is the King, the Redeemer, the Almighty. He has complete knowledge of the past, present, and future. He is the Savior, the Rock, the Creator of all. He is unfailingly righteous, truthful, and loving.

Israel, however, followed other gods. What was the so-called “competition”? Isaiah unleashed the full force of his sarcasm. The “gods” Israel preferred were sticks of wood. Through sheer chance, they had ended up on a craftsman's bench rather than as kindling for a fire. As it was, these idols were made by human hands. How, we can imagine him shouting derisively, did you come to trust in such knick-knacks to save you?

God's words are guaranteed to come true. He said conquest and exile were coming. He said there would later be a return. He said Cyrus would be summoned by name. He said that one day His kingdom will come in power and every knee will bow. And He has invited, “Turn to me and be saved, all you ends of the earth” (45:22-23; cf. Phil. 2:10-11).

Wednesday, June 20, 2007

On November 10, 1941, Dr. Ludwig Fischer (the German district governor of Warsaw, Poland) issued a proclamation declaring that anyone who gave any assistance to Jews—including lodging, food, or transportation—would be punished by death. Despite this decree, some people still assisted Jews in escaping from the horrendous Warsaw Ghetto and the deportation to death camps like Auschwitz. The Yad Vashem museum in Jerusalem honors some 5,000 Poles as “righteous Gentiles” for risking their lives to save Jews during the Holocaust.

Our God also chooses to save. All we sinners were condemned to die as surely as the Jews during the war and those who assisted them, until God decided to redeem us. Today's passage focuses on what it means to be chosen for saving mercy, what it means to be the people of God and to belong to Him. For starters, this is not a relationship between equals. He's the Creator, we're the creatures. All the rights lie on His side. Israel had no right to “talk back.” Rather, they were to be a revelation and evidence of His Godhood (43:12). If they'd forgotten the covenant, they could look back to the Exodus and the mighty way God had delivered them from slavery in Egypt.

Another feature of God's relationship with Israel is His unconditional love. He's the One who called, redeemed, and promised to be with them always. He remained faithful and merciful despite their idolatry. Though He was about to send punishment, He vowed to protect them from complete destruction. Even more, He would later judge the Babylonians. Although the Israelites of Isaiah's day didn't worship or honor the Lord, or believe and respond to His prophet's message, still He promised the salvation of a remnant and justice on their enemies. His forgiveness has its own purposes (43:25), and His love is the true glory of chosenness (44:5).

Tuesday, June 19, 2007

The alternate shorter reading for today is the first of the four well-known Servant Songs of Isaiah. From our perspective in time, we know that the Messiah or Redeemer of whom Isaiah prophesied was Jesus Christ, the Son of God. He was the ultimate Servant, specially chosen for the mission that reshaped world history forever. This is not theological speculation—we have it on the authority of the New Testament. As we've mentioned, Isaiah is the Old Testament book most quoted there, and the Servant Songs are quoted in direct and unmistakable reference to Christ. Matthew, for instance, quotes today's reading as being fulfilled in Jesus (Matt. 12:15-21).

Prophecy has layers. While Christ is the ultimate Servant, there are other meanings and foreshadowings. In today's reading, God's servant is also Cyrus, the Persian king who would defeat Babylon in 539 B.C. (he's named later in 44:28). His “service” will be to carry out part of God's plan for history, even though he was a pagan unbeliever and unaware of His plan. Another layer is that just as Cyrus will be God's servant individually, so the Israelites are God's servant collectively (41:8-10). It is not that they are intrinsically worthy or superior; what sets them apart is simply that they have been chosen by God. The same God who orchestrates history raises up springs for the thirsty. . . and in place of Him Isaiah's listeners had chosen to worship sticks of wood! Their ears were open but they heard nothing (42:20).

The Servant embodies God's redemptive plan and will lead Israel to what it is meant to be. God's plan is about more than one ethnic group, though, since one thing the Servant will do is bring light to the Gentiles. He will also bring healing, freedom, and justice to all nations. These achievements won't come easily, which is one reason why the praise that follows pictures God as a Divine Warrior (42:10-17).

Monday, June 18, 2007

Americans don't get enough rest. Millions, especially middle-aged adults, get less than the recommended seven to eight hours per night. An estimated 50-70 million people suffer from sleep disorders such as sleep apnea and insomnia, and the consequences can be huge. “Sleep debt” can lead, for example, to car accidents, irritability, inability to concentrate at work or school, a weakened immune system, and even chronic depression. Why the lack of sleep? Researchers believe it's a consequence of longer working hours and more access to and stimulation from media such as television and the Internet. Maybe this is why God's invitation for us to rest in Him sounds so appealing (40:28-31)!

This second part of Isaiah often looks beyond messages of conquest and exile to ones dealing with the future return, the distant future of the Messiah, and the still more-distant future of His Millennial Kingdom. Given that many Israelites didn't even think God's judgment would come, what must it have been like for the original audience to hear Isaiah's prophecies of hope?

Today's reading begins with God saying, “Comfort, comfort my people” (40:1-2). Then “Elijah” speaks, preparing the way for the Lord (40:3-5). All four Gospels agree in interpreting these verses as being fulfilled in the ministry of John the Baptist (e.g., Matt. 3:3). So this picture of God coming to His people was ultimately fulfilled in the Incarnation. God Himself came to be with us. Jesus Christ was God's Final Word or revelation to us. He was and is the coming glorious King!

On this basis, Isaiah exhorted his listeners to renewed faith. God is worthy of our absolute trust because His promises are sure. He's a tender Shepherd who cares for His people. His wisdom is far above our understanding. His power is evident in the creation. He knows the stars by name. He is the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end.

Sunday, June 17, 2007

Studies have concluded that a daily dose of honey directly raises levels of antioxidants in the blood, which helps fight disease and strengthen the body's immune system. The chemicals that have this effect, called polyphenols, are also found in fruits, vegetables, tea, and olive oil. Americans consume about 150 pounds of sugar or artificial sweetener per person per year, so switching some of that to honey could make a healthy difference!

But no amount of honey would have helped King Hezekiah. Chronologically, today's narrative comes before the episode with Sennacherib studied yesterday. It's placed here because it's a good thematic introduction to the second part of Isaiah, and it deals with the coming Babylonian conquest of Judah. Chapters 38 and 39 form a contrast—Hezekiah asking for God's grace out of “wholehearted devotion” to Him versus Hezekiah showing off his treasures to the Babylonian envoys.

In chapter 38, Hezekiah received news that he would die soon, but he was worried about having no son to take the throne after him. So in a remarkable sequence of prophecy-prayer-grace, God granted the king fifteen additional years of life. This answered petition was confirmed by the miraculous sign of a shadow going in reverse. The king's subsequent psalm of praise acknowledged God's loving purpose and rejoiced in His forgiveness and faithfulness.

In chapter 39, Babylon had sent envoys seeking new allies, but Hezekiah would have had to be rather naive not to see the possibility that they were gathering information. When he showed off his treasures, the message to the Babylonians was, “Little kingdom, rich prizes!” In this context, Isaiah's prophecy of conquest addressed Hezekiah's pride. The king's puzzling response (39:8) indicates at worst insensitivity or at best a hope that God might later change His mind.

This reminds us that no one is perfect. We must remember to trust in the Lord and never rely on our own understanding (Prov. 3:5-6).

Saturday, June 16, 2007

Psychological warfare tries to win battles without actually fighting. For example, one form of psychological warfare is to drop leaflets behind enemy lines promising amnesty to soldiers who surrender. Or perhaps the leaflets will say that the soldiers shouldn't fight because their leaders are untrustworthy and not worth giving their lives for. Another tactic is to spread rumors or publicize facts about how much more powerful one army is compared to the other, so that the weaker side will be too discouraged to put up a fight.

The Assyrian general tried to wage psychological warfare against Israel in today's narrative. Thanks to the Lord, it backfired badly. Isaiah 36-39 marks the midpoint of the book; these chapters, which we'll consider today and tomorrow, form an historical bridge between its two halves (cf. 2 Kings 18:13-20:19).

In 701 b.c., Assyria, which by then had conquered the northern kingdom of Israel, thought it could swallow the southern kingdom of Judah as well. Sennacherib's message was a nice piece of psychological warfare. He gave a discouraging military assessment of Judah's chances of resisting his superior force, and he said it in Hebrew within hearing of defenders on the city walls. His fatal mistake, however, was including this arrogant boast: “Who of all the gods of these countries has been able to save his land from me? How then can the Lord deliver Jerusalem from my hand?” (36:20).

King Hezekiah's reaction was godly. He didn't panic or send representatives seeking new alliances. Instead, he sought the Lord in repentant sorrow, and sought Isaiah for a word from the Lord. His prayer (37:14-20) summarized the main issues: Who is the real God? Not idols! What is Sennacherib's attitude? Mockery of the real God. What to do? Deliver us and show the world the real God. For the glory of His name, the Lord granted Hezekiah's prayer and divinely won the battle.

Friday, June 15, 2007

The Ring and the King

For years, the stories of J. R. R. Tolkien's "Middle-Earth" were contained in his "Lord of the Rings" book trilogy and enjoyed by a relatively small number of people who loved those stories passionately. But since the "Lord of the Rings" trilogy exploded from books to blockbuster Hollywood movies, millions became enthusiastic fans. The engaging fantasy world of Tolkien's "Middle-Earth," the unique characters, the epic battles, and the spiritual themes that run through the stories; there are many layers that have blended into an experience that has magnetized millions of people. It's a great story, but for many, this is a story that seems to say something - something important. Tolkien, the author of the "Lord of the Rings," was a man with a deep Christian faith, and that faith helped to shape the provocative spiritual themes that many find in "Return of the King," the finale of the trilogy. There is the ring. There is the king. And there, somewhere tied to both, are many of us.

At the center of "The Return of the King," is the ring; the gold ring that many want to possess, no matter what the cost. The dark secret of owning the ring and its power is that the power ultimately comes to own you. It's called by one of its owners, "The Precious" - demonstrating its perverse value to the one who has it. You can't let go of it, even when it begins to destroy you - as it always does.

That image suggests a disturbing reality about our lives here on Real-Earth. There are life-pursuits that we believe will fulfill us and answer our questions and give us the love we're looking for, or the spiritual power that the human soul is hungry for. We want the power of whatever "ring" we feel compelled to pursue; someone who will love us, something we define as success, something that will relieve our pain, something that will make us feel significant. We all have our "Precious." Sadly, our "Precious" ends up being less than we had hoped, but often something we can't let go of.

Two words ultimately define the essence of all our "Precious" pursuits - my way or "sin," as the Bible calls it. Time after time, the road marked "My Way" has turned out to be a dead-end street hasn't it? And all too often, the ring we have selfishly fought for has ended up hurting us and hurting those we love. That's the point at which "The Return of the King" intersects the life of a real king; the one described in the Bible as the "King of kings and Lord of lords" (Revelation 19:16). The one in whose honor we stand when we hear the "Hallelujah Chorus." The battles of Tolkien's "Middle-Earth" culminate with the return and victory of a liberating king named Aragorn. The battles of Real-Earth culminate with the coming, and the victory, of the King of all kings. He is Jesus.

The same book of the Bible that shows Jesus as this King of Kings says of Him in Revelation 1:5, our word for today from the Word of God, "He loves us and has freed us from our sins by His blood." The King died for you because you have grabbed the "ring" of a self-run life; not realizing the ring will ultimately cost you everything including heaven. But heaven's King loves you so much He paid that price for you on the cross. His ultimate victory came three days later when He walked right out of His grave.

The life-or-death choice before you is whether you will continue to grasp that life-sapping ring or release the ring so you can follow your King. The day you say, "Jesus, You died for me. I'm Yours" is the day the King of a hundred billion galaxies moves into your life and does with it what you could never do. The rightful King of your life is coming to you today, because for Jesus, you are "The Precious."

Thursday, June 14, 2007

Self-Inflicted Scars

It's always convenient to blame someone else for something that was really your own fault. Sometimes, we even go so far as to blame God when the scars are really self-inflicted.

It's interesting to hear God's perspective on that in our word for today from the Word of God in Proverbs 19:3. It's really an incredible little verse. "A man's own folly ruins his life, yet his heart rages against the Lord." That is so true. How many times have you heard someone say, "How could God let this happen? How could God do this to me?" When, in fact, they're reaping the harvest of their own mistakes - of their own bad decisions.

Remember, the driver is to blame for where the car ends up. Many times we blame God for where we end up, when we've been doing the driving. In fact, this may be an issue in your life right now. Maybe things have gone wrong. Things are a mess. You've got some scars, and you're allowing it to come between you and your God.

Could it be that your scars are, at least in part, self-inflicted? You neglected some things that you should have been taking care of. You allowed some things that are really important to slip; to be crowded out by some things that really aren't very important.

Or maybe you're reaping some of the results of your own stubbornness, maybe your own refusal to do it God's way. God's been trying to lead you in a different direction, maybe even convicting you of some sinful attitude, action, some sinful relationship that you need to change, or a wrong way you've been treating people. God's word to you might be Isaiah 48:18, "If you only had paid attention to My commands, your peace would have been like a river, your righteousness like the waves of the sea."

How often our pain is the result and the harvest of our own selfishness, our own bad choices, our own messed up priorities, our lack of integrity, our hasty words, the lies we told, the things we've neglected, or the people we've neglected. This isn't a time to "rage against the Lord". This is a time to look in the mirror and accept the responsibility for the results of your choices. And, for goodness sake, let this pain make its point - that God's way of getting things done is so much better.

Let today be a new beginning for you so tomorrow's harvest will be better, and not bitter. Remember, the healing of the prodigal son began when, according to the Bible, "he came to himself."

Wednesday, June 13, 2007

Why Your Service Has Been Interrupted

Today I want to share with you some of the most preached on words in the Bible - and maybe some of the least acted on. II Chronicles 7:14, with the introduction of v. 13, "When I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, or command locusts to devour the land or send a plague among My people, if My people, who are called by My name, will humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land."

Notice God's terms here, "if you ... then I." To be in a position to receive God's healing of what's hurting and broken, we have to humbly pray; we have to seek His face. But let's focus on that last and maybe most neglected step. A lot of people get that far. They humble themselves, they pray, and they seeking His face. It's that last step where a lot of us fall short, "If My people ... will turn from their wicked ways, then will I..." God seems to be saying, "As long as you're hanging onto that sinful practice, that sinful attitude, or that sinful way you treat people, I can't open up heaven and bless you." In other words, your service will be interrupted until that outstanding spiritual bill is settled.

Maybe you've wondered why a repeated prayer hasn't been answered, or why things have come unglued, or why you're going through the pain you're facing, or why things don't change! Maybe it's because you haven't changed!

Now, there can be other reasons God hasn't seemed to answer. Maybe He's asking you to wait, or He's taking His time to enlarge your faith in Him, or He's preparing to do a larger miracle than the one you even asked for. But the first explanation we should consider is this: "Is there a sinful action, a sinful attitude, or a wrong relationship that I haven't let go of? Am I hanging onto a stubborn sin? Am I excusing what God wants me to be refusing?"

God accepts only one response to sin, not rationalizing it, not excusing it, not comparing yourself to other people. He says, "Turn from it!" Do you want God's best? Then deal with the "wicked ways" that are holding back the very answers you're seeking. The Lord has so much He wants to give you, so much He's ready to fix, and so many mountains He wants to move in your life. But His holy hand may be held back by some unrepented, unforsaken sin.

The difficulties you've been experiencing might be God's warning notice! If it seems like God's service in your life has been interrupted, check your account with Him and settle what's come between you.

Tuesday, June 12, 2007

Your Emergency Lights

The Old Testament prophet Habakkuk was a man who felt like all the lights had gone out. He was really struggling with events that he didn't like; he didn't understand. His book opens with him asking a question many of us have asked at one time or another, "How long, O Lord?" He was having a hard time waiting for God to do what He was going to do. Nothing was going the way that Habakkuk had hoped it would.

But his heart has totally changed by the end of the book. In Habakkuk 3:16 he says, "Yet I will wait patiently." He's taken hands off and he's finally quit trying to tell God how to run things. Now - and here's where he describes a situation like that stormy night in my friend's house when everything that might produce light has failed.

Verse 17 says, "Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fail and the fields produce no crops (in a farming area, this is a description of total disaster), though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls." We are talking here the total triumph of Murphy's Law. Everything that can go wrong has gone wrong. Does that sound familiar at all? All the reasons for being happy seem to have failed. The lights of joy have gone out. Oh?

Though all the external sources of joy have failed, Habakkuk concludes, "Yet I will rejoice in the Lord. I will be joyful in God my Savior. The Sovereign Lord is my strength." This man of God says, "I've found a source of joy that is totally independent of how things are going; totally independent of my circumstances. I am anchoring myself to the Sovereign Lord who is totally in charge, whether it looks like it or not. I'm depending totally on my God who is my Savior in this situation; on my Lord who literally is my strength to handle this hard time."

We're talking Murphy-proof joy here - a light that stays on when all the external power sources fail. And, as a result, "The Sovereign Lord enables me to go on to the heights." By caring me through this disastrous time, God has put me on a high place where I have the perspective to see the big picture - to see my personal situation, my personal history through God's eyes.

So, if your joy is attached to your circumstances, when the storm knocks them out, you'll be in the dark. But if your joy is internally generated - from an unshakable relationship with your awesome, Sovereign Lord - then you have light that will be there when every other light fails.

It may be that a lot of lights have failed you in your life, and you have never found the source of joy that resides in you, not around you. That is Jesus Christ, who died to pay for every sin that keeps you out of God's love and out of God's kingdom, and out of God's family. If you'd like today to have that wall taken down and have Jesus move into the core of your very being with His unshakable peace and joy simply receive Christ right now by faith through prayer:

(Prayer is talking to God)

God knows your heart and is not so concerned with your words as He is with the attitude of your heart. The following is a suggested prayer:

"Lord Jesus, I need You. Thank You for dying on the cross for my sins. I open the door of my life and receive You as my Savior and Lord. Thank You for forgiving my sins and giving me eternal life. Take control of the throne of my life. Make me the kind of person You want me to be."

Does this prayer express the desire of your heart? If it does, I invite you to pray this prayer right now and Christ will come into your life, as He promised.

The Compartment Charade

When we think about letting Jesus Christ be the Lord of our life, we tend to think of one big slice that will be His - it becomes the Jesus-slice of your life. So, in that slice, you read His Book, you attend His meetings, you give to His offerings, you believe all His beliefs, you learn His language. That spiritual slice of our lives really tastes like Jesus.

But when Jesus talks about being our Lord, He's talking about changing the flavor of every slice of your life; how you act at work, at home, at school, what you do with your money, what you do with your talents, and what you do with your friends. He talks about being Lord of what you watch and what you listen to. But, see, you and I live in the Age of Compartmentalization where our beliefs are pretty much one compartment of our life. After all, what are beliefs for? You just believe beliefs, right? And if you believe them, and visit them every Sunday at the Belief Museum, that's enough, right? "I really believe this stuff. I really do." We may not agree openly, but surveys, and just everyday life, show that a lot of us live like our relationship with Jesus is just a slice of our life - an important slice, but just a slice.

In our word for today from the Word of God in Isaiah 1:11, God reveals His shocking reaction to our compartmentalized faith. "'The multitude of your sacrifices - what are they to Me?' says the Lord ... 'I have no pleasure in the blood of bulls and lambs and goats ... Stop bringing meaningless offerings ... When you spread out your hands in prayer, I will hide My eyes from you; even if you offer many prayers, I will not listen.'" Imagine, your Lord calling all your Christian meetings and activities "meaningless;" telling you that all your God-stuff is a waste of time in His eyes - that He's not going to respond to your prayers.

Here's the reason. God says, "Wash and make yourselves clean. Take your evil deeds out of My sight. Stop doing wrong, learn to do right!" Then God proceeds to name specific areas where their lives do not measure up to their beliefs. The message here is clear. No matter how beautiful the spiritual compartment of your life is, it means nothing when the rest of your life contradicts it.

Your Lord responds to what you live, not what you believe. And maybe right now He's seeing how you cheat in your business, how you treat your family, how you watch or listen to portrayals of things that He hates, your racial prejudice, your out-of-control mouth, what you're doing romantically and, in His holy eyes, you're neutralizing whatever you're doing over there in your spiritual compartment of your life.

Jesus asks this blunt question, "Why do you call Me 'Lord, Lord" and do not do what I say?'" (Luke 6:46). He bought you with His life. He didn't pay for just a slice of your life. Either He's Lord of all or He's not Lord at all!

It may be that Jesus has only been in your head all these years and you've never moved Him to your heart. You've never gone to the cross and said, "What happened there, Lord, is for me. I'm giving me to You." Today you know that. Today you want to change that. We'd love to help you if you'd visit us at our website. It's yoursforlife.net. You can go there and follow a simple path to belonging to Jesus Christ for the first time. Remember, if He's not Lord of all, He's not Lord at all.

Monday, June 11, 2007

Call Of The Chickadees

The black-capped chickadee has a surprising level of complexity in the noises it makes for alarm calls. Researchers found that chickadees use a high-frequency call to warn of danger in the air. Depending on the situation, the “chickadee” call can cue other birds about food that is nearby or predators that are perched too close for comfort.

Studies have also found that chickadees don’t sense danger from large predators such as the great horned owl, because they’re not likely to prey on such a petite bird. But smaller owls, which are closer to the size of the chickadee and more of a threat, prompt sentinel chickadees to repeat the alarm sound of their calls—the chickadee’s distinctive “dee” note.

A similar level of awareness might serve us well. In the apostle Paul’s first letter to the Thessalonians, he didn’t just condemn the evils of the world. He also focused his attention on the matters of the heart that can do harm to us with barely a notice. “See that no one renders evil for evil to anyone, but always pursue what is good.” “Do not quench the Spirit.” “Test all things” (1 Thess. 5:15,19,21).

With the Spirit’s help, let’s keep attuned to every caution in the Word about our heart.

Saturday, June 9, 2007

In that day men will look to their Maker and turn their eyes to the Holy One of Israel. - Isaiah 17:7

We see once again in today's reading that “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble” (James 4:6). The roster of judgment in these chapters covers three of Israel's neighbor nations: Philistia (14:28-32), Moab (15-16), and Syria (17). The Philistines were proud of a successful revolt against Assyria, but Isaiah warned that this will prove temporary and they will yet be “bitten by the snake” of that empire's conquering army. Moab, including its capital city, Kir, will suffer the same fate—the land will be stripped and the people will flee in terror—for the same main reason, pride (16:6). In a similar way and for similar wrongs, possibly including a time when they took advantage of Israel or failed to come to her aid, Syria and its capital, Damascus, will be turned into a “heap of ruins.”

Since the Israelites were God's people, these judgments on foreigners were no big deal to the Lord, right? Isaiah enjoyed prophesying against his nation's enemies, right? Nothing could be further from the truth! God loves all peoples and has always had a plan for the nations. Sin and judgment grieve Him wherever they occur: “My heart cries out over Moab . . . My heart laments for Moab like a harp, my inmost being for Kir Hareseth“ (15:5; 16:11). The Israelites were even urged to take in Moabite refugees in the Messiah's name (16:3-5).

The nations rage, events ebb and flow, but God remains in sovereign control of the unfolding of history (17:12-13). People should put away their idols and worship Him alone!

Can a person be saved through general revelation?

Hi, you asked: "Can a person be saved through general revelation?" General revelation can be defined as “the revelation of God to all people, at all times, and in all places, that reveals that God exists and that He is intelligent, powerful, and transcendent.” Scriptures such as Psalm 19:1-4 and Romans 1:20 clearly state that certain things about God can be understood from nature and the universe around us. For more information, please read our article on the differences between general revelation and special revelation. In regards to the question, “Can a person be saved through general revelation?”, this question is usually asked in relation to another question, “What happens to those who have never heard the Gospel?”

Sadly, there are still parts of the world with absolutely no access to the Bible, to the Gospel of Jesus Christ, or to any means of learning Christian truth. The question then arises, what happens to these people when they die? Is it fair for God to condemn a person who was never even heard the Gospel, nor heard of Jesus Christ, nor even heard that there is a God? Some propose a solution to this dilemma in the idea that God judges those who have never heard based on how they responded to general revelation. The presumption is that if a person truly believes what can be known about God through general revelation, God will judge the person based on that faith and allow the person entrance into Heaven. Is it possible that such a concept is true?

Before we address that question, a key assumption must be dealt with. Some make the assumption that those who have never heard the Gospel are searching for God, seeking for truth, practically begging for someone to come and deliver the message of salvation. The problem with this assumption is that Scripture declares the exact opposite. Romans 3:10-12 exclaims, “There is no one righteous, not even one; there is no one who understands, no one who seeks God. All have turned away, they have together become worthless; there is no one who does good, not even one.” According to Scripture, people take the knowledge of God available through general revelation and pervert it to their own liking. Romans 1:21-23 states, “For although they knew God, they neither glorified Him as God nor gave thanks to Him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like mortal man and birds and animals and reptiles.” According to Scripture, the “status” of those without God is not one of seeking salvation, but rather one of rebellion, darkness, and idolatry.

Back to the question at hand – can a person be saved through general revelation? The Bible nowhere gives any hope that those who have never heard the Gospel are fully believing the truth about God available through general revelation. Again, the Bible describes the lost as being in rebellion against what they already know about God, not seeking for more truth about God. However, there is always the question, “What if?” IF a person who has never heard the Gospel truly and fully believed what can be known about God through general revelation, would that person be saved? IF such a person did exist, it would seem consistent with the love, mercy, and grace of God that such a person would be saved. Again, please understand, this is a hypothetical that Scripture does not support.

Acts chapter 10 records the story of Cornelius. Cornelius is described as “devout and God-fearing; he gave generously to those in need and prayed to God regularly” (Acts 10:2). Did God save Cornelius because of his devotion to God based on the limited knowledge he had of God? No. God sent an angel to Cornelius with instructions for Cornelius to contact the Apostle Peter and have him come to Cornelius’ home. Cornelius obeyed, and Peter came and presented the Gospel to Cornelius and his family. Cornelius and his family believed and were therefore saved (Acts 10:44-48). Acts chapter 10 is a clear example of how we are not saved by believing certain truths about God, or by obeying God in certain respects. The only way of salvation is the Gospel of Jesus Christ (John 14:6; Acts 4:12). The fact that the lost reject general revelation is the reason why it is so important for us to proclaim the Gospel throughout the whole world (Matthew 28:19-20; Acts 1:8). Romans 10:14 declares, “How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them?” God commands us to present the Gospel because of the fact that “there is no one righteous, not even one; there is no one who understands, no one who seeks God” (Romans 3:10-11). Rather than hoping some people are being saved by believing what can be known about God through general revelation, God calls us to go into all the world and proclaim the Gospel. Believing in the Gospel of salvation through Jesus Christ is the only method of salvation the Bible mentions (John 3:16).

Friday, June 8, 2007

Solomon's Prayer for Wisdom

Early in his reign Solomon had a realistic self-image. Even though he was king of Israel, a son of the widely renowned King David, he was still just an ordinary mortal. He knew that ruling a nation was a daunting task. So when God appeared to him and invited him to ask anything he wished, Solomon had enough sense to think not of his personal desires but of his public responsibilities. He prayed for wisdom because of the needs of the community of people he was ruling.

God was pleased with Solomon's prayer, pleased to see that Solomon's main concern was not his own life or his own enrichment, but God's own chosen people, the ones God loved. Our prayers are often focused on our own personal concerns. This is appropriate, for God cares for us personally and individually. But Solomon reminds us that our prayer horizon must extend to our community as well, to the community that we love and that God loves. Jesus taught us that our neighbor is anyone who needs our attentive care. So in obedience to him, our prayers and service must extend beyond our immediate community to the entire world.

Thursday, June 7, 2007

Jehoshaphat's Prayer for Deliverance

Messengers came to King Jehoshaphat one day with the terrifying news that an enormous army was gathered against the people of Judah. So Jehoshaphat prayed. First, he reminded God that God is almighty. (Perhaps he was reminding himself even more!) Second, he reminded God that God had already acted for the chosen people. God had given the land to the descendants of Abraham and driven out the competing inhabitants. On that basis, the king prayed urgently for God to save the people from destruction. Because God had been faithful in the past, Jehoshaphat dared to hope and dared to ask for God's continued faithfulness. God answered the king's prayer for deliverance and the people were rescued through an amazing twist. Incredibly, the enemy armies treacherously turned against each other and were completely destroyed.

When we pray to God with sorrow in our hearts, it may help for us to remind him of the faithfulness we have experienced from God in the past. Because of who God is, we pray. Because of what God has done, we pray. This is the pattern of faith we learn from the remarkable story of King Jehoshaphat.

Wednesday, June 6, 2007

Isaiah 10:15

Imagine your computer talking back to you. No, not just popping up with annoying dialogue boxes or mysterious system errors, but actually talking back to you. Telling you what to write in your word processing software. Redoing the numbers in your spreadsheet. Arguing with you about what Web sites to visit. How long would you endure such a computer before unplugging it and chucking it out with the trash? Not long!

A similar idea is part of the background for today's reading. Tools don't talk back to craftsmen, yet after the sovereign God used Assyria as an instrument of judgment, that nation would “talk back” and act as if they had accomplished everything by their own strength and ability. How long would God stand for such arrogance? Not long!

God chose Assyria as a tool with which to discipline and punish Israel. He was angry with His people because of the nation's faithlessness and idolatry. Despite various warnings, the people refused to return to the Lord, ignored their covenant obligations, and continued on in pride and self-sufficiency. Far from the stereotype that the God of the Old Testament was vengeful and spiteful, we read here of how many opportunities He gave them to change their ways, and of how blatantly and hardheartedly they rejected Him. His judgment of conquest by Assyria aimed to cleanse the nation of social injustice and oppression, of which the leaders and false prophets were particularly guilty.

Yet in time the Assyrians too would be ripe for judgment. They too would become proud, imagining that they had won their military victories and empire by their own power and wisdom. The Lord would correct that attitude, and the Assyrian army would be cut down like trees in the forest (10:33-34). During all of this, He would remain the same—sovereign and faithful. That's why a remnant of Israel would be preserved and would one day return to the land (10:20-21).

David's Prayer of Desperation

Any father would pray with a broken heart over his dangerously sick child. King David was no exception—even for this baby, the son of an unholy union. David fathered the child in an act of reckless arrogance, which he then tried to cover up with lies and murder. Yet David loved this baby and pleaded with God for its life, still so full of potential. His sorrow for his sin was great. His love for his child was equally great. And so his prayer to God scraped all the way down to the very bottom of his soul.

But God did not answer David's prayer, at least not in the way David so urgently desired. His little boy, nameless in the story, died. The very first thing David then did was to get up and worship God. Even in his terrible grief, he remained connected to God.

There are times in our lives when we know David as a brother in pain and sorrow. He is also a traveler with us under God's mercy, no matter what our circumstances.

Tuesday, June 5, 2007

Hannah's Prayer of Deep Distress

The story of Hannah is one of grief turned to joy. The biblical narrator emphasizes the long duration of Hannah's sorrow and pain at her childlessness. "Year by year," we read, Hannah's husband Elkanah went up to Shiloh to worship the Lord, sacrificing an animal and bringing a portion back to his family. And "year by year" Hannah wept and would not eat any of the gift her husband brought to her. Hannah's infertility was a continuing, persistent anguish for her. Year after year she prayed to God, and year after year nothing happened. Prayers of distress and sorrow sometimes last a long time.

Hannah's anguish eventually came to an end. Her prayers were answered. She gave birth not only to Samuel, but also to three more sons and two daughters. In God's wise timing, Hannah's wait was over. Our prayers of sorrow and pain are also, at times, lengthy, and we say with the psalmist, "How long, O Lord?"

Monday, June 4, 2007

A Family Likeness

But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High; for he is kind to the ungrateful and the selfish. Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful.
Luke 6:35-36 RSV

There can be no doubt about it. Jesus expected His followers to be different from those around them. They were to have a distinctive lifestyle. It would never be enough for them to live "as the nations did." There always needed to be something extra. Listen to these words from Luke, chapter 6, beginning at verse 32:

If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. And if you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners do the same. And if you lend to those from whom you hope to receive, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, to receive as much again. But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High; for he is kind to the ungrateful and the selfish. Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful.

Did you notice that over-and-above emphasis? Jesus points to what "sinners" do. By that word He doesn't mean people who are especially evil. He means ordinary, everyday folks who have not yet become His followers. Jesus took it for granted that all of these were flawed people. All had disobeyed God. All were inclined to go their own way. They were so characteristically wayward and willful that the term sinner accurately describes all of them, all of us, before the Lord has touched us by His grace.

WHAT MOST PEOPLE DO
So what do average people do? How does your typical citizen behave? Jesus says they love those who love them. "If you scratch my back, I'll scratch yours." It's a perfectly natural thing to like the people that like us, to respond positively to those who think well of us. Now there's nothing wrong with that, of course. But there's not anything especially remarkable about it, either. It's simply the way things work. Those who love us, we find easy to love.

It's the same with doing good, showing practical helpfulness. If you have a neighbor, as I do, who's always doing you a good turn, you'll find yourself wanting to help him in some way. It seems only decent to reciprocate, to return the favor. Again, that is certainly appropriate behavior, when we return good for good. But no one especially celebrates it or publicizes it, do they? It's more or less expected. If you do good for those who do good for you, you can consider yourself about average in benevolence. You're up to the norm in most communities. But it surely doesn't give you any bragging rights. Jesus says even sinners do the same. I suppose that even mafia members and terrorists at times exchange favors, look out for each other.

Then there's the matter of lending another person money. If you're making a loan in order to be paid back, to get some interest in the process, you're doing the generally accepted thing. Anybody will do that. Almost anyone is willing to make an occasional loan if he has money to lend, and feels sure he's going to be repaid. Some people make a profitable business out of that, as you know. So if we do lend that way, we may call ourselves prudent business people or cooperative friends, but let's not expect universal admiration for what we do. Jesus says even sinners lend to sinners, expecting to get paid back. This, according to Jesus, is pretty ordinary stuff.

THE NEW LIFESTYLE
Now listen to the way of living He recommends. "Love your enemies." We're not talking now about the people who think you're great, who sing your praises, surely not those committed to your welfare. No, you're to love those who not only don't care about you but are even out to get you. They hate you. They would destroy you if they could. They're on the search for opportunities to make your life miserable. Love them, says Jesus, and then you'll be doing something!

And when you're going to do a good turn for someone, don't look for the people who've done you favors before and might be expected to do them again. No, look for those who've never done anything for you. Or if they have, it's been all bad! Find a way to brighten their lives. Go out of your way to do something for their benefit. That will be worth talking about.

And if you want to consider yourself an unusually virtuous lender, try lending out your money to those who will never pay you back. In other words, make loans that turn out to be gifts. Lend in a way that relinquishes all claim on the money. Then, says Jesus, your reward will be great.

He had a way of putting this that English translations can't bring out fully. When He asks about these ordinary behaviors, "What credit is that to you?" we could also translate, "What grace is that to you?" Or "what thanks is that to you?" The picture is that if you follow that common sense morality, no one will especially appreciate it, including God. But if you live in the astonishing way Jesus recommends, that will be worth the highest commendation. Now get this - even God will say, "Thank you!"

Try to put yourself in the place of the people who first heard these words. How do you think they reacted? This new way of living sounds great, but we wonder, who would really want to try it? Start loving the thugs that have robbed your house, the slanderer who destroyed your reputation, the scoundrel who raped your daughter? Who wants to make a practice of helping out the most hate-filled people in the community? And who wants to make loans that are not only interest-free but in which debtors don't have to pay back the principal, either. What are You really talking about, Jesus? What do You expect of us?

That's fair to ask. Why are we, Lord, as Your followers, supposed to live in this radically different way? Must we be moral heroes, the religious elite, a spiritual kind of super race? Why should we? And even if we should, how can we?

COPYING GOD
On the question, "Why should we?" Jesus points to the character of God. The Most High, He says, is "kind to the ungrateful and the selfish." Underline that in your mind and heart. It's the distinctive note in Christian ethics. It's the basis for the behavior of anyone who truly believes. Everything roots in your theology. What do you believe about God? His character and His way of dealing with people become the pattern for yours, and mine.

What is God like? He's the Most High, says Jesus. He's the creator and ruler of this universe. He's the holy One, infinitely exalted above us. He's the Lord of everything that is. He is God. And how does He treat people, this majestic Lord who looks far down on the heavens and the earth? He's kind. He's generous. He's merciful. His great inclination, friends, is to treat human beings well.

Kind to what sort of people, we wonder? We can understand His taking pleasure in the saints, His approving of the righteous, His being good to those of sterling character. But that's not the message here. He's kind, says Jesus, to the ungrateful and the selfish. Jesus talks about lending money to people who will never pay it back. God has been in the business of doing something like that since the first human being appeared on this planet. The Almighty is always lavishing gifts which human beings forget to acknowledge, for which they never say thanks, for which they offer no returns of worship and obedience. But God keeps on lending, doesn't He?

He does good, good things without number to all kinds of people who never give a thought to helping anyone else, much less to serving God. He continues to do it: sunshine on a daily basis, rain when a thirsty earth needs it, seed time, harvest and an earth full of unutterable beauty. All for people who spend much of their lives in selfishness and hostility.

And when it comes to loving your enemies, God is a real pioneer, a way-shower. Think of what He did for the very people who had disobeyed and defied Him, who had spurned His fellowship and squandered His gifts. He came to them in the person of Jesus. He identified Himself with our humanity. He endured at our hand hatred, scorn, and rejection. In Jesus' death, He let Himself be crucified, and went through it all out of love for His tormentors.

In other words, this way of living was not a beautiful theory that God proposed for others to try. It was a way He had chosen. It was a manner of living that came from His heart, something He acted out before us once on the human scene and keeps demonstrating in creative ways every day. So the call of the gospel is, "Copy God." Learn Christ. Follow His lead. Deal with other people now as He has dealt with you.

LIVING AS CHILDREN
Well, we say, I can see now that it makes sense. It's the way we ought to live if we are followers of Jesus. But remember, we're not God. We're just struggling people. How in the world can we even begin to live that way? Here comes the best part of all. Jesus hints at how this becomes possible. It's because of our new relationship to God.

Listen again: "Your reward will be great and you will be sons of the Most High. Be merciful even as your father is merciful." When we believe in Jesus as our Lord and Savior, committing ourselves to be His followers, a miracle happens in us. John's gospel describes it in this way: "To all who received him [that is, Jesus], who believed in his name, he gave power to become children of God" (1:12). Through faith in Jesus, we become the sons and daughters of the living God. We receive a new nature as His children. We are born again by His creative power. In Christ we have become part of a new creation.

That's what Pentecost is all about, isn't it? After Jesus had died for our sins and been raised from the dead, He ascended into heaven. He shares the reign of the Almighty. Now from His glorious throne, He has sent His own Spirit to live in the hearts of His followers. The Holy Spirit joins us to Jesus, the living Redeemer. He brings the life and power of the risen Christ into our experience and we become more and more changed people. God is at work in us from then on to make us like Himself, to conform us more and more to the image of Jesus Christ.

If we were told that we ought to live in this radically new way without being given resources for the task, it would be only a counsel of despair. It would be like the hopeless labor of the Israelites back in Egypt when they had to make bricks without straw, monuments without building materials.

But in the gospel of Jesus it's different. What God commands, He also gives. We have in Jesus not only a clue as to how life ought to be lived but a new dynamic in the Holy Spirit to begin living that way.

Notice, I said, "begin living that way." I've been a Christian for several decades, and I'm still a long way from this godly lifestyle. I feel like I'm still a beginner, but I'm making some progress. I know it's the way we're meant to live. Now and then, by the touch of the Lord's grace, something of that begins to appear in me. And I can see a lot more of it in other Christians I know, enough to convince me again and again that it's real.

And, you know, here's the best thing about it. When you and I live that way, trusting in the Lord for strength, we show the family likeness. We show that we are children of the Most High.

You know what that is, this family likeness bit. People gather around a six-week-old baby and say, "He looks just like his father," or "She's the image of her mother." She has "the eyes of a Smith," or "the nose of a Malone." People see - or think they see - a family likeness, even in that tiny baby. When we begin to love the unlovely and to help the unhelpful, when we spend our resources for those who can't begin to pay, people get a glimpse of the Lord in action. Maybe they'll realize how kind He is to the ungrateful and the selfish, and will have a heart to begin to seek Him. Oh, may that be so!

Samson's Prayer of Revenge

Is it possible for someone to pray an authentic prayer that asks for revenge? That is exactly what Samson prayed for. This is a difficult prayer for our ears, one that does not seem to reflect Jesus' teaching about how we should pray for our enemies. He hardly meant that we should pray for the strength to kill them!

It helps a little bit to notice that Samson wants not only to take revenge on his enemies but also to vindicate God as the one true God. It helps a bit more to notice that Samson has learned something through his sufferings, and is much less arrogant and brash than he once was.

But this is still a difficult prayer. It is, however, an honest prayer. Samson reveals his own deep need and his own deep connection with God in this prayer. We recognize ourselves in Samson when we realize that situations of grief, of betrayal, of great loss sometimes wring from us prayers of honest pain and anger. God is able to hear and understand our most raw and ragged prayers and accept them in divine love and faithfulness.

To God be the Glory FOREVER, AMEN AND AMEN! ! !