WORTHLESS

2 Kings 17:1-18:12; Acts 20:1-38; Psalm 148:1-14; Proverbs 18:6-7

“They worshiped worthless idols, so they became worthless themselves.”

“…The Holy Spirit tells me in city after city that jail and suffering lie ahead. But my life is worth nothing to me unless I use it for finishing the work assigned me by the Lord Jesus—the work of telling others the Good News about the wonderful grace of God.”

“Fools’ words get them into constant quarrels; they are asking for a beating. The mouths of fools are their ruin; they trap themselves with their lips.”

 God is hard to predict and even harder to figure out sometimes. About the time I begin to get my head around the grace and unconditional love He offers, here comes a verse that throws a real skunk in the mix. How many sermons have there been about the intrinsic worth of each individual, about how God sees the good in everyone? Based on today’s verses, it looks like someone forgot to tell Jehovah how politically correct He is supposed to be. Are we really “worthless,” Lord, when we follow lesser gods, or don’t affirmatively work to carry out Your Will? As in “having no value whatsoever” worthless? That seems more than a little harsh. What about when we follow and preach lesser, more easily accepted, images of You?  Don’t we get credit for at least trying, and encouraging others to worship You as they understand or can accept You? Hmmm… apparently not. Apparently, as far as God is concerned, we either believe in Him fully as He truly is and follow Him, or our faith is worthless. More tragically, if our faith is worthless, we ourselves run the risk of becoming worthless in His eyes. Ouch!

This doesn’t set well with the image of a loving, benevolent and tolerant Spirit they teach in Sunday school. Of course, to be honest, that Spirit never seemed to have much power to change anything in real life. He didn’t stand for much, either, except some vague idea of “good.” Where did we leave the dynamic, living Diety of Scripture? When and why did we strip Him of His uncompromising character of justice and inflexible righteousness? We humans insist on re-making the Lord in our image (or, worse yet, into the image we want Him to have). We may claim to have faith in God, but our image of Him frequently does not match the strong, powerful and non-negotiable Yahweh of Scripture. It is no wonder we find faith deserting us in the tough times. We are afraid or unwilling to completely engage any God who just might be God. We might have to change to suit Him. It’s easier the other way around, just thinking about God the way we want Him to be. It’s also a worthless waste of time. The great I Am does not fit any human mold. It is time for us to come to Him on His terms. If we decline the invitation, let’s at least admit we have yet to truly come to Him at all.

I may want a Lord who is all warm fuzzies and compassion, but I need a God who will kick my fanny into line when I need it.  Jesus was just as willing and able to throw the moneychangers out of the Temple as He was to go to the Cross to die for them. Don’t miss that; forgiveness without discipline means little and teaches less. Discipline without forgiveness makes life harsh, brittle and cold. Only through love can discipline and forgiveness be properly balanced. That is what makes God God. Love. Because God is love, only He can balance discipline and forgiveness and provide them at the right time in the proper measure. When we shy away from His justice and righteousness, we separate ourselves from a very important avenue for His love to invade our lives. We need to see and present God as He is, in all His complexity, because anything else will necessarily diminish others’ view of what He can do in and for their lives. Anything less is, well, ultimately worthless.

ORIGINATION, NOT IMITATION

2 Kings 15:1-16:20; Acts 19:13-41; Psalm 147:1-20; Proverbs 18:4-5

“Jotham did what was pleasing in the Lord’s sight. He did everything his father, Uzziah, had done. But he did not destroy the pagan shrines….”

“A group of Jews was traveling from town to town casting out evil spirits. They tried to use the name of the Lord Jesus in their incantation, saying, ‘I command you in the name of Jesus, whom Paul preaches, to come out!’ ….But one time when they tried it, the evil spirit replied, ‘I know Jesus, and I know Paul, but who are you?’ Then the man with the evil spirit leaped on them, overpowered them, and attacked them with such violence that they fled from the house, naked and battered.”

“No, the Lord’s delight is in those who fear him, those who put their hope in his unfailing love.”

“A person’s words can be life-giving water; words of true wisdom are as refreshing as a bubbling brook.”

In one way or another, most of us develop at least some traits through imitating others. That’s not necessarily a bad thing. Much can be learned from watching our brothers and sisters in the faith. We can even learn what not to do by observing what does not work for others. Role models can be powerful influences for good. But they can also mislead and distract us from the plan God has for our particular life. We were not made just to be a reflection of someone else; we were created to be unique vessels of the Holy Spirit, sharing His grace and Gospel with others in a way only we can. It’s no good sharing a reflected faith, or telling others how the Lord changed another’s life. Those stories may have a certain anecdotal value to be sure, but the most compelling testimony for Christ always comes from the voice of personal experience. In a word, the Lord calls each of us to our own personal ministry of origination, not imitation.

Growing up, I had several role models, but none so powerful as the example of my older brother. To this day, I have not met anyone with any stronger work ethic, or anyone who modeled any better what it means to be dedicated to a goal. Dave was, and is, a success in many areas of life, which is all the more remarkable since his successes are not typically born out of raw talent. Dave prevails because of his single-minded commitment to what he sees as his responsibilities and his dreams, and most of the time, his victories come primarily because he is simply willing to work harder than anyone else. In particular, growing up, Dave was heavily influenced by Dad’s desire that we excel in sports. I had more natural talent than he did, but his practice and work habits blew mine away. As a baseball pitcher, he worked on his curve until his fingers bled. I’d take the mound, throw a few pitches outside the strike zone and just go play first base. He lifted weights until he could bench more than his weight. I stopped as soon as it became uncomfortable. Looking back, it’s pretty clear I wasted certain talents that now have atrophied beyond resuscitation. (In other words, the older I get, the better I was.) But on the other hand, Dave’s life was not for me, regardless. I gave up pre-med my freshman year in college, and never aspired to be a collegiate athlete. Drama and writing became my “things.” God also lead me down other, very individually tailored pathways for which I had no real example other than the Spirit’s inspiration. I can say the results and blessings of following Christ have been totally unpredictable. They also have been far better for me personally than my most optimistic dreams or anything I have learned from others. Though tested, certainly, I have never felt completely lost. Dave, on the other hand, ran into trouble when he ran out of human examples after which to model himself. He is our family’s only doctor. His family life and career path have no parallels with anyone else we know. When life tests his creativity and originality, Dave would be the first to admit that he tends to founder a bit.

Jotham would appreciate Dave’s situation. Like father, like son. Beyond rebuilding one Temple gate, that is about all Scripture says of him. When tested and challenged to go against the tide of public opinion and the example of his Dad, Jotham just ended up making the same mistakes as his earthly father.

The Jews imitating Paul quickly learned a derivative faith has little power to overcome evil, too. They tried to preach what they did not know and soon regretted it. Having no faith of their own on which to rely, they ended up embarrassed, humiliated and defeated by a power greater than their weak imitations.

It’s true we are called to be imitators of Christ. More than that, though, if our lives are to have the power and influence the Creator planned them to have, we also need to be original interpreters of Christ, showing the world how He uniquely ministers to us and sustains us individually. Jesus’ grace is not a one-size-fits-all panacea. It is a singularly personal plan to maximize our gifts and talents to further His Kingdom. Consequently, if we are to realize all the blessings the Spirit has for us, we must ultimately forsake lives of imitation for lives of origination. We each are our own chapters in the Gospel of Jesus Christ. It’s time we acted like it. Imitation is not a bad start; it may, in fact, be the only way some folks can see their way into the Kingdom. But if we spend our entire lives as spectators and mimics, we will never experience the specific, individual blessings God has in store for us, or for others through us.

NO CIGAR

2 Kings 13:1-14:29; Acts 18:23-19:12; Psalm 146:1-10; Proverbs 18:2-3

“Then Elisha said, ‘Now pick up the other arrows and strike them against the ground.’ So the king picked them up and struck the ground three times. But the man of God was angry with him. ‘You should have struck the ground five or six times!’ he exclaimed. ‘Then you would have beaten Aram until it was entirely destroyed. Now you will be victorious only three times.’”

 “Meanwhile, a Jew named Apollos, an eloquent speaker who knew the Scriptures well, had arrived in Ephesus from Alexandria in Egypt. He had been taught the way of the Lord, and he taught others about Jesus with an enthusiastic spirit and with accuracy. However, he knew only about John’s baptism. When Priscilla and Aquila heard him preaching boldly in the synagogue, they took him aside and explained the way of God even more accurately.”

“Don’t put your confidence in powerful people; there is no help for you there. When they breathe their last, they return to the earth, and all their plans die with them.”

“Fools have no interest in understanding; they only want to air their own opinions.”

When winds of change and adversity blow through a family, “close” is not good enough. We need our decisions and reactions to be correct. When the pressure is on, we simply don’t have the margin of error we might have at other, more relaxed times. Yet that is usually the time when we are most ill-equipped to make good decisions. Fear and uncertainty raise our adrenalin as well as our emotions. We lose our objectivity and find rational thought difficult if not impossible. For many of us, the first reaction is just to do something, anything to prove to ourselves we are still in control. Knee-jerk reactions usually only make a situation worse. Even in circumstances where we are not totally wrong, our rush to action keeps us from choosing the best course. That is why, when the pressure is off, we need to take advantage of the opportunity to firm up our foundations and be sure we and our families are as well-grounded and secure as possible. More important, we cannot let the enthusiasm of momentary victories so carry us away that we lose sight of our long-term goals and needs, or God’s plan for our lives.

Jehoash was one question short of necessary knowledge, but because he responded precipitously to Elisha’s instructions, he never saw the full blessing that could have been his and his kingdom’s. In his rush to improve his situation, he did not consider that he might need additional specifics. Nor did he allow Elisha time to flesh out his instructions. Consequently, his “victory” was limited in both duration and effect.

Apollos fared better. Preaching an incomplete Gospel, he was not leading converts into a personal relationship with Christ as much as stressing their corruption and need for repentance according to the baptism of John. Obviously, while this was not bad, it wasn’t the best. Apollos, though, allowed himself to be held accountable and to be educated about the shortcomings of his message by other believers, and he became a better disciple and evangelist as a result.

At one point in my career when I had no job and the market looked bad, I was given the chance to accept what looked at the time like an excellent opportunity – which is to say, it offered a consistent paycheck. It was with the government, prosecuting claims related to the savings and loan meltdown and the RTC. There would be trial work galore, and there was no foreseeable end to the work. I did the fingerprints, submitted to an FBI security background check and started to prepare for the new position. But something was not right. The Lord did not seem to be saying no, exactly, but I did sense disappointment that I was settling for less than His best by not trusting Him for the absolutely right. Finally, just before the security check was completed, a call came from my old boss offering an interview for a position with one of his clients. Long story short, that call lead to one of the most interesting jobs ever; to better pay; and in a roundabout way, to my current excellent position. These developments really were inconceivable then. I would have missed them all, except for grace. The experience slammed home the importance of taking the time, no matter how uncomfortable it may feel, to be sure goals, dreams and even fears and insecurities, as real and justified as they may be, always take a back seat to God’s Will and plan. At the end of my days, I do not want my epitaph to read: “Close, but no cigar.” God’s plans for our lives are not approximations. We should not be satisfied with getting close to His ideal.  

EQUIPPED, WITH OPTIONS

2 Kings 10:32-12:21; Acts 18:1-22; Psalm 145:1-21; Proverbs 18:1

“Joash was seven years old when he became king. Joash began to rule over Judah in the seventh year of King Jehu’s reign in Israel. He reigned in Jerusalem forty years. His mother was Zibiah from Beersheba. All his life Joash did what was pleasing in the Lord’s sight because Jehoiada the priest instructed him.”

“Paul spent all his time preaching the word. He testified to the Jews that Jesus was the Messiah. But when they opposed and insulted him, Paul shook the dust from his clothes and said, ‘Your blood is upon your own heads—I am innocent. From now on I will go preach to the Gentiles.’”

“The Lord is merciful and compassionate, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love. The Lord is good to everyone. He showers compassion on all his creation. All of your works will thank you, Lord, and your faithful followers will praise you.”

How does a seven year old rule a nation? How does a bigoted tentmaker find a voice that leads thousands to a saving relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ? What gives us the strength and determination to persevere in the midst of adversity? Of course, it’s the Holy Spirit in each case. With Jesus as our wingman, we can continue to soar, even when others crash and burn. Truly, God equips those He calls, not the other way around. His equipping, however, is seldom done in isolation. That’s why those who claim power for and in themselves are not usually being honest. Such assertions usually are a red flag, especially when it comes to visionaries, because Godly leaders almost never chart any course by themselves. They have a support team of trusted friends and advisors who also are equipped by the Father to help guide the guides.

Joash got through the early years of his reign “because Jehoiada the priest instructed him.” It was not always so: Joash eventually found himself instructing Jehoiada to stop misdirecting funds and use them as commanded for Temple repairs. That does not change the fact that, in his formative, immature years, Joash needed Jehoiada’s help to determine and do what was pleasing in the Lord’s sight. Those who claim uniquely personal divine inspiration and possess the mantle of leadership solely for themselves without any accountability should be approached with extreme caution and probably should not be followed at all.

David Koresh and Jim Jones are both examples of leaders who had no accountability and a personal affinity for secrecy and a dictatorial style. The ripples of destruction which radiated out from their cults’ demises hurt many more than just the cult members who perished. Still, there will always be people who gravitate to such charismatic leaders. These victims frequently are seduced by the promise of having someone else make their decisions or are for whatever reason distrustful of their own abilities. Consequently, when one seemingly able and willing to tell them what to do enters their lives, they are only too happy to abdicate all personal responsibility and initiative. This is sad enough on its own, but when those entrusted prove to be nothing more than predators of the soul, the predictable results are never what God intends. All leaders need accountability, and wise followers do not follow those who reject it.

Praise God that true disciples always have options when true ministries are frustrated. Most people identify Paul as the apostle to the Gentiles without realizing how long he spent in fruitless effort trying to convert fellow Jews. Only after he accepted his ineffectiveness was he ready and willing to turn to the “heathen” and present them with the Gospel as the Lord always intended. But don’t miss the fact he had help throughout his career when the tough choices had to be made. Timothy, Luke, Silas, Barnabas, Aquilla, Priscilla and others all played a part in the ministry most of us think was exclusively Paul’s. Few self-powered ministers have or have had Paul’s flexibility or vision, but then relatively few cultivate the support with which Paul was blessed, either.

All disciples need the accountability and support of others to help them see when their mission is misguided. Those who think they don’t need it at all usually need it the most. When we lead without accountability and reject the help and support of others, we need to ask ourselves one question: what are we afraid of?

NO COMPROMISE

2 Kings 9:14-10:31; Acts 17:1-34; Psalm 144:1-15; Proverbs 17:27-28

“When Joram saw Jehu he asked, ‘Have you come in peace, Jehu?’  ‘How can there be peace,’ Jehu replied, ‘as long as all the idolatry and witchcraft of your mother Jezebel abound?’”

“And the people of Berea were more open-minded than those in Thessalonica, and they listened eagerly to Paul’s message. They searched the Scriptures day after day to see if Paul and Silas were teaching the truth. As a result, many Jews believed, as did many of the prominent Greek women and men.”

“O Lord, what are human beings that you should notice them, mere mortals that you should think about them? For they are like a breath of air; their days are like a passing shadow.”

“A truly wise person uses few words; a person with understanding is even-tempered. Even fools are thought wise when they keep silent; with their mouths shut, they seem intelligent.”

There are very few times the Bible talks of compromise in approving terms. There’s a reason. God’s laws are written in unsettling black and white. We either love the Lord first.., or not. We covet…, or not.  We honor our parents…, or not. With commands this clear, there’s hardly room for interpretation or shades of gray. Where, then, did the idea that tolerance is a virtue come from? Oh, I know, tolerance avoids bigotry and other forms of prejudice. Rules can be overemphasized, to the point they frustrate the freedom and creativity God created. But nevertheless, there is a point at which right still must be right, and wrong still must be wrong. If we are to do the will of God, we have to know where to draw the line. More important, we have to have the courage to be willing to draw the lines between right and wrong, good and evil and acceptable vs. unacceptable, whether popular or not.

Several weeks ago, our church faced a major crossroads. Discontent had already reached its pinnacle, and the tide had turned, except for a relatively few remaining malcontents who vowed to take one more shot at disrupting church operations through the budget process. Their target was apportionments, the assessment our conference charges each church to fund the greater missions and ministries of our denomination. Unhappy with the way the Conference had handled their complaints about church leadership, this now much smaller group of no more than approximately 10-15 individuals decided to make Conference pay. It quickly came out that the apportionment budget had already been cut, but that was not enough for the malcontents; they wanted more. Then, from the back of the room, a lone voice spoke out. He questioned not only the proposal of the protesters, but also the decision to cut apportionments at all. What good is a promise that will not be performed? Who are we as a church if we cannot be relied on to do what we have committed to do? What example does our moral laxity provide for our children? Many in the group began to squirm with his first words. By the time he finished, a small lynch mob was forming. Until another voice spoke up: “He’s right! We need to stand by our word, or we will stand for nothing!” Suddenly, the mood shifted. The protesters lost their voice completely. The Finance Committee’s recommendations were revealed as the rationalizations and compromises that they were. While the transition was neither immediate nor without controversy, by the end of the meeting, the people had voted a mandate that the full apportionments be paid, whatever the effect on the rest of our budget. I feel pretty sure Christ left smiling. Very little about the decision made economic sense. Virtually no part of it made political sense. But it made perfect sense in the Lord’s eyes. Because it was just the right thing to do. It also represented a leap of faith that proved we gave more than lip service to our reliance on the Spirit. We chose to live it, even when there were several other options that would undoubtedly have been more comfortable.

Neither Christianity nor “right” have much to do with “comfortable,” at least, not at first glance. Obedience has nothing to do with what feels good. “Holy” is a completely different breed altogether from “popular.” None of them suggest compromise. But holy, obedience, right and Christianity do have one thing in common. They all are tools that would turn us to Christ, if we would but adopt them as principles to live by and allow them to change us from the inside out.

We will never be right with God as long as we are still arguing with God or each other. If we give up our arguments and decide to foster relationships instead, we not only will be able to articulate the difference between right and wrong, we will have the strength and courage to stand up for right, even when those around us falter!

SHIFTING ALLEGIANCE

 2 Kings 8:1-9:13; Acts 16:16-40; Psalm 143:1-12; Proverbs 17:26

“… Jehoram son of Jehoshaphat began his reign as king of Judah…. He walked in the ways of the kings of Israel, as the house of Ahab had done, for he married a daughter of Ahab. He did evil in the eyes of the LORD.”

“Around midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and… there was a massive earthquake…. The jailer woke up to see the prison doors wide open. He assumed the prisoners had escaped, so he drew his sword to kill himself. But Paul shouted to him, ‘Stop! Don’t kill yourself! We are all here!’ The jailer … brought them out and asked, ‘Sirs, what must I do to be saved?’

“Let me hear of your unfailing love each morning, for I am trusting you. Show me where to walk, for I give myself to you.”

We all have loyalties, priorities that cause us to value one person or thing above another. Our loyalties can help us navigate rough waters in the midst of the storm… or they can weigh on us like anchors, chaining us helplessly in place. Most of us know what it feels like to be betrayed, to have our loyalty abused or taken for granted. We are the ones with calloused hearts and introspective souls. We are the withdrawn ones who have decided not to expose ourselves again because the pain of desertion is just too great. So, we have shifted allegiance from one thing or person to… nothing. But if we don’t already know it, we soon will experience the fact that loyalty to nothing is the very worst allegiance of all. It leaves us hard and brittle on the outside, and shockingly hollow on the inside. When the uncertainties and difficulties of life then press in on us from all sides, it is no wonder we implode. Only a true fool thinks they can get by without pledging allegiance to something. All of us have an inbred need to connect. That is seldom the real issue. The real issue becomes what we give our lives to and, as important, how dedicated we remain to the cause.

I once had a legal assistant I liked very much but who was no performer. She was just not dedicated or focused enough to handle the details of her job. The time finally arrived for her “one last chance” talk, one which usually simply prepares both sides for an actual parting of the ways. However, this young lady suddenly caught fire. For the next several years, she was the best legal assistant I ever had. To this day her turnabout is inexplicable, but her talents blossomed and she began to accept and even seek tutelage. I invested a lot of time training her. She eventually announced plans to go to law school. This, of course, would result in a different kind of separation, but it was one in which we both took pride. She thanked me for my mentorship, and I told her how proud I was of her accomplishments, especially having come so far so fast. All was well. I felt a kind of grandfatherly affection as I wrote her a recommendation for law school. Her reduced hours and loss of focus at the time seemed very understandable as part of her transition to life’s next chapter. I was happy to cut her some slack, until she was caught stealing from the Firm to help her cousin work up cases for his Firm while she was still on the clock with ours. When challenged, she was utterly unremorseful. She didn’t care about my recommendation – she had already been accepted to law school. At that point, it became clear that the only thing she did care about was herself. She had not even stopped to consider how the ethical implications of what she had done would compromise her cousin’s practice and professional reputation. Perhaps neither of them cared. But, of course, that wasn’t the point.

Or maybe it was. Maybe the exact point was that, when we shift allegiance to the wrong things, we pollute everyone around us. Having watched his father rule justly and follow God for decades, and having had the chance to compare the corrupt Kings of Israel to his Dad, Jehoshaphat, it seems incredible that Jehoram could have been so misled by Ahab’s daughter into imitating her father rather than his own. But spousal loyalty is a funny thing, sometimes.

On the other hand, there are Christians like Paul and Silas who are astonishingly capable of generating a saving loyalty to Jesus Christ in the hearts of others. This Godly allegiance can save entire households. All it takes is a little sacrifice. And therein is our litmus test. We must avoid at all costs swearing allegiance to anyone who directs our loyalty toward him or her self. Even the best of us is a sadly fallen and weak creature. Declaring allegiance is a dangerous thing when it is directed at anything or anyone other than God. Only the Lord is constant. He is our Rock, and our Foundation. He is Alpha and Omega. And He graciously offers us the chance to be part of His family on a daily basis and no matter how many times we have rejected Him before.

It is time for those who thought they would never trust again to once more shift allegiance. It is time for those who trust in lesser gods or materialism or people to take another look at their loyalties. What, or who, or Who, is truly worthy of our trust and confidence? If we are honest with ourselves, we have to admit it’s a very short list. But we also need to be connected to something greater than ourselves. Choose wisely.

SEEING THE REALITIES OF GOD

2 Kings 6:1-7:20; Acts 15:36-16:15; Psalm 142:1-7; Proverbs 17:24-25

“When the servant of the man of God got up early the next morning and went outside, there were troops, horses, and chariots everywhere. ‘Oh, sir, what will we do now?’ the young man cried to Elisha. ‘Don’t be afraid!’ Elisha told him. ‘For there are more on our side than on theirs!’ Then Elisha prayed, ‘O Lord, open his eyes and let him see!’ The Lord opened the young man’s eyes, and when he looked up, he saw that the hillside around Elisha was filled with horses and chariots of fire.”

“That night Paul had a vision: A man from Macedonia in northern Greece was standing there, pleading with him, ‘Come over to Macedonia and help us!’ So we decided to leave for Macedonia at once, having concluded that God was calling us to preach the Good News there.”

“Sensible people keep their eyes glued on wisdom, but a fool’s eyes wander to the ends of the earth.”

I wish I had a more positive vision. I would like to be a blessed one who sees the good in everything and everyone, but that, alas, is not my nature. By both personality and profession, I am just too analytical to be so positive. Everything has angles, weaknesses or fallacies in logic that ultimately may lead to disappointment and frustration. Those are the things I tend to see first, and that perspective sometimes stunts my growth (or, at any rate, my willingness to grow).

Gehazi had the same problem, apparently. His vision was so focused on the worldly and the tangible he could not see the provision of God which surrounded him until Elisha prayed for his eyes to be opened. Only then did Gehazi see the holy warriors and chariots of fire sent to protect him and fight for Israel in the coming battle. Only when his eyes were opened to the realities of the Lord did Gehazi see his salvation.

Paul had no such problem. His vision was true, and truly inspired by God. It also was daunting and would have discouraged a lesser disciple. Traveling all the way to Macedonia was no easy feat in the best of times. Doing so as an apostle of the Living Christ based solely on one night’s dream or vision of what might be was decidedly less so. Stoning, imprisonment, lashings and rejection all awaited Paul and his brothers as they followed the Lord’s call. But they never wavered. They never let fear rule them or limit their vision. Instead, they fully bought into the adventure of life and put themselves at risk specifically so they would (there was no doubt of it in their minds) experience the power and provision of Christ in ever more new and unanticipated ways.

Seeing the potential of the Spirit is a gift that takes a lifetime to develop. Each time our vision is tested and we look to Jesus instead of to our limitations, we lay claim to a bit more of the gift. Only Christ is able to rise above the bounds of this world and yet so immerse Himself in it that His Spirit can break through to light up our darkest hours and overcome our worst trials. In Him, our potential truly is unlimited. All we have to do is see Him in ourselves.

A sensible person really does keep his or her vision glued to wisdom, because only true wisdom opens the door to our hearts and allows the Spirit into our lives. Only the wise are smart enough to follow the Spirit’s urgings when they make no logical sense. March seven times around Jericho, blow a few horns and expect the city’s walls to fall? Get serious! Walking all the way through – not around or over or on top of – the Red Sea to escape the world’s most powerful army? Who are you kidding, Lord? Rise from the dead and escape a sealed tomb? Not hardly, not in this life. But that’s probably the real point today. Jesus did not limit Himself to the things or powers of this life. There’s no reason for us to do so, either. Very little of eternal consequence can be accomplished on our own in our own strength. However, if we are living in Christ and allowing His Spirit to live through us, all bets are off. We can do all things through Him. At the very least, we can do all things with Him. If we love and obey Jesus, we have the promise of both His presence and power whenever we need them, even in those times we don’t know what we need.

DEUS EX MACHINA

2 Kings 4:18-5:27; Acts 15:1-35; Psalm 141:1-10; Proverbs 17:23

“’Sir, if the prophet had told you to do something very difficult, wouldn’t you have done it? So you should certainly obey him when he says simply, “Go and wash and be cured!”’ So Naaman went down to the Jordan River and dipped himself seven times, as the man of God had instructed him. And his skin became as healthy as the skin of a young child’s, and he was healed!”

“We believe that we are all saved the same way, by the undeserved grace of the Lord Jesus.”

“Take control of what I say, O Lord, and guard my lips. Don’t let me drift toward evil
or take part in acts of wickedness.”

I am very partial to the idea of miracles. Thinking the Lord cares enough to bail us out of life’s difficulties in a supernatural way is extremely appealing. The human desire (and recognition of our need) for divine intervention is embedded in our DNA.  We instinctively look for the miraculous whenever life throws a pitch at us we cannot hit, even when we deny belief in the only God capable of the wonders we seek. This reaction is so ingrained in our collective psyche that there is even a recognized, theatrical term for it. Deus ex machina refers to any artificial or improbable device that resolves the difficulties of a plot. It is about as close as the secular world gets to confessing the reality of miracles. The problem is, when we spend our lives looking for miracles, we tend to miss completely the simple reality of the Spirit, along with most of His relatively elementary solutions to life’s problems. Like Naaman, we are almost disappointed when God’s solutions to our issues appear so ordinary. Bathe seven times in the Jordan? Put Christ first and do unto others what we would have done to us? Things can’t be that easy.

Of course, the idea that loving God with all our hearts, minds and souls and our neighbors as ourselves is simple belies an ignorance born of inexperience. Those who think it’s easy have never tried to make the Great Commandment a consistent lifestyle. But that’s for another day. The point in Scripture today is that the Lord’s solutions most often lie in answers we feel are beneath us. Consequently, we fail to see them or refuse to accept them. As a result, we remain mired in our pain and impotency far longer than we need to.

Maybe it was silly for Naaman to take a long river bath. Perhaps, for some reason that escapes us, it was even humiliating for him. But just maybe, that also was part of the point. Until we humble ourselves enough to submit to God and accept that His answers to life’s problems are usually much more simple than we would like them to be, we are just playing spiritual games with ourselves, and with the Spirit. We have overwhelming (often, overblown and exaggerated) problems. We expect great and complex answers. When our “cures” are found in the commonplace, we almost feel disappointed. For example, sometimes, we’re too embarrassed to simply confess our sin or ask for forgiveness. Give what we have to the poor and follow Christ? There’s nothing complex about that. It is frequently more honest to say we are looking for magic than to claim faith in the plain remedies of God.

The first step to living as the Spirit intends is to quit treating Christ as if He is some kind of magician who is present only to entertain and make us feel good about ourselves. Depressed? Serve others. Confused? Study the Scriptures. Lonely? Pray. Feeling insignificant? Meditate on the Cross. God’s answers do seem simplistic, almost platitudinal. They are anything but easy in execution. Regardless, they mark the path Christ has blazed, and His course is the only way to eternal life and peace with God.

Humans have never lived according to any script. Our tendency to ad lib when we ought to be following the Lord’s commands usually ends up causing a lot of unanticipated “plot twists” we are not prepared for or humanly capable of resolving. But might I suggest a different approach to our hours of most desperate need? Instead of grasping for great and glorious miracles, or some other deus ex machina, let’s start with the proposition that we already have the right to claim the greatest and most illogical miracle of all. “While we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” God actually cares, and the Spirit really will guide. Let’s not miss the guidance because we are looking too high up or too far away. The answers begin with a faithful and humble heart which sees worldly problems from an eternal perspective. 

ONE GOOD WORD

2 Kings 3:1-4:17; Acts 14:8:28; Psalm 140:1-13; Proverbs 17:22

“Is there no prophet of the Lord with us? If there is, we can ask the Lord what to do through him.”

“… Paul and Barnabas came upon a man with crippled feet. … Paul realized he had faith to be healed. So Paul called to him in a loud voice, ‘Stand up!’ And the man jumped to his feet and started walking. When the crowd saw what Paul had done, they shouted in their local dialect, ‘These men are gods in human form!’ But when the apostles Barnabas and Paul heard what was happening, they tore their clothing in dismay and ran out among the people, shouting, ‘Friends, why are you doing this? We are merely human beings—just like you!’”

“O Lord, rescue me from evil people. Protect me from those who are violent, those who plot evil in their hearts and stir up trouble all day long.”

“A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit saps a person’s strength.”

In these days of recession and uncertainty, the world hungers for even a single good word. The last decade seduced us with its unrealistic but very attractive dreams of instant riches and seemingly endless prosperity. Now, we find ourselves awaking in a world we barely recognize and certainly do not understand. Nothing prepared us for this. All we know for sure is that the old ways betrayed us. We have no more idea of what the future holds than did Jehoshaphat and Joram as they were surrounded by angry Moabites. Worse, we’re not sure who to ask. Where is a prophet when you need one?

The fact is, all along, there have been those warning against the basic disregard of economic principles that led to this financial meltdown. Others foresaw the ethical decline and lack of accountability which allowed it to happen. But few listened, because those “prophets” were little more than impotent “voices crying in the wilderness.” No one looked like a seer or superman. They didn’t have the credibility to overcome the pushback of popular opinion or the momentum of the accompanying spiritual erosion. But mainly, they did not speak with the conviction of the Lord or the power of the Spirit, so their words went unheeded.

Christians, be not intimidated! Do not let the Spirit’s voice be disregarded. I’m not recommending street corner preaching. I am commending openly sharing our lives in Christ, and our knowledge of right and wrong, with conviction. If the Bible tells us anything, it tells us that God rarely uses obvious heroes or leaders to accomplish His purposes. He uses everyday people who understand and experience everyday life to bring His hope and good plans to those who faithfully listen every day. In short, the Spirit uses normal, fallible people to minister to other normal, fallible people. People just like us. There is no alternative strategy. The conclusion therefore follows as night follows day: Jesus is probably calling more of us to be more intentional about sharing His positive Word of love and grace and redemption with others. If we think prophecy, preaching or teaching is something that only “better” people are capable of, we do ourselves and our Christ a grave disservice.

One of my most oft-repeated caveats when I am teaching or talking about Christ is to admit up front, “I am the best bad example I know.” What ministry I have is not based on having all the right answers or having my life together. Far from it. People pay attention to my witness mainly because I share my mistakes and my life and let Jesus’ triumphs over them and despite them speak for themselves. I bring hope to those who hurt just because I have experienced the reality that God truly does make all things work to good for those who love Him and are called according to His purpose. I am not qualified to speak for or through the Spirit because of who I am or what I have done. My qualifications, such as they are, come in spite of who I am and what I have done. Not a day goes by that I do not thank my heavenly Father for seeing beyond my failures to the restoration and reconciliation only His Spirit can inject into my weak efforts.

I wonder how much good news is never spoken because fear and uncertainty mute those who feel they aren’t qualified to share it. Paul was a fallen man, just like all of us. But He was bold enough to speak the Word regardless of how he felt about himself. That allowed God to raise him up, save him and use him to build the Church. What might God do with our words if we had the courage to speak out of our vulnerability and weakness?

PUSHING PAST THE CROSS

2 Kings 1:1-2:25; Acts 13:42-14:7; Psalm 139:1-24; Proverbs 17:19-21

“But the angel of the LORD said to Elijah the Tishbite, ‘Go up and meet the messengers of the king of Samaria and ask them, “Is it because there is no God in Israel that you are going off to consult Baal-Zebub, the god of Ekron?”'”

“Some of the Jews, however, spurned God’s message and poisoned the minds of the Gentiles against Paul and Barnabas.”

“You know what I am going to say even before I say it, Lord. You go before me and follow me. You place your hand of blessing on my head. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too great for me to understand!”

Of all our sins that hurt the heart of God, it is probable the most painful to Him is our rejection of His Word of hope. When we seek help from lesser gods – be they called job, spouse, money, success or whatever – we necessarily jilt the One from whom all blessings flow. We probably don’t think of things in quite that way, or we would not do it. But the plain truth is that looking to anything or anyone to satisfy our needs ahead of the Lord is unfair not just to God but to the things or people we ask to take His place of preeminence in our lives. When we refuse to allow our Creator to guide us and our actions and desires, we place an impossible burden on others to succeed where they really are incapable of doing so.

One of the saddest things I’ve seen through 25 years of raising my own kids are parents who choose not to live directly with the Spirit but instead try to live vicariously through their children. I remember more than one Little League Dad dressing down his son after a particularly disappointing game or play. These men force standards on their boys the youngsters cannot begin to even understand, let alone achieve. Faced with their fathers’ unreasonable passion for personal, if derivative (that’s my boy!), recognition, lots of young men either give up or burn out completely on everything from athletics to social events and academics. This usually results in even more pressure on the kids to perform, often at times, like adolescence, when that is the last thing they need. Worse, the kids see this as a conditional love (if they think of it as love at all) very much at odds with how Jesus directs us to love our children. Even more important, it can skew the child’s perspective of God and even alienate them from the very idea of Him as their heavenly Father.

I still remember that summer shortly after my seventeenth birthday when I was chosen to play on a Colt League select team, and we made regional playoffs. I was in center field. Our team was up one run, and the opposition had men on first and second with one out in the bottom of the ninth. A weak pop fly was hit to me. It was a play I had made hundreds of times, but not this time. The ball hit the heel of my glove and skittered to the ground, and the runners were off. By the time the dust cleared, there were men on first and third, and the game was tied. We were still alive! My chance at redemption came the very next play – another weak popup with the runner at third tagging up to score after the catch. It was the perfect chance for a double play. The runner’s obvious strategy actually came as a pleasant surprise; the ball was far too shallow for him to have any reasonable chance of scoring. He was a sitting duck at the plate… until I buried the throw into the back of the pitcher’s mound. The ball rolled harmlessly toward the plate well behind the winning run.

I honestly don’t recall much that happened after that, except the horrible sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach that lasted for days. The only other thing I do remember is the sight of my father rising disgustedly off the bleachers before the final play was even over and getting into his car, leaving me to find my own way home. I learned that day that while many things can be forgiven, very few things can ever be undone.

We have such limited, worldly views of success. I don’t doubt my Dad’s over-reaction was a by-product of his desire for me to win. What he may not even grasp today was that I never considered myself an actual loser – despite my multiple failings – until he abandoned me.

When we define success, healing or religion by anything other than God’s standards, we pervert Christ’s teachings and usually leave others feeling confused and alienated. We do well to recall that no one’s purpose is to live up to others’ goals for them; it is to become the men and women we were created to be. As the world attempts to impose its standards of quality upon us, let us never forget that we have different priorities. Our priority – the only one with eternal consequences – is to bring others into a saving relationship with Jesus Christ. Everything else pales by comparison. When we evaluate achievement, let’s not do so by trying to determine how much of ourselves we put into the process. Let’s evaluate it the way Jesus does, by seeing how many others we can bring into relationship with Him.

WHAT OUGHT TO MAKE HEADLINES

1 Kings 22:1-53; Acts 13:16-41; Psalm 138:1-8; Proverbs 17:17-18

“Jehoshaphat was a good king, following the example of his father, Asa. He did what was pleasing in the Lord’s sight.”

“Brothers, listen! We are here to proclaim that through this man Jesus there is forgiveness for your sins. Everyone who believes in him is declared right with God—something the law of Moses could never do.”

“As soon as I pray, you answer me; you encourage me by giving me strength.”

A friend is always loyal, and a brother is born to help in time of need.”

Why do the bad kings – and people – get all the good press? Apparently, even the evil agree there is no such thing as bad publicity. It is strange how the world’s fascination with the fallen and the corrupt commands so much of our thoughts and focus, even when we don’t intend it. One could make a pretty fair argument that the Old Testament exhibits about the same prurient interest as the rest of the world. When it’s not dealing with sex, it’s detailing warfare or the events leading up to it. Like today’s papers, the Old Testament puts a premium on the sensational, regardless of on which side of the line between good and evil it resides. From Cain’s murder of Able to Jacob’s conniving, David’s adultery, his sons’ treachery and the destruction of Jerusalem and the Babylonian exile, the Old Testament spends at least as much time on the consequences of sinful living as on the benefits of faithful adherence to the Lord’s commands. No wonder Jehoshaphat’s reign merited so few words. He was a only a good king. Not a great, inspiring leader or psalmist or administrator – just a good king who did what was pleasing in the Lord’s sight. A guy like that will never sell newspapers. His biography is quickly truncated and pushed aside by the story of the next evil Israeli king, Ahaziah. No wonder it was so tough for the Jews to stay on the straight and narrow after Solomon’s reign: the Hebrews were out of examples.

Something wonderful happens between the Old and New Testaments, though. The Bible shifts from an emphasis on a follow-the-rules mentality to a follow Christ spirituality. No longer do rules, or lack of them, determine who gets the attention. The attention is lavished on the humble, the called and those empowered beyond their own personal capabilities. It is as if God Himself changed course or, at least, emphasis, going from a focus on sin and selfishness to a perspective grounded on forgiveness and self-sacrifice.

I wonder how many people would benefit from the same positive change in emphasis in their own lives. We are very willing to accept and even anticipate headlines of monstrous failures and criminality, but we have little patience for so-called “feel good stories.” If it doesn’t bleed or blow up, we quickly lose interest. How fortunate we are that God doesn’t think the same way! People’s shortcomings hold no interest for Him, except to the extent that He is allowed close to heal and forgive them. Jesus is much more interested in life and what leads to it than He is interested in condemnation and judgment of our humanness. Perhaps we would feel our own lives lightened by adopting His viewpoint as our own. The next time we get to feeling down on ourselves, let’s remember we don’t have to win every game or fix every broken thing in life. We just have to allow the Spirit to forgive us and deal with other things and people as it sees fit. We need to look to the Spirit and not to the lowest common human denominator to feel good about ourselves.

It’s late, but there is still time to shift our attention away from the dead and dying and toward the resurrected. We do this not to become callous to those less fortunate but to become more thankful for our own potential in Christ. I’m not entirely sure why this helps us grow in the right direction, but I bet it has something to do with the fact that Christ’s death on the Cross broke our dependence on our own and others’ weakness. We are now free to rely on Jesus’ power to save and lift us above the raw failures that make up life on earth. Our new perspective can be unlimited, unbounded by any human horizons. We just have to remember to keep looking up.

OBSESSIONS

1 Kings 20:1-21:29; Acts 12:24-13:15; Psalm 137:1-9; Proverbs 17:16

“A warrior putting on his sword for battle should not boast like a warrior who has already won.”

“The governor invited Barnabas and Saul to visit him, for he wanted to hear the word of God. But Elymas, the sorcerer (as his name means in Greek), interfered and urged the governor to pay no attention to what Barnabas and Saul said. He was trying to keep the governor from believing.”

“We put away our harps, hanging them on the branches of poplar trees. For our captors demanded a song from us. Our tormentors insisted on a joyful hymn….”

There is a time for boldness. Circumstances do sometimes cry out for a champion of vision and courage willing to stand in the gap and fill our desire for charismatic leadership. Those so gifted, however, need to hang onto their humility, because boldness is just a step away from arrogance. And arrogance is a potent seducer of common sense.

Tonight, I am watching a PBS special on the “king” of lobotomies, Dr. Walter Freeman. A man actually fond of the moniker “the Henry Ford of lobotomies,” Freeman allowed apparent initial success in calming certain violent patients fool him into thinking he was doing the human race an indispensible service. Sometimes doing over a dozen procedures a day, Freeman shamelessly promoted day surgery lobotomies until he was literally performing them any time and any place. On the street, he lobotomized an accused criminal who refused to submit peaceably to the police. One patient died when the icepick Freeman was using slipped while he was taking pictures of himself. As the medical community which had once been so supportive turned against him, Freeman redoubled his efforts. Only Thorazine saved numerous other patients from literally losing their minds. As the medication replaced the procedure, Freeman’s career began to crash. He recognized that losing the ability to lobotomize meant losing himself. So, he moved to California and began to market the process as a way of dealing with “unruly” children and depressed housewives. Over his lifetime, Freeman performed in excess of 29,000 lobotomies, including 19 children in California and one as young as four years old.

Obsession wears many faces. Mainly, though, obsession is the primary symptom of an empty soul. When we can no longer justify ourselves based on what we do, one response is just to do more of it. This explains why we literally lose ourselves in our work. It explains why we have less and less in common with our spouses. It also explains our de-socialization. We cannot function around others when we are obsessed with our own accomplishments – or any lack thereof.

Nothing on this earth is worth the loss of our souls or the destruction of others. Nothing in the world is worthy of any obsession which denies compassion and empathy. If we are destined or determined to be obsessed, let us be obsessed with Christ. In Him, we find something far greater than ourselves. In Him, we find acceptance and healing when the ol’ self image begins to tarnish. Before we just grasp at any opportunity to make ourselves feel better, we need to remember Christ is the Great Physician. Our efforts to heal ourselves, and our attempts to make something of ourselves, have little earthly longevity and no eternal consequence. It is only when we allow the Spirit to make something of us that we find we no longer need our obsessions. Indeed, as we allow the Spirit to fill us, we find our true selves.

ANGELS WATCHING OVER US

1 Kings 19:1-21; Acts 12:1-23; Psalm 136:1-26; Proverbs 17:14-15

“…The Lord was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. And after the earthquake there was a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire there was the sound of a gentle whisper. When Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his cloak and went out and stood at the entrance of the cave. And a voice said, ‘What are you doing here, Elijah?’”

“The night before Peter was to be placed on trial, he was asleep, fastened with two chains between two soldiers. Others stood guard at the prison gate. Suddenly, there was a bright light in the cell, and an angel of the Lord stood before Peter. The angel struck him on the side to awaken him and said, ‘Quick! Get up!’ And the chains fell off his wrists. Then the angel told him, ‘Get dressed and put on your sandals.’ And he did. ‘Now put on your coat and follow me,’ the angel ordered. So Peter left the cell, following the angel. But all the time he thought it was a vision. He didn’t realize it was actually happening.”

“Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good! His faithful love endures forever. Give thanks to the God of gods. His faithful love endures forever.”

What would we do differently if we knew we were surrounded by angels? That’s kind of like asking how we would live if we knew we could not fail. I’m not sure what I would do, but I do know where I would start: with fear, or rather, celebrating the absence of fear. Wrapped in the wings of celestial beings, I wouldn’t worry about physical injury or looking like a fool. I wouldn’t worry about emotional instability. I wouldn’t worry about finances or the office. In short, I wouldn’t worry, period. Guarded by angels, I wouldn’t have to be anxious about anything.

Well, I wouldn’t have to worry about anything, but I probably would fret nonetheless. Because angels sound too good to be true. They seem like fantasy, not real life. Swooping down in the nick of time, angels are pictured saving the hapless from all manner of evil and self-destructive behavior. Angels in the Outfield are filmed helping mediocre athletes become great. Well, Lord, where are your angels now? Why do they not protect us from ourselves? Confronted with  - or blinded by – reality, it’s easy to dismiss the idea of angels… until you’ve seen one. A person can never be quite the same after an experience like that.

Back in the late 80s, my wife and I served as Sponsors for our church’s growing Youth Ministry. We had gotten quite close to many of the kids, and this particular day was sad because so many seniors were graduating and moving on to college or adult independence. It marked, for many, the end of innocence and a testing of all they’d learned as kids and teens. As I crafted the message for that evening, very clearly, I felt called to speak to their fears of the coming unknowns. But the harder I worked, the more difficult it became. How does one respond effectively to the paranoia of everyday life? What does one say to another bound by stress? I could not presume to know the fears of that generation, and my own anxiety about my personal inadequacy only increased as the time of our session approached. I took a break. I got up, stretched and headed off for a glass of water. Around a corner, I came face to face with an angel.

Stay with me. This was no illusion. I’ve tried to describe what I saw numerous times since, yet nothing does the being justice. (Forget the wings, though.) However, there is no doubt in my mind that there was an angel, because I immediately knew precisely what it feels like to be overcome by the holiness of the Lord. Never before or since have I felt so dirty and fearful on the one hand and so humble and awestruck on the other. A raw power crackled through the air. The angel then spoke clearly, although not audibly. I received his reminder – “perfect love casts out fear” – in stunned silence. Then, he was gone. 

The message that night was the same as it is today. Perfect love does cast out fear. Our fear is in direct proportion to the amount of time we spend thinking of ourselves. If we truly love, we put others first, and fear fades proportionately. I do not know why this is exactly. I only know that if we desire to live fearlessly, we need to live for others.

Peter and Elijah both had their issues and their times of cowardice. They also knew what it was to have angels watching over them. Those angels guided. They inspired and protected. They shared a good word. But mainly, they were present, providing tangible counsel and physical assistance. The next time we start fearfully thinking we are outside the reach of God, let’s remember there is no place we can go where the Father won’t send His angels to be with us. The fact we seldom, if ever, see them does not make them any less real. It just proves we need to sharpen our spiritual vision considerably.

THE BLAME GAME

1 Kings 18:1-46; Acts 11:1-30; Psalm 135:1-21; Proverbs 17:12-13

“’I have made no trouble for Israel,’ Elijah replied. ‘You and your family are the troublemakers, for you have refused to obey the commands of the Lord and have worshiped the images of Baal instead.’”

“Soon the news reached the apostles and other believers in Judea that the Gentiles had received the word of God. But when Peter arrived back in Jerusalem, the Jewish believers criticized him. ‘You entered the home of Gentiles and even ate with them!’ they said. …[Peter replied,] ‘Since God gave these Gentiles the same gift he gave us when we believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I to stand in God’s way?’”

“I know the greatness of the Lord—that our Lord is greater than any other god…. For the Lord will give justice to his people and have compassion on his servants.”

“If you repay good with evil, evil will never leave your house.”

This week, another athlete “confessed” to using steroids. Alex Rodriguez was called out by ESPN after it got hold of some supposedly confidential drug tests taken in the early 2000s. Caught red-handed, Rodriguez at least had the honesty to admit his wrongdoing instead of denying it like so many others. But he did not miss the opportunity to blame the security of the supposedly “confidential” testing, either. The implication: clearly, he never would have come clean had his malfeasance not been revealed first. He was just a victim of the system. His defense was that he was young and impressionable and just responding to the overwhelming pressure of Major League Baseball. Mule muffins! If his was old enough to command all those multi-million dollar checks, he was old enough to be held to some standard of integrity.

Bank CEOs have been testifying before Congress this week as well, trying desperately to justify their use of the first, $350 billion bailout money to pay bonuses and perks. “It’s not our fault,” they cried. “We had to pay or we would lose our people!” Two questions: 1. Where would they have gone in the economic mess they helped create with any hope of making even the “paltry” hundred of thousands they were guaranteed as salary; and 2. So, what’s the downside of having the people who got us into this mess leave? Still, the CEOs rationalized their decisions were not about greed. They were just victims of evil market forces. Beagle bagels!

The human tendency to claim victimization, to blame something – or anybody – else for our errant ways is just another way of lying to ourselves. We get so upset when others lie to us! Why then, do we tolerate it from ourselves? Yet it seems that, in our sinfulness, our instinctive first reaction is to lie, to blame someone else, to make excuses. Wouldn’t it be refreshing to see someone who rejects defensiveness in favor of the simple truth of upfront confession, just because it’s the right thing to do?

Ahab certainly had his chances. The King of Israel led the people down the road to spiritual ruin, blatantly disobeying the Lord’s commands, for years. As punishment, Yahweh imposed a severe drought. Ahab promptly blamed Elijah, God’s mightiest prophet. When Peter’s change of heart revealed the Jerusalem disciples’ bigotry for what it was, their first reaction was to blame instead of congratulate Peter for reaching out to the Gentiles. What is a man of God to do? Exactly as both those men did: stand behind the Great I Am.

With Christ, there should be no reason to play the Blame Game. God can defend Himself. People need to get back to living as if they are playing to an audience of One. It is amazing how that level of accountability will strengthen a soul. This week, I have been working with a number of younger lawyers, training them on a new analytical process. At the beginning, they were full of themselves, defensive about errors and resentful of correction. But they hung in there. They knew they were accountable only to me, and that I was not going to take advantage of their mistakes or broadcast their errors to others, so they ventured on. As they did, they also began to see the beauty and greater accuracy of what we were working to accomplish. By week’s end, they were actually grateful for having learned a new way of looking at things. It’s not the easy way, but the best option rarely is.

Only those who pull themselves out of the Blame Game ever see the light that honest evaluation and correction can bring to a life. Putting it another way, the more we play the Blame Game, the less we have of Christ in our lives. There’s a red flag for the next time we find ourselves resorting to misdirection and defensiveness when answering for sin. Those with Jesus in their lives have no need of such tools; they are already forgiven and freed from the bondage. When we resort to blaming other things or people for our shortcomings, when we feel the need to do so, what does that say about our security in the Spirit and our appreciation of grace?

PASSIONATE LOVE

1 Kings 15:25-17:24; Acts 10:24-48; Psalm 134:1-3; Proverbs 17:9-11

“Then Elijah cried out to the Lord, ‘O Lord my God, why have you brought tragedy to this widow who has opened her home to me, causing her son to die?’ And he stretched himself out over the child three times and cried out to the Lord, “O Lord my God, please let this child’s life return to him.’ The Lord heard Elijah’s prayer, and the life of the child returned, and he revived! Then Elijah brought him down from the upper room and gave him to his mother. ‘Look!’ he said. ‘Your son is alive!’”

“Peter told them, ‘You know it is against our laws for a Jewish man to enter a Gentile home like this or to associate with you. But God has shown me that I should no longer think of anyone as impure or unclean. So I came without objection as soon as I was sent for. Now tell me why you sent for me.’”

“Lift up holy hands in prayer, and praise the Lord.”

“Love prospers when a fault is forgiven, but dwelling on it separates close friends.”

It’s Valentines Day, and there isn’t much in today’s Scriptures about romance. But there’s a TON about love we may have missed. Two loners beaten down by life and poverty are brought together in their isolation to support each other, and a son is resurrected. A prejudiced Jew of great importance to a fledgling religion finally opens his heart to the fact that God loves those who are different, too, and “foreigners” are united in Christ for eternity. God’s wisdom reminds us that, sometimes, love just ignores the faults of another. No, there isn’t much romance in today’s words, but true love is not just about romance. It’s about passion, a passion strong and secure enough to withstand adversity. A passion so focused it is willing to defy convention and explore new avenues of love. A passion so dedicated it accepts faults and love despite shortcomings, and maybe even because of them. Passionate love is not always pretty. It’s not all roses and chocolates and heart-shaped cards. Passionate love can even be decidedly un-romantic. But passionate love is always real: it risks; it’s longsuffering; it endures; and it is willing to confront life in the trenches and do what it takes to save. Even when what it takes to save is personal vulnerability and sacrifice.

For almost thirty years now, my wife and I have had our share of romantic moments, and we love our candlelit dinners and late night chats (which means, for us, any conversation after the nightly news) as much as the next couple, I suppose. It’s fun being romantic. But we were both blessed to have parents who taught us that love is not just, or even primarily, about cosmetic romance. We learned by watching them that real love is the fruit of committed passion, a passion for the other that remains steadfast in the face of any circumstance. I think of my father-in-law watching his wife die of a brain tumor, insisting on keeping her at home and lovingly caring for her even when the cancer ravaged her physical abilities and her personality. Or my Mom – all 110 pounds or so of her - taking care of Dad - all 280+ pounds of him - while he was completely dependent for almost a year. Through these and so many other examples, we’ve learned passionate love has relatively little to do with sex; it’s a dedicated commitment that endures through the tears. It is a love unafraid to get dirty. It is, in a word or two, unmerited grace that stands by, supports and sustains, especially when it is not comfortable or romantic to do so.

The best description of my wife, and one I will always cherish, came out of the blue one day from a mutual friend. “She’s just so there.” I understood immediately what our friend meant. My wife loves with an absolute passion for me, and for others. She stays put, no matter how insufferable I get. That’s not always a comfortable, let alone romantic, place to be, but it is a place love must live, if it is to live at all. In simplest terms, my wife is a daily, tangible reminder of Christ, and romance aside, it’s hard to be more loving than that.

Romance assuredly has its place, but any relationship based solely on romance has a very short expected life. We learned quickly that romance is wonderful when it is the result of passionate dedication and trust. However, put the ultimate priority on romance, and pretty much the best one can hope for is an intense but shallow lust. Praise God that we do not have to rely on lust or romance to hold us up at any point, and that we never have to depend solely on ourselves to generate passion. Indeed, we cannot do so and expect love to last for eternity. Enduring love is a love that can afford to sacrifice only because Christ fills the voids and gaps of our humanness. “We love, because He first loved us.” Praise God for His example of passionate love!

THE SINCEREST FORM OF FLATTERY

1 Kings 14:1-15:24; Acts 10:1-23; Psalm 133:1-3; Proverbs 17:7-8

“The people imitated the detestable practices of the pagan nations the Lord had driven from the land ahead of the Israelites.”

“Do not call something unclean if God has made it clean.”

“Harmony is as refreshing as the dew from Mount Hermon that falls on the mountains of Zion. And there the Lord has pronounced his blessing, even life everlasting.”

Most of us look for role models. That’s a good thing, at least when our role models are worthy of imitation. But we don’t always follow those we should follow. We look for people who are wealthy, celebrities or otherwise seemingly above the difficulties we face. It is no wonder we are ill equipped to deal with the realities of everyday life when we attempt to mimic others whose lives have nothing in common with our particular circumstances. The point of role models is not to facilitate wishful thinking. Their point is to provide an example of a more effective way to live. We should not be surprised, then, when our obsession with athletes and movie stars provides us little practical help in living our own lives.

For a number of years, I was involved in youth ministry. The kids went through a variety of fads and crazes. Each one claimed to want to establish him or herself as an individual, but they usually ended up doing their best just to fit in with their peers. Some worshipped the latest teen idol, some allowed themselves to become lost in the drug culture, but virtually all of them were most comfortable when acting with a herd mentality. For most, the herd was their role model. Some had no role model at all. Regardless, true individuals were usually dismissed as nerds or just plain weird or, on the other hand, as overachieving bookworms. In a world that supposedly valued individualism above most everything, few of its inhabitants realized they were stereotypes blinded by their need to conform and avoid notice.

The Israelites chose to follow their corrupt leader, Jeroboam, and Jeroboam choose to follow his pagan contemporaries in worshipping idols and turning his back on the Lord. Not once does the Bible talk of anyone who confronted Jeroboam about his wicked ways or his responsibility as a political leader to protect the welfare of those he ruled. The people were too busy imitating the worship practices of their pagan neighbors. In doing so, they unwittingly sowed the seeds of Israel’s complete destruction and the crushing military defeats that lead to it. We, as Christian brothers and sisters, can and must do better.

Christians have the perfect role model – literally. Jesus Christ came to earth so all humanity could see the best way to live. But when He was not being persecuted, He usually was simply ignored. The Man who literally was “the way, the truth and the life,” the one soul who understood the secrets of effective living, was too often dismissed as a heretic or disregarded as impractical or, worse, a lunatic. We need to rethink our feelings about Christ. We need to see and follow Him as the example he still is today. Only by attempting to imitate Jesus will we become the people God created us to be: the very Body of Christ!  

DISCERNING THE VOICE OF GOD

1 Kings 12:20-13:34; Acts 9:26-43; Psalm 132:1-18; Proverbs 17:6

“But the old prophet answered, “I am a prophet, too, just as you are. And an angel gave me this command from the Lord: ‘Bring him home with you so he can have something to eat and drink.’” But the old man was lying to him.”

“When Saul arrived in Jerusalem, he tried to meet with the believers, but they were all afraid of him. They did not believe he had truly become a believer!”

Why did the old prophet lie? It is a sad fact of life that many things done and claimed in the name of Christ have nothing to do with Him. Most self-appointed prophets are more interested in filling their own coffers or elevating themselves than in preaching the true Word. People need to know when they are hearing Godly teaching, and when Satan is masquerading as an angel. Trust in those who say they are dedicated to the Lord is sometimes a gift given too easily.

On the other hand, like Paul’s early audiences, we can be too skeptical when it comes to accepting the Word from our peers, friends or relatives. Familiarity may not breed contempt, exactly, but accessibility and normalcy can make it harder to accept Yahweh’s direction from the mouths of those we know personally. After all, when they claim a better line of communication with Christ, we can get pretty jealous. But when we are blinded and deafened by sin or personal troubles, we actually need others who can effectively direct us back to the Spirit’s love and grace.

The question comes down to one of discernment. How can we separate the Word of God from manipulative emotionalism that will only disillusion and destroy faith? It’s an important question. More than a few Christians have been seduced by the allure of the charismatic “prophet,” preacher or counselor. Sometimes, we ourselves are seduced by religious spirituality into believing – or wanting too much to believe – that we have gifts the Lord has not really given. In any situation where a human substitutes for the true voice of God, isolation and anger are typical outcomes.

When Christians counsel, or open themselves up to the advice of others, we must always insure Christ, not any other result or object, is the ultimate goal. If security, personal health or even human relationships supersede the goal of aligning with our divine purpose and Creator, bad things inevitably will happen. How many of us have fooled ourselves into believing our desires were part of the Spirit’s plan, only to be left feeling stupid and exposed when it became obvious the Father had other ideas?

All teaching and counsel should be judged by how it matches up with Scripture (the primary source), Tradition, Experience and Reason. The Bible is a unique testimony to God's self-disclosure and the guide to our redemption. If we immerse ourselves in Scripture and open our minds and hearts to the Holy Spirit, we will be better equipped to make Christian decisions. The Tradition of the Church, not the "little traditions" of one denomination, can also help guide us into Truth. The cumulative understanding and beliefs of the whole Christian movement can provide a powerful pragmatic balance to the immediate emotion of supposedly “new” revelation. Similarly, Experience really is a great teacher. This includes individual experience and the experience of the Church (God's people), or even more simply, “what works.” While what has worked in the past may not work today, experience can still provide additional food for thought as we seek God’s Will. Finally, there is Reason. When we go to church, we must not check our brains at the door.

God made us thinking, rational beings. We are to love the Lord our God with all our heart, mind, soul and strength. If we do that better, better understanding of God’s Will certainly will result. That’s what God meant when He said we will find Him when we dedicate our whole self to finding Him. The Spirit still speaks. We just need to tune our ears to His higher frequency.