FRUITFUL FEAR

Exodus 37:1-38:31; Matthew 28:1-20; Psalm 34:11-22; Proverbs 9:9-10

“Then the eleven disciples left for Galilee, going to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. When they saw him, they worshiped him—but some of them doubted!  Jesus came and told his disciples, “I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

“Come, my children, and listen to me,
 and I will teach you to fear the Lord.”

“Fear of the Lord is the foundation of wisdom.
 Knowledge of the Holy One results in good judgment.”

I wonder sometimes if we have put too much emphasis on having a “personal relationship” and “friendship” with Jesus.  Don’t get me wrong; there’s nothing wrong with either concept.  God’s plan of salvation requires that we have a relationship with Christ.  But we (certainly, I) need to be careful not to overly humanize Jesus to the point of nullifying His divine authority or His righteous character.  Claiming Him as a friend without also having the sense of awestruck wonder and respect that the Bible calls “fear of the Lord” actually makes us less effective disciples.

Let me try this another way.  I dearly love, and am good friends with, my parents.  The friendship I have with them is in large part based on how they have exercised authority over me throughout the years, how they have disciplined me, and how that has helped determined the course of my life.  They will never be the friends my peers are; they will be much more, because they were never afraid of me being angry or disagreeing with them.  They never compromised their authority in the name of friendship, and eventually (yes, it took time to figure this out), we became better friends as a result.  One could fairly say I have discipled my own children in the way taught me by my parents, and it is gratifying to see them showing some of the same traits my parents taught me. 

Simply, we learn, and follow, only what we respect.  So it is with Christ: we can never truly be His friends without Him first becoming the undisputed Lord of our lives.  His Lordship gives rise to our friendship.  Any effort to reverse this divine order of things misstates God’s priorities and corrupts the Gospel. We need to understand this if we are to be the disciples Christ calls us to be.

Jesus is absolutely clear that we are to be disciples, bringing souls to Him and teaching them all He has taught us.  Scripture is equally plain that we are to teach “fear of the Lord.”  To some, there might be a dissonance there; how can one be a disciple of that which he or she fears?  The mature Christian understands the truth: it can never be any other way.

CURTAINS

Exodus 35:10-36:38; Matthew 27:32-66; Psalm 34:1-10; Proverbs 9:7-8

“Come, all of you who are gifted craftsmen. Construct everything that the Lord has commanded: the Tabernacle and its sacred tent, its covering, clasps, frames, crossbars, posts, and bases; the Ark and its carrying poles; the Ark’s cover—the place of atonement; the inner curtain to shield the Ark in the Most Holy Place….”

“Then Jesus shouted out again, and he released his spirit. At that moment the curtain in the sanctuary of the Temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. The earth shook, rocks split apart, and tombs opened. The bodies of many godly men and women who had died were raised from the dead. They left the cemetery after Jesus’ resurrection, went into the holy city of Jerusalem, and appeared to many people.  The Roman officer and the other soldiers at the crucifixion were terrified by the earthquake and all that had happened. They said, ‘This man truly was the Son of God.’”

“I prayed to the Lord, and he answered me.  He freed me from all my fears.”

“Curtain!”  The expression means so many things: the end of a play; the beginning of a play.  The finale of Hercule Poirot’s career.  That which separates, or a window covering that blocks the sun, or the view.  Doom. Scripture says a curtain is a man-made separation from the Holy of Holies, which God Himself tore apart at the Crucifixion in restoring our direct access to His Presence; another end and beginning.  I say a curtain is anything I erect or cause in an effort to shield myself from the Spirit and/or its scrutiny.  An end of relationship, and the beginning of death.

Still, I like my curtains.  It’s sometimes comforting to kid myself that I can hide from God.  Alas, the Spirit always sees what I am, even when I don’t.  Transparency is not optional with Christ.  He sees it all.  So, on to the real question: why is confession, transparency with God, so difficult?  It’s only partly a matter of pride.  I’m no fan of admitting personal failures, even though it’s become easier with experience.  But much more, down deeper where the answers really count, confession is tough because I’m just afraid God’s love and forgiveness are finally going to run out one day.  How often can I go back to the well and still expect Christ to give me His living water?

This is not an unreasonable question.  Human patience has its limits.  Even “seventy times seven” is a finite number.  Why wouldn’t God’s forgiveness have at least some quantitative, if not qualitative, limits?  Simply, it is because God’s love has no limits. 1 John says God is love, and 1 Corinthians makes it very clear that love never fails and hopes and endures all things.  Love is patient and kind, regardless of how we respond to it.  Mainly, though, true love is eternal.

Ever since Eden, humankind has been erecting curtains of one sort or another to shield ourselves from God.  Some have been tangible, others intangible and still others unintentional.  The Spirit of God has been just as busy tearing our curtains down.  There’s no need to go over old ground.  The point today is that Christ will not be stopped by curtains.  He literally rips right through them for just the chance to have us once more abide in Him.  He is a relentless pursuer.  Thank God He is!  I ran through my first 490 sins decades ago….

Through Christ’s intervention, we are again given access to that which we denied ourselves back in Eden.  It is not God’s desire to be separated from His Creation.  It’s worth remembering: humans do the separating.  Christ brings the barriers down.  

PASSIONATE PROTECTION

Exodus 34:1-35:9; Matthew 27:15-31; Psalm 33:12-22; Proverbs 9:1-6

“You must worship no other gods, but only the Lord, for He is a God who is passionate about his relationship with you.”

“But the Lord watches over those who fear him, those who rely on his unfailing love.
 He rescues them from death
and keeps them alive in times of famine. We put our hope in the Lord.
 He is our help and our shield.
 In him our hearts rejoice, for we trust in his holy name.  Let your unfailing love surround us, Lord, for our hope is in you alone.”

“Leave your simple ways behind, and begin to live; learn to use good judgment.”

Two or so miles into a steep trail of mud and boulders, the trail dove down and through the roughest terrain yet.  Confident the path soon would turn up again, we proceeded down metal ladder rungs driven into the rock and pulled ourselves along using anchored steel bars.  The wind began to blow, and a storm swirled over the mountain without warning.  We took safe refuge in a convenient cave.  The storm passed, as all storms do, and in the interim, we figured we had lost our way.  Retracing our steps, we found the original goal, a flat rock summit with the valley spread out over two thousand feet below in all its Fall glory.  (See picture.)  Totally unprotected from the elements, it was right where we would have been if we had followed the very obvious trail markings initially.  Even after the storm, it was hard to keep our footing in the wind; during the storm, it might have been impossible.

Most would chalk the entire incident up to human error and coincidental good luck.  But my wife and I are better, more experienced hikers than that, and we both literally were blinded to the correct, obvious turnoff the first time.  More steel rungs and railings were drilled into the side of the mountain’s sheer rock face to mark the final ascent, yet we never saw them until we came back from the cave.  For us, it was a simple matter of divine protection.  And it seems significant that we found safety we didn’t know we would need only after diverting – or being diverted – from our original course.

There no doubt are many things one could learn from this experience.  Our personal lessons were clear.  First, we may be denied initial goals not because they aren’t worthy, but because the timing just is not right.  Sometimes, detours are right where we need to be.  Second, the Lord even protects us from ourselves!  We get so impatient, never stopping to consider there might be an unseen storm coming.  It is good to have a God who watches out for us. 

God is passionate about our relationship with Him.  He wants to protect it, and us, and He alone is worthy of our trust.  Next time, we will be more conscious of traveling with the Spirit.  Next time, we’ll also pay more attention to the path and the weather!

LIFE COMES FAST

Exodus 32:1-33:23; Matthew 26:69-27:14; Psalm 33:1-11; Proverb 8:33-36

“The Lord told Moses, ‘Quick! Go down the mountain! Your people whom you brought from the land of Egypt have corrupted themselves.  How quickly they have turned away from the way I commanded them to live!  They have melted down gold and made a calf, and they have bowed down and sacrificed to it.  They are saying, ‘These are your gods, O Israel, who brought you out of the land of Egypt.’”

“Meanwhile, Peter was sitting outside in the courtyard. A servant girl came over and said to him, ‘You were one of those with Jesus the Galilean.’  But Peter denied it in front of everyone. ‘I don’t know what you’re talking about,’ he said….  Peter swore, ‘A curse on me if I’m lying—I don’t know the man!’  And immediately the rooster crowed.  Suddenly, Jesus’ words flashed through Peter’s mind: “Before the rooster crows, you will deny three times that you even know me.”  And he went away, weeping bitterly.”

“Joyful are those who listen to me, watching for me daily at my gates…. For whoever finds me finds life….
 But those who miss me injure themselves….”

“Life comes at you fast….”  Some of those Nationwide Insurance commercials were pretty funny – a couple of months ago.  Today, not so much.  Change has come with unthinkable speed.  Our foundations have been seriously eroded, and there is no one who has not been wounded.  Looking deeper, though, perhaps our foundations have not been so much eroded as they have been abandoned. 

After all, humanity has been shifting its allegiance in God for thousands of years, often on little more than a whim.  Our relationship with the Lord is frequently at its most precarious right after great blessing.  Then, we forget history.  We forget our need for Christ when we don’t feel it.  We have been consistently disappointed in the long term results of rejecting the Holy Spirit and the way the Bible calls us to live.  Yet, still, we are quick to turn away and slow to repent. 

As people of God in today’s world, we must reclaim and reprioritize what is truly important, and hang onto that steadfastly while the winds of change blow.  We are in the process of being freed – whether we like it or not – from the demon of conspicuous consumption. Now, we need to recapture the basics of simple contentment.  Complaining and worrying just don’t do any good.  Our great challenge, and our great opportunity, is to live within our means and rely more radically and consistently on the Father.  It’s tougher than it sounds.  It’s much easier to let go of stuff we never had than to give up what we do have or mourn what we did have.  Humans are not typically “backward compatible;” we do not necessarily adapt well to going “back to the future” or learn from earlier mistakes.  But there is one thing we would do well to remember from both Old and New Testaments, and the Psalms in between:

For the word of the Lord holds true, and we can trust everything he does.
 The Lord frustrates the plans of the nations and thwarts all their schemes.
 But the Lord’s plans stand firm forever; his intentions can never be shaken.

God knows exactly what’s going on.  He may have planned it.  Either way, though, we can sleep well knowing He has things under control even when we don’t.

THE VOICE OF CLARITY

Exodus 30:11-31:18; Matthew 26:47-68; Psalm 32:1-11; Proverbs 8:27-32

“Then the Lord said to Moses, ‘Collect choice spices—12½ pounds of pure myrrh, 6¼ pounds of fragrant cinnamon, 6¼ pounds of fragrant calamus and 12½ pounds of cassia—as measured by the weight of the sanctuary shekel. Also get one gallon of olive oil.  Like a skilled incense maker, blend these ingredients to make a holy anointing oil.  Use this sacred oil to anoint the Tabernacle, [and] the Ark of the Covenant….”

“Then the high priest said to him, ‘I demand in the name of the living God—tell us if you are the Messiah, the Son of God.’  Jesus replied, ‘You have said it. And in the future you will see the Son of Man seated in the place of power at God’s right hand and coming on the clouds of heaven.’”

“Finally, I confessed all my sins to you and stopped trying to hide my guilt.  I said to myself, ‘I will confess my rebellion to the Lord.’  And you forgave me! All my guilt is gone.”

This may be the most important election in eighty years.  It is the duty of every Christian, every American, to vote.  But oh, the rhetoric!  The changes in position!  The outright slander!  Clarity is almost impossible to find.  Even where there is clarity, there is contradiction.  Our leadership is confused because our leaders’ priorities and language are confused.  Good grief!  It is no wonder many voters remain undecided and that the world has lost much of its confidence in us.

Thank goodness God’s Message is plain.  “I created you.  I love you.  Your sin broke my heart.  I could not stand being separated from you.  So, I died in your place.  I defeated death so we can be together forever.  Just love me.”  Straight and to the point.  Nothing unclear.  Nothing to be misunderstood.  One heart, one meaning.  A hallmark of God’s Message is clarity. 

We may not want to accept God’s Word.  There certainly are times He chooses not to speak.  We may not be listening for His Voice.  But let’s stop kidding ourselves about His meaning.  When the Spirit does speak, He leaves no doubt of His intent.  His is the one Voice of absolute truth.  His is the one Word we can rely on.  We are confused because we are looking in the wrong places, and to the wrong leaders, for guidance.  We already know what we want to hear and disregard anything else.  We reject the simplicity of “love your neighbor as yourself” not because we don’t understand, but because we don’t want to love our neighbor.

Here’s another thing I learned on my retreat in the woods.  Dishonesty, especially within and to myself, trumps even the clarity of God’s Voice.  Said another way, before I can hear Him, before I can even be prepared for His personal Message and mission for me, I have to be honest with myself.  I have to be honest with myself about what I don’t want to hear, and honest with myself about the boundaries I set for God.  Then, I have to tear those restrictions down.  There are places I don’t want to go, things I don’t want to do, traits that just seem too difficult to develop.  God’s Word for me is simple: “Get over it.”  Now, that’s Godly clarity.

THERE WILL BE BLOOD

Exodus 29:1-30:10; Matthew 26:14-46; Psalm 31:19-24; Proverbs 8:14-26

“Now take the other ram, and have Aaron and his sons lay their hands on its head.  Then slaughter it, and apply some of its blood to the right earlobes of Aaron and his sons. Also put it on the thumbs of their right hands and the big toes of their right feet. Splatter the rest of the blood against all sides of the altar.  Then take some of the blood from the altar and some of the anointing oil, and sprinkle it on Aaron and his sons and on their garments. In this way, they and their garments will be set apart as holy.”

“And he took a cup of wine and gave thanks to God for it. He gave it to them and said, ‘Each of you drink from it, for this is my blood, which confirms the covenant between God and his people. It is poured out as a sacrifice to forgive the sins of many.’”

Those who are not believers sometimes accuse Christians of worshipping a barbaric God.  Admittedly, all our talk of blood and sacrifice can be upsetting to those who don’t understand or won’t accept that sin has already bloodied us.  Sin is what assures our spiritual, along with our physical, mortality.  Therefore, if something, Someone, does not take our place, does not pay the price for our sin, then we have no hope.  From that viewpoint, the idea of substitutionary sacrifice starts to sound like a pretty good deal… that is, until we remember we are commanded to follow the example of Christ in giving of ourselves.

Our human aversion to sacrifice of any kind derives from a sense that sacrifice is a penalty, instead of an opportunity.  But sacrifice, done right – as Christ epitomized it – allows the Holy Spirit a unique chance to be in and work through us more fully than in any other situation.  We were never made to live apart from the Spirit.  That’s why Jesus encouraged us to give up our selves to find our lives as they were meant to be, joined to and powered by the Holy Spirit.

Let’s not sugarcoat or try to talk around the reality that God requires blood sacrifice.  Integrity demands honesty.  But let’s also be clear that the only reason blood is required is because we sacrificed ourselves to sin first.  Sin’s penalty is inevitable and unavoidable.  Thank God we can give Christ the opportunity to reclaim us through His sacrifice.

HELPFUL REMINDERS

Exodus 28:1-43; Matthew 25:31-26:13; Psalm 31:9-18; Proverbs 8:12-13

“In this way, Aaron will carry the names of the tribes of Israel on the sacred chestpiece over his heart when he goes into the Holy Place. This will be a continual reminder that he represents the people when he comes before the Lord.”

“She has poured this perfume on me to prepare my body for burial.  I tell you the truth, wherever the Good News is preached throughout the world, this woman’s deed will be remembered and discussed.”

“But I am trusting you, O Lord,
saying, ‘You are my God!’  My future is in your hands.”

My perspective has really been adjusted this week.  Spirituality lives behind every turn in the trail.  From waterfalls to brilliant colors and simple solitude among the mountains, each experience reminds me that God is still here, still creating, still preparing and providing for His children’s welfare.   Focusing on these things allows my soul to rest.  On the other hand, the news, Blackberry and numerous “For Sale” signs all trespass on this sanctuary and serenity.  Was everyday life ever meant to be as complicated as it seems from the woods of Maine?  Basic choices here seem much clearer: intentionally seek out and claim grace, and choose to rely on the Holy Spirit to make all things work to good for those who love Him; or allow doubt a foothold, wonder if the Lord has lost control, and give in to anxiety.  I am learning that how I see the world, and my sense of hope vs. insecurity, is at least as much an act of will as it is a consequence of viewpoint and circumstance.  And will needs a focus.  I have rediscovered mine here in the grandeur of God’s creation.

Maybe that’s why Scripture consistently teaches we all need things which remind us of God and the work He has done on our behalf.  We need reminders of what is holy, reminders of what extravagant love looks like, and reminders of Who holds the future in His hands.  We need these reminders because, when the world intrudes, it works to destabilize faith.  Unstable faith, in turn, can lead to disillusionment, or worse.  We need tangible signposts to guide us back to the life and reliance on the Spirit that God intended from the start.

Spiritual reminders aren’t about idolatry.  They are just about helping us keep our balance in a world which promotes change above certainty and progress over prudence.  Spiritual reminders never substitute for the presence of the Spirit.  But they can remind us of our own redemption and salvation at times when we don’t feel either.  Like cairns lead a hiker to the next step in the trail, so spiritual reminders help us get back in step with the Lord.   We all might feel a bit more secure if we took a few minutes each day just to focus intentionally on the things which lead us back to God.

KEEP THE FIRE

Exodus 26:1-27:21; Matthew 25:1-30; Psalm 31:1-8; Proverbs 8:1-11

“"Command the Israelites to bring you clear oil of pressed olives for the light so that the lamps may be kept burning.  In the Tent of Meeting, outside the curtain that is in front of the Testimony, Aaron and his sons are to keep the lamps burning before the LORD from evening till morning. This is to be a lasting ordinance among the Israelites for the generations to come.”

“All the bridesmaids got up and prepared their lamps.  Then the five foolish ones asked the others, ‘Please give us some of your oil because our lamps are going out.’  But the others replied, ‘We don’t have enough for all of us. Go to a shop and buy some for yourselves.’  Then, while they were gone to buy oil, the bridegroom came. Those who were ready went in with him to the marriage feast, and the door was locked.

“I will be glad and rejoice in your unfailing love,
for you have seen my troubles, and you care about the anguish of my soul.”

I give thanks that light is more powerful than darkness.  In a pitch black night, even a tiny flashlight can be the beacon that brings us home.  A single candle allows an entire room to see.  We need to remember that.  No matter how dark the world may get, Christians are the light of the world, the hope of the world, and the darkness can only snuff us out if we let it.  More important, that light can bring us together in power, courage and strength to overcome the world.

There may never be a more important time for Christians to keep the fires of hope burning and to serve as God’s light to the world.  So many people seem utterly lost and unprepared for the trials of these times.  They have forgotten the fundamentals, and cannot anchor themselves.  As the world searches for answers, and panics, Christians have an incredible opportunity to show the world a less materialistic, less stressful lifestyle grounded in the certainty that Jesus is the Way, the Truth and the Life.  He is one thing which cannot be taken away.  To a world out of options, His way is salvation.  But only if His people are ready to accept the challenges of the day and are prepared to deal with the cynics.

God’s people need to cultivate and protect His light.  How is this done?  Through a radical reliance on God.  Through a contentment that looks beyond the stuff. Through simple refusal to accept the message of the world that the best days are behind us.  We must keep God’s light burning continually.

The line from Psalms, “You care about the anguish of my soul,” is a good starting point.  The people of the world need to hear and experience that God actually cares about their situation.  People need to know they are not alone.  They need a light.

God’s people have a responsibility to be that light.  We understand how God saves. We know that what people regard as the end, God sees as the beginning.  We recognize that these times are a wondrous opportunity to reintroduce Christ into the vocabulary of the world.  We need to get prepared and stay ready.  Our time is coming, quite possibly sooner than anyone might think.

GOD COMES DOWN

Exodus 23:14-25:40; Matthew 24:29-51; Psalm 30:1-12; Proverbs 7:24-27

“Have the people of Israel build me a holy sanctuary so I can live among them.  You must build this Tabernacle and its furnishings exactly according to the pattern I will show you.”

“And then at last, the sign that the Son of Man is coming will appear in the heavens, and there will be deep mourning among all the peoples of the earth. And they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.  And he will send out his angels with the mighty blast of a trumpet, and they will gather his chosen ones from all over the world—from the farthest ends of the earth and heaven.”

“You have turned my mourning into joyful dancing.
 You have taken away my clothes of mourning and clothed me with joy,
that I might sing praises to you and not be silent.
 O Lord my God, I will give you thanks forever!”

Here in New England is some of the most magnificent foliage and other scenery on earth.  As we have hiked and driven through Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine, one thought has come repeatedly.  God is here.  His tapestries put even the greatest artist to shame.  If He feels too high up or too far away, guess who moved….

I did not feel separated from God before we started this trip.  Honestly, it seemed we were pretty close at the time.  Perhaps, in fact, we were – I think abiding in Christ is getting just the tiniest bit easier, especially doing this journal.  But close is not what Christ calls us to.  He wants to surround us, invade us, even overwhelm us with His presence and give us the very power of Pentecost.   He is just waiting – oh, so patiently - for the invitation. 

We are so blessed to have a God who comes down, who actually wants, more than anything else, to live with us and in us.  He seems much nearer out here in nature.  However, I’m still not sure I’m fully ready or willing to accept all He has to offer.  It is hard to even comprehend the glory of the works of His hands or the strength underlying His promises, much less to actually have Him living through me and sharing His power. 

The key may be to try not to do too much.  Let Christ comes as He comes.  Force nothing.  Just practice accepting the grace that surrounds us.  The joy that infuses me here is nothing compared to the joy to come.  But for today, it is more than enough.

BLIND AND TOOTHLESS

Exodus 21:22-23:13; Matthew 24:1-28; Psalm 29:1-11; Proverbs 7:6-23

“… An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth, a hand for a hand, a foot for a foot, a burn for a burn, a wound for a wound, a bruise for a bruise.”

“The voice of the Lord echoes above the sea.
The God of glory thunders.  The Lord thunders over the mighty sea.
 The voice of the Lord is powerful; the voice of the Lord is majestic.
 The voice of the Lord splits the mighty cedars;
the Lord shatters the cedars of Lebanon.”

In the musical, Fiddler on the Roof, Tevya is discussing the local pogroms with his Jewish neighbors.  One irate friend exclaims, “An eye for an eye; a tooth for a tooth!”  Tevya’s reply is classic: “Yes, and then the whole world will be blind and toothless.” Perhaps that explains why we have a Savior who went from “eye for an eye” to “turn the other cheek.”  One of the toughest biblical questions concerns this seeming change between the Old and New Testament God.  Personally, I don’t believe God changed at all; our approach to Him simply evolved as He’d always intended and foreseen.  We learned to appreciate different aspects of the divine personality. 

Humans start by needing rules to define our personal successes and failures, because we live by a performance standard.  So, the Holy Spirit gave us a chance to perform under the Rules, and to fail (miserably and repeatedly) so we could be positioned to accept and appreciate grace. 

Grace has little meaning without a prior understanding that the Law (read: “the rules”) can never save us because we will never fulfill it.  Only One, Jesus Christ, ever lived in complete fulfillment of the Law.  It just isn’t in us to do that.  Thus, the Law instructs us, inhibits us, but cannot save us.  We need grace – unmerited favor - to get from here to Him.   That’s what the Old Testament is all about: proving humans cannot follow any rules for long.  When we try, we end up “blind and toothless;” like the Pharisees, we are unable to see our own need for grace; and we live without any particular spiritual power or strength.

Thank goodness Christ was ready with grace.  “Blind and toothless” was never our intended destiny.  Freedom from rules and dependence on the Holy Spirit is the lifestyle to which we Christians are called.  Let’s get to it!  Rules are for losers.  The Spirit is the winners’ Gift.  He will lead.  All we need do is follow.

GOOD ADVICE

Exodus 19:16-21:21; Matthew 23:13-39; Psalm 28:1-9; Proverbs 7:1-5

“I am the Lord your God, who rescued you from the land of Egypt, the place of your slavery.
 You must not have any other god but me.
 “You must not make for yourself an idol of any kind or an image of anything in the heavens or on the earth or in the sea.  You must not misuse the name of the Lord your God.  Remember to observe the Sabbath day by keeping it holy.  Honor your father and mother.  You must not murder.
  You must not commit adultery.
 You must not steal.
 You must not testify falsely against your neighbor.
 You must not covet your neighbor’s house. You must not covet your neighbor’s wife, male or female servant, ox or donkey, or anything else that belongs to your neighbor.”

“Follow my advice, my son; always treasure my commands.  Obey my commands and live!  Guard my instructions as you guard your own eyes.  Tie them on your fingers as a reminder. Write them deep within your heart.”

My parents have given me some excellent advice over the years.  Mom taught me to love my wife years before I met her.  Dad taught me to accept responsibility for my own actions.  Mom taught me to apologize.  Dad taught me not to mess up in the first place.  Day before yesterday, they both nearly died in a car accident.  They flipped and rolled the car – twice! – yet miraculously walked away with only minor cuts and brusies.  Dad was not even admitted to the hospital!  We are so grateful to God for sparing and protecting them.  I am more grateful to Him for giving them to me in the first place.  Their advice over the years has saved me from a lot of heartache.

Good advice is hard to come by.  Movie reviews consistently mislead us.  Friends’ recommendations prove misguided.  Investment advisors may as well use Ouija boards.  People we can rely on and trust are a precious blessing.  Nevertheless, the time will come when no other person can help.  The time always comes when no one has the answer, or when those we rely on are no longer there.  How we handle our choices and emotions at that point can determine much and says a lot about our character.  Where should we turn?

It’s hard to go wrong with God.  He quite literally created and designed our lives, and wrote the book on what it takes to get the most out of them.  Time and again, we come back to His Way only after learning by hard experience that no other course works as well.  Why do we subject ourselves to so many alternative lifestyles and life choices when God has shown us how life should be lived for over thousands of years?  The Ten Commandments work.  God’s advice never fails.   And He will always be there for us. 

GODLY LEADERSHIP

Exodus 17:8-19:15; Matthew 22:34-23:12; Psalm 27:7-14; Proverbs 6:27-35

“The next day, Moses took his seat to hear the people’s disputes against each other. They waited before him from morning till evening.  When Moses’ father-in-law saw all that Moses was doing for the people, he asked, ‘What are you really accomplishing here? Why are you trying to do all this alone while everyone stands around you from morning till evening?’”

“One of them, an expert in religious law, tried to trap him with this question, ‘Teacher, which is the most important commandment in the law of Moses?’  Jesus replied, ‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’  This is the first and greatest commandment.  A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’  The entire law and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments.’”

I’m in Maine today with my lovely bride, doing some Fall “leaf peeping.”  To get here, I went through airport security (always a joy!), and I got yelled at for forgetting to remove my cell phone.  I followed the instructions of the TSA agent, but was not particularly happy about how they were presented.  So, I got to thinking (always a danger!): what makes a godly leader?  (That is something of a stretch for a lead-in, isn’t it?  Oh, well, it’s a good, topical question for an election year, anyway.) 

First, Scripture says godly leaders delegate.  The Bible teaches repeatedly that no leader should try to do it all alone.  Most people are reluctant to ask for help and have a hard time being in charge as a result.  Maybe we think we’ll be seen as incapable or weak if we don’t do it all.  Possibly, we are so enamored with our own ideas we can’t consider others.  Or, we just love the control, and don’t care to be subject to possible challenge.  Any way it’s sliced, refusing help looks like arrogance deep down, even for the Spirit-filled: we were created to need help.  Worse, though, “do-it-all” leaders prevent others who have applicable gifts from being able to use them.  That empowers no one; it’s the anti-blessing.  “Do-it-all” leadership also drains both energy and creativity, which has lead to some pretty serious mistakes.  Godly leaders train others and have and show confidence in those they train.  Godly leaders let the help help.  Godly leaders do what they do well, and let others handle the rest.

Second, godly leaders have one specific, non-negotiable, ultimate priority – the same as Christ’s.  “OK,” says the lawyer, “but what is the greatest comandment?  What is the priority against which all other priorities should be measured?”  Leave it to an attorney to try to complicate the simple.  He obviously was thinking there was no good answer.  Gosh, darn, the law is so situation dependent.  Laws are living things, after all; they require flexibility. How could there possibly be just one greatest commandment?  Overstress one and you’ll risk minimizing another, Jesus, and someone will get upset.  Thankfully, Jesus never worried about upsetting his constituency.  The Greatest Commandment?  Love God and each other. That’ll do.  Nothing else will.  ‘Nuff said!

Finally, then, godly leaders keep goals simple, and they don’t get caught up in the noise, including the opinions of others.  This doesn’t mean they ignore others – see the first point.  It means they just chart and stick to God’s course.  They aren’t fooled by the appearance of things, or by volume, especially of the sounds of protest.  They focus solely and unflinchingly on the heart of the matter, the greatest need. Love. 

The rest is just details. 

CAN'T GET NO... SATISFACTION

Exodus 15:19-17:7; Matthew 22:1-33; Psalm 27:1-6; Proverbs 6:20-26

“Then the people complained and turned against Moses. “What are we going to drink?” they demanded. So Moses cried out to the Lord for help, and the Lord showed him a piece of wood. Moses threw it into the water, and this made the water good to drink.  It was there at Marah that the Lord set before them the following decree as a standard to test their faithfulness to him.  He said, ‘If you will listen carefully to the voice of the Lord your God and do what is right in his sight, obeying his commands and keeping all his decrees, then I will not make you suffer any of the diseases I sent on the Egyptians; for I am the Lord who heals you.’”

“The Lord is my light and my salvation— so why should I be afraid?  The Lord is my fortress, protecting me from danger, so why should I tremble? …The one thing I ask of the Lord —
the thing I seek most — is to live in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, delighting in the Lord’s perfections and meditating in his Temple.
 For he will conceal me there when troubles come;
he will hide me in his sanctuary.  He will place me out of reach on a high rock.  Then I will hold my head high above my enemies who surround me.  At his sanctuary I will offer sacrifices with shouts of joy, singing and praising the Lord with music.”

We humans are a tough crowd.  No sooner does God lead us out of one hardship than we begin complaining about the new situation.  The Spirit provides more than enough but directs us to just take what we need, and to share.  We immediately begin hoarding.  We so fixate on security that even blessings become a curse.  No glass is too full.  When it comes down to it, we flatly reject the adventure of reliance on God in favor of almost any more immediately tangible asset.  Exodus (and really, the whole Old Testament) is not only history; it’s a mirror through which Christ wants us to look at ourselves.  In it, I see much of myself, and I am ashamed.  But there’s something else to consider, even more important: all this discontent, this insatiable drive for tangible security, this unceasing mental striving, just wears me out. 

I actually may be starting to understand something: burnout doesn’t come from physical exhaustion.  Burnout comes from a loss of enthusiasm.  For instance, it really is not much of a problem to stay up late at night doing what I am excited about (like this).  But focused on the drudgery of everyday life (not manna again!), I’m in bed before the nightly news even begins!  There has got to be a better way, something more to life that actually has some staying power. 

David, at least in his better moments, got it right.  Psalm 27 is a masterpiece of documented contentment.  It represents the essence of what it means to abide in God.  There is true sanctuary in the house of the Lord, precisely because that is where renewed enthusiasm for the entire adventure of life is to be found.  That’s why we need to stay close to our spiritual home, no matter what our physical home or circumstance.  That’s why, when God asks us to move, it’s always in His direction.  Outside His Will, there just isn’t much hope for lasting satisfaction, because there’s no hope for lasting enthusiasm.

“Enthusiasm” actually comes from the Greek word meaning “possessed by God.”  (One of my favorite tidbits of theologic trivia!)  True enthusiasm, then, leads to satisfaction because it’s all about God working through us, completing us and empowering us.  Enthusiasm makes us better that we were, often better than we thought we could be.  It’s a great motivator.  Thinking back to yesterday, it even gives us reason and desire to move.  And helps our ability to do so.  I want, and need, God to substitute His enthusiasm for my discontentment.

FROZEN CHOSEN

Exodus 13:17-15:18; Matthew 21:23-46; Psalm 26:1-12; Proverbs 6:16-19

“Then they turned against Moses and complained…. But Moses told the people, ‘Don’t be afraid. Just stand still and watch the Lord rescue you today. The Egyptians you see today will never be seen again. The Lord himself will fight for you. Just stay calm.’  Then the Lord said to Moses, ‘Why are you crying out to me? Tell the people to get moving!’”

The Bible never comes right out and says God helps those who help themselves.  The Bible is emphatic that God helps.  Period.  So why does the Lord’s response to Moses still resonate: “Why are you crying out to me? Tell the people to get moving!”  Maybe God also appreciates good old human positioning….

As long as the Hebrews stood still, all God did was hide them from the Egyptians. Only after they responded to that protection and, in faith, followed His command to “move!” – Moses by raising his staff and the people by walking through the next unexpected pathway of the Lord - did they find God actually fighting for them.  In other words, only after faithful obedience in response to initial grace did they see the full extent of God’s blessing, which He had planned for them from the start. 

Get all that?  Here’s a simple breakdown of how to deal practically with adversity, based on the reading:

Step One: panic, and blame the leadership (as if we had no choice but to accept and follow their lead).  That’s only about half facetious.  Seriously.  Isn’t it great how the Bible recognizes and accepts that we have to get the “human thing” out of our systems first?  Probably because we can’t concentrate until we do….  On a deeper level, though, we have to accept that neither we nor our human leaders can get us there from here before we recognize our need for the Holy Spirit.

Step Two: fear not, stay still and watch for the Lord.  Sometimes, the worst thing we can do is move, or talk, before we are ready… before we have God’s instruction.  Speaking of…

Step Three: receive God’s direction. Duh. Why don’t I think of that more often?

Step Four: obey - move; get in position for the greater blessing, the unexpected gift.  Jesus didn’t give His followers just what they needed.  He healed sinners… AND forgave them.  He fed five thousand with a few loaves and fishes… AND seven baskets of leftovers!  He promises to fill us to overflowing with blessings and encourages us to test Him in this.  The Hebrews did.  And won. 

There is a time to just “be still and know” that God is God.  Otherwise, though, Christ is not particularly interested in “frozen chosen.”  Creation itself and the law of inertia imply that much: change is the natural order of things; and it is easier to redirect a moving object than to move an object at rest. 

God loves a challenge, and He expects His followers to think likewise.  He is happy to change us, to completely convert us to His way of thinking, if we will allow it.  But we have to be in the receiving position.  And the funny thing about that is it always seems to be the most reliant position.  So, let’s not be afraid of moving into danger.  Far greater blessings than these await those willing to move!

TRADITIONS OF LIBERATION

 Exodus 12:14-13:16; Matthew 20:29-21:22; Psalm 25:16-22; Proverbs 6:12-15

“When you enter the land the Lord has promised to give you, you will continue to observe this ceremony.  Then your children will ask, ‘What does this ceremony mean?’ And you will reply, ‘It is the Passover sacrifice to the Lord, for he passed over the houses of the Israelites in Egypt. And though he struck the Egyptians, he spared our families.’  When Moses had finished speaking, all the people bowed down to the ground and worshiped.”      

“Most of the crowd spread their garments on the road ahead of him, and others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. Jesus was in the center of the procession, and the people all around him were shouting, ‘Praise God for the Son of David! Blessings on the one who comes in the name of the Lord! Praise God in highest heaven!’  The entire city of Jerusalem was in an uproar as he entered. ‘Who is this?’ they asked.  And the crowds replied, ‘It’s Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth in Galilee.’

This weekend, I was privileged to attend the Army/Texas A&M football game.    While hardly a meeting of national powerhouses, it was a contest between two institutions with a shared tradition of putting country and community first, of replacing selfish motivations with a genuine preference for the welfare of others.  It was an honor just to be there and to share in the recognition, remembrances and celebration of the sacrifices of our Armed Forces.  I admit to thinking more about those things than the game.  At A&M, all three of my kids have not just been exposed to an “others first” perspective, but have been drawn to it and made it part of their lives, certainly a cause for thanksgiving.  I wondered how we as a people have let ourselves drift so far away from that way of life.  Perhaps it is because some of us have let the tradition of “others first” die.

Encarta defines traditions as “ceremonies, principles or standards followed and revered by a people continuously from generation to generation.”  God ordains traditions as anchors of civilization.  Traditions force people to remember where they have come from, what they have been through, what’s been worth celebrating and what tragedies have been endured.  Worthwhile traditions (some, admittedly, aren’t) also bring people together to share perspectives, memories and even future hopes.  The most special traditions turn us back to God, and encourage us to practice experiencing His – and each others’ – presence and power.  When battered by concerns about the future, God wants us to find solace in the past.  This is a recurring biblical theme, so it must be significant.  Traditionally, all people are better, and more effective, together than apart.

Two “competing” traditions help make this point.  Consider how differently two of the world’s greatest religions view the traditions of Passover/Christ’s Passion.  One focuses on liberation from a very tangible political power and physical oppression.  One celebrates liberation from spiritual oppression and physical death.  But both center on the work of God, not people, and neither is complete without an understanding and appreciation of the other.  God intended both to bring His people together, not to drive them apart.  There is a message here.

At this time of great uncertainty comes a time of great opportunity.  We can make this a time to set aside our differences and focus on the commonalities which unite us.  We can allow selfish desires to die and work together for the greater good.  We can claim the reality that we are better united than divided.  Or, we can elect an “every man (and woman) for him/her self” mentality and watch society crumble.  Historically, our tradition has been to work together.  Remember 9/11?  We can be better than we are, more resilient and more creative.  Through God, by making His Way traditional, we can be even better.

SOLD OUT

   Exodus 10:1-12:13; Matthew 20:1-28; Psalm 25:1-15; Proverbs 6:6-11

“Finally, Pharaoh called for Moses. ‘Go and worship the Lord,’ he said. ‘But leave your flocks and herds here. You may even take your little ones with you.’  ‘No,’ Moses said, ‘you must provide us with animals for sacrifices and burnt offerings to the Lord our God.  All our livestock must go with us, too; not a hoof can be left behind.’”      

“But among you it will be different. Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first among you must become your slave. For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

“O Lord, I give my life to you.  I trust in you, my God!...  Show me the right path, O Lord; point out the road for me to follow.
 … All day long I put my hope in you.
 The Lord leads with unfailing love and faithfulness
all who keep his covenant and obey his demands.”

It seems God has this uncomfortable notion that faith is an all-or-nothing proposition.  He certainly doesn’t leave much room for those who want to hedge our bets.  We either commit fully, or it’s as if we have not committed at all.  We give up all place and position, or it is as if we have given up none.  We follow Him totally, or we remain lost.  AARRRGGHHH!  Where’s the balance, Lord?  Where’s the moderation?

This may seem harsh to some, and sound like downright zealotry to others, but I am beginning to think concepts like balance and moderation are dangerous for Christians.  Jesus clearly never addresses faith in those terms, and with good reason: He promises (warns of?) abundant life instead!  Jesus wants us to quit kidding ourselves and stop holding back.  For example, I have said no to Christ many times because I already was “too busy” or “too tired” or “too – can you see the irony in this? – overcommitted.”  I really was too distracted, too lazy, or too unfocused.  Worst of all, I was not giving the Spirit any chance at all to empower me. 

Consider whether Jesus may have been quite literal in calling us to give Him our whole lives, so His can empower us instead.  Not in a physical sense, necessarily, but in a spiritual sense.  He wants to live in us, and He knows, better than we, that our “selfs” make lousy roommates.  When it comes to matters of the heart, Scripture seems pretty clear that we either evict self completely or hang a “No Vacancy” sign on our souls.

“…Not one hoof can be left behind.”  I love the imagery in that.  Minus any hoof, the sacrifice is irreparably damaged and is not to be offered to God.  No wonder we scoff at those who “drag their feet;” there’s a bit of divine understanding in our collective psyche, whatever our religion, or lack of it.  No one likes a half-done job, or a lukewarm reception.  Why do we think Christ any different?  It is illogical to think that the One who gave it all would ever be appreciative of anything less in His followers.  Yet still, we most often offer Him only leftovers and “spare” time.  Christ deserves better than that!  He calls us to a much greater adventure than that!  He wants us “sold out!” to Him.

THE DIVINE PREROGATIVE

   Exodus 8:1-9:35; Matthew 19:13-30; Psalm 24:1-10; Proverbs 6:1-5

“The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it.  The world and all its people belong to him.  For he laid the earth’s foundation on the seas and built it on the ocean depths.”

“I will prove to you that that there is no one like me in all the earth. By now I could have lifted my hand and struck you and your people with a plague to wipe you off the face of the earth. But I have spared you for a purpose—to show you my power and to spread my fame throughout the earth.”      

“The disciples were astounded. ‘Then who in the world can be saved?’ they asked. Jesus looked at them intently and said, ‘Humanly speaking, it is impossible. But with God everything is possible.’”

“God, I’m not terribly pleased with You right now.  The bad guys are taking advantage of the system – again!  Why do you continue to allow it?  Why do those who do right always have to cover or pay for others?  They certainly don’t care about our rights, or what this will cost us.  If they did, we would never have come to this point.  We’ve gone way past turning the other cheek and way past sacrifice.  Where is the justice?  Why do the evil prosper?  Now would be a great time for You just to take over.  Why are You still standing on the sidelines?”

It’s a good thing God is big enough to handle our impatience and frustration.  The important points, though, are how we handle our impatience and frustration, and how they affect our relationship with God.  Here’s what I get from today’s Scriptures: 

1) God made everything, and it is His, not ours, to control.  (We may claim perks of ownership, but it is a hollow, temporary and ultimately unenforceable argument.)

2) God does not answer to us.  He can do, and does, as He pleases.  (Like it or not, experience indicates this is a good thing.  At least, it’s a very good thing God isn’t controlled by my will!)

3) That last point is frustrating as heck!  (OK, that’s not Scriptural, just true.)

It would be very easy to get disillusioned.  God doesn’t seem to be running a very tight ship. 

Oh…, wait a minute.  There is one more thing.  I’ve made mistakes.  I’ve hurt others.  I deserve punishment, too.  So, I know what it is like, how wonderful it is, to have had a lifeline tossed to me.  Especially one I did not deserve.  And I’m darn glad God did not have to justify His decision.  Because there was no justification.  He just saved me.  One act of grace – unmerited favor – made all the difference. 

The next time I get on my high horse about the injustice of it all, maybe I’ll just give thanks for divine prerogative instead….

SONG OF THE REDEEMED

   Exodus 5:22-7:25; Matthew 18:21-19:12; Psalm 23:1-6; Proverbs 5:22-23

“The Lord is my shepherd; I have all that I need.

 He lets me rest in green meadows; he leads me beside peaceful streams.

     He renews my strength. He guides me along right paths, bringing honor to his name.

 Even when I walk through the darkest valley, I will not be afraid, for you are close beside me.

   Your rod and your staff protect and comfort me.

You prepare a feast for me in the presence of my enemies.

   You honor me by anointing my head with oil.

      My cup overflows with blessings.

Surely your goodness and unfailing love will pursue me all the days of my life,

   and I will live in the house of the Lord forever.’’

It has been an historic month, hasn’t it?  Not since September 2001 has there been a September like this one.  We’ve been embroiled in madness, besieged by economic tragedy and distraught by the greed which made it all possible.  Ironically, our politicians argue over a cure without acknowledging our real disease, even as we seek new leadership.  But no human factor, no bailout, is going to cure what ails us as a country, or as individuals.  We don’t so much need a leader out ahead of us as we need a leader in us, guiding us back home, back to the life God intended.  We need a leader who can quiet our hearts, remind us of Whose and who we are, and reintroduce us to the basics of life and the fundamentals of faith.  We need a leader unafraid of words like contentment, sufficiency, grace and forgiveness; one whose voice will cut through the confusion, not add to it.

So, maybe it’s significant that today is God’s Sabbath.  I’m going to rest a bit and listen more carefully for a Word of hope.  Stop fighting life and stop struggling like a catfish on a hook.  I’m turning off the news - and the Blackberry! - and retuning my ears to the voice of the Shepherd.  It’s almost a song: “Hush, my beloved. I AM! Be still, and know that I am God….  I have overcome the world.”  That’s the Voice I need to hear.

In the middle of all that surrounds us, that threatens us and that might come to pass, remains the One who IS.  He’s never left us; we’ve just forgotten to listen for His Voice, and we’ve gotten lost.  But the Shepherd keeps calling His flock, guiding us home with His song of love.  We rejoice at His call, His song, and we can follow it, find Him again, and make it home.  If we just stop long enough to listen.

Our Savior already has redeemed us.  He will redeem this September, too.  Redemption is… well, it’s what He does.  We know that.  So, why, when the wind blows and the seas rage, do we still doubt?  We have a different song than the world, and we would do well to remember, and share, it.