A friend of mine wrote an e-mail with a keen observation that the idea of sacrifice is largely unexplored - or at least, under-explored - in Christian teaching and writing. He noted that in our lives, every time we choose one thing, it involves forgoing something else (e.g., one cannot spend the entire winter skiing and go to school at the same time). He also noted that many personal issues begin with an unwillingness to sacrifice something.
I wrote a few thoughts in response to his e-mail, which I want to post here for others to consider:
You've got some good thoughts here. I see your point that the idea of sacrifice is perhaps underemphasized, yet it is a clear component of true Christian faith (as well as a reality of life in general, as you have noted).
There are two potential reasons I can think of which might explain this underemphasis in Christian writing/teaching:
1) Christians already get a bad rap for talking about "dos" and "don'ts" and the list of "fun" things that are "prohibited" (I'm using the language of many people, not necessarily what I would personally say). To combat this, Christians may tend to steer clear of the idea of sacrifice.
2) Most of the time when we speak of the gospel message, we're emphasizing what we GAIN in a relationship with Christ, rather than what we GIVE UP. That's partly because that emphasis is more attractive - yes - but it's also because when we truly comprehend all that Christ gives, we begin to see that the things we give up along the way were never worth much to begin with.
This is consistent with Jesus' parables about the treasure hidden in the field and the pearl of great value, recorded in Matthew 13:44-46:
"The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up. Then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field. Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls, who, on finding one pearl of great value, went and sold all that he had and bought it."
In both cases, the men didn't even think about the cost, because they knew they were getting the bargain of their lives, so to speak. What they gained was infinitely greater than the cost, even though it cost them everything they had.
Yes, there is a cost. Yes, the cost is high. Yes, there is sacrifice, as you've noted. But - WOW! - the gain is so much better. I'm not just talking about a future in heaven - that is great, but not the entire package deal. I'm talking about daily joy and peace that nothing in this world can offer. I'm talking about the vast treasure of getting to know the God of the universe, and to be able to talk to Him, and to have relationship with Him. I'm talking about the awesomeness of His Holy Spirit at work within me each and every day. These joys far outweigh any temporary pleasures the world may offer but which I've sacrificed to follow Christ.
And this goes back to your original observation. Now that I have been a follower of Jesus for many years, I don't really think at all about what I have "sacrificed" or "given up." I spend my thought time learning more about the Lord and about all He has for me. So if you ask me about my relationship with Christ, I may not even remember to talk about the concept of sacrifice, because I have I have found the Treasure, or the Pearl, and that's what my mind is focused on, and what I want to tell others about.
Dear reader, what about you? Have you realized that a relationship with Jesus Christ is worth far more than anything you might "sacrifice" to obtain it? Yes, a relationship with Jesus will totally change many aspects of your life, but it's worth more than anything else in this world!
Tuesday, December 20, 2011
Wednesday, December 14, 2011
Just Say It!
Lately I have had a couple of situations in which I have been struck with the need to "just say it." There are so many things that I want to say to people I care deeply about, but for crazy reasons I tend to hesitate, and those things end up not being said, or the moment to say them is lost.
Before I left for Africa in October, I had this foreboding sense that I might not return to see my family again. I spent time writing notes to all of them, saying things that I wanted to be sure to communicate...just in case I might not return. I wanted to tell my children I was proud of them. I wanted my wife and daughters to know I think they are beautiful. I wanted to encourage them all to persevere in their faith. Even as I wrote those notes, I regretted not saying those things even earlier.
When I leave in the morning, I want to be sure to communicate my love to my wife and children. When I have a moment to tell someone about my appreciation for them, I want to say that right then. Too often I hesitate, but I'm glad for the moments when I just say it. With God's help, I will do this even more often.
Is there something you just need to say to someone today? Perhaps you need to write a note of encouragement to someone. Perhaps you need to forgive someone, and tell them so. Perhaps you need to make a phone call to re-connect with someone. It's not too late: "Just Say It."
Before I left for Africa in October, I had this foreboding sense that I might not return to see my family again. I spent time writing notes to all of them, saying things that I wanted to be sure to communicate...just in case I might not return. I wanted to tell my children I was proud of them. I wanted my wife and daughters to know I think they are beautiful. I wanted to encourage them all to persevere in their faith. Even as I wrote those notes, I regretted not saying those things even earlier.
When I leave in the morning, I want to be sure to communicate my love to my wife and children. When I have a moment to tell someone about my appreciation for them, I want to say that right then. Too often I hesitate, but I'm glad for the moments when I just say it. With God's help, I will do this even more often.
Is there something you just need to say to someone today? Perhaps you need to write a note of encouragement to someone. Perhaps you need to forgive someone, and tell them so. Perhaps you need to make a phone call to re-connect with someone. It's not too late: "Just Say It."
Saturday, November 19, 2011
It Turns Out Okay in the End
My three-year-old daughter was explaining a movie she wanted to watch (again). There are definite themes of good and evil and a very clear "bad guy" in it. "It's a little scary," she admitted, then I finished her thought, "But you don't have to be scared because you know it turns out okay in the end."
As she began watching the video, I thought about the times I get a little scared about how things are going in this world in general or in my life in particular. However, the Bible assures me that it turns out okay in the end. I don't know all the details about the future, but I know enough to know that Jesus is coming back, sin will be conquered, and because I have given my life to Jesus, I have a glorious future in heaven with Him.
Things may get a little scary from time to time, but I know it turns out okay - actually, more than okay - in the end!
As she began watching the video, I thought about the times I get a little scared about how things are going in this world in general or in my life in particular. However, the Bible assures me that it turns out okay in the end. I don't know all the details about the future, but I know enough to know that Jesus is coming back, sin will be conquered, and because I have given my life to Jesus, I have a glorious future in heaven with Him.
Things may get a little scary from time to time, but I know it turns out okay - actually, more than okay - in the end!
Sunday, November 6, 2011
God is at work!
God is at work - all the time, everywhere. I know this in my mind, but I have seen some new glimpses into a few of the specific ways God is working.
I just returned from a couple weeks in Africa. I see His hand at work around me every day, but in Africa I saw some true miracles - and God gets the glory.
Beyond this, I was humbled to see ways the Lord had used my prayers - prayers from this small servant - to do mighty things in an area of Africa to which this was my third visit. How God chooses to use our humble prayers to partner with His work - this is a mystery I will never understand. I will simply praise Him, and continue to pray many times each day.
I will write details in a future blog post. For now, be encouraged, keep praying, and know that God is always at work!
I just returned from a couple weeks in Africa. I see His hand at work around me every day, but in Africa I saw some true miracles - and God gets the glory.
Beyond this, I was humbled to see ways the Lord had used my prayers - prayers from this small servant - to do mighty things in an area of Africa to which this was my third visit. How God chooses to use our humble prayers to partner with His work - this is a mystery I will never understand. I will simply praise Him, and continue to pray many times each day.
I will write details in a future blog post. For now, be encouraged, keep praying, and know that God is always at work!
Friday, June 10, 2011
To YIELD is to Wait Patiently
I was in a hurry to drive home today. I came to a YIELD sign. There was a lot of traffic, and as I waited and stared at that big triangular sign, my mind drifted to how much I want my life to be fully YIELDED to God. Then as I waited still longer it hit me: to YIELD is to wait patiently. If I want to be fully YIELDED to God, I will have periods of waiting on Him. When I patiently listen, I begin to hear His voice. When I stop scurrying around doing what I think I should be doing, I finally learn what He wants me to do. Sometimes the wait can be excruciatingly long, but it is still best to wait on the Lord. That is how I gain the biggest blessings!
Psalm 40:1: "I waited patiently for the LORD; he inclined to me and heard my cry."
Psalm 40:1: "I waited patiently for the LORD; he inclined to me and heard my cry."
Monday, March 28, 2011
Speak More About God
Here's my current self-reminder: "I should speak more about God and less about other things."
I am tempted to leave this statement "as is" without comment, but I will say a little more to clarify what I mean.
I am tempted to leave this statement "as is" without comment, but I will say a little more to clarify what I mean.
I am a thinker, an analyzer. Along with that, I am also a talker (aren't most pastors and bloggers?): I find I actually do some of my best thinking out loud. (I am very thankful my wife is a patient listener!)
"I should speak more about God and less about other things." Recently I've realized (again) how out of balance my thinking and talking can sometimes be. I can spend 15 minutes or more prattling on about things, from the weather to politics to news events--just about anything. I can mentally or verbally analyze things to death. At the end of a long soliloquy, I realize I have accomplished nothing redemptive.
It's awful to realize how long I can talk without bringing the Lord into the situation. I sometimes speak in faithless terms, expressing my discouragement at things that don't go well in the world. In doing this, I not only fail to acknowledge that God is sovereignly in control of these things, but I also fail to use that moment to encourage my hearer(s) to turn their attention to the Lord. "I should speak more about God and less about other things."
I want to use my thoughts and my words to focus on the greatness of God. I want to point people to Him every way I possibly can. Through the things I say, I want to encourage my family and friends to follow the Lord more deeply today than they did yesterday. Isn't it better to use my words to point to the greatness of our Lord? He's the one most worthy to be the focus of my words!
To do this, I need to ensure I'm constantly filling my brain with thoughts about God, because my mouth is simply speaking what my brain is thinking. If I spend more of my thoughts on our Lord, then more of my words will follow.
"I should speak more about God and less about other things." Will you do this with me?
Wednesday, March 2, 2011
Free Speech
Today we witnessed a historic ruling by the Supreme Court. It has a very negative side, and a very positive side.
The Court ruled 8-1 that the Westboro Baptist Church is able to say hateful things, put hateful words on signs, and set up demonstrations wherever they want. These actions, the court said, are within their protected rights under our Constitution.
Let me be clear here: I utterly despise what this Westboro group is doing. They should not be using the name "Baptist" or "Church," for by their actions they show that they have no idea about the gospel of Jesus Christ. They live by hatred, and they say and do things that are--frankly--abominable.
But, as we learned today, they have the right to do this, and nobody can stop them.
While this is bad news--I really wish they'd stop their horrible campaigns--there is a very good side to this Court ruling. Please allow me to explain.
For the last fifteen years or more, our society has moved in a direction that has worried me as a pastor and as a believer in Jesus Christ. Our country has drifted toward a viewpoint that it is "wrong" or "intolerant" to tell anyone they're wrong, or that their choices are wrong (or sinful). Segments of our workforce mandate "sensitivity training" so their employees learn not to say anything that might offend a coworker or client.
Frankly, this trend has scared me, as I have envisioned a day when pastors might be pulled out of their pulpits--or even imprisoned--for declaring, loving and biblically, the truths of God. I imagined a time when maybe even the Bible would be banned in this country as "hateful," because it clearly enunciates right and wrong behaviors.
With today's definitive Supreme Court ruling, the pendulum has now swung the other way. We can boldly--though not offensively!--proclaim truth with the same clarity that God's Word declares truth.
While I cringe over the fact that one group of hateful people has been exonerated, and I deeply wish Westboro would cease all of their awful picketing activities, I find that I rest under the same freedoms they enjoy. For these freedoms, I am grateful.
The Court ruled 8-1 that the Westboro Baptist Church is able to say hateful things, put hateful words on signs, and set up demonstrations wherever they want. These actions, the court said, are within their protected rights under our Constitution.
Let me be clear here: I utterly despise what this Westboro group is doing. They should not be using the name "Baptist" or "Church," for by their actions they show that they have no idea about the gospel of Jesus Christ. They live by hatred, and they say and do things that are--frankly--abominable.
But, as we learned today, they have the right to do this, and nobody can stop them.
While this is bad news--I really wish they'd stop their horrible campaigns--there is a very good side to this Court ruling. Please allow me to explain.
For the last fifteen years or more, our society has moved in a direction that has worried me as a pastor and as a believer in Jesus Christ. Our country has drifted toward a viewpoint that it is "wrong" or "intolerant" to tell anyone they're wrong, or that their choices are wrong (or sinful). Segments of our workforce mandate "sensitivity training" so their employees learn not to say anything that might offend a coworker or client.
Frankly, this trend has scared me, as I have envisioned a day when pastors might be pulled out of their pulpits--or even imprisoned--for declaring, loving and biblically, the truths of God. I imagined a time when maybe even the Bible would be banned in this country as "hateful," because it clearly enunciates right and wrong behaviors.
With today's definitive Supreme Court ruling, the pendulum has now swung the other way. We can boldly--though not offensively!--proclaim truth with the same clarity that God's Word declares truth.
While I cringe over the fact that one group of hateful people has been exonerated, and I deeply wish Westboro would cease all of their awful picketing activities, I find that I rest under the same freedoms they enjoy. For these freedoms, I am grateful.
Monday, February 21, 2011
Go in the Direction of the Wind
As I dug out of another Wisconsin snowstorm today, I remembered an embarrassing incident from my first winter in this state.
Prior to moving to Wisconsin in 2003, I had never used a snowblower. That year I purchased a used one at a yard sale for $20, and after the next big snowstorm, I ventured out on a windy evening to clear my driveway. After a bit of trial and error, I figured out how to start the machine. Then, looking more confident than I felt, I walked down the driveway following the snowblower.
Within a few seconds I was covered in blown snow from hood to boot. I quickly learned the first rule of snowblowing: don't blow against the wind, or the airborne snow will blow back all over you. Better worded, the rule is this: only blow the snow in the direction the wind is blowing.
There's a good spiritual lesson here. As a follower of Jesus Christ, I want to move only in the direction the Holy Spirit is moving. If His Spirit leads me in a new direction, I'll follow with that change. I never, ever want to go against the leading of His Spirit.
Henry Blackaby phrased the idea that we should discern what direction God is moving, then join with Him. May that define my entire life as a Christian!
Prior to moving to Wisconsin in 2003, I had never used a snowblower. That year I purchased a used one at a yard sale for $20, and after the next big snowstorm, I ventured out on a windy evening to clear my driveway. After a bit of trial and error, I figured out how to start the machine. Then, looking more confident than I felt, I walked down the driveway following the snowblower.
Within a few seconds I was covered in blown snow from hood to boot. I quickly learned the first rule of snowblowing: don't blow against the wind, or the airborne snow will blow back all over you. Better worded, the rule is this: only blow the snow in the direction the wind is blowing.
There's a good spiritual lesson here. As a follower of Jesus Christ, I want to move only in the direction the Holy Spirit is moving. If His Spirit leads me in a new direction, I'll follow with that change. I never, ever want to go against the leading of His Spirit.
Henry Blackaby phrased the idea that we should discern what direction God is moving, then join with Him. May that define my entire life as a Christian!
Thursday, February 3, 2011
"Jesus Loves Me!"
My daughter Emily just turned three years old. I want to share something that has brought Kristin and me great delight over the last few weeks.
Probably three weeks ago I was working on something in the kitchen while Emily and Kristin were resting and watching a video in the back bedroom. Suddenly, Emily raced into the kitchen, and with excited joy on her face, shouted, "Daddy, Jesus loves me!"
Though she had heard this truth countless times, she finally got it. She understood for real. It excited her heart and stirred her soul.
This scenario has repeated itself many times since. Every time she exclaims, "Jesus loves me," she exudes great joy all over again. It delights our hearts as her parents. I believe it delights her heavenly Father's heart as well.
Oh, the simple faith of a child! I believe this is one clear example of the childlike faith Jesus encourages us all to show (Matthew 18:1-4). May we all feel that same unfettered joy every time we remember how much Jesus loves us!
Probably three weeks ago I was working on something in the kitchen while Emily and Kristin were resting and watching a video in the back bedroom. Suddenly, Emily raced into the kitchen, and with excited joy on her face, shouted, "Daddy, Jesus loves me!"
Though she had heard this truth countless times, she finally got it. She understood for real. It excited her heart and stirred her soul.
This scenario has repeated itself many times since. Every time she exclaims, "Jesus loves me," she exudes great joy all over again. It delights our hearts as her parents. I believe it delights her heavenly Father's heart as well.
Oh, the simple faith of a child! I believe this is one clear example of the childlike faith Jesus encourages us all to show (Matthew 18:1-4). May we all feel that same unfettered joy every time we remember how much Jesus loves us!
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
Snap Judgments are Often Misjudgments
I was working in the meeting room of my favorite coffee shop when a middle-aged woman walked in. She looked around, I smiled at her, and she quickly left again.
"Strange," I thought. "Maybe she's just looking for someone, although it seemed like she wanted to come in. I'm the only one in here, and there's plenty of room." I shook it off and refocused on my computer screen.
A couple moments later, she re-entered the room and stood across the room from me, right in my line of sight. She was intently focused on what appeared to be a smart phone. When she briefly looked up, I smiled at her again, and greeted her. She said nothing and quickly returned her attention to her phone.
At this point I started to become a little frustrated. I'm not used to people acting quite so rudely. I noticed she had a big Bible with her, which she had placed on one of the tables nearby. I asked her if she was getting ready for a Bible study of some kind. She waved her hand dismissively, said nothing, and stared back at her cell phone.
Now I became more frustrated. I tried to overlook her rude behavior, but I began to think about packing up and leaving the coffee shop. It was suddenly a little uncomfortable there, and I was no longer concentrating successfully on my work.
As I began to gather my things, stewing a little bit at this woman who was still standing there and ignoring me, another lady carrying a Bible walked into the room and sat down at a table next to where the first woman stood. The two of them did not speak to each other, and barely acknowledged each other at all. "This is a really strange group," I thought. "I'm just going to make a quiet exit."
As I finished packing, one more lady walked into the room and began "speaking" to the other two ladies in sign language. Suddenly everything became clear.
Once again I realized how often our snap judgments about people are made without all of the facts, and thus they are almost always misjudgments. We might see a man with a scowl on his face and think he's angry; in truth he may simply be mentally working through a tough issue. We might greet a friend passing by and then feel dissed when they rush past without acknowledging our greeting; we don't realize they are racing to some time-critical thing, unaware of anyone else around them. I read of one couple that left a church because their pastor didn't speak to them one morning; upon discussing this with him many months later, he recalled that this event happened the Sunday morning he had the flu, and he was racing to the bathroom because he was about to vomit.
We have all made snap judgments about people or situations, only later to find out the facts--as well as the errors of our snap judgments.
Judging someone's motives is perhaps the greatest way we err. For example, we might see someone do something we don't understand, and then we make assumptions about the motive that person might have had. In my own experience, when I have done this, I have been wrong probably 95% of the time.
James 1:19-20 says this: "Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger; for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness that God requires." When we rush down the path of judgment and then even anger, we are not living the righteous life that God expects of His people. Better would be to pause and mentally shower every person around us with grace.
After all, I know how gracious God has been with me!
"Strange," I thought. "Maybe she's just looking for someone, although it seemed like she wanted to come in. I'm the only one in here, and there's plenty of room." I shook it off and refocused on my computer screen.
A couple moments later, she re-entered the room and stood across the room from me, right in my line of sight. She was intently focused on what appeared to be a smart phone. When she briefly looked up, I smiled at her again, and greeted her. She said nothing and quickly returned her attention to her phone.
At this point I started to become a little frustrated. I'm not used to people acting quite so rudely. I noticed she had a big Bible with her, which she had placed on one of the tables nearby. I asked her if she was getting ready for a Bible study of some kind. She waved her hand dismissively, said nothing, and stared back at her cell phone.
Now I became more frustrated. I tried to overlook her rude behavior, but I began to think about packing up and leaving the coffee shop. It was suddenly a little uncomfortable there, and I was no longer concentrating successfully on my work.
As I began to gather my things, stewing a little bit at this woman who was still standing there and ignoring me, another lady carrying a Bible walked into the room and sat down at a table next to where the first woman stood. The two of them did not speak to each other, and barely acknowledged each other at all. "This is a really strange group," I thought. "I'm just going to make a quiet exit."
As I finished packing, one more lady walked into the room and began "speaking" to the other two ladies in sign language. Suddenly everything became clear.
Once again I realized how often our snap judgments about people are made without all of the facts, and thus they are almost always misjudgments. We might see a man with a scowl on his face and think he's angry; in truth he may simply be mentally working through a tough issue. We might greet a friend passing by and then feel dissed when they rush past without acknowledging our greeting; we don't realize they are racing to some time-critical thing, unaware of anyone else around them. I read of one couple that left a church because their pastor didn't speak to them one morning; upon discussing this with him many months later, he recalled that this event happened the Sunday morning he had the flu, and he was racing to the bathroom because he was about to vomit.
We have all made snap judgments about people or situations, only later to find out the facts--as well as the errors of our snap judgments.
Judging someone's motives is perhaps the greatest way we err. For example, we might see someone do something we don't understand, and then we make assumptions about the motive that person might have had. In my own experience, when I have done this, I have been wrong probably 95% of the time.
James 1:19-20 says this: "Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger; for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness that God requires." When we rush down the path of judgment and then even anger, we are not living the righteous life that God expects of His people. Better would be to pause and mentally shower every person around us with grace.
After all, I know how gracious God has been with me!
Wednesday, January 12, 2011
The Danger of Being Impatient with God's Timing
We read of two specific failures of King Saul that led him to fall outside of God's blessing. One is recorded in 1 Samuel 13. Saul is facing an angry Philistine army, and his own soldiers are so scared that they are hiding in caves, rocks, tombs, and cisterns (13:6). Saul is encamped in Gilgal, and has called for Samuel to come and offer sacrifices to the Lord.
Then we read these words in verses 8-14:
[Saul] waited seven days, the time appointed by Samuel. But Samuel did not come to Gilgal, and the people were scattering from him. So Saul said, "Bring the burnt offering here to me, and the peace offerings." And he offered the burnt offering. As soon as he had finished offering the burnt offering, behold, Samuel came. And Saul went out to meet him and greet him. Samuel said, "What have you done?" And Saul said, "When I saw that the people were scattering from me, and that you did not come within the days appointed, and that the Philistines had mustered at Michmash, I said, 'Now the Philistines will come down against me at Gilgal, and I have not sought the favor of the Lord.' So I forced myself, and offered the burnt offering." And Samuel said to Saul, "You have done foolishly. You have not kept the command of the Lord your God, with which he commanded you. For then the Lord would have established your kingdom over Israel forever. But now your kingdom shall not continue. The Lord has sought out a man after his own heart...because you have not kept what the Lord commanded you."
Saul grew impatient with God's timing, and took matters into his own hands. His intentions may have been okay--he wanted to offer sacrifices to the Lord, time was getting short, and the prophet didn't come on time. But only a prophet/priest is authorized to offer sacrifices; that is not the place of the king. Saul should have waited, and trusted the Lord during the wait.
Rushing God's timing, offering a sacrifice by his own hand, turned out to be one of two sins that cost Saul his crown (the other is recorded in 1 Samuel 15). The consequence seems harsh, but whenever one of God's appointed leaders disobeys Him, it's a big deal.
As I read this, I think of the times I have grown impatient with God's timing. Several times I have been tempted to rush headlong into whatever course of action I thought was best, before I patiently waited for God's direction. I have successfully fought this temptation many times, but I have also failed at times and gotten ahead of the Lord's perfect plan AND perfect timing.
A good friend once told me that when we seek the Lord's will, He will always show us. So the only way we can mess things up is to rush into something. That is good advice which I have passed along to many others over the years.
Yes, we have to beware of the opposite extreme as well. Sometimes we can wait too long and delay obeying the Lord after He has spoken, and in these cases we just need to get up immediately and go where He has led.
But as for me, my greater problem is patiently waiting for the Lord's timing. I understand Saul's impatience and his fall into sin in this passage. In our culture we are not good at waiting, which is why we have microwave meals, instant messages/text messages, and so many other things that require little time or patience. (Have you ever gotten frustrated when a friend didn't text you back within fifteen seconds?)
In contrast, with the Lord, we often need to wait a bit longer than we think we "should." David waited years between being anointed king and actually sitting on the throne. Moses waited decades between God's call and the time he actually confronted Pharaoh to free the Israelites. Sarai, Rachel, Hannah, Elizabeth, and many others waited excruciatingly long for children. But...oh, the blessings of doing things God's way! God is always at work on behalf of His people, when we patiently wait for Him.
If you, like me, have trouble waiting on the Lord, take time to read and meditate on these most excellent scriptures:
Isaiah 64:4
Psalm 104:27-28
Psalm 130:5-6
Isaiah 30:18
Isaiah 40:28-31
As we wait on the Lord, we will know His greatest blessings in our lives. The waiting place is a good place to be, because we know the Lord has a most perfect and wonderful plan for each of us as His children.
Then we read these words in verses 8-14:
[Saul] waited seven days, the time appointed by Samuel. But Samuel did not come to Gilgal, and the people were scattering from him. So Saul said, "Bring the burnt offering here to me, and the peace offerings." And he offered the burnt offering. As soon as he had finished offering the burnt offering, behold, Samuel came. And Saul went out to meet him and greet him. Samuel said, "What have you done?" And Saul said, "When I saw that the people were scattering from me, and that you did not come within the days appointed, and that the Philistines had mustered at Michmash, I said, 'Now the Philistines will come down against me at Gilgal, and I have not sought the favor of the Lord.' So I forced myself, and offered the burnt offering." And Samuel said to Saul, "You have done foolishly. You have not kept the command of the Lord your God, with which he commanded you. For then the Lord would have established your kingdom over Israel forever. But now your kingdom shall not continue. The Lord has sought out a man after his own heart...because you have not kept what the Lord commanded you."
Saul grew impatient with God's timing, and took matters into his own hands. His intentions may have been okay--he wanted to offer sacrifices to the Lord, time was getting short, and the prophet didn't come on time. But only a prophet/priest is authorized to offer sacrifices; that is not the place of the king. Saul should have waited, and trusted the Lord during the wait.
Rushing God's timing, offering a sacrifice by his own hand, turned out to be one of two sins that cost Saul his crown (the other is recorded in 1 Samuel 15). The consequence seems harsh, but whenever one of God's appointed leaders disobeys Him, it's a big deal.
As I read this, I think of the times I have grown impatient with God's timing. Several times I have been tempted to rush headlong into whatever course of action I thought was best, before I patiently waited for God's direction. I have successfully fought this temptation many times, but I have also failed at times and gotten ahead of the Lord's perfect plan AND perfect timing.
A good friend once told me that when we seek the Lord's will, He will always show us. So the only way we can mess things up is to rush into something. That is good advice which I have passed along to many others over the years.
Yes, we have to beware of the opposite extreme as well. Sometimes we can wait too long and delay obeying the Lord after He has spoken, and in these cases we just need to get up immediately and go where He has led.
But as for me, my greater problem is patiently waiting for the Lord's timing. I understand Saul's impatience and his fall into sin in this passage. In our culture we are not good at waiting, which is why we have microwave meals, instant messages/text messages, and so many other things that require little time or patience. (Have you ever gotten frustrated when a friend didn't text you back within fifteen seconds?)
In contrast, with the Lord, we often need to wait a bit longer than we think we "should." David waited years between being anointed king and actually sitting on the throne. Moses waited decades between God's call and the time he actually confronted Pharaoh to free the Israelites. Sarai, Rachel, Hannah, Elizabeth, and many others waited excruciatingly long for children. But...oh, the blessings of doing things God's way! God is always at work on behalf of His people, when we patiently wait for Him.
If you, like me, have trouble waiting on the Lord, take time to read and meditate on these most excellent scriptures:
Psalm 25:4-5
Psalm 27:14
Psalm 37:7-9
Psalm 40:1-3
Psalm 62:1-2, 5-7Isaiah 64:4
Psalm 104:27-28
Psalm 130:5-6
Isaiah 30:18
Isaiah 40:28-31
As we wait on the Lord, we will know His greatest blessings in our lives. The waiting place is a good place to be, because we know the Lord has a most perfect and wonderful plan for each of us as His children.
Monday, January 10, 2011
The Cross I Have to Bear
From time to time I hear people say, "This is just the cross I have to bear." They usually say it with a pained expression on their face, as they refer to a trial or emotional pain they suffer.
I have to be honest: I don't like this saying at all. Here are three main reasons.
First, for us as Christians, the cross is a symbol not of our suffering, but of our freedom and joy. Yes, the cross brought intense pain to our Savior on our behalf. But as we look back at the cross of Jesus, we should be filled with gratitude and humility. We don't want to limit the cross in our minds as being something ugly or terrible, because there is so much joy and hope in what our Savior did for us.
Second, we don't want to put ourselves in the place of Christ, acting as a martyr under some kind of instrument of suffering. Christ bore our penalty through His suffering; He took the punishment for our sin. While we are to "Take up [our] cross daily and follow [Christ]" (Luke 9:23), this is not a cross of suffering, but a conscious choice to identify ourselves with Jesus' suffering in our place. Again we see that the cross is to be a source of joy and peace, not of our personal suffering.
Third, why do we feel like we need to bear our own burdens, anyway? Jesus invited us to cast our burdens on Him. Matthew 11:28-30 say, "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."
Dear brother or sister in Christ, let's walk through life in joy and victory, casting our burdens on the Lord, and looking to the cross with gratitude and hope.
I have to be honest: I don't like this saying at all. Here are three main reasons.
First, for us as Christians, the cross is a symbol not of our suffering, but of our freedom and joy. Yes, the cross brought intense pain to our Savior on our behalf. But as we look back at the cross of Jesus, we should be filled with gratitude and humility. We don't want to limit the cross in our minds as being something ugly or terrible, because there is so much joy and hope in what our Savior did for us.
Second, we don't want to put ourselves in the place of Christ, acting as a martyr under some kind of instrument of suffering. Christ bore our penalty through His suffering; He took the punishment for our sin. While we are to "Take up [our] cross daily and follow [Christ]" (Luke 9:23), this is not a cross of suffering, but a conscious choice to identify ourselves with Jesus' suffering in our place. Again we see that the cross is to be a source of joy and peace, not of our personal suffering.
Third, why do we feel like we need to bear our own burdens, anyway? Jesus invited us to cast our burdens on Him. Matthew 11:28-30 say, "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."
Dear brother or sister in Christ, let's walk through life in joy and victory, casting our burdens on the Lord, and looking to the cross with gratitude and hope.
Thursday, January 6, 2011
The Sting of Legalism
"Hey, you," said a man behind me this morning. I figured he could not be talking to me, so I kept going. "Hey you," he gruffly repeated more loudly. I turned around. "Didn't you read the sign?" He gestured to a sign with a rule he thought I had not followed. In fact, I had followed it closely, but he had not noticed. I explained that he was mistaken, shook my head in disbelief, and turned away to continue what I had begun to do.
This grumpy man was not a person in authority. He was just a fellow man working out at the YMCA. He didn't know me, and I didn't know him.
As I moved on, in my fleshly responses, I was imagining conversations with him in which I confronted him for any rules at the YMCA that he might not be following to the letter. It wasn't a holy response, and God has forgiven me for that.
But after that, I found myself just feeling...well...guilty. I didn't feel guilty for what I had thought about him, but for the rule he had originally "confronted" me about. Perhaps I had not done it (but in truth I had). Perhaps I had done it incorrectly somehow (but in truth I had not). Perhaps I just hadn't done it well enough (but in truth I had). Even an hour later I was still rattled about that brief interaction.
I realized I had been stung (again) by legalism. There was a rule, and in this case it was a very good rule. But the part of legalism that stung me today was the harsh, critical (perhaps well-meaning, though it didn't feel like it) person looking over my shoulder to see if I had followed it correctly.
And even though I had followed the rule (and I am generally a rule-follower), I began to feel guilty after the criticism that had been leveled against me. That's one of the ways legalism hurts people. Even if we follow all the rules, there's the possibility that we might not have followed them well enough, or quickly enough, or otherwise done them "the right way" in the eyes of observers.
If we give in to this legalistic kind of thinking, especially in our spiritual lives, it will undo us. Dear Christian, legalism has no place in our churches, nor in our relationship with the Lord.
In our churches legalism is a close brother with criticism, and I have personally watched it hurt many churches and even destroy some churches altogether. Strict adherence to rules alone, coupled with criticism for those who do not follow them properly, sucks the very life out of a church. Some churches harshly criticize those who fail to follow God's very good rules "the right way," which takes all of the joy out of following Christ. Other churches add rules and hold them in such high regard that they demean those who don't know and follow them--rules such as "proper" attire, the "right" way to worship, the "correct" Bible translation, etc. These things have no place in our churches.
In our relationship with the Lord, legalism may take root in our minds as we picture God looking over our shoulder, ready to "zap" us if we don't follow His rules perfectly. Or we may (wrongly) think that God's love for us is conditional on our obedience to His rules. (Side note: God's blessings depend on our obedience, but His love is full and complete no matter what.) We may even think that our entrance to heaven is based on performance, rather than solely on our acceptance of the finished work of Jesus Christ on our behalf. Dear friends, legalism like this has no place in our lives. It's not what God has intended for us.
God has indeed given us some rules to follow, rules which provide good boundaries that keep us healthy and ready to receive the blessings He has for us. When we live within these boundaries, we enjoy the abundant life He intends for us, full of grace and joy. We obey Him not because of fear of punishment, but because we love Him. First John 5:3 says, "For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome." If we reduce these biblical guidelines to nothing more than a hard-and-fast set of rules that we check off as we follow them, then we miss the fullness of joy that the Lord intends for us.
Dear Christian brother or sister, let us live in the grace and the freedom of the Lord, free of legalism. May we grow in our knowledge of God's grace for us, and then may we exercise that same grace toward one another.
I doubt whether the man that yelled at me today will ever read this blog. Whether or not you do, please know I am praying that you will find freedom from criticism and learn of the grace of God.
This grumpy man was not a person in authority. He was just a fellow man working out at the YMCA. He didn't know me, and I didn't know him.
As I moved on, in my fleshly responses, I was imagining conversations with him in which I confronted him for any rules at the YMCA that he might not be following to the letter. It wasn't a holy response, and God has forgiven me for that.
But after that, I found myself just feeling...well...guilty. I didn't feel guilty for what I had thought about him, but for the rule he had originally "confronted" me about. Perhaps I had not done it (but in truth I had). Perhaps I had done it incorrectly somehow (but in truth I had not). Perhaps I just hadn't done it well enough (but in truth I had). Even an hour later I was still rattled about that brief interaction.
I realized I had been stung (again) by legalism. There was a rule, and in this case it was a very good rule. But the part of legalism that stung me today was the harsh, critical (perhaps well-meaning, though it didn't feel like it) person looking over my shoulder to see if I had followed it correctly.
And even though I had followed the rule (and I am generally a rule-follower), I began to feel guilty after the criticism that had been leveled against me. That's one of the ways legalism hurts people. Even if we follow all the rules, there's the possibility that we might not have followed them well enough, or quickly enough, or otherwise done them "the right way" in the eyes of observers.
If we give in to this legalistic kind of thinking, especially in our spiritual lives, it will undo us. Dear Christian, legalism has no place in our churches, nor in our relationship with the Lord.
In our churches legalism is a close brother with criticism, and I have personally watched it hurt many churches and even destroy some churches altogether. Strict adherence to rules alone, coupled with criticism for those who do not follow them properly, sucks the very life out of a church. Some churches harshly criticize those who fail to follow God's very good rules "the right way," which takes all of the joy out of following Christ. Other churches add rules and hold them in such high regard that they demean those who don't know and follow them--rules such as "proper" attire, the "right" way to worship, the "correct" Bible translation, etc. These things have no place in our churches.
In our relationship with the Lord, legalism may take root in our minds as we picture God looking over our shoulder, ready to "zap" us if we don't follow His rules perfectly. Or we may (wrongly) think that God's love for us is conditional on our obedience to His rules. (Side note: God's blessings depend on our obedience, but His love is full and complete no matter what.) We may even think that our entrance to heaven is based on performance, rather than solely on our acceptance of the finished work of Jesus Christ on our behalf. Dear friends, legalism like this has no place in our lives. It's not what God has intended for us.
God has indeed given us some rules to follow, rules which provide good boundaries that keep us healthy and ready to receive the blessings He has for us. When we live within these boundaries, we enjoy the abundant life He intends for us, full of grace and joy. We obey Him not because of fear of punishment, but because we love Him. First John 5:3 says, "For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome." If we reduce these biblical guidelines to nothing more than a hard-and-fast set of rules that we check off as we follow them, then we miss the fullness of joy that the Lord intends for us.
Dear Christian brother or sister, let us live in the grace and the freedom of the Lord, free of legalism. May we grow in our knowledge of God's grace for us, and then may we exercise that same grace toward one another.
I doubt whether the man that yelled at me today will ever read this blog. Whether or not you do, please know I am praying that you will find freedom from criticism and learn of the grace of God.
Monday, January 3, 2011
Right in Our Own Eyes
In my annual read through the Bible (October-September), I am now reading through Judges. A frightening theme throughout the book is how the entire nation of God's people frequently turned away from worshiping and serving the Lord. The book covers many generations, and throughout that time the people were very fickle in their commitment to the Lord.
There's a descriptive phrase that sticks in my mind, "Everyone did what was right in his own eyes" (Judges 17:6, 21:25).
This is a dangerous way to live. And, if I may be frank, this same phrase describes our American society today. So many people around us live by what they individually believe to be right, saying truth is relative, and that everyone is right if they just live according to their personal beliefs. This is the mistake made by the people of Israel.
May I be even more frank? Sometimes God's own people, purchased by the blood of Christ, indwelt by the Holy Spirit, adopt the same "do whatever is right in my own eyes" mentality.
What does the Lord specifically say in His Word about a philosophy of doing what is right in our own eyes? Deuteronomy 12:8 warns: "You shall not do according to all that we are doing here today, everyone doing whatever is right in his own eyes." Instead, this passage goes on to say, we are to live differently as God's own chosen people.
Further, the book of Proverbs offers us some clear words. Proverbs 12:15 says, "The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, but a wise man listens to advice." Proverbs 21:2 says, "Every way of a man is right in his own eyes, but the LORD weighs the heart."
Just look back through the book of Judges (and many other parts of the Bible) and see the practical outworkings of living by "what's right in my own eyes." We see just about every sin known to man, with horrendous consequences. Living by this philosophy is never good.
God's standards of right and wrong are what really matter. When we stand before Him one day, as every person must do, He will not compare us to our own standards or the standards of others; He will compare us to the holy guidelines He gave us so clearly in His Word.
Dear Christian, let's spend time studying the Word of God and letting THAT determine our sense of right and wrong. Then let us follow with unwavering obedience in doing what is right. Nothing less will do.
There's a descriptive phrase that sticks in my mind, "Everyone did what was right in his own eyes" (Judges 17:6, 21:25).
This is a dangerous way to live. And, if I may be frank, this same phrase describes our American society today. So many people around us live by what they individually believe to be right, saying truth is relative, and that everyone is right if they just live according to their personal beliefs. This is the mistake made by the people of Israel.
May I be even more frank? Sometimes God's own people, purchased by the blood of Christ, indwelt by the Holy Spirit, adopt the same "do whatever is right in my own eyes" mentality.
Dear Christian, our personal standards of right and wrong must be established by God's standards, as outlined in His Word. If we go by the desires of our own hearts, we will be led astray. Jeremiah 17:9-10 says, "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it? I the LORD search the heart and test the mind, to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his deeds." In James 1:14-15 we read about where our personal desires can lead us: "But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death."
What does the Lord specifically say in His Word about a philosophy of doing what is right in our own eyes? Deuteronomy 12:8 warns: "You shall not do according to all that we are doing here today, everyone doing whatever is right in his own eyes." Instead, this passage goes on to say, we are to live differently as God's own chosen people.
Further, the book of Proverbs offers us some clear words. Proverbs 12:15 says, "The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, but a wise man listens to advice." Proverbs 21:2 says, "Every way of a man is right in his own eyes, but the LORD weighs the heart."
Just look back through the book of Judges (and many other parts of the Bible) and see the practical outworkings of living by "what's right in my own eyes." We see just about every sin known to man, with horrendous consequences. Living by this philosophy is never good.
God's standards of right and wrong are what really matter. When we stand before Him one day, as every person must do, He will not compare us to our own standards or the standards of others; He will compare us to the holy guidelines He gave us so clearly in His Word.
Dear Christian, let's spend time studying the Word of God and letting THAT determine our sense of right and wrong. Then let us follow with unwavering obedience in doing what is right. Nothing less will do.
Sunday, January 2, 2011
Thoughts at the New Year
For the last several years I have not watched the television festivities on New Year's Eve. This year my older two children begged to stay up and watch the Times Square events, and my wife and I relented.
I remembered why I lost interest in watching the New Year celebrations. As I watched thousands of people get so excited about the fresh start of the new year, forgetting the troubles of 2010 and looking toward the promises of 2011, I hurt for them. They looked so eager for a fresh start. But I know the wonderful truth that I can have a fresh start any day, any time. I don't need to wait for the turn of the year; I can have a fresh start right now.
First John 1:9 says, "If we confess our sins, he [God] is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." In Lamentations 3:22-23 we read, "The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness."
If you are a believer in Jesus Christ, you can have a fresh start any time you want it! God's forgiveness is freely offered to us (1 John 1:9). No matter what we've done in the past, we can have a fresh start right now and move forward with new grace from God.
I remembered why I lost interest in watching the New Year celebrations. As I watched thousands of people get so excited about the fresh start of the new year, forgetting the troubles of 2010 and looking toward the promises of 2011, I hurt for them. They looked so eager for a fresh start. But I know the wonderful truth that I can have a fresh start any day, any time. I don't need to wait for the turn of the year; I can have a fresh start right now.
First John 1:9 says, "If we confess our sins, he [God] is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." In Lamentations 3:22-23 we read, "The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness."
If you are a believer in Jesus Christ, you can have a fresh start any time you want it! God's forgiveness is freely offered to us (1 John 1:9). No matter what we've done in the past, we can have a fresh start right now and move forward with new grace from God.
The Apostle Paul wrote, "But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining toward what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus" (Philippians 3:13b-14). Let us do this not only at the turn of the year, but every single day!
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