Prayer
What is prayer for you, a duty or a privilege?
For many, it is the hoop one must jump through in order to get God to notice your need. It is something they do out of obligation -- because it is commanded by Christ.
There is, of course, something to be said for simply obeying Christ's commands because He is God and we are not.
Nevertheless, Jesus encourages His disciples, in this section (vv. 1-13), to thinkof prayer in the context of their earthly fathers and their desire to provide good things for their kids. God, as our Creator, wants what's best for us; and He longs for us to show our love for Him by communicating our thoughts, desires, feelings, and opinions. Prayer is not His "hoop" but is, instead, His call to faithful conversation.
How great a privilege it is that the King of All Creation, the Lord of the Universe, wants to hear about all the things we face -- even the most insignificant things. Imagine how great a task this would be for us!! (see this funny clip from the movie Bruce Almighty with this in mind: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n0cG11lTS1E). But for the All Powerful Loving Father, it is just one more example of His willingness to be a part of our lives.
Tuesday, March 26, 2013
Maundy Thursday, March 28 - Luke 10
Good Samaritan
Recently I read the story of a Nursing Home in California that refused to assist a resident with CPR due to the danger of litigation. The 911 operator literally begged the nurse on the phone to do something so that the woman wouldn't die. But the Nursing Home's protocol prevailed and they waited for an ambulance instead. Sadly, the woman didn't survive. (see the story and hear the 911 call here: http://news.ninemsn.com.au/world/2013/03/04/06/18/nurse-refuses-to-perform-cpr-on-dying-woman)
It made me think about Jesus' great parable here in Luke 10. Imagine if the Samaritan hadn't come along, and only the priest and Levite happened across the wounded man. They were so worried about ritual uncleanness and getting too involved that they would have let the man die.
Jesus was not so much a human driven by protocol and His own protection. As the Son of God, He wasn't consumed about His rights and the honor that was due Him. Quite the contrary. He was so driven by our need that He allowed Himself to be beaten, mocked and crucified. He died so that we might live and He rose from death so that we might live forever.
Are you driven by human need? Are you ready to get your hands dirty in compassionate care and generous self-sacrifice? Or are you sometimes like the priest and Levite -- so consumed by anxieties about your own protection that you walk by on the other side?
May the Jesus who offered you His own body and blood on this Holy Thursday enable you also to give of yourself to others -- perhaps even in spite of the inconvenience, expense, or danger.
Recently I read the story of a Nursing Home in California that refused to assist a resident with CPR due to the danger of litigation. The 911 operator literally begged the nurse on the phone to do something so that the woman wouldn't die. But the Nursing Home's protocol prevailed and they waited for an ambulance instead. Sadly, the woman didn't survive. (see the story and hear the 911 call here: http://news.ninemsn.com.au/world/2013/03/04/06/18/nurse-refuses-to-perform-cpr-on-dying-woman)
It made me think about Jesus' great parable here in Luke 10. Imagine if the Samaritan hadn't come along, and only the priest and Levite happened across the wounded man. They were so worried about ritual uncleanness and getting too involved that they would have let the man die.
Jesus was not so much a human driven by protocol and His own protection. As the Son of God, He wasn't consumed about His rights and the honor that was due Him. Quite the contrary. He was so driven by our need that He allowed Himself to be beaten, mocked and crucified. He died so that we might live and He rose from death so that we might live forever.
Are you driven by human need? Are you ready to get your hands dirty in compassionate care and generous self-sacrifice? Or are you sometimes like the priest and Levite -- so consumed by anxieties about your own protection that you walk by on the other side?
May the Jesus who offered you His own body and blood on this Holy Thursday enable you also to give of yourself to others -- perhaps even in spite of the inconvenience, expense, or danger.
Wednesday, March 27 -- Luke 9
Running on Empty 9:10-17
We all know those days when we feel depleted, tired, worn out -- when the cares of life have worked their way into our system so much that we practically don't know where the next breath is coming from. It's a bit like driving a car and running out of gas -- there is hesitation, sputtering, weakness, and eventually things come to a standstill.
Jesus faces such a moment at Bethsaida. He and His disciples withdraw from the crowd for some much needed hours of rest, but the people seek Him out. Soon He is surrounded.
Jesus welcomes this crowd and speaks to them about the Kingdom of God.
But soon, emptiness prevails. No food for all these people. The disciples are perplexed. They declare: "send the crowd away."
But Jesus accomplishes the impossible. He takes five loaves of bread and two fish and manages to create enough food for the 5000 plus their wives and children.
And what we learn is that, even when our resources are depleted, Jesus' resources are unlimited. And He can help us make it through whatever challenges we may face. Busy-ness, sickness, pain, -- hard exams, a nasty boss, foreclosure, a son who must do a tour of duty in a dangerous place -- all of these events are in His capable hands. He is powerful, He is faithful, and He will work all things together for the good of those who love Him.
We all know those days when we feel depleted, tired, worn out -- when the cares of life have worked their way into our system so much that we practically don't know where the next breath is coming from. It's a bit like driving a car and running out of gas -- there is hesitation, sputtering, weakness, and eventually things come to a standstill.
Jesus faces such a moment at Bethsaida. He and His disciples withdraw from the crowd for some much needed hours of rest, but the people seek Him out. Soon He is surrounded.
Jesus welcomes this crowd and speaks to them about the Kingdom of God.
But soon, emptiness prevails. No food for all these people. The disciples are perplexed. They declare: "send the crowd away."
But Jesus accomplishes the impossible. He takes five loaves of bread and two fish and manages to create enough food for the 5000 plus their wives and children.
And what we learn is that, even when our resources are depleted, Jesus' resources are unlimited. And He can help us make it through whatever challenges we may face. Busy-ness, sickness, pain, -- hard exams, a nasty boss, foreclosure, a son who must do a tour of duty in a dangerous place -- all of these events are in His capable hands. He is powerful, He is faithful, and He will work all things together for the good of those who love Him.
Monday, March 25, 2013
Tuesday, March 25 - Luke 8
Demons (Luke 8:2 and Luke 8: 26-39)
I saw it with my own eyes. A person who admitted to me that much time was spent communicating with (or attempting to communicate) the dead. This person's face was drawn, hands shaking, eyes filled with a look I had never seen before. I could sense a presence beyond this person -- a presence that did not like my attempts to steer this person away from what was thought to be "friendly" spirits and back to the Word of God.
Can I say with certainty that this was an evil spirit, a demon, a force of Satan? Could it not have been some type of psychological disorder, hallucination, a cry for attention?
All I know is that there was serious delusion going on -- that by setting the heart to go places where God's people are not supposed to go, this person was opening up a foothold for the Prince of Lies to deceive. And, whatever his method, the Tempter was using it.
Evil spirits do exist. I believe it. Old Testament and New Testament references to them are not anachronisms. Jesus really did drive them out. In Luke 8 we see both Mary Magdalene, (from whom seven demons had been driven out), and the Gerasene man (who is possessed by a legion).
To deny this real phenomenon, would be to dismiss something the Lord wanted us to know about.
From my perspective, then, it is important to keep our guard up.
How? 1) By staying away from spiritual forces that are not of God -- such as soothsayers, clairvoyants, necromancers (those who say they can conjure up the dead), fortune-tellers, horoscopes, and other mystical forces. 2) By not welcoming into our lives any persistent sin that keeps chopping away at our faith. 3) By filling our spirit with the blessing of God's Word -- as part of our regular diet. 4) By nurturing ourselves on the knowledge that we are God's children through baptism, and that He comes to us as we receive His body and blood. 5) By prayer -- for ourselves and others.
The United States has built up its Armed Forces to stave off any attack from our enemies. It's important for God's people to know that God is ALWAYS more powerful than the Evil One, and that God's strength will prevail for all who place their confidence in Christ alone. To fortify ourselves with the tools that God's has given us, is a blessing that pays many dividends.
We need to respect the power of the Enemy, but, as long as we are in Christ, we need not fear him (the Tempter). He was defeated on the cross of Calvary, and as we are linked to our Savior, the Enemy will continually lose the war for our soul.
Sunday, March 24, 2013
Monday, March 25, 2013 - Luke 7
Doubts
The Apostle Thomas has always been dubbed "doubting Thomas" because of the story where he doubts that Jesus has risen from the dead. This short section from Luke (7:18-35) displays another believer who needed some reinforcements for his faith.
Having been imprisoned for speaking the truth, John the Baptist sends messengers to ask Jesus "Are you the one who was to come, or should we be expecting someone else?"
John had earlier showed great faith in Jesus, declaring Him: "the One whose sandals I am not worthy to untie." But now, after languishing in a cell for months, he desires a word of encouragement from Jesus.
There are those days, aren't there -- when we are at our wits end and just need a nod from God that we aren't placing our hopes in the wrong place?
Jesus doesn't answer the question directly, but instead points John to promises being fulfilled: "the blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cured, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is preached to the poor."
Jesus calls John back to his roots -- back to the Word of God, where all these activities were predicted of the Messiah by the prophets of old.
When we get discouraged, that's the best place for us to go too. We should immerse ourselves in the "things" of God, get in-tune with Him mindset by filling our minds with His promises, and eventually God will reveal Himself and satisfy our longing heart.
Doubts are sure to come, but God is faithful and eventually opens His palms for Thomas' fingers, declares to St. Peter that his denial is forgiven, encourages St. Paul to keep preaching the Word. He'll do the same with us as we anchor our hopes on Him.
By the way: looking for good reading material for days of doubting. Try Tim Keller's, "The Reason for God" or Lee Strobel's "The Case for Christ."
The Apostle Thomas has always been dubbed "doubting Thomas" because of the story where he doubts that Jesus has risen from the dead. This short section from Luke (7:18-35) displays another believer who needed some reinforcements for his faith.
Having been imprisoned for speaking the truth, John the Baptist sends messengers to ask Jesus "Are you the one who was to come, or should we be expecting someone else?"
John had earlier showed great faith in Jesus, declaring Him: "the One whose sandals I am not worthy to untie." But now, after languishing in a cell for months, he desires a word of encouragement from Jesus.
There are those days, aren't there -- when we are at our wits end and just need a nod from God that we aren't placing our hopes in the wrong place?
Jesus doesn't answer the question directly, but instead points John to promises being fulfilled: "the blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cured, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is preached to the poor."
Jesus calls John back to his roots -- back to the Word of God, where all these activities were predicted of the Messiah by the prophets of old.
When we get discouraged, that's the best place for us to go too. We should immerse ourselves in the "things" of God, get in-tune with Him mindset by filling our minds with His promises, and eventually God will reveal Himself and satisfy our longing heart.
Doubts are sure to come, but God is faithful and eventually opens His palms for Thomas' fingers, declares to St. Peter that his denial is forgiven, encourages St. Paul to keep preaching the Word. He'll do the same with us as we anchor our hopes on Him.
By the way: looking for good reading material for days of doubting. Try Tim Keller's, "The Reason for God" or Lee Strobel's "The Case for Christ."
Friday, March 22, 2013
Friday, March 22 - Luke 6
Love Your Enemies
When Jesus says, "love your enemies -- bless those who curse you -- turn the other cheek," His words strike a blow. It's hard enough to always be kind to the people who love us. It's even harder to show love to those who seem indifferent or somewhat disinterested in us. But our ENEMIES!? Wow. These are the people who seem intent on hurting us -- determined to undermine us -- who are hostile, negative, and spiteful to us.
You've probably heard me tell the story of the family that moved in next to my house when I was a boy. These were folks, it seemed, who had some kind of ax to grind against us and, for reasons unknown to my family, were angry and unkind to us. Sometimes they would just stand on their adjacent land and mock us. Other times they might purposely play loud music or bang on our adjoining wall just to annoy us. If a ball went over the fence into their yard, it was gone. Our parked car might get scratched.
The thing a person most wants to do in this situation is to get revenge -- to pay them back with an unkindness that corresponds to what we've experienced and hope that they suffer.
Imagine, however, if Jesus had followed this philosophy. Where would we be? The lightning bolts of God's wrath would have consumed us long, long ago.
Thanks be to God that His mercy extends even to those who continually fail Him, ignore Him, betray Him. Thanks be to God that He does not treat us as our sins deserve. Instead, Jesus took our place and paid the price that no one else could.
How should this affect us as we deal with our enemies?
One thing I learned by dealing with these nasty neighbors was that it helped to try and see them through the eyes of Christ. That is, it helped me to view them as troubled folk who, more than anything, need love, encouragement, and mercy if they are to escape the trap of hatred. So each act of friendship I showed, in response to their hatred, became my personal way of trying to help them.
Of course, many times I failed. But I must say, in general, that God helped develop my character through these people. And since those days, long ago, its been easier for me to let go of my anger against others.
Do you have such a person in your life? Do you believe that God can free you from the trap of retribution? Can God enable you to show mercy, forgiveness, and grace even when they still seem intent on your pain?
The cross, an emblem of torture, is the symbol of God's love. May such love enable you extend His forgiveness for you even to the others that hurt you.
When Jesus says, "love your enemies -- bless those who curse you -- turn the other cheek," His words strike a blow. It's hard enough to always be kind to the people who love us. It's even harder to show love to those who seem indifferent or somewhat disinterested in us. But our ENEMIES!? Wow. These are the people who seem intent on hurting us -- determined to undermine us -- who are hostile, negative, and spiteful to us.
You've probably heard me tell the story of the family that moved in next to my house when I was a boy. These were folks, it seemed, who had some kind of ax to grind against us and, for reasons unknown to my family, were angry and unkind to us. Sometimes they would just stand on their adjacent land and mock us. Other times they might purposely play loud music or bang on our adjoining wall just to annoy us. If a ball went over the fence into their yard, it was gone. Our parked car might get scratched.
The thing a person most wants to do in this situation is to get revenge -- to pay them back with an unkindness that corresponds to what we've experienced and hope that they suffer.
Imagine, however, if Jesus had followed this philosophy. Where would we be? The lightning bolts of God's wrath would have consumed us long, long ago.
Thanks be to God that His mercy extends even to those who continually fail Him, ignore Him, betray Him. Thanks be to God that He does not treat us as our sins deserve. Instead, Jesus took our place and paid the price that no one else could.
How should this affect us as we deal with our enemies?
One thing I learned by dealing with these nasty neighbors was that it helped to try and see them through the eyes of Christ. That is, it helped me to view them as troubled folk who, more than anything, need love, encouragement, and mercy if they are to escape the trap of hatred. So each act of friendship I showed, in response to their hatred, became my personal way of trying to help them.
Of course, many times I failed. But I must say, in general, that God helped develop my character through these people. And since those days, long ago, its been easier for me to let go of my anger against others.
Do you have such a person in your life? Do you believe that God can free you from the trap of retribution? Can God enable you to show mercy, forgiveness, and grace even when they still seem intent on your pain?
The cross, an emblem of torture, is the symbol of God's love. May such love enable you extend His forgiveness for you even to the others that hurt you.
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