Are You a Misfit Reindeer?

Spring has come to New York. The forsythia are in bloom and I began the season of lawn mowing just a few nights ago. With all the blossoms, bursting greenery and tree pollen My thoughts turned to ......... Rudolf. You remember, that Red Nosed Reindeer from a few months ago. In my years of interaction with people, especially evangelical believers, I have found that a great many feel like Rudolf. This little song tied to the Santa tradition is an awful song. The TV animation only serves to amplify how bad the message of the song really is. What we learn is that those who are different, outside the accepted norm, are unacceptable. Be they reindeer, dentist elves or misfit toys, if you do not fit in with what society demands you are not welcome. You cannot be a part of the games, you are fair game to be insulted, bullied and ostracized. Your only hope to be accepted is to prove you have worth. You must demonstrate the  you can perform in some way to be seen as having value. If you do not you do not belong, you will never be accepted, loved, or valued. It is a devastatingly lonely place to be.

What is true of reindeer, dentist elves, and misfit toys is true for the rest of us as well.We who hold that the Scriptures are the revealed truth and will of God often have some of the greatest issues of acceptance. We hold a remarkable ability to compartmentalize truth, thus putting God's Word out of balance. When I was a new believer I took a few evangelism classes. We learned to let people know that, "for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23). And that, “There is none righteous, no, not one" (Romans 3:10). Isaiah says, "But we are all like an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are like filthy rags" ( Isaiah 64:6). And, "The wages of sin is death" (Romans 6:23). We are helpless, hopeless, depraved, and incapable of doing anything positive or good. That, of course, changes when we receive Christ. Though, even then, we are often reminded of how unworthy we really are.  Even the hymn Amazing Grace reminds us that we are just unacceptable worms. Many believers still see themselves as misfit reindeer longing for acceptance.

In our effort to challenge one another to live holy lives that are pleasing to God, we may leave things out of balance. Confronted regularly by our own failures we may find ourselves feeling like we are still on the outside. We are still those marked more by failure rather than one of the beloved of God. We are acutely aware that we still "fall short" and that our tainted righteousness still harbors the stench of those "filthy rags" . No one needs to remind us of our unworthiness, it haunts us with every sin that so easily besets us. We long for just twenty-four hours of purity in thought, rescued from irritation or anger. It would be such a joy to get through one day and not be reminded of how incredibly frail and fallen we are. "Victory in Jesus" is a nice hymn title but it is far from the reality we crave as we stumble along in the mire of our own creation.

In the midst of this, sometimes painful, journey, we need to be reminded of who else we are. David understood the depths of sin and the conviction that Yahweh can bring upon His wandering children, He also understood the amazing truth of who we are as those created by God. Psalm 139:14, "I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; marvelous are Your works, and that my soul knows very well." The Hebrew word, יָרֵא yare',translated "fearfully", carries the idea of being in awe. We have reverential fear for Yahweh, meaning we are in awe of His presence and person. David relates that the creative activity of God in forming a child in the womb is an awesome thing. Being knit together as a divine act from conception is amazing. Beyond that David also says we are "wonderfully" made. The Hebrew word here is, פָּלָה palah. It means to be to be distinct, be separated, be distinguished, to be unique. There has never been and never will be another you. From your fingerprints to your DNA you are a hand crafted creation of God. Even identical twins, who share the same DNA, have different fingerprints. In addition to our physical characteristics we have psychological, emotional, and mental uniqueness. And do not forget your personality, natural abilities, and gifts. Then, when receiving Christ as Lord and Savior, you are supernaturally empowered with a gift from the Holy Spirit. You are an essential part of the Body of Christ designed to do something in a way no one else can accomplish. You are an amazing creation of God Almighty. How marvelous is His work in you!

I do not mean to belittle sin or the ongoing struggle to be more like our Savior, however, you are amazing. It is the enemy of our soul who diminishes the awesome work of God in creating you in the womb. It is Satan who promotes the lie of "fetal tissue" that can be removed and discarded. You are not some happenstance mistake that evolved from some protein ooze over millions of years. NO! You were awesomely hand crafted as a unique and essential creation of God. So follow David's lead and rejoice, give God praise. Sit quietly in the loving arms of your heavenly Abba, Father and find rest and value for your soul. I am the father of five. I love my children dearly. They are not perfect and they occasionally fail. But, I have never stopped loving, never stopped forgiving, never ceased to be amazed at the wonder of who they are and who they are becoming. How could my Heavenly Father ever treat me with any less gentleness, acceptance, and yes, even look on me with a little wonder at what He has created?

You are fearfully, awesomely, wonderfully, uniquely, hand crafted by the God and Creator of the universe. Don't let anyone tell you differently. Not even yourself.     

The Voice in the Darkness

As I go about my day it seems there are times when I catch the sound of a voice not quite discernible. It is not always there, however, it comes to me often enough that it can be a distraction. It is not out in the open, not where I can easily see, but it is there none the less. It is, sort of, a voice in the darkness. It has a tinge of loneliness, maybe a little regret. It is a voice that whispers there is a need that is not being met. The haunting feeling is that it is a need I am meant to satisfy. But one I, all too often, find ways to ignore. The remarkable thing is, that it is still and quiet but I hear it above the noise of the traffic, the clamor of the mall, and the blare of the radio. The voice in the darkness finds its way to me in the brilliance of sunlight and the stillness of midnight.

I sometimes wonder if it is that "still small voice" Elijah heard in 1 Kings 19:12. But no, this voice lacks encouragement, at times it almost sounds desperate and wounded. In truth, I live in a world filled with wounded voices in the dark. The wounded soul who checks out my groceries, the man with the sign, asking for change, the child on the street corner wearing a coat five sizes too large. There is no shortage of desperate voices. Even within the doors of God's assemblies where believers gather to worship and praise there are the broken families and grieving widows. There are those who join us and wear their best face yet are haunted by addictions and wounds that never seem to heal. There are times, even for believers, when we understand how Israel felt. When it feels like God has led us into the wilderness only to abandon us.

In those quiet, and not so quiet moments, when that quiet voice comes to me, I try to imagine that the voice is meant for someone else. However, I know that is not so. At times, when I allow myself to be most candid, I know the voice is mine. After all these years the enemy of my soul still speaks through my own shortcomings, my own feelings of failure. My own memories of missed opportunities and words that I can never take back. The voice in the dark reminds me of  words my mind will never let go of. Words that are like festering wounds that were spoken decades ago. I would like to deny that the voice in the dark exists. I would like to say that I am beyond that. I would like to say that my spiritual growth after all these years has silenced the voice and my attention is solely on the needs of others. But that would just give the voice another thing to whisper in the dark.

The voice reminds me of the magnitude of the resurrection of my Lord and Messiah. I have life, for He has conquered death. The fear of a dark eternity is washed away in the light of His glory. He is risen and the voice in the dark is really a shadow with no teeth. However, it is still there. There are times it tries to be more vocal, more distracting, more condemning. Those times when the lie of the wilderness seems almost inviting. When one can rest in hopelessness and feel no responsibility for life. They are short lived. The Spirit simply reminds me that 1st John 4:4 applies. I am His child and greater is He who is in me than the disturbing voice in the dark. Even when that voice is my own.

We are reminded daily of a world that is lost and decaying. We may well be reminded daily of our weaknesses and failures. We will do well to remember Romans 5:8, "But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." We do not have to fix ourselves to be loved by Him. We do not need to defeat the voice in the darkness for our Savior has already brought us to the light. I believe the voice will always be there. However, I also believe I do not have to listen to the voice who condemns me. For I am in Christ Jesus, and there is no condemnation where I now reside.

I wonder if you hear a voice that whispers in the darkness. One that tries to discourage and condemn. I have little doubt that the voice in the darkness will call on all of us, from time to time. But the power of the resurrected Lord assures me of life. I no longer have to live in the darkness. When I rest in that truth, the voice in the darkness is robbed of his power. And I am free.  And so are you.

    

The Outside of the Cup

 Have you ever noticed that as followers of Christ we seem to struggle to keep things in balance? It seems we are running after one thing or another at the expense of other areas of life. We know we need to be involved in ministry so we commit to various projects until our families are neglected. Then we turn our attention to our loved ones and find we have missed every other worship service. We get engrossed in some theological study and have no time for prayer. We concentrate on inner purity but leave out external actions. To be honest, we are also remarkably adept at excusing the excesses and extremes with common sayings that have little or no Biblical reality. One common excuse is that "God knows my heart". This is another way of saying, "good intentions are all that matters." "God knows my heart" just sounds a lot better, even a bit spiritual. And who can argue with that? It is a convenient way to excuse the imbalance and even sin in our lives.

The heart attitude is certainly important. Jesus, tells us, "But those things which proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and they defile a man" (Matthew 15:18). And the Lord warned Israel, "These people draw near to Me with their mouth,and honor Me with their lips,but their heart is far from Me" (Matthew 15:8). In our Lord's discussion with some of the Pharisees He rebukes them saying, "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you cleanse the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of extortion and self-indulgence" (Matthew 23:25). By these verses we know that the Lord God is deeply concerned with our heart attitudes. Just going through the motions is never enough or fully acceptable to the Lord.

That being said, a cup that proclaims to be spotless on the inside yet has an external appearance of impurity and filth is not acceptable either. The person who is in violation of God's Word or whose behavior is damaging to those around them cannot take a pass with the phrase, "But, God knows my heart." Maybe so, but people know your actions. Faith is demonstrated by what we do. A heartfelt "Be warmed and be filled" would never cut it with James. Neither would telling someone, "But, you know I love you" when the actions of love found in 1 Corinthians 13 are null and void. The outside of our cups are just as important as the inside of the cup. Paul encourages us when writing to Timothy, "Therefore if anyone cleanses himself from the latter [inequity], he will be a vessel for honor, sanctified and useful for the Master, prepared for every good work" (2 Timothy 2:21). Vessels of honor are clean on the inside and the outside. God's desire is that our lives be integrated into His. If we are to be like our Messiah we need to represent Him in how we act and with the attitudes that we hold in our hearts. Misconduct and an attitude that does not reflect our Lord is simply not acceptable, no matter what our heart tells us. Jesus displayed a humble and compassionate heart, grounded in uncompromising truth. His call on our lives is to reflect the same. Remember Jeremiah's warning, “The heart is deceitful above all, and desperately wicked; who can know it" (Jeremiah 17:9)? Our tendency is to find ways to excuse how we behave. The outside of the cup should reflect the inside. If Christ has cleansed our hearts our lives should reflect that cleansing.  God, indeed knows our hearts. The question we face is, do we?

Why Wait 'til It's Too Late?

Having been a Pastor for a number of years I have had both the privilege and pain of a number of services honoring the passing of someone's loved one.  Many have been friends, as well as my own father and mother. I have been there honoring a 94 year old saint and a 5 hour old tiny baby boy. The sorrow is genuine and the peace often does pass all understanding. Sometimes there are hints of anger and confusion not understanding the will of God at that moment. Death is simply a part of life as we know it. It's touch is inescapable and more frequent as we grow older. We strive to comfort those who suffer the loss. Words are often beyond our reach especially when the one passed has a sorted history that showed no sign of spiritual life. What words of comfort are available in those dark hours? As the days pass, the routine and business of life fill the gaps but it is often the simple things, the routine reminders, that can haunt us. A song we shared, a kindness like a simple morning cup of coffee, or a favorite movie clip all remind us of the loss. A life deeply shared, a friend tightly held has infiltrated the fabric of our souls so that a sunset, or stream of sunlight can suddenly flood our emotions and catch us unaware. They can be both consoling and disturbing moments.

God has instructed us to be a thankful and grateful people. To appreciate all He has provided and to not take it for granted. When it comes to people we are told to be thankful for them, to encourage them, to be encouraged by them and to build them up. The New English Version holds 72 verses that instruct us to encourage one another. Other translations use words like comfort, strengthen, and uphold. The intent is the same. In the midst of the breadth of the Hebrew and Greek words we are instructed to encourage one another. We are to do and say things that help our fellow humans move through this earthly life. This is especially true for the community of believers, the family of God. Paul sent Timothy to the young assembly of believers in Thessalonica to encourage them in their faith, I Thessalonians 3:2 reads, " and [Paul] sent Timothy, our brother and minister of God, and our fellow laborer in the gospel of Christ, to establish you and encourage you concerning your faith." A little later in the same letter Paul instructs the body to do the same, "Therefore encourage one another and build up one another, just as you also are doing" (1 Thessalonians 5:11). In a world that beats us down we need encouragement. Sin hounds us, which is why the writer of Hebrews leaves us with this, "But encourage one another day after day, as long as it is still called “Today,” so that none of you will be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin" (Hebrews 3:13).

I find the words at the beginning of Joshua encouraging as both the Lord and God's people encourage Joshua with the words to be "Strong and courageous". Words he needed as he took over leadership from a man like Moses who, let's be honest, was a pretty big act to follow. If you look to the end of most of the apostolic letters we find lists of people the writers were grateful for.  The Apostle Paul records lists 0f names we know little about. Folks like, Prisca, Aquila, Onesiphorus, Erastus, Trophimus, Eubulus, Prudens, Linus, and Claudia. All found at the close of Paul's second letter to Timothy. Random people who encouraged Paul on his life's journey. Secured in prison encouragement was life's blood for the Apostle. Peter speaks warmly of Silvanus, his faithful brother and Mark, his son in the faith (1 Peter 5:12-13). John writes to his, "beloved, Gaius and to Demetrius, who has a good testimony from the truth itself (3 John 1 & 13). Words of encouragement with pen to parchment and preserved for all time.

I, myself, have a "Barnabas" file. Barnabas means "Son of encouragement", Not a bad nickname given to Joses by the apostles in Acts 4. My file contains notes and cards given to me over the years. Some are from my children and my wife. However, the bulk of them are from random people who took the time to encourage me in written form over the years. I have two poems individuals wrote to speak to me of friendship and the gift God let me be to them. They are treasured and a comfort when the slings and arrows fly during those uncomfortable and somehow inevitable painful days that come with ministry. They are the result of brothers and sisters in Christ who were obedient to God's direction to be an encouragement. They are more precious than gold.

I have presided over some pretty amazing memorial services where people came to share the joy of knowing a life now past. They come to pass on thoughts and memories of moments treasured and words spoken at just the right time. Eulogies for a life that had meaning and impact on their life and how they are a better person for having known the deceased. They are encouraging words. I wonder if they had ever been spoken while the lost one still breathed. The words spoken now fall on silent ears and a still heart. They are a consolation to those who remain. An encouragement to the friends and family who are left behind. However, the honoree lies cold and unresponsive. How many words do we wish we had spoken? Or words written to to be held and treasured as the years pass by. Why do we wait 'til it's too late? Today is a day to encourage. To follow the examples of Paul and Peter and John and write a note to a beloved friend. To let someone know the impact they have had on our lives. To tell them that their words made a difference. Forget the phone, no texts or tweets (not that these are a bad thing) but pick up a pen, buy a few thank you cards at the Dollar Store and encourage someone you care about. Let them hear your eulogy before their time ends and the clock stops. Why wait 'til it's too late?          

If God Is Good Why Is There Evil?

We live in a world and culture where some choose to not believe. They may reject aspects of what you believe or perhaps they have determined to disallow the very existence of God. That is their choice. However, that is often not enough for them. They seem to have some odd compulsion to try to convince you that your faith must be wrong or without any logical rationale. The question often asked is, "If God is good why is there evil in the world?" Or, "If there is a God who made everything why is everything in such a mess?" They are usually not open to the explanation that God, in His love and grace, made us free agents to make choices. Some of those are good choices and some are bad or evil choices. It is not God's fault when we make poor decisions with troubling consequences. Ahh but then comes the, "If God did make us why didn't He make it so we could only make good choices?" The conclusion is that either God is not good or He is not powerful enough to make people and a world where only good exists.

We could point to Exodus 34:6, "And the LORD passed before him and proclaimed, “The LORD, the LORD God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abounding in goodness and truth." Here is a list of character traits for God. He is merciful, gracious, longsuffering, good and true. We can quote passages that tell us He is creator from Genesis one or that Titus 3:4 says, "when the kindness and the love of God our Savior toward man appeared", letting us know God is our savior. It is true that God's word is powerful, Isaiah 55:11 assures us that, "So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; it shall not return to Me void." Paul reminds us that, "So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God" (Romans 10:17). It is important to use the Word of God in defense of His truth. However, for those who have already rejected the revelation God has given, it means little to them. Scripture offers no satisfying answer to one who comes to argue that your faith is baseless. We can move to a more philosophical approach where God is the initial mover or the great designer which accounts for the complexity of life and our very bodies. Yet, this still does not answer the question.

 If those who question or deny God's existence feel the freedom to challenge our beliefs. then isn't it reasonable for us to also be able to challenge their beliefs? If one rejects the truth of God's existence and His revealed communication to us in His Word they are likely a believer in evolution. That would mean we are evolving beings moving toward a higher plane of existence. The universe, the earth, the living things on the planet and how they relate to one another should be in a gradual process of refinement. We should be moving in an upward direction toward an improved reality. Everything should be slowly changing to become more efficient, better adapted to the environment and in greater harmony with each other and nature. If their theory is true, we should be on a gradual but measurable path toward perfection with the passing millenniums. If this is not what we see, perhaps it is time to challenge what they hold to be true. Maybe we need to occasionally stop defending our faith and play a little offense and challenge what they hold to be true.

If evolutionary science, be it physical or social, is true, then we should be becoming more civil, more tolerant, more resistant to disease and more united as social beings. If we are continuing in this remarkable evolutionary upward spiral our social interaction should be improving. There should be fewer wars and a reduction in atrocities. Is this the reality we live in? Perhaps the "survival of the fittest" aspect of evolutionary theory comes into play here. However, if that is the answer, then they should rejoice over the extinction of any creature or plant. This simply would prove the progression and refining of the species. An observable collection of data within the social structures that have evolved upon this planet demonstrate that the theory may be flawed. We do not seem to be getting better. We see more strife, war, poverty, and violence. Humanity seems almost out of control and unable to resolve its own issues. Those who deny the divine can point to religion as responsible for much of the horror that has plagued the world. This is a hollow argument, for all religious belief systems would be a product of social evolution. Rather than progressive beings it appears that if the theory of evolution is true then you are nothing more than a pawn tossed about at the whim of natural selection. There seems to be little tangible evidence of the positive refining of humanity heading up the evolutionary ladder.

However, there is an alternative theory. One where there is a divine creator that made humanity and the world we live in. One where the divine entity gave His creation the ability to make choices. Good ones and bad ones. Where humanity was called to cultivate and protect the rest of creation. To have a divine command to protect endangered species from evolutionary extinction. An ordained social structure where good is rewarded and evil is punished. A social order where mankind can choose to follow the creators design or reject it and reap the consequences. A world where this divine being revealed Himself to us and actually took on humanity and walked among us to give us direction and instruction as how to best live while still respecting our ability to choose. A world where, in spite of how things appear, this knowable divine being will only let us degenerate so far before He intervenes and acts with righteous justice upon all of His creation.

So there are two basic theories before us. One believes that a knowable, divine being created us with the ability to choose and continues to respect that ability given to us. He offers hope and an eventual time where all of humanity and all that lives on planet earth will live in harmony. Where species do not exterminate each other and where humanity prospers in peace. The other may work out if anything survives the next million years and evolves into the social order and care for the planet God designed from the beginning.

You have the freedom to choose.                

Leave Yourself at Home

One of the greatest challenges in our pursuit of understanding is the tendency to bring ourselves with us as we embark on the journey to know things. We bring our culture, our background, our bias, and what we already accept as true into whatever it is we read and research. The challenge is pervasive and actually quite difficult to overcome. We often fail to realize or are unwilling to admit that we even have any bias. Obviously what we believe is true or we would not believe it. None of us would intentionally hold to what is not true. This unfortunate reality touches almost every area of life and carries us unwittingly into potential error or a measure of divisive, albeit unintended, arrogance.

Your view of the War Between the States may differ if you are from Georgia or New York. Your appreciation for a particular president will be tainted by your conservative or progressive ideology. This is true in everything from sports to science, from history to archeology. If you believe the earth to be millions of years old, the fossil records will support your view. However, if you hold to a young earth the fossil records reveal just the opposite. If you support the Yankees, they are a great team; if you don't, they are pampered and cheat. Chevrolet is either a government owned piece of garbage or they make the greatest car on the planet. Speaking of the planet, it is either warming, cooling, following a cycle, fragile and being destroyed or resilient and ours to harvest. Being objective is what we think we are as opposed to those who disagree who are obviously blinded by their own preconceived and misguided notions. The greatest challenge to the study of anything is to leave yourself at home and just observe what is there before you.

As one who has studied the Scriptures and theological systems and ideologies for most of my life, it is a challenge to not drag what I think I know into what it is that I study. My understanding of God's Word has remained fairly consistent over the years, but the finer points have certainly evolved a bit. I am also far more comfortable with not being sure of the "right" answer. I am far more accepting of the tensions and paradoxes that are woven through the pages of God's Revelation. I have come to see His book as being far more relational in it's instruction rather than a manual for the "do's and don'ts" for life. I still struggle to leave myself at home and place myself into a Jewish culture with all it's nuances and traditions that are true of the Biblical text. I must admit I also struggle with those who see no need to make that attempt and treat the Bible like it was written in English to Americans so there is no need to consider the original culture, author, or audience to which the book was written.

Much of the time there is little consequence, for the application is often the same in both cultures. However, this is not always the case. There is danger is allowing our personal bias to color what the text actually says. Let me share few examples.

I am currently teaching through 1 Thessalonians on Sunday mornings. In reviewing the background of the book I read several introductions to see what different  scholars had to offer. All find their way to Acts 17:1-10. "Now when they had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where there was a synagogue of the Jews.Then Paul, as his custom was, went in to them, and for three Sabbaths reasoned with them from the Scriptures" (Acts 17:1-2). The text seems pretty clear. Paul and company come to the city of Thessalonica and, as was their custom, went to the Synagogue and for three Sabbath days Paul reasoned with them from the Old Testament Scriptures. (There was no New Testament) The passage goes on to tell us Paul's message was that Jesus, Yeshua, was the Jewish Messiah who died and rose again. Opposition to this message arises and they are forced to flee the city. A few of the commentaries go on to say that after three days of being in the synagogue and the rejection of the Jews, Paul went to Jason's house and started a church. Paul was there for an undisclosed time and then, due to continued opposition, moved on to Berea. There is nothing in the text to support this. The addition to the text comes only from the commentator's belief that there was a distinct entity called the church fully separate from Judaism at the time of Paul. Neither the text or history bear this out. However, you can find it if you carry your bias with you into your study of the passage.

One of the more fanciful things I heard a number of years ago was the account of  the coin and the fish. "“Nevertheless, lest we offend them, go to the sea, cast in a hook, and take the fish that comes up first. And when you have opened its mouth, you will find a piece of money; take that and give it to them for Me and you” (Matthew 17:27). I have heard a message on "The Other Fish". The preacher explained that there is no way Peter would have stopped with one fish and one coin. He would have kept fishing until he filled his pockets with coins. First, the text does not suggest this at all. Second, I do not think the cloths at the time had pockets. This passage is not about God providing for your every need or for giving you all the money you might want. God does not promise prosperity and wealth from this passage. It does not support that premise unless you bring it with you from your own preconceived understanding of God's promised prosperity.

Mark 7:19 says, "For it doesn't go into their heart but into their stomach, and then out of the body.” (In saying this, Jesus declared all foods clean.)." This is the NIV translation of this passage. Most other translations read much the same. However we find something different in the KJV. "Because it entereth not into his heart, but into the belly, and goeth out into the draught, purging all meats?" Both translations point out that food goes into the stomach or belly and then out of the body. The KJV simply says this is how the body digests food and then purges the waste. The NIV tells us that "In saying this Jesus declared all foods clean". The difference is that the translators of the NIV added the words "in saying this Jesus declared" and use an alternate meaning for the word "purge" as "clean". Why would anyone add words to the text that God had not placed there? Why go with "clean" rather than a equally valid translation "purge"? It is because the translators brought themselves along with them as they made the translation. They believe the Jewish dietary laws are no longer in effect so they add to the text to "clarify" what Jesus must have meant. Not based on the text or the teaching of Jesus, but on the basis or their own preconceived notion of an end to dietary laws. This is why it is important to read a variety of translations when we study God's Word. Even the translators are not immune to bringing their own bias to their translation efforts.

 It may be that you have determined, as the year has begun anew, to read through the Bible this year. That is a great goal and objective for the new year. However, remember that you and I are immersed in our own American culture. We live in it every day of our lives. This is not the Jewish culture that the Word of God was written in. I encourage you and myself as well, to try to leave yourself at home. Take the time to travel back in time to the time of Samuel or David or Messiah in Palestine some 2000 years ago. It will not be easy; however, it can be very rewarding to see those early times with more Jewish eyes. You could pass up watching a TV show and pick up a book about the culture of the times of Jesus. Do a little searching on the web to try to learn a bit about Biblical traditions. If you do, remember that they may well bring themselves with themm as we all tend to dom so read a few different sources. I know this sounds like a bit of work, but isn't knowing the word of God and His Son worth a little extra time and effort?

Enjoy your time in the Word of God. Just leave yourself at home.           

You Cannot Go Back

It is January second. For whatever reason the start of a new year gives one pause for reflection. It seems a bit strange that the turning of a calendar page is a call for a holiday celebration. I believe that, in a very real way, every day is the beginning of a new year. Each day should be treasured, for we do not know how many are allotted to us. This past year was a mix of unusual extremes. It gave me days of wonder, joy and grace that brought my spirit into God's very presence. And there were days that were so painful that they, likewise, brought me into God's presence; for there was nowhere else to go. I am only into day two of this new year and already my heart is both content with my Maker and deeply grieved for circumstances surrounding some who I deeply care for. It seems the darkness never gives up and never really goes away. However, I am to live in the light as He is in the light.

The memories of this past year are vividly etched upon my mind. It would offer some consolation to make the determination to sort of live there. To allow the pains and the joys to of the past to hold my attention and simply make that my dwelling place. Reflection may invite you to avoid the present and what is to come by living or reliving what has already come to pass. However, God does not intend for us to live that way. The memories of the past are to be instructional, not vocational. We are to live in expectation of what is yet to come. We cannot go back. However, we can live in expectation of what the Lord has before us. To be those who live in expectation of the Lord's return.

Memories are remarkable things. Some are to be treasured as gifts from God. However, not all of our memories are gifts. The difficult thing with being mortal with memories is the way the past can hold you back from living in the expectation of what God has for you today and beyond. Dwelling on past failures and losses has the ability to crush our vision for the future. Living in the memories of past victories can keep us from dealing with or being sensitive to the needs and challenges of today. We can live in a state of unreality where the present is shrouded in a vague mist, keeping us from the clarity of what God has called us to now. The truth is we cannot go back. We cannot relive any of the things that brought victory or defeat. Hopefully we can learn from these events for the present and future are connected to what has been. We just should not live there.

Philippians 3:13-14 holds the Apostle Paul's counsel for the new year, "Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus." I do recognize that I have not apprehended or attained all that is for me. However, forgetting what is behind, is not an easy task. I am reminded of my shortcomings and failures far more frequently than seems reasonable. Things that stem back to my childhood and teen years on up to recent weeks remind me of what I have not attained. Accomplishments can also be debilitating when I think of what has been done at the expense of what is yet to be.

I have known many whose lives are not life but a catalogue of regrets and disappointments. Some that are their own and some that they have gleaned from spoken words and the actions of other people. They have no room to forget, for the wounds and hurt caused is relived in an unending loop of life-sucking rehearsals of whatever the event might have been. Betrayal or having been betrayed. Feeling diminished or having spoken demeaning words that cannot be retrieved. Life is filled with a cacophony of diverse emotions realized through the acquisition of real or imagined events. The question is what will we do with them. We cannot go back to change them. The pages are already written and the scene of life's drama has already been performed. What remains is the present and the future.

I find solace in the truth that the Apostle Paul had yet to master his own advice. He knew of his failures and opposition to Messiah. He knew of betrayal and disappointment. He knew of the persecution for things he believed. He knew of the victories of new believers gathered in new assemblies across the Middle East and on into Rome. He saw the changed lives and the unique fellowship of Jews and Gentiles worshiping together in the name of Messiah Jesus. But, he also knew what it was to feel abandoned and the desire for the simple comfort of a cloak (2 Timothy 4:13). It is not always easy to forget what was and press on to what can be. Life moves inevitably forward filled with memories of what was and conjectures as to what could have been. Still, no matter how much we might wish it to be true, we cannot go back.

With Paul, I must press on. The Greek word translated "forgetting" holds the idea of "no longer caring for". The past is not in my care. The things to care for are now and yet to come. The Master told us in Matthew 6:34, "Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble." I believe He also meant we cannot go back and live in the past either. 

I have no doubt but that the months to come will hold a plethora of things to touch my life. Things to lift my spirit and others to burden my soul. Memories that I will want to treasure and wounds I will want to bury. My opportunity is to leave the past behind and to live in expectation of what the Lord has now before me. To live in the expectation of His return. To press on toward that goal and upward call of Christ Jesus. Do you want to join me in the journey?