"God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble" James 4:6
To humble oneself is to become free. Long ago, Adam and Eve took from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil in order to become like God. This was an entering into bondage and oppression to sin. This desire to become like God by knowing good and evil is a fundamental hinderance to experiencing fullness of life. God made us to be dependent, needy, and ignorant. Not because He wanted us to be weak or powerless, but because when we stand in proper relationship to an almighty and all knowing God, that is what we are and should be. Whenever we seek to be independent, to need nothing but ourselves, and to know all things, we jeopardize that intended relationship with God. We build our existence on lies rather than the truth. This sets us up for tragedy. To trust in that which is mortal, perishable, limited, and failing is to build my house on that which will - in due time and under due pressure - crumble to the ground. It is to place my bet on a horse that cannot even finish the race without injury to self and others. You see, God intends us to be dependent, needy, and ignorant because his plan is to provide us with everything we need. Not that we would posses it for ourselves but that we might find it in him and thereby be in fellowship with him. Dependence, neediness, and ignorance are only negative terms for those who have no provider, no lover and no teacher! There was one person who had for himself all independence, who needed nothing at all from any creature, and who knew all things in heaven and earth. He is the Messiah. And yet in Jesus Christ we find one who chose to humble himself in the form of a slave. Let's be real with ourselves: all have taken from the tree and all have pursued self-sufficiency and endless knowledge. There is no going back. But like Christ, we can chose humility. Just as we chose self over God and others, we can choose to spiritually cover ourselves in sackcloth and ashes and to repent. We can resolve to know nothing and need no one but Christ himself. We can take on the attitude that Christ adopted, that though he was in the form of God he did not count it as something to be exploited but humbled himself (Phil. 2). By choosing humility we come closest to realizing the perfect relationship with God, self, and others that our Creator originally desired. We free ourselves from the tyranny of being right, of taking care of ourselves, and of being responsible for determining good and evil in every situation. By choosing humility we open our lives to the possibility of being provided for by the one who lacks nothing, of being taught in every moment by the maker of all things, and of receiving constant affection by the lover of our lives.
"Almighty God, I have chosen to try and be god over my own life and other's lives as well. I have been more arrogant than I know by pursuing self-reliance, perfect knowledge, and independence apart from you. Forgive me for wasting my life in such ways. I long for the likeness of your son to reign in me through the power of my baptism. I long to be in relationship with you the way you intend. Amen."
Monday, May 30, 2011
Thursday, May 26, 2011
Practicing His Presence
"I was glad when they said to me, 'Let us go to the house of the Lord!'" Psalm 122:1
I don't spend enough time being aware of God's presence. In fact, I probably spend under 5% of my waking day enjoying the fact that my maker, my provider, my savior, my friend, and the lover of my soul is waiting to spend one on one time with me. Imagine if I spent that little time with my computer or my phone! I'd never get anything done! Imagine if I spent that much waking time with my wife! Our marriage would be falling apart! Imagine if I spent that little time doing chores around the house! Our place would be a mess! And yet somewhere inside of me is the idea that I can get by with spending such a tiny amount of my day with Jesus and have him still be my Lord. I just won't happen. Don't hear me wrong, this isn't about duty or holy obligation. This has nothing to do with religious activity. It is nothing less than a matter of life and death. The fact is that my soul is wasting away without it's source. My heart is not beating without its first love. My being is starving without its bread of life. I cannot live without practicing his presence. It would be one thing if being in the presence of my God was virtually impossible for me. On Mount Saini, Moses had to hide his face from the Lord and only the high priest could enter the holiest place where God's presence dwelt. Elijah waited in the cleft of the mountain for the Lord to pass by for just a moment. The Psalmist longs to make the journey to experience God's presence at the Temple for a short pilgrimage. Experiencing the actual presence of the Almighty has historically been a rare and dangerous endeavor, something that most people would never undergo. But this is not the case for me. Because of Jesus Christ, my God is constantly accessible. I can sit with him, talk with him, listen to him, and be held by him all of the time. I have no excuse. He is more available than my computer or phone, more ready to listen than my friends or family, more patient and compassionate than even my wife. But he gets 5%.
"Oh God, you are here with me now. You are always available in your infinite love for me. I don't want to close my awareness off to you anymore. I want to be with you now and stay with you. For I am alive in your midst. Life is but a fleeting longing when I ignore your presence. I will draw near to you now..."
I don't spend enough time being aware of God's presence. In fact, I probably spend under 5% of my waking day enjoying the fact that my maker, my provider, my savior, my friend, and the lover of my soul is waiting to spend one on one time with me. Imagine if I spent that little time with my computer or my phone! I'd never get anything done! Imagine if I spent that much waking time with my wife! Our marriage would be falling apart! Imagine if I spent that little time doing chores around the house! Our place would be a mess! And yet somewhere inside of me is the idea that I can get by with spending such a tiny amount of my day with Jesus and have him still be my Lord. I just won't happen. Don't hear me wrong, this isn't about duty or holy obligation. This has nothing to do with religious activity. It is nothing less than a matter of life and death. The fact is that my soul is wasting away without it's source. My heart is not beating without its first love. My being is starving without its bread of life. I cannot live without practicing his presence. It would be one thing if being in the presence of my God was virtually impossible for me. On Mount Saini, Moses had to hide his face from the Lord and only the high priest could enter the holiest place where God's presence dwelt. Elijah waited in the cleft of the mountain for the Lord to pass by for just a moment. The Psalmist longs to make the journey to experience God's presence at the Temple for a short pilgrimage. Experiencing the actual presence of the Almighty has historically been a rare and dangerous endeavor, something that most people would never undergo. But this is not the case for me. Because of Jesus Christ, my God is constantly accessible. I can sit with him, talk with him, listen to him, and be held by him all of the time. I have no excuse. He is more available than my computer or phone, more ready to listen than my friends or family, more patient and compassionate than even my wife. But he gets 5%.
"Oh God, you are here with me now. You are always available in your infinite love for me. I don't want to close my awareness off to you anymore. I want to be with you now and stay with you. For I am alive in your midst. Life is but a fleeting longing when I ignore your presence. I will draw near to you now..."
Monday, May 23, 2011
Standards for Successful Church
"But Timothy has just now come to us from you, and has brought us the good news of your faith and love." 1 Thessalonians 3:6a
What makes a church successful? What makes them stand apart from other churches? Is it outstanding programs and ministries? Tremendous growth trends? Increases in pledges and monetary giving? Professions of faith and baptisms? Missional activity? Paul sent one of his finest, Timothy, to check in on the church at Thessalonica. It was an audit of sorts. He was worried that the fellowship there may have faltered a bit due to all of the difficult times. Thankfully, Timothy came back with a wonderful report! Membership had increased 10% since Paul was last there! Adult baptisms were way up from the previous year! To cap it off, the Thessalonians were starting a new building program that would house new youth ministries! No. There were two things Paul was hoping he would find in the church in Thessalonica in order to deam his mission there a success. Faith and Love. Thats it. These are the two things that led Paul to name this church his "glory" and "crown of boasting" (2:19). Above all things they displayed faith in God and love for God and one another. If this is what the scripture clearly tells us is the highest calling of the Church of Jesus Christ, why are we spending our energy, resources, and time doing anything else? Could it be that God has priorities for His church that we have deemed too simple for our ambitions? Are we after something other than His desires? The time has come (and has always been) for those who call themselves the Church to focus on what really matters: The heart of Christ that commands us to love God and one another through faith in him. If we do not occupy ourselves on this first thing, than we can never expect to have "all these things given to you as well" (Matt 6:33). Once again, we've got it backward. We think that if we "get them in the door, get them involved, and get them to give" we'll have a lasting church! Yet it seems all people like the Apostle Paul seem to care about is that our faith would become famous among neighboring countries and that our love for God and one another would sound forth to the edge of planet (1:8). Want more from church? Share faith and love with someone today.
"Oh God, I have spent so much time and energy on the wrong things. I've modeled my christian life after the world's aims and methods rather than learning from your word. Call me again to the simple truth of your gospel. It was love that rescued me and love that the world needs. Help be to live with such faith in this moment. Amen."
What makes a church successful? What makes them stand apart from other churches? Is it outstanding programs and ministries? Tremendous growth trends? Increases in pledges and monetary giving? Professions of faith and baptisms? Missional activity? Paul sent one of his finest, Timothy, to check in on the church at Thessalonica. It was an audit of sorts. He was worried that the fellowship there may have faltered a bit due to all of the difficult times. Thankfully, Timothy came back with a wonderful report! Membership had increased 10% since Paul was last there! Adult baptisms were way up from the previous year! To cap it off, the Thessalonians were starting a new building program that would house new youth ministries! No. There were two things Paul was hoping he would find in the church in Thessalonica in order to deam his mission there a success. Faith and Love. Thats it. These are the two things that led Paul to name this church his "glory" and "crown of boasting" (2:19). Above all things they displayed faith in God and love for God and one another. If this is what the scripture clearly tells us is the highest calling of the Church of Jesus Christ, why are we spending our energy, resources, and time doing anything else? Could it be that God has priorities for His church that we have deemed too simple for our ambitions? Are we after something other than His desires? The time has come (and has always been) for those who call themselves the Church to focus on what really matters: The heart of Christ that commands us to love God and one another through faith in him. If we do not occupy ourselves on this first thing, than we can never expect to have "all these things given to you as well" (Matt 6:33). Once again, we've got it backward. We think that if we "get them in the door, get them involved, and get them to give" we'll have a lasting church! Yet it seems all people like the Apostle Paul seem to care about is that our faith would become famous among neighboring countries and that our love for God and one another would sound forth to the edge of planet (1:8). Want more from church? Share faith and love with someone today.
"Oh God, I have spent so much time and energy on the wrong things. I've modeled my christian life after the world's aims and methods rather than learning from your word. Call me again to the simple truth of your gospel. It was love that rescued me and love that the world needs. Help be to live with such faith in this moment. Amen."
Wednesday, May 18, 2011
The Time Has Come
"The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near; repent and believe in the good news." Mark 1:15
We live in a culture of next. I've spent the first 28 years of my life preparing for what is next. If I float along with the mainstream, I'll spend the next 28 preparing for something else. We are perpetually "on our way" to a destination we never arrive at. The church is no different. Christians are always working to become more holy, educated, sanctified. We need to feel more, do more, know more in order to really live the Christian life out. We'll really be able to live out the Kingdom once the secular world straightens up! Once we get our country back on track then we can live out the Kingdom of God! Biblical culture will have nothing to do with this unholy "next". The New Testament it is always about what is now. The gospels tell us that Jesus preached a simple message: "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near; repent and believe in the good news." Since Jesus has come, there is no waiting for something else. All that has needed to occur and take place has occurred and taken place in him. There is nothing more lacking, no loose ends that need to be tied up for the Kingdom of God to intersect with who and where we are right now. It has been accomplished. God's intention is possible for our lives, communities and world because he sent Jesus to usher in the Kingdom. There is nothing else that needs to happen. If you repent and believe you don't have to be more holy, educated or sanctified to live in the Kingdom. If you repent and believe you are ready even if the secular world and the public schools are not. If you repent and believe in Jesus Christ there is nothing more that needs to be done for the Kingdom of God to crash into your world and make its residence. It's heartbreaking to think that the very message that Jesus himself sought to proclaim in his earthly ministry is one that is too radically simple for us to accept as Christians. We get it backwards. We try and make everything ready in our lives, our jobs, our homes, our families, and our country so that there will be room for Jesus. But Jesus didn't come so that we'd get everything satisfactory for him. He came because we couldn't get anything satisfactory for ourselves. He came so that wherever our lives, jobs, homes, families, and countries are we would turn to him, repent and believe. I am worn out of trying to get my life ready for Jesus when he came at just the right time - when I was still a sinner to proclaim that the Kingdom of God was at hand. What is stopping you from living out the Kingdom now? What are you waiting for? All that needs to be accomplished has been fulfilled in Christ. Repent, believe, and live as a citizen of the Kingdom that will never pass away.
"Sovereign God, you are the loving ruler of a Kingdom that is not of this world. In your son, you have brought that Kingdom here where we are so that we might live as it's citizens today. Forgive me for missing the point. Help me to have trust in Christ as the fulfillment of all that is needed so that I can live out that Kingdom that reigns forever. Amen."
We live in a culture of next. I've spent the first 28 years of my life preparing for what is next. If I float along with the mainstream, I'll spend the next 28 preparing for something else. We are perpetually "on our way" to a destination we never arrive at. The church is no different. Christians are always working to become more holy, educated, sanctified. We need to feel more, do more, know more in order to really live the Christian life out. We'll really be able to live out the Kingdom once the secular world straightens up! Once we get our country back on track then we can live out the Kingdom of God! Biblical culture will have nothing to do with this unholy "next". The New Testament it is always about what is now. The gospels tell us that Jesus preached a simple message: "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near; repent and believe in the good news." Since Jesus has come, there is no waiting for something else. All that has needed to occur and take place has occurred and taken place in him. There is nothing more lacking, no loose ends that need to be tied up for the Kingdom of God to intersect with who and where we are right now. It has been accomplished. God's intention is possible for our lives, communities and world because he sent Jesus to usher in the Kingdom. There is nothing else that needs to happen. If you repent and believe you don't have to be more holy, educated or sanctified to live in the Kingdom. If you repent and believe you are ready even if the secular world and the public schools are not. If you repent and believe in Jesus Christ there is nothing more that needs to be done for the Kingdom of God to crash into your world and make its residence. It's heartbreaking to think that the very message that Jesus himself sought to proclaim in his earthly ministry is one that is too radically simple for us to accept as Christians. We get it backwards. We try and make everything ready in our lives, our jobs, our homes, our families, and our country so that there will be room for Jesus. But Jesus didn't come so that we'd get everything satisfactory for him. He came because we couldn't get anything satisfactory for ourselves. He came so that wherever our lives, jobs, homes, families, and countries are we would turn to him, repent and believe. I am worn out of trying to get my life ready for Jesus when he came at just the right time - when I was still a sinner to proclaim that the Kingdom of God was at hand. What is stopping you from living out the Kingdom now? What are you waiting for? All that needs to be accomplished has been fulfilled in Christ. Repent, believe, and live as a citizen of the Kingdom that will never pass away.
"Sovereign God, you are the loving ruler of a Kingdom that is not of this world. In your son, you have brought that Kingdom here where we are so that we might live as it's citizens today. Forgive me for missing the point. Help me to have trust in Christ as the fulfillment of all that is needed so that I can live out that Kingdom that reigns forever. Amen."
Monday, May 16, 2011
Love Above All
"Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good. His love endures forever." Psalm 136:1.
Psalm 136 lists 26 examples of why God's love endures forever. Each example is followed by the chorus "His love endures forever". The examples include God's major actions in human history up to the point when the Psalm was written. For me, the point of the psalm is simple: God does everything because he loves. He created in order that he might have the opportunity to share love. Every action, thought, and impulse God has toward humanity is based in love. Power, justice, goodness, compassion, wrath, discipline, holiness...they all are rooted in love. There is no other single concept that could so scandalously be synonymous with divinity (1 John 4:8).
But these facts cannot seem to purge my consciousness of the notion that God may be rooted in something else. Like power, or justice, or expectations on my life. Lets be honest, I forget that God loves me. Not in a theological sense, but in the way that I relate to him on a daily basis. I forget that everything that happens to me happens in the sight of a God who loves me. I forget that love is not rooted in my productivity as a disciple or my growth as a pastor. It isn't based on my success as a father or my compassion as a husband. God's love for me is not contingent upon how hard I try or how many people I share his mercy with. It doesn't depend on what other people think of me or my hidden thoughts that I want no one to know about. God's love for me doesn't end because I sometimes don't want to be loved or because I live like one unloveable. It doesn't cease because I screw up or give up or stop up. It doesn't quit because it becomes weary of loving me or because it finds something more easy to love somewhere else. No. God is love. And that fact has nothing to do with me.
God loves me because it is his essence and character. God loves because he created to love. Period. That is why the psalmist repeats the phrase 26 times. Maybe he or she forgot too. No matter what God does in our lives and in human history, we can follow it with the promise "his love endures forever." We cannot change the fact that God loves us. But we can live in the freedom that comes with trusting that love defines our relationship with him above all else. Try and believe that. One day at a time.
"Oh Love That Will Not Let Me Go, today your love is reality. May everything else fade away. Only then can I begin to live in the fullness of your intention. With my tiny heart and life...I love you too."
Question to readers: What notion of God gets in the way of knowing his love for you more perfectly?
For me: putting the idea that he expects a lot from me ahead of his pure love.
Psalm 136 lists 26 examples of why God's love endures forever. Each example is followed by the chorus "His love endures forever". The examples include God's major actions in human history up to the point when the Psalm was written. For me, the point of the psalm is simple: God does everything because he loves. He created in order that he might have the opportunity to share love. Every action, thought, and impulse God has toward humanity is based in love. Power, justice, goodness, compassion, wrath, discipline, holiness...they all are rooted in love. There is no other single concept that could so scandalously be synonymous with divinity (1 John 4:8).
But these facts cannot seem to purge my consciousness of the notion that God may be rooted in something else. Like power, or justice, or expectations on my life. Lets be honest, I forget that God loves me. Not in a theological sense, but in the way that I relate to him on a daily basis. I forget that everything that happens to me happens in the sight of a God who loves me. I forget that love is not rooted in my productivity as a disciple or my growth as a pastor. It isn't based on my success as a father or my compassion as a husband. God's love for me is not contingent upon how hard I try or how many people I share his mercy with. It doesn't depend on what other people think of me or my hidden thoughts that I want no one to know about. God's love for me doesn't end because I sometimes don't want to be loved or because I live like one unloveable. It doesn't cease because I screw up or give up or stop up. It doesn't quit because it becomes weary of loving me or because it finds something more easy to love somewhere else. No. God is love. And that fact has nothing to do with me.
God loves me because it is his essence and character. God loves because he created to love. Period. That is why the psalmist repeats the phrase 26 times. Maybe he or she forgot too. No matter what God does in our lives and in human history, we can follow it with the promise "his love endures forever." We cannot change the fact that God loves us. But we can live in the freedom that comes with trusting that love defines our relationship with him above all else. Try and believe that. One day at a time.
"Oh Love That Will Not Let Me Go, today your love is reality. May everything else fade away. Only then can I begin to live in the fullness of your intention. With my tiny heart and life...I love you too."
Question to readers: What notion of God gets in the way of knowing his love for you more perfectly?
For me: putting the idea that he expects a lot from me ahead of his pure love.
Saturday, May 14, 2011
The Daily Display
"For while we live, we are always being given up to death for Jesus' sake, so that the life of Jesus may be made visible in our mortal flesh" 2 Corinthians 4:11.
I have often longed for the Christian life to work differently than it does. If I were in charge, we would be able to die once to the old life of sin and death, never to face the pains of its existence again. We would die to the human will of selfishness, insecurity, and pride and we would continue on in this life only in the life of Jesus. If things worked this way, every Christian would appear radically different to the world! We would be truly set-apart in the eyes of those who seek life! More importantly we would not have to ever taste the bitterness of having to hurt ourselves and the ones we love. Alas, I am not in charge of this Christian journey and its inner-workings. No, I am not God. God has us being given up to death for Jesus' sake always. That means that each day, each moment, our lives are meant to be a living testimony of the power of Christ's death. Our weakness, our vices, our tempers, our prejudices, our nastiest thoughts and actions all speak to the world (and to us) the great need for Jesus on the cross! Each time I display my broken humanity as a Christian, I am exemplifying once again why God sent his son to suffer and die! The rub here comes in this fact - Christ did not stay dead. He is no longer on the cross. He rose from the grave in victory and lives today with with Father in power. Had Christ stayed on the cross, our faith would be void of its power. Yes, Jesus had to die on that tree, but he could not stay there. For neither death nor sin has the victory over him. Likewise, we do not only display the death of Jesus in our bodies. Each time we are given up to death for Jesus' sake the ultimate purpose is that the life of Jesus would be made visible in us. This is where dead stones become living stones. This is where someone goes from being an example of why Jesus bled to an example of why Jesus rose. When we allow the power of his death to bring about the power of his life in us, then we are truly sharing fully in our savior. So it is indeed proper that I will daily exemplify through my existence the reason that Christ died. This is always a cause for grief. But I will always display the glory of a forgiven and sanctified sinner who lives the very righteousness and power of Christ in my mortal body. And this is always a reason for great rejoicing.
"Thank you Lord that the Christian life does not work as I wished it did. For you give me the opportunity each day to share in the life and death of your son Jesus Christ. Each time I display my brokenness, may it be a witness of Jesus' crucifixion so that when I am renewed and redeemed again your life might shine through even me. Only by your power, Lord, only by your power. Amen."
I have often longed for the Christian life to work differently than it does. If I were in charge, we would be able to die once to the old life of sin and death, never to face the pains of its existence again. We would die to the human will of selfishness, insecurity, and pride and we would continue on in this life only in the life of Jesus. If things worked this way, every Christian would appear radically different to the world! We would be truly set-apart in the eyes of those who seek life! More importantly we would not have to ever taste the bitterness of having to hurt ourselves and the ones we love. Alas, I am not in charge of this Christian journey and its inner-workings. No, I am not God. God has us being given up to death for Jesus' sake always. That means that each day, each moment, our lives are meant to be a living testimony of the power of Christ's death. Our weakness, our vices, our tempers, our prejudices, our nastiest thoughts and actions all speak to the world (and to us) the great need for Jesus on the cross! Each time I display my broken humanity as a Christian, I am exemplifying once again why God sent his son to suffer and die! The rub here comes in this fact - Christ did not stay dead. He is no longer on the cross. He rose from the grave in victory and lives today with with Father in power. Had Christ stayed on the cross, our faith would be void of its power. Yes, Jesus had to die on that tree, but he could not stay there. For neither death nor sin has the victory over him. Likewise, we do not only display the death of Jesus in our bodies. Each time we are given up to death for Jesus' sake the ultimate purpose is that the life of Jesus would be made visible in us. This is where dead stones become living stones. This is where someone goes from being an example of why Jesus bled to an example of why Jesus rose. When we allow the power of his death to bring about the power of his life in us, then we are truly sharing fully in our savior. So it is indeed proper that I will daily exemplify through my existence the reason that Christ died. This is always a cause for grief. But I will always display the glory of a forgiven and sanctified sinner who lives the very righteousness and power of Christ in my mortal body. And this is always a reason for great rejoicing.
"Thank you Lord that the Christian life does not work as I wished it did. For you give me the opportunity each day to share in the life and death of your son Jesus Christ. Each time I display my brokenness, may it be a witness of Jesus' crucifixion so that when I am renewed and redeemed again your life might shine through even me. Only by your power, Lord, only by your power. Amen."
Friday, May 13, 2011
The Good Shepherd
"Behold, I Myself will search for My sheep and seek them out...I will seek the lost, bring back the scattered, bind up the broken and strengthen the sick; but the fat and the strong I will destroy. I will feed them with judgement." Ezekiel 34:11,16
I love it when God takes matters into His own hands. God's people had demanded that they be able to lift up human leaders so they could be like the rest of the nations. God allowed this, anointing kings and calling prophets to the task. But most prophets and kings cared little about how God desired His people to be led. They cared about the same things most people care about - power, popularity, and filling the bellies of their own families even at the expense of others. This led to a pattern of horrible leadership that bred social injustice, greed, and oppression, not to mention the blasphemy of sinful people using God's name to promote their own agendas. This passage in Ezekiel exhibits that God so loves His people and so desires that they be led to eternal life that He refuses to allow humans to lead them astray. "Enough of this! I Myself will search for My sheep and seek them out! I will bring back the ones who have run far away because of your corrupt leadership, I will mend the backs you've broken under the weight of economic and social oppression, I will revitalize the ones you've stolen livelihood and self-worth from, and those who have benefited from the injustice against my people, I will give you the chance to seek my mercy by filling your lives with the destruction you've brought on the vulnerable." This scenario plays itself out time and again in our world. This is not a biblical story isolated to Ezekiel's day. We demand human leaders whom we can lift up and follow only to find ourselves time and again beneath their feet. Let me be clear that I am not blasting big government or the heavy hand of politicians. I am trying to point out a culture that puts its hope in sinners rather than the everlasting God of love. Even when we subscribe to this culture God's voice speaks clear into the darkness we've had a hand in creating. God takes matters into His own hands, seeking the scattered, binding the broken, healing the sick. But God doesn't stop with those who've been victimized by the powerful. He also comes to us when we're they ones who've exploited others in an effort to satisfy our insatiable appetite for power, worldly wealth, and fading glory. He loves us too by bringing us back to the place where we are in need of a Shepherd who's in the business of lifting up the lowly.
"Lord, you are the Good Shepherd who lays down His life for His sheep. I give you thanks for finding me when I was far away, for healing and strengthening me and even for humbling me when I have sinned against you and your people. Forgive me for seeking other shepherds and for trying to take your place as one myself. Free me again to lie down in your green pastures I pray in Jesus name, Amen."
I love it when God takes matters into His own hands. God's people had demanded that they be able to lift up human leaders so they could be like the rest of the nations. God allowed this, anointing kings and calling prophets to the task. But most prophets and kings cared little about how God desired His people to be led. They cared about the same things most people care about - power, popularity, and filling the bellies of their own families even at the expense of others. This led to a pattern of horrible leadership that bred social injustice, greed, and oppression, not to mention the blasphemy of sinful people using God's name to promote their own agendas. This passage in Ezekiel exhibits that God so loves His people and so desires that they be led to eternal life that He refuses to allow humans to lead them astray. "Enough of this! I Myself will search for My sheep and seek them out! I will bring back the ones who have run far away because of your corrupt leadership, I will mend the backs you've broken under the weight of economic and social oppression, I will revitalize the ones you've stolen livelihood and self-worth from, and those who have benefited from the injustice against my people, I will give you the chance to seek my mercy by filling your lives with the destruction you've brought on the vulnerable." This scenario plays itself out time and again in our world. This is not a biblical story isolated to Ezekiel's day. We demand human leaders whom we can lift up and follow only to find ourselves time and again beneath their feet. Let me be clear that I am not blasting big government or the heavy hand of politicians. I am trying to point out a culture that puts its hope in sinners rather than the everlasting God of love. Even when we subscribe to this culture God's voice speaks clear into the darkness we've had a hand in creating. God takes matters into His own hands, seeking the scattered, binding the broken, healing the sick. But God doesn't stop with those who've been victimized by the powerful. He also comes to us when we're they ones who've exploited others in an effort to satisfy our insatiable appetite for power, worldly wealth, and fading glory. He loves us too by bringing us back to the place where we are in need of a Shepherd who's in the business of lifting up the lowly.
"Lord, you are the Good Shepherd who lays down His life for His sheep. I give you thanks for finding me when I was far away, for healing and strengthening me and even for humbling me when I have sinned against you and your people. Forgive me for seeking other shepherds and for trying to take your place as one myself. Free me again to lie down in your green pastures I pray in Jesus name, Amen."
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)