Why it Matters - Prophets

Readings for today: Daniel 1-3

One of the questions I get asked a lot when I train pastors overseas is how to identify a true prophet of God. Tragically, these men and women have seen far too many who claim to speak for God but ultimately are only in ministry for their own benefit. They drive the nicest cars. They dress in the nicest clothes. They want the place of highest honor at a meal. They want the privileged speaking slot at a conference. They put their faces and names on billboards all over town. They manipulate their congregations into funding a lavish lifestyle for them while their people toil in life-threatening poverty. I tell them we see the same dynamic in the United States. Health and wealth preachers who twist the gospel for material gain. YouTube preachers who make all kinds of predictions about the future that never seem to come to pass. Pastors who seem far more interested in expanding their “brand” and “influence” than they are in discipling and shepherding their congregations. Political and social leaders who use prophetic language to stoke the fears of the people they serve in order to stay in power. They remind me of the magicians and astrologers and other so-called “wise men” in the Book of Daniel.

Daniel and his friends are different. They are true prophets of God. How do we know? They never stop trusting God. They never stop giving glory to God. They never seek any power or position or influence or wealth for themselves. We first meet them after they’ve been taken prisoner and forced into service of the pagan king of Babylon. In order to prepare them for service, the king assigns them a non-kosher diet. One that violates the law of God. Rather than rage against the pagan authorities or claim to be victims of an oppressive regime or compromise their beliefs, they work with the overseer of the court officials to find an acceptable way forward. They ask the pagan officials to put their God and His law to the test to see what will happen. They find a way to both honor God and honor the king whom they have been called to serve. As a result, God endows them with knowledge and skill and the ability to interpret dreams and visions.

Those gifts are soon put to the test as Nebuchadnezzar has a disturbing dream. No one can discern it much less interpret it for him. He flies into a rage and orders all his counselors to be killed. But Daniel intercedes. He asks for time to pray. He seeks God’s wisdom. And when God provides the answer, Daniel boldly speaks God’s truth to power though it came with great risk. After all, who knows how Nebuchadnezzar will respond? In interpreting the dream, Daniel also foretells the future. A future that eventually comes to pass as empires rise and fall. Through it all, Daniel takes no credit for himself. He claims no special wisdom for himself. He desires no special privileges for himself. He simply relays what God has revealed to him and the response of Nebuchadnezzar is incredible. “Certainly your God is a God of gods and Lord of kings and revealer of mysteries, for you were able to reveal this mystery!” (‭‭Daniel‬ ‭2‬:‭47‬ ‭NET‬‬)

Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego undergo a similar test. They refuse to bow down and worship an idol of the king. The other wise men, seeking an opportunity to claim more power and influence for themselves, report their refusal to the king. He again flies into a rage. He has a furnace prepared and threatens to cast them in if they continue to refuse to bow before his image. The men stand their ground. They speak God’s truth to power proclaiming, “We do not need to give you a reply concerning this. If our God whom we are serving exists, he is able to rescue us from the furnace of blazing fire, and he will rescue us, O king, from your power as well. But if not, let it be known to you, O king, that we don’t serve your gods, and we will not pay homage to the golden statue that you have erected.” (Daniel‬ ‭3‬:‭16‬-‭18‬ ‭NET‬‬) Regardless of whether God delivers them or not, they will not give in. They will not compromise their beliefs. They will not violate God’s commands. This enrages Nebuchadnezzar even further. He has the furnace is made even hotter. So hot that even drawing close to it cost some of the king’s men their lives. But Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego not only survive but not even a hair on their heads was singed nor did they even smell like fire. It’s incredible. And the king once again bows before them and says, “Praise be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who has sent forth his angel and has rescued his servants who trusted in him, ignoring the edict of the king and giving up their bodies rather than serve or pay homage to any god other than their God!” (Daniel‬ ‭3‬:‭28‬ ‭NET‬‬)

You want to know what’s most interesting about each of these events? It’s the fact that Daniel and his friends refuse to take advantage of these miracles to advance their position in the kingdom or claim any special privileges for themselves. How different than the prophets of our own day and age! And it raises an important point. True prophets of God are marked by their humility more than anything else. They understand they are simply instruments in God’s hands. Nothing more. Nothing less. Nothing else. They never seek to self-promote but instead always point people beyond themselves to God. This is what distinguishes them from the false prophets of our world. Honestly, at the end of the day, it’s pretty easy to discern. Is the person seeking to lift up the name of Jesus or are they more interested in promoting their own brand?

Readings for tomorrow: Daniel 4-6

Why it Matters - Politics

Readings for today; Ezekiel 45-48

We seemed locked in a political death spiral here in America. Our political parties becoming more extreme by the day. Our candidates bringing out the worst in each other. Mainstream media stoking our fears and anxieties. Social media spreading all kinds of disinformation and hate. Our political leaders committed to gaining and maintaining power no matter what the cost. We paint our opponents as existential threats. We dehumanize those who disagree with us. We refuse to listen. We refuse to engage in fact-based debate. We refuse to seek truth. Violence is now justified. Oppression is acceptable as long as it serves to further one’s political ambitions and agenda. Injustice and unrighteousness are excused as long as our person wins. It’s honestly a bit terrifying to watch in real time.

However, I also know it’s normal. This is how humans have operated for millennia. Every human society that has ever existed is full of violence and fear. Suffering and pain. Injustice and unrighteousness. Exploitation and manipulation. Corruption and oppression. Give any human being any real power and chances are they will most likely use and abuse it to their own ends. Give them absolute power and it almost always leads to tyranny. This can happen in a home. Think of the rise of domestic abuse and violence. It can happen in a neighborhood. Consider the reputation of most HOA’s. It can happen in a community where one group gains enough authority to exert their will over others. It can happen in a municipality or region or state or nation where one political party gains the upper hand. The reality is we all believe we know what’s best. Not just for ourselves but for everyone around us. And given enough power and authority, we will almost always seek to remake the world around us in our own image. It never works out well.

This is why God speaks so clearly and directly to the leaders of His own people. They are called to be different. Called to be set apart. Called to a higher standard. “This is what the sovereign LORD says: Enough, you princes of Israel! Put away violence and destruction, and do what is just and right. Put an end to your evictions of my people, declares the sovereign LORD. You must use just balances, a just dry measure (an ephah), and a just liquid measure (a bath).” (Ezekiel‬ ‭45‬:‭9‬-‭10‬ ‭NET‬) To whom much is given, much is expected. God demands more from those in authority. Their rule on earth is to be a reflection of His rule in heaven. When they refuse to rule in His name and for His glory, they invite destruction on themselves and those they lead. This is what happened to Israel. It’s why Jerusalem was eventually destroyed. The ways of their kings and princes was evil in God’s sight and God would not be mocked.

The same is true today. God will not be mocked. He will allow Himself to be used as a pawn in our political games. He demands more from our leaders. More from our politicians. And more from us as an electorate. In a democracy, it is the people who hold all the power. When we cast our ballots, we are making a statement. A statement about what we believe and what we value and we will be held accountable. Every Christian should be active in the political sphere. Every Christian should refuse to be co-opted by any particular political party or ideology. Every Christian should reject the worldly values of violence, fear, greed, selfishness, deceit, hatred, oppression, injustice, and unrighteousness. These things should never be allowed into the calculus of how we vote or who we vote for. Instead, we should lift up Biblical values like justice, righteousness, truth, freedom, honesty, life, love, compassion, and protection for the most vulnerable. We should make these views known and heard. We should demand accountability from our leaders, never make excuses for their sins, and confront them when they fail to live up to God’s standard. We should refuse the temptation to settle for the lesser of two evils. Most of all, we should pray for those in authority over us and ask God to bring them to their knees in repentance. This is our prophetic call in our current cultural moment.

Readings for tomorrow: Daniel 1-3

Why it Matters - Presence

Readings for today: Ezekiel 41-44

There is nothing like experiencing the glory of the Lord’s presence in your life. Unexpected times when He makes Himself known to us through a sunrise or on a hike in the mountains or at the shore of a pristine lake or a powerful ocean. Tender times when He makes Himself known to us in our weakness and vulnerability. The loss of a loved one. A fearful diagnosis. The breakdown of a close relationship. Redemptive times when He makes Himself known to us in our failure and sin. A mistake that costs us dearly. A fall that causes all kinds of pain. A self-destructive choice that ripples out into our lives. This is true for us not only personally but collectively as well. Powerful times of worship with God’s people. Seasons of revival in life when entire churches and communities experience the power of His presence. I’ve even witnessed entire villages and regions bowing the knee to Jesus Christ as He makes Himself known through miraculous signs and wonders. It’s amazing.

As Ezekiel’s visions come to a close, he sees the glory of the Lord firsthand and it brings him to his knees in awe and wonder and worship. It reminds him of earlier times in his life when he saw the glory of God destroy Jerusalem or visit him by the Chebar River. This vision, however, is different. God is returning to His city. God is returning to His Temple. God is returning to His people. It’s a vision of hope. A vision of a future where God’s people will be purified and sanctified and made holy. A vision of a time coming when they will serve the Lord with all their hearts and cast aside their idolatry. It’s a vision of national revival. The renewal of a nation. The return of Israel from exile. It was overwhelming. And it serves as a great reminder to us that all is never lost. Not with God. Even in the darkest moments of our lives, He is with us and He is working out His plan for us.

I recently came across the account of a pastor who lived in Europe during the Second World War. His community had become the epicenter of a great battle between the Allied Forces and Nazi Germany. One evening as the sun was setting over the horizon, both armies pulled back to regroup. A great silence fell over the battlefield. He looked up in the waning daylight to see the spire of a church still standing tall despite the shelling that had taken place that day. It gave him hope. All of a sudden, a lone artillery shell came out of nowhere and blew the spire apart. A flock of birds happened to be resting on that spire and as the shell came in, they simply lifted up above the destruction, and once the dust had settled, nested back down in the ruins. The pastor later wrote, “It felt like the glory of God to me. Rising above all the chaos and tumult of our world and then resting back down with us in the ruins.” I think that’s about right.

We do not place our hope in anything built by human hands. Not Temples. Not churches. Not great cities or empires. All of them will eventually come crumbling down. The only hope we have is God. And the only way we will taste that hope is to experience His presence. And the only way we will experience His presence is by cultivating a deep, abiding awareness of Him in our daily lives through prayer and worship and meditation on His Word. Friends, God promises to make Himself known to all who seek Him with their whole heart.

Readings for tomorrow: Ezekiel 45-48

Why it Matters - Israel

Readings for today: Ezekiel 37-40

The people of Israel represent one of history’s great mysteries. There simply is no human reason why they should continue to exist. There is no earthly reason why there should be a nation of Israel today. She has faced extinction level events so many times throughout her history. So many kings and nations have sought to destroy her over the years. Egypt. Canaan. Assyria. Babylon. Persia. Those are just the ones mentioned in the Bible. In modern times, one only has to look at the pogroms in Europe or Russia or the Middle East. One only has to look at the rising anti-semitism in our own country today. The fact that Israel has not only survived but thrived is truly a miracle. A sign of God’s great love and faithfulness. A sign that God’s covenant endures forever.

Does that mean Israel never errs? Of course not. The Bible is honest about her many failings. It’s why God withdrew His protective hand when the pagan nations around her attacked. It’s why God allowed Jerusalem to be destroyed. It’s why God sent His people into exile in Babylon. He judged them in righteousness for their idolatry, corruption, greed, injustice, and oppression. He never gives them a pass. He doesn’t have a blind spot when it comes to His people. He sees all. He knows all. And He refuses to let their sin go unpunished. And this is as true today as it has ever been for God is the same yesterday, today, and forever.

However, it is equally clear God’s ultimate goal for Israel is restoration. Even while they are in exile, He works tirelessly for their return. He gives Ezekiel visions of dry bones coming together into living, breathing bodies. Two sticks with the names of Judah and Joseph upon them. God shows the prophet a vision of a new Temple and even takes him on a virtual tour of the building so he can see all God will one day do when He brings His people home from exile. It’s a powerful reminder of God’s faithfulness to Himself, His promises, and His people. Listen again to Ezekiel’s description. “Therefore this is what the sovereign LORD says: Now I will restore the fortunes of Jacob, and I will have mercy on the entire house of Israel. I will be zealous for my holy name. They will bear their shame for all their unfaithful acts against me, when they live securely on their land with no one to make them afraid. When I have brought them back from the peoples and gathered them from the countries of their enemies, I will magnify myself among them in the sight of many nations. Then they will know that I am the LORD their God, because I sent them into exile among the nations, and then gathered them into their own land. I will not leave any of them in exile any longer. I will no longer hide my face from them, when I pour out my Spirit on the house of Israel, declares the sovereign LORD.” (Ezekiel‬ ‭39‬:‭25‬-‭29‬ ‭NET‬‬)

I will restore Jacob and the whole house of Israel. I will bring them back from the countries of their enemies. I will regather them to their own land. I will leave none behind. I will no longer hide my face. I will pour out my Spirit. This is the declaration of the Lord. These are incredibly powerful words that will be fulfilled when Ezra returns to rebuild the Temple and Nehemiah returns to rebuild the wall. We also see the same dynamic taking place throughout history as God preserves and protects His people, refusing to let them be finally destroyed. The Jewish people have endured so much over the centuries. They have been harassed and attacked and targeted by almost every society on earth. Blamed for all kinds of terrible things. Cast as the nefarious subjects of all kinds of crazy conspiracy theories. And still they survive when other people groups and cultures have come and gone. Where is Babylon today? Where is Assyria today? Where are the Canaanite tribes today? Still Israel remains. Why? Because God is faithful. And He remains faithful to us as well.

Readings for tomorrow: No devotionals on Sundays

Why it Matters - Good Shepherd

Readings for today: Ezekiel 33-36

Several years ago I was asked to step into a challenging leadership situation in another church. The pastor was embroiled in a deep conflict with his elders and congregation. Thousands had left the church feeling hurt. Serious allegations of spiritual abuse were leveled. Social media was on fire with story after story of people sharing their pain and heartbreak. When the elders asked the pastor to engage in self-reflection on his leadership style and assess how the church was doing, he somehow gave himself an “A.” The elders strongly disagreed. So much so they resigned in masse leaving the church without a duly elected board which is how I got involved. As I sought to untangle the mess, I spent many, many hours meeting with the different parties involved. The pastor. His executive leadership team. The elders. Other concerned members of the church. One of the things that quickly became clear to me is that, regardless of who was right and who was wrong, this particular pastor simply didn’t care for the sheep. Even when I confronted him on the fact that many of the “sheep of his pasture” were broken and bleeding all over the community, he was callous and dismissive. In his mind, their failure to embrace his vision for the church meant they were rejecting what the Lord had told him.

A similar dynamic existed in ancient Israel during Ezekiel’s time. The leaders of God’s people were false shepherds. Rather than feed and care for the flock entrusted to their care, they fed off the flock. They used them to their own advantage. They refused to strengthen the weak, heal the sick, bandage the injured, and bring back the strays. They ruled over the flock with force and control. They believed the flock fundamentally existed for their benefit rather than the other way around. The results were devastating. The sheep scattered. They became food for every wild beast. They were lost and alone and vulnerable. And the truly tragic thing is that the shepherds didn’t care enough to look for them.

What a contrast to God! He is the Good Shepherd. Listen again to His response. “As a shepherd seeks out his flock when he is among his scattered sheep, so I will seek out my flock. I will rescue them from all the places where they have been scattered on a cloudy, dark day. I will bring them out from among the peoples and gather them from foreign countries; I will bring them to their own land. I will feed them on the mountains of Israel, by the streams and all the inhabited places of the land. In a good pasture I will feed them; the mountain heights of Israel will be their pasture. There they will lie down in a lush pasture, and they will feed on rich grass on the mountains of Israel. I myself will feed my sheep and I myself will make them lie down, declares the sovereign LORD. I will seek the lost and bring back the strays; I will bandage the injured and strengthen the sick, but the fat and the strong I will destroy. I will feed them – with judgment!” (Ezekiel‬ ‭34‬:‭12‬-‭16‬ ‭NET‬‬)

All of us are called to be shepherds. To care for those entrusted to our care. It could be children. It could be aging parents. It could be extended family or friends who are experiencing a crisis. It could be our brothers and sisters in the church. This is particularly true for pastors and the sad reality is far too many act like the shepherds of Israel from our passage today. They treat their flocks as a means to their own selfish ends. It could be fame and fortune. It could be influence and power. It could be a sense of entitlement or selfish fulfillment. I know far too many pastors who act as if they believe the church owes them or exists to provide them with a comfortable lifestyle. As pastors, we must repent. We must continually check our own hearts to make sure we are not allowing any sense of entitlement or presumption to take root. Like Jesus, we exist to serve not be served. We must take what God says to Ezekiel seriously and seek to live our lives accordingly.

Readings for tomorrow: Ezekiel 37-40

Why it Matters - God’s Sovereignty

Readings for today: Ezekiel 29-32

Egypt. Assyria. Babylon. Three of the mightiest empires in history. Each of them ruled for a time over thousands of miles. They conquered kingdoms. They accumulated great wealth and power. Their kings ruled over nations. However, each of them was eventually humbled under God’s mighty hand. “Consider Assyria, a cedar in Lebanon, like a forest giving shade, and extremely tall; its top reached to the clouds.” (Ezekiel 31:3 NET) Though it was beautiful and counted among the trees of the Garden of Eden, God gave it over to the nations. He judged her for her sin. He brought foreigners from many nations to cut her down. The same was true for Egypt. “You were like a lion among the nations, but you are monster in the seas; you thrash about in your streams, stir up the water with your feet, and muddy your streams.” (Ezekiel 32:2b NET) God would throw a net over her. Drag her up from the Nile on which she depended and leave her gasping for life on the open ground. “I will fling you on the open field, I will allow all the birds of the sky to settle on you, and I will permit all the wild animals to gorge themselves on you.” (Ezekiel 32:4 NET) The same would eventually hold true for Babylon. Though God used her as the instrument of His righteous judgment in the world, she too would one day fall into ruin.

God remains sovereign. Not just over ancient near nations like Egypt, Assyria, Babylon, Elam, Meshech-Tubal, Edom, and the Sidonians but over all nations and tribes and people groups throughout history and throughout the world today. When we look around and see what’s happening in places like Ukraine or Gaza or Iran or in places that don’t get as much press like South Sudan or Myanmar or the militant and gang violence in places like the Sahel, South Asia, and Latin America; it’s easy to wonder where God is in the midst of it all. Is He sovereign? Is He sitting on His throne? If so, why does He not act to bring an end to all the violence? Why does He not bring judgment on all the evil? Why does He not intervene to stop all the suffering? But what if God is doing what He has always done? What if God remains committed to His original plan? What if He is bringing about His sovereign will even in the midst of all the sin and suffering just like He did during Ezekiel’s time? And what if He allows all the violence and pain to bring humanity to her knees so that she once again “will know that I am the Lord.” (Ezekiel 29:9b NET)

God has made Himself clear. He entrusted humanity with dominion over all He has made. He has never wavered from that commitment. He remains faithful. He remains true to His Word. And thankfully, He reigns sovereign over all things, including every choice every human being ever makes, and is therefore more than able to bend it to His eternal purposes. This is why the Apostle Paul says, “And we know all things work together for good for those who love God, who are called according to His purpose.” (Romans 8:28 NET) Paul trusts God’s sovereign plan. Paul trusts God’s sovereign power and authority. Paul trusts God’s sovereign will. He knows God is at work even when he cannot see it. He knows God’s hand is directing the nations even when he cannot discern how. He knows the kings and rulers of this earth only serve because God allows it. Most of all, he knows there is coming a day when God will bring an end to evil once and for all and establish His eternal kingdom on earth. How does he know this for sure? Because of Jesus. Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection is God’s down payment on this world and all He has made. Jesus is God’s guarantee that one day all things will be made new.

Readings for tomorrow: Ezekiel 33-36

Why it Matters - Pride

Readings for today: Ezekiel 25-28

Pride is an ever-present danger. It is the root of all sin. It is a fundamental attitude that says, “I don’t need God” or “there is no God.” Pride elevates Self and places him/her on the throne. Pride suggests “I don’t need any help.” Pride believes “I am sufficient on my own.” Pride asserts, “I am the master of my fate, the captain of my destiny.” None of these things are true, of course, but pride makes us believe them anyway. Pride blinds us to the utter weakness of our condition. Pride makes us think we are immune to random chance. Pride gives us a false sense of confidence that we are in control.

In Ezekiel, Tyre is the very embodiment of pride. It’s why the prophet spends so much time talking about her fall. She was the queen of city-states in the ancient world. Master of trade. Her ships traveled all over the Mediterranean bringing her great wealth and power. She built up a strong military. No one dared mess with her. As a city, she enjoyed order and peace which, in turn, allowed businesses to thrive. She built up strong alliances all over the Middle East. She was at the pinnacle of her power when Nebuchadnezzar came with his armies and literally wiped her from the map. As such, she stands as an example to all of what happens to even the greatest of human civilizations. And it’s why the princes of the kingdoms around her weep over her fall. They see in her their own doom as well.

Pride is a false god. An idol of our own creation. It places us in a position we were never designed to hold. Human beings were created to live in humble reliance on God. We were created to live in intimate relationship with God. Trusting Him for all our needs, wants, and desires. We were created to give glory to God in all we think, do, or say. All we create. All we produce. All the resources we accumulate are intended to be tools in our hands to bring God even more honor and praise. When we live in right relationship with God, we are humble and self-effacing. We don’t think too highly of ourselves nor do we diminish ourselves. We simply think of ourselves less. Our hearts and minds become consumed with serving God and blessing others in His name.

Why is it so tempting to give into pride? To begin to believe in ourselves rather than trust God? To start reading our own headlines and believing our own hype? The reality is that we all want a taste of glory. We all want a share in what God has done. We all want some of the credit when it comes to our achievements and success. We all enjoy being the center of attention on some level. This is why social media is so addictive, by the way. And pushing back against this tide is hard. Swimming against this current is exhausting. Cutting against this grain requires intentionality and discipline and self-denial because everything in our world today is geared towards the elevation of self. Every message we get from the world seeks to glorify the self. It’s why spending time before God each day is so critical. We need to be regularly reminded of the distance between us and God and what God has done to close that gap for us. Daily reflection on the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ keeps us on our knees before Him in humility and thankfulness.

Readings for tomorrow: Ezekiel 29-32

Why it Matters - Judgment

Readings for today: Ezekiel 21-24

We struggle with the judgment of God. We protest. We argue. We resist. We rebel. We refuse to acknowledge our sin before a holy God. We refuse to acknowledge our failures to keep His law. We refuse to acknowledge the ways we have perpetrated injustice and corruption and hatred and violence and greed and selfishness in our own lives. We make excuses. We want God to grade on a curve. We demand grace. But the reality is right in front of us. It is all around us. We are immersed in it. We live in an upside down world where right is wrong and wrong is right. Darkness is light and light is darkness. Truth is a lie and lies are promoted as truth. We’ve abandoned objective reality and substituted our own subjective experience. We no longer concern ourselves with facts and evidence but instead proffer all kinds of personal opinions as if it were divine wisdom and self-evident truth. The result is the descent into chaos that we are currently experiencing. It’s impacting every sector of society. Science is no longer science. Math is a tool of oppression. Words have lost their meaning. Everyone pretends to be an expert. We defy the laws of biology and nature. We indulge our lusts for wealth and power and sexual immorality. Truly we live in a lost and broken and utterly corrupt world.

Ezekiel was living in a similar time. God’s people had abandoned Him. They rejected His laws. They refused to walk in His ways. They embraced a thoroughly pagan lifestyle. The results were tragic. Injustice. Oppression. Greed. Selfishness. Corruption. Impurity. They were a complete mess. Listen to how God describes it to His prophet Ezekiel, “Son of man, the house of Israel has become slag to me. All of them are like bronze, tin, iron, and lead in the furnace; they are the worthless slag of silver. Therefore this is what the sovereign LORD says: ‘Because all of you have become slag, look out! – I am about to gather you in the middle of Jerusalem. As silver, bronze, iron, lead, and tin are gathered in a furnace so that the fire can melt them, so I will gather you in my anger and in my rage. I will deposit you there and melt you. I will gather you and blow on you with the fire of my fury, and you will be melted in it. As silver is melted in a furnace, so you will be melted in it, and you will know that I, the LORD, have poured out my anger on you.’” (Ezekiel‬ ‭22‬:‭18‬-‭22‬ ‭NET‬‬) Worthless slag. The material left over from the purification process of metal. A toxic combination of metal oxides that mix together. Utterly worthless for anything. This is how Israel now looks to God. So what does God do? He builds a furnace. He gathers His people together. He puts them through the fire so He can melt them. Purify them. Make them holy once again. The furnace is never easy to endure. The fire is hot. The wrath and judgment of God burns us to the core. Not a single part of us goes untouched. But it is the only way we can be transformed. It is the only way to separate us from our sin.

Perhaps you are enduring the furnace right now in your life? Perhaps you remember a time when you went through the fire? It’s never easy. Even for Christians. Yes, God pours out His wrath and anger and judgment on Christ. Yes, Christ fully satisfies the justice of God and turns God’s wrath away from us. However, it doesn’t mean God ceases to be a “refining fire” in our lives. God disciplines those He loves. He will not rest until all the dross and slag is purified from our lives. The process is always painful and hard and often takes us to the end of ourselves and beyond. But the good news of the gospel is that we are never alone in the fire. He is with us! He holds us in the midst of the fire and will not allow us to be consumed.

Readings for tomorrow: Ezekiel 25-28

Why it Matters - Fairness

Readings for today: Ezekiel 17-20

“Whoever told you life was fair?” I cannot tell you the number of times I heard this phrase growing up. I would get angry because of some perceived favoritism whether it was from my parents at home or a teacher at school or a boss at work and I would argue with them that “it wasn’t fair.” My brothers got a toy I didn’t get. A classmate achieved a higher grade that I felt I deserved. A fellow employee got a bonus and I did not. It wasn’t fair in my mind and it frustrated the heck out of me. Interestingly enough, Israel makes the same argument against God in our reading for today. In Ezekiel 18, they accuse God of not being fair. They accuse Him of punishing them for the guilt of their ancestors. They accuse Him of unjustly sending them into exile. But God makes it plain that He holds each person accountable for their own sin. He refuses to punish a child for a parent’s action nor does He punish a parent for a child’s behavior. He sees all and knows all and preserves the lives of those who act righteously while taking the lives of those who act unrighteously.

“‬‬Yet you say, ‘The Lord’s conduct is unjust!’ Hear, O house of Israel: Is my conduct unjust? Is it not your conduct that is unjust? When a righteous person turns back from his righteousness and practices wrongdoing, he will die for it; because of the wrongdoing he has done, he will die. When a wicked person turns from the wickedness he has committed and does what is just and right, he will preserve his life. Because he considered and turned from all the sins he had done, he will surely live; he will not die. Yet the house of Israel says, ‘The Lord’s conduct is unjust!’ Is my conduct unjust, O house of Israel? Is it not your conduct that is unjust? “Therefore I will judge each person according to his conduct, O house of Israel, declares the sovereign LORD. Repent and turn from all your wickedness; then it will not be an obstacle leading to iniquity. Throw away all your sins you have committed and fashion yourselves a new heart and a new spirit! Why should you die, O house of Israel? For I take no delight in the death of anyone, declares the sovereign LORD. Repent and live!” (Ezekiel‬ ‭18‬:‭25‬-‭32‬ ‭NET‬‬)

I can already hear the protests. We all know evil people who live long lives and good people whose lives are cut short. We all know evil people who seemingly get ahead in the world and good people who struggle each and every day. We all know evil people often finish “first” because they are willing to do whatever it takes while good people often finish “last” because they are constrained by their goodness to not justify unrighteous means to reach a righteous end. So is God lying here? No, He is not. We must remember God doesn’t operate on our timeline. He has eternity in view. All of us will appear before the judgment seat of Christ. All of us will have to give an account for the way we lived our lives. Not a single person will get a pass. Not a single person will escape this fate. Either we will live in such a way that we say “Thy will be done” to God or we will live in such a way that He will say “thy will be done” to us. No one will be in heaven who doesn’t want to be and no one will be in hell who hasn’t chosen it. This is what God is talking about when He refers to life and death. It’s about eternal life or eternal death. Which will we choose?

Readings for tomorrow: Ezekiel 21-24

Why it Matters - Truth

Readings for today: Ezekiel 13-16

The world is full of lies. Full of half-truths. Full of disinformation. The world seems hell-bent on attempting to produce its own reality rather than submit to what is true and real. Now, more than ever, humanity believes it is unbound. Unfettered. Unlimited. We believe we can defeat death by finding and turning off the aging gene. We believe we can preserve consciousness in AI. We believe we can find community by creating our own autonomous beings. We believe we can bring our fantasies to life through virtual reality. It’s frightening. It’s scary. And many are warning us that we are signing our own death warrants. Once AI becomes fully autonomous, there will be no way to stop it. It has already broken loose of our constraints on several occasions. We are tampering with power we do not understand nor can we control. It’s our oldest and most persistent sin trait. We want to be like God and now we have the technology to actually make it happen.

Truth can be a harsh teacher. I think of the hard lessons I had to learn as a young person when I tried to cling to a fantasy of my own making and spin a web of lies I wanted to believe. The truth eventually broke through but the process was painful. I think of the hard lessons my children have had to learn and are learning as they too repeat some of my mistakes. Attempting to live according to their own rules and their own ideas, convinced they know what’s best. I was talking to one the other day about their high school experience. They complained about how misunderstood they were and tried to blame the teachers and administrators for not setting them up for success. When I pointed out that the basic truth that they refused to go to class and do their assigned work, they got real quiet. Truth has a way of silencing our nonsense.

Ezekiel is fighting for the truth. His people are being led astray by all kinds of false teachers and false prophets. They make all kinds of fantastical claims. They spout all kinds of nonsense. They are delusional. All they speak are lies and falsehoods. But God will not be mocked. He will not allow them to misrepresent Him or take His name in vain. He promises judgment through sword, famine, wild animals, and plague. Why? God is clear. “This is because you have disheartened the righteous person with lies (although I have not grieved him), and because you have encouraged the wicked person not to turn from his evil conduct and preserve his life.” (Ezekiel‬ ‭13‬:‭22‬ ‭NET‬‬) They have abandoned truth. They have closed their eyes to reality. And in so doing, they doom themselves and their own people to destruction.

If we aren’t careful, we too can fall into this trap. We fall into it individually. We start to believe our own hype. We start to aspire to heights we were never meant to scale. We start to believe we are invincible, indestructible, beyond the reach of anyone’s judgment, including God’s. We fall into this trap culturally. Consider the abandonment of truth by so many. The weaponization of deceit as long as it serves a cause. The embrace of falsehood, half-truths, and disinformation. It’s rampant and real and it’s having a devastating impact. We fall into this trap as a nation when our leaders intentionally mislead, obfuscate, or hide the truth. When they refuse to tell the truth, they sow distrust, discord, and division and it’s tearing us apart.

What can we do? What can God’s people do? We must recommit ourselves to the truth. God’s truth. We must refuse to allow pride or ego or greed or selfishness cause us to compromise the truth of God’s Word. We must put aside the temptation to be liked or loved or esteemed in the eyes of the world. True prophets are never very popular. We must speak from a heart of love and compassion for those who are lost and never in anger and outrage. God is still watching. God is still waiting. God is still calling men and women to stand as “watchmen” just like He called Ezekiel. Watchmen for the truth.

Readings for tomorrow: No devotionals on Sundays

Why it Matters - God’s Glory

Readings for today: Ezekiel 9-12

God is clear. He will not share His glory with another. He will not share His glory with idols. He will not share His glory with false gods. He will not share His glory with sinful humanity. When the people of Israel - and especially the leaders of Israel - fill God’s Temple with their idols and pagan worship practices, the glory of God withdraws. Not because God is powerless. Not because God has been defeated and is in retreat. No, God is withdrawing His presence in judgment. He moves first from the Holy of Holies to the threshold of the Temple. Next He moves from the threshold to the east gate of the Temple. Finally, He moves from the east gate to the mountains east of Jerusalem where He joins His people in exile. This movement eastward is significant. When humanity was exiled from the Garden, they went east and settled the land. It’s a pattern in the Old Testament. One that God Himself now repeats.

It’s a fascinating and comforting depiction of the character and nature of God. Pagan gods would reign down destruction. They would force their people to obey or else. They would demand their return to the place where they once worshipped. The God of the Bible is different. He actually goes with His people into exile. He actually remains with His people while they are in exile. And, as we will see later in Ezekiel, He will return with His people from exile. At no time are His people ever abandoned or left alone. It’s a powerful statement of one of the fundamental truths about our God…He is always Immanuel. He is always God with us. And Jesus Christ is simply the culmination and fulfillment of who God has always been since the moment He first breathed the breath of life into Adam and Eve and walked with them in the Garden.

The same God who walked with Adam and Eve. The same God who went with Noah into the ark. The same God who called Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and promised to be with them. The same God who delivered His people out of slavery in Egypt. The same God who dwelt in the Tabernacle as Israel wandered through the wilderness. The same God who filled the Temple in Jerusalem. The same God who became flesh and blood in Jesus Christ. This same God is with you. This same God is with me. His glory lives inside us through the Holy Spirit. He goes where we go. He is with us every moment of every day. He is always at our side through every success and failure. Believe this! And live by His grace, love, and power!

Readings for tomorrow: Ezekiel 13-16

Why it Matters - Visions

Readings for today: Ezekiel 5-8

The Book of Ezekiel is full of visions and dreams. They leave Ezekiel gasping for breath. Facedown on the ground. Dumbfounded for days. He is often called to use his own body as an example. Laying on his side for almost a year. Shaving his beard and hair with a sharp sword. Many of them are aggressive and almost violent in tone. The Lord seizing Ezekiel, grabbing him by the hair and almost dragging him where he wants him to go. The content of the visions and dreams are just as unsettling. Ezekiel is shown all kinds of terrifying things about the future. About the people of Israel and their idolatry. About the judgment of the Lord and the suffering they will endure. It had to be heavy. So how do we make sense of it all? Especially in the 21st century?

The Book of Ezekiel is written in a style known as “apocalyptic.” Not unique to the Bible, it has parallels in a lot of other ancient near east cultures. It has several features we need to keep in mind as we read if we are to understand. 

• Revelation - The word, “apokalypsis” in the Greek means “revelation” or “disclosure.” Apocalyptic literature is marked by a direct revelation from God to a seer or prophet, usually in visions or dreams, who then writes down what he sees.

• Mystery - The meaning of the visions are often shrouded in mystery. They might refer to past, current, or future events. They may include strange images from the world beyond. While the seer or prophet may write them down in great detail, decifering them is a significant challenge.

• Symbolism - The visions are rife with symbols drawn from nature, ancient near east mythology, astral phenomena, etc. These symbols are used by the seer or prophet to make sense of what he sees and may represent coded language so that any correspondence would be able to pass through imperial censors who were probably screening their mail.

• Resistance Literature - Because the prophet is typically writing from an “exilic” perspective where he and his people live under oppression, his focus is on the future rather than the present. The visions are meant to provide hope to a people who are suffering.

• God is sovereign - The overarching message of the apocalyptic genre in the Bible is that God reigns. He is supreme. He will judge the nations. He will have the final victory. Despite their present conditions, God’s people are to place their trust in Him.

Need an example? Well, consider the strange scene we read about in chapter four where Ezekiel lays on his side for 390 days and 40 days respectively to atone for the sins of each kingdom. The 390 days represents the 390 years between the apostasy of Jeroboam of the Northern Kingdom of Israel when he set up idols for his people to worship and the Babylonian Captivity that Ezekiel is now experiencing. (975-c. 583 BC) The forty days represents the final years of apostasy of the Southern Kingdom of Judah. Taken together, the 430 days, representing 430 years, matches the same number of years Israel was enslaved in Egypt before the Exodus. What this vision is intended to convey is hope. Hope because the same God who delivered His people slavery in Egypt is the same God who will deliver them from bondage in Babylon. God will repeat what He has done and save them again but only after they have returned to Him with all their hearts. 

What does any of this have to do with us? Wise and discerning Christians will see the similarities between the apostasy/exile of Israel and the reality of our own apostasy/exile in the church. We too have a need for God to raise up faithful “watchmen and women” who will proclaim the Word of God with boldness. Prophets who will speak God’s truth regardless of how it is received. Men and women who understand their first call is to please Christ rather than people. This is just as hard for us today as it was for Ezekiel back then. And it is the job of every Christian. The call of every single person who claims to follow Jesus.

Readings for tomorrow: Ezekiel 9-12

Why it Matters - Calling

Readings for today: Ezekiel 1-4

I remember when I was first called into gospel ministry. It happened almost at the same time as my conversion. I was a student at the University of Colorado in Boulder. I had recently become a Christian and I couldn’t stop telling others about Jesus. It felt like an internal pressure I couldn’t resist. A burning passion in my heart to share the good news. I wanted everyone to know about this Jesus who had changed my life forever. I led Bible studies. Engaged in apologetic debates with classmates and friends. I served in leadership in my campus ministry. Someone along the way asked me if I had ever thought about being a pastor. From that moment on, I couldn’t imagine doing anything else. 

The years have not been easy. Pastors literally battle principalities and powers and spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly ream on a daily basis. We walk with people through the most difficult times in their lives. Addiction. Abuse. Depression. Suicidal ideation. Physical and emotional trauma. We are on call twenty four hours a day and seven days a week because tragedy never takes a day off. Along the way, we preach sermons, lead ministries, disciple believers, and try to find ways to shepherd a community of people towards the Kingdom. Those we love and serve struggle with sin. They often fight the will of God. Far too many abandon the faith altogether and we feel every loss viscerally. Perhaps that’s why pastoral ministry is considered by some measures to be hazardous to one’s health! 

At the same time, pastors are not the only ones who struggle. Every single Christian is called by God. Called by God to share Christ. Called by God to serve Christ. It could be in business. Education. Politics. Construction. Sales. Homemaking. And each of these callings comes at a cost. It creates a burden we have to bear and it’s never easy. Not in my experience. Ezekiel understood the cost. He knew the call was not to fortune and fame. He would not be a social media influencer or attract thousands with his preaching. Instead, he would struggle and battle and fight for the soul of his people. It would be hard and he would grow tired and be tempted to throw in the towel. Listen to how God describes it, "He said to me, “Son of man, stand on your feet and I will speak with you.” As he spoke to me, a wind came into me and stood me on my feet, and I heard the one speaking to me. He said to me, “Son of man, I am sending you to the house of Israel, to rebellious nations who have rebelled against me; both they and their fathers have revolted against me to this very day. The people to whom I am sending you are obstinate and hard-hearted, and you must say to them, ‘This is what the sovereign Lord says.’ And as for them, whether they listen or not – for they are a rebellious house – they will know that a prophet has been among them. But you, son of man, do not fear them, and do not fear their words – even though briers and thorns surround you and you live among scorpions – do not fear their words and do not be terrified of the looks they give you, for they are a rebellious house! You must speak my words to them whether they listen or not, for they are rebellious.” (Ezekiel‬ ‭2‬:‭1‬-‭7‬ ‭NET‬‬) Whew. You mean I won’t lead a megachurch? You mean my “brand” will suffer? You mean I won’t be comfortable and well-esteemed and make a good living? You mean my kids won’t always make the right decisions? You mean I won’t always close the deal? You mean my caseload may be heavy? You mean I may be attacked for what I believe? You mean my business may not succeed? You mean I won’t always have success? No indeed. Quite the opposite. In order for Ezekiel to fulfill his calling, God is going to have strengthen him. “But the house of Israel is unwilling to listen to you, because they are not willing to listen to me, for the whole house of Israel is hard-headed and hard-hearted. “I have made your face adamant to match their faces, and your forehead hard to match their foreheads. I have made your forehead harder than flint – like diamond! Do not fear them or be terrified of the looks they give you, for they are a rebellious house.” (Ezekiel‬ ‭3‬:‭7‬-‭9‬ ‭NET‬‬) Notice there’s not talk of balance here. No talk of self-care. No talk of Ezekiel’s well-being. This isn’t about him. It’s about the call of God on his life and the sacrifice God is asking him to make. 

Far too many people I know struggle with their calling. And I don’t want to diminish their pain in any way. The suffering is real. Trust me, I know. However, I do find too many hold unrealistic expectations. They make false assumptions that answering God’s call will not cost them personally or professionally. They make the mistake of thinking it shouldn’t impact their family life. They believe their calling can be accomplished in a forty hour work week and the church or their students or their business or perhaps even God has no right to demand more. They have a hard time with criticism. They almost can’t believe it when people walk away from them. They seem shocked when sinners show their true colors. I get it. I feel the frustration myself. But then I go to God’s Word. I read about the calling God places on people like Abraham, Joseph, Moses, Deborah, David, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Elizabeth, Mary, Peter, and Paul. I pay particular attention to the calling our Father placed on His Son. And I realize my expectations are themselves sinful and self-centered. My life is not my own. I was bought at a price and God has every right to use me as He so chooses. My job is simply to trust Him come what may. 

Readings for tomorrow: Ezekiel 5-8

Why it Matters - Self-Examination

Readings for today: Lamentations 3:37-5:22

One of the blessings of suffering is an opportunity for self-examination. A chance to reflect and consider the ways I may have contributed to the pain I am experiencing. It’s all too easy to blame others when we suffer. I think of a conversation I had recently with a young person who was talking about the trauma they experienced in high school. I have no doubt it was hard. I have no doubt they were bullied at times. I have no doubt they didn’t always get the support they needed. However, as I pointed out to them, they too bear some responsibility for the pain they experienced. They skipped class. They refused to listen to their teachers. They ignored their parents. All these things contributed to what they suffered. The same is often true when I counsel couples who are struggling in their marriage. It is extremely rare that only one spouse is at fault. Usually there is blame to go around. The same was often true when I counseled inmates in prison. Yes, there are variety of social factors that may have contributed to their criminal activity but they also bear responsibility for what they have done.

It’s why I find the honesty in Lamentations refreshing. Jeremiah, the author of the book, doesn’t just blame God. He doesn’t just blame the Babylonians. He doesn’t just blame the kings of his nation. He recognizes all of God’s people are to blame on some level for the ways they contributed to their own destruction. “Why should any living person complain when punished for their sins?” (Lamentations 3:39 NET) He openly acknowledges the rebellion of God’s people against the Lord which is why he calls for self-examination in the midst of all their suffering. “Let us carefully examine our ways, and let us return to the Lord. Let us lift up our hearts and our hand to the God in heaven.” (Lamentations 3:40-41 NET) Jeremiah knows God is faithful. He knows God is merciful. He knows God is compassionate. Because he knows this about God, he is confident that when he calls on God in prayer, He will answer. “I have called on your name, O Lord, from the deepest pit. You have heard my plea: Do not close your ears to my cry for relief! You came near on the day I called to you; you said, Do not fear! O Lord, you championed my cause, you redeemed my life.” (Lamentations 3:55-58 NET) Jeremiah knows if we repent and turn to God, He will draw us into His loving embrace once again.

Repentance requires honest self-examination. It requires humble acknowledgement of all the ways we have sinned. It requires us to take responsibility for our failures rather than try to shift the blame to someone else. It’s why the discipline of regular self-examination has always been a pillar of the Christian life. I think of the Jesuits who practice the “Daily Examen.” A rigorous process of self-examination where they ruthlessly cut through all the lies we tell ourselves to get to the heart of whether or not their thoughts, words, deeds, and desires have honored God. There are many other methods as well. The point is to remain as honest and humble before God as possible so we can grow in the likeness of Christ even when we are experiencing pain and suffering.

Readings for tomorrow: Ezekiel 1-4

Why it Matters - Lament

Readings for today: Lamentations 1:1-3:36

We’ve lost the ability to lament in our culture. The ability to sit in our pain. Embrace hardship and suffering. Honestly grapple with our fears and failures. I remember officiating a funeral years ago. A young woman had been tragically killed in a murder suicide. Hey ex-boyfriend had kidnapped her and taken her to the western slope where he shot her and then turned the gun on himself. She left a six year old son behind. At the funeral, all anyone could talk about was her partying. They made light of her alcoholic and drug-addicted lifestyle. They pretended like she was a wonderful mom when by all accounts, she had neglected her son. As the pastor, it was my job to close the service with words of hope. They were hard to find. I can still see that young boy sitting by his grandmother in the front row. I focused on him. I treated the time as if he and I were the only two people in the room. I told him what happened was a tragedy. I told him it was okay to cry. Okay to feel pain. Okay to grieve. I told him his mom wasn’t perfect and she made some tragic choices in her life and it was okay to feel angry about them. Most of all, I told him it was okay to bring all those emotions to God. To be honest and real with God. To let God know how he was feeling and I told him God would meet him there. I have no idea how much of it stuck. The boy was six years old after all. But the message definitely landed with many others who attended. They were thankful someone had the courage to deal with the reality of what happened rather than pretend. I can’t tell you how many funerals over the years that I’ve officiated at where I’ve had to do something similar. We just don’t know what to do with pain. We don’t know how to honestly grieve. We don’t know how to lament.

The Book of Lamentations is not easy. Mainly because we’re so uncomfortable with the idea of lament. It’s not something we practice. It’s not something we accept in society. We much prefer rage. We much prefer bitterness. We much prefer self-righteousness. We much prefer numbness which is why we seem to have a pill for every pain a person can possibly experience. Jeremiah, however, is not afraid of lament. He is not afraid to get honest and real and raw with God. Listen to his words again from Lamentations 3:1-9 NET, “I am the man who has experienced affliction from the rod of his wrath. He drove me into captivity and made me walk in darkness and not light. He repeatedly attacks me, he turns his hand against me all day long. He has made my mortal skin waste away; he has broken my bones. He has besieged and surrounded me with bitter hardship. He has made me reside in deepest darkness like those who died long ago. He has walled me in so that I cannot get out; he has weighted me down with heavy prison chains. Also, when I cry out desperately for help, he has shut out my prayer. He has blocked every road I take with a wall of hewn stones; he has made every path impassable.” Jeremiah is talking about God. He is talking to God about his pain and suffering and he is not afraid to blame God for making it all happen. He knows God will hear his prayers. He knows God already knows how he feels. And he trusts God even with the depths of his despair. But he doesn’t end there.

Biblical lament doesn’t just plumb the depths of pain and suffering, it also offers hope. After we’ve honestly grappled with all that has happened to us. After we’ve wrestled honestly with why it has happened and our part in bringing it about. Our hearts turn to hope. Not in us. Not in a turn of fortune. Not in a second chance. But hope in God. “The Lord’s loyal kindness never ceases; his compassions never end. They are fresh every morning; your faithfulness is abundant! “My portion is the Lord,” I have said to myself, so I will put my hope in him. The Lord is good to those who trust in him, to the one who seeks him. It is good to wait patiently for deliverance from the Lord. It is good for a man to bear the yoke while he is young.” (Lamentations‬ ‭3‬:‭22‬-‭27‬ ‭NET‬‬) Lament always turns us back to hope and that’s why it’s a critical spiritual discipline. It lifts our eyes heavenward even in the midst of our pain. It reminds us God is still good, still on the throne, and still in the business of deliverance.

Readings for tomorrow: Lamentations 3:37-5:22

Why it Matters - Suffering

Readings for today: Jeremiah 51, Psalms 137

Today’s reading is a gut-wrenching one. It is a song sung from the perspective of those recently exiled to Babylon. Force-marched over 900 miles, they arrive at the Euphrates. Held captive and enslaved, they have lost all hope. They had just witnessed the destruction of their entire way of life. They come to the waters of Babylon and they sit and they weep. Their cries fill the air. They share their memories of better days when they walked the streets of Zion. They are so heartbroken, they long to hang up their instruments and sing no more but their captors force them. Adding insult to injury, they mock them saying, “Sing us one of the songs of Zion.” Sing us one of the songs of deliverance. Tell us stories about the God who abandoned you in your hour of greatest need. It is an incredibly heartbreaking scene. 

It reminds me of so many conversations I’ve had with different people from around the world who’ve undergone similar suffering. North Korean refugees. Survivors of genocide in Rwanda. Victims of starvation in South Sudan. Those who escaped child slavery in the Lord’s Resistance Army in Uganda. The persecuted in Ethiopia or China. Their stories bring tears to your eyes. Their raw emotion is moving. And perhaps the most amazing part about it all is their miraculous capacity to forgive.

Psalm 137 doesn’t end with forgiveness. Quite the opposite. It ends with a terrible request, “O daughter Babylon, soon to be devastated! How blessed will be the one who repays you for what you dished out to us! How blessed will be the one who grabs your babies and smashes them on a rock!” (Psalms‬ ‭137‬:‭8‬-‭9‬‬ NET) It is horrifying and yet it is as honest and real as it gets. By including it in the canon of Scripture, God is not promising to answer such prayers as much as letting us know He listens to them. No matter how dark our prayers become. No matter how angry we get. Even if we lace our prayers with profanity and frustration. God hears them. God welcomes them. God is a big boy and can handle all we can throw at Him. He is not afraid to get down into the muck and mire. He’s not afraid to dig through the manure pile that our lives can become. He is with us in the midst of the deepest heartaches and terrible tragedies. It doesn’t matter whether we find ourselves in Jerusalem or Babylon. At home or in exile. Feeling blessed or cursed. God is there. We can talk to Him. We can share our deepest thoughts and emotions with Him. We don’t need to be ashamed. We don’t need to hide. He is our Father and He understands our fears. 

Readings for tomorrow: No devotionals on Sundays

Why it Matters - Champion

Readings for today: Jeremiah 49-50

There is nothing like knowing God is on your side. With God as your champion, you can endure every hardship. You can overcome every obstacle. You can persevere through every trial. With God as your champion, the battle is already won. The power of sin is already broken. The defeat of evil has already been accomplished. With God as your champion, no weapon that is formed against you can stand. No scheme of the enemy can prevail. No attack against you will succeed. God is your strength. God is your redeemer. God is your protector. God is the strong warrior who stands at your side.

Consider all Jeremiah has gone through in his life. He has been to the mountaintop and he has lived in the valley of deep shadow and despair. He has been imprisoned. He has been beaten. He has been ostracized by society. He has been persecuted in so many ways. But as he watches his beloved city fall and his beloved people get carried off into exile, he is preserved. God protects him. God keeps him safe. Not only that but God gives him a promise. One day, the Babylonians will fall. One day, they too will be overcome. One day, the Lord will bring His judgment against them and deliver His people yet again. Why? God is faithful. He is faithful to His promises. He is faithful to His covenant. He loves Israel with an everlasting love. And He loves us the same.

How do I know the God of Israel stands at my side? Jesus Christ. He literally came to earth to be with me. To show me the lengths He is willing to go to save me. Like Jeremiah, Jesus spoke the truth. Like Jeremiah, Jesus was beaten. Jesus was betrayed. Jesus was imprisoned. But unlike Jeremiah, Jesus was not saved. He went to His death in accordance with God’s perfect plan. He laid down His life in order that we might be redeemed. Listen again to how Jeremiah describes it and rejoice in God’s faithfulness to you and to His people…

“The Lord who rules over all says, “The people of Israel are oppressed. So too are the people of Judah. All those who took them captive are holding them prisoners. They refuse to set them free. But the one who will rescue them is strong. He is known as the Lord who rules over all. He will strongly champion their cause. As a result he will bring peace and rest to the earth, but trouble and turmoil to the people who inhabit Babylonia.” (Jeremiah‬ ‭50‬:‭33‬-‭34‬ ‭NET‬‬)

Readings for tomorrow: Jeremiah 51, Psalms 137

Why it Matters - Blessed

Readings for today: Jeremiah 45-48

Sometimes I wonder why God is interested in my life. Of all the billions of people who live or who have ever lived on this earth, why in the world would God take time for me? I’m not all that important. I’m not all that significant. My life is pretty mundane as a general rule. I get up. Brush my teeth. Take a shower. Go to work. Come home. Eat dinner. Spend time with my family. Watch a show or read a good book. God has a cosmos to run. He has a universe to rule. He’s got nations to raise up and take down. Why would He take an interest in me?

Then I read this Word today for Baruch in Jeremiah 45. In the middle of one of the major prophetic books of the Bible which details the future empires and nations, God takes time out to address Baruch. Jeremiah’s scribe. His secretary. A man who barely makes a blip on the radar screen. We don’t know much about Baruch other than he was devoted to Jeremiah. He served as his scribe. His disciple. His faithful friend. He sticks with Jeremiah through thick and thin. Through all the ups and downs. He must have loved Jeremiah very much to share in his sufferings. According to Josephus, an ancient Jewish historian, Baruch was a member of the Jewish aristocracy. A chamberlain in King Zedekiah’s court. He was clearly a courageous man as he often acted as Jeremiah’s messenger and mouthpiece. He risked all kinds of danger to make known the Word of God. And God recognized his efforts.

“The Lord God of Israel has a message for you, Baruch. ‘You have said, “I feel so hopeless! For the Lord has added sorrow to my suffering. I am worn out from groaning. I can’t find any rest.”’ The Lord told Jeremiah, “Tell Baruch, ‘The Lord says, “I am about to tear down what I have built and to uproot what I have planted. I will do this throughout the whole earth. Are you looking for great things for yourself? Do not look for such things. For I, the Lord, affirm that I am about to bring disaster on all humanity. But I will allow you to escape with your life wherever you go.” (Jeremiah‬ ‭45‬:‭2‬-‭5‬ ‭NET‬‬‬‬) Baruch clearly went through times of depression. Times of deep discouragement. I am sure he despaired as he looked around at what was happening to his country. But God was faithful. He let Baruch know how and why these things would come to pass but also promised to preserve his life. No matter where Baruch went, God would be with him. He would protect him and provide for him. He would be blessed. (By the way, Baruch literally means “blessed” in Hebrew.)

What about you? How are you feeling as you survey the landscape of our nation today? What emotions rise up in your heart as you watch the news or scroll through social media? Have you found yourself - like Baruch - crying out to God saying, “These are bad times for me! It’s one thing after another. God is piling on the pain. I’m worn out and there’s no end in sight.” I know my own feelings of despair as I consider the mountain of gospel work that must be done in my church family, in my community, in our nation, and around the world. It is daunting to say the least! I believe God is breaking down what He has built and plucking up what He has planted in order to draw the world to Himself. In the midst of all that is happening, do I trust God to be faithful? To protect and preserve my life for as long as He wills? Do I trust God to be with me as I walk through the valley of the shadow of death? Am I willing to put the work in to be a blessing even if that means confronting the powers and principalities of our own world just as Baruch confronted the powers and principalities in his?

Readings for tomorrow: Jeremiah 49-50

Why it Matters - Comfort

Readings for today: Obadiah 1, Psalms 82-83

When my oldest daughter was in high school, her swim coach constantly told her she needed to “get comfortable being uncomfortable.” Her point was that swimming was not easy. It engaged every muscle in the body. The water provided resistance at every point. And if my daughter was going to swim the 500 (!!!), she would need to become comfortable feeling exhausted and pushing through. Leaving everything in the pool. As a former athlete myself, I loved it. I loved watching my daughter fight her way to every finish line and she still swims competitively to this day.

Human beings seem to crave comfort. We like comfort food. We like comfortable beds. We keep our homes at a comfortable temperature. All of that depends on where one lives, of course, and the access to the right resources. But even in societies that are not wealthy, there is still a desire for comfort. The same was true in the ancient world. Listen to the words of the prophet Obadiah as he describes Edom and her pride. “Your presumptuous heart has deceived you – you who reside in the safety of the rocky cliffs, whose home is high in the mountains. You think to yourself, ‘No one can bring me down to the ground!’ Even if you were to soar high like an eagle, even if you were to make your nest among the stars, I can bring you down even from there!” says the Lord.” (Obadiah‬ ‭1‬:‭3‬-‭4‬ ‭NET‬‬) Edom stood by as her ancient ancestral neighbor fell. You may remember that Esau and Jacob were brothers. Edom and Israel were their direct descendants. So when Edom rejoices over Jerusalem’s destruction and even participates in the looting, God is offended by the betrayal. Edom falsely believed she was safe and secure. She believed her geography would protect her. She believed her mountainous terrain was impregnable. Perhaps she even thought she could take advantage of Judah’s misfortune by expanding her territory. But the judgment of God was approaching and what they had done to Judah would be done to them. Their destruction would be so complete, they would disappear from history.

Presumption. Comfort. Taking God’s grace and blessings for granted. Assuming life will always be up and to the right. These are common temptations we can fall into if we are not careful. God has a greater goal for our lives than our personal comfort. He has a greater purpose for our lives than safety and security. God isn’t interested in making us happy so much as making us like Jesus. And that requires denying oneself and picking up a cross. The very definition of discomfort! So get comfortable being uncomfortable especially if you want to follow Jesus!

Readings for tomorrow: Jeremiah 45-48

Why it Matters - Hope

Readings for today: Jeremiah 41-44

There is nothing worse than losing hope. It depletes our strength. It saps us of all motivation. It drives us to despair. I have sat with so many over the years who’ve lost hope. It could be a medical condition like cancer or Alzheimer’s or ALS. It could be a business loss or a job loss or some other financial disaster. It could be a broken marriage or a broken relationship with a child or parent. It could be a general feeling of hopelessness when one looks at the world around them. Human beings don’t deal with the loss of hope well. We tend to turn to self-destructive behaviors.

Another thing I’ve found is that hope is only as good as the object on which it rests. The reality is what a lot of people call hope is actually nothing more than wishful thinking. I think of the parents who spend thousands of dollars “hoping” their kid gets a scholarship to play sports in college even though only about 7% of high school athletes actually achieve this distinction. I think of the businessman or woman who leverages all they have, “hoping” to score the big deal or hit on the latest “get rich quick” scheme. I think of the many people I know who “hope” they’ve been good enough for God to let them into heaven. It’s all a roll of the dice and that’s not hope. Not in the biblical sense at least.

Jeremiah understood the difference between hope and wishful thinking which is why he called God’s people to place their hope in the Lord. He knew going to Egypt was a roll of the dice. He knew there was little chance they could stand against the power of Babylon. Furthermore, the Lord had revealed the future to him. He knew what would happen if the people fled to Egypt. Babylon would pursue them there and Nebuchadnezzar would set up his throne in the very place where they sought refuge. As always, the people had a choice. Place their hope in God or trust their own instincts for self-preservation. Listen to how God puts it to them yet again in our passage today. It’s a remarkable statement of mercy and grace to a people who had done nothing to deserve it. “If you will just stay in this land, I will build you up. I will not tear you down. I will firmly plant you. I will not uproot you. For I am filled with sorrow because of the disaster that I have brought on you. Do not be afraid of the king of Babylon whom you now fear. Do not be afraid of him because I will be with you to save you and to rescue you from his power. I, the Lord, affirm it! I will have compassion on you so that he in turn will have mercy on you and allow you to return to your land.’” (Jeremiah‬ ‭42‬:‭10‬-‭12‬ ‭NET‬‬)

I am with you to save you. I am with you to rescue you. I will grant you compassion. I will ensure your return to the Promised Land. As crazy as it sounds, this is not wishful thinking because it comes as a declaration from God Himself. A statement of fact about the future. And God is always true to His promises. I love how Romans 4:21 describes faith as “being fully convinced God is able to do what He’s promised.” This is the faith that was credited to Abraham as righteousness and it is the faith that is credited to us as well if we place our hope in God.

Readings for tomorrow: Obadiah 1, Psalms 82, 83