The Blessing of Being Powerless

Readings for today: Job 26-27, Acts 11

“Sheol is naked before God, and Abaddon has no covering. He stretches out the north over the void and hangs the earth on nothing. He binds up the waters in his thick clouds, and the cloud is not split open under them. He covers the face of the full moon and spreads over it his cloud. He has inscribed a circle on the face of the waters at the boundary between light and darkness. The pillars of heaven tremble and are astounded at his rebuke. By his power he stilled the sea; by his understanding he shattered Rahab. By his wind the heavens were made fair; his hand pierced the fleeing serpent. Behold, these are but the outskirts of his ways, and how small a whisper do we hear of him! But the thunder of his power who can understand?” (Job‬ ‭26:6-14‬)

Job is starting to come to the end of himself here. His rage is spent. His anger is losing steam. His frustrations and protests are starting to lack conviction as he remembers who it is he is contending with. God is all-powerful. Job is powerless. God is all-knowing. Job is ignorant. God is immense. Job is small. There is nothing hidden from God. Everything is hidden from Job in his ruined estate. As crazy as it sounds, I actually believe these verses represent a hinge point in the narrative. Job has reached the null point of his pain and suffering and still acknowledges the sovereignty of God. Yes, there will still be protests from Job but those are the final skirmishes in this battle he’s been fighting for so many chapters. Job has come to a place of complete helplessness. Complete hopelessness. Complete despair. He has hit rock bottom which is where he will finally get his wish. He will meet God face to face.

I think about my own life. I think about how easy it is for me to rely on my own strength. My own resources. My own abilities. I am a blessed man. I have a wife of 25 years with whom I am falling more deeply in love. I have four wonderful children with whom I have a great relationship. I live among my extended family who I get to see on a regular basis. I have a job I absolutely love and a church family I am honored to serve. I get to work not only with gifted colleagues but dear friends. I’ve been invited into and given leadership positions in a variety of areas of passion both personally and professionally. I live in a beautiful state. A beautiful community. A beautiful home. My wife and I make plenty of money. My body is relatively strong. My mind is relatively sharp. My needs are few. But if I am honest, I must confess all these blessings make me forget about God.

Don’t get me wrong, I think about God all the time but do I think about God rightly? Am I giving Him His due? Am I truly aware of His greatness and glory? Job’s words here are deeply convicting. They remind me of the error of my ways. I too often take God for granted. I too often forget the great chasm that exists between us. Blissfully ignorant and enjoying the good things in life, I fail to recognize God’s sovereign power. I fail to give Him the honor and thank Him for the blessings He has bestowed upon me. I too easily fall into the trap of assuming these things have come from my own work. My own labor. My own striving and success. I forget my utter powerlessness and helplessness and foolishness and smallness before the Lord.

As I think back over the course of my life, I have met God most profoundly in the most broken places. The places where I have no control. The places where I am most utterly hopeless and alone. God has made Himself known to me there and opened me up to all sorts of new possibilities. He has ministered to me in a special way and given me a deep experience of His faithful, abiding, steadfast love. It is when I am weak that I experience God’s strength. It is when I am poor that I experience God’s richest provision. It is when I am foolish that I seek God’s wisdom. It is when I am anxious that I experience the peace that passes my understanding. This is a paradox to be sure and yet it is essential to grasp if one is to follow Jesus. We must walk as He walked. We must live as He lived. We must embrace a life of utter dependence on our Heavenly Father, trusting Him to guide us and protect us and provide for us and, at the end of our lives, welcome us to our true home.

Readings for tomorrow: Job 28-30, Acts 12

Miraculous Gifts

Readings for today: Job 24-25, Acts 10:9-48

Greg Daniels posted a great set of questions that arise from today’s reading. “In the early days of the Church, what we now call the miraculous gifts of apostleship, prophecy, tongues, healing, and miracles were common. A big question for the Church today is, have these gifts ceased to be (cessationism), or are they continuing (continuationism)? What do you think, do healings still occur? Do people still speak in tongues? Is there still new revelation by prophecy?”

For those who may be unfamiliar with the debate, there are those in the church today who argue the miraculous gifts of the Spirit have “ceased” (cessationism) because we have the Scriptures. Though the early church did have access to the Old Testament, they didn’t have access to the gospels or the epistles from Paul, Peter, James, John, etc. as they were still being written. Therefore - as the argument goes - the Holy Spirit provided miraculous signs that “authenticated” the message being preached but once the Bible came into its full and complete form, the need for such signs was no longer necessary since Scripture provides all the authentication the gospel needs. On the flip side are those who believe the miraculous gifts still exist today. They point to the fact that the Bible itself never says the signs will cease and in fact includes the miraculous sign gifts right alongside the other, more ordinary spiritual gifts when it lists them out. So unless we are going to suggest the gifts of teaching or preaching or evangelism have ceased as well, we should remain exegetically consistent. Furthermore, “continuists” point to the prevalence of miraculous signs especially in areas around the world where the gospel is being introduced for the first time. There are many reports of miraculous healings, tongues, prophecies, etc.

To put my cards on the table, I am a continuationist. I believe all the signs are still in operation and I believe God grants such signs for the building up of the Body of Christ, to further the gospel, and to bring glory to Himself. We see all these dynamics on display in the story we read from Acts 10. Peter receives a vision from the Lord in response to a prayer from an unbelieving Gentile centurion. It’s a new revelation regarding Gentile inclusion in the Kingdom of God. Peter goes to Cornelius and Cornelius welcomes him with open arms, asking him to preach. Peter preaches the gospel and here’s what happens next…

“While Peter was still saying these things, the Holy Spirit fell on all who heard the word. And the believers from among the circumcised who had come with Peter were amazed, because the gift of the Holy Spirit was poured out even on the Gentiles. For they were hearing them speaking in tongues and extolling God. Then Peter declared, “Can anyone withhold water for baptizing these people, who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?” And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they asked him to remain.” (Acts‬ ‭10:44-48‬)

Note the Gentile believers were speaking in tongues, amazing the Jewish believers. Further, they understood that these new believers were “extolling God” meaning there was either an interpretation being given simultaneously so everyone could understand and celebrate what God had done or these new believers were actually speaking in known languages like what had happened on Pentecost. Peter then proceeds to baptize them all thus fulfilling the prophetic word he had received from the Lord.

It’s a powerful passage that holds great relevance for us today. The eminent church historian, Philip Jenkins, has provocatively suggested that the church of the 21st century will be traditional in its ethics, orthodox in its doctrine, supernatural in its power, and centered in the Global South. Africa will have over 1 billion Christians by 2050. Latin America over 650 million. Asia over 600 million. The growth of Christianity in North America will continue to slow to a crawl and will face steep decline in Europe. As the faces of Christianity continue to change, one will expect the influence of theologians and pastors and ministry leaders from these areas of the world to begin to dominate the landscape. No longer will the theological tone be set by the Reformation of the 16th century in Western Europe but by the Reformation taking place in Ethiopia, Uganda, China, Nigeria, Brazil and Mexico. This new movement is decidedly Pentecostal. It is boldly Charismatic. The preaching of the gospel in these countries is often accompanied by signs and wonders and miracles. It all sounds very “New Testament” to me and I’ve experienced it’s impact firsthand.

I have seen miraculous healings. I have witnessed a resurrection. I personally received the gift of tongues a few years ago during a time of prayer in Ethiopia. I have also witnessed abuses. Faith healers claiming to heal when they did not. False prophets claiming new revelation from the Lord that never comes true. People speaking publicly in worship in all sorts of tongues with no interpretation. This is where we have to test everything according to Scripture. God will not contradict Himself. He will not say one thing in His Word and another to a pastor or prophet. Again, the Bible is clear. The spiritual gifts are given to build up the Body of Christ. They are given to further the mission of the gospel. They are given to bring God all the glory. Any attempt to use the gifts to make our name great, to exploit the members of the Body of Christ, or to further our own kingdom on earth must be rejected forcefully. This is especially true when it comes to prosperity preaching or false prophecy which is so prevalent in our culture today.

Readings for tomorrow: Job 26-27, Acts 11

Courage to Care

Readings for today: Job 19-23, Acts 9:23-10:8

There is nothing worse than feeling abandoned. Nothing worse than feeling all alone. Nothing worse than feeling like those closest to you have pulled away. Those closest to you have walked away. This is especially true when you are in pain. When you are struggling with a physical or mental illness or addiction. I think of the heartbreak of this past year. Hundreds of thousands of people dying from COVID. Their pain compounded by the fact that many of them died alone. The draconian restrictions preventing so many from being at the bedside of those they loved as they passed from this life to the next. I think of the many people I know who need community to successful fight their addiction. Their isolation led to relapse. Their loneliness led to despair. Rates of substance abuse and suicide due to overdose rose dramatically.

The Bible is clear. It is not good for us to be alone. We were not meant to do this life on our own. Especially when we are suffering. Job’s words are especially heartbreaking this morning. “He has put my brothers far from me, and those who knew me are wholly estranged from me. My relatives have failed me, my close friends have forgotten me. The guests in my house and my maidservants count me as a stranger; I have become a foreigner in their eyes. I call to my servant, but he gives me no answer; I must plead with him with my mouth for mercy. My breath is strange to my wife, and I am a stench to the children of my own mother. Even young children despise me; when I rise they talk against me. All my intimate friends abhor me, and those whom I loved have turned against me. My bones stick to my skin and to my flesh, and I have escaped by the skin of my teeth. Have mercy on me, have mercy on me, O you my friends, for the hand of God has touched me! Why do you, like God, pursue me? Why are you not satisfied with my flesh?” (Job‬ ‭19:13-22‬)

Can you imagine how it must have felt for Job to be abandoned in his hour of greatest need? Here was a man who had dedicated his life to comforting others. Dedicated his life to caring for others. He had built a reputation for godliness in his community. He was engaged. He was connected. He was faithful. But when push came to shove and the roles were reversed, he was all alone. His community failed him. His family failed him. His servants failed him. His friends failed him. Even his wife left him. He had no one. No one to comfort him. No one to help him. No one to bathe his wounds. No one to take him in. There simply is nothing worse than feeling abandoned in your hour of greatest need.

This is what makes Job’s declaration of faith even more astounding. Out of the depths of his despair, he cries, “For I know that my Redeemer lives, and at the last he will stand upon the earth. And after my skin has been thus destroyed, yet in my flesh I shall see God, whom I shall see for myself, and my eyes shall behold, and not another.” (Job‬ ‭19:25-27) He holds onto God for dear life. At the end of it all. When everything has been taken away. When all his loved ones have walked away. When he his life is full of nothing but pain and suffering. He refuses to let go of God. He refuses to relinquish his faith. No matter what happens, he will go to the grave trusting he will see God.

This raises two important questions for me this morning. First, do I have the faith of Job? If everything were taken from me, would I still believe? Would I still hold onto God? Or do I love God because of the blessings He has poured into my life? Second, do I walk away from those who are suffering? Do I pull back from those in pain? Or do I lean in? Do I remain engaged? Do I courageously and tenaciously hold onto them even if/when they try to push me away? Do I seek to comfort with the same comfort I’ve been comforted with by God? Can you imagine what would happen if the church of Jesus Christ simply made it their aim to courageously comfort those in need rather than judge or belittle or argue or abandon them? Can you imagine what would happen if we would have the courage to listen to those who are struggling, those who are in pain, rather than be so quick to speak or offer empty platitudes or unwanted advice? How often do we play the role of Job’s friends?

Readings for tomorrow: Job 24-25, Acts 10:9-48

Redemptive Suffering

Readings for today: Job 16-18, Acts 9:1-22

Painting of the Parable of the Good Samaritan by Balthasar van Cortbemde (1647)

Yesterday, I found myself wearing down in a long conversation as I advocated for the truth of the gospel. After hours of talking, I went to bed tired and frustrated by the whole affair. It isn’t easy to take up the plight of the poor. To fight for the oppressed. To defend the marginalized. And then I began to think about all the dear friends and loved ones I have here at home and around the world who live this reality. Day in and day out, they suffer. They experience pain and heartache. They endure injustice. There is no end to it all. And they aren’t the only ones who struggle. I think about the impoverished. Those who live day to day, searching for food and water. I think about the aged. Those who are losing their minds and whose bodies are failing. I think about those who are battling mental health issues. I think about their mental anguish. The daily fight to get out of bed. The pain of this world is simply overwhelming. 

I think about my own struggles over the years. I think about what it was like to lose our first child. The numbness followed by the deep grief. The tears I shed. The pain I felt when the doctor walked us through all the problems he had. No ribs. No lungs. No limbs. Fluid buildup. Heart failure. It was like one blow after another. A relentless onslaught. How did Job put it? “He breaks me with breach upon breach; he runs upon me like a warrior.” (Job 16:14) I think about our time in Wisconsin. Reaching the point of deep brokenness in our marriage. Coming face to face with my deepest insecurities and fears. Feeling overwhelmed on a daily basis. Nowhere to run. Nowhere to hide. I blamed You, God. I fought with You, God. For months I paced the floor, crying out to You all night long. I barely got any sleep and when I did it was anxious and restless. You stripped my life down to the studs. You took everything from me that I could possibly hold onto. There were nights I prayed for it all to end. I said with Job, “My spirit is broken; my days are extinct; the graveyard is ready for me.” (Job 17:1)

But then, in the middle of the deep darkness, I discovered a profound truth. When I hit rock bottom and had nothing left, I found You. You were there waiting for me. And You showed Yourself sufficient for all my needs. You comforted me. You nursed me back to health. You gave me hope. You renewed your promise. I think of Job’s statement of faith at the end of chapter 16, “There must be Someone in heaven who knows the truth about me, in highest heaven, some Attorney who can clear my name— My Champion, my Friend, while I’m weeping my eyes out before God. I appeal to the One who represents mortals before God as a neighbor stands up for a neighbor. (Job 16:19-21 MSG) At the end of all things, I found Jesus. The Alpha and the Omega. The first and the last. He was there all along. He heard my cries. He endured my rage. He wiped my tears. He heard my heart. He met me in my suffering. He came to me when all hope seemed lost. My faith was renewed. My life never the same. It was like a second conversion. A confirmation of the Psalmist’s promise that even when we walk through the valley of the shadow of death we do not need to fear for God is with us. 

I look back on that time and, while I would not wish it on my worst enemy, I wouldn’t trade it for the world. To come to the end of oneself, one must truly come to the end of oneself. To deny oneself and pick up a cross, one has to endure incredible suffering and pain. To discover the depths of the sufficiency of God and His grace, one must be stripped of all things they might be tempted to seek solace in instead. It’s not easy to tear down the idols of one’s life or to have them torn down for you by God Himself. It’s not easy to let God truly have His way. To let Him break you of the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life. When He cuts, He cuts deep. To the heart. It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the Living God. His Word is like a double-edged sword “piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.” (Hebrews 4:12) So today I am thankful for God’s severe mercies. Thankful for His steadfast love and faithfulness. Thankful for the ways He has broken me and the ways He has bound me back up. My life is in His hands. 

Readings for tomorrow: None

Living Hope

Readings for today: Job 13-15, Acts 8:26-40

I love these words from 1 Peter - “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who by God’s power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.” (1 Peter‬ ‭1:3-5‬) They inspire me. They encourage me. They serve as a constant reminder to me that my hope is not of this world. My hope is not in the things of this world. All my achievements. All my accomplishments. Everything I might be tempted to place my trust in will eventually turn to dust.

Life in this world is hard. It is harsh and brutal. It is full of pain and suffering. The fact that I can escape most of it or mitigate it due to my wealth and position and privilege and the nation where I live doesn’t erase this fact. I have been around the world. I have seen how most people live. They wake up each morning and walk miles to work. They bear heavy burdens all day long. They drink water that is not clean. They eat food that is scarce and unhealthy. They are vulnerable to disease and violence and natural disasters like drought and famine. They get no days off. No weekends free. No vacations. They rarely travel beyond the bounds of their village or region. Death comes almost as a welcome relief from all the hardship, toil, and pain. Death comes for me as well. Death comes for us all. He is undefeated. He can only be held back for so long. Only be pushed away for a time. Eventually he will have his way with us. And his ways are often painful and terrifying. Perhaps that’s why I resonate so much with what Job says this morning…“But the mountain falls and crumbles away, and the rock is removed from its place; the waters wear away the stones; the torrents wash away the soil of the earth; so you destroy the hope of man.” (Job 14:18-19)

Nothing lasts forever. Nothing lives forever. Only God is eternal. This world is broken. Things move from order to chaos. Even the mountains eventually crumble and fall. The waters wear away the stone. The waves crash over the earth. Nothing we build will endure. Nothing we do will outlast us. No one will remember our names. No one will remember our deeds. The point of all this is to drive us to our knees in holy despair. To teach us to never place any trust in ourselves. To never hold onto any hope in this life. God sets out to destroy the hope of man not to punish but to root out the deepest sin of our souls. We are not like God. Let me say that again…we are not like God. It’s the oldest temptation, of course. The one that got Adam and Eve kicked out of the garden. The one that continues to afflict us even to this day. We believe we are like God. We believe we chart our own destinies. We believe we are the masters of our own fates. We believe we are righteous on some level before Him. But none of this is true. Not for Job. Not for Job’s friends. Not for us.

Once we have been driven to our knees. Once we’ve had everything stripped away. Once all our accomplishments have turned to dust. Once we lose all hope in ourselves and our abilities and our wisdom and our strength and our honor and our righteousness then we finally can turn to God. Our eyes will rise above the things of this world and we will discover the living hope that is ours in Christ Jesus. We will find ourselves looking forward to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading. We will trust God alone to guard our lives through faith in a salvation that one day will be revealed in all its glory.

Readings for tomorrow: Job 16-18, Acts 9:1-22

Comfort in Suffering

Readings for today: Job 10-12, Acts 8:4-25

One of the things I’ve learned over my twenty-plus years of pastoring is how to meet people in their suffering. How to best come alongside them, providing comfort and relief and a safe space to grieve. Most of the time when someone asks, “Why?” what they are really asking is “Where?” They may say things like, “Why did God allow this to happen to me? Why did God let this happen to the person I love? Why does God allow such things to happen in the world around us?” But if you try and give them the biblical or theological answer, it will fall on deaf ears. Because they don’t really want to know “why” so much as “where.” “Where was God when this happened to me? Where was God when this happened to the person I love? Where is God when such terrible and tragic things happen in the world around me?” Is He there? Is He present? Is He amidst the suffering? Does He suffer to?

Job’s friends are perfect examples of what happens when we fail to listen with our hearts. They keep listening to Job’s words and trying to answer his questions but that’s not what Job needs or wants in this moment. Job is wise. He already knows the answers to the questions he’s posing. “But I have understanding as well as you; I am not inferior to you. Who does not know such things as these?” (Job‬ ‭12:3‬) So the last thing he needs is a refresher on his theology. What he needs is his friends to simply sit with him in the ashes of his life. Weep with him over all he has lost. Listen to him as he rages at God for all that has happened. Let him get it all out. But his questions make them uncomfortable. His pain makes them uneasy. They are not courageous enough to manage their own anxiety as they listen to their dear friend grieve. So they start to respond. They start to push back. They start to correct and challenge. Rather than comfort Job, they are now trying to comfort themselves.

“Should a multitude of words go unanswered, and a man full of talk be judged right? Should your babble silence men, and when you mock, shall no one shame you? For you say, ‘My doctrine is pure, and I am clean in God’s eyes.’ But oh, that God would speak and open his lips to you, and that he would tell you the secrets of wisdom! For he is manifold in understanding. Know then that God exacts of you less than your guilt deserves.” (Job‬ ‭11:2-6‬) Zophar cannot help himself. Job’s complaints are too painful. Too raw. Too real. He feels they demand an answer. And while he gets his theology right, he could not be more wrong. He is responding to Job without love which is why his words come off sounding like a noisy gong or clashing cymbal.

Love is essential when responding to suffering. Agape love. Selfless love. Love that is patient and tender and kind. Love that never insists on its own way or draws attention to itself. This sort of love can bear the suffering of another. This sort of love can believe God is present even in those moments when life is at its most heartbreaking. This sort of love provides hope in the face of tragedy. This sort of love endures when all seems lost. This is the love Job needed from his friends. He didn’t need answers to his questions. He didn’t need a response to his rage. He simply needed friends who would listen and love him in the midst of his terrible condition.

God shows us this love. He met us in the utter tragedy of our sinful condition and became one of us. One with us. One for us. He was not afraid to sit with us in the ashes of our existence. He didn’t feel the need to correct us, judge us, or condemn us. Instead, He offers us unconditional love. While we were still sinners. Still at war with God. Still trapped in our rebellion. Still enslaved to our corrupt desires. Christ comes to us. Christ suffers for us. Christ dies for us. This is how God defines love. It’s never about Him. It’s always about us and His desire to rescue us out of our brokenness and pain. In this is love, not that we loved God but that He loved us and gave Himself up for us. This, friends, is how we show love to others. This is how we meet them in the midst of their suffering and pain. We comfort them with the same comfort Christ showed to us.

Readings for tomorrow: John 13-15, Acts 8:26-40

Fundamental Reality of Grace

Readings for today: Job 7-9, Acts 7:35-8:3

These words from Job served as a helpful if not sobering reminder to me today. I am a blessed man. I live a blessed life. I live in a country where I am given incredible freedoms and opportunity. I live in a community where health and well-being are high values. I serve a church that loves the Lord and loves others well. I work alongside some of my best friends. I am married to one of my spiritual heroes. I have four children that I adore. I could not have charted a better course for my life. At the same time, it is so easy for me to fall into the entitlement trap. It is so easy for me to fall prey to the temptation that I have accomplished these things on my own. It is so easy to assume I must be righteous because of all these blessings. That’s where these words from Job come in…

“But how can a man be in the right before God? If one wished to contend with him, one could not answer him once in a thousand times…How then can I answer him, choosing my words with him? Though I am in the right, I cannot answer him; I must appeal for mercy to my accuser…If it is a contest of strength, behold, he is mighty! If it is a matter of justice, who can summon him?…Though I am in the right, my own mouth would condemn me; though I am blameless, he would prove me perverse. For he is not a man, as I am, that I might answer him, that we should come to trial together. There is no arbiter between us, who might lay his hand on us both. Let him take his rod away from me, and let not dread of him terrify me. Then I would speak without fear of him, for I am not so in myself.” (Job 9:2-3, 14-15, 19-20, 32-35)

Job brings me face to face with the fundamental reality that undergirds my life. I am never righteous before God. I cannot contend with God. I have no ground to stand on before God. I have no evidence to plead my case. No justification for my sinful ways. I am not in the right. I can only appeal to God’s mercy. I am not strong. I can only appeal to God’s grace. I am not just. I can only appeal to God’s clemency. I have no appeal. I have no hope. Except for Jesus. The one who pleads my cause. The one who takes up my case. The one who stands as mediator between me and the Father. The one who bled for me. The one who died for me. The one who took my place. He covers me. He atones for my sin. He blots out my transgressions. He cleanses me and makes me white as snow. When I stand before the Father, all I have is Christ. Nothing more. Nothing less. Nothing else. Everything I might bring – my wealth, my position, my power, my achievements – all these things fall to dust before God. They are worthless. Only Christ is worthy.

Some might call such an outlook depressing. I call it beautiful. For life, at it’s most fundamental level, is all grace. It’s all a gift. Every moment. Every hour. Every day. Everything I’ve been given. Everything I’ve experienced. The joy. The pain. All of it is a gift from God’s own hand. Something He uses to make me more like Christ if I will be let Him do His work. And if it is all grace, then I do not need to hold onto it. I do not need to grasp after it or cling to it. I can simply walk with open hands before the Lord, trusting Him to guide and direct my steps. 

Readings for tomorrow: Job 10-12, Acts 8:4-25

Vulnerable before God

Readings for today: Job 3-6, Acts 7:23-34

The true test of any relationship is vulnerability. How vulnerable can you be before that other person? How much can you share? Can you reveal your doubts and fears to them without being judged or condemned? You know, for years I struggled to be vulnerable before God. I was afraid to raise my doubts. I was afraid to talk to Him about how I was really feeling. I was afraid He would punish me or judge me or condemn me. This impacted my prayer life deeply. I found myself praying prayers that were not truly honest. I found myself speaking words that were not my own. It felt like I was often going through the motions which is probably why my prayer life was so dull and lifeless. I would read passages where Jesus would say things to His disciples like, “O you of little faith!” and it made me wonder if I could be real with God about my fears and failures. I would see so be condemned in the Bible because they doubted God’s power or His purpose or they questioned His nature and character. Then I read the Book of Job.

Job is raw. It is real. It is honest. It’s why it has such a hold on our imaginations. We love Job because he is us in many ways. Job is me when I lost my first child and railed at God in my grief. Job is me when the church plant I was leading imploded, leaving me broken and wounded and questioning my call. Job is me when my wife came to me during that season to tell me she was feeling so disconnected from me due to my neglect and something needed to change immediately. I remember shaking my fist at God night after night as I paced the living room of our home. I couldn’t sleep. I could barely eat. I was so angry. So full of fear and anxiety. So broken over what had happened. And I blamed God for it all. Job is me when I come face to face with extreme suffering in places like Yabelo, Ethiopia or Kitgum, Uganda. Overwhelmed by the needs, I cry out to God. I wonder why He allows such pain. Job is me when I listen to stories of those who’ve been abused or terrorized or oppressed and I rage at God at the injustice. Why doesn’t He step in and do something about all the evil in the world. In my darkest moments, I have even prayed like Job for the Lord to simply take me home. Take me from this world of pain and heartache and suffering to His world where I can be truly free and truly healed.

Job gives us permission - dare I say even encouragement - to be real before God. Vulnerable before the One who loves us more than we can ever imagine. The Book of Job stands as an invitation for us to enter into God’s presence as we are. Not as we should be. Not as we ought to be. Not as we so often pretend to be. But as the broken and messed up people we truly are. As much as it hurts to read, I love Job’s honesty…“Finally, Job cursed the day of his birth by saying to God: Blot out the day of my birth and the night when my parents created a son. Forget about that day, cover it with darkness, and send thick, gloomy shadows to fill it with dread. Erase that night from the calendar and conceal it with darkness…Why didn't I die at birth? Why was I accepted and allowed to nurse at my mother's breast? Now I would be at peace in the silent world below…I wish I had been born dead and then buried, never to see the light of day. In the world of the dead, the wicked and the weary rest without a worry….Why does God let me live when life is miserable and so bitter? I keep longing for death more than I would seek a valuable treasure. Nothing could make me happier than to be in the grave.” (Job‬ ‭3:1-6, 11-13, 16-17, 20-22‬) Job reminds us that faith is a gritty enterprise. It requires us to hold on with a white-knuckle grip when everything around us seems to be falling apart. Sometimes things get to the point where we are barely holding on by our fingernails and yet even that is still faith. This, of course, is what Job’s friends fail to understand. Sadly, it’s also what the church often fails to understand. Depression doesn’t signal a lack of faith. Suffering doesn’t mean we’ve necessarily done something wrong. Anger doesn’t offend or scare God. On the contrary, being gut-wrenchingly honest before God about how we feel is the greatest act of faith one can possibly muster.

In the darkest moments of my life - what the ancients called the “dark night of the soul” - I have found God waiting for me. When I’ve shaken my fist in anger at Him and raged against how things have turned out in my life, I have found God holding me until I finally collapse in His arms in exhaustion. When I’ve suffered and been broken and wounded by the tragic events of my life, God has knelt down with me in the ashes and spoken words of comfort and peace over me. Friends, you are safe with God. You are secure with God. He longs to gather you like a hen gathers her chicks under her wings. As the wonderful song says, “When I feel my faith will fail, He will hold me fast.”

Readings for tomorrow: Job 7-9, Acts 7:35-8:3

Theodicy

Readings for today: Esther 7-10, Job 1-2, Acts 6:1-7:22

Where is God in the midst of suffering? Why does He allow it? Is He complicit in it? Is there a point to it all? These questions are universal. Every single human being from every culture in every time and place has asked them. And all of the religions of the earth have attempted answers. The pagan witch doctors I’ve met in Ethiopia believe suffering happens because we displease the gods. We fail to make the right sacrifices. Fail to say the right magical incantations. Fail to humble ourselves before the right gods at the right times in the right ways. So they grow angry and they punish. The gods of the fields withhold their crops. The gods of the weather withhold the rain. The gods of the earth shake the very ground. On the flip side are my Buddhist friends for whom suffering is more of an illusion. A sign we are too tied to the cravings of this world. The way we deal with suffering is meditation which leads to a nirvana-like state that places us beyond suffering altogether. So how do Christians handle suffering? 

The Book of Job is one, long extended answer to this important question and it forces us to confront some uncomfortable truths. First, God is sovereign. The Book of Job ultimately is not about Job. All agree Job is righteous. All resonate with Job’s suffering. All feel Job’s pain. He is us. We are him. Everyone who has experienced deep suffering in their lives can identify with this man. But the Book of Job makes it clear that Job’s suffering is not the primary point of the story but rather how his suffering points us to the greater reality of God. It forces us to grapple with God’s nature and character. It implicitly and intentionally raises fundamental questions like is God sovereign? And if He is, can He be trusted? Job’s life is indeed marked by incredible sorrow and pain. He loses everything he has seemingly overnight. All that he has worked his entire life for is gone in an instant. Including his precious children. It’s a brutal scene that plays itself out to this day all over the world. Tragedies strike. Natural disasters hit. Lives are lost and livelihoods go up in smoke. So what are we to make of these things? We certainly struggle to make any sense of them in this world so what Job does is give us a glimpse beyond the dimensions of this life into the dimensions of heaven where a scene is playing out that brings us face to face with the sovereignty of God. 

Satan appears before God’s throne. He has come from walking to and fro on the earth. Destruction and devastation in his wake. We catch a glimpse here into this fallen angel’s pride and arrogance. The very fact that God doesn’t obliterate him where he stands is itself stunning. But God has a greater end in mind. A greater purpose. He is going to use humankind (as He always does) to demonstrate His glory and power and victory over Satan and sin and death.  So He baits Satan by asking him about Job. Satan takes the bait hook, line and sinker. God, in His majestic sovereignty, allows Satan to go after Job but always within limits. “Behold all that he has is in your hand. Only against him do not stretch out your hand.” “Behold, he is in your hand. Only do not take his life.” And Satan plays his part with gusto. Relentlessly taking away all that Job has. Relentlessly attacking Job’s health and well-being. Job’s suffering is so great, his own wife tells him to “curse God and die.” His three closest friends don’t even recognize him. And yet in all these things, Job did not sin.  

What we will learn throughout this book is that what Job treasures most - even amidst his anguish and pain and suffering and anger and questions and doubts and fears - is God Himself. More than his possessions. More than his children. More than his marriage. More than his health. Job treasures God. Job worships God. As John Piper writes, in the suffering of Job, “the superior worth of God becomes evident to all.” What God cares most about is His own glory and our primary role as human beings - creatures made in God’s own image - is to bring Him glory and declare His praises in this world and the next. And lest we think we are simply caught up in some divine ego trip, let’s remember God is not like us. His ways are higher than our ways and His thoughts higher than our thoughts. He is infinite and we are finite and He sees things from His perspective that we simply cannot know or ever understand. 

So where does that leave us? At the mercy of a cold and uncaring God who will strike at us at a whim? No. God loves us. Deeply. Dearly. Completely. And we bring Him great joy when we remain steadfast in our faith amidst our suffering. We bring Him great glory when we praise Him amidst our pain. Imagine the scene in heaven when Job utters his cry of victory, "Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked shall I return. The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord." Imagine the utter shame of Satan as he stands before Lord and the throngs of heaven join Job in his declaration of praise! Imagine his horror as all his evil plans come to naught in the face of true faith! Satan has been defeated! 

Now fast forward several centuries. Imagine the same scene playing out before God as Satan comes to test His Son. Imagine the Father giving His Son over into Satan’s hands. This time without limits. This time no holds barred. Imagine Satan’s delight in the Garden as the Son begs for another way. Imagine Satan’s joy as he watches the Son suffer on the Cross. And then imagine Satan’s horror as the Son cries out, “It is finished! Into your hands I commit my spirit!” The cry of victorious faith coming at the point of death! Satan is defeated! This time once and for all! As Tim Keller has put it, Jesus is the greater Job who takes on our suffering in order to bring ultimate glory to the Father. And the Father vindicates the Son by raising Him from the dead just He will vindicate Job by restoring all he has and more. 

Where you are you struggling today? What suffering have you had to endure in your life? How are you clinging to faith in the midst of it all? Would your perspective change if you saw your life as a trophy through which God displays His glory and grace? Do you believe God is sovereign over your pain? Do you believe God can be trusted even when you suffer? 

Readings for tomorrow: Job 3-6, Acts 7:23-34

Suffering for Christ

Readings for today: Esther 4-6, Acts 5:17-42

“Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith— that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead.” (Philippians‬ ‭3:8-11‬)

Something very powerful takes place when we share in the sufferings of Christ. The Apostle Paul experienced it as did the Apostles Peter and John and the new believers in Jerusalem. Christians throughout the ages have experienced it in places like Russia, China, Uganda, and Ethiopia. I have had the privilege of meeting many of them. Over the past ten years I have personally trained hundreds of church planters in the Horn of Africa. Many of them bear on their bodies the scars of the persecution they face on a daily basis. They’ve been threatened. Beaten. Shot. Stabbed. Imprisoned. Some of them have even died in the field. And still they go. When I ask them how I can pray over them, they never ask for personal safety but always for boldness to preach the gospel in the face of the opposition. It is deeply humbling and inspiring. 

I think about these men and women when I read Acts 5. I love the boldness of those first believers. Peter and John are arrested, imprisoned, and tried for preaching about the resurrection of Jesus. They were not among the elite. They had no wealth. No power. No education. They were just ordinary men whom God used to proclaim an extraordinary message. The gospel stirred up the city - as it always does - and threatened those in power - as it always does. So Peter and John were threatened. They were roughed up. They were imprisoned. They were put on trial. But they return home praising God for the opportunity to share in the sufferings of Christ. They praised God for the persecution. Praised God for His sovereign will and plan. Praised God for the opportunity to proclaim the gospel. “Then they left the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer dishonor for the name. And every day, in the temple and from house to house, they did not cease teaching and preaching that the Christ is Jesus.” (Acts‬ ‭5:41-42‬)

What do you pray for when you come against opposition? What do you pray for when you experience suffering and hardship? What do you pray for when you are in pain? For most of us, I imagine we pray for relief. Healing. Safety. Comfort. These are not necessarily bad things to pray but they certainly are not the most important things. The Apostle Paul experienced all these things and more in his life. He was mistreated, abused, left for dead. He gave up his home. His family. His livelihood. He sacrificed everything for the sake of knowing and serving Christ. And what did he gain in return? Christ. Peter and John and the early believers made similar sacrifices. They considered everything “rubbish” when compared to knowing and serving Christ. And what did they gain in return? Christ. What if - instead of safety and security - you prayed for boldness to proclaim the gospel? What if - instead of comfort and peace - you prayed for courage to share your faith? What if - instead of provision and protection - you prayed for God to use all that you are and all that you have - even your sufferings and pain - to grow His Kingdom in this world?

Readings for tomorrow: None

Powerful Women

Readings for today: Esther 1-3, Acts 5:1-16

I love the women of the Bible. They live in incredibly difficult times. They live in cultures where they are treated more as property than people. They are subject to all kinds of abuse and neglect. They have no rights and no legal recourse. They are prized for their physical beauty and cast aside when it fades. Their worth is determined by the number of male children they bear and they are shamed if they cannot produce. It’s a brutal, harsh existence and it would be easy for the women to throw up their hands in despair. It would be easy for them to feel helpless and hopeless. Resign themselves to their lot in life and try to make the best of things. But then you read stories about women like Vashti and Esther. Women who are powerful. Fierce. Courageous. Bold. They dare to stand up to the men in their lives. They dare to be different. They refuse to accept the social and cultural restraints placed upon them.

One of the common mistakes we make when we read the Bible is to assume that because every word is “inspired” it must mean every word has God’s endorsement. For example, I’ve seen our passage from today used to support all sorts of misogynist thinking. Rather than celebrate Queen Vashti’s courage for refusing to bow down to the drunken wishes of an abusive king, they take the king’s side. They worry that Vashti’s example will cause all women to “look on their husbands with contempt” or they use Esther 1:22 where it talks about “every man being master in his own household” as a proof text for hierarchical notions of spiritual leadership. Such thinking is toxic and betrays a lack of understanding on how to appropriately interpret Scripture. Nowhere in the text does the king’s behavior receive God’s endorsement. In fact, God isn’t mentioned a single time in the entire book! The reason this book is included in the Bible is to teach us how God often works behind the scenes through the courage of His people. People He strategically places in pagan culture to carry out His sovereign will. People like Esther for example. “The king loved Esther more than all the women, and she won grace and favor in his sight more than all the virgins, so that he set the royal crown on her head and made her queen instead of Vashti. Then the king gave a great feast for all his officials and servants; it was Esther’s feast. He also granted a remission of taxes to the provinces and gave gifts with royal generosity.” (Esther‬ ‭2:17-18‬) It’s important to note the king’s lecherous behavior never seems to change. He is a man driven by his unrestrained passions. As such, he is vulnerable to all sorts of manipulation. Left on his own, he would have killed all the Jews in his empire. But thankfully God was at work! Behind the scenes. Under the radar. Hidden from view. He orchestrates things in such a way that Esther is placed on the throne. And though she presumably has to endure some of the same abuse her predecessor Vashti did, she leverages her position to save her people.

We still live in a world full of abuse. A world where women are often dismissed, neglected, or ignored. A world where women are not treated as equals. They often do not receive equal pay or equal access or equal opportunity. Their rights are now being further eroded as more and more men identify as women. I know many men who are intimidated by strong women. I know many men who are afraid of strong women. I know many men who weaponize Scripture in order to subjugate women. Thankfully, Scripture itself attests to the truth that women are made in the image of God. Women are co-heirs to the Kingdom of God. Women are co-equals in the eyes of God. Furthermore, Scripture gives us example after example of women of deep faith who courageously buck their traditional cultural roles as they seek to serve and honor God. Jesus Himself affirmed the women who sacrificed everything to follow Him. They were among His first and most faithful disciples. I myself have been incredibly blessed to be married to a strong, godly woman and to be raising three strong, godly daughters. For the Christian, “there is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male or female, for we are all one in Christ Jesus.” (Gal. 3:28)

Readings for tomorrow: Esther 4-6, Acts 5:17-42

The Danger of Compromise

Readings for today: Nehemiah 12-13, Acts 4:23-37

It usually starts small. A tiny step. A shift of one degree. One little compromise. We justify it in all sorts of ways. Surely God will understand. Surely God will make an exception this one time. Surely God knows we aren’t perfect. But then the compromises keep coming. A tiny step turns into several larger steps. One degree turns into two degrees then three. One little compromise opens the door to other, more significant compromises and the next thing we know, we are in full rebellion against God’s commands.

The last chapter of Nehemiah details a list of reforms he instituted for the people of Israel. It’s a startling way to end a book. No “happily ever after.” No “riding off into the sunset” for Nehemiah. His story ends in conflict. His story ends in confrontation. He even loses his temper and starts beating people and tearing out their hair! All this coming after an amazing time of worship where the entire population of Jerusalem gathered to sing the praises of God!

It is so easy for us to compromise. So easy for us to slide back into old habits. Someone once told me that humanity’s ability to sin is only surpassed by her ability to justify her sin. I believe it. I see it in my own life. The people of God compromised in all sorts of ways. They allowed people of foreign descent, people who worshipped other gods, to join them in worship at the Temple. For the sake of political expediency, they gave Tobiah - one of their sworn enemies - his own room in the Temple. They neglected to care for the Levites and other Temple servants by refusing to tithe, forcing them to fend for themselves. They refused to honor the Sabbath. They married foreign women. Even their spiritual leaders desecrated their priestly office by intermarrying with those who did not worship Yahweh. In each case, I can almost hear the justifications. I can imagine the rationale. Our wives promised to put away their foreign gods! We’re trying to rebuild our lives and local economy and have work on the Sabbath! If we give Tobiah a place of honor, perhaps he’ll leave us alone. From a human perspective, it all makes sense.

If I am honest, I too fall into these same traps. It’s easy for me to justify neglecting my time with God. It’s easy for me to enter into worship and make it all about me and what I get out of it. It’s easy for me to justify working 24/7 without ever taking a break. It’s easy for me to give in to certain people in my life simply to avoid conflict. It’s easy for me to compromise my convictions for the sake of those I love. Frankly, it never ends well. Eventually all the little compromises I make start to stack up along the way, creating a burden far too heavy for me to bear. Eventually, the house of cards I build comes crashing down around me, leaving me far worse off than I could have imagined. God demands my obedience. Jesus Himself says, “If you love Me, you will obey My commands.” Following Christ is not easy. Following Christ requires great sacrifice. Following Christ means dying to “Self” with all its disordered desires and unrestrained passions. Take an honest assessment of your life. Where are you compromising? Where are you rationalizing away your sin? Turn and confess, knowing God is faithful and just to forgive you for your sin and cleanse you from all unrighteousness.

Readings for tomorrow: Esther 1-3, Acts 5:1-16

Signs and Wonders

Readings for today: Nehemiah 9-11, Acts 3:11-4:22

The signs and wonders of God are a marvel to behold. I have seen the sick miraculously healed. I have seen the chains of addiction be loosed in a person’s life. I have seen the demonized set free. I have seen relationships irreparably broken by restored. I have seen the hardest of hearts be softened by the gospel. I have even seen the dead raised with my own two eyes. Each and every one a miracle. Each and every one a divine intervention by Almighty God. It’s easy to be dazzled by such displays of power. It’s easy to get caught up in the joy and excitement of it all. It’s easy to fall into the trap of craving more and more of God’s blessings. More and more of God’s good gifts. More and more of God’s eschatological goodies and miss out on the main point of it all. The Giver is greater than the gift. The Blessed One is more than His blessings. A relationship with God is more precious than all the silver and gold in the world.

In the passage we read today, the people marvel at the healing power that flowed through Peter when he made the lame man walk. The man had been crippled from birth. Everyone knew him because he was carried each day to the Beautiful Gate of the Temple where he would ask for alms. For forty years, he had been in this condition and now the people see him dancing and singing and shouting praises to God. It must been a wonder to behold! Immediately a crowd gathers. They want to know how and why this happened. They want to meet the man who could perform such miracles. But Peter is quick to point them beyond himself. “And when Peter saw it he addressed the people: “Men of Israel, why do you wonder at this, or why do you stare at us, as though by our own power or piety we have made him walk?” (Acts‬ ‭3:12‬) Peter knows he’s just God’s instrument. He’s just the conduit through which God has made Himself known. He also knows why God performed the miracle. Signs and wonders are never an end in themselves. They are designed by God to create an opportunity for the preaching of the gospel.

One of the things we get to do when we are over in Africa is interview church planters. We only send them to unreached villages. To people who have never heard the name of Jesus. They are often attacked. Persecuted. Beaten. Imprisoned for their faith. But usually somewhere along the way there is a power encounter. A sign is performed. Someone is healed. The dead are raised. The demonized are set free. And such miracles draw a crowd as you can imagine. That’s the moment the church planter has been praying and waiting for. The gospel is preached. Many come to Christ. A church is planted. It’s amazing to witness.

Friends, the same God who is at work over in Uganda and Ethiopia is at work in America as well. The same God who performs miracles in villages and communities all across Africa is performing miracles in places like Parker and Elizabeth and Denver as well. He is at work in our homes. He is at work in our communities. He is at work in our lives. He is making Himself known through signs and wonders so that we will get the opportunity to share the gospel with those who do not yet believe. God wants to make Himself known for there is salvation in no one else. There is no other name given under heaven by which we might be saved but the name of Jesus.

Readings for tomorrow: Nehemiah 12-13, Acts 4:23-37

Fundamentals

Readings for today: Nehemiah 6-8, Acts 2:42-3:10

I love it when both New and Old Testament passages come together to convey the same eternal message. Today, the people of Israel gather to hear the reading of the Law. They build Ezra a pulpit and he preaches for days. Teaching. Exhorting. Encouraging. Challenging the people to submit their lives to God’s Word and live according to His ways. The Levites are there alongside him. Interpreting the Law so God’s people can understand and apply it to their lives. It’s not a hard sell. The Spirit of God has clearly been at work in the hearts of His people, preparing them for this moment. I love how the Bible describes their reaction…

“And the ears of all the people were attentive to the Book of the Law.” (Neh. 8:3)

“And Ezra blessed the Lord, the great God, and all the people answered, “Amen, Amen,” lifting up their hands. And they bowed their heads and worshiped the Lord with their faces to the ground.” (Neh. 8:6)

“And Nehemiah, who was the governor, and Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites who taught the people said to all the people, “This day is holy to the Lord your God; do not mourn or weep.” For all the people wept as they heard the words of the Law. Then he said to them, “Go your way. Eat the fat and drink sweet wine and send portions to anyone who has nothing ready, for this day is holy to our Lord. And do not be grieved, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.” So the Levites calmed all the people, saying, “Be quiet, for this day is holy; do not be grieved.” And all the people went their way to eat and drink and to send portions and to make great rejoicing, because they had understood the words that were declared to them.” (Neh. 8:9-12)

Then I flip over to our New Testament reading. These are some of my favorite verses in all the Bible. It describes the heart of the first church. They’ve just heard the first Christian sermon ever preached. Miraculously, they each heard it in their own heart language. They were cut to the heart. Thousands were baptized. And then they must have looked at each other and said, “Now what?” There was no history to rely on. No tradition to fall back on. This whole “church” was brand new. At the same time, they were Jews. Their people had been walking with God for ages. They remembered their history. Perhaps Peter’s preaching reminded them of Ezra! So they do what’s natural for them. They devote themselves to the apostle’s teaching. They devote themselves to each other in deep, spiritual fellowship. They share meals together, especially the Lord’s Supper. And they pray. They don’t need programs. They don’t need some big vision. They don’t set hairy, audacious goals. They simply commit themselves to the same ancient spiritual disciplines that have always guided God’s people.

“And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. And awe came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles. And all who believed were together and had all things in common. And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need. And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.” (Acts‬ ‭2:42-47‬)

I talk to people all the time who long for a deeper life with God. They always seem to be looking for the silver bullet or some magic formula. They want to know the secret. The key. The one thing that will help them pierce the veil that they believe separates them from experiencing the fullness of God’s love. But here’s the honest truth. There are no shortcuts. There is no easy five-step process. It requires a life-long obedience in the same direction. It requires a faithful, consistent, daily engagement over the long haul with God’s Word and God’s people to grow in our faith. Yes, God is always there for us. But He is no cosmic bellhop. Yes, God always loves us. But He is not co-dependent. He doesn’t need us in the way we need Him. Yes, God’s grace is endless, boundless, and free. But He will not save us from the consequences of our sin. Instead, He promises to use even our pain to grow us into the image of His Son.

Friends, you may think you don’t have time to add one more thing to your already overloaded day. You may believe you don’t have the bandwidth to spend time with God each day or gather with God’s people each week. You may think it’s enough that you raised your hand and invited Christ into your heart. But if you want to experience then fullness of God’s presence. If you want to experience the greatest depth of communion with your Creator. If you want to live in the confidence of knowing you are loved with an everlasting love, you must re-orient your life around the fundamental spiritual disciplines of prayer, God’s Word, worship, and fellowship with other believers.

Readings for tomorrow: Nehemiah 9-11, Acts 3:11-4:22

God of the Impossible

Readings for today: Nehemiah 1-5, Acts 2:1-41

I just returned home after 24 days in Africa. We hosted four training conferences in four different regions of Uganda and Ethiopia. We trained and interviewed and prayed over 743 indigenous church planters from South Sudan, Uganda, and Ethiopia. 351 of those are brand new church planters who were commissioned and sent out to villages where they have never heard the gospel. These men and women go out as sheep amidst wolves. They contend against very real spiritual forces of evil. They are often persecuted and beaten and imprisoned and threatened with death by witch doctors, Muslim imams, and other followers of pagan, tribal religions. Some even pay the ultimate price for their faithfulness. From a human perspective, the task they face is impossible. The challenges are insurmountable. There is no rational way they can possibly succeed. They have no political power. Very little in the way of worldly wealth. They lack education. And yet God is using them to change the world, one village at a time.

Our God specializes in doing the impossible. Our God loves to show up when the odds are stacked against us. He does His best work when all hope seems lost. Consider the dire straits of the people living in Jerusalem. They had been faithful. They had answered God’s call. They had left their lives in Babylon to return home to Jerusalem to rebuild the Temple. They had rededicated themselves to living according to God’s Law under the leadership of Ezra. But they were still oppressed. Still at the mercy of the enemies who surrounded them. They had no protection. No way of defending themselves. The lack of a city wall was an open invitation to marauders to come in and destroy all they had worked so hard to build. I am sure many requests had been made over the years to the Persian kings to rebuild the city. All had been turned aside. The rebellious reputation of their city was well-known. The Persians purposefully left it in ruins to serve as a deterrent to the region. Decades of royal precedent stood in their way. The sheer size and scope of a potential rebuilding project was overwhelming. The political opposition was powerful and well-connected. In short, a change seemed impossible.

But Nehemiah believed God could do the impossible. So he prayed for the impossible. For days he prayed and fasted and wept before the Lord. He cried out to God on behalf of his people. He cried out to God on behalf of his city. He cried out to God to be faithful to His promises. But Nehemiah didn’t just pray for the impossible, he also prepared for the impossible. He prepared for the day when he would be given the opportunity to present his request to the king. He put together a timeline for the project. Made a list of the materials he would need. When Artaxerxes asked him what he needed to make it all happen, he was ready and the king agreed. Finally, Nehemiah didn’t just pray for the impossible. He didn’t just prepare for the impossible. When the time came, he stepped out in faith to do the impossible. Like Noah building the ark before the rain or Moses stepping into the Red Sea before it parted or the widow of Zeraphath feeding Elijah her last cake before her jars of oil and flour refilled; Nehemiah went forward trusting the hand of the Lord to be upon him. He knew the project would be daunting. He knew the people would get discouraged. He knew the opposition would be fierce. But he never wavered in his faith. He knew God could do the impossible. “The God of heaven will make us prosper, and we his servants will arise and build…” ‭(Nehemiah‬ ‭2:20‬)

Jesus once said, “Ask and you will receive.” James once said, “You have not because you ask not or you ask wrongly to spend it on your passions.” You see, the reason we do not see God do the impossible is often because we do not ask for it or we do not ask for it rightly. We are far too content with our lives. We settle for comfort and security when all the while Jesus is calling us to risk everything for Kingdom-greatness. The men and women I train have nothing so they rely on God for everything. They pray in expectation for miracles to take place and God answers their prayers. He does the impossible by healing the sick, delivering the demonic, and raising the dead. He does the impossible by converting witch doctors and Muslim imams. Sacred trees are cut down to build church buildings. Mosques become Christian houses of worship. Yes, they suffer. Yes, some of them even die. But they keep their eyes on Christ. They belong to a Kingdom that is not of this world. It’s simply incredible to witness. Nehemiah risked it all as well. He gave up the comfort and security of the king’s court to take on the impossible task of rebuilding the wall around Jerusalem. He prayed in expectation that God would be faithful. He prepared in expectation that God would answer his prayers and change the heart of the king. He took action in expectation that the hand of God would be with him until the project was complete.

God is the same yesterday, today, and forever. He’s the same over here as He is over in Africa. He’s the same today as He was back in Nehemiah’s time. He’s still the God of the impossible. So what impossible thing are you facing in your life today? What insurmountable challenge is confronting you right now? Are you willing to give it to God? Are you willing to surrender it to God? Are you willing to leave it in God’s hands and trust Him with the outcome? Will you commit to pray for the impossible? Prepare for the impossible? And when God calls, step out in faith to do the impossible?

Readings for tomorrow: Nehemiah 6-8, Acts 2:42-3:10

Genealogy

Readings for today: 1 Chronicles 8-10, John 8:39-59

One key verse from today’s reading is 1 Chronicles 9:1, “So all Israel was recorded in genealogies, and these are written in the Book of the Kings of Israel. And Judah was taken into exile in Babylon because of their breach of faith.” Why are all these names important? Why are the generations laid down with such detail and specificity? Why record Israel according to their respective tribes? What’s at stake here? Identity. Connection. History. Even their relationship with God. Israel took their history seriously. They took God’s Word seriously. Even after they were carted off to exile in Babylon and were faced with the temptation to intermarry and lose their connection to their past, Israel remained faithful. They knew God had set apart the Levites to serve Him as priests. So the Levites remained set apart even in exile. They knew God had given authority to the tribe of Judah to reign and to rule. So the tribe of Judah continued to serve as princes and leaders for God’s people. They knew David and Samuel had set apart certain families as gatekeepers, guardians of the Lord’s treasury, etc. So they made sure these families retained those roles. And when Israel finally did return from exile, you see the descendents of these great men and women re-connecting to their glorious past. 

Many of us have never been carried into exile. We’ve not had our identities wiped out. We’ve not had our history erased. We’ve not had our connection to our ancestors severed. At the same time, many of us have had this terrible and tragic experience. I think of my Native American friends. Their people lived on this continent for hundreds of years before the arrival of the first European explorers. Their land was stolen. Their tribe forcibly relocated. They were compelled to forgo the key rituals and give up the key rhythms that connected them to their history and their tribal identity. Their stories are terrible and heartbreaking. I think of my African-American friends. Their ancestors were brought over on slave ships across the Atlantic. Their connection to their homeland severed. Their connection to their history erased. Their connection to their past lost. They were given new names. They were forced to take on new identities. They suffered in slavery for hundreds of years. Even after the Civil War, they suffered under intense, systematic economic and political oppression. Their stories are terrible and heartbreaking. Sadly, these stories are all too common no matter where you go in the world today.

It’s vital for those of us who have not suffered at the scale of others to humble ourselves and listen to those who have endured tremendous pain and loss. It is important for us to become advocates for them and allies with them in their fight to re-connect to their glorious past. We must pluck up the courage to face the difficult and complex issues that arise as a result. Issues such as national repentence, formal apologies, legal and economic reparations, etc. are not easy to tackle. There are no easy answers here. At the same time, we can look back at events like the restoration of the nation of Israel in 1948 for the inspiration we need to work for a similar restoration for our friends of color who’ve suffered so much right here at home.

I certainly don’t pretend to have all the answers. I’m often overwhelmed when I stop to think about all the complexities involved. But I have to believe as we work for the good of one another. As we refuse to resort to guilt and shame and fear to force change but instead allow faith, hope, and love to be our guide. As we celebrate the history and culture and diversity God has created among human beings on this planet. As we help each other re-connect to something deeper. A deeper identity. A deeper story. A deeper truth. I have to believe God will reveal Himself in that process in a powerful way because this “genealogical impulse” exists within all of us. In a very real sense, Israel’s story is our story for all of us can ultimately trace our lineage back to the same common source. Adam and Eve. The first man. The first woman. Made in the image of God by the hand of God for the glory of God. This is truly our heritage.

Readings for tomorrow: 1 Chronicles 11-13, John 9:1-23

Postscript: I will be out of country and range of internet access until June 19th. I look forward to resuming the blog on June 21st. Rest assured, I will be keeping with my reading in the meantime! ;-)

Connection

Readings for today: 1 Chronicles 3-5, John 7:53-8:11

There is an old story about a pastor who went to visit a parishioner whom he had not seen for a while. It was a cold morning so when the pastor showed up, the man had the coffee hot and a roaring fire going in the fireplace. They both sat down and the pastor asked how things were going. The conversation ranged from work to family to health to life in general. The man was doing well. Finally, the conversation got around to faith. And the man started to talk about how he didn’t need the church to worship God. He was doing just fine on his own. Praying. Reading the Bible. Walking through the woods. As he spoke, the pastor didn’t judge. Didn’t condemn. He simply reached over and with the tongs, took a coal out of the fireplace and placed it on the hearth. As the man spoke, his eyes kept going to the coal. At first it burned nice and hot but as time went on it began to grow cold. Having lost it’s connection to the fire, it eventually burned out. 

Life with God is like that. Life with community is like that. I cannot tell you the number of people I have spoken with over the years who have experienced this loss of connection. Their lives are so busy. Their feelings of isolation and loneliness so strong. The pain they carry is so great and my heart breaks for them. So many of them have nowhere to turn. Their relationship with God has grown cold. Their connection to community is tenuous at best. They have no one to call when they are in crisis. No one to lean on when times get tough…as they always do.  

God designed us for relationship. We are made in His image after all and He exists eternally in relationship with Himself - Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. As such, we have a deep longing in our souls for connection. Connection with God. Connection with each other. It’s why one of the worst forms of punishment is solitary confinement. It’s just not good for us to be alone. It’s why I’ve learned to love reading through the genealogies in the Bible. It reminds me I am surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses. Men and women of God who have walked this road before me. People with a story to share. Each name represents a person and each person represents a connection to God and to the people of God and ultimately, to the promises of God. Maybe it’s David, the man after God’s own heart. Maybe it’s Jabez who prayed to God for protection. Maybe it’s Judah who experienced the grace of God covering His sin. Over and over again, these names tell a story. Our story. This is our family history, friends. Our family tree. And as we tap into this story, we experience a deep connection to the One who made us. The One who loves us. The One who has come to rescue us. Even Jesus Christ.  

As we emerge from the isolation of this past year, how are you intentionally rebuilding your connection to God and to His people? How are you helping others rebuild their connection? It’s not easy. Especially when we’ve gotten used to being apart. It takes hard work and intentionality to re-introduce ourselves to each other. To shake another person’s hand or give someone a hug. It may be uncomfortable at first as we exercise relational muscles that have atrophied over the last year. But it’s absolutely essential if we are to thrive moving forward. So if you don’t know where to start, let me recommend four spiritual practices that will help…

1. Daily Devotional Time: Spend time each day in prayer and reading/reflecting on Scripture. Find fifteen minutes or thirty minutes or an hour just to be with God. Use your commute. Use your lunch hour. Use your break time. Accept God’s gracious invitation to spend time with Him.

2. Weekly Gathered Worship : Find a local church and plug in. Gather physically when you are able with God’s people for worship each week. Don’t approach it as a consumer experience (i.e. what did I “get out” of it today) but rather trust God to create a “cascading” effect in your life on a subconscious level through His Spirit as He draws you to Himself.

3. Join a small group: Find a few Christian friends and start meeting together intentionally for encouragement, vulnerable sharing, and accountability. Pray for each other. Talk to each other. Intentionally do life together. Will it be messy? Yep. Pursuing authentic relationships always is because we are all “authentically” sinful! :-) Press through the difficult conversations. Practice forgiveness and grace. You will find deep connection as you do.

4. Find a place to serve God’s Kingdom: Don’t just build this “connection” for yourself! Find a way to share it with others. As you go out to serve Christ and His Kingdom, you will become someone else’s point of connection to God and to community. Isn’t that awesome? God will use YOU to be His hands and feet in another person’s life.

Do these four things over the course of a lifetime and I guarantee...GUARANTEE...you will grow a deep, abiding relationship with Christ and with God’s people. Will there be disappointments along the way? Yes. Will you feel hurt at times? Absolutely. Is it easy? Nope. Not in our world. But nothing worth doing is EVER easy and that is particularly true when it comes to the most important relationship in our lives! So place your trust and your hope in Christ and let Him lead you to the abundant life He promises! 

Readings for tomorrow: 1 Chronicles 6-7, John 8:12-38

Spiritual Blindness

Readings for today: 2 Kings 23-25, 1 Chronicles 1-2, John 7:1-52

Amazing grace, how sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me! I once was lost but now am found, was blind but now I see. 

Those words always run through my head when we read about the final days of the Kingdom of Judah and the end of Zedekiah. It’s a pretty gory picture. The King of Babylon captures him as he tries to escape the destruction of Jerusalem. Makes him watch while he slaughters his sons and then puts out his eyes. It’s that last detail that I find myself pondering yet again. It’s just a painful reminder of how utterly broken Zedekiah had become. I also wonder if there wasn’t something more symbolic at work as well. After all, Zedekiah had been spiritually blind for years. He reigned for eleven years in Jerusalem but did evil in the sight of the Lord. He did not honor God. He did not walk in God’s ways or according to God’s commands. He disdained the Word of the Lord and rejected the worship of the Lord. So perhaps his physical blindness is simply the logical consequence of his spiritual blindness and that’s why it’s mentioned more than once in Scripture. (See Jeremiah 39 and 52)

I remember my own spiritual blindness. I was raised in the church. My parents were faithful to take me to worship every Sunday. I sang in the choir. I hung out at youth group. By all outward appearances, I was incredibly engaged. However, my heart was hard. Selfish. Locked in sin. I was blinded by my own desires. My own fears. My own doubts. I could not see God. Could not hear God. Did not want to follow God. This was all exposed my freshman year of college. Once outside of the protective rhythms and accountability my parents set, I floundered. I was lost. I wandered aimlessly. I drank heavily. Skipped class. Avoided God. When confronted, I blamed others. I blamed my professors. I blamed my friends. I was so blind I could not see the wretch I’d become.  

That’s when I met Jesus. He confronted me on a sidewalk right outside the UMC on the campus of the University of Colorado in Boulder. He opened my eyes and it was like I was seeing the world for the very first time. The light was blinding. The exposure painful. All my sins were laid bare before Him. There was no escape. I was overwhelmed by sorrow. Overwhelmed by grief. Overwhelmed by the depth of my sin. The road back to health was not easy. It was one tentative step after another. It required facing the consequences of my actions. The brokenness of my relationships. The anxiety of my failures. But Jesus was faithful. He was the light for my feet. The lamp for my path. Because my eyes had been opened, I could actually see the way He laid out for me.  

I have no idea where you find yourself this morning. If you are blind or if you can see. Perhaps you are like Zedekiah or like I was prior to receiving Christ. Groping in the dark. Stumbling around in the shadows. Blinded by your desires. Fears. Doubts. Failures. I pray you come to Jesus! The One who specializes in restoring sight to the blind! Let Him open your eyes! Let Him show you His glory! 

Readings for tomorrow: 1 Chronicles 3-5, John 7:53-8:11

Leadership

Readings for today: 2 Kings 20-22, John 6:60-71

Everything rises and falls on leadership. Several years ago, I spent time in Rwanda. One of the most impactful moments of my trip was visiting the National Genocide Museum in Kigali. Standing at the mass graves of over 250,000 people was sobering to say the least. In all, the genocide claimed the lives of over 1.1 million people. Most of whom were killed by friends, neighbors, even family members. A national trauma survey by UNICEF estimates that 80% of Rwandan children experienced a death in their family in 1994. 70% witnessed someone being killed or injured and 90% believed they would die. How could such a thing happen? Leadership. An unholy alliance between the racist government of Juvenal Habyarimana and the “Hutu Power” promoting media run by Hassan Ngeze combined to create the conditions whereby such a horror was possible. Aided and abetted by the French government who supplied arms and training, the government worked hard to gain control over the country as they prepared to implement their own version of Hitler’s “Final Solution.” As the international community turned their backs on Rwanda, evil was allowed to flourish and the results were beyond tragic. 

Such leaders are not unknown in the Scriptures. Manasseh reigned for over fifty years and in that time, “did what was evil in the sight of the Lord, according to the despicable practices of the nations whom the Lord drove out before the people of Israel.” (2 Kings‬ ‭21:2‬) He reinstituted pagan idol worship, rebuilding the high places his father had torn down. He defiled the Temple by setting up altars to foreign gods. “He burned his sons as an offering in the Valley of the Son of Hinnom, and used fortune-telling and omens and sorcery, and dealt with mediums and with necromancers. He did much evil in the sight of the Lord, provoking him to anger.” (2 Chronicles‬ ‭33:6‬) In short, he did more evil is reign than all the kings who had come before him and after he died, his son Ammon continued in his ways. It was the darkest period in the southern kingdom’s history and the people were led astray. Everything rises and falls on leadership. 

All of us are leaders. Leadership begins with self. Learning to control our thoughts and desire and channel them to godly action. Leadership continues in the family. We lead our families as fathers and mothers and teach our children to walk in God’s ways. We lead at work as we use our influence - whether supervisor or employee - to impact the health and well-being of others and our organization’s future. We lead at church by the way we worship and serve our brothers and sisters in Christ. We lead in every sphere of life so here’s the critical question...what kind of leader are you? When the final analysis is in and the impact of your life is measured, will it be for good or for evil in the eyes of the Lord? 

Everything rises and falls on leadership. How are you doing? 

Readings for tomorrow: None

Revival

Readings for today: 2 Kings 18-19, John 6:22-59

“The world has yet to see what God will do with a man fully consecrated to Him.” - Dwight L. Moody

Hezekiah is a remarkable man. The polar opposite of his father. Where his father was unfaithful, Hezekiah was faithful. Where his father was morally compromised, Hezekiah was pure. Where his father was evil, Hezekiah was good. One wonders where Hezekiah learned such faithfulness. What made him turn from his father’s ways? Who taught him the ways of the Lord? How did he know to cleanse the Temple, reinstitute the Levites, and celebrate the Passover? These things had been absent for decades. The Temple had been desecrated. The priests and Levites forgotten. And yet somehow Hezekiah’s heart was not only stirred to seek the Lord in this pagan environment but God provided faithful teachers along the way to instruct and guide him. They remain nameless. Their identities known only to God. But what an impact they make through this great man!

Hezekiah is a great example of what can happen when key leaders seek the heart of God. God doesn’t need our wealth. He doesn’t need our power. He doesn’t need our influence or position or authority. He simply needs our hearts. If we seek to love God with all our heart, soul, mind and strength; His promise is to use us to make a Kingdom-sized impact on those around us. Hezekiah  “trusted in the Lord, the God of Israel, so that there was none like him among all the kings of Judah after him, nor among those who were before him.” (2 Kings‬ ‭18:5‬) He dedicated his life to the destruction of idolatry. He tore down the pagan shrines that dotted the hillsides. He destroyed the bronze serpent Moses had made in the wilderness to save the people from poisonous snakes. We know from the Chronicles that he cleansed the Temple. He restored true worship. He sent messengers throughout the length and breadth of the nation to invite people to celebrate the Passover meal. And even though the people had forgotten how to cleanse themselves in preparation, Hezekiah interceded on their behalf, calling on God to honor the intent of their hearts. The impact of this time of celebration was so profound, the people asked to stay an additional seven days to keep worshipping! “And the people of Israel who were present at Jerusalem kept the Feast of Unleavened Bread seven days with great gladness, and the Levites and the priests praised the Lord day by day, singing with all their might to the Lord. And Hezekiah spoke encouragingly to all the Levites who showed good skill in the service of the Lord. So they ate the food of the festival for seven days, sacrificing peace offerings and giving thanks to the Lord, the God of their fathers. Then the whole assembly agreed together to keep the feast for another seven days. So they kept it for another seven days with gladness.” (2 Chronicles‬ ‭30:21-23) Once the feast was compete, the people - inspired by the worship of the True and Living God and Hezekiah’s example - returned to their homes to continue to purge the nation of its idolatry. “Now when all this was finished, all Israel who were present went out to the cities of Judah and broke in pieces the pillars and cut down the Asherim and broke down the high places and the altars throughout all Judah and Benjamin, and in Ephraim and Manasseh, until they had destroyed them all. Then all the people of Israel returned to their cities, every man to his possession.” (2 Chronicles‬ ‭31:1‬) This is nothing short of revival!

I know a lot of Christians who pray for revival. They pray regularly for a fresh movement of God’s Spirit through their lives, churches, communities, and their nation. If that describes you...and I hope it does!...I want to encourage you to follow Hezekiah’s example. Don’t wait! Don’t delay! Simply begin to seek God’s face right where you are! If you are a mother or father, seek God’s heart for your home and children. If you are a student or employee, seek God’s heart for your school or place of work. If you are a business, community, or church leader, seek God’s heart for the people you serve. If you are a national leader, seek God’s heart for your country. The secret to Hezekiah’s success had very little to do with his authority as king. It had everything to do with his heart for God. 

I want to challenge you to pray this prayer or one like it for yourself. “Father, I want to do what is good and right and faithful before You. Every work I undertake at my job, in my home, with my friends, at my church I do in accordance with Your commands. I am seeking You, Father. I want to serve you with all my heart. May everything I do prosper in order to bring glory to Your great name.” Now you try. Insert your name. Insert your situation. Insert your circumstances and seek God with all your heart. Put Him to the test. Call on His faithfulness. I trust you will be amazed at what takes place.  

The world has yet to see what God will do with a man or woman fully consecrated to Him. Your spouse has yet to see what God will do with a husband or wife fully consecrated to Him. Your children have yet to see what God will do with a mother or father fully consecrated to Him. Your boss or teacher has yet to see what God will do with an employee or student fully consecrated to Him. Your church or community has yet to see what God will do with a woman or man fully consecrated to Him. Consecrate yourelves, friends, to the Lord! Let Him use you for His purposes and His glory in the world! 

Readings for tomorrow: 2 Kings 20-22, John 6:60-71