Healing Rays of Righteousness

Christ In You, The Hope Of Glory

Read Colossians 1:15-23a, 25-27

Paul soars to his highest thoughts in his effort to describe the person and work of Jesus Christ. I am almost breathless as I read this passage regarding the supremacy of Christ, exalted above all “thrones, powers, rulers, and authorities.”  I become even more breathless when I realize that this superior, boundless Jesus Christ is also very personal in reconciling me to God.

The heart-core of the New Testament gospel and the whole of Christian experience, is that Jesus, who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation, by whom and through whom all things were created; this Jesus who is before all things and in whom all things hold together; this Jesus, in whom God was pleased for all His fullness to dwell, and through whom to reconcile to himself all things by making peace through Jesus’ blood, shed on the cross;  this Jesus, lives in me and you by the Holy Spirit.  Wow!

For the apostle Paul, the word “reconcile” is key to his thought about what Christ has done for us.  He uses the same image when writing to God’s people in Rome, “while we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son,” (Rm. 5:10).  Paul is fully convinced that through Christ’s death and resurrection, the broken relationship between us and God is forgiven and restored.

However, in verses 25-27 we discover that there is much more to this reconciliation theme which Paul elaborates on in the balance of his letter.  Paul says that “the mystery that has been kept hidden for ages and generations” has now been revealed to us by God.  He says the glorious richness of this mystery is “Christ in you, the hope of glory.”

Our reconciliation is by the death of Jesus Christ, but our complete redemption, our salvation, our being presented “perfect in Christ” (v.28) is by the life of the risen Christ living in power within us.

Again, we hear this truth expressed in the verse I partly referenced earlier from Paul’s letter to the Roman Christians, “For if, while we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life!” (Romans 5:10).

Paul’s most vivid description of his own life in Christ was written to the Galatians:  “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me.  The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” (Galatians 2:20).

In one of the boldest prayers ever prayed, Paul interceded for God’s people in Ephesus, “so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith.  …that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.” (Eph. 3:17, 19).

Paul believed that in all his dealings with humanity God had been working on a deep plan, with a secret purpose that can only be discovered by the illumination of the Spirit. Throughout his epistles he lays emphasis on the deeper understanding of the gospel – this mysterious secret which has been hidden for ages, which men have sought to probe and decipher, and has now been revealed.  It is “Christ in you, the hope of glory.”

We talk about becoming Christian in ways like:  accepting Christ, inviting Christ into our lives, receiving Christ as Savior, surrendering our lives to Christ, giving our lives to Christ, being born again by allowing Christ to be born in us.

But whatever the language, our faith and experience is that as we confess and repent of our sins, we are forgiven and accepted by God and ushered into a new relationship with Him.  Being forgiven and reconciled by God’s grace, he then lives in us by the transforming power of his Spirit as the indwelling Christ.

What feelings does this truth of “Christ in you” awaken in your soul?  For me, it’s feelings of thankful praise and worship, singing “Amazing love, how can it be, That thou, my God, should’st die for me?”

“Healing Rays of Righteousness” – September 12, 2018

For What Do I Labor?

Read Luke 14:1-14

Labor Day weekend is a good time to ponder “for what do I labor?”  Is it for self-status or for service to God?  Is it to receive praises from mankind or praises from God?  Do I labor for things temporal or for things eternal?

Picture a man in his fifties, distinguished and properly attired.  He is a faithful husband and strict father.  He is a respected businessman and, above all else, a deeply religious man.  In a word, he is a Pharisee.

The Pharisees of Jesus’ day were not bad people.  They were highly respected merchants with a heart for God.  In fact, it was with the Pharisees, as opposed to the Sadducees, that Jesus was most readily identified.

And it was in the home of one of these highly respected Pharisees that Jesus sat down to eat.  The table is magnificent, the servants attentive, the centerpiece impressive, and the wine chilled.  All the “right people” are there – bankers, doctors, lawyers, synagogue leaders.  Jesus is invited not because he is considered an equal but because he is a curiosity who has been in the news.

Attention was given to the proper prayers and ritual cleansings.  Everything had to be just so, and it was.  The esteemed guests are watching closely to see how Jesus fits in.  The table talk is polite, as expected – until Jesus began to speak.

At the dinner, Jesus noticed how the guests made their way to the places of honor at the table.  They were good people, and they simply wanted to be recognized as such.  But Jesus saw it differently.  He severely rebuked them for seeking out the places of honor and striving for status.  In essence he said that if you walk around with your nose in the air, you’re going to end up flat on you face – “For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”

Jesus tells them that humility is more important than being esteemed.  This was contrary to the Pharisees’ way of thinking, and their puffed-up egos.  They considered themselves good, religious people and thought the community should esteem them as such.  But Jesus says that they should see themselves more as servants than rulers and that the table of fellowship is open to all.

What Jesus is saying about God’s Kingdom and entrance into it is unacceptable to the Pharisees.  And even Jesus’ own disciples struggled with this new Kingdom thinking.  Remember the story of James and John, the sons of Zebedee, asking Jesus for the honor of being seated on his right and left in his glory.  And on another occasion the disciples were arguing about who was the greatest among them.

For what do I labor – for self and status, or for service to God in serving others?

When Jesus finished rebuking the guests, he turns to the host and criticized the host’s dinner guests list.  In effect, he said, “Why do you invite only the beautiful people?  What about the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind?  Why not invite them?”

I can imagine the host thinking this was a silly question.  Good religious people know that there are standards to be upheld, reputations to consider.  Besides, this was a Sabbath dinner, not simply a common meal.

That is Jesus’ point exactly.  The Sabbath is an institution of God, who loves and invites all to his table of fellowship.  A Sabbath dinner is the perfect time and place to welcome all of God’s children.  So Jesus instructed him to “invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind.”  And Jesus assured the host that if he adopts this practice he “will be blessed.  Although they cannot repay you, you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.”

Jesus promises that if we live our lives under the banner of lifting up those in need and affirm their eternal worth in the sight of God, we will be blessed.  The blessing will not be from other people, but from God.  He is ultimately the only One who can bless us, or whose praise matters.

This reminds me of the words Jesus spoke as recorded by Matthew in 25:31ff:  “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his glorious throne. …  Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world.  For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’   Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry, …or thirsty, …a stranger, …or needing clothes, …sick or in prison?  The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’”

For what do I labor – for self and status, or for service to God in serving others?

(September 5, 2018)

Becoming Fully Human, Perfect in Christ

Read Ephesians 4:11-16

This chapter begins with the Apostle Paul saying to the Ephesian Christians, “I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received.” (v.1).  Then in verses 12-13 he says that Christ has given us, the church, grace gifts of leadership for the purpose of equipping “his people for works of service,” so that all of us will grow in our understanding of Jesus and “become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.”  And again in verse 15, “grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ.”

From these and other scriptures we learn that God intends for us to grow toward perfection in becoming fully human.  The Greek word “teleios” is translated as “perfect” or “mature” and means “complete, fully developed, or all that God intends.”  To speak of perfection in becoming fully human is the equivalent to the next phrase, “attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.”

In his sermon on the mount, Jesus said that we are to “Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect” (Mt. 5:48).  He also told the rich young ruler who asked what he must do to get eternal life, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven.  Then come, follow me” (Mt. 19:21).

And in Colossians 1:28, the Apostle Paul writes, “We proclaim him, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone perfect in Christ.”

I think the teachings of Jesus and the apostles both confirm “perfection” to be a valid goal in our understanding of becoming fully human as maturing in Christ, and becoming like Christ.  I believe this is God’s creative intention for us, and to the extent that we live in harmony with that intention, we can be “perfect ” as God so much desires us to be, and as Paul says, “become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.”

In verse 14, Paul jolts us into an awareness of the dangers experienced by those remaining in spiritual infancy.  Christian “infants” are gullible and vulnerable to false and deceitful teachings and easily victimized.  Spiritual toddlers tend to believe everything they are told, and like rudderless boats, tend to go wherever the wind takes them.

And so, Paul urges us toward growth and maturity, perfection, in Jesus Christ.  Jesus and the apostles both teach that spiritual growth, both inward and outward, is to be a dynamic movement toward perfection in becoming like Christ in all of our human life.

Ephesians 4:22-24 – “You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.”   In other words, “to be made new” is about becoming perfect as a human.

But this raises the question – Why be a Christian rather than a humanist?  Many who call themselves agnostic or atheist are, largely indistinguishable from Christians in their moral sensitivity, their commitment to responsible community action, and their passion for justice.

And, sadly, over the years I have encountered more than a few people identifying themselves as “Christian” with whom I would rather be disassociated from.  The way they live and treat others, what they believe and say, and the things they think are important, cause me great disappointment, concern, and embarrassment to say the least.

Nevertheless, I choose to be a Christian and be identified with the Christian community.  Why?  Because it answers better than any other religion or philosophy the fundamental question – “What does it mean to be human – to be perfect, mature?”

At the center of Christianity is a living, dynamic model of what it is like for a person to be fully human, fully mature, perfect.  That model is the person, Jesus Christ.  For me, he is the only genuine and reliable model, and by which we are called to pattern our own lives.  I see in Jesus the perfect human being that I was created to be.

That’s why I choose to be a Christian, even with its many embarrassing associates.  For at the center of Christianity is One who both shows me the way and, more importantly, who by his indwelling Spirit enables me to “… become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.” 

And, in reference to perfection, I say with the apostle Paul, “Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me.  …I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.”  (Philippians 3:12,14).

“And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith.  For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” (Heb. 12:1b-2).

“Healing Rays of Righteousness” – August 29, 2018

Knowing Our Past, Present, and Future

I once heard about a minister who was attending a conference and decided to take a bus to the beach on a free afternoon.  Soon a strange-looking lady boarded the bus and sat next to him, cooing, “Cross my hand with a dollar, and I’ll tell you your past, present, and future.”  He eyed her for a moment and then he cooed in response, “That won’t be necessary.  I have a little book in my pocket that tells me my past, present, and future.” 

“You have it in a book?” she replied, not really believing him.  “Yes, and it is absolutely infallible.  Let me read it to you.”  Then he read Ephesians 2:1-10.  The lady quickly got up from her seat and ran down the aisle of the bus shouting, “I picked the wrong man!”

For many people, knowing about their physical and material future is so needful that they spend thousands of hours and dollars on reading horoscopes and listening to fortune tellers.

For me, this anxiety about my future is answered in reviewing and remembering my spiritual journey with God.  One way to really appreciate what has happened to us spiritually, is to look back to what we were, and in doing so, we begin to understand what God has called us out of and what future is ours in Jesus Christ.

Read Ephesians 2:1-10

The opening words of this chapter tell us that we were dead in transgressions and sins.  We did what we thought was right, but found it was constantly getting us into difficulty and destroying us – and we never knew why.  We were victimized by the desires of the body and the mind, and, as Paul says, “were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind.” (v.3).

From God’s perspective, we were spiritually dead in our past life because of our willful disobedience to his commandments that was evidenced in our thoughts, conversations, and deeds.  God doesn’t say sick or asleep, he says dead, in need of life.  Dead means to be powerless and rotting.  In God’s sight, we were powerless to change our behavior and rotting in sin.  As a result, we could expect nothing from God but His wrath.

There is a paradox here:  We were spiritually dead, yet alive and active against God.  We served the world, the devil, and our fleshly desires.  Because we didn’t live to please God, we set ourselves up for God’s wrath.  “For the wages of sin is death” (Rom. 6:23).

That was our past life of sinful separation from God, but “hear ye, hear ye” the good news of our present life in Christ.  “But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions – it is by grace you have been saved.” (Vv.4-5). 

Oh, what wonderful and amazing words these are.  We were “made alive” – resurrected to a new life of eternal relationship with God. This is our present life as a Christian.  We could not work for it.  We did not deserve it.  We have not earned it.  And yet, God gifted eternal salvation to us who believe, because Jesus willingly and lovingly paid for it on the cross.  And now we share in his glorious and wonderful resurrection life.

“Amazing grace, how sweet the sound!”  But what exactly is grace?  According to Paul, it is God’s unmerited love acting on our behalf through Jesus Christ to rescue us from eternal death.  “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”  (Rom. 6:23).

The exclusive agent of grace is Jesus Christ.  Behind God’s grace is Calvary’s cross and Easter’s empty tomb.  Jesus came to earth and took our sin upon himself, suffered and died as a condemned criminal in our place, so that we could be made eternally alive and new.  Why?  Because he loved us!

We have been re-created, born again, made alive and new in Jesus Christ to serve God. We, who were dead are now alive, not by good works but for good works.  God’s intention is to restore us to our original purpose as doers of good.   We are God’s workmanship, God’s masterpiece in this present world of sin and death.  This is our present reality and mission in life.

But there is more.  Both our present reality and continuing future is pictured in the good news that God “made us alive with Christ – … And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus.” (Vv.5-7).

Please read that paragraph again, slowly and thoughtfully, letting the awesome truth of what God has done for us through Jesus Christ penetrate deeply into your mind, heart and soul.

We have been raised and seated with Christ “in the heavenly realms” and even now share in a measure of Christ’s authority.  From this position of closeness and glory we are called to imitate God in seeing those near us who are enslaved by the powers of evil, and to love them as God has loved us, thereby participating with Christ in God’s process of salvation.

Thank you, Jesus!

A Prayer for Living Abundantly

Read Ephesians 3:14-21

Even though Paul was sitting in a prison, he is filled with deep concern for the spiritual welfare of “God’s holy people in Ephesus” and prays for them.

In the first 14 verses of chapter 1, Paul reminds the Ephesians believers that God had blessed them “with every spiritual blessing in Christ.”  Then in verses 15-23, he prays that they might experience spiritual enlightenment and wisdom.  In chapter 2 and continuing through to 3:13, he says that all of God’s resources are available because Jesus Christ died to make God’s blessings accessible to all, both Jew and Gentile.

It is one thing to know that God made his resources available through Jesus, but it is quite another thing to act upon that knowledge – to tap into those resources – to be filled with the fullness of God.  It was Paul’s earnest desire that his Christian friends fully enjoy the life-shaping experience that was available in their relationship with God, and that is why he prays this prayer beginning in verse 14 of chapter 3.

Paul’s prayer consists of three related requests, each introduced by the word “that” as it appears in the NIV translation.  And so he prays:                                                                                 “For this reason I kneel before the Father, (praying)”                                                                          1)  “That out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith.” (16-17a).

God has given us, his children, the Holy Spirit as an inner resource.  I believe that to live in this world as a faithful follower of Jesus Christ it is imperative for us to have our inner being continually renewed and strengthened by Christ’s indwelling Spirit.

Shortly before his crucifixion, Jesus prayed to the Father for his disciples and us, saying,    “I have made you known to them, and will continue to make you known in order that the love you have for me may be in them and that I myself may be in them.” (Jn. 17:26).

Jesus’ one and foremost desire is to lead us into an ever-deepening knowledge and experience of God’s love.  His concern is not merely that we know more about God, but that we know more and more experientially about how deeply we are cherished and loved by God.

To be all that God desires us to be and to accomplish all that He desires us to accomplish, Jesus Christ must be eagerly welcomed into our love and life.  He will not come uninvited.  And his enabling strength does not come to those who resist his presence.

“For this reason I kneel before the Father, (praying)”                                                                           2)  “That you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge.”  (17b-19a).

Paul saw the cross as the supreme revelation of love, and this is the love he wanted his readers to experience – amazing, boundless love.  The outstretched arms of Christ on the cross embracing all humankind with forgiving love.  The marvel of it is overwhelming – that the sinless Son of God would willingly endure the shame and agony of crucifixion for us sinners.

This love of God is so amazing, so glorious that it defies description, for it goes beyond our ability to fully comprehend.  In fact, Paul says, it takes the combined experiences of “all the saints” to even begin to grasp its amazing greatness.  He is saying that this love of Christ is far beyond the rational limits of intellect or theory.  It is experiential knowing – the knowing that comes from experiencing Christ’s amazing love in our everyday living.

I once read of a farmer who had a weather vane on his barn, on which was written GOD IS LOVE.   When friends asked why, the farmer said, “This is to remind me that no matter which way the wind blows, God is love.”

“For this reason I kneel before the Father, (praying)”                                                                           3)  “That you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.” (v.9b)

Although we cannot contain God’s fullness, we can receive it to the full measure of our capacity and to the degree of our being yielded.  The truth is that whatever fills you controls you.

That’s why it is so important to be Spirit-filled – to have a relationship with God that is so yielded to him that his Spirit fills us and dwells with us in intimacy and power, so that we can experience the abundant life that Jesus promised the Holy Spirit would do for believers.

Imagine the possibilities that are yours with Christ dwelling in your heart.  Jesus said, “I am the vine; you are the branches.  If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.” (John 15:5).

Imagine your life being abundant and overflowing with the fruit of the Spirit.  “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.”  (Gal. 5:22-23).

This, my friend, is my sincere prayer for you and me.

Chosen, Redeemed, and Sealed in Christ

Read Ephesians 1:3-14

Sitting in prison, the apostle Paul begins his letter to the Ephesians by reminding them that God deserves their praise because God “has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ.”  We often speak casually about God’s blessings, but the song writer reminds us to “Count your many blessings, see what God has done.”

There is a simple chorus that I like to sing that says, “God is so good, God is so good, God is so good, he’s so good to me.”  Yes, he is!  Let’s review three of those blessings with Paul.

We are Chosen by God – “For he chose us in him (Christ) before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight.  In love he predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ.” (v.4-5a).

In Christ we have been chosen by God to be his beloved children.  Our relationship with God is not based simply on our acceptance of Jesus Christ.  It is first based on God’s amazing love and acceptance of us.  Through Christ’s death and resurrection, we have been graciously adopted as children in God’s eternal, glorious family.

Paul never thought of himself as having chosen God.  It was always the opposite – God had chosen him.  This was also Jesus’ word to his disciples; “You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit – fruit that will last – ” (John 15:16).

There isn’t any feeling quite like the feeling that comes when we are accepted/chosen to be a member of, to participate in, or to receive an award.  Such experiences empower us with desire to do our best.

What an inspiration it is to know that we have been chosen and loved by God.  To know this truth of God’s amazing love is to be freed from all our insecurities, neurotic fears, strivings for acceptance, and self-depreciation.  “God is so good!”

We are Forgiven and Redeemed by Jesus – “In him (Christ) we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace that he lavished on us.” (v.7-8a).

The essence of this redemption is forgiveness.  Paul does not try to explain how this is so, he just rejoices in the reality of being redeemed.  Nothing is more important to Paul than Calvary.  He saw Christ’s crucifixion as God’s supreme outpouring of his love for us sinful persons.

The marvel of this was overwhelming for Paul.  Even he, a spiritual giant, cannot fully fathom the depth and breadth of divine love that willingly endures the shame and agony of the cross in order to reconcile us into relationship with him as his adopted children.  We can only stand in worshipful awe as we gaze upon this love and grace that has been “lavished on us.”

(A story) – When Richard married, he anticipated a long life of love and joy but soon discovered his wife’s unfaithfulness.  Rather than abandon her in his shame and anger, he sought to restore their marriage.  She would have none of it, but instead ran off to prostitute herself.

Years passed.  While visiting a distant city, he was told that his long-lost wife was being held in the mental ward of a public hospital, diseased and despondent.  He went to her, paid her bills, and brought her home to nurse her to health and to rekindle her love for him.  She had been redeemed, “bought back.”  She had been his wife; now she was also his devoted love.

That’s exactly what Jesus did for you and me.   The apostle Paul declares this in his letter to the Roman Christians, “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (5:8). “God is so good!”

We are Sealed by the Spirit of God – “When you believed, you were marked in him (Christ)  with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession – to the praise of his glory.” (v.13b-14).

That seal is like branding, a mark of ownership.  The Holy Spirit in us is God’s mark of ownership.  The Holy Spirit in us is the seal of authenticity, that we belong; the seal of assurance, that God will not change his mind about us; and the seal of God’s pledge, that his eternal promises to us are true and will not fail.

Furthermore, the Holy Spirit daily reveals God to us and makes effective in our lives the forgiving, cleansing power of Christ’s sacrifice.  The Holy Spirit continually functions in our life, giving us power and guidance to “work out our salvation” in perfecting our love for God and for others. “God is so good, God is so good, God is so good, he’s so good to me.”

No wonder Paul says, “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.”  We belong to God – he chose us, redeemed us, and sealed us as his children.  What does that mean for you today?

“Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever.”  (Psalm 118:1).

I Was Blind but Now I See

Read John 9:1-41

In the biblical story of John 9, Jesus brings healing to a man who had been “blind from birth” and who has never seen the face of his parents or his friends.  Neither has he ever seen the dazzling colors of a sunrise or sunset, the beauty of flowering bushes, flying birds, flowing streams, or a starlit sky.

As Jesus is walking along, he sees this man and stops to heal him.  Yes, for Jesus, no one is ever lost in the crowd.  He knows each one of us, where we are, and what our need is.  He knows the cause of our blindness and he wants to heal us, if we let him.  This truth is our daily strength and hope.

And so, after answering his disciples question regarding whose sin caused this man’s blindness, Jesus healed the man’s eyes.  Mixing his own saliva with some soil, making a mudpack, he plasters the man’s eyes.  Then he tells the man to “Go, wash in the Pool of Siloam.”

The blind man believed, went, and washed – just as Jesus commanded – and he “came home seeing.”  Can you feel the emotions erupting within him?  Can you imagine the joy, the amazement that filled him as he walked home “seeing” everything and everybody around him?  Here was a man who could not venture into new territory without being led, but now he “came home seeing.” 

Here was a stunning miracle – a man blind since birth suddenly given eyesight, but no one is celebrating with him. His neighbors are doubtful and his parents are worried about the religious and legal ramifications, while the Pharisees find the whole episode threatening and foreboding.

In spite of the Pharisees attack, the healed man, without anyone coming to his defense, not even his own parents, refuses to give in to the charges they make concerning his healer, Jesus.  He simply speaks the truth as he has experienced it.  He admits he does not know a lot about this Jesus, but “One thing I do know,” – and this he clings to without wavering – “I was blind but now I see!”

The man’s life was changed physically and spiritually.  He was no longer blind, but now “seeing” and experiencing a new life of relationship with God.  And when Jesus heard that he had been thrown out of the synagogue, Jesus went and introduced himself as the “Son of Man.”  Hearing this, the man said, “Lord, I believe,” and then worshiped Jesus.

This story gives us the opportunity to consider the possibility of our own blindness.  This story also tells us that spiritual blindness is worse than physical blindness.  Physical blindness can be healed, but willful spiritual blindness resists healing.

The Pharisees were blinded by their dogmatic belief in their tradition and the Law of Moses and could neither see nor understand the healing miracle.  If they believed in what Jesus had done, then their law would be wrong.  And because they believed that to be impossible, they concluded that Jesus was not from God since he “does not keep the Sabbath.”

Tradition is a good and healthy thing – it gives us roots that connect us with our heritage, and helps us judge our thoughts and actions by the standards of those who have gone before us.  But tradition is not God – and we must always be aware that tradition can become an idol that blinds us to what God is saying and doing among us today.

The parents and neighbors are blinded by their worry and fear of the Jewish leaders and so are hesitant to give witness that Jesus, God’s messiah, was in their midst.  Yes, fear kept them from “seeing” Jesus, and fear can blind us as well.

I consider fear to be the most destructive weapon in the devil’s arsenal to keep us from “seeing” God’s hand in our lives and in our world.  We may fear loss – health, accident, death – or friends, job, home.  We may fear offending others who question or ridicule our faith and biblical understandings.  We may even fear the possibility that God may give us something that will be new, overwhelming and different than what we had in mind.  All of these various fears are capable of blinding us to the reality of Jesus’ healing, teaching presence in our midst.

And yes, I think we all need to admit that there are also times when we really don’t want to see truth, but prefer to live by our desires, our prejudices and be affirmed in what we know to be safe and familiar.   And so, we refuse to open our eyes to the possibility of seeing Jesus alive and doing kingdom work in our life and community.

The good news of this story is that the man born blind does not remain blind – and neither do we need to remain blind.  Jesus offers the man the chance not only to see the light, but to be light.  And Jesus offers the same to each of us.  What is it that keeps us from being able to “see” Jesus today?

All The Way My Savior Leads Me

Read Psalm 37:23-24

“The Lord makes firm the steps of the one who delights in him; though he may stumble, he will not fall, for the Lord upholds him with his hand.”

I’m quite certain that you, like me, have those days when you feel like throwing in the towel. It seems troubles and difficulties keep piling on you and no one seems to care, not even God.   You feel wiped out, exhausted, crushed, devastated, and emptied of hope.

The apostle Paul tells of a time when there was so much opposition against him that he not only felt worn out, but so exhausted and discouraged by what was happening to him that he wished he were dead.  “We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers and sisters, about the troubles we experienced in the province of Asia.  We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired of life itself.  Indeed, we felt we had received the sentence of death.”  (2Cor. 1:8-9)

Most of us have felt this kind of weariness during difficult times in our life.  It happens when we are experiencing opposition from others, or suffer from a prolonged injury or illness. Our emotional and spiritual strengths and resolve seem to slowly erode until there is very little energy left in us to face another day of suffering.

It is at these times in our lives that we find it most difficult to see or imagine God’s long range plan of guidance for our life.  But it is also during such times that we most need to reach out and grasp God’s hand and be encouraged by his promises.

We can begin reaching out by remembering that we are not alone.  God has promised to always be present with us and to guide our every step, one at a time.  “The Lord makes firm the steps of the one who delights in him; though he may stumble, he will not fall, for the Lord upholds him with his hand.”  (Ps. 37:23-24).  Then, having stretched out our hand, we are encouraged to allow God’s strong hand grasp our hand and lead us out of despair and into hope.

God also promised, “I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my loving eye on you.”  (Ps. 32:8).  I remember a bus company’s advertisement, “Take the bus and leave the driving to us.”  In a similar but much grander way, God invites us to let him take the steering wheel and do the driving for us in our life journey.

I like to think of my living through difficult experiences as similar to driving my car through the darkness of night.  I can see only as far as my headlights pierce the darkness, but I keep driving forward and the headlights keep piercing the darkness with a pathway of light.  And I complete the whole trip through the darkness, trusting my headlights to keep showing me the way forward.

Yes, my forward progress may be slowed down when my headlights make visible an accident or road construction and detours.  Also, a dangerous storm of wind, rain, or snow may delay my travel.  And yes, these unexpected delays can cause me frustration and possibly elevate my fear and stress, but my headlights will continue to show me a pathway of light, leading to my destination.  I like to think of God’s Holy Spirit being that headlight shining a pathway of light through these times of darkness in my life’s journey.

Yes, there are many times I wish I could see further ahead into the next week, month or year, but that is not how God promises to guide us.  His promise is to guide us one step at a time, and we take that step forward by faith, believing that his presence and his light will continue to show us the way through the darkness that surrounds us.

Fanny Crosby wrote the words to the hymn, “All The Way My Savior Leads Me,” as her praise to God for his leading in her life.  Being physically blind, she knew the importance being guided by another. She was keenly aware of the uncertainty and possible stumbling in every pathway she would take.  The hymn was first published in 1875, and remains a favorite for many of us.

“All the way my Savior leads me – What have I to ask beside?  Can I doubt His tender mercy, Who through life has been my guide?    Heavenly peace, divinest comfort, Here by faith in Him to dwell!  For I know, what-e’er befall me, Jesus doeth all things well. 

All the way my Savior leads me – Cheers each winding path I tread.   Gives me grace for every trial, Feeds me with the living bread.   Though my weary steps may falter  And my soul a-thirst may be,  Gushing from the Rock before me, Lo! A spring of joy I see.

Yes, all the way, “the Lord upholds him (her) with his hand.”  God’s presence and light will always pierce the darkness and say to you, “This is the way, walk in it.”  (Isa. 30:21).

I Need Not Be Afraid

Psalm 27:1-6, 11-14

All sorts of human troubles, despair and fears are recounted throughout the book of Psalms, nevertheless, the psalms also keep coming back to affirming the sure confidence we can have in knowing that God is with us through all the frightening dark valleys of life.  Repeatedly we hear the psalms declaring that because of God’s presence and power, we have no need to be afraid.

Medical science confirms FEAR to be the greatest threat to mental, physical and spiritual health – first we think it, then we feel it, and slowly our trust in God weakens and we believe our fears to be true.  And so, it would seem logical to conclude that the remedy for quieting our fears begins with deliberate action toward strengthening our spiritual relationship with God.

Psalm 27 was written by King David, and is a declaration of faith by which he has learned how to deal with his fears.  Verse 1 opens with an exuberant “the Lord is” and his intensely personal faith is reflected in the use of the possessive pronoun “my”.

“The Lord is my light and salvation – whom shall I fear?                                                                The Lord is the stronghold of my life – of whom shall I be afraid?”                                     …….    “Though an army besiege me, my heart will not fear;                                                                              though war break out against me, even then will I be confident.”

The Hebrew word for “confident” means to “feel secure, be unconcerned.”  For King David, this sense of security comes from the Lord, which he declares to be his “light and salvation.”  His confidence is that “…in the day of trouble he will keep me safe in his dwelling; he will hide me in the shelter of his tabernacle.” (27:5).

King David had discovered through his many difficult and frightening life experiences that, even though God does not always remove the causes of fear, he always does give us the inward resources to confront and deal with them. Too often we are tempted to become so focused on the fear-causing threat that we forget about the power available to us in confronting and calming our fear.  We so easily forget that God is bigger – much bigger than any difficulty or threatening situation facing us.

The psalmist’s opening question, “of whom shall I be afraid?”  is echoed in Apostle Paul’s question “If God is for us, who can be against us?”  Paul’s answer declares that no one and no thing in all creation “will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord!” (Romans 8:31).

This is the essence of our faith, and such faith makes it possible to quiet our fears, not because we “have faith” or the threats we face aren’t real, but because faith connects us with a much greater reality – a sovereign, all-powerful God who is much bigger than any and all of our fears.

We choose either faith or fear.  These are our only two options in response to difficult and threatening circumstances.  Either we can know and relate to the living God as our “light, salvation, and stronghold,” or we are destined to live in worry, anguish, and fear through every troublesome situation.

The psalmist then closes with this encouragement, “Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord.”  The ability to calm the soul and wait before God is most likely one of the most difficult tasks in a Christian’s life.  At least I find it so, as I tend to be impatient, wanting God to act now.  I frequently need to reclaim for myself the confidence in God as expressed by the psalmist in this and the following scriptures.

“Find rest, O my soul, in God alone, my hope comes from him.  He alone is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will not be shaken.  My salvation and my honor depend on God, he is my mighty rock, my refuge.  Trust in him at all times, O People; pour out your hearts to him, for God is our refuge.  Selah.”  (Ps. 62:5-8).

And so we say with the psalmist, “The Lord is my light and my salvation – whom shall I fear?  The Lord is the stronghold of my life – of whom shall I be afraid?

A Song of Confidence

Read Psalm 23

For my times of suffering, I have found much comfort and encouragement in Psalm 23, and as a chaplain have shared this psalm with many others in their times of suffering.  I think this psalm portrays an excellent summary of the Christian perspective for all of life, including suffering.

Psalm 23 is probably the best-known and most quoted passage from the Bible.  Even those who seldom read the Bible can quote at least a line or two from it, because they’ve heard it so often spoken at funerals. It is appropriately used there and is most often a comforting passage to mourners. But if you think of Psalm 23 as being only an appropriate funeral text, you can miss the fact that this Psalm is mostly about living, not dying.  In fact, only one verse references death, while the other five verses speak about good, abundant living.

Although many of us are used to hearing the King James version of verse 4 as “Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death …,” the underlying Hebrew words can also mean simply “place of deep darkness.”  And so, the New International version, which I prefer, reads “Even though I walk through the darkest valley, (of hurt, pain, suffering and loss) I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and staff they comfort me.”

Psalm 23:4 candidly faces the inevitable experience of suffering and fear.  It does not say “If I walk” but it says “Even though I walk through the darkest valley ….”  The comforting power of Psalm 23 comes from its use of these two key words: “though” and “through” – the same word except for the single letter “r.”  That one little letter makes all the difference in the world.  It is the letter that turns your “though” into a “through.”  Valleys are not resting places, but passageways.

This then is a statement about God’s shepherding me during the difficult and troubling stretches of life.  And the reason I’m not overwhelmed by fear is because God the Shepherd is with me and his rod and staff are at the ready to protect and guide me.  His presence comforts and reassures me in the midst of threatening darkness.    

 “Though” none of us journey through life without walking the valley of deep darkness, the psalmist makes it plain that God does not intend for us to stay there forever.  The valley is something one goes “through.”  We can walk through our problems.  We can walk through our sorrows.  We can walk through our pain.  We can walk through our screw-ups and life-threatening situation without fear of evil, because the Lord, our Shepherd, journeys through with us; and his rod and staff are at the ready to protect and rescue us, if and when needed.

The Psalmist concludes, “Surely your goodness and love shall follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.”

And so, this Psalm becomes a strong statement of faith, a song of confidence in God.  Whether our dark valleys are times of painful sufferings or the actual passage through death itself, we believe God is not only with us but is more than equal to whatever threats to our spiritual well-being may lurk within the dark shadows.

Psalm 23, along with the whole book of Psalms, is about having confidence in God.  The Psalms recount all sorts of human troubles, despair and fears, but like a compass needle that keeps swinging back to the north, they keep coming back to the confidence we can have in knowing that God is with us in the darkness.  And so, when Psalm 23 talks about God’s rod and staff being a source of comfort in the frightening valleys of life, it is stating the main point of the entire book of Psalms.

Psalm 139 can be read as evidence that God has journeyed through the dark valley ahead of us.  The author that Psalm says; “Where can I go from your spirit?  Where can I flee from your presence?  If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make by bed in the depths, you are there.  If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast.  If I say, ‘Surely the darkness will hide me and the light become night around me,’ even the darkness will not be dark to you; the night will shine like the day, for darkness is as light to you.”  (Psalm 139:7-12).

So says Peter in his letter to the suffering followers of Jesus in his day; “In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials.  These have come so that your faith – of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire – may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.”  (1 Peter 1:6-7).