Healing Rays of Righteousness

We call the day of Jesus’ crucifixion, “Good Friday.”  But what is so “good” about the day a man named Jesus of Nazareth is arrested, brutally beaten and hung from a cross to suffer and die?

The cross of Jesus is a central symbol of the Christian faith, but for many who claim to be Christian, Christ’s death seems to have very little impact in the way they live their life.  It is simply a tragic, bloody story to read on Good Friday.

At that time in history, the cross had no religious meaning.  It was simply the method of execution preferred by the Roman government for all criminals.  These executions were usually staged just outside city walls and beside main roads, where they would be prominently visible, as a scary warning to all who passed by.

But Jesus is no criminal and so there must be something different about the crucifixion of Jesus that makes the day “Good” and the week “Holy” in our annual remembering and retelling of the story.  What is it?

To answer that question, I invite you to remember what the prophet Isaiah said about God’s messiah who would come into the world, the messiah whom Jesus claimed to be.

“Surely he took up our pain and bore our suffering, yet we considered him punished by God, stricken by him, and afflicted.  But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed.  We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to our own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.”  (Isaiah 53:4-6).

And remember what the writer of Hebrews said about Jesus’ crucifixion; “Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might break the power of him who holds the power of death – that is, the devil – and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death. … and that he might make atonement for the sins of the people.” (Hebrews 2:14, 17c)

Three things come to mind as I think about what Jesus’ death means to me.  There are three things Jesus accomplished for me when he declared from the cross “It is finished” and died.

The first thing is that by suffering death on the cross, Jesus redeemed me out of slavery to sin.  The price of my redemption was paid in full with the sacrifice of Jesus’ own life.  It is finished, the price is paid, and I am set free from slavery to sin.

The apostle Paul says that God “has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.” (Col. 1:13-14).

The second thing is that by suffering death on the cross, Jesus reconciled me with God.  Sin always separates relationships, and my sin separated me from God. But through Jesus’ sacrifice of himself, Jesus forgave me and restored my relationship with God.  In other words, his death mediated peace between me and God.

By suffering death on the cross, Jesus also empowered me to be reconciled with others.  The sinful walls of prejudice, fear, pride, and selfishness in me, are broken down.  And now, instead of being filled with fear and alienation, I am freed to enjoy peace and caring relationships.

The third thing is that by suffering death on the cross, Jesus restored to me God’s approval, acceptance, and divine nature as His adopted child.  I am now justified – restored to the relationship with God I would have enjoyed if I had never sinned.  My whole past is forgiven, blotted out.  So complete is that restoration that I am now called a child of God.

“See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God!  And that is what we are!”  (1 John 3:1).

These are the wonderful, amazing things that Jesus accomplished for me that day, when he declared from the cross, “It is finished” and died.

To gaze upon Jesus’ cross of suffering and death with the understanding that we belong on that cross – that it is our place of deserving punishment for sins committed, is awesome.  And to understand that Jesus took our place and died the death we deserved so that we could live in God’s house forever, because He so greatly loved us, is amazing.

We can properly stand before the cross of Jesus Christ only with a bowed head and a broken spirit.  And there remain until the Lord Jesus speaks into our hearts His words of forgiveness and acceptance.  Then being gripped by His love and overflowing with thanksgiving, we go from the cross and into our world to sacrificially love and serve all others in His name.

That is why I and all who believe Jesus to be the Messiah, the Savior, call this day of Jesus’ death “Good Friday.”  Thanks be to God for His amazing love and grace.

“Healing Rays of Righteousness” – April 17, 2019

(Part Two of Two)

The wisdom of Proverbs 15:13 and 15 says that a cheerful face indicates a positive attitude toward life, and that such persons have an inner joy: “A happy heart makes the face cheerful, … the cheerful heart has a continual feast.”

However, these same verses also tell us that difficult circumstances can threaten and crush one’s spirit and rob a person of this joy; “heartache crushes the spirit, … All the days of the oppressed are wretched.”   Unfortunately, growing older often becomes fertile soil for negative attitudes to take root and grow, robbing the elderly of the joy that God intended for them to experience in their latter years.

It has been said, “It is not how old you are but how you are old that makes the difference in your enjoyment or despair of life.”  It is also said, “A beautiful young person is an accident of nature, but a beautiful older person is a work of art.”

The psalmist paints a beautiful word picture of the aging person in Psa. 92:12-14.  “The righteous will flourish like a palm tree, they will grow like a cedar of Lebanon; planted in the house of the Lord, they will flourish in the courts of our God.  They will still bear fruit in old age, they will stay fresh and green, proclaiming, ‘The Lord is upright; he is my Rock, and there is no wickedness in him.’”

Proverbs 4:18 states that our latter years are intended to be our glory years, “The path of the righteous is like the first gleam of dawn, shining ever brighter till the full light of day.”  To view our aging as a journey into the light, rather into the darkness, makes a world of difference in the kind of person we become in our latter years.

Proverbs 15:14 states that “The discerning heart seeks knowledge.”  This speaks directly to how our aging can become a journey into the light rather than into darkness.  For as we continue to seek knowledge, see new visions, hear new sounds, and find new directions for our life in service to God, we nurture a joyful, satisfied heart .

The biblical story of Moses is a good portrayal of a person with a discerning heart seeking knowledge.  Moses is about eighty years old when he encounters God in the burning bush and is given a new vocation, new responsibility, and a new lifestyle for the latter third of his life.  There are two attributes of Moses that reveal a cheerful, discerning heart, seeking knowledge.

Curiosity

Curiosity and interest in life outside himself, caused Moses to remain open-minded, even at 80 years old. He never stops learning as he gathers news from wandering herdsmen about life in Egypt; debates with others around the cook fire regarding the virtues and power of the God he follows; and gleans from his father-in-law, Jethro, any bits of knowledge he could.

Curiosity moved Moses from his comfortable, placid, easygoing life into an encounter with God and a new lifestyle.  Curiosity draws this elderly gentleman into a life of purposeful action; from herding sheep to delivering God’s people from slavery.  Call it curiosity or zest for life.  Moses had it, and I think it is a vital attribute toward enjoying a continual feast throughout all of life.

It’s tempting, as we grow older, to close our minds to change when it comes too fast for us to comprehend.  We tend to back up into our little corner, shut the door to possibilities, and wish for the “good old days.”  But, Moses would tell us to always remain curious and open to new possibilities and life-changing experiences.

Sense of the Sacred 

Moses had experienced a lot of disappointments, troubles and sadness during his life.  Once a handsome, sought-after social partner, Moses is now an 80 year-old, forgotten man of many abilities.  He could have become angered by the circumstances that took him from a person of prominence as a member of the Egyptian royal house to an insignificant, smelly sheepherder.

Moses had every right to be cynical in his old age, and bitter that life had dealt him such a bad deal. Who would blame him if he became another basket case of negativity and pessimism?  It would have been easy for Moses to smirk mockingly at an invitation from God to serve Him in a grand plan of rescuing His people from slavery.

But we find here a man who has retained a sense of the sacred.  When he encounters the presence of God in the bush fire, he covers his face, realizing that for some reason, God has not forgotten him, and is now coming to him.

Some people become very bitter and cynical in their latter years.  Cynicism grows and flourishes very quickly in the soil of hardships, unfairness, and disappointments. Cynicism destroys every aspect of life, even one’s religious life.

A sense of the sacred counters any tendency toward cynicism.  A sense of the sacred opens us to God’s presence, power, and possibilities.  A sense of the sacred fills life with purpose and joy, creating a zest for living.

Like Moses, people who “age well” remain committed to God, family, friends, and special causes.  Their curiosity, sense of the sacred, and service commitments give purpose and meaning to life.  Yes, God intends for our entire life to be involved in a service mission for Him and His purposes in the world, “staying fresh and green and still bearing fruit in old age.”

According to Proverbs 17:22, “A cheerful heart is good medicine.”  This is God’s “medicare plan” for all of us.  Are you in the plan?

“Healing Rays of Righteousness” – April 10, 2019

(Part One of Two)

It has been rightly said that there are only two kinds of people in the world: those who wake up in the morning and say, “Good morning, Lord,” and those who wake up in the morning and say, “Good Lord, morning.”

The Book of Proverbs contains much wisdom regarding the heart. There are nearly fifty occurrences of the word “heart” in the Book of Proverbs.  And these “heart” Proverbs teach us that God has carefully designed us to function better physically, emotionally, and spiritually when we are cheerful.

Listen to these verses in 15:13-15; “A happy heart makes the face cheerful, but heartache crushes the spirit.  The discerning heart seeks knowledge, but the mouth of a fool feeds on folly.  All the days of the oppressed are wretched, but the cheerful heart has a continual feast.”

“…the cheerful heart has a continual feast.”  Sounds inviting, doesn’t it.  Do you feel that your life, day after day, is a continual feast?  Do you wake up in the morning and say, “Good morning, Lord,” or is it “Good Lord, morning?”

The word “heart” as used in Proverbs, refers to the thoughts, emotions, and attitudes of our personal life.  It refers to our mindset, the way we view and respond to life experiences.  Verses 13 and 15 observe how the condition of a person’s heart affects our spirit or morale, and indicate that both happiness and depression are issues of the heart.

In verses 20-23 of the fourth chapter, the writer appeals to his son, “My son, pay attention to what I say; turn your ear to my words.  Do not let them out of your sight, keep them within your heart; for they are life to those who find them and health to one’s whole body.  Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.”

Wow!  This is so consistent with the medical research studies done during the past couple of decades, which consistently show that the mind plays a significant role in our illnesses, such as high blood pressure, arthritis, and coronary heart disease.

These studies indicate that certain emotions cause changes in the brain’s physical state.  The brain then triggers changes in the regulation of other parts of the body, such as the heart and lungs.  And this, in turn, impacts the immune system, and thus our body’s health.

In March 1998, I attended the Mennonite Health Assembly, and one of the speakers, Dr. David Hilton, M.D., stated that medical science is discovering that negative feelings, such as anger, guilt, fear, are the greatest suppressant to the immune system, greater than HIV.  He further said that we are learning that long-term tension and stress has a very negative effect on a person’s future health, whether they are currently ill or well.

The studies since then continue to confirm that positive attitudes and happy feelings greatly enhance the body’s immune system; that what we think and believe, has a powerful ability to keep us well, as well as to promote healing.

And so, the ancient Scriptures and modern science agree that our spiritual, emotional, and physical health are uniquely related and must be seen as one whole in diagnosis and treatment.

This truth gives greater clarity to our understanding of Paul’s admonition in Romans 12:2, “Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.”  And to the Chinese proverb which says, “Where the mind goes, the body follows.”

A parallel thought to 15:13 and 15 is expressed in Proverbs 14:30; “A heart at peace gives life to the body, but envy rots the bones.”  And Proverbs 17:22 adds, “A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.”

The person who can see the good in a bad situation, who can find humor amidst trials, is a person who will be happy and contented; indeed, they will experience life as a continual feast. But the person who dwells on their disappointments, who feels that they always get the short end of the stick, is a person who is rarely happy and is usually discontented and critical.

The wisdom of Proverbs and all of scripture, declare that attitudes determine actions; and that our current attitudes define both our present and future experiences of life and health.  This wisdom also promises that changing our attitudes from negative to positive perspectives will definitely change our life experiences and body health.

And so, I try always to say, “Good morning, Lord!

“Healing Rays of Righteousness” – April 3, 2019

It is wonderful to read or hear stories of answered prayers for successful surgery, cancer cured, health restored, protection and safety in dangerous storm or threatening violence.  We rejoice with all recipients of answered prayer and gratefully praise God for His intervention and help.

However, there are times when sincere and fervent prayers are not answered as we would desire, and our life is painfully shattered with grievous loss of spouse or child, and our future is emptied of dreams and expectations.  We weep, we groan, we cry out “O God, why?”

There are countless psalms that ask this same question; Psalm 10:1 – Why, Lord, do you stand far off?  Why do you hide yourself in times of trouble?  Psalm 22:1 – My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?  Why are you so far from saving me, so far from my cries of anguish?

Feeling alone, unloved, and forsaken by God, we need someone to sit and weep with us.

Sometimes well-meaning friends attempt to comfort by using biblical texts to explain the whys behind unanswered prayer and grief’s suffering, but I never found that to be comforting or satisfying.  A much better choice of biblical texts are those that speak of God’s promises to us.  It is the promises of God that encourage and reassure us when we feel alone and forsaken.

We may be crying out “Why” but we really want to know “Where” is God.  And, it is the promises of God that speak of the loving, compassionate, “present with us” character of God.  It is the promises of God that affirm His being the Holy, All-loving One who sits with us in our pain and weeps with us.

And when we sit and weep with our grieving friends, we become God’s heart and hands in human flesh and presence.  I believe God intends this to be our ministry of shared pilgrimage with one another.

The apostle Paul encourages the Corinthian Christians in this ministry in his greeting to them.

“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.” (2 Cor. 1:3-5).

Paul also talks about this caring, sensitive, comforting lifestyle in his letter to the Romans, “Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn.”  (12:15).

We can learn much from the story that is told of a little girl who got home from school unusually late one evening, only to find a daddy who was very unhappy about her lateness.  He asked his little girl why she was late.  She said, “Because my friend broke her dolly.”  Her daddy then said, “Oh, okay, so you stayed with her to fix it?”  He did not expect her gentle reply, “No, Daddy, I stayed with her to help her cry.”

As strange as it may sound, it is our weeping together that brings about our healing as grieving individuals and friends.  The tear ducts that God has graciously given us are not just to cleanse our eyes of dust and dirt, but also to release and cleanse our souls of grief and pain.

Weeping together reminds us that we are vulnerable human beings and not self-sufficient; dependent upon and needing one another.  Weeping together reminds us that we are spiritual beings, feeling the tug in heart and soul to turn to God and cry out for help and hope.

Weeping together cleanses our spiritual eyes to see God as our compassionate Father and friend.  Most importantly, weeping together is a powerful unifying force that turns our usual selfishness into unselfish caring and generosity.

We often don’t do this very well, because our full schedules keep us so busy and disconnected from another’s pain.  But God is always giving us opportunities to hear someone’s cry, to feel someone’s pain, and to be God’s compassionate presence in the midst of their hurt.

I hope that all of us will nurture within ourselves a Spirit-led flexibility that allows us to step away from our busyness and sit with those who need a friend to “help them cry.” 

In his book, Out of Solitude, Henri Nouwen says, “When we honestly ask ourselves which persons in our lives mean the most to us, we often find that it is those who, instead of giving advice, solutions, or cures, have chosen rather to share our pain and touch our wounds with a gentle and tender hand.”

Perhaps the most important thing we can do in life is to “weep with those who weep.”

“Healing Rays of Righteousness” – March 27, 2019

I have always found it very difficult to remember names, and enviously admire those who do. I am frequently embarrassed by my forgetfulness and the need to say, “I need to ask again, what is your name?”  And so, I often find it easier to continue the conversation with someone without speaking their name.  Over the years, I’ve tried different ways of improving my memory that were recommended to me, but never experienced much improvement.

My greatest reluctance to asking a person I’ve met on numerous occasions their name, has always been that the individual may think that their previous acquaintance and friendship with me has not been important to me.  Believe me; nothing is further from the truth.

I feel so deficient and uncaring because I know how good it feels when someone approaches me and begins conversation by speaking my name.  Truly, there is no better sound than the sound of your own name being spoken, particularly when spoken with caring love or congratulating kindness.

I think of this every time I read the first 18 verses of John 10, where Jesus likens himself to a shepherd and us as his sheep.  A first-century Palestinian shepherd lived with his sheep.  He knew his sheep; he named his sheep; and each morning he would come to the sheepfold and “calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.” (v.3).  Then in verse 14, Jesus says, “I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me – just as the Father knows me and I know the Father – and I lay down my life for the sheep.” 

It is so amazing and reassuring for me to know that in the eyes and heart of Jesus, I am more than a social security number or a picture on a driver’s license.  Like a good shepherd, Jesus knows our names and cares about us so deeply that he is willing to die for us.

In Jesus, God knows us by name and highly values us as his own sheep.  And, according to Isaiah 49:15-16, He never forgets our name because he says, “Can a mother forget the baby at her breast and have no compassion on the child she has borne?  Though she may forget, I will not forget you!  See, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands.” 

What a thought.  God knows our names and will never forget them, for they are engraved on his hands and heart.  What a tremendous affirmation and consolation it is to know that God so highly values us that “He tends his flock like a shepherd; He gathers the lambs in his arms and carries them close to his heart; he gently leads those that have young.” (Isaiah 40:11)

And according to Psalm 139:1-4, God not only knows our name, he knows all our activities and all our thoughts, even before we speak them.  In this psalm, David stands in awe before the Lord and is astounded by how thoroughly and intimately the Lord knows him.  And in verse 17, David gratefully praises God, saying “How precious to me are your thoughts, O God!  How vast is the sum of them!”

Yes, we have a shepherd who calls us by name and cares for us, provides, and protects us.  In the eyes and heart of God, we are his sheep, his children whom he dearly loves.  In Jesus, our good shepherd, he said, “I lay down my life for my sheep” and his torn, nail-scared hands, with are names written on them, are proof that he did that.  Thank you, Jesus!

As I grow older, I often need a reminder that God loves me, knows my name, even my embarrassing weaknesses, and yet enables me to minister his love and grace to others who stumble along with me in the journey of life.

So be encouraged, my friend, even if I forget your name, God remembers and loves to speak your name in your ear.  And, yes, someday my memory of names will be as perfect  as God’s.

“Healing Rays of Righteousness” – March 20, 2019

It has been said that we have three names; the name we inherit, the name our parents give us, and the name we make for ourselves, that is, our reputation.  And it is this dimension of our name that we are most responsible for, because our reputation is determined by our own actions, attitudes, and disposition.  As we grow into adulthood, our name soon becomes infused with our reputation.

Biblical writers clearly understood the importance of a name.  The Proverb writer states in 22:1 that “A good name is more desirable than great riches; to be esteemed is better than silver or gold.”  I hear the writer saying that “a good name” is a most desirable possession for it causes the person “to be esteemed” in the community.  “A good name” indicates a good reputation of trustworthiness, gratitude, generosity, and compassionate regard for others need.

It’s interesting to note that God changed the names of certain persons because of a change in their reputation; such as Abram to Abraham “for I have made you a father of many nations,” Sarai to Sarah for “I will bless her so that she will be the mother of nations,” (Gen. 17:5 & 15), and Jacob to Israel “because you have struggled with God and with humans and have overcome.” (Gen. 32:28).

And so, if our name is based on our personal identity and reputation, then our moral and ethical choices do make a difference in how we are known to God and to others around us.  This appears to be what the writer of Proverbs understands for he repeatedly states that one’s reputation and esteem is based largely on how they relate to the poor and powerless in their community.

Furthermore, we find that throughout the Bible and especially in Proverbs, God is portrayed as the protector of the poor and the needy.  Proverbs 22:23-24 says, “Do not exploit the poor because they are poor and do not crush the needy in court, for the Lord will take up their case and will exact life for life.”

The history of Israel is a testimony to the vengeance of God against those who mistreat the poor and disadvantaged.  The prophets Amos, Micah, Isaiah and Jeremiah all reiterated God’s vengeance visiting on those who abused the poor.  God expects His children to be concerned about the treatment of the poor, needy, disadvantaged, and vulnerable.

And yet in our day, far too many who call themselves Christian seem to have very little concern and compassion for the poor and the powerless.  Yes, they may go to church on Sunday, but all during the week they selfishly shove and ignore others to get ahead, to be number one in every line, being more concerned about earning a good wage than about earning a good name.

Most sadly, many of our top political and religious leaders preach and practice that power, possessions, and position are inherent in attaining the so-called “American Dream.”  In many ways we see that wealth and power most often takes priority over personal character.  How grievous and dishonoring this must be to the God who sacrificially loves all of us.

The writer of Proverbs encourages us to take a hard and serious look at our life choices related to economic justice and social compassion.  In 22:2 we are encouraged to consider our common humanity with all people, regardless of community standing for the “Rich and poor have this in common: The LORD is the Maker of them all.”

We are reminded that we will reap what we sow and that God will bless those who are generous, “for they share their food with the poor” (v.9).  And we are warned about the judgment of God, “Do not exploit the poor because they are poor and do not crush the needy in court,  for the LORD will take up their case and will exact life for life.” (vv.22-23).

The Scriptures clearly indicate that our name is chosen, in part, by how we relate to those who are nameless in our society.  Our actions, attitudes, and disposition toward others reveal a lot about our true identity. We can and do choose our name, for we are named by the way we live.

In Proverbs 3, verses 3-4, “Let love and faithfulness never leave you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart.  Then you will win favor and a good name in the sight of God and man.”

What name have you chosen for yourself?

“Healing Rays of Righteousness” – March 13, 2019

I’m sure many of us can recall unhappy experiences sitting in a hospital waiting room, becoming more anxious as the clock measured the lengthening of wait time.  The waiting room is often a place where time seems to stand still.  A place where life is put on hold and where anxiety and fear can take hold and grow in you causing hope to dim.

Perhaps you are presently in a “waiting room” experience in your life.  Possibly a loved one is critically ill or suffering severe injuries in an accident, and you have been praying for God to heal him or her.  Or maybe you yourself are in the midst of an emotional or physical crisis. Maybe you are right now feeling as if God has led you down a long hallway and ushered you into a room with a huge sign over it that reads, “WAITING ROOM.”

You reluctantly enter that room, and you wait, and wait, and wait.  Time seems to have stopped.  Tomorrow becomes an agonizing uncertainty.  Well-meaning friends stop by and say, “I’m so sorry to hear about what’s happening to you.  Wait for the Lord.  He is good.”

Meanwhile, the extended waiting causes your anxious heart and mind to cry out in anguish and frustration, “How long, O Lord?  When are you going to do something?  I don’t know how much more I can take!  Please, God, hear my prayer!”

It is at such times, that I need to remind myself and you that waiting is about much more than simply the passage of time.  Neither should we be thinking of waiting as a passive activity, that is, simply sitting back and waiting for something to happen.  The Scriptures suggest that our waiting time should be about anticipation and active with hope-filled expectations for something good to happen.

For example, whenever I am restless, anxious, or fearful and can’t sleep at night, I eagerly wait for the morning light to dawn.  I wait in confident anticipation that the sun will rise up above the horizon, giving light, warmth, and a new perspective to me.  Somehow light seems to take away some of the anxiety and re-energizes my hope and expectation.

Lamentations 3:25-26 encourages us to wait for the Lord by seeking him. “The Lord is good to those whose hope is in him, to the one who seeks him; it is good to wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord.”  We seek God when we fill the time of our waiting with reading and meditating on God’s Word, looking for answers to our questions; and by speaking directly to God in prayer about our situation and fears.

Whenever we encounter a “waiting room” situation, we have to make a choice whether or not to wait on the Lord.  When we choose not to wait on God, we become impatient, fearful, and we worry.  We begin to doubt that God is good and loving.  We begin to doubt his ability to provide for us and to resolve our problem situation.  When we respond like this, we are prime candidates for ulcers, migraine headaches, high blood pressure, and even heart attacks.

God doesn’t want that for us.  Instead, he wants to give us physical and spiritual refreshment, “but those who hope in (wait on) the Lord will renew their strength.  They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.”  (Isaiah 40:31)

God’s “Waiting Room” experiences invite me to again listen to the ancient and eternal wisdom of the Scriptures.  They repeatedly invite me to wait with the unwavering confidence that God is present with me and working for good in my behalf.

“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?  … Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord.” (Psalm 27:1, 14).

“I waited patiently for the Lord; he turned to me and heard my cry.  He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; he set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand.  He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God.”  (Psalm 40:1-3a).

And so, I say to myself and to you, as we sit in the waiting room, let’s take time to read God’s health manual.  Let’s use the time to seek God and discover who he is and what he has promised to do for us.  Let’s pray to God, with confidence and anticipation, expecting him to hear our cry and do great things for us.  For we really do believe that “God is Love!”

“Healing Rays of Righteousness” – March 6, 2019

Has it ever occurred to you to thank God for things he has not done?  We usually thank God for the things he has done. And we should do that.  But the Bible also tells us about four wonderful things God has not done for which I’m fairly certain we are all very grateful.

FIRST – God has not rewarded us according to our iniquities.  (Psalm 103:10) – “he does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities.” 

In the Exodus experience, the Israelites along with the Egyptians should have lost their firstborn child to the angel of death.  But God provided a substitute in the Passover lamb.  Therefore, he did not deal with his people according to their sins.  This is wonderful in David’s eyes and he meditates upon the mercy that had saved them.  Read verses 7-14.

By what right do we dare stand before God today?  We have no inherent right.  If he gave us what we deserved, we would all perish; for the Apostle Paul says in Romans 3:23, “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”  But God makes possible that right for us in Jesus, “the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!”  (John 1:29).  Thank you, God!

SECOND – God has not failed to carry out even one of his promises.  Having completed his lengthy prayer, Solomon stood to bless the people.  The inspired man of prayer looked back on Israel’s long road from Mount Sinai and summed up the entire history of Israel in one sentence;  “Praise be to the Lord, who has given rest to his people Israel just as he promised.  Not one word has failed of all the good promises he gave through his servant Moses.”  (1 Kings 8:56).

Also, Joshua, the aged hero affirms God’s faithfulness; “Now I am about to go the way of all the earth.  You know with all your heart and soul that not one of all the good promises the Lord your God gave you has failed.  Every promise has been fulfilled; not one has failed.”  (Joshua 23:14).

Today the record of God’s faithfulness still stands.  He has not failed his word.  When God speaks, it is as good as done.  This means we can trust God.  He will never disappoint us in regard to his promises.  What God promises, he both can and will perform.  Thank you, God!

THIRD – God has not given us the spirit of fear.  “For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid (fearful), but gives us power, love, and self-discipline (a sound mind).”  (2 Timothy 1:7).

Listen to the prophetic message regarding Jesus’ birth that we often hear read at Christmas; “say to those with fearful hearts, ‘Be strong, do not fear; your God will come, he will come with vengeance; with divine retribution he will come to save you.’” (Isaiah 35:4)

Jesus comes to free us from fear.  Fear is one of the most controlling emotions of our modern life.  Fear causes weakness and failure.  Fear saps strength, paralyzes initiative, and poisons the atmosphere.  When fear is evident in our lives, we can be assured that it is not of God.

John writes, “There is no fear in love.  But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment.  The one who fears is not made perfect in love.”  (1 John 4:18).  Thank you, God!

FOURTH – God has not appointed us to wrath.  “For God did not appoint us to suffer wrath but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ.”  (1 Thessalonians 5:9).

The Scriptures repeatedly remind us of God’s coming wrath on the day of judgment.  And Jesus confirms both God’s gift of salvation and his righteous judgment in saying, “Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God’s wrath remains on him.” (John 3:36).

Earlier in that same chapter, we read, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.  For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.”  (John 3:16-17).

We cannot earn salvation or deliverance from God’s wrath, but because of God’s great love and mercy, we can receive eternal salvation by coming to Jesus Christ in repentance and trust.  This is the basis of our hope.  Thank you, God!

Thanking God for these four things that he has not done is a good way to begin every new day.

“Healing Rays of Righteousness” – February 27, 2019

Many of us have a painful past to live with; a past that we can neither escape nor change.  For many the painful memories are so powerful that their recall brings deep pain to the present.  Feelings of inferiority, unfairness, and anger surface.  Long forgotten fears once again grab a choke-hold on our life.  The past haunts them.

The story of Joseph is a proven model of how to best respond to a painful past that brings healing of mind, spirit, and relationships.  That story begins in Genesis 37.

Joseph, the favorite son of his father Jacob, experienced a very painful past.  He was raised in what we would today call a “dysfunctional family.”  Sibling rivalry filled Jacob’s household.  Favoritism abounded and jealousy infected brotherly relationships.

It became so bad that one day Joseph’s brothers caught him, threw him into a pit, and discussed killing him.  One brother intervened and convinced the rest to instead sell Joseph as a slave to traders headed toward Egypt.

In Egypt, Joseph became the property of a man named Potiphar.  Things seemed to be going better for Joseph.  But then, Potiphar’s wife made continual sexual advances toward him.  Frustrated by Joseph’s refusal, she falsely charged him with attempted rape and he was imprisoned.

Years later, the Pharaoh had a dream that no one but Joseph could interpret.  The dream revealed that Egypt would experience seven years of plenty followed by seven years of famine.

To reward Joseph for interpreting the dream, the Pharaoh gave Joseph charge over all of the agricultural activity in Egypt.  The years of plenty came and Joseph stored up the abundance of grain for the future survival of Egypt.  Seven years later the drought and famine began.

The drought and famine became so widespread and severe that people in neighboring countries came to Egypt to buy food from Joseph.  And it wasn’t long before Joseph’s own brothers arrived to buy food.  Joseph recognized them, but they no longer knew their own brother.  Joseph sold them the grain they requested, but he also tricked them into coming back to him several times, before he revealed his true identity.

Read Genesis 45:1-15

When he did identify himself as their brother, they were terrified.  They remembered the pit and the time they bartered with traders and sold their own brother into slavery.  They had every reason to be terrified when Joseph says to them in verses 4-5, “Come close to me.  …I am your brother Joseph, the one you sold into Egypt!  And now, do not be distressed and do not be angry with yourselves for selling me here, because it was to save lives that God sent me ahead of you.”

Joseph was able to make peace with his painful past and experience healing of mind and heart by choosing the following three responses of belief and behavior.

1. Joseph Practiced Forgiveness

Joseph had been wronged, not only by his brothers but also by Potiphar’s wife and the forgetful cupbearer.  Joseph could have struck back and felt the exhilaration that comes from getting even.  Instead, Joseph chose to forgive.  That’s the first step toward any healing of the past.

Rather than reaching out in anger and revenge, he embraced his brothers.  By choosing to forgive, Joseph made reconciliation with his family possible.

Forgiveness, while not the easiest of options, is the key that unlocks the door of resentment and the removes the handcuffs of hatred.  Forgiveness breaks the chains of bitterness and shatters the shackles of selfish retaliation.  Forgiveness frees the heart to enjoy life to its fullest.

2. Joseph Chose to Live in the Present

Joseph chooses not to be imprisoned by the bitterness of his past, but instead, to live in the present with his eyes focused on the future as evident in verses 9 through 11.

Making peace with your past always includes choosing to let go of yesterday and live for today and tomorrow.  Recalling and reliving the sorrows and pains of yesterday does nothing but rob us of the possibility to experience the wonders and beauty of the present.

3. Joseph Saw the Hand of God At Work in His Life

Joseph’s ability to forgive his brothers was a result of his understanding of God, and of God’s greater purpose in the painful events of his life.  Joseph came to realize that God, not his brothers, determined what Joseph would become.  Joseph believed that through all his painful experiences, God was preparing and molding him to become the person God needed him to be.

Three times in this chapter (vss. 5,7,8), Joseph declares his belief that God’s purpose, not their evil intention, brought him to Egypt.  And he repeatedly assured his brothers that he was not angry and asked them to forgive themselves.

Like Joseph, the apostle Paul came to understand the way God uses adversity and pain.  He wrote in Romans 8:28 – “We know that all things work together for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose.”

Our difficult and painful experiences often become God’s classroom of learning how to trust God and how to forgive others.  Those of us who have been there, who have journeyed through the valley of painful events, who have suffered much but chose to forgive the past, can now look back and attest to God’s leading, providing, shaping, healing, and calling us into a larger life and ministry.  I know because I’ve been there and done that.

“Healing Rays of Righteousness” – February 20, 2019

Valentine’s Day is celebrated as a day of expressing love to another.  And we Americans spend billions of dollars on chocolate candy, cards, and roses in our efforts to show our affection for another.  But sadly, these extravagant expressions of love are often very short lived and the relationship becomes broken or destroyed by the evil selfish emotions of anger, greed, or lust.

I think Valentine’s Day is also an excellent day to remind ourselves of God’s most beautiful and glorious love message that he sends us, not one day of the year, but every day of our lives.  And he sends it to us wherever on earth we may be physically and emotionally that day.

In his book Experiencing God, Henry T. Blackaby writes, “God is far more interested in a love relationship with you then He is in what you can do for Him.”

Unfortunately, that ‘love relationship’ is the road less traveled by for many Christians.  We tend more often to relate to God with our hands, by what we do for Him, and shy away from developing an intimate “heart of love” relationship with Him.

Some of the most profound teaching regarding God’s love is found in the third and fourth chapters of John’s first letter.  In verses eight and sixteen of the fourth chapter, John tells us that “God is love.”  

Those three little words get to the heart of what John believed about God.  They tell us that God is pure self-giving love, and that God cares deeply about you and me and covets our love relationship with himself.

But, how do we know that God is love; that he loves us and cares deeply about us, both you and me?  The answer is found in his valentine message of love to us, recorded in 1 John 3:1 and 4:9-10. John begins by gushing out this proclamation;

• How great is the love the Father has lavished on us,
• that we should be called children of God!  And that is what we are!
• This is how God showed his love among us;
• He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him.
• This is love; not that we loved God,
• but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.

I’m reminded of a story out of Roman history.  The Roman army had subdued the kingdom of Armenia, and now the king of Armenia stood before the conquering general.  The king fell to his knees and pled with the Roman general:  “Do whatever you wish with me, but I beg you to spare the lives of my family.”  The Roman general graciously spared the life of both the king and his family.

Later, the king of Armenia asked his wife what had been her impression of the Roman conqueror, but she responded, “I never saw him.”  “How could you have failed to see him?” asked the king.  “He was only a few feet away.  What were you looking at?”

With tears welling up in her eyes, the queen replied, “I saw only you, the one who was willing to die so that I might live.”

Each one of us who has given his or her life to Christ can put ourselves in that story, for we know what it is to have someone love us so much that they willingly die for us.  Such remarkable, amazing love is at the very core of God’s character; at the very center of God’s heart of love.  And nothing we can ever do will stop or hinder God from loving us.

I call this God’s ever-loving valentine to us.  And having received such a beautiful valentine from him, I think it is only appropriate that we respond to his sacrificial love with our own valentine of love and praise as we recommit our life of devoted love to him.

I think an appropriate praise valentine from us to God is found in Psalm 36:5-9;

• Your love, O Lord, reaches to the heavens, your faithfulness to the skies.
• Your righteousness is like the mighty mountains, your justice like the great deep.
• O Lord, you preserve both man and beast.
• How priceless is your unfailing love!
• Both high and low among men find refuge in the shadow of your wings.
• They feast on the abundance of your house;
• you give them drink from your river of delights.
• For with you is the fountain of life; in your light we see light.

The character of God is love.  May you revel in a daily love relationship with Him.

“Healing Rays of Righteousness” – February 13, 2019