Healing Rays of Righteousness

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

Beverly Sills was an excellent and popular soprano opera singer, who died on July 2, 2007.  She was known as a very joyful and giving person.  This was so clearly evident in the following story.

Beverly had just completed an outstanding matinee performance, and according to the program, she would give another performance that evening at 8:00.  Backstage her loyal fans were congratulating her, when one of them said to her, “You must rest now, because I see that you have to give another performance tonight.”  “No,” said Beverly Sills, “I don’t have to give another performance tonight.”  “Well,” said her fan, “it says here in the program that you have an 8:00 p.m. performance this evening.  Did you forget?”  Beverly answered, “Yes, I do have a performance tonight, but I don’t have to give it.  I get to give it.”

Beverly Sills always felt she was privileged to be co-laboring with Jesus in blessing people with her singing, and so every musical performance was always a “privilege” and never a “duty.”

She did not consider it a task to do or a burden to endure.  She believed her performance to be her co-working with Jesus, because she believed she was doing what God called her to do, that is, to SING.  She truly and gratefully felt privileged to be yoked with Jesus in living her life.

In Matthew 11:28-30 we read, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.  Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

With these words, Jesus invites you and me to come to him and find rest, wisdom and strength for the oft-times difficult and pain-filled journey of living our Christian faith in a world that often challenges our commitment to being a good and Godly person.

But every difficult situation is also an opportunity to deepen our relationship with Jesus, and to have our trust in him strengthened.  Jesus knows our limits of strengths and weaknesses, and so invites us to find soul rest by being yoked together with him in our laboring.

The Greek word for “easy” means “well-fitting” and so I hear Jesus saying, “My yoke fits you well; your work or situation is tailor-made to fit you.  So yoke yourself with me, and I will labor with you, making your life easier and your burden lighter.”

The burden is made light because Jesus shares the burden with us and carries the greater weight.  And the yoke is made easy because Christ is always so loving and compassionate in helping us through all of the hard and uncertain circumstances of life.

Jesus’ invitation to rest is not the promise of an easy road, but rather of a difficult road made easier because of his being a traveling companion whose wisdom and strength makes the journey more restful and free of stress.

The truth is that I don’t have to love my neighbor.  I don’t have to share what God has given me.  I don’t have to feed the hungry, visit the sick, and be a friend to the lonely and dying.  I don’t have to be kind, compassionate, and considerate of others.  As pastor and chaplain, I don’t have to preach the “Good News” or minister pastoral care to hurting and needy people at any hour of the day or night.

I don’t have to do any of these things, but I am invited to do them as a privilege in being yoked with Jesus in his ministry of loving and serving others.  And yoked with Jesus, God’s gracious love transforms my life and attitude, making my labor and ministry a privilege to do.  With the apostle Paul, I now say “I can do everything through him who gives me strength.”

I confess that I haven’t always viewed my work as being a privilege.  My life journey has had its share of dark, difficult and discouraging times, and my work as pastor and chaplain seemed at times more wearisome obligation than privilege.

But, I also can affirm that whenever I would remember Jesus’ invitation and that I was yoked with him, the healing rest I needed flowed into me, making lighter the burden and transforming my work into a joyous privilege.

I am so grateful to Jesus for his amazing grace in my life and ministry.  I now reflect on my 53 years of being yoked with Jesus in ministry to others as a joyous privilege.  And, I say to you, stay yoked with Jesus.  His yoke will fit you comfortably and will give your soul rest in every day situation.  Trust him with your life, and you will be glad you did.

 

“Healing Rays of Righteousness” – February 6, 2019

Read Hebrews 2:14-18

I enjoy looking out our windows and watching snowflakes coming down, accumulating and covering the cold, hard, brown landscape with soft whiteness.  As I watch, my meditative thoughts become focused on the beauty of God’s goodness and love for me and my world.

A gift bag that my wife and I filled with Christmas gifts had the following poem by Robin Fogle, titled “Snowflake Angels,” printed on its outside.

“Snowflakes are a gift from God  That float on angels’ wings,

Delighting all who see them  With the beauty that they bring.

They glow with crystal brilliance  That comes from God alone,

Then join to make a snowman  With a newness all its own.

And like each perfect snowflake  We, too, were made to be

A wonderful example  Of God’s creativity.

So when you see a snowflake  All pure and glistening white,

May you also be reminded  You are precious in God’s sight.”

How precious am I you ask.  How can I know God loves me? Let the Christmas story tell you.

According to that biblical story, it is because God so loved the world, you and me, that he sent his one and only Son, Jesus, into our world as a helpless, needy human baby just like you and me, to suffer the growing-up pains and temptations of childhood, teenager, and young adult years, just like you and me.  And in responding to God’s call to be God’s redeeming servant in the world, he suffered ridicule, rejection, injustice, and death as a human, just like you and me.

And the writer of Hebrews tells us in verse 17 that Jesus had to be made like us “in every way, in order that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God, and that he might make atonement for the sins of the people.”  Furthermore, “because he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.”

That, my friend, is how precious you are to him.  That is how much Jesus loves you.  You and me are the only reason he laid aside his glorious royalty, his all-mighty sovereignty, his perfect holiness, to come down and live as a human person in our human world.  And, in order to rescue, redeem, and reclaim us as his brothers and sisters in the great, eternal family of God, he had to taste the bitterness of human sin and experience first-hand the painful sufferings of human life.

In his book “Consider Jesus (Daily Reflections on the Book of Hebrews, p.76), Donald R. Jacobs writes, “Those are forceful words.  He had to be made like me in order to save me.  …I can scarcely take this in.  How can the One who fashioned the universe submit to be fashioned as a human being?  What love!  What grace!  I marvel at the thought.  He became like me so that he might remake me to be like him.”

Jesus makes it clear in his conversation with Nicodemus that God did not send him “into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world.”  (John 3:17).  This is the good news the angels proclaimed to the shepherds on the night of Jesus’ birth into our human world, “Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord.” (Luke 2:11).

Truly, truly, God reaches out to us, not with the arm twisting of divine imperialism, but with the persuasive power of patient long-suffering love.  And the falling snowflakes silently but beautifully proclaim the wonder-filled truth that we are fragile and so very precious in God’s sight.  “O how marvelous, O how wonderful is my Savior’s love for me.”

Pray with me;  Father God, I thank you for loving me, forgiving me, redeeming me, and adopting me into your Kingdom family of brothers and sisters together with Jesus.  Thank you, thank you.  I love you, Lord God!  Amen.

“Healing Rays of Righteousness” – January 30, 2019

Read Exodus 4:1-17 

When God called a reluctant Moses to be his servant in leading Israel out of Egypt, he asked Moses, “What is that in your hand?”  And Moses replied that it was a staff.  God then directed him to throw it on the ground and it became a snake.  God then told him to “Reach out your hand and take it by the tail.  So Moses reached out and took hold of the snake and it turned back into a staff in his hand.” After reassuring Moses that he would empower what Moses held in his hand, God said, “Now go; I will help you speak and will teach you what to say.”

I’m reminded of Mother Teresa who lived as an ordinary sister in a convent.  But while doing so, an extraordinary dream grew within her mind and heart.  One day she shared her heart’s ambition with her Mother Superior, who asked her, “Well, how much money do you have?  Sister Teresa replied, “I have two pennies.”  Mother Superior quickly replied, “Oh, you cannot start an orphanage with just two pennies.”  To which Sister Teresa replied, “No, but with two pennies and God I can start an orphanage.”  And she did!

A shepherd’s staff, two pennies – what is that in your hand?  Are they holding empowered gifts of help and healing, warmly clasping another’s hands of need; or are they tightly clenching earthly treasures and selfish greed?

A young man who was depressed by the evil, the suffering, and the misery in the world complained to his rabbi:  “Why did God ever make such a world?  Why, I could make a better world than this myself.”  His rabbi quietly answered:  “That is exactly the reason God put you in this world – to make it a better world.  Now go out and do your part.”

In the rabbi’s answer, we hear a truth that is frequently overlooked.  We often speak of our dependence upon God, but seem to forget that God depends on us.  There are many things He will not do without our assistance.

God brings forth bread from the earth, but not without the farmer, who properly prepares the soil, plants the seed, and harvests the crop.  God heals the sick, but not without the surgeon’s skilled hands, the doctor’s medicine, the nurse’s vigilance, the chaplain’s prayers, and the encouragement of family and friends.  God graciously chooses to partner with us in doing his healing, restorative work in the world.  Truly, we are blessed and privileged to be joined with him in a great partnership.

Let’s look at our hands for a few moments.  What a blessing they are.  What an amazing, intricate network of joints, tendons, and nerves, enabling us to do so much.  What a severe handicap we would suffer without them.

With these two hands we can bless a person or bruise them.  We can heal or hurt others.  We can generously give to another or greedily grab from them.  We can choose to lovingly extend our hands toward others in caring compassion, or we can tightly clench them to protect our earthly treasures and selfish greed.  The decision is ours to make with each encounter of another human being.

This truth is so beautifully expressed in these words from Alexander Irvine’s novel, My Lady of the Chimney Corner.  “God takes a hand whenever he can find it, and just does what he likes with it.  Sometimes he takes a bishop’s hand and lays it on a child’s head in benediction.  And then he takes the hand of a doctor to relieve the pain, the hand of a mother to guide a child.  And sometimes he takes the hand of a poor old creature like me to give comfort to a neighbor.  But they’re all hands touched by his Spirit, and his Spirit’s everywhere lookin’ for hands to use.”

Look at your hands and pray;   “Lord Jesus, help me to use my hands in holy, generous ways of healing and empowering the hands of others today, tomorrow, and always.  Amen.”

 

“Healing Rays of Righteousness” – January 23, 2019

Read Colossians 3:12-17

I suggest that this set of Christian virtues become our “Be-Resolutions” for the New Year.

To better understand Paul’s thinking regarding these virtues, I give you my edited summary of the prior verses 1 through 11.  “Since you have been made alive in Christ, set your hearts and minds on things above, for your life is now with Christ in God.  Put to death whatever belongs to your earthly nature, the things you did in the life you once lived. Get rid of these things and put on the new self which is being renewed in the image of your Creator God.”

That being true, Paul addresses us in verse 12 as “God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved.”  The Scriptures repeatedly affirm that this is who we are.  They also declare that how we live and what we do flows out of who we are.  Being and doing cannot be separated.

“Holy” has to do with our character, which shapes our attitudes and actions.  That’s why in the previous verses, 5 through 9, Paul urges us to put away the sins in our lives that flow from our earthly nature.

“Holy” also has to do with “being set apart,” that is, being dedicated for special purpose.  God lays his claims upon us, calls us, and we respond to his love.  Then we are made alive and have a new vocation, that is, to be his beloved and to think, feel, and live like him in our world.

Both meanings of “holy” help to define our identity.  But there is more.  We are “dearly loved.”  Is there anything more important than knowing that you are loved?  I don’t think so.  The witness of Scripture is that God’s love is unconditional and not dependent upon our merit.  His love is a constant embrace of grace which sustains and strengthens our journey onward, no matter what.    “Therefore …”

Be Caring (vv.12-13)                                                                                                                                           “… clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.”  God’s royal garments are graceful, beautiful, and life changing.  Each morning, God lovingly invites us into his dressing room to be clothed with garments from his priceless collection.

• Compassion – I will care about my world and do my best to bring it help.                                                        I will be moved by your pain and seek to act in your behalf.
• Kindness –       I will do useful things to improve your well-being.
• Humility –        I will remember who I am in relation to God and other persons.
• Gentleness –   I will exercise self-control because I am God-controlled.
• Patience –        I will tolerate and bear unpleasant situations, unexpected hurts,                                                         and  unwanted problems.
• Forgive –         I will graciously forgive because God has forgiven me.

Be Loving (v.14)                                                                                                                                                   The difference between a nice wardrobe and stylish look is the “tied-together” appearance of the accessories.  Love is the garment that brings the parts of our character into a single whole.  Love “binds them all together in perfect unity.”

Be At Peace (v.15)                                                                                                                                            Living with others in family, community, and church, is sometimes difficult and stressful. Frequently our hearts are arenas of conflict and competition.  All sorts of feelings clash within. How can these feelings to be arbitrated and harmonized?  What feelings are allowed to rule?

The literal meaning of the word “rule” comes from the athletic arena, and Paul is literally saying, “Let the peace of God be the umpire in your heart.”  In the peace that only Christ can give, are we motivated and empowered for getting along with ourselves and with all others.

Be Thankful (v.16)                                                                                                                                              The body-life of the Christian congregation is described in this verse. The “word of Christ” is a synonym of his living presence within us.  We are admonished to “Let the word of Christ dwell in us richly.”  The Lord Christ is to be “at home” in our hearts.

Our response to Christ’s being “at home” in our hearts is to be thankful and to express that in celebration of joy by singing “psalms, hymns and spiritual songs.”  We are to be a grace-filled, grace-equipped, grace-celebrating people, in whom Christ dwells richly and through whom grace flows to the people around us.  The church is to be the Kingdom of God in the midst of this world.

Be Purposeful (v.17)                                                                                                                                         The name of Jesus Christ stands at the center of Christian living, and provides both our identity, “I am a Christian,” and our authority, “I do this in Jesus’ name.”  As a Christian acting in his name, I need not cower nor bully, neither whine nor despair, in my conduct and conversations.

I believe being in Christ, being filled with his Spirit, and being committed to the above “Be-Resolutions, will assure our being adequately prepared for the new year of 2019.  And whatever the year may bring into your life, remember you are chosen, holy, and dearly loved by God.

“Healing Rays of Righteousness”  –  January 16, 2019

Read Colossians 3:12-17

I suggest that this set of Christian virtues become our “Be-Resolutions” for the New Year. 

To better understand Paul’s thinking regarding these virtues, I give you my edited summary of the prior verses 1 through 11.  “Since you have been made alive in Christ, set your hearts and minds on things above, for your life is now with Christ in God.  Put to death whatever belongs to your earthly nature, the things you did in the life you once lived. Get rid of these things and put on the new self which is being renewed in the image of your Creator God.”

That being true, Paul addresses us in verse 12 as “God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved.”  The Scriptures repeatedly affirm that this is who we are.  They also declare that how we live and what we do flows out of who we are.  Being and doing cannot be separated.

“Holy” has to do with our character, which shapes our attitudes and actions.  That’s why in the previous verses, 5 through 9, Paul urges us to put away the sins in our lives that flow from our earthly nature.

“Holy” also has to do with “being set apart,” that is, being dedicated for special purpose.  God lays his claims upon us, calls us, and we respond to his love.  Then we are made alive and have a new vocation, that is, to be his beloved and to think, feel, and live like him in our world.

Both meanings of “holy” help to define our identity.  But there is more.  We are “dearly loved.”  Is there anything more important than knowing that you are loved?  I don’t think so.  The witness of Scripture is that God’s love is unconditional and not dependent upon our merit.  His love is a constant embrace of grace which sustains and strengthens our journey onward, no matter what.    “Therefore …”

Be Caring (vv.12-13) “… clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.”  God’s royal garments are graceful, beautiful, and life changing.  Each morning, God lovingly invites us into his dressing room to be clothed with garments from his priceless collection.

Compassion – I will care about my world and do my best to bring it help.  I will be moved by your pain and seek to act in your behalf.

Kindness –       I will do useful things to improve your well-being.

Humility –       I will remember who I am in relation to God and other persons.

Gentleness –   I will exercise self-control because I am God-controlled.

Patience –       I will tolerate and bear unpleasant situations, unexpected hurts, and  unwanted problems.

Forgive –         I will graciously forgive because God has forgiven me.

Be Loving (v.14) The difference between a nice wardrobe and stylish look is the “tied-together” appearance of the accessories.  Love is the garment that brings the parts of our character into a single whole.  Love “binds them all together in perfect unity.”

Be At Peace (v.15) Living with others in family, community, and church, is sometimes difficult and stressful. Frequently our hearts are arenas of conflict and competition.  All sorts of feelings clash within.  How can these feelings to be arbitrated and harmonized?  What feelings are allowed to rule?

The literal meaning of the word “rule” comes from the athletic arena, and Paul is literally saying, “Let the peace of God be the umpire in your heart.”  In the peace that only Christ can give, are we motivated and empowered for getting along with ourselves and with all others. 

Be Thankful (v.16) The body-life of the Christian congregation is described in this verse. The “word of Christ” is a synonym of his living presence within us.  We are admonished to “Let the word of Christ dwell in us richly.”  The Lord Christ is to be “at home” in our hearts.

Our response to Christ’s being “at home” in our hearts is to be thankful and to express that in celebration of joy by singing “psalms, hymns and spiritual songs.”  We are to be a grace-filled, grace-equipped, grace-celebrating people, in whom Christ dwells richly and through whom grace flows to the people around us.  The church is to be the Kingdom of God in the midst of this world.

Be Purposeful (v.17) The name of Jesus Christ stands at the center of Christian living, and provides both our identity, “I am a Christian,” and our authority, “I do this in Jesus’ name.”  As a Christian acting in his name, I need not cower nor bully, neither whine nor despair, in my conduct and conversations. 

I believe that being in Christ, being filled with his Spirit, and being committed to the above “Be-Resolutions, will assure our being adequately prepared for the new year of 2019.  And whatever the year may bring into your life, remember you are chosen, holy, and dearly loved by God.

“Healing Rays of Righteousness”  –  January 16, 2019

Read Philippians 3:10-14

The Christian life is a journey, a process of growth in which I “press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me.”  We have been loved, saved, and reconciled into a new relationship with Christ.  We claim that Christ has made us new creatures, but every day we humbly confess that we have not yet fully become what Christ wants us to be. 

The beginning of a new year offers us a time to reflect on our past year, enjoying our accomplishments, and remembering God’s blessings in our life.  But most likely we will also remember and regret our painful mistakes, failures, and unloving behaviors. 

If asked whether or not we always did our best, most of us would probably ashamedly answer, “No, I did not.”  If asked whether or not any of our conversations and actions caused unnecessary pain, again most of us would sadly answer, “Probably so.”

Mistakes and regrets of the past can and often do become heavy baggage for us.  And the baggage is real and cannot be easily dismissed, for it represents the consequence of mistaken judgment and unwise decisions that have left painful wounds and sometimes deep scars in relationships.

There always seems to be something about the past that troubles us, even if it is nothing more than the nagging belief that we could do better if given another chance.

Many years ago, Louisa Fletcher Tarkington, wrote a perceptive poem entitled, “The Land of Beginning Again.”  It begins and ends with a verse which gives voice to the regret we feel when we realize what we’ve done or haven’t done.

•             I wish there were some wonderful place
•             Called the land of beginning again
•             Where all our mistakes,
•             And all our heartaches,
•             And all of our poor selfish grief,
•             Could be dropped like a shabby
•             Old coat at the door,
•             And never be put on again.

I think that being Christian in relationship with God through Jesus Christ, makes us uniquely equipped to leave the past behind.  The baggage of our past that continues to drag us back, weigh us down, and make us stumble, is our sense of failure, our guilt over past sin, our pain from past hurts.  And I’m thinking that this inability to leave the past behind contradicts everything we profess to believe about the forgiving, healing, redeeming power of Christ.    

I’m thinking that this is what the apostle Paul was referencing when he wrote, “But one thing I do; Forgetting (forgiving) what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.”

There is great value in looking back.  We look back to learn.  We look back to affirm the places, faces, and circumstances from where we have come, to remember what and who has shaped us.  There is a time to look back if it carries with it a positive purpose.

Paul is urging us not to look back in ways that keep us from going forward, in ways that make us a prisoner of our past mistakes and sins, in ways that do not allow for healing of old hurts and painful memories.

The past is always with us with its potential to rob us of freedom, making us heavy-hearted, preventing us from being able to use all our spiritual energy and gifts for coping with the new day and moving with joyous anticipation into the new year.

However, the Bible is filled with the idea of forgiveness and beginning life over again.  The possibility of new beginnings is God’s good news to us, individually and corporately. 

And so I say, whatever loose ends of mistakes and unloving behaviors that may be staking you from your past, God can help you gather them into confession and new beginnings of pressing on “toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called (you) heavenward in Christ Jesus.” Forgiveness is for the asking.  Instead of fretting, find forgiveness, and move forward through God’s open door of opportunity and excellence into the new year of 2019.

“Healing Rays of Righteousness” – January 9, 2019

A new year begins.  A new set of 365 days to plan, pursue and perfect our hopes and dreams of  a better life.  A new opportunity to reach new spiritual maturity in becoming the Jesus-like person we have committed ourselves to be. 

We hope it will be a good year of health and happiness, but we also fear that it may not be as good as we would hope it to be.  Many of us are anxious, wondering what difficulties or disappointments may lie ahead.  So, what are you thinking?  What do you see as you step into this new year of 2019?

Sadly, I see a world of darkness, of pain and fear.  I see people victimized by hate, greed, and violence.  I see nations and churches, divided by politics, racial prejudices, and national pride.  I see major tragedies happening almost every week, both near at home and far away.  I see a world of misery with suffering people and hopeless darkness covering the earth.

The prophet, Isaiah, was writing to God’s people in a time of deep darkness and despair.  The return to their homeland after exile in Babylon was very difficult.  Much of their property had been destroyed and the economy was very poor.  And many of their friends had chosen to remain in Babylon, causing those who did return to feel lonely, weary, and forgotten.

But God has a good news message for them.  Through their prophet/pastor, Isaiah, God says to them, “Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord rises upon you.  See, darkness covers the earth and thick darkness is over the peoples, but the Lord rises upon you and his glory appears over you.” This is similar to the voice of a parent calling to their sleeping children; “Wake up! Rise and shine! It’s a new day!”

Isaiah’s analogy of light in this chapter fills in the details of his earlier prophecy (9:2) “The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned.”  This analogy of light represents the majestic, redeeming glory of God’s presence, awakening hope and a future. 

This glorious light links us forward to what the apostle John’s says about Jesus Christ – “In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind.  The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” (John 1:4-5). 

And a few chapters later, Jesus declares himself to be light – “I am the light of the world.  Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” (John 8:12).

On the day of Epiphany, we remember the coming of the light of Christ into the world, driving away the darkness of sin, loneliness, and despair.  Epiphany is all about the glory of God being revealed to the world in the birth of Jesus Christ; a birth confirmed and affirmed to be the Messiah by Magi from the east.  (Matthew 2:1-12).

The glory of God’s new promised world shines brighter and brighter as the glory of the Lord sweeps away the darkness of sin in every person and nation.  As the apostle Paul says in his second letter to the Corinthians (3:18) – “And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.”  

When the full glory of the Lord is upon us, there is no way to remain in the shadows of doubt and despair.  God has come to us.  Our salvation is here!  So, arise and shine!  “Wake up, your light has come!  Arise, shine …the glory of the Lord rises upon you.  …and his glory appears over you.”  

Let us encourage one another to enter this new year of 2019 with confident faith, believing Christ’s new world of redeeming light, hope, love, peace, joy and life has dawned upon us and is on the way to complete fulfillment as the glorious eternal Kingdom of Jesus Christ. 

“O star of wonder, star of night, Star with royal beauty bright, Westward leading, still proceeding, Guide us to thy perfect light.”

“Healing Rays of Righteousness” – January 2, 2019

For the past few weeks, we focused our thoughts on God’s coming down to us and being near to us as “Emmanuel,” God with us. On Christmas Eve we remembered and celebrated the angels announcement of Jesus’ birth to the shepherds; “Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord.” 

But within the next few days, we begin to take down the Christmas lights and decorations and move back into our daily routines.  Soon thoughts of Christ’s birth into our world seem more distant and often discarded with the used wrapping paper or boxed up with the nativity scene to be brought out again next Christmas.  Soon God is once again sent back into the heavens, no longer the Word made flesh; no longer the Word that dwells among us, full of grace and truth; no longer the ever-present Lord in our midst.

Over the next several days weeks we may be asked, “What did you get for Christmas?”  For me, the answer would be, “I got a Savior, and he is with me, down here in my world.”  And, I hope to be more intentional in claiming and living this reality as I move beyond the celebration of Jesus’ birth and prepare to enter into the new year of 2019.

In her book, At Home in Mitford, Jan Karon writes of a time when Father Tim, an Episcopal priest, heard a horrible scream from the sanctuary of his church.  As he came closer, he began to understand the anguished words that made up the scream:  “Are…you…up…there?”

And Jan writes, “Father Tim slid into the pew across the aisle and knelt on the worn cushion.  “You may be asking the wrong question,” he said quietly.  Startled, the man raised his head.  “I believe the question you may want to ask is not, ‘Are you up there?’ but, ‘Are you down here?’”  

Before Jesus was born, God would visit His people by performing mighty and miraculous works.  Whenever He made such visits, God’s people would stack stones or build a monument or erect a synagogue in honor of God’s visit.  The physical erection of monuments and buildings was their way of saying, God was here.  The power and presence of God had visited them in a place, and so in order not to forget the event, they constructed a reminder.

But when Jesus entered the world the verb tense changed from the past to the present tense, from “was” to “is.”   Jesus stepped down out of heaven and made His dwelling place among us.  He moved into our neighborhood.  He took up residence on this planet so we could better understand and know God.  His Spirit lives within us, giving us life and light and love.

John’s Gospel tells us that the Word was made flesh and made his dwelling among us.  This Word, the Word that was at the beginning, the Word that was with God, the Word that was God, became something we can grasp and understand.

Jesus Christ, the Word, certainly is “up there,” but we must never forget that he is also “down here.”  Because of Jesus’ birth, who is the incarnation of God, we now say, “God is here.” 

In Jesus, God “… became flesh and made his dwelling among us.  We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.” (John 1:14).  In Jesus, God came into our world and into our every day, mundane things of life.

In his act of becoming human, God experienced and shared in the pains of human life on earth.  He felt the pain of loneliness, the hurt of rejection.  He felt the pain of grief in losing a loved one to death.  He felt the pain of mental and physical abuse.  And so, he understands and empathizes with us completely, feeling our pain.  God is here – he feels, he hurts, and he cries.

We may often think of God as being up there – far removed from the cares and concerns of this world.  But, the good news truth is that knowing we could never reach him in heaven, and because he so greatly loves us, God became human in Jesus and came down to live among us.

Pray with me: “Be near me, Lord Jesus; I ask Thee to stay   Close by me forever, and love me I pray. Bless all the dear children in Thy tender care, And fit us for heaven, to live with Thee there.” 

“Healing Rays of Righteousness” – December 26, 2018