Reading

John 8:12-30 (ESV)

12 Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” 13 So the Pharisees said to him, “You are bearing witness about yourself; your testimony is not true.” 14 Jesus answered, “Even if I do bear witness about myself, my testimony is true, for I know where I came from and where I am going, but you do not know where I come from or where I am going. 15 You judge according to the flesh; I judge no one. 16 Yet even if I do judge, my judgment is true, for it is not I alone who judge, but I and the Father who sent me. 17 In your Law it is written that the testimony of two people is true. 18 I am the one who bears witness about myself, and the Father who sent me bears witness about me.” 19 They said to him therefore, “Where is your Father?” Jesus answered, “You know neither me nor my Father. If you knew me, you would know my Father also.” 20 These words he spoke in the treasury, as he taught in the temple; but no one arrested him, because his hour had not yet come. 21 So he said to them again, “I am going away, and you will seek me, and you will die in your sin. Where I am going, you cannot come.” 22 So the Jews said, “Will he kill himself, since he says, ‘Where I am going, you cannot come’?” 23 He said to them, “You are from below; I am from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world. 24 I told you that you would die in your sins, for unless you believe that I am he you will die in your sins.” 25 So they said to him, “Who are you?” Jesus said to them, “Just what I have been telling you from the beginning. 26 I have much to say about you and much to judge, but he who sent me is true, and I declare to the world what I have heard from him.” 27 They did not understand that he had been speaking to them about the Father. 28 So Jesus said to them, “When you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am he, and that I do nothing on my own authority, but speak just as the Father taught me. 29 And he who sent me is with me. He has not left me alone, for I always do the things that are pleasing to him.” 30 As he was saying these things, many believed in him.

 

Meditation

When I was growing up Josh McDowell had a book entitled, “Evidence that Demands a Verdict.”  It is a classic apologetic book and one that I am sure every youth minister in the States had in their library.  There are many apologetic books out there today.  I am not against the practice of defending your faith and being ready with an answer for your hope.  I do thing that we like evidence based on our own understanding often above the supernatural intervention of the Creator God bringing us from death into life through His Son Jesus Christ.  Jesus does not need for us to defend Him.  God does not need us to have the Top Ten Proofs that God is Good.  His testimony about Himself is all that is needed.  God is just that big and mighty.  He can give testimony about Himself and it is Truth.

I once heard Josh McDowell tell a Christian young man on stage that he could not be a Christian if he did not believe in absolute truth.  I agree but Josh was not really hearing what the man was saying.  It was an answer to the question about someone born in another culture where Christianity (unlike America) was not the public religion.  The young man said it made sense for the person to believe Hinduism (in this case). The Pharisees were doing the same thing with their own presuppositions of Truth, they were elevating their true.  The young man said that Hinduism would be true to those growing up in it.  Josh said he was wrong. I disagree. There is a difference between what is true to someone and the Truth of Jesus Christ.  We like our true.  It is ours and we don’t like it when someone questions it or tries to prove that it is wrong.  Our true is built on our heritage, our experiences, our dreams and our hopes.  No wonder the Pharisees wanted to know the proof of Jesus.   We do too.  God demands that our true be submitted to His Truth. When this happens those things that are our true will be either cast away or restored in light of The Truth.  Jesus is the Light that shines the Truth onto our true and brings them into submission.

Prayer

Jesus, You are the Light that shines into the darkness of our lives.  You are the Truth that brings our true into the throne room of God, the merciful and just, to purify and set right our experiences, heritage, dreams and hopes. We praise you. Amen

Lenten Action

Look back into your journey with Jesus and identify things that at one time where true to you but God has taken as they have been submitted to His Truth and purified them. An example could be that you always believed that you should help those in need because that is what good people did.  This is your true and you felt good about it.  It was a good thing that gave you a good feeling.  The Truth is that we do good things to those in need because of what God has given to us.  It does not spring from our own goodness but from God’s common grace and care for all humanity.  Knowing the Truth provides ongoing energy and hope when it becomes hard to keep doing good on our own power.

Reading, Meditation, Prayer, Action

Psalm 136 (ESV)

1 Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever. 2 Give thanks to the God of gods, for his steadfast love endures forever. 3 Give thanks to the Lord of lords, for his steadfast love endures forever; 4 to him who alone does great wonders, for his steadfast love endures forever; 5 to him who by understanding made the heavens, for his steadfast love endures forever; 6 to him who spread out the earth above the waters, for his steadfast love endures forever; 7 to him who made the great lights, for his steadfast love endures forever; 8 the sun to rule over the day, for his steadfast love endures forever; 9 the moon and stars to rule over the night, for his steadfast love endures forever; 10 to him who struck down the firstborn of Egypt, for his steadfast love endures forever; 11 and brought Israel out from among them, for his steadfast love endures forever; 12 with a strong hand and an outstretched arm, for his steadfast love endures forever; 13 to him who divided the Red Sea in two, for his steadfast love endures forever; 14 and made Israel pass through the midst of it, for his steadfast love endures forever; 15 but overthrew Pharaoh and his host in the Red Sea, for his steadfast love endures forever; 16 to him who led his people through the wilderness, for his steadfast love endures forever; 17 to him who struck down great kings, for his steadfast love endures forever; 18 and killed mighty kings, for his steadfast love endures forever; 19 Sihon, king of the Amorites, for his steadfast love endures forever; 20 and Og, king of Bashan, for his steadfast love endures forever; 21 and gave their land as a heritage, for his steadfast love endures forever; 22 a heritage to Israel his servant, for his steadfast love endures forever. 23 It is he who remembered us in our low estate, for his steadfast love endures forever; 24 and rescued us from our foes, for his steadfast love endures forever; 25 he who gives food to all flesh, for his steadfast love endures forever. 26 Give thanks to the God of heaven, for his steadfast love endures forever.

Reading

John 1:1-14 (ESV)

1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. 4 In him was life, and the life was the light of men. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. 6 There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. 7 He came as a witness, to bear witness about the light, that all might believe through him. 8 He was not the light, but came to bear witness about the light. 9 The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world. 10 He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. 11 He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. 12 But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, 13 who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God. 14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.

Meditation:

I know this is the third time this passage has been posted.  It is a good passage and today it has been going through my mind a lot.  We have been unpacking since our possessions arrived last week and today we began unpacking our boxes of books.  I thought the girls were excited about their plush animals and toys but the excitement they had as they rediscovered books that that loved and cherished was amazing to watch.  As I was putting my books on their shelves in the office I would look at ones I have read several times and think that I needed to pick them up again and then there are books that I haven’t even read yet.  I really need to get to those.  There are books that seem to be missing.  I might not have packed them or maybe sold them a few years ago but forgot.  There are books that are missing because I haven’t purchased them yet or have purchased the Kindle version so they have a space on my devices but don’t need one on the shelf.  These pieces of bound paper with words written on them filled with conversations that have challenged, comforted, and encouraged me; books that are for learning, enjoyment, or refreshment.  These words that come to life when I read them in my mind or out loud to my children are filled in these books.

The Word became flesh. God speaking to us in a way that cannot be ignored; a way that confronts us and disrupts us.  The Word became flesh.  God’s perfect expression for us to behold His glory and witness His Truth draws us in to a true knowledge of ourselves, each other and our Creator.   The Word became flesh.

Prayer:

Thank you Jesus for coming.  Thank you Father for speaking through your perfect Word.  Thank you for filling us with your presence and allowing us to behold your glory.  Amen

Lenten Action:

Take time for memorize this passage.  I am sure you will see it again before this Lenten Season is finished.

Reading

John 7:47-52 (ESV)

37 On the last day of the feast, the great day, Jesus stood up and cried out, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink.38 Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.'”39 Now this he said about the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were to receive, for as yet the Spirit had not been given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.40 When they heard these words, some of the people said, “This really is the Prophet.”41 Others said, “This is the Christ.” But some said, “Is the Christ to come from Galilee?42 Has not the Scripture said that the Christ comes from the offspring of David, and comes from Bethlehem, the village where David was?”43 So there was a division among the people over him.44 Some of them wanted to arrest him, but no one laid hands on him.45 The officers then came to the chief priests and Pharisees, who said to them, “Why did you not bring him?”46 The officers answered, “No one ever spoke like this man!”47 The Pharisees answered them, “Have you also been deceived?48 Have any of the authorities or the Pharisees believed in him?49 But this crowd that does not know the law is accursed.”50 Nicodemus, who had gone to him before, and who was one of them, said to them,51 “Does our law judge a man without first giving him a hearing and learning what he does?”52 They replied, “Are you from Galilee too? Search and see that no prophet arises from Galilee.” 

Meditation

There is something different about Jesus. I know that is an understatement.  He is perfect.  He is fully God and fully man.  He is the only way to the Father.  So, yes, he is different than anyone else in all of history and humanity.  

In the context of John’s gospel we continue to see this difference from the perspective of those trying to arrest Jesus.  They say, “no one ever spoke like this man.”    Jesus causes a division as He presence demands that each person make a judgement of who He is.    He spoke like no other so the people tried to categorize him.  Prophet, Christ or criminal.  

You have heard the question before, “if Jesus showed up today would Christian recognize him?”  This is usually asked with an implied “no” as the answer And asked in order to shame.  Usually it springs from a place of the one posing the question  that they would because they know the real Jesus.  Pretty prideful.

The reality is that left to our own we would construct Jesus into whatever we needed Him to be at any given time and place.  When we would discover something that doesn’t fit our vision of Jesus we would write it off.  “No messiah will come from Galilee.”  

God did not leave us on our own.  He provided the Spirit to testify to us who Jesus is.  He seals our heart with the Truth of Christ and His work and call on our lives.  It is a call to trust and follow and rest.  

Prayer

Father thank you for your Spirit that opens our eyes to see the true Jesus.  Not the one of our own making but the one who has saved us.  Thank you Jesus for being Truth.  Thank you Spirit for teaching us and sealing our hearts so we know who Jesus is.  Amen

Lenten Action

Take time before Sunday to read John.  Let it confront the things that are your “personal Jesus” ( with thanks to Depeche Mode).  Ask the Spirit to reveal where you have built a false image of Jesus and ask Him to remove it.  

Lenten Meditation: Day 16

Reading

John 6:60-69 (ESV)

60 When many of his disciples heard it, they said, “This is a hard saying; who can listen to it?” 61 But Jesus, knowing in himself that his disciples were grumbling about this, said to them, “Do you take offense at this? 62 Then what if you were to see the Son of Man ascending to where he was before? 63 It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh is no help at all. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life. 64 But there are some of you who do not believe.” (For Jesus knew from the beginning who those were who did not believe, and who it was who would betray him.) 65 And he said, “This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless it is granted him by the Father.” 66 After this many of his disciples turned back and no longer walked with him. 67 So Jesus said to the Twelve, “Do you want to go away as well?” 68 Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life, 69 and we have believed, and have come to know, that you are the Holy One of God.”

Meditation

Where would we go?  A wandering heart is what I possess.  Where is would we go?  Every day in multiply ways I show that I am more than capable of finding another way.  Many left and no longer walked with Jesus. Things were getting tough and Jesus’ words were becoming harder to listen too.  Most of the time my moving away is done by a reimaging of Jesus.  I like to make him into an image I can handle.  But He is ruthless in His assertions of pre-eminence in our lives.  Thank goodness the Father makes the way. If it was up to me I would walk away, but the Father granted me to come.  Praise the Lord.

Prayer

Lord, make our answers to you Peter’s answer.  Make our hearts cry out for your words.  Forgive us when we seek other sources of life.  Draw us back to your wellspring.  Even when it is hard to follow, we want to turn away because it is hard; hold us in your loving embrace. We are yours by your choosing.   We have surrendered to you by your good pleasure.  Thank you for making us alive. Amen

Reading

John 1:1-14 (ESV)

1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. 4 In him was life, and the life was the light of men. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. 6 There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. 7 He came as a witness, to bear witness about the light, that all might believe through him. 8 He was not the light, but came to bear witness about the light. 9 The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world. 10 He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. 11 He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. 12 But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, 13 who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God. 14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.

 

Meditation

This is my favourite of the Christmas stories.  It was a quick read and allowed us in our family to get to the present opening as quickly as possible.  It is also perfect in capturing the essential story of Jesus and His divinity and humanity.

Today has been a day when the oppressiveness of absences has really been tangible.  “And the word became flesh and dwelt among us.”  Jesus left the loving dance of the Trinity to dwell among us.  He became absent.  Not apart but absent.  (I know this is a meditation and to dwell on how the Trinity works is mind blowing and crushing so we won’t really go there)  Did Jesus feel absent?  Did He know that something was different?

We can be absent in many ways or have someone else absent in our lives.  Our sin can alienate us from those we love most.  We could have fractured relationships that put us in the place of absences.  We could be on the other side of the world from people we had shared life with for many years.  It can be good reasons that make us absent and it can be terrible reasons.  But one thing I am pretty sure of is that at one time we have all felt the oppressiveness of absences.  We have been overwhelmed by having someone not physically present.  Those moments when we are caught up in grief because we think, “They would love this…” and we can’t let them know or have them with us.  Those moments when they are the only one who would get the joke, understand what you were feeling, hug you even though it is not their way, drop by unannounced, and on and on.

We were made for each other; we are not creatures of isolation.  Sure we might like to be alone sometimes but we have “our people”  who make us who we are.  That is the oppression of absence and it is not easy.

It is a comfort to know that Jesus has walked that path as well.

Prayer

Father, Hold us in the emptiness that comes in absence.  Be the One we can find comfort in knowing that Jesus was absent from you.  You have walked this path and know our need for comfort.  Spirit, rest on us with your gentle care.  Amen

Lenten Action

Think of a person who is absent in your life that you physically feel it and reach out to them.  Write them a letter.  You might not have a place to send it but write it anyway and let them know how profoundly their absence affects you.  Let them know that you are trusting God to fill that absences.  If the absence is caused by a fracture in a relationship then take the time to repent of your part in the division.  Don’t allow it to keep you separated.  Jesus experienced absence in order to crucify the hostility that arises between us.

Reading

John 7: 1-5 (ESV)

1 After this Jesus went about in Galilee. He would not go about in Judea, because the Jews were seeking to kill him. 2 Now the Jews’ Feast of Booths was at hand. 3 So his brothers said to him, “Leave here and go to Judea, that your disciples also may see the works you are doing. 4 For no one works in secret if he seeks to be known openly. If you do these things, show yourself to the world.” 5 For not even his brothers believed in him.

Meditation

Jesus and His ways can be disruptive and hard.  There are many times that I feel like I have no idea what He is up to or why He is moving in the direction He is moving.  I often feel like there are times that my life reflects the famous and somewhat overused poem, Footprints in the Sand or I had a Dream.  Here it is in case you have forgotten or haven’t heard it.  This version is by, Margaret Fishback Powers

One night I dreamed a dream.
I was walking along the beach with my Lord. Across the dark sky flashed scenes from my life. For each scene, I noticed two sets of footprints in the sand, one belonging to me and one to my Lord.

When the last scene of my life shot before me I looked back at the footprints in the sand. There was only one set of footprints. I realized that this was at the lowest and saddest times of my life. This always bothered me and I questioned the Lord about my dilemma.

“Lord, You told me when I decided to follow You, You would walk and talk with me all the way. But I’m aware that during the most troublesome times of my life there is only one set of footprints. I just don’t understand why, when I need You most, You leave me.”

He whispered, “My precious child, I love you and will never leave you, never, ever, during your trials and testings. When you saw only one set of footprints, It was then that I carried you.”

My own version would change the Lord’s reply just a bit.  It would go something like, “My precious child, I love you and will never leave you.  When you saw only one set of footprints that is when I had knocked you out and carried you.  I knocked you out because you kept fighting me, trying to go a different direction than the one I was leading you in.  You didn’t trust that I knew best.  You wanted to figure things out on your own.  You would run ahead or lag behind, not walking beside me.  You would not stop trying to lead, so like a drowning victim I had to knock you out and bring you to the place I knew you would be ready to walk along with me again.”

Maybe that is just me.  I like to know.  I like to control.  I like to figure things out and make a plan.   Jesus is hard to figure sometimes.  He just doesn’t make much sense to me.  He didn’t make sense to His brother’s either.  There may be some solace there, but probably not.  During this time of Lent I am reminded that I sometime prefer to figure Him out and not just trust and love Him.  It is good to be reminded of that part of my heart and know that Jesus knows and understands that full well.  That it is one of the many things He came to deliver me from.

Prayer

Jesus, thank you for carrying me when I need to be carried.  Thank you for leading me in mercy and truth.  Thank you for dying and making a way to walk along side of you.  You are the way, truth and life.  Teach me to trust and love not just figure you out.  Amen

Lenten Action

There is no real activity that can help you trust Jesus more.  No “trust fall” you can do from your table into the arms of Jesus.  But you can prayer for it.  Ask the Father to give you a heart that trusts before figuring everything out.  God does have a plan and purpose.

Reading:

John 5:30-47 (ESV)

30 “I can do nothing on my own. As I hear, I judge, and my judgment is just, because I seek not my own will but the will of him who sent me. 31 If I alone bear witness about myself, my testimony is not deemed true. 32 There is another who bears witness about me, and I know that the testimony that he bears about me is true. 33 You sent to John, and he has borne witness to the truth. 34 Not that the testimony that I receive is from man, but I say these things so that you may be saved. 35 He was a burning and shining lamp, and you were willing to rejoice for a while in his light. 36 But the testimony that I have is greater than that of John. For the works that the Father has given me to accomplish, the very works that I am doing, bear witness about me that the Father has sent me. 37 And the Father who sent me has himself borne witness about me. His voice you have never heard, his form you have never seen, 38 and you do not have his word abiding in you, for you do not believe the one whom he has sent. 39 You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that bear witness about me, 40 yet you refuse to come to me that you may have life. 41 I do not receive glory from people. 42 But I know that you do not have the love of God within you. 43 I have come in my Father’s name, and you do not receive me. If another comes in his own name, you will receive him. 44 How can you believe, when you receive glory from one another and do not seek the glory that comes from the only God? 45 Do not think that I will accuse you to the Father. There is one who accuses you: Moses, on whom you have set your hope. 46 For if you believed Moses, you would believe me; for he wrote of me. 47 But if you do not believe his writings, how will you believe my words?”

Isaiah 44:9-20 (ESV)

All who fashion idols are nothing, and the things they delight in do not profit. Their witnesses neither see nor know, that they may be put to shame. 10 Who fashions a god or casts an idol that is profitable for nothing? 11 Behold, all his companions shall be put to shame, and the craftsmen are only human. Let them all assemble, let them stand forth. They shall be terrified; they shall be put to shame together. 12 The ironsmith takes a cutting tool and works it over the coals. He fashions it with hammers and works it with his strong arm. He becomes hungry, and his strength fails; he drinks no water and is faint. 13 The carpenter stretches a line; he marks it out with a pencil. He shapes it with planes and marks it with a compass. He shapes it into the figure of a man, with the beauty of a man, to dwell in a house. 14 He cuts down cedars, or he chooses a cypress tree or an oak and lets it grow strong among the trees of the forest. He plants a cedar and the rain nourishes it. 15 Then it becomes fuel for a man. He takes a part of it and warms himself; he kindles a fire and bakes bread. Also he makes a god and worships it; he makes it an idol and falls down before it. 16 Half of it he burns in the fire. Over the half he eats meat; he roasts it and is satisfied. Also he warms himself and says, “Aha, I am warm, I have seen the fire!” 17 And the rest of it he makes into a god, his idol, and falls down to it and worships it. He prays to it and says, “Deliver me, for you are my god!” 18 They know not, nor do they discern, for he has shut their eyes, so that they cannot see, and their hearts, so that they cannot understand. 19 No one considers, nor is there knowledge or discernment to say, “Half of it I burned in the fire; I also baked bread on its coals; I roasted meat and have eaten. And shall I make the rest of it an abomination? Shall I fall down before a block of wood?” 20 He feeds on ashes; a deluded heart has led him astray, and he cannot deliver himself or say, “Is there not a lie in my right hand?”

Meditation

Let’s be honest about something, shall we.  When we read the Gospels or the Prophets we really don’t like to identify with the Pharisees or the rebellious nation of Israel.  We like to believe that we are beyond this type of blind antagonism toward God and His word.  We want to believe that we are the remnant, the faithful few that will be there in the very end.  Like Peter, we cry out, “I will lay down my life for you.”   And the Truth is that those of us whom God has called and preserved are the remnant.  The Truth of our lives is that God through Christ laying down His life has made us the True Israel.  We are this but the true that we often operate in right now tends to reflect a heart posture of the Pharisees, Sadducees and rebellious Israel.

“You refuse to come to me that you may have life” Jesus says in John.  “How can you believe, when you receive glory from one another and do not seek the glory that comes from the only God?”  Your systems of righteousness, your interpretation of Scripture and expounded has led to blindness and not sight.  You look for a revelation that meets your own desires.  The fulfilment of Scripture is in front of you and you refuse to see it because you are too busy patting each other on the back about how you have figured out what God is doing.

Isaiah reminds us that we fashion idols out of the very things we value most. We do work, eat, provide shelter and warmth for ourselves and fashion gods out of the same material. Vs.19,20 says, “No one considers, nor is there knowledge or discernment to say, ‘Half of it I burned in the fire; I also baked bread on its coals; I roasted meat and have eaten.  And shall I make the rest of it an abomination?  Shall I fall down before a block of wood?’  He feeds on ashes; a deluded heart has lead him astray, and he cannot deliver himself or say, ‘I there not a lie in my right hand?”

Our descriptive hearts so quickly convinces us that our adherence to right doctrine is what saves us.  Our hearts so quickly convinces us that our diligent worship and bible study make the way of entrance into God’s favour.  Our hearts so quickly convinces us that our courageous acts of mercy and service wash us clean of our selfishness and present us holy for God’s acceptance.  A cause, a system, a style, a method can quickly become God for us.  They are the things that we put our hope in for salvation and righteousness.  We think that we are feasting on the goodness of God’s Truth and find our mouth full of the ashes of our burned true.  The thing we have elevated in place of the Gospel.

Jesus, His life, death, and resurrection is the only thing that matters.  This is the Truth.  It is only through Jesus that we can become sons and daughters of God.  It is only through Jesus that we become who we were created to be.  Jesus is our all in all. I am to believe.  Trust.  Rest.  Worship.

Prayer

Father, turn my eyes away from all my idols.  Turn my eyes toward your Son Jesus Christ.  Let me look fully at Him and see His sacrifice and victorious resurrection as my only hope.  Teach me to trust that you have done everything that is need for my salvation.  Keep me from trusting the things that do not lead to righteousness but away from it.  Keep me from putting my faith in my own actions and desires.  Keep me from trusting the good things I do to provide me anything.  Let them be acts of devotion, worship and thanksgiving springing from a broken and soft heart that is being lovingly restored by your Truth and righteousness.  Amen

Lenten Action:

Often our striving and clinging to idols springs from the thought that we could not possible be loved by God the way that we are so we think and feel that we need to do something first before coming to God.  Take time during this Lenten season to put to memory Romans 8.  Don’t do this to gain anything but to serve as a reminder that God has already gained all that you need.  This is the Truth of who you are.

Reading, Meditation, Prayer, Action

Psalm 90 (ESV)

1 Lord, you have been our dwelling place in all generations. 2 Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever you had formed the earth and the world, from everlasting to everlasting you are God. 3 You return man to dust and say, “Return, O children of man!” 4 For a thousand years in your sight are but as yesterday when it is past, or as a watch in the night. 5 You sweep them away as with a flood; they are like a dream, like grass that is renewed in the morning: 6 in the morning it flourishes and is renewed; in the evening it fades and withers. 7 For we are brought to an end by your anger; by your wrath we are dismayed. 8 You have set our iniquities before you, our secret sins in the light of your presence. 9 For all our days pass away under your wrath; we bring our years to an end like a sigh. 10 The years of our life are seventy, or even by reason of strength eighty; yet their span is but toil and trouble; they are soon gone, and we fly away. 11 Who considers the power of your anger, and your wrath according to the fear of you? 12 So teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom. 13 Return, O LORD! How long? Have pity on your servants! 14 Satisfy us in the morning with your steadfast love, that we may rejoice and be glad all our days. 15 Make us glad for as many days as you have afflicted us, and for as many years as we have seen evil. 16 Let your work be shown to your servants, and your glorious power to their children. 17 Let the favor of the Lord our God be upon us, and establish the work of our hands upon us; yes, establish the work of our hands!

Reading

Isaiah 30:1-2 and 8-18 (ESV)

1 “Ah, stubborn children,” declares the LORD, “who carry out a plan, but not mine, and who make an alliance, but not of my Spirit, that they may add sin to sin; 2 who set out to go down to Egypt, without asking for my direction, to take refuge in the protection of Pharaoh and to seek shelter in the shadow of Egypt!

8 And now, go, write it before them on a tablet and inscribe it in a book, that it may be for the time to come as a witness forever. 9 For they are a rebellious people, lying children, children unwilling to hear the instruction of the LORD; 10 who say to the seers, “Do not see,” and to the prophets, “Do not prophesy to us what is right; speak to us smooth things, prophesy illusions, 11 leave the way, turn aside from the path, let us hear no more about the Holy One of Israel.” 12 Therefore thus says the Holy One of Israel, “Because you despise this word and trust in oppression and perverseness and rely on them, 13 therefore this iniquity shall be to you like a breach in a high wall, bulging out, and about to collapse, whose breaking comes suddenly, in an instant; 14 and its breaking is like that of a potter’s vessel that is smashed so ruthlessly that among its fragments not a shard is found with which to take fire from the hearth, or to dip up water out of the cistern.” 15 For thus said the Lord GOD, the Holy One of Israel, “In returning and rest you shall be saved; in quietness and in trust shall be your strength.” But you were unwilling, 16 and you said, “No! We will flee upon horses”; therefore you shall flee away; and, “We will ride upon swift steeds”; therefore your pursuers shall be swift. 17 A thousand shall flee at the threat of one; at the threat of five you shall flee, till you are left like a flagstaff on the top of a mountain, like a signal on a hill. 18 Therefore the LORD waits to be gracious to you, and therefore he exalts himself to show mercy to you. For the LORD is a God of justice; blessed are all those who wait for him.

 

Meditation

One of the things that arrived on the container this week is an executive white board.  It is a heavy piece of office décor that is attached to a wall and when opened reveals a white board with two cork boards on the side.  It is a great tool for planning and keeping track of things. In our family that is important.  We need places, multiple places, to keep track of what is happening, what is coming up and what we need to remember.  When used right it can seem to make your life efficient and easy.  It can give the illusion of control.

Isaiah is speaking to Israel here but the words can be true of our own hearts.  Stubborn.  Carry out our own plan.  Unwilling to hear.  Trusting in oppression and perverseness.  That is a little harsh you might be thinking.  I am not that lying child.  But stop and wait.  In your efforts to be righteous have you planned it out on your own and in turn pushed God’s plan to the side?  In your effort to feel safe have you sought the protection of something other than God because that plan doesn’t seem to be as tangible.

It is subtle most of the time.  We rarely are as blunt as Isaiah is saying of Israel.  “Do not see and to the prophets, do not prophesy to us what is right; speak to us smooth things, prophesy illusions, leave the way, turn aside from the path, let us hear no more about the Holy One of Israel.”

There was a time in my life where I avoided Sunday worship.  Not because God is only active there during worship but because I knew for sure that I would be confronted with the things of God I was tired of hearing.  I believed that if I was present in the assembly of believers that God would indeed grab my heart and break me.  I didn’t want that to happen.  I was glad God existed and hopeful that He loved me but was pretty sure He had screwed up my life enough and it was my time to try things out on my own. I jumped on the horse to flee.  The pursuer was swifter.

What does the Holy One call us too?  Returning (repenting) and rest you shall be saved.  Quietness and trust will be strength.  The pursuit was swift, harsh and gracious. It is deconstruction of plans, purpose, and false personality to be rebuilt in a place of rest, trust, repentance, true knowledge of who we are created to be and quiet.  No longer a life of getting ahead of the game or looking for the quick fix but one of believing that it is worked out for God’s glory and that my ultimate joy, His glory.

He is exalted to show mercy.  Amen and Amen.

Prayer

You are exalted to show mercy, Father. You are a God of justice.  Let us be blessed to wait on you. Let us rest in the knowledge that you have accomplished all that needs to be accomplished.  Let us trust that you are our sure protection and refuge.  Jesus, you are the answer to all questions and the end of all plans.  You are the center and the one who holds all things together.  You are the one who provides the rest for us to walk into.  You are our Sabbath. Teach us to trust in your work and righteousness.  Amen

Lenten Action

This is not a call to not plan but it is a warning to watch.  Our plans for righteous living can turn quickly into a path to pharaoh.  We need to live among others each other in order to be reminded of the graciousness of God and His already accomplished work for us.  Gather a small group of close fellow sojourners and talk about where you see yourself with the Father right now.  Be honest with each other and speak the Truth of God’s provision and perfect plan into each other’s hearts.  Listen to the encouragement to repent and rest, trust and quiet your striving.