LENT: Mar 17 - James 5:16

Therefore

confess your sins to one another,

and pray for one another,

so that you may be healed.

James 5:16

 

Confession is healing. That’s what James tells us. Why? Because confession is a key to freedom.

 

But James takes it a step further. He says it’s healing to confess to one another.

 

Now … most of us resist that. Why? Pride is the first reason. We like to pretend that we’re better than we really are. We don’t want to vulnerable.

 

The first reason leaves us weak and isolated … but the second reason is even more insidious. When we confess our sins to others, we’re accountable. And most of us don’t like to confess because we kind of like our sins.

 

Take, for example, one of the most pervasive sins in American society today – pornography. Sexuality releases endorphins. And we can get addicted to momentary pleasure and tawdry rush. But here’s the problem … If we confess our sins, even to a friend, we might have to stop. And we don’t really want to. And so we isolate ourselves. We keep our sins in secret. And we stay in this prison. It may have momentary pleasures, but make no mistake … it’s prison.

 

James offers a path toward healing. Put away the pride. Entrust yourself to Christian accountability. Draw on the power of God as you “pray for one another.” And watch yourself grow freer and freer and freer!

 

In Christ’s Love,

a guy who’s witnessed

this power and freedom

 

 

 

LENT: Mar 16 - Daniel 9:4-5

Ah, Lord, great and awesome God,

keeping covenant and steadfast love

with those who love you and

keep your commandments,

we have sinned and done wrong.

Daniel 9:4-5

 

Most times when we talking to the “great and awesome God,” we start with “O Lord.”

 

In today’s verse, however, Daniel starts with “Ah, Lord.” (And I don’t think it’s a Nestea plunge, “AHHH!!! Cool and refreshing.”)

 

Daniel is sighing. Grieving.

 

It’s “Ah, nuts. We’ve done it again … for the eighty-fifth time. We have sinned and done wrong.”

 

And yet it’s not a hopeless sigh! Daniel is confessing to a God of steadfast love. He is steady, firm, resolute. He always, always, lovingly, keeps covenant.

 

In what ways are you crying, “Ah, nuts”? In what ways do you need to start crying, “Ah, rats.” God does forgive – and that frees us. But there’s a second kind of freedom: We’re in prison of guilt and shame and secrecy until we give everything to God, who will set us free.

 

In Christ’s Love,

a guy who needs to cry, “Nuts”

multiple times a day.

Fortunately I have a God

who turn that into Almond Joy!

 

LENT: Mar 15 - Psalm 34:5

Look to him, and be radiant;

so your faces shall never be ashamed.

Psalm 34:5

 

Q: When did shame enter the world?

A: On page 3 of the Bible.

 

Shame is an important Biblical word. Before sin entered the world, we are told that “the man and his wife were both naked, and were not ashamed” (Gen 2:25). And this is talking about more than physical nakedness. There was nothing that stood between one person and another. They were psychologically naked and emotionally vulnerable. There were no walls or barriers. Without sin, there was nothing they had to hide.

 

The moment that sin entered the world, however, Adam and Eve immediately stitched together fig leaves. The walls started going up between humans. But the barriers also went up between man and God. Adam used to walk side-by-side with God. Once sin entered the world, man hid himself in the bushes. (And God eventually hid his own face from man, because our sinful selves could no longer gaze on his glory.)

 

Psalm 34, however, invites us to drop those barriers. Indeed, if we want to avoid a life of shame, we are called to start looking for God.

 

Look. And look. Until we start seeing him.

 

On this earth, we will never see him perfectly. Yet, the more we look, the more radiant our face will become.

 

In Christ’s Love,

A guy who likes the promise

Of heaven – “a world without sin” –

For now we see in a mirror, dimly,

but then we will see face to face.

Now I know only in part; then I will know fully,

even as I have been fully known.

1 Corinthians 13:2

 

 

LENT: Mar 14 - Colossians 3:12

As God's chosen ones, holy and beloved,

clothe yourselves with compassion,

kindness, humility, meekness, and patience.

Colossians 3:12

 

When I’m able, I write these reflections several days in advance. On the day I’m writing this, one of the big news items is that Massachusetts judges just ruled that “up-skirt,” peeping-tom-style photos are not illegal. (Sadly, some corners of our culture are clothing (and decency) optional.)

 

Rest assured, however, that the Christian faith is not clothing optional!!!

 

In Ephesians 6, for example, the Apostle Paul encourages us to clothe ourselves with protective gear like the breastplate of righteousness, the helmet of salvation, and the belt of truth. These are defensive adornments, because, as Paul says, “our struggle is not against enemies of blood and flesh, but against … the cosmic powers of this present darkness” (Eph 6:12).

 

Spiritually – and on one side – we need to clothe ourselves modestly, wisely, and defensively. Why? Because there clearly forces in this world that are seeking to do us harm.

 

And yet we’re also called to be beautiful. Attractive!

 

·         In physical fashion, people often adorn themselves with current fashions, attractive colors, sparkling jewelry, and a tailored fit.

·         In spiritual fashion, God invites us to adorn ourselves with “compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience.” This means rather than selfish and proud, we’re called to be sensitive and generous. Helpful rather than aloof. Patient rather than perturbed.

 

Why?!

 

It’s not for our own vain glory. It’s so that others may see our winsomeness and be attracted to the source of our beauty: Jesus Christ.

 

In Christ’s Love,

a guy who tries to look

for the Jesus-beauty in others

(rather than picking at faults)

 

 

 

 

 

he Apostle Paul tells us to  

 

LENT: Mar 13 - 1 Peter 5:6

Humble yourselves, therefore,

under the mighty hand of God so that

at the proper time he may exalt you

1 Peter 5:6

According to this verse, what will happen if we humble ourselves under the mighty hand of God? Peter tells us that God will exalt us. 

What does it mean that God will exalt us? It means that he will take us from our current corruptible flesh and give us an eternal incorruptible destiny. 

In short ... it means that God will bring us to heaven! When and why? When we humble ourselves. And because we humble ourselves.

In other words, "humbling ourselves" is another definition for "faith."

Here's the interesting part ... at least to me: Who is it, in this passage, who defines "faith" as "humbling ourselves"? Peter!

·       The same Peter was bold and proud enough to think he could walk on water.(But was humbled when the waves grew and he began to fear.)

·       The same Peter who was bold and proud enough to think he would never betray Jesus. (But was humbled when the stakes rose and he began to fear.)

·       The same Peter who was bold and proud enough to proclaim that Jesus was the Messiah! (But was humbled when he couldn't comprehend that Jesus must suffer and die, so Jesus had to say, "Get behind me Satan.")

Peter knew that the path to faith and life was not pridefulness and boldness. It is willingly humbling oneself (instead of being pridefully humbled).

In Christ's Love,

a guy who eventually wants

a pat on the back from

the mighty hand of God

LENT: Mar 12 - Matthew 6:16-18

Jesus said, “And when you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces that their fasting may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, that your fasting may not be seen by others but by your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.”

Matthew 6:16-18

I guess modern Americans are not that different from first century Jews.

We tend to make things about us.

The point of this famous Lenten passage, is to remind us to make everything about God.

When we fast… when we pray… when we serve... when we give... when we tithe... it may make us feel better (every spiritual discipline has huge personal benefits), but ultimately, none of this is about us ... it's all about God. 

But here's the gift and the blessing: When we make life about God, we are given our own life ... and we are given it abundantly (John 10:10). But when we make it about us, we get neither the fullness of life that we desire (we are never satisfied) nor do we get God. 

In Christ's Love,

a guy who wants both

... abundantly

LENT: Mar 11 - Isaiah 58:6-7

“Is not this the fast that I choose: to loose the bonds of wickedness, to undo the straps of the yoke, to let the oppressed go free, and to break every yoke? Is it not to share your bread with the hungry and bring the homeless poor into your house; when you see the naked, to cover him, and not to hide yourself from your own flesh?
Isaiah 58:6-7

Which human in history ...

·       looses the bonds of wickedness?

·       unties the straps that connect us to the burdens of the world?

·       enables the oppressed to go free?

·       and breaks everything that yokes us to the chains of sin?

Which human in history did (does) all that? The only human who was also the Son of God. 

And which human in all of history ...

·       shares the truest bread with the truly hungry?

·       covers the nakedness that started with Adam's shame?

·       when you see the naked, to cover him, and not to hide yourself from your own flesh?

·       and brings the homeless and poor into his eternal house?

Who? The only human who was also the Son of God.

This passage is a Messianic prefiguring of Jesus. But here's my question ... What does it mean when (essentially Jesus in this passage) says, "This is the fast I choose"?

What is a fast? It is willingly giving something up for a greater spiritual purpose. And what did Jesus willingly give up for a greater spiritual purpose? His throne. He humbled himself. He came in human flesh. 

Why? To loosen the bonds of wickedness, untie the yoke of our oppression, share with us the bread of life, and invite we who were poor into his eternal home. 

That was a remarkable fast for a marvelous purpose. 

In Christ's Love,

a guy who wonders if and what

you've chosen as your fast

this Lenten season

(I'm fasting, and it'll surely be

imperfectly, from junkie foods)

LENT: Mar 10 - John 15:1-2

I am the true vine,

and my Father is the vinegrower.

He removes every branch in me

that bears no fruit.

Every branch that bears fruit

he prunes to make it bear more fruit.

John 15:1-2

Read that again.

•      If you bear fruit, you get pruned.
•      If you bear no fruit, you get pruned.
•      In other words, the purpose to live is to get pruned. 

Ouch.

Isn’t that the exact opposite of what most of want in life?

If you watch TV commercials, we’re told that life is supposed to be about comfort, pleasure, and ease. Jesus uses a different advertising agency.

•      Instead of Maxwell House’s “Good to the Last Drop,” Jesus says, “Good til the Next Pruning.”
•      Instead of Folger’s “The Best Part of Waking Up, is Folger’s in your Cup,” Jesus says, “The Best Part of Waking Up, is Pruning in your Day.”
•      Instead of Nike’s “Just Do It,” Jesus says, “Just Prune It.”
•      Instead of Coca-Cola’s “The Pause that Refreshes,” Jesus talks about “The Prune that Refreshes.”
•      Instead of American Express’s “Don’t Leave Home Without It,” Jesus says, “Don’t Leave Home (Each Morning) Without Pruning.”
•      Instead of General Electric’s "We Bring Good Things to Life," it’s Jesus saying, “Pruning Brings Good Things to Life.”
•      Instead of Wendy’s “Where’s the Beef?” Jesus says, “Where’s the Prunes?!!!”

So the question is … whether you like the campaign slogans or not, do you believe that the purpose to live is to get pruned?

Well, it depends on your perspective. If life is all about this earth, then give me comfort and ease. But if life is about eternity, then, “Jesus, help me realize that this life is just a fleeting moment, and do whatever it takes to prepare me for eternity.”

In Christ’s Love,

a guy who likes Allstate’s old slogan,

“You’re in Good Hands …”

… so, God, I trust you to prune

if you must

LENT: Mar 9 - Psalm 51:7

Purify me with hyssop,

and I shall be clean:

Wash me, and I shall be

whiter than snow.

Psalm 51:7

I like writing on randomly chosen verses. Why? Because occasionally, it forces me to learn things I don’t know! For example, what is hyssop?! A few details …

Basically, hyssop is an herb. More commonly, it’s a weed that grows in the crevices of rocks (which there are a lot of in the Middle East). A variation of marjoram, hyssop is in the mint family. Let’s call it a sweet and fragrant weed.

One of its most important uses came when God instituted the Passover. When the Jews were told to sprinkle their doorposts and lintels with lambs blood, they were told to dip the fragrant weed into the blood and shake it at the door.

More common, and still common, is to dip the fragrant weed into water and sprinkle it. Water, of course, is physically and spiritually cleansing (think of bathtubs and baptisms). Physically, water washes. Spiritually, as this Psalm tells us, God desires to wash us whiter than snow. Indeed, Psalm 51 is David desperately confessing his sin and begging God to shake his grace in his direction.

When I put those two uses of hyssop together, I notice three things …

•      Hyssop is a plentiful weed. Meaning, God wants his grace to be more than just available … he wants it to be plentiful.
• 
  
•      Hyssop is sweet and fragrant. He wants his cleansing to touch all our senses. Smell, for example, is known to fire off our memories in powerful ways. Therefore, I believe God wanted his people to walk the trails of Israel smelling God’s forgiveness (whenever they smelled the plentiful hyssop blooming in the rocks).
• 
  
•      While I’d definitely prefer to be sprinkled with water than with blood, I’m reminded of Revelation 7:14. While water is mostly a symbol of forgiveness and cleansing, the deepest, truest, spiritual healing that we can ever encounter is through blood – Christ’s blood. Indeed, as Revelation describes the saints in heaven, we are told that “they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.” (And Jesus, of course, is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.)

Therefore, I cry with King David – claiming this 3000-year-old prophecy and saying,  “[Lord,] purify me with hyssop … wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.”

In Christ’s Love,

a guy who loves

the aroma of grace

     

LENT: Mar 8 - 1 Corinthians 15:58

Therefore, my beloved,

be steadfast, immovable,

always excelling in the work of the Lord,

because you know that in the Lord

your labor is not in vain.

1 Corinthians 15:58

Scripture tells us to excel in the work of the Lord. Why? Because our labor is not in vain.

That’s the first – and easiest to explain – of the three things that the Apostle calls us to do. Because no godly effort is ever wasted, we are encouraged to fulfill all of God’s callings joyfully.

But what does being “steadfast” really mean?

I mean, it’s obviously a common biblical word, but it’s a word most of us use rarely in daily life. So when Scripture says, “be steadfast” what’s really being asked of us?

Well, steadfast means

•      loyal and determined
•      consistent and persistent
•      stubborn and reliable
•      unwavering, unbending, and unbreakable
•      steadfast means immovable (which is the third of the Paul’s calls in this verse)

Steadfast means, if you’re going to call yourself a Christian, go all-in. Don’t let anything shake or deter you. Don’t let the waves of society knock you over. Be immovable. Resolute. And determined. Why? Because, as Paul says, no godly effort is ever wasted.

In Christ’s Love,

A guy who wants to be a lighthouse

– steadfast, unwavering, and always shining

(in spite of life’s waves)

LENT: Mar 7 - Ephesians 2:8

For it is by grace you have been saved,

through faith; and this is not from ourselves,

it is a gift of God…
Ephesians 2:8

Step one of Lent – and a richer Christian life – is confession. Admitting you’re done wrong.

Step two is repentance. It is admitting that you’ve done wrong, and covenanting to fix it. Indeed, since repentance can be translated as “turning away from sin and turning toward God,” it is covenant to fix our sin with the help of the God which we’ve just turned toward. After all, it’s a life hopeless frustration to try and fix ourselves only on our own power.

The third step is freedom.

•      Justice is getting what you deserve.
•      Mercy is not getting what you deserve.
•      Grace is getting what you don’t deserve.

Do you see the distinction?! Grace tells us that it’s not our actions that save us or condemn us. It’s God’s grace that saves.

So who condemns? Us. We often condemn ourselves. We can’t believe that God can forgive us … because sometimes we can’t forgive ourselves.

Often the world condemns us too. Many of us, for example, have grown up in families that do NOT forgive. Rather, every time there’s a fight, the same people drag back out the same old wounds and transgressions from 10-years-ago. Like elephants, some people never forget a wound. They throw every mistake back in our face … again and again and again. It’s no wonder people can’t believe in grace. So often we see so little of it modeled.

But God is gracious. And merciful. And slow to anger. And abounding in steadfast love.

•      And once you’ve brought the vampire of sin and shame out into the light through confession … wounding it mortally.
•      Once you’ve killed it, not by your own power, but with God’s help.
•      Can you, by grace, believe that you’re free? Can you believe, as Psalm 103:12 says, that God “removes our transgressions from us … as far as the east is from the west”?!

In Christ’s Love,

Jesus’ love was costly

so my price tag

can read “Free”

LENT: Mar 6 - Matthew 4:17

From that time Jesus began to proclaim,

"Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near."

Matthew 4:17

Jesus’ main message – his first and repeated sermon – was “Repent.” Why? “Because the kingdom is here.”

What does “repent” mean?

Yesterday on Ash Wednesday, we talked about confession. What is confession? It is admitting that we’ve done wrong. And this is a first, critical step.

But repentance is the next step. Indeed, don’t confuse it with confession. After admitting our folly (confession), repentance is covenanting to fix the problem!

Read that again. It’s one thing to say, “God, I’m a hit man. I’ve killed twelve people.” That’s step one, but it’s clearly not enough – especially if I go on killing! My murderous heart needs to be fixed – whether I’m a hit-man … or a gossiper … or verbally abusive.

To help us understand part two of confession, repentance can be translated as “turning away from sin and turning toward God.” And that last phrase – turning toward God – is crucial.

We can’t fix ourselves by ourselves.

Ultimately, trying to fix ourselves leads to hopeless frustration. Sometimes, yes, we can reign in our behavior for a while … but have you ever screamed, “I swore I was never going to do that again! Why am I so weak?”

Repentance, however, involves turning to God. Yes, we turn to him as the true source of our worship and strength, which is part of repentance – re-centering on him rather than wrong priorities and false idols. (That alone is important.) But equally importantly, we turn to God for strength! We can’t fix ourselves by ourselves. But he can fix us, heal us, free us, reshape our hearts, reprioritize our desires. And if Christ sets you free, you will be free indeed.

Confession is good. It’s the necessary starting point. But it’s through repentance (with God’s power) that we begin to truly experience freedom.

In Christ’s Love,

a guy who has learned that when

I turn away from our sin and turn to God,

I begin to see the kingdom that

Jesus says is right here!

ASH WED: Mar 5 - Joel 2:12-14

R E M E M B E R   A S H   W E D N E S D A Y   W O R S H I P ,   7 : 0 0 P M

Yet even now, says the Lord,

return to me with all your heart,

with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning;

rend your hearts and not your clothing. …

Who knows whether he will not turn and relent,

and leave a blessing behind him

Joel 2:12-14

Whenever people in the Bible are shocked by bad news, they stand up and tear their clothes.

As a kid, I always thought that this was strange.

But we have our own American customs when we are suddenly grieved or profoundly angered. Indeed, it’s anger that tends to spark the quickest reactions. Slamming of doors. Throwing of toasters. Kicking the dog. Cursing the cat.

And how about this one … Have you ever seen the famous punching-of-the-wall? Most of our families have at least one story of having at least one hole in the wall. (Or a broken hand in a plaster cast, if the angered person happens to hit a stud behind the sheetrock.)

On my first day of chaplain’s training at a Columbia, SC, hospital, an experienced African-American chaplain said to us interns, “Now before you go into the emergency rooms and start dealing with tragedies, you white folks need to know that us black folks grieve differently than you. When a white person dies, white people grab the tissues and hug and sniffle quietly in the corner. When a black person dies, we fall on the floor and wail and moan.”

I’m glad he told me.

The first death I attended was for a three-year-old African-American boy who was hit by a car. Their grief was profound. And the wailing and moaning on the floor was culturally appropriate. Normal. Necessary. Healing.

God told the Israelites (and you and me), however, that when we as individuals have sinned … or when we as a church have strayed … or when we as a nation have betrayed our calling … that the proper response is not to curse the cat, kick the dog, throw the toaster, or punch the wall. He says … you call fall on the floor and cry, if you want to … or stand and rip your clothing, if you you’re so moved … but that’s not God’s preferred response either.

He says, “Rend (tear open) your hearts and not your clothing.”

When we’re boiling in anger or drowning in grief because of the sting of sin, only one thing ultimately heals, and that’s prayer – especially in the form of confession. God calls us to open our hearts to him. To confess our sin. To grieve over the sins around us. To rip open our hearts and pull out – and it’s usually painfully – all the wantonness and anger and rebellion and pride within each of us.

“Rend your hearts and not your clothing.” That’s the initial call of Lent. To see the sin of world … starting with the sin in us. And to repent.

In Christ’s Love,

a guy who likes rending his heart

instead of rending his clothes

because it’s much less expensive

DEVO: Jan 17 - Psalm 86:16

Turn to me and be gracious to me;

give your strength to your servant.

Psalm 86:16

Have you ever prayed, “Give me strength”?

It’s a good prayer. An honest prayer. (And God loves honest prayers!)

But if I have time to think about it, I’m going to try and remember to be more specific! I’m going to try and echo the Psalmist’s request in Psalm 86. He doesn’t just say, “Give me strength,” he says “Give [me] YOUR strength.”

In Christ’s Love,

A guy who doesn’t want to be

the strongest Ed that he can be;

rather, a guy who wants

the strength of God!

DEVO: Jan 16 - 1 John 2:2

Jesus Christ is

the atoning sacrifice for our sins,

and not for ours only but also

for the sins of the whole world.

1 John 2:2

Fancy word: Do you know what “atone” means? It means to make amends, to make reparations, to pay for a crime.

Jesus paid for our crime. He made reparations for our sins. He IS the atoning sacrifice for our sins.

Wait. Let’s get personal. First, he died to save you. You. If you were the only person on earth who ever sinned, he would have died just for you.

John wants you to see that. But he also wants you to see the bigger picture. It’s about you … but it’s also a billion times bigger than you. He has a solution for every person who’ve ever lived and ever will live.

And once we understand the Gospel – personally – it’s our job to help others comprehend the gift to.

In Christ’s Love,

A guy who spells atone “AT ONE”

– his action makes us at one with him

DEVO: Jan 15 - Redistricting

At that time the servants of

King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon

came up to Jerusalem, and the city was besieged.

King Nebuchadnezzar … carried away … to Babylon

all Jerusalem, all the officials, all the warriors,

ten thousand captives, all the artisans …

No one remained, except the poorest people.

2 Kings 24:10-15

Did you hear today’s big news in Union County? The schools are being redistricted. Hundreds of parents and children are sad. Many like their schools, their teachers, their friends. Some moved into their particular neighborhood to get their kids in a particular school. And now it’s changing.

Every change brings loss. And every loss brings grief. Therefore, there’s a lot of grief and loss and uncertainty and worry floating around our community. Let me try to make some sense of it.

When I was in elementary school, I was part “The Great Redistricting.” It was called “integration.: Basically, I was too young to know what was going on. But how my parents handled it had a major impact on my life.

First, my original “redistricting” had nothing to do with decisions of courts and school districts. My story starts with a move from Roanoke, Virginia, to Wilmington, North Carolina. The move was my “redistricting”! I moved school districts because we moved cities and states!

But it was bigger than that.

      1.  We moved from an educationally advanced school system, to one that was considerably lagging.

     2. More importantly, we moved from a segregated school district in Virginia to a desegregated school district in North Carolina – an infamously desegregated school district. The battle over desegregation in Wilmington made national headlines. Nine men and one woman – “The Wilmington Ten” – were convicted of arson and conspiracy. And that’s what we moved into.

My parents had a choice.

•      They could keep us out of the public schools. (In Charlotte’s desegregation struggle, that’s how and why many of today’s “great” private schools in Charlotte started.)
•      They could put us in the public schools and complain bitterly about the situation. (This is what many of my friend’s parents did. And looking back, these kids reflected their parent’s attitude. To many of my peers, at least in those early years, were angry, bitter, complaining, and even sometimes bigoted.)
•      They could put us in the public schools and treat it as normal and good. (This was the path my parents chose. And as a little fifth-grader, I was oblivious to the gift my parents were giving me. By not making a big deal of the situation, they taught me a powerful, silent testimony – “People are people. Celebrate living side-by-side.”)

Union County redistricting is totally different than my experiences in the seventies. Looking back, we celebrate my 70s integration as a civil rights victory. Today in Weddington and Wesley Chapel, it’s hard to see any transcendent victory in redrawing school lines to ease crowding and save money on busing.

Nevertheless, that’s still a message that I’d like to pass on from my parents example … back in the day. Parents, when frustrations hit (whether be redistricting or whatever), don’t complain about it to your kids. They’ll reflect your attitude. And an attitude of complaining will transcend this issue. You might just teach your kids to complain about everything.

Now, if you’re concerned about an issue, here’s what you can do productively …

•      You can have adult conversations with your kids about issues like this – especially as your kids get older.
•      You can be very honest about your disappointments. And if you can manage to do that without adopting a spirit of complaint, you help step your kids step toward greater maturity.
•      You can also model peaceful, honest political dialogue. You can let your kids watch you try and affect positive change in your community (without sinking to name-calling and divisiveness).  
•      Finally, if and whenever things in your life don’t go your way, you can model through your actions what’s become known as the Serenity Prayer: “God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change; courage to change the things I can; and wisdom to know the difference.”

The verse at the beginning of today’s reflections concerns the moment when God’s people of Judah were “redistricted.” Nebuchadnezzer asked for no one’s approval. And Daniel was one of thousands who were redistricted to Babylon.

A better example than me and my parents in the 70s is Daniel’s approach to his Exile in Babylon.

He focused on God, and “God grant[ed him] the serenity to accept the things he could not change.” He was an unwilling slave, but he made the best of it.

“God [also] grant[ed him] the courage to change the things [he could].” He refused, for example, to accept a Babylonian diet – but he didn’t do it with bitterness or complaint. He was honest, conversational, winsome, and yet firm.

When it’s a matter of religious conviction (rather than personal preference – that’s the “wisdom to know the difference.”), we are called to accept the consequences of a righteous stand … even if that means we get thrown into a den of lions.

And when Daniel modeled this kind of principled, winsome character, God allowed him to shape the faith of a nation.

Your principled, winsome, (non-whining and non-complaining) stands might not change a nation, but they might change the destiny of your children.

In Christ’s Love,

a guy who inherited his parents’

principled, winsome witness

Dec 09 - Gen 1:1a

In the beginning … God …

Genesis 1:1a

 

It’s hard to get people to agree. If you can believe internet statistics …

 

·         20% of Americans believe that the earth revolves around the sun,

·         29% think Bigfoot probably exists,

·         and up to 25% of American don’t believe that Neil Armstrong walked on the moon.

 

And yet …

 

·         only 8% of Americans don’t believe that God exists.

 

The first words of the Bible are “In the beginning … God …” The first revelation of Scripture is that “GOD IS”! And the good news is that 92% of our friends actually believe this.

 

The problem, though, is what kind of a “god” our friends believe in. Is God an energy or a “person”? Is God one or many? Is God personal or impersonal? Is God active or inactive? Are we part of god or is God separate and beyond us? (I could go on for hours!)

 

Over these next weeks, I want to help you learn to make a simple Biblical case for God – the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. And the good news is that with 92% of your friends, you can start with common ground …

 

GOD IS.

 

In Christ’s Love,

a guy who believes in the

earth revolving around the sun

and in God, the Father of the Son