Looking for a Place of Shalom

Scripture: Then he led them out as far as Bethany, and, lifting up his hands, he blessed them. Luke 24:50

Observation: Bethany has a unique place in the history of Jesus. It was a very small village less than two miles from the western gates of Jerusalem. It was barely its own place then, and is less-so now. Yet it was the location of one of Jesus' greatest miracles, the raising of Lazarus. It was the home of Mary and Martha, and the place where he was anointed with nard before his crucifixion. It was his home base during holy week, the origin of his triumphal entry. And here, it is his departure point for his ascension before the disciples.

This is a representation of how God thinks about the world. It is all his creation. Places do not become important because of how people settle into population centers, or by human events. Places exist for the same reason everything else in the universe exists ... to serve the purposes of the Lord.

Bethany was a place where Jesus could relax, yet still be in Jerusalem in about the same amount of time as a modern-day commute. He could teach in peace, and within an hour be in the temple. He could laugh with friends and enjoy a home-cooked meal, before needing to confront the hypocrisy of the religious pharisees.

Jesus often "withdrew" to spend time with the Lord in prayer, and to seek his will. Bethany was a part of that for the times Jesus needed to be in Jerusalem. It was his place of peace, his Shalom.

Application: Do I have a place of peace? Do I have a place where I can find Shalom?

I know the short answer: No, I do not. Even when my home is quiet and I'm alone, it isn't here in my home despite how content and secure I am here. I looked on the property at Selah, but never found a place. I know others have places, and they don't have to be quiet or withdrawn places (Bob Goff has said his is Tom Sawyer Island in Disneyland).

This is a problem ... that I do not have a place of Shalom where I can simply pray and be with the Lord. I do have places where I feel him better, and I do have places where I relax and feel peaceful, but these are not the same. I can't even really think of the kind of place that would bring me encompassing peace. However, I should try to find it.

Prayer: Lord, I would like to have a place where I can simply relax into your hands, and dwell in your Shalom for a few minutes or hours every once in a while, and talk to you. Please guide me to discover a place of Shalom. Amen.

Too Strong of Spirit

Scripture:
For you have no delight in sacrifice;
if I were to give a burnt offering, you would not be pleased.
The sacrifice acceptable to God is a broken spirit;
a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.
Psalm 51:16-17

Observation: The psalmist reaches this conclusion about his relationship with the Lord ... the sacrifice God really wants is our hearts and our wills. All the types of offerings placed on the alter are just ways of demonstrating our will, and whether or not we have aligned our hearts to the will of God. Thus, since the Lord knows what is within our hearts and minds, the sacrifice that is truly acceptable is our will. God desires our broken spirit; our broken and contrite heart.

Application: My will has been broken, but as a man in modern society I often try to rebuild it. I must remember not to do that. My life is so much better when I have a broken spirit - when I have laid aside all of my own objectives and desires and will and motivations and ambition - and instead seek only that which the Lord would lay upon my heart.

Once again, I wonder what career path to pursue, and am honored that things have again gone well for me. This is folly. The Lord creates my path, and I need to humbly walk it following his plan and direction, with no ambition for myself. This also goes for my personal life, my future retirement, and all my plans.

My spirit must never get strong again.

Prayer: Lord, my heart is contrite. I wish my spirit had no desire but to obey your will. You know I am flawed in this manner, and I need your strength to assist in alignment of my spirit to yours. I do desire that. Place into me a new heart, soft and tender and attentive to your spirit. Amen.

Belief in the Lord's Authority

Scripture: When King Adoni-zedek of Jerusalem heard how Joshua had taken Ai, and had utterly destroyed it, doing to Ai and its king as he had done to Jericho and its king, and how the inhabitants of Gibeon had made peace with Israel and were among them, he became greatly frightened, because Gibeon was a large city, like one of the royal cities, and was larger than Ai, and all its men were warriors. Joshua 10:1-2

Observation: As Israel invades the promised land, Gibeon tricks them into peace. Other local kings decide to attack Gibeon, perceiving this peace as a betrayal. In doing so, Israel will fight all five of the kings, and defeat and kill them all.

Part of their anger about Gibeon was that it should have been powerful, yet surrendered easily. Gibeon desired peace because they believed in and feared the Lord and his blessing upon Israel. The five kings attack because they have no such belief. Gibeon may not be the "chosen people" of Yahweh, but they see his work and believe in his power. The five kings measure power based on earthly standards, and thus thought Gibeon - a city larger than Ai with many warriors - should have resisted.

Application: There is a difference between believing in the God who created the universe and still operates today, and relying upon earthly means of power and authority. There was a time I may have believed God existed, but he had no true power, authority, or meaningful participation in the world today ... I would have called myself an existentialist in this regard. To the extent I believed in God, I believed he was ambivalent toward the people, maybe even a little antagonistic. This is a view of God that rejects his love, ignores the wonder of his creation, and despises his truth.

I no longer feel that way. I believe in the Lord's authority. But I also believe in his love, and in his promise of life by faith in Jesus. 

I lament for those who reject that love, hope, and promise. They often believe in the existence of the Lord, without any belief in the active authority of the Lord to bless and to heal and to restore and to bring joy. I know how desolate that life is.

Prayer: Lord, I know people who would declare they believe you exist, but would despise all aspects of you. They reject our authority, and ignore your love. I have hope for such people. May your love invade their lives in a way they cannot ignore, and may they find faith in the person of Jesus. Amen.

Rejecting Change for the Better

Scripture: They said, "If you are the Messiah, tell us." He replied, "If I tell you, you will not believe; and if I question you, you will not answer." Luke 22:67-68

Observation: As the Jewish leaders question Jesus, they directly ask him if he is the Messiah. His answer is interesting. He tells them (correctly) that, if he were to tell them so, they wouldn't believe him. However, he also says that "if I question you, you will not answer." What would Jesus have asked them?

He would have asked them about their understanding and expectations of Messiah. He would have asked them, according to their own study of the scriptures ... Where does Messiah come from? What are the signs of Messiah? What will Messiah do? What is the message of Messiah? How will Messiah liberate the Jews? What is the relationship between Messiah and the gentiles? How will Messiah suffer? How will Messiah die? And if they were to answer such questions, they would have only discovered that Jesus had - and was even now - actively fulfilling every prophesy about Messiah.

The Jewish leaders would refuse to answer Jesus' questions because the truth wouldn't have aligned to their lives, which was to be the ones who directed the religious activities of the Jews. The answers would have forced them to at least reassess the truth about Jesus, and even if while they hated the world order as it currently stood under Roman rule, they had no intention of allowing it to change for the better and disrupt their lifestyle.

Application: As I look around at what people are doing and saying in the world, this reality is clear ... people are unhappy, angry, fearful, frustrated, and discouraged by the way the world is going. Those same people have no intention of seeking something better that would bring them joy, peace, comfort, hope, and encouragement.

The material comforts of the world are so strong that they cause people to reject the idea of even questioning the assumptions they have. Instead, people accept the burdens of rampant mental health issues, deadly violence, and painful sorrow. They just assume this is how life works, and maybe complain that they wish it was better even to the point of joining some 'cause' to address symptoms of the issue. But they refuse to answer the questions Jesus sets before them in the form of an intelligently created universe, rational logic about a loving God, and the promise of hope found in simple faith, all backed up by documented proof about such promises.

Every day, people reject change for the better, in favor of known hardships, because they simply don't want to risk the material world they (falsely) think they understand.

Prayer: Lord, I believe Jesus is the Messiah, and I hope I have understood your questions and thus prioritized by life accordingly. Please, may we begin to see revival in our world today, and may people begin to understand that there is a better life if they would only consider your questions and your promise. Amen.

Choosing to Reject the Blessing

Scripture: One of the dinner guests, on hearing this, said to him, "Blessed is anyone who will eat bread in the kingdom of God!" Then Jesus said to him, "Someone gave a great dinner and invited many. At the time for the dinner he sent his slave to say to those who had been invited, 'Come; for everything is ready now.' But they all alike began to make excuses." Luke 14:15-18a

Observation: Jesus tells the parable of the great feast - a feast where invited guests refuse to come, so the master gives orders to fill the house with anyone off the streets and willing to attend - in response to a declaration ... 'blessed is anyone who will eat bread in the kingdom of God.'

The meaning of the parable is understood, which is that God invites people to his feast of heaven, but many of the "chosen" refuse to attend, and thus the invitation is cast more and more broadly. The obvious target for this is the Jews, whom will reject Jesus and the gospel will be extended to the gentiles. However, today this message can include anyone who has been actively invited to know Jesus but rejects him.

At the same time, by responding to the original declaration, Jesus is emphasizing a key point of the parable, which is that ... people will actively, intentionally, and willfully reject the blessing of God because they choose to prioritize earthly activities. The three examples given clearly align to people who are more interested in their financial investment, or their work, or sexual relationships. Despite being invited to a grand feast, they would rather do these worldly things. Yes, anyone who eats bread in the kingdom of God is indeed blessed, but people will - and do - choose to reject that blessing.

Application: I absolutely know people who have heard and received the good news, even to the point of believing that God exists, but have decided to reject faith in Jesus explicitly because they would rather support 'social issues' of today's culture that they believe the teaching of the bible is against. They have personally been invited to the great feast, hosted by the Lord himself, and they have decided ...  no thanks, I'm good.

The three responses in the parable align well to the themes of today. Everyone pursues money and power. Work is the dominant activity of most lives. People now define themselves by the types of sex they have and with whom. Meanwhile, a large number of people support this model of life to the point that they have decided faith in Jesus must be wrong because it would force them to rethink these social standards.

I choose to prioritize joining the Lord and eating bread in the kingdom of God. I deprioritize and reject the world's cultural norms and direction in favor of a wonderful blessing of heaven.

Prayer: Lord, this day there will be so many people who choose to reject you because they instead choose to accept the lies of this world. I pray they don't. I pray that at least some will rethink this, and will decide to choose you. I pray this specifically for Eric, but also for anyone else who is making such decisions during this season. Let us break bread in heaven someday. Amen.

Participating in the Promise of Jesus

Scripture: It is not because of your righteousness or the uprightness of your heart that you are going in to occupy their land; but because of the wickedness of these nations the Lord your God is dispossessing them before you, in order to fulfill the promise that the Lord made on oath to your ancestors, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob. Deuteronomy 9:5

Observation: As Moses gives his final words to Israel, the message about their qualifications to receive the promised land is this ... they didn't earn this. Moses will go on for two chapters about their unworthiness. Israel is not receiving the land because of their righteousness or upright behavior. Instead, they are receiving the land because God sees that the current nations in it are evil, and he has decided to give the land to them as part of his promise to the patriarchs.

No one among Israel has earned any reward or land or blessing. Instead, God has simply promised to give such rewards and blessings based on his promises and love, and to show justice to those that openly reject him and his love.

Application: This model is continued today. No one - especially myself - earns God's love and kindness and mercy and blessings by our actions. I am stubborn and sinful. However, I believe in Jesus Christ, and thus receive the promise of the new nation ... the Kingdom of God on earth, and a future in heaven.

The Lord gives to those who participate in his promises. We cannot earn what we receive, but we do have to "opt in" to the promise, and then strive to obey his commands as our response to his love. This model is ancient, evident, well defined, consistent, and trustworthy.

Israel was unworthy, but received the promised land due to the promise. They thrived as they obeyed, and eventually, by their actions, opted out of the promise.

I am unworthy, but receive the Kingdom of God due to the promise of Jesus Christ. I desire to obey, and I will never opt out of the promise.

Prayer: Lord, your promises are sure, and your ways are just. I know I am not the man you wish I were, and that I am not as obedient, honest, and upright as is expected by your laws and precepts. Yet you are so holy that your promises stand, and I am grateful for your promise found in Jesus, my Lord and savior. I will dwell in, and enjoy, the safe land of your kingdom. Amen.

Claiming the Promise of Happiness

Scripture:
Happy is the one who listens to me,
watching daily at my gates,
waiting beside my doors.
For whoever finds me finds life
and obtains favor from the Lord.
Proverbs 8:34-35

Observation: Several times it is said that the individual who seeks the ways of the Lord and therefore finds wisdom will be ... happy.

Happiness is the result of being filled with joy. It is an internal feeling and emotion, not a condition or state of one's life. Happiness is independent from any sort of worldly situation. Happiness is explicitly NOT ... comfortable, protected, healthy, loved, successful, well-liked, wealthy, intelligent, respected. While some of these conditions may provide a level of happiness - and certainly the opposite of them may detract from happiness - they are not themselves happiness. Instead, happiness is always our internal response to our understanding of our life, and our emotional attitude toward our circumstances.

The writer of Proverbs is clear: Someone who has sought wisdom by pursuing the ways of the Lord and finding him in their lives, receives a supernatural favor from the Lord, and thus will be happy. Again, favor is not any of the earthly conditions either, but is a spiritual relationship. That relationship produces joy and happiness. It is life-changing from the inside out.

Application: I have thought often that I do not laugh as much as I used to when I was young. However, I would add to that thought by saying that I believe I am much happier in my life than I used to be. I used to laugh all the time, but then be internally angry very often. I may 'joke' with others, but didn't care about them. I enjoyed moments, but despaired at thoughts of the future.

I desire even more happiness. I would like to find even more joy within the ways of the Lord, and through alignment with his precepts and purposes in my life. I would like to find more happiness in daily situations as a result of true love for others and joy in their happiness and success.

It is in the Lord that I have found life. It is by his word that I find meaning. It is through his Spirit that I find happiness. May I have more happiness.

Prayer: Lord, this is my prayer today, may I have more happiness by listening to you more, watching daily at your gates, and waiting beside your doors, so I may go on a daily walk with you. Amen.

Permanent and Perpetual Discipleship

Scripture: As they were going along the road, someone said to him, “I will follow you wherever you go.” And Jesus said to him, “Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests; but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head.” Luke 9:57-58

Observation: Jesus has conversations with three would-be followers. The second two both declare they will follow Jesus after completing service to their family, and though these acts seem to honor parents as is implied by the fourth commandment, Jesus sees them as excuses for delaying service to the Lord. However, the first encounter is different. In this, we see the individual declare their desire to follow Jesus, and Jesus gives a somewhat cryptic response about the hardships of not having a permanent home.

Without consulting external sources, there are three ways of understanding Jesus' response to this first would-be follower.

1) Following Jesus means being obedient to a call that will take you away from your home, and perhaps away from any kind of comfortable setting, so be prepared.

2) Jesus goes everywhere without a home, so it may be possible that following him will require you to provide a home and comfort, as there are different kinds of 'following'.

3) The work of the Messiah - the Son of Man - never rests and does not cease as in the end of a day's work, so keep in mind this is lifelong commitment, not something for a day or a season.

Application: I did a search on these verses to see what interpretation is most common, and the answer is ... none. Almost every analysis of this section agrees that this is all about "the cost of discipleship," but expand their teaching to the broader passage and lean heavily on the next two responses for the teaching. As a result, this one response is summarized best as option #1, defining discipleship as sacrificing the comforts of home. This is a nice, clean idea, but doesn't really manifest in reality, where very few Christians are truly called to live without any home in their service to the Lord.

However, I wonder today about #3. Jesus is clearly saying that the Messiah doesn't have a home ... but then again he doesn't actually say that. Instead he more literally says that he never rests. For Jesus the man, this wasn't true. However, for Messiah, it is extraordinarily true. Messiah is at work every day, all the time, all around the world, and has been for 2,000 years.

I didn't decide to become a disciple and serve him today, but then go to sleep and wake up tomorrow to make a new decision. I didn't decide to follow Jesus some days and not others. My service doesn't end at sunset.

My decision to follow Jesus is permanent, perpetual, and eternal. It may change and strengthen over time, but it never involves a renewed decision of whether or not I will follow him. And my obedience should never rest, it should never take a day off, nor should it end even if one specific ministry changes or runs its course. I should be seeking the next way to serve Jesus, and leaning into that service daily.

Prayer: Lord, I know I have spent time wondering about my service in the church. I should be doing more and leaning into something new. May I do so. I am your disciple, permanently and perpetually every day, every season, always. There is likely more for me to do. Here I am. Amen.

Gaining Attention in a Crowd

Scripture: Just then there came a man named Jairus, a leader of the synagogue. He fell at Jesus’ feet and begged him to come to his house. Luke 8:41

Observation: Jesus has entered a place, and is greeted by such a significant crowd that it is even difficult for him to move. The crowd is mentioned several times, and later when Jesus asks who touched him it seems like a nonsense question to his disciples because ... everyone is touching him. However, in this entire mass of people, only two interactions are remembered.

The second is a woman in need of heeling who humbly sneaks up to Jesus, touches the tassels at the bottom of his shawl, and upon being called out bows at Jesus' feet. The first is a man - a leader of the local synagogue - who falls at Jesus' feet and literally begs for his assistance.

One way of summarizing the situation involving the crowd is this:

-- There are many, many people who want to view Jesus and get near him.

-- There are precious few who want to humble themselves, present themselves before Jesus, declare their weaknesses and inability to manage their own circumstances, and hope and beg for compassion.

It is the latter category of people with whom Jesus engages and helps.

Application: I know that the times Jesus has most engaged in my life are when I have truly known I can do nothing ... that I am totally helpless ... with him. What I forget most of the time is that that condition of total helplessness and need for compassion actually exists ALL the time. I always need his love, help, compassion, mercy, guidance, assistance, and hope. I can do nothing without Jesus. I can do all things with Jesus.

I don't want to be part of the crowd who believes in Jesus enough that I strive to get near him. I want to believe is Jesus so much that being near him isn't enough ... humble dependence is the benchmark.

Prayer: Jesus, today I bow at your feet, unworthy as I am of your power and attention. The matters of my life are meaningless. However, I desire your assistance and intervention in all things. May I do only what you would have me do, where you would have me do it, and in the manner you wish for your purposes on earth. I never succeed with you, and no definition of success of accurate except by your own plan. Please, may I do your work only, in your power alone and not mine, today and every day. Amen.