Revisiting the Source of Sin

Scripture:
Then Zophar the Naamathite replied:
This is why my unsettling thoughts compel me to answer,
because I am upset!
I have heard a rebuke that insults me,
and my understanding makes me reply.
Job 20:1-3

Observation: Job's friends continue in their effort to council him. Though he wishes comfort, they prefer to offer him correction, believing that Job is being punished for his sins, and if he were to revisit his sin and wrongdoing that perhaps God would relent in his punishment for those sins. As Job declares himself innocent, the friends are more direct in their accusations. Interestingly, when the Lord arrives on the scene, he will declare that the friends are indeed in the wrong, have sinned, and require prayer to absolve their misdeeds. And it is here that their sin is most evident.

Zophar begins this passage stating that he himself is insulted by Job, and "my understanding makes me reply." Zophar will go on to state things that ... on their face, are actually pretty consistent with scripture. He will outline how wicked people are greedy and accumulate wealth and comforts, and yet all these things will be taken from them. He says God is offended by the arrogance of the wicked, but the wicked will die and vanish from the face of the earth. He points out that the riches the wicked accumulate and enjoy will actually become the curse upon them. These are strong words, but ... they aren't wrong.

Instead, where Zophar and the friends are sinning is in this: They themselves are deciding, of their own understanding and by their own wisdom, if and how these ideas apply to Job, and are then judging him by that human wisdom.

This is, again, original sin. This is taking proper concepts, but then using earthly logic and human thinking to interpret and apply them. In this case, the idea that Job was prosperous and now is not aligns to the fact that wicked people enjoy prosperity then are punished. Even Job will point out this logic is flawed (as will the future writer of Ecclesiastes).

The sin of the friends is not in rebuking Job. It is in deciding they have the authority to rebuke Job because, using their own understanding, they have determined the will of God and believe they have the right to pronounce that will and resulting judgment.

Application: I do think about original sin often and what I have learned about it. I recognize that I must not seek truth, knowledge, good, or understanding, through the means of applying my own thoughts and logic to a situation. Rather, I must simply pray and seek God's direction about situations around me and the behavior of others.

That is SO difficult to do, and such a rare mindset in Christians all around me. Of course, that's what makes this such an embedded sin within us all, and gives us such great dependence on salvation found not in our own actions, but by faith in Jesus. We truly cannot avoid sin, and a mindset that claims godlike status for ourselves.

Prayer: Lord, may I surrender my thoughts and opinions to you today. Help me to not judge, even when it is possible to apply your word to a situation. I seek your decisions and your will and your truth, not the knowledge and truth I have from decades on this earth. Thank you for your perfect love. Amen.

Save Me from Men of the World

Scripture:
With your hand, Lord, save me from men,
from men of the world
whose portion is in this life:
You fill their bellies with what you have in store;
their sons are satisfied,
and they leave their surplus to their children.
Psalm 17:14

Observation: The psalmist - David - asks the Lord for protection from one enemy ... men of the world. These are men who live for the things and ideals of earth. They satisfy their earthly desires for food, riches, and comfort, even to such a great extent that they stockpile extra wealth to leave as an inheritance to their children.

These are the men David fears ... those motivated to achieve worldly success.

Application: There is a terrible 'worldly' fear growing right now, related to financial downturns and potential unemployment as layoffs occur all around. It's a bad time, especially if someone were to cling to a definition of personal success that aligns to earthly wealth. I know there are aspects of that alignment which applies to me, as I enjoy great meals, comfortable living, a lovely house, and nice vacations. While I am aware that I am unworthy of such blessings in my life, I also enjoy them.

It is for this reason that, like David, I fear men and women who themselves desire only these things, for they will wield earthly power and authority to maintain, retain, and acquire their portion of all this. I know several such people who literally have more than they could ever need or even want - SO much that all they can possibly do with it is store it to pass on to their children because they themselves could never spend it all in their lifetimes - who are even now taking away comfort and hope from others in order to ensure the security of their own riches. Earthly logic justifies this. However, certainly the Lord does not.

In the earthly context, like David I fear men of the world, and pray to the Lord to save me from them and their decisions. That said, I also have full confidence in the Lord, and with my prayer I trust the Lord will order my path to align to his plan and purposes.

Prayer: Lord, please, with your hand, save me and my family from men of the world. They are men whose entire portion is found in this life, for they have no portion with you, and for this reason they store up everything they can in the material world. This is a motivation that can hurt others here on earth, however it has no eternal context. I trust in you in this life, and hope in you for eternal life. Amen.

The Mystery of Collateral Damage

Scripture: A messenger came to Job and reported, "While the oxen were plowing and the donkeys grazing nearby, the Sabeans swooped down and took them away. They struck down the servants with the sword, and I alone have escaped to tell you!" Job 1:14-15

Observation: In the first attack on Job, four messengers report four catastrophes to Job. These involve the destruction of all his riches and possessions, and the death of his children. In every report, Job is told of what was lost, but also that the messenger himself is the only survivor ... sons, daughters, and servants of untold numbers were killed by the events.

This was supposed to be an attack on Job to test his faith and fear of the Lord. However, the execution of it brought utter destruction on an untold number of individuals - likely numbering in the dozens - who are caught in the wash so to speak. They die for no other reason than they are in relational proximity to Job. From any rational perspective, this is by far the worse of the outcomes. Job loses his family and property, but all these people are completely wiped from earthly existence, mostly just because they were properly doing their chores.

Application: There is a mystery I have often considered but never been able to get my head around. There are times that bad things happen to people here on earth, but the victims actually have no relationship to the bad event that impacts them. We see this all the time with disasters. However, it also happens with regards to what appears to be negative events either directed toward or triggered by an individual. I am especially reminded of a friend who lost 100 percent of his retirement funds when it was discovered that his company's executives committed fraud ... they were severely punished, but my friend lost so much in the way of earthly future security, yet he did nothing other than just being there in that company.

We see this happen all the time ... two people fight, violence breaks out, and a bystander is killed. And we still see this manifest in ways that are part of the crossover from the spiritual to physical world ... radicals who hate God perpetrate acts that kill hundreds of people who may or may not even have faith in the Lord, and are just going about their days.

This is a mystery to me, however we do see how this can be generated by the spiritual fight originating from satan - the source of lies of evil - directed at the Lord. Evil is so pervasive that it doesn't care about the collateral damage of the attacks. This creates a perception of randomness to the pain and suffering that is hard to understand let alone rationalize.

As a believer, there are negative things that happen to me and my family. Between family health concerns, personal pain, job stress, home repair issues, and even pet behavior, we are in fact currently standing in a major wave of such things in our lives that feels uncoincidental. These may be attacks against us. These may be attacks against someone else and we are just caught up in it. Either way, we will continue to look to God for comfort and strength, trusting in his ever-present love and long-term blessing.

Prayer: Lord, we do know you are not the storm that rages around us right now, but you are instead the still, small voice speaking to us about love, hope, and joy. Thank you for your protection that we know is here, even as problems rise. Amen.

Explicit and Implicit Response

Scripture: But Joseph said to them, "Don’t be afraid. Am I in the place of God?" Genesis 50:19

Observation: Upon the death of Jacob, his sons realize that now there is no restriction from Joseph finally seeking revenge upon them, so they go to him in humility and lie to him about their father's words. All Joseph does is correct them about the proper authority for judgement. Judgement belongs to the Lord alone, and in fact the very thing for which they are seeking forgiveness was something the Lord orchestrated for good. Joseph will not judge them, and he will not take any actions that could be considered judgement to punish them.

These are the words of Joseph. The actions of Joseph are ... to comfort his brothers, and in fact to never take any action. From his position of authority, the family keeps the land of Goshen and dwell there throughout their generation. Joseph said he would not judge his brothers, and by his actions he did not judge nor punish them.

Application: Not judging some who has wronged me is difficult. It may be easy to say I don't judge them and/or forgive them, but it is the subsequent behavior and attitude that is most difficult. How do you truly treat someone good after they have done evil against you?

Who knows how much interaction Joseph truly had with his brothers. At his father's death, they send him a letter before coming to see him, so likely they were not anywhere near each other, and the last verses of Genesis say nothing of any subsequent interaction between the brothers. So yes, it wasn't likely that Joseph was actually interacting with his brothers and thus treating them kindly face-to-face on a semi-daily basis. However, he took no negative action ever. He had aided them and saved them, and he didn't just do that for his father's sake.

Joseph explicitly said he did not judge his brothers, then he implicitly did not judge them by never taking judgmental action. His words explicitly gave authority to God, and his actions implicitly yielded to God's authority in this matter. This is a lesson to truly take to heart.

Prayer: Lord, I have stated forgiveness toward others, and I have never in any way taken action to punish or seek revenge. May that always be true. Yes, in my heart I sometimes think of scenarios where I would have such an opportunity, however I sincerely pray for your strength so that I never act against anyone. Judgement is yours and yours alone, and frankly I am thankful for that as I hope to never be victim to any other human's judgement against me. Thank you for Joseph's example. Amen.

What We Call Foreshadowing

Scripture: At that time Judah left his brothers and settled near an Adullamite named Hirah. There Judah saw the daughter of a Canaanite named Shua; he took her as a wife and slept with her ... Judah got a wife for Er, his firstborn, and her name was Tamar. Genesis 38:1-2,6

Observation: Chapter 37 ends with Joseph being sold into slavery by all his brothers, and resold in Egypt to Potiphar. Chapter 39 begins with Joseph being bought by Potiphar. In between is this story about Judah's life. In this chapter, Judah ... leaves his brothers, gets married, has three sons, has all the sons fully grow up, marries them off, two son's die, he doesn't give the widow Tamar to the third son when he finally becomes fully grown, Judah's wife dies, Judah moves again, Tamar tricks Judah and has twin sons, and the twins themselves have a strange birth regarding who is the first born.

Let's be clear: This is a timeline that encompasses at least 20 years. It effectively is the only history we will learn about Joseph's brothers and what they did during his entire time in Egypt, up until the famine hits and Jacob sends his sons to Egypt for food. This is it, one story about the strange nature of how Judah's line is established.

At this point, Judah is nothing special compared to his brothers. He's the fourth born of Leah's six sons. And the likely author of this - Moses - isn't from the tribe of Judah, he's from Levi. There is absolutely ZERO reason why, of all the people, activities, topics, and exploits that could be covered about the house of Jacob during the ~20 years between the "death" of Joseph and the famine, that Judah's family origin would possibly be the one and only item covered. This makes no sense at all.

Unless ...

Application: I recently wrote a narrative about the history of golf in Scotland. At one point, while discussing all the famous places and people, I suddenly interjected a paragraph about a course called Prestwick, and about a young child who grew up playing golf at that course. After the paragraph, I pointed out that this interlude was what we call 'foreshadowing'. Of course, this is because I knew historically what would come later ... Prestwick would invent The Open Championship, and that young boy was Young Tom Morris who would win The Open three times in a row at Prestwick and become the #1 golfer in the world. So I interrupted the flow of my narrative with what seemed to be an unrelated tale, because I knew what would happen later.

And here, in Genesis, God interrupts the narrative with a completely unrelated tale. Two chapters end then start with almost the exact same words, and in between is a seemingly meaningless - or at the very least, low-priority - story about Judah's lineage. This is because, 1,500 years later, Jesus will be born, from the lineage of Judah, and from the first-born twin Perez.

No one at no time in history prior to Jesus could possibly have known the significance of Judah's lineage compared to that of any other of Jacob's sons. Moses could not possibly have known this when he chose to write about this incident - and this incident alone - to summarize two decades of family activity. No one who organized the "scriptures" could have understood the significance of this. ONLY a person who actually knew the future ... who could think of a future that was millennia away as if it were historically significant ... would write chapter 38 of Genesis.

Again I say today, the proof of the bible's authenticity is unassailable. Such structure and content cannot be accidental. In fact, for humans it takes expertise and training to create such narrative. With God, this is just ... the plan all along, and that cannot be logically denied.

Prayer: Lord, once again today, as I look for ways to strengthen my faith, here it is smacking me right in the face. I know your word is good and true and perfect, and I love that you remind me of that, in ways my own educational history has taught me to recognize, understand, and appreciate. I love you so much, my Lord and my God. Thank you for loving me first. Amen.

Hope in the Baker

Scripture: He told them another parable: "The kingdom of heaven is like leaven that a woman took and mixed into fifty pounds of flour until all of it was leavened." Matthew 13:33

Observation: The concept of this parable is basic for those who understand ... even just a tiny amount of yeast can work its way throughout a large batch of bread. Yeast is a living organism - a domesticated animal if you will - that feeds on sugars and produces gases, with the net affect being in bread that is causes the bread to rise, giving it a soft texture, improved baking quality, and even a special flavor character.

But in this parable, the amount of bread being made is ... massive! By today's standards, this would make approximately 60 loaves of bread, or (guestimating) 1,200 slices of bread. This is possible from just a tiny bit of yeast, because as the yeast is worked into the dough, it reproduces and grows and moves and transforms the other ingredients. And in the day of Jesus, this would have been very hard for the woman to do! She would have had to be very intentional that she was making this much bread. This isn't a family-size batch of bread, but more like the city's bakery. This is work ... its a job-size effort.

This is the depth of the parable. The kingdom of heaven isn't just like a little yeast someone uses to make some bread. The kingdom is like a little yeast that enters into a very, very large setting, spreads and grows making everything around it better and better, nurtured by an expert who is truly working to progress the situation until it is perfect, and in the end influencing the results for a massive environment that far outweighs its microscopic origins.

Application: This is truly the hope I have for the world today ... that what feels like the small messages we can communicate about Jesus within the massively broken culture of the Pacific Northwest will somehow grow and grow and grow until it permeates everything and everywhere, making everything better. This, in fact, is the only way I can find hope in this dark place in the world. This specific culture is so wildly 'unleavened' that the only hope is that the kingdom of heaven will grow like yeast.

The best news - the best part of the hope - is that I am not the baker! I am just one microbe of the yeast, who has the chance to tell others and perhaps reproduce that yeast in them. God is the baker. He is not only working at his purposes, he is doing so expertly, continually, with effort and intentionality. This process isn't an accident, nor is it just being passively watched. The kingdom of heaven is here and the Lord is in control of how it grows. I just have to try to produce a little more yeast by telling others about Jesus.

Prayer: Lord, thank you for hope today. We have earthly challenges within our household. They are likely small to you, but every small issue adds into distraction and hardship and stress. Perhaps we can see some yeast multiply today. Amen.

Understanding in Context

Scripture: That is why I speak to them in parables, because looking they do not see, and hearing they do not listen or understand. Matthew 13:13

Observation: As the explanation for why he teaches using parables, Jesus effectively says he does this so that the listeners won't understand. In other words, there must be context in order to understand the teaching of Jesus, and that context is faith in him as the Messiah. Those without that context won't understand parables that teach about ... forgiveness, love, hope, salvation, and eternal life.

Application: At one time I was confused about this idea, that Jesus intentionally used parable/metaphor in order to make his message difficult to understand. However, I feel I now understand this well, especially when considering how people today receive the good news about Jesus, faith, and salvation. For those who have faith, and even those who want to have faith, the parables make senses. However, for those who are of the mind to reject Jesus, or even question the existence of God and thus have no value in a Messiah as the son of God, the parables are literally meaningless stories.

What is even more curious are those people who desire some kind of "spiritual" influence in their lives. They often hear a parable, and then apply meaning to it that is so far off the mark as to laughable. They also make up their own parables of Jesus; they create interesting proverbs and metaphors that they claim Jesus said, when such things are not in the scriptures. This is because they have never read the bible, and/or they have some idea they believe relates to Jesus, and this pithy 'quote' conveys the same message.

The context of eternal salvation through faith in Jesus as Christ, and thus surrendering to the Lord God almighty as the authority of our lives, creates an understanding of scriptures that is magnificent and comprehensive. That lack of context results in confusion over meaning, disconnected and conflicting 'truths', and lostness.

Prayer: Lord, you are my Lord and my God, and Jesus is my savior in whom I have total belief. Please forgive my sins, for they are terrible and deep. Help me to repent in my heart and mind, and remain firm in my following of you every day and every minute. Amen.

Considering the Cross I Carry

Scripture: And whoever doesn’t take up his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. Matthew 10:38

Observation: Jesus talks about what it really means to follow him, which is to place your faith in him above all else, including family. However, he uses this phrase - that believers must "take up his cross and follow" him - as one of the ways of proving faith and being worthy of Jesus' love. It is difficult to understand the meaning of this term.

The cross refers to crucifixion, and it was part of that death sentence for the convicted to carry their cross to the spot of execution. It was big and heavy, and the exertion of effort was a final insult ... it was hard work done in futility, as the end result would be painful death anyway with no reward for doing it well, so to speak. Jesus himself would do this after being heavily flogged. The term to 'take up the cross' could be foreshadowing that refers to believing in the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus, but that interpretation doesn't really fit.

The way Jesus is using it seems much more direct and personal, yet also metaphorical. So this seems to mean that disciples must laboriously carry some hardship, even though doing so is difficult and with no benefit, as an act of faith. That hardship might be the negative ridicule and contempt from society that comes with faith, as Jesus has touched on how others - even family - will reject believers to the point of conflict. Or the hardship may be some issue that is unique to each individual ... a specific element of harm and pain that enters ones life as a result of faith, and the faithful must simply bear that burden instead of seeking ways to cast it off (as such ways would involve diminished faithfulness).

This term - to "take up one's cross" - has been used so often by so many teachers and pastors as the catch-all phrase for problems in life, that such teaching only convolutes Jesus' meaning more.

Application: While sometimes I would rather skip over this lesson of Jesus, and chalk up the phrase as I have heard it from pastors - a simple metaphor for life's hardships - I feel that Jesus meant something much deeper and personal, and it would be valuable to figure it out.

If this is a way of saying "people will randomly hate you when they learn you're a Christian" ... well, I get that. I've experienced that. I encounter some level of negative interpersonal interaction caused by this dynamic at least weekly, and sometimes daily or more. And yea, it hurts, and it hurts less when I receive Jesus lesson that this is both normal and is part of identifying as a worthy follower.

However, I also wonder if there isn't some unique issue that is upon me as a result of my faith, and I need to simply 'suck it up buttercup' and carry it with me every day. I can think of a couple big items in life that have altered my life, and which I am confident happened because of reaction to my faith. I can do nothing about these, so I should just acknowledge that I now carry them with me. When I dwell on how bad they were/are, nothing changes other than my mental health, so while carrying them his hard and futile, dwelling on that problem is equally futile. I would do better overall to simply carry the cross, and accept the blessing to come as a faithful believer.

Prayer: Lord, may I take up my cross daily and follow you. I don't think I truly and fully understand your lesson in this, but I also know that understanding is not important. Rather, simply following you despite all else is the task at hand. I do so today, and every day. Amen.

Changing of the Names

Scripture: Once when Jacob was cooking a stew, Esau came in from the field exhausted. He said to Jacob, “Let me eat some of that red stuff, because I’m exhausted.” That is why he was also named Edom. Genesis 25:29-30

Observation: Esau sells his financial inheritance for a bowl of lentil stew. It is an act that is nonsensical and impulsive. However, this act also introduces the name Edom into scriptures. This is the name of the nation that will come from Esau, Edom, or the Edomites, who will settle in modern day Jordan. These are the ancient people who will use caves to carve great villages into rock cliffs that are still a marvel today. They are also a people who will despise Israel despite their common faith, and eventually be cursed to destruction explicitly because of how they celebrate Israel's downfall.

As it turns out, both Jacob and Esau will be renamed. Jacob will be called Israel, one who wrestles with God, as a reflection of his strong will and resistance to the will and direction of Yahweh, culminating with a moment where he literally fights with the Lord. Esau will be called Edom, meaning 'red', and it is a word that echos back to the moment where Esau acted so impetuously and contemptuously that he set himself down a path of subservience to his brother.

Application: I wonder what my name would be if it were to be some defining attribute of mine, manifested in a specific action that occurred in my 20s or 30s? I feel it would have something to do with 'directionless' or 'professionless'. In my professional life, I have never really had a plan or a specific knowledge set that would be called a profession. This led me to eventually get contract work with a government to help them create a strategy for integrating criminal justice data ... there isn't one single word in that sentence that relates to anything I had ever done in my life before then.

I pray often for God to guide me on his path. However, I have to admin that ... I sure haven't been intentionally walking my own path. Maybe I sometimes end up on 'this' path - whatever seems like the direction I'm going, I insistently to a fault keep going that way - but that doesn't mean I have direction.

So how will my directionless wandering affect my family? Is that a legacy they'll inherit? I see it some in my children. Though they both have defined ideas about what they want to do, and intentional skills developed to do it, my son can also just go with the flow of his current situation, sometimes to a fault. That feels familiar to me.

Prayer: Abba, my daddy, it is comforting to realize that I do not have my own direction, because that alone should liberate me to follow your path for my life. I do not wish to cling to some random direction in my life, but I also am content wandering when you are the one taking me on the journey. May thy will be done. Amen.

Loving One Without Hating the Other

Scripture: Now Isaac was returning from Beer-lahai-roi, for he was living in the Negev region. In the early evening Isaac went out to walk in the field, and looking up he saw camels coming ... Then the servant told Isaac everything he had done. And Isaac brought [Rebekah] into the tent of his mother Sarah and took Rebekah to be his wife. Isaac loved her, and he was comforted after his mother’s death. Genesis 24:62-63,66-67

Observation: Isaac is the most obscure of the three patriarchs of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Even his betrothal is about Abraham requiring he marry someone from his family and not a Canaanite. This may be the first insight into him, and that insight is ... he is sad about the death of his mother, and in his sadness he spends his evenings walking alone near the location connected with his half-brother and the slave-woman Hagar.

This seems like an odd location for Isaac to live, as it is associated more closely with a period in which Abraham and Sarah were confused about the Lord's promises in his life. The result was the anger of Sarah, whom Isaac now morns. Isaac now spends his evenings visiting the well where Hagar received words of encouragement, was told to return to Sarah, and thus the young Isaac would have known Hagar and Ishmael, yet there would always be an element of discomfort in their relationship.

Isaac seems to have big emotions. He is clearly grieving his mom's death, but also seems to have a connection to the slave woman whom his mom grew to dislike. He will eventually love his oldest son greatly, and thus will be emotionally distraught when tricked by the younger son into misplacing his blessing, yet will allow his blessing to stand with the younger. Isaac, it would appear, had the capacity to love deeply, but at the same time not 'hate' anyone who was different or even in conflict with that which he loved. The result seems to be a prevailing peace, as Isaac will seemingly live his life in Canaan without significant conflict with any of the other people around him.

Application: So much of our "issues" today in society evolve from the 'us vs. them' setup of ... everything. Many, many of us feel we belong to a people-group - by race, political party, gender, country, or even some relatively small opinion on a singular topic - and we develop two emotions around this position. First, we love our group. Second, we hate the other group. This creates so much division in society that conflict seems unavoidable.

I wish we could all understand Isaac's example. Isaac clearly had deep love, but with regards to the forces that were not the things and people he loved deeply, he felt ... love also, or at least some level of connection and understanding. And if that shift in attitude toward the "other side" could create an air of peace, how greatly that could improve all our lives, so much more than any effort to influence or change others into another way of thinking.

Yes, there are ideals that are wrong and to be resisted. I do hope I don't hate people with those ideals, however.

Prayer: Lord, our society is so divided, in so many ways. May I have the heart of Isaac, even if it means appearing naive to the world. I would much rather be at peace following your ways and wise by your standards, than be thought of well by earthly standards while embroiled by the conflicts of this world. Amen.

Just a Simple Word of Hope

Scripture: For which is easier: to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up and walk’? Matthew 9:5

Observation: In the healing of the paralytic, Jesus first pronounces his sins as forgiven, by evidence of the faith of he and his friends who brought him. It is for this the Pharisees think evil of Jesus, questioning his authority to forgive sins. However, the depth of that criticism may be misunderstood.

The most common reading is that, since only God can forgive sins, Jesus is claiming to be God by forgiving sins. However, for the Jews, sins were often 'forgiven' through their sacrificial practices. They even have "sin offerings" that are required for just that purpose ... take that offering for sacrifice, and your sins are forgiven. A priest acknowledging such forgiveness for the completion of a sacrifice would have likely been common, but such pronouncement wasn't mandatory. Jesus was doing no more than to recognize sacrificial faith - in this case, the hard work of the friends and the mutual belief that Jesus could heal - and acknowledging that sacrifice out loud.

This makes the thoughts of the Pharisees even more cynical. It could easily be understood, especially very early in Jesus' ministry, that people could doubt he is the Messiah. That revelation is still a ways off despite all the healing miracles. However, the Pharisees are doubting his authority to simply ... offer a word of hope. They are questioning much more than any claim to be Messiah or priest, and are more at the level of saying "how dare you offer this person a kind, positive word" ... "how dare you offer hope when the person hasn't followed the prescribed procedure".

Of course, Jesus challenges them on this, and it could be said his real question to them is ... "Really? I'm just offering a simple word of hope. Wouldn't it be worse to give him the almost-impossible hope by promising of a completely altered life?" Commanding him to walk would be that tangible, unimaginable level of life-changing hope, which is what happens next.

Application: Offering people a simple word of hope can, in fact, be life changing. No, I don't have the 'authority' to forgive sins, but I do know that sins are forgiven by faith in Jesus, and I can acknowledge that faith when I see it in others, and thus remind them of the truth behind that faith. I can also offer hope in other ways, through encouragement and kindness.

Hope is real, even when it doesn't physically manifest in a changed ability. And our world desperately needs more hope.

Prayer: Lord, this day, may our world receive an overflowing of hope, coming from the lips of your believers, your Church, and your saints here on earth. May we all find ways to encourage and uplift others, for there is no finite supply of hope we are giving away, but it is an infinite river of lifegiving water that flows through us all. May we have and give hope today and every day. Amen.

Leading the Other Society

Scripture: The two angels entered Sodom in the evening as Lot was sitting in Sodom’s gateway. When Lot saw them, he got up to meet them. He bowed with his face to the ground. Genesis 19:1

Observation: Yahweh has visited Abraham and told him he is going to send these two angels to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah, and has promised he will spare Lot. When the angels get to Sodom, the only person to greet them at the city gate is, indeed Lot, and they are able to engage with him and eventually send him to safety.

The fact Lot is at the city gate is interesting. The city gate is where the wise elders of the city sit and meet. They may socialize, but also they address public matters, assist with decisions, and provide council. Lot is treated as a foreigner by the city leaders, even called an "alien" in verse 9, and is attacked both verbally and physically for 'judging' them. He seems to be alone at the gate at this time of evening. This may mean that he is not someone who convenes with the elders and leaders during the day, and has instead come to sit here as almost a 'secondary' shift.

Lot is the anti-leader of the city. He is not included with the council of leaders who sit at the gate during the day and make decisions that have created a hate-filled, sinful, dangerous, and morally corrupt society. Instead, Lot sits alone and offers a safe, honorable, and hospitable version of the city. He is leading a movement in the city that is completely different than the city that operates during the day, run by the majority leaders. The city leaders run one society - which is followed by almost everyone - and Lot runs the other, alternative society (of which he might be the only participant).

Application: I am given hope that there is in fact an "other" society in the U.S. right now that continues to honor the Lord and have deep faith in Jesus. I have seen this emerge with the injury to a football player, seen by billions. As a young man almost died, people on TV ... actively implored the Lord for intervention, prayed out loud and publicly, and declared their faith in a healing miracle. As the healing occurred, they openly gave credit to God, broadly pronounced the power for prayer and faith, and declared proof in the existence and goodness of the Lord.

I had lost hope that such a society existed in the U.S. As our leaders sit at the gate and fight and hate and curse ... as they pronounce as normal and good that which destroys the moral fabric of mankind, and then enact policy that criminalizes righteous moral rebuttal ... I forgot that there was still an other, alternative society. And there are leaders who go to the gate in the evening and look to ensure that society is represented, even if they - we - have been kicked out of the mainstream running of the land.

Prayer: Lord, today I thank you for the men and women who have been bold enough to declare your greatness publicly, at all times in all places, but especially on U.S. television over the past week. Please protect them from the backlash I fear will come in months ahead, and continue to give them all your strength and your love. May your Church, myself included, find our place to lead this other society, the society that loves you, loves others, fosters peace, feels joy, practices hospitality, and reflects Jesus Christ to everyone around. Amen.

How to Make Bad Choices

Scripture: So Lot chose the entire plain of the Jordan for himself. Then Lot journeyed eastward, and they separated from each other. Abram lived in the land of Canaan, but Lot lived in the cities on the plain and set up his tent near Sodom. Genesis 13:11-12

Observation: The Lord has promised the land of Canaan to Abram, and he has already lived in some of its best central places, Shechem and Bethel, and will soon move on to Hebron. However, when he and Lot separate, he gives Lot the choice about where he will go. Lot goes to the eastern shore of the Dead Sea. He does this because of how it looks from a distance ... the entire plain looked "well watered" and he describes it as being like "the Lord's garden" and like Egypt.

We can be pretty sure it isn't. The Dead Sea is a harsh place below sea level. The water is undrinkable. The land is rocky and requires work. Moreover, at the time the area's population centers are two cities that have become synonymous with - even verbs for - debauchery, Sodom and Gomorrah.

Lot chose a land that looked good from a distance. In truth, it was a place where life was hard and the people were evil. His offspring may populate the area in the future, but this choice would produce death and turmoil for Lot's family.

Application: So often, the Lord tells us - tells me - "this is what you should do", then also gives a choice. How often to I take God's instructions as just one of the potential inputs, add to it my own observations and calculations, then choose?

Just like Lot, my own inputs are probably very flawed. They are incomplete, focused on the wrong priorities. I have made bad decisions in both my personal and professional life because I made choices based on the wrong information, and not on the only information that matters ... God's direction.

I do wish I would receive the Lord's direction more often so I can make good choices. I'm sure the Lord wishes I would listen to his direction more often and stop making bad choices.

Prayer: Lord, it is only your will I wish to obey, and your provision and plans and purpose I wish to pursue. May I listen to you more and more in the choices and direction of my life, so I may arrive in your ideal place. Amen.

I am Yours Lord, I Believe

I stand in front the mirror,

But I don't like who’s looking back at me.
Wish I could see things clearer,

Like who I’m supposed to be.

I have been struggling with this lately ... who am I supposed to be? I'm a 56 year old man who has never once known his direction in life. Yet this song reminds me of the ONLY aspect about my identity that matters. 

Who I was, I left at the alter.

Who I am is a child of the most-high God. And he's for me.

Become Wise and Discerning

Scripture:
—let a wise person listen and increase learning,
and let a discerning person obtain guidance—
Proverbs 1:5

Observation: Proverbs opens with six verses that explain its origins and purpose. These are thoughts from Solomon, and they exist "for" ... learning and understanding, teaching and receiving instruction, and understanding all kinds of mysteries. However, in the midst of these "for" items that define the purpose, verse 5 interrupts with a "who". It is a wise person who will actually learn; It is a discerning person who will allow themselves to be guided.

Application: I can read God's word every day, but until I submit to him I can learn nothing, and my ways cannot change. Sure, I may become smarter, but I truly cannot take God's instruction into my heart and have it become active in a manner that drives my behaviors.

So ... am I wise and discerning? No, or at least, not enough so. I know that the beginning of wisdom is fear of the Lord, and I do fear him. I have full understanding that the Lord is everything in the world, with all power and authority and knowledge and wisdom. However, I fail to trust him in everything. Even though I know he can do everything, I try to act on my own, applying my own thoughts and decisions.

Again I say that my goal this year is to further trust in the Lord in my everyday walk, and this clearly begins by discerning his will. With that discernment, I must then be wise and trust it. Both wisdom and discernment will come from the word of the Lord, when I submit to it.

Prayer: Lord, beyond asking you to guide me this day, may I also submit to you. I wish to not just walk with you, but to do so with my eyes closed, never caring about the path, for I know you are guiding me. Amen.

Fruit Consistent with Repentance

Scripture: When he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, he [John] said to them, "Brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath? Therefore produce fruit consistent with repentance." Matthew 3:7-8

Observation: The actions of the Jewish leaders are complicated. They often align themselves to Jewish law and traditional rituals as their form of religious practices. However, it also seems like many of them will explore - at least hear about - new ideas, practices, and teaching. We know they often come to listen to Jesus, especially in the first half of his ministry. Here we see that they make the trek to the Jordan River to learn what John is teaching, and the implication is "many" of them actually get baptized.

While this seems extraordinary at first, there is something overlooked about John's activity: By birthright, John is in fact a priest. He is the oldest son of a respected priest who directly served in the temple, and some might even know that his birth is connected with his father's encounter with the Lord within the Holy of Holies. Therefore, while the baptism being performed by John is not necessarily consistent with a bathing one might be subject to as part of becoming ceremonial clean, there is logic to Pharisees and Sadducees both investigating and agreeing to receive baptism from John.

John knows that the Jewish religious leaders are double-minded in their relationship with the Lord ... that they are proud of their status gained by outward righteousness founded only on behaviors and not a relationship with Yahweh. Just like Jesus will, he calls out their behaviors that actually harm the faithful, and challenges them to act according to their desire for repentance. Yet he acknowledges their choice and baptizes them anyway.

Application: As I begin the new year, I want to remove any pride I have in thinking I am a good and faithful disciple, and instead simply ... pray, listen to the Lord, and proceed as he would have me do. I want a better relationship, that results in the Lord actually giving me instruction, and me following those instructions.

I don't want this year to be about "doing" church things and feeling righteous because I do. I want this year to be about experiencing the Lord's direction every day, and doing whatever he tells me to do.

I want to repent of pride and false righteousness. And I want to produce fruit consistent with that repentance.

Prayer: Lord, as we begin a new earthly calendar, I renew my desire to simply hold your hand and humbly walk with you every day. I am so utterly lost in life. However, I know you have a plan and a path for me, even when I cannot see it. I don't need to see it. I trust in you, my father and my God. May I do what you would have me do, not what any tradition would make me think is righteous, for I only desire to know you more. Amen.