Granting Pleas for Destruction

Scripture: A large herd of pigs was feeding there on the hillside. The demons begged Jesus to let them go into the pigs, and he gave them permission. Luke 8:32

Observation: In the story where Jesus casts a 'legion' of demons from a man and sends them into a herd of pigs, we see this exchange. The demons have acknowledged who Jesus is - the son of God - and declared they fear him. Jesus is commanding them to leave the man, and as part of that exchange they ask Jesus for a favor. They wish to enter the herd of pigs, and not just be cast out. In fact, it says they "begged" for this option.

This exchange yields two interesting facts. First, the demons pled with Jesus for a specific course of action. They acknowledged that they were so at the command and mercy of Jesus that their destination upon leaving the man was not theirs to decide, but was in the hands of Jesus himself. They were forced and compelled to go wherever Jesus sent them, and they wanted this outcome involving the pigs. Second, and perhaps most shocking ... Jesus agreed! In interacting with evil demons, Jesus listened to their begging and pleading, and instead of having an aggressive attitude of punishment that would reject their requests out-of-hand, Jesus says 'okay' and permits the demons to have the outcome they begged for.

What happens next, with the mass death of the pigs, is the consequence of the demons' request. The point is, Jesus listens to the requests of even evil spirits, and allows their request.

Application: I continue to see so much evil in the world around me, and Jesus might have an interesting response to this evil. He won't condone it or allow it, but he would have mercy on the evil doers. If they asked for a certain outcome, he might even just grant it ... even though the end result for them would still be death.

Jesus does allow people to choose death. Even when he shows himself as the son of God, and the evil entities in the world acknowledge him as such, they can still decide to reject his correction, and beg for an outcome and direction in life that will lead to certain destruction, and Jesus will grant it.

I see people all around, openly declaring their allegiance to sin and evil, and even making appeals that such related actions would be created as a place where they could live. While over and over I pray for the end and correction of such things, surely the Lord will instead say 'okay' and allow people to make their choice. Destruction will be the outcome, and their pleas for a certain kind of life will end in death.

Prayer: Lord, your mercy is so great that it extends even to demons. I know I sin. Please forgive my sin and have your spirit dwell within me more strongly so I may repent of such sin. I do not desire a depraved life, but rather a life with you, Jesus. As for others, in your mercy and wisdom you will listen to their pleas and do what is best. Amen.

Acknowledging the Command Structure

Scripture: That is why I did not even consider myself worthy to come to you. But say the word, and my servant will be healed. For I myself am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. I tell this one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and that one, ‘Come,’ and he comes. I say to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it. Luke 7:7-8

Observation: The Roman centurion in Capernaum is interesting, both as a man who is noble enough to aid this small Jewish town with his resources, and how he interacts with Jesus. His own description of their interaction is a little confusing, but what he does is declare that, since he understands how command structures work, he does not dare to give Jesus instructions.

The centurion himself receives orders from the place of authority, and these orders are often sent from some remote command post. He then he orders individuals to act. He believes Jesus is his superior, so it is not permitted that he would then even ask Jesus to take a course of action. Instead, he only hopes Jesus - as the source of authority - will send remote orders to the disease inflicting his servant, and in some way that command will be enacted and obeyed within his servant.

Jesus is amazed by the centurion's faith, and this amazement extends to his understanding of the authority of God. Indeed, Jesus can give orders, even from a remote place. The Spirit can then enact those orders within a person and command the body and mind to be healed. The centurion might not even fully understand what he is declaring, but what he does understand is that Jesus is the supreme commander, and somehow everything here on earth must obey him.

Application: This might best describe the challenge we all have in interacting with Jesus, both us believers today and the Jews in the time of Jesus ... we want to give orders.

When I pray, I feel like I am "asking" God for his guidance and mercy and forgiveness and love, but other times it comes across more like instructions at best. I want the Lord to do certain things here on earth, or in my life, or for my family.

I know the Lord rules all of heaven and earth, that his purposes will be done on earth, and he has a perfect plan. I want to walk within his plan and obey his purposes. However, that means I must listen to his orders, and not declare my own commands. Yes, I make requests, but I need to remember that I am a man under authority ... I am under the Lord's authority. He is my commander. Related to my life, my community, my family, my work, my country, and my actions, if I make suggestions, he makes decisions and gives me instructions.

Prayer: Lord, I desire to listen more for your commands, and I know that all things obey you. Please, may your Spirit that dwells in me grow louder and stronger so that I may hear him as your centurion that rules over me, your servant who you love. Amen.

What Evil Deception Looks Like

Scripture: The next day the whole Israelite community grumbled against Moses and Aaron. “You have killed the Lord’s people,” they said. Numbers 16:41

Observation: Israel is in a period of rebellion against Moses. However, the Lord apparently well and truly ended it. As a reminder, Three men led two different movements against Moses ... two of them declared that Moses asked too much of the people and thus the people should refuse to listen to Moses, and one man said it was wrong that Aaron was the priest, and that others (his family represented by 250 men) should be given such status. What happens next is that, in front of everyone in all of Israel, the Lord opens up a fissure in the earth right at the tents of the first two men, causing them and all their families to fall in, then closes the earth back up, burying them alive. Next, fire erupts from the tabernacle and burns the other leader and his 250 men to total ash.

Seriously, that should address the idea that Moses has done something. Clearly Yahweh is in charge. But ... no, the very next day another even larger rebellion erupts. This time a huge assembly confronts Moses, accusing HIM of killing the the others. Again the Lord will address this, sending a fast-moving and deadly plague into the assembled rebels, and before Aaron is able to intervene on their behalf 14,700 people drop dead.

The real question here is how SO many people can be totally convinced of something that is so very obviously false that they would rebel against Yahweh to the point of death. These are people who know about walking through the Red Sea, the older ones may have done it, and now they declare that acts of God they witness firsthand - acts that are only possible by the Lord's might and in response to active protests against the Lord's instructions - are somehow magic or violence perpetrated by Moses. They are so convinced of this that they come out en masse, and remain so even as they begin to just drop dead one after another.

This is what evil deception looks like ... people who cling to a belief that contradicts known truth, and retain that belief in the face of life-altering - even mortal - repercussions.

Application: I have had two discussions in the last two weeks about spiritual warfare and deception, and the realization that the issues of our world are not about politics, or ethics, or national violence, or crime, but they are about satan attacking the Lord by deceiving the humans whom the Lord loves. These deceptions are so well planned that many, many people will cling to the false beliefs of the deceptions even while their lives, bodies, homes, and families are hurt and destroyed.

I look around and what is happening in our communities, in our schools, in our families, in our country, and I know ... this is what evil deception looks like.

Prayer: Lord, I know you love people too much to strike down those who rebel against you, instead wishing they would hear the good news of Jesus and turn their hearts to you. You have made a new way to resolve this. However, we are tired of the damage being done to so many by the evil one. I know his time is coming. Amen.

Just Be Still and Wait Patiently

Scripture:
Be still before the Lord
and wait patiently for him;
do not fret when people succeed in their ways,
when they carry out their wicked schemes.
Psalm 37:7

Observation: This psalm is one of the best in advising others not to worry or fret when evil people plot against them, but rather to simply delight in the Lord, do good, and await both blessing and vindication. This is a common theme in David's psalms, and this one especially provides a balance of comfort and instruction ... of direction for how to behave, and a promise for that behavior.

In all of this, however, verse 7 is slightly different. It isn't (just) a 'don't worry' message, and it isn't a 'you will receive in due time' promise. Instead, it prescribes passivity and patience. It is not only for us to not worry when evil people prevail against us, we are also to just "be still" and "wait patiently" for the Lord. In other words, we don't make effort to not worry, but rather we do nothing. We don't take action, we don't say words, and we don't even fret just a little bit when the evil people take action. We just stay still and be patient.

Application: When I launch my devotions every day, my browser opens three tabs pre-filled with verses, one from Psalms, one from the New Testament, and one from the Old Testament. Today's exact reading - Psalm 37:1-9 - is my default psalm. I personally focus on verses 1-4. Instead of actively worrying about evil doers, I believe they will all pass away (either their deeds on earth or their eternal souls to hell), so I trust in the Lord, reside in and work in 'the land', and take delight in his blessings.

Today, after several discussions over the weeks with my son and wife, I lean into verse 7 here. I embrace the idea of having so little worry over the evil doers of this world that my response can be ... nothing. I can just be still and patient. I don't need to fret or worry, I don't need to discuss and wonder, and I don't need to study and respond.

Whether it is related to global issues, community problems, or personal attacks and hardships ... God's got this.

Prayer: Lord, I pray almost every day to simply be able to relax into your hands. I thank you for that level of care and comfort. I live today in the land into which you have placed me, and I strive to do good here. May that be all I need to do, for you will take care of everything else. Amen.

Taking Time for Music

Scripture: When you go into battle in your own land against an enemy who is oppressing you, sound a blast on the trumpets. Then you will be remembered by the Lord your God and rescued from your enemies. Also at your times of rejoicing—your appointed festivals and New Moon feasts—you are to sound the trumpets over your burnt offerings and fellowship offerings, and they will be a memorial for you before your God. I am the Lord your God. Numbers 10:9-10

Observation: As Israel is about to march north to enter the promised land, the Lord has them build two horns. These are to be played for military signals and instructions on the movement of the camp, but also they are for rejoicing. They will be played during festivals and times of community gatherings, and these times when the horns are played are explicitly to elicit joyful memories of blessing and celebration.

In other words, the Lord gives Israel songs of music explicitly to positively influence their mood and stimulate their collective memories with joyful thoughts ... just like music often does within the human heart and mind and soul.

Application: There is something about music that is, in fact, spiritual. We know this inside us as humans. Certain songs from my formative years immediately make me contemplative, or happy, or energized, or nostalgic. Old and new songs drive memories and emotions unlike other mediums, and this can be true even when there is no direct memory involves ... a brand new song can invoke thoughts and connections to past times, or create new bonds to this very moment, and even strongly connect the past to the present in our hearts and minds.

God put this in us!! He even uses it, giving us music and instructions for leveraging this part of our existence to create joy and happiness and celebration ... and alignment to him. It is not a human decision that the largest section of the bible is a songbook.

Prayer: Lord, may I always worship you. In fact, in my times when I am enjoying songs that are not tied to worship of you, may my heart be reminded that the very emotions the music stirs within me are because you have created that nature within us all, and thus that joy can become worship before you. You give me joy, my Lord and my God. Thank you! Amen.

We Humbly Pray and Mourn

Scripture:
They repay me evil for good
and leave me like one bereaved.
Yet when they were ill, I put on sackcloth
and humbled myself with fasting.
Psalm 35:12-13a

Observation: This entire section of this psalm - and in fact this psalm and several others in this section of the book - is about how the faithful man loves others, yet those people secretly pursue harm upon the faithful. Over and over, the author shows how he cares for other, but then how others plot against him, seek to harm him, cheat and lie about him, and do all kinds of things to bring him down.

David wrote many of these passages, but looking back they were more than personal. They applied to Israel and how it was treated by surrounding nations as well. Israel brought Yahweh into the land and taught the world about the Lord through their writing and actions. However, neighboring countries hated Israel. They would attack their cities, and eventually be gleeful of every outcome that harmed the Jews (even when the outcomes cursed their own country to destruction).

Application: So very, very often over the years, I have applied these psalms to my life. I have remembered how people lied about me, taunted me, and were happy when they saw me humbled and hurt, even though what I had done was to pray for them, seek their success, and sacrificed to aid them. Betrayal like that is so personal that it is difficult to consider a different context to such laments.

However, just as David's writings are not just about his circumstances but about Israel, so today I understand these psalms to not only comfort me, but should comfort all believers. Yes, the Church today spends a good amount of time praying for those who are lost, confused, and lonely. We wish to aid those who would destroy their earthly lives and their earthly bodies, and who throw away even their own selves simply because they do not know the Lord. We offer hope, advice, kindness, and practical assistance, all in various forms.

In return, believers are hated and scorned, both collectively and individually. While it is so much worse in some parts of the world, even here in the U.S. the general tone is that Christians are an enemy to be rejected at least intellectually if not morally and systemically.

So many in our nation are ill, and we have put on sackcloth. We humbly pray, and we mourn when we learn individuals have embraced confusion and hopelessness instead. We grieve and weep for our society, and try to offer love and hope and care. And in return, our every mistake and stumble is celebrated, we a mocked as individuals and insulted as a collective. Lies are told about us, and even our assistance is hated.

David asked when this would end. It will end when Jesus returns.

Prayer: Lord, we seek your strength in our daily lives. I know the world is dark, and that even while the world turns against us, it does so because it rejects Jesus, and so our rejection is evidence of our hope and joy found in you. May your joy always prevail, and your strength always give us what we need daily. And come, Lord Jesus. Amen.

Drawing Closer to THE Law

Scripture: Then the leaders of Israel, the heads of families who were the tribal leaders in charge of those who were counted, made offerings. They brought as their gifts before the Lord six covered carts and twelve oxen—an ox from each leader and a cart from every two. These they presented before the tabernacle. The Lord said to Moses, “Accept these from them, that they may be used in the work at the tent of meeting. Give them to the Levites as each man’s work requires.” Numbers 7:2-5

Observation: As the tabernacle and all its items are completed, and the work of maintaining the transporting the tabernacle has now been assigned to the Levite tribes, the 12 tribes of Israel present the Levites with carts and oxen teams.

There is a unique circumstance at play here. Up until now, the work and elements associated with serving and worshipping the Lord have been instructions that originate with the Lord, are given to Moses, who then orders Israel what to do, and they do it. That doesn't happen here. At no time did Moses tell the tribal leaders to make carts and give oxen to pull them. Instead, the leaders came up with this on their own upon seeing the labor involved in managing both the daily work and regular transportation of the tabernacle. And when they present this gift, the Lord immediately steps in and instructs Moses to accept it and assign these resources to the Levitical teams.

This is significant because it shows that Israel was becoming attuned to serving the Lord and giving to him what was necessary, instead of waiting for orders. The Lord seems to have responded with understanding, quickly telling Moses that yes, indeed this is right and accept the gesture, as it could have been easy for Moses to question the gift since the Lord hadn't asked for it. Instead, this represents a move toward maturity by Israel ... not only are they quickly responding to the will of the Lord, but they are themselves becoming attuned to that will and proactively responding without orders from Moses or Aaron.

Application: I saw an interesting and very short commentary about "The Law" yesterday. The person said that the true "law" was simple ... love and obey the Lord, and love others. The Jews failed, so then they were told a short list of clear commands that exemplified how to comply with that law, and the Jews failed. That was when they had to be given over 600 complex and prescriptive instructions. (Spoiler alert: The Jews failed.) In other words, since they refused to just listen to the Lord - to love and obey him on a moment-by-moment basis - they needed a massive compliance checklist. This is why "The Law" is described as insufficient; It was never intended by the Lord to be what it became, but exists in that form because mankind rejected the only real law we ever needed.

All that said, we see today what happens when people begin to move toward embracing the true law. When people love the Lord, desire to serve him, and have compassion on others, the dynamic changes. Instead of the Lord issuing orders and everyone complying, people see a need and respond to it, and the Lord accepts it. The result will be that life is easier for everyone ... the Lord's tabernacle will be honored, most of the Levites will have the tools they need to perform difficult work, and when the Israel camp moves it won't be impeded by the transportation of the tabernacle.

Of course, the Jews are just the example of all mankind. We all fail to obey the true law, and we all fail to comply with the basic commandments, and we all fail to execute on whatever list of proper daily behavior the Lord would ever create for us. And yes, I could and should replace "we all" with "I".

I would like to remember that, when I simply love the Lord, love others, and then take actions that reenforce those two core tenants of my life ... the Lord is honored, and everything will get better and easier for everyone. That is so basic and fundamental, and that is what living into the Lord's will looks like. And that is what living like the kingdom of heaven is here on earth is like, too.

Prayer: Lord, every day I am presented with situations where, if I simply considered what would demonstrate your love to both you and to others, my resulting action would improve my worship, my life, the life of others, and the overall pleasantness of this world. I know I will fail at complying with your laws and precepts and instructions and commands. However, I wish I would better comply with THE law every day. Amen.

Sin in the Context of Faith

Scripture:
Today I fulfilled my vows,
and I have food from my fellowship offering at home.
So I came out to meet you;
I looked for you and have found you!
Proverbs 7:14-15

Observation: As the young fool wanders off to commit folly, the woman - temptation and sin - emerges to meet him and take him in. They kiss, and she tells him that her husband is away so they may be together for a long time. This is how the woman greets he fool ... she says that, not only does she have food so they may relax and have plenty together, but that food is from her fellowship offering. She has fulfilled her vows that very day.

In other words, the woman has just returned from pledging her love for Yahweh, and with the sacrificial meat that has been presented before the Lord she will now seduce the one who is foolish enough to come meet her.

In total, this is evidence that the actions of both are not just that of earthly lust. Instead, they are committing their foolish sin with plotting coordination, while also even utilizing the Lord's blessings to empower and complete their actions. They are even declaring that, since they honored the Lord this very day, they can now do whatever they please, perhaps even to the extent of thinking that the Lord has helped arrange certain circumstances (the wandering of the young fool; the departure of the husband on a long trip) to provide for their rendezvous.

Application: This is the most difficult thing for me to acknowledge about my sins ... I do them while declaring my faith and love for the Lord. I use my blessings to create a safe place where I can think and do what the Lord has told me not to do. I worship the Lord, give him my tithe and blessing, then turn around and sin. And then repeat the cycle.

The idea that I both "fulfill my vows" by declaring my love for God, praying, worshipping, and doing devotions, and then think evil thoughts, curse others, and commit sins with my words and thoughts, is as shocking as this proverb implies. It makes me worse than a fool.

Prayer: Lord, I desire to be committed to your path every day, doing your will, obeying your word, embracing your precepts and instructions. I will make mistakes, but may I cease to use my faith as a cover or excuse or enabler of such activities. Amen.

When Many Troubles Come

Scripture:
The righteous person may have many troubles,
but the Lord delivers him from them all.
Psalm 34:19

Observation: As the psalmist prays for protection and redemption, he makes this very basic statement ... those who obey the Lord may have many troubles. Yes, the Lord will deliver them. However, the troubles will still happen. He does say "may" (which implies faithful believers may not have troubles), but also says "many". So believers may have many, or may have only a few.

There are so many verses in the scriptures that imply righteous individuals do not have trouble, or that having many troubles in life is an indication of failure in faith or obedience. However, this verse is clearer on this topic. Troubles come even to the righteous person and they may even have many troubles.

Application: This verse is actually a comfort, for we know we all have troubles. I have often struggled with the idea that the Lord punishes, or at least condones trouble that fall upon believers, as if those troubles are some sort of punishment or justice about their behavior. That just isn't true. The troubles come upon believers, and sometimes the troubles represent the world's way of lashing back at the Lord, by attacking his faithful believers.

There is an honesty in this verse that is comforting. The troubles come; Maybe even many troubles come. By your faith in the Lord, you'll get over it, and he will soften the blow and lift you up when you have fallen, so don't stress over the troubles.

Prayer: Lord, thank you for the comfort of your honest and straightforward truth. I do pray for you to uplift me and my family when the troubles arrive, especially for my son right now. May you deliver him, for he is a righteous believer and seeks your protection from crushing his spirit. We know the troubles come, and thank you for staying with us throughout. Amen.

Paying Attention to the Young Man

Scripture: But when they looked up, they saw that the stone, which was very large, had been rolled away. As they entered the tomb, they saw a young man dressed in a white robe sitting on the right side, and they were alarmed. Mark 16:4-5

Observation: It is consistently reported that three women are the first to go to the tomb on what we now call "Easter Sunday" and discover it empty. There, they meet a young man who tells them Jesus has risen, and they need to go report it to the disciples. What really happens next is up for debate. Some versions say Mary Magdalene immediately meets Jesus in the garden; Some versions say, upon receiving the news, John and Peter race to the tomb; Some versions say the disciples were confused and didn't believe the report. Even THIS version in Mark has three different next steps, one saying the women were afraid and said nothing, another that they immediately told the disciples who didn't believe them, and another that they told Peter who took action.

This young man is interesting because ... of course he is an angel, though he is given no title and no name and no other description. He is just a young man dressed in white. In modern recreations of the scene, he gives off a radiance, which is implied by the idea of wearing white. In all cases, his news is a little unnerving, as the reactions to him are typically described in some form of sadness (further expressing grief and wondering where someone has moved Jesus' body) or fear (trepidation about what has really happened). However, almost no further attention is paid to the fact an angel is sitting right there, speaking to them. In fact, so little attention is given him that some accounts say there is one angel, some two, and the ones that say there was only one place him in different locations. In every case, before others arrive, the angel is gone, his only mission being to comfort and give instruction to the three women who arrived first.

Application: Recently, I saw a YouTube video about what biblical angels look like. For most, it is no wonder their first words to people are "do not be afraid", for they are odd and almost unimaginably formed. This is true of many, many angels mentioned throughout the bible, as even the ones that have human qualities still have otherworldly features, and most are compared to beasts, with language that implies the person describing them actually lacks the vocabulary to do so and therefore is using comparisons to known things to explain them.

However, messenger angels are often just average men. Gabriel, who appears to Mary and Elizabeth, is just a man. The warrior who confronts Joshua is a man. The angels who go into Sodom are just men. Yet everyone who sees them has a reaction to them ... honor and respect, but also trepidation and fear.

We are told that it is possible angels will walk among us, and therefore if we help others it is possible we are serving angels. I do believe that. However, I also believe that such angels would have a 'tell', and that seeing them impacts something inside us that tips us off, something that sparks a little fear and a little respect.

When I read about the angels that are huge and fantastical, I wonder what it would be like to see one. However, when I read about the angels that are just young men with a message and a mission, I still wonder what it would be like to see one.

Prayer: Lord, if and when I see an angel here on earth, may I have the courage to listen and obey their instructions, and respond to their mission. Amen.

Misapplying the Word of God

Scripture: And at three in the afternoon Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?” (which means “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”). When some of those standing near heard this, they said, “Listen, he’s calling Elijah.” Mark 15:34-35

Observation: On the cross, as one of his final sentences, Jesus calls out to God. He uses the word Eloi, translated as "my God", 'El' being the word for 'God' and 'oi' a version of the word for 'me' or 'my'. However, observers interpret it as being the same as the word Elijah, where 'El' still means 'God', but the suffix 'jah' is a way to invoke 'Yahweh', and thus Elijah means "the Lord is my God".

And just like that, the last public decree by Jesus is twisted and misunderstood yet again.

It is well understood that Jesus was not (just) crying out to God, or challenging God's love by wondering why he had been forsaken. Instead, Jesus was publicly quoting Psalm 22. In those days, scripture chapters were named, not numbered, and psalms were thus referenced by their first line. The name of Psalm 22 was, therefore, "Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani". The next (and last) thing Jesus is quoted as saying on the cross is "it is finished", which is the last line of Psalm 22. In between those two lines, the rest of that psalm is about ... a good servant of the Lord who is tortured by foreign people, publicly strung out on a tree, and executed, all while people mock him and the executioners gamble to see who gets his clothes.

Jesus is giving a clear and obvious final lesson ... that the prophesy of Psalm 22 is being fulfilled before everyone's eyes. However, the crowd standing there totally dismisses that lesson and invents their own flawed understanding, which is that - somehow, for some reason - Elijah is being called on to be a savior, and might now arrive.

There is no such promise in scripture; There is no teaching that Elijah now exists as some heavenly savior to be called upon to rescue believers in Yahweh. In order to reach this interpretation of the situation, those watching Jesus need to a) create a flawed understanding of scripture by embracing a concept that doesn't exist, and b) almost intentionally misunderstand what Jesus says and does in order to fit him into this flawed narrative.

Application: Misunderstanding the word of God, and then forcing Jesus into that flawed misunderstanding ... I am sure this event on the cross is the only time in human history that people have ever done those two things.

Of course I am being sarcastic. Many of us do this every day. I am SURE I have done this, and probably within the last 48 hours. We often WANT the word of God to say certain things, and to apply to certain situations, so we force our circumstances into some verse or lesson or proverb or parable by twisting the truth about those source-teachings so that they fit.

I want to think the bible has a LOT to say about topics across a wide range of modern issues ... gender confusion, political conflicts, gun violence, social media influence, race relations, drug use, etc. And yes, the bible DOES have a lot to say about these topics. However, I am betting that a Venn diagram representing the verses that address current social issues, and the verses I think address current social issues, has less overlap than I would like to believe. And the true word of God probably doesn't say what I think it says about such issues, either.

What the people hoped would happen at the cross was not a bad thing! It just wasn't aligned to God's word, and it wasn't the thing Jesus was telling them about. Likewise, the things we believe certain scripture teach aren't bad (they might even be accurate), but they may not be what the Lord is actually trying to tell us.

Prayer: Lord, every day I read your word, and I know your Holy Spirit reveals its truth to me in ways that I can understand, and ways that I am prepared to understand. I thank you for that so much. May I continue to seek only your wisdom and truth every day, avoiding my own ideas and misconceptions and expectations. Amen.

A Very, VERY Difficult Topic

Scripture: No man who has any defect may come near: no man who is blind or lame, disfigured or deformed; no man with a crippled foot or hand, or who is a hunchback or a dwarf, or who has any eye defect, or who has festering or running sores or damaged testicles. No descendant of Aaron the priest who has any defect is to come near to present the food offerings to the Lord. He has a defect; he must not come near to offer the food of his God. Leviticus 21:18-21

Observation: As the Lord is giving instructions for the priest - not for all Israel, nor for the Levites, but for the lineage of Aaron who truly serves as priests that present the sacrifices and stand before the Lord - he declares that anyone with a defect may not perform these functions. He goes on to define "defect". This term is about physical issues, listed in general but many of which could be caused by either injury or birth. They include crippled limbs, dwarfism, hunched backs, eye maladies, damaged reproductive systems, and wounds or sores. The Lord clarifies that such people are made holy by the Lord (v23) but may not perform the priestly functions that involve standing before the Lord.

This is a very difficult topic. The Lord is declaring that certain conditions are "defects" and that they make a person disqualified from certain functions that are the most holy acts performed by a very select group of leaders. It is a harsh judgment, and all the more so when applied to a condition one is born with instead of a temporary injury. There are many who would define such an attitude as unjust, oppressive, and discriminatory. However, knowing that the Lord is none of those things ... there are two other ways of thinking about these instructions.

1) The Lord is in control of how people are born (in other sections he declares curses on whether or not couples will be barren). Therefore, the Lord COULD just ensure that no descendants of Aaron are ever born with defects. He does not and will not do that. He allows defects, because even these conditions and the people with them are still completely holy and worthy.

2) The Lord actively declares that, while people with defects cannot serve before him, they receive full benefits of being priests. He therefore is giving them less responsibility and work due to their likely hardships, while giving them no less benefits and honor. This declaration is not judgment, but mercy.

Application: We live in a time when people would come unglued over the very attitude and topic of this section. The declaration of some personal condition as a "defect" makes people irrationally angry.

I don't know God as well as I wish I did, but I know two things about him. First, if he wanted us all to be born into perfect health, he could make that happen ... yet he doesn't. Instead, he allows us to have issues and hardships and 'defects', some in small measure, some in large. Second, the Lord cares for everyone in whatever condition they find themselves, and loves us all.

I choose to understand this passage as saying that, those with hardships - be they temporary or permanent, injuries or birth conditions - will be excused from service and will still receive full provision and blessing. The Lord loves us all as individuals.

I also understand this passage to say that ... the Lord could remove hardships from our lives, and has very actively, explicitly, and intentionally chosen not to. The Lord loves us all as his created people, despite our freewill choice to keep distance between ourselves and him here on earth.

Prayer: Lord, may my heart resemble yours every day. I desire to see others as you see them, and love others as you love them, regardless of their situation, and regardless of how they found themselves in their situations, by birth or choice. Amen.

No Reason to Die

Scripture: The high priest tore his clothes. "Why do we need any more witnesses?" he asked. "You have heard the blasphemy. What do you think?" They all condemned him as worthy of death. Mark 14:63-64

Observation: During the trial of Jesus, the Sanhedrin have many testify about Jesus, but find no crime. Then they finally ask him if he is the Messiah, Jesus answers (for the first time) and says he is, and they condemn him to death. However ... what was Jesus' crime?

Blasphemy is the charge, though blasphemy in the Old Testament is defined as declaring opposition to the Lord. Some say Jesus is claiming to BE God, but that isn't how the first century Jews understood Messiah. The Messiah - the anointed one - was a promised descendent of David who would come to lead the Jews during a time of foreign oppression. Messiah was also known as the suffering servant for how he would lead despite being tortured by the authorities. By stating he is Messiah, Jesus is simply stating he is anointed by God to guide the people out of their current situation.

I started to do some research about this, and it is amazing how many different ideas there are about "why" legally Jesus was sentenced to death. Some say the crime of blasphemy is a capital offense, and it that's kind of true ... the punishment is officially stoning, not execution. Likewise, I find it iffy as to whether stating he is Messiah is an act of blasphemy. Others say declaring he was Messiah meant he was stating he was a rebellion leader, and that is why the Roman's crucified him ... this sounds plausible, but we know Pontious Pilot found Jesus innocent of that charge, and that certainly isn't the crime the Sanhedrin is talking about here.

Application: In total, in less than four minutes, I found eight different explanations of the earthly charges for which Jesus was executed. My takeaway is as it always has been ... Jesus was crucified as our perfect sacrifice, to restore mankind to the Lord, and therefore there was and is no actual human charge against him.

Jesus did no wrong. Instead, I do wrong, every day, worthy of death. Perhaps my actions aren't capital offenses worthy of execution, but they are sin that separate me from the Lord and worthy of spiritual removal from his presence forever. Instead, Jesus died for no reason, and so I get to remain in the Lord, safe in salvation, found in my belief in Jesus as Messiah.

There are plenty of reasons - new reasons ever day - for me to die. There has never been a reason for Jesus to have died.

Prayer: Lord, please continue to help me so that I live into the sacrifice of Jesus. I don't want to create more and more reasons why I should die. May I honor Jesus' sacrifice with my humility, my love, and my hope. Amen.

Redeem this Wreckage

Do the words of this song apply to my physical life, especially my inability to recover from back pain?

Do the words of this song apply to my mental life, notably the fear of my thoughts at night?

Do the words of this song apply to my professional life, pointedly to my total failure to succeed?

Do the words of this song apply to my faith life, accusingly calling out my failure to pray and live as the Lord desires? 

I’m at the end of myself and I’m
Tired I’ve tried all that I know to do
Right now it’s just by a thread but I’m
Hangin’ onto You

Please, send help from heaven, Lord. I'm not asking ... I'm begging. I need heaven! I'm desperate.

Amazed by Jesus' Big Brain

Scripture: They came to him and said, "Teacher, we know that you are a man of integrity. You aren’t swayed by others, because you pay no attention to who they are; but you teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. Is it right to pay the imperial tax to Caesar or not?" Mark 12:14

Observation: This discussion is well-understood as an attempt to trap Jesus with a no-win question. If he responds saying that Jews should not pay the tax, the Pharisees can report him to the Roman authorities for sedition. If he says Jews should pay the tax, the Jews will be furious. Jesus will give a brilliant response. However, one of the issues of this question that is often uncommented upon is the ways the Pharisees characterize Jesus himself, in the hopes of forcing him into a specific context. Specifically, let's look at four statements they make about Jesus.

First, they call him a man of integrity. This puts him in his place. It denies him 'title' as rabbi or teacher or prophet, and effectively says he's just a good man trying to do and say what is right.

Second, they say he is not swayed by others. This is provably untrue. Several times during his ministry, Jesus has responded to requests explicitly because he was swayed to heal or help or advise. He has even declared he will not do something, then changed his mind when another person gives an explanation for their request.

Third, they say he pays no attention to who others are. Again, this is false even in the immediate context, and certainly in the heavenly context. As God incarnate, Jesus absolutely pays attention to everyone. And if this statement is about not being impressed by others' titles or positions, right here and now - in this very setting - Jesus acknowledges who are Pharisees and who are Sadducees. He pays attention and responds according to who they are.

Fourth, they say Jesus teaches the way of God in accordance with the truth. This is a misleading characterization because of the Pharisees' false understanding of the truth. Jesus does teach the way of God, but he does so in accordance with the word of God. Jesus reveals the ways of the Lord exactly as they are revealed in scripture, and rejects the layers of false truth the Pharisees teach.

Ultimately, Jesus' response - to give back to Caesar what is Caesar's and give to God what is God's - not only turns the table on the core question, but it refutes all four of these characterizations. His answer shows him to be more than a man, but truly a wise teacher; It shows him to be swayed by others, as he is keenly aware of, and calls out, the nature of the trap before him; It shows him to be paying attention to others, as he embeds his answer within the context of the Emperor; It shows him to teach with the context of scripture and with the Lord central in your opinions and thoughts, instead of being concerned about rules and "truth" created by human authorities.

Application: This is a deeper understanding of Jesus' response that I never considered. Yes, it is a common technique in debate to create a false context or set of 'givens' and then trap your opponent into responding within that context. However, I have never before seen that Jesus didn't just avoid the trap ... he overturned the false context. No wonder the Pharisees were "amazed" by Jesus' response.

People forget that Jesus was and is so smart and wise that he can prove himself to be intellectually superior to an entire group of scholars, without any effort. Of course, as God, he knows everything. It is just a reminder that he truly is that great and that wise and that amazing.

Prayer: Jesus, you are more than my Lord and savior, you are my wise and brilliant teacher. I know I am often slow to learn, if not downright stupid. This day, may I rely on your wisdom and intelligence, and not on my own thoughts, words, or understanding. Amen.

Three Daily Actions

Scripture: Then Aaron lifted his hands toward the people and blessed them. And having sacrificed the sin offering, the burnt offering and the fellowship offering, he stepped down. Leviticus 9:22

Observation: Aaron and his sons are completing their week of purification to become the priests within the sanctuary, and it ends with a series of sacrifices. Some they present for their own absolution, and then some are presented on behalf of all Israel as part of the daily need to absolve them. In this matter, and ignoring all the 'methods and procedures' of the sacrifices - like which animals are used, what parts are waved, what parts are washed, when and where is blood spread, etc. - there are three kinds of offerings given, and these are consistently the three most common sacrifices performed.

-- Sin offering - Done to confess wrongdoing and seek forgiveness

-- Burnt offering - Fully burned up, it signifies total devotion to Yahweh

-- Fellowship offering - A means to declare relationship with the Lord

There are other types of offerings required to purify oneself after an event, or to declare a special decision in life, but these are the key ones everyone is to do regularly, if not daily. They effectively represent the daily relationship everyone is to have with the Lord. We are to seek forgiveness for our sins, declare our faith and devotion and trust in the Lord, and then joyfully make him part of our walk as our father in heaven.

Application: This model remains true today. It applies to Christians as well as Jews, and while it may not involve butchering and burning goats/cows/sheep anymore, it is a reminder of how we should all move into the presence of the Lord every morning.

I am to admit my sins and seek forgiveness, leaning into the salvation found through faith in Jesus as my comfort, knowing I am saved not by deeds but by faith.

I am to declare my full faith and devotion to the Lord, placing my burdens and hardship and resources and time and energy and thoughts before him, to be used however he would deem appropriate.

I am to embrace the fact that the Lord knows me, blesses me, holds me, and leads me, because he is my father - my abba - who loves me, and I love him and want to be in his presence every moment.

And in all this ... I am to pray, mixing my prayers into the pillar of smoke that arises in the throne room of heaven, a pleasing aroma before the Lord.

Prayer: Lord, I do seek your forgiveness for my sins, and continue to ask you for your wisdom and guidance in matters of my daily activities and thoughts. You are my Lord and my God, the only part of my life with true value, and I desire only to worship and honor you with my entire life. Please be with me this day, holding me in your hands, and showing me your perfect will. I thank you for your love, your mercy, and your blessings. May I return joy and honor and praise to you this day. Amen.

Rejecting Jesus while Seeking Jesus

Scripture: Many people spread their cloaks on the road, while others spread branches they had cut in the fields. Those who went ahead and those who followed shouted,
“Hosanna!”
“Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!”
“Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David!”
“Hosanna in the highest heaven!”
Mark 11:8-10

Observation: The event being described is now known as "Palm Sunday". It is the day Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a young donkey, and a large crowd celebrated him as Messiah. Five days later, he will be publicly executed.

From the reading of this, it seems very unlikely that the crowd doesn't really understand who "Messiah" really is. They are declaring "Hosanna" ... save us! ... and proclaiming Jesus as the coming kingdom of King David. Yes, they understood Messiah was to be an ancestor of David, but between these words and the laying down of cloaks and palm fronds on the grown, it seems they are welcoming Jesus as an ascending king, a new national leader, in politics if not military. The people want Jesus to somehow remove them from Roman tyranny, likely restore the proper kingship of Israel, and usher in a time of victory, security, and eventually peace.

Of course, this isn't what Jesus is about to do. He is about to usher in an entirely new kingdom, which allows all people to experience peace and security, by his willing sacrifice. Very few - if any - people in the crowd that day had any idea that was what they were actually celebrating.

Application: In all my time interacting with non-believers, when I talk to them about Jesus, a recurring understanding I have is that they have no idea who Jesus really was and is. They might think he was anything from a good teacher, to a radical revolutionary, to a fictional myth. Many times, these same people will have "personal philosophies" ... now days called "my truth" ... that they have developed using their own study and reflection over several years, and those personal principles are so closely aligned to Jesus' actual teaching. The interesting thing is that, not only do they not know that, one of their criticisms of Jesus will be that - because he was aligned to scriptural law - Jesus was too morally strict and irrelevant today.

So many people see and understand Jesus just ... wrong. Most a seeking in their life a path for peace, happiness, hope, and joy, and then look to invent their own path when Jesus literally tells them to just believe in him and they will receive all that. They invent a different definition of Jesus, then reject it, and instead seek ... that which is what Jesus actually is.

Prayer: Lord, may I simply walk with Jesus this week, understanding you as my savior, my Lord, and my only hope. Amen.