Omega Glory

I thought about a “Star Trek” episode this morning in my quiet time.  In the episode that I’m thinking about, Captain Kirk and his crew were captured by a primitive civilization.  As best as I can remember, these captors revered and worshipped an ancient document.  The document was kept in a special place and could only be seen and read by a Chief.

Against the disapproval and resistance of the people, Kirk took the document and told them that they had slurred the words they were reading so badly that the words they were speaking had no meaning.  Kirk then started to read the document, “We the people…”  It was the words to Constitution of the United States!

As I reflected on this episode, I was reminded of Jesus’ words to the woman at the well, “You Samaritans worship what you do not know…true worshippers will worship the Father in Spirit and in truth…” (John 4:21-24)

As much as I love the Bible, once again, I am reminded that Scripture is not God.  Scripture contains God’s words; Scripture reveals God; Scripture points and introduces me to God, but Scripture is not God and should not be worshipped.  This is why I love the hymnist’s words, “Beyond the sacred page, I seek Thee, Lord; My spirit pants for Thee, O living Word!”   As I hear these words, I hear Jesus say, “…they are the kind of worshippers the Father seeks” (John 4:23)

Boy Jesus

 There are a few apocryphal stories about Jesus as a child.  However, in the Bible there is very little said about Jesus’ childhood.  Yet as little as there is, much is revealed.  In Luke 2:41-49, when Jesus was 12, we are told that Jesus went “AWOL”.  After a day had passed, Mary and Joseph realized that Jesus was missing.  They searched for Him for three days before they found Him in the temple courts.  Much can be said about these nine verses; however, there are three things that attract my attention in the next three verses.

 The first one is in verse 52, where Luke writes, “And Jesus grew…in favor with God and man.”  How does one gain the appreciation, admiration, and esteem from others?  One way is through coercion and manipulation.  However, this will not win the approval of God.  There must have been something in Jesus’ nature or character that won the regard, respect, and honor of others and with God.

In verse 51, after Mary and Joseph found Jesus, Luke writes, “He went down to Nazareth with them and was obedient to them.”  This is an amazing statement.  The Son of God, the One who spoke the universe into existence, the One who sits at the right hand of the Father was obedient to His creation!  Luke’s astonishing statement is a prelude to another much more mysterious statement, “He learned obedience from what He suffered…”  (Hebrews 5:8).  Even as a youth, Jesus teaches me that there are seasons in my life when I have to submit myself to the authorities in my life.  Whether at school, on the job, or at home there are times when I will have to “suffer.”

Finally, in verse 50, after Jesus told Mary and Joseph, “Didn’t you know I had to be in My Father’s house?” Luke said, “They did not understand what He was saying to them.”  Jesus was not only an unusual child, but He was an enigma as an adult.  Jesus was problematic to the Pharisees.  Jesus puzzled His disciples.  And Jesus often confuses me.  There are a lot of things about God, Scripture, and life that are confusing and problematic.  There are a lot of things that I don’t know and will probably never understand; yet, there is one thing that is very clear to me and that is the Bible’s message of, “Trust and follow Jesus.”  The question that I continually ask myself is, “Am I willing to take that risk?”

The Good Seed

The heading in my Bible of Luke 8:1-15 is entitled, “The Parable of the Sower.”  Yet, as I read this scripture this morning, I am focused on verse 11 as I hear Jesus saying, “The seed is the word of God.”

This seed is simply amazing.  Wherever it lands, it grows.  It comes up in rocky ground; it grows amongst the thorns; it yields a crop in good soil.  I imagine that it would have even come up along the path if it wasn’t trampled on or if it wasn’t eaten up by the birds.  It reminds me of what Isaiah said about God’s word, “My word that goes out from My mouth: It will not return to Me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it” (Isaiah 55:11).

This morning I am challenged because I see all these different soil types in my life.  I hear the word of God, but sometimes it is drowned out by the noise of life.  Other times I am so happy and eager to hear God speak, but I am so easily distracted by the allurement of life.  There are still other times when I welcome what God says, but the issues of life smother the word that I received.  The most disturbing part is when Jesus says, “Good soil stands for those with a noble and good heart…” (Luke 8:15).

It is both disturbing and convicting because I have a small spot in my heart that is fertile, but even that didn’t come naturally.  There was and is a lot of ground work that needs to be done to produce a “harvest of righteousness” (Hebrews 12:11).

If I had to do all the work by myself, I may as well give up.  The good news is that I have all the help I need.  Jesus said that God would send us a helper (John 14:16); Jesus invites us to be yoked with Him (Matthew 11:29); and scripture reminds us that it is God who ultimately gives the growth (I Corinthians 3:6-7).

 If I cultivate my heart, allow God’s seed to germinate, I am assured that God will complete the work that He started (Philippians 1:8).  I can rejoice and be grateful in this thought even though nothing seems to be happening in my life.

Jesus Is Love

My Rendition of I Corinthians 13

If I speak in the tongues on men and angels, but have not Jesus, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal.

If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not Jesus, I am nothing.

If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but have not Jesus, I gain nothing. 

Jesus is patient, Jesus is kind.  Jesus does not envy, He does not boast, He is not proud.  Jesus does not dishonor others, He is not self-seeking, He is not easily angered, He keeps no record of wrongs.   Jesus does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. Jesus always protects,   always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

Jesus never fails.  But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away.  For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when completeness comes, what is in part disappears.  When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child.  When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me.  For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face.  Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known. 

John says:

Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known.  But we know that when Christ appears, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is.  – I John 3:2:

 

Retirement

I’ve been thinking a lot about retirement lately—not because it’s a goal that I’m about to reach, but because the people that are around me think that it’s a huge landmark in my life.  For me, I’d keep on working if I had the strength and energy to do my job, but my body is sending me messages telling me that I can’t do it anymore.  In addition, I’ve also been reflecting on why I am not as excited about retiring as people think that I should be.  This morning I’ve come to realize why I don’t feel the way others think I should be feeling.

One of the driving principles of my life is “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord…” (Colossians 3:23).  When Paul says, “Whatever you do…” I hear his voice echo in my roles as a husband, father, son, neighbor, friend, as well as an employee.  As Paul speaks to me in every facet of my life, I also hear Jesus say, “If you love Me, keep My commands” (John 14:15).

Do I live perfectly?  Absolutely not!  In fact, I have far more failures than I have successes.  Do I do things begrudgingly?  More often than I’d like to admit.  Do I pour my whole heart in everything I’m doing?  Not on your life.  Do I acknowledge the Lord in every area of my life?  This is where I struggle the most.  When I recognize Him, there is often a conflict of wills; there is a battle for control.  It’s like a war between two kingdoms.

I guess this is why the idea of retirement is not a big deal to me.  Retirement is like being in another place and putting on another hat or stepping into a different role with the question, “Are you God’s man?” leading the way.  This is the question that I hear Paul answering when he says, “Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not people, because you know that the Lord will reward…” (Ephesians 6:7-8)

I do not usually have immediate gratification in serving God, but I think that Scripture is continually asking the question, “Are you satisfied with your life?”  Perhaps this is the question Jesus was answering when He said, “I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full” (John 10:10) and why Paul concludes that this is the reason why we “long for His appearing” (II Timothy 4:8).

Fortune Telling

Covid-19 has shocked the world and brought it to a standstill.  We are now recovering and we are limping along, staggering, or trying to push forward.  During this time of transition, we are all wondering what this world will look like when this pandemic passes and some of us want to know what the future has in store for us. 

If you are consumed by wanting to know how everything is going to turn out and what your life is going to look like, let me plead and compel you to, “Stop!  You don’t want to know—it’s not helpful!”  Why do I say this, you ask?  I’m glad you asked.

Remember what happened after Joseph died in Egypt (Exodus 1)?  A new king came into power and enslaved the Israelites.  Imagine yourself being an Israelite in those days and knew what God told Abraham, “Know for certain that for four hundred years your descendants will be strangers in a country not their own and that they will be enslaved and mistreated there” (Genesis 15:13).  How would you feel if you knew that this was your future?  How much hope would you have if you knew that this is the cards you were going to be dealt?  How would you encourage your children and your grandchildren not to lose heart if you knew that this would be their future as well?  What we want to know about our future is too short sighted and this knowledge will lead us into dark places. 

“Then what am I supposed to do,” you ask.  Again, I’m glad you asked.  Our brother Peter helps us recalibrate and refocus.  When he Peter tells his readers that life as they knew it was coming to an end, he asks them, “what kind of people ought you to be?”  He then proceeds to answer them: “You ought to live holy and godly lives as you look forward to the day of God…” (II Peter 3:10-11).

Scripture does not have to tell us that life is capricious or fleeting because we experience this daily.  What scripture does is remind us not to be surprised, despondent, or depressed when hardship and suffering intrudes into our lives.  But not only that, scripture repeatedly reminds us that “God will bring every deed into judgment, including every hidden thing, whether good or evil.” (Ecclesiastes 12:14)  I think this is all we need to know about our future.

What we really need to know and hold on to today is, “Seek the Lord while He may be found; call on Him while He is near.” (Isaiah 55:6)  If we do this, we will be overflow with peace and joy because we will know the One who holds our future.