God of Wonder

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The whole earth is filled with awe at your wonders; where morning dawns, where evening fades, you call forth songs of joy. Psalm 65:8

You are the God who performs miracles; you display your power among the peoples. Psalm 77:14

“Wonder is the heaviest element on the periodic table. Even a tiny fleck of it stops time.” Last Monday would seem to have proven Diane Ackerman’s quote when a large swath of the United States stopped what they were doing and looked skyward to take in the solar eclipse. April 8 was a once-in-a-lifetime experience for the 31.6 million people who found themselves living in the pathway of totality. This narrow corridor of about 115 miles wide through the heartland of America allowed residences and visitors to experience a few minutes of total darkness in the middle of the day. Eclipse totality happens in a particular spot on Earth roughly once every 400 years, give or take a year.

This unique phenomenon caused schools to be out for the day, workers to take longer midafternoon coffee breaks, and major networks to send their TV personalities to cities on the route of totality to report on the events. A common thought shared by the media personalities was what a great shared experience witnessed by the people. Others reported on this particular conspiracy or what this eclipse meant for the future of mankind.  However, what was missing in most of the commentaries was simply amazing wonder. Have we lost the sense of wonder? When did we lose our sense of wonderment?

Wonder began with the words, “In the beginning God created the heavens the earth. (Gen 1:1) God is a God of wonders and even a casual reading throughout the Bible showcases God’s wondrous acts. It is hard to read Scripture without being overwhelmed by the wonders of God.

Jesus lifted the little child on his lap and said, “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven,” This has layers of applications but I think one that is often overlooked is the beautiful reminder of keeping alive curiosity and questioning, just like children. “What was wonderful about childhood is that anything in it was a wonder. It was not merely a world full of miracles; it was a miraculous world.” (G.K. Chesterton)

Children are the keepers and givers of wonderment. The least little thing found on a walk with a child creates excitement and lots of questions.  The thing leads to a litany of why and how questions that flow into an easy conversation. “Childlike faith is opening our eyes to the wonder of seeing our God everywhere and whenever He shows us a new dimension, choosing to add that to our worldview. In doing this, our capacity increases and we grow up into His image. This kind of faith is okay with God’s revelation being a run-on sentence that at times seems like a contradiction.” (Chuck Ammons)

Monica Parker author of The Power of Wonder uses the term “wonderbringers,” finding anything that brings you wonder. “People who embody the wonder trait of curiosity tend to be more engaged, infuse more excitement into meeting new people, and are more likely to seek and build on what they learn about a person.”

Somewhere along this journey of life, wonderment is lost to the gritty details of life, the hurry-to-get-it-done lifestyle, and the curiosity of simply asking why. David captured the wonder of God as he wrote,

“All your salvation wonders are on display in your trophy room. Earth-Tamer, Ocean-Pourer, Mountain-Maker, Hill-Dresser, Muzzler of sea storm and wave crash, of mobs in noisy riot—Far and wide they’ll come to a stop, they’ll stare in awe, in wonder. Dawn and dusk take turns calling, “Come and worship.”   (Psalm 65:5-8 The Message)

There is no argument that the eclipse was a spectacular occurrence. However, what is even more stunning is waking up every day living with wonderment knowing God is a God of wonder and amazement. People begin to see us as the very essence of a dictionary definition of wonder, “arouses awe, astonishment, surprise, or admiration; a marvel.” Oswald Chambers wrote, “You will never cease to be the most amazed person on earth at what God has done for you on the inside.”

“We will not hide them from their descendants; we will tell the next generation the praiseworthy deeds of the LORD, his power, and the wonders he has done.” (Psalm 78:4)

“They knew so much but forgot to wonder,

Busy with thoughts, their world went under.

And in losing wonder, she said with a sigh,

A universe of dreams passed them by.” (Lyra Brave)

LORD, let us be like children who live in a world of aliveness. May we awaken each day to the possibilities you have for us, to enjoy the spectacular as well as the mundane, to see with eyes open to the world you created. For we know “because of Your great love we are not consumed, for your compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.”

God is great!

Amazing God in all Circumstances

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Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal. 2 Corinthians 4:16-18 NIV

Do we worship an amazing God? When is God amazing? Amazing, as a word, has been criticized as one of the most overused words in English, but I think it is always appropriate when applied to God! There are not enough adjectives now to truly describe God.

So, when the headline “God is an Amazing God Says Pastor Whose Daughter Miraculously Survived Car Wreck” caught my attention the other day. The pastor’s daughter narrowly escaped a horrendous accident. A guardrail pierced the entire length of the car, leaving his daughter with only minor scratches on her hands and feet.

If you looked at the picture of the car, you could also say it was a miracle she survived. I do not belittle a grateful father for describing God as amazing. I am thankful that he could praise God for his daughter’s survival. However, I started to think, Is God only amazing when things are going well? If the outcome had been different, would God still be amazing?

In the same timeframe, the daughter of a family in Georgia was brutally killed. Laken Riley a young, aspiring nursing student at Augusta University was killed during a morning run around the University of Georgia campus. Describing the incident as a senseless and avoidable tragedy, her family would have reason to question if God was amazing. Yet her Mom, Allyson Phillips shared, “My family has faced the most devastating, unimaginable loss that anyone could ever be forced to endure. I would like to thank my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ for being with me and my family during this heartbreaking time.”

I don’t know the family but I could guess they would answer that God is amazing and maybe more so in the face of this tragedy. Mrs. Phillips went on to share, “I encourage everyone to have a personal relationship with Jesus. I give Him all the glory for getting us through this.” (Billy Hallowell, CBN)

“Jesus, as I wait today in this dark and desperate world where many dreams have died, teach me to trust even when I can’t understand, and help me, Lord, not to hide from life’s shadows and pain.” (Prayer from Lectio 365)

Finding answers as we struggle through pain, suffering, heartache, and doubt is never easy and many times, unanswerable. We all like answers that can fit into a brightly wrapped box adorned with ribbons and bows. Academically you can get a nice, concise answer on the ‘why did it happen’ but down in the depth of your soul, the only word you hear is, Why?

British pastor Pete Greig commenting upon the Matthew 27 account of preparing Jesus’ body for burial wrote, “During Jesus’ lifetime, countless people came to Him with requests—for healing, for teaching, for forgiveness, for presence, for answers and explanations. But now that He is dead there is nothing whatsoever to be gained by coming to Jesus. Quite the reverse: it’s risky, distressing, and pointless. And so, there is something particularly moving about the selfless devotion of the characters in today’s reading as they lovingly tend His corpse. It’s easy to worship when everything is wonderful, but far more powerful to do so when our hopes and dreams have died. It’s easy to be faithful when our faith makes sense, but faithfulness begins when our faith seems insane.”

Praise comes out of a heart that is nurtured in the intimacy of God as Father. It is through images of his tenderness and care that we can find the words to express our adoration and praise of God. David Roseberry writes “The Bible uses human metaphors and word pictures to talk about God. It must if we humans are to understand it! We are image-oriented people and tend to have difficulty relating to abstractions. Models help us understand how things work. This is true on a scientific level and a theological level as well. For example, if we claim—as the Bible does—that God is good, powerful, loving, and kind, we are speaking in the abstract. These statements can be accurate, but what do they mean to us? To others? But saying God is a good, powerful, loving, and kind Father helps us understand the idea. “(David Roseberry, The Psalm on the Cross)

It is in this intimacy of worship that David was able to write the Psalms. Jesus quoted Psalm 22 as he endured the agony of the cross. The words of this Psalm allowed his soul to worship God even amid his pain, humiliation, and suffering. “From you comes my praise in the great congregation; my vows I will pay before those who fear him. The poor shall eat and be satisfied; those who seek him shall praise the LORD. May your hearts live forever!” (Ps 22:25-26 NRSV)

Throughout the last several weeks as we journeyed through Lent, Good Friday, and ultimately the life-giving Resurrection, we reflected upon grace nailed to a cross.  It was in this grace that cost Jesus dearly, that the stranglehold of death and sin was broken. Hopefully, we have been reminded that as broken and sinful individuals, we could never, on our own, have the capacity to praise God. Only through God can praise come as He is the subject and object of our praise.

The first Archbishop of Canterbury of the Anglican Church was Thomas Cranmer. One of his lasting and maybe most impactful legacies was as the principal architect and author of the Book of Common Prayer. Cranmer understood that we are too broken and sinful to offer God praise, only through God comes praise.

“Almighty God, to you all hearts are open, all desires known, and from you, no secrets are hid: Cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of your Holy Spirit, that we may perfectly love you, and worthily magnify your holy Names; through Christ our Lord. Amen”

God is great!

Journey Toward Eternity

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Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son so that the Son may glorify you, since you have given him authority over all people, to give eternal life to all whom you have given him. And this is eternal life, that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent. John 17:1b-3 NIV

The iconic engineering masterpiece, The Golden Gate Bridge, spans the one-mile-wide strait connecting San Francisco Bay and the Pacific Ocean. The American Society of Civil Engineers recognizes it as one of the Wonders of the Modern World. The bridge is an internationally recognized symbol and is described in Frommer’s travel guide as “possibly the most beautiful, certainly the most photographed, bridge in the world.” (Wikipedia)

Millions of cars, trucks, bikes, and walkers have traveled across the bridge since it opened in 1937. Though famous internationally, it is also famous for the number of people who have committed suicide on the bridge.  Harold B. Wobber became the first person to commit suicide by jumping over the four-foot rail less than three months after its opening. Since then, over 1,600 people have committed suicide with an additional unknown number whose bodies were not found.

Former California highway patrol officer Kevin Briggs has become known as the Guardian of the Golden Gate. When Briggs finds someone preparing to jump to their death, he engages the person in conversation with some simple questions about their plans for the following day. He has been able to talk more than two hundred people from taking their lives. (article in Denison Forum)

The Golden Gate Bridge is easily identifiable for its beauty, but it becomes a symbol of death to those without hope. The Cross of Jesus is even more easily recognizable throughout the world. The cross designed as an instrument of death became a symbol of hope and life because of Easter.

Lent has provided us time to slow down in our spiritual journey to refocus upon the coming days of Easter. It has provided opportunities to sit and reflect upon our hope in Jesus. It is a hope not built on shifting opinions but on the rock-solid promises of God.

Jesus’ journey toward the cross would bring life to us but not without great cost to him. The pain and bodily suffering of the cross had to be indescribable for him yet just as horrendous was the pain of rejection and betrayal that he had to endure.

The pain of a kiss. Judas had sat under his teachings, watched the healings, and fellowshipped with Jesus yet rejected the kind of Messiah that Jesus would become. “And Judas went to the chief priests and the officers of the temple guard and discussed with them how he might betray Jesus.” (Luke 22:4). The pain of that midnight kiss must have weighed heavily upon Jesus. “Judas, are you betraying the Son of Man with a kiss?” (Luke 22:48)

The pain of a rooster’s crowing. Peter had become one of Jesus’s trusted inner circle members. Peter had pulled the net onto the boat overflowing with fish, stood on the mountaintop with Jesus, Moses, and Elijah, and watched as a little girl was raised from the dead yet that morning spoke the words, “I don’t know him!” Can you imagine the pain of these words to Jesus? Also, the pain in Peter’s heart as he heard  “the rooster crowed” and then seeing as “The Lord turned and looked straight at Peter.” (Luke 22:61)

The pain of a yelling crowd, “Crucify him! Crucify him!” The crowd! Men and women who had listened intently to his words, many had eaten fish and bread with him on the mountainside and just days before, had been willing to cry out, Hosanna! Only now to hear, “Away with this man! Release Barabbas to us!”

Yet the greatest pain of all is the silence of His Father. “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” The gaping wounds, the nail-punctured hands and feet, the humiliation or the mocking words couldn’t compare to the darkness and emptiness of his Father’s silence.  “The more painful our suffering and thus the less we understand why God allows it, the more we need to trust it to his compassionate care.” (Jim Denison)

The lament of Psalm 22 would minister to Jesus’ soul that dark and godless afternoon. The words of this holy Psalm would express his desolation of God being far away and yet the consolation of feeling God’s presence, even on the cross.

Charles Spurgeon beautifully captured the richness of this Psalm on the cross. “Psalm 22 may have been actually repeated word by word by our Lord when hanging on the tree; it would be too bold to say that it was so, but even a casual reader may see that it might have been. It begins with, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? And ends, according to some, in the original with It is finished.

Before us, we have a description of both the darkness and the glory of the cross, the sufferings of Christ, and the glory which shall follow. Oh, for grace to draw near and see this incredible sight! We should read reverently, putting off our shoes from our feet, as Moses did at the burning bush, for if there be holy ground anywhere in Scripture, it is in this psalm.”

The cruelty of the cross has been transformed into a symbol of living hope with the words, “It is finished.” The cold isolation of a grave has been transformed into living life with the words, “He is not here; he has risen.” These symbols of death have been transformed into a living faith with the climax of this powerful prayer, “Our children will also serve him. Future generations will hear about the wonders of the Lord. His righteous acts will be told to those not yet born. They will hear about everything he has done.  (Ps 22:30-31 NLT)

“Christ breaks through to you, not in those places where you are strong, where your skills are well-honed and developed, but precisely in those areas in your life where you know failure or weakness. For it is there that you come close to the power of the Cross. It is precisely there that God is waiting to meet you, long to offer you forgiveness, strength, and renewal, to live and work not in your own strength, but in the strength of Christ.” (Geoffrey Tristam)

Easter!  He is Risen! This is the reason why I can end my blogs each week with the words,

God is great!

Go Quickly and Tell His Disciples by Hanna-Cheriyan Varghese

Journey Toward Destiny

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As he approached Jerusalem and saw the city, he wept over it and said, “If you, even you, had only known on this day what would bring you peace—but now it is hidden from your eyes. Luke 19:41 NIV

The countdown to the Eclipse 2024 is underway. On April 8, the “Great North American Eclipse” will move across the United States. The path of totality will start in Mexico and move across Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, New York, Pennsylvania, Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine before heading out over the North Atlantic. For a few minutes, the moon gets to overshadow the sun.

April 8 would not have been a good day if you were the king of Mesopotamia in 763 B.C. You could have easily related to the Shakespearian quote, “Uneasy is the head that wears a crown” because a total solar eclipse was seen as an omen of death for rulers of the Assyrian Empire. They were uncertain of what would happen, but since the Assyrians worshiped the Sun God, the Moon God, and other sky deities, a total eclipse of the Sun held tremendous spiritual and political power. To avoid such an untimely death, the king would name a substitute king for the day who would become the reigning monarch for the day and take on the curse of the omen and be sacrificed. “The substitute king would enjoy all the trappings of regency before being ritualistically killed to fulfill the prophecy.” (article by Rebecca Boyle)

Lent has been a season of preparation preparing us for the arrival of the true King and the fulfillment of prophecy – a King that would become the substitute instead of having a fake king to be his substitute.

The climax of the Journey Toward Destiny began as the people crowded the streets of Jerusalem preparing for the entry of Jesus. Whether you fasted during Lent or used these 40 days to prepare your heart for Easter, the time has come. This season of preparation has prepared us for the event far greater and vastly more important than any total eclipse.

Palm Sunday marks the church’s celebration of Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem, an event that each Gospel writer captured in their own unique style. Even reading the narratives you can feel the excitement mounting, the pressure building, and hope intensifying. The people are pushing and shoving to get a place on the street to welcome the King. Is this finally the fulfillment of centuries of anticipation coming true? Finally, will Jesus be the one to restore their rightful place as a nation and break the bondage of the oppressor?

“A very large crowd spread their cloaks on the road, while others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. The crowds that went ahead of him and those that followed shouted,

Hosanna to the Son of David!

Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!

Hosanna in the highest heaven!” (Matt 21:8-9)

“What comes into your mind when you think about God?” A.W. Tozer asked this penetrating question in his book, The Knowledge of the Holy. The question could have been asked on that day when Jesus entered Jerusalem on His Journey Toward Destiny. The same question is appropriate to ask of ourselves as we enter into this final week of Easter.

The crowds wanted a political hero, a military strategist, but most importantly a powerful commander to restore their nation. What they got that day was the Son of God riding on a donkey heading for a cross that would open the doors for redemption and salvation.  The crowds would return home at the end of the day. Some would go home disappointed that he hadn’t entered on a white horse. Some would go home disillusioned that the revolution didn’t start overthrowing the Roman occupation. Some would go home that evening angry that Jesus didn’t meet their expectation of a Messiah.

However, among the palm-waving crowds that day, there were a few that would go home that evening having experienced the coming of the Messiah as prophesied generations before. They would become what they worshipped and would come to Jesus, the true Messiah. “Rejoice greatly, Daughter Zion! Shout, Daughter Jerusalem! See, your king comes to you, righteous and victorious, lowly and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey. I will take away the chariots from Ephraim and the warhorses from Jerusalem, and the battle bow will be broken. He will proclaim peace to the nations. His rule will extend from sea to sea and from the River to the ends of the earth.” Zechariah 9: 9-10 (NIV)

“What comes into our minds when we think about God is the most important thing about us. The history of mankind will probably show that no people has ever risen above its religion, and man’s spiritual history will positively demonstrate that no religion has ever been greater than its idea of God. Worship is pure or base as the worshiper entertains high or low thoughts of God.” (Tozer)

The crowds cheering for Jesus that morning upon his entry into Jerusalem were also part of the crowds that would be yelling again in a few days for Jesus. However, instead of yelling Hosanna to the Son of David, they would be yelling crucify him, crucify him. What changed? They became what they worshipped which shaped their destiny and their beliefs. Tozer went on to write, “We tend by a secret law of the soul to move toward our mental image of God…Were we able to extract from any man a complete answer to the question, ‘What comes to mind when you think about God?’ we might predict with certainty the spiritual future of that man.”

What comes to your mind when you think of God? As you enter this time called Holy Week, I trust there will be an opportunity to drown out the crowd noise, find time to step away from the busy week and simply let your thoughts focus on Jesus. Try reading a different Gospel account each day of the events related to Holy Week.  Let Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John guide you in a time of reflection and worship preparing your heart, soul, and mind for Easter.

Jesus, as we approach Easter, let our hearts and minds be filled with praise and thanksgiving for all that you endured for us. Let us never forget your sacrifice so that we might have life. Thank you for the amazing gift of salvation.

God is great!

Hosanna in the Highest! by Hanna-Cheriyan Varghese

Journey Toward Life

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I call heaven and earth as witnesses against you today that I have set before you life and death, blessing and curse. Choose life so that you and your descendants may live, love the LORD your God, obey him, and remain faithful to him. For he is your life, and he will prolong your days as you live in the land the LORD swore to give to your ancestors Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Deut 30:19-20 CSB

What does the world have to offer its residents? We have unbelievably fast internet, can watch 24-7 cable, eat exotic foods, go from one side of the earth to the other within a day, or if bored, choose from a thousand different movies to lull us asleep on any given night. You could name a myriad of things but what it can’t give is the true value of life.  “We live in a culture in which when the priorities of life are set, gratitude seems to be squeezed out. We have lost the ability to receive life as a gift.” (Richard Foster)

Lent is a season of preparation reminding us of the journey Jesus took to bring the ultimate gift of life. Jesus was on a journey toward the known to reveal the unknown to those who followed. It was a journey of hope, faith, pain, suffering, and victory. As we take this journey toward Easter, it allows us to see life as a gift, otherwise without Easter, death is the only gift given.

Without life as a gift, the unexplainable happens as the value of life is so easily dismissed.  Little Halo Nelson will never experience any tomorrows after her body was found at the bottom of a utility tunnel in Schenectady, New York. Her mother, Persia Nelson has been charged with second-degree murder committed with depraved indifference. (Samira Asma-Sadeque ,People Newsfeed,3/12/24)

Without life as a gift, the bizarre happens. Two Georgia men, Stephen Glosser and Caleb Kinsey were charged with the bombing of a woman’s house and plotting to release a python to “eat” the victim’s daughter, federal officials announced last week. The two men were charged with stalking, use of an explosive to commit a felony, and possession of an unregistered detonation device. (Aliza Chasan, CBS News, 3/11/24)

Without life as a gift, the unimaginable happens. Esperanza Rae Harding, 20 was charged with 2nd degree murder of her baby. Why? She wanted to show her boyfriend that he was her top priority. She allegedly drowned her baby, took a picture of the body, stuffed it into a backpack, and tossed the bag into the trash. (Christine Pelisek, People Newsfeed, 3/11/24)

Without life as a gift, the hopelessness of life happens. Over the last couple of decades, the rise of euthanasia or assisted death has become culturally acceptable and legally permissible in many countries of the world. Canada’s Medical Assistance In Dying (MAID) has grown from 1,000 in 2016 to over 10,000 in 2021 or 3.3% of all deaths in Canada. (Gov’t of Canada report). Canadian doctor, Ewan Goligher, a Christian, writes, “What is more unbelievable is that the ability to have one’s life ended on short notice is an increasingly acceptable option for Canadian patients—with implications that will reverberate around the globe.”

“Once a society embraces killing as an answer to suffering, the ‘suffering’ that qualifies for termination never stops expanding. Since lethal-injection euthanasia became decriminalized—and then, formally legalized—the killable caste has expanded from the terminally ill, to the chronically ill, to people with disabilities, to babies born with serious medical conditions, to the mentally ill, etc., etc., etc.” (Wesley J. Smith, senior fellow)

Life as a gift can only be found on the journey to Easter. It was not an easy journey Jesus took, but he knew life was a gift and only he could give it. Jesus has the only right response when the world asks, “How can suffering possibly be meaningful? What would make life with suffering worthwhile? If suffering is absurd, it can seem natural, even rational, to choose death.” (Ewan Goligher)

Jesus is life itself! “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” (John 14:6)

Jesus is life itself! “In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind.” (John 1:4)

Jesus is life itself! “For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.” (Col 1:19-20)

“The voice of God indeed daily calls to us; calls to the world to abandon sins and seek the Kingdom of God wholeheartedly. O that we may all hear the call of the Father and, sometime, at last, be converted to the Lord….In silence and in meditation on the eternal truths, I hear the voice of God which excites our hearts to greater love.” (C. S. Lewis, The Collected Letters of C.S. Lewis)

Walking on the dusty roads toward Jerusalem, I do not doubt that the disciples were confused and searching for answers. “At first his disciples did not understand all this. Only after Jesus was glorified did they realize that these things had been written about him and that these things had been done to him.” (John12:16)

Jesus’ words to Martha at Lazarus’ death had to be on their minds as they walked that day. “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?” (John 11:25-26) In a few days, all of this would make sense to his followers but at what cost to Jesus?

Life is a gift but only because of the journey toward Easter!

Holy Spirit, Only You can heal our bitter, broken, disillusioned hearts. Will you plant seeds of hope in our hearts, my heart? Show me how to listen well, love gently, trust fully, believe deeply, and point to the life of Your eternal kingdom without rushing past the tender places.

God is great!

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Journey Together with Others

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And I will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and supplication. They will look on me, the one they have pierced, and they will mourn for him as one mourns for an only child and grieve bitterly for him as one grieves for a firstborn son. Zechariah 12:10

“If you want to go quickly, go alone. If you want to go far go together.” This is one of my favorite African Proverbs and how appropriate it is for us during this season of Lent as we prepare for Easter. We are not moving toward Easter by ourselves but as part of the full body of Christ. In these days of preparation, whether you are fasting from something or focused on growing in a particular discipline, it is encouraging to know that others are walking this same path.

Jesus modeled well the concept of journeying together through his traveling with his disciples, engagement with people, and spending time with special friends. Jesus spent countless hours with this select group of disciples teaching and mentoring them. During those hours he poured into each what it means to follow him, helped them grapple with understanding his many parables, and encouraged them in their faith.

The disciples listened with their ears and heard how the poor, the outcasts, and the powerless would have a place in his kingdom but struggled with doubt and confusion to fully comprehend Jesus’ teachings. They witnessed miraculous healing of the blind, the lame and the broken yet failed to see Jesus as the Messiah. Jesus walked with them over dirt roads, sat under shade trees, and rested by the seashore, teaching them over and over what it meant to follow Him.

Jesus showed compassion for the crowds as he taught them about God’s Kingdom. When Jesus saw they were physically hungry he used the opportunity to teach the crowd and his disciples. “They do not need to go away. You give them something to eat…Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke the loaves…They all ate and were satisfied.” (Matt 14:13-21)

Jesus showed compassion for the least of them, better known as children. The disciples rebuked the parents for bothering Jesus with their children. Yet Jesus became angry when he saw them push the children away. “He said to them, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them…And he took the children in his arms, placed his hands on them and blessed them.” (Mark 10:13-16) What a life lesson for the disciples, the parents, and especially the children!

Jesus knew the journey would be difficult and his teachings would be challenging. “From this time many of his disciples turned back and no longer followed him.” (John 6:66) Yet though the journey together will take you far, many choose to go it alone but with much different results. As this African Proverb says it well, “The one who walks alone by the river gets eaten.”

Jesus modeled for us the need for others to be in our lives. He found compassion and encouragement in the home of friends as he began his Journey toward Jerusalem. “Six days before the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany, where Lazarus lived, whom Jesus had raised from the dead. There a dinner was given in Jesus’ honor. Martha served, while Lazarus was among those reclining at the table with him.” (John 12:1-2)

Jesus was probably tired from his long trip and welcomed the warm hospitality of friends before the hectic week ahead.  I wonder what Jesus and Lazarus talked about. The last time they were together Lazarus was in his grave and Jesus was calling out his name. Somehow, I think the conversation between the two went much deeper than just the weather or the latest sports event.

Conversation and food were what Jesus needed.  “Martha Served,” captured well the change in her soul, from worry and anxiety to joy and servant’s heart. Martha now did what she did best, serve others but with a different heart. What about the other sister in the house?  “Then Mary took about a pint of pure nard, an expensive perfume; she poured it on Jesus’ feet and wiped his feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.” (John 12:3)

Only among friends can you be true to yourself and express your deepest feelings regardless of the ridicule you may receive. Mary took a bottle of expensive perfume and lovingly poured it out on Jesus’ feet as an expression of extraordinary devotion. Jesus would receive her gift with joy and thankfulness compared to Judas who would condemn her for her extravagant waste.

“At the heart of the Christian faith is mystery, because at the heart of our faith is the eternal, triune God. We have the Father who loves us, the Savior who died for us, and the Spirit who helps us to be holy. This divine mystery gives us reason to bow down and worship our eternal God.” (Haddon Robinson)

Jesus left the next morning with his disciples on the way to Jerusalem. He left with a heart encouraged, a full stomach, and the worshipful outpouring of love that only friends can give. In this time of Lent, we have opened our hearts and minds to prepare for the coming days when the world will never be the same again. Jesus began his journey that would break the stranglehold of sin and death. It was a journey that would open the door of the Kingdom of God – a journey that would fulfill God’s promise of redemption and salvation.

LORD, find us faithful. Strengthen our hearts and minds to be one with you, help us to stay open to you with tender souls to your words, and be resilient in our journey forward.

God is great!

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Journey Through Generations

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Did not the Messiah have to suffer these things and then enter his glory? And beginning with Moses and all the prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself.  Luke 24:26-27 NIV

Do you know where you came from? I have always been fascinated by the Ancestry.com ads and the stories of people finding their roots. This last Christmas Connie gave me an ancestry DNA kit and though I didn’t expect to be in line for the royal throne, I thought it would be fun to see how far my Oklahoma roots spread.

I finally got my results back this last week and learned my ethnicity numbers. Most of the percentages came from England & Northwestern Europe (49%) and Scotland (37%) as expected with a name like Burton. I had some smaller percentages from Wales and Ireland (10%), Sweden & Denmark (2%) and Germanic Europe (1%). However, I did learn I also have Nigerian roots, 1%!  I could find out more about my ancestry, but I will probably not pay the $99 every quarter.  However, it was still an interesting experiment.

What it does tell me is that I probably have a lot of interesting relatives around the world, and I will never get to meet them this side of eternity. It also tells me of the vastness of God’s creation and being connected to generations past. During this time of Lent, as we journey toward the cross and resurrection, I am also reminded of the vast family I belong to as part of God’s family that follows Jesus.

Shauna Pilgreen in her book, Translating Jesus, writes; “We keep each other close because we are made to be close—this human race God created.” She goes on to write, “One very interesting probability model created by a demographer for genealogists suggests that a child born in 1947 in England, tracing back to 1492, would have sixty thousand ancestors. Going back further, to 1215, this child would find 80 percent of the entire population of England at that time on his or her family tree.” That is one big family tree!

This season of Lent allows us to reflect as a family on the power of the cross and the hope of Easter. We are connected from one generation to the next through the life we live today but also within the future context of who we are in Jesus. “Then we your people, the sheep of your pasture, will praise you forever; from generation to generation we will proclaim your praise.” Psalm 79:13

You wouldn’t normally spend time reflecting on a list of names nor start as the opening of your book, but this was what Matthew did as he began his account of the Gospel. He began his story with the words,” This is the genealogy of Jesus the Messiah the son of David, the son of Abraham.”  Then for the next 15 verses gave us a long list of “begats” or KJV talk for “the father of.”

Patrick Schreiner writes, “From the beginning, God was in the business of establishing his people in his place by his power. It began with Adam and Eve, and it continued in the covenants given to Abraham and David. These are finally fulfilled in Jesus; the Davidic king who will establish Israel’s kingdom.”

Each name in Matthew’s account represented a link in fulfilling God’s promise of a Savior. One generation passed on to the next generation the story of a coming Savior who would someday redeem the nation and the people.  “He was oppressed and afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth; he was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before its shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth. By oppression and judgment, he was taken away. Yet who of his generation protested? Isaiah 53:7-8

Matthew’s list contained some All-Star names such as Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, David, and Solomon. His genealogy included some great men of faith such as Boaz, Jehoshaphat, and Hezekiah but it also listed some faith failures such as Amon, Ahaz, and Manasseh among others. Matthew didn’t just include those names that any family would be proud to have in their lineage but also a few that any family would rather overlook and not claim.

Matthew would also break from tradition and include several women, including those not of the Jewish faith to be part of the Jesus ancestry family tree. Tamar and Rahab were from the Canaanite community, Ruth was a Moab, Bathsheba was likely a Hittite and Mary was Jewish. Each woman brought a messy background to the story yet God would place them into the very heart of His salvation plan. Each woman would play a significant part in God’s story even without a perfect past and outside religious expectations.

Family trees are not always pretty nor well-kept even though there will be some beautiful branches you will find a few branches that you wish would have been pruned before they grew. It is the same way with our faith family trees, we will have some awesome, healthy branches where we swell with pride but a few limbs that we drop our heads and would rather not claim.

Can you imagine the percentage results if Heaven offered a DNA ancestry kit? The Biblical Canon may be closed and no names will be added to Matthew’s genealogy. However, spend some time this week reflecting upon the impact of verse 16: “And Jacob the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary, and Mary was the mother of Jesus who is called the Messiah.”

Jesus set in place a spiritual genealogy that is adding names daily and just like a great oak tree, spreads its branches across the generations. This heavenly recorded genealogy now includes a multitude of brothers and sisters from “every nation, tribe, language and people.” (Rev 14:6)

A list of names may not be captivating reading unless you think of all the stories that will be shared someday as the family of Jesus. “One generation will declare your works to the next and will proclaim your mighty acts. I will speak of your splendor and glorious majesty and your wondrous works.” Psalm 145:4-5

God is great!

 

Journey Toward Understanding

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For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. No one has ever seen God, but the one and only Son, who is himself God and is in closest relationship with the Father, has made him known. John 1: 17-18 NIV

On February 11, 2024, a record number of people gathered around their TV sets to watch a couple of hours of commercials, better known as Super Bowl LVIII! Fifty-nine commercials aired costing about $7 million per thirty seconds of air time. In between the ads, CBS actually broadcasted a great game, even giving us an extra quarter of football. If you were watching only for the commercials I am sure you have a favorite. Can you ever forget Dina and Mita fighting Top Gun: Maverick Danny Ramirez for the last bag of Doritos Dinamita? Then there is the timeless action hero, Arnold Schwarzenegger trying to pronounce neighbor for State Farm with  Danny DeVito upstaging him at the end. The star-studded Dunkin’ commercial with Ben Affleck, Matt Damen, Tom Brady, Jack Harlow, Jennifer Lopez, and Fat Joe was top-notch entertainment, but, they left out the donuts.

The goal of any ad is to remember a product and end up buying, especially if you paid $7 million per 30 minutes. However, one little ad generated more controversy than the couple of minutes it aired. Some have condemned it as wasting money that could have been given to humanitarian causes, others have labeled it as heresy, folks on social media have mocked it, while others have claimed it was brilliant and creative, creating openings for gospel conversations. Whether you thought He Gets Us missed the mark, hit the mark or you don’t care, it has created a media buzz with over 700,000 people following up for more information.

In this season preparing for Easter, the ad reminds us of the real and powerful story that John captured and the difference it made for the disciples and leaves us a lasting lesson. Culturally, foot washing had been a mark of genuine hospitality for generations. As far back as Abraham, visitors were welcomed with food and rest. “Let a little water be brought and then you may all wash your feet and rest under this tree.” Gen 18:4

Hikers, farmers, construction workers, salespeople, and anyone standing all day on their feet can appreciate the exhilaration of finally taking off their shoes at the end of the day.  Generations of people have had to walk to where they were going, mostly on dusty roads. Arriving at their destination it must have been pure joy to be greeted with a pan of cold water. Since foot washing was a normal rhythm of life, why would any of the Gospel writers even mention it? Sure, it was defiantly scandalous when the unnamed woman crashed Simon’s party and washed Jesus’ feet with her tears and poured perfume on them (Luke 7:36-50) and eye-opening for Jesus’ disciples when Mary took a jar of expensive perfume and poured it on Jesus’ feet. (John 12:1-8)

Yet what John recorded broke generations of protocol, cultural status, and religious hierarchy. Everyone knew and accepted the fact that servants washed feet, but never would the master stoop to such a lowly menial task. Yet, that was exactly what Jesus did that night. However, Jesus had a history of not always following protocol, regulations, or expectations. John records that Jesus got up from the meal table and put on a servant’s garment. (John 13:1-17) The disciples most likely would have understood if a broken, sinful woman washed Jesus’ feet out of gratitude or if a devoted follower of Jesus poured out her life savings on his feet out of devotion, but why would Jesus wash their feet?

Jesus took Peter’s feet and poured water over them out of love. Peter could be arrogant, maybe a bit brash, and a bit egotistical.

Jesus took John and James’ feet and poured water over them out of love. Both were status-conscious, jealous of others, and power-driven.

Jesus took Thomas’ feet and poured water over them out of love. Thomas questioned and had doubts.

Jesus took Andrew’s feet and poured water over them out of love. Andrew was the inquisitive one, the outside-the-box thinker, but timid when confronted.

Jesus took Judas’ feet and poured water over them out of love. Judas was the faithless one who cared more for money and power.

Jesus took each of his disciple’s feet and poured water over them out of love. Jesus told them that they would someday understand, “I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. Very truly I tell you, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.” (John 13:15-17)

Jesus Gets Us because Jesus knows us. Jesus knew His disciples just as He knows us. Was his gentle touch upon their feet enough to stir a deep longing in their hearts? What were they thinking? Jesus talked with Peter but what about the others as he washed their feet?

Could Jesus have blessed them as he wiped their feet with his towel? My beloved Peter, you will be a leader of my church. My beloved John, you will finally understand the depth of real love and encourage others.  My beloved James, you will be strong in faith until the end. My beloved Andrew, keep asking questions but be bold. My beloved Thomas, let your doubts build your faith and witness. Oh Judas, would that you would resist evil.

“Everywhere Jesus went, he left behind pictures that showed us who God is. And what is the composite of those pictures? A God who sees and who cares. A God who listens and who speaks. Who touches and transforms. A God who calms the wind, stills the waves, and extends his hand to the sinking. A God who heals the sick and raises the dead. Who frees the prisoners, feeds the hungry, blesses the children. A God who came at the greatest personal cost to destroy the works of the devil.” (Ken Gire, The North Face of God, p187)

Jesus understands we are a broken people who, left to our own devices could break every commandment. Yet God extended mercy when we deserved punishment. “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5:8

God is great!

 

Journey Toward Freedom

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Save me from the guilt of bloodshed, God—God of my salvation—and my tongue will sing of your righteousness. Lord, open my lips, and my mouth will declare your praise. You do not want a sacrifice, or I would give it; you are not pleased with a burnt offering. The sacrifice pleasing to God is a broken spirit. You will not despise a broken and humbled heart, God. Psalm 51:14-17 CSB

I don’t have an exact statistic on this but I’m sure at some point in life every person on Planet Earth has bought something with the magic words, “easy to assemble.” There is nothing more invigorating and soul-binding than a couple opening a box containing their new furniture piece and spreading out the 16 million pieces all over the living room floor. Most likely you fall into one of three categories: those who start assembling the pieces without reading the manual, those who meticulously read the 30-page easy-to-assemble manual before starting, or the one who pays the $150 for Home Depot to assemble. Long after the estimated time of assembling, you finally admire your finished product, only to find an extra bolt. How did we miss this?

Normally a missing bolt can be overlooked unless you are 16,000 feet in the air! The passengers and crew on Alaska Airlines flight 1282 found out exactly how important four bolts were on January 5 of this year.  As the plane was ascending to reach cruising altitude, a loud blast was heard as the door blew off. The National Transportation Safety Board determined that the cause of the door blowout was four missing bolts on the Boeing 737 Max 9. Thankfully, no passenger was sitting next to the door.  “Whatever final conclusions are reached, Boeing is accountable for what happened. An event like this must not happen on an airplane that leaves our factory. We simply must do better for our customers and their passengers,” said Boeing CEO Dave Calhoun in a statement. (CNN Report)

Four little missing bolts resulted in a near-fatal disaster, reminding us how the insignificant becomes significant in life. We are now in the season of Lent, a time of preparation for Easter. In the same way as Advent prepares our hearts and minds for Christmas, Lent is a time for focusing our minds and hearts on the life-changing Easter celebration. “Historians generally agree that the 40-day period before Easter, known as Lent, emerged shortly following the Council of Nicea in 325 AD. The earliest observances of Lent seem to have focused particularly on the practice of fasting. Council records suggest that the fast applied at first mainly to new converts as a period of repentance and reflection before baptism at Easter. In any case, Lent quickly became a general practice churchwide.” (Christopher Hunt)

I don’t come from a stream of the Christian faith that practices Lent, but I think there is some richness and beauty in this ancient practice that can stir a hunger within our souls. In our journey toward Easter, this can be a time to reflect, prepare, and hold gently this season in our souls. Whether we practice fasting from food, media, or anything else, it can be a reflective time of preparation.

Augustine spoke of “rightly ordered loves,” which puts the LORD first as the foremost love of our lives. Everything else in our lives; family, work, or any activity, all become secondary to Christ. Lent, in whatever form or fashion we undertake, awakens in us a heart towards God. “Our heart is restless until it finds its rest in You.” (Augustine’s Confession)

Jay Ferguson expresses it well regarding Lent. “Lent isn’t mentioned in the Bible; it’s not a scriptural command to observe. Our freedom in Christ, the sufficiency of His blood for our righteousness, means we don’t have to engage in rituals to earn favor with God. Yet, the Church is Christ’s bride, and by God’s grace, we are deeply connected to something so ancient, so much more profound than the ephemeral nature of our cultural context. Like Sabbath, or fasting, or other blessings from the Lord, these things aren’t commanded, yet they make us more whole when we engage.”

Our Eastern Orthodox family uses the term “bright sadness” to describe this season of preparation for Easter. Though this is a fairly new term for me, I am coming to appreciate it within the context of preparing for Easter. In the days leading to the cross there was a heaviness about the time but with an under-current of hope and faith. “There is a sadness because we turn our gaze inward in a more intentional way, reflecting on our sinfulness and the unimaginable suffering and brutality of the death Jesus willingly submitted to for our sake. But our sadness is clothed in light, because our sins are not indelible marks forever separating us from God’s love, and our suffering is not pointless cruelty inflicted by an impersonal god.” (Ann Koshute)

Bright Sadness holds in tension the sadness of the Cross and yet the bright hope of the resurrection. John captures this tension of sorrow turning to joy as part of the Passover Festival dialogue with Jesus’ disciples. “In a little while, you will no longer see me; again in a little while you will see me.” Jesus continues in his thoughts on sorrow/joy tension. “When a woman is in labor, she has pain because her time has come. But when she has given birth to a child, she no longer remembers the suffering because of the joy that a person has been born into the world. So you also have sorrow now. But I will see you again. Your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take away your joy from you.” –John16:16,21-22 (CSB)

Many of you may find yourself in this season of tension having experienced the sadness of loss and yet trust in the bright hope of Easter. All of us are at some place in our lives holding the tension of deep contentment with deep sadness.

How do we hold the tension of sadness and hope? The Psalmist asked the question that only Easter can answer. “How long LORD? Will you be angry forever?” “God of our salvation, help us, for the glory of your name. Rescue us and atone for our sins, for your name’s sake.” (Psalm 79:5,9)

LORD, as we travel this season of preparation, help us to keep our focus on You, for only at the cross will we find freedom.

God is great!

Love Takes The Day

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Love is patient, love is kind. Love does not envy, is not boastful, is not arrogant, is not rude, is not self-seeking, is not irritable, and does not keep a record of wrongs. Love finds no joy in unrighteousness but rejoices in the truth. It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends. I Cor 13:4-8a CSB

What are Americans willing to spend on love? According to USA Today, Americans spent $26 Billion in 2023 on Valentine’s Day. The average amount spent on gifts came to roughly $131 for their significant others and $53 on others such as friends, co-workers, teachers, and most importantly, their pets. The number one gift was candy, followed by greeting cards and flowers.

However, you would be hard-pressed to beat the gift that you can buy at The San Antonio Zoo. People make an online donation to the zoo and they get to name a roach, rodent, or veggie after someone, normally an ex. “You may find help on your healing journey with a dash of humor (and pettiness) by naming a cockroach after your ex, which will later be fed to a San Antonio Zoo animal.”

Zoo spokesperson Cyle Perez said, “There were more than 7,700 donations from all 50 states and over 30 countries in 2023. People named David, Chris, Michael, Sarah, Amanda, and Emily must be some real heartbreakers. Those were the most-requested names last year. The fundraiser has brought in more than $225,000 since its inception in 2020.” (Madalyn Mendoza, Axios)

A cockroach for your Valentine probably will not be the most endearing present but it will be rememberable. I can see why the focus is on the ex-part since giving a cockroach as a gift will probably get you into the ex-category.

Valentine’s Day is celebrated in at least 30 countries around the world and this is not surprising since the need to say, “I love you,” is a global gesture that every person wants to hear. Pope Gelasius declared February 14th as Valentine’s Day at the end of the 5th century, though the romance part of the holiday came later. There are a multitude of reasons why February has long been associated with romance and love. The English Poet Geoffrey Chaucer was the first to record St. Valentine’s Day as a day of romantic celebration. (History.com)

Hallmark cards, a dozen red roses, and a box of Godiva Dark Chocolate are all nice on Valentine’s Day and highly recommended. However, flowers fade, and chocolate is eaten, but real Valentine’s love that flows from God is the 24-7, 365-day, never-ending type and is the greatest gift. Kallistos Katafygiotis said, “The most important thing that happens between God and the human soul is to love and to be loved.” Jesus’ disciple and friend, John said, “Dear friends, let us love one another, because love is from God, and everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. The one who does not love does not know God, because God is love.” I John 4:7-8

“Marjorie Thompson tells the story of a conversation between an eighteenth-century priest and an elderly peasant who would sit alone for long hours in the quiet of the church. When the priest asked what he was doing, the old man simply replied, “I look at Him, He looks at me, and we are happy.” (Practicing the Way, John Mark Comer)

Wednesday is a unique Valentine’s Day this year since it falls on Ash Wednesday. This rare calendar occurrence happens only a few times each century. In this century, the three years are 2018, 2024, and 2029. Valentine’s Day on Ash Wednesday gives us the unique opportunity to remember the ultimate expression of love as the church moves into Lent, preparing for Easter.

Unfortunately, Valentine’s Day can reflect love as a mushy, sentimental feeling worthy of a good Hallmark movie. However, falling on Ash Wednesday can be a great reminder of a love that is rich, powerful, and eternal. Ash Wednesday allows us to see love in the fullness of God’s love for us.

It is a love that looks more like forgiveness than faded flowers. “Hatred stirs up conflicts, but love covers all offenses.” (Prov 10:12).  There is a powerful scene in the latest Chosen season as Peter struggles to forgive Matthew. He counts out the offenses against him until the words of Jesus take root, “I tell you, not as many as seven, but seventy times seven.” Matt 18:22

It is a love that looks more like commitment than rhyming words on a card. John Mark Comer writes of commitment, “in both marriage and life with God, it’s the constraint of commitment that will create space for love to mature and real transformation to occur. We often chafe against it, but in the end, like caterpillars in the constraints of pupae, it is where we are transformed into butterflies—entirely new creatures of beauty.”  “I have been crucified with Christ, and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” (Gal 2:20)

It is a love that looks more like acceptance than an empty box of chocolates. Jesus walked with those lost and in darkness, reaching out to them in love. “Finally, all of you be like-minded and sympathetic, love one another, and be compassionate and humble, not paying back evil for evil or insult for insult but, on the contrary, giving a blessing, since you were called for this, so that you may inherit a blessing.” I Peter 3:8-9

I will leave it up to you as to whether you should fast or eat your chocolates on Wednesday, but I can leave you a beautiful gift of promise on Valentine’s Day that will outlast the box of chocolates:

“But God, who is rich in mercy, because of his great love that he had for us, made us alive with Christ even though we were dead in trespasses. You are saved by grace! He also raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavens in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages he might display the immeasurable riches of his grace through his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. Ephesians 2:4-7

Be blessed on this Ash Wednesday as we begin the journey towards Easter.

God is great!