Roller-Coasters and Faith

This morning I am reading Mark's Gospel again, and I am encouraged by Peter, or should I say, encouraged by the way the Lord pastored Peter.  In Mark 8 & 9 Peter seems to be on a faith roller-coaster.  Here are the first few verses - Mark 8:29-30 NIV:

[29] “But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?” Peter answered, “You are the Messiah.” [30] Jesus warned them not to tell anyone about him."

Here Peter has clearly received some revelation from the Father (See Matt 16:17) and must have been feeling pretty good about his relationship with Jesus!  He was clearly one of the leaders, and he was engaged with deeper level of revelation than the others.  The very next set of verses demonstrate the exact opposite from Peter.   Here are those verses - Mark 8:31-33 NIV:

[31] "He then began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests and the teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and after three days rise again. [32] He spoke plainly about this, and Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. 

[33] But when Jesus turned and looked at his disciples, he rebuked Peter. “Get behind me, Satan!” he said. “You do not have in mind the concerns of God, but merely human concerns.”

What an absolute failure, in light of the previous verses, where He was speaking revelation from the Father, now he is speaking from purely human concerns, and I would add, things that had been whispered to him by the enemy.  Jesus dealt with him straight away, and whether in public or private, Peter must have been devastated by his failure.  

This is so common, at least in my life of faith, I am doing really well, firing on all cylinders, speaking and acting in line with the Lord, and then bam!  I run into a wall of my own selfishness, sin, or idiocy (depends on the situation).  The enemy is always looking for ways to get us to stumble, and then when we stumble, tries to convince us that we have messed up so bad that we have been benched by the Lord, at the very minimum.  

Imagine how Peter must have felt following this rebuke from Jesus.  There is no doubt that His heart was for the things of the Lord, but his mind and emotions and thinking were not aligned with his heart.  I am sure he was pretty crushed, probably went to the back of the group of disciples, and maybe even thought of packing his bags and heading home.  Being called satan by the one you love and are following has got to shake you to the core.

Mark continues on in the next verses with a bit that seems an unlikely next teaching by Jesus - Mark 8:34-35 NIV:

[34] Then he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. [35] For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me and for the gospel will save it."

I think this represents Jesus drawing Peter back from the pit of his own failure.  Peter, as well as the other Apostles, had done exactly what Jesus is describing, they had "lost" their lives, walked away from everything, to follow Him.  Jesus is effectively calling them all to that place of obedience, trust and self-sacrifice, and I think part of His purpose is to get Peter to re-engage.

Moving on into Mark 9, we find that after 6 days, Jesus selects Peter, John and James to accompany Him up the mountain.  I am sure at this point some of the relational stress from Peter's rebuking has worn off by this time, but if he is at all like me, he was probably still wondering if he had disqualified himself from being in the inner circle.  I am sure being asked by the Lord to accompany Him up the mountain was very reassuring, and again showing the Lord's pastoral care for Peter.

Moving on, we now know that up that mountain, Jesus was transfigured before their eyes.  I am sure they were all blown away by this all.  Here are the verses - Mark 9:2-4 NIV:

[2] "After six days Jesus took Peter, James and John with him and led them up a high mountain, where they were all alone. There he was transfigured before them. [3] His clothes became dazzling white, whiter than anyone in the world could bleach them. [4] And there appeared before them Elijah and Moses, who were talking with Jesus."

Again, talk about roller-coaster rides, this was definitely a "mountain-top experience" for Peter, and apparently this all happened in just over a week!  Wow, what  a week!  Here we have Jesus apparently stepping for a moment into His divine nature, and Peter was there to witness it.  He wrote about that moment in 2 Peter 1:16-18 NIV:

[16] "For we did not follow cleverly devised stories when we told you about the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ in power, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty. [17] He received honor and glory from God the Father when the voice came to him from the Majestic Glory, saying, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.” [18] We ourselves heard this voice that came from heaven when we were with him on the sacred mountain."

I can't even imagine how impactful that must have been!  One would think from that point on, Peter would be all-in, and it seems that is the case.  That doesn't mean that he stopped making mistakes, or stopped the roller-coaster ride, he was still going to deny Christ, abandon him in the garden, cut off the ear of a guard, misunderstand about Jesus' Kingdom, and even go over to the "circumcision party", but his life direction was set, and the Lord loved him through all of the mistakes, missteps, wrong-thinking, and the like.  

I like to think that Peter's example is a great witness to those of us who are far from perfect, who's hearts are in the right place, but not always our minds and actions!  Nothing Peter did ever disqualified him from serving Jesus, from following Him, or from loving Him!  The Lord was confident in His own ability to shepherd Peter through all the tough times and mistakes, and He is equally confident in His ability to shepherd me.  He knows my life can be a roller-coaster ride of faith and obedience as well as unbelief and rebellion, yet He loves me through them all!  He expects me to get up each day to do my best in following, loving and obeying Him, and He will guide me. 

In summary, I am encouraged today to just keep following the Lord, to not give up, not give in, not disqualify myself, but t trust that He knows what He is doing in guiding me!  He knows me and He loves me!  I am sure Jesus had to roll his eyes back in His head a few times at Peter's antics, but he loved him and encouraged him and restored him, and was always faithful!  I am confident He will do the same for me.

Amen and amen!

Commands of the Lord, or Human Tradition (Ideas)?

This morning I am reading from Mark's Gospel.  I love reading of the Gospel's so that I might better know Jesus.  This morning the verses I am reflecting on are from Mark 7:5-13 NIV:

[5] "So the Pharisees and teachers of the law asked Jesus, “Why don't your disciples live according to the tradition of the elders instead of eating their food with defiled hands?” 

[6] He replied, “Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you hypocrites; as it is written: “ 'These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. [7] They worship me in vain; their teachings are merely human rules.' [8] You have let go of the commands of God and are holding on to human traditions.” 

[9] And he continued, “You have a fine way of setting aside the commands of God in order to observe your own traditions! [10] For Moses said, 'Honor your father and mother,' and, 'Anyone who curses their father or mother is to be put to death.' [11] But you say that if anyone declares that what might have been used to help their father or mother is Corban (that is, devoted to God)--- [12] then you no longer let them do anything for their father or mother. [13] Thus you nullify the word of God by your tradition that you have handed down. And you do many things like that.”

As I was reading through these verses, I had to ask myself if we are doing the same thing in our lives, in our churches, in our "religion"? 

Are we setting aside the commands of God, or are there aspects of the New Covenant (for we are not under the Covenant of the Law anymore) that we are ignoring, modifying or changing for our own convenience, or passed down tradition or ideas?  

When we look at the scriptures and consider the Gospel and the commands of Jesus, the Gospel of Grace, the teachings of the Lord, and the expansion of those teachings by Paul and the other authors of the New Testament,  as directed by the Holy Spirit, do we see a faithful representation of these in our lives, in our churches?

First and foremost, do we Love one another, as Christ loved us? 

Do we lay down our lives for one another?

Do we care for our brothers and sisters when its inconvenient, when we have to forego a want?   

Do we give of our time, our money, our attention to those in need?

Are we willing to be uncomfortable to care for someone?

Do we share out of our resources with those in need?

Are we willing to care for the sick, the downtrodden, the poor?

Do we spend time in deep conversations, about the Lord, and about our lives?

Are we actively engaged in discipling others?

Do we pray for one another?

Can others tell that we are followers of Christ by our love for one another?

Do we study the Word, that we might bring enlightenment to ourselves and to others?

All of the above are based off of the ways Jesus loved His disciples and apostles (at least in my mind). Several of them get outside our "comfort zones" and start tapping into areas where we tend towards selfish concern.

Paul in his letter to the Church in Philippi, exhorted the people to have the same mindset as Christ in the following verses - Philippians 2:3-18 NIV:

[3] "Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, [4] not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others. [5] In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: 

[6] Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; 

[7] rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. 

[8] And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death---even death on a cross! 

[9] Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, 

[10] that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 

[11] and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. 

[12] Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed---not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence---continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, [13] for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose. 

[14] Do everything without grumbling or arguing, [15] so that you may become blameless and pure, “children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation.” Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky [16] as you hold firmly to the word of life. And then I will be able to boast on the day of Christ that I did not run or labor in vain. [17] But even if I am being poured out like a drink offering on the sacrifice and service coming from your faith, I am glad and rejoice with all of you. [18] So you too should be glad and rejoice with me."

Imagine if we all lived putting other's interests before our own! 

Imagine if we valued others above ourselves! 

Don't those last two statements just make your flesh cringe?  They certainly do mine!

I don't want to put other's interests before mine!  Who will take care of me?

I don't want to value others more than I value myself, as I struggle with my own self-worth already!

In many ways, this all comes back to my trust in God, my trust in His ability to be actively engaged in my life!  Jesus spoke about these very things in His sermon on the mount, as recorded by Matthew 6:25-34 NIV:

[25] “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? [26] Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? [27] Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life ? 

[28] “And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. [29] Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. [30] If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you---you of little faith? [31] So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' [32] For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. [33] But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. [34] Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own."

As Jesus said, our Father knows my needs,  and will provide them!  All of this comes back to my own heart and faith, and my own fears!  Do I really believe that God will care for me, and meet my needs, if I am concerned first for others?  Do I really believe that in looking to honor others, to express and recognize their value, that I will cared for in this way as well?  Do I believe that if I lay down my life in real and practical ways for my brothers and sisters that the Lord, will take care of me?

In my mind, this seems to be core to our faith walk with the Lord!  

As a church, is this core to our teachings, and our encouragements?  Are we so worried about taking care of people's desire to be entertained, to be made to feel comfortable, that we are letting go of the commands of Jesus and embracing the pattern of worship and teaching that is popular, and tickles people ears?

Oh Lord, help us!

Amen and Amen!

One New Humanity

This morning I am reading out of Paul's letter to the Church in Ephesus, and looking at some interesting facts that are related.  Here are the verses - Ephesians 2:11-22 NIV:

[11] "Therefore, remember that formerly you who are Gentiles by birth and called “uncircumcised” by those who call themselves “the circumcision” (which is done in the body by human hands)--- [12] remember that at that time you were separate from Christ, excluded from citizenship in Israel and foreigners to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the world. [13] But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ." 

[14] "For he himself is our peace, who has made the two groups one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, [15] by setting aside in his flesh the law with its commands and regulations. His purpose was to create in himself one new humanity out of the two, thus making peace, [16] and in one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility. [17] He came and preached peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near. [18] For through him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit." 

[19] "Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God's people and also members of his household, [20] built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. [21] In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. [22] And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit."

My reflection this morning is the unanticipated salvation available to the whole world.  Paul is writing about the circumcised (Jews) and the uncircumcised (everyone else). At the time of Christ there were probably 5 million Jews in the world and the world population was 300 Million (according to estimates) thus we have Jesus coming to a people that is not even 2% of the world population.  The rest of the world (98%) had very little concept of the Covenant of the Law, as Paul writes, they were "without hope and without God in the world."    

Paul writes that there was enmity between the two groups, the Jewish people and everyone else, and this existed because of the Jews being chosen and separated out of the world.  They were people of the promise, the chosen nation, a people set apart for God. God had moved mightily in their past and promised them a Messiah to move powerfully in their midst and to save them. The Jews were looking forward to the time when they would once again be God's blessed people, a nation and people blessed and favored on Earth.  However, God had slightly different but broader plans and these plans were revealed in Jesus, and following Jesus ascension through Peter and Paul.

I love the image that Paul uses, that Jesus created in Himself one new humanity, bridging the two, Jews and non-Jews, together in His body.  He made a way  for the 98% to join the 2%, as chosen of God, and opened the door to salvation for all!  He caused the Covenant of the Law to be set aside (see verse 15 above).  This translation is a bit week in my opinion, as the Greek word used by Paul is katargesas - which is defined as following by Strong's exhaustive:  From kata and argeo; to be (render) entirely idle (useless), literally or figuratively -- abolish, cease, cumber, deliver, destroy, do away, become (make) of no (none, without) effect, fail, loose, bring (come) to nought, put away (down), vanish away, make void!  In other words, he didn't sit is aside, he completely nullified it, completely abolished it! 

Paul applies the reality of that back to his statements about enmity, for if Christ cancelled the Covenant of the Law, He effectively wiped out the separation between the 98% and the 2%, and made them all part of His household, as fellow citizens with God's people.  Remember he was writing to people who understood the rights of a Roman Citizen, and this was no simple benefit.  It could be earned or bought, but Paul writes that our our citizenship was gifted by Christ Jesus through His cross and resurrection and this was available to all.  While our access to the Father and Holy Spirit is assured, it is our choice to receive. He is writing to the church and they have received this right, and everyone else has this same way open to them.  We no longer are limited by our family lines, by our ancestry, by our actions or obedience to the Law!

Paul then continues and describes the new plan of God to build a single new Temple, a building in which His spirit dwells, one comprised of all who come to Him!  Their isn't a Jewish wing and a non-Jewish wing, we are all part of the same building and Jesus is who joins us all together into a single unified building.  This must have been mind-blowing to the Jews who had been sure of their unique identity as God's chosen people, compared to the rest of the world.  Peter writes something similar in 1 Peter 2:5,9-10 NIV:

[5] "you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ."

[9] "But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God's special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. [10] Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy."

I am just so grateful for God's larger plan to include all the people of the world as His people!  I am so glad that we no longer are subject to the Covenant of the Law, but are instead fully citizens, by God's great grace and mercy.   I am grateful for His invitation into His Kingdom of Light.  I am grateful to be called a member of His household, and even more, His son! 

Finally I am reminded of what Paul wrote in his letter to the Romans 8:14-17 NIV:

[14] "For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God. [15] The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.” [16] The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God's children. [17] Now if we are children, then we are heirs---heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory."

This is available to us all, whether part of that original 2% or the 98%, we all are invited into relationship with Him, in this one new humanity!  We are all brought near by the Blood of Jesus!

Amen and Amen!

Testing and Training

A couple of mornings ago, I came across an interesting passage from Judges 3:1-4 NIV:

[1] "These are the nations the Lord left to test all those Israelites who had not experienced any of the wars in Canaan [2] (he did this only to teach warfare to the descendants of the Israelites who had not had previous battle experience): [3] the five rulers of the Philistines, all the Canaanites, the Sidonians, and the Hivites living in the Lebanon mountains from Mount Baal Hermon to Lebo Hamath. [4] They were left to test the Israelites to see whether they would obey the Lord's commands, which he had given their ancestors through Moses."

I had a similar understanding about the time the Israelites spent in the wilderness, that much of that time was spent by the Lord changing their character from slaves to warriors, and if you think about it, any man 20 and older when they left Egypt, passed away in the wilderness and never crossed into the promised land. The following is just one set of verses that speaks about this fact.

Deuteronomy 2:14-15 NIV:

"Thirty-eight years passed from the time we left Kadesh Barnea until we crossed the Zered Valley. By then, that entire generation of fighting men had perished from the camp, as the Lord had sworn to them. [15] The Lord's hand was against them until he had completely eliminated them from the camp."

It seems to me that the Lord was changing their identity as a people, and that He wanted trained warriors who not only knew how to fight, but knew how to stay obedient to His commands. 

As I was reflecting on these verses I felt like the Lord opened my understanding a bit.  Thinking about our life as Christians, it seems we just move from one test to another, tests that require more of us, and a focus on our ability to obey what the Lord is saying!   Sometimes I lament the fact that this cycle seems that its never ending.  

I felt like the Lord showed me that this is similar to our experience in school.  We spend time learning and then we are tested on the material.  If we pass we move on to the next lesson, the next level.  However, unlike the Lord, If we don't pass, sometimes we are given the chance to review the material again and be retested, but more often than not we just get a poor grade and don't learn the material well.   However, with the Lord, in His mercy, He makes sure that we retest and retest until we fully understand what we need to understand. Ultimately the Lord is investing in our character, and our abilities and isn't going to take any short-cuts, or leave us lacking.  What I find lamentable, is actually the Lord investing in me and being merciful to me.  He does all this so that we will be trained and discipled in Him, and in doing so our character changes into His likeness. 

I am reminded of the following passages from the Letter to the Hebrews 12:7-11 NIV:

[7] Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as his children. For what children are not disciplined by their father? [8] If you are not disciplined---and everyone undergoes discipline---then you are not legitimate, not true sons and daughters at all. [9] Moreover, we have all had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it. How much more should we submit to the Father of spirits and live! [10] They disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, in order that we may share in his holiness. [11] No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.

This passage, if misunderstood, can be disheartening, the way it reads in the NIV.  I did a pretty thorough reflection on verse 7 in my blog that hopefully is helpful, as this verse reads much more negatively than it should.  When I read discipline here, I must think back to the making of the Lord's disciples.   Anyway, here is the link- https://amomentwithgod-srh.blogspot.com/2017/12/enduring-hardship-better-understanding.html

I am so grateful for this word, for if it seems we are experiencing a constant struggle amd testing, it is because the Lord  is training us up as sons and daughters, ones that He can trust and that can represent Him to this world.

Help me Lord!

Amen!

God's Mercy and Bridged Service

On Sunday, I was thinking about the mercy of the Lord, and had an analogy pop into my mind that I hadn't thought of previously, so I thought I would jot it down quickly.  I enjoy plumbing the depths of new (to me) revelation, as it often helps me better understand His character and nature.   Jesus was adept at using parables as teaching opportunities, and He often used things that his audience understood from their own personal experience, things like farming, baking bread, and the like.  

As I was saying I was thinking about the Lord's mercy and the idea of bridging of service popped into my head.  Bridging of service is where someone works for a company for several years, leaves that company for a new job and then comes back to that company later as a returning employee, and the company essentially allows them to pick-up where they left off, for things like number of vacation days they had available, based on number of years worked there, pensions, insurance, and other benefits.  

For example, if a person worked at the company 10 years, and because of that was earning 15 days of vacation, instead of the base level of 10, if after 5 years working for another company, when the employee comes back, they are now considered into their 11th year of service, and they resume their vacation earning as an 11 year employee rather than the standard level.  I have never actually had my service bridged, but I know many who have had this experience working for some of the large Telecom companies.  I probably am doing a terrible job of describing the benefits, but suffice it to say it is a very nice benefit.

On Sunday, I felt like the Lord said, "He is so much better than this", and He pointed to the parable of the Prodigal found in Luke 15. This is an incredibly rich story, full of all sorts of wonderful meaning, and today I am just going to look at the restoration of the younger son to his former position and relationship, and authority.  Here are some select verses - Luke 15:11-14,17-24 NIV:

[11] "Jesus continued: “There was a man who had two sons. [12] The younger one said to his father, 'Father, give me my share of the estate.' So he divided his property between them. 

[13] “Not long after that, the younger son got together all he had, set off for a distant country and there squandered his wealth in wild living. [14] After he had spent everything, there was a severe famine in that whole country, and he began to be in need. 

[17] “When he came to his senses, he said, 'How many of my father's hired servants have food to spare, and here I am starving to death! [18] I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. [19] I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired servants.' [20] So he got up and went to his father. 

“But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him. [21] “The son said to him, 'Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.' 

[22] “But the father said to his servants, 'Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. [23] Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let's have a feast and celebrate. [24] For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.' So they began to celebrate."

I don't know all the historical significance, nor context for the request the younger son made in verse twelve, but in our present day, people either get their share (inheritance) when a person they know has died, and the person who passed has listed them (in this case the younger son) as having title to some portion of their estate.  It is payable after their death.  We also have a model where a founder will bring in their children and give them control of the company while they are still alive.  In either case, their is a transfer of wealth, and a change in relationship.   

In this story the younger son took his share, and converted it to cash apparently, and then proceeded to blow it all on sinful living. Additionally, he moved away, and was estranged from his father, through his own choice.  For a time he did whatever he wanted to do, but when difficult times came upon them all, he had no real skills, or money left.  He was in a depressed state and rightly understood the cause was his own choice.  This was a critical understanding, so he decides to  go back and beg for mercy from his father, asking for the lowest level of relationship, that of a servant.  His understanding of the Father's heart and character is evident here, or at least his thoughts about the father are evident.  He expects to have to earn his way back, to start over, and to never have the same relationship with His father as before!  He thought his rights as a son were effectively cashed in and spent, terminated by his previous choice.

Suffice it to say that the younger son was completely surprised by the welcome he receives when he returned home.  Rather than starting as a servant, he is immediately restored to his previous relationship, restored to his authority as son and with that relationship all the previous benefits, including an inheritance! As I understand it, the robe signifies favor, the ring authority and legal representation, and the sandals sonship.  Instead of starting over, He is celebrated, honored and restored!  There was no trial period, no 90 day probation, no need to earn back anything, including the Father's trust!  

What a great example of the Father's mercy, compassion and grace!  His son didn't earn it, didn't deserve it, and yet He was fully restored to everything he once had as son, and it was like he never left.

The message is quite clear, if we have walked away from the Father, chosen poorly in our life, and find ourselves in a difficult position, the Father doesn't care, He just wants us back in the family, back in relationship!  He effectively bridged all of the sons benefits and privileges from his previous life and welcomed him back with open arms!  Our Lord is better than any employer, and will treat us as sons and daughters immediately, no waiting, no re-earning trust, no walk of shame, nothing that would suggest any lesser life, or relationship! 

This morning I am once again grateful for the Lord's great mercy, compassion, love and grace!  He always waits and immediately responds when we turn back to Him, no matter how many times, no matter how badly we have rejected Him and His ways!  He is better than employment bridging!

Thank You Lord!

An Uncomfortable Truth

Yesterday morning I was reflecting on Peter's attempt to correct Jesus (Matt 16) and later in the day I ran across some verses from Isaiah that had a similar theme, of not wanting to hear what God was saying.

Here are the verses from Matthew 16:21-23 NIV:

[21] "From that time on Jesus began to explain to his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things at the hands of the elders, the chief priests and the teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life. 

[22] Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. “Never, Lord!” he said. “This shall never happen to you!” 

[23] Jesus turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the concerns of God, but merely human concerns.”

Here are the verses from Isaiah 30:9-11 NIV:

[9] For these are rebellious people, deceitful children, 

children unwilling to listen to the Lord's instruction. 

[10] They say to the seers, “See no more visions !” 

and to the prophets, “Give us no more visions of what is right! 

Tell us pleasant things, prophesy illusions. 

[11] Leave this way, get off this path, 

and stop confronting us with the Holy One of Israel!”

I had been reflecting on Peter's rebuke of Jesus, for saying that He was going to suffer and die, and rise from the dead.  It seems clear that Peter can't believe what Jesus is saying, or doesn't want to hear what He is saying.  The life that they shared together was coming to an end, and Peter is trying to get Jesus to change His mind.  In the verses preceding Peter had correctly named Jesus as Messiah (See Matt 16:16), and now He was trying to get Him to act like what they thought the Messiah would act like, and that certainly didn't involve going to Jerusalem to suffer and die!  Peter thought God's plans were totally different than what was being revealed, and so he corrected him.  

I know I often am telling God how I think His plan should work, and this is basically the same thing!  It is almost comical, the audacity to think that we know better than God, but this is nothing new.

The verses from Isaiah just uncover the same theme, just from 700 years earlier.  Here the people are  not wanting to hear the word of the Lord, and in this case, being really blunt about it!  They don't want to hear the truth, crying "give us no more visions of what is right!"  They don't want to be confronted by the Lord, for His words are uncomfortable!  

Again, I am reminded of how often this has been the case, where I knew what was right, but I didn't want to listen, instead choosing my own path, my own provision, working out my own plan, if you will.   The verses preceding these from Isaiah, is God rebuking them for turning to Egypt for help instead of turning to God!  They were thinking and acting like men who thought they knew better than God, and they were going down the path of their own choosing, and didn't want to be bothered with the "Word of the Lord".

This is such a dangerous path, for we can become deluded, thinking that we don't need God, or only need God when He says something we like, but reject anything that is uncomfortable or on which we disagree.  We are elevating our opinion over God's word, saying we are better at being god of our own life!  Yikes!

We would be wise to heed the words of Jesus, in response to Peter's "correction".  Matthew 16:24-27 NIV:

[24] Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. [25] For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it. [26] What good will it be for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul? [27] For the Son of Man is going to come in his Father's glory with his angels, and then he will reward each person according to what they have done."

I was just thinking that in our present culture how being offensive is now considered criminal.  We have somehow elevated our feelings to the level of judge and jury!  We have people losing their jobs because they said something that offended someone!  

The Lord, in His mercy and perfection, will offend us!  He will offend us that we might wake from our stupor, realize our delusion and change our minds and actions!  In the verses above, Jesus is forcing us to see the real cost of following Him, and for many of us this is offensive.  We don't want to lay down our lives, and we don't want to change our minds or thoughts! We want comfort and pleasant things!  We want our lives to go on the way we like and don't want to be confronted by the "Word of the Lord" or someone telling us we are on the wrong path!  We are just like the people in Isaiah, just like Peter, saying our way is better.

Lord, forgive me for any way in me that still thinks and acts this way, and help me to choose to follow You regardless of the cost.  Help me to wake from any delusion I am under, and choose Your way!  Help me to look to You for direction, guidance, and course correction.  

Lord, I pray for Your Church, for many have made a great business of preaching only what people want to hear, rather than Your Truth! Lord awaken us from our slumber, from any delusions, and help us to follow You!  

We will look different than the world, and while it might be uncomfortable, we will shine with Your Glory!

In closing, I am reminded of verses from later in Isaiah 60:1-3 NIV:

[1] “Arise, shine, for your light has come,

 and the glory of the Lord rises upon you. 

[2] See, darkness covers the earth and thick darkness is over the peoples, 

but the Lord rises upon you and his glory appears over you. 

[3] Nations will come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your dawn."

Amen and Amen!