Devotion.al

Tag: end

  • Lamenting Forward

    Lamenting Forward

    Ezekiel 2:1–3:3; Lamentations 3:17–33; Ecclesiastes 3:1–8

    There are two prevailing feelings currently: fear and anger. Neither one is productive over time. In the end, they can destroy a person emotionally and spiritually.

    Ezekiel ate words of lament, mourning, and woe. In the , the edible scroll tastes a sweet as honey. At the same time, there was no joy in the words themselves.

    One of the biggest lessons that the current atmosphere can teach us is that we need to mourn what we have lost. We are even still in the midst of losing our perception of culture(s), country, and even . We fight the .

    We don’t want to lose all that we hold dear. At the same time, there is another feeling that is harder to quantify… God is doing something new. We don’t know what that new is, which causes us to be even more emotionally reactive.

    God can (and does) handle our anger and fear. God is greater than that. We, though, need to lament, , and mourn.

    When we lose a one, we miss them. We grieve. We mourn. We understand that it is not only acceptable, it is also healthy. We also must—as hard as it is—find a way to forward.

    That is currently the way many things are right now. One of the great difficulties is to choose what to mourn and move past, and what to struggle for. As the situation around COVID continues, we will continue to have to work and walk together to find a way forward.

    We all must be -filled as people struggle with their grief masked in fear and anger. Only the God of can turn the anger and fear into a drive to move forward in . Let us all be people of hope.

    ※Prayer※

    Heavenly Father, guide us to be people of hope, not just any hope, but the hope of the crucified and risen Son. Amen.

    ※Questions※

    1) What is one thing you are angry about right now? How about fearful? What about grieving?

    2) If you were to rank each of these in order, what would they be, and why?

    3) Which of these has the greatest effect upon your walk? How so?

  • Summary Path

    Summary Path

    Malachi 4:5–6; Matthew 17:10–13; John 1:19–28

    Jesus said that John was Elijah. John said he wasn’t Elijah. Who was right?

    The question is, who is Elijah? The other question is, who’s asking?

    First of all, let’s talk about Malachi’s words. Malachi prophesied that Elijah would come back to Judah heralding a massive change. Malachi spoke to the Jews post-exile.

    Despite the restoration of the , the people were with and ennui. God didn’t meet their expectation of restoring everything to the way they perceived it having been before (even if its perfection was figurative). They were walking on the downward slope away from God, again.

    Malachi didn’t let them off the hook. God was coming, in God’s timing. People would come to God, or they wouldn’t, but something momentous would happen. The Day of the Lord was often synonymous with the end of the world. It was also used to indicate a God-driven cataclysmic change.

    Malachi’s words had transformed as the precursor to the Messiah. Elijah would come before the Messiah. This not a literal thing, as reincarnation was not part of Jewish thought. This “Elijah” would be “in the of Elijah” meaning a prophet of God, but with a particular focus on restoring the between the people and God.

    So, why did John deny being Elijah? Probably because he didn’t see himself that way. The problem with being compared to a legendary figure is that you know you’re not the legendary figure. There was a lot of weight and expectation, and John probably didn’t want to bear that burden.

    Also, as there was so much build-up regarding the Messiah, there was likely just as much build-up around Elijah, and much of it was probably wrong. Why would John want to be a part of that?

    There is also the last part of it, which is who Elijah was really couldn’t be evaluated until the Messiah completed the return. John was dead before the fulfillment, and without himself seeing the fulfillment, he certainly would have questioned being “Elijah”.

    Jesus, on the other hand, knew what was coming, and knew what had gone before. He had the to be able to John “Elijah”. In the spirit of Elijah, the Messiah (Jesus) did indeed reset the Day of the Lord. It was only through the life, death, and of Jesus that John could fully be called “Elijah.”

    Often, our own perspective of our lives is twisted and/or minimized, for we (like John) cannot really see what came before and what will come after. We do not know the hearts we’ve changed, the paths we’ve diverted. Only at the end will God let us see it all from an perspective.

    That we are faithful to God. That we pursue God. That we follow God. That we try to help others follow God. This is what God will let us see at the end. For now, we can only put one step in front of the other.

    ※Prayer※

    Father God, help us to accept that we cannot see the eternal effect of our lives. Lord Jesus, help us to follow you that the eternal effect brings you glory. Spirit, guard and strengthen our hearts for those times when we are discouraged because we don’t see that we’ve made a difference. Amen.

    ※Questions※

    1) There are 2 kinds of eulogies. One that is written by the deceased for reading at the funeral, and the ones that are written in the hearts of others. Which one matters most? In what ways does the eulogy matter for both?

    2) What concepts and feelings come to mind when you hear the phrase, “The Day of the Lord”? Why might that be?

  • Drink or Eat

    Drink or Eat

    Judges 6:25–32; Hebrews 5:11–6:3

    Supposedly, the Israelites were the People of God. Their lives after their entrance into the Promised Land was certainly not a testimony to that. The worthless gods and idols of the land became the focus of their lives. God became a second thought, if that.

    Weak Gideon (his own thoughts of himself) was being asked to stand up to his father (leader of a weak ), which would then stand up to the tribe around them. That sounds encouraging.

    While we might knock Gideon for doing it at night, it does make sense. Gideon was first approached as he hid in the wine vat squashing grapes. Fear was ingrained in Gideon.

    In the end, Gideon did what God required.

    As we , however, Gideon did not have to fear his father. Even though Gideon had sacrificed two bulls (not a small ) without permission, and incurred the wrath of the tribe, Gideon’s father stood firm. Despite the fact that Joash (Gideon’s father) had an altar to Baal and an Asherah pole, Joash still asked, “who defends Baal?” This implies that Joash may have been outwardly compliant to the culture, but was, in fact, loyal to God. This would explain why Gideon was chosen.

    For whatever reason, the people of Israel became lazy in their and followed the easy path of the people that remained. They followed the idols. Despite the forging of the Israelites in the desert, and even their forging in war to take the promised land, the heart of their culture had not yet turned to God.

    The author of the Hebrews is facing a similar situation with the recipients of that letter. The lazy way of the “rules of the ancestors” rather than the harder Way of Christ was still not being overturned.

    The author of Hebrews was, in some ways, mocking the recipients by calling them unweaned children. They weren’t even receiving pre-chewed meat from their “parent”. Of course, the author of Hebrews implied that this was an active choice of will. They chose to set aside the good “meat” of Christ for the milk of the Law.

    This was a cultural momentum that needed to be overturned.

    Whether it was the stories in Judges, to the reforming of the Law into the way of grace and , to today as people are not even interested in God, it all revolves around the same issue/concern: self over the revealed ways of God.

    While we are often quick to point the finger at the culture around us, it must not be denied that “Christian” culture is actually very similar to the culture. In fact, it can be reasonably argued that the culture we see around us is a result of the Christian culture of years past.

    As we experience the disruption of COVID, perhaps we can see where the cultural Christianity, of which we are a part, can and must be changed to we Christians and to bring people into the of God.

    ※Prayer※

    , help us to walk your path and not our own. Holy , nudge, and convict us to put our feet where Jesus walks. Father God, thank you for your mercy and grace as we all too often think of ourselves first, second, and you third. Amen.

    ※Questions※

    1) What similar scenarios might be happening around the world right now for Christians that are similar to Joash?

    2) What does Joash’s example teach us about what we see about others?

    3) What milk are you seeking rather than meat? What might the meat of today be?

  • Whatcha Doing?

    Whatcha Doing?

    Psalm 46; Luke 10:38–42

    It’s a crazy world. There is so much going on. If you live in the United States, you know the next election is just around the corner. Although, it seems all of 2020 has been an election year.

    If you are on social media, your “stream” may be flooded with this and that. People arguing over things worth discussing, just not worth hating. The amount of content created by the of this year will likely be quadruple the amount of the previous five years.

    There isn’t much that is settled at the moment. In fact, as far as the world around us goes, it seems to get more unsettled every day.

    “God is our refuge…Stop fighting (be still).” Psalm 46 may well be the mantra for 2020. God is our refuge. We just have to stop fighting in our own .

    We also cannot allow the world to distract us. It isn’t the government that’s the problem (which everyone, or ones, you don’t like). It isn’t the rioters that are the problem (though many are destructive, while others are not). It isn’t even COVID or terrorism or (insert some “global” issue here).

    It’s the . In the story of Mary and Martha, we see the struggle firsthand. Martha is busy. It’s not even that she is busy with bad or wrong things. It’s that Mary chose to be busy with the better “thing”.

    We’re all busy with things. Right now, it would seem that we are best situated to be like Mary. It doesn’t seem to be the case for far too many.

    They are distracted by the bad news, filled with anxiety, filled with anger, feeling the need to (just to do something). They are busy.

    However, many are busy not because they are doing good/right things at the wrong time. They are busy doing non--following things right now.

    ※Prayer※

    As we watch the world seem to spin further into chaos, remind us, God, that you are God, and we are not. Help us to work on being still in your . Amen.

    ※Questions※

    1) What struck you about you in this? Why are “you” more important in this than others?

    2) How will you help be the of Christ’s in a time of anxiety, anger, and ?

  • Always the Same

    Always the Same

    Jeremiah 16:10–15; Malachi 3:1–7

    Many years ago, in a bible study, an older woman said to the study leaders, “I do not believe in the God of the Old Testament. That God is cruel and unjust. I only believe in the loving God of the New Testament.”

    Many people walked away from the and/or were deeply scarred and hurt by the church by the incessant drumming of hellfire and brimstone. Far too often, judgmentalism, legalism, and ostracism came with it.

    In to this, and to such people like the woman in the beginning, there has been an overreaction, perhaps even over-emphasis on the love of God. Instead of good theology and analysis, it continues (even to this day) to be an overreaction to a time when the church Hell and condemnation at every turn.

    What can become frustrating and also deceiving is that God is only love. God is love. The love of God is a good thing to think about and focus on.

    However, God doesn’t let a good crisis go to waste. Sounds kind of harsh, doesn’t it? As many parents and teachers can tell you, sometimes you can only explain something so many times until teaches a child.

    Most lifelong lessons are gained through pain of some sort. It is, sadly, the way we are. This is also why confronting a false view of the God of the Old Testament is crucial to our walk and to our ability to .

    As the impending doom approaches Jerusalem, and the people why, God in many more words says, “because you didn’t listen the first thousand times I told you!” Yet, that isn’t the end!

    God tells Jerusalem that this exile will be as (or more) defining for them than the Exodus was for all of Israel. That’s a big order! It just so happens to have occurred that way, too.

    Some would this the carrot and stick method, yet it really isn’t. The opportunity for the carrot is gone. In many respects, this is no longer a stick. For the donkey (or mule) that this method is supposedly used on, there is required to be a hostler doing it.

    The hostler (God) left the animal (Jerusalem) on its own to fend for itself in the wilderness. The time for carrots and sticks was passed.

    This does not mean God didn’t love them. Quite the contrary! God knew that they had to on their own.

    For God’s own sake, God put in front of them. For God’s own sake, Judah would not be lost forever. For God’s own sake, he would bring a tempered people home.

    From the opening story, the study leaders stopped the study and gently taught her, “God is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow. The God of the Old Testament is the same God of the New Testament.”

    God has not changed.

    ※Prayer※

    Lord, help us to recognize your as love, as much as we don’t like it. Help us to look at our pains and trials as something through which you are teaching us and others. Amen.

    ※Questions※

    1) Do you tend more toward the “God of Punishment” or the “God of Love”? Why do you think that is?

    2) Do you really learn better or for longer-term through pain or pleasure?

    3) How would you respond to someone like the woman in the story? How would you guide her through thinking about God being unchanging?

  • Red or White?

    Red or White?

    Genesis 18:16–33; Jeremiah 5:1–9; Romans 3:5–24

    God hates me. God would/could never love me. God doesn’t care about me. No one can measure up to that standard.

    Any of those sound familiar?

    When we read stories such as Sodom and Gomorrah it is easy to be overwhelmed by the sheer immensity of destruction. Yet, there in the story there something important to read.

    Abraham’s about the 50, 45,40, 30, 20, 10 and the to the question gives us some insight. From all appearances, there was one righteous man…Lot. Even Lot’s “righteousness” might have more to do with Abraham’s and not Lot’s (see Genesis 19:29).

    From our human perspective, what happened seems out of proportion. The ways of Sodom and Gomorrah were obviously long wrong.  God did not do this on a whim. Yet, in the middle of all the wrong, 10 righteous people would have prevented disaster.

    As the of the glory of Judah approached, there, too, was an opportunity to everything. All it would have taken is one righteous person. As the Scriptures show, however, that was not to be.

    What does this say about us? Paul tells us that it is the very unrighteousness of humanity that displays the righteousness of God. Even in that, there is .

    There is a long list that is part of Paul’s words. It is a list (Romans 3:10–18) condemning humanity for its response to God. Why would God want such creatures?

    If you had someone who constantly said bad things to you, tossed your gifts at your feet (or the garbage), and gave credit everyone but you about the good things you’d done for them, what your response be?

    God’s answer was through the cross. ? We aren’t by any measure of that sacrifice. Truth? God did it out of love.

    ※Prayer※

    , thank you for the cross. God, thank you for your mercy on us. Holy , thank you for drawing us to you. Amen.

    ※Questions※

    1) When you read Paul’s list, how does it feel? To you feel condemned or judged? Or, do you feel something else?

    2) How does grace and redemption feel in the face of that list?

    3) What do you think your ongoing response should be as a result?

  • If Not Them, Than Who?

    If Not Them, Than Who?

    Genesis 19:15–29; Isaiah 1:7–17; Matthew 11:16–24

    Sodom and Gomorrah had long been on the example list. “Don’t do this, or you will be like Sodom and Gomorrah.”

    Regardless of which sins you are convinced those two cities are guilty of (though Gomorrah can only be assumed), there is no question that the story of their is dramatic, along with all that surrounded it.

    There was something about these stories that stuck with a person. Whether it was God’s judgment, the portrayal of sexual sins, or the violation of hospitality.

    It seems quite likely that Sodom and Gomorrah were often portrayed as unrepentant. It’s quite possible that additional (non-Scriptural) stories evolved around the two infamous cities.

    This can be inferred from Isaiah’s words to the leaders of Jerusalem. While some of the sins of Jerusalem may indeed match the two cities, the broken represented is the key feature.

    The rulers had been so hard-hearted that all that was left was just shy of the barren and fire-scorched lands portrayed in Genesis. Now, God was bluntly calling them the worst of the worst.

    There is a strong implication that had Sodom and Gomorrah sacrificed rightly, they might have actually been . Imagine the self- hearts that heard that. They were even lower than Sodom and Gomorrah in God’s eyes.

    That must have hurt their pride.

    When speaks of Sodom and Gomorrah, again they are better than the “good” Jewish cities of Chorazin and Bethsaida!

    There are a couple of things that should tell us. First, the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah grieved God. From a human , at least, they wouldn’t keep popping up if there wasn’t something else in God’s heart.

    This also tells us that looking at someone as too far gone is not Scriptural. God is always there…waiting. As severe as Jesus’ words appear to be, they don’t close the door, just provide impetus to go through it.

    ※※

    Lord, in our hearts there is a part that judges , appointing them to hell. Help us, Lord, to cast out that part, and to fill it with your love. Amen.

    ※Questions※

    1) What are the sins (there is a number) of Sodom and (assumed) Gomorrah? What are the sins (or what is the ) that is really behind it?

    2) What is the danger of focusing on the commonly assumed sins of Sodom and Gomorrah? What about the commonly assumed sins of those who do not declare themselves as Christians?

    3) If God is open to the repentance of those “as bad” as Sodom and Gomorrah, and even those that are worse, who is outside of God’s works of ?

  • Judge? Not Quite

    Judge? Not Quite

    John 3:11–21; John 12:44–50

    There is an ongoing tension in being a follower of Jesus. The first is that Jesus came to the world so that no one would perish.

    On the other hand, without a doubt, there is some sort of division of those who have died into those who will be ushered into the throne room, and those that will not.

    For Christians, we have an understanding that knowing Jesus as our savior is a great thing. Some hard things go along with it. Some of them are hard because our fallen nature wants to do them.

    Often, though, the harder part is what the world wants us to do.

    The first thing is that the world does not wish to be judged. Even Jesus says that he is not the judge. Yet later in the , he is. How do we that?

    Jesus was not the judge while he walked the earth as the Messiah. Jesus was to bring the good news and the light. People would choose the light or the dark.

    It is after it is all over that Jesus, as God, becomes judge. Even that isn’t so much condemnation, but the discernment of the heart of the person standing there. We may be “waiting” for judgment, yet Jesus is really looking at our hearts and peeling away the layers that we hide even from ourselves.

    It is their own hearts when confronted at the end by God’s words, that will judge them. There might be a silver lining in that though.

    We are often our harshest critics. Like those who asked, “when did we you,” there will be those who will be wondering exactly that.

    Of course, there will be those that say, “we did serve you,” and will be condemned by their own hearts that they served for themselves not out of .

    This is hard. We want the easy way. We want to know that our friends and who don’t know Jesus will be with us.

    This also how we know that God loves us. He gave a way to come to him. He left the way open for us the leave him (no matter how much it breaks his heart).

    ※Prayer※

    Lord, help us to not up on those we love that don’t know you. Amen.

    ※※

    1) How does one improve one’s walk without judgment?

    2) How does work in comparison with discernment?

    3) How do you evaluate your Christian walk?