The Choice Is Ours
Father, this past season of celebrating Jesus’ birth was nothing like any I have ever experienced. It was a bit more difficult to taste but as we still have our tree and other décor up, may it help me to savor Your gift just a while longer. Amen.
Luke 23:26 (<<click here to read the passage)
We make choices regularly – what we are having for supper, if we are going to go somewhere on vacation this year, what we want to give mom for her birthday, will we go home via interstate or the scenic route.
Those are some of the many choices that we can make. But unfortunately, sometimes things are thrust upon us and we have absolutely no choice at all. For example, one of the managers I had at Kohl’s thought it best to do a couple of overnight shifts when we needed to do jewelry case changes. It made sense in that we were dealing with thousands of dollars’ worth of diamonds and gold, along with some pretty nice watches. If it was just she and I and maybe our security supervisor we could set things out without worrying about someone “helping themselves” to some nice stuff as they strolled by. There was one not so good thing though, it was overnight, so we’d come in around 10 pm and stay for an entire shift, getting off around 6 am. I didn’t have a choice, it’s just the way it was.
Luke, in this single verse, shares the story of Simon of Cyrene. There he was just minding his own business coming in from the countryside when seized him and put [Jesus’s] cross on him and made him carry it behind Jesus. He wasn’t given a choice. It was his only viable option.
A few chapters back, in Luke 9:23, Jesus said,
“If anyone wishes to follow Me [as My disciple], he must deny himself [set aside selfish interests], and take up his cross daily [expressing a willingness to endure whatever may come] and follow Me [believing in Me, conforming to My example in living and, if need be, suffering or perhaps dying because of faith in Me].” AMP
The word “must” is there but He begins the whole statement with “If anyone wishes”. The difference between us and Simon is we get a choice. We can follow Jesus, as His disciple, or we can say “no”. But, choosing to follow Him brings about the “must” and like Simon, we will then take up our cross – daily, mind you – and carry it behind Jesus.
It is not a choice to be made lightly. Following Jesus is not a stroll through the park. The Amplified Bible stresses that in doing so we express a willingness to endure whatever may come…conforming to His example in living and, if need be, suffering or perhaps dying because of faith in Him.”
As we spoke of yesterday, persecution – real persecution – could factor in.
Lord Jesus, enable us to wholeheartedly follow You regardless of the cost. May we cling to the words of the Apostle Paul. Amen.
For our momentary, light distress [this passing trouble] is producing for us an eternal weight of glory [a fullness] beyond all measure [surpassing all comparisons, a transcendent splendor and an endless blessedness]! So we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are unseen; for the things which are visible are temporal [just brief and fleeting], but the things which are invisible are everlasting and imperishable. 2 Corinthians 4:17-18 AMP
Jan 7th, 2021, Thurs, 5:15 pm
The Tongue Screw
There has been good in this day and there has been evil in this day. Father guide my thoughts and my hands as we come together. Fill the void in me, with You.
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Twenty-some years ago I served as a children’s pastor. Part of my responsibilities, and truly it was a privilege, was to serve on my district’s Children’s Ministry Council. Our leader was a wonderful woman by the name of Elaine Gray. She has since gone home to her eternal reward. But in our time of service together, she gifted me a devotional entitled, On This Day. (<click the link if you’d like to order one for yourself!)
I love history and have read it through and over the years have used it as a source for short devotionals before board meetings. I’d like to share an excerpt from one of them with you.
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Have you ever heard of a tongue screw? I had not until reading the devotional for January 4th. This past Sunday I spoke of persecution in and of the Church – people like Stephen and James, some of the first martyrs of the faith. It bothers me that so many in our American culture feel that we, as believers, are being persecuted. Truly we have absolutely no idea!
One of the most heinous parts of Christian history was when Protestantism first came into being. Up until this time, the Catholic Church was the only church. But as more and more individuals began “protesting” against what they thought was out of line with mindsets and practices in the church, persecution – real persecution – overtook the church. (And no side can claim superiority over the other, in that all sides have been the persecutors and have done the persecuting through the generations!)
January 4th’s devotional speaks of a young man named…Hans Bret. He and his widowed mother…belonged to a Protestant group in the Netherlands. In his spare time, Hans studied the Bible and taught new converts in the church, preparing them for baptism. One evening a knock sounded on the…door. Hans opened it to find a delegation of officers. The house was surrounded and Hans was arrested. For the next several months, authorities alternately questioned and tortured him
In short order, Hans’s treatment worsened, and when intense torture failed to break his spirit, he was sentenced to the stake. Early on Saturday, January 4, 1577, the executioner came to Hans’s cell and ordered him to stick out his tongue. Over it he clamped an iron tongue screw, twisting it tightly with a vise grip. Then he seared the end of Hans’s tongue with a red-hot iron so that the tongue would swell and couldn’t slip out of the clamp. The officials didn’t want Hans preaching at his execution. The young man was taken by wagon to the marketplace, secured to a post with winding chains, and burned alive.
It takes my breath away! We whine of inconveniences. We complain about our “rights” being abused or taken away. And we laud them as persecution. We know nothing of persecution.
For a moment, read through these words of Jesus and let them sink in.
Blessed [comforted by inner peace and God’s love] are those who are persecuted for doing that which is morally right, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven [both now and forever].
“Blessed [morally courageous and spiritually alive with life-joy in God’s goodness] are you when people insult you and persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil things against you because of [your association with] Me. Be glad and exceedingly joyful, for your reward in heaven is great [absolutely inexhaustible]; for in this same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you. Matthew 5:10-12 AMP
I truly believe that persecution does not snuff out the church but ignites it! What will it take for us to change the world?
Jan 6th, 2021, Wed, 7:47 pm
Hello My Name Is…
Father, I am grateful for the “normal” days You give me. There is something peaceful and settling about them, and a soul needs them once in a while to shore up for whatever the future might hold. Thank You for gifts great and small!
Luke 23:13-25 (<<click here to read the passage)
In the past, I’ve mentioned the importance of names in my family (Just the Four of Us) but besides just passing names along, often names have meanings. For example, Thomas technically means “twin” though I have seen its meaning listed as “twice blessed”. My last name, Fowler, refers to someone who hunts with birds, such as falcons. My middle name is Swentzler. For the record, my grandfather was named after a maternal uncle who was named after the doctor that delivered him. And though we’ve searched for it on numerous occasions (every time we traveled anywhere; we’d look in local phone directories!) we’ve found it to be a dead surname – even online searches don’t yield a thing.
A funny side story – I worked with a lady who was born and raised in Germany and out of curiosity I asked her what the name meant (I was pretty sure it was of German origin.) She laughed, and with her prominent German accent, she said, “It means swindler!” I definitely don’t want to live up to that expectation!
My study Bible* asked the question, “Who was Barabbas?”
Jewish men had names that identified them with their fathers. Simon Peter, for example, is called Simon son of John (Matthew 16:17). Barabbas is never identified by his given name, and this name is not much help either – bar abbas means “son of Abba” (or “son of daddy”). He could have been anybody’s son—and that’s just the point.
Barabbas was an average Joe, a regular guy. He was the son of an unnamed father. But in his case, he committed a crime and a very serious crime at that. He was imprisoned for taking part in an insurrection in Jerusalem against the government, and for murder. (Luke 23:19) That’s pretty serious stuff, then and today. If anybody in this whole scenario deserved death according to the law of the land, it was Barabbas.
We, too, are…criminals who have broken God’s holy law. Like Barabbas, we deserve to die. But just like He did for Barabbas, Jesus has died in our place, for our sins – our crimes, and we have been set free. We don’t have to be “very important people” – we are all average Joes and plain Janes – to accept our freedom in Christ. In fact, thanks to Jesus, God adopts us all as his own sons and daughters and gives us the right to call him our dear Father.
But when the right time came, God sent his Son, born of a woman, subject to the law. God sent him to buy freedom for us who were slaves to the law, so that he could adopt us as his very own children. And because we are his children, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, prompting us to call out, “Abba, Father.” Galatians 4:4-6 NLT
Now that is something to be grateful for!
*Life Application Study Bible New Living Translation
Jan 5th, 2021, Tues, 7:07 pm
Majority Rule Isn’t Always for the Best
It has been a good day, starting back to school, but waking up every whipstitch last night is making it a little rough as I come to the end of the day. May my ears be attuned to what You want me to hear, Father. Amen.
Luke 23:13-25 (<<click here to read the passage)
Majority rule isn’t always for the best. Take for example the story of Ali Bokhari. A Pakistani immigrant who had settled in Nashville some 20 years ago, Bokhari became an independent taxi driver. Then one day, he got a very American idea that served an unmet need.
He bought a black Lincoln sedan and offered low, cut-rate rides to the airport and in neighborhoods not well served by other taxis. The approach was so successful that after his first year, he was employing 12 cab drivers. Soon after that, he had over 20 independent contractors who had their own cars working for him. He also created a website that brought him even more customers.
Unfortunately, his success brought him some powerful enemies. Competing taxi and limousine companies just could not raise their rates. So they complained to the city government’s regulators and asked them to require Bokhari to raise his fees and adhere to a list of crippling regulations.
They did. So much for majority rule. It was more like mob rule. (Jan 7, 2020 article, the Milford Daily News, Milford, MA)
Nobody of any true authority thought Jesus guilty of the charges brought against Him by those envious of His power and popularity. Herod Agrippa sent Him back to Pilate and Pilate ardently proclaimed Jesus’ innocence not just once but three times in Luke’s Gospel! And though that was Pilate’s stand, when the crowd roared, Pilate buckled as my study Bible states.
Pilate was in a very precarious position. Think about it. There he was in the backwater troublesome land of Israel. He had been around long enough that he had to know he was probably fortunate to be placed anywhere. But…he had to keep the peace, not an easy task for anyone, especially in the land of the Jews.
So, in the end, it was Jesus’ hide…or his. Majority ruled and Jesus lost…at least that’s how the world saw it then and sees it now, as well. That may be the world’s perspective, but God used it all to fulfill His plan. Jesus wasn’t the One who was lost, we are. Thank God for an intricately laid out plan that brought about salvation for the lost. Amen!
Jan 4th, 2021, Mon, 7:27 pm
The Smallest of Kings
Let the godly sing for joy to the Lord;
….it is fitting for the pure to praise him. Psalm 33:1 NLT
Luke 23:6-12 (<<click here to read the passage)
At some point in time, we have all probably had a boss or supervisor who thought more highly of themselves than they were due. They may have lusted for the power of leadership. They may even have wielded the power of leadership…but they were never true leaders. People followed, not due to admiration or because of a deep desire to please them but usually out of fear of punishment if they did not toe the line in strict obedience.
Herod Antipas was cut from the same cloth. First, he wasn’t the first one chosen to fill the shoes of his father. Older brothers – and there were several of them – stood in line before him but they were all scoundrels and eliminated themselves ultimately leaving the vacancy for Antipas to fill.
No matter how big he saw himself he was a minor player both historically and Biblically. He played a role in the death of John the Baptist but only because he boxed himself into a corner after his daughter performed a dance that greatly pleased Herod and his guests (Mark 6:22) at a party he hosted. He vowed,
“I will give you whatever you ask, up to half my kingdom!” v23 NLT
When she returned (after being prompted by her mother) asking for John’s head on a platter, Antipas was deeply grieved, but because of his oaths and his dinner guests [who might have regarded him as weak], he was unwilling to [break his word and] refuse her. v26 AMP
He was weak…and small.
In today’s passage, Antipas’ interaction shows beyond a doubt that he is no leader, only a man pursuing his own interests and entertainment.
Before him stands Jesus himself and his response? He was delighted because he’d been hoping for a long time to see him perform a miracle. He asked Jesus question after question, but Jesus refused to answer. v8, 9
When he didn’t get what he wanted (spoiled brat that he was) he and his soldiers began mocking and ridiculing Jesus. Finally, they put a royal robe on him and sent him back to Pilate. v11
People call him king but even that was a lie…he ruled over just a small corner of Israel, nothing more. He was small and proved himself so. Eventually, he ended up getting himself exiled amid accusations of conspiracy against the powers that be in Rome, dying there small and dejected until the very end…the smallest of “kings”.
Humility goes a long way in God’s Kingdom. As Proverbs 16:18 tells us,
Pride goes before destruction
….and haughtiness before a fall. NLT
Lord Jesus, may we never think of ourselves more highly than we ought. May our weakness but find strength in You alone. And may our smallness but enhanced by Your might. May our goal be to follow You with the utmost respect and reverence. You will care and watch over us. We need not fear. Amen.
Jan 3rd, 2021, Sun, 4:34 pm