Don’t Fall
Father, it has been a full and busy day. I am weary but I know our time together is the best thing for me. Help me to focus on what You have for me tonight. Amen.
Luke 22:39-46 (<<click here to read the passage)
The picture above is of daredevil Angelina Nikolau, a 23-year-old from Moscow, Russia. Russian media describes her as a ‘self-taught photographer, adventurer, and roofer from Moscow.’ Roofing – also known as rooftopping – is where people get as close as possible to the edge of a skyscraper’s highest point to take photos. In this particular shot, she is atop a skyscraper in Tianjin, China.
It is totally unnerving to look at, and I for one would never in my wildest dreams even think about trying it, but it is an excellent example of the pitfalls of temptation. Individuals such as Angelina get their thrills from such feats and, unfortunately, inspire others to do the same.
Many of us have heard of selfies but this type of extremism has led to what is now being called “killfies”. According to the BBC (British Broadcasting Corporation), 259 cases of selfie-related deaths occurred between 2011 and 2019. Analysis by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology shows that the number continues to grow.
Why would anyone want to do such things? The idea that we have so devalued life in a world that embraces the idea that we are here only by happenstance and not as the cherished creation of a holy God, feeds our mentality of fatalism.
Angelina knows the risks, but it drives her to take more risks. Though at some point she may fall, to her it is worth that chance for one more high, one more opportunity for her to set herself apart from the norm. After all, she knows what is best for herself…right?
As I said, I wouldn’t even think of trying it but aren’t we all guilty of doing what we want to do, knowing the possible adverse outcome but determined to do what we want. We know what is best for ourselves…right?
Hours before his pending death Jesus calls out the disciples, compelling them to “pray continually that you may not fall into temptation.” vs40b AMP
Time is short and Jesus attempts to pound into their thick heads and calloused hearts what is at stake but at least at this point, the disciples only see what they want to see.
That’s the way temptation works. We see and feel what we want because in the moment it’s thrilling. It fulfills our heart’s desire. But going down that path only leads us to a fall. God warns us but often we refuse to listen. We tune Him out so we can do what we want to do. We want to enjoy the here and now, no matter how fleeting the pleasure may be.
But Jesus sees beyond the here and now. He sees us all, individually, in the forever. Our only hope of overcoming this downward spiral to eternal death is to pray continually. And the focus of our prayer to avoid our fall into temptation is to rely on His strength…His grace… Only that will see us through.
Dec 15th, 2020, Tues, 7:04 pm
Sifted
It seems, Father, that the end of this year is rushing towards us. Even though it is less full in many ways, it is still a bit overwhelming. Help us to take the time to see all that You want to hear, see, and feel throughout this season. Amen.
Luke 22:31-38 (<<click here to read the passage)
When I think of sifting, I think of the kitchen appliance we had in my youth pictured above. My mom and grandmother used it to shift flour to get rid of lumps and make it “airier” for recipes. Due to modern processing techniques, we no longer need to shift flour, except in special cases.
But the more I looked into Jesus’ statement of satan’s desire to sift the disciples like wheat, I discovered it was nothing at all like sifting flour.
Looking online I learned that “the first step in the process of sifting wheat is to loosen the chaff from the edible grain, which is called threshing. The old-fashioned way to do this is to spread the wheat onto a (solid) floor…and to beat it with a flail.”
OK, my next quest was to find out what a “flail” was. I found a short video that goes through the whole process of threshing wheat with a flail. (You might want to turn off your volume, the song in the video is a little odd…)
Now watching that quickly got my attention!
Note that Jesus never said they wouldn’t be sifted. He just prayed that Simon’s (Peter’s} faith, in particular, should not fail. v32
All the disciples would be sifted – flailed – like wheat, there’s no way around it. And though it’s majorly uncomfortable to think about…we will be, as well. But…Jesus prays for us in the same fashion. He prays that our faith should not fail and that when we have repented and turned to Jesus again that we can strengthen one another.
It is simply impossible to sidestep failure. Not one of us is perfect. Our willpower may fail and that most assuredly will lead to a flail by satan and his minions, or at the very least our own tortuous minds, but with God’s help, our faith will remain steadfast.
Lord Jesus, help us to fail less, for sure, but even more important still, may our faith be rock solid so that we may return to You for forgiveness and the strength to move forward…always upward and onward. Amen.
Dec 14th, 2020, Mon, 6:54 pm
The Seeds of CHRISTmas
We are weary from a long two days of travel, Father, but so grateful for Your hedge of protection around us…and grateful to be home!
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As we listened to Christmas music on our way home yesterday, a couple of things came to mind. One, when you shop in most places this time of year Christmas muzak is constantly in the background. I regularly hear, not just the fun seasonal songs – Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!, White Christmas, Frosty the Snowman, and Santa Claus Is Comin’ to Town to name just a few, but I regularly hear Christmas hymns, though we live in a predominately post-Christian area.
Secondly, let me pull out one song to the forefront. It happens to be a newer addition to the familiar collection of holiday favorites. The lyrics were written in 1984 by singer/comedian Mark Lowery and it is entitled Mary, Did You Know? According to Wikipedia, “The song has…become a modern Christmas classic, recorded by hundreds of artists over the years, across multiple genres. Different versions have reached the top ten in the Billboard R&B and Holiday charts.”
Just for fun here is a link for a post by Spinditty, entitled Who Sang it Best? “Mary, Did You Know?” (click on it to listen to several different artists. I will post one cover at the bottom of today’s post but for sure check out #5 on this list. Mark Lowry, himself, sings with a favorite group of mine, Voctave.)
Again, the number of individuals and groups that have recorded a cover of this song is extremely diverse. Just by the sheer number of individuals, there is an excellent chance that many of them do not have a personal relationship with Jesus.
A verse I seem to have used a fair amount recently is from Isaiah 55:11,
It is the same with my word.
I send it out, and it always produces fruit.
It will accomplish all I want it to,
and it will prosper everywhere I send it. NLT
I got to thinking that every time a Christmas hymn, or any Christmas song that mentions Jesus, is heard over a public address system or sung by someone, God’s word goes out! …it always produces fruit. The Amplified Bible says,
It will not return to Me void (useless, without result)
In midst of this Christmas season, the seed of God’s word is being planted in the hearts and minds of people regardless of their personal views on who God is and what He has done for us all. I challenge you to pray every time you hear a Christian Christmas song played if you happen to be out and about. Pray for all those who are hearing the song. Pray also for the artists who sang it, for God’s word always produces fruit.
A Bit of a Hiatus
There is a lot going on in the next few days, so I am going to take a bit of a hiatus from writing. I will be back soon. There are many posts to look back on – my first posts were in June of 2015. Just click on morethanuseless.com to access my archives. There is a “Search” button on the top right corner of the page. Type in a topic or a passage of Scripture – if I’ve written about it, it should bring up possible titles. There is also an “Archives” button partway down on the far right column where you can select posts from past months and years.
Have a blessed week and I will see you in the near future!
Dec 8th, 2020, Tues, 11:01 pm
Enough to Pull Your Hair Out!
It was a different kind of day, Father. I am repeatedly reminded that there is lots of room for improvement in my life. I am grateful that You don’t give up on me. May I not give up on myself. You are there to encourage and guide me all along the way. Praise Your Holy Name!
Luke 22:24-30 (<<click here to read the passage)
Driving a school bus during this difficult time has added a new line of rhetoric to my long list of phrases that commonly spew forth from my mouth to spur my passengers to behave in a safe a becoming manner as they ride. Phrases like, “Stay in your seats,” “Stay out of the aisles,” and “Please, don’t lick the windows!” are now joined by “Get your mask up!”
They have to keep their masks on as they ride to and from school. Masks do not work (and I won’t say as well but at all!) when worn on their chins! You would think that after hearing me repeat the command over and over again for the last three months that I wouldn’t have to reiterate it ever again…but like with all the other rules they like to ignore on the bus that’s exactly what I have to do! It’s enough to make me pull my hair out!
I don’t have to tell my middle school and high school students not to lick the windows, so they can learn but often I have to keep on them about staying in their seats!
I am surprised that Jesus wasn’t bald… After all the many hours…the days – literally three years He had spent with His disciples, it seems they had learned nothing at all! But, though from a human viewpoint He may have had reason to, He never gave up on them but kept steering them in the right direction. Eventually, the disciples did learn to follow Him in the way they needed to.
Beginning with verse 25,
Jesus said to them, “The kings of the Gentiles have absolute power and lord it over them; and those in authority over them are called ‘Benefactors.’ But it is not to be this way with you; on the contrary, the one who is the greatest among you must become like the youngest [and least privileged], and the [one who is the] leader, like the servant. For who is the greater…” AMP
Or as the New Living Translation says, “Who is more important…”
…the one who reclines at the table or the one who serves? Is it not the one who reclines at the table? v25-27 AMP
And I love what New Living Translation interjects here… “But not here!”
Then He pointedly exclaims, “But I am among you as the one who serves.” v27 AMP
John’s Gospel (John 13:4-17) mentions a very important element of their time together in the Upper Room. He shares the details of Jesus’ act of service. The God of all creation took upon Himself the lowly task of washing the disciples’ feet! This task was reserved for the lowliest of servants, but Jesus humbled Himself and tenderly washed every single dusty, grimy foot…even the feet of the one who in a few short hours would betray Him.
As followers of Christ, we are to serve. Our goal is not to get to the top of the heap, but it should be to lift others up as we labor at the bottom to do what we can to love and touch the lives of those considered most unlovely.
We relinquish any “rights” we may have to do what Jesus has called us to do. And not just in the Church, but in the lives of everyone, big and small alike. May it be so, Lord Jesus. Amen.
Dec 7th, 2020, Mon, 9:19 pm