Getting the Last Word
Oh, Father, an odd day it has been – meetings and an early school dismissal for parent/teacher conferences made for a short day as such. I have been struggling in preparation for an unexpected funeral but am ready to sit with You for a spell. Bless our time together. Amen.
Luke 3:19-20 (<<click to read the passage)
How often as children did we get into heated discourses with foes – and friends for that matter – that ended up in the batting back and forth of “uh-huhs” and “nuh-uhs”? I have had to step in a couple of times on the bus when this has become a problem. Both parties “know” they are right and will not yield to the other. It seems to be a significant part of sibling interaction, as well.
Really, as adults, we are no better. One or the other always feels that they have to get in the last word so that they may claim “victory”.
Well, in reading through today’s passage, Luke sort of jumps ahead to point out what would eventually lead to John’s demise. He confronted a very powerful person – Herod Antipas – by speaking the truth in regards to his marrying his brother’s wife. Herod was in the wrong but who was going to do anything about it – he was “the ruler of Galilee”? John is imprisoned and loses his head in the end.
So, from a human perspective, Herod could claim the victory because he had the last word and John paid for his insubordination with his life.
But in the setting of eternity, was that truly the case? Most definitely not! There is no evidence that Herod Antipas ever sought forgiveness for his many sins. And if that is so when Herod stands before God on that Final Judgement Day, God Almighty will have the final say and there will be no batting back and forth.
In that mindset, what does it mean for us? At this point, God allows us to do and say as we please. We think we are all that but, in the end, we will see that we are nothing and punishment will be owed. If we have not accepted Christ’s sacrifice on our behalf that debt will belong to us and we will have no choice but to pay it…for all of eternity.
Lord Jesus, may we release our pride and accept Your free gift of forgiveness. May we not be about declaring how right we are to our eternal detriment. Amen.
Nov 21st, 2019, Thurs, 6:03 pm
Nuts and Shells
Father, I am coming before You a little earlier today. It is really best that I do so in that I am more with it this time of day and I want to catch everything You have to say to me. Please bless our time together. Amen.
Luke 3:15-18 (<<click to read the passage)
As I read through this portion of Scripture last night, one thing that grabbed my attention was John’s reference to separating the chaff from the wheat. As I thought on that, peanuts came to mind.
We have one restaurant that we frequent that has a galvanized bucket on the table full of peanuts in the shell. Years ago, they encouraged their customers to just throw the empty shells on the floor. They now supply an empty bucket just for those.
My assumption (and that usually gets me in trouble!) was that peanut shells are good only for the trash. I’m wrong on that (if you are curious, check out Uses of Peanut Shells) but for the average individual, we just throw them away. What we are after is that which the shells hold – the peanut!
In God’s Kingdom, He invites all to be used of Him. Nobody is excluded but because He created us, we have a choice. We can choose to live for God and be a “peanut” to be used for His glory. Or we can refuse to live for God and be as the shell with no value in His Kingdom and in the end, we will be discarded into “the never-ending fire” as John makes very clear.
Now many may think that we are “nuts” for giving ourselves over to God by repenting and allowing Him to use us as He sees fit. And even though George Washington Carver invented more than 300 uses for peanuts (but not peanut butter!) God has a far more extensive list of things that we can do and be for His glory! And every single one of them brings fulfillment to our lives that absolutely nothing else will!
So ultimately, in the end, it is our choice to be “nuts” for Jesus or be a “shell” of what we could have been. With the first, we have eternal value and eternal life that will not be wasted. For the latter, we will find no lasting value here and we will have only eternal suffering and separation from God as our reward for rejecting His life-giving offer.
May we choose wisely, for we will have no one to blame but ourselves. Our choice will bring blessing or banishment!
Nov 20th, 2019, Wed, 12:39 pm
Humility
1 O Lord, our Lord, your majestic name fills the earth!
Your glory is higher than the heavens.
2 You have taught children and infants
to tell of your strength,
silencing your enemies
and all who oppose you. Psalm 8:1-2
Luke 3:15-18 (<<click to read the passage)
In recent conversations, the topic of humility has come up. Whether it is in athletics or the workplace…or the church, for that matter, humility goes a long way.
I know a fine young lady who is very gifted in playing basketball. She has what it takes to do well – she scores lots of points for her team, she is a good defensive player, as well. But what makes her even more outstanding is the fact that it is not all about her. She willingly takes the opportunity to set others up so they can shine as well. She does it with great joy! She is humble.
I heard, a while back about a high school baseball player who had been raised to believe that he was all that. Yes, he had great skill but it went to his head to the point where he thought he was so good that he could live above the rules and regulations set for the team. He was not humble.
This is what my Life Application Study Bible had to say about John the Baptist,
“Israel had not seen a prophet for more than 400 years. It was widely believed that when the Messiah would come, prophecy would reappear… When John burst onto the scene, the people were excited. He was obviously a great prophet, and they were sure that the early awaited age of the Messiah had come. Some, in fact, thought John himself was the Messiah. John spoke like the prophets of old, saying that the people must turn from their sin to God to avoid punishment and to experience his mercy and approval. This is a message for all times and places, but John spoke it with particular urgency; he was preparing the people for the coming Messiah.”
Wouldn’t it have been tempting to run with the hearts of the people? God most certainly had put the right man in place – from his conception even! But many would have succumbed to their pride and the power and prestige that comes with stardom. But not John. He made it very clear that he would soon be followed by one greater than he – so much greater that he would even be worthy to “untie the straps of his sandals.” Now that is humility!
Now before we go patting ourselves on the back because we feel that we are not prideful, we don’t have to necessarily outstanding in our field to be prideful.
How many times do we find ourselves in circumstances where someone steps on our toes – yeah, it might hurt but the person doing the stepping may very well be doing the right thing. It might be beneficial even. But because we have done things the way we have done them for so long, we take offense. Where pride can come about is if the “toe stepper” falls for some reason and we find great satisfaction in that fall. Regardless of what was accomplished due to their efforts, all we see is that we are vindicated and the scourge is gone. That is not humility.
Lord Jesus, pride is an easy trap in which to fall. May we follow the example of John – and You for that matter! May we be Your humble followers, always putting You before us and putting others before ourselves. Amen.
Nov 19th, 2019, Tue, 7:33 pm
Spiritual Hunger
Father, I am grateful for Your presence, regardless of where I find myself – on my bus, at home, on the road. There is great comfort having You by my side throughout each and every day.
Luke 3:10-14 (<<click to read the passage)
It would be interesting to see comparative geographic maps of population numbers where people were hungry physically…and spiritually. I would really not be able to venture any guess as to how it would look specifically but I am sure that there would be areas where people would be well fed in both areas and malnourished in both areas. What may be most surprising is where we would find people who are well-nourished physically but emaciated spiritually – nothing but “skin and bones” And vice versa for people who barely get enough sustenance to keep them alive physically but are robust spiritually.
Reading these few verses about John the Baptist’s public ministry, it is thought-provoking to see, especially tax collectors and Roman soldiers, asking, “What should we do?” to get themselves right before God.
These two groups probably lacked for nothing. Each made their own way and could easily have done so by taking advantage of the less fortunate. They each could easily have eaten their fill any time they desired but were very much starving spiritually speaking. And, interestingly enough, they realized they were malnourished and were aggressively seeking out what they must do to correct that imbalance. Nobody guilted them. Nobody had to drag them kicking and screaming to see what John was up to – they were drawn and acted upon their need.
It makes one wonder, did any of this motley crew ever reach out to those associated with faith, asking for spiritual nourishment? It is not surprising that they probably both would have been turned away – rejected by those who could have offered hope – spiritual sustenance – because of who they were, how they lived and where life found them.
But take note, John did not reject them but challenged them to change. He didn’t say that where they found themselves was acceptable but strongly encouraged them all to repent of their many sins and then seek to live exemplary lives – sharing with those who needed it, working hard and doing it with the best of ability and the utmost fairness, and being content with what you had.
John most definitely set them on the straight and narrow. He fulfilled Isaiah’s prophecy by preparing for the Lord’s coming, clearing the road for Him, filling valleys, leveling mountains, straightening curves and smoothing out the rough places! Everyone was seeing clearly the salvation sent from God! (Luke 3:4-6)
Lord Jesus, may we be as accepting, challenging and diligent as John was. May we be filled with Your compassion, love, and strength. Amen!
Nov 18th, 2019, Mon, 1:11 pm
The Missing Piece
Sundays are always full days, Father. They are full of You and full of many things. At this point, the day is fading and so am I. May this time be filled with You so it is rich and full, as well. Amen.
Luke 3:7-9 (<<click to read the passage)
So, when last we were together, Lord, we spoke of how important it is to …produce fruit that is worthy of [and consistent with our] repentance [that is, live changed lives, turn from sin and seek God and His righteousness].
If we are going to be a part of You impacting the world then we have to bring ourselves alongside You. We must diligently seek to look at the world through Your eyes…with Your heart. And, what we all really need is an overwhelming outpouring of Your Holy Spirit!
Often, I think we overthink what we need to be for You to use us. We think we have to be super Christians and have it all together. But if we look at the disciples pre-Pentecost and post-Pentecost – after the Holy Spirit had come upon them in power! – they were the same people but all the barriers they had had been dropped! They didn’t question, they just did! And lives were impacted – 3,000 on the first day alone! (Acts 2:41)
The world today looks different today but people are the same as they have always been. Some have found Jesus and are living in the freedom that He brings us but many, many others have not. They are missing something in their lives and each day they try to find that “something”.
There is a space in their lives that can only be filled with Jesus and everything else that is put it that space doesn’t fit. It leaves us wanting more. Oh, it may satisfy for a time but over time we begin to search for that “something” all over again – it’s a vicious, never-ending cycle!
We have a responsibility. We must share what we know about that “something” and in reality, it is a “Someone”! But we fear rejection. We fear retaliation. Those fears are not necessarily unfounded but many times they are totally unfounded!
People are literally dying to know Jesus! I know people who don’t know Him…we all do.
An old hymn comes to mind and it states something that seems to have gone by the wayside in our reaching the lost. People are lost…they are perishing…they are dying and Jesus uses us to bring them to safety. Fanny Crosby wrote this in 1869 and the message still rings clear!
Rescue the perishing, care for the dying,
Snatch them in pity from sin and the grave;
Weep o’er the erring one, lift up the fallen,
Tell them of Jesus, the mighty to save.
Lord Jesus, burden our hearts with what burdens Yours. Light the fire in our hearts that we may go out into the world for You and Your Kingdom! Amen!
*If you would can to read it, here is the story of how Fanny came to write this hymn.
Nov 17th, 2019, Sun, 4:55 pm