The Straw that Broke the Camel’s Back
I come before You this evening, Father, ready to listen. I would pray for open ears and an open heart. Amen.
Matt 26:6-16, Mark 14:3-11, Luke 22:3-6 (<<click here to read these passages)
As we head into Holy Week (the week leading up to Easter), I felt I would benefit from delving into the important stories in this time frame. Each day focuses on where, what, and who Jesus was involved with. Limiting myself to five days of writing, I decided to look at the last five days of this time frame.
This first of these five focuses on the story of a woman breaking open a very expensive jar of perfume, which she pours onto Jesus’ feet. This act was not well received by Jesus’ followers. I don’t think we can totally understand why Judas volunteered to betray Jesus, but being that he did so immediately after the perfume incident may point to that being the straw that broke the camel’s back for Judas.
Today, we still struggle with who we think Jesus is. Even His followers, who had spent pretty much every waking moment with Him for three years, couldn’t really grasp who He was and what His goals were. He repeatedly told them, but as we can relate, they all had preconceived notions of what the Messiah was supposed to be like. Many believed that He would be the catalyst for throwing off the oppressive rule of the Roman Empire. They believed He would be a warrior King and establish the nation of Israel once more as the powerhouse country it once was under the leadership of King David.
But those ideas were too heavily based on their own heart’s desires and not on reality. I think it would be accurate to say that they weren’t being obstinate; they weren’t trying to be on opposite sides of the court when it came to who the Messiah was to be; it was just where they were in their lives.
Most of us want to be obedient; we want to do what God wants us to do, but our heads get ahead of our hearts, and our hearts cannot convince our heads that we are in the wrong.
Judas was a prime example. This whole experience with the perfume may have thrown him over the edge. Selling Jesus out for 30 pieces of silver may have been his idea of pushing Jesus into getting the ball rolling. Instigating the confrontation that was sure to follow would give Jesus no choice but to step up to the inevitable. It did just that…just not the way that Judas had intended.
May we all take a moment and focus on who Jesus truly is—not who we want Him to be—not who we believe Him to be based solely on what we have been taught or understood Him to believe from all of our life’s experiences. May we be determined to develop such a close relationship with Him that we will truly see Him as He is.
Mar 24th, 2024, Sun, 8:15 pm
What Are You Hyper-Focused On?
Thank You, loving Father, for allowing me to be a vessel of Your love and compassion today on many fronts. I pray that You will continue to instill in me the desire to love people for who and where they are. Amen.
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I recently saw a video of Jason Banks, a veteran stand-up comedian from Columbus, Ohio, sharing a conversation with his “child.” Here’s the transcript.
Okay, this is the last time I’m going over this with you, okay? If a stranger says, get in my van, you do what?
Get in the van on the passenger side.
No, you don’t get in.
So don’t even get in the van.
But if they have a Reese’s Cup.
Now, you get in the van.
No, you don’t.
That’s gonna be hard.
What if they have two Reese’s Cups?
I’m in that van like Peter Pan, baby.
No, you still don’t get in.
I don’t know if that’s possible.
What if they have two Reese’s Cups and a Snickers?
Van time!
No, never get in.
Never get in?
No, never get in.
Never get in. Right.
And if they have Skittles?
Get in the van. I didn’t know they had…
Derek, no…no!
Even with skittles?
Even with skittles. What if they have M&Ms?
And that’s just part of it! (If you’d like to listen to it, click here for the link – Don’t Get in the van)
It is communicated with humor, but here’s the point I want to make: How often do we get into these kinds of conversations with God? Far too often, our minds are hyper-focused on temptations or anxiety or many other things that are not necessarily bad for us, but we just want them so badly.
This can be extremely exasperating in human interactions, but God is patient and keeps driving home the point of not being hyper-focused on other things but keeping our hearts and minds and bodies focused on Him. Our problem is that we don’t think He really wants us to be “happy” when His greatest desire is to bring us joy.
I love how the Amplified Bible puts John 15:11. Jesus says,
I have told you these things so that My joy and delight may be in you, and that your joy may be made full and complete and overflowing.
The New International Version puts in a bit more succinctly,
I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.
Today’s challenge is to hyper-focus on God and the joy He has waiting for you in an overflowing supply!
An Eclipse Connection?
It is a day of cold temperatures, but I am grateful for the warmth my Father provides in the depths of my soul! All praise to Him!
1 Corinthians 15:58 (<<click here to read the passage)
This morning, I caught sight of a friend’s sharing of a post that tied the upcoming solar eclipse (coming April 8, 2024) with the last two (August of 2017 and October of 2023) and linked all three to a foreboding forecast of end times prophecy. There was Scripture, there was a lot of numerology (the belief that numbers have hidden meanings and spiritual significance that can reveal, amongst other things, the future), and mention of how these different events have crossed over perfect numbers of cities in the U.S. with the names of Salem (referencing Jerusalem), as well as Ninevah. Cities named Little Egypt, Rapture, Alpha, and Omega were also referred to.
In the past, I’ve expressed my thoughts on pursuing end-time predictions and obsession before, but I want to be very clear here. This could all point to something significant; the possibility is there. But… it could also be a lot of work, and calculating that equals absolutely nothing.
After I looked through it, I wondered how much time people invest in putting those kinds of things together…and then I wondered if they were that invested in finding lost sheep in our world. I genuinely believe that that is how we should be readying ourselves for the Lord’s return.
Today’s passage gives us direction.
Therefore, my beloved brothers and sisters, be steadfast, immovable, always excelling in the work of the Lord [always doing your best and doing more than is needed], being continually aware that your labor [even to the point of exhaustion] in the Lord is not futile nor wasted [it is never without purpose]. AMP
My Life Application Study Bible, in the note on this verse, says in part,
Sometimes we become apathetic about serving the Lord because we don’t see any results. Knowing that Christ has won the ultimate victory should affect the way we live right now. Don’t let discouragement over an apparent lack of results keep you from doing the work of the Lord enthusiastically as you have opportunity.
Oh, that we would not get discouraged about investing our time, energy, and resources in reaching the lost. And most importantly, don’t let your pursuit of knowledge eclipse your pursuit of those who need Jesus.
Mar 19th, 2024, Tues, 12:45 pm
Seeds for Eternity
Weariness has not left my body or mind from this past weekend’s events. Father, I ask that You enable me to focus on You and avoid distractions that would pull me from You. Amen.
1 Corinthians 15:35-58 (<<click here to read the passage)
We visited Karen’s mom yesterday. She lives in a memory care facility not far from us. We usually visit in her room, but she was already in the common area (an area for meals and interaction), so we sat at a table there.
That table held sprouting seeds from a project they did on March 4th, planting tomatoes and marigolds. (Her mom enjoyed picking fresh cherry tomatoes from planters around the enclosed walking area last year!) Well, we’re about two weeks out from their planting, and the tomatoes, at least, were sprouting nicely. I’m sure the residents are eagerly anticipating this year’s harvest.
One thing consistent with plants that I am familiar with is that seeds look nothing like the fruit they bear. The picture above is of tomato seeds. Unless you know your seeds well, you’d be hard-pressed to know you’d get tomatoes by planting them.
In today’s passage, Paul speaks of seeds. Our bodies will die; that’s just the way it is. There is no way out for us. At the end of verse 36, he states,
When you put a seed into the ground, it doesn’t grow into a plant unless it dies first. NLT
I find verses 42-44a very encouraging, especially with more and more people dealing with cancer, illness, and heart disease. Our churches’ prayer lists are overflowing, and there are so many obituaries. But read these words,
So it is with the resurrection of the dead. The [human] body that is sown is perishable and mortal, it is raised imperishable and immortal. It is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in strength; it is sown a natural body [mortal, suited to earth], it is raised a spiritual body [immortal, suited to heaven]. AMP
As much as we cling to this earthly life, it is not the end-all many hold it to be. There is much more in store for those who love the Lord!
And the greatest news of all?
So it is written [in Scripture], “The first man, Adam, became a living soul (an individual);” the last Adam (Christ) became a life-giving spirit [restoring the dead to life]. v45 AMP
And this, too!
Just as we have borne the image of the earthly [the man of dust], we will also bear the image of the heavenly [the Man of heaven]. v49 AMP
The Word speaks much better than I ever could!
Listen very carefully, I tell you a mystery [a secret truth decreed by God and previously hidden, but now revealed]; we will not all sleep [in death], but we will all be [completely] changed [wondrously transformed], in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at [the sound of] the last trumpet call. For a trumpet will sound, and the dead [who believed in Christ] will be raised imperishable, and we will be [completely] changed [wondrously transformed]. For this perishable [part of us] must put on the imperishable [nature], and this mortal [part of us that is capable of dying] must put on immortality [which is freedom from death]. And when this perishable puts on the imperishable, and this mortal puts on immortality, then the Scripture will be fulfilled that says, “Death is swallowed up in victory (vanquished forever). O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?” The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin [by which it brings death] is the law; but thanks be to God, who gives us the victory [as conquerors] through our Lord Jesus Christ.
Therefore, my beloved brothers and sisters, be steadfast, immovable, always excelling in the work of the Lord [always doing your best and doing more than is needed], being continually aware that your labor [even to the point of exhaustion] in the Lord is not futile nor wasted [it is never without purpose]. v51-58 AMP
Mar 18th, 2024, Mon, 12:50 pm
I Have a Friend…And It Is Not Time
This past week, Father, I had a lot of things pulling at me. During this time together, may I be able to focus on You and what is most important for me to understand and communicate. Amen.
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I have a friend…and it is not time.
I have a friend who was welcomed home over the weekend. He bravely battled Stage 4 brain cancer, and now his war is over. He could have been my brother. He is about a year younger than me.
I wish I had been a better friend to him while I knew him. I prayed for him and encouraged others to do the same. I served as his pastor, and when he could not attend church, he faithfully watched online. …but none of it seems enough looking back over it all.
I wish I could have spent more time by his side through the bulk of his battle, been with him through his treatments, and taken more opportunities to encourage him, be it through calling, texting, or writing. But time has not been my friend.
It was even more difficult because he was not the first friend to go through these things. Almost two years ago, I lost another dear friend – this one to leukemia. Though two decades older than me, his passing left a hole in my heart…and now I have gone down the path once more.
I have lost others, but these two men, at least in my heart and mind, cast a spotlight on my inadequacies…my failures. They deserved far more from me than was given – not because I didn’t want to, but, as we all know, there are only so many hours in a day. I’m not making excuses; it’s just the truth. A full-time job, three churches, writing almost every day, home responsibilities, and family time all add up quickly. Even though those are all legitimate responsibilities, it does little to assuage my guilt.
I genuinely do not think either of these gentlemen begrudged my time for other things. I am grateful for the hours afforded to me in my friend’s last hours on this earth, and they will always be cherished as a privilege extended by God Himself. Yet still, I have heard other people speak poorly of other pastors who have been negligent in calling on them. I think we will just have to let God be the judge of that. Some may be negligent, but I believe it is often just out of a pastor’s control, and we do our best with the time we have.
I grieve, too, but I would plea for grace. God is undoubtedly gracious, but may we extend the same in our own lives. I have many friends, but time is not one of them.
Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. Colossians 3:13 NIV
Mar 17th, 2024, Sun, 1:01 pm