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A Conversation with Jesus about COVID

A Conversation with Jesus about COVID

Everybody has thoughts on the current pandemic.  The internet and news outlets are abuzz with information.  Comments from scientists, doctors, politicians, and others abound.  Everyone has their own “spin” on things.  So whom does one believe?

In light of this, it seemed beneficial to consult with the Son of God.  What does the Lord have to say on the complications of COVID?  I recently spent some time with Jesus to get his perspective.  It turns out that he has a great deal of insights on the matter.  One wonders why people haven’t consulted with him more.  His comments were brief and often blunt, but it was clear they were all spoken in love.

Without further ado, here is my “Question and Answer” session with our Almighty Savior:

Q) Thank you, Jesus, for your time and your willingness to answer my questions. I’m grateful, and I will share your answers with as many as I can.  Here’s my first question: Why?  Why did you allow this pandemic to occur?

Jesus)  “My Father is always at his work to this very day, and I too am working. (Jn 5:17)  People will come from east and west and north and south, and will take their places at the feast in the kingdom of God. (Lk 13:29)  I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace.  In this world you will have trouble.  But take heart! I have overcome the world.”  (John 16:33)

Q) Lord, this pandemic thing and all its related issues are pretty big. Some might wonder whether you are you really able to handle it all.  Can you?  Does anything ever slip past you? 

Jesus)  “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” (Mt 19:26)  All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.  (Mt 28:18)  The Scriptures testify about me. (Jn 5:39)  Surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”  (Mt 28:20)

Q) So many people have been … and still are … living in fear. Some are afraid of the virus and what might happen if they or someone they love contracted it.  Others are anxious about work, bills and finances.  Some about the virus’ impact to society.  Still others about our government’s role in all of this.  What do you have to say to those struggling with fear?

Jesus)  “You of little faith, why are you so afraid? (Mt 8:26)  Take courage!  Don’t be afraid. (Mk 6:50)  I tell you, do not worry about your life.  Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?  So do not worry.  Your heavenly Father knows [what] you need.  But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.  Therefore do not worry about tomorrow. (Mt 6:selected)  Don’t be afraid; just believe.” (Mk 5:36)

Q) Do you have any specific suggestions for anxious, uncertain and fearful Christians to do or remember?

Jesus)  “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.  Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” (Mt 11:28-30)

“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.  For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened. (Mt 7:7-8)  Your Father knows what you need before you ask him.” (Mt 6:8)

“God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.  For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.” (Jn 3:16-17)

“Rejoice that your names are written in heaven. (Lk 10:20)  My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you?  And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. (Jn 14:2-3)  Look, I am coming soon!  My reward is with me.” (Rev 22:12)

Q) I think I know how you will answer this question, but how important is God’s Word for us in the midst of this pandemic?

Jesus)  “You are worried and upset about many things, but few things are needed—or indeed only one. (Lk 10:41-42)  Scripture cannot be set aside! (Jn 10:35)  The words I have spoken to you—they are full of the Spirit and life. (Jn 6:63)  If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples.  Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free. (Jn 8:31-32)  Blessed are those who hear the word of God and obey it.” (Lk 11:28)

“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal.  But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal.  For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. (Mt 6:19-21)  What good will it be for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul?” (Mt 16:26)

Q) What do you see our role to be as Christians in this pandemic world?

Jesus)  “As long as it is day, we must do the works of him who sent me.  Night is coming, when no one can work. (Jn 9:4)  You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last. (Jn 15:16)

“Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. (Mt 28:19-20)  Go to your own people and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you. (Mk 5:19)  The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few.  Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.” (Lk 10:2)

“You are the salt of the earth.  You are the light of the world.  Let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.” (Mt 5:selected)

Q) A related question: what should be our attitude toward others in these difficult times?

Jesus)  “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.  Love your neighbor as yourself.  There is no commandment greater than these. (Mk 12:30-31)  Love one another.  As I have loved you, so you must love one another.  By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” (Jn 13:34-35)

“Whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all.  For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” (Mk 10:43-45)  Truly I tell you, whatever you [do] for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you [do] for me.” (Mt 25:40)

Q) Are there any illustrations you can give us in regard to your relationship to us? Any pictures that will provide us with comfort as we struggle through COVID frustrations?

(Jesus)  “Do not be afraid.  I am the First and the Last. (Rev 1:17)  I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End, (Rev 22:13) …who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty.” (Rev 1:8)

“I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me— just as the Father knows me and I know the Father—and I lay down my life for the sheep.” (Jn 10:14-15)

“I am the light of the world.  Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” (Jn 8:12)

“I am the way and the truth and the life.  No one comes to the Father except through me.” (Jn 14:6)

“I am the bread of life.  Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.” (Jn 6:35)

“I am the vine; you are the branches.  If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.” (Jn 15:5)

“I am the resurrection and the life.  The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die.” (Jn 11:25-26)

Q) As we wrap us this interview, do you have any closing comments?

Jesus)  “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” (Jn 14:27)

“Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you life as your victor’s crown. (Rev 2:10)  I am coming soon.  Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take your crown.” (Rev 3:11)

“Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away. (Mt 24:35)  Whoever has ears, let them hear.” (Mt 13:43)

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Everything for Good?

Everything for Good?

I rented the cottage because I was hoping we would catch some fish. 

The house was ideally located lakeside with a large dock and a lovely view.  The lake had newly stocked rainbow trout, and resident bluegills, perch, bass and catfish.  With four of us fishing with two hooks per line for several days, a fish dinner (or two!) seemed a certainty.

Our first hint of misfortune was the weather report.  The one day we were on site for the full day was the only day of the week that rain was forecast.  Bummer!  But sometimes fish bite better in the rain, so we packed rain jackets and were willing to endure the dampness for lots of action.

We didn’t even get a nibble!  Not in the sunshine; not in the showers.  

We tried everything – tight-line bottom fishing, bobbers on the surface, a slip bobber to test different depths, and even casting spinners.  We offered night crawlers and Power Bait.  Nothing worked.  It was so dreadful my youngest son declared with absolute conviction that there were no fish in the lake.

Major bummer!  All that eager expectation and effort, with nothing to show for it in the end.

It occurred to me after being “skunked” on the lake, and as I listened to the raindrops tap-tapping the skylights inside the cottage, that we were being blessed.  No, we wouldn’t be enjoying any fresh fish dinners.  But our family had quiet time together.  We enjoyed the fireplaces.  We read at the lakeview windows, lifting our eyes frequently to enjoy a sight we normally didn’t see.  We watched the Mariners game.  We talked.  We napped.  We played games.  In short, we slipped into exquisite relaxation – something we all desperately needed, and something we wouldn’t have experienced reeling in fish on the dock.  (Though that certainly would have been fun!)

Somewhere along the way I realized that it was just another example of the Lord working everything for good.  You know the passage; it’s often quoted: “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him …” (Romans 8:28).

Maybe you struggle sometimes to embrace that truth.  It’s difficult to rejoice when long-awaited vacation plans don’t play out as hoped, or have to be altered or cancelled.  (Really when any anticipated plans fall through!) It’s frustrating when one’s hard work to make things better seems to result instead in making things worse.  It’s stressful when the car breaks down or the house needs attention.  It’s troubling when one’s physical or financial health takes a significant hit.  It’s agonizing when a loved one dies. 

Whenever our expectations aren’t met or the unexpected occurs, it’s challenging to see how the Lord is working “all things for good.”  Yet that’s his promise, and the Lord cannot break his word.

I believe the greatest hurdle to our accepting that the Lord is blessing us through everything is that we don’t see the complete picture.  We don’t recognize the nasty turn something would have taken if things went the way we wanted instead of the way God directed.  We don’t realize the sometimes horrific results that would have resulted if the Lord hadn’t graciously altered events.  We don’t comprehend all the significant and wonderful ramifications of God’s good plans.  We rarely fathom the really big issues from which the Lord spares us, and we certainly don’t see the subtle nuances brought about by his loving, guiding hand.

Although sometimes God gives us a glimpse.  Like while relaxing in a cabin and watching the rain pelt the lake where the fish aren’t biting. 

Yes, the Lord truly does work everything for good.  In the little things and the big things.  In all things!

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What if …?

What if …?

“What if …” are the perfect opening words to inquisitive and introspective queries.  Thousands of questions could begin with those words.

But the ultimate one would have to be … what if Jesus did not rise from the dead?

Paul L. Maier actually explores that scenario in his novel, “A Skeleton in God’s Closet.”  In the story, a team of archeologists discover a skeleton in Israel, and every scientific test points to the conclusion that the bones are Jesus’ bones.  (No, not another Jesus.  The Jesus of the Bible!)

Imagine the repercussions of such a finding for Christian people and the Christian Church!  The entire Bible is built on Christ, and the entire faith is predicated on Christ’s resurrection.  Not just on his crucifixion, but on his resurrection!

The Scriptures lay out the bleak scenario:

“If Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith.  More than that, we are then found to be false witnesses about God, for we have testified about God that he raised Christ from the dead. … And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins.  Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ are lost.  If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied” (1 Corinthians 15:selected verses).

Here’s how Maier describes the Christian world in the wake of finding Jesus’ supposed bones:

“A country parson so choked up in his pulpit that he collapsed and died halfway through his sermon … Trappist monks who had taken a vow of silence now screaming their disillusionment … fall registration at seminaries and divinity schools down a catastrophic 85 percent as trend pundits promised they would close altogether, along with monasteries and convents … futurologists predicting the conversion of empty churches into restaurants or beer halls ….. suicides, mental and moral breakdowns, vastly increased crime, and the reduction of world Christianity to cult status” (Skeleton, page 174).  “Pastors are leaving the ministry, congregations are leaving their pastors, seminaries are closing down.  And the agnostics and the atheists are howling their ‘See?  We were right’ line’” (Skeleton, page 180).

In Maier’s story, the discovery not only eviscerates the Christian Church, but it sends catastrophic shock waves throughout the world.  Virtually everything was affected, even the stock market.  It’s quite a fascinating read, and frankly – gloomy as can be.  Imagine if evidence was discovered that Jesus never rose.  Imagine the ramifications of that.  Maier does, and it’s not a pretty picture.

At the risk of ruining your read, should you decide to do so, the protagonist uncovers a brilliant and elaborate hoax.  The bones weren’t Jesus’ bones after all.

But then, the Bible makes that abundantly clear from the start.  After raising the specter of a still-dead Jesus and what that would mean for Christians in 1 Corinthians 15, the Apostle Paul states this in the very next verse:  “But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep” (1 Corinthians 15:20).

What if Jesus never rose back to life?  Thankfully that’s not a question we have to consider.  He is risen!  He is risen indeed!

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Summarizing the Incomprehensible

Summarizing the Incomprehensible

How does one put it into words?

God himself, existing in absolute glory and worshiped by throngs of angels, willingly left the wonders of heaven to dwell on a very unglorious earth.  That’s astounding enough.  But he didn’t come down just to live on earth, to hang out a while and teach us some important truths, and then quietly extricate himself again.  Jesus arrived here with the express purpose of dying here.  And not simply dying a quick death, but a slow, excruciatingly torturous one!

The Apostle Paul describes this wonder with these words:  “Christ Jesus, … being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness.  And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death — even death on a cross!” (Philippians 2:6-8).

Why?  Why would Jesus do that? 

Well, first of all because he loved us that much.  And secondly, because the Lord realized that there was no other way sufficient atonement for our transgressions could be made, and no other way that sinners like us could transition into heaven one day.  Only his perfect sacrifice would suffice.

So Jesus entered our world to accomplish what only he could accomplish – the saving of sinners.  It was an act of boundless love, but it cost him dearly.  It was a price he was willing to pay.

Jesus’ birth led to his death; his death led to his resurrection; his resurrection led to his ascension, when he returned to his rightful home in heaven and resumed his proper seat on a throne of glory.

Paul continued his summary of Jesus’ life and death in Philippians with these words: “Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” (Philippians 2:9-11)

The Apostle summarizes the incomprehensible quite well, doesn’t he?  Which set me to thinking; how would I summarize the events of “Holy Week” in a few words?  Here’s a few attempts:

The perfect example of love demonstrated by the Perfect Example of Love.

The greatest love story ever told.

The most significant week in the history of the world.

The culmination and focal point of the entire Bible.

The Gospel put into the profoundest action by the Lord himself.

A sacrifice too great to give, but given anyway.

Events beyond belief.  (But believe them anyway!)

No greater carnage; no greater blessing!

The Holy One became “unholy” so the unholy ones (you and me) could become holy.

The Lord experienced hell so we could experience heaven.

How the wrongs were made right again.  That is, the Second Adam (Jesus) undoes the damage of the first Adam.

An unpayable debt … paid in full.

Holy Week: an occupied cross and then an unoccupied tomb.

“It is finished!”

Clearly I’ve only scratched the surface; there is so much more that could be said.  How would you summarize the incomprehensible events of this week?  Please share.  I’d love to hear your thoughts.

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Boundless!

Boundless!

This week my wife and I were able to spend a few days out at the coast.  What a blessing!  And really, there is nothing quite like the ocean.

Here are a few fun facts about the oceans:

Approximately 70 percent of the planet is covered with ocean, and 97 percent of the earth’s water can be found in our oceans.  In fact, the oceans contain 328 million cubic miles of water.

The average depth of the oceans is more than 12,400 feet. (That’s over two miles deep!)

The deepest and longest “valley” in the world is in the western Pacific Ocean.  It is called the Mariana Trench, and stretches over 1,500 miles long with an average width of 43 miles.  The maximum known depth of the Mariana Trench is over 36,000 feet.  (About 7 miles deep!)

In addition, the longest mountain range in the world (the Mid-Oceanic Ridge) is also under water.  This chain of mountains runs through the middle of the Atlantic Ocean and into the Indian and Pacific oceans.  It extends more than 35,000 miles and it makes up 23 percent of the Earth’s total surface.  Some of its peaks climb higher than those in the Alps … except that these heights exist below sea level.

Humans have explored less than 5 percent of the Earth’s oceans, which obviously means that 95% of the ocean is unexplored.  In fact, scientists own better maps of Mars than of the ocean floor.

But this post is not about the amazing wonders of the oceans.  Rather, it is about the amazing God who created the amazing wonders in the ocean. 

As mind-boggling as some of those ocean facts may be, what I find amazing about the ocean is a bit simpler.  The ocean waves never ever end. 

If you have been fortunate at some point to stay at a place along the ocean, you know that the roar of the ocean never stops.  You can shut the sliding doors onto the deck and close all the windows.  You can even turn on the fireplace or dial up some soft music.  You can be eating your breakfast in the morning, sitting on the coach in the middle of the day, or wake up in the middle of the night. The roar of the ocean waves is always there; it never ends. 

That’s because the ocean waves never stop rolling onto the beach.  Those 328 million cubic miles of salt water just keep lapping up on the shore.  The stronger the wind, the greater the whitecaps, but even on the stillest of days the thunder of the pounding waves continues.  They never cease.

And so it is with our Lord.  His mercies and blessings never stop rolling into our lives.  God’s goodness and love are as immense and unfathomable as the water of the ocean, and as unending as the waves of the ocean.  In a word, boundless.

The prophet Jeremiah was inspired by the Holy Spirit to write these words:  “Because of the LORD’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail.  They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness, [O Lord!]”  (Lamentations 3:22-23).

The Lord and his mercy are like the unending waves of the ocean.  His great love for us keeps him from consuming us.  His compassions never fail, but are new every morning.  Like the waves of the ocean, the Lord’s loving actions toward us are continually rolling into our lives every day all day.  They never end.

The prophet Micah shares a powerful illustration with us.  Speaking to the Lord, he writes, “You will again have compassion on us; you will … hurl all our iniquities into the depths of the sea” (Micah 7:19).

Instead of keeping a record of our wrongs or mounting our iniquities on permanent display before him, the Lord hurls all of our sins into the depths of the sea.  The Lord throws our mistakes into the middle of the mighty ocean.  All those transgressions plummet down 12,000 feet to the ocean floor. 

No!  Even better than that! The Lord casts our wrongdoings down to the bottom of the Mariana Trench – 36,000 feet down – and buries them there where no one can see them or reach them!

How can this be that our sins are buried in the fathoms?  Because of this nearly unfathomable truth: Jesus, the Son of God, suffered for us.

How awesome is our God!  How gracious and merciful!  How incredibly loving!  How patient and kind and good!  His compassions never fail; they are new every morning.  And so are God’s mercies, faithfulness, forgiveness, and his blessings; they are like the ocean waves.  Boundless!

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50 Lessons Learned

50 Lessons Learned

Since this is my 50th post on this blog, I thought I would do something a bit different this week.  I decided to list 50 life lessons I have accumulated through the years.  These are by no means the only lessons I have learned, nor are any of them probably particularly astute.  But maybe readers might glean an insight here or there?  I pray a few of the observations will encourage someone somewhere.

Here is my disclaimer:  Just because I’ve learned these lessons doesn’t mean I always live them. I’m a work in progress, as we all are.

So here we go!  50 lessons I’ve learned, in no particular order:

1. Many will love you, but none more than the Lord

2. No one is guaranteed tomorrow. We aren’t even guaranteed the next minute.  Every second is a new gift from God.

3. People are so predictable … and so unpredictable.

4. The Lord and his Word are the only truly reliable things in this whole wide world. If we rely upon ourselves or others, we will often be disappointed; if on God, never.

5. Strive to see, think about and focus on the positives.

6. Encouragement is far more effective at behavior adjustment than criticism.

7. Never say, “I’ll never …”

8. Every day is precious; it’s used once and you don’t get it back again. One can’t ever regain lost time, but they can use future moments more wisely.

9. The most urgent things are rarely the most important ones.

10. Care of your soul, your body and your relationships are wise investments.

11. True wealth is gauged in the spiritual realm; not the physical one.

12. One’s contentment often correlates with the amount of time spent outdoors.

13. Relationships are more precious than treasure.

14. People would benefit greatly if they spent more time in their Bible and less time on their screens.

15. Work will always be there; children and family won’t be. Maximize precious moments together.

16. Worrying is a colossal waste of time and energy.

17. We are what we watch and what we listen to.

18. God often brings the greatest blessings through hardship.

19. Making the effort to stay in touch with family and friends will never be regretted. Not making the effort will be.

20. Let God be God; he’s far more qualified than we are.

21. Hugs are wonderful blessings!

22. Paying others to do tedious, time-consuming tasks is money well spent.

23. Look for God’s guiding hand in your life, see it everywhere, and rejoice in his wonderful care

24. Never let others, even loved ones, push you into poor decisions.

25. Smile more; frown less – outwardly and inwardly.

26. The Lord isn’t only vaguely interested and slightly involved in our lives, but completely invested.

27. The need for God’s truth has never been greater … for you, me and everyone.

28. Stop trying to be perfect and be satisfied with good enough.

29. Be content, no matter the circumstances. You are blessed and being blessed.

30. Spend less time being angry and more time rejoicing, forgiving and being kind. Life is too short to stay angry and hold grudges.

31. Stubbornness is not a character strength.

32. The hope that God gives in the Scriptures cannot be found anywhere else in the whole, wide world.

33. Pride is a secret destroyer.

34. Insisting one is always right is always wrong.

35. Stop crucifying yourself for your mistakes; Jesus was crucified for you!

36. One’s personal actions and attitudes should not be based on the actions and attitudes of others.

37. There is never reason to be bored.

38. The heartache of missing someone means you are blessed with a heart of love for someone.

39. The hardest paths in life are typically the right paths.

40. True beauty is not skin-deep, but actually under the skin.

41. The smartest people realize they’re not the smartest people. And a related truth: the wisest people aren’t always the most educated people.

42. Satan, the great deceiver, is really, really good at what he does.

43. Trying new activities and adventures enriches and enlivens life.

44. The wise discover the healthy medium between head and heart decisions.

45. Don’t let the pressure of the moment destroy the beauty of the moment.

46. The body of a twenty-year-old is typically strong; the mind less so. Thirty years later, those are reversed.  (Don’t be offended, youngsters; when you are my age you will understand.)

47. One should always pet their pet more.

48. Once words leave your mouth (or your keyboard), they can’t be retrieved.

49. Life in this world is often difficult. God allows us to struggle so we remember that heaven is our real home.  The longer we live the more appealing heaven becomes!

50. While living on earth the status of our soul can seem like one of the least important things; the day we die it becomes the most important thing.

These are a few truths I’ve learned.  But maybe you  might suggest some revisions to a few of the 50 points?  If so, I’d love to hear your thoughts.  I’d also love to read a few life-lessons you have learned.  Please share in the comments section!

“May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and by his grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope, encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good deed and word” (2 Thessalonians 2:16-17).

How to Interact on This Blog

To Comment – Please share your thoughts!  (Commenting is the fun part!)  To do so, click on the “Comments” tag under the title.  I, and many others, would love to benefit from your insights!

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Finished?

Finished?

I know it’s strange, but I enjoy mowing the lawn.

Earlier this week I mowed our yard for the first time this year.  Those of you who live in other parts of the country won’t have to worry about that particular task for a while yet, but here in the Pacific Northwest spring arrives early.  The daffodils are starting to bloom, and the grass is beginning to grow in earnest.  Which means lawns need to be mowed. 

Fortunately, I enjoy mowing the lawn.  Well, technically I enjoy viewing the mown lawn afterwards.  I don’t mind mowing the lawn, but what I really appreciate is seeing the finished product.  And especially if I trimmed along all the borders!  When the job is completed, the grass blades are all nicely snipped off at a uniform height.  The lawn looks like a lovely, living green carpet … delightful to the eye! 

If I’m able, I celebrate the completed job from my deck by reclining in a deck chair where I can soak in the view and drink in the smell of the cut grass.  The appearance is extremely satisfying!  There is nothing quite like a manicured lawn to foster contentment in a job well done.  There on the deck I bask in the knowledge that the lawn mowing is finished.

But the lawn mowing isn’t finished.  In just a few days during the height of growing season the fine, finished appearance morphs into a rather untidy view.  Even when the grass transitions to dormancy in the winter months, the spring brings new life again, and the mowing resumes.  (Case and point: me mowing the lawn earlier this week!)  The sad reality is that the lawn mowing is never finished.

And that’s how it is with so many things, isn’t it?  The house repairs and house cleaning, the car maintenance, the work responsibilities, even our relationship adjustments are never, ever finished.  Restocking the pantry, washing and folding the laundry, paying the bills … also never finished.  Gleaning insights, becoming wiser, learning and growing into a better person is a life-long venture and is never completed.  Indeed, the list of unfinished business is a long one.

Which can be a rather depressing thought.  Wouldn’t it be nice if something worthwhile could truly be finished once-and-for-all?

Well, there actually is something wonderful that is finished.  Totally, completely, irrevocably, once-and-for-all finished!

No, it’s not taxes.  Not bills either.  Neither is it work or life-struggles.  Nor shady politicians.  Or aging ungracefully.  I’m sure we could make a lengthy list of issues that we would like to see brought to an end, but which won’t truly end until we die.  (And that’s an altogether different finish!)

Unfortunately, this aforementioned “once-and-for-all” finish isn’t an end to our sinfulness either.  Our faults and flaws will remain with us until, well … our ultimate finish, the moment we die.

So then, what is this thing that is totally, completely, irrevocably, once-and-for-all finished?  It’s not our humanness, our frailties and mistakes, or our utter sinfulness – but the atonement for our sinfulness!

That atonement was procured by God’s holy Sacrifice.  By Jesus, “the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world”  (John 1:29). 

It wasn’t pretty.  It didn’t catch the eye and elicit a lingering gaze like a newly mown lawn.  People had to look away in horror and revulsion.  The very Son of God hung naked, beaten and bleeding on a Roman device of torture and death.  He had done nothing wrong; committed no crime.  But he bore all our wrongs and was punished for our countless crimes; crimes that were committed against him.  (Consider that concept a moment.)

Jesus didn’t miss a one.  There wasn’t a single sin we have tallied that he did not cover completely.  Not our secret sins.  Not our horrible sins.  Not our repeated sins.  Not those sins we are most ashamed of now.  All were included in his all-sufficient sacrifice. 

How do we know?  How can we be confident of this beyond a shadow of a doubt?  Because he said so himself!  “It is finished,” proclaimed our Savior from the cross.  (John 19:30)

When he announced, “It is finished,” Jesus wasn’t speaking about his suffering being over or his life being finished by death, though he died shortly after uttering those words.  No, what was finished was the payment for our transgressions.  It was a debt that was fully paid; a spiritual lien that was completely removed from our record. 

It was a job that wasn’t presumably or partially finished, or finished temporarily, but completely and certainly finished.  That is, finished finished.

How incredible!  How wonderful!  There really is something that is completely completed!  We are redeemed and restored through Jesus. 

“Is the payment for our sins really and truly made?” we timidly ask.  To which the Lord Jesus answers assertively, “Yes, it is finished!”

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Look! Look! Look!

Look! Look! Look!

This week’s post is drastically different than my usual offering.  Different format completely.  Different length too; this post is longer than usual.  (But please read it anyway!)  Why the changes?  Because I grieve that so many of God’s people are struggling in one way or another, and I hope to bring some encouragement and direction to hurting hearts.  But in a little different way. 

As long as we live in this broken world, we will all struggle to some degree.  But there are a few things to which we can turn our attention that will help us profoundly through our struggles.  I don’t mean to minimize our challenges in any way or give the impression that we can totally escape our problems.  But God does give us some wonderful remedies!  Unfortunately, all too often we fail to utilize them. 

I put together this allegory to try to illustrate this.  I guess one could view it as a simpler, shorter version of John Bunyan’s Pilgrim’s Progress.  Yes, I know that’s a classic, and I won’t pretend I can come close to equaling it.  But I do pray that the illustration is beneficial nonetheless.  I hope you won’t find it, (or me), too strange.  I hope also you won’t simply dismiss the story, but will read it and consider the message.  And most of all, I pray it will encourage you and help you on your own life’s journey!

They stood at a rocky outcropping after a particularly difficult climb, the vegetation sparse on the stone slabs.  An elderly man, weak and tottering; a young man, strong and fit.  The young man was heartbroken; he knew his father couldn’t hike much further.  His mother had already been carried away in the loving arms of the Lord earlier in the journey.  Now it was just the two of them.  Soon it would be only one.

Around them rose a forest.  The timber stood tall, the vegetation thick and the forest floor continued to climb precipitously.  Everything ahead of the young man seemed dark and foreboding; the prospect of traveling forward alone seemed unthinkable.  Tears ran unchecked down his cheeks.

The kindly father put his arm over Trav’s shoulder.  “I know the journey seems daunting,” he said.  “And it is.  But you must work your way through it nevertheless.”  Trav couldn’t bear to look at his father and didn’t want to look at the forest, so he kept his eyes downcast.  His father continued.  “It’s true that many never make it out of the wilderness.  There is an abundance of dangers and distractions, and these take many down on their journey.”  Trav shuddered involuntarily, both from grief and fear. 

The man tightened his grip on Trav’s shoulder and pulled him against him.  “Be strong and courageous.  Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”  Trav inhaled.  Exhaled.  The father slowly spun Trav to stare directly into his eyes.  “You will make it through anything if you remember to look!  Traveler, you must remember to look!” 

Trav’s eyes widened.  “Look at what?” he asked.

“Look at these three things,” the elderly man replied.  “Look in the Living Word; look up at the Loving Presence; and look ahead to the Looming Destination.”

“What?  What do you mean by that?”

“The Living Word is the Bible tucked into your pack.  The Loving Presence is the loving Lord who is constantly with you, and the Looming Destination is your ultimate goal, your heavenly home.  Each is crucial for your journey.  If you fail to faithfully look at any of them, your travels will be negatively impacted and you will struggle much more than you need to.  Do you understand?”

The young man gulped and nodded.  “Not totally, but kinda.  It’s what you’ve always told me, right?” 

“It is indeed.  You must remember these instructions.  Now repeat them after me. …  Look in the Living Word; look up at the Loving Prescence; and look ahead to the Looming Destination.”  Trav repeated the words. 

“Good.  It’s almost time for you to set out on your own.  Now don’t forget to look.”  The man embraced Trav, tears in his own eyes, then released him.  A glowing smile lit up the old man’s face.  He slowly collapsed backwards while the Lord’s hand reached down to catch and cradle him.   “Look, Trav!” the man whispered.  “Remember to look!  Then we’ll be together again one day.”  And the Lord carried him away.

Racked with debilitating grief, Trav remained in that rocky place for some time.  But eventually he recognized he had to move on.  In many ways, his life journey was just beginning.

Initially Trav made a point to regularly look in the Living Word, to religiously look up and see the Lord’s Loving Presence hovering over him, and to routinely look ahead at the delightful golden glow of the Looming Destination. And while he experienced adversity, those three views enabled him to keep up his spirits, overcome the hardships and advance safely on his journey.

Over time, however, the wilderness he traversed began to garner more and more of his attention. 

Trav daily pushed through the thorns and thickets, stumbled up the rocky hills and tripped down the ravines on the other side.  He slogged through the bitterly cold rivers.  He shivered in the frost; sweated profusely in the heat; bled from the injuries he incurred.  At the end of the day, he huddled exhausted near the flickering flames of his fire.  He didn’t seem to have the energy to look in the Living Word.

Occasionally he would find sweet relief from his travels in a lovely clearing where flowers burst exuberantly from the forest floor.  Birds chirped delightful songs and tree frogs added their choruses.  And Trav would drop his pack, take a seat on a log in the shade, and breath in the sweet aroma of the cedars and the wildflowers.  He cast his eyes around.  The view was simply too lovely to interrupt with a look in the Living Word.

There were other days of extreme difficulty; situations that demanded a great deal of his attention.  He found himself fending off the words and schemes of fellow travelers who intended to take advantage of him.  Wild animals stalked him; swarming insects frequently made him miserable.  Fierce storms lashed at him, drenching him in the rain and terrifying him with lightening.  Fires raged unchecked, floodwaters rose, and fierce winds toppled branches and trees, forcing him to take protective measures.  Freak accidents occurred.  Each season brought unique challenges; every landscape its own difficulties.  Among the day-to-day struggles, Trav was simply too distracted to look up at the Lord’s Loving Presence.

Along the way Trav was joined with a delightful companion named Journ.  She made his travels much more pleasant; the journey was now shared.  But now there were two to protect and provide for; two to care for and attend to.  In his happiness and busyness and preoccupation, Trav neglected to look up at the Loving Presence.  He almost forgot the Lord was there.

Eventually Trav and Journ found themselves in a particularly difficult stretch of their life-walk.  A massive windfall of trees surrounded them, the giant trunks strewn helter-skelter.  The travelers were forced to carefully make their way through this almost impenetrable maze of timber, sometimes crawling under the trees and sometimes scrambling over them – always having to navigate through the clutching branches and always emerging from one log only to find another one barring their progress.   

As they attempted to scale yet another fallen fir, the wood gave way and dumped them painfully to the ground.  Weak and bleeding, with their faces in the pine needles and their exhausted bodies surrounded by stinging nettles, they were overwhelmed with despair.  All they could see was the brutal journey before them: the enormous fallen trees, the clawing branches, the gouging thorns and biting insects, the meals to procure, the elements to endure, the countless obstacles.  They gave no thought to the Looming Destination.

Journ sobbed and Trav pounded the ground in frustration.  “I know this journey is hard, but it’s not supposed to be this hard!” Trav exclaimed.  “My father told me it would be hard.  He told me …”  His breath caught.  “My father told me …” Tears flowed as the memory overtook him.  “He told me to … ‘Look in the Living Word; look up at the Loving Presence; and look ahead to the Looming Destination.’”

Journ gasped.  “My parents told me the same thing!  But we’ve been so busy looking at the forest and the journey, the hardships and the joys, that we haven’t done it.  We haven’t looked in, up or ahead.”  Her eyes widened.  “Oh, Trav.  We’ve been focusing on the wrong things. It’s no wonder we are struggling so much!”

They turned their heads and nodded knowingly at each other.  Then they rolled onto their backs … and there was the Lord, right where he always was, hovering over them and watching.  But now he was smiling with joy.

From that moment on, Trav and Journ held to different priorities in their travels.  They made a point to look in the Living Word every day, to look up at the Loving Presence routinely; and to look ahead to the Looming Destination frequently.  Their journey was still challenging and their obstacles many, but the Living Word gave them healing and strength, the Lord’s Loving Presence gave them sufficient and sustaining help, and the Looming Destination gave them hope of a better future at journey’s end.

Never again did they neglect to look, look and look!  And never again were their journey’s struggles quite as significant, no matter how significant those struggles happened to be.

˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜

(Hebrews 4:12)  For the word of God is alive and active.  Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.

(Joshua 1:9)  [The LORD said,] “Have I not commanded you?  Be strong and courageous.  Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go.”

(Matthew 28:20)  [Jesus said,] “Surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

(John 14:1-3)  [Jesus said,] “Do not let your hearts be troubled.  You believe in God; believe also in me.  My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you?  And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.

(Romans 15:4)  For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through the endurance taught in the Scriptures and the encouragement they provide we might have hope.

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Hope Springs Eternal

Hope Springs Eternal

I am almost giddy with joy. 

Baseball is beginning!  Major league players are reporting to their spring training facilities, and practices are under way.  Games will follow soon.  Along with the amount of daylight increasing daily and the daffodils stretching from the ground, baseball is one of the wonderful harbingers of Spring. 

When “the boys of Summer” report for duty, it’s a sure sign Summer isn’t far away!

And after the last year, who of us isn’t ready for some fun in the sun?  Some enjoyable distractions on the ballfield; the sounds, sights and smells of a ballgame; some social gatherings at the ballpark?  (Well, hopefully anyway!)

On top of just the exaltation that baseball is back – and it seems it’s back for a full season this go-round – there is the added excitement that this is the year my favorite team, the Seattle Mariners, are going to win our American League West division!

At which any of you who are even a little informed about the Seattle Mariners are probably rolling your eyes, shaking your heads, and possibly even guffawing out loud.  The Mariners have the distinct dishonor of being the only MLB team that has never even played in the World Series.  The only one!  In addition, they currently own the longest playoff drought of any major professional team.  Not just the longest drought in baseball, but the longest drought of any team in MLB, the NFL, the NBA, or the NHL!

Consequently some (most? all?) will take exception to my prediction of the Mariners winning their division and breaking their playoff absence.  To which I reply with the aged and sage proverb, “Hope springs eternal!” 

And nowhere is that expression more true than in regard to one’s favorite baseball team!  (Especially if one’s favorite team happens to be the Mariners!)

“Hope springs eternal” is actually an abbreviation of a line written by Alexander Pope in “An Essay on Man” in 1732.  The entire phrase was originally “Hope springs eternal in the human breast.”

The concept, of course, is that humans long for, search for and even manufacture hope.  We need it, want it, and have to have it.  Our tendency is always to somehow, somewhere, in some way uncover some kind of hope.  We will cling tenaciously to hope against all odds because existence without hope is a shallow existence.

Unfortunately, this sin-shattered world excels at undermining hope.  Perhaps that’s why we are so desperately and constantly seeking a semblance of hope?  We recognize that hope tends to be frail, finicky and fleeting.

Which is why, I’m convinced, the Bible speaks so adamantly and repeatedly about hope.  Not about the uncertain hope this world offers, but rather about the certain, immovable, unchangeable, persevering, everlasting, rock-solid, count-on-it-no-matter-what hope that God gives.

If God says it, God must do it.  If God makes a promise, God must keep it.  If God offers words of hope, he must stand behind them.  Which makes the hopes that God gives us absolutely reliable.

The list of God’s hope-giving promises is long!  His assurances encompass his love for us, his redemption accomplished for us, his daily care of us, and his eternal reward for us.  And so much more!

 “Everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through the endurance taught in the Scriptures and the encouragement they provide we might have hope” (Romans 15:4).  To which the writer to the Hebrews adds this encouragement, “Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful” (Hebrews 10:23).

Wherever the Bible addresses the hope that God gives us, we should add the word “certain” to it.  Not because it sounds more encouraging that way, but because it’s true! 

Let’s try it and see what that sounds like.

“We wait in (certain!) hope for the LORD; he is our help and our shield.  In him our hearts rejoice, for we trust in his holy name. May your unfailing love be with us, LORD, even as we put our (certain!) hope in you” (Psalm 33:20-22).

Now that’s a (certain!) hope that truly springs eternal!

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Covered versus Removed

Covered versus Removed

As I write this, a winter storm rages outside.  The snow is piling up at a rapid pace.  For those of you who reside in other parts of the country, you shrug your shoulders and reply, “So what?  Been there; done that … nearly weekly all winter long!”

But for us in Western Washington, significant snowfall is cause for significant attention.  It rarely happens here.  When blizzards occur, or are expected to occur, they dominate the news.

For some, snow is a four-letter word, and one of the very worst words on the list!  Snow is cause for fear and trepidation among many.  Perhaps even panic, if driving is necessary.  The panic is due in part to the lack of snow removal plows available locally and partially because of the inexperienced winter drivers who live here.  But mostly the unease stems from the many hills in the area, some of which are steep and become treacherous with just a skimming of snow.

For others, lowland snow is a delightful novelty, and something to celebrate and experience.  Those many hills in the region that make driving dangerous also provide makeshift toboggan runs … even if one doesn’t own a taboggan.  Trash can lids make handy-dandy sleds; large boxes broken down will work too.  Anything that provides a little “slide” and a place to sit will do!  And usually one doesn’t need to journey far to find a hill to scoot recklessly down.  Meanwhile an army of snowmen is raised to try to hold off the attack from the warm rain that typically invades a day or two later.

Snow in the Pacific Northwest is a novelty both welcomed and dreaded.  And a bit of both for many folks.

When a healthy amount of snow accumulates, there is an obvious result.  It covers everything outside.  The house, the deck, the grill, the garage, the vehicles, the streets, the trees, the shrubs, the lawn … everything is draped in a beautiful blanket of white.

Which means a great many blemishes are covered over.  Aging shingles on roofs.  Rust and dents on vehicles, as well as cracks in the windshields.  Potholes in the streets.  Dead limbs on trees and weeds in the lawn or flowerbeds.  Garbage in the alleys.  Even dog doodoo in the back yard.  Everything looks lovely under a thick layer of snow.

But looking lovely and being lovely are two completely different things. 

When the snow melts, the blemishes remain.  The flaws reappear; the necessary repairs still need to be done; the garbage and doodoo are re-revealed. 

So what about our spiritual flaws?  What about our ugly sinful blemishes?  We certainly want to cover them up with as lovely a coating as possible in an attempt to look good before God and people.  Something similar to snow would seem to be wonderful! 

Of course, God sees all.  And other people see a lot too, regardless of the efforts we make to throw a pretty cloak overtop.  And coverings like snow are temporary anyway.

Thankfully our God has provided a solution!  It doesn’t sound as lovely as a layer of snow, or seem to be as attractive or appealing, but it is far more effective.  God’s solution to our sin-debt?  Covering us in the blood of Jesus, the holy Son of God and our Savior.

I recognize this is anything but a pretty picture.  However, don’t shrink from the illustration; embrace it!  Because Jesus’ blood not only covers over believers’ transgressions; it removes them completely!  As the Holy Spirit made clear when he had John write, “The blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin” (1 John 1:7).

This is a recurring theme throughout Scripture, both in the Old and New Testament.

In Leviticus 17:11, the Lord states, “For the life of a creature is in the blood, and I have given it to you to make atonement for yourselves on the altar; it is the blood that makes atonement for one’s life.”

Years after Jesus crucifixion and resurrection, Peter writes this: “For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your ancestors, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect” (1 Peter 1:18-19).

The snowfall is gorgeous; gorgeous as it falls and gorgeous where it lays.  But it only covers.  Even more beautiful is the blood of Jesus which covers and removes our ugly flaws in the eyes of our Lord. 

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