Tag: love

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United we stand.

Reading Time: 2 minutes

“Therefore I, a prisoner for serving the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of your calling, for you have been called by God. Always be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other’s faults because of your love. Make every effort to keep yourselves united in the Spirit, binding yourselves together with peace. For there is one body and one Spirit, just as you have been called to one glorious hope for the future.” ‭‭Ephesians‬ ‭4‬:‭1‬-‭4‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Paul, writing to the churches in Ephesus, from prison, calls out followers of Jesus to be unified under the fact that there is but one body and one Spirit. There may be factions of belief, but there should not be fractures of behavior towards one another. Why? Paul tells the Church, unity reflects our calling!

As a follower of Jesus, fully committed to his Lordship over all things, our individual and community calling is from God. Because of that, Paul lists the actions, the behaviors of our calling – humility, gentleness, patience and tolerance because of love. The letter to the Ephesians was primarily based on the theme of unity. Paul sent Timothy there to pastor the church, eventually leading up to Timothy becoming a bishop over the entire region. The ancient city now lies in ruins with thousands of tourists passing through marveling at its once magnificent structures, even highlighting several multi-level, apartment style homes. Ephesus today, once home to Jesus’ mother Mary and the burial place of the Apostle John only has a handful of believers along with a very old Catholic monastery.

Unity in the Church today is still as vital as ever. Yet, with thousands of denominational factions and ministerial accusations becoming viral social media posts, it is very apparent that we have not done enough to honor Jesus’ prayer in John 17 to be one.

Prayer

​Dad,
Walking the ancient streets of Ephesus and meeting one of the few dear Christian ladies across the street from St. John’s tomb, it was disheartening to realize that many of the New Testament churches no longer exist. I am sure the reasons are more complicated than just our issues with disunity, but it is still sad. I remember an old song based on John 13:35, “they will know we are Christians by our love.” I ache for those who proclaim your name to live under your banner of love for one another.

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When God speaks.

Reading Time: 2 minutes

”The voice of the Lord echoes above the sea. The God of glory thunders. The Lord thunders over the mighty sea. The voice of the Lord is powerful; the voice of the Lord is majestic. The voice of the Lord splits the mighty cedars; the Lord shatters the cedars of Lebanon. He makes Lebanon’s mountains skip like a calf; he makes Mount Hermon leap like a young wild ox. The voice of the Lord strikes with bolts of lightning. The voice of the Lord makes the barren wilderness quake; the Lord shakes the wilderness of Kadesh. The voice of the Lord twists mighty oaks and strips the forests bare. In his Temple everyone shouts, “Glory!” ‭‭Psalms‬ ‭29‬:‭3‬-‭9‬ ‭NLT‬‬

David writes this Psalm highlighting the voice of God. It is believed to have been written when God told David that he would not be building the temple because of his bloody war hands. So David gives his son the detailed plans and instructions to build the magnificent structure, including the surrounding courtyard, 1 Chronicles 28. It is in these celebratory moments that David writes about the power and majesty of the Lord’s voice. This Psalm was inserted towards the end of David’s life.

Yesterday, we had a sudden storm race through Southern California, but with this quick burst of rain also came massive thunder and lightning. Thunder that rattles windows and scares little children! This timeless reminder is what David uses to highlight the power of God. When God speaks in power the earth itself shakes in response!

It reminds me of the moment God told Elijah to go out on the face of mount Horeb in 1 Kings 19:11-13. Elijah experienced hurricane force winds, an earthquake, and fire. But God was not in those destructive experiences. After all that Elijah heard the sound of a low whisper, he covered his face and went out to listen to God. Yes, God’s voice cannot only come in power, enough to split cedars, make mountains skip and leap and strip forests bare. God can also come in a whisper, drawing the human ear and heart close to himself. God, as creator of all things, has both the power to wreak havoc as well as the power to save and heal our hearts.

Prayer

​Dad,
When I stop and think about Your power over all things in everything that exists everywhere, it humbles me to realize that You love us – You love me! We are uniquely created in Your image and You breathed life into our soul. It reminds me that all that power has been leveraged into the physical might to save us, not destroy us. Your power is for us not against us. You oppose the proud but give grace to the humble. I am thankful for Your power working in me.

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Prophets foretelling future.

Reading Time: 3 minutes

“During this time some prophets traveled from Jerusalem to Antioch. One of them named Agabus stood up in one of the meetings and predicted by the Spirit that a great famine was coming upon the entire Roman world. (This was fulfilled during the reign of Claudius.) So the believers in Antioch decided to send relief to the brothers and sisters in Judea, everyone giving as much as they could. This they did, entrusting their gifts to Barnabas and Saul to take to the elders of the church in Jerusalem.” Acts 11‬:‭27‬-‭30‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Like the Old Testament Prophets of old, Abagus tells the Church, there is famine coming. GotQuestions.org states, “Claudius Caesar had several unintended effects on Christian history. First, his scattering of the Jews in Rome led directly to Paul’s encounter with Priscilla and Aquila.” And, “God sovereignly used the reign of Claudius Caesar, as He did every other Roman emperor, to continue spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ across the world. Some of Paul’s earliest letters were written under the reign of Claudius Caesar.”

Luke uses this very public tragedy to highlight the prophet office, or the gift of prophecy. A prophet was one who received direct messages from God and communicated them to the people. The gift of prophecy is mainly active as a forth-telling, which is declaring of God’s truth, especially in encouraging one another in the Church. The less common is fore-telling, predicting future events.

Here in Acts 11, Agabus predicted (by the Holy Spirit) that a great famine was coming. Clearly this forecast allowed the Church to prepare ahead of the crisis on behalf of those who would suffer in Jerusalem. This massive mission push was a New Testament theme that not only addressed the speed, agility and ability of believers throughout the entire region. It also highlighted the unity of Christianity in sending money to Jerusalem. This allowed the Pastors to purchase food and get it distributed to those affected. Sending funds and distributing food was a powerful testimony to nonbelievers that the Church didn’t just care about folks spiritual needs but physical needs as well.

This thread of distribution in disasters is still relevant today! During Covid, hundreds of Churches were the distribution centers of food because of the Farmers to Families Food Box Program which began in May of 2020 and ended in May of 2021 having distributed more than 173 million food boxes. And, many people don’t know that ConvoyofHope.org, is oftentimes the first to arrive in national disasters around the country. It is amazing and challenging to know that God has used the Church then and does so still today. One of the marks of Christianity on our culture is how believers give time and money in a crisis – both local and globally. The beauty of this moment recorded in Acts is that God gave warning through the gift of Prophecy that allowed the Church to begin preparing before the famine even hit.

Prayer

​Dad,
It would be great if we (the Church) had more prophetically gifted individuals for just such reasons as Agabus had proven faithful. I have really longed for the Church leadership offices to get beyond just the two pastor/teacher flavors. Lacking our apostolic and prophetic seems to keep us wandering in circles, missing the urgency and the push of the Spirit which both these gifts give us. We have given into fears in our churches because these missing gifts were abused in the past and later shuffled off as insignificant. This one prophetic moment gave the early church more than just a head-start it gave it the edge for politicians and business leaders to follow. This kept the church relevant in resources, leading the charge to care and directing people and funds to where both were much needed. Could you give us another chance, a boost of confidence to follow the model of the early church?

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God’s favorites.

Reading Time: 3 minutes

”One day the widow of a member of the group of prophets came to Elisha and cried out, “My husband who served you is dead, and you know how he feared the Lord. But now a creditor has come, threatening to take my two sons as slaves.” “What can I do to help you?” Elisha asked. “Tell me, what do you have in the house?” “Nothing at all, except a flask of olive oil,” she replied. And Elisha said, “Borrow as many empty jars as you can from your friends and neighbors. Then go into your house with your sons and shut the door behind you. Pour olive oil from your flask into the jars, setting each one aside when it is filled.” ‭‭2 Kings‬ ‭4‬:‭1‬-‭4‬ ‭NLT‬‬

There are those in our society that are in need and should receive special attention and care. These folks existed in ancient days and they still struggle today. They are widows and orphans. Because God’s heart always leans to the least among us, he expects that we will do the same.

In the U.S. from 2022, there were approximately 11.48 million widowed women and 3.7 million widowed men in the United States, the average age is 59! The word “widow” is sited 80 times from the Old and New Testament. Today’s “orphan” would be our children lingering in foster care. In 2022, approximately 368,530 children were in foster care in the United States. Which is down from 400,000 just 10 years ago.

Here in Kings, with the story of the needy widow, Elisha responds to her desperation by walking her and her sons through a miracle rather than just giving her money. In fact, through this miracle, God allowed this widow to become an entrepreneur, with a sustainable income for her future. That’s a compounded interest miracle!

Kings tells us that this widow’s husband was a part of Elisha’s School of the Prophets, and the widow reminds him that her husband feared the Lord! Since Elisha figured out that this widow was willing to speak up and ask, he knew he could put this skillset, this gift to work! He first asks what she has. She responds with, “I’ve only got one flask of oil.” Olive oil, in ancient days was used for just about everything, far more than it is today. If you had a grove of olive trees, you had a sustainable income for life, because oil was a highly needed commodity.

Next, Elisha puts her to work ASKING. “Go and borrow as many empty jars as you can.” Big jars, little jars, used jars and new ones – who knows what her friends and neighbors let her “borrow” knowing they were helping her out.

Elisha then tells her, “go into your house with your sons.” My wife, Robin, points out the highlight of the miracle about to take place is the fact that her sons were able to experience God’s power and provision right alongside their mother. She begins to pour from her only oil jar. She fills up one jar, then another, and another. The tension rises when the mother discovers they are out of jars, “Soon every container was full to the brim! “Bring me another jar,” she said to one of her sons. “There aren’t any more!” he told her. And then the olive oil stopped flowing.” (4‬:‭6‬) All the jars were now filled!

She tells Elisha what happened, expecting that he would want to know or maybe even receive part of the miraculous oil himself. Elisha tells her to sell the oil to pay the debt and keep the rest to live on! She receives a miracle and an inheritance check from God!

Caring for widows or children of foster care doesn’t mean we just hand over a bunch of money. God could have made it rain coins from the sky if Elisha asked him to. Working with both widows and children formerly in foster care means helping them understand their own gifts and talents and teach them to become self sufficient is incredibly important. Both still need believers to pray and seek God for miracles on their behalf. But helping them see their worth and value after death, abandonment or abuse is critical for their mental and spiritual well being! It’s money leveraged to teach and get them moving in the right direction. Many of the widows that I have known were properly cared for through planning before their husband’s death. Serving both widows and children of foster care requires building trust – love must be earned before it’s honored! Being involved in their lives becomes a great way to redirect and inspire them to keep going, and discovering what God will do through their lives even after a difficult season of loss. It is a joy, privilege and honor to serve the folks that God considers most valuable because of loss. When we serve widows and children of foster care, we are blessing some of God’s favorites!

Prayer

​Dad,
I enjoy seeing what you love and learning to love it as well. And I know you love widows and orphans. You see their great needs and hear their cries for help. Thank you for enlisting us to share in the joy of praying for, blessing and caring for those you deeply love.

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Dangers of counting sheep.

Reading Time: 3 minutes

”God was very displeased with the census, and he punished Israel for it. Then David said to God, “I have sinned greatly by taking this census. Please forgive my guilt for doing this foolish thing.” Then the Lord spoke to Gad, David’s seer. This was the message: “Go and say to David, ‘This is what the Lord says: I will give you three choices. Choose one of these punishments, and I will inflict it on you.” ‭‭1 Chronicles‬ ‭21‬:‭7‬-‭10‬ ‭NLT‬‬

David wasn’t counting sheep to try to sleep! David wanted to headcount of his people because of his own disordered desires. Counting constituents meant more glory and taxes for his treasury,

We don’t know who wrote the books of Chronicles, but the author wanted us to know this fact: Satan was behind the count! “Satan rose up against Israel and caused David to take a census of the people of Israel” (21‬:‭1‬). That’s enough to know why this was such an egregious act towards God. Even Joab, David’s hitman, knew this was wrong, “why must you cause Israel to sin? (21‬:‭3‬).” I notice that leader’s choices have consequences on the followers!

God punished Israel. We don’t know what this first round of punishments were, but it Got David’s attention. Of course Satan probably laughed because he got a human to do his bidding! David repent, but wasn’t let off the hook by any means. Forgiveness doesn’t mean there aren’t consequences. God gave David a choice of punishment, and each choice was very harsh: famine, enemies, or a severe plague (21‬:‭12‬).

We don’t know if David did some quick math, thinking:
How many people would die from a 3 year famine?
How many people would die in a 3 month war?
And, How many people would die from a plague?

Here David wanted to count how many people called him King and how much taxes that would bring into his treasury. But now he’s forced to calculate how many people would lose their life because of his thirst for power and money!

David decided that God in his mercy and a possible plague would be less than the famine or sword. Immediately God sent a plague and 70,000 people died. But God wasn’t done. God also sent a powerful avenging or death angel to ravaged Jerusalem. The angel stood ready to act on God’s divine will when suddenly God said, “stop! That’s enough,” The angel paused but stood ready with sword drawn reaching out over Jerusalem. David saw this angel, “standing between heaven and earth.” In that moment David and the leaders of Israel put on burlap to show their deep distress and fell face down on the ground (21‬:‭15‬-‭16‬). The angel stayed, ready and sword drawn all the way until David paid for the place to offer a sacrifice to the Lord and prayed his guts out! Then, finally, “the Lord spoke to the angel, who put the sword back into its sheath‬ ‭(21‬:‭27‬).

Lessons for today:

  1. Stop listening to Satan’s lies designed specifically promising to fulfill our deepest, yet disordered desires.
  2. When one of our team leads says. “what are you doing… this is wrong!” lay down our pride and listen.
  3. Seriously and soberly think about our decisions that affect the people we are called to lead. Our sin may mean severe consequences for others.
  4. Offer sincere repentance. What would be an acceptable and appropriate gift to God, that would cost us, to make things right? And
  5. Stick to counting sheep for sleep, not for making ourselves feel important.

Prayer

Dad,
I see the gifts and grievances in David’s life and realize the highs were certainly high, but the lows were so devastating and destructive. Yet, somehow in all of that you both caught and punished David because you love him, but also he was willing to eventually admit his failures, sin, and he repented. David’s triumphs are celebrated but also his sins are on full display so we can learn. We can see the dangers, not just of sin, but specifically power and wealth as well. Thank you for your mercy and grace to me even in my own failures and sin.

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Freedom flaunters ruined communion.

Reading Time: 3 minutes

But in the following instructions, I cannot praise you. For it sounds as if more harm than good is done when you meet together. First, I hear that there are divisions among you when you meet as a church, and to some extent I believe it. But, of course, there must be divisions among you so that you who have God’s approval will be recognized! When you meet together, you are not really interested in the Lord’s Supper. 1 Corinthians‬ ‭11‬:‭17‬-‭20‬ ‭NLT‬‬

The Apostle Paul is really hard on the churches in the bougie metropolis of Corinth. There was a lot of money, influence and notoriety in the coastal port of the region. And, there was a tremendous success of the gospel penetrating a progressive, multicultural city, where money and power could get you anything you wanted. All of this, of course, is if one had money! But, as it goes with money, if you’ve got it – it changes how one thinks, lives and behaves towards others.

Paul is so frustrated with the Corinthians believers that he writes a biting, snarky comment about their behavior because it in no way reflects the phrase, “love one another.” He writes, “there must be divisions!” Paul taps into the utter disaster of what happens when believers are willing to raise their “freedoms,” above doing what is right. In this case it would mean a raucous, drunken party which immediately causes schisms, division and bad behaviors. Paul recognized the effects of these alcohol fueled parties along with the sin of gluttony. It was exactly opposite of the purpose of communion! Flaunting freedoms and treating others poorly Paul writes, is so evil that it reaches the level of being heresy. “Hairesis” primarily refers to a group or faction that arises from a division or choice, with a negative connotation of causing division or promoting false teachings.

Paul, with tongue-in-cheek, says, oh – this is a great way to get God’s attention – for those who would grab God’s approval by what Christ said would happen in a “divine economy of permission,” such divisions will arise (Matthew 18:7, 24:10, 12). The recognition is not good! God sees us because of our arrogance of liberties instead of our humility in love. Our freedoms in Christ are for doing good, not indulging to press the edge of our sin (Galatians 5:13, 1 Corinthians 6:12). Certainly the “freedom” to party at an alcohol fueled gathering, would not include stuffing our faces with food, and putting ourselves above others.

These “love feasts” were supposed to be common meals, a communion focused on sharing, serving one another and remembering what Jesus had done for us. These excessive “celebrations” became so problematic, that early church leadership had to shut them down, forbidding these kinds of gatherings. This seriously affected the way the church did communion for years to come. The love feasts being banned meant that the bishop would then need to administrate and personally administer communion, changing the experience into a highly controlled sacrament instead of family gathering of stories, laughter and prayer. It became a religious experience for and of individuals, even though they would participate together in a church building. The early church was able to stamp out the abuses of the freedom flaunters but the results were a much different communal experience within the church, the body of Christ.

As I have written about this before, we have reduced a beautiful gathering of family enjoying a meal, similar to what Jesus did with his disciples, to a thimble-cup and cracker. Of course this made it possible to serve communion to hundreds or thousands of people, but it lacks the intimacy of being with close friends and family. We are still able to “remember,” just as Christ commanded, but we do so far more individually, rather than communally. Being in a room with a hundred, or a thousand people is not the same as having a long, leisurely meal discussing the way Jesus’ love has revolutionized our lives.

Prayer

​Dad,
I certainly understand that we can still make communion memorable and effective by sharing our modern communion elements in a church service together. And, I understand how flaunting our freedoms at any gathering can be problematic. But I still long for the intimacy and deep connections that happen around a meal, in this case a very special sacred meal of conscience and consecration. This is just one of those experiences I just wish we hadn’t streamlined for convenience and control. I am happy to think about the future, amazing communion meal in heaven where I am positive it won’t be served in a thimble with a tiny cracker.

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Integrity, us in the light of the sun.

Reading Time: 2 minutes

We can say with confidence and a clear conscience that we have lived with a God-given holiness and sincerity in all our dealings. We have depended on God’s grace, not on our own human wisdom. That is how we have conducted ourselves before the world, and especially toward you. 2 Corinthians‬ ‭1‬:‭12‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Paul in writing his second letter to the churches in Corinth, gets very real with them. We might use the word authentic, non-hypocritical, where Paul’s words match his life no matter where you find him living it. Paul was the same whether you met him in the open-air marketplace on the streets of Corinth. Or you met him at one of the synagogues. Or you met him in one of the house churches that met on Sundays throughout the city. He was even the same person in prison or house arrest in other cities.

Paul writes how “eilikrineia,” sincere with integrity he has been wherever he goes. Integrity is being the same in character no matter the circumstances. It suggests a state of being free from deceit, hypocrisy, or pretense, embodying genuine and unadulterated motives. In the New Testament, it is often used to describe the purity of one’s intentions and the integrity of one’s actions, especially in relation to faith and conduct. Integrity, “eilikrineia” characterized by honesty and transparency literally means, “judged in the light of the sun.”

Men and women have often struggled with some kind of duality of character, where we are one way at work and completely different at home or at church. Those differences show a lack of integrity and doesn’t allow people to get to know the “real” us. Paul despised these facades, believing that it detracts from the work of Christ showing up consistently in each other. What a powerful testimony Paul maintained, especially in the multi-cultural morality of a city like Corinth! Paul was obsessed with being the same no matter if you dealt with him as a businessman on the street or preaching in one of the churches. This also encouraged the Corinthians to live the same – like they were living in the light of the son!

Prayer

​Dad,
I only have one life to live! And, it is with utmost intention that I live the same way at church as I do at home. That I live the same way when out with friends as I do when I am sermonizing or leading as the pastor. I desire to be consistent in my faith, my walk and my ways no matter where people find me. Help me live as Christ. Help me reflect the integrity and authenticity of my savior. Help me not be pluralistic in the way I conduct my life, but rather singular in being myself. Thank you for your grace to live in the light of Jesus! Amen.

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When it’s time, it’s time.

Reading Time: 3 minutes

Then God stirred the hearts of the priests and Levites and the leaders of the tribes of Judah and Benjamin to go to Jerusalem to rebuild the Temple of the Lord. And all their neighbors assisted by giving them articles of silver and gold, supplies for the journey, and livestock. They gave them many valuable gifts in addition to all the voluntary offerings. Ezra‬ ‭1‬:‭5‬-‭6‬ ‭NLT‬‬

One of the beautiful, but difficult mysteries about God is His impeccable timing. It is always perfect! We see God make promises, prophetic words of what will happen and we believe Him. We even trust him. But it is rarely about IF something will happen, it’s about WHEN it will happen.

God has been thoroughly, transparently trustworthy throughout all of human history. But even as we see how God fulfills his Word, we also get a peek at how long it takes for His promises to be fulfilled. Whether it’s 400 years, 70 years or 450 years – we forget because our lives are nowhere that long. Every generation waits for these amazing, global promises to be fulfilled, but only specific generations get to actually witness the results! And, even then, our hearts and minds, along with an inability to keep the stories of God’s promises alive, we become dull, even forgetful.

God has Ezra, the high priest and chief scribe announce the end of the 70 years of timeout and the good news that the Jews could return to their homeland and begin rebuilding what previous Babylonian rulers had destroyed. The temple, and as we know from Nehemiah, the walls surrounding Jerusalem were all in shambles. I find it an interesting, a very human clue that Ezra tells us in these verses about returning and rebuilding.

God prompts King Cyrus of Persia that it’s time to send the Jewish people home! This whole first chapter is about God loading up the people with vast amounts of riches, not only replacing what was taken by King Nebuchadnezzar but even given much much more. God had Israel’s enemies discipline His people and then had those enemies finance the entire rebuilding process! Wow.

Here in verse five, Ezra writes something unique. He says, “God stirred the hearts…” of the priests and Levites. The fire, the drive, the patience of the spiritual leaders of Israel had all been sapped! Much of these priests and Levites were appointed while in captivity. Ezra was born while in captivity – it’s all he knew. It’s not surprising, as God’s word comes to Ezra, that God himself would need to jumpstart the hearts of the leaders of Israel, giving them hope that rebuilding was even a possibility. They had all heard the stories of what got them to Babylon, but had no real sense of when it would be over and they would be returning home.

I love this simple verse because it reminds me of how much loss we (The Church) have experienced over the past 25 years. And even through Jesus himself prophesied that these days would come in ‭‭Matthew‬ ‭24‬:‭4‬-‭12‬, saying “Sin will be rampant everywhere, and the love of many will grow cold,” we have never really known WHEN – the timing of the final, final days. Since Jesus spoke those words over 2000 years ago, there have been many cycles and seasons of these signs of the “end times.” And, to each generation that experienced it, it was determined that it MUST BE THE END! I believe that this season has been the worst loss of faith and people walking away from Jesus ever. And so many faithful people just flat out gave up the gathering of the Church. Statistically it is true – there has not been a time like this.

But I also believe that God will once again pour out His Spirit, supernaturally speaking to the hearts of those who have believed the lies and experienced immense loss of hope and deep depression. I believe God will sovereignly stir the hearts of the broken and they will turn their hearts towards home! God’s grace and ability to woo the hearts of those He loves is powerful and effective to accomplish His will. We, as Jesus’ bride, the Church p, should be ready to embrace the broken and with open arms to welcome them into His grace. We should all be REUNION READY!

Prayer

​Dad,
I am so glad you still stir hearts! I am one who was fortunate enough to be a part of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit in the 70’s and I remember how powerful it was to hear your voice, repent, receive forgiveness and a new life in Christ. I virtually knew nothing about the Bible, but you saved me and began disciplining me to be like Jesus! If you can do this for me I know you will do this again for so many. Pour Your Spirit out Oh sovereign Lord, save us from ourselves and our desires to be our own God!

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What impresses God?

Reading Time: 3 minutes

“Shout with the voice of a trumpet blast. Shout aloud! Don’t be timid. Tell my people Israel of their sins! Yet they act so pious! They come to the Temple every day and seem delighted to learn all about me. They act like a righteous nation that would never abandon the laws of its God. They ask me to take action on their behalf, pretending they want to be near me. ‘We have fasted before you!’ they say. ‘Why aren’t you impressed? We have been very hard on ourselves, and you don’t even notice it!’ Isaiah‬ ‭58‬:‭1‬-‭3‬a NLT‬‬

Basically, God tells Isaiah, “let it rip!” Tell all, tell it loud and clear. Don’t hold back anything when announcing the sins of the nation.

Immediately, God sets out to describe the comparison between how Israel sees themselves and how He sees the state of the country. God says, “look at them, don’t they act so pious!” They act like a righteous nation, sacredly adhering to the laws of God. In their confidence they pray and cozy up to God. Then in the most visible acts of spirituality, they fasted and asked, “God, why aren’t you impressed?” They were impressed with themselves and could not understand why God would not take notice of all the spiritual advancements they had made. What happened? Why such the disparity? How does God see the corporate condition of Israel’s heart? Especially when Israel sees themselves as a smashing success or at least an earnest effort to do so.

God tells the country what he is actually looking for, what makes a nation, a people, physically and spiritually superior. God looks for obedience that affects both the upper echelon of leadership to the lowest of those who were often cheated and abused and used to advance the power and wealth of Israel’s leaders.

God tells them exactly what they were actually doing. “I will tell you why! It’s because you are fasting to please yourselves. Even while you fast, you keep oppressing your workers. What good is fasting when you keep on fighting and quarreling? This kind of fasting will never get you anywhere with me. You humble yourselves by going through the motions of penance, bowing your heads like reeds bending in the wind. You dress in burlap and cover yourselves with ashes. Is this what you call fasting? Do you really think this will please the Lord?”

God is certainly not against fasting, penance and prayer. Isaiah tells them “No, this is the kind of fasting I want: Free those who are wrongly imprisoned; lighten the burden of those who work for you. Let the oppressed go free, and remove the chains that bind people. Share your food with the hungry, and give shelter to the homeless. Give clothes to those who need them, and do not hide from relatives who need your help.” It’s both and! It’s spiritual acts of humility AND physical acts of caring for the least, the needy and poor – connecting spiritual to social responsibility.

So what impresses God? Micah 6:8 tells us succinctly: “To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.” As leaders in government, business, health, education, protective services, technology and churches, we would be wise to be both spiritually humble and socially active. To be just and merciful.

Prayer

​Dad,
There has been such a tense and active discussion about our spiritual verses social responsibility. These ancient words you spoke to Isaiah, should be just as powerful today as when they were written. Your Word is eternal! I’ll admit, both the spiritual and social behaviors are hard! They are not hard to speak of in words, but oh so difficult to practice in obedience. Help us as citizens of earth and heaven. Help us as leaders who guide others to be just and merciful. Amen.

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Just look up.

Reading Time: 2 minutes

“When I look at the night sky and see the work of your fingers— the moon and the stars you set in place— what are mere mortals that you should think about them, human beings that you should care for them? Yet you made them only a little lower than God and crowned them with glory and honor. You gave them charge of everything you made, putting all things under their authority— the flocks and the herds and all the wild animals, the birds in the sky, the fish in the sea, and everything that swims the ocean currents. O Lord, our Lord, your majestic name fills the earth!” ‭‭Psalms‬ ‭8‬:‭3‬-‭9‬ ‭NLT‬‬

King David’s magnificus opus, written in his younger poetic stage of life, when creativity is at its highest expression, was inserted into the Psalms towards the end of his life. In this Psalm David captures the unbridled beauty in all of creation. “When I look…”

When was the last time you simply looked up at the night sky to behold the wonder and majesty of the heavens above? I live in an overexposed, light polluted area of California, so it’s almost impossible to see the bazillions of stars that fill our expansive universe. A quick trip to our desert or our mountains opens up a cornucopia of dazzling sparkles suspended in pitch black heavens.

Even more arresting is the comparison of just how big the firmament above us is to how minuscule we really are. It can be frightening to think about. There are 8 billion humans on this spinning globe and 200 billion trillion stars in just our own universe! David asks the only appropriate question when digesting such a dilemma. “Who are we (mere mortals) that you should think about and care for us?”

God created us. God crowned us with glory and honor. God gave us charge and authority over all creation. WHY? For sure we are NOT like the rest of creation, as amazing, inexpressibly beautiful as it is. We are more, by a scale of infinity! Because God put in us His own image, His own essence. We are like God, but we are not God.

The challenge, the resolution this first day of 2025, is to find a dark sky tonight and just look up. Look up and gain David’s poetic perspective. Whatever number of stars you may see, imagine multiplying it by millions. Allow yourself a moment to realize how small we really are and how marvelously ginormous God is! Now, think about this, we may be small but we are not insignificant. We may be weak, broken from the weight of our own sin and selfishness, but we were created by and for our eternal God, one God with no other gods before our after Him. That God knows us, loves us and made us for so much more. I join David’s crescendous refrain, “O Lord, our Lord, your majestic name fills the earth!”

Prayer

​Dad,
I, like David, often feel so small, so unable, incapable of doing enough good to change the overwhelming chaos of these cultural moments. But when I look up and see Your majesty displayed in an array of brilliance in the innumerable stars that shine above me – it reminds me. I maybe small, but I am not insignificant. I am made and loved in Your image. You have charged me and given me authority to do Your good will here on earth. Amen.