Objections to the ordained

𝗠𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘄 𝟮𝟭:𝟭𝟱‭-‬𝟭𝟲 𝗕𝘂𝘁 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗲𝗳 𝗽𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀𝘁𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝗰𝗿𝗶𝗯𝗲𝘀 𝘀𝗮𝘄 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘄𝗼𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿𝗳𝘂𝗹 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗵𝗲 𝗱𝗶𝗱, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗹𝗱𝗿𝗲𝗻 𝗰𝗿𝘆𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘁𝗲𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲, “𝗛𝗼𝘀𝗮𝗻𝗻𝗮 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝗼𝗻 𝗼𝗳 𝗗𝗮𝘃𝗶𝗱!” 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝘄𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝗶𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗴𝗻𝗮𝗻𝘁, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝘀𝗮𝗶𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝗵𝗶𝗺, “𝗗𝗼 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗿 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘀𝗲 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝘀𝗮𝘆𝗶𝗻𝗴?” 𝗔𝗻𝗱 𝗝𝗲𝘀𝘂𝘀 𝘀𝗮𝗶𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗺, “𝗬𝗲𝘀; 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗻𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱, “‘𝗢𝘂𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗺𝗼𝘂𝘁𝗵 𝗼𝗳 𝗶𝗻𝗳𝗮𝗻𝘁𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗻𝘂𝗿𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗯𝗮𝗯𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝗽𝗿𝗲𝗽𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗽𝗿𝗮𝗶𝘀𝗲’?”

Indignation – anger or annoyance provoked by what is perceived as unfair treatment – is a human sentiment that can be produced by a perceived lack of respect or regard for high position and authority. Rank rebellion very often creates indignation among the powers that be, because it is a challenge to their position as the powers that be. In the praise that accompanied Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem, there was high regard afforded the Lord for all he had done for people. The chief priests and scribes had never been praised like that. It was not rebellion but celebration. Yet, they were angry.

Jesus did not back down when they confronted him. This “riff raff” was acting in complete propriety. The infants and young children were glorifying God in the person of His Son. At the core of the objection was his identity. And THAT was at the core of why he was executed; the authorities accused him of blasphemy.

The Lord had prepared – ordained – the praise of the people. It was predestined that the people would shout “Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!” (21:9). And Jesus was predestined to ride the donkey into town (Zechariah 9:9, more than 500 years before). The accomplishment of God’s ordained plans dwarfs the intents and wranglings of potentates and their minions, however powerful and exalted.

Am I among those laying down their cloaks and palm branches to welcome this gentle King riding the donkey? Or am I objecting to the hubbub and fuss? Do I crown him King or just a momentary celebrity who had some healing powers? It is a critical decision to this day.

Jesus is Lord.

Hope over human despair

𝗠𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘄 𝟭𝟵:𝟮𝟱‭-‬𝟮𝟲 𝗪𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗱𝗶𝘀𝗰𝗶𝗽𝗹𝗲𝘀 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀, 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝘄𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝗴𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗹𝘆 𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗻𝗶𝘀𝗵𝗲𝗱, 𝘀𝗮𝘆𝗶𝗻𝗴, “𝗪𝗵𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝗯𝗲 𝘀𝗮𝘃𝗲𝗱?” 𝗕𝘂𝘁 𝗝𝗲𝘀𝘂𝘀 𝗹𝗼𝗼𝗸𝗲𝗱 𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗺 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘀𝗮𝗶𝗱, “𝗪𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗺𝗮𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗶𝘀 𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗼𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗯𝗹𝗲, 𝗯𝘂𝘁 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗚𝗼𝗱 𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗽𝗼𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗯𝗹𝗲.”

Jesus had astounded his followers by saying that only with great difficulty could the wealthy attain eternal salvation.  At the time, the religious authorities were all men of means, vaunting their wherewithal above those who were poorer.  Earthly wealth was, then, associated with heavenly destiny in the minds of the people.  Not so, said Jesus, quite the opposite.

Logically then, if the rich could not be saved, how much less those who had less?  “Who then can be saved?” was a question aimed at all humanity.  Jesus’ words had effectively disqualified everyone according to their understanding.  The disciples were expressing their despair.  It underscored how lost and hopeless was humankind.  But Jesus gazed at them when they asked it to focus his answer directly to their fear. 

Salvation was and is impossible with humanity’s reason and work.  We don’t earn heaven, God grants it.  All things being possible with God leaves no one out of redemption’s reach.  It is no statement of universal salvation but one or universal invitation and opportunity. 

Salvation is only one of many things people cannot do.  And certainly, people disqualify each other.  People even damn each other.  Not so with God, who desires that no one perish. 

Believing that all things are possible with God should change me as it should change anyone who believes it.  Is my prayer life in sync with this fact?  Do I develop faith that God will do what only God can do?  Do I persist in that faith? 

The draw of hopeless humanity is ever present and accusing, pulling down hope and the great expectations that God would engender.  The impossible riddle goes deep for it is exactly the hopeless ones that God wants to bring his Kingdom.  Yet, they rehearse and practice hopelessness and downward progression.  Let me be encouraged in my faith to counter with love.  In Jesus’ name.

Singing songs of deliverance

Psalm 32:6-7 Therefore let everyone who is godly offer prayer to you at a time when you may be found; surely in the rush of great waters, they shall not reach him. You are a hiding place for me; you preserve me from trouble; you surround me with shouts of deliverance. Selah

The passage starts with words that sound quite conditional – effective prayer is to be offered only by the godly ones and only during a time when God “may be found”. But in the original language the phrase shows up elsewhere and a more literal rendering would be “when in the time of finding” .. that is, a season in human life when the soul yearns to find God. Yet it is seasonal – the penitence and humility to pray and seek God can and are certainly NOT permanent states of every life, nor states in the life of every group or nation. That is, there are times when God is NOT found due to a lack of seeking, faith and/or overriding concern. The conditionality is on people, not God.

The rush of great waters would happen in a different season – one of trial and calamity.  The season of prayer and seeking is clearly preparation and the source of deliverance during the flood.  Floods are guaranteed; deliverance from them is conditional, truly.

The safety from the waters is a place of shelter, or hiding, from the troubles when they come.  The preserving, keeping protection God provides shouts or songs that circle his people on every side.  The power of the loud testimony keeps hearts and minds centered on the reality of that protection.  It amplifies over the din of the rushing flood, of threat and gloom.  The believer sings along and is preserved from all harm.

Rising waters do not only cause physical damage to life and property.  Certainly, they sweep away both people and the elements of people’s lives.  They also leave indelible marks on the soul – emotional and experiential scars that live on as fateful harbingers of disaster to follow.  Expectations sink in the murky waters.

Let me then mark my deliverance.  Let me sing those songs I heard clearly during the season of my deliverance.  For they were from the Almighty, testimony to prayer and devotion I learned to offer in seasons prior.  I’ve earned nothing, but have remained attached to the vine that gives life and even watches over it.  To God be the glory.

Sing on, O my soul, and rejoice in the God who saves.

Thanks from an unworthy servant – Luke 17:17-19 (January 17, 2014)

Scripture:

Luke 17:17-19 Then Jesus answered, “Were not ten cleansed? Where are the nine? Was no one found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?” And he said to him, “Rise and go your way; your faith has made you well.”

Observation:

This brief story follows a parable where Jesus emphasized the propriety of position – that servants are not worthy of the privileges of their masters – it’s what a servant does and is, essentially. It was hardly a statement codifying caste systems, but rather one that described a servant’s heart. Then, Luke related the batch of 10 lepers who called out to Jesus to be healed. He did so without touching them, telling them to show themselves to the priest to verify their cleansing of the fatal disease. All were healed. Yet only one, a Samaritan, returned to give thanks, prompting the words above. The indignation of Jesus is underscored by the ethnicity of the one man, who was a foreigner, of that despised region to the north. Yet he was the one to return to the source of his healing and offer thanks. The link between his attitude and that of the unworthy servant in the preceding parable is striking. He knew that his healing had nothing to do with himself. Perhaps the others thought their own worthiness caused the cure? For it is true and all people thank something or somebody for good fortune. Perhaps it was fear of identifying Jesus as Messiah? We aren’t told. But the faith of this Samaritan was cited as being a part of his healing – faith in Christ and in the goodness of God.

Application:

Am I thankful? So often I simply use the blessings of this life to function, citing my own means for obtaining them and taking them completely for granted. God has given me every good thing; let my soul know it well. And if the opportunity to give thanks is given to me, let me be found doing so. For it is proper for an unworthy servant to remain in service, not presuming that his or her own righteousness has been rewarded, for even that comes from God. This is not an assignment to austerity, to haplessness interrupted by brief periods of plenty and good circumstance. No, life is a joy for the servant. His Master’s joy. And that joy cuts through all misfortune and trial and even tragedy like a shiny knife. Am I part of an unthankful crowd? Is it unfashionable to give thanks, to acknowledge the hand of God in my life? If so, let me buck the trend, not as some holier-than-thou religionist, but as one whose gratitude is so flowing that the pressure of peers is defied naturally. Thanksgiving is both a weapon against gloom and a proper practice expressing a submissive spirit. For I am an unworthy servant, a foreigner in this land even as the Samaritan was. Let me give thanks, then.

Prayer:

Father, if You showed me all I have from You I would truly be stunned and not even have the time to give You all the thanks You deserve. But receive, please, the gratitude from the heart of this unworthy servant, for truly you have blessed me beyond containing. I praise You now in Jesus’ name, amen.

The beginning of reign – Revelation 11:15-17 (September 6, 2013)

Scripture

Revelation 11:15-17 Then the seventh angel blew his trumpet, and there were loud voices in heaven, saying, “The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he shall reign forever and ever.” And the twenty-four elders who sit on their thrones before God fell on their faces and worshiped God, saying, “We give thanks to you, Lord God Almighty, who is and who was, for you have taken your great power and begun to reign.

Observation:

The Almighty is cited as King of the Universe throughout scripture, for thousands of years before John wrote these words of the 24 elders in his vision. But their proclamation that He had “begun to reign” was referring to an earthly reign. In this book of apocalyptic vision, things went from bad to worse until Jesus Himself set up his throne in our world. The condescension is profound – the kingdoms (that is, sovereign nations with their rulers) that people would submit to with great fear and respect would be completely outclassed and overwhelmed by the reigning Christ. That reign was eternal and it caused the elders to fall down before Him and worship. Their expression was thanksgiving for the presence of God on earth. His “great power” was with Him as He began to rule over the earth, a power so much greater than the combined power of all other earthly powers that there truly was no match. Given to a despot or virtually any human, the response would be of utter terror for there is no human being in the flesh that could possibly wield or even understand the dimensions of power that Christ holds. Such a possession in the hands of any human king would bring slaughter and untold oppression. But in Christ’s hands, that power works for good, for righteousness, mercy and grace. Its principle work is to give life, not take it away, though the dark forces of evil will forfeit life as the just end of their pursuit. This is culmination. This is fulfilled promise.

Application:

Amen. So be it that the Lord will establish His reign on earth. But today His Kingdom has been established in my life, at least that is the claim of the scriptures. So I can read the above “The kingdom of <insert name> has become the kingdom of our Lord and Christ, and he shall reign forever”. That is about as sobering a thought as I can imagine, mostly because the amount of reign He has is the amount of reign I give Him. Now, I can depress myself with all the ways and times that I have not granted Christ reign and I should remain at least humble like that always. But the response of the elders was thanksgiving, not lament! So let it be with me! Let the praise resound deep within my soul. Christ has begun to reign – “begun” as in the new day, a new chance to rejoice in being His child and the apple of His eye (for sure I am not the only “apple” – a common misperception – Jesus can have a multitude of “favorites” and the word “favorite” still carries the “favor” it does in the exclusive, human sense). My King is no tyrant; He is no whimsical oppressor – those are the projections of doubters, those who cast their human experience onto the person of God. No, may His light shine in me this day. May His “great power” – such power that it is truly ridiculous to think He would use it in my life – may that power reign in my members, my mind, body and on my tongue in blessed speech. There is no gold like heaven’s riches, no diamonds like its jewels. And no King so worth loving and serving. Let me fall off my “throne” and worship with the elders!

Prayer:

Father, thank You for this revelation this day. Truly You know my heart and all I need, for You have given it without finding fault, though there is fault to find. Grant that I may serve You this day, in Jesus’ name, amen.

Intimate with glory – Revelation 1:17-18 (August 28, 2013)

Scripture:

Revelation 1:17-18 When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. But he laid his right hand on me, saying, “Fear not, I am the first and the last, and the living one. I died, and behold I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of Death and Hades.

Observation:

John had known Jesus intimately. They were close friends. At the last supper, John was the apostle who leaned against the chest of Jesus to hear his words closely and .. first. But here, on the island of Patmos, John encountered a whole other appearance of the same Person. The crucifixion and resurrection had occurred and John had seen the risen Christ; indeed he had eaten the fish that Jesus had cooked by the water’s edge. However, seeing Jesus as the eternal, heavenly God the Son was a whole other matter. His hair was white. His eyes were blazing. He held stars in His hand. So John did what was normal – he bowed in deep fear and reverence. And Jesus followed with the words that all heavenly beings say to humans in the Bible – “Fear not”. And He proclaims His identity, that which was always true but almost completely unknown when John had known him as a young man. Then Jesus proclaimed the history that John knew so well – that He pre-existed before His entry on planet Earth, that He died and rose from the dead. John had seen that. But the last part – “I have the keys to Death and Hades” – may have been new to John’s knowledge. The apostles knew that faith in Christ won the believer eternal salvation – John recorded His words in the famed John 3:16. But the keys to the gates that held their residents fast for eternity were in His possession. Literally, there is nothing to keep the church out of them or to keep those who have died in them. In Christ, the finality of death is destroyed.

Application:

How does my experience parallel John’s? Certainly I never walked with Jesus in person. Or have I? In my mind’s eye, when I came to faith, it was to a Person Who had done something personal for me. As a result I could approach Him and approach my whole life with transparency and vulnerability and project the same. It was intimate, and it still is. But that was not all, and it still isn’t. His existence as Almighty God was what gave Him power to forgive my sin and to raise me up even as He had been raised. In theology, these two aspects of our perception of God are immanence and transcendence, respectively. But John’s experience combined the two. Seeing the transcendent Christ in close proximity completely undid his composure. May I have the same experience and the same reaction, falling prostrate in worship. But may I hear His immediate words – “fear not” – and rise to my feet again. For the same God who created all things calls me His friend. I am NOT and will NEVER be His equal but He bends down to the Lifter of my head so I will know I am completely accepted and beloved. If this does not humble me and inspire me to love others then I am not paying attention. With whom am I granting audience? Who looks up to me that I can lift them up? To whom can I say “fear not” and it gives relief and acceptance? Let me find those people and those venues. Let me serve as Christ served. And let me know I have eternal life and can pursue eternal life and communicate eternal life. There is nothing in death to scare me, nothing to hold me hostage or keep me from any aspect of the life I now have in Christ.

Prayer:

Father, it is Your delight that I would know You like this. I am eternally grateful. Let me live it all my days, in Jesus’ name, amen.

The prayer portal – 1 Kings 8:27, 29 (May 22, 2013)

Scripture:

1 Kings 8:27,29 “But will God really dwell on earth? The heavens, even the highest heaven, cannot contain you. How much less this temple I have built! … May your eyes be open toward this temple night and day, this place of which you said, ‘My Name shall be there,’ so that you will hear the prayer your servant prays toward this place.

Observation:

My personal observation is that, in the life of Solomon, there was no more regal and noble act he did than the building and dedication of the temple in Jerusalem. It was a magnificent, state-of-the-art, even opulent center of worship for the people of Israel and one that had been planned since the reign of Solomon’s father, David. But his real achievement is in understanding the true purpose of the temple. And that is succinctly expressed in the verses above. Unlike the nations around Israel, whose gods were thought to dwell in their temples – indeed, the statues they erected were thought to be the gods themselves – Solomon grasped that all he had built was a portal for prayer. He appealed to God throughout his prayer of dedication to listen to those prayers, based upon words spoken by God Himself concerning His relationship with His people. Solomon was self-deprecating in this but deeply prophetic and all-encompassing.  He covered all the maladies that would befall people individually and nationally. He covered times of blessing and times of the worst judgment.  Even as he foresaw the people exiled to foreign lands due to their rank sin, he asked that God would hear their prayers of penitence as they were offered towards the temple.  He did not see the temple destroyed, though it would be, but that was consistent with his request that Gods eyes be open at all times towards His people.  Yet in later history, even after it was destroyed the vision of temple was  established in the hearts of the people.  Even in the Babylonian exile, it was the temple that was at the spiritual heart of the people to be restored.

Application:

I wept when I read this today. I had a tender visitation from the Holy Spirit to remind me that this temple prayer was for me, for all God’s people across time. The prayer portal has been opened to me, not only from Solomon’s inaugural prayer but from the point the curtain was ripped in two at the death of Christ. For God does not dwell in temples but God has dwelt with humans; it happened. And all the circumstances under which Solomon prayed the people would go through have either been mine in a physical or metaphorical sense. That is, every trouble, including exile, has been lived out in my life of faith. And if there is any still unlived, then I can be sure that there is the full chance my life may yet take that turn. And yet the prayer of Solomon extends to this day into the lives of those who came to God through the only means now remaining – Messiah Yeshua (Jesus) – and the temple that could not contain God has been transferred to the temple of the Holy Spirit – the bodies of believers. Yet it remains a temple from which God’s people can stray and against which they may rebel, ignore and let fall into disrepair. Still, the prayer holds and the portal is still open. The up and down cycle is part of any life given to God. It is glory to glory, strength to strength, but between each glory and each strength there can be dissipation and rank darkness. “Turn to Jerusalem and pray” chides the Spirit, not the Jerusalem in physical Israel, though the promises remain for that place, but the New Jerusalem of God – Heaven itself in all its splendor. For the portal has been opened to THAT city once and for all.

Prayer:

Father, I thank You for this prayer-enabling prayer. Truly my life needs the devotion that Solomon prayed for. Truly You have restored me to relationship even with I fell and walked away, and for that, and for salvation in the first place, I give You PRAISE. In Jesus’ name, amen. 

Promised grace – Numbers 6:24-26 (February 19, 2013)

Scripture:

Numbers 6:24-26  The Lord bless you and keep you;  the Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you  the Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace.

Observation:

In this tiny passage at the end of Numbers 6, God puts words in the mouth of Moses and Aaron – words that would be used to bless the people of Israel.  Now that word “bless” has come to have all the significance of a salutation after a sneeze in our day, but as spoken by God and through his people, down the nuclear family by father to his children, it was an intentional solid promise of goodwill.  That God would bless and keep the people, was a general promise of divine oversight – signifying that God would both see and be directly involved in the lives of His people.  The face of the Lord, which Moses himself had reflected physically, shining directly on His people, coupled with His graciousness, shows favor, affectionate guarding and directing their steps.  In the first place, God would “make” (or “set”) his face – that is, to affix to commit to course of action.  It would be God’s choice to do so.  And then God would “turn his face”, as if from other matters, of which there would be an infinite number for the King of the universe.  From all that potential busyness, God would turn towards His people for the express purpose of giving them peace.  Among the threats and perils in the ancient world, this was perhaps the greatest blessing of all – for the value of peace to a heart so threatened would be inestimable.

Application:

I am a child of Abraham by faith.  Therefore this blessing is mine also.  But I must know, as the people of Israel learned of old, that I must walk in faith to receive blessing.  I can walk away from it, distracting my mind on the cares of this world and their crushing stress.   On the other hand, I can come back to blessing, re-establish priorities, repent of sin, etc., and find it waiting for me as it always was.  Do I want to be “kept” but the Lord, watched over and protected?  Of course I do!  If God is for me, who can be against me?  The adversary is shifty and crafty; truth is I can’t even perceive him sometimes.  So, Lord, keep this life as only you can!!  Do I want God’s face to shine upon me with his grace?  No, I need God’s face to do that.  It’s not that it makes me special over other people – blessing is available to all – it’s that it makes me special over what I would be without it.  His grace, special favor, helps me dream and helps the dreams form into reality.  I need that over the long term, Lord, in abundance, please!  Such is mine for the believing and receiving.  And do I need the peace that passes understanding?  As the saying goes “just because you are paranoid does NOT mean they are not out to get you” – and they are.  Stress will truly kill me – physically and spiritually – if not for God’s peace.  I am so grateful for the blessing; it’s not just fluffy words but bedrock promise.  It’s life.

Prayer:

Father I thank You for Your wonderful care for me.  You see it all; I am hardly proud of it all.  But You have kept me for this day and gifted me for this hour.  Establish Your grace and peace in such a way that it flows freely, afresh and anew.  In Jesus’ name, amen.

Learning the heart of the servant – Luke 17:10 (January 17, 2013)

Scripture

Luke 17:10 So you also, when you have done everything you were told to do, should say, ‘We are unworthy servants; we have only done our duty.’”

Observation:

In what can be seen as a blunt recital of thanklessness, Jesus addressed any entitlement attitude among His disciples.  The ordered priorities of servanthood offered no celebration of obedience.  Using the well-known metaphor of paid, labor, Jesus showed that serving God, at least at one level, is a simple subservience.  For those pursuing acclaim and renown, it would be a stark disappointment.  Such servants did “everything” they “were told to do” which could include all manner of manual work and ministerial effort.  After doing it, there would be no ceremony of congratulations, no medals given and no speeches.  There was, and is, only the observation that it was a job that they did as they were instructed.  This is not necessarily joyless, but it is humble.  For doing the works of the Lord is to advance the Kingdom of Heaven.  That realization certainly infuses any work with deeper purpose.  But that doesn’t negate the normal feeling of drudgery, a pushing through difficulty and hindrances to get the job done even as it takes its toll on attitude and perspective.  In those cases, it still must be enough for the servants to say it was only their duty – what they were told to do by the ultimate Superior.

Application:

Do I expect congratulations for my work?  Oh yes, I certainly do.  It has been bred into my consciousness by the culture that often gives silly awards.  Do I expect to be thanked?  Oh yes I do.  And I am thanked copiously and frequently.  My awards sit framed in my cube at work and in cards at home.  That is not negated by the words of Jesus.  These same servants would, at the end of all things, receive eternal rewards with the words “good and faithful servant”.  But Jesus attacks the in-process sentiments of those working for the wrong reasons.  Work – even work for God’s Kingdom – can be, well, laborious.  It can be discouraging with all its setbacks, false starts and bad endings.  But the assessment of it must take on the attitude of base servanthood.  This duty-mindedness is not devoid of positive emotion – the duty was given by the Living God!  It may be without reward for now, but faith must well up in the heart to push past all the negativity of the world.  Believers serve God first, then they can themselves sit down and eat.  Believers trust through all manner of circumstance and trial.  Or at least they LEARN to trust.  I mustn’t forget that I am a student of the Word and its Author.  And when I don’t like what I am asked to do, I must remember Who is master and who is servant.  It really is that simple, O my soul.

Prayer:

Father, how true it is that I serve for the wrong reasons.  Help me overcome my entitlement attitudes and simply serve.   I don’t like waiting, I don’t like problems and I don’t like drudgery.  But I realize now that You are not asking me to like those things, but to push through with an obedient heart.  This I can only do with Your help, and I ask for that in Jesus’ name,

Fighting the right enemy – Ephesians 6:12 (December 5, 2012)

Scripture:

Ephesians 6:12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.

Observation:

Paul sent this reminder to the Ephesian church in order to bolster their faith.  Then, even more than now, the gospel had detractors, people who took it upon themselves to slander believers and especially their leadership and do whatever they could to destroy the church.  Their motivation is cited many times as envy or pride but Paul displays the true motivating force behind the struggles that believers face – rebellious angelic forces in unseen realms.  Indeed, those who voiced the strongest opposition to the church would eventually become believers when they shifted their loyalty to the Kingdom of Heaven.  The flesh-and-blood conflict of this world was revealed as a ruse for the underlying spiritual warfare.  The rulers, authorities and powers are hierarchical layers of demonic entities.  These spiritual forces don’t just stand for evil – they actively promote and instigate it.  Paul makes no apology or outrageous leap of faith in his presumption that both the heavenly realms and the dark powers exist, though that existence was scoffed at during his time and across the centuries.  Seen in this light, the true enemy is revealed and believers could concentrate on the real battle, which never involved the human beings who so violently opposed the message of truth.

Application:

Conflict is everywhere in life.  We have it at the tribe/group level, with individuals, within families, with spouses and even within ourselves.  Do I go into it, fighting for my own reputation, my feeling of competence or domination over other people?  Of course I do, and of course I get it wrong whenever I do.  The repentance from that error involves prayer and the weapons of warfare given me in Christ.  I simply need to know that people are not motivated by their own thoughts and ideology but that it is given to them by forces unseen.  Do I believe that?  Do I believe that there is a Satan and he has minions and armies of demonic beings who delight in taking down the church, one person at a time?  Do I really have a personal enemy like that, one I cannot see or touch?  You bet I do; the chill of oppression is one I have known and have learned to fight.  So let me put on the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness, fighting depression, sloth, anger, dysfunction and arrogance with high praise to God.  And let me pray as never before, convinced deep within that God is on the throne, He is for me and not against me and that the battle is both necessary and winnable.  Then I will fight the good fight and not the bad one which so easily entangles.  Let me give love for hatred and fear, peace for turmoil and worry, joy and gladness for gloom and defeat.  And let me never give up the fight, for as long as the enemy remains and I remain in this body, it must continually be fought and fought effectively.

Prayer:

Father, show me the enemy.  Also show me as Elijah’s servant was shown that many more are for us than against us.  Give me eyes to see through the baited provocation and a heart that dives into the right kind of fighting.  And show me victory, for I long to fight YOUR fights, in Jesus’ name, amen.