Gratitude – Pressing On In His Footsteps

On Disreputable Characters

Matthew 9:9-13 MSG Passing along, Jesus saw a man at his work collecting taxes. His name was Matthew. Jesus said, “Come along with me.” Matthew stood up and followed him.

^10-11Later when Jesus was eating supper at Matthew’s house with his close followers, a lot of disreputable characters came and joined them. When the Pharisees saw him keeping this kind of company, they had a fit, and lit into Jesus’ followers. “What kind of example is this from your Teacher, acting cozy with crooks and misfits?”

^12-13Jesus, overhearing, shot back, “Who needs a doctor: the healthy or the sick? Go figure out what this Scripture means: ‘I’m after mercy, not religion.’ I’m here to invite outsiders, not coddle insiders.”

Matthew 23:13-14 Phillips “But alas for you, you scribes and Pharisees, play-actors that you are! You lock the door of the kingdom of Heaven in men’s faces; you will not go in yourselves neither will you allow those at the door to go inside.

Observation

Tax collectors, especially Jewish ones, were anathema and traitors to the Jews because they served the Romans by agreeing to extract (and profit from) exorbitant taxes imposed on their fellows. Anyone who associated with a tax collector would be a “disreputable character” in the sight of both Pharisees and fishermen. Jesus regularly engaged in this kind of shock therapy with His disciples to break down their strongholds of prejudice and judgment created by tradition and teaching of the religious leaders.

Jesus also purposely challenged the man-made rules of the Pharisees, but never broke Mosaic Law. Jesus accused the Pharisees of being so obsessed with duty and form that they missed the heart of God – grace, mercy and redemption. He accused them of misinterpreting God’s intended relationship with His creation. In Matthew 23 Jesus called the Pharisees hypocrites who played the role of true spiritual men but were really only playacting rather than serving God with a pure heart. Above He accused them of foolishly and jealously (and unnecessarily) guarding the door of Heaven to keep out disreputable characters and missing the blessing of entering in themselves. Jesus came to throw the doors open wide.

Impact on Me

So, I have to ask myself – who do I consider disreputable characters, traitors, unworthy of heaven? Who do I mark as unredeemable, untouchable, crooks and misfits? Where am I playing the role of a spiritual woman to look good when my actions don’t represent what is in my heart? Where are the places in me that I don’t want Jesus to challenge and the Holy Spirit to touch? Hard questions that must be answered if I want to avoid playing a role and start living a holy life.

When I was first saved, my husband and I had a charter sportfishing boat. We spent many hours a day at the docks. The docks harbor many people who lead a rough and raw life – most of us would label them disreputable characters. On our way home one day I was thinking about (and judging negatively) a man on the docks who was coarse, hedonistic and disrespectful to women. In that Pharisee moment, I saw him as filthy and unredeemable. The Holy Spirit in His grace and mercy hit me with the baseball bat of His insight and I heard, “Yes, that is what your soul looked like before you received Jesus.” I wept because I realized that I had so easily forgotten the undeserved and overwhelming grace and mercy I received from the God Who gave His only Son for me and for Whom all is possible. This is why I need to ask myself again and again the questions above, allowing Jesus to examine my heart and the Holy Spirit to change me for the better.

Prayer

O Lord, God of the Impossible, Father of Mercy and Grace, how quickly I tend to judge other’s worth when I need to be judging my response to the grace and mercy I have received. I want to be a Pharisee in diligence, in studying Your Word, but keep me from falling into the trap of thinking that You are performance-based and give more worth by my achievements. Keep my heart soft toward the disreputable characters, the crooks and misfits that I might be an instrument of redemption in Your Hand. May I be one hugging and welcoming those who enter Your gates. Make it so, in Jesus’ name.

On Location, Location, Location

Ephesians 1:3-8 NIV All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ. ⁴Even before He made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in His eyes. ⁵God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to Himself through Jesus Christ. This is what He wanted to do, and it gave Him great pleasure. ⁶So we praise God for the glorious grace He has poured out on us who belong to His dear Son. ⁷He is so rich in kindness and grace that He purchased our freedom with the blood of His Son and forgave our sins. ⁸He has showered His kindness on us, along with all wisdom and understanding.

Observation

Many of my relatives worked in real estate. They always said it was better to buy a fixer upper in a good location than to buy a beautifully remodeled house in a rundown or troubled area. The location ultimately controlled the value, not the quality, size or appearance of the house. Money, skill and time invested wisely in the fixer upper in a good neighborhood would bring a good return. However, those same things spent on the home in the undesirable area were probably not going to generate the desired return.

I can see the same principle at work in the verses above. The premium location is in Christ, where we, as the fixer upper, gain value as we allow the Holy Spirit to remodel us to God’s standards. We are made whole and holy by His love from foundation to roof top. We are made free from fault and, as we allow, fully restored in Him by the Holy Spirit.

No matter what we invest in self-improvement, no matter what we accomplish, no matter how much wealth we gather to ourselves, outside of Christ we reside in a location that on its own merits will generate no positive eternal return on investment. While we may look beautiful on the outside, the cracks in the foundation and all the other hidden faults remain. However, when we are relocated into Jesus’ neighborhood and give Him freedom to fix us, He can find and repair all those hidden faults (false religion, deceptions, sins, habits) until we are completely new – “God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in His eyes.”

Impact on Me

When I came to Christ, I was a definite fixer upper. I accepted that there was a God and went to church but did not understand that He wanted to be personally involved in my life. I was probably considered a good person, but I, like us all, had many hidden faults and a few cracks in my foundation that needed fixing. In the beginning, I confess that I was ashamed for Him to see some of my hidden faults but came to understand that He was not ashamed of me or anything He found in me. He was there to set me right, to make me whole and holy in His love. I learned through trial and error that He would do all that I allowed Him the freedom to do – evidence that His grace also came with increasing “wisdom and understanding.”

“God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to Himself through Jesus Christ. This is what He wanted to do, and it gave Him great pleasure.” This is an astounding realization! Not only did He begin to remodel me from bottom to top, but also to lift me up and move me into His own household, one I could never afford on my own. I love these verses because they so reflect my joy and gratitude for the richness of His grace toward me in making me family, in giving His son so I could be His.

“So we praise God for the glorious grace He has poured out on us who belong to His dear Son. He is so rich in kindness and grace that He purchased our freedom with the blood of His Son and forgave our sins. He has showered His kindness on us, along with all wisdom and understanding.”

Prayer

Lord God, You are unbelievably gracious and merciful, loving and forgiving. I do joyfully and gratefully praise and worship You, so rich in kindness and grace that You paid the price I could never pay so that I might be free, so that I might be redeemed and transformed through life in Christ. You planned it all long before I was born and patiently drew me for 30 years before I repented for my sin and accepted all the grace and redemption You were offering. Help me to give You freedom to remodel me so, in all I say or do, others will praise Your handiwork and give glory to You for all You have done. May I be a home for all the family and even strangers to experience Your hospitality as You express it through me. Make it so, in Jesus’ name.

On God’s Pattern for Good

Genesis 50:20 MSG Don’t you see, you planned evil against me but God used those same plans for my good, as you see all around you right now—life for many people.

Romans 8:26-28 Phillips The Spirit of God not only maintains this hope within us, but helps us in our present limitations. For example, we do not know how to pray worthily as sons of God, but His Spirit within us is actually praying for us in those agonising longings which never find words. And God who knows the heart’s secrets understands, of course, the Spirit’s intention as He prays for those who love God. ^28-30Moreover we know that to those who love God, who are called according to His plan, everything that happens fits into a pattern for good.

Observation

God’s pattern for good is often a mystery for us. I am sure that Joseph wasn’t feeling the goodness while he was being sold into slavery, then unjustly accused by Potiphar’s wife, and ending up in jail. But, in hindsight, he could see why he was where he was and what God was doing in the not so good times of his life. He was handpicked and specifically placed for God’s purposes.

Paul is another who was specifically chosen by God and then molded and shaped to fulfill His will and purpose – in and out of jail, shipwrecked, beaten, hungry, homeless and more. His life could be the basis for a “sick, sober and sorry, broke, disgusted and sad” country song! Paul endured it all for the sake of the Gospel, seeing each circumstance as an opportunity to share Jesus in a new place with a new group of people.

These two trusted and rested in wherever our good God would lead them and accepted whatever they must endure knowing that the ultimate destination was “life for many people.” I wonder what I would have done in their stead – bemoan my circumstances or look around to see where Jesus was leading?

Impact on Me

I have found in my Christian walk that God is the best, the perfect Father, because He is more interested in:

building my character than providing my comfort,
becoming my hope and Comforter in unbearable or unspeakable times,
strengthening my endurance in faith rather than making my life easy,
walking alongside me at my pace to build a relationship that will withstand every flaming arrow the enemy may shoot,
patiently teaching me (again and again) how to trust His plan and timing rather than bustling about trying to bring about my own “perfect” plans to rectify or solve the issues I face.

In other words, He loves me enough to work for my good regardless of how I may view the process or the circumstances I must endure. Faith becomes stronger when it is exercised and I tend to exercise it more when I know I don’t have the answer or have no control over changing my circumstances or just have no strength to go on or rise above them.

I have to admit that most of the deep holes I have found myself in where of my own making – running ahead of God, pursuing my own solutions, or heading in a different direction that He was leading. One thing I have always found is that He holds no grudge, never shames me with “I told you so!” or turns a deaf ear. He goes with me into the morass, the darkness, the fire and, when I repent for my rebellion, arrogance, or other human failing, and call out to Him, He leads me out. I find that He has been close by waiting for my call, praying for me to see and call out to Him. “His Spirit within us is actually praying for us in those agonising longings which never find words. And God who knows the heart’s secrets understands, of course, the Spirit’s intention as He prays for those who love God.” What did I do to deserve such a Savior?

Prayer

Father, You are the perfect parent, One Who knows my heart and my intentions. You respond with grace and forgiveness when I repent, never shaming me but always encouraging, comforting, and building me up when I turn to find You again. Give me the wisdom to trust You, regardless of where You lead me and where You place me, so that I may give You joy in Your heart by responding according to Your Word and grace. I want to be all that You dream for me to be, using all the talents, abilities, and wisdom that You have gifted to me in the ways You desire. I ask it all in Jesus’ name. Make it so.

On Cleaning the Slate

Psalm 19:7-14 NLT ⁷The instructions of the Lord are perfect, reviving the soul. The decrees of the Lord are trustworthy, making wise the simple. ⁸The commandments of the Lord are right, bringing joy to the heart. The commands of the Lord are clear, giving insight for living. ⁹Reverence for the Lord is pure, lasting forever. The laws of the Lord are true; each one is fair. ¹⁰They are more desirable than gold, even the finest gold. They are sweeter than honey, even honey dripping from the comb. ¹¹They are a warning to Your servant, a great reward for those who obey them. ¹²How can I know all the sins lurking in my heart? Cleanse me from these hidden faults. ¹³Keep Your servant from deliberate sins! Don’t let them control me. Then I will be free of guilt and innocent of great sin. ¹⁴May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing to You, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.

Psalm 19:7-14 MSG The revelation of God is whole and pulls our lives together. The signposts of God are clear and point out the right road. The life-maps of God are right, showing the way to joy. The directions of God are plain and easy on the eyes. God’s reputation is twenty-four-carat gold, with a lifetime guarantee. The decisions of God are accurate down to the nth degree. ¹⁰God’s Word is better than a diamond, better than a diamond set between emeralds. You’ll like it better than strawberries in spring, better than red, ripe strawberries.

^11-14There’s more: God’s Word warns us of danger and directs us to hidden treasure. Otherwise, how will we find our way? Or know when we play the fool? Clean the slate, God, so we can start the day fresh! Keep me from stupid sins, from thinking I can take over your work; Then I can start this day sun-washed, scrubbed clean of the grime of sin. These are the words in my mouth; these are what I chew on and pray. Accept them when I place them on the morning altar, O God, my Altar-Rock, God, Priest-of-My-Altar.

Observation

God’s nature is revealed through His Word. Through all David’s disappointments, trials and failings, he learned that everything he needed could be found in submitting to and obeying God’s commands. David’s worship extols God’s nature as revealed to him by God’s words and actions – “…perfect, reviving the soul…trustworthy, making wise the simple…right, bringing joy to the heart…clear, giving insight for living… pure, lasting forever… true; each one is fair.” Regardless of his experience or current circumstance, David’s worship reflected and rejoiced in Who God is.

Nonetheless, David recognized that he himself was less than perfect or trustworthy. He ends this psalm with words of repentance and humility. “Clean the slate, God, so we can start the day fresh! Keep me from stupid sins, from thinking I can take over your work.” Isn’t this the cry of every humble human heart who strives to please God, to walk worthy of the love and grace so freely given, to be that good and faithful servant?

Impact on Me

I hear in this psalm the wonder, the awe, the gratitude, the humility, the meekness that fired David’s worship. It is one I revisit often. It is full of awe and wonder over the love, wisdom, beauty, majesty, perfection of God Who, for some unimaginable reason, hears me, out of all the voices, and responds with love, grace and mercy to “scrub me clean of the grime of sin” again. The more amazing thing is that He finds joy in the scrubbing! It is better for me to listen to Him and avoid falling into the grimy pit, committing “stupid sins, from thinking I can take over Your work.” However, when I do muck myself up again and sincerely repent, putting my stupid pride on the “morning altar,” and committing to listen and obey more faithfully, He “cleans the slate…so we can start the day afresh”. Surely these things should fire my daily worship with the same wonder, awe, gratitude, humility, and meekness that fired David’s worship!

The question is, “Does it?” Do I take time to marvel at the wonder of God’s love and care for me? Do I put more value on worshipping Him than on seeking praise for what I have done? Am I ever grateful for God’s readiness to clean the slate when I come again to repent for rushing off to take over? Am I humble enough to expose my hidden faults, my stupid sins to repent and free Him to forgive? Do I want to make the David-like choices, sometimes hard, difficult, humiliating, or terrifying, to become one after God’s own heart? Again, I pray that the Holy Spirit will fill me with the courage and strength to do so.

Prayer

God of mercy and grace, You are endlessly patient—so much love, so deeply true—loyal in love for a thousand generations, forgiving iniquity, rebellion, and sin. Still, You do not ignore sin (Ex 34 MSG). Lord God, I pray that You will give me the insight, wisdom and strength to be totally transparent before You, allowing Your Holy Spirit to expose my hidden faults/stupid sins and that I might be humble enough to repent for them. Rekindle the fire in me that will restore that awe and wonder in my worship, whether in a group or all alone. May others come to know Christ because they meet Him in me. Make it so, in Jesus’ name.

On Forsaken

Psalm 22:1-5, 22-24 NIV ¹My God, my God, why have You forsaken me? Why are You so far from saving me, so far from my cries of anguish? ²My God, I cry out by day, but You do not answer, by night, but I find no rest. ³Yet You are enthroned as the Holy One; You are the one Israel praises. ⁴In You our ancestors put their trust; they trusted and You delivered them. ⁵To You they cried out and were saved; in You they trusted and were not put to shame…²²I will declare Your name to my people; in the assembly I will praise You. ²³You who fear the Lord, praise Him! All you descendants of Jacob, honor Him! Revere Him, all you descendants of Israel! ²⁴For He has not despised or scorned the suffering of the afflicted one; He has not hidden His face from him but has listened to his cry for help.

Matthew 27:45-46 NIV ⁴⁵From noon until three in the afternoon darkness^(B) came over all the land. ⁴⁶About three in the afternoon Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eli, Eli,^[a] lema sabachthani?” (which means “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”).

Observation

I have heard many speculations about what these words of Jesus on the Cross mean. These words cannot mean that God turned away or separated Himself from Jesus because a holy God cannot look on sin because He looks on sin and sinners every day. “²⁴For He has not despised or scorned the suffering of the afflicted one; He has not hidden His face from him but has listened to his cry for help.” If God cannot look on sin, how did Satan, the embodiment of evil, stand in God’s presence when they discussed Job (Job 2:1-2 NKJV). What the Word does tell us that God cannot look favorably upon sin. If “forsaken” means that the rest of the Trinity has severed relationship with Jesus, then the Cross was meaningless because Jesus was just a man at that point and unable to pay the price. The Word tells us that Jesus was fully man and fully God (Colossians 2:8-10 NIV). That never changed. “Forsaken” in the psalms generally means that God has allowed one to fall into the control of the enemy. This certainly fits here.

The most astounding part of this redemptive sacrifice is that God, in the person of His Son Who was fully God and fully Man, put Himself on the Cross to pay the required price and suffer the wrath for the sake of all sinners to have the choice to be rescued, restored, redeemed. Jesus endured unspeakable anguish and agony as He absorbed God’s judgmental wrath (in God’s presence) so that we would never have to absorb the wrath we deserve in His presence. This mystery of the triune God – 3 persons in one – must mean that the Father and the Holy Spirit participated in this sacrifice, fully present with Jesus on the Cross and in the Resurrection to come.

Impact on Me

I still had questions as to why Jesus cried out that He was forsaken. I have learned that Psalm 22, 23 and 24 are called the “Shepherd Psalms” and are memorized by Jewish boys for their Bar Mitzvah. When Jesus quoted Psalm 22:1, it was like me saying, “Our Father in heaven, holy is Your name….” I know what follows those words; you probably do, too! The religious leaders certainly knew what Jesus meant. I started reading the 3 psalms together as one piece and found that they are about God’s care for His creatures and Jesus’ victory, not defeat or abandonment. This just reminded me about the critical importance of context, of seeking to understand cultural customs and idioms, those unspoken you-understood phrases and actions that are foreign to me but fully understood by those of Jesus’ time.

I came to understand that God, Who is Love and the Creator of us all, Who promised to never leave or forsake us, poured out His wrath upon Himself so that I can avoid His wrath and choose grace by embracing Christ as Savior. This is the most remarkable offer and would be too good to be true if God was not the One making it. I don’t know why the Cross was the price but I am grateful that my God was willing to pay it.

Prayer

Lord God Almighty, Father, Son and Spirit, I bow to Your plan and purpose for my life even when the circumstances seem to scream “DEFEAT!” I know that You are not the author of war, famine, pain, sickness and all the other evils of this world AND I know that You are working all things together for good regardless of what I think. I would not have put Jesus on the Cross as a way to salvation and victory, and yet it is the pivot point of history, providing me with a choice between life and death when the only choice before was death. Search me and know me, guide me and lead me in righteousness. I submit to Your plan. In Jesus’ name, make it so.