“For the word of God is living 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.” Hebrews 4:12
The book by my bed looks rather tame—leather bound, lots of pages, and print which gets smaller each year. The golden gilded spine declares it a Holy Bible—words so sacred and serene they almost conceal the fact that, in fact, this book is a surgeon’s scalpel and a warrior’s sword. Surgery and sword fights are both bloody, but blood is the theme of the book. From garments of skin in the garden to Christ’s sacrifice on the cross, blood was shed so we could be saved. This story of redemption is not dead print but is alive with divine power. The words leap off the pages into our lives and create change, for “the word of God is living and active.”
When you open Scripture, you’re not just reading words; God is speaking His words to you. Verses, chapters, and books become an honest conversation with the Shepherd who seeks, the Father who loves, the Physician who knows. His words, “sharper than a double-edged sword,” slice through all pretense and expose the truth—about us and God. We shrink from the scalpel, but the cuts come because He cares. The wounds are because He wills us to be sanctified, set apart, cleansed from the malignancies of sin that make us sick. The sharp point of God's Word plunges into the deepest and darkest parts of who we are “dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow, and judging the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.” The process might be painful, but the result will be peace.
This blade is not only used on us but also by us. “Take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God”(Eph. 6:17). In our hand, with God’s help, the Word becomes a mighty weapon. By the sharpness of the sword, we defeat temptation, overcome discouragement, fight the good fight, and keep the faith(2 Tim. 4:7). God’s enemies cannot stand and will not win against His Word.
The Word is alive. It slices, dices, and delves, but it also transforms, assures, and redeems. No other book brings such comfort and conviction. No other book offers true hope and lasting help. Other books talk about life, but no other book is life.
The Holy Bible.
Learn it.
Live it.
Love it.
And let it make you wholly His.
Sunday, February 27, 2011
Be A God Example
“Let us, therefore, make every effort…so that no one will fall by following their example of disobedience.” Hebrews 4:11
The oft-repeated story is worth repeating.
A man walks into the kitchen as his wife is hacking off the end of a just-bought rump roast and asks, “Why do you always cut off the end of a roast before you cook it?” Without hesitation she replies, “Because my mother always did.” Curious, the man calls his mother-in-law, asks the same question, and gets the same answer—“Because my mother always did.” Needing to know and not resting until he does, the man heads to the local nursing home, finds grandma, and asks, “Did you always cut off the end of a rump roast before you cooked it?” “Sure did,” she replies. “But why?” the man inquires. Grandma chuckles and responds, “Because my pan was too small to hold the whole thing!”
Roasts are one thing. Real life is another, but whether in the kitchen, at the office, or on the field, the people who look up to us are looking at us and living like us. “Let us, therefore, make every effort…so that no one will fall by following their example of disobedience.” Since much of life is learned by example, we need to be living well. The ones behind us and beside us are learning the same way we did from those before us and around us—by observation and imitation. We need to diligently endeavor (“make every effort”) for our actions and attitudes to be stepping stones not stumbling blocks. We’re not the only ones who get hurt when we fall; the ones tracking our steps often trip in the same spot. “So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. Do not cause anyone to stumble”(I Cor. 10:31-32).
“Follow my example as I follow the example of Christ”(I Cor. 11:1).
Live so you can repeat the Apostle Paul’s phrase.
And mean it.
The oft-repeated story is worth repeating.
A man walks into the kitchen as his wife is hacking off the end of a just-bought rump roast and asks, “Why do you always cut off the end of a roast before you cook it?” Without hesitation she replies, “Because my mother always did.” Curious, the man calls his mother-in-law, asks the same question, and gets the same answer—“Because my mother always did.” Needing to know and not resting until he does, the man heads to the local nursing home, finds grandma, and asks, “Did you always cut off the end of a rump roast before you cooked it?” “Sure did,” she replies. “But why?” the man inquires. Grandma chuckles and responds, “Because my pan was too small to hold the whole thing!”
Roasts are one thing. Real life is another, but whether in the kitchen, at the office, or on the field, the people who look up to us are looking at us and living like us. “Let us, therefore, make every effort…so that no one will fall by following their example of disobedience.” Since much of life is learned by example, we need to be living well. The ones behind us and beside us are learning the same way we did from those before us and around us—by observation and imitation. We need to diligently endeavor (“make every effort”) for our actions and attitudes to be stepping stones not stumbling blocks. We’re not the only ones who get hurt when we fall; the ones tracking our steps often trip in the same spot. “So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. Do not cause anyone to stumble”(I Cor. 10:31-32).
“Follow my example as I follow the example of Christ”(I Cor. 11:1).
Live so you can repeat the Apostle Paul’s phrase.
And mean it.
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
Don't and Do
“Encourage one another daily…so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness.” Hebrews 3:13
We rarely read warning labels. Most listed dangers seem so obvious that printing them in black and white borders on overkill. “Don’t blow-dry your hair in the bathtub,” and “Don’t ingest insecticide,” should go without saying, but, then again, so should, “Don’t harden your hearts if you hear God’s voice.” Yet we find this warning written not once but twice in Scripture—both in the Old Testament and the New. Psalm 95 calls us to come, sing, shout, and worship our great God and King, but then follows the summons to celebration with an instructional caution—a warning. “Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as you did at Meribah”(Ps. 95:8). Hebrews repeats the admonition with similar words, “Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as you did in the rebellion”(Heb. 3:8).
Just as most warnings are thus labeled because someone somewhere for some reason chose to do what shouldn’t have been done and incurred the ensuing consequences, so these verses have a corresponding story—and not of someone acting in ignorance but in insolence. The Israelites had barely shaken the dust of Egypt’s slavery off their sandals when their stomachs started rumbling and their hearts started grumbling. Sending ten plagues on their captors, splitting the Red Sea to save them and swallow their enemies, and showering manna from heaven for daily food in the desert weren’t enough to convince God’s chosen people that He was with them and for them. The moment they got thirsty, what was in their hearts came out of their mouths. They rebelled against God’s grace, and instead of trusting, they tested. Their refusal to believe God would meet their needs and later lead them to victory resulted in a forty year “‘Round the desert til the adults die off” camping trip. Tough stuff. But that’s what happens when our hearts get hard.
“See to it, brothers, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God. But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness.” In spite of the piles of God’s goodness and grace we have experienced throughout our lives, sin quickly cons us into selfishness and causes us to miss God’s best. Our personal choices and the pressure of an unbelieving culture combine to make our hearts callous and hard to the tender voice of our Father. So how do we stay soft to God’s Spirit? Daily encouragement. “Encourage one another daily…so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness.”
Don’t go at it alone, and don’t leave others to themselves either. Every single day, by pen, phone, computer and in person encourage those around you in their faith. Share God’s Word. Share God’s ways. Talk about what He is doing in your life and find out what He is doing in theirs. Pray for them. Pray with them. And continually point them to Jesus.
Warning labels are written for a reason.
Read. Remember. And reach out to each other.
We rarely read warning labels. Most listed dangers seem so obvious that printing them in black and white borders on overkill. “Don’t blow-dry your hair in the bathtub,” and “Don’t ingest insecticide,” should go without saying, but, then again, so should, “Don’t harden your hearts if you hear God’s voice.” Yet we find this warning written not once but twice in Scripture—both in the Old Testament and the New. Psalm 95 calls us to come, sing, shout, and worship our great God and King, but then follows the summons to celebration with an instructional caution—a warning. “Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as you did at Meribah”(Ps. 95:8). Hebrews repeats the admonition with similar words, “Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as you did in the rebellion”(Heb. 3:8).
Just as most warnings are thus labeled because someone somewhere for some reason chose to do what shouldn’t have been done and incurred the ensuing consequences, so these verses have a corresponding story—and not of someone acting in ignorance but in insolence. The Israelites had barely shaken the dust of Egypt’s slavery off their sandals when their stomachs started rumbling and their hearts started grumbling. Sending ten plagues on their captors, splitting the Red Sea to save them and swallow their enemies, and showering manna from heaven for daily food in the desert weren’t enough to convince God’s chosen people that He was with them and for them. The moment they got thirsty, what was in their hearts came out of their mouths. They rebelled against God’s grace, and instead of trusting, they tested. Their refusal to believe God would meet their needs and later lead them to victory resulted in a forty year “‘Round the desert til the adults die off” camping trip. Tough stuff. But that’s what happens when our hearts get hard.
“See to it, brothers, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God. But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness.” In spite of the piles of God’s goodness and grace we have experienced throughout our lives, sin quickly cons us into selfishness and causes us to miss God’s best. Our personal choices and the pressure of an unbelieving culture combine to make our hearts callous and hard to the tender voice of our Father. So how do we stay soft to God’s Spirit? Daily encouragement. “Encourage one another daily…so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness.”
Don’t go at it alone, and don’t leave others to themselves either. Every single day, by pen, phone, computer and in person encourage those around you in their faith. Share God’s Word. Share God’s ways. Talk about what He is doing in your life and find out what He is doing in theirs. Pray for them. Pray with them. And continually point them to Jesus.
Warning labels are written for a reason.
Read. Remember. And reach out to each other.
Tool Time
“Every house is built by someone, but God is the builder of everything.” Hebrews 3:4
God built us to build. We started with blocks as babies and soon grew into Lincoln Logs and Tinker Toys. Sand piles were packed into sandcastles. Popsicle sticks were stacked into houses. Pillows became a fort, and a few chairs, a bed sheet, and a broom handle turned into a tent. A cabin in the woods was the next project for me and my siblings, but after felling several trees with a handsaw and constructing a bridge over the gulley, our enthusiasm waned and we settled for pine straw palaces. These days when I’m back at the homestead, my kids and their cousins stay busy building—clubhouses, hideouts, and an entire teepee town (complete with a bank for those needing to borrow funds) have been constructed.
When we build, we’re simply imitating our Maker, for “God is the builder of everything”(Hebrews 3:4). Galaxies, planets, and our own backyards were built by Him. All we can see was built by Him or out of stuff He has made. Both skyscrapers and sunsets remind us of His power and His provision, for “God is the builder of everything.”
Long after we put away our Lincoln Logs, we’re still busy building—careers, families, businesses, legacies, and reputations. Each day we awake at the construction site and reach for hard hats and hammers. Our words, actions, and attitudes are the raw materials God has given us to use for His glory, and He has unrolled the perfect plan. By grace, God has made us part of His ultimate building project—His church, His people, His family(Matt. 16:18), and He desires for all the structures of our lives to be built by obedient faith on the firm foundation of His word(Matt. 7:24-27).
Energy and effort spent building any other way is useless. “Unless the Lord builds the house, its builders labor in vain”(Ps. 127:1). Nothing goes up unless He allows it, and nothing stays up unless He is in it. Our own attempts at success and significance lie in rubble until God raises us up and builds something beautiful.
Right now Jesus is busy building our forever home in heaven (“In my Father’s house are many rooms…I am going there to prepare a place for you.” John 14:2), and through His Spirit and His children He is busy building His people here on earth. Be careful how you build and what you build. Don’t settle for pine straw palaces that will blow away in the wind. God wants to build what will last, and He’s the expert on hammers and nails.
God built us to build. We started with blocks as babies and soon grew into Lincoln Logs and Tinker Toys. Sand piles were packed into sandcastles. Popsicle sticks were stacked into houses. Pillows became a fort, and a few chairs, a bed sheet, and a broom handle turned into a tent. A cabin in the woods was the next project for me and my siblings, but after felling several trees with a handsaw and constructing a bridge over the gulley, our enthusiasm waned and we settled for pine straw palaces. These days when I’m back at the homestead, my kids and their cousins stay busy building—clubhouses, hideouts, and an entire teepee town (complete with a bank for those needing to borrow funds) have been constructed.
When we build, we’re simply imitating our Maker, for “God is the builder of everything”(Hebrews 3:4). Galaxies, planets, and our own backyards were built by Him. All we can see was built by Him or out of stuff He has made. Both skyscrapers and sunsets remind us of His power and His provision, for “God is the builder of everything.”
Long after we put away our Lincoln Logs, we’re still busy building—careers, families, businesses, legacies, and reputations. Each day we awake at the construction site and reach for hard hats and hammers. Our words, actions, and attitudes are the raw materials God has given us to use for His glory, and He has unrolled the perfect plan. By grace, God has made us part of His ultimate building project—His church, His people, His family(Matt. 16:18), and He desires for all the structures of our lives to be built by obedient faith on the firm foundation of His word(Matt. 7:24-27).
Energy and effort spent building any other way is useless. “Unless the Lord builds the house, its builders labor in vain”(Ps. 127:1). Nothing goes up unless He allows it, and nothing stays up unless He is in it. Our own attempts at success and significance lie in rubble until God raises us up and builds something beautiful.
Right now Jesus is busy building our forever home in heaven (“In my Father’s house are many rooms…I am going there to prepare a place for you.” John 14:2), and through His Spirit and His children He is busy building His people here on earth. Be careful how you build and what you build. Don’t settle for pine straw palaces that will blow away in the wind. God wants to build what will last, and He’s the expert on hammers and nails.
What Do You Think?
“Therefore, holy brothers, who share in the heavenly calling, fix your thoughts on Jesus, the apostle and high priest whom we confess.” Hebrews 3:1
What do you think? What do you think about? If you’re like most, you answered, “Lots of things.” Our minds are often so crammed with plans, concerns, responsibilities, and ideas that they struggle to slow down enough at night for us to relax and sleep. If we’re awake, we’re thinking. It’s a sign of being alive. The philosopher Descartes stated, “I think, therefore I am,” but just because I’m thinking doesn’t therefore mean I’m thinking about the right things in the right way.
“Therefore, holy brothers, who share in the heavenly calling, fix your thoughts on Jesus, the apostle and high priest whom we confess.” We’re going to think, and we ought to think about God. If we say we’re His with our mouths, (whom we confess), we should think about Him with our minds (fix your thoughts on Jesus). He’s made us holy, He’s made us family, and He should be the recurring theme of our thoughts.
This doesn’t mean that every thought you think has to only be about Jesus. For now, our “heavenly calling” is lived out on earth, and much in many realms must be considered and contemplated to do life well, but each thought can only be understood and evaluated properly when our ultimate focus is Jesus. He is the topic sentence in the paragraph of life, and all else we write with our actions and attitudes simply supports the subject. “How will this business transaction bring Him glory?” “How can my involvement in this organization show His grace?” “The grandkids are coming! Thank you, Jesus, for family!” “We’re out of milk! And cookies! How blessed I am, Jesus, to be able to stock up at the grocery. Please help the ones who are hungry.” And on and on. Since Jesus is life, none of our thoughts about life should be isolated to ourselves. All should converge at His reality.
“Fix your thoughts on Jesus.” Start by starting your day with a prayer of thanks and expectation. At each meal take a moment to consider His constant provision. As you move between responsibilities and opportunities, reflect on His guidance and grace in every area. And when your head hits the pillow, ponder that “the peace of God, which goes beyond all understanding, will guard you heart and your mind in Christ Jesus”(Phil. 4:7).
Many things cross our minds each day.
The cross should never leave it.
Above all else, before all else, in spite of all else, think about Jesus.
What do you think? What do you think about? If you’re like most, you answered, “Lots of things.” Our minds are often so crammed with plans, concerns, responsibilities, and ideas that they struggle to slow down enough at night for us to relax and sleep. If we’re awake, we’re thinking. It’s a sign of being alive. The philosopher Descartes stated, “I think, therefore I am,” but just because I’m thinking doesn’t therefore mean I’m thinking about the right things in the right way.
“Therefore, holy brothers, who share in the heavenly calling, fix your thoughts on Jesus, the apostle and high priest whom we confess.” We’re going to think, and we ought to think about God. If we say we’re His with our mouths, (whom we confess), we should think about Him with our minds (fix your thoughts on Jesus). He’s made us holy, He’s made us family, and He should be the recurring theme of our thoughts.
This doesn’t mean that every thought you think has to only be about Jesus. For now, our “heavenly calling” is lived out on earth, and much in many realms must be considered and contemplated to do life well, but each thought can only be understood and evaluated properly when our ultimate focus is Jesus. He is the topic sentence in the paragraph of life, and all else we write with our actions and attitudes simply supports the subject. “How will this business transaction bring Him glory?” “How can my involvement in this organization show His grace?” “The grandkids are coming! Thank you, Jesus, for family!” “We’re out of milk! And cookies! How blessed I am, Jesus, to be able to stock up at the grocery. Please help the ones who are hungry.” And on and on. Since Jesus is life, none of our thoughts about life should be isolated to ourselves. All should converge at His reality.
“Fix your thoughts on Jesus.” Start by starting your day with a prayer of thanks and expectation. At each meal take a moment to consider His constant provision. As you move between responsibilities and opportunities, reflect on His guidance and grace in every area. And when your head hits the pillow, ponder that “the peace of God, which goes beyond all understanding, will guard you heart and your mind in Christ Jesus”(Phil. 4:7).
Many things cross our minds each day.
The cross should never leave it.
Above all else, before all else, in spite of all else, think about Jesus.
God Understands
“Because he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.” Hebrews 2:18
“Stop breathing so fast! You’re panicking!” the doctor ordered and informed me during the delivery of my third child. In a brief moment of reprieve, I replied (nicely, I’m sure), “I’m not panicking! I’m in pain! You’ve helped deliver lots of babies, but you’ve never had one!”
Some things must be experienced to be understood. Childbirth is one. Temptation is another.
“For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are”(Heb. 4:15). What a relief! What a comfort! What a profound disclosure! God knows and God understands. He really, really does. He knows what it’s like to be tempted. He understands the struggle of sin. Jesus felt the lure of lust and the appeal of pride. He experienced the desire to be selfish and the enticement of power. His body yearned; His heart ached; His mind wondered and wanted to wander. If you’ve felt it, so has He. If you’ve been baited, so has He. He’s been through it all—the gentle tug, the burning attraction, and the constant coaxing. He’s heard it all—“You know this would feel good.” “Everyone deserves a little fun.” “Come on! Prove you’re really the man!”
And it wasn’t easy. “Because he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.” Temptation is hard, and it was hard on Jesus. He endured temptation bigger and badder than we ever will, and it hurt. “Because he himself suffered when he was tempted…” Staying strong and saying no was painful, but Jesus can relate to our anguish because His agony was real. Because He hurt, He can help us. And He will. He knows we are weak, and though He did not sin, He understands. He gives strength(Ps. 20:2), provides a way out(1 Cor. 10:13), and offers grace when we fall(Heb. 4:16).
And lest you think the scope of God’s empathy extends only to being tempted, not to the guilt of giving in, remember the cross. “He was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities”(Is. 53:5). Jesus has experienced the pain of consequences and the sorrow of sin in an extreme and unfathomable way which, praise God, we will never have to face. Jesus knows. Jesus understands. And Jesus will help.
He’s been there and done that.
And He did it for you.
“Stop breathing so fast! You’re panicking!” the doctor ordered and informed me during the delivery of my third child. In a brief moment of reprieve, I replied (nicely, I’m sure), “I’m not panicking! I’m in pain! You’ve helped deliver lots of babies, but you’ve never had one!”
Some things must be experienced to be understood. Childbirth is one. Temptation is another.
“For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are”(Heb. 4:15). What a relief! What a comfort! What a profound disclosure! God knows and God understands. He really, really does. He knows what it’s like to be tempted. He understands the struggle of sin. Jesus felt the lure of lust and the appeal of pride. He experienced the desire to be selfish and the enticement of power. His body yearned; His heart ached; His mind wondered and wanted to wander. If you’ve felt it, so has He. If you’ve been baited, so has He. He’s been through it all—the gentle tug, the burning attraction, and the constant coaxing. He’s heard it all—“You know this would feel good.” “Everyone deserves a little fun.” “Come on! Prove you’re really the man!”
And it wasn’t easy. “Because he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.” Temptation is hard, and it was hard on Jesus. He endured temptation bigger and badder than we ever will, and it hurt. “Because he himself suffered when he was tempted…” Staying strong and saying no was painful, but Jesus can relate to our anguish because His agony was real. Because He hurt, He can help us. And He will. He knows we are weak, and though He did not sin, He understands. He gives strength(Ps. 20:2), provides a way out(1 Cor. 10:13), and offers grace when we fall(Heb. 4:16).
And lest you think the scope of God’s empathy extends only to being tempted, not to the guilt of giving in, remember the cross. “He was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities”(Is. 53:5). Jesus has experienced the pain of consequences and the sorrow of sin in an extreme and unfathomable way which, praise God, we will never have to face. Jesus knows. Jesus understands. And Jesus will help.
He’s been there and done that.
And He did it for you.
Pay Attention
“We must pay more careful attention, therefore, to what we have heard, so we do not drift away.” Hebrews 2:1
“Pay attention!” How many times have we heard that line? Seems to be a favorite of elementary teachers, parents of teenage drivers, and God—not necessarily in that order. Each has something important to say, but the price of disobedience grows increasingly costly—flunk your test on dividing fractions, get a ticket for speeding, or miss out on God’s plan for your life.
“We must pay more careful attention, therefore, to what we have heard, so we do not drift away.” This admonition comes not to those who don’t know the Lord but to those who have grabbed hold of God’s grace. Our faith came by hearing the word of God(Rom10:17), and our effectiveness comes by continuing to listen. Paying close attention is more than not snoozing during Sunday’s sermon. It is perking up both our ears and our hearts each day of the week to what God has said.
“I’d love to listen more carefully and consistently, but my schedule’s already stuffed,” you sincerely offer as an excuse. Consider this: there will never be enough time to do everything everyone (including you) wants you to do, but there will always be enough time to do what God wants you to do. And He wants you to “pay more careful attention” to His Word.
If you don’t, you’ll drop your paddle and drift—drift away from the flow of God’s will into the undertow of the world where you will end up off-course, marooned, and shipwrecked. Yes, those are serious penalties, but if we don’t pay attention, we will pay the consequences. “For if the message spoken by angels[God’s Old Testament Law] was binding, and every violation and disobedience received its just punishment, how shall we escape if we ignore such a great salvation?”(Heb. 2:2-3). God Himself has spoken a message of grace and redemption in Jesus, and as His own, we should not disregard His words, even for a day. His “word is near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart”(Rom. 10:8), so consider it closely and carefully.
Drift is much more unintentional than deliberate. It comes not from doing something but from doing nothing. “Such a great salvation” and such a great Savior deserve our efforts to engage and absorb what God has said. The phrase, “Pay more careful attention,” implies that doing so is not free, but the price of an adjusted agenda or shifted priorities is more than worth the cost. Drifting is effortless and easy compared to rowing in God’s flow, but the living the journey in God’s current is incomparable.
Don’t drop your paddle.
Pay attention.
“Pay attention!” How many times have we heard that line? Seems to be a favorite of elementary teachers, parents of teenage drivers, and God—not necessarily in that order. Each has something important to say, but the price of disobedience grows increasingly costly—flunk your test on dividing fractions, get a ticket for speeding, or miss out on God’s plan for your life.
“We must pay more careful attention, therefore, to what we have heard, so we do not drift away.” This admonition comes not to those who don’t know the Lord but to those who have grabbed hold of God’s grace. Our faith came by hearing the word of God(Rom10:17), and our effectiveness comes by continuing to listen. Paying close attention is more than not snoozing during Sunday’s sermon. It is perking up both our ears and our hearts each day of the week to what God has said.
“I’d love to listen more carefully and consistently, but my schedule’s already stuffed,” you sincerely offer as an excuse. Consider this: there will never be enough time to do everything everyone (including you) wants you to do, but there will always be enough time to do what God wants you to do. And He wants you to “pay more careful attention” to His Word.
If you don’t, you’ll drop your paddle and drift—drift away from the flow of God’s will into the undertow of the world where you will end up off-course, marooned, and shipwrecked. Yes, those are serious penalties, but if we don’t pay attention, we will pay the consequences. “For if the message spoken by angels[God’s Old Testament Law] was binding, and every violation and disobedience received its just punishment, how shall we escape if we ignore such a great salvation?”(Heb. 2:2-3). God Himself has spoken a message of grace and redemption in Jesus, and as His own, we should not disregard His words, even for a day. His “word is near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart”(Rom. 10:8), so consider it closely and carefully.
Drift is much more unintentional than deliberate. It comes not from doing something but from doing nothing. “Such a great salvation” and such a great Savior deserve our efforts to engage and absorb what God has said. The phrase, “Pay more careful attention,” implies that doing so is not free, but the price of an adjusted agenda or shifted priorities is more than worth the cost. Drifting is effortless and easy compared to rowing in God’s flow, but the living the journey in God’s current is incomparable.
Don’t drop your paddle.
Pay attention.
God's Special Agents
“Are not all angels ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation?” Hebrews 1:14
Majestic angels with glittering halos top our trees on Christmas Day. Chubby, small-winged cherubs aim darts of love on Valentine’s Day. And we hope that a guardian angel keeps watch over us every day. But are these ideas imaginary or real?
A bit of both. Angels are definitely bona-fide beings, but our notions of how they look and what they do could use a bit of biblical refining. To begin with, you were never an angel (even if your mama said you were), and you are never going to be one. Before God formed the earth or us, He created angels—powerful creatures made of a higher order than man(Ps. 8:5) whose name, “messengers,” describes their function. Angels are God’s special agents who carry out His will and implement His purpose. Their ability and authority comes only from God and is only for God.
Angels do not reproduce(Matthew 22:30), they will never die(Luke 20:36), and they don’t have halos. “Thousands upon thousands, and ten thousand times thousand” of angels exist(Rev. 5:11), but only two are named in the Bible. Gabriel, “man of God,” appears four times (twice to Daniel, once to Zechariah, and once to Jesus’ mother, Mary) to give an explanation or make an announcement. Michael, “who is like God?” is the archangel who protects and defends Israel(Daniel 12:1, Rev. 12:7-9) and who fussed with Satan over the body of Moses(Jude 1:9).
Angels are not all the same. Different roles and rankings are implied, and besides archangel, two more are specifically mentioned, cherubim and seraphim. Cherubim are a far cry from the precious, plump imps portrayed in art and movies. They are four-winged, four-faced creatures (Ezekiel 1) who proclaim and protect God’s glorious presence. Cherub guarded the Garden of Eden after Adam’s fall, and golden figures in their shape covered the ark of the covenant in the Holy of Holies. The six-winged seraphim Isaiah saw hovering above God’s throne cover their faces and feet in reverence and continually call to each other, “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord Almighty”(Is. 6:1-4).
But though angels declare God’s glory, they can only observe God’s grace. The story of redemption is theirs to exclaim but not experience, for while many angels rebelled and fell, no salvation is offered for their sin. The lake of fire was prepared for the devil and his angels(Matt. 25:41), and “the angels who did not keep their positions of authority but abandoned their own home—these God has kept in darkness, bound with everlasting chains for judgment on the great Day”(Jude 1:6). Peter tells us that “even angels long to look into” the great news of the gospel which we have heard(1 Peter 1:12).
Such is not written to scare us to death but to wake us to life and to worship of our awesome God. While angels should be respected and admired, they are not the ones to be venerated. When John was shown the revelation of the end times and the new creation, he “fell down to worship at the feet of the angel who had been showing them to him, but the angel said, “Do not do it! I am a fellow servant with you…all who keep the words of this book. Worship God!”(Rev. 22:9) God is the one who sovereignly carries out His will in our lives, and He sends His angels to help us and serve us. “Are not all angels ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation?”(Hebrews 1:14)
Angels shut the mouths of Daniel’s lions and opened the doors of Peter’s prison. They protected David, nourished Elijah, and comforted Paul. They took care of Jesus after His wilderness temptation and strengthened Him in the garden of Gethsemane. And when Jesus rose from the dead, an angel rolled back the tomb’s stone and sat on top of it. Since that time, story after story has been told by God’s children of His protection and provision by creatures who appeared as people but who could only have been angels. We should not be surprised, for Hebrews reminds us, “Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some people have entertained angels without knowing it”(Heb. 13:2).
Since the angels of God’s little ones always see His face in heaven(Matt. 18:10), we can be sure He will send them to earth when we need them. Don’t look for an angel around every corner, but when someone shows up to help, thank God and think twice.
You never know.
Majestic angels with glittering halos top our trees on Christmas Day. Chubby, small-winged cherubs aim darts of love on Valentine’s Day. And we hope that a guardian angel keeps watch over us every day. But are these ideas imaginary or real?
A bit of both. Angels are definitely bona-fide beings, but our notions of how they look and what they do could use a bit of biblical refining. To begin with, you were never an angel (even if your mama said you were), and you are never going to be one. Before God formed the earth or us, He created angels—powerful creatures made of a higher order than man(Ps. 8:5) whose name, “messengers,” describes their function. Angels are God’s special agents who carry out His will and implement His purpose. Their ability and authority comes only from God and is only for God.
Angels do not reproduce(Matthew 22:30), they will never die(Luke 20:36), and they don’t have halos. “Thousands upon thousands, and ten thousand times thousand” of angels exist(Rev. 5:11), but only two are named in the Bible. Gabriel, “man of God,” appears four times (twice to Daniel, once to Zechariah, and once to Jesus’ mother, Mary) to give an explanation or make an announcement. Michael, “who is like God?” is the archangel who protects and defends Israel(Daniel 12:1, Rev. 12:7-9) and who fussed with Satan over the body of Moses(Jude 1:9).
Angels are not all the same. Different roles and rankings are implied, and besides archangel, two more are specifically mentioned, cherubim and seraphim. Cherubim are a far cry from the precious, plump imps portrayed in art and movies. They are four-winged, four-faced creatures (Ezekiel 1) who proclaim and protect God’s glorious presence. Cherub guarded the Garden of Eden after Adam’s fall, and golden figures in their shape covered the ark of the covenant in the Holy of Holies. The six-winged seraphim Isaiah saw hovering above God’s throne cover their faces and feet in reverence and continually call to each other, “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord Almighty”(Is. 6:1-4).
But though angels declare God’s glory, they can only observe God’s grace. The story of redemption is theirs to exclaim but not experience, for while many angels rebelled and fell, no salvation is offered for their sin. The lake of fire was prepared for the devil and his angels(Matt. 25:41), and “the angels who did not keep their positions of authority but abandoned their own home—these God has kept in darkness, bound with everlasting chains for judgment on the great Day”(Jude 1:6). Peter tells us that “even angels long to look into” the great news of the gospel which we have heard(1 Peter 1:12).
Such is not written to scare us to death but to wake us to life and to worship of our awesome God. While angels should be respected and admired, they are not the ones to be venerated. When John was shown the revelation of the end times and the new creation, he “fell down to worship at the feet of the angel who had been showing them to him, but the angel said, “Do not do it! I am a fellow servant with you…all who keep the words of this book. Worship God!”(Rev. 22:9) God is the one who sovereignly carries out His will in our lives, and He sends His angels to help us and serve us. “Are not all angels ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation?”(Hebrews 1:14)
Angels shut the mouths of Daniel’s lions and opened the doors of Peter’s prison. They protected David, nourished Elijah, and comforted Paul. They took care of Jesus after His wilderness temptation and strengthened Him in the garden of Gethsemane. And when Jesus rose from the dead, an angel rolled back the tomb’s stone and sat on top of it. Since that time, story after story has been told by God’s children of His protection and provision by creatures who appeared as people but who could only have been angels. We should not be surprised, for Hebrews reminds us, “Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some people have entertained angels without knowing it”(Heb. 13:2).
Since the angels of God’s little ones always see His face in heaven(Matt. 18:10), we can be sure He will send them to earth when we need them. Don’t look for an angel around every corner, but when someone shows up to help, thank God and think twice.
You never know.
The Strong Force
“The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word.” Hebrews 1:3
“Opposites attract and likes repel.” What is sometimes true between the sexes is always true in science. Atoms exist because the positively-charged protons of the nucleus attract the negatively-charged electrons which whiz around it. But if “likes repel” and the protons huddled in the nucleus have the same positive charge, why don’t all atoms and, consequently, all of the universe blow apart? Let me not bore or mislead you with my diminutive understanding of particle theory; just know this: within the very tiny nucleus of each atom, a powerful force exists which supersedes the intense electromagnetic force of the repelling protons. Physicists appropriately call this force “strong force,” but the interactions and behavior of the teeny-tiny quarks and gluons (as in “glue on”) which are essential in strong force are yet to be fully understood—by some. Others have gotten it for a while. “The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all thing by his powerful word”(Heb. 1:3).
On the smallest level and the largest, Jesus holds it all together. All that exists is sustained by His powerful word. Because He says so, it is and we are. “By him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible or invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him…and in him all things hold together”(Colossians 1:16-17).
Scientists can study and theorize, explain and expound, but the crux of the matter, and of matter itself, is a God powerful enough to create, strong enough to sustain, and loving enough to save. The crux of the matter is the cross.
When you feel as though you’re falling apart, you don’t have to hold yourself together.
Jesus already is.
“Opposites attract and likes repel.” What is sometimes true between the sexes is always true in science. Atoms exist because the positively-charged protons of the nucleus attract the negatively-charged electrons which whiz around it. But if “likes repel” and the protons huddled in the nucleus have the same positive charge, why don’t all atoms and, consequently, all of the universe blow apart? Let me not bore or mislead you with my diminutive understanding of particle theory; just know this: within the very tiny nucleus of each atom, a powerful force exists which supersedes the intense electromagnetic force of the repelling protons. Physicists appropriately call this force “strong force,” but the interactions and behavior of the teeny-tiny quarks and gluons (as in “glue on”) which are essential in strong force are yet to be fully understood—by some. Others have gotten it for a while. “The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all thing by his powerful word”(Heb. 1:3).
On the smallest level and the largest, Jesus holds it all together. All that exists is sustained by His powerful word. Because He says so, it is and we are. “By him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible or invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him…and in him all things hold together”(Colossians 1:16-17).
Scientists can study and theorize, explain and expound, but the crux of the matter, and of matter itself, is a God powerful enough to create, strong enough to sustain, and loving enough to save. The crux of the matter is the cross.
When you feel as though you’re falling apart, you don’t have to hold yourself together.
Jesus already is.
Jesus Who?
“The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being.” Hebrews 1:3
Hebrews begins with a bang—God has spoken and we should listen. But who exactly did the talking? The first few chapters make sure we get that one right from the get-go. “In these last days God has spoken to us through his Son.” When God wanted to get His message of grace to earth, He brought it Himself. He didn’t send an angel (the contrasts in verses 5-14 make that undeniably clear); the Father sent His Son.
He came as man, for He had to be made like us “in every way, in order that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest…and that he might make atonement for the sins of the people”(Heb 2:17-18). He came as God. “But about the Son he [the Father] says, ‘Your throne, O God, will last for ever and ever…He also says, ‘In the beginning, O Lord, you laid the foundations of the earth’”(Heb 1:8,10). If the Father says the Son is God, no other opinion or evidence is needed. Case closed.
If I seem to be belaboring the point, I am, because eternity hinges on the correct answer to the question of “Who is Jesus?” We need to know and be able to say so. For two thousand years people have debated, doubted, or denied His divinity, but Hebrews confirms that in Jesus the second Person of our Three-in-One God arrived in our world. “The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being”(Heb 1:3). Jesus is the Father’s heavenly glory shining brightly on earth. He is the exact expression of the nature and essence of God. Just as the sun glowing in the sky does not merely give off energy but is energy, Jesus is not merely a result of God, He is God. He is the identical image of God, made from the same substance and splendor. In other words, Jesus is not an imitation; He’s the real deal—the divine deal, and because of who He is, we can be confident in what He did.
Jesus is way above the angels, and He’s much more than a mere mortal. Jesus is God wrapped in skin—divinity merged with humanity—and the reason He came with two hands and two feet was so they could be pierced for you.
Hebrews begins with a bang—God has spoken and we should listen. But who exactly did the talking? The first few chapters make sure we get that one right from the get-go. “In these last days God has spoken to us through his Son.” When God wanted to get His message of grace to earth, He brought it Himself. He didn’t send an angel (the contrasts in verses 5-14 make that undeniably clear); the Father sent His Son.
He came as man, for He had to be made like us “in every way, in order that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest…and that he might make atonement for the sins of the people”(Heb 2:17-18). He came as God. “But about the Son he [the Father] says, ‘Your throne, O God, will last for ever and ever…He also says, ‘In the beginning, O Lord, you laid the foundations of the earth’”(Heb 1:8,10). If the Father says the Son is God, no other opinion or evidence is needed. Case closed.
If I seem to be belaboring the point, I am, because eternity hinges on the correct answer to the question of “Who is Jesus?” We need to know and be able to say so. For two thousand years people have debated, doubted, or denied His divinity, but Hebrews confirms that in Jesus the second Person of our Three-in-One God arrived in our world. “The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being”(Heb 1:3). Jesus is the Father’s heavenly glory shining brightly on earth. He is the exact expression of the nature and essence of God. Just as the sun glowing in the sky does not merely give off energy but is energy, Jesus is not merely a result of God, He is God. He is the identical image of God, made from the same substance and splendor. In other words, Jesus is not an imitation; He’s the real deal—the divine deal, and because of who He is, we can be confident in what He did.
Jesus is way above the angels, and He’s much more than a mere mortal. Jesus is God wrapped in skin—divinity merged with humanity—and the reason He came with two hands and two feet was so they could be pierced for you.
Dive Time
“In these last days, God has spoken to us by his Son.” Hebrews 1:1
My earliest memory of Hebrews is lost in a daydream.
Staying focused for five consecutive nights during summer revival was hard enough, but paying attention at the weekday morning services was nigh to impossible. One year I never even made it past the first verse.
The preacher’s voice boomed the scripture through the thick southern air, “God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets…” Surely those words held deep significance for King James and his counterparts, but to my nine year old mind God was scuba diving on a sunny day. And off I went.
Several years later I read the same passage in a more contemporary version and thought, “So that’s what God and that guy were trying to say!” “In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son”(Hebrews 1:1-2). God wasn’t diving; He was divulging—who He is and what He is up to. In the past, i.e. BC, God sent His word to His people through His prophets. He did this for thousands of years in numerous ways. Moses held stone tablets. David composed songs. Isaiah gave his kids strange names. Jeremiah smashed jars and wrote on scrolls. Ezekiel lay on his left side for over a year then turned on his right for forty extra days. Daniel interpreted dreams. Hosea married a prostitute. And Malachi delivered oracles. Many centuries. Many messages. Many methods. But now…
“But in these last days, [i.e. AD,] he has spoken to us by his Son.” No more word pictures or implied examples are needed. God has shown up and spoken up in Jesus. What Jesus said and what Jesus did give us a complete revelation of our Heavenly Father. The book of Hebrews helps us understand why Jesus came as He did, why He did what He did, and what we are to do because of what He did. Many practices and policies of the Old Testament which cause us to wonder “Why?” or “What?” make sense and have more meaning due to their explanation in Hebrews. If I had to describe Hebrews in one word, I would say “Helpful.”
We don’t know who wrote these helpful words. Some think Paul is the author. Others pick Apollos. Who wrote the book doesn’t matter; what is written is what’s important. And who reads it and believes it. For the next few weeks, that would be us. Hebrews is long, but hopefully we won’t get lost. And somewhere along the way, I’m certain that God will use His helpful words in Hebrews to help us grasp His love and grace more than we ever have before.
So grab your mask and fins, and let’s dive deep.
Maybe God’s into scuba after all, and the Son is certainly shining!
My earliest memory of Hebrews is lost in a daydream.
Staying focused for five consecutive nights during summer revival was hard enough, but paying attention at the weekday morning services was nigh to impossible. One year I never even made it past the first verse.
The preacher’s voice boomed the scripture through the thick southern air, “God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets…” Surely those words held deep significance for King James and his counterparts, but to my nine year old mind God was scuba diving on a sunny day. And off I went.
Several years later I read the same passage in a more contemporary version and thought, “So that’s what God and that guy were trying to say!” “In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son”(Hebrews 1:1-2). God wasn’t diving; He was divulging—who He is and what He is up to. In the past, i.e. BC, God sent His word to His people through His prophets. He did this for thousands of years in numerous ways. Moses held stone tablets. David composed songs. Isaiah gave his kids strange names. Jeremiah smashed jars and wrote on scrolls. Ezekiel lay on his left side for over a year then turned on his right for forty extra days. Daniel interpreted dreams. Hosea married a prostitute. And Malachi delivered oracles. Many centuries. Many messages. Many methods. But now…
“But in these last days, [i.e. AD,] he has spoken to us by his Son.” No more word pictures or implied examples are needed. God has shown up and spoken up in Jesus. What Jesus said and what Jesus did give us a complete revelation of our Heavenly Father. The book of Hebrews helps us understand why Jesus came as He did, why He did what He did, and what we are to do because of what He did. Many practices and policies of the Old Testament which cause us to wonder “Why?” or “What?” make sense and have more meaning due to their explanation in Hebrews. If I had to describe Hebrews in one word, I would say “Helpful.”
We don’t know who wrote these helpful words. Some think Paul is the author. Others pick Apollos. Who wrote the book doesn’t matter; what is written is what’s important. And who reads it and believes it. For the next few weeks, that would be us. Hebrews is long, but hopefully we won’t get lost. And somewhere along the way, I’m certain that God will use His helpful words in Hebrews to help us grasp His love and grace more than we ever have before.
So grab your mask and fins, and let’s dive deep.
Maybe God’s into scuba after all, and the Son is certainly shining!
Believe
“The Ninevites believed God.” Jonah 3:5
God spoke, and the people of Nineveh believed. Short. Simple. And how it should be. They didn’t debate or dawdle. They didn’t get second opinions or investigate other options. They straight-up and straight-out took God at His word. Their belief translated immediately into action. The king stepped off his thrown and sat down in the dust. He decreed a fast and commanded, “Let everyone call urgently on God. Let them give up their evil ways and their violence.” To show they were serious, “all of them, from the greatest to the least, put on sackcloth.” The people’s sincerity went beyond skipping a few meals and donning itchy clothes; they were sincerely sorry and repented. Their certainty of God’s word caused a change in their ways.
The Ninevites’ belief was more than a state of mind; it was a state of will. Their knowledge of God may have been small, but their belief was big—big enough to make a difference in them and big enough to make a difference to God. “When God saw what they did and how they turned from their evil ways, he had compassion and did not bring up on them the destruction he had threatened.”
Belief is huge. Way huge. What we believe and who we believe makes all the difference—now and forever. Belief in God’s Word is the filter and framework we need for our culture’s continual barrage of information and for our constant choice of action. Before, and better than, you believe anything else, believe the Bible. Its stories of creation, resurrection, and redemption may sound crazy, but they’re true. Step off the throne and sit down in the dust. The One who has spoken is not an egotistical liar but the everlasting Lord. If you want to know what to do with and how to deal with all that others say, you must first know and believe what He says. Thankfully, you need not wait for a visiting prophet to bring a message from the Lord. God’s words are in black and white for us to treasure and to trust—to believe. Short. Simple. And how it should be.
Take God at His Word.
He will always keep it.
God spoke, and the people of Nineveh believed. Short. Simple. And how it should be. They didn’t debate or dawdle. They didn’t get second opinions or investigate other options. They straight-up and straight-out took God at His word. Their belief translated immediately into action. The king stepped off his thrown and sat down in the dust. He decreed a fast and commanded, “Let everyone call urgently on God. Let them give up their evil ways and their violence.” To show they were serious, “all of them, from the greatest to the least, put on sackcloth.” The people’s sincerity went beyond skipping a few meals and donning itchy clothes; they were sincerely sorry and repented. Their certainty of God’s word caused a change in their ways.
The Ninevites’ belief was more than a state of mind; it was a state of will. Their knowledge of God may have been small, but their belief was big—big enough to make a difference in them and big enough to make a difference to God. “When God saw what they did and how they turned from their evil ways, he had compassion and did not bring up on them the destruction he had threatened.”
Belief is huge. Way huge. What we believe and who we believe makes all the difference—now and forever. Belief in God’s Word is the filter and framework we need for our culture’s continual barrage of information and for our constant choice of action. Before, and better than, you believe anything else, believe the Bible. Its stories of creation, resurrection, and redemption may sound crazy, but they’re true. Step off the throne and sit down in the dust. The One who has spoken is not an egotistical liar but the everlasting Lord. If you want to know what to do with and how to deal with all that others say, you must first know and believe what He says. Thankfully, you need not wait for a visiting prophet to bring a message from the Lord. God’s words are in black and white for us to treasure and to trust—to believe. Short. Simple. And how it should be.
Take God at His Word.
He will always keep it.
Days of Grace
“Forty more days and Nineveh will be overthrown.” Jonah 3:4
We find the number forty in the Bible more than most. The flood’s deluge lasted forty days. Jacob was embalmed for forty days. Moses visited with God on Mt. Sinai for forty days. The spies surveyed the Promised Land for forty days. Goliath taunted Israel’s army for forty days. Satan tempted Jesus for forty days. Between the resurrection and ascension, Jesus appeared to the disciples for forty days. And Jonah proclaimed that Nineveh had forty days before God brought them down.
Bad storms and big fish behind him, “Jonah obeyed the word of the Lord and went to Nineveh…He proclaimed: ‘Forty more days and Nineveh will be overthrown.’”
Why wait the forty days? Why not announce doom and instantly bring destruction? Nineveh’s sins surely warranted the sentence. Their idolatry was outrageous, their cruelty famous. The people were guilty with no hope of innocence, and God would have been perfectly just in sending immediate punishment. Why the delay?
Grace.
The word keeps recurring due to its abundance. God didn’t need forty days to decide Nineveh’s penalty. He wasn’t debating or doubting His verdict. His plans were complete and prepared. The days in between the announcement and the annihilation were a display of God’s patience and a gift of His mercy. Though Nineveh deserved no grace period, God gave them more than a month—enough time for fakes to be found out and skeptics to come around.
“The Lord is not slow in keeping His promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance”(2 Peter 3:9). God gives us time so we will turn—away from our wrong to His righteousness. God waits so we will see His way. He holds back so we will come back.
We don’t always understand such grace. We would have scorched Sodom long before God sent burning sulfur. We would have sent the rumbling, grumbling Israelites back to slavery in Egypt a couple of months into the trip. We would have brought David to slingshot Goliath somewhere around day six. When we are the ones calling for justice, God can’t move fast enough. But when we stand with our judgment just before us, we want time to stand still.
One day it did. “Around noon the sky turned dark…and the sun stopped shining”(Luke 23:44).
God is not slow. He is grace.
Receive (and rejoice) without delay.
We find the number forty in the Bible more than most. The flood’s deluge lasted forty days. Jacob was embalmed for forty days. Moses visited with God on Mt. Sinai for forty days. The spies surveyed the Promised Land for forty days. Goliath taunted Israel’s army for forty days. Satan tempted Jesus for forty days. Between the resurrection and ascension, Jesus appeared to the disciples for forty days. And Jonah proclaimed that Nineveh had forty days before God brought them down.
Bad storms and big fish behind him, “Jonah obeyed the word of the Lord and went to Nineveh…He proclaimed: ‘Forty more days and Nineveh will be overthrown.’”
Why wait the forty days? Why not announce doom and instantly bring destruction? Nineveh’s sins surely warranted the sentence. Their idolatry was outrageous, their cruelty famous. The people were guilty with no hope of innocence, and God would have been perfectly just in sending immediate punishment. Why the delay?
Grace.
The word keeps recurring due to its abundance. God didn’t need forty days to decide Nineveh’s penalty. He wasn’t debating or doubting His verdict. His plans were complete and prepared. The days in between the announcement and the annihilation were a display of God’s patience and a gift of His mercy. Though Nineveh deserved no grace period, God gave them more than a month—enough time for fakes to be found out and skeptics to come around.
“The Lord is not slow in keeping His promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance”(2 Peter 3:9). God gives us time so we will turn—away from our wrong to His righteousness. God waits so we will see His way. He holds back so we will come back.
We don’t always understand such grace. We would have scorched Sodom long before God sent burning sulfur. We would have sent the rumbling, grumbling Israelites back to slavery in Egypt a couple of months into the trip. We would have brought David to slingshot Goliath somewhere around day six. When we are the ones calling for justice, God can’t move fast enough. But when we stand with our judgment just before us, we want time to stand still.
One day it did. “Around noon the sky turned dark…and the sun stopped shining”(Luke 23:44).
God is not slow. He is grace.
Receive (and rejoice) without delay.
The Divine Do-Over
“And the Lord commanded the fish, and it vomited Jonah onto dry ground.” Jonah 2:10
After three days and three nights even the fish couldn’t stomach Jonah any longer, but the upchuck came at God’s command. “And the Lord commanded the fish, and it vomited Jonah onto dry ground.” Jonah landed on the sand messy and smelly but alive and appreciative. Never had the air felt so fresh. Never had the sun been so bright. And never had God seemed so real.
But what would He say now? The Almighty certainly had Jonah’s full attention and could fill his ear with pointed reminders of Jonah’s mess-ups and mutiny. But God didn’t guilt Jonah with a lecture or shame him with his past. He simply repeated the initial order. “Then the word of the Lord came to Jonah a second time: ‘Go to the great city of Nineveh and proclaim to it the message I give you.’ Jonah obeyed the word of the Lord and went to Nineveh.”
Do-overs are divine. They arrive as gifts of mercy to be cherished and grasped. If grace grants you a second shot, do it well and do it right. Don’t repeat your sins of the past, but don’t live in fear that your failures dictate your future. The do-over isn’t given to remind you of what you weren’t, but to reveal what you can be—and who God is.
If God made a whale barf up a prophet on a beach, He should have no problem rearranging your life as He desires. And when He does provide a duplicate duty (after you’ve botched the first task), do what He says and stick to His plan. The God of heaven and earth, of sizable fish and sinful prophets, knows what is best—always.
If God grants you a do-over, embrace the grace and obey.
You might not smell so good, but a second chance is always sweet.
After three days and three nights even the fish couldn’t stomach Jonah any longer, but the upchuck came at God’s command. “And the Lord commanded the fish, and it vomited Jonah onto dry ground.” Jonah landed on the sand messy and smelly but alive and appreciative. Never had the air felt so fresh. Never had the sun been so bright. And never had God seemed so real.
But what would He say now? The Almighty certainly had Jonah’s full attention and could fill his ear with pointed reminders of Jonah’s mess-ups and mutiny. But God didn’t guilt Jonah with a lecture or shame him with his past. He simply repeated the initial order. “Then the word of the Lord came to Jonah a second time: ‘Go to the great city of Nineveh and proclaim to it the message I give you.’ Jonah obeyed the word of the Lord and went to Nineveh.”
Do-overs are divine. They arrive as gifts of mercy to be cherished and grasped. If grace grants you a second shot, do it well and do it right. Don’t repeat your sins of the past, but don’t live in fear that your failures dictate your future. The do-over isn’t given to remind you of what you weren’t, but to reveal what you can be—and who God is.
If God made a whale barf up a prophet on a beach, He should have no problem rearranging your life as He desires. And when He does provide a duplicate duty (after you’ve botched the first task), do what He says and stick to His plan. The God of heaven and earth, of sizable fish and sinful prophets, knows what is best—always.
If God grants you a do-over, embrace the grace and obey.
You might not smell so good, but a second chance is always sweet.
Giving Up Grace
“Those who cling to worthless idols forfeit the grace that could be theirs.” Jonah 2:8
A forfeit is no fun for anyone. A win without the competition is a hollow victory, and a loss without the struggle is frustrating and empty. A forfeit is giving up without trying and giving in without fighting. If we have the choice, we’d rather not forfeit in sports, so why do we do so with our souls? “Those who cling to worthless idols forfeit the grace that could be theirs.”
Whom did Jonah have in mind when he made such a declaration? The heathens of Nineveh? The boys on the boat ? Or himself? I think all three. The Ninevites needed to let go of Ishtar worship. The sailors needed to grab hold of a powerful God. And Jonah—the one who had clung to his wants over God’s wishes finally realized God’s grace and was amazed. Michael Jackson wasn’t the only one talking to the man in the mirror; the application fit Jonah’s reflection—and ours.
Many are the idols in our lives which need to be toppled. Many are the deities that need to come down. Though are homes don’t boast icons and statues, our hearts find room for emotions and affections which crowd out Christ and His gifts of grace. Oh, we’re not counting on our idols for eternal salvation—we know better than that, but we want to hold them tightly with one hand while God holds our other hand close in His. We cling to power, significance, stuff, comfort, abilities, influence, money, our rights, our relationships, and our desires. On their own, all are worthless and will result in nothing that lasts very long. Only when we let go of ourselves and cling to Him will we discover the rich treasure of grace God longs to give.
Nobody wins when you forfeit grace, and much is lost when you won’t let go. Life, though busy and occupied, is hollow, frustrating, and empty. Stop clinging to what’s worthless, and grab hold of the God who is worthy—with both hands and all your heart.
Don’t give up grace.
Grace never gives up on you.
A forfeit is no fun for anyone. A win without the competition is a hollow victory, and a loss without the struggle is frustrating and empty. A forfeit is giving up without trying and giving in without fighting. If we have the choice, we’d rather not forfeit in sports, so why do we do so with our souls? “Those who cling to worthless idols forfeit the grace that could be theirs.”
Whom did Jonah have in mind when he made such a declaration? The heathens of Nineveh? The boys on the boat ? Or himself? I think all three. The Ninevites needed to let go of Ishtar worship. The sailors needed to grab hold of a powerful God. And Jonah—the one who had clung to his wants over God’s wishes finally realized God’s grace and was amazed. Michael Jackson wasn’t the only one talking to the man in the mirror; the application fit Jonah’s reflection—and ours.
Many are the idols in our lives which need to be toppled. Many are the deities that need to come down. Though are homes don’t boast icons and statues, our hearts find room for emotions and affections which crowd out Christ and His gifts of grace. Oh, we’re not counting on our idols for eternal salvation—we know better than that, but we want to hold them tightly with one hand while God holds our other hand close in His. We cling to power, significance, stuff, comfort, abilities, influence, money, our rights, our relationships, and our desires. On their own, all are worthless and will result in nothing that lasts very long. Only when we let go of ourselves and cling to Him will we discover the rich treasure of grace God longs to give.
Nobody wins when you forfeit grace, and much is lost when you won’t let go. Life, though busy and occupied, is hollow, frustrating, and empty. Stop clinging to what’s worthless, and grab hold of the God who is worthy—with both hands and all your heart.
Don’t give up grace.
Grace never gives up on you.
Prayer Places
“From inside the fish Jonah prayed to the Lord.” Jonah 2:1
Prayers for help have risen from many places—foxholes, delivery rooms, and math class, to name a few, but perhaps the least likely location might still be the belly of a whale. However, the slim chance of the spot didn’t curb the passion of the plea. “From inside the fish Jonah prayed to the Lord his God.” This was no ordinary, perfunctory prayer. No oft-repeated platitudes were offered. No “religious-sounding so I will sound religious” phrases were articulated. This prayer was not fake or formal but was the most bona-fide bellow for help God had heard in a while—and certainly in Jonah’s history.
“In my distress I called to the Lord…from the depths of the grave I called for help”(Jonah 2:2). As he sank to the “roots of the mountains,” with water at his throat and seaweed wrapped around his head(Jonah 2:5), Jonah’s prayer rose to heaven, and God heard. “In my distress I called to the Lord, and he answered me. From the depths of the grave I called for help, and you listened to my cry…You brought my life up from the pit, O Lord my God.”
We should always pray(“Pray without ceasing.” 1 Thess. 5:17), but often we opt for other alternatives. So much around us distracts us and deceives us into thinking that we don’t need God’s help or that we don’t need to heed God’s Word. Out of habit (and the hope of appearing holy), we still send up the usual comments of gratitude and occasional requests to get what we want. As long as all is smooth sailing, our prayers tend to stay rather shallow. Sometimes it takes the depths of the sea to reach the depths of our souls.
So when you find yourself sinking, feeling like you’re about to drown and about to die, don’t hesitate to call to the Lord. In grace, He won’t close His ears because you’ve been complacent but will hear and will help.
Prayers from the belly come straight from the heart, but don’t wait until you’re in deep to pray with depth.
You need God on top of the water, too.
Prayers for help have risen from many places—foxholes, delivery rooms, and math class, to name a few, but perhaps the least likely location might still be the belly of a whale. However, the slim chance of the spot didn’t curb the passion of the plea. “From inside the fish Jonah prayed to the Lord his God.” This was no ordinary, perfunctory prayer. No oft-repeated platitudes were offered. No “religious-sounding so I will sound religious” phrases were articulated. This prayer was not fake or formal but was the most bona-fide bellow for help God had heard in a while—and certainly in Jonah’s history.
“In my distress I called to the Lord…from the depths of the grave I called for help”(Jonah 2:2). As he sank to the “roots of the mountains,” with water at his throat and seaweed wrapped around his head(Jonah 2:5), Jonah’s prayer rose to heaven, and God heard. “In my distress I called to the Lord, and he answered me. From the depths of the grave I called for help, and you listened to my cry…You brought my life up from the pit, O Lord my God.”
We should always pray(“Pray without ceasing.” 1 Thess. 5:17), but often we opt for other alternatives. So much around us distracts us and deceives us into thinking that we don’t need God’s help or that we don’t need to heed God’s Word. Out of habit (and the hope of appearing holy), we still send up the usual comments of gratitude and occasional requests to get what we want. As long as all is smooth sailing, our prayers tend to stay rather shallow. Sometimes it takes the depths of the sea to reach the depths of our souls.
So when you find yourself sinking, feeling like you’re about to drown and about to die, don’t hesitate to call to the Lord. In grace, He won’t close His ears because you’ve been complacent but will hear and will help.
Prayers from the belly come straight from the heart, but don’t wait until you’re in deep to pray with depth.
You need God on top of the water, too.
The Gulp of Grace
“The Lord provided a great fish to swallow Jonah, and Jonah was inside the fish three days and three nights.” Jonah 1:17
“My bad,” Jonah admitted as the raging sea rocked the ship. “Throw me overboard and the storm will be over.” Seeking an alternative to such drastic measures, the crew tried rowing to shore, but the waves grew wilder with each stroke. In terrified desperation, they asked God not to hold them guilty and then tossed Jonah in. At the sound of his splash, the storm stopped, the sailors worshipped, and Jonah sank. But not for long. “The Lord provided a great fish to swallow Jonah, and Jonah was inside the fish three days and three nights.”
Sounds like a story you’d find on the fiction aisle, but since we have it on ultimate authority that such was so(Jesus, Matt. 12:40), we know it’s true. There really was a ship. There really was a storm. There really was a fish so big it sucked down a wayward prophet. And there really is a grace so great it can stomach all our sin.
Just when we’re sailing over the rail thinking we’re done with, just when we splash into the chilling reality that we truly do deserve the deep, we find ourselves swallowed up in a gulp of grace. The belly of the whale (or whatever the fish) was God’s provision of safety and salvation. Though Jonah had little room to move, the stillness silenced his struggle, and in the darkness he saw the light. The accommodations of grace aren’t always comfortable, but as Jonah would assure you, digestion is preferable to drowning.
When sin sends you sailing overboard, grace is waiting in the water. Don’t sink the ship trying to save yourself.
Only God can do that.
“My bad,” Jonah admitted as the raging sea rocked the ship. “Throw me overboard and the storm will be over.” Seeking an alternative to such drastic measures, the crew tried rowing to shore, but the waves grew wilder with each stroke. In terrified desperation, they asked God not to hold them guilty and then tossed Jonah in. At the sound of his splash, the storm stopped, the sailors worshipped, and Jonah sank. But not for long. “The Lord provided a great fish to swallow Jonah, and Jonah was inside the fish three days and three nights.”
Sounds like a story you’d find on the fiction aisle, but since we have it on ultimate authority that such was so(Jesus, Matt. 12:40), we know it’s true. There really was a ship. There really was a storm. There really was a fish so big it sucked down a wayward prophet. And there really is a grace so great it can stomach all our sin.
Just when we’re sailing over the rail thinking we’re done with, just when we splash into the chilling reality that we truly do deserve the deep, we find ourselves swallowed up in a gulp of grace. The belly of the whale (or whatever the fish) was God’s provision of safety and salvation. Though Jonah had little room to move, the stillness silenced his struggle, and in the darkness he saw the light. The accommodations of grace aren’t always comfortable, but as Jonah would assure you, digestion is preferable to drowning.
When sin sends you sailing overboard, grace is waiting in the water. Don’t sink the ship trying to save yourself.
Only God can do that.
The Gift of the Storm
“Then the Lord sent a great wind on the sea, and such a violent storm arose that the ship threatened to break up.” Jonah1:4
As Jonah, unhappy and unhumble, headed for Tarshish, God stirred the sea and sent a storm—a bad one. Scared for their lives, the sailors tossed the cargo and cried to their gods. As the ship tossed and tumbled, Jonah slept deeply down below until the captain dragged him out of bed and demanded that he pray. With all hands on deck, the ones on board rolled dice to find out who caused this calamity, and the lot fell on Jonah. “Who are you and what have you done?” the crew demanded, so Jonah divulged, “I am a Hebrew and I worship the Lord, the God of heaven, who made the sea and the land…Jonah had already told them he was running away from the Lord”(Jonah 1:9-10).
Smooth sailing to Tarshish might have been easier, but a storm was the fastest and most effective way to get Jonah back on track. Though no one thought so at the time, the storm was a gift—a present of grace to remind Jonah of God’s presence and God’s purpose. The rocking ship and rolling waves brought Jonah face to face with who he was and who God is. “I am a Hebrew,” he told the sailors—a chosen child of God for whom He had a great plan and a great purpose. Such grace is not without responsibility, and the pounding waves made Jonah admit that he was running from his calling. “I worship the Lord, the God of heaven, who made the sea and the land,” he testified in the tempest, implying that the One above had created it all and controlled it all—even the storm.
We don’t like to think that God causes storms, but He does—not all of them, but some. Often we stir the sea ourselves by sin and selfishness, but there are times when, in His grace, God is the one who sends the wind. We are His chosen children for whom He has a great plan and a great purpose, and He won’t let us get away without making waves. The gift of the storm brings us face to face with who we are and who God is. Don’t hide-out below. Get on deck and let life’s toss and tumble turn your eyes and your heart back to God. Testify in the tempest that He is God and He is good.
The storm we think is our demise is often our deliverance.
We might have smooth sailing if God cared less, but we would never end up where we need to be.
As Jonah, unhappy and unhumble, headed for Tarshish, God stirred the sea and sent a storm—a bad one. Scared for their lives, the sailors tossed the cargo and cried to their gods. As the ship tossed and tumbled, Jonah slept deeply down below until the captain dragged him out of bed and demanded that he pray. With all hands on deck, the ones on board rolled dice to find out who caused this calamity, and the lot fell on Jonah. “Who are you and what have you done?” the crew demanded, so Jonah divulged, “I am a Hebrew and I worship the Lord, the God of heaven, who made the sea and the land…Jonah had already told them he was running away from the Lord”(Jonah 1:9-10).
Smooth sailing to Tarshish might have been easier, but a storm was the fastest and most effective way to get Jonah back on track. Though no one thought so at the time, the storm was a gift—a present of grace to remind Jonah of God’s presence and God’s purpose. The rocking ship and rolling waves brought Jonah face to face with who he was and who God is. “I am a Hebrew,” he told the sailors—a chosen child of God for whom He had a great plan and a great purpose. Such grace is not without responsibility, and the pounding waves made Jonah admit that he was running from his calling. “I worship the Lord, the God of heaven, who made the sea and the land,” he testified in the tempest, implying that the One above had created it all and controlled it all—even the storm.
We don’t like to think that God causes storms, but He does—not all of them, but some. Often we stir the sea ourselves by sin and selfishness, but there are times when, in His grace, God is the one who sends the wind. We are His chosen children for whom He has a great plan and a great purpose, and He won’t let us get away without making waves. The gift of the storm brings us face to face with who we are and who God is. Don’t hide-out below. Get on deck and let life’s toss and tumble turn your eyes and your heart back to God. Testify in the tempest that He is God and He is good.
The storm we think is our demise is often our deliverance.
We might have smooth sailing if God cared less, but we would never end up where we need to be.
Wanna Get Away?
“But Jonah ran away from the Lord and headed for Tarshish.” Jonah 1:3
Wanna get away? Jonah did—from God, as fast as possible, so he bought a ticket and headed for Tarshish. Surely in a land so far from home, God would leave him alone. But He didn’t. In fact, Jonah never even made it to his destination. God stirred up a storm, and Jonah ended up overboard. More on that another day, but for now, here’s what’s nice to know: when we’re at our worst, God is still with us. He loves us too much to leave us alone.
We all feel like running sometimes. Obedience can be a bother. No truthful soul ever pretended or purported that staying strong and staying straight is easy. Going with God against the grain of culture, our companions, and our own cravings wears us down and wears us out. Though we know God is great (and right), we often, like Jonah, don’t desire to follow His ways and obey His wishes. We feel that life would be simpler and more like we’d like it, if God would just leave us alone and let us go—at least for a little bit. And so we run, perhaps not changing our location but changing our allegiance. We choose ourselves over God.
But He’s still there. “Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there. If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast”(Psalm 139:7-10). Even if we wanna get away, we can’t. Even when we’re at our worst, He’s with us.
You are loved by a God who will not let you go. Though you kick, scream, sulk, pout, and give Him the silent treatment, God still holds you close. “You are all around me. You are behind me and in front of me. You hold me in your power” (Psalm 139:5). We should obey, for He is our King. We could obey, for He is our strength. But when we choose not to obey, He doesn’t leave us alone, for He is our Salvation.
Nothing you do will ever change God’s heart about you, but you might change your mind about running when you realize how much you are loved.
Wanna get away? Jonah did—from God, as fast as possible, so he bought a ticket and headed for Tarshish. Surely in a land so far from home, God would leave him alone. But He didn’t. In fact, Jonah never even made it to his destination. God stirred up a storm, and Jonah ended up overboard. More on that another day, but for now, here’s what’s nice to know: when we’re at our worst, God is still with us. He loves us too much to leave us alone.
We all feel like running sometimes. Obedience can be a bother. No truthful soul ever pretended or purported that staying strong and staying straight is easy. Going with God against the grain of culture, our companions, and our own cravings wears us down and wears us out. Though we know God is great (and right), we often, like Jonah, don’t desire to follow His ways and obey His wishes. We feel that life would be simpler and more like we’d like it, if God would just leave us alone and let us go—at least for a little bit. And so we run, perhaps not changing our location but changing our allegiance. We choose ourselves over God.
But He’s still there. “Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there. If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast”(Psalm 139:7-10). Even if we wanna get away, we can’t. Even when we’re at our worst, He’s with us.
You are loved by a God who will not let you go. Though you kick, scream, sulk, pout, and give Him the silent treatment, God still holds you close. “You are all around me. You are behind me and in front of me. You hold me in your power” (Psalm 139:5). We should obey, for He is our King. We could obey, for He is our strength. But when we choose not to obey, He doesn’t leave us alone, for He is our Salvation.
Nothing you do will ever change God’s heart about you, but you might change your mind about running when you realize how much you are loved.
The Place For Grace
“The word of the Lord came to Jonah son of Amittai, ‘Go to the great city of Nineveh and preach against it, because its wickedness has come up before me.” Jonah 1:1-2
Location. Location. Location. The problem wasn’t the “what”—“Go and preach” was standard fare for a prophet. The problem was the “where.” Nineveh. God didn’t send Jonah to nice neighbors down the street but across the tracks (over 500 miles across the tracks) to rude, crude, and socially unacceptable foreigners. “The great city of Nineveh” wasn’t great because it was good but because it was big. Nineveh was infamous for its cruelty, violence, and idolatry. “Woe to the city of blood, full of lies, full of plunder, never without victims” (Nahum 3:1). Even God had noticed. “Go to the great city of Nineveh and preach against it, because its wickedness has come up before me.”
But why didn’t Jonah want to go? Not because of the bad news but because of the good news. Jonah wasn’t hesitant to preach God’s wrath, but he was hoping God wouldn’t show grace (Jonah 4:1-2). Jonah didn’t want those who didn’t like his country and who hadn’t cared about his God to escape the calamity they deserved. He wanted them to go down and go down hard. If the people in Nineveh never had a chance to repent, God wouldn’t have reason to relent, so Jonah ran away.
Before you act appalled, swallow hard. You may not have packed your bags and bought a ticket, but most of us have felt the same. Atrocities and injustices perpetrated by others onto us, those we care about, or those we hear about cause us to desire their downfall and hope for their ruin. They deserve to hurt. They should feel the pain. They surely shouldn’t be set free. In an effort to punish as we think best, we withhold our love and God’s grace.
I’m not speaking of societal justice. Courts, juries, and judgments are all God’s ideas. I’m talking to our hearts—to the hidden parts of our souls hanging onto resentment, bitterness, and anger caused by cruelness, betrayal, and lies. Yes, you have reason for revenge, and, no, they don’t deserve a do-over, but withholding the chance for change will send you places you shouldn’t go. Just because what they did was bad, doesn’t mean you’re better. We all sin in different ways, and our failures always affect others.
Since God met us where we were, we must reach out to others where they are. We can’t pick and choose the place for grace. We might not like the location, but God knows we both have a lot to learn about His love.
Location. Location. Location. The problem wasn’t the “what”—“Go and preach” was standard fare for a prophet. The problem was the “where.” Nineveh. God didn’t send Jonah to nice neighbors down the street but across the tracks (over 500 miles across the tracks) to rude, crude, and socially unacceptable foreigners. “The great city of Nineveh” wasn’t great because it was good but because it was big. Nineveh was infamous for its cruelty, violence, and idolatry. “Woe to the city of blood, full of lies, full of plunder, never without victims” (Nahum 3:1). Even God had noticed. “Go to the great city of Nineveh and preach against it, because its wickedness has come up before me.”
But why didn’t Jonah want to go? Not because of the bad news but because of the good news. Jonah wasn’t hesitant to preach God’s wrath, but he was hoping God wouldn’t show grace (Jonah 4:1-2). Jonah didn’t want those who didn’t like his country and who hadn’t cared about his God to escape the calamity they deserved. He wanted them to go down and go down hard. If the people in Nineveh never had a chance to repent, God wouldn’t have reason to relent, so Jonah ran away.
Before you act appalled, swallow hard. You may not have packed your bags and bought a ticket, but most of us have felt the same. Atrocities and injustices perpetrated by others onto us, those we care about, or those we hear about cause us to desire their downfall and hope for their ruin. They deserve to hurt. They should feel the pain. They surely shouldn’t be set free. In an effort to punish as we think best, we withhold our love and God’s grace.
I’m not speaking of societal justice. Courts, juries, and judgments are all God’s ideas. I’m talking to our hearts—to the hidden parts of our souls hanging onto resentment, bitterness, and anger caused by cruelness, betrayal, and lies. Yes, you have reason for revenge, and, no, they don’t deserve a do-over, but withholding the chance for change will send you places you shouldn’t go. Just because what they did was bad, doesn’t mean you’re better. We all sin in different ways, and our failures always affect others.
Since God met us where we were, we must reach out to others where they are. We can’t pick and choose the place for grace. We might not like the location, but God knows we both have a lot to learn about His love.
The Word of the Lord
“The word of the Lord came to Jonah son of Amittai: ‘Go to the great city of Nineveh.’” Jonah 1:1
Each adventure has a beginning, and ours started when God spoke. “And God said, ‘Let there be light…sky…land…plants…stars…fish…and animals. Then God said, ‘Let us make man in our image…and let them rule over earth’s creation’”(Gen 1). God’s word gave us somewhere to live, someone to love, and something to do—all we need for the now of life.
“The word of the Lord came to Jonah son of Amittai: ‘Go to the great city of Nineveh.’” Jonah’s story started when God spoke. He was God’s man who had received God’s message. The treasure of the word of the Lord had been entrusted to Jonah, and over the next few weeks, we’ll consider his reaction and response. But it all began with listening.
In our world today, many speak a lot but say little. Televisions, computers, and cell phones chatter and clamor for our attention and action. Through the wonders of technology, we are constantly bombarded with words, and we must choose wisely. But unlike the prophets of old, we are not required to wait for a vision or revelation to receive the most valuable words – the word of the Lord. God continually speaks to His children through His Spirit, our circumstances, and the Scripture. God has bound His words in leather, hard-back, and paperback and graciously placed them in our homes and our hands.
At this time of resolution, or hopefully at least reflection, consider focusing first on the One who matters most. Working out, losing weight, and managing time and money are beneficial and important in the new year, but as Paul reminded Timothy, “Godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come”(1 Tim 4:8). Godliness begins by listening to God, by hearing what He has to say, and by turning down or tuning out the many others.
Let the Word of the Lord be the loudest voice you hear this year—and the one you listen to the most. Each adventure has a beginning, and yours began when God spoke.
Each adventure has a beginning, and ours started when God spoke. “And God said, ‘Let there be light…sky…land…plants…stars…fish…and animals. Then God said, ‘Let us make man in our image…and let them rule over earth’s creation’”(Gen 1). God’s word gave us somewhere to live, someone to love, and something to do—all we need for the now of life.
“The word of the Lord came to Jonah son of Amittai: ‘Go to the great city of Nineveh.’” Jonah’s story started when God spoke. He was God’s man who had received God’s message. The treasure of the word of the Lord had been entrusted to Jonah, and over the next few weeks, we’ll consider his reaction and response. But it all began with listening.
In our world today, many speak a lot but say little. Televisions, computers, and cell phones chatter and clamor for our attention and action. Through the wonders of technology, we are constantly bombarded with words, and we must choose wisely. But unlike the prophets of old, we are not required to wait for a vision or revelation to receive the most valuable words – the word of the Lord. God continually speaks to His children through His Spirit, our circumstances, and the Scripture. God has bound His words in leather, hard-back, and paperback and graciously placed them in our homes and our hands.
At this time of resolution, or hopefully at least reflection, consider focusing first on the One who matters most. Working out, losing weight, and managing time and money are beneficial and important in the new year, but as Paul reminded Timothy, “Godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come”(1 Tim 4:8). Godliness begins by listening to God, by hearing what He has to say, and by turning down or tuning out the many others.
Let the Word of the Lord be the loudest voice you hear this year—and the one you listen to the most. Each adventure has a beginning, and yours began when God spoke.
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