“Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as sons.” Hebrews 12:7
Discipline. The very word causes us to squirm. Memories of extra chores, extra-long weekends (due to grounding and restriction), and the board of education being firmly applied to the seat of learning fill our minds. When we were younger, these methods seemed mean—barbaric practices contrived by parents who didn’t understand, but now that most of us have kids of our own, Mom and Dad make a lot more sense, and we find ourselves repeating the same tried and true routines.
Discipline. Though the definition does encompass the punishment which initially comes to mind, the meaning in this verse is much broader and better. Since the root word is disciple or learner, it follows that discipline labels the category of all situations and experiences in which we learn more about ourselves and our God. And rarely are these times easy. “No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful”(Heb. 12:11).
The pain usually arrives in three ways. First, through the consequences of our own failures. The seeds of sin produce briars not blooms, and though God grace shields us from many well-deserved cuts and scratches, He often lets us feel the ache to teach us and to keep us from repeating our wrong. Occasionally our suffering comes from the choices of others. Their decisions cause distress as we are rejected, exploited, and disappointed. And sometimes God’s sovereignty allows sorrow and struggle which do not result from what someone has done but whose reason is what God is doing—in us and through us.
So how do we handle hurt and hard times?
“My son, do not make light of the Lord’s discipline”(Heb. 12:5). Don’t blow it off and treat it as nothing, for it really is something. Be serious about the situation and seek to learn all you can while living through it. On the other hand, “Do not lose heart when [God] rebukes you”(Heb. 12:5). Don’t let your grief get you down and make you think that you are no good and worth nothing, for the very fact that that you are suffering means that you are worth so much to Someone. “God is treating you as sons…because the Lord disciplines those he loves(Heb. 12:7,6). God loves you enough to let you feel the pain and sense the struggle—not because He is cruel or uncaring—but because the pain has a purpose. “God disciplines us for our good, that we may share in his holiness. No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it”(Heb. 12:10-11). God is fixing us for the future. The hardship you are enduring is making your heart more holy, your life more pure, and your spirit more peaceful. Through the pain, you learn of God’s unfailing love and unending grace, and when the next difficulty comes, you will have more faith to face it and more peace as you persevere.
Time-outs and tough times aren’t easy, but they’re effective. Let the pain remind you that you are loved by a God who is working for your good.
Friday, June 17, 2011
Monday, June 13, 2011
Fixed Gaze
“Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith.” Hebrews 12:2
I admit without shame that I welcome distractions while running—anything to get my mind off the fact that the only thing pounding harder than my feet is my heart. Paying attention to fresh blooms in a nearby flower bed, concerned yelps from a neighbor’s dog, and friendly waves from passers-by are fine on days when I’m trotting around for fitness, but on the rare occasion I want to run fast, I must dismiss distractions and focus on the finish line.
“Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith.” The trail of today is filled with much to see and do. Relationships and responsibilities call for our attention. Activities and amusements clamor for our affection. How can we prioritize properly and make sure we don’t miss our purpose? By fixing our eyes on Jesus. The faith in which we run has been fully laid out and lived out by Him. Jesus started our faith, and He saw it all the way through. He is “the author and the perfecter [completer] of our faith.” We’re not blazing a trail; we’re following the steps of a Savior who gave His all to get us on His team— “who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of God(Heb. 12:2).”
Only as we focus on Jesus can we clearly see the world around us. All will fall into appropriate place when we dismiss distractions and look to Him. His grace, love, goodness, and compassion captivate us, compel us, and remind us that our eyes are not fixed merely on a prize but on a Person. He is the perfect winner who waits at the finish line to welcome us with open arms and who also, by His Spirit, finds us on the course, comes along beside us, and encourages us in our daily trek.
Your feet may grow weary from pounding and your heart may grow tired from pumping, but don’t look around for something to distract you. Look ahead for Someone to delight you.
Have eyes only for Jesus.
I admit without shame that I welcome distractions while running—anything to get my mind off the fact that the only thing pounding harder than my feet is my heart. Paying attention to fresh blooms in a nearby flower bed, concerned yelps from a neighbor’s dog, and friendly waves from passers-by are fine on days when I’m trotting around for fitness, but on the rare occasion I want to run fast, I must dismiss distractions and focus on the finish line.
“Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith.” The trail of today is filled with much to see and do. Relationships and responsibilities call for our attention. Activities and amusements clamor for our affection. How can we prioritize properly and make sure we don’t miss our purpose? By fixing our eyes on Jesus. The faith in which we run has been fully laid out and lived out by Him. Jesus started our faith, and He saw it all the way through. He is “the author and the perfecter [completer] of our faith.” We’re not blazing a trail; we’re following the steps of a Savior who gave His all to get us on His team— “who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of God(Heb. 12:2).”
Only as we focus on Jesus can we clearly see the world around us. All will fall into appropriate place when we dismiss distractions and look to Him. His grace, love, goodness, and compassion captivate us, compel us, and remind us that our eyes are not fixed merely on a prize but on a Person. He is the perfect winner who waits at the finish line to welcome us with open arms and who also, by His Spirit, finds us on the course, comes along beside us, and encourages us in our daily trek.
Your feet may grow weary from pounding and your heart may grow tired from pumping, but don’t look around for something to distract you. Look ahead for Someone to delight you.
Have eyes only for Jesus.
Thursday, June 2, 2011
Free To Fly
“Let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.” Hebrews 12:1
The early air December air was cool—no, it was cold, but many layers kept me warm as I waited for the race to begin. At the sound of the gun I was off, and as the minutes and miles passed by, so were my extra clothes. The road behind me would have resembled a garage sale gone bad if my kind husband hadn’t slowed his pace to run beside me for support—and storage. I suppose I could have covered the distance carrying my excess equipment, but it would have weighed me down and slowed me down.
“Let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us”(Hebrews 12:1). Whatever weighs you down, holds you back, and trips you up in the race of life needs to go. “Let us throw off everything that hinders,” our Hebrews track coach demands. “Everything” leaves no room for hanging onto anything which impedes your progress. Shame and regret from the past or anxiety and fear of the future all must go. Obsession with the temporary or desire for your own happiness over God’s holiness must also be discarded. Laziness, lack of discipline, and misplaced focus should be shed quickly and decisively.
Some things do more than slow us down; they trip us up. “Let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles.” Once again our trainer chooses a word which encompasses an entire spectrum—this time of sin. Sin takes many forms and shows up in many ways, but at its root, sin is selfishness—choosing ourselves or someone else over God. Pride, lust, greed, rage, gossip, bitterness, envy, impatience, rudeness, unkind words, and an uncaring heart are just a few of the creeping vines we allow to wind around our ankles (and our attitudes). We might able to stumble forward as we drag them along, but we can never run until we clip, cut, yank, and pull—whatever it takes to entangle ourselves from our sin. By God’s Spirit and by His grace, we have the power to run free and fit.
God has a race marked out for each of His children, and He wants us to pass the mile markers of life at a good, strong pace. It’s time to strip down to the essentials of the Gospel—God’s amazing grace and His unfailing love—and be free to fly.
The early air December air was cool—no, it was cold, but many layers kept me warm as I waited for the race to begin. At the sound of the gun I was off, and as the minutes and miles passed by, so were my extra clothes. The road behind me would have resembled a garage sale gone bad if my kind husband hadn’t slowed his pace to run beside me for support—and storage. I suppose I could have covered the distance carrying my excess equipment, but it would have weighed me down and slowed me down.
“Let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us”(Hebrews 12:1). Whatever weighs you down, holds you back, and trips you up in the race of life needs to go. “Let us throw off everything that hinders,” our Hebrews track coach demands. “Everything” leaves no room for hanging onto anything which impedes your progress. Shame and regret from the past or anxiety and fear of the future all must go. Obsession with the temporary or desire for your own happiness over God’s holiness must also be discarded. Laziness, lack of discipline, and misplaced focus should be shed quickly and decisively.
Some things do more than slow us down; they trip us up. “Let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles.” Once again our trainer chooses a word which encompasses an entire spectrum—this time of sin. Sin takes many forms and shows up in many ways, but at its root, sin is selfishness—choosing ourselves or someone else over God. Pride, lust, greed, rage, gossip, bitterness, envy, impatience, rudeness, unkind words, and an uncaring heart are just a few of the creeping vines we allow to wind around our ankles (and our attitudes). We might able to stumble forward as we drag them along, but we can never run until we clip, cut, yank, and pull—whatever it takes to entangle ourselves from our sin. By God’s Spirit and by His grace, we have the power to run free and fit.
God has a race marked out for each of His children, and He wants us to pass the mile markers of life at a good, strong pace. It’s time to strip down to the essentials of the Gospel—God’s amazing grace and His unfailing love—and be free to fly.
Monday, May 23, 2011
The Crowd In The Stands
“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses…let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.” Hebrews 12:1
The finish of the Olympic marathon is a fantastic spectacle. After running most of the 26.2 miles through the streets of the chosen city, the athletes enter the stadium for a final lap. As the leader bursts through the tunnel onto the track, the crowd in the stands goes wild with excitement, encouragement, and admiration. “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses…let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.”
The faithful from Hebrews 11 are not exhibited in a quiet, orderly museum but are plastered on rowdy bleacher walls. As we travel round the track, we’re reminded of their triumphs, troubles, successes, and struggles. Our faces reflect their faith. Their stories inspire our feet.
When you feel like giving up, remember those who’ve given all. “In your struggle against sin, you have not resisted to the point of shedding blood”(Heb. 12:4). When you feel like you can’t keep up, remember that it’s not about pace but about perseverance. “Those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength…They will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not faint”(Isaiah 40:31). You are not blazing a brand new trail. Many have gone before you, and others are coming behind you. A great cloud of witnesses applauds your every step—their lives strong proof of God’s power and loud evidence of His grace.
Just as the writer of Hebrews didn’t have time to cite details about Gideon, Samson, David, and Samuel(Heb. 11:32), this page doesn’t hold space to describe Martin Luther, William Tyndale, Amy Carmichael, Hudson Taylor, Oswald Chambers, Corrie ten Boom, Nate Saint, Billy Graham, your grandmother, and the guy at work who loves well and lives right. In print or in person they are rooting for you and urging you on. Look closely at the ones already across the line. Listen carefully to those in the next lane. Let God’s faithfulness motivate you to keep moving, and let the fans’ excitement increase your endurance.
Run. And keep running. The crowd is cheering like crazy, and the One clapping loudest has scars in His hands.
The finish of the Olympic marathon is a fantastic spectacle. After running most of the 26.2 miles through the streets of the chosen city, the athletes enter the stadium for a final lap. As the leader bursts through the tunnel onto the track, the crowd in the stands goes wild with excitement, encouragement, and admiration. “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses…let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.”
The faithful from Hebrews 11 are not exhibited in a quiet, orderly museum but are plastered on rowdy bleacher walls. As we travel round the track, we’re reminded of their triumphs, troubles, successes, and struggles. Our faces reflect their faith. Their stories inspire our feet.
When you feel like giving up, remember those who’ve given all. “In your struggle against sin, you have not resisted to the point of shedding blood”(Heb. 12:4). When you feel like you can’t keep up, remember that it’s not about pace but about perseverance. “Those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength…They will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not faint”(Isaiah 40:31). You are not blazing a brand new trail. Many have gone before you, and others are coming behind you. A great cloud of witnesses applauds your every step—their lives strong proof of God’s power and loud evidence of His grace.
Just as the writer of Hebrews didn’t have time to cite details about Gideon, Samson, David, and Samuel(Heb. 11:32), this page doesn’t hold space to describe Martin Luther, William Tyndale, Amy Carmichael, Hudson Taylor, Oswald Chambers, Corrie ten Boom, Nate Saint, Billy Graham, your grandmother, and the guy at work who loves well and lives right. In print or in person they are rooting for you and urging you on. Look closely at the ones already across the line. Listen carefully to those in the next lane. Let God’s faithfulness motivate you to keep moving, and let the fans’ excitement increase your endurance.
Run. And keep running. The crowd is cheering like crazy, and the One clapping loudest has scars in His hands.
Monday, May 16, 2011
The Swing of Faith
“Whose weakness was turned to strength.” Hebrews 11:34
Every summer, at Cooperstown, New York, a chosen few of baseball’s elite are inducted into the Hall of Fame. During the ceremony, attendees are regaled with outstanding facts and feats of the selected athletes. Homers, hits, runs batted in, slugging percentage, and batting average are stats shared about those picked for their prowess at the plate. For the ones hoping and trying to follow in their footsteps, just listening to the numbers can be overwhelming and intimidating. A bit like reading Hebrews 11.
Abel, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Joseph, Moses, David, and the list goes on and on. This Hall of Faith is filled with feats and facts of Godly men and women who lived so well we feel we could never attain such greatness. Through faith, these heroes “conquered kingdoms, administered justice, and gained what was promised. They shut the mouths of lions, quenched the fury of the flames, and escaped the edge of the sword”(Heb. 11:33-34). By this time in the passage, we’re surely despairing of our failures and feeling inadequate in our faith, but let us not lose heart, for just as many of those enshrined at Cooperstown started out as second-string Little Leaguers, each of our Hebrews Heroes started out small and struck-out often along the way.
Noah was found drunk and naked in his tent. Abraham, scared for his own life, passed his wife off as his sister and let Pharaoh marry her. (It was only a half-lie because she really was his half sister, but the whole deception made a big mess.) Joseph bragged about his dreams, Moses got mad and disobeyed, David committed adultery and murdered to cover it up, and this list goes on and on as well. So how did those with so many failures end up with such great faith? One short phrase in the chapter holds the key to their success and ours also. “Whose weakness was turned to strength”(Heb. 11:34). None of us are strong on our own. We are frail, fragile, and faithless. We may try and try again, but we end up falling and failing. But when God, in His grace, reveals to us His truth, He takes our flaws and our faults, forgives our sins, and fills us with faith. “By grace you are saved through faith--and this not from yourselves—it is a gift of God”(Eph. 2:8). By His power, God turns our weakness into strength, and our reliance on Him becomes a force of great might.
The people listed in Hebrews were far from perfect—they failed many times not only before but also after they put their trust in God. But though not faultless, they were faithful— confessing their sin and coming back to the God whom they believed. Our weakness will be turned to strength as we take Him at His word and follow His ways—again and again.
Don’t be dejected as you walk back to the dugout.
You can’t strike-out when you swing in faith.
Every summer, at Cooperstown, New York, a chosen few of baseball’s elite are inducted into the Hall of Fame. During the ceremony, attendees are regaled with outstanding facts and feats of the selected athletes. Homers, hits, runs batted in, slugging percentage, and batting average are stats shared about those picked for their prowess at the plate. For the ones hoping and trying to follow in their footsteps, just listening to the numbers can be overwhelming and intimidating. A bit like reading Hebrews 11.
Abel, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Joseph, Moses, David, and the list goes on and on. This Hall of Faith is filled with feats and facts of Godly men and women who lived so well we feel we could never attain such greatness. Through faith, these heroes “conquered kingdoms, administered justice, and gained what was promised. They shut the mouths of lions, quenched the fury of the flames, and escaped the edge of the sword”(Heb. 11:33-34). By this time in the passage, we’re surely despairing of our failures and feeling inadequate in our faith, but let us not lose heart, for just as many of those enshrined at Cooperstown started out as second-string Little Leaguers, each of our Hebrews Heroes started out small and struck-out often along the way.
Noah was found drunk and naked in his tent. Abraham, scared for his own life, passed his wife off as his sister and let Pharaoh marry her. (It was only a half-lie because she really was his half sister, but the whole deception made a big mess.) Joseph bragged about his dreams, Moses got mad and disobeyed, David committed adultery and murdered to cover it up, and this list goes on and on as well. So how did those with so many failures end up with such great faith? One short phrase in the chapter holds the key to their success and ours also. “Whose weakness was turned to strength”(Heb. 11:34). None of us are strong on our own. We are frail, fragile, and faithless. We may try and try again, but we end up falling and failing. But when God, in His grace, reveals to us His truth, He takes our flaws and our faults, forgives our sins, and fills us with faith. “By grace you are saved through faith--and this not from yourselves—it is a gift of God”(Eph. 2:8). By His power, God turns our weakness into strength, and our reliance on Him becomes a force of great might.
The people listed in Hebrews were far from perfect—they failed many times not only before but also after they put their trust in God. But though not faultless, they were faithful— confessing their sin and coming back to the God whom they believed. Our weakness will be turned to strength as we take Him at His word and follow His ways—again and again.
Don’t be dejected as you walk back to the dugout.
You can’t strike-out when you swing in faith.
Wednesday, May 11, 2011
Faith Plans A Funeral
“By faith, Joseph, when his end was near, spoke about the exodus of the Israelites from Egypt and gave instructions about his bones.” Hebrews 11:22
By his life, Joseph said much about faith, but at his death, he shouted the definition.
“Faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see,” and Joseph was both sure and certain that Egypt wouldn’t be the permanent residence of his relatives. Way back, God had told Abraham that his descendants would be enslaved and mistreated for four hundred years in a foreign country before God punished their oppressors and rescued His people. Joseph was so secure in God’s promise and so excited about God’s plans that he didn’t want to be left behind. If he couldn’t make it in person, at last part of him could take the trip, so he “spoke about the exodus of the Israelites from Egypt and gave instructions about his bones.”
When Joseph spoke his wishes, life was good for the Israelites. Joseph had been Egypt’s rescue hero, so many assumed Pharaoh’s favor would never end. But Joseph believed God’s words to his great-grandfather and knew that such would not be so. His instructions were proof of a faith that looked past his few years into God’s glorious future. In the coming days of sorrow and slavery, of bricks and beatings, Joseph’s words were a lifeline of hope the people could hold onto even if things weren’t looking up in their lifetime.
His directions were passed down through generations, and when deliverance day finally arrived, in the midst of the joyous but hasty exodus, someone made sure to grab what was left of Joseph. The box held more than a bunch of bones. The clunks and clatter were evidence of a heart that took God at His word and believed His word. For forty years someone carried the Joseph’s casket through the wilderness—a constant reminder that real faith never goes unrewarded. If the windows of Paradise were open to earth, surely Joseph smiled as his bones were finally buried in the Promised Land(Joshua 24:32), and hopefully those who heaped dirt in the hole paused to ponder the faith of a great man in his much greater God.
God’s speaks often in Scripture of the glorious future ahead for those who are His, and we can hang onto His words with hope. Don’t let anything rattle your bones—or your heart. A better place is just over the horizon, so have faith in life—and in death.
No one will need to carry your casket.
God will bring you to His Promised Land—in person.
By his life, Joseph said much about faith, but at his death, he shouted the definition.
“Faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see,” and Joseph was both sure and certain that Egypt wouldn’t be the permanent residence of his relatives. Way back, God had told Abraham that his descendants would be enslaved and mistreated for four hundred years in a foreign country before God punished their oppressors and rescued His people. Joseph was so secure in God’s promise and so excited about God’s plans that he didn’t want to be left behind. If he couldn’t make it in person, at last part of him could take the trip, so he “spoke about the exodus of the Israelites from Egypt and gave instructions about his bones.”
When Joseph spoke his wishes, life was good for the Israelites. Joseph had been Egypt’s rescue hero, so many assumed Pharaoh’s favor would never end. But Joseph believed God’s words to his great-grandfather and knew that such would not be so. His instructions were proof of a faith that looked past his few years into God’s glorious future. In the coming days of sorrow and slavery, of bricks and beatings, Joseph’s words were a lifeline of hope the people could hold onto even if things weren’t looking up in their lifetime.
His directions were passed down through generations, and when deliverance day finally arrived, in the midst of the joyous but hasty exodus, someone made sure to grab what was left of Joseph. The box held more than a bunch of bones. The clunks and clatter were evidence of a heart that took God at His word and believed His word. For forty years someone carried the Joseph’s casket through the wilderness—a constant reminder that real faith never goes unrewarded. If the windows of Paradise were open to earth, surely Joseph smiled as his bones were finally buried in the Promised Land(Joshua 24:32), and hopefully those who heaped dirt in the hole paused to ponder the faith of a great man in his much greater God.
God’s speaks often in Scripture of the glorious future ahead for those who are His, and we can hang onto His words with hope. Don’t let anything rattle your bones—or your heart. A better place is just over the horizon, so have faith in life—and in death.
No one will need to carry your casket.
God will bring you to His Promised Land—in person.
Monday, May 9, 2011
For Sure
“By faith Abraham…” Hebrews 11:8,11,17
Abraham didn’t know where he was moving when God commanded relocation, but he knew for sure God had called him to leave, so he put the house on the market and headed “to the land I will show you”(Gen. 12:1). He was content to live in tents the rest of his life because he believed God was building a permanent home much bigger and better than anything he could find here. Faith needed no forwarding address before it packed the U-Haul.
Abraham didn’t know how God would give him and his wife a child of their own, for she was infertile and he was “as good as dead”(Heb. 11:12), but he knew for sure God had spoken about their son, so ten years before the baby was born, he obeyed and changed Sarai’s name to Sarah, implying that this “princess” would become the mother of many kings. Faith needed no positive pregnancy test before it painted the nursery.
Abraham didn’t know why God commanded him to sacrifice his only son, but he knew for sure God would provide for what He had promised, so “Abraham bound his son Isaac and laid him on the altar on top of the wood”(Gen. 22:9). Though nothing about this scenario made any sense this side of heaven, “Abraham reasoned that God could raise the dead”(Heb. 11:19), so he raised the knife. Faith needed no explanation before it offered the ultimate.
Our God is the God of unknown destinations, unexplainable delivery rooms, and seemingly unfulfilled dreams. He doesn’t expect us to always understand, but He expects us to always believe.
Faith isn’t being for sure of the what.
Faith is being for sure of the Who.
Abraham didn’t know where he was moving when God commanded relocation, but he knew for sure God had called him to leave, so he put the house on the market and headed “to the land I will show you”(Gen. 12:1). He was content to live in tents the rest of his life because he believed God was building a permanent home much bigger and better than anything he could find here. Faith needed no forwarding address before it packed the U-Haul.
Abraham didn’t know how God would give him and his wife a child of their own, for she was infertile and he was “as good as dead”(Heb. 11:12), but he knew for sure God had spoken about their son, so ten years before the baby was born, he obeyed and changed Sarai’s name to Sarah, implying that this “princess” would become the mother of many kings. Faith needed no positive pregnancy test before it painted the nursery.
Abraham didn’t know why God commanded him to sacrifice his only son, but he knew for sure God would provide for what He had promised, so “Abraham bound his son Isaac and laid him on the altar on top of the wood”(Gen. 22:9). Though nothing about this scenario made any sense this side of heaven, “Abraham reasoned that God could raise the dead”(Heb. 11:19), so he raised the knife. Faith needed no explanation before it offered the ultimate.
Our God is the God of unknown destinations, unexplainable delivery rooms, and seemingly unfulfilled dreams. He doesn’t expect us to always understand, but He expects us to always believe.
Faith isn’t being for sure of the what.
Faith is being for sure of the Who.
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