Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.--Hebrews 12:1-2
The Amplified Bible says Jesus "endured the cross, despising and ignoring the shame."
Being crucified was just about the most shameful thing a person in Jesus' day could endure. It is only fitting that the Lamb was sacrificed this way, because the cross symbolizes our shame--how sin makes us weak and mortal and treats us like animals, the lowest of the low, filthy and rejected.
But Jesus ignored the shame of the cross....for the joy that was set before Him. That joy was you and me and our restoration to righteousness and relationship with the Father.
So what does this mean for our "running the race with endurance"?
I'm glad you asked! And if you didn't, I'm going to answer that question anyway.
I want to talk about an essential component of endurance that shapes our faith walk (run). We've all seen the word "endurance" written intimidatingly and ambiguously on T-shirts in the Nike outlet. It's easy to wear endurance, but how easy is to actually, well, endure? This may be obvious, but I think the most important thing about running with endurance is simply not giving up.
I'm a runner. Really, I'm a sprinter, you might say. I will go all-out for a short distance, then quit. You have to have powerful muscles and heart to be a sprinter. But to be a distance runner, you need powerful muscles, heart, bones, ligaments, tendons, toenails, and especially mind. Distance running is hard, man. I think people often fail to realize how difficult it can be to just continue to put one foot in front of the other, even when the finish line is still so, so far away. You have to make up your mind that you are going to finish, no matter what. Eventually, you cease to be tired, and good form becomes habit. (Just ask Forrest Gump.) But I think a lot of people quit before that point.
In other words, most people can run, but few can run with endurance, because they quit when they make a mistake.
In my last post, I wrote about Philippians 3:7-11. I want to continue with that passage.
Not that I have already obtained this [the resurrection from the dead] or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus (3:12-14).
Endurance is not about being perfect (as Paul said) or about never messing up, but rather about continuing on even when you mess up. It's about leaving the past in the past. It's about confessing our mistakes, standing up again, dusting off our running shorts. Then we despise the shame by ignoring the voices of condemnation--taking the first step out again, believing in our redemption on the cross. We've made up our minds. We believe in God's redemption, we hope in it with all our might, and we are going to finish the race.
Imagine an athlete training for a marathon. That takes dedication and months of hard work. If, on the day of the race, he trips and falls on mile 6, what is he going to do? Stand up, shake off the dust, and...walk off?
No. He keeps going, because he has trained for this event. He won't be daunted even by his own errors.
I had a bad day yesterday. It wasn't circumstantially bad, it was just bad internally. My attitude was bad. My thoughts were rude and insensitive toward others, and my selfish heart demanded its own way more than a few times. Once I got started with the bad attitude, it was hard to stop. So of course, being human, I did the right thing and just kept letting it have its way. You can imagine that, by the end of the day, even though my sin was not so outward and obvious, I felt like a failure in need of deep spiritual exfoliation.
I know you've had a day like that. Maybe, just maybe, more than once.
I think maturity in Christ is being selfless (ie, not concerned with yourself) enough to realize that, although we shouldn't actively seek to have days like that, one day shouldn't make us quit on eternity. Because, really, it's not about us. Jesus bought our righteousness, and our sins are redeemed.
I'm not giving people permission to sin, or telling you not to confess your sins. If you think about it, endurance means just the opposite. As soon as you stop running the race, that's when you start sinning all over the place, because you've given up. But I know you're smarter than that. As long as you continue running, you're going to get where you're going. And the finish line isn't hell. It's heaven.
When you make a mistake, or even when you just feel rotten about your heart attitude, it's pretty easy to wallow in self-pity and slip into more mistakes because you don't feel you are good enough to do right. It's easy to turn around and try to start over again while all the other runners continue on up the steep part of the mountain. It's easy to make excuses and give in more and more until, before you know it, you're on the sidelines in a fold-out chair with a glass of lemonade and a visor, watching everyone run by and wondering how your muscles got so atrophied.
It's a lot harder to forgo the pity party, accept Jesus' righteousness and forgiveness, and get back into a race that is hard, where you are still going to have to come face to face with your own weaknesses and keep on going anyway.
As a runner, I know that the more you slow down, the harder it is to speed back up again. I think the New Testament apostles probably saw a lot of new Christians get excited, then fizzle out when they made mistakes. Destroyed by guilt and self-condemnation, they forfeited the sacred prize that God had created just for them.
Jesus endured the shame of the cross because He knew where He was going. He had His eyes on heaven, and no one could take away His royalty, even as He was beaten and mocked.
I think the cornerstone of endurance is continuing to believe God's promises that you are righteous and forgiven even when your own heart says otherwise. I think it means continuing to look at the face of Jesus, and believe on His character, even when you make a mistake.
At the end of his life, Paul said, "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith" (2 Timothy 4:7). Finishing the race means keeping the faith--not giving up on God just because you aren't the most holy kid in Sunday school. What does God's righteousness have to do with you?
This is why we are to keep our eyes on Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith. If we keep our eyes on Him, we keep our eyes off of ourselves.
Which is usually a good policy. Especially when you're running.
Sunday, January 25, 2015
Monday, January 19, 2015
A Few Words About Grace
For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them (Ephesians 2:8-10).
I've written about this verse before:
But whatever gain I had, I count as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith--that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead (Philippians 3:7-11).
People have such drastic misunderstandings of grace. Either they disregard it entirely and try to gain salvation through their own good works (which is what every major world religion does, by the way...might as well become a Buddhist); OR they think, "God loves me, so I should just do whatever I want." Well, my friend, I hate to break it to you, but as my favorite street evangelist Todd White likes to say, "It's not about you."
I think humans inherently think everything is about us, so we like to make the salvation story about us when it's really about Jesus. Yes, grace is about how much the Father loves us; but it is mostly about Jesus and how much He loves the Father. It's about what Jesus did, not what you can (or can't) do.
We seriously waste so much time thinking about ourselves. Evaluate your thought processes. I know my first thought when I wake up, usually, is me--getting my breakfast, getting ready for my day...or simply wanting to sleep in.
{Editorial comment: This is really not what I started to write about, but you know what? I'm just going to keep going.}
Let me encourage you today with this sweet, relieving statement: it's not about you, it's about Jesus Christ.
That takes a lot of the pressure off, huh? I believe that's a word for somebody today.
If we were all to spend a lot more time thinking about Jesus and talking with Jesus and trying to get to know Jesus, we would spend a lot less time arguing about "faith versus works," and what grace really means. Because we wouldn't care about ourselves anymore. We would KNOW grace.
Grace is a person.
And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth (John 1:14).
All of you who can't let go of yourselves, who put pressure on yourselves to achieve righteousness, or put pressure on others because you don't think they're achieving it: STOP. Let go and offer yourselves as a living sacrifice to the Lord.
I promise you guys, it really really is that simple.
If every one of us did that, evil would be crushed. If every one of us woke up in the morning seeking His face and His heart, there would be no need to argue about righteousness. Seriously.
I know it's actually easier to try to earn favor. It's what you're used to, and it's how the world works. But we just need to submit. Yield. Relent. Ask Him who He is, ask Him what you should do--ask Him anything.
Didn't He say "anything" (John 14:14)?
We don't need to have a theological debate about it. God is not trying to confuse us. Ask the Holy Spirit, and the Holy Spirit will show you the Father. John 16:13 is not just for special people. It's for everyone who believes.
You might be hearing that voice of caution in your head right now, like, "eh...but that's how people go crazy...He doesn't really speak to everyone...surely not....better to figure things out on my own."
That's a lie. I'm not condeming you for believing it. But if you are believing it, you need to deeply evaluate your ideas about who God is. Would a good Father neglect and ignore His children? Would He play favorites?
Come on, guys. Take some time on this holiday and really sit down and think about what you believe. Examine your perspective about who He is. You may be surprised.
Paul's focus was not on himself. He counted his entire identity--everything he had done up to that point, including his righteous walk as a Jew and persecution of Christians--as loss...rubbish...garbage...in favor of what? Knowing Jesus Christ.
Paul wasn't thinking about himself, man. His eyes were on much bigger things than that.
For some of us, this is a revolutionary idea. For others, it's just a reminder. But I'm serious when I say that I sincerely want you--and me, too--to know him and the power of his resurrection.
{Editorial comment: Apparently I should fast coffee and dessert more often, because they're the only substances keeping me from saying exactly what I think.}
You can keep thinking about yourself if you want. No one's stopping you. But I can promise you that your life will be pretty miserable that way. You may not feel like it's miserable right now, but that may be because you haven't experienced the surpassing joy of walking daily with the Holy Spirit.
Stop over-thinking it.
Ask Him to show you where you're prideful, because that's where doubt comes from: pride. Plain and simple. I promise you that peace, unshakability, will come over you when you know your identity is solely in Christ. Once He cleans that pride out, you'll be much lighter, and running the race will be so much more fun.
For more on running, stay tuned for my next post!
I've written about this verse before:
But whatever gain I had, I count as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith--that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead (Philippians 3:7-11).
People have such drastic misunderstandings of grace. Either they disregard it entirely and try to gain salvation through their own good works (which is what every major world religion does, by the way...might as well become a Buddhist); OR they think, "God loves me, so I should just do whatever I want." Well, my friend, I hate to break it to you, but as my favorite street evangelist Todd White likes to say, "It's not about you."
I think humans inherently think everything is about us, so we like to make the salvation story about us when it's really about Jesus. Yes, grace is about how much the Father loves us; but it is mostly about Jesus and how much He loves the Father. It's about what Jesus did, not what you can (or can't) do.
We seriously waste so much time thinking about ourselves. Evaluate your thought processes. I know my first thought when I wake up, usually, is me--getting my breakfast, getting ready for my day...or simply wanting to sleep in.
{Editorial comment: This is really not what I started to write about, but you know what? I'm just going to keep going.}
Let me encourage you today with this sweet, relieving statement: it's not about you, it's about Jesus Christ.
That takes a lot of the pressure off, huh? I believe that's a word for somebody today.
If we were all to spend a lot more time thinking about Jesus and talking with Jesus and trying to get to know Jesus, we would spend a lot less time arguing about "faith versus works," and what grace really means. Because we wouldn't care about ourselves anymore. We would KNOW grace.
Grace is a person.
And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth (John 1:14).
All of you who can't let go of yourselves, who put pressure on yourselves to achieve righteousness, or put pressure on others because you don't think they're achieving it: STOP. Let go and offer yourselves as a living sacrifice to the Lord.
I promise you guys, it really really is that simple.
If every one of us did that, evil would be crushed. If every one of us woke up in the morning seeking His face and His heart, there would be no need to argue about righteousness. Seriously.
I know it's actually easier to try to earn favor. It's what you're used to, and it's how the world works. But we just need to submit. Yield. Relent. Ask Him who He is, ask Him what you should do--ask Him anything.
Didn't He say "anything" (John 14:14)?
We don't need to have a theological debate about it. God is not trying to confuse us. Ask the Holy Spirit, and the Holy Spirit will show you the Father. John 16:13 is not just for special people. It's for everyone who believes.
You might be hearing that voice of caution in your head right now, like, "eh...but that's how people go crazy...He doesn't really speak to everyone...surely not....better to figure things out on my own."
That's a lie. I'm not condeming you for believing it. But if you are believing it, you need to deeply evaluate your ideas about who God is. Would a good Father neglect and ignore His children? Would He play favorites?
Come on, guys. Take some time on this holiday and really sit down and think about what you believe. Examine your perspective about who He is. You may be surprised.
Paul's focus was not on himself. He counted his entire identity--everything he had done up to that point, including his righteous walk as a Jew and persecution of Christians--as loss...rubbish...garbage...in favor of what? Knowing Jesus Christ.
Paul wasn't thinking about himself, man. His eyes were on much bigger things than that.
For some of us, this is a revolutionary idea. For others, it's just a reminder. But I'm serious when I say that I sincerely want you--and me, too--to know him and the power of his resurrection.
{Editorial comment: Apparently I should fast coffee and dessert more often, because they're the only substances keeping me from saying exactly what I think.}
You can keep thinking about yourself if you want. No one's stopping you. But I can promise you that your life will be pretty miserable that way. You may not feel like it's miserable right now, but that may be because you haven't experienced the surpassing joy of walking daily with the Holy Spirit.
Stop over-thinking it.
Ask Him to show you where you're prideful, because that's where doubt comes from: pride. Plain and simple. I promise you that peace, unshakability, will come over you when you know your identity is solely in Christ. Once He cleans that pride out, you'll be much lighter, and running the race will be so much more fun.
For more on running, stay tuned for my next post!
Wednesday, January 14, 2015
Good Grief
And the Lord will guide you continually and satisfy your desire in scorched places and make your bones strong; and you shall be like a watered garden, like a spring of water, whose waters do not fail (Isaiah 58:11).
Jesus said to them, "I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst" (John 6:35).
**Author's note: The following post may contain caffeine-deprived drivel. Proceed with caution.**
I'm doing a 21-day fast of coffee and sweets.
Those of you who know me are having a heart attack right now. Never thought you'd see the day, huh?
Well, just so you know, I am not doing it to be healthier, so put those fears aside. It's really a mental fast more than anything. (If I stare blankly into space, don't blame me, blame Jesus. As a matter of fact, you can pretty much blame Him for any positive change that has ever occurred in my life. Ever. It's all His fault.)
Did you know that most online impulse buying happens between 9 and 10 pm? If you're surprised by that, you shouldn't be. When we're tired and feel like our day has gone wrong, we want a quick fix. At night, when we are programmed to seek intimacy and fellowship, we turn instead to the sterile glow of our computer screens.
Why? Because it's easier.
In the morning, it's a lot easier for me to pour a big cup of warm, sugary caffeine (mmmm....) to rev up my day than actually sit still in the presence of God and wait (patience, ugh) to hear what He has to say to me. At night, when I should be pleased to spend my last waking moments with the King of the Universe, I text my friends, because that requires less emotional energy than interacting with God (or even calling anyone on the phone, for that matter). When I feel tired, I know just how to manipulate my body's energy level with candy. When I'm angry, I shovel cookies out of spite instead of looking at the situation with perspective.
You see where I'm going with this. Fasting isn't an issue of willpower or health or religion. It's an issue of the heart. (Check out Isaiah 58 if you don't believe me.)
The pastor of my old church likes to use the term "false refuge" to describe those things that are easy, low-investment-high-return, and instantly gratifying. Emotional drugs. Like Oreos. Build-A-Bear Workshops. Vegging out to emo music. Leaning on your friends' affirmation and approval. They're the places we go when we feel down on ourselves, when we feel depressed or lonely, or we simply feel tired.
They're the places we go instead of going to Jesus to get splashed in the face with the ice-cold, refreshing living water of truth.
False refuge is false hope.
You knew some scripture was coming. Roll it:
We have this as a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul, a hope that enters into the inner place behind the curtain, where Jesus has gone as a forerunner on our behalf, having become a high priest forever after the order of Melchizedek (Hebrews 6:19-20).
Hope is the reason you get up every day.
What's your hope? Graduation day? Your future spouse? Key lime pie? Running a marathon? Your daily Coke can? That vacation? That friendship? Or even gratification of a sinful desire? Fill in the blank: "I really could make it if I just had _________ to look forward to...."
Let me tell you, my friend: we have a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul. His name is not Caramel Macchiato. It's Jesus Christ.
Am I challenging you? Do you want to punch me in the face right now? Good. I hope I am challenging you. And I don't mind if you want to punch me in the face, since we have a nice cushion of cyberspace between us.
Several years ago, I went through a phase of serious doubt about God's existence and goodness. I was severely depressed, and I remember thinking that, if God wasn't real--if this eternal hope wasn't mine after all--I would rather just go ahead and die.
Because I came through that, circling back into relationship with Him, I know in Whom I hope. I am firmly resolved that He is the reason I wake up in the morning, and I will never swerve from that. But sometimes, other things try to distract me from my eternal hope. They seek to convince me that they are the reason I wake up every day. Things as small as a cup of coffee, or as impactful as close friendships.
One of my very, very best friends left the country this week. She'll be gone for a year. I used to seek refuge in her friendship, as well as the friendships and ministries that surrounded me in Virginia. But God told me He had bigger things in store than me just staying where I was with the people I was around.
In fact, He told me He had bigger things in store than me just staying me.
Now I'm coming around to the real point I'm trying to make.
When we live with the Holy Spirit, we live with the daily surrender of our hopes (as defined by the world or our experience or simply our physical desires) for the awesomeness of His reality.
So I had to grieve my friendship. I had to grieve the good times that I won't get to have with her this year, the fact that she will miss big parts of my life, even the ability to communicate with her at all for certain lengths of time. I had to go through some grief about my past year of life at large, the things I loved that I had to leave behind in my pursuit of obedience to Him.
But grief is never about what you lost, because the good things will always be in your memory. You can't lose those. Grief is about what you will never get to have.
At our basest, we grieve the sinful pleasures that we don't get to use to satisfy our flesh. But once you wake up and smell the coffee (or not, in my case), you realize that those things weren't so great to begin with; and then you begin to grieve even "good" idols: ministry dreams, godly relationships, marriage, even material blessings. It's not that we don't get to have those things. It's that we don't get to put them before God Himself. We don't get to place our hope in them, which is a painful thing to realize.
And He doesn't stop there.
Then Jesus told his disciples, "If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me" (Matthew 16:24)
We must continually surrender not just "what we want," but who we are. As Spirit-filled followers of Christ, we are always in the process of grief. Grief for a dead person. And the dead person is YOU.
Before you go nuts, let me say that God doesn't seek to destroy you or dishonor you. He made you! He does not seek to take away our dreams. He is the one who plants dreams in our hearts. No, He's after something bigger than our dreams: ourselves. He's out to change our focus to the only thing that never changes (Malachi 3:6, James 1:17) and that always satisfies (Psalm 107:9, Psalm 145:16): Himself.
So, whether I feel it at 5:30 a.m. or not, my coffee fast is kingdom business. Although it doesn't seem like a big thing, turning away from the candy bars in the vending machine at work changes my heart, bit by bit. I can't hope in my next moment of instant gratification. God won't let me settle for that. He's much too big.
So I'm not fasting just to fast, picking an arbitrary luxury to cut out of my life because my pastor asked me to do it for 21 days. If that's what you do when you fast, it's kind of pointless. It doesn't matter that you fast, but what you fast. It wouldn't help me to fast Facebook, since I rarely get on, or Chicken McNuggets, since I don't eat those. But it will help me to fast the things I run to for false refuge when I should be snuggling close to God.
I'm fasting to get closer to my Father. I am seeking to remove the option of doing anything but that.
I haven't seen any angels or had any visions (yet), but already (this is day #5) I have been astounded at both my own inability to cope with exhaustion (went to bed at 9:30 last night, holla!)...and His ability to sustain me in spite of myself.
Wow--the One who made the universe can give me strength, joy, and peace. What a shocker.
I won't say I haven't grieved. But the sugar and coffee grief is light (and mostly consists of me falling asleep). In the case of the forced fast of my close friendships, I have experienced the deep pain of loss. I know that the friendships I left behind when I moved will never be the same as they were. My relationship with my world-traveling friend will, of course, never be quite the same.
But that's because we will all change, for the better.
When God performs a coup d'etat on our hearts and dethrones the old, dead false hopes that have tried to reign there, we feel chaotic and sad; but when it's all over (sooner rather than later...#psalms30:5), what we receive in return is His living hope (1 Peter 1:3).
We receive Jesus, the bread of life. Chew on THAT!
In the Christian life, it's NEVER loss. It's exchange. We're going higher. If you open your hand to drop what's in it, you can reach up toward the face of the One who gives you life.
The Christian life is constant movement from grief to grace. That is the beautiful gift He gives us in His Son, Jesus Christ.
"Come, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and he who has no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without price. Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread, and your labor for that which does not satisfy? Listen diligently to me, and eat what is good, and delight yourself in rich food" (Isaiah 55:1-2).
Jesus said to them, "I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst" (John 6:35).
**Author's note: The following post may contain caffeine-deprived drivel. Proceed with caution.**
I'm doing a 21-day fast of coffee and sweets.
Those of you who know me are having a heart attack right now. Never thought you'd see the day, huh?
Well, just so you know, I am not doing it to be healthier, so put those fears aside. It's really a mental fast more than anything. (If I stare blankly into space, don't blame me, blame Jesus. As a matter of fact, you can pretty much blame Him for any positive change that has ever occurred in my life. Ever. It's all His fault.)
Did you know that most online impulse buying happens between 9 and 10 pm? If you're surprised by that, you shouldn't be. When we're tired and feel like our day has gone wrong, we want a quick fix. At night, when we are programmed to seek intimacy and fellowship, we turn instead to the sterile glow of our computer screens.
Why? Because it's easier.
In the morning, it's a lot easier for me to pour a big cup of warm, sugary caffeine (mmmm....) to rev up my day than actually sit still in the presence of God and wait (patience, ugh) to hear what He has to say to me. At night, when I should be pleased to spend my last waking moments with the King of the Universe, I text my friends, because that requires less emotional energy than interacting with God (or even calling anyone on the phone, for that matter). When I feel tired, I know just how to manipulate my body's energy level with candy. When I'm angry, I shovel cookies out of spite instead of looking at the situation with perspective.
You see where I'm going with this. Fasting isn't an issue of willpower or health or religion. It's an issue of the heart. (Check out Isaiah 58 if you don't believe me.)
The pastor of my old church likes to use the term "false refuge" to describe those things that are easy, low-investment-high-return, and instantly gratifying. Emotional drugs. Like Oreos. Build-A-Bear Workshops. Vegging out to emo music. Leaning on your friends' affirmation and approval. They're the places we go when we feel down on ourselves, when we feel depressed or lonely, or we simply feel tired.
They're the places we go instead of going to Jesus to get splashed in the face with the ice-cold, refreshing living water of truth.
False refuge is false hope.
You knew some scripture was coming. Roll it:
We have this as a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul, a hope that enters into the inner place behind the curtain, where Jesus has gone as a forerunner on our behalf, having become a high priest forever after the order of Melchizedek (Hebrews 6:19-20).
Hope is the reason you get up every day.
What's your hope? Graduation day? Your future spouse? Key lime pie? Running a marathon? Your daily Coke can? That vacation? That friendship? Or even gratification of a sinful desire? Fill in the blank: "I really could make it if I just had _________ to look forward to...."
Let me tell you, my friend: we have a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul. His name is not Caramel Macchiato. It's Jesus Christ.
Am I challenging you? Do you want to punch me in the face right now? Good. I hope I am challenging you. And I don't mind if you want to punch me in the face, since we have a nice cushion of cyberspace between us.
Several years ago, I went through a phase of serious doubt about God's existence and goodness. I was severely depressed, and I remember thinking that, if God wasn't real--if this eternal hope wasn't mine after all--I would rather just go ahead and die.
Because I came through that, circling back into relationship with Him, I know in Whom I hope. I am firmly resolved that He is the reason I wake up in the morning, and I will never swerve from that. But sometimes, other things try to distract me from my eternal hope. They seek to convince me that they are the reason I wake up every day. Things as small as a cup of coffee, or as impactful as close friendships.
One of my very, very best friends left the country this week. She'll be gone for a year. I used to seek refuge in her friendship, as well as the friendships and ministries that surrounded me in Virginia. But God told me He had bigger things in store than me just staying where I was with the people I was around.
In fact, He told me He had bigger things in store than me just staying me.
Now I'm coming around to the real point I'm trying to make.
When we live with the Holy Spirit, we live with the daily surrender of our hopes (as defined by the world or our experience or simply our physical desires) for the awesomeness of His reality.
So I had to grieve my friendship. I had to grieve the good times that I won't get to have with her this year, the fact that she will miss big parts of my life, even the ability to communicate with her at all for certain lengths of time. I had to go through some grief about my past year of life at large, the things I loved that I had to leave behind in my pursuit of obedience to Him.
But grief is never about what you lost, because the good things will always be in your memory. You can't lose those. Grief is about what you will never get to have.
At our basest, we grieve the sinful pleasures that we don't get to use to satisfy our flesh. But once you wake up and smell the coffee (or not, in my case), you realize that those things weren't so great to begin with; and then you begin to grieve even "good" idols: ministry dreams, godly relationships, marriage, even material blessings. It's not that we don't get to have those things. It's that we don't get to put them before God Himself. We don't get to place our hope in them, which is a painful thing to realize.
And He doesn't stop there.
Then Jesus told his disciples, "If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me" (Matthew 16:24)
We must continually surrender not just "what we want," but who we are. As Spirit-filled followers of Christ, we are always in the process of grief. Grief for a dead person. And the dead person is YOU.
Before you go nuts, let me say that God doesn't seek to destroy you or dishonor you. He made you! He does not seek to take away our dreams. He is the one who plants dreams in our hearts. No, He's after something bigger than our dreams: ourselves. He's out to change our focus to the only thing that never changes (Malachi 3:6, James 1:17) and that always satisfies (Psalm 107:9, Psalm 145:16): Himself.
So, whether I feel it at 5:30 a.m. or not, my coffee fast is kingdom business. Although it doesn't seem like a big thing, turning away from the candy bars in the vending machine at work changes my heart, bit by bit. I can't hope in my next moment of instant gratification. God won't let me settle for that. He's much too big.
So I'm not fasting just to fast, picking an arbitrary luxury to cut out of my life because my pastor asked me to do it for 21 days. If that's what you do when you fast, it's kind of pointless. It doesn't matter that you fast, but what you fast. It wouldn't help me to fast Facebook, since I rarely get on, or Chicken McNuggets, since I don't eat those. But it will help me to fast the things I run to for false refuge when I should be snuggling close to God.
I'm fasting to get closer to my Father. I am seeking to remove the option of doing anything but that.
I haven't seen any angels or had any visions (yet), but already (this is day #5) I have been astounded at both my own inability to cope with exhaustion (went to bed at 9:30 last night, holla!)...and His ability to sustain me in spite of myself.
Wow--the One who made the universe can give me strength, joy, and peace. What a shocker.
I won't say I haven't grieved. But the sugar and coffee grief is light (and mostly consists of me falling asleep). In the case of the forced fast of my close friendships, I have experienced the deep pain of loss. I know that the friendships I left behind when I moved will never be the same as they were. My relationship with my world-traveling friend will, of course, never be quite the same.
But that's because we will all change, for the better.
When God performs a coup d'etat on our hearts and dethrones the old, dead false hopes that have tried to reign there, we feel chaotic and sad; but when it's all over (sooner rather than later...#psalms30:5), what we receive in return is His living hope (1 Peter 1:3).
We receive Jesus, the bread of life. Chew on THAT!
In the Christian life, it's NEVER loss. It's exchange. We're going higher. If you open your hand to drop what's in it, you can reach up toward the face of the One who gives you life.
The Christian life is constant movement from grief to grace. That is the beautiful gift He gives us in His Son, Jesus Christ.
"Come, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and he who has no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without price. Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread, and your labor for that which does not satisfy? Listen diligently to me, and eat what is good, and delight yourself in rich food" (Isaiah 55:1-2).
Tuesday, January 6, 2015
Mirror, Mirror
If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways (James 1:5-8).
That doesn't really sound like the description of someone who can walk on water, does it?
James is kind of straight-up. No dilly-dallying around the point for him. You know--he's the one who begins his letter with "Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds...." If the New Testament writers were contestants on a reality show, James would be the no-nonsense personal trainer that doesn't take anyone's drama.
At least, that's the way I've always pictured him, and a lot of people think James is a book meant to terrify people into religion (doing "good works" to get into heaven). But I think these are oversimplifications (and misrepresentations) of James's heart.
I think James wanted us to know that it's time to put our faith out there and believe for the BIG. His book is a book that gives mighty examples of faith by people who knew God--and dares to assert that we, too, can know Him and see our faith at work in the world in big ways. I only read the first chapter this morning, but it kind of blew my socks off. (Not literally, for which I am thankful, because my apartment is very cold this time of year.)
James was writing to believers of the Dispersion, those who lived outside of the Palestine area where Jesus' ministry took place. In case you were wondering, that's you. (Unless I've picked up some readers from first-century Jerusalem.)
James warns his readers: Do not be deceived. That's a pretty important thing for believers to remember. There are so many lies about God's identity and our identity that we can become confused.
Do not be deceived, my beloved brothers. Every good and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change. Of his own will he brought us forth by the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures (1:16-18).
This is serious confidence about the goodness of God and the status He gives His sons and daughters, especially for someone who has just finished encouraging his readers to be steadfast in trial. It's one thing to be sure of God's identity in good times, but it's another to be firmly convinced of His goodness during bad times.
That's no-nonsense faith.
People like to turn James into a book of victimization ("Christians are persecuted people who have to suffer in silence"), or a book about "faith versus works" to prove salvation. I could discuss either of these things for hours, and I might do so with you if you ever take me out to coffee. (Be ye warned.) I think, though, that this heavy first chapter (which I also would like to discuss in more detail...want to go get coffee?) sets up the theme for the book.
But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like. But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing (1:22-25).
I think a lot of people read that and immediately rush out to "do" a bunch of things, such as running church committees and fundraising for orphans and donating all their money to charity and running a 5k for cancer. I don't think there is anything wrong with these things (particularly if I start a charity and am in need of your funding). But I also don't think this is what James is talking about.
You probably look at yourself in the mirror every morning. Some people need more mirror time than others, and some need to look repeatedly throughout the day...you know, those of us who have a propensity to dropping ketchup on our shirts. But when you turn away from the mirror, you probably instantly stop thinking about what you look like. After all, if you're not looking in a mirror, you can't really see yourself.
Obviously, James is not talking about a real mirror. He compares a mirror to the perfect law, the law of liberty. He says that if we will look at that, and remember it, and do it, we will be blessed.
What does that mean? How do we "do" the law of liberty? And what is it, anyway, James?????
The "law of liberty" is Jesus Christ.
Jesus is the Word become flesh, right? He's the Word (the Law) of God. And His life brings us salvation from sin AND the Holy Spirit, who gives us freedom (2 Corinthians 3:17). When you look into the law of liberty, you're looking not at yourself, but straight into the face of Jesus. And in Jesus, we see who we were created to be. Mirrors don't lie. They always tell the truth. And Jesus IS the truth. He will never misrepresent the Father to you (John 14:6-7), nor will He misrepresent you to the Father (Hebrews 7:25).
It is easy to wake up and read your Bible and remember who you are in Christ; and then the next minute get into your car and grumble at every driver who gets in your way. (Have I done this? Maybe....) It is even easier to worship your heart out Sunday morning, and then when you go out to lunch and see someone who is in need of big prayer, to turn your eyes away. (Um, yeah, definitely done this.)
What James is telling us to "do" here is not to go sign up for twenty-seven more committees, but to just simply remember who we are as God's sons and daughters. He is telling us to simply be who we already are. When we remember who we are in Christ, we start to just do things as He would do things. We start to have faith like Jesus.
And He did things that were pretty incredible.
James wants us to know that when we look to Christ, we see who God is, and we see who we are. And knowing who He is produces in us a kind of faith that can change the world. What we "do" will not just be fundraisers and 5ks, but healings and deliverances and salvations, spreading the love of God to everyone across the earth.
James admonishes us to "count it all joy" when we endure trials because he knew that belief begets belief. The more you press into God's goodness and your identity in Christ during hard times, the more your faith to believe grows. If we have faith in who He is in hard times, how much more faith will we have when it comes time to believe Him for something really huge and miraculous and impossible? The steadfastness produced is a consistent persuasion of God's biblical character and your identity in Christ as His child. He is good; He is holy and perfect; He loves us; we are made righteous by Jesus; we are royalty; we can move mountains.
If we can just take hold of these truths, guys, we will have no problem walking on water.
Because I want this steadfastness of faith, I am determined to press into the knowledge of Him. I want to be full of faith when trials come, and I want to be full of faith when it is time for a gigantic miracle. I want to be the one people call to pray for impossible things.
Don't you?
I'm not saying that I've mastered this by any means. But I will continue to wake up every day and talk with the Holy Spirit and read my Bible so I can get to know Him and have the incredible faith--no matter what--that James had. I can already feel the ocean spray.
Anybody want to take a walk?
That doesn't really sound like the description of someone who can walk on water, does it?
James is kind of straight-up. No dilly-dallying around the point for him. You know--he's the one who begins his letter with "Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds...." If the New Testament writers were contestants on a reality show, James would be the no-nonsense personal trainer that doesn't take anyone's drama.
At least, that's the way I've always pictured him, and a lot of people think James is a book meant to terrify people into religion (doing "good works" to get into heaven). But I think these are oversimplifications (and misrepresentations) of James's heart.
I think James wanted us to know that it's time to put our faith out there and believe for the BIG. His book is a book that gives mighty examples of faith by people who knew God--and dares to assert that we, too, can know Him and see our faith at work in the world in big ways. I only read the first chapter this morning, but it kind of blew my socks off. (Not literally, for which I am thankful, because my apartment is very cold this time of year.)
James was writing to believers of the Dispersion, those who lived outside of the Palestine area where Jesus' ministry took place. In case you were wondering, that's you. (Unless I've picked up some readers from first-century Jerusalem.)
James warns his readers: Do not be deceived. That's a pretty important thing for believers to remember. There are so many lies about God's identity and our identity that we can become confused.
Do not be deceived, my beloved brothers. Every good and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change. Of his own will he brought us forth by the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures (1:16-18).
This is serious confidence about the goodness of God and the status He gives His sons and daughters, especially for someone who has just finished encouraging his readers to be steadfast in trial. It's one thing to be sure of God's identity in good times, but it's another to be firmly convinced of His goodness during bad times.
That's no-nonsense faith.
People like to turn James into a book of victimization ("Christians are persecuted people who have to suffer in silence"), or a book about "faith versus works" to prove salvation. I could discuss either of these things for hours, and I might do so with you if you ever take me out to coffee. (Be ye warned.) I think, though, that this heavy first chapter (which I also would like to discuss in more detail...want to go get coffee?) sets up the theme for the book.
But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like. But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing (1:22-25).
I think a lot of people read that and immediately rush out to "do" a bunch of things, such as running church committees and fundraising for orphans and donating all their money to charity and running a 5k for cancer. I don't think there is anything wrong with these things (particularly if I start a charity and am in need of your funding). But I also don't think this is what James is talking about.
You probably look at yourself in the mirror every morning. Some people need more mirror time than others, and some need to look repeatedly throughout the day...you know, those of us who have a propensity to dropping ketchup on our shirts. But when you turn away from the mirror, you probably instantly stop thinking about what you look like. After all, if you're not looking in a mirror, you can't really see yourself.
Obviously, James is not talking about a real mirror. He compares a mirror to the perfect law, the law of liberty. He says that if we will look at that, and remember it, and do it, we will be blessed.
What does that mean? How do we "do" the law of liberty? And what is it, anyway, James?????
The "law of liberty" is Jesus Christ.
Jesus is the Word become flesh, right? He's the Word (the Law) of God. And His life brings us salvation from sin AND the Holy Spirit, who gives us freedom (2 Corinthians 3:17). When you look into the law of liberty, you're looking not at yourself, but straight into the face of Jesus. And in Jesus, we see who we were created to be. Mirrors don't lie. They always tell the truth. And Jesus IS the truth. He will never misrepresent the Father to you (John 14:6-7), nor will He misrepresent you to the Father (Hebrews 7:25).
It is easy to wake up and read your Bible and remember who you are in Christ; and then the next minute get into your car and grumble at every driver who gets in your way. (Have I done this? Maybe....) It is even easier to worship your heart out Sunday morning, and then when you go out to lunch and see someone who is in need of big prayer, to turn your eyes away. (Um, yeah, definitely done this.)
What James is telling us to "do" here is not to go sign up for twenty-seven more committees, but to just simply remember who we are as God's sons and daughters. He is telling us to simply be who we already are. When we remember who we are in Christ, we start to just do things as He would do things. We start to have faith like Jesus.
And He did things that were pretty incredible.
James wants us to know that when we look to Christ, we see who God is, and we see who we are. And knowing who He is produces in us a kind of faith that can change the world. What we "do" will not just be fundraisers and 5ks, but healings and deliverances and salvations, spreading the love of God to everyone across the earth.
James admonishes us to "count it all joy" when we endure trials because he knew that belief begets belief. The more you press into God's goodness and your identity in Christ during hard times, the more your faith to believe grows. If we have faith in who He is in hard times, how much more faith will we have when it comes time to believe Him for something really huge and miraculous and impossible? The steadfastness produced is a consistent persuasion of God's biblical character and your identity in Christ as His child. He is good; He is holy and perfect; He loves us; we are made righteous by Jesus; we are royalty; we can move mountains.
If we can just take hold of these truths, guys, we will have no problem walking on water.
Because I want this steadfastness of faith, I am determined to press into the knowledge of Him. I want to be full of faith when trials come, and I want to be full of faith when it is time for a gigantic miracle. I want to be the one people call to pray for impossible things.
Don't you?
I'm not saying that I've mastered this by any means. But I will continue to wake up every day and talk with the Holy Spirit and read my Bible so I can get to know Him and have the incredible faith--no matter what--that James had. I can already feel the ocean spray.
Anybody want to take a walk?
Friday, January 2, 2015
Zephaniah: An Unlikely Book (Part 2)
In my last post, I wrote about the paralells between the judgments in Zephaniah and the story of Christ. I want to revisit Zephaniah again today as we begin a new year.
Before you start groaning about how long my last post was, let out a sigh of relief: this one will be shorter. If you want to read something even shorter, go read Zephaniah itself. It only contains three chapters, but they are all so packed with the character of God.
The first two chapters of this Old Testament book are fantastic, but the really good stuff is in chapter 3. This is where the redemption happens.
We pick up in 3:9, where the prophet continues to describe the day of wrath, the day when Jesus died. The Lord says that, on that day, "all the earth shall be consumed" by "the fire of my jealousy" (v. 8). In other words, Zephaniah is prophesying a day when the earth will be revolutionized by a love that consumes all and destroys everything in its path to the beloved... God's love, which is stronger than death (Song of Solomon 8:6).
For at that time I will change the speech of the peoples to a pure speech,
that all of them may call upon the name of the Lord
and serve him with one accord.
From beyond the rivers of Cush
my worshipers, the daughter of my dispersed ones,
shall bring my offering.
On that day you shall not be put to shame,
because of the deeds by which you have rebelled against me (v. 9-11).
God's heart is not after just worship, but rather the hearts of His worshipers.
He continues:
But I will leave in your midst a people humble and lowly.
They shall seek refuge in the name of the Lord,
those who are left in Israel;
they shall do no injustice and speak no lies,
nor shall there be found in their mouth a deceitful tongue.
For they shall graze and lie down,
and none shall make them afraid. (v. 12-13).
That's us, guys. I think this passage is not a list of "to-dos" for Christians. It's a description of who we naturally are in Christ. When we are walking in His Spirit, we naturally speak blessing and encouragement, we are naturally full of humility, and we are never afraid.
If you are afraid and speaking those fears at the beginning of this new year, don't feel condemned. You just have to remember that that's not who you are. I know that, as adults, we have things in our lives that cause everything from concern to terror to absolute panic. Life is full of scary things when you can only see what is in front of you. So I know that it isn't an easy thing to hear "just trust God" when it looks like Goliath is standing in front of you, ready to deliver the death blow.
But....there's Jesus. You're a sheep who belongs to the Good Shepherd, and because He cares for you and protects you, you don't have to be afraid (Psalm 23). That includes everything. Nothing has the right to make you afraid. Literally: nothing. He is bigger than the thoughts that cause your heart to stop, or the worries that keep you up at night.
And Zephaniah goes on into one of the most victorious passages of scripture.
Sing aloud, O daughter of Zion;
shout, O Israel!
Rejoice and exult with all your heart,
O daughter of Jerusalem!
The Lord has taken away the judgments against you;
he has cleared away your enemies.
The King of Israel, the Lord, is in your midst;
you shall never again fear evil (v. 14-15).
When will you fear evil again?...Never. "Never" is a pretty serious word. Kind of like "forever"--the time we now get to spend with the Father because Jesus made a way for us to enter the throne room.
We are instructed to rejoice and exult with ALL of our hearts--not just the parts that don't belong to fear and sin. Why? Because the King of Israel is in our midst, and he has taken away the judgments against us. Jesus came to earth to be with us. In His death, He cleansed us from all sin. In taking away sin, He not only made us righteous sons and daughters of the Most High God, He cleansed us from all fear of sin (including fear of our own failures).
If you believe that Jesus is the Son of God, if you're a Christian, you don't have to sit here reading this and wish you were cleansed and free. You ARE cleansed and free! He is with you! He has removed the judgments from you and made you so clean that He is pleased to walk alongside you in close communion.
Relax. Your God is with you.
What's more:
On that day it shall be said to Jerusalem:
"Fear not, O Zion;
let not your hands grow weak.
The Lord your God is in your midst,
a mighty one who will save;
he will rejoice over you with gladness;
he will quiet you by his love;
he will exult over you with loud singing.
I will gather those of you who mourn for the festival,
so that you will no longer suffer reproach.
Behold, at that time I will deal with all your oppressors.
And I will save the lame and gather the outcast,
and I will change their shame into praise
and reknown in all the earth (v. 16-17)
I don't know about you, but that sounds like a party I want to be at. Good thing we're already there.
Zephaniah is speaking of today--right now, the time after Christ has been risen from the dead. We are the blessed people who were born into the era of Jesus' kingdom. This is not some far-off day. Yes, He's coming back...but let's not forget that He is already risen.
AND, right this very moment, He is exulting over you with LOUD singing! This isn't some dull humming...this is full-lung-power shouting, in the most beautiful voice ever heard.
When I feel that there is a reason for me to feel shame or reproach, when I forget who I am, I like to get myself back on track by imagining Jesus rejoicing over me in a freestyle dance party. This is especially uplifting if you are listening to techno worhsip music.
I don't care what tries to scare you this year. Tell it to leave you alone, because your King is throwing a party in your honor.
The last verse of Zephaniah speaks of expectancy:
"At that time I will bring you in,
at the time when I gather you together;
for I will make you renowned and praised
among all the peoples of the earth,
when I restore your fortunes
before your eyes," says the Lord (v. 20).
I want to live the kind of life that makes the name of Jesus renowned in all the earth. I want to see miracles, breakthrough, and redemption daily--for myself and others. And my prayer for you this year is the same. I pray that we will be a people who are not resigned to fear and complacency, but that we will press in and press through the door to the festival, where we are already invited and the party is already happening, because the greatest victory has already occurred.
I want to encourage you to be expectant for 2015. He can change your fortunes before your eyes. If you have always wished you could "be more spiritual" or "experience more of Him," go for it. Ask Him how to draw nearer. He is in your midst, and He wants to get even closer.
My friend prayed for us today that we will "always choose hope." I pray that that's the theme for all Christians in the new year. Buckle your seatbelt, pop in the Jesus Culture remix, slam the gas pedal, and don't look back!
Happy New Year!
Before you start groaning about how long my last post was, let out a sigh of relief: this one will be shorter. If you want to read something even shorter, go read Zephaniah itself. It only contains three chapters, but they are all so packed with the character of God.
The first two chapters of this Old Testament book are fantastic, but the really good stuff is in chapter 3. This is where the redemption happens.
We pick up in 3:9, where the prophet continues to describe the day of wrath, the day when Jesus died. The Lord says that, on that day, "all the earth shall be consumed" by "the fire of my jealousy" (v. 8). In other words, Zephaniah is prophesying a day when the earth will be revolutionized by a love that consumes all and destroys everything in its path to the beloved... God's love, which is stronger than death (Song of Solomon 8:6).
For at that time I will change the speech of the peoples to a pure speech,
that all of them may call upon the name of the Lord
and serve him with one accord.
From beyond the rivers of Cush
my worshipers, the daughter of my dispersed ones,
shall bring my offering.
On that day you shall not be put to shame,
because of the deeds by which you have rebelled against me (v. 9-11).
God's heart is not after just worship, but rather the hearts of His worshipers.
He continues:
But I will leave in your midst a people humble and lowly.
They shall seek refuge in the name of the Lord,
those who are left in Israel;
they shall do no injustice and speak no lies,
nor shall there be found in their mouth a deceitful tongue.
For they shall graze and lie down,
and none shall make them afraid. (v. 12-13).
That's us, guys. I think this passage is not a list of "to-dos" for Christians. It's a description of who we naturally are in Christ. When we are walking in His Spirit, we naturally speak blessing and encouragement, we are naturally full of humility, and we are never afraid.
If you are afraid and speaking those fears at the beginning of this new year, don't feel condemned. You just have to remember that that's not who you are. I know that, as adults, we have things in our lives that cause everything from concern to terror to absolute panic. Life is full of scary things when you can only see what is in front of you. So I know that it isn't an easy thing to hear "just trust God" when it looks like Goliath is standing in front of you, ready to deliver the death blow.
But....there's Jesus. You're a sheep who belongs to the Good Shepherd, and because He cares for you and protects you, you don't have to be afraid (Psalm 23). That includes everything. Nothing has the right to make you afraid. Literally: nothing. He is bigger than the thoughts that cause your heart to stop, or the worries that keep you up at night.
And Zephaniah goes on into one of the most victorious passages of scripture.
Sing aloud, O daughter of Zion;
shout, O Israel!
Rejoice and exult with all your heart,
O daughter of Jerusalem!
The Lord has taken away the judgments against you;
he has cleared away your enemies.
The King of Israel, the Lord, is in your midst;
you shall never again fear evil (v. 14-15).
When will you fear evil again?...Never. "Never" is a pretty serious word. Kind of like "forever"--the time we now get to spend with the Father because Jesus made a way for us to enter the throne room.
We are instructed to rejoice and exult with ALL of our hearts--not just the parts that don't belong to fear and sin. Why? Because the King of Israel is in our midst, and he has taken away the judgments against us. Jesus came to earth to be with us. In His death, He cleansed us from all sin. In taking away sin, He not only made us righteous sons and daughters of the Most High God, He cleansed us from all fear of sin (including fear of our own failures).
If you believe that Jesus is the Son of God, if you're a Christian, you don't have to sit here reading this and wish you were cleansed and free. You ARE cleansed and free! He is with you! He has removed the judgments from you and made you so clean that He is pleased to walk alongside you in close communion.
Relax. Your God is with you.
What's more:
On that day it shall be said to Jerusalem:
"Fear not, O Zion;
let not your hands grow weak.
The Lord your God is in your midst,
a mighty one who will save;
he will rejoice over you with gladness;
he will quiet you by his love;
he will exult over you with loud singing.
I will gather those of you who mourn for the festival,
so that you will no longer suffer reproach.
Behold, at that time I will deal with all your oppressors.
And I will save the lame and gather the outcast,
and I will change their shame into praise
and reknown in all the earth (v. 16-17)
I don't know about you, but that sounds like a party I want to be at. Good thing we're already there.
Zephaniah is speaking of today--right now, the time after Christ has been risen from the dead. We are the blessed people who were born into the era of Jesus' kingdom. This is not some far-off day. Yes, He's coming back...but let's not forget that He is already risen.
AND, right this very moment, He is exulting over you with LOUD singing! This isn't some dull humming...this is full-lung-power shouting, in the most beautiful voice ever heard.
When I feel that there is a reason for me to feel shame or reproach, when I forget who I am, I like to get myself back on track by imagining Jesus rejoicing over me in a freestyle dance party. This is especially uplifting if you are listening to techno worhsip music.
I don't care what tries to scare you this year. Tell it to leave you alone, because your King is throwing a party in your honor.
The last verse of Zephaniah speaks of expectancy:
"At that time I will bring you in,
at the time when I gather you together;
for I will make you renowned and praised
among all the peoples of the earth,
when I restore your fortunes
before your eyes," says the Lord (v. 20).
I want to live the kind of life that makes the name of Jesus renowned in all the earth. I want to see miracles, breakthrough, and redemption daily--for myself and others. And my prayer for you this year is the same. I pray that we will be a people who are not resigned to fear and complacency, but that we will press in and press through the door to the festival, where we are already invited and the party is already happening, because the greatest victory has already occurred.
I want to encourage you to be expectant for 2015. He can change your fortunes before your eyes. If you have always wished you could "be more spiritual" or "experience more of Him," go for it. Ask Him how to draw nearer. He is in your midst, and He wants to get even closer.
My friend prayed for us today that we will "always choose hope." I pray that that's the theme for all Christians in the new year. Buckle your seatbelt, pop in the Jesus Culture remix, slam the gas pedal, and don't look back!
Happy New Year!
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