God Always Has Us On His Mind

 

“How precious are your thoughts about me, O God.”

—Psalm 139:17a NLT

Certain popular songs have become strongly attached to certain recording artists. For example, Willie Nelson has a huge catalog of songs he has recorded over the years. But, even though he was not the first person to record it, the song “You Are Always on My Mind” ¹ has certainly become one of the songs that most people think about when they hear Willie’s name.

I confess that I’ve never really been a fan of Willie Nelson, even though I number country music among the wide range of musical genres that I enjoy. I prefer the smoother arrangement of this song recorded by Michael Bublé. I like the softer and more tender way that Bublé sings this number.

As you listen to the lyrics of this song, whenever it is played on the radio or television, you quickly recognize that this is a song that attempts to justify a relationship characterized by neglect and regret. The lover admits that he (or she) has not appeared to do, or say, the things that would build the relationship into one of commitment and ever-growing depth. But, the lover justifies how he (or she) has behaved—even though he (or she) may not have done what’s right—by insisting that the lover has always had the object of his (or her) love in mind.

It’s really a rather puny concept—justifying bad behavior by good thoughts. It’s sort of based on the cliché:

“It’s the thought that counts.”

But of course, in real life, it is not just the thoughts that count. Rather, it’s the kind of genuine action that proves the depth of one’s love for another.

In spite of these shortcomings, the song does evoke a certain romantic quality that Bublé captures in a far better way than Willie Nelson does—at least in my opinion. I actually like the song, even if in this instance, I write critically about it. It has a lovely melody and the royalties that Wayne Carson, Johnny Christopher, and Mark James receive for their labors are well-deserved.

In contrast to this, the kind of love that God shows to His children is supercharged with action. God is the giver of every good and perfect gift (James 1:17). He is the source of all the goodness in our lives. Most of all, He is the One who has redeemed us from the penalty of our sins through the sacrifice of His one and only Son, Jesus. Could he have given us any more indication of the depth of His love for us?

In addition to His mighty acts in our behalf, it is also true that God always has us in the forefront of His mind. He thinks about us with tender mercies and bountiful love. King David captured this very present reality in Psalm 139:17-18 NLT:

How precious are your thoughts about me, O God. They cannot be numbered! I can’t even count them; they outnumber the grains of sand! And when I wake up, you are still with me!

As we begin a new day, let’s remember that God always has us in His thoughts. Wouldn’t it be a good idea, in response, if we always had Him in the forefront of our thoughts, as well?

 

______________________

1 Carson, Wayne, Johnny Christopher, and Mark James. “Always on My Mind.” Nashville, TN: EMI Music Publishing Company, 1971. Citation for Educational Fair Use illustration purposes only. All Rights Reserved by the original Copyright Holder.

 

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Overcoming Darkness

 

“In him was life, and that life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not overcome it.”

—John 1:4-5

Some of the most impenetrable darkness occurs when firefighters enter a burning building, where smoke and hot gases have filled the compartment. The particle density in the space has risen to a level where a thick, darkened shield tends to block the passage of light. Any light that does try to reach into the hidden portions of the compartment reflect back at the source of the light in a manner that makes forward progress fraught with confusion and disorientation. As I’ve shared on this blog previously, today’s firefighters rely on very powerful beams of light generated by a carefully engineered cluster of Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs). Even so, this very narrowly focused beam of light often has difficulty penetrating for more than a few feet through the blackened cloud of smoke and hot gases. I cannot over-emphasize the importance of light to firefighters. In addition to the light-blocking cloud of smoke and hot gases, many serious fires occur during nighttime hours. This makes fire ground operations all the more difficult.

Interestingly, impenetrable darkness often clouds our Christian spiritual formation, too. We cannot penetrate the cloud of sin-caused darkness that Satan has propagated throughout our world. Just as with firefighting, God’s Light plays a critically important role in Christian spiritual development. That’s why the words of the Apostle John, as he writes about the Lord Jesus Christ, have such a great importance. Please notice what John states in John 1:4-5:

In him was life, and that life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not overcome it.

Jesus is the Light that overcomes darkness. In fact, Jesus is “darkness-overcoming.” It is one of His most important attributes. In the course of our Christian spiritual formation and Christian spiritual development, we can rely on the words and example of our Savior to provide exactly the Light we need to pierce the darkness around us.

As we walk through this day, let’s determine to follow the Light of Christ’s divine presence in our lives, by the power of the indwelling Holy Spirit. If we do, the path will open up before us. We will move forward with the ability to see as clearly as possible. And, we will no longer be hindered by the darkness of this sin-cursed world.

 

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Unequally Yoked

 

“Do not be yoked together with unbelievers…”

—2 Corinthians 6:14a

When we read through the Bible, we sometimes come upon a passage of Scripture, or an individual verse, that strikes us as somewhat harsh or unrealistic. We may even react a bit negatively to the instruction contained in that passage or verse. Why? Most likely because, in the depths of our beings, the Holy Spirit convicts us about something we’ve done, continue to do, or intend to do. But, when we take a step back and examine the passage or verse carefully, we usually can sense the nudging of the Holy Spirit, Who dwells within us, reminding us that all such passages and verses exist for our benefit. It remains very true that God always has our best interests at heart. So, when we read such an instruction, it is because God wants to protect us from making bad choices. Thus it is with the instruction given by the Apostle Paul in 2 Corinthians 6:14:

Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness?

To fully understand the implications of this verse, we must first look at the imagery that Paul uses. He refers to a team of oxen that have been yoked in order to work together and harmoniously perform a specific task. The yoke demands their cooperation. The yoke is designed to insist that the oxen move forward together, putting equal pressure on the yoke, in order to steer a straight path. So, to apply this verse, we must examine those occasions in life when we must work in total harmony with someone else, in order to accomplish a task. We must pool our talents, gifts, and abilities in such a way that together we can move forward in a straight and true manner.

There are many situations in life where such a yoking becomes critically important. Marriage, for example, requires a man and woman to become fully one in all four human modalities: emotionally, spiritually, intellectually, and physically—or, heart, soul, mind, and strength. This oneness does not set aside the beauty of the marriage partners’ individual differences, but absolutely yokes their personhoods in total harmony, so that they move forward very positively in life as one. A couple committed to live in that kind of unity provides a natural and necessary exclusion from any distractions that will challenge the harmony of their relationship. The same concept can apply to business, or any other relationship, that requires partners to proceed in absolute harmony, in order to most effectively accomplish a goal, or satisfy an objective.

Paul, himself a Pharisee and scholar of the Old Testament Scriptures, remembers that God has given specific prohibitions regarding the yoking of animals, as found in the Pentateuch, specifically in Deuteronomy 22:10:

Do not plow with an ox and a donkey yoked together.

It is important to note that, in Jewish Law, the ox was considered a clean animal and the donkey was considered an unclean animal. So, beyond natural physical considerations, the rule against unequal yoking also had spiritual consequences. Would the innate stubbornness of the donkey, or its weaker strength, prevent the ox from plowing a straight furrow?

It’s also important to note that the warning from 2 Corinthians 6:14 applies “before the fact.” In other words, if a believer is already yoked to an unbeliever, this warning does not mean that the believer should terminate the relationship. In fact, in the case of marriage, the Apostle Paul—speaking for himself, not the Lord—specifically warns against a person who becomes a believer from divorcing a partner who is an unbeliever, as recorded in 1 Corinthians 7:10-16:

To the married I give this charge (not I, but the Lord): the wife should not separate from her husband (but if she does, she should remain unmarried or else be reconciled to her husband), and the husband should not divorce his wife. To the rest I say (I, not the Lord) that if any brother has a wife who is an unbeliever, and she consents to live with him, he should not divorce her. If any woman has a husband who is an unbeliever, and he consents to live with her, she should not divorce him. For the unbelieving husband is made holy because of his wife, and the unbelieving wife is made holy because of her husband. Otherwise your children would be unclean, but as it is, they are holy. But if the unbelieving partner separates, let it be so. In such cases the brother or sister is not enslaved. God has called you to peace. For how do you know, wife, whether you will save your husband? Or how do you know, husband, whether you will save your wife?

While most of us have a “Don’t tell me what to do!” attitude, our obedience to God should prompt us to heed the warnings found in Scripture. God has given these warnings for our own good. Before we choose to yoke ourselves to an unbeliever, in order to complete some critically important task, we should carefully consider the consequences, at least to the extent that we have control over the situation.

 

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Hey! Turn Off the Light!

 

“Everyone who does evil hates the light…”

—John 3:20a

One of the best accessories provided for a police car is a strong spotlight mounted on the outside of the vehicle and operable by the driver from inside the car. This strong beam of light can significantly disrupt criminals or others intent on doing something wrong. And, it allows the police officer to carefully inspect anything that falls within the beam of light. Please allow me to relate an illustration.

As a college student working on the fire department, I became friends with a high-ranking officer of the New York State Department of Conservation Law Enforcement Division. In the old days, and before genuine sophistication had significantly transformed the functions of such an officer, he would have been called a “game warden.” This particular officer was responsible for teaching hunter safety through the western counties of New York State. His territory extended from just west of Albany all the way to the western border with Pennsylvania and Lake Erie. He was a very wise and very dedicated individual. I admired him greatly and found his somewhat dry, even ironic, sense of humor refreshing.

One late evening, when we were talking at the fire house, he got a radio call about some trespassers on state forestry lands. Since he was the nearest officer, he needed to investigate and invited me to ride along.

Soon we were traveling down a maze of dirt roads, deep into the state forestry preserve. Suddenly, we rounded the corner and came upon a vehicle parked in a dense, tree-shaded glen. Immediately, the officer turned on his powerful spotlight and swept the beam across the windshield of the vehicle.

Almost immediately, we could see a scurry of activity inside the car. Two heads emerged. We heard a male voice yell, “Turn off that light!” And then, two partially clothed people started the vehicle, roared around us, and headed out of the forestry preserve.

While we obviously did not prevent a major crime that night, it seems as if we may have interrupted some possible secret activity. We felt we had provided a valuable service. The couple probably thought of us quite differently.

The point: people intent on doing things in secret hate the light. Since a lot of sin takes place under the cloak of secrecy, those who shine a light that penetrates such secrecy often become very unpopular. Light is never welcome when secret activities are afoot. Jesus put it this way, as recorded in John 3:20-21:

Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what he has done has been done through God.

As we begin a new day, let’s examine our behavior and ask ourselves whether what we intend to do needs to be done in secret. Or, maybe we should limit our plans so that we do only those things that can stand up to a bright light shining on our activities. Almost all of the time, the things we feel we need to do in secret probably should be left undone.

 

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A Non-perishable Redemption

 

“Through him you believe in God, who raised him from the dead and glorified him, and so your faith and hope are in God.”

—1 Peter 1:21

Most of us have never had the experience of taking some item to a pawn shop, in order to pay our immediate bills. In fact, one normally finds pawn shops only in larger cities. Even if you happen to watch the television program Pawn Stars, ¹ you really have no idea of how this type of enterprise functions in real life.

People bring in items for which they hope to get a needed amount of money. They receive some money considerably less than the item is worth. They are given a ticket that allows them to reclaim the item by repaying the amount of money they were given, plus a significant surcharge, but only if they return before someone else buys the item they pawned. That amount of money is called “the price of redemption.”

In the aforementioned television show, you only see those who want to turn some item of personal value into cash. You never see the truly down-and-out individual who needs cash to pay some bills and comes into the shop to pawn a cherished item in the hope of eventually getting it back. The “getting-it-back” part is hard. The price of redemption costs more than the person received from the pawn broker. And, there’s always the risk that the item will be sold before the person pawning it can return and redeem it.

In our lives as Christians, Jesus has paid the price for our sins. He has staked us for all eternity—given us the redemption we need to satisfy God’s holiness. There has never been anything we could do to earn God’s favor. His redemption is a gift. It is He who, through the Holy Spirit, calls us to Himself. It is He who pays the penalty for our sins. It is He who enables us to live in obedience to His will, through the power of the indwelling Holy Spirit. The Apostle Peter summed up this mysterious spiritual transaction using the words found in 1 Peter 1:17-21:

Since you call on a Father who judges each person’s work impartially, live out your time as foreigners here in reverent fear.

For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your ancestors, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect. He was chosen before the creation of the world, but was revealed in these last times for your sake.

Through him you believe in God, who raised him from the dead and glorified him, and so your faith and hope are in God.

Once we belong to God through Christ, we become foreigners in a land to which we no longer belong. We live out our days here as aliens. Our home is in heaven. We are on earth for a season. But, we have our true country located just “beyond the blue” in the life to come.

The redemptive price paid for us cost Jesus His earthly life. Through the shedding of His blood, we are redeemed. This price was not paid by some currency that will perish. No, the price that was paid was paid by One who never perishes. And that fact, dear ones, makes our redemption all the more spectacular.

 

______________________

1  Montgomery, Brent and Colby Gaines. Pawn Stars. Los Angeles: Leftfield Pictures, 2009. Citation for Educational Fair Use illustration purposes only. All Rights Reserved by the Copyright Holder.

 

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Even in Darkness

 

“Even in darkness light dawns for the upright, for the gracious and compassionate and righteous one.”

—Psalm 112:4

It is the rare individual who does not, from time to time, feel the weight of the world come crashing into that one’s life. In fact, in times when most people would normally expect to feel the greatest happiness, some folks feel a particular weight of care. They have lost loved ones. They have suffered personal attacks. They have been dismissed from their jobs. They have had their friends abandon them. They have nearly run out of money and can’t pay their bills. It seems as if, for a host of reasons, the darkness of disappointment, despair, and loneliness envelopes these ones. They feel overcome by a burdensome weight of unimaginable proportions. They experience a bleakness in their souls that strangles whatever joy they might normally experience.

Among these ones who feel such blackness, those who follow the Lord Jesus Christ have a great hope. That hope springs from the reality that Jesus is a Giver of Light. His amazing love can shine into a person’s life in a way that completely dispels the darkness. The Psalmist, writing a song of great praise to God, expressed this thought, as found in Psalm 112:4:

Even in darkness light dawns for the upright, for the gracious and compassionate and righteous one.

If you, dear Christian, are a person who feels a shroud of darkness absorbing you, turn to the Giver of Light. Ask God to allow the Light of Christ to pierce the darkness and shine through the gloom that has weighed you down. If you do this, you will find great joy in seeing your hope fulfilled, as you rest in the loving arms of the Holy Spirit within you.

 

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Jesus Gives Us Light

 

When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”

—John 8:12

Two days ago, I wrote a blog post based on Matthew 5:14, where Jesus tells His disciples that they are the light of the world. A reasonable question to ask:

“What is the source of that light?”

The answer should seem quite obvious: Jesus is the source of that divine illumination. He is the One whose eternal glory shines forth like the brightest star in the sky. He is the source of all that is holy, perfect, and glorious.

It’s no surprise that the angels of heaven came to the shepherds on the hillside above the humble stable in Bethlehem and proclaimed the birth of the baby Jesus. The choir of angels declared Jesus’ lordship over all the earth. They were acknowledging what they already had experienced in heaven, as the Light of Jesus’ magnificent Presence had filled all of heaven with glorious divine Light.

So it is within the core of each believer. It’s Jesus who fills our hearts and minds with a Light that surpasses all other sources of illumination. Jesus declares this truth, in His own words, as found in John 8:12:

… “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”

If we follow Jesus, we will never walk in darkness. The darkness of sin, death, and Satan can no longer envelope us with a gloom that nothing else can dispel. Jesus brings a holy Light into our lives and enables us to share that Light with others. As we begin a new day, let’s rejoice that our pathway is clearly illuminated by our wonderful Savior and Lord. We can see the path because of the Light of His Presence in our lives.

 

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Spiritual Meddling

 

“Among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God's holy people.”

—Ephesians 5:3

Many years ago, I heard a particularly popular preacher from the denomination in which I grew up, the Erie Conference of the Evangelical United Brethren Church, preach a sermon that I considered quite masterful. He began by very gently recounting an incident in the life of Jesus, where our Lord encounters a Samaritan woman at the village well. You may know this story from John 4:1-42, so I will not repeat it here.

After delving deeply into the truth of this meeting between two very unlikely people, the preacher proceeded to ask the question:

“What sin do you think you have hidden in your life?”

And, with that question, the preacher turned to the writings of the Apostle Paul found in Ephesians 5:3:

Among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God's holy people.

After he had shared this rather stern warning, and spent some time developing the background for Paul’s admonition, the preacher paused and with a chuckle said:

“Now I know that some of you have begun to think, ‘That preacher has stopped preaching and now he’s gone to meddling!’”

I wonder how much spiritual “meddling” by a trusted leader we need, from time to time, in our lives. How often do we need to be reminded that, in the midst of a great outpouring of God’s love for us, He also wants those He has called to Himself to become more and more holy? Certainly, among His many other sterling qualities, God is the “Great Meddler,” insofar as our lives are concerned.

We may think we have sins that we have successfully hidden from the world. But, we cannot hide anything we do from God. He sees it all, knows it all, experiences it all—right along with us every single day of our lives.

As we begin a new day, let’s welcome God’s meddling in our lives. Let’s tell Him, as we talk with Him in prayer each day, that we invite His meddling and ask Him to keep us on the pathway that He wants us to follow. If we do that, the Holy Spirit will gladly nudge us when we slip off that pathway.

 

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Dispelling Darkness

 

“You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden.”

—Matthew 5:14

One minute you are drying off from your morning shower. The next minute… Poof! The lights go out.

“Nuts!” you shout. “The power’s out!”

You scramble to find your smartphone in the dark. Finding it, you click on the power company’s bookmark in your web browser. A few more clicks and you report the outage.

Yet, there you stand, in the total darkness of the windowless bathroom, dripping wet, with no light to see what you’re doing. You struggle to dry off, all the while you feel a rising resentment toward the relentless darkness.

“Why today of all days?” you ask in anger to no one in particular.

Then, there’s a knock on the bathroom door. Your wife gently opens the door and hands you a powerful flashlight that you keep charged for just such occasions. And, suddenly the darkness is dispelled with the press of a switch on the flashlight. Once again, you can see what you’re doing.

Actually, we live in a world darkened by ages upon ages of sinful behavior. The sins of all who have lived before us have compounded over the centuries. We have contributed to the darkness with our own sins. But, through the blood of Jesus, our sins have been cleansed. The Light of Christ’s Presence has flooded into our lives. Jesus spoke these words to His followers, as recorded in Matthew 5:14:

You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden.

We are the light of the world? Yes! We are! We are the ones God has chosen to dispel the darkness. We bring a holy Light streaming into the darkest corners of our culture. By means of the indwelling Holy Spirit, we shine Christ’s strong beam of holy Light, allowing Him to dispel the gloom of sin and death.

As we begin this new day, let’s not lose sight of our role in God’s plan. We are “Light-bearers.” We dispel darkness by allowing the Holy Spirit to transform every aspect of our being into lanterns of holiness. We are the light of the world!

 

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All Things Created Through Jesus

 

“He is before all things, and in him all things hold together.”

—Colossians 1:17

At the time of the year just passed, we think of Jesus as a baby born in a stable in Bethlehem. We imagine Him in the arms of His mother, Mary, with her adoring husband, Joseph, looking on in wonder. We hear the chorus of angels proclaim the birth of the Messiah to the shepherds watching their sheep on the hillside. Then, we see the shepherds arrive at the stable to honor the birth of the Messiah.

(Did you know that the word “Christ” is the New Testament Koine Greek word for “Messiah”? So, when we say, “Jesus the Christ,” we are saying, “Jesus the Messiah.”)

But, Jesus is so much more than a helpless baby wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger. He is God the Son. He is the Creator and Sustainer of all things. Notice what the Apostle Paul writes in Colossians 1:15-17:

The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together.

On this Inaugeration Day, many will celebrate the return of a national leader who will reverse the travesty of the last four years. But perhaps others will despair about some of our elected officials. No matter what you may think of them, they exist in their positions of power only because Jesus allows it. I know, I know, that is to some an almost unconscionable thought. Nevertheless, that is exactly what this passage of Scripture indicates. And, it is even clearer in the original New Testament Koine Greek language.

Now, we may not have any idea why God would want such ones in power. But, if we believe His written Word—and we who follow Jesus most cetainly do—then we have no other conclusion than to accept the reality that confronts us. The Apostle Paul further instructs us in 1 Timothy 2:1-3:

I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people—for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. This is good, and pleases God our Savior …

Jesus is the One through whom all things are created. And, all the more so, all things hold together. Every aspect of our universe continues to function as it does because of the holding-together power of Jesus. Every system on this earth continues to function as God intends it because of the holding-together power and conforming power of Jesus. Nothing man does can interfere with God’s divine power over all creation.

As we begin a new day, we can watch the sun rise and glorify God that He causes it to rise each day. We can proceed through the timeline of our day, knowing that every second is accountable to God. We can relax into His loving arms, knowing that He cares for us in such a loving way that nothing will befall us that is outside of His perfect will for us.

 

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Help Me! Please, Help Me!

 

“O Lord,… be not silent. Do not be far from me, O Lord. Awake, and rise to my defense! Contend for me, my God and Lord.”

—Psalm 35:22-23

When we get into trouble, we often cry out for help. There’s no shame in that. At least there shouldn’t be any shame in asking for someone to help us.

Over the last 26 years, since arthritis has crippled my ability to walk and climb stairs—and particularly in the last six years since I had my right leg amputated below the knee—I have occasionally lost my balance and found myself clinging to some object, unable to get upright again. In those moments of teetering on the brink of falling, I call out for help. Do I wish I did not need help? Of course I do. The hardest lesson I have had to learn is to ask for help without shame. Previously, I was always a very independent person. I was strong, sure-footed, and very mobile, in spite of my extreme obesity. Now, I need help far more often than my fragile ego can tolerate. But, I have no choice.

King David knew what it was to need help. He was a very strong, self-reliant person. After all, he not only protected his sheep from a lion and a bear, he was the one who killed the Philistine giant, Goliath. Nevertheless, David found himself in need of help and learned not to be ashamed to ask for it. Here are David’s words from Psalm 35:22-23:

O Lord,… be not silent. Do not be far from me, O Lord. Awake, and rise to my defense! Contend for me, my God and Lord.

David is saying:

“I can’t fight this battle alone, Lord. I need Your help. I need You to rise to the occasion and bring me aid.”

That this great warrior would be willing to ask for help when he needed it says a lot about him. And, it says even more about the One David is asking for help.

As we begin another day, we must not be ashamed to ask God for help. We cannot obediently follow God’s will for us without His help. That’s why God gives everyone who believes the indwelling Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is there to help us. We should eagerly seek His help whenever we need it. There is no shame in asking the Spirit to contend for us. After all, that’s one of the ways He shows us how very much He loves us.

 

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Shine Brightly

 

“Those who are wise will shine like the brightness of the heavens, and those who lead many to righteousness, like the stars for ever and ever.”

—Daniel 12:3

As a child who grew up in the 1950s, whenever I look up at the night sky, I can’t help but think of the tune “When You Wish Upon a Star.” ¹ This song written by Leigh Harline and Ned Washington for Walt Disney’s 1940 adaptation of Pinocchio was sung by Cliff Edwards in the character of “Jiminy Cricket.” You will likely remember the lyrics:

When you wish upon a star
Makes no difference who you are …
When you wish upon a star
Your dreams come true.

A sky full of shining stars holds a particular fascination for we earth-bound humans. The more we learn about the vast universe that surrounds our planet, the more we feel the enormity of God’s marvelous creation. The more we sense how far-reaching the universe really is, the more we recognize how blessed we are to have a personal relationship with the God who created all things.

The Christian artist, Sandi Patty, sings a wonderful song that contains these words: ²

Who filled the sky with radiant stars to glorify the night …
Almighty God! Almighty God!

The Prophet Daniel makes an interesting statement, as recorded in Daniel 12:3, regarding those who follow the pathway that God has opened up for them:

Those who are wise will shine like the brightness of the heavens, and those who lead many to righteousness, like the stars for ever and ever.

We may not think of ourselves as “brightly shining stars.” But, in God’s eyes, we are brilliant beams of His marvelous Light in this sin-darkened world. As we begin another day, let’s praise God that He continues to mold us into the image of His holiness—a task that we are completely unable to complete on our own. As we respond to the gentle nudgings of the Holy Spirit and strive to become more and more obedient to God’s revealed will, we will, indeed, become the shining stars that He wants us to be.

______________________

1  Harline, Leigh and Ned Washington. “When You Wish Upon a Star.” New York: Bourne Co. Music Publishers, 1940. Partial lyrics presented for Educational Fair Use illustration purposes only. Absolutely All Rights Reserved by the original Copyright Holder.

2  Nelson, Greg and Phill McHugh. “Almighty God.” Brentwood, TN: River Oaks Music Co./Shepherd’s Fold Music, 1982. Partial lyrics presented for Educational Fair Use illustration purposes only. Absolutely All Rights Reserved by the original Copyright Holder.

 

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Glory and Praise

 

“I will praise God’s name in song and glorify him with thanksgiving.”

—Psalm 69:30

Whenever we really like someone and hold that one in high esteem, if someone asks us we usually become very quick to share all of the positive things we know about that person. We readily do this because giving honor and praise to this one we hold dear tends to often reflect back on us, as well.

God has graciously allowed me to have the opportunity in my life to become friends with a few truly important people. I have never taken advantage of these relationships and consider myself very fortunate to have had the privilege of knowing these individuals. Some of them have contributed greatly to Christ and His Kingdom. Others have allowed the presence of Christ in their minds and hearts to very positively influence their work lives and their personal lives.

When it seems helpful and appropriate, I have spoken well of these individuals, just as I routinely speak well of all the people God has brought into my life. I imagine you have done the very same thing. We genuinely tend to enjoy telling others the good things about the people who are important to us.

King David felt the very same way we do. David enjoyed greatly giving honor and praise to someone whom he felt was extremely important to his daily life—someone David considered a dearly loved friend and companion. He captures this practice in these words he wrote in Psalm 69:30:

I will praise God’s name in song and glorify him with thanksgiving.

David freely praised God’s name and gave glory to Him. David did this because God meant so very much to him on the most intimate and personal level. That’s the way we, who belong to God through His Son Jesus, should feel, as well. The fact that we belong to God is the most important relationship we have. God’s great importance to us should prompt us to glorify and praise Him for who He is.

At the beginning of this new day, let’s not hesitate to tell others how much God means to us. Let’s freely share all of the wonderful qualities He has shown us in our relationship with Him. And, let’s recognize that praising God and giving Him glory also reflects back onto us. His divine Presence in our lives gives us a “holy glow” that He uses to draw others to Himself. And, that, dear ones, is an amazing and wonderful part of our reality.

 

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The Kindly Look of Jesus

 

“Though the Lord is exalted, he looks kindly on the lowly; though lofty, he sees them from afar.”

—Psalm 138:6

Have you ever walked through the streets of a large city at dusk and passed groups of homeless people as they began to gather in a place where they will spend the night? Different individuals have quite different reactions when they view these people who are down on their luck.

Whenever I encounter homeless people, I wonder how Jesus would respond to them. In that moment, I feel shame that I often am afraid of them and I recognize that what I am feeling would not be how my Lord would feel. He would feel compassion, concern, and deep love. Most of us find it very hard to love the unlovely.

In many ways, I actually consider myself “unlovable” by my fellow humans—at the same time, I know God loves me. In spite of how I feel about myself, when faced with people who have descended to a place where they never anticipated they would end up, to my sadness I do not immediately respond with the same compassion, concern, and love that Jesus would feel toward these ones.

When we meet people at the crossroads of life, one of the things we must learn as Christians is to set aside our preconceived notions, our predispositions, and our prejudices. We need the eyes of our Savior to see these ones—ones He would consider dear—as He would see them. King David captured this very thought when he wrote these words found in Psalm 138:6:

Though the Lord is exalted, he looks kindly on the lowly; though lofty, he sees them from afar.

The very fact that, even from the lofty heights of His eternal home, God sees the lowly and looks kindly on them should motivate us to do the same. We should applaud those whom God has called to specifically work with the downtrodden in this world. At the same time, we should be willing to follow in the footsteps of Jesus and extend His love to everyone who crosses our pathway, even those individuals who make us feel uncomfortable.

Let’s begin this new day by asking God to soften our hearts toward those to whom He would use us, in order to extend His lovingkindness and tender mercies. We will represent our Great King in a much better way if we take on His heart and extend His love to everyone, no matter what their current circumstances might be.

 

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Shining Like Stars

 

“Do everything without complaining or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe.”

—Philippians 2:14-15

I am told that in most families with more than one child, the children vie for the attention of their mom and dad, grandmas and grandpas. They do this in a spirit of sibling rivalry or unabashed competition. I am also told that this is quite natural and helps build character into the children.

As an only adopted child, I did not have the “luxury” of experiencing this character-building experience. It could very well be that my very awkward socialization stems from this defect. In any case, I know that when we try to transfer this human experience to the spiritual, we run into a bit of trouble.

God does not respond to a group of His children clamoring for His attention. He is everywhere present and has His eyes and His ears on every single one of His dearly loved children. He knows what we need and what we desire. No amount of discord between children will earn any more of His attention or favor. The Apostle Paul clearly stated the essence of this in Philippians 2:14-15:

Do everything without complaining or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe.

As we begin a new day, let’s keep in mind that complaining or arguing will buy us absolutely nothing in the Kingdom of God. Rather, devotion to the pathway that God has laid out before us through the indwelling Holy Spirit—a pathway that leads to holiness—will bring the kind of star power that lasts for all eternity.

 

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Hope from the Written Word of God

 

“For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through endurance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.”

—Romans 15:4

For many years, the Bible has occupied the proper place as the number one selling book in all of literature. In fact, according to the Guinness World Records, the Bible is the best-selling book of all time, with between five and seven billion copies printed, sold, and distributed. Yet, in spite of this appropriate accolade, the fact remains that many Bibles sit on bookshelves, or on coffee tables, or on nightstands, or in some other place where they are seldom, if ever, opened and read. That’s truly a shame. Why? Because the Bible contains the marvelous and exciting story of God’s relationship with the humans He has created. And, because the Bible is the greatest message of hope ever provided for the consumption of humankind. The Apostle Paul specifically declares these encouraging words, found in Romans 15:4:

For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through endurance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.

Our great hope comes from the reality recorded in God’s written Word, the Bible. We are most foolish if we do not take advantage of what the Bible has to share with us. Let’s begin this new day by determining to read our Bibles, to cherish what we read, and put what we read into practice, sharing the hope we find on its pages. If we do that, we will greatly improve our own lives and greatly improve the world around us.

 

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God is Close at Hand

 

“The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.”

—Psalm 34:18

As we move forward into the middle of the month of January, we look back on the holiday season we just passed through. Hooray! We survived! All across the United States, and even around the world, people scurried to fill their holiday season with hustle and bustle of buying gifts, decorating, attending parties, celebrating with family and friends, and generally having a glorious time. But, in the midst of all this noise and celebration, there are always those of us who have a tinge of sadness during that season of the year. We recognize that not every Christmas memory is one of joy or excitement. Yet, we do not want to “rain” on the holiday parade of others.

As I’ve shared on this blog previously, in mid-December of 1981, my dearly loved dad died suddenly of a massive heart attack at the age of 74. Four years and just one day later in 1985, my blessed and deeply loved mom also died suddenly of a cerebral hemorrhage at the age of 81. They have obviously been gone for many, many years. Yet, from time to time, particularly as an only adopted child, I feel the awful weight of their sudden deaths invade my spirit. It makes the Christmas holdays a time that is framed with a sense of grief and loss. In this, I know I am not alone.

One of the enormous blessings of being a child of God through the loving sacrifice of God’s one and only Son, Jesus, is that I know God understands my grief. After all, He watched His totally blameless Son die on the cruel Roman cross of torture on Mount Calvary, all the while knowing that Jesus was dying in place of humans whom God had chosen to belong to Himself. This is a grief—God’s grief—that we simply cannot imagine. In responding to such a loving and self-sacrificing God, King David wrote these words, as found in Psalm 34:18:

The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.

What a comforting thought: God is close to those who are crushed in spirit. As we begin another day, let’s be mindful that there are those around us—not only at Christmastime, but all through the year—who are dealing with grief and loss. We can be very helpful to them by letting them know that God understands their grief and so do we. We can be a genuine source of comfort to them now and all through this year that has just begun.

 

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Rich in Every Way

 

“You will be made rich in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God.”

—2 Corinthians 9:11

Do you ever dream of becoming wealthy? I’m not talking about coveting the wealth of someone you observe. I asking if, in your dreams, you ever experience a scenario where you become wealthy?

I’m not at all certain why this dream of mine persists. But, I quite frequently dream that I somehow come into a very large sum of money—856 million dollars, to be exact. I have no idea where that particular very specific amount originates. I was raised in a very modest circumstance. My family was even quite poor financially. While I have done reasonably well during my adult life, I have certainly not acquired what could be considered even mediocre wealth.

Yet, somehow this dream keeps cropping up. In this dream, with God’s guidance, I give most of this large sum away to organizations and friends who could genuinely use this money for good. I report this not to puff myself up by showing how generous and magnanimous I am, but rather I share this simply to illustrate the way this dream of mine plays out. After all, it is only a dream—in fact, it is certainly a very silly dream.

While we tend to judge wealth in financial terms, as children of God, we actually possess a wealth that extends well beyond any measure that mere money can provide. In writing to the Christians gathered at Corinth, the Apostle Paul made this declaration in 2 Corinthians 9:11:

You will be made rich in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God.

Did you ever think about the fact that each act of generosity on the part of those who follow Jesus results in a declaration of praise and thanksgiving to God? What Paul writes rings true. And, when he speaks of generosity, Paul is not only talking about giving gifts of cash. He is actually talking about giving of ourselves to help meet the needs of others. In fact, Jesus Himself would agree that it is better to do an act of kindness and generosity as a way to keep Him central in our celebration of His birth, life, suffering, death, resurrection, and ascension.

Let’s begin another new day by determining to focus on the things in our lives that really matter. By showing God’s love in every possible way, we will indeed: “be made rich in every way.”

 

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Call Evil to Account

 

“Break the arm of the wicked and evil man; call him to account for his wickedness that would not be found out.”

—Psalm 10:15

Looking around in our present world it often appears that evil is winning. There is so much corruption and evil prevailing around us that it is easy to lose sight of the fact that God is still in charge. We can become quite easily discouraged by the coarseness of our society and the godless ways in which people treat each other. Then, of course, there is the hyper-sexuality, drug addiction, broken marriages, damaged families, hurtful relationships, corruption in government, and a host of other problems that seem to plague our age.

In the time of great distress, where the prevalence of evil seems almost overwhelming, it is appropriate to turn to God and share with Him the sorrow we feel. That is exactly what the Psalmist did, as recorded in Psalm 10. This is his lament that begins:

Why, Lord, do you stand far off? Why do you hide yourself in times of trouble? In his arrogance the wicked man hunts down the weak, who are caught in the schemes he devises.

Having poured out his lament to God, the Psalmist seems to become buoyed in his spirit and transitions to a prayer for justice that includes these words from Psalm 10:15:

Break the arm of the wicked and evil man; call him to account for his wickedness that would not be found out.

We may not always feel comfortable praying such a prayer. But, we could also say: “Good enough for the Psalmist, good enough for us.” Of course, we want to pray for the salvation of all those who seem consumed by evil. Yet, when God does act to bring justice, we should not be at all surprised.

As we begin a new day, let’s not forget that God remains in charge of all things. He also is a holy God and a God of justice. While He does extend mercy to those ones He draws to Himself, He also metes out justice to those who persist in evil. It’s important for us to not be surprised when God does act, even if His justice may seem harsh to some. He will, from time to time, remind all people that He is all-powerful and holy.

 

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All Things New

 

“See, I will create new heavens and a new earth. The former things will not be remembered, nor will they come to mind.”

—Isaiah 65:17

One of the joys of a new year comes when we turn a page and see before us 365 blank pages on which to write a new history of our lives. We put aside the trials and discouragements of the previous year and we move forward with great hope that tomorrow will be much better than yesterday. Even when we have problems that persist in our lives, there is something about the beginning of a new year that gives us hope. And, that is a very good characteristic of a new year. It always seems like it is a time of new beginnings.

For “Christ’s-ones”—those who believe in the life-transforming power of the living Lord Jesus Christ—we have the promise of a new beginning always before us. God is the God of New Beginnings. Just as He has washed away our sin with the blood of His one and only Son, Jesus, so He will continually renew us in our inner being. The Holy Spirit offers daily refreshment for our souls. Speaking through the Prophet Isaiah, God also promises the ultimate in new beginnings when He transforms our current sin-filled world into an ever-new eternal Kingdom. Notice what God says, as recorded in Isaiah 65:17:

“See, I will create new heavens and a new earth. The former things will not be remembered, nor will they come to mind.”

As Christians, our hope not only rests in the beginning of each new year, it also resides in our hope for eternity. God is, even now, preparing us for an eternal life where all things will become new. Let’s cling to that hope, as we begin this new day, this new month, and especially this new year.

 

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God Declares His Name

 

“I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty.”

—Revelation 1:8

Whether or not you’ve spent a lifetime in church, or just walked through life immersed in cultural references, you’ve likely heard of the phrase “the burning bush.” In case you’re not familiar with this incident in the life of the Patriarch Moses, let me share it with you from Exodus 3:

Now Moses was tending the flock of Jethro his father-in-law, the priest of Midian, and he led the flock to the far side of the wilderness and came to Horeb, the mountain of God. There the angel of the Lord appeared to him in flames of fire from within a bush. Moses saw that though the bush was on fire it did not burn up. So Moses thought, “I will go over and see this strange sight—why the bush does not burn up.”

When the Lord saw that he had gone over to look, God called to him from within the bush, “Moses! Moses!”

And Moses said, “Here I am.”

“Do not come any closer,” God said. “Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy ground.” Then he said, “I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob.” At this, Moses hid his face, because he was afraid to look at God.

The Lord said, “I have indeed seen the misery of my people in Egypt. I have heard them crying out because of their slave drivers, and I am concerned about their suffering. So I have come down to rescue them from the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them up out of that land into a good and spacious land, a land flowing with milk and honey—the home of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites. And now the cry of the Israelites has reached me, and I have seen the way the Egyptians are oppressing them. So now, go. I am sending you to Pharaoh to bring my people the Israelites out of Egypt.”

But Moses said to God, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?”

And God said, “I will be with you. And this will be the sign to you that it is I who have sent you: When you have brought the people out of Egypt, you will worship God on this mountain.”

Moses said to God, “Suppose I go to the Israelites and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’ and they ask me, ‘What is his name?’ Then what shall I tell them?”

God said to Moses, “I am who I am. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: ‘I am has sent me to you.’”

God also said to Moses, “Say to the Israelites, ‘The Lord, the God of your fathers—the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob—has sent me to you.’

“This is my name forever, the name you shall call me from generation to generation.

“Go, assemble the elders of Israel and say to them, ‘The Lord, the God of your fathers—the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob—appeared to me and said: I have watched over you and have seen what has been done to you in Egypt. And I have promised to bring you up out of your misery in Egypt into the land of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites—a land flowing with milk and honey.’

“The elders of Israel will listen to you. Then you and the elders are to go to the king of Egypt and say to him, ‘The Lord, the God of the Hebrews, has met with us. Let us take a three-day journey into the wilderness to offer sacrifices to the Lord our God.’ But I know that the king of Egypt will not let you go unless a mighty hand compels him. So I will stretch out my hand and strike the Egyptians with all the wonders that I will perform among them. After that, he will let you go.

“And I will make the Egyptians favorably disposed toward this people, so that when you leave you will not go empty-handed. Every woman is to ask her neighbor and any woman living in her house for articles of silver and gold and for clothing, which you will put on your sons and daughters. And so you will plunder the Egyptians.”

One of the most interesting aspects of this incident in Moses’ life—at least interesting to me—occurs when Moses asks God what God’s name is. That’s a reasonable thing to do. We are known by our name. Think about it. Even the people who know us the very best, identify us by our names. In fact, our names are a short-form abbreviation for our reputation. If people know us by our name, they also associate our reputations with those names.

So, if God is sending Moses to make an almost unbelievable request of the Egyptians, to whom the people of Israel are enslaved, it is quite understandable that Moses wants to identify the One sending him on this scary assignment. By reporting the name of the One who has sent him, Moses can somewhat insulate himself from at least part of the wrath that will surely result from this request.

God’s answer to Moses is equally fascinating to me. God says, as recorded in Exodus 3:14:

“I am who I am. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: ‘I am has sent me to you.’”

Ponder God’s answer for just a moment. God identifies Himself as:

“I am who I am.”

In other words:

“I am the person I have always been, the person that I am at this present moment, and the person I always will be for all eternity.”

In these few short words, God declares His eternal existence. As difficult as it may be for our poor finite minds to comprehend, God has always been who He is. And, He will always be who He is, as time reaches out toward eternity.

Throughout Scripture, God affirms His name:

“I am who I am.”

In speaking to the Apostle John, God makes this statement found in Revelation 1:8:

“I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty.”

You probably realize that the letters Alpha and Omega are the first and last letters of the New Testament Koine Greek alphabet. Just as young pre-school children learn to say: “A, B, C, D, E, F, G …” so young children in the first century A.D. learned to say: “Alpha, Beta, Gamma, Delta, Epsilon, Zeta, Eta, Theta, Iota, Kappa, Lambda, Mu, Nu …” all the way to “Omega.” By identifying Himself with the beginning and ending of the New Testament Koine Greek alphabet, God illustrates, in a very concrete way, that He is both the beginning and ending of all things.

Then, God seals this description by repeating a phrase similar to the phrase He used with Moses:

“ …who is, and was, and who is to come, the Almighty.”

Effectively, God says to John:

“Let there be no confusion. I am the one and only true God. I created all things and by my hand all things exist. When I speak to you in the moments that lie ahead, you can count on the truthfulness and accuracy of what I have to say.”

As we continue to move further into another year on the calendar, let’s remain conscious of the fact that in this time of transition—and in every moment of every day of our lives, both now and in the life to come—God is still the same. He has always been, He is now, and He ever will be. He created us. He sustains us. He loves us. He extends His grace to us. He grants us His mercy. That reality should become the anchor point of our lives.

 

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Un-yielded Glory

 

“I am the Lord; that is my name! I will not yield my glory to another or my praise to idols.”

—Isaiah 42:8

One thing we learn from the earliest study of Scripture is that God protects the glory of His name and will not yield that glory to any other person or any other thing. That’s why it is so important to understand that the glory Jesus receives comes only because He is, in fact, God the Son. Jesus not only bears the image of God—the imago Dei—He is God. As the second person of the Holy Trinity, Jesus has all of the attributes of God, the One in Three.

Jesus declared this when He said, as recorded in John 10:30:

“I and the Father are one.”

It should come as no surprise that centuries before Jesus was born in Bethlehem, the Prophet Isaiah declared these words from God in Isaiah 42:8:

“I am the Lord; that is my name! I will not yield my glory to another or my praise to idols.”

God retains His glory. He does not yield it to another. That’s why our modern practice of making so many other things, or people, “gods” has such a destructive manifestation in our society. Nothing steals God’s glory. Not sports, nor houses, nor cars, nor family, nor—you can name whatever you wish. Nothing steals God’s glory.

So, at the beginning of this new day in this New Year, we should determine to remember that God must have the first place in our hearts and minds. He must always be preeminent. His glory cannot be shared and will not be shared.

God retains His glory. We bask in the Light of His divine Presence because He has chosen us before the foundation of the earth to belong to Himself. He sheds His mercy, grace, and love on us in great abundance. And, the reflection of His glory surrounding us directs our pathway.

 

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Another New Beginning

 

“Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might, for in the realm of the dead, where you are going, there is neither working nor planning nor knowledge nor wisdom.”

—Ecclesiastes 9:10

Many years ago, when I was an eight-year-old boy back in 1955, my father gave me a small pocket perpetual calendar that he recieved as a bonus gift for renewing a well-regarded scientific magazine. This perpetual calendar allowed one to examine the days and dates of any particular month from the mid-1700s through the year 2024. From the vantage point of 1955, the year 2024 seemed like an inconceivable period of time in the far-distant future.

I have faithfully carried that calendar in my wallet for all of these intervening years. Fifty years ago, I had it laminated so that it could stand the wear-and-tear of time. Just today, I finally removed this perpetual calendar from my wallet because it no longer applies. The year 2024 has come to an end.

Now, as another new year begins, please seriously consider heeding these wise words found recorded in Ecclesiastes 9:10:

Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might, for in the realm of the dead, where you are going, there is neither working nor planning nor knowledge nor wisdom.

For followers of the Lord Jesus Christ, the realm of our death will be the eternity that God has provided for us through the birth, life, suffering, death, burial, resurrection, and ascension of His precious Son, our Savior, Lord, and King. Nevertheless, while we are alive on this earth, the admonition of the Scripture passage quoted above still applies. We do well whenever we apply ourselves to the tasks that God gives us with the strength and determination of all our might. Doing so will honor the trust that God has placed in us.

 

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