Romans 12:9-13...part one

For the blog today, I am going to share how I worked through the passage in Lectio Divina style.

Read - I start out by quietly sitting in my office chair and trying to "still" my mind. I like to turn on my fan because the ambient noise drowns out the other office noise around me. I close my eyes and focus on emptying my mind. Today there are thoughts about what I need to do later bouncing around in my head, and I mentally chase them down and get rid of them. "I will deal with you later," I say to each thing that pops into my mind, "This is my time with God." When there are particularly annoying things that keep coming into mind, I start to say the name of "Jesus" over and over...I call on the help of God and ask Him to fill my mind so that nothing else can intrude. Once I get to a place of peace and quiet internally, I slowly read through the passage out loud a few times. It is actually more difficult for me to read out loud and still comprehend the passage, so I also read through it silently a few times. There is one phrase from the passage that I cannot get out of my head. Each time I read through it, "Be devoted to one another in love" jumps off the page at me. I know that God really wants me to hear these words today.

Meditate - Because I will be contemplating this passage all week, instead of meditating on the entire passage, I spend time meditating on the simple phrase that jumped out at me before - "Be devoted to one another in love." I think about this very short verse from every angle that I can. What does it mean to be devoted? It means - committed, faithful, loyal, dedicated. What does it mean to devote yourself to something? It means that you are willing to sacrifice other things so that you can focus on the one thing that you are going to devote yourself to. To devote yourself to another person is to make sacrifices to ensure that the relationships grows in a healthy way. What does "one another" mean? Specifically in this passage I believe it means fellow Christians. Paul is not just saying that we can commit ourselves to our spouses (We should be doing that anyway!) or people who are just like us - we are supposed to be committed to fellow Christians. I spend some time thinking about whether or not I live a life devoted to fellow Christians. I think that I often devote myself to the work of ministry, but not necessarily other Christians. That doesn't sit well with me. What is love? The Greek word for love used in this passage is the world "philadelphia," which means brotherly love. This is a love that Christians should have for one another. This is a love that causes us to live our lives like Christ. This is a servant love. This is a sacrificial love. Love is about commitment and not affection. It is about dedication and not about warm fuzzy feelings. This is a love that says, I am going to put your needs ahead of my own.

Pray - After meditating on the passage, I spend some time in prayer. I pray that God will really drive the message of this passage into my heart and out through my life. I pray that I will be a better and more dedicated friend. I pray for the strength to open up to people outside of my family and to love more deeply. I also spend some time praying for the rest of the day, but I will not list those prayers here.

Contemplate - To close out the Lectio Divina, I once again sit quietly. I ask God to take everything I have read/thought about this morning and give me a direct challenge. I want to become more Christ-like on a daily basis, and to do so I must be in-tune with what God is calling me to be. I need to listen for His voice...focus on the way He is moving and shaping my heart. I ask Him to meet me and to speak to me, and His truth comes through with great clarity...

I have got to be a better friend. I fill my life with so much ministry work...so many extracurricular family activities...so much "veg" time in front of some sort of technological device...that I am not devoted myself to my Christian brothers as I should (I'll leave the devoting to Christian sisters to my wife...it's less awkward that way!). There are so many times when I have been unwilling to make sacrifices in my life, so that I could pour into another person's life. My comfort...my laziness...my whatever...get in the way and keep me from being a Christ-like friend. God is calling me to truly care about what is going on in the lives of my friends. To truly care, I have to spend time with them. To truly care, I have to listen...really listen, not just wait for my turn to talk about my stuff. I have to care more about what is going on in their lives, then what is going on in my life...and that is so hard for me. God is calling me once again to be a living sacrifice. To sacrifice my time, my selfishness, my comfort...so that I can be a true friend.  

Romans 12:3-8...Part One

Verse 3...

Why does Paul say that it is because of the grace given to him that he is going to speak to his audience? Well first of all, what is grace? In my mind it is undeserved forgiveness and love. Grace was shown to us by Jesus dying on the cross. He paid the price for our sins...he took away our shame...we did nothing to save ourselves. That is incredible grace. So why does "grace" enable Paul to speak tough words of warning ("Don't think too highly of yourself")? He wants the people reading his letter to know that he is coming from a place of grace...he is addressing them with love not judgment. His warning about not being arrogant is born from love, with the best interest of his audience at heart. Paul is saying, "Hey, I know what it is to be forgiven...I know what it is to be showered in the mercy of God. Because of that, I want you to know that I am speaking to you as one flawed person to another. And as one screw up to another, here is what you need to hear - don't be a self-absorbed idiot. People obsessed with themselves deny their need for God's grace and refuse to use their gifts to serve the kingdom of God." (Brandon paraphrase, obviously) In healthy Christian community, followers of Jesus should be able to speak hard truth to one another in love. They should be able to say tough things from a place of mercy, and they should be able to hear tough things graciously. Is that what your community looks like?



We should be able to look at our own lives with a sober judgment that is born from our faith? What does that mean? What does that look like? Well, first of all, it is a judgement that grows out of faith - so what is faith? Hebrews 11:1 tells us very clearly, "Faith is being sure of what you hope for an certain of what you do not see." Faith is having certainty in God...it is understanding that this world is not our home - this is not our end goal. Faith is understanding what really matters. So how does faith drive sober judgment of ourselves? When you have a foundation of true faith, you can look at your life honestly. Faith helps to remove the defensive pride that often blinds us to the flaws within our own character. Sober judgment that comes from faith makes it so that you don't have to be right...you don't have to be selfish...you can be honest about who you are and where you fit in the workings of the Body of Christ. Why? Because your faith in God has showed you who you are - you are not in a constant competition to be better than everyone else...to prove your worth...because you know what you are worth to God. Faith offers us the freedom to look honestly at ourselves and to see what needs work and to understand how deeply we need God's mercy. When you look at life through the eyes of faith, you can ask other people for help...you can celebrate other peoples' victories...everything is not a competition - you can function in community! It is a beautiful thing.

Romans 12:1-2...Day Four

"Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will..."

I got an e-mail from a friend the other day, who had just read through Romans 12:1-2,  asking, "Does this mean that God needs our approval? That doesn't sound right." There is a good reason that doesn't sound right...it isn't right! I think we can all agree that God does not need the approval of mankind. So what is this verse talking about?

Let's review what we have been talking about all week...
- When you experience God's mercy truly, it changes you
- This mercy drives people to lay down their own life to live fully for God
- Living sacrifices refuse to buy into the lies of the world and allow themselves to be shaped by God's love
- When you live like this, you are walking in God's will

But what about all that testing and approving of God's will stuff? Well, when you are walking in God's will...experiencing His will...seeing His will for your life...you WILL approve of it. It is that plain and simple. God does not need your approval. In fact, this verse does not say that we will "give our approval"...it simply says, "You will approve." That is the only response possible when you really experience what it is like to walk in God's will. Approval is the only option because God's will is good...God's will is pleasing...God's will is perfect. Those are the facts about what God's will is, so it is understandable that when human beings come in contact with it they respond with approval. There is no other possible response, because His will is flawless.

God's will is right. We were made to be in God's will...God's will is our home...it is where we belong and we will know when we get there.

Romans 12:1-2...Day Three

"Do not conform."

"But be transformed."

6 very powerful words...6 words that have really been challenging me this week. Here are some of the thoughts that came from my time in contemplation today - I would love to read some of your thoughts on this passage as well...

It all goes back to God's mercy. God's mercy is undeserved...it is amazing...it is awe-inspiring...it is transformational. To think that we loved like the Bible describes by the Creator of all things is overwhelming to say the least.

When we come in contact with that incredible mercy, we cannot help but offer ourselves as living sacrifices. It is the only suitable response. What else can we give...what else can we do before such love and mercy? We offer ourselves. We become living sacrifices. This is not a one time deal, it is a continual process of sacrificing my way for His way - because the incredible depth and value of His way demands it.

Being a living sacrifice means that you do not conform to the world. Why? Because conforming is all about self-worship...not God worship. Conforming is denying who God created you to be by trying to become something that the lies of this world have convinced you will make you happy...will satisfy you...will fulfill your deepest desires. Conforming is the opposite of sacrifice...conforming is selfishness. Conforming is saying, "God you don't know what you are doing. You don't know what is best for my life. Becoming just like everyone else is what I need to be happy." That is conformity and it is a one way ticket to empty brokenness, yet we all find a way of spending time on that train!

Living sacrifices allow themselves to be transformed by the loving mercy of God. They allow God's love to fill them...to show them the truth about who they are. The lies of the world absolutely shatter when they come in contact with the solidity of God's grace. Have you let that grace fill you and shape you and direct you?

Romans 12:1-2...Day Two

"Offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God - this is your true and proper worship."

I couldn't get this section of our passage out of my head today. Such meaning and power and truth is carried in these few words...

First, did you notice how the plural of "bodies" becomes a single living sacrifice? What does that mean for us as Christians? For me it is a reminder that we are not alone. So many Christians act as if their faith is simply a matter of their own individual relationship with God. Some of them believe that they do not need community...that they are fine operating as loner Christians who only need God. Guess what? That is not the picture painted in the New Testament. The earliest Christian writers saw Christianity as a communal experience...saw faith as a product of people in community offering their lives to the one true God. We must rely on each other...push one another...love one another...that is how we will be able to most effectively offer ourselves sacrificially to God.

Second, the word "holy" really stands out to me. Holy means to be "set apart." The act of becoming a living sacrifice is about setting ourselves apart...setting ourselves aside for God - to please God. We are called to set ourselves in opposition to a culture and world that is absolutely at war with God. That doesn't mean that we live in Christian compounds and have no contact with the world - that would remove the light that is so desperately needed. What it means is that we are supposed to be a culture within a culture. A holy people in the midst of an unholy world...shining as a beacon of truth and light.

Third, why is sacrificing ourselves so "pleasing" to God? Because, greater love has no one then he/she who would lay their lives down for a friend. Self sacrifice is the ultimate picture of love held up for us by scripture. When we offer ourselves as living sacrifices, we are laying down our lives completely for God. We are saying that there is nothing more important than Him...that He is the absolute and total love of our lives...that nothing matters more - not money, not sex, not power, not fulfillment, not achievement - NOTHING! My daily self sacrifice is an act of devotion towards God. When I set myself apart...when I refuse to bow to the temptations of this world...when I deny my own selfish desires to more fully serve God...my life becomes a love song to Him. He deserves so much more, but all I have to give is all that I am. That is how we say, "I love you" to the God who loves us, and that is why it pleases Him.

Finally, this definition of "worship" seems so different then what we usually believe. Worship is not simply about singing songs, dancing for joy, listening to sermons or anything else on the Christian checklist. Dying. Dying is our true and proper worship. Dying to self and living for God on a daily basis...what could possibly be a more meaningful act of worship? What could possibly show our love for God more?

Romans 12:1-2...Day One

After reading through this weeks passage in the Lectio Divina fashion, one phrase was burned into my mind..."God's mercy." As Paul writes, laying out a pattern for Christian living, it all hinges on God's mercy. What is God's mercy? It is God's unrelenting, never-failing love for us. It is the way that God pursues you and me - broken, sinful, screwed up people. He just keeps loving us...He doesn't give up on us...He offers forgiveness that is like nothing we can fully comprehend...He died for us. The Creator God of the universe felt such love for His creation that He was willing to become one of us. Not only was He willing to become one of us, but He was willing to die at the hands of people He had created so that we could receive forgiveness. That is mercy!

Paul lays it all out for us - nice and simple...
- God's mercy drives us to become living sacrifices.
- Living sacrifices are people who do not conform to the ways of this world.
- Living sacrifices are people who are transformed by the love of God and the Way of Jesus.
- And when we offer ourselves as living sacrifices, we will be able to see God's will for our lives.
That's Christianity 101 right there!

Today God has burned into my heart the desperate need I have for His mercy. When I contemplate my life...when I think about the things I live for and chase after, I can see the lies of the world creeping in. There are cultural values and lies that go against the heart of God that are leaking into my heart and shaping my life. Can you see them too? The worldly values that you have allowed to come between you and truly faithful living? What are they - think about it? As Christians we must allow the incredible mercy of God to overwhelm our souls...to transform our minds...to fill our hearts. Then we will be able to see the emptiness of the things of the world and the beauty of the will of God for our lives.

Genesis 46, Job 12, Mark and Romans 16

Romans Chapter 16 - I have been tempted in my Bible reading over the years to quickly skip through the end of the letters written in the New Testament. They are often lists of names and personal greeting given to people we do not know, and it can sometimes seem irrelevant to our lives. But I think we can learn a lot and be greatly challenged by the personal interactions between the earliest Christians that we can read as these letters close out. Romans, especially, has some interesting information for us to digest. The first person Paul mentions in his closing is a woman, which is VERY strange in the first century. The first person thanked is given a position of honor that was generally only reserved for men in their ancient society. She is also called a servant, which is "diakonos" in the original Greek...a word from which we get our church leadership title - deacon. Phoebe is clearly a leader in the church and holds a position of influence and respect that would have been shocking in the male dominated first-century. A little further down in the letter Paul mentions Junia as as a kinsmen and fellow prisoner for the Gospel of Jesus. In all of ancient Greek literature, Junia is only ever used as a feminine name. Junia is a woman. The word the ESV translates as "kinsmen" is actually "apostolos" from the Greek which is usually translated as apostle. Paul is saying that this woman Junia is a fellow apostle and prisoner for the Lord...her imprisonment is most certainly based on teaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ to others (which is what keeps getting Paul thrown in prison). Apparently, Junia is a preacher of the Gospel, whom Paul considers to be a peer. These revelations are culture shattering for the ancient world. So often Christians are labeled as chauvinists and out of touch and irrelevant by the secular culture around us, but what we need to understand is that Christianity was at the forefront of breaking down the barriers for women in this world. The revolutionary way that Jesus treated women gave them a foundation for the meaningful place they have taken in church and world history. We need to make sure we are not getting hung up on the gender of the Christians around us, but that we are providing opportunities for men and women to serve in a manner that makes best use of the giftedness that God has given them. 

Genesis 45, Job 11, Mark and Romans 15

Genesis chapter 45 and Mark 15 have a common theme that speaks very powerfully to me - undeserved forgiveness. Joseph sees the brothers who tried to kill him - they threw him in a well...they sold him into slavery - and he shows them grace. They fear him because of his power in Egypt...they fear that he will exact revenge on them (I mean, that's how people operate right? Eye for eye and so on...) and they slink back from him. Yet he tells them right out, in such a show of strength and faithfulness, that what they had meant for evil was used by God to bring good. In fact, Joseph could see that God had brought him into that position in Egypt so that he would be able to guide Pharaoh, to store food for the drought, so that that Joseph could feed the Hebrew people and keep God's covenant with Abraham alive! How is that for forward thinking? Joseph has seen the way that God works through even people's evil choices and he forgives them.

In Mark 15 we see the ultimate example of undeserved forgiveness. Jesus is slaughtered on the cross. We know that Jesus tearfully asked God for another path in the garden of Gethsemane, but God the Father said, "No," Jesus would have to be crucified...crushed under our sinfulness...and separated from God - cut of from the community of Himself that he had known eternally. Yet he went through this terrible ordeal...he offered himself up as the sacrificial lamb because he loves us. Romans 5:8 tells us that, "God shows his great love for us, in that, while we were still sinners Christ died for us," We were not good people that needed a little help. We were not faithful friends that anyone would die for. We were the enemies of God when Christ offered himself in our place. Jesus accepted death on the cross because he knew that God was going to use this horrific incident to bring greater good than had ever been known.

Jesus offered himself to bring us salvation. Joseph offered forgiveness because he could see God at work in the terrible things that had been done to him. What about you? Is there some kind of hatred  you are harboring...some kind of anger at someone else that is eating you up inside...some kind of desire for vengeance? I know there are some horrible things that happen to people in this world...God knows that too - He has experienced them...but can you open your eyes enough to see how God is working through even the evil choices of other people. Can you place your trust in God and offer forgiveness where you never thought it was possible...where it is undeserved?

Genesis 43, Job 9, Mark and Romans 13

Romans 13 offers those of us who live in the Unite States some very timely commentary about governing authorities. Paul tells us to live in submission to the authorities that have been out over is...to show respect to the officials who are in charge. We just had a presidential election and it seems that a good many Christians have not spent much time pondering Paul's words here. There is all kinds of talk of secession...there is tons of complaining...anger...fear...none of which seems to reflect Paul's instructions in Romans chapter 13. Paul was writing to a people who had very little say in how their empire was run...the everyday people of Roman were expected to accept the decisions of their Emperors and Senators with no real hope of ever having their voices heard. The leaders of Rome were pagan idol worshippers or politically-spiritual atheists, yet Paul demanded that the Roman Christians honor those leaders because they were being used in God's plan. While it may be difficult to understand how God works out His will through power-hungry men and women who do not humble themselves before Him...our faith in God as the ruler and sustainer of all demands that we accept the leaders that have been put in authority over us. Here in the U.S. we actually get a say...we have it so much better than the Romans Christians did. We should be joyfully celebrating the freedoms we have and the opportunity we have to let our voices be heard...but when the election results are in...regardless of who has won...we must continue to joyfully honor God by submitting ourselves to the authorities that end up in power. And this isn't just an angry, complaining type of submission...a submission that mutters antagonistic words...this is a submission of respect and dignity. That's what Christians in the U.S. need to be modeling for the rest of this country and for the rest of this world. Submission. Humility. Honor. Respect. Love of neighbor. These are the things that should mark us as Christians. When we mutter and whine and live in fear, we do nothing by show what we are lacking in faith.

Genesis 42, Job 8, Mark and Romans 12

I think Mark 12 and Romans 12 compliment one another very well. Throughout Mark 12 Jesus is bantering back and forth with Pharisees and Sadducees (Remember, they are "Sad you see" because they don't believe in the resurrection)...they try to trap him to get the people to turn against him, and he skillfully disarms every one of their arguments by pointing them towards spiritual realities that escape them. One of the Jewish mean that hears Jesus great wisdom asks him, "What is the greatest commandment?" Jesus answers by quoting the Shema, "Love the Lord you God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength." He also follows up with the natural next step for godly relational living, "And love your neighbor as yourself." If you do everything you can to live for those two things, you are following in the footsteps of Jesus Christ. In two shorts sentences, Jesus shows us what it is all about. People like to say that Christianity has all these rules...that God is trying to weigh us down with regulation after regulation...with a huge heavenly "don't do" list...but in reality, there are only two rules. God has called humanity to do two things - love God and love people. You do those things and everything else falls into place.

In fact, those two things are the secret to becoming the living sacrifices that Paul tells us to be in Romans chapter 12. If we put God and others before ourselves, we will be living sacrificially...we will be living in the way of eternity...living in the way of God. When you put God and others before you, the things that blind and distract us...the jealousy, the fear, the boredom, the selfishness...these things disappear and we are able to see what truly matters in life. We are able to, as Paul promises, discern the will of God - understanding what is good and acceptable. Living for God and others allows us to see the great value of our brothers and sisters in Christ...it allows us to joyfully function as one small part of the body of Christ...doing what we can with the gifts we have been given to expand God's Kingdom, while celebrating the contributions that others make. Paul even finishes out chapter 12 of Romans by giving us a list of what life looks like when we choose to live first for God and then for others. His finally paragraph is a rapid-fire list of what a God and neighbor loving human being looks like. Review the list...ask yourself, "Is this a picture of my life?" If not, what needs to change? What needs to shift in your life so that you can love God with everything you have and love your neighbor as yourself?

Genesis 41, Job 7, Mark and Romans 11

Job chapter 7 paints a beautifully realistic picture of a prayer life during a time of suffering. Job is hurt...Job is angry...Job is confused...and he also knows that God can handle anything he can dish out. He goes to God in his anger and he questions what God is doing, but he never rejects God. Even as he struggles with why such terrible things have happened in his life, he maintains his faith in God's sovereignty. This is something that we need to remember. Job cannot see the big picture of what God is doing, so he angrily questions God. Suffering, we find out in the book of Job, is not as simple as, "I sinned, so I will suffer." If that were the case, we would all be in brutal agony all the time, right? We find out through Job that God may be doing more through our momentary times of suffering than we could ever understand. We need to trust God and pour our hearts out to Him. Don't be afraid to give God a piece of your mind (Job did!)...just remember that your whole mind doesn't come close to matching the tiniest sliver of God's mind...get whatever you need to get off your chest out, but be ready for the revelation that will come to you when God shows you that He knew what He was doing all along.

This ties in with Romans 11:33 - "how unsearchable are His judgements and how inscrutable are His ways!" To try to figure God out...to try to construct completely error free human theological doctrines is nearly impossible...God is God and we are not. All of creation is working out in an infinitely complex tapestry of decisions, actions, reactions, and so forth...and God is weaving them all towards an end that only He knows. Romans 11 shows us a little glimpse of that complexity. The Jews were called, but when they failed to hold true to their covenant with God (Except for a remnant), He allowed salvation to come to the Gentiles...hoping that the free gift of salvation through Jesus Christ for the non-chosen peoples of the world would bring the wayward Israelites back into commitment. Human interactions with God is a never ending dance of rebellion, discipline, forgiveness, idolatry, grace, judgment, mercy, etc. God is calling all people to Him...God has labeled all disobedient (v.32)...paid the price for that disobedience (Jesus)...and is using everything at His disposal (Which is quite a lot) to bring as many of His children (humanity) back into relationship as possible. Trust that He knows what He is doing, and live to honor His relentless love.

Genesis 40, Job 6, Mark and Romans 10

Romans chapter 10 offers us a huge challenge when it comes to evangelism. Romans 10:9 is very clear...if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart God raised him from the dead - you will be saved! That is a truth that is available to everyone. Th is the beautiful Good News...the Gospel of Jesus Christ...we cannot save ourselves, but if we believe in the saving work that Jesus did on the cross we will receive salvation. That is reality...that is the truth that every person needs to hear and understand. But how are they gonna hear about it if Christians aren't sharing that truth? And I'm not talking about sharing tracts on the side of the street...I'm not talking about yelling at people through a bullhorn about how they are going to hell...I am talking about living out the Gospel for them...entering into relationships with non-believers and journeying with them towards Christ. That is what we need to be doing. Evangelism...sharing the Good News is the job of every believer. It doesn't matter if you aren't good with words...it doesn't matter if you aren't outgoing...it is our job. Every person is unique and gifted differently and every person needs to find out how best to share the Gospel through their own giftedness. "How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the Good News!" Isn't that what you want God saying about you? Go out there and spread the Good News!

Genesis 35, Job 5, Mark and Romans 9

In Mark chapter 9, Jesus in teaching about what it looks like to be a part of his Kingdom holds up a little child as an example. What are the characteristics of children that reflect the Kingdom of God? What about innocence? There is a beautiful innocence in the lives of young children. They don't know what they are supposed to not like...who they are supposed to not like...what is cool or uncool...they do not allow themselves to be ruled by fear because they don't know enough to be afraid. Their innocence allows them to enjoy life...to drink it in...to play...to pretend...to love unconditionally...it is so godly! How about their faith? They simply believe. They believe their parents will protect them - they jump off couches knowing we will catch them, even if we aren't looking! They do not worry about meals, clothes, shelter, etc...because they know they will be provided for. They accept fully that God is there with them...that God is healing their wounds (scrapes, cuts and what-not)...they pray for any and everything, because they believe that God can handle it all (They are not as concerned as adults about "bothering" God). Their faith is beautifully simple. If adults acted a lot more like children with regard to innocence and faith...the world would be forever changed for the better.

There are times when my youngest son Aidan can get a little whiny. He is 7 years old and still throws the odd emotional tantrum from time to time. It can get really frustrating! Sometimes when he does this I say to him, "Aidan you are in first grade...you are seven years old...it is not okay to act like a baby...you need to act like a big boy!" The last couple of times this has happened, Aidan has responded back to me, "But I'm just a little boy, Daddy!" There is no excuse in my book for throwing a fit because you socks are off center - no matter what your age - but Aidan's words have really stuck with me. He is just a little boy, and there are so many things about that little boy that I love. We as parents need to be careful not to push our kids to grow up too fast. In fact, Jesus told us that we should take time to watch out kids be kids, so that we might learn something about being Christians. The more I push my kids to "grow up" that more and more they become like me, which in some ways is very scary. We need to fight for the innocence of our kids. We need to encourage them to hold on to their childlike faith. And the best way we can do this is by doing everything we can to walk in innocence and faith in our own lives. We need to do our best job of being childlike in these areas to show our kids what it is like to be Christlike.

Genesis 38, Job 4, Mark and Romans 8

Job 4 - Strangely, much of what Eliphaz says to Job is echoed in the New Testament by Paul. He talks about how no man is righteous before God...Paul says much the same in the book of Romans. I say "strangely" because Eliphaz is wrong to lecture Job as he does! We see in the Book of Job that all the suffering Job has gone through is a test of his righteousness more than a punishment for his sin. Eliphaz believes that Job has sinned and that is why he is suffering (Always a great bit of wisdom to hear from friends "comforting" you!). Job knows he has done nothing wrong and has faithfully loved God and does not understand why these terrible events are happening to him. The challenge for us to take to heart in this reading is to understand that terrible things happen even to those who love God. Paul and Eliphaz are both right...there is no one who has ever lived that was righteous in comparison to God. There is no one truly GOOD. But the Book of Job also shows us that God holds Job up before the accuser as a righteous man (By human standards). Even though Job loves God and serves Him, he ends up suffering in life. Those of us who love and serve God do not get a free pass from the chaos of this world. But fortunately for us, we know a little more of the story than Job did. We know (like our reading in Romans 8:18 today) that the sufferings of this world are completely insignificant in comparison to the glory of the life that we will live eternally with God. Regardless of what happens in this life, keep your focus on the life to come.

Mark 8 - Two chapters after the feeding of the 5,000 (maybe a few weeks or months after in terms of Jesus ministry), the disciples don't understand how Jesus could possibly feed 4,000 people. Seriously! Come on guys! It is easy to judge the disciples and wonder how they could have forgotten the miracle of Jesus first feeding, but I think we have similar issues with selective memory as well. How many times have you seen God move in your life? How many times has Jesus met you in your time of greatest need? How many times have you been given strength from outside of yourself to get through difficult times? Yet time and time again, when we are faced with difficulties we turn to worry instead of turning to God. Remember the redemption and life that Jesus has brought to your existence before you freak out the next times things start to fall apart...he will not leave you or forsake you!  

Genesis 37, Job 3, Mark and Romans 7

We see pretty quickly in Joseph's story that he might be a kind of annoying guy to have around. He is a tattle-tale. He is arrogant. He is Daddy's favorite. He says the wrong things at the wrong times. I believe that Joseph needed to go through the harsh treatment he received, as a process of shaping and maturation. The next time we see him in the story - after being sold as a slave and living the life of a servant - he is completely changed. Sometimes God allows us to go through difficult things in order to shape us for the future. Do you look at trials through that view? Do you ask God what He is going to do in you through the hard times, or do you just get angry and sulk?

Why does Jesus speak so rudely to the foreign woman who comes to him for help? His response about not giving food for the "children" (The Israelites) to the "dogs" (everyone else), seems pretty offensive to the current-day mind. But I want you to notice the reaction of the woman...did she seem offended? No. She takes his words and puts them right back to him..."Well sir, even dogs are allowed to eat the crumbs that fall off the table." Jesus has a very specific mission, with a very specific timetable. He has come to the people of Israel (A people group God has been working on for thousands of years...for this very moment!) to put into place the events that will lead to salvation for every person who has ever existed (If they choose to accept it). That is kind of a big deal and Jesus is not going to be distracted...he tells the woman so, very bluntly. Everywhere Jesus goes, people are trying to get him to come with them to heal a relative, a child, a spouse, a friend...and he cannot say yes to them all...he has to stay focused. But this non-Israelite woman shows an amazing depth of faith that impresses Jesus. She does not need him to come with her. She does not need a big show...she just wants some scraps from the table...she knows that he has authority over the forces of evil...she fully believes that he can save her daughter...and she acts on that belief. She does not give up...she puts her trust in Jesus...and her daughter is healed.

Gensis 35/36, Job 2, Mark and Romans 6

Mark 6:51-52 - These are a couple of interesting verses. Jesus walks out on the water and calms the storm and they are utterly dumbfounded...they are shocked. Marks throws in an extra tid-bit about them not really understanding what had happened in the feeding of the 5,000 because their heart were hardened. Jesus fed 5,000 men (not to mention countless other women and children) with 5 loaves and 2 fish (Everybody ate their fill) and the disciples still didn't really understand the power he had. They fear the storm, think Jesus is a ghost, and are shocked by the fact that he can walk on water because they aren't really operating from a place of faith yet. They are operating from a place of cynicism and doubt. The Jews have been waiting for the Messiah for hundreds and hundreds of years...prophets have come and gone...false messiahs have been raised up an removed...they don't fully understand who Jesus is yet. Do you ever allow your heart to get hardened? Do you ever miss out on the great works that God is doing around you because you have become the Christian cynic? Remember the things that God has done in your life and faithfully expect Him to move...because He will.

Romans 6 - I read the first eleven verses of this chapter at every baptism I go to. It is such a concise and powerful description of what it means to experience the life that comes through Jesus Christ. When we believe...when we choose to give our lives to Christ...to crucify the old self and experience the resurrection that comes through Jesus - we are new! We are living in the resurrection...we do not live like we once did...we are new...we are different...we are dead to sin and alive through Jesus Christ. Christians, that should be the driving force of our lives. Living the resurrection. Living for Christ. Bringing redemption to the world...let's get to work!

Genesis 34, Job 1, Mark and Romans 5

I have always been astonished by Job's response to losing everything. He was very wealthy, in terms of livestock, and he lost it all. He had 10 children, who he loved deeply (He made sacrifices for them regularly, just in case they had sinned), who were killed in one catastrophic event. He loses everything...yet his first response is to worship God! That is amazing. It is easy to see why Job is held up, even by God, as a great example of faith and righteous living. How many of us worship God only when things are going well, and then turn angrily away from him when things start falling apart? Job shows us the response of a true believer. There is no hope outside of God...where else are we gonna turn when our world is collapsing? Bitterness? Anger? Fear? Disbelief? These all lead us down a path of deeper pain and suffering...only God can lead us towards healing and hope.

Paul offers a great follow-up to Job in Romans chapter 5. He says that we can rejoice in our sufferings (like Job did), because suffering produces endurance...endurance produces character...character produces hope...and hope does not bring us shame...hope does not let us down. Do you understand what he is talking about? We have been given access to God...access to a righteousness that we could never have obtained on our own, through the death of Jesus Christ. That is the reality that faithful believers live in every day - EVERY MOMENT! So when terrible things happen to us on this earth, we can know that even in the midst of that pain and hurt, we are experiencing the grace that Jesus offered on the cross. We know how this story ends! We know who wins! We know that true life awaits us after death, so we can handle anything the screwed up world has to throw at us! Doesn't that make sense? Anywhere else you turn - away from God - leads only to hopelessness. Do you really think that walking away from God because you lost a loved one is gonna help you...gonna make life better? How could it? The only thing that is gonna offer healing in our times of brokenness is the hope that comes only through Jesus.

Genesis 33, Esther 9/10, Mark and Romans 4

Gen. 33:10 - "For I have seen your face, which is like seeing the face of God." This is what Jacob says to Esau when they meet for the first time since Jacob has run away after stealing Esau's blessing from Isaac. He was expecting anger and violence from Esau and instead received forgiveness and love. Esau truly is reflecting the character of God as he chooses forgiveness instead of vengeance. When we choose to offer forgiveness where it is not deserved, we show the world the face of God.

In Jesus parable of the sower, he lays out for us the strategy of the evil one, when it comes to leading people away from God. The seed is out there...the truth of the Gospel...the working of the Holy Spirit, but there are forces at work trying to keep people away from that life-giving truth. First, Jesus says that Satan steals the truth from some. What does that mean? I think it means that Satan replaces the truth with lies...you are not good enough...God doesn't really love you...how could you ever be forgiven...there is no God...how could a loving God let things like this exist...these lies are believed and the truth is stolen away. Secondly, Jesus says that some believe the truth but lose it when they go through difficult times. Sometimes people with immature faith choose to blame God when things in their life become hard...they run away from God, which is heartbreaking because only hopelessness exists outside of God - especially when you are going through difficult experiences. When someone you love dies, why would you want to run away from God? There is no hope. There is no life after death. It is all just tragic happenstance, if you don't believe in God. Third, Jesus tells of faith that is destroyed by obsession with the world and the material possessions of the world. This seems to be the ultimate American destroyer of faith...we become so obsessed with "stuff" and comfort, that we forget about how desperately we need Jesus. Finally, there are those that hear the word, believe it and live by that truth. Jesus says that their lives bear fruit - their lives have meaning and purpose and hope and joy...needless to say, this is where you want to be. We need to understand the battle that is raging around us if we are going to be able to cling to the truth and to help others grab hold of that truth as well!

Genesis 32, Esther 8, Mark and Romans 3

Whoa there!!! What is all this talk of an "unforgivable sin"? Don't Christians always say that God can forgive anything...that Jesus blood can cover any sin? The sin that Jesus is talking about in Mark 3 is no accidental sin...it is not something that you are going to do without thinking about it...the sin that Jesus refers to is blasphemy of the Holy Spirit. He even goes on to explain exactly what it is (Because I am guessing that he knew we would be confused about this)...this unforgivable sin takes place when people who supposedly follow God attribute the works of the Spirit of God in the world to Satan. That is some messed up stuff. Think about the Pharisees in chapter 3 who see Jesus miraculously heal a man (They see it with their own eyes!) but because they love only themselves and their own power they sneak off to figure out a way to kill him! They have seen the God/man Jesus at work bringing healing and redemption to the world and they want to kill him for it. Later on in the chapter, other Jewish people see his miracles and think his power must come from Satan. That is ridiculous! Satan brings chaos and pain...Jesus is restoring order and healing. Jesus is very obviously doing God's work (A good fit, since he is God!) and these self-centered, blind, arrogant, idiots think it is the work of the evil one! God has the power and the love to forgive anything, but I believe these people are so far gone into their corruption that they will not return to God. If they can see the works of God and think they are evil...I'm guessing they are never going to be throwing themselves on the mercy of Christ. Without turning to Jesus there is no forgiveness...thus they have put themselves in an "unforgivable" position.

Romans 3 is incredible...Martin Luther considered this passage to be the central passage of all scripture. If you want to know how to break down for someone our great need for salvation through Christ...Romans 3 tells the story in a nutshell. There is no one good...we all fall short of the glory of God (the glory we were created to reflect)...we cannot save ourselves through "good behavior"...but God made a way for us to become righteous through faith in Jesus Christ...that was always His plan...that is the ultimate testament to His faithful love...this is the picture of hope...this is our story.

Genesis 31, Esther 7, Mark and Romans 2

Jesus deals with the hypocritical Pharisees in Mark chapter 2...and Paul is dealing with hypocritical Christians in Romans 2. The Pharisees look down on Jesus for his interaction with sinners...what they don't understand is that by the very law they never they are shown to be corrupted sinners themselves. It is the sick that need a doctor...it is the sinner who needs the salvation that can only come through Jesus. The sinners around Matthew's table are actually in the better position because they understand their brokenness...the Pharisees don't know how sick (sinful) they are, so they refuse to go see the doctor (approach Christ for salvation). Paul is still dealing with the same issues years later with Christians. New converts who were once Jews are still trying to cast judgment on the people around them, while not realizing the depth of their own corruption. In Romans 2:23 it all comes to a head when Paul explains just how dangerous this kind of judgmental hypocrisy really is...when Christians act as if they are perfect while they wallow in the obvious imperfection of all mankind - they run the name of Jesus Christ into the ground. People turn away from the saving grace of Jesus because of our hypocrisy...because of our judgment...and that cannot stand!