Patient power

Today: Nahum


If you had all the power in the world, what would you do?


I would hope that I would think of some amazingly awesome things like curing cancer, healing all kinds of addiction, ending poverty and...the beauty pageant answer...bringing "world peace."


But my hunch is that I would also exude my new found power to take out my frustration on those people who embody some of my personal pet peeves or actual hatred. For example, I might instantly take away drivers' licenses from people who don't know how to merge on the freeway. I might instantly send people who confuse "your" and "you're" back to the first grade. And I would banish child molesters to Antarctica without food or water.

It is probably a good thing for everyone--especially bad drivers, poor spellers and child molesters--that I am not all-powerful (or working in law enforcement or education).

Thank God He's the one in control of this universe. I really like what this excerpt said about His character:

God is serious business.

He won't be trifled with.

He avenges his foes.

He stands up against his enemies, fierce and raging.

But God doesn't lose his temper.

He's powerful, but it's a patient power.

God doesn't give up on bad drivers. And as hard as it is for me to understand, He doesn't totally abandon child molesters. God is patient and forgiving. He gives us the power to choose repentance, but He is also just: we face consequences for our actions. The consequences may happen here on Earth or in Heaven, but eventually, we'll be accountable for our actions. God's patient power is part of His perfection.

Tomorrow: Habakkuk-Zephaniah

Family, faith and forgiveness

Today: Ezekiel 18-20

There are a lot of things we inherit from our families--eye color, the shape of our noses, height and even habits. One thing that's not inherited from our parents? Salvation.

In today's passage, it was interesting to read the clear instruction that God doesn't judge me based on the goodness (or mess-ups) of my parents. And God won't judge my children based on my mistakes or successes. Each one of us is accountable for how we live our lives before God.

I like how God expressed His heart here--His heart is to forgive those who ask Him. Take a look:

"But a wicked person

who turns his back on that life of sin

and keeps all my statutes, living a just and righteous life,

he'll live, really live.

He won't die.

I won't keep a list of all the things he did wrong.

He will live.

Do you think I take any pleasure

in the death of wicked men and women?

Isn't it my pleasure that they turn around,

no longer living wrong but living right—

really living?

As much as I like this excerpt, it's important to note that it's pretty impossible for any human being to keep all of God's statutes (e.g. obey Him at all times). No one is perfect. But here's the Good News--Jesus, God in flesh, was perfect--and through His sacrifice, you and I can be forgiven (see Romans 3:21-27). This means that when God sees those who have accepted Christ's gift of salvation, He doesn't see our sin--He sees the perfect, righteous record of Jesus instead.

Even beyond that? Through faith in Jesus, God actually adopts us as part of His family (review Ephesians 1:4-6). Can you believe that? Like really believe it? No matter what your family tree looks like and even with all of your past mistakes--you can now be one of God's kids. Through faith, you're not only forgiven--you've found a family.

Freedom and forgiveness

Today: Jeremiah 32-34

It's Sunday. And it's the Fourth of July.

As a Christian and as an American, I'm celebrating two kinds of freedom today--the first is the freedom my ancestors bled for. They lived and died to protect the belief, "that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness." The second? The freedom Christ lived and died for--that you and I and all of humanity can be freed from sin and death because of His sacrifice.

When I read today's passage, I was pleasantly surprised to see that it included some of God's history of giving freedom to His people. Here's what Jeremiah said:

'You performed signs and wonders in the country of Egypt

and continue to do so right into the present,

right here in Israel and everywhere else, too.

You've made a reputation for yourself that doesn't diminish.

You brought your people Israel out of Egypt with signs and wonders—

a powerful deliverance!—

by merely stretching out your arm.

You gave them this land

and solemnly promised to their ancestors a bountiful and fertile land.

But when they entered the land and took it over,

they didn't listen to you..."

Isn't that the story of humanity? When given freedom, we bind often ourselves to something--and often, it's some form of sin. We reject our Deliverer and real freedom for a cheap imitation of independence. The truth is, there's no such thing as independence--real freedom always depends on Someone (or someone) else.

In this passage, God talked about the consequences of His people's sin. But He did not leave them without hope--and He never leaves us without hope, either:

"This is God's Message,

the God who made earth,

made it livable and lasting,

known everywhere as God:

'Call to me and I will answer you.

I'll tell you marvelous and wondrous things

that you could never figure out on your own.'

I love the turnaround outlined in this passage--the preview of a comeback story. God promised that when His people reached out to Him, He would forgive and restore them--bringing a fresh dose of freedom to their lives:

"But now take another look.

I'm going to give this city a thorough renovation,

working a true healing inside and out.

I'm going to show them life whole,

life brimming with blessings.

I'll restore everything that was lost...

I'll build everything back as good as new.

I'll scrub them clean from the dirt they've done against me.

I'll forgive everything they've done wrong, forgive all their rebellions..."

Tomorrow: Jeremiah 35-37

A clean slate

Today: Jeremiah 30-31

Years ago I bought a book for a friend called, "101 Things God Can't Do." That may sound controversial when you believe God is all-powerful (which I do of course!), but it's actually a cool little book that, using Scripture, highlights some of the great things about God's character.

One of those things was discussed in today's passage. Let's review:

"This is the brand-new covenant
that I will make with Israel when the time comes.
I will put my law within them—
write it on their hearts!—
and be their God.
And they will be my people.
They will no longer go around setting up schools
to teach each other about God.
They'll know me firsthand,
the dull and the bright, the smart and the slow.
I'll wipe the slate clean for each of them.
I'll forget they ever sinned!"
God's Decree.

Love this! One thing God can't do? Remember the sins He's already forgiven for us. Once we ask for His forgiveness, they're out of His mind--we have been given a clean slate and a fresh start by a perfect, all-powerful God. Isn't that cool?!?

A few other things I love about this passage? The picture of God writing His law on our hearts. The fact that we can know Him firsthand no matter how smart or foolish we are. We don't have to go through a ceremony or even a priest to ask for forgiveness for our sins or to know God--we can know Him and talk to Him directly. Jesus is the One who paid the price for our sins and offers us the clean slate. Wow--thank God for that!

The comeback kid

Today: Jeremiah 1-3

Have you ever known people who suddenly disappear?

I'm not talking about assistants in a magic act. I'm not referring to kids on milk cartons or the evening news. I'm talking about people who suddenly disappear...from work, from socializing with good friends or most likely, from church.

There are people who overnight seem to switch personalities--one day, they are the reliable church volunteer, attending services every weekend. And then they suddenly disappear...sometimes, forever. Why does that happen?

In today's passage, God talked with Jeremiah about runaway people--people who tried to runaway from God and chose to pursue false gods, sin, religion and sex. God actually referred to these people as "whores"--trading truth and a real God who loved them for cheap thrills. Some of these people may have been literally whoring with sex outside its God-designed plan (marriage), but some people turn tricks for other things--work, power, money, drugs, food...you name it. Whoring happens when we turn our backs on God and devote our hearts, minds and souls to other things.

Many of the disappearing people I referred to at the beginning of this post disappear because of guilt or shame. They may realize that their pursuits were wrong, but don't want to face God or the people they disappointed. But I don't think God is ever disappointed with people who genuinely admit their failure, ask for forgiveness and aim to change for the better. Take a look at this message God gave to the people of Israel:

'Turn back, fickle Israel.

I'm not just hanging back to punish you.

I'm committed in love to you.

My anger doesn't seethe nonstop.

Just admit your guilt.

Admit your God-defiance.

Admit to your promiscuous life with casual partners,

pulling strangers into the sex-and-religion groves

While turning a deaf ear to me.'"

God's Decree.

"Come back, wandering children!"

God's Decree.

It sounds so simple. But when God forgives, He completely forgets. Because of Christ's sacrifice and His grace, when we ask for forgiveness, God not only grants it--but sees us as if we never messed up in the first place. This means that there's absolutely no reason for God's people to constantly live in fear, guilt or shame. Wow.

Here's what happened when God forgave Israel:

...And this is what will happen:

You will increase and prosper in the land.

The time will come"—

God's Decree!—

"when no one will say any longer,

'Oh, for the good old days!

Remember the Ark of the Covenant?'

It won't even occur to anyone to say it—'the good old days.'

The so-called good old days of the Ark are gone for good.
"Jerusalem will be the new Ark—'God's Throne.'

All the godless nations, no longer stuck in the ruts of their evil ways,

will gather there to honor God.

Good, right? This excerpt is basically saying that after God's forgiveness, none of His people would talk about "the good old days"...because they would experience some new AMAZING days. His forgiveness freshens up our lives so that we forget about past failures and move ahead toward brighter futures. That's extreme grace. Instead of disappearing, you and I can become comeback kids. And who doesn't love a story about redemption and restoration?

Tomorrow: Jeremiah 4-6

Friends and family

Today: Proverbs 16-18

Perhaps one of the most tragic things I've seen in life is the break-ups of great friends and great families. And on the flip side, one the BEST things I've ever experienced is friends who are like family and family members who are actually friends.

I think the writer of today's passage may have had a similar experience. Take another look at a few verses from today's chapters:

Overlook an offense and bond a friendship;

fasten on to a slight and—good-bye, friend!

The start of a quarrel is like a leak in a dam,

so stop it before it bursts.

Friends love through all kinds of weather,

and families stick together in all kinds of trouble.

Words kill, words give life;

they're either poison or fruit—you choose.

Friends come and friends go,

but a true friend sticks by you like family.

What causes friendships to break? What pulls families apart? In many cases, it starts with words--words that are hurtful or positive words that are left unsaid. Sometimes those words lead to offenses...and in the most tragic cases, unforgiveness, bitterness and brokenness.

On the flip side, encouraging words, a Facebook post or a handwritten card from a great friend or family member can strengthen bonds. Love, loyalty and forgiveness are the bonds that hold friends and families together. Good relationships take effort--they will cost you time, energy and sometimes, doing and saying what you want.

One thing I've learned so far? You can't keep score. If you do, love never wins (and neither will you). Fight for who and what you love most--forgive.

Tomorrow: Proverbs 19-21

Rumors versus reality

Today: Job 40-42

If you've ever watched a reality show, attended junior high or even (gasp!) a church, you know that rumors can be dangerous...and often, inaccurate. Rumors and reality are often vastly different. There's a big difference between knowing about someone and actually knowing them. And when it comes to God, the difference between knowing about Him and actually knowing Him? Life-changing.

Job was a stand-up guy. He loved God. But in these chapters, he actually got to know God and hear His voice in a real, fresh way. Here's how Job responded:

"I'm convinced:

You can do anything and everything.

Nothing and no one can upset your plans.

You asked, 'Who is this muddying the water,

ignorantly confusing the issue, second-guessing my purposes?'

I admit it.

I was the one.

I babbled on about things far beyond me,

made small talk about wonders way over my head.

You told me, 'Listen, and let me do the talking.

Let me ask the questions. You give the answers.'

I admit I once lived by rumors of you;

now I have it all firsthand—

from my own eyes and ears!

I'm sorry—

forgive me.

I'll never do that again, I promise!

I'll never again live on crusts of hearsay,

crumbs of rumor."

When we really know God (instead of just knowing about Him), it changes us. For Job, this moment marked a new start. He lived in awe of God's power and all-knowing nature. He surrendered himself to it. And when he did, God brought healing and restoration. Job moved from a place of total desolation on to a place of blessing. God poured multiple blessings on his life.

Tomorrow: Psalm 1-8

The "worst kind" of sin...and the best forgiveness

Today: 2 Chronicles 32-34

If you were to picture the "worst kind" of evil...or the most evil person...what would you picture?
A guy who purposely burned his own sons to death in a fire might fit the bill. Today's chapters describe such a man, King Manasseh of Judah. Manasseh was corrupt--he lead the people of Judah to worship idols, he practiced witchcraft and he set up a carving of a sex goddess in the middle of God's Temple.

Manasseh was a pretty messed up guy. And then one day, he made a turn-around. Manasseh was captured and taken off to Babylon. Here's what happened:

Now that he was in trouble,

he went to his knees in prayer asking for help—

total repentance before the God of his ancestors.

As he prayed, God was touched;

God listened and brought him back to Jerusalem as king.

That convinced Manasseh that God was in control.

Wow. Is God's forgiveness amazing or what?!?

Here's an interesting thing about sin: In God's opinion, there's no such thing as the "worst kind." Sin is sin. And all of us sin (see Romans 3:22-24). Some sins have bigger real-world consequences (e.g. you'll probably go to jail for a murder, but not for a lie), but any sin can separate us from God...in the worst case scenario, forever.

But as we approach Easter weekend, this passage reminded me of the amazing power of God's love, grace and compassion. When we ask for forgiveness, He gives it. When we believe that Jesus paid the price for our (past, present and future) sins, God sees us just as if we never sinned. That's the best kind of forgiveness possible.

Tomorrow: 2 Chronicles 35-36

Family drama, failure and forgiveness

Today: 2 Samuel 13-15

God uses imperfect people. This is a fact that I find very refreshing.

Today's passage had a few sad and interesting stories that illustrate this concept. There are a lot of people who bemoan their family backgrounds. They use family dysfunction as an excuse to live mediocre or dysfunctional lives. But most people don't have families plagued both by incestuous rape and several murders--David and his family did. Talk about family drama! I can't imagine experiencing all of the issues David dealt with--but he was remembered for his close relationship with God.

Another interesting thing I noticed in this passage was David's (repeated) failure to recognize his own folly. In yesterday's passage, the prophet Nathan used a story to help David admit his affair with Bathsheba and the murder of Uriah (her husband). In today's chapters, a woman told a story that ultimately convinced David to forgive his son.

David is typically characterized as a "man after God's own heart," yet he experienced some epic failures and family drama. Each time, he was restored through forgiveness--either by seeking forgiveness from God or making a difficult decision to forgive someone else. David wasn't perfect by any means...but forgiveness healed his heart and his relationships.

Tomorrow: 2 Samuel 16-18

A dream come true

Today: Genesis 46-47

Don't you love it when (good) dreams come true?

Joseph's life story is filled with many dreams...they almost seem like milestone markers defining key moments in his life. But in today's passage, it's Jacob's dream that comes true. As he's on his way to Egypt to reunite with Joseph, Jacob has a dream from God:

God spoke to Israel in a vision that night: "Jacob! Jacob!"
"Yes?" he said. "I'm listening."
God said, "I am the God of your father.

Don't be afraid of going down to Egypt.

I'm going to make you a great nation there.

I'll go with you down to Egypt;

I'll also bring you back here.

And when you die, Joseph will be with you;

with his own hand he'll close your eyes."

For much of his life, Jacob had mourned the loss of his son Joseph. Surprisingly, Jacob had the opportunity to reunite with him (thousands of years before Internet search tools or The Locator were even available!). To top it all off, the lives of Jacob and his entire family--the family God promised his father Isaac and grandfather Abraham--were saved from famine. And the best part of all? God was with him, guiding his steps and promising continued blessing.

The stories of Joseph and Jacob have been such incredible pictures of God's faithfulness. God's still faithful today. I'm going to do something a little different in this post and pray for anyone reading this...

I hope and pray for you.

I pray for the God-given dreams of your heart.

I pray that you'll see glimmers of God's direction and faithfulness in your life,

even when things seem tough.

I pray that you'll have the wisdom, patience and character

that helped Joseph and Jacob weather their stormy circumstances with grace.

I pray that you'll be able to forgive those who hurt you.

I pray that you will not be afraid--

that you'll walk in the kind of confidence that only comes

from trusting God.

I pray that you'll know and hear His voice and

let His vision be your vision.

And I pray that you'll see those God-given dreams come true.

Amen.

Tomorrow: Genesis 48-50

Readiness to give and forgive

Today: Titus-Philemon

Today's passage felt a bit short to me (I don't know about you...), but it was packed with a lot of great messages.

The one that stood out to me was Paul's message to Titus about God's gift of salvation. Here's what it says:

God's readiness to give and forgive is now public.

Salvation's available for everyone!

We're being shown how to turn our backs on a godless, indulgent life,

and how to take on a God-filled, God-honoring life.

I loved how Paul described salvation as proof of God's heart to give and forgive...everyone who accepts it. Wow.

So many people struggle with having a readiness to give--if left to our own devices, we might stick to our two-year old attitudes, whining, "MINE!!!" We might hoard things or obsess about finding the next big gadget or fashion. We might neglect caring for the poor or even our own family members (biological or spiritual) in need. We might live in fear--afraid to give of our time, money or talent because we're "too busy," "not rich," or "not good enough."

Similarly, many people struggle with the ability to forgive...other people or themselves. They can't let go of past hurts, anger or resentment. Instead, they build up walls of "protection"--that ultimately block them from knowing what it is to be really loved or love someone else in return.

God is completely different. He gave Himself and His very life for all of us--for you and me...for Mother Teresa and Dr. Martin Luther King...and for Hitler and Osama bin Laden. And he's willing to forgive all of us, too. I can't even imagine looking with kindness toward someone like a Hitler let alone loving them. But God did. And if anyone of us (yes, Osama, too) asks for God's forgiveness, He's willing to give it.

That seems totally absurd for me to even write. Crazy. It's extreme...but that's how much God wants to give and forgive.

God doesn't categorize sin or goodness like we do--all human beings are sinners in need of a Savior, all who accept the gift of salvation are saved, and everyone (saved and unsaved) is LOVED equally.

Another interesting thing? Those who want to really follow God should adopt a similar pattern--having a heart that's quick to give and forgive.