Stone to strong-soft hearts

Today: Ezekiel 9-12

Have you ever been driving and had a moment when you ask yourself, "How did I get here?"

I realize that may sound a little scary, but most people drive certain routes--to work, school or home--on autopilot. We are so familiar with these trips that we drive them in a semi-conscious awareness. When you think about it, that's pretty scary.

The autopilot approach impacts how many of us drive--but how else does it affect our lives? And more importantly, how we view--or even act--in sin?

In today's passage, God gives Ezekiel some prophetic visions of hard times for His people, but He also gives glimmers of hope--how He planned to help them change and overcome sin:

True, I sent you to the far country and scattered you through other lands.

All the same, I've provided you a temporary sanctuary

in the countries where you've gone.

I will gather you back

from those countries and lands

where you've been scattered

and give you back the land of Israel.

You'll come back and clean house,

throw out all the rotten images and obscene idols.

I'll give you a new heart.

I'll put a new spirit in you.

I'll cut out your stone heart

and replace it with a red-blooded, firm-muscled heart.

Then you'll obey my statutes

and be careful to obey my commands.

You'll be my people!

I'll be your God!

I love the way God gives so many word pictures to Ezekiel and to us. When we live in sin and are far from God, it's like we have stone hearts--or like we're driving on autopilot, unaware of the people, dangers and harm that we're causing to ourselves or others. Sometimes when we live in sin, we think we're being strong and independent--but we're not. A heart of stone isn't strong--it's a dead, lifeless heart.

When we allow our hearts and our lives to be transformed by God, He promises to give us "red-blooded, firm-muscled hearts." What does that really mean?

I think what God's describing is a strong-soft heart. That may sound like a contradiction, but hear me out. Muscle tissue is softer than stone--the heart in your body lives, beats and feels. Yet at the same time, God describes the heart He gives as "firm-muscled." I like that. It seems like He's saying that having a heart sensitive to sin is not a sign of weakness, it's a sign of strength. God gives people strong-soft hearts so that they passionately feel when they sin, love and live. People with strong-soft hearts are not boring, lifeless or wishy-washy nice: They're fiery, dynamic and contagious, yet they are not manic roller coasters of emotion.

Here's a question to think about: What does a strong-soft heart look like in real life?

I think part of the answer is living with a conscious conscience. It means living life with awareness and feeling--recognizing sin in your life and absolutely loving God and people deeply. That means that you'll be hurt, but it also means that you'll feel the love, joy and peace of God and people in your life--and that instead of missing or ignoring those amazing blessings, you'll treasure them with gratitude.

Today I pray that God will give you and I those strong-soft hearts--that we'll see people, sin and situations through His eyes. That we'll hurt when His heart hurts and love what He loves.

Tomorrow: Ezekiel 13-15

Iron, magnets and God's truth

Today: Psalm 119: 89-176

Today I was talking with a co-worker about a CAT scan I have scheduled for next week (nothing too serious, but something my doctor wants to get checked out). My co-worker asked, "Do you have any metal in your body?"

"Yeah--the plate and screws in my arm that broke a few years ago."

"You should call the doctor back and let them know--it might impact the scan."

Thankfully, I learned that the metal in my arm won't impact my CAT scan, but it could definitely be a factor with an MRI test. My sister, who works at a hospital, told me that the magnet(s) used in MRI tests are so powerful that hospital staff members are strongly encouraged to ABSOLUTELY, NEVER EVER EVER take any metal in a room containing and MRI machine. My sister has seen footage of metal hospital equipment (such as a crash cart) that was completely destroyed when it shot across the room toward the MRI magnet.

This may seem like an odd way to open my post today, but I thought about these examples when I read about the power of God's truth:

Let praise cascade off my lips;

after all, you've taught me the truth about life!

And let your promises ring from my tongue;

every order you've given is right.

Put your hand out and steady me

since I've chosen to live by your counsel.

I'm homesick, God, for your salvation;

I love it when you show yourself!

Invigorate my soul so I can praise you well,

use your decrees to put iron in my soul.

And should I wander off like a lost sheep—seek me!

I'll recognize the sound of your voice.

In this excerpt, I think the writer is stating that the decrees of God's Word--His law--can be like iron that strengthens the soul. And like iron, when God's Word really gets in us, it guides us toward truth--like that ultra-strong MRI magnet. God's Word steadies us--it draws us toward Him because it helps us to know His voice and who He is. That's pretty powerful stuff!

Tomorrow: Psalm 120-132

Shining and saving

Today: Psalm 115-118

Tomorrow begins one of my favorite events of the year: the women's conference at my home church. This year's theme as "Shine." I'm sure there will be lots of sparkles and lights around (it is a girly-girl kind of event, after all!). I'm also sure that the speakers will talk about what it means to shine. It's interesting to me that today's passage shed some light (no pun intended!) on the topic as well:

God is higher than anything and anyone,

outshining everything you can see in the skies.

Who can compare with God, our God,

so majestically enthroned,

Surveying his magnificent

heavens and earth?

He picks up the poor from out of the dirt,

rescues the wretched who've been thrown out with the trash,

Seats them among the honored guests,

a place of honor among the brightest and best.

He gives childless couples a family,

gives them joy as the parents of children.

Hallelujah!

But you, Israel: put your trust in God!

—trust your Helper! trust your Ruler!

At Christian conferences for women and men, there's often talk like, "God's called you to be a king!" or "You're one of God's princesses." There's definitely truth in those statements--in the Bible, there are references to people like Esther placed "in a royal position" and God refers to His people as "heirs" called to "rule and reign" with Christ.

That said, I don't think being a king or queen in God's Kingdom is just about sparkles, power and fanfare. On the contrary, I think Jesus was a king with callouses--or a knight in strong armor whose heart bled (in His case, literally) for people. Women like Esther were queens who took major risks for the unloved and underprivileged. The female heroes of the Bible were not pristine princesses in high towers, present only in polished cliques--I picture them as princesses with patches on their knees and dirt on their fingernails. They helped real people.

Because what good is shine if it doesn't reach the darkness? And what good is strength if it lies sedentary?

I love the fact that God is a ruler who also helps.

I love that I know plenty of amazing princesses with patches--women beautiful inside and out who do things like building orphanages for children in South Africa affected by AIDS, giving their time to read to underprivileged kids in our city, donating money to help reach people with the Gospel...and so many other things.

I also love that I know a few good kings with callouses--guys who aren't too proud to spend a Saturday picking weeds in a disabled woman's yard, who live everyday as good dads and husbands, and who give time out of their busy schedules to volunteer at their churches.

Thank you all for shining and serving--for your strength and for your hearts. You will never know (well, until heaven anyway!) what you've done to impact me and so many others. Shining and saving isn't easy, but you're following God's example and that's just priceless.

Tomorrow: Psalm 119:1-88

Just in love

Today: Psalm 80-85

Is it possible to be both kind and strong? Is it possible to be loving and to simultaneously lack tolerance?

These are not simple questions. If I took a poll on the street, the votes would be split...but my hunch is that most people would say that it is difficult to hold ideals that (at first glance anyway) seem to be at opposite ends of the spectrum.

The Bible teaches that God is love...but God is also just. At times, those two virtues could seem contradictory. I would argue that God is just in love. That may sound like a paradox or a total tongue twister. I'll explain a bit later, but I thought it would be interesting to first highlight some different scenarios from today's passage that illustrate these attributes of God's character.

In this part of the passage, Asaph highlights the loving blessing of God:

Smile your blessing smile:

That will be our salvation.

And a few chapters later, he discusses God's justice toward some evil judges:

God calls the judges into his courtroom, he puts all the judges in the dock...

O God, give them their just deserts!

You've got the whole world in your hands!

I think these excerpts contrast the loving and just natures of God:

All sunshine and sovereign is God,

generous in gifts and glory.

God, you smiled on your good earth!

You brought good times back to Jacob!...

Help us again, God of our help;

don't hold a grudge against us forever.

You aren't going to keep this up, are you?

Love and Truth meet in the street...

This may be a confusing concept to grasp--and far be it from me to say that I've got it all figured out. But here's what I think: When I write that "God is just in love," I am first and foremost saying it in its simplest form--God is madly in love with you, me and every human being. But on a deeper level, when I say, "God is just in love," I'm pointing to His justice. Because if He loves all of us--along with ideals like goodness and truth, it means that He hates other things (like evil and lies, to name a few).

Things to think about:

• Who and what does God love?
  
• What does God hate?
  
• How have we seen God's balance of love and justice play out in Scripture? How have you seen it unfold in your own life?
  
• Yesterday, I wrote about the idea of grace (see "Undeserved help"). How does grace fall into the mix of love and justice?

Tomorrow: Psalm 86-89

Be strong

Today: Joshua 1-4

(Love, love, love God's message to Joshua in today's passage. So instead of my comments, I thought it would best to focus on these words...and hopefully they'll encourage you like they encouraged me today.)

In the same way I was with Moses,

I'll be with you.

I won't give up on you; I won't leave you.

Strength! Courage!

You are going to lead

this people to inherit the land that

I promised

to give their ancestors.

Give it everything you have, heart and soul.

Make sure you carry out

The Revelation that Moses commanded you, every bit of it.

Don't get off track, either left or right,

so as to make sure you get to where you're going.

And don't for a minute let this Book of The Revelation be out of mind.

Ponder and meditate on it day and night,

making sure you practice everything written in it.

Then you'll get where you're going;

then you'll succeed.

Haven't I commanded you?

Strength! Courage!

Don't be timid; don't get discouraged.

God, your God, is with you every step you take."

Tomorrow: Joshua 5-8

The Mighty & the Marvelous

(Originally written November 11)

Today: Revelation 13-16

I’m in Orlando, Florida tonight getting ready to go to Universal Studios in the morning. Universal Studios has a whole section dedicated to Marvel superheroes (I’ve already been told to go on the Incredible Hulk rollercoaster and by the time this is posted, I’ll have finished it!).
I didn’t really read comics as a kid and I haven’t seen all of the movies, but I know that superheroes are usually good at heart and strong.

Superheroes use their powers to fight for what’s right…perhaps unlike the things and people we meet in the “real world.” In life, we see lots of Mighty & Mediocre—people, groups or institutions that do not recognize the potential they have. The Mighty & Mediocre settle for average, not using the power that they’ve been given. On the other end of the spectrum, there are people and institutions who are Mighty & Mad (in the crazy, manic sense). They’re strong, but use their strength in the wrong way or for the wrong cause.

It’s a good thing that, like a superhero, God is Mighty & Marvelous. Take a look at a portion of today’s passage:

Mighty your acts and marvelous, O God,
the Sovereign Strong!
Righteous your ways and true,
King of the nations!
Who can fail to fear you, God,
give glory to your Name?
Because you and you only are holy,
all nations will come and worship you,
because they see your judgments are right.

Tomorrow: Revelation 17-19