Past Devotions

I suppose the last words spoken by someone anticipating death are important. There are many works written about the last words of famous people. Some words are profound and some are awful and depressing. Paul in what is considered his last letter wrote these words to Timothy. “Remember Jesus Christ, raised from the dead.” [2 Tim 2:8 NIV]

Remember! That was the theme of my devotions and messages this past holy season. Remember Gethsemane, and the sorrow our LORD endured as He contemplated the cup He must drink, a sorrow so strong He felt He might die.

Remember the six trials and the mockery, the spittle, the beatings, the crown of thorns and the rejection by His own people.

Remember Silent Saturday … imagine what was going on in the heavenlies. Were heavenly choirs singing “Sunday’s Coming!”?

Remember Resurrection Sunday. The grave could not hold Him. John 20 tells us that Jesus suddenly, miraculously, appeared among His frightened disciples and brought them the very things they needed most. And what He brought to them are also the very things we need most! PEACE. PRESENCE. PURPOSE. POWER.

The celebrations of these holy events are disappearing in some circles in American Christianity. We can’t let that happen. We must remember …. “Remember Jesus Christ, Him crucified, and raised from the dead!” [1 Cor 2:2, 2 Tim 2:8]

That is our only hope.

The sky was crowded as I walked my two-mile circuit the other day. Up very high a jet was streaking across leaving vapor trails in its wake.  A little lower two small prop planes were taking off from the local Caldwell airport. In the distance was a training helicopter that is housed at that airport. But right above my head was the most beautiful sight of all. I watched “a hawk making lazy circles in the sky!”

Of course, that line comes from the title song of the musical, “Oklahoma,” by Rogers and Hammerstein.  Since we had just returned from watching our grandson play Will Parker in that musical, the lyrics readily came to mind.

I stood for a few minutes just watching that hawk. We live in an area that is surrounded by agricultural fields, so hawks are prevalent. We’ve even had them sit on our back fence. They aren’t a very pretty bird just sitting on the fence, but when they take to the sky, spread those wings and start to circle, they are magnificent.

The hawk I watched had a gorgeous underbelly, almost all white. He spread his wings and caught the air currents, and then silently began to circle the recently plowed field. It was a magnificent moment. As I watched, I thought about soaring on wings like eagles (maybe hawks?). The jet, the planes and the helicopter, created by men, were great, but that hawk was God’s creation and it was beautiful. It put the jet and the planes and the helicopter to shame.

We too are God’s creation. Sometimes we may not feel very beautiful, like a hawk sitting on the fence. But when we spread our wings in Christ and soar with the Gospel, we are truly beautiful.  “How beautiful upon the mountains Are the feet of him who brings good news, Who proclaims peace, Who brings glad tidings of good things, Who proclaims salvation, Who says to Zion, ‘Your God reigns!’”  [Isa 52:7]

The weather has been beautiful. It’s springtime warm, blue skies with white clouds floating across them. I have been doing my worship walk outside. Work crews have even paved all but about 100 steps of the 2-mile circuit I try to do each day, making it so much easier to walk.  I have my old MP3 player with me. I listen to my worship songs. I walk. I praise. I even sing aloud!

As I walked the other day, I thought about my old MP3 player. It’s not only old in years, it’s starting to really show its age. The clasp is broken, so I must carry it in my hand or stuff it in a pocket. It will no long advance automatically from one song to the next, I need to press the forward button to do so. But it still carries deep inside the praise and worship sung to the King of Kings.

As I walked the other day, I thought about how I am a lot like my old MP3 player. I used to be able to do three miles in an hour, now I do two. Sometimes my back starts to hurt half-way through those two miles. It’s isn’t as easy as it once was. I’m beginning (well probably I’ve already begun) to show my age…and feel it!

Yet, I still carry deep inside me the praise and worship of the King of Kings, Jesus Christ my Lord.

As I walk, I remember the words of God spoken through the prophet Isaiah. “Even to your old age and gray hairs I am he, I am he who will sustain you. I have made you and I will carry you; I will sustain you and I will rescue you.”   [46:44]

Yep, I do resemble my old MP3 player, but the God of the Heavens, Christ Jesus my LORD and Savior, has 4promised “to sustain” me, and when it becomes necessary one day, “to rescue me from death and carry me into His presence.”  Amen.

Phil 1:29: “For it has been granted to you on behalf of Christ not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for him.”

 We should probably read that again.  And as you do, take note of two words, “granted” and “suffer.” It has been “granted” to us the favor of believing on Christ Jesus … and the favor of suffering for Him.

The word “granted” is charizomai. It means to grant as a favor or kindness.  I relish the favor of believing … I’m not sure I relish the favor of suffering!

Yet, who am I to think that I will escape suffering for Christ Jesus when followers have been suffering for Him down through the centuries and are now suffering for Him in many places around the world. (Just this past Resurrection Sunday saw the bombing of churches in Sri Lanka and the martyrdom of many people.) So far, in our country, we have had to mainly endure a bit of scorn as the norm and martyrdom or church destruction for now is the exception rather than the rule.

That may change one day and become the norm rather than the exception.  Am I ready if it does? Will I view it as Paul did, as a favor or kindness that has been granted me on behalf of Christ. I pray for courage if that time should come in my lifetime, and I pray for courage if it should come in the lifetime of my children and grandchildren.

I’m not sure why I thought of this today. Perhaps it was the news I read. Maybe that new book I’m reading about whether there is a pre-trib rapture. Maybe it was the remembrance of Good Friday and the study of the sufferings of Christ I did last week.  Maybe it was just the musings of an old woman.

“For it has been granted unto you ….”

1 Tim 2:5-6:  “For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus, who gave Himself a ransom for all.” [NKJV]

That’s a hard pill to swallow for some. One God. One Mediator (way to God). And His name is Jesus, the Christ. He gave Himself as a ransom for all.  We were in slavery to sin. He set us free.

But it seems not all want to be free … at least not enough to place their faith in the Man Christ Jesus. We do want freedom … but we want it our way. Set us free, give us all the blessings and promises, but give it to us without our having to place our faith in that one Mediator between God and men.

If we could get the blessings, without having to get Jesus, we’d be so happy.  At least that is what we think.

When we come to Christ Jesus in faith, we not only get the blessings of God, we get the God of all blessing. And that is so much more, so very much more, than we can even imagine or think.  That God–the Creator, Sustainer, wants us, WANTS US, boggles the mind. Why would He want us?

We have nothing to offer, even the very breath we think is ours comes from Him. We have no talent He did not first bless us with. We have no riches that have not come from His resources. We are rebellious, stubborn, self-centered and often ill-mannered. And still He wants us.

Maybe it’s not that hard of a pill to swallow after all!

Jesus is Risen!

Three of the most powerful words ever uttered across this universe. Death is done. Sin has been atoned for and captives have been set free.

Jesus is Risen!

The way to the Father has been opened, the blockage of man’s rebellion removed by the death of God’s Sinless Passover Lamb.

Jesus is Risen!

The peace promised at His birth has now been granted to all those who place their faith in Him. The war with the Creator caused by mankind’s rebellion is over.  Peace, PEACE(!) reigns in hearts now and will one day reign forever in the New Heaven and New Earth.

Jesus is Risen!

The tomb could not hold Him. The serpent could not destroy Him. The keys of death and Hades could not be kept from Him! Soon He will judge the living and the dead, but for those who are His followers by faith, there is, therefore, now no condemnation.

Jesus is Risen!  He is risen indeed!

“Silent Saturday.” That’s what I call this day between Good Friday and Resurrection Sunday. Jesus’ body is in the tomb. The disciples are hiding fearfully behind locked doors.  I’m sure they are wondering about how quickly life can change. Everything is quiet and still, including the dreams and hopes of those who followed Jesus for the past three years.

Have you ever wondered though what Jesus was doing on “Silent Saturday?” I have.

In Revelation 1:18, Jesus tells us: “I am He who lives, and was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore. Amen. And I have the keys of Hades and of Death.” [NKJV]

When did He take back those keys?  Maybe on “Silent Saturday?”

1 John 3:8-9: “The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil’s work.” [NIV]

Was He proving to the devil that destruction of his work was happening right under his nasty nose during “Silent Saturday?”

It was a “Silent Saturday” on earth. But I keep wondering if it was a “Silent Saturday” in the heavenlies.

I keep imaging the raucous rejoicing of the angels and those held captive by death as they watched Jesus, God’s Son, inform the devil that it may be “Silent Saturday” but “Sunday’s Coming” and his time is truly short!

As I studied this week in preparation for Good Friday, I was reminded that as Jesus stood trial before the Roman Governor, Pilate confirmed Jesus’ innocence.  Twice he said that he found no basis for the charge of treason brought against Jesus. He had Jesus scourged hoping to create sympathy among His accusers. That didn’t work.  Pilate then offered to exchange Jesus for an already convicted traitor, Barabbas. That didn’t work either.

 Those accusing Jesus didn’t like, nor want, the type of Messiah Jesus claimed to be … one who would suffer for the sins of the world. They wanted something different; they wanted someone like Barabbas who was convicted of trying to throw off Roman rule. Their Messiah was to be bold and angry, not meek and humble.  So they abandoned the true and embraced the false.

 As I prayed and prepared, I was also reminded that their attitude toward Jesus was not very different from the current attitude toward Him. Our culture is changing the character and work of Jesus Christ, nullifying the cross, because we don’t think He fits what we want! Our culture wants a “Jesus” that embraces everything, never speaks of sin or punishment, death nor hell. It wants a Jesus that fits its idea of what a Savior should be, one that never confronts, nor judges, nor condemns. So, it abandons the true and embraces the false.

 They were wrong about Jesus then; and many are wrong about Jesus now. Jesus said that when He died and returned to the Father, He would send the Holy Spirit. Then He informed us what the work of the Holy Spirit would be.  

John 16:8-11:  “When [the Holy Spirit] comes, he will convict the world of guilt in regard to sin and righteousness and judgment: in regard to sin, because men do not believe in me; in regard to righteousness, because I am going to the Father, where you can see me no longer; and in regard to judgment, because the prince of this world now stands condemned.”  

As we arrived last Saturday to the Gallo Center for the Arts in Modesto to see our grandson play Will Parker in the musical “Oklahoma,” a woman arrived about the same time. She came by bike, settled herself on the corner outside the center and began to sing. She had a strong, clear voice and sang songs I remember singing in my twenties.

After the performance inside, she was still performing outside. We said our goodbyes to family and started to walk to the parking garage. I felt God drawing me toward her and I pulled some money out of my wallet. As I walked toward her, she called out, “are you heading toward me?” I said, “Yes, I am.”  Then she responded, “well, I’ll head toward you.”

As we closed the distance, I realized she was not as young as she first appeared, in fact, closer to my age.  I also realized life had not been kind to her. I slipped her the money and opened my arms to her. We stood on the corner as I hugged her, and she hugged back. She was thin, I could feel her bones, but still there was a light in her eyes. I told her “you take care!” and hugged her again. She gave me one last hug and said that she would.

I don’t know what kind of choices she made in life, or perhaps what kind of choices were made for her that she found herself on a Saturday night in downtown Modesto singing for donations outside a performing arts center. With her voice, she possibly could have been singing inside.

I know I felt God’s love for her. We stood there, two old women, one black, one white, strangers, hugging and blessing each other on a street corner. She blessed me for the little bit of money I gave her. I blessed her for reminding me that there are real people behind Jesus’ command, “whatever you do for the least of these…you do for me.” [Matt 25:40, paraphrased]

The California hotel we booked was being re-modeled, which means there was a plethora of construction materials and people. We stayed there last October, and honestly, it didn’t seem that they’ve done much in the six months that have passed.  If anything, it looked worse.  The wing we were in has been finished, somewhat. Our room was pleasant but had one problem when we first got there.

The window blinds would not open.  The chains to roll them up and down were off the tracks, so they were permanently closed.  I-Like-Light. One of the first things I do every day is open my blinds and let the light shine in, no matter the season.  Living for about 18 hours with no outside light had me grumpy (well, grumpier than usual). We let the management know and they did send maintenance to realign the chains. The room was then ablaze with California sunshine!

Jesus told His followers 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.”  [NIV]

 I find one part of Luke’s crucifixion account compelling.  As Jesus, “The Light of the World” was dying on the cross, darkness shrouded the land for three hours.  From the sixth hour until the ninth, noon to 3 PM, the skies became black “…for the sun stopped shining.”  It was then that the curtain of the temple was torn in two and Jesus called out with a loud voice, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.” [23:44-46]

The “Light of the World” returned to the Father. The Light of the Glory of God held in reserve in the Holy of Holies was now flowing out to all.  Soon the Father would send His Spirit, just as the Son promised. And for those who now surrender to Him, He puts His light in us!  Glory!