Tag Archives: See

What God Gave Up for Lent – Day 9

9. Hands & Heart

Woman whispering in man's ear

Who has believed our message? And to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed? (Isaiah 53:1)

It is entirely possible these two questions are asking for two different answers. One speaks to God’s actions and attributes; the other speaks to our need. And depending on how you understand both questions will have eternal consequences.

The delivery of the message and the revelation is quite different. Regarding the first, message is more of an intimate presentation, and we find the word nursing, as in nursing an infant, as one of its translations. And what is our message? The message is Jesus, and this message is representative of God the Father’s heart.

The revelation—that which has been revealed—is done in the open: it’s meanings are uncover, discover, disclose, carried and captive. The arm of the Lord is representative of His hands, His works.

As believers, we must “get” both. We need to see His good works, and we need to know His heart. But for those who are not followers of Christ, the author of Hebrews speaks to this: And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him. (Hebrews 11:6)

So what is it that has been revealed? What is it they will get? We find the answer again in Hebrews, in the very first verse of the first chapter: God, after He spoke long ago to the fathers in the prophets in many portions and in many ways, in these last days has spoken to us in His Son. (Hebrews 1:1-2) Scripture reveals God’s message and arm. Creation is another: The heavens are telling of the glory of God; and their expanse is declaring the work of His hands. (Pslam 19:1) For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse. (Rom 1:20) God’s arm has been revealed, and His message is clear.

But the delivery of the message and the revelation is no longer exclusively God’s. For those of us who have gotten the message, it now becomes our ministry, our responsibility to share what we know; and thereby they (the unbelievers) will see our hearts, and our hands proclaiming His message, and His revelation.

They will see your good works: Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven. (Matthew 5:16)

And they see your testimony: I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me. (Galatians 2:20)

Indeed, not only should the unbeliever see our hearts and hands, they should see Jesus!

What God Gave Up for Lent – Day 5

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5. Can You Look?

Cross and Crowd

For dogs have surrounded me; a band of evildoers has encompassed me; they pierced my hands and my feet. I can count all my bones. They look, they stare at me. (Psalm 22:16-17)

For dogs have surrounded me. The meanings behind the word dog are quite potent. Besides the actual animal, it can refer to base and contemptuous men, pagan sacrifices, and male prostitutes. Here it has to do with base and contemptuous men. Paul associates other types of men with dogs: Beware of the dogs, beware of the evil workers, beware of the false circumcision. (Phil 3:2) Who are those of the false circumcision? That would be the Pharisees and Sadducees. They were so wrapped up in their ritual and their status, they not only missed Messiah, but they put Him to death. Therefore let all the house of Israel know for certain that God has made Him both Lord and Christ—this Jesus whom you crucified. (Acts 2:36) Now, when you think of the crowd that surrounded the cross of our Savior, and many of them were from the religious community, let us be mindful that it is not a difficult thing to be so distracted with rules, or with minutiae, or with self and our own righteousness, we can lose sight of the Savior, and our lives and expectations become base and contemptuous.

They pierced my hands and my feet. Whereas this was a prayer and song of David, and many of these circumstances took place within his own life, there is no doubt that he is looking through the lens of divine revelation when he speaks of his hands and feet being pierced. For indeed, he speaks not of himself, but of the suffering Christ.

They look, they stare at me. We return to the crowd that surrounded our Lord. Can you identify with any of them?

Are you like Mary whose eyes were filled with tears, whose body was wracked with sorrow, making it nearly impossible to see her Son clearly?

Are you like the disciples who could not look up, because they were overwhelmed by their shame?

Do you turn away in abhorrence and disgust, unable to look upon One so tortured, so maimed, so disfigured, that you are physically and emotionally ill?

Maybe you’re a crowd watcher. You’re consumed by the surrounding drama and distracted from what is really going on. Did you miss the point?

Or are you like the religious folk, observers who watched from a distance, who stared, who gazed, who nodded in approval, and looked to one another; who inspect and gave close attention to each “deserved” laceration and wound, the flow of blood, the thorns and the nails that pierced Him?

Are you willing to look upon the sorrow, the pain, the suffering and anguish of the Savior? Can you look past the brokenness and wounds, torture and ruin, and gaze a little deeper to see the disfigurement and deformity caused by the sins laid upon Him? Your sins and the sins of the world?

Finally, what can you do to get those around you, to look at the Savior? That they may see their guilt and sin He took upon Himself so they might be saved? And then to look a bit further and see the love that held Him there, the love that would not let Him stay in the grave, and the love which purchased your forgiveness and salvation. Will you look? Do you understand? Will you help others see?

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Singing with the King (104) – Freedom (2)

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Keep your servant from deliberate sins! Don’t let them control me. Then I will be free of guilt and innocent of great sin. (Psalm 19:13)

Last time we talked about temptation and how it comes from our own desires. But, temptation could also come from external sources (although I believe we all carry enough baggage on our own). Things we see, hear, taste and touch:

Don’t be tempted by their beauty; don’t be trapped by their flirting eyes. (Proverbs 6:25)

So she tempted him with her charms, and he gave in to her smooth talk. (Proverbs 7:21)

Don’t let wine tempt you, even though it is rich red, and it sparkles in the cup, and it goes down smoothly. (Proverbs 23:31)

So is he who sleeps with another man’s wife; no one who touches her will go unpunished. (Proverbs 6:29)

Things of power, relationships, and money.

But I almost stumbled and fell, because it made me jealous to see proud and evil people and to watch them prosper. (Psalm 73:2-3)

The wicked will not rule the land of the godly, for then the godly might be tempted to do wrong. (Psalm 125:3)

My child, when sinners tempt you, don’t give in. (Proverbs 1:10)

Have I put my trust in money or felt secure because of my gold? (Job 31:24)

Now the things that can tempt us are legion, but not all of us are tempted by the same thing. In fact what tempts one, is no big deal for another. But understand, you can follow the temptation or you can escape it:

The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure. (1 Corinthians 10:13)

I suppose this passage is the NT support for this Psalm. I asked two questions at the top, dealing with the words deliberate and control. But there’s one more important question to ask: What is freedom? That’s next time.

Singing with the King (70) – What Do You See?

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Yet I am confident I will see the Lord’s goodness while I am here in the land of the living. (Psalm 27:13)

FRANCE-RELIGION-ARCHITECTURE-LIGHT So we’re driving on our way home after spending the afternoon walking around a modern art gallery, and now we’re talking about buildings. And my daughter says to me that buildings that have no windows have something to hide. (We happened to have been driving by a “business establishment” notorious for that sort of thing.) Then I responded that there are some churches in town that don’t have windows. And she says, “Hmm.” Now I know a couple of churches that fit that description, no windows, because they do lots of productions—you know, “Lights , cameras, action!”

But my Church—I love my Church—we have these huge windows in the front of the Church which look out onto some beautiful mountains. Many visiting pastors have expressed their concerns, that the congregation may be looking at the scenery rather than listening to the message. Then they say, they better bring their “A” game.

Now I understand that having windows or not having windows is probably not a theological issue. It may have to do with heating or cooling; ministry needs; the neighborhood, and the geography. But let me tell you what open windows can accomplish:

The Church was called The Pentecostal Bride Groom, and during the summers they left their windows wide open, because they had no air conditioning. But what they did have was an awesome choir and amazing worship; and during the warm times, I’d have my apartment windows open, and I would listen to their passionate and joyous worship. I don’t know what the neighborhood felt about this Church, but it had been around for decades, and their worship of Jesus Christ was certainly a blessing to me.

So that’s one thing windows can do—people on the outside may be able to hear what’s going on the inside. The other thing windows do is let in light, reminding us how important light is to us. And one more thing, they keep us from getting absorbed in our little (or big) box, because we can see what’s going on around us: people passing by who need Jesus; or seeing the trees, or the river, or the mountains clap for joy.

Seeing the Lord’s goodness can happen in Church (even one with no windows). It can happen at home, or work, or going traveling from here to there. But be looking for it, because you will find it.

Let all that I am praise the Lord; may I never forget the good things he does for me. (Psalm 103:2)

All he does is just and good, and all his commandments are trustworthy. (Psalm 111:7)

Singing with the King (31) – River Song

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Let the sea roar and all it contains, the world and those who dwell in it. Let the rivers clap their hands, let the mountains sing together for joy. (Psalm 98:7-8)

KONICA MINOLTA DIGITAL CAMERA

What Kind of River Are You?

The word river is also translated a few times as flood; but there is an interesting thing found in its root word and is not only translated as stream, but also shine, beam, and radiant. Think about when Scripture intersects with river, light and life.

How precious is Your lovingkindness, O God! And the children of men take refuge in the shadow of Your wings. They drink their fill of the abundance of Your house; and You give them to drink of the river of Your delights. For with You is the fountain of life; in Your light we see light. (Psalm 36:7-9)

Do you know how a river moves—especially a rushing river? Waves and spray are tossed up and sparkle in the light. This is the sort of river which would clap it’s hands. It is not a lazy river, but a turbulent river.

What kind of River are you? Do you clap for joy that people may hear the you love Jesus? Do you let His light shine on and through you maybe even sparkle the people may see you love Jesus? Or do you allow them a cooling touch or a cooling drink to bring comfort and healing in Jesus name?

That’s what hands do; they clap for joy to the Lord, and they bring healing and comfort. What other ways can you use your hands for the Lord and His People?