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Images or Altars?

“If God were small enough to be understood, He would not be big enough to be worshiped.” – Evelyn Underhill

We were designed to worship God, but we all know that sometimes that worship gets diverted into other things. The people of Israel were prone to worshiping idols made of stone, wood, or metal, so God made it clear in the very first of the Ten Commandments (Exodus 20) that they were not to make images. Period.

But there was something he did want them to make: Later in the same chapter we find God saying, “. . . an altar of earth you shall make for me”

Don’t make images, but do make altars. And what are altars for? He explains that, too. They are for offering sacrifices in worship of the one true God.

The God we worship is beyond limit. Anything we do to give him shape makes him something less than who he really is.

On the other hand, an altar acknowledges his existence, his presence, his authority, and his worthiness to be worshipped and adored. It sees him to be limitless, all-present, beyond understanding. And it provides a place for us to meet him in all his glory.

Sometimes we all need to examine what goes on in the deepest parts of our minds and hearts. Are we tending more toward seeing God according to our personal definition of him, a being we might be able to bargain with, manipulate, or control? Or do we see him as the transcendent, all encompassing God to be held in awe and reverential fear? To be worshiped and adored. Let’s make altars, not idols.

“The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of all the earth. He never grows weak or weary. No one can measure the depths of his understanding.” – Isaiah 40:28b

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Encounters with Jesus

True encounter with Christ liberates something in us, a power we did not know we had, a hope, a capacity for life, a resilience, an ability to bounce back when we thought we were completely defeated, a capacity to grow and change, a power of creative transformation.  
—Thomas Merton 

How can we live in such a way that encounters with Jesus, as Merton describes above, are possible for us?

We start by wanting to know everything we can know about him. As Christians, one of our missions should be to read and reread the Gospels to keep gaining insights into Jesus – not only his teaching, but also his actions, attitudes, and habits.

Then we will want to know him, not just intellectually, but experientially through a one-on-one relationship with him. We will want personal encounters with Jesus – times when we can sense his presence or hear his voice as a thought in our mind or feel his love reaching out for us.

These moments with Jesus are possible, but they cannot be commanded. They can only be received. We can prepare space for them by walking in obedience to Jesus, desiring to please him in every possible way. Such a moment might happen when we pause in our prayer to listen, or when we’re driving to an appointment, or as we sleep at night. Every encounter with Jesus will cut to our heart, it will change us, we will never forget it, and we will want more.

Jesus, in the person of the Holy Spirit, lives within everyone who has put their trust in him. If we tune in to his presence and his power, he will respond in his own way and time.

“. . . “If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him.” – John 14:2

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Made Whole

This is a bonus post from my friend, Jane. I hope it blesses you as it did me.

Happy Valentine’s Day everyone!

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World of Wonders

“If we would venture more upon the naked promise of God, we would enter a world of wonders to which we are yet strangers.” – Charles Spurgeon

It’s a great quote by Spurgeon. Then we look at life and at the world around us and we ask where those wonders are. What are we missing?

Maybe it is the barely-avoided accident on the highway.

Maybe it’s a new-born baby.

Maybe it’s the sickness we didn’t catch.

Maybe it is the peace we feel even when the task in front of us seems too big.

Maybe it’s our friend’s insight into a problem we are trying to solve on our own.

The Bible tells us we humans are just dust. Some call us “mud people”. Yes, mud people in whose life is the breath of God making us into someone he loves, adores, cares for, and nurtures. He takes us by the hand, leading us step by step. That, in itself, is a wonder! There is nothing too hard for God. He is the God of wonders, working them every day in our world.

Some of them are small. We have to be paying close attention to see them. Others are big -like when we get an unexpected gift that is just exactly what we needed, or someone we’ve been praying for is healed in a way that can only be be supernatural, or someone we love suddenly sees the truth of who Jesus is. These wonders do happen. Let’s look for them and then stand in awe at what we see. G. K. Chesterton said it best: “We are perishing for lack of wonder, not for lack of wonders”.

“Seek the Lord and his strength; seek his presence continually! Remember the wondrous works that he has done, his miracles, and the judgments he uttered,” – Psalm 105:4-5

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Their god is . . . .

“Each day provides a multitude of ways to improve the way we shelter the Holy Spirit of God.” – Gary Thomas

There are times when we seem to have a love-hate relationship with our bodies. As Christians, we know that our bodies belong to God, that the Holy Spirit lives within us, and that we have a responsibility to take care of the body we have, whatever its present condition may be. Much about our bodies is outside of our control. But we do have something to say about how we eat, exercise, and rest.

Paul actually refers (not favorably!) to people whose “god is their belly” (from Philippians 3:19). I think we could safely interpret it to mean that it’s possible to let our bodies have too much to say about how we live. Sometimes it is our baser instincts that rule our decisions.

But we don’t have to follow the demands our body makes for satisfaction, pleasure, or foods. We have to give it what it needs, but not everything it wants! When we make God our first priority, our one and only God, we are less likely to make our appetites, our comfort, or our happiness into “gods”.

If we’re serious about having God rule our bodies, what do we do? We learn to feed them well, to get exercise to keep our muscles strong, and to find the right balance between work and rest and between feasting and fasting. We can use our bodies to turn us toward God, not away from him, as we learn to care for these temples in ways that please him.

 “I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship“- Romans 12:1

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Calming the Soul

“I can change my mind, but only the Holy Spirit can change my heart.” ~ Jack Deere

Years ago, coal miners would die from toxic gases in their unventilated mines. Someone realized canaries were sensitive to these gasses and would succumb to their effects sooner than humans. So miners would take canaries with them into the mines. If a canary began to show signs of toxicity, the workers knew it was time to evacuate.

As followers of Jesus, we have a similar warning system inside us: the Holy Spirit. When we are in situations that are dangerous or where we might be tempted to sin, the Spirit sends urgent signals for us to get out of harm’s way. If we trust him, we’ll pay attention and run.

Not only did the canary in the mine warn of danger, he also was an indicator when all was well. If the canary was singing, the men could work without worries about the air they were breathing. Productivity increased when there was a sense of security.

As we learn to know the Holy Spirit better, we learn to turn our attention toward him when we get anxious. If we sense he isn’t worried, we shouldn’t be either. Instead of letting anxiety prevail, we can learn to connect to him as our stability, our source of peace.

We need to get to know this Spirit better so we’ll sense danger when it’s there and have peace when it’s not. It’s beyond imagination, but the Holy Spirit is actually is our protector, and we are better off when we get in the habit of giving him our attention and trusting him to guide.

“. . . do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God?” – 1 Corinthians 6:19a

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When God Pauses

“He already cares for the things we pray about… He has simply been waiting for us to care about them with him.” – Philip Yancey

When we read the account of Sodom in the Bible, we find God is about to destroy the city because of its wickedness, but he pauses. Why? Because he remembered Abraham. And when he remembered Abraham, he sent two angels to escort Lot, his wife, and daughters out of the city just minutes before he destroyed it.

What did God remember about Abraham that caused him to pause? He remembered Abraham’s intercession for his nephew Lot. Abraham had bargained to the point where God agreed he would not destroy the city if there were ten righteous people in it. But there weren’t, so God was going ahead with his plan. That’s when he paused.

At that point, it seems God wasn’t focused on Lot and his predicament. He was remembering Abraham and his prayer (see Genesis 19:29). He wouldn’t have had to rescue Lot. The bargain Abraham made required ten righteous people. But God heard Abraham’s heart, and he sent rescue angels for Abraham’s sake.

Isn’t it amazing that God is influenced by the prayers of one person? That he sometimes adjusts his plans because we ask? If what we ask for can be given to us and not interfere with God’s bigger plan, it seems that God is willing to answer our prayer.

Are you praying for someone – for their rescue or recovery or repentance? Don’t give up. God may be sovereignly working his plan in the world and suddenly pause, remembering you and your prayer, and decide to act – because you asked.

“Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” – 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18.

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Live strong!

There are some of us who live tired. We want more energy. We want to feel more alive, but we trudge along doing the next thing and the next until we fall into bed at night.

Dear friends, that is NOT how God wants us to live. This very issue is addressed throughout the Bible. Let’s analyze a bit.

Why do we get tired?

  1. We have too much to do. A wise person once said to me, “You have enough time today to do everything God wants you to do.” I understood at once: If I feel too much time pressure, it may be because I have something on my “to do” list that God didn’t put there. I’ve learned to ask him every day to help me adjust my priorities to his. (Matthew 6:25-34)
  2. We’re anxious, stressed. Stress is a huge drain on our energy, and it can become a habit. As followers of Christ, we have to realize that living in anxiety is an affront to Jesus who said he would give us peace that passes understanding and that he would provide for us as he does the lilies of the field. At times maybe we have to be content just to wait on God, his timing, his will. (Isaiah 40:31)
  3. We’re trying too hard. I’m learning that if I’m working hard so others will approve of what I do, I’m working from the center of ego – and that is exhausting. If, on the other hand, I work from the center of pleasing God, I am strengthened. Why? Because of Christ, God is pleased already. I don’t have to try so hard to earn his smile. (Matthew 11:28-30)

Let’s learn to live our best, strong, energized lives by leaning on God at every turn.

” I will refresh the weary and satisfy the faint.” Jeremiah 31:25

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How well do you know him?

“We are all desperate, and that is in fact the only state appropriate to a human being who wants to know God. Having fallen from the absolute ideal, we have nowhere to land but in the safety net of absolute grace.” Philip Yancey

Jesus, when you were on earth, you were busy, but never hurried. You stayed calm even when your closest disciples didn’t understand what you were trying to teach. How did you do it?

Even as a human, I knew the Father better than you do. I went to him all the time when I was tired or stressed or afraid. Yes, I was afraid. Remember Gethsemane?

And there were times I was so frustrated, like when I saw God’s people as sheep without a shepherd. Their shepherds were their religious leaders and they were leading people away from the Father, not toward him. I was angry!

And many times, I just needed help making decisions, trying to understand what the Father wanted. So I went to him a lot. Praying, asking, listening for direction. It always came and, when it did, I acted. I wanted nothing more than to do what he wanted, not what I, as a human being, wanted.

So, little one, if you are frustrated by what you see in the world around you, or angry at injustices, or afraid of what is to come, turn to the Father. Turning to him will help you know him better and the better you know him, the more you will rely on him and the more you will want to please him.

Let him love, lead, encourage, and correct you. That’s what loving fathers do. And our Father in heaven does all those things perfectly!

“Praise be to the Lord, to God our Savior, who daily bears our burdens.” – Psalm 68:19

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Is the Bible really inspired by God?

“The Bible re-educates us; it makes sages out of fools” – Dane Ortland

The Bible was written by 40+ human authors over hundreds of years, so what convinces us it’s from God and not from human imagination or literary skill?

First, how could writers of Scripture, who were separated by miles and by generations (with few exceptions), present content in varying contexts, styles, and genres and always be consistent in their portrayal of God and his story? The message holds together beginning to end.

Second, the writers believed they were giving a message from God. More than 3,000 times biblical authors made claims like “This is the word of the Lord,” indicating that those who wrote the texts believed they were writing God’s message.

Third, we look at how the early recipients viewed the texts. Many of the biblical books were immediately recognized as inspired. In fact, there was consensus among Jewish scholars concerning their authoritative scriptures as early as 440 BC. These same books comprise our Old Testament today.

For the New Testament, Christians recognized writings as inspired based on meeting all of specific criteria including message, accuracy, author’s first-or second-person relationship to Jesus, and recognition by the early church as being inspired.

Maybe most convincing of all are the testimonies across the ages and from every region of the world of people whose lives have been radically and permanently changed by what they have read in the Bible and believed in their hearts. There is something special about this book!

If the Bible is the inspired and trustworthy message from our Creator to us, let’s commit in this new year to read it, think about it, believe its promises, and obey its commands. This book was written for our benefit. We don’t want to miss it!

“The unfolding of your words gives light; it gives understanding to the simple.” – Psalm 119:130

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Note: Parts of this post were previously published in INSPIRED Devotional: A 40 Day Journey. If you have more questions on the authority of the Bible, you might like that book or another I wrote titled The Bible for Skeptics (both of these books are available on Amazon)