pastorjohnb

Thoughts and musings on faith and our mighty God!

Tag Archives: disappointment


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A Model of Faith

Reading: Deuteronomy 34:1-4

Verse 1: “Then Moses climbed Mount Nebo… There the Lord showed him the whole land.”

We begin this week with a text that closes out Moses’ story. Here, at the very end of Deuteronomy, Moses dies and passes on the leadership of Israel to Joshua. Today there is one last tender exchange between God and Moses.

Our text begins, “Then Moses climbed Mount Nebo… There the Lord showed him the whole land.” This does not sound like a man near to death. Back in chapter 32 God reminded Moses that he would only see the Promised Land. In this same section, God commanded Moses to make this trek. As Moses hiked up this arid mountain, he has time to ponder and think, to consider the scope of his life. This is common as one enters that end-of-life season. As Moses hikes and reflects, I wonder what his highs and lows were.

On top of Pisgah, the highest point, God shows Moses all of the land that he will not get to enter. It is a land “flowing with milk and honey.” Relative to the desert that they have been trekking through for 40 years, this land is lush and green. God reminds Moses that this is the land “promised on oath to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.”

Moses could’ve been disappointed or even angry that he’s led these people for so long or that he’s come this close only to be denied entry. Disappointment could’ve welled up and put him in a deep funk. Perhaps it would do so to me if I stood in his shoes. It is not so with Moses. He has faithfully walked the path that God has placed him on. He has been obedient and steadfast to the Lord. And he is grateful for his time and place with Israel. Moses is content and at peace because of his relationship with God. Moses is a model of faithful servant leadership. Thanks be to God for his example.

Prayer: Lord God, thank you for helping me today to better understand my role in service to you. Help me to keep this right perspective. This is your plan, your will, your way. I am but a humble servant. Continue to lead and guide me. Use me as you will. Amen.


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Jesus Is with Us

Reading: John 11:1-37

Verse 33: “When Jesus saw her weeping… he was deeply moved in spirit and troubled.”

Photo credit: Ruthson Zimmerman

We end our week with the story known as the raising of Lazarus. That’s the miracle in the passage. It begins with Mary and Martha asking Jesus to come: “Lord, the one you love is sick.” We read into their request an urgency. We can relate because maybe too often our prayers are lifted only when the situation has become urgent. At that point we too are like Mary and Martha: we want a speedy response. If things don’t turn out how we’d like or want, we too can toss up a “Lord if you had…” It is always hard to wait, to have patience, when we bring something important to God, especially if we feel that a response is urgent.

Jesus does show up. It’s just not in Mary or Martha’s preferred time frame. And it’s not the response they wanted – or so they initially think. First Martha comes and he assured her that he is “the resurrection and the life.” Yes, Lord, you are the Messiah. Then Mary comes, full of “if onlys” and filled with grief. It is here that we read, “When Jesus saw her weeping… he was deeply moved in spirit and troubled.” He enters their pain and grief. Jesus becomes present in the midst of their sorrow. He is with those who believe. This too is our Jesus. In our pain and grief, in our anger and disappointments, in our loneliness and doubt, in all of life – Jesus is with us.

Yes, Lazarus will walk out of the grave. But in 5, 9, 17 years – he will die again. The pain and sorrow will return. And so will Jesus. In Spirit, he will comfort Mary and Martha once again. This is the good news of this story: Jesus is with us. He weeps with us. He comforts us. He lifts us up. Thanks be to God, Jesus is with us.

Prayer: Lord God, yes, you are present! In the highs, in the lows, and everywhere in between, you are there. You invite us into a personal relationship. You offer to all who believe abundant life now and life eternal. But you don’t wait until we die to become part of our lives. The moment we invite you into our hearts, you enter in and you take up residence. Thank you, Jesus. I need you every day and every hour. Thank you, Lord. Amen.


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Oh the Depths

Reading: Psalm 81:1 and 10-16

Verses 11-12: “My people would not listen to me… I gave them over to their stubborn hearts.”

Psalm 81 is a song of celebration, disappointment, and promise. The first verses, 1-2, prepare the people to worship and sing and play. The next verses, 3-7, celebrate how God rescued Israel and led them out of Egypt and through the wilderness. Then, in verses 8-9, God reminds and warns Israel: no foreign gods! We did not read most of these verses.

Verse 10 again promises provision and rescue by God. God longs to care for Israel. But it is not to be so. In verses 11-12 we read, “My people would not listen to me… I gave them over to their stubborn hearts.” They would not submit to God. They followed their own wants and desires. We can almost hear and feel God’s frustration and disappointment. At times we too must make God feel this way. I’ve often thought that God must be shaking God’s head at some of the things I’ve said and done and thought – like a parent with a foolish child.

In spite of all that rebellion and self-centeredness, God still longs to care for and to provide for the children. In verses 13-16 God reminds Israel and us that God will subdue our enemies and fill us with the finest wheat and honey – if one will follow God’s ways. If one “would but listen to me.” God will subdue our rebellious and selfish ways, will defeat our sin, if we will turn our hearts back towards God. Oh the depths of God’s love for you and for me. “Sing for joy to God our strength; shout aloud to the God of Jacob!”

Prayer: Lord God, thank you for loving me even though I can be selfish and inwardly focused. Thank you for your no-matter-what love that is always ready to restore and redeem me, to care for and guide me. What great love! You are an amazing and awesome God. I love you too! Amen.


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Faithful Servant

Reading: Deuteronomy 34: 1-12

Verse Four: I have let you see it with your eyes, but you will not cross over into it.

In today’s passage, we come to the end of Moses’ life.  It is a quiet end to the life of a faithful servant.  The time in the basket, floating in the river, is 120 years ago.  It seems almost like another lifetime.  But as we find Moses at 120, he is still strong and is still of good mind.  As Moses heads up the mountain, he must sense it is for the last time.  Knowing this, the experience must have been bittersweet for him.  Yet this humble servant of God continues to walk by faith, right to the end.  It is one more testament to Moses’ close personal relationship with God.

Moses has spent the last 40+ years of his life first leading the chosen people to freedom and then through their desert wanderings.  It has been a hard life at times.  It has also been wonderful at times.  First Moses had to deal with Pharaoh’s hard heart and then he spent forty years with a stiff-necked, complaining bunch.  There seemed to always be a crisis or an issue to deal with.  Moses had made frequent trips up the mountain to meet with God.  On occasion Moses even had to deal with God, standing on behalf of this people.  Moses has given much of himself to these people and all of himself to God.

Once up the mountain, God once again blesses Moses.  The divine judgment stands, yet this day love and grace rule.  God says to Moses, “I have let you see it with your eyes, but you will not cross over into it”.  In a vision, God allows Moses to see the whole Promised Land.  Although he will not enter into it, God gives Moses a great virtual tour.  Yes, the judgment stands, but God offers one last blessing to His faithful servant.  Moses sees the fruit of his many years of service – the Promised Land.

A lesser man would have come down the mountain disappointed.  But Moses has no regrets.  He has lived a life of service to the God and people he loves.  Moses returns to his people one last time and quietly passes on to eternal life with God.  May we too strive to live such a life.  May it be so.


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Hope

Reading: Luke 24: 13-21

Verse 21: We had hoped that He was the one who was going to redeem Israel.

Two followers of Jesus are walking along the road to Emmaus.  The events of the last three days must have dominated the conversation.  They had passed through the dark days of Jesus’ arrest and crucifixion.  They had sat through the ‘now what?’ of Saturday.  They have heard the women tell of an empty tomb and of angels saying Jesus is alive.  But no one has seen Jesus at this point in their minds.  It is just a story at this point and much of their minds are caught up in the events of the past few days.

Instead of appearing as Jesus to these men, his identity is hidden.  He invites them to share their story and emotions and recent experience with Him.  He invites them into sharing the hopes they had, the disappointment they felt, and the desire to believe again.  All of these things are part of life.  We go through them as well.  For the disciples and followers of Jesus, these things must have been swirling around in their heads.  In this little part of the road to Emmaus story, Jesus draws out of these two men all that they are feeling and what is in their hearts.

At times our trials and disappointments can ‘here’ Jesus from our eyes as well.  The grief or anger can blind us or be a barrier that gets in the way.  These parts of life that we’d rather avoid are unavoidable.  Life brings us all the good as well as all the bad.  Jesus desires to walk along through it all with us as well.  Jesus wants to be our constant.  Jesus wants to hear it all.  He wants to hear our joys and our sorrows, our dreams and our disappointments, our requests and our thanksgivings.  He wants our joyous choruses and our angry rants.  He wants it all because He wants all of us.

The men confided their ultimate hope in Jesus, saying, “We had hoped that He was the one who was going to redeem Israel”.  Soon they would better understand all that has recently transpired and soon they would know that indeed their hope has been realized.  Their eyes would be opened and they would recognize their Lord and their Savior.  Jesus wants to be the same for each of us: Lord and Savior, ever present help and ever present peace.  Thank you Jesus!