pastorjohnb

Thoughts and musings on faith and our mighty God!

Tag Archives: mercy


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What a Shepherd!!

Sheep have a reputation for being animals that lack intelligence.  They are known to do stupid things at times – they wander off and find themselves lost or in danger.  When the shepherd isn’t around or when they cannot hear his voice, they can become lost or worse.

Sheep are a pretty good metaphor for us, aren’t they?  Not the lacking intelligence part – humans are pretty capable intellectually.  But this make it all the more ironic that at times we too wander away from Jesus, our shepherd.  We know He paid a price.  We know he bled, suffered, and died to pay for our sins yet sometimes we are prone to wander off down a different road.

When the shepherd notices a sheep is missing, he will search for that sheep until he finds it and bring it back to safety.  At times, danger comes near the sheep.  The shepherd takes up staff or sling and protects the sheep.

When we wander away, surely we will hear His voice.  When I hear Him calling, ‘John, where are you?’ then I respond, ‘Here!  Here!  Here I am!’ and I come running back.  As I come to walk again with the shepherd I wonder why I ever went astray.  But Jesus just smiles ad welcomes me back into the fold.  There is no “tsk, tsk’ or sad look in His eyes.  Just a smile and love in the eyes.  At times, do you hear Him calling?  Run to Him!  He will do the same for you.  Jesus offers love, grace, and mercy to all.  What a Good Shepherd we have!!!


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God Always Present

Psalm 23 is one the best known psalms.  It is a psalm many know by heart.  It is a passage that assures us of God’s grace and love for us.  It is a passage that speaks of God’s constant and steady hand upon us as we walk on our journey of faith.  It is a passage that speaks of God blessing us and a promise of His goodness and mercy as we live with God in our hearts.  It is a psalm of thanksgiving.

Yet it is also a psalm that brings great comfort and peace.  It is a psalm that reminds us that God is present beside the still waters and in the green pasture.  It is also a passage that assures us that in our dark and sad times, God is there too.  In the dark valleys we need him more than ever, as He is always there.

For all of these things, His presence in both the good and in the bad, we give thanks.  Romans 15:13 reads: “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him; so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy spirit.”  Hope does not disappoint, for God is always near.


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The Call of Jesus

Judas betrays Jesus first in his heart, then later in action.  Was he forcing Jesus’ hand to prod Jesus into becoming the powerful, earthly king that Judas longed for him to be?  Maybe this was Judas’ goal and he cared little for 30 pieces of silver.  Or was Judas filled with greed and saw this as an opportunity to make a little money?  Maybe part of Judas thought Jesus would get out of this jam too. Either way, Judas was guided by Satan, the great deceiver.

But how could one so close to Jesus come to betray Him?  How could one of the twelve think that Jesus had come to sit on an earthly throne?  How could… But each of the twelve does deny or betray Jesus in the end.  Even Peter, the Rock, flat out denies Jesus three times in the courtyard.  All of the disciples scatter and go into hiding after the crucifixion.  Most don’t even go to the hill of Calvary to see Jesus draw the last breath and to die for the sin of the world.

Maybe this was just the lot cast to Judas, cast by powers far beyond him.  We know that Judas doe snot live long afterwards.  Was it guilt or remorse that drove him to take his own life?  Or was it him wanting to be reunited with the risen Lord?

When I think of my life, I realize how often I deny or betray Jesus.  I do every time I say that I want to be the one in control.  I do ever time I won’t fully hand over the reigns to Jesus.  I do every time I turn away from one I could help.  I do every time I choose not to see Jesus in the eyes of those in need.  Yes, sadly the list could go on. What does your list of denials and betrayals look like?

But thanks be to God!!  His mercy and love and forgiveness never fail.  God is right there to pick us back up, to dust us off, to give us a little hug and pat on the back, and to send us right back out there to be His light and love in our world.  May our eyes and ears and hearts be better attuned to hearing and answering the call.  Thanks be to God!!


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Content in Christ

“The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not be in want….  Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.” (Psalm 23, verses 1 and 6)

We trust and lean into God in good times and in bad.  The opening line to Psalm 23 is such great reassurance.  Paul also knew well the key to being content in any and all situations because he knew that God’s presence in his life was all that really mattered.  Paul always lived life with one eye on  the eternal prize.  In Philippians 4 we read these words: “I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances.  I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.  I can do all this through him who gives me strength.”  The strength we find in God is the key to our contentment in this life.

And the last line of the Psalm!!!  “Surely goodness and love will follow me… and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.”  These words resonate so deeply within our souls.  These words are our reassurance that even though we pass through the shadows in this lifetime, God’s love and goodness are always there.  They are a foretaste of dwelling in His house forever.  When we go through the day-to-day with this in mind, we can find the contentment and peace that comes from walking with Christ.  May our walk today be in lockstep with Jesus!!


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Taking Notice

Sin can be a lot like bad food you ate at a restaurant.  When you partook, you certainly enjoyed it!  Yet later, as much as you try to keep it down, it just gurgles away and makes you take notice.  In a fit of kindness, you may even think it is not the restaurant’s fault.  As we gaze in the mirror of our souls, we may even think it is the other driver’s fault they didn’t sense we wanted to change lanes or that our spouse didn’t know we were upset with something that happened at work or maybe it was the overly sensitive person at the meeting that should’ve known you were only joking.  But when we lean in and take a closer look…

The sin in our lives doesn’t go away either if we just try and pretend it is not there.  It festers away and begins to sap our strength and energy.  It wedges the guilt right in there – between us and God or between you and a friend, co-worker, or spouse.  As with bad food, it is often only later that we realize, “Uh-oh…”

Yet there is great news!!  When we confess our sins before God we can find love, and mercy, and forgiveness.  He draws us back to Himself and teaches us a better way.  He wants to guide us to a new and better way – His way of love.  God desires for us to love others as He loves us.  And when we go to our friend, co-worker, or spouse and humbly confess our sin and seek their forgiveness, they too will welcome us back into relationship with them.  And then we rejoice, for the lost has been found, the broken has been fixed.  We rejoice in our mighty savior as He pours out His love upon us each and every day.  Thanks be to God!


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And so they ate…

In the Garden Adam and Eve had all they really needed – food, each other, God’s daily presence.  Yet there was one thing that they did not have.  It wasn’t that they needed it – they just did not have it.  And so they ate from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.  It is not that they needed to know about good and evil.  But their desire to have more got the best of them.  Eating the fruit gave them the one thing they knew they did not have.

Aren’t we often the same?  We so often want to have more than we have. We are so blessed in so many ways yet we see a better position, better pay, more recognition, a newer car, a bigger house, a more beautiful spouse, … and we “want” it.  The want has nothing to do with need or necessity.  It is much like the fruit of the forbidden tree.  We think, ‘wouldn’t it be nice to…’ and off we go!  And God looks down and says ‘All you need is right here.”  Yet we can be so busy in chasing after the next ‘x’ that we don’t even hear Him.

We treat the control over our lives the same way.  God will do a fantastic job of leading our life.  Yet we are constantly wrestling with him over the steering wheel.  If we can only see that life is always best when God is driving the bus.  We want to set the course and call the shots.  We are blessed in so many ways yet how often Satan whispers, “Hey, look over here” and he instantly has our attention.  Satan doesn’t much tempt us with fruit but his offerings are vast and shiny and make us take notice.

As we prepare to enter into this holy season of Lent, may we do so fully acknowledging God as the provider of all good things.  I’ve heard that He is an excellent driver too.  May we come to trust in Him and to be content in the rich blessings that He so graciously gives.  May our thanks to Him flow out of us abundantly so that we may see God for who He truly is: a loving father who wants to give His children all they need.  When we do, He is faithful and will fill us with joy, peace, and contentment.  May we eat fully of His abundance.

 


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Supreme Blessing for All!!

The Sermon on the Mount begins with the Beatitudes. ‘Beatitudes’ mean supreme blessings or happiness, according to Webster. For some of the beatitudes, they are certainly a blessing. But for some the blessing comes in how we live them out. In the Beatitudes we see some ways for us to draw near to God, some ways to share our God, and some ways God draws near to us.

When we are poor in spirit we see our need for God and move towards deepening our relationship with Him. To me this is like when I am starting to get hungry – I can begin to sense my need for food. The perceived feeling of missing something draws us near to what we need. When we are humble we acknowledge that there is a need. Then we can begin to walk toward Him that fills us. As we seek righteousness with a pure heart, God is happy to meet us in the journey and to fill us up. And thus our relationship with gains depth.

Out of these internal things and the relationship with God that forms and grows, we can allow God to flow forth from us, into the lives of others. Because we are filled with His peace and mercy, we can offer peace and mercy to those we meet who need to come to know God. The hands and feet of God become our hands and feet as we meet someone in their place of need. Their walk begins or is helped along.

And because of His great love for us, at times God draws near to us. When we mourn, He enters in to bring us comfort. When we are persecuted, He enters in to bring us the strength we need to face the trial. Through His presence with us in our times of need, we gain a depth of relationship with God that allows us to be there for others in their time of need. This too can become a way that God flows out of us and into the lives of others.

As we seek out ways to live out the beatitudes, God will be there with us. Some of the opportunities will be obvious and some will require us to see them not through our eyes but through God’s eyes. Some will become only obvious when we feel with God’s heart and not our own. As we draw closer to God in our relationship with Him, our vision for our own faith and the faith of others becomes clearer as well.

Zephaniah 3:17: “The Lord your God is with you. He is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, He will quiet you with His love, He will rejoice over you singing.”


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Asking the Right Question

Micah was a prophet in the old testament. In chapter six God, through Micah, begins by calling the people into account and they respond with a ‘what more can I do?’ attitude. God could just as easily be speaking to us today. Although we do not make animal sacrifices to atone for our sins, we do make what we call ‘sacrifices’ to God. We give Him a whole hour on Sunday morning, maybe two if we go to Sunday school! We give Him a few hours once a month to serve a meal at the mission or to help with a project at church or in the community. And then if we have a twinge of guilt over not doing more for our faith, we shrug and whine out, ‘what more can I do?’ And just like the Israelites, God looks down, gives us a loving smile, and lets us know we have our attitude all wrong.

In verse 7 of Micah 6 the people ask mockingly if God wants the first born of their bodies for the sins of their souls. What a powerful question! Maybe the people were thinking back to Genesis 22 where Abraham goes as far as having his son Isaac bound and upon the altar’s wood – ready to be sacrificed. As Abraham raised the knife, the angel of the Lord intervened. But don’t you think God wishes they (and we) had that much faith in Him?

The attitude that God desires is not for us to offer up our own son or daughter for the sins of our souls. He already did that with His son Jesus. The price for us has already been paid through Jesus’ blood on the cross. But in verse 8 God spells out what He does expects of us: “He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.”

And this is a 24/7 request – not an hour on Sunday, a few hours here and there once a month. It is about being in relationship with Christ ALL the time. It is about being in the world and not succumbing to what the world says is important. It is treating our fellow man with justice. It is about extending mercy to those in need. It is about walking humbly and acknowledging that it is God who is in control of our lives. In the end, our question should not be ‘what more can I do?’ but ‘what else CAN I do?’


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Justice and Mercy – Room to Grow!

The lectionary readings for this week are centered around the idea of living a life that reflects what is important to God and not centered on what the world says is important or powerful or to be sought after. Living in God’s economy may be the way to look at it – investing ourselves into the people we encounter seeking ways to make their lives better when we can.

In Micah 5 the people of Israel are accused of the various economic injustices that exist. They have transitioned from oppressed to oppressor. It is a hard line to cross and not be vengeful or abusive of the newfound power. Micah 6: 2b reads: “For the Lord has a case against his people; he is lodging a charge against Israel.” In the days of Micah, Israel was the Jewish people. In our times, we are Israel.

In a corporate sense, God can still make a pretty compelling case against His people. If the question were to be: “Do we do ALL we can to help the poor and oppressed living in various places around the world?” then my answer would be a loud ‘No’. As I pondered this I thought about the clothes I wear that were made by barely-paid people working in unsafe conditions. I thought about all the food I eat that came from the hands of over-worked and under-paid people. Part of me knows that slowly things are improving for people, but part of me wonders what else I could do.

If the question got more personal and became: “Do I do ALL I can to help the poor and oppressed in the community in which I live?” then I would have a hard time defending my case or my position. True, my calling is not to just work with this segment of our society, but at times I do have an opportunity to be justice and mercy for someone. And do I always extend these when I can? Mostly, but not always. So in the week ahead, it will be on my heart and mind to seek ways to better answer these questions. It is my hope and prayer that you will join me as well!


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Light of the World

As followers of Christ we are transformed. We enter into a relationship with Christ and thereafter we are ever-changed and ever-changing. As we seek to follow the light of the world, we become light in our worlds. Isaiah 9:2 says “those walking in darkness have seen a great light.”

As we grow in our relationship with Christ we are surely changed on the inside. This process is one that should be constant and on-going. As Christians we are never ‘there’ because Jesus is always working to make us more loving, more compassionate, more giving… As we allow Christ to permeate our lives we see the world and those around us in new ways. We seek to share what Jesus gives us through acts of mercy, kindness, love, …

The people we encounter should see the light within us. This changes our relationship with them. As people watch us in action, they should either be lifted up and encouraged (if they are a fellow Christian) or they should be drawn to the light and want to know where this love of neighbor comes from. Our light begins to dispel the darkness in which they walk. Our light draws them to the light of the world – Jesus.

You never know what people will notice. Is it that you go out of your way to extend kindness and love to that person at work that no one else really talks to or wants to be around? Is it that you are willing to pitch in and give a hand even if it is not on your job description? As Christ grows in us, our light in the world grows. Allow your light to be that hook that dangles just in front of the fish, enticing it to come a little closer, enticing it to be caught by the love of God almighty!