Month: June 2024

For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of God’s glory displayed in the face of Christ. But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us.
2 Corinthians 4:6,7

Don’t Judge a Package by Its Cover

Have you ever given someone a present in plain paper wrapping? Why did you do it? Was it to surprise them? Did it work? To surprise someone with a special gift that they are not expecting can give an extra lift to the receiver.

Paul described a gift from God in plain paper wrapping (jars of clay) in our Bible passage. The gift was a treasure, the gospel, God’s plan of salvation for sinful mankind, which includes you and me. Ever since sin separated Adam and Eve from God, that separation has continued in all their descendants. And we can do nothing to bridge the gap between God and us. But God could, and he did! He sent his Son to live a perfect life, and then suffer and die in our place. Jesus has taken all our sins and paid for them, rising victoriously from the grave and defeating Satan for all time. This message is that treasure, the gospel, where God spells it all out for us.

And the plain paper wrapping, the jars of clay, as Paul described them? Paul was describing himself as a sinful, unworthy human, in need of the same salvation he was preaching. And that is true today. God still tells us the story of our salvation through sinful humans using the everyday language that we understand. That treasure is as powerful today as it was in Bible times. You and I have the same assurance of salvation as those who listened to Paul.

Don’t underestimate the power of what God has given us—our salvation through his Son, Jesus.

Prayer:
Thank you for gifting me the forgiveness of sins through my Savior, Jesus. Amen.

That day when evening came, [Jesus] said to his disciples, “Let us go over to the other side.” Leaving the crowd behind, they took him along, just as he was, in the boat. . . A furious squall came up, and the waves broke over the boat, so that it was nearly swamped. Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion. The disciples woke him and said to him, “Teacher, don’t you care if we drown?” He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Quiet! Be still!” Then the wind died down and it was completely calm. He said to his disciples, “Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?” They were terrified and asked each other, “Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!”
Mark 4:35-41

Is Jesus Sleeping in Your Boat?

The disciples supposed that Jesus did not care if they drowned. They did not trust his love for them, nor did they have faith in his power to control wind and wave. Jesus exposed their lack of faith asking, “Why are you so afraid?”

Jesus exposes our lack of faith with the same question, “Why are we so afraid?” Do we think he is sleeping through the problems and troubles of our lives and doesn’t care? Do we think he cannot stand up in the middle of danger and disaster and say, “Be calm and be still!”

Yet there he is with his disciples in that boat on the lake in the middle of the storm. Sleeping on a pillow in back of the boat and believing God would take care of them. He spoke words filled with such power that the sea became calm and the winds stopped howling. Perfect calm.

This miracle helped the disciples learn the answer to the question, “Who is this Jesus?” “Even the wind and waves obey him.” This miracle displayed Jesus’ infinite power and teaches us how to respond to Jesus. We join the wind and waves in obeying his every word.

But this miracle also rebukes us when our weak faith wonders, “Does Jesus care?” This miracle demonstrates the boundless, limitless, and infinite love of Jesus. The quieted winds and the calmed waves testify, “Yes, he cares for you!”

Prayer:
Dear Lord Jesus, help me wait patiently when you seem to sleep. Help me worship joyfully when you rise to save. Amen.

As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, my God.
Psalm 42:1

Thirst Quencher

This pastoral passage doesn’t depict a deer drinking deeply from a meandering stream in a peaceful forest. Picture, rather, an antelope wandering aimlessly in the wilderness during a time of drought. There is nothing to ease its thirst, just the hope of the slow trickle of a desert stream. Nothing else will do.

This is not a peaceful image. As we read these words, we should feel the desperation and determination of this dear animal. It is the same desperation and determination we experience during difficult days.

Just as only water will do when we are dehydrated, so only God will do when we are desperate. Why? Because God created us for himself, so only a relationship with our source of life can satisfy us.

Are you looking for love? Are you longing for a relationship? Are you doubting your worth? Are you searching for a purpose? Are you lacking contentment? The Lord, your Shepherd, supplies all you need.

He satisfies your hunger. He quenches your thirst. He gives rest to the weary. He leads the lost. He defends those in danger. He laid down his life for you to save you from your greatest enemies. And he lives to lead you to waters that well up to eternal life.

Imagine if all your needs could be taken care of with one solution. Imagine if, in all our needs, we always desired God. Think of the freedom we would have. The joy. The peace. The energy. The enthusiasm. The excitement. That’s what God provides all the time. Because in him, we have forgiveness. In him, we are family. In him, we are cared for, provided for, and protected for time and eternity.

Prayer:
Heavenly Father, my soul thirsts for you. Satisfy my desires with good things. Amen.

Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion. The disciples woke him and said to him, “Teacher, don’t you care if we drown?”
Mark 4:38

Don’t You Care?

“Don’t you care?”

Jesus had spent all day caring for the needs of others. The disciples had watched him heal people who were diseased or demon-possessed. Even as night fell, people were still bringing their sicknesses to Jesus. Exhausted, Jesus told his disciples to take him across the lake where he could get some rest.

As they made their way across, a furious storm kicked up. In an instant, waves were threatening to capsize the boat. The situation was so bad that even the disciples, who were expert fishermen, feared for their lives. Jesus, however, was fast asleep.

Frantic, the disciples woke Jesus and asked, “Don’t you care about us? Save us.” They knew he could save them, but they wondered why he wasn’t.

It’s a question we easily ask, especially when we experience some sudden, unexplainable, seemingly insurmountable situation. We’ve seen others overcome similar circumstances. We expect that if God is good, he should be good to all in equal ways. But when relief doesn’t come, the frightened questions do. “God, don’t you care?”

Of course, he does. The Bible is filled, from the first page to the last, with examples of God’s loving heart and powerful hands. But nowhere is his care more evident than on the cross. Because Jesus is God, the Father counted Jesus’ death as the full payment for our sins. Jesus died to save us from death. Because he lives, he gives eternal life to all who believe in him. Just because bad things happen doesn’t mean God doesn’t care.

If God didn’t hesitate to sacrifice himself for us, is there anything he wouldn’t do for us? He will do anything to spend forever with us in the paradise he is preparing for his people. Whether in good times or bad, in plenty or want, healthy or sick, storms or calm, we are always in God’s constant, loving care. There is nothing to fear.

Prayer:
Dearest Jesus, I believe you saved me from death, help me believe that you will always care for me in life. Amen.

So keep up your courage, men, for I have faith in God that it will happen just as he told me.
Acts 27:25

Take Courage

Water is powerful. With enough mass and momentum, water topples buildings.

Water is persistent. A little water over a length of time erodes rock and rusts metal.

Water is petrifying. Although our bodies are waterproof, we can drown in one inch of water.

Combine power, persistence, and petrifying in the form of a storm, and even the most experienced sailors will be terrified.

That’s the situation Paul found himself in. He was on a ship bound for Rome. A fierce wind kicked up a terrible storm. The waves were so powerful the sailors were afraid they were going to sink. The clouds were so thick they couldn’t navigate by the sun or stars. For two weeks, they were driven along by the whim of the wind. The sailors were terrified, tired, and hungry.

Despite the odds, Paul told the crew, “Keep up your courage, because not one of you will be lost; only the ship will be destroyed” (Acts 27:22). How could Paul know? What gave him such confidence? One of God’s angels told him.

When life’s trials weigh us down, it is easy to lose hope and stop trusting God. But because of what Paul experienced in the storm, he could write, “In all things God works good to them that love him who have been called according to his purpose.”

God called Paul to proclaim the message of Jesus to the pagan world. He had promised that Paul would take the gospel to Rome. And he did. For two years, Paul proclaimed the kingdom of God. And many listened and believed.

God calls each of us for the same purpose. He gives each of us the same promise. He will never leave or forsake us. Because of Jesus’ saving work, nothing can separate us from God’s love. No one will snatch you out of his hands. Even in the most trying times, God will work good for you and through you.

So, keep up your courage.

Prayer:
Heavenly Father, stay with me always, especially when I’m having a bad day. Give me courage, confidence, and good cheer because you are leading me safely through life’s challenges. Amen.

Then the LORD spoke to Job out of the storm. He said: “Who is this that obscures my plans with words without knowledge?”
Job 38:1,2

Who Do You Think You Are?

“I can do it myself!” the toddler insists.

The teenager broods, “You have no idea what I’m going through.”

“I could do it better,” the twenty-something insists.

Maybe the toddler can grab food off the stove. But does he know the stove is hot? Maybe the teenager’s parent has never experienced what the teenager is going through. But does she have her parent’s knowledge that this too shall pass? Maybe the twenty-something could do the task better. But does he realize there is an important reason why it is done this way?

We all think we know better than those with more wisdom. And what you would like to say to those who question your wisdom probably sounds something like what the Lord said to Job. It’s what God would say if he answered us when we question his wisdom.

“Who do you think you are?”

God is not being a jerk. He’s lovingly helping us remember who he is, what he has done, what he is capable of, and what great and good plans he has in store for us that can only come by the storms through which we must sail.

God knows the plans he has for you. From eternity, he knew how to save us from sin. He laid out the details over thousands of years. And, when the time was right, when everything was in place, he sent his Son to fulfill all of God’s plans as proof that God knows what he is doing. And then he appointed the exact time and place where you should be to hear the good news and receive eternal life.

That’s his plan for you. So, you can be sure, even now, come what may, God knows what he’s doing. He is working all things for good to you who love him.

Prayer: (Romans 11:33,36)
Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable his judgments, and his paths beyond tracing out! For from him and through him and for him are all things. To him be the glory forever! Amen.

Then the LORD spoke to Job out of the storm.
Job 38:1

Out of the Storm

Job was a good man—a man of integrity and honesty. Job had a great life. Fame. Fortune. Family. Friends. But, in a short span of time, he lost almost every earthly blessing. His wealth. His health. His children.

Job’s wife encouraged him to give up his relationship with God. Job’s friends insisted that God must be punishing him for something terrible he did. The more they insisted, the more Job pushed back. He demanded an audience with God. He would present his case and prove that God was not justified in allowing him to suffer.

Job’s response is a common one. Storms arise—a disturbing diagnosis, job loss, the death of a loved one—we struggle and suffer and make all kinds of assumptions. Maybe we did something to deserve it. God must be punishing us.

Yes, sometimes we must suffer the consequences of something sinful we have done. But more often, storms arise because we live in a sinful world. And, like Job, we cry out to God. We demand to know why. We say that it’s not fair and we have done nothing to deserve it.

And God answers. Maybe he doesn’t answer you personally. But we can all learn something from his response to Job. When storms arise in life, we imagine that God has turned his back on us and abandoned us. But the Lord spoke to Job out of the storm.

What does this short verse tell us? Even in those storms, God is there. The Lord is with you. He is the unchanging, eternal, faithful God of compassion and grace. He is your Redeemer who conquered death, forgives your sins, heals your diseases, and who saved your life from the pit. His love abounds. His mercy is more. He’s by your side and above the storms. If he brought you to it, he will bring you safely through it. Trust him. He’s in control.

Prayer:
Lord, you spoke, and everything came into being. You spoke, and storms were calmed. You spoke, and the dead were raised. Speak, O Lord, out of my storm. I am waiting on you. Amen.

Then the LORD answered Job out of the storm. He said: “Who is this that darkens my counsel with words without knowledge? Brace yourself like a man; I will question you, and you shall answer me. “Where were you when I laid the earth’s foundation? Tell me, if you understand. Who marked off its dimensions? Surely you know! Who stretched a measuring line across it? On what were its footings set, or who laid its cornerstone—while the morning stars sang together and all the angels shouted for joy? “Who shut up the sea behind doors when it burst forth from the womb, when I made the clouds its garment and wrapped it in thick darkness, when I fixed limits for it and set its doors and bars in place, when I said, ‘This far you may come and no farther; here is where your proud waves halt’?
Job 38:1-11

Questioning God

Have you ever been tempted to question, accuse, or challenge God? Job and some of his friends did. Throughout the latter chapters of the book of Job, we hear challenging questions and statements made against God. In chapter 38, God responds.

God’s rhetorical questions put things back into perspective. By his wisdom and power, he laid earth’s foundation and set the borders for the seas. You and I were not around when God created the world. Dare we question and challenge his ways?

There are times when things don’t go very well. Too often, we get caught up in our own little world. We make this life comfy and cozy. Challenging or blaming God, as if he did something wrong, is not the answer. Realizing that we live in a sin-filled world, surrounded by sinful people and betrayed by our sinful nature, is the place to start. Repentance followed by trusting in Jesus as our Savior from sin is the way to go.

Instead of questioning and challenging God, let us thank God for his faithfulness in sending Jesus, who has earned forgiveness of sins by his death for us. Remembering this truth puts all things into perspective. Amidst sickness, job loss, and difficulties of all kinds, we can unquestionably trust that God’s loving will for us is sure and certain in Jesus our Savior.

Prayer:
Lord God, creator of the universe, give me a faith that trusts your love for me and wisdom for my life. Amen.

“This is what the Sovereign Lord says: ‘I myself will take a shoot from the very top of a cedar and plant it; I will break off a tender sprig from its topmost shoots and plant it on a high and lofty mountain. On the mountain heights of Israel I will plant it; it will produce branches and bear fruit and become a splendid cedar. Birds of every kind will nest in it; they will find shelter in the shade of its branches. . . I the Lord have spoken, and I will do it.’”
Ezekiel 17:22-24

A Promise

Have you ever made a promise and then broke it? That question gets personal when you think of the promises you have made to your spouse, children, or best friend and how many times you have let them down. That question gets more personal when you think of the promises you have made to God, and how many times you have failed him. It is one big reason we struggle with so much guilt.

Did you notice in the reading from Ezekiel, how many promises your Sovereign Lord makes to you? He declares, “I myself will… I will… I will do it.” He promised to raise a small shoot into a great tree that would provide shelter and shade for all who nest in that tree. The small shoot that becomes a great tree is Jesus Christ, your Savior from all sin. The birds who nest in the tree are all the people who come to Jesus for rest from their guilt. The shade and shelter the tree provides is the loving and merciful care that Jesus gives to you.

Now, if you want to see the impact of these words in Ezekiel, look at them this way: For every time you said “I will” to your Lord but didn’t, your Lord said “I will” to you and did. And you can see what he did on another tree. He died for you on the cross. From that tree, there is forgiveness for all your broken promises. From that tree, there is a promise kept that leads to eternal life.

Prayer:
Dear Lord, forgive me for my broken promises to you. Thank you for keeping your promise to me. Thank you for the refuge I have in Jesus. Amen.