Who is the Greatest?

Matthew 18:1

Disciples question: Who is the greatest? Jesus does not rebuke their question, but redefines the meaning of greatness.

Unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom. Whoever humbles himself as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

Little children are teachable. They want to learn.

Little children are not impressed by position. They are not out to seek honor from the world.

Little children realize their dependence for provision and protection. They ask their parents for everything they need and want. They run to their parents when they are afraid.

They don't moan the fact that they are children, and therefore dependent. They are happy being where they are.

Little children are sincere, unpretentious.

When Jesus says that the way to become great is to humble yourself, he puts greatness within the reach of all of us. No one is too ignorant, too poor, too poorly connected, too weak to humble themselves. On the other hand, no amount of energy, self-motivation, selfish ambition, drive, money, intelligence or connections can make one great in God's kingdom.

God asks us to humble ourselves, to come down off our high horse, to quit thinking that we are better than other people. He wants us to be teachable. To realize our dependence on Him. To ask Him for our needs and wants. To fly to Him for protection. To rest in His care.

Dear Father, I am so inclined to self-exaltation. Help me today to worship you. To realize my dependence on you. To come to you for all my needs. To honor all men as your creation. To despise not the least of them. In your Son's name, Amen.

God, If You Love Me, How Could This Happen?

John 11: The Raising of Lazarus

When John introduces this story to us he reminds us of the relationship between Mary, Martha, Lazarus and Jesus. This is the Mary that washed Jesus' feet with her tears, and wiped them with her hair. She love Jesus. And when they sent a message to tell Jesus of Lazarus' sickness, They reminded Jesus of their relationship. "Lord, he whom you love is ill." When Jesus hears of his sickness, instead of saying, "I do love him. I will be right there and heal him,  he states the purpose of the sickness,and indeed the purpose of life. "It is for the glory of God, so that the Son of God may be glorified." This seems like such an unloving response to us, as if Jesus didn't care about them, only His glory. Does His love and His glory contradict each other? But verse 5 tells us the love of the family was reciprocal.  "Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus."  So somehow, this story is about the glory of God, and the love of God working together in his children's lives.

The next little conjunction is so important. (v. 6) Translated various ways-so, when, nevertheless- the word connects" things by way of opposition and distinction...it opposes persons to persons or things previously mentioned or thought of -either with strong emphasis." (Thayer's Lexicon). Therefore, in apparent contradiction to his love, he waited two days.

Don't we often feel this is happening in our lives. "Lord, I love you, and you love me. Please rescue me from this situation. Please solve this problem." But he doesn't do it. He lets us suffer. He lets us grieve deeply. In apparent contradiction to his love, he leaves us in our pain. 

It is remarkable that Martha and Mary never accuse our Lord of not loving them. 

And Jesus was not untouched by their situation. He was "deeply moved." He wept. "Behold, how he loved him." Said the onlookers.

Tenderly Jesus used their pain to increase their faith in him, to know Him in a way that would not have been possible without grief. And when it was all over, Lazarus was raised and they were all together again, I don't think they would have traded the experience for anything.

Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him. James 1:12

Religious and Wicked at the Same Time

“‘Will you steal and murder, commit adultery and perjury,burn incense to Baal and follow other gods you have not known, and then come and stand before me in this house, which bears my Name, and say, “We are safe”—safe to do all these detestable things? Has this house, which bears my Name, become a den of robbers to you? But I have been watching!declares the Lord. Jeremiah 7:9-11

Self-deception. Using religion as a cover for wickedness. Living a lie. The fearful thing is that my heart is capable of this. I can make excuses for my behavior and sooth my conscience with the fact that I have devotions every day. That I memorize Scripture. That I am faithful in my church attendance. 

Dear Father, deliver me from self-deception. When I am wrong, when I sin, smite my conscience and let me submit to your rebuke. Help me to walk before you in truth.

Great Bitterness, an Asset

Behold, it was for my welfare
    that I had great bitterness;

                       Isaiah 38:17

God does not intend to harm us by the things He sends are way; not by the opposition and sin of others, not by the painful results incurred by our own sin or stupidity, not by the distress of living in a degraded culture, not by natural causes, not even the frailty of my body. All things, including that which gives us great bitterness, work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose, to conform us to the image of His Son. When people see us, God wants them to see Jesus. 

To be like Jesus
To be like Jesus
All I ask- to be like Him
All through life's journey
From earth to glory
All I ask- to be like Him.

Dear Father, Help me not resent the hard things you bring into my life. Help me to be your Word, that they are for my good.  Help me to become more like Jesus every day.

Another Time, Another Place

On this mountain the Lord Almighty will prepare
    a feast of rich food for all peoples,
a banquet of aged wine—
    the best of meats and the finest of wines.

On this mountain he will destroy
    the shroud that enfolds all peoples,
the sheet that covers all nations;

    he will swallow up death forever.
The Sovereign Lord will wipe away the tears
    from all faces;
he will remove his people’s disgrace
    from all the earth.
The Lord has spoken.

 In that day they will say,

“Surely this is our God;
    we trusted in him, and he saved us.
This is the Lord, we trusted in him;
    let us rejoice and be glad in his salvation.”

We, as Christians, are pilgrims. We live for another time, another place. We believe eternal pleasures await us. And while we wait, we trust in the Holy One of Israel alone, for He only is salvation. He only can supply all our needs.

Give Us Eyes to See

Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts;

  The whole earth is filled with His glory.

                                                Isaiah 6:3

Dear Father, There is no one like you. As I go through my day, help my eyes to see your glory that fills the whole earth. Help my heart to be filled with thankfulness for all your works.

Loving God and the World

For you are a people holy to the Lord your God. The Lord your God has chosen you to be a people for his treasured possession, out of all the peoples who are on the face of the earth. Deut. 7:6

You adulterers and adulteresses. Don't you know that whoever is a friend of the world is the enemy of God?

Isn't it fun to observe a couple right before they get married? When they are in a room together, no one else exists. They have eyes only for each other. Their thoughts are consumed with the other person. They will do anything to please their soon-to-be spouse. I have never heard an engaged girl ask if it would be okay to go out with other guys once in a while, or if she couldn't at least keep someone else's picture and email him once a week. The idea of it is preposterous.

So it is with us and God. He set his love on us. He chose us to be his treasure, to enter into a covenant relationship with us. He wants this relationship to be more intimate than any other relationship we can experience. No wonder he calls us adulterers and adulteresses when we want the world's approval rather than his. When we keep asking "why can't I do this?"  "Do I have to do that?"

Our unwillingness to be separated, to be his holy, treasured possession, shows that we really are not in love with God.