I’ve eaten lots of humble pie in my adult lifetime. During the time, each piece didn’t taste too good. But later, upon reflection, allowing the Lord to use all kinds of experiences in my life, the taste improved. It moved from bitter, to tolerable, to nourishing and then good for me. There were those years when I pastored a church of over 600 members, the most prestigious church in town, with growth all around including adding an assistant pastor to the staff within my first year. I was publishing articles in lots of Christian magazines, I was moving up the ladder, I was just plain full of myself! And then, the rug was pulled out from under me, the rungs of the ladder I was climbing up just fell apart and my feet let go. And humpty-dumpty came a tumblin’ down! I was hurt. I was bitter. I was cast afloat in an unknown sea on a boat full of holes. That was over 30 years ago now, and seems like someone else’s story. Not mine– for I’ve learned that humble pie is good for the soul when the pie I was eating acted like poison for me. I thank the Lord for a hard fall, because He was underneath catching me and cradling me in His arms, placing me upright to go forward for Him this time, for His purposes this time, for His glory this time. This time proved to be better time. This pie nourishes and satisfies. Have you had such an experience? Maybe you’re in one now. Possibly, you know someone likewise hurt and hurting. Don’t be afraid of disappointments and failures in life. The Lord will use them for His purposes in a most cleansing way. You’ll be surprised, as I was, at His grace even on the darkest of nights, even when your stomach just can’t stop churning with fear from the unknown. By the way, have you read those verses in the Gospel of John yet? They’re about John the Baptist. And a verse that I’ve read hundreds of times just flew at me off the pages of my Bible this morning. It’s verse 20. Read it now, if you would. John the Baptist is a genuinely humble man. Just think about all the thousands of people who have left the big city of Jerusalem to come out into the desert to hear him preach. All the converts…all those who repented…all who were baptized. Seemed like just everyone was going to him. I wonder how I would have felt with that kind of response going on? Probably would have gone to my head, sorry to say! But not John, the other one, the Baptist. No, verse 20 makes it crystal clear who he is not. The Greek of this verse is extremely complex, the wording however is as clear as a bell–you ask him who he is and he states without a doubt confessing and likewise denying and then confessing again that he is not the coming Messiah, that Jesus is the One and Only Son Of God, the Anointed One. John is but a voice, a spokesman for the Prophet who brings God’s truth to the world. He baptizes while Jesus is the Lamb of God who takes away our sin and the sin of the world, then and now. John knows who he is. He’s a voice. He’s comfortable being the voice who tells of the One coming. And that’s humble pie for each of us. To tell of Jesus. To testify of Him. To praise Him and pray to Him. To love Him no matter where we are or the circumstances we find ourselves in. No matter what, we lift up His name–not mine or yours but His. Hmn…that’s good pie! Humble pie ala mode! Pass me another piece, will you?!
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A VERSE TO DYE FOR!……Read Hebrew 4: 12-13
Over the years, 9 as a Presbyterian minister and 14 as the pastor of the United Christian Church here where we live in Aberdeen, Washington, I’ve visited lots of parishioners in various hospitals. At Englewood Hospital in New Jersey, where my two sons were born. Even peddling and riding my French moped, a Motobacane, across the George Washington Bridge to New York City’s Columbia-Presbyterian Hospital; and then, of course, many hospitals and nursing homes and rehab centers in our Western Washington area for the past umpteenth years. Many times patients needed to have a procedure involving a special dye that would bring to light in the network of veins and arteries in the human body problems that could only be detected in this way. A special dye that brings something to light. Something that needs attention. Something that we’re missing on our own, something that needs correction. Spiritually, that special dye that brings to light is God’s Word, the Bible. In the New Testament book of Hebrews, the author writes that ‘…the Word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight.’ Like a dye that brings to light, the Bible will open up our lives and attitudes to God’s scrutiny like nothing else can or will. Let me suggest that if you don’t want to change in any way, if you are just so satisfied with yourself as you are, if you like everything about yourself and want to hang on to what you know is contrary to God and His ways, then don’t read the Bible! Now let me say that when I read God’s Word, of course, there is such comfort and hope and encouragement from cover to cover, but that’s not the complete story. No, like a surgeon who needs to remove something that is playing havoc with our health, so God’s Word will cut and penetrate and get right to the heart and marrow and joint of where I and we need some change. As they say, ‘no pain, no gain’. So, don’t shy away from the Divine Surgeon and His Word–it’s all for our own good as we desire to be more like His Son, Jesus Christ. Jesus died so that the dye of the Word would save us and cleanse us making us more useful for His Kingdom. ‘I’m ready, Doctor Jesus…do your work, show me what I can’t see on my own, make me more like yourself!’
A NOSE BY ANY OTHER NAME!………Read Exodus 34:6
My father had a rather good-sized nose! This was by his own admission! He would often kid about it and say that when he came down with a cold, he got his money’s worth! That was my Dad! Loved to kid, loved to laugh and was loved by many people. Can’t remember anyone who didn’t like my Dad. He was just a great guy. Hardly perfect but someone you liked to be around. Even with that large nose of his! That was part of his charm too…don’t you like people who can laugh at themselves? I can sense that you’re wondering where I’m going with this! Maybe I’m wondering also? No, I’ve a point here and it’s not on the top of my head! Have you read our Scripture verse yet? Might as well start at the beginning of chapter 34. Here the Lord is passing in front of Moses on Mount Sinai proclaiming who He is, His being and His character. It’s just a wonderful, power-packed section from the Torah. Read it again. The Lord tells us how compassionate He is, how gracious and giving, He’s slow to anger, forgiving not just easy things but ‘wickedness, rebellion and sin’. As the gospel song says, ‘What a Might God We Serve’. Mighty and loving and compassionate…oh, we could go on-and-on all day and night–and we probably should. Stop griping… and keep glorifying! That’s a good motto for today and every day. Yes? But back to Exodus 34, in that list of attributes of the Lord is the expression ‘slow to anger’. Maybe you know that in the Hebrew that phrase is literally ‘long of nose’. My father would have let out a good laugh at that one. Yes, for the Lord to be patient and long-suffering and slow to anger is for Him to be ‘long of nose’. Now, what does that mean? The Hebrew people pictured the blood in the body as travelling from the tip of your toes to the end of your nose as quite a long journey. They felt that that aptly describes someone who is not a hot-head, not having a short-fuse but someone with patience and a long fuse! If God were otherwise, we’d all perish in a matter of a few seconds–with me going first of all. But God hangs in there with us, He waits for us like that patient father in the prodigal son story, He lets the anger-blood take the long journey allowing us to come to our spiritual senses, permitting us to come back to Him, to repent and accept His gift of Jesus Christ. All His waiting is for our good and His glory. His long nose points the way home, to His home, and our eternal home in heaven. I’m glad I had the father I had with the nose he had. And I’m real glad our Heavenly Father has a long nose of patience and acceptance. Aren’t you glad you have that same Father in Heaven?
INTO DAVY JONES’ LOCKER!……….Read Micah 7:19
Only one verse for you today, but packed with wonderful meaning from our Lord’s Word, the Bible. The Prophet Micah is encouraging his people Israel that God will have compassion on them once ‘again’. God’s anger will not last forever–as a matter of fact He is a long-suffering and patient God(now that’s for next time!). He will ‘again’ have compassion on His people, then and now. That’s for us, for me and you! We’re included. And now comes even more good news–how could there be more? But there is! Micah tells us that God ‘will tread our sins underfoot.’ He won’t point His finger at us in accusation. He won’t hold our sins over our heads or shove them in our faces. No, He’ll trample them underfoot, blot them out, grind them into the tiny grains of sand so that it will be impossible to ever find them again. I remember losing a good watch while down the shore in New Jersey, at the beach. Can’t dredge up the brand now but it was not a Timex and certainly not a Rolex! But then it hit me…where’s my watch? In a panic, running back to where I had been at the beach or so I thought, trying to find that expensive watch. Gone…gone…gone. That’s the bad news. The good news is that our sins when confessed to God, covered by the blood of Jesus Christ, realizing how damaging our sins have been to us, others and of course God Himself–are ‘tread underfoot’. Thank God today…our sins, under His foot. Gone…gone…gone. Thank God! But Micah tells us more, even better news. God ‘hurls our iniquities into the depths of the sea’. When I just typed this, I realized that I left out the word ‘all’ from the Bible verse. It reads– ‘hurls all our iniquities into the depths of the sea’. All of them. Not just the ‘white lies’ or the ones we think rather harmless and therefore easy for God to forgive. No, all of them. Even the ones we have never shared with anyone. The ones that shame us even to this day. All of them, He promises. And where does He hurl them? Into the depths, the deepest part of the seas and oceans. That’s pretty deep. I remember being on a cruise ship in the Caribbean approaching some tropical island we were going to dock at for the day. Many of us were out on deck to see this beautiful and colorful island in the sun. The woman next to me, who told me she was a lawyer from Washington DC, had a marvelous camera in her hand that looked real pricey, when digital cameras first came out with all those bells and whistles. People were packed in tight on those decks, all squeezed in like sardines. And more and more passengers kept pushing and shoving. You guessed it…this poor woman standing next to me was shoved by someone behind her and that camera went flying out of her hands over the railing straight into the depths of the sea, right into Davy Jones’ Locker never to be seen again. That’s the bad news. The good news is that our sins, in God’s hands, not pushed or shoved, but willingly, are tossed into the depths of the sea. Glub…glub…glub…gone! Let me recommend to myself first of all and then to you as well—leave them there. God has put up a ‘no swimming’ sign and a ‘no fishing’ sign right where they went down. Thank God…can you feel the release and relief God wants us to have? Can you? Can I?
STAYING WITH THE SAME THOUGHT……..Read Micah 7: 18-20
Last time we were reflecting (after all, the blog is called “Reflections…”!)on the great forgiveness of our Lord and Savior. How He just loves to free us from our sins. He’s just crazy about you…and me! In our Scripture for today, the Old Testament Prophet Micah talks about God’s anger not lasting forever. God lets go of our sins. He pardons and forgives us when we humbly come to Him in repentance–just like children to a loving parent. And then we learn that ‘He delights to show mercy'(verse 18). If it were me, I’d forgive but with lots of strings attached or with applause of self-congratulations at how generous I am! Feed and stroke my ego, if you want me to forgive you! Not our God, though– thank God! He delights to forgive us who are ‘His inheritance'(verse 18). He loves to give and lives to give and forgive. That’s quite a world of difference in attitude between God and me. You too? Maybe I’m the only one! But there’s more in these Scriptures as we stay with the same thought from last time. Micah tells us that God has a great big heart of ‘compassion'(verse 19). Compassion means to feel for others, to have a passion that seeks to get close to someone else with whatever they are going through,not just the good times but all the time. I remember taking a social mobility test years ago for a job I wanted. I had no idea what the questions were leading to, what they were concluding about me. I had no idea, silly me. But I was honest and answered all those weird questions about how I would handle a situation or how I’d best like to use my free time or whatever as I can’t remember all of the questions right now. And what did they conclude about me, personally? My social mobility? I couldn’t believe it, what I was seeing on paper. They said I was ‘distant and aloof’. How dare they! I’m going off by myself and they can just go fly a kite!! Well, I got the job anyway, and did rather well indeed. Who knows, I may be a bit distant and aloof, but what I do know for sure is that God is not. No way, Jose! He’s filled with compassion, with feeling for us. He loves us and loves to be there with us and for us. Remember, whatever happens to us as believers in Jesus Christ, we’re in good hands. So, keep repeating over and over again–‘I’m in good hands’. And you are. And so am I. But wait, I’ve got more for next time so keep reading those couple verses from our friend, the Prophet Micah! Are you with me?
WHO? …….. Read Micah 7: 18-20
When I was a little boy (I was one once!), a old neighbor who lived across the street, named Fred Gray,back in Millburn, New Jersey in the ’50’s, used to call me ‘Johnnie What’. I guess he called me that because I kept asking him ‘what’ that was all about. What does that mean? What did you say? Inquisitive little guy was I who probably wore out his welcome like Dennis the Menace with Mr. Wilson! I liked Mr. Gray in spite of ‘what’ he might have said! Today’s Bible reading is not about ‘what’ but ‘who’. The Old Testament prophet Micah poses a real important question in life–‘who is a God like you…?'(verse 18). Who? As if calling for a decision as to who God really is. And then Micah tells us some wonderful, affirming, uplifting and encouraging– characteristics of our God, the One and Only. Read those 3 short verses again. And again. Aren’t they amazing? Meditate on them today and tomorrow also. Roll them around in your mind as good medicine for the soul. Who is like our God? He pardons our sin. Called up before the judge to give account for our sins, and instead of receiving our just sentence we find that the judge just pardons us. We’re free…to go and live for Him. Free and pardoned! Then Micah says, ‘He forgives the transgression of the remnant of His inheritance’–God lets go of where and when we’ve gone over the line, stepped out of bounds, even though we may be few in number, but a mere remnant, yet He says that we are His inheritance. We are…His precious legacy. When the spiritual last will-and-testament in Heaven is read, those of us who believe in Jesus Christ are awarded to God Himself! Better than gold and silver, homes and money, cars and power position…yes, that’s what we are to God! Chew on that for a moment. Verse 19 tells us more about who God is– He never stays angry with us for long, never holds a grudge, never looks for salt to toss into our wounds– but the Bible says He ‘delights to show mercy’. Now grace, they say, is receiving what I don’t deserve. Mercy is not receiving what I do deserve. I’ll take God’s mercy any day! Both come to us from Him freely and joyously and generously like a stream that never runs dry. It’s His delight to shower blessings of mercy on each of His children, His inheritance. Why is this so hard to comprehend, let alone believe? For me, it’s just knowing myself. Looking in the mirror of my life with so many failings and foibles, sins by whatever name you may choose. Here I am dragging up everything from my past and God draws along side of me saying that He loves to forgive me, He lives to set me free–and not just me. You too! Next time I want to spend more time in these wonderful verses from the prophet Micah. Okay? There’s so much here and you could write your own blog if you would just spend some extra time today asking the Lord in prayer to open these verses from the Bible to your mind and heart…to free you of all that old, excess baggage. It would be worth is all!
AN UNEXPECTED TWIST TO THE STORY…….Read 2 Kings chapter 5
I know some of you think that the God of the Old Testament is vengeful and overall a big meany, but the God we see in the New Testament is one of love and forgiveness. In a brief phrase– totally wrong! Look in your concordance to see how many times the word ‘love’ appears in both Testaments of your Bible. And you will see, as I did, that ‘love’ can be found in more verses of the Old than the New. Bottom line, the same God, the One and Only, can be found equally loving and forgiving and compassionate and totally just all through the Bible! Here in 2 Kings 5 is a good example of the God of mercy and understanding in the Old Testament. Have you read it yet? I’ll pause while you catch up! Naaman, the high mucky-muck commander of the military forces of Aram, a country northeast of Israel in what would be Syria today, has contracted leprosy and through the witness of his Israelite slave-girl comes to Elishah to have him pray for his healing. The Aramites rarely got along with the Israelites. Rarely and hardly ever. Strange for the Middle East, people not getting along! They worshiped Baal, a false god of the entire region, but here under the name of Rimmon. Naaman comes for healing and Elisha prays for him as he’s dipped 7 times into the River Jordan–and he’s healed! Whereupon Naaman says, ‘Now I know that there is no God in all the world except in Israel.’ (verse 15). He becomes a believer in Yahweh God, the One and Only True God. Now I’m looking at verses 17-19, and it hit me between the eyeballs. God is so sensitive to me and to us! So caring and concerned about what bothers us. Do you see what I see? Naaman has come to accept the true God of Israel (and the whole world, may I add), to commit to Him alone; yet, he faces a huge problem, a dilemma that he just can’t shake as much as he tries. As the commander of the King’s armed forces, he escorts the King into the temple of Baal as the King leans on Naaman’s arm, bowing in reverence and respect and worship of Baal. He’s caught between faithfulness and fidelity to Yahweh alone, and respecting and obeying the wishes of his King as he has for a long time. What to do? A real bind. So, he tells the prophet Elisha all that’s on his heart. The twists and turns, and asks him to speak to the Lord asking for forgiveness. He means no disrespect, no lack of commitment to his God, no double-dealing in his spiritual life. None whatsoever. And the Lord knows Naaman’s heart. He trusts his humility and honesty–as the Lord will with each of us. When we’re caught in all kinds of binds, all kinds of places we don’t want to be, nevertheless, here we are. Do you know what I mean? Have you been there? Are you there now? Pour out your heart to the Lord, to Jesus our Savior, to the One true God of the Old and the New. Pour yourself out and you’ll find, as Naaman did, peace coming your way. What does Elisha say to Naaman? ‘Go in peace'(verse 19). Peace, Shalom…Such mercy and forgiveness and understanding and sensitivity of our Lord. I love this chapter. I love the God of the Bible. I love Jesus Christ, my Lord and Savior…for He loves you and me with all the sensitivity and caring in this world and out of it as well! Isn’t that good news?
THERE’S A FAMINE COMING…….Read Amos 8:11-12
We hear of famines around the world, and even close to home with the lack of rain for many years in agricultural California. Threats of shortages of fruits and vegetables stretch our bank accounts with higher prices. The Bible talks about another type of famine coming. I hope you read those 2 short verses in the prophecy of Amos chapter 8 in your Old Testament. He quotes the Lord who says, ‘…not a famine of food or a thirst for water, but a famine of hearing the words of the Lord.’ The reference is made to ‘in that day’and ‘the days are coming’; and I wonder, just wonder, if we’re not in that day now. Maybe they’re no longer coming…they are here– at least in a certain sense. Who knows? But we certainly suffer from it. A drought and dearth of hearing anything from God, any thing at all from His Holy Word. I have a small commentary book about the Minor Prophets, of which the book of Amos is one. This commentary was written about 35 years ago now. The author says that “our generation is shoving God to the margin of life. We are crowding Him out of the center of our lives and leaving the edges to Him. We want Him around when it is useful to us…”(Themes from the Minor Prophets by David Hubbard). That was then. And now I imagine our culture has pushed God over the edge, out completely. Not even the edges are His anymore. And to top it all off, He’s no longer useful. So get rid of Him lock, stock and barrel. And even if He’s allowed to hang around in old prayers or old commandments and crosses in cemeteries, the rationale runs something like ‘well, it’s just tradition and cultural heritage. Nothing religious about it.’ Really? That offends me in a society so easily offended by everything and everyone else. To the edge and over! Over and out! A few years back I asked a professor I had at Moody Bible Institute in the late 1960’s what differences he’s noticed in the students then and now. Of course, we were much smarter! No, he didn’t say that, did he!? Which I felt was too bad! But what he did say was that the average incoming Bible school student today knew so very little about the Bible. What? Did you read that? That was my reaction–incredulity. And if they don’t know the Bible well, how about the average Joe both in our churches–and might as well just forget about society… at all. The famine and thirst is here. Money and sexual titillation, politics and gender issues ad nauseam, terrorism and sectarianism, and all those latest food and fashion fads. They occupy our minds and time. As the Lord says in Amos 8:12 people all over the world are staggering, wandering and searching for truth (but not the Truth)–‘but they will not find it’. No, not until we bow the knee and come to faith in Jesus Christ alone, trusting in Him alone knowing that Truth with a capital ‘T’ resides in the book He has given us, the Bible. Best way to push back the drought and famine in our lives? Dive into the Word, immerse ourselves in it, plant the seed of God’s Word deep in our hearts and minds and will. Push back…don’t give in…spread the Word of God…wear out your Bible and buy a new one! Don’t just read the Word, hear it and heed it. And the blessings of God Almighty will keep a harvest and a well-watered life forever. Push back!
OUR ONE AND ONLY! ……Read 2 Kings 2:11-12
Looking back a bit into the life of Elijah, remember when he had that super-competition with the priests of Baal? Baal had it much easier. Just wood and a bull animal–let Baal set fire to it all. But nothing happened. Nothing at all! Now for the God of Elijah. Wood, a bull, trenches, water-all-around soaking and dripping throughout–with prayers to Yahweh, to send fire down from heaven and torch this drenched site of sacrifice. Will He do it? Can He? Which god is the true One and Only? Baal? What of him? The god of fire and water and life itself? The ancients pictured their god, Baal, standing up holding both his hands upright with one hand holding a hammer for thunder and the other with lightning bolts along with bull’s horns on his head symbolizing virility. He was thought to be the god of fire. Surely, he could perform in this challenge. Cry out to Baal, pray to him! And you know the outcome–the true God, the One and Only, Yahweh of Israel, overcame all those obstacles. Fire fell from heaven leaving a blazing inferno. Baal was a fire-less flop! Not Yahweh. No, for many times our God is associated with fire in the Old Testament. Moses at the burning bush, that fire by night for Israel in the desert for 40 long years to provide light and warmth on those cold, desolate desert nights. Fire. And here in our Bible text today we see Elijah and Elisha walking together and talking together, when suddenly a chariot appears with horses attached and fire…fire…fire! It’s so intense that it separates the 2 men. Elisha is probably thrown to the ground as he watches that chariot on fire with horses on fire lifting Elijah right up to heaven, to the very presence of God Himself, the One and Only True God. What a sight! What an experience! They have just been walking and talking together when all heaven breaks loose! When you or I are interrupted in our daily lives by what just feels like the temperature has been turned way up, stand back and see what the Lord has in mind for us. He’s the One and Only, our One and Only. We can trust Him even when the fire comes close and separates us from who or what we’ve loved. We were just walking and talking when… But He won’t burn us, He loves us. A cloak from heaven will drape us with new purpose, new life, new love covering us with His protection and His warmth and His light. His light should lighten the weight on our shoulders as we journey together with Him as if we’re walking on step upon step leading right up to heaven itself!
THE ONE AND ONLY…….Read 2 Kings chapter 2
I love the story of Elijah’s last days on earth. He’s, of course, one of the great prophets of the Lord in the Old Testament. He’s also, along with Moses, on the Mount of Transfiguration with Jesus, talking with Him and encouraging Him, as witnessed by the Apostles Peter, James and John. And here in chapter 2 of 2 Kings we have the last days of Elijah on earth. Elijah and his chosen successor, Elisha, were traveling from Gilgal, a small town in Israel –but where big things happened. In Joshua 5 we read that it was here that the people of Israel renewed their covenant promises with the Lord; and where, in 1st Samuel 11, that last of the judges, named Samuel, anointed Saul the first King of Israel. Elijah is on his way to another important town, Bethel, and tells Elisha to stay behind here in Gilgal. But Elisha knows, he’s been told by that group from Bethel called the ‘company of the prophets’ that Elijah is on borrowed time, and on top of that that the Lord would take him home this very day. Elisha is just brokenhearted. He’s grieving in anticipation of the departure of his dear mentor and friend, whose more like a father to him. He just can’t accept it. And, no, he will not stay behind when Elijah moves on. No, he’s made it perfectly clear that he’s not budging, he’s staying with him as long as possible, until the end and hanging on for dear life– even then. ‘As surely as the Lord lives and as you live, I will not leave you.’ Sounds like that gospel song that sings ‘I shall not be, I shall not be moved’. That ‘company of the prophets’ keeps repeating what Elisha does not want to hear–‘do you not know that the Lord is going to take your master from you today?’ And Elisha shouts back at them to shut them up–‘yes, I know, but do not speak of it.’ I wonder if Elisha is just feeling that if they just don’t talk about it maybe it’s all a bad dream and nothing will really come of it. Don’t say another word! Keep quiet! You know what it’s like to just want to hear nothing more about, well, whatever has torn your heart to pieces. To talk about what keeps going around and around inside your heart and emotions; to talk about it with someone else, even someone you love and trust, it’s just too much. You’re having a hard time letting go. Too painful…too difficult…too unbelievable. You know the feeling. You remember going through such a time? Maybe this is such a time, now. So, listen then for a moment longer. Elijah lets Elisha go with him, express what’s on his heart–his incredulity and horror at what’s coming. He doesn’t scold his friend, he doesn’t belittle him or make him feel guilty like he’s a second-class spiritual failure. No, he lets him be. He lets him work it through. He stays with him until…Well, that’s more for next time! But, today, think about letting someone else just feel what they’re feeling, staying with them, not analyzing them or berating them…but being with them as they, through the help of the Holy Spirit, work through a difficult letting go in their lives. How many times has that happened in my life? Just one or two fingers on one hand. Not often at all…but maybe, just maybe, I can be a good friend to someone else today. And you too? Could make all the difference for someone else…
Reflections out of time 