Crosswalk.com--The Devotional

[Judy Harder]

March 16, 2010

Christian Existentialism... The Good Kind
Alex Crain
Editor, Christianity.com

""Whoever does not carry his own cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple..."
Luke 14:27 NASB

As chapter two of True Spirituality comes to close, Francis Schaeffer highlights a crucial dimension of the gospel's first fruit (dying to self). It is that dying to self must be a continual reality. Schaeffer likens the proper mindset here to that of a philosophical existentialist...

The existentialist is right when he puts his emphasis on the reality of the moment-by-moment situation. He is wrong in many things, but he is right here.

Christ called His followers to continuously carry their own cross.

He puts the command not in an abstract but in an intensely practical setting, in verse 26 relating it to His followers' fathers, mothers, wives, children, brothers, sisters, and their own lives.

He sets it among the realities of daily life. This is where we must die.

Christ is talking about what our hearts prefer; what we desire most. And we naturally prefer our own way. Ol' Blue Eyes set our deeply ingrained theme song to music when he sang, "I did it my way." How can we possibly overcome our instinct to want our own desires fulfilled? It seems to be an impossible command.

Even if we know the Proverb "There is a way which seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death," such knowledge by itself is not enough to subdue a sinful, stubborn will. When the heart wants something, it can charge ahead in a mad quest to get its way without a single thought about consequences. (Oh... you've noticed too?)

Related to Schaeffer's topic, I came across this blog post yesterday by a Christian writer in which he reviewed no less than seven counterfeit gospels that feed pride and permit self to thrive unchallenged while giving others the false impression of being a true disciple. Because we are so prone to preserve ourselves, we can easily gravitate toward these false gospels. Their appeal is so insidiously strong because they allow us to deceive others (i.e. deceive ourselves that we're the one in control) and dodge Christ's benevolent command to die to self...

Formalism. "I participate in the regular meetings and ministries of the church, so I feel like my life is under control. I'm always in church, but it really has little impact on my heart or on how I live. I may become judgmental and impatient with those who do not have the same commitment as I do."

Legalism. "I live by the rules—rules I create for myself and rules I create for others. I feel good if I can keep my own rules, and I become arrogant and full of contempt when others don't meet the standards I set for them. There is no joy in my life because there is no grace to be celebrated."

Mysticism. "I am engaged in the incessant pursuit of an emotional experience with God. I live for the moments when I feel close to him, and I often struggle with discouragement when I don't feel that way. I may change churches often, too, looking for one that will give me what I'm looking for."

Activism. "I recognize the missional nature of Christianity and am passionately involved in fixing this broken world. But at the end of the day, my life is more of a defense of what's right than a joyful pursuit of Christ."

Biblicism. "I know my Bible inside and out, but I do not let it master me. I have reduced the gospel to a mastery of biblical content and theology, so I am intolerant and critical of those with lesser knowledge."

Therapism. "I talk a lot about the hurting people in our congregation, and how Christ is the only answer for their hurt. Yet even without realizing it, I have made Christ more Therapist than Savior. I view hurt as a greater problem than sin—and I subtly shift my greatest need from my moral failure to my unmet needs."

Social-ism. "The deep fellowship and friendships I find at church have become their own idol. The body of Christ has replaced Christ himself, and the gospel is reduced to a network of fulfilling Christian relationships."
[From Paul Tripp and Tim Lane's How People Change (New Growth Press, 2008)]:

In the end, only God's grace can subdue the heart and turn its desires God-ward. And such grace comes only through the true gospel of Christ. When God brings me around to embrace by faith that it was my moral failure that caused the sinless Son of God to suffer and die and, because of that, God does not treat me as my sins deserve, I see then that anything in life can be received with thankfulness (thankfulness being the effect of His grace... "charis" = "gift, gratitude").

Only God can enable us by His "greater grace" to continually ring the death knell to "my way" because He continually satisfies us with the fact that "there is therefore now [here and now] no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus" (Romans 8:1).

Intersecting Faith & Life: 
Do you see your own need for God's grace every moment so that you can yield your desires up to Him?

Perhaps you've been wronged and you have a legitimate desire to see matters set right. Are you yielding even this desire to God so that it does not become all-consuming and controlling to the point that you would sin to see your desire satisfied?

To whom does He give grace? (cf. James 4:6)   

Further Listening:
My Heart Is Filled with Thankfulness (Stuart Townend, Keith Getty)

[Judy Harder]

March 17, 2010

The Hole in the Map
by Katherine Britton, Crosswalk.com News & Culture Editor

"The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned." Isaiah 9:2

Si-un blended in with thousands of children in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea who suffered for the glory of their dear leader. Not talented enough to be picked for the elite schools, and not so removed that she escaped the state's eye, she imbibed the propaganda even as her family's rations shrank. But she just knew that she and her countrymen were lucky. She could live somewhere really terrible, like China. As authors Kay Marshall Strom and Michele Rickett tell her story in Forgotten Girls,

Si-un was always sad for the people of China. Stories came to hear North Korean village about the horrible conditions in that country next door. In school, the students were taught that nearly everyone in China is homeless, living in the forests or under bridges, because they do not have the benevolence of Kim Jong Il to care for them.

The isolation keeps North Koreans locked in poverty - the isolation allows their indoctrination even as they starve, and the indoctrination encourages their continued isolation. Those forced to cover their eyes sometimes learn to prefer the dark because it's all they know.

From the sky, the darkness on the northern half of the Korean peninsula is surrounded by bright spots in China, South Korea, and Japan across the sea. The satellite images of a country without electricity in the midst of modern nations, belying the DPRK's self-proclaimed feats of achievements. And all the while, the people live in the same darkness. At least for a while, the isolation keeps people like Si-un believing that they are the envy of the world, because their view is so warped and narrowed.

Journalist Barbara Demick said of her interviews with North Korean defectors,

Almost all the people I've talked to had moments when they were happy. You know, for one, they had this core belief. It may have been a big lie, but they believed it. They believed in their country. They believed in themselves. And there's an underlying sadness for them at what was lost, even if they know it was a lie.

Finding out that their shining republic was even darker than they believed was "devastating" for some defectors who managed to escape the country. "I mean, to imagine that everything you've ever been taught was untrue - it's shattering...They find it difficult to, you know, recreate that meaning in their lives," Demick said in an interview with NPR.

The gulags and the black sites disgust me with their inhumanity, but it's the psychology of the state that really mystifies me. The few journalists who have made it into the secretive country come back with reports of a dead country, where any abundance is a farce in the face of real famine. But for many of the people, their undying loyalty is no charade - it's real, despite their hunger and lack of opportunity. While we can't know how many of them have secret doubts, Demick's report reminds me of the state's hold on people. They upheld their state because they genuinely believed in it. The darkness was the only light they knew.

North Korea's millions of people can't be reduced to a simple illustration. Their road to freedom takes years, with many betrayals, sad endings, and lifetime suffering. I believe many of them imagine a better life, but stay because of the incredible risks and dangers inherent with defecting. And yet, the image of that black hole in the satellite pictures make me wonder how anyone can bear not to try, or secretly entertain the idea.

If the road to freedom involved no deadly risks or false steps... how many people would run to the provision on the other side? How many people would choose to look away from the light and go back to their lives of want in order to keep believing the lies they were fed?

We all fed off the lies the Prince of this world shoved our way. Darkness was our way of life until Christ rescued us that black hole we could not escape, and suddenly we could see. And yet, now and then, we remember that we were happy in our suffering sometimes, because it was what we knew. Our darkness came with a separate goal that looked entirely appealing given the options. How we turn back after we've seen things truly?

Intersecting Faith & Life: "Amazing grace, how sweet the sound, that saved a wretch like me. I once was lost but now am found, was blind but now I see." We've escaped the worst. Like the North Korean defectors though, we can't live in a vacuum. We need a purpose - do you miss the darkness or does the light call you down a new road?

 

[Judy Harder]

March 18, 2010

Kill Me Now
by Shawn McEvoy, Crosswalk.com Senior Editor

If this is how you are going to treat me, put me to death right now --
if I have found favor in your eyes -- and do not let me face my own ruin."
Numbers 11:15

...while he himself went a day's journey into the desert. He came to a broom tree, sat down under it and prayed that he might die.
"I have had enough, Lord," he said. "Take my life; I am no better than my ancestors."
1 Kings 19:4

Now, O Lord, take away my life, for it is better for me to die than to live.
Jonah 4:3


What kind of a person feels like this? A schmo like me, at times, sure. Maybe you, or people you know. Surely not the heroes of the Old Testament.

Well, truth is, even God's greatest leaders and prophets got to the point in their respective stories where, even after witnessing indescribable miracles and blessings, their circumstances were so overwhelming, impossible and undesirable their attitude was, "Just kill me now, Lord!" Exhausted in body, soul, and spirit, they cried out that they had had enough. They could go no longer in their own power.

The first quote above is from Moses, who had a People Problem. The wandering Israelites were hungry, and as usual, it fell to Moses to solve the problem. He cried out to the Lord, "Was it I who conceived these people? Was it I who brought them forth?" He looked around and couldn't figure out how to satisfy everyone.

The second quote is from Elijah, who had a Pity Problem. This was a prophet who had just called down fire from heaven, destroyed the prophets of Baal, and witnessed the end of a long drought. But just a few verses later, one vow from one wicked queen has him in such despair that he fears he can't go on like this.

The third quote is from Jonah, who had a Pouting Problem. He'd finally obeyed to the point of going to Nineveh and preaching repentance, but when the Lord relented and stayed his hand rather than destroying the city, Jonah wasn't happy. He folded his hands and "became angry" that the destruction he forecast never arrived.

Consider who these men were and what they had seen, what the Lord had done through them. Moses parted the Red Sea and led a people out of slavery. Elijah stood strong for Israel during a time of tremendous pagan influence, prayed down fire and rain, and actually never died (so chalk up at least one unanswered prayer!). Jonah is one of the first stories we tell our children, about how God provided a great fish to swallow him for such a period as he could learn about obedience and repentance.

Not only that, but these guys all show up in the Gospels, in one way or another. Moses and Elijah are present at Jesus' transfiguration (Mark 9). In Matthew 12:38-41 (NIV), Jesus tells the Pharisees they won't get any sign from him other than the sign of Jonah, foreshadowing the three days He Himself would spend in the belly of the Earth.

But interestingly enough, Christ never felt this way. He knew His destiny was to die, and even prayed that such a cup might pass from Him. And let's not forget that He is our example, not Moses, not Elijah, and not Jonah, great as they were.

When we feel the way that these guys did, we need to realize that anyone wanting to die is under attack. And our enemy can bring that attack through people, pity, and pouting. It comes when our body is not healthy, our soul is not happy, and our spirit is not holy.

But conveniently enough, Paul shows us a prayer that covers all these bases. He writes, "Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you entirely; and may your spirit and soul and body be preserved complete, without blame at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Faithful is He who calls you, and He also will bring it to pass." (1 Thessalonians 5:23-24).

You aren't alone when you feel like you can't go on, like you would be better off dead than standing strong in the face of the overwhelming task God has given you, especially when you are weak in body, soul, and spirit, and the enemy is on the attack. And truly, it is comforting to know that some of the Bible's greatest faith warriors and miracle workers shared these feelings. But it doesn't mean they were right. Let us not indulge hopelessness, for it is always around us. Instead, let us remember that we serve a God of miracles and we follow the One who never copped to people, pity, or pouting, but willingly laid His life down.

Intersecting Faith & Life: Develop a plan that gives you exercise and rest in proper amounts for your body, soul, and spirit, so that you will be less prone to attack.

[Judy Harder]

March 19, 2010

Shiny, Happy People
by Laura MacCorkle, Crosswalk.com Senior Editor

Do not grieve, for the joy of the LORD is your strength.

Nehemiah 8:10

You know the type of people.  They're "shiny."  They're "happy."  And you wonder why.

At first encounter, they may seem too good to be true.  Alright, they might be downright annoying.  But if you give them a minute—and upon closer inspection—you'll find that this is no flimsy façade.  Some of them are really and truly reflecting something deep down inside of substance:  lives built on a sure foundation that permeates their entire beings.

I've met many of these types in the course of my life.  Some have nothing going for them (by the world's standards), and others are at the top of their games (again, by the world's standards).

One such was a successful singer-songwriter who crossed my path years ago when I was engaged in a temporary work assignment.  I remember how he pretty much glowed and always seemed "up"—and not in an obnoxious way either.  You could just tell that he had something going on inside of him that was lighting up his life.

During one conversation when asked what he liked to read, he shared how he only read the Bible.  That was it.  No newspapers.  No latest suspense novels on his bedside table.  Just the Word.  And he didn't say it in a pompous, "holier than thou" type of way either.  He just sincerely wasn't interested in reading any other book or printed material that was out there.

Different.  Perhaps radical.  And yet very interesting to me.  It explained a lot about why he was so unflappable, focused and always joyful.  I wanted what he had.

Other "shiny, happy people" I've known are ones who the world would immediately toss into the reject bin because of their physical disabilities and deformities.  Yet, these are some of the most grounded, mature, kind and giving individuals I have ever met.  Despite their exterior issues or lack of this or that, they radiate the joy of the Lord.  They pour into others' lives (including mine!).  Their "shortcomings" or "liabilities" haven't stopped them, and they are constantly seeking out others and refreshing them with their presence.

How do they do this when they could just as easily be bitter about their circumstances in life?  It is truly a mystery.  And then again, it's not.  At least not for those of us who know (or should know) the source of their "shiny" and their "happy."  For when you get close to these people, you notice that they're all drawing from the same well to get what they need to survive.  They are partaking of the living water that supernaturally quenches our thirst.

"If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink.  Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him" (John 7:37-38).

No wonder they are so joyful!  They know where the secret source is—except it's not so secret for those who are in Christ.  And you and I can go there, too.  It's free.  It's available.  And its strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow will never dry up.

Perhaps you are feeling parched today and desperately want the joy of the Lord.  You know what you need to do.  Spend time with the Father in his Word and in prayer.  Lift your eyes, open up your heart and be drawn to springs of living water.

Intersecting Faith & Life:  How about seeking out some of these "shiny, happy people" for yourself this weekend?  Learn from their testimonies and be refreshed by their witness.  God wants to give you joy and be the strength in your life as well!

Further Reading:

Psalm 65

John 4:1-26

[Judy Harder]

March 22, 2010

The Perverse Generation
Sarah Jennings, Crosswalk.com Family Editor

"O unbelieving and perverse generation,"Jesus replied, "how long shall I stay with you and put up with you?" Luke 9: 41

There is much written today about how the world has lost touch with God and morality. It's easy to view the past with rose-tinted glasses, to believe in "the good old days" or reminisce about a golden era.  We do this in the Church all the time, often pointing to one practice that, if resurrected, would surely turn this generation around.

"If only the women still wore head coverings in church... "

"If only we sang ancient hymns... "

"If only young men and women got married earlier... "

Don't read me wrong here... these issues are important. But the stark reality is, every generation has fallen short of God's glory. Every generation has sinned. Does this sound familiar?

"The children now love luxury; they have bad manners, contempt for authority; they show disrespect for elders and love chatter in place of exercise. Children are now tyrants, not the servants of their households. They no longer rise when elders enter the room. They contradict their parents, chatter before company, gobble up dainties at the table, cross their legs, and tyrannize their teachers."

How often have I been tempted to mutter these words when encountering today's teenagers? But this quote is attributed to Socrates by Plato. Apparently teens weren't doing so well in the ancient world either. The fallen nature of man has followed us through the ages, plaguing the young and old alike. Our broken nature manifests itself in so many ways... from the darkest sins to our lack of basic manners and courtesy.

Jesus himself seemed to grow weary of the sins of his own day. I imagine the opening scripture was expressed with a mix of sadness and righteous anger. During Lent, our church acknowledges God's just anger at the end of every service with this chant: Parce, Domine, parce populo tuo;/ ne in aeternum irascaris nobis which translates to: "Spare your people Lord: /Be not angry Lord with your people forever."

But what is the rest of the story? Even as his sinful followers surrounded him, Jesus healed the spiritual and physical afflictions of a possessed boy. We see here that going back to the "good old days" doesn't have the power to save us. It's the person of Jesus Christ who saves. This is the miracle of Easter: The incredible mercy of a God who would be justified in staying angry forever after the golden era of Eden went terribly wrong. He hears our cries for redemption - weak though they may be - and saves us.

Is the world worse today than it was yesterday? Does it matter? God's patience and mercy for our "perverse and unbelieving generation" reveal the depths of his divine love. And those forgiven the most sins have the greatest number of reasons to rejoice.

Intersecting Faith & Life:  Have you ever felt so deeply ashamed of your sins that you thought no one could be as bad as you? Take heart. Some of the greatest saints were the worst of sinners. All sins can be forgiven when we call out to the Holy Spirit and ask for mercy. Rejoice in the second chances that come with Easter.

Further Reading

Luke 7: 47

Romans 3: 23

[Judy Harder]

March 23, 2010


Christ Did Not Ascend into the Realm of Mere Religious Ideas
Alex Crain
Editor, Christianity.com

"Even so consider yourselves to be dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus."
Romans 6:11NASB

We live in a world in which critics of Christianity consider the Gospel accounts of Jesus' life, death, resurrection and ascension completely absurd. They count us, His followers, to be fools. They must. They have no other choice. And we do not live by their opinions.

Rather, we pray and live in such a way so that God might use us to open their eyes to the reality of Christ's resurrection. He is Lord of all and is seeing history through to its appointed end. Nothing can change this.

One way that God opened my eyes to the truth of Christ years ago was by putting me in the company of a Christian who had moved past his fear-of-man issues and was living out the verse above. I remember that he even explained his faith to me, a skeptic, in terms of Romans 6 as if it were true in present history—in real space and time. It was unsettling.

He had mentioned reading Francis Schaeffer, whose book True Spirituality we are currently working through each Tuesday on "Crosswalk the Devotional." This week, in chapter three, Schaeffer dwells upon the Romans 6 message about the necessity of the Christian to believe that he has really been joined in union with Christ. Schaeffer points out from Romans 6 that this is the essential message of the Christian life.

From what I can tell, skeptics and critics who suspect that Christians are just trying to make them conform to a moral or political agenda really don't know what to do with the undiluted message of Christianity—that of being spiritually united with Christ. Quoting Schaeffer:

This is the basic consideration of the Christian life.
First, Christ died in history. Second, Christ rose in history.
Third, we died with Christ in history, when we accepted Him as Savior.
Fourth, we will be raised in history, when He comes again.
Fifth, we are to live by faith now as though we were now dead, as though we have already died.
Sixth, we are to live now by faith as though we have now already been raised from the dead.

What this means to the true believer is that the world's power to conform us to its way of thinking and living is broken. All things look different now.

Paraphrasing Schaeffer:

How can we conform to that which is so marred, so broken, so caught up in revolution against God? The praise of the world is worthless when one has stood in the presence of God. The wealth of the world is worthless when one has seen the treasure of heaven. What is earthly power after one has seen the reality of heaven and the power of God?

And this is not a matter of projecting our imaginations. We recognize that the Lord Jesus Christ indeed lives in the presence of the Father (Rom. 6:10), and this is where we are called to live, alive to God in communion with Him, in communication with Him—saying "thank you" in all the ebb and flow of life.

When I am dead both to good and bad [circumstances that happen to me], I have my face turned towards God. And this is the place in which, by faith at the present moment of history, I am to be.

When I am there, what am I? I am then the creature in the presence of my Creator. It is though I am already in the grave, and already before the face of God. When through faith I am dead to all, and am face to face with God, then I am ready by faith to come back into this present world as though I have already been raised from the dead. It is as though I anticipate that day when I will come back.

Our primary call, then, is to be alive to God moment by moment. Our "doing good" should not become a thing in itself and thus spoil the most basic call of being alive to the presence of God.

Christ was not raised mythically. He did not ascend into the realm of mere religious ideas. He was raised historically in space and time. He lives presently and sustains all things by the word of His power. The dominion of sin is broken. Because He lives, we can live free from conformity to the world and be alive in the presence of our Creator.

Intersecting Faith & Life: 
Are you joined in union with Christ? Is yours a Christless Christianity that is more focused on your own goals, fears and feelings than what is historically and presently true of Christ?

Further Study on the Validity of the Christian Worldview:
Dr. Greg Bahnsen's peerless lectures: "Basic Training for Defending the Faith" (YouTube)

[Judy Harder]

March 24, 2010

A Hedge of Clichés
by Katherine Britton, News & Culture Editor

"And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words." - Matthew 6:7

A Bible study friend recently encouraged me to rewrite the famous passage on Proverbs 31 woman in my own words, with application to my own life. I took her up on the challenge, thinking the task wouldn't be too hard for someone who writes for a career.

Crafting a modern application took an hour—much longer than I figured. Getting away from verbatim repetition to explore specific application required much more of my time and energy than I would typically spend journaling on a passage. Stepping back from the verse-by-verse analysis, though, I thought I saw the Proverb 31 woman's characteristics a bit more clearly. Rewriting the passage didn't destroy the original language for me—on the contrary. The "words, words, words" seemed fresh and clear from my new vantage point.

Unfortunately, reading and "hiding Scripture in our hearts" quickly slips into rote recitation for me. It's like Tim Hawkin's hedge of protection comedy sketch; the words have power, but we start spouting them off without much thought. Pretty soon, I'm sitting in church and halfway through a hymn before I realize that I'm singing. My heart gets left behind too when my mind is disengaged. Pretty soon, I'm praying a "hedge of protection" for somebody, partially because the phrase sounds good without making me think too carefully about their specific needs. 

The Pharisee Jesus described in Luke 18:9-13 had mastered the art of hiding insincerity behind the right phrases. He knew the turn of phrase that would convey holy devotion, regardless of the filth in his heart. "Words, words, words" became meaningless, as Hamlet saw them in the dead books - they became a socially acceptable key to avoid the real attitudes.

Contrast this to the tax collector. He understood that social niceties wouldn't veil his sins before God, and he didn't continue with a recitation the way the Pharisee did. His simple prayer was, "God, have mercy on me, a sinner." That was it. He knew the impact of his simple phrase far better than the Pharisee did. He didn't need to "babble" to impress God or those around him; he simply spoke his heart, knowing that ability to pray is itself a mercy.

The beautiful language of Scripture is best adorned with sincerity of heart, not how many words we can string together in holy sentences. After all, consider how simple the Lord's Prayer is written - and how difficult and miraculous it is to proclaim "Your will be done."

Intersecting Faith and Life: There's not a "holy attitude" that we put on at "holy times" - we are called to be holy all the time, in our joking with friends as well as our prayers. We need to speak simply, truly, and to God's glory all the time. This week, practice this by eliminating Christian catch phrases from your prayers, instead journaling your prayers to bring a fresh application.

[Judy Harder]

March 25, 2010

Being Perfect & Purposeful Instability
by John UpChurch, Editor, Jesus.org

"Therefore you are to be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect."
Matthew 5:48 (NASB)

Jesus tells His disciples—and ultimately us—to be perfect. The record scratches; the music stops. Perfect? Really?

When God first opened my eyes to the simple-yet-beautiful truth of the Gospel, I stumbled over this part of the Sermon on the Mount. Here I found a wrenching dichotomy: God, who alone is perfect, wants me to be perfect. The two concepts refused to mesh, so I wrote this call to perfection off as hyperbole. Christ also talks about cutting off hands and plucking out eyes and hating family after all; this phrase fit nicely in that category.

But the hyperbole idea kudzued up through the rest of the Sermon. God wouldn't really hold us accountable for our mental lapses or our name-calling. We can't really be expected to smooth conflicts over before going to church and worshiping. The salt and light thing is more like a suggestion. We should simply aim high (the exaggeration) and not be discouraged when we hit low (the impossibility of being perfect).

That reading made my life easier. But the Sermon was never meant to be easy. I just missed the point.

Several years ago, a Christian mentor introduced a concept that challenged my understanding of Matthew 5: purposeful instability (my phrasing, not his). According to his idea, God includes key phrases and stories in Scripture that shatter our "safe" views about being a Christian and push us to grow. In essence, we lock ourselves into patterns and expectations, and God shakes those expectations up.

We see an example of this in John 4 when the disciples, who thought they knew the Savior, returned to find Jesus speaking with a Samaritan woman. Their mouths dropped open; their expectations tumbled down. Jesus had used purposeful instability to teach them an important lesson about who could come to Him (i.e., everyone).

Jesus did the same thing later when He urged His disciples to feed the five thousand (Matthew 14:13-21). Impossible exaggeration, right? The twelve baskets of leftovers say otherwise.

Christ challenged His disciples throughout His time on earth, befuddling them, rebuking them, and sleeping during their storms. But He always did this to teach them (and us) about following Him.

When I applied purposeful instability to the Sermon on the Mount, my understanding shifted—and, not surprisingly, my refuge in hyperbole melted away. The words of the Sermon command and guide with absolute assurance. Christ moves from the outside world to our inside thoughts and shows that nothing remains hidden—not our actions, not our motives.

Hyperbole as a literary device requires a core of truth. When Christ mentions ripping eyeballs out, He means that we must remove the things in our lives that make us stumble. The exaggeration and image emphasize the seriousness.

However, the Sermon on the Mount and its call to perfection go deeper. This isn't a powerful image meant to evoke an emotional response; it's a sparse—yet powerful—statement of fact. The ramifications are meant to shake us, to push us, to take away the "safe."

Intersecting Faith & Life: Following Jesus means moving, and He gave us the destination. And that's no exaggeration.

[Judy Harder]

March 26, 2010

Follow the Yellow Brick Roads
by Laura MacCorkle, Crosswalk.com Senior Editor

In his heart a man plans his course, but the LORD determines his steps.
Proverbs 16:9

In my office, it's been all about The Wizard of Oz this month.

No, I'm not having a movie-watching marathon session of this popular musical. I'm just inspired by the "vintage musicals" calendar that's hanging on my bulletin board and how this month's selected musical is The Wizard of Oz.

I have loved watching the 1939 movie version with Judy Garland as Dorothy, Ray Bolger as The Scarecrow, Bert Lahr as The Cowardly Lion and Jack Haley as The Tin Man. Their mission was simple: follow the yellow brick road to the Wizard so that he could help Dorothy get back home to Kansas again.

Along the way, there were some obstacles:  life-like trees that weren't just there to "hug," flying monkeys that weren't just kidding around and scary individuals (a green-skinned Wicked Witch of the East ... yikes!). But there were also some helpful friends (Glinda the Good Witch, The Munchkins) who encouraged Dorothy to stay focused and be brave on her journey.

So, hurrah for Dorothy. She had a clearly defined path (highlighted in yellow, nonetheless) to follow. And follow it she did.

But what about the rest of us? We don't always have one, clearly defined path down which to travel in life. Sometimes, there are multiple yellow brick roads. And then what are we supposed to do?

There you are, standing at the crossroads and wondering which way to go. Each road seems like it could be viable and just as promising as the next. But there is hesitation. There is no clear direction. And so you wait.

So how should you bide your time until the Lord reveals which way he wants you to go? It is so easy to let the flesh reign supreme in times like this. But take it from me:  impatience, frustration and taking matters into your own hands will get you nowhere fast. It's best to wait on the Lord and his timing.

"Commit to the LORD whatever you do, and your plans will succeed," Proverbs 16:3 says. Have you done that today? Have you given to God whatever potential plans or apparent roads are in front of you?

"The heart of the discerning acquires knowledge; the ears of the wise seek it out," Proverbs 18:15 says. Have you sought advice or know-how from those who may have gone down various roads that you are now contemplating? What words of wisdom have they shared with you that may shed some light or help to point you in the right direction?

"A man's steps are directed by the LORD. How then can anyone understand his own way?" Proverbs 20:24 says. Even though you may not see what is going on or what might lie ahead, are you trusting that God is in control and has a plan that is best for you?

"If the LORD delights in a man's way, he makes his steps firm; though he stumble, he will not fall, for the LORD upholds him with his hand," Psalm 37:23-24 says. Have you committed to serve the Lord first in your life, no matter what? And do you believe that he will carry you, no matter which road he takes you down and no matter what may trip you up along the way?

If you stand at a crossroads today and wonder which way to go, know that this decision is not all up to you. Bigger and better than any earthly wizard, our God is leading each of us on a pilgrimage to closer relationship with him as we get nearer and nearer to our eternal home.


Intersecting Faith & Life: "There's no place like home. There's no place like home." That's what Dorothy repeated to herself when she wanted to get back to Kansas. And similar thinking goes for us, too. Are we eternally-minded in our daily living here on earth? Are we seeking to serve the Father rather than follow our own interests? No matter what pathways are set before us today, let us look to our heavenly Father to change our hearts and order our steps.


Further Reading

Jeremiah 10:23

Proverbs 19:21

[Judy Harder]

March 29, 2010

Waiting on the Lord
by Sarah Jennings, Crosswalk.com Family Editor

I am still confident of this: I will see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living. Wait for the LORD; be strong and take heart and wait for the LORD. Psalm 27: 13-14

I read a book a few years ago for couples discerning marriage called The Exclamation. The author pointed out that God could answer the question "Should I marry him/her" in only three ways: Yes. No. Wait.

I think the toughest of the three is, "Wait." It's not just that we live in an impatient society (we do), and it's not just that we can be selfish, demanding creatures (we can), and it's not just that we tend to want life on our own terms (we do) -- it's that waiting requires surrender of one of man's most precious commodities: time.   

Our lives are finite. Each day is precious, each month, each year because we only have but so many. So when the Infinite God whispers to His limited creatures, "Wait," our responses often sound something like this:

"You see, you don't get it, God. Sure, it's easy for you to wait - you have all of eternity. But I really need some answers. You gave Amy answers, and Chuck answers, and Lori answers, so it's only right and fair you give me answers. After all, you said 'whoever seeks shall find' and stuff, so now I'm seeking, and 'wait' just isn't an acceptable response."

I think it's even tougher to wait when we have pain lingering in our pasts. We may wonder, "Why should I trust God? Last time everything ended in disaster." I speak from experience here. I've had to wait on an answer to prayer for a long time now - even for someone of my youthful age. I know how tough it is to receive the umpteenth "not yet" from God. I know what it's like to look back on painful deferments and feel like life is slipping by.

Yes, waiting isn't for spiritual wimps, but for those strong of heart. Obeying a "not yet" from God requires true faith. It's handing over our days and years and months to God, trusting that we won't regret holding off. It's believing God's plan is truly the best plan even when several other enticing options tempt us. It's deferring what is good for what is best.

And there's the reward of waiting. I can say today that one of long-time prayers has finally been answered. And with the resolution is the kind of joy that only comes from God, the kind of joy that only comes with his answer to prayer instead of our own.

Even in the midst of still unanswered prayers, I still believe God isn't out to get you or me. He doesn't ask us to wait to torment us. In His infinitely perfect nature, He sees what we can't and wants to give us more than we're currently asking for. All the times I've ignored God's "wait" and taken matters into my own hands, a lot of precious time was wasted. But those that wait on Him will experience joy that far surpasses any temporary pleasure that comes with forging ahead alone.

Weeping may last for the night, But a shout of joy comes in the morning. Psalm 30: 5 (NAS)

Intersecting Faith & Life: Are you waiting for an answer to prayer? My goal this Holy Week is to embrace the confidence of the psalmist, knowing I will see the goodness of the Lord if I just wait a while longer. Pray simply and directly about that which you're waiting for - like a child seeking answers from a parent - and then leave it with God as you contemplate our Lord's suffering and resurrection.

Further Reading

Lamentations 3: 24
Psalm 37: 7
When Dreams Come True