Crosswalk.com--The Devotional

[Judy Harder]

21, 2011

Who's Making Your Life Anew?
Laura MacCorkle, Crosswalk.com Senior Editor

For Your gift of God, the Spirit, power to make our lives anew, Pledge of life and hope of glory, Savior we would worship You. Crowning gift of resurrection sent from Your ascended throne, Fullness of the very Godhead, come to make Your life our own. "For Your Gift of God the Spirit"
Ode to Joy

"This year I'm going to stop __________."  Or "This year I'm going to start __________."  Or "This year I'm going to do better job of __________."

Any of those declarations sound familiar?  Raise your hand if you have made a resolution for 2011 and have already broken it this month.  Me, too.

Most of us probably have big dreams, big goals and big expectations of what we will do in the new year.  We want to see change.  We want to see improvement.  We want to know that some kind of forward progress is being made in our lives.  And none of those wants are wrong in and of themselves.

But what I was reminded of recently while in church and when singing the lines from the hymn at the beginning of today's devotional is that, as a believer, I am not the power that is supposed to drive this kind of change or improvement or progress in my life.  It's the Holy Spirit.

Oh, how often I forget about this precious gift from the Father given to those of us who are his children.  We have the spirit of the living God living inside of us.  Living inside of us!  I forget that.  I forget that I am a vessel.  That my body is a holy temple.  That it is not up to me to make my life anew, in my weakness, in my sinfulness, in my humanity, in my utter depravity.

Like many of us as well, I have come up with resolutions and goals that I want to work on this year.  But I easily become overwhelmed when I consider everything I want to address in my life.  In my mind, it must be done yesterday and there are no excuses for failure and there is no room for error.  Once I can't keep up, though, then I am easily discouraged and ready to give up. 

How comforting is that?  It's not.  And thankfully I have One who works in my life much differently than I do.

"If you love me, you will obey what I command.  And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever—the Spirit of truth.  The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him.  But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you" (John 14:15-17).

"But you know him."  Again, I forget that I know the Holy Spirit.  I know this gift of the Father.  He is my helper.  He is here to help me help myself!  Even when I think I am the one doing all of the work, he is the one who has the power to make my life run as God wants it to run.  The Spirit is the "power to make our lives anew."

Will you join with me and get out of the way today?  Let's prayerfully consider what plans and goals and resolutions we have made for ourselves for 2011.  And then let's see what God, through the power of the Holy Spirit, wants to do in our lives as he makes our lives anew.

May we remember that He has filled us with His holy fullness, God the Father, Spirit, Son.

Intersecting Faith & Life:

"Before you pick up the phone, go to the Throne."  I read that on a friend's Facebook status update recently and thought how true that is.  How true!  When you need help or guidance or feel helpless and alone, are you dialing into the supernatural power that is real and active inside of you first?  The Holy Spirit mediates God to believers.  He intercedes on our behalf.  This gift is ready and waiting for you.

Further Reading:

"Love Divine, All Loves Excelling"

Text:  Charles Wesley

Music:  John Zundel

Breathe, O breathe Thy loving Spirit,
Into every troubled breast!
Let us all in Thee inherit;
Let us find that second rest.
Take away our bent to sinning;
Alpha and Omega be;
End of faith, as its Beginning,
Set our hearts at liberty. 

John 14:26-27, NIV

[Judy Harder]

January 24, 2011

Keeping the Best Things First
Katherine Britton, Crosswalk.com News & Culture Editor

"And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best..." Philippians 1:9-11

How often do we resign ourselves to the "tyranny of the urgent"? If you're me, it's a daily struggle not to use that little phrase as an excuse for losing sight of the big picture. It's so much easier to take care of what's immediately in front of me instead of what should be first in my life.

I'm a task-oriented Martha, so concerned with getting the job done that I forget to focus on Him first. I can tell myself that I'm doing my work "as unto the Lord" as much as I want, but I don't serve anyone when I get harried. You probably know the feeling; you tell yourself that you're cooking a wholesome dinner as a supreme act of service and love for your family - if they only appreciated how many other things you have to do besides stand over a stove! - when little Anne asks if you'll help her find a favorite CD. Something boils over, and it's not the pot on the stove. In taking care of dinner, you've forgotten to feed a godly attitude of patience and love.

That's me to a fault. James makes it clear that faith is constantly looking for ways to serve; like Martha, however, we can get so busy that we forget why we're doing it. I often catch myself thinking that if I'm not busy, I'm not "doing enough" for God. But then the act becomes its own end, instead of an outworking of love. Imagine Martha in the kitchen, fluttering around and looking for that special recipe to serve Jesus, while Mary just sat, soaking up His words. Martha's response to this was probably well-intentioned - that is, from a human point of view. She was serving and wanted others to serve with her! But Jesus called her bluff. "Only one thing is needed," Christ said, "and Mary has chosen what is better" (Luke 10:42). Better? Lord, you mean that sitting at your feet and being quiet is better than my idea of being busy serving you? That's right.

I think I got a double-portion of Martha's spirit. Too often, I think that sitting and listening to Jesus is the same thing as sitting and doing nothing. I think it's laziness. Satan whispers that my time could be better spent doing than learning, and then the tyranny of the urgent takes over. But even Olympic acts of service are as nothing if not done in love (1 Corinthians 13), and only time at the feet of Jesus can teach me that.

Love leads to action, as Paul writes to the Philippian church, not the other way around. I can't "discern what is best" in my work and words unless I keep the very best in front of my eyes, like Mary. My prayer this week is that I will focus on Jesus and see how to love. Then the priorities will fall in line. Then I see what is best, because I see Jesus.

Intersection of Faith & Life: We have to preach the Gospel to ourselves daily, as Jerry Bridges writes, so we never lose sight of what is first and last in importance. Reevaluate your commitments and make sure that you've set aside time to sit at the feet of Jesus before anything else.

Further Reading:

1 Corinthians 13
The Authority of Intimacy 

[Judy Harder]

January 25, 2011
Sarah Phillips, Crosswalk.com Senior Family Editor 

A wise man's heart guides his mouth, and his lips promote instruction. ~ Proverbs 16: 23 NIV

How can we live the Christian life well? Is it dependant on nebulous feelings of doing good? Thankfully, there's more guidance than that. Cultivating the cardinal virtues is one concrete way to live a solid Christian witness. The four cardinal virtues are: wisdom, justice, courage, and temperance.

Let's examine what one virtue looked like in the life of someone committed to Christ.

If someone asked me to draw a picture of wisdom when I was a child, I would have drawn an old, wrinkly, robed man meditating in a tent. I imagined wisdom as something that belonged to those focused on the "higher things," people isolated from the day-to-day grind of life. But this is a faulty understanding of wisdom. True wisdom contains both clarity of insight and the ability to apply that insight to real life situations

In my recent reading of the book The 33 Doctors of the Church, I came across an ancient Christian who exemplified both aspects of wisdom. While his name is not well-known, God worked through St. Ephrem to greatly influence the early Church.

Ephrem was an eastern Christian, born in Syria during the 4th century. His native language was Syro-Chaldaic -- the same language Jesus, His family, and His apostles spoke in everyday life. Born of Christian parents, Ephrem developed a thirst for God's Word early in life. He soaked in the Scriptures line by line, delving into the nuances that came more easily to him than you and me today.

Ephrem's deep study of Scripture inspired him to employ his gift for language by writing countless poems, hymns, and homilies for God's glory. Unlike most writers, he never seemed to be at a loss for words. Bishop Gregory of Nyssa, a contemporary of Ephrem's, joked that if you needed a cure for writer's block, you should just ask Ephrem for an idea he already "prayed away."

In some ways the studious, poetic Ephrem resembled that old, robed man in the tent because he lived as an unmarried hermit. But Ephrem hardly isolated himself. He often wrote to instruct the confused and played an active role in shepharding youth.

One of his more famous uses of his poetic talent came in response to a heresy spreading among the local community in the form of a collection of popular hymns. He witnessed young people embracing the songs' messages and falling away from godly living. In response, Ephrem borrowed the melody and wrote new lyrics. Ephrem's version of the hymns, superior in artistry and taught with fatherly love, ultimately became so popular the old hymns were all but forgotten.

Ephrem's love for God's Word also inspired him beyond his writing and music. He often pitched in to help the local community during times of need, and he was loved even by bishops abroad. Ephrem was a sensitive, kind man known for joyfully weeping with those who rejoiced and sorrowfully weeping with those who mourned. He died from exhaustion in his 60's after assisting his suffering community during a famine.

Ephrem's legacy continues to resonate with the modern world. He lived in a time and place not unlike our own, surrounded by war, sadness, confusion, and even rebellious youth. He could have thrown his hands up and said, "What difference can a poet make?" Yet he did not shun the surrounding culture but wisely employed his gifts to engage those around him. In fact, Ephrem's gift for hymnody was so great, many churches around the world continue to sing his hymns today.

Intersecting Faith & Life: St. Ephrem cultivated wisdom by immersing himself in God's Word. This week, read a chapter of the Bible you've never read before and study up on its meaning.

Further Reading

Proverbs 16: 21

[Judy Harder]

January 26, 2011

You Never Do Anything You Don't Want to Do
by Shawn McEvoy, Crosswalk.com Managing Editor

Each of you must take responsibility for doing the creative best you can with your own life.
Galatians 6:5, The Message

If I try, I can remember my friends from 10th-grade Sunday School. In fact, I'm still tight with two of them. I remember our church, our youth group, and our youth minister. What I don't remember so well are the individual lessons we learned from the Bible each week. As I realize that, I give myself another kick for not having gotten into note-taking and journaling. I'd like to have those things to review now.

What I do recall from one particular class session, however, has always stuck with me. And it wasn't even a quote from the Bible. To show how much I've forgotten, I don't even remember the name of the teacher who said it! He was tall, well-accomplished, but still wanting to give of his time to young men. And one day he looked at us and said the following:

"Today's lesson is going to be very short. Look at me, because whatever you remember from today, remember this. Whatever you remember from your time in this youth group, remember this: You never do anything you don't want to do."

That was it. Obviously I still remember it. Why?

I remember challenging the teacher on that day, most of us scoffing and saying things like, "Yeah, right... I can honestly tell you I do not want to do my homework tonight."

"Yes you do."

"No, I really don't."

"What will happen if you don't?"

"Well, I guess I'd be embarrassed when it was time to turn it in, I'd probably have to lie to my parents when they asked if I'd done it yet, and I wouldn't be prepared for the upcoming quiz."

"So I guess the reason you're going to do your homework is because for the motives you just stated, you DO want to do it."

Snap.

A dozen high school boys just got handed a logic lesson in responsibility, desire, and motivation. All around the room you could see eyes and minds opening to new possibilities.

This is what we'd been hearing about free will. But now contextualized and personalized.

This is what our parents and teachers had been getting at as they spoke to us about becoming responsible young men.

This put my actions all squarely back on me. And oddly enough, that was something I could tangibly handle.

The applications were endless.

I'm still not even sure his statement was absolutely true, or biblical. But to be honest, it doesn't matter anymore, because it informed and continues to inform many things in my life that are true and biblical.

Do I want to lay in bed or do I want to get to work? Why or why not? Do I really "want" that sportscar, or can I put it out of my mind to burden me no more since it conflicts with several of my primary wants?

Why am I overweight? Well, my bad. Guess I wanted that, too, when you get down to the nub of it. Certainly didn't do the things I knew would prevent it.

One of the doors that opened to me was in realizing that once I got past "my will be done," I could begin to pray as Jesus did, "Your will be done."

Another was in being able to recognize motivation. Why am I going to conquer this lust or pursue this knowledge or accomplish this hard task for God's Kingdom? Because ultimately, what I want to do is to have my heart's desires be the same as Yours, Lord. That's where You tell us delight is, and that's the only place where we know what we want is right.

Intersecting Faith & Life: What action or reaction in your own life have you been blaming on other people or circumstances? Write down all the ways you yourself can own up to it. 

Further Reading

1 Thessalonians 5:12
Philippians 1:23
We Are Responsible for Others

[Judy Harder]

January 27, 2011

Not What You Wanted?
Alex Crain
Editor, Christianity.com

"What is the source of quarrels and conflicts among you?"
James 4:1

A holiday edition of the TV show "America's Funniest Home Videos" showed various children opening their presents on Christmas morning. Apparently, it's hard for many kids to see humor in getting an unwanted gift. Most of their reactions were, well... downright childish. .

When the ribbons and paper were torn off, one child pulled out a new pair of socks, threw her head back and erupted in an angry sob. A matching outfit given to another child produced a tantrum across the floor followed by stomping footsteps up the stairs. Other children glowered with frowns and snarls. One even screamed at the parent holding the video camera, then hurled the unwanted gift back in his face. Not exactly the funniest home videos.

In contrast to all the immaturity and ingratitude came a bright ray of hope at the end of the montage as a little brown-haired girl in pink pajamas ecstatically jumped up and down with glee. She held in her hands a tiny chestnut and spun around to the camera exclaiming, "A nut! A nut! I got a nut! I don't know what kind it is, but I got a nut!"

James 4:1-6 says that sinful responses erupt from hearts that are controlled by overwhelming desires. They don't have to be sinful desires necessarily. The degree to which "harmless" desires become sinful is shown by what happens when things don't turn out as you hoped or expected. Whether it is irritability, or an angry tantrum or a sulking frown; sinful responses show that something in the heart has replaced God.

Notice verse 1 where James asks the question (paraphrasing), "Why are you so upset? What's the real problem in your heart?" And then he answers with divine wisdom, "I'll tell you what the matter is: it's your pleasures—your desires—that are waging war within you. And the result is sinful fights and quarrels."

Certainly, there's nothing inherently sinful about simply having desires in life. God created us to have desires. There are many good things to desire in life: having adequate food, clothing and shelter, having a happy marriage, getting a promotion at work, buying a nice car. There is nothing wrong with these kinds of desires... nothing inherently wrong, that is.

The problems come when, in our hearts, those desires turn into something else. The word translated as "lust" in verse 2 is actually "desire" with the added element of "strong craving." Epithumeo is not a word that necessarily means "lust" in the sexual sense. The idea conveyed in the original text is "you are controlled by desire." In other words, some desire—perhaps, even for a good thing—has gotten so wrapped around your heart, that it has become more important than God to you.

Whenever this happens, the result is sinful behavior. And the sin of the heart that must be confessed first in cases like this is no less than the sin of idolatry. False worship occurs whenever worship of the true God is replaced with the god of "my way."

What a peaceful contrast is painted in verse 6. God gives grace to the humble. That is, those who humbly submit their desires to God and trust Him as the sovereign provider of needs are given grace. Grace here is the desire and ability to obey God and respond in a way that pleases Him. Such recipients of grace are able, then, to deal with whatever happens—whether the present under the tree is a pair of socks, a cool skateboard, the keys to a new car, or a tiny chestnut.

Intersecting Faith & Life:

Does your situation today resemble what you expected or wanted in life? What is your response to this?

Think back to a recent outburst of anger, or incident in which you showed irritability. Trace it back to the unfulfilled desire that had control of your heart. What was it that you wanted?

Ask God to reveal any desires seeking to control your heart so that you can humbly submit them to Him and release them to His sovereign care. Repent of any lingering idolatry. Ask Him for grace to deal with whatever happens. Trust Him to provide for your needs.

Further Reading & Listening

Isaiah 40:12-31         

Listen to an example of what humility sounds like here
(Indelible Grace Acoustic "By Thy Mercy")

Thomas Watson, The Lord's Prayer

[Judy Harder]

January 31, 2011

You Will Find Rest
Laura MacCorkle, Crosswalk.com Senior Editor

"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." Matthew 11:28-30, NIV

Listen. Can you hear it? That's your life passing you by.

That's pretty much what I thought to myself during a recent week of vacation when I actually took the time to stop, unplug and smell the roses. 

It was truly a gift to rest both physically and spiritually. I had a very loose agenda. I let my laundry pile up. I skipped a day or two of working out. I enjoyed time with family and friends who I haven't seen in months. And I people watched at the mall. Good times.

I also didn't worry about my future. I didn't compare myself with others and what God was doing in their lives (and not in mine). And I didn't fill up my time feeling pressured to read the "it" Christian book of the moment or listen to any online sermons that could "change my life" (not that any of that is bad). But I just relished in listening and sitting quietly and waiting for what the Lord wanted to say directly to me during this week of rest.

In hindsight, it was one of the best vacations I've had in my life. Now that I'm back in full swing, though, I look back on that week and wish I could incorporate it into my "normal" life. And with a little creative planning, I think I can. Here's what I can do:

Turn off the phone. Shut down the e-mail. Quit wasting time on social networking sites. My communication devices are not the boss of me. Yes, people are important. But I can return messages and correspond with them tomorrow.
Schedule a "night off" or "personal time" in my calendar. I tried doing this last year, but I didn't always respect that time that I had blocked out for just sitting on the sofa or reading a book or playing with my cats. I intend to be better at making time to "just be" in this new year.
Make my quiet time a priority. In my world, I fit in things when and where I can. I have a schedule, but it's a little more flexible than it should be for some of my priorities—including my time spent with the Lord. I should treat this time like I would anything else that's sacred or precious to me and that captures my undivided attention (Um, the recent Superbowl or upcoming Oscars? Anyone?).
Eliminate whatever is making me anxious or making me feel bad about myself or is not good for my spirit. And by that I mean reading material, television shows or any other type of information or entertainment that is not edifying. We each have our own standards of what we are or are not comfortable with taking in. But why am I living by someone else's? If something is not good for me and the Holy Spirit tells me so, then I need to stand firm and just say "no."
Rejoin a Bible study group. Ironically, I took off last semester from Bible study because I was too "busy." And now I'm feeling the effects of not having been a part of this important source of fellowship and spiritual formation in my life. Next month, however, I'll be back in action with my group, and I can't wait to see what God is going to do.
So, like me, have you been feeling weary, too? Are you stuck in patterns or "priorities" that are weighing you down? Are there changes you need to make in your life? Take a hard look at what you need to do so that you can enter into the Father's rest, not tomorrow but today. 

Intersecting Faith & Life:

We live in a world of "the tyranny of the urgent," and each of us must determine who or what is in charge of our lives. Sit down with your calendar today. See what's there. And then ask the Lord to help you take it one day at a time, as you focus on what he wants for you to do—or not to do—in the days to come.

Further Reading:

Psalm 37:7, NIV

Matthew 6:25-34, NIV

1 Corinthians 10:23, NIV 

[Judy Harder]

February 1, 2011

Waiting for Spring
Katherine Britton, Crosswalk.com News & Culture Editor

"For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse." - Romans 1:20

When was the last time you wondered if spring would ever come? Not in the ironic sense - really wondered if winter might last forever, something like the 100 years of winter in Narnia. My guess is never. Most of America lives in the reality of four seasons, and expect the Earth to naturally cycle from winter to spring to summer to fall. We expect trees to unfurl new leaves this time of year because they're supposed to.

But what if they didn't? What if the trees bloomed in winter when their new leaves would freeze, or what if their flowers matured into hornets' nests instead of apples? What if they didn't bloom at all?

In his autobiographical work, Orthodoxy, G. K. Chesterton remembers his journey from agnosticism to faith including such nonsensical questions. Before he became the great 20th century apologist, he was a man confined to the world of determinism, where the natural world was governed by impersonal laws or nothing. But observing spring outside his window, he was struck by the wonderful fact that for some reason, trees do indeed bloom into fruit.

"They talked as if the fact that trees bear fruit were just as necessary as the fact that two and one trees make three. But it is not... You cannot imagine two and one not making three. But you can easily imagine trees not growing fruit..."

"I had always vaguely felt facts to be miracles in the sense that they were wonderful: now I began to think them miracles in the stricter sense that they were willful. I mean that they were, or might be, repeated exercises of some will. In short, I had always believed that the world involved magic: now I thought that perhaps it involved a magician." (Orthodoxy)

I owe Chesterton a great debt, because he taught me amazement at everyday grace. After all, how often do we marvel that the sky is blue (or grey) instead of orange or electric pink? Yet again, familiarity breeds contempt, and we forget what incredible world this "magician" made and keeps in order. Like children who see the same magic trick one too many times, we stop wondering "how did he do that?" and are bored until we see something new.

I use the term "magician" loosely - Jesus didn't feed the 5,000 just to wow the crowd. But I wonder that we lose our wonder of this world, even in its fallen state. As Paul writes in Romans, the evidence of God's incredible, "eternal power" and transcendent, "divine nature" is right in front of our eyes. How do forget a God so great that He makes trees bloom?

As I wait for spring to return to Virginia, I can't help but look outside and be amazed. To paraphrase Chesterton, the fact that grass is really green - and so perfectly suited for picnics and frisbee - truly is a miracle, a supernaturally guided fact. What an awesome God.

Intersecting Faith & Life: When was the last time you took a look outside? Consider that "the heavens declare the glory of God" (Psalm 8:1) and the Earth is the work of his hands. Are you properly inspired to worship their Creator?

Further Reading:

Psalm 8
Psalm 33:5
Genesis 8:22
Jeremiah 5:24

[Judy Harder]

February 2, 2011
St. Polycarp: Christian Hero

Sarah Phillips, Crosswalk.com Family Editor

Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you. Matthew 5: 12



Christian. When you hear the word, what images come to mind? It's too easy for me to approach the faith only in a modern context.

But there is so much more to professing faith in Christ than what we see today. Whenever I need a little dose of context, I read about heroic Christians from other eras. This week, I came across a Christian in a unique position: he was among the first generation of Church leaders after the apostles passed away.

St. Polycarp, a 2nd century bishop of what is now part of Turkey, was a disciple of John the Apostle. St. John, often known as the "beloved disciple," was privileged to stand at the foot of the Cross. He knew and cared for Mary, Jesus' mother. He was in the upper room after the Resurrection and was a member of the original twelve.

St. Polycarp was one of the first Church leaders who did not get to do any of these things. Perhaps this seems like an easy position to be in. After all, Polycarp knew those who witnessed Christ's life with their own eyes. But being a second generation Church leader wasn't a comfortable position. It meant you were entering unknown territory - territory filled with disputes and heresies that threatened to destroy Christianity in its infancy. These leaders had to place incredible faith in the Holy Spirit to guide them.

Not only did Polycarp and his peers face disagreements within the Church, but they also faced pagan persecution from the outside. During this time, Christians were called "atheists" because they rejected the predominant polytheistic beliefs of their culture. In these early days, pagans would burn Christian "atheists" or feed them to wild animals.

Polycarp stayed grounded by keeping his focus on Christ. He was known for being very tough on heresy but gentle on fellow believers who disagreed with him on non-essential details of the faith. When the eastern and western churches could not agree on how and when to celebrate Passover and Easter, Polycarp did not force the issue with other leaders when it became apparent that both approaches were true to the gospel.

St. Polycarp also relied heavily on a deep prayer life. He prayed specifically for people he encountered and the needs of his particular era. He was committed to leading his fellow Christians effectively and never sought glory for himself.

Although Polycarp was well-loved and respected by both pagans and Christians, he was keenly aware that one day he may face martyrdom. When his time finally came, he was already eighty-six years old, and he went willingly. He could have pledged his allegiance to Caesar to save himself, but instead Polycarp told his captors, "If you imagine that I will swear by Caesar, you do not know who I am. Let me tell you plainly, I am a Christian."

After his death, Christians kept his bones in his memory and as a reminder of the persecution the early Christians faced.

In some ways, Polycarp faced situations unfamiliar to us and yet in other ways, his story reminds us that the trials we face today are not as unique as they may appear. If we keep our focus on Christ and our days filled with prayer, we can continue the legacy the faithful left to us almost 2,000 years ago.

Intersecting Faith & Life:  Do you find yourself distracted from love of Christ because of bickering in your local church or challenges from those who don't believe? Take a lesson from Polycarp. Spend additional time in prayer this week to refocus, refuel and discern the best way to proceed.

Reference: "Saint Polycarp," Catholic.org

[Judy Harder]

February 3, 2011

Temporary Non-Path of Patience

by Shawn McEvoy, Crosswalk.com Managing Editor

Therefore be patient, brethren, until the coming of the Lord. The farmer waits for the precious produce of the soil, being patient about it, until it gets the early and late rains. You too be patient; strengthen your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is near.
James 5:7-8

We all know that patience isn't easy, or fun. What it is, though, is the path of the wise. Or, perhaps it's better to say the "non-path," since it usually involves a decision to do nothing for a while, to be still and know that you are not God, to reflect, or to strategize.

I recently gained new insight into the value of patience and the reason it's prized so highly in the Bible, from verses about "those who wait on the Lord" to "letting endurance have its perfect result."

In the first half of 2010 I raced through a blog of the TV show LOST. The series is replete with Christo-religious metaphors and parallels. One such area it studies in detail is patience. Early on, one of the characters tells another that "Patience, which you lack, is the quality of a leader." It almost flew right by me, like it did the first time. Patience? The quality of a leader? Does that sound right? Not really, not to today's ears. Don't we usually think of leaders as people who make immediate, command decisions, rush into action, tell others what to do, and make people feel safe (which is to say, how they think they need to feel)?

That's part of it; however, those are the very flaws about the concept that plagued most of the characters on LOST. They were so driven to do, fix, run, save, correct, fight, and prove that they often didn't take time to actually ponder the next step or, even better, wait for the next step to present itself. Their lack of wisdom in making rush decisions and actions was obvious to the audience, who kept wondering why they couldn't remember the miracles they'd already seen, why they couldn't reflect on what they'd already come through, the amazing ways they'd been granted second chances, the redemption they'd been given despite not deserving it, the way they kept longing for home while failing to realize they were building a new one (if they could have just slowed down and seen it).

As I watched it all unfold, I was reminded of the children of Israel. Granted, 40 years in a desert would be a long time to wait for anything, particularly a promised new home. So they grumbled. They longed for the old ways, even though those meant bondage and servitude. They failed to stop and understand that the miracles of manna and the Red Sea meant more were on the way - at the right time. They nagged their leadership, sought unproductive solutions, and just like the characters on LOST, were plagued by always feeling they had to do something, to take control.

The paradox is that control is indeed involved, but it's self-control instead of situational control. Relax. Quiet yourself. Let's remember where we came from and the amazing ways we passed through peril for a while. Let's reflect on the present - the fact we're here - and how amazing the Lord is. Let's ponder our future steps before rushing up them and tripping.

Patience - the "strengthening of the heart" James refers to - then is directly related to another fruit of the Spirit, self-control. Self-control thus leads to maturity, which is completeness, which is wisdom, which is leadership, which is purpose, which is ministry, which is being used of God, which is where we see miracles again. Full-circle we come, eventually, when we patiently wait on the Lord, who is never late and perpetually victorious.

Situational control may provide temporary satisfaction, but it also often makes a situation worse. Patience is a willing temporary dissatisfaction, but it puts your emotions under control and God in control. It might make a situation feel like it's not getting better, but the solution can only be miraculous with it as part of the equation. Patience prevents rash judgment, and judgmentalism. It secures a plan. It is a beautiful paradox of being a non-action and yet a conscious exercise of free will. It is the basis for the merciful ways the Lord deals with us. Patience provides the path in proper time, and promises that faith will be rewarded.

Intersecting Faith & Life: Practice patience this week by seeking not to pursue control in one particularly vexing portion of your life, and ponder whether it's indeed your problem to solve in the first place. Start by remembering the miracle of how God got your attention and delivered you, and his promise that the great work he began in you will not remain incomplete, no matter how long it takes. What miracle will be next? Wait and see. "You will know that I am the LORD; Those who hopefully wait for Me will not be put to shame (Isaiah 49:23)."

Further Reading

Galatians 5:22
Hebrews 6:12
1 Corinthians 4:5
Isaiah 40:31

[Judy Harder]

February 4, 2011

Forgive the Neighborhood Bullies?
Alex Crain
Editor, Christianity.com

"And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors."
Matthew 6:12

"Were you guys ganging up and throwing things at him again?"

"Yes."

"Well, let's not do that anymore."

"Ok."

"What can you do?" said the other dad, turning to me. "You know? Boys will be boys. Not everyone is nice all the time. Your kid isn't perfect either."

Oh, the joys of neighborhood life among families who don't always share the same approach to parenting. No admission of wrong. No apology. No genuine reconciliation.


It's been a challenge at times trying to help our 8-year-old son (and ourselves) understand that we live in a sinful world in which things like this happen. There is still a struggle to respond in a way that shows God's grace to neighbors He has called us to reach. One habit that seems to bring about the right change in our hearts is to simply talk to the Lord about it as a family. We often close our day reciting "the Lord's prayer," which reminds us of our own sins as we say the line: "...and forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors."

Thomas Watson, the great Cambridge scholar and Puritan preacher from the 1600s, wrote commenting on that phrase (in Matthew 6:12) "We are not bound to trust an enemy; but we are bound to forgive him." (Body of Divinity, p. 734).  Going further (p. 734), he asks: "When do we forgive others?"

Answer: "When we strive against all thoughts of revenge; when we will not do our enemies mischief, but wish well to them, grieve at their calamities, pray for them, seek reconciliation with them, and show ourselves ready on all occasions to relieve them--this is gospel forgiving."

Watson, being the biblical scholar that he was, did not derive his answer from thin air. Each part of it comes straight from Scripture:

Resist thoughts of revenge: Romans 12:19, "Never take your own revenge, beloved, but leave room for the wrath of God, for it is written, 'Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,' says the Lord."

Don't seek to do them mischief: 1 Thessalonians 5:15, "See that no one repays another with evil for evil..."

Wish well to them: Luke 6:28, "Bless those who curse you."

Grieve at their calamities: Proverbs 24:17, "Do not rejoice when your enemy falls, and do not let your heart be glad when he stumbles."

Pray for them: Matthew 5:44, "But I say to you, love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you."

Seek reconciliation with them: Romans 12:18, "If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all men."

Be always willing to come to their relief: Exodus 23:4, "If you meet your enemy's ox or his donkey wandering away, you shall surely return it to him."

It's great when there is peace in the neighborhood. But we can't always count on it. Our battle with unforgiveness needs Watson's biblical counsel and God's grace.

Intersecting Faith & Life:

In what situations are you tempted to harbor unforgiveness?

How does God look upon unforgiveness? (read Matthew 6:15).

Is there a situation in your life today in which you can apply "gospel forgiving?"

Further Reading

Psalm 73

Thomas Watson, A Body of Divinity

Thomas Watson, The Lord's Prayer