Crosswalk.com--The Devotional

[Judy Harder]

October 27, 2011

Lean on Me
Ryan Duncan, TheFish.com

"Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken." – Ecclesiastes 4:12

A few months ago I got in a car accident on my way to the gym. Thankfully, no one was hurt, but my car, which I had only owned for a few months, was completely totaled. This left me with a really big problem. I now had no car, and no money to buy a new one. With no other options, I made that last, painful move that only desperate men can bare to make. I called my parents.

After playing phone tag for a few days, it was decided that in two weeks my mother would come down to visit and in that time she'd help me search for another car. Until then, I'd have to make do asking friends for help getting around. Now, let's be clear on something; I hate asking for help. Overall, I think our culture puts a lot of emphasis on being independent.  From an early age we're taught you should deal with problems on your own, and that if you ask others for help, it's a sign of weakness.

For me, it had been humiliating enough asking my parents to bail me out, and the thought of asking friends to chauffeur me around drove me completely nuts. So, I started walking everywhere I could manage. It got to the point where I'd walk two miles just to go work out at the gym, and it was only after eating a dinner of ramen noodles and peanut butter that I finally broke down and asked someone to take me to the grocery store. Things probably would have continued going like this, but then one of my friends shared a story with me from the book of Exodus,

"Moses said to Joshua, "Choose some of our men and go out to fight the Amalekites. Tomorrow I will stand on top of the hill with the staff of God in my hands. So Joshua fought the Amalekites as Moses had ordered, and Moses, Aaron and Hur went to the top of the hill. As long as Moses held up his hands, the Israelites were winning, but whenever he lowered his hands, the Amalekites were winning. When Moses' hands grew tired, they took a stone and put it under him and he sat on it. Aaron and Hur held his hands up--one on one side, one on the other--so that his hands remained steady till sunset." -  Exodus 17: 9-13

I can't help but wonder what would have happened if Moses had been too proud to let others help him. I mean, he was the leader of the Israelites, there must have been enormous pressure for him to put on a strong face, but instead he brought others to that hilltop because he knew he couldn't do it alone.  As Christians, it's important that we don't become so proud or stubborn that we are incapable of asking for help. The truth is, none of us can make our way through life alone, and Christ called us to help one another when we were in need. So swallow your pride and ask for help, because helping hands make a light burden.                 

Intersecting Faith and Life

Is your pride stopping you from asking for help?

Further Reading

Psalm 94:17

[Judy Harder]

October 28, 2011

Community Is Where You Find It
Laura MacCorkle, Crosswalk.com Senior Editor

They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles. All the believers were together and had everything in common. Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved. Acts 2:42-47, NIV

You know what's not so great about getting older? Well, for starters there's the gray hair. And then the memory loss . . . no, let's call that "a recall challenge."

But another issue that really stood out to me as not so great as I've aged is community. Or the lack thereof. Community truly is the buzz concept these days. In churches, there are now "community groups," otherwise known as small groups. And outside of the Christian bubble, it's interesting to see that even Hollywood has covered the topic of community in several recent films—The Way,Seven Days in Utopia, The Help, Dolphin Tale and even Winnie the Pooh.

The fact is: We were created for relationship, as we help one another and walk this journey together.

I remember how easy it used to be to find community when I was a younger. I was four years old on the first day of Sunday school at my new church, and I met Holli. She sat by me, and we started talking. By the end of the hour, we were buddies. And we've been friends ever since. How easy was that?

Continuing through elementary, junior high and high school, it was no trouble to find others who were likeminded or wanted to spend time with me and had my back. My community was bountiful—almost effortless—and I cherished every minute of it. Doing life together with my dear brothers and sisters in Christ yielded many meaningful and uplifting moments together, and I truly treasure those years.

After college, as people entered into the different life stages (career, marriage, parenthood) and some even moved away, it seemed like it wasn't as easy to find community anymore. All of a sudden I didn't have the community that occurred naturally and was readily available to me in structured settings such as school or youth group or social organizations.

Now that I was older, I realized I would have to do a little extra work to find community for myself.

In 1 Peter 4:10 we read: "Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God's grace in its various forms."

I love that verse, because it reminds us of our responsibility as believers in the lives of others. We are instruments of God's grace. That means we are to be proactive in reaching out, instead of waiting for someone to reach out to us. And when we do reach out to others, not only can we help one another tangibly, prayerfully and with our spiritual gifts, but we can also find community.   

In recent years, I've found it in some unexpected places, and if you looked at my list of friends I consider my "community," you would find all different ages and shoe sizes. I've even found community with complete strangers. In fact, this past summer I met a lovely father and son while on a return flight home from a trip. I'm never afraid to chat up a stranger, and it didn't take us long to get a great conversation going. Throughout our discourse, I found out that the father and son were also believers, and so this added an even sweeter depth to our mile-high discussion.

As the flight prepared for landing, the father leaned over and told me that he felt that our meeting on the plane and time spent sharing with each other was providential, and that he and his son had been blessed. I wholeheartedly concurred and came home from that trip very much encouraged and felt like my spirit had been lifted. I didn't have to reach out to them, and they didn't have to reach out to me. But we did, and God was there in our midst during our two-hour conversation.

By God's grace, I happened to find community on a plane one day. Which just goes to show: if you're looking, community is where you find it.

Intersecting Faith & Life:

Today's devotional verse describes what community looked like in the first Christian church. How does what you read apply to you today? Are you part of a thriving community? Do you long to be? Ask God to reveal how you can reach out to others and where you should be looking for community in your life today.

Further Reading:

Galatians 6:2, NIV

Colossians 3:12-14, NIV

1 John 3:17-18, NIV

[Judy Harder]

October 31, 2011

Honoring All Souls
by Sarah Phillips, Crosswalk.com Family Editor

Martha said to Jesus, "Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. And even now I know that whatever you ask from God, God will give you." Jesus said to her, "Your brother will rise again." Martha said to him, "I know that he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day." Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and whoever lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?" She said to him, "Yes, Lord; I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, he who is coming into the world." John 11: 17 - 27

Most of us who've been around for more than a couple decades have experienced the death of a loved one. I remember when a close family friend died while I was in high school.

"Uncle" Ed was only in his 40's, a tough looking, bearded guy with a jolly sense of humor. I remember the day he called my mom, a seasoned ICU nurse, with some unusual symptoms. My stomach felt uneasy as I overheard my mother tell Ed he needed medical attention as soon as possible.

My sisters and I would only see Ed a couple more times after that call. Once, just before he was admitted for a bone marrow transplant to treat the rare disease attacking his body. He was wearing his regular clothes and looked like the Ed we always knew.

The second time was in the hospital after his transplant. He looked weak and bald, and that scared me a bit. It was the day before prom, and mom urged me and my twin sister to tell him about the prom dresses we designed. Ed listened to our descriptions as if our dresses were the most important topic in the world. A few weeks later, I got a phone call from my mom telling me Ed passed away.

One of the saddest aspects of Ed's untimely death was that he never fulfilled his long-held dream to marry and have children of his own. That stuck with me. But another thing that stuck with me was Ed's memorial service. I was not a Christian, and to my surprise, Ed's Lutheran funeral was filled with one story after another describing his devotion to Christ and his lengthy trips into the mission fields. Ed's death played an instrumental role in bringing me to faith in Christ a few years later.

I know many of you have similar stories. Life was going along swimmingly, and suddenly the phone rang and nothing was ever the same. I also know many of you have encouraging stories of how God worked through the death of someone in a special way.

Some of the most encouraging reflections on death and eternity I've read can be found in a book published by former hospice nurse, Trudy Harris, titled Glimpses of Heaven (Revell, 2008). Harris collected stories of her dying patients to offer comfort to those who have experienced loss, and also to share the profound spiritual insights she has gleaned from those getting ready to pass into heaven. Having observed God's tender care for her patients time and again, Harris says, "Those who have allowed themselves the luxury of being present with patients as they are dying come away realizing in a whole new way that there is only one Divine Physician, and it is He alone who sets the timetables of our lives."

While death is always a tragedy, Harris confirms what Christianity teaches – that even death has merit when doused with God's grace. Harris writes that many of her patients could sense – even see -- God's presence in ways most of us can't right now. She notes her patients, who endured painful illness, were anxious to give hope, comfort, and wisdom to the living before they passed on. Some even died with so much grace, they wore a gentle smile.

Of course, we can look to our Savior, who did not avoid death even when He could have, to see two truths: God works through the dying process to draw each of us closer to Him, and death – no matter how horrible - does not have the final word.

While it can be difficult for those of us here to bear the weight of losing a loved one, like Martha we can find peace in knowing God does not abandon us or our loved ones even in the darkest moments of death. And while we don't yet have the privilege of seeing God in all His glory, we can faithfully entrust our futures and the futures of our loved ones' to the merciful love of Christ.

Intersecting Faith & Life: While many of our loved ones are not famous Saints like Augustine or Aquinas, they are just as precious to us and to God. Nov. 2 is the Feast of All Souls – the day when Christians officially remember all who have gone before us, like Ed. Thank God for the blessings of the time you had with your loved ones, and perform some little act of kindness in their memory

Further Reading

Romans 5: 5 - 11
John 10: 9 -10
1 John 3: 1 – 3
Living -- and Dying -- Well

[Judy Harder]

November 1, 2011



Child-Like Trust in the Lord
by Shawn McEvoy, Managing Editor, Crosswalk.com


O Lord, my heart is not proud, nor my eyes haughty;
Nor do I involve myself in great matters, or in things too difficult for me.
Surely I have composed and quieted my soul;
Like a weaned child rests against his mother,
My soul is like a weaned child within me.
Psalm 131:1-2, NAS



This song, like most of the Psalms, was written by David - the man who would be Israel's greatest king. Is David who comes to mind when you think of someone "not involved in great matters" (kingdom conflicts, maybe)? Or unbothered by "things too difficult" (slaying a giant, anyone)? No, to me, this doesn't really sound like David. Doesn't really sound like me most of the time either.

Let's take a quick look at three things that stand out about this little Psalm:

1) Attitude. David's "heart" - his inner being, his spirit, is not proud... of things he's done, of where he's been and where he's going... but neither is he beating himself up. He is just... content.

2) Appetite. David's "eyes" - his senses - are not haughty. He's not seeking to please them. He doesn't have the look of arrogance. He knows Whose he is, and that his needs are met not of himself. He is not restless to feed like an infant, he is not stalking around asking to eat out of boredom like my 2-year-old.

3) Aptitude. David places the responsibility for this peaceful state upon himself. Not circumstances, not achievements, not even on God. "Surely I have quieted my soul," he says.

Taken all together, this shows us what trust looks like, and helps us understand why trusting God brings such soothing peace. Jesus said we must have faith like children to come to Him. Apparently, trust is also best exemplified in little ones.

David's "talk" is of not being proud; his "walk" then backs it up by what he "involves" (or doesn't involve) himself in. This doesn't mean God hasn't given him - or you - important stuff to get done, just that David has "declared himself free from excessive ambition" (Ryrie study notes).

To sing not of self, to seek not to fill the senses, to seek the will only to be quiet before God - that is trust. A "weaned child" knows instinctively where to find trust. By extension, and through the example of "the man after God's own heart," so do we.

Intersecting Faith & Life: "Involve" yourself in a small, humble matter today - perhaps a child's squabble, creating a meal, or going for a walk - and see if you can compose your soul.

Further Reading

Matthew 18:4-5
When Old Men Trust, by Calvin Miller 

[Judy Harder]

November 2, 2011

Seven Habits of Truly Effective Living
Alex Crain, Christianity.com

The phrase, "begin with the end in mind" will be familiar to anyone who has read the life management book The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People, by Stephen R. Covey).1 But if you aren't familiar with the phrase or the book, the general idea of "begin with the end in mind" is fairly straightforward.

Simply stated, before beginning any project, you should always ask the question "How do I want this to turn out?" Otherwise, you may end up climbing a ladder, but not find success because your ladder is leaning on the wrong wall.

While the advice in Covey's book can help sharpen focus and cultivate good work habits, something that's missing from the book is the God-sized perspective on life that we see in Psalm 92.

Stephen Covey invites his readers to the pathway of success by beginning with their own desires. In other words, "Imagine life as you want it to be." Naturally, the ideal life for most people is one surrounded by beauty, expensive things, favorite people, etc. We want plenty of leisure time and the health to enjoy these things. But without God, such a life is depicted in Scripture as empty and deceptive. It is a dream that springs from a heart tainted by sin. Frustration and disappointment results when our primary source of motivation is the self.

If we are to be truly effective at living, we must humbly begin with God's end in mind.

Psalm 92 paints a picture of the ideal life as that of a righteous person who bears good fruit, even to old age. He is "full of sap and very green." In other words, he is filled with spiritual vitality at the end of life when the temptation to grumble and express radical selfishness is often the strongest.

The roots for a strong, 'sap-filled' soul are found in Psalm 92. Here, the seven habits of truly effective living are unfolded for us:

#1  Seeing thankfulness and praise to God as something desirable, not as a duty (v. 1). Far from complaining, his lips are filled with praise—declaring that there is no unrighteousness in God, his Rock (v. 15).

#2  Focusing on God's lovingkindness in the morning and His faithfulness at night
(v. 2). For the righteous man, each day begins and ends with God, implying that God is central in his thoughts throughout the entire day. Literally, lovingkindness refers to God's covenant loyal love, which features His promise of salvation. The righteous person is not self-righteous, or externally moralistic. Rather, he looks to God's promises and unchanging character as the basis for his right standing before his Creator-Judge. The Lord Jesus Christ is, of course, the fulfillment of these promises. So, the one having faith in Christ is counted righteous and delivered from a petty life of vain pursuits. 

#3  Enjoying resounding music and singing for joy at God's great works (vv. 1, 3-4).

#4  Pondering the deep thoughts of God (v. 5)—not being characterized by a shallow, pragmatic view of God that sees Him merely as a means to get other things.

#5  Praising the transcendence of God—declaring that God is the "Most High" who is above all His creatures. The righteous one realizes that man is in no way equal to God. Thus, he can never legitimately view God with suspicion or call Him into judgment (v. .

#6  Resting securely in the fact that, in the end, God will have the final say on all matters. He will deal justice to the enemies of righteousness (vv. 9-11).

#7  Depending continuously upon God for strength—for "fresh oil" (v. 10), knowing that yesterday's supply never carries over to today.

Perhaps you know an older believer who embodies these seven habits. My own 'eighty-something' grandmother is one such saint. We affectionately call her "Meme." Not long ago, Meme lay in a hospital bed with a serious health situation. I called her on the phone expecting to cheer her up, but she was the one who brought cheer to me.

Instead of complaining about her pain, she spoke with delight about truths she had just read that morning in her well-worn Bible. She told me of the various hymns and spiritual songs had been going through her mind throughout the day. She took time to ask me about my family and how things were going in ministry at our local church.

Her prayer at the close of our conversation was full of gratitude and praise to the Lord. The tone of her voice showed a deep awareness of God's presence right there with her. While I listened, I thought: This is Psalm 92 in action—here is someone who, throughout her life by God's grace, has learned and is still practicing the seven habits of truly effective living.

Intersecting Faith & Life:

If these seven habits aren't part of your daily life, why not pause right now and ask God to make them so?

Further Reading:

Philippians 2:12-18
Numbers 14

Notes:

1. https://www.stephencovey.com/7habits/7habits.php

[Judy Harder]

November 3, 2011


The Single "Gift"
Ryan Duncan, The Fish.com

"I wish that all men were as I am. But each man has his own gift from God; one has this gift, another has that." – 1 Corinthians 7:7

For the past few weeks my Church has been doing a series of sermons on relationships. The first was dedicated to husbands, the seconds for wives; the third focused on marital intimacy, and last was the customary lesson for singles. Talk about depressing. Being single, I almost didn't go to the last one. To be fair, the pastor did a good job, but his advice was mostly about how singles should pursue fulfilling relationships.     

What I had hoped to learn more about was Paul's infamous "Gift of Singleness." I don't know about you, but the thought of growing old alone scares me, and whenever someone mentions the "Gift of Singleness" I can't help but roll my eyes in annoyance. How could being single ever be a gift? Romance permeates every fiber of our culture. The biggest pop stars are always singing about their latest hookups and breakups, books and movies make fortunes on romantic storylines, and television, well, have you ever heard of a show called The Bachelor?   

Even the Bible can be frustrating. Didn't God decree in the very beginning of Genesis that it wasn't good for man to be alone? Eventually, I tracked down the verses Paul used to explain himself.   

"I would like you to be free from concern. An unmarried man is concerned about the Lord's affairs--how he can please the Lord. But a married man is concerned about the affairs of this world--how he can please his wife-- and his interests are divided. An unmarried woman or virgin is concerned about the Lord's affairs: Her aim is to be devoted to the Lord in both body and spirit. But a married woman is concerned about the affairs of this world--how she can please her husband. I am saying this for your own good, not to restrict you, but that you may live in a right way in undivided devotion to the Lord".-1 Corinthians 7:32-36

When I first read this I thought Paul needed to get out more, but after a while I started remembering my best friend's wedding, and something struck me.   

Thinking about him and his new wife, I realized that, from now on, that was their life. They would get a home together, and he'd start searching for a job so he could provide for the two of them. In a few years they'd have their first kid, and if everything went well they may have another a few years later. After that, it would be mini vans, ballet recitals, little league games, and family vacations. It would be a good a life, a happy life, but it also came with a price.

When you lay down roots like those, you can't just dig them up. You'll have responsibilities you can't walk away from, and serving God becomes more difficult. Christ has called us to go out into the world, making disciples of all nations, and to stand against injustice, to feed the hungry, to heal the sick, and to speak for those who have no voice. Could you commit your life to these causes while supporting a spouse and children? I don't think I could.     

So, what are we singles supposed to do? Well, I haven't given up hope at a relationship quite yet, but in the meantime I've started researching ministries like Operation Mobilization and Love146. I may be single, but with Christ, I am also unlimited. Each of us has the potential to impact countless people -- who knows how meaningful our lives may one day become?

Intersecting Faith and Life

Are you single? Try to find ways in which you can dedicate your time to Christ.

Further Reading

2 Corinthians 4:6   

[Judy Harder]

November 4, 2011

How to Get Up When You're Feeling Down
Laura MacCorkle, Crosswalk.com Senior Editor

Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint. Isaiah 40:30-31, NIV

At this time of year, a lot is heading downward.

Leaves are falling. Temperatures are dipping. And with this coming Sunday's time change, the sun will be setting a little earlier. For many, these changes bring about depression, lethargy, fatigue and other problems. In its most serious form, it adds up to Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD).

But symptoms such as these don't occur just in the fall or only at times when there is less sunlight. In their lesser form, these feelings can come about quite easily in day-to-day living.

Like when an unkind word from a co-worker crushes your spirit and sets the rest of the work day into a tailspin. Should you be surprised? Or when your best friend is the one who is getting married or having a baby or got a promotion. And you got . . . nothing.

Or perhaps you've said "yes" to organizing and leading every church committee, every parent-organized school event, the community Bible study and your neighborhood's monthly block party.  Your mind is mush, your body is shutting down and you have nothing left to give.

See? We can quickly sink to the depths of despair in our spirits or become quickly fatigued taking care of everything and everyone else and not ourselves. We're tired and weary, stumbling and falling. And . . . we're human, after all.

But thankfully, when we are feeling weighted down, the Lord will help us to soar. He is the one who raises us up. And not any twelve-step plan, self-help book or audio tape series. Now while these are worthy aids—and God can work through systems and processes designed by men—we must look to him and his Word first for direction in how we should live.

David was a man who understood this. Many passages in the book of Psalms read like his personal diary of sorts and record the times when he felt down and sought the Lord.

He had it right when he said in Psalm 62:5-8: "Find rest, O my soul, in God alone; my hope comes from him. He alone is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will not be shaken. My salvation and my honor depend on God; he is my mighty rock, my refuge. Trust in him at all times, O people; pour out your hearts to him, for God is our refuge."

When we focus on our circumstances and on what is or isn't happening in our lives, we will feel down. Like David, we need to go to the One who will lift us up. It is in God alone that we will rise above and find our rest.

Intersecting Faith & Life:


What is bringing you down? Is the Lord asking you to make a change in your life? Is it time to simplify in some area? Take some time this weekend for quiet reflection and seek God's direction for what He would have you do.

Further Reading:

Romans 15:13, NIV

2 Corinthians 4:7-12, NIV

[Judy Harder]

November 7, 2011



Christian Marriage: "The Most Excellent Way"
Sarah Jennings, Crosswalk.com Family Editor

And now I will show you the most excellent way.  If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal...
1 Cor 12: 31, 13: 1 NIV

Have you ever found yourself in a room of marriage cynics? The comments sound something like this:

1. Wait as long as you can to get married. Live your life before you have to give it up!
2. Marriage is hard.
3. Marriage just doesn't "work" for most people.
4. My husband doesn't... (fill in the blank here with unmet desires)
5. I wish she wouldn't... (fill in the blank here with built-up frustrations)

There's a lot of negativity out there about marriage. I'm sure I haven't even covered the full spectrum of comments. It's enough to give a bride an anxiety attack.

What kind of credence should we give to such comments? I've had to think about this a lot lately. I mean, am I really just a blind idiot entering into a broken, unfulfilling institution? Looking around at the broader culture, it can sure seem that way.

But, not long after I got engaged, a married coworker slipped into my office. She shared: "You'll hear people tell you how awful marriage is. Don't listen to it. Trust me, a marriage centered on Christ is very fulfilling!"

Then I ran across this inspiring article titled More Than a Table for Two: The Difference a Christ-centered Marriage Makes by bride Stephanie Duncan. She observes:

Our culture tells so many stories of relational wreckage.  Instead of learning love from a Personal Being, a secular marriage too often practices love not as a sacred quality but a sentiment divorced from its very Creator.  In a sense, they are borrowing an attribute that belongs to a God they don't know and exercising a representation of a spiritual truth they don't believe.

This disconnect from the Author of Love seems to be at the very root of why there are so many marriage cynics out there. After all, scripture tells us clearly "We love because he first loved us" (1 John 4: 19). How on earth could we love another human being at all, much less for life, if we're cut off from the source of all love?


I would also like to read the book that instigated the article - Rebecca Price Janney's Then Comes Marriage?: A Cultural History of the American Family (once we're done with Fr. Wojtyla's "greatest hits" of course). Janney is a "theologically trained historian" who sets out to put American family life in perspective by debunking some of the myths fueled by 1950's pop culture. Duncan shares: 

Rather than condemning the culture, Janney turns this scenario on its head by placing the weight of responsibility on Christians to display "the most excellent way" and shine all the brighter... After intriguing tales of bride ships, Victorian modesty, and feminist activism, Janney brings her readers to the conclusion that the restoration of the American family is up to the saints.

In other words, challenges to marriage are nothing new. But no matter the era, Christian couples can help others see "the most excellent way" (1 Cor 12) of true love. What a wonderful mission for married life!

Of course, it's a bit presumptuous to think that just because you're Christian, you can start preachin' and teachin' marriage seminars. So I appreciated Duncan's thoughts on how she and her fiancé want to take up the challenge to redeem the crumbling state of marriage. She shares:

Zach and I may not have company china or the kind of house that can accommodate a church retreat, but we will get to know our neighbors.  In August we plan to run a 5K together to support the local crisis pregnancy center, and once we find a church we plan to get involved.  This is not because we think we have anything fantastic to offer, but because we feel that opening our lives to others is part of spiritual obedience and we want to start this habit now.

I couldn't agree with this approach more. Normal people doing normal things to grow closer to God, each other, and as a result, shine a light in the surrounding community. Fiancé and I look forward to joining Stephanie and Zach in this "most excellent way."  Christian marriage may not translate into the "most easy way" or "the most obvious way," but I suspect the Christ-centered journey will be the most joyful way. And hopefully we'll take a few people along the road with us.

Intersecting Faith & Life:  Are you frustrated and exhausted with the constant political wrangling over the definition of marriage? You may feel there is little you can contribute to the issue, but as a Christian, your life is a witness to the world of Christ's love. If you're married, your marriage is also a special witness of Christ's love. Are you living in a way that allows His love to shine clearly and brightly to a hurting world?

[Judy Harder]

November 8, 2011

Thanksgiving: For Richer or Poorer
by Shawn McEvoy

"Christians who are poor should be glad, for God has honored them." James 1:9

The rich eat ham,
The poor eat tuna.
Doesn't take as long to cook,
So we eat soona.
--Jay Henze

The words of that heretofore unknown poem were uttered by my lifelong best friend sometime around our senior year of high school. He conjured it out of thin air while I was spending the night at his house. It was the result of one of those "I'm so tired I'm laughing at anything" sessions you'd often experience with close friends around midnight.

It was also the result of Jay's enduring awareness of the socio-economic differences between himself and many of his friends, like me, from the affluent north side of town. So whenever I think of ham, tuna, or Jay, I often think of richness and poorness as well.

Recently, thanks to a fantastic tour around the Missionary Learning Center, I was thinking about missions and outreach. It struck me as interesting that whenever a mission of mercy or evangelism is commissioned, it tends to be to an area where there is a high concentration of poverty, whether it's to India, Mexico, or inner-city Philadelphia. Well, yes, as it should be.

After all, Christ commanded us, if we loved Him, to tend to His lambs (John 21:15-17). James 2:15-16 admonishes us not to ignore those in need of food or clothing. Paul and the Apostles started churches among those who were poor (Acts 9:36; 10:4). Poverty was crippling in the time of Christ and so it continues to be now. The very fact that Jay had a roof over his head and the fish he despised came in a can rather than him having to catch it made him one of the wealthiest persons on the planet. So the holidays are certainly a time to think about - nay, physically assist - those less fortunate than ourselves (2 Corinthians 9:9).

Then again, are we missing something?

Consider James 1:9 - "Christians who are poor should be glad, for God has honored them." There are lots of ways to be poor, and Jesus told us they brought about blessing in the long run (Matthew 5:3-12). Those poor in spirit will inherit the kingdom of heaven. Those mourning loved ones will be comforted. Those who make peace rather than seeking their own profit will be called sons of God, Who chose the poor of this world to be rich in faith (James 2:5). 2 Corinthians 6:10 states: "Our hearts ache, but we always have joy. We are poor, but we give spiritual riches to others. We own nothing, and yet we have everything."

And what about the rich?

That's the hard part, literally. Jesus said it's very difficult for the wealthy to enter the kingdom of heaven. Those who love their life too much find it hard to lose it. James reminds us it's the rich who "oppress us and drag us into court, blaspheming the fair name by which we've been called (James 2:6-7)." The word "miserable" has at its root the word "miser." The love of money isn't just the source of evil, but also of depression and dissatisfaction.

So... doesn't that mean that the rich have just as many spiritual needs, if not more, than the poor? Who will go to them? Who will train them in the joy of giving their money away and not living by comparison to others? What mission trips are planned?

I contend that untold legions of us are making such a trip this very month, back home to our families and friends, where a big ham might fill the center of the table, people will put on their fineries, and a lot of the talk will focus on the daily drudgeries of keeping our precious lives in working order to cover up the hole that's getting bigger in the soul.

We might spend a few minutes at the table saying how we're thankful we're not like others, or that we have our health, or that our family is with us - before we stuff ourselves, stare blankly at the Dallas Cowboys or Detroit Lions to avoid looking at each other, or fall asleep. Of course, you probably know someone for whom Thanksgiving is an unwelcome chore, a painful experience of dodging rejection, annoyance, questions of future or romance, and Uncle Jimbo.

Or, if you're truly rich, as I am for marrying into a godly family, there will be genuine thanks, true giving, heartfelt prayers, and corporate worship.

Whatever the case in your gathering, let me encourage you to take the love of Christ with you and accept the difficult challenge of bringing it to the wealthy this Thanksgiving. Jesus said a camel fitting through a needle's-eye was difficult, not impossible (thank goodness for most of us).

Intersecting Faith & Life: While you're together, try to figure out a way your clan can come together to do something for the impoverished among us. Without that outpouring, the warm comfort of wealth can grow stale and dry. Meanwhile, the next time you think on the cloud of poverty and those who suffer at its chill, remember that, at least in the biblical view, it carries a silver lining of comfort, inheritance, peace, and, I suppose, eating soona. And if those elements are present at your table, then you have a cornucopia indeed.

Further Reading

1 Timothy 6:6-11
Matthew 5
Make Your Life Rich without Money

[Judy Harder]

November 9, 2011

The Hunger: Is It In You?
Alex Crain: Editor, Christianity.com

"...like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk so that by it you may grow up in your salvation."
1 Peter 2:2, NIV

Crave is a word of intense longing. According to this text, the type of appetite we are to have for the Word of God is that of a newborn child, desperate to feed. Peter isn't talking about being infants in Christ. That's not his point. Rather, he's simply talking about hunger. He is talking about desiring the Word.

The Greek word here (epipotheo) means to long for greatly, to earnestly desire and even to starve. Such hunger is natural. All living things crave nourishment. Dying and dead things do not. If hunger isn't present, there's something wrong.

Interestingly, the wrong things that Peter mentions in this passage are not the "big ones" you might think of—the grosser sins of the pagan life. Rather, they are the common everyday vices that destroy relationships. These are the sins that undermine the mutual acceptance and belonging that ought to exist between believers, regardless of skin color, birthplace or position—whether social, educational or economic.

I once heard these sins called "tuxedo" sins because they seem to be tolerated even by people who appear to be most respectable. Because they are so common, we can sometimes think of them as small and harmless. Not so, according to Scripture.

Having Malice? Ill will? Don't we all do that? Yes, but God says: "Be devoted to one another in brotherly love; give preference to one another in honor" (Rom. 12:10).

Deceit? God says: "Put away lying, let each one of you speak truth with his neighbor, for we are members of one another." (Eph. 4:25)

Hypocrisy & Slander? Yes, these too need to be put away as God says they:

are characteristics of the devil himself: (Rev. 12:10)
separate friends (Prov. 16:28)
cause strife (Prov. 26:20)
sow discord among the brethren (Prov. 6:19)
destroy neighbors (Prov. 11:9)
can lead to violence and murder (Ps. 31:13)
The truth is, we must be UNTAUGHT these fleshly, ordinary responses that are so deeply rooted in our minds and hearts. Lack of zeal for God and His Word; being bored with or indifferent to the Bible are clear indicators that these sins are still there, robbing us of spiritual nourishment.


This is not meant to give you a guilty conscience and just leave you wallowing there. First Thessalonians 5:9 is clear that "God has not destined us for wrath, but for salvation." Francis Schaeffer speaks to this also in chapter eight of his book, True Sprituality: "God means us to have, as one of His gifts in this life, freedom from a false tyranny of the conscience."

So, like any good doctor, Peter not only points out the problem but also gives the solution—not striving in our own strength or trusting in our confession of sin but trusting in the gospel of Jesus Christ—in the Savior Himself. The price He paid for sin is enough. We can have forgiveness, cleansing and renewed hunger for the Word in Christ!

Intersecting Faith & Life:

If you have a good appetite for the Word of God and are enjoying daily nourishment from reading it and meditating on its truth, pause and thank God for that clear sign of life, health and maturity. If not, ask God to give you eyes to see what may be keeping you from longing for His Word.

Further Reading:

Eph. 4:25

Rev. 12:10

Prov. 16:28

Prov. 26:20

Prov. 6:19

Prov. 11:9

Ps. 31:13