Every Day Light

[Judy Harder]

June 25

The generous eye
For reading & meditation: Proverbs 28:18-28
"He who gives to the poor will lack nothing '" (v.27)

We continue meditating on the subject of generosity. Not only Proverbs, but the Bible as a whole has a good deal to say on this subject, and one of the most powerful statements is made by Jesus in Matthew 6:22. Here is how Moffatt translates this fascinating and intriguing text: "' if your Eye is generous, the whole of your body will be illumined." "If your Eye" - that means your whole outlook on life, your whole way of looking at things - is generous, then your whole personality is filled with light. Jesus was generous toward all - the poor, the meek, the sinful, the unlovely - and His whole personality was full of light. When we are in touch with Jesus, the fount of all wisdom, then He generates that same generosity within us. We begin to see everyone and everything with the same generous eye. It is generosity that is at the heart of all good relationships. I have visited Sweden and Norway on many occasions and I often used to wonder why it is that the Swedes and the Norwegians have such brotherliness toward each other. They seem to have an unbreakable bond that ties them as one people. Then I discovered that many years ago, when Norway wanted to break free from Swedish control, the Swedish people responded to this - responded according to the Christian ethos that was behind the then ruling family. This generosity in giving freedom without war or bitterness created a basic soundness that now flavors all their contacts with one another. The generous eye fills the whole body of relationships with light. Generosity, like love, never fails.
Prayer:

Lord Jesus, Your generous eye saw in me things I could never see in myself. Help me this day to lay generosity as the basis of all my dealings with everyone. May your generosity generate generosity in me. In Jesus' Name I pray. Amen.

For further study:
Matthew 19:16-24; Leviticus 25:35; Deuteronomy 15:7
1. What did Jesus say to the young man?
2. How did he respond?

[Judy Harder]

June 26

Suppose ' just suppose '
For reading & meditation: Proverbs 3:19-35
"Do not say to your neighbor, 'Come back later; Ill give it tomorrow' - when you now have it with you." (v.28)

The Bible fairly bulges with the truth that the generous generate generosity in others. When Ananias, a potential victim of Saul's spite and rage, put his hands on the stricken zealot and generously said, "Brother Saul," that generosity, I believe, touched something deep within the newly converted disciple. It helped to start the greatest Christian of the centuries on his way. Suppose, just suppose, the little boy who gave his loaves and fishes to Jesus had said to himself: "This meal is mine and I will share it with no one," he would not have witnessed one of the greatest miracles of all time. Suppose the disciples, instead of serving out the multiplied bread and fishes to the crowd, decided to pile it in one corner and make a charge for it. What do you think would have happened? I doubt whether we would ever have heard of them again. They would have sunk into obscurity. And again, suppose the man who owned the colt on which Jesus rode into Jerusalem had said, "This colt is mine and I will let it go to no one," what would have happened? For the balance of his days he would have had an inner debate over whether or not he was justified in keeping it for himself. You and I will come across opportunities to be generous. If we fail to respond to these opportunities, who knows what great ministries will never come to birth, what mighty things will not get done? God has opened His doors of generosity to us; let us not fail to open up the doors of our generosity to others.
Prayer:

O Father, help me be the channel and not the stopping place of all Your generosity to me. When I see how generosity has opened up such power in the lives of others, I fear that I may fail. Help me, dear Father. In Jesus' Name. Amen.

For further study:
Ruth 2:1-23; Luke 10:25-37
1. How did Boaz show generosity?
2. What instruction did Jesus give to the lawyer?

[Judy Harder]

June 27

Framework for generosity
For reading & meditation: Proverbs 11:1-10
"The Lord abhors dishonest scales, but accurate weights are his delight." (v.1)

How do we go about establishing a framework for generosity? First - decide that nothing you possess is your own but that everything you have belongs to God. This puts God in His place and you in yours. You are now ready to manage His possessions, not as you like but as He likes. This is real freedom. It gives you a sense of accountability to another - God. You get your life orders not from a whim, a notion, self-impulse or whatever takes your fancy, but from the One who saved you and redeemed you. Second - go over your life and see what belongs to your needs and what merely belongs to your wants. Your needs are important - God has promised to supply them - but your wants? Ah, that is another thing. You need as much as will make you fit - spiritually, physically and mentally - for the purposes of God while you are here on the earth. Beyond that, what you have belongs to the needs of others. How do you decide what belongs to your needs? No one can decide it for you - though they can make suggestions - for you are accountable to God. Go over your life item by item and ask Him for directions. Your family should figure prominently in your concerns, but you must check everything with the Lord. Third - fix it as an axiom in your mind that you will be generous to people, not for the good feelings that generosity brings, but because you are determined to bless them in some way. You must never be generous in order to get a blessing - you must be generous to be a blessing.
Prayer:

Father, I am thankful that the basis of my life is fixed in You and from that I am able to build a framework for generosity. From now on help me to give with all the stops out. In Jesus' Name I pray. Amen.

For further study:
Acts 2:41-47; 2 Corinthians 8:12; Acts 11:29
1. What was the principle in the early Church?
2. What words of Jesus did Paul recall?

[Judy Harder]

June 28

Completing the framework
For reading & meditation: Proverbs 14:27-35
"' whoever is kind to the needy honors God." (v.31)

We continue looking at how to build a framework for generosity. Fourth - give at least a tithe of your earnings to the Lord's work. The giving of a tithe is seen by many as legalistic, but the tithe is really a symbol of acknowledgment that the nine-tenths belongs to God. The Hebrews waved the firstfruits of the harvest before the Lord as an acknowledgment that the coming harvest belonged to Him. Some will be able to give far more than a tithe, but the tithe is a good place to begin. Fifth - make your will under God's direction and maintain a balance between responsibility for your family and the continuing work of God. Make sure your relatives don't waste what God has given you to invest in His kingdom. You might need advice here from a wise Christian. Sixth - remember that the principle of generosity applies not only to your treasure but also to your talents and your time. Each day ask God to show you ways of using your talents and time for Him. John Wesley's advice is worth repeating: "Make all you can; save all you can; give all you can." Seventh - accept the smallest opportunity to be generous as a proving ground for faithfulness. "You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things" (Matt. 25:21). Don't wait for the big opportunities to be generous but start with the next opportunity that comes your way - no matter how small it may be. Get ready for the bigger by doing the little well. Why does the Bible make much of generosity? Because the truly generous are the truly wise.
Prayer:

Father, just like Simon Peter, who gave Your Son his boat from which to preach, I give You my treasure, my talents and my time for You to use as Your pulpit - today and every day. In Christ's Name. Amen.

For further study:
Genesis 14:20; Leviticus 27:30; 2 Chronicles 31:5; Matthew 3:1-10
1. What principle did Abram follow?
2. What is your response to the biblical principle expressed by the tithe?

[Judy Harder]

June 29

Disturbing complacency
For reading & meditation: Proverbs 13:1-10
"The sluggard craves and gets nothing, but the desires of the diligent are fully satisfied." (v.4)

Today we come to the fourth of the seven pillars of wisdom - diligence. The wise are those who persevere, who persist in following that which is right, who stick with it and never give up. One of the great needs of our day is for diligence to be put back into life - especially among the young. A Christian educator writes: "Diligence in the young is something that is built into them not by precept but by example. In today's world there are not enough examples of diligence to inspire or guide." Diligence does not seem to be esteemed in the way it once was. Prior to my conversion, I lacked greatly in diligence simply because I chose not to apply myself to anything. Then in my teens Christ came into my life and by His coming disturbed my complacency and challenged me to apply myself to the things that were before me. The result? I covered more ground in the first year following my conversion than I did in the previous two or three years. A year or so after my conversion, an uncle of mine said to my father, "I wondered whether he had been really converted but by his diligence I can see he has found God." Forgive the continued personal emphasis, but if it had not been for the diligence I learned at the feet of Christ, I would not have been able to continue writing Every Day with Jesus. I learned diligence from the One whose life and character were the very epitome of this quality - Jesus. He is diligence personified.
Prayer:

Gracious and loving Father, I also long for this facet of wisdom, the quality of diligence. Prune from me all laziness and indolence, all lethargy and dodging of responsibility, all complacency and pride. In Jesus' Name I ask it. Amen.

For further study:
2 Timothy 2:1-15; James 4:17
1. What were Paul's words to Timothy?
2. What does James say is sin?

[Judy Harder]

June 30

A second wind
For reading & meditation: Proverbs 10:1-8
"Lazy hands make a man poor, but diligent hands bring wealth." (v.4)

One day the disciples said to Jesus: " '' a short while ago the Jews tried to stone you, and yet you are going back there?' Jesus answered, 'Are there not twelve hours of daylight?' " (John 11:8-9). Jesus was saying that it is not a question of what they will or will not do. There are twelve hours in the day - enough time for what must be done - and He must get on and complete His task. What a sense of inward drive is found in these words. The purpose for which He had come into the world was inwardly pressing Him forward, despite the obstacles that came His way, and He would pursue the task right to the end. It is possible, of course, to be a person of diligence without knowing Christ, but those who know Him have an added power at work within them that drives them forward to the completion of a task. I said yesterday that when Christ came into my life He disturbed my complacency. Someone else put it like this: "When Jesus came into my life He became the conscience of my conscience." A middle-aged lady said, "Christ gave me a second wind in the race of life." I wonder, as you read these notes, are you on the point of giving up a task in which you know you are rightly engaged? Have laziness, inertia and indolence crept in and threatened to take over your soul? Reach up and put your hand in the hand of Jesus. Confess your failure to draw from Him the strength you need. Then in His name go out and throw yourself again into the task.
Prayer:

Gracious and loving Father, I am thankful for all the benefits of "common grace" but I am thankful even more for the special grace that is mine through Christ Jesus the Lord. Help me to use that special grace to Your praise and glory. In Jesus' Name. Amen.

For further study:
Hebrews 6:1-12; Ecclesiastes 10:18; 2 Thessalonians 3:11
1. What had Paul heard?
2. What was the desire of the writer to the Hebrews?

[Judy Harder]

July 1

So wise - yet so foolish!
For reading & meditation - Proverbs 2:1-11
"' applying your heart to understanding ' then you will ' find the knowledge of God." (vv.2, 5)

Permit me to continue to explore a little more of Victor Frankl's thinking. Although now a well-known and highly respected psychiatrist, Frankl seems unable to accept the divine perspective. Listen to this: "The reason so many people are unhappy is because they fail to understand what human existence is all about. Until we recognize that life is not just something to be enjoyed but rather a task that each of us is assigned, we will never find meaning in our lives and we will never be truly happy." So near yet so far! So wise yet so foolish! He understands that without meaning life is drab and difficult, but he fails to go on to the next step and say that true meaning can only be found in Christ. He is both a delight and a disappointment, a delight because he says, "Life is a task," but a disappointment because he fails to bring in Christ to help perform that task. Yes, life is a task, a tough one that is sometimes well nigh unbearable. That's why we need to have the Lord at the center of our lives - we then pursue the divine task with the help of divine grace. Both the writer of the Proverbs and Victor Frankl say that life works better when we give ourselves to it with diligence, but there is much more to it than this. Why do you think God inspired the writer of Proverbs to personify wisdom? Because (as we saw) it prepares us to face the fact that true wisdom is not merely found in principles, but in a Person. And that Person is Christ.
Prayer:

O Father, how sad when the wise of this world show themselves to be so foolish. They get so close - yet pull back at the vital moment. Thank You, Father, that through Jesus I dwell in wisdom and am indwelt by it. Help me exhibit it more and more. Amen.

For Further Study
Col. 2:1-5; John 2:24; 16:30
1. What did the disciples testify of Jesus?
2. What did Paul declare to the Colossians?

[Judy Harder]

July 2

What's the point?
For reading & meditation - Proverbs 21:1-15
"The plans of the diligent lead to profit as surely as haste leads to poverty." (v.5)

Today we ask ourselves: What is the point of diligence? Why keep persevering in a task? I'll tell you why. It is because it is in the arena of perseverance that true character is forged out, shaped, tempered and polished. It is in the daily grind that the character of Jesus is given the maximum opportunity to be reproduced in us, replacing what Charles Swindoll calls that "thin, fragile internal theology with a tough reliable set of convictions that enable us to handle life rather than escape from it." Listen to how the apostle Paul puts it in Romans 5:3-4: "We also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope." Because life is a task, we need strength to face it, not speed to escape from it. When the foundations shake beneath our feet, when Christian friends, even leaders, fall into immorality, when the anchor points of civilization disappear, when the bottom drops out and brutal blows push us up against the ropes and pound the very life out of us, we need what diligence and perseverance offer us - willingness to face whatever comes, determination to stand firm, knowing that Christ is not just with us but in us, insight to see the Lord's hand in everything and character enough to continue. Without diligence, we will stumble and fall. With it, we will survive and conquer. The astute of this world are wise enough to recognize that no advances can be made in life without diligence. How much more ought we, who name the Name of Christ and have Him living within us, to recognize this also?
Prayer:

O God, help me see that I am at grips with the raw materials of human living. Out of them I must fashion the important quality of diligence. Help me never to forget that the rewards are much more than the cost. In Jesus' Name. Amen.

For Further Study
2 Cor. 11:16-33; Job 17:9; Gal. 6:9; James 1:12
1. What were some of the obstacles Paul had to face?
2. What is the reward of those who persevere?

[Judy Harder]

July 3

The Four Spiritual Flaws
For reading & meditation - Proverbs 20:1-13
"A sluggard does not plow in season; so at harvest time he looks but finds nothing." (v.4)

We saw yesterday that diligently tackling life's tasks and problems produces in the end something exceedingly precious - character. Ever heard of the Four Spiritual Laws? They are used greatly by those involved in evangelism, but today we look at the Four Spiritual Flaws. These are four common misconceptions which many have about the tough issue of the Christian life, and unless refuted diligence will have no meaning. Flaw No 1: Once you become a Christian, you will never have any more problems. It's not true. In fact, problems may increase. What is true, however, is that Christ will be there to share our problems and get us through - victoriously. Flaw No 2: If you are having problems, then your spirituality is deficient. Some problems can arise from lack of spirituality, but certainly not all. Some of the most spiritual people I know have wrestled with gigantic problems. Consider God's servant, Job. Flaw No 3: Never admit to anything being a problem; if you do, negativism will take over your life. Nonsense. If you don?t face a thing squarely, then you will live in denial, which is the opposite of integrity. Flaw No 4: All problems can be resolved by the application of the right scripture. Again, not so. I have unanswered questions concerning God's dealings with me, and I know I might have to wait until I arrive in eternity to see things clearly. Here on earth we are big enough to ask questions but not big enough to understand the answers. Diligence must keep us going.
Prayer:

Father, I would be rid of all flawed thinking. Show me that I am not called to understand, but to stand. Give me grace to keep going even in the face of every one of life's unanswered questions. In Jesus' Name I pray. Amen.

For Further Study
2 Cor. 4:1-18; Job. 23:10; Psa. 66:10; Isa. 48:10
1. What was Paul's testimony?
2. What was Job's conviction?

[Judy Harder]

July 4

Diligence does pay off
For reading & meditation - Proverbs 24:23-34
"Thorns had come up everywhere, the ground was covered with weeds '" (v.31)

We spend one more day on the subject of diligence. What are diligence and perseverance all about? They are sticking to a task you know God wants you to do until it is completed, irrespective of the difficulties and frustrations. Diligence does pay off. Two frogs who fell into a bucket of cream tried very hard to get out, but each time they slipped back again. One said, "We'll never get out of here," gave up and drowned. The other frog persevered with kicking. Suddenly, he felt something hard beneath his feet and discovered that his kicking had turned the cream into butter. He hopped on top of it and was able to leap out to safety. Someone has described diligence as "an archaic word." It may not play a big part in today's world, but it plays a big part in the Bible. Those who have done great exploits for God have been men and women of persistence and perseverance. One of the greatest examples of diligence in the Bible is the apostle Paul. The verse that best brings this out is this: "We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed" (2 Cor. 4:8-9). He kept going when others would have given up. I love the story of Sir Winston Churchill who, during his last years, and though failing and feeble, stood up to address a group of university students and said: "I have just one thing to say to you: Never give up. Never, never give up. Never, never, never give up." He sat down to a standing ovation.
Prayer:

Father, I see that life can be made or broken at the place of continuance. Give me this aspect of wisdom so that, like a postage stamp, I will stick to one thing until I get there. In Jesus' Name I ask it. Amen.

For Further Study
John 17:20-26; 19:30
1. What will Jesus not give up doing?
2. What did Jesus declare on the Cross?