Crosswalk.com--The Devotional

[Judy Harder]

Beyond the Chariots
by John UpChurch, Senior Editor, BibleStudyTools.com

"For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins." Colossians 1:13-14

If you've heard of Eric Liddell, you probably know him as the Chariots of Fire guy. The Scottish Olympian famously turned down what most people thought was his best chance at a gold medal, the 100-meter dash. He did so because the trials for the race fell on a Sunday and he wouldn't budge on this matter of faith. Instead, he entered the 400-meter event, qualified, and then stormed to the finish line with a new world record. Although the theme from the movie wasn't playing back in 1924, the whole thing makes you think it should have been as he rounded the turns with his flailing gait.

Credits roll, end of story... right? Hold your chariots. Liddell's faith carried him far beyond a single Parisian race. After the Olympics, Eric gave up running completely—at least the type of running done on a racetrack. Instead, he focused on a much greater race. A year after standing on the platform in triumph, he arrived in China as a missionary and, later, as a pastor. No endorsements or bling, just an impoverished country and a chance to share the good news.

During the worst days of World War II, Liddell chose to stay in Japanese-controlled China to serve the people he'd come to love. However, after the attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941, the Japanese military became more and more suspicious of foreigners and forbade them to preach or teach. In 1943, the Japanese sent Eric and many others to an internment camp in Weihsien. Even there, though, the preacher continued leading others in worship and being "Uncle Eric" to dozens of orphaned children.

He also made an incredible sacrifice.

During the war, Japan and Britain made a prisoner exchange deal, a deal that included the famous Scottish runner. Liddell had a wife and children waiting for him in Canada. He had every reason to go. But instead, he gave up his spot for a pregnant woman—a fact unknown even to his family until the Chinese government revealed it over 60 years later. Eric himself would never tell either because he died of a brain tumor in 1945, not long before the war ended.  His friends at the camp didn't remember him as the Olympian; they remembered him as someone who did what God called him to do.

Liddell realized that this world has nothing on the kingdom of the Son. We can win accolades, money, fame here, but none of it can touch the far, far greater rewards of Christ. In Him, redemption makes earthly recognition nothing more than dust. In Him, forgiveness makes even the greatest fortunes seem empty.

Intersecting Faith & Life: As Christians, our address has changed—and with that changes our whole way of putting value on things. If there's nothing beyond this world, then by all means we should live to pile up accolades and plaudits. We have nothing else to live for. But if we're focused on Christ and His kingdom, everything else just fades out. We're no longer running for the things we can see.

For Further Reading

7 Men: And the Secret of Their Success by Eric Metaxas (I'm indebted to this book for the bio)

Colossians 1

[Judy Harder]

Do We Forget Our Larger Enemy?
by Debbie Holloway, Crosswalk.com Family Editor

"Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light..." (2 Corinthians 11:14)

Have you ever suffered a crushing loss, only to have someone tell you, "Well, it's all part of God's plan"? Have you ever projected pure hate or bitterness toward a fellow human being because of violence or deceit displayed by his or her actions? Have you ever watched the news as innocent children die in war, and wondered how God could allow such things to happen?

I've been there. I can hazard a guess that we've all been there. It's only natural to lash out at each other during tough times, and we're also very quick to give God the responsibility for bad things when they happen. But it's crucial that, when such times come, we mustn't forget our larger enemy: Satan.

"Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour" (1 Peter 5:.

It almost seems like a silly reminder, doesn't it? So obvious! Of course Satan exists. References to him are peppered throughout Scripture, and in reading the Gospels we see Christ rise victorious over him once and for all. But unfortunately, Satan has a way of conning even the most steadfast Christians into temporarily forgetting about his existence. I believe we do this mainly in two ways.

Mistake #1: We direct our hate at suffering, injustice, and sorrow toward each other.

We are instruments in many ways, and many people choose to be instruments of darkness rather than of light. But should we truly speak curses on murderers, or should we pray for their repentance? Should we delight when a terrorist is given the death penalty, or should we hold firm in the faith that Christ's love is strong enough to conquer any heart?

At the end of the day, we must remember that Satan and demonic forces are strong influences in this world, and we all fall prey to the temptation in different ways. The Bible verse that helps me remember not to direct my hate toward another person is Ephesians 6:12:

"For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms."

Mistake #2: We direct our hate at suffering, injustice, and sorrow toward God himself.

Scripture tells us we are to praise God through all things. In no way does this signify that God is, himself, the cause of all things. This mindset can lead to dangerous and depressing ideas about our good Creator. Jesus told his followers,

"The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly" (John 10:10).

In this, Jesus plainly rejects the notion that evil things (murder, destruction, and disorder) are not in his will. God's will is for life, abundance, and wholeness. When chaos runs rampant, as it often will because of the freedom God gives us to make choices, we must remember that it's a result of human choice and Satan's influence – not the desires of God.

The grace and good news is that the Holy Spirit equips us, and we need have no mortal fear of Satan...so long as we remember that he's still around! James writes,

"Resist the devil, and he will flee from you" (James 4:7).

Intersecting Faith and Life: The next time you seek to place blame or anger at the doorstep of God or another person, remember the cosmic battle that even now God wages against the powers of darkness. Let us not forget our larger enemy!

Further Reading

1 John 3:8

John 8:44

2 Corinthians 11

[Judy Harder]

Encourage One Another
by Anna Kuta, ReligionToday.com Editor

"Therefore comfort each other and edify one another..." (1 Thessalonians 5:11)

This week, our office set up an "appreciation station" – a big display box containing various notes and tokens of appreciation to give to a coworker to express thanks or encouragement. Some of the items to choose from include little button pins, stickers and magnets with various slogans like "You're awesome" or "Great job," plus space to write a short note. It's only been going on for a couple days, but I've already seen several coworkers stocking up on the items or delivering one to a cubicle on someone else's behalf.

Encouraging our fellow Christians is often something we overlook or forget to do in our everyday lives, but it is a theme that can be found throughout the Bible. As Hebrews 10:24-25 says, "And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching." Another example can be found in 1 Thessalonians 5:9-11: "For God did not appoint us to wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us, that whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with Him. Therefore comfort each other and edify one another, just as you also are doing." Or, as the NIV translation says in verse 11, "Encourage one another and build each other up."

We all know what it's like to go through a difficult time or simply have a bad day, and I bet most of us would agree that nothing can lift your spirit quite like a word of encouragement from a friend, family member, coworker, or even a stranger. Whenever you have a chance, take a moment to build up or edify a brother or sister in Christ.

Intersecting Faith & Life

Who can you encourage today?

Further Reading

1 Thessalonians 5

Ephesians 4:29

Proverbs 12:25

[Judy Harder]

Bring Oil
Ryan Duncan, Crosswalk.com Entertainment Editor

Then the angel said to me, "Write: 'Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding supper of the Lamb!' " And he added, "These are the true words of God." -  Revelation 19:9

For the second time this year, I had the privilege to be part of a friend's wedding. I was one of the groomsman, and I was honored. Being a groomsman is a tough gig though. While supposedly there was a list of duties I needed to perform, I soon realized my main job was making sure the groom didn't spontaneously implode from stress. This was crucial because if anything happened to the groom the bride would probably strangle everyone with her own wedding veil. Luckily, my fellow groomsmen and I managed to play our parts with no major errors.

My only slip up happened during the rehearsal dinner, when I excused myself to go look for a bathroom. I was probably gone for only a few minutes, but when I came back I found the groom's father was in the middle of the dinner toast. I didn't want to be rude, so I stood outside the room for about fifteen minutes waiting as everyone toasted the bride and groom. All in all, it wasn't that big of a deal, but as I stood out there and watched the celebration from behind the door, I remembered a parable Jesus had once told his disciples.

"At that time the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish and five were wise. The foolish ones took their lamps but did not take any oil with them. The wise, however, took oil in jars along with their lamps. The bridegroom was a long time in coming, and they all became drowsy and fell asleep. "At midnight the cry rang out: 'Here's the bridegroom! Come out to meet him!' "Then all the virgins woke up and trimmed their lamps. The foolish ones said to the wise, 'Give us some of your oil; our lamps are going out.'  " 'No,' they replied, 'there may not be enough for both us and you. Instead, go to those who sell oil and buy some for yourselves.'  "But while they were on their way to buy the oil, the bridegroom arrived. The virgins who were ready went in with him to the wedding banquet. And the door was shut. "Later the others also came. 'Sir! Sir!' they said. 'Open the door for us!' "But he replied, 'I tell you the truth, I don't know you.' "Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour." (Matthew 25:1-13)

Sometimes I think we underestimate the parable of the virgins. We were always told it represented Jesus return, and our duty to be ready, but I think there's more to it. We are, in a sense, the wedding party for Christ's marriage to the Church. Like the bridesmaids and groomsmen, it's our responsibility to help prepare the celebration by following Christ and working to serve him. It also means we'll have to endure a long night filled with uncertainty, and our faith, like the lamp oil, must constantly be replenished. It's going to be a lot of hard work, but when the groom arrives and the celebration begins, there's no doubt it will all have been worth it.       

Intersecting Faith and Life: Take some time to read Jesus' parables and reflect on their meanings.

Further Reading       

Matthew 13:44

[Judy Harder]

What You Should Do
by John UpChurch, Senior Editor, BibleStudyTools.com

And we pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and joyfully giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light. (Colossians 1:10-12)

Hundreds of times I've found myself bemoaning some predicament or difficult decision. Often, I'm on the floor and staring up at the ceiling. Although the words may vary somewhat, they all pretty much amount to this:

"God, can't you just tell me what to do?"

I'm a planner. So, what I really mean is this: "If You could just spell out every step for the next few months—or years—that'd be great. Maybe a detailed list?"

What I keep forgetting is that God already did that. He even put it all in a list for me in Colossians. Sure, it isn't exactly a step-by-step guide, but close enough. His planner for our daily life goes like this:

Bearing fruit in every good work: Since He's prepared good works for us to do (Ephesians 2:10), that makes this one even more straightforward. But how can we identify these? By...

Growing in the knowledge of God: He's the one who prepared these good works. So, He's the one we should cozy up to and learn from through His Word and consistent communication. And when we do, we get some boom to go with it...

Being strengthened with all power according to His glorious might: God is radioactive. As we walk in those good works by getting to know Him, His power rubs off. True, we don't get the X-Men glowing face like Moses, but we can still put on quite the light show (Matthew 5:16). You get that power...

So that you may have great endurance and patience: When good works flow from our knowledge of God and His strength, we suddenly care a lot less about those worries that used to drag us down. We can endure because God's Kingdom is present in our life right now (Matthew 6:33). With such a focus, that means we should be...

Joyfully giving thanks to the Father: Rolling in those pre-prepared good works with God-strength and God-focus makes us want to do the God-is-good electric slide (your results and dance moves may vary). We just can't keep our mouths shut because He...

Has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light: In fact, that's the biggest, boldest thing on our God-given to-do list. We do the good works He's planned with His strength and our eyes on Him, all because He qualified us.

Intersecting Faith & Life: So many times I want God to spell things out for me each step of the way. And sometimes He does. But most often, He points me—gently or not so gently—back to Colossians. I've been given instructions for the day-to-day race that will one day end with Him. Faith means leaving the details in His hands.

Further Reading

Matthew 6

[Judy Harder]

Not What You Wanted?
by 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       

Listen to an Example of What Humility Sounds Like Here
(Indelible Grace Acoustic "By Thy Mercy")

[Judy Harder]

The Older Son
Ryan Duncan, Crosswalk.com Entertainment Editor

"But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal." – Matthew 6:20

Most Christians have heard the story of the Prodigal Son. For those of us who grew up in the Church, the story probably conjures up memories of Sunday school, when the teacher would reenact the parable on one of those crazy felt boards. The Prodigal Son really is a perfect description of God's relationship with us, his children. I don't know about you, but I've done more than enough stupid stuff in my life to qualify as a prodigal. Lately though, I've found myself relating more and more to the older son in the story, the one most people tend to forget about.   

"Meanwhile, the older son was in the field. When he came near the house, he heard music and dancing.So he called one of the servants and asked him what was going on.'Your brother has come,' he replied, 'and your father has killed the fattened calf because he has him back safe and sound.' "The older brother became angry and refused to go in. So his father went out and pleaded with him. But he answered his father, 'Look! All these years I've been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders. Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends. But when this son of yours who has squandered your property with prostitutes comes home, you kill the fattened calf for him!' " 'My son,' the father said, 'you are always with me, and everything I have is yours. But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.' " – Luke 15: 25-32

It's almost unsettling how easily we Christians can become the Older Son. Maybe you're having a bad month, or maybe it seems like someone else is getting all the rewards you desire. In those moments it's so tempting to turn on God and yell, "I've followed all the rules. I've done everything right! Would it kill you to throw me a bone once in a while?" But God isn't Santa Claus; he doesn't keep a list of whose good and bad then parcel things out accordingly.

For all his mistakes, the younger brother understood that anything he got from his Father would be out of grace, and for all his good work, the older brother let his anger blind him to the many blessings he already had.  A friend of mine once told me, "Being a Christian doesn't mean you have to dance happily in bad situations" and it's true. Being a Christian means that we are saved by Christ through grace, and good times or bad, his blessings are still there even if we don't see them.       

Intersecting Faith and Life: Take a moment to count your blessings.

Further Reading   

Luke 15: 1-7

[Judy Harder]

Is Your Soul Healthy?
by Sarah Phillips

His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness... For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.  (2 Peter 1:3-8)

When I first became a believer, I was like the woman with the alabaster jar (Matthew 26:7). I loved much because I had been forgiven much. But as the years slipped by something happened in my life that happens to many believers: my gratefulness towards God's mercy transformed into frustration at my lingering sinful nature. I understood why I failed so greatly before knowing Christ, but it was difficult to accept my failings when I felt I should know better.

It's easy to beat yourself up, even run from God, when you fall. Out of frustration and shame, I have begged God to rid me of my sinful tendencies. Of course, God didn't instantly heal me with a lightning bolt, but answered me with a different kind of grace. The answer to my prayer came in the form of a Sunday school lesson on "holy habits," more traditionally known as virtues.

Practicing virtue is a lot like lifting weights – it's exercise that builds health in your soul. There are many virtues, but as we learned in class that day, the foundation of all virtues can be found in the four natural virtues or cardinal virtues. These were first articulated by Plato but hardly belong to Plato. They are part of what theologians call "natural law" – God's design for humanity woven into our beings since the beginning of creation. When a person cultivates these virtues in his or her life, they are cooperating with the Creator's design for the human soul.

It's important to note here that pursuing a virtuous life is not the same as trying to earn salvation. Our salvation is a gift that flows from God's grace. But in our Christian journey, it's important to do our part to improve our character so that we can grow in character and more accurately reflect Christ's goodness to the world. Now let's take a closer look at each cardinal virtue:

1. Wisdom: For wisdom is better than jewels, and all that you may desire cannot compare with her. (Proverbs 8:11). You've probably known people with book smarts who lack common sense. Or perhaps you know someone with street smarts who lacks knowledge. A person who has cultivated the virtue of wisdom can not only discern truth but has the ability to implement their insights appropriately in any given situation. According to scripture, characteristics of wise people include those who prepare properly for hard times (Proverbs 21:20), those who humbly heed instruction and correction (Proverbs 8:9), those who hold their tongues from saying foolish things (Proverbs 10:19), and those who fear the Lord (Proverbs 14:16-35). Because wisdom allows us to discern right from wrong, this virtue sets us up to practice all other virtues.

2. Justice: Learn to do right! Seek justice, encourage the oppressed (Isaiah 1:17). Most of us have some sense of justice from a very early age when we yell, "It's not fair!" A just or righteous person gives to others what is deserved, keeps his word, and acts fairly even when no one is looking. According to scripture, a just person favors the innocent over the wicked (Proverbs 18:5), never accepts bribes (Proverbs 17:23), aids the poor, fatherless, and widows (Proverbs 29:7, Isaiah 1:17), and experiences joy (Proverbs 21:15).

3. Courage: In the fear of the Lord one has strong confidence (Proverbs 14:26). While most of us associate courage with lack of fear, courage has more to do with fear put in proper perspective. A courageous person chooses right even when a decision is frightening or comes with personal cost. Among many traits, the courageous person exalts Christ (Philippians 1:20), holds on to God's promises (Acts 27:25), and gives an effective witness for Christ (Acts 4:13). A person can not exercise any virtue for long without courage because sin often appears easier or more attractive than virtue.

4. Temperance: Like a city whose walls are broken down is a man who lacks self-control (Proverbs 25:28). Temperance is an old-fashioned word for moderation. A temperate person exercises self-control, building a wall against unhealthy, sinful extremes. Among many qualities, scripture tells us that a temperate person does not gossip (1 Timothy 3:11), does not vent anger (Proverbs 29:11) is respectable and able to take on leadership roles (1 Timothy 3:2), and is sexually pure (1 Thessalonians 4:2-5).

So, are any of these virtues lacking in your life? I can see some areas where I am still weak. Thankfully, with God's grace and a few good decisions, we can grow in our effectiveness and productiveness for Christ.

Identify which cardinal virtue you struggle most with. Ask God for the grace to grow and make one positive change in your behavior this week that will help you develop this "holy habit."

Further Reading:

Matthew 25:23
Ref: Kreeft, Peter. "Justice, Wisdom, Courage, and Moderation: The Four Cardinal Virtues". (c) 1986 Ignatius Press.

[Judy Harder]

My Day at the Beach That Wasn't Any Such Thing
by Shawn McEvoy, Managing Editor at Crosswalk.com

For the waves of death encompassed me, the torrents of destruction assailed me... (2 Samuel 22:5).

Your wrath lies heavily upon me, and you overwhelm me with all your waves (Psalms 88:7).

I have many times stood upon the shore of a peaceful Atlantic ocean gazing East to the sunrise, pondering the vastness and the depth of God. This was not one of those times.

Today, I wanted to catch some fish. It was my only two hours of alone time during the whole week of family vacation to Isle of Palms. I decided to bike down to the point I'd walked to earlier that morning. This was mistake number one. I popped the chain on that old bike about half-way down the beach, and ended up having to push it the rest of the way with one hand while holding my fishing pole (and trying not to hook myself) with the other.

When I finally got there the waves had risen to a height I'd not encountered in any of my last four seasons on Atlantic beaches. I could barely cast my lure over them, and if I did succeed, I'd soon get knocked over. So, alright. You know what? I've been wanting a showdown. "Let's see whatchya got," I said, to either myself, God, or the forces of nature. I took my pole back to shore and I waded out to war.

I adopted my best linebacker stance and stood up to the 6-foot waves as best I could. I tried body surfing and nearly swallowed a gallon or two of seawater. I tried jumping over, diving under, and shouldering through. And while I was doing all of it I was telling God or whoever would listen how hard a time I'd been having of it ("Sure," you're saying, "a week of luxury beach vacation with the family, you're really struggling." But it's true).

Why do I put on weight so easily? Why do you not seem to hear me anymore? Why am I not satisfied in my soul? Why do my simplest desires – like to ride a bike down a beach and catch a fish – result in such discouraging and powerful setbacks? Why is my faith bruised and how do I start to care for the people of God again? Huh?!

Nothing. Just wave after wave after pounding after pounding.

The good news is I was exhausting myself, getting this out of my system, and 'praying.' That I was again getting a sense of myself in this rough place called The World and how puny I am in relation to the created universe.

The bad news is I was becoming more dejected. When I finally gave up and told God I recognized his bigness and my smallness, I sat in the surf and tried to really connect, to really give it all to him, to really make this the milestone day from which everything was different for the rest of my life.

But it was just words. Nothing seemed to rise. I couldn't make my heart climb into my prayers. And I couldn't figure out how or when I had lost it, or what to do about it.

I paced to shore defeated and dejected. What progress had I made? At best today was a humbling, at worst a humiliation. My head drooped, and I looked down.

What I saw further discouraged me. For a length of several yards, the shallow foam washing back out was running at the same pace as my strides walking back in. The optical illusion was one of getting nowhere. Moving, but remaining in the same place.

That's when, finally, this: "You know you're making progress. You know, despite how it looks, that you're getting closer to shore with every step. Likewise, today was progress. Tomorrow will be a step. As will the next. My grace is a wave infinitely more powerful and cleansing than these, and My footprints don't wash away."

I sighed, but I smiled. "Step by step you lead me, and I will follow you all of my days..." Step-by-step is exactly how I got home that day, beaten, extremely chafed, shoeless, pushing a bike and carrying a pole. And, I'm happy to report, that's exactly how I'm getting back home in my spirit as well.

[Judy Harder]

My Alien Brain
by John UpChurch, Senior Editor, BibleStudyTools.com

"And you, who once were alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, he has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death, in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before him" Colossians 1:21-22

The first migraine hit me in middle school. While wrapping up some pre-algebra problems, a fuzzy, white spot kept covering up the numbers. I'd blink and rub my eyes and try to work around it, but the spot hovered there for most of the class. Being the well-reasoned adolescent that I was, I naturally assumed what seemed logical: I was about to die of a massive stroke.

I obviously didn't die. But when the spot finally did go away, I wished it had stayed.

Stomach-curling, fist-clenching, world-bending pain plopped down into my cranium and threw some sort of headache party. After an hour or so, I couldn't take it anymore. I told the skeptical school nurse that I thought I had a "migration headache," which didn't ease her skepticism. Still, she let me go home.

Just to complete the headache humiliation, I got sick right outside the school (so that all the classes on that side of the building could watch), fell asleep as soon as I got home, and woke up with a throbbing head. Migraines don't like to go without a fight. They kick and scream into that good night.

My own head revolted against me for several years after that. If I didn't get enough sleep or got hit with too much stress, the spot would make a comeback. I did learn to lessen the pain sometimes by closing my eyes as soon as the fuzz sprang into view, but that didn't always work.

Truthfully, the migraines were the least of my problems. My un-reconciled brain, the one that had no understanding of Christ, had revolted from God. Instead of fuzzy spots as warning signs, there were evil deeds, as Paul calls them. I played on others' emotions to get my way, used girlfriends as my personal trophy case, spent hours and hours on the kinds of websites that wouldn't make it through a work Internet filter, and generally wasted my gifts. The pain that resulted from those "spots" wasn't just inwardly focused—it left quite the burning trail in its wake.

My alien brain knew nothing else then. It wanted nothing better. It was pretty much dead.

That's exactly the reason Christ's reconciling, restoring death still astounds me. This gray matter, so unresponsive to anything spiritual, came to life with God's preceding grace. He kept hitting me and kept hitting me until I finally gave up, followed His Son, and stopped being an alien.

Intersecting Faith & Life: Before Christ, nothing works the way it should. Like the migraines that plagued me, our brains revolt against their Creator, and pain inevitably comes. Take some time to look back and who you were before Jesus pumped life into your body—not to turn around or go back, but to be continually blown away by how much He changed you.

Further Reading

Hezekiah: Spiritual Renewal

Ephesians 2