Crosswalk.com--The Devotional

[Judy Harder]

The Last Days
by Sarah Phillips

"And there will be signs in sun and moon and stars, and upon the earth distress of nations in perplexity at the roaring of the sea and the waves, men fainting with fear and with foreboding of what is coming on the world; for the powers of the heavens will be shaken. And then they will see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.  Now when these things begin to take place, look up and raise your heads, because your redemption is drawing near." Luke 21:25

Most of us don't love to wait. We want to get on with things. Tie things up neatly so we can move on to the next thing. We often forget that in some cases, the opportunity to wait is an expression of God's mercy.

You see, this Sunday is the first Sunday of Advent. It came quickly this year. I was so busy preparing for Thanksgiving, I almost forgot about Advent. Thankfully, our reliable pastor will be decked out in purple this Sunday, scripture readings and hymns ready to go.

Advent isn't really an event so much as a season set aside to wait for an event. We can choose how we want to practice Advent. We can see it as a burden, an afterthought, or a hindrance. Or we can see its greater application to all of life. We can recognize it for what it is: a reminder to stop, clear away some of the normal "stuff" of life, and remember that throughout our life here we are waiting for something big, something that needs our attention and preparation: The second coming of Christ.

Many times I've heard fellow Christians express the desire for the day to just get here already. Can't we just end the wars and suffering... the waiting... and get on with Christ's return? Many pick apart the Scriptures, looking for details, for signs, that Christ is coming soon. Groups form and debates rage about the finer details of the end times.

While I am sure God appreciates our interest in and desire for his arrival, I am not so sure we really know what we're asking for when we say we wish he would hurry up and appear.

Think about it. Are we really ready? Is the world really ready? If you had to stand before Christ tomorrow, would you be ready? I don't mean "ready" as having correctly predicted the dramatic events that would unfold during the end times. I mean would your life reflect service to him? Love of him? Submission to him?

Mine wouldn't. At least not to the extent that it should. I'd like a few days, or um decades, to straighten things out. And to the best of my humble abilities, help a few more of those living in the dark find the light.

Suddenly, waiting doesn't seem too bad. God's plan to give me and the rest of the world a little more time doused with a lot of his grace doesn't seem so frustrating.

After reading the above dramatic passage from Luke at an Advent Sunday service past, our pastor did not delve into prophecy or speculation about the last days. He backtracked a little, and instead opted to focus on the here and now. He challenged us to avoid the "drowsiness" that comes with our everyday cares and concerns. He challenged us to become disciplined people, Christians whose lives are truly transformed by Christ instead of by the seductive "spirit of the age." He held up examples of fellow Christians who came before us and conquered their own contemporary challenges.

He reminded us that we will each have our own "last day" even if our lives here do not witness the Last Day.

That's what Advent is really about... grace today for whatever may come tomorrow. It's about God's incredible patience and love for children who have much to learn and need plenty of precious time to allow for stumbling along the way. As for the final days, set aside the speculation and leave that to God's perfect timing. He'll know when we're ready. 

Intersecting Faith & Life: A disciplined prayer life opens our lives to God's transforming graces. Set aside a little extra time every single week, from now until Christmas, to spend time in prayer.

Further Reading

Jeremiah 33:14-16
Psalms 25:4-5, 8-9, 10, 14
Luke 21:25-28, 34-36

[Judy Harder]

Christmas Lights
by Ryan Duncan, Crosswalk.com Entertainment Editor

Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him. – James 1:12

When I was still a child living in Illinois, my father drafted me into his yearly Christmas decorating. Every December, with the snow heavy on the ground, the two of us would bundle up and tramp outside to begin putting up the Christmas lights. I hated putting up Christmas lights. The process always took forever, robbing me of my well-deserved break from school. To make matters worse, my father had a fondness for those icicle-styled lights that were supposed to drip down from the rooftop in merry "winter-wonderland" fashion.

Except the high winds always blew the strands of light up into the gutters, so once again we would have to go outside and set them right. It got to the point where I would do anything to avoid putting up Christmas lights. I hid, I threw tantrums, I'd sulk, and eventually my father decided dealing with both me and lights was too much work and set me free. Looking back now, I regret how short-sighted I was. I was so upset at having to do a few hours' work that I never realized how beautiful our house looked when it was all lit up, or how fulfilling it was to know I had helped my father make it that way.

It's funny how our Christian walk can mirror the experience of setting up holiday decorations. At times it can be difficult, and we can resent what we believe we're being denied, but take a look at what Paul says in 1 Corinthians 9:

"Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. Therefore I do not run like a man running aimlessly; I do not fight like a man beating the air. No, I beat my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize." – 1 Corinthians 9:24-27

Life offers us plenty of easy roads, and when it comes to living out the Christian life, these paths can be especially tempting. The world will tell us to go with the flow of the current of culture, to follow the past of least resistance, but God calls us to do differently. Christians are meant to reflect Christ's glory on Earth, and this cannot be done without hard work, sacrifice, and grace. So whether you serve God through ministry, or simply through your everyday life, remember to live in a way deserving of the prize.

Intersecting Faith and Life: Consider whether you are running in such a way as to win the prize.

Further Reading

Matthew 6:19-21

[Judy Harder]

The Humility of Being Human
by Katherine Britton

"Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness." - Philippians 2:5-7

I'm a Christmas carol snob, I guess, as I scorn most songs written in the past 30 years. I do have notable exceptions, however, when the lyrics go beyond the kitsch of "All I Want for Christmas Is You" and other such piffle. We have more than enough American Christmas songs, but there's always room for a thoughtful reflection in the canon of carols. So yes, I make an exception for the CCM favorite "Welcome to Our World." Here are some of the lyrics:

Hope that you don't mind our manger
How I wish we would have known
But long awaited Holy Stranger
Make yourself at home
Please make yourself at home

Fragile finger sent to heal us
Tender brow prepared for thorn
Tiny heart whose blood will save us
Unto us is born
Unto us is born

So wrap our injured flesh around You
Breathe our air and walk our sod
Rob our sin and make us holy
Perfect Son of God
Perfect Son of God
Welcome to our world

So many Christmas songs focus on the joy of the season, and rightfully so. It's a joyous time, both culturally and spiritually. But occasionally I need to view the holiday from a different perspective - that is, from the viewpoint of heaven. From God the Son's perspective, becoming human was - to put it mildly - a huge demotion. Christmas began with an act of submission and humility on the part of the Son. The Creator consented to become one of the creation, with all of our blood, sweat, and tears. From the heavenly perspective, the Incarnation arrived with sorrow, as part of the Godhead separated himself physically from the Father. Christmas signals an arrival into our world, but a departure, however brief, from a greater world.

Jesus's demonstrated humility is just one of the reasons the Incarnation should inspire such awe in us. Yes, the Incarnation dignified a downtrodden humanity. But the Incarnation also required sacrifice we can't begin to describe. All this before the ultimate shame of the cross.

The Puritan Thomas Watson meditated on Christ's humility with these words:

"He came not in the majesty of a king, attended with [a bodyguard], but he came poor; not like the heir of heaven, but like one of an inferior descent. The place he was born in was poor; not the royal city Jerusalem, but Bethlehem, a poor obscure place. He was born in an inn, and a manger was his cradle, the cobwebs his curtains, the beasts his companions; he descended of poor parents.... He was poor, that he might make us rich.... He lay in the manger that we might lie in paradise. He came down from heaven, that he might bring us to heaven."

Intersecting Faith & Life: As you consider the joy of this holiday season - whether you're anticipating the unwrapped smiles, lighting the Advent wreath, singing carols, making cookies, or whatever - take time to consider the counterpoint. Our joy is Christ's first sacrifice.

Further Reading:

The Grace and Greatness of True Humility
Hebrews 2:6-11

[Judy Harder]

I'll Be Home for Christmas
by Alex Crain, Editor, Christianity.com

"For here we have no lasting city, but we seek the city that is to come."
Hebrews 13:14

Recently, I got my parent's old Christmas records out of storage and began making mp3 files of them so that we could play them again around the Christmas holidays. Bing Crosby's classic rendition of "I'll Be Home for Christmas" came on. Its melancholy sound filled the air.

I pictured the war-weary allied troops hearing this song the year it was recorded in 1943, listening to it on their radios at night, spellbound by the sound; longing to be back at home with their loved ones.

I'll be home for Christmas, you can plan on me.
Please have snow and mistletoe, and presents on the tree.
Christmas Eve will find me, where the love light gleams.
I'll be home for Christmas... if only in my dreams.

Does any other version of the song capture the sense of sadness to the same degree that he did?

Believers in Christ are soldiers engaged in war (Ephesians 6:10). And deep within us there is a longing that nothing can suppress. We want to be home. It's great to know that we are on the winning side, but we often get weary of the fight.

Hebrews 13:14 encourages us to remember and find strength in the fact that "we seek the city that is to come." It's a losing battle to pursue lasting satisfaction in this life. The words "Here we have no lasting city" drive us to only source of contentment: the promise that Christ is always with me (Matthew 28:20) and that He's bringing me home to a place where love, joy, and satisfaction never end.

Intersecting Faith and Life
In the words of author, randy alcorn, "Things won't always take a better turn on an Earth that is under the curse. Sickness, loss, grief, and death will find us. Just as our reward will come in Heaven, laughter (itself one of our rewards) will come in Heaven."

Further Reading
the christmas bible reading plan
heaven: home of laughter

[Judy Harder]

A Season of Hope
By Debbie Holloway, Crosswalk.com Family Editor

"The LORD your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over you with gladness; he will quiet you by his love; he will exult over you with loud singing" (Zephaniah 3:17).

The winter festivities continue to fly by. First came Halloween and harvest time, then Thanksgiving, and now the Advent season is upon us. For many, the season of Advent is spent in little else except preparing for Christmas. Gifts are bought, wrapped, and tucked away beneath the tree. Verses are read from the books of Luke and Isaiah as we recall the nativity story. People find it easier to remember to love their neighbors, give to the poor, and reflect on the meaning of Christmas.

I myself have been thinking a little bit about Advent... and about hope. You see, of the five Advent candles, the Prophecy Candle is lit first, which represents hope.  We're all familiar with that oft-quoted verse...

"Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel" (Isaiah 7:14).

Prophecies like these gave the Israelites hope that God would not forget them. During some of their darkest days, prophets like Isaiah gave them words from the Lord as a reminder that God would not abandon them to sin and slavery forever. Immanuel means "God with us," and that is perhaps the most stirring theme of ancient prophecies.

Today may seem just as dark to us now. Wars are fought all over the world, bringing staggering civilian casualties as well as solider deaths. Children are abused and underfed. Homelessness is evident on every inner city street corner. Families are torn apart by greed, hatred, selfishness, and pride. But, just as the prophets gave hope to the ancient Israelites, we have a renewed hope through Christ.

"And lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age" (Matthew 28:20).

There it is again: Immanuel. God with us. Because God is with us! He spoke it over and over throughout history, and Christ affirmed it. As we enter into this season of Advent, is that not the greatest hope we could wish for? Through our struggles, failures, faults, and fears – we have the blessed hope that Christ is not only with us, but will continue to be with us and will return again.

Intersecting Faith and Life: Into what areas of your life can you inject hope? Remember, no situation is too dire for God.

Further Reading

Jeremiah 29:11

2 Corinthians 4:16-18

Romans 12:12

[Judy Harder]

The Strains of Christmas
by John UpChurch, Senior Editor, BibleStudyTools.com

But when the time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under law, to redeem those under law, that we might receive the full rights of sons. (Galatians 4:4-5)

Christmas at my house meant preparing for the worst. The worst didn't always come, but you couldn't be too careful.

You see, the thing about holidays is that people tend to be together, pushed into the same room by tradition and baked turkey. My family spent most of the year avoiding such things, as we hurried off to school or work, buried ourselves in music and books, and generally enjoyed the comfort of a closed door.

We could usually navigate the raging Scylla and Charybdis of Thanksgiving because it only meant a day together before we scattered again. But while we chewed stuffing, my father would chew on his disappointment over his life and his family. My older brothers would try not to notice. The tryptophan made us all too sleepy for much more—at least, that's what I like to think.

But then Christmas came lumbering into the UpChurch household with all its vacation days. We had too much time off, and too many unspoken issues. We were like a pot of boiling potatoes with the water sloshing out on the stove. There'd be some sizzling over a lack of job, a splash or two over how much something cost, and then boom... the lid blew off.

An hour and two new holes in the wall later, we surveyed the wreckage of the yuletide cheer. My brothers would fume back into the basement, my father would escape to his computer, and my mom would try to figure out what to do. Usually, the anger just sunk back into the pot for another year.

When I moved out of my house, it took years for Christmas to reclaim its festive atmosphere. Even when the war ended, the shellshock didn't. There were too many things unsaid, too many things not dealt with. The embers of home-fought battles wouldn't die down.

Then, Christ.

Describing salvation couldn't be better summed up than in those two words set apart in their own paragraph: then, Christ. There was no choir of angels singing (audibly to me, at least) or a special star shining light down on my apartment, but it was a moment that clearly separates time into two epochs. That separation is for both BC/AD and OJ/NJ—Old John and New John.

As this New John, though, I noticed something that might as well have been as miraculous as angels breaking out the tunes over my head. When Christmas came, the dread didn't. I'd plucked the Christ off Christmas, and the mass didn't seem so heavy. In fact, I even looked forward to it.

No, the tension didn't suddenly melt away. The tempers weren't all snuffed out. There were still moments that stretched tightly across our gatherings. But I now knew something just slightly flip-the-world-upside-down, mind-blowingly awesome: A baby, born poor and away from home, had taken the worst this world had to offer. A king wanted Him dead, and His country had no place for Him. But still He came... for me.

For you.

Intersecting Faith and Life: Christmas has no shortage of strains. It's a holiday that seems perfectly designed for stress—at least, in the way we Westerners celebrate. Family tension has a way of bubbling up with the egg nog, and old arguments never seem to die.

But my prayer is that you aren't afraid to face the day, and not just face it, but be filled with the mystery of it all. Here is a day to remember our God adding humanity to deity and giving up the sweet spot in heaven to plop Himself into our world. He came because He didn't hold our sin against us; He wanted to hold it for us.

And when you keep that perspective, family arguments and stress suddenly seem trivial amid the menagerie of hams and yams and red velvet cakes.

Further Reading:

Christmas Bible Reading Plan

[Judy Harder]

What's It To You?
by Kelly Givens, Editor, iBelieve.com

Peter turned and saw the disciple whom Jesus loved following them, the one who had been reclining at the table close to him... When Peter saw him, he said to Jesus, "Lord, what about this man?" Jesus said to him, "If it is my will that he remain until I come, what is that to you? You follow me!" John 21:20-22

Have you ever wondered why God allows some Christians to suffer so much, and others seem to glide through life effortlessly, painlessly? I know many Godly men and women who seem to suffer without end. Their pain is more than I have ever experienced; they've faced more trials in a year than I've faced in my entire life. Why is that? Am I loved by God more than these people? Are they glorifying God more through their suffering than I can in my blessings?  The comparisons go in all directions.

Comparison was Peter's go-to when Jesus told him this: "Truly, truly, I say to you, when you were young, you used to dress yourself and walk wherever you wanted, but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will dress you and carry you where you do not want to go." (This he said to show by what kind of death he was to glorify God). Then he said to him, "Follow me!"  (John 21: 18-19).

Jesus was foretelling that Peter, just like himself, would be led to his death, arms stretched out in his own crucifixion. Tradition points to Peter being crucified upside down during Nero's persecution, not wanting to be crucified in the same manner as his Lord.

I'm not sure if Peter knew then by what kind of death he would die, but no doubt he got the gist of what Jesus was saying. So it's no surprise that he quickly disregarded Christ's instruction to "follow me!" Instead, he looked around at the other disciples, spotted John, and exclaimed "Lord, what about this man?"  I wonder if Peter was thinking, "If I have to die a horrible death, does that mean John will die a horrible death too? If not, why should I go through this trial and not him? Do you love him more than me?"

Our sinful nature is hard-wired to compare. When others seem to get ahead or are seemingly blessed more than us, we grow envious. When the tables are turned and we are the ones being blessed, we might fight the urge to brag or think more highly of ourselves that we ought. Both kinds of comparison are fatal to our faith, and Jesus knows it. So when Peter bluntly asked, "what about this man?" Jesus' response was clear. "What is that to you? You follow me!"

Peter died a horrible, agonizing death. Most historians agree that all of the other apostles met similar, violent ends to their lives. Except John. John died peacefully in his old age. Why? Because that was how each "was to glorify God." When God bestows on us blessings we should proclaim his glory joyfully and humbly. But when he allows us to suffer, we have the opportunity to proclaim him King through our hopefulness and faith. God's glory is what's important, not our circumstances.

"You follow me." Fixing ourselves on Jesus is the key to fruitful ministry, the key to humility, the key to joy regardless of our circumstances. It's the key to glorifying God - the true purpose of our lives and ministry.

Intersecting Faith & Life: How quick are you to compare your joys and sufferings to those around you? Comparing our circumstances to others' is fruitless. Jesus desires us to follow him, and have faith in the plan he has for our lives.

Further Reading:
1 Peter 1:6-7, Romans 8:37, Philippians 3:13-14

"The only glory which Jesus ever sought for himself or offered to his disciples was to be caught up in God's redemptive purpose." - George Caird

[Judy Harder]

Six Lessons from The Lord of the Rings
by Ryan Duncan, Crosswalk.com Entertainment Editor

Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy (Matthew 5:7).

Not too long ago, I found myself talking with a friend over coffee. As we began to discuss the upcoming Hobbit movie, the two of us began to reflect on Tolkien's novels and how his Christian faith was revealed through his writing. Grabbing a pen and a spare napkin, I managed to jot down a few of the lessons we realized J.R.R. Tolkien passed on through his epic fantasy...

Have Courage

Who would you say is the "hero" of Tolkien's series? Is it Frodo? After all, he was the one who bore the Ring of Power to Mount Doom. Some might think the real hero is Gandalf. Without his wisdom and guidance, Middle-earth would surely have been overrun. What about Eowyn? She was the one who could defeat the Witch-King in battle. There are many characters you could choose, but they all have one thing in common: Courage. Tolkien lived during the years when Nazi Germany stood ready to overshadow the world, and no doubt he saw ordinary people called on to perform extraordinary acts of heroism. As Tolkien wrote, "Even the smallest person can change the course of the future." Even the meekest of Christians can show courage when afraid.

The World Needs More Hospitality

I feel like the gift of Hospitality is going out of fashion among Christians. It's true everyone needs a place where they can take a break from the world, but it has nearly reached the point where Christians are no longer bothering to open the door even to other Christians. Hospitality was not just a virtue but an essential part of Tolkien's Middle-earth. In The Hobbit, Bilbo hosts over a dozen rowdy dwarves who eat everything in his pantry. In The Lord of the Rings the elves are constantly opening their doors to travelers in need. Even the Ents, who are basically walking trees, find ways to accommodate guests when they pass through their forest. Hospitality is not an easy gift, and from the way he writes Tolkien obviously believed it wasn't supposed to be, but that does not mean it isn't an important gift.

Fellowship is More Valuable Than Gold

One of my favorite passages from The Hobbit is at the end of the story, where Bilbo Baggins meets with Thorin Oakenshield one last time before they finally part ways. Throughout their adventure Thorin had pursued his lost treasure with unwavering determination, and when it was finally returned, he refused to part with even a piece of it. His greed led to many bad decisions, and in the end he realized what the soulless mound of gold had really cost him. In that moment, he turns to Bilbo and says, "If more of us valued food and cheer and song above horded gold, it would be a merrier world." In today's world, where the economy and money seem to be on everyone's mind, it's important that we don't forget what's truly important: family dinners, jokes with friends, the people we love, and those who don't come with a price tag.

Mercy is Strength

There are many forces at work in The Lord of the Rings trilogy, but when asked what he believes keeps evil at bay, the wizard Gandalf answers mercy. "Many that live deserve death. And some that die deserve life. Can you give it to them? Then do not be too eager to deal out death in judgment. For even the very wise cannot see all ends." It is fascinating to think that the mercy Bilbo showed in Tolkien's first, thin story could have such a great impact in his three-part epic. What's more, the same is true for our own lives. Even if we can't see them, our actions have consequences, and the grace we show to others is always remembered.

Sometimes We Must be the Sacrifice

J.R.R. Tolkien lived through two World Wars; he knew better than most that no victory comes without a cost. This theme of sacrifice is ingrained in his novels and in the essence of his characters, none more so than Frodo Baggins. Frodo gave up his peaceful life at home in order to destroy the Ring, knowing the mission would likely claim his life. In the end, even though Frodo survived his journey he could not go back to his life in the Shire. He had given everything to protect the world, and now, he had no place in it. As Christians, sometimes we are called to surrender the things we love most in order to preserve what Christ has done. It may be our hard-won careers, our deepest dreams, perhaps even the desire for a family of our own. It is a cold and bitter truth, but like Frodo, Christ does not leave us alone and without hope.

There is Always Hope

There are some pretty heavy moments in Tolkien's writing. There are good people who suffer, while others give in to the darkness, but no matter how far a character falls there is still always hope and the opportunity of forgiveness. Even a character like Boromir, who betrays his companions, ends up finding redemption in the end. For Christians, the message of hope is a powerful one, and it is very comforting to find it within the pages of The Lord of the Rings. There is a quote in The Return of the King where Pippin asks Gandalf if there any hope for them, "There was never much hope," the wizard replies, "Only a fool's hope." And yet, that is all that's really needed. Despite all the adversity we might face in life, God's grace is still present, and no matter what we've done he can still use us to demonstrate His glory. One of Tolkien's greatest gifts to his readers was the message that hope exists, even when we're faced with overwhelming odds.

For Further Reading
J.R.R. Tolkien and the Discipline of Hope
Vessels of Mercy: God, Grace and Gollum
Tolkien's Middle-earth: A Christian World

[Judy Harder]

Stop the Sun
by John UpChurch, Senior Editor, BibleStudyTools.com

Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger (Ephesians 4:26)

When I got married, the friend my wife and I roped into making the wedding video for us added a few surprises to the tape before he gave it to us. During our rehearsal dinner (which didn't actually follow a rehearsal), he'd grabbed guests, whisked them outside, poked the camera in their faces, and asked them for their best tips on keeping a marriage strong.

The advice is decidedly mixed. It ranges from the serious ("Make time for your relationship") to the Scriptural ("Love is kind") to the funny ("Just let her win, John") to the ludicrous ("Beat him when you need to"). It's the stuff you'd expect from those who are on the spot with only moments to think up something that would be forever stamped on our video.

But one piece of advice has always stuck out to me, and even as I write this, I see it and wince. One of our friends told us that we should just "forget about that whole sun-not-going-down-on-your-anger thing. You will go to bed mad."

It's just really bad advice.

Now, admittedly, when Paul wrote Ephesians 4:26, he wasn't talking to married couples directly. He meant it for the believers at Ephesus in general. But he slips that passage in among his admonitions about how our lives should be different now that we follow Christ. He says those who don't know Christ live one way, but when they start to follow Him, their lives show it. Before, we let our anger seethe, but now, we fix the problem. Before, we didn't seek forgiveness and restitution, but now we do.

In marriage, the status quo is always safer. We get into routines, and we like how comfortable the ordinary feels. When something disrupts the normal flow, guys especially want to just move it out of the way and get back to flowing again. Meanwhile, our wives are still upset, and nothing has been dealt with.

You see, there's another part to that going-to-bed-angry thing that our well-wisher left out. When we do that, the Bible says we give the devil a foothold, a place to cling on. The anger burns deeper and deeper. One angry night becomes dozens. That's the place where relationships stop growing—and even die.

But there's no need for any angry sleeping, not when we've got something as crazy-good as the gospel. As Paul says, the good news is that we've chucked off our old selves and gotten brand-spanking-new selves. This new-self sets us apart in the world as children of light. In other words, when we don't do what people expect, we suddenly blaze into the darkness. When we don't let the sun go down on our anger, but forgive as we're forgiven, it's like setting off a flare. You're saying, "Look. This is God's love made manifest through us. Dig it."

Intersecting Faith and Life: Paul doesn't leave us a way out. Boiling anger has no room in our relationships, and it's this readiness to forgive and willingness to work out our problems that make us light up the world. No matter what conventional wisdom may be, don't let the sun go down before you work to put things right.

[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")
Thomas Watson, The Lord's Prayer