Crosswalk.com--The Devotional

[Judy Harder]

September 9, 2009

Making Faces
by Katherine Britton, Crosswalk.com News & Culture Editor

When Moses came down from Mount Sinai with the two tablets of the Testimony in his hands, he was not aware that his face was radiant because he had spoken with the Lord. - Exodus 34:29

Once upon a time, armed with a couple brushes and makeup cakes, I specialized in turning 20-year-olds into 70-year-olds.

My time backstage in the college theater resulted in curious, long-term fascination with age lines and facial features. I more than once found myself ignoring a professor's lecture to study his face - ironically, studying the faces sometimes gave me a clearer insight into who my professor was as a person, and what his expectations might be. I've carried that quirk with me as I meet new people at church, at work, or at massive family reunions.

Here's the thing - sure, everyone gets crows feet as they age, but only some people have the unique quality that upgrades the "wrinkles" into "laugh lines." The eyes in those faces possess a permanent twinkle that makes me wish I had all day to listen to their tales of dare'n'do. Other faces have the stern, vertical jowl lines indicating a person might not have spent enough time smiling. It's easy to spot the people who talk with their eyes just by looking at their forehead and observing how prominent the creases are.

Backstage in college, these observations played an important role in every theater production. As part of the makeup crew, my goal was to create immediate character recognition and visible personality for actors before they even opened their mouths to say their first lines. This was especially important when creating older characters. The artifice of the theater let me speed through the years and imagine - if this sallow character was 50, 60, or 70 years old, what toll would their personality have taken on their expression? Add a line here, a perceived fullness there, a slight curve or shadow, and my college-age friends would (in theory) walk out not as themselves, but as a visual portrayal of a character. The lines served as an outward sign of an inner temperament.

Theater makeup allowed me to put the habits of a lifetime onto someone for just a few hours. After that, an actor could just wash off the brown and crème lines and "old age" foundation. The rest of us wear - and are always creating - more permanent lines.

The visual character sketches I used to create constantly reminded me that people either get "better or bitter" as we grow older. Our attitudes and values subtly reveal themselves on our faces from childhood on. Dorian Gray was a caricature, but actions do tend to work themselves to the surface whether we want the world to know or not.

You can look around to see what a lifetime of self-centered crankiness will do to a person's looks. On the other hand, if your church is like mine, you can also find faces that show a lifetime of peace in Christ. Those faces - and those eyes - are tied to a world that has more than a few difficulties and anxieties, but that's not what shines through. It's the joy of Christ that gives those eyes a constant twinkle.

Intersection of Faith & Life: We ultimately display what's in our hearts right on our faces. Moses experienced this everyday truth in a supernatural way every time he spoke with God (Exodus 34:29-35), when everyone could tell just by looking at his "radiant" face that he had met with God. After his heart had been fully focused on God, his face reflected it. When people look at your face, what do they see? Are you building attitudes and character traits today that you want reflected on your face in a few years time?

Further Reading:

Acts 4:13
Proverbs 15:13
Are You Glowing?
`

[Judy Harder]

September 10, 2009

Merciful Redeemer
by Sarah Jennings, Crosswalk.com Family Editor


But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his unlimited patience as an example for those who would believe on him and receive eternal life.  1 Timothy 1:16 NIV

Paul is one of the most beloved Saints of all time. His love for the Lord, preserved in the canon of Scripture, inspires many to this day. Yet, even this extraordinary man was a sinner -- according to his own words "the worst of sinners." How can this be? Surely he is just exaggerating for effect? Or taking humility a little too far?

But I like to take Paul at his word here. After all, this man had persecuted Christians before his conversion. He had done horrible things in the name of righteousness. Surely, he knew his shortcomings more intimately than you or I. So, let's say Paul truly was the worst of sinners -- and yet we see God did not withhold His mercy.

One of the most moving stories in the Bible is that of another terrible sinner - the woman with the alabaster jar. Interrupting a dinner party at a Pharisee's house, this woman (in what I think would be a very socially awkward moment) wept over Jesus' feet, wiped them dry with her hair, and applied perfume from the jar.

Simon, the hosting Pharisee, was disgusted at this public display of humility, especially by a woman known to be a sinner. Jesus replied to his indignation with this story:

"Two men owed money to a certain moneylender. One owed him five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. Neither of them had the money to pay him back, so he canceled the debts of both. Now which of them will love him more?"

Simon replied, "I suppose the one who had the bigger debt canceled."

"You have judged correctly," Jesus said. (Luke 7: 41 - 43)

Jesus went on to say, "I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven -- for she loved much. But he who has been forgiven little loves little." (v. 47)

So often, when we think of our sins and shortcomings we feel ashamed. We want to hide from God like Adam and Eve hid after eating the forbidden fruit. We think God, in His divine perfection, could never want us back or look on us again with the same love as before. Perhaps you've even experienced this kind of rejection in a tangible way - through the abandonment of a family member or loved one.

But this isn't the way God works.

The amazing thing about God's mercy is its accessibility. The bigger the sin, the more anxious God is to pour out His mercy at the first hint of repentance. The Bible tells us that when one sinner repents, heaven rejoices (Luke 15:10). And through Paul's testimony, we can know without a doubt of Christ's unlimited patience and unfailing love. God seeks the love of sinners -- no matter how many times you've sinned or how dark the sin, He desires to shower you with His mercy if you are willing to receive it.

Intersecting Faith & Life: Matthew 5: 7 says Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy. We are called to show mercy just as Christ shows us mercy. Is there someone in your life in need of your mercy and forgiveness? Give it.

Further Reading

Hebrews 4: 16
Proverbs 28: 13
`

[Judy Harder]

September 11, 2009

Much Ado About Something
by Laura MacCorkle, Crosswalk.com Senior Editor

For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine.  Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear.  They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths.

2 Timothy 4:3-4

Recently, I finished reading the latest book from a well-known author.

Previous titles by this best-selling scribe have been released from various Christian publishers.  I won't reveal his or her name, but if you've spent any time in the Christian bubble in the last 10 or so years, then you've most likely heard it.

I had high hopes when reading the title in question, but by its end I must say that I was rather disappointed in the bland taste left in my mouth.  Definitely more humanistic than God-centric.  Sure, there was a mention of the Creator here and there and a reference to Scripture in occasional places.  But in terms of a substantive, meaty Christian worldview--in terms of who or what should be guiding our lives--I could not find it and felt like I'd only had a small salad for dinner.  Bleh. 

At the same time, I have been studying in 2 Timothy--a letter written by Paul (to Timothy) while he was imprisoned under Emperor Nero (approx. A.D. 67).  The overall theme?  Faithfulness in hard times and taking care to root out errant messages disguised as Truth.

But what kind of hard times were going on in that day?  And what kind of messages were being communicated?

... People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasures rather than lovers of God--having a form of godliness but denying its power .. (2 Tim. 3:1-5).

Just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so also these men oppose the truth--men of depraved minds, who, as far as the faith is concerned, are rejected ... (2 Tim. 3:.

Oh.  So kind of like ... today?

That's right.  In some ways, the world hasn't changed too much since the New Testament times (on one hand that's a little shocking, isn't it?).  And the fact of the matter is--if you're paying attention--the times are only getting worse. 

But we are not surprised.  Because "everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted" (2 Tim. 3:12); as heirs we will suffer for the cause of Christ (Rom. 8:17); and we, like sheep, are still easily led astray (Prov. 10:17, 1 Peter 2:25).  And anyone--even faith-friendly, self-help speakers or all-positive-all-the-time evangelists--who tells you otherwise is not preaching the whole Gospel but a false idea. 

As believers, we should be concerned about what is going on around us.  We should carefully consider anything we read or hear.  We must distinguish between Truth and heresy.  And how do we do that?  By knowing what we believe and measuring everything ... everything ... against God's Word.

All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work (2 Tim. 3:16-17).

And now, truth time.  When's the last time you were taught, rebuked, corrected or trained by something you heard?  By something you read?  Are you drawing from the Well of Truth or are you sipping from the "Spring of Feel-Good" or the "Fount of What-I-Want-to-Hear"?  Take a moment to think about that.  (I will, too.)

It's easy for any of us to get caught up in what our "itching ears want to hear."  But we must remember to consider the source--its trustworthiness and its credibility--as well as the reliability and infallibility of God's Word.  By doing due diligence in this way and making much ado about something, we can help safeguard our lives against falling away from Truth.

Intersection of Faith & Life:  Take some time for personal inventory today.  What are you listening to?  What are you reading?  Who or what is informing your faith?  How much time are you spending meditating on Scripture?  Consider your intake.  Are you being deceived?  Perhaps it is time to make some changes. 

Further Reading:

Hebrews 4:12

1 Peter 5:8-9
`

[Judy Harder]

September 15, 2009

Back on the Sidelines... Why?
by Shawn McEvoy, Crosswalk.com Senior Editor

"You are not able to go out against this Philistine and fight him;
you are only a boy, and he has been a fighting man from his youth."
1 Samuel 17:33

Once upon a time, my life contained elements of the song "Second String" by Wes King, the chorus of which goes:

I know
What it feels like
To be second string.
I know
What it feels like
To just sit on the bench
And watch your friends play
And wonder why you're even on the team
I know, I know
Second string

King even includes a verse in the song about David, and how he too sat waiting on the sidelines to be given a chance to prove where his strength came from against the giant from the Philistine army.

And like I said, once upon a time, that was me -- chomping at the bit, ready for whatever, not worried whether I was good enough or ready (whatever that really means). Just waiting to do great things - big or small - for the Lord's team. Wondering when I could go off and join the intergalactic rebellion... or whether I would be involuntarily stuck, like Luke Skywalker, by forces beyond my control, tending to the Tattooine harvest for "just one more year."

Then not just one, but more than 20 years passed. Many opportunities came. My turn did arrive - several times and in several ways. I might even say that I got more than I wanted, such that somewhere along the line, somehow, my priorities unwittingly turned less towards getting in the game, and more towards recharge, me-time, unclenching... even flat-out laziness and withdrawal.

And I didn't even realize how bad it had gotten until this weekend. There I was at the first week of my son's first-grade season of YMCA soccer. He's been playing since he was three, and is quite good. Part of that is because I played the game growing up and have passed some things along to him.

This year's team didn't have a coach. Nobody had stepped up. We were being told that unless one of us parents took the reins, our kids, who had mostly asked to be placed on a team together, would all be split up and sent to different teams. That's when one of the parents spotted me helping Jordan and a couple other boys practice and said, "That guy looks like he knows what he's doing! Make him the coach."

So I became a youth soccer coach... begrudgingly.

I obviously had not come with a practice plan, but something amazing happened when I took over with those boys. Immediately my mind and body were zapped back to my days as a Christian youth camp counselor, teaching activity classes like soccer, tennis, archery... I became aware of a smile on my face under the Virginia September sun... I even forgot that I was suffering horrible abdominal cramps as a result of several days' consumption of way too much low-quality red meat. We ran drills I hadn't run since I was a junior in high school. The boys actually listened, and picked up some strategy beyond just clustering around the ball. What was going on? All I had wanted was to get through this, get back to my bathroom, and hope to forget my troubles once college football kicked off.

The next morning, Valerie and I were discussing this on our ride to church. Despite the successes of the day before, I was a bit grumpy. Feeling suckered. For whilst sitting on my rear watching said college football, I had also viewed a commercial where two moms sat chatting happily about supplemental insurance at a youth soccer game. They looked so content and unemcumbered. And the thoughts had started: "Ha! No relaxing free hour on the sidelines for you! Fool! Those other parents used you! You probably need a break more than ANY of them, and now you have to run around on the field with children... getting exercise. Exercise! BOOOOOOOO!"

I vocalized these thoughts to my wife in the car. Only this time, no sooner did I get through the word "sidelines" than I didn't require the lovingly reproachful look on Valerie's face. The bolt struck my own brain, and the lesson held.

HOW had I gotten HERE? From "put me in coach" to "why can't I sit on my rear end, too?" Wow. Conviction. Even more so for me because for one thing I have written often about how freedom and maturity aren't about building to a place where we can do whatever we want all the time. I believe that results in us becoming our own little gods. I need exercise. I love kids. I pray for God to use me (do I really mean it?). I'm good at stuff like this. And a few years ago I had learned a similar lesson in a similar way -- that Christianity is a team sport. Going solo doesn't work.

Put it all together and I was really baffled at how far I had let myself go in the name of comfort, desserts, and fairness.

I'm not recommending you run out and coach youth soccer, or even suggesting that I am suddenly a very important and unselfish volunteer. It's simply the attitude paradigm re-shift I needed that I want to convey today. David -- and once upon a time, probably you -- couldn't wait to join the fight. Until this weekend, Shawn -- and perhaps you -- couldn't wait to hide from it at the end of every tiring day and exhausting week. Thankfully the alarm clock went off, and I'm awake again.

Saturday I was sleepwalking, but even so, there was the energy, the qualification, and the reward, as soon as I said yes, even bedrudgingly.

Today youth soccer. Tomorrow, something grander.
`

[Judy Harder]

September 16, 2009

Once'n'Done Theology
by Katherine Britton, Crosswalk.com News & Culture Editor

"And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ." - Philippians 1:6


It's not uncommon for me to reach a conclusion, and then work backwards to justify it. As my husband can tell you, I often enjoy the closure of a thing done, a project completed, or a decision made more than the process of doing it, so it's sometimes easier to just make the decision and then decide how to live with it. Forget the research and deliberation, that's for people who like options. When I see progression (ergo, progress), I'm happy.

Because of this linear tendency, being forced to redo projects - or even slow down - is cause for great consternation. It messes up the simplicity of moving from A to B to C. I desperately hate the feeling of moving in circles without a direction. Here's the spiritual catch for me - this personality trait can translate into a "been there, done that" attitude in my faith. My conversations with God can look like this:


Okay, Lord, I'm constantly confronted with the importance of the Gospel, but shouldn't it be coming from somewhere like, say, Hebrews by now? I've known the Christian message for years, and I'd like to think I'm beyond that "milk" stuff onto the "meat" course. John 3:16 seems a little old by now, don't you think you could teach me something else, Lord? We've covered this ground before, and I feel like I'm ready to move on. Teach me something new, something exciting. My conversion was a once'n'done deal, so now we can move onto the more important parts of theology. Like the mystery of the Trinity or something. No, Lord, I don't want to learn about repentance again...

On Sunday, I was confronted with just that: a lesson that needed to be relearned. My pastor had chosen a prayer from the Valley of Vision to include in the bulletin:

But in my Christian walk I am still in rags;   
my best prayers are stained with sin;   
my penitential tears are so much impurity;   
my confessions of wrong are so many     
aggravations of sin;   
my receiving the Spirit is tinctured with selfishness.   
I need to repent of my repentance...

I don't like hearing that, after all this time, I'm still in rags. That I'm still an imperfect Christian. That even my repentance needs to be purified.

Too often, my image of salvation is someone on their knees praying the sinner's prayer, then popping up with a smile on their face and the mental white robes. Boom, instant Christian! Every day in the Christian life newer, better, deeper, further down the road of sanctification. A linear path to transformation.

In reality, the proper illustration is probably closer to the story of Michelangelo carving one of his great sculptures. The real beauty of the piece isn't found in the shape of the stone - we would've forgotten David long ago if Michelangelo had stopped with the mere likeness of a man. What makes the piece incredible is the intricate detail, the painstaking perfection of a stone so like a man it stuns us. It's so much more than a dull reflection carved out of rock. The sculptures find their meaning in the tiny chips that smoothed the rock into the likeness of life. Each chisel mark brought art closer to the surface. Ron DiCiani visually portrays this illustration with his own piece, "The Chisel," in which the hand of God chips a man free of his imprisonment. This is not a linear process - instead, it requires the constant return to the same spot until the master says he is finished.

The Christian life is not a once'n'done affair. Our faith requires - thank God! - learning the same lessons over and over, in fresh ways that jolt us back to the reality of radical grace.

"Continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose." - Philippians 2:12b-13   

Intersection of Faith & Life: Do you find yourself frustrated to learn the "same lessons" over and over again? Running smack up against those old lessons serves as a reminder that we're never done with any part of the Gospel. It will take all of our time here on earth to understand the magnitude of what we've been given. That same Valley of Vision poem ends with this plea:

Grant me never to lose sight of   
the exceeding sinfulness of sin,   
the exceeding righteousness of salvation,   
the exceeding glory of Christ,   
the exceeding beauty of holiness,   
the exceeding wonder of grace. `

[Judy Harder]

September 17, 2009

Is that Fruit any Good?
by Laura MacCorkle, Crosswalk.com Senior Entertaiment Editor

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self control. Against such things there is no law.
Galatians 5:22-23, NIV

It's the age-old question that you may have asked yourself this morning: How can I tell if a cantaloupe is good or not?

I'm not a mind reader, but I think it really is possible that you may have already asked that today. Since cantaloupes are now available year-round (and not just in the June to August peak season), chances are you might be purchasing one very soon. If not today.

So, naturally, you'll want to know what techniques you should have at the ready when it comes to figuring out which cantaloupe is good. 

Well, there are different tests that can be employed. Lora Brody, author of The Kitchen Survival Guide (which, incidentally, is a great gift for new cooks, the college-bound, nearly-weds or newlyweds), explains:

Selecting a ripe melon can be tricky, so I suggest you ask the produce clerk for assistance the first few times. Melons, and this is more true with cantaloupe than honeydew, should yield slightly to pressure when pressed at both ends. Make sure to choose melons free of soft spots. A melon should smell nice and sweet. This means it is ripe or nearly ripe.

Well, thanks, Lora. Now we all know how to identify good cantaloupes. Another important point to note is that cantaloupes will not ripen once they have left the vine. Interesting.  That's something to keep in mind as we consider other types of fruit. Virtual fruit, if you will. Like the fruits of the Spirit we should bear as Christians. 

But how do we know if we are bearing good spiritual fruit? Perhaps we could apply this same cantaloupe test to our lives to see if we are yielding anything good...

We should ask for help... If you're unsure about your fruit-bearing-if it's good, bad or nonexistent-it's best to always check first with the No. 1 Fruit Expert. Seek the Lord, for his fruit is better than fine gold (Proverbs 8:17-19). 

We should yield slightly to pressure... How we react when trials and suffering come our way says a lot. Are we hard pressed on every side, but not crushed?  Perplexed, but not in despair? Persecuted, but not abandoned?  Struck down, but not destroyed? (2 Corinthians 4:

We should be free of soft spots... Are we protecting our vulnerable areas from the enemy? Have we put on the full armor of God so that we can take a stand against the devil's schemes? (Ephesians 6:11-18)

We should smell nice and sweet ... Are our lives a fragrant aroma or a stale stench? Do we emit the gospel of grace through our words and our deeds? (2 Corinthians 2:15-16)

We should stay connected to the vine to ripen ... As Christ followers, we have to stay connected to the Vine for our ripening process lasts a lifetime. Christ produces the fruit in our lives. Apart from him we can do nothing  (John 15:4-5).

When was the last time you employed a fruit test in your life? Spiritual fruit, like the cantaloupe, is always in season. Try testing yours today!

Intersecting Faith & Life: Which fruit of the Spirit could use some work in your life? Write it down on an index card (love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control). And focus on this virtue for a week. Ask the Lord to help you to stay connected to him as he "ripens" this area of your life.

Further Reading

Jeremiah 17:7-8, NIV
When Your Efforts Seem Fruitless
`

[Judy Harder]

  The Devotional

Friday, September 18, 2009

September 18, 2009

The Epic Battle Sequence Within
by Laura MacCorkle, Crosswalk.com Senior Editor

Do not love the world or anything in the world.  If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.  For everything in the world--the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does--comes not from the Father but from the world.  The world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever.

1 John 2:15-17

"Hey, we're going to go see _________ at the movie theater on Friday night.  Want to go with?"

The older I get, the more that question is one that is met with internal conflict and less with joie de vivre or devil-may-care attitude (when in all actuality, the Devil really does care!).  I'm more cautious now and am concerned with what types of moving pictures and dialogue I'm allowing into my head and heart.

When I was a high schooler, I only followed the rating.  If it's R-rated, then I know I can't go.  Mom and Dad won't let me, and I'll get in trouble  if I go see this movie.  So, of course, my intake was more limited.  That time period also marked the beginning of the PG-13 rating which didn't push the limits then nearly as much as it does now (in case you hadn't noticed, in the twenty-first century PG-13 is the new R).  So I was usually pretty safe with any movie below an R rating. 

Or ... was I?

I remember some films that I watched back then that, had the "adult me" had a short conversation with the "teenager me," I probably would have thought twice about seeing them.  It never occurred to me to consult a review of a film before going to the theater.  All that mattered was the rating, who was starring and what the story was about.  With those few bits of info, I was ready to make an "informed" decision. 

These days, I know too much.  I read about films long before they hit theaters, and I learn what kinds of objectionable content are going to be at play.  And this is where the epic battle sequence within begins.

You know those type of scenes.  Think of some of the greatest battles ever portrayed on film, and you'll get the picture (Saving Private Ryan, The Lord of the Rings, Braveheart--and maybe some of the Star Wars movies which somehow haven't aged quite so well, but I still love them anyway).

Swords and shields, tanks and machine guns, force fields and light sabers--they're all making a metaphorical racket inside of me when contemplating, Is this movie too "of the world" and is it against God or righteousness?  During these moments, it's truly a fight for me.  For my allegiance.  To whom do I belong?  And who will win?

As I strive to grow in my faith and allow the work of the Holy Spirit to transform me, to correct my wayward thinking and to propel me toward paths of righteousness, I have to decide what I should or should not let invade my life (Rom. 12:2)

Will this film play a part in the renewing of my mind?  Will I learn something from it that I can apply to my life?  Will it draw me closer toward or lead me away from God?  Or am I being too strict and need to recognize that some movies are pretty much harmless to my Christian walk?

At the end of the day, each of us must decide for himself or herself what is acceptable and what is God's will for our personal cinematic consumption.  Whether it's choosing which films to watch or any other life decisions, it's when the epic battle sequence within ceases that we know we have real problems.

Intersection of Faith & Life:  Yes, life goes by very fast.  But we need to pause.  We need to ponder.  We need to see what's going on inside of our hearts and minds.  Take some time today to think about what recent life choices you have made (whether it's movies you've watched or otherwise).  How did you arrive at your final decisions?  Were you conflicted?  Should you have been? 

Further Reading:

Philippians 4:8

Can Anything Good Come from Hollywood?

[Judy Harder]

September 22, 2009

To Become Small
by Meghan Kleppinger

He must increase, but I must decrease.
John 3:30

Where do you go to become small?

Or, where do you go to remember... to remember that you are small?

A friend recently told me that it was her greatest desire to be number one in her class. "I've never ranked first in anything," she confided. "Just once, I want to be number one."

It's easy to empathize with her isn't it?

There is something in us that strives to be more. We want to be successful at work and in our personal lives. Seeking significance, we look for ways to make an impact in our communities. At the end of our days, we want to leave something behind that says, "I was here and I was important."

It isn't wrong to strive for excellence or to do our best in all things; in fact, we are to do these things. The problem comes when we strive, not for excellence, but to become excellent for ourselves. It's in our need to be the best.

The ocean.

That's where God reminds me of how small I am.

I used to tell people that I must have been born in the water. The ocean is a place where I've always felt connected, comforted, and challenged. Because my parents and their families are from the Eastern Shore of Maryland, when I was growing up, the sea became my second home.

I love the smell of salt water, the feel of grainy salt between my toes, the never ending salty breeze that swirls around in all directions. I love swimming and surfing and the sun, but strangely, my favorite time of year to visit the beach is winter.

More than once, in the middle of the cold months, I've made my way down to the water's edge, bundled up in my warmest clothes, from the ankles up anyway, and stared out at the awesome site before me.

An empty beach,
Crashing waves,
Biting January winds,
Salty air,
... and a massive sea staring back at me.

There has never been a time when I've stared out at the water that I haven't experienced a sense of awe. The ocean is huge. I can't see where it ends. From the time I was a small girl until now, one thing has remained the same; no matter how much I've grown, the ocean is still huge in comparison.

God reminds me that the same is true with him. He uses the ocean to humble me as He shows me His awesomeness. No matter how "big" or important I become, He will always be greater.

There is comfort in knowing this, isn't there? It isn't about self esteem; it's about remembering who God is.

God is bigger than all things - not just us, but our problems, our pain, our struggles, and our sin.

Somehow, when I see the ocean and am reminded of God, the need to be number one diminishes.

Intersecting Faith & Life: Let our great and awesome God guide you in all that you do.

Further Reading

Hebrews 13:20-21
The Secret to Knowing God
God's Provision

[Judy Harder]

September 23, 2009 

The Heart of the Debate
by Katherine Britton, Crosswalk.com News & Culture Editor   

But avoid foolish controversies and genealogies and arguments and quarrels about the law, because these are unprofitable and useless.
Titus 3:9

"Well, I'm not sure Barack Obama isn't the antichrist. The Bible says to be on guard against the evil one. And given his policies of late - and this video I saw on YouTube - you ought to consider the implications."

"How many angels can dance on the head of a pin?"

"WHAT?! This church doesn't believe in infant baptism?! The Presbyterian tradition goes all the way back to the early church, how can you not see that?"

"So, could God make a rock so big he couldn't lift it?"

It's true, pursuing a full understanding of Scripture necessitates some conversation and debate with fellow believers. How else will iron sharpen iron if we aren't willing to engage in lively - and loving - exchange? We can never assume that our own wisdom is the final word on spiritual matters.

But there's a problem. If we're not careful, our iron-sharpening-iron debates degenerate. Almost before we recognize it, our hunger for knowledge becomes its own end.

During my freshman year of college at a small Christian school, I was often drawn into theological "debates." The conversation often included predestination, but was just as likely to include some esoteric unknowable like whether God could make a rock so big that even he couldn't lift it. Initially, the polemic in me enjoyed these intellectual tête-à-têtes. Like many others, I was driven by a desire to see the Bible in the right way, and I learned to appreciate some differing viewpoints on some topics. But the thrill of scoring a point on a verbal sparring partner was a little addicting.

As the semesters passed, many of us found that we were better off serving alongside each other than debating each other, regardless of differing views on infant baptism and the like. But some of us... well, the metaphor changed. Often, those who continued to "debate" theology got more and more entrenched within their positions and stopped really listening to whomever they were sparring with. The goal changed from wholehearted pursuit of truth to wholehearted pursuit of debate for debate's sake. Those iron-sharpening-iron sessions became more like a session of bulls locking horns over theological territory.

As Paul wrote Titus and the church in Crete, some conversations don't truly help us in our walk as Christians. In fact, they're just plain "foolish." They may not be so painfully, obviously unhelpful as the number of angels on the head of a pin, but they still fall into that broad category of "useless." What's worse, when we spent our mental energy on these spiritual rabbit trails, it just distracts us from what's truly important.

None of us possesses perfect knowledge or understanding of Scripture. If we did, and knowledge of God could be quantified, he wouldn't be the infinite God we know. Now, I'm certainly not saying we should quit trying - part of the wonder of the Christian life is learning to know God more, and appreciating his character the better for it. What I am saying is that we can lose sight of our motivation for "knowing." Like the church in Crete, we can quickly start debating the finer points of theology - or Christian living, or whatever - to prove ourselves right. And when that happens, the Gospel gets tossed to the side. The main point gets lost among the minor details. What is - and always will be - most important is the wonder of God reaching down to pull us up. Christ died to save sinners even before they were repentant - that's the heart of the Gospel. And that, my friends, needs no debate.

Intersection of Faith & Life: Anything that takes priority over the Gospel - including worthless or overzealous arguments - acts as an idol in our hearts. What cherished theological minutiae are getting in the way of your fellowship with other Christians? Even with your view of the Gospel?

Further Reading:

1 Thessalonians 4:11
Why My Way Is the Only Godly Way

[Judy Harder]

  The Devotional
   
September 24, 2009

What Brown Did for Them
by Shawn McEvoy, Crosswalk.com Senior Editor

The angel of the Lord encamps all around those who fear Him, and delivers them.
Psalm 34:7


"God sends his best troops to oversee your life," writes Max Lucado in his book Fear Not. "Imagine the president assigning his Secret Service to protect you, telling his agents to motorcade your car through traffic and safeguard you through crowds... Heaven's many, mighty angels watch over you."

In our lives, my wife and I have seen the Lord minister to us mysteriously just like that. In her life, the amazingly-timed angelic intervention has tended to be more in the area of housing and shelter. In mine, it has centered more around transportation.

I was 11 years old and stuck on the side of an empty desert road with my mother and 9-year-old sister. It was very hot, and we had a flat tire on the old station wagon. Unfortunately, it was one of those older models that required a special tool to remove the hubcaps... and as luck would have it, we were without the tool. Or rather, we were until a man on a bicycle appeared over the horizon. He biked up to us, asked what the problem was, and produced the specific tool from out of his pocket. He changed the tire, smiled, and rode off again, leaving three people with their bottom jaws in their laps.

Another time, before we were married, I was helping Valerie move from South Carolina to Virginia. We had loaded the U-haul, and then secured her Toyota to an auto-transport trailer behind it. Our journey took us up and down bumpy hills, over railroad tracks, through a rainstorm, and onto the interstate before we stopped for gas... and realized that we were missing Valerie's keychain, which included her car keys, keys to her new residence and her old residence, and don't-lose-them-or-we'll-charge-you-$600-each keys to certain buildings at the University of South Carolina. We searched everywhere but could not find the keys. Finally, I got out of the car intending to call the U-haul dealer to see if we had left them there. That's when I spied the keys resting oh-so-gingerly upon a 1-inch-thick beam of the auto-transport trailer. Apparently I had left them there as we were securing the Toyota. I touched them so slightly and they fell to the ground. How they had remained there through our journey to that point was a mystery. All we each knew was that it could not have been physically possible, and we praised God.

This weekend at church I heard an even greater story from an Australian band called Revive. The lead singer shared a testimony of how they came to be in America, how they stepped out in faith to move their families to the other side of the world at the urging of the much-more-well-known group Third Day. They had bought an old white bus in which to tour from place to place... and it turned out to be a lemon. They referred to it as their "tic-tac on wheels." The old tic-tac had been to see about four or five mechanics - some of whom were rip-off artists - before it broke down yet again. The band was out of money, so desitute that they laughably pulled out one of their CDs as they explained their situation to this latest repair guy. "We're new in the country... we've got to get back on the road by tomorrow... we don't have much money... can we give you some free merchandise?, etc. etc."

The mechanic was like, "Ahh... I'll see what I can do," and he dropped the CD back onto the counter next to the register.

What happened next is a bit of a mystery to the band, because they didn't experience it first-hand. But from what they have been able to piece together...

The next day, a UPS delivery guy brought a package to that same repair shop. He saw the CD still on the counter, and somehow, he had heard of this new-in-the-country, fledgling Christian band. He struck up a conversation with the mechanic about their situation.

Later that day, when the band came to pick up the tic-tac, completely unsure of how they were going to pay for the repairs, they were informed that their bill had been paid in full. Says the mechanic, "This UPS guy comes in to deliver a package, sees your CD where I left it on the counter, and asks about you. He paid for your repairs. The bus is ready - runs great - and you guys can get going."

As he told the story to our congregation, the lead singer said, laughing, "We have delivery folks in Australia as well, and I know we're new here, but I'm pretty sure this sort of thing isn't standard. So we now refer to our mysterious helper as our angel in little brown short-shorts."

Intersecting Faith & Life: Was he human, or was he angelic? Has UPS been hiring extraordinary Good Samaritans? What about the guy on the bike? Does it matter? Either way, God sent willing ministers to the aid of those traveling to spread his Word, to those willing to put complete trust in him. Pray that you will have both the opportunity to bring this kind of aid to someone else, and to experience it yourself, even as you know that the only way you will get to see it is through a problem, trial, or inconvenience. But that's where miraculous and angelic intervention occurs... for those who fear God.

Further Reading

God's Secret Agents
Touched by an Angel
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