A Road Called Mercy

“Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” Luke 10:25b

I love how Jesus seemed to frequently answer a question by asking a question. Such is the case in the story that prompted the parable of the Good Samaritan. Before Jesus told the lawyer the answer, He asked him what was written in the law regarding eternal life and what his interpretation was of the reading. He wanted the man to declare his understanding of the way to heaven. The lawyer confidently stated, ‘You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself.’ Luke 10:27. Continuing to press Jesus for answers he asked Jesus to identify his neighbor. Jesus began to tell the story of a battered and bleeding man who was robbed and left for dead on the side of the road. The man received no help from either the priest or the Levite, who not only was non-responsive but went out of their way to distance themselves from any responsibility. ‘…A certain priest came down the road. And when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. Likewise a Levite, when he arrived at the place, came and looked, and passed by on the other side.’ Luke 10:31-32. Both men came upon the one in need…both men saw the need for mercy…both men scooted across the road to avoid giving mercy…both men determined very quickly that the dying man was not their neighbor.

I know…it’s difficult…it’s tempting to be just like those men in the parable. We take a different street to avoid the homeless person that we know will be on the corner. We see someone at the light collecting for a halfway house for addicts, and we cut over in the far lane, so we won’t have to share our dollar. We stand in the grocery line irritated as the less fortunate slowly thumbs through a mountain of coupons to be able to afford the basics of milk and bread. But coincidentally we are the beggar, the bruised and the beaten because of our need for mercy. Without Jesus staying on our side of the road we would end up dead. Without Jesus stopping to attend to our needs, we just might not make it another day on the road towards eternal life. Without Jesus lifting us up and carrying us to safety we just might allow the world to consume us. Without Jesus paying the price for restoration just like the Good Samaritan we would never make it to heaven. Jesus is our Good Samaritan and commands us to also serve in that way. ‘The Samaritan’s actions were radical because he showed thoughtful mercy to a perceived enemy that allowed the traveler to be fully restored. Not only did he tenderly care for his wounds, but he also tangibly provided a way for him to heal.’ Determined, Heather Dixon, p. 129. That sure seems awfully familiar to what Jesus has done for us.

“And he said, ‘He who showed mercy on him.’ Then Jesus said, ‘Go and do likewise.’” Luke 10: 37

Setting Our Face

“When the days were approaching for His ascension, He was determined to go to Jerusalem." (NASB) Luke 9:51

This verse looks so innocent…so welcoming…so inviting when thinking about Jesus getting ready to return to His home in heaven. But what is not written in this verse was what He had to experience to get there. He was well educated in the prophesies that had to be fulfilled regarding the end of His life. He fully knew the messy and painful ending that must first occur to receive His ascension. It wasn’t going to be pretty…it wouldn’t be fair…it would be one of the most brutal murders in the history of our world. He would be tortured, humiliated, left alone to die and experience intense suffering, and yet ‘He was determined to go.’

I remember when my dad had about 6 months to live, we were discussing him going to heaven and the peace that he had with his journey home. He confided that as his days were coming to an end the only anxiety he felt was how it would occur. Jesus knew how His ending on earth would play out, but we do not. Jesus stayed laser focused on His ascension instead of His death and so should we. ‘Jesus set His face to go to Jerusalem. He not only determined to make the journey; He resolutely tightened His lips, set His jaw, and fixed His eye on the cross and His resurrection. Every story He told, every miracle He performed, and every conversation in which He engaged, from this point on, had the cross pulsating in the back of His mind.’ Charles Swindoll, Insights on Luke: Swindoll’s Living Insights New Testament Commentary, p. 123.

I can’t imagine staying focused on life when we know death is coming. I can’t imagine putting aside my thoughts and fears to focus on the message for others to abundantly live and love with God at the center. But that is what Jesus was determined to do…live out the message that because He would die, we could live. But then just when my thoughts feel heavy God pointed me to the end of the story of Luke which is the end of our story and our departed loved ones. “Now it came to pass, while He blessed them, that He was parted from them and carried up into heaven.” Luke 24:51.

This verse is what makes it worth it. After we share in the suffering of death we will share in the blessing of Heaven. Just like Jesus we will be ‘parted’ from our loved ones who will one day follow, and we will be carried into heaven. My mind races…my heart hopes…my joy is in my future home. Who will I see when I take my first breath in eternity? Jesus. Who will carry me through those gates? Jesus. Just think...one day just as the cross stands empty for Christ, the crosses we bear on earth will one day also stand empty. We must be people of determination and courage to keep our eyes firmly on the path of Jesus which ends up at the throne of God. And we will all sing, ‘Holy, holy, holy’ as we raise our hallelujah’s forever and amen!

“Therefore have I set my face like flint, and I know I will not be put to shame.” Isaiah 50:7.

When Silence is Broken

“Then He said to them all, ‘If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me.'” Luke 9:23

A month or so ago I attended a funeral of a couple who had to say goodbye to their new-born baby. Their joyous arrival at the hospital to deliver their full-term bundle was replaced with the heartbreaking news of no heartbeat. They had to continue with the labor and go through the process of delivery only to hold their first born briefly and return him to Jesus. I must admit I was not prepared to see that tiny white coffin, much less see the husband and mother-in-law helping the new mom carefully walk across the grass to get to the tent just 48 hours later. I have had to return my sister and dad to Jesus, but this was by far the saddest service I have ever attended. I’ve thought about this frequently over the past month or so and I keep coming up with the same answer. The hardest times we will experience on this earth will be times when our minds cannot fathom what our eyes are seeing. Times when simple expectations like a healthy birth are replaced with a crumbling foundation of emotions and questions.

I must be honest when I tell you what happened when I got back to my car and was able to finally sob uncontrollably. I wanted silence…I wanted the release of heartbreak…I wanted to be mad. But I learned a long time ago that anger at anything eventually becomes anger at everything…including God. The silence in the car that day was broken with my own voice demanding that God remind me of why He is so good. I needed the reassurance that I hadn’t placed my life in the hands of a cruel God. I needed Him to show me that He is not reckless with my love and devotion towards Him. The more I recited the attributes of His character the more I remembered why I can trust Him…love Him…believe Him. Because Jesus said so. We are to walk like Jesus who has experienced every bit of pain on earth that we have experienced…and more. He overcame everything in victory and resurrection by remembering His Father's goodness. Jesus warned us that this world would be full of trouble and heartache. He warned us that there will be times when denying ourselves means to accept the troubles and heartaches without reason or understanding. That day I had to deny myself and follow the breadcrumbs of Jesus that led me back to God and His love.

‘We’re taken by surprise when we choose to follow Jesus and bad things still happen…Why, Jesus? We ask. When we are whispering such prayers, it can be tempting to attach our expectations of life to the authenticity of God’s love. When good things happen, we assume that we hold God’s favor, and when bad things happen, we fear we have lost it. But the Bible rejects this lie…it reveals that He created us, He loves and values us, and He sustains us. Luke 9 teaches us that every moment wasted on unmet expectations is a moment devoid of real living…The only way to fully live is to release your expectations for life and instead wait expectantly for Jesus to satisfy.’ Determined, Heather Dixon, p. 120.

When heartbreak and suffering invade our lives, we must recite the goodness of God and His faithfulness to make all things right either on earth or in Heaven. It takes courage to deny ourselves of what we think should happen. It takes perseverance to keep taking up the cross daily of what is happening. But the beauty is that when we follow Jesus, we will be equipped to face anything on this earth and that in the end, we win since God triumphs over sin and death. Sometimes we must break our own silence to remind our hearts of the love and victory found in Jesus.

Stepping Into the Flood

“Behold, the ark of the covenant of the Lord of all the earth is crossing over before you…’ So it was, when the people set out…to cross over…the waters which came down from upstream stood still and rose in a heap…and were cut off; and the people crossed over…on dry ground.” Joshua 3:11-17

The event our passage describes today happened thousands of years ago. It is a beautiful story of the people of God determined to take Him at His word. It was a literal journey from their past lives of bondage in Egypt to their future lives of freedom in Canaan referred to as the Promised Land. But the most beautiful fruit of this story is the fact that it can be my story and your story as well. Behind the journey were people who had to make individual decisions. Would they stay in their territory of their past or trust that God was leading them into the territory of their future? It took guts to leave behind what they knew, even if it wasn’t good. It took blind belief to trust God for something not yet visible in their lives. It took keeping their eyes on the Lord as they walked away from their yesterday and towards their tomorrow.

Does any of this sound familiar? Do we really believe that God still ‘cuts off the water’ so we can pass through the flood? Are we walking in confidence towards His new beginning for us or stuck in the mud and mire of our old circumstances? Heather Dixon, author of Determined writes, ‘One side of the river held their past. The other side held their future. Stepping into the flood held the declaration of their faith. The characters change, but the story remains virtually the same. When we declare our faith in Jesus, He will lead us to abundant life. But to embrace our future with Christ, we must be willing to let Him heal our past.’ P.113. God has a promised land for each of us, but we must go and take hold of it by taking hold of Christ.

From Genesis to Revelation ink abundantly flows describing beautiful stories of do-overs and start overs. Each morning the sun appears on a new canvas inviting us to paint our own second chances and fresh beginnings. God’s word promises, ‘If anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come. The old has gone, the new is here!’ 2 Co 5:17. Whatever old you are dragging across the river release it and take hold of what God has for you in this new season.

Empty Handed

“Take nothing for the journey…You give them something to eat.” Luke 9:13

While there are only 12 verses that separate these two commands from Jesus to His disciples, a great deal of living had happened. Each disciple had been empowered with authority over demons and the ability to heal. They had gone into many different cities, staying with strangers…healthy…sick… desperate most likely…demon-possessed…and the list went on and on. Upon their arrival back to each other, they must have all had amazing stories of healing and terrifying stories of demons cast out. They took nothing with them but the power of their anointing from Jesus. The emotional and exhausting roller-coaster of their experiences upon their return were met with the 2nd command of Jesus when they asked for some solitude and rest. Instead of Jesus sending away the multitude to go and find food in a nearby city He put it back on them… ‘you feed them.’ Jesus had to remind them that because of His power that He placed in them they had the same power to feed the people that they had to heal the sick in the cities. Jesus is always looking for partnerships with His people.

Sometimes God will also ask us to accomplish things on His behalf empty-handed. We live between the commands of ‘taking nothing’ and ‘giving away’ just like the disciples. God will sometimes set up circumstances that seem impossible…improbable…unreasonable but then we watch the details unfold. We partner with God in situations that require us to depend wholly on Him. And man does He deliver as we look down in our baskets of service and see His abundance…miraculous power and strength. Jesus was a problem-solver and He expects each of us to also serve in faith.

The expectation of Jesus is no different in today’s society. ‘You feed them.’ ‘When we have direct access to the power of God, we can’t afford the luxury of bypassing the needs of others. We must fix things, solve problems, and care for those in our path. As followers of Jesus, we are called to recognize and resource the unmet needs of others.’ Determined, Heather Dixon, p. 104.

Always Enough

“Then He took the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up to heaven, He blessed and broke them, and gave them to the disciples to set before the multitude. So they all ate and were filled, and twelve baskets of the leftover fragments were taken up by them.” Luke 9:16

I just love this story that is filled with so many emotions that you and I experience during certain seasons of our lives. The backdrop for this story is a point in time when Jesus and His disciples had been individually and collectively sharing the message of God, and healing people in miraculous numbers. They had all come together and needed rest and renewal after such a rigorous schedule. But as Jesus led them ‘privately to the deserted place’ the crowd discovered their whereabouts and 5,000 people surrounded them. I love the apostles’ solution…send them away…let them find what they need elsewhere...we are exhausted…we need time away from our responsibilities. And what Jesus said and did next is such a beautiful foreshadowing of what He would eventually do for all of us. Scripture records that Jesus took the bread and fish, looked up to heaven and broke the bread into smaller fragments. Once it was blessed, there was more than enough to go around and not one person was still hungry.

How amazing is it that the deserted place where throngs of people were looking for Jesus was a snapshot of His future death and resurrection? As Jesus was lifted up on the cross…His broken body… He looked to heaven to commune with His Father. His body was broken for you and for me so we could also find Jesus in the deserted places. There is a multitude of people hungry for Jesus and longing for a miracle. Just as the bread in the basket was enough for the multitude, Jesus has always been enough for me. There is enough for Jesus to go around in all our stories…all our suffering…all our challenges. He was enough when my family needed Him to carry us through our heartbreaking season. He was enough when my prodigal was missing. He will be enough to supply your every need and heal your every wound. He will be enough to shoulder your exhausting burdens. Not only will He be enough, but He will be more than enough just like the leftovers in the baskets.

Like the disciples we must be willing to hold up Jesus even during times when we ourselves are in need. We must not send hungry people away but use the power and strength of Jesus to minister to those who need a Savior. And when we lean on Him, we live out John 6:35 in real time.

‘I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never go thirsty.’ John 6:35

Reaching out for the Fringe

“Now a woman, having a flow of blood for twelve years, who had spent all her livelihood on physicians and could not be healed by any, came from behind and touched the fringe of His garment.  And immediately her flow of blood stopped.” Luke 8:43-44

Yesterday we saw how Jesus delayed His visit to the dying girl so today we will nudge our way into the crowd to see what caused the delay.  As we get closer, we can see Jesus standing still and looking around.  We can hear Him ask the crowd, ‘Who touched Me?’  Suddenly, we see this woman who is trembling with fear understanding she has been discovered.  With boldness for the second time she falls before the feet of Jesus and admits to the crowd why she had touched Him and the healing that immediately happened.  Heather Dixon author of Determined, quotes Swindoll regarding the bleeding woman.   ‘A continual flow of blood…rendered her perpetually unclean (Lev. 15:25-30).’ Heather Dixon expounds on that thought, ‘She understood the feeling of being shunned.  Twelve years of sorrow…but the need is Jesus…capable of healing all ailments: physical, mental and spiritual.  The only thing we bring to the table is our belief’ Determined, p. 94.

I began wondering how many of us have felt or presently feel tired of being sick…tired of a bleeding heart…tired of being shunned.  The boldness it takes to reach out to Jesus during our weakness moment is the faith we need to get the healing.  What does it look like to reach out to the fringe of Jesus?  For the grieving heart it is to continue to talk and seek Him when the miracle didn’t come.  For the terminally ill it is to keep approaching Jesus and believe Him for the healing.  For the lonely souls it is to surround yourself with Jesus instead of isolation.  For the terrified parent of a prodigal it is to keep believing in your child when we world has turned its back on them. 

Sometimes the very thing we need is the very thing from which we turn away because it feels too hard… too painful…too unattainable.  But what we must take comfort from is the same thing our bleeding woman discovered.  Jesus didn’t stop in His tracks to condemn her but to heal her.  She discovered what we can discover.  We are all to be bold…to keep reaching out for Jesus…to believe when our unbelief is our strongest…and to receive all that Jesus has to give us.  So be bold…approach Him…reach out and touch the fringe of Jesus.

'When you have reached the end of your rope...you'll find the hem of His garment' (Unknown author).

Troubling the Teacher

“Do not trouble the Teacher.” Luke 8:49b

I’ve read this story many times of how Jesus was on His way to the home of Jairus whose 12-year-old daughter was dying. Jesus felt power leave His body and He stopped to identify the person who had touched Him. We don’t know how long this delay occurred, but we do know that Jairus was leading Jesus to His dying daughter. I imagine that Jairus was in the biggest hurry of his life and expected Jesus to also be…she was dying for heaven’s sake! But instead of Jesus rushing to the little girl, He stopped…scanned the horizon…wanted answers. If I were the parent, I would feel irritated…scared… impatient. I would remind Jesus of my dilemma and my fear. But then something interesting happened in the crowd as Jesus was standing still. Someone rushed up to Jairus and gave him the heartbreaking news… ‘Your daughter is dead. Do not trouble the Teacher.’ I’ve never noticed this 5 word suggestion from the story… ‘Do not trouble the Teacher.’

I know there have been times in my life when I have called on Jesus to intervene…to show up… to save. Years passed without the intervention of Jesus, and my prayers began to have that same drumbeat that our verse has this morning. What the man was saying in essence was it was too late… there was nothing Jesus could do…why bother asking Him. I know that it is easy for the heart to beat the sentiment…why pray when we don’t see deliverance? There are more deaths than the death of a physical body. There are deaths of relationships…deaths of jobs…deaths of marriages…deaths of dreams. ‘Is there something in your life about which you have decided to simply not bother Jesus with anymore? His timing might not make sense to you right now, but Jesus has not forgotten your plea for help.’ Determined, Heather Dixon, p. 97. Whatever you are feeling in your heart this morning Jesus knows the plan. Whatever heartbreak accompanies your walk, Jesus knows the way. Whatever prayer you refrain from lifting out of exhaustion, Jesus knows your heart. All He asks is for us to arise! ‘Little girl, arise.’ Luke 8:54 b. Arise out our unbelief…arise out of fear…arise out of anger…arise out of circumstances…He is right in the midst of everything and is with us always. When we see inactivity…Jesus is active. When we see chaos…Jesus is order. When we see darkness…Jesus is Light…where we see physical death Jesus sees victorious eternal life!

When we are tempted to not trouble the Teacher, we must raise our hand and continue to ask for everything we need. We must remember that He is the only One who has the power to heal and to save, both on earth and in heaven.

Broken Chains

"And when He stepped out on the land, there met Him a certain man…who had demons…nor did he live in a house but in the tombs…For it had often seized him, and was kept under guard, bound with chains and shackles…and driven by the demons into the wilderness.” Luke 8:27-29

I don’t have to think hard at all this morning to remember a time in my life when I was bound with chains and shackles. It was a time when I alienated myself by secretly spending money that we didn’t have. It was a lonely and self-imposed wilderness where I ended up full of shame, guilt and anxiety. I can really relate to Heather Dixon, author of Determined. She writes, ‘Chains are not always made of iron. They can be unseen, binding us emotionally and mentally…Anxiety can be the thing that keeps you up all night, the thing that keeps you down in the morning, and the thing that keeps you from chasing your dreams. Regardless of how it manifests, anxiety keeps you in chains by keeping you from abundant living.’ P, 90.

Jesus came to set us free from everything both on earth and in heaven. Jesus was bound…hung…and died on the cross but God resurrected Him from the dark tomb and Christ broke forth in freedom. This is the example that we are called to do when we feel entombed in our own circumstances. We are to be determined followers to allow Jesus to ‘call out our demons’ and cleanse our hearts. When Jesus tells us that we can be liberated from our situations, we must take Him at His word and lay down our burdens. We will be people recognized by what our Savior has brought us through, and how we have more abundant living as Jesus intended us to have. ‘Luke 8:29 tells us that the demon drove the man into ‘solitary places…Where the enemy takes us to break us, Jesus takes us to heal us…There is no darkness He can’t free us from, no hold He can’t shatter.’ Determined, p. 91.

And once we are free, we are to take it to the streets and testify to the great things God has done. Our testimonies will echo Psalm 107:2-3. ‘Let the redeemed of the Lord tell their story—those he redeemed from the hand of the foe, those he gathered from the lands, from east and west, from north and south.’

Always Invited

“Then one of the Pharisees asked Him to eat with him…And behold a woman in the city who was a sinner, when she knew that Jesus sat at the table…brought an alabaster flask of fragrant oil, and stood at His feet…weeping; and she began to wash His feet with her tears, and wiped them with the hair of her head; and she kissed His feet and anointed them with the fragrant oil…Now when the Pharisee…saw this, he spoke to himself, saying, ‘This…woman…who is touching Him…is a sinner.’” Luke 7:36-38

This story written by Luke is lived out even in 2019 as it relates to our relationship with Jesus.  This story highlights two people whose interaction with Jesus parallels each other.  One man invited Jesus for dinner while the woman worked her way into the room most likely uninvited.  Both the man and woman were in the presence of Jesus, but one judged while the other worshipped.  According to my commentary, the man asked Jesus to come and eat with him out of curiosity, while the woman came to serve Him out of humility.

I began thinking about the two parallels and how I have been both people over the course of my adult life.  Before Feb of 2006, I was that host that invited Jesus to join me on my terms.  I would attend church, say my prayers at night and volunteer to serve.  I determined when and where I included Jesus, but it was more obligatory than relational.  After Feb of 2006 something shifted, and I felt like the guest being invited to the table.  The more I got to know Him the least I felt that I deserved to be in fellowship with Him.  But I felt the love and invitation to join Him whenever He called.  The more deeply we go with Jesus the more humility we feel in His presence.  Like the woman she realized that she was a sinner in need of a Savior.  I love this story because of the beautiful reminders that it gives us.  Our sins will never take us outside of the grace that God provides.  We will always be reconciled with God’s love, once we repent of our sins.  Once we have Jesus in our lives as Host, we will always be invited in no matter what. 

Wherever we are and whatever we have done we are the recipients of God’s beautiful mercy and forgiveness.  His forgiveness is a reason to fall at the feet of Jesus and worship Him continuously.  We are always invited…

Called to Arise

“When the Lord saw her, He had compassion on her and said to her, ‘Do not weep.’ Then He came and touched the open coffin…And He said, ‘Young man, I say to you, arise.’ So he who was dead sat up and began to speak.” Luke 7:13-14

I am always amazed at the way God opens our minds to a new message with a familiar story from His Word. I have read this story many times where Jesus approached the city of Nain and saw in the distance a woman leading a group of men carrying her son’s burial coffin. But this morning I noticed something different than before. As Jesus neared, He must have seen the anguish on the mother’s face as she was going to bury her only son. The closer He got to her I’m sure that He could hear the despair in her weeping. Scripture describes that Jesus’s heart went out to her and the compassion he felt for her was so strong He reached out to comfort the stranger. What a tender exchange between the comforter and the comforted. But this morning I realized another reason that Jesus’s heart could have been filled with such sorrow for her. I believe that part of His compassion was connected to the realization of His own destiny. Jesus was well aware that as God’s only Son, He too would die and leave behind a grieving family. He understood the purpose that laid before Him and seeing that heartbroken mother was probably a foreshadowing of what He knew His own sweet mother would face one day. I can’t help but to wonder if on some level Jesus comforted this only son’s mother because He wouldn’t be there to comfort His own, and He realized it. What if Jesus raising that only son from the dead was a foreshadowing of God raising Him from the dead? It’s almost like He had to remind Himself that the grave won’t be victorious…that death will not win…that God will call every one of us to ‘arise.’

I don’t know about you today, but I am so grateful that God sent His only Son to do the work for us that we could never do. I’m so grateful that Jesus, in His great compassion for us, understands the pain of grief within us. I’m comforted by the fact that just because my loved ones have closed their eyes to this world doesn’t mean they aren’t alive. God called them to arise just like Jesus called this boy to arise! They have left their earthly tent and have been given a spiritual body and an eternal destiny. Whatever we are facing, we have a Savior who can relate to our suffering and has the ability to comfort our aching souls. And one day just like the grieving mother, we will be reunited with ‘he or she who was dead’ and will join them in eternity.

Avoiding the Sting

“If someone slaps you on one cheek, turn to them the other also.” Luke 6:29

Some of the most highly charged scenes on television are those when we watch tensions rise between two people. We can see it in their eyes, we can hear it in their words, we can feel it in our own emotions, and we are sure of a breaking point in our expectations. And suddenly someone slaps another across the face, and even in our expectations our eyes widen, and our mouths drop. Most of us have probably never been slapped across the face but I can imagine that it comes with shock and quite a sting. So, the commands of Jesus regarding a slap seems to be an unattainable response. At this point in our lives, I feel sure that most of us will never experience a slap or slap another.

Or will we? Doesn’t it produce the same sting when we bring up an old wound to a person who has already apologized? Doesn’t it produce the same sting when a friend or family member talks bad about us when we have done nothing but love them? Jesus received ‘slaps’ on a daily basis as so many people lied about Him, ridiculed Him, betrayed Him and constantly accused Him of untrue things. We read about the many times Jesus could have slapped back or should have slapped back but His response was always a higher focus response… Love enemies…do good to the hateful…bless those who curse us…pray for those who mistreat us…turn the cheek when slapped. Jesus knew that we could not do these things apart from God, but the call and command still remains. The command is attainable but only when we submit every part of our heart to God. Romans 5:5 tells us that God has poured His love into our hearts through His spirit. If we are responding to those who ‘slap our cheek’ from the love of God we will display the fruit of that love which is ‘joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.’ Gal 5:22-23. We can leave the crime, the judgment and the punishment up to the Lord as Deuteronomy 32:35 states, ‘It is mine to avenge; I will repay.’ We can count on His word, His will and His way which frees us up to respond with the Spirit’s fruit.

‘The same is true when we love our enemies. Our actions are on display. People are watching. Do we want them to see fleshly, selfish behavior, or do we want them to see Jesus? How is the world to know God’s love if we do not reflect it ourselves? Ask the Holy Spirit for strength to love them. Ask for God’s favor over their lives. And wait expectantly for Jesus to renew your Spirit as you walk closely with Him in loving the world.’ Determined, Heather M Dixon, p. 72.

Making Us Laugh

“Then He lifted up His eyes…and said, ‘Blessed are you who weep now, For you shall laugh.’” Luke 6:21b

Bruce and I enjoyed our 34th wedding anniversary this past week and as I considered the things that I most love about him laughter was one of the top things. There have been many tears, but the laughter has by far been our greatest weapon. He can always make me laugh even when I don’t want to…even when I’m mad…even when I’m sad…even when I’m scared. Laughter is a joy that transforms most hearts.

I have read this verse many times before and it wasn’t until this morning that I truly understood the meaning thanks to a commentary. I have always thought that this little statement was Jesus encouraging us that our sorrowful seasons will one day end. Our sorrowful seasons would one day be replaced with healing and we would laugh again. But that is not what Jesus was saying at all. The word ‘laugh’ was a symbol for spiritual joy – joy while we are weeping, and our heart is breaking. The meaning of laugh as it relates in Scripture is the inner fruit of the comfort and consolation of the Holy Spirit and being filled with spiritual joy and pleasure. This promise that Jesus gave is more of a treasure than a trinket. It is a blessing that moves us from despair to hope…death to life…sadness to comfort in the middle of our suffering.

Many of you are weeping today with a broken heart for a loved one, a lost relationship, a prodigal child and many more things that lay heavy on your heart. We say our prayers and ‘then He lifts up His eyes’ and begins speaking promise to us. According to Scripture…He sees us. He knows when our heart is heavy… when our spirit is broken…when our mind is obsessing. He meets us in our weeping and promises to bless us with His comfort. Blessedness comes from God alone, not from a favorable set of circumstances. Blessedness is not something that comes after the fact but comes during the challenge when we open our hearts to Jesus.

Whatever you are facing today you don’t have to wait until the pain is gone to laugh. God’s promise is that the blessing comes in the now…not the later. And that is what makes this one of the greatest treasures Christians possess. May we all lift our eyes to the One who can always make us laugh.

Looking for Sheep

“What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he loses one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness, and go after the one which is lost until he finds it?” Luke 15:4

This morning as I continue my study of Determined by Heather M Dixon, I read a very familiar verse where Jesus was responding to accusations from the Pharisees of why He hung out and dined with sinners.  The parable told by Jesus painted a picture of a shepherd watching over his flock of sheep.  When one strayed off and was discovered missing, the shepherd sought the lost sheep until he found the it.  Once again, Jesus exemplified what God expects from all His children.  He expects each of us to lay our own agenda aside and pursue those who have strayed or are lost.

I began considering what it looks like to ‘leave the 99.’ What is it that I could do today, or you could do today to emulate Christ?  I believe leaving the 99 means to do something different that benefits another person.  I believe to leave the 99 means to get out of our comfort zone and pursue the needs of others.  It means opening my ears to those around me instead of tuning things out.  It means to actively engage with someone instead of my normal ‘99’.  What would it look like for you and for me to ‘go after the one sheep?’  Could it be rolling down our window at a stop sign and inviting a homeless person to our church?  Could it be sharing a $10 bill with someone needs it instead of spending it on ourselves?  Could it be striking up a conversation in line with someone who seems lonely? Or setting aside our priorities for today to help someone else complete their priorities?

Every single day God sees the lost sheep who needs a Savior’s touch.  Every single place our feet take us will encounter someone who offers us opportunities to emulate Jesus.  But Christ doesn’t ask us to do this on our own, rather He gives us the secret to having an attitude of pursuit.  ‘What prompts us to actively pursue those who don’t fit the popular mold of acceptability?  What inspires the choice to engage the misfits, untouchables, unwanted and unaccepted?  It isn’t a passionately persuaded opinion or a fleeting feeling that washes over us and then disappears.  It’s a living Lord, who both comforts and convicts.  When we come face-to-face with our need for His mercy, we’ll be hungry for the rest of the world to receive it too.’ Determined, p. 56.

We cannot isolate ourselves with our own ‘99’ and fulfill the will of the Father.  The fruit of His hands will grow when we offer our hands and heart to the one sheep who is wandering around all alone.  

Launching Out

“When He had stopped speaking, He said to Simon, ‘Launch out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.’ But Simon answered… ‘Master, we have toiled all night and caught nothing; nevertheless at Your word I will let down the net.’” Luke 5:4-5.

This story is drenched in application regarding our spiritual disciplines. Simon was a fisherman who had been out in the deep waters all night fishing to no avail. He was casting in the ideal climate…the ideal location…the ideal time of night and yet his boat returned empty and the task was still waiting. How disappointing that must have been for him as he glanced over at his boat while cleaning his nets. He didn’t mind cleaning up after a successful endeavor I’m sure, but to realize that his work was futile had to be frustrating. Then Jesus instructed Simon to take those clean nets, get back in the boat, row out to the deep waters in the heat of the day and throw them overboard. We know what Simon’s verbal response was, but I would love to know what his thoughts were. ‘Are you kidding me? I just got everything taken care of and I am exhausted!’ ‘Jesus, you are a carpenter and not a fisherman…you don’t understand.’ ‘You are asking me to do something when I am at my deepest disappointment.’ ‘Nevertheless…at Your word…’ Luke 5:5.

I can so relate to this story when thinking about times that Jesus asked me to do things that I didn’t want to do. There were times of great exhaustion and heartbreaking disappointments when I felt like doing nothing but ‘cleaning my nets’ and walking away. But Jesus continues to beckon us during those times to launch out in the deep waters where He is calling and to let down our nets for a catch. Many times, the catch is blessing others, but usually the catch blesses me. There were plenty of times when I didn’t launch out missing out on the comfort that He intended for me to receive. Simon has shown us a better way… a way that pleases and honors God. He has shown us that when we cast our hearts in obedience instead of allowing our emotions to guide us our blessings will be great in number beyond our expectations. ‘And when they had done this, they caught a great number…, and their net was breaking.’ Luke 5:6. He taught us that while Jesus can handle our negative responses we are still to follow Him even in our disagreement. He taught us to keep on talking to Jesus even when the fish aren't biting. He taught us to always believe in a future catch of blessings, resolutions, healing and accomplished endeavors.

I’m sure that some of you are like Simon who just wants the day…the task…the circumstances to be over. Like Simon, you are handling your circumstances disappointed and feeling empty. I pray that even in your situation you continue to talk to Jesus like Simon. Even if you tell Him the reasons that what He is asking of you is too much that you will lay your nets at His feet. I pray that you will feel the courage, hope and comfort from God to continue on…to launch out…to keep believing in the yield. I pray that you will let the nets down and wait on the Lord.