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Letters to readers, musings about life, thoughts on God, books and more!
Friday, December 30, 2011
Sunday, December 25, 2011
Saturday, December 24, 2011
Savior
Why am I discouraged?
Why is my heart so sad?
I will put my hope in God!
I will praise him again—
my Savior and my God! -- Psalm 42:11
Jesus came to this earth as a vast fulfillment, carrying with Him all that humanity needed. I've just blogged twenty-three times about the different ways Jesus has touched my life and what He is to me. I could've gone on many more times. But for everything He is, if He wasn't first and foremost Savior, then it would all be for nothing. He could be a great teacher, a great helper, full of wisdom, but in the end, we were still destined to die in our sins and to take the punishment for all we've done, as individuals and as the human race.
If someone didn't come to save us, it would be over. To say Jesus saved my life is the understatement of the century, but at the heart of it all, it is that simple. He saved me from punishment. From death. He continues to save me from harm, from lies, from myself.
Isaiah 9:6
For a child is born to us,
a son is given to us.
The government will rest on his shoulders.
And he will be called
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
In other words, Savior.
Merry Christmas, in the fullest sense of the Word.
Why is my heart so sad?
I will put my hope in God!
I will praise him again—
my Savior and my God! -- Psalm 42:11
Jesus came to this earth as a vast fulfillment, carrying with Him all that humanity needed. I've just blogged twenty-three times about the different ways Jesus has touched my life and what He is to me. I could've gone on many more times. But for everything He is, if He wasn't first and foremost Savior, then it would all be for nothing. He could be a great teacher, a great helper, full of wisdom, but in the end, we were still destined to die in our sins and to take the punishment for all we've done, as individuals and as the human race.
If someone didn't come to save us, it would be over. To say Jesus saved my life is the understatement of the century, but at the heart of it all, it is that simple. He saved me from punishment. From death. He continues to save me from harm, from lies, from myself.
Isaiah 9:6
For a child is born to us,
a son is given to us.
The government will rest on his shoulders.
And he will be called
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
In other words, Savior.
Merry Christmas, in the fullest sense of the Word.
Friday, December 23, 2011
Truth
Jesus said, "I am the Way, the Truth and the Life. No one comes to the Father but through me." Recently my son asked me, "Mom, how do we know that Christianity is THE only way? How do we even know it's true?"
It's a good question. A smart question. It's a question that anybody who is seeking to find truth should ask. If Christianity is worth anything, then it can stand up to this question. And I believe it does.
There are many aspects of Christianity that persuade me to bet not only this current life and all that is in it, but my entire eternal future on the belief that it is true. It sort of begins with the question, is there really even a God?
To me, the idea that all this is a random accident doesn't ring true at all. It doesn't even make sense. There is almost nothing to convince me of it. Looking just at the human body alone convinces me we were created. But not just the whole body. The eye. The inner ear. The brain. And then there's the sky and the stars and the way the sun and the moon work together. Then there's the vast solar system. And wind. And thunder. There are the seasons. Dolphins. There is love.
But there is something else, and that is the question, where does goodness come from? If we are nothing but an advanced form of animal, then why does a man sacrifice his life for a total stranger? Why are we compelled to help the weakest instead of propel the strongest? Why is there a standard by which we all believe we should live by? Why is cheating or stealing wrong, if our instincts tell us to survive by any means? Why do we have character? Nobility? Honesty?
From the point that I concluded that there is indeed a God, then I had to ask the question, is Jesus who He said He was? We know for certain a man named Jesus existed and claimed to be the Son of God. It's not fable. The question is, is it true? I think I'd be less inclined to believe it had He shown up as everyone expected, as a mighty warrior coming to overthrow an oppressive regime and put Israel into power. Turns out that wasn't His plan. It was much bigger. And very much unexpected. It was offered far and wide, to Israel and to its enemies. It didn't come commanding a vast army. It came humbly. Poor and destitute. The savior everyone was expecting turned up at criminals' homes. He talked to prostitutes and outcasts.
Greatness came in many forms the day Jesus arrived on earth, but it came in the most human way possible, too. It came in way so that no man could claim he was left out or uncared for. Freedom and love was offered to everyone, not just a select few. Not just to a chosen nation. To everyone.
And all the prophecies recorded about Him hundreds of years before came true.
He predicted the world would hate Him. He was right. But not all the world. Not me. I, for one, am thankful for a God who took pity on me. But more than that, He took me into His arms.
There is a lot to ponder when it comes to Christianity. Every part of it can stand up to scrutiny. Jesus will not turn you away for your questions. He won't turn you away at all. We are the ones that turn Him away.
The Great I AM invites you to search for the truth. I don't think you'll ever be disappointed in what you find in Jesus.
It's a good question. A smart question. It's a question that anybody who is seeking to find truth should ask. If Christianity is worth anything, then it can stand up to this question. And I believe it does.
There are many aspects of Christianity that persuade me to bet not only this current life and all that is in it, but my entire eternal future on the belief that it is true. It sort of begins with the question, is there really even a God?
To me, the idea that all this is a random accident doesn't ring true at all. It doesn't even make sense. There is almost nothing to convince me of it. Looking just at the human body alone convinces me we were created. But not just the whole body. The eye. The inner ear. The brain. And then there's the sky and the stars and the way the sun and the moon work together. Then there's the vast solar system. And wind. And thunder. There are the seasons. Dolphins. There is love.
But there is something else, and that is the question, where does goodness come from? If we are nothing but an advanced form of animal, then why does a man sacrifice his life for a total stranger? Why are we compelled to help the weakest instead of propel the strongest? Why is there a standard by which we all believe we should live by? Why is cheating or stealing wrong, if our instincts tell us to survive by any means? Why do we have character? Nobility? Honesty?
From the point that I concluded that there is indeed a God, then I had to ask the question, is Jesus who He said He was? We know for certain a man named Jesus existed and claimed to be the Son of God. It's not fable. The question is, is it true? I think I'd be less inclined to believe it had He shown up as everyone expected, as a mighty warrior coming to overthrow an oppressive regime and put Israel into power. Turns out that wasn't His plan. It was much bigger. And very much unexpected. It was offered far and wide, to Israel and to its enemies. It didn't come commanding a vast army. It came humbly. Poor and destitute. The savior everyone was expecting turned up at criminals' homes. He talked to prostitutes and outcasts.
Greatness came in many forms the day Jesus arrived on earth, but it came in the most human way possible, too. It came in way so that no man could claim he was left out or uncared for. Freedom and love was offered to everyone, not just a select few. Not just to a chosen nation. To everyone.
And all the prophecies recorded about Him hundreds of years before came true.
He predicted the world would hate Him. He was right. But not all the world. Not me. I, for one, am thankful for a God who took pity on me. But more than that, He took me into His arms.
There is a lot to ponder when it comes to Christianity. Every part of it can stand up to scrutiny. Jesus will not turn you away for your questions. He won't turn you away at all. We are the ones that turn Him away.
The Great I AM invites you to search for the truth. I don't think you'll ever be disappointed in what you find in Jesus.
Thursday, December 22, 2011
Redeemer
With the coupon craze as it is now, it seems we'd all know a little something about the word redeem. But it has a lot of meanings, and when it turns from a verb to a noun, when we've been redeemed by the Redeemer, the meaning has such extraordinary eternal provision for us that it's best if broken down into small, bite-sized pieces.
As our Redeemer, here is just a sampling of what He has done for us, by His own blood, by His own sacrifice.
1) He has compensated for our faults and the bad aspects of our character and being as well as for our poor past performances and/or behaviors. (Probably *and*)
2) He has atoned for our errors and has made amends for our evil acts.
3) He has saved us from our sins, our errors and our evil deeds. He has saved us from the curse, the eternal consequences and the punishment we deserve.
4) He has regained possession of us in exchanged for payment, in our case, His life for ours. He paid the ultimate price to get us back to Him.
5) He exchanged Himself for us, taking our place of punishment, taking all that we deserve and putting Himself in our place. He exchanged His rightful place as King of Kings and Lord of Lords to hang on a cross as a criminal, which was our rightful place.
6) He paid the necessary price to clear our debts. What we owed we could not pay. He made sure He paid everything for us to be totally clear of the debt.
7) He fulfilled and carried out His pledge and His promises to all His children, that He would conquer the world and sin and rescue us from depravity.
8) He bought our freedom.
That pretty much says it all, doesn't it?
As our Redeemer, here is just a sampling of what He has done for us, by His own blood, by His own sacrifice.
1) He has compensated for our faults and the bad aspects of our character and being as well as for our poor past performances and/or behaviors. (Probably *and*)
2) He has atoned for our errors and has made amends for our evil acts.
3) He has saved us from our sins, our errors and our evil deeds. He has saved us from the curse, the eternal consequences and the punishment we deserve.
4) He has regained possession of us in exchanged for payment, in our case, His life for ours. He paid the ultimate price to get us back to Him.
5) He exchanged Himself for us, taking our place of punishment, taking all that we deserve and putting Himself in our place. He exchanged His rightful place as King of Kings and Lord of Lords to hang on a cross as a criminal, which was our rightful place.
6) He paid the necessary price to clear our debts. What we owed we could not pay. He made sure He paid everything for us to be totally clear of the debt.
7) He fulfilled and carried out His pledge and His promises to all His children, that He would conquer the world and sin and rescue us from depravity.
8) He bought our freedom.
That pretty much says it all, doesn't it?
Wednesday, December 21, 2011
Strength
Isaiah 12:2 - See, God has come to save me. I will trust in him and not be afraid. The Lord God is my strength and my song; he has given me victory.
In some of the worst crises I've faced in my life, I would've told you at that moment that I was not strong. In fact, most of the time you'd find me in a heap on the floor, praying for strength between sobs.
But I've found it interesting over the years, as I've pondered what it means when the Lord says He is our strength, that I was much stronger than I gave myself credit for. And in fact, I actually came through much of it unscathed, even though my tear ducts got a good workout.
Strength, of course, comes in many forms. And it's different for every person. But there is one thing I am certain of: when God tells us He's our strength, we often look in the wrong place to identify that strength. We look through human eyes. We try to be strong in and of ourselves.
But God's strength is different and it often looks different than our perceptions of strength. It usually starts from the center of our being, our soul, where no one can see but God. We may look utterly pathetic on the outside, but there's something that's stirring inside of us, telling us there is hope, that things are working for our good, that He has a plan we can't see but we can trust.
If we're going to go by feelings, which is how most of us navigate anyway, I "feel" the strongest when I'm in God's word, especially when I'm reading it out loud over a situation. I believe Him when He says His word never returns void. I believe Him that His word is mighty and strong. I believe Him when He says He's able to do more than we can hope for or ask.
And that belief is strength. It's not bulging and ripped, like it's on steroids. It's quiet and resolved, waiting on Someone bigger than ourselves. It's trust in the dark.
Pray for strength and you will find it through Jesus, sometimes in the most unexpected and quiet ways.
In some of the worst crises I've faced in my life, I would've told you at that moment that I was not strong. In fact, most of the time you'd find me in a heap on the floor, praying for strength between sobs.
But I've found it interesting over the years, as I've pondered what it means when the Lord says He is our strength, that I was much stronger than I gave myself credit for. And in fact, I actually came through much of it unscathed, even though my tear ducts got a good workout.
Strength, of course, comes in many forms. And it's different for every person. But there is one thing I am certain of: when God tells us He's our strength, we often look in the wrong place to identify that strength. We look through human eyes. We try to be strong in and of ourselves.
But God's strength is different and it often looks different than our perceptions of strength. It usually starts from the center of our being, our soul, where no one can see but God. We may look utterly pathetic on the outside, but there's something that's stirring inside of us, telling us there is hope, that things are working for our good, that He has a plan we can't see but we can trust.
If we're going to go by feelings, which is how most of us navigate anyway, I "feel" the strongest when I'm in God's word, especially when I'm reading it out loud over a situation. I believe Him when He says His word never returns void. I believe Him that His word is mighty and strong. I believe Him when He says He's able to do more than we can hope for or ask.
And that belief is strength. It's not bulging and ripped, like it's on steroids. It's quiet and resolved, waiting on Someone bigger than ourselves. It's trust in the dark.
Pray for strength and you will find it through Jesus, sometimes in the most unexpected and quiet ways.
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