First, a quick grammar lesson: The word “but” is a conjunction, which is used to contrast something that has just been said with something that is about to be said. Ex: I can’t stand mayonnaise, but I love mustard. So, it makes complete nonsense to say something like, “I’m not racist, but …” (and then say something disparaging about another ethnicity). Or, here’s a good one: “Don’t get me wrong, but …” (and then say something critical). Or, how about this classic: “I’m not judging, but …” (and then cut down someone). What it boils down to is that you can’t use the word “but” as a disclaimer for saying mean things about people. Contradicting yourself does not give you grounds to judge others. Believe it or not, the Bible does not forbid us from judging people. In fact, according to 1 Corinthians 5:12, we’re actually instructed to judge each other, but it should be within the context of the church and for the good of the church family, not to alienate or degrade people. Then there’s Matthew 7, which warns that we risk being judged by the same criteria that we judge others. Ouch, I remember being stung by that passage of Scripture in my early days of parenting. As a young, childless adult, I had often thought negatively about the parenting skills of people whose children were being obnoxious in a store or restaurant … until I was *that* parent with the inconsolable, fit-pitching toddler. Talk about eating my words! I have seldom been so mortified. Remember that cliché you probably heard from your parents: “If you can’t say something nice, then don’t say anything at all.” For the most part, I agree with that sentiment, but there is also a time and a place for constructive criticism. The catch is that the first place we need to look for problems is in the mirror. Matthew 7:3-5 picks up the conversation with a reminder to investigate our own flaws before we start pointing them out in everyone else. Part of being a healthy church family includes holding each other accountable, which means holding ourselves accountable, as well.
Matthew
Prayer prompt for Thursday, March 20
Isaiah 40 describes God’s people grumbling about their problems, but Matthew 5:8 says that he already knows our needs. Remember that!
Soar! (Prayer Devotional for the week of March 16, 2014)
I had the privilege once of riding shotgun in a private plane. It was, without a doubt, one of the coolest things I’ve ever done. Flying is a completely different experience from the co-pilot’s seat! I got to wear a headset and listen to the pilot communicate with air traffic controllers, and he toggled between channels so that we could talk to each other, as well.
He shared that people often have the misconception that planes can just fall out of the sky like a rock. On the contrary, even in an emergency situation, a pilot can usually glide the aircraft to the ground. A plane doesn’t flap its wings like a hummingbird; it soars like an eagle. With little adjustments here and there, it uses the wind to its advantage and flies high and far.
In Isaiah 40, the author shared some insights with the pooped-out Israelites. The people were feeling weary and began murmuring about whether God even cared about them at all. In v. 30, Isaiah reminded them that even young people get tired (Amen from any college students subsisting on Red Bull & Ramen?) Later in v. 31, he says: “But those who trust the Lord will find new strength. They will be strong like eagles soaring upward on wings; they will walk and run without getting tired” (CEV).
We can’t go through life frantically flapping our wings, y’all. Believe me; I’ve tried. (Anyone else a do-it-yourselfer besides me? If I just try harder, then maybe I can make it work …) We need to learn when it’s time to exchange our hummingbird tendencies for eagle wings (by letting the Holy Spirit lift and push us forward). God doesn’t want us to be weary and barely able to function.
Now, don’t take this analogy to mean that you’ll never experience turbulence when you put your trust in the Lord. There will certainly be times when we, like the pilot, must make adjustments and maneuver through the storm, but as Matthew 5:8 reminds us – our needs are no surprise to God. He saw the turbulence coming before you even encountered it. Hold your course and keep trusting him. “The Lord gives strength to those who are weary” (Isaiah 40:29, CEV). He wants you to soar!
Debbie’s Treasure (Prayer Devotional for the week of March 9, 2014)
How is it that kids move at the speed of molasses when you actually need them to get somewhere, but as soon as you turn your back for a split-second, they can perform superhuman feats of agility? I have found myself in this situation more often than I care to admit, but I’m thinking about a particular instance when one of my sons (about 4 years old, at the time) managed to climb onto a curio table, and the sounds of broken glass and him screaming sent me running back around the corner from where I could swear I had *just* turned.
By God’s grace, he was ok, but my table was demolished. It was the one “pretty” thing I had displayed in the house, and it held my most precious souvenirs from when I lived in China. The trinkets may not have much monetary value, but they are certainly sentimental and irreplaceable – especially a Chinese art book from a friend whose English nickname is Debbie.
I remember going to dinner with Debbie one evening in the city where we lived, and she asked for a fork. I thought she was being polite and offering it to me (though I knew how to use chopsticks), but she said that she had never used a fork in public before and wanted to try it. We had such fun together. The colorful book of ink drawings that she gave to me when I left is all the more special simply because it was a gift from her. I would be devastated if it was ever ruined.
Yet, in that moment of consoling my son and making sure that he wasn’t injured, the table and its contents didn’t matter. That art book may very well be the most priceless possession I own, but it is still just “stuff.” Matthew 6:19-21 reminds us where to place our priorities when it comes to the “stuff” in our lives. It says to not worry so much about stocking up treasures here on earth, where thieves can rob and time can erode (and preschoolers can demolish!). Instead, stash away heavenly treasures – the ones that can never be destroyed or stolen.
I haven’t told you the most special thing about Debbie yet. Yes, we had fun together and I miss her a lot, but she was more than just a sweet friend … she became a sister in Christ. All of the fine art in the world cannot compare to the joy of knowing that even though Debbie and I may never see each other again this side of eternity, we’ll be friends forever in Glory. And that is a treasure, indeed!
“Skip to the end.” (Prayer Devotional for the week of March 2, 2014)
My favorite movie of all time is a fantasy classic, The Princess Bride. One of the climactic moments involves a conceited ruler, Prince Humperdinck, as he is standing at the altar to marry his reluctant fiancée, Princess Buttercup. The Impressive Clergyman (that’s the character’s name) opens the scene with this line in an accented drawl: “Mawage. Mawage is wot bwings us togeder tooday. Mawage, that bwessed awangment, that dweam wifin a dweam …”
(I won’t bother with spoiler alerts, because the book was written in the early ‘70s, and the movie came out in 1987. If you haven’t seen it yet, then you are missing out and need to come over and watch it straightaway. Bring popcorn. I’ll try not to quote the entire film.) Anyway, back to the wedding. Prince Humperdinck loses his patience and his temper, demanding the priest to “skip to the end.” The Impressive Clergyman says man and wife, and the couple is married. Or are they?
We are looking at Matthew 5:27-37 this week, which is a passage of Scripture that has provoked a lot of controversy over the years. I’m not going to get into the nitty-gritty of it, but I want to encourage you to think about the message behind the words. Using three examples (adultery, divorce & oaths), Jesus states the existing law and then gives a broader interpretation of it. In each instance, his perspective deals with the heart of the matter, not just the letter of the law. Regarding adultery, he focuses on lust as the root issue. For divorce, he emphasizes the broken relationship. And about oaths, he reminds us of our humble place before God Almighty. We can’t skip to the end when it comes to heart matters.
When Princess Buttercup is finally rescued, she learns that she was never actually married to Prince Humperdinck because they never said, “I do.” By skipping that essential, personal element in the ceremony, their marriage was void. Relationships are not about crossing Ts and dotting Is. They’re the wholehearted investment of your life into another person’s life. That “bwessed awangment” is a partnership; it can’t be a one-way effort. You can’t skip to the end and call it done.
Deliver Us (Prayer Devotional for the week of February 23, 2014)
A friend confided in me recently that she is angry with God because he has not yet delivered a loved one from the noose of alcoholism, despite her years of prayer. I struggled with how to respond, because even though I may think I understand a few things, God’s reasons and his thoughts are far beyond mine. For the record, I believe whole-heartedly that he is fully capable of delivering us from addictions, healing us of diseases and injuries, and intervening on our behalf in ways that we’ll never understand. And yet, I also believe that he allows us to make choices that are harmful because we are his beloved, not his puppets.
We could run in circles asking “Why God?” questions. Why didn’t you fix my marriage? Why didn’t you take away the cancer? Why didn’t you miraculously keep that accident from happening?
The short, honest answer is I don’t know. The four gospels are chock-full of stories of Jesus healing people, and yet he hints in John 9 that sometimes there are deeper meanings to our sufferings. Some of the stories are vague, like Matthew 4:23 (NIV), where it simply states that he healed “every disease and sickness among the people.”
In many instances, the healing is accompanied by praise and/or renewed purpose, like Matthew 8:14, where Simon Peter’s mother-in-law is healed from a raging fever, and she begins waiting on him. When Jesus healed the paralyzed man in Mark 2, the man took his mat and left; he didn’t sit back down and continue being crippled.
Think about all the times (and there were lots!) in the Old Testament when the Israelites cried out to God: “Deliver us!” … and he did. Then, they went back to their old ways, disobeying the Lord till they got sick of themselves and cried out again: “Deliver us!” … and he did. Round and round they went. How often do we get upset about problems in our lives that were self-inflicted?
God’s deliverance may end up looking like something completely different from what we were asking or expecting. Hold onto hope, even when it is hard to understand.
Mercy for the Underdog (Prayer Devotional for the week of February 2, 2014)
I’m not normally a fan of violence, but there’s something about rooting for the underdog. Remember the final scene in the original 1984 version of The Karate Kid, when Daniel crane-kicks his opponent upside the head? Throughout the movie, didn’t you want to see those Cobra Kai punks get what they deserved? Poor Daniel was bullied and beaten up repeatedly, and all Mr. Miyagi seemed to care about was getting his house painted and car washed.
We’ve been talking about the beatitudes from Matthew 5 for the past few weeks, and one part that has often stumped me is verse 7 (NIV): “Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.” Our hero Daniel certainly wasn’t shown any mercy by the Cobra Kai. On the contrary, their sensei (leader) announced to one class: “We do not train to be merciful here. Mercy is for the weak. Here, in the streets, in competition: A man confronts you, he is the enemy. An enemy deserves no mercy.”
If we interpret Matthew 5:7 to mean that we’ll be shown mercy by those to whom we are merciful, then I’m afraid we might be in for a rude awakening. Sure, people can turn their lives around and make amends, but I don’t think that’s what the verse is referring to. Think about the Daniel story. He was shown mercy, but it came in the form of Mr. Miyagi’s loving-kindness to him. He replaced Daniel’s busted-up bicycle, taught him life lessons alongside martial arts, and served as a sort of father figure. He didn’t shower Daniel with presents to spoil him, but he gave him the types of things that he needed, when and how he needed to receive them.
In spiritual terms, I have often heard mercy and grace explained as: mercy means not getting what you do deserve, and grace is getting what you don’t deserve. I think the two work hand-in-hand, as Mr. Miyagi showed to Daniel. The problem is, like Daniel, oftentimes we don’t understand why God allows things to fall into place the way he does, so we throw up our hands and blame him. We get angry at him for making us “wax on, wax off” the car, when what he’s really trying to teach us is a much more valuable life lesson. He does show us mercy every day, if only we’ll be alert to it.
Pain & Promises (Prayer Devotional for the week of January 26, 2014)
Well-meaning people often tell naïve, new mothers-to-be that after the baby is born, you don’t even remember the pain, because you are so joyful. Those people lie. You do remember the pain.
Is the end result worth it? Absolutely; don’t get me wrong. Seeing that baby’s scrunchy little face and hearing that first cry is worth every bottom-lip-biting, cuss-stifling, abs-ripping hour that preceded it. Childbirth is something truly amazing to experience and witness. However, the joy of birth doesn’t mean that the pain never happened. It doesn’t mean that pain won’t still come.
It’s unfortunate that we can send a similarly messed-up message to the world about Christianity as these new moms are hearing about labor & delivery. John 16:33 (NIV) reminds us: “In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” God doesn’t promise health, wealth and fame. What he does promise – among other awesome guarantees, like his never-ending love and saving grace – is that he’ll never abandon us to deal with life alone (Hebrews 13:5-6).
In our study of Matthew 5 these past few weeks, we’ve seen time and again how those who stay committed to God through hard times are blessed. I think that sometimes when we (or perhaps it’s just me?) are on a high place, spiritually speaking, we tend to conveniently forget the difficulties that led us there. We don’t want to think about encountering any obstacles on the way down the mountain, either. We just want to think about the happy-go-lucky time that we’re having, in the moment. I like the way The Message paraphrases v. 8: “You’re blessed when you get your inside world—your mind and heart—put right. Then you can see God in the outside world.”
When we acknowledge the difficult & painful times but continue to trust God during them, then perhaps we’ll be better poised to appreciate the joyful times even more. Labor may feel unending while it is happening, but eventually there is a blessing to be held. Likewise, our trials may feel overwhelming at the time, but God can bring you out of it even stronger on the other side.
Prayer prompt for Sunday, Jan. 19
Some synonyms of “humble” include: meek, unassuming & modest. Matthew 5:5 says that those characteristics are blessed. Why might that be so?
When you need an ugly cry (Prayer Devotional for the week of January 19, 2014)
Have you ever experienced an ugly cry? I don’t mean the kind of crying you do because you hit your thumb with a hammer or the dog ate your favorite shoes. I’m talking about the raw, vulnerable kind that leaves your ribs aching because even after the tears stop flowing, your lungs keep heaving. The kind of weeping that makes your nose runny and your eyes puffy.
It ain’t pretty, but sometimes it’s necessary.
Sometimes, the way to begin healing the broken pieces is to acknowledge the ugliness. I find it interesting how, in Matthew 5, Jesus’ blessing to those who are humble comes right after his blessing to those who mourn (verses 4-5). There is a sense of humility when you experience loss. Life keeps marching on, while a piece of your heart is left behind, buried. That’s humbling. When we come face-to-face with the reality that we are incapable of controlling the world around us, it’s humbling.
The good news, friends, is that when those wretched moments hit, God doesn’t want to leave us in a state of despair. Jesus said that he would comfort us when we mourn. I like the way The Message goes on to explain in v. 5 about being humble: “You’re blessed when you’re content with just who you are—no more, no less. That’s the moment you find yourselves proud owners of everything that can’t be bought.”
I know what it’s like when the very air around you feels suffocating, and hope seems to have wandered far away. Yet, I also know what God’s inexplicable peace feels like, and I encourage you to not lose sight of hope. Trust and rest in his promises.
faith, sweat & tears 