If the season of Lent offers us anything, it allows us the occasion to remind ourselves of the utter complexity of our lives. Left to our own impulses, we tend to default to a very simplistic view of what we face when we wake up every morning: That life today will eventually make sense if left to itself long enough; that our lives are linear and tend to follow in a straight line; that “knowing God’s will” in our lives means...well, that we will know our lives.

But life isn’t all these things. Our lives are most often filled with paradox, filled with ironic twists. Picture what you face this new day. Is your life predictable? Can you easily see around every corner of every circumstance of what today brings?  Even as you seek God faithfully in your prayers, are you promised the full clarity you seek? Does a life of faith lead to a life of certainty?

The Puritans in the 17th and 18th century understood all-to-well what they faced every day, even as they knelt down to their morning prayers. They knew that the heart of the Gospel is filled with paradox even as each of their days were filled with paradox. Hear this well-worn prayer:

                  Let me learn by paradox
                  that the way down is the way up,
                  that to be low is to be high,
                  that the broken heart is the healed heart,
                  that the contrite spirit is the rejoicing spirit,
                  that the repenting soul is the victorious soul,
                  that to have nothing is to possess all,
                  that to bear the cross is to wear the crown,                  
                  that to give is to receive...

The Gospel story is an upside-down story. It asks much of us. It demands we live with a different perspective from what is deemed normal. The Gospel story should not easily make sense, even as our individual lives should not easily make sense. As we enter another Holy week, why should this surprise us? The eternal God--the God who designed and created the universe in all its intricate details--chose at a moment in time to come down to earth to live amongst us as our servant and to die in order that we might live. If that isn’t paradoxical, what is? We are called to live in the mystery of this strange, ironic story.

A couple of years ago, I wrote a poem that seeks to present the ironic and paradoxical nature of the Gospel. I did so by putting the two central events of the Gospel up against one another, Advent and the Cross:

                  A 2,000 year old child cries his heart out...
                  His ancient limbs writhing out 
                  from empty womb toward virgin tomb.
                  Clothed in long-decayed and swaddled cloth
                  made of robe—seamless.
                  Stained by new-birthed blood. 
                  Eternal humanity, born to die.

It took very little to describe the ironic parallel between these two events. The two stories just spoke for themselves. As we face another Holy Week, would God give us the grace to live in the ironic mystery of the Gospel within us.

By day the Lord directs his love,
at night his song is with me—
a prayer to the God of my life. Psalm 42:8

Psalm 42 is full of imagery that calls to mind a relentless suffering: a panting thirst, tears for food, overwhelming waves sweeping over me. Yet this psalm is also peppered with calls for hope, and reminders to praise God in his steadfastness. As we’ve moved through these weeks of Lent and studied Psalm 42, I’m learning that even in this predominantly somber time of remembering Jesus’ suffering, I must return to hope and stay close to God in prayer. As I try to hold these contrasting ideas together, I’m reminded that this pattern of opposing themes is found in countless examples throughout scripture. Most notably, in the book of Lamentations: this pattern of suffering and hope is seen as the people of Jerusalem lament the destruction of their city, cry out to God, and remember his steadfast hand in guiding them through trials. In FCCH Women’s Bible Study last autumn, as we studied Lamentations, I learned to more deeply appreciate the patterns found in this kind of biblical poetry. What might on the surface seem like a tedious and repetitive complaint is a beautiful spiritual practice that insists the reader (or singer) pays close attention and appreciates how God remains right there with us through our suffering - all we need to do is to seek God in prayer. From these poems of lament, I have been encouraged to remember that my suffering, despair, and longing are fulfilled in the promise of salvation and hope in Christ.

These opposing themes draw our attention to the nature of God, our Creator, who is steadfast in his care for all His people. The Lamentations prompt us to see these themes more clearly in balance and accept both suffering and joy. In the Old Testament, this balance plays out as the people of Jerusalem grieved the destruction of their city, yet remembered God’s love and mercy.  For us, this balance plays out as we suffer our trials, yet are reminded to keep hope, knowing that we do not suffer in isolation. We look to the cross where we share in the suffering of Jesus and the joy of his ultimate triumph over sin and death.

As I read the early verses of Psalm 42, I saw a similar pattern to what I read in Lamentations last fall. Here the psalmist describes his longing for God, and also his hope and praise for his Savior. He repeats several times the lament of his downcast soul, his thirst for God’s steadfast protection. Verse 8 though, is distinctive. It seems to break the pattern of the relentless lament. In verse 8, the psalmist sings again of both day and night - recalling the earlier weeping (“My tears have been my food day and night” v3). This time though, the psalmist rises from his downcast posture of despair momentarily, reminding us that God’s love is with us throughout the whole of each day and that His presence comforts us like a lullaby in the dark night. This juxtaposition reassures us that God is ever present with us even through suffering, even as we lament and cry out in despair. We need only to pray, to call out to God as the psalmist does throughout this song. Just as the psalmist returns to lament further in this psalm, we will undoubtedly continue to face trials in our own lives. No matter the waves of despair or longing we might feel caught in, however, God remains steadfast.
 
Lord God, you are our steadfast protector, even as waves of despair fall over us. Thank you for your Word that reminds us of your constant presence - your love directing each of our days, your song that is with us each night. Be with us as we endure the trials before us, and remind us that even in suffering, the cross of Christ is ever before us, urging us onward. In your name, Amen.

My soul is downcast within me; therefore I will remember you from the land of the Jordan,
the heights of Hermon—from Mount Mizar. Deep calls to deep in the roar of your waterfalls;
all your waves and breakers have swept over me. Psalm 42:6-7

How do we deal with suffering? How ought we to think about suffering? These have been key questions that have been wrestled with by all humanity since Genesis 3. How are we supposed to think when we experience loss? How are we supposed to stand in the midst of overwhelming waves of emotion? Suffering is our greatest reminder of the state of our world and our inability to fix it.

Psalm 42 wrestles with the topic of suffering. Some scholars believe that David wrote Psalm 42 for the Sons of Korah, the lead musicians of the temple. David was likely running for his life from either Saul or Absalom, his own son. He was kicked out of his home and severed from God’s temple. Certainly, it wasn’t a part of God’s plan to have the anointed king of Israel, the man after God’s own heart, fleeing from place to place in the land that he was promised to rule. Maybe you remember feeling this way or are feeling this way now. ‘God, surely this isn’t a part of the plan.’

The author of the psalm recognizes the state of his heart and throws himself before God: “My God, my soul is cast down within me”. It is at times like these when it is easy to fall into despair. But there is a shift with this keyword: “therefore”. While the situation of the psalmist has not changed, there is only one response he can have that can bring him true peace in the turbulence: he remembers God. No matter where his situation drags him and regardless of how he is feeling he remembers God. Even from the farthest north tip of Israel, in the land Hermon, near the Jordan River and Mount Mizar, he remembers God is in control.

He uses the dangers of water as imagery for his struggle. The upper part of the Jordan River was known to flood violently from time to time when waterspouts occurred. These waterspouts would occur in the latter part of the summer or the beginning of autumn and pour down a flood of rain that sweeps all before it. It has even been described as a bursting of a cloud. No wonder many translations use the word “waterfall” to describe it. The waves of the flood would devastate the area in rapid fashion. Rocks would be thrown, trees uprooted, cattle drowned, precious food would be swept away, and mills destroyed by the sudden deluge.

If we are honest, this is often how suffering hits us. It comes suddenly and leaves a wake of destruction in its path. But God is in control. Interestingly, the psalmist attributes all of these different forces to God: “your waterspouts/waterfalls”, “your breakers”, and “your waves”. Although it is the result of sin in the world that causes suffering, God is sovereign and allows suffering to occur. Nothing happens on this earth or in the universe without His knowledge and permission.

But that brings us back to the question of why. Why would an all-powerful and all-good God allow suffering to His people? The Bible offers many answers to this question, but ultimately God allows suffering for His own glory. God is glorified when suffering molds us and shapes us more into the likeness of Christ. God is also glorified when He is able to work through the darkest of situations to bring about His plan and His good.

Our Lenten season is pointing us to this reality. God took the greatest tragedy ever, the murder of Jesus Christ on the cross, to bring about good for all who would believe in His name. Through the cross, we have access to the throne room of the Father who is sovereign and gives us mercy and grace in our time of need; the Son who can sympathize with our suffering and intercedes on our behalf; and the Holy Spirit who comforts us. As Christians, we do not suffer as those without hope. No matter where our circumstances bring us, we can trust and remember that God is in control and working in the situation.

Heavenly Father, Precious Savior, and Holy Spirit, give us Your grace and mercy in the midst of suffering. Help us to remember that You are in control in every situation. We thank You for the cross which reminds us of how You can work through the darkest of situations to bring about Your glory and plan. Give us faith to trust You and pour our hearts out to You in our time of need that we may receive Your comfort and strength.

Life is a struggle. Even as children of God and believers in Jesus Christ we face daily battles, large and small. We should not be surprised. During his years of ministry Jesus himself was besieged by Satan, Pharisees, Romans, and more. He wept in sorrow. He cried out to his Father. Should his followers be any different in a fallen world?

If we are honest, it can be hard to cope sometimes; hard to stay positive, or hopeful, or thankful; certainly hard to feel joyful.

As we journey through life in this world we encounter many reasons to despair and can sometimes slip into what some have called ‘spiritual depression.’

Long ago the Psalmist struggled with the same dark emotions. He lamented that his soul was downcast, full of sorrow. He was in anguish, suffering, discouraged, and he wondered, “Why?” He was able to look back and remember a very different time in his life when he rejoiced as he led a festive throng, joyfully shouting and celebrating as they went to worship. Perhaps he even danced as David once did before the ark of the Lord.

Even though he was suffering he was able to remember, and it gave him hope.

Remembrance and hope can be powerful antidotes to despair. They revived the psalmist so he could confidently say, “I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God.”

Remembering can also be a healing balm for us today if we find ourselves sinking into spiritual depression. In those dark, lonely times, when we feel far from God, we can remind ourselves that, truly, we are not alone. We are the precious children of Almighty God— His beloved sons and daughters. Remembering our close relationship with Him helps renew our hope that the thirst in our souls will be quenched with living water. Through the power of the Holy Spirit we will again be filled with His gifts of love, joy, and peace.

“Where is your God?” (v. 3) He is right there, waiting for us to cry out to Him for comfort and renewal. When we pour out our souls, He hears us.

After the darkest night comes the sunrise.
After the tempest comes the rainbow.
After the bitter winter comes the glory of spring.
All of creation illustrates that the love of God is steadfast; it never fails.
Remember Him, and hope will follow.
Remember, and we will again “Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise.” (Psalm 100:4)

Heavenly Father,
No matter what circumstances we find ourselves in, help us to remember who we are. We are the beloved sons and daughters of the Most High God! How glorious! How remarkable! No matter how low we may sink– in spirit, in health, in circumstance, in worldly esteem– you will always lift us up. Never let us forget that we are cherished by you, our most precious Savior and God. Alleluia! Amen

Tears for Food

My tears have been my food
   day and night,
while people say to me all day long,
   “Where is your God?” Psalm 42:3

Weeping is something that people in our society don’t normally do in public. It is often a sign of weakness and instability. And crying non-stop is certainly unusual.

Look at the psalmist’s situation. When he says that tears have been his food day and night, this is a sign that real trouble has befallen him. If tears have been his food, that means he has not been eating solid meals for a long time. And on top of this, he is not in the company of believers if all he is hearing is: “Where is your God?” With friends like this, who needs enemies?

Most of us have a friend or two who struggle with chronic depression. This is not something I have personally experienced, by God’s mercy and grace. Even Christians struggle with depression at times. We have faith in God, but we feel all alone – away from the Lord and His people. Isolation creates a darkness and numbness that is practically all-consuming. Perhaps circumstances in family, job, or a physical ailment cause depression to seep in. Or sometimes it may simply be a chemical imbalance or our genetic inheritance. Depression tends to isolate people. I believe that the most important thing we can do for depression – either ours or someone else’s – is to be with other people who love the Lord. No one should be alone!

The writer of this psalm needs the fellowship of brothers and sisters in his faith and to reconnect with God. He asks the question earlier in this psalm in verse 2: “When can I go and meet with God?” Notice the question he asks himself is different from the question his unbelieving friends are taunting him with: “Where is your God?” He asks “when;” they ask “where.” What a difference! The lie we often cling to is that God is not with us in our darkest moments. By faith, we know He is with us. This man longs to get back in touch with God and asks: “when can I go and meet with God?” Implied in his question is: “When can I get to the temple again to worship?”

For us, because of the finished work of Christ and the gift of the Holy Spirit, we can go meet with God at any time and at any place. But sometimes we need the physical presence of a believing friend, and the body of Christ, to remember that the answer to the question “when” is NOW!  

Lord, we praise you that you are always with us, even in our darkest moments. Keep us from believing that you have deserted us and remember instead that we can turn to you at any time and have your full, undivided attention. You are nearer to us than our right hand. Help us to be the hands and feet of Jesus for those who are feasting only on their tears so that their souls will be restored by you. Amen

The season of Lent helps focus our hearts and minds on intentional contemplation of all that God has done through Jesus. We are reminded of the intensity of God’s love for us through the Passion narrative of Christ, and we are brought anew into the drama of anticipation, betrayal, injustice, and death. But we know that on a Sunday soon we will lift our voices together in joy and proclaim, “Hallelujah, He is Risen!”

Psalm 42 walks us through a similar drama, one of lament, reflection, honesty, and hope. The attitude of the psalmist is one of contemplation and longing, “As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, my God.” I have always pictured a sweet doe, like the ones I often see driving on upper Asbury Street toward Topsfield, quietly sidling up to a cool stream to quench her thirst. But the image here is more desperate, a panting, soul-deep thirst that is yearning for something vital that only God can fulfill. What the psalmist yearns for is not abstract. The real water of the flowing stream will satisfy the thirst of the deer. The living God will satisfy the souls of his people.

The circumstances of the psalmist were such that he could not worship in the temple, so he lamented, “When can I go and meet with God?” There was a need for a sense of place and time when God’s presence could be encountered and the desire for communion with him fulfilled. This is where the world of the psalmist and the hope we anticipate during the season of Lent converge – under the New Covenant in Jesus we have the promise of God’s presence in the Holy Spirit. In 1 Corinthians 6:19 it says that as believers, our bodies are the temple of the Holy Spirit, the place where God’s presence dwells.

I’m reminded of the familiar saying, “You can lead a horse (or maybe a deer?) to water, but you can’t make him drink.” As a Christian, I cannot get any closer to the presence of God. I know he is with me, the Holy Spirit in me. Do I desire God, yes! But do I always allow him to satisfy my soul-deep thirst? Sinfully, no. When I refuse to drink from the flowing stream of living water, I find myself panting, desperately searching for God as if he is the one who is distant. When I drink, I am filled and strengthened to serve the Lord and become more like Jesus.

During Lent this year, instead of focusing on what I will give up, I want to focus on what I need to take in – living water. Just as darkness and light cannot coexist, you cannot be thirsty and hydrated at the same time. Drink from the stream of living water by allowing the Holy Spirit to instruct you in his Word, by entering his presence in worship, and coming before his throne in prayer. “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.” Matthew 5:6

Dear Lord, our deepest longing is to be filled by your living water. We want to turn from every sin that keeps us from you. Please shine your light into the dark corners of our lives, so we may see that which separates us from you. May we, like the deer, yearn only for you. May we live in the joy of your presence as we seek to serve you each day. In Christ’s name, Amen.

As I write, at this moment, men and women are going about their work, children are learning in school, mothers are caring for their babies, people are talking with loved ones on the phone, others are getting updates from doctors, and some are waiting to hear news about a particularly difficult situation. We respond to the myriad of life circumstances with emotion and search for insight into what we should do and how we should do it. There are many times when what we face obscures our vision and we don’t know what to do, where to turn, or how to respond.

The writer of Psalm 42 can sympathize with us as he faces difficulty, attacks from enemies, physical suffering, emotional grief, and emptiness within. Over all of this, he doubts God’s presence and care for him and feels the loss of a better time in the past. Does any of that sound familiar to you? Is any of that your experience in life and faith? How could it not be? Life is difficult, confusing, and full of uncertainties, pain, and unspeakable loss.

Today as we remember that we are made from dust and we will return to dust, it is easy to feel the futility of life and say with the psalmist to God our Rock, “Why have you forgotten me?”
Thankfully, our destiny is not dust, but hope. We have the love of God, demonstrated for us in Jesus, who was forsaken so that we could be included. We have the song of God to comfort us with the Holy Spirit’s presence through the darkest nights with the truth of his life-giving power. His life is for us and so we can faithfully respond with praise in the midst of our circumstances.
As we memorize Psalm 42 together this Lent, let’s be a church that despite all we face, understands our hopeful destiny, established through the saving power of God’s love for us in Christ and continues to respond in praise, to reveal the stability of God who is our Rock for all eternity.
 
O God our Rock,
Grant us mercy to see your saving power amid our circumstances. Help us to praise you even as we face the difficulties of our struggles and feel the deep emotions of our trials. Let us find our hope in you as we live and pray. In Christ’s name, Amen

For the director of music. A maskil of the Sons of Korah.
As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, my God.
My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When can I go and meet with God?
My tears have been my food day and night, while people say to me all day long “Where is your God?”

These things I remember as I pour out my soul: how I used to go to the house of God under the protection of the Mighty One with shouts of joy and praise among the festive throng.

Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me?
Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God.

My soul is downcast within me; therefore I will remember you
from the land of the Jordan, the heights of Hermon—from Mount Mizar.
Deep calls to deep in the roar of your waterfalls; all your waves and breakers have swept over me. By day the Lord directs his love, at night his song is with me— a prayer to the God of my life.

I say to God my Rock, “Why have you forgotten me? Why must I go about mourning, oppressed by the enemy?” My bones suffer mortal agony as my foes taunt me, saying to me all day long, 
“Where is your God?”

Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me?
Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God.

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control...”
Galatians 5:22-23 (ESV)

What does a Spirit-led, Spirit-filled relationship look like? How do you know that a particular home or relationship is being filled with the Spirit of Christ? What does it look like for the Spirit of God to be truly at work in a person’s life? In the famous passage on the fruit of the Spirit, the Apostle Paul gives us some evidences or effects of the Spirit’s work in our lives and relationships. Let's unpack and inspect this fruit together. —

1. Love: What is Christian love? In the Bible, love is the central fruit of the Spirit. Every other fruit is an extension of this main fruit. Christian love is more than a feeling. Our feelings come and go. Christian love is primarily an attitude of the heart towards another person that leads you to take positive actions on their behalf. We might say that Christian love is both wanting the redemptive good of another and willing to do something about it. When love is flourishing in a relationship, both people are on the lookout for ways to tangibly and sacrificially bless the other person.

2. Joy: What is Christian joy? Joy is the glow of love. Joy is different than happiness in that it is not based on what is happening in your life or even how you happen to be feeling. Joy is something deeper. Christian joy is an inner satisfaction in who God is for us in Christ. Joy, you could say, is an inner buoyancy of spirit, an undercurrent of contentment in the soul. Therefore, the glow of joy in a relationship transcends the circumstances that each other are going through because it comes from basking in the love they share together, and ultimately in the deep, all-satisfying love of God.

3. Peace: What is Christian peace? Peace is the stability of love. It is a sense of stability and calm. When Christian peace is operating in a relationship, there is a sense of harmony between the two people despite the difficulties that may occur. When each person is walking in fellowship with God, the inner confidence and psychological stability that that brings will show forth in the way each person handles the disagreements and challenges that will come.

4. Patience: What is Christian patience? Patience is the length of love. It’s the great length that love will go for the other. The more we see that the purpose of life is not to serve me (organizing everything for my benefit), the more we will begin to see the hindrances, obstacles, and problems that we face in life as opportunities to love others. Patience begins to thrive when the mentality of “what can I get out of this moment” begins to die. Our ability to suffer long for one another is tied to our sense of what God in Christ has suffered for us. Patience will wait for the sowing of love to do its work.

5. Kindness: What is Christian kindness? Kindness is the acts of love. Christian kindness is different than cultural kindness because it is more than being nice or passively tolerant. Kindness is the generous and practical expressions of love for the other. It’s a loyalty and compassion of soul that gladly serves the other person at a cost. When the fruit of kindness is thriving in a relationship, you’ll see small and big acts of compassion and generosity sprouting up everywhere.

6. Goodness: What is Christian goodness? Goodness is the flag of love. Goodness is an attitude of the heart that yearns and stretches to see the other person helped and blessed. Christian goodness shows up in ways that are unexpected. Goodness is the flag that reads, “I am for you!” It is going the extra mile. It is thinking of what the other person might want and might need before they even realize it themselves.

7. Faithfulness: What is Christian faithfulness? Faithfulness is the commitment of love. Faithfulness is the type of thing that is promised and captured in a couple’s wedding vows. It looks like tangibly sticking with the other person in sickness and in health, for richer or for poorer, for better or for worse. When we show up when we don’t want to, when we give when we don’t want to, when we serve when we don’t want to, we can know that the Spirit is at work in our heart.

8. Gentleness: What is Christian gentleness? Gentleness is the strength of love. Gentleness is not weakness. Far from it. Gentleness is the strong arms of love. When a person is able to be gentle with their words or tone, it is the evidence of an incredible inner strength. That inner strength enables the person to carry or handle another’s sins and weakness with the appropriate tact and sensitivity.

9. Self-Control: What is Christian self-control? Self-control is the ordering of love. If I am living for the other’s good, then self-control will lead me to order my life accordingly. It will lead me to say “no” to certain things for the sake of the other. Self-control is the inevitable by-product of having a bigger and better yes. It's the result of living for something or someone other than myself.

But how do these things develop within a relationship? Later on in Galatians 6, Paul gives us the answer—you reap what you sow. “Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap” (Galatians 6:9). In the relationships we have, each of us must ask ourselves, “What good seeds have I been sowing in this relationship today?”

Greet every saint in Christ Jesus. The brothers who are with me greet you. All the saints greet you, especially those of Caesar’s household.
The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.
Philippians 4:21-23

The warmth of Paul’s closing comes from his godly affection for this faithful church. He began the letter with grace and peace from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Now he concludes, maintaining his focus on the centrality of the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ. From start to finish we are a people whose spirits are made alive through the grace that comes from our life together in Jesus.
Notice that his greeting is meant to connect God’s people. He greets, “every” saint. Each member of God’s family is remembered. He brings greetings from those who are with him, as he is confined, and then extends the greetings from the whole church with him to the whole church in Philippi.
The unique mention of the believers in Caesar’s household has been much debated, but at the very least, we see Paul demonstrating that there is no stronghold that can resist the spread of the good news. It is an encouragement to the Philippians (a Roman military colony) that God is on the move, even into the intimate spaces of Caesar’s household.
We need this encouragement as well. Often we are uncertain if our witness and words have any effect at all, but people everywhere respond to the good news of the grace and peace that comes through knowing Christ.
The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with you all.

O God,
We thank you for your grace in our lives and for the gift of our life together as fellow believers. Give us a greater vision for our call to love and serve one another. Deepen our affection for Christians and churches who serve Jesus. Help us to be faithful in our witness to this same grace for the glory of God.
Amen

Yet it was kind of you to share my trouble. And you Philippians yourselves know that in the beginning of the gospel, when I left Macedonia, no church entered into partnership with me in giving and receiving, except you only. Even in Thessalonica you sent me help for my needs once and again. Not that I seek the gift, but I seek the fruit that increases to your credit. I have received full payment, and more. I am well supplied, having received from Epaphroditus the gifts you sent, a fragrant offering, a sacrifice acceptable and pleasing to God. And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus. To our God and Father be glory forever and ever. Amen.
Philippians 4:14-20

There is much that distracts and pulls our attention from the things that matter most. How do we combat the encroaching concerns of life that threaten to overwhelm our proper focus?

As Paul is wrapping up his letter of thanks and encouragement to the Philippians, he returns to the ideas of partnership, generosity for the sake of the gospel, reliance on God’s provision, and the ultimate goal of bringing glory to God. The Philippians have consistently supported him financially, and Paul is grateful. But Paul frames these gifts as acts of worship that please God. It is pleasing because it reflects their heart that the truth of Christ is proclaimed. Their priority flows from their relationship to God and Paul in the partnership of the gospel.

The result is that Paul is confident that God, who has unlimited riches, will supply what they need. This is a comprehensive vision of provision, for both physical and spiritual needs.

We learn from the Philippians and Paul to commit to one another and the work God has for us as a church. Trust that God will provide. As we do this, the end goal, the most important priority, that everyone would see the glory, the beauty, and the singular power of God in our life together, will be realized in our church and our lives.

O God,
It is easy to be distracted by the urgent and important concerns of life. Help us to order them rightly before you. Help us to commit to one another, provide for each other, and serve one another for the sake of the name of Jesus. Convince us anew of the need to proclaim and demonstrate the truth of Christ in our life together. Above all, help us to stay focused on bringing you glory in all that we think, do, and say. This is our eternal prayer,
Amen

“So, when he heard that Lazarus was ill, he stayed two days longer in the place where he was.”
John 11:6

Unanswered prayer is difficult to understand. How can Jesus really love you when you pray about something you know is good and nothing seems to happen? Unanswered prayer not only confuses us; if we're not careful, it can also contribute to a diminishing of faith. So what gives? How can Jesus claim to be so loving yet remain so silent on the other end of prayer? If you’ve ever wrestled with these questions, you’re not alone. This is exactly what happened to Martha and Mary in John 11 when they sent a message to Jesus that their brother was ill and close to dying. Instead of rushing to their brothers’ aid and healing him, Jesus waited two days because he loved them. You read that right. Jesus delayed because he loved them.

Love's Delays are Not Necessarily Love's denials: You can just see these two sisters sending word to Jesus, knowing that he loves them, knowing that he has time to return, and knowing that he has the power to heal their brother. They’re expecting his return at any moment to fix the problem, looking down the road, periodically checking to see if Jesus had arrived yet. The hours are quickly passing but you can almost hear them reassuring their brother, “Lazarus, the Lord loves you. He will come. Everything will be fine. You’ll see.” And just think of Lazarus lying in pain but with great hope, expecting at any moment to see Jesus walking through the door ready to heal him. But Jesus doesn’t come. Jesus doesn’t show up (not yet anyway), and Lazarus dies. All because Jesus loved them? How does this make any sense?

Love Often Shows Up in Surprising Ways: I've shared this before, but some time ago, I was on the phone trying to fix a problem with one of my bills and after about 3 minutes into the conversation, I heard the dreaded words nobody wants to hear when you’re on the phone with customer service—“I’m going to need to put you on hold.”  I’m thinking, “Oh great. This can’t be good.” So, she puts me on hold. After 10 minutes go by, I’m starting to get pretty annoyed. I start thinking the worst—“She’s ignoring me. Maybe she’s forgot about me?” 15 minutes later she gets back on the line and says, “I’m so sorry Mr. McKeen about that delay. I just needed to work on a few things, and here’s what I did to help you. I waited to speak with my manager so I could get approval to add an extra credit to your account. You should be more than fine now.” Not only did she fix the problem, I got a $100 credit added to my account! If only I had known that she was putting me on hold to help me. If only I had known that the delay was completely for my benefit, it would have completely changed the way I waited.

Love Often Helps Us in Ways We Can't See: This is what we see in the story of Lazarus. Jesus’ delay in getting to Lazarus, helps us to understand his delay in getting to us. It’s not because Jesus received one too many prayer requests and can’t keep up. It’s not because Jesus is ignoring you. Rather, Jesus puts us on hold because he is working out a bigger and better plan that we can't see in the moment. Just like I couldn’t see what the customer service agent was doing, you and I can’t see all that God is doing in the delay to help us, but he is always helping. God is a present help in time of need. The name Lazarus means “The one who God helps.” But God often helps in a way we don’t understand yet but the result is always better than you expected. The story of Lazarus teaches that Jesus had not forgotten Martha and Mary. He had not forgotten Lazarus, and he wasn’t ignoring them either. Jesus was preparing to give them something greater; Jesus was preparing to give them what they needed most. Even as I write this, I am waiting on several important things that I have been praying for. The story of Lazarus and the love of Jesus reminds me to trust in the delays and surprising help of God.

“I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God that you may know that you have eternal life.”
1 John 5:13

When unexpected tragedy happens in your life, where do you turn for guidance? When, in the words of Fantine in Les Miserables, “Life kills the dream you dreamed,” where do you turn for hope? What can happen to many of us is that great doubts and suspicions towards God suddenly arise in our hearts. Suddenly, all the Sunday School stories you learned as a kid can seem so fake. What can happen is not a direct move into atheism—denying the existence of God, but rather a slow and subtle move into a silent agnosticism—denying that truth about God can be known, denying that certainties about God exist, thinking that no one can be confident about spiritual or religious truth.

Agnosticism: This is what happened to 19th century biologist Thomas Huxley who coined the term 'agnostic' (meaning without knowledge). An agnostic does not take a stand and deny that God exists; he or she denies that knowledge and certainties about God and the spiritual life are possible to rationally maintain. Today, it seems like a form of this agnosticism has crept into many Christian circles where the confident Christianity that the Bible describes has been replaced by an agnostic Christianity in the name of "humility." Someone might say, “Yes, I still hold to many of the teachings of Jesus and what he did for me. That is what seems to help me in life. That’s what I gravitate towards, but at the end of the day, who really knows?” The motto of this agnosticism is, “Who can say for sure?”

Confidence: Contrary to this intellectually flabby approach to spiritual truth, the Apostle John wrote to the church "...that you may know." Notice, he said "know" not "wonder." John was addressing Christians who were living with uncertainties and taught them how to live with confidence in their walk with God no matter what was happening in their lives. What this shows us is that a person may in fact be a genuine Christian, but this does not guarantee that he or she is living with the type of confidence and assurance that is possible.

For example, two people may be sitting on the same plane together and experiencing the same turbulence. Yet, one of them could be sipping their drink in confidence while the other one is gripping the armrests in much panic and worry. Both people are on the plane, but their internal experience of that flight is completely different. You might say that John wrote his letter so that Christians would let go of the armrests and pick up their drink. He wrote his letter so that, instead of an agnostic Christianity, believers would experience a confident Christianity. But how does John do it? Where does this type of spiritual confidence and knowledge come from?

Evidence: If John said, “I write these things...that you may know,” then we need to ask, “What things?” And if we go back to the beginning of his letter, John began by recounting his very scientific credible eye-witness experience of Jesus. Here’s why that is so important. Often times, faith and science are seen to be at odds with one another. Science deals with things that you can touch, things that you can see. Yet, people tend to think that faith in Jesus deals with nothing but the unseen and unverifiable. Yet, what did John say? “We saw him, we looked upon him, we touched him” (1 John 1:1-3). John was pointing out the scientific evidence of seeing Jesus before his death and seeing Jesus after his death. John was helping his readers to understand that the Apostle’s testimony was scientific and verifiable. In other words, John was helping people to see that Christian faith is not based on wishful thinking; it’s based on the historical credible eye-witness reports of the men and women who saw Jesus physically alive and back from the dead.

Faith: The root of many uncertainties about God can be a misunderstanding of how knowledge and faith work. It seems like when people talk about "a person of faith" today, they speak of faith almost like a form of wishful thinking, sort of like the Disney movie type of faith—if you believe it with all your heart, your dreams will come true. That is not the faith of the Bible and Christianity. Faith, according to the Bible, is receiving the credible testimony of God that he’s given to us. Faith is taking God at his word. That’s why the Apostle Paul said that, “Faith comes by hearing and hearing through the word of Christ” (Romans 10:17).

We might think of it like this—why do people believe that George Washington was America’s first President? It’s not because they were there and saw him; it’s because they are trusting the credible reports of others who did. Or if people are in the market for a used car, they don’t typically inspect under the car and check under the hood before they buy it. No, what do they do? They trust the CarFax report. It's interesting that people aren't agnostic when it comes to these things.

I would argue that what we do in so many other areas of life, we just need to do the same thing when it comes to the Bible and Jesus. If we trust the testimony of others all the time (and we know that people are prone to lie or exaggerate), why not trust the testimony of God who never lies? The Bible was written so that we could know God, trust his word, and live with a confidence in his character and promises no matter what is happening around us. Which means, if we're not feeling confident in our walk with God, then let's go back to the reliable source of our knowledge and faith to begin with, the Bible.

"So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.”
John 8:36

In one of my favorite stories, The Count of Monte Cristo, Edmond Dantes tries his hardest to escape from prison but all his plans and efforts fail. Yet, something finally happens that sets Edmond free. Faria, a priest and innocent cellmate who befriended Edmond, suddenly dies and the prison guards put the priest’s dead body in a sack and sow it up to be taken away. However, before they come back for the sack, Edmond sneaks into the priest’s cell to say his last goodbyes and suddenly is struck by an idea. He thinks, “Since only the dead leave this place freely, let us take the place of the dead!” Without wasting any time, Edmond removes the body, hides it in his cell, slips into Faria’s sack, and sows it up from the inside. Moments later the guards come and remove the body, but the body is actually Edmonds who is brought out of prison and he escapes as a free man.

How was Edmond set free? By personally identifying with the death of a priest. Only because the priest's death "became" Edmond's death was Edmond released from prison. This is a beautiful picture of how Jesus, the Son of God and Great High Priest, sets us free. Jesus is the innocent Priest who befriends us, dies on the cross for our sins, and the way that Jesus’ death sets us free is when, like Edmond, we identify with it by faith.

Imagine it like this. If you committed a number of crimes and you’re caught, but on the way to the court to receive your sentence, you happen to die, what can the law do to you now that you’re dead? Nothing! Because you died, the law can no longer enforce its demands or enact its penalties. Likewise, when a person receives Jesus’ life and death as their life and death before God, they are brought out from under all the demands and penalties of God’s Law because all the penalties of the law have already been perfectly fulfilled in Jesus.

This is precisely why the Apostle Paul reminds Christians that they have all “died with Christ” (Rom.6:8; Col.3:3, etc.). And because of our union with Christ in his death, "There is therefore now no condemnation (judgment against us) for those who are in Christ Jesus" (Romans 8:1). By faith, a Christian is united to Jesus and his death brings about our freedom. We're no longer in the courtroom of God. Through Christ we have been released and transferred into the family room of God forever!

Dear God, thank for your gospel that tells me that through the life and death of another, namely Jesus, I can be set free from sin's penalties and sin's condemning power. Help me to not live as though I'm still in the courtroom trying to justify myself before you. Help me to embrace the freedom you've given to me and to use that freedom for the good of others. Amen.

"For the commandment is a lamp and the teaching is a light...”
Proverbs 6:23a

It's that time of year again. You know, when it gets dark outside in the afternoon!! Ok, it's not that bad, but truthfully, the dark early evenings during the fall and winter months are at the top of my list of things I had a tortuous time readjusting to in our move back to New England. I'm not there yet. I'm still trying to readjust to these 'shortened' days, but I'm getting there and I'm learning things along the way.

I was recently thinking that it's in the darkness when you really appreciate the light. And I thought about how God uses the natural rhythms in his created order to teach us spiritual truths of how to walk with him. This verse in Proverbs does just that. It reminds us that God’s word lights our way when we find ourselves in the darkness of confusion or in the darkness of despair. Just like the gift of light enables me to see and walk securely in the dark, God’s word is given to us as a gift that enables us to see the world, others, our circumstances, and ourselves in the way that we should.

But the converse is true as well. If I'm not being led by the teaching of God's word, then quite logically I will be walking in darkness and will inevitably stumble. The question then becomes, am I going to go through this day in the darkness, or in the light? What we do with God's word will determine the answer to that question. So, remember, when it starts to get dark in a few hours that in the darkness of life's challenges, there is a light to guide our way. God's commandments are a lamp and his teaching is a light.

Dear God, thank for your gospel that enlightens my heart to your goodness in Christ and for your word that lights my way along the path of life. Help me to appreciate your light and abide by your light so that I may see what I should see and go where I should go. Amen.

I rejoiced in the Lord greatly that now at length you have revived your concern for me. You were indeed concerned for me, but you had no opportunity. Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me.
Philippians 4:10-13

Are you content? Most of us aren’t. Most of us have goals, bucket lists, and treasures we want to achieve or acquire. This is a part of how we are made, to imagine, set goals, and bring about a vibrant exciting future. It can also be a sinful preoccupation pulling us away from seeing gifts and blessings to be cherished.
Paul has not missed the moment and is not preoccupied with lesser goals. His joy and love for the Philippians, particularly as they have shared their affection and love for him by providing for his needs, gives him cause for thanksgiving. Their concern for him as a fellow brother in the family of God is a deep blessing to him. He shares what he has learned, and now models for the Philippians, Godly contentment.
We know from various accounts of Paul’s life that he often did without and at other times his needs were supplied, but no matter his state of want or plenty he had all he needed because he had Christ.
It is this godly contentment that enables us to live powerful faithful lives before friends, family, and co-workers that do not falter despite changing circumstances. Just like Jesus, who withstood the temptation to receive the kingdoms of the world(Matthew 4:7-11) and also endured the cross with perfect reliance on his Father’s love and direction, we find our contentment in the love and leading of our Heavenly Father. When we function out of this godly, gospel-grounded contentment, we accomplish all that the Lord puts in our hearts to do and we do it with joy.

O God,
We confess that we are often discontent in this life. We strain for accolades and accomplishments, and to acquire the desires of our hearts. Help us to desire you above all and in the acquisition of your grace and truth in our lives lean toward you for our full supply. May those of us, “in ‘want’ learn patience and trust in suffering; those in ‘wealth’ learn humility and dependence in prospering, not to mention the joy of giving without strings attached!”
Let our joy and solidarity with one another and with you give us deep contentment that empowers us to live for you in every way. We pray this because of Jesus, your Son,
Amen

“She smiles at the future"
Proverbs 31:25b

I've got to admit, early on in my spiritual journey (and immaturity), I used to wonder if and how I was supposed to apply the last chapter of proverbs to my life when so much of it specifically describes the characteristics of an industrious and virtuous woman. For one thing, I'm not a wife or a woman. Moreover, the description of this woman seems like an impossible checklist and standard for anyone to try and measure up to.

One thing that helped me was the day I learned from a Hebrew commentator that the valiant or excellent wife described in Proverbs 31 can also be taken as a metaphor for the Christian church—the bride of Christ, which includes all of God's people. All of Scripture is essentially pointing us to Jesus and the realities of the New Covenant, and Proverbs 31 is no exception. In Christ, all of God's people are his bride who can “smile at the future.”

But how is that possible when we can’t know our immediate future? The impossible becomes possible because we know the One who does know it, the One who goes before us into it, and the One who promises to be with us and care for us in every future moment. We can smile at the future because by faith we see God there. Even though we can’t know what will happen, we know the One who will be right there with us and always for us when it does happen—the One called Father, Savior, Husband, and Friend. As the old adage goes, "We don't know what the future holds, but we know who holds the future." God has promised to be abundantly present in my future, and I smile when I think of him there.

If we read the end of Proverbs 31 as a long "To-Do List" relegated only to women, then we can find it either irrelevant or just exhausting. But if we read it as a poetic way of describing the "excellent wife" that Christ has found by his grace and the people he is making us to be, then we can see each virtue as the relevant fruit that the Spirit is working to produce in each of our lives.

God of the past, present, and future, help me to trust in your good plan and in your faithful presence when it comes to all my tomorrows. Help me to seize the day today by not worrying about the future, but giving it a smile because I see you in it. Amen.

Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.
Philippians 4:8-9

When I was four years old, I was screened for pre-school and they recommended I get my eyes checked. This led to glasses and a whole new world. Prior to wearing glasses, I was able to function, but with corrective lenses, I was able to navigate, appreciate, and excel in areas that had previously been fuzzy and obscured.

As Paul is nearing the end of his letter of encouragement to the Philippians, he reminds them to put on the corrective lens of the gospel in order to see clearly in the world. We don’t need to isolate ourselves from the world, instead, we can evaluate, appreciate, and celebrate all manner of things in the world simply by looking at them in light of Christ. Paul reminds them to put into practice what they have been taught and seen demonstrated, as the outgrowth of meditating on what is truly virtuous in the world. Considering the ramifications of Jesus’ actions on our behalf enables us to engage with the good we see in our world. Gordon Fee puts it this way, “As believers in Christ they[the Philippians] will embrace the best of that world as well, as long as it is understood in the light of the cross.”

As we learn to see clearly and interact meaningfully in the world as Christian people, we always have the assurance that the God who brings everlasting peace is with us. So we don’t need to worry because God through the gospel helps us to see clearly and to know more and more about what is worthy of our praise and attention.

God of Peace,
We thank you that our hearts can rest in you. We thank you for the gospel of forgiveness, new life, and kingdom purpose. Help us to put on the corrective lens of the gospel so that we can rightly view the world. We thank you for the common grace that is all around us in creation and in people the world over. Help us to consider and put into practice all that you teach us in your word and through your Spirit. Amen

Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Philippians 4:4-7

How often have you lacked peace in your life? Unresolved conflict, overwhelming choices, and negative circumstances all contribute to the unsettling of our hearts.
Paul’s external experience was anything but peaceful, and the Philippians faced many things that threatened their tranquility, but Paul uses 5 emphatic imperatives to impress upon the Philippians the importance of trusting the Lord to provide peace in their hearts and peace with one another.

We are to rejoice and in case we miss it, he says, it again, rejoice! This is because we are connected to all the good gifts, promises, and work of God in our life. We have much for which to be thankful.
We are also to pursue forbearance and gentleness in our conduct with others. This is the fruit of our life with Christ and his presence in our lives.
The final two imperatives instruct us to lay aside our anxious thoughts and worries by sharing with God all the concerns of our hearts. We do this continually, with thanksgiving for God’s faithfulness, knowing that God will provide the peace we are seeking.

How can God do this? He has already done it by healing our souls and guaranteeing hope and a future through what Jesus accomplished on the cross and through the empty tomb. Our certain future brings peace to our present, for the Lord is near.

Our Good God,
Thank you for bringing peace to us and protecting our internal life as we grow together. Help us to care for one another as Christians so that peace will be present in our midst. Thank you for the innumerable ways you provide and care for us. We rejoice and give thanks that you hear and consider all our concerns. This provides a restful spirit as we trust in you.
In Christ’s name, Amen

Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers. But his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers.
Psalm 1:1-3

Delight in God’s word sounds like something every Christian wants. We want to understand, grow and apply God’s word to the relationships and decisions of our life. Yet our busyness, laziness, and all the other “ness’s” cause our delight to flutter away, and instead of our souls being watered by God’s truth, we are blown around like a dead autumn leaf.

Without soul delight in God’s law, we are in danger of taking counsel from the wicked. This stagnates into accepting the way of sinners and plops us down into God-mocking muck. Too many Christians disregard scripture and begin this horrible progression away from God. No, Christian aims to be stuck in spiritual muck, but if your delight is misplaced this is the inevitable destination.

Look at the miracle of taking delight in the law of God. A tree yields regular fruit and the leaves never fall from the tree; in effect, it is a vibrant ever-living tree. God uses his word to make strong, fruit-bearing, leaf-holding people. Our conversations, entertainment choices, physical care, worship, actions, and friendships are dependent on the flood of God’s wisdom from scripture being heard, understood, and obeyed. We do not have to ask permission to obey God’s word; we are freely guided by it in our decisions, attitudes, and actions. This grows a life continually nourished and watered by an encounter with God’s truth.
This may not come easily if you have been stuck in the muck, but the pathway to life is just a page turn away. Let me encourage you to pray for strength, begin to read the Bible daily, and take delight in all of God’s wisdom and counsel. Start today, and you will prosper as one rescued from the muck and strongly planted in the Lord.

Spirit of the Living God,
Fill our hearts with a desire for You and Your word. Shape and form us by the truth of the Bible as we see the world, our lives, and Your character more clearly. Let us find delight in all that you have told us and be eager to share it with others. We want to be vibrant, like an ever-living tree as we follow your good way. Help us we pray in Christ’s name, Amen

I entreat Euodia and I entreat Syntyche to agree in the Lord. Yes, I ask you also, true companion, help these women, who have labored side by side with me in the gospel together with Clement and the rest of my fellow workers, whose names are in the book of life.
Philippians 4:2-3

Have you tried to lift something heavy with other people without communicating? You lift and they don’t. It is very frustrating to expend so much energy for no good purpose. Little can be accomplished when we don’t work together or work at cross purposes.
Communication, coordination, and collaboration are needed to do hard things. We often count to 3 in order to coordinate and maximize the strength of the group and it is amazing what people are able to accomplish when working together.
Paul encourages the church in Philippi to remember the power of collaborative work in the gospel, despite disagreements. This unity of purpose and action is brought about by our faith which is grounded in the gospel, in the work of the Lord in our lives, and the eternal hope given to us represented by our names being written in the book of life.
Paul passionately urges the Philippians and Christians everywhere, to remain focused on working for the sake of the gospel together without letting disagreements hinder us. This is unity for the sake of telling and showing the glory of the good news Jesus offers us. Gordon Fee sums it up by saying we, “must learn to subordinate personal agendas to the larger agenda of the gospel, ‘to have the same mindset in the Lord.”

God of Peace,
We ask you to continually drive us to depend on you for peace and unity. We know many things cause disagreements and discord, but we have the presence of your Spirit to give us wisdom, forbearance, a willingness to forgive, and a common purpose. Let our love for you, for one another, and for the truths that have transformed our lives be the ground of our unity. We give thanks that you hear and honor our prayers. Amen.

Therefore, my brothers and sisters, whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, stand firm thus in the Lord, my beloved.
Philippians 4:1

As Paul begins wrapping up his letter to the Philippians, we see his genuine love and care for them and are reminded of how willing he was to do whatever was needed for them to grow and be strengthened in their faith (Philippians 1:24-26).

He reminds them of one thing and that is “Stand Firm”. This is a return to what he already said in 1:27, where he wanted them to be unified as a church in their conduct and belief in the gospel. Here, he reminds them that standing firm in the Lord enables them to resist those who would lead them on a false path instead of toward their destiny with Christ in heaven.

This word of exhortation is for us as well. When we face decisions on how to act, when we have a choice about our attitudes, or when others are focusing their attention on things that are not in alignment with Jesus’ purposes we must stand firm. In this, we bring joy and encouragement to those who have gone before us and strengthen the family of God. Let’s encourage one another not to yield to the pressures of ungodly conduct and character and instead stand firm for the love, truth, and hope of Jesus’ way.

Father,
Thank you for sending Jesus to make all things new. We look forward to eternal life with you, where there is no more sorrow, pain, sin, or suffering. Help us to stand firm in our faith and trust in what you have accomplished. Let our lives reflect the beauty of your work in us and our certain hope yet to be received. We love you and thank you for the gift of one another as we do not have to stand alone, but stand together with You.
In Christ’s name, Amen

But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself.
Philippians 3:20-21

Do you have a hard time orienting your life in the present to the realities promised by God?
 
Even though we are able to imagine future outcomes, we are often overwhelmed by besetting issues and problems. And in many ways dealing with what is in front of us is a healthy way to live. Didn’t Jesus say, “Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.”(Matthew 6:34)?

But here Paul is reminding the Philippians to live faithfully despite the present obstacles and unhelpful enemies, because of their status and their destiny. They are citizens in another kingdom (heaven) and they will be transformed in the future to glory like our Savior Jesus.

This is helpful, despite our circumstances, we look to Jesus and his way of humble love as a defining characteristic of our belonging and citizenship in God’s Kingdom. We do not stoop to the ways of lesser kingdoms on earth but hold fast to the power that raised Jesus from the dead to live faithfully. This power is not only available to us in daily faithfulness, but it is able to bring a supernatural transformation in our lives for eternity.

Rejoice in your certain citizenship with its rights and future blessing.

Father,
We thank you for the glorious future you secured for us in the victory of Jesus. Empower us in our lives to live as citizens in the kingdom of heaven. Let this fundamental difference from the patterns and ways of earthly kingdoms and philosophies be a great contrast that draws people to your Son. Amen

Their end is destruction, their god is their belly, and they glory in their shame, with minds set on earthly things.
Philippians 3:19

Sometimes people have misplaced priorities and glorify the wrong things. The priorities of Christ are completely different from the priorities of most humans. Paul’s own life was an example. He pursued religious performance as his path to success but considers it all as rubbish compared with knowing Christ. Christ is his delight and it is in knowing him that he finds true glory.
This passage serves as a warning to all of us, to continue to diligently seek the Lord in all aspects of our life. Paul refers to people who are seemingly in the company of Christians but are focused on themselves. They pursue their own desires and have inverted consciences, that celebrate what should be rejected.
Whenever we get our priorities off of Jesus (Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus - Philippians 2:5) and instead set our mind on this life only, it leads to a variety of misplaced thoughts and actions.
Instead, we must look to the example of Jesus, the truth of scripture, and the blessing of fellow brothers and sisters to help us hold onto the faith that brings us eternal joy.

O God,
We simply ask your help to set our minds on Christ and what he has accomplished. Help us to live faithfully in line with the character of Christ and to delight in knowing you. May others see the power of Jesus in the humble lives we live for his name’s sake. Amen

 “How long, O Lord? Will you forget me forever?....But I have trusted in your steadfast love."
Psalm 13:1a,5a

Emotions are an important part of being human. The question we run into is how should we understand our emotions and handle them in a healthy way? We don’t want to play on the emotions or downplay the emotions. We don’t want to make the emotions all-important, but we don’t want to make them unimportant either. How can we legitimize our emotions without being emotionally led? How can each of us live an emotionally healthy life? In Psalm 13, David models two critical aspects of emotional health: emotional honesty and emotional stability.

It's easy for us to think, “If I'm going to be emotionally healthy, then I've got to be honest with my emotions, but if I'm honest with how I'm feeling, then I can't be stable.” At the same time we can go to the other extreme and think, “To be emotionally healthy I've got to be stable, but if I'm trying to be stable then I cant be honest with how I'm feeling.” David shows us how to have both honesty and stability and why we need both to live an emotionally healthy life.

Emotional Honesty: In the animated hit movie, Inside Out, 11-year-old Riley moves from her hometown and is forced to take a journey towards emotional honesty. During the movie you’re taken into Riley’s head (her emotional control center), and her different emotions are personified as different characters named: Anger, Disgust, Fear, Sadness and Joy. It shows how Joy is so busy trying to keep things happy and upbeat for Riley and trying to keep Sadness away from the controls, that both Sadness and Joy are lost in long-term memory land. Yet, what Joy comes to realize by reviewing some of Riley’s most happy memories, is that it was through the times of Riley expressing her sadness that her family and friends were there for her, which in turn led to her feeling better. Joy realizes that to help Riley, somehow she needs to get Sadness back into the control center. In other words, the only way for Riley to be healed is for Riley to be honest with how she’s really feeling about the move. In the first half of Psalm 13, you see David doing the same thing. David feels forsaken and abandoned by God, but instead of denying his emotions and pretending that everything is fine, he’s honest before God in prayer.

David avoids the ancient error of Stoicism. The Stoics taught that the emotions were part of the lower self and that in order to successfully go through life you needed to suppress your emotions. But that is to deny an important part of who we are as image bearers of God. Unfortunately, this error can creep into the church. The church can hinder people from experiencing emotional health because they can unintentionally create a community where a person can’t be emotionally honest. There needs to be an outlet for the emotions, because denying the emotions either leads a person to blow up or to break down. Being honest doesn’t mean being hurtful. That’s why Paul said, “Be angry but do not sin” (Ephesians 4:26). There’s a difference between being abusive or manipulative with others and being honest with how you’re feeling. Just like there’s a difference between making your complaint to God, and complaining about God. Emotions aren’t intrinsically good or bad. They need to be processed and filtered and then brought honestly before God and others.

Emotional Stability: David is honest with his emotions, but we see towards the end of the Psalm that they are not going to rule him. In the second half of the Psalm, we see David experiencing emotional stability even though his situation hasn’t changed. Because David’s heart is clinging to the steadfast love of the Lord, he’s able to rejoice and sing. David avoids both Stoicism and emotionalism. His feelings are saying one thing and the truth is saying another, and he’s letting the truth win. Emotional stability is letting the truth be our highest authority, not our feelings. Because people’s emotions are tied to what their hearts trust in and are committed to, the way to find emotional stability is to be ultimately committed to something, and trust in something, that is unshakeable and unchangeable. This is what David found in the love of God. It is steadfast. Stable.

This is the love that finds its greatest demonstration in the cross of Jesus. The cross of Jesus both displays God’s love and the emotional health of Jesus. There on the cross, Jesus cried out, “My God my God why have you forsaken me.” There’s the honesty. But he also said, “Into your hands I commit my spirit.” There’s the stability. And while in the Psalm, David felt forsaken; there on the cross Jesus was forsaken. He temporarily lost the Father’s embrace so that all who believe in him could be forgiven and always have it. Jesus died so that everyone who trusts in him could know that when God feels distant, he really isn’t, and when it feels like God has forsaken you, he really hasn’t. The Christian faith offers us the path to emotional health. It offers us the God of steadfast love and the Wonderful Counselor who we can be completely honest with and find lasting stability in.  

“Now when Jesus showed up...."
John 11:17a

We all want our lives to impact others in meaningful and powerful ways, but sometimes all God wants us to do is just show up and He will do the rest.

My cross-country coach in high school had a saying he made the whole team memorize and I guess you could say that those memory drills worked, because the saying and principle is still a part of me today. He would tell us, “Success begins with an “s” and that “s” is showing up.” I can recall one afternoon my freshman year, just before warm-ups, when the coach pulled me aside and asked me why I wasn’t at practice yesterday. He continued to point out that I had missed a couple of practices last week as well. I folded my arms and tried to reassure him that, “Everyone knows how to run coach; you’ll see I’ll be just fine.”

Well, race day came and you probably already guessed what happened. I barely finished. Out of breath, I dragged my body across that finish line exhausted. I came in dead last on my team and I was convinced I would be dropped from the varsity squad. The coach came over to me on the bus ride home. He sat down next to me and said, “Success begins with an 's', Jeremy, and that 's' is showing up. If you want to be on this team, you’ve got to show up to practice and let me coach you.”

So much of life, and especially the Christian life, is just showing up. What if just showing up to God’s Word eager to learn from him is the next best thing we can do? What if showing up to fulfill our responsibilities even when they’re hard is the most heroic act we can take? That’s what Jesus did. He made himself available—to the Father and to others. He just kept showing up when he needed to, even when it was hard. “Here I am Coach, not my will but yours be done.”

Dear God, help me to remember the simple but profound step of just showing up. Thank you, Jesus that for every moment where I've failed to be available and show up, in your perfect righteousness, you showed up in my place. Empower me by your Spirit to model your incarnational, faithful, and available ministry to God and others. Amen.