Though innocent, He endured it all to do His Father’s will, standing in an impossibly large gap, taking on the debts of our blackest sins with His own death, a death on a cross, and reconciled us to God.
That joy set before Him was you and me.
Looking unto Jesus the
author and finisher of our
faith; who for the joy
that was set before Him
endured the cross,
despising the shame,
and is set down
at the right hand
of the throne of God.
Hebrews 12:2
Thank you, Lord Jesus.
The God of Israel had just rescued His people from their mighty enemies through a parted sea on dry ground. Dry ground. They didn’t have to wade through a little bit of water or even slog through mud. God provided a red carpet toward the Promised Land.
Days later, they camped near some springs of water and seventy palm trees. (Countless studies could be done on the significance of the number 70 in God’s Word.)
Not too long after, God ordained certain holy days to be celebrated every year, one of them being the Festival, or Feast of Tabernacles. During the seven days this feast was observed, the Israelites were to live in tents, or tabernacles, made from the leaves of various trees, including palm trees, as a celebration and remembrance of the Lord’s deliverance and provision in the desert.
Because this joyful holiday had been celebrated generation after generation, palm leaves became a symbol of victory, triumph, and faithfulness.
So when Jesus came riding into Jerusalem on a donkey just before Passover, the crowds who had gathered there, recognizing Jesus as their savior (although their idea of what He was there to do would be vastly different), it was only right that they cut down palm branches to welcome Him.
“On the next day, when they heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem, a great crowd who had come to the Feast took the branches of palm trees and went out to meet Him. And they cried,
‘Hosanna (oh save)!
Blessed is the King of Israel
who comes in the name of the Lord!’”
John 12:12-13
He did indeed come to save us, but in an even much greater way than they thought. He didn’t come to only save us from a cruel and unjust government, but to save us from ourselves, from our own sins that would have brought a certain death to our souls in this life and an eternal one in the next.
The next time the apostle John would give us a look at the significance of palm leaves would be as he was given a glimpse into heaven.
“After this I looked, and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands. And they cried out in a loud voice:
‘Salvation belongs to our God,
who sits on the throne,
and to the Lamb.’
All the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures. They fell down on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, saying:
‘Amen!
Praise and glory
and wisdom and thanks and honor
and power and strength
be to our God for ever and ever.
Amen!’”
Revelation 7:9-12
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There are days when it all gets overwhelming, and this time I’m not talking about the trials of life. I’m talking about all the articles, the teachings, the books that remind us Christians how to have godly marriages or singlehoods, to remember to present the gospel to others, and what about who’s right and wrong about those disputed ideas in God’s Word, and don’t forget to serve God, and repent, and what to do when suffering, and sowing and reaping, and don’t do this and do do that, and, and, and…
And those are good things. We need those things. But sometimes I think we can get so caught up in all that that we can begin to try to do it in our own strength, to shoulder the burden of the Christian life ourselves. And some days I just want to reset and say to myself and to everyone –
Just Jesus.
Just focus on Jesus and He’ll lead us in relationships; just abide in Jesus and He’ll give us the desire to make disciples; just rest in Jesus and He’ll open His Word to us and give us wisdom; just remain in Him and He’ll sweetly convict us of any sins He wants to help us with. Just walk with Jesus and He’ll walk with us through suffering.
Just keep relationship with Jesus first and He will do it. His Spirit who is alive in us will give us all we need to love, to forgive, to walk in power, strength, and courage, to be victorious in this life.
So when it gets overwhelming and you don’t know the answers, you have no strength, you don’t know where to turn, just Jesus.
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke (zugos – to join, a coupling) upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”
Matthew 11:28-30
“Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice.
Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.”
Ephesians 4:31-32 ESV
I love court shows. Well, not all of them, but there are a couple I like to watch. Every once in a while one judge in particular will bring up the concept in the law of unclean hands. That is when a someone sues another person, but they themselves acted illegally, unethically or in bad faith.
This judge will usually explain it by using an example like this: let’s say someone sold another person illegal drugs and the buyer didn’t pay the seller the amount they agreed so the seller is suing for the money. The judge will explain that the courts can’t do that. They can’t make fair or right something that’s illegal.
We love justice. God built into us a sense of fairness, of right and wrong. That’s why people protest, why people speak out, why people love court shows.
The problem, though, is sometimes we’re all too willing to overlook our own sin.
There are times we stand in prayer before the Father, the ultimate Judge, with “unclean hands.” We’ve chosen to repeatedly walk a sinful path, to hold onto some sinful attitude, like not forgiving someone for the sin they’ve committed against us when God’s forgiven us for a lifetime of sin, and then ask Him to bless us.
Yes, we ask for forgiveness, and in Christ we are forgiven and won’t face eternal punishment for our sins, but when we’ve chosen sin we can’t expect God to bless us or protect us from the consequences of that sin.
Surely, LORD, you bless the righteous;
you surround them with your favor as with a shield.
Psalm 5:12
In Christ, God’s called us to a holy life, a life different than the world, a life of death to self’s indulgence to sin, not only to glorify Him but because He desires to protect us from the consequences that sin brings – the pain and suffering, the lack of peace, sometimes even an early death.
Our God is more gracious and merciful than any earthly judge, and for a time He may warn us to stop, but if we don’t heed His warning, He’ll give us over to sin’s consequences to teach us so we’ll stop sinning.
Or, every day, over and over, we can choose to take up our cross, die to ourselves and follow Christ who gave up His life for us. We can choose to be transformed by the renewing of our minds by the work of the Holy Spirit in us, knowing our righteous Father will bless us with His favor – His delight and good pleasure.
Course that doesn’t mean that by living righteously we’ll never suffer and it doesn’t mean every time there’s a trial in our lives we’ve done something wrong. It just means we live in a sin-filled world.
Someday all sin will be judged and the new world will be perfect the way God intended it to be in the beginning.
Until then, in the power of the Holy Spirit, we can choose to walk uprightly, glorifying our Heavenly Father, receive His blessings, and rest in His peace.
* * *
Heavenly Father, we ask not only for forgiveness for our sins, but from the heart we repent of them and turn from them. In your strength may we daily walk the narrow road and have eyes only for You. Thank you for the amazing grace and mercy we know we don’t deserve but that you’ve shown us over and over. May we never take it for granted nor abuse it. Out of our love for You and our gratitude, may we always choose to live righteously, giving our bodies to You as living sacrifices. In Jesus’ precious name, amen.
Recently I was blessed to attend a symphony performing the music of the incomparable John Williams. You may or may not recognize that name, but you will recognize some of his masterpieces.
Not only is he a decades-long accomplished conductor, but he’s composed the scores for some of our most beloved films: Schindler’s List, E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial, Jaws (one of my favorites!), Saving Private Ryan, Fiddler on the Roof, Indiana Jones, and yes, every single Star Wars movie, and so much more.
Soaking in the beauty of each arrangement, I watched as each section played in perfect unison, and every section harmonized with the others.
Dozens of individual sounds, while beautiful on their own, but together, as they followed the direction of the conductor, each sound contributed to form a symphony that touched the soul.
Even within sections where all were playing the same instruments, each person had a slightly different way of holding their own, of sitting, of moving…
Some would periodically move back and forth across the stage to play more than one instrument. Most musicians had moments when they sat during a piece, waiting for their cue from the conductor. Some waited longer periods of time and only occasionally played their instruments.
As I listened to the waves of the violins, the pounding of the drums, the moaning of the cellos, the ting of the triangle, the crashing of the cymbals, this poetry set to melody, I couldn’t help but think of you and me.
God has given each of us an instrument, if you will, a gift to bless those in the kingdom of God, and to be a light of His love touching souls in the world.
We have different gifts, none more important than the others, but each one complimenting one another to accomplish God’s composition, the beautiful, eternal plan our Father has written.
As we keep our eye fixed on our Conductor, following His instruction, waiting when we’re called to wait, contributing as He directs us, not exactly like another but as the Lord has blessed us in our own way, that we can fully realize our part alongside our brothers and sisters in our Father’s grand orchestra.
For those who know Jesus Christ as our Savior, God has given us, at this time in history, a part to play. Don’t despair if your part doesn’t seem as active as someone else’s, or if your instrument is different than another’s, or you seem to have longer (or shorter) waiting periods, or you have one gift while someone else has more than one.
Each one of our parts is vital to the symphony God has planned.
And one more thing. The word symphony is derived from the Greek word sumphōnia meaning unison of sound, a concert of instruments.
That word is used one time in the Bible in the telling of the parable of the prodigal son.
The son had left the father, squandered everything he had and was left destitute.
He’d come to his senses and journeyed home, his father running to greet him. Though the son had been resigned to being a mere servant of his father, his father would have none of that. He embraced him, clothed him in his finest, and joyfully received him back as a son, and a grand celebration ensued.
As the older son was coming home, “he heard music – sumphōnia – and dancing.” Luke 15:25b
Of course God doesn’t need any of us to accomplish His will, but He’s chosen to bless us with gifts that we might be part of His eternal composition.
As we each perform our gifts, God causes them to be used together to bring some to the Father for the first time, and some to return to a loving, trusting relationship with Him. The echoes of that orchestra will reverberate forever.
Could there be any more beautiful symphony than that?
* * *
Heavenly Father, help us be sensitive to the prompting of your Holy Spirit to serve you with the gifts you’ve given us. I pray, too, for those who aren’t sure what their gifts are. Please show them how you’ve gifted them and how you desire they use those gifts in their own unique ways to accomplish your grand purpose. Thank you, Father, for your grace and mercy in allowing us to be a part of what you’re doing in the lives of others, and may we always be careful to do it all bathed in prayer and with your love. We ask it all in Jesus’ precious name, amen.
Our dear, precious Heavenly Father, we praise your holy name, the name above all other names. We are overwhelmed at your goodness and provision. Thank you for seeing us and our needs long before we have them and for providing in ways we could never think or imagine.
We praise you and thank you for the move of your Holy Spirit on various groups around the world. May salvation, repentance, and the joy of your Spirit continue to spread as far and wide as your will determines, and may no one stop it.
Where space or facilities or food, whatever is needed, may you please provide.
May revival come to all our hearts by the power of your Holy Spirit.
We pray, too, for those impacted by the many disasters around the world. May you comfort the grieving, may you provide whatever is needed, and may you give strength and courage to the workers. Above all, LORD, we pray for the drawing of your Holy Spirit for salvation.
There is no one like you, LORD, and we praise you and thank you for all you are and all you do. May our hearts be ready to honor and glorify you with our lives at all times in all circumstances.
We echo the words of our brother Paul:
“Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us, to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.” Ephesians 3:20-21
We pray it all in the mighty name of Jesus, amen!
I pray you carry the joy of the Lord with you throughout the week. As you abide in Him, may His Spirit fill you and rest on you to give wisdom, direction, and produce in you every fruit He provides. May His love lead you in all you do and say.
In Him,
Dorci
“The only thing that counts is
faith expressing itself through love.”
Galatians 5:6b
The proof of our growing faith in God through Jesus Christ in the Holy Spirit is our love, our love for God first, and through Him our love for one another, our love for our neighbor, and even our love for our enemies.
As we cultivate a deeper relationship with God we’ll know Him more, growing in faith and changing into the image of Christ, having His heart and mind, seeing with His eyes of grace and mercy, and loving others the way He does.
“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”
John 13:34
Our love for one another in the family of God is a given, or at least it should be. Jesus said the outward display of love we have for one another would be proof to the world that we are followers of Christ.
But that can get a little tricky sometimes, right? We’re still human and sometimes we can grate on each other’s nerves, say things that are hurtful, treat one another thoughtlessly. But obeying the command to love one another shows our faith in the Lord. It shows a faith that trusts Him and entrusts others to Him, a faith that forgives and loves at all times.
“Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for each other, love one another deeply (intently, fervently, enthusiastically, without ceasing), from a pure heart.
1 Peter 1:22
Over time, as we grow in faith, our love for one another will grow, too. We’ll genuinely love others with a deeply affectionate and compassionate heart.
“Love your neighbor as yourself.”
Matthew 22:39
Our love for our neighbor might be a little more difficult. Of course our closest neighbor is our family. Sometimes that’s easy, and sometimes family can be, well, challenging. It can take great faith to love them.
But a neighbor is anyone God puts in our path. Maybe we don’t know them. Maybe they’re not believers. Still, God calls us to love them, to show them the love of Jesus, and that may sometimes take even more faith. We have to be able to trust God to take care of us while we take care of someone else. But as we grow in Him, our faith is stronger and we know the Lord will always be with us and will always provide for us.
“But to you who are listening I say: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. If someone slaps you on one cheek, turn to them the other also. If someone takes your coat, do not withhold your shirt from them. Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you,
do not demand it back.”
Luke 6:27-30
Now that’s a tough one. Loving our enemies takes a great amount of faith.
But a maturing faith will change who we are. We’ll walk less in our own prideful, self-serving flesh and more in the life-giving power of the Holy Spirit. Our behavior won’t be dictated by how others treat us, but by our understanding of God’s endless love for us, and the great faith and love we have in Him.
A faith that is perfected – matured – is a faith that expresses itself through love no matter what because we know God’s love is not dependent on us. He loves at all times because that’s His nature. We remember that God loved us while we were yet sinners by sending His Son to die on the cross for our sins. It’s a love that desires others, no matter who they are, to see and come to know the love of God through His Son.
“Because of the increase of wickedness,
the love of most will grow cold,
but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved.”
Matthew 24:12-13
It’s too easy to get caught up in the world’s hatred. We must refuse to, and fix our eyes and hearts on the One who is able, day by day, to save us from a hardened heart, and allow Him to continually fill us with His love, and then go out into the world and share it with others, trusting Him to change hearts as He changed ours.
Dear Heavenly Father, help us grow and walk in faith that expresses itself in love. May we bring you honor and glory by living as witnesses of your great grace and mercy so that others will see you in us, and put their faith in Jesus Christ as their own Lord and Savior, turning one more heart to a life of your love. Please give us wisdom for those who are hard to love. Show us how best to love them, and may we always start with prayer. In Jesus’ name we pray, amen.
“Love is patient
love is kind.
It does not envy,
it does not boast,
it is not proud.
It does not dishonor others,
it is not self-seeking,
it is not easily angered,
it keeps no record of wrongs.
Love does not delight in evil
but rejoices with the truth.
It always protects,
always trusts,
always hopes,
always perseveres.
Love never fails.”
1 Corinthians 13:4-8a
Much of my life I seemed to walk alone. Or so I thought. Through more difficult days I can count, more trials, more stumbling and reaching out in the darkness for someone to help me up and thinking no one was there, now I see Jesus was.
It was He who led me, He who protected me, He who lifted me up again and again, and He who loved me through it all, and I know He always will.
I pray you know He’s there for you, too. I pray you know He carried your sins on the cross, even when He knew the sins that would stumble you, and He loved you still.
I pray you know when you’re in need He’ll provide for you; when you fall He’ll pick you up; when you’re empty He’ll fill you; when you’re lost He’ll come after you; when you’re broken He’ll weep with you, and then He’ll heal your heart, as many times as it takes.
Do you not know? Have you not heard?
The Lord is the everlasting God,
the Creator of the ends of the earth.
He will not grow tired or weary,
and His understanding no one can fathom.
He gives strength to the weary
and increases the power of the weak.
Even youths grow tired and weary,
and young men stumble and fall;
but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
they will run and not grow weary,
they will walk and not be faint.
Isaiah 40:28-31
Our Dear Heavenly Father, we praise your holy and precious Name. We lift up high the Name above all names, our Savior, our Messiah, our King, our Lord Jesus. Thank you, Lord, for giving us eternal life through the power of your shed blood and for preparing a place for each of us who have believed on you.
May we never be satisfied with this world. May the disappointments and letdowns we have here remind us that we live for something, Someone, more, and may we find our satisfaction in a constantly abiding relationship with you.
I pray we remember we’re only passing through here as foreigners and strangers, and that we live for the day when we are completed in your presence and live in joy with you forevermore. In the mighty name of Jesus we pray, amen.
The Beautiful Letdown
by Switchfoot
It was a beautiful letdown
When I crashed and burned
When I found myself alone
Unknown and hurt
It was a beautiful letdown
The day I knew
That all the riches this world had to offer me
Would never do
In a world full of bitter pain
And bitter doubts
I was trying so hard to fit in
Fit in, until I found out
I don’t belong here (I don’t belong)
I don’t belong here (I don’t belong)
I will carry a cross and a song
Where I don’t belong
I don’t belong
It was a beautiful letdown
When you found me here
Yeah, for once in a rare blue moon
I see everything clear
I’ll be a beautiful letdown
That’s what I’ll forever be
And though it may cost my soul
I’ll sing for free
We’re still chasing our tails
In the rising sun
In our dark water planet still spinning
In a direction no one wins
No one’s won.
See, I don’t belong here (I don’t belong)
Well, I don’t belong here, I don’t belong
I will carry a cross
With a song where I don’t belong
I don’t belong
I don’t belong here (I don’t belong)
No, I don’t belong here, I don’t belong
I’m gonna set side
And set sail
For the kingdom come, kingdom come
Your kingdom come
Won’t you let me down, yeah
Let my foolish pride forever let me down
Ah, easy living, you’re not much like the name
Easy dying, you look just about the same
Would you please take me off your list
Easy living please c’mon and let me down
We are a beautiful letdown
Painfully uncool
The church of the dropouts
The losers, the sinners, the failures, and the fools
What a beautiful letdown
Are we salt in the wound
Hey, let us sing one true tune
I don’t belong here (I don’t belong)
It feels like I don’t belong here, yeah
It goes like I don’t belong here
I don’t belong (I don’t belong)
Won’t you let me down (I don’t belong)
C’mon and let me down (I don’t belong)
You always let me down (I don’t belong)
So glad that I’m let down (I don’t belong)
C’mon and let me down (I don’t belong)
Cause I don’t belong here
Won’t you let me down!