Daily Reflections on Mt. 20:1-16 (It's Unfair)

At first glance, your reaction to the story might be the same as the hired hands who worked all day. It seems unfair for the guys who worked only an hour to get the same pay as those who worked all day. I confess, I'd be complaining myself. Yet, that is what they agreed to work for, so that should be good enough. However, it just doesn't seem right. It doesn't seem fair.

The story is about the grace of God. Grace isn't something you earn or deserve, that's why it's called grace. The story illustrates the generosity of God toward us. He gives us all the same ultimate reward, eternal life with Him. He doesn't measure out His grace to those who appear more spiritual than others. We measure people by looks, power, prominence, influence, performance, wealth, achievements, etc. Since God considers our righteousness as filthy rags, those things are irrelevant to God. One sin is enough to separate us from God and condemn us. So grace is grace.

Truthfully, I'm glad that God is a generous God. I'm glad God isn't fair. If God were fair, we wouldn't fair so well. I'm glad he lavishes His love and mercy and gifts upon us. I don't deserve His grace any more or any less than anyone else. I'm just glad I get to experience it.

You too can experience His grace. Since you can't earn it, it doesn't matter where you've been or what you've done in the past. You simply come to God and ask His forgiveness, calling on the name of Jesus. 2 Corinthians 5:17 and 21 are some of the richest passages in the New Testament. They state that if anyone is in Christ, has accepted Christ, been immersed into Him is a new creation. All the old stuff is gone. How does that happen? God made the perfect Jesus, who never sinned, be sin on our behalf. Bottom line: we assume the righteous of Christ or are considered righteous in Christ.

God, thanks for your grace and making it so easy to receive.

Daily Reflections on Ex. 8:1-8 (One More Night with the Frogs)

It's one of the most intriguing responses in the Bible. In Exodus 8, Egypt is experiencing the first of the ten plagues God brought on them for Pharaoh's hard heart (stubbornness) in not letting the Children of Israel go. Frogs have come out of the rivers, streams, lakes, canals and ponds and are everywhere. Now when I say everywhere, I mean everywhere. Not just outside. They came inside. Imagine swarms of frogs invading your house. You thought roaches and mice in your house were bad. Open up the cabinet and frogs jump out. Plop down on you couch and find it covered with frogs. Pull back the covers on your bed, and guess what frogs. Step into the shower and the tub is full of frogs. Go to your favorite diner and special of the day, frog legs.

I can't really imagine what that would have been like. Life had to be horrible. Noisy, slimy, smelly frogs everywhere. Moms had to be going nuts. Kids screaming. Brooms getting a work out. The only guy doing a big business, the exterminator. The only problem was that they kept coming.

Once Pharaoh had finally had enough of the frogs, he calls Moses and Aaron back and asks them to get rid of them. Moses says, "You name the time and I'll get rid of them." Now notice Pharaoh's response, "Tomorrow." Are you kidding me? Did he really say tomorrow. I don't know about you, I would have said, "How about fifteen minutes ago!" Is this guy completely nuts? Why would he suffer one more day of the frog invasion?

There's a famous sermon on this passage entitled, "One More Night with the Frogs." It's weird how when immediate relief is in sight, people put it off. Yet time and time again I've seen it. People in the midst of personal suffering, ensnared in some horrible or painful or unhealthy situation resist the help to get out. I've watched people in abuse situations stay there even though there was a way out. I've seen people living in negative environments continue down the path when hope was offering a hand. I've never understood it. Why live in that mess, when there is a way out? One more night with the frogs mentality takes over.

Is it stubbornness? Is it pride? Is it self masochism? Is it laziness? Is it stupidity? Is it paralyzation? Is it habit? Is it a misplaced sense of security? Can't tell you. All I know is that it's an all too common response.

To be honest, I see it in a different sense all the time. I watch people all the time refuse to accept God's grace in their life. For whatever reason people reject the hope of eternal life in Christ. I watch people ignore God's truths and plunge headlong into situations and lifestyles that they know will bring pain to their life. It's not just one more night with frogs, it's more like, "hey I like suffering so bring on the frogs, heck bring on all the plagues."

God, I'm so thankful for your grace and relief. I don't want to spend any night with the frogs. Deliver me from my own self destructive behavior. Guide me by your Spirit.

Daily Reflections on Mt. 19:1-12; Prov. 5:15-23 (Divorce, Remarriage, Sex, and Intimacy)

Divorce. It's become as common as the cold. It strikes people of all ages, race, economic level and background. The divorce rate in the US has steadily grown for several years. It used to be a negative stigma in society. Today, people don't give it a second thought.

A recent commercial tells the attitude of the day. The voice announces, "Nobody fixes things anymore. Don't like your car; get a new one. Don't like your job; get a new one. Don't like your spouse; get a new one." People go into marriage with the same attitude they buy a car. "When I get tired of this one, I'll just trade him/her in."

Unfortunately, historians tell us that divorce and remarriage in Jesus' day were at similar epidemic proportions. Jesus said, just because you could get a divorce you shouldn't necessarily. Unless of course your spouse has been maritally unfaithful to you. Even then, Jesus didn't encourage divorce.

Although I discovered through the years that sex isn't the primary cause for individuals getting involved with "another woman" or "another man," it almost always slides into the picture. The attraction leads to a connection which leads to sexual intimacy. It starts with a brush of the hand, an embrace, a sympathetic or playful kiss and the next thing you know, off go the clothes.

Solomon had some pretty straight advice for keeping the eye (and other parts of the body) from wandering in Proverbs 5. He says to drink water from your own cisterns. In other words, satisfy your desires for love, intimacy and sex with your own spouse. He's saying to stop living in a fantasy world, stop drooling over the breasts of another man's wife. Breasts are breasts. Caress your wife's.

Solomon's advice is more than just about sex. It's about intimacy. Divorce happens when couples stop romancing each other, dating each other, celebrating each other, pouring their lives into enhancing each other. There's a tendency in the routines and stress of life to take one another for granted. The intimacy wanes. The passion for each other wanes. The sex wanes. The thrill is gone. It's no wonder we drift away from our partners.

Jesus said virtually that jumping from one relationship to another just because you can is ultimately unfulfilling, not to mention expensive. It also isn't the answer. Solomon's right. You want an exciting marriage and sex life, romance the person you married. Focus on them. Make him feel like a man. Make her feel special and loved. Anticipate your spouses needs. Surprise them. Tell them in words, actions, attention how important they are to you. Be captivated by your spouse and let it show.

God, marriage is tough. With all the stuff of life that comes down us, really loving, dating, romancing our spouses gets lost in the shuffle. Frantic schedules, the demands of kids, financial pressures all make it hard to focus on intimacy and make time for each other. Sometimes it's hard to do the caressing of bodies and egos and minds and spirits that's necessary to keep the flame alive. Stir my heart again with the desire to captivate and be captivated by the wife of my youth.

Daily Reflections on Mt. 14:22-33 (Look Mom No Jet Ski)

I have two books in my library by the same title. One is a collection of sermons on practical living. The other is by John Ortberg. "If You Want to Walk on Water, You Have to Get Out of the Boat." Great title. Great emphasis on acting in faith. The concept is taken from the story in Matthew of Peter climbing out of the boat to walk on water to meet Jesus coming to him.

As you can read in these passages, Jesus came walking on the water to the disciples in the middle of night. Winds were up across the lake so that meant the seas were swelling. I'm sure the disciples were already concerned about an impending storm on the lake, when this ghost like figure appears strolling atop the surface of the water. Since water skiing and jet skiing weren't invented yet, Jesus coming to them walking on the water was no doubt unsettling to say the least. Okay, it scared the bejeebees out of them.

After a brief conversation with a figure who claims to be Jesus, Peter decides to verify it's Jesus by climbing out of the boat and walking toward Him. Things went well for a while until Peter came to his senses and realized that what he was doing was impossible and down he went. Jesus called him Rock (Peter means Rock) for a reason, he sank like one.

As I look at this story, I've come to the conclusion that it's not climbing out of the boat that allowed Peter to walk on water. Oh sure, that played a part. But climbing out of the boat was more of an impulse. If you want to walk on water, keeping your eyes on Jesus and trusting Him seems to be the key. Any fool can climb out of boat. If you do, they'll be calling you Rocky too. What allowed Peter to walk on water was answering Christ's call to come to Him, trusting Him and focusing every step on Him, not the circumstances surrounding Him.

God, I want to walk on water, but only if you call me to. I don't want to be jumping overboard to draw attention to myself or just to show off or to prove something. I do want to rise above my circumstance by focusing on you, and walking daily step by step in you.

Daily Reflections on Gen. 42 (Guilt Is a Nasty Thing)

Guilt does funny things to us. As much as we try to ignore it, those things from our past keep surfacing in our mind. It causes us to cover up our mistakes, conceal our past, hide our transgressions. Guilt can play mind game with us. Suspicion and sometimes paranoia creeps into our lives. It makes honest relationships with others difficult. It creates self doubt. We live in fear that someone will find out or that our friends and acquaintances will forever hold our heinous act against us or over us. We feel disqualified, undeserving, broken.

It's also funny how long guilt hangs with us. Seems like we expect Karma to catch up with us at some point and punish us. Obviously, Reuben, in our passage, felt that way. If we go back and retrace the story of Joseph in the middle chapters of Genesis, we would find out from where Reuben's guilt emanated. Joseph, the second youngest of 12 brothers, was daddy's favorite. Joe had a couple of dreams that he shared with his brothers and father that indicated that in the future, they would bow down to him. It made his 10 older brothers mad.

Sibling rivalry can be a powerful thing. Joe's 10 older brothers grew in their jealousy and hatred toward him. One day Joe shows up in his fancy cloak that dad gave him to bring a message from dear old dad. His brother's saw Joe coming and cooked up a plan to get rid of him. At Reuben's (the oldest brother) insistence, they didn't kill him, but they did sell him into slavery, and then concocted some story about Joe getting killed by some wild animal to tell their father.

Now Joe was about seventeen when this happened. Through a twist of fate, Joe ended up being the second in command of all Egypt. And sure enough, his dream came true, his brother's showed up to buy grain during the famine. It was when Joe accused them of being spies and threaten their lives, that Reuben and the boys begin to quiver in their boots. They hadn't recognized Joe.

Guilt raised it's ugly head. In Genesis 42:21-22, the brothers have a panic attack. They think fate has caught up with them for what they did to their little brother. Reuben says to his brothers, "Dudes, I told YOU not to do it, but YOU wouldn't listen. Now we're all gonna pay."

Here's the kicker: Joseph has to be around forty. That means that they have been living under the duress of their own guilt for at least twenty years. It was as fresh in their minds as if it had just happened. They had lived a lie for all these years. Every time they sat down with their father, every time a caravan passed heading for Egypt, every time they went by the cistern where they had held Joe, every time they killed a goat, the memory of their cruel act haunted them. They lived in fear that the other shoe would drop at any moment. For twenty years they carried their guilt.

My guess is that some of you have been carrying some guilt for a number of days, weeks, months, years. It doesn't go away on it's own. It doesn't get easier with time. It's heavy burden. But God wants to lift it. That's what His grace is all about. The Bible says that Satan is the accuser. He continues to stir up your guilt. In John 3:17 Jesus says the He didn't come to condemn, but to rescue us from our sin and guilt.

How do I get rid of my guilt? Confess it to God. Ask for His forgiveness. Accept His grace. Once God forgives, He remembers our sin no more. Jesus paid for our sin. He took the stripes of punishment for us. The bill has been paid, so forget it and move on in God's grace.

God, thanks for removing my guilt. It's too heavy for me to carry. I needed that relief.

Daily Reflections on Gen. 39-41 (Why Are People Ragging On Me?)

Conspiracy. That's really the only way I know to describe it. I'm not talking about some national or international event or cover up. I'm talking about what's happened to me. Ironically, it's come from people within my own church. People for whom I've poured my life out have repaid me by conspiring against me. It's happened to me more than once.

I confess, it's hard to understand and is downright painful. It messes up your life, hardens your heart and plays with your mind. Once it happens to you a few times, you become suspicious of everyone, which makes it difficult to trust anyone. You begin to protect yourself and develop a cynicism about people, church and life.

I've had people make up all sorts of stories about me, lobby against me, hold meetings with others to convince them how terrible of a person I am. I've been the object of the rumor mill and been accused of so many things I count recount.

What's a brother to do? I guess just what Joseph did, trust God. Of all the Old Testament people, I suppose I identify most with Joseph. I love David and some of the other OT heroes, but I sometimes feel more like Joseph. He was betrayed by his own brothers, who hated him for his success and position. He was betrayed by Potiphar's wife because she couldn't get what she wanted from him. He was forgotten by people he helped along the way, leaving him impoverished in prison.

Some how, through all that Joseph had to endure, God was still with him. He assured Joe by allowing him to find some favor and giving him small blessings. Mind you, Joe still spent a long time in prison, not a pleasant place. He didn't deserve to be there. But God saw him through his suffering and betrayal and eventually brought him out and honored him.

I'm reminded of a verse in James 4 which says, "Humble yourself before the Lord and He will lift you up." And another verse in 1 Peter 5 which says, "Humble yourself under the mighty hand of God that He may exalt you at the proper time." I've learned through the years and difficult times of false accusation by those close to me that I'm not working for the pleasure of people. I'm working to please the Holy One, my true master, my God and King. I answer to Him who knows my heart and mind and motives.

God, it's hard when people come after you for no reason or selfish ambition or misunderstanding or personal agenda. Give me the grace I need and the strength I need. I just want to be your person, to fulfill your calling on my life. Help me be like Joseph.

Daily Reflections on Mt. 12:33-37 (How You Know You Need Mouthwash)

A friend of mine speaking on a passage from Rom 12 once talked about our conforming to the world versus conforming to the image in Christ. He was talking about how easy it is to put on a show. Outward appearance can be deceptive. He was emphasizing that it's what's inside us that matters most to God. But he also said something that I've never forgotten. He talked about the real us, the reactionary us. In the midst of the daily line of fire, who are we really. Then he used this illustration, "When you're in a supermarket and someone runs into you, what spills out all over them, 'Watch it, Buddy!' or the grace of God?"

So what's in your cup? Is is warm, nutritious, satisfying, delicious? Or is it rank and moldy? Is it capriciousness and hate and anger? Is it bitterness and hurt? Is it selfishness or selflessness?

Jesus, in this passage, shares an incredible insight into the heart of people. He says that out of the overflow of the heart, the mouth speaks. In other words, what's boiling in the heart is going to come out of the mouth eventually, especially when the pressure's on. Watch and listen to the everyday activities, conversations, reaction of person and that's who they really are.

Self analysis time. What's coming out of your mouth? Whining? Complaining? Arguing? Encouragement? Blessings? Joy? Negativity? Questionable conversations or language? Praise? Curses? Pettiness? Optimism? Hope? The words of Christ? Gossip?

"Fill my cup Lord, I lift it up Lord." I want you to spill out on people. My heart isn't the purest. Some days when people bump into me, I'm afraid they get slimed. I need you to fill me daily, Lord so that your love and grace fills my heart.