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Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne. Hebrews 12:1-2 (NLT)
Why did Jesus die? Theologians will tell you that he needed to die as a perfect sacrifice of our sins, and that’s true. We all were lost, subject to our evil sin nature, and destined to eternity separated from God.
The only way to bridge that gap was to have some person who was sinless die on behalf of the world, and that person was, by his choice Jesus Christ. He died so we might live.
But tucked away in Hebrews we find another reason that Jesus died. This reason was, perhaps the motivation for why he died. Jesus died because he knew the pain he would endure on earth would be well worth the joy he’d receive when all things were accomplished.
Joy? You may say? What joy? Was the joy he was looking forward to the joy of living in heaven for eternity? I think not. After all, heaven was his home and the universe was his playground.
Was the joy he was looking forward to the joy of living with his father? Again, I think not. Why would he leave his father on his own will and suffer hardship so he could look forward to being with his father? Doesn’t make sense to me.
Jesus Christ left heaven, endured the shame, ridicule, loneliness, rejection, hate and anger because he was looking forward to the joy of living with you. Yep, you are his joy, his crown, the one he longs to spend time with.
Any of us can endure a little hardship and pain if we know that the end result is better than the present circumstances. Take exercise for example, there may be a few who really enjoy exercise, but for most of us we struggle to get ourselves onto the running path or into the gym. It’s much easier to say, “I’ll start tomorrow.”
But if we want to enjoy good health we exercise. Exercise is good for the heart, prevents or at least puts off some diseases, and can even deter the aging process. The end result is worth the present pain and discomfort.
Jesus knew before he left heaven the first time what life would be like for him on earth. He knew the pain he’d endure for you. Jesus knew, before he left heaven every single mistake you’d make. Every cross or profane word. Every affair. Every visit to the porn sight. Every time you’d mock him. Still, he looked forward to the day he could spend eternity with you. The joy far outweighed the pain.
PRAYER: Lord Jesus, thank you for loving me so much. Things here on earth get very painful. I don’t understand why I do what I do or have to go through what I am going through. Help me to endure all of this with the expectation I have of spending eternity with you. In your name, Amen.
O LORD, our Lord, How majestic is Your name in all the earth! Psalm 8:9 (NASB)
As I write this the internet and news programs have been filled with pictures of a fantastic display of the ‘northern lights.’ Unfortunately in my part of the world we’ve been living under the clouds and have missed the beauty of this phenomenon. They are, however just one reminder to me of the great God we serve.
A God of power as evidenced by nature itself in the power of storms that cover the face of the earth; a volcano; the sheer force of a waterfall; the destructive invisible force of the wind.
He is a God of creativity as seen in a sunrise or sunset; the many colors of nature; the vast array of animal and plant life. Sorry. I don’t buy evolution. Not for one second. None of this could have happened by chance. None of it!
He is a God of love and intimacy. How do I know that? I’ve seen the gentleness of a mothers touch. I’ve enjoyed the intimacy I have with the one I love. I’m made in God’s image. Passion and intimacy didn’t just happen. He put it in us to enjoy, to share, to get excited about!
He’s a God of quiet, gentle strength as seen in the gentle endurance of a flower when faced with the elements, as seen in a bird riding out the storm in perched on a branch swinging violently as if to toss its passenger to the ground.
He is a HUGE God. If our universe is any indication of what my God can do, his immensity is incomprehendable.
He’s a God of miracles. I think that every time I see a newborn baby. The giver and sustainer of life. That mass in a woman’s womb isn’t a mass at all. It’s a new creation, a life to be cherished, protected and honored because every day of its existence, from conception has been ordained by God.
But the greatest miracle of all is what he did for me. His power, his creativity, his quiet gentle strength, his intimacy and his immense size is nothing compared to his love and forgiveness that he gave me when his Son Jesus died for me and rose again to give me the promise of eternal life.
In the grand scheme of things I am nothing more than a mere microscopic speck. Yet in my insignificance he saw significance. In my weakness he saw strength. In my hopelessness, he sees hope.
The prophet Nehemiah writes, “You alone are the LORD, Creator of the heavens and all the stars, Creator of the earth and those who live on it, Creator of the ocean and all its creatures. You are the source of life, praised by the stars that fill the heavens.” Nehemiah 9:6 (CEV)
The greatest miracle of all? The fact that the creator God of the universe loves me enough to die for me.
PRAYER: Father God. Jehovah. I can find no other words today than to repeat the words of David, “O LORD, my Lord, How majestic is Your name in all the earth! Amen.
Again Jesus said, “Simon son of John, do you love me?” He answered, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.” Jesus said, “Take care of my sheep.” John 21:16
In our house we have a little game we play from time to time. One of us will say, “I love you.” The response back will be, “I love you more”. Depending on time and circumstance the game may go on for a few minutes.
“No, I love YOU more!”
“Oh no you don’t. I love YOU more!”
One day the youngest thought she’d settle it once and for all and proclaimed, “I love you the MOSTEST!”
I often wonder about the scene on the beach when Peter and Jesus were reunited. Peter, my favorite disciple, quick to speak, slow to think; a man of action and reaction; a man who saw a problem and a solution (which of course, in his eyes was the ‘right thing to do’) and acted on it.
When you wrong someone that you love very much and you want more than anything else to be reconciled, you go to that person and (in your own words or action) ask “Do you love me?” However you phrase it, what you really want to know is, are we all right? Is the thing I’ve done to you going to end this relationship? Is there any hope?
That scene on the beach must have been incredibly emotional and it’s interesting because Peter isn’t the one asking the question, it’s Jesus. It’s not the offender that seeks the words “I love you” it’s the offended.
There’s a reason for that. Jesus love for Peter wasn’t in question. He knew that regardless of Peter’s answer his answer would be the same. In a sense Jesus was saying, “I love you Peter. I love you more. I love you mostest. There is nothing you have done in your past that will change that. There is nothing you do in the future that will jeopardize that. Do you love me?”
To often we measure love on our terms. We love based on the response of the other person. If I say I love you, and you respond in a like manner, our relationship is good. If I say I love you and it’s not returned a huge red flag goes up.
Every day of our existence Jesus says “Do you love me?” His love for us is never in question. He always supports us, is always loyal to us, is never jealous or rude or selfish. When the Apostle Paul describes love, he describes the love Jesus has for us, “Love is kind and patient, never jealous, boastful, proud, or 5rude. Love isn’t selfish or quick tempered. It doesn’t keep a record of wrongs that others do. Love rejoices in the truth, but not in evil. Love is always supportive, loyal, hopeful, and trusting. 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 (CEV)”
Today, regardless of your past. In spite of the circumstances you are in right now. Whether what you are going through is self-inflicted or the result of someone else. Imagine yourself on the beach. Jesus is standing before you with love pouring from his eyes and asking you, “Do you love me?”
PRAYER: Lord Jesus, thank you for being so patient with my selfishness, my rebellion, my demands for my own way. Forgive me for the path I’ve chosen. Yes Lord Jesus. I love you…mostest. Amen.
The mountains may disappear, and the hills may come to an end, but my love will never disappear; my promise of peace will not come to an end,” says the Lord who shows mercy to you. Isaiah 54:10 (NCV)
How powerful is God’s love?
Ask Adam and Eve. They intentionally went against God’s law to forge their own way in life. But he never gave up on them. In spite of the consequences of their actions he welcomed them back into relationship.
Ask David. Although he was called ‘the man after God’s own heart’ he constantly struggled with pride and lust. His Kingdom was mighty, his family was a mess. Yet from his lineage the very son of God came to redeem all of mankind.
Ask Solomon. The wisest and wealthiest man on earth, yet his love of life and his lust for things and women motivated him to erect idols and shrines to false God’s in contradiction of God’s love. In the midst of his wealth he found only vanity. But God never gave up on him.
Ask Peter. One of Jesus’ closest friends. Yet when Jesus needed him the most, Peter denied him. Wouldn’t even admit he knew him. Turned his back on his best friend during that friend’s darkest hour. But when Jesus rose from the dead, Peter was the one disciple Jesus wanted to make sure was at breakfast that morning.
Mountains are a symbol of majesty and unshakeable strength. Yet even a mountain, in all of its grandeur can’t stand up against the power of God’s love. His grace endures forever. His mercy is never ending.
Human love fails. It can grow old. It measures depth by what it can get in life. It’s wounded and even destroyed by poor decisions. Bitterness, envy and the lack of forgiveness (among other things) all work together to bring human love to its knees. When love fails us we can be wounded for life.
But what destroys a mountain? Can sheer will? Can emotion? Can a mountain be destroyed simply by ignoring it? Of course not. In the same way, there is nothing that can take God’s love from you. Regardless of what you have done in the past, regardless of where you find yourself now, God’s unshakeable love is available to you. That’s grace. That’s mercy. You can’t destroy a mountain and you can’t make God stop loving you.
There’s only one thing God’s love won’t do. Because of God’s unshakeable love for you he will never force you to love him back. He’ll never force you to follow his ways. He loves you too much to make you a robot.
PRAYER: Lord God, thank you for not giving up on me. Thank you for your unshakeable love. When the voices of hate, anger, guilt, shame and grief attack me today help me rest in your love. When temptation, lust and fear attempt to overtake me wrap me in your arms of love so that I might endure. Amen.
They dig a hole to trap others, but they will fall into it themselves. Psalm 7:15 (NCV)
Remember the old roadrunner cartoons? I imagine you can still find them somewhere on the TV dial. Crafty Wile E. Coyote spends his entire life trying to trap the speedy roadrunner. In the process he blows himself up on numerous occasions, drops anvils on his head, goes headlong over cliffs and flies into rock walls and endures a multitude of other catastrophes in an effort to get the Roadrunner.
We can laugh at his antics but in reality each of us has probably fallen victim to a far more sinister version of old Wile. People in our lives who seem intent on bringing us down by luring us into thoughts and activities that pull us away from God; or continue to bring up our past failures; or remind us of why they are the better person for any given job.
For many of us this may have started in middle school or junior high. Just at a time when we were most vulnerable to attack we’re tempted to shun the family values our parents have instilled in us. We start to question the lessons of the Sunday School teachers, youth leaders and Pastors God has brought into our lives. Even religion can play a role when it strays from teaching the relationship with Jesus and focuses on the rules of dogma, and doctrine.
King David likens the trap set by our enemies to a big pit which was dug to entrap unsuspecting animals. The hole was large enough to trap the animal of choice and deep enough so they could never get out. Then, the hole was cleverly disguised and the victim drawn to the hole. Often it was chased so that it didn’t have time to really survey the area.
When it reached the hole it would drop through the covering, becoming trapped and at the mercy of its enemy. This ploy was used against animals as well as enemy soldiers in ancient times.
David teaches us two truths in this verse tucked away in Psalm 7. First of all each of us needs to be wary of our enemies tactics. Those people or activities that seem harmless but really are traps to pull us away from our relationship with Jesus. Being aware of the enemies trap is the fist step in avoiding being ‘captured’ by the lie.
Secondly, David assures us that in the end our enemies will fall victim to their own traps. They may think they are winning over us. They may think they are superior in their actions. But their fate is doomed.
One more thought. Perhaps you have fallen victim to the trap of the enemy. You look around at walls you don’t see anyway of climbing. You feel you are at the mercy of those who are intent on hurting you. Jesus came to lift us out of the trap the enemy sets for us. Think of Jesus as a ladder let down to the bottom of your pit. See him climbing down to carry you out. That’s grace. That’s forgiveness like only he can give.
David finishes Psalm 7 by reminding us that we serve a God who does what is right. He’s not intent of trapping us, or reminding us of our failures. His intention is to release us from the trap so that, like the roadrunner, we can run free!
PRAYER: Father, I pray for protection from the enemy today. Reveal his traps to me so that I don’t fall in. Empower me with your Spirit to lead others around the pit that may entrap them. Lift me up through your forgiveness when I fall victim to the enemy’s ploys. Amen.
Mike Fisk & Built with Grace 