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For God’s will was for us to be made holy by the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ, once for all time. Hebrews 10:10 (NLT)
What do you measure your life by? What we use as our standard is a reflection of our character. Compared to a person deep in the jungle of South America I may be considered very rich. Of course, by Bill Gates standards I’m very poor. I’m very tall compared to a two-year-old; very short compared to a sky scraper. I’m old…compared to a newborn infant; I’m young compared to God!
The problem with the ‘comparison game’ in our spiritual lives is that we only have two things to compare ourselves to. Either we compare ourselves to God or we compare ourselves with other human beings. We can say “Well, I know its wrong to do [fill in the blank] but at least I don’t fly planes into buildings. Or you can say “Sure, I know [fill in the blank] is wrong but at least I don’t molest children. The problem is, in God’s eyes sin is sin. Period. You can rationalize all you want, but if you are living anything but a perfect life you are living a life of sin.
The only other option is to measure our actions against the perfect, Holy, all-knowing, all-powerful creator God of the universe. When we measure our actions against him it’s pretty obvious what the results will be. It’s simply impossible as a human being to live a life that measures up to the plumb line of God’s holiness and perfection. Anything less than perfection disqualifies us from eternal life with God. Anything less than perfection in our relationship with our divine lover hinders that relationship.
The good news in all this is that when we have Christ in our lives God no longer measures our lives against his plumb line, he uses Jesus in our place. We can never meet God’s standards of holiness and perfection but Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross for us makes us perfect in God’s eyes!
Will sin still hinder our daily relationship with our divine lover? Yes. But we can be forgiven. We can start over again. We can come to God and restore that walk with him because the sacrifice of Jesus’ blood forgives us for all time. That’s grace. Grace puts Jesus next to God’s plumb line and calls us holy!
Don’t compare yourself to others. Stop playing the rationalizing game, telling yourself it’s not your fault or ‘you know it’s wrong but…’ Stop living in failure thinking you’ve messed up one too many times. Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross makes you free to live a love relationship with God that is free of sin and full of forgiveness for those times we fall short in our humanity.
PRAYER: Holy God, it’s easy to compare myself to the ‘really bad’ people in life until I realize that the only true measurement of right or wrong it the plumb line of your holiness. I’m a sinner. I fail. Sometimes I fail intentionally because I want it my way. Please forgive me for my stubborn desire to please me in my way. Empower me with your Spirit to live in right relationship with you. Thank you for the grace Jesus gives by taking my place next to your plumb line. Amen.
He took Peter, James and John along with him, and he began to be deeply distressed and troubled. Mark 14:33
Jesus knew pain. Throughout Jesus’ time on earth he was used to dealing with pain. Not his own as much as the pain of others. He identified with the pain of the parents whose son was demon possessed. He felt the pain of loneliness the lepers felt as social outcasts. He saw the embarrassed humiliation of the prostitute and the woman caught in adultery. He saw the hopelessness of the paralytic and the fear in the blank stare of the blind man.
They came from a variety of backgrounds and bore a huge amount of pain and despair. Jesus hurt right along side them and offered compassion in their darkest hour like no one else ever had. His hand of compassion and understanding lifted many a soul from the deepest darkest night so that they could see the light and hope of tomorrow.
All the pain Jesus dealt with, nothing could prepare him for that night in the garden. Son of God? Yes. Surrounded by angels ready to rescue him at any moment? Certainly. But none of that kept him from feeling extreme agony that night in the garden. He needed to be alone, but not without some companionship. He took his three very closest friends with him. He was in utter despair. Fear gripped him. This was Jesus in humanity. Alone. Scared. Full of anxiety.
When we come to those times we think no one cares. When the darkness of the night surrounds us. When we look for answers but find none, remember this time in Jesus life. He understands like none other what is ahead. He knows what it’s like to be so full of despair and anxiety that his very guts seem to be tied in knots. He knows what it’s like to seek comfort from God and not get it. He knows what it’s like to pray and feel unheard.
Jesus knows your pain. The next time the road ahead is hidden in a bank of fog, remember this night in the garden. The next time you feel completely abandoned by friends and even God, remember the agony of his loneliness when every one of his friends abandoned him. The next time you wonder if God even cares, remember the great drops of blood he sweat as he looked into an uncertain future.
Jesus, like none other offers you the hope to carry on, the companionship I the midst of loneliness, the strength when the battle makes you to weary to want to go on. There is no night too dark, no fog too thick, no despair so deep that he can’t comfort you. He’s only a prayer away.
PRAYER: Dear Jesus. I can’t imagine the pain you endured that night in the garden. The loneliness, the anxiety, the feeling of separation from God and the ones you loved must have been excruciating. Thank you for doing that all for me. Empower me with the presence of your Holy Spirit to press on. Remind me daily of your love and understanding of my turmoil. In your name I pray, Amen.
So the two sisters sent a message to Jesus telling him, “Lord, your dear friend is very sick.” John 11:3 (NLT)
“Your dear friend is sick.”
He was the Son of the Living God. He was a King. He was surrounded by people who needed his touch of healing for their souls and bodies. They were tired, poor in spirit and in pain.
But Mary and Martha had no problem sending him the message. They knew Jesus. They knew that no matter where he was or what he was doing he would want to know about Lazarus. Why? We really know nothing about Lazarus. He certainly wasn’t a public official of any importance (that we know of). Why would someone of Jesus’ caliber and importance give the news about Lazarus anything more than a passing thought?
Because, Lazarus was Jesus friend, that’s why. Not just any friend mind you. Lazarus was Jesus very dear friend. Some translations use the word dearly loved one, but I like the very dear friend statement. To me you can love someone from a distance, but a very dear friend is one you go to when they need you. You drop everything so that you can be with them to comfort them when they need comfort, encourage them when they need encouragement and celebrate when a celebration is in order.
Mary and Martha knew something each of us needs to remember. We, like Lazarus, are Jesus’ very dear friends. There’s never a time when he’s too busy to listen. Never a point in our lives where we are too far from him, even during those times when it seems he is silent.
When Jesus heard that Lazarus was sick he was a day’s journey away. A day can seem like an eternity when we are in need. A day can make the difference of life and death, of celebration or need of encouragement.
Jesus answers often come in ways we don’t understand or agree with, but they always come in a way that will glorify God and strengthen us for the journey ahead. I’m sure that Mary and Martha watched the road desperately in during Lazarus’ last days. One eye on the road, one their dying brother. They went through the mourning. They went through the funeral and burial. Four agonizing days later Jesus came and the ‘If only you’d been here’ resulted in a reunion with their dear brother.
You, like Lazarus, are Jesus’ very dear friend. He is always aware of your need and never removed from your pain. He understands your anger, doubt and worry. His timing isn’t always understood, but it’s always best.
PRAYER: Dear Jesus, there have been so many times when I’ve wondered where you were of if you even realized the struggle I’m in. Thank you for the reminder that I’m your very dear friend. When I’m in the dark times of my life I pray that you would help me remember you love me and that even if you don’t answer the way I’d like, your way is always best. In your name I pray, Amen.
I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, Philippians 3:10
Be careful what you ask for. To know the power of Christ, to be able to heal, to endure hardship, to sleep in the bow of the boat during a violent storm are all noble aspirations. Every one of them is something each of us would love to attain.
One can not bask in the glory of Christ unless one endures the suffering of Christ. Lest we romanticize the ministry of Jesus on earth let us not forget that many times the only place to rest his head was on the hard ground. He had no place to call home except for the homes of generous friends. Even his grave was donated to him by someone who he may have never met.
Other than a devoted few, his list of friends and followers was a revolving door of people who were looking for an earthly kingdom, who became critical of his alleged rejection of religious Sabbath laws, and the ungrateful that came for healing and, once made pure, were never heard from again. Oh, and the devoted few? They all abandoned him at the cross. Every last one of them.
And his family? On a couple of occasions they came looking for him. Not to follow him mind you, but to quarantine him in the safe confines of the carpenter shop. When his brothers talked about Jesus during his ministry the word ‘lunatic’ was frequently heard. Only his mother seemed to stand quietly in the shadows watching her son grow, minister and eventually die.
The church was no safe haven for Jesus either. He was scrutinized on every front. His motives were misread and misunderstood. He was accused of being possessed by the devil and an affront to everything the Jewish religion stood for.
What made Jesus different? There are perhaps many answers to that question, but one that comes to my mind is that Jesus always held before him the purpose for which he was called. He wasn’t called to be blessed. He wasn’t called to be powerful and respected. He wasn’t called to be a mighty leader. He was called to be a servant and die in the process. But along the way, he changed the world!
Although I shudder at what it might mean, I echo the prayer of the Apostle Paul. Regardless of what it may mean to me physically, emotionally, or socially, I want to know Christ. I want to know him in such a way that his power shows through me to others.
PRAYER: Dear Jesus, You showed us in your life that we will be faced with all sorts of trials and tribulations. I want to know you. I want to know your power in my life. I confess to you that even as I pray this prayer I’m nervous about what may lie ahead. Empower me by your Spirit to trust you as I forge ahead on this journey of life. In your name I pray, Amen.
They asked each other, “Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?” Luke 24:32
Have you ever sat and listened to someone share their passion? I’m not talking about the boring person who goes into a tirade about some issue. I’m talking about the person who is so passionate about something that their words bring life to their topic.
You sit and listen to them and are so enraptured by their words that you lose all track of time. Even if you aren’t personally interested whatever it is they are talking about, their verbal and non-verbal communication mesmerizes you to the point where your entire attitude changes.
I had that once in a small way. A professor I had was so passionate about his class that I left forever changed in my attitude about it. The class? Political Science, believe it or not! I took the class as an elective because it was at the time and day I could attend. I had no interest whatsoever in Political Science. I don’t remember the professor’s name. I don’t even remember what year I took the class. What I do remember is leaving the class with not only a new appreciation for the topic, but even considered running for local office!
Passionate people breed passion in others. It’s no wonder then, that when Jesus appeared to the two disciples on the road to Emmaus he instilled passion in them for God. He talked about Moses. He talked about Elijah and Daniel. He smiled as he reflected on the life of David. And why not? He walked with those men. He watched them grow in faith. He felt the pain of their failure and rejoiced in their victories. When Jesus talked about these men, he wasn’t just talking about stories. He was talking about friends of his.
I imagine when Jesus talks about us he is just as passionate. Sure, we fail. Some of us fail miserably. We rebel almost daily. We worry when he says don’t worry. We get angry when he says trust. We get lonely when he says he is with us always. While we grumble and live in defeat he looks on us with pride and, yep, you guessed it, PASSION.
If you didn’t know me and Jesus was talking to you about me, once he was finished talking you’d be passionate about me. Why? Not because I’m something special in your eyes, but because I’m something special in Jesus’ eyes. When you’ve been with Jesus you can’t help but feel passionate about life.
PRAYER: Dear Jesus, thank you for being passionate about me. I confess to you that I don’t feel like I’m much to be passionate about. But I’m thankful that you love me so much. I ask that you would empower me to be so passionate about you that my passion will breed passion for you in those I meet. In your name, Amen.
Mike Fisk & Built with Grace 