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Though he was God, he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to. Philippians 2:6
If you loved someone and they were in trouble, what would you do to save them?
We see stories everyday of heroes. Men and women who give their lives to save others. We even idolize them and for good reason. We say they have given their lives in ultimate sacrifice.
These men and women go to work everyday not knowing if they will return.
They chose what they do to help the very people who may at any moment turn on them in violence.
They risk their lives because of love for others only to have their love met with hate.
They risk their lives knowing that if they perish their sacrifice will leave a hole in the lives of those they leave behind.
While I admire and pray for these brave men and women, and appreciate what they do for us, there is one who gave far more than they could ever give.
Jesus gave the ultimate sacrifice. Not only did he die for us, he gave up a Kings mansion. Imagine, living as the son of God. Imagine being God himself. Imagine moving out of His mansion, and giving up all of his power to live with a bunch of people that he knew would reject him. But he loved them anyway, and he loves us still.
“For God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.” John 3:16 (NLT)
Some of the toughest choices father’s make are in regards to their children. We, especially as men, grow up with dreams. We play games in which we always want to come out the winner. As we grow older, reality sets in. Sometimes it sets in hard. We can’t keep rewinding the game clock until the ball swishes through the basket or goes into the empty net or splits the uprights.
It’s no wonder then, that when our son(s) come along the dreams start over again. No offense against the women of our world. They have accomplished great things, fantastic things. Even so, there’s something special about the bond between a man and his son, just as there is between a woman and her daughter. Gender doesn’t really matter. Parents grow up with the hope that their children will somehow attain all they had hoped to attain when they were kids. But sometimes life deals cruel blows.
It’s always been that way really. Abraham had the tough decision to send Ishmael and his mother into the wilderness. Later he had to lay his son of promise, Isaac, on an altar. Only the last minute call of an angel and rustling of a ram in the thicket saved Isaac from being offered up as a sacrifice.
David had the tough choice of going to war against his son, Absalom. Even though he pled for the safe return of his son, the young rebel was killed in battle.
But perhaps the toughest test of love came from God himself. From the day he decided to create this world we live on he longed for relationship. He created beauty from trees and flowers, majesty from mountains and valleys, power from weather and the seas and the wonder of life from innumerable life forms, both seen and unseen.
All that he created gave him great joy. He looked and saw it was good. But it lacked the one thing he longed for above all else. It lacked relationship. So God created mankind to bring him relationship the relationship he’d always wanted. But mankind failed. There was only one thing Father God could do to restore that relationship. It was the hardest thing any of us parents would be called upon to do. He had to give up his only son.
He looked down through the ages and saw the pain his son would suffer. He saw the guilt that would be placed on his shoulders. He saw the physical and emotional abuse that would be executed on his innocent son so that my sins could be forgiven. He watched him die on a tree so I could live forever.
That’s love. That’s tough love. Tough love says I’ll do whatever it takes. Tough love says I’ll give up whatever I need to get the relationship I want to have with you. That’s what God is saying to each of us. He gave all he had so he could have a relationship with you. All he asks in return is for your love through obedience to his word.
PRAYER: Father God, as a parent I can’t imagine what it would be like to have to give up a son so others could live. Especially when the ones who benefit have nothing to give in return. I have nothing to offer you in thanks for your salvation. Thank you for loving me anyway. Thank you for sending Jesus so I can have a relationship with you. In Jesus name I pray, Amen.
My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? John 14:2
Life has been described by some as a journey and in many ways it is. There is, however, an aspect of life which drives us to find a place to settle in, to find our niche’ in life, to find contentment, peace and fulfillment.
We look for this place in a variety of ways. For some it’s relationship. We have the need to love and be loved, and love looks different to different people. All too often relationships in and of themselves fail us. Love grows old. Our perspective on life changes. Things attack and seek to destroy relationship. When relationship dies, we find ourselves without a place in the journey.
Career is another avenue along the journey that people take to find their ‘place’ in life. Years of schooling, hours of hard work, sacrificing important things, including relationships, all for the goal of finding contentment and fulfillment in life. Times change. We grow old. But the luster of the almighty dollar becomes more of a burden than a blessing.
These are just two ways we seek to find our ‘place’ in this journey called life. You can add your own. It may be choosing friends over family, or family over friends; it may be religion and the hopes that your piety will win you some favor with your gods and man; it could be some addiction which allows you a few moments of escape from the potholes and rocks along the path; it could be community service and drowning your own pain by helping others out of theirs.
What ever it is we seek along this journey we come to the realization that Jesus was right after all. One day as he was talking with his disciples about the cost of following him he made the statement “Foxes have dens and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head.” Matthew 8:20.
In this is a truth we each must come to grips with. Even if we are Christ-followers and walk close to our Heavenly Father. Even if our relationships with God and man are strong and filled with love, grace and mercy, there’s emptiness in our soul that longs for a place of rest.
Dear pilgrim, let me remind you, as many New Testament writers have, that we are sojourners in a foreign land. This world is not our home. The more we seek a resting place, the more we realize that in spite of the comfort of our resting places, the rest is temporary.
One day, though we will rest! We will find a place where we will finally be able to fill the gaping space in our souls. A place where we will have and be and do all that we were created to do.
Jesus says, “I’m going to prepare a place…” Not just any place. Not a one-size-fits all place. Jesus left to go and prepare a place designed just for you! I like the idea of ‘rooms’. Special places in a large home where we can enjoy our time alone, yet always be close to those we love!
PRAYER; Father God, I often lose sight of what it really means to be on a journey. So many times I’ve tried to find ‘home’ in the things of the world and been disappointed in the result. Empower me with your Spirit to live in the realization that this world is not my home. With all the good things I’ve been blessed with, I look forward to coming home to you, to a place you have prepared just for me. Thank you for loving me so much! In Jesus name, Amen.
A generous man will prosper; he who refreshes others will himself be refreshed. Proverbs 11:25
Life is full of irony, especially for the Christ follower. Want to be the greatest in the Kingdom? Put everyone before you. Want to be first? Be last. Want to be strong? Be weak. It’s no wonder people are a little confused by our way of life.
Add another irony to the mix. If we are honest with ourselves we all want more. Who of us hasn’t made a statement like this: “If I win the lottery I will…”? Or, “if only I had…”. As a human race it’s natural to measure our success and importance on possessions. One of the biggest reasons our nation is in such financial turmoil is the desire for more. We want more toys so we use plastic to get it. We want more government benefits even though oftentimes those benefits come as a result of higher taxes or more national debt.
Relationships have been destroyed, churches plundered and lives lost all in the name of ‘more’. The Bible gives us another way to get more, give more. In reality the main reason we want more is to make us feel better on the inside. Our quest of material possessions is really a cry for inner peace. We buy into the false idea that physical comfort results in emotional stability. In reality it’s the opposite.
So how can you get more? Give more. Your response to that may be the same one that I tend to give, “I don’t have anything to give. If I won the lottery…” But each of us can be generous. The level of our generosity has absolutely NOTHING to do with the balance in our checkbook. Think about that for awhile, it’s important.
If I have no money I can give myself. It may be something so small and insignificant (in our eyes) as a smile to the flustered and inept server at the coffee shop. It may be refraining from taking your legal and rightful turn at the four-way stop! As long as you have breath you have something you can give to those around you. The important, emotionally fulfilling things in life cost nothing but time, and often that time amounts to minutes, not hours.
One day Jesus and his disciples were standing in the temple watching people give their offerings. One dear little old lady put two mites (essentially two pennies) into the offering plate. Jesus, the Son of God, the richest, most powerful person on earth saw that and was in awe and excited. He pointed the woman out. “Look! She has given the most because she gave from the heart!”
Generosity doesn’t come from the swipe of a credit card, or the signing of the check. Generosity comes from a heartfelt desire to make a difference in the lives of those around you.
The true beauty of generosity is that when you give of yourself to others with an attitude of love and compassion, you are blessed far more than the person you have reached out to.
Want to have more peace and fulfillment in your life? Give what you’ve already been given, even if it’s just a hug or a smile to someone who needs one. You may be surprised how good it feels.
PRAYER: Father God, I confess to you that often I’ve measured my ability to give by the balance of my checkbook or the external gifts I wish I had. I have ignored the many ways I can be generous with the things you have already given me. Empower me by your Spirit to see ways I can be generous without spending a penny. Help my generosity show others the love of Jesus. In your name I pray, Amen.
Mike Fisk & Built with Grace 