It reminds me of the times our youth group would travel up to senior high camp at our local church camp. The van ride there was just the beginning of a week of bonding, learning, growing, and making memories and inside jokes. But the ride back was a bittersweet time, the magic of the unique togetherness we had breaking apart as we all contemplated going back to our respective homes, schools, and activities.

When we experience highs in life, whether they are spiritual or emotional, we often want the feeling of that moment to go on and on. But seeking those highs or letting them sustain us apart from God only leaves us empty and searching for the next mountaintop moment.

Our Hearts Seek the True Gift

On Tuesday, Jaime asked us to imagine opening a present to find we had been given the gift of strength. If you were to walk into a room elegantly but humbly decorated with a sense of the sacred, you might see a tree with gifts crowded underneath until the trunk is no longer visible. Upon further inspection, you see that all the gift tags are quite similar. 

All are signed “Heavenly Father,” “Emmanuel,” “Lamb of God,” “Comforter,” … “Redeemer.” But they are all addressed to “Believers of every tribe, tongue, and nation.” When you lean in even closer, the light seems to shift, and every tag has your name on it. Some might have your first name or your middle name, others have the name your dad called you when you asked to ride on his shoulders or the nickname your best friend gave you in high school.

As you carefully tear the paper on each package, you realize that “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights… (James 1:17a). Gifts like hope and strength. Yes, the Father gives good things (Matthew 7:11), and He even uses the evil of others for good (Genesis 50:20) because He is working all things to make His children more like Christ (Romans 8:29). 

“But, wait!” you cry. “I don’t deserve all of this!”

Exactly.

And that’s when you open the final gift. The one that makes all of the other gifts make sense. Redemption. Because you can’t be perfect, you can’t be enough, you can’t earn all of the other gifts God wants to give you, you must first accept this one.

Redemption is Necessary

Left to our own devices, not just the day after Christmas but our whole lives are empty and devoid of meaning: “For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your ancestors,” (1 Peter 1:18, NIV). Since the fall in the garden, all of Adam’s descendants have inherited a sinful nature, complete with futile thinking and darkened hearts (Romans 1:21).

Not only are we broken inside, but we can’t simply will ourselves to God or godliness. “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:23) This falling short is like the image of an archer drawing back his bow and taking aim; yet, the arrow not only misses the mark but doesn’t even come close to the intended target. The Bible is God’s story, inspired by the Holy Spirit, handed down through the ages to reveal His perfect character, purposes, and plan. But there is also a substory of the generations of man who thought, in their own wisdom and self-righteousness, they could work, will, or wish themselves to acceptance, whether from God, their peers, or themselves.

And each and every generation has, without fail experienced failure, sin, and death.

With the exception of one Man.

“For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.” —Romans 3:23-24

“For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your ancestors, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect. —1 Peter 1:18‭-‬19, NIV

 

Because Jesus lived a perfect, sinless life; because He was and is not merely a good teacher or example but Son of God and Son of Man; because he was tempted in the same ways we are—experiencing hunger, thirst, mockery, and betrayal—and withstood the tests (Hebrews 4:15), He alone can be our Redeemer. He alone can “give his life as a ransom for many” (Mark 10:45). He alone can stand in our place, taking our judgment, shame, and punishment, replacing it with righteousness, freedom, and eternal life.

Redemption is Costly

“No one can redeem the life of another or give to God a ransom for them—the ransom for a life is costly, no payment is ever enough—that they should live on forever and not see decay.” (Psalms 49:7-9)

Recently, my middle child was talking to a friend who was telling him all about a virtual reality headset he had received as a gift. My son asked, “If you were to combine what you spend on my birthday presents and my Christmas presents, would I be able to get one of those?” Laughing, I replied, “Honey, that would take you six years’ worth of birthdays and Christmases!”

This particular child would have to wait almost his whole lifetime over again to be able to earn this kind of extravagant gift; yet, God’s Word tells us that we could give every breath we might ever take on this earth, and it still wouldn’t be enough to ransom the life of another. Life is precious to God. We are the imageo Deo, the image of God; thus, unlike any of His other creatures, He requires “a reckoning”—a settlement of our account with him, which can only be satisfied one way:

“And for your lifeblood I will require a reckoning: from every beast I will require it and from man. From his fellow man I will require a reckoning for the life of man. Whoever sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed, for God made man in his own image.” —Genesis 9:5-6

It’s a gruesome and beautiful truth: my life is so precious to God that only the lifeblood of another can atone for it. In the New Testament, we see Jesus fulfilling the roles of all the Old Testament sacrifices meant to atone for the sins of the individual and of Israel.

“For this reason he had to be made like them, fully human in every way, in order that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God, and that he might make atonement for the sins of the people.” —Hebrews 2:17, NIV

In Hebrews 9, Christ is revealed to be our High Priest but also our perfect sacrifice. What He accomplished on the cross was:

• once for all, never needing to be repeated, never running out.
• by means of His own blood.
• securing our eternal redemption.
• purifying our consciences from dead works so we can serve the living God.
• granting us an eternal inheritance.
• redeeming us from our transgressions, forgiving our sins.

“…But as it is, he has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself.” —Hebrews 9:26b

Redemption is Free

Christmas can be full of so many expectations from us that we wonder how we can meet them all and still be Christlike. But Jesus says: “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28). Cease striving, dear brother or sister. Rest in the knowledge of the truth that He has done what was necessary to give you a gift that can never be taken from you. If you have trusted His work on the cross to save you from your sins and that “empty way of life,” then you are redeemed, and you are His.

The post The Gift of Redemption appeared first on Do Not Depart.

“Mommy said so,” is a phrase that immediately takes me back to my childhood home, where my siblings and I frequently argued our cases by invoking parental authority. When my mother began taking graduate classes one afternoon a week, I was left in charge. I loved being in charge. I came up with new games, made the best fried hot dogs, and tried to ensure my siblings would consider me “the fun one.” But when tensions rose between us, I was quick to assert the authority bestowed on me by our mother.

Paul, an apostle called by God

Just as my feeble authority in my home originated outside of myself, Paul begins his letter to the Galatians by identifying the Source of his authority:

“Paul, an apostle—not from men nor through man, but through Jesus Christ and God the Father, who raised him from the dead” (Galatians 1:1)

After this brief introduction, Paul jumps right into criticism of the Galatian church with no mincing of words:

“I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting him who called you in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel” (Galatians 1:6).

Galatians, deserting the faith

Paul fervently calls the Galatians to return to the Gospel as they had heard and received it from him. The Galatians’ faith had been weakened by Judaizers who asserted that Christian Believers should be following mosaic law. Under the influence of false prophets, the Galatians’ confidence in Paul had also suffered. Thus, his opening words attest to his God-given authority, and the first two chapters describe the early years of Paul’s conversion and ministry, preaching the Gospel as revealed to him directly through a revelation of Jesus Christ.

The Epistle to the Galatians

When we read the letter to the Galatians as a whole, we see that Paul shows the Galatians that the entirety of our spiritual life, just like his calling as an apostle, is “not from men nor through man, but through Jesus Christ and God the Father, who raised him from the dead.”  

“yet we know that a person is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, so we also have believed in Christ Jesus, in order to be justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the law, because by works of the law no one will be justified.” (Galatians 2:15-16)

Our justification is not from men nor through man, but through the resurrection of Christ. Neither the Galatians’ attempts to keep the mosaic law nor our own grasping at righteousness in legalism are the source of our righteousness or the means by which we are saved.

I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.  (Galatians 2:20)

God The Father, Who raised Christ from the dead

Let’s return again to verse one. The last words of Paul’s short introductory verse include this description of God the Father: “… who raised him from the dead.”

I think of all the ways Paul could have described the Father:  Creator, Redeemer, Most Holy God, King of Kings…   I won’t postulate why Paul chooses this specific descriptive phrase for God the Father in his introduction, but I do notice the effect the words have on my understanding of God as we ask, “Who are you, Lord?”

When I read of Paul’s apostleship  “through Jesus Christ and God the Father, who raised him from the dead” my mind is drawn to the God or miracles, Who resurrects, Who breathes life into what was dead. He is the Father who raised Christ, attesting to His sonship. He is the God who took a Jewish pharisee who was spiritually dead in enslavement to the law and brought about his rebirth on the road to Damascus.

Paul knows our Father as the God of resurrection.  In the sacrament of baptism, we are buried  with Christ and then rise with new life (Romans 6:3-5). And this new life is entirely of God.

Neither Paul’s apostleship, nor our salvation, nor the spiritual life of our rebirth are “from men [or] through man,” the result of our own works or resulting from the efforts of others. Rather, we live entirely “through Jesus Christ and God the Father, who raised him from the dead.” Let us not follow the Galatians into legalism, nor fall into the trap at the tower of Babel, chasing the glory of our own efforts, but may we instead yield to the life born in us through Christ.

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Possibly one of the most miraculous things about God is that He works through people. While He is more than capable of handling everything, He delights in our participation and allows imperfect people to do the work that needs to be done. Even the Bible, the revelation of His character and purpose to us is a gift inspired by the Holy Spirit but written, preserved, and translated by humans! I call it miraculous because people are so very messy. We have no shortage of faults and failings. It’s humbling and awesome to read the stories in Scripture, to see His hand guiding, and to know He is still working through us today.

Saul, Saul…

One such example is found in the book of Acts when God chose a certain man to take the gospel to the Gentiles. The man he chose was Saul, or in Greek, Paul. This man’s identity was thoroughly grounded in being Jewish, so much so that he took part in persecuting the early church. He purposefully sought out people who believed and followed Jesus of Nazareth so he could violently punish and imprison them for blasphemy (Acts 8:3).  In his letter to the Philippians, he describes himself as being, “…circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the law, a Pharisee; as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to righteousness under the law, blameless” (3:5-6). In other words, though raised in an important Roman city, among Hellenized (Greek-speaking) Jews, Paul was an observant Jew who spoke Aramaic and studied the Law under the best teachers in Jerusalem.

Yet despite this impressive and comfortable identity, Paul goes on in his letter to say, “But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord” (Philippians 3:7-8).

How did Saul, zealous persecutor of Christians, come to know Christ Jesus as Lord?

Why Are You Persecuting Me?

In Acts 9:1-9 we read the story of Saul’s encounter with the risen Jesus.

“But Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest and asked him for letters to the synagogues at Damascus, so that if he found any belonging to the Way, men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem. Now as he went on his way, he approached Damascus, and suddenly a light from heaven shone around him. And falling to the ground, he heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?” And he said, “Who are you, Lord?” And he said, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. But rise and enter the city, and you will be told what you are to do.” The men who were traveling with him stood speechless, hearing the voice but seeing no one. Saul rose from the ground, and although his eyes were opened, he saw nothing. So they led him by the hand and brought him into Damascus. And for three days he was without sight, and neither ate nor drank.”

I can’t help but imagine what those three days without sight may have been like. Did he recall the prophet Jonah, swallowed and saved in the belly of a fish so he could take God’s message of redemption to the Ninevites? Maybe. Paul was a very good student who loved the Law. I imagine him going over every word he’d memorized from the Torah, but in his blindness seeing it with the fresh eyes of the Spirit.

The Lord sent Ananias, a disciple, to heal him, sharing that Saul of Tarsus would bring the gospel to the Gentiles (v. 15). The story continues with Paul regaining his sight, being baptized, “and taking food, he was strengthened. For some days he was with the disciples at Damascus. And immediately he proclaimed Jesus in the synagogues, saying, ‘He is the Son of God’” (v. 19-20).

Who Are You, Lord?

Paul had a strong foundational understanding of God thanks to his upbringing in Hebrew culture. He knew who God was. Once he understood that Jesus is the Messiah, the pieces of God’s redemptive plan, his character of mercy and the gift of grace clicked into place. From that point on Paul’s identity was not in anything he achieved but in knowing Jesus Christ.

All this month on the blog we’ll be studying the greetings in Paul’s letters to get an idea of what he thought and who he understood Jesus to be.

“Of this gospel I was made a minister according to the gift of God’s grace, which was given me by the working of his power. To me, though I am the very least of all the saints, this grace was given, to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, and to bring to light for everyone what is the plan of the mystery hidden for ages in God, who created all things” (Ephesians 3:7-9)

I hope you’ll join us!

The post Who Are You, Lord? Series Intro appeared first on Do Not Depart.

When Jesus walked through Israel with his disciples, they were walking over a land rich with the history of Yahweh showing up, over and over again for his people, calling them to righteousness and saving them by his grace. Can you imagine one of those disciples, growing up in Galilee, knowing the stories of Moses and Joshua by heart? Their world is already turned upside down as they travel with Jesus, but imagine them coming to the plains of Jericho, the place where their ancestors first took possession of the land promised to Abraham. I think I would be geeking out a little.

Jericho’s Walls

Jericho is frequently described as an oasis in the desert of the Jordan Valley. It is the lowest city in the world (800 feet below sea level) and one of the oldest continuous settlement from the earliest days of civilization.

The name, Jericho, is from the Canaanite word for “moon” (yareah) or the Hebrew word for “fragrant” (reah). It is thought to be the center of worship for the Canaanite deity of the moon (Yarikh) and also is known the world over for its sweet-smelling dates and balsam. It is often described as the “city of palms” because of its abundant palm trees but most modern readers remember it for the walls.

In Joshua 3-5 we read about the Israelites crossing over the Jordan River (on dry ground!), rededicating themselves to the covenant, and celebrating their first Passover as inhabitants. In chapter 6, they march around the massive walls of the most impressive city without saying a word for seven days. On the seventh day, they marched the approximate mile around seven times. Finally, they blew their shofars and shouted praises to the Lord. Their marching orders were beyond bizarre, but the Israelites responded in faith, and the walls of the fortified city crumbled in defeat.

“By faith the walls of Jericho fell down after they had been encircled for seven days.” (Heb 11:30)

Sitting in a deep valley between Jerusalem and the Jordan River (just across from where Jesus was baptized), Jericho serves as a gateway to the Promised Land, a place where faith is abundant, and promises are fulfilled.

The Jericho Jesus Knew

By New Testament times the city of Jericho had been rebuilt and resettled by the tribe of Benjamin, hosted a school of prophets, and served a place of rest for David’s men and Elisha. Inhabitants from Jericho were included in the exile and the rebuilding of Jerusalem. Attracted to it beauty and strategic location, Herod the Great built his winter palace, making Jericho again an affluent oasis in the desert.

Stories in the gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke indicate that Jesus entered Jerusalem (for what we now call Holy Week) by way of Jericho.

Though there are only two brief encounters recorded at Jericho during Jesus’ ministry both stories reflect the faith in action first seen by the Israelites taking possession of Canaan.

Not Short on Faith

“He entered Jericho and was passing through. And behold, there was a man named Zacchaeus. He was a chief tax collector and was rich. And he was seeking to see who Jesus was, but on account of the crowd he could not, because he was small in stature. So he ran on ahead and climbed up into a sycamore tree to see him, for he was about to pass that way. And when Jesus came to the place, he looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, hurry and come down, for I must stay at your house today.” So he hurried and came down and received him joyfully. And when they saw it, they all grumbled, “He has gone in to be the guest of a man who is a sinner.” And Zacchaeus stood and said to the Lord, “Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor. And if I have defrauded anyone of anything, I restore it fourfold.” (Luke 19:1-8)

Zacchaeus was a prominent tax collector which likely means he was cheating his neighbors and getting rich off their suffering. We’re also told he was short and curious about Jesus, so he climbed a tree. It never occurred to him that he was the one Jesus was coming to see. But Jesus did see him and called him by name, inviting him to take part in the promise of his forefathers.

He responded in joy, faith, and repentance. “And Jesus said to him, ‘Today salvation has come to this house, since he also is a son of Abraham. For the Son of Man came to seek and save the lost.” (vv. 9-10)

Blind No More

“On his way out of town, a beggar by the name of Bartimaeus called out to him, persistently begging for mercy. And they came to Jericho. And as he was leaving Jericho with his disciples and a great crowd, Bartimaeus, a blind beggar, the son of Timaeus, was sitting by the roadside.  And when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out and say, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” And many rebuked him, telling him to be silent. But he cried out all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!” And Jesus stopped and said, “Call him.” And they called the blind man, saying to him, “Take heart. Get up; he is calling you.” And throwing off his cloak, he sprang up and came to Jesus. And Jesus said to him, “What do you want me to do for you?” And the blind man said to him, “Rabbi, let me recover my sight.” And Jesus said to him, “Go your way; your faith has made you well.” And immediately he recovered his sight and followed him on the way. (Mark 46-52)

Mark paints a picture of a desperate man, odds stacked against him. He acknowledged Jesus as the Messiah by calling out “Son of David.” Jesus, likewise, acknowledged his faith and told him to go on his way. Bartimeaus chose to follow Jesus from that day forward.

Interestingly, the name Bartimaeus is derived from a Hebrew word meaning “unclean” and is specifically used in reference to Gentiles. It’s a reminder of another Gentile from Jericho who was rewarded for faith in a god she could not see.

An Open Heart

Before crossing the Jordan River and taking Jericho by faith, Joshua sent spies to scope out the city. We read in Joshua 2 that they stayed at the home of Rahab the prostitute, who hid them from the king and told them,

“I know that the LORD has given you the land, and that the fear of you has fallen upon us, and that all the inhabitants of the land melt away before you. For we have heard how the LORD dried up the water of the Red Sea before you when you came out of Egypt, and what you did to the two kings of the Amorites who were beyond the Jordan, to Sihon and Og, whom you devoted to destruction. And as soon as we heard it, our hearts melted, and there was no spirit left in any man because of you, for the LORD your God, he is God in the heavens above and on the earth beneath.” (Joshua 2:9-11)

She is one of only five women named in the genealogy of Jesus (Matthew 1:5), and remembered in the Hebrews “Hall of Faith”

“By faith Rahab the prostitute did not perish with those who were disobedient, because she had given a friendly welcome to the spies.” Hebrews 11:31

A Heritage of Faith

Jesus walked a hard road while he was on earth. As he left the lush and fertile Jericho, he faced an uphill climb to Jerusalem where pain, humiliation, betrayal, and death awaited him. Yet he walked in faith, the security of knowing his Father would fulfill his promise to restore the world through his sacrifice.

“And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” Philippians 2:8-11

The post Jericho: Walking by Faith appeared first on Do Not Depart.

King David, “a man after God’s own heart” (1 Samuel 13:14), confronted with his grievous sin, turned toward God instead of hiding from Him. I learn from David that the best place for me when I sin is in God’s presence. A child of God, His gracious and merciful heart welcomes my confession of sin and repentance.

Confession

As I mature in faith, I recognize more and more my need for daily confession.

Have mercy on me, O God,
according to your steadfast love;
according to your abundant mercy
blot out my transgressions.
² Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity,
and cleanse me from my sin!

³ For I know my transgressions,
and my sin is ever before me.
⁴ Against you, you only, have I sinned
and done what is evil in your sight,
so that you may be justified in your words
and blameless in your judgment.
⁵ Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity,
and in sin did my mother conceive me.
⁶ Behold, you delight in truth in the inward being,
and you teach me wisdom in the secret heart.  Psalm 51: 1-6

Repentance

Once offered, confession leads to repentance, a turning away from sin and towards God.

⁷Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean;
wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.
⁸ Let me hear joy and gladness;
let the bones that you have broken rejoice.
⁹ Hide your face from my sins,
and blot out all my iniquities.
¹⁰ Create in me a clean heart, O God,
and renew a right^[b] spirit within me.
¹¹ Cast me not away from your presence,
and take not your Holy Spirit from me.
¹² Restore to me the joy of your salvation,
and uphold me with a willing spirit.  Psalm 51:7-12

Restoration

Having confessed and repented of my sin, God faithfully forgives and cleanses me from unrighteousness. He readies me again to do His will.

¹³ Then I will teach transgressors your ways,
and sinners will return to you.
¹⁴ Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God,
O God of my salvation,
and my tongue will sing aloud of your righteousness.
¹⁵ O Lord, open my lips,
and my mouth will declare your praise.
¹⁶ For you will not delight in sacrifice, or I would give it;
you will not be pleased with a burnt offering.
¹⁷ The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit;
a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.

¹⁸ Do good to Zion in your good pleasure;
build up the walls of Jerusalem;
¹⁹ then will you delight in right sacrifices,
in burnt offerings and whole burnt offerings;
then bulls will be offered on your altar.  Psalm 51:13-19

Blessed are the Forgiven

Until Jesus returns, I will practice running to God with my sin. He is ready and waiting to forgive and restore me.

“Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven,
and whose sins are covered;
blessed is the man against whom the Lord will not count his sin.”  Romans 4:7-8

God is a gracious and merciful Father who is ready to forgive and restore me. #Psalm51 #BeautifulPsalms
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Food is also an excellent metaphor for Scripture.

“Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good! Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him!” Psalm 34:8

“How sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth!” Psalm 119:103

“Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation—if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good.” 1 Peter 2:2-3

As I consider this idea of Scripture as Food, a couple of thoughts came to my mind.

Food must be eaten.

It seems silly to say, but it only takes one bite of decorative fruit to convince you that food must be eaten and digested. Eugene Peterson writes, “Christians feed on Scripture. Holy Scripture nurtures the holy community as food nurtures the human body. Christians don’t simply learn or study or use Scripture; we assimilate it, take it into our lives in such a way that it gets metabolized into acts of love.” (Eat This Book)

Scripture must be consumed. Head knowledge must become heart knowledge which transforms how we walk out our life.

Food Comes in Many Forms

Food, in its natural state, comes from the earth but in our modern society, we have lots of ways of getting it. We can pick it up from the grocery store and cook it ourselves. We can order a prepackaged meal. We can eat at a restaurant or stop for fast food. We can make everything from scratch or buy things in various states of preparation. One could, conceivably, spend an entire lifetime without ever setting foot in a kitchen.

Convenience foods are wonderful. I am so grateful for frozen pizza. Yet we lose something when our main source of nourishment is quick and prepackaged. Sometimes it is obvious – the food we are consuming only resembles real food but is actually empty calories. Other times, what we’ve lost is indefinable. There is a sense of connectedness to be found in the daily ritual of gathering, preparing, and consuming food.

Scripture comes to us in many forms as well. In this age of instant information, we have access to devotionals, emails, blogs, Instagram posts, studies, videos, so much more. In my house we put Scripture on our walls as decoration, we wear it on our clothes, and listen to it on the radio. I read a devotional book with my children, usually a single verse or short passage paired with an anecdote to help clarify the meaning of the verse. I love scrolling through my Instagram feed and seeing a beautiful photograph with a Scripture written over it. These are wonderful, convenient bites of spiritual nourishment. But if my only contact with the Word comes from these pre-packaged, quick fixes, how well is my soul being fed? Sure, we can survive on this limited diet. But can we grow?

Food doesn’t always taste good

My least favorite question in the entire world right now is “what’s for dinner?”, mostly because it is always followed by groans, eye-rolls, and helpful suggestions for something better, like Chick-fil-a. My standard reply to the complaint goes, “You don’t have to like it. It’s good for you.”

Not every part of the Bible is pleasant or easy to read. Humanity is lost, broken, and depraved since the Fall. Story after story in the Bible shows us the depths of depravity, revealing how much we need the generous mercy and kind love of God. We might not always like what we learn but taken together each piece of the Bible is important for teaching, reproof, correction, and training in righteousness (2 Timothy 3:16). It’s good for us.

Food is Simple and Complicated

Did you know that the color and shape of food can give you a clue about its nutritional value? Red fruits and vegetables can lower blood pressure and cholesterol. Walnuts – which look like tiny brains – have been shown to improve cognitive health. But of course, we don’t need to know any of this to enjoy a good pasta sauce or apple and walnut salad.

Eating food comes pretty naturally. We pick it up as children with relative ease. As we grow we learn more about the relationships between foods and new techniques for preparing them, enhancing our enjoyment. Then there are professionals. Culinary experts raise food preparation to an art form and nutritionists are forever discovering more about the complex design of food and how it works in our bodies.

Likewise, the Bible comes to us in the form of a story, simple and remarkably accessible regardless of education. Jesus says we need only the faith of a child, as small as a mustard seed (Mark 10:15, Matthew 17:20). Yet study of the Bible is a lifelong endeavor. Scholars devote their lives to study and still never come to the end of unfolding the glorious mystery of who God is and how He loves us. (Job 11:7). You and I don’t have to be an Iron Chef to prepare a delicious and satisfying meal, and we don’t need to be a professor of ancient languages or archeology to study and enjoy Scripture.

Scripture is Food

In Deuteronomy 8:3, Moses explained (and Jesus quoted in Matthew 4), that God “humbled you and let you hunger and fed you with manna, which you did not know, nor did your fathers know, that he might make you know that man does not live by bread alone, but man lives by every word that comes from the mouth of the LORD.”

Food, like faith, connects us to our sense of self and cultural identity. The smells, tastes, and feelings associated with certain dishes enrich our memories and take us back to the traditions they represent. We are rooted in how we are raised and free to grow in our understanding and experience as we mature.

How does this picture of Scripture as food help you see the place of the Word in your life? Share in the comments on our Facebook page!

The post Eat This Book: Food as a Metaphor for Scripture appeared first on Do Not Depart.

Nigeria, the most populous country in Africa, is also one of the most linguistically diverse countries in the world. Nigeria is home to more than 250 ethnic groups speaking more than 500 different native languages. Both Christianity and Islam have growth substantially in recent decades, with Nigeria generally divided into the predominantly Muslim North and the predominantly Christian South.

Praise God for the Church in Nigeria

As we pray for Nigeria this week, we begin by rejoicing in the Nigerian Church. My friend tells me that she sees in her Nigerian brothers and sisters in Christ a unique perseverance and strength. She sees that their faith is not easily shaken by the difficulties and heartache of life.

Nigerian Christians are undertaking a massive translation effort. Through the National Bible Translation Trust, Nigerians are currently working towards the translation of the Bible into 250 additional languages. However, many of these projects have encountered roadblocks during the pandemic. Pray for the furtherance of Bible translation in Nigeria and for safe ways for translators to gather and collaborate. Pray also for the safety and protection of pastors and other Believers supporting Nigerian Christians from Muslim people groups, particularly in Northern Nigeria.

Pray for the Safety of Nigerians

According to BBC reporting this month, more than 800 children have been taken in four mass school kidnappings in the past 3 months. Pray for their protection — physical, spiritual, and emotional, and for their safe return to their families. My friend tells me small-scale, roadside kidnappings are also so common that “fear of kidnapping” is a common every-day worry of her husband’s seminary students.

Pray for Nigeria’s Girls and Women

The rates of teenage marriage are particularly high in Northern Nigeria and in more rural areas; the median age of marriage in some regions is 15 years of age according to a 2018 Demographic and Health Survey, with more than 40% of Nigerian women marrying before age 18. Among married women, 80% have risk factors for high-risk births. The report also reflects normalization of “wife beating,” with 20-30% of women reporting belief that it is okay for a husband to beat his wife in circumstances such a burned dinner, a disagreement, or turning down sex. Pray for God’s hand of mercy in protecting women in Nigeria and worldwide and for healing of the factors underlying violence.

Join Me in Prayer

Lord, may Your name be glorified in Nigeria among every people group and in every language.

Strengthen and encourage your Church there. May they treasure Your Word and increasingly have the Bible translated into every language. May truth, love, and grace spread across the land, igniting hearts for You.

“…So that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.” (Ephesians 3:17-19)

Free the children and adults held captive in Nigeria today, releasing them to their families and healing their wounds. Protect the vulnerable, and bring justice. May each man, woman, and child come to see him or herself and those around them as Your image bearers.

“But let justice roll down like waters, and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream.” (Amos 5:24)

“Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.” (Ephesians 3:20-21)

As you pray for Nigeria, check out this beautiful recording of Mai Taimako Na (My Helper) by Nigerian worship musician Solomon Lange, who sings in Hausa, a language of Northern Nigeria, with English subtitles.

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After fourteen years as a stay-at-home Mom, I went back to teaching this year.  With excitement, I pulled my dusty teacher boxes out of the attic and found my old, trusty “First of the Year Talk.”  While many things have changed in the classroom, that first talk still works.  Once again, I told my new classrooms of students:

“Words have power; they truly do.  The words we use matter.  Words can be a tool for good or for evil.  With words, we can build others up.  We can go from ignorant to educated.  We can persuade, heal, affect good change, and influence for good.  Even the words we think about ourselves and words we use in our self-talk are powerful—for good or for harm.”

This introductory talk works in a classroom because it is an extension of what students have heard from adults all their lives: “Use your words.  If you don’t have anything nice to say, don’t say anything at all.  Think before you speak.”

Most of all, the talk works because it is a Biblical truth: “Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruits.”  (Proverbs 18:21 NRSV)

High Standards

As has already been beautifully shared here this month, God created our world by speaking it into life.  The Old Testament is full of stories of people blessing or cursing with their words.  And the New Testament has example after example of how Christians are meant to use our words.

We know we have the high call to “Let no corrupting talk come out of [our] mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear.” (Ephesians 4:29, ESV, emphasis added)

James tells Christians, “You must understand this, my beloved: let everyone be quick to listen, slow to speak, slow to anger; for your anger does not produce God’s righteousness… If any think they are religious, and do not bridle their tongues but deceive their hearts, their religion is worthless.”  (James 1:19-20, 26 NRSV)

Whoa.  Talk about high standards!  It’s hard enough to be careful with our words when things are going smoothly.  How do we do this when things are really hard?

Two Reminders for Harder Days

As I write this, we’ve just finished a terrible week of hard freezes in Texas.  Millions of people have been without power, heat, and water.  We’ve been boiling the city water in our home, and we’re not sure what food will be available at the grocery store this week.  This storm comes a year into the pandemic and on the heels of a very rough hurricane season.  This week has been scary, humbling, and sobering.  We find ourselves once again reminded of our dependence on God for daily provision.  We’re thankful for the most important things—God, family, and basic needs met.  And we are also very tired.

When things are challenging and I’m tired, it’s even harder for me to take care with my words.  I can quickly give in to anger, “venting,” and unkind words.

Because of this blog post, I’ve been thinking hard about how to guard our tongues, and I am reminded of what many of us heard from our first choir or band directors as youth: “Rests (pauses of silence) are just as important as the notes, and you have to listen to hear your part in order to sing or play well.”  I think it’s the same with our words in our everyday lives, and I’m finding two very simple practices help in dramatic ways.

Pause

First, I need longer pauses before I speak.  I often need to physically take a deep breath before I talk, and I need the weekly pause of Sabbath worship and rest.  Communal worship may be different these days due to the pandemic, but we are still each longing for a weekly Sabbath to join our church family and pray, study God’s Word, focus on the essential rather than the urgent, reflect, and be encouraged and restored.  Without these weekly pauses from work and production, for worship and fun, my tongue quickly gets the better of me.

Listen for Your Part

Next, I need to listen well to the Holy Spirit in order to discern which conversations God is calling me to be a part of.  We are surrounded by a culture of constant noise and opinions, with people clamoring for us to engage in numerous societal complaints, debates, and culture wars.

While the technological delivery of this noise may be a new method, this cacophony is not new.  Jesus was constantly followed, pressed, and bombarded with problematic situations, divisive opinions, and questions.  And even Jesus did not answer every question He was asked.  Once, rather than answer a direct question, He paused and drew in the dirt. His pause and gentle response led a guilty woman’s accusers to recognize even their own need for mercy and to walk away.

We too do not have to verbally engage in every current societal debate or cultural hot topic, and it does no good for us to be constantly stirred up by every cause under the sun, even good causes.  If we listen in prayer and study, we can each discern which conversations God is calling us to engage in, and we can focus on the work God sets before us each day.  When we have clarity about which conversations and work we are called to, we can maintain healthy boundaries for our intake of news and social media, and we can focus our words to bring grace to those around us in our everyday life.

When we pause, when we are rested and restored, and when we have listened to hear our parts, we can live with joy, mindful of the privilege it is to speak life.

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Bethany Williams is a teacher, encourager, advocate, and writer.  She loves teaching high school Theology and focusing on her four children at home.  She is happily a clergy spouse, adoptive and biological mom, and treasures a little knack for eliciting laughter in church small groups.

The post Pause, Listen, and Take Care with our Words appeared first on Do Not Depart.

“Thank you, God, for Chippy’s tail.”

Chip is our beloved dog, and that snippet of gratitude is the extent of bedtime prayers we get from one of our kids when they’re especially sleepy. We want to teach the kids that we choose to follow God, and to thank Him, even when our flesh is struggling. “Our family gives thanks to God,” is my refrain on such evenings. If they don’t have much to say during prayers, that’s okay, but we do require one offering of thanks. And so, in more trying moments, one child’s go to is “thank you, God, for Chippy’s tail.” They adore our sweet dog, from his cold, wet nose to his fluffy, wagging tail. It’s my hope that this little habit of expressing thanks each evening to the one Who gives us all good things molds our hearts with time.

The Bible speaks extensively as to why we give thanks.

We Give Thanks…

…because of Who He is.

Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise!
Give thanks to him; bless his name!
For the Lord is good; his steadfast love endures forever,
    and his faithfulness to all generations. (Psalm 100:4-5)

I will give to the Lord the thanks due to his righteousness,
    and I will sing praise to the name of the Lord, the Most High. (Psalm 7:17)

…because of what He has done

Let them thank the Lord for his steadfast love,
for his wondrous works to the children of man!
And let them offer sacrifices of thanksgiving,
and tell of his deeds in songs of joy! (Psalm 107:21-22)

I will give thanks to the Lord with my whole heart;
I will recount all of your wonderful deeds. (Psalm 9:1)

…because of what He has given us

 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change. (James 1:17)

Then one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, praising God with a loud voice;  and he fell on his face at Jesus’ feet, giving him thanks. Now he was a Samaritan. (Luke 17:15-16)

If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him! (Matthew 7:11)

“To you, O God of my fathers,
I give thanks and praise,
for you have given me wisdom and might,
and have now made known to me what we asked of you,
for you have made known to us the king’s matter.” (Daniel 2:23)

…and because we are commanded to.

Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18)

We give thanks to God, even when we don’t feel like it. Failing to give thanks and honor God is to let our hearts act in rebellion and be darkened by sin.

For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened.  (Romans 1:21)

Thankful as a Practice of Habit

In his book “You Are What You Love: The Spiritual Power of Habit,” James K.A. Smith teaches that “we learn to love, then, not primarily by acquiring information about what we should love but rather through practices that form the habits of how we love.”

He goes on to say, “Teaching and learning that are attuned to the spiritual power of habit recognize the cumulative power of little things, the formative power of micro practices. Little things repeated over time in community have a formative effect (why do you think US public schools begin each day with their own version of a creed, the Pledge of Allegiance?). As Winnie the Pooh once said, “Sometimes the smallest things take up the most room in your heart.”

It’s our aim that our little evening practice of family prayers and thanksgiving daily forms our family’s hearts to look to the Lord with honor and thanks.

For what do you give thanks to God today?

Like much of Texas, today I am grateful for warmth and water. It’s a gorgeous, sunny, February day, and my family and friends are safe. Thank you, Lord, for carrying us through cold nights and for never leaving our side.

The post Give Thanks to the Lord, for He is Good! appeared first on Do Not Depart.

When I was a girl my grandmother made the most amazing fudge during the holidays. I could never get enough of it and I often ate more than my fair share. When I got older and had children of my own, I attempted to recreate her fudge. It didn’t go so well and, being the perfectionist that I was, I felt like a failure. I had failed. I never attempted Grandma’s fudge again.

For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. ~ 2 Corinthians 5:21

It is easy to get caught up in the outward trappings of Christmas — the tinsel, the toys, the ornaments and trees, the things that are beautiful and pleasing to the eye. The desire to create a delicious Christmas feast and an awe-inspiring table setting can become the center of our focus. 

I believe that many of us do this out of a desire to create wonderful Christmas memories for ourselves and our loved one, but for some there is another motive to our actions. It is our hope that we will be seen as perfectly polished and put-together. We want to be seen as capable, creative, and accomplished.

We don’t want to be seen as a human with limited skill — as a person unable to provide the flaw-free Christmas we dream of. 

But we are human. We will disappoint ourselves and others. Life is not perfect and it won’t be until Jesus returns.

This drive to be seen as perfect can manifest itself beyond the holidays. It can easily show up in our everyday lives and in our walk with God. In a world where everyone posts their best moments to Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest, it can be easy to look at others and think “I’ve got to be perfect too.” 

But perfection is not our reality yet.

Christ sees our flaws, knows our shortcomings and understands our limits. He has a front row seat to our sin — our poor attitudes, our prideful desire to be seen better than we are, our tendencies to forget Him on Christmas — and He steps into the mess with us anyway.

On the day Jesus was born there was no tinsel or toys, not perfectly sweet fudge, no mother stressing about the Christmas feast. There was only a small family, the agony of childbirth, and a dirty feeding trough to use a crib.

The first Christmas was messy… but it was simple and sweet and perfect as well.

The first Christmas was the chapter in the redemption story that would eventually lead to the atonement for our sins. That atonement was made on the cross several years later.

Years after my first and only attempt at Grandma’s fudge, I opened a can of condensed milk by mistake. I didn’t want it to go to wasts, so I googled “condensed milk recipes” and came across a 3-ingredient fudge recipe that is made in the microwave.

In the microwave! Can you believe it!?!

The fudge was oh so yummy — not nearly as good as Grandma’s, but my family enjoyed it anyway and they asked to make it again the next day. And guess what? I did because of the simplicity of it.

What’s the point of my fudge story? Life doesn’t need to be our version of perfect to be sweet. Simple things like simple 3-ingredient fudge recipes can be tasty and pleasing.

And here is something else that is simple and sweet and does not require our perfection: the Gospel. It’s the truth that we are sinners who can not save ourselves. We are in need of a saviour who loves us and is willing to pay the penalty of our sin on our behalf. There is only one who can (and did!) do that for us — His name is Jesus.

Lord, please help us to keep our eyes focused on your Son and the reason for His birth. Helps us to always remember that He was born on Christmas day so that He could die for our sins and rise again to make us perfect and holy in your sight. Thank you for loving us. In your name. Amen.

3-Ingredient Fudge

INGREDIENTS

• 1 can Sweetened Condensed milk (14 ounces)
• 2 cups (1 12 ounce bag) semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

DIRECTIONS

1. Butter a square pan and line with parchment paper for easy removal of set fudge. Set aside.
2. In a microwave safe 2 quart bowl, heat chocolate chips and sweetened condensed milk, on high for 1 minute. Remove from microwave. Let sit for 1 minute, then stir to combine. If needed, heat an additional 30 seconds. Stir until chips are completely melted and chocolate is smooth.
3. Stir in vanilla extract. Pour fudge into prepared pan. Let fudge cool completely before cutting into 1 inch squares. (you can place in the refrigerator for 1 hour to speed up the process.)
4. Store in an airtight container. Fudge does not need to be kept refrigerated.

For the complete set of directions and tips visit https://chocolatechocolateandmore.com/3-minute-fudge/.

Photos from Chocolate, Chocolate, and More.

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