Live long and prosper

This is the record of the Inductive Studier, boldly going where no commentary has gone before…or rediscovering thoughts long since hidden in the rubble of modern thought…or analyzing the cryptic sentences to unearth prizes of knowledge lying beneath our noses.

In my time in the records of Matthew, I have spent nearly a week analyzing the histories of Matthew 1. In my endeavors, one verse has continued to perplex me.

Matthew 1:17:

“¹⁷ So all the generations from Abraham to David are fourteen generations; from David to the deportation to Babylon, fourteen generations; and from the deportation to Babylon to the Messiah, fourteen generations.”

What is the significance of 14? It is not 12 tribes or 40 years or 3 days or even 7 weeks. By delving into some Bible commentaries, I was able to ascertain that dividing lists into equal sections was a common device used to memorize genealogies. And in these recordings, there were certain omissions that were considered perfectly acceptable. Indeed I doubt there are many who would not like to summarize their history without some of their more obscure and benign relations.

It is interesting, however, to see which fourteen names made the list. The first section, Abraham – David, is well documented in the Biblical narrative. There are many promises given by God, and a general story line. The next section, David – Babylonian captivity, is documented with less story and more fact in the annuls of the kings. The history is mixed, but on a distinct downward slope. The final fourteen are obscure, and little history is known from the Bible save for exile, the repopulating of the land of Israel in small numbers, and much war and bickering. The promise seemed to be losing strength as people turned away from God. But then the God-Man was born.

What is the significance of a number? Why memorize a lineage that is not your own? Except it is…if you base your loyalty and identity off of a promise to a particular person’s children, then an impostor would be devastating.

So do I care about genealogies? Is it any more than a nice collection of 14 names that come in trilogy box set? All the pain, all the people of renown, and the people of infamy, the rich and poor, high and low, accepted and rejected are called family by the God-Man, Jesus. Not everyone claims their family so openly. Not all promises are easy to see fulfilled. But God kept His promise and did it through the person He pointed out in the beginning.

This is the blessing of priests commanded by God so long ago. And for many centuries, they have given this blessing by raising a hand and making a “V” between their third and forth finger:

^“24 The Lord bless you, and keep you;

²⁵ The Lord make His face shine on you,
And be gracious to you;

²⁶ The Lord lift up His countenance on you,
And give you peace.’” Numbers 6:24-26

God, thank You for the blessing of discovery, adventure, of thinking beyond our normal parameters and seeing through a different perspective.Thank You for coming to earth for us! Please help me to see more from Your Word, and be able to translate that into a medium that will intrigue people around me. To Your glory, Amen.

 

Tested, de-bugged, proven offer

I am never one of the first to get a new electronic device or program. I do not want to deal with the “bugs”, glitches, or the “oops” factor that goes with the newest thing on the market. I wait to hear that it is tested, proven, and ready for general use.

So it made me laugh when reading Paul’s second letter to the Corinthian church:

“Behold, now is the favorable time; behold, now is the day of salvation.³ We put no obstacle in anyone’s way, so that no fault may be found with our ministry, ⁴ but as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: by great endurance, in afflictions, hardships, calamities, ⁵ beatings, imprisonments, riots, labors, sleepless nights, hunger; ⁶ by purity, knowledge, patience, kindness, the Holy Spirit, genuine love; ⁷ by truthful speech, and the power of God; with the weapons of righteousness for the right hand and for the left; ⁸ through honor and dishonor, through slander and praise. We are treated as impostors, and yet are true; ⁹ as unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and behold, we live; as punished, and yet not killed; ¹⁰ as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, yet possessing everything.

¹¹ We have spoken freely to you, Corinthians; our heart is wide open.¹² You are not restricted by us, but you are restricted in your own affections. ¹³ In return (I speak as to children) widen your hearts also” (2 Corinthians 6). 

Today is the day! he says. You do not have to wait to see that this Christian thing is not a hoax…we’ve proven it! How? Well, by our actions when people did not like us, how we kept pushing through hard times, our character – and the Holy Spirit and power of God! Also, through everything, we were a contradiction. People thought we would be slandered, out of the match, and disgraced for good. But instead, we are honored by God, known by the King of the Universe, rejoicing in Him, and rich in things that will come later. We are living contradictions…and we are telling you exactly why!

The ball is in your court now – you can keep living with your head down, or “pedal to the metal” for Jesus?

Yeah, I’ve met one of these people recently. She is a spitfire grandma who runs instead of walks. And she loves everyone, holds no resentment, and does not envy anyone. That’s nice, I thought at first. And then I heard about her family struggles, what governments did to her, how she was cheated, treated like an object, snubbed, lost so many people, and never had love from others. She still loves exuberantly. Naive? Well, she has lived three times as long as me so I doubt it. Stupid? Oh no! A special individual? Yes…but there is something more. Time has honed her down to the essentials, and those essentials sparkle and shine with something unusual. Love. Grace. Mercy. She can point out miracles throughout her life to go with every hardship. God was there, and He got her through, and she has no doubt about it. I think she would agree with Paul that anyone who has doubts can see in her life that God is a proven refuge in trouble!

Well, where does that leave us? If this was a new thing on the market, it would be time to save up your money. You do have to count the cost. What changes will this make to your life? You’ll have to throw out the old to make way for the new…and the old ways are hard to give up. But this is an upgrade that will last a lifetime and beyond.

Sometimes, God, I forget what You have given me. The Christian life is not a walk in the shopping mall. You often pull me back on track, and I tend to fight you as I am going. God, I do want a changed life that sparkles with something unusual. I want to tell people with Paul that the Christian life is 100% worth it, a living contradiction. But God, I am not there yet…so please keep pulling me back, and helping me to move towards You. Thank You for the examples, the testers who have gone before me. Please help me to be the same for others; to Your glory, for Your kingdom. Amen.

 

Fighting the “easy way”

Sugar is a drug, and so is caffeine. I am well acquainted with both of these, and struggle to live without them for just a day. Of course, everyone uses them, so it is not really a big deal. My fight is just a personal thing, right?

Today I was chatting with a friend and asked if she had any good stories from her son’s day recovering from dental work.

“No, he was pretty with it, slept for an hour and a half, and was fine, remembered everything.”

“Cool,” I shrugged, thinking he must just be used to things like that.

“Yeah, I think its the military training. He told me there was a point where he could have let the drugs take over, but he fought to keep his mind. And he won. He was awake the whole surgery even though he was on drugs.”

Wow. I admire the willpower required to push through the tug of sleep. I do not even like to push through my morning fog to wake up! That thought triggered a verse from 2 Timothy 2:

“ You therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.² The things which you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses, entrust these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also. ³ Suffer hardship with me, as a good soldier of Christ Jesus. ⁴ No soldier in active service entangles himself in the affairs of everyday life, so that he may please the one who enlisted him as a soldier. ⁵ Also if anyone competes as an athlete, he does not win the prize unless he competes according to the rules.…¹⁵ Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the word of truth.”

Timothy was compared to a soldier, following his commanding officer. It is parallel to Paul’s message to the Corinthian church in 2 Corinthians 10:

“³ For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh, ⁴ for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses. ⁵ We are destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ, ⁶ and we are ready to punish all disobedience, whenever your obedience is complete.”

There is a battle going on in the world. And I remember that part, but I do not remember about the training. That’s boring! That’s reps at the gym and getting sore every day. No fun! But that is what makes all the difference in the end between standing and falling. So how is my training?

God, thank You for leading us in a successful campaign against evil. Thank You for a real-life example of opposing the things that are easy. God, I give in so quickly. Please help me to see where I can daily train to seek You. Please help me to learn to fight the good fight and train for the hard battles. And thank You that You call us to the winning team! To You be the glory.

Hanging out with old people

My church’s average age is skewed above 50…or at least, I’m guessing that (but I’m an English major). I’ve heard that with age comes a greater awareness of limitations, and how little this world has to offer.

Me, well, I fought to keep my attitude positive at work today as I chose the projects I worked on from my list and functioned as a healthy individual in an air-conditioned environment. I even got chocolate!

Then this evening an article on grandparents flashed across my news feed. It contrasted those who mature gracefully rather than becoming pickled and bitter. Age shows true character as everything else is chipped away. So as the young person I cannot help but wonder what the difference is between dreaming of something bigger and feeding a sour attitude?

I have found that many answers are in the Bible…some written by young people, but most by older types. For instance, King David in Psalm 37 said:

^“3 Trust in the Lord, and do good;

Dwell in the land, and feed on His faithfulness.
⁴ Delight yourself also in the Lord,
And He shall give you the desires of your heart.

⁵ Commit your way to the Lord,
Trust also in Him,
And He shall bring it to pass.
⁶ He shall bring forth your righteousness as the light,
And your justice as the noonday….

I have been young, and now am old;

Yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken,
Nor his descendants begging bread.
²⁶ He is ever merciful, and lends;
And his descendants are blessed.”

Age brings perspective. And as Paul said to the Philippine church as he sat in jail (Philippians 1:21),

“To live is Christ and to die is gain,”

Or as he advised the church of Colossae,

“¹⁶ Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs,singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God. ¹⁷ Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father,”(Colossians 3: 16-17).

Sometimes it just takes an outside perspective to show how blessed your situation is: I am free to come and go, able to transport myself and keep a job, help people through what I do, and even leave work at work! I do not have the perspective of age, but I can gain wisdom from those who have already earned their grey hair.

God, thank You for the people around me, and all of those aging gracefully. And really, we are all waiting for something better – heaven!This life is not satisfying in itself, it is faded and fading. Thank You for Your hope that can change the look of my life, and please help me to continue learning and growing with those around me to be more like You. Amen.

Regaining perspective

It is sometimes hard for me to connect the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob to the brake-light, cell phone, microwave world around me. I tend to plan for tomorrow without remembering yesterday. God reminded me today that

• I can wait like Sarah who did not have a baby until she was 90.
• I can pray like Hannah or Esther, who influenced the course of history.
• I can give generously in simple ways every day, like Rebecca offering to water CAMELS at the end of a long day…that was an answer to a prayer that led her to marry Isaac!
• I can defy society like Rahab and fight for God’s people in the midst of a Jericho.

Life is not predictable, and it is a sad habit to hold so tightly to plans that I make with limited insight into the future. Worry spoils today’s joys. Understanding is a good goal, but some questions are answered now, some I am not ready for the answers yet, some are beyond my capacity, some I will learn from someone else, some I need to wait and listen, and some may be answered from a different question. And God knows the difference.

God is bigger than I can grasp. He at this moment knows where every baby is being born, child is hungry, terrorist is planning an attack, couple are being married, politician is making a call, businessman is balancing the books, and where every person is praying. He has angels in place, He has the life of every king in His hand (not to mention everyone else), and He instructs us to pray about it all. He hears the groaning of creation, spreads water droplets through the sky, brings seeds to life out of dirt, and He spoke it all into motion in the first place. He spoke. He hears. He is listening.

So in the middle of my time-crunched, hour-pinched, lopsided busy calendar, time spent talking to God is something I need to not resent, not shuffle away, but prioritize. Because He is still here, now, at work, and (wonder of wonders) wants to hear from me. Wow!

Thank You, God, for a time of Job-perspective (read it here). I’m sorry for my hamster-wheel approach of activities that have spun me out of control while I tried to go faster. I am tired of all that! Thank You for time to rest and reflect and pray. I so appreciate You helping to sort out my heart and the festering problems. Now, prayer seems more like holstering a brace of pistols than an awkward, brief coffee date. Please help me carry that perspective through the rest of the day and listen to Your Holy Spirit guiding my moments. What a privilege and an honor to be counted as one of Your children! Thank You. To You be the glory, God. Amen.

Battle against bored

When I am at work, I am tied to the phone within a five-ring radius. That does not get me very far from my desk. Some days are filled with projects from the moment I step in the door until ten minutes after I am off. But others, like today, I count by the number of hours until there is only one hour left. I began the day wishing it was over.

And that bothered me! What a waste of time to wish so many hours did not exist. Don’t the activities, thoughts, people, interactions of today matter? What if there was a giant solar flare, or terrorist attack, or that cataclysmic earthquake?

But is it possible to live each day like it may be your last?

Hebrews 11 talks about the heroes of faith who had a perspective that stretched much further than their day, week, or lifetime:

“¹³ All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance, admitting that they were foreigners and strangers on earth. ¹⁴ People who say such things show that they are looking for a country of their own. ¹⁵ If they had been thinking of the country they had left, they would have had opportunity to return. ¹⁶ Instead, they were longing for a better country—a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them.”

If I could have picked a different schedule for my day, I would have been very tempted to change it. How do you reach this place of contentment? We are living in the time that people waited for through the generations, as 1 Peter 1 says of the prophets’ perspectives:

“12 It was revealed to them that they were not serving themselves but you, when they spoke of the things that have now been told you by those who have preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven. Even angels long to look into these things.
13 Therefore, with minds that are alert and fully sober, set your hope on the grace to be brought to you when Jesus Christ is revealed at his coming.”

Every time I hear about the Middle East, I am surprised by a culture that does not measure time by the new fashion season or even a single lifetime. They grasp history by the century. And I think that is much closer to how God sees time – as an expanse. Yet at the same time, each moment may present an opportunity to change how we live the rest of our lives. It is like what Peter says in 2 Peter 3:

“But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day.”

So each moment can influence us, but the ultimate goal is in the distant future. That allows our hope to not fly away, but not be lost in the present either. Even if one day is boring for a few hours, we can be thankful for God’s long-term plan for our lives. And that can change how we see the whole day.

God, thank You for this perspective on the battle today. I feel like I lost to boredom and a pity party. Please help me to get past instant gratification and be thankful for the long-term hope that You provide. That will provide peace for the moments of today. Thanks for a learning process, Amen.

Super sidekick

Batman and Robin. Charlie Brown and Snoopy. Tarzan and Jane. Rhett and Link. Sidekicks. I like being the sidekick, especially when planning a trip. Remembering details is a specialty. Coming back from just such a trip this weekend, I suddenly read Philippians 2 differently:

“¹⁹ I hope in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you soon, that I also may be cheered when I receive news about you. ²⁰ I have no one else like him, who will show genuine concern for your welfare. ²¹ For everyone looks out for their own interests, not those of Jesus Christ. ²² But you know that Timothy has proved himself, because as a son with his father he has served with me in the work of the gospel. ²³ I hope, therefore, to send him as soon as I see how things go with me. ²⁴ And I am confident in the Lord that I myself will come soon.”

Paul, yes, Paul, is bragging on Timothy as his right-hand man. Timothy was going where Paul could not go, and working where he could not work. That is a lot of responsibility and influence! And Paul trusts him completely.

I want people to trust me like that. But I know that my motives are not always selfless. That is something I need to keep learning. So, whose sidekick am I when not planning trips to the beach? It is interesting how we are called God’s ambassadors, the ones who go in His name to different people. It’s almost like we’re sidekicks…

“¹⁷ Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! ¹⁸ All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: ¹⁹ that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. ²⁰ We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God. ²¹ God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God” (2 Corinthians 5). 

What a message to pass on to people! It’s a great honor, and responsibility. So how will that play out in my life? The focus is not on me, but on the message and how I best communicate it to the people where I am sent. Their culture, their preferences, their communication style. It takes some creativity to keep the message straight and captivate them at the same time. And some practice.

God, thank You for Timothy, and how he was an example of a sidekick for Paul. Thank You for making me an emissary for Your message. Please help me see the power that You offer, and how I can use my creativity to reach out to people who may see the world in a very different way. Amen.

Where will you go today?

I have been preoccupied by the adventure of tomorrow. Next week I’m going here. In a month, I’ll be there. Can you believe I actually get to see that? Just a few months to go! The beach, abroad, the town down the road, the big city across the world. And I keep forgetting about where I will go today. Oh yeah, work. Oh yeah, the gym.

Today at work, I had the chance to “job shadow” some interior designers as they talked about the finishing details of a space that we are remodeling. And today at the gym I met a gal who unknowingly pushed me to get farther than I have before.

In the middle of Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount, He included a section about not worrying about tomorrow:

“34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own” (Matthew 6).

And I think that part of that includes not being preoccupied with tomorrow to the point that I am complaining about today. Who knows who God may bring into the picture, or what may happen?

I was reading in Philippians 1 today, and was shocked at Paul’s perspective in prison.

“¹² Now I want you to know, brothers and sisters, that what has happened to me has actually served to advance the gospel. ¹³ As a result, it has become clear throughout the whole palace guard and to everyone else that I am in chains for Christ. ¹⁴ And because of my chains, most of the brothers and sisters have become confident in the Lord and dare all the more to proclaim the gospel without fear…”

Me: Boo, ow, ugh. Why? God, this is so not fair!

Paul: God is at work…I can see it, all over. This is awesome!

” ¹⁸ But what does it matter? The important thing is that in every way, whether from false motives or true, Christ is preached. And because of this I rejoice…”

Me: God, I know it’s not about me, but they are stealing my job. (I could do it better).

Paul: What matters? The Gospel. What’s preached? The Gospel. YES!

“Yes, and I will continue to rejoice, ¹⁹ for I know that through your prayers and God’s provision of the Spirit of Jesus Christ what has happened to me will turn out for my deliverance. ²⁰ I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have sufficient courage so that now as always Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death. ²¹ For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.”

Me: Pain hurts. I’m going to cringe and maybe pray for a distinct lack of suffering except when absolutely necessary.

Paul: Christ. That’s the point of my life. Not me, not you all. But I don’t think my work is done, so I am eager to see you again. Either way, I’m content.

Content. What a powerful place to live. That’s where I want to be, right here in this job, in this house, with these people, for however long. And if God directs me to stay here, and all my plans are canceled, and some of that suffering invades my life, I want to be okay with that. Content where God has me, because I trust my coach, general, leader with my life.

God, thank You for Paul and his enthusiasm through Philippians. Please help my perspective to change, for me to learn to see where You are working and focus on that rather than my own state of happiness or pain. And to carry that with me wherever I go tomorrow. To Your glory, Amen.

New invitation each morning

What happens when you invite God into your morning? Here’s what I learned today.

Work was filled with ups and downs and catch-up and get-ahead. And confused bursts of prayer. I was tired, alone in the office, and had a ring at the door. A fellow needed some help. I grabbed a resource list, and as I went to the door one of the pastors was walking through. I motioned him over for back-up. The guy was disheveled, with a nasty black eye. He just wanted to get home. I wondered where that was, and if it was safe. He needed water. I filled up his bottle and made a note to wash my hands. He needed directions. I reluctantly offered to find a map, and the pastor helped me. Flustered, aware of how long it was taking, and also amazed how far it would be to walk to the closest locations. My emotions were escalating. This is one of those times where someone desperately needs help, and I do not know how to approach them with the little that I can offer or how they will respond.

I came back to the door. A guy was leaning against one of the poles, while the fellow was sitting on the ground with his back to the door. I opened the door enough to hand him the papers, flustered, wished I could do more. He didn’t look at me, said thanks.

I looked the other guy in the eye and asked if there was anything I could help him with. White shirt? One of the painters?

He smiled, calm. No, thanks.

I sighed in relief, let the door latch shut behind me, and went back to my safe cubicle in the office. The pastor said he was happy to help, call any time, and left me to dig out the project I had interrupted.

And I couldn’t figure out where the other guy came from. It popped into my head that it might be an angel. I laughed. But that gave me jitters worse! It’s like hearing that a famous person was in line with you at the grocery store, or a high government official asked you what time it was. There are people, and then there are the people society respects more. And then there are supernatural types…

But aren’t we all just people? The guy may have been an angel, or he may have just come along and cared for this street fellow. I do not know. But I have decided that the idea of the supernatural should not be so foreign to me. We interact with God all the time as a theoretical entity based somewhere in the atmosphere and transmitting answers to earth. No, He is HERE, present. And so are His other servants, angels.

All day yesterday I was praying for this city, these people, to come to know God, and for my church to be part of the process. And look what happened! God uses prayer to change lives and shift the way we see normal circumstances.

But we forget. It takes a new invitation each morning, asking God to work in your day. And sometimes your prayer time is fragmented and your Bible study is sparse. But God can still work through that, if you are willing.

“The Lord is righteous in all his ways
    and faithful in all he does.
¹⁸ The Lord is near to all who call on him,
    to all who call on him in truth.
¹⁹ He fulfills the desires of those who fear him;
    he hears their cry and saves them.” Psalm 145:17-19

In the midst of everything life throws at you,

“Remember my affliction and my wanderings,
    the wormwood and the gall!
²⁰ My soul continually remembers it
    and is bowed down within me.
²¹ But this I call to mind,
    and therefore I have hope:

²² The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases;
    his mercies never come to an end;
²³ they are new every morning;
    great is your faithfulness.
^{24 ‘}The Lord is my portion,’ says my soul,
    ‘therefore I will hope in him.'” Lamentations 3:19-24

 

God, thank You for the truth of Your word, how You answer prayer, the ways I recognize Your fingerprints on a situation. Please remind me that no matter how ineffective my prayers seem to be, You are still at work. And sometimes I get to watch. Thank You! To You be the glory, Amen.

The real thing

There is a day when you can walk through dry grass and pick a peach off a vibrant living tree. Not a grocery shelf. And it drops into your hand, ready to peel and eat with juice running to your elbow. That’s a real peach. All the ones in the store that have the texture of an apple and the flavor of a lollipop are shadows of that real peach.

I was thinking today about God’s love. I do not understand it, and I wish it was easier to experience. I know He loves me the same at all times. Maybe I’m just not always ready to embrace that love, and want the convenience offered in other gratification. But that is like a store bought peach.

I guess I am on the hunt for the real thing that goes beyond rules and devotional applications. Where does obedience meet experience and loyalty meet enthusiasm?

God, please help me to get beyond the fear of new and understand how the seasons of life work in relating to You. Thank You for Your love. Amen.

“Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant ⁵ or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; ⁶ it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth.⁷ Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

⁸ Love never ends.” 1 Corinthians 13