Tidings of comfort and joy

No, it is not just a Christmas song…there is comfort and joy right here in 2 Corinthians 7!

“⁴ I am acting with great boldness toward you; I have great pride in you; I am filled with comfort. In all our affliction, I am overflowing with joy” (emphasis mine).

Now, where do you find comfort? It pops up a lot in 2 Corinthians – chapter 1 was full of it:

“3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, 4 who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. 5 For as we share abundantly in Christ’s sufferings, so through Christ we share abundantly in comfort too. 6 If we are afflicted, it is for your comfort and salvation; and if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which you experience when you patiently endure the same sufferings that we suffer. 7 Our hope for you is unshaken, for we know that as you share in our sufferings, you will also share in our comfort” (emphasis mine).

Comfort is a chain reaction passed from God to us and then to others. It is also a response to suffering…you cannot be comforted unless you are uncomfortable. But Paul points out that because Christ was comforted in sufferings, we can share in the same comfort and salvation. That is our hope. Back to chapter 7…

“⁵ For even when we came into Macedonia, our bodies had no rest, but we were afflicted at every turn—fighting without and fear within. ⁶ But God, who comforts the downcast, comforted us by the coming of Titus,⁷ and not only by his coming but also by the comfort with which he was comforted by you, as he told us of your longing, your mourning, your zeal for me, so that I rejoiced still more. ⁸ For even if I made you grieve with my letter, I do not regret it—though I did regret it, for I see that that letter grieved you, though only for a while. ⁹ As it is, I rejoice, not because you were grieved, but because you were grieved into repenting. For you felt a godly grief, so that you suffered no loss through us…

¹² So although I wrote to you, it was not for the sake of the one who did the wrong, nor for the sake of the one who suffered the wrong, but in order that your earnestness for us might be revealed to you in the sight of God. ¹³ Therefore we are comforted. And besides our own comfort, we rejoiced still more at the joy of Titus, because his spirit has been refreshed by you all” (emphasis mine). 

Paul is rested and joyful…because the Corinthians were sad? Looking back at 1 Corinthians, there were many things that Paul challenged the Corinthian church on, including how they picked teams of their favorite preachers and brought worldly lifestyles into church without a challenge. Paul writes in 2 Corinthians that he is comforted because they listened! The Corinthians saw what they were doing and were sad, so they changed. That is the difference between godly sorrow that prompts a changed lifestyle, and worldly sorrow that just prompts sulking.

Comfort is the hinge of this entire book…Paul is writing to pass on the comfort to this church that is still struggling to change by sharing how they comforted Titus who comforted Paul. It’s a chain reaction!

The two other times that Paul talks about comfort in this book refer to the Corinthians comforting each other. Paul called them to comfort the person who had been punished so he would not lose hope, and ended the letter by urging them to comfort each other.

Back to that Christmas refrain…it is a good place to sing about comfort and joy. Jesus is the hinge of our comfort, because we do not have to continue suffering. We are offered relief, hope, encouragement because of what He paid on the cross. So we suffer in this world of sin, but we receive comfort from God who has conquered sin and brought us into renewed relationships with Him and with each other. Praise God!

God, I love that phrase, “But God”. Just when things look the darkest, You come in with an unexpected solution. I so often sulk about my sufferings…the little things that go wrong, and the big troubles looming around me. But there is comfort and rest available! God, thank You for Your overwhelming sacrifice in the face of suffering – You died to conquer death so that we can enjoy new life! And You do not even make us wait…You help us start to rest and be comforted today! Please help me to look to You in suffering, look for comfort from You and the believers around me, and spread tidings of comfort and joy! I am going to go through suffering in this world – so please help me to show people where to find peace and rest in the middle of hard circumstances. By Your strength and for Your glory, Amen!

 

Oh those questions!

It all fell apart when I asked God why people have to go to hell. Yeah, I went there.

It started with an encounter with two high school Mormon missionaries being pleasant on the street. I cut off further conversation (nicely) and walked away.”They have invaded,” I thought. And then I wondered (again) why Christians do not reach out to people. I have heard that Mormons go door to door because they have to, they are working their way to heaven. They believe the wrong things, which will end with them being separated from God in a place of eternal torment. So how do I know that what I believe are the “right things”?

So I guess the question that really started this train of thought is how do I fulfill the Great Commission to go into all the world and preach the gospel to all people? I encounter hundreds of people when I go to events, gatherings, or even just the store. Am I responsible for all those people? But people are not robots, and they do not want another “flash-fix.” I cannot actually guarantee their happiness, or an easy path RIGHT NOW. We are made in God’s image, and that is beautifully complex. There are hundreds of layers of thoughts, feelings, experiences behind the face of each person you encounter on the street. God knows where each person is at, and He does use fast encounters. But I too often do not see them as people.

I have always known God as compassionate. I do not understand His justice, but I know it is essential. And the two are united by love – a love that allows personal decisions and mistakes and rejecting God. And He cared enough to send Jesus, His ONLY Son, to live and die so we have a chance to live with Him. Compassion meets justice. And the clock is ticking. And the end of the world is coming. And there are so many who need to know there is HOPE!

And then God reminded me…I’m not in this alone. I am not in charge of converting the world. I am not responsible for the decisions of other people. He works through the Church, the community of those who trust and follow Him. And He works through prayer…in ways I do not understand. So I am praying for those two well-dressed boys that they will come to know His intense, undefinable love for them. And I need the same prayer. And then understand how to share the love.

God, thank You that You see the deepest part of me, all the questions, and You are not offended, but work through them with me. Thank You for the people of this world…please help me to learn to love them in the best way that I can, a way that reflects Your love through my lens. And please help me to see You better, and be awed by love. Amen.

 

 

 

 

Running After Utopia

We all dream of living in a Utopia…that’s the American dream, right? Even if your ice cream cone drips all over, you snap a photo and toss the shirt into a sparkling clean washer. Life is predictable, pleasant, and orderly.

People have schemed ways of creating a Utopian society since the beginning of time. One of them was founded around the Tower of Babel. The world united in an enormous construction project designed to get up to God’s level (read all about it in Genesis 11). In the end, God dispersed the peoples by mixing up their language.

The pursuit of a Utopian society never left humanity, but some of the optimism is extinct. Star Trek presented a futuristic world where people are held captive by a machine that feeds them a dream of what they most desire in life. Where would your happy place land you? The machine gets your energy and you get lasting life in a place designed to keep you happy. But you are stuck. Would you stay? The Matrix and the Giver are both contemporary views of what might happen if a Utopia was actually created. One presents a world without true feelings, color, music, or interactions. The other presents a dream world where people have the nagging itch that something more is out there, and some break free.

But back to God; He had focused interactions with the people of Israel. Did God try to create a Utopian society? Well, the people coming out of Egypt were unruly and they complained a lot. The book of Judges is pretty graphic about how Israel did when they got their own land. Did they get close to Utopia when David and Solomon ruled? If they did, it was a shaky platform, and the kingdom collapsed from the inside in the next generation. After that, it was all downhill until Israel was taken into captivity.

But we cannot give up on Utopia. My life revolves around the reality of a world that is broken, and the fantasy of a world of perfection. I keep trying to find ways to be more comfortable, more happy, satisfied, loved, content. And many days I go to bed discouraged, sure that my happy hopes for the future are so many mirages on the pavement ahead.

So is there still hope for a Utopia? The Bible presents Jesus as the second David, the Ruler whose kingdom would not end. But He did not perform His office as expected. He gave up His power and rights and even His life for ungrateful people. And then He rose again, with glory and honor currently His in heaven. And Revelation describes His return to reign on earth.There will be a Utopia. Are we ready for it?

Each perfect community excludes the things that are not perfect. Our current world is not perfect, and the Bible describes how God invites us to be re-formed into people reflecting Jesus. Christians are people pursuing perfection by God’s power. And that does not translate to a comfortable, safe, pleasant, and perfectly fulfilling existence on earth. The dream will not satisfy. We know there is more out there. Jesus offers a journey to the perfect community, but that means we leave a lot behind. Utopia will come to earth – will you be ready?

God, I so often want to just keep patching my crumbling dream world. I am sorry for pursuing my own version of Utopia rather than trusting that Yours is worth the wait. God, please help me to see the truth of Your work in this world and in my life, and help me to pursue a life that looks more like Jesus. Please help me be ready for when He brings a true community at peace with each other and with You. Ahh, come soon! Amen.

Wet-towel mindset

Towels that come “pre-moistened” are all the rage in public gyms, cleaning closets, hygiene kits, and diaper bags. But they are only good as long as they are still wet. After the first few are used and maybe the seal is not set tightly, each wipe becomes less and less effective. I cleaned my gym equipment tonight with a dry towel, wondering if the sweat could activate the cleaning solution that was dried-on. I’m glad I cannot see germs.

Also in the gym, I realized that my Bible study has been very lacking lately, and it has left me less effective for prayer, reaching out to people, and in my general responses to life. I began reviewing some verses, and was both encouraged and embarrassed by them.

For instance, I hoped that 2 Thessalonians 3: 10 could not be taken out of a literal context into a spiritually-driven focus:

“¹⁰ For even when we were with you, we commanded you this: If anyone will not work, neither shall he eat.”

Yeah, and I forgot how perfect 1 Timothy 3:16 summed up the gospel:

^“16 And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness:

God was manifested in the flesh,
Justified in the Spirit,
Seen by angels,
Preached among the Gentiles,
Believed on in the world,
Received up in glory.”

And turning the page to 1 Timothy 4:8, this gem is always fun to remember on an elliptical (while studying Bible verses!):

“⁸ For bodily exercise profits a little, but godliness is profitable for all things, having promise of the life that now is and of that which is to come.”

Bible verses for the win! There was a time when I worked to memorize a new verse each day from the chapter I read in the Bible. And then review the verses I had already memorized. It lasted from 2 Corinthians to the first chapter of Hebrews, and felt like training for a marathon. Not a sustainable approach, but since then I have noticed these verses pop up over and over and over. So today I finally picked them back up after a couple of years. And remembered Psalm 1:

“Blessed is the man
Who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly,
    Nor stands in the path of sinners,
    Nor sits in the seat of the scornful;
² But his delight is in the law of the Lord,
    And in His law he meditates day and night.
³ He shall be like a tree
    Planted by the rivers of water,
    That brings forth its fruit in its season,
    Whose leaf also shall not wither;
And whatever he does shall prosper.

⁴ The ungodly are not so,
But are like the chaff which the wind drives away.
⁵ Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment,
Nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous.

⁶ For the Lord knows the way of the righteous,
But the way of the ungodly shall perish.”

I always love to read about the godly person, but had the uncomfortable thought today that if I am not aiming towards God in my thoughts and actions, then I am aiming towards the world just like I did not believe in Him at all. And that is scary! It is like being a dried-up towelette that spreads germs instead of killing them. What will it take to be in a refreshed, focused, useful spot again?

God, thank You for the wake-up call in the gym. Thank You for the beauty of the Bible that is living and active…if we are willing to listen. And while I do not want to tip the balance and dive into legalism, I also see a parched quality to my life that shows me I need more living Water. Thank You for taking me back, making that water readily available, and calling me to live differently. My life is never static – it always moves one way or another, so please help it to move towards You. Please also quench those believers who have limited access to the written Bible. Thank You for the adventure we are all on, and please help me to pursue it to Your glory. Amen.

Forgiven

Your meal  has been paid for.

I got angry. Do you mean the last ten minutes I spent agonizing over how I will afford this hamburger and not be able to afford that movie ticket and will disappoint that friend, but will power through is all wasted?

I expected to have to sacrifice and take care of myself. Self-reliant, proud, free and strong.

But I’m not, really. And my back hurts from the weight of the facade.

What about this salvation in Christ thing? I admit that I do bad things, and accept Jesus died for God’s accounting book of sins to be balanced out to zero. But life has consequences that make you understand the pain of your actions. And since I did the bad, I’ll take the medicine. Right? Wrong. When it comes to life and death, Jesus already took the punishment. Forgiven; already paid, have a great day!

Ephesians 1:7-10 says it,

“⁷ In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace ⁸ that he lavished on us. With all wisdom and understanding, ⁹ he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, ¹⁰ to be put into effect when the times reach their fulfillment—to bring unity to all things in heaven and on earth under Christ.”

While we do have consequences for our actions, they are not pay-back punishments, and they are often lighter than we deserve. God lavishes grace on us. And it is hard to accept. But that taste of freedom, an open horizon, a fresh page. Sometimes it just takes practice.

God, thank You for forgiving, and I’m sorry for not being thankful immediately. Please help me to understand this gift, and that it is nothing I can contribute towards, but just accept. Why do I have to do it myself? Thank You for Your patience! Please help my heart to soften and change, and share this freedom with those around me, extending the same grace to them. To Your glory, Amen.

 

 

A series of uncomfortable events

When you begin to read through 1 Corinthians, it is easy to see that all of it is instruction about living as an individual and in community. While looking at the Church with the Nazarene Articles of Faith, I have come to realize that most of the New Testament can be applied to this. And sometimes it takes you in directions that you would rather avoid at all cost.

Pastor appreciation: Paul begins by confronting how they have taken sides like a football game in rooting for Apollos or Paul (1 Corinthians 3). But both are working for God! Jesus is the foundation of your faith, and you can build on it with things that last, or things that do not…but the test is fire! So what in your life will last?

Ring by spring: Is it better to be married as a Christian? Despite the focus of many churches, Paul encourages single people to (gasp) stay single (1 Corinthians 7)! They can focus their attention on doing God’s work. And that kind of life may not include all the dreams and plans we like to make. What are you willing to give up?

Church rules: Have you ever been in a new church and tried to learn the rules of sitting, standing, greeting? There are also rules about how things should go, the order of service, when we eat Communion, and so on and so forth. That is how a well-run church keeps a beautiful balance of life. Except Paul threw a wrench in the mix: you’re doing it wrong! Communion is supposed to be a meal together, not a bring-your-own-picnic (1 Corinthians 11)! We need to live holy lives because we are the temple of God’s Holy Spirit! How do you show Him to the world? What rules do you need to let go or change?

Pecking order: Who is the most important person at your church? The pastor? Influential ministry people? Paul points out that God gives everyone different gifts so that by working together, everyone fulfills the roles needed for the church to function. It should bring unity, not competition (1 Corinthians 12). And time together should be orderly, not shouting over one another (1 Corinthians 14). Where do you need to recognize other’s gifts? How can you make those around you in the church look good?

Perhaps the most famous part of this letter is the section about love: how to love, when to love, who to love…Paul paints a picture of Christ’s love, and how it can grow in our hearts. As you read 1 Corinthians 13, where do you see love in your life?

God, I feel like I might as well have lived in Corinth. This book is full of hard lessons for me to hear that challenge the nice routine I have set up for my life. Where in my life do I need to change? How can I build up other people? Thank You that it is Your love that sustains me every day, not the rules or the habits. Please help me to pursue that love more and call it out in other people. I love You, Amen.

Here’s a song written from one of St. Patrick’s prayers: