Fear. Our nation is infested with it. Fear of authority, fear of imposition, fear for life, fear of tomorrow. Fear is birthing hate, pride, and mourning. God has not called His exiles to a life of fear.
1 Peter is a book about hope and submission. In view of the living hope sealed in us by the Holy Spirit for an imperishable inheritance, we are free to submit. We have the opportunity to choose to submit to governing authority, earthly masters, in social institutions, in the home, in the church, and before our mighty God.
"Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time, casting all your anxiety on Him; because He cares for you." 1 Peter 5:6-7
Believers love verse 7. We claim it in every situation from fiery persecution to flat tires. We like the idea of a place to hoist off our anxiety, a God who takes all the heavy grief. But examining this verse in the context of the entire book of 1 Peter we see the incredible hope and firm foundation, which enables us to submit in the most unjust and terrifying of situations.
He cares for us. Real compassionate concern over our well-being. The mighty God cares for us. The God who sees all things, knows all things, judges justly even the intentions of the heart, the omnipotent One loves us.
Submission carries inherent anxiety for creatures determined to follow the idols of self. Submission is the opposite of every inclination of our heart. But time and again Peter reminds us that we submit not to the glory of man, not to our own glory, but all to the glory of God. In injustice, in persecution, in suffering we submit because the mighty one cares, and He has given us hope. When we humble ourselves under human authority, we show reverence for God's order and plan. And we show absolute faith that He is the mighty One, who cares for us.
Jesus Christ, the righteous One, the One man in history alone who did not deserve to suffer, "while being reviled, He did not revile in return; while suffering, He uttered no threats, but kept entrusting Himself to Him who judges righteously" (1 Peter 2:23). Jesus Christ submitted to death, the greatest injustice in eternity, for God's glory by faith that God cares.
In light of this one more quote from 1 Peter: "Submit yourselves for the Lord's sake to every human institution, whether to a king as the one in authority, or to governors as sent by him for the punishment of evildoers and the praise of those who do right. For such is the will of God that by doing right you may silence the ignorance of foolish men. Act as free men, and do not use your freedom as a covering for evil, but use it as bondslaves of God. Honor all people, love the brotherhood, fear God, honor the king."
Does the thought of willing placing yourself under authority cause you anxiety? Believe that your God is both mighty and caring. Do you wonder what to do with your state of privilege in an unjust world? Honor all people (make great effort toward their honor), love your brothers, fear God, honor the king. Honor in public, honor in private, honor in deed, honor in word.
Wednesday, November 9, 2016
Saturday, October 8, 2016
Carbon copies
When it comes to drawing, painting, and other visual arts, my abilities are singularly appalling. I draw stick figures. I paint "abstracts." Imagine my jubilation as a child when I discovered tracing. Whatever I wanted to create I could find in an already existing picture. I would throw back the curtains, press the image up against a window with my own paper over top, and voila! A beautiful copy! The lines my clumsy hands failed to execute on their own, flowed magically from my pen with a guide underneath. The spacing with which I always struggled became elegantly proportional as I followed the original. My copy was never quite as perfect (it was tiring pressing those papers up to the glass and tracing with careful patience!), but it looked better than anything I tried on my own.
1 Peter 2:21-24
"For you have been called for this purpose, since Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example for you to follow in His steps, who committed no sin, nor was any deceit found in His mouth; and while being reviled, He did not revile in return; while suffering, He uttered no threats, but kept entrusting Himself to Him who judges righteously; and He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness; for by His wounds you were healed."
The word "example" in the Greek is literally "an original to be copied". Jesus Christ is the original. We lay our lives in line with His, and we trace. We copy His words, we copy His actions, we copy His attitude. Sometimes our picture does not look as perfect as His, but that never means we scrap the original and try life on our own. We seek forgiveness, we pick up our pen, and we start following Him again.
This is how we create the greatest masterpieces. We copy the Master. I love that simple image from my childhood. The light shines through the original and floods my copy. The light makes my beautiful life possible.
Where have you tried to create reality on your own, apart from our great Original? Has a demand for your rights, your way, your voice drawn your pen away from its tracing task? The Savior floods our lives with light. Can we open our eyes, pick up our pen, and copy the Master?
1 Peter 2:21-24
"For you have been called for this purpose, since Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example for you to follow in His steps, who committed no sin, nor was any deceit found in His mouth; and while being reviled, He did not revile in return; while suffering, He uttered no threats, but kept entrusting Himself to Him who judges righteously; and He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness; for by His wounds you were healed."
The word "example" in the Greek is literally "an original to be copied". Jesus Christ is the original. We lay our lives in line with His, and we trace. We copy His words, we copy His actions, we copy His attitude. Sometimes our picture does not look as perfect as His, but that never means we scrap the original and try life on our own. We seek forgiveness, we pick up our pen, and we start following Him again.
This is how we create the greatest masterpieces. We copy the Master. I love that simple image from my childhood. The light shines through the original and floods my copy. The light makes my beautiful life possible.
Where have you tried to create reality on your own, apart from our great Original? Has a demand for your rights, your way, your voice drawn your pen away from its tracing task? The Savior floods our lives with light. Can we open our eyes, pick up our pen, and copy the Master?
Tuesday, September 13, 2016
The first time I really understood His word
After moving halfway across the country away from friends, family, and my home church I was consumed by loneliness. For several months I desperately searched for a women's Bible study to attend. Several churches turned me down, several churches turned me off, and several offered the "Ladies Crazy Christmas Coffee" as a substitute for inductive, exegetical study. (Not that there's anything wrong with craziness, coffee, or Christmas. It's just that events with ugly sweaters don't challenge and revolutionize the soul the way being among God's own and in His word does.)
By grace God brought me to a Bible-teaching, God-fearing church that offered several women's studies. And then He brought me to Addie (name changed just in case). She led with grace and kindness. When I came in she was genuinely thrilled to see me, hugged me, and asked me all about my life. A few weeks later she invited me to coffee. She invited my family over to eat. She spoke with wisdom and joy.
Then, she posted something on Facebook, that made me do my bad theology squirm. I know my Bible. I know truth. God has graciously given me the ability to understand His word and the faith to believe it without hesitation. It is a gift. Sometimes I forget that. Because I am a sinner still saved by grace.
I looked at my mother and declared, "Can you believe, she believes that?" (And yes, it was said in that tone. That one that still makes me throw up in my mouth a little.)
My mother looked at me with wisdom and grace, and said, "But you were lonely, and she was your friend."
Hosea 6:6 "For I desire mercy, not sacrifice, and acknowledgment of God rather than burnt offerings."
Addie chose better.
And by grace with forgiveness, I hope to also.
By grace God brought me to a Bible-teaching, God-fearing church that offered several women's studies. And then He brought me to Addie (name changed just in case). She led with grace and kindness. When I came in she was genuinely thrilled to see me, hugged me, and asked me all about my life. A few weeks later she invited me to coffee. She invited my family over to eat. She spoke with wisdom and joy.
Then, she posted something on Facebook, that made me do my bad theology squirm. I know my Bible. I know truth. God has graciously given me the ability to understand His word and the faith to believe it without hesitation. It is a gift. Sometimes I forget that. Because I am a sinner still saved by grace.
I looked at my mother and declared, "Can you believe, she believes that?" (And yes, it was said in that tone. That one that still makes me throw up in my mouth a little.)
My mother looked at me with wisdom and grace, and said, "But you were lonely, and she was your friend."
Hosea 6:6 "For I desire mercy, not sacrifice, and acknowledgment of God rather than burnt offerings."
Addie chose better.
And by grace with forgiveness, I hope to also.
Sunday, September 11, 2016
The enemy we remember
As we remember...
"For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places. There fore, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm." Ephesians 6:12-13
Sometimes in the fires and the confusion we can forget who our enemy is.
Our enemy is not a person. Our enemy is not the violent man. It is not the hate-filled woman. We do not battle the godless philosopher, the angry politician, the evil terrorist. When we choose to believe that flesh and blood is the villain, we choose to relinquish our position to hate before we ever take up any armor. Hatred for human beings, laced with unforgiveness, arrogance, and fear, is a victory for the real enemy.
It is not easy when men harm us, when humans attack us, when people betray us to remember they are not the villain. They are lost. They are victims of the powers, pawns of the forces, slaves of the wickedness. They are captives of the darkness.
And so was I. But for grace, what measures of hate would fill me. But for peace, what war would I wage. But for the gospel, what venom would I swallow.
In His mercy Christ chose to lay down his life for the captives. He chose to bleed for the slaves. He chose to die for the lost. After we put forth every effort to make ourselves His enemy, God sent out a rescuer to make us His friends. The gospel is the news of grace, grace that frees the captives and teaches them to be free.
We are to be like Christ. We are to see our enemy for what it really is, to carry our armor without wearying, and to bring gospel to the captives. We are not to waste time battling flesh and blood, but standing firm in the gospel, guarded by faith, we are to resist the evil one. On a day when we remember great evil, we ought to remember the source of that evil, and who the ultimate victors will be.
Is there a flesh and blood human being you have made an enemy? What efforts are you wasting in hating man that could be directed into living the gospel? When everything crumbles, will Christ find you standing firm?
"For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places. There fore, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm." Ephesians 6:12-13
Sometimes in the fires and the confusion we can forget who our enemy is.
Our enemy is not a person. Our enemy is not the violent man. It is not the hate-filled woman. We do not battle the godless philosopher, the angry politician, the evil terrorist. When we choose to believe that flesh and blood is the villain, we choose to relinquish our position to hate before we ever take up any armor. Hatred for human beings, laced with unforgiveness, arrogance, and fear, is a victory for the real enemy.
It is not easy when men harm us, when humans attack us, when people betray us to remember they are not the villain. They are lost. They are victims of the powers, pawns of the forces, slaves of the wickedness. They are captives of the darkness.
And so was I. But for grace, what measures of hate would fill me. But for peace, what war would I wage. But for the gospel, what venom would I swallow.
In His mercy Christ chose to lay down his life for the captives. He chose to bleed for the slaves. He chose to die for the lost. After we put forth every effort to make ourselves His enemy, God sent out a rescuer to make us His friends. The gospel is the news of grace, grace that frees the captives and teaches them to be free.
We are to be like Christ. We are to see our enemy for what it really is, to carry our armor without wearying, and to bring gospel to the captives. We are not to waste time battling flesh and blood, but standing firm in the gospel, guarded by faith, we are to resist the evil one. On a day when we remember great evil, we ought to remember the source of that evil, and who the ultimate victors will be.
Is there a flesh and blood human being you have made an enemy? What efforts are you wasting in hating man that could be directed into living the gospel? When everything crumbles, will Christ find you standing firm?
Saturday, August 6, 2016
The Night I Betray, He Adopts
1 Corinthians 11:23-24
"For I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night in which He was betrayed took bread; and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, "This is My body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of Me."
Paul could have described that night in any other way.
On the night He was crucified...
On the night He bore the sin of the world...
On the night the Son of God died...
But when speaking to a church divided, to a people unwilling to divorce a pagan world, to brothers acting like enemies, Paul chose these words: "On the night in which He was betrayed."
As the betrayer sat among them, Christ still offered Himself broken for traitors.
For me. Who has been declared a saint, but often still lives in rebellion. While I still raged in my treachery, He loved with brokenness and blood poured out. He chose to die, to crown a rebel the daughter of the King.
"For I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night in which He was betrayed took bread; and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, "This is My body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of Me."
Paul could have described that night in any other way.
On the night He was crucified...
On the night He bore the sin of the world...
On the night the Son of God died...
But when speaking to a church divided, to a people unwilling to divorce a pagan world, to brothers acting like enemies, Paul chose these words: "On the night in which He was betrayed."
As the betrayer sat among them, Christ still offered Himself broken for traitors.
For me. Who has been declared a saint, but often still lives in rebellion. While I still raged in my treachery, He loved with brokenness and blood poured out. He chose to die, to crown a rebel the daughter of the King.
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