Rescued From a Life Among the Tombs

Mark 5: 18-20 As he was getting into the boat, the man who had been possessed by demons begged him that he might be with him. But Jesus refused , and said to him, "Go home to your friends, and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and what mercy he has shown you." And he went away and began to proclaim in the Decapolis how much Jesus had done for him; and everyone was amazed.

After having been freed from a legion of demons, the Gerasene man wanted to follow his savior. Jesus however instructed him to stay behind and tell his story to the people where he lived.

I identify with this Gerasene demoniac perhaps more closely than with any other character in scripture. We don't know his name or his whole story but what we do know is that demons had totally taken control of his being. He was harmful to himself, frightening and dangerous to others and could not function in society. All that was left for him was to ride out his days living among the dead. I've been there. And here's what: Jesus freed me too! Like this pig guy, (that's my nickname for him and myself) Christ's power to free us from the powers that enslave brought me back from a life that was very close to death. It made me want to follow and serve the Savior as well. We both were shown too much truth not to proclaim His name! We know that many people were amazed by his story and that's the last we hear from the pig guy. What about me? What will I do with the truth that has been given me? Most people manage their lives much better than I have. At least it would appear so from what I can see on the surface. Because of my demons, I believe I was taught some lessons about powerlessness and our dependence upon Jesus Christ that maybe most people don't have the opportunity to experience. I pray that I will be able to express my experience with living death, undeserved grace and liberating love that will pass on the truth that I have been shown.

Gracious Heavenly Father, Please give me the words and the love of You and my fellows that will make my story a testament to Your love, grace and healing power. Amen.

What Demons Know

Mark 3: 11 Whenever the unclean spirits saw him, they fell down before him and shouted, "You are the Son of God!"

Demons, members of the spirit world, recognized Jesus clearly.

That demons so clearly recognized Jesus and instantly conceded His authority has always intrigued me. I suppose since they are spiritual beings and know the reality of spiritual matters that they knew that Jesus is the Spirit of absolute power. That vision is not so clear to us. Paul said, "Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror..." It won't always be that way. Because God has graciously and lovingly given us a glimpse of truth, we have the opportunity to live our lives in recognition of His authority, which will eventually be clear to all. The society that we live in has become so adept at manipulating the physical world around us that I feel people are less and less inclined to seek spiritual solutions to life problems. It is our lot to follow Him and to let Him shine through this facade however He will in our lives. It still seems odd to me though. The world He came to save didn't recognize Him, but the demons he came to free us from fell down before Him. How crazy is that?

Father God, please lead me and teach me to live in the sunlight of Your Spirit so that You shine out and are perceptible to those around me. Amen.

An Old Cloak

Mark 2: 21-22 "No one sews a piece of unshrunk cloth on an old cloak; otherwise the patch pulls away from it, the new from the old, and a worse tear is made. And no one puts new wine into old wineskins; otherwise, the wine will burst the skins, and the wine is lost, and so are the skins; but one puts new wine into fresh wineskins."

Jesus was explaining to the people why his disciples were not fasting like the disciples of John and the Pharisees. Fasting would not be appropriate behavior in the presence of their Lord and master. Their time to fast would come, but it had not yet arrived.

Appropriate behavior. This is pretty consistently an issue for me. I am a Christian and have recently become a pastor but I'm also a guy who works in warehouses with other guys. I've worked in these warehouses with these guys for a lot longer than I've been a committed follower of Christ. God Almighty is not the only god I have bowed to in my time either. The point that I'm trying to make here is that I've learned a lot of bad behavior over the years, and Jesus didn't drive these behaviors out when He came to reign in my heart. When the pressure is on and tempers flare at work my behavior is often not what I would consider appropriate. It has become pretty clear to me that it is my responsibility to have the appropriate attitude and words to reflect the Lord that now dwells within me. Weather or not I will sacrifice my pride, my anger, my sense of justice and my desire to get a good laugh, regardless of the cost, is the question that I am faced with countless times every day. If I am willing to put aside my whatever, His grace replaces my bad habits and behaviors. This is the sacrifice that I am called to make for Him, for my co-workers and really, for myself. It hurts me more and more every time that I make the wrong choice and realize that an opportunity has been lost. That I am still willing to crucify Christ hurts me and those around me.

Father God, please lead me to sacrifice my sense of self importance and lay it at Your feet. May I faithfully put aside myself and bear this cross daily. Amen.

"...But be Transformed by the Renewing of Your Minds,..."

Acts 28 : 25-28 So they disagreed with each other; and as they were leaving, Paul made one further statement: "The Holy Spirit was right in saying to your ancestors through the prophet Isaiah, 'Go to this people and say, You will indeed listen, but never understand,and you will indeed look, but never perceive. For this people's heart has grown dull, and their ears are hard of hearing, and they have shut their eyes; so that they might not look with their eyes, and listen with their ears, and understand with their hearts and turn- and I would heal them.' Let it be known to you then that this salvation of God has been sent to the Gentiles; they will listen."

Paul was quoting the prophet Isaiah to make his point that the hearts of the Jews to whom he was speaking, were not open to the truth that was before them and that God's salvation would go to those who would hear the message and believe.

I kinda feel for the Jews at the time of Jesus. They were part of a 2000 year plus religious tradition that pointed to but did not make totally obvious that Jesus was the Messiah. Some of them were looking for something quite different. He taught a radical new message of love. I think that some of the Jewish leadership was just not willing to give up the laws, rules and ceremonies that they had practiced all of their lives. They were also not willing to give up the power that they had. There are many different reasons people of all ages refuse to look at the truth. It often hurts and might require uncomfortable changes in our lives. Sometimes it means that the way we always did it just won't cut it anymore or that we will have to accept things that aren't familiar to us. Who hasn't heard spirited discussion about contemporary versus traditional worship, what hour to hold worship or what is appropriate to wear to church? I believe that our transformation due to the renewing of our minds that is spoken of in Romans 12: 2 is a continuous, life-long process. Surely if we seek His truth and are absolutely open to responding to what He shows us, we will be able to recognize what is good and acceptable and perfect, and true.

Father God, please lead me in the way of love and of truth. Transform and renew my heart and mind that I might love what you love. Amen.

Where Are You?

Job 13: 23-24 How many are my iniquities and my sins? Make me know my transgression and my sin. Why do you hide your face, and count me as your enemy?

Job is no longer answering his friends but praying to God to show him what he has done wrong. He is praying for an end to God's silence.

Have you ever felt like God has checked out, like He just isn't there? I have. Looking back it usually winds up that I was unwilling to here Him or had built some barrier to our communication. But not always. Sometimes He is just mysteriously silent. I was surprised to hear that Mother Teresa struggled with feeling close to God. Except for a short period in her famed career, she felt that God was silent and hidden from her. That makes her life all the more remarkable to me. I have the feeling that this happens to the best and most faithful of people and that God does it purposefully. Perhaps He is checking our resolve to walk the path upon which He has put us. It's not nearly such a walk in the pink clouds when we can't feel the presence of the Creator smiling upon us. Regardless, it's important to realize that this is one of the ways that He refines us and to have the confidence to do the next right thing even when we can't feel His warmth on our faces.

Almighty Father God, please make me mature in faith so that I will be able to discern Your will even when I cannot detect Your presence. Amen.

All Thy Works Shall Praise Thy Name

Psalm 148: 7-10 Praise the Lord from the earth, you sea monsters and all deeps, fire and hail, snow and frost, stormy wind fulfilling his command! Mountains and all hills, fruit trees and all cedars! Wild animals and all cattle, creeping things and flying birds!

Romans 1: 19-20 For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. Ever since the creation of the world his eternal power and divine nature, invisible though they are, have been understood and seen through the things he has made. So they are without excuse.

God's fingerprint is all over creation. His majesty and glory are reflected in all He has created for all to see.

Nature often calls me to ponder our creator. I noticed bodies of water doing this first. When I am at the coast I inevitably spend time watching and listening to the ocean. Its unimaginable volume and depth, the infinite force behind its waves and the secrets of its depths make me wonder at the nature of its creator. The never ending flow of a river makes me marvel at our God who was before the beginning and will continue beyond the end. Mountains majestically towering over the land hint at Gods timeless power and glory. Forests with their countless intricacies serve as a deep, lush, mysterious home for wildlife and point to our infinite, unfathomable Lord. Fish, birds and animals of all kinds quietly scream at us to take notice of the master artist who gave life to each of them. That He would make a home for us and include us among His glorious works speaks of the love He has for us. Our God is both unimaginably huge and tiny, towering and deep, brilliant and dark. He is hidden all around us calling us closer.

Gracious Creator of all that is seen and unseen, thank you. Amen.

Purity

Nehemiah 12: 3 When the people heard the law, they separated from Israel all those of foreign descent.

In this scripture the people of Israel were trying to repair their mistakes and purify their culture from foreign influence.

The things that we choose to coexist with have a great influence on our being. When God led His chosen people into the promised land He commanded them not to intermingle with the people who already inhabited the land. They repeatedly ignored this command and over the years paid a great price for the corroding influence these people had on their society and religious practices. While we no longer separate ourselves from groups and races of people, as children of God we are still called to remain pure. That's what this is really about, purity. There are many things that are present in the world around us that we are called to have nothing to do with. Greed, vengeance, sexual immorality, hatred and drunkenness are a few of the attitudes and actions that we are called to avoid. God has known and told us from the beginning that His love will not coexist with these things. Either they go or He goes. We must decide which we will nourish within ourselves. No doubt some of these things are very attractive and our choices often are very difficult ones. I guess in the end though the rules are the same for everyone; we make our own decisions and we reap the rewards or consequences of our choices. What will it be?

Father God, teach me to remember that no matter how great the temptation, it is never worth it to take a step away from You. Amen.

As though by our own power...

Acts 3: 12 When Peter saw it, he addressed the people, "You Israelites, why do you wonder at this, or why do you stare at us, as though by our own power or piety we had made him walk?"

Peter was speaking to a crowd who were witnessing the aftermath of a miracle and denying that he or John had performed this healing of their own power. He went on to point out that the man had been healed by faith in the name of Jesus.

Pride is an ever present shadow that follows ole Hugh. When I read this scripture I wondered how it must have been for Peter and John when the life-long cripple stood, walked and jumped after Peter said, "In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, stand up and walk." If it had been me and one of my buddies, I'm sure we would have been like, "Dang! Look at us!" It really is amazing to me how quickly my focus can shift off of the message that I carry and the power behind it and rest on me and my success or failure. I suppose that is a struggle that we all have to deal with. I am also amazed at what happens in my life and the lives around me when, to the best of my ability, I do act and speak on His behalf without regard for how it will affect me. Perhaps most of what God wants of me is to keep Hugh out of the way and allow Him to work through my being. Abandoning myself to Christ is to realize that my comfort, success, self image and satisfaction are far less important than His perfect will. To lay those things down before Him is a decision that I will have to make several times today, tomorrow and each of the rest of my days.

Holy, Sovereign God, thank you for offering to me the place of a child and an heir. Develop in me a heart that will joyfully respond to Your call and trust in Your direction and leading. Show me when I am saving for myself that which is rightfully Yours. I pray this prayer in the holy name of Your son, Jesus Christ. Amen.

Radical Message of Love

Esther 9: 5-6 So the Jews struck down all their enemies with the sword, slaughtering, and destroying them, and did as they pleased to those who hated them. In the citadel of Su'sa the Jews killed and destroyed five hundred people.


Luke 6: 27-29 "But I say to you who listen, Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you. If anyone strikes you on the cheek, offer the other also; and from anyone who takes away your coat do not withhold even your shirt."

This passage in Esther tells of a time when the exiled Jews were given sanction by the government of King Ahasuerus to strike out at and destroy their enemies who had been plotting to destroy them. They took full advantage of this opportunity to settle the score and take vengeance on their ancestral foes. Jesus message in Luke directs a much different response.

Vengeance, justice, retribution, settling the score... Call it what you will, the idea of giving as good as we got and not letting harm go unpunished is a strong motivating force for us human beings. What a radical message it was that Jesus preached to his followers. He would have us meet violence and abuse with love and kindness. It is a message that is radical and very uncommon two thousand years later, but it is none the less a signature message of our Lord. Our society and our natural instincts don't call us to let people do with us as they will, but Jesus tells us that getting even does not lead to the life eternal. My inclination to trade rude remarks and nasty attitudes with those determined to share them with me is as strong as any ones. He is showing me over time that this will only lead to more anger and frustration and doesn't invite Him into these tense situations.

Father God, please give me the grace and peace to take a moment to consider my response before I lash out at an already angry, frustrated person. Amen.

Wandering Like Sheep

Zechariah 10: 2 For the teraphim utter nonsense, and the diviners see lies; the dreamers tell false dreams, and give empty consolation. Therefore the people wander like sheep; they suffer from lack of a shepherd.

In this scripture, Zechariah likens the people of Israel and Judah to wandering sheep. They lack direction because they are looking to the wrong things.

I'm a believer. I've given my life to the Lord and step by step He seems to be more and more in charge of what I do. Like the people of Israel and Judah however, I am prone to loose focus and find myself wandering aimlessly. I usually don't see it coming either. For some reason or the other, to follow the Lord requires constant attention and adjustment. I like to use sailing as an analogy for the Spirit-lead life. To stay on course requires constant changes to the sails and tiller to compensate for the changes in the wind, waves and current. To relax and let it ride will shortly lead to disaster or to being blown to and fro by the wind. I like to relax, particularly when things are going well. Because of this, I seem to spend too much time trying to regain lost momentum. It can be very dangerous too. I have been given The Good Shepherd to lead me through this life and into eternity. The joy of being included in His flock is certainly worth my attention and efforts to follow where He leads.

Father God, please develop in me a heart that is attentive to You. Let me always remember the dangers that You have saved me from and call my spirit to remain close to You. Amen.