Know Him

TODAY'S SPECIAL: Hosea 2:14-3:5

TO CHEW ON: "I will betroth you to Me forever;
Yes, I will betroth you to Me
In righteousness and justice
In lovingkindness and mercy
I will betroth you to Me in faithfulness
And you shall know the Lord." Hosea 2:19-20

God lays bare His heart in Hosea with almost shocking vulnerability. Like a rejected earthly lover, we see His reflex to hurt the one who has hurt Him: "I will take away…take back…uncover…cause mirth to cease…destroy…punish" (Hosea 2:9-13).

Then He will win His loved one (Israel) back "…allure her…speak comfort…give her..." He recalls their early relationship -- the days Israel was completely dependent on Him during the exodus from Egypt to Canaan. He wants that relationship with her again. Then she will call Him Husband, not Master. She will be so taken up with Him, she will forget the names of her former lovers. She will know him (Hosea 2:14-18).

There was the nub of the matter. God wanted a relationship with His people. He wanted them to know Him. He still wants such a relationship with us. The outward trappings of religious ritual and observance are not what He's after. Rather, He wants a relationship that invades us, takes us over, claims our loyalties to the deepest levels.

It's easy to fool ourselves into thinking we are already there. Until we observe our natural reactions to life. What are our preoccupations? Our pursuits? Do we worry? Our answers to these questions may show us we still have a long way to go before we can say He is truly engraved on our minds and hearts -- that we are experiencing the eternal life potential of knowing Him.

PRAYER: Dear God, please show me where I am going after other lovers. Help me to know You at a deep, personal, life-impacting level. Amen.

MORE: "Knowing You" by Graham Kendrick, sung by Robin Mark

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Living object lesson

"Hosea"
by James Tissot

TODAY'S SPECIAL: Hosea 1:1-2:13

TO CHEW ON: "When the Lord began to speak by Hosea, the Lord said to Hosea:

'Go take yourself a wife of harlotry

And children of harlotry,

For the land has committed great harlotry

by departing from the Lord." Hosea 1:2

Of all the incredible things God asked the Old Testament prophets to do, His assignment for Hosea was among the most shocking. He was to marry a prostitute. His children were called "children of harlotry," either because they were children of a known prostitute or because they weren't even necessarily Hosea's biological kids.

God asked other prophets to be object lessons of His message too. Isaiah was to name his children names that foretold coming events. For example, one of his kids was to be named Maher-shalal-hashbaz, meaning "speed the spoil, hasten the booty," which referred to impending international events (Isaiah 8:3-4). He was also told to go around partially clothed for a while as a picture of how destitute the people of Egypt and Ethiopia would be when they were led away captive (Isaiah 20:2-4). God instructed Ezekiel to lie on his left side, and then his right a required number of days and in this way picture the siege of Jerusalem (Ezekiel 4:1-6).

God was clear in what He was trying to communicate through Hosea's choice of Gomer for a wife. He was picturing the way His people had let themselves be lured away by other religions. He portrayed then as fickle and making fools of themselves by pursuing other lovers (gods). When their search came to nothing, they returned to their "first husband" (2:7) as Gomer left then returned to Hosea.

If God sent a prophet among us today, I wonder what kind of object lesson he would be asked to live out. Perhaps God would draw attention to our obsession with technology by having His prophet make a home with a demanding robot.

Or perhaps he would open our eyes to see how things are often not as they look by choosing as His messenger a person who seemed healthy but was actually full of deadly cancer.

Or would He be able to point to what we all aspire to be -- pure, beautiful and waiting for His return -- by using a woman prophet, glowing and radiant in gorgeous bride-wear (Revelation 21:2,9)?

PRAYER: Dear God, please help me to learn about myself and my tendency to stray from you pictured in these prophetic object lessons. May I align my life with the highest ideals in Your word. Amen.

MORE: A modern Hosea story

Redeeming Love is a fictional portrayal of the Hosea / Gomer story by Francine Rivers. Set in California's gold country in the 1850s, the book tells the story of the prostitute Angel and Michael Hosea, who loves her with a love that never gives up. Since the book first came out in 1997 it has sold over 1 million copies.

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Servants rule

TODAY'S SPECIAL: Mark 10:34-45

TO CHEW ON: "But Jesus called them to Himself and said to them, 'You know that those who are considered rulers over the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. Yet it shall not be so among you but whoever desires to become great among you shall be your servant. And whoever of you desires to be first shall be slave of all.'" Mark 10:42-44

If you are a reader of science fiction or fantasy you will be familiar with the idea of an alternate universe. It is the setting an author creates, where the sky may be pink, the animals talk, or people communicate by electronic waves filtered through nerve endings -- whatever the author has imagined and created.

In a way the Kingdom of Heaven, or Kingdom of God is like that alternate universe. When we give Jesus our lives and enter that kingdom, we soon discover that the 'laws of gravity' have changed.

In Mark 10 Jesus explains one of those changes to His disciples. The Zebedee brothers, James and John, have just come to Jesus asking for a special position in the kingdom they expect Jesus to set up (which they think will be earthly and happen any day now). The other disciples are understandably outraged. Who do these two think they are -- asking for special treatment!?

Instead of scolding them. Jesus gathers all the disciples around to take advantage of this teaching moment. He explains that, unlike the universe they have lived in their whole lives, where the great ones are the people with recognized position, in the Kingdom of Heaven, the great ones are the ones who serve. For, Jesus explains, even the Son of Man (God incarnate), came not to be served but to serve (vs.45).

We, or at least I, still struggle with this concept. I'm easily star-struck by someone's outward popularity or power, judging greatness by outward appearances (look how the media fawns over her, how often he is quoted, how many Twitter and Facebook followers she has, how many people follow his blog). But that's not what impresses God. He takes note of the unknown person who may be doing the lowest, most behind-the-scenes job (cleaning toilets, typing the minutes, cooking and serving the food) with an attitude of willing service. In His eyes, those are the truly great ones, the ones in first place, the ones who rule.

PRAYER: Dear God, please give me the heart of a genuine servant. Amen.

MORE: Feast of St.James the Apostle

Today is the day church liturgy remembers and honours the Apostle James, who is known for more than his request to get special treatment in Jesus' kingdom. Tradition credits him with being the first of the twelve apostles to suffer martyrdom for the name of Jesus. The liturgy for the Feast of James the Apostle is here.

Daphne Rademaker sings "Serving You" against background scenes from the movie "Call To Harvest" by Gospel For Asia Mission.

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If Jesus is really God...

TODAY'S SPECIAL: Colossians 2:1-15

TO CHEW ON: "For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily." Colossians 2:9

There is nothing subtle in the statement Paul makes about Jesus in Colossians 2:9. He says in plain words, He is God.

This probably doesn't sound controversial to us if we're from a Christian heritage, privy as we are to the New Testament as well as the Old, the writings of scholars, theologians and apologists spanning the centuries. But it was controversial to people in the first century who had only the evidence of three years of Jesus' ministry and the word of eye witnesses. And it is a controversial statement to many moderns who lump Jesus in with founders of other religions and think of him as merely one prophet among many.

But, as H.C. Thiessen says in his Lectures in Systematic Theology: 

"The Son is recognized as God. The importance of the doctrine of the deity of Christ can scarcely be overestimated. Jesus Christ does not sustain the same relation to Christianity that other founders of religion sustain to the faiths which they have originated. Buddha (B.C. 563-484), Confucius (551-478), and Mohammed (A.D. 570?-632) are significant primarily for their teaching; but Jesus Christ is significant primarily for His person." p. 138.

There isn't room in one short devotional to list the proofs (with supporting Bible references) that Jesus is God, as theologians like Thiessen have done so ably -- proving that He:
- has the attributes of deity (is eternal, omnipresent, omniscient, omnipotent, immutable)
- fulfills the offices of deity (as creator and sustainer of the created world).
- exercises the prerogatives of deity (forgives sins, raises the dead, will execute judgement). etc.

If you're interested in studying this, there are many great internet resources. For a start, check out John Piper's category the "Deity of Christ" (on the Desiring God site) which contains numerous links.

I, for one, am convinced. But what difference does a belief in Christ's deity make? I can think of three responses:

1. I can have confidence that Jesus IS the way to God -- as He says in John 14:6. I can proclaim this without apology, even though such audacious certainty is not politically correct in our society, which encourages tolerance of any and all opinions on how we get to God.

2. The logical response is to give Him my life. This is exactly the plea Paul makes to the Romans. After exclaiming over the excellence of God's plan and way of working in Romans 11:33-36, he goes on in Romans 12:1 to say: "I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service."

3. I can have peace, knowing that I have the best. As the verse following today's focus verse says "…you are complete in Him…" (Colossians 2:10).

PRAYER: Dear Jesus, I acknowledge You as God and Lord of my life. Help me to understand all this means in everyday living. Amen.

MORE: "Fairest Lord Jesus" - Ross Parsley

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Unpopular prophets

TODAY'S SPECIAL: Amos 7:1-17

TO CHEW ON: "Then Amaziah said to Amos, 'Go you seer! Flee to the land of Judah. There eat bread and there prophesy. But never again prophesy at Bethel, for it is the king's sanctuary and it is the royal residence.'" Amos 7:12-13

We should probably not find it surprising that Amaziah, King Jeroboam's high priest, reacted to Amos's negative prophecies by telling him to shut up and leave. It is not comfortable to have an outsider come onto your territory and tell you that your country is prey for locusts, in danger of being burned and not plumb with God's standards.

However, the uncomfortable assignment of delivering unpopular pronouncements from God has always been part of a prophet's job description. The Bible is full of examples: Elijah, Jeremiah, John the Baptist, Jesus.

Like a true prophet, Amos was not intimidated. I'm not a prophet by profession or birth, he told Amaziah. But my message is from the Lord. Then, not backing down an inch, he told the man in plain words what would happen: "Israel shall surely be led away captive" (7:13).

The assignment for modern prophets* is no easier. People in our society who speak against the way we as a people and culture are violating God's standards may well find themselves in similar hot water, banned from speaking publicly, reading or quoting the Bible, and in Canada hauled in front of Human Rights Commissions.

As our society drifts farther and farther away from biblical standards, what we as Christians stand for becomes less and less mainstream and popular. And so we may find ourselves tempted to alter the message to make it more politically correct. For telling it straight will probably mean having to pay the price of being an unpopular prophet. Am I up for that? Are you?

PRAYER: Dear God, please help me be bold and unafraid to tell and uphold Your standards. Amen

MORE: Human Rights Commissions

In Canada we have a powerful system in place to gag people who dare express ideas that don't conform to Canadian society's current norms. Human Rights Commissions are quasi legal bodies active in each province. Most were first formed to help people get fair treatment when they faced things like racial and sexual discrimination at work or in regard to housing. In recent years HRC rulings have frequently come down against Christians who have attempted to uphold biblical morality especially in their positions against homosexuality.

Here, for example, is a case in Alberta from a few years ago, described by Ezra Levant:

"An even more terrifying precedent recently was set in Alberta. The case involved a letter to the editor written by a Christian pastor and published in the Red Deer Advocate newspaper. The letter was a zealous, even rude, expression of the pastor's belief that homosexuality was a sin, and that there was a homosexual political "agenda" that had to be stopped. But instead of joining the debate by writing a letter to the editor, a local teacher complained to the human rights commission.


The commission's one-woman panel--a divorce lawyer with no expertise in constitutional rights -- ruled that "the publication's exposure of homosexuals to hatred and contempt trumps the freedom of speech afforded in the Charter." That was it: Freedom of speech, and of the press, and religion, all of which are called "fundamental freedoms" in our Constitution, now come second to the newly discovered right of a thin-skinned bystander not to be offended.

Read entire...

Jesus told us these kinds of things would happen. Instead of worrying about them, He assures us He will be with us when they do; we can face them with carefree trust: Matthew 10:16-19

¹⁶"Stay alert. This is hazardous work I'm assigning you. You're going to be like sheep running through a wolf pack, so don't call attention to yourselves. Be as cunning as a snake, inoffensive as a dove.
 ^17-20"Don't be naive. Some people will impugn your motives, others will smear your reputation—just because you believe in me. Don't be upset when they haul you before the civil authorities. Without knowing it, they've done you—and me—a favor, given you a platform for preaching the kingdom news! And don't worry about what you'll say or how you'll say it. The right words will be there; the Spirit of your Father will supply the words.- Message

*prophet = nabiy
In the modern sense I'm thinking of the prophet as person who delivers God's message as revealed in the Bible (versus someone who foretells the future).

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Does it satisfy?

TODAY'S SPECIAL: Amos 4:1-13

TO CHEW ON: "So two or three cities wandered to another city to drink water. But they were not satisfied. Yet you have not returned to Me." Amos 4:8

If there is one thing we can know for sure, it is that for our whole healthy lives we will need to turn to food and water again and again for physical satisfaction. Here, Amos draws a parallel to the perpetual lack of physical  satisfaction and Israel's spiritual state. They too are continually seeking satisfaction, but seeking in the wrong places. And despite the fact that God is raining the consequences of their sins on their own heads, it's not bringing about the desired spiritual changes.

He sent famine, withheld rain, appeared preferential (sending rain on one city but not another), troubled their gardens with pests and disease, allowed their own children to fall to the plague. But it was all to no avail. "Yet you have not returned to Me."

Amos tells them what will bring lasting satisfaction. It is the destination to which all his doom-filled predictions are meant to drive them - to God Himself. "Seek Me and live (5:4); Seek the Lord and live (5:6); Seek good and not evil that you may live (5:14); Let justice rain down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream (5:24).

We are not so different from these Israelites. Our search for satisfaction takes us down paths of overwork, shopping, too much food and drink, sex, sometimes even drunkenness and addiction. But we're looking in the wrong places. Because only God can once-and-for-all satisfy the gnawing hunger that creeps back when we feed in other places.

The way the prophet Jeremiah describes what we do is so right-on:


"My people have committed a compound sin:
   they've walked out on me, the fountain
Of fresh flowing waters, and then dug cisterns—
   cisterns that leak, cisterns that are no better than sieves." - Jeremiah 2:13 (Message)

God's invitation to come to Him for lasting, spiritual thirst-quenching is clear. Jesus promised that those hungering and thirsting for righteousness would be filled. He promised He would be water that would be like an artesian fountain flowing from within, and forever satisfying bread.

Do I come to Him to be satisfied? Do you?

PRAYER: Dear God, please help me to look for satisfaction in You. I confess I don't always go to You first when I'm 'thirsty.' Teach me how finding satisfaction in You looks in my day-to-day life. Amen.

MORE: "This is the Air I Breathe" music and lyrics by Marie Barnett
(Sung by Hillsong)

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Christian Carnival 335

Welcome to Christian Carnival 335. It's good to have you back here at Other Food! Again there are many interesting posts in this week's edition.  Without further ado - read away (and thanks to all who contributed!)

• Matthew C. Keegan presents Are Students Really Prepared For College? posted at WordJourney Magazine. Millions of college-bound freshmen will be leaving for school in August and September, with many marking their very first extended time away from home. High school is over and the college years beckon, but are students really prepared for college and all that this setting has to offer? (If, as Matthew says, college dropout rates are at 25%, this is a program whose time has come.)

• mundaneartistry presents journeying through the plains posted at Shades of Green. (A relaxing, summery post. Take a deep breath as you savour the moment.)

• Adam presents Thursday Hymn Reflection: ?Be Still, My Soul? posted at The Faughn Family of Four. I like hymns, and this is one of my favorites. Looking at the history of the tune was fun, but the words make all the difference. (Interesting trivia gives us more reasons to appreciate this old hymn.)

• FMF presents The Seven Pillars of Financial Success, Pillar 7: Give posted at Free Money Finance. Giving is one of the seven pillars of good, biblical, financial management. (Looks like a good series!)

• BWL presents 4 Spiritually Unhealthy Motives To Save Money posted at Christian Personal Finance. While saving money can be a good thing, these are some of the wrong reasons to do it... (Who knew saving could be the symptom of something unhealthy?  Don't tell this to my kids!)

• David presents Some thoughts... at Help 4 Life  I'm always looking for new ways to collaborate with people. So If I can help with anything let me know! (This personable marriage, family, and youth therapist shares his life by video;  it's 6 minutes well spent).

• Susan L. Prince presents Testimony of My Sailor: Meeting with God on the Pacific posted at Sisters' Weblog: It Bloggles the Mind!. This is a letter from Justin, a sailor, who shared his heart with God out on the ocean and then wrote to tell his mom, my friend Katie, what God is teaching him. It is a wonderful testimony and I'm so proud to call him my not-the-son. Love that man! (A heartfelt letter any Christian mom would treasure.)

• Joe Plemon presents When Dreams Die posted at Personal Finance By The Book. Even the Apostle Paul had great disappointments. We can learn from his response. (Hope-filled post for those dealing with dead or dying dreams.)

• Crystal presents Moldy Provolone and a Faithful Heart posted at In A Clay Pot. (Not your ordinary lesson from Job.)

• Dave Taylor presents Points To Ponder by Pope John Paul II posted at Enhance Life. (A Sunday sermon that inspired a Google search and lots of thought.)

• Tom Gilson presents Matching Game Answers: What Could We Do If We Tithed? posted at Thinking Christian. This stunned me when I took a close look at it. What could we do if the church would tithe? (You might want to try the game first before you look at the answers)

• Ridge Burns presents Richard Rolle posted at Ridge’s Blog. (Proof that the desire for God's fire can span the centuries).

• Andrew presents Change the sinful nature. posted at Rely on God in your personal development. - New Blog. (Determination to change oneself works to a point. But then something more is needed. Andrew helps us discover that something more.)

• Jose Anajero presents 2 Kinds of Success posted at Real Life Success. (Success viewed from various angles - like "When the opportunity to do right presents itself, the opportunity to do wrong presents itself right along side it.")

• Russ White presents Is Happiness All There Is? posted at Thinking in Christ. (A quote on modern parenting plus a little philosophical slice and dice makes for an enjoyable read.)

• Ronnie Roque presents Wise thinking for everyday living: Proverbs 101, part 2 posted at Who Me Be A Leader? (Good basics about wisdom.)

• Jeremy Pierce presents Age of Accountability posted at Parableman. A critique of the age of accountability. (A close examination of this belief shows things aren't as cut-and-dried as some would think. Interesting.)

• Violet N. (that's me) presents A lost sheep story posted at Other Food: daily devo's. A true story of God's creativity in seeking out one of His lost sheep. Read and be encouraged!

***********
Would you look to join in the next carnival a week from today?

Posts should be:

Christian:
    •    The Christian Carnival is open to Christians of Protestant, Orthodox, and Roman Catholic convictions. One of the goals of this Carnival is to offer our readers to a broad range of Christian thought.
    •    Posts need not be of a theological topic. Posts about home life, politics, or current events, for example, written from a Christian worldview are welcome.

Recent:
    •    Posted between midnight Tuesday July 6 and Tuesday July 13.
To enter, simply click on the "Submit an article" link in the right sidebar widget  and fill out the generated form.

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Modern slaves

TODAY'S SPECIAL: Amos 2:1-16

TO CHEW ON: "Thus says the Lord:

'For three transgressions of Israel and for four,

I will not turn away its punishment,

Because they sell the righteous for silver,

And the poor for a pair of sandals,

They pant (trample on) the dust of the earth

Which is on the head of the poor

And pervert the way of the humble.'" Amos 2:6-7

Last night my husband and I went to a fundraiser for International Justice Mission. Four 12-14-year-old girls organized this concert and dessert night. Interspersed with songs by Carolyn Arends, yummy chocolate fondue and more music by She Says Electric, they brought us face to face with the plight of modern slaves.

For, as our young emcee reminded us, though the last country to make slavery illegal did so in 1981 (Mauritania), there are more slaves on the planet now than at any other time.

They told us stories of young girls in poverty-ravaged cultures who are promised good paying jobs, then sold to brothel keepers in countries like India, Cambodia, Thailand, Viet Nam, Guatemala.

In 2008 a Nike factory in Malaysia was exposed for human rights violations that were virtual slavery. Young people applying for work at the factory were charged a fee to come to work. When they couldn't pay, they were advanced the fee on credit so started work owing money. On arrival their passports were taken away. They lived on-site in crowded squalid conditions, working long hours six days a week and earning so little, they would never be able to pay back the debt they incurred to get the job. (Nike promised to look into the situation, so conditions may have changed by now.)

Companies selling fair trade products like chocolate and coffee have sprung up all over the place. They assure us that the coffee and chocolate they sell doesn't have any human rights-compromising behaviour in its picking or production history.

The Bible speaks of slavery in negative terms. Though slavery was an accepted part of Old Testament culture, six years was the length of time a Hebrew slave could be kept; to be freed in the seventh year. Kidnapping a free man with the intent to sell him was punishable by death. Slaves had rights to physical well-being. Injuring a slave, to the extent of merely knocking out a tooth was grounds for the person to go free. In our reading in Amos, Israel's slave-making behavior was grounds for God's punishment.

Uncomfortable revelations like we heard and saw last night about modern slavery make me feel squirmy. They demand more than just a tsk, tsk. How can I (and you) make a difference to those trapped in it?
- We can pray
- We can support organizations who work to free slaves.
- We can change our buying habits.

PRAYER: Dear God, I am touched by the plight of modern slaves. Help me to remember to pray for them. Please show me other actions I can take. Amen.

MORE: Organizations to check out and support

Shadow of His Wings is an organization that rehabilitates girls and young women who have been rescued from forced labor, abuse and neglect on the streets of Guatemala City.

The Dalit Network works to liberate the Dalit people of India from slave labor. I first became aware of them at Missions Fest in 2009 (and blogged about them here).

International Justice Mission works for justice around the world. It also has a Canadian arm.

Stories:
- Brick Kiln Rescue

- South Asia Quarry Raid

- Namwaan's Story

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Christian Carnival - here Wednesday (7th)!

I'm excited to announce that Other Food is hosting the 335th Christian Blog Carnival this Wednesday.

Maybe you'd like to join in by submitting an article from your blog. Posts should be:

Christian:

• The Christian Carnival is open to Christians of Protestant, Orthodox, and Roman Catholic convictions. One of the goals of this Carnival is to offer our readers to a broad range of Christian thought.

• Posts need not be of a theological topic. Posts about home life, politics, or current events, for example, written from a Christian worldview are welcome.

Recent:

• Posted between midnight Tuesday June 29th and Tuesday July 6th.

To enter, simply click on the "Submit an article" link in the right sidebar widget (which doesn't seem to be working at this very moment but will be again soon, we hope) and fill out the generated form.

Or email me with:

• name and url of your post

• name and url of your blog

• brief description of your post

I will publish the Carnival post with links to all this week's articles on Wednesday morning.

Meet Amos

"Call of Amos"
Reformation era woodcut

TODAY'S SPECIAL: Amos 1:1-15

TO CHEW ON: "The words of Amos who was among the sheepbreeders of Tekoa, which he saw concerning Israel in the days of Uzziah King of Judah, and in the days of Jeroboam the son of Joash, King of Israel, two year before the earthquake." Amos 1:1

Have you ever taken a trip in a taxi, got into conversation with the driver and discovered he or she was educated well beyond what you would expect? That has happened to me. The "philosopher taxi driver" is common enough to practically be a cliche in our culture.

Today we meet a Bible character whose life illustrates a similar dichotomy. Amos, writer of a powerful oracle from God was a sheepbreeder and orchardist. We'll be reading the whole book of Amos in the next little while, so let's start that by meeting its author. As we look at this little book, we learn these things about him:

1. He was a real person, living in a specific location (Tekoa in Judah) at a specific time (during the reigns of Uzziah and Jereboam II).

2. He came from humble beginnings. As a sheepbreeder (1:1) and "tender of sycamore fruit" (7:14) he was an ordinary, unpretentious labourer.

3. He had literary talents. Throughout the book we'll see his facility with words and images. In Chapter 1, for example, he uses a literary device called "graduated number or numerical parallelism." He uses it five times in this chapter: "For three transgressions of Damascus, and for four…" vs. 3 (and again in verses 6, 9, 11 and 13 in pronouncements against other nations). It suggests "For enough transgressions…for more than enough."

5. He knew God. This final fact is what really qualified Amos for the lasting contribution he has made.

He could name the exact time when God's word came to him: "two years before the earthquake" (an event that has been identified archaeologically and probably helped to date the writing of the book). That knowledge allowed him to say with boldness and authority: "Thus says the Lord" (verses 3, 6, 9, 11, 13).

Also, the confidence he had that this was an assignment from God enabled him to speak without regard to how his hearers would receive his message. For we will see that he prophesies not only against Judah's enemies but against neighbouring Israel. Imagine how it would rankle citizens from the US if, for example, I as a Canadian came to them with words of God's displeasure. Amos, knowing that God had sent him, spoke without being unduly concerned over the fallout to himself.

Perhaps you have felt God fingering you for an assignment. Maybe you even have natural talents or abilities that would fit with carrying it out. (If not evident, perhaps you'd discover they are there when you start moving in an obedience direction.) Don't let humble beginnings or a lack of education or experience stop you. Rather, be like Amos and step out to do the thing God has told you to do.

PRAYER: Dear God, thank You for the example of prophets like Amos. Help me to be as obedient as he was. Please equip me with his passion, conviction and desire to impress You more than the people around me.

MORE: said another way…

AMOS WAS A SHEPHERD

Amos was a shepherd,
A gardener as well.
He didn't go to Prophet School
Yet God gave him much to tell.

Nehemiah was a servant,
Moses said he couldn't speak,
Samuel was just a child,
David came from keeping sheep.

God doesn't always use
The people we'd expect.
He looks right through the outward part;
He looks for an obedient heart.

© 1998 by Violet Nesdoly, all rights reserved


(Published originally in Partners.)

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Are you being refined?

TODAY'S SPECIAL: Psalm 66:1-20

TO CHEW ON: "For You, O God, have tested us;

You have refined us as silver is refined.

You brought us into the net;

You laid affliction on our backs.

You have caused men to ride over our heads;

We went through fire and through water;

But You brought us out to rich fulfillment." Psalm 66:10-12

The silver in the trinkets we wear has gone through a lot to get to its beautiful sheen. Because silver is usually discovered combined with other minerals it is subjected to various processes to isolate it and make it pure. Depending on what it is mixed with, it may be roasted, leached with acid, smelted, ground, refined in an electrolyte solution, added to molten bullion and treated by cupellation (which heats the silver-containing residue to a temperature of 800 C or 1450 F). So when the psalmist talks about us being refined as silver is refined, he is not talking about a pleasant process.

Whenever I come to passages like Psalm 66, which describe people going through such refining, a voice inside my head says, "Who are you to talk?" Because the truth is, I have not experienced much of such extreme refining in my life. However, I do know that even the light 'roasting' I went through stuck on the couch for a few weeks, many years ago, waiting for a troubled pregnancy to settle down and go to term, or end prematurely, was not fun (especially when it ended prematurely).

I did come through that experience refined and richer in many ways. I was more understanding of the hurts of others. I was less confident in my ability to make my plans and dreams happen. I was thankful for the supports in my life (my husband, family and church friends). And I was more determined than ever to trust God, even when I didn't understand what He was doing.

I will not pretend to know what your refining experience is like or presume to give you advice on how to handle it. But I do hope and pray that you will come through it pure, strong and beautiful. May the result find you bursting with praises like the psalmist's: "Come and hear, all you who fear God, and I will declare what He has done for my soul" Psalm 66:16.

You may already know the verses below by memory. If not, you may want to put them on your 'to memorize' list for the future. When you are in the middle of a refining time, they will give you perspective. If things are going well for you, memorize them against the day that refining fire enters your life:

In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials, that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ. 

1 Peter 1:6-7 (besides the NKJV translation quoted, the link goes to this verse in four more Bible versions - so choose your favorite).

PRAYER: Dear God, please be with my friends who are in the midst of refining -- coping with cancer or other physical problems, dealing with difficult family situations, caring for elderly parents, struggling with career disappointments etc. May each one come out pure, beautiful and praising You. Amen.

MORE: Happy Independence Day!!

Today is the day our neighbours in the U.S. celebrate their nation and the adoption of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776 -- the day they declared independence from Great Britain. They celebrate with parades, community festivals, family picnics and barbecues, concerts, games (especially baseball), public gatherings, speeches, and of course end the day with fireworks.

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Do you have a message to deliver?

TODAY'S SPECIAL: 2 Kings 5:1-19a

TO CHEW ON: "And the Syrians had gone out on raids and had brought back captive a young girl from the land of Israel. She waited on Naaman's wife. Then she said to her mistress, 'If only my master were with the prophet who is in samara! For he would heal him of his leprosy.'" 2 Kings 5:2-3

The scenario of the little captive Hebrew girl giving her mistress this word of hope has always fired my imagination. Some years ago I wrote a fictionalized account of the story. I'm going to share it with you today (which will make this devo a bit longer than most; sorry about that!).

A MESSAGE TO DELIVER*

“Tamra!”

Was that mother? Tamra stirred in the happy darkness of sleep.

“Tamra! Rise you lazy thing!”

Tamra opened her eyes, saw the gray walls and remembered. She was far from home, a slave in General Naaman’s house. She jumped up, dressed and hurried into the kitchen.

“At last!” Saleem picked up the small pitcher. Tamra followed with the steaming jug, through the brightening courtyard, up the stairs to Mistress’s chamber.

As they entered, Tamra glanced at Mistress. Her eyes were red, her face swollen. She’d been crying!

Saleem became all sweetness. “Will your highness have the full hair dressing today?”

“It doesn’t matter,” Mistress said. She sounded sad. While Tamra waited for Saleem’s next order, she studied Mistress’s face. Something was wrong.

Saleem, seeing Tamra idle, dismissed her with a jerk of her head toward the door.

Back in the kitchen, Tamra helped Amram arrange a tray of pomegranates and grapes. But she thought of Mistress. “Why does Mistress weep?” she finally asked.

“Haven’t you heard?” Amram replied. “Master has leprosy.”

Leprosy! The word hit like a slap. “Will he be banished?”

“When he’s sick and crippled.”

Proud, fierce Naaman, a leper! Tamra mulled over this incredible fact as she put the final touches on the tray. This changed everything – again.

The changes had begun that horrible day she and mother had been walking home from market in Shunem. They’d stepped off the road at the sound of hoof beats. But the soldiers stopped anyway. One leaped off his horse and came straight for her. She could still hear mother’s scream and feel his roughness as he swung her onto his horse. She’d been tied with others and a few days later Master’s servant brought her here.

Now Saleem swept into the kitchen to get the tray. “Sweep the courtyard girl!” she commanded, cutting off Tamra’s remembering.

Tamra began the long task. But today the rhythm was soothing as she untwisted her tangled thoughts. What did Naaman’s leprosy mean? Maybe what her parents had taught her about Yahweh was true after all. Since she’d come here, God had felt far away and everything she believed had seemed turned on its head. But now Captain Naaman and Mistress had a problem too. Doctors and medicines couldn’t cure leprosy.

But wait! In Israel there was someone – the prophet. Yahweh himself talked to Elisha. He had done all kinds of miracles. He’d even raised her little brother’s friend from the dead. Elisha could heal Naaman. The thought made Tamra’s heart pound hard. She would tell Mistress!

Tamra looked up towards Mistress’s room. Was Saleem still inside? She certainly didn’t want to talk to Mistress with her around. Tamra finished sweeping while watching the stairs. No Saleem. She must have come down. Now would be a good time.

Tamra tiptoed up the stairs and tapped on Mistress’s door. A second later Saleem flung it open, stared at her, then hissed, “What do you want?”

“I want to speak with Mistress.” Tamra could hardly hear her own voice.

Saleem’s eyes narrowed. “No!” Her voice was full of hate. “You may never talk to her! Now get on with your chores, or you’ll be whipped.”

Tamra trembled as she crept down the stairs. Now she’d done it! She got the wash bucket and began to scrub the kitchen floor. But she couldn’t forget the idea that Master Naaman must see Elisha. The thought burned in her – as if Yahweh himself had given her this message to deliver. She had to tell Mistress somehow. Please, Yahweh, please, she prayed silently over and over. Please make a way.

Tamra woke before Saleem called her next morning. As she remembered what she must do, she felt afraid. In the kitchen the towels and jugs were ready, but Saleem was nowhere around.

“Saleem is ill,” Amram told her..

Tamra felt a shiver go through her. God had heard!

Amram helped carry the jugs up to Mistress’s room, then left. Tamra was suddenly nervous. She felt her face go crimson. “What is your pleasure?” she asked, not looking up.

“Where’s Saleem?” Mistress’s voice was sharp.

Tamra’s fear grew. What if her talk of Elisha made Mistress angry instead of glad?

“She’s ill,” Tamra replied. She glanced up at Mistress’s face, then, and saw again the red-rimmed eyes. She looked so sad.

“Pour the water,” Mistress said.

Tamra did her jobs. Mistress spoke only to tell her what to do next. Finally they were at the last thing. As Tamra gathered the hair jewels, she know she had to speak now or this chance would be past. Panic rose inside her. She breathed a prayer and took a deep breath.

“I wish my master would go to see the prophet in Samaria.” she blurted. “He would heal him of his leprosy.”

Mistress grew still. Then she turned around and looked at Tamra. “What did you say, little maid? Say it again.”

Was she angry or glad? Tamra couldn’t tell. But somehow it didn’t matter any more. For now that she had done what she must, she felt Yahweh’s presence like warm sunshine after a cloudy day. He was here. He would take care of her. “I wish Master Naaman would go to see the prophet in Samaria,” she said again. “He would heal him of his leprosy.” This time her voice was confident and strong.

A little sidebar article in my Bible comments:

"See the importance of sharing the hope of God's healing with others. The door to Naaman's healing was opened by the Jewish maid who recommended he seek out the prophet Elisha. Believers do good when they witness to others of both the saving and healing power of Jesus." Nathaniel Van Cleave - "Lessons in Sharing Healing Hope," New Spirit Filled Life Bible p. 488.

If God is impressing on you someone who needs to hear the message of the possibility of physical healing, share that message (with childlike faith) today!

PRAYER: Dear God, thank You for the example of this Hebrew child. Help my faith to be as simple, implicit and obedient. Amen.

MORE: Want to read more about divine healing?

Andrew Murray's entire book Divine Healing is online. The chapters I checked out are short. Read and be encouraged.

* "A Message to Deliver" was first published in the March 2002 issue of Clubhouse Magazine.

Guess what - the very morning I'm writing this devotional, which Scripture comes up in my kids' devotionals.  This exact story (yes I do write these a month or so ahead). How cool is that!!

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If you had one wish

TODAY'S SPECIAL: 2 Kings 2:1-18

TO CHEW ON: "And so it was when they had crossed over, that Elijah said to Elisha, 'Ask! What may I do for you before I am taken away from you?' Elisha said, 'Please, let a double portion of your spirit be upon me.'" 2 Kings 2:9

I have always loved folktales where the characters are given wishes. "You can have three wishes…" fires up my imagination: What would I say if someone offered that to me? In the stories, usually the characters' choices have a hidden twist, showing the characters as foolish (e.g. "King Midas and the Golden Touch") or wise in what they wished for.

The Bible has its own brand of wish stories. Solomon and Esther were given the opportunity to make wishes. Another is in today's reading where Elijah asks Elisha what he can do for him before Elijah is taken into heaven. Elisha's answer: "Please let a double portion of your spirit be on me," is interesting. A footnote explanation in my Bible says:

"Since the double portion was the privilege of the firstborn (Deuteronomy 21:17), it has been suggested that Elisha is asking to be Elijah's successor. Yet this is more than just a petition to be Elijah's successor because that had already been established (1 Kings 19:16-21).


Elisha realized that he did not have the capability to fulfill the awesome responsibility of carrying on Elijah's work. As Elijah's successor, Elisha applies the principle of the firstborn to ask for a spiritual inheritance. This is described as the spirit of Elijah (2 Kings 2: 9, 15) and is either an indirect or direct reference to the Holy Spirit.

The Hebrew word "spirit" has a wide range of meaning (it can refer to the human spirit, the Holy Spirit, an evil spirit, a prophetic spirit, or even the wind). Here it probably refers to the energizing power of the prophetic spirit that characterized the life of Elijah. The Holy Spirit is the author of Elijah's prophetic gift (1 Samuel 10:6,10; 19:20,23)" p. 483, New Spirit Filled Life Bible.

You and I will probably never be asked what we wish for in such a straightforward way. However, any time we contemplate our lives in regard to goals, objectives and resolutions, we encounter a variant of this, couched in challenges like:

"If you could sum up the purpose of your life in one word, what word would you choose?

What would you want your epitaph to say?

Over the course of your life, what do you want to do? to be?

(Read more at "Writing a Mission Statement" by Chip MacGregor).

Elijah got it right. God's 'yes' to his request was so evident, the sons of the prophets remarked on the presence of Elijah's spirit visible in him even as he returned alone (vs. 15).

Likewise we need to think carefully and prayerfully about what we wish for. For it may just come true!

PRAYER: Dear God, please give me the wisdom to see my life realistically and to desire and pursue only Your best for me. Amen.

MORE: Noble wishes

Here are some wishes to consider as we contemplate our personal wish lists.

- A thirst for and delight in God (Psalm 27:4; Psalm 63:1).
- A knowledge of right priorities (Psalm 37:4; Matthew 6:30-33)
- A love for and knowledge of God's word (Joshua 1:8; 1 Peter 2:2).
- The opportunity to impact many people and lead them to Christ (Daniel 12:3; Matthew 4:19; Luke 5:10).

Think about (and write out if you like) what you would say if you were given one wish.

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Tug-of-war life

TODAY'S SPECIAL: Galatians 5:2-26

TO CHEW ON: "I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh." Galatians 5:16

I'm sure you are familiar with the phenomenon of someone telling you not to do or think about a certain thing, and immediately you are tempted to do or think exactly what you've been told not to. You reach out to touch the wet paint, read the forbidden book, let your thoughts wander into off-limits territory. The best way to avoid such knee-jerk straying is to focus on what you should do, not what you shouldn't.

That's what Paul's admonition to "walk in the Spirit" prompts us to do: take our minds away from those things we're told not to do and put the focus on where it should be--living a Spirit-controlled life. In this regard a sidebar article in my Bible sheds light on the process:

"The design of the Holy Spirit as He develops in us fruit characteristic of the "divine nature" (vv. 22-23, 2 Peter 1:2-8), is to constrain us toward a life in which the tendencies of the flesh are both undesirable and unproductive….


The Holy Spirit both monitors and empowers, enabling practical godliness. Discernment on our part teaches that some sins are driven by carnal nature (flesh) and others by carnal nurture (nourishment), depending on the way one is fed or bred. Some sins are avoided because of divine prohibitions and others by divine (Holy Spirit) inhibitions when the indwelling Spirit brings the Word, or personal warnings to mind.


Growth in Christ increases resistance to all that is uncharacteristic of Him. We become more internally motivated as our hearts learn to inhibit disobedience instead of relying on our minds to memorize rules and wrestle to obey. Learning to "walk in the Spirit" will bring a gradual movement from mental rules and disciplines to an obedience rooted in the heart's judgments and convictions." - Jack Hayford, "Walk in the Spirit" from New Spirit Filled Life Bible, p. 1637.

It's not a once-for-all battle, though. Rather, we could describe the Christian life as an ongoing tug-of-war between our indulgence-craving flesh and the Holy Spirit constraining us toward righteousness. We will experience the victory of the latter more and more often as we repeatedly and continually:

1. Abide in a right relationship with Jesus (Galatians 5:25).

2. Understand our true strength is found in weakness (2 Corinthians 12:10).

3. Submit to the Spirit (Ephesians 5:18).*

*Above three insights from Kenneth C. Ulmer, "Growth Inhibitor #3: The Flesh" - New Spirit Filled Life Bible, p. 1637.

Sounds great. Now to live it!

PRAYER: Dear God, please help me to put all this great theory into practice. I long for the fruit of love, joy, peace, long-suffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control in my life. Amen.

MORE: Lessons from tug-of-war

Tug-of-war is an ancient game of strength. It pits two teams against each other as they pull in opposite directions on the same rope. The team that pulls the rope and the other team over a predetermined mark on the ground, wins.

I found a forum page on which people volunteer their strategies for winning a tug-of-war competition. Though there is no lack of conflicting advice ("I'd say big guys in the back" versus "it's better to put your strongest people in the front") some strategies are instructive in helping us live the Christian life.


"All pull hard at once" - Give resisting temptation your best effort right from the start (Proverbs 4:14).

"Most important thing is to keep leaning back." - Don't even make the first motion toward giving in (Daniel 1:8 versus 1 Kings 11:1,4).

"Maximize the amount of time your feet are on the ground" - Don't lose focus, even for a moment (Romans 6:13).

"Little tricks are the best. Tell your team ahead of time that if the other team says "1,2,3,pull," you will pull on their 2 or 3. They won't be ready because they were preparing to attack." - Be aware of the sneakiness of your own human nature and use that awareness to work in your favor (James 1:12-15).

"Get a synchronized jerking motion so that everyone on the team is pulling at once" and "Get low, lean back, and dig in. Tug of war is almost all in the legs." - Know your weapons (Ephesians 6:10-18).

"Pull your pants down" and "Pull the other team's pants down" - Umm, yep, well, I'm thinking distraction might be a good tactic. Like distracting yourself from the allure of the temptation by planning an escape route (1 Corinthians 10:13).

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Liberty

TODAY'S SPECIAL: Galatians 4:21-5:1

TO CHEW ON: "Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage." Galatians 5:1

At the time I am writing this we are in a season of TV program finales. Last Sunday night the final episode of "Survivor" aired. Last night twitter was full of anticipation over the final episode of "Lost." I watched the ending of "Celebrity Apprentice" (oh foolish woman) -- and vowed next season I wouldn't let myself start following one of these entertaining time-wasters. Because they sure get their hooks in you so you want, no need, to see the next episode, and the next, and the next…

It's a type of bondage, what the dictionary describes as "subjection to any influence or domination." And it's the topic of our today's reading in Galatians.

The bondage that Paul is pleading with the Galatians to throw off once and for all is bondage to keeping the ceremonial law as a way of earning God's favour. The whole reason for that law is because we're under another kind of bondage -- a slavery to ourselves and our own sinful natures. Our dilemma is depicted throughout scripture.

- We show our entrapment when we sin: "His own iniquities entrap the wicked man, and he is caught in the cords of his sin" (Proverbs 5:22).

- We can't change this predilection to sin on our own (Jeremiah 13:23).

- Paul articulates the pinch we're in in Romans 7. Even the rules (law) which God gave to help us understand Him and His standards work against us in that they arouse sinful passions instead of quelling them (Romans 7:5). We find ourselves, despite our best efforts, in bondage to our sinful natures so that Paul cries out in frustration "Who will deliver me from this body of death?" (Romans 7:22-24).

Paul answers his own question in Romans 8. We get free from our sinful selves not by trying to keep laws but by walking according to the Spirit: "For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death" (Romans 8:1-2). It is in this freedom that Paul is pleading with the Galatians to "Stand fast."

What does living in this freedom look like in everyday living? Oswald Chambers says:

"Always keep your life measured by the standards of Jesus. Bow your neck to His yoke alone, and to no other yoke whatever; and be careful to see that you never bind a yoke on others that is not placed by Jesus Christ. It takes God a long time to get us out of the way of thinking that unless everyone sees as we do, they must be wrong. That is never God's view. There is only one liberty, the liberty of Jesus at work in our conscience enabling us to do what is right." (My Utmost for His Highest - May 6 reading)

As I see it, it's a life lived by a conscience formed and sharpened by the Word of God and applied by the Holy Spirit. Your thoughts?

PRAYER: Dear Jesus, help me to life under Your light yoke. May I recognize and stay away from anything that would enslave me under a different yoke. Amen.

MORE: Jason Upton sings "Freedom Reigns"

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Earth gathering

TODAY'S SPECIAL: Isaiah 66:7-24

TO CHEW ON: "'…It shall be that I will gather all nations and tongues; and they shall come and see My glory. 

19 I will set a sign among them; and those among them who escape I will send to the nations: to Tarshish and Pul and Lud, who draw the bow, and Tubal and Javan, to the coastlands afar off who have not heard My fame nor seen My glory. And they shall declare My glory among the Gentiles. 

20 Then they shall bring all your brethren for an offering to the LORD out of all nations, on horses and in chariots and in litters, on mules and on camels, to My holy mountain Jerusalem,' says the LORD, 'as the children of Israel bring an offering in a clean vessel into the house of the LORD.'" Isaiah 66:18b-20

One of the most moving parts of the recent Winter Olympics was the parade of nations during the Opening Ceremonies. As nation after nation entered B.C. Place led by their flag-bearer, its members decked out in the outfits that often incorporated national colors and ethnic designs and symbols, it was hard not to think of the parade of nations described here in Isaiah and in other places in the Bible. Only, this parade will not assemble athletes to compete in physical games of sport, but peoples from every nationality and language to worship God.

The theme of the nations of earth worshiping God spans the Scriptures.
- David predicts it in the Psalms (Psalm 22:27).

- Isaiah describes a time when "the earth shall be full of the knowledge of God as the waters cover the sea" (Isaiah 11:9).

- God's presence in the nations will bring with it a welcomed justice (Isaiah 42:4).

- Jesus commanded His disciples to "Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of theSon and of the Holy Spirit" (Matthew 28:19).

- The Holy Spirit was poured out on Christians at Pentecost for the express purpose of expediting our witness "to the end of the earth" (Acts 1:8).

- The gathering we see in Isaiah 66 when "all flesh shall come to worship before me (66:23) reminds us of other prophetic scenes. The one in Revelation 7:9-10, for example: "I looked and behold, a great multitude which no one could number of all nations, tribes, peoples and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, with palm branches in their hands saying 'Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne and to the Lamb!'"

- But we're not at that time yet. Jesus has promised to delay His return until the gospel has been preached "in all the world" (Matthew 24:14).

I ask myself, what am I doing to make the parade of worshiping nations a reality? What are you doing?

PRAYER: Dear God, I bow to You as ruler supreme. May the day when these scenes of every nation and tribe gathering to worship You come soon. Amen.

MORE: Interceding for nations

Dick Eastman in his book Love On Its Knees devotes a chapter to praying for nations. He says:

"Because the Bible tells us redeemed humanity will come from every tribe, tongue, people and nation, we know that we are interceding in God's will when praying for all four of these categories systematically in our prayers."

He suggests four types of prayers based on the four categories:

1. Interceding for "every tribe": "We must pray for frontier evangelism."
2. Interceding for "every tongue": "We must pray for translation evangelism."
3. Interceding for "every people": "We must pray for national evangelism."
4. Interceding for "every nation": "We must pray for systematic evangelism."

from Dick Eastman On Prayer: Love On Its Knees, pages 106-109.

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