and He adds no sorrow with it

Elisha miraculously blessed a woman from Shunem with a son and then restored that son from death to life (2 Kings 4).  Elisha warned the woman of a seven-year famine, so she took her family to the land of the Philistines to avoid the famine (2 Kings 8).  When they returned, she went to appeal to the king to return her land to her, and Elisha's servant Gehazi just so happened to be telling the king about Elisha restoring the boy's life:

2 Kings 8:6 NIV The king asked the woman about it, and she told him. Then he assigned an official to her case and said to him, "Give back everything that belonged to her, including all the income from her land from the day she left the country until now."

Holy Spirit reminded me of Proverbs 10:22 (NKJV):

The blessing of [Yahweh] makes one rich,
And He adds no sorrow with it.

Father, I believe that you are a good father.  I still don't know how to reconcile what seems to me unnecessary harshness in judgment in the Old Covenant and the book of Revelations, but I trust that you are smarter than me and have a better sense of justice than me, and you can sort all of that out. So, I will praise you and thank you for your goodness to me and the privilege that I have to live in the age of grace.  Jesus, thank you for coming humbly.  I know that you will one day receive the honor and be recognized by all for the authority and power that you do actually have.  Holy Spirit, please show me what my role is here and now to prepare myself, my family, and others for that day.  I love you.

What's in a name?

I've been thinking about the significance of names in the Bible.  For a while, I have been frustrated that God told Moses and all generations thereafter to call Him "Yahweh", but Bible translators call Him "LORD" instead.  I think the enemy tricked them into concealing His name.

Speaking of the enemy, it is ironic to me that he tricked the Bible translators into obscuring God's name with the noun "lord" (from Strong's H113 - adon - which means "master" or "ruler"), while a noun (Strong's H7854 - satan - which means "opponent" or "adversary") was elevated to a proper noun "Satan". I'm not sure we should dignify him with a name; perhaps we could simply refer to him as "the enemy".  On the other hand, he likes to hide in the shadows, so maybe we should call him out "by name".  Alternatively, Beelzebub (Strong's H1176 - lord of flies) or Beelzeboul (Strong's G954 - lord of dung), etc.

Jesus grew up in Nazareth (Matt. 2), so he was called a "Nazarene", which is like "Nazarite" (Strong's H5139 - naziyr - which means a person devoted or consecrated to God).  It seems ironic to me that Jesus's first public miracle was turning water into wine.  

I also wonder if it would be helpful to call Jesus by his Greek (Strong's G2424 - Ἰησοῦς - "ee-ay-sous") or Hebrew (Strong's H3091 - יְהוֹשׁוּעַ - "ye-ho-shoo-a" - which means "Yahweh is salvation") name instead of the English name.

Father, thank you for the privilege of calling you by name.  Jesus, thank you for being personal.  Holy Spirit, thank you for your patience with me.  I love you.

Seeing is not believing

Ecclesiastes 11:7‭-‬8 NIV

Light is sweet, and it pleases the eyes to see the sun.  However many years anyone may live, let them enjoy them all. But let them remember the days of darkness, for there will be many. Everything to come is meaningless.

It is sad that King Solomon drifted away from God during his life.  He had a form of godliness but denied its power.

Ten of the twelve Israelites sent out to explore Canaan said that God couldn't give them the land.  They had seen God decimate the Egyptians and drown Pharaoh's army.  They had seen the presence of God as a cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night.

King Solomon saw the glory of God inhabit the Temple at the dedication ceremony.

Judas witnessed Jesus's life, ministry, and miracles - firsthand.  He had a front row seat.

Somehow, seeing is not believing.

I want to be one with the fire more as much as I want to see its light.  Seeing is better than not seeing, but seeing is trivial compared to being on fire.

Father, please set more of me on fire.  Jesus, you purchased all of me.  Holy Spirit, consume me.  Bring your fire deeper in my heart, soul, mind, and body.  I love you.

Ecclesiastes - missing something

Ecclesiastes 1-3

Everything is meaningless.  Pleasures are meaningless.  Wisdom and folly are meaningless.  Work is meaningless.

A person can do nothing better than to eat and drink and find satisfaction in their own toil. This too, I see, is from the hand of God, for without him, who can eat or find enjoyment? To the person who pleases him, God gives wisdom, knowledge and happiness, but to the sinner he gives the task of gathering and storing up wealth to hand it over to the one who pleases God. This too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind.

Ecclesiastes 2:24‭-‬26 NIV

He almost got it.  Unfortunately, he was too stuck in the here and now.  He didn't see the opportunity to store up treasures in Heaven.  And he missed the most valuable opportunity of all - to grow in intimacy with God now - which will be cherished forever.

Father, I love you, and I want to grow in intimacy with you now.  Today.  Every day from here on out.  Jesus, thank you for your example of intimacy with the Father.  Holy Spirit, please lead me on.  I love you.

Waiting for Jesus

Our family observed a Messianic Passover Seder meal on Good Friday.  Brandi did a wonderful job preparing everything.  Several things impressed me.  

First, before we even started, Brandi prepared a special seat for Jesus.  (Traditionally, it is for Elijah.)  I truly want Jesus to be honored in our family.  I was really touched seeing that seat at the table.  He is so worthy of our worship!  

Second, as we sat around the table, all dressed up, it was so wonderful to spend time dedicated to teaching our children about the long history of people following God.  I really want to help my children be devoted disciples.

Third, at the end of the Seder, the children go open the front door and check to see if Jesus is there.  For several days, Katelyn kept asking if Jesus was going to come get us and take us to heaven.  She was so excited!  I want to have that kind of expectation of His return, and a longing to be present with Him.

Father, thank you for your kindness and patience with me.  Jesus, thank you for your death and resurrection, and thank you for promising to return for us.  Holy Spirit, thank you for your presence.  I love you.

Palm Sunday

(This post is a week late.)

Matthew 21:1-17

Honestly, I've always been confused by celebrating on Palm Sunday. (Similarly, I've never understood high school pep rallies, either.) It seems premature.  Why celebrate that people are fickle and Jesus is about to die?  

I think it is interesting that Jesus did not tell the people that their praise was premature.  He didn't tell them, "Please hold your applause until my second coming."  In fact, Jesus said that if they didn't celebrate, even the rocks would cry out!  In fact, the Zechariah 9:9 prophecy says,

"Rejoice greatly, Daughter Zion!
    Shout, Daughter Jerusalem!
See, your king comes to you,
    righteous and victorious,
lowly and riding on a donkey,
    on a colt, the foal of a donkey.

This past week, I have really been struggling with the "now and the not yet".  Jesus told us to pray for our Father's Kingdom to come and for His will to be done on earth as it is in Heaven.  It is quite clear that there is no coronavirus in Heaven, and yet, it appears to me that coronavirus is on a rampage.

(Mt. 21:9)   As Jesus entered the city on a donkey, the people shouted "hosanna", which means "save now".  Even though we wait, we know that not only will He save us completely one day, but He is currently in the process of saving us.

(Mt. 21:12-14) Jesus went into the temple, and he healed the blind and the lame.  From the perspective of Isaiah 61, this is one of those messianic mic-drop moments.  How can it be any more clear that Jesus is the Messiah???  And yet, it is simultaneously incredibly anticlimactic.  Instead of donning a crown and overthrowing the Roman government, he leaves the temple only to be crucified five days later.

Maybe the point is that it is never too early to celebrate that Jesus is the Messiah?  Even if we don't see His Kingdom fully manifested, we still celebrate now like it is.  Even if it seems like Coronavirus and other evils are unchecked, we celebrate that Jesus is King, and justice is on its way.  Maybe Palm Sunday is about celebrating in spite of waiting for the day when we will be finally free from sin and death.  Jesus's kingdom is upside-down from this world.  He didn't come riding in on a champion steed or celebrated war-horse; he rode in on a rookie, second-class, blue-collar animal that occasionally balks.

I don't want to make Palm Sunday about Coronavirus, because it's even bigger than that.  There are so many other diseases and unjust causes of death that it is overwhelming to think about.  

But the reality is that Jesus is with us.  Zechariah tells us that our King is victorious, and He is with us.  He is victorious, and He is with us. Those two truths are more important than any battle wins or losses.

(Mt. 21:16) When the religious leaders rebuked Jesus for accepting the praise of the children, Jesus quoted Psalm 8:

"'From the lips of children and infants
    you, Lord, have called forth your praise'?"

Childlike faith is characterized by an unswerving commitment, in spite of a lack of understanding.  It does not mean that we check our minds at the door, but it does mean that faith in His goodness and power governs transcends our comprehension.

So, my responses are to (1) enjoy the bowl being empty during this season of quarantine, (2) choose to believe that Jesus is with us through the Holy Spirit and that He loves us, and (3) choose to be a fountain of hope flowing through me into those I influence. 

Father, I believe that you are good and that you are in control.  I don't understand why you are taking so long to stop evil, but I trust you.  Please show me what my role is in revealing the Kingdom of Jesus.  Holy Spirit, thank you for your presence and power.  I love you.

Invitation to come and dine, come and live

Proverbs 9:1‭-‬6 ESV

Wisdom has built her house; she has hewn her seven pillars. She has slaughtered her beasts; she has mixed her wine; she has also set her table. She has sent out her young women to call from the highest places in the town, "Whoever is simple, let him turn in here!" To him who lacks sense she says, "Come, eat of my bread and drink of the wine I have mixed. Leave your simple ways, and live, and walk in the way of insight."

What a beautiful picture of the Gospel!  Jesus was slaughtered so that we could share a meal - a very special meal of bread and wine - in fact, though it is simple, the most special meal of all: His own body and blood.  I am not required to clean myself up or figure out all of the mysteries; I only need to leave my foolish ways behind and, from now on, walk with Jesus in life.

Father, thank you for making a way of righteousness, and thank you for making it simple and available to all.  Jesus, thank you for your body and blood, which are life to us.  Holy Spirit, please help me stay with you on the path of life.  I love you.