October 13

Isaiah 50

7 But the Lord God helps me;
therefore I have not been disgraced;
therefore I have set my face like a flint,
and I know that I shall not be put to shame.
8 He who vindicates me is near.
Who will contend with me?
Let us stand up together.
Who is my adversary?
Let him come near to me.
9 Behold, the Lord God helps me;
who will declare me guilty?
Behold, all of them will wear out like a garment;
the moth will eat them up.

 

Jesus was mocked, scourged, had his beard pulled out, yet he was not to put to shame. The kingdom of God is all turned upside down and the Lord God helps me. Well, him. And we stand in him.

 

Today I heard James MacDonald say that he avoids thoughts of vengeance because he’s waiting for the day when God vindicates. What if God reconciles instead? Wouldn’t that be awesomer? James seems to have a lot of anger. Jesus just looks to the Father.

 

I Thessalonians 1

 

Reputation. People saying good things about you. Must be nice.

What does it mean to listen?

Isaiah 42:18a Hear, you deaf…

Isaiah 42:19 Who is blind but my servant; or as deaf as my messenger whom I send?

Isaiah 42:20b …his ears are open, but he does not hear.

What does it mean to listen? Does it mean you have loads of free time on your hands so you’re available to have conversations, and on top of that, you don’t mind hearing juicy stories about people’s trials and tribulations? Is it just telling people you’re available to be a sounding board? Is that enough to set up shop as a Christian counselor and announce to everyone, often, to come to you for baring of soul and for some good advice?

I don’t think so because I think listening is communicating and I think it’s hard. You have to set aside your own fears, problems, anxieties, and whatever else to focus on the other person. It’s difficult, usually, to step outside the universe that revolves around you and your thoughts to enter someone else’s realm, but if you’re going to be a listener, that’s what you need to do. Otherwise, you’re just a hearer with open ears, but without understanding.

I think you have to probe. You have to ask about feelings, and  you have to press for more when those questions are dodged. You have to explicitly ask what events and attitudes mean in the life of this person, and you have to keep asking in order for that to become clear to them.

You have to risk their ire when it’s time to tell them they are stuck in a rut, are going the wrong way, or are believing untrue things. (I suck at that. I don’t want anyone to be mad at me. Ever.)

It’s work to focus on the message the person is relating.  I think you have to pay attention to what is not being said – what is between the lines – as much as the words that are being spoken. If your mission is to truly be helpful, then you have to listen for what is underneath the surface, not just take in information as if it is the evening news – especially if you consider you are listening in order to minister to the body of Christ. If that’s the case, you then need to offer the Gospel (yes, the Gospel, even to believing brothers and sisters) the good news that we, along with all creation, have been redeemed and are being made new. How can you share that without first hearing what is on their heart?

If you believe you’ve been gifted as a listener and called to a ministry of counseling, work at it. Learn how to listen, analyze, and evaluate (yep, judge.) Do it well. And then give the praise to God.

October 9

I so want to explore something this passage in Isaiah brought to mind. That’s doing the old ‘pick-out-a-phrase-and-go-with-it’ thing that bothers me so much in church. I’m going to do it anyway. Cognitive dissonance rules!

 

In order not to have too bad a headache, I’ll remark on the passages first:

 

Isaiah 41-42

 

It sounds so lovely for Israel; they are God’s chosen ones, bringing blessings to all the nations. Only it’s Jesus who is the true Israel. He was hated, mocked, scourged, and killed, but he is the one who brings glory to the Father, the one who sings a new song of praise. Jesus is the gospel.

 

Colossians 1

Oh, yeah, Jesus is the gospel. He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son,  in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

 

 

October 7

Was Hezekiah given fifteen more years as a sign? I hope so because it seems pretty unfair since Job also walked in faithfulness and with a whole heart. I like Hezekiah’s writing of praise.

 

Phillipians 3:12 Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own.

 

This is a good verse. I should memorize it.

Oct. 6

I read the passages; they did not speak to me. I am dried up.

October 5

Then justice will dwell in the wilderness,
and righteousness abide in the fruitful field.
And the effect of righteousness will be peace,
and the result of righteousness, quietness and trust forever.

Peace, quietness, and trust forever; bring on righteousness then. I crave peace.

And no inhabitant will say, “I am sick”;
the people who dwell there will be forgiven their iniquity.

I am sick. Forgive my iniquity.

October 3

Isaiah 27 – 28

Isaiah 27:12 “In that day from the river Euphrates to the Brook of Egypt the Lord will thresh out the grain, and you will be gleaned one by one, O people of Israel. 13 And in that day a great trumpet will be blown, and those who were lost in the land of Assyria and those who were driven out to the land of Egypt will come and worship the Lord on the holy mountain at Jerusalem.”

Redemption – how sweet it is to read about! The phrase “and you will be gleaned one by one” reminds me that God is omniscient and knows who are his children. He doesn’t forget them and even knows where the lost ones are. It’s comforting, especially during those times when you feel insignificant.

Isaiah 28: “16 therefore thus says the Lord God,
“Behold, I am the one who has laid as a foundation in Zion,
a stone, a tested stone,
a precious cornerstone, of a sure foundation:
‘Whoever believes will not be in haste.’

“…a tested stone…” This hits me: a building material that is sure because of all the testing. The cornerstone is the sure foundation because it’s been tested. Christ’s righteousness, His resurrection: our redemption.

Walking – in love, in the light, and carefully with wisdom. So, sexual immorality, impurity and idolatry the opposite of love, light, and wisdom.  And submission IS love, light, and wisdom. Lord, help me walk in this way.

I came back…

Isaiah 1-9 (September 24-26)

I admit I don’t understand well. Some of this is messianic prophecy, some of it foretells destruction. Why is it all mixed together? I do love the stark contrasts though:

Dumb animals being smarter than God’s people

Haughty people becoming desperate people

Prosperous cities becoming broken down

Fields where abundant crops grew becoming filled with thorns and briers

And in between these beautiful anthems break out:

“In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up; and the train of his robe filled the temple.”

“Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts;
the whole earth is filled with his glory”

“The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light;
Those who dwelt in the land of deep darkness, on them has light shined”

“For unto us a child is born,
Unto us a son is given,
And the government shall be upon his shoulder,
And his name shall be called
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace

Galatians 2-4

Freedom!

Whoa

41 Isaiah said these things because he saw his glory and spoke of him. 42 Nevertheless, many even of the authorities believed in him, but for fear of the Pharisees they did not confess it, so that they would not be put out of the synagogue; 43 for they loved the glory that comes from man more than the glory that comes from God.

How true. How sad.

May 31: Knowing When You’re In Over Your Head

Solomon knew he was in over his head, so when the Lord said he would grant whatever Solomon wished for, Solomon (wisely) asked for wisdom. Of course I know this story – I’ve heard it since I was a child. I also have heard the cautionary remarks about how Solomon’s life didn’t end so wisely since he was led astray by his many, many women. So, yeah, for quite a while there Solomon was renown for his wisdom – and his wealth, which was a by-product of his asking for wisdom. How did he lose it?

Mary is in over her head; she’s crazy about Jesus. Judas is in over his head; all he can think about is money. Jesus turns the whole thing upside-down. I would have commended Judas’ seeming concern for the poor, and I would have looked at Mary like she was crazy. (By the way, I love John’s snarkiness.)

The Pharisees see that they are losing control and the flood is closing in over their heads. They are considering drastic measures, the mark of desperate men. “Kill Jesus!” “The crowd wants to see Lazarus, who was raised from the dead.” “Kill him too!” Come to think of it, they keep trying to kill followers (and are successful) yet they can’t stop the flow.

The crowd, in my opinion, is in over it’s head because they are starting to act like a mob. People are just reacting to events as they occur, and even the disciples can’t seem to put it altogether until Jesus was glorified.

God uses us despite our folly. God uses those who oppose Him to bring about redemption. God smiles at costly, emotive, extravagant devotion. God is patient in revealing. We are impatient with him. He still uses us.