Thursday Devotional – Jesus is Worthy and So is God the Father (1/16/25)

As a kid, it was hard to fathom continual worship in heaven. I couldn’t imagine a worship service that never ended! “Praise” nights at church were fun, but I got tired of standing after a while.

After studying the book of John last year and then Revelation this year, I think I understand continual worship a little bit better. In the book of John, he painted a satisfying picture for those who follow Jesus. Jesus offers the greatest imaginable thirst and hunger quencher as the living water and bread of life. Jesus also says He came to give abundant life as our Light, Shepherd, Vine and Savior. He’s the most rewarding relationship we could ever have! He offers perfect, complete and eternal love. That’s who we will be by our side for all eternity! It will be the most satisfying experience to be in God’s presence and worship Him, just as it is for the 4 living creatures and 24 elders.  

Revelation 4:6b-11 In the center, around the throne, were four living creatures, and they were covered with eyes, in front and in back. ⁷ The first living creature was like a lion, the second was like an ox, the third had a face like a man, the fourth was like a flying eagle. ⁸ Each of the four living creatures had six wings and was covered with eyes all around, even under its wings. Day and night they never stop saying:

“‘Holy, holy, holy

is the Lord God Almighty,’

who was, and is, and is to come.”

⁹ Whenever the living creatures give glory, honor and thanks to him who sits on the throne and who lives for ever and ever, ¹⁰ the twenty-four elders fall down before him who sits on the throne and worship him who lives for ever and ever. They lay their crowns before the throne and say:

¹¹ “You are worthy, our Lord and God,
    to receive glory and honor and power,
for you created all things,
    and by your will they were created
    and have their being.”

This is a picture of a holy, perfect, and completely satisfying experience worshiping our Creator God! If sharing the tastiest meal with the most enjoyable person is pleasurable in this life and something we never want to end, then being in the presence of God will be far more spectacular, amazing and delightful! We won’t run out of things to taste, hear, see, feel, smell, say or experience! How does that excite you for Heaven? We’ll get to celebrate the worthiest Almighty God each and everyday! 

Thursday Devotional - All-Knowing God and Job’s Everything (10/10/24)

Remember Job’s vindication from last week? Not only did God vindicate Job before his friends, but He also restored his health and replaced his family and property. I couldn’t find in the Bible where it specifically stated God healed Job, but other details imply he was healed. For instance, people weren’t to offer sacrifices until after their leprosy, disease or other “uncleanness” was healed and a period of cleansing had taken place. So, it seems God healed Job when He came and spoke to Job and his three friends because at the end God asked Job to pray and make sacrifices for his three friends. Plus, Job resumed and enjoyed life like he had before.  

Job 42:10-17      ¹⁰ After Job had prayed for his friends, the Lord restored his fortunes and gave him twice as much as he had before. ¹¹ All his brothers and sisters and everyone who had known him before came and ate with him in his house. They comforted and consoled him over all the trouble the Lord had brought on him, and each one gave him a piece of silver and a gold ring.

¹² The Lord blessed the latter part of Job’s life more than the former part. He had fourteen thousand sheep, six thousand camels, a thousand yoke of oxen and a thousand donkeys. ¹³ And he also had seven sons and three daughters. ¹⁴ The first daughter he named Jemimah, the second Keziah and the third Keren-Happuch. ¹⁵ Nowhere in all the land were there found women as beautiful as Job’s daughters, and their father granted them an inheritance along with their brothers.

¹⁶ After this, Job lived a hundred and forty years; he saw his children and their children to the fourth generation. ¹⁷ And so Job died, an old man and full of years.

Not only did God replace all that Job lost (to the exact number of sons and daughters), but God gave back double his fortune and livestock! If you remember from Job 1:2-3       ² He had seven sons and three daughters, ³ and he owned seven thousand sheep, three thousand camels, five hundred yoke of oxen and five hundred donkeys, and had a large number of servants. He was the greatest man among all the people of the East.

I would guess that when it says in Job 42:12 “The Lord blessed the latter part of Job’s life more than the former part” that it includes Job’s spiritual relationship with God. If Job was so trusting of and loyal to God before, how much more rich his relationship must have been after! He certainly had no doubt that EVERYTHING comes from God. God is the only All-knowing, Almighty, Sovereign Creator and sustainer of the universe!!!!!

How might truly believing that also affect your and my life? I think that if I truly believe everything comes from God, then I’ll be humble in seasons of ease and plenty and I’ll be content to trust God in seasons of hardship.

I pray we’ve all grown in a deeper understanding of God as we’ve watched Job these last 16 weeks! May the truths encourage and comfort you and me as we go through the highs and lows in life.

Thursday Devotional - All-Knowing God and Job’s Humble Response (9/26/24)

 This week, Joe and I spent hours working through a school situation with one of our kids. There have been differing stories. As we’ve prayed for wisdom and truth to be revealed, it still hasn’t been clear exactly what happened. I want all the people involved to be able to know and believe the truth! I realize that might not happen. In acknowledging God’s sovereignty over the situation, I want to trust God with the outcome.

When Job finally hears from God, he doesn’t get all his questions answered, either. Instead, throughout Job chapters 38-41, the All-knowing and Almighty God details out various aspects of Creation that only He understands and controls. I imagine He spoke with a majestic and thunderous voice through the storm!

In response, Job spoke briefly in the middle and at the end of God’s discourse.

Job 40:1-10 The Lord said to Job:

² “Will the one who contends with the Almighty correct him?
    Let him who accuses God answer him!”

³ Then Job answered the Lord:

⁴ “I am unworthy—how can I reply to you?
    I put my hand over my mouth.
⁵ I spoke once, but I have no answer—
    twice, but I will say no more.”

⁶ Then the Lord spoke to Job out of the storm:

⁷ “Brace yourself like a man;
    I will question you,
    and you shall answer me.

⁸ “Would you discredit my justice?
    Would you condemn me to justify yourself?
⁹ Do you have an arm like God’s,
    and can your voice thunder like his?
¹⁰ Then adorn yourself with glory and splendor,
    and clothe yourself in honor and majesty…

Job 42:1-6 Then Job replied to the Lord:

² “I know that you can do all things;
    no purpose of yours can be thwarted.
³ You asked, ‘Who is this that obscures my plans without knowledge?’
    Surely I spoke of things I did not understand,
    things too wonderful for me to know.

⁴ “You said, ‘Listen now, and I will speak;
    I will question you,
    and you shall answer me.’
⁵ My ears had heard of you
    but now my eyes have seen you.
⁶ Therefore I despise myself
    and repent in dust and ashes.”

Job rightly and humbly acknowledged God’s might, sovereignty, and wisdom! His only response was that of worship and repentance. He asked no further questions. He knew God was real, active, powerful, and in control.

In Joe’s and my situation with our kid, we can humbly acknowledge our rightful place before God, too. He’s aware of the situation, in control and can be trusted with the outcome. Instead of focusing on the resolution we want, we can ask God to help us and our kids humbly learn, grow and move forward for His purposes.

With what situation in your life will you humbly surrender to our All-knowing God? 

Thursday Devotional - All-Knowing God and Job’s Confidence (9/12/24)

 Job still doesn’t have answers and his friends keep adding heaps of ridicule to his already tormented mental and physical state. He calls them to be silent. He doesn’t need to talk to them, but directly to His Creator!

Job 13:1-5, 15-19 “My eyes have seen all this,
    my ears have heard and understood it.
² What you know, I also know;
    I am not inferior to you.
³ But I desire to speak to the Almighty
    and to argue my case with God.
⁴ You, however, smear me with lies;
    you are worthless physicians, all of you!
⁵ If only you would be altogether silent!
    For you, that would be wisdom.

¹⁵  Though he slay me, yet will I hope in him;
    I will surely defend my ways to his face.
¹⁶ Indeed, this will turn out for my deliverance,
    for no godless person would dare come before him!
¹⁷ Listen carefully to what I say;
    let my words ring in your ears.
¹⁸ Now that I have prepared my case,
    I know I will be vindicated.
¹⁹ Can anyone bring charges against me?
    If so, I will be silent and die.

I don’t think Job is speaking out of pride. In chapter 9 he declared no one can compare to the Almighty God. I think he knows there is something he doesn’t know. He doesn’t believe God is smiting him for some unknown sin. Even though he feels like God is against him, he confirms that he has no hope in anyone or anything other than God. I think the Holy Spirit is speaking through him prophetically when he says “this will turn out for my deliverance” and “I know I will be vindicated.” Job is confident in who God is.

What is unsettling for you and me right now? Maybe it’s the political climate, a health concern, a family situation, or a rocky relationship – our Almighty God knows all about it and is in control. Like Job, you and I can remain confident in God, while still confused with the circumstances around us. 

Thursday Devotional - All-Knowing God and Rebuking Zophar (8/22/24)

Now we meet Job’s third friend, Zophar! We’ve heard Eliphaz start with encouragement and end with ignorant talk. Bildad jumped right in with telling Job what God would or wouldn’t do. Zophar is more like Bildad. He skips over any encouragement and starts immediately with rebuke.

Job 11:1-3, 7-9, 14-19 Then Zophar the Naamathite replied:

² “Are all these words to go unanswered?
    Is this talker to be vindicated?
³ Will your idle talk reduce others to silence?
    Will no one rebuke you when you mock?

⁷ “Can you fathom the mysteries of God?
    Can you probe the limits of the Almighty?
⁸ They are higher than the heavens above—what can you do?
    They are deeper than the depths below—what can you know?
⁹ Their measure is longer than the earth
    and wider than the sea.

¹⁴ if you put away the sin that is in your hand
    and allow no evil to dwell in your tent,
¹⁵ then, free of fault, you will lift up your face;
    you will stand firm and without fear.
¹⁶ You will surely forget your trouble,
    recalling it only as waters gone by.
¹⁷ Life will be brighter than noonday,
    and darkness will become like morning.
¹⁸ You will be secure, because there is hope;
    you will look about you and take your rest in safety.
¹⁹ You will lie down, with no one to make you afraid,
    and many will court your favor.

Zophar was correct that the All-knowing, Almighty God cannot be completely understood and figured out by man. So, why does Zophar proceed to tell Job what God will do if Job repents of his sin? How can he say with complete confidence that God will restore Job’s health, happiness, power, security and fame?

Zophar’s rebuke was not from or of God. There are times to rebuke, but we need to make sure we go about it carefully and accurately, as Paul charged Timothy in II Timothy 4:2 "Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction." (Side note – we just finished studying II Timothy as a family last night and I realized how much of the book could be used to counter rebuke Job’s friends! 😊)

It’s impossible to know and explain everything about God, but He has revealed certain aspects of Himself through the Bible. Let’s carefully study, apply and share those truths with others so we aren’t a Zophar. Lord, help us to be a true encouragement to the believers around us and to know when and how to appropriately rebuke, when necessary.

Thursday Devotional - Let the Almighty Avenge

When James won’t stop bothering Sarah, even after Sarah asks him to stop, she has sometimes resorted to pushing him away, biting, or pinching. Her revenge is often worse than the original “harm.” She is the one who then gets in trouble! I keep reminding her how she can handle those situations – she can nicely ask him to please stop, she can move away or she can go to another room. If none of that works, then she can tell an adult (usually Joe or me 😊) so the adult can address the situation. The adult could then administer the appropriate discipline for James.  

On a grander scale, Paul challenges us to overcome evil with good and not take vengeance into our own hands for personal offenses. We’re to let God avenge. 

Romans 12:17-21 Do not repay anyone evil for evil.  Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody.  If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.  Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord.  On the contrary: “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink.  In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.”  Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.  Romans 12:17-21

Paul isn’t saying we are to let evil continue and let people get away with evil. Two weeks ago we read in Romans 12:9 that we are to hate evil. Also, in the next chapter (ch. 13), Paul talks about governing authorities and their role (with laws/punishment/consequences, etc.). Paul says above not to repay evil for evil. We’re not to engage in evil to get back at someone doing evil. Screaming at someone who is screaming at me, doesn’t usually solve the problem. Cutting someone off in traffic because they cut me off doesn’t help (and puts us all in more danger).

Where do you and I have a desire to repay evil for evil?  How does it help you and me to know we’re to leave it to God to avenge? He’s the most just and can handle it!

Alice

It's Uncomfortable

“Then these righteous ones will reply, ‘Lord, when did we ever see you hungry and feed you? Or thirsty and give you something to drink?  Or a stranger and show you hospitality? Or naked and give you clothing? When did we ever see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ 

“And the King will say, ‘I tell you the truth, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me!’"  Matthew 25:37-40

This is a very difficult devotion for me to write.  Don't fret!  This is not a parting devotion.  However, this is one that will make some very clear statements, and some of you will feel very uncomfortable.  If it does, then I am happy because as much as I prefer not to have conflict, I must because I trust that God loves us enough that we can discuss this openly.  Trust that you understand what is said is not meant as malicious or ill willed.  It is simply because I love you enough to share my world with you.  There is a part of me that knows I’m entering the danger, but God simply put something in my heart I can no longer simply ignore.

We are living in a time where there is a deepening racial divide.  Although I have been blessed to be around a number of beautiful people who would look at me as just Kent, I live in a world that still does not understand what it means to be black in America.  It does not mean that I hold ill will if you do not understand, and I will still smile to say hello regardless of what race you may be.  I bring up my race not to insult you.  It is however to remind you.  It is to remind you that when I am not in the room and you hear someone say something racially insensitive, it is totally unacceptable, and I would expect you to speak as if I was there.  It is to look at me as a friend even when your experience with other African Americans may have been negative.  All because I may look like them does not mean I or the next person acts like them.  It is to say that when there is outrage after a policeman is shot but silence when an innocent black man is, I would ask you to look in the mirror because something is very wrong with that picture.  And when you support a candidate who has proven on multiple occasions that he violates Jesus’ greatest commandment, to love thy neighbor as thyself, all because he will either support the Supreme Court or change things, I will simply say your heart is in the wrong place, and you need to know this.  Why?  Because of the verses above.  If something hurt me, it would not bother me at all for you, the reader, to disagree.  But if it hurts those closest to me too, that tells me my feelings are not that far off, and it is not political or media induced.  It is very personal.  If any or all of this makes you uncomfortable, I am not sorry.  It is the discomfort I have carried for years that pushed me to write this.

God wants us to grow through our discomfort to better love one another.  I brought up today's verses because doing what is right is not always comfortable, but we should always seek it for the greater good of God's Kingdom.  It is easy for us to simply be good people loving God and being good to others.  However allowing others to say offensive things about another or be racially insensitive just to not offend them is never acceptable.  Ever.  My greatest fear was that my feelings on this would offend others who would call me overly sensitive.  Jesus was never one to shy away from controversy.  He did not walk into the synagogue to make the Pharisees feel comfortable.  He made it uncomfortable.  Very uncomfortable!  God challenges us to do things we are not always comfortable doing for His will.  Not ours.  It is never easy, but it is always righteous.

We cannot be Christians and dismiss the wrongs in the world.  One of the reason God and politics do not mix well is because both sides pick what they like but yet none are willing to embrace all of what Jesus Christ teaches.  My goal is not to have people change party lines.  It is to simply look to Him and acknowledge that there are some fundamental things we just should not tolerate any more.  We can support police while crying for justice when one of them does wrong.  We can learn to understand the pain of one who was both white and a minority in the city, and we can stand up for one who is black and makes us uncomfortable.  We can still love our country and show love and respect for a person who holds their fist up in the air or kneels down to bring awareness of civil injustice.  God did not make us the same color to challenge us to look beyond our skin.  And yes, He loves all of us!.  As such, we are to love each other freely and unconditionally.  It does not ask us to pick those we know.  It says to love all of our neighbor as ourselves.  Do you have God's love in your heart yet deny Him with others?  Are you willing to feel discomfort to challenge your own views on race?  My prayer is that we fight our own unconscious racial bias understanding our discomfort God is placing in our minds and hearts.  Amen.

The Best In You

God has given each of you a gift from his great variety of spiritual gifts. Use them well to serve one another.  Do you have the gift of speaking? Then speak as though God himself were speaking through you. Do you have the gift of helping others? Do it with all the strength and energy that God supplies. Then everything you do will bring glory to God through Jesus Christ. All glory and power to him forever and ever! Amen.  1 Peter 4:10-11

I have done a number of presentations on the idea of utilizing your strengths.  It is my favorite topic this time of year because I first was enlighten by that very topic then. It has molded me in a number of ways. Various tests have told me that my greatest strength is my heart for others, and it impacts everything I do.  For example in high school, it took me forever just to write a 500 word essay. I’m guessing some of you who have read my devotions are laughing right now at that very idea.  Some have even outright told me, “Kent, you might want to shorten some of those down.”    However, the thing that has changed from my high school days to my devotion writing is what God has placed on my heart.  My best writing always comes when God inspires my heart to say things about His love and grace.  It is the relationship I have with Him that encourages me to love on others and challenges me when I want to distance myself from them.  That is my strength, and I do my best to release it to all who I come into contact with because they then see the best in me.  They see what God sees in me.

Our talents and strengths are a reflection of what God has instilled in us, and they are to be shared with the world.  Most of us choose to use our talents at work or display our strengths only at home.  However as the latter part of today’s verse clearly points out, it asks us to “Do it with all the strength and energy that God supplies."  Not a lot of room for partial effort here.  Do you ask yourself are my spiritual gifts shared not only with family and friends but also coworkers?  Do you volunteer for causes that could benefit from your talent? These are questions I have asked myself only to realize that I fall short and need to take corrective action. You see, this is not optional for followers of Jesus Christ.  We must share our time, effort, and talent with our church and community for if we are not, we are unfortunately part of the problem.  If you are unsure what you can offer, do not let it discourage you. Just show up!  We will never know what we are capable of unless we just try something.  It could be as simple as helping a child in a reading program or as complex as constructing a church on a mission trip.  Whatever God inspires you to move on, act on it.

God created this incredible individual called ‘you!’  You are strong, beautiful, and a gift from an almighty God who we are humbled to be in His service and is indeed worthy of praise!  He has instilled in you gifts whether you realize it or not.  Our mission is to not shelter them for a select few.  Today’s verse says, “Use them well to serve one another.”  That is our purpose.  What gifts do you have to offer in your church or community now?  Will you stop hesitating and start trying to serve today? My prayer and challenge is that we stop sheltering ourselves and display what God sees; the best in you.  Amen.

The Value of Forgiveness

Then Jesus told him this story: “A man loaned money to two people—500 pieces of silver^[i] to one and 50 pieces to the other.  But neither of them could repay him, so he kindly forgave them both, canceling their debts. Who do you suppose loved him more after that?”

Simon answered, “I suppose the one for whom he canceled the larger debt.”

“That’s right,” Jesus said.   Then he turned to the woman and said to Simon, “Look at this woman kneeling here. When I entered your home, you didn’t offer me water to wash the dust from my feet, but she has washed them with her tears and wiped them with her hair.  You didn’t greet me with a kiss, but from the time I first came in, she has not stopped kissing my feet.  You neglected the courtesy of olive oil to anoint my head, but she has anointed my feet with rare perfume.

“I tell you, her sins—and they are many—have been forgiven, so she has shown me much love. But a person who is forgiven little shows only little love.” Then Jesus said to the woman, “Your sins are forgiven.”  Luke 7:41-48

I went to visit my Dad’s alma mater the other day in Virginia.  My Dad passed away almost nine years ago, and it was a chance to visit the halls that he walked through over seventy years ago.  We stopped for a moment to allow for my daughter to use the rest room.  The building had about eight different doors at the front, and all were locked.  Fortunately at the last door, a lady was kind enough to let her in.  It was at that final door that I would find something beyond special.  Engraved in the glass next to the door was a list of donors who contributed to the building.  One of those names listed was my father.  Although I knew he contributed greatly to the university, I had never knew there was anything noting his contributions.  It was a humbling experience to have seen something he himself had not lived long enough to see.  Others may not have ever known what he did or how great a man he was.  But I do because I know all that he did especially for me, and that made it all the more valuable.

This story brings me to the topic of understanding the value of God's forgiveness for our sins.  One cannot truly love God without acknowledging how valued His sacrifice for us was.  The story in today’s verses has me focused on the woman at Jesus’ feet.  Prior to these verses, it said, “(S)he knelt behind him at his feet, weeping. Her tears fell on his feet, and she wiped them off with her hair. Then she kept kissing his feet and putting perfume on them.” (Luke 7:38)  To truly value what was happening, imagine yourself before Jesus knowing your wrongdoings and being unable to hide from them.  Could you hold yourself together and stand strong, or would you find yourself much like this ‘certain immoral woman’ weeping uncontrollably?  Her tears were so great she had washed Jesus’ feet with them.  That’s some serious crying!  And Jesus, while acknowledging her sins were many, showered her with forgiveness.  We know we fall short of God’s glory, and we are born again through Christ.  But our greatest capacity to love Him falls on acknowledging how flawed we are without Him.  Let me say it another way.  If we cannot understand how flawed we are, we cannot fully love God because we will never value our forgiveness as much as one who sees themselves as tragically flawed.  This is the lesson Jesus is trying to teach.  We may be great followers of Christ in theory.  But for those without hope and love and who God has come and given them a new life through Jesus Christ, the value of His forgiveness is priceless.

We are all valued by God.  Seeing someone’s love for Christ does not make their love better or worse.  It does give us an opportunity to check where we are in our own walk for if we sense our love for God is not as great as it should, then our value system may need restructuring.  If it does, understand God loves us enough to guide and forgive as we forge a stronger and more fulfilling relationship with Him.  How can you reveal yourself to God with all of your flaws?  Will you value His forgiveness now more than ever today?  My prayer is that we seek to gain greater love for God by fully valuing His forgiveness.  Amen.

Free Indeed

Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, everyone who sins is a slave of sin.  A slave is not a permanent member of the family, but a son is part of the family forever.  So if the Son sets you free, you are truly free.”  John 8:34-36

My coming to God felt a bit unique.  Many people come to God when times are at their worst.  They have nowhere to turn to, and there they find God.  In my case, it was more of a revelation.  I was not in any stress nor struggling in any way.  For the longest while, I believed that my sins would forever distance me from God.  It was during that time that I came to give what would become my testimony.  I shared with others that I had indeed been sinful, and by no means would I deserve to be in Heaven.  Instead, my goal was that maybe I could save someone through the tales of my mistakes.  This moment of admitting my own vulnerability to sin became the day of my liberation.  That is when God showed me His grace, and thus, I have been able to tell of this and literally hundreds of other stories because of it.

Showing our vulnerability to God is liberating.  I mentioned that many people come to God when times are at their worst.  Most of those will say they had been fighting and losing their battles with the world, and after agonizing in their sinful ways, they looked to God asking Him to free them from the bondage of their circumstances.  Even though we are saved through Christ, many of us still remain susceptible to believing we are not free.  Jesus said, “Everyone who sins is a slave to sin.”  This is our moment of vulnerability.  We know none of us alone are free from this, but Jesus followed this up saying, “So if the Son sets you free, you are truly free.”  Thus through the confessing of our own sins to God, the weight of our past (our guilt, sorrow, pain, suffering, and bitterness) goes away.  To a new believer, they are born again.  To those who have served God for years, they are strengthened and renewed by the power of God to take away that which might hold them down in bondage.

God’s truth gives us freedom.  Jesus said to His believers, “You are truly my disciples if you remain faithful to my teachings.  And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” (John 8:31b-32)  The truth is Jesus Christ is Lord of our lives, and through Him, we are saved from God’s judgment.  There is nothing wrong with saying we are vulnerable to sin because we all are.  However if we can meet it with the determination and faith that our Lord Jesus Christ saves us, we are free.  What sins are holding you from the freedom Christ provides us with?  How can you free others through the testimony of your own vulnerabilities?  My prayer is that although we sin, we realize that through Jesus Christ we are free indeed.  Amen.

The Case for Vulnerability - Pt. 2 (Vulnerable As A Child)

About that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Who is greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven?”

Jesus called a little child to him and put the child among them.  Then he said,“I tell you the truth, unless you turn from your sins and become like little children, you will never get into the Kingdom of Heaven.”  Matthew 18:1-3

My pastor talked about some of the ugliness in our lives that we would not want others to see.  God sees all this, and yet, we will still play naïve thinking we can somehow justify this to Him.  For me, I know that I should be honest with God and look to Him saying, “Lord, I am so weak.  I do not know why you love me, but help me in my weakness.”  That is the epitome of being vulnerable; being at the point where you are so desolate and helpless that you can only go to Him and admit your faults.  It sounds sad, but here is the most amazing thing about this point.  That is exactly where God wants us!  He wants us to acknowledge our dependency on Him, and in spite of our flaws, we are perfected through Jesus Christ.  We are wonderful, amazing, and beautiful both through Him and to Him.

If we are to realize that being vulnerable to God is a good thing, then we must also acknowledge that we are both weak to the world and cannot survive without Him.  Jesus clearly spells out where our dependency on God should be at the beginning of Matthew 18.  I often asked myself, “Why would Jesus want us to be like little children?  Doesn’t He want us to grow spiritually to become mature?”  The answer to this is of course yes, but the point Jesus is trying to make is not for us to act like little children that are naïve to the ways of the world and indulgent to it like not knowing when to stop eating cookies from the cookie jar.  It is to understand that little children are both incredibly vulnerable and dependent.  They need nurturing and love from their parents to be taught right from wrong.  Similar to this, we are susceptible to the ways of the world, and thus incredibly vulnerable.  However, we have an all knowing Heavenly Father who we can depend on, and He provides us with both love and protection should we reach out to Him.  Furthermore, His word teaches us how to live a fulfilling and righteous life.

Surrendering all to God is our goal as Christians, and we simply cannot do so without admitting to our own vulnerability and weakness.  Paul took pleasure in His vulnerability in last week’s verse, and this week, Jesus says we all must acknowledge that without Him, we are spiritually weak and vulnerable to attack from the world.  It is only through this admission that we gain access to God’s Kingdom.

Over the next few weeks, I will cover a lot of ground on how God uses our vulnerability to make us strong.  In the meantime, ask yourself these questions.  How can you like Paul find God’s strength in your vulnerabilities?  What parts of your life can you display a child-like dependency on God more?  My prayer is that we spiritually mature into vulnerable children serving an awesome loving and forgiving God.  Amen.

Thurs Devo: Where to Hide?

Have you ever played Hide and Seek with small children? Often they hide in very visible and easy to find places! Just the other weekend, two small foster kids (ones we’ve been keeping some weekends) sat next to each other and “hid” on the other side of our large living room chair. Since they couldn’t see me, they assumed I couldn’t see them!

Similarly, we can’t hide from God. Just because we can’t “see” Him doesn’t mean He can’t see us. He sees everything. At the end of time, when He releases His wrath, all kinds of people will try to hide from His wrath.

Revelation 6:12-17    ¹² I watched as he opened the sixth seal. There was a great earthquake. The sun turned black like sackcloth made of goat hair, the whole moon turned blood red,¹³ and the stars in the sky fell to earth, as figs drop from a fig tree when shaken by a strong wind. ¹⁴ The heavens receded like a scroll being rolled up, and every mountain and island was removed from its place.

¹⁵ Then the kings of the earth, the princes, the generals, the rich, the mighty, and everyone else, both slave and free, hid in caves and among the rocks of the mountains. ¹⁶ They called to the mountains and the rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the face of him who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb! ¹⁷ For the great day of their wrath has come, and who can withstand it?”

No one can hide or escape from God. Death will not give relief to those experiencing God’s wrath. In fact, eternal death will be far worse. If those running and hiding from God would instead turn and run towards God, He will forgive them, even in the last moments of time.

When God’s final judgment day comes, will you be hiding in dread or resting secure in your relationship with God Almighty? Who do you and I know that even now seems to be trying to hide from God instead of running towards Him? What truths will you and I share with them?    

Alice

The Case for Vulnerability - Pt. 1

That’s why I take pleasure in my weaknesses, and in the insults, hardships, persecutions, and troubles that I suffer for Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong.  2 Corinthians 12:10

A group I was in had a conversation about the topic of ‘vulnerability.’  This is a topic that I am very passionate about.  I am so passionate about it that I wrote about it once in a devotion a couple of years ago.  That did not get a lot of traction not only as a devotion but also in the conversation.  A lot of it has to do with how it has been defined as many people define vulnerability as weakness.  I once thought that way.  Then I found out something.  The less vulnerable I made myself to others, the less authentic I was.  I became less caring and dare I say dishonest.  Not just with others but more importantly myself. I believed I could handle everything.  “You can’t break me,” I thought.  What’s worse, I placed that framework on others.  Thus I became less forgiving and more judgmental.

Shortly after being born again, the script began to change.  Rather than try to hide my vulnerability (very trusting and emotionally caring such that it could be taken advantage), I opened my heart up to those who I knew.  Did this mean I was disappointed at times?  Yes. In fact, one of my greatest disappointments happened very recently where I ended up losing a friend.  However, it has not changed my willingness to be emotionally vulnerable.  Why? Because all of a sudden, I have a group of people who have become my closest friends, most passionate defenders, and most authentic relationships that one could ever have.  They are people who bring joy in my life, and while this sounds all warm and fuzzy, we actually have fights and disagreements!  But there is so much love and respect we have for each other that the bitterness never lasts.

I have thus come to realize that loving God requires utter and complete vulnerability.  Vulnerability does not make you weak.  Contrary to that thought, you gain strength when shown at the right time.  You will find that you become resilient in the face of uncertainty.  You find love in the midst of a great deal of pain, and trust me, you will have pain.  If you end up being vulnerable to those who matter the most, you all of a sudden realize you are courageous willing to put yourself out there where others are unwilling to and being more authentic than ever.  You find comfort knowing no matter how bad it is, God is with you, and from that, there is nothing you cannot overcome.

God loves us no matter what the world sees in us.  Someone once said, “Vulnerability is about showing up and being seen. It's tough to do that when we're terrified about what people might see or think.”  We must overcome this because it does not matter.  What's important is that showing vulnerability and owning that we are indeed weak alone but strong through Christ can indeed strengthen not only our faith but also how others view us.  What vulnerabilities do you have that you can tell to God?  How can you show strength through to others through your vulnerabilities?  My prayer is that we begin to make the case of being utterly and completely vulnerable to God.  Amen.  More on this next week!