Prince of Peace
“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God.” Matthew 5:9
“How beautiful on the mountains,” sang the prophet Isaiah, “are the feet of those who bring good tidings, who proclaim salvation, who say to Zion, ‘Your God reigns!’”[1] Whether or not he knew it, Isaiah sang of Christ, the long-awaited Messiah, the Prince of Peace. Later, Isaiah wrote of the suffering and glory of the Lord’s Servant. He foresaw the One who was “despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering.”[2] “He was pierced for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon Him, and by His wounds we are healed.”[3]
The punishment that brought us peace was borne upon Golgotha. This makes the peace of Christ, His gift to us, both immensely costly and incredibly valuable. There was nothing cheap about His peacemaking. Paul reminds us that, through Christ, God reconciled all things to Himself, “making peace through His blood, shed on the Cross.”[4] So, since peace and suffering were so intertwined in the life of our Savior, why do we think that we can have one without the other today? Until He comes again, the business of peacemaking will be costly for those who bear the name of Christ. After all, we must share in His sufferings now if we are to share in His glory hereafter.[5] But whatever our circumstances, no matter how difficult it becomes for us to be peacemakers in a violent, cynical world, we should never lose heart. We are secure in Christ. He has won us at a great price. From now on, He is our peace.[6]
Beautiful Savior,
Beyond the battlefields of a godless world You have brought me,
to the broad, fair, beautiful uplands of grace.
You have captured my heart through the incomparable riches of Your grace.
Now send me as an ambassador of Your peaceable Kingdom,
so that others may know the joy that is mine.
For Your love’s sake.
Amen.
[1] Isaiah 52:7
[2] Isaiah 53:3
[3] Isaiah 53:5
[4] Colossians 1:20
[5] Romans 8:17
[6] Ephesians 2:14
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Monday, March 30, 2009
Blessed are...
Sons of God
“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God.” Matthew 5:9
If there is some kind of progression in the Beatitudes, as many have argued, then the end of verse nine could be seen as an anti-climax. Verse eight promises that, if we are pure in heart, we will see God. Many regard this as the most sublime reward, to gaze upon our holy God, to see Him as He really is, and to recognize in His features, the face of Christ. At the side of this beatific vision, to be called ‘sons of God’ seems rather tame.
The problem is that the world has hijacked our terminology and repeated the half-truth until we have believed it. Nowadays, it has become commonplace to be told that we are all children of God. It has become almost heretical to question this perceived wisdom, but we must. The truth is that, although we were created as God’s children, by our willful disobedience we fell from grace. Adam and Eve were ejected from the Garden,[1] in a story that is equally our own. Estranged from God, His image within them defaced, our spiritual ancestors lost their birthright. Sharing their fate, participants in their rebellion, we have no business claiming kinship with the God whose laws we have consistently rejected.
Or, rather, that would be the case, apart from Jesus. Justified through faith, we now have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.[2] Now, “to those who have received Him, to those who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God.”[3] we are no longer slaves to sin. “We are sons of God.”[4] we are heirs of the promises, but we are also inheritors of the responsibilities – not the least of which is to be bearers of the peace Christ died to give.
Seeing God is one thing. Seeing Him as His child is quite another. By grace, we are restored to what we were always intended to be. There can be no higher privilege than to be known as sons and daughters of God.
Father,
Like the Prodigal, I too have wandered far from Your love.
I have traded the privilege of belonging for a liberty that only left me enslaved.
But how great is the love that You have lavished upon me in Christ,
for You have called me, and by grace I have come.
In the name of Jesus.
Amen.
[1] Genesis 3:23
[2] Romans 5:1
[3] John 1:12
[4] Romans 8:14
“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God.” Matthew 5:9
If there is some kind of progression in the Beatitudes, as many have argued, then the end of verse nine could be seen as an anti-climax. Verse eight promises that, if we are pure in heart, we will see God. Many regard this as the most sublime reward, to gaze upon our holy God, to see Him as He really is, and to recognize in His features, the face of Christ. At the side of this beatific vision, to be called ‘sons of God’ seems rather tame.
The problem is that the world has hijacked our terminology and repeated the half-truth until we have believed it. Nowadays, it has become commonplace to be told that we are all children of God. It has become almost heretical to question this perceived wisdom, but we must. The truth is that, although we were created as God’s children, by our willful disobedience we fell from grace. Adam and Eve were ejected from the Garden,[1] in a story that is equally our own. Estranged from God, His image within them defaced, our spiritual ancestors lost their birthright. Sharing their fate, participants in their rebellion, we have no business claiming kinship with the God whose laws we have consistently rejected.
Or, rather, that would be the case, apart from Jesus. Justified through faith, we now have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.[2] Now, “to those who have received Him, to those who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God.”[3] we are no longer slaves to sin. “We are sons of God.”[4] we are heirs of the promises, but we are also inheritors of the responsibilities – not the least of which is to be bearers of the peace Christ died to give.
Seeing God is one thing. Seeing Him as His child is quite another. By grace, we are restored to what we were always intended to be. There can be no higher privilege than to be known as sons and daughters of God.
Father,
Like the Prodigal, I too have wandered far from Your love.
I have traded the privilege of belonging for a liberty that only left me enslaved.
But how great is the love that You have lavished upon me in Christ,
for You have called me, and by grace I have come.
In the name of Jesus.
Amen.
[1] Genesis 3:23
[2] Romans 5:1
[3] John 1:12
[4] Romans 8:14
Sunday, March 29, 2009
Blessed are...
Peace, or a Sword?
“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God.” Matthew 5:9
Jesus once said that He had not come to bring peace, but a sword.[1] He went on to add that His coming would turn “a man against his father, a daughter against her mother… a man’s enemies will be members of his own household.”[2] Christ, the bringer of unity and peace, would be known as ‘the divider.’[3] How can this be? Should we follow His call to live as peacemakers, and so be blessed, or are we to expect division?
The answer is ‘both.’ As those who have been entrusted with the ministry of reconciliation,[4] we have a responsibility to seek to bind up that which is broken, to bring peace where there has only been enmity, suspicion, and division. However, nowhere do the Scriptures say that everyone will automatically react positively to this message. Some people enjoy their divisions, they are not really interested in peace. Others are so blinded by sin that they do not recognize the hand of God, or if they do they are so enamored of darkness that they continue to struggle against the light. In and of itself, the Gospel is a powerful force for peace, breaking down the barriers that divide us, giving us true unity in Christ. However, the coming of the Gospel can bring division. Just ask those who have made a conscious decision to convert to Christianity. They may know tremendous peace, internally, and may take very seriously the Christian’s need to participate in the divine work of peacemaking. But they may be hated by members of their family, rejected by their community. Despite their best intentions, their decision may have led, quite literally, not to peace but to a sword. Though they may be tempted, they should never exchange the peace of Christ for an end to their oppression. And neither should we. Without ever seeking conflict, it is our responsibility to pursue peace as we have come to know it in Christ, no matter how much it costs.
Sovereign God,
Keep me faithful to the truth that has captured my heart.
Set me free, by the blood of the Cross, from the enmity that divides.
Give me grace to speak Your reconciling word;
then give me strength to endure.
Through Christ my Lord.
Amen.
[1] Matthew 10:34
[2] Matthew 10:35-36
[3] Luke 21:51
[4] II Corinthians 5:18
“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God.” Matthew 5:9
Jesus once said that He had not come to bring peace, but a sword.[1] He went on to add that His coming would turn “a man against his father, a daughter against her mother… a man’s enemies will be members of his own household.”[2] Christ, the bringer of unity and peace, would be known as ‘the divider.’[3] How can this be? Should we follow His call to live as peacemakers, and so be blessed, or are we to expect division?
The answer is ‘both.’ As those who have been entrusted with the ministry of reconciliation,[4] we have a responsibility to seek to bind up that which is broken, to bring peace where there has only been enmity, suspicion, and division. However, nowhere do the Scriptures say that everyone will automatically react positively to this message. Some people enjoy their divisions, they are not really interested in peace. Others are so blinded by sin that they do not recognize the hand of God, or if they do they are so enamored of darkness that they continue to struggle against the light. In and of itself, the Gospel is a powerful force for peace, breaking down the barriers that divide us, giving us true unity in Christ. However, the coming of the Gospel can bring division. Just ask those who have made a conscious decision to convert to Christianity. They may know tremendous peace, internally, and may take very seriously the Christian’s need to participate in the divine work of peacemaking. But they may be hated by members of their family, rejected by their community. Despite their best intentions, their decision may have led, quite literally, not to peace but to a sword. Though they may be tempted, they should never exchange the peace of Christ for an end to their oppression. And neither should we. Without ever seeking conflict, it is our responsibility to pursue peace as we have come to know it in Christ, no matter how much it costs.
Sovereign God,
Keep me faithful to the truth that has captured my heart.
Set me free, by the blood of the Cross, from the enmity that divides.
Give me grace to speak Your reconciling word;
then give me strength to endure.
Through Christ my Lord.
Amen.
[1] Matthew 10:34
[2] Matthew 10:35-36
[3] Luke 21:51
[4] II Corinthians 5:18
Saturday, March 28, 2009
Blessed are...
Unity and Peace
“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God.” Matthew 5:9
The peace of God is not peace at any price. It is a costly peace. It cost God a great deal to send His Son for our salvation. We should not cheapen that peace by making compromises with those things that are contrary to His will. For example, there are those who argue that unity, within a family, or a nation, or a church, is of supreme importance. Peace, they say, must be maintained at all cost. Nothing is more important than that the body should remain undivided.
Of course, unity is important. Too frequently we divide over things that really do not matter very much. We become polarized over trivialities. Sides are taken; harsh words are said; division sends us into opposing camps. Only the devil laughs as we heap vitriol upon one another. In no time at all we are caricaturing one another’s positions, vilifying one another, creating wounds that may take generations to heal. Like the Hatfield’s and the McCoy’s we cultivate the feud until we have forgotten the reason for our separation. We know nothing of reconciliation, nor of peace. No wonder some people will go to almost any length in order to maintain unity.
However, there are some things that we should not do for the sake of unity. We should not gloss over significant differences, as though they did not exist. We should not presume to offer forgiveness, especially on behalf of another, if there is no repentance. We should not compromise our core convictions in order to achieve unity. If we do so, we may have peace, but it will be a cheap peace, and our unity will be fragile, too-soon broken again. Peace is not won by appeasement, but by strength. When we are assured of who we are, and of our relationship with God, then we are much better able to share that peace with others. Unity comes, ultimately, not from compromise, but from shared conviction. Peace, which is not principled, is bound to fail.
Almighty God and Father,
I know that You have charged me to maintain
the unity of the body in the bond of peace.
But I also know that You have charged me
to have no other gods before You.
Give me the humility that listens to others,
and that never forgets to listen to Your Word.
In the name of Christ my Lord.
Amen.
“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God.” Matthew 5:9
The peace of God is not peace at any price. It is a costly peace. It cost God a great deal to send His Son for our salvation. We should not cheapen that peace by making compromises with those things that are contrary to His will. For example, there are those who argue that unity, within a family, or a nation, or a church, is of supreme importance. Peace, they say, must be maintained at all cost. Nothing is more important than that the body should remain undivided.
Of course, unity is important. Too frequently we divide over things that really do not matter very much. We become polarized over trivialities. Sides are taken; harsh words are said; division sends us into opposing camps. Only the devil laughs as we heap vitriol upon one another. In no time at all we are caricaturing one another’s positions, vilifying one another, creating wounds that may take generations to heal. Like the Hatfield’s and the McCoy’s we cultivate the feud until we have forgotten the reason for our separation. We know nothing of reconciliation, nor of peace. No wonder some people will go to almost any length in order to maintain unity.
However, there are some things that we should not do for the sake of unity. We should not gloss over significant differences, as though they did not exist. We should not presume to offer forgiveness, especially on behalf of another, if there is no repentance. We should not compromise our core convictions in order to achieve unity. If we do so, we may have peace, but it will be a cheap peace, and our unity will be fragile, too-soon broken again. Peace is not won by appeasement, but by strength. When we are assured of who we are, and of our relationship with God, then we are much better able to share that peace with others. Unity comes, ultimately, not from compromise, but from shared conviction. Peace, which is not principled, is bound to fail.
Almighty God and Father,
I know that You have charged me to maintain
the unity of the body in the bond of peace.
But I also know that You have charged me
to have no other gods before You.
Give me the humility that listens to others,
and that never forgets to listen to Your Word.
In the name of Christ my Lord.
Amen.
Friday, March 27, 2009
Blessed are...
Radical Peace
“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God.” Matthew 5:9
These words are often used, without reference to their context, in order to justify a secular pacifism that has little to do with the Gospel. On occasions the first four words are used, by themselves, ascribed to Jesus of Nazareth, then placed alongside similar quotations taken from Buddha, Confucius, or Mahatma Gandhi. In this way the reference to God is omitted and Christ’s truncated words become a generalized statement about the desirability of peace, as opposed to the undesirability of war.
Of course peace is to be preferred over unjust war, but that is not really what Jesus was saying in the Beatitudes. The peace, of which Jesus spoke, is more than the absence of conflict, it is the blessedness of a relationship with the One who made us. Peace with God enables us to be peacemakers, and leads to our being known as sons and daughters of God. When our broken, human condition is healed by the sacrifice of Calvary, and confirmed by Christ’s resurrection, then we are changed on the inside. This kind of peace is internal before it is external. It begins in the heart. Savaged by sin, alienated from God, we are redeemed by our Savior. We are made new. Our hearts are made new within us. Only then do we know peace – the assurance of salvation, both now, and for eternity. God would not have us make do with anything less than the radical peace that is begun, continued, and ended, in His Son.
God of peace,
I want to be a peacemaker.
I don’t want to be known as a disturber of the peace,
a troublemaker, or a malcontent.
Give me the grace to live at peace with others.
But first, deal with me.
Turn me from the darkness of disobedience
to the light and peace of Your presence.
Through Christ my Lord.
Amen.
“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God.” Matthew 5:9
These words are often used, without reference to their context, in order to justify a secular pacifism that has little to do with the Gospel. On occasions the first four words are used, by themselves, ascribed to Jesus of Nazareth, then placed alongside similar quotations taken from Buddha, Confucius, or Mahatma Gandhi. In this way the reference to God is omitted and Christ’s truncated words become a generalized statement about the desirability of peace, as opposed to the undesirability of war.
Of course peace is to be preferred over unjust war, but that is not really what Jesus was saying in the Beatitudes. The peace, of which Jesus spoke, is more than the absence of conflict, it is the blessedness of a relationship with the One who made us. Peace with God enables us to be peacemakers, and leads to our being known as sons and daughters of God. When our broken, human condition is healed by the sacrifice of Calvary, and confirmed by Christ’s resurrection, then we are changed on the inside. This kind of peace is internal before it is external. It begins in the heart. Savaged by sin, alienated from God, we are redeemed by our Savior. We are made new. Our hearts are made new within us. Only then do we know peace – the assurance of salvation, both now, and for eternity. God would not have us make do with anything less than the radical peace that is begun, continued, and ended, in His Son.
God of peace,
I want to be a peacemaker.
I don’t want to be known as a disturber of the peace,
a troublemaker, or a malcontent.
Give me the grace to live at peace with others.
But first, deal with me.
Turn me from the darkness of disobedience
to the light and peace of Your presence.
Through Christ my Lord.
Amen.
Thursday, March 26, 2009
Blessed are...
Peace, Peace
“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God.” Matthew 5:9
Ezekiel, the prophet, warned Israel not to listen to false prophets who proclaimed peace where none was to be found. To do so, he said, was like covering a flimsy wall with whitewash. When the rain came down in torrents, when the hail came hurtling, when violent winds burst forth, what good would the whitewash be then?[1] Papering over the cracks has never been a very good idea; neither has proclaiming a false peace. Jeremiah’s complaint is much like Ezekiel’s. “’Peace, peace,’ they say, when there is no peace.”[2] He adds that misleading the people in this way is just like dressing wounds and pretending that they are not serious, when they clearly are.
False peace has two main problems: first, it fails to take problems seriously; second, it gives a false sense of security. False peace not only papers over the cracks, pretending that they are not there and that the structure is fundamentally sound, it also encourages us to rely upon the unreliable. Whitewash cannot hold up a flimsy wall; all it does is fool us into thinking that the wall is strong. So it is with a false peace in our relationship with God. If we pretend that there are no problems then we are delusional. Our sin has damaged our relationship with our Maker. No amount of religiosity or whitewash can repair it. And if we pretend that either religious ritual or good works can keep that relationship in good repair, then we are mistaken. There is no peace to be had without the intervening grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. There is no substitute for His sacrifice. If we pretend that there is, we are simply vendors of false peace.
Lord God,
For those times when I have proclaimed a lesser peace
than the one won for me on Calvary, forgive me.
From the consequences of my actions –
the failure to take sin seriously and from false security, deliver me.
Help me to put all of my trust in You.
Grant me the peace that only You can give,
and that this world can never take away.
Through Christ my Lord.
Amen.
[1] Ezekiel 13:10-12
[2] Jeremiah 6:14
“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God.” Matthew 5:9
Ezekiel, the prophet, warned Israel not to listen to false prophets who proclaimed peace where none was to be found. To do so, he said, was like covering a flimsy wall with whitewash. When the rain came down in torrents, when the hail came hurtling, when violent winds burst forth, what good would the whitewash be then?[1] Papering over the cracks has never been a very good idea; neither has proclaiming a false peace. Jeremiah’s complaint is much like Ezekiel’s. “’Peace, peace,’ they say, when there is no peace.”[2] He adds that misleading the people in this way is just like dressing wounds and pretending that they are not serious, when they clearly are.
False peace has two main problems: first, it fails to take problems seriously; second, it gives a false sense of security. False peace not only papers over the cracks, pretending that they are not there and that the structure is fundamentally sound, it also encourages us to rely upon the unreliable. Whitewash cannot hold up a flimsy wall; all it does is fool us into thinking that the wall is strong. So it is with a false peace in our relationship with God. If we pretend that there are no problems then we are delusional. Our sin has damaged our relationship with our Maker. No amount of religiosity or whitewash can repair it. And if we pretend that either religious ritual or good works can keep that relationship in good repair, then we are mistaken. There is no peace to be had without the intervening grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. There is no substitute for His sacrifice. If we pretend that there is, we are simply vendors of false peace.
Lord God,
For those times when I have proclaimed a lesser peace
than the one won for me on Calvary, forgive me.
From the consequences of my actions –
the failure to take sin seriously and from false security, deliver me.
Help me to put all of my trust in You.
Grant me the peace that only You can give,
and that this world can never take away.
Through Christ my Lord.
Amen.
[1] Ezekiel 13:10-12
[2] Jeremiah 6:14
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
Blessed are...
Making Peace
“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God.” Matthew 5:9
“Shalom,” to the Hebrew mind, meant so much more than the absence of war. To be at peace, or to know this shalom, was to enjoy a state of mind untroubled by the circumstances of life. Peace meant wholeness, an overall well-being. Essentially, peace depended upon being in a right relationship with God, knowing one’s sins to be forgiven, one’s future assured by His Covenant. Peace, therefore, was a recovery of Paradise, at least in part. To sow peace in the life of another was to recapture a little slice of Eden.
For the Christian, peace cannot be divorced from the ministry of Jesus, the Prince of Peace.[1] Wherever the Kingdom of God is advanced, wherever peace is claimed or offered, there we see not only a reminder of Paradise lost, but also a foretaste of Paradise regained. To sow peace in the life of another is to see a little slice of heaven. There, in the Kingdom that will know no end, there will be no more war, for the Lamb shall reign.[2]
And we are called to be makers of peace. We are not to wait, passively, for peace to come to us; we are to seek it, urgently, passionately. At times, the quest for peace may feel very much like strife. Our commitment to peace may cause us to stand up for what is right or good. But the peacemaker cannot shy away from conflict. The struggle for the Kingdom will not always be beside still waters; it may also be over rough and rugged terrain. In short, peace is not often gained without a Cross. And if it costs nothing, that is probably exactly what it is worth.
Father God,
Lead me in the ways of peace.
Show me, again, that there can be no peace
unless and until I am reconciled to You.
Then, teach me to share that peace
through selfless deeds of sacrifice and love,
and by naming the Name above all others,
by which such peace is possible – the name of Christ.
Through Him alone.
Amen.
[1] Isaiah 9:6
[2] Revelation 5:12-13
“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God.” Matthew 5:9
“Shalom,” to the Hebrew mind, meant so much more than the absence of war. To be at peace, or to know this shalom, was to enjoy a state of mind untroubled by the circumstances of life. Peace meant wholeness, an overall well-being. Essentially, peace depended upon being in a right relationship with God, knowing one’s sins to be forgiven, one’s future assured by His Covenant. Peace, therefore, was a recovery of Paradise, at least in part. To sow peace in the life of another was to recapture a little slice of Eden.
For the Christian, peace cannot be divorced from the ministry of Jesus, the Prince of Peace.[1] Wherever the Kingdom of God is advanced, wherever peace is claimed or offered, there we see not only a reminder of Paradise lost, but also a foretaste of Paradise regained. To sow peace in the life of another is to see a little slice of heaven. There, in the Kingdom that will know no end, there will be no more war, for the Lamb shall reign.[2]
And we are called to be makers of peace. We are not to wait, passively, for peace to come to us; we are to seek it, urgently, passionately. At times, the quest for peace may feel very much like strife. Our commitment to peace may cause us to stand up for what is right or good. But the peacemaker cannot shy away from conflict. The struggle for the Kingdom will not always be beside still waters; it may also be over rough and rugged terrain. In short, peace is not often gained without a Cross. And if it costs nothing, that is probably exactly what it is worth.
Father God,
Lead me in the ways of peace.
Show me, again, that there can be no peace
unless and until I am reconciled to You.
Then, teach me to share that peace
through selfless deeds of sacrifice and love,
and by naming the Name above all others,
by which such peace is possible – the name of Christ.
Through Him alone.
Amen.
[1] Isaiah 9:6
[2] Revelation 5:12-13
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
Blessed are...
I Will See God
“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.” Matthew 5:8
The disciples saw Jesus with eyes of flesh; we see Him with eyes of faith. He no longer walks the hills of Galilee. We do not see Him striding through Jerusalem. Nevertheless, we see Him. And as we see Jesus, we see God.
Christians see God in creation. Though it is bruised, battered , and defaced, creation still points to the Creator. For us, “the voice of the Lord is over the waters; the glory of the Lord thunders… the voice of the Lord strikes with flashes of lightening.”[1] Believing eyes see God’s handiwork everywhere, and in the beauty of the earth we discern His smile. Christians also see God in His Word. Scripture speaks with authority of the One it reveals. The Bible does not mislead us. The words are given for a purpose. Through them and in them we see what God is like. Thirdly, we see God through our circumstances. Providentially, God leads us, often through times of trial, until we come to a deeper understanding of His loving purposes. If we have eyes to see, we may trace His hand, and believe that He does not cause His children a needless tear.
One day, however, the witness of creation, of the Word, and of our circumstances, will be overcome by the fulfillment of our Lord’s promise. When Christ comes again there will be no more room for argument, for we shall see Him as He is. Job expressed that longing in unmistakable terms when, in the midst of his sufferings, he spoke a word of hope. “I know that my Redeemer lives, and that in the end He will stand upon the earth. And after my skin has been destroyed, yet in my flesh I will see God.”[2]
Lord Jesus Christ,
You came into our world, once, as a vulnerable child.
You lived as we live; died as we must die.
Then You rose, to give us the hope of resurrection.
I cling to the promise of Your coming again,
and of a time when there shall be no more crying, or pain,
and I shall see my God.
For Your love’s sake.
Amen.
[1] Psalm 29:3
[2] Job 19:25-26
“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.” Matthew 5:8
The disciples saw Jesus with eyes of flesh; we see Him with eyes of faith. He no longer walks the hills of Galilee. We do not see Him striding through Jerusalem. Nevertheless, we see Him. And as we see Jesus, we see God.
Christians see God in creation. Though it is bruised, battered , and defaced, creation still points to the Creator. For us, “the voice of the Lord is over the waters; the glory of the Lord thunders… the voice of the Lord strikes with flashes of lightening.”[1] Believing eyes see God’s handiwork everywhere, and in the beauty of the earth we discern His smile. Christians also see God in His Word. Scripture speaks with authority of the One it reveals. The Bible does not mislead us. The words are given for a purpose. Through them and in them we see what God is like. Thirdly, we see God through our circumstances. Providentially, God leads us, often through times of trial, until we come to a deeper understanding of His loving purposes. If we have eyes to see, we may trace His hand, and believe that He does not cause His children a needless tear.
One day, however, the witness of creation, of the Word, and of our circumstances, will be overcome by the fulfillment of our Lord’s promise. When Christ comes again there will be no more room for argument, for we shall see Him as He is. Job expressed that longing in unmistakable terms when, in the midst of his sufferings, he spoke a word of hope. “I know that my Redeemer lives, and that in the end He will stand upon the earth. And after my skin has been destroyed, yet in my flesh I will see God.”[2]
Lord Jesus Christ,
You came into our world, once, as a vulnerable child.
You lived as we live; died as we must die.
Then You rose, to give us the hope of resurrection.
I cling to the promise of Your coming again,
and of a time when there shall be no more crying, or pain,
and I shall see my God.
For Your love’s sake.
Amen.
[1] Psalm 29:3
[2] Job 19:25-26
Monday, March 23, 2009
Blessed are...
The One and Only
“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.” Matthew 5:8
At the beginning of John’s Gospel we read that no one has ever seen God.[1] There’s nothing new there. Apart from a few, fleeting glimpses of His glory, no-one had really seen God. “But,” continues John, “God the One and Only, who is at the Father’s side, has made Him known.” John struggles to describe how, in the coming of Jesus Christ, the “One and Only,” God has been made known. His struggle is two-fold. First, he must wrestle with the language – how does Jesus reveal God? Second, he must struggle with theology – how is Jesus God?
The answer comes later in the same Gospel. In a reflective moment, Philip the disciple asks Jesus, “Show us the Father and that will be enough for us.”[2] Jesus’ reply forces us to look at Him differently. He is more than a powerful preacher, more even than a messiah. “Don’t you know me, Philip?” says Jesus, “even after I have been among you for such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father.”
One of the greatest blessings of belonging to the company of those who seek to be pure in heart, is that the scales fall from our eyes and we recognize, in Jesus, the fulfillment of the longing of the ages. If our hearts are purified by the gift of faith, we are able to see Christ for who He is. Did Philip think of Moses as he heard Jesus’ answer to his question? Did John, as he chronicled the exchange? We don’t know. All we know, by faith, is that to know Jesus is to know God. If we would know the Father, we must look to the Son.
Lord Christ,
Only begotten Son, Word made flesh,
Emmanuel, God with us, I praise You.
By coming and living among us,
You have revealed Your Father’s glory.
By Your death and glorious resurrection,
I now know Your words to be true.
All praise and glory be to You.
Amen.
[1] John 1:18
[2] John 14:8
“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.” Matthew 5:8
At the beginning of John’s Gospel we read that no one has ever seen God.[1] There’s nothing new there. Apart from a few, fleeting glimpses of His glory, no-one had really seen God. “But,” continues John, “God the One and Only, who is at the Father’s side, has made Him known.” John struggles to describe how, in the coming of Jesus Christ, the “One and Only,” God has been made known. His struggle is two-fold. First, he must wrestle with the language – how does Jesus reveal God? Second, he must struggle with theology – how is Jesus God?
The answer comes later in the same Gospel. In a reflective moment, Philip the disciple asks Jesus, “Show us the Father and that will be enough for us.”[2] Jesus’ reply forces us to look at Him differently. He is more than a powerful preacher, more even than a messiah. “Don’t you know me, Philip?” says Jesus, “even after I have been among you for such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father.”
One of the greatest blessings of belonging to the company of those who seek to be pure in heart, is that the scales fall from our eyes and we recognize, in Jesus, the fulfillment of the longing of the ages. If our hearts are purified by the gift of faith, we are able to see Christ for who He is. Did Philip think of Moses as he heard Jesus’ answer to his question? Did John, as he chronicled the exchange? We don’t know. All we know, by faith, is that to know Jesus is to know God. If we would know the Father, we must look to the Son.
Lord Christ,
Only begotten Son, Word made flesh,
Emmanuel, God with us, I praise You.
By coming and living among us,
You have revealed Your Father’s glory.
By Your death and glorious resurrection,
I now know Your words to be true.
All praise and glory be to You.
Amen.
[1] John 1:18
[2] John 14:8
Sunday, March 22, 2009
Blessed are...
Longing to See
“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.” Matthew 5:8
Isn’t it impossible to see God? Moses argued with God and asked to see His glory,[1] but God refused, saying that no-one could see His face and live. When His glory passed by, God placed Moses in a cleft in the rock, and covered him with His hand. Moses still did not see God. In His presence, the wise would stoop, or fall to the ground. Like the fabled king, whom to see was death, God inspired awe among His people.
And yet there were times, even in Old Testament days, when believers did see something. Even Moses came down from the mountaintop with his face glowing, reflecting the glory of God.[2] Later, in a vision, the prophet Isaiah was caught up, and he saw the Lord high and lifted up, and the train of His robe filled the temple.[3] Later still, the prophet Ezekiel saw what he took to be “the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the Lord.”[4] But these were only glimpses of an unveiling.
Men and women of faith lived in hope that one day, somehow, they would do more than glance sideways, out of the corner of an eye, and that they would be able to stand before God and see Him in all His glory. For years this was not possible. God was too high, too holy. We were too low, too impure. Then came Jesus, the bearer of the promise, and the One in whom the promise would come true.
Lord Christ,
I praise You.
Throughout long centuries, faithful people waited for Your appearing.
They saw, as through a glass darkly, and longed for Your day to come.
Now, with renewed sight, I grasp that for which they could only hope.
I am lost in joy beyond words.
For Your name’s sake.
Amen.
[1] Exodus 33
[2] Exodus 34:29
[3] Isaiah 6:1
[4] Ezekiel 1:28
“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.” Matthew 5:8
Isn’t it impossible to see God? Moses argued with God and asked to see His glory,[1] but God refused, saying that no-one could see His face and live. When His glory passed by, God placed Moses in a cleft in the rock, and covered him with His hand. Moses still did not see God. In His presence, the wise would stoop, or fall to the ground. Like the fabled king, whom to see was death, God inspired awe among His people.
And yet there were times, even in Old Testament days, when believers did see something. Even Moses came down from the mountaintop with his face glowing, reflecting the glory of God.[2] Later, in a vision, the prophet Isaiah was caught up, and he saw the Lord high and lifted up, and the train of His robe filled the temple.[3] Later still, the prophet Ezekiel saw what he took to be “the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the Lord.”[4] But these were only glimpses of an unveiling.
Men and women of faith lived in hope that one day, somehow, they would do more than glance sideways, out of the corner of an eye, and that they would be able to stand before God and see Him in all His glory. For years this was not possible. God was too high, too holy. We were too low, too impure. Then came Jesus, the bearer of the promise, and the One in whom the promise would come true.
Lord Christ,
I praise You.
Throughout long centuries, faithful people waited for Your appearing.
They saw, as through a glass darkly, and longed for Your day to come.
Now, with renewed sight, I grasp that for which they could only hope.
I am lost in joy beyond words.
For Your name’s sake.
Amen.
[1] Exodus 33
[2] Exodus 34:29
[3] Isaiah 6:1
[4] Ezekiel 1:28
Saturday, March 21, 2009
Blessed are...
Purity of Purpose
“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.” Matthew 5:8
Pure water is clear, it has no imperfections, it is not tainted. For metal to be pure it must not be mixed with another, it must be without alloy. Grain, in its pure state, has been threshed and winnowed. The husks have been removed. All that remains is the single grain. Nothing spoils it. It is pure.
For our hearts to be pure, they must not be mixed or tainted. A pure heart is one that is single-minded in its purpose, in its devotion to Christ. It must be free from every trace of evil, every thought of self. That’s why it is impossible for us to give ourselves partially to Jesus. You cannot give part of your heart, it’s all or nothing. Either Jesus is Lord of every single aspect of your life, or He is not. There is no half-way house. Christ demands it all.
James emphasizes the same idea when he writes, “Purify your hearts, you double-minded.”[1] He means that you must give all of your attention to Christ. Your focus, and the focus of your life, must be centered on Jesus Christ. There is no room for another savior. You cannot afford to be double-minded. With unmixed emotion and a will that is steady and assured, you must seek radical inner purity, without which you can never see God.
Once again, this can seem like an impossible demand. Who can be this pure, this single-minded? Surely, Jesus does not ask us to do the impossible? No, but He does ask us to trust Him, for in His strength all things are possible.
Father,
Laying aside all other things, the evil that distracts,
and the good that cannot substitute for what is best, I come to You now.
I admit my inadequacy. I want to be honest about my failure, and my doubt.
But I pray, Lord, that, by Your Holy Spirit,
You will work in me that which I cannot do for myself.
Make me pure within, Lord, for I long to see You face to face.
Through Christ my Lord.
Amen.
[1] James 4:8
“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.” Matthew 5:8
Pure water is clear, it has no imperfections, it is not tainted. For metal to be pure it must not be mixed with another, it must be without alloy. Grain, in its pure state, has been threshed and winnowed. The husks have been removed. All that remains is the single grain. Nothing spoils it. It is pure.
For our hearts to be pure, they must not be mixed or tainted. A pure heart is one that is single-minded in its purpose, in its devotion to Christ. It must be free from every trace of evil, every thought of self. That’s why it is impossible for us to give ourselves partially to Jesus. You cannot give part of your heart, it’s all or nothing. Either Jesus is Lord of every single aspect of your life, or He is not. There is no half-way house. Christ demands it all.
James emphasizes the same idea when he writes, “Purify your hearts, you double-minded.”[1] He means that you must give all of your attention to Christ. Your focus, and the focus of your life, must be centered on Jesus Christ. There is no room for another savior. You cannot afford to be double-minded. With unmixed emotion and a will that is steady and assured, you must seek radical inner purity, without which you can never see God.
Once again, this can seem like an impossible demand. Who can be this pure, this single-minded? Surely, Jesus does not ask us to do the impossible? No, but He does ask us to trust Him, for in His strength all things are possible.
Father,
Laying aside all other things, the evil that distracts,
and the good that cannot substitute for what is best, I come to You now.
I admit my inadequacy. I want to be honest about my failure, and my doubt.
But I pray, Lord, that, by Your Holy Spirit,
You will work in me that which I cannot do for myself.
Make me pure within, Lord, for I long to see You face to face.
Through Christ my Lord.
Amen.
[1] James 4:8
Friday, March 20, 2009
Blessed are...
Clean Hands and a Pure Heart
“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.” Matthew 5:8
Heart righteousness is more important than rule righteousness, for without it we will never see God. To be pure in heart, then, means to possess inner purity, to be cleansed from moral defilement. That’s why Psalm 24 asks, famously, “Who may ascend the hill of the Lord? Who may stand in His holy place?”[1] The answer comes immediately, “He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who does not lift up his soul to an idol, or swear by what is false.”[2] It’s about a great deal more than ritual cleanliness. God wants more than to know that we have avoided defilement; He wants to know the state of our hearts. His is a radical examination. He wants us clean on the inside. It will not do for us to be unblemished on the outside and impure of heart, because then we will be no better than those who clean a cup on the outside, whilst allowing the inside to remain dirty. We will be like the whitened sepulchers condemned by Jesus: whitewashed and beautiful on the outside, but on the inside full of dead men’s bones.[3]
The clue to purity of heart seems to lie not just in moral purity but in right relationships. It’s hard to be moral alone. We need to be pure in heart within the community. We must be single-minded and sincere, free from falsehood, utterly transparent. To be pure in heart is to reject the masks so commonly worn, the play-acting that so readily makes hypocrites of us. One test of whether or not we come before God with clean hands and a pure heart is that we do not swear deceitfully.[4] We must say what we mean, and mean what we say. To be pure in heart is to be utterly without guile. Are we?
Lord God,
You see within me, there is nothing about me
that is hidden from Your sight.
I may fool others. Sometimes I may fool myself.
I cannot fool You.
So, with David I pray,
“Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.”
For Jesus’ sake.
Amen.
[1] Psalm 24:3
[2] Psalm 24:4
[3] Matthew 23:27
[4] Psalm 24:4
“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.” Matthew 5:8
Heart righteousness is more important than rule righteousness, for without it we will never see God. To be pure in heart, then, means to possess inner purity, to be cleansed from moral defilement. That’s why Psalm 24 asks, famously, “Who may ascend the hill of the Lord? Who may stand in His holy place?”[1] The answer comes immediately, “He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who does not lift up his soul to an idol, or swear by what is false.”[2] It’s about a great deal more than ritual cleanliness. God wants more than to know that we have avoided defilement; He wants to know the state of our hearts. His is a radical examination. He wants us clean on the inside. It will not do for us to be unblemished on the outside and impure of heart, because then we will be no better than those who clean a cup on the outside, whilst allowing the inside to remain dirty. We will be like the whitened sepulchers condemned by Jesus: whitewashed and beautiful on the outside, but on the inside full of dead men’s bones.[3]
The clue to purity of heart seems to lie not just in moral purity but in right relationships. It’s hard to be moral alone. We need to be pure in heart within the community. We must be single-minded and sincere, free from falsehood, utterly transparent. To be pure in heart is to reject the masks so commonly worn, the play-acting that so readily makes hypocrites of us. One test of whether or not we come before God with clean hands and a pure heart is that we do not swear deceitfully.[4] We must say what we mean, and mean what we say. To be pure in heart is to be utterly without guile. Are we?
Lord God,
You see within me, there is nothing about me
that is hidden from Your sight.
I may fool others. Sometimes I may fool myself.
I cannot fool You.
So, with David I pray,
“Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.”
For Jesus’ sake.
Amen.
[1] Psalm 24:3
[2] Psalm 24:4
[3] Matthew 23:27
[4] Psalm 24:4
Thursday, March 19, 2009
Blessed are...
Ritual or Relationship?
“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.” Matthew 5:8
In our day, as in Jesus’, there are many who fail to grasp the difference between inward purity and outward cleanliness. Two thousand years ago, the Pharisees had an obsession with external, ceremonial purity. Association with the wrong person, or with articles that had not been treated in a particular way, led to ritual uncleanliness. This was the problem, as we have seen, for the devout Jews who traveled the road from Jerusalem to Jericho before the Good Samaritan.[1] To touch the man set upon by thieves was to risk defilement. Most likely, they were hurrying towards important tasks. People were waiting for them. Should they risk inconveniencing many for the sake of one man, who was probably already dead? They did not want to have to return to the temple and, there, go through the rituals of purification. So, they passed by on the other side of the road.
Similar rules applied to the preparation of foodstuffs. Strict rules, originally intended to ensure that the food was fit to eat, and to protect the eater, degenerated into cultic practices. Ritual took the place of relationship. Knowing God became a matter of correct behavior. But when did it become right to ignore the cries of the needy? Common sense tells us to help the wounded man, not to worry about being defiled by his blood. If religion creates a barrier where none should exist, then something is wrong. That’s a question we need to keep asking ourselves: “ Am I practicing the rituals in order to look good, or am I practicing the precepts in order to do good?” Purity of heart is, after all, not just skin deep.
God of grace,
Ever patient and long-suffering in Your love for Your people,
forgive me, when I value outward show over inward purity.
Help me to be less concerned with how things appear,
and more concerned to live in obedience to Your perfect will.
Through Christ my Lord.
Amen.
[1] Luke 10:30-37
“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.” Matthew 5:8
In our day, as in Jesus’, there are many who fail to grasp the difference between inward purity and outward cleanliness. Two thousand years ago, the Pharisees had an obsession with external, ceremonial purity. Association with the wrong person, or with articles that had not been treated in a particular way, led to ritual uncleanliness. This was the problem, as we have seen, for the devout Jews who traveled the road from Jerusalem to Jericho before the Good Samaritan.[1] To touch the man set upon by thieves was to risk defilement. Most likely, they were hurrying towards important tasks. People were waiting for them. Should they risk inconveniencing many for the sake of one man, who was probably already dead? They did not want to have to return to the temple and, there, go through the rituals of purification. So, they passed by on the other side of the road.
Similar rules applied to the preparation of foodstuffs. Strict rules, originally intended to ensure that the food was fit to eat, and to protect the eater, degenerated into cultic practices. Ritual took the place of relationship. Knowing God became a matter of correct behavior. But when did it become right to ignore the cries of the needy? Common sense tells us to help the wounded man, not to worry about being defiled by his blood. If religion creates a barrier where none should exist, then something is wrong. That’s a question we need to keep asking ourselves: “ Am I practicing the rituals in order to look good, or am I practicing the precepts in order to do good?” Purity of heart is, after all, not just skin deep.
God of grace,
Ever patient and long-suffering in Your love for Your people,
forgive me, when I value outward show over inward purity.
Help me to be less concerned with how things appear,
and more concerned to live in obedience to Your perfect will.
Through Christ my Lord.
Amen.
[1] Luke 10:30-37
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
Blessed are...
The Deceitful Heart
“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.” Matthew 5:8
To the Hebrew mind, the heart was not just the source of human emotion, it was also the seat of the will. If the body is the spaceship, then the heart is the control center. The heart is where beliefs are held, opinions are formed, and decisions are made. It is also, as the prophet Jeremiah pointed out, “deceitful above all things, beyond a cure.”[1]
Jesus was well aware of the tendencies of the human heart. On more than one occasion He warned about the evil of which the heart is capable. In Matthew 15, He tells His listeners that, “out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, and slander.”[2] Yet, in the Beatitudes, Jesus charges those who would follow Him with the need to become pure in heart.
It seems an impossible task. When we are honest we readily accept Jesus’ assessment. We are all experts at deception. We don’t just say one thing and mean another, most of the time we fall for our own lies. We’ve become so adept at self-deception that we believe our own spin. It is as if the command center has been infiltrated by those with a different agenda. Instead of seeking the things that lead to purity and peace, we are experts at hi-jacking our own best thoughts. We are our own worst enemies. As Paul said, we are really good at avoiding the good, and hopeless at avoiding evil.[3] Our hearts are corrupt, yet Jesus says that they must be pure, if we are to see God. How can this be? Isn’t it an impossible dream?
Holy God,
Even as I reach towards You, my heart recoils,
for before You – I cannot stand.
I long for purity, but cannot attain it.
Will I never see You, or am I doomed to failure,
forever reaching for a perfection beyond my grasp?
Come to me, Lord, in Holy Spirit power,
cleanse me and make me pure.
For Jesus’ sake.
Amen.
[1] Jeremiah 17:9
[2] Matthew 15:19
[3] Romans 7:19
“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.” Matthew 5:8
To the Hebrew mind, the heart was not just the source of human emotion, it was also the seat of the will. If the body is the spaceship, then the heart is the control center. The heart is where beliefs are held, opinions are formed, and decisions are made. It is also, as the prophet Jeremiah pointed out, “deceitful above all things, beyond a cure.”[1]
Jesus was well aware of the tendencies of the human heart. On more than one occasion He warned about the evil of which the heart is capable. In Matthew 15, He tells His listeners that, “out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, and slander.”[2] Yet, in the Beatitudes, Jesus charges those who would follow Him with the need to become pure in heart.
It seems an impossible task. When we are honest we readily accept Jesus’ assessment. We are all experts at deception. We don’t just say one thing and mean another, most of the time we fall for our own lies. We’ve become so adept at self-deception that we believe our own spin. It is as if the command center has been infiltrated by those with a different agenda. Instead of seeking the things that lead to purity and peace, we are experts at hi-jacking our own best thoughts. We are our own worst enemies. As Paul said, we are really good at avoiding the good, and hopeless at avoiding evil.[3] Our hearts are corrupt, yet Jesus says that they must be pure, if we are to see God. How can this be? Isn’t it an impossible dream?
Holy God,
Even as I reach towards You, my heart recoils,
for before You – I cannot stand.
I long for purity, but cannot attain it.
Will I never see You, or am I doomed to failure,
forever reaching for a perfection beyond my grasp?
Come to me, Lord, in Holy Spirit power,
cleanse me and make me pure.
For Jesus’ sake.
Amen.
[1] Jeremiah 17:9
[2] Matthew 15:19
[3] Romans 7:19
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
Blessed are...
Showing Mercy
“Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.” Matthew 5:7
On the road from Jerusalem to Jericho a man lay bleeding.[1] Having been set upon by thieves, stripped of his valuables and of his dignity, he was left to die. Others traveled that road, but they did not come to his aid. They did not wish to get involved, or to be inconvenienced. His body, they thought, could have been a trap, left in a shadowed corner, inviting the naïve to draw close, out of curiosity or kindness, until they became victims, too. Mostly, though, the Levite and the Priest passed by because they had other plans, which did not include the ritual defilement that came from contact with the dead. So, they ignored him. They failed to show mercy.
Then came another man. He was not of their race. Indeed, his ancestors had been at loggerheads with Israel for centuries. Devout Jews would go miles out of their way in order to avoid the corruption they called ‘Samaria.’ The home of half-breeds, who had the audacity to worship on Mount Gerizim instead of Mount Zion, Samaria was only tolerated by the Jews because they both lived under the Roman thumb. No-one could have expected a Samaritan to stop, on the road from Jerusalem to Jericho. But he did. He showed mercy.
In Jesus’ parable, the Good Samaritan did not seek justice, by running after the thieves. He did not try to change his world by complaining to the authorities, encouraging them to crack down on violence. Instead, he demonstrated that he was a real neighbor to the man in need, because he showed him mercy.
Jesus is our Good Samaritan. He is the bearer of mercy. He does not break the broken reed.[2] He does not quench the smoking flax. He does not pass us by.
Lord Christ,
You would not have me hide behind scruples
in order to avoid the service I need to give.
You have shown that it is better to be ritually unclean,
to bend the rules of religion,
than to fail to show mercy.
May I look for ways to bind up the brokenhearted.
May I be merciful, too.
For Your love’s sake.
Amen.
[1] Luke 10:30-37
[2] Isaiah 42:3
“Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.” Matthew 5:7
On the road from Jerusalem to Jericho a man lay bleeding.[1] Having been set upon by thieves, stripped of his valuables and of his dignity, he was left to die. Others traveled that road, but they did not come to his aid. They did not wish to get involved, or to be inconvenienced. His body, they thought, could have been a trap, left in a shadowed corner, inviting the naïve to draw close, out of curiosity or kindness, until they became victims, too. Mostly, though, the Levite and the Priest passed by because they had other plans, which did not include the ritual defilement that came from contact with the dead. So, they ignored him. They failed to show mercy.
Then came another man. He was not of their race. Indeed, his ancestors had been at loggerheads with Israel for centuries. Devout Jews would go miles out of their way in order to avoid the corruption they called ‘Samaria.’ The home of half-breeds, who had the audacity to worship on Mount Gerizim instead of Mount Zion, Samaria was only tolerated by the Jews because they both lived under the Roman thumb. No-one could have expected a Samaritan to stop, on the road from Jerusalem to Jericho. But he did. He showed mercy.
In Jesus’ parable, the Good Samaritan did not seek justice, by running after the thieves. He did not try to change his world by complaining to the authorities, encouraging them to crack down on violence. Instead, he demonstrated that he was a real neighbor to the man in need, because he showed him mercy.
Jesus is our Good Samaritan. He is the bearer of mercy. He does not break the broken reed.[2] He does not quench the smoking flax. He does not pass us by.
Lord Christ,
You would not have me hide behind scruples
in order to avoid the service I need to give.
You have shown that it is better to be ritually unclean,
to bend the rules of religion,
than to fail to show mercy.
May I look for ways to bind up the brokenhearted.
May I be merciful, too.
For Your love’s sake.
Amen.
[1] Luke 10:30-37
[2] Isaiah 42:3
Monday, March 16, 2009
Blessed are...
Mercy and Grace
“Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.” Matthew 5:7
What is the difference between mercy and grace? When I am hard-pressed by the trials of life, when misfortune or sickness have darkened my door – then I need mercy. But when my trials are the result of my sin, or the poor choices that I have made – then I need grace. Mercy brings relief to those who are oppressed; it cures our diseases and rectifies what is wrong. Mercy is for the hungry and the sick, the outcast and the refugee. God is merciful. Though we may endure terrible trials, they do not last forever. He gives us strength and courage to endure.[1] These are the gifts of mercy.
Grace, on the other hand, has more to do with pardon than with relief. When I have sinned against God’s law, broken His commandments and not kept covenant with Him, then I do not need mercy as much as I need grace. While mercy cures, grace reinstates. God’s amazing grace, His unmerited love, enables Him to look upon us, not in judgment, but in forgiveness.[2]
Of course, the two blessings are closely related. Often, when grace is poured upon me and I know the joy of sins forgiven, then I also experience relief from some suffering I have endured. But this need not be the case. Forgiveness always accompanies pardon, but it does not always take away our pain. There may be consequences of our rebellion that we simply have to live with. Yet, God is merciful, and we have His promise that we shall not suffer more than we can endure.[3] And as we follow Him, we will discover that we cannot heal every hurt or relieve every pain. But we must want to do so, for God calls us to be merciful, too.
Gracious God,
I praise You for Your love outpoured upon those,
like me, who do not deserve it.
I stand in awe of the grace that claims me, and that covers my sin.
May I be gracious and forgiving, merciful and tender-hearted,
following the example of Your Son, my Savior,
Jesus Christ my Lord.
Amen.
[1] I Peter 1:6
[2] Romans 5:17
[3] I Corinthians 10:13
“Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.” Matthew 5:7
What is the difference between mercy and grace? When I am hard-pressed by the trials of life, when misfortune or sickness have darkened my door – then I need mercy. But when my trials are the result of my sin, or the poor choices that I have made – then I need grace. Mercy brings relief to those who are oppressed; it cures our diseases and rectifies what is wrong. Mercy is for the hungry and the sick, the outcast and the refugee. God is merciful. Though we may endure terrible trials, they do not last forever. He gives us strength and courage to endure.[1] These are the gifts of mercy.
Grace, on the other hand, has more to do with pardon than with relief. When I have sinned against God’s law, broken His commandments and not kept covenant with Him, then I do not need mercy as much as I need grace. While mercy cures, grace reinstates. God’s amazing grace, His unmerited love, enables Him to look upon us, not in judgment, but in forgiveness.[2]
Of course, the two blessings are closely related. Often, when grace is poured upon me and I know the joy of sins forgiven, then I also experience relief from some suffering I have endured. But this need not be the case. Forgiveness always accompanies pardon, but it does not always take away our pain. There may be consequences of our rebellion that we simply have to live with. Yet, God is merciful, and we have His promise that we shall not suffer more than we can endure.[3] And as we follow Him, we will discover that we cannot heal every hurt or relieve every pain. But we must want to do so, for God calls us to be merciful, too.
Gracious God,
I praise You for Your love outpoured upon those,
like me, who do not deserve it.
I stand in awe of the grace that claims me, and that covers my sin.
May I be gracious and forgiving, merciful and tender-hearted,
following the example of Your Son, my Savior,
Jesus Christ my Lord.
Amen.
[1] I Peter 1:6
[2] Romans 5:17
[3] I Corinthians 10:13
Blessed are...
Weakness and Strength
“Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.” Matthew 5:7
If you compare today’s testosterone fuelled action movies with those of yesteryear, a number of differences emerge. Today’s hero is often flawed, almost an anti-hero. There may be much about him to admire, but there is usually something to fear. The heroine wears fewer clothes than in a previous generation, and is encumbered by fewer moral laws. She is not haunted by failure; she probably rejects the very idea of sin. One other thing: modern movies have no place for mercy. The hero corners his victim then does not stay his hand. The square-jawed, solid citizen in black and white placed his gun back in its holster and walked away, not wanting to be judged no better than the one he had caught. Today, the haunted hero shoots, and with colorful curses condemns his opponent to an early grave. Mercy is weakness.
Is it? It is not weak to act upon compassion. It is not weak to suppress anger or the desire for revenge. It is not weak to insist upon universally applicable moral absolutes, while all around you the anarchy of postmodernism is descending into chaos. It is weak to act upon one’s animal instincts, without making an attempt to judge them. It is weak to act as others act, simply in order to fit in with the crowd. It is weak to accept, unthinkingly, the prejudices of others, without bringing them before the bar of reason, or the wisdom of revelation.
Mercy is the act, not of the weak but of the strong. Compassion is not restricted to those with bleeding hearts; it is the responsibility of all those who have received mercy at the hands of our Covenant God.
Father,
In Your mercy You drew me from the path of destruction,
setting my feet upon the way that led to recovery and restoration.
It was not weakness that moved You, but the power of love.
May my love reflect Yours, reaching out in compassion and mercy.
Through Christ my Lord.
Amen.
“Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.” Matthew 5:7
If you compare today’s testosterone fuelled action movies with those of yesteryear, a number of differences emerge. Today’s hero is often flawed, almost an anti-hero. There may be much about him to admire, but there is usually something to fear. The heroine wears fewer clothes than in a previous generation, and is encumbered by fewer moral laws. She is not haunted by failure; she probably rejects the very idea of sin. One other thing: modern movies have no place for mercy. The hero corners his victim then does not stay his hand. The square-jawed, solid citizen in black and white placed his gun back in its holster and walked away, not wanting to be judged no better than the one he had caught. Today, the haunted hero shoots, and with colorful curses condemns his opponent to an early grave. Mercy is weakness.
Is it? It is not weak to act upon compassion. It is not weak to suppress anger or the desire for revenge. It is not weak to insist upon universally applicable moral absolutes, while all around you the anarchy of postmodernism is descending into chaos. It is weak to act upon one’s animal instincts, without making an attempt to judge them. It is weak to act as others act, simply in order to fit in with the crowd. It is weak to accept, unthinkingly, the prejudices of others, without bringing them before the bar of reason, or the wisdom of revelation.
Mercy is the act, not of the weak but of the strong. Compassion is not restricted to those with bleeding hearts; it is the responsibility of all those who have received mercy at the hands of our Covenant God.
Father,
In Your mercy You drew me from the path of destruction,
setting my feet upon the way that led to recovery and restoration.
It was not weakness that moved You, but the power of love.
May my love reflect Yours, reaching out in compassion and mercy.
Through Christ my Lord.
Amen.
Saturday, March 14, 2009
Blessed are...
Pleasure in Blessing
“Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.” Matthew 5:7
Psalm 109 contains a description of an enemy whom the writer wishes to see condemned. The man’s crimes are not what we would expect. There is a hint of violence done, but that is all. The man is condemned because he has lied and used hateful words; he has exchanged friendship for accusation. But the Psalmist’s biggest complaint is not that his enemy has destroyed his home or murdered his family. His complaint is that his enemy “never thought of doing a kindness, but hounded to death the poor and the needy and the brokenhearted.”[1] The man loved to pronounce a curse; he found no pleasure in blessing.[2] What an indictment! The enemy is condemned because he seems to have lost the ability to express compassion. He is devoid of mercy.
Elements of this description fit a well-known character from the New Testament. Six days before the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany, to the home of Mary, Martha, and Lazarus. A dinner to honor Jesus was served, by Martha – naturally, while Lazarus reclined at the table. Then Mary came, ignoring the dishes, and poured a pint of expensive perfume over her Master’s feet. The whole house was filled with the fragrance. According to John, an objection was raised by Judas Iscariot.[3] The perfume had cost a great deal; the money could have been used for the poor (or lined Judas’ pocket[4]). There was duty in this response, but no kindness. Even if we do not doubt Judas’ motives, like the enemy in Psalm 109, his words seem devoid of mercy. Judas’ heart remained hard. And because he had not discovered the importance of mercy, he did not receive it.
Lord God,
May I never be Your enemy.
May I never stand against what is good.
May I never be so in love with truth that I cannot be kind.
Teach me the pleasure of blessing,
even as I have been blessed in Christ.
In His name.
Amen.
[1] Psalm 109:16
[2] Psalm 109:17
[3] John 12:4
[4] John 12:6
“Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.” Matthew 5:7
Psalm 109 contains a description of an enemy whom the writer wishes to see condemned. The man’s crimes are not what we would expect. There is a hint of violence done, but that is all. The man is condemned because he has lied and used hateful words; he has exchanged friendship for accusation. But the Psalmist’s biggest complaint is not that his enemy has destroyed his home or murdered his family. His complaint is that his enemy “never thought of doing a kindness, but hounded to death the poor and the needy and the brokenhearted.”[1] The man loved to pronounce a curse; he found no pleasure in blessing.[2] What an indictment! The enemy is condemned because he seems to have lost the ability to express compassion. He is devoid of mercy.
Elements of this description fit a well-known character from the New Testament. Six days before the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany, to the home of Mary, Martha, and Lazarus. A dinner to honor Jesus was served, by Martha – naturally, while Lazarus reclined at the table. Then Mary came, ignoring the dishes, and poured a pint of expensive perfume over her Master’s feet. The whole house was filled with the fragrance. According to John, an objection was raised by Judas Iscariot.[3] The perfume had cost a great deal; the money could have been used for the poor (or lined Judas’ pocket[4]). There was duty in this response, but no kindness. Even if we do not doubt Judas’ motives, like the enemy in Psalm 109, his words seem devoid of mercy. Judas’ heart remained hard. And because he had not discovered the importance of mercy, he did not receive it.
Lord God,
May I never be Your enemy.
May I never stand against what is good.
May I never be so in love with truth that I cannot be kind.
Teach me the pleasure of blessing,
even as I have been blessed in Christ.
In His name.
Amen.
[1] Psalm 109:16
[2] Psalm 109:17
[3] John 12:4
[4] John 12:6
Friday, March 13, 2009
Blessed are...
Mercy, Not Sacrifice
“Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.” Matthew 5:7
The prophet Hosea warned his listeners that God requires mercy, not sacrifice;[1] that God is more interested in being acknowledged than in receiving burnt-offerings. Some have understood these words to mean that God places a higher value upon compassion than upon acts of worship. But this is to create a false dichotomy. Certainly, God values acts of compassion far higher than the superficial, unthinking worship that we sometimes offer. When an offering does not represent the worship of our hearts then it is counterfeit. Compassion is always more valuable than counterfeit faith.
On the other hand, acts of mercy cannot be valued higher than worship because true compassion always emerges from a worshipful heart. I serve others, at least in part, because my heart has been melted by God’s mercy. Like Scrooge, granted a vision of his spiritual poverty, generosity grows in the heart that acknowledges the riches that we have all received in Christ. Which raises a point: if I am not compassionate towards those in need, if I am not exhibiting mercy in my daily walk with God, then I need to question the authenticity of that walk. And if, as a community of faith, we are failing to look beyond ourselves to those in need, if we are not known to be reaching out with the cup of compassion,[2] then we need to ask serious questions about our priorities.
God did not save us in order that we might sit in a corner and congratulate one another. He saved us in order that we might serve. His hands are our hands. We cannot raise them in worship without also offering them to others.
Merciful Father,
May my worship honor You above all, but let it not be self-serving.
Praise and prayer may be worthy tasks,
but may they never become substitutes for mercy.
Teach me, not only to worship You in spirit and in truth,
but also to serve You through serving others.
For the sake of Christ my Lord.
Amen.
[1] Hosea 6:6
[2] Matthew 10:42
“Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.” Matthew 5:7
The prophet Hosea warned his listeners that God requires mercy, not sacrifice;[1] that God is more interested in being acknowledged than in receiving burnt-offerings. Some have understood these words to mean that God places a higher value upon compassion than upon acts of worship. But this is to create a false dichotomy. Certainly, God values acts of compassion far higher than the superficial, unthinking worship that we sometimes offer. When an offering does not represent the worship of our hearts then it is counterfeit. Compassion is always more valuable than counterfeit faith.
On the other hand, acts of mercy cannot be valued higher than worship because true compassion always emerges from a worshipful heart. I serve others, at least in part, because my heart has been melted by God’s mercy. Like Scrooge, granted a vision of his spiritual poverty, generosity grows in the heart that acknowledges the riches that we have all received in Christ. Which raises a point: if I am not compassionate towards those in need, if I am not exhibiting mercy in my daily walk with God, then I need to question the authenticity of that walk. And if, as a community of faith, we are failing to look beyond ourselves to those in need, if we are not known to be reaching out with the cup of compassion,[2] then we need to ask serious questions about our priorities.
God did not save us in order that we might sit in a corner and congratulate one another. He saved us in order that we might serve. His hands are our hands. We cannot raise them in worship without also offering them to others.
Merciful Father,
May my worship honor You above all, but let it not be self-serving.
Praise and prayer may be worthy tasks,
but may they never become substitutes for mercy.
Teach me, not only to worship You in spirit and in truth,
but also to serve You through serving others.
For the sake of Christ my Lord.
Amen.
[1] Hosea 6:6
[2] Matthew 10:42
Thursday, March 12, 2009
Blessed are...
The Unmerciful Servant
“Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.” Matthew 5:7
Peter wanted to know how many times he was required to forgive his brother who had sinned against him.[1] He suggested seven, more than the law required, perhaps expecting approval. Jesus’ response astonished Peter. Not seven times, but seventy times seven: for the followers of Jesus, there is never a time when it is appropriate not to forgive.
In explanation, Jesus told the story of the unmerciful servant,[2] who received mercy from his master but failed to display it to another. When the king wanted to settle accounts with his servants he discovered that one man owed ten thousand talents, a staggering sum. The man could never hope to repay the amount he owed. The king was about to seize the servant’s assets and sell his wife and children into slavery when the poor man fell to his knees and begged for help. The king had pity on him, canceled the debt, and let him go. But upon his release the servant went to see another man who owed him one hundred denarii, a much smaller sum. He demanded what he was owed and, not receiving it, had the man thrown into debtor’s prison. But the king found out. “You wicked servant,” he said, “I cancelled all that debt of yours because you begged me to. Shouldn’t you have had mercy on your fellow servant, just as I had on you?”
One day, we shall stand before our King. We, too, shall be asked to give an account, not in order to win a reward, but in order to demonstrate that we lived as we believed. Should we expect mercy, if we have shown none? Or will God extend the hand of welcome recognizing, in us, the kindness and compassion that reflect the values of His Kingdom?
Lord God,
When judgment comes,
may I not be found trusting in myself,
but only in the merits of Your Son.
When judgment comes,
may I be found living out the Gospel,
caring for others more than for myself,
showing mercy to all.
Through Christ my Lord.
Amen.
[1] Matthew 18:21
[2] Matthew 18:23-35
“Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.” Matthew 5:7
Peter wanted to know how many times he was required to forgive his brother who had sinned against him.[1] He suggested seven, more than the law required, perhaps expecting approval. Jesus’ response astonished Peter. Not seven times, but seventy times seven: for the followers of Jesus, there is never a time when it is appropriate not to forgive.
In explanation, Jesus told the story of the unmerciful servant,[2] who received mercy from his master but failed to display it to another. When the king wanted to settle accounts with his servants he discovered that one man owed ten thousand talents, a staggering sum. The man could never hope to repay the amount he owed. The king was about to seize the servant’s assets and sell his wife and children into slavery when the poor man fell to his knees and begged for help. The king had pity on him, canceled the debt, and let him go. But upon his release the servant went to see another man who owed him one hundred denarii, a much smaller sum. He demanded what he was owed and, not receiving it, had the man thrown into debtor’s prison. But the king found out. “You wicked servant,” he said, “I cancelled all that debt of yours because you begged me to. Shouldn’t you have had mercy on your fellow servant, just as I had on you?”
One day, we shall stand before our King. We, too, shall be asked to give an account, not in order to win a reward, but in order to demonstrate that we lived as we believed. Should we expect mercy, if we have shown none? Or will God extend the hand of welcome recognizing, in us, the kindness and compassion that reflect the values of His Kingdom?
Lord God,
When judgment comes,
may I not be found trusting in myself,
but only in the merits of Your Son.
When judgment comes,
may I be found living out the Gospel,
caring for others more than for myself,
showing mercy to all.
Through Christ my Lord.
Amen.
[1] Matthew 18:21
[2] Matthew 18:23-35
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