Since we are created to be God's temple, individually and corporately, we have a responsibility to remain faithful to Him. There is an unholy temple, and I don't want to be it. In that temple, the self is set up as god, and lawlessness "rules." Unrighteousness is its condition. According to our reading today, it is the work of Satan. It is the result of not loving the truth, and those who live there are given over to a lying delusion, and eventually to destruction.
On the other hand, we have the choice to live in, and be, God's holy temple. In this temple, Christ Jesus is King, and because of His grace, we serve the living God. This temple is full of the praise of God, and His truth rules. The condition of those who live here is blessing and strength, grace and glory!
Even though the world seems to be, more and more, embracing the spirit of antichrist, rushing headlong into insanity, we who are in Christ Jesus may be always joyful and hopeful in Him. As we patiently wait for His return, we have the awesome privilege to daily serve Him in whatever He has given us to do, whether small or great.
"Now may our Lord Jesus Christ Himself, and our God and Father, who has loved us and given us everlasting consolation and good hope by grace, comfort your hearts and establish you in every good word and work."
2 Thessalonians 2: 16-17 NKJV
Showing posts with label worship. Show all posts
Showing posts with label worship. Show all posts
Thursday, October 14, 2010
Friday, August 6, 2010
August 6, 2010 God's Two-Part Plan For Establishing His Abiding Glory
I may have said this before, but it's hitting me like waves: Babylonian captivity is all about worship. We go into captivity and confusion because we worship other gods. When we come out, the first thing that happens is that the true worship of God is restored.
The things we're confronted with in captivity are all the things we've worshipped instead of God: What am I trusting in? Who do I fear? What do I desire most of all? Who or what am I molding myself to? Who am I trying to please? What am I filling myself with? Who am I following? How am I getting guidance? What do I think about all the time? What do I crave? Who or what intimidates me? What am I addicted to? What am I patterning my life after? Who or what do I run to for protection? What or who do I count on for provision? For fulfillment? For worth? For identity? What are my entanglements? Who or what do I actually worship?
Because there are so many things we worship as idols instead of, or along side of, God, we might have to go into captivity more than once. But every time we are released, we are back to getting true worship established once again. This is a life process for all of us, I think. The faster we're willing to relinquish our idols the quicker we are out of captivity and into freedom.
If we want God's abiding glory, we must first turn away from our idols (and this is why God identifies them to us and shows us His perspective on them). Then we must follow God's directions for establishing true worship. While this is happening, there will be opposition.
In these chapters today we see opposing ages and the spiritual rulers of these ages at work. There is this present age of the world (which is reaching its end), and the satanic spirits that rule over it. There is also the Kingdom age (which began with Christ's appearance in the world). That has been a mystery that has slowly been revealed since then, and is still being progressively revealed. The Spirit of Truth is the ruling spirit of the Kingdom Age.
Every person has to choose which age he or she will partake of. We are born, naturally, into this present worldly age. What could we call it? The age of rebellion? The age of lies? When we're born again, we begin to partake of the Kingdom age in some ways. But just because we're born again in the spirit doesn't mean we're able to understand or accept much of it-- it's so different than what we've gotten used to. We find ourselves in two opposing kingdoms and two opposing ages at once, and we are mighty confused!
From what Paul is saying about wisdom and spirit, I understand that the wisdom of this age comes from the heart of pride and rebellion that originated with satan. The wisdom of the Kingdom of Christ proceeds from the heart of God. Since it's written that it's the spirit of man that knows the "things of a man" and that the Spirit of God knows the deep things of God, I'm taking it that the wisdom of this age is also what comes from the heart of man separated from God. Satan is completely obsessed with man, however, so it takes discerning of spirits to sometimes be able to tell the difference between what's coming from man's spirit and what's coming from demonic spirits.
The spirit of man gravitates one way or the other. People are going to receive from demonic spirits or the Spirit of God, like it or not. If we've not put ourselves in subjection to the Kingdom of God, then we're subjected to the kingdom of rebellion (or lies, or darkness). The "rulers of this age," that Paul speaks of, can't logically be human, as he's talking about the fact that they crucified Christ, not knowing that He would be risen from the dead. Obviously, they worked through people. These spirits are still around, still working through people, trying to keep the Kingdom of God from prevailing. Too late! They've been defeated. They didn't stop it from coming and they didn't even see what was going to happen. They can't possibly stop it. The glorious reign of Christ on earth is inevitable.
Carnally minded people, even Christians, have a hard (or impossible) time seeing what's going on in the Kingdom of God. Until we reject the idols of this present age of rebellion, we can't be spiritually minded. Until we are spiritually minded, we can't receive the deep things of God revealed by the Spirit of God. When we are worshipping idols, we are still receiving only the wisdom of this age, the same "wisdom" that blindly crucified Christ.
Wrongly directed worship destroys the fruit of the Spirit in us and tears down the seed of the Word in us. It defiles and defames the temple. When we get disgusted with living in the age of rebellion, and reject its idols, we can then become cleansed from their influence and become a vessel for pure worship of God. We begin to have the fruit of the Spirit in abundance. Instead of ourselves usurping the throne of our hearts (being actually "puppet kings" of satan), then Christ is welcomed as King of kings, and we are holy participants in the Kingdom Age. We are now worshiping Him in whatever areas we are not rebelling against Him as King. He is working on getting all of us to absolute worship of Him! Give us an undivided heart to worship You! Glory!!
The Kingdom Age has glories in it we are only beginning to see as we come out from this putrid cloud of darkness. The Spirit of God delights to reveal these things to us; Jesus Christ knows all things of the Father's heart, and instructs the Spirit to reveal them to us when we are ready to receive them.
I hope this helps you to rise up and put off everything that hinders you from worshiping God purely from the heart. It certainly does motivate me!
“Eye has not seen, nor ear heard,
Nor have entered into the heart of man
The things which God has prepared for those who love Him.”
But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit.
For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God.
1 Corinthians 2: 9-10 NKJV
Questions to ponder:
Has your concept of idol worship changed?
What idol or idols in your life has the Spirit of God identified to you today, or recently?
How is He motivating you to turn away from them?
What is He showing you to do that will replace the practices of idol worship?
What glimpse of His glory has He given you to keep you wanting the deep things of God?
The things we're confronted with in captivity are all the things we've worshipped instead of God: What am I trusting in? Who do I fear? What do I desire most of all? Who or what am I molding myself to? Who am I trying to please? What am I filling myself with? Who am I following? How am I getting guidance? What do I think about all the time? What do I crave? Who or what intimidates me? What am I addicted to? What am I patterning my life after? Who or what do I run to for protection? What or who do I count on for provision? For fulfillment? For worth? For identity? What are my entanglements? Who or what do I actually worship?
Because there are so many things we worship as idols instead of, or along side of, God, we might have to go into captivity more than once. But every time we are released, we are back to getting true worship established once again. This is a life process for all of us, I think. The faster we're willing to relinquish our idols the quicker we are out of captivity and into freedom.
If we want God's abiding glory, we must first turn away from our idols (and this is why God identifies them to us and shows us His perspective on them). Then we must follow God's directions for establishing true worship. While this is happening, there will be opposition.
In these chapters today we see opposing ages and the spiritual rulers of these ages at work. There is this present age of the world (which is reaching its end), and the satanic spirits that rule over it. There is also the Kingdom age (which began with Christ's appearance in the world). That has been a mystery that has slowly been revealed since then, and is still being progressively revealed. The Spirit of Truth is the ruling spirit of the Kingdom Age.
Every person has to choose which age he or she will partake of. We are born, naturally, into this present worldly age. What could we call it? The age of rebellion? The age of lies? When we're born again, we begin to partake of the Kingdom age in some ways. But just because we're born again in the spirit doesn't mean we're able to understand or accept much of it-- it's so different than what we've gotten used to. We find ourselves in two opposing kingdoms and two opposing ages at once, and we are mighty confused!
From what Paul is saying about wisdom and spirit, I understand that the wisdom of this age comes from the heart of pride and rebellion that originated with satan. The wisdom of the Kingdom of Christ proceeds from the heart of God. Since it's written that it's the spirit of man that knows the "things of a man" and that the Spirit of God knows the deep things of God, I'm taking it that the wisdom of this age is also what comes from the heart of man separated from God. Satan is completely obsessed with man, however, so it takes discerning of spirits to sometimes be able to tell the difference between what's coming from man's spirit and what's coming from demonic spirits.
The spirit of man gravitates one way or the other. People are going to receive from demonic spirits or the Spirit of God, like it or not. If we've not put ourselves in subjection to the Kingdom of God, then we're subjected to the kingdom of rebellion (or lies, or darkness). The "rulers of this age," that Paul speaks of, can't logically be human, as he's talking about the fact that they crucified Christ, not knowing that He would be risen from the dead. Obviously, they worked through people. These spirits are still around, still working through people, trying to keep the Kingdom of God from prevailing. Too late! They've been defeated. They didn't stop it from coming and they didn't even see what was going to happen. They can't possibly stop it. The glorious reign of Christ on earth is inevitable.
Carnally minded people, even Christians, have a hard (or impossible) time seeing what's going on in the Kingdom of God. Until we reject the idols of this present age of rebellion, we can't be spiritually minded. Until we are spiritually minded, we can't receive the deep things of God revealed by the Spirit of God. When we are worshipping idols, we are still receiving only the wisdom of this age, the same "wisdom" that blindly crucified Christ.
Wrongly directed worship destroys the fruit of the Spirit in us and tears down the seed of the Word in us. It defiles and defames the temple. When we get disgusted with living in the age of rebellion, and reject its idols, we can then become cleansed from their influence and become a vessel for pure worship of God. We begin to have the fruit of the Spirit in abundance. Instead of ourselves usurping the throne of our hearts (being actually "puppet kings" of satan), then Christ is welcomed as King of kings, and we are holy participants in the Kingdom Age. We are now worshiping Him in whatever areas we are not rebelling against Him as King. He is working on getting all of us to absolute worship of Him! Give us an undivided heart to worship You! Glory!!
The Kingdom Age has glories in it we are only beginning to see as we come out from this putrid cloud of darkness. The Spirit of God delights to reveal these things to us; Jesus Christ knows all things of the Father's heart, and instructs the Spirit to reveal them to us when we are ready to receive them.
I hope this helps you to rise up and put off everything that hinders you from worshiping God purely from the heart. It certainly does motivate me!
“Eye has not seen, nor ear heard,
Nor have entered into the heart of man
The things which God has prepared for those who love Him.”
But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit.
For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God.
1 Corinthians 2: 9-10 NKJV
Questions to ponder:
Has your concept of idol worship changed?
What idol or idols in your life has the Spirit of God identified to you today, or recently?
How is He motivating you to turn away from them?
What is He showing you to do that will replace the practices of idol worship?
What glimpse of His glory has He given you to keep you wanting the deep things of God?
Saturday, July 31, 2010
July 31, 2010 Suddenly
One of the reasons we're told not to judge others on "doubtful matters"-- things that aren't stated outright in Scripture-- is that we don't know what God is working on with someone else. We don't even know that about ourselves so often. Because Christ is the Author and Finisher of our faith, it is His job to decide what needs to be changed when. Our job is receive one another, accept one another, and live according to the law of love in order not to trouble others with our mode of life. That is hard enough without trying to fix others.
If any correction needs to happen, let it be done by those with the authority to do so, and let it be on the clear doctrines of Christ, such as fornication.
When King Hezekiah-- grieved by the spiritual adulteries perpetrated by his predecessor-- desired to bring the nation back to a right relationship with God and reinstate the temple worship, he didn't seem to dictate exactly how that was to be done. He exhorted the priests and Levites to consecrate themselves and to cleanse out the temple. He told them to take out the rubbish, but he left it to them to do the work. Since we each are a temple of the Holy Spirit, and each of us kings and priests unto the Lord, it is the Holy Spirit's task to lead each one of us as to how to cleanse ourselves from dead works. Some of the rubbish in our souls might be obvious to others, but some of it might look OK to someone else, but the Lord reveals to us that it's not OK for us. "Whatever is not of faith is sin." This is a basic key to walking in holiness (wholeness), but it really comes down to the individual working out their salvation with Christ's leading. We are all in different stages of our growth and development.
The mysterious thing is how the Spirit works in each of us, deep inside our hearts, to prepare us for the next stage. Sometimes we observe a brother or sister who seems to be wandering around in darkness, and then, voila! All of a sudden they seem to have snapped out of it, moving forward in a level of glory that might even pass us by temporarily. We should rejoice when that happens. It gives me hope to know that if I'm struggling in life, God's got it under control, and He's leading me step by step out of the maze of confusion and darkness that I might be in.
I think we can anticipate a sudden "coming round the bend" for the Church in general. God is doing a work in His people, much of it unseen. Christ is still the head of His body. He is still in charge of each individual's salvation process, and of the building of His Kingdom, living stone by living stone. Maybe at this moment some of the trash is being taken out of the temple in one person's life, and another is getting their instrument of praise polished up and ready to go. At the proper time, all will be in order and the glory of God will be seen in a unity, joy and love that is greater than has ever been seen before. This verse will again be very relevant: "All the people rejoiced that God had prepared the people, since the events took place so suddenly."
2 Chronicles 29:36
If any correction needs to happen, let it be done by those with the authority to do so, and let it be on the clear doctrines of Christ, such as fornication.
When King Hezekiah-- grieved by the spiritual adulteries perpetrated by his predecessor-- desired to bring the nation back to a right relationship with God and reinstate the temple worship, he didn't seem to dictate exactly how that was to be done. He exhorted the priests and Levites to consecrate themselves and to cleanse out the temple. He told them to take out the rubbish, but he left it to them to do the work. Since we each are a temple of the Holy Spirit, and each of us kings and priests unto the Lord, it is the Holy Spirit's task to lead each one of us as to how to cleanse ourselves from dead works. Some of the rubbish in our souls might be obvious to others, but some of it might look OK to someone else, but the Lord reveals to us that it's not OK for us. "Whatever is not of faith is sin." This is a basic key to walking in holiness (wholeness), but it really comes down to the individual working out their salvation with Christ's leading. We are all in different stages of our growth and development.
The mysterious thing is how the Spirit works in each of us, deep inside our hearts, to prepare us for the next stage. Sometimes we observe a brother or sister who seems to be wandering around in darkness, and then, voila! All of a sudden they seem to have snapped out of it, moving forward in a level of glory that might even pass us by temporarily. We should rejoice when that happens. It gives me hope to know that if I'm struggling in life, God's got it under control, and He's leading me step by step out of the maze of confusion and darkness that I might be in.
I think we can anticipate a sudden "coming round the bend" for the Church in general. God is doing a work in His people, much of it unseen. Christ is still the head of His body. He is still in charge of each individual's salvation process, and of the building of His Kingdom, living stone by living stone. Maybe at this moment some of the trash is being taken out of the temple in one person's life, and another is getting their instrument of praise polished up and ready to go. At the proper time, all will be in order and the glory of God will be seen in a unity, joy and love that is greater than has ever been seen before. This verse will again be very relevant: "All the people rejoiced that God had prepared the people, since the events took place so suddenly."
2 Chronicles 29:36
Friday, July 16, 2010
July 16, 2010 The Prince of Peace Builds His House
There is a generation that does great warfare in the spirit and subdues their enemies all around. They gather the foundation stones and all the materials needed to build the temple-- a temple for God's name. These great stones are foundational truths from the Word of God. These they quarry and hew and dress with great labors. They gather the knowledge (trees) and the tested, pure testimony of God (gold tried in the fire). They dig deep for rubies and diamonds and sapphires and emeralds of revelation and bequeath these treasures to their children. All these things they prepare for the next generation, imparting to them a great love and value of the truth, until the children become the stones and the trees and the gold. The children become the jewels for the King's crown. The parents prepare all: they impart the vision: they lay down their lives so the children can be built into the house for God's name.
The Prince of Peace spares no expense in building His habitation, which must be glorious. He is a man of rest, for He has subdued His enemies all around. His name is Peaceful. His children rest in Him and are assured of peace, for they are secure in Him. There is no more intimidation or striving in war, for just a word and the enemies all around cower and flee. The house is built quietly and with a noble order so reverent that no voice is heard except that of the Prince. He places His stones with great care, for they are living, breathing beings who are equally at home in the heavenly realm as in the earthly realm. Nothing can shake them because they are being built together in peace.
The house for the name of God is exceedingly magnificent, famous and glorious throughout all countries. There the name of God is revealed in all its facets, and the worship of Him creates such splendor that the nations are drawn to its boundless wisdom, beauty, holiness and power.
The Prince of Peace spares no expense in building His habitation, which must be glorious. He is a man of rest, for He has subdued His enemies all around. His name is Peaceful. His children rest in Him and are assured of peace, for they are secure in Him. There is no more intimidation or striving in war, for just a word and the enemies all around cower and flee. The house is built quietly and with a noble order so reverent that no voice is heard except that of the Prince. He places His stones with great care, for they are living, breathing beings who are equally at home in the heavenly realm as in the earthly realm. Nothing can shake them because they are being built together in peace.
The house for the name of God is exceedingly magnificent, famous and glorious throughout all countries. There the name of God is revealed in all its facets, and the worship of Him creates such splendor that the nations are drawn to its boundless wisdom, beauty, holiness and power.
Tuesday, July 13, 2010
July 13, 2010 The Earth Trembles, The Trees Rejoice
King David and the Apostle Paul seemed to both have the understanding that the natural creation has an awareness of God and proclaims Him in a way that is unmistakable to man. When the earth's quaking and the seas are roaring, it's because the presence of God is near-- He's getting closer. Our response should be in accordance with this: acknowledge His mighty awesomeness, worship Him in the beauty of holiness, glorify Him and make thank offerings, and pray for deliverance from evil. In the midst of all the shaking, we should be able to discern His nearness and rejoice along with the trees! Nature is telling us something-- our salvation is at hand!
Nature also informs us of what is righteous and what is not. Built into us is the knowledge of how God created us and how He created things to be. He reveals His will in nature, and in our own being: spirit, soul and body. As Paul states so powerfully, nobody has any excuse for doing things against nature and against God. What people are doing these days truly follows the description in Romans 2, and it makes nature want to vomit.
When humans "suppress truth in unrighteousness," they are given over to evil in a progression: a darkened mind, then a darkened heart, then darkened physical behavior. It all starts with "exchanging the truth for a lie" and "worshipping and serving the creature instead of the Creator." Romans 1:25
If God gave people up to uncleanness and vile passions, I'd say that's part of His judgment. Verse 18 says the "wrath of God is revealed from heaven." I'm reminded of a a few others verses: "the wrath of man does not produce the righteousness of God" James 1:20; and "If I whet My glittering sword, And My hand takes hold on judgment, I will render vengeance to My enemies, And repay those who hate Me." Deuteronomy 32:41 and "Never take your own revenge, beloved, but leave room for the wrath of God, for it is written, "VENGEANCE IS MINE, I WILL REPAY," says the Lord." Romans 12: 9 NASB (caps were in the translation). Paul said in prelude to that verse (I'm jumping ahead from our reading, I realize): "Repay no one evil for evil. Have regard for good things in the sight of all men. If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men." Romans 12:17-18
Jesus talked about cities that would have repented if they had seen His works (Luke 10). Jonah's preaching brought the gigantic city of Ninevah to repentance in sackcloth and ashes (even though he was relishing the thought of their destruction). That destruction is coming-- has already started in the people who reject God-- but it is up to us right now to shine forth the glory of God in a way that shows Who He Is. Since God is enthroned in the praises of His people (Ps. 22:3) -- and true praise and worship makes way for the visible, brilliant presence of God-- then our proclaiming His praise would be one way of preaching the truth, and a way that darkened lives could possibly be enlightened again-- before it is too late.
Nature also informs us of what is righteous and what is not. Built into us is the knowledge of how God created us and how He created things to be. He reveals His will in nature, and in our own being: spirit, soul and body. As Paul states so powerfully, nobody has any excuse for doing things against nature and against God. What people are doing these days truly follows the description in Romans 2, and it makes nature want to vomit.
When humans "suppress truth in unrighteousness," they are given over to evil in a progression: a darkened mind, then a darkened heart, then darkened physical behavior. It all starts with "exchanging the truth for a lie" and "worshipping and serving the creature instead of the Creator." Romans 1:25
If God gave people up to uncleanness and vile passions, I'd say that's part of His judgment. Verse 18 says the "wrath of God is revealed from heaven." I'm reminded of a a few others verses: "the wrath of man does not produce the righteousness of God" James 1:20; and "If I whet My glittering sword, And My hand takes hold on judgment, I will render vengeance to My enemies, And repay those who hate Me." Deuteronomy 32:41 and "Never take your own revenge, beloved, but leave room for the wrath of God, for it is written, "VENGEANCE IS MINE, I WILL REPAY," says the Lord." Romans 12: 9 NASB (caps were in the translation). Paul said in prelude to that verse (I'm jumping ahead from our reading, I realize): "Repay no one evil for evil. Have regard for good things in the sight of all men. If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men." Romans 12:17-18
Jesus talked about cities that would have repented if they had seen His works (Luke 10). Jonah's preaching brought the gigantic city of Ninevah to repentance in sackcloth and ashes (even though he was relishing the thought of their destruction). That destruction is coming-- has already started in the people who reject God-- but it is up to us right now to shine forth the glory of God in a way that shows Who He Is. Since God is enthroned in the praises of His people (Ps. 22:3) -- and true praise and worship makes way for the visible, brilliant presence of God-- then our proclaiming His praise would be one way of preaching the truth, and a way that darkened lives could possibly be enlightened again-- before it is too late.
Friday, July 2, 2010
July 2, 2010 Life in the Strong Tower
Did you feel the refreshment in the Psalm today? After such dark histories of human failings and selfishness, idol worship, the shedding of innocent blood, the uproar of a sea of humanity fighting against God-- we're thrilled by the pure, brilliant excellence of a simple call to praise God instead of rail against Him! This is the atmosphere of heaven, which we can bring to earth through our faith: by words, songs, actions, attitudes. Light and life overcome darkness and death. They are in God.
"The name of the LORD is a strong tower; The righteous run to it and are safe." Proverbs 18:10 I've always loved this verse, and I like how it dovetails with the meaning of the Psalm. Since the name stands for His character, nature and authority, a great way to "run into" the name of God is to meditate on His goodness and His mighty acts, and to speak, sing or shout them out in praise and thanksgiving. This praise brings us into a strong tower of His presence--an awareness of who He is and that He is there all around us. It brings us into the place of remembering to love and trust Him, and in this place of remembrance, we enter into a deep place of worship. It is here we know that there is no place like God. Here we are safe. What evil could ever harm us in heaven?
Once we discover that we may live in this tower always-- we never have to leave it, that it goes with us everywhere when we are in communion with God-- we gain the courage to live a meaningful and selfless life.
"The name of the LORD is a strong tower; The righteous run to it and are safe." Proverbs 18:10 I've always loved this verse, and I like how it dovetails with the meaning of the Psalm. Since the name stands for His character, nature and authority, a great way to "run into" the name of God is to meditate on His goodness and His mighty acts, and to speak, sing or shout them out in praise and thanksgiving. This praise brings us into a strong tower of His presence--an awareness of who He is and that He is there all around us. It brings us into the place of remembering to love and trust Him, and in this place of remembrance, we enter into a deep place of worship. It is here we know that there is no place like God. Here we are safe. What evil could ever harm us in heaven?
Once we discover that we may live in this tower always-- we never have to leave it, that it goes with us everywhere when we are in communion with God-- we gain the courage to live a meaningful and selfless life.
Thursday, June 10, 2010
June 10, 2010 Why Does Beauty Exist?
Stephen's mention of Solomon's temple in his sermon (we're still in that!), and his quote from Isaiah, are nicely juxtaposed in our One Year Bible reading today. "But Solomon built Him a house. However, the Most High does not dwell in temples made with hands, as the prophet says: ‘ Heaven is My throne, And earth is My footstool. What house will you build for Me? says the LORD, Or what is the place of My rest? Has My hand not made all these things?' " Acts 7:47-50 NKJV (Isaiah 66:1,2).
As I contemplate the beauty of the temple and furnishings that Solomon designed, I am quite certain that he created them as an act of worship. I remembered that Solomon himself mentioned that God doesn't live in a physical building, so I decided to look it up (we're coming up to it in just a few days): "But will God indeed dwell on the earth? Behold, heaven and the heaven of heavens cannot contain You. How much less this temple which I have built!" I Kings 8:27 There is so much more to be said about the dwelling-place of God, and I'm sure that topic will unfold as we continue reading throughout the year.
We read in previous chapters that Solomon was quite a naturalist (botanist/biologist). He appreciated how God expressed Himself through the intricacies of nature, and responded to that by echoing the beauty and excellence in his own creations. He wanted the temple surroundings to remind people that God was the creator of the world, and that He should be called upon and worshipped. Solomon knew the language of beauty.
As Stephen also pointed out, the creation itself is not to be worshipped-- when the people made idols and worshipped them, the end result was captivity. There is an obvious difference in decorating things beautifully with images from nature and making a golden calf and worshipping it. It's what's behind the image-making-- the purpose and spirit of it-- that makes artistic expression what it is. I may be stepping into a spiritual hornet's nest here, but the Muslim aesthetic is all about trying to avoid such idolatry (geometric adornment only; hide women's faces and bodies), but it does nothing to change the idolatrous heart of humankind. On the opposite end of the spectrum is the Western culture of idolizing beauty in general, and beautiful people particularly. This is where all of our hearts go when we are not letting the Spirit of Truth give our sinful hearts an overhaul.
God is beautiful, but beauty is not god! Beauty is an intrinsic quality of God-- you can't have God without getting extravagant beauty in the bargain! It springs forth from Him. Just look around! And God created human beings with an appreciation of, and an ability to create, astounding beauty. I am very thankful for that! I am a great fan of God's beauty, His artistic ability, and His awe-inspiring creations.
I believe that beauty on this earth exists to testify of God's Beauty, of Him. Getting religious about our attitudes about beauty just doesn't help anything-- it only spoils what God has given. But if we can see beauty as a interface of communion-- back and forth, giving and receiving-- we will enter into a greater realm of Heavenly worship and glory than we have ever been in before.
As I contemplate the beauty of the temple and furnishings that Solomon designed, I am quite certain that he created them as an act of worship. I remembered that Solomon himself mentioned that God doesn't live in a physical building, so I decided to look it up (we're coming up to it in just a few days): "But will God indeed dwell on the earth? Behold, heaven and the heaven of heavens cannot contain You. How much less this temple which I have built!" I Kings 8:27 There is so much more to be said about the dwelling-place of God, and I'm sure that topic will unfold as we continue reading throughout the year.
We read in previous chapters that Solomon was quite a naturalist (botanist/biologist). He appreciated how God expressed Himself through the intricacies of nature, and responded to that by echoing the beauty and excellence in his own creations. He wanted the temple surroundings to remind people that God was the creator of the world, and that He should be called upon and worshipped. Solomon knew the language of beauty.
As Stephen also pointed out, the creation itself is not to be worshipped-- when the people made idols and worshipped them, the end result was captivity. There is an obvious difference in decorating things beautifully with images from nature and making a golden calf and worshipping it. It's what's behind the image-making-- the purpose and spirit of it-- that makes artistic expression what it is. I may be stepping into a spiritual hornet's nest here, but the Muslim aesthetic is all about trying to avoid such idolatry (geometric adornment only; hide women's faces and bodies), but it does nothing to change the idolatrous heart of humankind. On the opposite end of the spectrum is the Western culture of idolizing beauty in general, and beautiful people particularly. This is where all of our hearts go when we are not letting the Spirit of Truth give our sinful hearts an overhaul.
God is beautiful, but beauty is not god! Beauty is an intrinsic quality of God-- you can't have God without getting extravagant beauty in the bargain! It springs forth from Him. Just look around! And God created human beings with an appreciation of, and an ability to create, astounding beauty. I am very thankful for that! I am a great fan of God's beauty, His artistic ability, and His awe-inspiring creations.
I believe that beauty on this earth exists to testify of God's Beauty, of Him. Getting religious about our attitudes about beauty just doesn't help anything-- it only spoils what God has given. But if we can see beauty as a interface of communion-- back and forth, giving and receiving-- we will enter into a greater realm of Heavenly worship and glory than we have ever been in before.
Monday, May 24, 2010
May 24, 2010 "The Right To Remain Silent"
Do you ever feel a weight of glory in the Scriptures? Today I did. Just one little part of what Jesus said has so much glory in it that it is really overwhelming if you contemplate it. For instance, "Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father. And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask anything in My name, I will do it." John 14:12-14
I find that my response to this kind of revelation varies depending on where I'm at in my life. At this moment, I'm feeling like worshipping Him because I just came in from praising Him on the keyboard, and His presence is here. It's hard to think of anything else except Him when He's around! What He wants right now is for me (and you) to get what He's saying here. He wants to do His works through us! How awesome is that???
When I'm hearing Him say, "whatever you ask in My name, I will do, so that the Father is glorified," I'm going to listen extra closely to see what is in the Father's heart. How does He want to glorify Himself in the Son today? Jesus is authorizing me to pray. I'm going to get my prayer answered, guaranteed. I'm going to wait and hear and pray.
I think we all feel like David did when we have a great victory, have our prayers answered, and experience the favor of God. Why not follow David's example in praise, no regard for our dignified appearance or what others are thinking? If we take Jesus at His word, we are going to have some great victories, do some awesome exploits, and be accompanied by the glory of God wherever we go. Jesus' motivation was to glorify the Father, and so should ours be. I do not want to deny Him before men by being afraid to praise and glorify Him freely in their presence. I feel this opportunity will come up more and more often. I relinguish my "right to remain silent." Praise the Lord!
I find that my response to this kind of revelation varies depending on where I'm at in my life. At this moment, I'm feeling like worshipping Him because I just came in from praising Him on the keyboard, and His presence is here. It's hard to think of anything else except Him when He's around! What He wants right now is for me (and you) to get what He's saying here. He wants to do His works through us! How awesome is that???
When I'm hearing Him say, "whatever you ask in My name, I will do, so that the Father is glorified," I'm going to listen extra closely to see what is in the Father's heart. How does He want to glorify Himself in the Son today? Jesus is authorizing me to pray. I'm going to get my prayer answered, guaranteed. I'm going to wait and hear and pray.
I think we all feel like David did when we have a great victory, have our prayers answered, and experience the favor of God. Why not follow David's example in praise, no regard for our dignified appearance or what others are thinking? If we take Jesus at His word, we are going to have some great victories, do some awesome exploits, and be accompanied by the glory of God wherever we go. Jesus' motivation was to glorify the Father, and so should ours be. I do not want to deny Him before men by being afraid to praise and glorify Him freely in their presence. I feel this opportunity will come up more and more often. I relinguish my "right to remain silent." Praise the Lord!
Friday, May 21, 2010
May 21, 2010 Extravagant Love
I'm always so moved by the story of Mary's anointing of Jesus' feet. It was intuitive, it was humble, it was costly, it was intimate, it was symbolic, it was prophetic. It was an extravagant outpouring of love and gratitude, with no thought of herself. It could not be missed.
The fragrance permeated the house. It must have lingered for days! Not a soul there could have been unaware of it. Mary's action would have caused a reaction in everyone: some would have been touched, others angry. Jesus was so moved that He made sure that act of love was memorialized for all time. I would love to touch His heart that much-- wouldn't you?
When we live our life in loving surrender and worship of our Lord Jesus, holding nothing back, we give a gift more precious than a life savings. Each person has a different offering, but when given freely from the heart, it is precious to Him. To give oneself in extravagant worship is to touch the Lord's heart. It creates a mutual experience that lingers. The by-product is that the atmosphere of our life is a compelling fragrance that others, depending on their heart condition, are either drawn to or repelled by. One thing is certain. Jesus loves it!
Jesus loves us extravagantly, doesn't He? Let's return His love.
The fragrance permeated the house. It must have lingered for days! Not a soul there could have been unaware of it. Mary's action would have caused a reaction in everyone: some would have been touched, others angry. Jesus was so moved that He made sure that act of love was memorialized for all time. I would love to touch His heart that much-- wouldn't you?
When we live our life in loving surrender and worship of our Lord Jesus, holding nothing back, we give a gift more precious than a life savings. Each person has a different offering, but when given freely from the heart, it is precious to Him. To give oneself in extravagant worship is to touch the Lord's heart. It creates a mutual experience that lingers. The by-product is that the atmosphere of our life is a compelling fragrance that others, depending on their heart condition, are either drawn to or repelled by. One thing is certain. Jesus loves it!
Jesus loves us extravagantly, doesn't He? Let's return His love.
Monday, May 17, 2010
May 17, 2010 Seeing the King
I've long known that David was a fore-shadowing of the Kingship of Christ. Today, the Lord pointed out a parallel in the Scriptures that I have never noticed before. The Old and New Testaments both concur that there are two reactions to the revelation of the true King. It seems when you are confronted with the King, you either love him or hate him.
From all that I have read about them, I have come to the conclusion that David and Jesus were both totally lovable. Not in a "popularity contest" sort of way, but winsome because they were righteous, powerful, wise and serving. Really, it was only the proud and envious leaders that hated them and stirred people up against them. David was celebrated in Israel from the start, but Saul was fearful of him taking the throne from himself and his son Jonathan. He "saw" the true king, but refused to see what he saw. He tried to kill him instead. It's easy to see the parallels in Jesus' life.
The Pharisees "saw" Jesus and His Kingship but willfully refused to see what they saw. After Jesus gave the blind beggar his sight, He said:
“Do you believe in the Son of God?” He answered and said, “Who is He, Lord, that I may believe in Him?” And Jesus said to him, “You have both seen Him and it is He who is talking with you.” Then he said, “Lord, I believe!” And he worshiped Him. And Jesus said, “For judgment I have come into this world, that those who do not see may see, and that those who see may be made blind.” Then some of the Pharisees who were with Him heard these words, and said to Him, “Are we blind also?” Jesus said to them, “If you were blind, you would have no sin; but now you say, ‘We see.’ Therefore your sin remains." John 9: 35-41 NKJV
The beggar couldn't see at first, physically or spiritually, but when confronted with the King, he saw, believed what he saw, and worshipped Him. I believe the Pharisees, like Saul, could see Who Jesus was, but refused to believe what they saw, out of fear, pride and envy. They refused to acknowledge God. The Pharisees' and Saul's iniquity caused them to see their savior as an evil usurper rather than the rightful King. Once confronted with the Light, rebellious, selfish darkness will try to extinguish it.
Jonathan "saw" the kingship in David, and covenanted with him in loyal friendship. He did not try to fight for his own "rights". It says Jonathan loved him as his own soul. This is the kind of love Christians should have for one another, because we see the King. We don't worship each other, but we worship the King in one another, and we give one another the loyalty, love and honor that are due the children and vessels of the King.
How we respond to one another really reveals our heart toward God. If we allow ourselves to be blinded by heart-sin (iniquity), we will throw spears at our brothers and sisters (probably not actually, but verbally). We are actually throwing them at the Lord. If, and when, we find ourselves on the receiving end of this kind of blindness, the Holy Spirit will come along side us and defend us, as Jonathan defended David. If we love the King, we will honor His brothers and sisters, even to the point of risking our own lives.
David escaped from the presence of the earthly king, but returned in power. The beggar was sent out, first by Jesus to wash his eyes (he probably had to get out of the presence of the rabid unbelief in order to be able to receive his sight), and then he was expelled from the congregation by the leaders. Perhaps he was a great witness for the Lord "outside the camp." David's followers were "outlaws" for many years. We too, have to follow the Lord and bear His reproach "outside the camp." (Hebrews 13:13)
If we get rejected by people-- whether our natural family, self-righteous leaders, or a particular group-- be assured that righteousness will eventually be vindicated. Jesus was sent out of this world (by His own choice of course: He laid down His life), rejected by His own. But He will be returning in power to claim His throne in the glory of the Father. I wouldn't want to be one of His enemies!! (read Revelation 19). But His reward will be with Him for His loyal, faithful servants!
From all that I have read about them, I have come to the conclusion that David and Jesus were both totally lovable. Not in a "popularity contest" sort of way, but winsome because they were righteous, powerful, wise and serving. Really, it was only the proud and envious leaders that hated them and stirred people up against them. David was celebrated in Israel from the start, but Saul was fearful of him taking the throne from himself and his son Jonathan. He "saw" the true king, but refused to see what he saw. He tried to kill him instead. It's easy to see the parallels in Jesus' life.
The Pharisees "saw" Jesus and His Kingship but willfully refused to see what they saw. After Jesus gave the blind beggar his sight, He said:
“Do you believe in the Son of God?” He answered and said, “Who is He, Lord, that I may believe in Him?” And Jesus said to him, “You have both seen Him and it is He who is talking with you.” Then he said, “Lord, I believe!” And he worshiped Him. And Jesus said, “For judgment I have come into this world, that those who do not see may see, and that those who see may be made blind.” Then some of the Pharisees who were with Him heard these words, and said to Him, “Are we blind also?” Jesus said to them, “If you were blind, you would have no sin; but now you say, ‘We see.’ Therefore your sin remains." John 9: 35-41 NKJV
The beggar couldn't see at first, physically or spiritually, but when confronted with the King, he saw, believed what he saw, and worshipped Him. I believe the Pharisees, like Saul, could see Who Jesus was, but refused to believe what they saw, out of fear, pride and envy. They refused to acknowledge God. The Pharisees' and Saul's iniquity caused them to see their savior as an evil usurper rather than the rightful King. Once confronted with the Light, rebellious, selfish darkness will try to extinguish it.
Jonathan "saw" the kingship in David, and covenanted with him in loyal friendship. He did not try to fight for his own "rights". It says Jonathan loved him as his own soul. This is the kind of love Christians should have for one another, because we see the King. We don't worship each other, but we worship the King in one another, and we give one another the loyalty, love and honor that are due the children and vessels of the King.
How we respond to one another really reveals our heart toward God. If we allow ourselves to be blinded by heart-sin (iniquity), we will throw spears at our brothers and sisters (probably not actually, but verbally). We are actually throwing them at the Lord. If, and when, we find ourselves on the receiving end of this kind of blindness, the Holy Spirit will come along side us and defend us, as Jonathan defended David. If we love the King, we will honor His brothers and sisters, even to the point of risking our own lives.
David escaped from the presence of the earthly king, but returned in power. The beggar was sent out, first by Jesus to wash his eyes (he probably had to get out of the presence of the rabid unbelief in order to be able to receive his sight), and then he was expelled from the congregation by the leaders. Perhaps he was a great witness for the Lord "outside the camp." David's followers were "outlaws" for many years. We too, have to follow the Lord and bear His reproach "outside the camp." (Hebrews 13:13)
If we get rejected by people-- whether our natural family, self-righteous leaders, or a particular group-- be assured that righteousness will eventually be vindicated. Jesus was sent out of this world (by His own choice of course: He laid down His life), rejected by His own. But He will be returning in power to claim His throne in the glory of the Father. I wouldn't want to be one of His enemies!! (read Revelation 19). But His reward will be with Him for His loyal, faithful servants!
Wednesday, May 5, 2010
May 5, 2010 A True Witness
"A true witness delivers souls, but a deceitful witness speaks lies." Proverbs 14:25 There is more to being a true witness than telling true facts. Jesus demonstrated this in His witness to the Samaritan woman. His true witness won her to Truth. He also taught her how to be a true witness. Then her true witness won others to Truth. We cannot of our own ability win souls, but we can be in a place where the Spirit of Truth can work to draw people to Christ. Let's see what Jesus had to show and tell about being a true witness.
First of all, Jesus did not hide Who He was or what He had to offer. He didn't try to cover anything up-- He was a true witness in that He did not use any kind of deception. Darkness and deception had no place in Christ, and that is His work in us, to reveal these things by His light of truth. He was spiritually transparent, and the light and love of God shone through. He told pure truth. He had no "fear of man," and He had no need to use tricks to try and win people.
Jesus did not ignore the darkness in the woman to whom He was witnessing. He let the light shine right on it. If we were to do this in a sense of judgment, as probably the woman had often experienced before, the opportunity to share the truth would be over. Even though Jesus' light was shining with nothing but the Father's love and compassion, the woman's habit was to deflect the conversation away from her darkness-- she changed the subject, even though previously, she had been very interested in the offer of living water.
Since the woman began the topic of worship, Jesus took up that topic. [The whole time He was talking to her, He was always steering her away from looking at everything in the natural and helping her to focus upon the spiritual instead. This was really a key in getting her free from her sinful lifestyle.] "You worship what you do not know; we know what we worship, for salvation is of the Jews. But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.” John 4: 22-24 He showed her how needful it was that she allow the light in and not hide from it, even to cover up her shameful darkness. He was telling her that God already knew about it, and yet was still willing to reveal Himself to her. She was ready for the revelation, and believed that Jesus was the Messiah, Who was to be her covering.
When the Samaritan woman went to be a witness to the people of her town, she no longer was trying to cover up and hide. She had received His word about being a true witness, and her statement was: “Come, see a Man who told me all things that I ever did. Could this be the Christ?” Then they went out of the city and came to Him. John 4: 29-30 Something about this was enough to make the whole town want to come and meet Jesus. Once they had heard Him themselves, they too believed.
Whenever Jesus speaks to us, He shows us that He is the provision for whatever it is that we're needing. He also lovingly shows us what it is that is keeping us from receiving whatever it is that He has for us. He does this because He loves us. Every place that is dark in us is a place that can be inhabited by Jesus' light. The light will always overcome the darkness, so all we have to do is let the light in.
One of the best ways to become more filled with Him, which is how we become a true witness for Him, is to worship Him. True worship is not happening when our bodies are doing one thing and our hearts are somewhere else. It also doesn't happen when we're not being honest with the Lord. So true, unveiled worship in God's presence is one of our most important preparations for work in the harvest. This is where we become transparent enough for His light to shine forth into the world. Worship in spirit and in truth needs to become our lifestyle.
The "fear of man" will compel us to cover up (or deflect people's attention away from) things we think will not be acceptable to others. It is always based on our own perceptions, or that which others have taught us. It is not related to how God really sees us, but sometimes to how we think He sees us. The more we encounter the love of God through Christ, the more we realize how very much He loves us. Even if He reveals darkness in us, He shines in His light and dispels it, filling us with His love. We can run and hide from it if we choose, but it is wise to choose truth.
Personally, I have to keep on opening up to the presence of God to overcome the fear of rejection that keeps me struggling with the desire to hide. He keeps on reassuring me of His love, filling me up with His light, and helping me to lay down anything that I might use to hide from Himself and others. This motivates me to continually seek His help: if I am hiding behind something, for example, a mask of cheerfulness when I am depressed, then I have become a deceitful witness telling lies instead of the truth I want to tell. This may sound very harsh, but it is probably one of the greatest reasons in the Church for not seeing a much greater harvest of souls into the Kingdom.
The process of becoming a true witness is often painful, but always rewarding. The joy comes when we get to enjoy the fruit of the harvest with the Father and the Son. "And he who reaps receives wages, and gathers fruit for eternal life, that both he who sows and he who reaps may rejoice together." John 4:36
First of all, Jesus did not hide Who He was or what He had to offer. He didn't try to cover anything up-- He was a true witness in that He did not use any kind of deception. Darkness and deception had no place in Christ, and that is His work in us, to reveal these things by His light of truth. He was spiritually transparent, and the light and love of God shone through. He told pure truth. He had no "fear of man," and He had no need to use tricks to try and win people.
Jesus did not ignore the darkness in the woman to whom He was witnessing. He let the light shine right on it. If we were to do this in a sense of judgment, as probably the woman had often experienced before, the opportunity to share the truth would be over. Even though Jesus' light was shining with nothing but the Father's love and compassion, the woman's habit was to deflect the conversation away from her darkness-- she changed the subject, even though previously, she had been very interested in the offer of living water.
Since the woman began the topic of worship, Jesus took up that topic. [The whole time He was talking to her, He was always steering her away from looking at everything in the natural and helping her to focus upon the spiritual instead. This was really a key in getting her free from her sinful lifestyle.] "You worship what you do not know; we know what we worship, for salvation is of the Jews. But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.” John 4: 22-24 He showed her how needful it was that she allow the light in and not hide from it, even to cover up her shameful darkness. He was telling her that God already knew about it, and yet was still willing to reveal Himself to her. She was ready for the revelation, and believed that Jesus was the Messiah, Who was to be her covering.
When the Samaritan woman went to be a witness to the people of her town, she no longer was trying to cover up and hide. She had received His word about being a true witness, and her statement was: “Come, see a Man who told me all things that I ever did. Could this be the Christ?” Then they went out of the city and came to Him. John 4: 29-30 Something about this was enough to make the whole town want to come and meet Jesus. Once they had heard Him themselves, they too believed.
Whenever Jesus speaks to us, He shows us that He is the provision for whatever it is that we're needing. He also lovingly shows us what it is that is keeping us from receiving whatever it is that He has for us. He does this because He loves us. Every place that is dark in us is a place that can be inhabited by Jesus' light. The light will always overcome the darkness, so all we have to do is let the light in.
One of the best ways to become more filled with Him, which is how we become a true witness for Him, is to worship Him. True worship is not happening when our bodies are doing one thing and our hearts are somewhere else. It also doesn't happen when we're not being honest with the Lord. So true, unveiled worship in God's presence is one of our most important preparations for work in the harvest. This is where we become transparent enough for His light to shine forth into the world. Worship in spirit and in truth needs to become our lifestyle.
The "fear of man" will compel us to cover up (or deflect people's attention away from) things we think will not be acceptable to others. It is always based on our own perceptions, or that which others have taught us. It is not related to how God really sees us, but sometimes to how we think He sees us. The more we encounter the love of God through Christ, the more we realize how very much He loves us. Even if He reveals darkness in us, He shines in His light and dispels it, filling us with His love. We can run and hide from it if we choose, but it is wise to choose truth.
Personally, I have to keep on opening up to the presence of God to overcome the fear of rejection that keeps me struggling with the desire to hide. He keeps on reassuring me of His love, filling me up with His light, and helping me to lay down anything that I might use to hide from Himself and others. This motivates me to continually seek His help: if I am hiding behind something, for example, a mask of cheerfulness when I am depressed, then I have become a deceitful witness telling lies instead of the truth I want to tell. This may sound very harsh, but it is probably one of the greatest reasons in the Church for not seeing a much greater harvest of souls into the Kingdom.
The process of becoming a true witness is often painful, but always rewarding. The joy comes when we get to enjoy the fruit of the harvest with the Father and the Son. "And he who reaps receives wages, and gathers fruit for eternal life, that both he who sows and he who reaps may rejoice together." John 4:36
Monday, March 8, 2010
March 8, 2010
It seems I have to be reminded on a regular basis not to grumble and complain! How many times have I read these scriptures and still forget? It is so easy to get disgruntled when what I see for the future doesn't match up to what seems to be taking place in the present. I tire of the suffering, or just the long waiting, and forget that through these things, Christ is preparing me for what is to come.
The Israelites grumbled at the Lord in the wilderness, lacking in faith. Even Moses doubted God's ability to provide meat for more than 600,000 people! God's answer: "Is the Lord's hand too short? (Is His power limited?)." God proved again that it was not, even though He had proven Himself many times over.
I learned from the lesson in Mark that Jesus already has a plan of provision for us-- even if we are only in the preparation stage-- and He will give us detailed intructions, if we will listen. Wouldn't you agree that following His instructions would be good preparation? "So the disciples set out and went to the city, and found everything as he had told them; and they prepared the Passover meal." Mark 14:16 He prepared them for preparation of a meal that would prepare them further for more preparation!
Sometimes I get lost in the preparations, forgetting that there is a destination. Or I get tired of the preparations and quit, despairing of ever getting to my goal. If we quit, we'll never get there! But if we'll remember that He Himself is our true destination, we will keep our eyes on Him and abide in Him. Thus we are already there and getting there all at once!
I believe that Mark also shows us a key for continuing in perseverance with faith, hope and love, instead of grumbling and complaining: worship! The woman with the alabaster jar of ointment is a wonderful example of what to do in a confusing time of preparation. She obviously had an understanding of who Jesus was and what was going to happen. She knew they were all going to go through an extremely trying time, and yet she gave sacrificially in an extravagant expression of heartfelt devotion, thanksgiving and trust for the future. Jesus commended her for it with great enthusiasm, for it obviously pleased Him.
If the Israelites had remembered God's former deliverances and provisions rather than call to mind their former life and complain about the present, and if they had kept their eyes on "the prize"-- the Promised Land and the Giver of the Promise-- they would have remained in a place of thanksgiving and worship, trusting in the Lord and His goodness. We have the same choices everyday, do we not? I am reminded again to choose the attitudes and behaviors that please Him.
The Israelites grumbled at the Lord in the wilderness, lacking in faith. Even Moses doubted God's ability to provide meat for more than 600,000 people! God's answer: "Is the Lord's hand too short? (Is His power limited?)." God proved again that it was not, even though He had proven Himself many times over.
I learned from the lesson in Mark that Jesus already has a plan of provision for us-- even if we are only in the preparation stage-- and He will give us detailed intructions, if we will listen. Wouldn't you agree that following His instructions would be good preparation? "So the disciples set out and went to the city, and found everything as he had told them; and they prepared the Passover meal." Mark 14:16 He prepared them for preparation of a meal that would prepare them further for more preparation!
Sometimes I get lost in the preparations, forgetting that there is a destination. Or I get tired of the preparations and quit, despairing of ever getting to my goal. If we quit, we'll never get there! But if we'll remember that He Himself is our true destination, we will keep our eyes on Him and abide in Him. Thus we are already there and getting there all at once!
I believe that Mark also shows us a key for continuing in perseverance with faith, hope and love, instead of grumbling and complaining: worship! The woman with the alabaster jar of ointment is a wonderful example of what to do in a confusing time of preparation. She obviously had an understanding of who Jesus was and what was going to happen. She knew they were all going to go through an extremely trying time, and yet she gave sacrificially in an extravagant expression of heartfelt devotion, thanksgiving and trust for the future. Jesus commended her for it with great enthusiasm, for it obviously pleased Him.
If the Israelites had remembered God's former deliverances and provisions rather than call to mind their former life and complain about the present, and if they had kept their eyes on "the prize"-- the Promised Land and the Giver of the Promise-- they would have remained in a place of thanksgiving and worship, trusting in the Lord and His goodness. We have the same choices everyday, do we not? I am reminded again to choose the attitudes and behaviors that please Him.
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