Month: October 2019

“The nations will see your righteousness, and all kings your glory; you will be called by a new name that the mouth of the Lord will bestow.” Isaiah 62:2

            In the Old Testament, as well as in some other cultures today, children are given names because of the meaning of the word. Sometimes I feel really sorry for those kids! How would you like to be named “Not Loved” like the daughter of Hosea? Or what about the name Jabez, which means “Pain” because his mother had such pain? Even Benjamin was originally named “Son of My Trouble” by his mother. Thankfully, his father changed it to “Son of My Right Hand.” What about you? What would your name have been if you had been named after the circumstances of your birth? I think my name would have been “Surprise!”

            This verse out of Isaiah is talking about a time when God would redeem the nation of Israel from captivity. He said that at that time, He would give them a new name. What He meant is that they would be known in a new way. They would no longer be called Deserted or Desolate but would be called “My Delight is In Her.” He’s talking about more than just the moniker by which others referred to the nation. He’s also talking about what they would be like. This section of scripture is like some others that have a duel meaning. Or rather, another layer of meaning. That’s because it’s also talking about the end times. Like the ancient Israelites, we will also be redeemed from this world of captivity to sin to enter a New Kingdom. In the book of Revelation, God confirms that we will each be given a new name.

            What is your name today? And what would you like it to be? Are you Complainer but would like to be Grateful? Or maybe you’re Depressed and are looking forward to being renamed Joyful. Sometimes we’re Angry when we’d like to be Forgiving. How about Selfish, Prideful, Harsh, Worrier or Hater? God would like to rename us Caring, Humble, Gentle, Peace and Loving. Most of all, He has already changed our name from Sinner to Pure. As if that’s not wonderful enough, thing about this: we don’t have to wait until heaven to receive those names. They’re available to us right now. All we have to do is allow the Holy Spirit to change us from the inside out. He’s ready and willing to do the work as soon as we agree to submit to Him. What about you? Will you allow Him to give you a new name today?

“Avoid godless chatter, because those who indulge in it will become more and more ungodly.” 2 Timothy 2:16

            Have you ever had the experience of contentedly reading your Bible, maybe even not really paying much attention to what you’re reading, when a verse jumps out and slaps you in the face? That’s what happened when I read this verse a few days ago. I quickly reread the verses before and after to get some context. I see that Paul is instructing his young protegee, Timothy, to not waste his time talking with those who are proponents of heresy. I thought that would let me off the hook, but God hasn’t let it go. This verse just keeps coming up in my mind and when it does, God has a slightly different meaning for me. He wants me to avoid godless chatter. He wants me to stay away from empty talk, from worldly conversations.

            What does that mean? Can I only talk about God or the Bible? I can’t discuss with a coworker what we’re having for lunch, share the funny stories of a friend’s kids, or share the fun I had last weekend? I don’t think that’s what God is saying. Those things are important to each of us, and therefore important to God. God is reminding me that I need to keep a closer reign on the temptation to gossip or complain. Those two things are so insidious! I can be having a very innocent conversation and before I know it, I’ve fall into one of those two traps. Especially if you consider that a part of conversation is listening. I may not even be the one speaking the gossip or the complaints, but if I’m actively listening to them, I’m just as guilty as the speaker. So the first challenge is to not join in the gossip or the complaining. That’s often hard to do but the second challenge is even more difficult. How do we not listen without being rude? Changing the subject often doesn’t work because they go right back to it. I could try to walk away or avoid the individual completely, but that’s not always possible. And what if it’s a sister or brother in Christ? Should I confront that individual with the truth of how their words are affecting me?

            I don’t have answers to these questions. However, I do think that the first step is to look at my own heart. What have I been complaining about? Where is there worry in my life? What has been causing anger or frustration? Who has been rubbing me the wrong way? These are all issues that need to be taken to God. If – or should I say when – I’ve been gossiping or complaining, I need to ask Him for forgiveness for not thinking with the mind of Christ. I need to ask Him to help me do all things without complaining or arguing. (Philippians 2:14). I need help seeing others through His eyes and with His love. That includes those around me who have a penchant for gossip or complaining. I’ve come to realize that I’ve been inwardly complaining about those who complain. Maybe things would change if I stopped worrying about how much they complain and be more concerned about if I am loving them well. At the very least, I would change. Instead of becoming more and more ungodly, I will grow closer and closer to the very heart of God. That’s a great reason to stop the gossip and complaints!

“The dead man came out, his hands and feet wrapped with strips of linen, and a cloth around his face. Jesus said to them, ‘Take off the grave clothes and let him go.’” – John 11:44

            This verse appears at the end of the story of Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead. I’m sure we’re all very familiar with this story and there are so many things to think about. The power of Jesus, the reactions of Lazarus’ loved ones, the smell of this man who had been in the grave for 4 days. Right now, I want to put myself in Lazarus’ place. It actually won’t take much imagination to do that because I’ve been there. I’m actually there right now, in a way. No, I haven’t died physically and been raised back to life. But I have been in the grave. In fact, I’ve been in several graves. Think about it: Jesus said, “I am the Way and the truth and the Life.” That means that before we knew Jesus, we were in the grave. Coming to know Him is what brought us to life. We heard Him call our name, we felt life flow into us, and we got up and began to walk as we had never walked before! He raised you from the death of sin in which you had been entombed! He raised me! We walked out of the tomb into His light! As amazing as that is, we still sometimes choose to go back into the grave. It may be the grave of shame, or sin, or guilt, or bitterness, or any number of other graves in which we sometimes choose to live.

            There are a couple of things I want to point out. When Lazarus left the grave, he still had the grave clothes wrapped around him. So do we. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if all those old habits and desires that lead to death immediately fell away? Sometimes that happens. I’ve heard of people with decades-long habits, like smoking or drinking or other things. When they met Jesus, the desire for those things immediately disappeared. But that’s pretty rare. Usually, we walk around trailing grave clothes behind us. It seems like each time I get rid of one strip of linen, there’s another underneath to take its place. Another habit, another sin of which I was unaware. Or it may be something that I thought had left me and suddenly it rears its ugly head again. But let’s stop beating ourselves up for that. Jesus didn’t condemn Lazarus because he had grave clothes on. He didn’t tell him to get back in that tomb until he could get himself cleaned up. He expected Lazarus to be covered in the clothes of death. And He’s the same with us. He doesn’t want us to stay wrapped in them, but neither does He condemn us when He knows we’re unwrapping them one layer at a time.

            The other thing I notice in this verse is that Lazarus didn’t take off his grave clothes by himself. Nor did Jesus expect him to. Rather, He commanded those standing around to help him out. I believe it’s the same today. When we’re coming out into the light, we need the help of others to shed those things that are trying to pull us back into the grave. Sometimes we don’t know we have a strip of linen still clinging to us and we need someone else to point it out. Other times, we just can’t get it off without help. We’re intended to do the Christian life in community, in an atmosphere of loving help and encouragement. If there is a sin or habit that you’re struggling with, don’t hesitate to ask a Christian brother or sister for help. And if you see someone else struggling, jump in and give them a hand. Jesus has called each of us out of the grave! That thought alone should give us incredible joy! It should also give us the desire to help one another get free of those things that want to drag us back.

“Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.” Ephesians 3:20, 21

            These have long been favorite verses of mine. The part of them that my brain usually lands on is that God is able to do more than all we ask or imagine. That’s a very important part. Too often, we want to make God in our own image. We can become uncomfortable with something we can’t understand. I have heard people say that they think they know what God will or won’t do. Like the belief that God would never want us to experience difficulties. Or God would never ask us to do something we don’t want to do. Maybe it wasn’t worded quite that bluntly, but that’s often the belief behind the words. The truth of the matter is that we can’t know what God will or won’t ask of us, or what He will or won’t do. He is so much greater than us that we can’t comprehend His greatness. It’s beyond our mental capabilities. And because we can’t comprehend God, we can’t imagine the things He is able to do. This can cause discomfort, but also peace. After all, that means that God is able to do more than we can comprehend. We may be in a situation that seems unsolvable. We can’t imagine a solution. But God can.

            How do we know this? Because the Bible says so, for starters. And it’s important to believe God’s word. But in this case, God gives us more proof. This incredible ability God has to do more than we can imagine is at work within us. He is producing the very proof we need right within our own hearts and souls. How are you different from the day you asked Christ into your heart? What changes has He worked in you? What fruit has He produced? Are you now able to love the unlovable? Do you have more patience? Do you have an insight into the behaviors of others that didn’t exist before? Is there joy even in the midst of sorrow or difficulty? All of that is God’s power working in us. It’s something we couldn’t do on our own. But God can. And He does.

            What should our response be to this? When Paul wrote these verses, it’s like the thought of all God can do and has done caused him to almost get a little carried away. He suddenly bursts into praise that won’t quit! We are to give God glory, which means to praise His name, to assign Him the splendor and honor that is His due. Not just one time, but we keep on praising Him! We don’t stop. In fact, even when we quit breathing, the praise doesn’t stop. It keeps going throughout all eternity! And it’s not just you and me. It’s all the believers around the world, all who have ever lived or ever will. That’s a pretty big group of people praising God and showing Him the honor He deserves! Notice that this verse isn’t commanding us to praise. It’s saying that once we recognize just a little of Who God is and what He’s like, we won’t be able to keep from praising! I don’t know about you, but that excites me. It makes me want to praise God for all He’s done and all He’s going to do. For ever and ever. Amen.