Open Our Eyes Lord

John 9:25 (NIV)  He replied, "Whether he is a sinner or not, I don't know. One thing I do know. I was blind but now I see!"

            On May 3, a deer with its head caught in the globe from a lighting fixture was found in the woods in Centereach, N.Y. It was a deer caught not in the headlights, but in the... light globe. Centereach is a Long Island community about 45 miles east of New York City. Officials think the deer had been struggling with the opaque globe – which completely covered its head – for a day or two. The globe did not or would not break. I’m not sure if it was made out of a kind of unbreakable glass or perhaps plastic. The news story does not say. In either case, the deer’s head was trapped inside, leaving it unable to see anything but the inside of the globe. A first attempt by Officer Jeff Hull to help the animal failed. When it slipped out of his hands, the deer ran off. On his second approach Officer Hull tossed his coat over the light globe. When it pulled backwards in fear it must have moved at just the right angle and the globe came free. And, as they say, they all lived happily ever after.

Here is a link to the images from the New York State Department of Conservation: https://www.yahoo.com/news/officer-rescues-deer-had-head-caught-light-globe-201333591.html?nhp=1

            The blind man Jesus heals in John chapter 9 had never seen. His life had been lived without light and highly dependent upon others. The prevailing attitude was that his sin (or someone’s sin) was the cause of his problem. Jesus said that it was there in his life so that God’s work could be displayed. Jesus healed him in love and changed his life. He delivered him from the darkness physically while also delivering him from spiritual darkness. Later in the chapter Jesus calls the formerly blind man to believe on Him. His spiritual eyes need to be opened, for he asks Jesus who the Son of Man was. Jesus responds by saying, "You have now seen him; in fact, he is the one speaking with you." Then John tells us that the man believed and worshipped Jesus.

God knows our need. He knows our predicament of being caught in unbelief and sin. He knows we are not capable of getting ourselves out of our own predicament. Sin has a blinding effect on people. He knows our sight is limited in the small globe of the world around us. The more rooted we are in seeing the world through unbelief and sin, the less hope we have of extricating ourselves from it. We think we can handle it because we actually believe we are seeing so well. Yet we are not much better off than a deer with its head caught in a globe. Our condition is desperate and we need a Savior to uncover and open our eyes. We need His help to take away our spiritual blindness so that we may see Him as He is. Jesus is more than able to do this. When we cry out to Him and trust Him His power and grace goes to work. This is true both as we are helped to come to know Him initially and He rescues us from our sin and self… as well as on a day to day basis. His grace is given to us daily that we might see and walk in His path for us. Our enemy will seek to cover our eyes and make us stumble. But the grace of Christ will not let him. Jesus is both our Savior and our Protector. May He open our eyes to all that is true so that we will see ourselves and the world aright, and then follow Him faithfully.

2 Corinthians 4:4 (NIV)  The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.

Romans 5:8 (NIV)  But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

Isaiah 35:3-10 (NIV) ³  Strengthen the feeble hands, steady the knees that give way; ⁴  say to those with fearful hearts, "Be strong, do not fear; your God will come, he will come with vengeance; with divine retribution he will come to save you." ⁵  Then will the eyes of the blind be opened and the ears of the deaf unstopped. ⁶  Then will the lame leap like a deer, and the mute tongue shout for joy. Water will gush forth in the wilderness and streams in the desert. ⁷  The burning sand will become a pool, the thirsty ground bubbling springs. In the haunts where jackals once lay, grass and reeds and papyrus will grow. ⁸  And a highway will be there; it will be called the Way of Holiness. The unclean will not journey on it; it will be for those who walk in that Way; wicked fools will not go about on it. ⁹  No lion will be there, nor will any ferocious beast get up on it; they will not be found there. But only the redeemed will walk there, ¹⁰  and the ransomed of the LORD will return. They will enter Zion with singing; everlasting joy will crown their heads. Gladness and joy will overtake them, and sorrow and sighing will flee away.

PRAYER:  Father, open the eyes of my heart I pray. Whatever might be shielding me from seeing my sin or your grace… take away. Give me eyes to see you, myself, and others as you would have me to do. I want for your work to be displayed in me. Thank you. In Jesus’ name, AMEN.”

Jesus Christ is Lord!    

Scott

Which Way to Go?

Psalm 23:3 (NIV)  he restores my soul. He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake.

            A few years ago Joanne and I ended up on what amounted to a logging road in the middle of nowhere because I thought the GPS on my phone seemed reliable. I thought of that horrible experience when reading this story in the news…

“Depending on a GPS is a daily occurrence for most drivers. Whether it is by phone, in dash, or a portable unit we all use them. But it goes even further than ‘use,’ we trust these units to take us where we ask. And when it starts taking us into bad places we assume that the GPS knows what it is doing and wouldn't take us to a bad place. Sometimes even the worst case scenario can happen though. The park rangers at Death Valley National Park in California call it ‘death by GPS.’ It describes what happens when your GPS fails you, not by being wrong, exactly, but often by being too right. It does such a good job of computing the most direct route from Point A to Point B that it takes you down roads which barely exist, or were used at one time and abandoned, or are not suitable for your car, or which require all kinds of local knowledge that would make you aware that making that turn is bad news. Most of these incidents don't end in death, but rather in bafflement. A woman in Bellevue, Washington drove her car into a lake because her GPS said it was a road. A man in Yorkshire, England almost drove his car off a cliff. The answers in these circumstances?  - ‘The GPS told us we could drive there.’”

You wonder how many people in our world today are putting their faith and trust in some things that will end up taking them where they don’t want to go. When the results are serious trouble or difficulty they scratch their heads and can’t quite figure out what happened. But whatever they were trusting in told them it would get them there. In the meantime, though, they face danger or even loss of life.

The Lord will never give us a wrong turn or take us down a wrong road. We will never go astray if we follow Him and use His Word as our guide for life. This doesn’t mean we will have no hardships, but it does encourage us to know that we can never be lost and that His abiding presence and guidance is always with us. There are no wrong turns for the person who follows Jesus faithfully.

Psalm 119:9-11 (NIV) ⁹  How can a young man keep his way pure? By living according to your word. ¹⁰  I seek you with all my heart; do not let me stray from your commands. ¹¹  I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.

Psalm 119:105 (NIV)  Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path.

Hebrews 13:5-6 (NIV) ⁵  Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, "Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you." ⁶  So we say with confidence, "The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?"

PRAYER:  Father, I confess how often I think I know what I am doing and where I am going, but I’m really listening to myself or something other than you. Keep me focused on your Word, and let my heart desire and love to follow it more than anything else. In Jesus’ name, AMEN.”

Jesus Christ is Lord!    

Scott

A Dumpster-Diving Savior

Hebrews 12:2 (NIV)  Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

            Have you ever found yourself desperately searching through a pile or a can of garbage because you have lost something important and you think you possibly put it in the trash? Depending upon its value, you may be prepared to go to great lengths – disgusting, smelly, dirty lengths – to recover what is lost.

            The Quincy Patriot Ledger last month reported a story of a Massachusetts woman who had had a roller coaster-like day when she both lost and then found a full set of diamond jewelry. The woman had been cleaning off her 3.1-carat engagement ring, a 1.75-carat diamond pendant and her grandmother's diamond ring in preparation for a wedding anniversary dinner. She was in her kitchen, drying and then rolling each of the pieces up in paper towels when she was finished. She then left them on a countertop. A few moments later, when she heard the garbage truck coming, she swept a number of things into the garbage in a hurry – including her jewelry. She was heartbroken when she discovered her mistake. Upon notifying the waste removal company's authorities of the accident, a transportation supervisor at a transfer station made arrangements for the truck to drop the trash off at the Braintree station. The 51-year-old woman, her husband and a loader operator searched and dug through the garbage until they found the jewelry that was so precious to her.

This real-life event made me think of two parables Jesus told. The first is a very short one in Matthew 13. Jesus speaks of a merchant looking for fine pearls. He finds one of great value and sells everything he has in order to buy it. Though it is not precisely replicated in the true-life Massachusetts story, there is a principle in the parable that relates. Someone values something so much that he will do anything to make it his own. He will spare no expense. While that may be primarily a financial depiction, it also suggests a man who will do whatever it takes to get the object of his desire. The second parable is found in Luke 15 where a woman loses a coin and goes to great lengths to find it, because she values it. She celebrates and rejoices when she finds it.

I believe both parables are about Jesus, and the lengths He was willing to go to redeem us. You could say that Jesus was the ultimate “dumpster-diver”. One dictionary defines dumpster-diving as “the practice of foraging in garbage that has been put out on the street in dumpsters, garbage cans, etc., for discarded items that may still be valuable, useful, or fixable”. Isn’t that a good way of comprehending what Jesus has done for us? Because of sin, we have cast ourselves off from God. Satan has had his way with us and treats us like trash. Other people have “cast us off” in various ways as well. We are “in the trash” and have little or no worth. But when Jesus comes looking for us… when Jesus is willing to get deep into the slime and stink of the world’s sinful trash bin, He reaches out and puts His hand upon us and says to us, “You are precious to me. I’ve come and I’ve found you in order to take you out of here to be with me. I love you.”

In spiritual terms, that’s pretty close to what Jesus has actually done for us. When we could not deliver ourselves from the trash truck of sin that was heading toward the dump of hell, Jesus reached in and plucked us out and cleaned us up. And as nasty as that got for Him – because the cross was the only way He could do this – He endured it all. What does all this say about Him? It makes us want to exclaim, “Wow! What a Savior! What a friend! What love is this? Praise God for His dumpster-diving Son!

Luke 15:8-10 (NIV) ⁸  "Or suppose a woman has ten silver coins and loses one. Does she not light a lamp, sweep the house and search carefully until she finds it? ⁹  And when she finds it, she calls her friends and neighbors together and says, 'Rejoice with me; I have found my lost coin.' ¹⁰  In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents."

Matthew 13:45-46 (NIV) ⁴⁵  "Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. ⁴⁶  When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it.

Romans 5:8 (NIV)  But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

PRAYER:  Lord Jesus, thank you for the lengths you went to – I will never comprehend the depths of such love – for me. May all that you have done for me bring glory to the Father. In Your precious name, AMEN.”

Jesus Christ is Lord!    

Scott

Trusting Prayer

Psalm 143:1 (NIV) - O LORD, hear my prayer, listen to my cry for mercy; in your faithfulness and righteousness come to my relief.

            Being helpless is not fun. To love someone deeply and know they are hurting… and then to know you are not in a position to do anything about it is frustrating, to say the least. More likely it leans toward being emotionally painful. Many people confess to a built in “fix-it” mentality and disposition. When something is wrong they just want to step up or step in and make it all better. They often are “take-charge” people who know how to get things done in an efficient and effective manner. But when you are 600 miles away from the hurting person and cannot get to them… when they are in trouble or in some kind of bad situation… you know you cannot fix it for them. Then you feel helpless.

            When you feel helpless like this you are typically in a situation over which you have no control. What can you do when you have no control? You could panic or have a meltdown. You could take out your frustration on those nearest to you. You could have a pity party. You could self-medicate. You could resort some habit that gets you through.

            A better response to helplessness, in my view, is to trust God and to trust to prayer. It is not actually true that we are helpless. Perhaps we ourselves are not in a position to solve a loved one’s problem or help them escape a troubling situation. But we are not ultimately helpless. Is not the Lord aware of that situation? Is not the Lord there in that situation with the one we love? Is the Lord not strong? So often I catch myself thinking or saying, “All I can do is pray.”… as if it was nothing much to offer. How very opposite the truth that is. Words like that and the attitudes that go with them reflect a poor, limited view of God that basically thinks of Him as nothing, or nothing very important.

            No, feeling helpless is not fun. But to feel helpless without turning to God is like living next to a lake when your house is threatened with fire and thinking you have no resources to draw from. You really just need to know how to access the water. How might we say God and His unfailing and unlimited resources are “accessed”? By serious, deep, heartfelt, sincere, trusting prayer.

            For the last 12 hours I have felt helpless for my daughter stranded overnight in a New York City airport with a 9-month-old sleep-deprived child, running out of diapers and baby food, uncertain about when a flight home will be possible, sick to her stomach, having had no sleep herself. I know she is strong and capable. I know she will get through it. It’s a difficult situation, but others have endured far worse. Yet I still feel for her and feel so limited in what I can do. Nevertheless I am not helpless. Nor is she. The God who created all there is knows her and loves her and is with her. He will sustain and strengthen her. He will do for her all that she needs as His will in her life is worked out. Therefore I will trust Him and lift her up to Him.

            If you know and trust to the value of prayer, are you involved in your church’s prayer ministry? Does your church need you to start one? Are you committed to praying much for others, as we are directed in 1 Timothy 2? Are you willing to go to God on behalf of other people in need? In our church this is fairly easy… just ask and you will be placed on our prayer team email list. Then pray when asked. Though it is quite “easy”, it is serious business, and matters in deep and eternal ways. It’s a joy and a privilege to pray for others. And it certainly is not helpless.

Hebrews 4:14-16 (NIV) ¹⁴  Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has gone through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. ¹⁵  For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are--yet was without sin. ¹⁶  Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.

Psalm 38:21-22 (NIV) ²¹  O LORD, do not forsake me; be not far from me, O my God. ²²  Come quickly to help me, O Lord my Savior.

Psalm 145:17-18 (NIV) ¹⁷  The LORD is righteous in all his ways and loving toward all he has made. ¹⁸  The LORD is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth.

Philippians 4:4-7 (NIV) ⁴  Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! ⁵  Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. ⁶  Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. ⁷  And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

PRAYER:  Father, when I have no control, let me see that you do. Let me rest in you and trust you fully. Let me see your glory made known in all of that which can trouble my soul. In Jesus’ name, AMEN.”

Jesus Christ is Lord!    

Scott

Longing for Christ's Return

Matthew 24:44 (NIV)  So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.

            I wish I spent more time thinking on Christ’s return. The Scriptures call us to be watchful and waiting as we anticipate the return of Jesus. It is something to greatly desire and long for. Therefore, it is not a matter of wishful thinking, but a matter of constant readiness. So many biblical passages about the return of Christ have a two-fold perspective to them. On the one hand eagerness for the return of Christ is commended. It is described as a thing just as sure as His first coming… His life, death, resurrection, and ascension happened before the eyes of many witnesses. So will His return. But the second perspective always has to do with the here and now. It’s like the Bible is saying over and over again, “Jesus is returning. So what about now?”

            Jesus is returning, but one of the biggest impacts of this truth is related to how I live now. Because He is coming again – soon according to many biblical texts – I (we) should live in a certain way now. A future event has an influence on the choices, behaviors, and attitudes I have now - right now – every day that I live. The return of Christ influences how I handle hardship and suffering. It inspires me to a greater and more intentional pursuit of godly living and holiness of heart. It encourages me toward faithfulness and a deep commitment to stewardship of the gifts and blessings He has given me. It seems like the more I forget that Jesus is coming back the easier it is for me to sin, to become discouraged, and to live according to sight and not by faith. But when I remember the certainty of His return I am reminded of how much I have to live for and how much I have to live for Him. Upon His return I will be found faithful or faithless, walking in Him or walking according to my flesh, tending to His business or behaving as if my life is my own and that He will never come back.

            The Apostle Paul looked forward to Jesus’ return and spoke of those who “loved” it: “… in the future there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day; and not only to me, but also to all who have loved His appearing.” (2 Timothy 4:8 - NASB). What joy there is for those who live “loving his appearing”. Last week Joanne and I drove to Newark Airport to pick up Brianne and Mason. As we were walking toward the terminal I was thinking about how much I enjoy airport reunions. In my ins and outs of airports I have seen many joyful reunions of those ending journeys and those gathered to meet them. Hugs, kisses, and tears abound. And when you yourself are involved in one of those reunions it is even sweeter. In the terminal we found someone to help us find out where people on Brianne’s flight would be emerging. So there we went and waited. Our eyes were steadily focused on the hallway leading out of the gate area. We were looking for a young woman pushing a stroller. We had no interest in anyone who did not fit that description. People kept coming and coming through. It seemed like it was taking forever. The more anticipation we had, the longer it seemed to take. But we did not take our eyes off of that hallway, for we knew at any moment they would turn the corner and be heading for us. And, to our delight, finally, there they were coming our way. Then came our own hugs and kisses and tears. There is a joy to that that is very special.

Are my eyes on Christ’s return like this? I think I would be happy if I just had a moment every day to remember that Jesus is coming back. After all, the subject of His return is not meant to replace the stuff of my daily living, but rather to refine and define it. His return will bring the end of sin in me. It will bring a new clarity of sight and understanding, as I will no longer see through a glass darkly. It will be accompanied by an establishment of justice that was never fulfilled in this life. It will usher me into His presence. It will be the next step of His eternal purposes for me. It will feature a new ability to worship and depth of appreciation of who He is. Great joys await us! So let us be up on our tiptoes, craning our necks in anticipation. Our Lord is returning. We know not when, but we know that He is. May God give us at least a moment each day to remember His return and to long for His coming. Amen.

Matthew 24:42-45 (NIV) ⁴²  "Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come. ⁴³  But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what time of night the thief was coming, he would have kept watch and would not have let his house be broken into. ⁴⁴  So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him. ⁴⁵  "Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom the master has put in charge of the servants in his household to give them their food at the proper time?

Acts 1:10-11 (NIV) ¹⁰  They were looking intently up into the sky as he was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them. ¹¹  "Men of Galilee," they said, "why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven."  

Titus 2:11-14 (NIV) ¹¹  For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men. ¹²  It teaches us to say "No" to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, ¹³  while we wait for the blessed hope--the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, ¹⁴  who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good.

1 Peter 4:12-13 (NIV) ¹²  Dear friends, do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering, as though something strange were happening to you. ¹³  But rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed.

1 John 2:28 (NIV)  And now, dear children, continue in him, so that when he appears we may be confident and unashamed before him at his coming.

PRAYER:  Father, stir my heart to love and long for the appearing of Jesus. Let your Spirit remind me each day and lead me to a few moments, at least, of this blessed hope. And may this daily discipline lead me to a holiness of life that is pleasing to you. I sincerely desire for Christ’s future return to impact me here and now. And I thank you for how that works. In Jesus’ name, AMEN.”

Jesus Christ is Lord!    

Scott

On the Verge of a Meltdown

Philippians 4:6-7 (NIV) ⁶  Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. ⁷  And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

            Have you ever been on the verge of a meltdown?

            Golf fans watched Jordan Spieth have a meltdown on Sunday at the Masters Tournament in Augusta Georgia. The New York Post’s headline read: “Danny Willett takes 2016 Masters after Jordan Spieth’s Meltdown”. Spieth had a 5-shot lead in the final round after having the lead for the entire 4-day tournament. Here’s how the story was reported: “A bogey from the bunker on No. 10. A tee shot into the trees on No. 11 that led to another bogey. Willett made birdie on the 14th to get within one shot. Spieth only needed to get past the dangerous par-3 12th hole to settle himself, especially with two par 5s in front of him. Instead, his tee shot bounced off the slope and into the water. From the drop zone, his wedge was fat and Spieth turned his head. He didn't even look as it plopped into the water again. He made a quadruple-bogey 7. On the 10th tee, Spieth was five shots ahead. On the 13th tee, he was three shots behind.” In this context, the definition of a “meltdown” is “a rapid decline or collapse”. A few weeks ago, the Boston Bruins were cruising toward the playoffs in the NHL. Last week they were eliminated after losing too many of their final nine games. This was considered a meltdown at the end of their season.

            Many parents also know what a meltdown is. Little Johnny is in the grocery store with his mother and informs her that he wants a candy bar. Mommy says no. Johnny won’t take no for an answer. Mommy won’t give in. Johnny starts to scream and falls on the floor rolling around in anger. Mom later tells Grammy on a phone call that “Johnny had a meltdown in Hannaford today.” In this context, a meltdown is “a breakdown or loss of self-control”. The urban dictionary describes it this way: “what happens when a person freaks out, cracks, loses control of themselves. Life - reality at large- becomes overwhelming. They just can't deal with it all. The person may act out, withdraw, become emotional, run, etc...”

            Whether it is a stock market collapse, a team choking in the clutch (losing in a high stress situation), or a person losing their cool or “going ballistic”, meltdowns are rarely enjoyable to watch, and they are even more painful to be a part of. These ideas about meltdowns are derived from the original meaning of the word as it relates to a nuclear power plant disaster. In that scenario a reactor core literally melts from overheating and presents life-threatening danger if not contained (think Chernobyl, Three Mile Island, or the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear disaster in Japan after the 2011 earthquake and tsunami).

            In the book of Daniel we learn of a powerful king named Nebuchadnezzar who experienced a meltdown. You could say he lost his “cool” when three young Jewish captives refused to bow down and worship the large statue (of himself) that Nebuchadnezzar had erected. He even gave them a second chance of avoiding the fiery furnace he had built for those who refused to bow down. When they told him they still wouldn’t – that they couldn’t/wouldn’t forsake their God, the one true God – he became so angry that he ordered his furnace to be heated even (seven times) hotter. And then he had them thrown in. The man having a meltdown expected the fire to immediately melt down these stubborn young men. But it didn’t work, because God was with them, protecting them, preserving them from the literal power of fire.

            A God who can keep His faithful servants from a literal meltdown can also keep His servants from any kind of harmful emotional meltdown. Believers in Jesus who find themselves on the verge of a meltdown know and worship the same God that Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego did. The next time it is you on the verge of a meltdown, may your faith rise to the occasion like it did for them. And may you see the awesome deliverance of God like they did.

Daniel 3:12-30 (NIV) ¹²  But there are some Jews whom you have set over the affairs of the province of Babylon--Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego--who pay no attention to you, O king. They neither serve your gods nor worship the image of gold you have set up." ¹³  Furious with rage, Nebuchadnezzar summoned Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. So these men were brought before the king, ¹⁴  and Nebuchadnezzar said to them, "Is it true, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, that you do not serve my gods or worship the image of gold I have set up? ¹⁵  Now when you hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipes and all kinds of music, if you are ready to fall down and worship the image I made, very good. But if you do not worship it, you will be thrown immediately into a blazing furnace. Then what god will be able to rescue you from my hand?" ¹⁶  Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego replied to the king, "O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter. ¹⁷  If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to save us from it, and he will rescue us from your hand, O king. ¹⁸  But even if he does not, we want you to know, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up." ¹⁹  Then Nebuchadnezzar was furious with Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, and his attitude toward them changed. He ordered the furnace heated seven times hotter than usual ²⁰  and commanded some of the strongest soldiers in his army to tie up Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego and throw them into the blazing furnace. ²¹  So these men, wearing their robes, trousers, turbans and other clothes, were bound and thrown into the blazing furnace. ²²  The king's command was so urgent and the furnace so hot that the flames of the fire killed the soldiers who took up Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, ²³  and these three men, firmly tied, fell into the blazing furnace. ²⁴  Then King Nebuchadnezzar leaped to his feet in amazement and asked his advisers, "Weren't there three men that we tied up and threw into the fire?" They replied, "Certainly, O king." ²⁵  He said, "Look! I see four men walking around in the fire, unbound and unharmed, and the fourth looks like a son of the gods." ²⁶  Nebuchadnezzar then approached the opening of the blazing furnace and shouted, "Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, servants of the Most High God, come out! Come here!" So Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego came out of the fire, ²⁷  and the satraps, prefects, governors and royal advisers crowded around them. They saw that the fire had not harmed their bodies, nor was a hair of their heads singed; their robes were not scorched, and there was no smell of fire on them. ²⁸  Then Nebuchadnezzar said, "Praise be to the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, who has sent his angel and rescued his servants! They trusted in him and defied the king's command and were willing to give up their lives rather than serve or worship any god except their own God. ²⁹  Therefore I decree that the people of any nation or language who say anything against the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego be cut into pieces and their houses be turned into piles of rubble, for no other god can save in this way." ³⁰  Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego in the province of Babylon.

PRAYER:  Father, circumstances often conspire to cause meltdowns in my life. Thank you that you are greater. Help me to trust you and to seek deliverance in you. In Jesus’ name, AMEN.”

"So Bad I Can Taste It"

Psalm 34:8 (NIV)  Taste and see that the LORD is good; blessed is the man who takes refuge in him.

            There is a scene near the end of J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Return of the King where Frodo and Sam have accomplished their great quest of destroying the enemy’s evil ring. They have found a high place as lava from the erupting mountain flows around them. Sam is thinking about the food of home. They’ve had virtually nothing to eat for days and their physical strength is completely spent. Frodo is not so sure they will ever make it out of their predicament and get back home, which seems so distant in his mind that he can barely picture it. He doesn’t remember how good things tasted, and might taste again. So many times on their journey they had both longed for the culinary delights of their homes in the Shire.

            A good deal of my own memory associates with food in some way: my mom’s cooking, family meals at my grandmother’s house on holidays, what and where Joanne and I ate on so many wonderful occasions in our lives together, her mom’s mammoth meals in their small apartment in Brooklyn, the “steak” we had at the hospital the night after Brianne was born… the list of memories is way too large to choose from. Most of those memories connect us with people we have loved and known. When I remember the food I remember the person, and vice versa. I’m glad for this association, for when I remember I have a certain longing to be with the person again. When I think of them it leads me to thanksgiving to God for their place and impact in my life. I think of the goodness of knowing them, being influenced by them, being loved and loving. And I don’t just hunger for a taste of the food one more time. I hunger for the presence of the ones I miss.

            I stayed up late last night to watch the national championship game between Villanova and North Carolina. It was a great game with a spectacular last second finish. If you had asked any of those athletes before the game how badly they wanted to win, you probably would have heard at least one of them say something like, “I want to win it so bad I can taste it.” Anyone who has ever longed for something deeply enough understands that statement. It reflects a hunger and a desire for something that is so great that in your imagination you can experience how wonderful it will be when it happens.

            May our hunger and thirst for the Lord be the greatest hunger and thirst in our lives. It will be the only one – when met – that truly satisfies us.

Psalm 107:8-9 (NIV) ⁸  Let them give thanks to the LORD for his unfailing love and his wonderful deeds for men, ⁹  for he satisfies the thirsty and fills the hungry with good things.

Psalm 119:103 (NIV)  How sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth!

Psalm 34:10 (KJV)  The young lions do lack, and suffer hunger: but they that seek the LORD shall not want any good thing.

Psalm 42:1-2 (NIV) ¹  As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, O God. ²  My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When can I go and meet with God?

Psalm 63:1-2 (NIV) ¹  O God, you are my God, earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you, my body longs for you, in a dry and weary land where there is no water. ²  I have seen you in the sanctuary and beheld your power and your glory.

Matthew 5:6 (NIV)  Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.

Revelation 7:16-17 (NIV) ¹⁶  Never again will they hunger; never again will they thirst. The sun will not beat upon them, nor any scorching heat. ¹⁷  For the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd; he will lead them to springs of living water. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes."

PRAYER:  Father, your love is steadfast and magnificent – even beyond the glories of Creation. You’re justice and wisdom exceed the greatness of mountains and oceans. And you are gentle and caring. Your constant love is of greater value than crown jewels, more precious than all the treasuries of earth. You are our protector and defender. You feed us with blessings from your own table and we drink from your rivers of delight. Thank you for making known to me the path of life, for filling me with joy in your presence, and for the eternal pleasures you give from your right hand. Thank you. In Jesus’ name, AMEN.”

Jesus Christ is Lord!    

Scott