The Writing

Whew! I've been writing like a mad woman lately!  The first chore of the morning is feeding the horses and, while they are eating, the morning devotional is composed, typed, and posted.  After morning chores, the work of the new book begins.  Well, new BOOKS.  It turns out I'm writing two books.  The first book is The Waiting:  When the answer to your prayer is delayed and your hope is gone.  I'm excited about this book.  I've taken some of the devotionals from Luke 8 (The Jairus series), added some extra devotionals, pulled out some nice quotes, and am steadily making a book.  It's 123 pages so far.  The second book is The Journey.  It will include the morning devotionals from Luke 9 as well as some personal commentary about my own faith walk.  It's harder writing.

My first book took nearly ten years in the preparing.  I've learned a lot since then.  The Advent book took 90+ days.  Well, maybe less than that.  It was insanely fast.  This time, I'm treasuring the effort, allowing God to direct the pace, and finding more peace in the work than I ever thought possible.

What I had forgotten is how much work is required besides writing.  I've spent the entire afternoon doing footnotes, but have thanked God steadily for how easy He made it.  All the footnotes are done and compliant with Chicago Manual of Style, which is a miracle in itself!  The formatting has begun and, after I have proofread the entire text about a jillion times, it will be converted to a PDF and sent to a printer.

I've also spent a little time this afternoon deciding about page size, internal paper weight, paper color, bindings, cover, and quantity of books to print.  There are quotes to compare and cover designs to choose.  The amazing thing about all these tasks is that God planted a great love for books in this little girl more than a half-century ago.  There has been tremendous joy in handling a beautifully made book and, believe it or not, years before I ever considered publishing, I spent hours reading (for fun) about fonts, type styles, and the selection of paper. God spent decades preparing me for the tasks He has given me today.

Those disciples we've been studying in the mornings were given power and authority as their only tools, yet had all they needed for the tasks given to them.  In the same way, God plants in us exactly what we need for the tasks He gives us.  I've been reminded of that truth all over again today, and it is thrilling, humbling, and very exciting. When the book is ready, I will be as glad as anyone, but the best part of all is the journey with our Lord while the work gets done.

The Journey, part 17: The Accounting

Departing, they began going throughout the villages, preaching the gospel and healing everywhere. (Luke 9:6 NASB)

When the apostles returned, they gave an account to Him of all that they had done. (Luke 9:10a NASB)

Jesus summoned His twelve closest followers, the ones He called apostles, and equipped them for a Journey of Obedience with two remarkable gifts. He gave them both power and authority over demons and disease. That, with the truth He had planted in them already, was all that was needed for the task He was assigning them. 

They were to go as two-person teams from village to village, proclaiming the Kingdom of God and performing healing. The power and authority He had given were all they were to take with them. They were not to take a bag, a change of clothes, money, or a walking stick. They were totally dependent upon the provision of God. 

These men had left everything to follow Jesus, but likely never expected to become preachers and miracle workers themselves. Nevertheless, that was exactly what Jesus had in mind. They saw themselves as followers but Jesus saw them as leaders who would take the gospel throughout the world. He was training them for a job so big they could have never imagined it. Their Journey of Obedience was just one step along the way.

The tally of their success is not given. There is no record in Scripture of the number of people to whom they preached, the type and number of decisions registered, or the people who were healed. The accounting is inadequate by our standards. We want numbers we can compare. Were there more decisions when Peter preached? More healings with Matthew's team? We want to compare results, don't we? We want to know who was best, who was most effective, but "they began going" and "preaching and healing everywhere" are all we are given.  

Those simple phrases tell us more than we might think at first glance.  What we find is that this Journey of Obedience was not a competition. It was not a question of who was most effective, because results were not dependent upon the apostles. They had nothing but the power and authority of Jesus with which to work.  Any results belonged to God alone. 

The gospel accounting tells us another important truth. There was no delay. As they left Jesus, the instructions to go freshly given, they went. No procrastination. No worry about the future. They simply went when He said go.  They preached and healed because He said to preach and heal, and they preached and healed "everywhere". They didn't look for the easy places alone. They went everywhere. Because it wasn't a competition for results, it did not matter who went to the "easy" places where hearts were receptive and who went to the "hard" and less receptive villages. What mattered was the going. 

Eventually, there was an accounting. The apostles returned from their Journey, and when they did, they gave a full accounting to Jesus. They told Him about everything they did, their successes, the seeming failures, and how God had seen them through. Can't you just imagine their reunion? Twelve men, most of them very young, were reunited to share the most exciting time of their lives with Jesus. What a happy time it must have been!

One day, we, too, will give an accounting of our own Journey of Obedience to Jesus. On that day, our obedience will be the vital part of our account. Did we do what He said? Did we obey when He directed? What a happy day it will be if we, like the apostles, can say, "Jesus said to go and that is exactly what I did." There is grace and mercy for our failures, for our sin, but the amazing joy for our obedience will make all our hard times worth it in the end. 

Have we obeyed? Oh, dear ones, may we live in such a way that all who see our lives will know that we have done that which Jesus gave us to do, and that we counted it worth it for the joy our obedience gave. 

The Lightening Strike

On Friday, I realized that the power was out in the barn.  John the Builder came to investigate and found that two wires had done something I didn't quite understand that had resulted in a loss of power.  Well, I understood what had happened.  What I didn't understand was how the two wires had accomplished their shenanigans in the first place. 

Today, John the Builder and the electrical crew arrived to swap out the fuse box.  The electrician took a careful look and soon realized how the wires had done what they had done. There was a lightening strike! Unbelievably, lightening had struck the fuse box, blown a lug right out of the box, and melted the wires.  It turns out that the wires in the fuse box were not the only wires that were melted.  The wire to the barn had met with a similar fate.  Not surprisingly, all the wire has to be replaced in order to restore power to the barn.   

We did have a storm a few nights ago, and there was some thunder and lightening, but it really surprised me to know that a lightening bolt had singled out my fuse box to strike. How unexpected is that? In the blink of an eye, POW! Out with the fuse box!  POW! Out with the 400 feet of wire to the barn!  POW! Out with the power to the barn!  In an instant, my early morning trip to the barn changed radically. 

Life can change like that, too, can't it?  When you least expect it, out of the clear blue, something unexpected can happen and disrupt everything, and not necessarily for the better.  The question is not whether something unexpected will happen.  It will. The question is how will we respond to those unexpected, difficult times when they come?  

Jesus Himself knew about hard times, and He assured us they would come to us all.  The good news, He said, is that He has even the hard times well in hand.  How do we respond to the unexpected difficulty?  There are lots of things we can do, but the only sensible response is to turn to Jesus, who has it all under control.

“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” John 16:33 NIV

The Journey, part 16: Far-Reaching Influence

And He sent them out to proclaim the kingdom of God and to perform healing.

Departing, they began going throughout the villages, preaching the gospel and healing everywhere. Now Herod the tetrarch heard of all that was happening... (Luke 9:2,6, 7a NASB)

We have touched on this before, but perhaps a little closer look at this amazing truth would be helpful. When Jesus sent the disciples out to proclaim the Kingdom of God and heal the sick, He did not send them to Tiberias or Jerusalem. They were not in the largest cities. They traveled from village to village, doing their work. They were not speaking to thousands of people at a time. They were likely speaking to individuals and, sometimes, to dozens. They stayed in one village until the work was done, then moved on to the next. 

It was not a flashy, media-extravaganza kind of crusade. This was an on-foot, word-of-mouth journey. It is remarkable, then, that the news of their journey traveled all the way to the court of Herod Antipas. Perhaps it indicates how well informed the Tetrarch was, but the spreading of the news more likely indicates the impact of their journey. As they went, the people whose lives were changed by the news of the Savior shared that news with friends and family. The people who were healed shared the news with all who would listen. It was a little like one beggar telling another beggar where to find bread, and the news spread far and wide, including to the highest levels of society and those with the greatest authority. 

While the disciples were faithfully proclaiming and healing in remote villages, quietly obeying their Master, news was spreading throughout the Roman government. That news went all the way to the Tetrarch, who was the ruling authority over Galilee, but the disciples in the villages had no way of knowing the impact of their obedience. The only fruit of their efforts they saw was that which was at hand, not that happening as the news spread throughout Galilee. 

One of the beautiful things about obedience to God is the way He multiples the results from the simplest of efforts and the smallest acts of faithfulness. Just as He multiplied the results of those twelve in the villages, He can multiply results from our obedience as well. While we serve obediently, quietly, in what seems to be the most insignificant way, our Lord can take that effort and multiply the result in ways we could never imagine. He can take it to the highest rulers in the land as well as the tiniest village, and we may never know it. 

We are not called to results but to obedience. If our calling is to obedience, and it is, we must ask ourselves how faithfully do we obey? How willing are we to do the work of God in the most unobtrusive ways while allowing God to deal with the results? When we keep the tally of success, there is a tendency to work for the tally rather than for the pleasure of God. As we approach the work God has given us, let us keep our focus on the One we serve and let Him deal with results. 

As Paul wrote, "I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase." (1 Corinthians 3:6 KJV)

Our job is to serve, and to do it faithfully. The increase is God's job alone. 

No Tricks Required

Maggie the Wonder Dog knows lots of great tricks. In case you haven't heard, Maggie can dance like a ballerina, walk like a lady, and sneak like a spy, in addition to the usual doggie tricks. She can also herd cattle. Mamie the Apprentice Wonder Puppy is in training with tricks. She's so excited about life in general that it's hard for her settle down and work, but she's learning.

Little nibble-sized treats work well as reward/motivators, especially for Mamie. Unfortunately, they have worked a little too well. If Mamie sees me reach into the treat jar, she immediately starts doing tricks. If I'm not fast enough with the treat, she will run through her entire repertoire and continuing twirling like a ballerina until she gets her nibble. 

Tonight, I was reaching for her usual dinner treat when she started twirling. I suddenly realized that she thinks she has to earn every single treat. Maggie, on the other hand, works readily on command, but she also understands the difference between a treat and a reward. She knows she doesn't have to earn everything. 

As I tried to calm Mamie down enough to get a treat to her little mouth, I thought how like us she is. Every good and perfect gift comes from above, and there is nothing we can do to earn any of the blessings God gives us. He gives to His children because He loves us, not because we have out-performed someone else, not because we know our "tricks" so well. He blesses us because He is good, not because we are. 

It may not be a hard concept for you, but sometimes I have a little trouble with this. There is so much "doing" to be done that the "being" in stillness seems like I'm wasting time. A few days ago, I proudly shared my list of accomplishments for the day with my friend who text'd my back. "I've just concentrated on being all day today." We were both blessed that day, but it may be that the one "being" had more peace in her day than the one with all the "doing".

Selah. Pause and consider. 

What if we turned our focus from doing to being? What if, in the midst of our doing, we concentrated more on the One we serve than the service we perform? All the "doing" in the world is not enough to earn a smidgen of God's grace nor His mercy, so let's focus on the One who loves us despite our flaws, blesses us regardless, and holds us in His hand with a promise that He will never let us go. No tricks required. 

The Journey, part 15: Desire for Entertainment.

Herod said, "I myself had John beheaded; but who is this man about whom I hear such things?" And he kept trying to see Him. (Luke 9:9 NASB)

Now Herod was very glad when he saw Jesus; for he had wanted to see Him for a long time, because he had been hearing about Him and was hoping to see some sign performed by Him. (Luke 23:8 NASB)

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For the last few days, our attention has been focused on Herod Antipas, son of Herod the Great (king at the time of the birth of Jesus and responsible for the slaughter of all male infants under two years old). Herod Antipas, married to Herodias, wife of his half-brother Philip, imprisoned and executed John the Baptizer and was instrumental in the execution of Jesus. He was eventually exiled by Caligula to Gaul, where he remained until his death. 

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Herod Antipas was well informed about Jesus. He knew about His ministry, His miracles, and His team of twelve who were preaching and healing in Jesus' name. Herod was interested, to say the least. "And he kept trying to see Jesus," Scripture tells us. Herod was Tetrarch and had considerable power as well as soldiers and servants at his command. If he wanted to meet Jesus, he could meet Him. If he wanted to hear Him preach, he could hear Him.  If he had wanted the freedom Jesus offered, Herod could have had it, yet it was not until the night of Jesus' arrest that Herod finally encountered Him face to face. 

Herod was delighted that Jesus had been brought before him. At last, he would see this preacher who had caused such a stir. Luke 23 makes it clear that Herod was not interested in who Jesus was, however. He was not particularly interested in what Jesus had to say. What Herod wanted was to see Jesus do a miracle. He wanted Jesus to perform and entertain him, not purify and transform him. As you can well imagine, Jesus refused Herod completely. 

When we realize that Herod viewed Jesus as nothing more than an evening's entertainment, we are shocked. Who would dare to ask the Son of God to do "magic tricks" or to entertain us? It seems unthinkable, but perhaps it is not so far-fetched. Do we not also want a certain level of entertainment in our worship services? Do we not also want music that we enjoy, sermons that "tickle our ears", congregations in which we are comfortable? Perhaps we, too, want a little Herodian-style entertainment, but our Lord is no more responsive to our desire for entertainment than He was to that of Herod. 

The focus of our relationship with Jesus should be Jesus, not us. The focus of our worship services should also be Jesus, and not ourselves. In times of worship, the only One whose pleasure matters is Almighty God, who wrapped Himself in flesh and dwelt among us. Does it please God, honor Him, exalt Him? Those are the questions that must be answered. 

As we prepare for worship services this week, let us relinquish our desire for entertainment and approach the time with the objective of pleasing and honoring God. Let us worship Him and not ourselves or our desires. Our Lord will not perform on command, but when our desire become purification and transformation, He will never let us down. 

Looking Toward Danger

The gravel road that runs from the house to the barn veers off just past half-way. The branch leads to the cattle gap and across that to a state highway and traffic. Maggie the Wonder Dog made a foray or two down that road when she was younger. Thankfully, she has since learned that the road leads only to danger (and will get her in trouble with her mama, too!) and stays away from it.

Every once in a while, though, she pauses at the crossroad and looks longingly down the hill. I'm not sure what makes that road seem so enticing, but sometimes she takes a step or two in that direction.  Usually, she glances back at me after those first tentative steps and turns around when she hears my firm, "No."  

This morning, she paused for the longest time, just looking down the road. I wondered what she was thinking and decided I probably knew. "Maggie," I called, "Don't even look.  Come on back now."  Slowly, she gazed at me for a long moment and headed back to the barn. 

I can't let her go to the highway, but I certainly understand the draw she feels. What is it about dangerous choices, those bad choices that can bring more consequences than we would want to consider, much less experience, that makes them so enticing? Why is it that, years after we have left the land of destruction, the road there still holds just a little attraction? 

That first tentative step, the one that leads away from safety and toward destruction, is the hardest one and the greatest battle. One step, though, easily leads to two, and before you know it, the highway looms just ahead. Your path may not lead to hedonism or substance abuse, but it may lead to bitterness, unforgiveness, or some other sin from which you have struggled to be free. How foolish it is to regain our chains, but how easy it is to do that very thing!

When that crossroad seems to beckon, do what Maggie does. Stop, take a look back, and listen to the Still Small Voice calling you to safety. Don't just listen, friend, listen and obey. 

Your ears will hear a word behind you, "This is the way, walk in it," whenever you turn to the right or to the left. (Isaiah 30:21 NASB)

Power Problems

"You got the power off?" Sam said from the patio. "What power?" I asked. "Any power. You don't have any power at the barn. I thought you turned it off." A long and very confusing conversation followed as I tried to understand what it was he thought I had done. Finally, I did the only thing that made any sense. I went to see for myself.

At the barn, Sam and I investigated. The fuses were fine but the lights (and the freezer) were all off. For the first time in 25 years, I realized that I had no idea how or where electricity entered the barn. Sam assured me it came under ground from the pump house, so we headed back to see. Fuses were fine there, too. 

There was nothing else to do but call John the Builder. He came right over, investigated thoroughly, and found the problem. It turned out that two wires had done something they shouldn't (that's my interpretation, not John's explanation) and shorted out. When they shorted out, something else was messed up.  If that is about as clear as mud, it's because that's how it looks to me, too. The errant wires and their burned out shenanigans have resulted in a total loss of power in my barn. It turns out that the whole mess needs to replaced with a new breaker box. 

It seems odd to me that two wires so far removed from the barn can result in such a loss of power, but they have, and the only solution is to remove the mess and start fresh. It seems odd, but I don't guess it is. I've had that same problem in my own life a few times. Perhaps you have, too. It all starts with one little error in judgment, one bad decision, and the next thing you know, things have snowballed out of control and there is a total mess. It seems like all the power in your life is gone. When that happens, you can stumble along trying to figure out what went wrong or you can just go to The Expert. The writer of Hebrews knew something about this, and he had clearly found the solution in Christ alone. 

Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need. (Hebrews 4:16 NASB)

When we have a mess and a resulting loss of power in our lives, the only sensible thing to do is approach the throne of grace, confess our need and our failure, and receive the mercy and grace God is so willing to give. It's not just the only sensible thing to do, it's the only thing to do. The good news is that we can count on not just mercy, not just grace, but also help in time of need.  With all that, a restoration of power can't be far behind. 

The Journey, part 14: The One in Charge

Herod said, "I myself had John beheaded; but who is this man about whom I hear such things?" And he kept trying to see Him. (Luke 9:9 NASB)

There was a problem with the knowledge Herod sought. He wanted to know the answer to the question "Who is this man?"  There is no indication that he had any interest in submitting to the authority of "this Man".  Herod was a Tetrarch and, as such, had power, fame, and great wealth. He did exactly as he wanted, and everyone else did, too. He gave the orders that those around him instantly obeyed. Herod was in charge. It would not take much investigation into Jesus to find that His words, "Follow Me", could change a man's life forever. Herod didn't want change, and he certainly did not want to put Jesus in charge of his life. All he really wanted was information. 

Therein lies the rub. Do we, like Herod, want information, or do we look to Jesus for transformation?  There is a vast difference between those two, and it has eternal significance. Which is it we want? 

We do well to ask "Who is this Man?" The answer to that question, however, must be followed by one of equal importance. "What will I do with Jesus?" For those of us who claim to be disciples of Jesus already, perhaps a better question is "What have I done with Jesus?" Have I given Him control of my life? Have I modeled my life after His? Do I embrace all the words of Christ or only the ones that best suit my fancy?  

Herod had an extensive network and he undoubtedly gathered quite a bit of information about Jesus. What he learned about Jesus, however, did not determine his eternal destiny. How he responded to Jesus determined that, and it is how we respond to Him that will determine our eternal destiny as well. There was one response for which Jesus asked and it is one that changes everything. "Follow Me." The Savior still asks for that outrageously simple, all-consuming response. "Follow Me."  

What have you done with Jesus thus far?   

What will you do with Jesus today?  

The Journey, part 13: Who is This Man?

Now Herod the tetrarch heard of all that was happening; and he was greatly perplexed, because it was said by some that John had risen from the dead, and by some that Elijah had appeared, and by others that one of the prophets of old had risen again. Herod said, "I myself had John beheaded; but who is this man about whom I hear such things?" And he kept trying to see Him. (Luke 9:7-9 NASB)

Herod Antipas played such a pivotal role in the life and crucifixion of Jesus that he is worth considering in a bit more detail. As we have already seen, the news of Jesus and the ministry of the twelve had spread all the way to Herod's court. The rumors about Jesus had reached Herod. He's Elijah. He's one of the prophets. He's John the Baptizer. Herod didn't know what to think, but that last, John the Baptizer come back to life, chilled his soul, and was the one thing he did not want to believe. 

It was at this point that Herod asked the most important question of his life. "Who is this man?"  It was a valid question. Herod did not call in leaders of the Sanhedrin, nor one of the priests from the temple. He had already heard enough opinions, and he did not want one more. He wanted fact. Herod understood that there was a difference between the speculations of the populace and the truth of the matter. Herod also understood another critical fact. To get to the truth, he would have to see Jesus.  

To get to the truth about Jesus, we, too, must have a personal encounter with Him. The world's libraries are filled with books about Jesus, most containing varying amounts of truth. None of those compare to the power of time spent in His presence or to study in the "red letters" of His Word. If we want to know Jesus, we must stop looking at the people who claim to know Him and start looking to Him. 

To whom do we turn for information about Jesus? What is our source for truth? Do we look to every person except Jesus? Do we read every book except God's Word? Let's make sure that our search for truth actually leads us to TRUTH, and not the opinion of those who, though well-meaning, are not the Christ.  If we are searching for truth, and we are, then let us go the source, which is Jesus alone.

Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me. (John 14:6 NASB)

Leaves and Pumpkins

Just a few days ago, I swept my front sidewalk. It was still clean as a whistle yesterday. Well, I thought so. This afternoon, I walked out the front door and was surprised to see leaves all over the walk. I probably shouldn't admit this, but my first thought was, "What in the world is making the leaves fall off?" I definitely shouldn't confess this, but it took me a minute to realize that the answer to that question is FALL. Fall is making the leaves fall off!  

The transition from the hot, muggy summer to the crisp cool mornings of autumn is always a wonderful relief. I know many people equate fall with football, but not me. Fall is long walks in the woods with crunching, rustling leaves underfoot. It's the amazing colors of the trees, flannel shirts, boots, and bonfires.  It's stacking the firewood next to the fire pits and staying ready.

Fall also means pumpkins. I don't care much for carving the pumpkins, but I adore eating them. Pumpkin soup, pumpkin bread, pumpkin pasta sauce, pumpkin cake, pumpkin coffee, and pumpkin ice cream. The one pumpkin dish I really love is pumpkin pie, made from scratch with fresh pumpkin. It takes entirely too long to do it this way, but it is really good. Really, really good. 

My mama loved that pumpkin pie, made from scratch from a fresh pumpkin I had roasted and scraped. She especially liked it if I had also grown the pumpkin.  If I mentioned making pumpkin pie, she commonly asked if I were using fresh pumpkin. She was not overly fond of pumpkin from a can, but I loved the convenience. I hate to admit this, too, but there were way too many years I made the pumpkin pie from canned pumpkin. I'm saddened by the fact that roasting the pumpkin and taking the extra time wasn't a higher priority for me, and now that my mama is gone, I wish it had been. I wish I had taken the long way round a little more often.  

There were plenty of things my mama liked that I did do for her, but not nearly enough pumpkin pie. Sometimes we look at the inconvenience of service and forget that the opportunity for service is shorter than you expect.  Before you know it, your chance can be gone, so... 

make the effort, 

take the time, 

go the extra mile. 

This year, take the long way round just a little more often.  You'll be so glad you did.

The Journey, part 12: The Opportunity

Now Herod the tetrarch heard of all that was happening; and he was greatly perplexed, because it was said by some that John had risen from the dead, and by some that Elijah had appeared, and by others that one of the prophets of old had risen again. Herod said, "I myself had John beheaded; but who is this man about whom I hear such things?" And he kept trying to see Him. (Luke 9:7-9 NASB)

This little sidelight in the midst of the story of the journey of the twelve might seem oddly placed. Perhaps understanding a little more about Herod will help us see the importance of its inclusion. 

Herod the Great was the ruler of Judea at the time Jesus was born. It was to Herod the Great that the magi went seeking the infant King, and it was this madman, Herod the Great, who slaughtered infants throughout Judea in an effort to eliminate the presumed infant threat to his throne. He was a visionary in construction and building, and the Temple Mount, breathtaking in its expanse, was one of his projects. He, who executed numerous relatives including his own wife, claimed to be a Jew. 

Herod the Great's son, Herod Antipas, was born to Malthace, a Samaritan woman who was one of his five wives. Herod Antipas served as Tetrarch over Galilee and Perea. Like his father, he was also a great builder and Tiberius was one of the projects he completed. Also like his father, he had a lavish (and corrupt) lifestyle. It was this Herod Antipas who married his half-brother's wife Herodias and was condemned by John the Baptizer for the marriage. Herod Antipas, after arresting and imprisoning him, was manipulated into executing John at the behest of Herodias. 

As the twelve journeyed throughout Galilee, they preached and healed, lives were changed, and the news spread. What is remarkable is that the news of Jesus and the twelve traveled all the way to Herod Antipas. Herod heard about this itenerate preacher and his band of traveling apprentices and wondered what it all meant. "What are people saying about them?" He must've asked. His sources told him that some people thought Jesus was really Elijah or one of the other prophets.  

They must have shuddered as they told him the rest of the news. There were some people who thought that Jesus was actually John the Baptizer, risen from the dead. That news gave Herod Antipas a shudder of his own. Scripture says he was "greatly perplexed".  The word here is diaporeō, and can also mean "to doubt".  Indeed, he might well doubt the wisdom of his actions. According to Matthew 14:9, Herod was grieved by his decision to behead John. He knew it was wrong, but he did it anyway. When the news reached him about Jesus, he was still struggling with that bad decision. He knew he had John killed himself. If Jesus wasn't John, then who was he?  Herod didn't know, but he wanted to find out. 

That conviction that follows wrong-doing is a great blessing. It can drive us to our knees, cause us to examine our hearts, lead us to repentance and to the transformation of God. Conviction can lead us to repentance, but it doesn't always. Herod had been troubled by the murder of John even before he ordered him executed. He had been troubled, but he had done nothing to deal with his guilt. Suddenly, he heard about Jesus and thought, "I need to see Him."  He thought about seeing Jesus, but he never actually did, until it was too late. 

Even Herod had a chance of redemption. Like Saul, he stood at the beginning of his own Damascus Road. Had he gone just a little further, he might have found the kind of Damascus Road experience that turned the fire-breathing murderer Saul into the Spirit-driven Paul. He might have, but he didn't. Herod "kept trying" to see Jesus but he never quite made it, and he missed the chance of a lifetime. 

Herod's conviction could have driven him to forgiveness, cleansing, and a new life with His Lord, but he never followed through. Oh, how important it is to do more than feel bad about our sin! The purpose of conviction is not to simply make us sorry. The purpose of conviction is to make us repentant so that we can be cleansed. 

Is there something in your life about which you are sorry? Have your decisions caused great harm to others? Have you spent years regretting what cannot be changed?  Perhaps it is time to stop regretting and start repenting. Why not confess your errors and ask for forgiveness? Why not embrace cleansing? 

This is what Paul said, and it's true today as well: "

"So what are you waiting for? Get up and get yourself baptized, scrubbed clean of those sins and personally acquainted with God.’" (Acts 22:14-16 MSG)

Indeed. What are we waiting for? Let's get up and get going! 

 

Watching your step

Maggie (my 11-pound Shih Tzu) and I were heading to the barn in the predawn starlight. The path was so completely shrouded in darkness that we were at the cattle gap before we realized it. Maggie has an easy path to the left of the cattle gap, but this day we were walking on the right, where the space between the bars is wide and the ground is farther below. As she always does, Maggie carefully picked her footing across the cattle gap and managed to navigate the bars without any trouble. 

I, on the other hand, was stumbling along, thinking about my next cup of coffee and paying no attention to footing at all. As you might expect, my foot went between the bars and I stumbled badly. I didn't fall, but it certainly wasn't graceful. 

Maggie continued to walk peacefully along, safe because of her caution. I watched her and wished I were more careful, more attentive to my footing. It's not just my footing that needs more attention, though. I long to have the protection of personal caution that waits to take a step, speak a word, make a decision until I am sure. I need to have that caution, and I wonder how different life would be if I always made my way, my choices as carefully as that little dog picks her steps.

Sometimes, the way is dark. Sometimes there doesn't seem to be quite enough light to see the next step.  When the illumination is too dim to easily find our way, there is no need to stumble along blindly, certain to land in the first treacherous trap along the way. When we walk by starlight instead of the blazing sun of day, when the next step is not certain or clear, slow down.  Move carefully. Wait until you are sure. As you wait, be sure to consult the One who has mapped the path, knows the road, and can help you avoid every danger along the way.  

Be careful, friends, to make right steps and right choices. They are essential parts of a life that is "right" as well.  

The Journey, part 11: Departing

Departing, they began going throughout the villages, preaching the gospel and healing everywhere. (Luke 9:6 NASB)

"Departing, they began going." It's an odd turn of phrase but it has an important truth hidden in those four words. Leaving Jesus, they immediately started on the journey. They weren't to take anything with them, and they likely had nothing with them for a journey anyway, so they just headed out in obedience. They didn't run by home first, make an announcement about their assignment, or try to fine-tune the plans. Jesus said to go, and they went. It was as simple as that. 

When you look at the entire sentence, it's really remarkable. Jesus had told them that He was sending them out to "proclaim the kingdom of God and perform healing".  The only things they were to carry were the power and authority He had given. When the twelve disciples left Jesus that day, they did exactly what He said in exactly the way He said it. They proclaimed the kingdom of God and they performed healing.  There is no indication in Luke that they had done either of these things independently before, but they did not hesitate. They gave it their best effort and did what Jesus had instructed them to do. 

It's amazing, this total and unwavering obedience that put them on the road doing the most unexpected things. When  Simon Peter was working all night for a big catch of fish, he likely never expected to be leading an evangelistic/healing crusade throughout the country. Those who knew him from his old life must have found it very surprising. 

What Peter had no way of knowing was that this little preaching trip was nothing in comparison to what Jesus had planned for later. On the day of Pentecost, Peter stood up in front of everyone and preached with such power and conviction that three thousand people were moved by the Spirit to accept Christ on the spot. This powerful preaching is surprising until we remember that Peter had been in training for months. The journey on which the twelve departed was the "internship" that prepared them for the ministry they would have after Jesus returned to heaven. 

It is easy to look at the events in Acts 2 and understand the wisdom of the journey in Luke 9. From the perspective of the disciples starting out on their trip, none of the events in Acts were even possible. They were expecting an earthly kingdom and for Jesus to live for years. They had no idea of that for which He was preparing them, and yet, they went. 

What we need to understand is that Acts 2 and the incredible day of Pentecost would not have been possible without the simple obedience in the unlikely journey of Luke 9. The twelve did not see the big picture, but they went anyway. In that same way, we may be called to a walk of obedience that makes no sense to us at the time. We need to obey anyway. Somewhere down the road, the obedience of today will make a difference. What a shame it would be to miss the greater thing God had planned because we failed to obey in the lesser. 

Are you called by God to a journey that makes no sense to you? Go anyway. Is the task God has given you unlikely and one for which you feel unprepared? Try anyway. You never know what God will do tomorrow with the obedience of today. There may be a day of Pentecost awaiting the fruits of obedience, so obey. Don't fail to obey.