Archives – June, 2010
Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of all he created. James 1:17-18
Most generous heavenly Father, I awake today a grateful man, and I want to live that way all day long. Now I’m sure that attitude will be challenged by life in this broken world and by the heart that beats in this broken man. But as someone who has every reason to overflow with thanksgiving, here’s a few of your gifts for which I give you praise this morning.
First and foremost, I also praise for being the changeless Father of heavenly lights, as opposed to being the impetuous god of shifting shadows. I cannot predict you. I cannot control you. I cannot presume on your ways. But I can completely trust you to be impassible (without mood swings), yet passionately good and faithful. I know this through Jesus, who is the same “yesterday, today and forever” (Hebrews 13:8).
I’m also thankful that twice you’ve chosen to give me birth. I can claim responsibility for neither… either the first time I breathed in oxygen or the second time you breathed the life of Jesus into my spirit, giving me the new birth. AND, I’m also thankful for all kinds of gifts you bestow—perfect ones and otherwise. Most recently, I’d include these…
The watermelon I ate yesterday… sweeter, crunchier, and more refreshing than any I’ve ever tasted in my life. The double-dutch chocolate walnut-endowed marble-slab ice cream I enjoyed Saturday. The dancing bend of my pole and the tug-of-war the big red snapper gave me a couple of weeks back. The call from a friend that came at the perfect time with the perfect life-giving rebuke.
The ability to jog without aching tendons and painful knees. The color blue… with it many hues. The understanding look my wife gave me yesterday. The assurance that you will finish making me like Jesus, one Day. The first steps of my grandson, and his always infectious smile. A thermostat that actually enables me to escape this dreadful humidity. The hope (many hopes) of the new heaven and new earth.
Father, these are just a few of the many, many gifts that come down from you all the time. What do I have that I have not received from you? Nothing. What gift have you given me that you don’t intend me to enjoy? None. How can I live as a “kind of firstfruits of all you’ve created”? Show me! So very Amen, I pray, in Jesus’ most glorious name.
June 30, 2010
As a bridegroom rejoices over his bride, so will your God rejoice over you. Isaiah 62:5
Then I heard what sounded like a great multitude, like the roar of rushing waters and like loud peals of thunder, shouting: ”Hallelujah! For our Lord God Almighty reigns. Let us rejoice and be glad and give him glory! For the wedding of the Lamb has come, and his bride has made herself ready. Revelation 19:6-7
Dear Lord Jesus, like every day, this day is no different. I need the gospel… and I need the power of the gospel even to believe the gospel. For sometimes the good news seems just too good to be true. So I pray for grasping power today—power to grasp the multi-dimensional love that is ours in you… a love that surpasses knowledge but will never diminish through eternity (Ephesians 3:14-21).
Lord Jesus, you are the bridegroom who rejoices over your bride. You’re not just committed to us… you’re not just faithful to us… you’re not just a great provider, you actually love and enjoy us. You’re glad to be married to us. You have no doubts or regrets. You haven’t discovered something recently that makes you wonder what you were thinking when you chose us. You’re not bored with us. You were never just infatuated with us. You don’t look longingly at some other spouse and think, “If only…”.
If your great affection for your Bride wasn’t so chronicled in your Word, I’d never believe it was true, or even possible. Continue to free me from my unbelief and under-belief.
As I meditate on John’s auditory vision of our coming wedding Day to you, I totally get the thunderous sounds of heaven extolling the wonder of it all. Where can a greater reason for unfettered rejoicing be found? What other hope could possibly generate such unabated gladness? Come, Holy Spirit, come… and stun my heart afresh with this good and true news! Renew, refresh, restore to me, and my friends, the joy of this glorious salvation!
Jesus, I’m ready for that Day only for one reason. You died to make us yours. We wear the wedding garments of your grace—your perfect righteousness freely given to us because of your costly sacrifice for us. That is our only hope and our only boast. May your marriage to us and great love for us, profoundly alter and affect every other relationship in which you’ve placed us… every one of them. So very Amen, I pray, in your glorious name.
June 30, 2010
Now this is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent. John 17:3
Dear Lord Jesus, meditating on this passage this morning has been like revisiting an old friend, for I can remember the first time I memorized this verse and you began writing it upon my heart. That was over forty years ago, yet I feel like I’m just beginning to understand the true wonder of eternal life—the life that is ours… that is mine, only because of who you are and what you’ve accomplished for us. As you first uttered these words in a prayer for your disciples, I find great joy in knowing that you continue to pray them for us… for me.
How I praise you that eternal life is so much more than simply living forever in your presence… though I so look forward to that. It’s about knowing, in the most intimate sense imaginable… it’s about knowing God, as my Father, and knowing you—the “sent one,” the Messiah, our Lord, my Savior, our Righteousness, my Bridegroom. Not merely knowing about you, though there is so much more I do want to know about you… but knowing you now, better and better and better.
Holy Spirit, I cannot know God better apart from your work. So my prayer is simple, keep me hungry for the knowledge of God. Don’t let lesser breads satisfy this craving. Don’t let lesser waters slake this thirst. Keep revealing more and more of Jesus to me. Humble me with his glory. Astonish me with his beauty. Mesmerize me with his mercy. Buckle my knees with his affections. Change me by his grace. Free me for his purposes. For indeed, “the people who know their God will stand firm and take action” (Daniel 11:32). So very Amen, I pray, in Jesus’ all consuming name.
June 28, 2010
A fool shows his annoyance at once, but a prudent man overlooks an insult. Proverbs 12:16
Jesus, of all the prayer-worthy things I can think of, “annoyance” has never made it onto my supplication list… until now. Though the pastoral pestering of your Spirit, I see and grieve that I’m too easily annoyed. Have mercy on me, Prince of Peace. Free my foolish fretful fitful spirit. How can I possibly reveal the magnificence of the gospel when I’m showcasing the arrogance of my annoyance?
I’m annoyed by the guy that races me when two lanes are becoming one. I’m annoyed when the bar-code reading machines in the self-check-out lanes can’t read my items. I’m annoyed when the gas pump trickles way too slowly. I’m annoyed by waiters that fish for a bigger tip. I’m annoyed by fish that won’t bite. I’m annoyed by humidity when I want to jog.
I’m annoyed by low talkers and loud talkers. I’m annoyed at people easily annoyed. I’m annoyed when there’s not enough milk for a late night bowl of cereal. I’m annoyed when I have to repeat myself. I’m annoyed at whiners, so much that I start whining. I’m annoyed at people preening in front of mirrors at the YMCA, as though I never peak. I annoyed when people use way too many words and way too big of words to say something way simple, as though that’s not me…
I’m annoyed at ever having to wait in line for anything. I’m annoyed by the color “orange.” I’m annoyed at any box that has the words “requires some assembly” written on it. Oh, Jesus, if only those were the only things that annoyed me…
My prayer? Gentle my heart with your kindness and grace. Grant me much quicker repentances. Help me to slow… way… down. Help me to live in the moment and not simply live to get somewhere on time or get something done. Let me see people with your eyes and respond to them with your heart. There are no ordinary people around me. Everybody matters. Everybody has stories of heartache, foolishness, fear, and longing, just like me. Jesus, thank you that you died for all of my sins, including my “annoyability.” I love being loved by you. I have no greater hope than knowing one day I will love like you love. So very Amen, I pray, in your gracious and patient name.
June 28, 2010
But now he (Jesus) has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to do away with sin by the sacrifice of himself. Just as man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment, so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many people; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him. Hebrews 9:26-28
Dear Lord Jesus, there are so many profound reasons why you are singularly worthy of being loved, praised, trusted and served. But as I begin this day, I want to rehearse some of those many reasons out loud. For any of a number of pseudo-gods, wanna-be-gods and demigods will be clamoring for our heart’s attention and affection today. Help me, my family and friends to love you with focused abandon and unwavering allegiance.
For, Jesus, you expressly came into the world of time zones and molecules, at the “end of the ages”—at the appointed time in the history of redemption, to “do away with sin”—to take away the sins of your people, which includes my sins. The price was your life of perfect obedience… including obedience to death on the cross. Never let me think or speak of your offering glibly… mindlessly… presumptuously or with a yawn. For the implications of your sacrifice are astounding…
Of these things we can be certain. Jesus, you’ve exhausted the penalty of our sins. Though I’m still destined to die, I’ve already been delivered from judgment because of your once-and-for-all sacrifice. You’ve broken the power of sin. Sin’s dominion has been destroyed in my life. You’re the boss, and the reign of grace is secure and is expanding. And when you “appear a second time,” you’ll rid my being and the entire cosmos of the very presence of sin.
Jesus, there is no other savior like you. You’ve born sin and you’re bringing salvation… you’ve born our sin and you’re bringing us salvation… you’ve born my sin and you’re bringing me salvation! Love you… indeed! Wait for you? Like a much-loved Bride longing for her much-anticipated her wedding day. Even so, Lord Jesus, come! So very Amen, we pray… I pray, in your matchless name.
June 26, 2010
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