Tag: god’s grace

Becoming Holy (Isaiah 4:2-6)

On By Tim EhrhardtIn Christian Spirituality Blog, Daily Bible Reading Blog, Year BLeave a comment

And that’s when God’s Branch will sprout green and lush. The produce of the country will give Israel’s survivors something to be proud of again. Oh, they’ll hold their heads high! Everyone left behind in Zion, all the discards and rejects in Jerusalem, will be reclassified as “holy”—alive and therefore precious. God will give Zion’s women a good bath. He’ll scrub the bloodstained city of its violence and brutality, purge the place with a firestorm of judgment.

Then God will bring back the ancient pillar of cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night and mark Mount Zion and everyone in it with his glorious presence, his immense, protective presence, shade from the burning sun and shelter from the driving rain. (The Message)

One of the characteristics of Holy Scripture I deeply appreciate are the wonderful prose sections letting us, the readers and listeners, know that our longings for better days will come. There is a day coming when all of our good imaginings of the future shall be realized; and our present circumstances of hatred, discord, jealousy, and envy of one another shall be a thing of the past.

Unfortunately, we will likely (and biblically!) have to see some devastating and violent loss, and experience some terrible and awful destruction of both body and soul. All of the Old Testament prophets spoke messages of both judgment and grace, suffering and glory. Although hammered with ruin, biblical readers are given glimpses of hope to see the possibility of life beyond all of the carnage.

In other words, there will indeed be restoration and renewal. All shall not be lost forever. Death does not have the last word; resurrection does. It will happen because God has a determined resolve to find resilient ways of restoring the divine/human relationship back to its original and intended peaceful good.

It takes faith to have hope, and hope to have faith, and love to win the day forever. If God can create ex nihilo, out of nothing, then the Lord can reform and renew that which already exists, even though it may be in an awfully deformed state.

The ones who remain, the survivors, are the remnant of true believers, the people who hold onto faith and patience in the face of adversity, hardship, and difficulty. These are the dreamers, the seers, the prophets who foresaw both the need for divine judgment, and equally understood the promise of divine restoration.

The earth will once again be blessed. A rainbow of promise shall rise to remind us all that the storms which ravaged us have passed, never to return again.

But let us also clearly understand that it is because of human stubbornness, of hard-hearted people failing to love mercy and show steadfast love, that got us in this pickle of judgment to begin with. There comes a point when the repeated refusal to change, and use the gifts God has given us, leads to our shelf life on this earth coming to a moldy ruin. To be thrown into the divine incinerator is something brought on by us, not God.

Evil is like a cancer which must be purged from our existence so that we can be clean and healthy. The commands of God are not meant to keep people under a heavy divine thumb, but rather to help people live well in this world in a good healthy way. Living a holy life means that we participate in productive spiritual practices that strengthen faith and support the spirit.

People become “unclean” when they take a different path which is inconsistent with how we were designed by our Creator to live. It would be a bit like believing we can ignore all traffic laws and drive how we want, and then are surprised when we are nearly killed in an accident. Sadly, the unclean perish in their self-preoccupations, with God’s generosity completely off of their spiritual radar.

Yet, no matter where we’ve come from or what we have done, there is always the possibility of rehabilitation, of renewing our relationship to God, experiencing the divine presence, and receiving divine grace.

Getting in sync with the healthy spiritual forces of this universe is like having the ancient provision and protection of God’s pillar of cloud by day and fire by night – reassuring us that we are not alone and belong securely in the merciful arms of a loving Lord.

In Christianity, a holy life and a clean heart results from the person and work of Jesus Christ. God got down to it, taking the judgment we deserved and giving us grace. All of the temporary ritual cleanings merely pointed forward to the once for all scrubbing of the cross.

The blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkled on those who are ceremonially unclean sanctify them so that they are outwardly clean. How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God!…

 and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. (Hebrews 9:12-14, 10:21-23, NIV)

May you experience the blessing of becoming clean, and know the blessing of being holy and pure in all your relationships and activities. Amen.

A Great Number of People Believe (Acts 11:19-26)

On By Tim EhrhardtIn Christian Spirituality Blog, Daily Bible Reading Blog, Year BLeave a comment

Now those who had been scattered by the persecution that broke out when Stephen was killed traveled as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus and Antioch, spreading the word only among Jews. Some of them, however, men from Cyprus and Cyrene, went to Antioch and began to speak to Greeks also, telling them the good news about the Lord Jesus. The Lord’s hand was with them, and a great number of people believed and turned to the Lord.

News of this reached the church in Jerusalem, and they sent Barnabas to Antioch. When he arrived and saw what the grace of God had done, he was glad and encouraged them all to remain true to the Lord with all their hearts. He was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and faith, and a great number of people were brought to the Lord.

Then Barnabas went to Tarsus to look for Saul, and when he found him, he brought him to Antioch. So for a whole year Barnabas and Saul met with the church and taught great numbers of people. The disciples were called Christians first at Antioch. (New International Version)

The earliest of believers in Jesus Christ were Jews. Jewish converts to Christianity were not typically received well amongst their families, communities, and culture. So, when Stephen, one of those converts, retold Jewish history emphasizing a stubborn lack of awareness amongst their ancestors – and then connected it with present day attitudes – a full fledged persecution of Christians broke out.

As a result, the Church – located almost exclusively in Jerusalem – was scattered throughout Judea and across the Roman Empire in a Christian diaspora. In Christ’s ascension, he told the disciples that they would be witnesses beginning at Jerusalem, and then to Judea and outside the Middle East. Little did the small band of believers know, at the time, how that plan would come about.

As it turns out, although life was hard being a Christian refugee in a strange location, the believers spread the good news of Jesus wherever they went. Thus, gospel seeds were planted all across the land.

There is no place we can go where God is not already there.

And so, the displaced Christians discovered God was with them in their sojourning. Their faithful proclamation of good news was the impetus to bringing about many more converts to Jesus Christ.

What was happening in Judea and the Empire came back to the church leaders in Jerusalem. They then, smartly, sent one of their own, Barnabas, to Antioch in order to check out the scene and bring the new believers some encouragement. Since Barnabas was the consummate encourager, the church was emboldened, with even more converts entering into faith in Christ.

Barnabas, as an encourager, had the knack for knowing what he could do and not do; he also knew someone who could supply what he couldn’t do. He was so sure that Saul (Paul) was the right person for the job that he went to Tarsus – which was about 400 miles from Antioch – in order to find him and get him to the new believers as soon as possible. The result was an explosion of fresh converts coming to faith and into the church.

It’s no coincidence that the man with the biggest heart in the church is described in today’s text as a good man who was filled with the Holy Spirit. The Spirit is the One who makes all the difference with the growth of Christianity and the establishment of the Church.

Barnabas could see the evidence of God’s grace in the city of Antioch because he was filled to the full, with God’s own Spirit. He observed people with changed lives; an incredibly diverse and connected international community of believers; and so, encouraged them all in this good work brought about by the Spirit of God.

More and more people were added to the fellowship because of the robust spiritual dynamic that took place. This was not a matter of people using slick marketing strategies to make the name of Jesus Christ known; instead, the adding was all God. The Lord added to the Lord, and not people adding people to the Church. In other words, God is both the subject and the object, the source and the goal, of all good Christian ministry.

Then, when the Lord connected Barnabas together with Saul (Paul) who was also filled with the Holy Spirit and many spiritual gifts from God, the result was nothing less than large numbers of persons coming to faith in Christ and being added to the Church.

The believers in Antioch were so chatty about their faith that the first reference of being called “Christians” were to these converted Jewish believers in Jesus. Even though the moniker of “Christian” was probably a term of derision and meant to mock the Antiochene Church, it stuck, and was held up proudly by the believers. They were completely okay with being called “little Christ’s.”

After all, since they were truly Christ-centered in all they did, it was a fitting title for the fledging and growing Church. It clearly identified them as the people who serve and follow Christ. We, too, these many centuries later, have the very same Spirit of God that they did – and therefore, the same opportunity to speak of Jesus and see the Holy Spirit do the work of adding to the Church.

We pray, almighty God, that all who confess your Name may
be united in your truth, live together in your love, and reveal
your glory in the world.

Guide people everywhere, and of all the nations, in the
ways of justice and peace; that we may honor one another
and serve the common good.

Give us all a reverence for the earth as your own creation,
that we may use its resources rightly in the service of others
and to your honor and glory.

Bless all whose lives are closely linked with ours, and grant
that we may serve Christ in them, and love one another as he
loves us.

Comfort and heal all those who suffer in body, mind, or
spirit; give them courage and hope in their troubles, and
bring them the joy of your salvation.

Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer. Amen.

The Restorative Powers of Grace (Jeremiah 31:10-14)

On By Tim EhrhardtIn Christian Spirituality Blog, Daily Bible Reading Blog, Year ALeave a comment

Listen to the Lord’s word, you nations,
    and announce it to the distant islands:
The one who scattered Israel will gather them
    and keep them safe, as a shepherd his flock.
The Lord will rescue the people of Jacob
    and deliver them from the power of those stronger than they are.
They will come shouting for joy on the hills of Zion,
    jubilant over the Lord’s gifts:
        grain, wine, oil, flocks, and herds.
Their lives will be like a lush garden;
    they will grieve no more.
Then the young women will dance for joy;
    the young and old men will join in.
I will turn their mourning into laughter
    and their sadness into joy;
        I will comfort them.
I will lavish the priests with abundance
    and shower my people with my gifts,
        declares the Lord. (Common English Bible)

In the seasons of our lives, when we go through those times of difficulty, it feels like a hard slog uphill that never seems to end. But it will not always be this way. Suffering will eventually give way to rejoicing; sickness will turn to health; estranged relationships will reconcile; and broken spirits will be made whole again.

God is the expert in restoration. Dilapidated communities, broken individuals, and peoples in diaspora can find fresh hope amid challenging circumstances. The initiative, interventions, and actions of God are what make the difference in turning sorrow to joy.

The Lord gathers scattered people together, as well as making the disparate parts of people into a unified whole again. And in this gathering action of God, no one is left behind. Attention is given to the stragglers, to those unable on their own strength or ability to journey on the road back to the Lord.

With the Lord’s movements of mercy, those with unfortunate circumstances are turned into the fortunate ones. The underprivileged become privileged. Grief, lament, and mourning give way to joy and a new lease on life. A great reversal occurs with God’s intervention. Sorrow is transformed into praise. Goodness is found in abundance because the Lord is a good God.

God calls people to action, to a response of experiencing the restorative powers of grace. The Lord encourages such behavior because it helps us never forget that no one and no circumstance is ever beyond the renewing grace of God. The effect of God’s merciful activity in the lives of people is singing, shouting, listening, and proclaiming.

With spiritual renewal, there is no mumbling of words, no timidity about being off tune when lifting a song of praise and thanksgiving. The lonely person, fragmented group, depressed community, polarized neighborhood, or scattered nation who becomes restored by God’s merciful grace is a newly minted exuberant people. Singing organically arises from them.

God’s restorative work causes shouts of joy to emanate deep within the soul. In fact, the Lord’s activity is so wonderful that even the rocks will cry out if the people don’t. A last second win in the sports stadium amongst thousands of fans doesn’t even hold a candle to the celebrative shouts of believers gathered and restored.

Whenever a people hear God’s voice and respond, it results in restoration. The desire to listen is then heightened, and obedience to God’s will becomes the norm, instead of the exception. Increased proclamation of good news happens, as a joyous and privileged response to God’s amazing grace. More and more people are included within the community, and hope rises beyond what anyone thought was possible.

Rescue and redemption are at the heart of God toward lost and wayward humanity. Divine intervention leads to restoration of individuals, neighborhoods, faith communities, even nations. Like a faithful shepherd over a flock of sheep, the Lord actively seeks the lost, brings them home, and continues to stand watch over them as a compassionate guardian.

And just as God redeemed the people out of Egyptian slavery and took them to a good land of abundance, so the Lord shall return those persons exiled from that abundant place and restore them to the peace of settled rest. The restoring action of God gathers the scattered. The lost are found. That which is fragmented is made whole. Those previously disabled become able. The weak become strong, the sick healed, the hungry fed, and the prisoner freed.

In times of famine, disease, poverty, hardship, confusion, and scant resources, there is hope. The Lord knows how to restore fortunes and bring untold abundance amid the most difficult of situations.

True joy comes through hard suffering. The pains of childbirth give way to unspeakable joy.

Christians are about to enter the season of Advent, after the long months of ordinary time. God, in Jesus Christ, is about to enter the world through a woman, in the flesh. The gracious work is about to begin, of ransoming, redeeming, and restoring a sinful world that had exiled itself from peace and abundance. In Christ, our lives are about to become full of blessing.

Praise the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ for the spiritual blessings that Christ has brought us from heaven! (Ephesians 1:3, CEV)

“I am the gate. Those who come in by me will be saved; they will come in and go out and find pasture. The thief comes only in order to steal, kill, and destroy. I have come in order that you might have life—life in all its fullness. I am the good shepherd, who is willing to die for the sheep.” (John 10:9-11, GNT)

May you know and experience the restorative grace of God in Christ today and every day. And may this upcoming season bring you fresh hope and a renewed faith. Amen.

The Hound of Heaven (2 Timothy 2:8-13)

On By Tim EhrhardtIn Christian Spirituality Blog, Daily Bible Reading Blog, Year ALeave a comment

Remember Jesus Christ, who was raised from the dead and descended from David. This is my good news. This is the reason I’m suffering to the point that I’m in prison like a common criminal. But God’s word cannot be imprisoned. This is why I endure everything for the sake of those who are chosen by God so that they too may experience salvation in Christ Jesus with eternal glory. This saying is reliable:

“If we have died together, we will also live together.
        If we endure, we will also rule together.
        If we deny him, he will also deny us.
If we are disloyal, he stays faithful”
    because he can’t be anything else than what he is. (Common English Bible)

C.S. Lewis once described God as the Hound of Heaven. By that phrase he meant that God doggedly pursued him and would not let go. Lewis came into Christian faith, in his own words, “kicking and screaming” as God’s faithful pursuit won out in his life. 

The Apostle Paul reminded his young protégé Timothy of some basic theology to keep him on track and encouraged in a tough ministry. Paul gave Timothy a trustworthy saying that he could easily remember and say to himself day after day, especially when the going got tough: 

If we died with Christ,
    we will live with him.
If we don’t give up,
    we will rule with him.
If we deny
    that we know him,
he will deny
    that he knows us.
If we are not faithful,
    he will still be faithful.
Christ cannot deny
    who he is. (CEV)

The beauty, wonder, and distinction of God is his amazing grace. There is no ambiguity with God. The Lord is not fickle but loves and holds tight even when we are unlovely and practice avoidance. When God pursues, God finds; when God holds on, there is no letting go.

This trustworthy saying of Scripture is a good, short, solid expression of theological truth to memorize, meditate upon, and say to ourselves repeatedly. We belong to Jesus Christ. God is with us. The Hound of Heaven will always sniff us out and bring us to himself.

Lewis likely got his phrase “Hound of Heaven” from an English poem of the same name by Francis Thompson (1859-1907). Thompson was a tortured soul who flirted in and out of depression, opium addiction, and suicidal thoughts for much of his adult life. Yet, he understood, perhaps better than most, that a loving God never stops pursuing a wayward heart. The poem’s beginning and end says this:

I fled Him, down the nights and down the days;
I fled Him, down the arches of the years;
I fled Him, down the labyrinthine ways
Of my own mind; and in the mist of tears
I hid from Him, and under running laughter….

How hast thou merited—
Of all man’s clotted clay the dingiest clot?
Alack, thou knowest not
How little worthy of any love thou art!
Whom wilt thou find to love ignoble thee,
Save Me, save only Me?
All which I took from thee I did but take,
Not for thy harms,
But just that thou might’st seek it in My arms.
All which thy child’s mistake
Fancies as lost, I have stored for thee at home:
Rise, clasp My hand, and come.”
Halts by me that footfall:
Is my gloom, after all,
Shade of His hand, outstretched caressingly?
“Ah, fondest, blindest, weakest,
I am He Whom thou seekest!
Thou dravest love from thee, who dravest Me.

Theology is not an impersonal affair. Personal religion still exists. The individual’s wax and wane between faith and faithlessness shall never negate divine grace.

The Lord of the universe loves you. There is a deep Divine desire to shower grace on you, to shelter and protect you. There is no need to run. Yet, if you do, God remains steadfast in his dogged pursuit. The hunt will continue….

Thank you, O God, for your great faithfulness, even to me. I believe. Help me in my unbelief! I give unceasing praise and undying devotion to you for your grace of being the One who never lets up, through Jesus Christ my Lord. Amen.