Day 332: Not Happy

Philippians 2:12-30; Ezekiel 21-22; Isaiah 50

There's this idea in this chapter that kind of has me stumped: "So work with fear and trembling to discover what it really means to be saved." Why fear and trembling? And what does it "really mean to be saved"? I suppose he is talking about searching and seeking the truth, being passionate and concerned looking for wisdom, of what it means to be a brother or sister of Christ and a child of God. Perhaps with dedication, fervor, and devotion, we should be seeking more about who we are in Jesus. Nonetheless, it is an interesting scripture.

Whoa, God is ticked. His chosen people have made a mockery of God, have done everything that is disgusting and dishonorable, and chosen to forget about their Lord. Leaders are ruthless and prophets speak false messages from God, and The Lord has had enough. Poor Ezekiel has to be the one to deliver this message. God's people were a society of depravity and sin--unfortunately, not much has changed.Our world is filled with wickedness, and sadly, some of it lives in the church. I pray that people would experience conviction in their hearts and change in their lives so that we may honor The Lord with our whole existence.

In Isaiah it predicts how God's Servant, Jesus, will suffer. He is obedient to God in every way, trusting in the Father, even when people spit in his face, beat him, and try to tear him down. Jesus was a tough dude, not because of any human characteristic he possessed, but he had faith and strength that came directly from The Lord.

Day 331: Jesus!!!

Philippians 2:1-11; Ezekiel 20; Isaiah 49

First, I love the opening lines of this chapter: "Christ encourages you, and his love comforts you. God's Spirit unites you, and you are concerned for others." Jesus is our encourager and because of his love and sacrifice, we don't have to be afraid, but can have comfort knowing we will be with him in heaven one day. And it is God's spirit that unites us with other believers and makes us care about people.

Secondly, this talks about the incredible example of humility in Jesus. He gave up his place in heaven to obey the Father, be human, and sacrifice it all for our salvation. Why would he die for us? I believe it is for two reasons: obedience to the Father and love for us humans. It's just crazy that God would do such a thing. Aren't God's supposed to be all high and mighty? Above us? Unreachable? That's what is crazy about Christianity: our God is humble, with us, relational.

There's this little line in this chapter of Ezekiel that is kind of interesting: "But the Israelites rebelled against me in the desert." I know they were literally in the desert and that's mostly what this was talking about. But I also see a connection to us. The deserts are the places in our lives that we struggle, we face adversity, we face isolation. These are easy places and easy moments to turn from God because life is tough and he may seem uncaring or nonexistent. However, as Jesus was tested in the desert, may our desert moments bring us closer to God and actually strengthen our faith. May we not be like the Israelites and give up on following The Lord in the desert.

Isaiah 49 is awesome! You should read it! It all points to Jesus! It talks about the work of the "Lord's Servant" who will do more than lead people to safety. This servant will be a light for nations and take God's saving power to everyone on earth (GOSPEL!!). It continues by talking about what salvation is and what it will look like: setting prisoners free, leading them home, filling them up, not being harmed--it's an awesome picture of life with Jesus. Love it!

Day 330: Purify

Philippains 1:12-30; Ezekiel 19; Isaiah 48

Paul mentions being brave in this passage. He talks about being brave no matter what the circumstances, and being brave when we face our enemies. Being bold and courageous has nothing to do with our personality--a shy person can still show courage--but it has everything to do with our actions. We are encouraged to live our lives in a way that proves we are unashamed as well as live in a way that we are unashamed of. I want to look back on my life when I'm old and be proud of the risks I took for Jesus. Paul also says to be bold when we face our enemies. If we do that, it shows our confidence in what we believe. Otherwise, our faith, Christ's salvation, appear to not be strong enough or enough of a motivating factor for us to stand for.

In Isaiah 48, it says, "I tested you in hard times just as silver is refined in a heated furnace. I did this because of who I am." This kind of verse appears in psalms and proverbs, and probably other places too. First, God says that he does test us with hard times. This life is going to be tough. If not now, then eventually. But, he compares it to the process of heating silver in a furnace for the purpose of refinement. It isn't to scald, to burn, to melt away, but to purify and make it better. Our trials and struggles aren't punishment, they are opportunities for us to be better, more faithful, more pure, more like Christ. And why do we face troubles and why does God want to refine us? Because of who he is. I take this to mean that he is a God that wants us to be more holy, blameless, that he loves us enough to challenge us so that we can grow, rather than being left in the impure, rough state that we are. He loves us enough to spend time helping us grow.

Day 329: Break the Cycle

Philippians 1:1-11; Ezekiel 18; Isaiah 47

The beginning of Philippians has two passages that are really powerful: that God will finish the good work he started in us and that God will help us to be pure when Christ returns. I love to think about the idea that God is working on me and in me. That he cares enough about me to pay attention to what I struggle with and transform me into something blameless. And what are we supposed to do in the meantime, until Christ returns? Loving, making good decisions, and good deeds. Those three things summarize how believers should spend our time in interaction with others.

This story in Ezekiel is very cool. Basically, a child doesn't suffer for the sins of their parents. Kids can break the cycle that their elders have set up for them, for good or bad. We have no excuse to be less than awesome because our parents weren't. God also reveals his love and goal for life transformation: he wants evil people to leave their sinful ways and do good. He wants them to stop worshiping bad stuff and start worshiping Him. God doesn't get pleasure in punishing people. He old rather everyone changes so he doesn't have to punish anyone. Our God is a good God, just, but good.

Day 328: Short & Dry Trees

Ephesians 6; Ezekiel 17; Isaiah 46

There is so much in this chapter of Ephesians that is so valuable! Parent-child relationships should be characterized with instruction in The Lord, gentleness, and obedience. Workers should work for their bosses/masters as if working for The Lord, doing what God wants with their whole heart. Bosses should treat their workers with respect. Put on the armor of God, because that day of evil IS coming (no question about it) and being prepared with God's armor means we will still be standing when it is all over.

And then on a sort of special note, the only weapon we need is the Word of God. I'd noticed this before, but what a powerful statement in our world filled with "self-help" books. Barnes & Noble is FULL of them. This scripture is saying we don't need strategies, mantras, cultivated skills, etc. God's Word is all it will take to fight and defend against the evil that matters. Because we should not be fighting against one another and our battles are often of the unseen--attitudes, addictions, fears, temptations--God's Word is the most powerful thing to overcome and be victorious.

God tells Ezekiel that he can "bring down tall trees and help short ones grow. I dry up green trees and make dry ones green." God gives life where there was none, he helps things grow that seemed to have no capability to do so. And he can do the opposite. God doesn't have to depend on anything to provide for us, to help us. He is capable of all of this without the permission of anyone or anything. What is most powerful to me is that he can make the "dry ones green." Our lives that seem so britle, worthless, broken, lifeless, can be made rich and flowing with life and goodness at the word of our God. How awesome is that?!

I love the care God reveals in this passage in Isaiah: "Since the day you were born, I have carried you along. I will still be the same when you are old and gray, and I will take care of you. I created you. I will carry you and always keep you safe." Fabulous. God doesn't change. We can trust in him because he is the same today and for eternity. He is characterized by love and justice now and forever.

Day 327: Spouses

Ephesians 5:21-33; Ezekiel 16; Isaiah 45

I love what Ephesians says about husbands and wives. In particular, I pay attention to the verses directed at us betrothed women: we are to put our husbands first, just like we put God first. One could say that this is a conflict; you can't have two number ones. I used to think this way about best friends: I couldn't have more than one, otherwise it isn't a "best" friend. But I think this actually does work. We love Christ will all of our hearts, having given up everything for him, leaning on him for hope and salvation. We sacrifice for The Lord and we worship him. All of this is the exact same for our husbands--except the worship. We worship WITH our husbands, not TO or AT them. I've always felt that I need to make sure that of my earthly relationships, my husband is the most important. That's why I should cancel other plans to be with him, go out of my way to support him, spend time reading about marriage, etc. If I can't love and cherish my husband, the man I share life with most intimately, I have no business loving on others. Neglected marriages are dangerous and I plan on never abandoning mine.

This chapter in Ezekiel is disturbing. Jerusalem was an abandoned, dirty child that God cleaned up and cared for. He provided riches and goodness and showed compassion when no one else would. Then Jerusalem abandons God, its caretaker for a life of disgusting prostitution and murder. God's people are completely unfaithful. Because God is a jealous and just God, he punishes for sin and to turn from the one who rescued them is the worst sin of all. I pray that God's church is a faithful one. That we do not trade our redemption for sin.

Just like a clay pot doesn't ask the potter why it was made that way, neither do we have the right to demand of God reasons why we are the way we are. It is the potter's choice to mold and shape the clay how he wants, fashioning it for a specific purpose. God does the same with us. I feel blessed just to have God's hands on my heart and life, molding and shaping me. This is such a cool image in Isaiah.

Day 326: Made For More

Ephesians 5:1-20; Ezekiel 14-15; Isaiah 44

Paul talks about living as people of the light in these scriptures. The reason we aren't to do the immoral or disgusting things is that we are children of God, people of the light, meant to be like God. God doesn't want us to have any part of those immoral things because they are like worshiping idols, destroying the relationship Christ died for, and ruining the love and work that the Spirit has placed in us. It isn't that God is trying to keep us from having fun, as a lot of people without Christ like to claim. It's that with a transformed heart should come a transformed life, and as God's creation, we were made for more noble and holy things than that.

In Ezekiel, some people (well, actually a lot) were worshiping idols, then coming to prophets like Ezekiel for a message from God. They were double-dipping and two-timing God and he wanted nothing of it. The Lord had no sympathy, no mercy, for people who lived this way and I'm sure it infuriates him even today. People who go to church or pray over meals, but seek comfort and guidance in something else--they will not receive the blessing of God.

In this passage in Isaiah, God is reminding his people who he is. He is the living God, the Creator, the one who knows the future and wipes away sins. Those who worship idols are blind. They bow down to something made by human hands. How can something fashioned from wood or iron by a person be of any help to that person? God begs his people to turn to him and him alone and worship him. That way, God can pour out blessings and grace upon them. Our God wants to bless us. We just have to love him enough to turn away from the idols in our lives and live for him alone, worshiping him alone, and preaching Christ.

Day 325: Saving Thieves

Ephesians 4:17-32; Ezekiel 12-13; Isaiah 43

Paul orders followers of Christ to stop living like the godless. There has to be change. There has to be a difference. When Jesus is our Lord, our lives should contrast sharply with how we used to live and how non-Christians live. He gives some specifics later on in the chapter--don't get so angry, stop dirty talk, quit being rude--but Paul emphasizes that the Holy Spirit will help to change us. God's Spirit will help to transform our minds and ultimately our lives if we let it.

There's also a little verse in here that is kind of interesting: "If you are a thief, quit stealing." Why does that strike me as so profound? Because it implies that a thief, a criminal, can become a follower of Christ and be changed. Sometimes we like to put certain people (sometimes ourselves) up on a pedestal and look down on the "scum" of society. But here, Paul reveals that a thief can be saved and can change their ways. That person is also a brother or sister in Christ.

God is so mad in Ezekiel about false prophets and women who wear magic charms. He says these false prophets claim to speak in the name of God, but are completely wrong. They preach what people want to hear, not the truth. The women with the charms claim to be able to tell the future, but they are only doing it to get stuff and have control. God is so mad, but he promises to free the people that these women have trapped. God isn't a fan of those who come in his name but create their own message to manipulate.

Very cool passage in Isaiah: "My people, you are my witnesses and my chosen servant. I want you to know me, to trust me, and understand that I alone am God. I have always been God; there can be no others. I alone am The Lord; only I can rescue you. I promised to save you, and I kept my promise. You are my witnesses that no other god did this. I, The Lord, have spoken. I am God now and forever. No one can snatch you from me or stand in my way." Our God fights for us. He protects us. He wants a close relationship and for our worship to be for only him. He deserves it.

Day 324: Being Friends

Ephesians 4:1-16; Ezekiel 10-11; Isaiah 42

I'm so thankful for friends. I'm thankful that God has placed people in my life to share joys and sorrows. Paul talks about having unity with others because of Christ, and I see this as sort of a suggestion for everyone but definitely for our friends. He says, "Always be humble and gentle. Patiently put up with each other and love each other. Try your best to let God's Spirit keep your hearts united. Do this by living at peace." While this is definitely important with those who we don't necessarily consider our friends--coworkers, strangers--being humble, gentle, and patient with our closest friends keeps them our closest friends. I have often heard and seen how people can be so kind to a stranger, but to their own family they are cruel and biting. To me, if I can't show love and gentleness to those I love most, my family and friends, then I have no business worrying about being kind to strangers. My love, patience, and kindness should start right at home and radiate outward.

As God is exiling his people from Jerusalem, he makes them a promise: "I will be with you wherever you are, so that you can worship me." Even in their darkest times, even when God is angry, even when The Lord seems distant, he is still there, available for us and deserving of our worship. Just because of the darkness of our circumstances doesn't mean our Holy God doesn't love us or doesn't expect our praise. In Ezekiel, it talks about how God will scatter the people, but he will bring them back together and because of all of their troubles, he will remove their stubbornness and restore their hope. It is through and after trials that I think we grow the most, especially if we are cognizant we are being tested. God doesn't want to leave us in the desert, feeling all alone, or overcome by our enemies. As disobedient as the Israelites were, he gave them hope, and he will do the same for us.

What is so cool in this passage of Isaiah is that it alludes to Jesus. God announces his servant who is strong, who will bring justice, but will not shout or yell in the streets. Jesus is strong, he does bring justice, but he often does it in the quiet of our hearts and the peacefulness of a moment alone. It goes on to say that his purpose is to "bring light and my promise of hope to the nations. [To] give sight to the blind [and] set prisoners free from dark dungeons." Why? because "people were trapped and imprisoned in holes with no one to rescue them." Sometimes in my life I have felt like I was in a hole. I couldn't get out because it was too deep. Jesus Christ is the one who can reach down and lift us out of those holes, those prisons, we find ourselves in.

Day 323: Faith

Ephesians 3; Ezekiel 8-9; Isaiah 41

Our faith in Jesus is powerful. It connects us to God, it makes us brothers and sisters with Jesus, it helps us to stand firm, it teaches us how to love, it opens the door for salvation. Paul talks about the mystery of faith in Jesus in this chapter, and indeed, it seems a little strange: God came in human form, died and rose again, and now we can be made right with Him. Nonetheless, weirdness aside, as followers of Christ, we will experience blessings beyond measure, love without limits, and power at work in us beyond our imagination.

I think about the things that God shows Ezekiel: idols by the altar, idols in the rooms of priests, weeping for the god of vegetation, worship of the sun. In our churches, do we idolize the awesome, brand new, state-of-the-art buildings? Do we worship the music? Do our church leaders fill their homes with stuff, seeking more material things? Look at all the rich evangelists! Do we manipulate our food in order to make it more productive, rather than depending on The Lord to provide? And does our world worship science, astrology, astronomy, etc., seeking truth and answers from science and medicine? Where did these people, and where do we, put our faith? Then this man with the linen robe (Jesus?) is to mark the foreheads of the people who are not living with idols or worshiping other gods. These people are marked because they refuse to compromise, because they see what their world had become and were devastated, because they still loved God and his ways. If we choose that life, perhaps we, too, are being marked by the "man in linen" and our lives (eternally) will be spared.

This passage in Isaiah also talks about idols. It talks about how idols are useless, they aren't helpful, can't do anything. Only God has the power to save, direct, provide, and love. God also gives encouragement in this chapter. If we love him and are his people, then we need not fear. He is with us and will hold our hand so that our enemies cannot defeat us. God is so good and gracious.

Day 322: Ouch

Ephesians 2; Ezekiel 6-7; Isaiah 40

There is a very dangerous idea in this statement in Ephesians: "He (Satan) rules the world and his spirit has power over everyone who doesn't obey God." So EVERYONE who is not a follower of Jesus is under the control of the Devil and his schemes. You are either under God's blessing and protection, or you are the Evil One's tool. Ouch. No wonder there is so much hatred, abandonment, selfishness, brokenness, persecution, abuse in our world. Because if we are not living for Christ, trying to serve, love, honor, help, then we are being used to tear down and hurt. When put this way it seems that it puts my life as a believer on an epic scale. Being a follower is not just about putting offering in the plate, donning church clothes, and attending services. It is about fighting for the world, battling for goodness, striving to save people's lives (physically and spiritually).

Ezekiel is bleak: "Dead bodies and bones will be lying around the idols and the altars." The people had fallen so far away from God, had chosen to abandon the living God for idols made by themselves, and God had had enough. They would suffer death as they worshiped their idols. I can't help but think of the alcohol and drugs as one of these idols, around which the dead are strewn. But there are more idols than just substances and money. Dying families, wasting away because of the absence of love and instead, the desire for better positions, careers, paychecks. The beings of abandoned children are everywhere: I see them in the classroom everyday. It is so sad. While Ezekiel was talking about Israel and not America, the similarities seem obvious. And not just here, but around the world.

So how should we feel about sin? Because I think sometimes we take our sins lightly, especially if we are one of those "good" or "better than" people not using drugs or abusing alcohol or having an affair. "All of you will moan because of your sins. Your hands will tremble, and your knees will go limp. You will put on sackcloth to show your sorrow, but terror will overpower you. Shame will be written all over your faces, and you will hang your heads in despair." Wow. That's how broken I should be when I sin against our Holy God. So often I take sin so lightly. There have been a few times I have wept over my sin, but there are many things I ignore.

And then we turn to Isaiah, filled with encouragement about who our God is. He is the Ultimate Conqueror, Gentle Shepherd, All Powerful Creator, Wisest Sage, Complete Provider. Nothing or no one can compare with him!

Day 321: From God

Ephesians 1; Ezekiel 4-5; Psalm 150

Sometimes the more I read scripture, the more I realize I don't understand, and the more I realize that I want more explanation. For instance, Paul writes: "The Spirit will make you wise and let you understand what it means to know God. My prayer is that light will flood your hearts and that you will understand the hope that was given to you when God chose you. Then you will discover the glorious blessings that will be yours together with all of God's people." Paul tells us that we get the Spirit from God when we put our faith in Jesus. Good. So what does it mean to know God? Is it different for each person? Is it something we can explain and define? And the hope, is he talking about eternal life, about salvation? He does say earlier in the chapter that before Earth was made, God chose us to be his people, and so perhaps the hope is that we will be united with him in heaven (eternal life and salvation). And what are the "glorious blessings" that all of God's people will have? We discover these through our hope. How does that happen? My prayer is that God will shine his light in my heart and give me wisdom to understand what I'm reading, not just this passage, but every word written in his beautiful Word.

God gives Ezekiel a job, a role, to demonstrate God's future abandonment of Israel and Judah. Parts of it Ezekiel doesn't want to do, and he tells God that. God's instructions go against what Ezekiel has followed in the Law and he begs God not to make him do something unclean, that he has never done before. And do you know what God did? He listened to Ezekiel and changed things up a bit! He didn't eliminate the task, but allowed Ezekiel to do it with a clear conscience, to not be worried about breaking the rules. If we look at this, as well as how Moses and Abraham interacted with God, we can see that even these men of faith disagreed with God and didn't want to do all he said. They followed through with their tasks, but they prayed for something different. I truly believe that we too can make these kinds of requests from God. Not to totally abandon the job he's set before us, but to ask for assistance or patience or something else that would help us to be more successful or comfortable. Now, I also firmly believe that God doesn't have to heed our request, but he will at least listen.   I also think this shows God is not about fixed rules or plans. He knows what he wants to accomplish and all of the ways to accomplish it. If that means changing something to care for his children, then I have no doubt he will do it.

This last psalm is really simple: Praise The Lord. That's it. We are to use what we have for unhindered, unashamed, praise to God. He deserves it and it will do our hearts, minds, and souls good, to celebrate our Creator.

Day 320: Our Job

Galatians 6; Ezekiel 2-3; Psalm 149

I can't help when I read this last chapter of Galatians, but to think of how it isn't about me. It talks about helping others out of sin; not thinking of myself as better than I am; doing my work well and not comparing; sharing everything; bragging only about Jesus. Life as a follower of Jesus is really about two things: Jesus and others. I don't think this is to say that we should ignore our own wellbeing--it's good to take care of our physical bodies, and especially important to take care of our spiritual self. However, when I walk into church, into my job, out in public, I shouldn't be thinking about how I can best be served or be noticed or get some attention; I should be thinking about how I can demonstrate the love of Jesus by serving others.

Who does God send Ezekiel to? His own people, the Israelites. And what is interesting about this? They won't listen. God tells Ezekiel that if he were sending him to foreigners, the message would be heard and heeded; but God's own people would reject the message and continue to sin. That' would not be encouraging if you were Ezekiel. It's like, "here's your mission--you're going to fail--but do it anyway." However, God tells Ezekiel that it is his responsibility to share the message or he will be punished. It isn't his job to change them, only to share what God placed on his heart to tell them. The same is true for us. Sometimes it is hardest to share the message of Jesus with those closest to us. Sometimes we know we are going to fail. But it isn't our job to change them; it is our job to be bold enough to obey God. God will do the rest.

In this psalm, it says that God gives victory to the humble. This sounds very much like the passage from Galatians. Humility is an attitude that is tough to have, but it was a powerful part of who Jesus, the Son of God, is. It should be a significant part of who we are as well. If we are humble, then God feels like he can work in our lives, knowing that he will get the glory as he deserves.

Day 319: Guided By the Spirit

Galatians 5:16-26; Ezekiel 1; Psalm 148

I've always wondered why I would do stuff I know I shouldn't do. Why I could pray and pray over a sin in my life, seek to change, and would still fall back into it. Paul answers that question here: "If we are guided by the Spirit, you won't obey your selfish desires." I was not guided by the Spirit. I was not close to God, or following Jesus' example, or surrendered to The Lord. I have noticed that the more I read God's word, the more I immerse myself in the scriptures, and be surrendered to Jesus, the more I can live by the fruits of the spirit. I am more loving, happy, peaceful, patient, kind, good, faithful, gentle, and self-controlled. Though I am far from perfect, I have been transformed by God's spirit, and I pray that same for you.

In this psalm, it says "Let all things praise the name of The Lord because they were created at his command. He made them to last forever and nothing can change what he has done." First, in this verse, I see that everything was made by The Lord. He commanded and it was made; that includes you and me. Secondly, it says that he made everything to last forever. You and I were made for eternity. Life doesn't really end when we die, we continue for all eternity. If that's the case, shouldn't we live differently? Shouldn't we live as if life isn't short, but actually very, very long? I should recognize that when I die, I can't take everything with me, so I should do and work towards establishing things that will last forever, like the fruit of the spirit, like meaningful relationships, like devotion to God.

Day 318: Freedom

Galatians 5:1-15; Lamentations 5; Psalm 147

Christ gives us freedom. Freedom from what? Freedom to do what? It's a strange idea, very vague to me, and I've attempted to process this for a while. This is what I think Paul is talking about and what this idea means: we are free from the expectations of the rules of the Old Testament; we can make our own choices to live how we feel. We don't have rules to follow as disciples of Christ, but instead, we are to use Jesus as our guide and model. We aren't to use our freedom to sin or do any ol' thing, but to love and serve. So if Christ has truly set us free, we will not want to sin, we will want to live like Him.

Lamentations is kind of depressing. I mean, it is a bunch of laments, so that's to be expected. It ends with a cry to God to bring them back to him, for a fresh start. Whats great, is that because of Jesus, I know this happens and I know it is possible. We get a fresh start. We can become holy. We have been chosen as children. The people in Lamentations were slaves; we are free because of Christ, and not just free, but sons and daughters of God, brothers and sisters of Jesus.

The beginning of this psalm, actually answers the final question in Lamentations: will you bring us back to you, God? It says that God should be praised and he will rebuild Jerusalem and return the people of Israel to their homes. He helps the poor and is pleased only with those who trust in him. It doesn't matter how tough we are or how much we have, only that we worship him and believe in his love.

Day 317: Victors

Galatians 4:21-31; Lamentations 3-4; Psalm 146

In chapter 3 of Lamentations, the prophet feels completely beaten down. He feels no grace or mercy from God, until he remembers something that gives him hope: God's love and kindness never fail. He says that we can learn from insults and hard times, we can learn from the punishment of our sins, knowing that God is dependable to give mercy when we obey. "The Lord doesn't enjoy sending grief or pain," but he wants faithfulness from his people. Something that I keep finding in scriptures is this idea that followers of The Lord should not be wimpy, weak, or act like victims. In this chapter, he points to the same idea: "We shouldn't complain (as if we are victims) when we are being punished for our sins. Instead, we should think about the way we are living and turn back to The Lord." So it's not about being a martyr of our circumstances or struggles, but being a victor over our sins.

This psalm points out who God cares about in particular: "He gives justice to the poor and food to the hungry. The Lord sets prisoners free and heals blind eyes. He gives a helping hand to everyone who falls. The Lord loves good people and looks after strangers. He defends the rights of orphans and widows, but destroys the wicked." The poor, hungry, prinsoners, blind, fallen, good people, strangers, orphans, and widows. God watches out for these people. Why? Because often, no one else is, and these people truly feel dependant on him. Those of us in prosperity tend to forget how much we need God; these people recognize their need for a Savior.

Day 316: Pour Out

Galatians 3:21-4:20; Lamentations 1-2; Psalm 145

We are God's children because Jesus set us free from the Law. We don't need rules to live our lives. I think Paul is talking about how Jesus lived according to the Law, never sinning, but he wasn't ruled by it. He lived by love. Maybe that is what Paul is talking about--as Jesus was God's son and lived according to love, he was free, not bound by the Law, so we too are free and live with love.
He goes on to say that when we are baptized, it's like we put on Jesus like we put on new clothes. Everywhere we go, people see our clothes, we get judged by what we wear, we reveal our style and personality, often by what we put on in the morning. It should be the same with our "Jesus clothes." People should see Jesus wherever we go, just as obvious as a pair of neon shoes, so Jesus should be that obvious in our lives.

In these chapters of Lamentations, I think there are some important aspects of the human-God relationship. First, The prophet admits that God is right. And the reason for the pain and brokenness is because of the disobedience. It isn't because God is mean. It's because they (and ultimately humans in general) betray the good things God wants us to do. It goes on to say that God shattered his temple and eliminated the Sabbaths and festivals. Why would God want this stuff from disobedient, unfaithful, half-hearted people? God cares less about the fancy services and rituals and more about the hearts of the people. At the end of chapter 2 is this powerful pouring out of the heart. It says "don't ever lose hope...pour out your feelings to The Lord." God wants authentic relationship. Even if all we have to pour out to him are tears, frustrations, uncertainty--"as you would pour water out of a jug"--God wants all of our heart and feelings.

This psalm talks about God satisfying his believers at just the right time. I trust God to provide for my needs--needs, not wants--at the perfect time. Sometimes it's hard; I'm not always patient. But God knows. He's right. We can trust him.

Day 315: Tools

Galatians 3:1-20; Jeremiah 51-52; Psalm 144

We are no longer under the burden of the law, the Old Testament. Jesus came to be the curse that we would experience if he hadn't taken our place. It is through Jesus that we have God's spirit, we are no longer just us, but God's children.

What is interesting about Babylon is that it was a tool used by God for justice. They were not God's chosen, and in fact, worshiped idols, but God used them to bring judgment on the people of Israel. Now, in these chapters in Jeremiah, he is warning them of their own destruction. God uses people and things to carry out his work on earth. I pray that we are not used as tools of judgment and destruction, but of help and healing.

I love how David cries out to God and names what God is to him: Lord, mighty rock, teacher, friend, fortress, shield. God can be all these things for us, we just have to be willing to let him in our lives and take over.

Day 314: True Pastureland

Galatians 2; Jeremiah 49-50; Psalm 143

This passage in Galatians focuses on the freedom Christ gives us. There were spies that had snuck into the group and were attempting to make them slaves. I don't know if he means literal, working slaves, or if he meant slaves to something, like rules and law, etc. Nonetheless, Paul goes on to talk about how Peter was all worried about who he was eating with, something that God's Law probably talked about. But Paul makes the point that the old Law doesn't rule us anymore because Christ came to set us free. I think it is ok to be mindful of the Old Testament scriptures and the stories that tell about obedience and disobedience. I think the Laws that are outlined there as well are meant to help and be good, but we don't have to follow them because Christ is the only way we are made acceptable to God, not anything we do.

These verses talk about what we were made for and what happens if we ignore our divine purpose: "My people, you are lost sheep abandoned by their shepherds in the mountains. You don't even remember your resting place. I am your true pastureland, the one who gave hope to your ancestors. But you abandoned me, so when your enemies found you, they felt no guilt as they gobbled you down." God is our "true pastureland," our peace, our resting place, our safety. When we turn away, we lose our shepherd and get eaten by our enemies--could be people, sins, addictions. May we remember who our Shepherd is and stick close to his side.

Beautiful words in this psalm. I'll let them speak for themselves: "Then I lift my hands in prayer, because my soul is a desert, thirsty for water from you...Each morning let me learn more about your love because I trust you. I come to you in prayer, asking for your guidance...You are my God. Show me what you want me to do, and let your gentle Spirit lead me in the right path."

Day 313: One True Message

Galatians 1; Jeremiah 47-48; Psalm 142

Paul points out that there is only "one true message" of Jesus Christ. There are people who preach something different from the truth of Jesus, attempting to turn people away. Paul says it doesn't matter who that person is, whether "one of us or an angel from heaven." I've heard lots of stories and talked with some people about their faith and their religion and it is amazing how many people do believe in God, in Jesus, but not in the way that scripture tells it. They have been led away from the Truth, and believe something that is not biblical. Paul closes this section by asking, am I trying to please people or please God? Clearly pointing this out is a sticky subject and would get some people riled up. However, he isn't concerned about human approval. All he cares about is the opinion of God. So be careful reader, that you are not listening to people who change the gospel for their own gain. Those like Joel Osteen and Joyce Meyer preach a prosperity gospel that is not biblical. And there are many others, famous and less famous. May we pursue the truth and find it in Jesus Christ.

The first thing that hits me from these chapters in Jeremiah is the passage about how terrified they will be that parents will abandon their children. To me, this would be one of the worst things a person could do. But these people would be so afraid, so fearful of what was to come, that they wouldn't even think about their own offspring. It happens today, unfortunately. For lots of different reasons, probably including fear, moms and dads leave their children. Kids are left on the streets, in the foster care system, with grandparents--all because of the selfishness and insecurities of the parents. We need to be a generation of parents who take care of their kids, who love them and give them all the good things we can.

The next thing that stands out from these passages is that God is going to bring terrible destruction on Moab because of their disobedience, he was going to weep and mourn and cry for them. Wait, wasn't he just talking about wiping them out with an enemy army? Now God's upset for them? To me, this shows they incredible fairness of God and the incredible love of God. He is perfectly righteous and just, and perfecting loving and forgiving. Crazy.

Awesome prayer: "I pray to you, Lord. I beg for mercy. I tell you all of my worries and my troubles and whenever I feel low, you are there to guide me." We can trust in God to be there to help us through our times of helplessness or worthlessness or worry. Even when no one else seems to care, when no one else can help, God can. That, he promises.

Day 312: In The Meantime

2 Peter 3; Jeremiah 45-46; Psalm 141

Why aren't we seeing Christ return yet? According to Peter, it is because God is so patient and gracious, that he wants to give people time to return to him. Those that scoff at or run away from Jesus may need more time to recognize the power and gift of God. In the meantime, Peter points out that people will be mislead and misinterpret scriptures. He encourages the Lord's followers to remain pure, stay on the right path, and keep growing in Jesus.

This psalm offers a wonderful prayer: "Help me to guard my words whenever I say something. Don't let me want to do evil or waste my time doing wrong with wicked people." The psalmist makes it clear that we may have a tendency to say things that aren't right or beneficial, or be tempted to walk down a path of sin. However, if we call on the Lord's name, I believe he will help us to do less of that and more good and right.

Day 311: Every Battle

2 Peter 2; Jeremiah 43-44; Psalm 140

This chapter in 2 Peter talks about people living the wrong way. It says that there are false teachers that lead people astray with smooth talk; there are people that will live filthy lives, even after knowing of Jesus Christ. But then there is this line: "God doesn't sleep." I think this means that God doesn't miss anything. He isn't turning his back and ignoring them, he doesn't our lives. God sees each and every one of us and we will be judged according to our faith and the lives we live. These people who preach a false gospel and who live disgusting lives will be judged by God. If we are attempting to live righteous and holy lives, following in Jesus' footsteps, then we do not need to be afraid of that judgement, because "the Lord knows how to rescue godly people from their sufferings and to punish evil people while they wait for the day of judgment." Follower of Jesus, may we hear, believe, and preach only the Truth and keep ourselves pure, as Jesus kept himself pure!

The people Jeremiah addresses have it all mixed up. They asked God for direction, then refused to obey. They continue to worship idols, thinking these idols made them prosperous. They are so misguided that they see the destruction of The Lord, just as he promised, and they refuse to acknowledge their wrong doing. And what is it that keeps them from turning from their evil? Pride. God tells them that he knows it is their pride that keeps them on the wrong path. And it is tough-- tough to admit that we are wrong, that we have been going down the wrong path. It takes a brave step, lots of humility, and brokenness of spirit, to accept that we messed up big time. But for these people, and for us, it is a matter of life and death: for them, it was physical life and death; for us, spiritual/eternal life and death.

"You have the power to save me and you keep me safe in every battle." What a powerful thought. What a promise! What is interesting is that it says that God will keep us safe in every battle. It doesn't promise that we will never see a fight, never have to face an enemy, never have to get messy in a war--in fact, it says "every battle" meaning we will experience more than one. We will have battles, fights, wars, struggles, in this life, but we can have peace that God will save us and keep us safe. I don't think this means that we won't get hurt from time to time, that the battle won't scar us or set us back, but that ultimately, we are safe, secure, saved.

Day 310: The Easy Road

2 Peter 1; Jeremiah 41-42; Psalm 139

The section is titled "Living as the Lord's Followers." It talks about how God made these great promises, "so that his nature would become part of us." Whoa. We could feel and think like God? The Lord wants us to be more like him: more loving, more just, more forgiving. He goes on to say that "then we could escape our evil desires and the corrupt influences of this world." This reminds me of the passage that says "come near to God and he will come near to you" in James 4. The more we can be like Jesus, our Lord and Savior, the less room we have in our hearts and lives for junk and sin.
Peter says to improve our faith and do so by adding "goodness, understanding, self control, patience, devotion to God, concern for others, and love. As believers we should want to be "useful and meaningful" in the eyes of God. How can we be useful unless we have or are growing in these things?

Crazy things happening in Jeremiah. This dude named Ishmael is totally ruthless and kills almost 100 people, cold-blooded. Those who survived in Judah ask Jeremiah to pray to God to give them guidance, and when God answers, he tells them what they don't want to hear, and already knows their hearts are bent on disobeying. When we ask God for direction (as I think many people do, and is great), we need to be prepared to follow his lead. Often times God does ask us to do things that we don't want to--they are more time-consuming, more sacrificial, more uncertain. We can't be followers of The Lord and expect to be able to take the easy road every time.

Psalm 139, the inspiration for the title of this blog. In this psalm it talks about God looking deep into our hearts, knowing who we are because he created us to be that way. He knows our thoughts and watches out for us. Since he is our Creator, we cannot understand his ways or his wisdom. All we can do is pray that this God that put us together will continue to be there for us and with us.

Day 309: Bossy

1 Peter 5; Jeremiah 39-40; Psalm 138

Peter talks about taking care of your flock, those who are under our care. He is primarily talking about church leaders, but I think this could also apply to people with family or young people under your care. In particular, he states: "Don't be bossy to those people who are in your care, but set an example for them." It's way easier to boss someone around than to demonstrate the kind of action you are looking for. As a teacher, it would be easy to holler at a kid for being disrespectful. It might shut them up for the time being. But what have I done? I've belittled them, and lost any respect they might have had for me. Instead, if I work to keep control of my words and actions and treat them with respect, when I have to reprimand, it may only take a look or a soft word to get them back on track. The same goes for children. I want to be the kind of mom that demonstrates the kinds of actions and attitudes that I want our child to emulate. Experienced moms would probably say that bossing kids around doesn't make for well-rounded, responsible, kind young people. So may we learn to do those things we expect others to do.

Judah is captured. The Babylonians leave behind a few people: the poorest. It is interesting what happens to them. They are given all the fields and vineyards to live off of and care for, thus providing them with income and ownership. They have more than they have probably ever had. They are given a ruler and know that they are safe from the Babylonians and therefore, can live in peace. They won't necessarily become wealthy, but after all of the disobedient and proud are dragged off, God provides for them, the humble. The scriptures also point out that the grape and fruit harvest was especially large that year. God didn't forget about them, in fact, he had promised that whoever was humble would not be carried off as prisoners, and he follows through on his promise. It is fascinating how God works and reveals his love.

This psalm is awesome! It begins by saying "With all my heart I praise you, Lord." Not with most, or some, or a portion. It is "with all" of our hearts that we should give God praise. Then David praises God for answering prayers: "When I asked for your help, you answered my prayer and gave me courage." Finally, just as was true in Jeremiah, he says that "Though you are above us all, you care for humble people." Our God is so good.

Day 308: Love Covers Whose Sins?

1 Peter 4; Jeremiah 37-38; Psalm 137

I like this chapter in Peter! It talks about suffering for Christ. How suffering shows that we have stopped sinning. It shows that we have turned from our evil ways. It shows that God is preparing us for happiness when Christ returns. It shows that the Holy Spirit is with us. It shows that we belong to God. It's an opportunity to honor God and make Jesus proud. That is not typically how we look at suffering. Trials in life elicit groans, whines, frustrations, and while those are natural, what if we looked at suffering a lot differently? Like Peter describes it?

One thing that he points out is that our former friends wonder why we stopped running around with them and they curse us for it. This implies a couple of things. First, that when Christ comes into your life, it changes you. Secondly, it changes who we want to be around. It changes what we want to spend our time doing. And it brings troubles from "outside." When I hear someone bashing Christians, it makes me want to live that much more awesomely, just to show them that while we aren't perfect, God has done an amazing thing in us.

The last thing that this chapter reveals to me is that "you must sincerely love each other, because love wipes away many sins." I always thought that this was talking about how love helps to remove the sins of others. And maybe that is what it really means. But this morning, it seems like something a little different. Love doesn't just wipe away others' sins, this scripture seems to be talking about our own. When we love one another sincerely, there isn't room for slander, gossip, selfishness, pride--our own sins don't have room to show up because love, deep and unconditional love, is so powerful.

Zedekiah seems to go back and forth; he's a little wishy washy. Jeremiah shares his message and people get angry, ignore him, throw him in prison. Zedekiah wants to know more from God, and when Jeremiah tells him, he is terrified, but lets Jeremiah live in a nicer prison and be fed. Then when the people get mad at Jeremiah, Zedekiah acts like he doesn't care, but later he orders them to rescue Jeremiah from the bottom of the well. Then in secret, he send for Jeremiah again and wants to hear what God has said, but is terrified when Jeremiah actually tells him. He warns him that he should tell no one of their meeting. He is back and forth in his concern for God's message and to me, that sets him up for failure.

Psalm 137 talks about how hard it is to sing about their homeland when they are somewhere else. It is sometimes true for us. It's hard to sing about heaven when we are facing hardships here on Earth. But that doesn't mean that we should quit trying, quit pursuing heaven, quit longing for that paradise. We just need to recognize it is going to be tough.

Day 307: Love Never Fails

1 Peter 3; Jeremiah 35-36; Psalm 136

As followers of The Lord Jesus, Peter gives us some instructions. As a wife, I am to put my husband first. Husbands are to honor their wives. We are to treat everyone with kindness, even those that insult us. And we need to be ready to give an answer about our hope and faith that is kind and respectful. We do this knowing that we may suffer or be persecuted anyway. Reading through some of these New Testament letters and all their commentary on living right and at peace and facing suffering through it all, it makes me realize that I had missed the message. We are to live sacrificially, not for ourselves, but for others, all for the sake of Jesus' message. I don't face much suffering--am I being bold enough in sharing the gospel? Am I treating everyone, even those that are tough to love, with unconditional love?

God talks through Jeremiah to the people about obedience. He points out that the clan of Rechabites had obeyed their ancestor for generations, never disobeying his command. But the Israelites and people of Judah had disobeyed God, the Living, Almighty God, over and over again. It's interesting because people do that even today. It doesn't seem to matter who the person is, but people will listen to them, their mottoes, their advice, and yet they don't pay any attention to the word of God. Obeying The Lord leads to life, wisdom, peace, and joy. What can human advice really do for us except give us temporary relief or success?

Over and over this psalm says "God's love never fails." The constant repetition of this scripture reminds me that through everything, The Lord's love is constant. Just because we face difficult times doesn't mean he has removed his love from us. Just because we don't hear from him like we want to doesn't mean he doesn't love us anymore. His love is constant, unending, eternal. That is awesome.