Christian

Attitude Check on Aisle Four

~ mercyfortheday ~ Leave a comment

I was in the grocery store, and I was in a hurry. I was trying to get all my errands run before my appointment, and I was rushing. Oh, I know it was all my fault, but here’s how the grocery shopping went. I rushed through the store, gathering up the items I needed. Then I went to stand in line, and there were three people in front of me with only one cashier working.

This grocery store is known for slow cashiers and even slower baggers. But there I was standing in line behind two people who were waiting for the one at the cashier to finish, and that transaction was taking awhile. I’m not sure why, but they were going slow. I dared not look at the clock because I didn’t know want to know what time it was. I knew my appointment was fast approaching, But here I stood with a cart full of groceries, and I was determined to pay for them and take them home with me.

First cart in line went through with a few items, and they went slowly. As the couple in front of me was checking out, I saw the cashier put a package of meat under the counter. Toward the end of scanning their groceries, the woman customer left the line and went to get a new package of meat. I was annoyed, to say the least. I knew I had little time, and here I was waiting for somebody to get another item. They had picked up one that had an expired date on it and didn’t want to buy expired meat.

As I stood there waiting impatiently, I reminded myself that I was the Christian here. I needed to represent Christ, just as he would have lived. But in that moment, I wasn’t feeling holy. I wanted to become like Jesus as he threw the the money changers out of the temple. I wanted to act in a holy rage and tell them I was in a hurry, and could they please move along. I wanted them to respect my schedule and my needs, but I stood there quietly. Yep, I drummed my fingers on the cart. I tried not to look at them, because I knew I wouldn’t have a happy look. I had an attitude problem. Finally, the woman reappeared with a new package of meat. They got checked out, and then it was my turn to have my groceries scanned.

I emptied my cart as fast as I could, and the cashier began scanning the items. He picked up a can of green beans that was dented, badly dented. He asked me if I wanted the dented can. Yes. I said I don’t have time to get another can. And he said, I’ll give them to you for 50 cents or for $1. Which would you prefer? I don’t care. So he settled on $1.

And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise. Philippians 4:8

The Bagger was slow as always, taking his sweet time. I finally had to help him put the groceries in my cart because he was just dawdling. I don’t know what goes through his mind. He never has a sense of urgency about doing his job. As we were putting the last items in the cart, he almost forgot one bag. So I had to hurry and put it in my cart. I needed to leave. I rushed to my car and unloaded all my groceries. As I pulled away from the grocery store, I realized I still had 30 minutes before I needed to get to the next appointment. I was going to make it on time. Why was I even worried? Why did I let myself get into such a stew over nothing?

When the spirit or the heart is the stage whereon sin is enacted, it is a spiritual sin; such are all impure thoughts, vile affections, and desires which do not break forth into overt action but are nonetheless real acts of the inner man. As with all sin, Satan is the great, unseen instigator of every sin of the heart. Keep a close watch on your heart.

~William Gurnall, The Christian in Complete Armour

My bad attitude might not have been obvious to the people standing near me in that grocery store, but I knew that God had seen it. I knew that he was probably shaking his head knowing I had plenty of time to get to my next appointment. And then once I got to my destination, I would have to sit in my car for 15 minutes before going into the office. Otherwise I would have been waiting an extra long time in the doctor’s office.

And I just have to ask, why do I do this to myself? Why do I get all in a tizzy for no reason? I don’t know. It’s just the way I’m made. Probably nobody else in history has this same problem, but there I am being so human. And all the while knowing I’m a Christian and I don’t know if these other people are, and they were kind. The woman was apologetic for having to leave the line and get a new item. Yet I was frustrated. Thank goodness I didn’t actually say anything, because there was no need. I knew there was no need, but in my frustration I had plenty of unkind thoughts swirling in my head.

I can’t even say, Father forgive me, for I know not what I do, because I knew what I was doing. I knew my attitude was wrong. I knew my thinking was wrong, and I thought it anyway. So still I must say, Father, forgive me, especially when I know I’m wrong. Help me to be more like you in my words, in my actions, in my thoughts, in my attitudes, in the way I approach people. Help me to show kindness. Even if someone isn’t doing a good job. I can help them. I can be a good example.
Help me, Father, I need you.

I need Thee every hour,
  Most gracious Lord;
No tender voice like Thine
  Can peace afford.

I need Thee, oh, I need Thee;
  Every hour I need Thee;
Oh, bless me now, my Savior!
    I come to Thee.

I need Thee every hour,
  Stay Thou near by;
Temptations lose their power
  When Thou art nigh.

I need Thee every hour,
  In joy or pain;
Come quickly and abide,
  Or life is vain.

I need Thee every hour,
  Teach me Thy will;
And Thy rich promises
  In me fulfill.

I need Thee every hour,
  Most Holy One;
Oh, make me Thine indeed,
  Thou blessed Son.

~Annie Sherwood Hawkes/Robert Lowry

The Cost of Rescue

~ mercyfortheday ~ 1 Comment

I’m sure you’ve heard the news of the spectacular rescue of a member of the Air Force. He had been missing for over twenty four hours after his fighter jet was shot down. Oh. The pilot of the two-man aircraft had also ejected from the aircraft and had been found alive earlier. I’ve read that being ejected from a fighter jet is no small feat in itself. It’s an act that can’t be practiced, and it’s sometimes fatal. It happens in real time, and some soldiers end up losing extremities because of the extreme g-forces at play.

I wonder. What was it like to find yourself behind enemy lines knowing full well you could be captured at any moment? This second airman had to perform some evasive maneuvers in order to hide and survive. Oh sure. He had been trained in advanced survival skills. And to top it all off. He had been injured in the process of ejecting from the aircraft, making it even more difficult to evade the ever advancing enemy operatives. I heard he was bleeding profusely. But he was able to stop the flow of blood, and he did evade capture. And he’s lived to tell about it. What a story that will be if he ever goes public with the details.

A deception campaign was enacted in order to fool the enemy. Our military did not, under any circumstances, want this injured airman to be discovered and captured by the enemy. One hundred men were sent in to rescue him. It was a very historic rescue, after his jet went down deep in Iranian territory. The decision was made to do whatever was necessary to bring this man home. Our military doesn’t leave even one man behind. In broad daylight and facing heavy enemy fire for seven hours, the flight crews took risks beyond measure. They faced gunfire from a very close range. Yet. No American was injured in this firefight.

A massive operation was mobilized, involving one hundred and fifty aircraft. Many of these planes were used to confuse the enemy into thinking this lone lost airman was in a different area. The planes flew to multiple sites as a ruse to confuse the enemy. And it worked. 

This injured airman was successfully discovered after he had been stranded in an area teeming with the enemy. He followed his training and climbed toward a higher altitude in order to evade capture. He had been taught to move as far away as possible from the crash site, so the enemy couldn’t locate him. That’s exactly what he did.

Because of the wet sand where the additional aircraft had landed, it was possible that the huge machinery wouldn’t be able to lift off. The contingency plan brought in lighter, faster aircraft to carry the badly injured airman and all one hundred of his rescuers to safety. Then the original aircraft were immediately and completely destroyed. Three helicopters had been placed unassembled in the large aircraft, and were rebuilt in a matter of a few minutes. They were used extensively in the rescue plan.

What a massive undertaking this was to get this one man to safety. No expense was spared. It was all hands on deck, and everyone involved was ready to go at a moment’s notice. It’s this precise training and skill that makes our military the sharpest and best in the world.

And here’s the thing. Our military knew exactly who the enemy was. They knew what the enemy was capable of. We’ve seen the horrors that have played out in the streets of that country and in other zones deemed unsafe to global workers for decades. It was determined that it was time to act to stabilize the country. And in doing so, a great feat of heroism was displayed by the rescue team. This one man will be forever indebted to them for saving his life.

For the Son of Man came to seek and save those who are lost. Luke 19:10

The rescue of this lone man was very involved and was planned down to the exact detail. Nothing could go wrong in the effort to save him. The intricate steps to extricate one downed soldier from the enemy’s snares are impressive. It’s a fascinating, yet alarming story of precision. We may think it’s overkill. But imagine the one being rescued. What would they have faced if left to their own devices? What would their enemy have done to them?

If our military would go to such lengths to rescue one lone man, imagine how God works in the rescue of our souls. The rescue and redemption of all mankind is very intense, and it has eternal consequences. Oh. God doesn’t use military aircraft to rescue lost souls. He sent his only Son who was reigning safely in heaven with him to earth to live a fully human life for thirty three years. And then he sacrificed this Son for everyone. And by everyone, I mean those no longer living, those currently living, and those yet to be born. EVERYONE. His Son, Jesus, was crucified on a cross and then laid in a tomb. But miracle of all miracles, he rose from the dead on the third day.

Jesus came to seek and to save the lost, and his rescue plan is out of this world. And he uses godly people in his redemption plan to rescue the lost. He uses multiple prayer warriors. He uses believers who plant the seed, and those who till the soil. Those who water. And those who harvest. It’s a group effort where everyone involved plays a part. But here’s the thing. No one knows exactly who else is involved in the mission for each individual soul. That information is top secret and kept in God’s control. He works to make it happen, and we’re the instruments in his overall plan.

And here’s another thing. We all need rescued from our sins. Not one of us is perfect. Not one of us is without sin. Each of us is born with a sinful nature, and we fall short of God’s plan for our lives.

Just as the airman was trained for survival, so too must we be trained for not only surviving our Christian walk, but we must learn to thrive and grow in our knowledge and faith in Jesus Christ. We must practice our faith on a daily basis. We are called to read God’s Word and to spend time in prayer. We are called to spend time with other believers and to attend church. We are called to share out of our wealth to help others find the same saving relationship with Jesus Christ. And we are called to be active workers for the kingdom of God. We not only need to be initially rescued from our sins, but we then need to help rescue others. We who have been rescued are now part of someone else’s rescue plan.

After all, who is Apollos? Who is Paul? We are only God’s servants through whom you believed the Good News. Each of us did the work the Lord gave us. I planted the seed in your hearts, and Apollos watered it, but it was God who made it grow. It’s not important who does the planting, or who does the watering. What’s important is that God makes the seed grow. The one who plants and the one who waters work together with the same purpose. And both will be rewarded for their own hard work. For we are both God’s workers. And you are God’s field. You are God’s building. 1 Corinthians 3:5-9

Oh. It’s easy to identify the enemy who was pursuing the downed airman. And just as the enemy was in hot pursuit to capture this lost man, so too is the enemy of our soul earnestly searching for a way to capture the hearts of all mankind. For some, it’s an easy capture. He has them at hello. But there are others who have been thoroughly trained to avoid the devilish ways of the enemy, and they hold off all his attempts to turn them to the dark side. We must know our enemy and name him, and then fight with all our might to evade capture.

Let’s ask the hard question. Why would someone set aside everyone else to go rescue one lost person? Just why? Is it worth it? Oh. I’ve heard the argument about the waste of time looking for the one when time could have been more wisely spent helping others. But what if you’re that one lost person who is deep down looking to be found by the Savior of the world? Wouldn’t you want him to search diligently, never stopping to find you? If you were the downed pilot, wouldn’t you hope that your country and fellow soldiers wouldn’t give up on you? Should they halt the search because there’s only one who needs rescuing? Isn’t one life worth the cost? Isn’t one soul worth the cost?

So Jesus told them this story: “If a man has a hundred sheep and one of them gets lost, what will he do? Won’t he leave the ninety-nine others in the wilderness and go to search for the one that is lost until he finds it? And when he has found it, he will joyfully carry it home on his shoulders. When he arrives, he will call together his friends and neighbors, saying, ‘Rejoice with me because I have found my lost sheep.’ In the same way, there is more joy in heaven over one lost sinner who repents and returns to God than over ninety-nine others who are righteous and haven’t strayed away! Luke 15:3-7

God Knows the Way We Take

~ mercyfortheday ~ Leave a comment

Jesus and his disciples were on their way to the synagogue on the Sabbath.  The disciples were hungry, so they picked some corn and ate it.  The Pharisees saw this and rebuked them.  But one point in this story I had never considered before was that Jesus, the miracle worker, didn’t perform a miracle for his closest followers.  They had to work for their food, like anyone else. And the fact is that on their way to the synagogue, they passed a cornfield where they were able to feed themselves. Perhaps they could have taken a different path, but they walked a path of provision.

If we consider our needs, perhaps we are walking through a path of provision that we don’t seem to notice, because we’re expecting or hoping for a huge miracle from God. And the miracle is right in front of us. Let’s take a closer look at our surroundings and see what God has already provided for us. Maybe we’re just not using his provisions appropriately. Maybe the provisions God has provided aren’t the ones we want or expect, but they’re what is at hand.

You can read the story about the disciples picking corn in Matthew 12.

Jesus didn’t make sure his disciples went from rags to riches because they were sharing his Good News story to the multitudes.  He didn’t brush off all their troubles just because they were his inner circle.   They still fished for their meals and ate around the early morning campfires. They still broke bread in various places. They still had to provide for their every day needs, unless people in the towns they traveled to helped them along the way. These disciples weren’t wealthy people. They lived hand to mouth.

When Jesus was fasting in the desert for forty days, he didn’t call down food from heaven to soothe his hunger.  Oh, Satan was right on his heels the entire time, offering Jesus the keys to the kingdom and so much more. Jesus refused all the advances of Satan and came out victorious. Satan couldn’t hold a candle to Jesus, and they both knew it. But Satan didn’t give up trying to defeat Jesus. Satan’s game was victory over his archenemy, and he couldn’t win. And he never will. Jesus is the ultimate victor in all that Satan throws at us. We have only to resist and refuse to bow to Satan’s wishes.

You can read about Jesus being tempted in the desert in Matthew 4:1-11.

When Jesus was betrayed by his hand-picked disciple, Judas, in the Garden of Gethsemane, he could have called down angels to save himself. But he didn’t. He went with his accusers and was arrested, tried and beaten, and eventually crucified. He could have saved himself, but he didn’t because he knew his purpose in life was to die for all mankind. He couldn’t and wouldn’t betray his Father’s will.

You can read about how Jesus handled the betrayal of Judas in Matthew 26:47-56.

Jesus’ ministry didn’t revolve around making life easy and simple for people who followed him. When Jesus was hanging on the cross, he could have called down angels to save himself.  But he didn’t.  Instead, he died alone for you and me.  He didn’t even try to save himself.  His purpose was to redeem us from our sins. 

“My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts,” says the Lord. “And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine. For just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so my ways are higher than your ways and my thoughts higher than your thoughts.” Isaiah 55:8-9

How would Scripture have been fulfilled if Jesus had rescued his disciples every time they ran into a problem?  How would Scripture be fulfilled if God called down legions of angels to pull us out of every risky situation we find ourselves in?  Life happens.  And at times, that means we’re in trouble.  At times, that means we have to face the consequences for saying or doing an inappropriate thing.  At times, that means we have to turn the cheek when others have offended us.  God doesn’t pull us out of every troubling situation just because he loves us. He walks with us through those trying times.

Do we expect God to do everything for us just because we’ve repented of our sins?  Just because he loves us and will always love us, does that give us the right to demand things of him?  We know he answers prayers.  He always answers our prayers, but not always in the way we want.  That doesn’t mean the prayer isn’t answered. 

I guess that begs the question.  Are you ever disappointed with God?  Are you ever upset that God isn’t doing something for you the way you want it done?  Does it make you angry?  Or disillusioned?  Does it cause you to turn your back on him?  Or, does it force you to grow? Does your disappointment cause you to search the Scriptures in a way that you have never done in the past?  Does it cause you to call out to God more than usual? 

God isn’t a magician, nor is he a genie in a bottle. Blink three times and you get your wish. No. He doesn’t work that way. God works in mysterious ways his wonders to perform. And yes. God is a mystery. There is no way we can fully understand the One who always has been and always will be, the One who never began and will never end. We will never fully understand the God of the universe. And we just have to be ok with that. His ways are higher than our ways.

As the wicked are hurt by the best things, so the godly are bettered by the worst. ~William Jenkyn

Immaturity on Display

~ mercyfortheday ~ 2 Comments

I sat at lunch the other day with people I didn’t know, and I witnessed something unsettling. Our church hosts a monthly potluck on the first Sunday of the month, and we were sitting with people unfamiliar to me. The husband and wife are both retired. Their nineteen year old grandson and his seventeen year old girlfriend were seated with us, as well. The grandson has lofty goals but a very slim wallet. He’s dreaming up schemes on how to get the “toys” he wants. Just that afternoon, he was scheduled to sell some tires out of his dad’s garage. He knew the price he wanted, and he knew exactly what he would do with the money. Part of it would be used to take his dad to dinner, and then a bulk of it would go to buy the gun of his dreams. The price of the gun is the same amount as his monthly car payment, which he can’t afford this month. So, instead of making his car payment, he’ll buy the sweet gun.

Oh. He’s starting a new job soon, which will mean he now has two part-time jobs. And he was bragging about the amount of money he would be making per month with those two jobs. He was so proud of that amount. His grandfather quietly suggested that he open an IRA. IRA? Said the grandson. What’s that? He had no clue about retirement savings. I understand that at nineteen years old, no one is seriously thinking about retirement, but planning and saving early in life greatly enhances a retirement plan. Every saved dollar goes a long way later on down the line.

Then he starting talking about the next toy he would buy after he got the gun. Honestly. I can’t recall what it was, but it was also not a smart decision for someone who doesn’t really have money and can’t afford their car payment. Oh. But he decided that he would sell the car he can’t afford and purchase a rust bucket he had found on social media. This young man does not live in reality. His dreams wore me out.

The grandparents acted as if they had heard similar dreams from him in the past. They weren’t shocked at his plans to spend money he didn’t really have. Because, at the same time, he’s dreaming up a scheme to buy an even bigger toy for himself. He said he didn’t mind if he lived in his dad’s basement all his life, as long as he could have all his toys. I wonder what his girlfriend was thinking. I was thinking she should run while she could, but I just sat and listened.

The reason this scene was unsettling was because it dawned on me that too many people live with the same mindset. They’re surrounding themselves with all the material and sensual pleasures they can buy, and they have no regard for their future or their need for Christ. They seem to think they can rule their own lives and that’s all that matters. What a tragedy. My prayer is that this young man’s eyes will be opened to the disaster that awaits him unless he matures and also pursues a relationship with Jesus Christ.

Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.” John 14:6

This entire scene got me to thinking about how immature we can be as Christians. We can talk big about how good God is without ever having a personal relationship with him. But then. If we don’t have a personal relationship with God, we aren’t Christians. By personal relationship, I’m talking about repenting of our sins and asking God to forgive us. If we haven’t experienced God’s forgiveness, then we aren’t Christians. No matter what we say. We just aren’t.

And a personal relationship with God is not just a one-time transaction. It’s not a one-night stand. After repenting of our sins and seeking forgiveness, it’s a daily walk with Jesus Christ. Just as this young man and woman are building a relationship, while shaky at best, we must intentionally build a solid foundation of faith in our quest to live for Christ. It isn’t a one and done type of event. It’s a lifelong process, which unfortunately, many do not pursue. Many treat their salvation moment as a once in a lifetime event and never pursue Jesus with all their hearts. It isn’t a transaction. It’s a lifelong commitment.

Ask any Christian who is running the race in pursuit of pleasing Christ. The race is full of highs and lows, trials and temptations, growth and stumbles. It’s the race of a lifetime, and we can’t just claim salvation and call it quits. We’re running the long distance race of faith and obedience. We can’t just look for the “toys” of faith that will temporarily satisfy us. We must be all in.

I recall a song from my childhood Sunday School class about the foolish man and the wise man. The foolish man built his house on the sand without any foundation, while the wise man built his house upon the rock that would withstand any type of storm. That’s based on a parable that Jesus told to the crowds who had gathered to hear him speak. And the advice is true for us today, just as it was so many years ago. Our faith must be built on the solid rock of Jesus Christ and not on the sinking sand where it will collapse and drag us into spiritual ruin.

Anyone who listens to my teaching and follows it is wise, like a person who builds a house on solid rock. Though the rain comes in torrents and the floodwaters rise and the winds beat against that house, it won’t collapse because it is built on bedrock. But anyone who hears my teaching and doesn’t obey it is foolish, like a person who builds a house on sand. When the rains and floods come and the winds beat against that house, it will collapse with a mighty crash. Matthew 7:24-27

I was listening to the podcast that our pastor’s record every week, where they dig deeper into the Sunday sermon. This week, they were talking about spiritual maturity. One of them said that spiritual maturity is doing the right things — loving God and loving others. It isn’t a list of things you don’t do, as much as a list of the things you do, is what he said. I agree with this. Sure. While there are things we shouldn’t do as believers, our faith grows by refusing to sin. It grows by faithfully obeying God’s leading, and not succumbing to every temptation that shines it bright light at us. That’s what roots our faith in Jesus Christ.

On Christ, the solid rock, I stand. All other ground is sinking sand.

Christians in Disguise

~ mercyfortheday ~ Leave a comment

I read an article the other day that told how the assassination threats against the President of the United States are increasing daily. I’m not here to write about politics, but this article mentioned that the threats are no longer disguised. They’re out in the open. People are plainly and clearly saying they want to kill the leader of the free world. Regardless of how you feel about the man in leadership, there is no reason to kill him. Politicians come and go, and that’s the fact of the matter.

But the article got me to thinking about being in disguise. I wonder how many of us who call ourselves Christians go about living our faith in disguise. Do we hide our faith? Do we shy away from situations where our faith might be made public? Do we make sure to state our opinions and thoughts in such a way that we don’t come across as Christians or too Christian? Would we rather put our faith on the back burner when we’re in public instead of letting our light shine as Jesus told us to? How do we let our light shine if we’re always hiding it?

I remember as a child in Sunday School singing “this little light of mine, I’m gonna let shine.” If I believe that with all my heart, do I live like I do? Or do I hide my faith behind a safety net that I drop only when I attend church? Do I disguise my faith when it’s convenient, so that I’m not inconveniently targeted by those who might disagree? What kind of witness am I if I am always in disguise?

You are the light of the world—like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden. No one lights a lamp and then puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father. Matthew 5:14-16

Above all, you must live as citizens of heaven, conducting yourselves in a manner worthy of the Good News about Christ. Philippians 1:27

Obedience and faithfulness to God’s word is not optional for a believer. How can we expect to be rewarded with eternal life with our Lord and Savior if we don’t actively live for him and pursue a closer walk with him? Why do we expect something for nothing? God, our heavenly Father, sacrificed his only Son to die on a cross for our sins. Yet we live as if it cost nothing. We don’t think of the pain and sacrifice that Jesus paid for us to have eternal life. And we hide our faith behind the idea of fitting in with the crowd. We don’t want to be turned away or ignored by the popular crowd, so we pretend that we’re just like those who have no faith.

We can’t soften or reinterpret Scripture to say what suits us. God’s word is clear on how we should live and what we should avoid as believers. We don’t have to live with regrets. So why is it easier to pretend we’re in agreement with Scripture when we live as if we aren’t? Why do we seek approval from everyone else but God, when God will be our sole Judge on judgment day?

Our faith can’t be passive and disguised. We must actively obey God’s call to live out our faith in public. Oh. We don’t have to be a street preacher. But we also can’t straddle the fence and play both sides depending on who our audience is. We can’t live close enough to the world’s standards to fit in with our nonbeliever friends, while at the same time attending church every Sunday so believers will think we’re one of them. It doesn’t work that way.

But since you are like lukewarm water, neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth! Revelation 3:16

Sure. It takes moral courage and spiritual depth to be able to stand in front of the firing squad of today’s culture. It isn’t easy to be ridiculed or mocked because of our beliefs. But what if no one stands for truth? What if no one speaks up for their faith? Who will win then? We can’t hide behind someone else who’s taking the cultural bullet of cancellation and play it safe. We need to be willing to speak up and let our voice of faith be heard, as well. We can’t live in disguise.

Don’t be intimidated in any way by your enemies. This will be a sign to them that they are going to be destroyed, but that you are going to be saved, even by God himself.  For you have been given not only the privilege of trusting in Christ but also the privilege of suffering for him. Philippians 1:28-29

Muslims sure don’t hide their faith. They make it known that they’re out to conquer the world. All the while, we Christians want to blend in with everyone else so no one will call us out for being different. Here’s the thing. Our God is the One True God. He’s the one and only God, and yet we’re ashamed to admit to others that we’re one of his prized possessions and we want them to join us. What’s wrong with us?

I admit. It’s easy to stay silent. It’s easy to pretend we’re busy with something else when a faith question or comment pops up in a conversation. What are we afraid of? I remember when I was in seventh grade, a new boy asked if anyone in our class was religious. People pointed at me. I said, no, I’m not. I knew what he was talking about, and I knew I would be ridiculed. I could see the smirk on his face. So I chose to stay silent. I wanted to fit in. All these years later, would I still do the same or would I be courageous enough to tell of my faith and its importance in my life? How would you handle the situation today? It’s a question we all need to be willing to answer. And we believers need to be willing to live out our faith in obvious love for our Savior without concern for ridicule or contempt.

To Boast or Not to Boast

~ mercyfortheday ~ Leave a comment

I remember over twenty years ago when I had a bully boss. He would belittle his employees in public. And then laugh. He would lord it over us and let us know that he was the man in charge. And behind closed doors, he would treat women on his team disrespectfully if he felt threatened by them. I heard other women say subtle things about his behavior, but I didn’t quite understand what they were talking about. Until one day, it was my turn to be belittled and threatened.

He had begun to push certain work onto me that was not mine to do. I let him know that I disagreed with his intentions, so the bullying began. And boy did he know how to bully. I had never experienced that type of behavior, and boy was it uncomfortable. He threatened my job and made my work life miserable. I finally understood what the other women were talking about. And I stood firm in my decision to say no to his demands.

And then after one of the most experienced women on our team left the company, she called me. She knew what was happening to me, so she suggested I call HR and fill them in. So I did. After everyone had left for the day, I walked into a conference room and closed the door. Then I called our HR representative and told my story. What I didn’t know at that time was the woman who had called me the day before had told a similar story to mine in her exit interview. After a proper investigation was completed in our department, no one was told if any punishment was meted out to our manager. But he suddenly became nice to me. And then I got laid off a few months later.

This man wreaked havoc not only on the women, but he would make inappropriate comments to his male employees in department meetings. He was rude and unchecked. He acted as if he could reign supreme and nothing would happen to him. Anyone was fair game. But usually it was women he set his sights on.

This man who thought he could treat his employees as underlings later learned that he was no better than them, because he too eventually lost his job when that company closed its doors. He too became unemployed along with everyone else. He did not have the last laugh. He had to find a new career, just as I had already done months earlier.

A warrior putting on his sword for battle should not boast like a warrior who has already won. 1 Kings 20:11

Have you ever known a really evil person who once in their lifetime says something profound? I’m not sure that I have, but it has happened. At least once. And it wasn’t recent.

King Ahab, the most evil king who ever ascended the throne of Israel once suggested one of the wisest truths of all times. Oh. He had an unwieldy past with his nation, so let’s explore that before we think about his wise saying. His father, King Omri had been considered the worst king of Israel. That is, until his son Ahab took the throne. Over time, Ahab gained the reputation of being the absolute worst and most evil king who ever ruled Israel.

Ahab had married a princess named Jezebel, the daughter of an evil king from Sidon. She brought idol worship to their marriage, mainly the worship of Baal. And Ahab, wanting to please his wife, allowed her to worship this manmade god. He did not follow in the footsteps of some of the earlier Israelite kings in worshipping the One True God. He was in a line of kings who descended further down the path of running from God. Running from God is a very slippery slope. Like his father, he allowed others to influence his spiritual life, and he led the nation down a dark, dark path of idolatry. The further they moved from worshipping God, the more evil he became. It is a natural progression, even still to this day.

Together, Ahab and Jezebel wreaked havoc throughout the nation of Israel. And that really isn’t anything to brag about. How can they claim bragging rights to building up the country when a noticeable spiritual decline was in progress? The country went from bad to worse.

The other unique thing about Ahab’s reign is that, even though he kept running farther and farther away from God, God still helped him win battles against his adversaries. But Ahab kept ignoring God’s help. And his adversaries kept coming for him and Israel. They would not let up in their pursuit of this nation.

King Ahab was able to defeat his enemy, King Ben-Hadad of Aram by following God’s instructions. This enemy king had brought thirty two allied kings with him to wipe out King Ahab in Samaria, the capital city of Israel. And still in his running from God, he and his army defeated them.

You can read the story of King Ahab’s victories and downfall in 1 Kings 20.

It’s unusual for most people to boast before they’ve been announced the victor, but that’s exactly what King Ahab did. Oh. He was addressing the other king who had been boasting. Here’s what he said. He stated that a warrior putting on his armor for battle should not boast like a warrior who has won. And he spoke wisely. When you examine that one sentence out of his entire life, it seems odd that it would come from him. He didn’t act or live like a godly man, but he knew the power of God. Even though he wasn’t living in obedience to God, he knew what God was capable of doing. He knew that all things are possible with God. Perhaps he wasn’t even considering that God could win the battle for him when he said that. He may have just been relying on himself and his army. Who really knows.

But Israel did indeed win the battle that day. He not only beat Ben-Hadad, but he also beat the other thirty two kings who had come along that day. If he thought he needed to boast, now was the time to do so.

Don’t we all know it? The best way to be defeated is to boast of victory before it’s ours. It’s a known fact that we shouldn’t puff ourselves up before the contest has begun. It’s a sure sign of failure. Ahab warned Ben-Hadad of just this thing, and he was proven right.

We can never be too self assured. We never know what’s around the corner. Whether we’re being attacked or if we’re on the attack, humility and faith in God are the winning way in life. Oh. It isn’t always easy. It doesn’t always seem the most popular route. But when has trusting God really been the popular route to take? Or the easiest? Living the Christian life isn’t for wimps. It isn’t for the cowardly. If we are to boast, we must boast in our Lord Jesus Christ. And we can boast about him every step of our journey, because we know that in the end he is the supreme winner.

In our race to win the prize for Christ, we can’t boast in our own efforts or gains. We don’t know what lies ahead. We don’t know the battles we haven’t yet faced. Our boasting, if we must, must be in the all knowing, all seeing, all powerful God of the Universe. Only he is worthy of praise and honor. Our successes will fall by the wayside, but he stands forever strong. We must always stay on guard, because we too may fall on the sword of boasting before our battle is won.

Be Strong in the Lord

~ mercyfortheday ~ Leave a comment

Our small group has been studying the book of Jude. If you haven’t read Jude, you might want to dust off your Bible and read it. Jude is only one chapter with twenty-five verses. It would probably take ten minutes tops to read it in one sitting. What I find interesting about this book is that Jude continually writes in these few verses about apostasy in the church. If you don’t know what apostasy is, well here’s the definition.

Apostasy [uh-pos-tuh-see]: A total desertion of or departure from one’s religion, principles, party, cause, etc.

Jude’s full name was Judas, but who wants to have the same name as the disciple who betrayed Jesus? No one. And Jude was the brother of Jesus, so I’m sure it might have felt a bit uncomfortable to share the name of the man who betrayed your brother. I’d probably change my name, too.

But did you know that neither Jude nor the other three brothers of Jesus actually followed Jesus’ teachings while he was alive. It wasn’t until after he had risen from the dead that they became believers. Isn’t that interesting? Perhaps we should believe Jesus when he said that a prophet is not welcome in their own hometown. What child would actually believe that their older brother was the promised Messiah? I know that I never thought that my older brother was the Son of God.

And he said, “Truly, I say to you, no prophet is acceptable in his hometown. Luke 4:24

When Jude began writing his letter, his plan was to write about the faith he shared with his fellow believers. But he had to quickly change the tone of his letter when he learned that their church had been infiltrated by corrupt teachers. These teachers were now leading others astray by their false teaching and immoral behavior. Immoral behavior is a sign that someone’s theology has been tainted, otherwise they would still be following the teachings of Jesus.

These corrupt teachers were way off base and trying to take a church with them down a path to eternal death. It isn’t clear why they had stumbled in their walk of faith, but what we know is that they disobeyed the Word of God. Then they crept into the church unnoticed. Now they were encouraging others to follow their unsound teachings.

In his letter, Jude was urging the church to defend their faith. He was asking them to fight for what they believed and knew to be true. There are multiple ways to contend for our faith today. We can do it by calling out false teachers. We can support and applaud biblically sound teaching. Another way is to live out our Christian faith in an uncompromising way.

Jude had planned to write an encouraging and uplifting letter to this unnamed church but found he had to divert quickly in the letter to more pressing business. The same should be said for us today when we find false teachers quietly infiltrating our churches. We must stamp out the corrupt teaching and right the wrongs that have been done. We can’t let Satan’s work take shape in our churches or in our lives. We must fight the good fight until the end. We must contend for the gospel, which means that we must stand up and speak the truth even when it’s difficult.

Who knows. These corrupt teachers may have been well liked. Perhaps some people who were led astray believed those who had come into the church unnoticed were just misunderstood and should be given an opportunity to teach. Perhaps their teachings felt easier to follow than what Jesus had taught. But Jude knew what would happen if these infiltrators were allowed to continue preaching a false gospel. Many souls would be lost and the church would have seen a devastating loss.

Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures. Luke 24:45

We might ask how false teachers can quietly infiltrate a biblically sound church. It seems like that can’t happen, but it has happened many times over. It was happening so soon after Jesus’ ascension into heaven, and it has never stopped. We see it in churches all around us today. There are wolves in sheep’s clothing who appear to be sincere in their faith, but are trying to thwart the truth behind closed doors. We must be on guard at all times.

Just recently, I spoke to someone who told me that most of the churches in our area do not teach biblical truths. Yet some people who attend these churches may never realize they’re being fed lies. Perhaps misinterpreting the Bible is confirmation that the sinful life they choose to live is acceptable. They’re not seeking biblical truth. They’re seeking affirmation of their choices.

We Christians must be united in our fight against the evil powers of darkness. Our faith is worth being protected. Our salvation wasn’t freely given. It was bought with a huge sacrifice by the Son of God. He paid with his life. We too must sacrifice our selfish goals and desires and maintain a steadfast faith in our Savior.

As Jesus walked with two followers on the road to Emmaus, he shared the Scriptures with them in detail. Oh. They didn’t realize he had just been raised from the dead that morning. They didn’t know who he was. So he showed them by quoting Scripture after Scripture, letting the truth sink deeply into their hearts. And then when he broke bread with them, their eyes were opened. They recognized who he was.

As I was writing this, I was reminded that we need to put on the full armor of God every single day. It’s so important that we don’t set it aside at the end of the day and forget it the next morning. We have to get fully dressed every day in order to keep the enemy at bay. Then I found a couple of quotes in “A Gospel Primer for Christians” by Milton Vincent that said the same thing.

As long as I am inside the gospel, I experience all the protection I need from the powers of evil that rage against me. It is for this reason that the Bible tells me to “take up” and “put on” the whole armor of God; and the pieces of armor it tells me to put on are all merely synonyms for the gospel. ~Milton Vincent

That God would tell me to “take up” and “put on” this gospel armor alerts me to the fact that I do not automatically come into each day protected by the gospel. In fact, these commands imply that I am vulnerable to defeat and injury unless I seize upon the gospel and arm myself with it from head to toe. And what better way is there to do this than to preach the gospel to myself and to make it the obsession of my heart throughout each day? ~Milton Vincent

Our hearts must be open to reading and studying the Scriptures so we can discern truth from lies. We’ll be caught off guard if we don’t know why we believe what we believe. We must be able to explain our faith in simple terms to those who may ask for proof. When we know the Scripture, then we will also be able to detect untruths someone else may foist upon us.

A final word: Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil. For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places. Therefore, put on every piece of God’s armor so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil. Then after the battle you will still be standing firm. Stand your ground, putting on the belt of truth and the body armor of God’s righteousness. For shoes, put on the peace that comes from the Good News so that you will be fully prepared. In addition to all of these, hold up the shield of faith to stop the fiery arrows of the devil. Put on salvation as your helmet, and take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere. Ephesians 6:10-18

Run for Your Life

~ mercyfortheday ~ Leave a comment

I remember an incident from many years ago that makes me laugh still to this day. I was minding my own business buying groceries. Ahead of me was a woman with a little boy tagging along behind her. She was going about her business of filling her cart with groceries, not really paying much attention to her son. He was also paying no attention to her. He was just following his mom. At one point, he turned around to hang onto my grocery cart without looking back to see who was pushing it. As we walked along, I knew what was about to happen. And when he turned around and saw me instead of his mother, suddenly nothing was right in his world. I was not the person he was expecting to see. He screamed and cried, which caught his mom’s attention. Then he ran back to the safety of his mom’s arms and all was right with him.

In that brief second that he was suspended between fear and surprise, he didn’t know what to do. He was too young to figure out what was happening. All he expected was to see his mom when he turned around. And I wasn’t his mom. He wasn’t expecting to see a total stranger. When ahead of me, I could see his mom and knew exactly what was going to happen if he turned around and looked at me. And then he did.

If this little boy had continued to hang onto my cart and trudge along with me, his mother would soon have a problem. She would come looking for him, and he would have to return to her. I held no ownership over this child, nor did I want to. It would have been very inappropriate. He was his mother’s, and his mother was his. And that’s the way it was meant to be. I was not meant to be a party to their excursion.

But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin. 1 John 1:7

I had never heard the phrase “situational agency” until recently. I didn’t know the meaning of it, so I asked AI to define it and provide examples. Here’s what I learned. According to AI, situational agency refers to the capacity of an individual to act and make meaningful choices within the specific constraints and opportunities of a given situation. Clear as mud, huh? Basically, we can choose to act or resist within the boundaries of our immediate circumstances.

This definition sits clearly within the confines of choosing to sin or choosing not to sin when faced with a temptation. We have the power to choose how we deal with an “opportunity” to sin or to walk away from it. We aren’t powerless when it comes to sinful temptations. We can refuse to submit to the temptation. God gives us the autonomy to give into those temptations, yet we don’t have to. As children of God, we are made new when the stain of sin and the desire to sin is removed.

When we find ourselves near sin, we must run even harder and faster to the safety of our Heavenly Father. We don’t want to get caught up in sin or even be influenced by it in any way.  We must keep our eyes on our Savior and not turn back without looking to see whose sinful cart we’ve attach ourselves to. We can muster the strength and will to push back against Satan’s schemes.

Psalm 1 tells us that we have a choice when it comes to sinning. We can choose to walk the path of sinners, or we can stand solid in our fear of the Lord. We can say no when tempted to sin. We don’t have to spend time with people who act in a wicked manner, tempting us to join them. We don’t have to accompany someone who is on a path of self destruction. We can stand alone in our faith. We can resist.

As the holidays have now passed and we were tempted to eat too many sweets, we always know that we can resist them. We don’t have to eat too many cookies. We can refuse them. And as believers in Christ, we have become a new person. Our old life is gone. We have been forgiven of our sins, so why would we want to sin again? We don’t have to.

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. 2 Corinthians 5:17

Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; but his delight is in the law of the Lord , and on his law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers. The wicked are not so, but are like chaff that the wind drives away. Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous; for the Lord knows the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish. Psalm 1:1-6

The joy of the Lord is your strength. Nehemiah 8:10

We must pray for God’s grace to help us resist temptations. We must ask God to guard our hearts and minds from being prideful or haughty. We can resist Satan’s advances with God’s help. And above all, we must pursue God at all times.

The love of God working in me causes me to hate, with the Holy Spirit’s hatred for sin, anything that is not in keeping with God’s holiness. To “walk in the light” means that everything that is of the darkness actually drives me closer to the center of the light. ~Oswald Chambers

Observations of a Seasoned Church Goer

~ mercyfortheday ~ Leave a comment

I had an interesting conversation with a stranger the other night. I was standing in a mostly empty parking lot in the dark with a group of people I don’t know. We were waiting to pick up orders we had placed that had been delivered to an empty church parking lot. It may sound sketchy, but it’s all legit. I promise. I started a conversation with the woman standing nearest me. Oh. I had heard her name and thought I knew something about her, so I asked her about it. I asked if she attended the church I attended. She hesitated for a second. Then she said no. She said she used to attend the church but had left it.

This woman then proceeded to tell me the reason in detail why her family had left the church that I have fallen in love with. She said she didn’t feel community in the church. Oh. Her family had been attending the church for several years so their kids could be involved in the youth group. Several of the family members were heavily involved in another ministry of the church. She and her husband had been a part of a small group that later disbanded. And in their attempts to join another group, they weren’t made to feel welcome. After awhile, they felt the church had become too cliquey. She said that when they left the church, no one from the church reached out to them to see if they were ok. No one contacted them to find out what was going on. No one. They heard from NO ONE.

She admitted to me, a stranger, that she knew they were partially responsible for not finding community in the church since they weren’t involved in a small group. She knew that was part of their problem. But she also said she and her husband felt it was time to move on after a key person in the church moved away. So they left, too.

I know it sometimes seems easier to slip away quietly and never look back than it is to keep trying even though no one’s watching.

Oh. They haven’t found a new church home yet. They’re still looking. And she said something interesting, yet not surprising. Most of the churches in the community aren’t biblically sound churches. They don’t really teach the Bible, and they’ve lost their way by instead focusing on cultural approval. That’s not what she’s looking for. And she knew that although our church is biblically sound, it just doesn’t seem to be the place for her. They’ve been attending a newer church where some of their kids attend. They’re not sure if that’s where they’ll land, but that’s where they are for now.

I told her of our experience with this church when we were newbies. I told her that no one was friendly. No one talked to us. But we have since gotten involved in a small group and other ministry areas. We are feeling community around us, and we’re developing relationships. And that’s the important thing to do in church. Get involved and meet other people. Many people are looking for friendship with others who have similar beliefs. It isn’t easy or comfortable. It takes work, and we need to push aside the discomfort we will feel when putting ourselves in an unfamiliar setting. It takes time to grow relationships and find our people. We need to embrace the need for community and actively seek it. We’re making progress, but we still have a ways to go.

This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. John 15:12-13

After talking with her, I thought of two other women who were attending the church when I first moved here. I don’t know their names, but I saw them on a regular basis. They weren’t together. They didn’t even know each other. Each of them sat alone. I never really saw them talking to anyone. Being new myself, I didn’t know if they were new or just kept to themselves. And, of course, I never spoke to them. Now neither of them are attending the church. I haven’t seen them in months. I wonder if they too felt a lack of community. I wonder if they too were overlooked by a church full of people every Sunday. It can happen, and it does happen far more often than we may realize.

Church. We need to do better than this. Even if we’re a solid introvert, we can still extend the hand of friendship when we see someone sitting alone. When we see a new person walk through the doors, we can greet them and introduce ourselves. And when someone is looking for a new small group, why not invite them to join yours? We all need community. We all need friendships. We all need fellowship. And we don’t get that by sitting alone and not getting involved.

This woman I met in the dark wasn’t looking for affirmation that she did the right thing by walking away. Nor was she looking for a lecture telling her she should go back and try again. She just needed to be heard. She needed to let out all the loneliness and disappointment when no one else had stopped to even ask. Perhaps it was easier telling a stranger in the dark. Oh. I had no idea that I would hear such a story. I was dismayed to think that my church could treat someone unkindly. But I also knew how I felt when no one spoke to me for weeks. When no one even saw that I existed.

I reached out to her the next day to let her know that I was praying that she and her husband could find a church where community and fellowship were plentiful. There are those churches. But I’ve learned something in life that’s easy to forget. The church is full of people. Imperfect people. And imperfect people sometimes overlook other people. We sometimes forget to open the door of friendship to someone else who isn’t already one of us. We don’t include those who are new. We don’t allow people who’ve attended our church for years to become part of our small group, because we don’t welcome change. We can do better. We must do better. Because if believers don’t treat other believers well, how are we treating unbelievers?

Later in the evening, this woman responded to my text. She said she had thought about our conversation that morning. Then she invited me and my husband to her family’s Christmas open house. We’ll go. We are all looking for friendship, fellowship, discipleship, acceptance and accountability. That’s what community is all about. And meeting new people is always the way to expand your community.

This problem isn’t confined to only my church. If we’re honest, it probably happens in most churches. We get set in our ways, and we expect someone else to take care of the new people or those who are searching for fellowship. We assume someone else will notice them. And that’s how many people are unknowingly pushed aside. If most people were aware of this problem in their church, they would be horrified. But would they make sure it never happened again? After all, church is the place where everyone is supposed to feel welcome.

It’s too bad that the church is just like workplaces and schools and neighborhoods where only the select are made to feel welcome. Locked-in friendship groups are very real in churches, just as they are in other areas of life. This isn’t community. It’s a clique. Shame on us Christians. Let’s open our hearts to those who are seeking relationships with fellow believers. No one is above the other.

Well, gotta go! I have a Christmas party to attend.

Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins. Show hospitality to one another without grumbling. 1 Peter 4:8-9

The Light of the World

~ mercyfortheday ~ Leave a comment

I had just gotten into bed and turned off the light. Then I heard the doorbell camera chime. It chimes a lot when it’s windy outside, so I assumed it was just the wind. But then it chimed again, so I picked up my phone and opened the app. And I saw the beam of headlights heading straight toward the garage door. Someone was in the driveway. When I saw the vehicle, I knew immediately who it was. It was the neighbor plowing our driveway after ten o’clock on a snowy Saturday night. I nudged my husband, and he saw what I saw. A good neighbor, indeed.

This man who plowed our driveway is a good and thoughtful man. He’s been overly generous sharing the excess of what he has with us. He’s not typically one I would associate with, because our style of living is very different. He’s a little rough around the edges. I would say he’s not refined, but then I’m not sure I am either. We just have different priorities in life, and that’s ok. He’s good people.

He offered his lawn equipment and air conditioners to us to use free of charge. He freely gave of the excess of firewood to us and our friend. He’s taught his young adult son to be as thoughtful and giving as he is. He also works to make this small community of ours better and safer.

This man is no different from anyone else. He has his own set of faults and flaws. I’m sure if I spoke to his family, they might hint at some of his failings if the conversation went on long enough. I don’t need to know those things about him. I want to know him as a good neighbor.

Jesus spoke to the people once more and said, “I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won’t have to walk in darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life.” John 8:12

This man whose lights were beaming onto my garage door is a good man, but that won’t save him. He can perform acts of goodwill and kindness every day like it’s his job, but on judgment day that won’t be what God is looking for. God says that all mankind must seek forgiveness and repent of their sins. Jesus is the light of the world, for all of us walk in darkness. When we receive his forgiveness, we have received the light of the world into our lives.

For once you were full of darkness, but now you have light from the Lord. So live as people of light! For this light within you produces only what is good and right and true. Ephesians 5:8-9

Jesus is the fountain of life. The thing is. We can’t just look at the light, like I did from my doorbell camera. We must follow the light of the world. Wherever he leads, we must follow. We must walk in the light, for it is not only a light for our eyes. It is a light for our feet. Jesus says that if we follow him, we won’t walk in darkness, but we will have the light of life.

When we walk in spiritual darkness, we can’t see the path ahead. We make wrong decisions. We act on selfish impulses. We take risks that can cause life-altering changes. We stumble around not seeing the trouble that could be right in front of us . And we say that we love our life.

And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil. For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed. But whoever does what is true comes to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that his works have been carried out in God. John 3:19-21

When Jesus said that he was the light of the world, he had just forgiven a woman caught in the act of adultery. That act would have typically sentenced the person to death by stoning. Her accusers stood nearby pointing the finger of shame and accusation at her, ready to throw stones. After Jesus heard their accusations, he bent down and wrote in the dust. Then he spoke a profound sentence that stunned every one of her accusers. He told this group of important men that the person in their group who had never sinned could throw the first stone of death at her. And guess what happened. When Jesus stood up to face them, the woman stood alone. All of her accusers had silently walked away. They too were guilty of sin. Perhaps not sins that required them to be publicly rebuked and stoned to death, but their sins may have been even greater than hers. And they knew it. Their silent walk of shame spoke more words than their loud accusations of adultery.

Yet Jesus did not require them to repent. He allowed them to walk away unchanged with hardened hearts. He knew and they knew they were guilty and needed to confess their sinful ways. They had the option to repent and turn to faith in the One who knelt drawing in the sand before them. And they did not.

But this woman caught in an adulterous act was not condemned by Jesus. He knew her sin, yet he told her to go and sin no more. He offered her a word of hope because he knew she would be shamed by her community. He knew she needed hope because her sin would perhaps cause her lifelong harmful consequences. She needed forgiveness and hope, which Jesus freely offered. And she walked away forgiven.

Read the story of the adulterous woman at John 8:1-11.

God does not push us to seek him. He waits for us. He’s everlastingly patient with each of us. But the light of the world continues to shine for all of us to see. And in our moments of despair, when all seems lost, the light of the world is waiting for us to reach out to him and repent. He will accept with open arms anyone who calls on his name. But we have to know that faith in God and salvation are always optional. It’s a risk we take when we choose to walk our own path in the darkness. We may believe that our walk in the darkness is a great life, but little do we know the joy and peace we’re missing without the light. Only the light of the world can save us.

But God never coerces us. Sometimes we wish He would make us obedient, and at other times we wish He would leave us alone. ~Oswald Chambers

We have a choice today and every day. We can choose to walk in darkness, or we can choose hope and forgiveness and the light of the world. If you are still walking in darkness, open your heart today and seek forgiveness of your sins and repent. Your faith in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior will lead you into his light.

The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness, on them has light shone. Isaiah 9:2