May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing to you, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer. [Psalm 19:14]
I’m sharing these daily devotions in the hope they will inspire you to read God’s word. I’m praying that they will help you find your way to a closer relationship with God. [Read More ….]
When it was launched in 1936, the Queen Mary was the largest transatlantic ocean liner. Retired from active service in 1967, the ship relocated to Long Beach, California, and was converted into a floating hotel, museum, event venue, and historic attraction. During its conversion, the ship’s three smokestacks were removed to allow access to the engine room. Made of steel over an inch thick, the funnels had 30-foot diameters and ranged in height from 62 to 70 feet. As the massive smokestacks were being lowered onto the wharf, they crumbled and collapsed!
The beautifully painted exteriors of the ship’s smokestacks concealed their inner decay. Having rusted away inside, all that remained of the funnels was the 30 coats of paint applied over the years! Their external appearance hid the internal reality of their deteriorating condition. That’s what Jesus was talking about when he condemned the Pharisees for their hypocrisy by comparing them to unclean cups and “whitewashed tombs…full of dead people’s bones and all uncleanness.”
Jesus’ problem with the Pharisees wasn’t that they were sinners. After all, the Lord dined with tax collectors and other sinners, blessed the woman of ill repute who anointed Him, and His longest recorded conversation was with a Samaritan woman “married” five times who lived with a man not her husband! Those people, however, never pretended to be something other than who and what they were—sinners.
Jesus condemned the religious elite for their hypocrisy. The word “hypocrite” comes from the Greek word hypokrites, meaning actor. Like the Greek thespians who wore masks while acting in the theater, the religious leaders often presented one face to the world while the real person was hidden behind their mask. As sinful as any other flawed human, they hid behind their enlarged prayer boxes and long tassels on their robes, overtly public prayers, and strict adherence to the rules. They put on a façade of devotion and piety to enhance their reputations while failing to do God’s will. Like the Queen Mary’s smokestacks, their immaculate façades belied the corrosion in their lives. Like a cup clean on the outside but filled with gunk on the inside or a marble mausoleum filled with decomposing bodies, they appeared pristine and unsullied while their hearts were filled with rot, decay, and corruption.
We’re all sinners and even the most devout among us misses the mark on occasion (or frequently, in my case). Being a Christian doesn’t mean we don’t struggle with sin—Jesus set a high standard and we all fall short of it. Sadly, sin is part of being a human in this fallen world. Being a sinner, however, isn’t hypocrisy; being a sinner who pretends not to be, is! While all hypocrites are sinners, not all sinners are hypocrites! Honest sinners recognize, acknowledge, and repent of their sins; they know what they are and admit it. On the other hand, hypocrites recognize their sin but neither acknowledge nor repent of it.
Today, the Queen Mary’s smokestacks are made of aluminum but, like a hypocrite, they are good for nothing but show!
It is not the being seen of men that is wrong, but doing these things for the purpose of being seen of men. The problem with the hypocrite is his motivation. He does not want to be holy; he only wants to seem to be holy. He is more concerned with his reputation for righteousness than about actually becoming righteous. The approbation of men matters more to him than the approval of God. [Augustine]
The stress from a flurry of blood tests and doctor’s appointments finally got to me in the OR while a doctor took several tissue samples from one of my organs! Despite the “happy juice” coursing through my veins meant to relax me, tears appeared. When a nurse silently took my hand in hers, I immediately calmed. Touch is the language of compassion and scientists found that even a simple hug or the holding of hands can lower one’s blood pressure and heart rate in stressful situations. I suppose that’s why our dentist’s assistant always gently touches a patient’s arm when the doctor is giving an injection. Gentle touch causes a decrease in the stress “fight or flight” hormone cortisol and an increase in the love “tend and befriend” hormone oxytocin.
We were at a funeral on another stress-filled day when the priest asked the congregation to join hands for every prayer. While holding hands during prayer wouldn’t be unusual in a small group or in many evangelical Protestant churches, apparently, it is in Roman Catholic ones (especially when done during every prayer). Being a rather touchy-feely Protestant, I enjoyed the hand holding and the feeling of solidarity in prayer that came with it. The priest, however, asked us to do more than simply one hold another’s hands. He asked us to become ”fully aware of the soul you are touching,” before joining in prayer.
After my husband took my hand in his, I took the hand of the woman beside me without even looking at her. I didn’t know her and wouldn’t see her again. But, recalling the priest’s direction to be “fully aware of the soul “ I was touching, I took a good look at her. From her rosary, I knew we don’t attend the same church, but I knew we worshipped the same God and were there for the same reason—to celebrate the life of the man whose body lay in a casket near the altar. As I became more aware of the soul I was touching, my thoughts turned from my own personal sorrow to the sorrow shared by all who were present in the sanctuary. We were one community, united in our thanksgiving for the man we mourned, in our intercessions for his family, in our love for God, and in our belief in the resurrected Christ and the life everlasting.
Holding hands during prayer seemed to benefit us physically, psychologically, and spiritually that day. Nevertheless, I appreciate that some people are uncomfortable with such intimacy during prayer and find doing it during worship an unwelcome innovation. Whether or not we touch one another during prayer is not as important as being fully aware of one another—not just the people with whom we pray, but all with whom we interact—our fellow travelers through this troubled world. Like us, they struggle to navigate the challenges, sorrow, and pain in their paths. Are we fully aware of the souls we encounter? Do we really see and hear them or are they just a blur of humanity? Could there be some way we can make their journey easier? Sometimes, we find that answer in a smile, a kind word, or, like that nurse, a simple touch. We don’t need to be spiritually gifted with healing for our touch to be a source of healing for a troubled soul, especially when accompanied by a prayer (even a silent one).
Lord, teach us to be fully aware of the souls we encounter each day. Let our words be kind, our actions helpful, and our touch gentle and supportive.
When we honestly ask ourselves which person in our lives means the most to us, we often find that it is those who, instead of giving advice, solutions, or cures, have chosen rather to share our pain and touch our wounds with a warm and tender hand. [Henri Nouwen]
Last week, I wrote about the emotional vampires that can plague us, but there are other demons even harder to spot than those two-legged ones. Invisible, they’re Satan’s minions and go by the names of guilt, anger, doubt, fear, self-pity, shame, regret, fear, and worry. They haunt us with “if only,” “what if,” “should have,” and “could have.” Leaving us discontented, sullen, resentful, frightened, or anxious, they are the hobgoblins whispering lies and half-truths in our ears. They tell us we’re unlovable, contemptible, unforgiven, helpless, inadequate, or worthless. They demean our accomplishments and demoralize us. Whether because of our appearance, age, education, weight, race, background, inexperience, or past, they tell us we’re damaged goods. Friends of the enemy, they keep us from living boldly, stepping out in faith, and leading the fulfilling and joyful life Jesus promised.
It’s time to declare war on these monsters; they have no place in our lives. In the old movies, evil was repelled by the crucifix—a mere religious symbol. In real life, however, it is the power of Jesus that defeats the enemy! Through His power, we can banish those demons that steal our joy and suck the life from us. We are the beloved children of God—children He loved enough to sacrifice His son for us! As such, we can face our secrets, shed our shame, forgive others (and ourselves), know we are loved, release our anxiety and fear, trust God, and choose His truth. Let the voice we hear be that of the Holy Spirit rather than the unsettling accusatory voice of the enemy. With the power of the cross, we will be able to step out of the haunted house of our lives—not in fear, but in faith—not in darkness, but in light.
Heavenly Father, help us look into the dark corners of our lives. Shine your loving light on them so the hidden monsters slink away in fear! Banish the demons that keep us from the abundant life you promised.
The scariest monsters are the ones that lurk within our souls. [Edgar Allen Poe]
God had a Son that had no fault, but He never had a son that was not found fault with. God Himself was slandered in paradise by Satan. Let us not expect, therefore, to escape from the venomous tongue. [Charles Spurgeon]
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This weekend, along with ghosts and pirates, we’ll probably see people dressed as super-heroes, Spider-Man, Disney princesses, or one of the characters from Toy Story, KPop Demon Hunters, Pokémon, or Star Wars. With the exception of Spidey, I probably won’t know many of the movie characters but, with their deathly white skin, blood red lips, high collared black capes, and fangs, Dracula and his vampire pals will be easy to recognize.
Harder to recognize, however, are emotional vampires. Looking like everyone else, rather than knocking at the door one night a year, they wheedle their way into our lives all year long. Rather than sucking our blood, they seem to suck the life out of us with their self-absorption, selfishness, sense of entitlement, unending drama, defensiveness, lack of boundaries, addictive behavior, and other toxic conduct. Once attacked, while we’re not drained of blood, we’re left emotionally drained, anxious, exasperated, and disheartened.
In the old Dracula movies, the victim had to invite the vampire inside and we must be wary of doing the same thing with emotional vampires. Being Christians (people filled with the fruit of the Spirit), however, makes us excellent targets for these predators. Loving God and loving others as ourselves, however, does not mean we have to allow anyone to inject his or her poison into our lives and “turning the other cheek” doesn’t mean tolerating unhealthy relationships.
When Jesus’ life was taken from Him—it was His choice and He willingly gave it up for us. While we can choose to be martyrs for Jesus, we must never allow someone to turn us into martyrs for them. The cross we are asked to carry is ours alone; emotional vampires, however, want us to carry theirs, as well!
Although emotional vampires don’t recognize boundaries, it’s important for us to know and keep ours. Jesus did that when He refused to settle a legal dispute between a man and his brother. [Luke 12:13-14] Like Jesus, we need to know when a mess isn’t ours to fix, the responsibility isn’t ours to take, the demands on us are unreasonable, and we’re not the ones at fault for someone’s else’s problems. It’s not easy to deny these bloodsuckers but carrying one another’s burdens does not mean taking their blame, getting taken advantage of, or being victimized. Walking in love doesn’t mean getting walked on like a doormat!
There is a fine line between helping someone and enabling them, but we must be willing to draw it! Granted, enabling people often seems easier in the short run but it is never kinder or wiser. Enabling someone simply protects them from the consequences of their actions, reinforces negative behavior, and perpetuates harmful conduct while helping someone leads to their growth, self-reliance, personal responsibility, and healthier relationships. As loving as Jesus was, His exchanges with the scribes and Pharisees tell us He didn’t tolerate or enable bad behavior; neither should we!
We can hand out candy to the vampires knocking on our doors this weekend but, while we can pray for them, we must never hand our lives to the emotional vampires that come knocking. With their demands on our love, attention, and affirmation, emotional vampires hijack our hearts, time, and energy when the only one to whom we are to surrender our lives is Jesus! The Apostle Paul’s words that, “We are each responsible for our own conduct,” [Galatians 6:5] also mean we are not responsible for anyone else’s conduct.
In spite of the ominous looking sky, I thought the rain was more than an hour away, so I confidently set off on my morning walk. By the time I was halfway around the lake, the clouds were delivering their rain. While meteorology isn’t my strong suit, optimism probably is, which explains why I had neither umbrella nor phone with me. As I slowly got soaked, I thought of the quote “Life isn’t about waiting for the storm to pass; it’s about learning to dance in the rain.” We can choose to be wet and miserable or wet and happy; either way we’ll still be soaked, so we might as well be wet and happy! Although I didn’t dance, I didn’t let the rain dampen my spirits. By the time I got home, the rain had stopped and I was blessed by a rainbow!
There are those of us for whom the glass is half full and others for whom it is half empty. I’m just thankful there’s anything in the glass! However, for the Thai Buddhist master Ajahn Chaa, that glass was broken. He explained his reasoning by holding up a glass and admiring the way it held water, glistened in the sunlight, and rang when tapped while being fully aware that one day the wind could blow it off the shelf or it would be knocked from the table and the glass would shatter. For the Buddhist master, thinking of the glass as already broken made every minute with it “precious” (whether full or empty). While the monk enjoyed the glass while he had it, he never worried about it breaking nor did he mourn its loss when it broke. Fully aware of life’s fragility and truly appreciative of all it had to offer, rather than a pessimist, Ajahn Chaa was a mindful realist and his explanation was about more than a water glass. Nevertheless, I suspect that the Buddhist master, who spent seven years living in the forest while wandering through the countryside, also knew how to dance in the rain.
Indeed, we live in a broken world—a world with disease, disaster, destruction, storms, and death. Life itself is fragile and far more than glasses shatter and break. Ecclesiastes 3 tells us that there is a time for everything—both pleasant and unpleasant—and no state of affairs in this life is permanent. Rather than static, stable, and enduring, the things of life change, transform, and take flight. Ultimately, God ordains both the times of their coming and going, as well as their purpose. We mortals, however, find His divine timetable mysterious. Like the Buddhist master, we must embrace life’s unpredictability and make the most of what we have while we have it!
I understand there’s a saying in the south: “Be where your feet are.” In other words, be attentive to the present and what God has placed in our paths at the moment. Yes, storms come unexpectedly, glasses break, and people come and go. Like the phases of the moon, life waxes and wanes and, like the tides, it ebbs and flows. The one constant we have is God and the one moment we have is right now! There’s no point wasting the precious minutes of life ruminating over past “would’ves”, “could’ves”, and” should’ves” or worrying about the “what-ifs” of the future when we have been gifted with the present!
Heavenly Father, guide us to be mindful so that we delight in every person, place, thing, circumstance, and breath with which we’ve been blessed. Give us the ability to feel your presence, hear your music, and dance in the rain!
Be happy in the moment, that’s enough. Each moment is all we need, not more. [Mother Teresa]
Trust the past to God’s mercy, the present to God’s love, and the future to God’s providence. [Augustine]
At an elevation of 12,388 feet, the oxygen at the summit of Japan’s Mt. Fuji has two-thirds the density of oxygen at sea level. With an elevation gain of about 5,000 feet, the climb up takes from 5 to 10 hours and the descent down about 3 to 4 hours (not including time taken for much-needed breaks). Covered with snow most of the year, Mt. Fuji’s trails are closed from September 10 to early July because of freezing weather and hazardous conditions. Nevertheless, in April of last year, a 27-year-old university student attempted to climb to its peak. Unfortunately, his adventure ended when he had to be airlifted to a hospital because of altitude sickness.
It’s common sense that, if you get stuck on a mountain and need a helicopter to rescue you, you probably shouldn’t go back. Nevertheless, the same young man returned to Mt. Fuji four days later. Apparently, having left his mobile phone and belongings behind on the mountain, he hiked up to retrieve them. Fortunately, another hiker alerted authorities when he came upon the young man shaking, injured, and unable to move on the trail; once again, he was airlifted to the hospital because of altitude sickness!
That university student certainly was slow to learn his lesson; once should have been enough. His story made me think of Israel’s history as told in the books of Judges, Kings, and Chronicles. God clearly told them the rules—love, honor, obey, and worship only Jehovah and love their fellow man—and He warned them of the consequences of disobedience. God’s rules were as clear as the “Trails Closed” signs on Mt. Fuji. Moreover, unlike the guideposts that are removed when Fuji’s trails are closed, God made sure the Israelites always had the Book of the Law to guide them on their way! Nevertheless, just as the hiker was free to ignore the closed signs, the Hebrews were free to ignore God’s Word and engage in idolatry, immorality, apostasy, and other sins.
As a consequence of the young man’s willfulness and perversity, he came dangerously close to dying. As a consequence of Israel’s willfulness and perversity, God allowed them to be oppressed by their enemies. Eventually, they’d repent and call God for help. While I’m not sure about his repentance, I imagine the young man regretted his defiance of the rules as he lay on the ground nauseated, dizzy, exhausted, and struggling for breath. But, just as the hapless young man was rescued by paramedics in a helicopter once help was called, God always intervened and delivered Israel from their oppressors once they returned to Him. A time of peace and well-being would follow but, just as the young man failed to learn his lesson and attempted the climb again, Israel was slow to learn their lesson; they’d sin again and the cycle of suffering and oppression would be repeated all over again.
Time and time again, in spite of their unfaithfulness, God intervened to save His people and rescue them. Along with the consequences of sin, the Hebrew Scriptures tell the story of God’s divine grace, forgiveness, and patience. When we repent of our sins and turn back to God, He will be there for us! As for that foolish young man—I hope he finally learned his lesson. He was fortunate that another hiker found him and alerted authorities; next time he may not be so fortunate! Moreover, the local taxpayers (who bore the cost of his rescues) are not as patient and forgiving as God and they’re now looking into ways to make reckless hikers bear the cost of rescue!
Just as Mt. Fuji’s “Trails Closed” signs don’t prevent foolhardy hikers from ascending the mountain, God’s law didn’t prevent Israel from idolatry and other sins. Like them, we’ve been given the liberty of choice but that doesn’t mean we always will choose wisely. Nevertheless, it’s been said that mistakes are for learning, not for repeating. Unlike ancient Israel and that university student in Japan, let us repent when we err, learn from our errors, and not repeat them again!
But what is liberty without wisdom, and without virtue? It is the greatest of all possible evils; for it is folly, vice, and madness, without tuition or restraint. [Edmund Burke]
