Day 40: Follow The Leader Part Deux

I spent this weekend in Searcy, Arkansas visiting a missionary friend who is very, very ill. Hotel internet was sketchy (read: virtually nonexistent), so I couldn't post. I'll be behind, but I'm almost glad... I've learned a lot of lessons this weekend. And they fit so well here that I can't move on quite yet.

In my last post, the passage in question was Luke 9:57-62:

 ⁵⁷ As they were walking along the road, a man said to him, “I will follow you wherever you go.”

 ⁵⁸ Jesus replied, “Foxes have dens and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head.”
 ⁵⁹ He said to another man, “Follow me.”
   But he replied, “Lord, first let me go and bury my father.”
 ⁶⁰ Jesus said to him, “Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and proclaim the kingdom of God.”
 ⁶¹ Still another said, “I will follow you, Lord; but first let me go back and say goodbye to my family.”
 ⁶² Jesus replied, “No one who puts a hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God.”


I just have to go back to this. I've seen a living, breathing example of it, and it is going to change my life. For the better.

Here's the back story. Thirteen years ago, I went with a team from UNA on my first foreign mission trip. I was a college sophomore, and I traveled (by myself) to Tampere, Finland for six weeks of studying English and the Bible with students there. That one experience shaped me in ways that I can't even begin to describe, but suffice it to say that there's no way that I would be where I am today if I hadn't stepped out on that journey. The missionaries there were Arnold and Wanda Pylkas, an older American couple who had devoted their retirement years to planting a church in the city.

Fast forward to a couple of weeks ago. One of my teammates sent out a message that Arnold was in bad health, and he proposed that we take a trip to Searcy to visit him before it was too late. A couple of date changes and a couple of drop outs later, Matt, our teammate Greg and I loaded up and took off. The trip was tons of fun, laughing and telling stories about learning how to take a Finnish sauna, the KKKMart (honest-to-goodness name of our local grocery store), and how bad the boys' hotel room smelled.

But the real experience started when we walked into Arnold and Wanda's home. Arnold is bedridden now, and a stroke has left him with limited communication. Wanda is his fulltime caregiver. And their home was one of the most joyful places I have ever been. They talked and laughed and teased and hugged. They thanked God, over and over and over again, for the day. They never once complained.

Wanda said, "This [time] is one of the highlights of our lives... being together, right here at the end." Talk about a lesson. Their beautiful spirit made an impact on me that I will never forget. They spent their entire lives following where the Lord led them. They truly gave up all for his sake... giving up their leisurely retirement years to labor in one of the hardest works in the entire world. And now, as they come to the end of their journey, they can look back at all they have done, and all the Lord has done for them, and have peace. You could very literally feel it in their home and in their presence.

The LORD is ever mindful of his servants. He has blessed us beyond measure. But what are we willing to give up for him? I'm afraid that, too often, the answer is not much. We won't even give up a TV show, or a singer we like, or our too-short shorts. When we can't do the smallest things, how can we possibly expect to give up the big things to follow him? I challenge you to take a good, hard look at what you've been given, and take a long look at what's holding you back from following God with all of your heart.

I plan to do the same.

Day 39: Follow The Leader

Luke 9:57-62

New International Version (NIV)

 ⁵⁷ As they were walking along the road, a man said to him, “I will follow you wherever you go.”

 ⁵⁸ Jesus replied, “Foxes have dens and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head.”
 ⁵⁹ He said to another man, “Follow me.”
   But he replied, “Lord, first let me go and bury my father.”
 ⁶⁰ Jesus said to him, “Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and proclaim the kingdom of God.”
 ⁶¹ Still another said, “I will follow you, Lord; but first let me go back and say goodbye to my family.”
 ⁶² Jesus replied, “No one who puts a hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God.”


At first glance, this seems to top the list of "hard sayings of Jesus". I had a hard time as a child with the "first let me go and bury my father" saying. Pretty harsh, right? I imagined having to just leave someone dead, cold, all alone, without even the common decency of a burial. As I grew older, though, I learned a few things. First, this is probably not referring to a literal burial. What this guy is more likely saying is, Lord, let me wait until my parents die, and then I'll do what you ask. And we all know what happens when we say, I'll do this in a few months, or a few years... we almost never do it. You hear it all the time. One day I'm going to learn to play piano. I'm going to lose weight... after the holidays. And our excuses build up until there are no tomorrows left. Second, Jesus is not encouraging us to abandon our families or turn into heartless automatons. He's making a point, and making it as clear as he can possibly make it.


And that point is that our salvation, and the salvation of others, is imperative. It's important. Top priority. And there is a deadline. The cold truth is that once someone is dead, we can't do anything else for them. But we still have the opportunity to be saved - and to lead others to be saved. NOW. We are not promised tomorrow to do it. And if we don't do it, no one will.


Our words mean very little, really. We can SAY that we are followers of Christ, but unless we're prepared to make the hard decisions, we're only fooling ourselves. I have no idea what it is that you will have to give up for the cause. I'm sure I don't yet know everything I will have to give up, but I know what I've had to give up so far. Some things have been painful - bring you to your knees kind of painful. But on your knees is invariably where your relationship with God will reach a deeper level than you've ever experienced before. And it was so worth it.


It's worth everything.

Day 38: Getting Grinchy

Luke 9:54-56

New International Version (NIV)

⁵⁴ When the disciples James and John saw this, they asked, “Lord, do you want us to call fire down from heaven to destroy them^[a]?” ⁵⁵ But Jesus turned and rebuked them. ⁵⁶ Then he and his disciples went to another village.

This passage sort of steps on my toes. I have realized recently that I tend to be snarky. Like, really snarky. I'm not sure when it happened, but at some point I turned into a super-hyper-critical person. I remember once, in high school, I was griping about how stupid somebody-or-other was, and my mom said, "Lori, you have no compassion. Zero." I didn't agree with her at the time. Now I realize how right she was.

She was (and still is) much more Christlike than me in her love for other people. In this story, Jesus is rejected by the Samaritans. The disciples' first reaction, which is probably similar to what mine would have been, is knee-jerk. I'm not sure I would call down fire on someone, but I can certainly see myself wishing I could. And that's the problem, isn't it? The wishing? As Jesus informs us so many times, wishing and doing are the same thing.

So I'm working on it. Every day. And it's hard. Changing the way you feel in your heart is very hard. But we have to - I have to - get Grinchlike and grow our heart size. We must not wish bad things on others because of the way they have treated us - even secretly - but instead wish for them the love and mercy of Christ.

Jesus rebuked his disciples for having the wrong attitude toward those who did them wrong. I have a sneaky suspicion he would do the same to us.

Day 37: By His Wounds We Are Healed

Luke 9:52-53
⁵² And he sent messengers on ahead, who went into a Samaritan village to get things ready for him; ⁵³ but the people there did not welcome him, because he was heading for Jerusalem.


You know, if you look on the surface, Jesus had a pretty miserable life. There are a few shining moments - the Triumphal Entry, for example, or the feeding of the 5,000 - but for the most part, you see things like this. People rejected him, forsook him, denied him, and betrayed him.


And yet he still suffered and bled and died for us. The very ones who did these things to him.


Amazing.


Isaiah 53:3-6: "He was despised and rejected by mankind, a man of suffering, and familiar with pain. Like one from whom people hide their faces he was despised, and we held him in low esteem. Surely he took up our pain and bore our suffering, yet we considered him punished by God, stricken by him, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed. We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to our own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all."

Day 36: Private Life

John 7:9-10

New International Version (NIV)

⁹ After he had said this, he stayed in Galilee.
 ¹⁰ However, after his brothers had left for the festival, he went also, not publicly, but in secret.

This is an awfully short little passage, to be sure, but I do think there's a lesson here. Jesus didn't do the things he did to be praised by men. It's something we know, but something we probably don't spend much time thinking about. Of anyone who ever lived, Jesus, of all people, deserved the praise of men. But he didn't seek it out. So many times, even if we don't exactly do things to be praised, we still expect some praise for it. And when we don't get it, we consider others to be ungrateful, or we pout, or we're secretly disappointed. Jesus, though, made special effort on several occasions to worship or serve in private.

I understand that there are several reasons why he needed to lay low. But his underlying spirit was always one of humility. And one we need to emulate.

Day 35: One Day

John 7:3-8

New International Version (NIV)

³ Jesus’ brothers said to him, “Leave Galilee and go to Judea, so that your disciples there may see the works you do. ⁴ No one who wants to become a public figure acts in secret. Since you are doing these things, show yourself to the world.” ⁵ For even his own brothers did not believe in him.
 ⁶ Therefore Jesus told them, “My time is not yet here; for you any time will do. ⁷ The world cannot hate you, but it hates me because I testify that its works are evil. ⁸ You go to the festival. I am not going up to this festival, because my time has not yet fully come.”


Boy, is this telling of the incredible humanity of Jesus. His own brothers believe that he's only doing what he's doing to become a public figure - a showoff, a crowd pleaser, a praisemonger. They've grown up watching his every move, and even they are skeptics. How hurtful that must have been.


Even so, he continues to patiently explain the reasons behind doing what he's doing. That's all he seemed to do for the final three years of his life... explain and explain and explain. And no one seems to get it. But... and here's the application for me... eventually, they do. They're as dense as posts, but with lots of time and love and patience, they eventually understand. His brother James ends up as a faithful follower, even writing one of the books of the Bible.


I just finished reading a book that was a breathing example of what time and patience and love can do. There's no way I can describe the entire story arc of In Front of God and Everybody, but the short version is that a family lives out Matthew 25 toward a couple that did not one whit to deserve it, going WAY above and beyond. This family, upon meeting this couple who were uppity and rude and brash (but in need), didn't just take them an apple pie. They gave up their own bedroom to their guests and slept in one of the kids' rooms. For months. And it didn't happen overnight, not by a long shot, but eventually this couple came to realize the incredible love of a Christian family.


We just have to keep working, and showing, and above all, loving. Even Jesus didn't get results overnight, but we can have hope that one day...

Day 34: Temporary Home

^{John 7:2
2} But when the Jewish Festival of Tabernacles was near,


Welp, that's it. That's the whole passage for today. One of the reasons I wanted to do this study was to catch some things that I have always passed right over. This is one of them. What exactly was this Festival of Tabernacles? The next few passages occur in the festival and deal with it heavily. It stands to reason that we will need to know a little bit about it so that we'll understand what Jesus is doing there.


The description of the festival is found in Leviticus 23. It follows:

 The Festival of Tabernacles

 ³³ The LORD said to Moses, ³⁴ “Say to the Israelites: ‘On the fifteenth day of the seventh month the LORD’s Festival of Tabernacles begins, and it lasts for seven days. ³⁵ The first day is a sacred assembly; do no regular work. ³⁶ For seven days present food offerings to the LORD, and on the eighth day hold a sacred assembly and present a food offering to the LORD. It is the closing special assembly; do no regular work.

 ³⁷ (“‘These are the LORD’s appointed festivals, which you are to proclaim as sacred assemblies for bringing food offerings to the LORD—the burnt offerings and grain offerings, sacrifices and drink offerings required for each day. ³⁸ These offerings are in addition to those for the LORD’s Sabbaths and^[e] in addition to your gifts and whatever you have vowed and all the freewill offerings you give to the LORD.)

 ³⁹ “‘So beginning with the fifteenth day of the seventh month, after you have gathered the crops of the land, celebrate the festival to the LORD for seven days; the first day is a day of sabbath rest, and the eighth day also is a day of sabbath rest. ⁴⁰On the first day you are to take branches from luxuriant trees—from palms, willows and other leafy trees—and rejoice before the LORD your God for seven days. ⁴¹ Celebrate this as a festival to the LORD for seven days each year. This is to be a lasting ordinance for the generations to come; celebrate it in the seventh month. ⁴² Live in temporary shelters for seven days: All native-born Israelites are to live in such shelters ⁴³ so your descendants will know that I had the Israelites live in temporary shelters when I brought them out of Egypt. I am the LORD your God.’”

 ⁴⁴ So Moses announced to the Israelites the appointed festivals of the LORD.

I hummed along on this pretty easily until I noticed v. 42. They lived in temporary shelters for seven days to commemorate the Lord bringing them out of Egypt! We just spent a week on the stories of Moses and the escape from Egypt at our VBS, and I wish I would have spotted this little nugget a week earlier. It's interesting to think: what if, instead of hanging out and grilling hamburgers for Veterans Day, we spent the day in a bunker to remember what our grandfathers and great grandfathers went through? I guarantee that the true purpose of the holiday would be a little more clear to us. That's essentially what God commands here. Pretty incredible. 

Day 33: Forgiveness Meter

Matthew 18:21-35

New International Version (NIV)

The Parable of the Unmerciful Servant

 ²¹ Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? Up to seven times?” ²² Jesus answered, “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.^[a]
   23 “Therefore, the kingdom of heaven is like a king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. ²⁴ As he began the settlement, a man who owed him ten thousand bags of gold^[b]was brought to him. ²⁵ Since he was not able to pay, the master ordered that he and his wife and his children and all that he had be sold to repay the debt.
   ²⁶ “At this the servant fell on his knees before him. ‘Be patient with me,’ he begged, ‘and I will pay back everything.’ ²⁷ The servant’s master took pity on him, canceled the debt and let him go.
   ²⁸ “But when that servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred silver coins.^[c] He grabbed him and began to choke him. ‘Pay back what you owe me!’ he demanded.
   ²⁹ “His fellow servant fell to his knees and begged him, ‘Be patient with me, and I will pay it back.’
   ³⁰ “But he refused. Instead, he went off and had the man thrown into prison until he could pay the debt. ³¹ When the other servants saw what had happened, they were outraged and went and told their master everything that had happened.
   ³² “Then the master called the servant in. ‘You wicked servant,’ he said, ‘I canceled all that debt of yours because you begged me to. ³³ Shouldn’t you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you?’ ³⁴ In anger his master handed him over to the jailers to be tortured, until he should pay back all he owed.
   ³⁵ “This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother or sister from your heart.”


A continuation of yesterday... again, wow. What a lesson here. When I think about the thousands, even millions, of things I have done wrong since I've been old enough to know the difference, I can't believe that the Lord has seen fit to even give me the time of day. Yet he's given me so much more than that. He's given me the life of his only Son.


So he says here, just about as clearly as it could possibly be said, that if he's done that much for me, I have absolutely no excuse for being unforgiving toward other people. 


This is huge. Just like yesterday, it's so simple and yet so incredibly profound. So easy to understand but sometimes so hard to do. Hard, I think, until you start to look at everything through a big-picture lens: How does what this person did to me rank in the grand scheme of things? When you compare it to what people did to Jesus, or Stephen, or Paul, it probably won't rank very high. How does my forgiveness of others stack up to God's forgiveness of me? The problem is that we know ourselves... all the evil thoughts and poor attitudes and secret sins. So it should make us all the more aware of how very much we've been forgiven, and make us all the more eager to share that forgiveness with others. 


After all, I'm not that important. HE must become greater, I must become less.

Day 32: You're My Brother, You're My Sister

^{Matthew 18:15-20
15} “If your brother or sister^[b] sins,^[c] go and point out their fault, just between the two of you. If they listen to you, you have won them over. ¹⁶ But if they will not listen, take one or two others along, so that ‘every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.’^[d] 17 If they still refuse to listen, tell it to the church; and if they refuse to listen even to the church, treat them as you would a pagan or a tax collector.

   ¹⁸ “Truly I tell you, whatever you bind on earth will be^[e] bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be^[f] loosed in heaven.

   ¹⁹ “Again, truly I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything they ask for, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. ²⁰ For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.”

Wow... talk about rich verses. The first half of this is a set of verses that tend to cause an interesting phenomenon... everyone wants this verse to be applied to them, but no one wants to apply it. If you find out someone is upset with you, I guarantee the first thing you will say is, "Why didn't they just come tell me?" But, ironically, when we're upset with someone, we rarely go talk directly to them. We talk to our spouse, or our best friend, or whoever ends up standing behind us in the grocery line (or all of the above). And if someone calls us on it, we'll say, "Well, I didn't want to hurt her feelings!"

I say this pointing at myself, because I'm bad about this too. It's probably one of the hardest passages in the entirety of Scripture to act on. I think there are two applications for me: first, if I truly do have an issue with someone, this is what I must do. Second, if it's not a big enough deal for me to go talk to the person about (they, I don't know, are always late for lunch and it's super annoying, for instance), then it's not a big enough deal to talk to someone else about. Can you imagine the change if we all applied that rule? Wow. Us 1, gossip 0! 

I have been working on this for a few weeks ago. With certain people and certain situations, I find myself slipping up. Repeatedly. It's very frustrating. But the good news is that at least now I'm aware of my weaknesses, and that means I can keep stamping them out, a little at a time.

The last paragraph of this is what I like to call a peanut-butter-in-the-gut promise. (Yes, I know. Very romantic!) It's one of those promises that sticks with you and can change you if you truly take hold of it. That if there if unity in our prayers - and I think this means true and passionate unity, not sort of a lukewarm, mumbly prayer for something-or-other - then it will be done for us. Because He is WITH us whenever we are together. About 90% of the time we use this verse as a prooftext regarding worship and forget its true purpose, which is to underline the fact that where we are, He is too. Powerful. And amazing. 

I'm only on day thirty-two and I already have SO MUCH to think about. Can't wait to see how much I have to think about by day 332!

Day 31: Never Been Unloved

Matthew 18:12-14

New International Version (NIV)

   ¹² “What do you think? If a man owns a hundred sheep, and one of them wanders away, will he not leave the ninety-nine on the hills and go to look for the one that wandered off? ¹³ And if he finds it, truly I tell you, he is happier about that one sheep than about the ninety-nine that did not wander off. ¹⁴ In the same way your Father in heaven is not willing that any of these little ones should perish.


"It's not personal." We say that all the time, or hear people say it all the time. "I had to do such-and-such, but it wasn't personal." I love, love, love the underlying message of these verses: to God, it is personal. I am personal to him. And so are you. And so is every single person that I meet on the street.

I can't help but think of the song, Never Been Unloved by Michael W. Smith. It's one of those listen-in-the-car-to-fix-my-attitude kind of songs, and it's been at the top of my list for years, but it still gets to me every time I hear it. Take a listen. You'll be glad you did. 

Day 30: Meditations

Matthew 18:7-11

⁷ Woe to the world because of the things that cause people to stumble! Such things must come, but woe to the person through whom they come! ⁸ If your hand or your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life maimed or crippled than to have two hands or two feet and be thrown into eternal fire. ⁹ And if your eye causes you to stumble, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into the fire of hell.

The Parable of the Wandering Sheep

    ¹⁰ “See that you do not despise one of these little ones. For I tell you that their angels in heaven always see the face of my Father in heaven. ^[11] [a]

Well, it's happened. I absolutely cannot write about these verses. I just left the most incredible singing and devotional... famous last night of TITUS Camp style. So amazing. These verses are essential, and I will meditate on them. Later. For now, I want to meditate on the fact that our God is a great God of mercy and love. On the fact that He has been mindful of me, His servant, and that He has loved me even though I'm undeserving. And He reminds me of His love for me each day. 

One last thing... the last verse of this passage is INCREDIBLE. Pretty sure there will be more on this to come.

Day 29: Food For Thought

^{Mark 9:38-41
38} “Teacher,” said John, “we saw someone driving out demons in your name and we told him to stop, because he was not one of us.”

   ³⁹ “Do not stop him,” Jesus said. “For no one who does a miracle in my name can in the next moment say anything bad about me, ⁴⁰ for whoever is not against us is for us. ⁴¹ Truly I tell you, anyone who gives you a cup of water in my name because you belong to the Messiah will certainly not lose their reward.

Of all the Scriptures in this study so far, I have to say that this one has given me the most pause. I've read it over and over, I've read what commentators have to say on it, and to be honest, I'm still not completely sure what it means for us. I do know this: Jesus, Moses, and Paul, when confronted with similar situations, all lean to the side of letting a person alone when they are teaching in the name of God. Even if, as in Paul's case, they are doing so to run his own name down. 

In Moses' case, I don't think I've ever noticed these verses before. It occurs in Numbers 11: "26However, two men, whose names were Eldad and Medad, had remained in the camp. They were listed among the elders, but did not go out to the Tent. Yet the Spirit also rested on them, and they prophesied in the camp. 27A young man ran and told Moses, “Eldad and Medad are prophesying in the camp.”

28Joshua son of Nun, who had been Moses’ aide since youth, spoke up and said, “Moses, my lord, stop them!”

29But Moses replied, “Are you jealous for my sake? I wish that all the LORD’s people were prophets and that the LORD would put his Spirit on them!” 30Then Moses and the elders of Israel returned to the camp.".

I found this super interesting, since in the OT they tended to be such sticklers for the rules. But even then, Moses considers the speaking of the word of the Lord to be supreme. 

All in all, what it shows to me is an incredible respect for the preaching of the Word. That no matter who's doing it, or even why, the important thing is that Christ is preached. 

Day 28: More

Matthew 18:1-6
 ¹ At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Who, then, is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” ² He called a little child to him, and placed the child among them. ³ And he said: “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. ⁴ Therefore, whoever takes the lowly position of this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. ⁵ And whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me. ⁶ “If anyone causes one of these little ones—those who believe in me—to stumble, it would be better for them to have a large millstone hung around their neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea.


Only recently have I truly begun to understand what these verses really mean. I always these verses a sweeping passover... usually I'd think something like, okay, so we're supposed to be pure/sinless like a child. Got it. And I would move right along, totally missing the point. Yes, it's important that we get forgiveness of our sins. But when Jesus says we should become like little children,  I believe he means that we need to become more. More positive, less judgmental. More friendly, less suspicious. More generous, less worldly. More innocent, less cruel.


Lord, help me to be more.

Day 27: Mundane Moments

Matthew 17:24-27

²⁴ After Jesus and his disciples arrived in Capernaum, the collectors of the two-drachma temple tax came to Peter and asked, “Doesn’t your teacher pay the temple tax?”

 ²⁵ “Yes, he does,” he replied.

   When Peter came into the house, Jesus was the first to speak.“What do you think, Simon?” he asked. “From whom do the kings of the earth collect duty and taxes—from their own children or from others?”

 ²⁶ “From others,” Peter answered.

   “Then the children are exempt,” Jesus said to him. ²⁷ “But so that we may not cause offense, go to the lake and throw out your line. Take the first fish you catch; open its mouth and you will find a four-drachma coin. Take it and give it to them for my tax and yours.”

I spent the day today doing something pretty incredible. After a half a day of Homiletics class, the entire TITUS camp loaded up and went to Hackleburg to do disaster relief work. It was awesome to see the kids working so hard to do their part to help out. But for me, the defining moment was after we had loaded up to go home. We were pulling through the wasteland that used to be a town, and I was staring out the window at all the empty lots that used to be someone’s home. Then behind me, a voice started singing. “Savior, He can move the mountains.” Another. “He is mighty to save, He is mighty to save.” And another and another. “Forever, author of salvation.” Pretty soon the entire bus was singing. “He rose and conquered the grave, Jesus conquered the grave.” I couldn’t help but cry, thinking about the enormity of the statement that was being made.

Those are the moments that make things like TITUS Camp wonderful and special. They’re defining moments in our lives.

The only thing is… for every awesome, incredible moment, there are a thousand more filled with the mundane. With the paying of bills and running of errands and driving to work and cooking supper. What I noticed about this, and I guess it’s because I read it on the heels of such an amazing moment, is that Jesus dealt with those mundane moments too. Here he’s having to worry about taxes. But I love the fact that, even something that must have been so incredibly trivial to him, he does the right thing and makes sure not to offend anyone. He takes care not to tarnish his example. (I also love that he threw a little miracle in there, as if to say, “I may be paying these taxes, but I’m still the Lord. Don’t forget it.”)

Great day. Great end of the day reading. Thank you, God, for all the blessings in my life.

Day 26: Let God Arise

Mark 9:30-32

They left that place and passed through Galilee. Jesus did not want anyone to know where they were, because he was teaching his disciples. He said to them, “The Son of Man is going to be delivered into the hands of men. They will kill him, and after three days he will rise.” But they did not understand what he meant and were afraid to ask him about it.


Since we know the "rest of the story", as Paul Harvey would say, it's difficult to imagine that this (super extremely clear) statement of Jesus would cause so much confusion among the disciples. I will be delivered into the hands of men. I will be killed. After three days I will rise. Are we clear? Crystal. But the truth is that what was about to happen was so extraordinary, so unforeseen, so incredible, that they couldn't believe their ears.


Remember that they viewed Jesus as the coming King. Not only that, but he was a king who had not yet ascended to power. Not yet saved the nation of Israel. Not yet overthrown the power hungry Romans. They thought this was only the beginning, and here he was telling them that this was the end? It made no sense.


They could never - never - believe the enormity of what they were about to witness. The salvation of all mankind, brought about by the sacrifice of Almighty God Himself. They were going to see it... but I'm not sure they would know, even then, what they were seeing. It certainly doesn't seem so from this passage.


The good news is that we do know the rest of the story. We know why he didn't choose to set up an earthly kingdom, and we understand that his death allowed us to live. Let's live like we understand it.

Day 24-25: If You Build It, They Will Come

Matthew 17:14-21

When they came to the crowd, a man approached Jesus and knelt before him. “Lord, have mercy on my son,” he said. “He has seizures and is suffering greatly. He often falls into the fire or into the water. I brought him to your disciples, but they could not heal him.” “You unbelieving and perverse generation,” Jesus replied,“how long shall I stay with you? How long shall I put up with you? Bring the boy here to me.” Jesus rebuked the demon, and it came out of the boy, and he was healed at that moment. Then the disciples came to Jesus in private and asked, “Why couldn’t we drive it out?” He replied, “Because you have so little faith. Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.”


I'm at TITUS Camp this week. TITUS is held at HCU, and it's for teens who have a greater-than-average helping of faith, spirituality, etc. (AND it has internet!) These verses really apply to TITUS, because I have seen what the Lord can do with that mustard seed faith. Here's why. This camp involves LOTS of sitting in class/intense learning. Lots. I will be teaching Monday-Thursday from 9-12, the same kids, three hours straight. The class: Homiletics. In the afternoons they go to a series of various classes... team building, Christian service, etc. In between, they go to chapel, power hour... I could go on. In staff meeting this afternoon, the director said, "The kids are going to have lots more free time this year... tomorrow they have an hour!" :) Oh, and they have to wear dress clothes to class.


I drone on about this because when Ray came up with this idea, there were more than a few who said it would NEVER WORK. Too much for teens, they said. Too intense. Kids these days... they just don't want to work that hard. They won't spend their summer wearing ties to class.


We built it. We prayed. And they came. 


Every year we have a maxed-out crowd of amazing teens. And they LOVE it. Can't get enough. I have to believe that it's just an example of nothing being impossible. 


Do we really believe that nothing will be impossible for us? Believe it in the depths of our souls? I'm not so sure. Because if we did, if we did as a church, just imagine the things that would be happening right now. 


I am trying to change a lot of things about my life. And I mean a lot. Every day that I am studying, I see more things I need to do differently. One of those is to take bigger risks in my faith - not jump-out-of-an-airplane-type risks (although that would be cool), but diving in to things with a little bit less "sensibility" or "practicality" and a lot more faith that the Lord can do immeasurably more than all I ask or imagine.