A Question of Perspective

Your Son or My Brother

In Luke 15:11-32 Jesus tells the story of the “Prodigal Son, or as in my translation, the “Lost Son.” I have read this story many times but the Lord showed me something new this morning, so I thought I would write it down. At the end of the story, the older son asks his servants the reason for the celebration going on. They tell him that his father is rejoicing because his brother has returned.

When he complains to his father that he has never received this kind of a party but when, “this son of yours,” has come back, after wasting all his inheritance, his return brings a celebration. The father replies that he has always been with him, (they have been in constant relationship,) but now this brother of yours who was out of relationship is now back. He was lost but now is found.

What struck me was the older brother’s unwillingness to own the relationship. The “prodigal” was his father’s son but not his brother. The father had not cut him off but the older brother had. Like the question of the Pharisee, “who is my neighbor,” we might also ask, “who is my brother.” Have I cut someone off, disliking, ignoring or avoiding them? Am I upset if someone else is blessed because I don’t think he or she deserves it? Maybe, I think I am the one to get the blessing, not them. If so, I need to ask the question, “why am I jealous of the father’s love for someone else?” Do I think his love for me is inadequate? Do I understand how precious my relationship with him is? It is more than any series of parties. When I understand the value of my relationship with the father, I can respect the way he loves others, no matter what they have done.

“Dear Lord, help me to live in deep relationship to you, valuing that relationship above all things; and help me to learn to love as you love. Help me rejoice at the return of your lost sons and daughters, my brothers and sisters, and help me join in at the celebration. May your family continue to grow. Amen”

The Turning Point

As Job reached the end of his rope and he can see no hope for him in the light of all the negative circumstances around him he comes to a new conclusion, different than the one of chapter 17. All that he has experienced continues to be his reality; money gone, children gone, friends gone, health gone. But, in 19:25-27, he makes this remarkable statement: "I know that my Redeemer lives, and that in the end he will stand upon the earth. And after my skin has been destroyed, yet in my flesh I will see God; I myself will see him with my own eyes--I and not another. How my heart yearns within me!" Now Job expresses hope, hope in God alone.

David must have read the book of Job. In Psalm 42 he writes of his tears and sadness and he instructs his inner self to turn its focus to God alone. "Why are you downcast , O my soul? Put your hope in God." While we may not understand our circumstances, (God's ways are often beyond our understanding,) We can still have hope. The end of the story is not yet. God is good, even if our circumstances are not. In the end we will see and experience this goodness. This is the only hope that stands the test of time. Today my circumstances are mostly good. Tomorrow I cannot be sure if I will have this same blessing. The book of Job, (and Psalm 42,) help me be ready for all that life may throw at me. "Life is hard but God is good." I don't know who said it but they they were right. I know that my Redeemer lives and I will someday see him and be with him. That truth makes all the difference.

Hope

I have been going through the book of Job as part of my daily devotional readings. It is a challenging book and, like life, it is not easily explained. In chapter 17, Job speaks to his friends with these words, "Who can see any hope for me?" This is Jobs greatest challenge. He cannot see any reason to go on living. There is nothing to hope for. At this point, even death offers no hope for him. His heart is empty and all is black and dark.

Sometimes we can arrive at a similar point in our lives although perhaps not through the magnitude of Job's losses. Our income has disappeared, our relationships are in distress, and our health is poor. We cannot see anything good coming. We are without hope. Yet is this really true. If we only look back, we might arrive at this conclusion, but if there is a God and he is essentially good, how will that influence my expectations of the future. If I have nothing to hope for, can God give me something to hope for? What would that look like?

Even if my imagination cannot come up with something to hope for, the all-knowing, all-powerful God can go beyond my imagination. At root here is the fundamental belief and conviction that God is both good and able. Ultimately, that is where we have to place our hope. When we do, we can go through anything, even what Job faced and not lose all hope.

I'm looking forward to reading the rest of the story. God placed it in his holy scriptures for a reason. God does not insulate us from the ravages of this world but he does provide us with a reason to hope, and you can't live without hope.

A Beautiful Life

Today, June 5th, was a rainy and cloudy day here in Buffalo, MN. I went for a long run and then had my breakfast and lunch together. I thought of all the projects I wanted to do but somehow felt sitting and resting was more to my liking. In fact, picking up a book and catching up on some reading was especially attractive.

I had read and been greatly blessed by James Bryan Smith’s book, “The Good and Beautiful God,” and had purchased the second in a series of three, “The Good and Beautiful Life.” This seemed like a good time to get started on this new book. Chapter one carried the same title as the book, so let’s see what the author is talking about. In the earlier book Mr. Smith described the concept of life narratives and how they influence the way we view reality and live our lives. In this first chapter of “The Good and Beautiful Life,” he compares the life stories of two men.

Ben, who he met when he worked in a nursing home, eventually opened up to him and shared the sadness of his soul. He was born in 1910 and had made his first million at the age of 35. He went on to run a large company and was extremely successful, financially, but he treated people badly, lied, swindled, and did whatever it took to gain the advantage over others. He was married 3 times, all ending in divorce and had one daughter who was estranged to him. While others thought he had lived the good life and been successful, he in fact was in great personal misery.

The other story is that of John Wooden. Mr. Wooden is believed, by everyone who knows basketball, to be the greatest basketball coach ever and many believe he is the greatest coach of any sport. His goal was never to develop great basketball players but to develop great men and he taught every player, principles of living the good life based on his knowledge of the life and teachings of Jesus. He was humble, loyal, disciplined, and happy. He was so loved by all who graduated from his program at UCLA that many called him regularly for years and decades later.

I am writing this down today because John Wooden died yesterday. The many stories about his beautiful life are all over the media. Was it a coincidence that I picked up this book today and found this comparison of two lives of two men born in the same year, 1910? I don’t think so. If we follow the world’s view of success and the good life we will likely come to the end of our lives with many regrets. The narrative the John Wooden followed is not unique to him but the simple message of Jesus available to us all. God loves us and wants us to enjoy the best life. It’s a choice to trust him or believe the message of the world. It may sound good with many promises but the end is not what is promised.

By the way, after several months, Ben came to give his life over to Jesus and spent 10 more years as a different person. He reconciled with his daughter who confirmed at his passing that Ben was a different man. There was still time to experience “The Good and Beautiful Life.” Of course, this door was still open to him because of our "Good and Beautiful God."

What's It Worth?

The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field. Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it. Matt. 13:44-46

"What’s it worth?" That’s a question we might ask of all kinds of things. But when it comes to Jesus, it’s an especially important question. Are Jesus and his kingdom worth everything we have? What about our jobs or our family? What about our ambitions or our relationships? Is that special pearl of his kingdom worth all the other little pearls?

We sing a lot of songs that say Jesus is everything to us but I hear many stories of faith in crises because someone had to give up one of the lesser pearls. If we loose our job or a child dies can we still say Jesus is everything? What if our spouse walks out on us, our house is foreclosed on and we find out we have cancer? What then? Is it still possible to believe that he is the greater treasure?

This is no small question. Can our faith in God's goodness be tied to a set of conditions? We may certainly feel the pain of loss but we must somehow continue to trust that he is the greater treasure. Paul’s words in II Corinthians 4:17 sums it up: “For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.” We cannot often see the reward of trust but this conviction will serve us well in the toughest times of our lives. When finally we are in his arms we will know that he was worth it all.

One final thought, it does help when we are not alone, but we lock arms with others who are believing with us.

Undivided Heart

“Teach me your way, O Lord, and I will walk in your truth; give me and undivided heart, that I may fear your name.” Psalm 86:11

When I read this I admire David for putting this request before the Lord. His desire is to fully follow God’s ways in every aspect of his life. But, I also must ask myself, is this really something that God does? Does God give us an undivided heart of is this the result of many individual choices we must make everyday.

On the one hand I would say no, this is not something God does. We may desire it but we need to be faithful in obedience as temptations come before us. We must make the right choice, we can’t expect God to make it for us. Our heart wonders, it creates hopes around worldly expectations that may not be in line with God’s desires. In fact, David felt this, that is why he calls out for an undivided heart.

On the other hand, I think God does do this through the work of his Holy Spirit. As we surrender different aspects of our life to him we begin to see things in a different perspective. Old attractions change and new perspectives take over. (“The old has passed away, the new has come.”) We still make mistakes but the mile-high perspective of our undivided heart immediately pinches our spiritual sensibilities. We pull more and more in under the desire to please God in all things, home, work, church, friends, avocations, etc.

David has it right in the end, we learn his ways and we walk in his truth through the intervening power of the Holy Spirit. He puts this “undivided heart” in us. It’s not an instantaneous thing but a pursuit of his righteousness based on his power and work. There is work that he does and there is power to chose to follow his truth in the way we live.

“Lord give me an undivided heart that knows your truth, along with the constant awareness that I receive and live it out by the power of your Holy Spirit.”

Is it a contradiction?

Psalm 33:18
“But the eyes of the Lord are on those who fear him, on those whose hope is in his unfailing love….”

This verse seems like a contradiction; that we should fear the one who we know loves us. What is this concept of fear? Perhaps in our day we emphasize the love and goodness of God, and we overlook the aspect of fearing God. This psalm speaks of his power in creation and the firmness of his word. It tells us that his purposes are eternal and no people or nation can foil his plans. No army is big enough, no armaments powerful enough to overcome God’s plans.

Yet, the “eyes of the Lord,” are on those who fear him and hope in his love. In the midst of all that is happening in the world, God sees us and cares about us. He wants to deliver us from death, sometimes physically but ultimately for eternity with him. He has the power to feed us even when there seems to be nothing to eat. We wait, we hope, we trust because ultimately God is love and his love never fails. (Verses 19-22)

What are you going through today? Read Ps. 33 and then re-read verses 1-3. Get out the songbook or the CD, sing loud and joyfully to the Lord, it's an expression of hope in his love. It will make a world of difference.

The Gospel in the Psalms

Who can stand on God’s holy hill or dwell in his presence? Psalm 15:2 tells us, “He whose walk is blameless and who does what is righteous….” Unfortunately, Psalm 14:2-3 says, “The Lord looks down from heaven on the sons of men to see if there are any who understand, any who seek God. All have turned aside, they have together become corrupt; there is no one who does good, not even one.” It would appear that no one fits the qualifications, (I know I don't,) to dwell with God forever. Psalm 16 brings words of encouragement, especially verses 9-11; “Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices; my body also will rest secure, because you will not abandon me to the grave, nor will you let your Holy One see decay. You have made known the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand.” Yes, because of the death and resurrection of Jesus, God’s “Holy One,” we who trust in him can look forward to the blessing of eternity with God. Now that’s something to get excited about.