Category: A Life Worthy

Note: I’m pausing Romans as we celebrate Holy Week.  Not that every week isn’t holy, but you know what I mean.  I hope these excerpts from my book Easter–Beyond the Bunny help you explore the wonder of the Passion.  If you feel the need to read the whole book, click the link to your right.

Palm Sunday

The Triumphal Entry

Rejoice greatly, O Daughter of Zion!  Shout, Daughter of Jerusalem!  See, your king comes to you, righteous and having salvation, gentle and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey (Zechariah 9:9).

O Lord, save us; O Lord, grant us success.  

Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.

From the house of the Lord we bless you.

The Lord is God, and he has made his face shine upon us.

With boughs in hand, join in the festal procession up to the horns of the altar (Psalm 118:25-27).

Jesus was arriving in Jerusalem for the Passover.  This week would be the climax of his ministry, and would represent the very reason he came to live among us.  The time had come to declare himself the Messiah.  (“Messiah,” by the way, is a Hebrew word that means “anointed one,” or “chosen one.”  The same word is translated “Christ” in the Greek.)

So, Jesus did what anyone would do—he sent for a donkey.

This really does make sense.  Zechariah had prophesied that the Messiah would arrive as a king, and would come to claim his throne riding on a donkey.  By arriving in this manner, Jesus was sending an unmistakable signal to the crowds.  Now I know that a donkey is not the manliest of animals…certainly not very king-like.  But to the Hebrews, the donkey was significant.  A king used a stallion when he rode to war, but a donkey when he came in peace.  Thus, Jesus came as the King of Peace, to make peace between man and God.

The crowds loved it.  They spread cloaks and leafy branches on the ground for Jesus to ride upon—sort of a red carpet treatment.  They cried out “Hosanna!” which means, “Save us,” and, “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.”  They were quoting Psalm 118, essentially acknowledging Jesus as Messiah and pledging themselves to him.

Crowds are so fickle.

As he descended the Mount of Olives, Jerusalem was spread out before him.  Jesus wept over the city, knowing that, though they praised him at that moment, they would soon turn on him.

Do you praise him, Beloved?  I know you pray, and you study his word—at least you’re reading this—but when was the last time you threw your head back, spread your arms wide, and declared your love for the King of your heart?

You know what?  Don’t worry about the last time.  When will be the next time?

How about now?

…those he justified, he also glorified… (Romans 8:30c).

Glorify: to cause to be or treat as being more splendid, excellent, etc., than would normally be considered.

I love that definition.

Paul tells us that God, having predestined, called, and justified us, now glorifies us.  He treats us as more than we are; he gives us more excellence than we deserve.

You may not feel particularly glorified on this Friday morning, but it’s a done deal.

You were predestined to be his.

You are called to love him.

You have been justified so that you can have fellowship with him.

As you love and serve him, you bring him glory, and he graciously lets some of that glory slop back onto you.

Revel in that fact today.  Drink it in.  Know that you are his, and he is yours, and he delights in you.

Now and always.

Happy Friday, Beloved.

…those he called, he also justified… (Romans 8:30b).

When I use the word justify in the context of my life, it usually means trying to get away with something, like taking a sick day when I’m not really sick, but justifying my actions by calling it a mental health day.

Not that I ever do that.

Ever.

In theological terms, the word justify means to absolve of guilt, to declare someone innocent.  You see, Beloved, you were useless to God when you were in your sin.  Oh, sure, he could use you as a tool, like he used Pharaoh or Pilate or Judas, but that’s not what he’s looking for with you.  You he wants as a partner.  Junior partner, yes, but a partner all the same. In order to accomplish this, God needed you to be clean in his sight, free from the effects of sin.  He needed the penalty for your sins to be paid.  Since you couldn’t do that for yourself, he provided a substitute to pay for you.

He provided his son.  But you know that part of the story.

If you have accepted Christ, you are justified, clean in the eyes of God.

Now he can use you.

And he will, Beloved.

He will.

And those he predestined, he also called… (Romans 8:30a).

You have a purpose, Beloved.

Oh, yes you do.

You have been called by the Lord of the Universe, who knew you before the world began.  You have been called to love him and to let him love you, to serve him and let him care for you, to trust him and let him lead you, to glorify him and let him fill you with his Holy Spirit.  You have been called to be his servant, his friend, his brother or sister, his child, his bride, his beloved.

You want something more specific?  Seriously?

How’s about we get a handle on the above list, generic though it may be, before we ask for more?  Hmmmm?

Happy Wednesday, Beloved.

For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son that he might be the firstborn among many brothers (Romans 8:29).

Free will vs. Predestination…do you really think that I’m going to attack that in a two-minute devotional?

O.K., real quick…

It’s both.

We have 100% free will, and God 100% predestined us to come to him.

The best illustration I have seen of the concept goes like this: picture a sheet of paper—just your basic computer paper.  If I told you that I cold fold that paper so that it was both a triangle and a circle—at the same time—you would probably think I was nutty.

Because you would be thinking in two dimensions.

But I’m thinking in three.

See, in three dimensions I can fold that paper into a cone, which will look like a circle from one angle and a triangle from another angle.  Add a dimension, and the impossible becomes simple.

We operate in a four-dimensional world—length, width, height, and time.

Beloved, how many dimensions do you think God operates in?

So let’s not get caught up in if or how predestination works.  Let’s focus on the fact that you were called, not to be a slave, not even to be a servant, but to be a son of God, brother or sister to the firstborn among many brothers.

That there’s enough to chew on for a Tuesday.

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose (Romans 8:28).

This verse has got to be one of the most often quoted, frequently discussed lines in Scripture—and with good reason.  Few other passages can provide the comfort, the peace, the faith in God’s plan that this one can.

If we believe it.

The problem is we’ve heard it so many times that it begins to sound almost trite.  What say we freshen it up with a little independent application?  Look in your own life for the proof of this passage.  Remember the time, or times, or times upon times, that God has taken disaster and used it for your good.  I particularly remember a job nightmare from several years ago.  I thought it might end my career; instead, it brought me to a better position that has been a blessing many times over.  What are your stories?  Remember them today to strengthen your faith and restore your confidence in God’s plan.  Share them, and perhaps you will strengthen a brother or sister who desperately needs it.

Gird your loins, Beloved—it’s Monday.  Who knows what God has in mind for today?

Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies (Romans 8:23).

I can sort of imagine what the new creation might be like.  But what about the new us?  What will “the redemption of our bodies” look like?  Will I finally get chiseled abs and shoulders that don’t come attached to my coat?

What about the redemption of our minds?

Our hearts?

Sometimes I groan outwardly at the aches and pain that time has given me.

Mostly I groan inwardly at the pride and selfishness that sin has given me.

When will I be released from this body of weakness, this heart of sin?

When he comes for me.

When he comes for us, Beloved.

Come quickly, Lord Jesus.

We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time (Romans 8:22).

We live on a pretty planet.  Think of your favorite scene—sunrise over the mountains, sunset over the sea, starlight through the treetops, waves crashing against the rocks, chickens dancing in the moonlight, gentle breeze through a meadow filled with wildflowers.

You now, all those pictures they use on Hallmark calendars.

All that beauty, all that majesty…that’s groaning?

Yep.

Don’t forget…Creation is suffering under the curse of sin.

Our sin—yours and mine…because…well…trees and seas and dewy meadows don’t sin.

So, if this beautiful, wonderful, awe-inspiring, delicious, amazing world of ours is not currently at its best—or even close—what will it be like when the curse is lifted?  God has promised a new Earth to go with the new Heaven.  Can you imagine what that will be like, Beloved?

Let’s spend the day imagining.

I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us (Romans 8:18).

Some days I feel like I’m going through a lot.

Some days I actually am.

But whatever I’m going through—whatever you’re going through—is going to disappear like mist in the sunshine.  It won’t even be worth thinking about when his glory is revealed in us.

So here’s what I’m wondering—what exactly is the glory that will be revealed in us?

Not to us, mind you.

In us.

Well, I’ll tell you—I don’t know.  But I’m going to spend this day pondering that very question.

Care to join me, Beloved?

Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory (Romans 8:17).

Have you ever had the Rich-Uncle-You-Never-Met-Dies-And-Leaves-You-A-Million-Dollars Dream?

I like that dream…but this one’s better.  This one comes true.

In the Greek, the word “if” in the second half of the verse is more accurately translated “since.”  So it’s more like, “Since indeed we share in his sufferings…”  Which means, we will share in his sufferings.

And…

We will share in his glory.

You, Beloved of Christ, are heir to something much better than cash.  You are heir to the depth and width and height of God’s love.  You are heir to glory.

Well, of course you don’t deserve it—but we’ve been through that before, haven’t we?

Happy Tuesday, Beloved.