Forgive One-a-Day Monday 11/30/20

Posted on by November 30, 2020
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A life worthy

For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.   But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins (Matthew 6:14-15).

I keep waiting for some pastor or teacher to explain how this verse doesn’t mean what it seems to mean.  You know, how there are 72 Greek words translated forgive, and how our position in Christ has absolutely nothing to do with the way we treat our fellow man.

I think I’ll be waiting a long time.

This verse means…what it means.

Our Father has little room in his kingdom for hypocrisy.

Does God call you to be a doormat?  No, Beloved. Some relationships are toxic, and should not continue.  But that does not mean that you let bitterness and anger and frustration and betrayal and vengeance fill your heart and rule your life.  You have to let God sweep that junk out, and forgiveness is the broom.

What?  You’re not strong enough to forgive what they did?  You need help?

No problem, Beloved.  I know a guy…

Happy Monday

Still Thankful? One-a-Day Friday 11/27/20

Posted on by November 27, 2020
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A life worthy

…always giving thanks to God the Father for everything. In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ (Ephesians 5:20).

Are you still thankful today, Beloved?  Or has the Christmas to-do list already kicked aside your “Things I am thankful for” list?  Look, I’m not judging; I know you’ve got a lot to do.  Myself, I’m looking at a garage that needs to be cleaned–I’ve been putting it off for eight months now–just so I can get to the Christmas lights, most of which are broken, if I remember correctly.  I have a vague memory of an entire string of lights falling from the roof last January, resulting in a string of mini-explosions and a decision that I would replace all the lights “Next year,” when finances would undoubtedly be better, except they’re not.  So I’ve probably gotta buy lights, and garland, and maybe a lawn elf–but no inflatables, I’m passionately against inflatables–before I can even start decorating, and the neighbors are pretty much done already…

Yeah, so I get it.

But, for those of us in Christ, the One we were thankful for yesterday is the same One we celebrate at Christmas.  It’s pretty much the same holiday; you just have to swap funny hats.

Of course, you know that already…you’re a bright one.

So, take time during the craziness–like today, like right now–to stop and breathe and give thanks.  

For him

For you and him

Happy Friday, Beloved.

Thankful One-a-Day Thursday 11/26/20

Posted on by November 26, 2020
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A life worthy

I thank God every time I remember you (Philippians 1:3).

As I think over all the ways God has blessed me and has filled my life with his love and his grace, my heart comes to you.  You, who enter my digital den and read my ramblings.  For some of you it’s a One-a-Day; for others it’s a Once-in-a-While.  Still, you come, and you read, and you allow me to share the bits and bobs that rattle around inside me.  Look, your time is important.  You could go anywhere in cyberspace and read any of thousands of devotions written by people wiser and better trained than I.  But you spend a few moments here, with me.  You do me great honor.

So, as you give thanks today, please know that there is someone clacking away at his Chromebook who is very thankful for…you.

Happy Thanksgiving, Beloved.

Prepositions Matter One-a-Day Wednesday 11/25/20

Posted on by November 25, 2020
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A life worthy

…give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.  (1 Thessalonians 5:18).

in

Not “for”

but 

“in.”

Beloved, there are things that occur in our lives that only a deranged person would be happy about.

Hey, I can’t pay my mortgage and I’m about to be homeless. Thanks, God!!

Wow, I just lost seven of my toes in a tragic rollerblading accident. Thanks, God!!

Gee, the dog just vomited up half of Kentucky on the carpet. Thanks, God!!

Feel free to add to the list.

Point is, trying to be thankful for the horrible nastiness of life is something best left to the truly psychotic,

which you are not.

I hope.

But God is not calling you to be thankful for these circumstances.

Only in them

See, being thankful in all circumstances is an acknowledgement that your circumstances do not define you, that they are not the end goal of your existence. No matter what awful, dyspeptic, 2020ish events overtake us, our lives and selves remain rooted with Christ in God.

Uncrushable

Unsinkable

Un2020able 

Whatever this world rolls your way, you can be thankful that God remains God, and you remain his, and that remains everything.

So, be thankful, Beloved.

Happy Wednesday

Chosen One-a-Day Tuesday 11/24/20

Posted on by November 24, 2020
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A life worthy

For he (God) chose us in him (Jesus) before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight (Ephesians 1:4).

So, as we move through Thanksgiving week, here’s a little something else to be thankful for:

You are the chosen one.

Well, maybe not the chosen one, but certainly a chosen one.

Consider this: before he made the world, God had you in mind.  

Yeah, you.

He knew who you would be, how you would be.  He saw your “We are the Champions” moments, your happy times,

your foolish choices

your many sins

your epic, seemingly endless failures.

And he loved you.

And he chose you.

Wow.

Now consider this: God is not bound by time, right?  Past, present, future—it’s all kind of now to him.  So when he looks at you he sees you not only as you are, but as you will be.

Holy

Blameless

Complete

His

Now, if only you could learn to see yourself as he sees you, hmm?

In the meantime, color yourself thankful and go forth in joy.

Happy Tuesday, Beloved.

He is Good One-a-Day Monday 11/23/20

Posted on by November 23, 2020
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A life worthy

TIme for a week of Thankfulness–even if it is 2020!

Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever (Psalm 107:1).

God is good.

He doesn’t have to be.

He chooses to be.

God loves us.

He doesn’t have to.

He chooses to.

Look, we can get into a theotechnical debate about whether God is bound by his own nature to be what he is, or whether he possesses self-determinative power

and that would be fun

but until you convince me otherwise, I’m gonna go with the fact that God is…you know…God, and he could have done it any way he wanted to.

There is an image that comes to my mind as I write these words.

It’s Calvin and Hobbes.

Not the theologian and the sociopolitical philosopher, although…

No, I’m talking about the kid and the tiger.

If you aren’t familiar with the famous comic strip by Bill Watterson, I weep for your ignorance and encourage you to avail yourself of the great riches to be found before you continue here. For the enlightened among you, I’m thinking of the strip in which Calvin imagines himself as God, “but Calvin is no kind and loving god…and the puny inhabitants of Earth displease him!”

What follows is destruction on ohsomany levels.

Beloved, we need never ever even for a moment fear that God will decide to stop being good, or stop loving us, or restructure the foundation of the Universe to reflect darkness rather than light.

He has chosen to be good, and it is so.

He chose to be kind and loving and giving and gracious and merciful.

And it is so.

Forever.

Give thanks, Beloved.

Happy Monday

Forever One-a-Day Friday 10/20/20

Posted on by November 20, 2020
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A life worthy

For yours is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory forever, amen (Matthew 6:13).

There will never come a day when he is not King.

There will never come a day when he is not strong.

There will never come a day when he is not glorious.

There will never come a day when he does not know you.

There will never come a day when he does not love you.

There will never come a day when he does not forgive you.

There will never come a day when he is not your Father.

There will never come a day when he is not your friend.

There will never come a day when you are not his child.

There will never come a day when you are not his Beloved.

Forever is a good thing.

Happy Friday, Beloved.

Glory One-a-Day Thursday 11/19/20

Posted on by November 19, 2020
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A life worthy

For yours is the kingdom, and the power,and the glory… (Matthew 6:13)

Glory is an interesting word.  It’s not one we use often, or about ordinary things.  Glory is the stuff of epic and legend and Marvel®ous myth, of achievements and beauty and power far beyond our own.  

Glory is the currency of heroes.

When you think of God, how do you picture him?  Do you see him as the kindly old grandfather, patient and gentle and loving–

or do you see a warrior-king, awesome in power and strength, blinding to look at?

He’s both.  

And so much more.

You serve a glorious Lord, Beloved.  Walk in awe today.

Happy Thursday

Power One-a-Day Wednesday 11/18/20

Posted on by November 18, 2020
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A life worthy

For yours is the kingdom, and the power…(Matthew 6:13)

His strength is made perfect in your weakness.

Remember that one?

Good…because you’re weak.

Don’t get uptight, Beloved.  I’m weak, too. As a matter of fact, when it comes to spiritual issues I’m kind of pathetic.  I try to be strong, and on occasion I pull off a good imitation of strength, but in my heart I know the truth.  I just don’t have the power to be the man I know God has called me to be.

Sound familiar?  No? Oh, well…then I just feel silly.

Fortunately for me, God does not require me to supply the go-juice for my spiritual walk, any more than I had to redeem myself or find God on my own.  His is the power to get me where he wants me to go.

He has made us many promises, Beloved.

And he has the power to back them up.

Happy Wednesday

Whose Kingdom? One-a-Day Tuesday 11/17/20

Posted on by November 17, 2020
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A life worthy

For the next few days, I will be looking at what some might consider a questionable part of Scripture.  The traditional ending of the Lord’s Prayer is not in the earliest copies of Matthew, so many people don’t consider it canon.  Look, Beloved, I’m not going heretic on you. It’s simply that I memorized this passage by learning the song, and the song includes the doxology at the end, and so it feels incomplete not to include it.  Besides, there is nothing in these lines that contradicts the rest of Scripture. I hope you’re cool with that.

For yours is the kingdom…(Matthew 6:13)

God’s in charge.

I think the theological response to that is, “No duh.”

And yet, this is the critical statement for every living being.  It is God’s kingdom, not mine. No matter how much I want to be the boss, no matter how desperately I feel the need to be in control of every situation, it is not my kingdom.  Recognizing and embracing that is the first step in relationship with Him, and it’s a step that I have to repeat daily.  It’s kind of a simple paradigm realignment:

You are God.

I am not.

That is good.

Now I can go on with my day.

So, Beloved…

He is God.

You are not.

That is good.

Happy Tuesday.