theology

November Musings – Reflections on Hebrews

bible, Christian lifestyle, spiritual formation

“These were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised, since God had planned something better for us so that only together with us would they be made perfect.” – Hebrews 11:39-40

In a world that demands immediate satisfaction, it can be difficult to be on the working end. Surely there are things we request from God, yet understand are shots in the dark, never promised to us in scripture but not irrational to desire. But then there is a kind of waiting to witness the fruit of your long-term tilling and watering after seeing a promise given. That my friend, requires a different kind of patience. One that isn’t based on results, rather, endured through by faith.

The people of the old testament show us the real beauty of faith. As I was reading Hebrews 11, I could not help but be overwhelmed with awe as I read how our God worked through person after person to show His goodness and the value of this thing we call “faith”.

Starting with Abel and moving all the way to the prophets, we see Paul describe the way these believers did more than just good motions. We see their heart for God and hope for His promise drive their every move. This faith gave them a perspective unlike any other group of people on earth. It was more than just wishful thinking. It was the “confidence in what [they] hoped for and assurance about what [they did] not see.” (Hebrews 11:1).

Many of these great followers of God were given promises they altered their whole lives around. Abraham, for example, left the land he knew for one he did not all because of a promise spoken over him. Noah, looked like a fool for a while and dedicated so much time and effort to build an ark all because of a promise he received. And Moses went to the highest in command in Egypt and persistently demanded freedom for his people all because of a promise God gave him.

God promised these broken people incredible things. Not because they themselves were great, but because they were willing. They had open hearts and availability for whatever direction God sought to turn them in.

Not by power, reputation, or perfection did these people follow God. No, strictly, by faith.

Faith that He who had made the promise was more than capable and willing to keep it. (Heb. 11:11).

Now let’s be honest. A part of me looks at that scripture and wants to argue their faith was easier to obtain because they lived in a time where God audibly spoke to people. But then, as I recall the cross, I realize the gift we have now. We have the fruit of a promise they could only hope of their entire lives.

I suppose we each have our own benefits in time. Nonetheless, the significance and meaning of faith does not decrease in either era.

Just past a week, I arrived home from Germany after spending nine or so days witnessing God do incredible things. In and through people, I saw hearts move in ways they didn’t know they could. I saw hope grow. I saw joy and desire for God increase. And in myself, I saw awe overwhelm me in deeper ways than ever as I thought of God and who He is.

I often struggle on trips focused around strictly sharing the Gospel. Not because I fear it, or don’t want to. But because I do not understand what progress or success looks like. And without a goal, the feeling of incompetence and inadequacy creeps its way into my mind rather quickly. Yet, on this last trip, I left with one expectation: to expect the unexpected.

This was a statement I heard long ago and it has eased my anxious thoughts previously, so I had hoped it would do the same on this trip. Surprisingly though, the worst of my days was near the beginning. Normally my battery was not that short, but it did not seem to be getting any better as the days went on.

A part of me was disappointed in myself as I thought of all the opportunities to share God’s love and how they would be stolen by my anxious thoughts…then I stumbled across Hebrews 11.

I encourage you to read the whole chapter, as the “by faith..” statements stir up an awe of God like no other, but for time sake, I wish to highlight the last portion.

Verses 39-40 state, “These were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what they had been promised., since God had planned something better for us so that only together with us would they be made perfect.”

Track with me for just a moment.

Each and every one of those old testament saints were spoken a promise to. And yet they, like us, only got to get a glimpse.

It is considered the reality of the “now, and not yet”.

In this broken world, we will see God’s glory, but only a portion. The fullness of who He is will only be revealed to us, and His redemption for us will only be made perfect (meaning complete; whole) over us, when we are finally home – in the presence of our God.

Hope is not out of reach though. This “now” just looks different for us than it did for the Hebrews. All the promises they were given were leading up to Jesus. When He came, He brought a new covenant. One that did not rely on rituals or animal sacrifices, but on faith that Jesus was indeed the Christ and all sufficient for us.

The “now” we live in is that which gives us the opportunity to have a personal relationship with the Lord and the “not yet” our hearts so desperately seek is the perfect eternity that will come on God’s timing.

This sounds easy to accept when you think about yourself. But when we look to the task of testifying to others but rejection or dismissal is the only result, our hearts can get understandably heavy.

When you have a cure for something others are dying from, any human with a heart would long to share it. But the burden of the “now” is that we still live in a broken world. We still live with people who are blinded to God’s goodness because of their pain, pride, or passions. We still live in a world where sometimes, we will only get the opportunity to move rocks for someone else to eventually plant a seed in the soil beneath.

But…the beauty of the “now” is that we still live in a world where God is being accepted into hearts daily. In a world where the Holy spirit is active. In a world where spiritual chains are capable of being broken. And my dear friend, in a world where promises are on their way towards fulfillment.

I want you to reflect on the last part of verse 40. It says, “so that only together with us would they be made perfect.”

“Only together”.

Only with the “pioneer and perfecter of faith” (Hebrews 12:2) and as one body (Big C Church), can our work reveal the glory of who God is and show the value of our faith.

For hope has come. It is attainable. And by the grace of God, we can see many of His promises fulfilled with our every breath.

Once just a word (Messiah) promised to broken people, is now known as Jesus our savior. How true then is the promise that Savior spoke to us going to bring redemption, completion, and fullness to all of humanity when we reach eternity?

My dear friend, when I look at this world, my heart feels a lot. It feels burdened but also hopeful. And the nature we have that seeks immediate satisfaction does not help us grow a patience towards the timing of God. We often want good results and we often want them now. But who are we to demand fruit from seeds just barely sown? And who are we to expect results of a salvation we did not make happen? It is hard to accept, for what we want is a good desire. But may we never get confused about who does the saving in our hearts and our role as one body, who is made complete, only together.

We cannot do it all. And we cannot let our hope be found in that, for we were made to please God. To have faith in who He is and the plan He is unfolding. To hold a confidence in that hope and an assurance of what we cannot see. May we not grow weary in our pursuit of Jesus. Of holding onto a hope that has come and is coming again in the “not yet”. May we learn to let our hearts focus daily on the tasks God has set before us (Acts 20:24) and guard it from the hunger for our own idea of “good” results.

His timing is perfect. His plan is good. He is sufficient for you. And He has you in the place you are in now that you may continue living out the promise of redemption He gave so many generations ago.

You are the fruit of seeds your ancestors planted. You are a result of the family Abraham was promised. And you are the worker, together with every other believer, that is called to continue sowing…whether or not your human eyes will ever see the spring season.

Thoughts to Consider:

How are you involving yourself in “the body” (the church)?

Are you willing and available? What are some strongholds you have?

What is your mindset when sharing the Gospel? Do you struggle with a desire for a certain result?

Consider the way you respond to this broken world and the people living in it and imagine the difference the daily act of living out faith could change how you react.

“These were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised, since God had planned something better for us so that only together with us would they be made perfect.” – Hebrews 11:39-40

In True Awe of Jesus

Christian lifestyle, easter, Worship

“May I never lose the wonder of Your presence. May I always stand in awe of who You are.” – Fall Like Rain by Passion

The idea of being an offering has been on my mind for a while now. I have heard song after song reference that concept and a lot of the portions of Scripture that I have been reading lately have been reflecting that as well. Though I see great value in living that way, I kept thinking about how I would ever actually explain that value of offering our whole selves for God to someone.

Every time I thought about it, I would try to build an argument in my head with reasons that, I eventually realized, always led back to the death and resurrection of Jesus. The root of every reason I had to pursue Him came from His sacrifice. But not just because of what it did for me, more so, what that revealed about His desire for me. His heart that longed deeply for community…with me.

After weeks of making mental notes of the blessings, miracles, and purpose I have witnessed God give to myself and others throughout my life, it hit me. Though those things are powerful testimonies, at the root of why we ought to give our all to this God we cannot physically see is because of 1 John 4:19…”we love because He first loved us”.

As cynical as I can be, no amount of historical, scientific, or logical evidence gave me more reason to sacrifice all I desired, than hearing about the offering God chose to give for me. There is a way that truth fulfills my soul that nothing else can replicate.

I found it quite humorous that the timing of this realization came during Holy Week.

The Gospel message, to many, seems so obviously critical to drawing people to God. But for some reason, it took me weeks to come back to that awe. I am not proud of the complacency I have allowed myself to live with. Though, what a blessing it has been to see the death and resurrection as new again.

My dear friend, the blessings and miracles and words spoken over our lives are such beautiful moments that leave us in awe of God’s power. But may Holy Week remind us that our awe of His offering – His portrayal of His love for us – is what’s brings us back to the heart of it all. Of why we love Him. Of why we too, in imitation of our good Father, offer ourselves in love.

It is so easy to normalize the feeling of redemption after you hear the same message time and time again. But perhaps humanity has allowed repetition to wear things down rather than letting it cultivate deeper, richer roots our hearts.

Being in awe of something means to perceive it with admiration, reverence, and even some fear. Was there ever a point that we came closer to achieving glory by our own means? Or did God’s authority become less worthy of our dedication? For only those reasons would justify our complacency in our view of God.

During this Good Friday, still Saturday, and resurrection Sunday, may our eyes desperately seek to be in awe again of who God is as we remember what He has done. And may our souls seek greater dependency on His Spirit as we bring ourselves back to a place of offering. Back to the altar. Back in true awe.

March Musings: On The Inconvenience of Believing

Christian lifestyle

“For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of.” – Luke 6:45

Paul Tripp once stated, “I am a man in moment by moment need of the rescuing grace of my Redeemer.”

Such a short statement, captivated me by it’s depth.

The other day, I was sitting and thinking of how to grow engagement in my church when I realized the majority of the complaints I read online from others about various churches were based on things not being convenient enough.

In my research, I read parents complaining about driving their kids to youth after work. I read elders saying the messages weren’t a deep enough exegesis of scripture on Sunday mornings. I read comments about coffee’s not tasting good enough from people who never volunteered a day in their life.

Needless to say, I read a lot of complaints about the church not being convenient enough to satisfy everyone’s needs within the hour and a half service on Sunday morning.

However, I too am guilty of this, as I recall every remark I have made about service being far too early in the morning for me to ever be on time.

If you have not recognized it yet, we as humans tend to blame outside factors for our inconvenienced heart.

But my dear friend, as gently as I can say this…it’s not the church, the traffic, the bad coffee, nor the hassle of attending a small group mid-week that is at fault for your frustrated heart…it’s yourself.

Scripture tells us countless times that to follow Christ, we must deny ourself. That does not just mean holding in our anger at someone who cut us off on the way to work. No, rather, it means going against every desire for self-glorification and immediate satisfaction that our hearts hunger so deeply for.

Paul Tripp, on the topic of communication from the heart, stated that humans have organic consistency. As an apple tree is an apple tree from its roots to its fruit, what we speak is not sometimes “what we did not mean”, rather, it is what our hearts truly felt, but our mouths did not filter.

In Luke 6, we see Jesus compare the way one speaks from the heart to a tree that produces the fruit of it’s nature. Neither man nor tree can produce what is not truly at their core.

Then it hit me. Christianity is not hard because people may mock us.
I have been a Christian for nearly 10 years and can still count on one hand the number of bullies I had that were strictly because of my faith. Nor is Christianity hard because the church makes us join groups or serve in order to grow. Anything you want to do requires a sacrifice of time, so the question for the one who blames the church is this; is your faith not worth the sacrifice?

Those things may be factors that play into the struggle of being a Christian, but the true reason Christianity is so hard, so inconvenient, is because believing requires us to deny the desires that run through our bones and the hunger for immediate gratification and getting what we want, how we want it, when we want it.

The inconvenience of believing is because we are fighting ourselves, trying to convince ourselves of a hope we cannot see.

But the beauty of the Gospel is that we are not alone in this fight. The victory was already claimed by the resurrection of Christ.

The road to Him is narrow, inconvenient, and tight. It will pressure us, it will challenge us, but also discipline us to remain in pursuit of the only path to true life.

I love Luke 24:5, as the angel says to the women who went back to the tomb on Easter, “Why do you look for the living among the dead?”

Why, my dear friend, do you believe any growth, or new life, will stem from a perspective that the journey with Christ will be convenient in the slightest?

It is not hard because the church requires too much of us, or people think we are silly. It is hard because you made the decision to step out of a lifestyle of death and into one of everlasting life, while still living in a world that has been dead at it’s core since the fall of man.

So as you rationalize a life in pursuit of Jesus, do not seek convenience, seek the only source that can fully satisfy your heart…the only path to life we have. Perhaps the greatest prayer we so often forget to mention is the transforming of our heart, the shifting of our perspective, and the desire to love others more than ourselves.

On the Significance of God’s Righteousness

bible, Christian lifestyle

“God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement, through the shedding of his blood—to be received by faith. He did this to demonstrate his righteousness, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished— he did it to demonstrate his righteousness at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus.”
‭‭Romans‬ ‭3‬:‭25‬-‭26‬ ‭

Shame has been on my mind lately. It is an quite an interesting concept when broken down.

Though our bodies have a survival instinct, when shame is present, it is as if we give that up. Rather than fighting for life, we give into fighting ourselves into this belief that we are not worthy of good, and sometimes, not even worthy of life itself.

Shame holds the power to turn a soul against itself.

Now we have heard the value of God’s love preached a million times over. His love is what drove Him to fight for us even when we rejected Him. But what I recently came across was the significance of His righteousness. His justice. The characteristic that demands the virtuous thing. The just thing.

When I read this verse above, it was not just the cost of my sin that seemed to be forgiven, but also the effects of my sin that were overcome.

Yes, God loves us, and we can rest in that truth. But God also demonstrated His justice on the cross and through the empty tomb.

The cross paid the debt. The cost of our wrongdoings. The punishment we were responsible for.

And the empty tomb revealed that death, and it’s grip on our lives, has no power over those redeemed by Christ.

My dear friend, shame speaks death that has already been defeated. It is rooted in a punishment that has already been paid. And it bounds us in chains that are already broken.

The sacrifice and resurrection was not just the perfect display of love, but the perfect act of righteousness for the sake of making freedom available to those who did not deserve it.

Shame will come often. And as our hearts tends to forget the significance of God’s righteousness, shame tends to distract us from the reality we now live in; the reality of redemption and grace.

This is not that we may walk in our own pride, as Paul says in verse 27, “Where, then, is boasting? It is excluded.”

No, rather, we walk in confidence of the perfect atonement for our sins – being just that…perfect. Forgiveness for our straying, and freedom for our bounded souls.

February Musings: Reflection Of Luke’s Gospel

bible, Christian lifestyle, encouragement

“Why do you look for the living among the dead?” – Luke 24:5

I finished reading the Gospel of Luke two days ago. Though there were so many rich parts, this stopped me in my tracks for quite a while.

Over the last two years, I have prayed more than ever for a change. Not so much in the circumstances of life, but in my heart. Yet month after month, I felt despair gain it’s grip on my spirit. I thought, surely, this cannot be what God desires. I was told He fights for me. He loves me. He faced death for me. Yet what I endured, honestly tempted me to doubt all of that. It began seeming as though His grace did in fact have a boundary, and justifiably so, I stood just inches outside of it.

The reason I read Luke was because I knew a LOT about the Bible. I know a lot about the old testament, the history, context, and timeline of it all, but my relationship with God felt no deeper than that between a history teacher and I. I learned through what His Word said. I grew excitement over the stories that were told. But as a teacher holds a higher, distant relationship with their students, the more I learned, the more I felt the firmness of those walls between us.

Reading Luke without any commentary or elders walking me through it, I saw God in a new light.

[ I want to be honest in the reality of my struggle though. As I type this out, praying I word this correctly, in a way that points to the glory of the Lord like I want it to, I fight with myself. I fight still with the thoughts I had before reading Luke and I fight with the fear that what I say now may not highlight something that lasts. Though perhaps that is just what life is; a constant battle to choose Jesus over all else, even if our new knowledge does not erase our old feelings. ]

The new light I saw God in was not a feeling, though it is often classified as one. My dear friend, what I saw was God as Love.

I saw Jesus fight for our spirit (4:35), be patient in our frustration (5: 10), comfort us in sorrow (7:13), defend us in our brokenness (7:47), call us towards Him (10:42), rejoice over our return (15:5), relentlessly pursue us (19:10), delight in eternity with us (23:43), and my personal favorite…I saw Jesus willingly reach for us despite all we are (5:13).

Yet even after all I saw, my heart stumbles in confidence as I try to believe I am included in those He fights for.

Though just as real as my feelings are, the resurrection of Jesus is too. The only difference is that one lasts in truth and one lies in shame that has already been overcome.

By the grace of God, we get to choose how we walk in life.

But one thing you must understand is that your choice in how you walk determines everything…and there is no grey area. You either choose to walk in life or death. In no place will you find them truly co-existing. You may trip in your pursuit of life, but that does not mean you change your direction. The beauty of God’s mercy is that we get to walk in life even as broken people. Actually, what is even more fascinating than that, is that God Himself promises to walk that path WITH us.

Luke 24:5 was the response of the Angels standing outside of Jesus’ tomb when the women went to visit. “Why do you look for the living among the dead?” they said.

We may see this and think, “Of course, only a fool would expect life from a casket.” But do we not do that very same thing as we pray God cultivates life-giving fruit while we live with a mindset and walk that feeds death?

If there is anything I desire for you from the journey through Luke, it is that you long to know God over all else.

For when you pursue the One who is Life and Love, you will only find more truth to defend against your death-seeking nature. The things of Heaven bear what lasts. Over feelings. Over hardships. Over sorrow. Over confusion. Over all sin, is the consistent conquering of Love.

The resurrection was enough. It has to be. And as much as you may fight it, as I do quite often, it always will be enough. So why, my dear friend, are you seeking glimpses of life from anything else? For only a fool seeks life while watering what is dead.