Fresh Blog

What Do the Wicked Deserve?

Tue, 27 Jul 2010 09:34:14 -0500

Scripture
“...that though the wicked sprout like grass and all evildoers flourish, they are doomed to destruction forever...” - Psalm 92:7

Observation
Those who do wicked and evil will be punished forever.

Application
Verses like this used to give me great satisfaction. Ah, punishment for injustice! Today, however, this verse fills me with sadness and compassion. True, the wicked deserve punishment, but do I really want anyone to be punished eternally? I have heard enough tales of evil people who were able to find salvation in Christ and turn their lives around. To simply sit back and enjoy the thought of their punishment while I could be sharing Christ’s love with them and sparing them eternal damnation is now repugnant to me.

Prayer
Lord, is this why you say to turn the other cheek? To pray for your enemies? Give me compassion for all, even those who don’t deserve it. Heck, none of us really deserve it.

The Law

Tue, 13 Jul 2010 09:34:05 -0500

Scripture
“This is the covenant I will make with them after that time, says the Lord. I will put my laws in their hearts, and I will write them on their minds.” - Hebrews 10:16

Observation
The law given to ancient Israel did not cease to exist when Christ died for our sins. Christ followers have the law in their hearts and minds. Instead of being a set of rules to try to follow, the law becomes part of our DNA when we accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.

Application
In one respect, we no longer have to follow the law because Christ was sacrificed for our sins once and for all. Yet, following the law (or surely the desire to follow it) is evidence of our standing with Christ. True believers in Jesus Christ will demonstrate their love for him in obeying God’s law.

Prayer
Lord, I desire to keep your commandments. I want to “love your law,” as the psalmist says. I thank you for encouraging my faith today, that this desire I have to obey does not come from the world or from myself, but from the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Israel’s Turn

Tue, 6 Jul 2010 09:41:32 -0500

Scripture
“Worshiping foreign gods has sapped their strength, but they don't even know it. Their hair is gray, but they don't realize they're old and weak. Their arrogance testifies against them, yet they don't return to the Lord their God or even try to find him.” - Hosea 7:9-10

Observation
Israel had turned so far away from God that they could not realize it.

Application
This certainly sounds a lot like this country, where sin cannot be called sin anymore. Instead of using this to rant about government and the culture, though, I think I am best served to consider the ways in which I have turned away from God to the point that I no longer see my sin for what it is.

Prayer
Lord, make my sin known to me and help me turn from it.

Yet...

Tue, 29 Jun 2010 09:37:45 -0500

Scripture
“...yet you did not return to me, declares the Lord.” - Amos 4:6, 8-11

Observation
The Lord has sent all these terrible things to Israel to get their attention, “yet (they) did not return to (Him).”

Occasionally I will hear my alarm going off in the morning, but I am kind of in that dreamy state where I can’t tell what is real or not. Suddenly, I experience a moment of panic when I realize the sound that I hear and I wonder how long it has been going off, if I am late, etc. If I were like Israel in these verses, I would refuse to get out of bed, let alone open my eyes.

Application
God gives me chances each day to turn from sin and do things his way. It is clear that he sends wake-up calls to us, often in the form of things that are undesirable. Yet, if the alternative to going through unpleasant trials is to drift farther away from God, I will choose the former.

The closer my relationship is to God, the fewer wake-up calls I should need. That’s my theory, anyway.

Prayer
Lord, I want to come to a place in my relationship with you where I don’t need wake-up calls anymore. Can I get there?

Asa’s Foot

Tue, 15 Jun 2010 09:41:39 -0500

Scripture
“In the thirty-ninth year of his reign Asa was diseased in his feet, and his disease became severe. Yet even in his disease he did not seek the Lord, but sought help from physicians.” - II Chronicles 16:12 (ESV)

Observation
The NLT states that Asa “turned only to his physicians (emphasis mine).” He did not pray when he was sick and trusted only in the medicine of his day. This passage seems to suggest that God had used this malady to get Asa’s attention, but Asa refused to look God’s way and he ultimately died from his disease. What would have happened if Asa had asked the Lord for help? Would God have extended Asa’s life and reign?

Application
God may use whatever is necessary to get our attention, even disease. If we do not look his way, we will face consequences. Most important, we miss out on the presence of God by looking elsewhere. God didn’t promise a complete relief from trials on earth, but he did promise to never leave us nor forsake us as long as we sought him.

Prayer
Forgive me for not turning to you in all things, Lord.