Getting A Facelift, Not a Face Full (A Reflection on Psalm 119:22-24)

 The following post is a reflection on Psalm 119:22-24, which reads,

Take away from me scorn and contempt,
    for I have kept your testimonies.

Even though princes sit plotting against me,

    your servant will meditate on your statutes.

Your testimonies are my delight;

    they are my counselors. (ESV)

Since the psalms were the prayer vocabulary of Israel, this is a prayer that Jesus would have likely prayed, for he was faced with scorn and contempt on multiple occasions.

Photo by Andre Hunter on Unsplash

Have you noticed the faces of those who show scorn and contempt for others? They become ugly and distorted in the process of verbally vomiting their inner brokenness in an attempt to break others. 

Photo by Tom Caillarec on Unsplash

And frequently, when a person receives scorn and contempt, their own face falls into frowns of sadness, grimaces of pain, and may even become twisted in anger. How can we have a facelift in such circumstances? Remember Psalm 3:3-4,

But you, O Lord, are a shield about me,
    my glory, and the lifter of my head.

I cried aloud to the Lord,
    and he answered me from his holy hill. 

Photo by Dan Meyers on Unsplash 

God is the one who lifts our head and our face in answer to our prayer. In Psalm 119, verse 22 is likely a lament—a prayer request—asking that God would turn away the scorn and contempt being directed at the psalmist. This request is made in the context of his recognition that he was merely sojourning here on earth; he was not home yet (v. 19). This is God’s world, and as sojourners, we need to follow his testimonies. 

In his commentary on Psalm 119, Michael Wilcock wrote,

God’s people have always needed to be reminded of this. Every day we walk familiar roads; This is our hometown, our home country, we say. Yes and no, says God. This is my world, and you are here as garîm, expatriates. ‘The land is mine, and you are but aliens and my tenants.’ [Lev. 25:23] That means you observe the laws and manners of your host country. We begin to see why the psalmist, a stranger on earth, cries, Do not hide your commands from me. He needs God's handbook for the duration of his residence in God's world.

What creates problems for him, and underlines his need of such a handbook, is the fact that though this really is God's world, there are plenty of people in it who do not behave as if it were (vv. 21-22). On all sides he sees the arrogant and the accursed, and their scorn and contempt for God's principles. He is bound to be affected, and fears being infected, by all this. He does not have to be abroad for rulers to slander him…[1]

I especially love his line about how we are to “observe the laws and manners of your host country.” While it is wise for us to do this at the human and international levels, few realize that this world doesn’t belong to independent people or even to nations; it belongs to the Lord God Almighty. Thankfully, the Lord and Creator is also our loving Heavenly Father!

However, it is also possible that this prayer could be more reflective than that. One of the dangers of law-keeping is that of judgmentalism directed towards those less spiritually mature. Do we need to ask God to take away the scorn and contempt that can rise in our hearts for those whom we consider offensively “other”? It is one thing to disagree with someone, but it is another to demonize and denounce them. Our 21^st-century culture is highly charged, so every spoken reaction, every written statement, every posted opinion, may either attract or repel in an amplified way.

Photo by Adi Goldstein on Unsplash

I know that when I look at the behavior of those who hate God and his word, and hear the vain ideas that they would want to enforce upon others, it is not hard to turn their scorn and contempt back on their own heads with an ample dose of laughter. However, that is not likely to win them over to the truth. Jesus said we would be mocked, just as he was. He also challenged his followers not to show scorn and contempt for others.[2] This can be very difficult. We are culturally conditioned to retaliate at some point. However, the psalmist shows us that there is a way that we can limit the risk of our slipping into a scornful, contemptuous attitude. 

Did you notice? Psalm 119 is the longest in the Bible, and nearly every verse points us to the answer we need. In the three verses at the center of this post, we see the psalmist engaging God’s Word in obedience, diligent thought, and heartfelt delight.

v. 22b …for I have kept your testimonies.

v.23b …your servant will meditate on your statutes.

v.24 Your testimonies are my delight; they are my counselors.

It is when we keep, meditate, and delight in the Word of God that we see the personality of God revealed, and it changes us for the better. It is not so much learning the words on the page as it is meeting the one who waits on the other side of the page, for they all speak of Jesus Christ (e.g., Luke 24:27; Acts 28:23; Romans 3:21-26). 

Photo by ROBIN WORRALL on Unsplash 

Is there another testimony that I have committed myself to follow? Are there other ideas, values, and mission statements on which we focus our deepest thoughts? Have we allowed something, or someone, else to become our closest confidants, the ones who help to direct our lives, other than God’s Word? If so, then let this psalm be the light that patiently and persistently sets you back on the path.

Jesus can identify with us in our pain, for he endured terribly scornful mocking at the hands of Romans and Jews alike. He knew that his followers would also face the same treatment. In John 15:19-20, Jesus made this very clear to his followers.

If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. Remember the word that I said to you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will also keep yours.

Not only should we not be surprised when we are on the receiving end of hateful and false speech, but Jesus also reminds us that, far from being a soul-crushing defeat, such undeserved treatment is, in fact, a spiritual blessing!

“Blessed are you when others revile you

                                  and persecute you

      and utter all kinds of evil against you

                                              falsely on my account.

Rejoice and be glad,

          for your reward is great in heaven,

                       for so they persecuted

         the prophets who were before you.” (Matt. 5:11-12)

Peter, who once thought of taking up a sword to defend the Lord against scorn and unjust arrest, finally came to understand the Lord’s way and wrote,

Finally, all of you, have unity of mind, sympathy, brotherly love, a tender heart, and a humble mind. Do not repay evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary, bless, for to this you were called, that you may obtain a blessing. (1 Peter 3:8-9)

The one who meditates and delights in God’s testimonies will embody the qualities of verse 8 and receive the blessing of verse 9.

Let his words be our counselors! They do a better job than Botox!

[This reflection was originally posted on my Psalms blog: Psalms-honest2god]

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[1] Wilcock, Michael, The Message of the Psalms, 199.

[2] In Matthew 5:22-23, Jesus forbids his followers from even calling others derogatory names out of anger. Paul wrote in Eph. 4:29-32, “Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.”

Lent: Borrowing a Devotional Practice from Church History

Have We Forgotten Our Roots?

Photo by Ahna Ziegler
on Unsplash

It has been my experience, over 40 years in ministry, that our Western Evangelical and Pentecostal churches, both large and small, are generally ahistorical. The farther west you go, the less connected to history we are. This has impoverished our spiritual lives in many ways. Ignoring Lent may be one of them. There has crept in an existential spiritual pride that thinks that we, today, are the best expression of Christianity and that what went before us has been superseded. While I acknowledge that the Church has progressively dealt with different issues over the centuries, and that theoretically should result in a church that only gets better over time, that is not always the case. We do well to learn from those saints—faithful men and women—who have prepared the way for us! Sure, some of them are somewhat like crazy uncles at a family reunion, but life is richer and more interesting when we can learn from our older brothers and sisters!

In recent years, there has been renewed interest in reconnecting to the historical patterns of the church. This can be a positive thing if we approach it not as a set of disciplines to which we must submit, but as a devotional expression of our faith in the finished work of Christ.

Photo by Samuel Martins on Unsplash

So, what is Lent anyway?

Lent is a 40-day period of fasting, prayer, and repentance leading up to Easter (Resurrection Day). Often in the medieval church, Lent was a very strict time of fasting (one meal per day with no meat, egg, or dairy). It was seen as an act of penance, not just of devotional expression. There were religious and civil laws that enforced the fast on the population.

How did we get away from such traditions?

Because of our understanding of being saved by grace through faith and not by works, many Protestants choose to ignore the season of Lent. However, there is wisdom and devotional benefit to be found in integrating the historic church calendar into our post-modern lives. The cycle of fasting, feasting, and the normal time in between can help ground our faith in the rhythms of the seasons. The feasts are deeper, richer, and more celebratory for having gone through the periods of preparation, such as Advent and Lent.

Ulrich Zwingli, By Hans Asper -
Winterthur Kunstmuseum,
Public Domain, 

At the time of the Reformation, Protestants moved away from such practices because of the excesses and false ideas that had come to characterize them. The Swiss reformer Ulrich Zwingli felt that his people had been greatly oppressed by the mandatory fasts of Medieval Catholicism. He took a hard-line anti-tradition stance that advocated that believers discard all church traditions that were not expressly commanded in the Scriptures. On the other hand, the German reformer Martin Luther took a more generous approach, allowing the retention of any church traditions not expressly forbidden in the Scriptures. A French reformer who ministered in Geneva, John Calvin, took a stance in opposition to mandatory and superstitious fasting, but he allowed that heartfelt, gratitude-based practice could be acceptable. Modern evangelicals could use a little less Zwingli and a little more Luther and Calvin.

Mardi Gras and Ash Wednesday?

Photo by Adam Bartoszewicz
on Unsplash

Mardi Gras is French for “Fat Tuesday,” and it is celebrated the day before Ash Wednesday, when the Lenten fast begins. We have all seen the raucous and often drunken behavior in New Orleans that goes on as celebrants live like hell before they have to enter a season of fasting for Lent. What better way to enter a fast than with a hangover and a guilty conscience! Although originally, such over-indulgence was a physical preparation for an extended time of deprivation, like a bear's fat loading for hibernation. Personally, I prefer the English tradition of “Shrove Tuesday,” which is celebrated with pancakes and confession of sins. Lent starts on Ash Wednesday, when believers often attend confession services and have the sign of the cross put on their foreheads with ashes. Why? Well, in the Old Testament, repentance was often done with dust, ashes, rough clothing (sackcloth), and fasting (e.g., Job 42:6; Esther 4:1,3; Jer. 6:26; Dan. 9:3; Jonah 3:6). Ashes on the forehead are a sign of our repentance and decision to follow Christ. Did you ever wonder where those ashes come from? They are traditionally the ashes of the previous year’s palm fronds (from Palm Sunday) that are burned and sometimes mixed with olive oil.

Why 40 Days?

The 40-day Lenten fast was originally done to connect with Jesus’ 40-day fast in the wilderness before beginning is public ministry. In the Bible, 40 is often seen as the number of testing. Throughout the history of Lent, many Christians tended to fast from fatty foods, including meat, eggs, other fats, and milk. In modern times, fasting (when it occurs) tends to focus more on abstaining from things like sugar, caffeine, alcohol, social media, and various forms of entertainment. This step of self-denial can help us more clearly embrace Christ’s command, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. (Luke 9:23)

While fasting is usually practiced “negatively” in the removal or abstention from things we should probably do less anyway, there is another way to fast “positively” by adding something into our daily routines that is God-focused or others-focused instead of self-focused. This side of fasting is tied to the words about false and true fasting in Isaiah 58. Such practices ask how, during Lent, we can spend intentional time relating to God through prayer and the Word, and relating to the church in worship, teaching, and encouragement, and relating to the unseen and unheard people that surround us.

Drawing Near to Christ, Together

Photo by Ismael Paramo on Unsplash

Recently, a student shared that she likes to keep Lent not primarily as an individual activity but
as a community-based experience with a group of friends where they all fast from the same thing together. They shared that last year they all gave up sugar for Lent, and it served not only as a devotional practice but also contributed to relational bonding with their friends as a result of their shared experience. I love that relational approach. While I trust that the Holy Spirit is the best source of ideas for integrating the Lenten season into your devotional life, I will offer a few suggestions as examples of ways you can positively participate in Lent.

Dead to Sin, Alive to Christ

Recently, I used flipping a coin as an object lesson to help us to remember how we should respond to temptation in light of our identification with Christ. Romans 6:11 makes two things clear—1) We should consider ourselves dead to sin (heads) and 2) Alive to God in Christ Jesus (tails). I suggested that when facing temptation, the students might use a coin as a reminder. Flipping heads reminds us that we are dead to sin (since most coins have the picture of a dead person on the head side). Similarly, flipping tails should remind us that we are alive to God in Christ Jesus. When we approach Lent, it is helpful to remember those two things. 

• Is there some sinful attitude/behavior to which we need to consider ourselves dead? Do so.
• Are there some neutral behaviors that, because of how much time and energy they consume, need to be set aside to draw near to Jesus in this season?
• Are there appetites that have become too controlling, from which we would be set free? Bring them to Jesus, deny them access to your members (Rom. 6:12-13), and say yes to God.

Taking time previously used in behaviors you are currently fasting from to intentionally draw near to the Lord Jesus. Here are some ideas…

• Reading and reciting the prayers of confession and repentance found in the Bible (e.g., Psalms 6, 32, 38, 51,102, 130, 143; Daniel 9:4-19; Ezra 9:5-15; Nehemiah 1:6-7, 9:5-37; Job 42:5-6; and shorter prayers in the New Testament like Luke 18:13 and 15:18-21).
• Reading through the book of Psalms each week or at least once during the 40- day fast.
• Reading through six New Testament books over the six weeks (Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Acts, and Hebrews).
• Reading devotional collections and guided studies focusing on the confession, repentance, and following Jesus.

Being intentionally others-focused…

• Daily pray God’s blessing and love on someone annoying, frustrating, or even hostile to you.
• Practice a daily act of encouragement to family, friends, and people you meet in the community (e.g., food servers, clerks, delivery people, teachers, school staff, medical workers).
• Look for weekly service opportunities to do with friends and family.

Less is More

Not many of us need more things to do. We often hear the adage that “less is more.” In a way, it is true. Any steps we can take to simplify our lifestyles, minimize distractions that steal our time and energy away from the love of Christ and the love of our families, is a step in the right direction. Any fasting we are led to do can help to break the appetites and addictions that so easily entangle our lives. Less is more. Where can we consume less to love more, give more, help more, and live more by faith? Lent should be an act of simplicity for the sake of service.

However, don’t take too big a bite of self-denial that you are not able to follow through on your Lenten fast. Our efforts to do good in our own strength out of a sense of duty generally lead to a sense of guilt and frustration. We need to ask the Lord what he would have us to do or not do for this season and then ask for his Holy Spirit to lead and empower us to follow day by day! Remember, our participation is not a way to earn favor from the Lord. Rather, our following should be from an overflow of the love of God that has already been poured into our hearts (Rom. 5:5)!

 

Have Nothing To Do With…

I was reading the Pastoral Epistles recently and came across this repeated instruction from Paul to Timothy: “Have nothing to do with…” (Gk: paraiteomai). It appears in all three of his pastoral epistles, including his letters to Timothy and Titus. This phrase also appears in his letter to the church at Thessalonica. It is as if the apostle could see that we needed multiple "Wrong Way" signs when it comes to being quarrelsome. There are slight differences between these admonitions, but it might be helpful for us to consider them in this season.

"Just to be clear" Photo: Greg K Dueker 2024

1 Timothy 4:6-8

For everything created by God is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving, for it is made holy by the word of God and prayer.

If you put these things before the brothers, you will be a good servant of Christ Jesus, being trained in the words of the faith and of the good doctrine that you have followed. Have nothing to do with irreverent, silly myths. Rather train yourself for godliness; for while bodily training is of some value, godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come.

This first statement of avoidance was made in the larger context of false teaching and false worship/devotion in the “later times” (v.1) as some “depart from the faith”. What God has created is good and should be received with gratitude. However, some advocated rejecting such good things in an asceticism of false spirituality. There seems to be a contrast in this passage between what is good— God’s creation received with thanksgiving, words of the faith, good doctrine, and proving to be a good servant of Christ—and what is not good such as “irreverent, silly myths” (v.7). In essence, Paul was saying, “Don’t waste time with bad ideas and bad practices.” Such ideas and practices are bad because they…

• Refuse what God has generously provided.
• Reject what God has consistently taught.
• Recenter spirituality on what we do rather than on what God has done.
• Relish what mankind has devised, regardless of truth.

Let’s combat such worldly distractions by receiving with gratitude what God has done and said. Far be it from us to add or subtract from the gospel message, to think that we have something to do with our salvation.

 

2 Timothy 2:22-26

So flee youthful passions and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, along with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart. ²³ Have nothing to do with foolish, ignorant controversies; you know that they breed quarrels. And the Lord's servant must not be quarrelsome but kind to everyone, able to teach, patiently enduring evil, correcting his opponents with gentleness. God may perhaps grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth, and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, after being captured by him to do his will.

The second avoidance passage is directed at “foolish, ignorant controversies” (v.23), seemingly in parallel with “flee youthful passions” (v.22). Why? Because the Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome. Why? Because Jesus wasn’t quarrelsome, despite his harsh words for abusive leaders. This instruction is a mantra for us to embrace each day as we contemplate texting, emailing, or posting anything online! To his credit, Pastor Karl Vaters has been reminding us of this by posting verse 23 on Twitter/X every day since February 9, 2019! I’ll let you do the math on how many days that has been. If you took away the foolish, ignorant controversies, how many social media feeds would remain intact?

The Grinch's Heart is Changed

This passage is so incarnational and redemptive in its approach to ministry. It looks for people to be set free! Does verse 24 describe our lives? Are we, who claim to be the Lord’s servants, living as directed?

“And the Lord's servant must not be quarrelsome but kind to everyone, able to teach, patiently enduring evil, correcting his opponents with gentleness.” (v.24-25a)

This five-fold admonition could be remembered by starting with a fist and then opening it up one digit at a time, starting with the thumb, until you have an open hand.

1. Not quarrelsome (thumbs up, not an angry-faced emoji)
2. Kind to everyone (not pointing a finger gun at others)
3. Able to teach (not cussing in anger)
4. Patiently enduring evil (awkward until you can straighten the last finger)
5. Correcting opponents with gentleness (not much harshness in a pinkie finger)

Where the goal is not to win an argument but to see a soul respond to the loving truth of the Gospel.

I remember a wise teacher in a rather contentious field who, unlike many of his associates, refused to schedule debates with opponents because he believed that debates didn't allow opponents to change their minds without losing face. However, he would do unlimited question and answer sessions in hostile environments to teach kindly and without quarrelsomeness. With this approach, students and other instructors could have more freedom to follow the evidence, not just defend their faulty ideology.

Titus 3:1-11

Remind them to be submissive to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for every good work, to speak evil of no one, to avoid quarreling, to be gentle, and to show perfect courtesy toward all people. For we ourselves were once foolish, disobedient, led astray, slaves to various passions and pleasures, passing our days in malice and envy, hated by others and hating one another. But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that being justified by his grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life. The saying is trustworthy, and I want you to insist on these things, so that those who have believed in God may be careful to devote themselves to good works. These things are excellent and profitable for people. But avoid foolish controversies, genealogies, dissensions, and quarrels about the law, for they are unprofitable and worthless. As for a person who stirs up division, after warning him once and then twice, have nothing more to do with him, knowing that such a person is warped and sinful; he is self-condemned.

Who was this passage addressed to? Titus was pastoring in Crete (1:5). What do we know about the Cretans? What were their tendencies? Many were “insubordinate, empty talkers and deceivers” (1:10) and the classic self-identification, “One of the Cretans, a prophet of their own, said, ‘Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons.’” (1:12) Paul’s entire letter to Titus addresses the issue that the badly needed kindness of Christ (3:3-7), that we have received, should change the way we live. Part of that change has to do with the content and means of your communication with others. We should not hate others, nor should we teach as doctrines the foolish ideas of fallible people.

In verse 9, it lists several behaviors to avoid, “for they are unprofitable and worthless.” James uses the word “worthless” to describe the religion of someone “who doesn’t bridle his tongue.”

In verses 10-11, the avoidance shifts from the behaviors to the person “who stirs up division,” because such dividers are “warped and sinful.” We have different cultural norms today, for we tend to praise dividers as heroic figures rather than warped and sinful. I think that even in this avoidance, we are not to rush to judgment, for Paul states that this should only happen after two separate warnings. Sometimes a prophetic correction takes a bit of time to sink in.

Sadly, this passage has been misused against those working to unite the church by confronting hidden sins. Accusations of sexual abuse or other abuses of power by supposed spiritual leaders are not included in verse nine’s topic ban and fall clearly in the purview of earlier chapters. Paul consistently addressed such issues as wrong and those who do them should have no part in the leadership of the church. Paul is not discouraging the rooting out of hidden sins but rather exposing the hidden sin of dividing the body, which should be one in Christ. By the way, in Old Testament narratives, the shunning of prophets never ended well for those in power.

What do we do when we disagree about what makes “a foolish controversy,” which should be avoided? I would like to offer two suggestions.

1. St. James’ wisdom tests are helpful to determine is something is foolish (James 3:13-18). For more on this, see my post, In The Meekness of Wisdom.
2. Ask ourselves, are we pushing others away from Christ and each other, or are our efforts encouraging each other to draw closer in trust, dependence, and good works? If so, then repent!

2 Thessalonians 3:13-15

As for you, brothers, do not grow weary in doing good. If anyone does not obey what we say in this letter, take note of that person, and have nothing to do with him, that he may be ashamed. Do not regard him as an enemy, but warn him as a brother.

Photo by Dan Meyers on Unsplash

This final Pauline avoidance passage tempers the statement so that we are not waging war in some kind of old-fashioned shunning of adversaries, but as a brotherly warning. Even in disagreement, we are still related. Are we becoming weary in doing good? Then we need to strengthen our weak arms and feeble knees in the Grace of God and keep going… together.

Matthew 27:17-23

So when they had gathered, Pilate said to them, “Whom do you want me to release for you: Barabbas, or Jesus who is called Christ?” For he knew that it was out of envy that they had delivered him up. Besides, while he was sitting on the judgment seat, his wife sent word to him, “Have nothing to do with that righteous man, for I have suffered much because of him today in a dream.”  Now the chief priests and the elders persuaded the crowd to ask for Barabbas and destroy Jesus.  The governor again said to them, “Which of the two do you want me to release for you?” And they said, “Barabbas.”  Pilate said to them, “Then what shall I do with Jesus who is called Christ?” They all said, “Let him be crucified!”  And he said, “Why? What evil has he done?” But they shouted all the more, “Let him be crucified!”

The only other time this phrase is used in the New Testament is in a very different context. Pilate's wife was not advising that her husband shun Jesus, but that he would not harm him (for Jesus was a “righteous man”). I wonder if her advice might be helpful for us as well. Does our focus on “irreverent, silly myths,” or “foolish, ignorant controversies," and those who are dividers abuse the spiritual body of Christ even as Pilate’s failure to heed his wife’s warning brought suffering and death to Jesus’ physical body? Paul warned the church against failing to discern the body present in their gatherings (1 Cor. 11:29) and against destroying the body/temple/church (Rom. 14:15, 20; 1 Cor. 3:17). A spiritual battle must be fought by spiritual means (Eph. 6:12ff).

We would do well to remember that the crowd and their agitators can still manipulate the narrative to the point where we can no longer heed the warnings we receive. Who do we allow to be voices of value in our lives?

 

Wasting Away, but Renewed (A SOAP Journal from 2 Cor 4)

S = 2 Corinthians 4:1, 16-18

"Inner Light" Photo by Greg K. Dueker (2025)

v. 1 Therefore, having this ministry by the mercy of God, we do not lose heart... 

v. 16-18 So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.

O = This chapter begins with the declaration that, having received what they had by the mercy of God, Paul and his companions did not “lose heart.”

Now, at the end of the chapter, we see their testimony again: “We do not lose heart.” While physically, we all begin to waste away as we age. Some illnesses, accidents, and poor decisions all impact the rate at which we waste away… but no one escapes it. However, what is inside of us, what Paul called “our inner self,” can and should be renewed each day. But are we? As we age, are we becoming more infused with the light of eternity? Paul said that it depends on what we look at.

On one hand, if we allow the temporal things to become our focus, we can become envious and frustrated, growing increasingly angry, bitter, and unpleasant to be around. Paul called the deadly affliction he faced “light” and “momentary,” despite having a more extensive resume of suffering than most of us will ever face (see Chapter 11).

A = The older we get, the thinner our skin gets, both physically and spiritually. What is inside of us becomes more visible as our ability to hide the condition of our soul diminishes. Some people shine even brighter than ever with gladness and gratitude, while others complain and criticize nonstop.  

Paul was realistic. He saw firsthand the toll, on top of normal aging, that persecution could exact upon people. However, though he suffered terribly, he never became bitter, for he looked to the unseen and eternal things. If we focus on greed and fear surrounding temporal things, we will become even more temporal as we distance ourselves from our eternal inheritance. If we focus our faith and hope upon that which is eternal, then eternity will creep into every aspect of our lives.

Photo by keem-ibarra on Unsplash

As followers of Christ and as leaders in the church, the question we face is, to what will we look today, this week, and in this season? To the volatility of our worldly investments or the security of our eternal investments? Will we be easily shaken by bad news, bad weather, bad politics, and bad people? Or will we be encouraged by the overflowing goodness of God and the continual working of the Holy Spirit on our behalf? Will we mourn what is passing/wasting away or rejoice in what is progressively being revealed?

In his letter to the church at Philippi, Paul shared how he applied this concept in his life.

He not only had left his failures, mistakes, and other sins behind at the cross of Christ, he had learned to consider even what he had previously considered to be his qualifications and commendable qualities as loss, even as garbage or dung, when compared to the riches of knowing Christ Jesus and sharing in both his sufferings and in his resurrection (Phil. 3:3-11).

When you read 2 Corinthians through, it sounds very similar.

P = Heavenly Father, Lord Jesus, Gracious Holy Spirit, thank you for saving me from my sins and naturalizing me into your eternal kingdom. Please show me how to see the daily inroads of eternity and not get so tied up in knots by what you call transitory things. Please give me eyes to see how you value people, things, events, etc., so that I won’t be fooled by their false promises. Your word says that every good and perfect gift comes down from you, Lord, and I am grateful. However, sometimes I get confused about what is good and perfect, so please keep teaching me! Amen.

 

 

 

Staying Near the Chariot: A SOAP Journal Based on Acts 8

Today was the Daytona 500 stockcar race, where the cars drive very fast and very close to each other... and sometimes crash. This racetrack drafting, in a strange way, reminded me of Phillip, at the Spirit's command, running to stay near the Ethiopian's chariot. The following SOAP journal was originally posted on a blog where pastors were journaling along with their sermon series. I wrote it a long time ago, but today, as I re-read it, it ministered to me again, and I hope it might also minister to you where you are today!

If you are not familiar with the term, we used the SOAP acronym as a simple devotional guide... standing for:

• Scripture—what verse or short section caught my attention today? 
  
• Observation—what can I briefly notice that the passage specifically says?
• Application—what will I do differently as a result of having read this today?
• Prayer—what will I ask the Triune God to do for, in, and through me today?

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S = Acts 8:26-31 

Now an angel of the Lord said to Philip, “Go south to the road—the desert road—that
goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.”

So he started out, and on his way he met an Ethiopian eunuch, an important official in charge of all the treasury of the Candace (which means “queen of the Ethiopians”). This man had gone to Jerusalem to worship, and on his way home was sitting in his chariot reading the Book of Isaiah the prophet.

The Spirit told Philip, “Go to that chariot and stay near it.”

Then Philip ran up to the chariot and heard the man reading Isaiah the prophet. “Do you understand what you are reading?” Philip asked.

“How can I,” he said, “unless someone explains it to me?” So he invited Philip to come up and sit with him. 

O = This man, Phillip, was one of the seven men chosen to “wait tables” so that the Hellenist (Greek-speaking) widows got their fair share of the distribution of bread (6:1-7). Is it any surprise that we see this Spirit-filled man sharing the “bread” of the gospel of Jesus Christ with people of other cultures, even at great risk to himself (his co-worker Stephen had just been killed)? Here are three other simple observations I made.

• Saul’s persecution had scattered the Christians from Jerusalem, and Philip went out boldly preaching the gospel (lit., good news), not complaining about persecution (the bad news), and people paid attention (8:4-8). It seems to me that we rarely hear what the Spirit is saying when we are busy complaining. 
• The Spirit-led witnessing of Phillip happened as he responded in trusting obedience to simple (but incomplete) instructions. 
• Finally, God cared enough about a disabled Ethiopian accountant to send a special messenger, Phillip, to him. This assignment was not a stretch for a man who had ministered to both the overlooked (6:1-7) and the overwhelmed (8:4-8), to now overtake the perplexed official and open the Word of God to him. 

Jesus is for everyone, but Jesus is also the only way. Transformational!

brett-jordan on Unsplash

A = When the Spirit says “Go,” why do I so often overthink and under-obey? If I want to be Spirit-led, I must not only be quick to hear and obey what he says to all Christians through the Bible, but also be willing to trust those small fragmentary promptings he speaks to my heart. By fragmentary, I mean that rarely do we see the second and third steps until we take the first. How long do I need to run alongside this person’s chariot? The Spirit didn’t tell Phillip, so I guess that means as long as it takes. When can I share what I know? When I am asked to do so…until then, I need to keep running beside the chariot! So, in my multi-cultural, multi-ethnic context, how willing am I to stay near another’s cultural “chariot”? Will I take the time to learn about them and to enter into authentic conversations concerning their questions about Christ? I hope so.

P = O Lord, may I be quick to obey your voice and patient to wait for the right moment to give an answer. May my interest and care for others make them thirsty enough to ask for a drink, and may my words be true to yours so that a cup of kindness grows into the baptism of a transformed life. Start the process in me today so that I have something truly good to share with others. Amen.