May 5, Sunday

Spiritual Food for Thought for the Weekend

“What do you want, really?”

Exodus 24:3-7 (NIV)

When Moses went and told the people all the Lord’s words and laws, they responded with one voice, “Everything the Lord has said we will do.” 4 Moses then wrote down everything the Lord had said. He got up early the next morning and built an altar at the foot of the mountain and set up twelve stone pillars representing the twelve tribes of Israel. 5 Then he sent young Israelite men, and they offered burnt offerings and sacrificed young bulls as fellowship offerings to the Lord. 6 Moses took half of the blood and put it in bowls, and the other half he splashed against the altar. 7 Then he took the Book of the Covenant and read it to the people. They responded, “We will do everything the Lord has said; we will obey.”

As part of my daily devotional reflection, I listen to lectures and sermons from the late Howard Thurman, a pastor, theologian and modern-day mystic. In one such recordings, he challenged his hearers to ask a simple, but I think profound, question – What do I really want? In this he presses all who choose to respond to examine our lives and discern where our efforts and energies are directed and directing us. And to ponder what is really worthy of the offering of our energy and resources, our days and ultimately our life. I offer his words for your reflection today:

What do I want? What do I want, really? What is it that is the fundamental thing that I am after with my life? What is the meaning of all the activities, and all the strivings, and the struggles? What after all is my point? Am I really concerned ultimately with providing some windbreak against the world around me? Am I really concerned about the accumulation of economic power which will give to me some sense of quiet security and tranquility without the threat either of poverty or some other kind of insecurity that can be measured in terms of dollars and cents, of things and property? Is this the be all and end all of my striving? Or is it for something else? Perhaps for fame or a certain kind of honor so that my name or my memory will be preserved and men will take cognizance of my presence, not because of what I may be in and over myself, but because of the kind of image that my life projects on the screen on which other men are looking. Is this the thing that I’m after? What is it that I really want? What is it that’s capable of making me bring to bear upon a single end or focus or purpose all of the resources of my life, my thinking, my dreaming, my struggling. So that in the fulfillment of myself this thing will follow.

As I’ve pondered these questions for myself, I’ve been excited as some of the deepest desires of my heart begin to come into focus. I’ve also been sobered as I take account of my daily efforts and humbly acknowledge their distance from those desires. What are the deepest desires of your heart? Toward what end are your daily efforts and strivings directed? When you close your eyes for the final time, what do you want your life to have been for?

Yesterday, AMI family gathered to honor the life of Pastor Johann Kim. Since his passing on Easter weekend, I’ve read countless reflections on the impact of his life and ministry from folks all over the world through emails and social media posts. I’ve especially marveled this week at the kind of life that’s lived in such a way that when it’s all said and done on this side of eternity, family and friends in the midst of grief and longing are able to experience some measure of peace and even joy in knowing the eternality of the life and work of their loved one who has gone Home. When we are clear about our life’s purpose and when that purpose is kingdom-oriented, the impact of our lives will always be some hundred-fold, exceedingly and abundantly beyond what we could imagine. I am so grateful for the cloud of witnesses, the ancestors, the saints who have gone before us who were willing to live their lives in this way.

Prayer: Gracious God, I thank You for the gift of my life and all the resources You’ve store within me. I am so easily distracted by business and all that seems to be an urgent necessity. But, help me today to pause and ponder my purpose. Make me aware of my heart’s desires and my contribution to Your coming Kingdom. Help me to redirect and reorient any of my daily efforts that are misaligned with Your good plans for my life and the world. Remind me of those who’ve walked this path before and finished well. May their lives encourage, challenge, and comfort me on my journey. You Kingdom come. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: 2 Corinthians 5

May 4, Saturday

Spiritual Food for Thought for the Weekend

“I Can Only Imagine”

Exodus 24:15-18 (NIV)

When Moses went up on the mountain, the cloud covered it, 16 and the glory of the Lord settled on Mount Sinai. For six days the cloud covered the mountain, and on the seventh day the Lord called to Moses from within the cloud. 17 To the Israelites the glory of the Lord looked like a consuming fire on top of the mountain.18 Then Moses entered the cloud as he went on up the mountain. And he stayed on the mountain forty days and forty nights.

As I read the text above, one single question came to mind: “What was it like on that mountain!?” Moses went up to meet God on behalf of the people. Other than how long he was there, the scene’s appearance from outside, and what Moses brought down when he disembarked, we know little about what happened up there. What we do know is that Moses met God.

Can you imagine… standing in the presence of God? Can you imagine what it’s like to be, as the song goes, “surrounded by [God’s] glory”? What would that feel like? What would be your response? For now, we can only imagine. But one day, when God calls us home, we won’t have to imagine anymore. Halleluiah! And we have a greater invitation than Moses did at that time. Now, God’s people will not merely behold God for a time, receiving a covenant that will one day be superseded by something greater. Instead, we will be welcomed into the new heavens and earth as partakers in an eternal covenant. We will receive perfect bodies and hearts and live forever in communion with God and one another in an incorruptible world. Now, what will that be like? I am overjoyed just thinking about it!

One spiritual discipline I’ve come to value over the years, about which I shared earlier this week, is exercising my imagination in musings about the world to come. We don’t know much about that world, but we know enough about God to know it’s good. When we spend time thinking about life eternal and the day we will see God face-to-face, we find encouragement to press on in difficult times, hope for another day, and a joy in the face of despair. We find power, amid draining distraction, to keep our eyes on the treasure in the field and the pearl of great price (Matt. 13:44-46), worth the exchange of all we have and all we are.

One literary work that helped me begin imagine the world to come is C.S. Lewis’s The Great Divorce. While imperfectly groping at something mysterious and unsearchable, it highlights truths about our eternity with God through a fictional story about people making their journey to the other side.

For your encouragement today, I offer Lewis’ words:

They say of some temporal suffering, “No future bliss can make up for it,” not knowing that Heaven, once attained, will work backwards and turn even that agony into a glory. And of some sinful pleasure they say “Let me have but this and I’ll take the consequences”: little dreaming how damnation will spread back and back into their past and contaminate the pleasure of the sin.

‘…[In heaven,] what happens to [the Saved] is best described as the opposite of a mirage. What seemed, when they entered it, to be a vale of misery turns out, when they look back, to have been a well; and where present experience saw only salt deserts, memory truthfully records that the pools were full of water.’

And the words of the Apostle John:

And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. 4 ‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.” 5 He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!” Then he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.” 6 He said to me: “It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To the thirsty I will give water without cost from the spring of the water of life.7 Those who are victorious will inherit all this, and I will be their God and they will be my children. (Revelation 21:3-7)

One day we will see God face to face, and then the new world will come in fullness. I can hardly wait! How about you?

Prayer: Creator and Redeemer, in an overflow of joy You created the world and in a display of love You redeemed it. You graciously call me Your own and delight in relationship with me. I am so grateful. Help me today to remember that one day I will be with You and see You face-to-face. Help me to find comfort in knowing that one day all that is good in life and the world will remain and all the hurts and brokenness will fade away. This is what You have promised and I trust in You. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: 2 Corinthians 3-4

May 3, Friday

Devotional Thoughts for Today

“God’s Guidance Today”

Exodus 23:20-21 (NIV)

“See, I am sending an angel ahead of you to guard you along the way and to bring you to the place I have prepared. 21 Pay attention to him and listen to what he says. Do not rebel against him; he will not forgive your rebellion, since my Name is in him.

In every season and iteration of doing life with God, in biblical times and today, the people of God are given God’s guidance for life’s journey. For the Israelites after the exodus, a visible manifestation of God’s presence was given. A pillar of smoke by night and fire by day guided their journey through the wilderness. God promised, in the verses above, to send a heavenly messenger ahead of them for the purposes of both guidance and protection. All the people had to do was pay attention to God’s messenger, listen and obey.

It almost seems silly that God would command them to listen and not rebel against the angel. After all, they are in the wilderness with no clue how to get to the place they are going. God brought them out of the place they left and God alone could lead them to wherever they are headed. Furthermore, God is promising both guidance and protection. Why on earth would they rebel against that!? Well, we know how the story goes. The journey through the wilderness was long and hard and the hearts of the people were far from formed in righteousness. And, thus, rebellion was swift and sure.

I often wish we had physical manifestations of God’s presence today. A clear, audible voice to say do this or that and a visible manifestation of Godself guiding and protecting us every day. But even with those things in place, we too would rebel. And although we are without smoke and fire, God has not left us alone—we have the Holy Spirit. The Spirit is our help, who comes alongside us to guide our steps and guard our way. God’s Spirit within us forms our heart so that we are able to not rebel and so are positioned to experience the fullness of God’s promises, the abundant afforded in Christ. But sometimes, at least for me, it’s hard to know when the Spirit is speaking and how God is calling me to obey.

I’ve picked up a few tools over the years that have been helpful:

(1) Time in God’s word (Scripture), time with God’s people (fellowship), and time in God’s presence (prayer): God has revealed Godself in Scripture, God’s presence resides in God’s people, and God has promised to meet us in prayer.

(2) Contemplative practices and Sabbath rest: In contemplation, the heart and mind are able to slow down and become aware of oneself, one’s surrounds, and God’s presence (which is always near). Likewise, rhythms that honor Sabbath leave margin for us to sense God’s movements.

Regardless of your preferred practice, we must each find ways to sense the movement and hear the voice of God’s Spirit.

But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you everything, and remind you of all that I have said to you. (John 14:26)

Prayer: Dear Lord, guide me toward Your path, toward Your will, toward Your Son. Thank You for the Word and the Spirit through which I’m guided by You daily. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: 2 Corinthians 2

Lunch Break Study

Read Psalm 139:1-12 (NIV): You have searched me, Lord, and you know me. 2 You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar. 3 You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways. 4 Before a word is on my tongue you, Lord, know it completely. 5 You hem me in behind and before, and you lay your hand upon me. 6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too lofty for me to attain. 7 Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? 8 If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there. 9 If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, 10 even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast. 11 If I say, “Surely the darkness will hide me and the light become night around me,” 12 even the darkness will not be dark to you; the night will shine like the day, for darkness is as light to you.

Question to Consider

In the first few verses, what is the psalmist (David) emphasizing about God? Why is this such mind-blowing truth?
How does David respond to God’s intimate knowledge of and constant nearness to him?
How does God’s intimate knowledge of you make you feel? Does it encourage you or make you feel “hemmed in”? How does knowing God is always near make you feel? Fearful or safe? Why might you feel this way?

Notes

David is focusing on God’s intimate knowledge of him. God knows the intricacies of his heart and all the facts of his life. God knows his daily movements and is aware of his mundane activities and even his travel plans. Even when David thinks he’s far from God, God is so near as to know David’s thoughts. God knows his words and everything about him. Because theology teaches us that God is all-knowing, the awesomeness of these statements may be lost upon us. God is infinite and has no reason or need to be so actively mindful of you or me. God chooses this. Just imagine what it would take for you to exist in the kind of relationship with another person that was so intimate that you could make these statements about them.
Not positively… David feels trapped or hemmed in by God. Even if he wanted to escape, he feels like he couldn’t. That’s a fearsome thought. This is of course David’s initial response. Later in the Psalm he is thankful for God’s presence and invites God to “search and know” him.
Personal reflection.

Evening Reflection

Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. 2 Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. (Romans 12:1-2)

Two questions, informed by Romans 12:1-2, have come in clutch for me as I seek to discern the leading of the Spirit in my life. The first is, “God, what do you want me to do for you?” or, to put it a different way, “How can I offer myself to You in worship in this specific situation?” The second is, “What do I want to do for and with God?” or, “In light of my resources (time, talent, treasure) and the sort of person God has formed in me, how can I intentionally and strategically orient and direct the whole of my life toward the end of maximum Kingdom impact?” The first question is a micro kind of question and has been helpful in all the little decisions that come my way on any given day. The second approaches Spiritual guidance on a more macro level and has help me keep the end goal in mind.

What kinds of questions help you discern God’s guidance in your life? Spend time reflecting on Romans 12:1-2. What would it look like for you to offer yourself (your time, talent, and treasures) in worship to God in your present context? In light of your personality, gifts, resources, passions and experiences, what might strategic Kingdom building look like in your life long term?

May 2, Thursday

Devotional Thoughts for Today

“Let’s Celebrate!”

Exodus 23:14-17 (NIV)

“Three times a year you are to celebrate a festival to me. 15 “Celebrate the Festival of Unleavened Bread; for seven days eat bread made without yeast, as I commanded you. Do this at the appointed time in the month of Aviv, for in that month you came out of Egypt. “No one is to appear before me empty-handed. 16 “Celebrate the Festival of Harvest with the firstfruits of the crops you sow in your field. “Celebrate the Festival of Ingathering at the end of the year, when you gather in your crops from the field. 17 “Three times a year all the men are to appear before the Sovereign Lord.

In his book on spiritual disciplines, John Ortberg dedicates a chapter to celebration – the discipline by which one cultivates joy. God is a joyful God, but we, God’s people, are not naturally a joyful bunch. Joy is something that, on this side of heaven, must be intentionally cultivated. One way we do this is through rejoicing and relishing in the good (past and present) in our lives and in the world.

God makes celebration a requirement in the law because God is a joyful God. And when God’s people celebrate, they don’t just remember what God has done but throw an outright party as they do. Scripture tells many stories of God’s people and their festivals. These worshipful gatherings were filled with songs of praise, collective remembering of God’s faithfulness, and table fellowship (good food and drink). These gatherings were central to the life of God’s people. Jesus’ first recorded miracle was literally re-stocking the wine for a party. The culmination of God’s redemptive work in the world is described in Revelation as a wedding feast (think wedding reception, but only the fun parts… none of the awkward couple dances and toasts).

Ortberg retells the story of creation to contrast to the typical human heart with God’s joyful heart.

Imagine Genesis if God approached his work as we so often do:

In the beginning, it was nine o’clock, so God had to go to work. He filled out a requisition to separate light from darkness. He considered making stars to beautify the night, and planets to fill the skies, but thought it sounded like too much work; and besides, thought God, “That’s not my job.” So he decided to knock off early and call it a day. And he looked at what he had done and he said, “It’ll have to do.”… And at the end of the week, God was seriously burned out. So he breathed a big sigh of relief and said, “Thank Me, it’s Friday.”

Thankfully, this is not how the story goes.

On the first day, “God said, ‘Let there be light’; and there was light. And God saw that the light was good.” The first day was a Dee Dah Day [a day of celebration]. And God did a little dance. And the next day God said to the light, “Do it again.” And the light did it again, and God danced once again. And so it has gone every day down to this one—down to the morning of the day you were born; down to the morning of this day in which you read these words (Ortberg, The Life You’ve Always Wanted).

God longs to create in us hearts that embark upon mundane activities with child-like joy. In place

of boredom we can experience wonder. In place of self-important hurry, we can stop and smell the roses.

Prayer: Heavenly Father, You’ve sent me into the world to be a light and a blessing, and to celebrate Your blessed presence. May my faithfulness in even the most menial tasks be pleasing unto You and a cause for celebration in my life. May it also bless those around me. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: 2 Corinthians 1

Lunch Break Study

Read Psalm 150 (NIV): Praise the Lord. Praise God in his sanctuary; praise him in his mighty heavens. 2 Praise him for his acts of power; praise him for his surpassing greatness. 3 Praise him with the sounding of the trumpet, praise him with the harp and lyre, 4 praise him with timbrel and dancing, praise him with the strings and pipe, 5 praise him with the clash of cymbals, praise him with resounding cymbals. 6 Let everything that has breath praise the Lord.

Praise the Lord.

Question to Consider

Where does the psalmist encourage God’s people to praise God? What are some reasons the psalmist encourages the people of God to praise God?
How does the psalmist encourage God’s people to praise God, and who is called upon to do this?
What are your favorite ways to praise God? To what attributes of God and works of God are you most drawn?

Notes

In the sanctuary – spaces of corporate worship; in God’s mighty heavens (possibly a call to praise in the create world, allowing praises to reach the skies or a call for praise of God by heavenly beings). Essentially, there is no place on earth or in heaven where God should not be praised. God’s acts of power (what God has done); God’s surpassing greatness (who God is)
With musical instruments (accompanied by singing) and with dancing. Everyone! Not just everyone, but everything with breath (so the animals too). And elsewhere in the psalms we see that the earth herself, her rivers and mountains, give praise to God.
Personal reflection.

Evening Reflection

Ortberg concludes his chapter by reflecting on the nature of true celebration and joy:

True celebration is the inverse of hedonism. Hedonism is the demand for more and more pleasure for personal gratification. It always follows the law of diminishing returns, so that what produced joy in us yesterday no longer does today. Our capacity for joy diminishes. Celebration is not like that. When we celebrate, we exercise our ability to see and feel goodness in the simplest gifts of God. We are able to take delight today in something we wouldn’t have even noticed yesterday. Our capacity for joy increases.

True joy, as it turns out, comes only to those who have devoted their lives to something greater than personal happiness. This is most visible in extraordinary lives, in saints and martyrs. But it is no less true for ordinary people like us. One test of authentic joy is its compatibility with pain. Joy in this world is always joy “in spite of” something. Joy is, as Karl Barth put it, a “defiant nevertheless” set at a full stop against bitterness and resentment. If we don’t rejoice today, we will not rejoice at all. If we wait until conditions are perfect, we will still be waiting when we die. If we are going to rejoice, it must be in this day. This is the day that the Lord has made.

End today by reflecting on the words above with God. Are there patterns in your life keep you from celebration and joy? What are some practical ways you can cultivate joy by practicing celebration?

May 1, Wednesday

Devotional Thoughts for Today

“Another Look at Sabbath”

Exodus 23:10-13 (NIV)

“For six years you are to sow your fields and harvest the crops, 11 but during the seventh year let the land lie unplowed and unused. Then the poor among your people may get food from it, and the wild animals may eat what is left. Do the same with your vineyard and your olive grove. 12 “Six days do your work, but on the seventh day do not work, so that your ox and your donkey may rest, and so that the slave born in your household and the foreigner living among you may be refreshed. 13 “Be careful to do everything I have said to you. Do not invoke the names of other gods; do not let them be heard on your lips.

When was in college, shortly after I decided to follow Jesus, I was drawn to the scripture “Be still and know that I am God,” in prayer. I naturally concluded that the best response was for me to sit really still (and be very quiet) during my prayer time. ☺ After some days of living with this scripture and thinking through the idea of what it means to rest in God, I read an alterenate translation that translated “be still” as “stop striving,” and realized the Lord was inviting me to trust God with some anxiety-inducing situations I was facing at the time. Rest is about trust.

Every year I was in professional ministry, I taught discipleship courses to church leaders. My favorite segment of the course was one on Sabbath. Sabbath – the seventh day (or year) of rest commanded by God in the Ten Commandments – is so much more than a day to sleep or slack off on one’s regular duties. It’s far more about rest – resting in God’s presence and delighting in God’s provision. Through many books on discipleship and spiritual disciplines, I’ve learned that rest is also about delight. Much like God on the seventh day of creation, we cease our work not just to catch our breath (I imagine God didn’t need a breather from creating), but to delight in the work of our hands, our many gifts from God. Through Sabbath, we trust and delight.

The principle of Sabbath is certainly beneficial for personal wellness and growth. But the observation of this principle by the people of God was also of great benefit to those around them for two reasons: Sabbath creates margin for the needy and refreshment for those in our care. God commanded the Israelites to rest from tending their fields (the primary work in an agrarian society) so that the poor could gather food. God’s people were to organize their lives in such a way that those in need found opportunities to have their needs met. Sabbath was also for the purpose of others finding time for refreshment, particularly for those under one’s care. If we live busy lives, it’s likely our children, natural or spiritual, will too. If we structure our work environments with restless rhythms, those under our charge inherit those rhythms. If we create a society that doesn’t honor rest, the vulnerable among us (e.g. the foreigner) will have the least access to rest and refreshment.

Honoring the sabbath means leaving margin in our time, talents, treasures so that we (and our resources) are available to be a conduit for God’s blessings to others. It also means choosing life rhythms that allow those in our care and the vulnerable among us to find rest and refreshment in their lives.

Bible Reading for Today: 1 Corinthians 16

Lunch Break Study

Read Philippians 4:4-9 (NIV): Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! 5 Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. 6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. 8 Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. 9 Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.

Question to Consider

What does Paul tell the church at Philippi will enable them to exercise gentleness in their dealings with others? How might this help you do the same? How might this help us to always rejoice in the Lord?
What are the recipients of this letter encouraged to do instead of being anxious? What will be the result? How might this approach be useful to you as well? How have you experienced God’s peace in the face of anxiety in your life?
Why is it helpful to focus on that which is true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent, and praise worthy? What can this do for a heart that is facing anxiety-inducing circumstances? Spend some time thinking on such things in your life.

Notes

Paul tells the Christ followers in Philippi to remember that “the Lord is near.” This fact would help them to exercise gentleness in their dealings with “all” people. Remembering who God is, what God has done and will do, and that God is always near in every season will enable us to treat others with kindness.
Paul tells them to pray (talk to God) and petition (specifically, tell God of their needs and desires) while also giving thanks (acknowledging what is good and expressing gratitude). This will give the believer access to a peace, God’s peace, that the mind cannot produce or even fathom.
Difficult circumstances tend to be all-consuming and the mind is not necessarily wired to remember (in any palpable way) our former experiences of good when we are in the depths of pain, fear, or heartache. When a person disciplines herself to remember the true, good, and beautiful, we overcome that limitation and are able to see beyond our present difficult experience. As we do, we begin to remember (as Timothy Wright and the Chicago Interdenominational Mass Choir sang in the 90’s) that “trouble don’t last always!”

Evening Reflection

Exodus 23:13: “Be careful to do everything I have said to you. Do not invoke the names of other gods; do not let them be heard on your lips.”

In the same breath that God gives commandments regarding Sabbath rest, God also warns against idolatry (or worship of anything other than God). What is the connection between the temptation to dishonor the principle of Sabbath and idolatry? What are the other “gods” in your life that tempt you to overwork or fail to stop and rest? In what ways have you seen a lack of resting in God (trusting, delighting, and caring for others) affect your life and the lives of those in your care? Spend some time reflecting on these things with God.

April 30, Tuesday

Devotional Thoughts for Today

“God Who Delivers”

Exodus 23:9 (NIV)

“Do not oppress a foreigner; you yourselves know how it feels to be foreigners, because you were foreigners in Egypt.

This is the second mention of God’s concern for the wellbeing of strangers and foreigners. (This same command is given near the end of Exodus 22.) In this command, what God is calling the people of God to do is have empathy, caring for others in light of their own experiences. While we’ve never been slaves in Egypt and experienced God’s deliverance through the parting of the Red Sea, we have experienced our own forms of bondage and God’s deliverance in our lives, the greatest of which being the salvation afforded us through Christ. We must remember our former state and allow the grace of God in our lives to inform our dealings with those who are oppressed, vulnerable, and in need around us.

In light of this, I’d like share a QT I wrote back in 2013 on Psalm 114 – a song of remembering God’s deliverance.

Psalm 114 (NIV)

When Israel came out of Egypt, Jacob from a people of foreign tongue, 2 Judah became God’s sanctuary, Israel his dominion. 3 The sea looked and fled, the Jordan turned back; 4 the mountains leaped like rams, the hills like lambs. 5 Why was it, sea, that you fled? Why, Jordan, did you turn back? 6 Why, mountains, did you leap like rams, you hills, like lambs? 7 Tremble, earth, at the presence of the Lord, at the presence of the God of Jacob, 8 who turned the rock into a pool, the hard rock into springs of water.

This is a psalm that God’s people would sing at Passover. It tells of God’s deliverance of His people from slavery in Egypt and of his sparing them from the plagues of judgment (particularly the death of the firstborn). As we now know, God’s deliverance of Israel from Egyptian slavery and the Passover celebration (to remember that time) all pointed to Christ’s coming – when God would not only deliver the Israelites, but all of humanity not merely from physical bondage, but spiritual slavery to sin and death.

The notable element of this praise is that it highlights an appropriate response to the salvific work of God. All of nature yields to the work of God. The sea, river, mountains, and hills all tremble before the Lord and move according to His will. We see this literally displayed when the Red Sea parted before the people of God during the exodus. Likewise, the psalmist calls for all of humanity to follow suit and appropriately respond to God’s salvific work in the world. We should tremble before the Lord – in awe of God’s power and in full submission to the amazing things God is doing in the world around us.

Prayer: Eternal God, you alone can save and meet all of our needs. Sometimes I find myself thinking, “If only [fill in the blank with what is relevant for you], then I’d be satisfied.” But that is a lie. You have promised to meet all my needs and I trust that you’ll do it. In Jesus’ name.

Bible Reading for Today: 1 Corinthians 15

Lunch Break Study

Read 1 Peter 1:13-21: Therefore, preparing your minds for action, and being sober-minded, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. 14 As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, 15 but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, 16 since it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.” 17 And if you call on him as Father who judges impartially according to each one’s deeds, conduct yourselves with fear throughout the time of your exile, 18 knowing that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold, 19 but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot. 20 He was foreknown before the foundation of the world but was made manifest in the last times for the sake of you 21 who through him are believers in God, who raised him from the dead and gave him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God.

Questions to Consider

What three commands does Peter give us in this passage? How are we to carry out each one?
What is our motivation for following these commands?
Somehow in the mystery of Jesus’ death and resurrection we are given freedom from our old ways of sin. Because of Jesus, we are able to live life to the fullest. Is your hope set fully on Christ? Are you no longer conforming to the ways of your flesh? Are you living in reverence of God above all things? Take some time to commit yourself to God in these areas.

Notes

(1) Set our hope fully on the grace we receive through Christ: Not merely grace in this life but in the life to come. We have to live with eternal perspective of what God is doing for us through Christ – giving us eternal life. We do this by keeping our minds sober and ready for action – not drunk with sin and things of this world.

(2) No longer be conformed to our passions: We should no longer give ourselves over to the desires of our flesh because we are called to be like Jesus (holy). We do this through our obedience to the word of God by the power of the Holy Spirit within us.

(3) Conduct ourselves with fear: Instead of living whatever way we want during our time on earth, we instead live our lives with reverence for God. We do this by being mindful of what He’s done for us through Christ. He sacrificed His own son so that we may have a life free from sin. Our proper response to this is complete devotion (Romans 12:1-2).

Peter ends this section by explaining that Jesus came for us – Christ was made know to us so that we may have faith and hope in God. Therefore we do all these things because of what Christ did for us – not because we’re obligated, but because Jesus makes it possible. Christ died so we could have life to the full!
Personal reflection.

Evening Reflection

Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4 We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life. (Romans 6:3-4)

For those of us who’ve put our trust in Jesus, we have died with Christ so that sin no longer has control over us. And we’ve been raised with him, so that we can (through the power of the Spirit within us) live a new life. Take time to reflect on God’s perfect sacrifice and how you can take full advantage of the new life offered in Christ. In light of yesterday’s quiet time and our passage this morning, how might that new life include caring for those in need around you? In what ways does remembering God’s deliverance lead you to care for the vulnerable folks in your community?

April 29, Monday

The AMI QT Devotionals from April 29-May 5 are provided by Cami King. Cami, a graduate of University of Pennsylvania and Gordon Conwell Seminary (M.Div.), was a staff at Symphony Church (Boston) and Journey Community Church (Raleigh) for nearly eight years. Currently, she is on home assignment, waiting on the Lord His next assignment for her.

Devotional Thoughts for Today

“God is a god of…”

Exodus 23:1-9 (NIV)

“Do not spread false reports. Do not help a guilty person by being a malicious witness. 2 “Do not follow the crowd in doing wrong. When you give testimony in a lawsuit, do not pervert justice by siding with the crowd, 3 and do not show favoritism to a poor person in a lawsuit. 4 “If you come across your enemy’s ox or donkey wandering off, be sure to return it. 5 If you see the donkey of someone who hates you fallen down under its load, do not leave it there; be sure you help them with it. 6 “Do not deny justice to your poor people in their lawsuits. 7 Have nothing to do with a false charge and do not put an innocent or honest person to death, for I will not acquit the guilty. 8 “Do not accept a bribe, for a bribe blinds those who see and twists the words of the innocent. 9 “Do not oppress a foreigner; you yourselves know how it feels to be foreigners, because you were foreigners in Egypt.

If you were to list three words describing God or things most important to God, what words come to mind? Or, to put it another way, how would you finish this statement: “God is a god of _______”?

Love, mercy, grace, faithfulness, forgiveness, kindness, holiness, righteousness, and even judgment are words I hear often in response to this question (and understandably so). But one attribute of God that I take every opportunity to highlight is justice. “Indeed, God is a god of justice.” (Isaiah 30:18b) The laws given to God’s people (like those above), the words recorded in the prophets, and the witness of the life of Jesus all scream that justice is central to God’s character and a priority in God’s heart.

So what is justice? One theologian describes righteousness (which is often mentioned in the same breath as justice in the biblical text) as “conformity to God’s character.” It speaks to our likeness to God, our ethics and character formation. Justice, on the other hand, speaks to our dealings with other persons and flows from a heart of righteousness. Righteous is something we are (we are like God) and justice is something we do (we do as God does).

Oftentimes Christians describe our mission in the world this way: we’re called to love, share the Good News, and build God’s Kingdom. But what does that look like? What does love look like in a broken world? What does God’s Kingdom look like in the face of the world’s broken kingdoms? It looks a lot like justice.

Recently, I spent a week with Christian artists and influencers brainstorming ways to use their public platforms to advance the cause of education equity. After learning about the problems facing the most vulnerable among us (children), we prayerfully considered how we can get to work making a better world (as it relates to education). The efforts of these artists and influencers are just one example of what it looks like for Christians to begin to do justice.

We are transformed into Christ’s likeness and empowered by God’s Spirit to do good. This requires a willingness to confront interpersonal injustices (when we wrong one another) as well as unjust systems (that are structured to disadvantage and dishonor certain parts of our community). And we do all this because it matters to God how we treat one another. It matters to God that we create societal systems and structures that are equitable and honoring to all those whom God has made… and dismantle any that are not.

If God is a god of justice and we are God’s children, what does it mean for us to “be about our Father’s business” (Luke 2:49) in our world today?

Prayer: Gracious God, You have made it clear in the Scriptures that You are a God of justice. Open my eyes to areas of interpersonal and systemic brokenness and inequity in my life and community. Give me the courage and creativity to intentionally leverage my resources toward the ends of justice. Your Kingdom come. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: 1 Corinthians 14

Lunch Break Study

Read Amos 5:21-24 (NIV): “I hate, I despise your religious festivals; your assemblies are a stench to me. 22 Even though you bring me burnt offerings and grain offerings, I will not accept them. Though you bring choice fellowship offerings, I will have no regard for them. 23 Away with the noise of your songs! I will not listen to the music of your harps. 24 But let justice roll on like a river, righteousness like a never-failing stream!

Micah 6:6-8 (NIV): With what shall I come before the Lord and bow down before the exalted God? Shall I come before him with burnt offerings, with calves a year old? 7 Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams, with ten thousand rivers of olive oil? Shall I offer my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul? 8 He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy
and to walk humbly with your God.

Question to Consider

What do these two passages have in common?
What is the content of each prophet’s rebuke of the people? What were they doing wrong and what was God asking them to do instead?
If God sent a prophet to the church today, what might be the content of the prophet’s rebuke to us? Knowing that we serve the same God we find in the passages above, what might God have to say to us today? What would it look like for us to repent and respond favorably to this rebuke?

Notes

In both passages, God’s prophet is delivering a rebuke or correction to the people of God. God wants them to understand what true worship looks like. And God is very upset (particularly in Amos) – so upset that God will not accept their empty religious rituals (their offerings) and later threatens to send them into exile as punishment.
The people of God were settling for empty religious behavior (festivals and sacrifices) instead of wholistic lives to truly honor God. They were worshiping and praising God in their religious gatherings and making offerings according to the law, but God’s heart had not become their heart. More so than the outward rituals, God wanted them to allow righteousness to penetrate their hearts and justice to mark their dealings with one another. God’s people were supposed to build a community marked by righteousness and justice (as a society) and they failed to do so.
Personal reflection

Evening Reflection

Phil. 2:5-11: In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: 6 Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; 7 rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. 8 And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death—even death on a cross! 9 Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, 10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

A dear friend of mine often says that a good place to begin the work of justice and reconciliation (I add reconciliation because injustice breeds fragmentation that doing justice begins to repair) is to take inventory of our privilege and look for ways to divest. By that she means: see what we have that others don’t have (advantages, resources, access, etc.), and find ways to not just share, but to empty ourselves for the sake of those around us. Spend time reflecting on the passage above. What would it mean for you to “have the same mindset as Christ Jesus” in your present context? Who are the disenfranchised in your community? What would it look like to do justice with them in mind? What resources do you have that you can leverage toward that end?

April 28, Sunday

Today’s devotional is a reprint of Pastor Barry Kang’s blog first posted on April 6, 2013.

Spiritual Food for Thought for the Weekend

“Discipling Ourselves to be Like Christ”

1 Timothy 4:7

“Train yourself to be godly”

In my high-school years, I ran cross-country and I remember having aspirations to run a marathon one day. As the years have gone by, I have given up on those aspirations! One of the reasons being that marathons almost always seem to be held on Sundays, and I’m too holy to miss church!☺

But it so happens that the Boston marathon is held every year on a Monday, and so the thought once in a while crosses my mind. What if I could run? What if someone paid the entrance fee of thousands of dollars for me, and I was given an opportunity to run the Boston marathon this year? Would I be able to finish?

And the answer would be a resounding NO! The main reason I wouldn’t enter the Boston marathon is not because of the day it’s held, but because I couldn’t run a marathon right now. Even if my entire church lined up the entire way and cheered me on, I could not run a marathon the whole way. I’m just not in good enough shape. I would need to train. A lot.

It takes more than the opportunity to run a marathon. It takes more than having motivation and determination. It takes training, lot’s of training. This is obvious. Running a marathon is about training more than trying.

One of the greatest little books I’ve read on spiritual transformation is The Life You’ve Always Wanted by Pastor John Ortberg, from which I drew this nugget of wisdom:

“Spiritual transformation is not a matter of trying harder, but of training yourself wisely.”

Here’s the thought for today. What if running the race of life is a little like running a marathon? What if following Jesus isn’t a matter of trying to be like Jesus, but training ourselves to be like Jesus? What would that entail? For now, consider what the apostle Paul says on the matter: “Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it. 25 Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable. 26 So I do not run aimlessly; I do not box as one beating the air. 27 But I discipline my body and keep it under control, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified” (1 Cor. 9:24-27).

Prayer: God, help me to take my faith seriously enough to really discipline myself to be like Jesus. Help me to develop a habit of reading the Bible and praying consistently; help me to develop of a habit of being gracious to those who offended me and generous to people in need. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: 1 Corinthians 13

April 27, Saturday

Today’s AMI QT Devotional is provided Joe Suh who serves as a pastor intern at the Church of Southland (Anaheim, California). Joe, who was a practicing attorney in the area of civil litigation, is currently enrolled at Talbot School of Theology. He and his wife Betty have been blessed with two beautiful children.

Spiritual Food for Thought for the Weekend

“My Plan Sounded Really Good Until . . .”

Psalm 121:1-3

I will lift up my eyes to the mountains; From where shall my help come? My help comes from the Lord, Who made heaven and earth. He will not allow your foot to slip; He who keeps you will not slumber.

I once heard a very interesting quote from the former boxing heavyweight champion of the world, “Iron” Mike Tyson. In a prefight interview he stated, “Everyone has a plan until they get punched in the mouth”. In boxing this makes a lot sense, but I feel this applies to our daily lives as well. Basically, we all have a plan, but what happens to that plan when we are faced with adversity?

We all make plans for any number of things. We plan to have a daily quiet time; we plan to reach out to our family and friends to share the gospel; we plan to get our kids into a great college; or we plan to marry the person of our dreams. The plans go on and on. Some plans are more detailed than others, but to some degree we have thoughts of how things will go in our lives. Having a plan is a good thing; however, what happens when life throws us a curve ball or as Mike Tyson stated, “When we get punched in the mouth”? Does adversity or an unexpected life event derail us? Do we lose all hope? Where do we truly put our trust when things get rough?

I think about my life and the hardships I have had to endure. Not that my life has been some great struggle, but I would say I faced my share of challenges along the way. I had always thought that when the struggles came, I would be able to lean upon my Heavenly Father. In theory, that was what I would do. However, when challenges came, I would turn to my own strength or knowledge to get me through. My first thought would be, “what can I do”, rather than look to God. Sadly, this would generally cause even more struggle and strife.

Here, the Psalmist asks where does my help come from? We are reminded that our help comes from our Heavenly Father, the creator of everything. The psalmist is not stating that we will not struggle or fail; rather, he is sharing the promise that our God will be there for us. He is the one who has never left us and will catch us when we fall. The degree to which we fall may vary, however the promise is that our Heavenly Father will be there for us. He is our keeper and will not forsake us.

No matter what trials we may be facing or what plans have gone astray, remember that God’s hand is big enough to cover us all. There will be a time when we are punched in the mouth; but when that time comes, we have to make sure the wheels don’t come off the wagon. We need not solely on our own strength but be mindful to look to our Father. It is a choice that we must actively make. Let us all choose to know and believe that through it all, our Father is always there for us.

Prayer: Heavenly Father, once again I come to You in need of confessing that You have been an afterthought, a footnote, in my life far too long. Lord, when trials come, instead of calling another human being for comfort or counsel, remind me to get on my knees and cry out to You. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: 1 Corinthians 11-12

April 26, Friday

Today’s AMI Devotional is provided by Esther Shin. Esther, a graduate of Northwestern University, is currently serving at Tapestry Church in Los Angeles while studying at Fuller Theological Seminary.

Devotional Thoughts for Today

“Only You, Lord”

2 Corinthians 4:1-6

Therefore, having this ministry by the mercy of God, we do not lose heart. But we have renounced disgraceful, underhanded ways. We refuse to practice cunning or to tamper with God’s word, but by the open statement of the truth we would commend ourselves to everyone’s conscience in the sight of God. And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. For what we proclaim is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, with ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake. For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

Many of us reading these devotionals either are serving or have served in different contexts within the church. As it is now close to hitting the two-year mark for my time on staff at Tapestry, I’ve been reflecting heavily on my own heart of service for the church. Oftentimes, I’ve realized that when I don’t heed the biblical charges on how to approach ministry, I am not beautifying the bride but rather disheartening the disciple.

In this passage, we can learn about what it means to serve and minister well. First, Apostle Paul exhorts the believers to understand their privilege in being able to participate in the ministry of reconciliation. Paul knew far too well, given his back story, that God IN HIS MERCY chose to use Paul for the glory of Christ. Thus, he was reminding the Corinthians that in the same way, it was the plain mercy of God that allowed them to also partake. I know my heart is postured correctly when it is filled with joy because I realize the sobering truth that I am not required to serve but I get to serve. It humbles me to know that God mercifully chooses someone like me to be a part of His glorious ministry.

Second, because we understand the privilege of being able to participate in God’s ministry, we know to whom we are to be held accountable. We ought to be genuine and conscientious, PRIMARILY before God and only then SECONDARILY to man. Oftentimes I am inclined to serve out of the fear of man. But serving God should begin with understanding that we are called to be faithful to Him and to the gospel truth. We find immense freedom and no need to perform when we are honest before the Lord. We need to ask the Lord to continue to search us, to make known our intentions so that there be no false way in us. Only then can others around us see who Christ is through us.

Finally, Paul reminds us that we are called to be bearers of light because we’ve been changed and transformed by the light Christ has shone upon us. Even in our churches, we see so often how the “god of the world” tries so hard to deceive and discourage as we see people falling to depression and wrestling with their identity. But once we’ve received the light, we have the power to drive out all darkness as we minister. We don’t need to question the power of Christ in us through which we can walk with others out of their own darkness and into the light.

Prayer: Dear Lord, thank You for allowing us to partake in Your ministry and serve your bride. We recognize that we serve because you’ve brought us out of darkness into the light and we want to see others experience the same love. Lord, in our service, help us to be humble, help us to be genuine before You, and help us to be remain steadfast as we fix our eyes on You.

Bible Reading for Today: 1 Corinthians 10

Lunch Break Study

Read Revelation 19:6-8: “Hallelujah! For the Lord our God the Almighty reigns. Let us rejoice and exult and give him the glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and his Bride has made herself ready; it was granted her to clothe herself with fine linen, bright and pure”— for the fine linen is the righteous deeds of the saints.

Questions to Consider

How does the Bride prepare herself for her marriage to the Lamb?
Do your deeds help to beautify the bride? Do you understand that you are the saint?
What are tangible ways you would like to help clothe the Bride in fine linen?

Notes

She actively seeks to be readied and made beautiful for the wedding day. It isn’t a passive thing but one that requires intentionality. We, as the church, must always be active and alert as to bring heaven down to earth in order to make way for the second coming of the Lamb of God — King Jesus.
As a follower of Christ and as a saint, our deeds truly matter in beautifying the bride. We seek to serve in a way that allows for the bride to be made more and more beautiful and for others to be able to come and be part of the wedding day.
There are so many things we are called to do that are considered righteous before the Lord. Giving to the poor, loving on the widow and the orphan, caring for the sick can all be tangible ways to make the Bride beautiful. Encouraging your brother or sister to walk in holiness, extending hospitality to others, praying for those who are discouraged are also tangible ways to serve.

Evening Reflection

In light of the devotional thoughts on service, where do you feel like you stand in regard to service? Are you healthy in having the right posture in service? Do you feel privileged and humbled by God entrusting his ministry into your hands? Are you serving as a saint of God?