All the Days of My Life
The LORD is my shepherd; I have everything I need.
Psalm 23:1
When Isaiah the prophet lamented that aAll of us have strayed away like sheep. We have left G.o.das paths to follow our owna (Isa. 53:6), it was not a compliment to be compared to sheep. Sheep have an infuriating tendency to wander and, not infrequently, to end up in deep trouble. Men have the same tendency. But not all sheep wander. Some seem to find an antidote to their restlessnessa"they settle down with a watchful shepherd. That is precisely what men need as well.
David, as we know, was no stranger to sheep. He spent many long and lonely hours shepherding on the hills surrounding Bethlehem, guarding against lions and bears and leading his charges to water and pasture. The simple words of Davidas most famous psalm capture the beauty of a sheepas life under the gracious care of a shepherda"or more accurately, the splendor of a manas life lived under the shepherding of the Lord.
The ability to say aI have everything I needa (23:1) is a rarity in todayas consumer-oriented society. We are bombarded by skillfully-directed advertising that plays on our innermost fears and longings and blurs the distinction between needs and wants, necessities and luxuries. It is becoming harder to find arest in green meadowsa and peace abeside peaceful streamsa (23:2). Men are fighting the rush of modern life in the concrete jungle.
The man who can testify truthfully aThe Lord is my shepherda (23:1) can also speak of how this fundamental truth has made an impact on his life. And not just occasionally, but aall the days of [his] lifea (23:6). To know the place where astrengtha can be renewed and guidance along aright pathsa (23:3) can be found is to be a.s.sured and encouraged in the midst of modern uncertainty. A man can have this confidence even when called upon by lifeas vicissitudes to awalk through the dark valleya (23:4) and to live ain the presence of [oneas] enemiesa (23:5). When the Lord is our shepherd, he gives the grace anot [to] be afraida and to testify, aMy cup overflows with blessingsa (23:4-5). To experience this is to live at a level not known by many a man.
Should it be objected that all this sounds too good to be true, the response must bea"it is! That is, unless the Lord is shepherding. Then his agoodness and unfailing lovea (23:6) will pursue even the potentially wayward sheep, like divinely directed sheepdogs.
And that is not the end of it. When aall the days of [his] lifea are over, the well-shepherded man will alive in the house of the Lord forevera (23:6). What a way to go!
April 10
TO READ: Mark 9:38-50
Heart to Heart
[Jesus] sat down and called the twelve disciples over to him. Then he said, aAnyone who wants to be the first must take last place and be the servant of everyone else.a Mark 9:35
Good coaches know that when things are going badly, it is necessary to call a team meeting. It happens in families, too; Father decides it is time to call everybody together to go over basic family rules. And businesses do the same thing; management closes down the operation for a day, calls the staff together, and addresses the issues that need to be confronted.
There is a great precedent for this approach. Jesus did it with his disciples: aHe sat down and called the twelve disciples over to hima (Mark 9:35), and he began to go over some of the things that he had decided needed special emphasis!
Jesus started with the issue of spiritual pecking order, which the disciples were apparently concerned about. He said, aAnyone who wants to be the first must take last place and be the servant of everyone elsea (9:35). They couldnat argue, because Jesus modeled it! Then he addressed their elitist att.i.tude toward their ministry. They had come across somebody who was using the name of Jesus to cast out demons, but because he did not belong to the twelve they atold him to stopa (9:38). Jesus said that was the wrong thing to do. If the man was genuinely operating in the name of Jesusa"that is, out of a genuine relationship with Christa"there was no problem with him doing the same type of ministry as Christ and his twelve disciples were doing.
Then Jesus turned his attention to the subject of causing people to be hindered in their spiritual lives. He told them, aIf anyone causes one of these little ones who trusts in me to lose faith, it would be better for that person to be thrown into the sea with a large millstone around the necka (9:42). Harsh words indeed. The little ones to whom he referred could have been either the children who were gathered around or young believers like the man who was casting out demons. Either way, the message was clear. Using dramatic, symbolic language to make his point, Jesus warned of the consequences of sin, not only in terms of the harm it does to others but also with regard to the eternal destiny of the sinner. The point of the heart-to-heart talk was to remind his disciples that they were called to be speciala"asaltyaa"and that they were in danger of becoming ordinarya"of losing their flavor!
Att.i.tudes and actions speak loudly and make a profound, sometimes detrimental, impact on other people. Rather than be responsible for causing someone else ato lose faith,a strict discipline should be self-imposed. That way, men who follow Jesus can keep their Christlike flavor. Jesus likes his salt salty!
April 11
TO READ: Mark 10:1-16
Marriage and Divorce
G.o.das plan was seen from the beginning of creation, for aHe made them male and female.a This explains why a man leaves his father and mother and is joined to his wife, and the two are united into one.
Mark 10:6-8
From the beginning of creation G.o.d ordained physical laws for the universe. The law of gravity and the laws of thermodynamics are well-established realities. When we acknowledge and adhere to them in our daily lives, they prove highly beneficial and ensure that life proceeds smoothly. However, should we attempt to contravene natural laws, for instance by stepping off a skysc.r.a.per or sitting on a hot stove, then negative things happen and consequences are incurred.
In the same way, G.o.d ordained societal laws for the well-being of those of us who are privileged to live in his wonderful world. Jesus reminded his questioners of some of these fundamental laws when he was challenged by a question. The question, designed ato trap him,a was, aShould a man be allowed to divorce his wife?a (Mark 10:2-3). In our own society, given the high incidence of divorce, it is almost a.s.sumed that a man can divorce his wife whenever and why-ever he wishes.
But it was not so in Jesusa day. In fact, divorce was the subject of heated debate. Some rabbis, like Hillel, taught that divorce was legitimate for the most trivial, flippant reasonsa"but only for men! Others, like Shammai, adopted a conservative stance about divorce and condemned the teachings and att.i.tudes of men like Hillel.
Jesusa questioners were trying to get him to say something on the subject that they could later use against him. Jesus replied, as he so often did, by asking a question, aWhat did Moses say about divorce?a (10:3). To this they replied, aWell, he permitted ita (10:4). Jesus established that divorce was permissible during Mosesa time, but only as a aconcessiona to peopleas ahard-hearted wickednessa (10:5). In other words, it was not G.o.das ideal. Jesus immediately explained, aBut G.o.das plan was seen from the beginning of creation, for, aHe made them male and female.a This explains why a man leaves his father and mother and is joined to his wife, and the two are united into onea (10:6-8).
G.o.das ideal is very clear. A man and a woman come together in marriage, they have children whom they raise in the safety and love of a home, the children eventually leave home, they get married, they have children, and the cycle of human life and well-being continues. Like divinely ordained natural laws, these societal principles are designed for mankindas well-being. And like the physical laws, negative consequences are incurred when we attempt to contravene them.
Society needs to obey G.o.das laws of marriage and family. But what about people who disobey and finish up divorced? They need care, too. In fact, one of the greatest challenges facing the contemporary church is, aHow do we uphold the divine principles of marriage and family while at the same time caring for those whose marriages have failed and whose families are in shambles?a That is a question we need to think seriously about!
April 12
TO READ: Hebrews 12:1-13
Running the Race
Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily hinders our progress. And let us run with endurance the race that G.o.d has set before us. We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, on whom our faith depends from start to finish.
Hebrews 12:1-2
When, in 490 B.C., the Greeks won a mighty victory over the Persians, one of the victorious soldiers reputedly ran the 25 miles from Marathon to Athens to bring the good news to his compatriots. Many years later, in 1896, the modern Olympic Committee introduced a long distance footrace, which they called the amarathon.a In 1924, the distance of the race was standardized at 26 miles 385 yards. This race has now become the final event of the modern Olympic gamesa"a fitting climax to many athletic achievements. At the end of their grueling race, the compet.i.tors circle the track to the cheers of the people in the crowded stands.
The original readers of the New Testament letters were familiar with the ancient Olympic gamesa"the precursors of the modern Olympics. So they had no difficulty getting the message when they read, aTherefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily hinders our progress. And let us run with endurance the race that G.o.d has set before usa (Heb. 12:1). We, too, should have no trouble getting the message! Strict training, suitable clothing, skillful tactics, and enormous self-control and self-discipline are all critical factors in modern distance running. And the fact that the race is being run before huge viewing audiences adds to the intensity of the event for the compet.i.tors.
So the modern believer is exhorted to aruna the life of faith seriously. He is not to enter the race casually, nor to partic.i.p.ate in it halfheartedly. He is to run it with intensity and endurance.
The modern distance runner can look back to the feats of such great athletes as the Czech runner Emil Zatopek, who won the five thousand meters, the ten thousand meters, and the marathon at the 1952 Olympics. In the same way, the modern believer is encouraged to remember the feats of faith of such men as Abraham and Noah, Paul and Stephen, and to be encouraged and challenged by their examples.
Above all, believers are to focus on Jesus, athe Originator and Perfecter of our faitha (Heb. 12:2, NLT note), who sits at the finishing line. It was he who showed us the way: enduring the pain, steadfastly completing his task, and finally triumphing over the enemy. And it is following him that we run, under his watchful eye and loving care. It is for him we compete, and it is to him that we speed our way through life. He will not award us a physical gold medal, but we can antic.i.p.ate a glorious welcome at the end of our race. Finishing well and seeing him will be reward enough!
April 13
TO READ: 1 Corinthians 1:1-18
The Main Thing
Now, dear brothers and sisters, I appeal to you by the authority of the Lord Jesus Christ to stop arguing among yourselves. Let there be real harmony so there wonat be divisions in the church. I plead with you to be of one mind, united in thought and purpose.
1 Corinthians 1:10
The Vietnam War remains one of the most troubling and exasperating chapters in American history. Having been drawn into what General De Gaulle warned President Kennedy would be a aquagmire,a the mightiest nation in the world was soundly defeated by a relatively small group of peasant-guerrillas. Endless postmortems have been held since those sad days, but it is widely believed that disagreement between the politicians and the generals was a major part of the problem. The U.S. military had the means and the will to demolish the Vietnamese infrastructurea"but the politicians did not have the will. Discord resulted, and uncertainty prevailed. In stark contrast to the American ambivalence to the war, Ho Chi Minh won the day through sheer determination and unwavering objectives.
Lack of focus and inner turmoil spell defeat for any organization, not least the church. Take, for instance, the church in Corinth. The Corinthian believers were blessed with athe generous giftsa G.o.d had given them, aenriched . . . with the gifts of eloquence and every kind of knowledgea (1 Cor. 1:4-5); they were strategically positioned in one of the most influential parts of the ancient world; and they had been taught and trained by the great apostle Paul himself. Yet this church had failed miserably to reach her potential. There were a number of reasons, but heading the list were the deadly twins: lack of focus and inner turmoil.
The church in Corinth had been blessed by good ministry, not only from Paul but also from such luminaries as Peter and Apollos. Peter, Paul, and Apollos were, of course, uniquea"they had differing temperaments and personalities, and no doubt each of them appealed to different segments of the church. There is nothing wronga"or unusuala"about that. What was wrong, however, was the divisive partisanship that had developed in the community of believers. Some said, aI am a follower of Paul.a Others said, aI follow Apollos,a or aI follow Peter,a or aI follow only Christa (1:12). The result was lack of harmony, the dissipation of spiritual energy on internal struggles, and a reputation for conflict and turmoil. What a singularly unattractive image to project to a skeptical and needy city!
Lost in the partisan struggles was any sense of the amain thing.a But not by Paul. He reminded the Corinthians, aChrist didnat send me to baptize, but to preach the Good Newsa"not with clever speeches and high-sounding ideas, for fear that the cross of Christ would lose its powera (1:17). The main thingsa"aGood Newsa and the across of Christaa"were the focus that the church had lost. The main things were no longer the main things.
Look wherever you will, and the same principle holds true: Focus, cohesion, and commitment spell victory. Turmoil, strife, and confusion promise defeat.
April 14
TO READ: 1 Corinthians 1:18-31
Wisdom and Nonsense
Since G.o.d in his wisdom saw to it that the world would never find him through human wisdom, he has used our foolish preaching to save all who believe.
1 Corinthians 1:21
When man needs insight into lifeas mysteries, it is understandable that he often turns to great minds in the search for answers. Occasionally he gets help, but more often than not, his confusion is compounded and his dismay deepened. One of the great minds of the twentieth century belonged to Lord Bertrand Russell, a philosopher. He wrote, Man is the product of causes which had no prevision [foresight] of the end they were achieving. . . . His origin, his growth, his hopes and fears, his loves and his beliefs, are but the outcome of accidental collocations of atoms. . . . No fire, no heroism, no intensity of thought and feeling, can preserve an individual life beyond the grave. . . . All these things, if not quite beyond dispute, are yet so nearly certain that no philosophy that rejects them can hope to stand.19 How could the brilliant Lord Russell be so sure that no individual life can be preserved beyond the grave? He did not explain. Of course nota"he could not! Such information does not belong to the philosopher. It belongs to the one who inhabits eternity and who reveals his truth to man in Christ. In fact, philosophers who ignore the Good News need to heed the word of the Lord, which actually reveals what they cannot know on the basis of unaided human reason. As Paul wrote, aG.o.d has made them all look foolish and has shown their wisdom to be useless nonsensea (1 Cor. 1:20).
It was kind of G.o.d to determine athat the world would never find him through human reasona (1:21), because that would have given the genius an advantage and put the ordinary man in an unfair position. A heaven populated exclusively by the brilliant was not part of the divine plan. On the contrary, in order that all might be blessed, G.o.d determined to use afoolish preaching to save all who believea (1:21). Everybody, whether brilliant or backward, is capable of believing.
Of course, it is not simply believing that brings salvation. A man can fervently believe lies and sincerely trust error. Salvation comes through believing the message athat Christ was crucifieda (1:23) and that ahe is the one who made us acceptable to G.o.d,a who can make us apure and holya and is able through his death and resurrection to apurchase our freedoma (1:30). It is faith in Christ and his work that introduces us into the eternal blessings that G.o.d has in store.
Bertrand Russell offers this tidbit of advice: aOnly on the firm foundation of unyielding despair can the soulas habitation henceforth be safely built.a20 Christ offers the a.s.surance of eternal salvation. Who do you believe? Think about it!
April 15
TO READ: 1 Corinthians 2:1-16
The Cross
For I decided to concentrate only on Jesus Christ and his death on the cross. . . . The wisdom we speak of is the secret wisdom of G.o.d, which was hidden in former times, though he made it for our benefit before the world began.
1 Corinthians 2:2, 7
The Union Jack, the flag of the United Kingdom, is made up of the flags of England, Northern Ireland, and Scotland superimposed on each other. Each of these flags represents the countryas patron sainta"George of England, Patrick of Ireland, David and Andrew of Scotland. Each saint is represented by a cross.
The cross has become a well-known symbol often pictured on flags, incorporated into church architecture, or simply worn as a piece of jewelry. But its original significance is largely overlooked, which is not surprising when we remember what the cross was. During the days of the Roman Empire, the cross was a means of execution so torturous, vile, and cruel that no Roman citizen could ever be crucified. It is remarkable that such a horrendous instrument of torture could become such a precious symbol to so many. But how?
The answer is to be found not in the cross itself, but in a particular execution, that of a humble young craftsman, Jesus of Nazareth, whose bold preaching challenged the religious status quo in Jerusalem almost two millennia ago. But even his crucifixion does not account for the widespread respect for crossesa"until we remember that the underlying reason for the religious establishmentas antipathy toward him was that he claimed to be G.o.d. His claims took on undeniable force when his tomb became empty, his body disappeared, and many people reported seeing him risen from the dead.
The disciples of Jesus, who originally deserted him during the terrifying hours of his arrest, trial, and execution, were remarkably transformed after the reported sightings. They began to preach loudly and clearly that Jesus was the promised Messiah, that he had died for the sins of the world, had risen again, and was triumphant over sin, death, and h.e.l.l. This dramatic message spread throughout the Roman Empire.
The apostle Paul, whose activities were significant for the spread of this message, said that his task was to aconcentrate only on Jesus Christ and his death on the crossa (1 Cor. 2:2). Paul said that, if those who killed Jesus had understood what they were doing, athey would never have crucified our glorious Lorda (2:8). Although they did not know it, one of aG.o.das deep secretsa (2:10) was becoming a reality. For it was at the cross that Jesus died for all menas sins and made forgiveness and eternal life available to all who believe.