Archive | March 2024

Chaplain’s Corner – Mercy Triumphs!

Mar31

“And he passed in front of Moses, proclaiming, “The Lord, the Lord, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion, and sin. Yet he does not leave the guilty unpunished….” (Exodus 34:6-7).

The verse quoted above is how God described Himself to Moses. We know that God has many attributes, and among those we celebrate most especially during this Holy Week are God’s Justice, God’s Love, and God’s Mercy.

God is a God of justice: He is holy, so he cannot abide sin. The verse above says that “he does not leave the guilty unpunished.” God gave the law to establish the Hebrews as his people and to set standards for how his people should live. The tablets upon which God’s hand wrote the Ten Commandments were physically located in the Ark of the Covenant in the Holy of Holies. God commanded us to “Be holy, because I the Lord your God am Holy.”  Any time we are less than perfectly holy, we are in sin. And Paul tells us that “…all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23).

God is a God of love: In the opening verse, God tells us that he is “abounding in love in faithfulness, maintaining love to thousands.” And the New Testament reinforces this attribute. “Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.” (1 John 4:8). “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16).

God is a God of mercy: God knows that as humans we are incapable of perfectly keeping his laws, of being free of sin. So, in His infinite mercy, when giving the law, he also set up a system of sacrifices which were the shedding of blood to atone for sin. And He placed a mercy seat on the ark of the covenant in the Holy of Holies to receive these sacrifices. “In fact, the law requires that nearly everything be cleansed with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness” (Hebrews 9:22).

When Jesus was crucified and died on the cross, an amazing thing happened. The curtain in the temple tore, from top to bottom (humanly impossible). This represented the opening of the Holy of Holies. Jesus replaced the annual sacrificial lamb with his own life, once for all, to atone for the sins of the world. He figuratively entered the inner sanctuary as the Great High Priest, with this body as the atoning sacrifice; and we now have the privilege of following him there as priests, able to meet with God personally through Jesus’ sacrifice. Mercy Triumphs!

Mercy is an element of God’s grace by which he gives His son as the as the atonement for our sins.   “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast” (Ephesians 2:8-9). Mercy is God’s kindness and compassion as He forgives us for our sin (see the opening verse). Mercy Triumphs!

What are we to do with this gift of love, this great mercy? James tells us to “Speak and act as those who are going to be judged by the law that gives freedom, because judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment” (James 2:12-13). In other words, we are to show to others the same mercy that we have been shown—the same patience, love, kindness, and forgiveness. There is a warning in this passage—don’t miss it! Don’t forfeit the gracious gift you have been offered by withholding grace, mercy, patience, love, and kindness to others.  “By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another” (John 13:35).

“This service that you perform is not only supplying the needs of the Lord’s people but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God. Because of the service by which you have proved yourselves, others will praise God for the obedience that accompanies your confession of the gospel of Christ, and for your generosity in sharing with them and with everyone else.  And in their prayers for you their hearts will go out to you, because of the surpassing grace God has given you. Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!”  (2 Corinthians 9:12-15).

In Christ,

Judy

Chaplain’s Corner – God’s Will

Mar20

He went on a little farther and bowed with his face to the ground, praying, “My Father! If it is possible, let this cup of suffering be taken away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine.” (Matthew 26:39 NLT).

Next week is Holy Week. We celebrate Palm Sunday, Jesus’ arrival in Jerusalem to shouts of Hosanna, then all the subsequent events leading up to His crucifixion on Friday, and finally His resurrection which we celebrate on Easter Sunday.

These events were never a surprise to Jesus. Since his conception, he had been carrying out his Father’s will. In fact, just as Jesus was beginning his public ministry and encountered John the Baptist, John’s response on recognizing Jesus was, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world” (John 1:29). This statement would have identified Jesus as the sacrificial lamb, who was born to die to make atonement for all our sin. This was the will of God for Jesus.

We know that Jesus suffered. In fact, some 700 years before Jesus’ birth, Isaiah detailed the suffering Jesus would encounter (Isaiah 53:3-12). So how did Jesus live his earthly life with respect to his earthly destiny? And how should we follow His example?

Jesus was humble:

  • “Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death—even death on a cross! (Philippians 2:6-8).
  • And Paul admonishes us: “Your attitude should be the same as Christ Jesus” (v.5).

Jesus was thankful:

  • “At that time Jesus, full of joy through the Holy Spirit, said, ‘I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children. Yes, Father, for this is what you were pleased to do’” (Luke 10:21).
  • And Paul tells us: “Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. “(1 Thessalonians 5:16-18).

Jesus was compassionate toward the least of these:

  • “I have compassion on the multitude, because they have now continued with Me three days and have nothing to eat” (Mark 8:2).
  • And Paul commands us: “Since, then, you have been raised with Christ…Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.” (Colossians 3:1,12).

Jesus desired and worked toward salvation for everyone:

  • I made known to them your name, and I will continue to make it known, that the love with which you have loved me may be in them, and I in them.” (John 17:26).
  • And Jesus commands and enables us to do the same by the power of the Holy Spirit: “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” (Acts 1:8).

Jesus desired to glorify his Father with His obedience and his life:

  • Jesus prayed this prayer on his last night: “After Jesus said this, he looked toward heaven and prayed: ‘Father, the hour has come. Glorify your Son, that your Son may glorify you. For you granted him authority over all people that he might give eternal life to all those you have given him.Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent…Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, and to see my glory, the glory you have given me because you loved me before the creation of the world.’” (John 17:1-3, 20).
  • Paul and Peter tell us how we can glorify God in our life and our prayers: “So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do everything for the glory of God” (1 Cor 10:31). 
  • “But if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed but let him glorify God in having that name” (1 Pet. 4:16).

In short, Jesus came to earth to experience all the same earthly experiences that we as humans have. He took all the good and bad of his earthly life as an assignment from God–not an interruption, not an irritant, not an excuse, not a bother, not something to be endured. Instead, he took every opportunity to live in obedience, to trust His Heavenly Father, and to lead others to experience the Kingdom of God. Let us seek to do the same—to live our lives, to walk our Christian walk, not in resisting the will of God, but in seeking his will and desiring obedience in all things; offering love and compassion to those we serve.

“Yet it was the Lord’s will to crush him and cause him to suffer, and though the Lord makes his life an offering for sin, he will see his offspring and prolong his days, and the will of the Lord will prosper in his hand” (Isaiah 53:10).

“By this we know love, because He laid down His life for us. And we also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren” (1 John 3:16).

In Christ,

Judy

Chaplain’s Corner – March Madness

Mar13

“I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 3:13).

Subtitle: Getting Off the Bench and Into the Game

As I write this, I am still celebrating the UT-Vols men’s win over South Carolina to secure the SEC Title. Now on to the SEC Tournament, then the NCAA Tournament, a/k/a March Madness. I am not a sports fanatic, but I do enjoy the contest between athletes. I played some sports in my early years, but now I mostly participate vicariously through my children and grandchildren. And because of my interest, I also appreciate the many sports analogies in the Bibie. I have included a link to a wonderful Table Talk article about this.

My two sons and their families are active in both individual and team sports. Some of my observations from watching them and from my own experience include the following:

First, you have to get off the bleachers and into the game. I go to the kid’s games—both soccer and basketball as well as their swim meets. There is a vast difference between being on the bleachers as a spectator and being on the field, court, or pool as an active participant.

And once in the game, you have to want the ball. In their first years of basketball at ages 5-6, my grandkids had as much fun (maybe more) sitting with their teammates on the sidelines as on the court. But my high school age granddaughter is amazing on the soccer field, yelling for the ball, and running her route to aggressively go after it. She hates being on the bench. It is like the difference between going to church occasionally and sitting in the back, slipping in, and slipping out, hoping not to be noticed, vs. showing up for every service and signing up to serve in some capacity. In other words, throw me the ball, coach, put me in!

“Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. Therefore I do not run like someone running aimlessly; I do not fight like a boxer beating the air. No, I strike a blow to my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize” (1 Corinthians 9:24-27).

Second, it is not all about the event itself. Most of the work is done in the preparation. Staying fit, learning the rules of the sport, and practicing so as to be ready when the whistle blows and the competition begins. One of my sons and his family also participate in various levels of triathlon events. They workout, run, swim, and bicycle daily with little exception, pushing themselves constantly; and as a result, they invariably “make the podium” for their events. I know I am bragging, but I am proud of them and the discipline they exhibit. Their example is a picture of what Paul tells us to do in 1 Timothy 4:7a-10:

“…train yourself to be godly. For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come. This is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance. That is why we labor and strive, because we have put our hope in the living God, who is the Savior of all people, and especially of those who believe.

Third, at some pre-determined point, the event will end, and the score will be tallied. The shots after the buzzer do not count. The laps after the finish line do not matter. In our earthly games, we know how many minutes are in the game, we know how many miles we must run to get to the finish line. In life, we do not know when the race is over. Only God knows.

Why am I making such a big deal of this? Because Paul does in these Scriptures. His focus is not on sports themselves, but on the metaphor for our participation in the Christian life. We are using sports metaphors, but the better comparison might be to warfare. In sports, it is a friendly competition, but in war it is life and death. And so it is with us as believers. In sports we have an opponent; in warfare we have the enemy. In sports we should shake hands in the end, no matter who wins; in Christian warfare, there is no shaking hands. First we want to win souls to our side, the winning side. Then we want to vanquish the enemy. This takes the desire to go to battle and the discipline of preparedness.

God has placed us in a mission field with other Christian warriors. We are all on the same team with the same mission. Let us each do our part to diligently prepare ourselves for our mission and to eagerly play our role in this great cosmic battle, serving as a soldier of the cross. It is March; it is March Madness. It is two and one-half weeks until Holy Week, Good Friday, and Easter. Very shortly, we will be celebrating the sacrificial death of Christ in atonement for our sins, and His glorious Resurrection with its promise of Eternal Life for all of us. Our charge is to strengthen our own walk and share this wonderful news with everyone God puts in our path. Put me in, coach!!

“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” (Hebrews 12:1-2).

In Christ,

Judy

Chaplain’s Corner – Posture of Forward Movement

Mar6

“I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 3:14).

In these recent devotions, we have been talking about our posture—the various ways in which we position ourselves in relation to God and others: kneeling, sitting, standing, climbing, and now forward movement. I use this label rather than either walking or running (although these are definite implications), because the Bible is clear that regardless of our physical mobility, we are either moving toward or away from God. There is no in-between. “Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters” (Matthew 12:30).

Walking with God is not always a piece of cake. The Pilgrim’s Progress, by John Bunyan, is a wonderful allegory, told as a dream, about what it is like to journey through life from the “City of Destruction” to the “Celestial City,” otherwise known as Mt. Zion. There are all kinds of side-tracks, pitfalls, dangers, temptations, etc. along the way. This allegory is an accurate description of our life, from birth to death. It has always been a helpful way to describe my “walk” with the Lord, as a pilgrimage with my destination as eternal life in the Kingdom of God.

So, let us be purposeful in our forward movement.

  • “You shall walk in all the way that the Lord your God has commanded you, that you may live, and that it may go well with you, and that you may live long in the land that you shall possess” (Deuteronomy 5:33).
  • “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” (Micah 6:8).
  • “For we walk by faith, not by sight.” (2 Corinthians 5:7).
  • “So as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him: bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God” (Colossians 1:10).

Let us move forward with the right sense of urgency.

  • “Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize” (1 Corinthians 9:24).
  • “Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us” (Hebrews 12:1).

And let us move forward, in step with God.

  • “May you be strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy” (Colossians 1:11).
  • “But those who hope in the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; they shall walk, and not faint.” (Isaiah 40:31). 

And a final word of encouragement. Not only does the Lord go in front of us, He also goes behind us. His Hand is on us always. We are never alone on our pilgrimage. Whether we see Him or not, He is there, both guiding and protecting us. I love this part of the Exodus Story, when the Israelites were approaching the seemingly insurmountable barrier of the Red Sea with Pharaoh and his chariots on fast their heels: “Then the angel of God, who had been traveling in front of Israel’s army, withdrew and went behind them. The pillar of cloud also moved from in front and stood behind them, coming between the armies of Egypt and Israel. Throughout the night the cloud brought darkness to the one side and light to the other side; so neither went near the other all night long” (Exodus 14:19-20). And we all know how that turned out!

“You hem me in behind and before, and you lay your hand upon me” (Psalm 139:5).

“The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged” (Deuteronomy 31:8).

In Christ,

Judy

Chaplain’s Corner – Posture of Forward Movement

Mar6

“I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 3:14).

In these recent devotions, we have been talking about our posture—the various ways in which we position ourselves in relation to God and others: kneeling, sitting, standing, climbing, and now forward movement. I use this label rather than either walking or running (although these are definite implications), because the Bible is clear that regardless of our physical mobility, we are either moving toward or away from God. There is no in-between. “Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters” (Matthew 12:30).

Walking with God is not always a piece of cake. The Pilgrim’s Progress, by John Bunyan, is a wonderful allegory, told as a dream, about what it is like to journey through life from the “City of Destruction” to the “Celestial City,” otherwise known as Mt. Zion. There are all kinds of side-tracks, pitfalls, dangers, temptations, etc. along the way. This allegory is an accurate description of our life, from birth to death. It has always been a helpful way to describe my “walk” with the Lord, as a pilgrimage with my destination as eternal life in the Kingdom of God.

So, let us be purposeful in our forward movement.

  • “You shall walk in all the way that the Lord your God has commanded you, that you may live, and that it may go well with you, and that you may live long in the land that you shall possess” (Deuteronomy 5:33).
  • “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” (Micah 6:8).
  • “For we walk by faith, not by sight.” (2 Corinthians 5:7).
  • “So as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him: bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God” (Colossians 1:10).

Let us move forward with the right sense of urgency.

  • “Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize” (1 Corinthians 9:24).
  • “Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us” (Hebrews 12:1).

And let us move forward, in step with God.

  • “May you be strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy” (Colossians 1:11).
  • “But those who hope in the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; they shall walk, and not faint.” (Isaiah 40:31). 

And a final word of encouragement. Not only does the Lord go in front of us, He also goes behind us. His Hand is on us always. We are never alone on our pilgrimage. Whether we see Him or not, He is there, both guiding and protecting us. I love this part of the Exodus Story, when the Israelites were approaching the seemingly insurmountable barrier of the Red Sea with Pharaoh and his chariots on fast their heels: “Then the angel of God, who had been traveling in front of Israel’s army, withdrew and went behind them. The pillar of cloud also moved from in front and stood behind them, coming between the armies of Egypt and Israel. Throughout the night the cloud brought darkness to the one side and light to the other side; so neither went near the other all night long” (Exodus 14:19-20). And we all know how that turned out!

“You hem me in behind and before, and you lay your hand upon me” (Psalm 139:5).

“The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged” (Deuteronomy 31:8).

In Christ,

Judy