From Strength to Strength...What is the Greater Good?

With this blog and the next, I will temporarily be hitting the pause button in our series of going deeper into the Lord’s prayer.  I believe you will see the timeliness of these next two heart messages that brought me to that decision.  We’ll finish up the beautiful prayer that Jesus taught, in November.

Greetings Dear Friends, 

When you read this, most probably the recent glorious Fall days of Northeast Ohio will have given way to the more seasonable rain and chill of late October.  I will have just returned from a week of literally stepping “out of time”…reveling in the love and presence of kids, grandkids, and great-grandkids.  I will have also had the privilege of holding and snuggling extensively with my latest newborn great-grandson.  What a truly precious gift that was.

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It also was God ordered, because from the perspective of that sweet space I received a little wake-up call from the Lord.  I recognized that ever so gradually, I was being pulled back into the vortex of overscheduling, overextending, and the mindset of over-busy-ness (if that is even a word).  

Being recently retired from full-time employment, the new rhythms I have been establishing are indeed, freeing and fruitful.  All the things I’ve put my mind to are good.

They are all good.  
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But…(I started asking myself)…am I supposed to be doing all of them all the time?
Are there not times when I’m supposed to be choosing between two goods?
Are there not times when I’m supposed to be choosing the greater good?

Reading this passage of Scripture I saw something very important:  

​“That evening at sundown they brought to Him all who were sick or oppressed by demons.  And the whole city was gathered at the door.  And He healed many who were sick with various diseases, and cast out many demons.  And He would not permit the demons to speak because they knew Him. ​ ​And rising very early in the morning, while it was still dark, He departed and went out to a desolate place, and there He prayed.  And Simon and those who were with him searched for Him.  ‘Everyone is looking for You.’  And He said to them, ‘Let us go on to the next towns, that I may preach there also, for that is why I came out.’  And He went throughout all Galilee, preaching in their synagogues and casting out demons.”  Mark 1:32-39

​Where are you in your life now?  Are you doing much that is good?  Are you trying to do it all?

Are you sure you’re supposed to be doing all that you’re doing? 

Perhaps the Lord would assign simply a greater good for you to consider…at least for now.

When was the last time you checked in with Him?

Perhaps this week you can take some time, as I have, to just ask Him. 

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“Let us go…for that is why I came out.”  ​​

From Strength to Strength...Our Father Part Two

 ​“Thy Kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.”  Matthew 6:10

These past days meditating on the Lord’s prayer, I’ve been fixated on the passage in Luke 7:18-28 concerning John the Baptist, and Jesus’ discussion with the people concerning him.  John’s disciples had just left after relating his bewilderment in prison concerning just this issue: “Thy Kingdom come…” 

John was asking, “Art thou he that should come? Or should we look for another?” 

After answering them, Jesus’ also asked a question,…the same question  - three times!

“What went ye out into the wilderness for to see?  A reed shaken with the wind?
But what went ye out for to see?  A man clothed in soft raiment?...
But what went ye out for to see?  A prophet?”
    

I ask myself concerning this Kingdom:  what would I have gone out in the wilderness to see? 

Here is what Jesus answered:

“This is he, of whom it is written, ‘Behold I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee.’  For I say unto you, among those that are born of women there is not a greater prophet than John the Baptist: but he that is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he.” 

Dear friends, this is us!  This is us!

Let this wash over you as you speak the words of the Lord’s prayer into the heavenlies and into your own wilderness!  Realize that we,…the least of us in the kingdom of God,… are greater than John.

This is true, only because today, we have the Indwelling Presence of the Holy Spirit.

This is true because we also are called to “…prepare thy way before thee” in the wilderness of our chaotic times. 

“Thy kingdom come.  Thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven.” 
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Yes Lord.

From Strength to Strength...Our Father Part One

 

“And it came to pass, that as He was praying in a certain place, when He ceased, one of His disciples said unto Him, Lord teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples.”  Luke 11:1

Dear Friends,

If you’re anything like me, you’ve known the Lord’s prayer from childhood.  It is perhaps the best known prayer among Christians, as it is simple and comforting.  In fact it is so familiar, there may even be times when you find yourself saying those beautiful words almost “casually” … only half thinking of what they mean.  

Again, I’m speaking from personal experience.  However, there was a point in my life when I came face to face with the deep theology and power in those words spoken by Jesus on the Mount of Beatitudes.  In the next few blogs I would like to just stay with those words and allow you time to soak in their depth.   Are you ready?  Let us begin.

Jesus said: “When ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do; for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking.   Be not therefore like unto them; for your Father knoweth what ye have need of, before ye ask Him.  After this manner therefore, pray ye:  Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be Thy Name.”  Matthew 6:7-9

Our Father which art in heaven… 

I’m writing this in September of 2017 and so far this month there have been four major hurricanes,… three of which have wreaked havoc upon the United States of America.  Because of our advanced technology we have been able to sit in our comfortable homes and watch satellite images of a whirlwind so large that it encompassed the entire state of Florida in its approach.  We cried and prayed for all those in its path as we watched in disbelief.  Yet, this whirlwind does not even come close to displaying the magnificent, powerful transcendency of God in heaven…who is also our Father.   The word Jesus used was Abba,… our Daddy.  

Hallowed be thy name…

We speak this next phrase in our western culture, not realizing the privilege of approaching Him as Daddy.  The Hebrews of Jesus’ day (and throughout the Old Testament) were in such awe and fear of our transcendent Creator, that they never, NEVER spoke His Name.  They referred to YHWH as Ha Shem,  “the Name.” Yet amazingly, with these words Jesus opened for us the portal of relationship without lessening the holiness of His Father’s Name.   

 
Dear Friends, as you meditate on these two verses in the days ahead, please pause also to embrace another time when God Himself used the word hallowed: 

“For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day. Wherefore, the Lord blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.”  Exodus 20:11

Be blessed, ​