Anger and Perspective

 

Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in Me will live even if he dies.” — John 11:25

 

In this passage, Martha asked accusingly why Jesus had not come sooner when he had learned of Lazarus’ illness. She knew Jesus could heal him and blamed Jesus for his death. We can imagine she might have said, “I thought you loved Lazarus as your brother, Jesus. Why couldn’t you come heal him?” Martha blamed Jesus for Lazarus’ death. She did not deny his death but was angry Lazarus had died. “Why, Jesus, did you let him die?” she might have asked. 

 

God had another plan, one far greater. In John 10, Jewish religious leaders asked Jesus to tell them if he was the Christ. Jesus replied that his works in the Father’s name testify to who he is (John 10:25). Next, He stated to these leaders that his sheep hear his voice and follow him, and he gives them eternal life, so they will not perish (John 10:26-28). The religious leaders wanted to arrest Jesus for blasphemy. They wanted to stone him.

 

Jesus told the religious leaders about his disciples and what they do; they listen to his voice and follow him. He spoke about what he does for his disciples (believers)—give them eternal life. Mary, Martha, and Lazarus lived in Bethany. It was about two miles outside of Jerusalem. Jesus' teachings on eternal life would have been shared in Bethany prior to his arrival after Lazarus' death. This makes Martha and Jesus’ conversation poignant. She would have heard that Jesus gives life to his followers. Would Martha have pondered this and wondered why Jesus didn’t heal and give life to Lazarus, his follower and friend?

 

When Jesus received Martha’s message that Lazarus was sick, he stayed two more days in Bethany-beyond-the-Jordan, where John the Baptist first began his ministry. He said the sickness of Lazarus would not end in death, but would bring glory to God (John 11:4). The second day after Martha’s message, Jesus told the disciples it was time to return to the Jerusalem area—to Bethany, a two-day walk from where they were. The disciples worried about Jesus being stoned by the Jewish religious leaders (vs. 8). Jesus had no concern about his death. He knew he wouldn't die soon, and stoning was not how it would happen. 

 

The disciples appeared to have forgotten the introduction to the lesson Jesus was teaching them—Lazarus’ life would bring glory to God (vs. 4). Jesus told them Lazarus was asleep, and he was going to Bethany to awaken him. The disciples couldn't understand or remember Jesus' words because the human mind struggles with grasping spiritual concepts. Jesus said in John 10, he gives eternal life to his disciples. The disciples’ reply to Jesus’ statement of going to Bethany to awaken Lazarus showed their literal understanding. Jesus meant Lazarus was dead, not just sleeping (vs 12-14). For the disciples’ (all disciples of all time) sake, Jesus said he was glad he wasn’t in Bethany to heal Lazarus. 

 

After a two-day wait and a two-day walk to Bethany, Jesus arrived after Lazarus had been dead for four days. Jesus understood the number three symbolized completeness. The third day after a person’s death signified the person was certifiably dead. The fourth day after, a person was dead-dead. No doubt could exist that he or she was asleep, in a coma, or sick. The dead person would not awaken and walk out of the tomb. Jesus arrived in Bethany when the people had no doubt Lazarus truly was dead. 

 

The stage was set. Jesus walked on scene when mourning was obvious. Those aware of Jesus' close bond with Lazarus' family would have wondered why he had arrived so late. They might have whispered among themselves, wondering why Jesus didn’t use his power to heal Lazarus. These people may have heard about Jesus’ conversation with the religious leaders four days earlier about giving eternal life to his disciples and wondered why Jesus wouldn’t have spared Lazarus’ life and the heartache of the sisters. “Did Jesus not love them?” they may have conjectured. 

 

The curtain rose and Martha confronted Jesus about not arriving before Lazarus died. “You could have healed him,” we suppose Martha said. Jesus replied, as any Jew would say, “He will rise again.” (Jews believe in a bodily resurrection.) Martha’s reply, we conjecture, is our own, “I know that, but why weren’t you here? You could have healed him.” Do you recognize your own voice in this situation? Jesus’ reply to Martha is a reply to humanity, and the lesson Jesus began in John 11:4. He said, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me will live, even though he dies. And everyone who lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?”

 

These verses are the lesson. They bring glory to God and glorify the Son (vs. 4). In what way? Jesus did not just say he gives resurrection and eternal life to believers. He didn’t say he merely creates and resurrects people. Jesus said, “I AM the Resurrection. I AM the Life.” Jesus doesn’t just give from what he creates. He gives from himself, from his essence. Just as perfect love (agape) comes from God’s being, since it’s part of his essence, life comes from his being. God—the Trinity—is the origin of life, the Author. He is, has been, and will always be. God is not created, but is. Jesus assured Martha and the listeners that he is life, both in the present and for all eternity. The life Jesus lives is from his eternal being and that’s the life he gives—eternal life. Jesus is the resurrection, and that is an undeniable truth. Jesus offers everlasting life that surpasses death's boundaries. Jesus gives resurrection life from his life to people who believe in him when he saves them. These people become his disciples when he Jesus saves them.

 

The manifestation of God's glory, as Jesus foretold, would show through Lazarus' death. After Jesus spoke with Martha and Mary, other Jews questioned Jesus about not arriving sooner to keep Lazarus from dying (vs 37). These Jews refocused all eyes on Jesus’ purpose, as he stated in verse four. 

 

The curtain arose on the next scene. Jesus commanded the people to roll stone from the tomb. Martha stated the obvious after four days of his death. “His body will stink,” she said. Jesus reminded the watchers, if they believe, they will see the glory of God (vs 40). Jesus prayed to the Father, thanking Him for hearing and understanding the people's experiences, teaching them about God's attentiveness. Finally, Jesus commanded, “Lazarus, come out!” Lazarus walked from the tomb still bound in the death cloths and Jesus ordered him to be unbound. Notice, no one doubted Jesus’ authority or power. They did not rebel at doing what he commanded. People moved the stone. Lazarus walked out of the tomb. People removed the death cloths from Lazarus. 

 

Returning to verse four, the lessons Jesus taught are several. God is Lord over life. Jesus is life, the author/originator of it. As life, Jesus is the resurrection. He has power to bind and/or cast away death. God hears us and knows what we are facing. He cries with/for us because of his great love for us. Most of all, Jesus is to be glorified. That’s why Jesus waited two days before beginning his journey to Bethany. 

 

What does giving God glory mean? It means displaying acts of kindness and love, regardless of whether anyone witnesses them. Giving God glory means obeying God by doing what he says when he says it. often, God’s timing is a very important part of his plan. Rushing in to help too soon may prevent people from seeing God, only you. You would, then, be stealing God’s glory. How God intervenes is important. Failing to help someone according to God's plan means we don't do what's best for them and God isn't glorified. If we rush in to rescue someone without praying and seeking God’s will, we take God’s glory and could create a worse problem for the person needing help. Often, part of God’s plan is for the person in need to be a part of praying for God’s guidance and help. That enables the person who needs help to know God hears and loves. That brings God glory.

 

Jesus, filled with love for his stressed and grieving friends, waited two days before being with them. Yes, he could have healed Lazarus by being there or by just saying, “Be healed,” while he stood at Bethany-beyond-the-Jordan. Yet, Jesus knew God’s plan for Lazarus’ life, since Jesus is part of the Trinity. Lazarus' life would bring glory to God and reveal Jesus as the Messiah, the Resurrection, and the Life. 

 

Today, do you need to remember Lazarus’ story because you need new life from Jesus? Do you need a reminder to trust God's plan and avoid hastily rescuing someone from a situation? Jesus is the only real Savior. Do you need to remember that God’s plan is best and not to rely on your own plan? Finally, do you need to remember to glorify God with your life? He can use all of you, in life and death, for his glory if you will totally surrender it to him. 

 

Martha was angry. She and Mary blamed Jesus. Lazarus, we may surmise, was thankful for God’s plan. He was alive, and God had used him for God’s own glory and purpose. Are you angry at God? For what do you blame God? Will you spend time with him now in prayer to get his perspective and understand better? See God and his purposes in your circumstances. “Seek God with all your heart and you will find him” (Jeremiah 29:13). God said when you seek him, he will be found by you (Jeremiah 29:14a).

Perspective and the Donkey

In everything we do, we show that we are true ministers of God. We patiently endure troubles and hardships and calamities of every kind. We have been beaten, been put in prison, faced angry mobs, worked to exhaustion, endured sleepless nights, and gone without food. We serve God whether people honor us or despise us, whether they slander us or praise us. We are honest, but they call us imposters. We are ignored, even though we are well known. We live close to death, but we are still alive. We have been beaten, but we have not been killed. Our hearts ache, but we always have joy. We are poor, but we give spiritual riches to others. We own nothing, and yet we have everything. (2 Cor. 6:4-5, 8-10 [NLT])

Do you ever feel like the donkey harnessed to a mill walking in circles all day every day to grind the farmer’s grain? That’s how it can seem when you are working hard, and no one notices. Consider the devotional below to understand what Paul teaches about this.

How is your devotion to God? Did you receive His vision of the task to which He calls you? Did you begin to do it, but after a while decide it was rote and mundane, and then forget to keep your eyes on God? The physical aspect became drudgery and, possibly, you became bitter about why you, you of all people, had to do this work. You then stumbled, found yourself attacked by other people questioning your motives, and really began wondering why you were doing these things.

Paul spoke about this. He wrote about continuing to do what Jesus told him to do, proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ. For that, Paul said he suffered. In 2 Corinthians 6:3-10, he listed some things he and his companions endured. By writing of his travails, Paul encouraged other believers to continue keeping their eyes on Christ. These verses told other Christians what happens when they follow Jesus.

Remember, Paul was a persecutor before he encountered Jesus on the road to Damascus. He actively sought to imprison or kill Jesus-followers so they would not lead the Jews away from the true faith. After Paul met Jesus on the road to Damascus, he became one with other Christ-followers. He suffered torture, imprisonment, attempts to kill him, poverty, hunger, etc. In reading each of Paul’s letters in the New Testament, we realize he never stopped telling people about Jesus Christ. He never declared being poor, touching the sick, or being imprisoned was beneath him, a Jew of Jews trained by Gamaliel. (Acts 22:3, Philippians 3:3-6)

Never once do we read in the Bible that Paul turned his back on Jesus. His hardships, troubles, and calamities did not cause his zeal to disappear, but served as a reminder to him that he was a true Christ-follower. Paul suffered as Jesus suffered. Jesus said His followers would experience what He did and more. (Matthew 24:9, Matthew 10:17, 22, John 15:19, 21, John 16:2) Paul took this to heart as an encouragement. Though he asked God to relieve him of the thorn in his side, he endured in his own weakness because God said His “power is perfected in weakness.” (2 Corinthians 12:7-9) Paul willingly endured many things for the sake of Christ to reach all people with the gospel so that none would perish.

What are we willing to endure for Christ? Drudgery? Unimportance? Exhaustion? Persecution? Mockery? Poverty? Death? Do we think about these things and become upset by them? Do we consider them undeserved and rail against them? Do we consider it a badge of honor for people to misuse us for the sake of the gospel of Christ?

The donkey at the mill sees the ground, carrot, and grinding stones all day every day. He doesn’t see the final product, the meal. Don’t consider yourself like this donkey who doesn’t have an end-goal perspective. Consider the meal from the mill that will come as you continue to keep your eyes on God and gain His perspective. People will be saved.

Perspective is everything. At whom you look is most important.

Looking at yourself can cause anger and feelings of insignificance.

Looking to God causes you to have His perspective. He desires all people be saved from sin and death.

God is greater than our circumstances.

Keep your eyes on Jesus.

Keep His perspective; though He was rich, He became poor so all people may be saved.

Keep your eyes on God.

Keep God’s perspective.

Lord, I have done it again. I came to You and gave myself to You for Your service, heard Your call and began doing what You said. Next thing I knew, I felt unrecognized and taken for granted. I felt people taking advantage of me. Now I realize I took my eyes off You and had a worldly perspective. Please forgive me for not seeking You each moment of the days. Forgive me for walking in my own strength and getting upset because of what other people said or did or didn’t say or do. This work is not about me, but about You. I can do nothing to save people, nor can I do anything in my own strength. I need You, Lord. I need You to guide me, give me Your strength and peace, and make me able to do the work You called me to do. Lord, clothe me fully with Yourself and remove the tatters of the old nature from me. I surrender myself fully to You right now. Guard me against my right to myself and help me to be humble. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Bursting Bubbles

Bubbles-innocuous, light, breezy, and safe;

No harm from bubbles, just gladness and glee.

Yet, when we consider life’s encounters again,

We know bubbles, safe bubbles, leave a film few can see.

Intentions run high and emotions explode;

Feelings burst forth with harsh actions and words.

Like bubbles need air to gain release from soap,

So, emotions need intentions to cause one to hurt.

Emotions burst forth with expelling of air,

With action they cause harm to a person unaware.

Intentions inflate emotions aimed to cause harm;

They touch upon the person near like a storm.

Yes, bubbles are soft, light, and breezy we see,

But when touched, their pop leaves a sticky ring.

It remains until washed, a reminder of fun,

But sticky, emotion-bubbles, we don’t want that sting.

Those emotion-bubbles, unsought and avoided

Leave a film of pain on the body, heart, and mind.

What should have been fun, a relationship of trust,

Turned into emotions bursting sore and maligned.

Fear, pain, distrust, questions arise with each breath.

Heart broken, now unknowing, what else is there?

Lingering onward and uncertainty rising,

Will emotions erupt, bursting, showing no care?

Fear takes over, heartbeat quickens wond’ring

Where’s the love and do I risk myself daring?

Bubbles-light, airy, free, and endless fun

Unless bubbles spring from emotions unbound.

Still, like all bubbles, their film can be washed off.

With water, the film from the wound is expunged.

For emotion-bubbles, the water comes from eternal springs;

It brings with it cleansing from pain, fear, and grief.

The Washer is from Whom all life gets its being

And by Whom film-pain from sin is removed, is cleaned.

The waters for cleansing flow from His mercy seat;

Flowing endless, downward for all in great need.

These waters, offered in love, flow pure and free

As a gift of His compassion, love, and mercy.

God’s waters bring life, health, and healing;

They bring together the hearts for Him who seek.

By His waters, lives, hearts, are joined richly together

Protecting, encouraging, and richly nurt'ring.

From water, bubbles are made with intent of people,

Adding breath and intention to form floating air-balls.

From water comes healing, health, and connection,

A mercy from the Father Who created us all.

Consider anew each bubble you create;

Will it float light, breezy, playful, and safe?

Or will you form your emotion-bubble

And cause darkness, fear, heartbreak, and pain?

God wants each relationship to blossom and thrive,

So, He sends His eternal waters to wash sins away.

Redemption, cleansing, new and abundant life

Comes from accepting His grace and by Him being saved.

 “The thief only comes to steal, kill, and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.” (John 10:10 [NASB])

“Then he showed me a river of the water of life, clear as crystal, coming form the throne of God and of the Lamb, in the middle of its street. On either side of the river was the tree of life, bearing twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit every month; and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.” (Revelation 22:1-2 [NASB])

Sin, Forgiveness, and Reconciliation: A 2 Samuel 13-15 Devotional

In the story of 2 Samuel 13-15, Amnon, David’s first son, lusts for his half-sister, Tamar. He tries many times to coax her to be with him, but she refuses because she wants to stay pure. Amnon, with his friend Jonadab, hatch a plan to get Tamar into Amnon’s room. Amnon pretends to be sick and will only eat food if Tamar feeds him. Though she does not want to do it because she knows Amnon’s heart and mind, David convinces her to take food to Amnon. When she is in Amnon’s room, he overpowers her, rapes her, and then becomes angry with her and throws her out of his room.

Absalom, Tamar’s full-brother by blood, saw Tamar when she exited Amnon’s room and noticed her torment. When he asked what was wrong, she told him the story.  David heard about the incident, but did nothing to confront Amnon or Tamar to resolve the issue and discipline Amnon (13:21). From that time, Absalom hated Amnon and looked for a good time to take revenge. Two years later at sheep-shearing time, Absalom asked David to let all his brothers help him with sheep shearing. David did not see a need for it. Absalom asked them for Amnon only. David agreed. Absalom hatched a plan to kill Amnon and told his servants when they heard him say, “Kill him,” they were to fall on Amnon and kill him. This they did.

A servant fled from Absalom’s home to tell David all his sons had been killed. One of David’s advisors, Jonadab, told him, “My lord should not think that they killed all the princes; only Amnon is dead. This has been Absalom’s expressed intention ever since the day Amnon raped his sister, Tamar.” Later Jonadab told the king he saw his sons coming down a hill. They were not dead. By that time, Absalom fled his house, crossed the Jordan River, and went to his grandfather’s home in Geshur. His grandfather was Talmai, king of Geshur.

The story above covers only chapter thirteen. In chapters 14 and 15, Absalom stays away from Jerusalem, returns to Jerusalem by Joab’s prompting of David, is not welcome in David’s sight, pleads to see David, enters into David’s presence without being reconciled and forgiven, hatches a plan to take the throne from David, and scares David away from Jerusalem.

David failed to recognize and address Amnon’s sin against Tamar. He failed to address Absalom’s sin against Amnon and left him in Geshur to become bitter and angry. David requested Absalom’s return, but refused to see him. David, after three years and Absalom’s attention-seeking, permitted Absalom in his presence, but did not reconcile with him. David, the man after God’s heart, was not using God’s wisdom, nor showing God’s love, mercy, and forgiveness. He did not address the sins of his children and, thus, did not forgive them. David did not console Tamar, and did not discipline Amnon and Absalom.

To ask for forgiveness, a person must recognize his or her sin. David did not address his family after committing adultery with Bathsheba. Amnon decided to act upon his lust and raped his sister. He saw what David did and did not constrain himself just as David did not constrain himself with Bathsheba. David did not use the time of repentance with God after Nathan confronted him to teach and lead his family to God again. The domino effect seemed to occur after that with the Amnon and Tamar incident, then with Amnon’s murder and Absalom’s rejection by David. At any point in these incidents, David could have interjected and stopped what would happen next by bringing the wisdom of God into the situation. He could have led his children back to focus on God instead of their own wants. By doing that, David could have led them to see their wrongdoings, led them to repentance with God and asking for forgiveness from God and their family, and to reconciliation. Yet, David did not do these.

After his and Bathsheba’s baby son died, David sought God’s forgiveness, but not that of his family. He did not use that as a teaching moment. He did not address Amnon and his sin so Absalom harbored unforgiveness in his heart against Amnon, which led to Amnon’s murder and Absalom’s greater guilt and sin. David did not forgive Absalom when he came before him. They were reunited in body, but not reconciled.

Unforgiven sin leads to separation – from the one who hurt you and from God. To have reconciliation, confession of one’s sin and forgiveness must occur. David never sought to restore Amnon and Absalom’s relationship to loving brotherhood. He did not seek to restore his relationship with Absalom and Absalom held it against him. Because of that, Absalom plotted to usurp David’s kingship. After David’s not reconciling with Absalom, Absalom worked at increasing his popularity and decreasing David’s. He sought to take the throne from David. David eventually fled Jerusalem with 600 people from his household.

Unconfessed sin leads to bitterness and more sin. Unforgiven sin lead to hard hearts, bitterness, and dissension. David could have been the example of God’s mercy and forgiveness, but we do not see that here. Absalom tried to get David’s attention to be able to be in his presence and be reconciled. David’s mercy did not extend to reconciliation. David had already forgotten the love and mercy of God who forgave him his sin with Bathsheba and allowed him to continue to live and reign as king of Israel.

We need to make sure our walk with God is a close walk so we can instantly recognize sin in our lives. When we recognize sin, we can confess and ask for God’s forgiveness so a wall is not built between Him and us. God said He is faithful and just to forgive all sin (1 John 1:9). We need only acknowledge it, confess it, and repent then God will extend his love, mercy, and forgiveness towards us.

Just as God gives us His love, mercy, and forgiveness, we need to extend it to others who have sinned against us. Even when a person does not recognize he or she sinned against us and hurt us, we must, through the power of God and His mercy, forgive the person who hurt us. If we do not, reconciliation cannot occur and bitterness will grow in our hearts. David harbored bitterness toward Absalom. Absalom harbored bitterness against Amnon, which led him to murder his own brother.

Unforgiveness leads to bitterness, hatred, and murder. Unconfessed sin leads to estrangement in relationships and bitterness. Today we must decide to seek God’s forgiveness. We must recognize our sin and confess them to God seeking His love, mercy, and forgiveness. Besides this, today we must forgive the person or people who have hurt us even if they do not ask for forgiveness. Unforgiveness leads to a hardened heart and bitterness. It keeps us from a close relationship with people and with God.

Sin leads to broken relationships and dissension.

Seek God and His love, mercy, and forgiveness.

He can turn brokenness into wholeness and unity.

What will you choose to do today?