Turning to the Son

“Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, that everyone who believes may have eternal life in him." 

(John 3:14-15)

As you probably can tell, I like taking pictures of flowers. It's fun to get down on all fours, at flower level, and take pictures from ground level. Of course, Carol gets a little embarrassed when everyone sees this geeky photographer contorting himself in front of everyone.

There's a special class of flowers that make for good pictures: heliotropic flowers. The name “heliotropic” means sun-turning. So heliotropic flowers are flowers that follow the sun through the day. In the morning these flowers will face the rising sun, and if you come back to them later in the day they will be facing the mid-day or afternoon sun.

Sunflower varieties (of which there are over 24,000, including daisies) are common heliotropic flowers. Poppies also turn toward the sun, as do daffodils.

I think it's really cool to see clusters of flowers all stretching toward the sun.

But you know what's really cool? To see people stretching for the Son. Just like Jesus said, “the Son of Man must be lifted up, that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life in him.”

There's a story in the Old Testament, when Moses is leading the people through the wilderness. The people complained, as they were wont to do. So God sent some venomous snakes among them. The snakes bit the people, and people began to die. Moses made a snake-on-a-pole thingy, and whoever looked at the snake-on-a-pole thingy was saved.

That's the story behind Jesus' quote in the gospel according to John: “Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, that everyone who believes may have eternal life in him.” Of course, Jesus is referring to his being lifted up on the cross. To believe in Jesus includes the cross.

As I write this, the cross is front and center in my mind. We've just celebrated a beautiful (and cute!) Palm Sunday, with children marching in waving palm branches, and a boy being pulled down the center aisle of the church on a donkey. But I know that the joy of Palm Sunday quickly gives way to the conflicts between Jesus and the Temple officials during the week. And Jesus will be abandoned by his friends. And Jesus will be lifted up on the cross.

On your way to Easter, don't forget the cross. Turn your eyes upon Jesus, as he offers forgiveness to his killers. Don't look away from the cross as Jesus cries in agony, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” Look upon Jesus as he says, “It is finished,” for that is the moment for which he came into the world—to finish his atoning sacrifice for our sins.

Keep your eyes fixed upon Jesus. Witness what divine love really is like.

And believe.

When flowers turn to the sun, they receive life.

When we turn to the Son—the One on the cross—we also receive life. Eternal life.

Sunday Prayer

"After Jesus said this, he looked toward heaven and prayed..."John 17:1

Stained glass panel from St. Giles' Cathedral, Edinburgh

Today is Palm Sunday, the day that we remember when Jesus entered Jerusalem as King. By the end of the week, only Pontius Pilate would recognize Jesus as King, writing “King of the Jews” on the board nailed to Jesus' cross.

We want to jump straight to Easter, but Easter means nothing without the cross. Carol put a quote from Ann Weems on my computer, and it applies so well to how we should approach this week:

“The only road to Easter morning is through the unrelenting shadows of that Friday. Only then will the alleluias be sung; only then will the dancing begin.”

I hope you will take time this week to accompany Jesus to the cross. Read the gospels, beginning from his entry into Jerusalem (Matthew 21:1ff, Mark 11:1ff, Luke 19:29ff, John 12:12ff); and reflect on what he says, and on how people react to him. Try to put yourself alongside him, maybe as one of his disciples.

As it is my Sunday practice to share with you a prayer from those who have gone before us, I think it quite appropriate this week to include some of the prayers spoken by Jesus this week, primarily on Thursday and Friday of this week. 

Listen to the heart of the One who gave his life so that you and I might have abundant, everlasting life.

~~From John 17 (Selected Verses)~~

“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. I have brought you glory on earth by finishing the work you gave me to do...

“I have revealed you to those whom you gave me out of the world... I pray for them. I am not praying for the world, but for those you have given me, for they are yours... I will remain in the world no longer, but they are still in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, protect them by the power of your name, the name you gave me, so that they may be one as we are one...

“I am coming to you now, but I say these things while I am still in the world, so that they may have the full measure of my joy within them. I have given them your word and the world has hated them, for they are not of the world any more than I am of the world. My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one. They are not of the world, even as I am not of it. Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth...

“My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one— I in them and you in me—so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.

“Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, and to see my glory..."

From the Cathedral of St. Francis of Assisi
Santa Fe, New Mexico

~~Matthew 26:39, 43~~

“My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.”

“My Father, if it is not possible for this cup to be taken away unless I drink it, may your will be done.”

~~Luke 23:34~~

“Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.”

~~John 19:28~~

“I am thirsty.”

~~Matthew 27:46~~

“My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”

~~Luke 23:46~~

“Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.”

Swords into Plowshares

“They will beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks.”Isaiah 2:4

One of the things that impressed Carol and me when we were in Britain, was the sheer number of war memorial statues and monuments. With two world wars taking place on or in close vicinity to British soil, and with an enormous percentage of the male population being sent into war (many of whom would not return alive), war is a sobering reality to the British people. Not that it isn't a sobering reality for Americans, because it is; but we have not had a foreign war fought on our soil, so there are parts of war that aren't as close-to-home for us as they are for our British friends.

The Battle of Britain monument was particularly awe-inspiring to see in person. It tells the story of the (relatively) tiny Royal Air Force and its dogged resistance and ultimate victory in the sky over the Germans. The inscription at the base of the monument reads: “Never in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many to so few.” (Winston Churchill)

I have deep admiration for the men and women who serve in the armed forces to protect our nation and to promote freedom around the world. When I consider the sacrifice that these brave people are willing to make, I think of the kind of love that Jesus said was the greatest love of all: “No greater love has anyone than this, that they are willing to lay down their lives for their friends” (John 15:13). To paraphrase, our men and women in uniform demonstrate the greatest, most selfless love when they are willing to lay down their lives for the sake of our freedom.

But as one whose Savior is known as the Prince of Peace, I also bemoan the necessity of war and armed conflict. I know that evil in our world requires a harsh response to push it back, and so I acknowledge a necessity for military power.

I just wish it wasn't necessary. I long for a better way, and for a better day.

When we went to visit the Tower of London, there was a very interesting piece of art on display in one of the upstairs rooms. It was a giant dragon, a beast with legendary British roots. What particularly caught my eye, though, was the material from which the dragon was constructed. It was totally made from centuries-old weaponry and armor. Old helmets, breastplates, flintlocks, swords, rifles – all welded together to form an amazing piece of artistic beauty.

Immediately my mind went to the biblical vision of world peace:

“In the last days the mountain of the Lord's temple will be established as chief among the mountains; it will be raised above the hills, and all nations will stream to it. Many peoples will come and say, 'Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob. He will teach us his ways, so that we may walk in his paths.' The law will go out from Zion, the word of the Lord from Jerusalem. He will judge between the nations and will settle disputes for many peoples.

They will beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will not take up sword against nation, nor will they train for war anymore.

Come, O house of Jacob, let us walk in the light of the Lord.”

(Isaiah 2:2-5)

As much as I appreciate the sacrifice that our men and women in the military make for our nation, my hope for a time when they can serve society in a peaceful capacity is even greater. I long for the day when people everywhere will lay down their sword and shield, down by the riverside, and we ain't gonna study war no more.

So I hope you will always be filled with deep gratitude for those who are defending our nation and our freedom, and share your gratitude with them. But I also hope that you will pray for the day when that great biblical vision will come to pass.

May the day quickly arrive when we will say to one another, “Come, let us walk in the light of the Lord.”

A Mighty Fortress

“God is our refuge and our strength, an ever-present help in times of trouble. Therefore we will not fear...”(Psalm 46:1-2a)

Scotland has castles. A lot of them. Everywhere you look, there's another castle.

In my mind, the most impressive castle in Scotland is Edinburgh Castle. Dominating the skyline of Edinburgh, Scotland, the Castle is set upon a hill above the rest of the city. The hill itself is intimidating—steep, rocky, inaccessible. The stone walls surrounding the Castle, and its stark profile that can be viewed from all directions, give the impression of impregnability. There has been a royal castle on the Castle Rock since the 12^th century; St. Margaret's chapel, which is part of the castle complex, also dates to the 12^th century and is the oldest building in Edinburgh. Through the centuries there have been more than 25 sieges of the castle, making it one of the most attacked places in history. Today it stands as a reminder of the storied history of Edinburgh and the Scottish spirit.

When Carol and I were in Edinburgh, we rented an apartment just beneath the castle, and woke up to this view every morning:

The Edinburgh Castle makes me think of the 46^th Psalm: God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in times of trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth should change, though the mountains shake in the heart of the sea... (Psalm 46:1-2)

The world can be a pretty harsh place. We live in a climate of fear—fear of terrorism, fear of war, fear that the bad guys are going to win. In this kind of adversarial world, we need to hear a word of promise and hope: God is our refuge and strength, always there to help us in times of trouble.

You see, our faith in God is not in vain. We may feel like life is attacking us from all sides, but when our security is based on our relationship with God, then we will endure. The apostle Paul affirms this when he says, “If God is for us, who can be against us?... For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 8:31, 38-39)

We will face trials. There will be times when things go against us. We need Someone to whom we can turn, Someone who will offer us refuge.

Martin Luther suffered greatly as a result of his debates with the church. He was pursued by the authorities. He was persecuted for his position on salvation by grace through faith. It is said that when he found himself under intense pressure, he would say to his companion in the Protestant rebellion, Philip Melanchthon, “Come, Philip, let us sing together the 46^th Psalm.” His love for that psalm became the basis for Luther's most famous hymn: A Mighty Fortress Is Our God.

“A mighty fortress is our God, a bulwark never failing. Our helper he, amid the flood of mortal ills prevailing.”

I can't help but think that when Martin Luther wrote that hymn, he had something like the Edinburgh Castle in mind is his image of the mighty fortress.

A mighty fortress is our God, indeed. God is our refuge and our strength, an ever-present help in times of trouble.

When you face trials, where will you turn for strength and hope?  

A Dog's Faith

“Long, long ago God decided to adopt us into his family through Jesus Christ. (What pleasure he took in planning this!) He wanted us to enter into the celebration of his lavish gift-giving by the hand of his beloved Son.”
Ephesians 1:4-6, The Message

We have two dogs, Bella and Layla. Both are small (or small-ish) dogs. Bella is a Lord-only-knows-what-kind-of-dog: short stubby legs, a Dachshund-like body, black-and-white mottled coloring. We adopted her when someone in the neighborhood had to move and needed to find a home for her. Layla is mostly Rat Terrier; she was recently adopted into our family when her human developed brain cancer and could no longer care for her.

Shortly after we adopted Layla, we were forced to evacuate our home and “head for the hills” when Hurricane Matthew was approaching. Carol and I had already planned to be at a wedding in middle Tennessee that weekend. But now, instead of flying to Nashville for a fun weekend getaway, we were driving the 12 hour journey with two dogs.

Still, it was a great adventure—at least for Layla and Bella. They got to go with us everywhere (except the wedding, when we left them in the hotel room). They got to see the mountains along I-40. They got to see the parking lot behind the Cracker Barrel. They got to have a picnic by the river. They got to walk five miles along a beautiful greenway in Clarksville. They even got to go to a cave with us.

As long as they were with us, they were happy and in heaven.

As I write this devotion, violent thunderstorms are moving across the southeast United States, and some of them have come into our county. The thunder and lightning have heightened the anxiety of Bella and Layla. Their eyes seem to quadruple in size at the sound of thunder. And they are staying close to us. Very close.

We're going to have two dogs in bed with us tonight, for sure.

Bella and Layla never know what the day will bring. But as long as we're around, they seem ok.

I see an image of faith in all this. Our life in Christ is a journey. It begins when Christ adopts us as his own. Sheer grace, it is, that we become children of God. "God decided to adopt us into his family through Jesus Christ," notes the apostle Paul. Then he adds this thought: "What pleasure God took in planning this." (Ephesians 1:5, The Message) 

When you think of it, life is also full of adventures. Some of them will be exciting and fun, while others will be fearsome. We never know what the day will bring, or where God will lead us. But we know God, and so we can rest confidently that as God has taken care of us to this point, so will God care for us tomorrow and every tomorrow after that.

And when we find ourselves in the midst of storms in life, we have One to whom we can come and cling in our fear and anxiety. We have One who has the power to calm the storm and take us safely home.

Thank God, that God has chosen to adopt us into his family! Thank God for the indescribable gift of entering into God's grace, and experiencing God's providential care and constant presence!

I hope and pray that I can look to the Lord with faith and love that equals the way our dogs trust and love us.

Waiting for the Morning

“My soul waits for the Lord...”Psalm 130:6

On one of my morning jogs around town, I came across a place at the top of the bay, with a solitary tree between the road and the shoreline. I registered that spot into my memory banks, thinking it would be a great place to catch a picture of the sun rising one day.

A month or so later I drove over to the spot, parked my car, and started to watch the horizon for the signs of sunrise. I positioned my tripod in a spot where the solitary tree would be off to the side of the picture, giving me a good frame.

After I had taken several pictures, I noticed that there seemed to be something that I hadn't seen earlier right at the base of one of the branches of the tree. I zoomed in with my camera, and I discovered that it was a hawk (watching the waterfront for breakfast, I presume). It sat there in the tree for several more minutes. With the hawk between me and the sun, the best I could hope for was a silhouette; I'm not disappointed, though.

When I look at that picture of the hawk scanning the horizon, my mind goes to the 130^th psalm. The psalmist is in a dark night of the soul; he feels all alone, and the world is against him. He realizes that his only hope is for God's mercy. So he confesses, “I wait for the Lord, my soul waits, and in his word I hope; my soul waits for the Lord more than the watchman waits for the morning, more than the watchman waits for the morning.” (Ps. 130:5-6)

The psalm refers to the watchman, the sentry stationed on the wall watching for enemy advances in the dark of night. It is a terrifying and lonely job, and daylight couldn't arrive quick enough. When the sentries scan the horizon, they are not only watching for approaching enemies and danger; they are also watching for the sun to come up, so they can be relieved of their duty.

Their waiting for the morning is a deep longing of the heart.

Sometimes we find ourselves in times of darkness. We're frightened at the world around us. We're grieved at the loss of a loved one. We're anxious about the phone message from the doctor's office. We're heartbroken over a shattered relationship. We're _________________________ . You can surely fill in the blank, because each of us has had something that has cast us into darkness of spirit.

When those times of darkness come upon us, we long for the light. We want some sign that this darkness will not last forever. We want hope.

We find hope when we fix our hearts upon the Lord. God will turn our darkness into light. He will turn our mourning into joy. He will heal our broken hearts with his love.

Wait for the Lord, more than the watchman waits for the morning. More than the watchman waits for the morning.

Something else strikes me about this psalm. It is written from the darkness. The writer is in the darkness when he pens these words. It's not a wishy-washy faith that he expresses, but a faith forged in the darkness. And yet, even in the darkness, he is able not only to confess his own faith, but also to urge all of God's people to turn their hearts to the Lord:

“O Israel (in other words, O people of God), put your hope in the Lord, for with the Lord is steadfast love and with him is unfailing redemption.” (Psalm 130:7)

And so I don't offer you this hope lightly. I know that some of you reading this may very well be in the darkness right now. But I know that you are not alone in the darkness. And I know that as you hope in the Lord, and as your soul waits with the same longing as the sentry for the morning, then daylight will come.

Wait for the morning. It will come.

Because God is faithful. And God is love. And with God is unfailing redemption.

A New Creation

“Therefore, whoever is in Christ is a new creation; the old has gone, and the new has come.”2 Corinthians 5:17

One of the most photographed places in Edinburgh, Scotland, is Princes Street Gardens. It is a public park in the center (or as they say in Edinburgh, the centre) of the city, separating “Old Town” from “New Town.” Interesting fact: New Town isn't very new, as it dates to the 1760s.

Princes Street Gardens used to be a lake (or, as they say in Edinburgh, a loch), so the park itself is below street level, with the sides of the parks made of grassy slopes. The people of Edinburgh will flock to the Gardens at the first sign of sunshine. In the spring and summer, the Gardens are adorned with beautiful seasonal flowers, blooming shrubs, and trees. Along the Princes Street edge of the gardens, a number of monuments and statues can be found, the most prominent of which is the monument to Sir Walter Scott. Carol and I spent a lovely afternoon at the Gardens when we were in Edinburgh in 2016.

The Princes Street Gardens weren't always such a lovely place. As I mentioned, it used to be a man-made loch. It was also the place into which all the sewage from Old Town drained.

The place now known as Princes Street Gardens was once a stagnant cesspool of runoff rainwater and raw human sewage. But now it has been transformed into a place of beauty and joy for the people of Edinburgh. QUITE the transformation. Even a new creation, one might conclude.

Well, now, isn't that a coincidence: The Bible verse at the top of this devotion refers to new creations, doesn't it? “Whoever is in Christ is a new creation.”

Really, now, you don't think it's a coincidence, do you? Of course not.

In all seriousness, as amazing as the transformation of a place like Princes Street Gardens is – from an open sewer to one of the most beautiful parks in Britain – even that transformation pales in comparison to the transformation of our hearts when Jesus Christ takes up residence with us. Not that you and I are like a stagnant sewage pond before Christ (that's just gross); but in Christ, everything changes.

In Christ, despair is met with assurance that God is in control, and that God works all things for the good for those who love him.

In Christ, sin and failure and brokenness are met with forgiveness and second chances and healing.

In Christ, cynicism about the world is met with hope that the day is drawing near when God's kingdom will come, and God's will will be done on earth as it is in heaven.

In Christ, our rebellion is met with peace and reconciliation.

In Christ, we – you and I, and all who believe in him – are met by the love of God.

The truth is, Christ changes everything. Christ transforms everything.

Thanks be to God, who makes us new creations!