Radical, Selfless, Transforming

Jesus showed us the definition of Love, Himself.

In the Temple, by the sea, at the funeral of a son, in the Garden, before an unfair court in shame, chained to the flogging post, under the thorn-crown, bearing the heavy Beams over open gashes, in His every drop of precious blood, hanging in a choking posture from the Cross, and rising to walk and talk with His friends again.

His love was Radical. Never before had God died. Never before had those miracles been done. Never before had God defeated death for every soul. Never before did God demonstrate Himself so clearly, so openly. God IS Love. He doesn't just do it, He defines it. He exudes it. He is IT.

His love was Selfless. (So unlike my own love, if I can even call it that.) He thought of you and me, and those very thoughts of His loved ones drove Him, pushed Him, encouraged Him, strengthened Him to do what was required. How many times did He think of Himself? I'm not sure, but my guess is not many, for if He would have dwelt on Himself, He wouldn't have done any of it. His thoughts and actions were for His Father's children, for His Family. This is Love.

His love was Transforming. He made a Way. He gave His blood for ours. He paid every price. He changed our hearts, supernaturally and miraculously making it possible for us to give Grace and forgiveness (and Love and Joy and Peace and Patience and Kindness and Goodness and Faithfulness and Gentleness and Self-Control). Those things are beyond what we posses. Our love doesn't contain them. But His does, and now, because of the Holy Spirit, our wine skins are stretched to contain everything He empowers into us. We are NOT the same.

Jesus, fill us with your Spirit. Empower us to be more like You. Help our definition to be Love too. Radical, Selfless, Transforming - Love.

Freedom

Tonight begins Passover for those who observe this festival/holiday. In continuing with research for my writing, I'm digging into the deep meaning of this celebration and the traditions therein, conveniently found in a book I got from the library last week. Strangely (and by no means coincidence), my daily reading plan has me in 2nd Kings 23 where Josiah honors Passover like no King before or after him, a friend of mine took off work today to honor the beginning of the festival, and it is the next phase of my book that I'll be detailing. Well, I think it's obvious God wants to show me more of what Passover means to Him.

A couple months ago, I led Communion in church and God put on my heart to share Jesus' observance of the Passover meal before He was crucified. I shared how Jesus' words on that night were a dual fulfillment of prophesy - the promise of Freedom. Freedom from slavery is an important element of the Passover celebration - for the Jews of long ago, and for modern-day Jewish people as well. They emphasize freedom from Egypt - both literally and figuratively. But Jesus was also describing another freedom when He broke the bread and shared the cup - freedom from sin and the law that held us captive to it. He rescued us from the idolatry and oppression of Egypt, but He also rescued us from ourselves and the sin nature that has plagued us since Adam.

In addition to the dichotomy of freedom and slavery, Passover is also about the juxtaposition of exile and home. Once again, Jesus took this idea to a whole new level when He took bread with His disciples that night and then gave His life the next day. He knew that with the New Covenant He established that night, His promise of Home would take on new meaning. Our new Promised Land is not limited to Jerusalem or Israel any longer. We await a New Jerusalem, which will be an eternal Home with God in a New Heaven and a New Earth, made possible only with the defeat of death. And that is why the Resurrection is the rest of the Passover story that began one night in Egypt, continued one night in an upper room with 13 guys, and will one day be fulfilled in completion when He returns for us.

Maybe that day will be today . . .

A prophetess: Huldah

Today I'm a little preoccupied with research for my book, so bear with me if you will.

Let's breech the topic of Women in the Church - not so we can fight over a controversial issue, but in order to see what the Bible really says.

There are a few women in the Bible who bear the title "Prophetess": Miriam, Deborah, and Huldah. One commentary, however, stated that this title was not necessarily indicative of an ability to foresee events, but rather of possessing a poetic speech-giving talent. Another book I got from the library yesterday implied a disdain among all Jewish people for women who learned and spoke the Word of God.

Really? What a shame. Frankly, I don't see that in Scripture.

Disrespectful Miriam aside, let's look at just Deborah and Huldah here. Not only did they know God's Word, but their faith stands out among even the men in their own generation, and we can indeed see the prophetic spirit at work. In Judges Deborah reluctantly agrees to fight with Barak, prophesying that he'll lose face if she does when God wins. She leads the charge and comes out on top, just as God spoke through her.

And Huldah - well, she's right on the money too. She knows the king's heart, speaks out the forthcoming destruction and judgement (which would come to pass just 14 years later), and tells Josiah's future. Though some may contend that he didn't die "in peace," I'd argue that he was at peace with God, and Judah was not necessarily "at war" when he was killed. Prophetess: of course, in every sense of the word. And did she know God and His Ways, His Law? She had to have known. God reveals His secrets to His friends. (John 15:15)

"She said to them, 'This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: Tell the man who sent you to me, "This is what the Lord says: I will bring trouble to this place and to the people living here, as it is written in the book which the king of Judah has read. The people of Judah have left me and have burned incense to other gods. They have made me angry by all that they have done. My anger burns against this place like a fire, and it will not be put out." ' " - 2 Kings 22:15-17 (NCV)


I love Huldah. Not quite as much as I love Josiah, but still. I love that she's an example (one of many in the Bible) to today's women who follow God. She knew God's heart, was known (even among the highest Palace officials) to hear from Him, and was bold enough to give a convicting prophesy which couldn't have been a popular opinion in her generation.

I pray that God will raise me up to be like her. And I pray for many other women to be raised up in my generation as well. I also pray for more men like King Josiah, Hilkiah, Abcor, Ahikam, Shaphan, and Asaiah who will seek out the wisdom of these women whom God has clearly called and is using, and for a people who will listen.

Seeking and Finding

Today I have a new awe of God.

The vast and seemingly-endless ways people come to know Him. I see it in Scripture, and I see it in my generation too. Some come quickly to their knees, at the mere mention of the Cross and His Holy Name. Others take years, even decades of searching, seeking, looking, and studying to receive His forgiveness and leadership. Though the Way is singular, the paths to Him are as numerous as the number of Souls He has made.

And to me they are all exceedingly amazing. That God could put that many pieces of this puzzle into place is simply unthinkable in my puny mind.

Oh, wow, You are so gigantically powerful, My Lord!

My process in coming to Jesus was nothing short of miraculous. And when I look back, even when I wasn't actively "seeking" Him, I can see that he was undeterred in chasing after me. As they say, "hindsight is 20/20." My teenage years were filled with times of self-seeking pleasure and prideful accomplishment. But God even used those times to show me I'd fail every time without Him. When I started looking for Him, I wrestled with Jesus who is the Word. Turning the pages over and over again, I fought Him and demanded the Truth. And, oh my, did He deliver. In the end it was I who was pinned to the mat in exhaustion and sweet defeat. He had beaten my pride and my "intelligence" and when I cried out for mercy He responded with a deep kiss of grace.

I would be forever changed and changing.

"For the Lord sees every heart and knows every plan and thought. If you seek him, you will find him." -1 Chronicles 28:9b (NLT)

"Turn to the LORD!
He can still be found.
Call out to God! He is near." -Isaiah 55:6 (CEV)

Tell me about your story, dear seeker . . . Let us stand in awe of Him together.