And as he rode along, they spread their cloaks on the road. As he was drawing near—already on the way down the Mount of Olives—the whole multitude of his disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works that they had seen, saying, “Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!” And some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to him, “Teacher, rebuke your disciples.” He answered, “I tell you, if these were silent, the very stones would cry out.” Luke 19:36-40 ESV https://bible.com/bible/59/luk.19.36-40.ESV
In my walk, I get to visit many churches and different denominations and different peoples who are gathering to worship Jesus. And some are more reverent and quiet in their worship, and some are more active and loud. I think that it is easy for people who have been raised in either tradition (reverent/quiet or active/loud) to understand most comfortably their own style. But when we see people who genuinely love the Lord and can’t help but rejoice and praise and worship Him, we can see the beauty in their differences and not just judge by our own expectations.
Even an outwardly reverent worship with congregation and choir in perfect timing and harmony and controlled volume that recently does not diverge from the written musical notes and lyrics — should on the inside be spiritually worshipping with full abandon of heart and self to glorify God. And even an outwardly active and loud worship with freedom to clap, shout, dance, cry out, and improvise with the music and tune — should on the inside be reverently focused on Christ alone as receiving all glory and honor.
The Pharisees here weren’t just wrong for wanting to quiet the worship of the disciples so that it was more orderly ands in line with their own traditions. They were wrong because they couldn’t see or understand the True Worship that was flowing out of the disciples in ways that stretched beyond their own traditions.
I wonder if Jesus bringing attention to the “stones” would immediately remind these religious men both of scriptures about stony hearts and of stones laid upon an altar in special places as a remembrance of mighty things the Lord has done. And how many times when we have grown weary and cold and stony in our lives, has the Lord shown up and done wonderful things so that we could lay aside those stones as a marker along our path of something mighty and wonderful the Lord has done in us and through us?
We have much to rejoice this morning, friends. And whether we are up before the rest of the house giving God the first of our day and rejoicing quietly and reverently — or alone in our vehicle praising the Lord loudly and fervently — lets praise Him in spirit and in truth in the innermost places knowing that He is truly worthy of more honor and praise than even the best ashes that we could bring — and that lasting down our stones to walk with Him in fullness of life is the worship He desires.
“Do all things to the glory of God” can read quite differently depending on our perspective.
If we don’t know or trust that God is good, we might think it absurd that anyone should “try to live their life in a way that gives glory to God” — that might seem like a pointless, burdensome, heavy list of laws that we might have to try and live up to.
If we are religious and condemning and proud and hypocritical, we might hear that and immediately think of “someone else who ought to be living their lives differently”.
If we are in sin or not fully surrendered in an area of our lives, we might hear that and be “reminded of something we are doing that could hinder our testimony that needs to be confessed, repented, and laid down at the foot of the cross”.
If we are walking freely in the joy of the Lord, we might hear that and “be inspired that we have the opportunity today to live differently, peculiarly, oddly unique — as salt and light — as vessels of the Holy Spirit of God — as ambassadors of the upside down Kingdom of God”.
And there is a time for everything, so we need not try and fake it and act like our lives are full of joy if we are broken and hurting and in need of rest. We need not “put on a mask of religion” to appear one way while we know inside we are living alie.
No, we need to decide, “Is God worth being glorified?”
That is truly the answer, and is the reason behind those differing perspectives. If we truly believe that He is, and we know that our greatest purpose is to glorify Him — it shifts everything else.
When we truly believe this about God — it makes it much easier for us to lay down that temptation, sin, shame, bitterness, unforgiveness, grumbling, etc. that was hindering us in our walk with God.
But what about those times when we doubt?
What about those times when we have grown weary?
What about if we don’t even know the Lord yet?
What if we’ve never yet heard the gospel and truly believed and received?
There is Good News, friend!
We can continue in this life trying to make it about ourselves — and continue on that broad path to self destruction. Or we can learn about this Jesus Christ, who is God who came in the flesh as a mam to live among us and truly live upright in a way that not only fulfilled the religious laws but superceded them in love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness and self-control that is in such a stark contrast to religious hypocrisy or selfish lawlessness. And we can learn how a sinful world hated Him for it so that He could pay for our sins and offer us forgiveness and demonstrate a way where there was no way — a way where we could know and love God in a personal way that has us grateful for the opportunity to glorify Him in our lives.
If this sounds like the type of change you need in your life today — real relationship with God — a life of true purpose — freedom from sin and shame — a life of glorifying God and not yourself — pray with me:
Lord, you are trustworthy and worthy of all praise and honor and glory. Too many times, I have made it about myself and not about you. Too many times I have doubted and not trusted you even though you are always faithful. Thank you for revealing your gospel and The Way to me. Thank you for allowing me to turn back from the broad way to destruction that I have been on. Thank you for showing me areas of my own life that need to be surrendered. Thank you for teaching me how to live in a way that glorifies you. Help me today to remember, to not forget that you are worthy, and that your way is best. Amen.
If you have any questions, need prayer, need someone to talk to, etc. please leave me a comment below, or send me a message from the About Me page.
God bless you and keep you, and may His joy, His very countenance and nature be on you and shine through you for the world to see and bring glory to our Father in heaven. Amen.
This morning, I am reviewing questions posed by my friend Brian Eshleman as part of his blog. He asks:
They answered and said to him, “You were completely born in sins, and are you teaching us?” And they cast him out. John 9:34, New King James Version
QUESTION: When has your flesh’s reaction been to point accusations that someone who pointed you to an aspect of Christ’s righteousness that convicted you?
I am reminded of a man who seemingly was “set against me” in some ways. Some of his actions towards me reminded me of bullying from my high school days, and I found myself not being able to trust him — because I was more cognizant of things that appeared not Christ-like in his life than I was looking for any glimmer of Christ apparent in him as an image bearer. But he was trying to teach me to “let go”, to “trust”, to “jump off of cliffs without a parachute”. Such things sound like someone trying to push us out in front of a bus when we cannot trust the messenger.
But there was something of Christ even in that message. Such a message should have reminded me of verses like:
Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus. And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise. Keep putting into practice all you learned and received from me—everything you heard from me and saw me doing. Then the God of peace will be with you. Philippians 4:6-9 NLT https://bible.com/bible/116/php.4.6-9.NLT
But when we feel themessenger is not trustworthy, how quickly can we ignore the message (instead of testing all spirits), and go deeper into self-defence mode because we are not at peace within ourselves, within our relationships, within our day to day lives.
In my case, I missed out on the conviction of such prompting in my conscious mind — because my heart eas already closed off from letting this person pour into my life. We were seemingly lined up as enemies by the circumstances of the moment — and it took things playing out and removing us from each other’s lives before I could see the need for peace to be restored in my innermost, for forgiveness to be extended for perceived wrongs, and for me to love this person because Christ loves them.
Like the Pharisees, my unconscious mind had discounted and dismissed everything of value they had to offer because of unforgiveness in my heart. Whether they actually intended me harm or not, whether they were a bully or not, whether they were unfair and unjust towards me if for God to judge between us, not me. These Pharisees were more interested in protecting themselves, their reputation, their livelihood, their honor amongst men than they were interested in the truth. While the blind man was only interested in truth and didn’t care how it might make him sound or look.
I wonder how many times we have thought we were zealous for truth like the blind man, but we were operating in our flesh as zealots like the Pharisees. Isn’t it easy to get our motives and agendas and pride intertwined with our “perspective on truth” and try to measure everything by our own rule of law, by our own weighted scales — rather than comparing to the one truth, the one plumbline, the spotless and without blemish or fault? Isn’t this what satanic humanism is all about, any why it fits so nicely within a compromised, hypocritical religious structure (or a God-denying culture just the same) — but why it clashes so violently with One Way, One Truth, One Life?
We must ask ourselves, do we sound more like the Accuser — with pointed finger — casting people out — refusing to listen — more eager to teach than to be taught?
Do we read something like this and level our fiery arrows at another person who we know “needs to hear this” instead of letting our own stony hearts be penetrated by the conviction of the Word of God?
We must repent while there is still time and be more like the blind man in John 9. Maybe we should go back and read his own humble account where he isn’t even trying to teach people, he is just answering questions and speaking honestly — but it is so clear that there is a lesson in this moment that the Pharisees can feel it, can sense it, know that a lesson is there that they refuse to accept. Like the parable stories Jesus told that enraged the Pharisees — life lessons and simple truth can enrage us when we are protecting some type of idol in our hearts that needs to be overthrown.
Only the humble will truly praise God, while the proud insist on praise for themselves. For the proud, even their concept of worship and praise is false and self serving.
Lord, forgive us for our “adulterous hearts” that pridefully seek praise and honor for ourselves — that only you are worthy of. Amen.
For thus says the Lord: After seventy years are completed at Babylon, I will visit you and perform My good word toward you, and cause you to return to this place. 11 For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.
COMMENTARY: Jeremiah 29:11 is a T-shirt and meme verse. We want prosperity and not harm. Even if the principle of the verse does fully apply to us as New Testament believers and not just to the particular situation of the returning exiles, I don’t see as many people rejoicing that God is still being gracious if He decides to take seventy years of disciplining to allow us to see His good.
QUESTION: What is an instance where your emotional state and behavior have changed because God has taught you to begin to rest in the LONG-TERM promises of His Word rather than claiming it like a coupon obliging Him to do what you want when you want?
Recently, I found myself unemployed unexpectedly. And since this happened during COVID, I didn’t know how long it might take for me to find a comparable job. In fact, I didn’t even know if it should be possible in this time to find something. I didn’t know if God was going to use this time to close doors to my operating within the professional IT world to share the gospel as best as I can in my day to day career and refocus me on a more full time, traditional “ministry” approach. I didn’t know how I was going to pay my bills, support my family, etc. I just didn’t know.
I knew that we wouldn’t starve, because I will do whatever job or work is necessary to provide — but I wasn’t sure whether we might have to sell the house, move, etc. depending on how things went with the job hunt.
So I prayed for God to rescue, even as I prepared with moves engaging things like forbearance, bankruptcy, debt settlement, 401k disbursements, etc. And God brought into the forefront of my life a new team of Godly companions, not to open doors to “fixing my circumstances” (even though He was working that out behind the scenes as well) — but to help me appreciate the “detour”.
When we are in the “detour”, we don’t know whether it will be 40 days or 40 years, 7 days or 70 years. And sometimes, we don’t even initially understand the reasons for the disciplining, for the trial, for the refining that needs to take place. But what an amazingly humbling and revealing place it is when we cannot “rely on our own understanding”. In Provetbs 3 we are told:
Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take. Don’t be impressed with your own wisdom. Instead, fear the Lord and turn away from evil. Then you will have healing for your body and strength for your bones. Proverbs 3:5-8 NLT https://bible.com/bible/116/pro.3.5-8.NLT
What a powerful place the Lord must put some of us who are used to relying upon our own understanding — a place where we cannot see the end — where we cannot know the timing — where we cannot understand the why or the how of the situation with our own strength, skills, or abilities.
And even while our flesh is screaming out, “This is going to hurt! We might die! This is horrible!” Isn’t that the party of us that needs to die to Christ daily? Aren’t we supposed to have faith in things not yet seen? Aren’t we supposed to wait upon the Lord?
The place that He is wanting us to return to is not prosperity and complacency and presuming upon His mercy, grace, and favor — but the place is fully trusting in Him and abiding in His presence. It is a place of peace that passes beyond circumstances of the moment to trust in The Way that He is taking us. This narrow path looks quite different than the broad way that leads to destruction — and we should not be horribly surprised that it comes with valleys and mountaintops. If we were alone, unattended, unprotected, we might have much to fear — but when we are with the Shepherd, the darkness, the dangers, the storms, even the wolves do not exist so that they can destroy us. They draw us close to Him, ands slow Him to prove once again that He is faithful and true.
When we look past the fleeting moment of this life, and realize that He is molding us through these moments, refining us, shaping us in preparation for who we will be in eternity — we can appreciate that even long-suffering endurance is a sweet tasting fruit in the same way that joy is. So we find a way to “put on the garment of praise”, especially in those times of heaviness.
I’m reminded of Isaiah 61:
The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the poor; he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound; to proclaim the year of the Lord ‘s favor, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all who mourn; to grant to those who mourn in Zion— to give them a beautiful headdress instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, the garment of praise instead of a faint spirit; that they may be called oaks of righteousness, the planting of the Lord , that he may be glorified. They shall build up the ancient ruins; they shall raise up the former devastations; they shall repair the ruined cities, the devastations of many generations. Strangers shall stand and tend your flocks; foreigners shall be your plowmen and vinedressers; but you shall be called the priests of the Lord ; they shall speak of you as the ministers of our God; you shall eat the wealth of the nations, and in their glory you shall boast. Instead of your shame there shall be a double portion; instead of dishonor they shall rejoice in their lot; therefore in their land they shall possess a double portion; they shall have everlasting joy. For I the Lord love justice; I hate robbery and wrong; I will faithfully give them their recompense, and I will make an everlasting covenant with them. Their offspring shall be known among the nations, and their descendants in the midst of the peoples; all who see them shall acknowledge them, that they are an offspring the Lord has blessed. I will greatly rejoice in the Lord ; my soul shall exult in my God, for he has clothed me with the garments of salvation; he has covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decks himself like a priest with a beautiful headdress, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels. For as the earth brings forth its sprouts, and as a garden causes what is sown in it to sprout up, so the Lord God will cause righteousness and praise to sprout up before all the nations. Isaiah 61:1-11 ESV https://bible.com/bible/59/isa.61.1-11.ESV
We should make this chapter from Isaiah our proclamation, even our prayer today. Amen.
Love doesn’t just “do no wrong to others” — it does kindness and mercy to others. Law keepers and law makers are focused on limiting the wrong doing to others, and reconciling when wrong is done. So following the law falls horribly short of fulfilling love — but love easily fulfills both the laws of men ands God’s law.
We can easily tell if we are not loving someone if we “wrong them”. But just because we feel justified and free from wronging someone — doesn’t mean that we have loved them. What if our goal truly was to love and show appreciation for each and every person we encounter today?
This morning, I met Wendell, the security guard and door man at my new job. He knew who I was when I walked in the door. And as I waited in the lobby for someone to come down to get me, I realized that he recognized and greeted every person by name as they entered the building — even though almost everyone was wearing masks. I realized how honored I felt that he knew my name, and I realized that he gets to honor people everyday in this way — welcoming them each by name into ther building. It inspired me.
I wonder how often I have overlooked honoring those who pass by me in life. I wonder how often I haven’t made the effort to know people close and personal enough to call them by name, to recognize them even with their masks on, etc. And I wonder how far that falls from loving them.
Lord, open my eyes to the value of each and every person that I encounter. Help me to build loving relationships with others where they might see you through me. Help me to set my eyes on love as the goal, not just upon a list of rules. Amen.
I was reminded this morning of Micah 6:8 by a verse image that JoAnn Reid created on the Bible app:
No, O people, the Lord has told you what is good, and this is what he requires of you: to do what is right, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God. Micah 6:8 NLT https://bible.com/bible/116/mic.6.8.NLT
Let’s dissect a bit this morning:
The Lord has told you what is good
This is what He requires of you
Do what is right
Love mercy
Walk humbly with your God
And we can break down the five bullet points into two sections.
A pre-amble about the Lord:
The Lord has told you what is good
This is what He requires of you
What the Lord requires:
Do what is right
Love mercy
Walk humbly with your God
“The Lord has told you what is good“
Like a good parent at home or a good leader in the workplace, the Lord sets clear expectations up front. In contrast to fallible mankind (who may have hidden agendas, and who may say one thing and do another), God tells us clearly what is good. It doesn’t change with the culture and times. It doesn’t sway to whatever wickedness we can justify in our own minds as being “well intended”. He has spoken. It is written. Roman’s chapter 1 is a good study on how God has “told everyone” what is good:
But God shows his anger from heaven against all sinful, wicked people who suppress the truth by their wickedness. They know the truth about God because he has made it obvious to them. For ever since the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky. Through everything God made, they can clearly see his invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse for not knowing God. Romans 1:18-20 NLT https://bible.com/bible/116/rom.1.18-20.NLT
So we should see that this Old Testament prophetic statement from Micah’s message to Israel is consistent with the New Testament gospel from Paul’s letter to the Romans.
“This is what He requires of you”
There are requirements. While in great contrast, the Satanic mantra and the way of the fallen world system is “Do as thou wilt” — having people justify in their own minds their selfish, unjust, illegal, unloving actions with little consideration of God’s will or fear of His judgement. Christ did not go to the cross to free us to sin more. He did not live a sinless life and offer us grace so that sin might abound even more in our lives and in the world around us. He did not provide us with the gift of the Holy Spirit living within us so that He could be present in the midst of our sinful endeavors.
He has provided escape and victory. He has broken chains, opened prison doors, and made a way where there was no way. He has called us out of the darkness and into the light. And we are given a choice. John chapter 3 lays it out like this:
“For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him. There is no judgment against anyone who believes in him. But anyone who does not believe in him has already been judged for not believing in God’s one and only Son. And the judgment is based on this fact: God’s light came into the world, but people loved the darkness more than the light, for their actions were evil. All who do evil hate the light and refuse to go near it for fear their sins will be exposed. But those who do what is right come to the light so others can see that they are doing what God wants. ” John 3:16-21 NLT https://bible.com/bible/116/jhn.3.16-21.NLT
We see that there is both an invitation by God, and an answer by each person.
“Do what is right”
We see that God requires that we do what is just and right.
For someone who knows that they do not always do what is just and right, this may seem like a high bar to set, maybe even an impossible goal to reach. This is not so much because the bar is set unjustly or unfairly high — doing right to others and being just towards others would sound like a very reasonable thing if we were all loving, selfless, just and fair people. Imagine a world where people were not wicked, prideful, selfish — where they did not demand their own way, did not wrong each other, did not place unreasonable expectations upon each other. That sounds like a beautiful place to live and be a part of. If that sounds like your home, your workplace, your neighborhood, your country — you would be blessed indeed.
But my guess is that you can see that your own life, and those around you, are tainted in some way that falls short of that perfect ideal. This should give any reasonable man pause to consider why it is so. It caused the apostle Paul to contemplate such things:
So the trouble is not with the law, for it is spiritual and good. The trouble is with me, for I am all too human, a slave to sin. I don’t really understand myself, for I want to do what is right, but I don’t do it. Instead, I do what I hate. But if I know that what I am doing is wrong, this shows that I agree that the law is good. So I am not the one doing wrong; it is sin living in me that does it. And I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. I want to do what is right, but I can’t. I want to do what is good, but I don’t. I don’t want to do what is wrong, but I do it anyway. But if I do what I don’t want to do, I am not really the one doing wrong; it is sin living in me that does it. I have discovered this principle of life—that when I want to do what is right, I inevitably do what is wrong. I love God’s law with all my heart. But there is another power within me that is at war with my mind. This power makes me a slave to the sin that is still within me. Oh, what a miserable person I am! Who will free me from this life that is dominated by sin and death? Thank God! The answer is in Jesus Christ our Lord. So you see how it is: In my mind I really want to obey God’s law, but because of my sinful nature I am a slave to sin. Romans 7:14-25 NLT https://bible.com/bible/116/rom.7.14-25.NLT
Do you ever wonder why in the world you would do, say or think such a thing?
Do you ever recognize that they’re is this war going on where you are tempted to do things that you know aren’t right or good or healthy — yet you do them anyways?
Please understand that neither Paul nor I are excusing wrongdoing by pointing out how sin works within us. Paul isn’t saying, “Don’t worry about your continued sinning because it isn’t you doing it, it is something else doing it, and you can’t help it.” No! Paul is saying, “Look, can’t you see how it is a sickness that leads to destruction and death, and how it contrasts with what you know is healthy, right, and good for you and for others.” He’s showing that this infection, this infiltration of sin is something we can recognize, quantify, measure in our lives as “real”.
The Bible teaches us that sin infiltrated in the fall of mankind, and it is sin that separates us from a holy God. God’s requirement is repeated multiple times, “Be holy as I am holy”. God’s is repeated over and over, consistently throughout both Old and New Testsment:
So set yourselves apart to be holy, for I am the Lord your God. Keep all my decrees by putting them into practice, for I am the Lord who makes you holy. Leviticus 20:7-8 NLT https://bible.com/bible/116/lev.20.7-8.NLT
So you must live as God’s obedient children. Don’t slip back into your old ways of living to satisfy your own desires. You didn’t know any better then. But now you must be holy in everything you do, just as God who chose you is holy. For the Scriptures say, “You must be holy because I am holy.” 1 Peter 1:14-16 NLT https://bible.com/bible/116/1pe.1.14-16.NLT
If the apostle Paul acknowledges this “war within himself” as we mentioned above, and we recognize and agree that we can see how “sin” is in us and works against our best interests, and we see that God calls us to be “holy” — how do we escape a trap that seems hell bent on our destruction?
If we were dealing with a religion that gives you a law to obey, some self-help steps to guide you, a checklist of dos and don’ts, even good reasoning behind why you “should” do X versus doing Y — you might say, “This stuff is worthless. It is just going to cause self loathing towards self or religious zealots will use it to oppress groups who are different than themselves. ” This is because we know that at times, we have known the right thing to do, and we have still chosen poorly and done the wrong thing. With a dead religion of only laws, advice and reasoning– we have seen how it fails because people are NOT holy — people are not just — people are not fair. They may seem so in a single isolated incident, but they are not consistently. And even when they appear so, many times there is a selfish agenda or reason behind it, like a sneaky thumb on the scales of justice that goes unnoticed — instead of the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth.
So how do we “Do right”?
How do we “be holy”?
This is where I tell you that “The Way” is a bit different than what you might have in your mind about “Christianity” as a religion. Knowing, loving, and walking in “The Way” is a narrow path that leads to life — while being a great religious scholar in the “Christian religion” can be comfortably practiced while moving along the broad way that leads to destruction.
If you feel confused at this point, stick with me. This meal takes some chewing. Just like we had to differentiate sin and how it has tainted what could be a perfect life, culture and community if it wasn’t present — I want you to see how “The Way” has been tainted in a way that has people misunderstanding a restored relationship with God as being “a religion”.
“Love mercy”
What is mercy?
The Hebrew word (חֶסֶד – checed – H2617) used here points to:
Loving-kindness of men towards each other
The reverence or genuine piety of men towards God
The grace, favour, and undeserved mercy of God towards men
Mercy is the “right relationship” in each of these cases. Mercy is a right relationship between men, and mercy is a right relationship between God and man.
To “love mercy” is to love being loving and kind towards others. To “love mercy” is to love being reverent and in awe of and grateful towards God. To “love mercy” is to love and appreciate God’s unmerited grace, mercy, and favour that He demonstrates towards us.
So it isn’t “being begrudgingly kind” towards others because we know we are “supposed to”. That would be religious, that would be hypocrisy — that would be the tainted and false substitute and would not be “The Way”. It is about loving that relationships with others are being restored to the “right relationships”.
And it isn’t going through the motions of religious traditions, ceremonies, or practices because we’re “supposed to” or because “that’s what we’ve been taught to do”. That would be religious, that would be hypocrisy — that would be the tainted and false substitute and would not be “The Way”. It is about loving our restored relationship with God to where “genuine worship” and time spent “with the Lord” is ongoing, abiding, and consistent.
And it isn’t about using a concept of grace as a “get out of hell free card” to justify our loving our sin and continuing in it like those we read about in Romans chapter 1. That would be religious, that would be hypocrisy — that would be the tainted ands false substitute and would not be “The Way”. It is about our believing what Christ has done for us through His life, death, and resurrection and loving His mercy, loving “The Way”, loving this new abundant life with Him and living that we are turning away from the “old man” and turning to God.
“Walk humbly with your God”
Clearly, we have been building up to this point. And hopefully it is abundantly clear with this particular statement of “walk humbly with your God” that it is not just saying “be humble and follow the rules”.
Hopefully, at this point, we can agree on the focus of “religion vs relationship”.
It might seem fearful to a man who is clearly wrapped up in sin, who doesn’t love others, and who doesn’t love God to “meet His maker” at the end of His life to “find out whether hell or heaven is his future”. That seems to be the painting that “religion” paints to convince a man that he better — sign up for church membership — get sprinkled, poured, or dunked in the water — and start handing out tickets to God. But it shouldn’t be odd or surprising to discover that Jesus says in such cases, “depart from me” and “I never knew you”.
“Not everyone who calls out to me, ‘Lord! Lord!’ will enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Only those who actually do the will of my Father in heaven will enter. On judgment day many will say to me, ‘Lord! Lord! We prophesied in your name and cast out demons in your name and performed many miracles in your name.’ But I will reply, ‘I never knew you. Get away from me, you who break God’s laws.’ Matthew 7:21-23 NLT https://bible.com/bible/116/mat.7.21-23.NLT
We are called to walk humbly with Him now. And we are told that when we walk with Him, that the world will hate us like they hated Him. We are told that the enemy will try to work through others to harm us and to tear down our “right relationship” and compromise our testimony. We are told that we will share in His sufferings.
We aren’t given a prosperity religion checklist that says, “Do this good thing for God in order to manipulate Him into having to bless you.” No, that too would be religious, would be hypocrisy — and is not “The Way”. Because our eyes are not set on the treasures of this world that don’t compare to the things of heaven — nor fgo they compare to seeking first the Kingdom of God and walking humbly with the Lord now, today, even at this very moment.
A “religious man” who does not walk humbly with the Lord might pray fervently to be delivered from the fiery trials because he doesn’t know or trust that God is actually there with him ands has a purpose in mind:
Dear friends, don’t be surprised at the fiery trials you are going through, as if something strange were happening to you. Instead, be very glad—for these trials make you partners with Christ in his suffering, so that you will have the wonderful joy of seeing his glory when it is revealed to all the world. If you are insulted because you bear the name of Christ, you will be blessed, for the glorious Spirit of God rests upon you. If you suffer, however, it must not be for murder, stealing, making trouble, or prying into other people’s affairs. But it is no shame to suffer for being a Christian. Praise God for the privilege of being called by his name! For the time has come for judgment, and it must begin with God’s household. And if judgment begins with us, what terrible fate awaits those who have never obeyed God’s Good News? And also, “If the righteous are barely saved, what will happen to godless sinners?” So if you are suffering in a manner that pleases God, keep on doing what is right, and trust your lives to the God who created you, for he will never fail you. 1 Peter 4:12-19 NLT https://bible.com/bible/116/1pe.4.12-19.NLT
Did you catch the phrase “If the righteous are barely saved, what will happen to godless sinners?”
I encourage each of us to consider that statement — especially any man that considers himself religious or righteous.
Let’s choose to walk humbly with the Lord, friends. Amen.
Both the “religious” man and the “godly” man can see that there is good benefit in giving to the needy — the religious man from a self-serving nature to be praised by men or to increase in vain-glory — and the “godly” from an inward principle that wells up allowing neither complacency or ostentation in the face of need.
The religious man will find that he cannot use fear of vain-glory as the valid excuse for complacency in his ignoring the needs of others, nor can he choose to receive his reward now and expect his work to not be burned up in the discerning fires.
According to the grace of God given to me, like a skilled master builder I laid a foundation, and someone else is building upon it. Let each one take care how he builds upon it. For no one can lay a foundation other than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw— each one’s work will become manifest, for the Day will disclose it, because it will be revealed by fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each one has done. If the work that anyone has built on the foundation survives, he will receive a reward. If anyone’s work is burned up, he will suffer loss, though he himself will be saved, but only as through fire. 1 Corinthians 3:10-15 ESV https://bible.com/bible/59/1co.3.10-15.ESV
This can be a challenging subject for a religious man to consider, since he cannot trust his own heart in such matters. The heart is deceitful and will fight like a special forces team inserted in the dark of night to defend ego when it sits upon the throne of prideful men’s hearts. And it would rather the man abandon consideration of helping his needy brother than insure that God alone receives any and all glory.
The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it? “I the Lord search the heart and test the mind, to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his deeds.“ Jeremiah 17:9-10 ESV https://bible.com/bible/59/jer.17.9-10.ESV
And while this should be a comfort to the man who is fully trusting in the Lord to establish his steps — it should be a horribly fearful warning to the m as n who counts on the evidence of his good works and reputation to account for anything in the Kingdom of God. Psalm 139 reminds us that He is acquainted with all of our ways, our innermost “why” behind both our action and our inaction:
So we are warned that any “mixed motives” are not mixed at all — that we cannot serve two masters. This is the very definition of the “religious” man, because he seeks the appearance of serving God like the “godly” man, but he is not actually surrendered and serving God — He still loves himself too much to die to self.
No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. Matthew 6:24a ESV https://bible.com/bible/59/mat.6.24.ESV
And if it is evil in your eyes to serve the Lord , choose this day whom you will serve… But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord .” Joshua 24:15 ESV https://bible.com/bible/59/jos.24.15.ESV
“Christian”, whether we be a “religious” man or a “godly” man, we must examine ourselves and inquire with God for the truth about who it is who lives in this vessel:
I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. I do not nullify the grace of God, for if righteousness were through the law, then Christ died for no purpose. Galatians 2:20-21 ESV https://bible.com/bible/59/gal.2.20-21.ESV
If we find evidence of mixed motives, do not fear. We need only confess our sin, turn back to God in repentance, believe in Him and not ourselves for our salvation, and seek His glory and not our own in our sanctification.
We must not ignore such a call for surrender when we find that ego has even a foothold left upon the territory of our hearts. We must shine the light of God’s grace and mercy on that territory and see the enemy flee. Any counterfeit kings, idols, gods trying to lay claim to territory in our hearts must die — even ego/self — to make way for the only King that will truly love us and not harm us — King Jesus.
And when He is truly King, we will not fail to give to the needy, because it is in His character and nature and He is living in us and through us. We will not seek honor from men or bathe ourselves in vain-glory because it isn’t something we are doing ourselves that is spectacular or to be put on display, but it is what He is doing through us. It is then that He can fulfill the following scripture through us:
“You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven. Matthew 5:14-16 ESV https://bible.com/bible/59/mat.5.14-16.ESV
“Beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them, for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven. Matthew 6:1 ESV https://bible.com/bible/59/mat.6.1.ESV
Such things aren’t possible for even a very “religious” man. A man with “mixed motives”, with a checklist of “what I can do” and another list of “what I can’t do” will never reconcile Matthew 5:14 and Matthew 6:1, because he has made it about himself. This is explained explicitly when Jesus speaks about riches (the other extreme from need):
And Jesus said to his disciples, “Truly, I say to you, only with difficulty will a rich person enter the kingdom of heaven. Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.” When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished, saying, “Who then can be saved?” But Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” Matthew 19:23-26 ESV https://bible.com/bible/59/mat.19.23-26.ESV
And even when Peter, like a very “religious” man says:
Peter in that moment reveals his left hand. “Look what I’ve done! What do I get?” Vain-glory on display right there in front of God. Isn’t that how we can be at times, even in our prayers? Even in our “ministry”? Even in our “good works”? But Jesus doesn’t smite him. He doesn’t disqualify him. In language we might better understand today, “Jesus doesn’t have Peter box up his belongings, accept a severance package, thank him for his time and send him packing because he just doesn’t get it. Nor does he give him a checklist of do’s and don’ts. He points to the answer that is beyond self, He points to something beyond this fallen world, He points to an upside down Kingdom where God accomplishes what man cannot — through selfless, sacrificial love.”
Jesus said to them, “Truly, I say to you, in the new world, when the Son of Man will sit on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or lands, for my name’s sake, will receive a hundredfold and will inherit eternal life. But many who are first will be last, and the last first. Matthew 19:28-30 ESV https://bible.com/bible/59/mat.19.28-30.ESV
Lord, rather than just scrambling for what rough edges we might need knocked off, polished up, and put on display for others to see as the image of who we are — put your light on display through us so that men might be in awe of your glory, your grace, your mercy, your love, and your holiness. Come do in us the amazing things for others for your glory that we would either not do, or would do for our own glory. Take your rightful place upon the throne of our hearts and lives, and lead us by your Holy Spirit to see all the counterfeit idols cast out of the territory of our heart, mind, speech and actions for your sovereign reign. Establish our footsteps in The Way, and lead us. Amen.
I’ve seen this particular verse more times than I can count, but after taking our Pomeranian, PomPom, outside this morning for her morning walk — I saw this in a special light:
“He makes me” and “He leads me” jumped out of this as if they were highlighted like I’ve highlighted them above.
And I thought of PomPom, who occasionally wants to go her own way or get herself into trouble when we take her outside to go potty or go for walks. My wife and daughter take her out on a leash to go outside, so they can make her behave and keep her out of trouble. I take her out and correct her by my voice and my presence alone. I pondered how this parallels the Lord’s guidance and what this verse is talking about.
I’m also reminded of a recent C. S. Lewis quote that came up in a group on Facebook dedicated to the author’s works, where the contemplative discussion was on God’s will versus our own will:
“No soul that seriously and constantly desires joy will ever miss it” jumps out to me in this quote, and I contemplate the distractions that our dog, PomPom, encounters wore regularly that would not bring her joy. Examples are:
She smells something especially stinky that she wants to roll in — but which would result in us having to wash her (for both health and cleanliness reasons since she is an indoor dog) that she does not enjoy having to endure, and each bath dries out her skin ands makes her itch more than usual.
She gets curious and wants to wander too far away — which could leave her exposed to the predatory hawks we have in the area who are not afraid to pluck a chicken, rabbit, or small dog even while people are nearby, or to the coyotes, or to traffic on the road — all of which would not be an enjoyable experience for her or for us.
She finds something that is not food that she wants to try eating — most of which is not healthy for her, will make her sick, and will have her wretching and puking later — which is not enjoyable to her, but is even less enjoyable if we must take her to the vet.
So when we see her being tempted, we make her do something different than her senses and feelings in the moment are screaming at her to do. Our heavenly Father seems to “make us” and “lead us” in similar ways beyond mere conscience or memory of previous consequences that could be dismissed as “self”. Wouldn’t it be foolish (and dangerous) for PomPom to think to herself if she saw an open door, “Cool, I go out there all the time and never face dangers. I don’t need them with me! I’m headed on an adventure! I can do all the things they never let me do!”
But can we admit to ourselves that this is sometimes how we treat God in His “making us” and “leading us”?
Isn’t this exactly what happened in the garden?
Isn’t this exactly what happened the last time that we decided to go at it “on our own” and leave God behind?
Sadly, this verse highlighted recently by Brian Morin speaks to the alternative to God’s leading:
So many men will follow their sensuality to “their condemnation from long ago” to “their destruction” rather than be led by God. What a sad thought for those who refuse to repent and believe that God’s way truly is best and that everything else is danger, hurt, sickness, and death. What a sad thought for those who oppose God’s will because of senses and feelings, but have no understanding that God does such things from a place of love, grace and mercy extended to us.
I’m reminded of this recent verse image created by JoAnn Reid:
And you may wonder, “What does love have to do with obedience?”
Everything!
A religious man who doesn’t know the Lord and doesn’t love the Lord or love others can look at precepts in the Bible and try to live by them — like a checklist to keep his life from running off the rails — and he can build a reputation as a wise man. But He might live his life under the burdensome and stressful strain of trying to live up to the whitewashed “brand” he is trying to sell to the world around him — advertising his good deeds, even while knowing that he is empty and dead on the inside. This is NOT The Way, this is NOT what Psalm 23 is talking about. This is NOT why I share from the Bible. Don’t settle for rolling in the stench of religion when you can be led by the Lord.
When you see what He has done for you on the cross, when you see that He is a good Father leading you because He loves you, when you see that remaining close with Him as much as possible — you will rest at his feet, you will be filled with joy every time that He “enters the room”, you will love the healthy food and treats He provides you. I look at how Pompom clings to me, and this is what we want with the Lord, this is what is best. This is what stirs up love to the point that a leash of law is no longer necessary, and that we live in love and trust.
Now before faith came, we were held captive under the law, imprisoned until the coming faith would be revealed. So then, the law was our guardian until Christ came, in order that we might be justified by faith. But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian, for in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s offspring, heirs according to promise. Galatians 3:23-29 ESV https://bible.com/bible/59/gal.3.23-29.ESV
What is better for PomPom than knowing how to look out for hawks and coyotes, and knowing how to avoid things that are bad for her on her own? Walking with her daddy, having me there with her to lead her — even in those times she might be tempted to head off into danger so that she can hear the correction and choose to listen, and learn that the voice is trustworthy.
Lord, make us and lead us as you will. We trust that you know best. Forgive us for those times when we haven’t trusted and have resisted your will and your correction. We trust that it is not to harm us, but is for our good — even when we might not understand in the moment. May your pure love for us be so contagious from our time with you that it changes us from being led away by our senses, feelings and desires — to long for more of your love and to show that love in everything we are and everything we do. Lord, only by you will we “get it right”. Help us. Amen.
I was inspired today by 3 friends who were talking about “tearing down” versus “building up” in their own unique ways today — and about how others tearing down themselves and us can present a profound opportunity in how we respond:
And I found this video:
I’m reminded of how a hurt or abused dog might lash out and bite others — even people who are trying to help them.
We never know what hurt or abuse someone else is dealing with — so many times when we get hurt by others, we either think “What did I do?” or “Why are they so hurtful towards me?” And it might not even be about what is between the two of us, but it can be left over from something else.
So if we get hurt, and fall into offense instead of forgiving them (regardless of whether we believe they deserve our forgiveness, but solely because they need our forgiveness and love in order to heal) — if we withhold that forgiveness and love, we are left with them remaining bitter and with bitterness growing in our own hearts as well.
It can be hard to forgive when we are wronged and they don’t deserve our forgiveness — and that is why Christ demonstrated this to us on the cross — extending His forgiveness and mercy to us, undeserved. And taking hold of that grace frees us to forgive, to pay it forward because we could never do enough to pay Him back.
I’m sorry that you got hurt. I’m sorry that whoever hurt you was a broken, hurting person not abiding in the Spirit of God and loving you. I hope that you don’t see me responding as anything but a virtual hug of love, of forgiveness, of remembrance of what Christ did for us and calls us to do in return.
I’ve been dealing with something myself recently where it was hard to understand why, hard to not just see evil men standing against me, hard to forgive — and it was hard for me because I had forgotten how much I had been forgiven, I had let my heart grow cold and hard in certain areas instead of letting Christ reign supreme in every area of my life. I’ve confessed this, repented, and I’m surrendering whole new areas of my life to see Christ mend and heal and strengthen me with peace I didn’t have before. And I’m confident that when you are ready and ask Him, that He will move those same mountains for you.
And what is amazing, is that we can be transformed from a hurt dog that hurts others — to a trustworthy companion when joy, forgiveness, and love is restored. Going through challenge together — working through differences — restoring what was once broken — proves through the fire a trust that has been tested and proven.
Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. Colossians 3:12-17 ESV https://bible.com/bible/59/col.3.12-17.ESV
I saw this morning that Matt Padula (a worship leader at The Well church in Landrum, SC) had just finished a 5 day study plan called “True Worship” on the Bible app, and it caught my eye and called to me this morning.
And the devotional content hit home quickly for me during this season, as we have been dealing with first the financial impact on my wife’s business and income as a gig worker — and then the additional challenges of my losing my job more recently:
I wonder how often my prayers, my thoughts, and my worship has been focused on MY need instead of HIS sufficiency, on MY burdens instead of HIS strength and faithfulness.
Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. Matthew 11:29 ESV https://bible.com/bible/59/mat.11.29.ESV
I wonder how often I have not entered into the rest of knowing that God’s plan and purpose is not for harm but for good when I face storms, mountains, or fiery trials — because my focus has been on ME and not on CHRIST?
We encounter a wonderful opportunity for surrender during challenging seasons. And new territories of our lives, of our character, of our habits — can be handed over to Christ to be infiltrated by the Kingdom of God ruling freely in our hearts and lives.
I had written all of the above and realized that I needed to hurry to get to 4 Points Church in Greer, SC this morning to get all of the technology ready for the kid check in, giving kiosks, 4Kids rooms, etc. that I’ve been helping Josh Scott with these past few Sundays.
The shock of hopping into a cold shower, seeing a low tire on my vehicle, finding the gas gauge on empty, thoughts of financial challenges, thoughts of upcoming job interviews this week — any of these could have been a burden or offense that would have gotten in the way of my worship on the way to church. And as each one of them tried to distract me from my worship — I listened to “Here” by Kari Jobe until I could sing it to Him and not drift off into distraction of listening to anything else. I knew that I needed tho renew my mind so that my eyes were on Christ, not on my circumstances.
And after helping get things ready at the church, I hurried to enjoy breakfast with my family and our newly found friends at the Waffle House on Hwy 101 in Greer, SC. And there was a spirit of joy, of community, of love in that Waffle House. A family was sitting there with twin 2 year olds with Waffle House crowns on their heads in such joy, that we all remarked that it could have been a TV commercial. We shared together some of our challenges from the week, and God received glory from multiple people for getting us through yet another week again faithfully. And the BMW fire department pulled up in the big red truck and even took the toddlers and their parents on a tour of the bright truck that catches the eyes and imagination of kids of all ages and sizes. The Norman Rockwell morning we were all having together was in extreme contrast to what politics and media outlets seem to be trying to convince us to otherwise.
And we arrived at church to a packed house, where extra chairs were having to be brought in for all the people looking to lift high the name of Jesus. And there was such diversity in the people there — no family looked “all the same” — but every individual reflected the image of God and was there lifting up the name of Jesus and worshipping freely. And at the end of service, as person after person — even whole households came up — to be baptized, and as children ands loved ones crept up as close as they could to the tank where this miraculous demonstration took place of begging lowered into the water and raised back up — there was great rejoicing, and love, and celebration, and community amongst diverse people who are family and friends in Christ.
I guarantee that every person there came in with something that could have been burdensome, offensive, or shameful if they had decided to carry it that way. It could have trapped them and torn them apart like the caught mice Mark Pangel described in his sermon. But Jesus…
Somehow all of this — from the waitress who had been done wrong by a mechanic the week before, to every challenge mentioned today — God weaved it all into a day of “True Worship”. And I saw people encouraged, touched, moved, and impacted for the glory of God — and I was one of them.
Because we saw people releasing their burdens instead of clinging to them. This isn’t the work of mere humans just choosing not to be disrespectful jerks to one another. This is the power of the Holy Spirit of God who lives in and through His children. There is a mighty move of God happening — and the fertile ground of challenge in this time is fostering both rapid growth ands rapid decay. Where sowing to the spirit is taking place, great territories in people’s hearts and lives and in those around them is bearing an amazing harvest. And where love is not abounding, bitterness, hatred, division, and all kind of wickedness is being revealed so clearly and distinctly in the light as being “of another kind”.
Do you see Christ at work mightily in this time?
Or have you been distracted by the noise?
Let’s reach that place of True Worship, and long to only leave that place, that mindset, that rest to acknowledge the glorious work set before us — amazing opportunities that to our eyes might seem clothed as trials, challenges, even suffering — but that our Spirit, confirmed by the Holy Spirit, knows are amazing testimonies, amazing worship, amazing opportunities for God to be glorified. Amen.
The president of my graduating class at Dorman, Reid Bowyer, passed yesterday. He had been fighting brain cancer. And even though he passed at the age of 46, he left such a legacy of glorifying God with his life and demonstrating the gospel clearly in his live for others. What a perfect verse this seemed when I opened the Bible app ands it was sitting there waiting for me:
Those who are [spiritually] wise will shine brightly like the brightness of the expanse of heaven, and those who lead many to righteousness, [will shine] like the stars forever and ever. Daniel 12:3 AMP https://bible.com/bible/1588/dan.12.3.AMP
Reid just “got it” and was wise in spiritual things and was a Fisher of men, even in school. He never seemed to veer off course, but was a lighthouse to many. He was popular because he was a natural leader who was just, honest, fair and humble. He clearly loved the Lord and loved people. I look at Reid’s life example, and I can’t help but see Christ woven into all of it.
And even though I know that I should compare myself to Christ and be humbled, rather than compare myself to a man of flesh and blood which might cause envy, shame, pride or many other bad things — in this time, I honor Reid by recognizing how his life fits today’s verse, and how he has served as a mentor, as a lighthouse for many to see and to avoid crashing our lives upon the rocks. And I find confidence and assurance almost hearing in my mind’s eye “Well done, Reid, my good and faithful servant.”
What an amazing testimony to God that He can use someone like Reid in a life long influence, similar to a Samuel who was dedicated to living and serving the Lord from birth. And how amazing that God could use someone like me, more like the demoniac who couldn’t be bound or the woman caught in adultery as well to tell all what Jesus has done for them after their deliverance.
And it is right that people like Reid with life long walks of serving the Lord and leading others to Him should shine brightly in the heavens and be rewarded greatly — even while there are also so many who “just barely make it through the gate by the skin of their teeth”. The greatest treasure seems getting to be at Jesus’s feet like Mary and the children and so many who clamored just to get close to Him. If His radiance wears off on us for being in His presence and we shine, I have to admit that my longing for Him is the cause of any brightness.
I think that Reid would have told you that He just wanted to be with Jesus, and that in loving and serving others — he was serving His Lord and Savior each time. Because those people bear the image of the Lord. I think that Reid would have hoped and prayed for a steady and consistent Christian life more like Samuel, but would have been aware of his similarities to the demoniac and adulteress in some areas of his life as well. But it doesn’t matter what I think, or what I say — it matters what the Lord did in the life of Reid, and through him in the lives of so many.
Thank you, Lord, for using your servant Reid Bowyer so clearly and greatly in a way that any distractions of self and weaknesses and ego disappeared in the brightness of him glowing from being in your presence. Help us to enter into that same place with you daily, not so that we can look at ourselves shining brightly, but so that we can set our eyes on you and that your light (not our own) can be the beacon drawing others to safety in the storm. We know that our days are numbered, Lord, and as much as Reid longed to remain here for his family and for the gospel to go forth through him, I’m sure he also longed for that day where he could be fully in your presence and away from the sin, sickness, suffering and pain on this side of glory. Help us to be balanced and mindful of both the purpose and urgency of the now, and the promise and hope of the future. And thank you for previous vessels like Reid where you have let us see your image so clearly throughout our lives, leading us home. Amen.
Harold J. Ballinger 