give…

22“And now, compelled by the Spirit, I am going to Jerusalem, not knowing what will happen to me there. 23I only know that in every city the Holy Spirit warns me that prison and hardships are facing me. 24However, I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me—the task of testifying to the gospel of God’s grace.
…32“Now I commit you to God and to the word of his grace, which can build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified. 33I have not coveted anyone’s silver or gold or clothing. 34You yourselves know that these hands of mine have supplied my own needs and the needs of my companions. 35In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’” (Acts 20: 22-35)

Many times, Paul uses the analogy of running a race to describe his journey of evangelism among the early Church (see references below). I have mentioned before that running requires discipline and endurance; it is a difficult task that requires preparation. I leave that thread of discussion to, perhaps, be picked up at another date and time. For now, I want to focus on something else in this passage: Paul’s sacrificial, self-denying life. Paul specifically says that he knows he must go to Jerusalem—he is compelled by the Spirit—despite the persecution and death that he faces. Paul walks in constant (and very REAL) communication with the Holy Spirit, so there is no question in his mind of whether or not he should go to Jerusalem (or anywhere else he feels called, for that matter)—he simply goes, and does, as he is compelled by the understanding that he can do nothing other than give—he will give of himself unto death, just as Christ gave himself unto death, even death on a cross (Philippians 2: 4-7).

I am called to imitate Paul as he imitated Christ—and how does that become a reality?

1. preparation in the Word
2. daily, fervent prayer
3. so that I might see myself as nothing
4. and walk out the understanding that Christ is the maker and redeemer of this world (Colossians 1)

**References in which Paul uses the “race” analogy
Galatians 2:2 & 5:7; Philippians 2:16; I Corinthians 9:24: II Timothy 4:7;
(Also see Hebrews 12:1)

take a walk…

1Blessed is the man
who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked
or stand in the way of sinners
or sit in the seat of mockers.
2But his delight is in the law of the Lord,
and on his law he meditates day and night.
3He is like a tree planted by streams of water,
which yields its fruit in season
and whose leaf does not wither.
Whatever he does prospers.
4Not so the wicked!
They are like chaff
that the wind blows away.
5Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment,
nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous.
6For the Lord watches over the way of the righteous,
but the way of the wicked will perish.
………………………………………………. Psalm 1 (NIV)

I remember memorizing this as a child, and I never forgot the first three verses, so lately, as we have been going on a journey as a church into “new territory” with our faith and with our lives (and they are really one and the same, are they not?), these three verses have tumbled around in my head.

What does it mean to walk in the counsel of the wicked, or sit in the seat of mockers?  I mean, what is the practical reality of those poetic lines?  I could give all sorts of pat answers, “Sunday school” clichés, and never truly identify whether or not I understand the implications of those lines.

Here is a thought: It is the same thing to “Not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners” as it is to “delight in the Law of the Lord.”  If my heart’s desire and delight is in the Lord, my heart will have no part of wickedness. 

I, being ‘of the flesh,’ sin every day, and fall into the trap of the wicked. I am thankful, then that the blood of the Lamb redeems me so that I might know what it means to delight in the Law of the Lord.

My prayer is that I would desire to meditate on His Law both day and night.

take me in…

Take me past the outer courts
Into the holy place
Past the brazen altar
Lord I want to see Your face
Pass me by the crowds of people
And the priests who sing Your praise
I hunger and thirst for Your righteousness
But it's only found in one place

Take me into the holy of holies
Take me in by the blood of the lamb
Take me into the holy of holies
Take the coal, touch my lips, here I am

Apparently I have been living under a rock; this song is old yet I have never heard it.  As we, in our church, have been reading The Spirit of the Disciplines by Dallas Willard, this song struck a chord with me.  God’s desire for us is that we would enter into his holy presence with confidence (Hebrews 4:16) so that we might have fellowship with him (I Corinthians 1:9). 

How do I get past the “outer courts”?  I must partake in the joy of the Lord through tangible, purposeful disciplines. I must read the Scripture (II Timothy 3:16), pray daily (Matthew 6:6), fast and seek solitude and silence (Matthew 4), worship (Romans 1:1-2), and in all things consider Christ as the head of my life (Colossians 2:10). 

Also see: Psalm 24, Hebrews 9.

Take Me In, as performed by Kutless

pure

There is a fountain filled with blood drawn from Emmanuel’s veins;
And sinners plunged beneath that flood lose all their guilty stains.
Lose all their guilty stains, lose all their guilty stains;
And sinners plunged beneath that flood lose all their guilty stains.

The dying thief rejoiced to see that fountain in his day;
And there have I, though vile as he, washed all my sins away.
Washed all my sins away, washed all my sins away;
And there have I, though vile as he, washed all my sins away.

The first two verses of W. Cowper's hymn have filled my head this past week and I have come to this conclusion: If I am to live on Mission daily, I must first embrace the depth and breadth of my own redemption. It is only in this realization that I will view others-- especially those who are clean, tidy, well-behaved "normal" people-- as my mission field.

The dying thief of course refers to the one who hung beside Jesus and asked for salvation, which Jesus granted. What must this thief have done to have received such a miserable punishment as crucifixion? Obviously he was a thief-- how many people's lives did he ruin? How many families did he devastate through his actions? What a horrid wretch! I'm not that bad-- I was a "good kid," I attended church growing up, gave my tithe, helped others in need, and even used my spiritual gifts... But what does the song say? "But there may I, though vile as he, wash all my sins away." I am depraved and broken, in need of grace every day-- I cannot take any credit for righteous behavior, because any of this behavior is a result of a righteousness that is not my own-- it is granted to me based not on my own virtue or even good fortune, but only through the perfect will and love of the Father-- because of God's supreme sacrifice I am cleansed in the Blood of the One whose sufferings offer redemption to the world.