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The Cross and the Tomb

This was the first time I had ever been to whole Catholic place. I was there at the Mater Dolorosa Passionist Retreat Center for a day of solitude retreat. I was not sure what to expect and, whether I wanted to or not, had brought a few questions of my own for God to answer. I gave those questions to him, however, and asked that he show his desires for me and that he give me a quietness to hear what the Spirit would teach me. During a lectio divina (Luke 15:11-31 was the passage) one phrase seemed to linger a little longer than the rest—“And the festivities began” (v24b). I was unsure what God meant by this.

It was raining rather steadily when I left the warm, dry building. I never prayed the Stations of the Cross before. In fact, I had never heard of it until a week or so earlier, but I would be open minded, I determined, and would pray them, regardless how much it rained or how cold it was. I held a brochure with the prayers for each station in my hands and tried to keep it dry, though I soon gave up. By the time I reached the second station, the rain was pouring. Undeterred, however, I walked through each stating, praying each one, often feeling convicted, but also encouraged knowing I am not the only one struggling in different areas of my life.

Before long I could feel the biting cold stinging my fingers as I held the dripping wet piece of paper. I did not mind though, especially if Christ endured so much on the road to and on the mount of Calvary.

As I approached the twelfth station, something strange happened to me. I was suddenly overcome with heart-rending sadness. I couldn’t speak, could barely say the prayer, and I found myself on the verge of tears. Seeing Christ on the cross, crying out to God—why would God sacrifice his Son for me? Regardless of the answer, that fact is, he did, and I am forever indebted to him.

Walking to the last station, that of the empty tomb, the rain easing up only slightly, I began to sense a transformation-taking place inside my heart. God showed me something I could only have understood after praying through the progression of Christ’s death and resurrection. The only way to truly understand and experience fully, to truly know the festivities and celebrations God has planned for us, his children ( Lk 15:24; Ps 84:11-12; Pr 8:30), we must first experience the darkness, pain, loneliness, and suffering belonging to death. Only when we enter into Christ's death, only when we die to self, can we be made alive with Christ.

Isaiah 35

For those who are in despair, who are anxious and worried, who feel defeat is upon them, I have these words to share with you: "Be strong; fear not! Behold, your God will come with vengeance, with the recompense of God. He will save you" (Isaiah 35:4, ESV).

This chapter in Isaiah is filled with hope. Hope of a time when all tears and sorrows will disappear (Isaiah 35:10c; Revelation 21:4). The land will be filled with the glory of the LORD. That which was not perfect, which was broken, will be made new (vv. 8-7). It will be a time where evil will once and for all be removed from the land. Sin will no longer dwell among the good. And in this passage, the crescendo of hope and joy reaches its climax in verse 10: "The ransomed of the LORD shall return..." (ESV).

We are in Passion week right now--Good Friday is only four days away. This is a particularly appropriate time to reflect on Jesus' work on the cross (though it is always good to do this no matter what time of year). In Matthew, Jesus tells his disciples his purpose in life: to serve and give himself up as a ransom (Matthew 20:28). Before we knew Christ, we walked and lived in our sins, we were living dead people (Ephesians 2:1-3). But Christ died as a ransom.

Romans 5:12-21 reminds us of the grace we have received from God through Christ's work on the cross. It is easier, I think, to receive grace, than to give it. It is important to remember who we used to be and what Christ did for us, if only to prevent us from judging those around us (Romans 12:3).

Equal to, if not more important than, Christ's death, is his resurrection. We serve serve a risen Christ. When he rose from the grave, he returned to his Father in heaven, but promised before he left, that he would return again, and when he does, we will be redeemed (Titus 2:11-14). Our broken bodies will be made new (Revelation 21:5).

Therefore, as we reflect this week upon all God has done for us through his Son Jesus Christ and the promise of hope that awaits us at his return, let us live each moment with joy and praise, and let us "give thanks to the LORD, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever! Let the redeemed of the LORD say so" (Psalm 107:1-2a, ESV).

Amos 8:4-14

This passage (Amos 8:4-14) gives us an account of the finale of a trial against Israel. God is the Judge and his people the accused. To often in the church today, do we ignore or gloss over the judgment and wrath of God. Part of this may be due to a negative feeling about this issue, most likely brought about by a misuse of this aspect of God’s character. Nonetheless it is very important and should be talked about. After all, there are lives at stake.

One day we will all have to give an account of our actions and will be judged accordingly, whether we are followers of Christ or not (1 Cor 4:5). None will escape his judgment. God cannot dwell in the presence of sin, and we should take this to heart. Even when his own Son, Jesus, hung on the cross, God had to turn away because of the sin Christ bore. A right understanding of God’s attitude toward sin and his judgment on it, should, however, spur us on to live righteously before him (Heb 13:17). Proverbs 1:7 says, “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom” (ESV, Italics added).

But how does one live righteously and holy before God? Scriptures tell us that "No one is righteous, no not one" (Ro 3:10, ESV) and that "all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" (Ro 3:23, ESV, italics added). Fortunately, we have one who intercedes on our behalf, Jesus Christ. For those who believe and have accepted the free gift of salvation through him, Christ stands before the Judge, taking our penalty of death for us. By all rights we, as Christians, should receive the death penalty just the same as non-believers. But thank God we do not. This gift is not one to hoard, however, but to share. Just as “God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ” (Eph 2:4-5a), we too should show the same mercy on others (Mt 18:21-35).

Isaiah 34:8-17

I had meant to read and blog on Isaiah 35 this morning, but instead I accidentally read chapter 34, and I am compelled to write on this chapter again. Reading these verses I am reminded of what the writer of Hebrews says about scripture: “For the word of God is living and active…” (Heb 4:12). You can never read the same words twice under the same circumstances. Each reading contributes and changes you a little, and over time, other events and situations in your life change your perception on things and affects your next reading of a text.

Verse 8 speaks of a day of vengeance and a year of recompense for the cause of Zion. The cause of Zion can be understood as the cause of the LORD and his eternal kingdom. God, the King of kings, is fighting for his kingdom. He will exact vengeance for his kingdom and will compensate or repay his kingdom the justice it deserves. But notice the time spent on each. Vengeance gets only a day whereas recompense get a year. As wrathful and angry as the LORD can get, and will get on those who continually disobey and disregard him and his law, his anger only last but a brief moment compared to his love and mercy.

And there is hope in the rest of this chapter. The verse speak of bleakness and desolation, of darkness and sadness. Yet within this there is hope. God provides a place of dwelling for creation. God gathers them up and cares for them. Verse 16 is an important command: “Seek and read from the book of the LORD.” It requires an active role on our part. We are to seek after God. Perhaps Jesus had these verses in mind when he gave his famous “Sermon on the Mount” (Mt 6:25-34). In verse 33, Christ says, “But seek first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness…”

In all his anger and wrath and judgment, there is love and mercy and hope for the one who seeks after God and read his Word and live by it, following in the footsteps of the Almighty.

"Now therefore fear the LORD and serve him in sincerity and in faithfulness. Put away the gods that your fathers served beyond the river and in Egypt, and serve the LORD. And if it is evil in your eyes to serve the LORD, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your fathers served in the region beyond the River, or the gods the Amorites in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD"—Joshua 24:14-15 (ESV; Italics added).

Amos 3

Verse 6b—"Does disaster come to a city unless the LORD plans it?" (NLT)

The answer to this rhetorical question is, obviously, “No.” It is an example of God’s power and control; his providence. It is an example of the fact that he is not removed from his creation but is an active player in it; but even more than that, I believe he is the principle player in the grand drama we are living. Nothing happens in the world without the LORD first planning it. Sometimes I know it may seem cruel when bad things happen to seemingly innocent people, but as it says in Job, who are we to question God and his plans? Who is the creation to question its Creator? (Job 32:12; Isaiah 29:16). God makes plans and it his prerogative to chose whom he wants to reveal those plans to and when. But he has made know his Plan (capital P) to whomever will open their eyes and see, and their ears and hear. His plan, God’s big Plan, which spans from eternity to eternity, which encompasses all of time, is simply to draw humanity to himself so that we might see him and know him and in the end glorify him. The first point to the Westminster Catechism is this:

What is the chief the of man?

The chief end of man is to glorify God and enjoy him greatly.

So if nothing bad happens in the world without God’s planning it and intending it for his greater purpose, we should also find confidence in knowing that he cares about this world and about us. Thus, what do we have to worry about? Is not the LORD God greater than anything else we can imagine?

Verse 9—"Announce this to the leaders of Philistia and to the great one of Egypt: 'Take your seat now on the hills and around Samaria, and witness the chaos and oppression in Israel'"(NLT).

Now this might seem cruel and mean—God telling Israel’s enemies to watch as he punishes Israel. It might seem as though he bragging in a way. “Hey, look what I’m doing to Israel. Isn’t this great? Their so pathetic.” But this is not why God told this to Philistia and Egypt. The reason why God said what he did here, the effect of what he said and of what Philistia and Egypt saw him do probably resulted in them asking this question: “If God is willing to do this to Israel, to his people, then how much more would he be willing to do that to us?” I think the reason God spoke those words in verse 9 to Israel’s enemies was so that they would see what God is doing and have fear of him and worship him and glorify him. We do know, that by the time of the New Testament, when God sent his Son, the Christ, to earth, he extended his invitation of salvation to everyone, including Egypt and Philistia.

God knows what he’s doing, I think. And for all those who are a part of his family, have no need to worry. All we have to do is simply obey him and follow him and seek after him. When we make him first in our lives he is glorified. And when we receive his punishment, know that it is only because he loves us and wants us to be in perfect union with him. He wants to draw us back to himself.

The LORD is great and greatly to be praised. Amen.

Isaiah 34

"Now therefore fear the LORD and serve him in sincerity and in in faithfulness" (Joshua 24:14a; ESV). And Proverbs 1:7 says, "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge."

As Christians it is easy, and sometimes too easy, to believe only about God what we find comfortable. It is true that he is a merciful, loving God who deeply cares about us and who is there when we need him to lift us up and encourage us. It is true that he is compassionate and kind and full of grace. But if that is all we are willing to accept about God, how then can we learn to fear him?

Isaiah 34 reminds me of that uncomfortable side of God; that side which is full of fury and wrath. I often forget that God can get angry. It's dangerous, I think, to forget that God can be as terrifying as scripture show us throughout the Old Testament, and even a little in the New Testament. When we stop fearing God, we risk bringing him down to our level. And when that happens, we risk forgetting that he even exists.

And yet I find it amazing that even in all his fury and all the judgement he has, or will, pour out on the nations of the world, he still shows some compassion on his creation, Isaiah 34:13-17.

God is a complex being. And we should worship ALL aspects of him, whether we like those characteristics or not, whether they make us feel safe or uncomfortable, whether we understand them or not. And we should make it our life's goal to know ALL of God, not just part of him.

Ecclesiastes sums it well, "Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man" (12:13; NIV, higlight added).

Isaiah 33

As I read this chapter yet again I am filled with a strange sense of joy and peace and brokeness--joy at the future which awaits me, a future in Zion in the very presence of the Almighty God of the universe; peace at the hope this brings, at the very fact that nothing, nor anyone, in this world can seperate me from the love of God (Romans 8:38-39); but brokenness in the realization that in the past couple weeks I have drifted off the narrow path, been distracted by the desires of the world, and forgotten the hope, the joy, and the future I have in heaven.

I believe it's important to remember and think about our future in Paradise with God. If nothing else, it gives us hope in this chaotic world and gives us a reason to keep fighting, to keep living for God. It gives us a reason to walk righteously, speak truthfully, despise the gain of oppression, deal honestly and with integrity, turn away from evil (Isaiah 33:15)...

Isaiah 32:9-20

These verses in Isaiah refer a time before Christ’s incarnation as well as the day when he will establish his throne on this earth. And we should find hope and encouragement in this promise. I do, anyway. There is hope of a better life, a life to come, and it is part of what keeps me going each day. I have something to live toward; something to look forward to. When Christ Jesus returns, he will reign righteousness and justice(Isaiah 9:7; 32:1, Jeremiah 23:5) and there will be peace in the land forever (Isaiah 32:17).

But what about now? It is often discouraging and frustrating and depressing when I look around me at the world I live in and see evil and sinfulness running rampant; and injustice seems to prevail. I feel as Henry Wadsworth Longfellow felt when he penned these words to his poem, Christmas Bells:

"And in despair I bowed my head;

'There is no peace on earth,' I said;

'For hate is strong,

And mocks the song

Of peace on earth, good-will to men.'"

Pause for a moment and reflect on what it would feel like to live in a land full of peace, quietness, and trust.

In a fast paced, chaotic, and evil world, I would love to experience this more than ever. And yet we can. Verse 15 of this chapter says, “Until the Spirit is poured upon us from on high…” Did this not happen at Pentecost (Acts 2)?

However the world and the Evil one is or has been or will treat you, remember that as Christians, God’s has given you His Spirit (1 John 4:13) and when trials, tribulations, and raging storms come, in Christ you can experience peace, quietness, and trust forever.

Isaiah 32:1-8

I have been dwelling on these verses for a long while now, unable to understand what God is saying here through Isaiah, the prophet.

As I’ve read this passage over and over again, I have found encouragement and peace and rest.  I have taken solace knowing that I can, and one day will, find peace and rest from the difficulties of life.  Evil will not endure forever but will fall.  I have found encouragement and confidence in verse 8. 

And yet I have been continually at a loss for words to express my thoughts on these verses.  Perhaps the reason is that they are prophetic.

Behold.

Stop.

Pay attention.

A king will reign in righteousness.  CHRIST, our LORD, will reign in righteousness (Revelation 11:15).

No matter how hard or bad or difficult life gets, and it will get harder, we as Christians have the hope of one day, and possibly sooner than we might think, living under the declared reign of Christ, the king of righteousness.  And we will rule with him (Eph 2:6).

Isaiah 32:2-5 tells us what the reign of Christ will be like.

Are you looking eagerly for Christ’s return?  Staying alert, lest you be caught off guard? Let these verse serve as a reminder and an encouragement that God will triumph over evil and that Christ will return to establish his kingdom and to reign in righteousness. 

Isaiah 31:4-9

Read. Listen. Pay attention. For the Lord God, the Creator of all things, the One who was and is and is to come, the great I AM is speaking:

"As a lion or a young lion growls over his prey, and when a band of shepherds is called out against him he is not terrified by their shouting or daunted at their noise, so the LORD of hosts will come down to fight on Mount Zion and on its hill. Like birds hovering, so the LORD of hosts will protect Jerusalem; he will protect and deliver it; he will spare and rescue it... And the Assyrian shall fall by a sword, not of man; and a sword, not of man, shall devour him; and he shall flee from the sword, and his young men shall be put to forced labor. His rock shall pass away in terror, and his officers desert the standard in panic"(Isaiah 31:4-5, 8-9; ESV).

How encouraging are these words to me. I challenge you to spend some time thinking and meditating on those words. Then consider the advice from Isaiah, inspired by the LORD, "whose fire is in Zion, and whose furnace is in Jerusalem"(Isaiah 31:9, ESV):

"Turn to him.... " (Isaiah 31:6a, ESV).

Isaiah 31:1-3

Isaiah 31:2a-"And yet he is wise and brings disaster; he does not call back his words..." (ESV).

That "he is wise and brings disaster" seems almost contrary to God's character, but it is not. Sometimes we may not want to think of God like this, and at other times (and usually for the wrong reasons) we rejoice over this part of God's nature. But I'm willing to bet that whether we hate or love this part of God, we do not understand it. We may think we do, but when pressed a reason why God is like this, we find we don't really understand. However, the second part of the phrase in verse 2 helps us understand this aspect of God's character: "he does not call back his words." In other words, God is immutable; He is unchanging. He brings disaster on those who disobey Him. And He has to. If He did not, He would not be immutable. And if He was not immutable, how could He be trusted? Also, how could He be just? If He were not immutable then He entire character, the entire nature of God would crumble. He would cease to be God! Then where would that leave us? We'd be better off dead.

But if God brings disaster on those who disobey Him, what about Christians who disobey? Praise God, for that is where forgiveness comes into play. "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness" (I John 1:9, ESV).

MEEKNESS

This is only a short break and then I will return to Isaiah.

Matthew 5:5-“Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth” (ESV).

What is meekness anyway? Have you ever wondered that? Webster’s defines it as enduring injury with patience and without resentment; deficient in spirit and courage; not violent or strong.

I recently came across a Bible devotional study book I went through in the summer 2000. Curious about what I wrote in it, I skimmed through it and came across a page in which I wrote about meekness. And to my annoyance, God used my own words to smack me upside the head and say, “Hey, get with it, Stephen.” I thought it would be beneficial to share those words with you:

“Sometimes [you] might [have] a goal… and [you] try to get there, [you] try to reach it on [your] own. For example, there is this beautiful place [you] want to get to, but [you] want to get there as quickly as possible. [You] want to take the easiest way possible—the highway—and [you] don’t care what kind of country, wilderness, beauty, [you] cut down to pave that road. However, the road may still be beautiful. But God might want to get [you] to that beautiful spot via a different route or He may want to take [you] somewhere else. Yet the road God wants [you] to take is almost always the narrow, dirt road. It is less traveled and the travel will always be harder and it will probably take a longer time [getting there]. But at the end of the road you look back and see that the scenery was more beautiful and the place where you ended up, if it is different, will be more beautiful. And over all you will appreciate everything a whole lot more.

“Meekness… is willingly following God through the backwoods and dirt roads rather that making Him drag you through.”

Isaiah 30:23-33

What does this passage teach me about the character of God? It teaches me that He is to be feared, but also that He is to be loved...


It has often been difficult for me to understand how God can be one of judgment and wrath while also being a god of love. In my mind He could only be one or the other, not both at the same time. And yet He is God and cannot be limited by our own logic and reasoning. And here is a very beautiful passage that shows both sides of God's character, intertwined and without contradiction.

As I read these verses, I realize that I used to be just like the Assyrians--at the mercy of God's anger. Indeed, by nature, I was a child of wrath (Eph. 2:3). But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love which He loved me, made me alive with Christ (Eph. 2:4-5)!

One must be careful to not just dwell on only one side of God. Rather, we need to take both sides togther. For "the fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge" (Prov. 1:7, ESV), and we have been commanded to "love the LORD [our] God with all [our] heart and with all [our] soul and with all [our] strength and with all [our]mind" (Luke 10:27, ESV).

Isaiah 30:19-22

"And your ears shall hear a word behind you saying, 'This is the way, walk in it,' when you turn to the right or when you turn to the left" (v. 21, ESV).

If God is my guide, leading me on the road toward heaven, then why do I hear his voice behind me? Everytime I stray from the path I've been called to follow, I put myself in front, leading the way. Whether it is intentional or that I was just distracted does not matter. The fact remains that I am no longer following Christ, my guide. And that is why I hear his voice behind saying, "Hey, Stephen, let's go. This is way. Walk in it."

Isaiah 30:8-18

“…blessed are all those who wait for him” (Is 30:18, ESV)

What does it mean to wait? Patience readily comes to mind. But there is more to the question I feel. It goes beyond patience to trust: not knowing when or how the one you are waiting for will show up, but having faith, believing that they will come through for you before it’s too late.

I guess it’s not any easy thing for us to wait for God, which is probably why he said those who do wait for him will be blessed. But waiting means trusting. And the LORD God, the Holy One of Israel has said in Isaiah 30:15, “in quietness and trust shall be your strength” (ESV).

Our strength comes from God as we trust in him. And as we trust in him, we learn to wait for him. And when we wait for him, he blesses us. So difficult to actually live out, but such a wonderful promise.
And as the psalmist says, “Wait for the LORD; be strong and take heart and wait for the LORD” (Ps 27:14, NIV).

Isaiah 30:1-7

I don't know how many times I have read these verses over that past few months, but as I read them yesterday morning, it was as thouugh I understood them for the first time. The verse God used to really draw me in and open my eyes was verse 2--"Who set out to go down to Egypt, without asking for my direction..."(ESV).

How dangerous it is for us to go about making and carrying out big decisions without first consulting God. When we try live our life on our own and look to the world for help, shame and disgrace will be our reward.

"Egypt's hlep is worthless and empty; therefore I have called her 'Rahab who sits still'" (verse 7, ESV).

Isaiah 29 (part 2)

The last few days, and especially yesterday, seem like a whirlwind—a crazy, hectic, whirlwind. It has, not surprisingly, kind of stressed me out. I would like nothing better right now than to escape to a small cabin somewhere way up in the mountains and far away from anything else man made, including the sound of airplanes. But that is not feasible right now.

However, I have been sensing God wanting me to stop and slow down a bit. It is something I have been wanting myself and have been trying. Strangely though, it is not as easy as it sounds. But for a brief moment this morning, I succeeded. For a few minutes I was able to find myself alone, sitting on a couch. And I read Isaiah 29. When I began to drift away in my thoughts, there were a few verses or partial phrases that quickly grabbed me and drew me back in. Verses 5 and 6 where one such case. “And in an instant you will be visited by the LORD of hosts with thunder and with earthquake and great noise, with whirlwind and tempest, and the flame of a devouring fire” (ESV). I couldn’t help but marvel at how this same God is also a God of peace and is the One in whom I find rest, and in fact, the only one in whom I can ever find any real rest. He is my shepherd (Psalm 23).

Verse 13 and 14 reminded me that I still have questions and that I will never be able to understand everything. It doesn’t make sense to me that God would show favor, as it appears he is doing, to some one who honors him with their lips while their hearts are far from him.

Then I came to verse 18 and my heart began to fill with joy. “In that day, the deaf shall hear… the blind shall see… and the meek shall obtain fresh joy in the LORD” (vv 18-19, ESV). And by the time I finished verse 24, God had so stilled my heart, that all troubles and anxieties had virtually vanished from my mind. And for the next few minutes I was able to breathe easy and find the rest and peace I so desperately wanted and needed. I find it encouraging to know that God’s Word, no matter what passage, has the amazing power to slow one down and give to them what they need, be it comfort, encouragement, conviction, or peace.

“The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul” (Psalm 23:1-2, ESV).

Psalm 122 (A slight detour from Isaiah)

This morning I decided to read from the book of Psalms. As I was looking for a particular chapter to read, I came across Psalm122. Psalm 123 was on the same page and so I decided to read that chapter instead. But I felt a little nudging, and inclination of sorts to go back and at least read Psalm 122 as well. So I did. And God spoke to me. He told me to pray for the peace of Jerusalem. He even told me what to pray: "May those who love you be secure. May there be peace within your walls and security within your citadels" (Psalm 122: 6-7). With all the unrest in the Middle East, may this be your prayer this morning as well.

Isaiah 29

As I read Isaiah 29 this morning, I was not really sure what the point being made was. Beyond the obvious surface of words, I didn’t quite know what the meaning of these verses is. And yet I didn’t really care. For me, it was like listening to a friend talk about something and you don’t have the slightest clue what they are saying, but you still enjoy listening to them talk. I didn’t really have the slightest clue what God was saying to me this morning, but that didn’t matter. It was just really nice to hear him speak… to hear his voice.