Category: Discipleship

The word pardon has both a social and a legal use in our culture.  “Pardon me for the interruption” is an everyday social use that means excuse me.  The legal use of the word is not as common, but it is a powerful tool in our legal and justice system. 

In America, a pardon is an official act of the President.  Our current constitutional model of a pardon comes from our English heritage.  The power to pardon was modeled after English monarchs and given to presidents – not the judicial system.  Although the constitution does not describe a pardon, the legal system generally accepts that a president can give a pardon for any reason at any time in the legal process.  Thus, a pardon can be given before the conviction, while serving a sentence, or after completing the sentence.  Although a pardon releases one from future punishment, it does not clear the record.

A pardon does not address the issue of guilt or innocence.  A pardoned person may or may not be guilty of the accused crime.  The pardon only terminates the judgment.  Pardons are given for various reasons, but no explanation is required to issue the pardon.  A pardon may be merited or unmerited since guilt is irrelevant to a pardon.  There have been cases where a person refused a pardon in favor of a new trial to prove their innocence.

Forgiveness and pardon are often incorrectly used interchangeably.  Although the two terms have some commonalities, they are critically different.  A pardon is a legal construct, while forgiveness is a relational one.  In Scripture, God’s forgiveness is a significant thread that involves the removal of future punishment (a pardon), purging the record of our offense (sin), substituting Christ’s merit for our sin, and reconciliation with God. 

God, however, does not offer us a pardon but forgiveness.  At the final judgment, there will be neither a pardon nor forgiveness.  The Bible does not support the idea that, in the end, God will pardon everyone (universal salvation).  The book “Love Wins Out” promotes this erroneous idea as though one of God’s traits trumps all the others.  God is an integrated whole, not made up of parts, where all his attributes perfectly blend all the time.

Although God does not offer us a pardon, we have the power of the pardon in our relationship with others.  In Christ’s teaching on kingdom living, he said, “Do not judge, and you will not be judged; and do not condemn, and you will not be condemned; pardon, and you will be pardoned” (Luke 6:37, NASB, my emphasis). 

In this passage, the word pardon comes from the Greek word apoluo.  It is different from the Greek word aphiemi, which is most often translated as forgiveness in Scripture.  Pardon (apoluo) means to dismiss, set free, release, or send away.  In the story of Christ’s trial, Luke tells us that “Pilate, wanting to release [apoluo] Jesus, addressed them again” (Luke 23:20).  Pilate wanted to pardon Jesus and set him free without a judgment of his guilt or innocence.  But, caving into the people’s demands, Pilate pardoned Barabbas rather than Jesus.  Barabbas’s pardon released him from future punishment regardless of his guilt or innocence.

Kingdom living requires both forgiveness and pardons.  Forgiveness involves fractured relationships and requires both repentance and forgiveness for reconciliation.  Pardons, on the other hand, do not require forgiveness or reconciliation.  Instead, pardons only involve termination of judgment, punishment, and retribution.  

The Scripture has a lot to say about avoiding or letting go of bitterness, anger, and revenge.  One example is in the book of Romans. 

Never pay back evil for evil to anyone.  Respect what is right in the sight of all men.  If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all men.  Never take your own revenge, beloved, but leave room for the wrath of God, for it is written, “VENGEANCE IS MINE, I WILL REPAY,” says the Lord (Romans 12:17-19).

In the Luke 6:37 passage, we are told not to be judgmental or condemning but rather pardon.  Rather than judging and passing a guilty sentence on others, we are to pardon or release them from our judgment and retribution.  Our condemning others usually shows up in anger, bitterness, and relational retribution.

Jesus gives us an alternative:  Let it go – pardon.  A pardon frees us from an internal emotional battle and allows us to respond in love.  A pardon is a way to express agape love.

Love is patient, love is kind and is not jealous;

love does not brag and is not arrogant, does not act unbecomingly;

it does not seek its own, is not provoked,

does not take into account a wrong suffered,

does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth;

bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things (1 Corinthians 13:4-7)

The phrase “does not take into account a wrong suffered” is to offer a pardon.  It means I will not put the person on trial (usually in our minds) to prove their guilt.  I don’t have to confront them and demand an apology.  I don’t need to bring it up and prove I am right.  Instead, I choose to release them from any form of my punishment or retribution.  Since I probably don’t have all the facts in the case, letting go of my sense of justice is probably the wiser course of action.  A pardon is an act of love that chooses to let it go. 

In 1974, President Ford pardoned the recently resigned President Nixon.  Nixon’s offenses were many and obvious.  Ford realized that a lengthy Nixon trial would further divide the country and distract it from the more pressing issues, the Viet Nam war being one of them.  For the country’s sake, President Ford made an unpopular decision to issue Nixon a pardon before he even went to trial. 

This story is a poignant example of the power of a pardon.  A pardon does not deny that there has been an offense, either real or perceived.  Instead, the power of the pardon allows us to let it go without a trial.  Guilt or innocence is irrelevant since we release the offender from our judgment and punishment.  When we learn to pardon others, we can get on with more important issues rather than be locked in a no-win battle of bitterness and retribution.  As disciples, we need to learn to pardon others quickly and frequently.

For Reflection

1.  What are other ways a pardon is different from forgiveness?

2.  Can you think of a time when you could have used the power of a pardon?

In 1943, American psychologist Abraham Maslow proposed “A Theory of Human Motivation,” which has dominated the field of psychology ever since.  Maslow’s hierarchy of needs is a theory of motivation in which five categories of human needs dictate an individual’s behavior.  Those needs include physical needs, safety, love and belonging, esteem, and self-actualization.  Maslow’s theory presents his hierarchy of needs in a pyramid shape, with basic needs at the bottom and more high-level, intangible needs at the top.

Maslow reasoned that once our basic needs were met, we could move on to the higher need of self-actualization.  At a layman’s level, self-actualization is a lot like being happy.  For most of us, pursuing happiness involves gaining power, prestige, and prosperity.  We reason that if we had those things in sufficient amounts, we would be happy, but in reality, they are elusive and temporary.

Our goals or pursuits affect how we deal with the world we live in and interpret the events we face daily.  Of particular concern are the obstacles and barriers threatening our life pursuits.  Most of these barriers are placed in our path by others.  Some are self-induced. 

Regardless of how the obstacles get there, we understand them to be enemies to be avoided or defeated–maybe just blown up.  Volumes have been written on turning life’s bumps into things we climb on.  Most heroes of history are women and men who have overcome the bumps in their lives to achieve their goals.  However, most of us want them removed as quickly as possible. 

As people of faith, we often think of Christ as an added resource when reaching our life pursuits.  We reason that the truth of Scripture and the power of the Holy Spirit give us a leg up in attaining our self-actualization.  Consequently, the Christian faith becomes an add-on to our default life pursuits, and God becomes the Cosmic Genie.  We now have the privilege (maybe right) to tap into our spiritual resources and use them to achieve our pursuits.

Our view of life obstacles is much the same as our secular neighbor, except we can use spiritual power to remove, overcome, or blow-up unwanted barriers.  When that fails, we conclude that God has let us down or we have failed our faith test.

The 24-week SEAL training, called BUD/S, illustrates the pursuit of self-actualization.  When a SEAL candidate volunteers to become a SEAL, he must exchange his old view of self-actualization (happiness and comfort) for another (to be an elite SEAL).   Without this exchange, the trainee will likely “ring the bell” or “tap out” of the process.  For the SEAL candidate, the goal initially is usually survival; make it through the 24 weeks, one meal at a time, without quitting or getting kicked out.  For the instructors, however, the hardship and pain have a purpose: to develop qualified SEALs.  It is often hard for the BUD/S trainee to appreciate what is happening in him due to what is happening to him. 

Twenty-four-week SEAL training is intense, but many people face similar or greater hardships for longer than six months.  Holding their breath until it’s over doesn’t work.  Even when we add God’s resources to the pursuit of our view of self-actualization, the barriers and hardships remain an inconvenience at best and an enemy at worst. 

When our first child, Bryan, was born “with severe complications,” my wife and I thought we could hold on until we could get some good news.  Eventually, we learned that there was no treatment, cure, or possibility of normalcy for Bryan and us; no more holding our breath.   Now what?

We discovered two crucial truths along our journey.  One was from 2 Corinthians 12:9, “My grace is sufficient for you, my power is perfected in weakness.”  We discovered we didn’t have to hold on because God’s grace was there to hold on to us.  We didn’t have to hold our breath; God’s strength would sustain us.  God’s grace was sufficient for the moment we were in: for today, not yesterday or tomorrow.  Living one day at a time, we experienced increasing shades of victory as his all-sufficient grace became a reality.

The second truth that altered our perspective was to look at our obstacles as God’s opportunity to achieve his purposes.  Instead of viewing our obstacles as something to get through, would we embrace them as God’s construction zone for our good and his glory?  Embracing God’s view of good is a big “ask” when we are in pain!

God’s promise in Romans 8:28 is that he can take any event along our pathway (including those caused by our foolishness) and use it for our good.  The word for good in this passage means profitable rather than comfortable.  But then notice the two conditions:  a relational commitment (love for God) and a directional commitment (living according to his purpose). 

With a new set of life pursuits (knowing, reflecting, and sharing Christ), obstacles take on a different meaning.  Instead of asking how quickly we can get through a particular difficulty, we ask how God wants to use it for our “good.”  Does he want us to discover some aspect of his nature that will bring him glory?  Does he want to transform our character to make us authentic image-bearers?  Or does he want us to be ambassadors who draw others to Christ?

“Don’t waste the pain” is a common slogan regarding life’s obstacles.  That doesn’t mean we intentionally induce pain as some monastic fathers did.  Instead, when pain does come, we can learn to welcome it as a friend rather than an enemy because of our changed life pursuits.  Now the old life goals are renewed:  power becomes service, prestige becomes influence, and prosperity becomes contribution.  I think this is at least part of what Jesus promised in Matthew 6:33, “Seek first the kingdom of God, and all these (prior pursuits) will be added to you (in a transformed way).”

For Reflection

1.  How have you seen God change your life pursuits? 

2.  Reflect on an unwanted barrier in your life journey that became a pathway for “good.”

The good life has been the pursuit of mankind throughout history.  Greek philosophers like Plato, Socrates, and Aristotle wrestled (and wrote about) what made a good life good, and not surprisingly, their conclusions revolved around contemplation, learning, and moral virtues. 

“Good” is one of those words we use often and in various ways without stopping to explain what we mean by good.  We just assume a common definition.  Here are a few of the more common uses:

• “Have a good day.” 
• “You did a good job.” 
• “I am doing this for your good.” 
• “I am in pursuit of the good life.”
• “We should seek the good of our country.”

Since the term is used in so many different ways, the question is who determines its definition and use?  Is it subjective or objective?  Is something good only if I say it is or is there a higher authority or moral framework for making something good?  Are happiness, fulfillment, and a sense of purpose and meaning essential to the good life?

A current definition of the good life by Merriam-Webster

1.  The kind of life that people with a lot of money are able to have

2.  A happy and enjoyable life

The ancient Greek philosopher Epicurious said that what makes life worth living is that we can experience pleasure.  His view of the good life is known as hedonism.  Although none of us would want to identify with Epicurious, there is no doubt that our western culture is significantly hedonistic.  Our Christian culture has certainly bought into the view of good to mean whatever makes me feel happy under the banner of the “abundant life.” 

So, what does good mean in Scripture?  The Bible uses good a lot.  Jesus said, “Only God is good.”  We are told to engage in good works and bring forth good fruits from a good tree in the good ground.  Then we have the good news as well as good and faithful servants.  We have good salt, good teachers, and good health.  That’s a lot of good.

One of the most well-known claims of good is found in Romans 8:28 where God promises us the “good life”. 

And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.

In a Christian culture that tends to be narcissistic and myopic, good applies to whatever makes us happy.  We tend to think that God wants us to live the good life and promises his help to do it.  Who could turn that down?  All we need to do is fill in our definition of good and hold God to it.  Often our presentation of the good news of the gospel can sound a bit like a promotional for the “good life.”  “Bring your hang-ups, hurts, and habits to God and he will deliver you and make you happy.”  God is presented as a gentle Genie who loves nothing more than to grant our wishes.

While the English language has one word for good, the Greek has several, each with a different focus.  A quick look at three of the most often used forms of good in the New Testament can help us understand God’s perspective regarding good and our journey of faith.

Agathos is the most common word translated as good in our New Testament.  Vines New Testament Dictionary defines agathos (good) as “that which, being “good” in its character or constitution, is beneficial in its effect.”  It also means that it is “morally honorable, pleasing to God, and therefore beneficial.”

A second Greek word for good is kalos which Vines says denotes “that which is intrinsically “good,” and so, “goodly, fair, beautiful,” as of that which is well adapted to its circumstances or ends, of that which is ethically good, right, noble, honorable.”

A third Greek word for good is Chrestos.  This word is only used a few times in the New Testament while agathos and kalos are used over 145 and 85 times respectively.  Vines defines chrestos (good) as “things which are pleasant.”

Although there is some overlap, each word has a distinctive focus. 

• Agathos = Beneficial, profitable
• Kalos = Beautiful, well adapted to its ends
• Chrestos = Pleasant, comfortable

In John 10, Jesus refers to himself as the good Shepherd.  Here the word kalos means beautiful, well adapted to its ends.  However, Romans 8:28 uses the word agathos,  not kalos or chrestos.  When we continue to read verse 29, the meaning of verse 28 is clear.  God works through our life experiences to grow our love relationship with him and to conform us to the image of Christ.  In other words, God works an agathos/good which is beneficial because it is transformational.             

The agathos kind of good can also be beautiful and pleasant, but that is not its focus.  If we want to understand and experience God’s sovereign work in our lives, we need to accept and even celebrate the agathos meaning of good because agathos develops a deeper relationship with God and transforms us into the image of Christ.

With this in mind, we can understand why Paul changed his view of good regarding his suffering as told in 2 Corinthians 12.  He begins by asking God to remove his “thorn in the flesh” since it did not line up with Paul’s view of good.  Whatever the issue was, Paul’s preference was to be free from it.  I’m sure it was uncomfortable, inconvenient, perhaps embarrassing, and maybe painful.  I would think Paul reasoned that if he were free from this thorn, he would be more effective in his kingdom mission. 

But when Paul reviews his “that I may know him” priority and God reminds him that weakness is an opportunity to experience the grace-filled presence of God more deeply, he changes his perspective regarding good.  Now rather than seeking deliverance from it, he seeks to experience God in it.

In future blogs, we will consider various landscapes of life that God allows us to go through.  In this journey, we need to keep in mind his purposes and his definition of good.  If not, we will want to escape what could be profitable in search of what is pleasant.  We need to remember that our life journey landscapes are opportunities to experience the glory of God in its various dimensions.  Essentially, we need to ask God to retune our good meters.  Our natural desires and cultural pull seek that which is pleasant rather than beneficial.  The more we embrace and develop our relationship with Christ, becoming more like him, the more we will discover the true meaning of agathos/good. 

For Reflection

1.  Think of a time in your life when you wrestled with your view of good vs. God’s view.

2.  What can help us recalibrate our vision of good?

As our children were working their way through high school, I provided them with our old family car, a Toyota Camry with over 200,000 miles.  It wasn’t flashy, but it beat riding the school bus.  They all drove cautiously, knowing that if the car was wrecked, it was back to the bus.

One day I happened to use this car for a trip to the store and noticed that when I turned it on, the engine oil light came on.  The reliable Camry was starting to burn oil.  After adding a few quarts of oil, I asked one of the kids if he had noticed the oil gauge light up on the car’s dashboard.   “Yeh,” he replied, “but it goes out after a while, so I ignored it.”

Our story would not happen today because newer cars have built-in warning redundancy.  If the light on the gauge is ignored, a message lights up.  If that fails, an irritating beep soon follows and remains annoying until the warning is heeded.

Our lives, like our cars, have a dashboard with gauges, information, and warning systems.  The most familiar one is our physical gauge.  Have you ever noticed that when senior citizens get up from a restaurant table, we stand there for a few minutes before moving to the exit?  The reason is that we are doing a full body scan, checking all the body parts to see that what was working when we sat down is still working when we stand up.  The warnings may come as a simple “ouch” from a stiff knee to a paralyzing ache.  Sometimes the warning is subtle, but if ignored over time (like the oil light), it can result in major damage.

These gauges on our dashboards are designed to give us an early warning of potential problems.  The sooner we respond, the better the outcome.  The gauge itself is not the problem; it simply tells us where to look for the problem.  Over time we have learned to check our car’s dashboard each time we start the car.  Most of the time the warning alerts us to an action that needs to be taken but not immediately.  “Tire pressure low.”  “Time for an oil change.”  Scheduled maintenance usually minimizes the need for warnings.

Our soul and spirit also have warning gauges on our life’s dashboard.  They are less familiar but equally important.  If we learn to read them, we will be less likely to find our soul in the repair shop.  Checking our life dashboard daily as we pull out of the driveway is a wise practice.  I have found that the best way to give attention to my “soul and spirit dashboard” is to have my “daily appointment with God” (DAWG).   

Here are some of the gauges on our life’s dashboard.

 1.  Physical Gauge:  Comfort vs. pain indicator

2.  Soul gauges

Mental:  Clarity vs. Confusion indicator

Emotional:  Peace vs. Anxiety indicator

Volitional:  Willing vs resistant indicator

3.  Spiritual Gauge:  Close vs. distant indicator

Soul gauges

We must regularly check three sets of gauges:  body, soul, and spirit.  The body or physical gauge is like our speedometer, which is the largest and easiest to read, while the gauges for the soul are less obvious.  Here are some questions that can help us check our soul gauges.

1.  Mental gauge:  Is there a problem I am wrestling with?  Have I said something that bothers me?  Am I trapped in a cycle of thinking that I can’t break out of?

2.  Emotional gauge:  Is there a relationship that is fractured?  Is there an issue that makes me anxious? What emotion is currently the strongest?

3.  Volitional gauge:  Is there a decision I am avoiding?  Have I done something that needs resolution? 

One of the benefits of a DAWG is that it allows us to invite God into our current felt needs.  The daily “check the dashboard” is not the time for in-depth Bible study but rather an opportunity to identify our current issues and invite God to speak to us and give his guidance.

Spirit gauge

As a child in God’s family, this gauge monitors how close we are to Christ relationally.  It is our “abiding” gauge (John 15:5).  Our appointment with God allows us to read this gauge and strengthen our relationship with Christ. 

The story of Mary and Martha entertaining Jesus (see Luke 10:38-42) is a great picture of checking the dashboard.  Martha’s anxiety gauge was “red lining.”   Jesus: “Martha, you are worried and bothered about so many things.”  What she needed was not more serving but soul food.  On the other hand, Mary chose to take the opportunity to sit at the feet of the Great Rabbi and listen to his words.

With the touch of his Spirit, we should regularly and intentionally monitor the condition of our soul and spirit in Christ’s presence.  David expressed it this way, “Search me, O God, and know my heart; try me and know my anxious thoughts; and see if there be any hurtful way in me, and lead me in the everlasting way” (Psalms 139:23-24).

Checking the dashboard is a daily practice that enables us to be honest with ourselves and God.  This vulnerability invites God to step into our needs with his power.  David was convinced of this, as the Psalms indicate.  He is often brutally honest with God about the condition of his soul but then turns to God, asking for his guidance and strength.

To be honest and vulnerable with God is not frightening when we remember Jesus Christ is our Good Shepherd, not the Good Sheriff.  He understands, accepts, and embraces us even in our dark times.  He also directs us to handle issues correctly: in a God-honoring way.  Just as we need to pay attention to our car dashboard, we need to pay attention to the dashboard of our souls and respond accordingly.  We take care of our souls by utilizing all the resources God provides.

For Reflection

1.   What soul gauge are you most in tune with?  Why?

2.   What are other possible dashboard gauges of our soul and spirit?

Breakfast is a word that identifies the first meal of the day.  The origin of the word meant breaking a fast.  In days gone by, when people ate only two or three times a day, breakfast broke the usual fast from dinner the day before until the first meal of a new day.  What is eaten at this first meal is very important for physical health and energy.

Whereas a healthy first meal is important for the physical body, a healthy spiritual first meal is critical for the soul.   In the previous blog, I talked about the soul being made up of the mind, emotions, and will.  The heart is the inner part of the soul – the core, so to speak.  “Soul care” is a phrase that has come to mean giving attention to that inner heart to build convictions in the mind, passion for God in the emotions, and resolve in the will to live God’s way. 

Feeding the inner heart will ultimately determine the quality of life we will live.  It could be argued that we never really “fast” spiritually because the Holy Spirit lives in us.  While that is true, just as two people can live in the same house and rarely, personally relate, we can also have God’s Spirit, but lack intimacy with God.  The result is that the heart of our soul is starved for lack of a proper consistent diet.

Unfortunately, we often pay little attention to the inner life and subsequently develop few consistent, spiritual disciplines which are designed for its care.  A hurried life and the tyranny of the urgent have a way of pulling us away from participating in regular soul care until we finally break down on some internal level and are forced to pay attention – to feed our soul.  Soul care requires intentionality and some spiritual habits or disciplines.  

Prepared or prepackaged

On the physical level, our hurried lifestyle is our convenient excuse for a quick prepackaged breakfast.  We grab a coffee and a bagel, or pastry for ourselves and give the kids a bowl of cereal as we rush off to begin our day.  However, we all know such a breakfast gives a quick energy rush, but it is short-lived.  By midmorning, we need another coffee and donut.  A prepacked breakfast often becomes the standard routine, causing us to lose even the desire for a healthy breakfast.  

This hurried lifestyle hinders our spiritual life as well.  Instead of taking the time and effort to develop a first-hand relationship with Christ, we are satisfied with a vicarious one through the experiences of others.  For example, I have an ever-increasing stack of prepackaged devotional books by popular authors that have been given to me with the caveat, “Here is a good devotional book I just read.  I think you would like it.”  Some of the authors are classic and many contemporary.  Some are well-written with helpful insights into the Christian life.  Others are popular yet very superficial.  But even with the best ones, we are engaged with Scripture secondhand.  “A fast food breakfast is better than nothing” we reason.

Sometimes we don’t even take the time to read a two-paragraph devotional reading.  No problem.  Just listen to the YouVersion Bible verse of the day while driving to work.  We listen and call it good.   Consequentially, our relationship with the Lord remains shallow.  The inner heart is rarely touched; soul food is scarce and transformation is rare.

Prepared Soul Food

Let’s be honest; participating in and enjoying a spiritual breakfast for the soul requires certain choices, including reserving a consistent time each day to meet with the Lord.  This kind of breakfast doesn’t have to involve a large amount of time (perhaps 20 minutes), but it does take time to prepare and to sit down to eat it.

Breakfast for the soul also requires some skill and discipline.  These disciplines are what we do (breakfast) so God can do what we cannot do (nourish our soul).  Down through history saints of every era have given testimony to the effectiveness of a healthy spiritual breakfast.  Such practices have been called a “quiet time,” a “devotional life,” and even “manna in the morning” reminiscent of the Israelites gathering manna in the desert each morning.  I refer to this breakfast for the soul as a daily appointment with God (DAWG) or a daily meeting with God.   

A prepared (vs. prepackaged) spiritual breakfast for the soul involves daily reading a short passage of Scripture along with first-hand reflection and prayer.  This DAWG practice is not a time for Bible study.  Bible study is another helpful but different spiritual practice.

A suggested framework for a DAWG is patterned after the classic practice of Lectio Divina (sacred reading), sometimes referred to as reading the Bible with your heart.  Four sequential steps help guide us through this process.  All you need is a Bible, a pen, and a notebook to write down thoughts and observations. 

1.  Read:  Read a short passage of Scripture.¹

2.  Record:  Write down what the Spirit impresses on your mind from the text.         

3.  Reflect: Journal as you ask the Spirit to give you understanding and insight into the passage.  It may help to ask questions such as:  what principle is being taught; who does this; why do this; how is it relevant; and when should it be applied?  

4.  Respond:  Express to God in prayer what you have heard him say and how you might apply it to your day.             

A consistent DAWG provides fresh soul food that feeds the heart of the soul and thus promotes authentic life change.  It is a spiritual breakfast that develops biblical convictions in the mind, passion in our emotions, and resolve in our will to obey.  It is a time of fellowship with Christ and listening to his Spirit. 

Psalm 1 is a beautiful picture of the person practicing a spiritual breakfast of soul food. In this Psalm, a tree is planted by streams of living water.  That is what we do; plant ourselves by the fresh flow of living water of Scripture.  God in turn enables the tree to “… yield its fruit in its season … its leaf does not wither…. whatever he does, he prospers” (Psalm 1:3). God promises that a soul that is nourished on a fresh supply of living water (soul food) will be sustained regardless of the season and the difficulties encountered.  The fruit will come and spiritual leaves will remain vibrant, green, and healthy. 

¹ This kind of “reading” requires the use of short passages of Scripture.  There is value in reading through the Bible in a year kind of program but it is hard to have breadth and depth simultaneously.  A yearly reading through the Bible expands our knowledge but rarely builds conviction, passion, or resolve in the heart.

For Reflection

1.  What is your greatest barrier to a healthy soul food breakfast?

2.  What is your plan for feeding your soul?

When we think of the heart, Valentine’s Day and love come to mind.  We often contrast the mind and heart as the mind is for thinking and the heart is for feeling.  Songs of the heart are those that move us emotionally.  Poetry is written to touch our minds but even more so our hearts.  Those who are more cerebral or objective tend to value thinking and reasoning while dismissing as superfluous the emotions we associate with the heart.  The result is to polarize the mind and heart and thus create tension as to which is more relevant. 

The term heart is used in three primary ways:  the physical organ, the core of something (e.g., the heart of the matter), and the inner part of our personhood.¹   The word appears in the Bible text over 700 times compared to 140 times for the word mind, indicating it is a fairly prominent theme. 

The first time the word heart occurs in the Bible is in Genesis.  “So the LORD was sorry that He had made mankind on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart” (Genesis 6:6).  This initial heart statement tells us that God’s nature includes emotions or heart.  It is safe to conclude then that, since we are created in God’s image, we, too, have this intangible part of our nature called the heart and emotions.  But is that all there is to the heart?  A quick flyover of how the Bible describes the heart will reveal that it is an essential part of who we are but more complex than just emotion.

When Scripture refers to the heart, it acknowledges that it is the core of our inner person.  “Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life” (Proverbs 4:23 NLT).  When the Bible uses the term heart, it can refer to our thoughts, emotions, and will, or all three. 

• Thinking
  • As a man thinks in his heart, so is he (Proverbs 23:7 KJ).
  • I will remember my song in the night; I will meditate with my heart, And my spirit ponders (Psalm 77:6). 
• Feeling
  • My heart is in anguish within me (Psalm 55:4).
  • Even in laughter the heart may be in pain (Proverbs 14:13). 
• Acting:
  • Listen to the words of the wise; apply your heart to my instruction (Proverbs 22:17 NLT).
  • With all my heart I will observe Your precepts (Psalm 119:69). 

The Bible makes a distinction between the body, soul, and spirit.  “Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you entirely; and may your spirit and soul and body be preserved complete, without blame at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Thessalonians 5:23).  And from the book of Hebrews, we get a distinction between the soul, the spirit, and the heart.  “For the word of God is living and active, and sharper than any two-edged sword, even penetrating as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart” (Hebrews 4:12).   

If we let the soul refer to our inner person (different than the spirit) then our heart could be called the seat of the soul.   The following illustration is one way to express the concept of the heart and how it relates to our journey of discipleship and disciplemaking.  If we let the composite of our mind, emotions, and will represent our soul, then the heart could represent the core of our soul.  The above verse in Hebrews says that the Word is able to not only penetrate the inner person of the soul, but also our heart.  I will let the soul refer to the composite inner person of the mind, emotions, and will, and the heart refer to the composite deeper level of the soul.

An oversimplified (but hopefully helpful) way to express these ideas is to let the outer circle represent the soul with its three components of mind, emotion, and will.  The heart, then, is the deepest expression of our soul (mind, emotions, and will).  At the surface level, we have knowledge, feelings, and behavior.  But at the heart level, we have convictions, passions, and resolve.

At the surface level, the mind operates with thoughts, knowledge, and information.  Beliefs at this level are constantly changing as new information is acquired.

Convictions, however, reside at the heart level of the mind.  They are beliefs that are rigidly held (whether they are true or not.)  Often there is a discrepancy between what we say we believe (knowledge level) and what we deeply believe (conviction level.)  It has been said, “Beliefs are what we fight for, convictions are what we die for.”  At the heart level, knowledge becomes conviction. 

Discipleship is the process of developing biblical convictions, not just gaining knowledge so we can parrot the correct answers.  Two factors are vital to this process.  First, the Spirit is committed to using the Scripture for life change (2 Timothy 3:16-17) and, therefore, the question should always be, “What does the Scripture say?”  Buying a book on the subject to see what others are saying is easier, but it does not build the conviction that first-hand exploration of Scripture does.

Second, as educators have known for a long time, adults learn best by self-discovery rather than listening to lectures.  Biblical convictions come as a person participates in the learning process and experiences the concepts through practical application.

Of course, it would be ineffective if we had to learn everything simply by self-discovery, so guided self-discovery becomes a valuable method for building convictions.  As we disciple others, we need to equip people to personally study, meditate, and make application of Scripture.  These skill sets will give them tools for a lifetime of developing convictions.  

In the same way, our emotions operate both as surface feelings and heart passions. The feeling level is fairly fluid and changing.  Feelings are temporary whereas passions are steady and consistent.  Developed over time, passions can withstand adversity and not diminish whereas feelings are easily swayed by current circumstances.

Helping people move from feelings to passions in their discipleship journey involves personal exposure and first-hand experience.  Early in my discipleship journey, I knew that I should have a heart (passion) for world missions.  I read missionary biographies, went to mission conferences, and attended all-night prayer meetings for missions.  They all were helpful but nothing compared to a trip to Africa where I spent a summer living with Kenyans.

The will is our complex decisionmaker, our control/action center.  The will can respond to knowledge and feelings or to convictions and resolve.  At the resolve level of the will, we demonstrate actions that are consistent over time, expressed by our character and values. 

The Old Testament prophet Ezra is an example of resolve.  The key to his success is given in Ezra 7:10, “For Ezra had set his heart to study the law of the LORD and to practice it, and to teach His statutes and ordinances in Israel.”  It was the set of his heart (resolve) that allowed God to bless him.  The Gospels record a similar resolve when they say that Jesus “set his face” towards Jerusalem as he resolved to do the Father’s will on Calvary. 

We all know of stories of men and women who had a deep resolve to accomplish something even though it was not easy, fun, or convenient.  Their resolve helped them stay the course regardless of the distractions or costs. 

A discipling coach (mentor) needs to help people align their will with Scripture at the heart level (resolve).  A coach not only explains what to do, and models how to do it, but helps people put desired behavior into practice over time.  However, accountability must be voluntary.  Forced accountability usually results in compliance but not resolution.  When there is resolve, God-honoring behavior moves from a duty to a delight. 

The heart is a deep, yet a critical mystery.  ‘Watch over your heart with all diligence, For from it flow the springs of life” (Proverbs 4:23).  We are also told that we do not know another person’s heart, but God does and that the Scripture is a discerner of our hearts “… able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart” (Hebrews 4:12).  Although we cannot directly affect another person’s heart, we can cooperate with God in the process of heart transformation through the power of prayer, Scripture and effective equipping.

Let’s not be satisfied with surface levels of conformity but aim for heart-level formation, (convictions, passion, and resolve) in ourselves and in those we are mentoring.

Questions for reflection

1.  Identify a truth that went from information to conviction in your discipleship journey

2.  What are some of your passions?

The ubiquitous target is designed to move our aim toward the center:  the bullseye.  Whether we are throwing darts, shooting arrows, or firing a rifle, the challenge is not simply to hit the target but to hit the bullseye.  Every serious marksman knows that it takes continual practice to consistently hit the center.

The Kingdom Target

Pray, then, in this way: ‘Our Father, who is in heaven, Hallowed be Your name.  ‘Your kingdom come. Your will be done, On earth as it is in heaven (Matthew 6:9-10).

If we step back and take a long look at God’s purposes, the above familiar prayer establishes the target.  God is expanding his kingdom; it’s the family business. When we are united with Christ by faith, we inherit the family blessings and the family business.  Jesus said, “as the Father has sent me, so send I you” (John 20:21).  When Jesus recruited the early disciples, he said, “Follow me and I will make you fishers of men.”  Peter and the boys knew about a family fishing business.  They knew that as members of their family, they inherited their father’s fishing business.  Jesus tapped into that expectation by saying that if they followed him, they would inherit a spiritual fishing business.

As members of God’s family, our family business is to expand God’s kingdom.  But within that target are many specific objectives that can help us reach our target’s bullseye.  Each concentric circle gets closer to the heart of the Great Commission.  Each is an expression of kingdom expansion but the center is the ultimate goal and as expected, more difficult to hit.  As the disciples followed Jesus over the three-plus years, they were trained to not only hit the target but to aim at the bullseye of making disciples who make disciples (Matthew 28:19-20).

Circle 1:  Serve others

Let’s let the outer circle of our target represent the broadest expression of kingdom expansion:  acts of service.  In the Sermon on the Mt., Jesus said, “Your light must shine before people in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven” (Matthew 5:16). 

Mother Teresa is the icon of this expression of kingdom expansion.   She is world-renowned for modeling sacrificial service for the sake of others.  This is not unusual as Christianity has been responsible for some of the most effective humanitarian movements in history.  Early first-century Christians, medieval monastic movements, the Red Cross, Samaritan’s Purse, and Doctors without Borders are just a few examples.  From the international to the local, people of faith are expanding God’s kingdom influence by sacrificially serving their communities.

Circle 2:  Gospel proclamation

The gospel is not a concept that can be deduced from nature or acts of kindness.  It is a message that must be told.  “How then will they call on Him in whom they have not believed? How will they believe in Him whom they have not heard? And how will they hear without a preacher” (Romans 10:14).   God commissioned his family to verbally declare the message of Jesus and serve as his ambassadors to this broken world (2 Corinthians 5:20).  

Circle 3:  Make disciples

Paul modeled not only the importance of taking the message of Jesus into the Gentile world but of conserving its fruit.  The Epistles are “follow-up” letters to new converts who were asking, “So, now what?”  Helping develop new believers to become mature image bearers of Christ, is our third circle on our target.  Using a physical metaphor, it is the development of mature spiritual adults.  Spiritual maturity is not sudden or simple.  Regardless of the strategy or effectiveness, developing disciples as mature followers of Christ has been the desire of most local churches and para-church ministries. 

Based on the lack of authentic Christ-like image bears, we could call into question the effectiveness of hitting this circle of our target.  The failure, however, is not due to a lack of desire or effort.  Nor is the problem restricted to our current age.  The early apostles and church had their shots miss this target circle also.  “You are aware of the fact that all who are in Asia turned away from me, among whom are Phygelus and Hermogenes” (2 Timothy 1:15). 

Circle 4 (The bullseye):  Disciples who make disciples

When Jesus gave those initial disciples the mission to make disciples, he was launching a generational, missional strategy.  This strategy not only stresses circles 1 to 3, but it establishes the basis from which to hit the bullseye which includes making not only mature, healthy, spiritual adults but also producing effective spiritual parents.                        

We could all give testimony regarding the personal growth that results from having children.  It is hard, for example, to be a parent and remain self-focused.  It is even hard to maintain the illusion we have all the answers.  Parenting is a pathway for maturity developing qualities like perseverance, courage, and at times, humble authenticity.    

There is something beautiful about the dynamics of a healthy, three-generational family:  Grandparents, parents, and grandkids.   Each generation needs the other and provides God’s design for healthy communities.  The same dynamic occurs with a three-generational spiritual family. It doesn’t always happen, but it is healthier if it does.

Leadership guru Stephen Covey made popular the phrase: “Begin with the end in mind.”  What a difference it would make if our ministry activities were designed with the “end” of developing three-generational family lineages.

Tightening our shot pattern

Poor aim is not the only reason we miss the bullseye.  Every accomplished marksman knows that the longer the shot, the more chance there is for drift.  Gravity and wind are two of the more common causes of a shot that misses the target.  Aiming to make disciples that make disciples is not without the opposition of spiritual gravity and winds that can take our shot off center.  Sometimes the drift forces are within us like discouragement, at other times it can come from those we are trying to help.   Sometimes it is the complexity of living life in a broken world that takes our shot off target.  So, we need to factor in the drift forces and keep our aim on the bullseye.

While personalizing the bullseye for my own life, I remember a message by Lorne Sanny (past president of The Navigators) gave on 1 Corinthians 15:58. “Therefore, my beloved brothers and sisters, be firm, immovable, always excelling in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.”  I have returned to this admonition and promise many times over the years as I keep aiming for the bullseye.

For reflection

1.  What are some other forces that cause our shot to drift off target?

2.  How many generations are there in your spiritual family?

For generations, the refrigerator door has been the family bulletin board. Since everyone in the family comes through the kitchen at least several times a day, the refrigerator was the most central family gathering place. Before post-a-notes were invented, Scotch tape was used to stick notes and information to the door. Masking tape replaced Scotch tape since it could easily be removed. Magnets soon dominated the adhesive duties which worked quite well unless someone slammed the door too hard. With the introduction of nonmagnetic doors, I guess we are back to masking tape!

You can usually tell what stage of development a family is by simply looking at what is on the fridge door. Initially, it is shopping and do lists along with pictures of the dog. These are eventually replaced by sonograms and baby pictures. Eventually, these too are replaced by children’s version of modern art followed by school progress reports and team sports pictures. Then comes the bitter-sweet phase when we post graduation announcements and senior pictures.

Then there seems to be a lull when it is back to do lists and pictures of the dog, who is now so old he can no longer stand up for his picture. Excitement returns to the fridge door once grandkids start arriving. Once again it’s sonograms and pregnant mommy on the door as the dog pics get moved to the side of the fridge.

The fridge door is a place to announce what we are celebrating; what we wanted others to celebrate with us. More than once our kids would ask, after giving us their recent Crayola drawing, “Are you going to put it on the refrigerator?”

So, what does the door to our spiritual refrigerator look like? What are we celebrating? Is it covered with Bible study schedules and missionaries we support or pictures of our spiritual children and grandkids? Celebrating physical generations is so natural we take it for granted. Why not spiritual generations?

The Old Testament model of spiritual expansion was through family relationships.

He commanded our ancestors to teach them to their children, so the next generation might know them—even the children not yet born—and they in turn will teach their own children. (Psalm 78:5-7)

Fathers were to teach their children who in turn would teach their children. The temple and priests were a complement to the family strategy. It seems that Paul had this same relational strategy in mind when he told Timothy to invest in faithful men who could teach others also (2 Timothy 2:2). Early believers during the first centuries expanded the kingdom through this relational model.When Paul wrote to the believers in Thessalonica, he commended them for the way their faith story had made its way into the areas of Macedonia and Achaia without him. Without access to public forums, these new believers just “gossiped” the gospel where ever they went. They didn’t wait for a public crusade or a captivating orator. They took serious Christ’s commission “as you are going, make disciples

For the word of the Lord has sounded forth from you, not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but in every place the news of your faith toward God has gone out, so that we have no need to say anything. For they themselves report about us as to the kind of reception we had with you, and how you turned to God from idols to serve a living and true God (1 Thessalonians 1:7-9).

But at some point, after Constantine made Christianity fashionable, we lost the relational, generational model in favor of an institutional one. As a result, instead of families, we created orphanages. Spiritual refrigerator doors no longer celebrate spiritual generations but organizational activities.
Recently my wife and I attended a “Grandparent’s Open House” for our kindergarten grandson. As we huddled with our grandchild admiring his artwork and his box of Crayolas, I heard a boy in the middle of the room, sitting all alone, shout out, “Where are my grandparents?”

I recently met with a college grad who had come to faith at the University of Missouri during his freshman year. He is now living and working in the Marketplace in Kansas City. When I asked him about his faith story, he pulled out his smartphone and showed me a picture of his spiritual family tree. He could trace his spiritual family back multiple generations. Then he told me about a student he had led to Christ before he graduated who was now growing and learning to share his faith. He had a keen awareness of his continued responsibility to help the next generation not be the last link in the chain.

Jesus instituted a relational and generational strategy when he passed on to his disciples his kingdom mission to go and make disciples (Matthew 28:19). The great commission strategy was disciples who make disciples. I don’t think that his strategy was solely for the exponential potential of multiplication over addition. I think it was also because he knew what would happen in the lives of his people when they became spiritual parents and grandparents.

Children have a way of challenging our self-focus and teaching us how to love sacrificially. They expose our weaknesses and demand our attention. They cause us to rethink what we know so we can pass it on in an understandable way. Children help us mature, up close and personal.

Today, couples in America are increasingly opting out of having children. Maybe they are scared off by the composite cost of raising a child in today’s economy ($310,000). Or maybe it’s the reluctance to forfeit the pursuit of the “good life.” The reasons are many and varied. The result, however, is that refrigerators are void of family pictures, displaying only schedules and pictures of the dog.

But what about spiritually? What’s posted on our spiritual refrigerator door? The Apostle John wrote in 3 John 4, “I have no greater joy than to hear that my (spiritual) children walk in truth.” There is a God-designed joy that comes from our children and grandchildren’s pictures hanging on our refrigerator door. The concept goes back to the original command in the Garden of Eden. “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth.” Sin made the job harder but it didn’t change the strategy.

What would it take to make “family” the celebrated focus of our spiritual refrigerator door?

For reflection

1. What barriers do you see that prevent us from a relational, generational approach to expanding God’s kingdom?
2. What does your own spiritual family tree look like? Who played the role of your spiritual parent? Siblings? Who would look to you as his/her spiritual parent?

For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the LORD, As the waters cover the sea” (Habakkuk 2:14).

In previous blogs, I have suggested that God’s glory consists of his attributes and nature as he has revealed them.   The first time Jesus publicly revealed his glory was when he turned the water into wine at the wedding in Cana (John 2:11).  He continued to reveal his glory over the next 3+ years while on earth. 

God declares his nature not only in the Scriptural narrative and the life of Jesus but also as he demonstrates his nature through our life journey.  The practical question is, “What should be our response to his glory?” 

The Westminster Shorter Catechism states that the chief end of man is to glorify God and enjoy him forever.  But how do we do that in practice?  We commonly think of glorifying God as worshiping by thanksgiving and praise.  Thanksgiving and praise are undoubtedly part of the response, but the answer is much more comprehensive.

Going back to an earlier blog, I suggested that the three pursuits of a disciple are knowing, reflecting, and sharing Christ.  These pursuits correlate with God’s relational, transformational, and missional purposes for his people.  With that as a backdrop, I would suggest we glorify God as we pursue those three purposes, giving us a multi-dimensional platform on which to glorify God in our daily lives. 

Interestingly, people are the only part of God’s creation that has the option to glorify him.  Nature does it automatically (Psalm 19:1-4; Isaiah 42:12; Psalm 97:6; Romans 1:20); we, however, do it by choice.

1.  We glorify God as worshippers, celebrating his attributes.

Yours, LORD, is the greatness, the power, the glory, the victory, and the majesty, indeed everything that is in the heavens and on the earth; Yours is the dominion, LORD, and You exalt Yourself as head over all.  Both riches and honor come from You, and You rule over all,  and in Your hand is power and might; and it lies in Your hand to make great and to strengthen everyone. Now therefore, our God, we thank You, and praise Your glorious name (1Ch 29:11-13).

Glorifying God in thanksgiving and praise, whether private or public, is a natural response to experiencing the glory of God.  David’s prayer, stimulated by the generous offering of the people for the building of the proposed temple, is filled with celebration and admiration of the attributes of God.  

The command to remember the works of God is a constant theme in the Old Testament.  Remembering how God showed up in the past fuels our prayers of praise to God in the present.

Glorifying God in worship can take on different forms in various cultures.  It may be verbal or silent, public or private.  The popular song “I can only Imagine” expresses the wonder and often confusion about how best to express our celebration of his glory.

2.  We glorify God as image-bearers, reflecting his character.

Surrounded by Your glory, what will my heart feel Will I dance for You Jesus or in awe of You be still? Will I stand in Your presence or to my knees will I fall? Will I sing Hallelujah, will I be able to speak at all? I can only imagine, oh, I can only imagine.

Jesus was the manifestation of God’s glory, and we, on the other hand, are to be its reflection.

And He is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature (Hebrews 1:3).

But we all, with unveiled faces, looking as in a mirror at the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit (2 Corinthians 3:18).

As a mirror glorifies sunlight by reflecting it, we glorify Christ by living transformed lives that reflect his image (Galatians 5:23-24).  An illustration of this is found in the relationship between the sun and the moon. The moon is not an optimal mirror, but it does reflect sunlight to the earth.  The moon, having no light of its own, reflects sunlight when adequately aligned with the sun.  The ability to reflect sunlight depends on how well the moon sees the sun.  Likewise, our ability to reflect God’s glory depends on our ability to see him clearly for who he is and act as his image bearers reflecting his nature to others.

In his prayer in John 17, Jesus explains how he glorified the Father.  “I have revealed (manifested, KJV) Your name to the men whom You gave Me out of the world….  and I have made Your name (nature) known to them, and will make it known” (John 17:6 and 26).

Jesus made it very clear that we are to reflect his character.  “A student is not above his teacher, but everyone who is fully trained will be like his teacher” (Luke 6:40).

3.  We glorify God as servants, doing his will.

I glorified You on the earth by accomplishing the work which You have given Me to do (John 17:4). 

Jesus both demonstrated and taught servanthood as he did the will of his Father.  Our works as servants of the King continue what Jesus started.  “Truly, truly I say to you, the one who believes in Me, the works that I do, he will do also; and greater works than these he will do; because I am going to the Father” (John 14:12). 

Our work on his behalf should draw people’s attention to him, not us.

 Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven (Matthew 5:14-15; see also Mark 10:45).

Since we represent the King, service on his behalf should be done with excellence.  Therefore, it is important not only what we do, but how well we do it.  Both aspects reflect on the One we serve. 

We glorify God when his purposes become our pursuits, resulting in his pleasure, our blessing, and the knowledge of his glory filling the earth.

For reflection

1.  Which of the three forms of glorifying God do you find the easiest?  Most difficult?

2.   How could you make glorifying God more intentional?

One of the most important promises that God gives us in Scripture is that he is with us.  It was the one guarantee that Moses requested as he led Israel out of Egypt into the Promised Land.  The promise of God’s presence with us, as found in Isaiah’s prophecy, was ultimately and uniquely fulfilled in Jesus as he is given the name Immanuel (Isaiah 7:14; Matthew 1:23).

God is not only omnipresent in a general way, but he is also specifically present by the indwelling of the Holy Spirit in the lives of those he has chosen.  However, God also wants us to daily experience his presence in a very personal and unique way throughout our faith journey.  Each time God shows up in our lives, he reveals a color or facet of his glory.         

As Jesus prepared for his redemptive work on the cross, he reflected on the previous three plus years that he spent with the disciples, declaring to the Father, “I have glorified you on earth having accomplished the work You have given me to do” (John 17:3).  The work that Jesus is referring to in this context is expressed in verse 6.  “I have manifested Your name to the men You gave Me.”  As Jesus lived and interacted with the disciples, he constantly showed them the nature of the God they worshipped.  So, the writer of Hebrews could say, “And He is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature” (Hebrews 1:3). 

In light of God’s promise to be with us, the critical question is not will God show up, but in what way?  God does not always show up as we would like or expect.  The most obvious illustration of this principle is the Hebrew expectation of God showing up as the Messiah.  The Jews had a picture of how the Messiah would appear based on their understanding of the Old Testament prophecies.  They were not wrong in their hope of the Messiah but only in how the Messiah would initially show up.  They expected the Lion of Judea; instead, He came as the Suffering Servant, the Lamb of God.  They failed to see God because of their inaccurate, preconceived picture and expectation.  God showed up, but not as they expected or wanted.  And they missed him!

Abraham is another example of a person of faith who discovered the mystery of how God shows up to fulfill His promises.  God promised Abraham that he would be the father of numerous descendants through Sarah, his wife.  Abraham and Sarah concluded after 40 years of waiting that God would show up through the handmaid, Hagar.  But they were wrong.  Then when Abraham took Isaac, the promised heir, up the mountain to sacrifice him as God commanded, he believed God would show up and fulfill his promise.  He just wasn’t sure how but reasoned that God could bring Isaac back from the dead (Hebrews 11:9).  Instead, God provided a ram in the bushes.  Abraham’s faith allowed God to show up as he pleased.

The story of the Israelites entering the Promised Land under Joshua’s leadership provides another example of God showing up but not as expected.  The Israelite leadership were ecstatic after the display of God’s presence and power in the fall of Jericho.  But, unfortunately, they thought he would show up in a similar way as they went up against the comparatively minor and insignificant city called Ai.  So confident were they that they didn’t bother to pray and ask God for directions.  Well, God showed up alright but in defeat…not victory (Joshua 6 & 7).

In each case, they learned something important about God’s nature.  At Jericho, they learned that God is powerful and can break down fortified city walls using a parade.  But at Ai, they learned that God is holy.  They learned that God is serious about sin, and his commands are not just suggestions. 

Fast forward to the book of Acts, where we have another example of God showing up in unexpected ways.  After Christ’s resurrection, Peter and John are arrested and put into prison.  But after a stern warning from the rulers and elders, they were released (Acts 4).  Weeks later, some of the apostles were again arrested and put into prison.  This time an angel of the Lord opens the gates of the prison and sets them free to preach the gospel (Acts 5:17+).  It looks like a pattern of victory over jealous and arrogant leaders.

So, when Herod arrests James, the brother of John, in Acts 12, I am sure the early believers were taken aback when James is executed.  Unfortunately, Herod’s execution of James is so popular with the masses, he decides to imprison Peter with the intent of imminent execution (Acts 12).   Faced with this crisis, the local believers hold an all-night prayer meeting for Peter’s safety.  I am sure they were praying for Peter’s deliverance.  But how?

During the night, an angel escorts Peter out of the well-guarded prison, where he immediately goes to the house where the believers are praying for God to show up.  We don’t know what they expected, but it is evident by their reaction that they didn’t expect Peter’s release so quickly.  When Rhoda, the servant girl, reported that Peter was outside on the patio, they thought she was out of her mind!  God showed up with both James and Peter but in different ways. 

The familiar anecdotal story of a man stranded on his roof during a flood illustrates the point.  Praying for God’s deliverance, he turns down several offers of help from neighbors who come by in their boats.  Then, standing before God after he drowns, he asks why his prayers were not answered.  God replies, “I sent three boats, and you turned down each one.”

Since God’s great purpose is to reveal his glory to us personally, we should expect that he would use our various circumstances to make himself known, especially during difficult times.  We usually prefer God to show up like he did at Jericho rather than Ai.  But there are aspects of God’s nature we can only experience in pain, conflict, and disappointment.

In 2 Corinthians 12, the apostle Paul is transparent about his struggle to understand how God was showing up.  Paul initially considered his “thorn in the flesh” to be an unnecessary obstacle that God could easily remove.  However, the thorn that caused Paul discomfort was not an accident or an unnecessary inconvenience. 

After repeated prayer for its removal, Paul gains God’s perspective.  Rather than removal, God promises to provide the grace/strength to endure it.  Because of the thorn, Paul was to experience the grace of God in a new way.  Once Paul understands that his discomfort is linked to a greater knowledge of Christ, he welcomes it as a friend rather than an enemy (2 Corinthians 12:7-10).

So How did God show up in your life yesterday?  How will he show up today?

Questions for reflection

1.  What other examples in Scripture can you think of where God showed up unexpectedly?

• Where have you been surprised by how God showed up along your journey?