Sacrificing, stubborn love
Hosea 3: Love her the way I, God, love the Israelite people.
Gomer has messed up big time. She’s left the man and children who love her. Her story will end with her in bondage physically, emotionally, and legally if not for Hosea. Under the Lord’s direction, he moves to rescue her from the stupid mess that binds her. Hosea acts under God’s command but he also acts out of love. In spite of Gomer’s rejection of him he can’t move past his love for her. She’s brought disgrace to Hosea, possibly making him a laughingstock in the community. She’s broken his heart and turned away from his love without even a word of apology. Still, Hosea can’t let go. This is no simple picture of romantic love. Here I see love that demands sacrifice. I see a stubborn love that persists even when the object of that love is unworthy. God says he loves his people like this. On one hand, he can’t ignore their sin and rebellion. On the other, he can’t just walk away. Because God is who he is, he loves. This is the hope of every human being. I’m fallen, unlovely, and condemned. My only hope is God’s love: his sacrificing, stubborn love. “While we were yet sinners Christ died for us.”
Take Away: Because the Lord is who he is, he loves.
Tag: Second Chances
Devotional on Hosea
Identifying with the right person
Hosea 3: From now on you’re living with me.
I guess it’s just human nature but when I read the parables of Jesus my first inclination is to identify with “good guy” in the story. I see myself as the “tax collector” who prays for mercy, the servant who invests his talent, and the woman who finds the lost coin. It’s only when I’m willing to see myself from the less than stellar point of view that the parable can truly instruct me and help me become the person God would have me be. Since Hosea’s story is a living parable, who am I in this story? I know that the primary focus is on God and the ancient Israelites, but if I read this story devotionally who am I? It has to be Gomer. She’s a pitiful figure in the story. Her origins are unknown to us, but she’s both a victim and a trespasser. Even when she’s given a second chance at life she blows it, making a bigger mess than she had in the first place. She’s stubborn and deeply flawed and, seemingly not worth redemption. Hosea, though, loves her so much that he can’t do what common sense dictates. He waded into the filth and got her the first time, and, when she betrays him and returns to it, he wades in again. As I read this I’m not to say, “Yes, I’m like Hosea, and I’ll be gracious and kind and forgiving” (although, I’m supposed to be all of these things). Instead, I’m to say, “I’ve been like Gomer. In spite of God’s goodness to me I’ve been hard-headed and hard-hearted. God has not only rescued me, but he’s waded out into sin to bring me back when I’ve failed.” If I refuse to identify with Gomer in this story it will never have the impact on my life it’s intended to have.
Take Away: The parables work best when I rightly identify myself in them.
Devotional on Hosea
Superhuman love
Hosea 11: I am God and not a human…I’m here — in your very midst.
As I begin reading this chapter I brace myself for more of the same: that God’s people have had every opportunity to serve him but have utterly failed and are now being kicked out. I think that’s what I’m going to see, but I’m wrong. Instead, I see a picture of God’s love for the sinner; a love so powerful that even when Israel appears to have sinned away the day of grace that God can’t give up on them. The Lord’s in anguish over their rejection and says, “How can I give up on you? How can I turn you loose?” Itās a dramatic vision of God’s love. In fact, it’s here I find myself face-to-face with love beyond human capacity. Even as I read these words of love and mercy I find myself wondering how God can go so far in his forgiveness and how he can love in such an overwhelming way. It’s then that I find the answer. God loves with intensity beyond what I can comprehend because of who he is. He’s God and not man. Here’s love in the superlative; super-human love. I thank God that today I am a recipient of that love.
Take Away: God is love.
Devotional on Hosea
It isnāt over till itās over
Hosea 12: What are you waiting for? Return to your God!
Hosea is unique in the Old Testament in his understanding of God. The opening āliving parableā of his enduring love of his unfaithful wife flavors the entire book. Now, it isnāt all romantic love. Thereās some strong medicine here, what could be called ātough love.ā Still, it’s love. The Almighty is so in love with these people that he canāt let them go. The God who could wipe them out in a second instead calls to them and reasons with them and, yes, uses some tough love in dealing with them. In this passage the Lord illustrates his intentions by appealing to history. He reminds them that Jacob started out as a āheelā who even tried to manipulate his Creator. The Lord says that, in the end, he won and Jacob was changed into a new person. Now, this same God turns his attention to the current sorry state of things. He tells this rebellious nation that he loves them too much to cast them away. He says that in his love, he wonāt give up and he wonāt give in. They might as well surrender to it now because, ultimately, he’ll win. Today, Iām reminded that God doesnāt give up on people and I shouldnāt give up on them either. The person who seems the most lost; who has burned his bridges and declared his abandonment of the Lord is still on Godās radar screen. Really, it isnāt over till God says itās over!
Take Away: The Lord doesnāt give up on people and I shouldnāt give up on them either.
Devotional on Hosea
God, making himself vulnerable
Hosea 14: O Israel, come back! Return to your God!
In his amazing love God calls out to his wayward people. To return to him is to their benefit. Otherwise, itāll take tough love to turn them around and even as these words are spoken a ātornadoā of judgment is coming their way. Thatās a message Iām used to seeing in the prophets. Thereās another message here and even though itās seen in other places, itās especially clear in the book of Hosea. If these sinning people return to God it will be to their benefit, but it will also be to his. As Hoseaās love reached out to his unfaithful wife so does Godās love reach out to a sinning humanity. It seems impossible, but I, as insignificant as I am, have the ability to both hurt and please the Maker of the universe. The reason for that is that he loves me with a love I cannot fully understand. God has allowed himself to be vulnerable in opening his heart to me and to all humanity. Today, the person who’s rejected God; who’s lived as an enemy of his; who, in my opinion, is practically beyond redemption, remains within the reach of Godās love. The Lord wonāt force you to return but he reaches out to you in love even through the words of this little-read devotional.
Take Away: God is the God of Second Chances.
Devotional on Jonah
About as low as you can go
Jonah 2: My prayer got through to you.
When heās thrown into the stormy sea he’s sure he’s a gonner. Then this huge fish shows up, mouth open wide, and Jonah thinks this is certainly the end. Now, in the darkness, trying to get the sea weed off of his face he realizes heās still alive. This isnāt Star Trek and he didnāt go āboldlyā but Jonah finds himself āwhere no man has gone before.ā In this predicament Jonah wonders if prayers from the inside of a fish at the bottom of the sea can possibly reach heaven. Since he has no other choice he begins to cry out to the God he fled. Years earlier the suffering Job heard the Lord promise that he visited the āsprings of the sea.ā Now Jonah becomes the first human being to put that statement to a literal test. Later he reports, āMy prayer got through….ā Now, Iāve never been deep under water in the belly of a fish. I tried scuba once but I stayed pretty close to the surface so Iāll just have to take Jonahās testimony at face value. However, Iāve been in some situations in which I felt distant from God and I wondered if my prayers could ever get through ā but they did! In this passage I find hope for every person who thinks theyāre so far from God and have messed up so many times that theyāre gonners. Today I see that the Lord hears prayers, even from the depths of the sea.
Take Away: Thereās hope for every person who thinks theyāre so far from the Lord that thereās no hope for them.
Devotional on Nahum
The God of grace
Nahum 1: He recognizes and welcomes anyone looking for help.
Even as the prophet prepares to deliver his sermon of condemnation on the mighty nation of Assyria he canāt help but rejoice in the grace and mercy of God. This same God who declares his judgment on those who reject his claim on their lives has nothing but good news for those who turn to him for help. In fact, the Lord is drawn to such people. I love the fact that even in these portions of the Old Testament that appear to be focused on God as Judge of the World that there are these beautiful word pictures of him as the God of Grace. Nahum declares that āno matter how desperate the troubleā that God is more than willing to ārecognize and welcomeā all who come to him. In an uncertain world I need such a Savior. Iām reminded in this passage that I donāt have to come to God and convince him that Iām worthy of his help in my life. Instead, I see that he stands ready to extend his mercy to me. In the parable of the prodigal son, the returning son expects to have to make concessions, to take a lowly role if he wants to, once again, have a place in the Fatherās household. Instead, the Father runs to him, embraces him, and immediately begins celebrating his return. Hundreds of years before Jesus ever tells this story, Nahum understands this about God, declaring, āHe recognizes and welcomes anyone looking for help.ā
Take Away: The Lord stands ready to extend his mercy to us.
Devotional on Habakkuk
Do it again, Lord
Habakkuk 3: Do among us what you did among them.
The prophet of God has the heart of a psalmist. As I started reading Habakkuk and saw his reverent complaint to God I was reminded of the Psalms of complaint in which the writer pours his heart out before the Lord. Now, as Habakkuk experiences God in a fresh way, his words remind me of the Psalms again. He pens a psalm of his own in which he recounts Godās past deliverance and looks to a day of restoration. His opening lines: āDo among us what you did among them. Work among us as you worked among themā is the prayer of many of Godās people through the ages. In this case, Habakkuk is specifically thinking of the deliverance of his ancestors from Egyptian bondage. However, through the centuries, many have looked back to great movements of God: revivals, healings, and other times of special blessing and prayed this prayer. In my life there have been times of extraordinary blessing, some so private and precious that I seldom speak of them. However, I mention them to the Lord, thanking him for what he did and marveling at his grace to me and, in the spirit of Habakkuk, ask the Lord to ādo it again.ā Itās unhealthy to spend our lives talking about the āgood old daysā but we should allow those times of special blessing to remind us of what God can do and to encourage us to seek his best for in our lives in this day and in these circumstances.
Take Away: There are times when we do well to revisit past blessings and allow those blessings to encourage us to expect renewed blessings of God in our lives.
Devotional on Zechariah
God, golf, and grace
Zechariah 10: Theyāll get a fresh start, as if nothing had ever happened.
Iām not a golf historian, so I may not have the story right, but I understand that in days of old a golfer who had not had the opportunity to warm up on the driving range was allowed to declare his first shot off the tee to be a āmulligan.ā That meant it was going to be a practice shot and wouldnāt count. The āmulliganā morphed into an after-the-fact point of grace, first, for the opening shot only and then to any one tee shot during the round. Iāve even played golf with some folks who took however many āmulligansā they wanted. My response has always been, āYou can take as many second shots as you want as long as you donāt brag about your score!ā Iām reminded that out in real life we donāt get many mulligans. Once in a while we do, for instance, when the traffic cop lets us off with a warning. However, if my poor driving has resulted in a car wreck the clock canāt be turned back and thereās no mulligan for me. Godās man Zechariah has good news for Israel. The Lord’s going to give them another chance. Heās going to gather this scattered nation from all the places where it’s landed and give it a fresh start. We serve a God who graciously gives nations and individuals second chances. When I confess my sin and failure and return to the Lord, I find that he delights in forgiving me and restoring me to his family. In golf, the mulligan is just an unofficial part of a game. With God, itās the real deal and it happens only because of his grace.
Take Away: God is the God of Second Chances.
Devotional on Matthew
Living with our decisions
Matthew 19: Moses provided for divorce as a concession to your hardheartedness, but it is not part of Godās original plan.
The religious leaders want to know Jesusā views on marriage and divorce and the answer he gives is stricter than they think it should be. He declares that marriage is to be between a man and a woman and that their union is to be both physical and spiritual. No one has the authority to rip apart that union. Jesus, speaking in the manner of a rabbi and with the authority of the Son of God, adds that in the case of adultery he allows (but, note, he doesnāt ārequireā) an exception to this permanent man/woman union. The leaders, then, want to know why Moses includes a broader divorce procedure in the Law. Is Jesus claiming authority beyond that of Moses? His answer is eye-opening. Moses, Jesus says, finds it necessary to provide for the destruction of a marriage because of peopleās hard hearts. God didnāt plan for this to be necessary, but Moses sees the need and God allows it. This interpretation is fascinating. On one level, Iām interested in this situation in which God doesnāt get his way and in which he allows Moses to adjust things. If God has his own way there will never be a divorce. However, since people have hard hearts the Lord allows the Law to accommodate it. This is an interesting application of the Lordās commitment to our free-will. The other thing that gets my attention is the strong possibility that I can, because of my hardheartedness insist on something that the Lord reluctantly allows, leaving me in a permanent sub-par situation. Iām glad we serve a God of Second Chances and I know that in him, life is good. Still, I see that the Lord wonāt stop me from doing that which will bring a lifetime of pain, or at the very best, a lifetime of knowing that if not for my stubbornness things could be better for me than what they are. Iām thankful for the grace of God, but Iām also aware that I have a real responsibility to live carefully and to remain in harmony with the Lord each step of the way.
Take Away: Even though the Lord will allow it, I must be careful to not overrule Godās will in my life.
Devotional on Romans
You arenāt down for the count
Romans 11: Are they down for the count…the answer is a clear-cut no.
The people of Israel, Paul says, have, in general, messed up royally. They had an inside track to God but rejected him. Because of their disobedience and unbelief theyāve been cut off and are no longer connected to the ārootā of Godās love and faithfulness. The Lord, who specializes in taking bad situations and turning them into good ones, has used their rejection as a way to open the door for all peoples of the world to come in. When an āoutsiderā believes in Jesus that person is grafted into the āvineā of Godās grace. In this the outsider becomes an insider. Now, what of those people of Israel who became dead to God because of their unbelief? Is it too late for them? Is their permanent loss a sad necessity that the way to God be opened for the non-Jews? Paul answers, āNo way!ā He serves a God of Second Chances and even now the Lordās working out a restoration for those whoāve been cut off. In his plan itās never been āJews verses Gentiles.ā The Lord’s working right now to bring salvation to all, grafting in all who will come, making them part of his family. Isnāt this good news! The Gentiles have never known God, but now a way has been made for them to connect to him. The people of Israel have a long history with God but blew it. Still, God works to bring them back home. Maybe you were raised in church and knew the Lord as Savior at one time but now all thatās past tense in your life. I have Good News for you. As it was for the people of Israel who messed up royally there remains hope. Right now the Lord invites you to return and be reattached to the vine of his mercy, love, and grace. Even if everyone else has given up on you, God hasnāt.
Take Away: God is the God of Second Chances.
Devotional on 2 Corinthians
God is the God of Second Chances
2Corinthians 2: Getting you to take responsibility for the health of the church.
This is likely a reference to the situation described in the first letter. Apparently, one of the members of the congregation at Corinth was living in an immoral relationship with his stepmother. Now, Paul has received word that the church took action on this. There has been, first: discipline, and then, second: repentance, and now, forgiveness. Paul tells them that thatās good enough for him. He stands by their handling of things and now counsels them to add a double portion of love for the one who had been involved in the immorality. Otherwise, he cautions, the enemy of their souls will use the situation to work against them, doing more harm than good. It seems to me that the church generally errs on the extremes of issues like this. Sometimes, weāre so open minded that we just go with the flow. People behave in immoral ways and āwe just love them anywayā never getting around to pointing out that their behavior will destroy their lives and damn their souls. In other situations, the church is so intent on ātelling it like it isā that we drive away the very people for whom Christ died. We think weāre being spiritual, but really weāre just being hateful. In the middle thereās loving people enough to tell them the truth in such a way that they know we love them. God is a God of Second Chances and the church should be a Church of Second Chances.
Take Away: We need the help of the Lord to find the middle ground when dealing with sinners who are loved by Christ.
Devotional on Ephesians
Wandering in the wilderness
Ephesians 2: Youāre no longer wandering exiles.
We know the story of how under the leadership of Moses the children of Israel refuse to enter the Promised Land and end up wandering in the wilderness for 40 long years. In this passage, Paul describes the Gentiles as also wandering out in the wilderness, separated from God. Now, thanks to Jesus, the way into the Promised Land, the ākingdom of faith,ā has been provided. Everyone is invited, both Jews and Gentiles, to make the crossing into that place of peace, at home with God. The reason, of course, that the children of Israel even make that long detour in the first place is that they didnāt trust God. Having rejected him, they turned away to the misery of the desert. For the Gentiles, the situation’s a bit different. Because of Jesus theyāre experiencing their first opportunity to come to God and theyāre taking full advantage of it, coming in by the thousands and tens of thousands. For those who respond, the wandering days are ended and the days of spiritual abundance have begun. On a personal level Iāve seen more than one respond to what Jesus has done. Theyāre rewarded with new, everlasting life for their decision. Sad to say, Iāve seen a few who have opted for the wilderness instead. Decisions have been made, priorities have been set, and theyāve followed the road out into the desert. Happily, God is the God of Second Chances. At some point, I hope and pray that theyāll find themselves once again at the point of decision. I sincerely pray that at that time their wandering days will end.
Take Away: Jesus provides us all the way to God.
Devotional on 1 Timothy
Competition for the title āNumber One Sinnerā
1Timothy 1: Iām so grateful to Christ Jesus for making me adequate to do this work.
The letters to Timothy and Titus are all about pastoral leadership. Paul has entrusted congregations to these men and now he writes them letters of encouragement and instruction. The Apostle writes, not always as an overseer, but sometimes as a fellow pastor, a man called by God to proclaim the gospel and shepherd the Church. He pictures himself as one of Jesusā favorite trophies of grace. That is, he, of all people should be declared too bad, too lost, too committed to sin to ever be saved. In his grace and mercy though, the Lord has done just that. He not only saved Paul but he called him to proclaim the gospel message. Every time he preaches his life is speaking more loudly and eloquently than his words. He sees himself as example number one of just how gracious, forgiving, and merciful God is. If thatās true, then even as I read these words 2000 years after they were written, the very fact that they were written by this āPublic Sinner Number Oneā speaks as loudly as what he actually writes. Still, having said all that, Iām compelled to add that any minister worth his or her salt shares Paulās confession of unworthiness. To some extent, no one can properly proclaim the gospel, or even get saved in the first place, unless they read Paulās words and think, ānot so fast on that āSinner Number Oneā stuff Paul, let me tell you my story.ā The bottom line is that if not for Jesus none of us would have a chance. Those called to the ministry, of all people, can join Paul in his thanksgiving to Jesus for making us āadequate to do his work.ā
Take Away: Anything āadequateā about us is evidence of the Lordās grace at work in our lives.
Devotional on 1 John
Victory in Jesus
1John 2: He solved the sin problem for good.
An old preacherās line is when asked the topic of his or her sermon is to reply āIāve decided to preach about sinā¦Iām going to take a stand against it.ā In this passage we find John doing just that. He tells his readers that heās writing āto guide you out of sin.ā Then, if a believer falls back into sin, he points us to the remedy, our āPriest-Friendā Jesus. Beyond that, as I consider the broader problem of sin, Iām told that Jesus has already dealt with sin at that level too. Sin, which breaks our relationship with our Heavenly Father, has been decisively dealt with through the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross. āHe solved the sin problem for good.ā When sin is an issue in my life thereās a remedy and his name is Jesus. From this passage I learn, then, that Christians can live in victory over intentional spiritual failure. I learn that if that failure comes anyway that Christās victory can yet be mine. I learn that, even as Iām dismayed by rampant, destructive sin in the world that thereās hope, a way out through the Lord. Because of him Iām set free from the domination of sin. That opens the way to abundant life. For every person who struggles with some old sinful habit; for everyone who sometimes feels the tug of some especially powerful temptation; for everyone who wants to live freely in Christ ā for everyone ā this is a wonderful, hope-filled Word from the Lord.
Take Away: At the cross Jesus defeated sin and death once and for all.
Devotional on Exodus
Worship Lessons
Exodus 34: God, God a God of mercy and grace, endlessly patient ā so much love, so deeply true ā loyal in love for a thousand generations, forgiving iniquity, rebellion, and sin.
Sinai II is taking place. During Sinai I, while the people rebelled Moses was on the mountain having an awesome encounter with God. Seeing that the people rebelled against God and his ways before they could even get started Moses broke the tablets containing the Law. However, Moses still intercedes for them and God graciously gives them another chance. In fact, God is willing to reveal himself to Moses in even a more personal way than he did out in the desert in the burning bush or when he came to Sinai the first time. Itās during this indescribable encounter that the words that arrest our attention today are stated. Old Moses can hardly contain himself as he proclaims Godās mercy, grace, and patience. Nope! This isnāt Moses speaking. Instead, itās God! So whatās going on here? I think I know. As the Almighty begins to create a people and works specifically with the man heās chosen to lead them, heās giving Moses a lesson in worship. And Moses gets it! He falls on his face before God. Maybe I need some worship lessons too. Iām glad the Lord is a willing Teacher.
Take Away: Thank God for Second Chances and thank him also for being such a patient teacher.
Devotional on Leviticus
The God of Second Chances
Leviticus 26: On the other hand, if they confess their sinsā¦Iāll remember my covenantā¦.
I canāt imagine anyone enjoying the middle portion of Leviticus 26. Itās the ācurseā part of the chapter in which God lists all that will happen if they break their promises to God. Like anyone else, I enjoy the āblessingā section and can happily skip the ācursingā part. However, thereās more to the chapter than those two elements. The final section is about Godās faithfulness. You might say that itās the best part of all. God says that even if they utterly fail and if the entire ācurseā comes to passā¦even then, heāll be just a prayer away. These words are all about grace and mercy and faithfulness. In this the Lord opens his heart to us. When it all falls apart because of sin the Lord waits to reestablish the covenant relationship with them. Hereās a clear view of the Lord as the God of Second Chances. Thereās unbelievable power in the words, āIāll remember.ā In spite of failure, in spite of the feeling of a people being utterly rejected ā in spite of it all, God remembers. Iām thankful, so thankful, that I serve the God of Second Chances.
Take Away: We all need this God of Second Chances in our lives.
Devotional on Deuteronomy
Thereās a remedy
Deuteronomy 4: If you seek Godā¦you’ll be able to find him if you’re serious, looking for him with your whole heart and soul.
Again, Moses is no stranger to spiritual failure. As the leader of this people heās seen repeated failure. Even as he warns them against trifling with God, even as he cautions them about having wandering hearts — even then, he knows that they’ll mess up again. The thing is, not only is Moses familiar with spiritual failure, heās also familiar with God’s grace. Time after time heās seen God reach out to these people in mercy, love, and forgiveness. In this, Moses has learned some important things about the God who called to him from the burning bush decades earlier. He tells them, “Before anything else, God is a compassionate God.” Even if his warnings to these people go unheeded, God’s character will be unchanged. People, even people who have miserably failed, who seek God whole-heartedly, find God. Thereās so much hope here that it takes our breath away. Thereās a remedy for spiritual failure. Thereās hope for the fallen. Thereās a God of Second Chances and if we seek him with all our hearts weāll find himā¦and in finding him weāll find hope and restoration.
Take Away: God is the God of Second Chances.
Devotional on Joshua
Cities of refuge
Joshua 20: A person shall escape for refuge to one of these cities.
Weāve been looking over Joshua’s shoulder as the newly occupied Promised Land is divided up among the tribes of Israel. Frankly, this isn’t an especially inspirational section of the book. Now we are down to special cases: cities for the Levites and priests, and the Asylum-Cities. These cities are important places indeed. If a person has messed up and accidentally killed someone they can flee there and find mercy. These cities of refuge are the only hope for some in need of a second chance. I think there will always be a need for “cities of refuge.” Simply put, people mess up. Our world is filled with broken families, broken promises, and shattered dreams. The need of the day is not for the Church to tell lost people how bad they are as it is to tell them that there’s still hope. To some extent every church is to be a “city of refuge.” Godās people are to offer, in Christ, mercy and hope of restoration. The Church is to be a city of refuge for hurting, broken people.
Take Away: Hurting people, including people whoāve messed up, need hope and through Christ the Church offers that hope.
Devotional on Judges
So howās that āignoring Godā thing working out for you?
Judges 10: They just walked off and left God, quit worshiping him.
It’s been over 60 years since Gideon died. We have short paragraphs mentioning two other leaders who have judged Israel and now, once again, the wheels have fallen off. The word picture is graphic. “They just walked off.” This was definitely one of those, “If God seems far away, who moved?” scenarios. The people arenāt kidnapped and carried away from God. They don’t accidentally wander off. Instead, we see them pull the plug, deciding that theyāre no longer going to worship the One who has been so faithful to them. However, thatās not the most sobering part of this story. You see, God doesn’t chase after them. When they come to him in their distress, he replies, “I’m not saving you anymore. Go ahead! Cry out for help to the gods you’ve chosen over me.” Itās when they repent that the Lord reconnects with their lives. God always honors our free will. He doesnāt force us to serve him and heāll allow us to face the consequences of our choices. The good news here is that he remains true to his character. While he wonāt force us to live our lives in a relationship with him, heās always ready to forgive and welcome us back into that relationship.
Take Away: Weāll either live in a relationship with the Lord of our own free will or we wonāt live in a relationship with him at all…