EverydayDevotions.com

Click here to read Genesis 30 on BibleGateway.com

 ^“So God has taken away your father’s livestock and has given them to me.” – Genesis 31:9

When we first meet our good friend Jacob, he forces his starving brother Esau to fork over his inheritance before he gives him a snack.  Nice guy.  Then he bamboozles his father into giving him the blessing that should have belonged to Esau.  Even nicer. When his loving elder sibling understandably wants to throw Jacob in front of some stampeding buffalo, Jacob has to run to away from home, and right into the arms of his uncle Laban, a man who also never met a con he didn’t like.

After working for Laban’s ranch for a few years, Jacob decides he wants to start his own livestock business.  But how to start?  Resorting once again to his favorite artform – deception – Jacob asks Laban if he can have all the “imperfect” animals from the herds.  Both men agree to the terms, and then proceed to try to rip off each other.  Laban removes all the imperfect animals before they can breed, and  Jacob tries to tip the scales in his favor by having all the weak animals mate out in the sunlight, and all the strong animals mate in the shade.  Theoretically, this was supposed to ensure that all of the strong animals would belong to Jacob.

GENETICS SHMENETICS

Nowadays, we recognize that the amount of sunlight an animal receives has little to do with the type of offspring they bear.  (in fact, this story is often used by non-believers to mock the Bible.)  However, notice that Jacob himself comes to realize the futility of his action.  In chapter 31, Jacob tells his family “God has taken away your father’s livestock and given them to me.”  Jacob realizes that his efforts were pointless, and that it was God who was increasing his flocks.

Over the course of his life, Jacob began to rely less and less on his own cleverness, and more and more on God’s provision.  That’s how it is for a lot of us.  Getting close to God is rarely a single event, like they show in those well-meaning yet somehow uninspiring movies.  We make little decisions each day, and we look back and think “how did I get here?”  We start by going to church once a week, and then doing five minutes of devotions, and then ten, until one day we look around and realize that spending time with Christ has become the focus of our lives.

CHOOSE YOU THIS DAY

But it can go the other direction, too.  In surveys of prison inmates, many look back on a single small action – went to that party, told that one lie, shoplifted that little item – as the start of a journey to where they are now.  Almost no one starts off murdering – they start off stealing from their parents, then friends, then the local grocery store, and one day they look around and realize they’re a career criminal.  How does it happen?  That little decision in the beginning.

Today, look at your little decisions and where they might be leading.  Do you need to stop something before it starts?  Avoid that “coincidental” meeting at the water cooler with her; don’t leave that little thing out of that report; don’t “lose” that notice.  The little things may be difficult, but the longer things go on, the harder they become to stop.

The next time you look around, what do you want to see?

Click here to read Exodus 34 on BibleGateway.com

“Do not cook a young goat in its mother’s milk.” – Exodus 34:26

For the most part, the Bible is fairly reasonable with all the commandyness. Don’t murder, don’t steal, keep God first, etc. Most of it is pretty straightforward. But every once in a while, you’ll run across one like the one today that makes you wonder if perhaps Moses misheard what God said, or couldn’t read his own tablet-writing. “Don’t boil a goat in its mother’s milk.” Was this really a problem in those days? And such a problem that it had to be placed right next to rules about sacrifices and honoring the Sabbath?

There are actually several theories about what exactly this command is about. Perhaps it was a common practice for idol worshippers to do that sort of thing. Or perhaps there were health concerns. Or some interpreters argue that this sort of thing violates God’s plan for parenting. Or maybe there was a goat shortage. Who knows.

But let’s step back for a second. If we approach is logically, there is nothing in this command that is hard to understand. It’s pretty straightforward, the words are comprehensible, and keeping this command should not be all that burdensome. The real question is “Why?” Why would God command such a ridiculous thing? Want the humbling and somewhat embarrassing theory?

Maybe to show us a little about ourselves.

WARNING – READ NO FURTHER

Admit, right now you’re thinking about how good it must taste to have a goat boiled in its mother’s milk. You may never had even thought about eating goat, certainly not boiling one, and using its own mother’s milk probably wasn’t even on your radar. But once God says, “hey, don’t do this,” you’re immediate reaction is to start pondering it.

Don’t feel too bad. After all, pretty much everybody in the history of ever has that drive, even the very first of us all. Adam and Eve had one – count them, one – rule to follow. Couldn’t do it. And don’t think it was just about how awesome the fruit was. If God had said, the only thing you can’t do is poop by the wall of the garden, Adam would have felt the undeniable bowel pressure to disobey sooner or later. It’s just who we are.

NEED TO KNOW

The real problem with this command is God leaves us hanging a little bit. We want to know what to do, why we have to do it, and exactly how long we have to do it before we can get back to doing whatever we want. But that’s not God’s plan. God’s desire is for us to trust him. Completely. The way a little child will throw themselves around with absolutely no doubt that Mom and Dad will catch them if they fall. That’s difficult for most of us.

Do we have to know why God tells us to do things? Do you trust God enough to not go there, be with them, or watch that, even if it makes no sense? Do you trust that God has a plan for your life, or your children’s lives, or the lives of others? Or do you get frustrated that God isn’t doing what you think he should in the way should as fast as he should? When you think about it, aren’t we demanding that God meet our expectations, rather than discipline ourselves to meet His? Maybe that’s why God is always talking about pride in the Bible – it’s the complete opposite of trust. That’s the struggle we all have.

Has God shown himself faithful enough in the past that you can trust him now?

Click here to read John 12 on BibleGateway.com

So the chief priests made plans to kill Lazarus as well,  for on account of him many of the Jews were going over to Jesus and believing in him. – John 12:10-11

Everything grows over time. Seeds turn to plants, puppies turn to dogs, pizza turns to bellies, the garage sale down the street turns into the junk in your garage – they all start small, but soon push past their boundaries like milk boiling on a stove (seriously, what’s up with that?). Think about the last home-improvement project you started. You may have begun with the idea of replacing that shelf, but soon you had enough wood scattered around your house to build a deck. And not a small deck. A deck for the Titanic.

That’s how it goes. Things start small, but if you’re not careful, they quickly snowball out of control. That’s how it is with sin as well. Very rarely to people go from zero-to-mass-murderer in one moment. It’s little compromises and decisions along the way, and before you know it you’re driving a white Bronco in a slow-speed chase on national TV.

BETTER FOR ONE…OR TWO…OR…

Once upon a time, the Jewish religious leaders in the first century just wanted to embarrass Jesus. He was drawing people away from their teachings, so obviously something had to be done. Ask this rube some tough questions about the law and people will see what a doofus he is; problem solved. Unfortunately, Jesus turned the tables and the religiousites came off looking like toddlers with their hands caught in a bag of Oreos.

Next step: kill Jesus. Caiaphas, the high priest in Jerusalem, argued that it was better for one person to die than for the whole nation to suffer. After all, in their minds, the Pharisees were acting in the best interests of the people. The logic was simple – if the people followed God’s law, good things happened. If they didn’t, another nation (Rome in this case) would come and take away their freedom (or what little of it they had). It happened repeatedly in the Old Testament, so they can perhaps be forgiven for not noticing that the New Testament had started a few weeks earlier.

But sin always escalates. Checking out Victoria’s Secret at the mall? If you don’t stop yourself, soon you’ll be visiting those sites, and perhaps eventually even acting on what you’ve dwelt on. Underestimate on your taxes? Won’t be long before you “forget” about those few thousand dollars you made on the side. Once you decide to kill Jesus, you have to kill those who support him. In this case – Lazarus.

FOREVER WILL IT HAUNT YOUR DESTINY

Since people were lining up to listen to Lazarus talk about his trip to the afterlife, the opposition had to silence him, too. But it wouldn’t stop there either. After Jesus is dead, the disciples are next. Then the next generation of believers like Paul, Timothy, and Titus. Then the next generation, and the next, and the next. There is no end. Once you make a decision to sin, it’ll only get worse unless you turn around (“repent” in Bible-speak).

Fortunately, good can also be escalated. If you start out reading your Bible for 5 minutes a day, it’ll grown into 10. If you decide to give a few bucks to a missionary, you’ll give a little more the next time, and perhaps even end up going yourself. If you give a little in the offering this week, and a little the next, soon you’ll be surprised at how much you can give to God and still not starve. It all starts with a choice in the small things – which side of you do you want to grow? Wherever you start to put effort, the momentum will start to build.

What will you escalate today?

Click here to read Luke 23 on BibleGateway.com

When Herod saw Jesus, he was greatly pleased, because for a long time he had been wanting to see him. From what he had heard about him, he hoped to see him perform a sign of some sort. – Luke 23:8

Have you ever noticed how less enjoyable things are when you lose control?  A bonfire is a great thing, but if it starts the lawn on fire, it might cost you more than a burnt smore.  Driving down the country road at 70 mph with your friends is fun; driving down the country road at 70 mph with your friends and no brakes is troubling.  Drinking a glass of water is refreshing; being forced to drink a swimming pool because your older brother is “playing,” less refresh, more panicky.  We like our excitement, as long as we can end it whenever we want.

We often approach God the same way.  We like God the Creator, speaking the universe into existence ex nihilo. We try to avoid God the Flooder, ending the world ex watero. We like God the Righteous when he’s punishing our enemies; we are a little more pouty with God the Just when he disciplines us.  We sing songs about God in a manger, but there aren’t a lot of songs about God the sender of boils.

RINGMASTER HEROD

When King Herod heard that Jesus was coming for a visit, he was pretty excited.  A chance to see the man that was causing such a ruckus. Maybe he would create food out of thin air (or better yet, maybe some gold like that thing he did that time with the fish). Maybe turn some water into wine, or walk across the fortress swimming pool. Maybe he would do some fortune telling.  Something to while away the afternoon as Herod and his posse were chillin’ around the palace.

Herod’s approach is like a lot of us  – we love the idea of a powerful Jesus, as long as he’s on stage and healing/prophecy/miracling a good safe distance away.  We like seeing a bear in the circus, but not near our tents.  How many times have you heard someone say “If God did more miracles, more people would believe in Him.”  Isn’t that exactly what Herod was doing?  Do some miracles, and we’ll set you free.  Impress me, and I’ll believe that you are a king.  Dance for me Jesus, and I’ll be sure to try harder to not sin this week.

WILD KINGDOM

But that’s not the Jesus of the New Testament.  Are we really willing to follow that kind of Jesus? The one that tells a woman that she and her daughter are dogs (which he does)?  The one who repeatedly asks the disciples why they’re such idiots (even though they are)? The one that calls the king (yes, the same one who wants him to perform) a worthless pile of carbon?

Can we read through the Bible, see Jesus at his majestic, unstoppable, direct, and challenging best, and still choose to follow him?  Are we more comfortable with a standardized “modern” Jesus; who loves and never judges, who answers our requests but demands little faith; who meets us on Sunday between 10 and 12, and is gentlemanly enough to leave us alone the rest of the week?  We want Gentle Ben, and Jesus comes as a wild grizzly.  Powerful, unpredictable, and awesome.  In the immortal words of CS Lewis – He’s good, but certainly not safe.

Are you willing to step into the wild and meet that kind of Jesus?

Click here to read Job 37 on BibleGateway.com

Tell us what we should say to him;  we cannot draw up our case because of our darkness.  – Job 37:19

Is there anything worse than being shown you don’t know as much as you think you do?  Raising your hand in class and confidently asserting that Timpooptu is the capital of Djibouti? (because perhaps an older sibling revealed this wisdom to you.  hypothetically.) Or that one can thrive on a diet exclusively of cheese and cheese flavored products (it was worth a shot).  Or that changing your oil is only “suggested.”  Sometimes the limits of our knowledge can be both embarrassing and expensive.

In the book of Job, one of Job’s “friends” named Elihu sarcastically recognizes our human limitations.  How can we really expect to understand God’s purposes?  We are finite creatures, caught up in our own darkness; and yet we think we can challenge a Creator who spoke the universe into existence?  What is there to say in that situation?  “Hey God.  Umm…I like that nebula over there.  By the way, how come I couldn’t find a good parking spot today?”  Seems a little  redonkulous.

THAT WAS THEN, THIS IS THEN…TOO

Think back to when you were 5 or 6 years old (or if you’re an old geezer, to when you were a teenager).  Do you remember thinking “man, I really can’t wait until I age a little, so I can understand more about the world.”  Or did you think that you already knew what you needed to know?  Did you “know” wrestling was real? Did you “know” that hot dogs made good bookmarks? Did you “know” that a new puppy would solve all your problems? Is that still what you think when you look back?  Or do you think “how could I have been such an idiot?”

If you can look back and see how little you knew then – even when you didn’t know it then – is it possible that maybe you don’t know as much as you think you do now?  Maybe if you trust God, you’ll look back on this time and think “man, I didn’t know anything.  I’m glad I trusted God.”  If you talk to people who have followed God for a long time, as them if they have better memories of the times they trusted God, or the times they used their own reason.  And if you can, get them to tell you about all the dumb stuff they did so you can learn from it.  Or blackmail them.  Either way.

HUMBLE PIE

Let’s put on the maybe hats :  Maybe God just might know more than we do; Maybe God might actually know what’s best for us; Maybe God actually wants us to have the fullest life we can; Maybe we are not quite as smart as we think we are.  Maybe that’s what the Bible means when it keeps harping on the idea that God loves the humble.  Sometimes that’s a difficult concept to put into words, but maybe “humble” can best be described simply as “trusting God knows more than me.”

As you go through your day, pay attention to the prayers you pray (to yourself) or the frustrations you feel about God.  How many of those are focused on the idea that God should be “reasonable” in a way that makes sense to us? How many times do you pray with a feeling of “if God loves me, he’ll do this.” Isn’t that really saying that we trust ourselves more than God?

Maybe a little doubt in ourselves would be a good thing.

Click here to read 2 Corinthians 6 on BibleGateway.com

We put no stumbling block in anyone’s path, so that our ministry will not be discredited. – 2 Corinthians 6:3

History is full of unintended consequences, sometimes in a way almost humorous.  For example, during the Age of Discovery (when European countries were “discovering” the Americas), the Spanish explorers found some rather profitable silver mines in central and south America (not to mention some that they took from others, but that’s another story).  Finding all that money is good thing, right?  Actually, so much silver came back to Spain that inflation destroyed the Spanish economy.  Sometimes our good intentions do more harm than good.

The Pharisees are a great example of this.  If you don’t know who the Pharisees are, getting your learnin’ pants on, cause we’re about to have the short and sweet history of the Pharisees.

Back in 500 BC, the Jewish people were just coming back to Jerusalem after an extended vacation in Babylon/Persia (also called the Exile).  A group of concerned citizens were talking one day, and decided that since being forced from their homes for almost a century was arguably a bad thing, that they must do what they could to keep it from happening again.  Their conclusion? They had failed to keep God’s commands; God had punished them; therefore we must keep God’s commands to prevent being punished; also, we must make sure everyone else keeps God’s commands.

Over time, the Pharisees (good intentioned leaders that they were) decided that the further one could get away from sin, the better.  Therefore, rather than just tell people “don’t work on the Sabbath,” they tried to define exactly what “work” meant.  Which means they had to clarify, then clarify again, then organize, and then rank, and finally ended up with 39 different categories of “clarification,” with thousands of individual laws regarding what one could do on the Sabbath, such as how many steps one could walk, what dishes one could wash, and how much laundry one could fold.

HOUSE RULES

Now we might laugh at that, but don’t we do the same thing?  We come up with our rules like “Real” Christians would never watch that…someone who loves Jesus would never go there…a true believer would never be friends with them…a holy man would never drink that.  Is it holiness?  Perhaps.  But isn’t that what the Pharisees were doing?  Trying to keep people holy?  Trying to make sure that there was “no hint of ungodliness”?

Can you look at yourself in the mirror today and say that you have not put a stumbling block in front of people?  Perhaps you meant well; you wanted to keep them from the very appearance of evil.  But nonetheless, you put a burden on them that God didn’t.  You created a requirement for them that made coming to Jesus just a little bit harder; made the climb up to Calvary a little steeper than necessary?

Or perhaps you didn’t do that to someone else; perhaps you did it to yourself?  Did you say to yourself “God can’t love me – I looked at that again.” “I can’t go back to church…everyone’s going to know that I went there again, even though I publicly confessed I was free.”  “I can’t teach that Sunday School class – not when I keep going back to that addiction.”

COME AS YOU ARE

Do you really think that Jesus didn’t know you were going to struggle?  Did Jesus know that Peter was going to deny him, not to mention all the times that he was simply a moron in the three years he followed Jesus around?  Did Jesus know that almost all of the disciples would desert him?  Did that stop him from teaching them?  Did it stop them from doing great things for God?  Did it keep others from hearing Christ’s message, from being healed, from seeing God’s wonders?

Don’t allow the rules that you (or we) create keep you from Jesus.  Come as you are; screw up; come back.  Don’t add rules to stop yourself from messing up – just get to know Jesus better.  Walk closer.  Pray more.  Listen to the Word.  That’s all.  Let’s not forget that Jesus said all of the rules could be summed up in two sentences – Love God; Love others.

If this alone is done, it is enough.

Click here to read Luke 17 on BibleGateway.com

People were eating, drinking, marrying and being given in marriage up to the day Noah entered the ark. Then the flood came and destroyed them all. – Luke 17:27

Recently, a prominent agnostic writer asked this question of Christians:

Haven’t the End Times been going on for two thousand years?  When will Christians finally admit that Jesus either lied or didn’t know what he was talking about?

In the interest of brevity, here is the short answer: never.

ANY DAY NOW…

Call it arrogance or blind faith or imbecility if you will, but the truth is, if one believes that Jesus spoke the truth, then whether he comes now or later doesn’t matter a whole lot. The irony is that  unbelievers ask questions like this even though Jesus himself actually gives the answer if they’ll take the time to read what he said.  When Jesus directly says “people will stop paying attention and just keep going about their daily routine right up to the point I come back,” and then people stop paying attention and keep going about their daily routine, why would we suddenly start doubting he knew what he was talking about?  It sounds like he hit that prediction out of the park.

Of course, we as Christians probably thought Jesus would be back by now, too.  The year 2000 was certainly appealing just for the bigness and roundness of the number.  But, here we are.  The year 1000 was probably equally as appealing.  But, here we are. Here’s the thing: the year 3000 will be just as appealing, if not more so.  Just look at how much bigger and rounder it is.  If Jesus comes back today, or tomorrow, or a year, or a millennium from now, it would not affect the Christian belief that he said he would come back.  For some reason, there’s an idea that God has to not only keep his Word, but keep it in the timeframe we choose.  That’s kind of a strange requirement to put on a omnipotent being, don’t you think?

CALL OF DUTY

In reality, no matter when Jesus comes back, we should be ready.  We should live each moment as if it’s our last.  Back in 1780s Connecticut, there was a freak weather occurrence during which the entire sky went dark  in the middle of the day (possibly from forest fires), and some of the more religiously inclined naturally assumed the world might be ending.  The legislature happened to be in session, and there were calls to adjourn to prepare for the end.  However, one delegate (Abraham Davenport) responded:

I am against an adjournment. The day of judgment is either approaching, or it is not. If it is not, there is no cause of an adjournment: if it is, I choose to be found doing my duty. I wish therefore that candles may be brought.

If you are living your life for Christ, the date of the End Times may be of little importance.  If he comes today, be serving him to the utmost.  If he comes in a thousand years, be serving him to the utmost.  There is not cause for either heart-attacky alarm on one hand, or complacent doubt on the other.  If you believe each day might be the end, you will choose to do those things that really  matter.  And if the world never ends in your lifetime, you’ll spend your  life doing things that matter for eternity.

And that’s no bad thing, no matter how long the world endures.

Click here to read Exodus 13 on BibleGateway.com

When Pharaoh let the people go, God did not lead them on the road through the Philistine country, though that was shorter. For God said, “If they face war, they might change their minds and return to Egypt.” – Exodus 13:17

Option A  – you can grow some wheat over the next six months, harvest it, thresh it, crush up the grain, knead it, and bake it. Then harvest some tomatoes, crush em up, make some sauce.  Raise a few pigs, wait for them to mature, slaughter them, butcher them, cure some meat, and cook up some pepperoni.  Put it all together, cook it in your over; enjoy some pizza.

Option B – Call Dominos, and have hot pizza at your front door in thirty minutes or less, if driving to the store is too inconvenient.

Which option do you choose?

Generally speaking, people almost always choose the quickest option.  In fact, most of us get a little uppity when people suggest that we put more time into a project than we wish.  If we want to attend twenty minutes of the three-hour staff meeting, others  should be grateful we showed up at all.  One could argue it’s laziness, but typically lazy people are too lazy to actually argue, so the point is moot. A big lethargic moot.

POWER WALKING

Or bring it to the homefront. Imagine for a moment you’re taking a family trip, and right as you walk out the door, your sweet minivan blows a gasket.  So now to get your entire family to Wally World, you have to walk the entire way.  Oh, and you also have to carry all your worldly possessions on your back.  Don’t you think the shortest route would probably be the most appealing?

Cue the Israelites.  They’re running from Egypt, the most powerful nation in the world – who, by the way, might be a little upset that all their kids are dead and their livestock have boils – and rather than heading straight to your new suburb, Moses starts walking off down the scenic highway. Don’t you think you might start to question the sanity of your fearless leader?

THE TRAIL LESS TRAVELED

Do you trust God enough to follow Him even when the road is not straight?  In this case, the concern was that if the Israelites were to face some tough challenges right away, they might opt for the familiar slavery of Egypt rather than the challenging future freedom that lay ahead. But it was the longer road that readied them for the future.  Without the longer road through the desert, they may never have had the strength to take the Promised Land.

Is that where you are?  When difficulties come, are you tempted to stay in the easy Sunday-morning relationship with God you have now?  Are you willing to give up the easy road, and be a little inconvenienced in order to learn to serve God better?  Is it easier to just browse on your phone during the sermon, or will you take the effort to actually hear what your pastor is saying and try to apply it? Will you give up Man Night (or Ladies Night) to spend time at church when that old missionary comes through?  Will you agree to teach that Sunday School class?

In the end, those choices may be the longer road – but they might just lead you to something greater God has planned.

Click here to read Job 30 on BibleGateway.com

Have I not wept for those in trouble? Has not my soul grieved for the poor?
Yet when I hoped for good, evil came; when I looked for light, then came darkness. – Job 30:25-26

Cynicism can be a good thing.  When a man shows up at your door, offering discount meat at half the price of the supermarket, it might do both you and your intestinal tract good to be a little suspicious.  If an athletic celebrity tells you to take a pill or two and suddenly have a six-pack, you may save a few bucks by hesitating.  And let’s not forget the occasional email from Nigerian royalty

If you’ve ever been snookered (yes, it’s a word), you know the sinking feeling in your gut (and wallet) when you find out that these promises are as real as the Easter Bunny or discount airline tickets.  If you are like most people, after you get out of the fetal position of weepage, you make a vow to yourself: Never again.  I won’t get fooled again. (YEEEAAAHHH!) <- if you don’t get that musical reference, ask your parents.)

THAT’S CON “ARTIST”

But sometimes we are so careful to avoid being scammed, that we miss the chance to be everything God has called us to be.  Job arguably did everything right; the Bible says he was a righteous man.  He even interceded for his kids with God, in case they “cursed God in their hearts.”  He sacrificed “just in case.”  But after all that, evil came. Despite all the altars he built and the animals he burned, darkness still came.

But that’s not the story of Job.  Despite doing good and getting ripped off again and again, Job still clung to God.  No matter how things were pulled away, he still continue to believe that God was good, and that he was in control.  And God rewarded his faith in the end.

PURPOSEFUL DOVES

As we experience disappointment, the harder it becomes to trust people, and often that morphs into “I can’t trust God.” Not only that, the more often we are exposed to something terrible, the easier it becomes to ignore.  The first time you saw the starving children on television, did you want to help them? The first time you saw a homeless man on the street with a cardboard sign, did you reach for your wallet? The first time you heard a missionary talk about the lost, did you feel the weight in your heart?

What about the tenth time? Or the fiftieth? What then? Did you feel the same pull? Did you give as much as you did the first time? Or did you just think “ok, I’ll get it next time”? Did you check to make sure you had enough cash for lunch after church before you gave?  Did you decide that a con man posing as a evangelist will stop you from giving to all evangelists?

This is the challenge of purposeful innocence.  To allow ourselves to be walked over in the pursuit of righteousness.  The choice we have to make is if we will still trust, if we will still be giving and generous people, despite people taking advantage of us. Can you still weep for those in trouble, even after being burned a hundred times? Can you still grieve for the poor after you find out that homeless guy is really a con artist?  Can you keep trusting God even when it seems like he lets you down over and over?  Can you still believe?

Maybe that’s what having childlike faith is all about.