Category: A Moment with the Master

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How would you describe your relationship with God’s Word? Are you a casual reader? Is it something you think about now and then but not consistently? Is it entirely ignored? Do you ever talk about Scripture with others?

The Apostle Paul sets a high standard but also demonstrates a goal worth striving for. Acts 18:5 says, “When Silas and Timothy arrived from Macedonia, Paul was occupied with the word, testifying to the Jews that the Christ was Jesus. ” Another translation renders that verse “…Paul became wholly absorbed with proclaiming the word, testifying to the Jews that Jesus was the Christ.”^[1] What commitment! Paul gave the same devotion to the Word that most people give to their careers and livelihoods. True, Paul was an apostle. But in our own capacity, each of us can be absorbed with the Word. We can make studying Scripture a priority and sharing it a habit. 

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^[1] NET

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It’s natural to want to fit in. Standing out and being different can feel uncomfortable, unnerving, and maybe even dangerous. Perhaps one of our greatest temptations as Christians is simply the temptation to look like the world around us. We want to be faithful but don’t want people to think we’re different or weird. 

While being different can feel unnerving, a proper perspective reminds us that being different can also be a great honor. This is especially true in terms of faith. In Exodus 33, Moses pleaded with God to remain present with the nation of Israel. In verse 16, Moses says, “Is it not in your going with us, so that we are distinct, I and your people, from every other people on the face of the earth?” Moses understood that to be distinct from the world was a blessing and a privilege. Never be ashamed of the great distinction of belonging to Christ. 

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In Mark 10:33-34, we read about Jesus telling His disciples of His impending death. He told them that in Jerusalem, He would be delivered to the Jewish leaders, be mocked, spit on, flogged, and killed, but then rise on the third day. The next thing Mark records is that James and John came to Jesus and asked Him to give them what they wanted: seats of honor in His kingdom. How rude! They’d ignored Jesus’ teaching, and right after hearing about Jesus’ sacrifice, they were concerned with personal honor. But do we make the same mistake?

Do we seek to serve and honor Christ, or are we seeking ways to get honor for ourselves? Is our faith a means of serving God or trying to get God to serve us? Are we humbled by the sacrifice of Christ or more concerned about our well-being? What do we want—Christ’s honor or our own?

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Luke 11 describes a time when a Pharisee was astonished that Jesus did not wash His hands before dinner. Jesus used this opportunity to rebuke the Pharisees for focusing on external rather than internal matters. 

We all understand the value of washing our hands. And of course, the Pharisees washed for ritualistic purposes as much as hygienic ones. And yet, this scene still teaches us an important lesson. 

Jesus knew the benefits of hand washing but also understood the greater importance of inward cleansing. Many today worry about clean food, good exercise, and natural medicine, yet ignore spiritual health. They eat natural and organic foods but rarely partake of the bread of life. They exercise rigorously but don’t discipline themselves for godliness. They seek natural medicine but never appear before the Great Physician. Health is important, but don’t fret over physical health while ignoring the much greater need to be spiritually well!

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To gather materials to build the tabernacle, the people of Israel were called upon to give to the cause. Many times when people are asked to donate to some cause or work, they do so sparingly and meagerly. But that wasn’t the case with Israel. In fact, the people brought so many contributions that the workers had far more than needed. But the contributions kept coming in. Finally, Moses had to speak to the people to tell them to stop giving, and Exodus 36:6 says, “…So the people were restrained from bringing…”How amazing is that? Instead of needing to be coerced into there being enough, there was such a surplus that the people had to be restrained from giving more! 

Imagine if we gave like that? And not just financially—but what if we gave of our time, energy, and commitment to the work of the church now? What amazing things could be accomplished if we gave so lavishly that we had to be restrained from giving more?

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In Acts 27, we read about Paul’s voyage on a ship as a prisoner of Rome. The journey became perilous when a storm drove the ship off course. The crew battled the storm—they jettisoned the cargo, then threw the ship’s tackle overboard, but things began looking very bleak. Verse 20 says, “And since neither sun nor stars appeared for many days, and no small storm was assailing us, from then on all hope of our being saved was gradually abandoned.”^[1]

I think that’s an apt description of life sometimes. Usually, people don’t lose hope or faith in one fell swoop. More often, they are abandoned gradually. As storms of life persist, endurance wanes until it gives out. But we must never abandon hope. Jesus saved Paul and that ship. And if we will faithfully trust in Jesus, even during persistent storms, He will save us too. Don’t give in to gradual abandonment. Trust in Jesus with enduring perseverance. 

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^[1] LSB

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We should give credit where credit is due. To use the work of another and pass it off as our own is unethical and often illegal. We probably understand this in terms of art or writing, or music. But do we give credit to God? In Acts 3, Peter and John healed a man who had been unable to walk since birth. The powerful miracle astounded the people, and they began gathering around the apostles. When Peter started to speak to the growing crowd, he said, “Men of Israel, why do you stare at us, as though by our own power or piety we have made him walk?” Peter went on to teach that it was through Jesus that the great miracle occurred. 

We do not have to be miracle workers to give credit to God. How often do we view our achievements and our abilities as something of our own power when we ought to give the glory and the thanks to the Lord?

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Do you ever feel frustrated about a lack of spiritual growth? Perhaps, from time to time, you examine yourself and realize you are not growing the way you should. Surely we have all been there. But why does this happen? Maybe times of stagnation happen because we aren’t hungry enough. Listen to Psalm 107:6-7: “Let them thank the Lord for his steadfast love, for his wondrous works to the children of man! For he satisfies the longing soul, and the hungry soul he fills with good things.” 

Similarly, Jesus promised, “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.”^[1] When we are spiritually stuck, or we are not growing and maturing, the culprit may be our own appetites. Maybe we aren’t craving righteousness. Maybe we crave the good of this world instead of the good things of God. But the world will never satisfy. When we hunger for righteousness, however, God can and will fill and satisfy our souls.

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^[1] Matthew 5:6

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What type of person should you be? To answer that question, you need perspective. If this life is all there is, then I suppose the best thing would be to live it up and enjoy life as much as possible. Of course, God’s Word assures us that this world is not all there is. Thus, enjoying the pleasures of this world is not the highest good we can find. 

In Second Peter three, the Bible tells us that our universe is going to come to and end someday. And it will end as part of God’s plan and judgment. With that in mind, verse 11 says “Since the whole universe is to dissolve in this way, think what sort of people you ought to be, what devout and dedicated lives you should live!”^[1]

Are we the sort of people we should be? Are we holy and devout, living in consideration of and preparation for God’s coming judgment?

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^[1] REB

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The books of Ezra and Nehemiah tell various stories of Judah’s return from Babylonian exile. The return home was exciting but also came with challenges. There was much that needed to be repaired and rebuilt, physically and spiritually. During this era, Ezra and Nehemiah were instrumental in the restoration process. 

Throughout their books, there is a beautiful sentiment expressed at various places. At least eight times, we read that the good hand of God was upon them. Ezra and Nehemiah were successful men, but they attributed their success to the goodness of God. It was God who protected them, provided for them, and made them succeed where it mattered most. 

How wonderful it is to know that our God wants to rest His good hand on us. He wants to bless, protect, and provide for us in the most important ways. But also, always remember that goodness comes from God. Take time to thank the Lord for His good and generous care.