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Author Archives: John D. Willome

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About John D. Willome

I post a blog of daily devotions that are my prayer journals based on scripture.

Parents of the Bible — Parents of an Adult Blind Man Healed by Jesus

28 Mar

As Jesus was walking along, he saw a man who had been blind from birth. “Rabbi,” his disciples asked him, “why was this man born blind? Was it because of his own sins or his parents’ sins?” “It was not because of his sins or his parents’ sins,” Jesus answered. “This happened so the power of God could be seen in him. We must quickly carry out the tasks assigned us by the one who sent us. The night is coming, and then no one can work. But while I am here in the world, I am the light of the world.” Then he spit on the ground, made mud with the saliva, and spread the mud over the blind man’s eyes. He told him, “Go wash yourself in the pool of Siloam” (Siloam means “sent”). So the man went and washed and came back seeing! His neighbors and others who knew him as a blind beggar asked each other, “Isn’t this the man who used to sit and beg?” Some said he was, and others said, “No, he just looks like him!” But the beggar kept saying, “Yes, I am the same one!” They asked, “Who healed you? What happened?” He told them, “The man they call Jesus made mud and spread it over my eyes and told me, ‘Go to the pool of Siloam and wash yourself.’ So I went and washed, and now I can see!” “Where is he now?” they asked. “I don’t know,” he replied. Then they took the man who had been blind to the Pharisees, because it was on the Sabbath that Jesus had made the mud and healed him. The Pharisees asked the man all about it. So he told them, “He put the mud over my eyes, and when I washed it away, I could see!” Some of the Pharisees said, “This man Jesus is not from God, for he is working on the Sabbath.” Others said, “But how could an ordinary sinner do such miraculous signs?” So there was a deep division of opinion among them. Then the Pharisees again questioned the man who had been blind and demanded, “What’s your opinion about this man who healed you?” The man replied, “I think he must be a prophet.” The Jewish leaders still refused to believe the man had been blind and could now see, so they called in his parents. They asked them, “Is this your son? Was he born blind? If so, how can he now see?” His parents replied, “We know this is our son and that he was born blind, but we don’t know how he can see or who healed him. Ask him. He is old enough to speak for himself.” His parents said this because they were afraid of the Jewish leaders, who had announced that anyone saying Jesus was the Messiah would be expelled from the synagogue. That’s why they said, “He is old enough. Ask him.” So for the second time they called in the man who had been blind and told him, “God should get the glory for this, because we know this man Jesus is a sinner.” “I don’t know whether he is a sinner,” the man replied. “But I know this: I was blind, and now I can see!” “But what did he do?” they asked. “How did he heal you?” “Look!” the man exclaimed. “I told you once. Didn’t you listen? Why do you want to hear it again? Do you want to become his disciples, too?” Then they cursed him and said, “You are his disciple, but we are disciples of Moses! We know God spoke to Moses, but we don’t even know where this man comes from.” “Why, that’s very strange!” the man replied. “He healed my eyes, and yet you don’t know where he comes from? We know that God doesn’t listen to sinners, but he is ready to hear those who worship him and do his will. Ever since the world began, no one has been able to open the eyes of someone born blind. If this man were not from God, he couldn’t have done it.” “You were born a total sinner!” they answered. “Are you trying to teach us?” And they threw him out of the synagogue. When Jesus heard what had happened, he found the man and asked, “Do you believe in the Son of Man?” The man answered, “Who is he, sir? I want to believe in him.” “You have seen him,” Jesus said, “and he is speaking to you!” “Yes, Lord, I believe!” the man said. And he worshiped Jesus. Then Jesus told him, “I entered this world to render judgment—to give sight to the blind and to show those who think they see that they are blind.” Some Pharisees who were standing nearby heard him and asked, “Are you saying we’re blind?” “If you were blind, you wouldn’t be guilty,” Jesus replied. “But you remain guilty because you claim you can see.”
John 9

Dear God, an entire book could probably be written about this story. You have so many interesting characters. There is the blind man. There is Jesus. There are the people who witness everything. There are the ones who report it to the Pharisees since it was done on the Sabbath. Then there are the boys parents. I want to just focus on the parents today. I’ve never thought much about them before other than to consider the part where they don’t want anything to do with answering the Pharisees’ questions. So let’s look at the parents.

As Jesus was walking along, he saw a man who had been blind from birth. “Rabbi,” his disciples asked him, “why was this man born blind? Was it because of his own sins or his parents’ sins?” “It was not because of his sins or his parents’ sins,” Jesus answered.

Since the boy was born blind, presumably before he could have committed a sin, I’m sure that these parents lived with some sort of stigma that they had committed some sort of heinous sin to have caused their son to be born blind. I don’t know what that was like for them. Did it impact their ability to earn income? Did it impact their standing int he church or the community. Jesus confirms that it wasn’t anything they did, but how many decades had they lived with the shame of something they never did? How many times did they ask themselves what they had done? How much did either of them suspect the other of having done something to cause all of this? I’m sure it was a source of conflict for them throughout their lives. Beyond the challenges of a blind son, they had this other cloud constantly over them, even after he was out on his own.

His neighbors and others who knew him as a blind beggar asked each other, “Isn’t this the man who used to sit and beg?” Some said he was, and others said, “No, he just looks like him!” But the beggar kept saying, “Yes, I am the same one!”

I wonder what his parents’ role was like in his life at the time of this event. They were obviously close, but if he was left to simply beg, did they have any role in his daily life? Was he living with them? Did they wash their hands of him, or was this how he contributed to the family. Either way, again, they must have experienced a lot of shame from their son’s situation. They were known to be the beggars parents. That has to be hard.

The Jewish leaders still refused to believe the man had been blind and could now see, so they called in his parents. They asked them, “Is this your son? Was he born blind? If so, how can he now see?” His parents replied, “We know this is our son and that he was born blind, but we don’t know how he can see or who healed him. Ask him. He is old enough to speak for himself.” His parents said this because they were afraid of the Jewish leaders, who had announced that anyone saying Jesus was the Messiah would be expelled from the synagogue. That’s why they said, “He is old enough. Ask him.”

I can’t imagine the mixture of joy (elation?) and fear the parents experienced at the same time. On the one hand, “Our son can see!!” On the other hand, “Oh no, we might suffer even more shame and get expelled from the synagogue.” This is what makes me wonder how close they were to the boy at this point. They were willing to throw him under the bus to save themselves. They’d rather he be expelled from the synagogue than themselves.

It’s easy to judge these people, but there are decades of actions and happenings here to which we are not privy. This boy might have rejected them and their help. He might have really hurt them. Or they might have expelled him out of self interest. It could run the entire gamut. The thing we are told is that, at this point in life, they were no longer willing to sacrifice for him. And when I say, “they,” I know at least the father was. Perhaps the mother was just being obedient to the father. Again, we aren’t given that detail.

Now that my children are adults and we have a lot of history behind us, I suppose one question to ask myself in all of this is whether there is a part of me that is unwilling to sacrifice for them. Have they exhausted my good will? Have I just decided to be selfish in some way at their expense? Is there any unforgiveness in my heart that keeps me from doing whatever you need me to do for them? I’m not talking about spoiling them or getting in the way of any lessons you might be teaching them. But is there anything holding me back from being the dad that you need me to be for them?

Father, I give you glory and praise. I thank you for helping both my wife and me see our children into their 20’s. You know all of our background so I don’t have to write about it here, but there have been times when I confess that I was done because of personal pain done to me. I have repented of that, but once again I tell you that I am sorry. I’m sorry that I’ve allowed my own feelings and wants (even needs) get in the way of doing whatever you might have called me to do for their sake. Help me to see them with your eyes and let go of my own selfishness.

In Jesus’s name I pray,

Amen

 
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Posted by on March 28, 2020 in Fathers of the Bible, John, Mothers of the Bible

 

Mothers of the Bible — Mother who Gave Her Son Five Loaves and Two Fish

25 Mar

A huge crowd kept following him wherever he went, because they saw his miraculous signs as he healed the sick. Then Jesus climbed a hill and sat down with his disciples around him. (It was nearly time for the Jewish Passover celebration.) Jesus soon saw a huge crowd of people coming to look for him. Turning to Philip, he asked, “Where can we buy bread to feed all these people?” He was testing Philip, for he already knew what he was going to do. Philip replied, “Even if we worked for months, we wouldn’t have enough money to feed them!” Then Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, spoke up. “There’s a young boy here with five barley loaves and two fish. But what good is that with this huge crowd?” “Tell everyone to sit down,” Jesus said. So they all sat down on the grassy slopes. (The men alone numbered about 5,000.) Then Jesus took the loaves, gave thanks to God, and distributed them to the people. Afterward he did the same with the fish. And they all ate as much as they wanted. After everyone was full, Jesus told his disciples, “Now gather the leftovers, so that nothing is wasted.” So they picked up the pieces and filled twelve baskets with scraps left by the people who had eaten from the five barley loaves.
John 6:2-13

Dear God, I’m going to make a couple of big assumptions here. In fact, they are so big that they probably don’t warrant me even taking this line of thought when I think about this story. I don’t know. I’ll play with it and see if it goes anywhere. Who knows? What I’m about to type to you might be complete heresy.

Assumption #1: This boy had the fish and loaves because his mother gave them to him.

It could have been his dad. It could have been his mom. Maybe an aunt or grandmother. In fact, as I think about this, perhaps it is too much to assume that his mother gave him this food because of my second possibly erroneous assumption.

Assumption #2: The five loaves and two fish were for his lunch.

I guess I’ve been hearing this story for almost 45 years and the image I always get is of a boy with his lunch bag who is willing to share his food with Jesus. But is that a typical amount of food for a “young boy” in that period. Would a mother send her son off for the day with some fish that can rot and five barley loaves? I don’t know how much the fish or the loaves were, but that seems like a lot of food for his lunch.

The truth is, I don’t really have enough education to answer this question. Perhaps I should go and consult a biblical commentary. I’ll be right back…

Okay, according to Roger L. Frederikson in the Communicator’s Commentary on John (edited by Lloyd J. Ogilvie), “This was bread eaten by the very poor, and the fish were little more than large dried minnows.” So maybe it was lunch. I guess that takes me back to mom.

Now that I’ve talked my way around that circle, let’s just appreciate a woman who ensures her son (even though Frederikson indicates they are likely poor) has enough to eat for the day. I wish we knew more than “young boy,” but I’m assuming (there’s that word again) he must be under 13 because of Jewish tradition of becoming a man at 13. Anyway, this boy was there and prepared to be able to hang out all day without getting hungry. Did his mother make sure he was the most prepared person that day?

Father, moms are amazing. They really are. They love and nurture in a way that, on a whole, fathers don’t. Now fathers tend to have a different role in their children’s lives. It’s an important role. But there is just no replacing mom. And I’m sure this mom had no idea that the love she showed her son that morning didn’t only help thousands of people that day (I’m sure she heard about that part later), but would also be an example of humility, generosity, and your power thousands of years later. The faithful act of one woman one morning dominoed into a teachable moment for us all. May my small acts be pleasing to you as well.

In Jesus’s name I pray,

Amen

 
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Posted by on March 25, 2020 in John, Mothers of the Bible, Uncategorized

 

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Fathers of the Bible — Government Official with a Sick Son

24 Mar

As he traveled through Galilee, he came to Cana, where he had turned the water into wine. There was a government official in nearby Capernaum whose son was very sick. When he heard that Jesus had come from Judea to Galilee, he went and begged Jesus to come to Capernaum to heal his son, who was about to die. Jesus asked, “Will you never believe in me unless you see miraculous signs and wonders?” The official pleaded, “Lord, please come now before my little boy dies.” Then Jesus told him, “Go back home. Your son will live!” And the man believed what Jesus said and started home. While the man was on his way, some of his servants met him with the news that his son was alive and well. He asked them when the boy had begun to get better, and they replied, “Yesterday afternoon at one o’clock his fever suddenly disappeared!” Then the father realized that that was the very time Jesus had told him, “Your son will live.” And he and his entire household believed in Jesus. This was the second miraculous sign Jesus did in Galilee after coming from Judea.
John 4:46-54

Dear God, this is an interesting dad because he was a government official. We don’t know what his job was. John just tells us that he was a government official. But that fact alone was important enough that John called it out. We are only given a father’s job title in these stories if the father was a leader in the church or a government official.

I don’t know my history well enough, but I would guess that the locals were not allowed to be government officials. I would think that this man was a Roman who got stationed over here. He was probably not Jewish, but a Gentile at the least and a European Roman at most. By identifying this man’s occupation, John is intimating that this father was swallowing an extra measure of pride and disbelief to come to Jesus and ask him for help. This wasn’t just some dude. This was a man in an important position who seemingly had it made from a financial security standpoint. But he had a son that was sick, and, at that point, nothing else mattered.

I’ve been there. I’ve had times when I was worried about my children and absolutely nothing else mattered. I’d have quit my job, sold my house, and lived in a tent if I thought it would have made a difference. You get to a point where you’ll do anything for your children.

This is the point when I start adding a layer of fiction to this story. I try to imagine how this man’s day went. First, I’m sure it was a sleepless night. He and his wife were probably caring for their son. Someone who knew his son was sick mentioned to him that they heard that the guy healing people was nearby. Maybe he could get Jesus to come with him to heal his son. He tells his wife he’s going (maybe she begs him to go) and he sets out to find Jesus. He finally finds him and begs, “Please, please, please come with me to heal my son. I’m begging you to please come!”

Jesus asked, “Will you never believe in me unless you see miraculous signs and wonders?” The official pleaded, “Lord, please come now before my little boy dies.” Then Jesus told him, “Go back home. Your son will live!”

The exclamation point on the end of Jesus’s sentence is interesting. I can almost see a reassuring smile and twinkle in Jesus’s eyes as he says it to him. “Go back home. Your son will live!” What a beautiful moment.

So the government official heads home, hopeful that his son will be healed. Otherwise his wife will be angry with him that he didn’t bring Jesus back with him. But before he is even home he finds out the good news. The boy was healed in the very hour he spoke with Jesus!

Father, I need more faith. I believe, but help my unbelief. This man made a bunch of decisions, one after another. He just did what was next in front of him. He did everything he knew to do. Help me to know what to do was well. Help me to do that next thing that is in front of me.

In Jesus’s name I pray,

Amen

 
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Posted by on March 24, 2020 in Fathers of the Bible, John

 

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“I Loved Her First” by Heartland

22 Mar

“I Loved Her First” by Heartland

Look at the two of you dancing that way
Lost in the moment and each other’s face
So much in love, you’re alone in this place
Like there’s nobody else in the world

I was enough for her not long ago
I was her number one, she told me so
And she still means the world to me
Just so you know
So be careful when you hold my girl

Time changes everything, life must go on
And I’m not gonna stand in your way

I loved her first
I held her first
And a place in my heart will always be hers
From the first breath she breathed
When she first smiled at me
I knew the love of a father runs deep
And I prayed that she’d find you someday
But it’s still hard to give her away
I loved her first

How could that beautiful woman with you
Be that same freckled face kid that I knew?
The one that I read all those fairy tales to
And tucked into bed all those nights
And I knew the first time I saw you with her
It was only a matter of time

I loved her first
I held her first
And a place in my heart will always be hers
From the first breath she breathed
When she first smiled at me
I knew the love of a father runs deep
And I prayed that she’d find you someday
But it’s still hard to give her away

I loved her first
From the first breath she breathed
When she first smiled at me
I knew the love of a father runs deep
Someday you might know what I’m going through
When a miracle smiles up at you
I loved her first

Source: LyricFind

Songwriters: Elliott Park / Walt Aldridge

Dear God, this is one of those father/daughter songs that gets me. It’s in the category of “Butterfly Kisses,” “Playing Cinderella,” and “There Goes My Life.” All three can make me cry. I guess “the love of a father runs deep.” As a dad, I totally get this. My little girl. I literally was the first person in the world to see her 21 years ago. What a day that was. It was scary too. My wife had a complication during delivery that almost caused her to “crash.” It was a day that I’ll never forget–or that I hope I never forget.

What I often do forget, however, is that my wife has a dad, and this could be his song too. In that version, I’m the guy dancing with his daughter and he’s looking at me askance. I don’t know that I ever appreciated that until a few years ago. I’m the guy who, to some extent, took a piece of her heart that was originally his to occupy. Not that that’s the wrong thing to do. It’s natural. But it hurts, and I don’t know that I ever appreciated until recently how much pain my existence might have caused him.

Then there’s the brand new thought that I heard Gary Thomas say a few months ago. You’re my father-in-law as well. I have your girl as my wife. What do I do with that responsibility? Do I point her to you or do I try to insecurely fill that part of her heart that is reserved for you with myself. There were a lot of years when I tried to do that. My neediness and insecurity caused me to try to be everything to her. I’m sorry for that.

Father, I pray for my daughter. I pray that you will fill the parts of her heart that she needs you to fill. I pray that you will raise up people around her to build her into the woman you have for her to be. I pray that she will swim in your grace, mercy and joy. I pray that she will exude love, joy, peace, patience, gentleness, faithfulness, kindness, goodness, and self control as a natural expression of her relationship with you and the Holy Spirit flowing through her. I pray for my father-in-law, that you would help me to be the son-in-law you need me to be for him. Fill his heart with your peace and help him to feel the love his daughter has for him. I pray for my wife, my father-in-law’s (and your) little girl. Give her your touch. Help her to completely be at peace. Even now, as she is at a chapel praying, Holy Spirit, meet with her and love her richly. Give her a peace that passes understanding. Wash away any fear and replace it with faith, hope, and peace. And show me how to be exactly who you need me to be for my daughter and my wife.

In Jesus’s name I pray,

Amen

 
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Posted by on March 22, 2020 in Hymns and Songs

 

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Mothers of the Bible — Elizabeth (Part 2)

21 Mar

When it was time for Elizabeth’s baby to be born, she gave birth to a son. And when her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had been very merciful to her, everyone rejoiced with her. When the baby was eight days old, they all came for the circumcision ceremony. They wanted to name him Zechariah, after his father. But Elizabeth said, “No! His name is John!” “What?” they exclaimed. “There is no one in all your family by that name.” So they used gestures to ask the baby’s father what he wanted to name him. He motioned for a writing tablet, and to everyone’s surprise he wrote, “His name is John.” Instantly Zechariah could speak again, and he began praising God. Awe fell upon the whole neighborhood, and the news of what had happened spread throughout the Judean hills. Everyone who heard about it reflected on these events and asked, “What will this child turn out to be?” For the hand of the Lord was surely upon him in a special way. Then his father, Zechariah, was filled with the Holy Spirit and gave this prophecy: “Praise the Lord, the God of Israel, because he has visited and redeemed his people. He has sent us a mighty Savior from the royal line of his servant David, just as he promised through his holy prophets long ago. Now we will be saved from our enemies and from all who hate us. He has been merciful to our ancestors by remembering his sacred covenant— the covenant he swore with an oath to our ancestor Abraham. We have been rescued from our enemies so we can serve God without fear, in holiness and righteousness for as long as we live. “And you, my little son, will be called the prophet of the Most High, because you will prepare the way for the Lord. You will tell his people how to find salvation through forgiveness of their sins. Because of God’s tender mercy, the morning light from heaven is about to break upon us, to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, and to guide us to the path of peace.” John grew up and became strong in spirit. And he lived in the wilderness until he began his public ministry to Israel.
Luke 1:57-80

Dear God, there are several parts of this story and Elizabeth’s experience I want to look at.

And when her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had been very merciful to her, everyone rejoiced with her. When the baby was eight days old, they all came for the circumcision ceremony.

First, the friends and relatives were excited for her and they were giving glory to you for this wonderful thing. What a great time! And then for them to all gather at the bris to celebrate must have been such a joyous occasion. And I am sure this made Elizabeth’s day. I can’t imagine the years and years (decades and decades?) of disappointment. The seeming fruitlessness of her life. And now she had a baby and she got to celebrate with her friends and family. A mother’s heart just full of celebration and thankfulness!

They wanted to name him Zechariah, after his father. But Elizabeth said, “No! His name is John!” “What?” they exclaimed. “There is no one in all your family by that name.” So they used gestures to ask the baby’s father what he wanted to name him.

Uh oh. Now she is going to have some conflict. This is her baby and they are telling her what to do. How did this make her feel as she held her child and the others were telling her she was doing it wrong? And then they decided that what really mattered was Zechariah and his opinion. Of course, Zechariah had already told her that Gabriel said they should name the boy John, so he will go on to confirm what she said. It just must have taken a little bit of luster off of the moment. Isn’t it interesting when others try to insert themselves into our lives with unsolicited advice? Then again, how often do I do that?

He motioned for a writing tablet, and to everyone’s surprise he wrote, “His name is John.” Instantly Zechariah could speak again, and he began praising God. Awe fell upon the whole neighborhood, and the news of what had happened spread throughout the Judean hills. Everyone who heard about it reflected on these events and asked, “What will this child turn out to be?” For the hand of the Lord was surely upon him in a special way.

I love how “awe fell upon the whole neighborhood, and the news of what had happened spread throughout the Judean hills.” Not just their friends and neighbors, but everyone knew that this child was special–a literal miracle baby–and that there was a prophecy about him. Of course, it’s only natural for them to ask themselves, “What will this child turn out to be?”

So how hard was it to raise John the Baptist (JTB) in this environment. Whereas Mary and Joseph pretty much got to raise Jesus without too many people knowing about the prophecy (this is an assumption on my part), JTB started about a celebrity. How much unsolicited advice did Elizabeth and Zechariah get over the years? How much judgment did they receive when JTB just got stranger and stranger? Did they feel pressure to parent him differently? Did they spend most of the rest of their lives on their needs looking for your guidance and help?

Tomorrow is my daughter’s birthday. I bought her a card that is one of those “For my daughter” cards. I don’t normally like those, but in this case the sentiment was perfect.

Remembering the first time I saw you, I can still feel that jolt of love and amazement at what a miracle you were. And now here you are, just a quick blur of birthdays later, all grown-up and still a miracle! I’ve loved watching you discover your talents and grown into your gifts…sharing with the world the light that’s been shining inside you right from that first day.

She won’t fully understand those words until she has a child of her own. I wouldn’t have understood it at her age. I might have rolled by eyes at the schmaltziness of it and moved on. But I do, indeed, remember the first moment I saw her. In fact, I was the first person on earth to physically see her. No one wants the best for her more than I do. My wife might match my fandom of my daughter’s life, but she certainly can’t exceed it. Of course, it was a challenge to know the right thing to do as a parent. It still is. I guess that explains why my wife and I have spent so much time praying for our children, both individually and conjugally.

Father, help me to ignore the world and how it sees my children or judges my parenting decisions. Help me to simply look to you, trust in you, and rest in you. Help me to hear you. Help me to see with your eyes. Help me to hear with your ears. Help me to love with your love. And do it all so that your kingdom might come and your will might be done on earth as it is in heaven.

In Jesus’s name I pray,

Amen

 
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Posted by on March 21, 2020 in Luke, Mothers of the Bible

 

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Mothers of the Bible — Elizabeth (Part 1)

19 Mar

When Herod was king of Judea, there was a Jewish priest named Zechariah. He was a member of the priestly order of Abijah, and his wife, Elizabeth, was also from the priestly line of Aaron. Zechariah and Elizabeth were righteous in God’s eyes, careful to obey all of the Lord’s commandments and regulations. They had no children because Elizabeth was unable to conceive, and they were both very old. Soon afterward his wife, Elizabeth, became pregnant and went into seclusion for five months. “How kind the Lord is!” she exclaimed. “He has taken away my disgrace of having no children.” A few days later Mary hurried to the hill country of Judea, to the town where Zechariah lived. She entered the house and greeted Elizabeth. At the sound of Mary’s greeting, Elizabeth’s child leaped within her, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. Elizabeth gave a glad cry and exclaimed to Mary, “God has blessed you above all women, and your child is blessed. Why am I so honored, that the mother of my Lord should visit me? When I heard your greeting, the baby in my womb jumped for joy. You are blessed because you believed that the Lord would do what he said.”
Luke 1:5-7,24-25,39-45

Dear God, maybe this comment is more about Mary that it is Elizabeth, and I’m going to hold off on Mary and Joseph until they end of this series (they’re obviously the best parents in the Bible, after all), but it is so nice that you have her Elizabeth and Zechariah. You gave her a safe place. And the angel told her about Elizabeth being pregnant so she’d know that Elizabeth will understand what’s going on. Elizabeth will believe you. She’ll believe you because she’s living in the midst of her own miracle.

For those first seven or eight months of conceiving and pregnancy before Mary arrived, I wonder what Elizabeth’s communications with Zechariah were like. Did Zechariah write down what Gabriel told him for her to see? I’m sure he did. Did they talk about it, with Zechariah writing his part down? I’m sure they did. Did they pray to you? Did they dream of what this would look like? Were they filled with hope and joy? Did they mistakenly dream of power and might for their child? I’m sure they never imagined him living in the wilderness, wearing animal skins, eating bugs, and eventually being beheaded. No, they didn’t need to know that about him. As with me, you kept them on a need-to-know basis. They needed to know their child’s relationship and connection to the Messiah. They needed to know to not cut his hair (I still don’t know why that was a thing except to maybe help John the Baptist [JTB] have a constant reminder that he was set apart for you). Knowing what they knew helped prepare them to raise this boy, but it also gave Elizabeth the intuition and sensitivity to the Holy Spirit that she needed to recognize what you were doing through Mary.

A few days later Mary hurried to the hill country of Judaea, to the town where Zechariah lived. She entered the house and greeted Elizabeth. At the sound of Mary’s greeting, Elizabeth’s child leaped within her. Elizabeth was filled wit the Holy Spirit. Elizabeth gave a glad cry and exclaimed to Mary, “God has blessed you above all women, and y our child is blessed.”

What a great affirmation for Mary! I’m sure she was scared. She knew the angel mentioned Elizabeth so she “hurried” to Zechariah’s house. But now, how will she tell Elizabeth what is happening with her? How will she explain? Well, she didn’t have to. What a gift. You used Elizabeth’s motherhood of JTB to grow her in a new way and make her available to Mary in a way she never would have been before.

Father, you certainly stretch me through my children. You love others through me because of what you have taught me as a father. You have taught me lessons I’d have never otherwise learned. You continue to show me new aspects of who you are through them. And just as Zechariah and Elizabeth had no idea what JTB’s and Jesus’s futures looked like, I have no idea what the futures of my children or even my wife and me will look like. But you have shown me what I need to know for today. You have given me good work to do today. Help me to have eyes that see and ears that hear. Make me slow to speak and discerning.

In Jesus’s name I pray,

Amen

 
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Posted by on March 19, 2020 in Luke, Mothers of the Bible

 

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Fathers of the Bible — Zechariah (Part 2)

17 Mar

When it was time for Elizabeth’s baby to be born, she gave birth to a son. And when her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had been very merciful to her, everyone rejoiced with her. When the baby was eight days old, they all came for the circumcision ceremony. They wanted to name him Zechariah, after his father. But Elizabeth said, “No! His name is John!” “What?” they exclaimed. “There is no one in all your family by that name.” So they used gestures to ask the baby’s father what he wanted to name him. He motioned for a writing tablet, and to everyone’s surprise he wrote, “His name is John.” Instantly Zechariah could speak again, and he began praising God. Awe fell upon the whole neighborhood, and the news of what had happened spread throughout the Judean hills. Everyone who heard about it reflected on these events and asked, “What will this child turn out to be?” For the hand of the Lord was surely upon him in a special way. Then his father, Zechariah, was filled with the Holy Spirit and gave this prophecy: “Praise the Lord, the God of Israel, because he has visited and redeemed his people. He has sent us a mighty Savior from the royal line of his servant David, just as he promised through his holy prophets long ago. Now we will be saved from our enemies and from all who hate us. He has been merciful to our ancestors by remembering his sacred covenant— the covenant he swore with an oath to our ancestor Abraham. We have been rescued from our enemies so we can serve God without fear, in holiness and righteousness for as long as we live. “And you, my little son, will be called the prophet of the Most High, because you will prepare the way for the Lord. You will tell his people how to find salvation through forgiveness of their sins. Because of God’s tender mercy, the morning light from heaven is about to break upon us, to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, and to guide us to the path of peace.” John grew up and became strong in spirit. And he lived in the wilderness until he began his public ministry to Israel.
Luke 1:57-80

Dear God, I think you used all of those months of silence for Zechariah to prepare him to parent John the Baptist (JTB). He was ready to go. I would imagine he might have spent those months studying and reading. He might have been looking at the prophecies to try to figure out what this boy would be like and what being like Elijah would be all about.

It’s interesting that his prophecy starts with Jesus. That’s what makes me think he spent a lot of time studying the texts and prophecies. The closest Gabriel gets to talking about the Messiah during his visitation is when he says, “He will prepare the people for the coming of the Lord.” Everything else Gabriel says is about John, according to the text. So when Zechariah starts prophecying about Jesus he doesn’t necessarily get it correct. For example, “Now we will be saved from our enemies and from all who hate us.” (Luke 1:71) But he knows the Messiah is coming.

Then he turns his attention to JTB: “And you, my little son…” I love that little bit of adoration for his child that is thrown into this. He doesn’t know exactly what this will all look like. He doesn’t know how he is going to parent this child. As the years go by, I’m sure he’ll be confused and wonder if it was all a dream because this kid is just a little weird. And I don’t know if Zechariah lived long enough to see JTB living in the wilderness, but I’m sure that gave rise to questions as well.

Father, I’ve often said that you keep us on a need-to-know basis and we very rarely need to know. Help me to live into that spirit. Help me to meet each situation, ask your counsel, and listen for your still, small voice. I don’t need to know how all of this will turn out. In fact, it’s probably better if I don’t. But whatever happens, I pray that you will find me faithful in the midst of it.

In Jesus’s name I pray,

Amen

 
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Posted by on March 17, 2020 in Fathers of the Bible, Luke

 

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Fathers of the Bible — Zechariah (Part 1)

16 Mar

When Herod was king of Judea, there was a Jewish priest named Zechariah. He was a member of the priestly order of Abijah, and his wife, Elizabeth, was also from the priestly line of Aaron. Zechariah and Elizabeth were righteous in God’s eyes, careful to obey all of the Lord’s commandments and regulations. They had no children because Elizabeth was unable to conceive, and they were both very old. One day Zechariah was serving God in the Temple, for his order was on duty that week. As was the custom of the priests, he was chosen by lot to enter the sanctuary of the Lord and burn incense. While the incense was being burned, a great crowd stood outside, praying. While Zechariah was in the sanctuary, an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing to the right of the incense altar. Zechariah was shaken and overwhelmed with fear when he saw him. But the angel said, “Don’t be afraid, Zechariah! God has heard your prayer. Your wife, Elizabeth, will give you a son, and you are to name him John. You will have great joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth, for he will be great in the eyes of the Lord. He must never touch wine or other alcoholic drinks. He will be filled with the Holy Spirit, even before his birth. And he will turn many Israelites to the Lord their God. He will be a man with the spirit and power of Elijah. He will prepare the people for the coming of the Lord. He will turn the hearts of the fathers to their children, and he will cause those who are rebellious to accept the wisdom of the godly.” Zechariah said to the angel, “How can I be sure this will happen? I’m an old man now, and my wife is also well along in years.” Then the angel said, “I am Gabriel! I stand in the very presence of God. It was he who sent me to bring you this good news! But now, since you didn’t believe what I said, you will be silent and unable to speak until the child is born. For my words will certainly be fulfilled at the proper time.” Meanwhile, the people were waiting for Zechariah to come out of the sanctuary, wondering why he was taking so long. When he finally did come out, he couldn’t speak to them. Then they realized from his gestures and his silence that he must have seen a vision in the sanctuary. When Zechariah’s week of service in the Temple was over, he returned home. Soon afterward his wife, Elizabeth, became pregnant and went into seclusion for five months. “How kind the Lord is!” she exclaimed. “He has taken away my disgrace of having no children.”
Luke 1:5-25

Dear God, I was going to do Zechariah all at once, but there’s too much good stuff here. I’ll do this visitation and pregnancy first. I’ll come back and do Elizabeth in a couple of days. Right now, I want to focus on Zechariah and this angel visit. I had two main thoughts when I read this part of the story:

  1. He and Elizabeth had seemingly done everything right their entire lives, but I’m sure they felt like you were not honoring who they were and what they did (as is evidenced by Elizabeth saying, “[The Lord] has taken away my disgrace of having no children.” Just living faithfully day to day. What a witness!
  2. Even when our faith isn’t enough, it won’t get in the way of your plan. You’ve got it covered. When he questions Gabriel, Gabriel didn’t take it back and say, “Never mind.” No, Zechariah didn’t have to have enough faith in that moment. He just had to be the kind of man that you needed to raise John the Baptist (JTB).

As I type all of this, I’m now starting to wonder what those 10 or 11 months until John was born were like for Zechariah. Did he try to write down everything Gabriel said so he wouldn’t forget? Did he think about what kind of person JTB would be? Was he intimidated by the thought of raising a prophet that would have the spirit and power of Elijah? Maybe you needed him to have those months alone with his thoughts. Maybe he spent most of that time in prayer, preparing for his new role as father to the prophet.

Father, you can do all of what you want to do with me or without me. I can be all yours or I can lose all my faith, and you will have it covered. I can do the right thing for the rest of my life and never see the fruit of it and that can be okay. There is a great peace in all of this. I am making a lot of decisions right now for the clinic where I work. I’m doing my best to listen to you. To hear your still small voice. Now, help me to talk less and listen to you more. Help me to put my head into a space that is still and can hear your voice. Do it all so that your glory might shine and that you might use my life to make this crisis count.

In Jesus’s name I pray,

Amen

 
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Posted by on March 16, 2020 in Fathers of the Bible, Luke

 

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“Your Love Stays with Me” — Gary Chapman

15 Mar

“Your Love Stays with Me” by Gary Chapman

It’s dark in here
I feel so alone
But there’s a light
That Somebody just turned on
It opened my eyes
And lets me see
And once again
it amazes me

How your love stays with me
When shadows fall
And everybody leaves
I’m not alone
I know I’ll never be
Your love stays with me

When cold rains fall against my skin
It chills my body
But not the soul within
‘Cause I’ve got a fire
And it burns so bright
It keeps me warm
Through the longest night

Oh, how your love stays with me
When shadows fall
And everybody leaves
I’m not alone
I know I’ll never be
Your love stays with me

Written by Mike Reid and Rory Bourke

Dear God, I find it fascinating that when I want to spend some time in deep prayer about something I usually have a song from the recesses of my mind come out of hiding. In this case, “Your Love Stays with Me” by Gary Chapman popped into my head. I love the sound of this song as much of the lyrics. The simple piano, the soulful sound, and the humble lyrics combine to great effect.

It’s a Sunday and all over the world churches are empty. I understand why, but something seems so wrong about that. Churches have always been a touch point for us during tragedies. Pearl Harbor. D-Day. VE-Day. Kennedy assassination. Apollo 13. 9/11. People go back to you through the local church. Now, most of those doors are closed. Will we miss you or will this be the beginning of us not going to you during those times of crisis?

For me, I’ve decided that I need to really have some focused prayer time. I want to pray for world political leaders, health leaders, spiritual leaders, etc. I also want to pray for local leaders. Everyone from a mayor to the director of the local community choir. I want to pray for my own work and how I lead our charitable medical clinic through this unknown wilderness. As a medical clinic, we can’t simply shut down. But there are certain things we can do that will be smart. Where do I draw that line? Then there’s my role in loving my wife and helping care for loved ones around us. And I have a role in this community where others look to me for my opinion. In fact, I had someone call me last night and ask that I speak to their group about what to do. I found another solution, but it’s a certain type of responsibility that I have.

So let me go back to this song and then pray about these things.

It’s dark in here
I feel so alone
But there’s a light
That Somebody just turned on
It opened my eyes
And lets me see
And once again
it amazes me

I think a lot of people are feeling the darkness right now. It is evidenced by the runs on the stores. I’m convinced that if so much of our commerce weren’t electronic and not cash-based there would be runs on the banks. Will anyone look for the light to turn on? Will anyone look for you? Will we look to you for our peace? Will we look to you for direction? Will pastors be able to shift their paradigm and figure out how to be the church in this new set of circumstances?

But when we open our eyes and see you there is peace. You love us. You don’t promise how any of this will work out for us on this earth, but you continuously encourage us to not be afraid. You amaze me.

When cold rains fall against my skin
It chills my body
But not the soul within
‘Cause I’ve got a fire
And it burns so bright
It keeps me warm
Through the longest night

I happened to be in a situation yesterday when cold rain fell against my skin while I was on a three-hour bike ride. Is there a metaphor in there that would go with this verse? I never got too cold because my movement kept me warm. Does my continuing to move in my relationship with you keep me warm? Well, the metaphor might be a stretch, but I suppose I can make it fit.

The big thing is that this is where my “peace” thing comes in. The fruits of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23) are love, joy, peace, patience… I’ve said for a long time that peace is my litmus test. I can fake the others, but I cannot fake the peace. When I’m good with you then peace tends to transcend my being. When I find myself not at peace, it’s usually driven by fear or insecurity. It’s driven by losing sight of serving you and instead focusing on serving others for my glory or benefit. To feed my own ego. But the Holy Spirit fire in my heart, when I let it burn, will keep me warm in the longest night.

Oh, how your love stays with me
When shadows fall
And everybody leaves
I’m not alone
I know I’ll never be
Your love stays with me

Yes, your love stays with me. Shadows are daunting. They are scary. Satan wants to mess with my mind right now and suggest that I will run out of food (or the ability to clean myself when I go to the bathroom). He wants me to believe that I should be scared and hide. The truth is, I can be at peace. I’m not alone. I’ve never been alone. I’ve seen you provide in miraculous ways before. You are a great God and you will provide for me one way or another. And should I contract this disease. Should I become one of the 2-3% who die from it, I’ll be okay. My wife will be okay. My children and relatives will be okay. Because your love stays with all of us.

Now, as I sit down and try to sort through some of this work stuff, please guide me and be with me. Help me to hear you. Make my path straight.

I pray for the pastors here in our community and across the world. Lead through them. Speak through them. Lead a revival in them and through them. Let your church be the church you always intended it to be.

Do not let this pain and grief return void. Make it count, Father. Comfort those who have already lost someone or who are concerned about their loved ones who are either sick or quarantined because of possible exposure. Comfort those afflicted with the disease and all other diseases.

Help guide our appointed health and human service officials. Guide our local primary care doctors all the way up to the highest health officials around the world. Give them humility. Give them wisdom and discernment. Fill them with your presence and your perspective.

And for our political leaders. May they be given a sense of your presence in their lives. Help them to stop blaming and posturing. Help them to stop trying to use this as any sort of advantage. I’ll be bold enough to ask that you use this to transform our leaders into the men and women you need and long for them to be. That we need them to be.

Father, this is unprecedented to me, but it isn’t unprecedented to you. This is overwhelming to me, but it isn’t overwhelming to you. I don’t know where all of this is going, how it all works out, or what I should do in the meantime, but you do. So help us. Help us to humble ourselves before you and seek you first and your righteousness.

In Jesus’s name I pray,

Amen

 
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Posted by on March 15, 2020 in Hymns and Songs

 

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Parents of the Bible — Herod & Herodias

15 Mar

When Herod heard about Jesus, he said, “John, the man I beheaded, has come back from the dead.” For Herod had sent soldiers to arrest and imprison John as a favor to Herodias. She had been his brother Philip’s wife, but Herod had married her. John had been telling Herod, “It is against God’s law for you to marry your brother’s wife.” So Herodias bore a grudge against John and wanted to kill him. But without Herod’s approval she was powerless, for Herod respected John; and knowing that he was a good and holy man, he protected him. Herod was greatly disturbed whenever he talked with John, but even so, he liked to listen to him. Herodias’s chance finally came on Herod’s birthday. He gave a party for his high government officials, army officers, and the leading citizens of Galilee. Then his daughter, also named Herodias, came in and performed a dance that greatly pleased Herod and his guests. “Ask me for anything you like,” the king said to the girl, “and I will give it to you.” He even vowed, “I will give you whatever you ask, up to half my kingdom!” She went out and asked her mother, “What should I ask for?” Her mother told her, “Ask for the head of John the Baptist!” So the girl hurried back to the king and told him, “I want the head of John the Baptist, right now, on a tray!” Then the king deeply regretted what he had said; but because of the vows he had made in front of his guests, he couldn’t refuse her. So he immediately sent an executioner to the prison to cut off John’s head and bring it to him. The soldier beheaded John in the prison, brought his head on a tray, and gave it to the girl, who took it to her mother. When John’s disciples heard what had happened, they came to get his body and buried it in a tomb.
Mark 6:16-29

Dear God, for a short time I debated whether or not to include Herod and Herodias in my “Parents of the Bible” series, but I decided that we see them interacting with their daughter and making decisions with her as their parent so I guess they count. You put them and their story in here for us so let’s see what we can learn from them.

Herod

Here is a list of what we see Herod do in this story:

  • He takes his brother’s wife.
  • He didn’t necessarily want to arrest John the Baptist (JTB), but he did it at the behest of his wife.
  • JTB made him uncomfortable by presenting Herod’s sin to Heron any chance he got, but he “respected John; and knowing that he was a good and holy man, he protected him.”
  • This part is interesting. I saw a movie about Jesus one time that showed this story. It had an adult daughter dancing seductively for her father, him getting turned on, and then making a foolish, drunken vow to her. While that could be an interpretation, that’s not what the story says. It just says his daughter “came in and performed a dance that greatly pleased Herod and his guests.” That’s it. She could have been a 10-year-old that he was proud of. His vow was stupid, but it wasn’t necessarily made out of lust for his daughter. It could have been simple pride in her.
  • He makes a foolish vow, but “because of the vows he had made in front of his guests, he couldn’t refuse her.” We’ll come back to that.
  • He had JTB’s head given to the girl.

I guess my big thing for Herod is that he simply allowed his pride to impact his parenting. What will others think? That was a teachable moment for him with his daughter. We can’t ask for illegal and immoral things and expect to get them. But to say that to her in front of his guests would have been too much for him to swallow. In relating this to my own life, I can see where I might allow what others will say/think to influence my parenting decisions. Yes, this is part of Herod’s cautionary tale.

Herodias

Ah, Herodias. Her actions all come back to a very familiar motive: Shame. I won’t speculate as to what her role was in being Herod’s wife instead of Philip’s. But JTB’s rebukes obviously bothered her more than they did Herod so I’ll assume (and it’s a fairly big assumption) she felt some responsibility and guilt over it.

Then her daughter, perhaps unwittingly, gets involved. She does something that pleases her father, she is granted a huge favor and she doesn’t know how to respond. “Mom, what should I ask for?!? Servants? A city? Gold? Jewelry?” Then Herodias (the mother) sees an opportunity. She’s been trying to get Herod to get rid of JTB for a long time, but he’s refused. She didn’t have that much leverage over him. But now her daughter did so she used her daughter for her own gain. All to deal with her own shame.

I’d like to think I’m above ever doing anything like that, but am I? Have I ever used my children to get my way with my spouse? Just this week, I saw a divorced couple using their children to get back at each other. I’d love to judge Herodias ruthlessly for thinking of herself and her own wants/needs before her child’s, but I know I’ve done it and I’ve seen nearly every other parent do it as well.

Father, I’m glad I didn’t skip over these two parents I could seem myself in them as much as I have seen myself in any of these other biblical parents. I am sorry for the times when I put my own needs ahead of my child’s. Maybe it’s even as simple as a need to be liked by them instead of making a hard decision that will be for their best but cause them to be angry with me. Maybe it’s doing something mean out of revenge for a hurt they did to me. Guilty, guilty, guilty. I am guilty and I am sorry. Help me to be better.

In Jesus’s name I pray,

Amen

 
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Posted by on March 15, 2020 in Fathers of the Bible, Mark, Mothers of the Bible

 

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