Do not be afraid; you will not be put to shame. Do not fear disgrace; you will not be humiliated. You will forget the shame of your youth and remember no more the reproach of your widowhood. – Isaiah 54:4

Today’s Scripture Reading (June 30, 2017): Isaiah 54

Ellen DeGeneres recently (June 2017) tried an experiment on her talk show testing the honesty of her audience. She told her audience that they could take one item from a free table in her gift shop as the talk show host’s gift to her audience. She also set up cameras to examine what was going to happen next. Apparently, for the most part, the people who make up Ellen’s audience are relatively honest people. Most of the audience faithfully took one item. Nancy, on the other hand, decided to make the most of her moment, stockpiling freebies to take home with her. (Did I mention there was a camera?)

Back on the Ellen Show, Ellen decided to have a conversation with Nancy. After all, maybe she had a hard time counting to one. Nancy, in her defense, argued that she just wanted to get something for her sister who couldn’t attend the taping of the show. To which Ellen replied, "Well, there were a lot of sisters that couldn't come.” Nancy was then sentenced to sit in “Ellen Jail” and think about what she had done.

I have no idea how Nancy felt, but if it were me, the embarrassment would have been overwhelming. And yet we have all been there. We have all suffered embarrassment and shame because of the actions we have taken. It is part of the process of maturing, of growing up. There are moments of shame that I remember in my life that keep from ever repeating certain actions. I remember distinctly how I felt before and I don’t want to feel that way again.

But sometimes the accumulated shame in our lives become debilitating. The weight of the embarrassment that we have suffered becomes too much for us to bear. And so we check out. We stop trying. We give up on trying to become something. Our past stands in our way, blocking our future.

God’s promise to the exiles was that, in spite of all that they had done to bring embarrassment on themselves, he was not going to put them to shame. In spite of what they had done to bring disgrace on themselves, he would not humiliate them. They were about to be released from their prison and given another chance. “Ellen Jail” would no longer have a hold on them, trapping them in their shame. It was a second chance to learn the lessons that they had not learned before. Another opportunity to live their lives in a way that honored both God and themselves. An opportunity to put embarrassment and shame firmly behind them – and never return to them again.   

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: Daniel 5

Surely he took up our pain and bore our suffering, yet we considered him punished by God, stricken by him, and afflicted. – Isaiah 53:4

Today’s Scripture Reading (June 29, 2017): Isaiah 53

Abraham Lincoln was once asked what it felt like to lose and election. His response was that “he felt like a little boy who had stubbed his toe in the dark.” He said that “he was too old to cry, but it hurt too much to laugh.” While we want to be on the winning side of life, most of us end up understanding the emotion that Lincoln was trying to describe more than the elation of the win. We lose much more often. Life sometimes seems to be just a balance sheet of wins and losses.

I am competitive. I love to play the game. And even as a child playing adult games with my father and grandfather, I learned the art of losing. It was years before I ever really won competing against them. And maybe that is why I am convinced that losing is more important than winning. I am not sure that I have lost enough. Even I have to admit that sometimes I don’t try because I am not sure that it is possible for me to win. It is in the losses that I learn the game. It is in those moments when I feel like a child who stubbed his toe in the dark, too old to cry yet in too much pain to laugh, that I learn the secrets to winning. Losing, sometimes, is the more significant achievement. It just doesn’t feel that way.

Life creates its winners and losers. Because of my competitive nature, I have never really understood the idea of playing just for fun. Fun was winning and losing was a chance to learn. If you remove the loss, you remove the win – and the fun – and so, under those circumstances, I never really could understand the point in playing the game.

I think that Isaiah 53 is one of the most beautiful passages of Scripture in the Bible, and it teaches us a different lesson about winning and losing. Sometimes you lose so that others can win. The description of the Suffering Servant, and for Christians, the description of the Messiah, is that he will be the one who loses. And the loss is total. Not only will he suffer, but we (the human race) will consider him to be punished by God. But the pain will not be his own; it will be ours. He will lose to give us a chance to win. It is a beautiful concept that God would dare to leave his throne to be beaten and scarred by us, that the God of all Creation would become that scared little child stubbing his toe in the dark, too old to cry yet in too much pain to laugh.  

But the reality of Isaiah 53 goes beyond the idea of the Suffering Servant and extends to us, the ones responsible for carrying the message of Christ to the world. We are the ones called to suffer on behalf of the world, to be like Christ – to lose so that the world can win. But that seems hard for us to do. We appear to be hard-wired to win, to be right. Our pride is strong, and we do not even want to appear to be weak. And yet this is the model that Jesus Christ has left for us.

We are to be willing to lose so that a world in need can win.

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: Isaiah 54

Therefore my people will know my name; therefore in that day they will know that it is I who foretold it. Yes, it is I.” – Isaiah 52:6

Today’s Scripture Reading (June 28, 2017): Isaiah 52

Know thyself. The two words make up a Greek proverb that encourages to know our limitations. In a world that is dominated by Social Media, which allows us to be much more than we really are, the proverb is a challenge. Not only do we not know ourselves and not understand our own limitations, but we also have become the repositories of truth. The words “I don’t know” have become almost unacceptable in our society. We are expected to know, supposed to have an opinion. After all, truth resides inside of you.

Except that it doesn’t. I know of the things of which I am convinced are true, but I don’t necessarily know the truth. I am convinced that climate change is due in large part to, at least, the existence of human race if not the actions of the human race. I have friends who are convinced that climate change is solely due to the presence of cows (yes, that may be an overstatement), or at the least, that man has very little to do with the climate disaster that seems to be knocking on our planets door. Both of us cannot be right, and both cannot be in possession of truth. Both (and I do include myself in this) believe that we are in possession of the truth – that we are the experts. Having said that, I am not a climatologist, and I have no friends in that area of expertise. I have done a menial research, listened to others expound on the subject, and have made up my mind – my truth. It is only in the discipline of knowing myself that I can admit that I might not be right; that there might be situations to which I do not, and cannot, know the truth.

The discipline of knowing ourselves is one that most of us never really master. In 1750, Benjamin Franklin, in his “Poor Richard’s Almanack,” remarked on the hard task of truly knowing yourself. He writes that "There are three things extremely hard; Steel, a Diamond, and to know one's self." And yet, the task of knowing me, and knowing my limitations, seems to be the beginning of understanding anything else.

God speaks through Isaiah and says, in that day (indicating some future experience) my people will know me. They will speak my name and know my truth because on that day all of the things that were foretold will come to fruition. And it might be at that moment that his people will also come to know themselves because they will realize both what is important to God and that they are important to God. In the midst of the exile, that concept of God caring for his people had been lost.

But that idea would not be lost forever. The day would come when the followers of God would undoubtedly know his name and his voice. At that moment, to paraphrase John Newton, I will understand the core of all truth. That I am a great sinner and that he is a great Savior – because I have finally come face to face with him. And it will only be at that moment that I will finally know truth – and myself.

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: Isaiah 53

Lift up your eyes to the heavens, look at the earth beneath; the heavens will vanish like smoke, the earth will wear out like a garment and its inhabitants die like flies. But my salvation will last forever, my righteousness will never fail. – Isaiah 51:6

Today’s Scripture Reading (June 27, 2017): Isaiah 51

In Michael Crichton’s novel “Micro,” a novel that Crichton left unfinished at the time of his death in 2008, a group of kids get shrunk down to a “Micro” size and have to survive against the multitudes of bugs that live in the earth on which we travel on a daily basis. One of the marvels early on in the book is that the earth is made up of so many of these bugs that the soil is literally crawling with life. The world that the kids are forced to survive in is filled with life that, as bigs, we just don’t see. The earth is also not as solid as we sometimes seem to believe that it should be.

Still, to us, the earth seems stable – and often immovable. And so are the heavens that we look at when we peer up into the sky. Yet, from the standpoint of God, all of these things are temporary. The “Big Bang Theory” (the theory, not the comedy sitcom) is the friend of the Christian faith. It postulates that everything was born in a flash out of nothing, or a cosmic filament, and then, in the end, collapses back into nothing. What seems to us as permanent was born at the command of God, and will collapse again at the command of that same God.

For those trapped in Babylon, it was a description of the political elements of the day. Nebuchadnezzar rose because God allowed him to advance. And even though the Babylonian empire was big and scary to those that had to live through that period, its permanence became temporary at the command of God when it was replaced by Cyrus the Great, who rose at the command of God. There was no permanence, and yet God was still in control

And the promise that God wanted the exiles to hold onto was this – even when the end comes and the earth and the heaven pass away, the salvation of God is still sure, and his righteousness will never fail. Even in the moments of greatest chaos, God is still present to provide the order that we need. And he will never fail.  He exists in both the micro and the macro of this life. Every kingdom bows to him.

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: Isaiah 52

This is what the LORD says: “Where is your mother’s certificate of divorce with which I sent her away? Or to which of my creditors did I sell you? Because of your sins you were sold; because of your transgressions your mother was sent away. – Isaiah 50:1

Today’s Scripture Reading (June 26, 2017): Isaiah 50

Pain causes us to do stupid things – and make unwarranted assumptions. If you need proof, I offer you the life of Donald Trump. One of the most influential people on the planet even before he was elected President of the United States, he became President, became isolated and apparently is now a subject of constant internal turmoil and pain. At least, that is the only assumption that I can come to when I look at his social media posts. The most powerful man on the planet is scared and in pain, and that might be a dangerous combination. In his constant Twitter barrage, he is desperately trying to find an audience that will bring a healing balm to his wounds, something that the media refuses to do, and his aides and friends are apparently unable to do. So he fires off the Twitter volleys hoping that his pleas land on the right ears and that he can find the needed response from his base and healing for his soul. Unfortunately, the volleys intended to bring healing are only bringing more pain.  Senator Lindsey Graham, a Republican from South Carolina, made this comment to reporters earlier this month. Donald Trump "may be the first president in history to go down because [he] can't stop inappropriately talking about an investigation that, if you just were quiet, would clear you." And some are even arguing that the leaks that Trump is so concerned over might be an unintended effect of the out of control social media use. His public comments have caused pain, not only to himself but also to those around him, alienating many of those that work in Washington and hardening the opposition against him.

In Babylon, social media consisted of gossip from person to person. And in the midst of the exile, the pain was causing some unwarranted assumptions. It was evident, to the exiles, that they had been abandoned by God. This abandonment only served to heighten the agony that they suffered, and contributed to a loss of hope among the exiles. There was no one left who could bring healing; the exiles were on their own.

So God speaks directly to the people through his prophet. You say that I have divorced you, but if that is true, where is the certificate of divorce. You say that I have sold, but to which creditor (or god) do you believe that I have made that transaction. Produce the proof. The truth is that I haven’t sold you, I am pursuing you. You have removed yourself from my presence, and I want you back. Seek me, and you will find me. But your complaints are only serving to widen the gap between us – only carrying you farther and farther away from me. Stop speaking to your neighbor, stop trying to find a human audience to bring you consolation and talk to me. I have never left, nor will I ever leave you.

It might be good advice for President Trump. His social media cries are only widening the gap and increasing his pain and isolation. Yet, God has never left him, or us. It is we who are walking away.

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: Isaiah 51

Shout for joy, you heavens; rejoice, you earth; burst into song, you mountains! For the LORD comforts his people and will have compassion on his afflicted ones. – Isaiah 49:13

Today’s Scripture Reading (June 25, 2017): Isaiah 49

Some years ago I watched a drama that tried to tell the stories of those who were touched by the ministry of Jesus. The story centered on the lives of these people after Jesus crucifixion. Filled with imagination, the author tried desperately to tell the story of those who had been left behind to live out their own lives in the shadow of the cross. It was a mix of people who had absolutely nothing in common, other than that they knew and were touched by the life and death of Jesus Christ of Galilee. And one of the characters in the drama was a man named Barabbas. It is interesting that the name Barabbas really means “Son of the Father.” It was a name that Jesus, by his words and actions, claimed for himself. Jesus was actually the ultimate Barabbas – the ultimate “Son of the Father.” But in the biblical story, Barabbas is also the name of the murderer who was set free as a Passover Gift to the people at the time of Jesus death. Both Jesus and Barabbas were offered to the people as that gift, but the people chose the one who was “Son of the Father” by name rather than Jesus, the one who was “Son of the Father” in deed.

During the drama, Barabbas struggles with the idea that Jesus died in his stead. He was ready to die, proud to die and feed the anti-Roman revolution with his last breath, but instead, he was allowed to live, and Jesus was chosen to die. The Barabbas of the drama talked about that day, of following Jesus up the hill, watching the nails being hammered into his hands, seeing the cross being lifted up and watching this man hanging very literally in his place. Barabbas struggled to hear the words that Jesus would utter, he hoped to hear Jesus curse the Romans with his last breath, but that never happened. Barabbas was looking for the nearest Roman guard intent on stealing his weapons and killing him and as many others as he could before they finally killed him. He was ready to do it when he heard the words “Father, forgive them, for they don’t know what they are doing.” Barabbas turned to look at the man dying on the cross. The words were addressed to the Father, but Jesus was looking at the man called the “Son of the Father.” The words pierced him. And at that moment everything changed. Maybe for the first time, the one called Barabbas realized his own identity – that he was the “Son of the Father.”

Barabbas left the hill that day along with his former life. He decided to follow the one who lived out his name better than he had ever lived it – the one who was really the “Son of the Father.” Not only did he follow him spiritually, but on that day Barabbas became a carpenter. He admits that he is not much of one, still learning the trade as it were, but he was content simply being a carpenter and leaving the world of revolution.

And as Barabbas works, he sings a song. The words for the song on Barabbas’s lips were from Isaiah 49 - Shout for joy, you heavens; rejoice, you earth; burst into song, you mountains! For the Lord comforts his people and will have compassion on his afflicted ones. The tune isn’t much, but the words speak it all.

Isaiah couldn’t imagine a person who had been comforted and redeemed not wanting to sing – to burst into song – about the one that had redeemed them; the one who had literally paid the price to buy them back. And neither could Barabbas. He had been purchased for a price, the man that had hung on the cross that day had paid for his life with his own. And now all Barabbas wanted to do was to shout for joy.

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: Isaiah 50

Listen to this, you descendants of Jacob, you who are called by the name of Israel and come from the line of Judah, you who take oaths in the name of the LORD and invoke the God of Israel—but not in truth or righteousness … - Isaiah 48:1

Today’s Scripture Reading (June 24, 2017): Isaiah 48

Hold on to truth loosely. Truth can only sit in the palm of your hand; it can never be grasped tightly. I know, the words seem strange for those of us who believe in an ultimate truth. But ultimate truth has a way of shifting under the strain of a firm grip. And often we end up holding onto something that is not truth, but something else; something that at best is a derivative of truth.

This is the charge that Isaiah lays at the feet of the exiles in Babylon, you have grasped onto something that is not truth. It is likely that the exiles were confused about why this had all happened to them. After all, were they not the chosen children of God? Did they not have a special relationship with the Creator of the universe? How was it that that relationship had placed them in the position in which they now found themselves, forced to be strangers in a strange land? Why did God allow this to happen?

Isaiah reminds them of the truth that they had maybe forgotten. They were the descendants of Jacob, which means that they were Israel, even though they went by the name of Judah. They were not all that different from the Northern Kingdom of Israel which had been taken into exile almost two centuries earlier. And the real problem was that they had invoked the name of God, just as their cousins of the Northern Kingdom had before their exile, but they had not invoked his name in truth and righteousness. Somehow, in grasping onto the truth, they had lost both orthodoxy (right belief) and orthopraxy (right behavior.) They had settled for what seemed right to them instead of what God had declared to be the correct path for his children.

I often look at the Christian Church, and I wonder what Isaiah might say to us today. The Western Church has grasped onto to truth tightly. And somehow, in our grasping of that truth, we often seem to have lost the idea of how to love – especially how to love through our differences. The danger of grasping onto truth tightly is that God never gets to adjust what it is that we believe. The path to hate, as was evidenced on a baseball diamond outside of Washington D.C. just over a week ago, is too easy. Love and discussion through our differences are hard, but it is what fulfills both our orthodoxy and orthopraxy.

To paraphrase Moses comment for the Christian Church, this is the only thing that we need to hold onto tightly. “Hear, O [Church]: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength” (Deuteronomy 6:4-5). “Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against anyone among your people, but love your neighbor as yourself. I am the Lord” (Leviticus 19:18).

He is the Lord, and to that, we can never let go.

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: Isaiah 49

That is all they are to you—these you have dealt with and labored with since childhood. All of them go on in their error; there is not one that can save you. – Isaiah 47:15

Today’s Scripture Reading (June 23, 2017): Isaiah 47

One of the, maybe, unintended outcomes of the election of Donald Trump as President of the United States is a universal feeling that the United States has removed themselves from the Western team of nations. Up until now, the United States has served as the Captain of the nations in the cultural West. But now, their leader has resigned. The positive aspect of this abdication is that others are responding to the need to step up. The natural leaders in Europe of Britain and Germany are have taken the responsibility to lead the new “United Stateless” west. But even countries like Canada are taking up the mantle of leadership.

Of course, the self-removal of the United States will mean that the superpower will no longer influence world policy, at least not to the extent that they have in the past. The United States will cease to be in a position to shape the future, something that the nation has committed themselves to ever since the end of World War II.

But in a more practical, and immediate, effect of the United States reluctance to be a world player is that Europe is now more vulnerable to aggression than it has been since the fall of Nazi Germany in 1945. There is no longer a feeling among the Western nations that the United States will be part of the multi-national pact to stand together in protection of each other from those who might want to take advantage of a nation’s weakness.

At the highest risk are the weakest of nations who need help just to maintain their own borders. In time past, the world map was continually being redrawn by powerful nations who would annex the land of weaker nations. In the West, Nazi Germany was the last country to try to build an empire among the weaker nations of Europe and Western Asia. Russia continues to attempt to redraw the borders of Eastern Europe, but the United States led Western Alliance has, in the past, been the force that has guarded the nations that Russia would like to annex. Now those nations wonder if there will be anyone who will step up to save them.

It is a poignant phrase that closes this section of Isaiah – there will be no one that can save you. The message of Isaiah is clear to any who dared to read his prophecy. If you refuse to rely on God, if you refuse to accept his salvation, then there is no one who can save you. There will be no earthly power that can come and rescue you. But the other side of the coin is equally clear. If you do accept God’s offer of salvation, then you can be sure that he will not abdicate his responsibility to you. He will come and save you.

Maybe the modern nations need to hear the words of Isaiah. In all of the questions that surround the future, there are many things we do not know and many circumstances that we need to fear. But in the end this is sure – God will come and save you.

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: Isaiah 48

Even to your old age and gray hairs I am he, I am he who will sustain you. I have made you and I will carry you; I will sustain you and I will rescue you. – Isaiah 46:4

Today’s Scripture Reading (June 22, 2017): Isaiah 46

Singer and songwriter Ben Folds, in his song “Annie Waits,” writes “The clock never stops, never stops, never waits. [We're] growing old. It's getting late.” Time marches on, no matter what it is that we are doing, or why it is that we have decided to wait, time refuses to stop for us. The insistent march of time can cause panic in some. A date that is always getting closer whether or not we are ready for what that day might hold. We might wait, but time doesn’t. Time marches on.

And that can be scary. As gray hairs begin to multiply it serves as a reminder that time might be getting short. The truth is that in our contemporary culture, the productive moments of our lives are relatively short. Childhood and the teenage years are spent busy with the matter of growing up. Our brain doesn’t really mature until we reach our mid-twenties. And then there are so many other fun things to do. It seems, at that moment, that there is so much time in which we can accomplish the things that we want to do. Time doesn’t wait for us to get serious about life. We know that we need to save for retirement, that we need to spend time with ones that we love, that there are important things, at least to us, that we need to be accomplished. But for right now, shouldn’t there also be time just to relax and have fun.

So our lives begin to evolve. We start a cycle. Work hard at the things that make us money during the week, and then party on the weekend. The important things can wait until some point down the road when we are a little older. Then the gray hairs begin to sprout, and we start to wonder what the important things were that we thought we needed to accomplish in this life. And we are starting to believe that it might be too late.

God assures Isaiah that, unlike the other gods in the lives of the people, he is present in every moment of life. He is not a God that cuts and runs just because we begin to grow older. But more than that, he assures Isaiah that purpose exists at every stage of life. There is never a time when there is not something that is front of us to accomplish. And the promise of God is that he will be with us every step of the way.

I love the old Ira Stanphill gospel song -

Many things about tomorrow
I don't seem to understand
But I know who holds tomorrow
And I know who holds my hand.

I don’t need to know anything more.

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: Isaiah 47

I will go before you and will level the mountains; I will break down gates of bronze and cut through bars of iron. – Isaiah 45:2

Today’s Scripture Reading (June 21, 2017): Isaiah 45

Nelson Mandela once commented that “It always seems impossible until it’s done.” The great truth in life is that, for some of us, the best way to motivate us is to tell us that something is impossible. Many have chased after the impossible and have found a way through, making the impossible possible. Some have chased after the impossible out of ignorance, not realizing that the solution was outside of the realm of possibility. But repeatedly, the impossible has become possible.

In October 539, B.C.E, Cyrus led the armies of the Medes and the Persians into lower Mesopotamia. His strategy was simple. He would conquer the countryside around Babylon, much as Babylon had conquered the towns around Jerusalem sixty years earlier. Finally, with the countryside firmly in his control, he turned his attention to Babylon. Jerusalem had been placed under siege for months before it finally fell. Cyrus arrived at Babylon and diverted the Euphrates River away from the city so that his army could enter under the river gate entrance into the city. But then his army reached the inner gates of the city and found the gates unlocked. The army moved through the city and took control. God had truly broken down that gates of bronze and cut through the bars of iron, just as he had said that he would.

Just as God had led Nebuchadnezzar, God led Cyrus, and the impossible became possible. And with the ascension of Cyrus to the throne of Babylon, God set the stage for another impossibility to become a reality. The door was finally opened for Judah to return home from their exile. And the overwhelming message of Isaiah to all who heard his prophecy was that “when these things come to pass, know that it is God who has done this. His hand reached out to Nebuchadnezzar and removed you from your home, and his hand reached out to Cyrus to begin to set the conditions that will allow you to return home. And all of this is truly an act of God.

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: Isaiah 46

… who carries out the words of his servants and fulfills the predictions of his messengers, who says of Jerusalem, ‘It shall be inhabited,’ of the towns of Judah, ‘They shall be rebuilt,’ and of their ruins, ‘I will restore them,’ … - Isaiah 44:26

Today’s Scripture Reading (June 20, 2017): Isaiah 44

I love Ghost Towns. They are great windows to the past and what happened yesterday. As a teenager, there was a house I loved to visit. The house was inaccessible by car but could be accessed either by a relatively strenuous hike or, during the winter, by snowmobile. The yard of the house was littered with old equipment that had been just left behind at some point in the past. Inside the house, which was a mess, there were old newspapers that littered the floor. It was fun just to wonder what happened to make the family move out – or maybe how the house was built in the first place. Maybe at some point in the past, there had been a road that gave access to the property that had now long since disappeared. The house existed in, what at least seemed like, the middle of nowhere. The small town I lived in was not far from the house, just over the hill, but from the house, there was not another building in view. No farm land approached the house. The house existed among the trees on a hill and was long forgotten by time.

Ghost towns and ghost houses are not about the future, but the past. As has been mentioned, I believe that this section of Isaiah was written almost two centuries after the original Isaiah wrote his book in the later part of the eighth century B.C.E. (Isaiah 1-39). And it is passages like this one that seems to confirm that conclusion. As God speaks to Isaiah, he indicates his intention to restore Jerusalem and the towns of Judah. But during the ministry of the original Isaiah, the Jerusalem and the cities of Judah were not empty. Is it possible that God gave a vision to Isaiah that featured an empty Jerusalem? Yes, but the easiest answer is that this was written to the exiles after the fall of Jerusalem by a second Isaiah.

The truth was that an empty Jerusalem and the ghost towns of Judah had a past. The big question that mattered to the exiles was merely this - did they have a future? And God speaks directly to Isaiah to send this message to the exiles. Jerusalem has a future because I will repopulate her, and I will restore the towns of Judah. The ghost towns of the Southern Kingdom had a future because God had decreed that they did. Their future depended on the hand and movement of God.

The future has always been held in the hands of God, but that fact seems more apparent amidst the desolation and emptiness that is dominated by the past. Jorge Luis Borges makes this observation. “The future is inevitable and precise, but it may not occur. God lurks in the gaps.” For an abandoned Jerusalem, the future was bleak. But God was lurking in the gaps.

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: Isaiah 45

Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. – Isaiah 43:18

Today’s Scripture Reading (June 19, 2017): Isaiah 43

Apparently, Donald Trump doesn’t like to be laughed at. And, unfortunately, he believes that the world is laughing at him. So Donald Trump will do whatever it takes to remove the laughter from out of the world – and replace it with something else. I wonder if there was something in his past that has so deeply affected him that he struggles with seeing the world as it is. All he can do is react from the pain that is in his past.  

It is easy to pick on “the Donald,” but the problem is not solely his. It is part of life. We have all been laughed at, and most of us have been picked on. It would have probably changed the way that we understood life during our middle school years if we could have known that the mean kids were doing nothing more than protecting themselves from the pain that all too often they felt that life was giving to them. Donald Trump has baggage, but then, so do all of the rest of us. Life has not been gentle with any of us who walk on the face of this planet.

So, we have a choice. We can gather up all of the hurt that life has given to us, and react with anger toward the world – or we can make the active choice to put the hurt behind us and forge our way into the world. The easy path is to allow the damage to shape us. The harder way is not to allow the pain of our lives to shape the future.

Isaiah reminds his people of that fact. Their past is full of pain. Their lives are being lived away from home, and away from the places that they know. And they have the choice of allowing that hurt that is all too real in their lives to shape their future and then fall back into the habits of the forefathers, or to forget what has happened in the past so that they could grasp all that God had for them in the future. Paul in Philippians rephrases Isaiah when he says “But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 3:13-14).

To Donald Trump, the President of the United States, no one is laughing. We want the best for this world just as you do. But we must put away the things of the past, forget the pain that is behind and begin the process of fixing the world … together.  

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: Isaiah 44

“I, the LORD, have called you in righteousness; I will take hold of your hand. I will keep you and will make you to be a covenant for the people and a light for the Gentiles … - Isaiah 42:6

Today’s Scripture Reading (June 18, 2017): Isaiah 42

Who the “outsiders” are in our culture might surprise. Actress Anna Kendrick identifies as one.

“While I wouldn't wish being teased on anyone, I think it eventually leads to a kind of solidarity in adult life. The few people I know who weren't picked on in school are people I find I can't relate to on much more than a surface level. There's a sensitivity that comes with feeling like an outsider at some point in your life” – Anna Kendrick.

I agree. There is a strength that comes with being an outsider that you just can’t gain from anywhere else in life.

But the problem is that sometimes we think that the game of life for an outsider is to become an insider. Again and again, history records the process. The outsider is abused but gains strength enough so that, eventually, they become insiders. And once they are on the inside, rather than reacting with the sensitivity that they gained while existing on the outside, they desire to be the inflictors of pain; the ones who tease instead of being teased and the ones who bully instead of being bullied. It is a cautionary tale for race relations in contemporary culture. The outsiders might be on the outside now, but the chances are that at some point in the future, the roles will be reversed. In fact, it is happening even as I write these words. What happens when the bullied become the rulers? There is no easy answer to the question.

Essentially, in Jewish thought, there are two groups of people. The Jews, who make up the insiders, and the rest of the world, who represent the outsiders. But it wasn’t always that way. There was a time when the Jews were the outsiders. This was a time before Moses and the Law, a time when the people of Israel were slaves in Egypt.  But through Moses and the power of God, there was a cultural shift. The Law essentially impressed upon this group of slaves that they were designed to be the insiders. They had a special relationship with God that no other group possessed. But the understanding was always that they were supposed to share that connection with those who lived on the outside.

However, it was more natural to react to those on the outside the same way that they had been treated when they were on the outside. And now, as Isaiah writes these words, the roles had changed again. Once again, this time in Babylon, Israel was on the outside.

Isaiah’s message was directed straight at this situation. This is a Messianic passage. The Messiah would come, and he would be an insider, from Israel, but his purpose would be to bring light, encouragement, and strength to those on the outside. It had always been the purpose of God, but somehow it was a goal that was never achieved. So, for us, we are never more like this Messiah than when we are willing to use the sensitivity that we know from being on the outside, to help those who are still on the outside. For Christians, no bullies need apply. That has never been our purpose. We are the bringer of light and love to those who stand in the darkness.

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: Isaiah 43

“The poor and needy search for water, but there is none; their tongues are parched with thirst. But I the LORD will answer them; I, the God of Israel, will not forsake them. – Isaiah 41:17

Today’s Scripture Reading (June 17, 2017): Isaiah 41

The addax is an antelope-like animal that lives in the Sahara Desert. It is believed that the addax, at one point in history, lived in several diverse places on the Earth, including North America. But currently, it is considered to be critically endangered and only exists in a location, the largest desert on the planet – the Sahara. The addax is also perfectly adapted to live in the place that it calls home. The addax is one of the few animals that can go for extended periods of time, some would argue indefinitely, without water. Not a bad talent when you make your home in an arid environment. The best guess by scientists is that the Addax is able to survive without water for long periods because it gets it moisture from its food and the dew that is available in the desert, it then stores the water in special pockets attached to the stomach, and it produces an extremely concentrated form of urine. As a result, it doesn’t need to drink water.

As the exile of Judah begins to come to a close, there is a problem. The entire nation in exile had a very clear idea of where it was that they were living. They knew where Babylon was. And they knew the direction of home. The problem was that between Babylon and Judah was a large dry place – the Arabian Desert. Obviously, there were ways to get through the desert, and there were ways to move around the wilderness, but the exiles did not know the path through, moving from one source of water to another, and they were not sure that they had the strength and military knowledge to go around. The exiles did not have the characteristics of an addax; they could not go for extended periods of time without water. So the path home seemed to be an impossible dream.

So these words, spoken by God are directed straight at them. Yes, you will need water, but when the time comes for you to go home, I will answer you. I will give you what you need so that you can find your way back home. It is maybe important to note that God did not promise to provide them with the information that needed ahead of time. He would come through for them when they needed it most – when they were thirsty and in need of water, there would be water.

It is God’s promise that still holds true today. God does not promise to make the path easy. But when we are in need, he will be there. He will give us the water that we need at the moment that our “tongues are parched with thirst.” Then “the Lord will answer them; I, the God of Israel, will not forsake them.”   

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: Isaiah 42

Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and proclaim to her that her hard service has been completed, that her sin has been paid for, that she has received from the LORD’s hand double for all her sins. – Isaiah 40:2

Today’s Scripture Reading (June 16, 2017): Isaiah 40

Our lives contain watershed events after which the circumstances of our lives seem to have changed. In my life, there have been several of these moments. I was alive (barely) when John F. Kennedy was assassinated in Dallas, but I can’t say that remember what live was like before and after the event. I do remember humankind’s first steps on the moon – and hope to be alive when humans make their first steps on Mars. But for me, two watershed events changed the way that I see the world. The first was the dismantling of the Berlin Wall in 1989. Until I saw the pictures of the wall coming down, I could not imagine a unified Germany or even a possible peace between East and West. East and West still have a lot of differences that separate them, but without the Wall and the Iron Curtain, peace still seems to be possible.

A second watershed event was the September 11 attacks in 2001. I live in North America, and the reality is that the actual place of war during my lifetime has always been located someplace else. For the first time in my life, war came to my continent, my shores. I was vulnerable to attack. There was both a new fear and a new enemy that was present in my life. I distinctly remember walking outside the day after the attacks and realizing that for the first time in my life there were no planes in the skies – not even any helicopters roaring overhead. Life had changed.

There is a distinct change in tone between Isaiah 39 and Isaiah 40. The change in tone is significant enough that many experts have postulated that Isaiah 40 and forward was written by one or maybe two different individuals that were separated from the first Isaiah by time. I concur with this thought and believe that Isaiah 40 was probably written around 170 years after Isaiah 39. Judah is firmly in the grip of its Babylonian Captivity. The world looks very different from the way it did when the first Isaiah wrote chapter 39. Instead of judgment, there is a need to speak comfort. All that has been prophesied has come true. And the people have started to wonder if God will ever bring them back.

So the Second Isaiah is instructed to “speak tenderly to Jerusalem.” The penalty for sin has been paid. This is the beginnings of God’s plan to bring Judah home. It won’t be long now. It is almost time for the people of God to come back home.

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: Isaiah 41

“And the name of the city from that time on will be: THE LORD IS THERE.” – Ezekiel 48:35

Today’s Scripture Reading (June 15, 2017): Ezekiel 48

Ron Reagan is “Not afraid of burning in hell.” One of America’s leading atheists makes his plea for the separation of church and state and finishes his request with that simple statement. I am not offended by most of what Reagan says. What does bother me is that the Christian Church in the era in which I live has been diluted to the point that Reagan seems to plausibly be able, to sum up, his thoughts on atheism by intimating that “avoiding hell” is the main talking point and emphasis of the Christian Church. It is as if this is the only message that the Christian Church can preach - Come and believe in Jesus so that you don’t go to hell.

But that has never been the focus of the Church. At best, avoiding hell is a fringe benefit. Jesus himself declares our purpose. “You are the salt of the earth … You are the light of the world” (Matthew 5:13-14). We are charged to make a positive difference in the world. And we are failing. I wish our testimony were such that Ron Reagan would have to end his television advertisement on behalf of Atheism by concluding that he was “Ron Reagan. Lifelong Atheist. Not afraid to reject the immigrant or let the poor go hungry.” Or maybe “not willing to be a positive influence in the world,” because this is the effect that the Christian Church should be having on the world in which we live. There is no room for xenophobia within Christianity. We are the ones who are charged to march out into the world and do something “for the least of these.”  

There is an expectation on the Christian Church. We are supposed to be the dwelling place of God. I am not sure that the description fits us. I mean it should – but does it really? Does the world recognize God in us?

Ezekiel’s vision comes to a conclusion with a discussion of the division of the new Territory and a new city. The name of this new city is “The Lord is There.” It was a comforting thought to a people that felt that felt that God had left them and they had no place to belong. In the future, there would a place where God could be found.

At the rate that our society is changing, it is a question that people are asking. Is there a place where I can find God? And there is. He resides in his people. I believe that, as Christians, we are supposed to embody that city – not just to our nations, but crossing borders into the world. There is no difference in nationality in the Kingdom of God. We have to find a testimony that says more about us being the place that embodies Ezekiel’s name “The Lord is There” instead of just trying to fulfill Ron Reagan’s image of the church as a place that only “avoids hell.” The world is in desperate need of us. It is time for the church to become “salt and light.”

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: Isaiah 40

The man brought me back to the entrance to the temple, and I saw water coming out from under the threshold of the temple toward the east (for the temple faced east). The water was coming down from under the south side of the temple, south of the altar. – Ezekiel 47:1

Today’s Scripture Reading (June 14, 2017): Ezekiel 47

Alexander Pope’s poem “An Essay on Criticism” (1709) warns that bad criticism is responsible for doing more harm than bad writing. According to Pope, a critic who refuses or is unable to understand what the author is speaking about should also refuse to be a critic of the work. Pope maintains that bad writing may “tire our Patience,” but a bad critic “misleads our sense” – in essence, a bad critic challenges our intelligence.

Part II of Pope’s poem contains the famous couplet –

A little learning is a dangerous thing;

Drink deep, or taste not the Pierian spring.

For Pope, it made absolutely no sense to learn a little about something – if you wanted to learn, then spend the time and the effort to know as much about it as you can. It would seem that for Pope, this is the danger of the critic. The temptation of the critic is to know a little and yet criticize – often criticizing things that are beyond what they know. The reference to the Pierian spring is from Greek mythology. The spring was a holy place – a place where writers came to celebrate their art and to get in touch with the inner muses – the imaginative center of every writer. There are a few holy springs in Greek mythology. And there have been a few in Christian history – especially during the Middle Ages. These springs were often Pagan springs that were eventually Christianized. Strictly speaking, a sacred or holy spring is any water source of limited size that has some significance in folklore.

As Ezekiel begins to close of his prophecy, he speaks of a holy spring. And this is something new. Neither of the temples that have been built (Solomon’s and Zerubbabel’s or Herod’s) had a spring under the temple. Ezekiel describes the temple facing the east, and the spring flowing under the temple from the west side of the building. That would place Ezekiel’s holy spring directly under the Holy of Holies which would have been opposite the main entrance to the temple. So maybe it is appropriate that the holy water of Ezekiel’s temple flows directly from the seat of God.

Both of the first two temples required an aqueduct that would carry water into the temple so that the sacrifices and the various cleansings could be performed. According to Jewish law, ritual cleansing had to be done with naturally pure and unused water that was clear in color, and it must be poured to be effective. And Ezekiel’s spring would take care of all of these requirements of God –with water that flowed directly from the throne of God. The water that flows from the Holy of Holies is water that God hopes we will drink deep from – not so that we can get in touch with our muses, but rather so that we can experience the very Holiness of God.

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: Ezekiel 48

This is what the Sovereign LORD says: The gate of the inner court facing east is to be shut on the six working days, but on the Sabbath day and on the day of the New Moon it is to be opened. – Ezekiel 46:1

Today’s Scripture Reading (June 13, 2017): Ezekiel 46

In September 1997, Queen Elizabeth II did something that she rarely does for anyone. At the funeral of her daughter-in-law Princess Diana Spencer, the Queen bowed her head in a gesture of respect. Two things made this a notable moment. First, the Queen is not required to bow her head to any mortal person (she does, most likely, bow her head to her God). She is the Queen of the British Commonwealth; she occupies the top rung of the respect ladder. At the most, the people that she comes in contact with are equals, and that might not even be true, especially for the Brits. So people bow to her, she does not bow to others. I am not sure it is right to say that she never bows to others, but it is a rare sight to see her give that kind of respect. The second thing that made this moment notable was the ongoing conflict that seemed to be raging at the time between the Royals and the estranged Diana. The gesture of respect appeared to be strangely out of place when compared to the media story of the conflict that was being fed to the public. And so we noticed it.

Sometimes we are defined by the things that we don’t do or rarely do. This one simple act performed by the Queen at a funeral spoke volumes about the Queen’s ability to forgive and extend mercy, even to those with whom she may have disagreed. Not all sovereigns have possessed this quality, and when it is presented, it needs to be noted. If Queen Elizabeth had routinely bowed her head in the presence of others, this act of respect given to Diana wouldn’t have meant so much. Because she didn’t bow to everyone, we note the times that she does give this gesture of respect.

God tells Ezekiel that they inner east gate of the Temple is to be closed on the six working days. But on the Sabbath, and on celebrations of the New Moon, the gate was supposed to be opened. The message that we are intended to take from this is that this gate was unique. It was not to be sullied by the mundane day to day experiences and business of the temple. It was to be reserved for the sacred days devoted to God. On holy days, this is the gate through which the king would make his entrance. Because it was not used every day, this gate was esteemed.

Of course, at the time of Ezekiel, there was no king to make an entrance through this gate. Some have argued that this is the hidden meaning behind the instructions that the gate should be opened for the New Moon or New Light. As such, this becomes a Messianic passage looking forward to the day that the Messiah would come, and a New Light would dawn for Israel. And on that day, the esteemed inner East gate of the Ezekiel’s Temple would open to welcome the King.     

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: Ezekiel 47

You are to use accurate scales, an accurate ephah and an accurate bath. – Ezekiel 45:10

Today’s Scripture Reading (June 12, 2017): Ezekiel 45

Have you ever heard the one about the honest used car salesman? He died of loneliness. Okay, bad joke – and before all the used car salesmen start to throw rocks at my blog – please remember that I used to be you. But we also have to admit that certain professions seem to have a natural affinity toward being seen as dishonest (you could add lawyers and real estate agents to the list.) And maybe even with an expectation of dishonesty comes the understanding that it is allowable to be dishonest.

But that has never been God’s understanding. In a time when it was a common practice to shave on the measurements, God said no. Your measurements are to be accurate. Honesty is expected. In the realm of God, there is never a time when dishonesty is the appropriate response.

Yet, sometimes in our lives, it can appear that honesty is too hard to be practiced. We fudge on the little things, lie on our resumes, cheat just a little on our taxes, make excuses to avoid friends  – all in an effort just to get by. We justify it by telling ourselves that everyone does it – the behavior is okay and expected. It is an attitude that needs to change. It is an attitude that says that I am more important than you.

I am convinced that we are designed for community – which means that you are as important as I am. In fact, I need you. Dishonesty is a sin against the community – it will tear us apart. And in the end, the destruction of community weakens me. Community is too important to put at risk.

In whatever you do today, recognize the importance of the community in which you live – and the need to live in an honest manner. It keeps the fabric of our community alive and vibrant. And it honors the God we serve.

Have a great day!

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: Ezekiel 46

But the Levitical priests, who are descendants of Zadok and who guarded my sanctuary when the Israelites went astray from me, are to come near to minister before me; they are to stand before me to offer sacrifices of fat and blood, declares the Sovereign LORD. – Ezekiel 44:15

Today’s Scripture Reading (June 11, 2017): Ezekiel 44

Henry the VIII is probably most remembered for two things – his wives and the separation of the Church of England from the Pope and the Roman Catholic Church. But what we sometimes forget is that before Henry decided to separate from the Roman Catholic Church, Pope Leo X bestowed upon the king the title of “Defender of the Faith.” Henry started off his reign as a devout Catholic. His promotion to defender of the faith was due to his 1521 publication of his “Defence of the Seven Sacraments.” But all of that began to disappear in 1525 as Henry became impatient in his wife’s, Catherine of Aragon, inability to produce for him a male heir. As a result, he began to want to dissolve his marriage with Catherine. 

It was not the first time that the monarchy and the leaders of the faith disagreed with each other. But in this case, the situation between Henry and the Pope was exceedingly complex. For Henry, it is very likely that he believed (or was self-deceived into believing) that his marriage to Catherine, who happened to be the former wife of his brother, was in direct conflict with Leviticus 20:21. Leviticus states that “If a man marries his brother’s wife, it is an act of impurity; he has dishonored his brother. They will be childless.” Therefore, Catherine’s inability to produce a male heir was directly attributable to the sin that existed in the marriage between Henry and Catherine. Henry believed that the Pope had allowed a wedding (incidentally, because of pressure brought on the Pope from Henry) that he did not have the power to approve. But for the papacy, it could not admit that it had been wrong, and there were intense political pressures that wanted to keep Catherine married to Henry. The result was a divide between church and state that could not be healed.

The story of the descendants of Zadok would seem to be the reverse of the story of the Pope and Henry VIII. When Absalom, David’s son, rebelled against David – and it appeared that most of the nation was backing Absalom over the aging David - it was Zadok who supported the king. And according to Ezekiel, the descendants of Zadok continued to support the purposes of God.

And for that reason, Ezekiel decrees that it will be the descendants of Zadok who would continue to minister before God in Ezekiel’s vision of the new Temple. Zadok and his descendants were willing to put their personal biases behind them and simply chase after the things of God – no matter where that path might take them. And as a result, God would continue to reward the faithfulness of the family of Zadok.

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: Ezekiel 45

You are to give a young bull as a sin offering to the Levitical priests of the family of Zadok, who come near to minister before me, declares the Sovereign LORD. – Ezekiel 43:19

Today’s Scripture Reading (June 10, 2017): Ezekiel 43

Money is actually an artificial construct. We are the ones who give meaning to the pieces of paper that we place in our wallets. At one point in history, each piece of paper corresponded to a piece of gold that was stored in the national treasury. In the United States, in the late nineteenth, there was a move to make leave the “gold standard” and move to a more plentiful “silver standard” in an attempt to increase the amount of currency in circulation in the country. But the move failed. Currently, most money is tied to the economy of the nation. So the value of the dollar or pound or yen or (insert your local currency here) floats with the vitality of the economy. And if the economy declines severely, the money in people’s pocket becomes virtually worthless, a fact that is often evidenced by skyrocketing inflation. Money is nothing more than a symbol of the buying power of a particular nation’s economy.

The same applies to the sacrificial system in ancient Israel. While sacrifice was commanded, there was no real value in the blood of an animal. The author of the “Letter to the Hebrews” in the Christian Testament makes this clear. “Those sacrifices are an annual reminder of sins. It is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins” – Hebrews 10:3-4. The sacrifices were mere symbols of a greater spiritual economy of the faith.

So enters Zadok. Zadok was a priest who is thought to be descended from Eleazar, the son of Aaron. Zadok rises to power within the Davidic kingdom because he supports the King during the rebellion that was started by David’s son Absalom. As a result, the High Priest came from the house of Zadok for the next several centuries. Their reign did not come to an end until the advent of the Hasmonean dynasty around 167 B.C.E. The name Zadok meant “righteous, ” and there is evidence that the descendants of Zadok held a high regard among the people of Judah, even to the time of Ezekiel. The descendants of Zadok took a stand against paganism even when those around them succumbed to the temptations of various religions.

So, in Ezekiel’s vision, the family of Zadok is given a unique responsibility. There had been no sacrifice for sin for several years because the Temple had been destroyed. But in the day of Ezekiel’s Temple, the people will bring a bull to the Zadokites, the family of righteousness, to make the sacrifice for sins. The symbol of the blood of the young bull is made complete by the righteousness of the family of Zadok. The imagery is that the righteousness of the priest completes the sacrificial purpose and symbolically takes away the sin of the people.

Of course, as Christians, we understand that we have a High Priest who is righteous and who has also become the sacrifice for us. In the economy of the family of Zadok, the sin offering was a reminder of sin. But the blood of our priest is effectual to forgive our sin and cleanse us from our unrighteousness. We don’t have to depend on the economy of the High Priest to know that we are forgiven. We are forgiven because the perfect High Priest died on our behalf … and rose again to life.

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: Ezekiel 44