Debating God

Then the LORD spoke to Moses, "Go down at once, for your people, whom you brought up from the land of Egypt, have corrupted themselves. They have quickly turned aside from the way which I commanded them. They have made for themselves a molten calf, and have worshiped it and have sacrificed to it and said, 'This is your god, O Israel, who brought you up from the land of Egypt!'" The LORD said to Moses, "I have seen this people, and behold, they are an obstinate people. Now then let Me alone, that My anger may burn against them and that I may destroy them; and I will make of you a great nation." Then Moses entreated the LORD his God, and said, "O LORD, why does Your anger burn against Your people whom You have brought out from the land of Egypt with great power and with a mighty hand? Why should the Egyptians speak, saying, 'With evil intent He brought them out to kill them in the mountains and to destroy them from the face of the earth'? Turn from Your burning anger and change Your mind about doing harm to Your people. Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, Your servants to whom You swore by Yourself, and said to them, 'I will multiply your descendants as the stars of the heavens, and all this land of which I have spoken I will give to your descendants, and they shall inherit it forever.'" So the LORD changed His mind about the harm which He said He would do to His people. (Exodus 32:7-17, NASB)

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You cannot look at this without first considering Moses earlier debate with God. It was in the desert and involved a burning bush. If you recall, that particular debate didn’t turn out so great for Moses. God gave him a directive to go to the king of Egypt and demand the release of His people. Moses came up with excuses and questions at every turn. He didn’t know what God’s name was, so God told him his name – I AM THAT I AM. Moses didn’t speak well and would fumble the words. God referred him to his own silver-tongued brother Aaron who would act as his mouthpiece. Moses flat out begged God to send somebody else. God humbled Moses and sent him off to Egypt.

Now, many years have passed. God and Moses have just spoken on the mountain and God has given Moses the tablets of the law. Moses had to be on an absolute spiritual high, likely the highest of his life to that point. And then it happens. Moses comes down from the mountain and the debauchery of the people comes into full view. God is absolutely disgusted with them and is threatening to wipe them out and start again with Moses. Showing years of wisdom beyond that we can imagine, Moses engages God in a debate of sorts. His basic premise is not all that surprising, but his opening argument seems rather odd. Moses basically asks God, “If you do this, what will the neighbors think?”

We are never forbidden to engage God. The call to obedience is not the same as giving over our free will. Our approach and the outcome may vary greatly (look at the two attempts Moses made), but God isn’t looking for a bunch of robots. He wants men and women who have learned and studied His heart to the point they can engage Him and grow. Yes, we are to completely trust what God does. I’m sure Moses would have accepted God’s verdict if He had carried out His statement and wiped out the children of Israel. But I don’t believe that was the point of this exchange at all.

I believe the point was to reinforce in Moses the proper way to approach the I AM and engage Him in a way that brings the servant closer to the Master. It isn’t about refusing to do something God asks, but rather about a deeper understanding of what hurts our Father’s heart and grieves Him. In understanding that and going through a productive and proper “debate” we can grow into the men and women God can use in incredible ways to further His kingdom and His cause. Just look at Moses. After his debate with God, he continued to shepherd the people onward to their promised home. To be certain, it was a crooked path, but God lead the whole time.

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1. Have you ever had occasion to “debate” with God? What were the circumstances that resulted in that exchange?
2. Do you view this activity as dishonoring to God, or do you believe there are times when it is a good and necessary part of the struggle to grow in our walk with Him?
3. How had Moses grown between his first discussion with God and this one? Are you, like Moses was, truly out to protect God’s reputation?

NASB - Scripture taken from the NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE®, Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by the Lockman Foundation. Used by permission.

How God Treats His Friends

One day when the angels came to report to God, Satan, who was the Designated Accuser, came along with them. God singled out Satan and said, "What have you been up to?" Satan answered God, "Going here and there, checking things out on earth." God said to Satan, "Have you noticed my friend Job? There's no one quite like him—honest and true to his word, totally devoted to God and hating evil." Satan retorted, "So do you think Job does all that out of the sheer goodness of his heart? Why, no one ever had it so good! You pamper him like a pet, make sure nothing bad ever happens to him or his family or his possessions, bless everything he does—he can't lose! "But what do you think would happen if you reached down and took away everything that is his? He'd curse you right to your face, that's what." God replied, "We'll see. Go ahead—do what you want with all that is his. Just don't hurt him." Then Satan left the presence of God. (Job 1:6-12, The Message)

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I still recall the first time I read Eugene Peterson’s perspective of Job. I had read the story before (not to mention heard it over again from the time I was “knee high”), but never had I see the story told in this light. God counted Job as a friend, and a faithful one at that. Yet, as we know all too well, the book continues to recount event after event that brings only misery and devastation. His family is taken, his livelihood disappears, he is stricken with physical affliction, and he finds himself accused by those he considered his own close friends. I don’t know about you, but seeing that God “allowed” it to happen makes me wonder a bit.

In another account, God has so much trust and fondness for one of His prophets that He gives him a special task. He tells Hosea to go marry a prostitute, have children with her, and name them Nobody and No Mercy. Again, quite a story when you look at Hosea’s record of service to God. In our humanness, we might very well be more than a little stunned. I’ll admit, I find it a bit difficult to take and I’m not sure I could step up to this challenge or the one put to God’s friend Job. Both just seem too much to bear.

These accounts happened so long ago, we might be likely to put them in a “softer light” and just count them as lessons specifically chronicled in the Bible four our edification. They certainly occurred, but perhaps things don’t happen in quite that way anymore, right? I mean, does God still require so much of His friends and servants?

Consider the case of Charlie with me. Charlie served God faithfully as a missionary and pastor for many years. Charlie has a son my age that I have gotten to know better in the past couple of years. I had only begun to know Charlie when he began to lose his mind. My most vivid memory of him stems from a missions conference at my church where he provided the translation to the Vietnamese congregation worshipping with us that day. Since that time, Charlie now struggles to put together many words or coherent streams of thought. When I asked somebody how God could let this happen to Charlie, the reply was “Maybe because Charlie can handle it.” Charlie’s son told me “Maybe it’s because Mom can take it.”

Another man about my age, a man who was active and athletic, found he had a degenerative hip disorder. Though not yet forty when this came about, his activity began to be limited and that included curbing his soccer and running. Paul could have been very upset and bitter (I’m not sure I wouldn’t be). I’m sure his human perspective was ready to lash out at God for doing this. But as he watched his wife start off on a local mini-marathon, one he could no longer participate in, God laid a song on his heart and Paul penned the words “The next time I run, it will be to the arms of my Savior.” The words to that song blessed me when I lost my brother Mike several years later.

So all this has me thinking that maybe I shouldn’t question God’s actions so readily. Maybe I need to trust Him a little more to take good care of His friends and servants in ways that I cannot begin to imagine. And maybe I need to recognize once again that the path I am walking is crooked and things like Charlie, Paul, Hosea, and Job deal with are meant to bring strength and a deeper devotion to the God who has walked the path ahead of me. After all, nothing escapes His watchful eye, and that brings me comfort.

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1. Have you personally felt God’s friendship in a way such as Job or Hosea felt it? How deep is your trust in God’s grace to sustain you even when your world doesn’t make sense to you?
2. Do you look to your own strength when things “turn against you,” or have you developed a keen sense of God’s presence in your life?
3. Does the story of Job strike a personal chord with you? Do you find yourself marveling at what God required of Hosea? Are you willing to take the next step on the crooked path fully assured that God has walked it forwards and backwards before you and has promised never to leave your side? How can that faith change your outlook on your life and circumstances?

The Message – Scripture taken from The Message. Copyright © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002. Used by permission of NavPress Publishing Group.

Full Bellies and Forgetful Minds

When you have eaten and are satisfied, praise the Lord your God for the good land he has given you. Be careful that you do not forget the Lord your God, failing to observe his commands, his laws and his decrees that I am giving you this day. Otherwise, when you eat and are satisfied, when you build fine houses and settle down, and when your herds and flocks grow large and your silver and gold increase and all you have is multiplied, then your heart will become proud and you will forget the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery. He led you through the vast and dreadful desert, that thirsty and waterless land, with its venomous snakes and scorpions. He brought you water out of hard rock. He gave you manna to eat in the desert, something your fathers had never known, to humble and to test you so that in the end it might go well with you. You may say to yourself, “My power and the strength of my hands have produced this wealth for me.” But remember the Lord your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth, and so confirms his covenant, which he swore to your forefathers, as it is today. (Deuteronomy 8:10-18, NIV)

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God had clearly done a miraculous thing for His chosen people. He had wrenched the hearts of the Egyptians until they begged them to leave and provided them with all they could possibly need for the journey. God had been infinitely patient with them as they repeatedly whined and complained in the desert. He had provided food and water, shelter and protection, leadership and guidance. He had given His Law along with an intricate system of social welfare that would ensure none of the Israelites would go wanting as long as He was left in charge.

After Israel thumbed their collective noses at God in Numbers, He caused the older generation to continue wandering while preparing the younger generation to finally enter the Promised Land. The book of Deuteronomy is a restatement of the Levitical law and covenant. In what we have as chapter eight, God reminds the people of the need to be obedient, especially given that their lives were about to change for the better. They would have a great deal of permanence where before they had only the transient. As their society grew and prospered, the warning went out to remain true lest they experience God’s judgment. In fact, if I read the passage literally, it seems as much a prophecy as it does a warning. And the historical account we read bears out that prophecy in spades.

So here I sit, in my own land of plenty. I have a nice house, a good job, and a great church family. I struggle with contentment issues just as much as any man, but still I will admit I am successful by most standards. In fact, as I write this particular segment it is Thanksgiving and we are preparing for the traditional family meal and remembrance of all we have. But (and you knew there was a “but” coming) how do I stack up against the Israelites?

If I face myself honestly, I am guilty of the same neglect. My belly is often full, my house is warm (or cool), and I don’t have to deny myself much of anything. While I am not rich, I certainly am well enough off that I don’t have to go begging for my daily bread. And in my state of satiation, I don’t think about the God who provided it all nearly as often as I should. I tend to attribute my house and provisions to the job that feeds my bank account. I attribute my health to clean sources of water, sanitary living conditions, and decent medical care. I call myself generally “happy” without usually acknowledging the true source of Joy in my life.

Oh, I’ll break with the norm and give thanks today, but will I make a habit out of thanking God as the true Provider of all? Can I possibly learn the lessons taught to the Israelites, especially since they had the opportunity to learn them over and over and over again? Am I willing to challenge my state of satiation and truly seek after the One from Whom all blessings flow?

May God convict me of my apathy and wrong thinking. May He be as patient with me as he was with the children of Israel so long ago. As I sit in my house, my car, my office, or my church, may I be prompted to ever give thanks and praise to the Lord. And may my prayer always be that I will not grow complacent because of what I have, but humbled because of what He has done. My path is crooked enough without me forgetting the One who is my constant Guide and Provider. I don’t need to pretend I walk alone.

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1. When is the last time you truly gave thanks to God for everything He has provided? Do you feel truly rich because of it?
2. Are you guilty of having a full belly and a forgetful mind? Are you willing to challenge yourself to think about it in a different way and ask those around you to hold you accountable?
3. Do you have a spirit of thanksgiving even when things don’t seem to be going as you would like them to go? Do you need to remember that God is still God and that nothing happens without His knowledge?

NIV - Scripture taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved.

Living in the Orphanage, Advantage ... Me!

I have said all these things to you to keep you from falling away. They will put you out of the synagogues. Indeed, the hour is coming when whoever kills you will think he is offering service to God. And they will do these things because they have not known the Father, nor me. But I have said these things to you, that when their hour comes you may remember that I told them to you. I did not say these things to you from the beginning, because I was with you. But now I am going to him who sent me, and none of you asks me, “Where are you going?” But because I have said these things to you, sorrow has filled your heart. Nevertheless, I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you. And when he comes, he will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment: concerning sin, because they do not believe in me; concerning righteousness, because I go to the Father, and you will see me no longer; concerning judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged. I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. He will glorify me, for he will take what is mine and declare it to you. All that the Father has is mine; therefore I said that he will take what is mine and declare it to you. (John 16:1-15, ESV)

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I have lately come to see the final “sermon” of Jesus to His disciples as a bookend to His earlier offering from Matthew 5-7 (the Sermon on the Mount). In the former, He told His disciples and the others gathered around about a Kingdom that could be theirs. The point of entry was low, so low that in fact the seeming dregs of society were the ones who qualified. You needed to be beaten down, scorned, and have little to no sense of self-worth. Possessing this (which really meant possessing nothing) you were uniquely qualified to be a part of this new Kingdom.

Jesus spent the next couple of years walking His followers through a multitude of teaching all meant to point them to their Heavenly Father and this Kingdom which was yet to come. Many, if not most, of the followers believed their Messiah had come and they would play a role in this new Kingdom. The only problem was, they thought it had come right then in a temporal, political way. They couldn’t look much farther than their oppression by the Romans at the time and they thought Jesus had come to reclaim the throne in Jerusalem.

Now, nearing the end of His time with them physically, Jesus has broken the news that He is leaving. The Disciples are confused and bewildered (as noted in an earlier writing). Their path has never seemed as crooked as it did at that moment. Then, just when they thought their confusion had reached the limit, He tells them of another Comforter He is sending. This Comforter will not “take His place” in the same physical manner, but will lead the disciples to a new level of understanding the Kingdom. He lays out the tasks of the Spirit and tells them it is actually to their advantage that He leaves and sends the Comforter. And, while they might be at their most bewildered state now, if we skip ahead to Acts chapter 2, we see just what the Spirit brings.

Often in my past, I’ve struggled with the role of the Spirit. I was raised in a conservative manner, so it almost seems like the Spirit took on a lesser role among the other Persons of the Trinity (at least to me). I was raised to believe the “sign gifts” that others practiced were not what the Bible taught and were certainly not the work of the Spirit. While this is not intended to be a debate about the Trinity, I will say the teaching of my upbringing was at least partially right. The Spirit, according to John 16, has a much greater work to do in the world and in my life.

Christ told his disciples that their advantage was much greater with the Spirit and without His temporal presence. The Spirit would teach them things they could not possibly understand in their current state. The Spirit would bring conviction to the world at large. The Spirit would provide a level of comfort they could not imagine and they were soon to be in a position where they would need that above all else. Their life in the orphanage and walking the crooked path was not going to be easy by any definition. What it was going to be was bearable and instructive. The Spirit would teach them and everything they learned would bring glory to the Son and the Father.

Perhaps we can all take heart in the words of that final sermon from Jesus. He did not stay on earth with us, but He does provide a level of comfort and learning beyond anything we have experienced to date. Praise God that Jesus returned to Heaven to finish preparing the Kingdom. And thank God for the Spirit who teaches and comforts in a way nobody else can. As I walk the crooked path, that is a great security to me.

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1. Have you thought lately about the work of the Spirit in your life? Have you felt His presence and the unique comfort only He can bring?
2. Do you feel privileged and advantaged that Jesus left the disciples and sent the Spirit? Can you see the work of the Spirit the world around you?
3. Do you find yourself wishing the Kingdom was here on earth now, or are you content to live as an adopted child and learn by the teaching of the Spirit?

ESV - Scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version, Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Yet Another Loaf

And He left them, and getting into the boat again, departed to the other side. Now the disciples had forgotten to take bread, and they did not have more than one loaf with them in the boat. Then He charged them, saying, “Take heed, beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and the leaven of Herod.” And they reasoned among themselves, saying, “It is because we have no bread.” But Jesus, being aware of it, said to them, “Why do you reason because you have no bread? Do you not yet perceive nor understand? Is your heart still hardened? Having eyes, do you not see? And having ears, do you not hear? And do you not remember? When I broke the five loaves for the five thousand, how many baskets full of fragments did you take up?” They said to Him, “Twelve.” “Also, when I broke the seven for the four thousand, how many large baskets full of fragments did you take up?” And they said, “Seven.” So He said to them, “How is it you do not understand?” (Mark 8:13-21, NKJV)

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If we can safely assume that the Gospels are presented to us in chronological order (and I believe we can based on this passage and other reading), then I have come to the conclusion that the disciples were not just ignorant or slow, they were just plain dense. They had been first-hand witnesses to miracles, signs, and wonders since the wedding at Cana. They were willing to forgo their careers, meager as some were, to follow an itinerant rabbi from a backwards village in an extremely rural (read “unsophisticated”) province. Given that experience, you would think a little thing like limited resources while out on the lake wouldn’t faze them in the least.

Yet, we find the disciples and Jesus coming off another tiring round of meeting the needs of people and interacting with the Pharisees. Everyone, once again, wanting something from Jesus and giving little to no thought about ministering to Him. So the haggard band has escaped in one of their boats for a little trip on the lake.

You can just imagine how this plays out if you try. They shove off from shore for some other point across the lake and one of them says “Did you bring anything to eat?” They rummage through their limited collection of stuff and find they have only one small barley loaf among them. Jesus is still focused on His latest encounter with the Pharisees. He warns His disciples to guard their hearts and minds against the watered-down and altered religious teaching of the day and the pervasive nature and trap of politics. His warning speaks of avoiding “leaven”, symbolically the tendency to let something small sink in and grow until it permeates the entire loaf (or life in this case).

For whatever reason, the disciples miss Jesus’ point again and focus on themselves. They are still hungry (physically) and think the Master is talking to them because they have been discussing the lack of bread in the boat. Jesus, ever the patient Teacher, holds a brief history lesson, harkening back to the two great crowd feedings and the spread of leftovers that were a result of His miraculous provision of food for the crowd. His focus turns just a bit sterner as I read it when He asks, “How is it you do not understand?”

I’ll admit I chuckled as I read this passage a few times. While none of the twelve is presented as a scholar (they appear to run a fairly wide range of training), we have to think they would have “gotten it” by now. And, while I accuse them of being dense, I have to admit I’m often not a whole lot better at accepting God’s basic provision for me.

In our hurried and harried society, few of us truly know want or even delayed gratification. Certainly, we wouldn’t be found with a group of our friends on a trip saying “Did anybody pack lunch?” And even if we did, there is a food stop at the next exit. And while we will attend church and other functions regularly, we often forget the intimate nature of God providing for all our needs. In doing so, we open the gate for that leaven Jesus warns of in this passage. Once the gate is opened, other concerns rush in and grow until we have difficulty truly accepting just how real God’s promise to provide can be.
So while I accuse those disciples of being dense, how much more dense am I, especially given the fact that I have so much more revealed to me? May God help all of us to avoid troubling ourselves over the small stuff (or the big stuff for that matter) and rest in His provision for our well being. In doing so, perhaps we can pay better attention to the leaven and root it out before it has a chance to grow into something much bigger and more difficult to deal with. God knows about our crooked path and He will always make the proper provision for the journey.

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1. When is the last time you took the opportunity to focus on God’s promise of provision for you? How well does that promise, especially in its most practical sense, connect with you?
2. Have you gone on a “leaven hunt” recently? What have you found and what have you done about it?
3. In our world of instant availability, do you find it difficult (or even unnecessary) to wait on God’s provision? How does this impact your guard against the leaven of the world and your ability to avoid it?

NKJV - Scripture taken from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Of Water, Well, and Promises

The Lord gave me another message. He said, “Go and shout this message to Jerusalem.” This is what the Lord says: “I remember how eager you were to please me as a young bride long ago, how you loved me and followed me even through the barren wilderness. In those days Israel was holy to the Lord, the first of his children. All who harmed his people were declared guilty, and disaster fell on them. I, the Lord, have spoken! … Has any nation ever traded its gods for new ones, even though they are not gods at all? Yet my people have exchanged their glorious God for worthless idols! The heavens are shocked at such a thing and shrink back in horror and dismay,” says the Lord. “For my people have done two evil things: they have abandoned me - the fountain of living water. And they have dug for themselves cracked cisterns that can hold no water at all!” Jeremiah 2:1-3, 11-13, NLT)

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How often do we take water for granted? If you’ve spent any time at all in an extended drought, maybe you think about it more, but I’d wager that you stop doing that once the drought eases. Whether we are on municipally supplied water or have our own well source, water is a basic necessity of life that we sometimes seem to think “just comes out of the faucet like magic” whenever we want it.

Throughout the Bible, water is a symbol of life and blessing, most specifically blessing that comes from God. In the Garden of Eden, God provided water for all life using some sort of dew or vapor. While the water in Noah’s flood was a source of punishment and destruction in that instance, it went on to represent God’s provision of life (Moses and the children of Israel) and His blessing (Elijah on Mt. Carmel).

So, when God, speaking through Jeremiah, accuses His people of digging out alternate cisterns to gather other blessings, I’d say He is taking the matter pretty seriously. Israel was again in the depths of betrayal and rebellion. Though they had pledged their undying love to Him in the beginning, they had willfully strayed time and time again to pursue other gods. God had promised to always protect and provide, but they said “No thanks!” and moved on to do it their own way.

We, in the 21st century are nothing like those Israelites, right? Then again, maybe we should read Jeremiah’s words again and do some self-examination to see just how much we actually rely on God’s provision. Oh, He’ll still give it and we will gain some benefit, but we end up trying to “supplement” what He gives with something else. We willfully dig our own wells and cisterns to catch things of our own design, all the while ignoring the Living Water.

I’m just as guilty as the rest when it comes to this point. We all are. Somehow, we’ve gotten the mistaken idea that God “expects” us to do these things – to provide for ourselves. After all, He gave us our minds and our talents. Why wouldn’t he expect us to use them? Nothing could be less Biblical, correct, or appropriate. Yes, God may have blessed us, but He expects us to rely on Him. And that includes His timing and source of provision as well.

It has long been said that those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it. This really isn’t any different. Our hearts have the same independent bent that ruled the Israelites and we tend to make the same mistakes. It’s funny, really, when you think of how many examples are provided to us that we can learn from. Maybe we can change our perspective and actually adjust our own attitudes. After all, the crooked path is much easier to travel when my Father is holding my hand. And His water ALWAYS tastes better than what I can find on my own.

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1. When was the last time you turned to God for direction and provision when there wasn’t a crisis either brewing or already at hand?
2. Do you have promises you’ve made to God that you need to go back and revisit? Are you willing to examine and renew them?
3. Are you guilty of digging your own well and searching for water other than what God has provided? If so, what are you doing about stopping that action and returning to drink deeply of the Living Water?

NLT - Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright 1996, 2004. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved.

My Appointment Calendar

Even the first plan required a death to set it in motion. After Moses had read out all the terms of the plan of the law—God's "will"—he took the blood of sacrificed animals and, in a solemn ritual, sprinkled the document and the people who were its beneficiaries. And then he attested its validity with the words, "This is the blood of the covenant commanded by God." He did the same thing with the place of worship and its furniture. Moses said to the people, "This is the blood of the covenant God has established with you." Practically everything in a will hinges on a death. That's why blood, the evidence of death, is used so much in our tradition, especially regarding forgiveness of sins… Everyone has to die once, then face the consequences. Christ's death was also a one-time event, but it was a sacrifice that took care of sins forever. And so, when he next appears, the outcome for those eager to greet him is, precisely, salvation. Hebrews 9:18-22, 27-28, The Message)

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Our planners, calendars, electronic devices, and such seem to house (and control) much of our lives. We put the smallest details in them as a reminder of something we have to do, somewhere we have to go, or someone we need to catch up with. We do this in a host of different ways, but we all share one thing in common. There is an appointment we will keep that is not on our schedules.

Back when I was in a college speech class, I chose the poem “I Have a Rendezvous with Death” by American poet Alan Seeger for one of my many projects. A couple of decades later, I still remember key elements from that poem, mostly about dying in war. Seeger talks about how Death might come in one form or another, on a deserted battlefield, in a burning town, and in any one of the four seasons. But the most poignant line is that with which he chooses to close the brief poem. Seeger simply writes, “And I to my pledged word am true, I shall not fail that rendezvous.”

This reading is inspired by my late brother Mike, whose thoughts and writings planted the seed for the entire devotional in the first place. He had a book inside him that was trying to come out, but he ran out of time. Now, we all knew Mike would die, but we didn’t know when. So as the day dawned one Sunday in November 2000, we went about our business in one part of the country as we were accustomed to do. Meanwhile, God was gently but firmly calling Mike to his final home out of his place in the orphanage. The calls started back and forth that afternoon, ironically as we celebrated the first birthday of my youngest daughter. Before long, the final call came that Mike had slipped away into eternity with our Father God and Divine Brother Jesus. You see, we had the date on the calendar, just not for that particular event.

The writer of Hebrews notes that none of this should take us by surprise. God has always required a death to satisfy the penalty for our sin. He never promised us we would attain eternal life while we still reside in the mortal world. And, with the most notable exception of Jesus, everyone who has died in this world has stayed dead (even those who had to die twice like Lazarus). Paul clearly states in Romans that death is our paycheck for life in this sinful orphanage.

But the good news comes in the phrase that concludes the announcement of our impending death in Hebrews. Christ (as a man) died as well, but He did it in a way that makes our death a passage out of the orphanage and into a new Heavenly home. All those deaths and blood sacrifices required by Mosaic Law were only a picture of what would come. And not a single one of those animals ever stood back up on the altar and walked away. No, while their deaths were a necessary requirement, they were not the ultimate, full payment. That only happened in Christ.
I harbor no delusions of immortality. I’ve experienced too much death in family and friends around me to be tricked into that. I know I have some control over my mortality, and I do take the necessary steps to make sure I don’t fall victim to physical illnesses. But that doesn’t change the end game one bit. It is still a crooked path I travel and, barring the return of Jesus, I have an appointment on my calendar to die at the end of my journey. That is one appointment I will keep one way or another. I just thank God that Jesus’ death makes my own a passage rather than a payment.

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1. Have you thought about your own appointment calendar lately? Have you considered the “missing” entry that you cannot avoid?
2. If we truly believe that everyone will die (barring Jesus’ return for Christians), how should it make us live and face the world around us?
3. When did you last pass on the Good News about Jesus’ death and how it changes our own deaths from payments to passages? What keeps you from doing it?

The Message – Scripture taken from The Message. Copyright © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002. Used by permission of NavPress Publishing Group.