Prepare The Way

Luke 1:68-79

68 “Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel, because he has come to his people and redeemed them.69 He has raised up a horn[a] of salvation for us in the house of his servant David70 (as he said through his holy prophets of long ago),71 salvation from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us—72 to show mercy to our ancestors and to remember his holy covenant,73 the oath he swore to our father Abraham:74 to rescue us from the hand of our enemies, and to enable us to serve him without fear75in holiness and righteousness before him all our days.

76 And you, my child, will be called a prophet of the Most High; for you will go on before the Lord to prepare the way for him,77 to give his people the knowledge of salvation through the forgiveness of their sins, 78 because of the tender mercy of our God, by which the rising sun will come to us from heaven79 to shine on those living in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the path of peace.”

Good morning. Earlier this week we celebrated a most crucial chapter in the unfolding of God’s redemptive story, and that is the moment God took on human flesh in the birth of Jesus Christ. I’m sure by now all of us know the Nativity story frontwards and backwards. I’m also confident that all of us understand the reasons why we celebrate this miraculous event and how it impacts of our faith.     

And yet this Christmas season I believe it is important to ask, how much do we comprehend about the painstaking groundwork God undertook centuries before so that the baby Jesus might rest in his manger? Are we able to appreciate the meticulous preparation God oversaw so that one day the baby Jesus might lead all of us to follow him along the path of peace?

Thankfully God’s people possess texts like Lk 1 that help us to better recognize the ancient beginnings of God’s saving work and at the same time make us even more grateful for the glorious future that God’s redemptive toil secured when Jesus took his first breath. 

While many in the Bible struggled with grasping the breadth and depth of God’s great rescue effort, Lk 1 makes it clear that John the Baptist’s father, Zechariah, was not one of them. With the birth of his son in Lk 1, Zechariah’s song portends the future with clarity and confidence.

Whatever doubt or mystery that existed in Zechariah prior to Lk 1 was now gone and in its place an unshakable hope remained. Incidentally, I absolutely adore how Zechariah reacts to the birth of his son.  Is there any more authentic response to the birth of one’s child than to sing?

But what exactly is Lk 1 certain of? First, Lk 1 is steadfast in its belief that the prophets helped to lay down the foundation of God’s liberating scheme centuries before the birth of Jesus. Though beaten regularly and martyred frequently, Lk 1 acknowledges that it was the prophets who nurtured the hope of a Messiah even when all seemed lost. According to Lk 1, John the Baptist would use this long-standing hope to shape his message that Jesus would come into the world to not only save us from our enemies, but to save us from ourselves as well.

Second, Lk 1 is resolute in its conviction that the origins of God’s mercy appeared long before the birth of Jesus. Lk 1 puts forth the idea that God’s mercy is found in God’s memory. As Abraham had been promised, Lk 1 proclaims that God does not remember the sins of the righteous, but instead chooses to remember His promises. Moreover, Lk 1 asserts that God does permit His promises to go unfulfilled, nor does He allow His oaths to fade.   

Finally, Lk 1 is unyielding in its commitment to preparing the way for Christ’s arrival.  Before encountering Lk 1, I confess that my perception of Christ’s arrival stopped at the manger. After reading Lk 1, however, I have come to see that Christ’s arrival is not an isolated event. Rather, Lk 1 persuades me to believe that Christ arrives every time we choose forgiveness over revenge. Lk 1 convinces me that Christ appears any moment we select mercy over retaliation. Lk 1 teaches me that Christ emerges each instance we pick peace over violence.

So this Christmas season may we do what we can to see to it that Christ arrives more than once a year. And of course, when it comes to leading the world onto the path of peace, may it be God’s people who prepare the way.

CJE

Like The Stars

Genesis 15:1-6

After this, the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision:

“Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your very great reward.”

2 But Abram said, “Sovereign Lord, what can you give me since I remain childless and the one who will inherit[c] my estate is Eliezer of Damascus?” 3 And Abram said, “You have given me no children; so a servant in my household will be my heir.”

4 Then the word of the Lord came to him: “This man will not be your heir, but a son who is your own flesh and blood will be your heir.” 5 He took him outside and said, “Look up at the sky and count the stars—if indeed you can count them.” Then he said to him, “So shall your offspring[d] be.”

6 Abram believed the Lord, and he credited it to him as righteousness.

Good morning. I love camping. This year I was fortunate enough to make four camping trips. The setting up of the tent, building of the fire, exploring trails near the campsite, and the taste of fresh percolator coffee in the morning serve to fill my spirit in ways that work and luxuries cannot. My most favorite aspect of camping comes at night when I get the chance to see a thousand more stars than I could being at home.

According the most scientists, there exist approximately 100 billion stars in our Milky Way galaxy. In the years to come I intend to seek out even greater views of the stars. Whether it be camping under the skies of the Natural Bridges National Monument in Utah, or near the Nambung National Park located outside of Perth, Australia. And what a site it must be to look out over Sagarmatha National Park in Nepal, where the stars hang over Mount Everest.

Throughout history, stars held many different uses in the world. Long ago mariners on their clipper ships relied on the stars to navigate themselves across the seas, while runaway slaves depended on the North Star to lead them to freedom. Though I'm not quite sure how it works, others look to the stars in hopes their horoscope might portend some good fortune. 

For myself, I recently discovered yet more purposes for the stars in stumbling upon Gen 15. In the opening verses of Gen 15, we learn that God brings out the stars to greet our anxieties with assurances. By pointing to the stars in Gen 15, we find God responds to our doubts with certainties. Even when we express our denials, Gen 15 describes how the stars appear to proclaim God's promises. 

While the stars appear bright and magnificent in the passage, Gen 15 draws its strength and purpose from the word of the Lord. For the word of the Lord does not keep its distance in Gen 15, but instead draws close enough for us to hear it. According to Gen 15, the word of the Lord seeks not to cause us distress or harm, but rather comes to help and protect. Gen 15 portrays the word of the Lord not bent on handing out punishments, but intent on bestowing rewards. 

Like all of the Bible, I appreciate so much the honesty of Gen 15. Gen 15 does not obscure the reality of "childless" moments when all of us can feel like we are totally alone. Gen 15 does not elude the genuine frustration in times when it feels like strangers receive blessings intended for us. Gen 15 does not hide the despair that comes from instances when all seems lost. 

However, it is precisely when all seems lost that Gen 15 instructs us to tilt our eyes to the stars. Gen 15 tells us that we are not destined to remain isolated. Instead, Gen 15 promises to overwhelm our loneliness with the company of blessings so plentiful that they will match the number of stars in the sky. Gen 15 teaches us that to trust such promises is not a sign of naivety. Rather,  Gen 15 affirms that to put one's faith in such promises is a mark of righteousness. 

On the night before he was murdered, MLK, Jr. said, "...But I know, somehow, that only when it is dark enough can you see the stars..." Well it is not hard to recognize the dark realities we face living in this chaotic world. However, may all of us this week turn to God's word for courage in the face of our uncertainty. May all of us this week seek the company of God's promises for comfort in the depths of our despondency.  Even in the midst of our adversity, may all of us this week not lose sight of God's blessings and our hope that they will number like the stars. 

CJE

Happy Birthday Marcus

Good morning. Well with only Christmas left to get through, today marks the home stretch of my annual emotional marathon. My brother, Marcus, would have been 35 years-old today, but a ridiculous car door deemed it ok to stop his birthdays at 27. Rather than giving into frustration or bitterness, I thought I would would share my closing remarks from the 7th Annual Hope Film Series held just a couple weeks a ago.

If you have not attended before, the Hope Film Series represents the sole fundraising effort for the Marcus Ewing Memorial Fund as it supports Shiloh’s HI-DEF mentoring program for children residing in New York City. While donations are still coming in, this year gracious donors attending the Hope Film Series raised over $5,000.00. 

At the end of the film, I concluded the event by talking the man whose name inspires support the work of the HI-DEF mentoring program. Of course, I am talking about my brother, Marcus Ewing. I can think of no greater conundrum than to answer the question, who is Marcus Ewing? An even better brain exercise would have to be the question, how would you describe Marcus Ewing?

Honestly, my first thought was this, Marcus Ewing is ridiculous. While we all can admit to our own fits of crazy, there are moments when being with Marcus made you feel better about your irrational fears and behaviors. Whether it be watching him walk down the shampoo isle at the grocery smelling each bottle until he found a scent he felt best described him. Or him slapping me in the face with a piece of pizza in hotel room in Washington D.C.. 

So again I say, Marcus Ewing is ridiculous. Of course, Marcus is much more than his episodes of ridiculousness. As their defender and encourager, Marcus Ewing has stayed a father figure to several young men and women in New York City. As her husband, Marcus Ewing still holds a special place deep in Adrienne’s heart. As their son, Marcus Ewing continues to make his parents proud by his accomplishments. As my baby brother, Marcus Ewing remains my best friend.

And though he can’t be here, Marcus Ewing and his work continue to serve as a call to action especially when it comes to the supporting the education of little girls and promoting the edification of young women as depicted in this year's film . The era of inaction to secure justice for women victimized by every kind of assault imaginable has lasted long enough. The age of indecision to procure equal pay for women being compensated less while producing more has worn out its welcome. Now is the time to act.

Now is the time for fathers with daughters to petition law makers to make certain male assailants serve more than 3-month prison terms for violating women. Now is the time for grandfathers with granddaughters to demand employers provide identical compensation for identical experience and achievement.

Both in his fashion choices and his beliefs, Marcus Ewing did not bend to social norms or to the status quo. He did not yield to society’s notion that the children born in New York City were doomed to misfortune. Marcus Ewing refused to concede to society’s idea that a child’s access to a great education depended on affordability or genealogy. Instead, Marcus committed his life to the premise that is at the foundation of the HI-DEF mentoring program. And that premise is that just because that’s the way it is doesn’t mean that’s the way is has to say.

So when we donate to the Marcus Ewing Memorial Fund, we help HI-DEF in its effort to provide an occasion for young girls to find their refuge so as to disrupt the normalcy of assault.  We aid HI-DEF in its desire to offer an opportunity for young girls to discover their worth so as to interrupt the routine of degradation. We support HI-DEF in its hope to supply a chance for young girls to learn their purpose so as to disturb the rut of subjugation.

And yet Marcus also wanted the young boys and girls of HI-DEF to realize that there existed a force more powerful than education capable of upending conventional norms.  Sure one could achieve much good as a lawyer exonerating those falsely accused, but only in the love of Christ did Marcus believe one could pray for those who persecute you.  

Yeah one would achieve a lot as a doctor treating the sick, but only in the love of Christ did Marcus find one would be able to overcome evil with good. Yeah Marcus did much to better the lives of the kids and parents he worked with, but only in the love of Christ did Marcus trust that he would come to know life not with its beginning and endings, but a life now that will always be. 

Happy Birthday Marcus.

CJE

On A Pilgrimage

Psalm 84

1 How lovely is your dwelling place, Lord Almighty!2 My soul yearns, even faints, for the courts of the Lord; my heart and my flesh cry out for the living God.3 Even the sparrow has found a home, and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may have her young—a place near your altar, Lord Almighty, my King and my God. 4 Blessed are those who dwell in your house; they are ever praising you.[c]5 Blessed are those whose strength is in you, whose hearts are set on pilgrimage.6 As they pass through the Valley of Baka, they make it a place of springs; the autumn rains also cover it with pools.[d7 They go from strength to strength, till each appears before God in Zion.

8 Hear my prayer, Lord God Almighty; listen to me, God of Jacob.9 Look on our shield,[e] O God; look with favor on your anointed one. 10 Better is one day in your courts than a thousand elsewhere; I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of the wicked.11 For the Lord God is a sun and shield; the Lord bestows favor and honor; no good thing does he withhold from those whose walk is blameless. 12 Lord Almighty, blessed is the one who trusts in you. 

Good morning. It's hard to believe that Thanksgiving is next week. I'm sure schools will not miss the opportunity to showcase Thanksgiving reenactments performed by their students dressed as Pilgrims. While the image of a pilgrim holds great significance for those students wanting to understanding their nation's history, it serves even greater purpose for those believers trying to comprehend their identity in God's kingdom.

As pilgrims, those who boarded the Mayflower took it upon themselves to leave their homes and journey to a foreign land.  One cannot understate the difficultly, nor underestimate the fear of deciding to leave behind everything familiar and head for a place to which one had no understanding or connection. 

 And yet the difficult journey into the unknown is worth the risk for the pilgrim. For the pilgrim does not wander aimlessly, but instead plans his or her pilgrimage with a specific destination in mind. While the Pilgrims in the Thanksgiving story had their hearts set on the New World, Psalm 84 invites all believers to journey to a place more wonderful and glorious than anything our imaginations can formulate.  

Psalm 84 sends out the pilgrim not for some massive rock resting on the shoreline, but rather for the dwelling place of the Lord Almighty. I don't know about you, but I am profoundly convicted by the opening verses of Psalm 84. How many times a week does my soul yearn for the courts of the Lord? How many times a day does my heart and my flesh cry out for the living God? Has my zeal for the Lord ever caused me to pass out? 

Psalm 84 convinces the pilgrim that the blessings awaiting at the house of the Lord far outweigh any possible threat or danger one may encounter along the way. Upon reaching its destination, Psalm 84 encourages the pilgrim to fill the house of the Lord with unending praise for the strength God gives to all who risk loss and suffering to arrive at His door. Even if for a time the journey passes through arid valleys of desolation, Psalm 84 persuades the pilgrim to trust that eventually the drenching autumn rains will quench his or her thirst. Consequently, Psalm 84 declares that the longer the journey the stronger the pilgrim becomes. 

Even if only for one day, Psalm 84 urges the pilgrim to forsake the thousand distractions in their life so he or she might experience life in the courts of the Lord.  Even if the only lodging available was on the Lord's doorstep, Psalm 84 presses the pilgrim to reject the spacious accommodations of the wicked. Even when all seems lost,  Psalm 84 implores the pilgrim to receive the good things the Lord has to give to those who keep walking after Him.

 Finally, Psalm 84 informs the pilgrim that he or she will need to possess a trust that only genuine faith can sustain. A trust that the Lord Almighty will be with them every step of the journey. A trust that the Great I Am will not fail to provide their every need when they reach their destination. A trust that Yahweh will deliver them from all danger.

 So this week I ask all of us to consider, does our faith need to summon the courage to leave behind safe theories about God's will so our faith travels to a place it has never been? Should our compassion muster the strength to abandon comfortable assumptions about God's love so our compassion ventures to a destination it has never reached? Can our trust gather the confidence to jettison untested beliefs in God's provision so our trust goes on a pilgrimage? 

CJE

The Laws of Love

34 Hearing that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, the Pharisees got together. 35 One of them, an expert in the law, tested him with this question: 36 “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?”

37 Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’[c] 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’[d] 40 All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.      - Matthew 22:34-40

Good morning. In life there are various types of laws to which we are beholden. By their definition, laws themselves represent a body of conduct or actions recognized as binding or enforced by a controlling authority. Some laws govern the social, economic, political interactions of everyday life in a society. Laws of this kind are open to being amended or abolished, and even outright disobeyed or ignored.

Other laws oversee the physical and chemical connections which allow this planet sustain life and hold the universe together. Unlike the fragile laws of governments, the laws of physics prove themselves over and over to be unbreakable and unchanging. And as a controlling authority, the laws of gravity remain undefeated.

And yet when I read the scriptures, I am reminded there exists another kind of law that presides over the words and actions of God’s people. Laws whose statutes supersede the edicts of kings and decrees of legislatures. Laws whose directives transcend the rules of astrophysics and quantum mechanics.

The laws to which I am referring is the laws Jesus hands down in Matt 22, and they are the laws of love. For me there is no better picture of what it means to administer the laws of love than that of mother’s love for her son or daughter? Is there a greater image of what it means to obey the laws of the love that of a son’s love or daughter's love for their mother?

Now before any law can be enforced or obeyed, the burden rests on the controlling authority to give legitimacy and justification for the law it seeks to impose. Whether it be from the halls of a local city council or the US Capitol, it is up to the controlling authority to provide an understanding of what the law says and how it is to be applied.

And that’s precisely what Jesus does in Matt 22. As the controlling authority over our lives, Jesus not only provides that justification for the laws of love, but goes on to supply their meaning and how we should apply them.  The first law of love Jesus lays down reads as follows, "'You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.” 

Consequently, the law to love God is the greatest law on the books. Being designated the greatest, Jesus clearly expects this law to be obeyed before all others. Before we observed red lights and honor speed limits, we first love the Lord our God. Before we fulfill our obligation to pay taxes, we first love the Lord our God. Before we submit to our parents, our spouses, or any other earthly authority; we first love the Lord our God.

The law to love God is also comprehensive. Despite our fondness for percentages, Jesus plainly anticipates this law to be conformed to in every recess our being. In spite of the part of us that has a liking for being superior, we love the Lord our God with ALL our heart. Despite the part of us has a fondness for being right, we love the Lord our God with ALL our soul. Regardless of the part of us that has affection for being in control, we love the Lord our God with ALL our mind.

Now the second law of love Jesus lays down reads as follows, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” This law of love traces itself all the way back to Lev 19. While Matt 22 is noticeably vague in terms of explanation and execution, Lev 19 provides incredible specifics as to what it means to love one’s self and amazing details as how to apply such love to one’s neighbor. As I see it, this law to love our neighbors as we love ourselves is observed through a series of protections.

First, the law to love to others as we love ourselves protects our decisions from all forms of injustice. For it is love of others at guards our thoughts against those bias that promote some and demote others. It is love of others that defends our feelings against those partialities that advance some and restrict others. It is love of others that shields our opinions against prejudices that acquit some and convict others.

Second, the law to love others as we love ourselves protects our words from all kinds of hate. It is love for others that shelters our ears against any slander advanced by jealousy and animosity. It is love for others that guards our lips against any disparagement promoted by bitterness and contempt.  It is love for others that defends our mouths against any defamation supported by malice and spite.

Third, the law to love others as we love ourselves protects our actions from all types of violence. It is love for others that shields our pain against those urges for ferocious revenge. It is love for others that defends our suffering against those cravings for fierce retaliation. It is love for others that guards our misery against those impulses for vicious retribution.

I know what you’re thinking. Chris, if what are you saying is true, then why is the world filled with so much injustice, hate and violence? Of course, the easy answer rests in acknowledging that Satan have been given dominion over this world. However, a more troubling possibility exists that perhaps that Christian brothers and sisters are not adhering to the laws of love as well he or she could.

Like speed limits, maybe we as Christians are allowing ourselves 10 over on the number of sexist or racist remarks we allow to go unchallenged. Like stop signs, perhaps we as Christians are letting ourselves roll through opportunities to see that others are being treated fairly. Like seat belts, maybe we as Christians are deciding at times not to retrain our words or our fists.

Of all the things we have to fear in the world, the most freighting to me are moments when the Christian decides the laws of love no longer to apply to him or her. How do we as believers avoid experiencing such moments as these? Moments when our love for God becomes discretionary, moments when our love for our neighbors and ourselves becomes optional.

First, we need to discover a delight for the laws of love. In Ps 1, the psalmist concludes that happiness is not found from taking the advice of the wicked or following the path that sinners tread, nor does one see the laws of love as a burden. Rather, he or she finds their delight in them. And when we consider the law of the Lord are the laws of love brought together in Matt 22, then Ps 1 declares that our days and nights are best spent meditating on our love for God and our love for each other.

Second, we need to understand that love’s jurisdiction is always bigger than we think. I love the cinematic depiction of Deut 34 as the Lord takes Moses up Mount Nebo to show him the boundaries of the Promise Land. Prior to seeing it, Moses wasn’t sure if it would be so small that people would have to live on top of another or big enough for the people to spread out. So when God takes Moses up the mountain, God shows him the vast territory where God's law would have jurisdiction. 

In the same way, all of us need to take time to venture up any of the seven hills of Cincinnati so that the Lord might show us just how far the laws of love and its authority extends. For it extends from Westwood as far as Oakley, all Cheviot, the land of Walnut Hills and Price Hill, all the land of Over The Rhine as far as the Little Miami, the Ohio, and beyond. In other words, there is no part of our city, or our world for that matter, that is exempt from the laws of love.  

Third, we should recognize that adhering to the laws of love will require a great deal of courage. I don’t think I’ll ever understand why one’s effort to love another is sometimes met with hostility and rancor.  But those are the moments we must summon the courage to persist in our submission to the laws of love. Knowing full well they would kill him anyway, Jesus mustered the courage to proclaim his love for his enemies.

In 1 Thessalonians 2, Paul too faced great opposition to the Gospel and its laws of love. Yet having found courage in his God, Paul continued to preach the gospel of God despite the shameful treatment he suffered. According to 1 Thess 2, Paul acted not out of greed or for the praise of mortals, but out of a deep love for those to whom he was writing.

As for ourselves, we should expect times when our efforts to love others are met with resistance and aggression. In such moments, I find comfort in the truth uttered by the most famous scaredy cat of the early 20th century when he said, “…What makes a King out of a slave? Courage. What makes the flag on the mast to wave? Courage. What makes the elephant charge his tusk in the misty mist or the dusky dusk? What makes the muskrat guard his musk? Courage.

I also believe it is important to point out some of the glaring differences between the laws drafted by man and the laws of love established by God. First, unlike the laws of man, the laws of love God are not new. Consider that the US Constitution has been amended 27 times to address laws and protections not included in the original document, which is not bad when you consider the number of other governments that have risen and fallen in that time. However, it cannot obscure the embarrassing need for the 13th and 19th amendments to fix the glaring oversight of the privileged men framing the Constitution that seemingly forgot to consider the possibility of slaves want their freedom and women desire to vote.

Not so with the laws of love that Jesus handed down. Earlier I mentioned that the law to love our neighbor as ourselves traced back to Lev 19. Well some 1,400 years before the first law of love in Matt 22 there was Deut 6:4-5 where Moses imposed the law of love for God upon the people of Israel saying, “4 Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one.[a] 5 Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.”

Can you imagine it was like for Jesus’ audience as they heard him lay down these laws of love? I have to believe many in the crowd said themselves, “Where have I had heard that before? This sounds strangely familiar.” Far from amending that which been overlooked, Jesus merely reiterates the laws of love that dated back to ancient Israel. Far from adding to that which was missing, Jesus simply restates the laws of love already present in the first days of Creation. Far from improving that which was lacking, Jesus only reaffirms the laws of love whose existence founded in the Trinity precedes time itself.

In Ps 90, the psalmist confesses that before the mountains were brought forth, or the forming of the earth and the world; God and the laws of love were everlasting. In this way, it is difficult to determine how long God and the laws of love have been around. You see it is difficult to determine the beginning of something that has always been.

Another obvious distinction between the laws of man and the laws of love resides in the purposes each aim to achieve. Unlike the laws of love, the laws of man have no interest in making a people better. Whether you are talking about laws on murder, divorce, or drugs; the laws of man aim only to keep a people from becoming worse. The laws of man concern themselves more with averting chaos than pursuing any kind of social harmony or economic symmetry.

Not so with the laws of love that Jesus established. Directed at not merely prohibiting acts of murder, the laws of love desire to make us better by giving to us the permissions we need to forgive each other, and more importantly, forgive ourselves. Aimed at not just discouraging instances of divorce, the laws of love wish to make us restored by granting to husbands and wives the allowances they need to continually renew their commitments to submission and sacrifice. Designed at not simply banning incidents of drug use, the laws of love want to make us healthier by bestowing to the sober the allotments they require to find relief in the company of others rather in fumes or other substances.  

Finally, one last discrepancy between the laws of man and the laws of love exists in where each are written down. While man sees fit to put his laws down parchments of paper or like Moses write them on tablets of stone, God understood that the laws of love needed a more absorbent surface on which to be written down. Heb 8:9-10 expresses its regret when stone tablets proved a poor writing surface. Heb 8:9-10 describes how despite taking Israel by the hand to lead them out of Egypt, Israel did not remain faithful to the laws of love, and God was forced to turn away from them.

But after that time, where does Heb 8:9-10 say that the Lord would next write down the laws of love? Was it on their foreheads?  Was it on their hands? Was it on their noses? No, God said I’m going to write them on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people. And it is no mystery God chose the heart upon which to write the laws of love.

For the heart is most absorbent surface there is. When it comes to love or hate, a feeling that soaks itself into the heart is nearly impossible to get out. Moreover, the heart is the space where love begins and ends, it is the place where love rises and sets. So whether you realize it or not, to have heart means you take the laws of love with you everywhere you go.

So this week I would encourage all of us to do what we can to sustain our obedience to the laws of love that Jesus himself not only legislated, but lived out with passion and courage. Though Jesus probably had a sense that his laws would be written down for future generations, he most certainly did not intend them to just remain words on a page. And just because God writes the laws of love on our hearts does not mean God wishes them to stay there either.  

For all who find themselves under their jurisdiction, the laws of love call people to action. For all who are set in their orbit, the laws of love that set things into motion. It will not be laws against greed and corruption that stamp out first-class injustice or eradicate third-world poverty, but rather will be achieved by courageous men and women of faith enforcing the laws of love. It will not be laws prohibiting immigration and naturalization that eliminate terrorism or abolish extremism, but instead will be accomplished by brave men and women of faith imposing the laws of love.  

This morning there may be some in need of prayer and relief. If in the past the laws of guilt have kept you from seeking relief, then you will be happy to know that the laws of guilt have no jurisdiction over you. If in the past the laws of shame have prevented you from praying, then you will be relieved to know that the laws of shame have no authority to stop you. Do not be afraid. Thanks to the death, burial, resurrection of Jesus Christ; we can choose to live under the laws of love.  

CJE

50 Years Too Soon

Good morning. Though I confess it's always hard to find the good when the calendar turns to October 22. If we've not met yet, today marks 7 years since my lost my baby brother, Marcus, to a ridiculous bicycle accident on the streets of New York City. I've experienced a thousand different thoughts and feelings since that day. However, one feeling that still persists 7 years later is the sense that Marcus' passing came 50 years too soon. 

I mean it's one thing to lose a brother a month before his 78th birthday, but it's incredibly cruel and unfair to be confronted with the loss of your brother a month before his 28th birthday. I am grateful for the peace in realizing that me and Marcus made the most of our relationship in last ten years of his life, and experienced many amazing things together. Yet I am continually frustrated by the grief in knowing that me and Marcus had talked about experiencing so much more in the years ahead...including the Cincinnati Reds winning another World Series. 

In the days after Marcus' passing I'm confident that Adrienne, my parents, and myself ask ourselves repeatedly, "so what am I suppose to do with the next 50 years?" In different ways, seven years has already provided some answers to this question so unexpectedly beautiful that only God's will can supply. For God tasked Adrienne with the responsibility of becoming a mother to Georgie, and bestowed to my parents the honor of becoming Nana and Pops. As for becoming an uncle, it's a gift that continues to bring joy and a smile to my face when I need it most. 

With 7 years down, I suppose that makes it another 43 more years to decide how best to live them. Over the past year, I've found renewed strength in a old conviction that my time is best spent counseling and supporting teens who have the desire to grow up in Christ. For me there is no more satisfying work than doing what I can to keep these young boys free from the clutches of porn and dispel the locker-room notions of romance they might hear, while for the girls in the youth group I do my best to convince them that God does not make ugly. 

If you haven't already, I would encourage you to spend time this week thinking about how you want to spend the next 50 years. However, I would advise all of us to not spend all our time thinking at the expense of living.  Let avoid the traps of assuming we have more time to accomplish our goals. Let us escape the pitfalls of presuming we can achieve our dreams later. Because if there is anything that death teaches us about life on earth, it is that 50 years will go by too soon. 

CJE

Stay The Course

...6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God,which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus... - Philippians 4:6-7

Good morning. There are moments in life when the road ahead seems too perilous to continue onward, too grueling to proceed forward. I don't know how you feel, but it seems to me that many have experienced such moments over the last month. Whether caused by acts of nature or acts of man, many remain unsure of where he or she is to go now. Even if they know which way to go, they are still not sure they want to go any farther. 

Though universal, suffering and grief retain a tangible uniqueness when we experience them. Sure I've been devastated by loss, but nothing like the devastation suffered by those living along the shores of Texas, Florida, and Puerto Rico. I'd like to pretend there are just one or two families being confronted with the task of replacing their homes and belongings, while at the same trying to cope with the loss of loved ones they cannot replace. The reality, however, is that there are thousands of families bearing this dual responsibility. 

While I've experienced the pain of senseless loss, it is completely different the heartbreak shared by the families victimized by automatic gun fire. After the shooting at Columbine High School, I remember thinking, "surely it can't any worse than this." Well almost 20 years later the senseless loss of life in Las Vegas shows just how much worse it is. And by worse I am referring to our inability to enjoy outdoor music without the risk of parents burying their children, or little boys and little girls growing up without their parents.

Such great suffering almost always leads us in search some kind of relief, some type of remedy. For the believer and non-believer alike, Philippians 4 describes how peace can bring us relief from our suffering, how peace can remedy our pain. This last month has made clear how desperate our world is for a peace that transcends all understanding. For this peace not only has the power the quiet the storms of grief raging in our hearts, but has the strength to silence automatic weapons forever. 

As one who has suffered and grieved, I have only one morsel of advice for the victims of hurricanes, guns, and wildfires still try deciding where to go with their lives and it is this...don't turn back. My own loss taught me that if I could not go back to that time and place when everything was right and good, then the only way to go was the one that went forward. 

So this week I pray that we do not fall back when the perilous roads of suffering confront us, but instead find the courage to press on. Let us not avoid the grueling paths of sorrow, but rather discover the resolve to see it through. Let us not retreat from rough seas of grief, but instead find the determination to stay the course.

CJE 

Construction Over Destruction

"3 Many peoples will come and say, “Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the temple of the God of Jacob. He will teach us his ways, so that we may walk in his paths.” The law will go out from Zion, the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.

4 He will judge between the nations and will settle disputes for many peoples. They will beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will not take up sword against nation, nor will they train for war anymore.5 Come, descendants of Jacob, let us walk in the light of the Lord."   -Isaiah 2:3-5

Good morning. In previous posts I've spent time talking about how at times the life of a pacifist can be a lonely existence when living in a world of ever-growing violence. Like weary Jedi being hunted by the galactic Empire, pacifists have moments of uncertainty as to how long they can protect their efforts for peace against the advances of hawkish war enthusiasts.

But if anything motivates pacifists to press on, it is passages like Isaiah 2 that speak to their disposition to create rather than destroy. Now before one can build anything, he or she needs a set of instructions or blueprints. Isaiah 2 invites us to enter the presence of the Lord, and there receive the instructions of the Lord's ways, the blueprints of the Lord's will. With the Lord's instructions in hand, Isaiah 2 assures us that we will understand precisely where to walk, we will know exactly what to build.  

When I catches glimpses of wars taking place in other parts of the world or violent demonstrations occurring here at home, I often wonder to myself, "do warring nations or races with even remember the dispute that justified the destruction of the other?" Though many perceive the God of the Old Testament to be a God of wrath, Isaiah 2 depicts the God of Jacob as one whose judgment aims not to intensify the conflict, but rather seeks the resolution of it.

For once conflicts give way to harmony, Isaiah 2 contends that the armaments of conflict become obsolete. Isaiah 2 asserts that instruments once used to tear away at the flesh can be transformed into tools that cut into the ground so that the hunger of all men and women can satisfied. Once disputes yield to consensus, Isaiah 2 maintains that the weapons of disputes become archaic. Isaiah 2 declares that devices once employed to pierce its target can be manipulated into gadgets that cut away at our affluence for the betterment of our compassion and the enrichment of our neighbor.

Finally, Isaiah 2 suggests that the absence of weapons and armament makes the preparing for war an exercise in futility. It is just me or do you ever wonder, will there ever come a day when nations stop investing in weapon programs aimed only at killing more people with greater efficiency? When will world governments choose instead to finance projects designed at enhancing quality of life and improving standards of living? 

Do I think the kind of reform Isaiah 2 envisions comes quickly or easily? No. But I am grateful for the blueprints and the endless possibilities for reform they reveal. For there is no limit to what God's people can reform when they decide to build instead of demolish. There is no end to how much God's people can restore when they elect to create rather then destroy. There is no ceiling to what God's people can redeem when they choose construction over destruction. 

CJE

Running On Empty

Isaiah 55

8 “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord.9 “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.

10 As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater,11 so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.

Good morning. With flood waters receding and international tensions rising, many understandably rise this morning feeling exhausted. A great many others beset by terrible disease or profound loss awake fatigued at the thought of getting through another day. And it doesn't help matters that one's physical and spiritual "gas mileage" seems to get worse with age. 

I often envy the fuel efficiency demonstrated by the kids at my church. It easily surpasses the best hybrid-cars on the road today. They could literally run all day before showing the first signs of exhaustion. They would gladly sing the same three or four VBS songs a thousand times in a row before displaying any hint of fatigue. Meanwhile, most adults count themselves lucky to make it eight to ten hours before needing to rest and refuel.

 So how do we as aging adults ensure our tanks of faith stay filled? If our tanks drain quicker the more we age, then it only makes sense to locate a fuel source that is readily available. In Isaiah 55, the Creator of universe proclaims to be the ultimate energy source at all times and in all places. Moreover, Isaiah 55 speaks of a Creator that will not permit any part of his creation to stay empty, nor allow any syllable of His word to go unfulfilled.  

When one's faith runs low, Isaiah 55 stresses the importance of perspective on the part of the believer. Despite our quest to know everything, Isaiah 55 makes it clear that the collective genius and achievements of mankind down through the ages doesn't even begin to scratch the surface of what God knows and what God has done. Therefore, a believer's confidence is restored when he or she realizes that God understands what is going on and that God will do something about it.  

When one's love is on fumes, Isaiah 55 emphasizes the significance of production. Whether in nature or in us, Isaiah 55 states plainly that God never creates in vain. Just as the rain does not flounder in growing crops, neither does God create opportunities for forgiveness we might believe are certain to fail. Just as the wheat kernel does not fail to produce bread, neither does God produce occasions for reconciliation we may think are destined for catastrophe. Subsequently, a believer's strength returns when he or she recognizes that what God creates never results in nothing.   

When one's hope is scrapping the bottom of the barrel, Isaiah 55 underscores the importance of purpose. It is here that Isaiah 55 makes the starkest contrast between us and God. Mankind makes their plans, while God achieves His purposes. No matter what successes our plans achieve, they will always pale in comparison to the victory accomplished by God's purposes. Regardless of how long our plans endure, they will never outlast God's purposes. Consequently, a believer's zeal is renewed when he or she integrates their plans into God's purposes.

So this week when instances of chaos deplete our confidence, let us hold to the perspective that God is aware and in control. Should moments of futility drain our strength, let us trust that our efforts toward peace and unity will eventually bud and flourish. And may we always find our fulfillment in the pursuit of God's purposes even in times we find ourselves running on empty. 

CJE   

A Prayer For A Friend

1 I lift up my eyes to the mountains—where does my help come from?2 My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.

3 He will not let your foot slip—he who watches over you will not slumber;4 indeed, he who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.

5 The Lord watches over you- the Lord is your shade at your right hand;6 the sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon by night.7 The Lord will keep you from all harm—he will watch over your life;8 the Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore.

Amen.

CJE