Pain

Neighbor Day 15 When Unloved

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Leviticus 19:17-18
Matthew 5:33-48
Luke 10:1-16
Romans 13:8-14

Neighbor, Day 15

The Command
Love your neighbor as yourself. 

Most of us have repeated the words countless times, so they roll off the tongue easily. But what does it really mean? Human nature urges us to draw the boundary line so we know what’s expected. We want to know exactly who we should consider our neighbors…and whether we consciously realize it or not, who we can exclude.

Let’s dig in a little deeper.

The Context
In this story, the title, citizenship and position of the people involved didn’t matter at all. 

Jesus was showing the disciples God was not at all interested in labels that appeal to mankind; rather, His focus was heart posture. When Jesus told His disciples the parable of the good Samaritan, He didn’t hesitate to jump knee-deep into the hypocrisy of the age and point out the wrong heart motives hidden behind titles of priest and Levite.

Jesus was a master storyteller. Every word He spoke held great intention and profound revelation. He knew that because of their heritage, those listening would be predisposed to connect with the priest, or the Levite, and prejudiced against the Samaritan.

Make no mistake; His purposeful vagueness with regard to the man who was beaten and robbed was by design as well. Because it didn’t matter who he was or where he was from. Jesus was making the point that their neighbor, and ours, is anyone and everyone in need. 

The Questions
But what about those who don’t return our love?
What about those who will not love us the way we desire to be loved? 

Dear friend. This may be a hard word to receive, but it’s absolutely vital that we grasp it. Those very questions are rooted in the great deception of our current age: that our faith is about us and how we feel. For the people in the back, I’ll say it again.

Our faith is not and can not ever be based on our feelings.

There never has been and never will be another human who will ever be able to fulfill in us the needs that God alone can fill.

As tempting as it may be to seek approval and fulfillment from those around us, our salvation can only ever be founded on Scripture alone, by faith alone, by grace alone, through Christ alone, and to the glory of God alone. This is the true gospel. The moment we begin to believe it is acceptable for our faith to be dictated by our feelings is the moment we begin to settle for a false gospel: the gospel of self.

Friends, we can not allow this to be so. The gospel message has never been about us beyond the salvation, freedom and whole heart, whole mind, whole life transformation Christ Jesus works in us when we submit ourselves to His hands.

In short, it doesn’t really matter how we feel. 

Woo. Talk about counter-cultural. But the gospel has never been about fitting in or being comfortable, has it? Jesus himself assured us that to answer His call and follow Him required us to pick up our cross and die to self.

But what about those who harm us?
Jesus said to love them.

But what about those who persecute us? What about our enemies?
Jesus said to love them.

But what about when our spouse doesn’t show love or communicate the way we need? What if we have grown apart, or are simply incompatible?
Jesus said to love them.

The Call
We are each called to yield to the work of the cross as God performs the outworking of our faith, and to live and love the gospel out in every aspect of our lives. From the moment we accept the gift of salvation, we receive the impartation and installment of Holy Spirit inside us. This is something we can take absolutely no credit for, because none of it is possible in our own strength. Our part is only to submit to what He is doing and recognize all glory belongs to God alone!

However, as we go about our daily lives, there is an enemy who actively works to destroy, distort, and disengage us from the transformation Jesus desires to work in us. How does he do this? By introducing a thought pattern rooted in lies.

So what is the lie here?

You deserve to be treated the way you want to be treated. 

Friend, the enemy loves to woo us with thoughts and ideas which glorify our feelings, ourselves, our needs, and our desires. He wants nothing more than to see us so completely wrapped up in ourselves and what we think and feel and need, that we miss what God has to say about anything. He’s sneaky, and a masterful liar, and Scripture tells us he prowls around like a lion, searching for anyone to devour. This lie is a prime example of how he works. He takes a tiny bit of truth, or even a big chunk of truth, and distorts it into something we want to hear.
Close enough to sound right, but just enough off course we miss the message. 

The Truth
Jesus said, “Love your neighbor as yourself.”

Do you catch the difference between the two statements, Love?
The lie is all about what serves us.
The truth is all about what serves others.

Because the Jesus we follow and submit to was a servant to all.
When we look at His life on earth, we can’t escape the fact the King of Kings chose humility and servanthood over control.
He chose righteousness over self-righteousness.
He chose holiness over being heavy-handed.

This is the truth, and cost, of our calling: we are called to love and serve all people.
Regardless of how they respond to and treat us.
No caveats; no excuses.

We are called to love!

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Embracing God’s fullness in our lives is rooted in scripture and memorizing His word is vital to our continued growth and depth with Jesus. Tap and hold from your mobile device to download this week’s verse and make it your phone’s lockscreen!

Thanks for joining us today as we journeyed into Neighbor Week Three! Don’t miss out on the discussion below – we’d love to hear your thoughts!
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Neighbor Day 11 The Neighbor Who Wounds

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Luke 10:25-37
Luke 9:51-53
Luke 4:14-30

Neighbor, Day 11

“The one who showed mercy…” 

I read “wounded” and my heart reels.

I know wounded.
I know slowly retreating to care for the deep cuts and sharp blows I’ve endured.
I know sprinting away from the lashes against me.
I know wounds so deep they begin to look healed on the outside, but still throb and gape.
I know wounded, friend.

I bet you do, too.
But no one knows wounded quite like our Jesus. 

In Luke 10, Jesus tells a fictional story about a Jewish traveler attacked by robbers and left for dead.

Wounded. 

Two men passed by the nearly lifeless body, a priest and a Levite, both religious and both the same race as the wounded man, but they didn’t stop.
They saw him, and they chose to look away.

Wounded. 

Then a Samaritan man enters the scene.
The original audience of the story possessed the context to understand this Samaritan man was wounded, too. But, like so many of us, his wounds weren’t visible.

At the time Jesus told this parable, Samaritans and Jews had a long-standing rivalry, spanning hundreds of years. Due to the mixed Assyrian and Jewish genealogy of Samaritans, Jews resented Samaritans’ “impure blood line” and often treated them like trash.

We know from a true story in Scripture that Jews and Samaritans never interacted with one another (John 4:9), and even Jesus wasn’t received by Samaritans when He was heading into Jerusalem. (Luke 9:51-53)

We don’t know the kind of ridicule this Samaritan endured from Jews, but undoubtedly, the hatred seething from the Jewish community cut him deeply.

Wounded.

Yet, we see the Samaritan man, wounded by the Jews, breaking barriers of racism by caring for the physically wounded Jewish man.

We’ve all been wounded.
Maybe, like the Jewish man, we’ve been physically and emotionally wounded from abuse.
Maybe, like the Jewish man, we’ve been spiritually wounded by “religion” and people in leadership positions who’ve told us we’re too dirty and too damaged to be worth helping.
Maybe, like the Samaritan, we’ve been wounded by society, or racial and economic barriers.
Or maybe we’ve been wounded by something else….
friends, family, business deals, jobs, the government. 

But Jesus?
He was wounded by it all. 

He took on the sins of the world when He suffered on the cross,
eventually dying from the extreme torture He endured.
He was wounded physically and emotionally.

He was wounded by the religion bearing the same name as His nationality,
and He – who IS God – was killed by the religious people who claimed to worship God.

Jesus knows wounded, friend.

He knows the sharp pains piercing our hearts by betrayal. (Luke 22:3-6)
He knows the hurt embedded in us when grief becomes part of our story. (John 11:32-36)
He knows the rejection of people who have loved us and known us for our entire lives. (Luke 4:14-30)

Jesus knows wounded.

Because Jesus knew wounded so well, because He allowed Himself to be wounded beyond recognition, so badly He eventually died …

We don’t have to live a wounded life.
We have hope.

So, what do we do about the people who hurt us?
What do we do with this story about a wounded man loving another wounded man?
How do we love those who have wounded us?

Mercy.
Compassion or forgiveness shown toward someone whom it is within one’s power to punish or harm. 

The Samaritan had every excuse to ignore the beaten man on the side of the road. This Jewish man had spent his entire life scoffing and scorning Samaritans, believing they were a lesser people, unwanted by God. And even if he didn’t believe it, his people did.

No one would’ve been surprised if the Samaritan kept walking.

But mercy.

Mercy isn’t just the Samaritan’s compassion, but the forgiveness he displayed toward a man he could’ve left for dead.

Mercy is the forgiveness God offers to us, even though we deserve death.

Mercy is hard, isn’t it?
I get a knot in my stomach just thinking about loving the people who inflicted my deepest wounds.

Friends, I cannot go on without emphasizing that forgiveness and even love are completely possible while still maintaining strong boundaries.

Sometimes, you can love someone best by enforcing boundaries, and forgiveness does not mean boundaries must be removed or even lowered. Abusive and toxic relationships can cause some of our deepest wounds, and we can forgive abusers while still protecting ourselves.

I want to be “the one who showed mercy”. (Luke 10:37)
I want to live ready to show compassion and offer forgiveness to people who have wounded me. I want to love my neighbors, even the ones who have wounded me.

Merciful love is going to take all of me, and all of you.
It’s going to take all of our strength.
But it’s worth the struggle because of
Jesus, the One who showed us mercy.
If He can be merciful to us, surely, with His strength, we can extend mercy to others.

We, too, can be . . . the ones who show mercy. 

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Embracing God’s fullness in our lives is rooted in scripture and memorizing His word is vital to our continued growth and depth with Jesus. Tap and hold from your mobile device to download this week’s verse and make it your phone’s lockscreen!

Thanks for joining us today as we journeyed into Neighbor Week Three! Don’t miss out on the discussion below – we’d love to hear your thoughts!

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Hallel Day 11 For All Peoples

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Psalm 117
Psalm 148
Hebrews 10:11-25
Romans 15:7-12
Revelation 22:12-17

Hallel, Day 11

Judas left the Passover supper suddenly.
Only Jesus knew why, but He didn’t say anything . . . aloud.
In His heart and mind, He cried out,
“Father, I know where I’m going.
In my humanity, I am hurt by the betrayal of one I love.
‘Woe to him for his actions (Mark 14:21), even if they were necessary to extend the offer of redemption to all those We love.”

With the meal ending, Jesus and His disciples began singing before leaving the upper room.

“Praise the LORD, all nations!
Glorify him, all peoples.”
(Psalm 117:1)

As they finished the first verse, the disciples were unaware of Jesus’ pain, and their town expectations filled their minds. These men, who spent three years with Jesus, believed He was the Messiah. They believed He came to overthrow Roman rule and bring Israel’s freedom.

“Surely we should praise Him because He is the Messiah, our long awaited Savior!”

They’d heard the reading of Isaiah 9:6 in the temple and as they thought through the characteristics listed, they saw ample reason to praise the LORD.

“He has indeed been a wonderful counselor! Look at the way He has taught through His many parables. And I remember the counsel He gave Martha.”

“Mighty God definitely applies to Him. He’s performed incredible miracles, from healing to  casting out demons and even resurrecting Lazarus from the dead! Yes, He is mighty and worthy to be praised!”

As Jesus sang, His heart soared with the knowledge His life, sacrificial death, and resurrection would elicit praise for the Father not just from His disciples or even His chosen people, the Jewish nation.

No, the praises would come from all peoples.

Jesus foresaw Paul’s letter to the Roman church, demonstrating how passages from the Tanakh, sacred Jewish scripture, speak of the Gentiles praising Christ (Romans 15:7-12).

As Jesus surveyed His disciples, their heads bowed and voices raised in song, He pondered, “They do not yet realize I am Messiah for all people. They sing words without full understanding. But when revelation comes, they will lead multitudes in praise.”

As the disciples recited promises of the Prince of Peace, on whose shoulders the government would rest, they were filled with expectation.

Yes, they would praise Him as King.
Surely, they believed, such a King would rescue them from Roman rule.
He would take the government on His shoulders and all would bow to Him.

For generations, they’d waited for the Prince of Peace to establish an earthly throne and rule over a glorious Jewish kingdom. Now, they were certain, He was here to accomplish it.

But Jesus came to claim a kingdom much larger than a single nation.
And He came to defeat an enemy much more powerful and deadly than the Romans.

“I have shown my faithful love throughout the ages.
My fulfillment of My Father’s redemptive plan will demonstrate the depth of my love.
My followers think I’m here to rescue them from Rome . . .
But My love runs deeper.
I am here to rescue them from sin and death.
I love them too much to stop at the temporary.”

As they each relished their thoughts, Jesus and the disciples continued on to the second verse of the short, but powerful hymn.

“For His faithful love to us is great; the Lord’s faithfulness endures forever. Hallelujah!”
(Psalm 117:2)

As those words lifted to heaven, the disciples recalled Jesus’s statement,
“I and the Father are one”. (John 10:30). And their thoughts swirled.

“If He and the Father are One, was Jesus the flaming torch passing between the divided animals to make the covenant with Father Abraham?

Was it Jesus who kept God’s promise to rescue the Israelites from Egypt, and did so by parting the Red Sea? Was it Jesus who brought our ancestors back from exile in Babylon?

If so, His love has been faithful and surely, it will endure forever.
We must offer our praises for His enduring love!”

Jesus, knowing their thoughts, felt both joy and grief.

His joy stemmed from His faithful love and the deep assurance it would never, ever fail. It would indeed endure forever, through the creation of the new heaven and the new earth, and beyond. His faithful love would hold Him to the cross the next day. 

But the thought of the personal cost to Him brought grief. The impendng betrayal by Judas and denial by Peter, and the physical torture were burdens to bear.

Even heavier was the weight of the sin of every single human settling in darkness upon His spirit, and the consequential separation from the Father. This was soul-crushing grief.

“But My love never fails. My faithfulness endures forever.
I will seek the Father, but I know to love this world, I must save it.
This is my great joy, to love this way.”

And for the joy set before Him, Jesus led His disciples to the Garden, yet another part in the greatest love story about the greatest King who is faithful and loving, forever.

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Embracing God’s fullness in our lives is rooted in scripture and memorizing His word is vital to our continued growth and depth with Jesus. Tap and hold from your mobile device to download this week’s verse and make it your phone’s lockscreen!

Thanks for joining us today as we journeyed into Hallel Week Three! Don’t miss out on the discussion below – we’d love to hear your thoughts!

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Sketched VII Day 10 A Step In The Journey

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Sketched VII, Day 10

It’s been said a lot: “The first step is the hardest.” But, let’s consider step 20,000 or 100,000 or even 56,239,168. Each step can have joy, victory, challenge, disappointment, pain, or even failure. Pour your favorite cup, and I’ll share some of my missionary steps with you.

Step #5479
It’s hard to pick exactly when the Lord started leading my heart to love missions. I always enjoyed hearing about people in far away places sharing Jesus with people, but it was always in a jungle or in a hut. I am definitely not that person! Slowly, I started learning how to share my faith with others and what a difference it made in my life to have the hope of salvation. When I sang songs in church about the nations, my heart remembered all those people in far away places that had never heard his name. I thought, maybe, this was something the Lord wanted me to do.

Step #60381
But, I had this picture in my head of what it was to be a missionary, and I did not fit that picture. I was not one of those single women who could go live in a hut or the jungle or brave it all alone away from my family. I prayed and prayed for a husband that would love missions, but he never appeared. As I felt the despair creeping into my life, I found myself one night on my knees crying out to the Lord, “My life is in your hands. Please, Lord, I want to know You more.” It was a turning point in my life as I began to realize that maybe, just maybe, the Lord had a different plan than I thought.

Step #98743
“I’ve been praying about who to ask to go on this mission trip, and I would like to invite you to go.” I was shocked. I had been receiving a prayer newsletter from one of the young women in my Bible study class who had moved overseas. I had been praying for her, responding to her emails, and at times, I wondered what her life was like. I wish I had hours to explain all the reasons why saying yes to this trip was such a leap of faith, but it was my first trip to one of those far away places where no one knew Jesus. I could not speak the language, everything seemed so strange, and yet, everyone was so human. My heart broke. I wanted them to know the same Hope I knew. “How, then, can they call on the One they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the One of who they have not heard?” (Romans 10:14)

Step #102765
I knew what the Lord wanted me to do, and I took that huge faith step of obedience. Looking back, it makes me smile. He knew what He was doing, although I wasn’t sure at all! I got on that plane not knowing how hard it would be, if I would like the food, if I could learn the language, if I would make new friends or if I would miss my family back in the US too much.  “For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” (Ephesians 2:10) He did not ask me to live in a hut or to be some kind of missionary that I could not be. My most enjoyable days were spent talking to people about life, culture, and Jesus – it felt like I was exactly where I was supposed to be.

Step #457987
Even many years later, at times when I step on a plane to go back overseas from the US, I ask myself questions like:

Will I get over this feeling of loneliness?

Will I be able to make new friends who want to learn more about Jesus?

Will the Lord go with me?

Is this where I’m supposed to be?

And, the Lord faithfully leads one step at a time.

The hardest step is always the next one you have to take in faith. As we start this next year, what step is the Lord asking you to take? What will be your response?

“The Lord makes firm the steps of the one who delights in him.” Psalm 37:23

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A Note About Sketched
In this series, we are stepping into the shoes of various characters throughout history. Some are biblical, some are well-known in modern day times, and some are people our writers know personally. We do our best to research the culture and times surrounding these individuals to give an accurate representation of their first-person perspectives on life and the world, but we can’t be 100% accurate. “Sketched” is our best interpretation of how these characters view(ed) God, themselves, and the world around them. Our hope is that by stepping into their everyday, we will see our own lives a little differently!
Enjoy!
And keep watching for Sketched Themes to pop up throughout the year!

Embracing God’s fullness in our lives is rooted in scripture and memorizing His word is vital to our continued growth and depth with Jesus. Tap and hold from your mobile device to download this week’s verse and make it your phone’s lockscreen!

Thanks for joining us today as we journeyed into Sketched VII Week Two! Don’t miss out on the discussion below – we’d love to hear your thoughts!
Click the above image for today’s Digging Deeper!

Looking for other journeys from this theme?
Here’s a link to all past studies in Sketched VII

Worship VI Streams In The Wilderness: Digging Deeper

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Digging Deeper Days

Finding the original intent of Scripture and making good application to our everyday lives as we become equipped to correctly handle the Word of Truth!

Yesterday’s Journey Study connects with today’s!
Check out Streams In The Wilderness!

The Questions

1) What does it mean to be “brought up from Sheol” or spared from “the Pit?”

2) What should our response be to the Lord’s rescue?

3) What is the favor of the Lord?

Psalm 30:1-12

I will exalt you, Lord, because you have lifted me up and have not allowed my enemies to triumph over me.
2 Lord my God, I cried to you for help, and you healed me.
3 Lord, you brought me up from Sheol; you spared me from among those going down to the Pit.

4 Sing to the Lord, you his faithful ones, and praise his holy name.
5 For his anger lasts only a moment, but his favor, a lifetime. Weeping may stay overnight, but there is joy in the morning.

6 When I was secure, I said, “I will never be shaken.”
7 Lord, when you showed your favor, you made me stand like a strong mountain; when you hid your face, I was terrified.
8 Lord, I called to you; I sought favor from my Lord:
9 “What gain is there in my death, if I go down to the Pit? Will the dust praise you? Will it proclaim your truth?
10 Lord, listen and be gracious to me; Lord, be my helper.”

11 You turned my lament into dancing; you removed my sackcloth and clothed me with gladness,
12 so that I can sing to you and not be silent. Lord my God, I will praise you forever.

Original Intent

1) What does it mean to be “brought up from Sheol” or spared from “the Pit?”
According to Albert Barnes, the word Sheol means grave or “the region of the dead; the underworld which is entered through the grave.”  King David uses this word in Psalm 30:3 when he sings, “Lord, you brought me up from Sheol; you spared me from among those going down to the Pit.” Albert Barnes also notes the “word pit here means the same as the grave.”  David rejoices that God delivered him from Sheol and the Pit.  Author David Guzik points out, “we don’t know if David here described what we might call a near-death experience or if it would be more like a narrow escape from death. Either way, in his life as a soldier and leader, he had more than one time when death was near, and God rescued his soul from death.”  David makes sure to memorialize the Lord’s goodness to him in a song which is sung at the dedication of his palace (Enduring Word Bible Commentary) He had been delivered from the jaws of death, and he wanted to “Sing to the Lord!” (Psalm 30:4)

2) What should our response be to the Lord’s rescue?
In Psalm 30:1, David extols the Lord for lifting him up and rescuing him from his enemies.  Author Samuel Chandler points out that the Hebrew verb, dalah, “is used in its original meaning, to denote the reciprocating motion of the buckets of a well; one descending as the other rises, and vice versa; and it is here applied, with admirable propriety, to point out the various reciprocations and changes of David’s fortunes, as described in this psalm. . .”  Indeed, David does describe many other times the Lord has rescued him in Psalm 30.  In verse 2, David says he called out to God for help and He healed him.  In Psalm 30:3, David says the Lord brought him up from Sheol and spared him from the Pit.  In Psalm 30:11, David notes how God turned his mourning into dancing.  Each time that God provides rescue, David has the same response.  He praises God and gives Him the glory.  Throughout Psalm 30, David exalts the Lord, sings to the Lord, praises His name, vows to sing and not be silent, and to praise the Lord forever.  Author David Guzik points out that David praises the Lord because “He knew his security and status were the work of God. It wasn’t as if God did it all as David sat passively; he was a man of energy and action. Nevertheless, it was God’s work far more than his own.”  David Guzik further argues that “God worked in David’s life so He would bring Himself glory and appropriate praise. Though it clearly benefited David, it was primarily for God’s own glory He did this.”  Whenever God rescued David from trouble, David responded with praise so God would get the glory.

3) What is the favor of the Lord?
One Messianic Jewish author explains how the “word favor in Hebrew is hen. . . It comes from the word to pardon: l’hon. When you hen someone, you grant favor to a prisoner and cancel his punishment.” According to Baker’s Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology, favor “means gaining approval, acceptance, or special benefits or blessings. There is also a close association among favor, grace, and mercy, which are sometimes used to translate the same Hebrew and Greek words (such as hen and charis.”)  In Psalm 30:5, King David speaks about the favor of the Lord when he writes, “For his anger lasts only a moment, but his favor, a lifetime.” David suggests that God’s favor is God’s pleasure, or the opposite of God’s anger.  David also discusses God’s favor when he writes in Psalm 30:7, “Lord, when you showed your favor, you made me stand like a strong mountain; when you hid your face, I was terrified”.  Here, David asserts that God’s favor brings strength and the opposite of favor is God hiding his face. The good news according to Ron Cantor is, “the instant you put your faith in Yeshua, God turned His face towards you. You found favor in His eyes.” Having God’s favor, or His acceptance and blessings, is a gift granted only to those who trust in the Lord.

Everyday Application

1) What does it mean to be “brought up from Sheol” or spared from “the Pit?”
I love the song “Still Rolling Stones” by Lauren Daigle.  In this song, she expresses what the psalmist, David, proclaimed in Psalm 30:3.  He sang, “Lord, you brought me up from Sheol; you spared me from among those going down to the Pit.”  Lauren Daigle sings it this way:

Out of the shadows
Bound for the gallows
A dead man walking
Till love came calling. . .

Six feet under
I thought it was over
An answer to prayer
The voice of a Savior

I cannot express it musically, or even lyrically, but I have felt that same joy and relief at being rescued by my Savior when I was as good as dead.  Before I trusted in Jesus as my Savior, my sins were leading me to the grave, as everyone’s sins do (Romans 6:23) By the grace of God, I have not been a “dead man walking” for over 40 years now!  Some days are easy; many are not, but each day is filled with God’s grace and love and the joy of living a life redeemed by the blood of Jesus.  That freedom in Christ is something to sing about!

2) What should our response be to the Lord’s rescue?
Asking for help is hard for me.  Unless it is reading a map or reaching something up high, I usually muster what’s needed to get the job done.  But sometimes (usually when I find myself in a real mess), I cry out for God’s help.  Without His intervention and deliverance, I would be headed for the Pit like David in Psalm 30:3. God always comes to my rescue. Kyle Idleman tells us the Psalms “reference God as a rescuer about thirty times!“  Psalm 34:19 declares, “One who is righteous has many adversities, but the Lord rescues him from them all.”  Sometimes God swoops in and delivers me.  Sometimes He sits with me as I deal with the fallout of my actions.  Sometimes He holds me while the storm rages, but He always takes my pain and problems and works them out for my good. (Romans 8:28) However He chooses to help me, my response is to praise Him and give Him glory. Psalm 40:2-3 says, “He brought me up from a desolate pit, out of the muddy clay, and set my feet on a rock, making my steps secure. He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see and fear, and they will trust in the Lord.” After David’s deliverance, the Lord put a song of praise in his mouth.  David even used praise as an argument in favor of protecting his life: “What gain is there in my death, if I go down to the Pit? Will the dust praise you? Will it proclaim your truth?” (Psalm 30:9) David knew one reason the Lord rescues is so we will give Him glory and draw others to also find their rescue in the Lord. So, if you are in need of rescue today, know that God is a gracious and loving Savior. His sacrifice of love is the ultimate rescue from death, and His ongoing love provides daily deliverance.  Rejoice with me today that God provides rescue!

3) What is the favor of the Lord?
When I was in 3rd grade, we had a new student several weeks into the first quarter.   The little girl had been in the middle of an art project at her old school, and she brought it with her to work on.  My teacher was kind, but she was also strict and no-nonsense, so I was shocked she let the girl work on the project during class time.  When something went wrong with her creation and the girl burst into tears, I expected the teacher to demand she pull it together and act like a 3rd grader, not a kindergartener.  But she just put her arm around the girl, spoke reassuringly, and let her go to the nurse’s office to get a drink and calm down.  I have always remembered the care and grace the teacher took with this nervous, scared girl.  Her kindness was the key to that girl settling in to our class.  This is how I picture the favor of God in my life.  When I least expect it or deserve it, God pours out His favor on me, wrapping me in His acceptance and showering me with His blessings. Author David Mathis points out that while God often chooses to lavish His people with His favor, there are also certain daily habits that attract God’s favor.  Mathis argues that what “sends our roots deepest, truly grows us up in Christ, and produces lasting spiritual maturity, streams from the ordinary and unspectacular paths of fellowship, prayer, and Bible intake in its many forms.” We can be grateful for God’s unexpected favor, and we can also seek His favor by prayer, fellowship with the saints, and studying the Word of God.

What do YOU think?! Share Here!
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Catch up with Streams In The Wilderness!

Digging Deeper is for Everyone!

1) Take this passage (or any other passage).
2) Read it, and the verses around it,
several times
3) Write down your questions
as you think of them.
4) Ask specific culture related questions and be ready to dig around for your answers. Google them, use www.studylight.org, or look them up in a study Bible and read the footnotes (click on the little letters next to a word and it will show you
other related verses!). (www.esvbible.org)
5) Check your applications with other trusted Christians that you are in community with and embrace the fullness of God
in your everyday!

Digging Deeper Community

Share What You’ve Learned!
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Our Current Study Theme!

This is Worship VI Week One!
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Why Dig Deeper?

Finding the original meaning is a huge deal when we study Scripture and can make all the difference in our understanding as we apply God’s truths to our everyday lives.

In our modern-day relationships, we want people to understand our original intention as we communicate; how much more so between God and humanity?!

Here’s a little bit more on why we take Digging Deeper so seriously.

Study Tools

We love getting help while we study and www.studylight.org is one of many excellent resources, providing the original Hebrew (Old Testament) or Greek (New Testament) with an English translation.

Want to know more about a specific word in a verse? Click on “Strong’s Interlinear Bible” then click the word you’d like to study. Discover “origin”, “definition” and hear the original pronunciation – That Is Awesome!

Want more background? Click “Study Tools”, then pick a few commentaries to read their scholarly approach, keeping in mind that just because a commentary says it, doesn’t mean it’s true. (just like the internet :-))

Memorize It!

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Pause 3 Day 4 Growing Pains

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Pause 3, Day 4

“We have a great deal to say about this, and it is difficult to explain,
since you have become too lazy to understand.”

These words from the pen of Hebrew’s author, which originated in the heart of God, could have been overheard falling from my lips to my teenager in recent weeks.

“You have such potential! Why would you choose laziness over hard work?
Just decide to commit and then follow through.
You are ship-wrecking your life with your lazy decisions!”

My motivation was to get my teenager to take their homework and life choices more seriously; they were stuck spinning their wheels, stalling out, when they could be excelling and growing. The frustrating part was my teenager had access to every tool available in order to succeed, they just needed to use the tools.

In the same way, God fervently calls out to us as believers.
“There is so much more for you! Why are you satisfied with surface-faith?!”

God has equipped us through His Spirit to follow Him.
He has given us biblical community to be transparent with and grow together with.
He has supplied His own Words for us to know and experience deep connection with Him through.

How easily we choose laziness over commitment to a deep, vibrant relationship with the Almighty!

God’s desire for our growth is clear, “demonstrate the same diligence for the full assurance of your hope until the end, so that you won’t become lazy but will be imitators of those who inherit the promises through faith and perseverance.”

Let’s determine to leave lazy-following in the dust, and live diligently as we imitate Christ!

Grab your Bible, a journal and pen,
and open your heart to bask in the presence of the Almighty!

Today's Challenge

1) Be a scribe and copy the precious words of Scripture down word for word. Make space in your journal to write down all of Hebrews 5:11-6:12 today. As you copy, lookup a cross reference or two as you come to them (they are the small letters next to certain words in your study Bible or online at www.biblia.com). As you write, think of the incredible gift it is to be invited into God’s presence through His word!

2) Choose one of these options to walk into more with Jesus as you make the intentional choice to grow with perseverance and determination!
           a) Pitch in to do something extra at church. Whether it’s helping with cleanup, opening doors, trimming weeds, or offering to help in a child’s classroom, step up to loving deeper by serving in a new way.
            b) October is Pastor Appreciation Month and a note of genuine kindness goes a long way in showing love and giving encouragement. Consider sending your pastor an email or card!
            c) Check out some local ministries in your area and make plans to serve with them for an afternoon. Maybe it’s organizing school donations, serving soup, or stuffing backpacks for kids. Even better, get some friends to join you!
            d) Prayer walking is a simple way to begin shifting the eyes of your heart to truly see others. Walk around your neighborhood, some city streets, the aisles of your grocery store, or intentionally sit at a local coffee shop and pray, pray, pray. Pray for the people around you, pray for hearts to turn towards Jesus, pray for your own heart to be ready to share the full gospel if given the chance. Don’t worry about seeing results, that’s God’s job!
            e) Strike up a conversation with a random stranger. It may move to spiritual topics, it may not, but showing love to those outside our immediate circles always begins with a simple conversation. “What have you been doing today?” “Do you live nearby?” “Where do you go to church?” “What are your favorite local restaurants?” “I love your top! Where did you get it?” These open-ended questions work well!

3) Share the exciting, bold ways you are growing deep today with the rest of the GT Community! Our Facebook community page is always open! Or snap a photo and tag us on Instagram @gracefully_truthful

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Hebrews 5:11-6:12

We have a great deal to say about this, and it is difficult to explain, since you have become too lazy to understand. 12 Although by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the basic principles of God’s revelation again. You need milk, not solid food. 13 Now everyone who lives on milk is inexperienced with the message about righteousness, because he is an infant. 14 But solid food is for the mature—for those whose senses have been trained to distinguish between good and evil.

6:1 Therefore, let us leave the elementary teaching about Christ and go on to maturity, not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works, faith in God, 2 teaching about ritual washings, laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment. 3 And we will do this if God permits.

4 For it is impossible to renew to repentance those who were once enlightened, who tasted the heavenly gift, who shared in the Holy Spirit, 5 who tasted God’s good word and the powers of the coming age, 6 and who have fallen away. This is because, to their own harm, they are recrucifying the Son of God and holding him up to contempt. 7 For the ground that drinks the rain that often falls on it and that produces vegetation useful to those for whom it is cultivated receives a blessing from God. 8 But if it produces thorns and thistles, it is worthless and about to be cursed, and at the end will be burned.

9 Even though we are speaking this way, dearly loved friends, in your case we are confident of things that are better and that pertain to salvation. 10 For God is not unjust; he will not forget your work and the love you demonstrated for his name by serving the saints—and by continuing to serve them. 11 Now we desire each of you to demonstrate the same diligence for the full assurance of your hope until the end, 12 so that you won’t become lazy but will be imitators of those who inherit the promises through faith and perseverance.

How Does “Pause” Work?
1. Each day, Monday through Friday, for 2 weeks, we will provide you with a simple challenge. Each challenge is designed for you to engage with the Almighty in a deeper way and perhaps in a new way than you have been recently.

2. Having a journal is a must! You’ll want to take notes as you walk this special Journey of Pause.

3. Each week focuses on one or two passage of Scripture and we walk with you as you study and flesh these out for yourself. As you write your thoughts, read His Word, and pray, questions might come up. That’s Perfect! Ask a trusted fellow believer, a pastor, or send us an email as you work through them!

4. Jumping in at the middle? No problem! Here is the entire Journey Theme.

5. Connect with others on Facebook by visiting our GT Community Group!

Embracing God’s fullness in our lives is rooted in scripture and memorizing His word is vital to our continued growth and depth with Jesus. Tap and hold from your mobile device to download this week’s verse and make it your phone’s lockscreen!

Thanks for joining us today as we journeyed into Pause 3 Week One!
Don’t miss out on the discussion below – we’d love to hear your thoughts!

Looking for other journeys from this theme? Here’s a link to all past studies
in Pause 3!

Relentless Day 10 The Lord’s Victory

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Judges 7:3-23
2 Corinthians 12:7-10
Ephesians 6:10-12

Relentless, Day 10

“I was the lion who forced you to join with Aravis. I was the cat who comforted you among the houses of the dead. I was the lion who drove the jackals from you while you slept. I was the one who gave the horses the new strength of fear for the last mile so that you should reach King Lune in time. I was the lion who you do not remember who pushed the boat in which you lay, a child near death, so that I came to shore where a man sat wakeful at midnight, to receive you.” 

My eyes began to water as I read (and by read, I mean listened to, because I absolutely listened to this in audio-book form) this paragraph Aslan spoke to Shasta, the hero of this story.

That realization that rushes over each new reader of “The Horse and His Boy”, is the same realization that rushed over me just a few months ago, when God gave me a revelation that altered my perspective on the last ten months of my life.

As I’ve been in my own kind of battle for months, I’ve been amazed every time I’ve seen God’s fingerprint show up in an unexpected way, just like the lion for Shasta. I imagined myself climbing this exhausting mountain with God occasionally choosing to reach out and touch me to give me a push along the way. But one day, God showed me the reason I kept seeing His fingerprints around my life isn’t because He was choosing to reach for me here and help me there…

It was because He was holding me.
And when things are held, fingerprints naturally end up everywhere.

I wasn’t being lightly touched.
I was being tightly held.
Ah-Ha Moment! 

Shasta, the presumed-to-be orphan boy, who was journeying from the land of slavery to the land of freedom on the back of a talking-horse, could see, at last, that he wasn’t the most unfortunate boy, with his continual run-ins with lions and life as the son of a cruel fisherman. Shasta’s life was held by Aslan; the great Lion of Love.

There was love amidst every battle. 

Oh, how I’ve seen God’s love amidst my own battles!

Not-so-coincidentally (thanks to God, who always seems to make things like this happen), the writing of this journey coincided with my reading of C. S. Lewis’ third book in the Chronicles of Narnia series. So, it is easy to compare this book and battles fought and won with Gideon, the prophet of old who defeated a 120,000 army with only 300 men.

In Judges chapter six, we read about God calling Gideon, and Gideon testing God… several times. Our ever-patient Father responded to Gideon’s tests each time, displaying how God would indeed deliver Israel by Gideon’s hand.

Gideon felt small.
Inadequate.
The odds were stacked against him.
He could hardly believe that God would use little ol’ him to bring victory to the Israelites.

I’ve felt that way, too.
Small.
Inadequate.
Stupid and weak.
I’ve felt like the odds were completely stacked against me.
I’ve believed that there was no way God could use me to bring glory to His name.

And yet.

God chose to use Gideon…
God chooses to use me.
And you.

So there Gideon was…
Feeling like he was already a lost cause.

The troupes gathered together, 32,000 in number, significantly smaller than the 120,000-member opposing army. Still, God told Gideon he had too many.
If God handed Midian over to Israel, Israel would only praise themselves and their own strength. Victory must obviously belong to the Lord God.

22,000 men left for home when Gideon commanded only the fearless to remain, and his small army dwindled even smaller to 10,000.

Still not small enough for God.
He needed to be sure that it all pointed back to Him. There could be no way anyone could ever assume victory was won by human strength. 10,000 turned to 300.

300 men.

Against 120,000.
Ridiculous odds.

Remember, God had already promised Gideon Israel would win this battle…
But oh how Gideon must have quaked inside. He’d already doubted God calling him into the battle, and now he entered with a 1 to 400 soldier ratio.

Gideon and all 300 of his men were upheld by God.
He used the weakness of their numbers to showcase God’s magnificent strength.

Sisters, God uses us when we are at our weakest.
He will use that season of feeling small and weak to demonstrate how He is our strength, which ultimately brings Him glory because our story….it really points to HIM!

We’ll never be “strong enough”, if we were, we wouldn’t need Jesus to save us,
and that’s the whole point of the Gospel right there!

Jesus + nothing = salvation.
God + a measly army = victory.

He is the lion pushing us towards our calling,
bringing comfort when we are trembling,
strengthening and upholding us to be all He has called us to be.
His mighty strength surrounds us, holds us, and chooses to use our woeful weakness to make His name known!

He is the God who doesn’t look at odds being in our favor,
– because there are no “odds” with Him –
He just always wins.

Ready for more? Dig Deeper!
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Don’t miss today’s Digging Deeper!     And we’d love to hear your thoughts from today’s Journey!    Comment Here!

Embracing God’s fullness in our lives is rooted in scripture and memorizing His word is vital to our continued growth and depth with Jesus. Tap and hold from your mobile device to download this week’s verse and make it your phone’s lockscreen!

Thanks for joining us today as we journeyed into Relentless Week Two! Don’t miss out on the discussion below – we’d love to hear your thoughts!
Click the above image for today’s Digging Deeper!

Looking for other journeys from this theme?
Here’s a link to all past studies in Relentless!

The GT Weekend! ~ Focus Week 1

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The GT Weekend!

At Gracefully Truthful, weekends aren’t for “checking out”.
Use this time to invite the Almighty’s fullness into you life in a deeper way!
Saturdays and Sundays are a chance to
reflect, rest, and re-center our lives onto Christ.
Don’t miss the opportunity to connect with other women in prayer,
rest your soul in reflective journaling,
and spend time worshiping the Creator who
longs for intimacy with each of us!

Worship Through Journaling

Worship Through Journaling

1)  Brianna noted on Monday, “God’s wisdom, while promoting His peace, does not promote a pain free life.” So we are left with the lingering question over our hearts, “do we really want to follow Jesus?”. This isn’t a one-time answer and finished for life. When the relationships get complicated and messy, will we follow? When it’s much easier to twist the truth and save ourselves, will we still follow? What are you walking through right now where you are need to ask, “Do I really want to follow Jesus?”. Remember, Sister, what’s at stake is for eternity. There is only One sure-footed place to walk the ups and downs of this life, and that’s following Jesus! Saying yes to Him will always be worth it, guaranteed.

2)  Quick, Slow, Slow. Three wise words waving like a white flag on repeat in my mind when I find myself in a scenario where my relational temperature is quickly on the rise. God’s wisdom, intended for everyday life application in big ways and small ones, will always bring life that causes flourishing. Quick to listen. Slow to speak. Slow to become angry. Listening brings life. Speaking should be only a small percentage of our relationships and anger…well, James says our anger does not accomplish the righteous purposes of God. Plain. Simple. Straight up wisdom. Practice raising the white flag in your relationships with those three words. Quick. Slow. Slow. Begin this weekend! As you slow, take those seconds, or minutes, to pray for the one you’re in conflict with.

3) We all have difficult seasons of our lives where we feel like the ground beneath us is swaying, shaking, and we aren’t sure we will make it to the other side. Pause for a few minutes and recall one or two of those times for you. What were the feelings you wrestled with?  What sustained you? When we feel like we are drowning, we need an anchor we can trust, no matter what. Relationships are amazing gifts, but they will always let us down in one fashion or another. What are your anchors? How do you know they will sustain you in your storms?

Praying Scripture back to the One who wrote it in the first place is a great way to jump start our prayer-life! Pray this passage from James 1:22-25 back to the Lord and
let His Spirit speak to you through it!

But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. 23 For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. 24 For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like. 25 But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing.

Prayer Journal
Lord, Your presence is everywhere at every moment, just as You are incessantly pursuing each of us that we might turn to You and discover the love we’ve longed for. In the same way, Your wisdom never ceases, and You urgently desire for us to walk in it. Not because You’re a dictator, but because You are love and You know we will have the richest, most fulfilling life when we walk wisely.
As we study You, Lord, make us wise. May we not just accumulate good sayings and nice thoughts, but teach us to live out Your wisdom daily. Spirit, this is impossible without Your power. May we surrender more of ourselves to You every day!

Worship Through Community

Can we pray for you? Reach Out! We’d love to pray for and with you!
Send us an email at prayer@gracefullytruthful.com

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Comment Here or in our Facebook Community Group!

Worship Through Prayer

Worship Through Music

Cross Day 12 Trinity: Digging Deeper

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Digging Deeper Days

Finding the original intent of Scripture and making good application to our everyday lives as we become equipped to correctly handle the Word of Truth!

Yesterday’s Journey Study connects with today’s!
Check out Trinity!

The Questions

1) As He hung on the cross, what was Jesus saying in verse 46: “Elí, Elí, lemá sabachtháni”?

2) What is the significance of the sanctuary curtain being torn from top to bottom at the moment of Jesus’ death?

3) How did the crucifixion events impact the soldiers who were standing guard?

4) Did God (the Father) completely abandon God (the Son)?

Matthew 27:45-54

45 From noon until three in the afternoon darkness came over the whole land.
46 About three in the afternoon Jesus cried out with a loud voice, “Elí, Elí, lemá sabachtháni?” that is, “My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?”
47 When some of those standing there heard this, they said, “He’s calling for Elijah.”
48 Immediately one of them ran and got a sponge, filled it with sour wine, put it on a stick, and offered him a drink.
49 But the rest said, “Let’s see if Elijah comes to save him.”
50 But Jesus cried out again with a loud voice and gave up his spirit.
51 Suddenly, the curtain of the sanctuary was torn in two from top to bottom, the earth quaked, and the rocks were split.
52 The tombs were also opened and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised.
53 And they came out of the tombs after his resurrection, entered the holy city, and appeared to many.
54 When the centurion and those with him, who were keeping watch over Jesus, saw the earthquake and the things that had happened, they were terrified and said, “Truly this man was the Son of God!”

Original Intent

1) As He hung on the cross, what was Jesus saying in verse 46: “Elí, Elí, lemá sabachtháni”?
The Scriptures present seven times in which Jesus spoke from the cross. Bernard Guy (bible.org) gives us a great word picture for what was happening as Christ spoke: “Crucifixion was a form of torture that literally knocked the wind out of a person. The weight of the body … paralyzed the pectoral muscles, making breathing extremely difficult. The person being crucified could inhale but had great difficulty exhaling. To exhale he had to push on his feet and straighten his legs to release the pressure exerted on his arms and chest. But the pain that this caused to his feet was so excruciating, because of the nails, that he would immediately cease any such effort. It was in this context, while he was fighting for His every breath, that Jesus uttered His last words.”
We don’t know for sure that the words spoken these seven times were the only ones He spoke, but the significance of these statements lead most bible scholars to believe this is an exhaustive record. They are found in the four gospels: three in Luke 23:34, 43, 46; three in John 19:26-28, 30; and in Mark 15:34 we find the same words as Matthew 27. In verse 46, Matthew tells us before Jesus’ very last breath and very last word, Jesus cried with a loud voice, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani.” Some of those who were standing nearby didn’t understand what Jesus was saying. But Matthew (and Mark) interpret it for us: “My God, My God, why have you abandoned me?” (verse 46) He spoke two more times and, after about six hours on the cross, He died.

2) What is the significance of the sanctuary curtain being torn from top to bottom at the moment of Jesus’ death?
Years earlier, King David wanted to build a temple for God (1 Chronicles 17), instead, God said his son Solomon would build it. Placed next to the king’s palace, it was Israel’s central place of worship (1 Kings 9:3). Though the Babylonians destroyed it in 586 BC, it was later rebuilt (Ezra 1:2) and during war, King Herod took control and completed its renovation. Inside the temple things were arranged much like the tabernacle in Moses’ day, with the Holy of Holies remaining a sacred area – the place of God’s presence. Only the high priest was allowed to enter the place beyond the curtain (Hebrews 9:3). Based on temple dimensions, it most likely hung 30 feet high in order to block the entrance, and though we don’t have a specific Scripture to confirm it, early Jewish tradition reports the curtain about four inches thick.
During Jesus’ lifetime, with the temple again a focal place for Jewish religious life, the significance of the curtain was clear to the Jews: God and man were separated because of man’s sin. On the day Jesus breathed His last breath, this heavy dividing curtain tore from top to bottom as the earth quaked. The writer of Hebrews offers us insight into the implication of the event (Hebrews 8-9). From the throne of heaven where God ruled (top of the curtain), access was granted. And as our High Priest, Jesus symbolically entered the holy place and took our sin once and for all.

3) How did the crucifixion events impact the soldiers who were standing guard?
As the day’s events unfolded, those present couldn’t help but notice they were in the presence of God’s Son. It wasn’t everyday the earth quaked and rocks moved, giving way for dead bodies to be resurrected and make appearances around town. Verse 54 says some of the soldiers who saw this were afraid, but in their fear they also came to a life-changing realization: THIS was the Son of God! As he often does, Luke adds detail to this in Luke 23 by telling us, “when the centurion saw what had happened, he began to glorify God, saying, ‘This man really was a righteous!’” Was this possibly the first post-crucifixion conversion? It sure seems so!

4) Did God (the Father) completely abandon God (the Son)?
Jesus cried out: “My God, my God, why have You abandoned me?”
Would God the Father abandon His own Son? Could He do that?! Or did Jesus merely feel abandoned momentarily? There has been much debate about these words. Bible scholars have strong feelings, some believing that to experience the full wrath of God for our sin, Jesus faced a separation from the Father. Bible teacher John Piper shares this opinion, explaining that Jesus isn’t really asking a question, but is quoting the psalmist (Psalm 22). “It is a real cry of spiritual desolation with words that were second nature because his whole life was scripted by God. The judgment was to have God the Father pour out his wrath, and instead of pouring it out on us, he pours it out on him. That necessarily involves a kind of abandonment.”
Others feel the need to reconcile Scriptures like John 10:30 , John 14:6-11 , and Ephesians 2:18 which they believe communicate that God the Father, Son and Spirit are inseparable.
Two other great theologians, Martin Luther and Charles Spurgeon differ on exactly what was happening here, but I found Spurgeon’s thoughts to be a helpful focus: “I think I cannot understand the words … When uttered by Jesus on the Cross, I cannot comprehend, so I shall not pretend to be able to explain them. There is no plummet that can fathom this deep! There is no eagle’s eye that can penetrate the mystery that surrounds this strange question.”

Everyday Application

1) As He hung on the cross, what was Jesus saying in verse 46: “Elí, Elí, lemá sabachtháni”?
On the cross, Jesus felt the sting of sin’s grief. The One who had never been out of His Father’s will and never strayed from His Father’s purpose was experiencing the agony of hell. Being separated from His Father’s kindness was so unbearable Jesus cried out from the pain deep in His soul. And in this sorrow, Jesus once again demonstrated His humble obedience to the Father’s will “to bring many sons to glory”. (Hebrews 2:9-10) Even on our darkest day, we have One who was acquainted with grief and sorrow. “He was despised and rejected by men; a man of suffering who knew what sickness was.” Isaiah 53:3

2) What is the significance of the sanctuary curtain being torn from top to bottom at the moment of Jesus’ death?
Praise God! We can now enter the Holy of Holies through Jesus Christ. Hebrews 10:19 says, “we have boldness” to enter the presence of God through the death of Christ. The temple curtain was a constant reminder to the Jews that sin creates a separation from God. The Old Testament explained how the sin offering was to be offered yearly along with numerous other sacrifices. The washings and rituals showed vividly that sin could not be completely or finally removed by mere animal sacrifices. BUT GOD in Jesus Christ has made a way for us to enter. Through His death, Christ has removed the barriers between God and man and brought us near.  We are able to approach Him at any time with confidence and boldness (Hebrews 4:14-16). At the cross, the God who created the universe made a loud declaration with an earthquake. The Son had made a way to the Father and invites us to enter with Him. The Psalmist worshiped this God centuries before: “The humble will eat and be satisfied; those who seek the Lord will praise Him. May your hearts live forever!” (Psalm 22)

3) How did the crucifixion events impact the soldiers who were standing guard?
It was surely not a job for the soft-hearted or those with weak stomachs. Carrying out executions must have required a certain kind of resolve and emotional hardness. But on the day Jesus died, there he stood, a soldier who’d observed all that had happened and began to look more closely at this Jesus. We don’t know when it started to become clear for him. Maybe it was the way Jesus showed such resolve as He experienced the anguish of the cross. Or it may have been the way He lovingly made sure His mother would receive continued care. Had he heard Jesus praying for His executioners? That prayer would include him! It’s doubtful he’d ever observed that kind of forgiveness. Added to these, there were strange occurrences like the sky darkening in the middle of the day, the earth rumbling violently, and dead bodies emerging from the ground.
Who knows what moment clenched it for him and others standing there. Like him, who knows when that moment happens for others. As we share our stories, we tell of God’s grace and goodness. We tell of His faithfulness and power. And we pray for that moment when another can deny it no longer and freely confesses: “He is surely God’s Son!”

4) Did God (the Father) completely abandon God (the Son)?
It’s mind-boggling to consider the suffering Son crying out to His merciful Father in agony.  When we sing the words “how can it be,” we demonstrate our lack of full comprehension that the God of creation would come to earth as a man to die in order to save us. Pastor, author, and hymn writer, Charles Wesley, put it like this, “He left His Father’s throne above; so free, so infinite His grace! Emptied Himself of all but love, and bled for Adam’s helpless race. ‘Tis mercy all immense and free, for O my God, it found out me.”
Amazing love. Amazing gospel. Amazing mystery. God abandoning God! At the end of the day, it is a mystery in which we must wrestle, but ultimately surrender to the One who knows all things. We humbly do so because we would not want a God we could so easily fit into our small-minded boxes. This glad surrender has great gospel implications. Tim Keller sums it up so well: “If you think you really, really understand the gospel, you don’t. If you really think that you haven’t even begun to understand the gospel, you do. Gospel theologizing isn’t anywhere near enough if we’re going to change the world with it. There has to be a lifelong process of more and more deeply realizing the wonder of the gospel.” It is within this wonder that we study and pray and then bow our heads and hearts in worship. For this we know: God is WITH us and He is FOR us!

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Digging Deeper is for Everyone!

1) Take this passage (or any other passage).
2) Read it, and the verses around it,
several times
3) Write down your questions
as you think of them.
4) Ask specific culture related questions and be ready to dig around for your answers. Google them, use www.studylight.org, or look them up in a study Bible and read the footnotes (click on the little letters next to a word and it will show you
other related verses!). (www.esvbible.org)
5) Check your applications with other trusted Christians that you are in community with and embrace the fullness of God
in your everyday!

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Why Dig Deeper?

Finding the original meaning is a huge deal when we study Scripture and can make all the difference in our understanding as we apply God’s truths to our everyday lives.

In our modern-day relationships, we want people to understand our original intention as we communicate; how much more so between God and humanity?!

Here’s a little bit more on why we take Digging Deeper so seriously.

Study Tools

We love getting help while we study and www.studylight.org is one of many excellent resources, providing the original Hebrew (Old Testament) or Greek (New Testament) with an English translation.

Want to know more about a specific word in a verse? Click on “Strong’s Interlinear Bible” then click the word you’d like to study. Discover “origin”, “definition” and hear the original pronunciation – That Is Awesome!

Want more background? Click “Study Tools”, then pick a few commentaries to read their scholarly approach, keeping in mind that just because a commentary says it, doesn’t mean it’s true. (just like the internet :-))

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