Author: Merry Ohler

Beloved Day 8 Intimacy

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Song of Solomon 4:1-7
Song of Solomon 7:1-13
Proverbs 5:15-23
Ecclesiastes 9:7-10
John 14:8-11

Beloved, Day 8

Intimacy.

There’s no other way of saying it: sexual intimacy within marriage is a gift hand-crafted by our incredible Creator God for the people He made in His image.

Throughout the Bible, there are countless examples of God’s created beings enjoying and participating in the gift of physical union. Early in Genesis, the Lord affirms the goodness of sex for the purpose of procreation. (Genesis 1:28) Just a little later in Genesis, we see Isaac comforted in his grief by physical union with Rebekah, which affirms the great comfort of sex in times of grief and loss. (Genesis 24:61-67) In Proverbs, Scripture also asserts sex for the purpose of physical pleasure and enjoyment is good. (Proverbs 5:15-23)

The entire book of the Song of Solomon extols the heady pleasures of physical desire and fulfillment found in the physical act of sex. Vivid descriptions, expressions of love, and honest dialogue about the emotional and physical experiences which accompany physical intimacy were poured over, examined, tested, and ultimately included in the canon of Scripture for a specific purpose. God gave us sex, and sex within the context of marriage between a man and a woman is a good, good thing.

Song of Solomon is a depiction of the literal joys of physical intimacy, but there are some traits we see exemplified in the two young lovers which warrant further exploration in the context of our own marriages.

They are transparent.
The two young lovers are obviously desirous for each other, but they are also completely transparent with others about the one to whom their thoughts, emotions and desires are drawn. They aren’t hiding the way they feel about their beloved; they are practically shouting it from the rooftops. There is no mistaking how they feel, what they want, and to whom their heart belongs.

They are honest with each other.
There’s no question the two are each in pursuit of the other. There is no sub-text and no veiled references. Neither is playing “hard to get.” There’s no competition, no game, no “prove your love to me.” They are each completely, totally, all in.

They are vulnerable.
Nothing is too intimate to share. No expression too outlandish, no description too flowery. There’s no thought of looking foolish, or saying something silly. Each feels completely safe with the other, and as a result they are unashamed to share their thoughts, emotions and desires.

They are purposeful.
They are willing to do practically anything to steal away for an encounter with the one they love. They talk of slipping away to a vineyard, to a quiet room, to his chambers. They are not embarrassed to say exactly what they want, and their actions support their words.

For a moment, let’s set aside all our expectations of our spouse and take a look at where we are.

Beloved, when we examine how we operate in the context of our own marriage, can we say the same? Are we transparent with our spouses? Do we create space for them to be transparent in return, without fear of us shutting down or refusing to respond? Are we honest? And if we aren’t “all in,” is that an area we need to confess to our Father and allow Him to touch? Are we vulnerable in sharing the intimate spaces of our bodies, yes, but even more importantly, our hearts and minds? Are we purposeful in our marriage? Do we choose to pursue our spouse every day, even when we don’t feel like it?

Let’s take it a step further. Are those traits present in our relationship with our Father? Are we transparent about the condition of our hearts and lives with the One Who holds the power to change us? Are we honest with Him about our thoughts and feelings? Do we surrender them to Him? Do we allow ourselves to be open and soft to His conviction, to His healing? And do we pursue radical intimacy with the God Who is with us? Do we consistently prioritize placing ourselves before Him, in all our humanity?

These are hard questions, aren’t they? I can’t say yes to all of them. 

Maybe you can’t, either.

So what do we do from here? Where do we go from this place of knowing we aren’t where we’d like to be, and recognizing we can’t move forward on our own?

We start with confessing where we’ve been, where we are, and where we’d like to be to our Bridegroom King. We acknowledge our definition of intimacy falls woefully short of the intimacy He designed for us to experience with Him, and we ask Him to show us the way. He alone is the Author of intimacy; we can trust Him to lead us into the fullness of all He created!

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Beloved Day 5 Beloved’s Pursuit

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Song of Solomon 3:1-5
Proverbs 15:3-10
1 Timothy 6:6-14
Philippians 1:25-30
Ephesians 5:22-33

Beloved, day 5

Pursuit.

The mere word evokes images of a hunt, doesn’t it? It brings to mind words like… desiring, chasing, overtaking, capturing, conquering. 

There’s a reason such great emphasis is placed on “playing hard to get” in current culture. The human race has placed immense value on being the individual who is sought after, regardless of the situation or relationship dynamic. Whether we are interviewing for a new job, foraying into a new friendship, floating a corporate merger, or attempting to infuse “life” into our marriage, we have bought into the belief that the individual who is not easy to “win” holds a loftier, more powerful status.

But what if that narrative doesn’t exactly line up with what our Father shows us?

Song of Solomon is a beautiful portrayal of the joy, desire, and intimacy God has given the human race in the form of sex. We witness the intense desire, breathless longing, and yes, pursuit, of each party, laced across every page of the book. Physical pleasure aside, what do we see here?

I see a woman who longed for intimacy with her lover, but she didn’t merely pine away for him; she pursued him. She roamed city streets, looking for her love. She asked passing guards if they had seen him. When they told her they hadn’t, she kept looking. She didn’t give up until she’d found him. 

And when she found him, she did not let go.

The words are stirring, because we each long to be pursued like that, don’t we? We long to be so passionately pursued, so sought after, so desired, so wanted.

Before marriage, pursuit is mainly surface-deep. We show our beloved we are interested in all kinds of little ways. We learn more about the things they are interested in. We communicate many times, each day. Sometimes we choose clothing, or makeup, or jewelry, or hairstyles we know are appealing to them. We pursue their interests and desires, and in that pursuit, we assist them in pursuing us.

When we enter into marriage, the dynamic shifts. The “newness” begins to fade, and it’s easy for us to believe the pursuit actually ended with marriage.

Beloved, this isn’t so! Throughout the New Testament, marriage is repeatedly held up as the embodiment of Christ and His Church. Husbands and wives are exhorted to mirror Christ in the way we love one another. To submit to each other in love, not so one can lord their power over the other, rather, in this loving deference, Christ alone is glorified.

But what does this look like, five, ten, fifty years in? What does it look like beyond spontaneous romantic encounters and flowers for no reason?

Sometimes, it looks like waking up early to make him coffee.
Sometimes, it looks like showing up for his parents in their time of need.
Sometimes, it looks like slipping a hand in his when his voice wavers.
Sometimes, it looks like reminding him who he is when it seems he’s forgotten.
Sometimes, it looks like going to marriage counseling.
Sometimes, it looks like driving him to every treatment.
Sometimes, it looks like being silent when you want to scream.
Sometimes, it looks like recounting all the times the Lord has seen you both through, when it feels like all is lost.
Sometimes, it looks like following him down a dark road you never expected, taking him by the hand, and walking back into the light together.

Sometimes, it looks like staying when you want to leave.

Beloved, how many times has your Shepherd Bridegroom carried you back when you’ve wandered far? Has He found you, when you’ve tangled yourself in all the places you never belonged? Has His voice been gentle as He quieted your fears and brought you back to His fold?

He invites us to love our husbands this way, too. To pursue them, gently, completely, guilelessly.

Marriage is not an end to an exciting pursuit; it’s an open invitation into the lifelong adventure in the pursuit of our lover, and to being pursued in return!

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Calling Day 11 The Lens Of Truth

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Ephesians 5:6-14
Psalm 36:5-12
John 12:44-50
1 Peter 1:13-25
Revelation 6:12-17

Calling, Day 11

A dear friend gave my daughter a delightful pair of purple sunglasses a few weeks ago. She is absolutely smitten with them. Plastic jewels and gems adorn the frames, and they are larger than her last pair, so they fit her better. The tint of the lenses is rather dark, but she feels like such a big girl when she’s wearing them, she’ll insist she can see just fine, thank you very much.

It’s no rare occasion to find her twirling in the sunlight streaming through my front window, wearing those purple, sparkly sunglasses. There’s a shift in her gait when she puts them on; it’s obvious she just feels different.

Take a breath, Christian. We’re going deeper, fast.

Paul’s exhortation to the Ephesians about light versus darkness is an object lesson about delivering truth in love, to say the least. (Ephesians 5:6-14) He didn’t mince words about the dangers to followers of Christ who live in the world. If anything, he underscored the arduous reality of a life surrendered to Christ. He spoke the unpopular truth that those who are disobedient to God will face His wrath. He called out the Ephesians and warned them against even partnering with those who do not obey God. Furthermore, Paul exhorted the church in Ephesus to not only remove themselves from any association with those who do not obey God, but to actually expose their deeds of darkness.

Are you squirming? I am. Talk about high challenge. Not only were the believers at Ephesus not to associate with those who do not follow God, but they were to actually expose the dark deeds of those who were enemies of the Lord.

“Let no one deceive you with empty arguments, for God’s wrath is coming on the disobedient because of these things. Therefore, do not become their partners.” (Ephesians 5:6-7)

Paul’s words were concise and deliberate. They slice through potential internal or external argument, explanation, and even current cultural caution with razor-sharp, Spirit-led acumen. His challenge left no question about the gravity of their, and our, calling.

“For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light for the fruit of the light consists of all goodness, righteousness, and truth – testing what is pleasing to the Lord. Don’t participate in the fruitless works of darkness, but instead expose them.” (Ephesians 5:8-11)

His words were filled with truth, but do you recognize what they aren’t filled with? Accusation, or condemnation. No, these words were delivered in love. Make no mistake; there is a high challenge here, but there is equipping and invitation here, too. Paul extended a hand to the believers at Ephesus when he called them out of popular culture and up into Kingdom culture as he reminded them Whose they were.

He’s inviting us, too.

Christian, does any part of Paul’s challenge indicate we have a call on our lives to blend in with the rest of the world, or to value what is valued by those who do not follow our Father? Further, what do you think might be one of the most effective ways the enemy intends to quiet the hands and feet and voice of Jesus on earth today? 

Might it be to keep them so occupied with the day to day things,
and the big, overwhelming cultural things,
and the general state of the world things,
and their very feelings, that they forget they are merely temporary citizens here?

Exhale.

It’s time for each of us to be honest with the God we serve.

Is it possible we have been looking at the world, and our lives, through a darkened worldly perspective? We have been going through the motions of a Christian walk, but is it merely an accompaniment to our worldly life?

Beloved, what drives you?
Are you ruled by your feelings, or by your Father?
Are you more vested in the things the world holds dear, or the things of your Father’s Kingdom?

Hard questions. Typing them wrecks me, too. But we have to ask them. Daily. And more importantly, we have to answer them.

Because this is what Paul’s words mean. 

We are called to be children of light. Just like my daughter needed to take off her sunglasses to see clearly, we are called to remove every darkened lens which affects our judgement. To test all beliefs with the discernment He gives. To speak the truth, and illuminate the dark deeds of the enemy, and to point always to our Father. We are called to be a royal priesthood, a holy nation. A peculiar, set-apart people. (1 Peter 2:9) This world is not our home. We reside here, for a time, as God has ordained, but this life is but a breath.
Paul’s words are true, and they are for us today. 

There is a God in heaven, and in us, if we have given our lives to Him. He will fulfill all He has said He will fulfill, and He has called us to carry His Kingdom throughout all the earth.

Christian, take off your shades and walk in the light!

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Sketched VIII Day 3 Zacchaeus

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Exodus 22:1-4
Leviticus 6:1-7
Luke 19:1-10
Luke 15:1-7

Sketched VIII, Day 3

The crowds were thick on the day I first met Yeshua Maschiach.
Jesus, the Messiah.
I craned my neck this way and that, but I couldn’t even catch a glimpse of Him.

To be honest, I didn’t understand why we were all pressing in to see this mysterious man from Nazareth. Sure, I’d heard the murmurs whisper through the town, but the stories I’d heard…
The King we had all been waiting for…the ones the prophets foretold…a carpenter?
Well, it just didn’t seem very likely.

I tried to squeeze between two burly men in front of me, but they didn’t budge an inch. Pfft.
Exasperated, I exhaled noisily.
One of them glanced over his shoulder and down at me, and I felt ire begin to rise in my chest as he chuckled under his breath.
I crossed my arms and caught his gaze boldly, daring him to speak. He turned forward again, and the moment slipped away.

What am I even doing here? I wondered, silently. Just then, my gaze drifted across a nearby sycamore tree.
Why, I could climb up there in no time, I realized.
Swiftly, I strode to the trunk and began to climb. Higher and higher, until finally, I found a somewhat comfortable spot to rest and watch. I peered through a wide opening and scanned the people below until I spied the source of all the ruckus.

He moved with a fluid, uncommon grace that somehow felt completely out of place, while also exactly right. Dozens of people surrounded him, but He seemed…unshaken. It was almost as though He walked in a bubble. Set apart, but also fully present. I watched His face as He interacted with those closest to Him. His eyes were warm; His expression compassionate. Goosebumps rippled through my skin. This man loves. He loves each one. EVERY one. 

I sat up straight at the thought. Might it all be true? Something like fear and wild hope tangled in my chest and started up my throat. Could He really be the Messiah we’ve been waiting for? Blood rushed in my ears, and my heart skipped and thrummed at the thought.

“Zacchaeus.”
The syllables were uttered at barely more than a whisper, but everything in me came to sudden, total silence.

He was speaking to me. But, how could He even see me?
I leaned forward to peer through the opening again, but He was nowhere to be seen. He must be right below me.

“Hurry and come down here, because today it is necessary for me to stay at your house.”
His voice pierced through my internal dialogue and drew me with more than a command. Before my mind had even processed the words, my hands and feet propelled me from my vantage point and plopped me right at the feet of the very man everyone was desperate to see.

I stood quickly, brushed off a few stray leaves, and straightened to my full height as my gaze traveled up to meet His. His face was broad and kind, and His dark eyes warmer than I had first surmised. His mouth hinted at a curve as we stood there, inspecting one another. Surely, He couldn’t be serious. This man? Stay at MY house? 

He nodded, almost imperceptibly, and my heart swelled nearly to bursting. Joy blazed through every inch of my body, and I nearly shouted at Him. “YES, my Lord! Come to my house!” He could stay anywhere, but He chose ME. I don’t have quite the words to explain what happened inside me in that instant, but I knew I’d never be the same again. Even as the realization registered in me, murmurs of disgust and disappointment rippled through those standing all around us.

“He’s going to stay with a sinful man!” one woman hissed.
“Doesn’t he know who Zacchaeus IS?” another queried.

Tears filled my eyes. They were right. But I couldn’t allow this moment to pass. I wouldn’t.
I blinked a couple of times, then squared my shoulders and raised my eyes to meet his.

“Look, I’ll give half my possessions to the poor, Lord. And if I have extorted anything from anyone, I’ll pay back four times as much.” Please, Lord. Please choose me, still.

Yeshua stepped forward and rested a rough, tanned hand on my shoulder. An expression I couldn’t quite define crossed His strong profile, and He turned and spoke to those gathered. “Today salvation has come to this house, because he too is a son of Abraham. For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save the lost.”

And my friends? That’s exactly what He did. I was lost. I didn’t even know I was lost until I encountered Jesus, but when He called my name, I was utterly, irrevocably changed. He could have chosen anyone. There were dozens of others present who were more righteous and less sinful. But He chose me. And when I realized Who He was, I chose Him, too. 

I gave away half of everything I owned, and I was a rich man. Half of my livestock, my riches. Half of my land, my clothing, my belongings. I returned four times what I stole from others.

I climbed a tree that day to see the man everyone claimed was the Messiah. I never expected my whole life to change in that instant. I never expected Him to pay for my sin and shame on another tree, along with everyone else’s, too. But He did. And I know He would do it all again.

For me. For you.

I am Zacchaeus.

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Ten Day 15 Insatiable

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Exodus 20:17
Deuteronomy 5:28-33
Matthew 5:27-30
Romans 13:8-14
Hebrews 13:1-6

Ten, Day 15

Do not covet your neighbor’s house. Do not covet your neighbor’s wife, his male or female servant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor. Exodus 20:17 CSB

From His very first words when God spoke the world into existence, His heartbeat has been to point us always to our need for salvation. Our natural tendency is to grab hold of the specifics of the Law and the ten commandments, and miss the purpose of the entire thing. Mankind always has been and always will be incapable of upholding every facet of the Law; there has only ever been One Who could fulfill it, and His Name is Jesus Christ. That being said, the ten commandments and the Law illuminate our inescapable need for a Savior, and the sin which so easily entangles us. Each individual commandment serves a purpose: to slice through our will and perspective and shine the light of God’s absolute truth.

Every commandment is aimed at illuminating our heart posture, but most speak specifically to certain behaviours or outward expressions of obedience. To covet someone or something, however, is a different matter entirely. Merriam Webster defines “covet” as to wish for something earnestly, or to feel an inordinate desire for what belongs to another. This is sin which takes place primarily in the mind and heart. In other words, it’s mostly a secret sin.

The biblical language found in the Scripture above may at first make it fairly easy to shrug off conviction. Most of those things are pretty far removed from our current culture, after all.

But what if we look at this commandment in a different light? 

Here’s how I read it: Do not feel an immoderate desire for the things others possess. Do not be desirous of their spouse, or their children, or their financial situation. Do not wish earnestly for their abilities, or career, or gifts, or sense of humor, or health, or physique, or skin, or marriage, or family, or influence, or opportunities, or any other thing that I have allowed them to possess.

Woo. Ouch. It hurts because I’ve been guilty. I have been guilty of worshipping the idol of Self. I’ve fallen prey to the temptation to compare the details of my life with another.

Maybe you have, too.

Maybe you’ve experienced feelings of envy when a friend posts pictures of their new home.
Or wished your children could be as polite and well-behaved as hers.
Or wondered why you can’t have a marriage as steady as theirs.
Or dutifully listened to wedding plans, while longing for a relationship of your own.
Or sorted out how to praise God for their joy, while wrestling with why you are facing such loss.
Or listened to a friend’s testimony of healing, and wondered why He hasn’t done the same for you.

It’s not so easy to shrug off when we lean in closer, is it? And it’s multi-layered. Our culture is absolutely obsessed with feelings and self. Yet the Bible tells us that He clearly calls us to bring our feelings into alignment and instead be ruled only by our King, rather than by those feelings.

So how do we do that? If the ten commandments serve to illuminate sin and our need for a savior, how can we cooperate with what the Lord is revealing to us in each commandment? 

The short answer is…we can’t. No amount of our own willpower, self-discovery, or any other thing in our own strength will enable us to eradicate sin from our own lives. We are absolutely incapable of cleaning our hearts and lives from sin. Only Jesus can do that, through the power of the Holy Spirit in a fully surrendered life.

Beloved, THIS is the Gospel.

But what does that mean? How do we live a fully surrendered life?

Day by day. Hour by hour. Choice by choice.
And every one of those choices must flow from a personal, repentant relationship with Jesus Christ. If we surrender ourselves to Him, turn from our sin and acknowledge His righteousness, He will place His Spirit inside of us and equip us to follow Him the rest of our days.

As the Holy Spirit convicts us of individual, personal sins, we will each find ourselves at a crossroads. We will be at a moment of choice. We can either choose to walk in life: to acknowledge the sin He is highlighting, repent, and align ourselves with His Word, or we can choose death: to continue sinning.

May we each always choose life!

Father, You alone are the King of kings and Lord of lords. Your majesty is unmatched, Your love unceasing. I confess that I have coveted what You have given to others. I have compared what You have given me to what they have and have desired what does not belong to me. Forgive me, and cleanse my heart and mind. I don’t want to be ruled by my emotions and feelings any more. I want to be in alignment with You and what You are doing and saying. My life and all I have are Yours. In Jesus’ Name, amen. 

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Ten Day 3 The Name

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Exodus 20:1-17
Leviticus 19:11-12
Matthew 5:33-37
Matthew 16:24-28

Ten, Day 3

“Do not misuse the name of the Lord your God, because the Lord will not leave anyone unpunished who misuses His name.” (Exodus 20:7)

Even at a young age, I thought the ten commandments were . . . weighty. In particular, the commandment to not misuse the Lord’s name felt so trivial when paired with the commandments not to covet, or kill.

As a child, I understood this commandment to mean we should never use the Lord’s name when cursing. That’s not incorrect, exactly, but as I’ve walked with the Lord, I have come to realize I did not truly grasp the heart and gravity behind the words.

In the book of Matthew, Jesus spoke plainly with His disciples about what it means to follow Him: to deny self, pick up his individual cross, and move forward in pursuit of His example. In other words, Jesus was saying the choice to follow Him has nothing to do with word, and everything to do with deed. 

Don’t miss the message here, Love. This is the very crux of our walk and in wild opposition to all the enemy longs for us to believe.

A life fully surrendered to God is a life poured out as an offering.

The way of the cross guarantees rejection from the world and all those still clinging to it. It’s a life bound by Kingdom Truth, rather than what we perceive as our own “truth.” A life of faith, regardless of feelings.

Jesus didn’t utter one word carelessly. Every word He spoke held all the authority and fulfillment of the Kingdom of Heaven. He wasn’t saying salvation would be made possible through works. Instead, He was illustrating the trajectory His own earthly life would take. He was giving the disciples a roadmap. 

Jesus was teaching them what it would look like to take up the name of the Lord and become a follower of Jesus Christ.

When I think about taking the name of the Lord in that manner, it’s hard not to think about what happens when a man and woman enter into a marriage.

Of course, there is a ceremony of some kind. Family, and sometimes friends, join together to celebrate and witness the couple exchange vows. The couple will move into a home together. Most of the time, the bride will assume the groom’s last name. A bride who takes her husband’s last name still retains her identity, but something is added to her.

From now on, when she writes her signature, or meets new people, she is known by her new name. She becomes a “Mrs.,” rather than a “Miss.” She resides in a different home. She has new responsibilities, and a new family role. There are new blessings, and new challenges.

Literally everything about her life is changed. 

But what would it be like if she married her betrothed, and changed her last name . . . but still signed her unmarried name? What if she never updated her driver’s license, or never moved into a new home with her husband, or didn’t step into her new role at all? What if she continued to live as an individual, and did not enter into the spousal partnership which accompanies marriage? What if she remained exactly the same as before she married?

The marriage would be pointless, powerless, and a sham, right?

Beloved, this is what Jesus was illustrating to His disciples and us!

He was showing us that when we choose to surrender our lives to Him and follow Him, we must recognize He wants to transform us into the likeness of Christ. 

God’s heart has never changed.
Not from the beginning, when He hovered over the surface of the deep,
to when He gave Moses the ten commandments and the rest of the laws,
to when He gave His life for us on the cross,
to when He was resurrected and defeated death and the grave,
to right now, this very minute.

He invites all of us to take His name, and be transformed by the work of Scripture and the Holy Spirit. To live a life worthy of our calling, and to uphold the Name above every other name. 

The only Name by which we are saved!

Abba, You are worthy of all glory, honor and praise. I repent of holding on to areas and things You are calling me to release. Today, I lay __________ at Your holy feet. Forgive me for my sin, and wash me clean. Help me to change my mind and behavior in response to the work You are doing in my heart, mind, and life. I don’t want to be Yours in name only. I want my life to be a place where You can move freely. My heart, mind, life, and everything I have belongs to You. Thank You for all You are doing. In Jesus’s Name, Amen.

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Blessed Day 5 Blessed Are The Meek

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Genesis 17:3-8
Psalm 37:10-17
Matthew 5:1-12
Romans 4:13-25
Revelation 21:3-8

Blessed, Day 5

“Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.” Matthew 5:5 (NIV)

Meek. 

Full disclosure? The word always seemed…meh to me. Perhaps it has something to do with the way it rhymes with “weak,” but as a much younger person, when I read or heard the verse above, I remember feeling my very independence bristle in response.

If you were to hear my inner dialogue, it went something like…

MEEK. Ugh. Okay, so He says they will inherit the earth. But is being “meek” WORTH inheriting the earth? Because tbh that sounds like pretty much the worst ever. I’d rather be just about anything other than weak. 

Weak people aren’t good leaders.
Weak people don’t stand up for others, or stand up for what they believe in.
Weak people don’t do the courageous thing when others ridicule or question them. 

And after all, JESUS wasn’t weak. He challenged the status quo. He spoke truth without fearing what others might say or do. In fact, He spoke truth while knowing full well exactly what others would say and do. Why on earth would He say that the meek are blessed, and they will inherit the earth?

Maybe my inner dialogue sounds a little like your own. It’s understandable.

But what does the text really mean? When we dig deeper, we uncover a different story.

First, it’s vital we understand the context and placement of the use “meek” here. “Blessed are the meek,” falls after “Blessed are the poor in spirit…” and “Blessed are those who mourn…” and before “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness…” 

At first glance, it’s tempting to think that Jesus is calling all the sinners to do better and be better. But we know that works righteousness is not the gospel at all, so what do we see happening here?

Jesus Christ, the Son of God, was the only person to ever fulfill each of the five-fold spiritual gifts. He was fully God, and fully man, therefore He actively operated in the roles of evangelist, preacher, teacher, prophet, and apostle during His earthly ministry. When Jesus gave what we call the “Beatitudes,” He wasn’t merely giving a “how to” sermon, or a biblical era “listicle.”

He was effectively prophesying about the transformation which inevitably happens when a person chooses to fully surrender every aspect of their life to the Lord and follow Him. 

A person who comes to salvation and surrenders to God will first recognize that they are spiritually dead outside of life in Christ. They mourn their sinful state and recognize there is nothing they can do on their own to enrich their own spirit. They will accurately appraise their sin nature, and will hold an accurate view of themselves. They will be genuinely humble because they know they are wretched, apart from Christ. As they are transformed by the work of the Spirit, their spiritual appetite is awakened. They will begin to hunger and thirst for righteousness, rather than the things of the world.

So, how exactly does “meek” fit into the picture?  

The Greek adjective praüs means ‘gentle’, ‘humble’, ‘considerate’, and ‘courteous.’ In the Old Testament, the word meekness comes from the Hebrew word ‛ānāw’, which means “suffering,” “oppressed,” and “afflicted.” In Old Testament usage, these words are used to describe the qualities found in a spirit which has endured much.

Dr. Lloyd Jones says ‘Meekness is essentially a true view of oneself, expressing itself in attitude and conduct with respect to others. (…) The man who is truly meek is the one who is truly amazed that God and man can think of him as well as they do and treat him as well as they do.’

But what was Jesus really saying here? 

He was prophesying about what it would mean to surrender a life to His way, but He was also preaching the gospel. He wasn’t issuing a list of “you musts” here. He was declaring a “because of Me, you will.” He was saying those who surrender their lives fully to Him and take up the way of the cross will possess true humility by the transformative power of the cross, and will subsequently receive the inheritance God passes along to them as co-heirs with Christ.

Woo. Talk about a paradigm shift, right? But Love, isn’t that the way it simply must be?
Isn’t that the way of the Kingdom?
Isn’t the Kingdom all about paradigm shifts?
Rich are poor, and poor are rich.
First is made last, and last is first.

Being meek isn’t a matter of behavior at all; it’s a matter of recognizing our own spiritual poverty so we can submit to His supernatural strength!

Lord, You alone are worthy of all praise and honor. You alone know my heart. I repent of holding spaces where I haven’t let You rule and reign. I choose today to relinquish my control, my desires and my purposes, and I lay them at the feet of Your throne. Today, I choose to submit to You, and to pick up Your desires and Your purposes. Create in me a humble spirit that lovingly defers to every person You have tasked me to love. Teach me what it means to walk in meekness, and craft that daily desire within me. Everything I have belongs to You. Take and use any part you desire. In Jesus’ Name, amen.

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Redeemed Day 5 Comfort In The Bitter

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Exodus 15:22-27
Ruth 1:1-22
Matthew 20:17-28
Philippians 2:12-18

Redeemed, Day 5

Murmurs whispered swiftly through the small town, carried by dusty, sandaled feet. A sudden sense of excitement and curiosity pulsed through Bethlehem as two women approached. Questions swirled among small clusters of residents as all peered intently at the two figures.

The older woman walked with an authority that conveyed she knew the town well, and as excitement grew, a woman nearby exclaimed, “Can this be Naomi?” The elder woman stopped suddenly, and electricity charged the air as all within earshot waited for her reply.

“Don’t call me Naomi.” She bit the words off as if they were a weapon. “Call me Mara, for the Almighty has made me bitter.” The younger woman walking beside her slipped a comforting arm around her tense shoulders, but she stiffened and continued. “I went away full, but the Lord has brought me back empty. Why do you call me Naomi, since the Lord has opposed me, and the Almighty has afflicted me?”

When Naomi left her hometown as a younger woman, she was in a far different season of life. Life in her new home of Moab was good. There were hardships, sure. It was a time of famine, after all. But for the most part, her life was pleasant. Which was fitting; the name “Naomi” means “pleasantness.” Her life was following the natural order.

Marry a good, upstanding Jewish man. Check.
Build a family together and continue the lineage. Check, check.

Her list could have been mine. Or yours too, maybe?

But then.

Elimelech died. Her person. The one with whom she built a life. The one she cleaved to, having left behind her family and friends. Gone.

Every plan for the future, every marital hope, every daydream glimpse of her beloved as a gray-haired grandfather, telling stories to delighted little ones. Vanished. Gone forever, like a wisp in the desert air. As a widow, she found herself facing an unknown future, alone.

Her sons married, and years passed.

It’s likely she began to look forward with expectancy as she waited for news of grandchildren. Scripture doesn’t say if those ten years were hard or soft, but sudden loss came to call on Naomi again with the death of not one, but both, of her sons.

Another defining facet of her identity, marred forever. Stripped of the treasured roles which defined a woman’s value, she grieved both those she loved and her cultural purpose. Wounds of loss and disappointment were raw and gaping for a time, but eventually, they began to harden.

Naomi decided to return to Bethlehem, and Ruth insisted on joining her.

Scripture doesn’t describe the scene of Naomi’s return in quite the detail my imagination paints, but it isn’t difficult to picture, is it?

By the time Naomi and Ruth reached Bethlehem, Naomi’s heart posture was apparent. The grief and loss she had endured were not submitted to the Lord, but were instead allowed to harden into bitterness. By telling the women in Bethlehem to call her “Mara,” she drew a clear parallel between herself and the Israelites’ experience wandering through the wilderness with only bitter water to drink.

Anger, frustration, self-pity. Bitterness.

I imagine as they approached Bethlehem, her mind was flooded with memories of the day she and Elimilech left, and the sorrow of that initial separation. The naive, wistful thoughts about returning together in the future, perhaps with a few mischievous grandchildren in tow. Instead, she returned with her son’s widow, carrying a burden of grief and sorrow.

It wasn’t supposed to be this way. 

Oh, Naomi. I’ve been there. The words feel familiar, because they are familiar. They’ve split through my hurting heart more than once.

And maybe yours, too, Sister? 

Have you let your own plans, or the experiences in your life, define you?

Have you let them fill you? 

I have. 

Just like Naomi, we can all reflect on times we have sought what only God can give
us from our
husband,
family,
friends,
career,
health,
talent,
reputation,
safety,
security,
political party, or
fill-in-your-blank.

But dear friend.

If we are filled and defined by what we want, or by our relationships or experiences, how are we any different from the rest of the world? Do any of those things fill us with light or God’s truth? 

More importantly, if we are full of those things, how can He fill us with what He desires? 

Ouch.

The truth of what happens when we allow ourselves to be filled by anything but our God is illustrated by Naomi’s response to the pressure and loss in her life. She allowed herself to be filled by something other than the Lord, so when those people and relationships were no longer in her life, she was empty. The wounds of loss allowed her hard heart to spill out when she publicly blamed Him for all she endured.

She missed the comfort the Lord provided her in Ruth, but she also missed the opportunity to share with the townspeople about the comfort, peace, joy, and fruitfulness the Lord provides in hard seasons.

And friend? We are in danger of the same. When we allow ourselves to be filled by anything but God, we are missing the blessing He longs to extend to us in both the famine and the plenty.

Lord, You are the author and creator of life. Your plans are far above any I could devise. I confess my desire and need for control, and I choose to repent today. Heal the places in me that need a touch from You, and teach me how to walk in Your way. All I have is Yours. In Jesus’ Name, amen.

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He Day 5 Yahweh

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Exodus 33:13-23
Exodus 34:5-9
Psalm 20:1-7
Isaiah 30:27-33
John 17:1-19

He, Day 5

Yahweh. YHWH. The moniker God claimed as His own is most commonly translated as “LORD,” out of respect for the very holiness of the name. “Yahweh” is used many times throughout Scripture, including in the account of creation. However, the emphasis God placed on the name when He first revealed it to Moses, personally, on two separate occasions, reveals much about His character.

In Exodus 6, God spoke to Moses about how He would deal with Pharoah’s resistance, and told Moses who He was with great intention. Through the context of the words He spoke, we know the Lord places great value in His name. He reminded Moses He had appeared to other men before him, but He pointed out how this interaction with Moses was different from previous experiences.

God is unchanging, but there will always be more to his character than we have previously known, because he is God. In this moment, He wanted to reveal more to Moses, and to us. In this moment, He chose to reveal the tangible reality of His immediate presence. His very nearness. From the beginning of creation, God has always invited His people into personal relationship with Him.

We see His heart for mankind evidenced in every page of Scripture…

He walked through the garden in the cool of the day,
and He spoke to and cared for Adam and Eve (even when they chose self over submission).

He fulfilled every promise He gave Abraham (even when he chose his way over God’s way).

He provided for the Israelites (even when they were griping and complaining in the wilderness).

He called David a man after His own heart (even after he succumbed to lust and killed a man).
He sent His very Son, Jesus Christ, to live a sinless life and be crucified on the cross as payment for all sin (even though not all will choose Him).

But what sets this name apart and above the rest?
In “Yahweh,” God reveals personal relationship has always been and will always be His heart for us. It may be tempting to try to divorce the God of the Old Testament from the God of the New Testament, but nothing could be further from the truth. Jesus is often referred to as Emmanuel (God With Us). This is true, but we can’t ignore the truth that God has always been “With Us.”

Over and over throughout the course of Scripture, we see His pursuit of mankind. He has never merely wanted our obedience, or our tithes, or our actions, or our words, or our praises.

As a young woman, when I turned and walked away from Him, He pursued me. When I walked far and long, and turned my back on all the things I knew to be true and right, He never left me. He called me, and He kept calling me. He never closed His eyes, or turned to look away.

Even when I didn’t answer.
Even when I couldn’t answer.

Even when I didn’t face him.
Even when I couldn’t face him.

And the same is true for you, too, Love.

He’s after our hearts. He’s always been after our hearts. And because He’s after our hearts, when we surrender our hearts and lives to Him, He loves to show us He alone is both Yahweh and Emmanuel to us.

In our broken relationship,
and our broken heart,
and our broken home.

In our sickness,
and our loss,
and our grief.

In our waiting,
and our longing,
and our not enough.

He is right here with us in it all. 

Steady and sure. Whether we know Him already, or haven’t yet given our lives to Him, He waits for us to turn.

Away from our sin,
and our reasons,
and our distractions,
and ourselves,
and to the only One who will ever be able to fulfill our great need.

To Yahweh!

Father, you alone are Yahweh. Your nearness is my good. Today, I repent of attempting to meet a need only You can fill in my own way. You know my needs, and I trust You will provide. I want to see Your kingdom come in my life and here on earth. Help me to yield to what You’re doing in my life and heart and mind. Everything I have is Yours. In Jesus’ name, amen.

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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 He Week One! Don’t miss out on the discussion below – we’d love to hear your thoughts!
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