Author: Kerry

One of the synagogue leaders, named Jairus, came, and when he saw Jesus, he fell at his feet. He pleaded earnestly with him, “My little daughter is dying. Please come and put your hands on her so that she will be healed and live.” So Jesus went with him. . . . When they came to the home of the synagogue leader, Jesus saw a commotion, with people crying and wailing loudly. He went in and said to them, “Why all this commotion and wailing? The child is not dead but asleep.” But they laughed at him. After he put them all out, he took the child’s father and mother and the disciples who were with him, and went in where the child was. He took her by the hand and said to her, “Talitha koum!” (which means “Little girl, I say to you, get up!”). Immediately the girl stood up and began to walk around (she was twelve years old).
Mark 5:22-24,38-42

The Perspective of Jesus

The twelve-year-old was dying. Her father found Jesus and appealed to him for help. Jesus did not ignore or dismiss the girl’s father. Instead, he went to his home. He took action to help him.

When you appeal to Jesus for help, he will not ignore or dismiss you. Instead, he will be with you no matter where you are, and he will take action to help you.

As Jesus went to the house of that little girl, he encountered people who did not trust that he could do something for her. Jesus could tell that they thought death was the end. He encouraged them to think of death like sleep, but they only laughed at him.

You will encounter people who do not believe that Jesus can help you. You may even encounter that kind of doubt or fear in your own heart. But listen to Jesus. Nothing is too big for him to handle.

The little girl’s father had a mental picture of how he wanted Jesus to help, but Jesus didn’t quite follow that script. Instead of laying his hands on the girl, he spoke to her and touched her hand.

Jesus may not follow your mental script, but he knows precisely what to do. You can trust him to do the right thing for you no matter what.

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, lead me to trust you in every part of my life. Amen.

Though [the LORD] brings grief, he will show compassion, so great is his unfailing love. For he does not willingly bring affliction or grief to anyone.
Lamentations 3:32,33

He Will Show Compassion

One internet meme of endless variety is parents sharing the reasons their children are crying. It’s usually a picture of a two-year-old in full-blown meltdown with a simple caption.

“I won’t let him run into the middle of the road.”

“She found out the Golden Gate Bridge isn’t actually golden.”

“The daffodils are gone, and I can’t bring them back.”

You can understand the dynamics of parents wanting the best for their children, arranging things for their children’s benefit, and the children not understanding why they can’t have what they want or expect. When it’s two-year-olds, it’s often a little funny and a little sad at the same time.

If you can understand that dynamic, you can begin to understand how “the Lord brings grief” and “he does not willingly bring grief.”

The Lord wants the best for you. His love is unfailing. Above all, he wants you and everyone else to be saved and come to a knowledge of the truth in Jesus Christ.

So he arranges things for your benefit and the benefit of everyone else. He knows that how he arranges things may cause you grief. Grieving is not pleasant, and he does not want you to grieve like someone who has no hope, so he promises to comfort you in your grief.

When you cannot have something you want or expect, it’s not easy. It can seem like a pretty big affliction, and you may wonder why the Lord allows it. All of his reasons may not be perfectly clear, but he wants you to know that he has your best interests in mind, and he will show you compassion.

He has already shown you compassion by sending Jesus, and he will continue to show you compassion in many ways every day. Life can be funny, or sad, or exasperating, but through it all, the Lord’s great love is unfailing.

Prayer:
Lord, help me see past the grief to your love and compassion through Jesus Christ. Amen.

The LORD is good to those whose hope is in him, to the one who seeks him; it is good to wait quietly for the salvation of the LORD.
Lamentations 3:25,26

It Is Good to Wait Quietly

All around the world, people are trying to figure out what exactly they have to do to please God. They want him to arrange things in the world so that their lives go the way they want them to go. Those people devise elaborate rituals, often involving prayer and sacrifice, in order to get God to notice and bless them.

It is true that the Lord is good to those who seek him, but he is not impressed by elaborate ritual prayer and sacrifice. Instead, Jesus has done everything that God desired, and Jesus has said that his life of prayer and sacrifice counts for everyone whose hope is in him. That’s why the Lord is good to those people, because of what Jesus has done.

So if Jesus has done everything in my place and has given me forgiveness of sins, life, and salvation, what is left for me to do?

It is good to wait quietly. I can go about my daily life in confidence, looking out for the needs of others and making the most of every opportunity because my salvation is assured. I can pray and sacrifice without obligation, not worrying if I have done enough because my salvation is already taken care of.

It is good to wait quietly. I may become impatient or distressed, but then I can remember how good the Lord is to those whose hope is in Jesus, and I can take a deep breath. No matter how bad the situation gets, God’s got it, and like a child safely in the arms of a parent, I can rest easy.

It is good to wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord.

Prayer:
Lord, give me the strength of faith to wait quietly for you. Amen.

Because of the LORD’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.
Lamentations 3:22,23

New Every Morning

If you live in a place where there is freedom, you can probably tell the story of the sacrifices people made to secure that freedom. It’s satisfying to celebrate what those people did, and it’s appropriate to be grateful for them.

No matter where you live, the Lord has secured a certain kind of freedom for you. By rising from the dead, Jesus proved his power over death and his ability to give you eternal life. You don’t have to be consumed by a fear of death. You can live a satisfying life in that freedom.

Because Jesus has forgiven your sins, you don’t have to be consumed by a fear of going to hell because of something you have done. Jesus has suffered hell in your place and taken the punishment for your sins. You can live a peaceful life in that freedom.

Those freedoms earned by the Lord for us are a big deal, and it’s appropriate to be grateful for them. But the Lord is not done acting on your behalf. He still loves you and has compassion for you. He knows how easy it is to slip back into fear, almost as if the freedoms don’t exist, and he wants to reassure you that he is still here for you, every minute of every day. He will continue to be faithful to his promises of freedom, no matter how you are feeling or what you have done.

In fact, he says that his compassions are brand new every morning.

Prayer:
Great is your faithfulness, O Lord! Thank you. Amen.

Moses said, “Now show me your glory.” And the LORD said, “I will cause all my goodness to pass in front of you, and I will proclaim my name, the LORD, in your presence. I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion.”
Exodus 33:18,19

The Goodness of God

It’s July 4th! Will you go to see the fireworks tonight? Sing some patriotic songs? We in the United States thank God for the blessings he’s poured out upon us and our country. And yet we also groan because of so much wrong in our country, so much activity that opposes the unchanging Word and holy will of God. So perhaps we would pray, like Moses did, “God, show us your glory!”

God answered Moses by saying, “I’ll show you my goodness.” Not glory. Goodness. Why? Because sinful human beings would die if they were to see the perfect glory of God.

Instead, God—who is LOVE—shows us his goodness. We see it most clearly in Jesus who went to the cross to pay for our sins. What a good God we have, who rescued us from our sins, even paying for them himself!

And ultimately, that’s what you and I—and our country—need to see. We need to see God’s forgiving love. We need to hear that God loves us now, that God loves us forever. We need to see that God is gracious, compassionate, forgiving. Seeing God’s goodness leads us to appreciate all the more his greatness and his might.

So, go ahead! Enjoy the fireworks, the patriotic songs. But all the more, enjoy the goodness of God! Appreciate his forgiveness, his compassion, his love. Those bring real fireworks, fireworks for the soul!

Prayer:
Lord, we thank you today that in a world that is often so bad, you love us enough to show us your goodness. Amen.

“You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven.”
Matthew 5:43-45

Loving Our Enemies

When Jesus speaks of loving our enemies, he uses the Greek word, which means more than “to like.” It is a word that the Bible uses most often in regard to the love God has for totally undeserving sinners, a love that moved God to be merciful and act for our salvation. We may be unable to like some people because of their sinful habits. But as disciples of Jesus, we are to love our enemies. Why? Because we know and have experienced the love of God, his wonderful grace for us undeserving sinners that pardons our guilt for Jesus’ sake. By his love, God eternally embraces us as his children.

Faith in God’s redeeming love empowers us to love our enemies with a love like his. Though ours will never be a perfect love like that of our heavenly Father, yet his love compels us to love even those who hate us. This means that we show them love in word and deed with the highest aim that in extending our Christian love to them, they will be attracted to the saving message of the gospel, believe it, and be saved.

Jesus points out that by showing such love for those who hate us, we are recognized as the children of the Father. How wonderful to be known as children of God simply by the way we treat those who have mistreated us!

Prayer:
Dear God, through your Word renew in me daily a greater understanding and a deeper appreciation for your love in Christ. Help me to reflect your love to others, even toward those I have difficulty liking. Amen.

[The disciples] were terrified and asked each other, “Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!”
Mark 4:41

Storm

When you have a moment, look up “Gardner Museum” online. When you get to the museum website, search Rembrandt, and you will find his extraordinary work of art, “Christ in the Storm on the Sea of Galilee.”

Look it over. Zoom in on the details. Rembrandt captures the moment when Jesus and his disciples are in a terrible squall while sailing in a small boat. Thanks to Rembrandt’s genius, you can almost hear the roar of the wind, the crash of the waves, the cries of the men. You can almost feel the cold spray on your face.

Study the disciples. Several of them are scrambling to control the sail. One is holding on to the tiller for dear life. One is about to get sick. One is clinging to the side, frozen over what to do next. One has his back to us, quietly shutting down in despair. One is in prayer. Two of them are yelling at Jesus in panic, waking him up from a sound sleep.

Finally, there is one disciple who is looking straight at you. He appears to have questioning eyes. He seems to be asking, “What about you? How would you react if you were in my place?”

When the storms of life hit, which one of the disciples are you? Do you scramble to figure things out on your own? Do you simply hold on to the tiller for dear life? Do you yell at Jesus in panic? Do you shut down, overwhelmed?

Time for some candor. There have been many times when you and I have reacted to the storms of life out of anxiety, panic, and fear instead of trust in the one who commands the wind and the waves.

But Jesus came here for more than stilling storms. He came to live a life of perfect trust on our behalf. Jesus came to wash away our every sinful failure at the cross, and then he rose from death. And because he has, he refreshes us in his forgiveness when we come to him in repentant hearts. Restored in him, you and I can rest easy, even in the storms of life.

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, when the storms come, you are here. All is well. Thank you. Amen.

“Last night, an angel of the God to whom I belong and whom I serve stood beside me and said, ‘Do not be afraid, Paul.’”
Acts 27:23,24

Shipwreck

Let’s set the scene. The apostle Paul, in custody, is sailing to Rome to stand trial before Caesar. He’s sailing on a ship that is massive for its day, comparable in size to the great British warships of the early 1800s. There are 276 people on board.

Then, disaster. A “Northeaster,” a wind of hurricane force, sweeps down and takes over the ship. All the crew can do is ride along. Days pass, but the wind is relentless. The crew begins to throw the cargo overboard in hopes of lightening the load and saving the ship. But more days come and go. The storm continues. The sun and stars do not appear. Everything is bleak. Everything is desperate. It looks as though all is lost.

Then Paul gets up. There will be a shipwreck, yes. However, Paul says, “Last night, an angel of the God to whom I belong and whom I serve stood beside me and said, ‘Do not be afraid, Paul.’” He goes on to assure them that his Lord has chosen to protect all 276 lives on board.

And so here is Paul, facing the certainty of a shipwreck. Nevertheless, because of a word of promise from the God who claims Paul as his own, Paul remains calm.

You can relate to the 276 people on that ship. Perhaps you’ve never spent days on a sailing ship in hurricane-force winds. You’ve had your turn, however, at feeling the winds of trouble blasting through your life. You’ve felt the dashed hopes. You’ve felt the uncertainty. You’ve felt the fear of shipwreck.

We all have. We are, after all, sinful, frail vessels in a sinful, stormy world.

But as Paul says, “The God to whom I belong and whom I serve” has bound himself to us through faith in Jesus Christ. The same God who has washed us clean in the blood of his Son is the same one who will see us through all things—even the shipwrecks of life.

Prayer:
Lord God, when the shipwrecks of life come, see me through. Amen.

He died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again.
2 Corinthians 5:15

Self

The Twilight Zone was a TV series in the early 1960s. Episodes typically included elements of science fiction or the supernatural. Almost every story ended with a twist in the plot. Many consider it one of the best-written TV shows of all time.

One particular episode featured a hardened criminal who had died but woke up in a pleasant place. A congenial host welcomed him and invited him to enjoy what he knew to be some of the criminal’s favorite amusements—playing cards, playing pool, etc. At first, the criminal had a marvelous time, for he discovered that he won every game he played. Over time, however, the novelty wore off. More time passed. The irritation of always winning had now turned into drudgery. More time passed. Finally, the criminal cried out in misery, “I wish I hadn’t gone to heaven. I wish I were in hell.” In reply, the congenial host laughed a terrible laugh and said, “You are.”

From the Bible, we know that hell is far, far worse than simple boredom. The criminal’s misery, however, highlights a real curse—the curse of an empty, meaningless life that has no other purpose than to revolve around me.

That’s the evil genius of sin, of course—your sin and mine. My sinful self makes a compelling case that the purpose of my life is the fulfillment of my pleasures, my dreams, my comforts, my priorities. All that creates, however, is a vacant, lonely, pointless life. My life has meaning only in connection with the God who made me. Absent that, nothing matters.

And that’s why Jesus came. As my substitute, God the Son lived a life of perfect trust in his heavenly Father’s will. As my substitute, God the Son went to the cross and washed away all my sins of self-absorption. Now, as the risen and ascended Christ, he sends me his Holy Spirit through his gospel, joining me to God through faith in his Son. The curse of my self-absorbed life is over.

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, you have rescued me from the loneliness of self. Fill me with the joy of living for you. Amen.

Every word of God is flawless; he is a shield to those who take refuge in him.
Proverbs 30:5

Shield

In 2015, archaeologists discovered something very old. It was a wooden shield, rectangular in shape and reinforced with straps. Experts date the shield to several hundred years before the birth of Jesus.

To a soldier in the ancient world, the significance of a good shield was profound. In the universe of battle, when swords, spears, and projectiles were seeking to kill or maim, there was nothing a soldier treasured more than a reliable shield. He cared for it, repaired it, maintained it, and for good reason. To him, the shield he carried was a mobile, personal refuge from harm.

Perhaps you are in a moment of your life when you feel as though there are swords, spears, arrows, and projectiles coming at you from every direction. Some may be coming from your place of work. Others may be coming from your home, family, and finances. Others may be coming from a diagnosis from the doctor. Still, others may be coming from sharp regrets in your past or pointed fears about your future.

Such a feeling, of course, is nothing new. Ever since humanity severed its relationship with God in the Garden of Eden, we have been experiencing the consequences of our own sinful brokenness. One of those consequences is to feel as though we are, at times, in a chaotic, noisy battle.

God saw this. God saw us. He saw the madness, brokenness, and frantic despair. And so God sent his Son. On our behalf, Jesus fought the perfect fight against every sinful temptation. In our place, Jesus gave his life on the cross for our every sinful failure. Then, according to his promise, he rose from death, ascended into heaven, and filled the whole universe.

And because he has, you and I now stand forgiven through faith in him. Heaven is ours. He surrounds us in his presence. He guides all things for our good.

All of which means that, as you and I encounter the battles of life in this old world, we have a shield. We have a personal refuge. His name is Jesus.

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, when my battles come, you are my shield. Help me remember this. Amen.