Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.
TO PONDER
I want to reflect on something that I heard while doing some study with City to City, a ministry training organisation that comes out of the late Timothy Keller's church in New York.
Tim, and the people at City to City, often talk about 'the desires of the heart'. They have good reason for doing this, as the Bible, both in the Old and New Testaments, also talk a lot about the desires or longing of the heart in various ways and contexts. In fact, this kind of language has found its way into English idioms when we talk about the desires of the heart, and I expect it's probably common in other languages also.
The reason that it is such a universal concept is that we all know what it is to have a 'deep longing' or desire for something. The desires in and of themselves are not necessarily the problem. Rather the way we order those desires is where we get into trouble. The desire for human connection and intimacy is not a bed thing, however, when it becomes the driving desire in our life it can quickly devolve into lust and sexual immorality. The desire for provision and security is also not bad, but when it becomes the sole focus of our hearts desire then it often quickly turns to greed and selfishness. The key to addressing this is simply to have a heart whose first and greatest desire is right relationship with God.
That's what went wrong in the garden of Eden. It didn't take much for the serpent to convince Eve that God was holding out on her and Adam by holding back the fruit of the knowledge of good and evil from them. The human heart, left to its own devices is prone to desiring almost anything more than it desires God. That is why King David, in this psalm of repentance asks God for a new and pure heart. One with the right priorities and desires. While King David made some pretty big mistakes during his reign (this psalm being written after his desire for Bathsheba had gotten the better of him) he was also described as 'a man after God's own heart'.
Out attitudes are often informed by the things we value and desire. If our desires are disordered and other things beside God take the number one spot in our hearts, then we will inevitably begin to demonstrate ungodly attitudes. We need new hearts, with rightly ordered desires, to consistently display godly attitudes in our lives. Only God can do that work in us. So take a moment now to ask him to do that in you!
PRAYER: Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me that in all I do I may glorify you. Amen
Today's devotion written by Mathew von Stanke, LifeWay Newcastle
Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up
TO PONDER
I'm a big fan of some of the 'treasure hunting' reality tv shows that are on TV these days, particularly 'Outback Opal Hunters' and 'Aussie Gold Hunters'. This is partly due to the fact that, through my grandfather and father, I have been able to have a taste of the 'treasure hunting' bug as both were keen amature gold fossickers. In my childhood we had a few family camping trips to different parts of the Victorian goldfields around Ballarat and Bendigo and spent long days up to our knees in local rivers panning for gold. I never found more than 'specks' of gold, but my grandfather in particular had turned up a few small nuggets across the years and seeing what he had managed to find was enough to keep a young boy like me interested incase the next 'pan' turned up the giant nugget we were all hoping for.
It would have been easy to give up on that process. In fact my brother, who is a few years younger than me, regularly tired of standing in the very cold river water, swishing a plastic tray of dirt around only to find nothing. He would inevitably re-enter the search when someone found something exciting though.
I think that this is often what happens when it comes to our efforts in God's harvest field. We can sometimes feel like we labour for ages and never feel like we get results and so we give up. Other times we perhaps want to sit back, like a younger sibling, and wait for someone else to do all the hard work and then swoop in when someone stumbles on a good patch. Sometimes though, I think we can also be to busy looking for the 'mother-load' that we fail to recognise the value of the 'specks' that we find along the way.
The thing about those TV shows I mentioned earlier, is that the life of a gold prospector or an opal miner seems to always be one where personal and financial resources are stretched to breaking point before a decent return is found. It would be easy for many of these people to give up because of the hard work and insecurity of the mining industry. To many of us outsiders who watch these shows, their committment to finding the next 'score' often seems financially foolish. But they know it's out there somewhere and the joy you see on their faces when they find something of worth is infectious. Gold and gemstones are one thing, but how much more valuable is the eternal life of a fellow human being? Why is it often so hard to be excited about joining God on that treasure hunt where the rewards are so much more valuable, not to mention eternal?
PRAYER: Heavenly Father, I thank you for all the beauty of creation and how you work through it to provide for my daily needs. I ask that you would help me to also be a resource that you can use to help others find life and hope in you. Help me not to treasure the things of this world to highly, but help me to seek your kingdom first and to help others find their way into that kingdom through your son Jesus Christ, in whose name I pray. Amen
Today's devotion written by Mathew von Stanke, LifeWay Newcastle
Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.
TO PONDER
I think this particular verse of the Bible is one of the most frequently misused or misunderstood parts of the New Testament. Let me explain...
It's not the first bit about rejoicing, praying and giving thanks that's the problem - although there are certainly times and experiences in life that can make this a difficult thing to do - the problem is in how people understand the last part, the "This is God's will for you in Christ Jesus."
I wonder - if like me - you have ever heard this verse preached or understood in the following way? "God's will for you in Christ is to have a joy filled life, a life lived in perfect faith and trust in which God will remove every obstacle, heal every disease, make all things new - that is God's will for your life!" Ever heard that, or something like that before?
That kind of approach to this passage simply ignores too much of the suffering and lamenting that we find in various places in the Old Testament. It flies in the face of Paul's own regular experience of being persecuted and frequently imprisoned for his work in spreading the message of Jesus across the Roman world. Those experiences were not pleasant, they were not God removing every obstacle from Paul in his missionary work. And yet, even in the midst of these difficult circumstances there is in much of Paul's writing, a different attitude than we might expect. Paul, far from being depressed or anxious about his various stints in prison, is busy looking for how God is at work, even while he is in that situation. While Paul is in prison, he is busy writing letters, praying for and giving thanks for the various Christian communities that he knows are still hard at work teaching others about the gospel of Jesus.
This is the more accurate way to understand this passage. Not that a life following Jesus is a guarantee of a trouble and trial free life, but that in knowing God, in knowing his love for us, in knowing what he has done in Christ to redeem us and claim us back from sin and death and to make us his children, that even in the most difficult of circumstances we would know the deeper reality, that we are loved by him, can come to him with our concerns that our prayers can even be prayers of complaint and lament, but that even when our hearts are breaking, we can still have something to give thanks for, that while we were still diners, Christ died for us.
Sometimes it is hard to rejoice when the circumstances around us are challenging, sometimes prayer is hard when we feel like God seems distant, Sometimes it can be hard to see the things we can be thankful for when everything seems to be going wrong. God's will for us in those times is to know we can still come to him, rejoice in him and rest in him. That is God's will for us in Christ Jesus.
PRAYER:Heavenly Father, thank you that even when I am messed upend my life seems to be falling apart, that you invite me to remember what you have done to demonstrate your love for me and to make me your own through your son Jesus. Please help me to remember in those hard times in life that you are there for me and that you have not abandoned me. Help me to turn my eyes to you in every moment. Amen
Today's devotion written by Mathew von Stanke, LifeWay Newcastle
Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.
TO PONDER
I love that this verse talks about clothes. It's not that I am deeply into fashion or am particularly worried about being 'on trend' with the clothes that I wear but for me, this verse being about clothes reinforces the point that when it comes to our attitudes we have a choice.
I don't know about you, but I often hear people offering all kinds of excuses when it comes to justifying their behaviour. You can often find kids at school or on the playground making poor behaviour choices and then immediately claim, "So and so made me do it!", as if they had no part to play in the situation at all. It's a bit more subtle with adults, as we have generally learned to be less obvious about the way we shift blame, but it is still just as common. You might hear things like, 'that comment "triggered" me' to justify an angry response or, "I can't believe they would say that!" to justify indignation and intolerance. Those comments might be true, and of course sometimes the actions of others do make "choosing" to clothe ourselves in compassion, kindness and humility a harder choice to make. However, the reality remains, just like we can choose what clothes we wear each morning and how we present ourselves to the wider world, we can also choose our attitudes and responses.
The other thought I'd also want to add for us to reflect on today which this verse reminds me of, is to remind us that whether it's a suit and tie, active wear, denim jeans and a t-shirt or any other 'style' of clothing, we all have a personal style. Maybe it conforms pretty closely to current trends, maybe it could be described as 'retro' (as 1990's fashion comes back around my own style is increasing described this way by my kids) maybe your 'style' is avant-garde or somehow 'unique', whatever it may be people see that it fits you and suits you because what you wear and how you present yourself to the world through your clothing is an expression of yourself whether you like it or not. In the same way, the attitudes we choose to express through our behaviour and interactions with others should communicate something of who we are as followers of Jesus. Anger and hostility do not suit a follower of Jesus, kindness and compassion are a much more suitable choice.
So I guess the question today then is, 'what attitudes are you going to choose to wear and express today? What will those attitudes communicate to others about your life as a follower of Jesus?
PRAYER: Lord Jesus, sometimes my reactions and behaviours come out of me without much conscious thought or choice. Please help me to be more aware of and to consciously choose how I react and respond to others. Help me to increasingly clothe myself in compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience so that others may see in me the joy of following you. Amen
Today's devotion written by Mathew von Stanke, LifeWay Newcastle.
Do everything without grumbling or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, “children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation.” Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky.
TO PONDER
"Do I have to???" It's a cry almost every parent will be familiar with, and one that I am sure we can all recall whinging at our own parents whenever they asked us to do some tedious task like tidy our rom, or wash a sink of dirty dishes (for me it was mowing the lawn).
Strangely enough, sometimes the biggest groups of whiners and whiners I have found myself associating with have been Christians.
When the world seems broken, I've heard many Christians blame the government, the self centred nature of our modern society, of the breakdown of social cohesion. All of these things may in fact be contributing to the problem, but simply naming them and complaining about them does nothing but fuel the fire. If we wan't the world at large to change its opinion and attitude about Christians, maybe we Christians aught to take a look at our own attitudes. We can't simply say, "I know what God wants from me but well, I don't want to!"
Earlier in Philippians chapter 2, the people are encouraged to have the mindset (we could also say 'attitude') as Christ.
How often do you see 'Christians' in the media that exhibit the same attitudes and mindset as Christ? I can't recall the last time that I saw a Christian individual or even a group of Christians put on the news for doing something outrageously kind, generous or loving. However, I have seen plenty of high profile Christians on television recently whose behaviour and opinions and lack of concern for others could not be further from anything even resembling 'Christlikeness'.
The call for us as modern day Christians, coming from the words of Philippians chapter 2, is to not let ourselves or our attitudes be conformed by social norms or expectations, to not be taken in by the 'warped and crooked' nature of the world around us, but instead to be blameless and pure. Where you see hatred, respond with the love that Christ has first shown you. Where you see injustice and violence, respond with the mercy and grace of Jesus. We can respond to things that are wrong in the world, but we are not to do it as the world does. We are to respond with the same attitude of Christ, who laid down his life so that we might live.
PRAYER:Lord God, thank you that you have opened up a different way for me to live through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus. Please help my every day to be informed by the mindset of Christ, please help me to react not as the world around me would, but in the way you would have me respond as your dearly loved child. Amen
Today's devotion written by Mathew von Stanke, LifeWay Newcastle
“Now then, just as the Lord promised, he has kept me alive for forty-five years since the time he said this to Moses, while Israel moved about in the wilderness. So here I am today, eighty-five years old! I am still as strong today as the day Moses sent me out; I’m just as vigorous to go out to battle now as I was then."
TO PONDER
Waiting often changes our attitude doesn't it? Something that starts out as an exciting prospect can turn to an uncomfortable burden as we wait for it to come to fruition. And in fact, I think it is perhaps worse for us today that it has been in the past because we have become so accustomed to getting whatever we want almost instantaneously. Do you remember when you used to have to wait a whole week before you could watch the next episode of your favourite television program? Or even worse, had to wait until your favourite fruit was in season before being able buy it at the grocery store?
If there was ever a guy whose wait could have changed his attitude, I reckon it's Caleb. God made him a promise, then he waited 45 years for God to deliver. I wonder if you have ever prayed to God for something and given up on getting a response after praying for a week? A month? A Year?
It seems that Caleb's faith and trust in God's faithfulness didn't waver over 45 years of waiting. I know if it was me, I'd certainly have had periods of doubt over that time, especially when the people around me were also doubting and complaining (as they were around Caleb).
Caleb and Joshua's faith and attitude when it comes to the things of God is a good reminder for us in the world of instant gratification in which we live. God's promises are not based on our circumstances, or our timeframes. In fact, if you look at the larger context of the story of scripture, God's promise to Abraham was not fulfilled in his lifetime, nor was it fulfilled in the lifetime of his son, grandson, or great grandson. It is multiple generations later in which Abraham's descendants, now under Joshua's leadership, finally take possession of the Land God had promised and become the great nation God had said they would become. It would still be many generations later that the final part of that promise, that through this family/nation, all people would be blessed, would ultimately be fulfilled in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus.
So what's the take away for us today? Don't take a lack of an obvious answer to your prayers as a sign God hasn't heard you. Remember Caleb, who waited 45 years for God's promise to be fulfilled. Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, who never saw the promise of God fulfilled, but followed him and trusted him regardless. God may not answer your prayers even in your lifetime, but that doesn't mean he is not faithful. Keep your eyes firmly fixed on his promises because the Lord your God is faithful to all his promises.
PRAYER: Lord God, I know my life on this earth is just a speck in the landscape of eternity. I know this makes me impatient and easily distracted by the things happening immediately around me. Please help me to adopt an attitude of patience, trusting in your perfect timing and your covenant faithfulness. Amen
Today's devotion written by Mathew von Stanke, LifeWay Newcastle
but my fellow Israelites who went up with me made the hearts of the people melt in fear. I, however, followed the Lord my God wholeheartedly.
TO PONDER
This little interaction between Joshua and Caleb, is a throwback to another story found in Numbers 13 and 14, when Moses sent spies out to scout out the promised land. What's interesting about that story is that all the spies witnessed the same thing, a land filled with strong people and fortified cities. But while 10 of the 12 spies came back trembling with fear and doubt, Joshua and Caleb came back and said the land was beautiful, and God would deliver it to them.
It's crazy how much our attitude can affect our perspective. Because they demonstrated faith and trust in God, Joshua and Caleb were the only people of that generation to enter the promised land. God's purpose for choosing and establishing Israel as his chosen people was to draw all nations to himself. That through the people of Israel, God would make himself known through all the earth.
Following the Lord wholeheartedly is what distinguished Joshua and Caleb from the rest of their generation. It also is part of what sets us apart as God's people today. If we only follow God when it suits us or when it feels safe and comfortable to do so, how does that give God the oppportunity to show his greatness in our circumstances? How do we ever expect to have stories to tell others of the amazing things God has done for us, if we only ever let ourselves into circumstances where we know we can control the outcomes on our own terms?
Follow the Lord wholeheartedly this week and see what he does to make himself known as you do that. I think you might be amazed.
PRAYER: Lord Jesus, I know I often follow you half-heartedly. I ask for help only when I'm out of my depth, rather than seeking you first in all things. I know I need your forgiveness but often am slow to forgive others. Please help me to follow you wholeheartedly so that as I follow you, others may see your work in my life and come to know your goodness also. Amen
Today's devotion written by Mathew von Stanke, LifeWay Newcastle
The lame man looked at them eagerly, expecting a gift. But Peter said, “I don’t have any money for you. But I’ll give you what I have. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, get up and walk!”
TO PONDER
In this account from the early church, a lame beggar asked Peter and John for money. His expected outcome was that they would give him some spare change. The best outcome, in his mind, would have been that they would be generous and he would get an extra-good meal that day.
God’s different outcome for this man was so far beyond what he had ever imagined, both in the physical and the spiritual. The lame man “jumped up, …and began to walk” (verse 8). This was a mind-blowing outcome in itself. However, I believe that God’s different outcome for this man went even further. We see him praising God and going into the temple with Peter and John. He hears Peter’s explanation of the power of Jesus to the astounded people surrounding them, and he is with Peter and John the following day as they preach of Jesus to the unreceptive Jewish Leaders. In effect, the physical outcome, was only the start. The even bigger outcome was that this man met Jesus through his encounter with Peter and John. This was possibly only the start of a larger, ripple effect of God’s different outcome for this man’s life. Consider how this life-changing outcome for this man was part of the ripple-effect from the different outcome that God had for Peter when Jesus called him to leave his fishing nets and follow him.
How often do our expected outcomes fall far short of the generosity, extent, reach, inclusion etc that God has in store when he fulfils his different outcomes in our lives? Be encouraged that as we learn to be different by seeking and expecting God’s different outcomes in our lives, God will use us and our lives in ways far beyond our expectations and awareness.
PRAYER: Heavenly Father, thank you for the ways that you have already worked different outcomes in my life. Keep me seeking you and your way. Please use me and my life to bring your different outcomes to those around me too. Amen.
Today’s devotion written by Julie Kitchen, Lifeway Epping
Christ came at just the right time and died for us sinners. …And since we have been made right in God’s sight by the blood of Christ, he will certainly save us from God’s judgement.
TO PONDER
God’s biggest “different outcome” in history would arguably have to be the death of Jesus.
The obvious outcome, seen by all who attended or heard about his trial or crucifixion was that Jesus, the miracle worker, the teacher, the prophet (in the eyes of the people); the Messiah (in the eyes of his disciples); the nuisance opponent (in the eyes of the religious leaders); was now dead. He was very brutally and publicly dead, so that no one could contest the fact. This was not the outcome that his friends wanted or expected.
And yet, how did God see this outcome? Very differently indeed! Jesus himself, as he died, claimed, “It is finished!” (John 19:30). The planned outcome was achieved. God’s different outcome here is that as Jesus died, we sinners were ransomed by his blood and welcomed back into a right relationship with God. This was God’s plan from the Garden of Eden, that no onlooker that day could see.
And his death (and our ransom) wasn’t even the final outcome. On the third day, another different outcome awaited: God raised Jesus to life again.
Because of our sin, the outcome that we were destined for was death. Praise God that he has a different outcome for us: Forgiveness and life with him forever!
PRAYER: Lord Jesus, I thank you that you were committed to God’s “different outcome”; that you were not distracted by the temptations of power or personal greatness that the world offered, but instead went to the cross with me in your vision. Help me now to live my life as your “different outcome”, with my eyes fixed on you every day. Amen.
Today’s devotion written by Julie Kitchen, Lifeway Epping