What is man?

"For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die— but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us."

(Romans 5:6-8)

A Hymn of Glory Let Us Sing

"And when Jesus had said these things, as they were looking on, He was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight. And while they were gazing into heaven as He went, behold, two men stood by them in white robes, and said, "Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw Him go into heaven." (Acts 1:9-11)

Imagine the looks on the faces of the disciples as Jesus was lifted up before their eyes. A look of such wonder, such puzzlement, such confusion that it must have lasted long after He was gone from their sight, until men in white robes interrupted them. Open-mouthed, wide-eyed astonishment. This hardly looks like the "spirit of wisdom and revelation of knowledge" Paul talks about in Ephesians. This might look like… abandonment.

origin unknown

Do you ever feel abandoned by God? Do you ever feel like He's sitting in a wonderful heaven and has left you behind here on earth to toil in His absence, alone, gazing longingly to where He has gone, wondering why, if He loves you so much, didn't He take you with Him?

When we feel that way, we're looking to heaven when Christ is here with us on earth. The Ascension of our Lord does not mean that He's been separated from us. It means the opposite. Remember Jesus’ final words in the Gospel according to St. Matthew (28:20b): "And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age." Jesus promises to be with us always, and He didn't mean in some abstract, transcendent way. He is physically with us, in His Word and in His Sacraments. Because of His perfect sacrifice, God the Father will not forsake you. You have never been abandoned even for a moment, and you never will be, though Satan delights in that feeling just like he delights in every lie.

Nevertheless, it's our sinful natures to always want more no matter how much we already have. So when feelings of abandonment creep in on us, and they inevitably will, go to church. Read the Bible. Listen to hymns. Pray. Receive the Lord’s Supper, and remind yourself of your baptism. Through these means alone, we ascend to heaven, and Christ descends to be with us.

"Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you." (Philippians 4:8-9)

Stricken, Smitten, and Afflicted

*
Tell me, ye who hear Him groaning, 

was there ever grief like His?

Friends through fear His cause disowning,

foes insulting His distress;

Many hands were raised to wound Him, 

none would interpose to save.

But the deepest stroke that pierced Him

was the stroke that Justice gave.
*

"Stricken, Smitten, and Afflicted"

by Thomas Kelly
1769-1854

Crucifixion, 17th century
Sir Anthony van Dyck

Jesus was able to defeat sin by becoming sin in our place. Though perfectly sinless, He took on all the punishment the world has ever and will ever deserve because He allowed Himself to deserve it. The most painful event throughout Jesus' ordeal wasn't the nails in His palms, the cat of nine tails, or the betrayal of His friend, Judas. Hoards of people have endured similar forms of physical torture, and we've all been betrayed by a friend. But we've never been abandoned by God. Jesus was. Jesus was forsaken as the worst sinner of all sinners: the scapegoat who bore everything that was ever wrong, sick, or evil. And He bore all the wrath of God for us. So, was there ever grief like His? No. And there never will be again.

That's why St. Paul tells us that God will never give us more than we can bear (1 Cor. 10:13). Jesus won His Father's undying love for each of us, and so there simply is nothing left in heaven or on earth that we cannot bear, not because He will swoop down in our darkest moments and carry us out of harm's way, but because He will provide a way we can endure like His Son.

And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, "Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?" that is, "My God, my God, 
why have you forsaken me?"

Matthew 27:46

The Rose Garden I Was Never Promised

“IN this world, YOU will have triBuLatioN.”

(John 16:33b)

I get upset when I'm having a particularly difficult day, and my husband (God bless him) tries to console me by saying, "It'll be okay." Okay? OKAY??? Do you know what “okay” means for a Christian?? Have you read the Bible?? “Okay” is fire, flood, wilderness, tribulation, temptation, martyrdom, suffering to the -enth degree! I could die tomorrow quite painfully, and that would be "okay" by Biblical standards! ...now, I admit that I'm generally overly dramatic on my difficult days, but what I'm saying is true nonetheless. Thousands of pages of promises in that Bible, and not once does God ever promise that our life in the world will be easy. In fact, He promises the exact opposite. Several times. And blatantly.

• "Don't be surprised, brothers, if the world hates you." (1 John 3:13) 
• "When you walk through fire..." (Isaiah 43:2).
• "In this world you will have tribulation." (John 16:33)
• "Through many tribulations we must enter the Kingdom of God." (Acts 22:14b)
• "I have not come to bring peace but a sword." (Matthew 10:34b)
• "Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer." (Romans 12:12)

Hates me? !!! WHEN we walk through fire... Tribulation, tribulation, tribulation. Well, great. The fact that I'm in pain and probably won't get better in this lifetime has Biblical backing. And if I DO get better, something else is going to happen to stress me out anyway. Aren't you glad you bothered to read this post??

Wait a minute. God wouldn't leave His children in such a predicament without hope. Jesus' promise of tribulation in John's Gospel goes on: "In this world, you will have tribulation, BUT take heart; I have overcome the world." So... what does that mean? Does that mean if I'm baptized, I'll never get sick? Well, clearly that's not the case. If I go to church, I'll sleep better at night? My car won't break down? I'm going to win the lottery? No, no, and no. Well, what is God promising us then, if it's not a rose garden?

He promises us salvation. And I don't mean only the salvation that comes from finally being with Jesus in Paradise, the muddle-through-until-you-die-kind of salvation. (I don't want to short-change the wonderful gift of Heaven, but that's a long ways off, and I have serious trouble getting through the next 5 minutes). No, I mean salvation that brings relief in the tangible here and now, today, smack dab in the middle of our suffering.

But I'm still in pain. Either God is lying, or I'm looking for relief in the wrong place. Where's our "okay," chronic pain sufferers? Not where we thought it was, that's for sure. "Okay" is living with the pain, right? It's not being pain-free because that's just never going to happen. Christians, where's our "relief"? "Relief" is knowing that God is right here with us every excruciating minute, every difficult day, every tear, every bout of anger, every bitter disappointment. It's not being stress or sadness-free because that's just never going to happen.

"Behold, I am doing a new thing.
    Now it springs forth, do you not perceive it?
I will make a path in the wilderness
    and rivers in the desert." (Isaiah 43:19)

God doesn't take the wilderness away. He's made a path to get us through it. That path is...? You guessed it: JESUS. Jesus overcame the world when He took up every burden we bear today and died for every one of them on that cross like a criminal, for you and for me. Not only for the bad things we did, but for all the bad things that happen to us. Because of Him, because His love for you is such that He gave up His very life to save yours, God the Father will never, ever let you suffer alone. Not even for a second.

Let's face it, fellow sufferers of chronic pain: being "okay" doesn't mean we're pain free. Let's face it, brothers and sisters in Christ: being "saved" doesn't mean we don't suffer. So yes, you're right, oh love of my life. I am going to be okay, if I never get better and if I die tomorrow in the most painful way imaginable. Okay has nothing to do with not hurting. It has everything to do with always, always, always having the love of God.

Suggested verse to repeat to yourself if it's a difficult day is from Matthew 28:20b

Words of Jesus Himself.

PRC buddies, remember to breathe!

“I am with you always ---------------> 5 count inhale

Until the end of the age.” -----------> 5 count exhale

For more on being okay, click here.

The Enigma of Job #2

“Who is this that darkens counsel by words without knowledge? Brace yourself like a man! I will question you, and you will answer ME! Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth?!” (Job 38:3-4a)

Poor Job. In the middle of his demands to talk to God face to face and plead his case of innocence, God actually showed up. Can you imagine? If God actually showed up every time I demanded answers from Him... *shudder* ...I don't even want to think about it. And boy, was God ever angry.

Don't get Him wrong: it wasn't Job's lamenting of, "This hurts! I can't do this! Please take the pain away!" that got to God. We're invited to "by prayer and supplication make our requests known to God" (Philippians 4:6b). No, it was the whining of, "I don't deserve this," and "God's wrong for doing this to me," that necessitated an intervention. We can see Job's point, can't we? His suffering was the product of a bet between God and Satan. How much less deserving can you get that that? I've been driven to that same point once or twice. It's a natural(ly sinful) place for our hearts and minds to go when we're bombarded with bad luck, hardships, and suffering: WHAT DID I DO TO DESERVE THIS??? NOTHING!!!

...um, everything? Job's assumption that he was blameless was a sin. No one is righteous apart from Christ. Me? Oh, I'm certainly not assuming I'm anywhere near blameless, believe me, but am I really this much to blame? Well, yeah. On the one hand, we all deserve suffering, and to what degree is notwithstanding: "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" (Romans 2:23). But on the other and more important hand, what we deserve isn't the point. And thank God for that. God is not punishing us. He doesn't work that way because Jesus died for the sin of the world and the sins of everyone in it. God wasn't punishing Job. On the contrary, Job got a much-needed chance to repent, and repent he did. He realized that he needed a savior just as much as the next guy (see The Enigma of Job #1). But that wasn't the only point to Job's suffering.

Pierre-Paul Prud'hon 
"Crucifixion"
1822

Do you think Job—all covered in boils and ashes and being yelled at by God—ever dreamed he'd be in the Bible? But he is. He's part of that beautiful Means of Grace and a comfort throughout the ages. And of course, there is Jesus: the number one point to all suffering everywhere. Yes, Jesus died for Job, too. (We can get into the whole retro-activity of the crucifixion, which occurred both within time and outside of time some other... er time). That means Jesus took on Job's suffering, and Job then participated in a small part of Jesus' suffering in his trials.

I don't know what our individual lessons are or if there are any. I really don't, but I do know that God promises our suffering isn't for nothing. No, none of us will end up in the Bible: that's already been written from beginning to end. But God knows what comfort, what hope, what peace we can bring when people look at us in our sorry states and we simply point to the cross, and we know it too. So, maybe the chance to repent isn't the point for you. Maybe your suffering has nothing to do with you. Maybe your hardship is for the sake of someone else altogether, for a purpose greater than you can even imagine.

Suggested verse to repeat if it's a difficult day is Psalm 119:169b

PRC buddies, remember to breathe!

"Give me understanding -------> 5 count inhale

according to Your Word." -------> 5 count exhale

For more on Job, click here.

Don't You Want Me?

"For me, to Live is Christ, and to DiE is gain. If I am to live in the flesh, that means fruitful labor for me. YET which I shall choose I cannot TEll. I am hard pressed between the two. My desiRe is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better. But to remain in the flesh is more necessAry on your account." (Philippians 1:21-24)

I sometimes struggle with the fact that I've been so sick for so long and am still alive, what with heaven being so great and all. The prophet Elijah got to that point when running for his life from Jezebel: 

"And he asked that he might die, saying, "It is enough now, O LORD; take away my life, for I am no better than my fathers." (1 Kings 19:4a)

How many times I utter the same thing: That's enough now, O Lord. I am so, so tired... But the LORD didn't take Elijah's life. Instead, He sent Elijah food and water: strength to continue his journey. I guess that's why we aren't supposed to choose when we depart to be with Christ. Dollars to donuts, we'd give up too soon.

Jesus once met a man who was possessed by a demon named "Legion" (the term legion refers to a division in the Roman army consisting of somewhere between 3,000 and 6,000 soldiers). He freed the man from the demon(s), and the man--shunned by his community--begged Jesus to take him along. Jesus said no. Jesus said, "Go home to your friends and tell them how much the LORD has done for you, and how He has had mercy on you." [See Mark 5:1-20 for the full text].

That must have been painful to hear. Confusing and devastating. The healed man wanted desperately to be with his Savior, to be with someone who actually loved him, someone who wouldn't shun him for his past, and here his Savior didn't want to be with him. Or so it would appear. But the fact is, Jesus knew the man had more important things to do.

You and I already know the truth. We already know what the LORD has done for us, and how He has had mercy on us. We can wait to be with our Savior if waiting is what it takes for others to marvel at what we know, if waiting is what Jesus asks us to do, knowing without a doubt that God will always give us the strength to walk as far as we need to go. Yes, to die is gain, but heaven isn't going anywhere: Jesus is holding those gates open. He died for the weaknesses that makes us want to give up and patiently gives us the strength to run another mile and point out that fact to others, "So that in me you may have ample cause to glory in Christ Jesus." (Philippians 1:26a)

Suggested verse to repeat if it's a difficult day is from Psalm 71:9b

PRC buddies, remember to breathe!

"Forsake me not -------> 5 count inhale

when my strength is spent." -------> 5 count exhale

LORD, If You Had Been Here

"Now when Mary came to where Jesus was and saw Him, she fell at His feet, saying to Him, "LORD, if You had been here, my brother would not have died."  When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come with her also weeping, He was deeply moved in His spirit and greatly troubled.

And He said, "Where have you laid him?" They said to Him, "LORD, come and see." Jesus wept. So the Jews said, "See how He loved him!" But some of them said, "Could NOT HE who opened the eyes of the blind man also have KEPT this man from dying?" (John 11:32-37)

* * *

"LORD, if You had been here..." How many of us have thought that very same thing? Of course, Jesus is there, always present with us. And we still get sick, and we still get hurt, and we still die. We still weep. So did Jesus. The fact that Jesus wept at His friend's death gives me enormous comfort. Jesus knew without any shadow of any doubt at all that in literally a few minutes, He would raise Lazarus from the dead Himself. Jesus knew He would talk to His friend again, that Lazarus' family would be with him again, that their pain would end, and still, He was moved to the point of tears.

Sometimes I wonder, with all my education and Christianity and whatnot, why am I so bitterly sad if I believe in heaven? If I know my salvation is secure? Am I a bad Christian? Do I doubt Jesus' love? Do I doubt that any of this ever really happened? Sometimes, sure, to a point. I'm not perfect after all, and neither is my faith, no matter how many books I read and prayers I say. But what Jesus' weeping at Lazarus' death shows us is that we are so bitterly sad because it simply HURTS. Period.

What's "it"? It is sin. Sin and all its consequences. Death hurts. Sickness hurts. Life hurts. Living here in this fallen world when we belong in heaven hurts us so powerfully that even with absolute, perfect certainty of the Resurrection of the Dead and the Life of the World to come, even with complete control over life and death, none of us―not even Christ Himself―can help but weep.

Strangely enough, permission to feel sadness in the midst of my joyful salvation leads my spirit to be less troubled, and my tears to be less bitter. It's not always the sinful, selfish side of us that's weeping for the death of someone we love more than our own life, or that weeps for our own pain and illness and misfortune. We weep for the same reason Jesus wept: because we are painfully aware that things are other than they ought to be. But not for long.

Our hearts are able to break because we are able to love. We are able to love because God loved us first (1 Jon 4:19). These fragile hearts of ours are a gift. It's sin that breaks them, and it's God who binds them up again. The LORD is near to the brokenhearted because He WAS the brokenhearted. Follow Jesus' example: be moved to tears... for now.

Suggested verse to repeat to yourself if it's a difficult day is Psalm 34:18a

PRC buddies, remember to breathe!

“The LORD is near -------> 5 count inhale

to the brokenhearted.” -------> 5 count exhale

For France: Was Jesus Asleep in the Stern?

"A Great windstorm arose, and the waves were BREAKING into the boat, so that the boat was already fillinG. But Jesus was in the stern, asleep on the cushion. And they WOKE Him & said to Him, "Teacher, do you not CARE that we are perishing?!" And He awoke & REBUKED the wind & said to the sea, "Peace! Be still!" And the wind ceaseD, and there was A GreaT caLm. Jesus said to them, "WHY are you so AFRAID? Have you STILL no FaiTH?" (Mark 4:37-40)

* * *

This story holds immense comfort for me for several reasons. 

1. The disciples saw all Jesus' miracles up to this point first hand. They'd heard Him preach. They should have known better than anyone who He was and what He could do. But still, they were afraid. 
2. Their Savior was asleep in the stern, seemingly apathetic towards their desperate situation. Knowing that Jesus was present with them wasn't enough reason for them not to be afraid. 
3. They sound angry in their panic as they demand, “Do You not care that we are perishing?!” 
4. Jesus calmed the storm with a word (well, three words) in spite of their doubt. 
5. He “rebuked the wind” as if the wind was doing something wrong.

This is me on all points. Nope, I'm not in a boat on a stormy sea, but metaphorically... well, aren't we all? And no, frankly, knowing intellectually that God is there with me isn't enough. At least not all the time. I still get angry. I still panic. I'm still scared. And sometimes I still feel like shaking Jesus by the shoulders to wake Him up, shouting, “DON'T YOU CARE THAT PEOPLE ARE DYING?!?!” And what's His response? Is it," You've doubted me one time too many, kid, you're on your own."

NO.
Jesus keeps saying, “Why are you so afraid? Have you still no faith?”

Only I picture Him saying it with a smile: a knowing, hopeful, understanding smile. "Come on, Megan. I died for you and for those you love, so that we could be in Paradise together forever. Of course I care." There is no one in heaven or on earth—Grandmas and Moms included—who cares more about the fact that we are perishing. (My dear French brothers and sisters, can you hear me?) Jesus, fully God Himself, suffered just so that we wouldn't have to perish forever. He knows our doubt and our windstorms and bullet-storms and storms of so-called "medical-procedures and rights" that erase life as though it never even existed: He's lived them. He's borne them as His very own and even allowed worse to happen to Himself (Psalm 22). He is always present and He is always caring (Matthew 28:20; Deuteronomy 31:6).

He does more than just tell us to take heart, to have courage:

He gives us that courage. 

(2 Corinthians 4:16; Philippians 4:13; Colossians 1:11)

I don't know why I'm still so afraid sometimes. Why the news makes my heart stop, the tears fall, and the hopelessness creep in. I suppose it has something to do with being both saint and sinner, but I do know that Jesus will continue to remind me who God is, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, over and over again and again and again, as many times as I need reminding. Never once does God promise us a life without storms, but He does promise us salvation through Christ. He promises us His undying love. He promises us mercy, life everlasting, and His presence with us. We have it now in the midst of our own storms, in our own rickety little boats. 

No, that fact doesn't make the waves any smaller,
but it sure makes facing them a whole lot easier.

Jesus will still that storm around you someday. He'll rebuke it for terrorizing you, and He'll take you up to heaven with Him, and all that is wrong will be made right. Until then, some days it feels like He's asleep in the stern, unaware of what you are going through, apathetic to your plight: "Do you not care that I am dying right here in front of Your eyes?!?" Satan is very good at helping us mix up what is REAL with what we FEEL. But the fact is, Jesus is there. Every bad day. Every sleepless hour. Every painful minute. Every unthinkable tragedy. Every war. Not stopping it, no, He does not save us in the way wish He would, but He promises with His help, we will make it through the darkness—beaten up, but not defeated (Ephesians 6:10-20; 2 Corinthians 4:7-12). You will not drown in the wild waters of life on earth. That's a fact. Jesus is in your boat, asleep or no, and that is all it takes (1 Peter 3:18-22).

So, why am I so so afraid, silly sinful girl that I am, whom Jesus loves more than His own life? He, together with the Father and the Holy Spirit, laid the foundation of the earth. He's called us each by name, and we are His. The wind and seas obey Him & He's decided to love US. Thanks be to God.

*

"We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed;

perplexed, but not driven to despair;

persecuted, but not forsaken; 

struck down, but not destroyed." 

(2 Corinthians 4:8-9)

*

Suggested verse to repeat to yourself when it feels like Jesus is asleep in the stern:

Psalm46:2a

PRC buddies, remember to breathe!

“We will not fear -------> 5 count inhale

though the earth gives way.” -------> 5 count exhale

Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod
PRAYER for FRANCE
*
Father of all mercy, God of peace, look in compassion upon the people of France, and particularly those who have lost loved ones in the recent terrorist attacks. Grant to them the comfort that comes from Your Son's victory over death. Heal the injured and bless those who provide them care. Give to the government officials Your wise counsel that they may protect their people. Grant that those who have perpetrated this slaughter may be brought to justice, and grant them the gift of repentance. We ask these things in the name of Him who knew in His own body the damage of those who thought they served You with violence and hatred, even Jesus Christ, whose death has atoned the sin of all and whose Resurrection is our constant and only hope. Amen.
*
Nos prières ce soir sont avec la peuple de Paris, traumatiser une deuxième fois cette année par des actes de terreur. Que la voix du Christ, le Prince de Paix, soit entendu dans les arrondissements du capitale français dans les jours qui suivent.