Line to Redemption

Recently I have been reading in the book of Leviticus as part of my daily devotions. I’m sure many Christians agree with me when I say that Leviticus is among the most boring books of the Bible. It consists solely of laws, regulations and other instructions that the Hebrews were expected to follow in the Old Testament. Even though it is not an easy book to read, I consider it important to study all the same for the sake of understanding how the people of Israel lived and why we need a Savior.

The first part of the book deals mostly with bringing sacrifices to the LORD as far as under what circumstance it was necessary and what animal was appropriate for the sacrifice. For the most part, sacrifices were made for the sake of maintaining purity before God and for atoning for sins made by an individual or community.

As I read, I tried to imagine what the scene looked like. I can imagine people that you would consider your friends, family and neighbors all lined up in front of the tabernacle every week or so with a sheep or a ram depending on the nature of the sacrifice. I think by looking at one person and seeing what that person had to present at the altar, you can tell what kind of sins he or she committed in the past week. It would probably label that person with a reputation like, “I’m an adulterer,” or “I cheated my neighbor.”

Today we tend to keep quiet about the problems that we struggle with in our lives and we are afraid that if we let other people see us trying to handle them then they will look at us differently. They will judge us by the ram that we are carrying with us and say, “You are a sinner and don’t deserve to be a part of us,” or maybe “at least my sins are not as bad as yours.”

Just try to imagine what it would look like if you were standing in line at the tabernacle as well as members of your family, your neighborhood or even members of your church. Would you feel embarrassed to have everyone you know see you with an animal that basically defines your sins? And what would you think when you see what others people brought as their sacrifice? Would it surprise you to see the things they struggle with? I’m sure it would.

I think that when the people of Israel did this and each person saw how his or her friends and family just as messed up and realize that that person is not alone in his or her struggles. Not only that, but seeing that there were many people coming to the tabernacle told each of them that they had a desire to make things right with God.

With that in mind, maybe it benefits us more to let our friends and family know what we are struggling with as opposed to hiding our problems. That way, people can see that our problems are not as different as the next person. Not only that, but taking your problems to God serves as a testimony to people to show that God cares about each of us and that He is the one to go to in order to find healing.

On a final note, the reason for these sacrifices was so that by the blood of an animal without defect would be what it took to cover a certain sin. Now Christians can rejoice, because when we come to the tabernacle, the animal that we bring is the Lamb of God who gave His life as the ultimate sacrifice to permanently cover all sins.

God’s Amazing Providence

During the last few weeks it’s been back to the drawing board for me as far as looking for jobs. I went around to some businesses in town to ask the manager of each one if there was any work I could apply for and I filled out a few applications for them. Most of where I applied gave me the application for the sake of it, but there were no promises of a job.

Yesterday I went through the campus of UNA to see if there were any postings on a bulletin board or something, and there were a few leads, but again nothing promising. As I finished my walk, I stopped by the lion cage to visit my two friends Leo and Una. I watched as they lounged lazily and looked around as people passed them by. I thought about how these lions’ needs were met daily as people fed them and gave them shelter at night and safety during the day. Then I looked at Una and told her, “Aren’t you glad that you have all your needs provided for you?” In that moment, I felt that I heard God say, “Aren’t you glad that I do the same for you?” It was then that I was reminded of Jesus’s promise when He said not to worry about food or clothing, saying that just as God takes care of the birds and the flowers He will most certainly take care of humanity.

Additionally I had a Bible study with my friends and we talked about Leviticus 25:1-7, a passage describing the regulations of a Sabbath year. While the Israelites were preparing to go to the Promised Land God gave them laws to follow, and various laws described the significance of allowing one day of rest every seventh day. But this passage talked about an entire year out of seven. People were to go a whole year without working. That meant no going out to attend to their own crops, but simply living off of whatever fruit, vegetable or animal happened to be available.

Something like this may seem too hard for us to imagine in such a fast-paced generation where jobs basically have us working a straight twenty-four hours a day for seven days a week. How can one expect to keep himself clothed or fed if not by the sweat of his brow? I think that is exactly God’s point in giving this instruction. He does not expect us to clothe or feed ourselves. That was always His job from the beginning. As His children He cares for us as a Father would His own son or daughter. This one year would give God the opportunity for Him to demonstrate that.

Being a college graduate without a job can seem unnerving when where are many concerns that I have to face. No job means no income, and so it will be harder to support myself. But I am not alarmed by these problems because I know that God is taking care of my every need already. It can be tempting to be discouraged by the things that I do not have, but before I pray that God will give me what I desire I want to first thank Him for the things that He has already blessed me with. I may not have my own place to live, but I still have a roof over my head thanks to my family. I may not have a job to make income, but I still am able to get my daily necessities. And most of all I still have friends and family in town who love and support me.

Don’t Miss

Clint Barton; Susan Pevensie; Robin of Loxley; Legolas; Oliver Queen; Katniss Everdeen; Princess Merida. What do these people have in common? You guessed it. These are the most popular archers in TV shows, books and movies. We marvel at their skills with the bow and arrow and wish that we too can do cool archery tricks and never miss. These heroes instill in many people a love for archery and a desire to learn how to do it; I included.

I practiced archery as a teenager and have had the opportunity on a couple of occasions to teach it to kids at summer camp. One of the things that I like to do when teaching kids about archery is showing them how archery actually parallels with life.

The first thing that I like to point out is that in archery there is one goal: hit the target. Simple enough right? Take your first shot and you will find that you are mistaken. The skill of archery does not come easily. It must be practiced constantly if you have any intention of becoming as skilled as any one of the archers listed above. As you practice, you must be prepared to miss that mark. That brings me to my first point.

It surprises kids when I tell them that the word ‘sin’ is a literal archery term which means to miss the mark. Usually when kids think of sin, they think of disobedient acts toward God, and they are right to do so. And as a matter of fact, the reason sin is called sin is based on that term for missing the mark. When we sin against God, we are missing the standard that He sets for us in life. He gives us this standard in His Word, and when we disobey them we miss that mark.

So how do we get to where we don’t miss? As I said earlier, archery is a skill that needs to be practiced on a constant basis to get better at. It is the same way with life. We must read His Word and put it to practice. We must also realize that we shouldn’t have to do this on our own. But I think even the best archer in the world can mess up at times, and we will all miss God’s target too. We are not invincible to sin. But God knows that we are not skilled in that area, and He covers up our sins through the sacrifice of His Son Jesus Christ.

Archery also provides us with a picture of teamwork. One might think that archery is about individual skill, but there are many components that go into this skill. The archer must use eye-hand coordination to hold the bow and arrow and aim for the target. In addition to this, there are always two tools that the archer must use: the bow and the arrow. The arrow needs the bow to launch it to the target and the bow is nothing more than a stick with a string and is useless without the arrow.

Archery has also been used to inspire teamwork throughout history. When giving lessons, I also tell campers a story about Genghis Khan, the Mongolian ruler who created the largest empire in Asia. In one of his first battles, Genghis Khan inspired the warriors of all these different tribes to help him fight against a common foe, and used arrows to illustrate. He took one arrow and snapped it in half, saying that one man, or one tribe who fights alone can easily be defeated. Then he took a handful of arrows and attempted to do the same thing with them all together, but they would not break. With this he said that when men work together, they are not easily defeated. And through this illustration he won the loyalty of hundreds of tribes and they declared him the universal ruler, or Genghis Khan.

So the lessons that we learn through archery and apply to life is that every day we need to sharpen our skills and aim for God’s standards of living, and also that it is not something that we are meant to do ourselves. We need to rely on the help from God, and the friends and family that He gives us in the faith.

No Job Too Small

Sorry to be out of pocket again for so long. I have been mobile this past month and have had little chance to sit down and write my stories.

Last week I went to Montgomery because I was invited to attend a debriefing seminar for summer missionaries. I went there, but I had no clue why I was even invited in the first place. I did not spend the summer with a particular ministry group overseas or in the country, but rather I stayed and worked at Earle Trent Assembly as a camp employee. My duties did not even require me to work on the campsite more than half the time, but rather sitting at a computer working to update the website for the camp. It did not feel like a ministry setting as far as what the others who attended did this summer.

I went all the same and heard many stories of where people went and what they did in those places, and how God used them to be a witness to these people. It was good to hear where people went and see some of my friends from college who also went.

Even though I felt out of place, the seminar made me reflect the things that I did this summer. I got to exercise some skills that I learned from college in a job that I loved, I had an opportunity to conquer fear in building a new ropes course, I had closure time with my family, I got to be a witness for children and tell them what God did in my life and I got to see three campers come to salvation.

As I reflected I noted that my experience really was no different from those who traveled overseas and embraced a culture that was completely new to them. In fact, during my job with the camp, I had an opportunity to share with the campers about missions and told them that it was not about where they go that determined if they were missionaries. It the calling that God gives each of us and our response to it. God can call us to reach out to anyone from our next door neighbor to someone we don’t know on the other side of the world.

As I told the campers about missions, I gave them the names of three men as examples: Abraham, Moses, and Isaiah. I told them how Abraham had to be willing to listen and obey God, even in areas of uncertainty, knowing that God was in control of the situation. And Moses, who thought that he was unable to go because of some kind of speech impediment, listened and obeyed God, and God provided everything he needed to accomplish his goal. And Isaiah, an ordinary man who got to see the glory of Heaven, who felt so small and ashamed, heard God call someone to go out and speak His message, and cried out “Here am I; send me.”

Even though my ministry field was small, I feel like it has some significance in the Kingdom. There is not one thing that is not important when it comes to serving God. He is a God of detail who created everything, and nothing from the smallest atom in an element to the largest galaxy in the universe will ever go without His care.

Drop the Stone

This past week I had an opportunity to work one week at a summer camp. The last night there the kids were given a special devotion session. During the devotion, the counselor told the kids a story that was familiar to me but in new light. It was the story of when the Pharisees brought a woman who was caught in the act of adultery to Jesus.

Those familiar with the story know that the self-righteous Pharisees tried to use this woman to stump Jesus and show everyone that He was not who He said He was. They asked Him if He believed that she deserved to be punished according to the Law of Moses, which was to be stoned to death. Jesus said that He was not about to abolish the law, and in fact raised the standard against adultery higher by saying that looking with lust was enough to be considered adultery. But Jesus was known for showing mercy to the least liked in society, like prostitutes and tax collectors. The Pharisees were certain that if He were to choose justice or mercy, they could use that as leverage against His message.

As usual, however, the Pharisees plan backfired when Jesus contradicted them by answering simply, “If any of you are without sin, let him be the first to throw the stone.” That simple phrase tugged at their hearts and one by one the Pharisees left and the woman was left alone with Jesus. And because Jesus looked and saw that no one was there to condemn the woman He said that He would not either, and told her, “Go and sin no more.”

The irony that the counselor pointed out was one that never even crossed my mind. The woman’s condemners were all human and had flaws about them that would declare them guilty of sin. But Jesus is God and if there was any in that court that had a right to throw the first stone, it would be Him. So why did He not? Maybe because that was not what He came to do. He said that all judgment was entrusted to Him by the Father, but He also said that He did not come into the world to judge it, but to save it. I think Jesus wanted this woman to have the opportunity to receive the salvation that he was going to make available to her in a very short period of time.

I thought about the story and pondered more on the fact that the Pharisees were ready to stone this person, but were compelled not to. As I thought I wondered if I was like the Pharisees in this way. I wondered if I too am quick to judge people for some reason or another. I can think of a few times when I looked down on people who live an unhealthy and sinful lifestyle, which leads me to judge them harshly. I think this mindset can affect ministry by not being willing to go to where those who need it most are and thus the Good News is nothing to them.

But my Savior died for people like that just as He had done for me. I am guilty of just enough things to condemn me to hell, but by God’s grace I am saved. My Savior left His throne, put aside His crown and came down to live as a human among the rest of us. That is humility that is unequaled by anyone living or dead. If Jesus was willing to do that, what reason do I have to think myself too good to be in the company of people living in sin, heading down the road to hell, and not sharing with them the love of Jesus?

Metaphorically, based on the story, I asked God to help me overcome my pride and help me “drop the stone” that I am ready to aim at sinners. If my Savior can show mercy when He has the right to judge, how can I not show mercy even when I have no right to judge?

A Legacy of Courage

Recently I had to do something that terrified me. I was training at the campsite that I work at this summer to use the new ropes course that was built this year. The structure is 40 feet high and includes ten obstacles.I had to get up by climbing a rock wall and by the time I was halfway up and found very few rocks that would support me the rest of the way I started to be afraid and regret my decision to take this training. Somehow I managed to get up to the main tower and I took a few minutes to calm myself before crossing the next obstacles which included the one rope bridge, the Burma bridge, the cat walk, sky bridge and bumper traverse. Even though I was hooked to a cable above me by two crab claws strapped to my harness I struggled with my fear of heights. Finally I managed to get to the last stage and that was getting off by a zip line.

The whole time I was up there I was terrified of being so high and really taking a huge risk of doing these challenges. But I knew that what I was doing was important not only for my sake but for the sake of the campers who would come to do these same obstacles and rely on people like me to teach them how to do it. And as much as I wanted to get off the tower since getting up, I knew the only way off was to finish the obstacles.

After I went home I took time to think about facing my fear. Growing up I always struggled with some kind of fear. As much as I would have loved to avoided fearful situations I knew that such is beneficial for my growth. I learned early on that living in fear is a nightmare. I also learned that the way to overcome fear comes through the Holy Spirit. One year I tried to find a verse that I could memorize to remind me to overcome fear, and the one I found summed it up perfectly. It is 2 Timothy 1:7, “For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a Spirit of power and of love and of self-discipline.” Like the song Courageous by Casting Crowns states, I believe that God gives us the power to overcome fear and live a courageous lifestyle.

The last thing that I thought about concerning courage was the fact that the United States was founded on men who had to be courageous to fight for the freedom that we now celebrate this month on Independence Day. George Washington displayed courage fighting on the battlefield. Paul Revere displayed courage riding through the night warning the people of the British forces arriving in Massachusetts. Thomas Jefferson displayed courage writing the Declaration of Independence, and signing it along with Benjamin Franklin, John Adams, John Hancock and the 52 other members of the Continental Congress in Independence Hall in Philadelphia. One way or another, our founding fathers displayed acts of courage, so as Christians and Americans we should live up to what God made us to do and what our nation’s founders did to earn our freedom.

 

Why we love our fathers

I feel bad for having written two blogs in honor of Mother’s Day, but never got around to writing anything special for my dad on Father’s Day. I thought it would be appropriate to do like I did last year and relate some famous fathers in the Bible to come up with some attributes that fathers needed to have.

I think I will start with Noah because he is a really good example of a father who fears God (and I think that recent movie portrayed him poorly). In the story, Noah is the only righteous man on the face of the earth and the father of three sons. Then one day, God gave him a big job to do: build a really big boat, and fill it up with two of every animal in existence. I can just imagine how hard it was for Noah to carry out this command, but I also wonder what his family’s reaction was when their dad told them about this plan. I don’t know how cooperative his sons were about this job, but they managed to get it done, which tells me that they respected their father enough to obey him and accept his leadership. Because of Noah’s leadership, he saved his family and every living creature on the earth which is why humanity and the animals that exist today still thrive.

Then, there is the most famous biblical father: Abraham. We all remember him because of a seemingly strange request God gave him: to sacrifice his son, Isaac. Most fathers I met today have told me that they would give their right arm or gauge their eyes out before they give up their own children for anything. But Abraham feared God more, and obeyed God to carry it out. As it turned out, God’s command to Abraham was a test of his faith, and because of Abraham’s obedience Isaac was spared and God provided a ram to take Isaac’s place. Abraham’s act of obedience saved his son and allowed God to fulfill His promise to increase the number of Abraham’s descendants.

Another example may not be as strong as a father figure, and was in fact called a neglectful father. This person I am referring to is King David. Even though he was considered a man after God’s own heart David had some flaws. Part of them resided within his house where his children acted rebellious against each other and even against David himself. But in Proverbs, written mostly by King Solomon, David’s son, there are words that I believe came directly from David’s mouth which can be found in Proverbs 4:4-9. Here is a section of it:

“Get wisdom, get understanding; do not forget my words or turn from them. Do not forsake wisdom, and she will protect you; love her, and she will watch over you. The beginning of wisdom is this: Get wisdom. Though it cost all you have, get understanding.”

I believe that Solomon was inspired to pursue wisdom from his own father. If there was one thing that David got right as a father, it was serving as a motivation for one of the greatest kings of Israel.

From these examples we see that the best fathers display faith, leadership and inspiration for their children. All of these lead to characteristics of a man who fears God. Their love and devotion to God should be central in their lives and should be shared with the family. I am fortunate to say that my dad has displayed this characteristics in his life. Happy Father’s Day Dad.

Time in Prison

I was having a devotional time one morning when I read Genesis 40, the story of Joseph interpreting the dreams of the cupbearer and the baker. To recall the story, Joseph went from being sold from his brothers as a slave in Egypt to being thrown in prison for a crime he did not commit. Now his two cellmates each had a dream and asked him to interpret it for them. He told the cupbearer that he would receive his position again in three days, but the baker would be killed on the same day. As he told them each their dreams, Joseph asked the cupbearer to do one thing for him: to tell Pharaoh about him and grant him justice. Unfortunately for Joseph, when the cupbearer was restored to his position he forgot about Joseph.

At first glance this looks like yet another low point for Joseph as this ungrateful servant forgot about the guy who foretold his good fortune. Joseph was probably thinking, “This is my one chance to get out of here. Pharaoh is the highest authority of Egypt, and he can overturn my prison sentence and grant me justice. If I can just get someone out there to tell him about what happened to me, then maybe he can see fit to release me.”

Having this in mind, I wondered what Joseph intended to do if he was freed from that moment. Would he attempt to go back home to Canaan, and perhaps try to get revenge on his brothers? What would Jacob, his father, do when he discovered that Joseph was alive and came back in this way? Would he punish his other sons for what they did? Or because Joseph was a slave would he have nowhere else to go but to another slave master? Joseph was at a point where he faced an uncertain fate. As far as he could see, he would either be free, but have limited options and resources of carrying out his own plans, or he would be doomed to remain in that prison forever.

What he did not know, is that he would spend two more years in that prison, but the circumstance will change dramatically. The cupbearer does in fact remember Joseph when Pharaoh himself has trouble with his own dreams. So Joseph is called out to interpret his dream, and because of his wisdom and logic Joseph becomes the second highest of authority in Egypt. He would be in charge of helping the Egyptians survive a severe famine in the years to come, and as a result his brothers come to Egypt for food and eventually reunite and reconcile with Joseph.

I believe that God used Joseph’s time in prison as a time to prepare him for what was ahead. For Joseph, the future was unclear until God opened the door in His own time. Not only was Joseph able to save Egypt and his own family, but he also had a part to play in the growth of the nation of Israel, the establishment of the law of Moses, and even the salvation given by Christ Jesus.

Right now, I also face a point of uncertainty as a recent graduate. I’m on the lookout for jobs, which will determine where I live, and how long I might be able to keep it. This story gave me hope by remembering that I may not know what the future holds for me, but God sees it clearly and is preparing me for a purpose that He will reveal in the time He intends. I hope that his comes as an encouragement to you as well if you are going through a similar situation.

Thanks Mom

Mother’s Day has come again, and I feel that I need to give a big shout out to my Mom today for doing so much to help me in my life. I feel indebted to her for helping me in just about all of my greatest accomplishments in life. There are three in particular that I want to recognize her for helping me as I grew up.

The first is the time I achieved the Eagle Scout rank in the Boy Scouts of America. Achieving this rank is the highest honors for a Boy Scout as he has demonstrated leadership, discipline and perseverance. It was not an easy task for me and I almost did not make it, but with the help of my family and friends I managed to complete all the requirements needed. Mom was one of my biggest supporters in this task, helping by motivating me and pushing me on to do what I needed to do in the time I had to do it.

The second is the time I graduated high school. From the time that I was born to that point I was totally dependent on my parents. My mom had done a lot for me by taking care of my basic needs. High school gave me a chance to grow in preparation of becoming a man and thinking for myself. On graduation it was a hard time for me to let go, and I know it was hard for my mom as well, but she showed how courageous she was to allow me to pursue the next step, and that gave me the confidence I needed to pursue college.

The third and most recent is my graduation from the University of North Alabama. College is one of the biggest tests for an individual by seeing how he or she can do on their own. It was a big step for me, especially having to fly to the other side of the world away from my family to go there. But even from such great a distance, I relied on my mom for counsel and guidance for critical decisions made these past four years. It meant a lot to me and my mom to get done with college, and to do so in four years took motivation that she could give. It was so great to have her come for my graduation ceremony yesterday even after flying in from overseas the day before.

There is a fourth highlight that took place in my life that exceeds the first three, and I was reminded today in church how much my mom was involved in it. This highlight that I refer to is my salvation in Jesus Christ. I remember at a young age I saw one of my best friends go to be baptized at our church. I did not understand it, so my mom took time to explain it to me. Even though I did not receive Christ that day, my mom helped plant the seed and eventually I came to a point where I understood what baptism and salvation was.

So thanks Mom for helping me press on through some of the hardest tasks, for showing how to be courageous, and for always being there when I need help. But most of all, thank you for sharing the light with me. Happy Mother’s Day.

Life Beyond Lions

I started this blog with the intention of writing about experiences and knowledge gained through life in college. One of my first blogs was about how I began my first year with the feeling of Daniel on his way to Babylon. I felt like I was going to undergo the same persecution as he would through school. I can recall some times where my faith was tested through trials where I was tempted to neglect my time with God, time with friends and other commitments. There were times when I questioned what I was doing at UNA, why I was pursuing my major, or if I had any impact on the people around me. And of course there were countless times when I felt overwhelmed with schoolwork, the choices I needed to make, and other problems. I would say that through everything that I went through I feel like God has helped me overcome all obstacles. I feel like He gave me grace at times when I least deserved it, and peace when I could fine none. He surrounded me with many friends to go to in times when I struggled and given me the opportunity to be the friend people go to for help as well. I may not see instantly how God used me here at UNA, but I feel like in some small way I helped make a difference here. Now I’m only a couple weeks from graduating college and about to embark on a new journey. I have new Babylon it seems. This one will have other obstacles I need to face, but I know through these past four years that God has pulled me through, and He will be able to do the same, even after college. If you are going through some big change in your life, hope that this message gives you some encouragement. I know that God will help you through anything you go through, because I have seen Him do the same in my life.