June 25, 2010

Deuteronomy 30

“Chaffin, you are as good of a fielder as anybody on the team, but I swear if I rolled a basketball to you on the ground, you couldn’t hit it.” The words of my 14-and-under baseball coach stung rather smartly in my spirit, particularly as we rode back home after the game. My athletic experiences of organized sports were not too encouraging. Most of my memories are rather negative. I was so bad at basketball that I was the only one who tried out for the team that never even got to suit up for a game. I think my coach rather wished that I had not come out for the team. He ignored me most of the time. Most of my football memories aren’t much better. With the exception of my last game, I was usually yanked from the game with a few unpleasant words spoken. That last game was different. I finally had hit my niche. I started at nose guard and even finished it as well. I finally heard some encouraging words from my coach, “Chaffin, if I knew you could play nose guard like that, you would have been there all season.” It felt good to hear my coach rejoice over me.

I took note of today’s passage that when the nation of Israel sought the Lord with all their heart, He would rejoice over them. Wow, can you imagine, the King of the Universe rejoicing over you? Who cares about a coach of some dumb sport? We have opportunity to have the King of the Universe rejoice over us. It is this passage that Paul quotes in Romans 10:6-8 and then applies it in 10:9,10. You see the true faith in the Lord and confession of that faith results in that obedience which causes the Lord to rejoice over us. Wow! My King, the King of the Universe is rejoicing over me when I exercise faith that results in obedience! You know, that really feels good! I don’t want to be on the bench. I want to suit up and get in the game! It is not too difficult. I simply trust and obey. He provides the fuel for obedience. I only choose. He rejoices over me. It is not difficult because He performs it. Indeed we serve a glorious King. Speak His glory to someone today!

--Pastor john

Acts 7:44-60

Stephen makes a clear case that the glory that was revealed in the patriarchs, Moses and the prophets was the glory of Jesus. The fathers of these religious leaders had resisted the glory of God (and thereby the glory of Jesus) just as these religious leaders had resisted the glory of Jesus by crucifying Him. As they sought to kill Stephen for speaking the truth, Stephen saw a greater glory of God, i.e. Jesus standing at His right hand, the place of prominence and power. Normally a monarch remains seated while in court. Jesus stood to receive His faithful servant into His court. What glory! Interesting isn't it that the more we resist the glory of Christ, the less we see of it, and the more we speak the glory of Christ, the more we see of it? That is the way Jesus works. Indeed we serve a glorious king! Speak His glory to someone today!

--Pastor john