“As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said. But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, ‘Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!’
‘Martha, Martha,’ the Lord answered, ‘you are worried and upset about many things, but few things are needed—or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.’” (Luke 10:38-42 NIV)
I sometimes wonder if the majority in Jesus’ day ever realized the significance of the time in which they were living. Did they take note of the extraordinary things He was doing and saying, or were they so busy with the details of their daily lives that they barely noticed? Were they more like Mary, who knew she was in the presence of the Divine, or Martha, who was so focused on the tasks at hand that it barely registered who was visiting her home that day?
I suspect it was the latter. The daily grind of life consumes us and our vision is narrow. We see only what is in front of us. Martha saw only the task of preparing a meal and completely missed the significance of the moment she was in. I think this is a common occurrence today, as well. I experience it frequently with students, who are so consumed with their studies and social lives, they fail to see what the Lord is doing around them or wants to do in their lives—the healing and transformation in people’s lives, the encounters with people in need, or the opportunities to use their lives for the furtherance of the Kingdom.
One of the things I often encourage them to do is to look for “God sightings.” As they go about their daily lives, I tell them to look for God at work. It is amazing what we can see the Lord doing if only we are taking the time to look.
We live in a world where God is very active, but our lives are so easily filled up and distracted that we are blinded to what He is doing. This is what Martha allowed to happen, but Mary chose differently and Jesus commended her for it.
Today, take the time to see God at work in nature, in circumstances, and in people’s lives, including your own. You will be amazed at what you see.
© Jim Musser 2012
“I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. For what I do is not the good I want to do; no, the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing.” (Romans 7:18-19 NIV)
I have the picture somewhere, but I haven’t seen it in a long time. It is of me getting my diploma at my high school graduation. My posture is terrible. I am slightly hunched over and my neck and head are pitched forward. I’ve always thought I looked like a turtle. Seeing that picture was my first realization of how bad my posture was. It was then that I became determined to improve it.
Over the years, it has improved, but I still struggle. I will see pictures of me from the side and there is that head and neck pitched forward and the shoulders hunched over. Crap! I remind myself. My wife reminds me; yet, still, I struggle to maintain a proper posture. It is literally a moment-by-moment thing, a constant need to remind myself. The problem is that I get distracted. My focus during the day turns to other things and away from my posture. I may adjust it one moment, but the next my attention is elsewhere, and, crap, my posture returns to its normal bad state. I have concluded I will always struggle with my posture because it seems my posture is just naturally bad.
It is the same way with sin. It comes naturally to us, and though we can overcome it, as soon as we are distracted, crap! We are right back at it. Thankfully, as Paul later exclaims (vs. 25), we are rescued from the eternal effects of our sin by Jesus. Yet, the struggle continues. And when we are distracted, we will regress to our natural state. Paul never stopped struggling. He pressed on (Philippians 3:14) and continued to fight. Because of his knowledge of God’s Word and his fellowship with believers, I think he was constantly reminded of the dangers of sin and when he had fallen. They served constantly to help him adjust his “posture.”
Today, recognize your natural inclination is to sin. Constant reminders coming through the Word and through others are the only way keep your “posture” straight.
© Jim Musser 2012
“’You are my witnesses,’ declares the Lord,
‘and my servant whom I have chosen, so that you may know and believe me
and understand that I am he.
Before me no god was formed, nor will there be one after me.
‘I, even I, am the Lord, and apart from me there is no savior. I have revealed and saved and proclaimed—I, and not some foreign god among you.
You are my witnesses,’ declares the Lord, “that I am God. Yes, and from ancient days I am he.
No one can deliver out of my hand.
When I act, who can reverse it?’” (Isaiah 43:10-13 NIV)
If you are on Facebook, even if you don’t watch television or listen to the radio, you know we are in the midst of a presidential election. Posts regarding the merits or faults of either one of the candidates make regular appearances on my wall. Just this morning, a post appeared saying how evil the Republicans are and that surely Jesus would have been a Democrat. Of course, my Republican friends have countered that Democrats basically voted God out of their platform. I guess they infer that if Jesus were a Democrat, no one in the party would vote for Him because they didn’t believe in Him. And so it goes.
I think people get so agitated because they place so much value on what they think one candidate can do for the country. I think the attention and hope are misplaced.
Four years ago, on the night Barak Obama was elected, there was dancing in the streets all across America. As every politician does, he promised hope and a better way. Surely, the throngs thought, he was going to do it. Four years later, we realize it was an empty promise, as are many of the promises politicians make.
We too often are looking for a president to be a savior, someone who is going to fix most of the problems and make our lives better. To use a phrase of candidate Obama four years ago, that is way above any human’s pay grade. For there is only one Savior and it is not Barak Obama, Mitt Romney, or any other presidential candidate, past or future. It is the Lord and there is no other.
Today, I encourage you to exercise your right to vote in this year’s election, but recognize that neither the President nor his challenger, if elected, is going to save this country. The only hope for that will come in recognition that God is Lord and there is no Savior apart from Him.
© Jim Musser 2012
“Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” (Philippians 2:9-11 NIV)
Laura Story has been in pretty heady territory recently. The singer/songwriter won a Grammy this year for her song, “Blessings.” She won Best Song, Best Album, and Best Pop/Contemporary Song at the 2012 Dove Awards, and she has been nominated three years in a row for Female Artist of the Year. With these honors has come increasing notoriety and popularity. Yet, in a radio interview I heard over the weekend, she said that at the end of the day, in spite of her popularity, she is still a sinner and her name belongs nowhere near the Name in receiving adulation.
In a culture that worships celebrity, where the number one goal of many teens is to become famous, and where people often know more about the lives of celebrities than those of their neighbors, it is refreshing to hear a celebrity reject the perpetual fawning that comes with growing fame. Story made it clear there is only One who deserves to be worshipped. It is a good reminder in this world of celebrity in which we live.
Whether it be a superstar athlete, an A-List actor, a reality TV star, or even a popular Christian singer, all are mere human beings and fallen ones at that. Their faces may be well known, they may be extraordinary at what they do, and they may be very wealthy, but at the end of the day, they are sinners just like the rest of us, falling far short of the glory of the One who made them.
Many people have exchanged worship of God to worship of human beings. And, sadly, many who are worshipped embrace it as though they somehow deserve it. Even sadder, many long to become like them, to be worshipped as well. The world desperately needs more Laura Storys, who, in spite of their fame, reject any notion they are deserving of worship. For there is only One Name at which our knees should bow in adulation and which eventually all knees will bow. That name is Jesus.
Today, examine your heart. Is there anyone or anything you worship besides Jesus? Recognize He is the only One deserving of your worship. Nothing else even comes close.
Jim Musser 2012
“To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps. ‘He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth.’ When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly. ‘He himself bore our sins’ in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness.” (I Peter 2:21-24 NIV)
The president of Egypt, Mohamed Morsi, appeared before the U.N. General Assembly yesterday and said this regarding any insults of the Prophet Mohammed: “We reject this. We cannot accept it. We will not allow anyone to do this by word or deed.”
The Muslim world is particularly sensitive to any perceived insult to their Prophet. They believe it is blasphemy to speak about or portray him in a disparaging way. In many Muslim countries, such things are punishable by lashings, time in prison, or even death. And on several occasions, westerners deemed to have insulted Mohammed have been targeted for death.
The reaction is understandable to a point because when people speak ill of or mock Jesus, Christians can become deeply offended. Yet, instead of retaliation when our Lord is insulted and mocked, we are called to respond as He did. He absorbed the insults thrown at Him and did not respond in kind or with retribution. In fact, He told His disciples this: “Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.” (Matthew 5:11-13)
Rejoice and be glad? The religious mindset is that we have to defend our God or gods. The biblical mindset, however, is that God will defend Himself and in due time. He is patient, wanting none to perish (II Peter 3:9), so He is willing to endure the insults and rejection and asks us to do the same. By doing so, we, too, participate in the suffering that brought salvation to the world and we will be greatly rewarded for it.
And He does not need us to defend Him. He is the Almighty and His judgment will stand when it is finally handed down. Instead, He calls us to love those heaping insults upon Him and those who follow Him.
Today, remember God doesn’t need you to defend Him. Instead, He needs you to love those who insult and disparage His name. For if Jesus didn’t retaliate against them, then neither should you.
© Jim Musser 2012
His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.
For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. (II Peter 1:3-8 NIV)
A number of years ago, my wife was required to have her picture and fingerprints captured as part of the process to receive Permanent Residency. I remember when this was finished, she was asked to fill out a “customer service” survey. One question was, “What service did you not receive that you would like to see provided?” Her answer: “Smiles.” Through the whole process, none of the officials smiled. They were “all business.” As most of us have experienced, in governmental circles, friendliness and kindness are not necessarily job requirements.
But this is seen in other places as well. Retail store cashiers will often hardly acknowledge you, let alone smile, and often will carry on conversations with others while you are checking out. Wait staff will often act as though their service is an obligation. There is a message that comes through when people employed to provide service act this way: You don’t matter. You are an obligation, a burden, or a means to an end.
Kindness is a way to demonstrably attribute worth to someone, and as followers of Jesus, kindness should just be a part of who we are. We serve the Creator of the universe who created us and, out of His kindness, saved us from eternal death. His nature should be reflected in the way we treat others.
We should be the ones who greet the cashier with a smile and ask the restaurant server how her day is going. We should be the ones leaving notes of thanks to those who clean up after us in the dorms or office. We should be the ones who greet those standing alone in a church or campus ministry meeting. In all of our interactions with people, we should be looking to communicate that they have worth, that they do matter.
Today, look for ways you can show kindness to people with whom you interact. Even if you do not know them, they have value. They, like you, were created by our loving God, and your mission is to help them know that.
© Jim Musser 2012
“A certain ruler asked him, ‘Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?’
‘Why do you call me good?’ Jesus answered. ‘No one is good—except God alone. You know the commandments: “Do not commit adultery, do not murder, do not steal, do not give false testimony, honor your father and mother."’
‘All these I have kept since I was a boy,’ he said.
When Jesus heard this, he said to him, ‘You still lack one thing. Sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me’
When he heard this, he became very sad, because he was a man of great wealth. Jesus looked at him and said, ‘How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God! Indeed, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.’
Those who heard this asked, ‘Who then can be saved?’
Jesus replied, ‘What is impossible with men is possible with God.’
Peter said to him, ‘We have left all we had to follow you!’
‘I tell you the truth,’ Jesus said to them, ‘no one who has left home or wife or brothers or parents or children for the sake of the kingdom of God will fail to receive many times as much in this age and, in the age to come, eternal life.’” (Luke 18:18-30 NIV)
What an experience it was years ago to stand on the summit of Longs Peak, 14,259 feet above sea level in Colorado. Looking out over miles and miles of earth in all directions. I will never forget it. Yet, I almost never made it.
About halfway up, in an area referred to as “the chute,” I came to a small rock wall covered with ice and just high enough that I couldn’t jump onto the ledge above. My companions had no difficulty because they were taller, but I was afraid. I told them I would just wait for them, but they kept encouraging me and, finally, with their help, I was able to get on top of this wall and continue the trail to the summit. If I had given into my fear, I would have missed out on one of the most awe-inspiring sights I have ever seen.
What would this rich man’s life and eternity have been like if he had not given into the fear of losing his wealth? He would have experienced unimaginable joy following the footsteps of Jesus into Paradise, but he allowed his fear to get in the way. Even sadder, is that he never realized what he had missed until it was too late.
When I was a young Christian, I was scared by the idea of God ever wanting me to do mission work in a foreign country. I was happy in the U.S. and planned to stay here! But I finally acknowledged my fear to the Lord and He helped me overcome it. Since that time, I have traveled to many parts of the world to assist in the work of the Kingdom. I shudder to think what I would have missed out on if I had continued to allow that fear to reign in my life.
In my daily work with students, I see a lot of fear to let go and to follow Jesus wholeheartedly. Fear of losing friends or a romantic relationship. Fear of disapproval by parents. Fear of being asked to do what they don’t really want to do or think they cannot do. And in giving into those fears, they miss out. They miss out on the riches of deep, satisfying living, and, sadly, never even know it. The ruler still had his wealth; I would have still probably had a good life. But by overcoming my fear, I experienced something far greater, deeper, and richer.
Today, consider what fears might be blocking you from experiencing unimaginable joy in following Jesus. You will never know what you are missing unless you overcome your fear.
© Jim Musser 2012
