Loving God, or LOVING God?

Becky: I was thinking about my relationship with God, and realized that I've used "knowing" God as an excuse for neglecting prayer/Bible reading lately. I think, "Oh, I know God, and I know that He's with me, so therefore, I know how to act within His will, or I know what he would say in this situation to me." But, as I considered it, I realized that I don't treat my other relationships like that at all. . . like with Mark, it would be SUPER lame if we just got to a point of comfort with each other and how we felt about each other that we never talked or wrote to each other. I came to the conclusion that Love is necessary. . . I know, I know - sounds basic. But really, it's love that prompts me to still want to hear Mark's voice, even when I already know what he's going to say. So, I guess my question is. . . I KNOW God - how do I develop a real, alive LOVE for Him? I mean, I guess I know I love him. . . but that doesn't seem to be enough. It doesn't really create a relationship. . . . any help? I feel like I should know the answer for this, but I can't think of it.

Dad: Man, you make it all sound so gushy with all this love stuff. Just read your Bible every day like a good little Christian and don't ask so many questions.

Okay, I got that out of my system...

You probably do know the answer to your question because you answered it in your question, pretty much. Remember what it's all about? No, not the fear of the Lord any more. That was just the beginning of wisdom. Now it's all about a relationship with God. How do you develop a growing relationship? Time, as you alluded to with your reference to Mark.

The question now comes in, how do we spend time with God? Answer: all time is with God, or rather God is always spending time with us. He's with us when we're sleeping. He knows when we're awake. He knows when we've been bad or good, so... Whether we stop our day and read some of what He wrote to us, or talk directly to Him, or listen to what He may tell us, or act in godly ways because He is right there all the time, it is all part of our growing in our relationship with Him. The more conscious of it we are, the more able we are to grow closer to Him.

The problem comes in that we don't often perceive God's closeness because we are distracted by our senses. All our other relationships, except with satan are developed through our senses and emotions, so it is humanly more difficult to develop a relationship with God. God's Word is our objective tool that builds the spiritual sense that helps us remember He is there all the other times when we're not reading and meditating on His Word.

The other helpful tool we have is fellowship with other Christians. Luther said that the fellowship of the saints should almost be another sacrament, because God is with us physically in each other. When we reach out and help each other along, we are the Body of Christ there both physically and spiritually. That's why it is so important to have a few close Christian friends, and even family can be a help in that regard.

The ultimate test of the depth of our relationship with God comes as we grow closer to Him. What we discover is that doing what is right becomes our greatest joy, not a demand to live up to some unreachable standard to try to please God and earn His love. Obedience with joy, especially when it's difficult shows to yourself and God that you truly love Him, as in, "If you love me, you will obey my commands..."

Sabbath Day

Becky: Again, this blog has rather gotten away from us (or me, I suppose). Oh well - here's a conversation we had recently that you might appreciate.

Hey Dad - the other night, a friend and I were talking and happened upon the subject of Sabbath. He said he read Exodus 31:12-17 recently, and noted that one verse specifically says that the Sabbath was a covenant between God and the Israelites. Just wondering what you thought about that. Also, any thoughts on Hebrews 4, which is the only place in the New Testament I could find that talks about observing the Sabbath. It's kind of tough reading - very abstract, but from what I could tell, it almost makes it sound like as Christians under the New Covenant, our Sabbath is this idea of God's rest, which seems more like a spiritual rest ('Take my yoke upon you and learn from me. . . for you will find rest for your souls' ). I'm not at all saying we shouldn't celebrate the Sabbath - just curious what the Sabbath should look like for us Christians.

I asked another friend, and here's what she said:

I believe that in many ways we are Israelites. When we accept Jesus we are adopted into His chosen people. When the end times comes all his people will once again gather on the Israelite ground. Although we are "Gentiles" once we come into a relationship with the Lord we become His people, his chosen people.

So in many ways when you say that the Sabbath was only meant for the Israelites, that is us as well. Therefore we should celebrate the Sabbath. Now we do know that the Sabbath is not about rules but it's about the heart. The Pharisees were making it too strict and had added rules and Jesus cleared them up by saying it was ok to do "necessary" things. (This is when the disciples were in the fields getting food for the day). I think also in this passage he says if your donkey falls into a pit on the Sabbath you can help him, where as strict fulfillment of the law wouldn't let you-according to the Pharisees.

Also on Hebrews 4. I read two commentaries on that passage, one my Matthew Henry and the other by Fausset. Henry tended to think the passage didn't so much have to do with rest but more that we under Jesus have better privileges then those under only the law of Moses. For example when the Israelites rested they could only physically rest they had no spiritual rest in the Lord. (So we get the privilege of both).

And here is a quote from Fausset that might help:
" The "rest" in Hbr 4:8 is Greek, "catapausis;" Hebrew, "Noah"; rest from weariness, as the ark rested on Ararat after its tossings to and fro; and as Israel, under Joshua, enjoyed at last rest from war in Canaan. But the "rest" in this Hbr 4:9 is the nobler and more exalted (Hebrew) "Sabbath" rest; literally, "cessation": rest from work when finished ( Hbr 4:4 ), as God rested ( Rev 16:17 ). The two ideas of "rest" combined, give the perfect view of the heavenly Sabbath. Rest from weariness, sorrow, and sin; and rest in the completion of God's new creation ( Rev 21:5 )."

So honestly I really don't believe that the Lord took away the laws of the old Testement. He came to fill the atonement and offere his blood, so we no longer have to make sacrifices. But never did He say that he removed the laws of the Old T. I will leave you with this passage and I hope you pray and ask the Lord for guidance in all these things:

Matthew 5:17-18 ¹⁷"Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. ¹⁸I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished."

Your thoughts?

Dad: Rather than give you a long, researched response, I'll give you what you asked for: my thoughts. The only references I'd add to what were already mentioned are the ones where Jesus says that the Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath, and the fact that remembering the Sabbath to keep it holy is one of the Ten Commandments.

These are my thoughts. There are a couple aspects of the Sabbath that are universal, and by that I mean that they transcend the specific covenants God made with the Israelites, or the church in the New Testament. God rested on the seventh day of Creation, which is one of the concepts referred to in other places as one of the reasons we should even have something like a Sabbath rest. For us that means that we are better off if we don't work 365 days per year. We need regular physical rest so that we can re-create ourselves for more effective work in the long run. That's where the word “recreation” comes from. It's a focus on fun and play for the sake of rebuilding our bodies, our minds, our emotions and our spirits so that when we get back to our work, we are fresh and therefore more effective. In addition, I have noticed that some of my most creative thinking happens when I'm just doing something for fun, which can actually apply to ideas for work.

The other aspect of the Sabbath that is emphasized, and then taken too far by those with legalistic doctrines of the Sabbath is that of keeping it holy. It clearly says in the Ten Commandments that we should honor the Sabbath day to keep it holy. The emphasis here goes beyond having one vacation day per week. It says that we need to have a day that’s holy as well. To help us understand what that means there are a number of good resources. Various commentaries on the Ten Commandments, including Luther’s Small and Large Catechisms are a good help. Another is to see what Christians have done since Jesus did his teaching. One thing early Christians did was to gather regularly, and had a special emphasis on Sunday because Jesus rose on Sunday. Now does that mean we have to have a Sunday Sabbath? I don’t think so. Christianity is a faith of the heart, and the principles here are that we rest regularly, and we regularly gather together with other Christians to worship God, share in fellowship, and meet each other’s needs.

Keep in mind, though, that people are fickle, and it is easy to neglect important areas of life if we have no discipline to keep us on track. The weekly worship service is a great help in that, but you don’t get extra piety points for perfect attendance. Where is your heart? What system of discipline do you need to make sure you rest regularly and stay in fellowship with other Christians for worship and ministry? The answer to those questions is what you need to do to honor the Sabbath. Them’s my thoughts.

Daily Devotions

Becky: Growing up, our family always spent a lot of time reading and studying the Bible, and praying, every day. Whether at church, in our school curriculum, or at home with the family, each of us kids got a good dose of "devotions" every day. I remember that, when you and Mum gave me a Bible for a confirmation gift, you expressed the desire that I spend time in the Word on my own, every day - and thus was introduced to me the concept of "personal, daily quiet times." However -- and I blame this mostly on my second-child, lack of consistency at all, ever -ness -- I did not develop the habit of daily devotions until I had just turned 15 years old. Mrs. Hickle, my youth group leader at that time, was primarily responsible for this, and I'm forever grateful for her weekly encouragement to spend time with God each and every day.

Yes, I am getting to the question. Be patient.

So I was wondering - what do you do about personal devotions? Do you typically have a book you go through, or just read through the bible cover-to-cover, a certain amount each day, or something else entirely? What have you found works for you, and why?

I'll share what I've done in my 2.5 years of experience, and liked and disliked, once you answer. :)

Dad: It's great to have outside circumstances to blame for how we turn out, now isn't it. Your mother and I are also second children, and thus can blame that for our own inconsistencies in developing good habits. Truthfully, everyone can come up with excuses, but they don't produce the life God desires for us.

This area of quiet time / devotions / Bible study has been a blessing and a curse for many Christians. As with any biblical command, principle, or even good idea, it can quickly turn from something God wants for us to enrich our lives and relationship with Him, to a legalistic requirement to make us "good Christians." I say this because we so easily turn something relational into something required. If we are already Christians, then we realize there is nothing we can do to make ourselves right with God. All that is required has already been done by Jesus. All we need to "do" is to accept his finished work. The law doesn't go away, but instead of serving to beat us down to show us our sin, it is there as a standard that motivates us to live closer to the God who saved us from our sin.

Devotions can be an area like this. Many of us have faithfully spent quiet times for both reasons. We may at times be merely checking off our list so we feel like a good Christian, or at other times, it has become a time of real growth in our relationship with our savior. In my experience as a saved sinner, we never get past the temptation to try to earn God's approval, so the struggle to spend personal time with Him will always have an element of legalism; that is, I feel like I get points for doing this. However, as we mature in our faith, we will discover the blessing of this time, especially when we are working through life's difficulties. The Psalms are good examples of David doing this. If you are wondering if you are spending time in devotions for the right reasons, try to see why you are motivated to do it: trying to please God, being able to raise your hand if a group is asked who read their Bible today, or from a desire to grow in your relationship with God. Keep in mind, our motives will never be 100% pure until we are in Heaven, but being aware of the struggle, and confessing our sinfulness along the way, helps keep us pointed in the right direction. Basically the point here is that we want to be motivated more and more by a desire to grow in our relationship with God.

There are so many things you can do for quiet times that I won't try to set up the ideal plan. It would be a mistake to attempt it anyway, because we are so unique. It is better for each of us to discover these things on our own, like a friendship developing naturally. I will list some of the things you can do that have been helpful for others:

Reading the Bible
Some read the Bible all the way through every year. Wow, what an accomplishment! I've done that maybe three times in my life-time, and it's a blessing, but I'm not sure it would be the best thing to do every year, at least for me. Many read the Bible through over a period of years, just so that they read it all. I've done that too, and it is more relaxing than the one-year plan. What I do when I read the Bible through is to underline things that surprise me, or that I hadn't noticed before. Plus, I have a few symbols I use to mark specific concepts, like parenting helps, the trinity, evangelism, the divinity of Christ, key ideas, etc. For me, the discipline of that approach is helpful every few years, but not as helpful if I do it every year. I think it would become more and more legalistic for me. Another Bible reading approach that is not so challenging, and possibly more personal and helpful, is to chose a book of the Bible and read it through. Before you begin each day, pray that God would teach you something for today. Stop each day when you come to a verse that says something that seems to be for you today. Read it again, and ask God to help you use it today. The next day, begin from that point and read on. This is simple, yet it can be a profound way to hear from God each day.

Prayer
In some way, include prayer. This can be something as simple as what I just mentioned above in your Bible reading. It can be much more. Personal prayer takes a life-time to develop because so much of the prayer Christians experience is formal corporate prayer, and sometimes written for an occasion. Personal prayer is more like a conversation with a mentor. It can include various tools like P.R.A.Y (praise, repent, ask, yield), or A.C.T.S. (adoration, confession, thanksgiving, supplication). Prayer can be telling God that you are upset, jazzed, confused, etc. I talked to someone once who said that most of his prayers lately were telling God he was mad at Him. That's prayer, just talking with God. Be bold in prayer. Pray for miracles. God is in the business of action in our lives, not just watching and hoping we turn out okay. Prayer needs to include listening to God as well. He will speak to you in some form if you take the time to listen.

Devotions books
These can be very helpful especially in groups with a variety of ages or maturities, for focused study, or if you feel the need for help or dealing with a specific issue. Some of them are excellent, and some are sappy. They definitely have their place, and can be a good tool. I have used so many of these that I often just turn back to the Bible and see what God has to say to me.

Silence
In our fast-paced lives, this can be a most helpful discipline. "Be still, and know that I am God." Our schedules are not God. I am not God. My troubles are not God. My profound thoughts are not God. My emotions are not God. He is God. Sometime silence is our way of giving up our lesser priorities to remind us of the one true highest priority.

Worship
Here I'm referring to the narrow definition of worship as using music to praise God. (There is a book to be written about a life of worship.) For many this is a key part of their time with God. This can be singing, listening to praise music, or just having it playing quietly in the background as you read or pray. The only times I use this tool is when driving, or if no one is home. Making a joyful noise can turn a personal time into a time when others in the house may wonder, "What's that noise?" However, the car is like a "cone of silence." (If you're driving, sing with your eyes open.)

Journal
Many have found that writing is a helpful exercise in time alone with God. I did a lot more of this when I was in college. What is helpful here is that you can look back and observe what God has been doing in your life, plus it is also a good way to collect and process thoughts into a usable form. Many profound thoughts and prayers have come from time writing.

Generally speaking, I have three main suggestions: First, do something. Don't worry if your are doing the best thing. Do what seems best at the time. Add or revise your routine as it seems necessary. Second, variety is good. This can help you move from requirement to relationship. If you went on a date once a week and you always went to the same places and did the same things, it would get boring. Maybe God gets bored when we do the same things with Him. Third, do what works best for you. Everyone is different, and that's good. God gets to spend time with billions of us, and yet he knows each of us personally. Be personal, and be yourself. My life varies so much every day that it is difficult for me to have a routine. I use car time for some of my focused time with God. (I don't read while driving.) Find your best way to spend time with God, and then do it. What ever you decide to do, keep your motives in check. God doesn't want "good Christians". He wants us. He wants you. He wants me. Today. Every day. All day.

Holy Week

Becky: This week during my morning devotions, I've been reading through the various events of Holy Week. I've never been very good at keeping the four gospels apart, and have the hardest time remembering which book a certain passage is in. However, I've found this week to be eye-opening, as I'm discovering my "favorite" account of each of the different parts of Holy Week.

Do you have a favorite gospel account for each of the following events? If so, which gospel? And (if you have time), any special reasons why?

- The Triumphal Entry
- Jesus Clears the Temple
- Jesus Annointed at Bethany
- Jesus Washes His Disciples' Feet
- The Lord's Supper or The Last Supper/Jesus Predicts Peter's Denial &His Betrayal
- Gethsemane or Jesus Prays on the Mount of Olives
- Jesus Arrested
- Before the Sanhedrin
- Peter Disowns Jesus
- Before Pilate and Herod/The Guards Mock Jesus
- The Crucifixion
- Jesus' Death
- Jesus' Burial
- The Resurrection or The Empty Tomb

I'll answer too, once I can find the time to sit down and compare. :)

Dad: I can't say that I could tell you off hand which Gospel is my favorite for any of these events, except to say that Mark has a lot less about a few of them, and not every Gospel has every event or statement. I generally like whichever Gospel gives the most detail, with the exception of John, which sometimes goes way beyond the story and into all the prayers and teaching, which is important, but when reading the story, I often read it from another Gospel. I've heard there is an entire Bible which is a chronological version, with all the verses, unless they are repeats from other books of the Bible. That way the whole story with all its details are together in one chronological sequence.

I do like to read all four though, because each Gospel is from a different point of view, so it is interesting to read each one. If you want to compare the accounts in each Gospel to decide which one you like best, or to see how they compare, we have a book called "Synopsis of the Four Gospels" which has all four in parallel so you can see it visually without turning back and forth.

Another way to enjoy the story is to see the various movies that have been made about Jesus. One frustration, though, is that almost every movie has taken liberties with the details. When I hear something that isn't right, I wonder why. It isn't that difficult to get it right. I can understand leaving things out to manage the time, but to get wrong what is included just isn't right.

Happy reading.