The Way of Sorrow

"What sorrow for those who get up early in the morning

looking for a drink of alcohol

and spend long evenings drinking wine

to make themselves flaming drunk.

They furnish wine and lovely music

at their grand parties--

lyre and harp, tambourine and flute--

but they never think about the LORD

or notice what he is doing.

So my people will go into exile far away

because they do not know me."

Isaiah 5:11-13a NLT

It seems like a joyous, carefree way to live, the good life, really.  Many strive to grab hold of the life filled with recreation and fun, full of pleasure.  But is it all its cracked up to be?  

Illusion.  I'm the master of my own destiny.  I don't believe in an afterlife and I'm okay with that.  There can't be a God, otherwise He wouldn't allow all this suffering, therefore, I can live however I want.  I'm just not the type who is into this God-thing; I'm fine just the way I am.  There are many methods mankind uses to create the illusion that God does not exist, or that He is optional, there if we need Him but otherwise fine with being left alone. Either viewpoint pays no heed to the Truth:  There is a God and He made His image-bearers for relationship with Himself (Psalm 100:3).

To live for selfish pleasures creates a false reality where God does not exist and those who adhere to such a lifestyle delude themselves into believing they will never need answer for the way they lived their lives (Hebrews 9:27).   There are only two choices as a follower of Christ:  Live with my flesh as lord, or with Jesus as my Ruler (Galatians 5:16-23).  The first leads to destruction, the second to life (Matthew 7:13-14).  To numb oneself with alcohol or other diversions has a blinding effect toward God and His constant work all around me.  Either I pay attention and respond, or I ignore and and carry on as usual.  Despite my choice, however, God is a reality I cannot deny, try as I might (Galatians 6:7-9).

To create an illusion that God does not exist or that it won't matter if I acknowledge Him or not is the way of sorrow.

Short-Term Payoff.  "You can either go on the website and fill out the claim form and wait to hear the decision, or you can get an immediate response by going through the process over the phone.  Which would you prefer?"  I was speaking to a customer service agent with my cell phone provider who was helping me get a replacement for my broken phone.  I replied with a chuckle, "I'll take the quick way, of course!  I'm an American and we want things now!"  And so it is.  

Today's culture is all about "spending our children's inheritance," investing in the good life here and leaving thoughts of eternity for another day.  Maybe when I'm done having fun I'll be ready to settle down and think about God.  Meanwhile, the Savior who wants to deliver the best life as only God could deliver for all of eternity is exchanged for a mediocre life now (John 3:16., 11:25, 14:2-3)  It's like preferring plastic beads now over real pearls later, or a shack in the woods without indoor plumbing or electricity now over a mansion with all the amenities later.  I must not be deceived:  Today's best just isn't that great.

To invest in a short-term payoff in the here and now is to miss out on God's best for all of eternity, the way of sorry indeed.

Counterfeit Joy.  Every human desires it.  That happiness that doesn't come and go but stays put despite my circumstances.  The glow that tells me my life is good and all is well with my soul.  I search for it in religion, relationships, my life's work, but it is as elusive as a butterfly refusing to light on the flower that is my heart.  It's frustrating, really.  I pursue it, providing all the pieces that should bring it, but it never comes.

True joy only comes in knowing Jesus.  When I turn away from all other pursuits and place all my eggs in His basket, I will be "filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy" (1 Peter 1:8b).  Living for Him, with Jesus as my greatest treasure, my loftiest goal, the prize to keep my eyes upon (Hebrews 12:2), I'll discover a joy that does not fade over time and is not dependent upon circumstances.  No matter what comes my way, I'll have the hope of Jesus to carry me through.

To seek counterfeit forms of joy in human experiences is the way of sorrow.

Many have come up short when they live according to their own desires.  When I follow suit, I'll live under the illusion that there is no God at work all around me, invest for the short-term payoff, and look for counterfeit joy.  In each case, I'll be following the way of sorrow.  If I want a better way, I need only give my life to Jesus.  His way is far superior, and it leads to life abundant!

As I begin this day it is my prayer that I can trust God enough to live His way so that I'll benefit in eternity.

When do I get caught up in following the way of Sorrow?

How am I investing in the short-term?    

   

Love Builds Up

"Now regarding your question about food that has been offered to idols.

Yes, we know that 'we all have knowledge'

about this issue.

But while knowledge makes us feel important,

it is love that strengthens the church.

Anyone who claims to know all the answers

doesn't really know very much.

But the person who loves God

is the one whom God recognizes."

1 Corinthians 8:1-3 NLT

The Pharisees knew the scriptures well.  They studied the Torah and the Talmud, which was the written record of the interpretation of the Law, an oral tradition passed down from generation to generation.  These men thought they knew exactly what God expected of them and that they were therefore the experts to be held up as examples of godly men.

Unfortunately, they neither knew God nor loved Him, leaving their knowledge of God as a tool that served to elevate themselves.  Jesus often criticized their sense of self-righteousness and ironically held them up as an example of how not to live.  While the Pharisees thought they had it all together, their opinion of themselves couldn't be further from the truth.

The question then becomes, how do I live in a way that elevates God instead of myself?  The answer is found in the way I respond to the following:  How do I love God?

Obedience

From the beginning he was a boy dedicated to the Lord and served Him from a young age. (1 Samuel 2:18)  The first time he heard the voice of God, his mentor had to tell him what to do.  Even though the first message was a difficult one to tell, he spoke to words the Lord had given him, delivering the prophetic judgment against his own guardian.  Samuel was obedient to the Lord.

His love for God led Samuel to take the Lord seriously, doing as He directed even if it didn't make sense.  When it was time to choose a king to replace the defiant Saul, then, Samuel had no problem passing over all the sons of Jesse who seemed fit for the position and instead let God choose the one whose heart was inclined toward Him.  Consequently, Samuel anointed the little brother, a mere shepherd boy who would come to be known as a man after God's own heart. (1 Samuel 16, Acts 13:22)

Loving God means doing what God asks me to do.  When my common sense says to take the easy way but God directs me toward the difficult, my love for Him will drive me into obedience.  When all my friends are advising me to take the job, but my heart is ill-at-ease, my love for Him will drive me to do exactly to that which He has inspired me.  When the obvious choice seems to be to go through the wide door, but the narrow gate is calling my name, my love for Him will propel me through the uncommon way.

My love for God can manifest itself in the same way it did in Samuel, a man who followed God's direction to the minute detail.

Priorities

Nothing had been spared to hunt him down.  Even though he was the Lord's anointed, his time was yet to come.  Meanwhile, he was living like a hunted animal, running from cave to cave, keeping just out of reach of the king whose jealousy burned like a consuming fire.

Suddenly, it seemed God had provided an opportunity for the hunted to kill hunter, ending this lethal game of cat and mouse once and for all.  As David and his men hid in a cave one day, Saul entered to find a private place to relieve himself.  David crept up and cut the hem of the king's robe, retreating quickly into the darkness before Saul even knew he was there.  Intending to kill the king, David's conscience got the better of him as he called off his men, saying, "The LORD forbid that I should do this to my lord the king and attack the LORD's anointed one for the LORD himself has chosen him." (1 Samuel 24:6)

Sometimes it seems that God has delivered the fruit of my desires to within my reach.  The temptation dangles like a luscious peach on a tree, but if I love God, I will put His will above what I want.

Loving God means His glory and His will is my most ardent desire.  Instead of taking what is so temptingly handed to me, loving God means I will set aside my reputation and instead choose His way.   Instead of doing what is within my rights to do, loving God means I will cast my privilege aside and pick the option that will best glorify Him.  Instead of paying attention to how my obedience to God might hurt another, loving God means I will put His will above my own popularity or comfort.

My love for God is apparent when I put Him first in all my decisions.

His Pleasure

He was the richest, wisest, most famous king of all time.  Every pleasure known to man was made available to him.  As one who loved women, He took 700 wives as his own and kept 300 concubines at his disposal.  (1 Kings 11:3)  No source of delight was withheld from King Solomon.

Still, he labeled everything as meaningless.  It's not like he didn't try to find purpose and fulfillment in the things of life.  He lived life to the fullest, tasting every kind of food, sampling the affections of many foreign women and studying the great philosophers.  Nothing, however, brought any kind of deep satisfaction to his life. 

Solomon's conclusion to his search for significance was this:  "Fear God and obey his commands, for this is everyone's duty." (Ecclesiastes 12:13)

When I am tempted to live for myself, catering to my own desires, my love for God will turn my heart toward pleasing Him instead.  When the way He leads me is filled with thorns and prickly people, my love for God will propel me forward anyway as I desire His delight above my own.  When I see what pleases me standing right in front of me, my love for God will turn me around toward what will please Him.

My love for God means I will seek His pleasure above my own.

It is easy to fall into the same trap as the Pharisees and know a lot about God, but not know Him.  When I enter into a personal relationship with the God of the Universe, I will find a love for Him growing in my heart.  This devotion to Him will lead me to want to do what He asks of me, to desire His will and glory above all things, and to seek to please Him in all I do.  In this way, love will work to build up God's kingdom in a powerful way.

As I begin this day it is my prayer that I will keep God first in my life.

How do I seek my own pleasure instead of trying to find what God wants me to do?

When am I more concerned with my own rights instead of what will bring glory to God?     

Live for Jesus

"But my people have exchanged their Glory

for worthless idols."

Jeremiah 2:11

"For Christ's love compels us, 

because we are convinced that one died for all,

and therefore all died.

And he died for all,

that those who live should no longer live for themselves

but for him who died for them

and was raised again."

2 Corinthians 5:14-15

Easter is a busy time for American families.  We rush from activity to activity, straining to take it all in and to not miss a single thing.  We want it all; meaning. . .fun. . .significance. . .enjoyment. . tradition. . .it's all a part of the season.  We do what we do out of a sense of obligation, or guilt, or ambition.

Where does God fit into the madness?  Where is God when I'm serving on the food line at the local soup kitchen?  Is God a part of the mad dash for candy-laden Easter eggs?  Can God tag along when I'm shopping for the perfect dress for Sunday morning service?

I am made for God.  He created me in His likeness.  As such, He deserves my undivided attention, devotion and reverence.  It's funny, then, how easily I can change it around to God being there for me.  My flesh being the most visible while none of His attributes shine through.  Me thinking that I deserve all the best there is to be found. 

Me and my self-interest all too easily become an idol that steals glory from God.  He does not idly stand by while I live for myself.  He will not sugar coat the truth.  He will do what He has to do in order to recapture my heart!

Get My Attention

The house suddenly is destroyed by fire.  What was once good health takes a turn for the worse.  A car accident totals the car.  A steady job is abruptly snatched away.  


These are difficulties common to life in this world.  Each one is a tragedy that no one wants to relive but from which few are immune.  Disasters, while seemingly random and by chance, can be tools used by God to get my attention.


God gave the prophet Ezekiel a message that illustrated just this point.  He said, "The people of Israel have set up idols in their hearts and fallen into sin, and then they go to a prophet asking for a message.  So I, the LORD, will give them the kind of answer their great idolatry deserves.  I will do this to capture the minds and hearts of all my people who have turned from me to worship their detestable idols."  (Ezekiel 14:4-5 NLT)


Sometimes the answer I am looking for is not the Truth that I need.  I am not always receptive to the Truth, especially when my life is not right before God.  When my desires have replaced God's desires.  Or when obedience to God has been exchanged for my comfort.  Or the times when my pleasure has traded places with pleasing God.  Everything is topsy-turvy and Jesus is not Lord of my life. . . I am lord of my life.


Consequently, God pulls out the big guns to catch my interest.  In my state of emergency, I am open to the Truth and see how my life has become all about me instead of all about my Savior.


When hard times come my way, it is likely that God is trying to get my attention and recapture my heart so that I will live for Jesus.

Prune

I recently started growing roses and undertook the task of pruning them back before the spring growth appeared.  While observing the sticks left standing after the job, I felt sick at the thought of all that I had cut off!  It seemed so drastic!  But a few weeks later, the fruit of my labor was evident.  Dozens of buds had formed on the new growth stimulated by the pruning.  

Jesus talks about this process in John 15.  He explains that in order for me to produce fruit, I must be a part of the vine.  Just as a rose cannot grow apart from the bush, my life cannot exhibit love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, faithfulness, gentleness or self control apart from Jesus. (Galatians 5:22-23)  

There are many times I drift away from Jesus, thinking I can do things in my own strength.  I believe I am pretty self-sufficient and gifted in areas that make me well-suited for a certain task, ministry or job.  Soon, I find myself in a state of burn-out, frustration and grumpiness.  What happened?

I was trying to grow apart from my source of life. No matter how hard I try,  for instance, I can't show patience to others the way Jesus waits for me to come around.  People can be as mean as an injured dog backed into a corner.  Others are stubborn and don't want to hear any advice.  Many just want some encouragement. 

But I can't figure out who needs what and when they need it.  Instead, I must let Him love others through me by giving up my will for His.  Then He can have His way in that area of my life.  In other words, I need to stop thinking I have all the answers and let Him have the problem instead.

Just as I cut off some perfectly good branches on those roses in order to encourage new growth, Jesus will take away what I think are acceptable parts of my life so that I can have a better chance of producing some of His fruit.

When it's time for me to let go of one part of my life, I can be assured that it is so fruit that glorifies God will replace it.

Love

"All we need is love. . . " I've heard the song and believed the premise behind the lyrics.  But humans have no concept of real love.  God loves in a way that can't be reciprocated.  No matter how much I am devoted to God, it will pale in comparison to the way God loves me.

His love is patient, kind, not envious or boastful, it's humble and not rude or self-seeking.  God's love is not easily angered and doesn't keep a tally of all my past wrongs.  It jumps for joy when it recognizes the truth, protects, trusts, hopes, perseveres and never fails.  (1 Corinthians 13:4-8) This is the kind of love that draws me back to Himself.  

On the other hand, my attempts at love expect results now, are discontent with circumstances and pushy, thinking I can fix a problem quickly.  It's all about me and getting the job done in a timely manner no matter whose toes I step on.  My brand of love remembers what others have done. . . just in case they do it again I can't complain that I wasn't forewarned!  In other words, the way I love is not really love at all.

Jesus loves me in such a way that He was willing to pay the ultimate price for my sins so that my relationship with God could be restored and I could avoid the penalty of eternal death.  Jesus taught that I am not to just horde up His love for myself, but to pass it on to others so that they may experience it as well.  

In order for this to happen, however, I must sacrifice my life in much the same way Jesus did.  I must give up my self-centered priorities, my self-interest, my selfish comfort, my desire to protect my reputation. . . everything that points to me must die. 

As I love others in a self-sacrificing way, as Jesus did, I will find that the world will hate me.  A kind word will be thanked with a sneering glance.  A thoughtful gesture will be cast away with disdain.  Time dedicated in selfless service will go unnoticed by others.  But I can't take it personally the way I naturally do.  

Jesus warned me it would be so.  He said, "I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace.  In this world you will have trouble.  But take heart!  I have overcome the world."  (John 16:33)

God loves me with an everlasting love that constantly seeks to restore my relationship with Him.  As His follower, He calls me to love in the same sacrificial way.  But as I allow His love to flow through me, others will sneer at His Spirit which is within me.  

Easter is a busy time when It is easy for my life to get out of kilter and something else ends up holding the position of highest importance instead of God.  But when this happens, God will get my attention, do some pruning, and continue to love me as His precious daughter.

Then I can truly celebrate Easter as a time of new life and begin to live for Jesus!

As I begin this day, it is my prayer that I can recognize the tools God uses to bring my life back into alignment with Him.

How do I fight God's attention getting tactics by falling into self-pity?

What has God been pruning out of my life so more of His love will show through?