Don's Devotionals: Learning to love God

Matthew 6:1 “Be careful not to do your ‘acts of righteousness’ before men, to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven.

President Reagan had this wonderful plaque on his desk: “There is no limit to what a man can do or where he can go if he doesn’t mind who gets the credit.”  The receiving of credit is a very important part of our culture.  It’s like earning grades in school.  We grow up expecting our efforts to be recognized.  Early in my sales career I experienced the disappointment of not being recognized.  The top salesperson was publically recognized each month, except they forgot to do it the first month I finished on top.

One aspect of this is the negative response most of us have when credit is given to someone where it isn’t deserved, i.e., someone has been cheating and then getting recognized for excelling.  Or in the workplace, to see someone recognized when someone else was primarily responsible.  What do we do if we are the ones who receive credit for that which is done by someone else?  Do we speak up and re-direct the credit where it belongs?

More importantly, are the good things we do linked to a desire to receive recognition?  Are we at peace with knowing that the Lord knows what we do?  Jesus warns us here of the problem of doing the right things we are supposed to do, but with an eye to receiving credit for them – to be seen by men.  The issue to me isn’t the idea that we lose the reward from our Heavenly Father, but the fact that our motivation is tainted by this desire to have our efforts seen.  It is bad for us and displeasing to Him.

The Lord wants our motivations to be centered in the joy of pleasing Him.  Living our lives in accord with Scripture and the leading of the Holy Spirit brings the joy of knowing that every action is an expression of our love for God.  Instead of the need to ‘be seen by men’, we live our lives to bring glory and praise to our God.   Matthew 5:16 speaks powerfully to this, “In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.”  That is the motivation that we want to fill our hearts!

Luke 24:30-32  ³⁰When he was at the table with them, he took bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to them. ³¹Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him, and he disappeared from their sight. ³²They asked each other, “Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?”

This incident of the two disciples on the road to Emmaus encountering Jesus is one of the more wonderful ones in the Bible.  They were downcast – even though they were aware that some of the women had been to the tomb and had a vision of angels telling them that Jesus was alive. They didn’t understand what had happened or why.

They had such hope in Jesus and it was snatched away from them in such an incredibly vicious way.  Then as they were walking, something unusual happened to them.  Jesus himself came along and walked with them, but they were kept from recognizing him.  The scriptures are clear that understanding of the unfolding events of Jesus’ suffering and death were hidden from the disciples whenever Jesus spoke about it prior to his death.  It was only afterward that Jesus opened their minds so they could understand the scriptures.

So Jesus joined them as they walked along, and said to them, “How foolish you are, and how slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! Did not the Christ have to suffer these things and then enter his glory?” And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself.

Then, since it was nearly evening, they stopped for the night and strongly urged this man walking with them to stop and stay with them.  It’s apparent that they were deeply moved by what he had said to them, even though they didn’t know who he was.  Because they insisted that he stay with them, they experienced the wonder of God in having their eyes opened to see this man was Jesus – raised from the dead.

Isn’t it fascinating that God would have Jesus appear to these two men but prevent them from recognizing him?  It was important for them to listen to the message of this stranger and understand the “why” of what happened to Jesus.  The events that happened to him were foretold in Scripture and they needed to understand it – rather than simply see Jesus and get excited.  When God opened their eyes to recognize Jesus, they understood!  The life, death and resurrection of Jesus were fulfillment of God’s purpose.

Matthew 26:31 Then Jesus told them, “This very night you will all fall away on account of me, for it is written: “‘I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.’”

Any understanding of the events of Jesus’ suffering and death was hidden from the disciples whenever Jesus spoke about it prior to his death (Luke 18:34).  It was only after his resurrection that Jesus opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures.  But while the events were unfolding and following his death, they didn’t understand what was happening or why or what it all was leading to.

They had such hope in Jesus – and He and that hope were snatched away from them in such an incredibly vicious way.  On top of that they all had fled just as he said they would. I cannot imagine the pain, despair and hopelessness that they experienced at His arrest, crucifixion and death.  How could they console one another? There had never been anyone like Jesus

Our view is so dominated by the knowledge and joy that Jesus rose from the dead, it’s difficult to comprehend the pain they went through.  That pain, and restless sleepless nights would have continued not only on that Friday, but on Saturday and into Sunday.

I think of the scenes of Aslan’s death from ‘The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe’.  Lucy and Susan watched as the hundreds of horrible creatures tortured and then killed Aslan.  In their heartbreak, they witnessed the jubilation of the Witch and the wicked host who believed they had won and that nothing could now stop them.  Aslan was now gone forever.  The girls’ tears and misery lasted throughout the night.  In the morning they experienced more pain as they tried to untie Aslan’s body.  They had no idea what was about to happen.

Two thousand years ago, the first disciples spent today in such pain.  Wicked men had killed Jesus of Nazareth, the man so used by God and they were helpless to stop it.  They experienced the shame of running and hiding.  They deserted Jesus – just as he said they would.  They didn’t understand what was about to happen.

Luke 22:61-62  The Lord turned and looked straight at Peter.  Then Peter remembered the word the Lord had spoken to him: “Before the rooster crows today, you will disown me three times.”  ⁶²And he went outside and wept bitterly.

I cannot imagine the pain that Peter experienced after he denied Jesus the third time and the rooster crowed – and he saw Jesus look right at him.  Their eyes met!  Peter knew – that Jesus knew that it had happened just as Jesus had said it would. Then Peter went outside and wept bitterly.  It was bad enough that Jesus had told him a few hours earlier that it would happen; but to have Jesus witness it and to look right at him at that very moment is pain and a sense of failure beyond imagining.

Peter had some other difficult moments.  When he walked on water he sank.  When he rebuked Jesus for talking about his coming suffering and death, Jesus turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan!”  In the garden when Jesus was being arrested, Peter drew his sword and cut off Malchus’ ear, earning a rebuke from Jesus.

I find it so encouraging that in spite of these events, Jesus didn’t reject Peter and send him packing!  Jesus chose him because he believed in him.  When Jesus spoke to him of the denials, he also said, “And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.”  After Jesus’ resurrection, the angel told the women who had come to the tomb, “But go, tell his disciples and Peter.”  Then Jesus appeared separately to Peter.  Think of what each of these would have meant to Peter as he struggled with his actions of denying his beloved Lord.

Peter was a mixture, just like you and me – lots of potential and lots of things to work on.  In spite of difficulties noted above, Peter was the one who did walk on water. He was the disciple who first acknowledged that Jesus was the Christ, the Son of the living God.  He spoke for all the disciples to the crowd in Jerusalem on the day of Pentecost. He was rescued from prison by an angel.  He was also the one who received the vision from God regarding the gentiles who then received the gospel at Cornelius’ house.  Peter was one of God’s chosen servants who never gave up and God used him mightily.  What an example he is for us!

Lamentations 3:22-23 The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases, his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is thy faithfulness.

These verses make me think of a pastoral picture.  Think of a large flower garden with the morning sun upon it.  There is a breeze blowing and rain is falling upon the garden from a small cloud above it.  Sunshine, rain, a breeze and flowers blooming providing both enjoyment and a place to labor.  It is a picture of freshness, vitality, beauty and joy.  Day by day God’s provision is there.

That picture is such a thing of beauty to me, just like the marvelous realities that these verses describe!  God’s love for us is fixed and unchanging and unending.  It never ceases.  It doesn’t depend upon us thinking it’s there.  It is there for us to experience – to trust in and to enjoy.  It’s like the air we breathe, it’s there. Think of the times when we feel the wind blowing upon us.  The air, that we typically don’t see or feel manifests itself in a way so we feel it.  God does the same thing with His love for us.

Likewise His mercies – they never come to an end and are new every morning.  Think of the manna – the bread of Heaven – that came down every day for the Israelites when they were in the wilderness.  Each day they could only take what was needed for that day.  Tomorrow’s manna, came the next day, not today – except on the 6^th day when God supplied double because the 7^th day was the Sabbath.  His mercies are never ending and there for us each day.

Consider that it is impossible for God to be unfaithful.  If we think that He is or has been unfaithful, we’re simply wrong.  Think of situations when you have been faithful to someone or experienced someone being faithful to you. Faithfulness is such a blessing – something so important to be able to count on.  In our times of need, God is always there.  He’s always faithful.  The blessings He offers if we but have the eyes to see and the sense to turn to Him.

Be a blessing to God each morning by recognizing and being thankful for His love, His mercies and most of all, for Him.

Romans 12:21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

This verse really underscores the importance of the Scriptures and the critical role they play in our lives.  Their absence is debilitating while their presence is empowering.  By absence, I mean that we have a casual approach to the Scriptures and the role they play in our lives.  By ‘presence’ I mean that we embrace the Scriptures; learn them and apply them.  They develop the framework through which we view life.  They are the basis for us defining what is good and evil.

How do we resist being overcome by evil if we don’t recognize the evil that surrounds us?  While much evil is obvious, there is much that is not.  Likewise we must learn to recognize good.  The problem is twofold: the society around us at times is clueless as to good and evil; and the Church is greatly affected by the fact that our culture has so infiltrated the church.  This results in the problem that Isaiah identified in 5:20 where he pronounces a warning:

“Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter.”

We must recognize that this is going on all around us now and the Scriptures enable us to address it.  In Hebrews 5:13-14 we see the reality of this problem and the vital role God’s Word has:

¹³ Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness. ¹⁴ But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil.

The Lord wants our lives to glorify Him.  We are able to do that by living lives that are not overcome by evil, rather we overcome evil with good.

Romans 12:20 On the contrary: “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.”

There are probably people in our lives that we wouldn’t mind seeing burning coals heaped on their head.  But the overall context of the verses we have been looking at really speaks to our attitudes and actions toward those who wouldn’t make our friends list.  Paul has been writing about being a people whose love is sincere.  This includes blessing those who persecute us; to bless and not curse; and not repaying anyone evil for evil

This is the Kingdom of God way of life – just the opposite of how our old natures want to respond.  The Message states this verse this way, “Our Scriptures tell us that if you see your enemy hungry, go buy that person lunch, or if he’s thirsty, get him a drink. Your generosity will surprise him with goodness.”  Jesus takes it even further.  He tells us to, “…love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, pray for those who mistreat you.”  He asks what credit is it to us if we only love those who love us; if we only do good to those who do good to us; if we only lend to those from whom we expect repayment?  Our heavenly Father is kind to the ungrateful and wicked and He expects us to be merciful just as He is. (Luke 6:27-36)

There are two examples given in Exodus 23:4-5 that flesh out this reality in a practical, helpful way.  “If you come across your enemy’s ox or donkey wandering off, be sure to return it. 5 If you see the donkey of someone who hates you fallen down under its load, do not leave it there; be sure you help them with it.”  Think of it this way.  If we’re driving down the road and see someone who is nasty to us with a flat tire and in need of help, we stop and help them.  Or if they are taken ill and we have the opportunity to help with meals or assist them in some way, we do it.

But let’s add a twist.  We must be careful not to assume that our kindness will produce an immediate change in them.  That is for the Lord to do.  How do we respond if the person we help then continues to be nasty – and then we encounter him needing help on the road again?  Do we drive by and say, “You deserve it! I’m not going to help you!”  Or do we stop again, because we have forgiven them and this is another opportunity from the Lord to bless them (and us)?  Maybe an angel did in the tire because he knew we were coming and wanted to see what we would do.

Romans 12:19  Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord.

Have you ever noted the perverse delight we experience when we are able to get even with someone who’s done us wrong?  And have you noticed how we can be preoccupied or even consumed by negative thoughts of someone who’s wronged us when they seem to get away with it?  I call that negative meditation.  I think it’s accurate to say that none of this is redemptive.

Getting even!  Tit-for-tat!  Giving them what they deserve!  In some cultures of the world such thoughts and values lead to the shedding of blood and the taking of lives.  Some of our Christian brothers and sisters face this each day because they have rejected the faith of their culture and became Christian.  Our problem isn’t that we want to kill someone, but it’s more in the idea of successfully “doing unto them as they did to us” – but in an appropriate way.

The fruit of such thoughts and actions are deadly and forbidden.  Today’s verse tells us don’t insist on getting even; that’s not for you to do. “I’ll do the judging,” says God. “I’ll take care of it.”  This is like the Lord saying to us, “Don’t play in the minefield!”  Jesus taught us, “Do to others whatever you would like them to do to you. This is the essence of all that is taught in the law and the prophets.”  (Matthew 7:12)  This truth applies – always.  It means we act and respond to all circumstances and provocations in a way consistent with God’s word.  But in the heat of a moment or in the stinging aftermath of being hurt how do we get there?

I find that the priceless key for me is forgiveness. It is the escape hatch from this path of revenge and getting even.  Forgiveness is a decision of our will and is not dependent upon our feelings.  It is like cracking open an egg.  Once done, it’s done!  We cannot undue it.  Then we seek the Lord’s help in dealing with our anger, bitterness, frustration, etc…  Think of Jesus forgiving from the cross.  Think of Stephen forgiving while he is being stoned to death.  Think of glorifying God when we are negatively treated.  Remember that Jesus taught us to, “Bless them that curse you, and pray for them which despitefully use you.” (Luke 6:38)

The Bible teaches that a man will reap what he sows.  That principle is true for everyone.  When someone sows unrighteousness, the Lord wants us to recognize that He is the one in charge of determining what they reap – and when.  When unrighteousness happens to us, let our prayer be for God to grant repentance and mercy to the one doing it.

Romans 12:18  If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.

When I read this verse I think of the many wonderful things the Bible has to say about peace, and peacemakers.  I think of Jesus – He is the Prince of Peace.  In the midst of turbulence and strife we can be filled with peace because we have learned to trust in Him.  In Isaiah 26: 3 it says, “You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you.”

Have you noticed that we can share the peace we have with others?  It’s like the widow’s pot of oil in the Old Testament – there is a never ending supply.  We must understand the powerful impact God wants us to have in the lives of those around us, particularly when they are upset and stressed out.  Our faith and trust in the Lord make us immune to their lack of peace – their nervousness and anxiety.  The words we speak, and the manner in which the Spirit leads us to do it can have such a redemptive impact.  In Proverbs 25:11 it says, “A word aptly spoken is like apples of gold in settings of silver.”  In fact our destiny is to be peacemakers.  Remember in the Sermon on the Mount that Jesus said, “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.”  (Matt 5:9)

The more we walk in God’s ways – meaning bringing our lives into conformity with His word – the more we love Him.  The more we love Him, the greater the blessing we will be to all around us.  When we are faithful to Him, we won’t rise to provocation or insist on having our way.  We acknowledge when we are wrong and others are right.  We apologize and ask for forgiveness.  We are other oriented.  Instead of contributing to the anxiety and unrest, making bad situations worse, He will use us to defuse the unrest and turn the situations in a redemptive direction. He will use our righteous responses (meaning doing things His way) to positively impact the situations we find ourselves in.

The themes our lives are to involve love, faithfulness, righteousness and peace.  These qualities are so evident in the verses of Romans 12:9-21 that we have been looking at over recent weeks.  It’s like peace is the fruit or guest that comes when the other three are present.  Psalm 85:10 presents such a beautiful picture of what God does in us when we love Him: “Love and faithfulness meet together; righteousness and peace kiss each other.”

Romans 12:17  Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone.

Back during the depression my father worked in a bank. One of his memories was that the tellers at the bank he worked at were not trained to spot counterfeits by looking at examples of counterfeit currency.  The focus was upon learning what the genuine bills looked like.  They became so familiar with the real that when they were flipping through the bills, a variant would stand out no matter how small or subtle the difference was.

Taking a look at today’s verse, consider evil and wrong (the opposite of right) as counterfeits.  We can spend our time focusing on what not to do, but that raises the question of how do we know whether an action or attitude is evil or wrong.  It makes a whole lot more sense to focus on learning what is right.

What is the right way to respond when evil is done to us or those we love?  How do we determine what is right when in the midst of turbulent circumstances?  Let’s consider another illustration that we can relate to.  Why do pilots get trained and licensed to fly on instruments?  The reality of flying is that all manner of weather is encountered.  We’ve all heard the stories of pilots in flight simulators who fly them ‘into the ground’ because they lose their bearings.  Their instincts are telling them they’re doing fine, but the instruments indicate they are headed for disaster.  Pilots must trust their instruments when they are flying in adverse conditions.

These two illustrations present a unique picture for us.  God’s Word is the ultimate and absolute source of defining what is right.  It contains the principles and instructions that provide the basis for recognizing what is right in every situation.  The Holy Spirit in essence becomes our ‘instrument panel’.  He communicates to us the insights and understandings needed to safely navigate every situation – no matter how difficult or confusing.  We learn His voice.  He brings to mind appropriate understandings of God’s word that apply to the situations at hand.  We learn to trust Him, not our instincts, public opinion or what seems right.  We look to Him.  It doesn’t mean we won’t make mistakes, but by doing this we become increasingly aware of our dependence upon God.  The more we look to Him and live out His ways, the more right choices we will make.