He is who He is

We watched a small portion of the US Republican Convention last night. This morning it occurred to me that if Donald Trump becomes president, there will be people who respect him because they support and agree with him, and people who must call him ‘the President’ whether they respect him or not. No matter what their opinion is, the president IS the President.

After Jesus washed the feet of His disciples, He said to them . . .

“You call me Teacher and Lord, and you are right, for so I am.” (John 13:13)

“Lord” was usually a title of respect something like our word “Sir” rather than a designation of authority. In the ancient world, calling someone “Master” was more like calling them “Sir” rather than our contemporary definition of the word “Lord.”

However, there is a sense throughout the Gospels that the disciples were thinking of Jesus as an authority figure as well as ‘Sir’ or even ‘Master.’ They knew He was worthy of their respect. This verse seems to have that sense of “Lord” meaning someone who has authority over all things, rather than a mere title.

That said, whether I call Him that or not, Jesus IS Teacher and Lord. My opinion does not change who He is. This is not a popular way of thinking. Many assume that if they think a person is bad or good or anything else, that opinion makes it true.

How I think about another person affects both of us. If I don’t like that person, they may treat me with a different attitude because of it. However, how I think about Jesus affects the way I respond to Him, but it does not change who He is. The more I get to know Him, the more He changes me, but He never changes. He is the same yesterday, today, and forever.

But my sinful self must change. Wanting to do my own thing always goes against His instructions and His commands. Chambers says Jesus never insists on having authority but leaves people free to make their choices. While this seems true from a human perspective, the Bible says, “Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the Lord that will stand.” (Proverbs 19:21) He is Lord of all. Regardless of the ‘freedoms’ we think we have, His purposes will stand.

Chambers says that if the Lord insists upon obedience, He would become a taskmaster and cease to have authority. I understand what he is trying to say, that forced obedience on my part is not true obedience, but I do not agree that Jesus never insists on obedience. My experience with Him presents many occasions where His insistence came through loud and clear. His will is done —  regardless of my kicking and screaming. He IS Lord; I am not.

Obedience is a bad word only for a rebellious heart. Calling Jesus Teacher and Master is resisted only by those who refuse to learn His ways, refuse to respect Him, and refuse to cooperate, but eventually every knee will bow and every tongue confess that Jesus is Lord, even those who don’t want to do it.

Positive Changes

Something happened in the past couple of days. Instead of weakness, a heavy feeling in my chest, and shortness of breath when lifting too much or moving too fast, I feel normal (even though I say normal is only a setting on the dryer). I am able to do my work with renewed energy and a clear head. While the events of the past few weeks have given me much to think about, and have been a test of what I really believe, all of those physical symptoms suddenly ended. 

During these weeks, my mind has been occupied with priorities and still is. Instead of wasting time, I’m considering what is really important. Instead of procrastinating, I’m far more inclined to get right with it. My to-do list has changed, but has also undergone another transformation — things are getting done. Yet at the same time, I’m more aware of the brevity and uncertainty of life. What do I need to do that has eternal significance? How can I decide what is important and what can be left undone? 

When Jesus talked about His return, He told His disciples that no one knew the day or the hour. He also indicated that it was like a man who had a home with many servants.

It is like a man going on a journey, when he leaves home and puts his servants in charge, each with his work, and commands the doorkeeper to stay awake. (Mark 13:34)

The phrase, “each with his work” jumps out at me, as it did for the person who commented on this verse. He said, “He does the most for God’s great world who does the best in his own little world.”

Jesus could come back at any time. He also could take me home at any time. For now, I’ve been given a tiny bit of responsibility in His kingdom. I have work to do and must to be alert to do it.

Therefore stay awake—for you do not know when the master of the house will come, in the evening, or at midnight, or when the rooster crows, or in the morning— lest he come suddenly and find you asleep. And what I say to you I say to all: Stay awake. (Mark 13:35–37)

God has used the past few weeks for my benefit. He has drawn me closer to Jesus, made me more attentive to His voice. I want to stay awake and have learned a new “normal” — an awareness of God in my life as never before. He has made me deeply cognizant that He has put me in charge of part of His kingdom. While He supplies all resources needed to do that work, He also expects me to stay alert, not drift into the sleepiness of a self-ruled life.

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Lord, first of all, I am so thankful for the way that I am feeling and that You have also restored my energy. I’m also thankful that I’m thinking about You far more often and seeking clear direction about what You want from me. And I’m thankful that You do give direction, that Your Spirit is quick to instruct and guide. I thought these things were happening before this heart problem came up, yet now am experiencing a whole new dimension of being Your child and Your servant. Thank You.

Prayer changes me

It is noted that the more time spent with another person, the more the two become like each other. However, since Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever, the more time spent with Him changes only one of us. In the past dozen years or so of praying with another couple for our family members, we have seen only few changes in our families, but great changes in us four.

Today’s devotional reading says, “It is not so true that ‘prayer changes things’ as that prayer changes me and I change things.” The author adds that God designed redemption-based prayer to alter the way His people look at things. Prayer isn’t so much about changing external things, but of working wonders in our disposition. As I consider this, the following verses give more instruction: 

Now Jesus was praying in a certain place, and when he finished, one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray, as John taught his disciples.” And he said to them, “When you pray, say: ‘Father, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come. Give us each day our daily bread, and forgive us our sins, for we ourselves forgive everyone who is indebted to us. And lead us not into temptation.’” (Luke 11:1–4)

In Jesus’ model for prayer, attention is first toward God’s glory and His plans for the world. So often prayer begins with ‘help me’ yet in praying only for myself, I am feeding only myself, not building on the new life of Christ that is in me. That unchanging life shines only when I get out of its way. To do that, my prayer needs to focus on Him, not on my agenda.

That does not mean ignoring my needs. Jesus is clear that I need to pray for some basic stuff. Feed me, forgive me as I forgive others, protect me from temptation. The feeding part is daily bread, but this could include spiritual food. Jesus also said “I am the bread of life” so I need also to feast on Him.

Not only that, in context the bread that the praying person asks for is not for himself. Others are hungry and need my help. Jesus sums this passage up by saying, “If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!” (Luke 11:13)

From reading the entire passage, I can see that Jesus’ model prayer does not exclude asking for my basic needs, but it is more about asking God to supply my basic needs that I might offer what He gives me to others who need bread too. His words clearly indicate that to do this, I need the Holy Spirit and an answer from God.

I also need to keep sin from becoming a barrier in my relationship with Jesus. “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9) Confession is a big part of prayer, not as a catharsis for me, but as a barrier remover that Christ might forgive me and let His life shine through me.

In my relationships with others, the big barrier is always sin too. One or both of us do things that come between. Jesus says that when I ask for His forgiveness, I need to remember that it will be given like mine is given. If I am holding the sins of others as a barrier, then this will also be a barrier in my relationship with Him. Keep short accounts with Jesus and with others. Basic, simple stuff.

In praying this way, Jesus is given priority. Nothing holds more importance than being close to Him. When I do, we have communion. He can only show up through me when I continually pull down the barriers in prayer.

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Jesus, life can get so complicated. The things I bring to You in prayer can seem so complex and difficult. Yet You simplify the whole thing. I’m to focus on the grandeur of who You are and the grandeur of Your great plan, not get tangled in the messes created by human ideas (including mine) of how things should be. I’m to keep my sins confessed, sins against You and others. I’m to forgive people so that the snare of broken relationships does not keep me from fellowship with You.

The bottom line is that I cannot do even this without Your help. Only You can protect me from the temptations of trying to live life without You, or of desiring my will instead of Yours, or of not being concerned about sin and selfishness that comes between me and You or me and others. Without You, I am not even able to pray as I ought. Along with the disciples, I need to be taught.