The Phil Files

Today was one of those incredibly busy and wild days. I spent much of the afternoon trying to track down folks who were in and out of the hospital and whose rooms and floors had been switched. I enjoy this part of ministry. So much of what I do is Internet or big church stuff, that getting personal, touch-time hospital ministry with people is restorative. However, I hadn’t allowed for enough time for all the moving around and tracking folks down, so I was running nearly an hour late on my tight schedule.

To save time, I ran by the post office to pick up the Heartlight.org snail mail while I was in the area. When I opened the box, there were two yellow claim forms for packages among the envelopes. I had no idea what was in the packages, but there was no line at the window — a miracle of sorts in the world of public post office boxes. So I turned in my two claim forms, picked up my packages, and hopped in the ol’ Tahoe.

Now sensibility nudged me to leave the packages unopened until I took them to the office. But, I’m a curious type and I couldn’t resist the urge to discover what these two unexpected packages might bring! Shortly after opening them, I immediately pulled in the car wash across the street to gather my composure … and get a car wash. I was in no shape to return the office. Tears streamed down my cheeks as I looked at these two packages.

The contents of the first envelope tugged at my heart as soon as I opened it. Five Compassion sponsor packets for kids in Uganda. The pictures were precious. I knew they had probably shared their clothes and shoes with others getting their pictures made the same day. They were dressed, pressed, and tidy hoping against hope that someone, anyone, might be their sponsor. It didn’t matter to them if the clothes didn’t quite fit or the shoes belonged to someone much older and bigger. My eyes moistened as a I thought about the upcoming trip I would take with 15 other bloggers with Compassion to Uganda. I was cheered yesterday by the news that I would get to meet Doreen, the little girl we sponsor. Now my heart ached with the hope that we could find the 500 sponsors we have as a goal for our trip, and especially find five sponsors for these children whose faces captured my heart.

Then I opened the second envelope. I read the first part of the Mother’s note attached to the book that was sent for me to preview for Heartlight. Then I noticed the cheery, inviting face of a college student on the cover. The title was simple: Melissa’s Prayer Journal. The second part of the title, was incongruous and a bit jarring: “The Power of Prayer in the Face of Cancer.” As I thumbed through this book, I discovered copies of Melissa’s own handwriting and pictures of her life as a young woman full of joy and life. This is a college student was about the age of my own daughter. I was intrigued to follow a young woman’s faith as she struggled and overcame cancer at such a young age. I was not prepared for the reality: Melissa died after facing her battle with cancer after a little less than two years. I was stunned and shaken.

Emotions engulfed me. I had to get a grip. Too much flowing through my heart at once and not enough of whatever it is that carries emotions to release them appropriately. I scoured and devoured the book. Melissa’s journal entries were suddenly electrified with a different intensity. I was laughing, crying, and flipping pages at the same time. I gathered in the images of Melissa’s mom and sister and wondered how their hearts could not have burst with grief.

Then the tidal wave hit. In my world that values pretty people and heroic efforts, Melissa’s story is a gripper. Powerful and moving and faith-inspiring, Melissa’s words of faith would challenge any of us of any age facing such a hard battle. But underneath it all, I could hear this tiny voice beckoning me to put the book down and look at again at those little children from Uganda.

In my world, Melissa’s story has a tragic power touched with grace. I am thankful for it and I will recommend this book again and again. But, to most in my culture, the other pictures are just more sad and unfortunate kids from Africa. You listen to the talk shows and the general public is tired of what they see as the same ol’ story. Hungry for a new angle, the media-drenched perception about the needs of Africa are quickly becoming old news. We are quickly becoming desensitized and finding ways to rationalize away our responsibility to be involved.

But what is the greater tragedy? To die young, fighting to be courageous, sustained by faith, but lost to family and friends who deeply love you? Or, to die much younger, or to live without a chance to know Jesus and experience His grace, or to never know the love of His people or to be denied the basic necessities of life?

If I were Melissa’s mom, I know what my answer to that question would be: my daughter’s death would be a near-inconsolable tragedy. But, I also remember the powerful words of an old Phil Collins song about the suffering in Africa. The song is entitled “Colours,” and the line refers to seeing the pictures of suffering and realizing that “Like a mirror, you see yourself, these people, each have a name.” So I look at those little faces and read their names: Tumukunde, Apio, Daniel, Mukiibi, and Nakijoba. None of them have both mom and dad living. But their aunt, grandmothers, and friends who are raising them, would tell you what the greater tragedy is to them: losing another person they love.

So today, as I read the awful yet glorious words of Luke 23 again, and re-live the trials, crucifixion, death, and burial of Jesus, I am reminded why God came to our mortal mess. Without Jesus, without our hope, and our family of faith, we would be in a place where tears would have no reason to cease. Our trust, however, is that He remedied the stalking power of death and brought hope to families like those of Melissa, Tumukunde, Apio, Daniel, Mukiibi, and Nakijoba … and me. You see, when these people have a name and you know them, they aren’t statistics or issues to be debated. In that moment, tragedy is more than a word, it is life … lost.

I won’t finish this entry on the right day because I got in late from a meeting about ministry and a time to pray over people of all ages we wanted to bless. But the emotions of earlier today still bubble up in my heart and still spill out of my eyes onto my cheeks. And now, more than in a long while, I experience the importance of Jesus’ words, and see them less as a cry of desperation and more as cry of ultimate hope:

//Inspiration: Luke 23:46
Jesus called out in a loud voice, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.” When he had said this, he breathed his last.”

//Incarnation:
How can I not share the love of God demonstrated in Jesus? How can I not want every one to know about this love — and not just know in words, but experience it in deeds? They have to know the Father … and His love … and know with confidence that they can commit their life, their spirit, into His hands and breath their last, with great assurance of tomorrow’s greater grace.

//Invitation:
O Father, forgive me for being jaded and cold to the need, the real and ultimate need, of all people to know and experience your love in Jesus, in whose name I pray. Amen

So frequently, we hear the descriptive phrase “crime of opportunity” used to talk about a robbery or act of violence as if it almost happened by sheer luck or fate. Most “crimes of opportunity,” however, are carefully arranged situations where the criminals have planned what they are going to do, they are just waiting for the right person and situation to come along to do it.

Since Jesus faced down Satan in the wilderness in the time of temptation (Luke 4:1-12), the evil one has been “lying in the weeds” waiting for his great opportunity to assault the Master (Luke 4:13). All the talk of Satan, darkness, betrayal, temptation, repentance, and faithfulness in this chapter let’s us know this is the moment the evil one has waiting to happen. Judas has now become the devil’s co-conspirator in waiting and arranging for this moment to come:

//Inspiration: Luke 22:3a, 6
Then Satan entered in to Judas Iscariot … So he agreed and began looking for an opportunity to betray Jesus so they [the religious leaders] could arrest him [Jesus] when the crowds weren’t around.

//Incarnation:
I must realize that evil and the powerful one behind evil are real, determined, cunning, and deadly. Paul warns early believers of this truth (Ephesians 6:10-12. I ignore this truth at my own peril. Satan lies in wait for the perfect moment to strike and bring me down. I must hear the message of this chapter and always be ready to resist him and also be ready to confess and return if I fall!

//Invitation:
O LORD God, strengthen me to withstand the inopportune attacks of Satan in my moments of weakness and vulnerability. Give me courage to admit my sins and failures of faithfulness. But, dear Father, bring the right people into my life that will keep on the path of your grace and power. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.

The Christian community, at least in my estimation, wastes too much energy on trying to determine the “time” of Jesus’ return and not near enough effort on two more crucial issues: 1) being prepared for the Lord’s return at any time, as well as, 2) seeing to it that more people are expecting Jesus’ return with excitement and anticipation. While interpreters argue the exact nuance of each major passage of Luke 21, our reading for today, one passage stands out with clarity to my heart!

//Inspiration: Luke 21:27
At that time they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.

//Incarnation:
I must never waver in my commitment to reach more folks with Jesus’ grace and call to the Kingdom so they are ready for His return. In addition, my passion and excitement for His return must be shared with believers so they don’t fear this awesome day, but long to celebrate the glory of His presence. Every eye will see Him and acknowledge Jesus as Lord and bow their knee to honor God’s Son. But many will do it for the first time on that day, not out of joy, but out of fear, sorrow, and realization of His identity for the very first time. I want more to wait in joyous expectation knowing that the Lord’s return means the reunion of the people of God and the day of our home-going to be with the Father forever (1 Thessalonians 4:13-5:11; 1 John 3:1-3; Revelation 1:7).

//Invitation:
O Father, use me to help others discover the glorious day that awaits when Jesus comes to bring in glory those who belong to You. In Jesus’ name, I await this day and ask you to send Him soon! Amen.

[This devotional thought and the previous one both deal with Luke 20. They were written about 18 hours apart. Both are true and applicable, but this second one doesn't let me off the hook. I make myself face some hard issues in the ministry of Jesus. I invite you along to take a look at yourself, too!]

Years have practice have made it easy for me to see myself in the role of those Jesus heals, helps, and makes whole. I even can sometimes admit that I am like the Lord’s dim-witted disciples – those closest followers who often say and do the dumbest things when trying to jockey for the best position among the twelve apostles. But, I don’t often see myself as one of those evil enemies of Jesus in the religious establishment. These snakes of hell slither all around Jesus’ ministry seeking to trap and trick Him so they can have “legal grounds” on which to arrest him. These hypocrites and abusers of all that is precious and holy are loathsome and reprehensible to me. So to even remotely entertain the idea that I could be one of them makes me nauseous. But the Lord’s confrontation of these snakes have a bite to them that I must hear. In Luke 20, my reading today, Jesus is in direct battle with these brutal opponents. He is trying to help His closest followers to see the truth. They are doing their best to trap Him and battle with Jesus over the basis of His authority. In the middle of the battles, Jesus tells a frightening parable about the Owner (God) of the Vineyard (God’s People) and the farmers (the religious leaders of Jesus day) who long to take control of the vineyard. These farmers abuse and mistreat all of the Owner’s messengers (the prophets), but when the Son comes, their motives are ultimately revealed!

//Inspiration: Luke 20:13-15a (ERV)
“The Owner of the vineyard said, ‘What shall I do now? I will send my son. I love my son very much. Maybe the farmers will respect my son.’ When the farmers saw the son, they said to each other, ‘This is the owner’s son. This vineyard be his. If we kill him, it will be ours.’ So the farmers threw the son out of the vineyard and killed him.”

//Incarnation:
How do I try to take possession of God’s vineyard? To put it in cornbread English, how do I try to throw out Jesus and make what he has taught into another religion I can manage and control for my own benefits? I know there are times when I want to re-label the truth of the Christ to make it easier for me and more beneficial for me. But the ugly truth is that I am like every other human: I don’t want to have to walk the way of the Cross and give my life to follow Jesus. Instead, I want to bend his truth to make me look good and to protect my position in the religious elite. This is what receiving grace is all about: honesty about where my heart will lead me if I don’t honestly confront my fears and selfishness and choose to follow the way of Christ! Instead of throwing Jesus out, I choose to go out to Him and share with Him in His shame so that I can also share with Him in a life that matters now … and for the ages to come (Hebrews 12:10-13)!

//Invitation:
O LORD God, Yahweh, the Keeper, Sustainer, and Owner of the Vineyard, your people, please help me see the vulnerabilities I have to try to co-opt the call of Jesus into something for my benefit and my religious position. Use your Holy Spirit to enlighten me and please give me the strength to lay these at the feet of Jesus and follow Him as Lord. It is in His name that I pray. Amen.

Jesus is very clear about His disdain and frustration with what the religious leaders of His day had done with their religious rules and lifestyle. Now, in the closing chapters of His earthly ministry, He is walking into conflict, even forcing the conflict, with religious powers of His day.

Jesus’ words, however, should still send a chill of the spine of all who lead religious organizations, including churches and parachurch ministries.

//Inspiration: Luke 20:46-47“Beware of the teachers of the law. They like to walk around in flowing robes and love to be greeted with respect in the marketplaces and have the most important seats in the synagogues and the places of honor at banquets. They devour widows’ houses and for a show make lengthy prayers. These men will be punished most severely.”

//Incarnation:
As a leader in church ministry and a parachurch organization, I must hear this clearly. God does watch and know and care very deeply with how I treat the people who help support the ministries I lead. God judges His leaders with more scrutiny. They must lead with integrity and not abuse those who help them. They must not do it for show. They must not take advantage of those who are helpless and in need. (Yesterday’s devotional thoughts on Psalms 10-12 really identifies these kind of spiritual predators as wicked.) God will punish His leaders who abuse their power. He will punish them more severely. So, I must lead more humbly, more genuinely, and out of sense of wanting to see Go’s will be done and not my own nest be feathered and my own ego stroked.

//Invitation:
O LORD, God of all nations, help me see your will and know it. Be with me as I try to share that will with others, but also try to live it first. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen

Welcome! God bless the king who comes in the name of the Lord. Peace in heaven and glory to God!” (Luke 19:38 ERV)

Wow! Jesus’ presence evokes strong reactions from all fronts in Luke 19, our reading for today. Zacchaeus completely changes his life because the Lord enters his house and brings salvation. Deep repentance brings this joyous life-change to this despised man. The masses greet Jesus with excitement because they think that maybe the dawning era of the Messiah – at least as they understand him as a mighty ruler throwing off the oppression of the Romans and the corrupt religious and political powers of their world – is upon them. Jesus’ closest followers, those sometimes called disciples (See Luke 6:40 for a definition of disciple!), are excited for joy and begin to praise God with the words listed above.

Of course the religious critics, those who wanted Jesus dead, try to make Jesus make His followers shut their mouths and stop this praise. Jesus, however, has a powerful response:

//Inspiration: Luke 19:40
But Jesus answered, “I tell you, if my followers didn’t say them [these words of praise], these stones would shout them.”

//Incarnation:
I’m sure these leaders know the not so subtle reference of the creation declaring the praise and glory of God in Psalm 19:1-6. Jesus is directly confronting them with His identity. He is driving them to make a decision on which everything for them, their power, and their city hangs. I must hear this message as well. Will I respond to Jesus as LORD, Yahweh walking the earth and living among people? Will I honor Him with my praise and with my obedience? Will I declare Him as God, King, and Lord as the crowd does? I want to!

//Invitation:
O God, Savior and LORD, Yahweh who came in human flesh and walked among us as Jesus of Nazareth, the Yeshua long awaited. I praise You and honor You as my King and declare your glory and long to see You face to face and offer you my praise with the angels of heaven. Amen.