Category: Articles and Devotionals
A selection of devotionals written by Barbara Shafer.
Spring Clean-up 2-Getting Rid of the Dead
A second important task of spring clean-up is removal of dead leaves and other debris. Holding onto what is dead interferes with new life!
So I carefully remove the dead leaves and other debris from around plants that died back over the winter (see before picture of yellow flag iris at right).
Why? Well, there are several reasons.
- They look unsightly and the beauty of a garden can be ruined by a remnant of dead material amongst the beautiful flowers and plants with their new growth.
- They prevent the new growth from happening freely. New growth may get choked out by an old mat of leaves/stems remaining on the plant.
- They also harbor insects and disease. By getting rid of what is polluting my garden, it will require less drastic measures like sprays or recovery measures which are often harder than preventative card.
- And finally, I remove them because they serve no purpose anymore.
How good are you at identifying the dead things in your spiritual life?
When we become Christians, we become new creations, not just a slightly reformed and polished up old creation. We get rid of what is dead.
2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.
We are born-again, not mildly tweaked.
Read these Scriptures and ponder what they say about dead things, former habits, and what kind of spring clean-up might be good for your Soul Garden.
Romans 6:1 What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? 2 By no means! We died to sin; how can we live in it any longer? 3 Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4 We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life. 5 If we have been united with him like this in his death, we will certainly also be united with him in his resurrection. 6 For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin– 7 because anyone who has died has been freed from sin. 8 Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. 9 For we know that since Christ was raised from the dead, he cannot die again; death no longer has mastery over him. 10 The death he died, he died to sin once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God. 11 In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus. 12 Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires. 13 Do not offer the parts of your body to sin, as instruments of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God, as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer the parts of your body to him as instruments of righteousness.
Ephesians 2:1 As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, 2 in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. 3 All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our sinful nature and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature objects of wrath. 4 But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, 5 made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions– it is by grace you have been saved.
Ephesians 4:22 You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; 23 to be made new in the attitude of your minds; 24 and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness. 25 Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to his neighbor, for we are all members of one body. 26 “In your anger do not sin”: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, 27 and do not give the devil a foothold. 28 He who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with his own hands, that he may have something to share with those in need. 29 Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. 30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. 31 Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. 32 Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.
Spring Clean-Up 1—Getting Rid of Weeds in Our Soul Garden
There’s always lots of clean-up of the yard to do in the spring.
Digging the early weeds to keep them from spreading
Removal of dead leaves and other debris
Pruning things before they leaf out too much
All of them have to do with death and new life.
If you stop and think about it, Christianity is all about the death of Christ that made new Life in Him possible. Our gardens provide us with a beautiful picture of what new life is like.
So, as part of my annual spring clean-up, I identify the weeds both in my lawn and in my garden. Getting them out before they spread or become hidden among the other plants will be particularly important.
How good are you at identifying the weeds in your life?
Some are easy to spot. Others, less so.
When you find them, do you just overlook them, live and let live, or do you do the tedious and nasty work of digging them out?
What might be some weeds in your Soul Garden? What do these Scripture say about weeds that might be present in your soul or in your church?
- Matthew 7:3 “Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye?
- Hebrews 12:15 See to it that no one comes short of the grace of God; that no root of bitterness springing up causes trouble, and by it many be defiled;
- Matthew 18:9 “And if your eye causes you to stumble, pluck it out, and throw it from you. It is better for you to enter life with one eye, than having two eyes, to be cast into the fiery hell.
- James 3:10 Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers, this should not be.
Green Grass for the Soul Garden (Lawn Care)
One of the first things I do every spring is to shovel the snow piles down to a meltable level on the parkway between the sidewalk and the street. I want to see green grass as soon as possible. Of course, that doesn’t happen all by itself. It needs a little help.
Call me a glutton for punishment, but I take a thatching rake…not so much to remove thatch (which really isn’t as common as most people think it is)…but to give the grass a fighting chance against winter’s shrapnel, diseases, pebbles, and junk.
- It helps me to get after the tiny bits of debris that fall off the ash trees all winter. Dead buds. Little twigs. They’re nasty trees, quite frankly, and the regular rake with its wide spread tines is not up for the challenge. If I were a regular leaf rake, I’d hang my head in embarrassment at being so ineffective…like I had to go back to rake school and take Raking 101 all over again.
- But the thatching rake also combs the turf into a spiky Mohawk of uprightness. It looks like a carpet when I’m done, or like a cat that I petted backwards if it would let me. (A dog would let me. Just sayin’.) Anyway, by getting the blades of grass upright instead of matted down, there will be air, blessed air, that gets between the blades and it fights (using nature’s own methods) against snow mold that blights the lawn something awful. And I do mean awful.
- And finally, it provides a way for the lawn fertilizer and spring rain to get to the root system and help the grass to green up and grow.
I only use the thatching rake in the front yard. The back yard—with its poor drainage and tons of shade—has tender turf that wouldn’t survive the thatch rake. But I don’t have ash trees there so that’s good. The willow is the back yard’s enemy. Late to drop, early to leaf, and with slender branches dropping any time of any day if someone even speaks the word “wind” within hearing distance, it’s another trash tree. Sorry to break the news to all those willow lovers.
So in the back yard, I use the leaf blower on high to blow the willow leaves into a little mound, I pick up the branches, and the grass gets blown to an upright position. It will be similar in appearance and in a favorable position just like the front yard, with half the actual effort.
And all the while that I’m doing lawn care, I’m thinking theological thoughts because I am SeminaryGal. I consider how there are things in our lives that drop all kinds of junk upon our souls and get wedged into our spiritual self. Some things seem so small that you wonder, could they really be a problem? Yes, they can because they can work their way into places that big sins can’t reach. They are easier to overlook because they’re so small, but when they accumulate, they can be quite significant in their impact on our spiritual lives. And they’re more readily justified to remain there because of what hard work it is to remove them. I think about how getting my soul garden to be beautiful requires more than just some superficial spring cleaning.
Jeremiah 2:22 Although you wash yourself with soda and use an abundance of soap, the stain of your guilt is still before me,” declares the Sovereign LORD.
Hebrews 10:15 The Holy Spirit also testifies to us about this. First he says: 16 “This is the covenant I will make with them after that time, says the Lord. I will put my laws in their hearts, and I will write them on their minds.” 17 Then he adds: “Their sins and lawless acts I will remember no more.” 18 And where these have been forgiven, there is no longer any sacrifice for sin. 19 Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, 20 by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body, 21 and since we have a great priest over the house of God, 22 let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. 23 Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. 24 And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. 25 Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another– and all the more as you see the Day approaching.
Questions for today:
- What might be some small sins that are easily overlooked? In general and in your life.
- What are some habits that accumulate into a lifestyle, even if they aren’t sins per se? Let me start you with the excuse we often give and you can fill in what the excuse is about. “I’m just so busy that I don’t have time to_____.” “If there weren’t so many hypocrites at church, I’d have an easier time ___________.” “I can’t find a church I like because none of them ___________.” You can add yours from there.
- You may have heard the quote attributed to half the people on the planet, “”Sow a thought, and reap an act. Sow an act and reap a habit. Sow a habit and reap a character. Sow a character and reap a destiny.” In what ways is this true? In the Hebrews passage above, how can God intervene by cleansing us from all unrighteousness by the blood of Christ? How does being “born again” give us a destiny that does not reflect our past actions, thoughts, and character?
Soul Garden Spiritual Formation Series
I know it’s not the same for people in other areas of the world, but here in Chicagoland, Easter coincides with springtime.
What New Year’s Day does for some people is what spring does for me. I dream big. My hopes are sky high. My goals are within reach. My vision seems endless and my intentions are always at their very best.
After a winter that’s invariably too long, my pent up energy is ready for an outlet and I’m eager to get about accomplishing the dream that’s as big as my heart. I go into my yard and feel myself breathing in the air that smells like melted snow on a new earth. I allow myself to soak up the sunshine. And of course, I find myself thinking theological thoughts…just like every other woman who is both a theologian and a gardener.
God is an amazing Creator and I love discovering how each season unfolds with new glories to cherish. And to watch each season develop at its own pace and with its unique expression unlike any other year’s. I marvel at how even the same season isn’t ever just like another year’s version.
I think about how our souls are like gardens. How they need to be cultivated and planned. How they need to be maintained and nourished. But more than anything, gardens won’t become beautiful by collecting picture books of beautiful gardens on your coffee table or accumulating them on a bookshelf to research when you have time.
You must open the book. Dream the dream. And then get your hands dirty.
This series on spiritual formation, Soul Garden, will flow along with my gardening year. To be honest, the daily writing of Lenten and Advent devotionals take a lot out of me and I need this garden time to become refreshed. Appreciating my Creator by meeting Him through prayer and Scripture meditation in my garden is every bit as formative as Bible study to remain faithful to Him.
Psalm 51:10 Create in me a clean heart, O God, And renew a steadfast spirit within me.
Questions for today:
- How are our souls like gardens?
- What does it mean to get your hands dirty with spiritual formation?
On Love Revealed-Lent 40, 2015
John 17:25 “Righteous Father, though the world does not know you, I know you, and they know that you have sent me. 26 I have made you known to them, and will continue to make you known in order that the love you have for me may be in them and that I myself may be in them.”
On Holy Saturday, the Light of the World was extinguished.
Jesus’ body was dead.
Cold. In a grave.
A dead Christ was the greatest expression of the love the Father has for us. Not because we deserve it, but expressly because we didn’t. Not because there’s something romantic about dying for love, but because it was in His death that God did battle and reclaimed His image bearers from the grips of mortality.
Christ’s death was not the end for us.
His death was the beginning.
Death was the battlefield and Jesus went immediately from dying on a Cross to a grave in accordance with the dust you are and to dust you will return of all humanity. After all, the wages of sin is death and someone had to pay for our sin. This Someone, Jesus, had no sin of His own for which to pay.
But the tomb is also the place in which Jesus’ perfection (as both Son of God and Son of Perfect Man) did battle in the spiritual realm and secured the hope that would be ours as a supreme expression of God’s love for us.
The Easter morning empty tomb and the Resurrection weren’t the battle. They were the celebration proving the battle was over. Better yet, the battle was won. Jesus secured victory over death in the heavenly realms and reclaimed God’s image from the brink of hell. Death was plundered of all its claims. “These image-bearers belong to Me!” says God “Bought and paid for!”
Death stands empty-handed and totally defeated.
In our Scripture passage today, Jesus concludes His High Priestly Prayer and has given His final instruction to His disciples before His Crucifixion. Final words on Love Revealed. Very soon, however, it will be lost in the smoke of the Light of the World extinguished. The disciples will be frightened and confused by the rapidity of the horrific events from now until He’s buried.
And now on Holy Saturday, all we can see is a tomb with a big stone blocking the way. But God—with His perfect knowledge and x-ray vision—smiles upon the victory being won. He smiles at the testimony of His perfect love and justice, mercy and wrath, and punishment and forgiveness—all achieved and wrapped up in one Perfect Jesus, God’s Love Revealed!
The devil and the world could never have imagined such a perfect plan or a sure defeat for them. They thought mankind was hopelessly lost in sin and death. And we were. They thought man had no future as anything but a sinner deserving of wrath. They thought man had totally blown it with God! But they hadn’t counted on Jesus.
1 Corinthians 15:57 But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
* * *
Give it Up for Lent: Thinking the darkness is winning.
Put it On for Lent: Trust that God is at work even when we can’t see and we don’t know.
For further thought:
- Lots of men were crucified. That couldn’t possibly have been the whole of the wrath of God against all sin. How often do we view the events of the Crucifixion as the worst of it? What might be some reasons we think that?
- Read Luke 12:4 “I tell you, my friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body and after that can do no more. 5 But I will show you whom you should fear: Fear him who, after the killing of the body, has power to throw you into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear him.”
- Now read Matthew 10:28 “And do not fear those who kill the body, but are unable to kill the soul; but rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.” What does this say about physical death versus spiritual demise?
- What happened as a consequence of Jesus’ saying “‘Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.’ When he had said this, he breathed his last.” (Luke 23:46)? What happened next? What do you think Jesus was doing in the spiritual realm while His body was dead on the Cross and later, cold in the grave?
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Thank you for joining me for the 40 day Lenten devotional series With Christ in the Upper Room. The posts are archived in the February through April 2015 sidebar location, if you want to review them. If you are on the email distribution list, you will continue to receive sermons and new devotionals as they appear. The next devotions will be on the topic of Spiritual Formation and will begin later this spring. Happy Easter!
On Eternal Hope, Love & Glory Lent 39, 2015
John 17:24 “Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, and to see my glory, the glory you have given me because you loved me before the creation of the world.
Today is Good Friday on the Church calendar. It’s the day Jesus died on the Cross. It was a dark day indeed.
How did Jesus endure the betrayal, the abandonment, the beatings, the scoffing, the false accusations, the ridicule, and the agony of being nailed to a Cross to die a slow horrific death?
He set His mind on hope.
And not some sort of superficial hope.
A fully grounded eternal hope of eternal love and eternal glory.
I love how Jesus concludes His High Priestly Prayer. His focus is on the sure hope of fellowship of God and man, of glory, and of love—possible only because of what He was about to suffer. Jesus was looking forward to going home even if it would be through the pain and the shame of the Cross. His eternal hope was set before Him in heaven with His Father.
Today, against the dark backdrop of the Cross, enter into the mind and heart of Christ to see this hope. Ponder how greatly Jesus desired to be at home again with His Father. It would be a sweet reunion like no other. The work of God would be done, once for all time. All that’s left is the fellowship, eternal love, and the glory to come.
* * *
Give it Up for Lent: Placing your hope on anything earthly
Put it On for Lent: The sure hope grounded in eternity because of Jesus’ willing sacrifice
For further thought:
- Jesus wants us to be with Him in heaven and for us to see His glory. Remember back to a time when you had something special to share with someone, maybe the return from military service, the birth of a baby, a present, a car, or a grade on a test. What kind of feelings accompanied waiting to share something wonderful with those you love?
- When Jesus came to the earth, He didn’t bring is full glory with Him. Scripture says that He emptied Himself. Read Philippians 2: 5 Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, 6 who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. 9 Therefore also God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, 10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those who are in heaven, and on earth, and under the earth, 11 and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
- In what ways would Jesus be looking forward to the reunion with the Father and the restoration of His glory? Allow yourself to imagine what that’s like.
On Future Unity- Lent 38, 2015
John 17:20 “My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, 21 that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. 22 I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one: 23 I in them and you in me. May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.”
Now Jesus’ High Priestly Prayer shifts beyond the original disciples for whom Jesus has already been praying. They were His immediate concern. Now Jesus extends the prayer to us.
Isn’t it interesting that as Jesus Christ prepares to conclude His final words to us, He looks to the distant future and declares that His Gospel goes on and on to future generations? We were on His mind even back then.
While we, as Jesus’ modern disciples, have never once seen Him in person, yet we can know Him because His message continues. His Word lives on. His presence endures as His Holy Spirit comes upon disciples and makes His home with us. We carry on the legacy, the traditions, and the faith of our fathers and the beautiful Spirit of Christ binds us together and empowers our faith.
We ought to have unity among brothers today on earth even as the unity we have in the spiritual realm with Jesus Christ and all the saints who have gone before us.
With Christ in the Upper Room, we can see that Jesus was thinking not only about the handful of disciples who would hide in fear at His arrest and Crucifixion, but who they’d be after they were gathered back. They would shepherd a movement that has been in process for nearly 2000 years after His birth. This tiny band of followers—these ordinary men–would have a powerful and lasting legacy.
* * *
Give It Up for Lent: Thinking that this is just some ancient religion with superstitious beliefs.
Put it On for Lent: The heritage of the saints and the unity of mind and purpose.
For further thought:
- As Christians today, we are part of this historic movement. A historic faith of our fathers has been entrusted to us by no one less than Christ Himself. How should this knowledge impact our role in guarding it? If you’ve ever played the game “telephone” how does the message change? Is it always intentional?
- Jesus prays that we would be brought to complete unity. That would be an awesome sight to behold: every Christian man, woman, and child standing shoulder to shoulder…affirming the Lordship of Jesus Christ…and praising God with one voice. Allow yourself to dream the dream that will be reality someday.
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Holy Week is the final week for 2015 Lenten devotionals which you can receive in your email (Monday through Saturday during Lent) by entering your email address on the SeminaryGal.com home page in the space provided in the sidebar. There’s still time to meet With Christ in the Upper Room. After Lent, sermons and additional devotionals will be posted and arrive in your email. I hope you will continue to be blessed beyond Lent as other devotional series unfold.
On Separation From This World- Lent 37, 2015
John 17:13 “I am coming to you now, but I say these things while I am still in the world, so that they may have the full measure of my joy within them. 14 I have given them your word and the world has hated them, for they are not of the world any more than I am of the world. 15 My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one. 16 They are not of the world, even as I am not of it. 17 Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth. 18 As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world. 19 For them I sanctify myself, that they too may be truly sanctified.
OK, I’ll admit it: Sometimes I wish Jesus would just take us out of this world and be done with it.
Compassion fatigue. Stress. Discouragement. Rejection. Frustration with hard, unteachable hearts. Annoyance with hypocrisy. So-called Christians who laud the gods of race and politics far above Christ—ones who willingly chew apart their Christian brothers and sisters for having the audacity to think that the blood of Christ ought to be thicker than the blood of skin color or voting records. These hypocrites may not really like this truth, but there won’t be a check for political affiliation to get into heaven.
There will be one thing only: do we confess Jesus Christ as both Lord and Savior as evidenced by our actions?
Sometimes I find myself wondering if those people hell-bent on destroying our own are those Jesus talks about who call “Lord, Lord,” but do not do what He says.
It’s less what’s on our lips than what’s in our hearts that determines whether we belong to the world or not. I’m not popular. Big whoop. I try to obey Christ every chance I get. That’s the best I know how to do and if I’m unpopular for it, well, Jesus wasn’t too popular either. Best efforts at holiness will beat successful popularity every day of the week and twice on Sundays. Separation from the cultural expectations is difficult to achieve, but separation is what holiness is. It is being made separate in a godly way and letting the Spirit of God have full reign in our lives.
We are not made holy by our voting records or our political affiliation.
We’re sanctified, made holy, by the truth. God’s Word is truth. And the Truth is worth holding onto as tightly as one can because it has all the power of God.
* * *
Give it Up for Lent: Attacking Christian brothers and sisters over politics.
Put it On for Lent: The Truth of God that makes us holy.
For further thought:
- Read this Scripture, this word of Christ, several times and let the truth of this sink in. Luke 6:46 “Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say?
- Now read it again and after “what I say” add the political causes our culture cares about. Ask God to reveal to you what His sanctifying truth says about those causes either explicitly or by guiding principle since the Bible is remarkably silent on many cultural issues of our day.
- Now read Matthew 7:15 “Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. 16 By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? 17 Likewise every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. 18 A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. 19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them. 21 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22 Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?’ 23 Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’ 24 “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25 The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. 26 But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. 27 The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.” 28 When Jesus had finished saying these things, the crowds were amazed at his teaching, 29 because he taught as one who had authority, and not as their teachers of the law.
- What is the outcome of a person doing what Jesus says? What is the outcome of a person who does not do what Jesus says?
- Many people claim to want spiritual formation but have no intention of letting the Bible be the manual and the Holy Spirit doing the formation. Why do people dislike the Bible so much?
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Holy Week is the final week for 2015 Lenten devotionals which you can receive in your email (Monday through Saturday during Lent) by entering your email address on the SeminaryGal.com home page in the space provided in the sidebar. There’s still time to meet With Christ in the Upper Room. After Lent, sermons and additional devotionals will be posted and arrive in your email. I hope you will continue to be blessed beyond Lent as other devotional series unfold.
On Prayers, Presence, & Protection- Lent 36, 2015
John 17:9 I pray for them. I am not praying for the world, but for those you have given me, for they are yours. 10 All I have is yours, and all you have is mine. And glory has come to me through them. 11 I will remain in the world no longer, but they are still in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, protect them by the power of your name– the name you gave me– so that they may be one as we are one. 12 While I was with them, I protected them and kept them safe by that name you gave me. None has been lost except the one doomed to destruction so that Scripture would be fulfilled.
In today’s passage With Christ in the Upper Room, Jesus is praying aloud and reveals some beautiful things that are easily missed!
First, He prays for His disciples, those who belonged to Him. He’s not just giving some generic lick and a prayer for all humanity and toasting to world peace like that scene from the movie Groundhog Day. Rather, Jesus was specifically praying for those believers in Him.
Next, He’s telling the Father how proud He is of His disciples. Glory has come to Him through those who believed He is who He says He is. They brought Him glory by believing. That’s a very special piece of information for us to cherish, too!
But then, there’s something reassuring about Jesus praying for the disciples and their protection. While they would no longer know His physical protection, His prayer for their protection is sufficient because He is showing the full extent of His love. He’s asking the Father and the Father is faithful to protect them.
Fast forward to us: We do not need His actual presence since one Jesus of Nazareth doesn’t stretch very far. It’d be like a crowd of fans trying to catch a glimpse of a superstar. Only a few could be near enough to have Him reach out to touch us. Most of us couldn’t see Jesus for all the crowds. So Jesus leaves this earth and sends the Holy Spirit whose presence as God is as close as the nearest believer’s heart.
Jesus doesn’t take any of us out of a world of trouble, but He does protect us from becoming part of that troubled world. That’s what His Name and His prayer does.
* * *
Give it Up for Lent: Feeling alone in this world
Put it On for Lent: Confidence that the Father is protecting us by the power of His Name.
For further thought:
- Does it seem unfair to you that Jesus is not praying for unbelievers here?
- What are some reasons why we might prefer Jesus’ physical presence to His invisible presence?
- Can you remember a time when someone or something sheltered you from everything going on around you (a parent, a sibling, an umbrella, a storm cellar, etc.)? What were some of your sensations? What kind of sensations should accompany our being protected by the Name of the Father?
* * *
Holy Week is the final week for 2015 Lenten devotionals which you can receive in your email (Monday through Saturday during Lent) by entering your email address on the SeminaryGal.com home page in the space provided in the sidebar. There’s still time to meet With Christ in the Upper Room. After Lent, sermons and additional devotionals will be posted and arrive in your email. I hope you will continue to be blessed beyond Lent as other devotional series unfold.
On the Father’s Word-Lent 35, 2015
With Christ in the Upper Room, the disciples are privileged to witness Jesus’ prayer life as final preparation for His departure. This third section of the Upper Room Discourse is often called the “High Priestly Prayer.” Jesus is praying as our High Priest before He goes to offer sacrifice on our behalf—with Himself as our perfect sacrifice!
The completed work of preparation, of Jesus’ planting the faith, is now outlined. Jesus reports back to the Father what He did:
- He revealed the Father perfectly to those God gave to Him from within the world.
- They belonged first to the Father and they now belong to Christ as part of the completion.
- The disciples accepted the words of Christ and the Word of God.
- The disciples believe—completely (albeit in a shallow sense at the present) that Jesus came from the Father.
- The disciples know enough to obey God’s Word.
The Church in America is appallingly weak in this idea of obedience to the Word of God. As Jesus is praying, He says
John 17:6 “I have revealed you to those whom you gave me out of the world. They were yours; you gave them to me and they have obeyed your word. 7 Now they know that everything you have given me comes from you. 8 For I gave them the words you gave me and they accepted them. They knew with certainty that I came from you, and they believed that you sent me.”
We treat God’s Word like a cafeteria.
We take a little of this that we like and take a pass on all the stuff we don’t like. We like love. We hate judgment. In that respect, who is God? Which one of us, the Father, or you and me?
God has every reason to be disgusted with us.
Jesus says the mark of discipleship is accepting everything that comes from the mouth of God as truth. That’s how we are known by Him as disciples. The world knows we are disciples by our unity, but Christ knows we are disciples by our obedience.
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Give it Up for Lent: Thinking we can pick and choose through God’s Word.
Put it On for Lent: Full, unconditional obedience.
For further thought:
- Note how much giving is going on. Jesus reveals the Father to the disciples God has given. The Father gave them and they obeyed. Everything has been given by the Father to Christ and He gave these teachings to us. Some theologians see a case to be made here that God alone grants salvation to individuals by His sovereign choice. All we can do is accept God’s choice as final. Grace is like that. Others see a call and response in which God gives but we obey, accept, and believe. What do you think?
- Have you accepted the full Word of God? Do you obey it?
- Read Hebrews 7:26-8:2; 9:11-15, and 10:1-24. How does the title “High Priestly Prayer” fit?
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Holy Week is the final week for 2015 Lenten devotionals which you can receive in your email (Monday through Saturday during Lent) by entering your email address on the SeminaryGal.com home page in the space provided in the sidebar. There’s still time to meet With Christ in the Upper Room. After Lent, sermons and additional devotionals will be posted and arrive in your email. I hope you will continue to be blessed beyond Lent as other devotional series unfold.