Category: Devotional

“Teach us to number our days,
That we may gain a heart of Wisdom.”

Psalm 90:12

Do you remember as a child, counting down the days until something really special
was going to happen? A birthday, or Christmas, or leaving for some exciting
destination on a trip? You would check the boxes of the calendar, watching that
“star” box getting closer and closer. Excitement grew. The checklist of what had to
happen before the “GO” day was being ticked off and re-counted.

Others of you may think more about checking off the calendar days before something
you dread is going to take place. Completely different emotions begin growing as the
“D” Day (Dread Day) nears.

In either scenario, it is probable that your activities include preparations necessary
before that final day arrives, either good or bad. . . exciting or dreadful.

In our world, it’s easy to lose track of any “countdown” of days before an event is taking
place. Human nature typically thinks of the here-and-now far more than the actions
required in the days leading into the future. It’s natural. An ancient psalm-writer talked
about it. He offered a tool that, when used, would result in an internal treasure in our
very heart: Wisdom. The tool is simple enough that a child could use it: Number each
day. One day at a time.

Human nature moves through a lifetime one day at a time. But without a moment of
intentionality each day, Time becomes a blur. We find ourselves looking back, wishing
we’d made different choices . . . different decisions . . . We imagine different outcomes
“if only I’d . . .”

God has numbered our days. But we don’t know that number. We could number the
days we’ve already lived. That alone is sobering, because we wonder what we did with
all of those days. We regret making unwise choices with many of those days.

Each day counts. If you’re reading this, your days are not finished. It’s not too late to
make adjustments to how your coming days can be used in better ways than in the
past. Wisdom can become part of who you are . . . how you think . . . and how you use
your days ahead. The impact of your life in this world can be a taste of Wisdom that is
is desperately needed.

“Clearly, all of you who were baptized in Christ’s name have 
clothed yourselves with Christ. 
There are neither Jews nor Greeks, slaves nor free people, males nor females. 
You are all the same in Christ Jesus.”
Gal 3:26-28

When preparing for your day each morning, consider how much time it takes?   For me, I briefly think through what I’ll be doing, and the circumstances in which I’ll be doing them.  Then I head to the closet to choose appropriate clothes to wear.  It doesn’t  take a lot of time for the process, but it’s something I never skip.  (I do know some “guys” who only need about 60 seconds….and done.  No names.)

The first thing that Adam and Eve did after realizing they’d sinned, was to make clothes for themselves.

Paul uses a material example in his writing to which anyone could relate, beginning with Adam and Eve.  “What will I wear today?”

Paul notes the key identifier of who we are and are not, and most importantly, Whose we are.

Each of the categories of human identities Paul lists  have clothing types / styles closely associated with the ethnicity, status, and genders within which we live out our daily lives.  What we wear says a lot about who we are. Clothes often give an outer glimpse of the internal person wearing them. . .  values, status, gender, personality are all pieces of a larger picture of who we are.

Apostle Paul identifies the role clothing has in daily life.   It’s something to which everyone can relate.  Clothing has been woven into the human story ever since Adam and Eve had their first taste of sin from taking Satan’s bait, and suddenly realizing they were completely “exposed.”

Since that day, all those who have recognized that we’ve “taken the bait” instinctively want to hide that fact.  We scramble to the “closet” we’ve put together and search for the best choice of a cover-up.  And then we step into our world.

What do people see of us as we move through our day?  Past the clothes, the accessories, the hair and shoes. . . past the things we do.  .   .

Do they see Christ?

“She gave birth to her firstborn son.  
She wrapped him in strips of cloth and laid him in a manger . . .”
Luke 2:7

Manger:
 a rack for fodder, or a structure or feeder used to hold food for animals

Most of us have been exposed to the word “manger” since our earliest childhood.  Sweet, old Christmas songs that are so familiar to most of us continue to be heard and sung from early December until the globally celebrated holiday is past.  We see visual depictions of the “manger scene” throughout the month.  

In the field behind our house, we have a small barn.  In the barn we have a literal, functioning manger.  It’s the key gathering spot for the sheep of our field.  Every day, the sheep watch for any sign of the one who will put fresh hay into their manger.  This becomes a rather desperate scene of wooly sheep noisily pushing each other to find a spot where they can grab the hay between the wide, sloping bars of their feeding trough.  They all become very focused on that manger at the first sign of the human who will fill it with hay.  It is not a “silent night” experience.  It is not a “calm” scene.  It is not a “holy” experience.  It is not a sweet, peaceful moment to view.  

Our “manger scene” twice every day is one of shoving, noisy baa-ing, grabbing, and frantic mouth-filling.  Oh…and the sheep with the biggest head is usually already stuck between the bars, which makes her the first and last sheep in the manger everyday, waiting for the shepherd’s daily rescue.

Now picture that beautiful, sweet, peaceful Christmas manger scene of which we are all so familiar.  And imagine the manger itself . . .far more rickety and inefficient from the mangers of our day.  Realistically, “Peaceful” is the furthest description of that manger scene.  If there was any hay in the manger, it would be challenging to keep the sheep away…sheep very likely to be ear-marked for sacrifice in the nearby Temple in Jerusalem.  Then imagine a new-born baby being placed in it, on the hay. I think the immediate after-birth care that new mother needed was pressing enough to have to place the newborn baby temporarily out of her arms.   But fresh hay in a manger would bring immediate attention for the sheep anywhere near that space.  

Since Day 1 of Jesus’ physical presence on this earth, He was intentionally vulnerable . . . at risk . . . in danger. . . and at the mercy of a fallen human world.  He came in the most vulnerable human condition:  a newborn baby.  He was placed in the arms of two first-time parents, frightened young human beings who had no previous experience of personally birthing a tiny infant.  His first experience outside of the receiving arms of his humble new parents was a risky situation.  And always-hungry animals would not have been easy to keep away from the tiniest human presence in their feeding trough.  

Jesus came into our dangerous world by choice, before His first human breath.  The risks only increased throughout His time on earth.  He knew every moment that was to come.  Yet, He came.  For us.  For this dangerous, troubled world.  For the Cause of Redemption.  
Because of Love.

Jesus emphasized, 
“I can guarantee this truth:
 I am the Gate for the sheep.”
 John 10:7, 9-10

We have a funny little morning routine at our home.  The “funny” part comes along with the flock of sheep we have in the field behind our house.  Every morning, the sheep gather along the fenceline and main gate that is nearest to our house.  They’re watching.  They’re looking at the windows along the back of our house, watching for any human activity to begin behind those windows.  Of course, our favorite ones are right there at the gate.  They know the routine.  The humans behind the glass will come out of the house, walk across the big backyard, and come through the gate.  

The baa-ing begins as soon as the first gawking sheep sees movement behind those glass windows.   Then all of the sheep look towards the house.  They know that their breakfast will be coming soon.  And they all start baa-ing, even if they don’t actually see the humans yet.  They know the shepherd will fill the feeding trough with some yummy hay, and make sure their water is available.  

But first, (a new addition to the routine)....the one sheep with the biggest head has once again spent the night stuck in the hay-feeder, because his wool is so thick on his big round head that he can’t back out of the feeder without help.  He isn’t content to eat the hay he could reach outside of the bars.  No!  He shoves his head through the bars.  Same routine every morning.  So, before the shepherd can re-fill the feeder with fresh hay, he has to help “Big Head” get out of the feeder.  And we know that he’ll get stuck again today. . . and tomorrow. . . 

But the sheep don’t go and stand at the feeder, waiting for the hay that they know they’ll get (except of course for the “Big Head”, who has once again spent the night stuck in there!).  They stand at the gate, watching for the shepherd who will feed them . . . water them  . . . “un-stuck” them. . . so that they will be able to lie down and digest their breakfast and rest.  They wait at “the gate”, because they know the “who” will come to them there. 

Jesus IS our Gate.  On the other side of the Gate is  fresh water . . . fresh nourishment  . . . safety from any predators, and pleasant spots to lie down and rest as the daily food digests.
But not only is He the Gate of our safe place,  He is the Living Water for our thirsty souls.  And He is the Provider of our daily Food.  He comes every morning.  Every evening.  Throughout the day He is aware . . . watching His sheep for any sign of fear or troubling behaviors or danger.  

His Presence with us always begins at the Gate.  

“So the two of them walked on together.”
Genesis 22:8

The old, old man had put a large pile of sticks on the back of their donkey.  The old man’s young, strong son walked with his father, as two servants carried a pot of burning coals from their home fire. The odd foursome had been walking together for two days.  Then, the old man saw a very great hill in the distance.  He knew this was the place.  The old father stopped the small circle of travelers, handed the bundle of sticks to his strong son, and took hold of the pot of burning coals.  He tucked a large knife into his belt.  Father and son began the climb together.   With each step, the old man had to take care with his fiery burden.  Each difficult step forward, the father and son came closer to the place where both men’s lives would forever change.  

They carried the load of a sacrifice.  They both knew it.  And both knew clearly that no lamb  for the sacrifice was with them.  

Isaac, the treasured son for whom the old man had waited a lifetime, finally broke the silence, asking his father Abraham, “We have the burning coals and the wood, but where is the lamb for the burnt offering?”  The old man simply said, “God will provide a lamb, Son.”  He had been through so very much since he chose to follow the God he had encountered long ago.  Through all those years, he had come to know God deeply.  Through all the twists and turns of life, he had come to trust God in ways that only the deepest of human pain can produce.  Now, his dearest treasure…his beloved son… hung in the balance between life and death.  Was he the sacrifice?

As the old father went through each detail of preparing a sacrifice, the reality of losing his precious son became more real.  He knew in his head that he was obeying God.  But what if . . . 
God doesn’t intervene? . . . God takes his son? . . . He had heard God wrong? . . . How could he go on?  How could his Sarah go on?  Is this “the end?”  Was his heart screaming out to God as each minute passed, preparing for the sacrifice?

Isaac had to trust his father as he had never trusted before.  How far would God go with this?    

We go through things . . . seasons . . . in our lives, when it’s  hard to simply breathe.  Our hearts and minds want to trust God’s goodness.  We know we will be able to understand when we are with Him after this life.  But as our very souls battle with fear, pain, and loss of hope on this earth, we don’t see the “end of the story.”   All we have left to hold onto is Him.  We are staring Death in the face.  It’s not in our power to change it.  We have to continue putting one foot in front of the other. . . breathing… hoping . . . yet drawing nearer to an “end” that we cannot control.

But there will be “...the rest of the Story…” 

We can read the rest of Abraham’s story, and how God intervened in this crisis situation.  He Himself provided what was needed, and Isaac’s life was spared.  The ram, God’s own Provision, took Isaac’s place.  It’s a story of Hope.  A story that played out in real human lives.  I’m sure that all the characters involved would have preferred less drama, les fear, a “near-death” experience.  But, even when it seems like we are at the very brink of death itself, God’s Chosen Lamb is already there…. Waiting to be all we need for Life itself in this world.   No matter where we are in the story of our lives, it’s not the end of The Story.