Soul Refuge

It’s been a tough week in the news. It was hard waking up Monday morning and learning that 58 people were killed and 489 injured going to a Country Music Concert in Vegas. Thirty-three of the deceased where from California. None of those folks who were killed could have imagined that concert would be their last. We grieve, we mourn. For most of us, we ask the question, Why? 

Why did a 64-year-old man spray people with bullets with a semi-automatic gun with a bump stalk attached to it, from the 32 floor of his hotel room? Today, we still have no answers.

Unfortunately, the Scriptures remind us that such a tragic day like October 1^st can happen to anyone, given the right circumstances. The very first couple recorded in Scriptures, had two children, culminating with the older killing the younger because of anger. 

"Humanity couldn’t even make 
it through the second generation 
without the existence of murder"

Later, before the great flood in Noah’s days, we are told that every inclination of man’s thoughts, was evil all the time. Evil is a reality in life and Scripture.

As the shooting indicated, just because you are innocent doesn’t mean that you are out of harm’s way from evil. The concert reminds us that evil can be watching you when you least expect it. So, what are we do given that reality? In these times of uncertainty, the only thing we can do to protect ourselves and find refuge in God.

David, before he became Israel’s second king, sought his refuge in God when he was being hunted by a jealous king and his army, even though he was for them and on their side. What was David’s crime? He was guilty of being a man after God’s own heart. Though innocent, he recognized that in times of evil, we must cling to God.  

Psalm 57:1 “In you my soul takes refuge; in the shadow of your wings I will take refuge, till the storms of destruction pass by.”

"Notice David says, the part that takes refuge in God, is his "soul."

During times of uncertainty, the only thing we can do is take refuge in God and hope the storms in life pass us by. The term, “refuge” literally refers to a "safe place.” 

There have been times where both of my sons were nervous or did not feel safe, so they would cling to my thighs to take refuge in me. They saw me as a safe place in times of trouble. In times like these, we must seek refuge in the One who represents safety.

The Heart of the Matter: Why did this man take 58 lives? We don’t know. He doesn’t appear to be a racist, since he randomly killed concert goers that varied in age and status (ages of 20-67). Though Al-Qaeda tried to take responsibility, there does not seem to be any religious or terrorist connection. Perhaps, we will never know.

When the shooters brother was interviewed he was completely shocked. It was as if the shooter was a complete different person. The brother said the shooter took care of the people he loved. He gave his mom a great retirement and made his brother and her rich. He wired 100,000 dollars to his girlfriend and her family in the Philippines to provide for her and her family. 

The brother has said he’s hoping investigators find something during the autopsy that would explain what drove his brother to the pit of hell. He is hoping they find a tumor in his brain, so it can make more sense. We want things to make sense.

But as they perform the autopsy, we must remember what the Scripture says about the human heart.

Jeremiah 15:10-11 The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it?

"You see, the fundamental problem with humanity is the heart." 

It is easy for us to say we would never do such a thing–and maybe we never will—but who is to say, given the right circumstances, events in our life, isolation from others, that our heart would not us to pull a trigger and take a life.

Certainly, biblical heroes like Moses, David, and Paul, remind us that even those we consider “good people” can become murders, given a set of circumstances and context. We must seek refuge in God. We must guard our hearts, and allow others to let us know if it is on the verge of becoming hardened.

The Natural Disasters

Besides a hardened heart that took the lives of 58, we also have experienced natural disasters over the past several months. Harvey killed 78 people, mostly in Texas. Irma killed 87 people in the US and its territories. In Puerto Rico, the death toll from Hurricane Maria stands at 34.

When we total these up, that’s 179 people who have been killed by these natural disasters. People who represent all ages and demographics. Unlike the Vegas shooter, natural disasters don’t target people, but they serve to remind us that there are forces that can come our way and take our lives in an instant. One day we are alive, the next day we die.

There is a passage in the Bible, where Jesus describes a tower that had collapsed and killed 18 people. It is quite possible this tragedy was caused by a natural disaster. Those present where trying to make sense of it all, wondering somehow if that was God’s judgment on them. Jesus responds…

Luke 13:4-5 4 Or those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them: do you think that they were worse offenders than all the others who lived in Jerusalem? No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.”

Jesus is not trying to be mean here. He is just stated something we need to hear. 

"God doesn’t cause these things to happen because people are worse people than others." 

Also, we never know when our last day will come. The Vegas shootings and the Hurricanes serve to remind us that no one is promised another tomorrow.

So, the focus of Jesus here is that everyone should be ready in case of an unexpected disaster. What he means is that while today is still here, we must seize it, repent of our sins, and find our refuge in Jesus. We must place our trust in Jesus that he has prepared a safe place for us in Heaven.

To REPENT means to TURN in the other direction. To stop where you are headed and walk in the direction of Jesus. He represents your safe place from evil hearts, natural disasters.  

Innocent people will continue to die, which is why you must take refuge in Jesus.  

Okay, here is a final category that has also been heavy on our hearts the past six months. We have several folks with serious health concerns.

  

The Health Concerns

There are certain seasons a church goes through where they are bombarded with one medical concern after another. Times where it seems we can’t even take a breath before something else occurs. At our church, we’ve have been bombarded. Over the past several months we have had to deal with the following concerns. 

1. Dick Bruno's Pancreatic Cancer

2, Darrell Tesdall's Pancreatic Cancer

3. Duane Van Doren's Bladder Cancer

4. Barbara Birch's Cancer in her bone marrow 

5. Laurie Zone's tumor in her colon

      Some folks like Darrell and Laurie had successful surgeries and are on the road to recovery. Darrell had his tumor removed and underwent 18 rounds of chemo. It looks like he is going to be okay.

Laurie Zone’s tumor, thankfully was cancer free, but she is at home recovering as it was removed.

The word is still out on Van. He is a private man, you won’t get much out of him, but that doesn’t mean we cannot pray. He ended up in the hospital last week.

Then there is Dick Bruno. The chemo did not go well for him. He tried different types and sought different medical opinions. Several weeks ago, Dick Bruno concluded that he is done with chemo. He is waiting for a miracle or for God to take him

Barbara has a form of cancer, lymphoma, that was supposed to be more treatable. The only problem was that the cancer is where her bone marrow is located, and she is not able to produce blood. She has had so many blood transfusions over the last month, that she has concluded that she doesn’t want anymore. She wanted to leave manor care and go home with hospice.

She cannot continue at 84 to feel so weak and miserable. The only way she lives is through a miracle! What do all these people who have been ill have in common? They were innocent! They loved God. Yet they were inflicted with tumors and disease.

"Still, there is another thing that have in common? Every one of them recognizes that they must also take refuge in God. He is there safe place."

Maybe you are feeling heavy from all the events of the past couple months. Maybe you are mad at God because he allowed innocent people to die.  We will never understand the complexities of evil hearts, natural disasters, and terrible diseases this side of heaven. But we do have someone who invites us to take refuge in him. For those who seek refuge, Jesus reminds us….

Matthew 11:28-29 28 Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.

Jesus, also an innocent man, died for your sins so you can take refuge in him. He invites you with extended arms to come to him, a safe place. He invites you to mourn. To grieve. To cling to him in these times of uncertainty. He will never force you, but he will embrace you, should you accept his invitation to seek refuge in him. Come to me, he says. I will give you rest for your souls. In the end, it is the soul refuge that matters most. 

Simeon, a Baby, & a Bucket List

“Lord, now you are letting your servant depart in peace according to your word; for my eyes have seen your salvation that you have prepared in the presence of all peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to your people Israel.” Luke 2:29-32

A young ambitious person often has a vision of things that he or she would like to see or accomplish in their lifetime, often these desires are mentally compiled into what is know as our bucket lists. Some of these may include living in another country, visiting a favorite vacation spot, watching your favorite team play in the super bowl, writing a book, or just purchasing a vacation dream home.

What typically happens is this list starts to dwindle down to the point where it becomes categorized by what is the most important. In most cases (not all), that list slowly begins its transformation from self to other people focused. For example, someone might say, "Before I die, I want to see my child get married." As we mature, we tend to be more concerned about seeing people that we love reach a milestone in their own lives. This doesn't mean we quit living; instead we just reach a point where our bucket lists become reorganized by what is the most important intrinsically to our hearts.

In this passage, Simeon represents such a man because he only cares about one thing before he dies, seeing the Jesus Messiah right before his eyes. Once this event is realized he is ready to call it a life, that is, to rest in peace.

Now we don't know what kind of bucket list Simeon initially had when he was young and ambitious, but we can see how it was most likely reorganized at the very end. He just wanted to see baby Jesus!

What would you like to see happen in your lifetime to make your life complete? Furthermore, what event in your life would make you proclaim, "I am ready to go now Lord, to call it a life! I suspect like Simeon, at the deepest corrido of your heart, it will be other centered, reserved for someone you deeply love.

Connecting the Loose Ends: Perhaps the most intriguing part of this story is to fast-forward it some thirty-three years at a place called Calvary. Touchingly, this infant baby would essentially utter the same words at the cusp of his impending deathbed. "It is finished" is another way of saying, "Lord I am ready to go now that your salvation is available to all of humanity, the people that we so love (John 3:16)."

Like Simeon, he reached the point in his life where he could say, "Take me, I am ready."

Simeon, Jesus & Bucket Lists

“Lord, now you are letting your servant depart in peace according to your word; for my eyes have seen your salvation that you have prepared in the presence of all peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to your people Israel.” Luke 2:29-32

A young ambitious person often has a vision of things that he or she would like to see or accomplish in their lifetime, often these desires are mentally compiled into what is know as our bucket lists. Some of these may include living in another country, visiting a favorite vacation spot, watching your favorite team play in the super bowl, writing a book, or just purchasing a vacation dream home.

What typically happens is this list starts to dwindle down to the point where it becomes categorized by what is the most important. In most cases (not all), that list slowly begins its transformation from self to other people focused. For example, someone might say, "Before I die, I want to see my child get married." As we mature, we tend to be more concerned about seeing people that we love reach a milestone in their own lives. This doesn't mean we quit living; instead we just reach a point where our bucket lists become reorganized by what is the most important intrinsically to our hearts.

In this passage, Simeon represents such a man because he only cares about one thing before he dies, seeing the Jesus Messiah right before his eyes. Once this event is realized he is ready to call it a life, that is, to rest in peace.

Now we don't know what kind of bucket list Simeon initially had when he was young and ambitious, but we can see how it was most likely reorganized at the very end. He just wanted to see baby Jesus!

What would you like to see happen in your lifetime to make your life complete? Furthermore, what event in your life would make you proclaim, "I am ready to go now Lord, to call it a life! I suspect like Simeon, at the deepest corrido of your heart, it will be other centered, reserved for someone you deeply love.

Connecting the Loose Ends: Perhaps the most intriguing part of this story is to fast-forward it some thirty-three years at a place called Calvary. Touchingly, this infant baby would essentially utter the same words at the cusp of his impending deathbed. "It is finished" is another way of saying, "Lord I am ready to go now that your salvation is available to all of humanity, the people that we so love (John 3:16)."

Like Simeon, he reached the point in his life where he could say, "Take me, I am ready."

Giving: From St Nick to Santa

21 Jesus answered, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” 22 When the young man heard this, he went away sad, because he had great wealth. Matthew 21:21-23

Jesus wasn't just blowing smoke when he said to sell your possessions and give it to the poor, that's how he rolled. 

Think about it. The Scriptures teach Jesus left the perfection of heaven so he could dwell with humanity. He lived in an environment where everything was perfect and in abundance. 

You see, he voluntarily came here not as God, but as a human servant. The Scriptures teach that he was obedient, even to the point of death. He gave up everything to help us, the poor and ostracized from God in his world. Is it no wonder that he wants his followers to have that similar type of mindset (Philippians 2:5-8).  

Interestingly, there was a man born in the third century, who took this teaching to heart, literally. His name was Nicholas, better known as St. Nick. You see, who we have come to know as Santa, was borrowed from this man, including the gifts, the red robe, and the beard. His story revolves around tragedy, but ends with sainthood. 

He was born during the third century in the village of Patara. His wealthy parents raised him to be a devout Christian, however, they both died while Nicholas was still young. Obeying Jesus' words to "sell what you own and give the money to the poor," Nicholas used his whole inheritance to assist the needy, the sick, and the suffering. He dedicated his life to serving God, even becoming the Bishop of Mira,  at a young age. 

Bishop Nicholas became known throughout the land for his generosity to those in need, his love for children, and his concern for sailors and ships.There are many stories about St. Nicolas's generosity. One of them involves a poor man who had three daughters.

In those days, a young woman's father had to offer prospective husbands something of value—a dowry. The larger the dowry, the better the chance that a young woman would find a good husband. Without a dowry, a woman was unlikely to marry. 

This poor man's daughters, without dowries, were therefore destined to be sold into slavery. However, on three different occasions, Nicholas deposited a bag of gold in their home-thus providing the needed dowries. The bags of gold were tossed through an open window and apparently landed near stockings and shoes that were left to dry before the fire. This led to the custom of children hanging stockings or putting out shoes, eagerly awaiting gifts from Saint Nicholas. 

St Nicholas lived a life of giving throughout his life, from the beginning of his childhood, to his appointment as Bishop, to his invitation to the Council of Nicaea in 325, all the way through his martyrdom.  

St Nicholas was a man who not only recognized Jesus and his Christmas virgin birth, but gave like him and was willing to keep giving until it was all gone. May we take this to heart and look to give generously by helping those in need. 

Jesus, Resumes, & Taking your Place

He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world 

1 John 2:1-2. 

It is hard to believe that we are sinners to the extent that we needed Jesus to die for our sins. It is also hard to comprehend that someone like Christ would want to die for us, especially if it involved being bludgeoned and crucified. Yet the Scriptures teach this is what happened at Calvary. It loudly proclaims that Jesus died for you! 

You can look at this from multiple angles. The first one is a prevalent one. "It may be true, but it was not necessary. I think God will accept me for who I am when he balances on his heavenly scale my good and bad deeds." 

A second angle is to proclaim, "While the Christian story may be true, so are the other faith claims involving the religions of the world." Ultimately, this is the most politically correct and "tolerantly" concludes that all roads lead to heaven. 

The third angle is to simply accept it and say you are thankful that Jesus would love you in such a way that he would sacrifice his life for you. 

The fourth angle is to boldly proclaim "I don't believe it. I don't think the Bible is really true. Stories like the talking snake, Noah's ark, and Jesus are on par with fairy tale allure." This would be in line with the atheists and agnostics in the world.   

Throughout history, people have had to come to grips with the biblical notion that it was necessary for Jesus to die for your sins. 

The Bible teaches we are saved not by our own personal resume throughout life, but instead that of Jesus'. His resume above anyone else's was the most impressive. Yes he helped, gave hope to the hopeless, showed compassion, healed the marginalized, and taught about salvation, but the most impressive part of his credentials was that he never sinned. 

So if you were the Ultimate Boss, which application and resume would rise to the top?  Ultimately, of course, it would be the one that is perfect. In that sense, Jesus was the most qualified for the job of reconciling you before God. 

Imagine Jesus going before God and saying, "I want to apply for the job to be the Savior of the World, I am the most qualified." Then God says, "Alright, however, you can't just die for those that have good resumes, but also for those whose were thrown in the dumpster." That is what it means when the Scripture above teaches that Jesus didn't die just for our sins, but also for the sins of the whole world. 

In the end, God accepts the propitiation for Jesus, a fancy word that communicates the idea of Jesus offering his life to appease God as a sin offering. God accepts this painful gesture and demonstrates His approval by raising Jesus from the dead. 

Yes, that is how the Scriptures communicate that Jesus died in your place. Below is an illustration to drive home this point when we begin to fall into the trap of only seeing the world through our own perception. 

The Visitor

One day, a man went to visit a church. He arrived early, parked his car, and got out. Another car pulled up near him, and the driver told him, "I always park there. You took my place!" 

The visitor went inside for Sunday School, found an empty seat, and sat down. A young lady from the church approached him and stated, "That's my seat! You took my place!" 

The visitor was somewhat distressed by this rude welcome, but said nothing. 

After Sunday School, the visitor went into the church sanctuary and sat down. Another member walked up to him and said, "That's where I always sit. You took my place!" 

The visitor was even more troubled by this treatment, but still said nothing. 

Later, as the congregation was praying for Christ to dwell among them, the visitor stood, and his appearance began to change. 

Horrible scars became visible on his hands and on his sandaled feet. Someone from the congregation noticed him and called out, "What happened to you?" 

The visitor replied, "I took your place."

Trusting God when Life is Overcast

20 But as he considered these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. 21 She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.”

I cannot imagine what it felt like to be Joseph. The woman he was engaged to was scandalously pregnant and it was not by him. In my minds eye, the narrative that plays is one where Joseph must have been crushed and was fully convinced that she was lying. Yet somehow he was determined to divorce her quietly prior to this angelic encounter.

I have asked the question, "Would I have believed the angel?"  Knowing me, I would have thought I was just hallucinating. Objectively, I would have concluded, "I just want this relationship to work out so bad that I am willing to believe almost anything." Maybe you can relate. Have you ever been in a bad relationship and somehow convinced yourself that it was still salvageable, when inwardly you knew that it was a train wreck? The reality is that many of us stubbornly believe what we want to believe, even when the evidence does not support that verdict.

Yet incomprehensively Joseph had a change of heart when he was told not to "fear" taking Mary as his wife. To accomplish this, fearlessness, would have been a gigantic feat in itself. Every private conversation, every stare at her belly, every good night hug, would have led me to dance with fear as my partner many times.

Can you imagine these tapes playing over and over again in your minds eye?  "Yes, your right, Joseph, it is not your child, it belongs to someone else." "Yes, and that someone has already hand picked the name Jesus, for you to beckon when you call him."

Throughout history many people have chosen to focus on Mary during the Christmas season, but Joseph desperately deserves more press coverage for his remarkable faith. He had to make a decision that would define his spirituality. "Do I want to trust God or myself?" Many times in our lives we also have to ask that very same perplexing question.

Joseph of course, ultimately decided to reach beyond logic and emphatically chose to trust God. Yes, the story sounded bazaar, but within the corridors of his being one thing would always prove true, he knew the Lord and his wife very well. Life doesn't always make sense when you follow the Lord, but by doing so your life will be filled with stories of beauty and vivid living color.

So how should God's people move forward in life? We need to discover how to become more intimately connected with God (Like Joseph), whereas we can accurately assess the direction God has for us.  When we venture to know Him well, even when the forecast is overcast and bleak, we can have confidence that one day those clouds will fade and we will once again see the sun.

God's Love, Poverty, and two Turtle Doves

Luke 2:22-24

22 And when the time came for their purification according to the Law of Moses, they brought him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord 23 (as it is written in the Law of the Lord, “Every male who first opens the womb shall be called holy to the Lord”) 24 and to offer a sacrifice according to what is said in the Law of the Lord, “a pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons.”

The interesting detail omitted in this passage is the fact that Jesus came from a poor background. While it is true that the Law of Moses stated that during purification, a sacrifice was necessary for the firstborn male, the ones mentioned initially were a lamb and a turtledove. Leviticus 12:8 states if the parents were too poor to afford the lamb, they were allowed to sacrifice two pigeons or a pair of doves.

Think about that for a second, in God's Providence, He chose poor human parents to be responsible for raising His son. In our culture today such a proposal would not be even considered for a family looking to adopt a child. One of the first concerns for social workers besides being a loving family, is whether the prospective parents will be able to financially support the child. The reality is that almost every prospective parent with a financial portfolio like Mary and Joseph would be denied. Yet God doesn't think like us.

Throughout Scripture He has often used the "have-not's" to accomplish His purposes. Page after page He has chosen women unable to get pregnant, the second over the firstborn, exiles in foreign countries, people born with physical handicaps, and even some who have failed in marriage multiple times while being ostracized by their community because of their immoral practices. Like Rudolph and his shiny nose, God has given these "have-not's" purpose, worth, and value. It is no wonder when Jesus grew up to be a man, he also had a heart for those who were oppressed and marginalized.

The birth of Jesus to such lowly parents reveals that God does not bless us for what we have, but rather because in His providence, He simply chooses to. Yes, some are more blessed than others, but most of those people need it more than we do if we're honest. God knows their background narrative, whether financial, relational, physical, emotional, much better than we do. In the end, His blessings for others, hit the bulls-eye.

As Christmas approaches, avoid the cultural marketing ploy that states the more stuff you accumulate the better your Christmas will be. Avoid the temptation to dwell on what you don't have to give this holiday season. The dedication of Jesus reminds us that we can experience a background of poverty, yet still be blessed by God.

We are never to poor for Him to love us. We are never to far enough removed from society that He doesn't see us. We are never too isolated where He won't befriend us. Having more stuff is nice, but experiencing God's love is everlasting. Don't focus on what you don't have this Christmas, focus on what you got.