The Grace and Justice of God in the Face of Evil

The life of Sarah, or Chayei Sarah, in Hebrew.

It is amazing how the Lord acknowledges the covenant of marriage where His purpose and plans for the Kingdom of God reigns.

During the marriage of Abraham and Sarah, Abram inadvertently gave Sarah to the king, and he attempted to make her his wife. Once the king returned Sarah to Abram, their marriage appears peaceful until Sarah lost faith that she would ever have a son, as the Lord promised.  

This lack of faith led her to hand off her husband to her maid, who bore him a son.  When this union finally led to a crisis, the Lord did actually bless Abraham and Sarah with a son, Isaac, who was the Lord's heir.  

It did not matter what they did, the Lord brought them to the truth and they inherited the blessing of God anyway.

Further, when we read the lineage of Jesus, we find amazing "imperfections" told in the lineage of Christ:

Joseph was by all means, Jesus' father by Law, and His lineage was traced through King David and Solomon.

Mary was Jesus' blood relative through King David's son Nathan, the prophet.

King David was an adulterer, who later repented.

King David's wife, Bathsheba, bore God's future heir, Solomon; it did not matter that he was not David's firstborn son.

The people through the Patriarchs did not live always as pure people, but they had God's favor and blessing as they turned their hearts and sins over to their Creator.

Too frequently, Christians assume that the perfect life will yield the perfect children.

Obviously, that is not true.  Whenever someone in our commits a grievance against the Lord, it does not mean that our children are imperfect or doomed for failure because of it.  This is where God's favor, grace, and blessings reach down and touch our children and our own lives.

Many have fallen or gone the wrong way.  The question is, what are we going to do?  Whom are we going to serve, no matter what those around us carry out?

God brings out the good in all evil

Hear, O Israel, the LORD is our God; the LORD alone. Deuteronomy 6::4

God is against adultery and yes, there are consequences for it, such as losing a marriage. Yet, God saw to it that His plans and purposes were carried out, despite the sins of His people Israel.

God does carry out His justice when covenants are broken. Rest assured. 

Even when we read Bible stories like this, we surmise the reasons why things happen, but truly, only the Lord can reveal what it is that He wants us to understand.

No matter what, He will deliver the people who hold his heart. You know, the ones who truly seek Him and follow Him. 

In His grip~Kim

Originally published on 10/26/2013

Jesus Calms the Stormy Sea

Jesus calms the storm.

In Israel, there is a boat, that surfaced one year on the Sea of Galilee during a local drought. When the boat rose from the muddy bottom of the sea, archaeologists discovered that it was from the time period of Jesus' life.

So, while the boat itself was probably not used by Jesus and His disciples, it is still called the Jesus Boat. The boat was removed from the mud and now sits housed in a museum on the Sea of Galilee. Visitors can now visit firsthand the boat and other relics from the Biblical era.

Yet, they cannot say the same thing about the photo above painted by the famous artist, Rembrandt. The painting, which used to hang in the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in Boston, Massachusetts, was stolen in 1990. You can read more about the painting here.

The storms of life are not easy

I think truly that pious people through this idea around easily, but until you are found on an ocean such as in Rembrandt's painting, you don't really know what faith really is.

When we think of the darkest, stormiest storm we have been in and how Jesus delivered us, the image makes sense. 

Further, when we envision what it took to put the now termed, Jesus Boat, on the bottom of the Sea of Galilee, we gain an even deeper understanding. 

Whether you survived something traumatic or even an important achievement you did not think you would have, Jesus was there to calm the storm.

He took your hand when you forgot how much faith you started with, and pulled you up so you would not drown when you forgot.

Jesus will always be there when we face stormy seas and He will always pull us out.

Amen?

But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God's own people in order that you may proclaim the mighty acts of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light. 

1 Peter 2:9

The Jewish Jesus Series: God's Plan

Now the Lord said to Abram, "Go from your country and your kindred and your father's house to the land that I will show you.  Genesis 12:1

Abram became the father of the Jewish people at the beginning of this step of obedience to the Lord.  It was through his earthly lineage that Jesus, Yeshua, descended.  The Lord promised him

Look toward heaven, and number the stars, if you are able to number them. So shall your offspring be. And he believed in the LORD; he counted it to him for righteousness.

Abram and Sarai waited many years for the promise of a son to be fulfilled.  At one point, Sarai lost her faith and encouraged Abram to lay with her maidservant Hagar because they still had no children.  This union produced Ishmael, meaning God will hear.  

Yet, God did what He promised

Yet, despite this, the LORD, El Shaddai, again appeared to Abram at the age of 99 years old to reaffirm His promise to him. Sara did indeed have Isaac when she was ninety years old. Isaac was indeed the Lord's plan for His people and God carried it out---in His own time.

What is striking about the LORD's identity in this passage is that El Shaddai translates breast, and suggests fertility and procreative power.  

It was the Lord's immediate plans for them, and His future plans for us to bring us, Jesus. From the beginning, God had a plan, both for our best lives and for the world.

There is hope for the future.  

When we look at Abram and Sarai's life, we have the benefit of seeing their life from the future.  The LORD had bigger than their own life view plans for their future.  Having Isaac was God's plan for their life, and the future of Israel.  Yet, obviously, at times, they grew weary of waiting for the LORD to reveal what He had promised.

Clearly, when we give birth to a special needs child, it was not in our plans for our future. Some think their life is over.  Others grieve what they dreamed before their special child, and believe their dreams to be over. 

Even when our faith wavers, God will be there to remind us in one way or another. Then, He will complete His holy will for our lives.

The Lord promises His children that He has plans for us with hope and a future (Jeremiah 29:11).   We, too, are His children, as non-Jewish Christians, through the promise of Abraham.

But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for His own possession. that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him, who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light. 1 Peter 2:9

Prayer:  Lord, show us Your plans for our lives, and help us to trust that You have promised us hope and a future.   

Further Reading in the Bible:

Genesis 12:1-17: 27
Isaiah 40:27-41:16
Romans 4:1-25
Galatians 4:21-5:1
Hebrews 7



Originally published by 10/23/2013

A Torah Reading For Christians: And I Appeared

Bible readings for this week:

Genesis 18:1-22:24
2 Kings 4:1-37
Luke 1:26-38, 24:36-53
2 Peter 2:4-11

The Torah portion this week literally, Vayera, translates into And I appeared, and has been followed by Jews for centuries.  

The reading begins with Genesis 18:1-22 and then chapter 24.  It tells the story of Abraham, the first to receive the physical covenant of circumcision, and then, in his pain, the blessings from God, a son given in Sarah's old age.

Later, Abraham is tested with the akedah, or the binding of Isaac, and the miraculous provision of a substitute sacrifice.  Quite obviously, Jesus our Savior was bound by the Lord as our own sacrificial Lamb. Abraham's story and his willingness to sacrifice his own son as the Lord commanded him, was the prophetic example to come.  Again, because of Abraham's obedience to the point of pain, the Lord blessed him with the promise that his descendants would be as numerous as the stars.

Years later, as told in Luke 1, the angel of the Lord appears and promises Mary that she will give birth to the Son of God.

And now, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you will name him Jesus.  He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give to him the throne of His ancestor David.  He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end.  Luke 1:31-33

And I appeared.

Don't you just love that? Yes, God appeared, but then He sent Jesus to appear. The Torah speaks God's truth and prophecy even before we know what it means.

Prayer:  O Lord, appear to us.  Bind our wounds and bring us blessings.  

In His grip~Kim

Originally published on 10/19/2013

I Will Never Leave You Nor Forsake You...

Peace in the midst of struggle.

This month in history:

The U.S. government shutdown over Obamacare

Two die in a New Jersey school shooting

Do you find this a challenge?

When I am exhausted and fatigued, then a crisis hits, I do.  Sometimes the devil wins over my heart and I become fearful and anxious.  The tears come, and I may "blow a gasket."  Yet, when I turn my pain over to the Lord, he brings peace.

Our world and our country seem all upside down right now.  We are in a season of turmoil, yet we are in a season of grabbing a hold of peace in the midst of struggle.  Jesus never said it would be easy.  Yet, He did say that He would never leave or forsake us.

Won't you come along for the ride?

Pour your buckets of tears before Jesus, and He will bring you peace.

In His grip~Kim

Originally published 10/16/2013

Saving Family

I grew up in a two-parent alcoholic home. 

Yes, most of the time, I lived with both of my parents, and yes, they have both lived a life of alcoholism.

The only thing I can think of as to why I am the only Christian in my family is that God's hand was on me the whole time.

I suffered their ridicule and attempts to draw me into their life of debauchery, but I eventually learned to avoid them all.

So, when I read this verse below, I looked at my family and saw the truth of where they are going.

Now the works of the flesh are obvious: fornication, impurity, licentiousness, idolatry, sorcery, enmities, factions, envy, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these.  I am warning you, as I warned you before: those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.  

For many years, I grappled with the idea that I needed to save them. I mean, after all, they were truly going to Hell in a hen basket!

Oh, Lord!

But, then I stopped because all I heard growing up was the mockery of Jesus and the people of God. My father "instructed" me that God was just a spirit, but I did not believe that he really believed in God at all.

I even struggled with my own faith because of this, because well, they already hated me enough, why would I need to become a Christian?

Really, it did not matter because they hated me anyway. 

So, true to my heart, I discovered I could not even keep that decision to not follow God, and I did. As I said, the hand of God was on me and my life, and His call on my life has only cemented.

I began to seek God in my life

I read this verse and desired this sort of peace.

By contrast, the fruits of the Spirit are love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against such things.  Galatians 5:19-23

While I really did not find it at first, I sought out what I thought so many people had. Yet, time and again I wrestled with the idea that loving my family meant I needed to continue to be their scapegoat. 

On some level, I made myself their intentional martyr because it brought me some sense of temporary peace. Yet, it made little change or improvement in their behavior. Their emotional "beatings" of me only worsened as I lived out my Christian faith. 

In fact, over the years, they became more outwardly evil, caring less and less about what others think. 

Only God can save anyone

I think this really has not been said in churches enough. 

I really want to tell you that you can save your family members and that through my own example, I saved mine. 

I didn't. 

What God has taught me over the years is that real love, the kind of love that will save lost people filled with dry bones and evil behavior is to leave them in the hole they put themselves in. 

Why? Because only then do they have a chance to reach out to God and beg for His help. 

He is the only way through Jesus Christ, our Lord, and Savior. He is enough to save anyone when they cry out for the One who made them. 

Truly, it is the only chance any of us have.

Amen and Amen

In His grip~Kim

Originally written on 10/9/2013 at 12:38 PM