Category Archives: Biblical Reflection

January 22, 2008 · 10:59 am

Thinking about the shepherd’s perspective in Psalm 23


Since I am counseling a number of pastors, missionaries, and other christian leaders I have been thinking a lot about the life of shepherds of God’s flock. Shepherds spend their life in and among sheep. They worry over the health of the flock, finding the best food, protecting from dangers. They risk their own lives (and reputations), They consider how to comfort and correct. Good shepherds know and value their flock.

The sheep, on the other hand, rarely think about the shepherds; rarely concern themselves with the well-being of the shepherds. And so the life of the shepherd is a lonely life–if not in close community with other shepherds.

So, yesterday I had a thought. What does Psalm 23 read like from the human Shepherd’s perspective? Yes, this Psalm is about the Lord. But we have our human shepherds to guide us as well.

  • The shepherd guides the sheep on the right path? Who guides the shepherd?  
  • The shepherd leads through the valley of the shadow of death. Who calms the fears of the shepherd?
  • The shepherd prepares an overflowing table in front of enemies. Who protects the shepherd?
  • The shepherd anoints the sheep. Who binds up the Shepherd?  

We know from the prophets that there are many dangers for the Shepherds. They can abandon the sheep out of their own fear. They can speak “peace, peace” to avoid conflict. They use the sheep, feed on the sheep to satisfy their own desires.

So, where do the shepherds receive their care? From each other and the Lord. Here’s where the analogy breaks down (and good that it does!). In our case, our shepherds are also sheep like us. So, we can care for our shepherd/sheep when sheep cannot care for their shepherd.

I’m reminded of Isaiah 40 of the example of God as Shepherd. He comforts Israel despite her sin and punishment. He reminds Israel that he is greater than all of Creation and that the sheep should look at his incomparable majesty and be comforted. And while human shepherd grow weary (v. 30f), the Lord renews those who put their hope in him in order to run and not weary, to walk and not faint.

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January 3, 2008 · 6:07 am

Anxiety tempts us to…


On Sunday our pastor preached from Luke 12:13-34 about end of year anxieties. I got to reading the whole passage and noticed some interesting tidbits in the larger passage of chapter 12.

Anxiety leads us to make several kinds of responses.

1. Legalism and getting religion just right (12:1-4)
2. Covering up/hiding (12:2)
3. Obsessing over our words. Did we say it just right? (12:11)
4. Demanding fairness (12:13f)
5. Hoarding (12:16f); not caring for the poor.
6. Worry about tomorrow’s daily bread; desire to control (12:22f)

Do these fit your temptations when you are anxious? Tomorrow I’ll post on some thoughts from the passage as to what we might do instead.

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November 29, 2007 · 5:57 am

Greed and illicit sex: Would you treat them as equals?


Our visiting professor, Richard Smith, (and my good friend) had us faculty meditate on Paul’s teaching regarding greed. He had us read Col 3:5-7 and Eph 5:3-5. In both passages Paul puts both greed and sex on the same footing: they are both forms of idolatry.

He asked us to consider how greed might infiltrate our lives (yes, even impoverished seminary profs). Do we, like our culture, consider greed a petty vice or perverse? Would we be inclined to use church discipline when greed appears (1 Cor. 5:9-11 suggests so)?

What is the line between justice and demand; between security and self protectionism?  I raised a concept that I heard from a development officer of a local nonprofit. He talked about nonprofit greed. We fantasize and imagine security where we no longer have to ask for money or worry about next year’s budget. Ever had that fantasy? I do. 

By the way, I suspect this devotional work we have been doing of late is rather rare for faculty. We faculty are already arrived and we make decisions on the proper way to teach and the proper way to govern. But how many faculty meetings give ample time to applying biblical truth to their own lives. Its not normal and we tend to slide back into intellectual discussions…

Okay, now that I’ve felt pride for our faculty, I better go and repent of this vice 🙂

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November 27, 2007 · 11:27 am

Haggai writes for today


Have you spent much time in this short book? You can find it just before the end of the Old Testament, right after Zephaniah and just before Zechariah. Blink, and you miss this 38 verse book altogether.

My friend Doug preached on chapter 2 this past Sunday. Here are some of the key points of this chapter:

1. Nostalgia for the “good ole glory days” is nothing new but still misses the One who is glorious. Instead of bemoaning the shrinking American church, let’s remember  that God’s glory and power will make his church more glorious than we could ever imagine. God says don’t be sad over the poorness of human efforts but remember that God owns everything and there will come a day when His glory bring peace and power.

2. How quickly we forget what God calls us to and begin to work for our own goals. We should not be surprised when our efforts are fruitless. In Haggai the people are building their own paneled houses (chapter 1) have heard from God but have also quickly lost focus. Isn’t this true of us today. We hear from the Lord, catch his vision, start his work, but then become sidetracked by all sorts of distractions. Such is our life today too.

3. But God in his mercy continues to bless us beyond measure because of his own faithfulness to his own children. Despite our nothingness, he makes us a signet ring: evidence to us and others of the pledge God has made to us and will bring about. Why? Was it because we were special? No. Because he loved us. Do we sit idly by until he carries out his promise? No. We recommit ourselves over and over to build on the foundation he has already built.

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November 13, 2007 · 5:45 am

Biblical slap therapy?


I once saw a cartoon about 1 session treatment (due to managed care) that consisted of the therapist slapping the client and saying, “Get over it!” This past weekend I had our counseling students look at the book of James. There are 50 some exhortation in just over 100 verses. And though he is writing to fellow believers he sometimes calls them brothers and others times calls them names.

What’s his beef? Empty words. Christians who talk the talk but do not engage in mercy; those who talk the talk but listen to the wisdom of the world about self-promotion. Why does he do this? He wants us to be discontent with the status quo. He wants to wake us from a slumber. While he does remind his readers that the Word is powerful and its implantation in them saves them, he wants them not to be content with being like the world.

James asks us whether we really do love mercy first. It will show if we do. If we don’t, then how we handle conflict with also reveal what we love.

Its good to sit with passages such as these that do not bring immediate comfort. They cause us to consider what the Lord might be saying to us. As a counselor, it is important to allow clients to consider hard truths in a loving environment–without providing a quick, “there, there, its all right.” However, we must also make sure that we love mercy when we sit with our client in difficult areas. Otherwise, we will be in danger of letting our own tongues start fires.

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November 5, 2007 · 5:57 am

When you just can’t wait for something


How long has it been since you found yourself unable to wait for tomorrow to come? As kids, we counted the days to Christmas, to the end of the school year (now those of us who are parents count the days until they go back). I got to thinking about this as I watched my son last night. We got home late and it was time for bed. But he had gotten a CD from a friend and he really wanted to listen to it. It was hard for him to accept that since some people were already sleeping, he couldn’t listen to the CD until morning. Fast forward to 6 am this morning when I’m telling him to wait a bit longer before playing it. It was all he could do to wait. He could think of nothing else until he played it.

When was the last time you felt the same way about meeting with God, reading his Word, getting to heaven? If kingdom members are to be like children, then do we remind ourselves that Christmas (heaven) is just around the corner. Do we meditate on this fact and keep it fresh in our minds? While my longing for heaven has increased with age, I must admit I don’t often jump for joy on Sunday mornings or just before bible readings. I spend far too much time meditating about the next deadline, the next project, the next problem to solve.

Lord, help me meditate on better things.

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October 24, 2007 · 5:16 am

What if you were known for your moral failures?


On Sunday, our pastor asked this question. What if you are known only for your moral failures; forever known by your sin? Or another way to ask this is who do you “know” only for their moral failings? He mentioned that wikipedia informs us that Monica Lewinsky has recently received a grad degree. But we only know her for some foolish behavior 10 years ago. Likely she will always be known by that. What if all of us were known for our failures? How would we handle that shame?

Our pastor was preaching on Luke 15 and the scandalous account of Jesus hanging out with those known as “sinners”–exploiters of others and sexual sinners. These sheep of his are lost and he spends a disproportionate amount of time with them. The parables of the lost sheep, the lost coin and the lost son reveal that the Kingdom of God is about finding what is lost but rightfully God’s property. He will not rest until he has what is his.

Though Jesus is known to spend time with sinners, he does not not continue to mark them as such but treats them as family and calls them to righteousness.  He erases the permanent markings from our failures and gives us a new identities. With Christ, we are not known by our failings.

Unfortunately, some of us have a hard time letting go of our former identity. All we can see is what we think others know us by. Like Peter, we have a hard time letting him wash our feet.

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September 19, 2007 · 5:33 am

Contractual Christianity?


Sean Roberts, one of the interns at our church, preached Sunday on Matthew 20 and the parable where the owner of the vineyard pays those who work only 1 hour a full day’s wage–the same he paid those who worked all day in the heat. During the sermon Sean mused that we, “default so often to a contractual christianity.” Either we ask “What do I have to do to get… [some hoped-for blessing]” or we ask, “I’ve done such and such–what do I get for that?”

Can you relate? Ever have someone with less experience get paid the same or higher than you? The owner of the vineyard reminds the workers that they got what they were promised. The problem, he said, was that the grumbling workers begrudged his generosity. Or how about thinking that if you are more consistent in your spiritual disciplines that you’ll feel closer to God, have a better marriage, etc? Contractual Christianity.

Sean, the pastoral intern, reminded us of two things. First, notice that there are two groups: those who know they have gotten more than they deserve and those who think they are owed more. Second, he also reminded us that the owner deals gently with those who are anger and bitter. That reminded me of how the father treats the son when the prodigal comes back. He gently encourages the older son to take joy in the opportunity for grace.

Sean left us with this thought. God’s generosity is far better than our ideas of fairness. 

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September 14, 2007 · 5:19 am

Restoration to the office of minister after a fall?


Can I share with you a great nugget Diane Langberg shared with me last week from Ezekiel? It was so good that I thought I’d like to share it here as a little snapshot of our AACC talk yesterday in Nashville.

Background: Diane has been thinking and writing about abuse of power and the impact of Christian leaders feeding on the sheep. Together and individually we have talked with churches about whether pastors who abuse or have significant moral and public falls should be restored to the office they formerly held. If you read the existing literature, authors fall into two camps: yes and never.

Now, consider this text: Ezekiel 44. Verse 10 speaks of the sins of the Levites (church leaders), “who wandered from me after their idols…” These leaders, “must bear the consequences of their sin.”  However, verse 11f says, “They may serve in my sanctuary, having charge of the gates of the temple and serving in it; they may slaughter the burnt offerings and sacrifices for the people and serve them. But because they served them in the presence of their idols and made the house of Israel fall into sin, therefore I have sworn with uplifted hand that they must bear the consequences of their sin…They are not to come near to serve me as priests nor come near any of my holy things or my most holy offerings; they must bear the shame of their destestable practices.”

If we apply this to falling after idols in our world, it sounds like the answer is yes there can be restoration to some forms of ministry but not to the most important or highest offices where the person represents the voice of the Lord. Senior pastors who fall from their position may (if repentant) be restored to lower level, nearly lay ministries but must not be returned to the highest offices in the church.

What do you think of this interpretation for today?  

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August 15, 2007 · 9:47 am

What do you do when sleep doesn’t come…


I couldn’t sleep last night and so I got up to read some Scripture. Also found a book on Galatians on my shelf that I’ve had for quite some time but never read. Checked it out and found it helpfful. But I digress.

Anyway, I found comfort in Psalm 77. The Psalmist here is crying out to God but wondering if God has forgotten to be gracious, has ended his promises to care for him. One of the Psalmist’s griefs is that he remembers the days of old when he was always in worship and easily meditated on God’s character. But now he is feeling empty, weary, disturbed. Maybe he, like me, was pondering the struggle to pray and worship.

But what does the Psalmist do about this problem? He decides to remember the deeds of the Lord. Verses 11f:

I shall remember the deeds of the Lord; Surely I will remember thy wonders of old. I will meditate on all thy work, and muse on thy deeds. Thy way, O God, is holy; What god is great like our God? Thou art the God who workest wonders; thou has made known thy strength among the peoples. Thou hast by thy power redeemed thy people, the sons of Jacob and Joseph.  (NASB)

The Psalmist goes on to give specific instances of the Lord’s powerful acts in leading the Israelites with a pillar of fire through the Red Sea.

Here’s my question: Do you think the Psalmist felt instantly better? Do you imagine that he is comforted right away? Do you think you should be? Did what he was feeling in the first verses (rejected, forgotten, weary, unable to sleep or speak) immediately get replaced with joy and lightness? Sometimes this happens. But likely, he decided to recall the wonders of God’s power toward the people of God (and thus to himself) in spite of what he felt. In this way, he would not merely listen to himself and his feelings since God is bigger than the passing feelings of a creature.

I was comforted. But I wasn’t on any cloud nine. It was helpful to recall several blessings the Lord has given me the past 17 years (my anniversary is coming up this week so memories of blessings have been on my mind).

And so I went back to bed deciding to rest in God’s power and a prayer of blessing on my lips for my wife.

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