Max Lucado Daily: TWO SIDES OF THE AISLE - May 24, 2024
I was flying home when a snowstorm delayed my arrival in Dallas. I raced to catch the final flight of the night for San Antonio. I asked the attendant, “Are any seats left?” She looked at her computer screen. “No. I’m afraid we are going to have to bump you up to first class. Do you mind if we do that?” Color me thankful.
Not every passenger was appreciative. A fellow across the aisle was angry. “I paid extra to fly first class. I want another pillow!” On the other side of the aisle, yours truly smiled. One passenger grumbled; the other was grateful. The difference? The crank paid his way into first class. My seat was a gift.
Thankful people focus less on the pillows they lack and more on the privileges they have. On which side of the aisle do you find yourself?
Jeremiah 39
Bad News, Not Good News
1–2 39 In the ninth year and tenth month of Zedekiah king of Judah, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came with his entire army and laid siege to Jerusalem. In the eleventh year and fourth month, on the ninth day of Zedekiah’s reign, they broke through into the city.
3 All the officers of the king of Babylon came and set themselves up as a ruling council from the Middle Gate: Nergal-sharezer of Simmagar, Nebushazban the Rabsaris, Nergal-sharezer the Rabmag, along with all the other officials of the king of Babylon.
4–7 When Zedekiah king of Judah and his remaining soldiers saw this, they ran for their lives. They slipped out at night on a path in the king’s garden through the gate between two walls and headed for the wilderness, toward the Jordan Valley. The Babylonian army chased them and caught Zedekiah in the wilderness of Jericho. They seized him and took him to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon at Riblah in the country of Hamath. Nebuchadnezzar decided his fate. The king of Babylon killed all the sons of Zedekiah in Riblah right before his eyes and then killed all the nobles of Judah. After Zedekiah had seen the slaughter, Nebuchadnezzar blinded him, chained him up, and then took him off to Babylon.
8–10 Meanwhile, the Babylonians burned down the royal palace, the Temple, and all the homes of the people. They leveled the walls of Jerusalem. Nebuzaradan, commander of the king’s bodyguard, rounded up everyone left in the city, along with those who had surrendered to him, and herded them off to exile in Babylon. He didn’t bother taking the few poor people who had nothing. He left them in the land of Judah to eke out a living as best they could in the vineyards and fields.
11–12 Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon gave Nebuzaradan captain of the king’s bodyguard special orders regarding Jeremiah: “Look out for him. Make sure nothing bad happens to him. Give him anything he wants.”
13–14 So Nebuzaradan, chief of the king’s bodyguard, along with Nebushazban the Rabsaris, Nergal-sharezer the Rabmag, and all the chief officers of the king of Babylon, sent for Jeremiah, taking him from the courtyard of the royal guards and putting him under the care of Gedaliah son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan, to be taken home. And so he was able to live with the people.
15–18 Earlier, while Jeremiah was still in custody in the courtyard of the royal guards, God’s Message came to him: “Go and speak with Ebed-melek the Ethiopian. Tell him, God-of-the-Angel-Armies, the God of Israel, says, Listen carefully: I will do exactly what I said I would do to this city—bad news, not good news. When it happens, you will be there to see it. But I’ll deliver you on that doomsday. You won’t be handed over to those men whom you have good reason to fear. Yes, I’ll most certainly save you. You won’t be killed. You’ll walk out of there safe and sound because you trusted me.’ ” God’s Decree.
Our Daily Bread reading and devotion
Friday, May 24, 2024
Today's Scripture
Hebrews 12:4-11
In this all-out match against sin, others have suffered far worse than you, to say nothing of what Jesus went through—all that bloodshed! So don’t feel sorry for yourselves. Or have you forgotten how good parents treat children, and that God regards you as his children?
My dear child, don’t shrug off God’s discipline,
but don’t be crushed by it either.
It’s the child he loves that he disciplines;
the child he embraces, he also corrects.
God is educating you; that’s why you must never drop out. He’s treating you as dear children. This trouble you’re in isn’t punishment; it’s training, the normal experience of children. Only irresponsible parents leave children to fend for themselves. Would you prefer an irresponsible God? We respect our own parents for training and not spoiling us, so why not embrace God’s training so we can truly live? While we were children, our parents did what seemed best to them. But God is doing what is best for us, training us to live God’s holy best. At the time, discipline isn’t much fun. It always feels like it’s going against the grain. Later, of course, it pays off handsomely, for it’s the well-trained who find themselves mature in their relationship with God.
Insight
The writer of Hebrews quotes Proverbs 3:11-12 in the explanation of God’s loving discipline (Hebrews 12:5-6). Proverbs 3 is well known for verses 5-6: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.”
When we’re going through difficult experiences, it can be easy to think that we don’t deserve them, and that God has stepped into our lives just to discipline us. But the context of Proverbs 3 paints a picture of walking alongside our heavenly Father. Sometimes, like wandering children, we stray from God’s side, especially when we trust in our own understanding. His discipline brings us back—not just to correct behavior but to a close relationship with Him. Our kind Father loves us and wants us on the right path. After all, that’s where He is too. By: Jed Ostoich
Correction with a Kiss
God disciplines us for our good, in order that we may share in his holiness. Hebrews 12:10
In his parable The Wise Woman, George MacDonald tells the story of two girls, whose selfishness brings misery to all, including themselves, until a wise woman puts them through a series of tests to help them become “lovely” again.
After the girls fail each test and suffer shame and isolation, one of them, Rosamond, finally realizes she can’t change herself. “Couldn’t you help me?” she asks the wise woman. “Perhaps I could,” the woman replied, “now that you ask me.” And with the divine help symbolized by the wise woman, Rosamond begins to change. She then asks if the woman would forgive all the trouble she’s caused. “If I had not forgiven you,” the woman says, “I would never have taken the trouble to punish you.”
There are times when God disciplines us. It’s important to understand why. His correction isn’t driven by retribution but by a fatherly concern for our welfare (Hebrews 12:6). He also desires that we may “share in his holiness,” enjoying a harvest of “righteousness and peace” (vv. 10-11). Selfishness brings misery, but holiness makes us whole, joyful, and “lovely” like Him.
Rosamond asks the wise woman how she can love a selfish girl like her. Stooping to kiss her, the woman replies, “I saw what you were going to be.” God’s correction too comes with love and a desire to make us who we’re meant to be. By: Sheridan Voysey
Reflect & Pray
How have you understood God’s discipline in the past? How might He have disciplined you recently in order to make you more lovely?
Father God, thank You for Your correction, as painful as it can be. You bring it for my good.
My Utmost for His Highest, by Oswald Chambers
Friday, May 24, 2024
The Delight of Despair
When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead.— Revelation 1:17
It may be that, like the apostle John, you know Jesus Christ intimately. Then one day, Jesus appears and you hardly recognize him. No longer counselor or comrade, he is in his majesty. Instead of walking to triumph, Jesus goes to disaster; instead of bringing peace, he brings a sword. All you can do is fall at his feet as though you were dead.
At times God can’t reveal himself in any way other than in his majesty, and the awfulness of the vision brings you to the delight of despair. There is another kind of despair, one with no horizon, no hope of anything brighter. But when Jesus appears to you in his deity, the despair you feel at your own weakness is tempered by the vision of his overwhelming strength. In this moment, you understand that if you are ever going to be raised up, it must be by the hand of God. God can do nothing for you until you get to the limit of the possible.
“Then he placed his right hand on me and said: ‘Do not be afraid’” (Revelation 1:17). In the midst of the awfulness comes a touch. It isn’t a touch of restraint or correction; it’s the right hand of the everlasting Father. Whenever this hand is laid upon you, it brings instant peace and comfort. You sense that nothing can ever cast you into fear again. “The eternal God is your refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms” (Deuteronomy 33:27). The Lord’s tenderness in this moment is indescribably sweet: in the midst of his glory, he comes to an insignificant disciple to say, “Fear not.” Do I know Jesus like this?
1 Chronicles 22-24; John 8:28-59
WISDOM FROM OSWALD
When we no longer seek God for His blessings, we have time to seek Him for Himself.
The Moral Foundations of Life, 728 L
A Word with You, by Ron Hutchcraft
Friday, May 24, 2024
Still Filming - #9750
In our treasury of family videos we have a few moments that are considered classics. Most folks outside the family wouldn't think so, but you had to be there. The classics are usually either very touching or give us a chance to laugh very loudly at one of the five Hutchcrafts; such as the one from our Alaska trip. Our oldest son (we will call him son number one for the purpose of this illustration), was about 14, the youngest son, (we'll call him son number two) was about 12; at the age where a boy's voice isn't quite sure where it will go on the next word. You know what I mean? Now, we're filming some dog team races, and we trusted the camera to our least-technical family member - son number one. Like Father, like son. Now, son number two, being more technically oriented, was providing unsolicited coaching on video filming.
Well, the race ended. And son number one was no longer aiming the camera. And we all assumed that since the show was over the camera was off. Oh, no! So today here is our video memory: We get seasick watching this video that careened from the pavement to a dirty snow drift to the sky. I mean, it's all over the place! And there in the background you just hear son number two with his frustrated 12-year-old voice squeaking, "You're still filming!"
I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "Still Filming."
The camera was running, even though we thought it wasn't. God's camera is like that. Our word for today from the Word of God, Proverbs 5:21. It happens to be in the context of someone sinning sexually and thinking no one knows. Here's what it says, "A man's ways are in full view of the Lord, and He examines all his paths." So it is in the midst of "nobody knows." That's why God says in Numbers 32:23, "Be sure your sins will find you out."
See, there are those times in our lives when it feels as if we're getting away with our sin. Nobody knows. When you're relaxing or you're in a place where nobody knows you, your guard is down. The wrong stuff just sort of slides into your mind or into your actions. Or when you're drinking or on drugs it seems as if you're not accountable for what you're doing. "Hey, I don't even remember what I did!" God does. He's still filming.
When you rationalize, "Oh, I'm not hurting anyone" you're very wrong. Jesus is seeing and hearing it all, and you are deeply wounding the One who died to pay for the very junk you're doing.
If Jesus was there watching it all would you do it? Would you still say that? He is, and someday you're going to meet what God has been recording unless you repent of it and leave it at Jesus' cross and make a clean start. Look, you're already meeting the consequences of that sin; maybe emotional consequences, family consequences, physical, distance from God, damage to your reputation, no peace, prayers that aren't answered.
Right now your Savior's calling you to make a new beginning, to drop the junk He died for. Listen to 1 Peter 2:24 - "He himself bore our sins (your sins) in His own body on the tree that we might die to sin and live for righteousness. By His wounds you have been healed." For many, the great shock of God's judgment seat will be in essence what God has recorded on His video. "God, you mean You were still filming?"
Yes. Remember, "A man's ways are in full view of the Lord" (Proverbs 5:21). You're not ready for eternity. You're not ready for that last breath; that last heart beat until you know you have had every sin forgiven and there's not one that God has missed. But there's not one that Jesus didn't pay for when he died on the cross.
Today could be your day to be forgiven. Today could be your day for the wall to come down between you and God. If you're ready for that, you say, "Jesus, I'm yours." Check out our website and there you can be sure you belong to Him. It's ANewStory.com. Because this could be for you, today, page one, chapter one of your new story.