GLEANINGS from Claudia: The Abiding Life – JESUS! (Part 3)

Posted on May 13, 2014 by Gleanings from Claudia

(Continued from “Gleanings from Claudia: The Abiding Life – JESUS! (Part 2) Posted May 12, 2014)

I’ve thought a lot about how Jesus could so fully love the motley crew he called his disciples and by extension how he could love us. John 13 provides some clues to his rock solid love.

“It was just before the Passover Feast. Jesus knew that the time had come for him to leave this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he now showed them the full extent of his love.

The evening meal was being served, and the devil had already prompted Judas Iscariot, son of Simon, to betray Jesus.  Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God; so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him.” John 13:1-5 (emphasis mine.)

The first five verses of John 13 give us insight into what Jesus knew on that Passover night 2,000 years ago.

  • Jesus knew that it was time to leave this world. All through Jesus’ ministry he has made reference to his coming death. The events he faces tomorrow are no surprise to him. And the events of this night are of utmost importance to him. The gospel of John takes all of chapters 13 through 17 to recount the teaching and actions of Jesus with his disciples on this last night with them. What he does and shares during this time together answers the rhetorical question we sometimes ask ourselves “What would you do if you knew you only had 24 hours to live?” Jesus’ answer is to pour his wisdom, love, and provision into the men he loves so much.
  • Jesus knew that it was time to go to the Father. I love watching Jesus’ relationship with the Father all through his ministry. Time and again scripture tells us that Jesus goes off to a solitary place to pray. Over and over in the gospel of John Jesus affirms the strength of his connection to the Father.  Jesus’ relationship with the Father is constant and intimate as demonstrated in John 12.

“For I did not speak of my own accord, but the Father who sent me commanded me what to say and how to say it.  I know that his command leads to eternal life. So whatever I say is just what the Father has told me to say.”  John 12:49-50

Jesus is ready to return to the Father. Knowing that his return is imminent, that it is
just time away, had to be an anchor of hope and joy beyond the difficult hours ahead.

  • Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power. From a human perspective every aspect of life was about to spin wildly out of control. Jesus was ready. The choice to submit in obedience to the plan he and the Father had for our salvation was already made. He made the choice before he condescended to become man. He made the choice again in the temptations in the wilderness. He made the choice again in the garden. This is no easy won redemption, but redemption won through hard fought obedience.

“Although he was a son, he learned obedience from what he suffered and, once made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him and was designated by God to be high priest in the order of Melchizedek.”
Hebrew 5:8-10

Jesus knew the Father, he knew the Father knew what was about to happen and he
knew that, in spite of appearances, the Father gave him power over all things.

  • Jesus knew that he had come from God and was returning to God. There is so much in this statement. Jesus knew where he came from, he knew his identity. Jesus knew where he was going, he was returning to God. The sure knowledge of himself, his mission, and his ultimate end gave Jesus complete freedom to act in harmony with his identity and his mission. He had nothing to prove to the men he mentored except his deep love. He had nothing to prove to the Father other than his love for him.

There is one more thing that Jesus knew as evidenced in John 13:11.

 “’Jesus answered, ‘A person who has had a bath needs only to wash his feet; his whole body is clean. And you are clean, though not every one of you.’  For he knew who was going to betray him, and that was why he said not every one was clean.” John 13:10-11

  • Jesus knew who was going to betray him. I’ve already mentioned this fact, but the way that Jesus loved Judas blows me away. He could’ve forced Judas’ hand and caused him to leave the supper before he washed the men’s feet. He could’ve not even invited Judas to the Passover meal, excluding him to protect his own heart at this hour of betrayal. But he didn’t. Jesus washed the feet of the one he knew would betray him.

I want to be like Jesus. I’m so thankful for this God-man who demonstrates a perfect life. I’m in awe of one who blesses his betrayer, who looks past today and tomorrow’s adversities to what waits beyond, who is in such deep communion with God that nothing can shake him, who chooses obedience as a demonstration of love even in when obedience results in death. I want to be like Jesus.

Jesus made several promises to his disciples about the coming Holy Spirit. Those promises are for another post, but there is one promise that gives me great hope in regard to this longing to be like Jesus.

“I have much more to say to you, more than you can now bear. But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. He will bring glory to me by taking from what is mine and making it known to you.” John 16:12-15

My hope for becoming like Jesus is found in the indwelling presence of his Holy Spirit, teaching me, speaking truth to me, revealing to me my true identity in Christ before the Father. Praise God for this great gift! “From the fullness of His grace we have all received one blessing after another! John 1:16”

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GLEANINGS from Claudia: The Abiding Life – JESUS! (part 2)

Posted on May 12, 2014 by Gleanings from Claudia

(Continued from “Gleanings from Claudia: The Abiding Life – JESUS! Posted May 9, 2014)

Scripture doesn’t record the response of most of the disciples to Jesus’ incredible act of service, but we do get to look at Peter. For me seeing Peter is perfect. Every word he speaks echoes from my heart and soul. I resonate powerfully with the pride that seeps from him as he reacts emotionally to Jesus.  And I confess that I burn with shame for him and for me.

Peter takes it all in. Jesus gently lifting each dirty foot, pouring clear water that runs brown into the basin underfoot. And then tenderly taking each beloved disciple’s foot into his lap and drying it with the towel wrapped around his waist. As Jesus comes to Peter, Peter is tense, hoping against hope that Jesus will pass him by. Now the basin is beneath Peter’s feet and Peter asks, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?”

Jesus’ replies, “You do not understand now what I am doing, but later you will understand.”

How these words of Jesus have brought me comfort! As I’ve questioned the events of my life, the obvious and not so obvious work of God in my life, the times of abrasive pain when ‘iron sharpens iron’ in my life – these words of Jesus have brought comfort and the ability to wait for understanding.

Now Peter becomes adamant, “No, you shall never wash my feet.”

There is so much behind Peter’s statement.  I sense the swirl of motive and emotion and understanding and blindness that is in all of us. Peter is, after all, the one who said of Jesus “You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God.” How could Peter possibly allow this exalted Jesus to wash his feet, the act of the lowest servant? Jesus is his teacher, his Rabbi, his master – how could he accept this service from him? And shame, there must have been shame – perhaps Peter wished that he had found a servant to fulfill this duty so that Jesus’ would not have felt compelled to perform the task.

Jesus answered, “Unless I wash you, you have no part with me.”

“Then, Lord,” Simon Peter replied, “Not just my feet but my hands and my head as well!”

Peter really does want to give himself body, heart and soul to Jesus. But Peter has an understanding of the Jesus he wants to serve that isn’t quite the reality of Jesus.  As Peter and the other disciples experience this servant act of Jesus and then as they ponder it in the days ahead, they begin to understand more of the true heart and identity of Jesus.

Jesus answers Peter with “A person who has had a bath needs only to wash his feet; his whole body is clean. And you are clean, though not every one of you.” Scripture adds the commentary that Jesus knew who was going to betray him and that was why he said not every one was clean. Evidently at this point Peter submits to Jesus’ ministrations and Jesus moves on to finish washing the feet of all of the disciples. And somewhere in this queue of disciples awaiting Jesus’ foot-washing touch reclines Judas the one that Jesus knew would betray him. And Jesus tenderly washes the feet of his betrayer.

Every time I read this passage I am moved by the incredible love that Jesus demonstrates. This is the night of his betrayal and trial – the night before he goes to his death. He doesn’t just have a premonition or an unsettled feeling about what is coming, he knows what is coming. But his heart is so tuned to the need of these men that he loves, and even beyond to what we need to see and understand, that he is able to powerfully demonstrate truth and love through both his words and actions.

How in the world did Jesus do this love thing?

(To be continued …)

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GLEANINGS from Claudia: Sisters

Posted on May 11, 2014 by Gleanings from Claudia

“Near the cross of Jesus stood his mother, his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. When Jesus saw his mother there, and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to his mother, “Dear woman, here is your son,” and to the disciple, “Here is your mother.” From that time on, this disciple took her into his home.” John 19:25-27 

I’m at church, hiding for just a moment. It is Mother’s Day. I should come ready to feel some hard thing given that both my Mom and one of my daughter’s are gone. But for the most part the memories are sweet and the loss is more remote. But I was surprised this morning. A verse I’ve heard or read thousands of time suddenly became three dimensional. Twice in today’s services this verse was highlighted and twice it got me.

I was overcome by the picture of the women with Mary at the cross. What shouted out to me was that Mary’s sister was there. Grief and gratitude. Grief and gratitude. I see God’s almighty hand here providing for Mary in deeply caring ways. Even as he is dying, Jesus gives his mother to a new son to be honored and loved and cared for; and even before that beautiful provision, God gave her a sister whose own deep grief at Jesus’ death and unplumbed sorrow for her sister was for Mary even when Mary couldn’t know it.

Today I’m more thankful than ever for the ‘God Squad’ of women with which He has blessed me. Thank You Lord for Cindy and Toni and Paula. Thank You for heart-friends who pray for me and stand with me in grief. Thank You for daughters who miss their sister so much and who ‘sister’ each other through. Thank You that Mary had her sister beside her in her deepest hour of loss and grief. God – You are good – all of the time!

OK – now I ca go back! 🙂

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GLEANINGS from Claudia: The Abiding Life – Mothers and Other Women of God

Posted on May 10, 2014 by Gleanings from Claudia

The Mother’s Day minefield is upon us. When I was a child this day was so simple to navigate. A card filled with love expressed in childish scrawl and primitive artwork sufficiently told my Mom everything she needed to know about what she meant in my life. Even when my girls were little it was enough. I remember a fist full of crushed dandelions from a blue-eyed blonde girl-child that meant more to me than roses or diamonds ever could!

But my world was smaller then and I was not acquainted with all of the grief my sisters experience. I know so much more today and I love more broadly. Still I honor the mothers I know. The job IS heroic and fraught with pitfalls and joys, recriminations and celebrations. With each progression (or maybe regression?) of our culture, mothering a child to the place of full adult freedom and abundant life is that much harder. Prayer is my gift to honor the mothers I know today.

But what about my sisters who want to be mothers but for so many reasons don’t wear that name? And what about my sisters who are called to something different and remain productively, happily single? In the first chapters of Luke three women respond to very different life situations in very similar ways. I’ve learned some things from them.

First in Luke chapter 1 we see the old woman, Elizabeth. Elizabeth was married to a priest, Zechariah, and descended from the priestly line of Aaron, the brother of Moses. Scripture tells us that Elizabeth was barren and this even though both she and Zechariah were “…upright in the sight of God observing all the Lord’s commandments and regulations blamelessly.” Zechariah’s division of priests was on duty in the temple and he was chosen by lot to go into the temple of the Lord and burn incense. As he prayed and offered the incense a terrified Zechariah saw an angel of the Lord standing by the altar. But the angel said to him “Do not be afraid, your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son…” Don’t you wonder what Zechariah prayed? I suspect by this time of life Zechariah and Elizabeth knew a settled sorrow that there would be no children from their union. In his priestly role he likely prayed for the redemption of Israel, the coming of the Messiah, the remission of sins, and personally the same prayer that he might be counted worthy to offer the incense on behalf of his people, lest he be struck dead for presuming to offer it in an unworthy condition. Zechariah finished his time of service and then went home. Elizabeth became pregnant and for five months remained in seclusion. Her response to the filling of her womb was “The Lord has done this for me; in these days he has shown his favor and taken away my disgrace among the people.”

Next in Luke chapter 1 we get to meet the young Mary a virgin pledged to be married to Joseph, a descendant of David. As we meet Mary scripture notes that Elizabeth is in her sixth month. Mary, like Zechariah, is greeted by an angel. Don’t you wonder what Mary was doing as the angel appeared to her? Was this young woman going about her daily activities, perhaps dreaming of the life she would have with Joseph? Was she in quiet meditation praying for the same things Zechariah prayed for in the temple? We don’t know this, but we do know from the angel that Mary was “…highly favored! The Lord is with you.” The angel brings to Mary details about what is going to happen to her; she will bear a son, she is to name him Jesus, he will be called Son of the Most High, God will give him the throne of his father David, he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, his kingdom will never end. And the angel answers this young woman’s practical question – “How will this be since I am a virgin?” The angel clearly establishes Jesus’ paternity saying he will be called the Son of God through the agency of the Holy Spirit coming upon Mary, the power of the Most High overshadowing her. All the plans and purposes of God seem to hang in the balance as we wait for Mary’s response. Does she have any comprehension of everything surrender will mean in her life? Her response to what the angel has told her is the second most amazing obedience of all time, “I am the Lord’s servant; May it be done to me as you have said.”

The angel has provided a sign for Mary that what has been spoken is true and will come to pass. He told Mary of barren Elizabeth’s pregnancy and made it clear that the child Elizabeth carries is by the power of God. The newly, invisibly pregnant Mary immediately heads to see Elizabeth and the minute Elizabeth hears Mary’s greeting there is powerful confirmation of the truth of what the angel told Mary. The baby leaps in Elizabeth’s womb and Elizabeth, filled with the Holy Spirit, speaks words that filled Mary’s mouth with praise!

Mary’s response is beautiful! “My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has been mindful of the humble state of his servant. From now on all generations will call me blessed, for the Mighty One has done great things for me — holy is his name. His mercy extends to those who fear him, from generation to generation. He has performed mighty deeds with his arm; he has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts. He has brought down rulers from their thrones but has lifted up the humble. He has filled the hungry with good things but has sent the rich away empty. He has helped his servant Israel, remembering to be merciful to Abraham and his descendants forever, even as he said to our fathers.”

The last woman we meet in these first two chapters of Luke is Anna, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. Anna is a very old widow. She lived with her husband for seven years after her marriage and then was a widow until she was eighty-four. During those years she never left the temple but worshipped night and day, fasting and praying. Mary and Joseph had brought the tiny infant Jesus for his consecration to the Lord as a firstborn male. Anna comes up to this little trio just as Simeon, a righteous and devout man who God had directed to come to the temple to see Jesus, finishes prophesying over them. Anna gives thanks to God and then begins to speak about Jesus to all who were looking forward to the redemption of Israel.

The lives of these women are all very different. We get to see their stories converge at a place of purpose and provision in the great redemption love story of our Most High God. Each of them experienced pain. Each of them in some way focused that pain into prayer and obedience and lives honoring God Most High. What encourages me most about these stories is that God Most High was aware of their lives and orchestrating the details of their lives within the context of His great story. He ministered to them and stirred up praise even while He moved forward in His plans for our redemption. The angel said it all with the words spoken to Mary “For nothing is impossible with God.”

What I love about the responses of these women is that each of them moved forward in their own way proclaiming God’s redemption … each one sharing their story of God’s work in their individual lives praising Him and proclaiming the greater story of redemption.

Mary said it all in her response to the angel “I am the Lord’s servant; May it be to me as you have said.” Oh that this would be the response we come to no matter the place God chooses to use us as His women! So I say “Happy Mother’s Day” to those women who share God’s great redemption story with and through offspring. And I pray for myself and my sisters that all of us can come to ‘may it be to me as your have said’ as we move forward in God’s redemptive plans for our individual lives and for all mankind.

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GLEANINGS from Claudia: The Abiding Life – JESUS!

Posted on May 9, 2014 by Gleanings from Claudia

I love Jesus. The more I know this God man, the more I see him in scripture, the more I learn to hear his Holy Spirit voice in me; the more I love Jesus.

There is much to love about Jesus. He is, after all, the creator; the answer to every question; the one who knows and loves the Father best; eternal and eternally faithful; perfectly safe and totally terrifying; the most completely relational being ever. What draws me deepest into love with him is the way he lived out his human life. His perfect human life.

Don’t misunderstand. He lived out the same hard things that we face. Bizarre family dynamics; misunderstood motives; false friendships and betrayal; people who followed him only for what they could get out of him; intense physical pain and mental, spiritual, and emotional anguish … all of the stuff of life. What I love about Jesus is how he perfectly navigated an imperfect life. His responses and actions are all ‘right’.  He demonstrates what the word righteous means – He lived right. I love him and I want desperately to be like him.

I see righteousness demonstrated over and over in Jesus’ life, but there is one incident in his life that speaks profoundly to me of how he lived a right life. I see it as one of those moments for his disciples that would stay in their heads, hearts and senses for as long as they lived. Let’s take a look.

The Passover Meal that Changes Everything

It is late afternoon on Thursday of a week of following Jesus from Bethany to Jerusalem. The disciple’s emotions run high in response to so many opposing experiences. Six days earlier at a dinner party at her home in Bethany, Mary poured pure nard on Jesus’ feet and then wiped them with her hair in a display of extravagant love. Lazarus, newly resurrected from the dead, reclined at the table near Jesus, the one who raised him, as a large crowd of Jews gathered outside to see this one who was dead and who now lived. These crowds, these Jews choosing to follow Jesus, alarmed the chief priests so much that they plotted to kill Lazarus even as Judas plotted betrayal of Jesus. The next day the crowds come to celebrate Passover in Jerusalem heard that Jesus was traveling toward the city from Bethany. They came out to meet him as they would meet a king, laying branches before him and shouting praise! Jesus and his disciples enter Jerusalem in triumph.

A short time later the disciples hear Jesus speaking more and more openly about his coming death. He tells some Greeks in the crowd who have come to see him that “The hour has come for the son of man to be glorified.” He shares openly “Now my heart is troubled” and “Father, glorify your name!” And then with the crowd the disciples hear a voice from heaven declare “I have glorified it, and will glorify it again.”

Soon Jesus sends Peter and John to find and prepare the upper room where together with the disciples he will celebrate the Passover meal.  These rugged, travel-worn men come to this well-loved celebratory meal in their best clothing, washed and anointed, as clean as they can possibly make themselves.  As they climb the stairs to the upper room scents of roasting lamb, burning oil lamps, boiled egg, chopped apple and sweet spices burden the air. Each man is a walking history, an individual story lined with memories of childhood family Passover celebrations inter-written on their hearts with the great redemption story of the angel of death passing over the children of Israel as they slept behind door posts painted with the blood of the Passover lamb.

The men find their places reclining at the table. They are among friends, with the teacher that they love and respect. As in any group, there are undercurrents to the surface congeniality – uncertainty of place; secret and not so secret ambition; disagreement with certain leadership decisions; distrust and betrayal. As they settle into a place where all has been made ready, one thing is missing. No one acknowledges it because certainly it is not the job of any of these men to fulfill this ceremonial and social obligation for the others. It is so far beneath them that, although they are likely each acutely aware that it is missing, the fact of its absence is nearly unmentionable.

The evening meal is being served with the timing and order of an age-old ritual. Jesus rises from his reclining position, an act not in the flow of the evening’s agenda. He removes his outer clothing and wraps a towel around his waist. The men are all riveted, not understanding how what Jesus is doing fits into the evening’s program. Astonishment and horror gradually grow on the men’s faces as one by one they understand what Jesus is about to do. The gospel of John says of this act that Jesus “… showed them the full extent of his love.” Jesus washes their feet.

They will never forget this night.

(To be continued….)

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GLEANINGS From Claudia – Grief: A Restoration

Posted on February 28, 2014 by Gleanings from Claudia

I’m writing this as I sit at a friend’s desk in Riga, Lativa. My husband Steve and I are here exploring Suburban Christian Church’s new relationship with our Sister Church, Matthews Church. The time here has been amazing. I knew before coming here that God had even more in store than I realized as we prayed into and planned our journey. One of those ‘even mores’ has been very personal to my life.

Before Becky died in December of 2010 I took great joy in exercising teaching gifts. I co-led a women’s Bible study that met every Wednesday night and could spend hours preparing for those times of teaching and interaction. After Becky’s death, grief became a severe pruning shear in my life that caused me to retreat from all ministry except writing. I’ve spent much quiet time processing grief and all of the faith questions that grief raised in me and I wrote about this processing in this blog. But I stepped away from teaching, I stepped away from leading Women’s Ministry, I stepped away from relational ministry for a season. Over time most of the ministry I once did has come back and God has highlighted some new things for me. I’m meeting regularly one-on-one with various women. I’ve had opportunity to walk beside others experiencing grief in ways I never would’ve done prior to my own grief. I’ve found a deeper prayer life that often overflows into personal prayer for and over women. But the one gifting that I have not been free to re-enter is teaching. There have even been times when I’ve been invited to teach and for whatever reason that opportunity closed or my own schedule prevented me actually using that gifting. I honestly thought that for some inscrutable reason God was done using that gift in me. And I had come to the place of accepting that and enjoying the exercise of the other gifts that He raised in me.

When presented with the opportunity to come to Latvia, Steve and I agreed with both eagerness and reticence. We weren’t entirely certain what the trip would look like or what we would be asked to do in Latvia. As we prayed into this and waited to hear, I told the Lord I would do whatever He called me to do.

Surprise! I was asked to teach and to teach both women and men! I have to admit I wrestled with this, because I had come to the place of thinking that gift would not be used. I actually hoped and expected to come to Latvia and walk the streets praying while Steve had meetings and taught. But I held true to what I told the Lord – “I will do what You call me to do” and I prepared to teach. There was immense joy in the preparation. Hours set aside in the quiet of my home thinking, studying, seeking God’s heart for the women of Latvia and the men of the Baltic Pastoral Institute (BPI). What was on His heart for these people He loves so much?

And then coming here and getting to teach! My intercessors at home were lifting me up and how I felt their prayers, God’s answers, and the evidence in the eagerness of those I was blessed to teach. So, so GOOD!

And then a sweet and beautiful confirmation during the night. After teaching three days at the BPI I enjoyed a dream of Becky on Wednesday night. This may not seem that unusual, except that I have never dreamed of Becky, not even once, since she died. I’ve wished for that — to see her again even if only in my dreams, but it never happened. Like my teaching gifts, I had put that wish away and just assumed that for some unknown reason, I would not see her in my dreams.

In the dream I was in my daughter Kristin’s home, the last place I saw Becky, and I was putting something away in an overhead storage place in a closet. As I put it away something else fell out of the back of the closet and I knew I needed to retrieve it. That was when Becky came – so alive, so beautiful, so …. well, so BECKY! She looked exactly as I last saw her even wearing the dress that Steve and I had given her for Christmas. She was eager to help me and overflowing with life and joy. I woke up shortly after she arrived filled with joy and happiness myself. In that odd way of dreams I knew even in the dream that she was not alive in my realm, but that caused me no renewal of grief — I was simply overjoyed to have been with her even for a moment!

Initially I sensed no spiritual significance to my dream — which is actually a bit obtuse of me because I am not a dreamer, or at least I am not one who recalls dreams during my waking hours. But as I processed and savored it over the next days, God gently reminded me that I hadn’t taught since I last saw Becky and that there was a finding of that gift again happening during this trip. I’m still not entirely sure what I was ‘putting away’ in that dream. I know it isn’t grief because grief has changed, but is still active in me. In some ways it has returned to a more profound level with this trip because Steve and I have found several opportunities to share about our experience and our faith in the midst of our Latvian teachings.  So what has been put away? I will keep seeking the Lord on that. Perhaps it doesn’t matter and I need to just take joy in the restoration and trust God with the putting away. I’m fine with that — I don’t need to know the end from the beginning or all of the details of the journey because I know the One who does know!

I encouraged a new friend with this dream just last night. Sometimes our dreams or joys are put on a shelf for a season as God deepens our understanding of who He is or pours His comfort into our brokenness. If and when He chooses to resurrect those dreams and gifts they come to life with a power and truth that is immeasurably more than we ask or imagine. Trust Him. Wait. Surrender. Stand and see the power of the Lord!

Last night I was blessed to teach the ladies of Matthews Church and the topic I chose was prayer. God has shown me so much more in prayer than I even considered three years ago. As I taught I wore the dress that Steve and I gave Becky on that last Christmas together before she died. The dress I packed to bring to Latvia. The dress she wore in the dream. 🙂

Becky - Christmas 2010

Becky – Christmas 2010

Teaching on Prayer at Matthews Church

Teaching on Prayer at Matthews Church

 

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GLEANINGS From Claudia – The Abiding Life: Life and Death

Posted on February 3, 2014 by Gleanings from Claudia

“Jesus replied, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds. The man who loves his life will lose it, while the man who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be. My Father will honor the one who serves me.” John 12:23-26

John 12 opens with what had to be the best dinner party ever – at least for Martha, Mary and Lazarus. This much loved brother who had been four days dead now reclines at the table where Martha serves the Master. Mary brings a pint of pure nard – two cups of this precious and aromatic oil – and pours a fragrant year’s worth of wages on Jesus’ feet wiping off the excess with her own hair. This is a staggering display of love and worship. I imagine Mary’s heart over-brimming with joyous gratitude as the living Lazarus, evidence of Jesus’ love and power, watches nearby. I’m caught up in Mary’s hair thinking forward just a few days to the certainty that the sweet aroma of nard would cling to her as she witnesses the death of Jesus – the giver of her brother’s life. What grief she will experience again in just a few short days. Did the scent of nard stir up her faith? Did she remember Jesus as the resurrection and the life? Or did she instead despair and sink into the deepest grief she had ever known?

I also wonder at the mix of emotions that Jesus experienced. What joy to be among friends still in awe of the resurrection of the much-loved Lazarus. Passover is also just days away and excitement in remembering the mighty arm of God in setting His children free from Egypt colored and spiced the atmosphere. But for Jesus the sure knowledge of His own torture and death had to color everything else. On this Passover death would not pass over Him. All of time culminated with the Friday that was just six days away when Jesus would bear the sin of all mankind for all of history.

At verse 20 some Greeks come to the disciples to ask to see Jesus. Since they were in the crowd worshiping at the feast, I suspect that they could ‘see’ Jesus, just as the rest of the crowd could, but they wanted a more personal audience with Him. Jesus’ answer points to the brevity of His remaining time. He seems to say that the time has ended for interviews and discussion and deciding about His true identity. It is time to serve Him, to follow Him, to even be willing to die with Him. Jesus speaks of His coming death and the necessity for it so that there can be more life and then He says “Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be. My Father will honor the one who serves me.” After affirmation from the Father and more discussion about His death, Jesus leaves and hides Himself from them. He never gives the Greeks the personal audience they seek. The miracles have spoken, the teaching has spoken, Jesus’ life has testified to His identity. It is enough, but even so they don’t believe.

I want to be a Mary. I want to rejoice and love and believe so much that I pour my love onto Jesus. I want my love to be first even when I grieve or don’t understand what is happening. With that love I pray to win Jesus’ heart so that I can say “I believe, help my unbelief. I love, help my un-love!” I choose to follow Jesus no matter what I feel – even unto death.

 

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GLEANINGS From Claudia – The Abiding Life: GLORY!

Posted on January 31, 2014 by Gleanings from Claudia

“When he heard this, Jesus said, ‘This sickness will not end in death. No, it is for God’s glory so that God’s Son may be glorified through it.’” John 11:4

As I’ve read through John the word ‘glory’ has cropped up a lot. I’ve never felt I understand the word. What is glory? Some kind of amorphous aura that glows around someone indicating they are divine? Is it an action? Praise? What is glory?

I took some time to look at the word ‘glory’ in its various forms in the gospel of John. The actual Greek word translated glory is doxa and means dignity, honor, praise, worship. Hmmm –not especially helpful to me.  There is a base word upon which the word doxa is built, the word dokeo. Dokeo means to be accounted, be of reputation, seem (good), suppose, think. Ok, that begins to start clearing the fog.  I’m beginning to get the sense that when we see glory we are seeing evidence of the character of the one being glorified. That good which we see in them causes us to praise or give glory.

As I’ve read through all of the verses in John that use some form of the Greek word Doxa the meaning became clearer for me. At John 2:11, after John recounts the miracle of the water turned to wine at the wedding feast at Cana, John says “He thus revealed his glory, and his disciples put their faith in him.” In this verse the word translated revealed means ‘to manifest, to make known’ and carries the sense of showing forth something that was already there, but has now been made visible. Some of the character and power of Jesus was made known to his disciples through the events leading to and through the miracle Jesus performed.  Jesus revealed His glory and the disciples put their faith in him.

The Gospel of John also indicates that we can miss the glory of God when we are intent on pleasing men. At John 5:41-44 Jesus is reflecting on the persecution he is experiencing at the hands of the Pharisees for having healed on the Sabbath. He makes it clear that he does only what the Father does and then at verse 41 declares that he does not accept praise (glory) from men. He goes on to ask them “How can you believe if you accept praise from one another, yet make no effort to obtain the praise (glory) that comes from the only God?” When dependent upon men for praise, in this case the praise that comes from following the rules/laws of the Pharisees, the glory of God can’t be revealed to those individuals and they can’t believe. John 12:37-43 brings home this same point – eyes are blinded and hearts are deadened to the manifest power of God when individuals live in the fear of man. God’s glory is not seen by those seeking to please man.

John’s Gospel has also shown me that there are times when illness and even death are allowed so that the glory of God can be revealed.  Look at John 9 – the story of the man born blind. Jesus’ disciples ask him who sinned, the man or his parents that he was born blind? This question revealed a theology of suffering that is deeply ingrained in man … read Job and you’ll see this same theology. Sin begets illness and death, so if someone is ill or someone dies, there must have been sin involved.  Jesus’ answer was straight forward and, although it doesn’t use the word glory, it is all about glory. Jesus said “Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but this happened so that the work of God might be displayed in his life.” Once again the nature/work/character of God made manifest in a situation. Then again in John 11 as Jesus looks toward going to Bethany to minister to Lazarus, he says “This sickness will not end in death. No, it is for God’s glory so that God’s Son may be glorified through it.” It is as if God looked down through the ages and crafted a situation where His power and glory could be revealed.

There is also a sense in which death manifests and leads to glory. This is evident in many places in John 12 through 17 where Jesus speaks of himself as being glorified in relation to his death. And at John 21:19 he tells Peter some details regarding the way Peter would die and John says of that exchange “Jesus said this to indicate the kind of death by which Peter would glorify God.”  The manner of Jesus’ death, the way in which he went to death and of course the purpose for His death, truly does glorify or reveal the character of both God and Jesus. And I can see the connection to this same glory in Peter’s death. He died in service to the God he loved carrying the gospel of Jesus.

I’m beginning to better grasp the concept of glory. As my understanding of glory grows some of Jesus’ statements related to asking in His name and the assurance that we will receive that for which we’ve asked make more sense.  As we see the character and power of God revealed to the praise of His glory, he is able to more and more fully reveal Himself to us, again to the praise of His glory. His goodness and power is. It simply is. That which holds us back is our tendency to look to the power and praise of man thereby blinding ourselves to the power of God.

I long for my life and actions to be to the glory of God. Just as who Jesus is and what Jesus did glorified God, my prayer is that no matter what comes into my life the fruit of the Spirit will be manifest in me to the glory of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Father, I believe, help Thou my unbelief! To the praise of Your Glory!

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GLEANINGS From Claudia – The Abiding Life: I Know Them

Posted on January 27, 2014 by Gleanings from Claudia

“My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.” John 10:27

The way Jesus phrases His statement ‘My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me’ is oddly comforting to me. As I read through John 10 I half expect the statement to read ‘My sheep listen to my voice; they know me, and they follow me.’ That makes sense to me. It is my responsibility to listen, know, and follow, right? But at verse 27 Jesus instead says that He knows me. As I write this my mind and emotions are a swirl. It is a comfort to know that Jesus knows what is in me. And I love it that in the midst of my swirl He speaks and I hear. I take comfort in the fact that this One who knows me can make sense of my swirl and He knows how to speak to me loud enough or soft enough or in the right tone so that I can hear through the jumble. And on the other side of my swirl, through His knowledge of me, He is leading – there is a place we are going and I can follow. What comfort, hope, and easing to my mind and emotions. Jesus is my Shepherd. He knows me. He leads me. I trust Him. I will follow.

 “So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” Isaiah 41:10

“For I am the LORD, your God, who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, ‘Do not fear; I will help you.’” Isaiah 41:13

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GLEANINGS From Claudia: The Abiding Life – The God Who Makes Himself Known

Posted on January 26, 2014 by Gleanings from Claudia

“The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.” John 1:14

I’ve been impressed and encouraged lately by the determination of God to reveal Himself to man, to me. God is so far above us, His mind is so beyond our minds, that it is nearly an insurmountable challenge to make Himself known to us.

“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the LORD. “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.”  Isaiah 55:8-9

In fact anything we know about God we know only because He has chosen to reveal Himself to us. The challenge must be on the line of me wanting to make myself known to the microbes congregated on the table surface next to me.   These little germs have no knowledge of me, no sense that I hover over them, no innate desire to communicate with me. They are drawn to me by need – by the nature of my body’s power to nurture and sustain them, but there is no thought to communicate. Any parallel ends here because I have no great good will toward these microbes, but God’s will toward us is good and shaped by longing for relationship with us – miracle of miracles!

The history of God’s interactions with man is replete with the ways He has shown Himself to us. Creation reveals Him like art reveals the artist; oral tradition tells the tales of His working on behalf of those who seek Him; the Bible shows us His power and tells the story of a love that won’t give up; in Jesus we see God’s drive to know us and to let us know that we are known – God’s willingness to destroy the static of sin that shuts down any attempt at communication; and Holy Spirit reveals a God so eager to live in constant communication that He dwells within us!

For me the outcome of seeing God’s continual work at not only staying in touch with man, but enhancing man’s ability to be in touch with God – my ability to be in touch with Him — is a profound sense of being loved. Every self revelation of God to me draws me deeper into loving Him and heightens my willingness to trust Him with all of me. “How deep the Father’s love for us, how vast beyond all measure…”

“We love because he first loved us.” 1 John 4:19

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