About this time Jesus was informed that Pilate had murdered some people from Galilee as they were offering sacrifices at the Temple. ‘Do you think those Galileans were worse sinners than all the people from Galilee?‘ Jesus asked. ‘Is that why they suffered? Not at all! And you will perish, too unless you repent of your sins and turn to God. And what about the eighteen people who died when the tower in Siloam fell on them? Were they the worst sinners in Jeruselem? No, and I tell you again that unless you repent, you will perish too.” -Jesus, Luke 13:1-5

I read that passage this morning, and couldn’t remember anyone ever teaching on it. It really struck me for some reason and I couldn’t put my head around it.

Wesley’s Explanatory Notes on the passage help shed some light. The passage, while addressing suffering and justice, are actually a “type” or symbolism for what was about to come. Wesley draws out the conclusion that the Galileans killed while offering sacrifices at the Temple are a foretelling of Christ, and soon his disciples as well, being killed while celebrating the passover.

He goes on to share that the eighteen people killed when the tower fell on them, is likened to the 600,000 people who were murdered, shipped off to the gladiatorial games and Roman mines when the city of Jerusalem was besieged and the temple was destroyed in 70 A.D.

What does this mean?
Now, I hear that and, maybe because I’m slow at the uptake, am still unsure of how to apply this. What is the take-away?

Some say that every sickness, downturn in the economy, personal or national attack is a reflection of our due penalty for sin. Those people who say this will stub their toe and figure that it is because of their disobedience. I disagree.

While there are times when God clearly administers justice, even to the people he loves (Read just about anything in the old testament and you will see the interaction between the LORD and Israel demonstrates this over and over), there are also certain aspects, universal laws, that God established which we encounter; Some as a result of the fall, and some as part of being finite humans.

Beware of Falling Millstones

To further argue this case, I am reminded of a Jewish law that establishes certain cities of refuge for murderers to run to when they unintentionally killed someone – the example given of a worker who accidentally drops a millstone on someone’s head. To protect the clumsy worker from the angry family of the unfortunate millstone victim, Mr. Butterfingers would be sent to the town of refuge until an allotted amount of time had passed. God clearly understands that, although the consequence (death) is serious, it was clearly an accident and not a spiritual exercise in justice because the dead guy had it coming to him.

Basically, when it comes down to it, I don’t believe that every action and reaction is spiritual.

That said, I think Jesus is trying to get across a point here. There are physical repercussions. There are spiritual repercussions. You must discern which are which. But unlike the physical, which we tend to give more importance, the spiritual always supersedes the temporal and requires our critical attention.

Take a look at the healings Jesus administered. He always took care of the physical body, but so often it was only as evidence for the spiritual healing which had already occurred. Jesus was and is ultimately concerned about the spiritual.

In our eyes, the physical takes precedence over the spiritual because it’s what we touch, taste, hear and see.

But because we haven’t learned to see with spiritual eyes, we are limited in our understanding and unable to grasp the dire need of the internal and eternal. Instead we devote all our time and energy to the external, temporal and ultimately futile.

Not to steer anyone back to the days of self-flagellating monks who believed that anything physical was bad. But I do hope to draw out of this passage the reality that the spiritual is king to the physical.

A word on suffering
My last point that I want to make is in regards to suffering in particular. Without an proper understanding of the spiritual, we will see the pain and turmoil of this present age and say, “Where is God? What kind of loving father could let his children suffer?”

But I encourage you to seek the heart of the Father. Look at how Christ mourns over Lazereth, even before Christ raises him from the grave (John 11). Look at the LORD’s long-suffering and enduring grace shown to the Israelites throughout the old testament.

There are times of pain and very often there are no obvious reasons for them. Especially when we are in the midst of the situation, it is virtually impossible to see and understand “why”. Our prerogative is to mourn with those who mourn, to rejoice with those who rejoice and ultimately seek to give God the glory.

God knows your pain before you know it, does not leave you when you’re in it and does not forget about it or get tired of you, even when others have.

I was just wrestling with why God doesn’t simply change everyone’s hearts to turn towards him. I processed through this at the speed of an old desktop computer, chugging and grinding through the possibilities (again, it was early).

Then God seemed to calm my mind and heart and remind me that “He is in control” and that He desires all to come to know Him freely, not out of robotic, ritualistic, coerced religion. Something about this just clicked and I rested in the thought that God knows our hearts and wants each of us to come to Him. He is so patiently waiting for us.

So this morning, I lift up neighbors in the 10, that their hearts would be yielded to God and that nothing would hold them back. I worship God for His almighty faithfulness and wisdom that is so far beyond my understanding (even at a reasonable hour). The “Jesus Culture” Pandora radio station saturates the background of this post and my heart is re-postured to the Lord in submission and awe of His glorious power, plan and untainted, unending fervor for drawing every heart to Himself. www.wearemission.com/pray

Leviticus 13 is a chapter that would only interest a medical student. It describes the laborious process of determining if someone is clean or unclean from skin diseases as well as how to handle them if they are indeed unclean. Some may have heard this before, but those with leprosy in that time were declared ceremonially unclean, which meant they couldn’t be touched, were instructed not to brush their hair, forced to live outside the city and required to cover their mouths and yell “unclean! unclean!” when they came in town. Some historians teach that the lepers were required to bang bricks together while they yelled so that everyone heard them and could stand clear.

However, if the open sores heal and turn white like the rest of the skin, the person must return to the priest 17 for another examination. If the affected areas have indeed turned white, the priest will then pronounce the person ceremonially clean by declaring, ‘You are clean!’Leviticus 13:16-17

How sweet would it have been to be declared “clean” after months or years of separation from society? from the affection of human touch? from self-dignity and honor?

Many of us feel as if we are ceremonially unclean. We feel that something deep within us is dirty and unloveable. There is a lie deep within that says “I don’t have what it takes” or, especially for women, “I’m damaged and not captivating”. Maybe it’s our past sin or something that marked us when we were young, but I guarantee that the parts that you despise about others, the parts that disgust you most, are the same parts that you despise about yourself the most.

Our inability to love others well is not the disease but the symptom of our own self contempt.

Thankfully, about the time that boredom had taken over, the chapter ended and I read the coinciding New Testament chapter. John 13 describes the last supper with Christ, in which he demonstrates love and humility by washing his own student’s feet. It is evident in the story that Christ knew who would betray him; all the disciples would eventually flee, Peter would deny Christ three times and Judas Iscariot would sell Jesus over to the high priest for 30 silver coins.

Let me take a brief moment and marvel at this, because I’m just realizing it. It’s so interesting to me that the disciples choices were to run, lie or get greedy. Aren’t those our natural tendencies when things get hard?

Jesus says something here that left me reeling for a few minutes as to what He meant. John 13:8 reads: “‘No,’ Peter protested, ‘you will never ever wash my feet!’ Jesus replied, ‘Unless I wash you, you won’t belong to me.‘”

How often are we confronted with the reality of our inadequacy and our response is, “Nah, I’ll fix it”? There is something about this verse that just left me hanging. Especially after reading Leviticus and seeing to what length someone must go in order to be ceremonially clean — “Unless I wash you, you won’t belong to me.” I didn’t quite understand. Was this a ceremonial thing? Was this about baptism? Some versions hinted at it being about the disciples suffering along with Jesus. But none seemed to settle the issue for me.

Then it hit me. Within hours of Jesus telling them this, they would each go about betraying him and would be marked with such grief and guilt that one of them would end up hanging himself. They would be deemed ceremonially unclean in their hearts and minds for knowing they they ran, lied and betrayed the one who they professed to love. They were about to commit the biggest sin of their lives and Jesus was saying, “I already know, and I claim you as my own.”

Are you willing to be washed by Christ? He sees your sin and knows the areas of yourself that even you can’t forgive. Those areas that disgust you when you see them in others. God came for those. Christ died for those.

This goes for believers and skeptics: Stop trying to resist the cleansing forgiveness being offered to you. You can take off the lepers clothes and drop the bricks. Jesus calls you “Clean! Clean!”

So what’s holding you back? What is it that you are self-righteous enough to declare unforgivable when Christ has already forgiven you?

How ’bout when you walk the downtown alleyways, sit at that lonesome school lunch table or order your fast food? What kind of people do you see then? Are they the same group of people?

When I read through the New Testament, I get the picture that a good number of the people Jesus was walking the streets to find were the lonesome, the outcast and the oddballs — those that had been rejected, dejected and ignored.

Where this hits me the hardest is when I look at my life. It’s easy to point fingers at everyone else who has built their lives around people that make them feel comfortable, safe and loved. But when I realize that I’ve done the same, the mood turns sour. I’ve protected myself from those whom Jesus pursued most.

My dear brothers and sisters, how can you claim to have faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ if you favor some people over others?
-James 2:1

If you were to do an inventory on those in my life, you would find that most are friends who are independent (so I don’t need to offer much of myself), like-minded (so I don’t need to change) and successful (so I can share in their success). The sad truth is that it’s natural for me to get my worth from those around me; what they think of me, what they offer me and how they make me feel. Am I not showing favoritism when every person in my life is easy to love?

Turning the corner
So what do I do with this reality? I know that my heart and mind do not consciously decide these things, but they become truths over the course of time, as my life slips into the ravine of convenience and comfort. My first step is to acknowledge this and repent. Repentance is an old concept that means sincere remorse.

The second step would intuitively be to try harder, to be better, to love more, but I’ve learned that this isn’t the way to achieving the end goal. Instead, the root of it all lies in my source of worth. Because I receive my worth and value from what people think of me, my behavior will inevitably stem from that. So I must come to God and allow myself to be healed and filled by His love. There are areas of my life that I deem “unloveable” or “unforgivable”, but His endless love is capable of saturating even those areas.

From that full place, having received true, unselfish love, I am able to move towards those who are unloved by society — not needing anything from them, or even needing to change them in order to feel successful. Simply to extend love from the overflow of God’s ceaseless spring.

The Church of job fairs, fantasy conventions and death metal
The cultural outcast is the tax collector of our day. Somehow it feels easier to love the poor in third-world countries than it is to befriend the cultural oddballs of our day.

This may look different depending on your context, but I’m trying to picture the people that are socially rejected in our current day. They may be the unemployed or foreclosed-upon; the sci-fi convention attenders or the office janitor; the headphone-wearing punk kid in town or the shy relative. I’m really not sure who it is in your life. For me, God is revealing who that “outcast” is in my life.

I believe the sign of a healthy church is one with diversity. When I walk into a church where every member is the same, it’s good and edifying, but it’s not the best. It’s not what God intended. There is a church near Denver called “Scum of the Earth” which started as a church for the punks and outcasts who were not well-received in existing churches in the area. I think that churches would be healthier if they had a few more mohawks and homeless congregating in their foyer after the service.

Now, I’m not saying that it is wrong to have friends who share affinity with you; common interests, ability to encourage or give back to you. I’m not saying that churches that don’t have punks or trekkers running around are wrong, but I am saying that God is challenging me to take inventory on my “personal social network” and ask some serious questions. I’m also saying that if the solution comes from simply trying harder, we’re missing the mark. Instead, the sustainable solution comes from drawing near to the heart of God and allowing our hearts to break for what breaks His.

Join me in dreaming about what it would look like to live this out; in pursuit of God’s heart and in extending that love towards the social outskirts.

But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it — not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it — they will be blessed in what they do. Those who consider themselves religious and yet do not keep a tight rein on their tongues deceive themselves, and their religion is worthless. Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.

Law that gives freedom. What does that mean? In my world, laws only make things difficult, boring and exhausting. Just think about all the laws that go through your head throughout the day without you knowing it: bring your driver’s license, have auto insurance, wear your seatbelt, don’t speed, obey the traffic signal, use a hands-free device while driving, don’t jaywalk… and the list goes on. And that’s just getting to work!

So how do we understand a “law that gives freedom” when we are constantly confronted with a worldview shaped by laws that confine? First, I have to shift my frame of mind and acknowledge that while the lawmakers who make the rules of the road are fallible and finite, the God of scripture is perfect, powerful and all-knowing. And while both parties may have good intentions in mind for their laws, the latter happens to have hand-crafted each and every one of us, forming us out of His infinite love, creativity and desire for us to be in unity with Him. This helps me trust that the law of freedom has my best future in mind.

Boo Radley

This is so often where I’m at with God. I don’t realize that the intent of His plans, which are laid out in his law, are for my freedom and benefit. I assume that He is “out to get me” and that I need to fend for myself, when in reality that is the farthest from the truth.

They will be blessed in what they do. Again, this is not always the case for us. Sometimes it seems that we get penalized for following the rules. But this is not the case with God. My wife and I have been married for almost 5 years now and we remember being told how difficult the process would be. We heard horror stories of how painful and miserable marriage is and that we should “avoid the ball and chain” if we could. A friend of mine is getting married tomorrow and I heard people giving him similar advice at his bachelor party.

But the truth is that we are seeing God’s plans play out completely different from the world’s plans. We have seen the joy and lightheartedness that comes from living by God’s law. By being honestly (Luke 16:10), we can trust what each other says. By being patient (Proverbs 15:18), we enjoy grace for each other. By encouragement (1 Thessalonians 5:11), we are strengthening each other. By seeking to serve (Acts 20:35), we are humbled. By honoring the golden rule (Luke 6:31), we are cared for. By stewarding our money (Hebrews 13:5), we don’t fight over it.

We could not have known all this blessing if we did not engage in the law of freedom.

Keeping a tight reign on my tongue. This piece is always a challenge, right? I mean, for some of us it’s about avoiding four-letter words. For others, it’s about sharing information that’s not ours to share or discussing other people when they’re not around. For me, it’s simply learning to be silent.

I catch myself very often wanting to chime into a conversation to add my incredibly interesting, but ultimately self-promoting thoughts or stories. In reality, my contribution is simply to make me feel better. I can guarantee I’ll have a moment today where my conscience will kick in and say “okay, you can be quiet now”. One of my favorite verses on this topic is Proverbs 17:28.

Even fools are thought wise when they keep silent; with their mouths shut, they seem intelligent.

To look after orphans and widows. This one is dear to my heart. Our culture has become so complacent about the destruction of marriage and lack of commitment. Men leave their wives and children at the drop of a hat, just because they get tired of the promise that they made. Because of this, countless boys and girls are growing up without fathers. Single mothers are responsible for paying the bills, keeping the house and somehow playing both roles of nurturer and leader in the household.

There are some in the global church that are trying to change that, but in general, the average congregation seems silent on this. My dream would be to see us each come alongside these hurting “widows and orphans” and help fill the void caused by these missing fathers. One great avenue to do this is by connecting with WINGS, a local ministry devoted to helping women and children in need.

Don’t love money; be satisfied with what you have. For God has said, “I will never fail you. I will never abandon you.” -Hebrews 13:5

If we can only grasp these words by faith, we have an all-conquering weapon in our hand. What doubt will not be slain by this two-edged sword? What fear is there which shall not fall smitten with a deadly wound before this arrow from the bow of God’s covenant? Will not the distresses of life and the pangs of death; will not the corruptions within, and the snares without; will not the trials from above, and the temptations from beneath, all seem but light afflictions, when we can hide ourselves beneath the bulwark of “He hath said”? Yes; whether for delight in our quietude, or for strength in our conflict, “He hath said” must be our daily resort. And this may teach us the extreme value of searching the Scriptures. There may be a promise in the Word which would exactly fit your case, but you may not know of it, and therefore you miss its comfort. You are like prisoners in a dungeon, and there may be one key in the bunch which would unlock the door, and you might be free; but if you will not look for it, you may remain a prisoner still, though liberty is so near at hand. There may be a potent medicine in the great pharmacopoeia of Scripture, and you may yet continue sick unless you will examine and search the Scriptures to discover what “He hath said.” Should you not, besides reading the Bible, store your memories richly with the promises of God? You can recollect the sayings of great men; you treasure up the verses of renowned poets; ought you not to be profound in your knowledge of the words of God, so that you may be able to quote them readily when you would solve a difficulty, or overthrow a doubt? Since “He hath said” is the source of all wisdom, and the fountain of all comfort, let it dwell in you richly, as “A well of water, springing up unto everlasting life.” So shall you grow healthy, strong, and happy in the divine life. – C.H. Spurgeon

Abraham named the place Yahweh-Yireh (which means “the LORD will provide”). To this day, people still use that name as a proverb: “On the mountain of the LORD it will be provided.”

This verse comes out of the context of a man who longed to have his own son. He went to great lengths to make it happen. The verse comes out of a promise; a God-given promise that his longings would be quenched.

Many of us feel as if we have been waiting 100 years for that answer to our prayers (That’s how old Abraham was at Isaac’s birth, in Genesis 21:5). We’ve searched our hearts for selfishness, growth areas, sin and any other hindrance to God moving. We may even come to a place that laughs in disbelief when the promise does finally come.

Abraham was given a promise, that he would have a son — and God gave him a son! I tend to either forget God’s promises or be too busy trying to solve the problem myself that I don’t hear them in the first place. But this is a reminder that God sees the longings of our hearts, cares about them, promises to us that He has plans for us (Jeremiah 29:11) and is faithful to follow through.

But sometimes God takes a longer path than we’d prefer. Sometimes He asks us to give up the very thing that we have longed for. In Abraham’s case, the Lord was probing this man’s heart to know which was stronger: Abraham’s love for his son or for his God.

This next question is one of the harder questions anyone can come face to face to. If this is an easy answer, it probably means you’re not being honest, or you’re in a season of plenty. When God holds out one hand with the thing you desire and the other hand inviting your embrace, and asks, “Which do you choose?”, it comes as a moment of truth.

What are you holding onto? What is it that you desire more than anything else? What tempts you to choose it over the Lord?

When I’m in a really healthy place, I can stare at something I enjoy and ask, “Do I love this more than my Christ? More than the presence of His Spirit? More than His Father?” My honest answer reveals my idols and my true allegiance.

One thing to cling to in the midst of navigating the seas of our heart, which has desires that are tossed to and fro like waves in the wind (Ephesians 4:14), is the Lord’s promises.*

“For the Lord God is a sun and shield; the Lord will give grace and glory; no good thing will He withhold from those who walk uprightly.”
—Psalm 84:11

“He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things? ”
—Romans 8:32

“Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”
—Philippians 4:6–7

“And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.”
—Philippians 4:19

My final thought, and what prompted this post, is this: God gave Abraham a new name. When something changed in Abram, his previous name is no longer fitting (thanks to Jon Peacock for pointing this out). Likewise, when we observe God’s ever-present faithfulness, it is appropriate to call Him by a new name – for His glory and for our remembrance. Yahweh-Yireh. The LORD will provide. Cling to it.

It’s terrifying because the answer is often “Well, no one, really.” Why do we run from and avoid intimacy and vulnerability? As children, we put up defensive walls to protect ourselves from that which scares us or has the potential to harm us. But as adults, we tend to keep those walls up — especially in the Church, as there remains the stigma that “we must keep it together”.

Over the last years, it seems to me that there is an awakening, where people are beginning to acknowledge their limits and humanity, and step into a realistic and humble view of themselves. It’s not prevalent in all circles, but it seems to be growing in acceptance — it’s okay to be known. And we all want to be known and real, right? For most of us, we’ve spent too many years faking it and endured too many surface-level conversations. It’s time for a change.

So what’s the change in your life? If you were asked that question, “Who really knows you?”, what would your answer be?

Don't Go It Alone

Then take a risk and share something personal. A fear. A joy. Don’t be afraid to acknowledge what is really going on. I pray you will be pleasantly surprised on this new journey of knowing and being known.

PS- Those of you who are married may count your spouse as your only necessary confidant, and I encourage you to be authentic and communicate well with him/her, but there is something about rubbing shoulders and sharing with someone who is the same gender as you… guys just understand guys better, and likewise, ladies understand ladies (clearly, men don’t ).

1. Acoustic Contemplations
2. Bury The Hatchet
3. Dont Wake Me
4. Reali-tee
5. Psalm 27 – One Thing I Ask
6. We Are The Blessed
7. December Air
8. Finisher Of Our Faith
9. Wild Laughter

If you prefer to download all at once, click here.

Emotionally Healthy Spirituality by Peter Scazzero

He referred to Gerald Sittser from the book A Grace Disquised, reflecting on the loss of his mother, wife and young daughter in a horrific car accident like this:

The quickest way to reach the sun and the light of day is not to run west chasing after it, but to head east into the darkness until you finally reach the sunrise.

The idea that it is healthier (I daresay not easier) to confront our troubles, challenges, pain and loss head-on is unnatural, but this quote gives me hope and the fact that I’m not the only one to have experienced this season of the dark night, is oddly comforting.

Travel onward into darkness, my fellow pilgrim, and may the light of dawn meet you soon enough.