Day by Day

[Soldier4Christ]

"Night People, Day People"

"Whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what he has done has been done through God." John 3:21
   

While most flowers respond to the sunlight and bloom during the day, the evening primrose, in yellow, white, or pink colors, opens only at night. It likes the dark.

Likewise we have night people and day people. We must have night people who wake and work while others sleep: police officers, firefighters, factory workers on graveyard shifts, staff members who put newspapers to bed. Day people, on the other hand, observe mostly nine-to-five hours and sleep at night.

There are other kinds of night and day people. Thieves and burglars like to do their nefarious work at night, under the cover of darkness. The darkness they prefer is not only physical but also spiritual. Sin bespeaks spiritual darkness, with sinner shunning the light of God’s Word. Jesus tells us why they prefer darkness; it is a cover-up: “Men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds are evil. Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed” (John 3:19-20).

Saint Paul urges us to be daylight people, “Let us behave decently, as in the daytime, not in orgies and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and debauchery, not in dissension and jealousy” (Romans 13:13). “Rather,” he goes on, “clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ” (Romans 13:14). Jesus is the light, and to believe in Him as the Savior from sin and death is to be clad with the robe of His righteousness. Jesus said: “Whoever lives by the truth [the truth He personified, procured, and proclaimed] comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what he has done has been done through God” (John 3:21).

What kind of person are you? An evening primrose or, worse, a poisonous nightshade? Or are you a flower or plant that blooms and bears fruit in daylight? Christians have nothing to hide. They come out of dark closets and live in the open, where they let their light shine.

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"Deeds that Come Back to Bless"

"Give, and it will be given to you." Luke 6:38
   

In his short story “No Comeback” Frederick Forsyth tells about a self-willed rich man who, like King David in the Bible, wanted a husband removed so that he could marry the widow. The hired hit man promised that there would be no comeback. No one had seen him do it, he said, except the man’s wife. So he killed her, too.

People sometimes become victims of their own designs, as Job declares in the Bible, God “catches the wise in their craftiness” (Job 5:13). There is a saying: He who digs a ditch for someone else will himself fall into it. How often doesn’t this happen in life! Those who hate others will themselves become the objects of hate. Evil has a way of returning. During World War I an army released poisonous mustard gas, only to have the wind shift and blow the gas on the sender. Whatever we release against others – slander, gossip, lies, hateful words, harmful deeds – it often comes back with a vengeance.

How different when thoughts of love and kindness are put into words and translated into deeds! They, too, come back but to bless the giver. The writer of Ecclesiastes writes, "Cast your bread upon the waters, for after many days you will find it again" (Ecclesiastes 11:1). Many times it comes back to us not only as plain bread, but with butter on it, even marmalade.

In His grace God causes comebacks or rewards to crown our lives dedicated to serving Him and our neighbor. These return gifts are not merited. In love God sent His own Son, Jesus Christ, to save us from ourselves – from our selfishness and all other sins. In the same way he sends many other blessings to enrich our lives in this world. They are rewards of grace.

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"Adding Insult to Injury"

Sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin. Romans 5:12
   

In a communist country a spy was executed by a firing squad. The victim’s family not only lost a member but also – so it was reported – it received a bill for the ammunition used. This was a clear case of adding insult to injury.

Ever since sin came into the world, such things happen. Evil is interlinked with evil. Misdeeds draw penalties, and these are sometimes accompanied or followed by other aftereffects. Misery begets more misery. Sin demands payments. It wants not only the principal back but also interest – compounded interest.

The Bible tells us how sin and its penalties multiply. Saint James tells us about evil desires in a person that entice the individual. But that is not all. He goes on: “Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death” (James 1:15).

There is a way to prevent the chain reaction of sin and the price it demands. Better still, there is a way to turn the whole thing around so that there is faith instead of evil desire – faith which is the victory over sin and is followed by a succession of good things: the fruits of faith and love. Saint Paul points to this when he completes the couplet: “The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 6:23).

God’s grace is truly amazing. It provides for us the Peacemaker, God’s own Son, Jesus Christ, to be the sacrifice for our sins. With sins forgiven, the debt is paid; we are free to serve the living God. Declared just by faith, “we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ” (Romans 5:1).

God does not add insult to injury – punish the penitent, believing sinner and send him a bill for administering the punishment. Instead He blesses the Christian with grace and healing of the soul.

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"What Repentance Means"

Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house.” Luke 19:9
   

An American spy, who had turned over defense secrets to an enemy country, told a panel of congressmen, “I regret that I was caught.” He added, almost as an afterthought, “I regret what I did to my country.”

A thief, or any other kind of wrongdoer, whose only regret is that he was caught, shows no repentance, no sorrow for his sins. In the Greek language, the world for repentance is metanoia, which means a change of mind, genuine grief, a turning away from sin, the willingness to make restitution for wrongs committed. We find these qualities in Zacchaeus, the once-crooked publican who had a change of heart. Likewise King David in Psalm 51 voiced true repentance.

Repentance is by no means a minor emotion. Salvation hinges on it. Jesus said He had come to call sinners to repentance. He wanted hearts truly changed. His message was, “The kingdom of God is near. Repent and believe the good news” (Mark 1:15). Only those who truly repent will find the Gospel of the forgiveness of sins “the good news.” And that is what the Christian Gospel is: glad tidings. It proclaims and applies the grace of God to repenting and believing sinners. It declares: You are free to go. Your debt is paid. Jesus Christ settled your account with the price of His own blood.

The publican Zacchaeus made restitution for his thievery. He made a fourfold repayment to everyone he had cheated. He did it, not to earn God’s favor and forgiveness – he already had that – but to fulfill love to his neighbor.

We also find peace with God when on a daily basis we repent, believe in Christ Jesus as Savior, and set things in order in our lives.

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"Redeemed That He Might Redeem Us"

Joseph and Mary took Him to Jerusalem to present Him to the Lord. Luke 2:22
   

The presentation of Jesus in the temple 40 days after His birth was meaningful. It showed, for one thing, how completely He was “born under Law, to redeem those under Law” (Galatians 4:4).

Jesus’ presentation has yet another dimension. Among the Israelites every firstborn son belonged to God to minister to Him as priest. By giving their number one sons to God, parents were showing gratitude for the deliverance of their sons when the angel slew all the firstborn among the Egyptians.

Later the tribe of Levi took over the priestly functions. Then the parents in the other tribes could “redeem” their firstborn sons from obligatory temple service by bringing an offering, as Mary and Joseph did.

It was not God’s intention that Jesus should be a regular, full-time temple priest or Levite, for He had other work in mind for His Son. Through the offering brought by His parents, Jesus was “redeemed” from the earthly priesthood to assume a heavenly one – to be our High Priest to redeem us by offering Himself.

Jesus redeemed us by His obedience to the Law and by the shedding of His blood on the cross. To be able to be our self-giving High Priest, He had to be “redeemed” from an earthly priesthood. Because He was now redeemed, He could pursue His work to redeem us.

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"The Human Harvest"

"Ask the Lord of the harvest … to send out workers into His harvest field." Luke 10:2
   

As Jesus sent out the seventy disciples to proclaim God’s kingdom and to heal, He said, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few” (Luke 10:2). Many are the people who are in spiritual and physical distress. They are in need of help. Jesus likens them to a grain field ripe for the harvest. But there are never enough of the Lord’s workers and witnesses to bring in the sheaves.

What can we do about this imbalance? For one thing, we can volunteer as harvesters; we can say yes when the Lord calls us. In Jesus' time not all His followers could be chosen for His twelve apostles. But they could be members of the larger group – the seventy disciples. Beyond that, they could be Christ’s followers as they continued in their vocation.

Today not all Christians can become ordained missionaries, pastors, or teachers, but there is room for them, and a need for them, in the larger group of disciples who work and witness where they are: at home, in school, in office and shop, in the community. These are harvesters reaping the souls whom Christ redeemed with His blood.

We participate in the harvest of souls when we contribute to Christian ministry and mission at home and abroad. And, said Jesus, we should pray – “ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into His harvest field."

Fellow Christians, the harvest time is now!

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"The Father’s Testimony"

"You are My Son, whom I love; with You I am well pleased." Mark 1:11
   

The baptism of Jesus was a decisive event in His life, for it marked the beginning of His public ministry. “Here and now He really begins to be the Christ,” observed Martin Luther. Of course, He was the Christ when He was born, but now He began His office as Christ. Jesus’ baptism opened the door to His work as the Messiah, the world’s Redeemer, the sinner’s Substitute.

Sinners need baptism as the washing of regeneration, as the sacrament that works forgiveness of sins, delivers from death and the devil, and gives eternal salvation to all who believes the promises of God. Jesus, the sinless One made sin for us, was already at this stage the vicarious Savior. He submitted to a sinner’s baptism that He might fulfill for them all righteousness by which they are saved. By being baptized Jesus did more than set an example; He did His work as our Redeemer.

It was for this that the Father sent His Son into the world. We recall the heavenly dialog as Paul Gerhardt reconstructs it in a hymn: “ ‘Go forth, My Son,’ the Father saith, ‘And free men from the fear of death, From fear and condemnation.’” And the Son replies, “ ‘Yea, Father, yea, most willingly I’ll do what Thou commandest. My will conforms to Thy decree, I do what Thou demandest.’” From Jordan’s waters to Calvary’s cross Jesus is obedient.

The Father was pleased with His Son in His newly assumed role as the Redeemer. He declared for all the world to hear: “You are My Son, whom I love; with You I am well pleased." Jesus is God’s Son and our Savior. For this we have the Father’s testimony.

Like Jesus’ baptism, so also our own baptism elicits the testimony of God – of the triune God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. His testimony is: “You are My child; you are dear to Me.”

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"This is My Father's World"

"Your heavenly Father knows that you need them." Matthew 6:32
   

What a different world this world becomes when we remember that this is our Father's world! No blind force, no blind fate, but our Father's love still guides and shapes the destiny of all His children in things both great and small.

He who guides the flight of the sparrow and traces its final fall has promised to guide us safely through all dangers in life and to bring us safely to heaven.

What a wonderful thought with which to open each new day and with which to go to sleep at night! Through Christ, the God of the trackless universe has become my Father, and the unspeakably marvelous world in which I live, whose air I breathe and whose life I share, is forever bright with promise -- His promise!

He has promised to uphold, sustain, and guide not only the celestial spheres of the firmament but also the single sparrow in its solitary flight -- and me His precious child, redeemed by Jesus Christ, His Son. The world in which I shall go to sleep tonight and to which, He wills, I shall awake tomorrow is still my Father's world -- His world to govern, guide, and keep for me and for all His trusting children. In Him my faith abides!

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"“Un-Christmasy?”"

“Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” Matthew 5:10
   

If anything seems “un-Christmasy” it is the events recorded in Matthew 2:13-18. When Herod realized the Wise Men had not fallen for his trap, he became furious and killed all the male children in the vicinity of Bethlehem up to two years of age. In this way, he was sure to get rid of this newborn “King of the Jews.”

It would be hard to imagine a greater contrast than that between God’s unconditional love and Herod’s vindictiveness! Such hatred, however, has continued ever since. In many parts of the world, those who bear the name of Christ continue to be persecuted and even killed. Missionaries end up being imprisoned. Churches are burned. Children are sold into slavery or left to die. Those who convert to the Christian faith are harassed or even killed.

We can bask in the beauty and sense of goodwill that brightens our lives at this season of the year. But we also need to remember our fellow believers around the world who continue to suffer or die for no reason other than they are Christian. Is all of this “un-Christmasy”? Just the opposite. Simeon had predicted that Jesus was to be “a sign that will be spoken against" (Luke 2:34). Good and evil are not mutually compatible. Jesus told His disciples, “If they persecuted Me, they will persecute you also” (John 15: 20).

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"Where Is the Mission Field?"

“Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw His star in the east and have come to worship Him.” Matthew 2:2
   

Some might ask, “Why send missionaries to the other side of the world when these same people have moved into our own neighbourhoods?” While the mission field has come to us, giving unprecedented opportunity to share the Gospel, much of it remains where it has always been. Thus the Holy Spirit, through the church, continues to call and send missionaries, evangelists, teachers, medical personnel, and others throughout the world to share the Gospel with those not in our neighbourhoods.

The shepherds walked but a short distance to see the Christ Child and to find others with whom they could share the good news. But the Wise Men traveled hundreds of miles, over many weeks. We know that when they found the Christ Child they worshiped Him and offered gifts. They knew this was not just an ordinary baby, nor was He just an earthly king. While we don’t know what they said or did when they returned home, we can surmise they reported on their visit and talked about the newborn king. In that way, they became the first foreign missionaries of the New Testament era.

We are called to share the Gospel with the mission field at our door. But we can also support, pray for, and encourage those whom the Holy Spirit has called to be His witnesses in lands far away.

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"A Gift to Share"

“For my eyes have seen Your salvation, which You have prepared in the sight of all people.” Luke 2:30-31
   

Can you imagine the chaos if the Christmas gifts given or received had no names on them? While some might be noted as “for the family” or “for the children,” most were undoubtedly personalized.

For whom was the gift of the Christ-child intended? For the world, of course. But whom does the world include? Simeon had probably never traveled outside the Holy Land, yet he had a big view of the world. He knew it included both the Jews, for whom this birth was the glorious fulfillment of God’s promises, and the Gentiles, for whom it was a light, revealing God’s salvation.

We are sometimes puzzled by the attitudes of God’s people of old, who seemed to believe they had an exclusive claim on God’s love. The Gentiles were generally regarded as inferior with no place in God’s plans. Yet today we Gentile Christians often assume the “holier than thou” attitude, both toward other Gentiles and even toward the Jews themselves.

God’s gift of His Son is clearly meant for us: it has our name on it. But ours is not the only name on that gift. God’s salvation has been “prepared in the sight of all people.” If we want to share the Gospel with others, we need to see the world as God sees it. It is a gift intended for sharing. The more we love it, the more we will give it away.

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"Tell It Like It Is"

When [the shepherd] had seen Him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. Luke 2:17-18
   

“But I wouldn’t know what to say!” is a common excuse for not sharing our faith. This implies that if we had sufficient knowledge or skills, if we knew the right theological terms or could instantly quote Bible passages, then we could do a better job of testifying about our faith.

But the message of the angel was simple: “Unto you is born a Saviour.” Although these words say a great deal about the one who lay in Bethlehem’s manger, they do not provide a crash course in Christian doctrine or evangelistic techniques. The shepherds did not respond by saying, “Okay, now we know what to say and how to say it.” In fact, the message may not have made much sense to them.

But what they heard was enough. They didn’t have to understand it all. They didn’t have to rehearse their speech and anticipate their response to objections. They just had to say what they had heard with their own ears and seen with their own eyes. The simplicity of their actions can be an example to us. Our clever arguments will meet counter-arguments, but the simple testimony of our own convictions can be the seed which the Holy Spirit uses to convince and convert those who hear it.

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"The Message, not the Messenger"

Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God … made Himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. Philippians 2:5-7
   

“You’re an angel!” we might say to someone who has been especially kind. But the original meaning of angel is ‘messenger.’ Thus when God sent the message for which the human race had waited so long, He sent an angel: “Today … a Saviour has been born” (Luke 2:11).

As important as the angel was, he was still only the messenger. The message itself was lying in a manger—none other than the incarnate Son of God, come in human flesh to reconcile us to God and restore us to God’s family. God Himself is the ultimate missionary. He crossed the borders that separate earth from heaven, the Creator from the creature. He left eternity and entered time and space so that we might be rescued from sin and receive the gift of eternal life.

The church is rightly concerned about sharing the Good News of salvation with the whole world. But no matter how faithful—or successful—the church is in that task, it remains only the messenger. The church does not exist for its own sake or to attract people to itself. It is God’s instrument, His messenger, to deliver the message from the heart of God to a broken and sinful world.

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"His Blood Shed"

On the eighth day, when it was time to circumcise Him, He was named Jesus, the name the angel had given Him before He had been conceived. Luke 2:21
   

A blessed new year in Jesus our Lord! The Irish rock band U2’s hit single “New Year’s Day” echoes the world’s divisions and the bloodshed they cause. It has a refrain of sorts: “Nothing changes on New Year’s Day.” It may seem that way to us too. We wake up to a new year, yet we still hear stories of hurt, of suffering, of bloodshed. Many are feeling the pain of the loss of a loved one to bloodshed, especially in the midst of this holy Christmastide.

But something does change on New Year’s Day. Eight days after Jesus was born, He was circumcised. His blood was first shed on this day. Shed to fulfill the requirements of God’s covenant. Shed that He might be the perfect Son for us before the Father. Shed as a precursor to His blood being poured out on the cross for our forgiveness, for the world’s life.

His shed blood comes to us in His Holy Supper, not to cause us to mourn, but to lead us to rejoice that His blood brings us forgiveness, life, and salvation. In His shed blood is our peace for the New Year and forever.

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writen in Blood

"Undergirding Marital Love"

These three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love. 1 Corinthians 13:13
   

In Irving Stone’s historical novel about Mary Todd, “Love is Eternal,” the future Mrs. Lincoln confides to her cousin Ann that she might marry a Springfield, Illinois, lawyer because he has a promising political future and might someday be president. Her cousin replied, “Surely you wouldn’t marry a man for just that!” The cousin explained that she would marry her beau only for love, adding, “What else is marriage?” Mary’s brief comment to that was that marriage is “a way of life.”

Love is the essential ingredient. A popular song has it that love and marriage go together like a horse and carriage. Much depends on what is meant by love. It has to be more than infatuation. Mutual caring and concern are part of it. It has to manifest itself in all good virtues: patience, compassion, ability to forgive, thoughtfulness, a sharing of joys and sorrows. Self-fulfillment? Yes, but not at the cost of sacrificial love.

The strongest anchor for the ship of marriage on a stormy sea is faith in Jesus Christ. You can compare faith and the love flowing from it to anything else that gives stability: ballast in a ship, the rock foundation of a house, the girders of a bridge. The Bible has a great deal to say about the love of Christ as sustaining our love to Him and to one another. Saint Paul bids husbands to love their wives as Christ loved His bride, the church, and gave Himself up for her. Of course, the same goes for wives in relation to Christ and their husbands.

Each of the young women quoted above spoke a part of the truth. To marry a man primarily because of his position, present or future, puts personal ambition ahead of love. To speak of love as the only prerequisite for marrying someone is likewise insufficient. Marriage does have its practical side; it becomes a way of life for those who enter it.

Saint Paul says of Christian love: “Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking” (1 Corinthians 13:4-5). That kind of love is needed to undergird marriage.