Last time we were in Ezekiel 16, we discussed the depravity of Israel, who had been "playing the whore" with other nations and false gods. They had abandoned the One who had saved them, raised them up, and blessed them with every good and perfect gift. Their punishment had been named, and God defended said punishment, because they had brought the guilt upon themselves. That should be the end of the story, right? After all, even the NT Scriptures say (though not ideal), adultery is grounds for divorce. Israel had committed infidelity; God had the right to terminate His covenantal vows.

God, displaying both His perfect justice and infinite grace does the unexpected:  He keeps His covenant with Israel. Though they had brought other nations to bed, had given them their precious gifts, and had even sacrificed the lives of their own children, God chooses to be abundantly merciful to the Israelites and vows to keep His promises. Beyond this, though, notice what happens in verse 60 of the chapter. "Yet I will remember the covenant I made with you in the days of your youth, and I will establish an everlasting covenant with you." Do you see that? God doesn't just keep His established covenant with His adulteress bride; He establishes a new and everlasting covenant! Can you even imagine it? Imagine you had cheated on your spouse, and instead of leaving you, they bind themselves even more closely to you? Instead of kicking you from your bedroom, they build you an entirely new home? It's seemingly illogical. It's arguably reckless. It's fully grace. This is the character and love of the LORD God.

Maybe you've been "playing the whore" now for a while. Maybe you have rebelled against God time and time again. Maybe you still struggle with sin and darkness in your everyday life. Even still:  God still loves you. God still wishes to be in an everlasting relationship with you. God still desires your presence and your praises. God still calls you His bride and invites you to be a part of His very Body. As the Lord declared through Ezekiel, “...So repent and turn from all your sins so that sin won’t keep on being a stumbling block for you. Stop your transgressing—the deeds by which you’ve rebelled—and then make for yourselves a new heart and a new spirit (18:30-31)."

Walk into the light this holy season. Confess your sin before God and mankind. Turn to our Heavenly Father. Invite Him in to create within you a new heart.

I once heard someone say there's nothing really enjoyable in Ezekiel other than the Valley of the Dry Bones story. Though that's an exciting story and all, I think the writings of Ezekiel have tons of wisdom to offer. In fact, I think there's several passages that surpass that of Ezekiel 37. In our young adult ministry that meets on Monday nights, we just finished chapter 16 of the book, and let me tell you, if you haven't read Ezekiel 16 recently, you should. Throughout these next two posts, we will explore this chapter:  The Parable of the Adulteress Wife. Before we jump in, let's get some background.

As we know, God had created a covenant with Abraham, promising to give his descendants a region we know as the Promised Land. His lineage would become the tribes that made up the nation of Israel, and God had declared them to be His people, as long as they acknowledged Him as their God. This meant for the Israelites to be obedient to the laws and commands of the LORD.

In His covenant with the Israelites, God ensured the conquest of the Promised Land, under the condition that the Israelites would drive out the peoples already inhabiting the land. The reason:  God knew that if the Israelites had fellowship with these other people groups, that they would intermarry with them, and begin to worship their gods and adopt their impure habits. The Israelites failed to listen to the LORD, and low and behold, they began to serve the gods of the other nations, trusting in idols and political powers rather than on the sovereignty of God. After years and years of perpetual idolatry, desecration of the Temple, and self-reliance, the LORD was ready to give the people of Israel the punishment they deserved. This is where Ezekiel 16 comes in.

Ezekiel 16 opens up with a graphic description of an infant lying hopeless, abandoned, and destined for death. No one had bathed the child, cut her cord, or prepared her to be officially named and accepted by her family. Her fate lie solely with the LORD. Thankfully, God saw her in her condition, and cleaned her, prepared her, and raised her up. Her life was spared. God not only gives her life, though, as the parable teaches us, He also cares for and sustains her, as He prepares this child to be His bride. He lavishes her with the very best a groom was expected to provide; He was the perfect husband. Yet, quickly we see the child, now a grown woman, abandons her husband for other lovers. She offers those she takes to bed the riches of her groom. This of course represents Israel, and their failure to be faithful to the LORD.

Being both loving and just, God cannot simply stand by idly as His bride whores herself to false gods and lifeless idols. So, He "calls it as He sees it," and declares truth to the people of Israel. The message He gives is this:  "You, O people of Israel, are playing the whore. You have given the riches, the gifts, the abilities, and even your own children to these useless idols. Not out of necessity, but out of simple selfish pleasure and disobedience. As you play the whore, you do not even do that properly, as at least a whore is paid for her unrighteousness. You, O Israel, are paying to lose your righteousness, gaining nothing in return. Thus, you shall receive what is required by Law:  to be burned, stoned, and slain by the sword." This was the required punishments for a prostitute, adulteress, and idolator, all of which Israel was guilty of committing toward her groom.

Now, maybe this sounds harsh, but let's be clear:  God had already warned Israel countless times to repent and turn back to Him. This also was declared punishments to be found in the Law as written in Leviticus. The people knew what would come of those who committed such whoredom; there was no excuse of ignorance on the Israelites' part. Though the punishment is hard to swallow, it's what was deserved. However, notice the grace in the conviction. God does not call Israel a "whore," but rather, says she is "playing the whore." This is significant. It's one thing to be something, and it's another to play as something. One defines your identity, the other describes your condition. Even in His judgment, God reminds the people of Israel, that though they are currently being like a whore in the midst of their covenantal relationship, that's not truly who they are or who He has called them to be. Israel was made to be His bride, not a common whore.

Thankfully, we live in the light and grace of the New Covenant, where God calls both the Jew and the Gentile to be His bride. God has found us in our sin condition, destined for death, and has revived us, sustained us, and restored us in His grace for His glory. Like the Israelites, we too are tempted to play the whore, and give of ourselves intimately to the idols of this world. As we spend time in repentance, prayer, and mediation, the question stands:  are you living your life as a faithful bride? Or, are you playing the whore, living in intentional disobedience to the LORD God? If you've felt conviction throughout this Lenten season, do not be discouraged, because remember:  though your actions may be that of an idolator, God declares that you are His bride. Place your hope in who God has made you to be, and repent of your adulteress ways. God does all these things out of His deep love for us, so we will know that He is the LORD.

What comes to mind when you think of "meditation?" Is the image you see of a Buddhist monk, sitting quietly in a temple? Or, maybe it's a group of people doing yoga and breathing exercises, or a devout Muslim facedown toward Mecca? Weirdly enough, this seems to be the case for many Christians today. Meditation is for anyone and everyone but Christians, because meditation is wrong. Today I ask the question though:  is this true? Join me, as we explore a bit about mediation, and decide whether it's appropriate for followers of Christ during the Lenten season (or ever really).

To test if something is right or wrong, the place Christians should turn first is the very Word of God. Seems obvious right? Yet, often times we find ourselves unknowingly perpetuating and following tradition and religiosity over the Word itself. Growing up, I heard mediation was wrong, because other religions meditated; we pray. Yet, if we seek the Scriptures of the Living God, we see meditation is not just suggested:  it's commanded.

In the book of Joshua, the Lord declares, "This book of instruction must not depart from your mouth; you are to meditate on it day and night so that you may carefully observe everything written in it. For then you will prosper and succeed in whatever you do (1:8)."

In the book of Psalms, the Lord declares through David, "Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers, but whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and who meditates on his law day and night (1:1-3)."

Though not explicitly stated as such, we can safely conclude, too, that Jesus practiced mediation. As we see in the New Testament, Jesus often was found taking time to be in remote places, and to spend the whole evening in prayer (Luke 6:12 and Mark 1:34).

So, what does it mean to meditate, though? How is prayer different or the same? Let's dive a little deeper, shall we?

As found in Psalm 1, the word we translate as meditate is the Hebrew word, "hagah" (הָגָה). This word can mean a couple of different things, but in the context of its application to humanity, it means "quietly reciting the words of Scripture aloud or in your mind, as a way to focus your attention so that these words become a part of you." Prayer, on the other hand, is often defined by the Hebrew term "tefillah" (תפילה) or the Greek word "proseuche" (προσουχή), which mean "petiion" or "supplication."

Notice the difference? Prayer is an action of asking something of God, while meditation is the way of knowing Him and His word. If we as Christians only ever find ourselves asking of God, how are we ever to hear an answer when we have never taken the time to know His voice? Thus, I would say it's not just a recommendation, but rather, an essential part of our faith to be a people marked by both prayer and mediation.

So, should you mediate this Lenten season? 100%, yes! Take note, though, we do not mediate to find our "inner selves." We mediate on the Word of God, as it becomes a transformative instrument to our minds, hearts, and souls. Take time this season, and every day after, to be like that tree planted by streams of water, who never withers and prospers (Psalm 1:4), and finds their delight in the law of the Living God. Practice getting to know the Good Shepherd's voice this season, and take time to simply be with God, instead of wanting of Him.

As we enter our first full week of Lent, many of us are practicing self-denial through fasting. Whether it be social media, caffeine, meat, sweets, or smoking, many of our brothers and sisters in Christ are fasting alongside one another in observance of Lent. Last week, we briefly discussed some of the "why's" of the tradition, but many still may be wondering "Why fast?" Can't we still serve God without fasting? Is fasting just legalism? Is there any REAL benefit, other than celebrating tradition? Over the next few weeks, we will explore a few of these traditional Lenten religious practices, and examine both the theological and even psychological impacts of them.

Long before it was a religious tradition or a modern diet-trend, fasting was established as a spiritual discipline. The first mention of fasting in Scripture comes at one of the most monumental moments of the Old Testament:  Moses at Mount Sinai. Whilst receiving the Ten Commandments, Moses fasted for 40 days and nights. Now, some may argue this fast was simply logistical; he fasted because he was on a mountain and had no access to such provisions. However, this is not an isolated occasion. All throughout Scripture, we see people fast when seeking, or actively in, the presence of the LORD Almighty.

In terms of direct commandments of fasting, the Law of Moses only has one direct occurrence:  the Day of Atonement (Lev. 16:29-30). This day was the holiest day of the year for the Jewish people, and was "religiously busy." On this day, the high priest performed rituals to atone for the sins of the people; the people fasted and did not work; the high priest entered the Most Holy Place with incense and sprinkled the mercy seat with blood; and a goat was sacrificed and expelled into the wilderness to carry the people's sins away. As you can imagine, it was a day held in extreme importance, and God demanded fasting on such a day.

So, why did Moses fast? Was it simply circumstance? Or could it be that when you're in the presence of the Living God, you neither need nor desire anything else? Now I'm not a gambling man, but I'd bet it's the latter. See, the Bible is full of passages where people fasted in moments of needing to fully depend on the LORD. Just to name a few:  

• When Daniel fasted for 21 days, and God gave him revelations about Israel's future (Daniel 10:2-3)
• When David fasted and prayed over his sick son (2 Samuel 12:16-20)
• When Esther and the Jews fasted before she approached King Xerxes (Esther 4:16)
• When Saul fasted for three days after his conversion (Acts 9:9)
• When Jesus fasted for 40 days and 40 nights in the wilderness (Matthew 4:1-11)

So, why do we fast? To remind ourselves that we are not dependent upon anything more than the Creator of the Universe, the Lover of Our Souls. No thing can satisfy us in a way that's more fulfilling, pleasurable, and constant than being dependent upon God, calling upon Him in our weakness and distress. In this season, remove the idols and distractions, give of yourself in a new way, and enjoy intimacy with your Heavenly Father. 

This Ash Wednesday, March 5, marks the beginning of the Lenten season. Growing up in the Cumberland Presbyterian denomination, this is something I have often observed, if nonetheless, been familiar with. As I have gotten older, though, and have cultivated relationships with others from different Christian traditions, I realize that Lent is not observed by many in the Protestant Christian faith. So, before we begin our journey together this Lenten season, let's talk about it.  What is Lent exactly? What is its purpose? What can I do to participate?

Lent is a 40-day period of preparation, leading up to the pinnacle of the Christian faith:  Resurrection Sunday. During this time, believers are encouraged to reflect upon their sinful natures and to be renewed by the Holy Spirit through repentance.

As we take time to reflect upon our sins and seek conviction that leads to repentance, we ultimately seek to renew our relationships with the LORD God. As Isaiah 59:2 declares, "Your iniquities have separated you from your God..." Though saved through grace that cannot be taken from us, believers still have the ability to harm the intimacy experienced with God through sinful actions. Thus, one purpose of the Lenten season is to gather our hearts back to the Heart of God.

Lent also gives us a chance to place ourselves humbly before the LORD God, in order to fully enter Resurrection Sunday in thanksgiving and celebration. I think it is true of many of us, myself included, that we take grace and the Gospel message of Jesus for granted. As we take time to humble ourselves and see the true depravity of ourselves and all of humanity, we more clearly see the depth of the love and grace of God, and are more able to offer to God the glory and praise He deserves.

Lent is not to be something legalistic or pragmatic, but rather, something that is deeply personal and brings you in places of worship and acknowledgement of the LORD and His goodness. Though these are things that are generally practiced, know that individual changes to these things are welcomed and appropriate.

• Self-Denial/Fasting:  Jesus gave of His heavenly throne and glory to enter into human flesh and to die a shameful death for our sins. We, too, are invited to practice giving of ourselves in this time of Lent. The giving up of habits, such as social media usage, smoking, or sweets that we enjoy are a few examples of this. Also, legitimate fasting of things such as meat, dairy, or other staples of our diet are often practiced. 
• Almsgiving:  Jesus came for the broken, the lost, and the downtrodden. Thus, we are invited to enter into humble service of the LORD by generous acts of charity. You can also give of God your talents, using them as fragrant offerings to the Father. 
• Prayer/Meditation:  The Bible is not simply a historical document or book of wisdom, but the Living, breathing Word of God. Thus, if we seek to renew our intimacy with God, we must intentionally seek to hear from His Word. Taking time to dive deep and to mediate on His Word in prayer, silence, and even group study, allows for God to speak and be heard through the noise and busy-ness of everyday life. The YouVersion Bible app even has specific reading plans for Lent.

So, before you get to Ash Wednesday, prepare yourself by asking the question: "What is God leading me to this Lenten season? What do I need to sacrifice and repent of in order to deepen the intimacy between my Father and me?"

As always, our annual Birthday Bash was a BLAST! For the past 17 years, our church has hosted this so-called "Birthday Bash," which is a dinner where you sit at tables with people who share the same birth month. As you can see, each table was decorated by members of the church to represent a significant day of that month. 

Beyond just our normal fellowship, though, we had a fundraising event for our youth who are attending the Asian Youth Gathering (AYG) in Cambodia this upcoming August! The concept was simple:  bid money to Pie the Pastor (and other church staff). Bids were made. Fun was had. And the church raised $1275 for our cause! Thank you to everyone who prepared food, came to fellowship, and helped make this trip possible for our young people! Because of you, we are blessed here at Smithville CPC!