Good

Re:Verse passage – Proverbs 1:1-7 (day six)

Then God looked over all he had made, and he saw that it was very good! Genesis 1:31

By good, I do not think God meant aesthetically pleasing, although his creation is awe-inspiring. I believe he meant that the way he ordered the universe (and the land) for our flourishing was good. Another way to say it is, God’s order in creation is intended for our good, that we would flourish in every way. As image bearers, we were always meant to walk in this goodness.

When we walk in God’s goodness, it is called wisdom. That’s what King Solomon is after in Proverbs.

Kingdom Living

It is possible to live a religious life that has little to do with the Kingdom. That kind of life is all pomp and circumstance but no substance; confession but no obedience. The prophet Isaiah addressed this kind of religiosity:

And so the Lord says,
    “These people say they are mine.
They honor me with their lips,
    but their hearts are far from me.
And their worship of me
    is nothing but man-made rules learned by rote.” Isaiah 29:13

As Jesus concludes his sermon, that is precisely the kind of religious life he implores his listeners to avoid. Keep seeking, keep asking,…keep obeying.

 

Their New Prophet

Re:Verse passage – Matthew 7:15-23 (day six)

Oh, the joys of those who do not
    follow the advice of the wicked,
    or stand around with sinners,
    or join in with mockers.
But they delight in the law of the Lord,
    meditating on it day and night.
They are like trees planted along the riverbank,
    bearing fruit each season.
Their leaves never wither,
    and they prosper in all they do.

Psalm 1:1-3

As Jesus taught them about “false prophets” and “fruit,” I imagine they thought about Psalm 1. Jesus is making a similar appeal: be discerning with the prophets you allow in your life; find the ones who will teach you to delight in God’s Kingdom and model Kingdom fruitfulness.

Ultimately, Jesus is inviting them to learn from him. (Matthew 11:29)

Fully Invested

Re:Verse passage – Matthew 7:7-11 (day six)

At the time, many likely viewed God as indifferent to their life and needs, or worse, that he was only interested in keeping track of their misdeeds. Jesus’ words were intended to be paradigm-shifting: much like a father, God cares and is fully invested in your life.

I imagine his listeners had far more questions about that than whether or not we will get everything we ask for.

Jesus was not introducing a formula for getting what we want out of God; he was describing the kind of relationship we can have with God.

Tools of the Trade

Re:Verse passage – Matthew 7:1-6, 12(day six)

They will hammer their swords into plowshares
    and their spears into pruning hooks. Isaiah 2:4

Judgemental words are the weapons of war; they destroy. But we weren’t made to use them. We were created, in God’s image, to speak life and light, to advocate for each other’s flourishing.

By God’s grace and work of his Spirit, may he turn our weapons of war (judgment of others) into gardening tools.

See the Kingdom

Re:Verse passage – Matthew 6:25-34 (day six)

“My dear Martha, you are worried and upset over all these details! 42 There is only one thing worth being concerned about. Mary has discovered it, and it will not be taken away from her.” -Jesus, Luke 1o:41-42

Sometimes, we worry so much about the “details” that we miss who is right in front of us. I think that is one of the things Jesus is saying in the Sermon on the Mount.

Seek first the kingdom of God…

The Truth Will Set You Free

Re:Verse passage – Matthew 6:19-24(day six)

We learned last week that what we believe about God shapes how we pray.  This week, we learned that our beliefs about God also shape our desires. If God is not the supplier of our need,  then we become enslaved to fear and greed, and setting our sights on the wrong thing, we desire money and possessions more than heavenly treasure (see the Beatitudes).

This MAY result in a false sense of financial security, but it never results in financial freedom. Your joy and contentment are tied to the dollar. Your self-worth rises and falls depending on your ability to keep up with the Jones. That’s not freedom; that’s slavery to fear.

Jesus says, “The truth will set you free.” So, fully trust in God’s provision, whether a lot or a little, and when that happens, fear will be replaced with thanksgiving, and greed will be replaced with generosity. Now, that’s financial freedom.

Praying the Psalms

Re:Verse passage – Matthew 6:9-15 (day six)

But may all who search for you
    be filled with joy and gladness in you.
May those who love your salvation
    repeatedly shout, “The Lord is great!”
17 As for me, since I am poor and needy,
    let the Lord keep me in his thoughts.
You are my helper and my savior.
    O my God, do not delay. Psalm 40:16-17

I love reading the Psalms for precisely the point Jesus makes in Matthew 6:1-15: spiritual authenticity. “Don’t pray like the hypocrites” who pursue personal glory and power, and “don’t pray like the Gentiles” who attempt to conjure their impersonal precocious gods with mantras and incantations, Jesus warns.

I am fairly certain that Jesus would say, “Pray like King David.” Cry out to him like a son for his father. Seek him with all your heart. And long for his Kingdom to come.

If you want a daily guide into prayer, read a Psalm; you can’t get more authentic than that.

Doctor’s Orders

Re:Verse passage – Matthew 6:1–8, 16–18 (day six) 

Notice what Jesus doesn’t say in his prescription for overcoming spiritual fraud.  He doesn’t prescribe waiting until your heart is in the right place or ensuring the right feelings precede the right behaviors.

Can you imagine if we only did the right thing when we felt like it?

Jesus’ prescription for overcoming spiritual fraud is to go home, embrace spiritual integrity, be honest with God, and practice your spiritual disciplines in private whether you feel like it or not. It is there, in your private spiritual pursuits, that you may discover God reshaping a heart into one that is wholly his.