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- Written by: Don Goulding
At the designated time Cain brought some of the fruit of the ground for an offering to the Lord. But Abel brought some of the firstborn of his flock - even the fattest of them. And the Lord was pleased with Abel and his offering, but with Cain and his offering he was not pleased. (Genesis 4:3-5)
I fell in love with my second-grade teacher, Ms. Goodrop. She was pretty and kind. During show-and-tell, she lit up as other children displayed a picture they’d painted or a praying mantis they’d captured.
I so wanted to please Ms. Gooddrop that when she asked if I had anything, I said yes, I wanted to share a poem from the book a classmate read. There was confusion and embarrassment when the girl handed me the book, and I couldn't find a suitable poem. Ms. Goodrop tactfully suggested I come better prepared next week. The awful feeling of disappointing my pet teacher sticks with me, many years later.
All too often, the sacrifices of my heart that I bring to God are as hastily prepared as my show-and-tell poem. The Holy Spirit illuminates an area of my character that needs renewal, and I readily agree. What actually transpires is that I think briefly about the matter, then move on with nothing truly changed.
When a weakness is exposed, I must go to a quiet place and pray until the stronghold is completely surrendered. Often, multiple sessions are necessary. It’s a lifelong process, but I must not hide behind the excuse that I have my whole life to work on it.
At this time, I can only walk halfway to purity. Later, I will walk half of the remaining distance, then, when the Lord gives strength, I’ll walk half again. Eventually, the halves become minuscule, but I’ll never fully arrive in this life. I’ll always have another half to cover, and I can’t ever give up.
Changing who I am is hard work, but acceptable sacrifices always are. It’s the only way to shamelessly hold up my heart for show-and-tell when we all stand before God’s throne.
Prayer: Patient Jesus, help me make honest offerings of my heart.
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- Written by: Don Goulding
He [Bezalel the artisan] made the large basin of bronze and its pedestal of bronze from the mirrors of the women who served at the entrance of the tent of meeting. (Exodus 38:8)
A mound of gold earrings and jewelry stood at the temple site, and the Israelites had to be restrained from giving more. It was a high point in their devotion. They were caught in a wave of revival, and on the crest were the godly women who served as temple concierges. They melted their bronze mirrors to make the basin used for washing in front of the altar. Their hearts were redirected from a self-centred focus to cleansing before God.
Those who spend a lot of time in front of the mirror often miss the point of life. So, I asked the Lord to show me what mirrors I hold in my heart, where I am more focused on myself than on Him. A few things surfaced.
I worry about how to make the next part of my life pleasant. The days I have remaining should be about honoring Jesus, not about staring into comfort. So that’s a mirror.
Then there are the cravings of my old nature—overindulgence, distraction, laziness. Surely those are mirrors of self-interest.
Finally, there is my work. To the extent that I make my vocation about what I do instead of what God does through me, it’s another mirror.
To melt these reflectors of vanity, I have to do what the temple concierges did. As I redirect my attention to adoration of the Holy One, the spiritual heat melts my concerns about myself. Only daily worship can recast my narcissistic devotion into the washbasin of Christ.
Prayer: Beautiful God, melt these mirrors into cleansing worship of you.
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- Written by: Don Goulding
On that same occasion Jesus rejoiced in the Holy Spirit and said, “I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and intelligent, and revealed them to little children. Yes, Father, for this was your gracious will.” (Luke 10:21)
Our adult daughter, Ashley, had a growth in her ear canal that caused minor discomfort for two years before she had it examined. The doctor feared it was a tumor and referred her to a specialist. Ashley decided to go to her specialist first, to Jesus. After an anointing prayer by her church, she went to the recommended doctor. He found nothing, and the pain was gone. It seemed a miracle of God in response to prayer.
When I relayed the event to an American Christian, he typified our worldview by saying, “She probably had a plant seed that fell out between examinations.”
Jesus sent out seventy-two disciples with authority to heal, cast out demons, and preach. They returned, jumping with excitement over God’s power. Jesus said the miracles they experienced were hidden from the wise and learned. Only those with childlike faith can see what God does.
The problem is not the rarity of God’s interventions but the jadedness of man’s faith. With my worldly education, I wait for physical manifestations of spiritual realities. It’s like waiting for a bird to fly past before I accept that air must be around me. I have much to unlearn.
If I want to rejoice as Jesus did, I must return to innocent trust. Cold cynicism will never get me there. I need to make my request, then reach for the touch of God’s Spirit like a three-year-old.
Prayer: Father, give me childlike eyes for the unseen.