GraceCreates

by Jon Walker

May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you a spirit of unity among yourselves as you follow Christ Jesus, so that with one heart and mouth you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Romans 15:5–6 (NIV)

— — —

Imagine visiting a church where the choir sings in imperfect disharmony. They aren’t just off for a couple of notes; their imperfect disharmony carries for the entire song.

And when they sing the next song, it’s also in imperfect disharmony, followed by a soloist who sings in imperfect disharmony.

Then, the congregation sings a hymn in imperfect disharmony.

To most people, this would have the cumulative effect of someone running fingernails down a chalkboard, creating that high pitched screech that makes your teeth ache.

Spiritual disharmony can unsettle both individual and congregational worship. Jesus considered our unity with one another so critical, he said you should stop worship and go set things right with anyone who is at odds with you (Matthew 5:23).

“Then and only then, come back and work things out with God” (Matthew 5: 24 MSG).

What if we agreed not to have worship services until everyone in the congregation had set things right with each other? How quickly would conflicts be resolved?

When you come to a worship service, your objective is to be able to tell God three things:

• I’m coming to focus on you, God, not anything else. My desire is to worship you with an undivided heart and to come wholeheartedly into your presence (Psalm 86:11).

• I’m coming to offer praise from my heart and to use my gifts, talents, and abilities to worship you. I choose to focus on your goodness and mercy, and I choose not to criticize my brothers and sisters who are also coming to give glory to your name (Romans 15:5–6).

• I’m coming to give, not to receive. My desire is to seek your face, not what’s in your hand. I have no agenda except to praise you, my Lord and God, “from everlasting to everlasting. Amen and Amen” (Psalm 41:13 NIV).

Jon Walker is the author of “Growing with Purpose: Connecting with God Every Day.” This article is copyrighted 2010 by Jon Walker. Used by permission.

by Jon Walker

Peter said to Jesus, “Rabbi, it is good for us to be here. Let us put up three shelters—one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.” Mark 9:5 (NIV)

— — —

When Jesus took Peter, James, and John to the Mount of Transfiguration, he changed right before their eyes, as if filled with a dazzling light whiter than anyone could bleach him (Mark 9:3).

Then, without warning, Elijah and Moses appeared before Jesus. Peter blurted out: “Rabbi, it is good for us to be here. Let us put up three shelters—one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah” (Mark 9:5 NIV).

In fairness to Peter, the Gospels indicate he was frightened and babbling on, not sure what to say (see Mark 9:6 MSG).

Peter responded no different from the way we so often respond: he wanted to build a monument to honor the greatness of Jesus, Elijah, and Moses, to commemorate the greatness of this place and the greatness of this moment.

But God spoke up and, in a sense, said: “Look, skip the monuments. Skip the building. Here’s what I want you to do: Listen to my Son, whom I love. Listen to him!” (based on Mark 9:7 NIV).

“It’s the Mary and Martha decision all over again. Focus on the wow; now is not the time for how. Why do you want to pull away from the dazzling glory of my Son to build monuments?

“Besides, Peter, I am building the monuments—and you are one of them. You and James and John and anyone who believes in my Son become a monument of my grace. Just as my Son’s appearance changed from the inside out, I am doing the same to you—pressing the pure, white light of forgiveness and grace through you, so others can see it, and know that I am God” (see Matthew 17:2 MSG).

And Paul picks up the chorus, singing there is “nothing between us and God, our faces shining with the brightness of his face. And so we are transfigured much like the Messiah, our lives gradually becoming brighter and more beautiful as God enters our lives and we become like him” (2 Corinthians 3:18 MSG).

Jon Walker is the author of “Growing with Purpose: Connecting with God Every Day.” This article is copyrighted 2010 by Jon Walker. Used by permission.

by Jon Walker

For I myself am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. I tell this one, “Go,” and he goes; and that one, “Come,” and he comes. I say to my servant, “Do this,” and he does it. Matthew 8:9 (NIV)

— — —

Jesus noted the centurion in the gospels was a man of extraordinary faith. The Roman officer’s servant was sick, and with Jesus on the way to his home, the centurion sent a message telling him there was no need to come.

He said, in essence, “I know all you have to do is give the word, and my servant will be healed.” His faith didn’t require the physical presence of Jesus, not to mention the bells and whistles of signs and wonders.

But the centurion’s faith also reveals the foundation of biblical humility. Instead of emphasizing his high rank, the solider first established his position under authority. And that’s really all humility is: recognizing, confessing, and acting according to your position under authority.

Because he was a man under authority, faithful to execute the order of those in authority over him, the centurion had an expectation that those under his authority would do the same.

And so he believed, in faith forged through experience, that Jesus was a man under the authority of God, and, therefore, when Jesus gave a command, it would be carried out.

The centurion’s authority came because he was under authority and that is the very thing that gave him the authority to issue orders.

Humility simply means we hold an accurate and unbiased assessment of our strengths and weaknesses. We understand our shape and our gifts, and we’re aware of, but not fretting over, our limitations. We see everything we have as a gift from God, and we know that without him we have nothing.

Jon Walker is the author of “Growing with Purpose: Connecting with God Every Day.” This article is copyrighted 2010 by Jon Walker. Used by permission.

by Jon Walker

Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Hebrews 12:2 (NIV)

— — —

As we become one with God, he draws us into his eternal perspective, where we see life is more than just the here and now. Within his dance of grace and love, we move from simply saying the things of God are true to living with a radiant certainty that they are true.

Jesus looked beyond the cross and could see the glory on the other side. He received heavenly insight from the Father that enabled him to see the joy on the other side of the hardship he was called to endure, and so he went to the cross with a radiant certainty that God was on the other side.

Because you have the Spirit of God within, you’re able to develop ears to hear God’s still small voice giving you heavenly insight, just like Jesus, because you are growing into a Jesus-one.

The enemy wants to keep our focus on the things below, but Jesus, the Author writing the story of our faith, keeps pointing to the things above, where we will meet a joy-filled future, forever and ever. Amen!

He knows we must endure hardship for a season, but he also know every tear touches God. His message is that we can be radiantly certain of God’s commitment to our best, and so when things go wrong—in our jobs, in our relationships, in our bank accounts, in our health—we begin to view these hardships as opportunities to “fix our eyes on Jesus.”

Rick Warren says, “Persistence is defined by perspective,” and with eyes kept on Jesus, we can endure until our joyful arrival into the throne room of grace.

Jon Walker is the author of “Growing with Purpose: Connecting with God Every Day.” This article is copyrighted 2010 by Jon Walker. Used by permission.