CamDevo

“But love your enemies, do what is good, and lend, expecting nothing in return. Then your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High. For he is gracious to the ungrateful and evil.”
‭‭Luke‬ ‭6‬:‭35‬ ‭CSB‬‬

Jesus often preached about Bizarro World, also known as the Kingdom of God. I call it Bizarro World because its customs are so surprising and unfamiliar, often opposite of what the world dictates. In today’s verse, Jesus is highlighting one particular aspect of Bizarro World: loving enemies. In this world we are taught to love our families (at least the family members we agree with), friends (until they do something we don’t like), celebrities, people who can do something for us… Love is very self-serving in this world. It’s not like that in Bizarro World. In BW, people give things away when a known thief asks to “borrow” something. In BW, people smile at frowning faces. In BW, people babysit without expecting payment. In BW, people are kind and patient in the face of violence, bitterness, malice, and spite. In BW, self-sacrificial love, true love, reigns supreme. As a Christian, I’m called to live in Bizarro World even though most people around me don’t. I’m commanded to love generously in the midst of a cold and stingy world. God will see my efforts and reward me by welcoming me as His child into the eternal Bizarro World of His presence. I can’t wait.

Dear God,

Your Kingdom sounds wonderful but it’s so hard to live there! I can’t even begin to do it without your strength and guidance. Teach me to love people when they are mean, selfish, and inconsiderate. Give me the ability to be patient and generous with my time and resources, even when people are ungrateful and greedy. Remind me how generous you have been with me when I have been ungrateful and greedy. Thank you for the promised reward and for calling me your child!

“For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.”
‭‭Matthew‬ ‭7‬:‭8‬ ‭CSB‬‬

This passage has always perplexed me. It’s clear in my life that I don’t always get the answer to prayer that I want. I don’t always find the answers I seek. Especially the ‘why?’ ones. And opportunities don’t just fall into place just because I tried hard and knocked on a lot of doors. Life is more complicated than that and a lot more disappointing! So what does Jesus mean? Well, I don’t know exactly, but as I contemplate that question and read the surrounding verses, I see Jesus is comparing what a human father gives his child to what God gives His children. If a child asks for bread, even an imperfect father in this fallen world won’t give them a scorpion instead. Parents love their children and will give them whatever bread they can provide. But God’s love IS perfect. God is perfect at giving perfect gifts and meeting needs perfectly. And His resources are infinite. Jesus is saying that as long as I come to God with my needs, my questions, and my pain, He will listen. And in His perfect love and wisdom, with His bottomless resources, He will ensure my needs are met fully. He will lead me to the answers I seek. And He will always welcome me in. Jesus is saying God is ready, willing, and able to handle my issues whatever they are. No problem is too big or too small. No question is too complicated. No emotion is too strong, no pain too great, no relationship too broken. God is capable and waiting for me to simply turn His way and ask, seek, knock.

Dear God,

I’m overwhelmed with relief that you are willing to listen to me and want me to come to you with my problems and questions and emotions. Thank you for this promise to be there no matter what. Remind me always to come to you first, not as a last resort.

“Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is abundant, but the workers are few. Therefore, pray to the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into his harvest.””
‭‭Matthew‬ ‭9‬:‭37‬-‭38‬ ‭CSB‬‬

Jesus was just getting started in his ministry when he said this to his newly minted disciples. Little did they know that they would become the very workers they were told to pray for! This seems like an important thing to keep in mind. When I see a need, and I pray for a solution, God’s answer often involves me in some way. Very rarely does God just do my bidding! When I ask for something, I imagine Him asking me what I have done to fix it so far. He already knows exactly what I’ve done and not done, of course. Jesus told the parable of the Good Samaritan, where a man went very far out of his way to help an stranger, an enemy in fact, in need. He followed up that parable by saying, “Go and do likewise.” Today’s verse is a reminder to pray for God’s will in this world. But it’s also a reminder that I should be ‘going and doing’ to contribute to His will being accomplished.

Dear God,

Thank you that you hear my prayers and that my prayers are important to you. Help me to listen to my own prayers and contemplate my role in having them answered. I can’t accomplish anything worthwhile without you, but guide me in how I can contribute. Give me the courage, energy, and wisdom to ‘go and do’ what you have planned for me today, and then give me the faith to trust you with the outcome.

“For you were called to be free, brothers and sisters; only don’t use this freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but serve one another through love.”
‭‭Galatians‬ ‭5‬:‭13‬ ‭CSB‬‬

When I read this verse, my first thought is “free from what?” I guess I thought that because I am not currently owned by anyone. Thank God! But there are other kinds of slavery, less literal. By reading the surrounding verses I can see that Paul is talking about slavery to the law that God presented to His children in the Old Testament. In this section of Galatians Paul is disturbed that someone has been trying to convince the church there that accepting Jesus as Savior is not enough to be saved. They are preaching the additional ritual of circumcision. Circumcision is something that God did command and require of His children in the past. But that was before Jesus fulfilled the law for me by dying in my place with all of my sins. Not one bit of the law is required anymore. And that is the freedom I have because of Jesus. Jesus said the law can now be summed up with loving God and loving my neighbors. I am free from worrying about the law. All of it! Not one shred of it is important anymore. I don’t have to worry about covering my head. I don’t have to think about sacrificing any animals or celebrating special feasts. I shouldn’t have to worry about being stoned if I have sex with the wrong person or any other bad choice I make for that matter. Christians today often still get caught up in old laws. Maybe not circumcision as much, but there were so many laws! Over 600 I believe. None of that is important anymore. In fact the very next verse after today’s verse is: “For the whole law is fulfilled in one statement: Love your neighbor as yourself.” If I am a follower of Jesus, my one and only job is to love. He really simplified things for me. If what I’m doing is because I love God and love other people, I’m probably on the right track. If I’m focused on the needs of other people more than my own needs, I don’t have to concern myself with the judgement of the law or of other people who are stuck there. Im free.

Dear God,

Thank you so much for freeing me from the law. Thank you so much for Jesus’s sacrifice which simplifies everything so I can easily understand and remember how to please you. Help me to obey your one command to love. And give me the courage to ignore the judgment of those who are still mired under the weight of the law.

“I will remember the Lord’s works; yes, I will remember your ancient wonders. I will reflect on all you have done and meditate on your actions.”
‭‭Psalms‬ ‭77‬:‭11‬-‭12‬ ‭CSB‬‬

Today’s verses appear in a chapter titled “Confidence in a Time of Crisis” in the translation I’m reading right now. How can I have confidence in the midst of a crisis? I think today’s two verses sum up the answer quite nicely. Actually either one would work as they basically say the same thing. The answer is to contemplate God. His character in the past will be His character tomorrow. His mighty works of the past demonstrate what He can easily accomplish in the future if that is His will. The ways He loved His people in ancient times is proof of His love for me today. The author of today’s verses was probably mostly referring to the wonders God preformed to bring the Israelites out from slavery in Egypt. I can gain confidence in God’s faithfulness by reading and reflecting on those events. But I can also easily apply these verses more personally. God has worked wonders in my own life. A particular period when I was really struggling comes to mind. I was working way too much. I was miserable and had no life other than work. But I couldn’t see a way out. I had to pay rent after all. I prayed to God desperately. I wanted to die. But one day I heard God say, “Camille, you don’t need to die right now. Just quit your job.” I replied with many excuses. How would I pay my bills? What would become of me? Who would I be? What would I do?! God said, “Try me and you’ll see. Do you trust me?” Reluctantly, I eventually agreed. Well, actually I was such a chicken that first I took a leave of absence. But then I quit. With my new free time I did spend time studying my Bible every day. And I started to remember what I used to enjoy doing. After some months though I figured I needed to come up with a way to pay my bills as my savings were dwindling. I prayed for the job God wanted for me. Instead, he provided a surprising way for me to live without rent! At church, a couple announced they would be taking a job overseas. They ended up offering their home for me to live in for free while they were away. What a miracle. I ended up living there for a couple of years! Then when they were returning, I again prayed to God for whatever was next. I didn’t know if it would be a job. I didn’t want to limit God, ha! Just then, out of the blue, someone on my soccer team announced that their friend was taking a job out of state but had just bought a house. They needed someone to house sit long term. The timing worked out perfectly. Another free living situation. This went on until I married someone who owned their own home. God worked miracles in my life and proved Himself faithful, trustworthy, loving, generous, powerful, clever, funny, and wonderful! When I am worried, like in today’s verses I can meditate on God’s wonders and have confidence in a time of crisis.

Dear God,

Thank you so much for showing me how much you love me and for teaching me how to trust you. Thank you for giving me the courage to step out in faith and for overwhelming me with your blessings when I did. Remind me of your past works and wonders when I am worried or afraid. You are God and you never change.

“The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!”
‭‭John‬ ‭1‬:‭29‬ ‭CSB‬‬

John was Jesus’s cousin. Can you imagine praising your cousin, calling him the Messiah, and worshiping him? Of course not. I have some cousins that I really love and admire, but that’s as far as it goes. Jesus was clearly special. It’s one thing for some random person to have a brief encounter with Jesus and come away knowing He is the Son of God (which happened a lot!). It’s a whole other thing for a cousin or even a brother (James), not to mention His mother, to believe and worship Him. They knew Jesus for His entire life! They saw Him as an awkward teenager. They saw Him when He was learning to walk. They saw Him as He was discovering interpersonal relationships for the first time. They saw His habits, likes, dislikes, and reactions to all of life’s joys and pains. It says a lot for John to have witnessed all that and to be convinced that this man, His cousin, is in fact God Himself. What an amazing witness! No wonder some of John’s disciples went to follow Jesus instead. They would’ve known John’s relationship to Jesus. One of those ‘defectors’ was Andrew who then invited his brother Simon (Peter) to follow Jesus. Peter went on to be one of the most effective leaders and founders of Christianity. John should get some credit for that witness, ha!

Dear God,

Thank you for the people in my life who pointed me to you! Some of them were relatives and were very influential in showing me how wonderful you are. Teach me how to be an effective witness to whoever you place in my path today. I trust you to do the rest.

“Instead he emptied himself by assuming the form of a servant, taking on the likeness of humanity. And when he had come as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death — even to death on a cross.”
‭‭Philippians‬ ‭2‬:‭7‬-‭8‬ ‭CSB‬‬

When I read this verse I’m reminded of a story I heard a long time ago about a man that wanted to help a flock of pigeons. But every time he came near them they flew away, scared. So, one day he became a pigeon. It was a big downgrade from being a human. He had to peck on the ground for food, keep his eye out for hawks and foxes, and wade through the other pigeon’s poop, but they didn’t fly away anymore when he approached. Clearly this story is a metaphor for what Jesus did for me, but it’s far from perfect. For example, the man didn’t create the pigeons or heal them or save them… the metaphor breaks down quickly. But what I do value about this story is the comparison of going from human to pigeon and going from God to human. Jesus’s sacrifice wasn’t just His death on the cross. As today’s verse says, the sacrifice included everything about being human instead of God. How humiliating it is to be human, compared with being God! How humiliating to be a pigeon when I’ve been human! No hands, no voice, no hopes or dreams or goals. Just eating and pooping and running from danger. Jesus did that for me. He modeled the ultimate humility and asks me to do the same. As a Christian, I am supposed to strive to be as humble as Jesus. Am I willing to be a pigeon if it furthers God’s kingdom? To demean myself for the sake of others?

Dear God,

Thank you so much for your humiliating sacrifice of becoming human so that we could know you better and have your example of how to live. Clearly we needed it. Teach me where I need to cast aside pride. Show me the humble path you want me to walk today. Please forgive my reluctance to give up what I have and remind me that it all came from you.

“You will keep the mind that is dependent on you in perfect peace, for it is trusting in you.”
‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭26‬:‭3‬ ‭CSB‬‬

This verse is very familiar to me because of the Sunday school song we used to sing. Lots of verses trigger those kinds of memories for me, and I am grateful for the people who taught me those songs, and hymns, so long ago. This translation has different wording from the song, but I definitely recognize it. What I didn’t remember is that this verse was from Isaiah. I would have guessed it to be something Paul wrote in the New Testament. Anyhow, what stands out to me in thinking about the song and this translation of the verse are the adjectives used to describe my mind. What do I have to do to find perfect peace? The song uses ‘stay’ as is ‘whose mind is stayed on’ God. What an old way to use that word! I can understand why more modern translations didn’t keep it. Instead this translation uses ‘depend’ as in the ‘mind that is dependent on’ God. I’m not a Bible scholar so I don’t know the original language Isaiah was written in or what word was used. But in contemplating both ‘dependent on’ and ‘stayed on’ I can get a pretty good idea what perfect peace takes. When I’m not at peace, my mind is racing. I’m worried, probably about many things at once. I’m trying to come up with possible solutions. Or maybe thinking of scenarios that might play out. Or just regretting my past actions. Or excited or anxious about future activities. Isaiah says there is a way out of this mind-blender of thoughts. And it is a gift from God. It’s not something I can meditate my way into by myself. The verse says ‘God will keep me in perfect peace’, not ‘I will achieve perfect peace if I….’ However, I do have a job. My job is to return my thoughts to God. To mediate on God. To stay on Him with my mind. To depend on Him with my thoughts – even if I don’t believe it yet in my heart! He will give me perfect peace if I keep redirecting my thoughts back to God and contemplating how trustworthy He is.

Dear God,

Thank you so much for this promise of perfect peace. I need that and want that. It seems impossible sometimes, so thank you for the assurance that it comes from you as a gift and isn’t something I have to manufacture. Remind me to return my thoughts to you and your love for me when I am anxious or overwhelmed. Your peace is perfect.

“Therefore, whatever you want others to do for you, do also the same for them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.”
‭‭Matthew‬ ‭7‬:‭12‬ ‭CSB‬‬

This is the Golden Rule. Do they still teach about the Golden Rule in schools? If so, I bet they don’t talk about the fact that it’s a teaching of Jesus. A lot of non-Christians (and some Christians too!) have Jesus all wrong. Jesus gets a bad name because of His so-called followers who get all scared and worked up by all the wrong things. Jesus came to teach us how to love, not judge. This Golden Rule is part of that, and it’s clearly aimed at an audience who doesn’t get it yet. Jesus is appealing here to my selfish nature to get me to love. Do I want to be loved? Yes. Then I should love others! Do I want to be treated with fairness, dignity, and respect? Yes. Then I should treat everyone else with fairness, dignity, and respect! Do I want people to listen to me? Yes. Then I first have to spend time listening to them! Do I want people to jump to conclusions about me and judge me? No! Then I should not jump to conclusions about other people or judge them. Do I want people to yell at me or post hateful things about me when they disagree with me? No! Then I should not yell at people I disagree with or post anything negative about them. None of this is rocket science. And yet it seems so hard. If I can’t remember to love people, maybe I can remind myself how I want to be treated and start there.

Dear God,

Thank you for this simple guide in how you want me to behave. Please remind me of this verse when I reach for retaliation instead of love. Help me to react to offenses with how I would like someone else to react when I am offensive. Forgive me when I respond poorly, with escalating words or actions instead. Teach me about your love and give me the strength to live it out.

“Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart be courageous. Wait for the Lord.”
‭‭Psalms‬ ‭27‬:‭14‬ ‭CSB‬‬

David was a king. Literally. But he was also the king of faith and of praise. David knew how to praise God and so often when I struggle with this I turn to the writings of David. David’s faith was the strongest of any Bible character in my opinion. When I struggle to trust God, I also turn to the writings of David. When I read what David wrote, it becomes clear how much faith depends on praise and how much praise depends on faith. They are inextricably linked. In today’s chapter, Psalm 27, I see that very clearly. David goes from praising God to crying out to Him for help and back to praise. It’s beautiful, but it seems a little strange. Usually when I’m asking someone for help, I don’t praise them for the way they will help me. That seems a bit presumptuous. But David knows God is faithful. He trusts that whatever God does in response to his cries for help with be the best thing. He just has to be patient. His faith is that great. So I come to today’s verse which is such an encouragement. Just wait and see how God will answer my prayers. I know it will be great. Maybe unexpected, but perfect in the end.

Dear God,

Thank you so much for the example of David in both praising you and trusting you. And thank you that I have such easy access to his writings from so long ago! Teach me to be more like him by trusting you more and praising you with every breath. I patiently wait for my beautiful, powerful, faithful God!