Jeremiah 49:12

If even those who do not deserve to drink the cup must drink it, why should you go unpunished?

Who are the innocents who must drink the cup of God's wrath? Have we, who have "become like God," also become self-appointed agents of God's wrath, pouring out the cup on those who, in our self-serving judgment deserve it, even if in God's holy judgment they do not? One could certainly find evidence enough in human history of this kind of behavior, from Abel down to the gulags and concentration camps and the contemporary holocaust of abortion.

Oh Lord, how we have sinned, taking on the "right" to judge which lives are worth living and which are not. Have mercy on us and open our eyes to what we have done and continue to do, that we might fall our our faces in horror and abject repentance for the devastation we have wrought by seizing from You the judgment that is Yours alone. Turn us from our devastating ways, that you might not have to pour on us the cup which we have poured so recklessly on those who did not deserve it.

Mark 7:6

"These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me."

Where is my heart this morning? In today's news, with the latest about the economy, the housing market, sports, Obama... Is it in my job, with thoughts about what I'll be doing when I get back to work tomorrow? Or in the sports or comics section, looking for a distraction? Where is my heart, and how do I bring it back close to the God who is Lord over my life, whether I attend to that fact or not?

Lord, draw my heart back to you. Let my worship not simply be the repetition of familiar phrases, the delight in intellectual knowledge, the subtle strutting of my abilities before friends who like the same lifestyle I do. Help me to desire You first and to do all things with an eye towards knowing and pleasing You better. Make the words of my lips be the fruit of a heart that is truly close to You, that You might be glorified.

Jeremiah 48:47

Yet I will restore the fortunes of Moab in days to come.

This is a remarkable passage, situated, as it is, at the end of a chapter filled with vivid prophecy of disaster. God has reached the end of his patience with the idolatry, brutality and pride of Moab, and they are to be destroyed in a great cataclysm of war. Yet they will be restored. Evil though they have been, God will not annihilate them completely, but will mercifully restore them as a people.

But what of those who actually endure the warfare and destruction, who flee weeping from their burning cities, who fall to the ruthless sword of the invader - what of them? How can they who are dead benefit from a restoration that happens long years later? Indeed God's justice requires a resurrection, otherwise his promises of restoration are useless to those who hear them. Only in the hope of a resurrection can those who die look to the fulfillment of the great promises that God has made to heal and restore. The promises like these of the Old Testament find their fulfillment in the resurrection of Jesus as the first fruits of all who will rise at the end. Because Jesus rose from the dead, God will restore Moab, and all who are devastated by his judgment on sin.

John 5:31-47

"If I testify about myself, my testimony is not valid. There is another who testifies in my favor, and I know that his testimony is valid."

Jesus recognizes what we have all at one time or another discovered, namely that we can talk all we want in our own defense and it will not be heard or accepted unless it is supported by the witness of another. In most situations, that witness is the heart of the listening person. If the person to whom I speak is inclined to trust me, my testimony will be valid in their eyes. But we can be deceived in either direction; trusting those who do not deserve trust and refusing to trust those who deserve it, so the fact that we accept a testimony does not make it valid. Jesus, however, had testimony in his favor that went deeper than personal trust. This testimony was found in the prophetic word, as exemplified by Moses and John the Baptist, and in his own works. God spoke of Jesus' coming and his work before he appeared on the scene, and Jesus lived and ministered in a way that showed himself to be the man of whom God was speaking. If our hearts do not assent to this testimony, this speaks not to the weakness of the witness, but the hardness of our hearts. We have failed to trust what is supremely worthy of our trust, and that is no fault but our own.

Colossians 1:15-20

He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together. And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent. For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross.

There is so much here. Jesus is so great that the language strains to catch a hint of his glory. But what struck me particularly was what this passage also says about us. We too are created in the image of the invisible God. While Jesus is firstborn, we share the family likeness, marred though it may be by sin. We have not created all things, but we are creators. As head of the church, he is not head of an alien population - a foreign potentate ruling over a subjugated people. His church is made up of people who look like him; who are family. We are redeemable by Christ because we are made in his image. He could not have become incarnated as a frog, but only as a human who shared his likeness. And we, when we are redeemed, shall be made like him, for we shall see him as he is (1 John 3:2). Like the one who spins the universe into life and holds all things together... We have no real idea yet what we will be like in glory, but this passage points us in that direction, even as it points to Jesus.

Psalm 119:41-42

Let your steadfast love come to me, O Lord,
your salvation according to your promise;
then shall I have an answer for him who taunts me,
for I trust in your word.

It is interesting that the Psalmist does not say "I trust in your word, therefore I have an answer for him who taunts me." Trust is necessary, but it alone is not enough; he needs to know God's steadfast love and faithfulness. Trust answers the negative side of our faith; when I trust God, I am not afraid that he will do anything wrong or allow me to be hurt. However trust does not motivate me to positive action; it does not drive me to speak out to others or seek to engage my faith in their lives. That happens when I have seen God in action; his saving power has reached out and touched me and I saw it. Then I speak, indeed I find it hard not to speak. "Did you see what God did? I was desperate and he acted, I was hopeless and he rescued me, I was lost and he found me, dying and he raised me to life." While trusting in God gives me the strength to answer him who taunts me, it is when I have seen God's steadfast love and salvation that I am actually motivated to speak.

But Father, I am blind indeed to your saving acts, which are all around me. You constantly deliver me and bless me and fill me and I do not see or pay no attention. Help me to attend to your never failing love, so that I may be filled with the gratitude you deserve and speak out of the fullness of my heart. May you be glorified in my speech today.

Jeremiah 40:1-4

The word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord after Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard had let him go from Ramah, when he took him bound in chains along with all the captives of Jerusalem and Judah who were being exiled to Babylon. The captain of the guard took Jeremiah and said to him, “The Lord your God pronounced this disaster against this place. The Lord has brought it about, and has done as he said. Because you sinned against the Lord and did not obey his voice, this thing has come upon you. Now, behold, I release you today from the chains on your hands. If it seems good to you to come with me to Babylon, come, and I will look after you well, but if it seems wrong to you to come with me to Babylon, do not come. See, the whole land is before you; go wherever you think it good and right to go.

There was the group of prisoners, bound in chains, ravaged by the long terrors of war, guarded by their captors, the Babylonian soldiers. Then one of the leaders of the army recognizes Jeremiah - we're not sure how - singles him out and releases him from his chains. Imagine how conspicuous he must have been, how all eyes must have turned to watch as the military leader unchained Jeremiah, talked with him, and set him free to go where he would. How bitter the people must have felt; "there goes the man who sided with the Babylonians, who betrayed our people, who urged others to defect - traitor! quisling!" And how uncomfortable Jeremiah must have felt - how awkward it must have seemed to be getting favorable attention from the captain of the enemy forces, the man responsible for burning Jerusalem and ravaging its people. Yet it was Jeremiah who was in the right and his message of judgment was God's message, one that had to be said however unpopular it was, and the chains the prisoners wore were their own fault for not listening to the message Jeremiah brought.

Sometimes we're also in a position a little like Jeremiah's. We have an uncomfortable message to bring - against abortion, sexual promiscuity, homosexual behavior, theological error, popular fad, or whatever - and it makes enemies for us even in our own community. And "strangers" come alongside to commend what we say, making us look even less like we belong to our community. Indeed, we don't really belong there any more, at least not the way we'd like to, for we belong to God first, and must speak his message even to our own people, and even if they don't want to hear it. In such a position I too often keep silent for fear of offending my community. God help me to speak - lovingly yes, humbly absolutely, recognizing that I too am a sinner of course - but frankly and clearly nevertheless, because if I keep silent, I may find myself watching my community taken away in chains by the sins they did not reject. There's no assurance they will respond well to my words (they didn't to Jeremiah), but if they fall, let it not be because I could have warned them and didn't.

John 5:16-23

Jesus calls God "my Father...". Not "our Father," or "the Father," but "my Father." No wonder the Jews tried to kill him. And how intimate the relationship he describes! "I do what I see my Father doing." It's like a kid in his father's workshop, watching his daddy's every move and copying it on his own set of smaller tools. And it's not just a little of what the Father does that Jesus copies, but everything, even raising the dead.

Is Jesus talking here about the last days, when all the dead shall be raised when the Father raises them? Or is it about his miracles? Or does the word "dead" describe all of us, people "dead in our trespasses and sins" (Ephesians 2:8), whom the Father raises constantly as He draws people to Himself? Probably all of them are in Jesus' mind as he speaks, for the Pharisees are as astonished that Jesus eats with tax collectors and sinners as that he raises Lazarus.

And this is where judgment comes in, the judgment that God has given to the Son, for when we reject the work of Jesus, we reject God's work, and we reject God Himself.

Father, help me to see and rejoice in the work that Jesus does in the world, for in doing so I bring praise to You. In Jesus' name, amen.

Psalm 119:1

Blessed are those whose way is blameless,
who walk in the law of the Lord!

The law of the Lord is the blameless way, the road on which it is blessed to walk. No potholes of corruption, no detours into rebellion, no dead-ends of ignorance - God's law safely takes us where we need to go. Those of us who have been lost on bad roads as a result of bad maps know what a joy it is to return blameless path, one that is smooth, well-lit and takes us to our desired destination. God's law is such a path for us if it is God whom we truly desire, and if we desire Him, we will know blessing as we walk in His law.

Cross-Country Trip - Summer of 2008 - Day 21

Saturday, August 2 - Today Uncle Floyd took us hiking at Franklin Delano Roosevelt State Park SW of Barnesville, and we were joined by Monta Rae’s three boys, Scott (19), Aaron (17) and David (14). After a hot and humid hike, we went swimming at a spring-fed pool in the park, and then barbequed hotdogs next to the Park Headquarters where Lynn’s mother worked for three summers during college. (Her father, A. Newton Moye, was Georgia State Parks Director around that time.)

Cross-Country Trip - Summer of 2008 - Day 20

Friday, August 1 - Our destination this day was Barnesville, Georgia, about one hour south of Atlanta, where Lynn’s mother grew up and her family has lived for many generations. Ralph and Lynn stayed with Lynn’s uncle and aunt, Floyd and Twila Moye, while the boys stayed with their son, Fred, and his family down the road. The Moyes have developed the old family farm (Redbone Farms) into a Fly-In Equestrian Community - Little Tobesofkee Creek - with 10-12-acre properties for people who have their own small planes. Their daughter, Monta Rae, and her family also live down the road.
That evening, Cousin Fred took Adam fishing at the nearby pond, where he caught his first fish, a 3-pound catfish! The next morning they went out again and Adam caught a 4-pounder (see picture). Fred prepared and cooked the fish, which we enjoyed on Sunday evening.

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Cross-Country Trip - Summer of 2008 - Day 19

Thursday, July 31 - Since we were in western Virginia near the Blue Ridge Mountains, we decided to drive part of the Blue Ridge Parkway on our way to North Carolina. The scenery was marvelous but the winding road was much longer and slower than we expected so we were late arriving at our destination, Shelby, North Carolina. (We were always trying to pack in too much each day!) Along the way we made a stop at the Blue Ridge Music Center where we were treated to some Bluegrass music.
We stayed at the home of Marywinn and Dickie Amaya, Lynn’s second cousin, where we had a great dinner and got to see their daughter, Isabel, who flew in that evening from Wyoming for a friend’s wedding, and their married son, Evan, who lives nearby.

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Cross-Country Trip - Summer of 2008 - Day 18

Wednesday, July 30 - Since we were not driving far this day, we spent the morning and early afternoon touring Mount Vernon, the home of George Washington, on the Potomac River south of DC. We were very impressed with the wonderful restoration that has been done by the Mount Vernon Ladies’ Association which began restoring the property in 1858! Half of the furnishings are original to the house as it was in 1799 and the other half are originals from the same time period.
In the afternoon we drove west to Sperryville, Virginia to spend the night with Lynn’s mother’s cousin, Demaris Miller, and her husband, Jim. We had an enjoyable evening with them and their three dogs - two Shelties (Tilly and Trooper) and an enormous German Shepherd named Thor (who at nine months wasn’t even fully grown!)

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Cross-Country Trip - Summer of 2008 - Day 17

Tuesday, July 29 - We took our leave of Rochester and headed south on US 15 toward Washington, DC. Lunch was at a small state park on a bluff overlooking the Susquehanna River. Then we made a quick stop at Gettysburg, spending only a little time in the Visitor’s Center with a drive through the battlefield. Our time was short as we were heading to Rockville, Maryland, a suburb of DC for dinner with old friends, Peter and Cheryl Rice. After a great visit with them and their children, Jared (23) and Ellie (18), we drove to Annandale, Virginia where we spent the night with John and Sandy Stait, Navigators missionaries that we have been supporting for many years. Our visit with them was brief as they were flying out the next morning for meetings in Chicago. We greatly appreciated their hospitality in hosting us despite their busy schedule.

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Cross-Country Trip - Summer of 2008 - Day 16

Monday, July 28 - Today we all piled into our van to go see Niagara Falls. When we reached the park on an island in the Niagara River, we started out by walking to the top of the falls. The island is between the Horseshoe and American Falls, giving an impressive view. Next we took the Maid of the Mist boat ride to the base of the Horseshoe Falls. Despite the ponchos they issue, we were quite soaked, but it was an experience not to be missed! The volume of water is truly impressive, especially after we learned that part of it is diverted for power generation, so you don’t even see the full force of it!
That evening Peter and Christina treated us to a nice dinner at a German restaurant in Rochester. The rainstorm we ran into on the way back from Niagara had fortunately passed, so we could enjoy dinner on the patio.

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Cross-Country Trip - Summer of 2008 - Day 15

Sunday, July 27 - This morning we went to church with Peter and Christina at North Baptist Church of Rochester. Afterwards we went for a walk along the Genesee River to see the falls.
That afternoon we drove to a beach along Lake Ontario, where some of us went swimming. Since it was right by where the Genesee River empties into the lake, the water was a lot muckier, although warmer, than Lake Michigan. In the evening we had dinner at the sidewalk tables of a nice neighborhood restaurant near Peter and Christina’s place.

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Cross-Country Trip - Summer of 2008 - Day 14

Saturday, July 26 - On to our primary destination - Rochester, New York - where we would spend three wonderful days with our oldest son, Peter, and his wife, Christina. Aside from a brief visit they made to Southern California in May, we hadn’t seen them since they headed out to Rochester a few weeks after their wedding last year. We stayed at a La Quinta Inn in Rochester, but one night Peter and Christina graciously allowed the boys to stay with them in their small flat and give Ralph and Lynn some private time.

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Cross-Country Trip - Summer of 2008 - Day 13

Friday, July 25 - Another short driving day, only as far as Mount Vernon, Ohio - NE of Columbus. Here we stayed with Bob and Theresa Kasper, old friends from our old church, First Baptist of West Los Angeles. They also have three sons, Joseph (15), Daniel (18) and David (21), but unfortunately they were all away at the time. This was especially disappointing as we wanted Nathan to meet Daniel who was born on the same day as he in the adjoining labor room at Cedars-Sinai Hospital in Los Angeles! But we had a great visit getting re-acquainted with Bob and Theresa, whom we had not seen since before Adam was born.

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Cross-Country Trip - Summer of 2008 - Day 12

Thursday, July 24 - This was one of our shortest driving days as we were only traveling as far as Fishers, Indiana (outside Indianapolis), where we stayed with Tonia and Tony Sargent. Tonia was one of Lynn’s college roommates and one of our bridesmaids. They have three sons like we do, Matt (15), Ben (19), and Tom (22), but Ben was out-of-town and we only say Tom briefly. We had a fun evening playing the "Settlers of Catan" board game with the rest of the family.

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Cross-Country Trip - Summer of 2008 - Day 11

Wednesday, July 23 - We relaxed at the Vranishes’ in the morning, doing laundry and shopping, then we all piled together into their van along with our dog, Troy, and their 90-pound Labradoodle, Rover, to go to a leash-free dog beach on Lake Michigan. Rover loved swimming, but Troy, who is not a water dog by any stretch of the imagination, studiously avoided the water and Rover - when he got out and shook off! With the wind coming off the lake, we had waves similar to our Pacific beaches, but it was quite cold. Brrrr! It was a lot like an ocean beach but without the sticky salty feel to the air or the salt-water to sting your eyes. David returned home that evening, so we got a chance to visit with him.

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