Speaking of Life 5050 | Expect the Unexpected
Greg Williams

We typically don’t like the unexpected. We don’t like it when our car unexpectedly refuses to turn over, or our computer unexpectedly crashes. Worse, an unexpected loss of employment creates great turmoil and loss of personal confidence. And we certainly don’t like unexpected health difficulties. But these are the realities we face, and we quickly learn to expect the unexpected along with all the frustration and heartache it can bring.

However, not all things unexpected are bad. An unexpected gift or raise can turn a sour day around in a hurry. I’m sure we can all remember with joy some unexpected blessing that came our way, large or small.

So, here’s a question. What should we expect from the Lord? Is he full of unexpected surprises?

The biblical witness seems to present… well, an unexpected answer to that question. We are presented with a God who is unchanging, yet, at the same time, full of unexpected surprises.

Listen to Psalm 107 the paradox of God’s unchanging nature described by images of unexpected natural events.

“Let them thank the Lord for his steadfast love, for his wondrous works to the children of man! Let them extol him in the congregation of the people, and praise him in the assembly of the elders.

He turns rivers into a desert, springs of water into thirsty ground, a fruitful land into a salty waste, because of the evil of its inhabitants. He turns a desert into pools of water, a parched land into springs of water. And there he lets the hungry dwell, and they establish a city to live in; they sow fields and plant vineyards and get a fruitful yield.”

Psalm 107:31-37 (ESV)

It’s interesting how the psalmist refers to the Lord’s steadfast love but then equates that steadfastness with images of great reversals. It appears that the Lord is steadfast in bringing the unexpected. But did you notice the direction of the unexpected? It was always for blessing. We can expect the rivers of evil to run dry, while also expecting the deserts of his children to become fruitful.

With God, there is always good news ahead. Rivers run dry, but he refills them. Deserts become springs of water. Sinners become believers and followers of Christ. It’s easy to look around and get discouraged at the state of the world, so Jesus tells us to lift our eyes and gaze upon him. He is the restorer of all things. He is the one who works his blessings in unexpected ways.

As we wind down the season of Ordinary Time and enter the season of Advent, let’s continually look to him and learn to expect the unexpected. Ordinary Time ends with Christ the King Sunday – and no one expected the King of kings to enter our world as he did. God loves to surprise with the unexpected – it’s part of the mystery of who he is. 

I’m Greg Williams, Speaking of Life.

Living Ready for the Kingdom

Anyone who has waited for someone they love knows the quiet tension of anticipation.
A light left on in the window. A table set in expectation. A watchful glance toward the road, wondering when the long-awaited arrival will finally come.

Waiting can be difficult, but it can also be meaningful. When we know someone important is coming, the waiting itself begins to shape how we live.

Jesus spoke often about this kind of readiness.

At the center of Jesus’ teaching is a simple yet profound command: to love the Lord with all our heart, soul, and mind, and to love our neighbor as ourselves. In these words, Jesus reveals the very heart of God’s kingdom.

Faithfulness is not measured by outward appearance or religious performance. It is seen in lives shaped by love.

And the one who calls us to this way of life is more than a teacher. Jesus reveals himself as the promised Son of David and the true Lord, the King whose kingdom is breaking into the world.

The kingdom begins with love for God and love for neighbor.

As his ministry drew toward its final days, Jesus spoke with clarity and urgency about the life of the kingdom. He challenged religious leaders whose outward appearances hid hearts that had grown distant from the compassion and justice of God.

True faith, he reminded his listeners, is not measured by appearances or titles. It is seen in humility, sincerity, and a life shaped by love.

The kingdom calls us to lives of integrity and compassion.

Jesus then turned his attention to the future. Through a series of stories, he described a time when the Son of Man would come again in glory. His words were not meant to create fear or speculation, but to awaken faithful living.

In one story, bridesmaids wait with lamps burning, prepared for the arrival of the bridegroom.
In another, servants are entrusted with resources and asked to use them wisely while their master is away.

These stories remind us that the kingdom is not something we passively wait for. It is something we actively participate in as we live with faithfulness, wisdom, and trust.

Faithfulness is formed in the ordinary moments of life.

Finally, Jesus paints a powerful picture of the coming kingdom where the true measure of faithfulness is revealed in acts of compassion.

Those who welcomed the stranger, fed the hungry, and cared for the vulnerable discover that in serving others, they were serving Christ himself.

The kingdom of God is not only about what we believe.
It is revealed in how we live, how we love, and how we reflect the heart of Christ in the world.

The kingdom becomes visible through love in action.

These teachings invite us to live with a sense of holy attentiveness. The future kingdom of God is certain, and its reality is already shaping the present.

So we live with hope.
We live with humility.
And we live with readiness.

The King is coming, and his kingdom is already at work among us.

³⁷ Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ ³⁸ This is the first and greatest commandment. ³⁹ And the second is like it:

‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ ⁴⁰ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”

Matthew 22:37-40

Jesus reminds us that life in the kingdom is rooted in love and expressed through faithful living. In the passage that follows, we hear the words that reveal the heart of God’s kingdom and the way Jesus calls his followers to live.

As we continue exploring the Gospel of Matthew, may we grow into lives shaped by the love of Christ. And as we await the fullness of his kingdom, may our lives reflect the humility, faithfulness, and compassion of the King we follow.

Speaking of Life 5048 | No Exception to the Rule
Greg Williams

The Main Ingredient was an American soul and R&B band best known for their hit song, “Everybody Plays the Fool.” Although the song is about unrequited love, its refrain alone speaks to us all.

“Everybody plays the fool sometime
There’s no exception to the rule”

That’s hard to argue with. I’m sure we can all remember some scenario of being played a fool. It comes with a feeling of shame and embarrassment along with the real cost we had to pay for falling for some deceitful scheme. An experienced con artist or unscrupulous salesperson has claimed many a victim with their devious tactics. Sooner or later, the song will prove to be true, “Everybody plays the fool sometime.”

However, for the Christian, we know the song is not completely true. There does stand among us one “exception to the rule.” And that exception is our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Jesus knew we would be no match for the deceit and fraud of the devil. So, he stands in for us as the one who does not play the fool.

One Gospel story illustrates this with Jesus being put in a no-win spot. It begins with the Pharisees and the Herodians conspiring together; these are two groups who are typically opposed to one another. They device a trick question about paying the Roman tax that will put Jesus walking a tightrope between the Roman authorities and the Jewish people.

After an attempt to butter Jesus up with flattery, they lay out their trick question. Let’s listen in to see how Jesus answers:

“Tell us, then, what you think. Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not?” But Jesus, aware of their malice, said, “Why put me to the test, you hypocrites? Show me the coin for the tax.” And they brought him a denarius. And Jesus said to them, “Whose likeness and inscription is this?” They said, “Caesar’s.” Then he said to them, “Therefore render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” When they heard it, they marveled. And they left him and went away.”
Matthew 22:17-22 (ESV)

Notice first that Jesus was not tricked. He was aware of their intent to trap him. We often only become aware by hindsight. He then calls them out for who they are, “hypocrites.” Jesus is not afraid to call out those who yield power and influence.

Jesus has answered in a way that avoids being accused of subversion to the Roman empire, while at the same time affirming the Jewish belief of the allegiance that only belongs to the One in whose image they are made.

And he does all this while presenting us with the choice we must all make. Do we give ourselves over to the manipulating, and deceitful ways of this world, or do we give ourselves to Jesus, God’s own Son who is our High Priest?

In the end, we can trust that our High Priest will walk back all the former times that we played the fool, redeeming us and leaving us in amazement as well. And on this note the song rings true: There’s no exception to the rule.

I’m Greg Williams, Speaking of Life.

Speaking of Life 5047 | Acknowledging God’s Faithfulness
Cara Garrity

Last year I adopted two golden retriever puppies, Bumi and Zuko. One of the most endearing things they do is greet me with all their excitement when I return home. They’ll run up to me wagging their tails, then run around looking for toys to bring me. Sometimes I’ll even let them be a little naughty and jump on me in their excitement.

On the flip side of their warm welcomes home, they struggled for many months whenever I left. Sometimes they would bark for up to ten minutes after I left the house before they settled down. Bumi would even start whining and barking if I walked into the other room. They became anxious when they couldn’t see me. It took them some time for them to learn that I would always return – I will never abandon them.

There is a story in the book of Exodus where Moses goes up to Mt. Horeb to meet with God. It seems to the Israelites that Moses is taking his sweet time and so they start to grow restless. Perhaps, something has happened to him, they wonder.

In the 106^th Psalm, the psalmist writes a song about this, highlighting the failure of the Israelites to trust God, despite all that he had previously done for them.

At Horeb they made a calf and worshipped an idol cast from metal. They exchanged their glorious God for an image of a bull, which eats grass. They forgot the God who saved them, who had done great things in Egypt, miracles in the land of Ham and awesome deeds by the Red Sea. Psalms 106:19-22

Rather than waiting for Moses to return, the Israelites decided to take matters into their own hands. They created a false image of God and his character rather than trusting in God’s unchanging continual care for them.

In times of uncertainty, we can become anxious. We may be tempted to trust in things that we find around us to give us comfort. We look to created things rather than to our Creator for hope and meaning but our true comfort comes from Christ and his continual commitment to us.

Have you possibly fashioned idols in your life while growing impatient in seeing God work in and through you?

Remember when God has shown himself faithful to you. Where you have seen his provision, his grace, and his deliverance from difficult circumstances.

Return to these altars as memorials that the Father sees you, he sees Christ in you, and you in Christ. You never have to fear his return as he has promised to never leave you in the first place, but promises to live with you, and in you, by his Spirit.

Go ahead, feel elated, and jump up on the Master of your soul. Let him know how glad you are to know that you can trust in his continual faithfulness.

I’m Cara Garrity, Speaking of Life.

Speaking of Life 5046 | Trash and Treasure
Greg Williams

You’ve heard the phrase, one man’s trash is another man’s treasure. There are numerous stories of people purchasing something at a rummage sale that proved to be quite valuable. I collect coins, and I’ve been fortunate to find a few coins that someone else has discarded because they didn’t see the value in the coin.

Jesus tells a parable to a group of chief priests and Jewish elders about people destroying something valuable because they didn’t know its worth. In this parable, the thing of value is a person. The parable is in Matthew 21 , and Jesus talks about a landowner who built a vineyard and then leased the vineyard to some tenants. When harvest time came, he decided to send some servants to collect his portion of the harvest. The tenants killed the servants. He sent more servants, and they killed them as well. Finally, he decided to send his son, saying, “They will respect my son.” But the tenants killed the son as well. Jesus then asked these religious leaders the following:

Now when the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those tenants?” They said to him, “He will put those wretches to a miserable death and lease the vineyard to other tenants who will give him the produce at the harvest time.”

Jesus said to them, “Have you never read in the scriptures: ‘The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone; this was the Lord’s doing, and it is amazing in our eyes’? “Therefore I tell you, the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people that produces its fruits. 

Matthew 21:40-43 (NRSVUA)

Jesus’ parable, of course, is a summary of God’s relationship with Israel and Judah. He sent a number of prophets to his beloved people to encourage them to return to him, and these prophets were often tortured and killed. The religious leaders were quite familiar with their history. Jesus was letting them know that he knew his future, that he would be killed by the very people God chose so many generations before. And shortly after delivering this parable, the Jewish leaders did just what the parable predicted, they killed the one sent to deliver them.

And the rest of Jesus’ words also came to pass. Killing Jesus did not bring them the victory they might have anticipated, instead, it started a kingdom work that is still going and still growing.

Beginning with Abraham, God gave the opportunity to a few to participate with him in showing others who he truly is – a Father who loves his children. Later he chose the nation of Israel and told them they were chosen to be a kingdom of priests and a holy nation. We know the history. They continued to rebel and disobey God to the point that they rejected the very Son of God and crucified him.  

In this parable, Jesus is telling them they are no longer the ones God entrusts to share his kingdom’s message of mercy and grace. Now the message has been entrusted to those who believe – Jew and Gentile, slave and free, male and female – all who believe and follow Jesus. 

Others may look down on us because of whom we follow; they don’t see the value of being a believer. They might see what they consider trash. But God sees treasure, and he has invited you and me to participate in his kingdom work – sharing the love and life of Jesus with others. May we live as the treasured of God and bear the kind of fruit that brings glory to him.

I’m Greg Williams, Speaking of Life.

Speaking of Life 5045│ Undercover Jesus
Michelle Fleming

There’s a TV show called Undercover Boss.  Maybe you’ve watched it before. The show revolves around a high-ranking executive or business owner who goes undercover as an entry-level employee in their own company, taking an alias, changing their appearance, and making up a back story. These undercover bosses work in different locations with their unsuspecting employees, and they learn a lot about their own business and their employees.

If we think about Jesus’ incarnation, we might compare it to God showing up in an unexpected way. No one would suspect a craftsman from Nazareth with his questionable parentage and birth story. In Matthew 21, an altercation between the chief priests, elders, and Jesus shows us  that they almost blew his cover:

When he entered the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people came to him as he was teaching and said, “By what authority are you doing these things, and who gave you this authority?”  Jesus said to them, “I will also ask you one question; if you tell me the answer, then I will also tell you by what authority I do these things.  Did the baptism of John come from heaven, or was it of human origin?” And they argued with one another, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ he will say to us, ‘Why, then, did you not believe him?’  But if we say, ‘Of human origin,’ we are afraid of the crowd, for all regard John as a prophet.”  So they answered Jesus, “We do not know.” And he said to them, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I am doing these things.”
Matthew 21:23-27 (NRSVUE)

It might be more accurate to say that they did figure out he was the Son of God undercover, but if they acknowledged that, they might lose their power and authority over the people. Undercover Jesus was not the Messiah they had expected. He didn’t look rich or powerful, and he certainly didn’t exert his authority over the common person as they did. Jesus went out of his way to disrupt their authority. So when Jesus asked them where John got his authority to baptize, they lied and said they didn’t know.

Jesus learned a lot about his people that day, just like undercover bosses learn what it is like to walk a day in their employees’ shoes – their joys and their struggles. The chief priests and elders let their expectations blind them to the Son of God standing right in front of them. Jesus taught that those who repented and turned back toward their Father would be first in the Kingdom of God, while those who stubbornly resisted divine love wouldn’t understand the peace and joy that was theirs all along.

Think about the expectations we have for the way God shows up in the world. Do we resist the peace God wants us to have because we think God should show up in our lives in a certain way? Holding fast to expectations doesn’t allow for the mystery of God to unfold in our lives in the way God deems best. We need to let God do his work in our lives because we can trust that whatever he is doing is for our good. God may be working undercover in ways that are far beyond anything we could imagine.

May we let go of expectations that keep us captive to unhelpful thoughts about the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Instead, may we be open to the mystery, love, joy, and peace of God.        

I’m Michelle Fleming, Speaking of Life.

Speaking of Life 5044 | God’s Generosity
Greg Williams

I grew up in apple country. My grandparents and my parents owned apple orchards, and each year we would hire laborers during harvest time to pick and pack apples. We paid a fair wage, and we rarely had trouble finding laborers. Sometimes a worker had to leave early or start late for some unforeseen reason, and I sometimes saw my dad or my grandfather pay them a full day’s wage anyway. Still, I’m not sure I ever saw them do the practice we read about in the book of Matthew.

In chapter 20, Jesus tells an interesting parable to illuminate the kingdom of God. He spoke about a landowner who sought to hire workers to labor in his vineyard. Similar to when I was young, day laborers at that time would gather at a central location and wait to be hired. The landowner hired his first batch of apple-pickers early in the morning, around 6:00, and agreed to pay them a denarius, which was the typical daily wage for work like this. He went out and hired workers at 9:00, 12:00, 3:00, and 5:00. When evening came, the landowner decided to pay all of the workers, starting with the last hired. Seeing that the landowner paid those hired at 5:00 a denarius, those hired first expected to be paid more. When they also received a denarius, they began to complain. Those hired at 5:00 only worked one hour yet were paid the same wage as those who worked for 12 hours in the hot sun. In Matthew 20, we read the interesting response of the landowner in Jesus’ story: 

But he answered one of them, “I am not being unfair to you, friend. Didn’t you agree to work for a denarius? Take your pay and go. I want to give the one who was hired last the same as I gave you. Don’t I have the right to do what I want with my own money? Or are you envious because I am generous?”
So the last will be first, and the first will be last.
Matthew 20:13-16

A lot is going on in this story. The one central lesson is that God, the landowner is good, gracious, and generous to all of his servants. This is the triune God’s nature, all the time.

The concept of human fairness is brought into question. How can a laborer who worked just one hour get the same pay as a laborer who worked 12 hours? The story is not really about labor laws and fair wages. It is about a personal God who offers grace and salvation to all.

Let me ask a strange question – “Are grace and salvation better for me than they are for you?” There are no degrees of separation, and Jesus’ teachings always deflate the notion of a competition or contest.

The landowner has space and rewards for all. As Jesus assured his followers, “In my house are many mansions.”

I’m Greg Williams, Speaking of Life.

Speaking of Life 5043│Too Good to Be True
Jeff Broadnax

You’ve probably experienced a situation that just didn’t make sense to you. It was too good to be true, and you weren’t sure if you should believe it. Well, you’re in good company because Jesus shared a parable in Matthew 18 about God’s way of moving in the world that definitely sounds too good to be true.

The story begins with a slave in debt to a king for a lot of money, and he couldn’t pay it back. When the slave acknowledged his inability to repay and asked for more time, the king had a surprising response. Let’s read it together:

The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his slaves. When he began the reckoning, one who owed him ten thousand talents was brought to him, and, as he could not pay, the lord ordered him to be sold, together with his wife and children and all his possessions and payment to be made. So the slave fell on his knees before him, saying, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you everything.’ And out of pity for him, the lord of that slave released him and forgave him the debt. But that same slave, as he went out, came upon one of his fellow slaves who owed him a hundred denarii, and seizing him by the throat he said, ‘Pay what you owe.’ Then his fellow slave fell down and pleaded with him, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you.’ But he refused; then he went and threw him into prison until he would pay the debt.
Matthew 18:23-30 (NRSVUE)

If we look at the context of this parable, we see it’s a response to Peter’s question about how many times he was required to forgive someone. Though we don’t know why the first slave behaved as he did, we might speculate that his reaction was selfish human nature, accepting the forgiveness of his own debt, but being unwilling to do that for others.

We also could speculate that the first slave was afraid and didn’t trust the king. The slave couldn’t believe the forgiveness was true, and so he reacted out of fear. He terrorized those who owed him money because he didn’t believe the king would treat him so graciously.           

From this story, we might deduce that this slave didn’t know the king’s character, and as a result, he didn’t trust him. He wasn’t sure the king would keep his word about the forgiven debt. As a result, he transmitted his fear about his financial matters to those who owed him money, and he behaved as if his debt was not taken care of.

This parable from Jesus gives us a chance to consider how we feel about forgiveness. Do we believe we’re forgiven for our sins and brought into a loving relationship with the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit? If we do, then that belief will inform our relationships with others.

When we grasp that we’re known and loved despite our shortcomings, we’re more willing to love and accept others despite their shortcomings. Instead of acting selfishly or transmitting fear and behaving as if we have to earn the right to be forgiven, loved, and included, we can relax into the loving arms of God.

It might seem too good to be true, but if we believe Jesus came to show us God’s heart for humanity, we know we can trust that we’re forgiven and in the right relationship with God. And when something is that good, we have to pass it on to others. Rather than transmitting fear, we lovingly extend grace and forgiveness to others, trusting that there are some things that aren’t too good to be true. This helps them understand that they are also under the Father’s forgiveness.

May we believe in God’s goodness and love, trusting that it’s not too good to be true, knowing we’re forgiven, and extending the same grace to others.

I’m Jeff Broadnax, Speaking of Life.

Speaking of Life 5042 | Jesus Heals Relationships
Greg Williams

Human beings were created and designed for relationships. God made us not only with the capacity to relate to him and each other but with the need to connect to thrive. Despite these truths, human beings often do things that disrupt our relationships. Even when we have the best intentions, we can hurt each other. And we respond to that hurt in different ways. Some of those ways are healthy, and some of those ways can perpetuate a cycle of harm. It is no wonder that Jesus instructed his followers on how we are to respond when fellow believers cause harm. Let’s read from Matthew 18:

If another member of the church sins against you, go and point out the fault when the two of you are alone. If the member listens to you, you have regained that one. But if you are not listened to, take one or two others along with you, so that every word may be confirmed by the evidence of two or three witnesses. If the member refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if the offender refuses to listen even to the church, let such a one be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector. Truly I tell you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven. Again, truly I tell you, if two of you agree on earth about anything you ask, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven. For where two or three are gathered in my name, I am there among them.”
Matthew 18:15-20 (NRSV)

Jesus outlined a step-by-step process for how to deal with relational conflict that is very helpful from a practical standpoint. Additionally, Jesus’ teaching provides two spiritually important truths about God. First, person-to-person relationships are important to him. He is concerned about how we connect to each other. Second, God wants to see disrupted relationships restored and he takes an active role in healing our relational wounds. This does not mean that believers can expect every hurt to be healed and every broken relationship mended in this life. However, we can expect God to help us do our part to be at peace with all people.

This is good news for those of us who live in a world that often seems so divided. If we create room for him in our relationships, Jesus will show up in our squabbles, grudges, and estrangements and provide healing. He desires to be in our midst when we sit down to reconcile with a neighbor who has harmed us. In fact, when we prayerfully seek God’s help, the Holy Spirit will help us see our neighbor as Christ would see that person and treat that person as Jesus would treat them. This changes the dynamic of the relationship and puts the relational conflict in perspective. Jesus is the restorer of all things — even broken relationships.

I’m Greg Williams, Speaking of Life.

Speaking of Life 5041│Christ, Conqueror of My Soul
Cara Garrity

The English poet, William Ernest Henley, was an avowed atheist. You might recognize his name from his famous poem entitled, “Invictus.” Invictus is Latin for “Unconquered.”

Several generations of high school and college students have had this poem quoted to them at their graduation ceremonies around the world.

The last line of this poem boasts this:

It matters not how strait the gait,  

how charged with punishments the scroll,

I am the master of my fate,   

I am the captain of my soul.¹

Many have risen to their feet with applause upon hearing this inspiring declaration. I wonder how these words fall on your ears. Do they make you want to go out and conquer the world?

While we mortal beings do possess great power and can achieve a great many things, are we truly the masters of our own fate, the captains of our own souls?

In his gospel, Matthew records Jesus’ stinging rebuke to one of his closest disciples. After hearing from Jesus that he was going to suffer and die, Peter challenged Jesus to be the master of his own fate, the captain of his soul.

Jesus stopped that train of thought and informed Peter in no uncertain terms that he didn’t have the things of God in mind. Following those words, Jesus clarifies where true life is found – by following him.

Then Jesus said to his disciples, “whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it. What good will it do for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul?”
Matthew 16:24-26

Jesus makes it clear to his disciples, and to us, that as his followers, we must die to our self-will. Entering into life with Christ, opens us to experience his love and the greater reality of his kingdom.  Captived by Christ we realize that our longings and desires are met through participating with him in drawing humanity into the Father’s loving embrace. We trade our self-generated ideas of glory in for giving him the glory trusting he is working for our good.

We must die to the very idea of being the masters of our own destinies. Someone else is in charge, and that someone is Jesus. He is the One who entered into our suffering, conquered our souls with the Father’s love, and who through the leading of the Holy Spirit brings us into a destiny that is far greater than one who we could ask for or imagine.

In response to Henley’s “Invictus”, Dorothy Day penned her poem, entitled “Conquered”. The opening line states:

Out of the light that dazzles me,                                    

bright as the sun from pole to pole,                                        

I thank the God I know to be,                                             

for Christ-the conqueror of my soul.²

Captivated by Christ may you trade your self will for the glorious destiny he has in store for all of humanity.

I’m Cara Garrity, Speaking of Life.

1) Invictus by William Ernest Henley | Poetry Foundation

2) www.desiringgod.org/articles/invictus-redeemed

Exodus: Freedom and the Presence of God

Sometimes the most important moments in life feel like standing at a doorway. Behind you is the life you have always known. Ahead lies a future you cannot yet see.

The book of Exodus tells the story of a people standing at such a threshold. It is the story of a God who opens a path from bondage to freedom and leads his people into a new life shaped by his presence.

God hears the cries of an oppressed people and moves with compassion and power to bring them out of slavery and into a new life.

Through Moses, God confronts the powers that hold his people captive. The plagues reveal that the God of Israel is not distant or indifferent. He is the living Lord who sees suffering and acts to bring deliverance.

When the people pass through the waters of the sea and step onto dry ground, they discover that freedom is not simply escape from oppression. It is the beginning of a relationship.

God rescues his people so they can belong to him.

In the wilderness, God begins forming his people into a new kind of community. At Mount Sinai, he gives them his covenant and his law. These instructions are not meant to burden them, but to guide them into a life that reflects God’s justice, mercy, and holiness.

The law becomes a way of learning how to live as a people shaped by God’s character.

Freedom leads to a life shaped by God’s ways.

But the story of Exodus goes even deeper. At its heart is not only freedom or instruction, but the presence of God himself.

God tells his people to build a tabernacle so that he may dwell among them. The Creator of heaven and earth chooses to live in the midst of his people, guiding them through the wilderness and forming them into a community that reflects his glory.

God’s deepest desire is to dwell with his people.

The story of Exodus reminds us that God’s work of salvation is not only about rescue. It is about relationship. The God who brings his people out of bondage also leads them forward into a life shaped by his presence.

The journey of Exodus shows us a God who hears, rescues, and remains with his people. In the passage that follows, we hear the words that reveal God’s heart and his promise to dwell among those he has redeemed.

¹⁴ The Lord replied, “My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.”

¹⁵ Then Moses said to him, “If your Presence does not go with us, do not send us up from here. ¹⁶ How will anyone know that you are pleased with me and with your people unless you go with us? What else will distinguish me and your people from all the other people on the face of the earth?”

¹⁷ And the Lord said to Moses, “I will do the very thing you have asked, because I am pleased with you and I know you by name.”

Exodus 33:14-17

May we remember that the God who delivers his people is also the God who walks with them. And may our lives reflect the freedom, trust, and hope that come from living in his presence.

Speaking Of Life 5039 │ God Redeems our Misfortunes
Heber Ticas

When James Clear was in High School, he was accidentally struck in the face by a classmate’s baseball bat. The injury was so severe that he almost died at the hospital. After his horrific injury, James had a long road to recovery.

A year after the accident, James fell behind his teammates, but during his junior year he made it on the junior varsity baseball team. The next year they put him on the varsity team, but he saw almost no playing time.

James decided to find out how he could make improvements to his game. He studied everything he could find about making small daily habits that would eventually help him to succeed.

By his junior year in college, he not only played on his varsity team, but he also became the team-captain, and was named as an Academic All-American.

James became passionate about sharing his results with others and started writing a series of articles for major publications. His writings were read by coaches of various professional sports leagues, who in turn, shared those articles with their players.

His book, Atomic Habits, became a #1 New York Times bestseller which has inspired millions. He states none of this would have been possible without the tragedy that befell him on the baseball field.¹ 

The Bible records a similar success story of a boy who had to overcome his own tragedy. Out of jealousy, his brothers threw him into a pit and then sold him to slave merchants who sold him to Egypt.

As Joseph grew, he found favor in Pharoah’s household. He even becomes one of the most powerful individuals in the land.

Years later, during a famine, Joseph’s brothers come to Egypt for grain. When they arrive, they are brought before Joseph and don’t recognize him. Joseph recognizing his brothers, decided to play a little game with them. Ultimately, he couldn’t contain his emotions and he revealed who he is.

Then Joseph said to his brothers, “Come closer to me.” And they came closer. He said, “I am your brother, Joseph, whom you sold into Egypt.  And now do not be distressed or angry with yourselves because you sold me here, for God sent me before you to preserve life.
Genesis 45:4-5 (NRSVUE)

Despite the tragedies he went through, because of God’s intervention, Joseph was able to accomplish great things. If Joseph had just lived his life without his trials, he wouldn’t have ended up in the position to be a blessing to so many people.

Joseph recognized how God used his life circumstances to prepare him for leadership. As he gave God praise for his plan, wisdom, and graciousness. Joseph also learned to hold no bitterness towards those who were responsible for his trials.

Most of us have probably encountered events that caused us to feel helpless. Situations where we ended up thinking there can’t possibly be anything good that comes from this. However, we can look back and see that God did make something good out of the situation. What once felt hopeless, turned to another reason to praise God.

Maybe you are going through something difficult right now. Acknowledge that God is greater than your situation. Ask him to help see you through whatever it is that you are facing, all the while trusting that his intentions for you are always wise and loving.

Mi nombre es Heber Ticas, Hablando de Vida.

1) James Clear: “Atomic Habits” An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones: (New York, NY: Avery, An Imprint of Penguin Random House LLC, 2018)

Speaking of Life 5038 | Remembering Salvation
Greg Williams

Have you ever had your memory save you?

For example, you find yourself locked out of your house and after hours of trying to find a way in you finally remember that you left a spare key hidden in the flower bed. Or, you have a flash of panic in the security line at the airport when you discover that your wallet is not in your back pocket. But then you recall that you chose to pack it in your carry-on for safekeeping. Or perhaps you wake up fearing you have overslept because you forgot to set your alarm only to have your wife or husband remind you that it’s a holiday.

You may never have found yourself in one of these exact scenarios, however, I imagine you have had similar experiences where your memory bailed you out of a tense situation. Of course, we realize it wasn’t really our memory that saved us, rather it was that hidden key, misplaced wallet, or forgotten holiday that amounted to our rescue. But what an important role our memory played. What we needed most in those moments we already had, but when forgotten, we were left in fear, anxiety, and panic.

I think it is safe to say that this is very similar to our lives of faith. We have been saved by our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. That’s a fact that cannot be taken away. He is everything we need, and we never need to fear that he leaves or forsakes us. However, when we forget his saving presence, we experience fear and anxiety. In those moments, what we need most is to remember who Jesus is and what he has done for us. Either we are reminded of what the Lord has said to us in his word, or a fellow believer reminds us of the good news we have in Christ. It’s these constant reminders that chase away our fears and worries and help us return to the peace and joy held out to us in Jesus.

Unfortunately, we are very forgetful creatures. But thankfully, we have been given God’s word in scripture and a community of brothers and sisters in Christ to worship with as a way of remembering over and over the extraordinary good news of who our Father is and what he has done for us in his Son Jesus by the Holy Spirit.

Listen to the interplay of worship and remembering that leads to rejoicing in this Psalm:

“Oh give thanks to the LORD; call upon his name; make known his deeds among the peoples!
Sing to him, sing praises to him; tell of all his wondrous works!
Glory in his holy name; let the hearts of those who seek the LORD rejoice!
Seek the LORD and his strength; seek his presence continually!
Remember the wondrous works that he has done, his miracles, and the judgments he uttered,
O offspring of Abraham, his servant, children of Jacob, his chosen ones!”
Psalm 105:1-6 (ESV)

This exhortation to worship and remember is echoed throughout scripture. Jesus gave us the communion sacraments so that we would remember. May we continue to remind one another of the good news we have in Christ Jesus as we worship together and make witness of his wondrous works.

I’m Greg William, Speaking of Life.