Jesus spoke passionately to his followers about returning after his death and resurrection. He pointed to a future day when the sun and moon go dark, stars fall from the sky and the heavens shake like a leaf. In the midst of the cataclysm, we’ll see the Son of Man coming in the clouds with massive power and glory.

But when? Jesus said, concerning that day or that hour, no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. Be on guard, stay awake. For you do not know when the time will come.

After 2,000 years, it’s hard to stay awake.

Jesus’s disciples took this promise seriously, as have saints ever since. But I find it hard to consider. After so long, with no sign of Jesus, why should I look to the clouds?

I watch not expectantly, but hopefully. When he does come, Jesus will send out the angels and gather his elect from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of heaven. On that day the Lord will gather his Church from far-flung lands, and a true era of peace will begin.

If Jesus returns in my lifetime I’ll be as surprised as if I woke up with my head glued to the carpet. But surprise will quickly turn to amazement and joy. While I don’t think about this teaching in my day-to-day, I still eagerly anticipate its moment of fulfillment.

Mark 13:24-37

Photo by Benjamin Salvatore

A engineer friend of mine worked for years constructing plants for the manufacturing of pharmaceuticals. Quality control is paramount. The fabrication process demands multiple levels of refinement and purification as raw materials coalesce into compounds for medicinal use. Physicians and patients expect the highest level of quality, and anything less results in scandal.

In contrast, the words we hear and use every day undergo no refinement at all. I’m guilty of spouting off thoughts better left unsaid again and again. I’m not alone, as opening up a newsfeed or social media stream clearly demonstrates.

David wrote about the braggarts and blowhards he experienced. Everyone utters lies to his neighbor; with flattering lips and a double heart they speak. May the Lord cut off all flattering lips, the tongue that makes great boasts, those who say, “With our tongue we will prevail, our lips are with us; who is master over us?”

Then he looked upward: The words of the Lord are pure words, like silver refined in a furnace on the ground, purified seven times.

The opinions we hear and the arguments we read rarely carry the sagacity necessary for a flourishing life. Often the loudest voice carries the day, and social media loves a good mob. Fortunately, a better source of wisdom exists.

The Words of the Lord are worthy of ingesting. Trust the the refinement process of the Holy Spirit. The Scriptures come to us wholesome, pure, and free from contamination. No better truths exist to heal our minds and souls, and move us to serve those around us.

Psalm 12

Photo by National Cancer Institute

A dog lopes by our house every morning, 7:30 am, up to a park where she plays fetch with her owner. Even in bitter cold the routine holds. The dog loves two things, eating and chasing balls (or rabbits). A romp outside, followed by breakfast, satisfies both.

That dog’s got a good life. Her desires are satisfied day after day, fulfilled by her faithful owner. But ultimately we can trace satisfaction of desire back to the Lord. David wrote these lines:

The Lord is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. The Lord is good to all, and his mercy is over all that he has made. You open your hand; you satisfy the desire of every living thing.

God’s mercy extends over all he has made. He satisfies the desire of each and every creature, including the dog down the street. Who cares about a dog’s desires? Along with her owner, apparently the Lord does as well.

Every good thing that dog experiences comes from the hand of God. Every bit of food and frolic the myriad of dogs in my neighborhood enjoy descends from their gracious Creator. I suppose this truth holds even for cats.

I have far more complex desires than my neighbor’s dog. Yet the Lord satisfies mine as well. Part of that satisfaction involves granting some (I enjoy a meal when I’m hungry). But another part of the process necessitates my wrestling with desires, struggling to either wait on their fulfillment, or yielding to the wisdom of holding them back.

Either way, ultimate satisfaction is found not in gratifying my appetites, but in the One who fulfills the desire of my soul. Every good thing I have comes from the hand of our gracious and merciful God. With that in mind, it’s easier to find satisfaction, which might be as simple as a romp in the park followed by breakfast.

Psalm 145:8,9&16

Photo by Kameron Kincade

Not every item I value holds true worth. After wildfires consumed so many houses in Colorado several years ago, and now watching the fires in California, I wonder what I would grab if I needed to flee from my home?

I’d pack up my computer, phone, and chargers. Make sure I have passwords for bank accounts and other important information. Then my wallet and any cash around the house. A few clothes. Finally, some photo albums. Which ones to stuff in the car, and which to leave behind?

Loads and loads of goods that felt important at the time of purchase wouldn’t make the cut. Not worthy of the limited space in the back of my Jeep.

Jacob fled from his father-in-law Laban like running from a wildfire. Laban abused Jacob’s hard work and consumed years of his labor. Jacob left with his wives and children and flocks, doing so while Laban was away.

Laban and his men caught up with Jacob a few days later. Along with running off with his daughters and grandchildren, Laban accused Jacob of stealing his household gods. After a tense exchange, and not finding the gods (cleverly hidden by Rachel), Laban relented. The two set up a pillar between them, sort of a fire line that neither would cross in anger. Then they swore an oath to seal the deal.

Laban said, May the God of Abraham and the God of Nahor, the God of their father, judge between us. Then Jacob took an oath in the name of the Fear of his father Isaac.

Jacob appealed to the Fear of his father Isaac, a term describing deep reverence and respect for God. Laban also swore by the God of Abraham. But Laban didn’t refer at all to his household gods, those images he so desperately searched for among the tents. Apparently, when it came down to a life-long promise, they were worthy of no oath.

The fire exercise makes for a good thought experiment. What would you grab as you run out the door? One thing for sure, in my haste I would pass over many items of no real value.

Which leads me to consider, what other goods or ideas or beliefs do I cling to that are actually worthy of no oath?

Genesis 31

Photo by Annie Spratt