Author: Christine Wyrtzen

When I Don’t Yet Know What I Want

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Jesus looked around and saw them following.  ‘What do you want?’ he asked them.  John 1:38 NLT

Two men were so drawn to Jesus after witnessing His baptism that they abandoned their plans and started following Him.  Jesus, sensing them behind Him, asked them, “What do you want?” 

I’m not sure they knew what it was they were seeking.  You know how it is when the Spirit of God stirs your heart and the impact is wordless, right?  You’re aware of something stirring but you can’t put words to it yet.  I believe this was what happened with these two disciples.  Jesus intrigued them both, but they didn’t fully know why.  Not yet. 

They answered Jesus.  “Where are you staying?”  In other words, we want to know where your home is because we want more time with you.  Jesus wasn’t put off.  He told them that He would take them to where he was currently living.  He was accessible then ~ and still is. 

Christianity is the only faith that is intimate.  Leaders of religious movements develop a leadership style that keeps their followers at a distance.  The bigger the movement, the more out of reach they become.  But Jesus remained accessible to the people.  His invitation was true and heartfelt.  “Come unto me, all you who are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”   It was relevant in 30 A.D., and it’s relevant now as His Spirit comes close to draw me in. 

The King of Kings and Lord of Lords has numbered the hairs of my head, has kept every tear, and engraved my face and my name on the palms of His hands.  Every promise, He has written on my heart for safekeeping.

Jesus, as you were with these two disciples, You are with me.  In many ways, I’m unaware of my vast emptiness and Your great sufficiency unless I take you up on your invitation.  Amen

Pessimist, Optimist, or Disciple of Christ?

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So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day.  For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen.  2 Corinthians 4:16-18

People are usually either pessimists or optimists, and each tends to grate against the other.  It can be a silent war, as each group polarizes the other and tries to associate with those who share their views.  It never occurred to me until the other day that both perspectives are fraught with deception.

The optimist says, “Things may be difficult, but I’m choosing to focus only on the good.”  They are the ones to assure you that everything will be fine. They are not usually comfortable with prolonged crises because of their discomfort in bearing others’ burdens over an extended period.

The pessimist says, “Things are difficult and, most likely, life will stay this way.”  They focus on the worst-case scenarios.  They become lost in the pain and struggle against God’s promises.  They crave others’ compassion, as they should, but when they don’t get enough, they become angry and withdrawn.  They do believe in heaven but propose that one must suffer until they get there. They can be prophets of doom who live to see their self-fulfilling prophecies come true.

Both live in deception.  Having the mind of Christ is the goal for each of us, as our bent toward optimism or pessimism tugs to skew the truth. What is the outlook of Jesus?

  • “Life is often painful, and I’m not afraid to feel the impact of that deeply.”
  • “Life has many seasons. There are good times, and I will be happy without apology, celebrating life.  There are hard times, and I will grieve deeply, as Jesus did.”

I want to be a compassionate truth-teller to those who suffer around me.  I will validate their pain, encouraging them to express it fully.  I won’t sing them a happy song while they weep. I will not admonish with a sermon. Instead, I will ask questions that nudge them toward God’s perspective of their lives.

Father, give me the mind of Christ in all things.  Amen

When Heaven and Earth Connect

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No eye has seen, nor ear has heard, and no mind has imagined the things that God has prepared for those who love Him.  I Corinthians 2:9

Heaven and earth are meant to connect.

  • In the Garden, there was a constant connection.  God walked on the earth with Adam. 
  • In the Tabernacle, the God of the universe made His home in the holy of holies. It was an Old Testament incarnation.
  • When Jesus came, it was a New Testament incarnation.

This connection did not end with Jesus’ ascension. We don’t need to mourn to see our God. He is not absent. He is at home in the hearts of everyone who has been adopted into His family. We are His tabernacles, and we connect ‘spirit to Spirit.’ 

God is speaking, but deaf ears don’t hear. God is shifting circumstances and fulfilling His purposes, but those insensitive to spiritual things can’t see it. Most of the world is deprived of the wonder.

Wonder and worship are what our Creator envisioned when He dreamed of us. That’s why Jesus wept for Jerusalem. He even expressed His sorrow. “If you, even you, had only known what would bring you peace on this day—but it is hidden from your eyes. You did not recognize the time of God’s coming to you.”

As Jesus sits at the Father’s right hand to pray for you and me today, perhaps He laments that we don’t always recognize Him when He comes and know His voice when He speaks.  We need not miss any holy moment. 

Jesus, make the things of heaven more real to me than tangible things. Grow my spirit so it moves and breathes with Yours. Help my connection with You resemble Your close relationship with Your Father when You lived here. Heal any spiritual dullness, deafness, and blindness. Amen.

Perspective

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There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and lived in luxury every day.  At his gate was laid a beggar named Lazarus, covered with sores and longing to eat what fell from the rich man’s table.  Even the dogs came and licked his sores.  The time came when the beggar died and the angels carried him to Abraham’s side.  The rich man also died and was buried.  In Hades, where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham far away, with Lazarus by his side.  So he called to him, ‘Father Abraham, have pity on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in agony in this fire.’  Luke 16:19-24

Lazarus lay on a stretcher. Sores covered his body, and he cringed as the dogs came and licked them. The feel of their tongue on raw flesh made him cry out in pain. His only hope was in a person who would pass by and show compassion for him. People walked inches from his stretcher, could hear his moans, smell his disease, and see his obvious frailty. How could no one have even the smallest consideration for this level of distress?

An incredibly rich man passed by him every day as Lazarus lay at the gate of the rich man’s estate. Every time the master of the estate left and then returned, he would see Lazarus. Tired of encountering him, wouldn’t he tell a servant to tend to him? Wouldn’t he instruct someone to bring out leftovers from his next party? It would cost him nothing. But instead, there was only a sneer at Lazarus’ request for crumbs. Purple linen never touched the rags of the beggar.

Ah, but how eternity changed everything. The rich man was the one in agony, suffering far more than Lazarus ever did on earth. The rich man asked for something much less than crumbs—just a drop of water. That’s all. But Lazarus could not help him. This was eternity, and God’s judgment is final.

This story serves as another reminder that God judges by the heart. In this case, the person with a heart for God was the beggar. Around the corner, it might have been different if a wealthy man had reached out to a servant for help. The main point isn’t that God despises the rich and favors the poor. God rewards those who fear Him, regardless of their wealth.

Life has many seasons.  I may be the beggar.  I may also be the rich man.  As a beggar, there is grace for every need, no matter who denies me.  As a rich man, I follow Christ, who showed me how to be a servant by laying aside his royal robes to walk the path of humiliation.

With eternity in view, I align my perspectives.  Amen

And Jesus Gave Him Back To His Mother

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As he approached the town gate, a dead person was being carried out—the only son of his mother, and she was a widow. And a large crowd from the town was with her. When the Lord saw her, his heart went out to her and he said, “Don’t cry.” Then he went up and touched the stretcher they were carrying him on, and the bearers stood still. He said, “Young man, I say to you, get up!” 15 The dead man sat up and began to talk, and Jesus gave him back to his mother. Luke 7:12-16

A dead son, an only son, was touched by Jesus. He rose to life and then ‘Jesus gave him back to his mother.’   In 2 Kings 4, Elisha laid on the dead son of a godly woman, her only son, and this boy also rose to life. The story concludes with the same line. ‘And he gave the boy back to his mother.’

There are circumstances only God can change. There are people only God can transform. There are loved ones we need to relinquish into God’s hands to do what only He can do. When He’s done, they return to us as different people.  For this mother from Nain, it wasn’t hard for her to let Jesus enter the picture. Things were desperate and death was the end of the road. But in the land of the living, we play the Savior —- trying to fix, inspire, motivate, chide —- and we don’t realize that it’s necessary to step back in order to let God step close. Loving from afar is difficult when we’ve been the caretaker. Entrusting them to Jesus’ care doesn’t seem like the most loving thing to do. His way of bringing about a yielded life is usually much more severe than ours. We like to cushion people to make their journey as easy as possible but Jesus is not so much about comfort as He is holiness. And isn’t that what we want for them? Is any divine measure too unkind if it culminates in surrender? Is any wound too bad if it is a saving wound?

For whom do I want change so badly that I stand in the way of God? Ultimately, it’s an issue of trust. Do I trust God with someone with whom I’ve been intimately involved? Wrapping my arms around a person and bringing them to the Savior in prayer is not failure on my part. It is the beginning of their redemptive story if they will just bow at the feet of Jesus.

Help us know how to apply this. People need You first, then we can love each other. Father us and help us relinquish control. Amen

What’s Behind The Light

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House of Jacob, come, let us walk in Yahweh’s light. For you have abandoned your people, the house of Jacob, because they are full from the east. Isaiah 2:5-6

Most people are drawn to the light. That’s the good news. But there are two kinds of light and one is fake. That’s the bad news. Satan masquerades himself as a god of light because he knows that if he shows us his true identity, we will be seized with fear. He must disguise himself into whatever he knows will appeal to his victims.

This is why I often encourage true believers to address this problem in prayer when praying for their families. They can restrict the enemy, with the spiritual authority they have in Christ, from putting on a demonic glitter that makes his way addicting.

Oh, the stories associated with this kind of praying! Sons have, all of a sudden, seen a girlfriend for who she is and broken up with her. Middle school children have, all of a sudden, seen the true nature of their ‘bad’ friends, and walked away from danger. A husband has, all of a sudden, seen the kind of woman he’s having an affair with and ended it. Once the demonic glitter was removed, loved ones stepped back, gasped, and came to their senses. None of us need be under the spell of false light.

Isaiah compels the people of God to turn away from the people of the east ~ the foreign and evil tribes outside their borders. What made the ‘east’ hard to resist was their ‘fullness’. With them as allies, they had access to their wealth. Horses and chariots were plentiful, gold and silver, abounded. Satan always rewards idolatry with temporary abundance.

All that glitters does not gleam with heaven’s light. All that is gilded is not godly. The propensity for self-preservation causes me to make alliances with anyone who promises to make my life better. Their offers sound generous, even loving.  But God promises to expose evil of every kind. What is veiled will be revealed. The veneer that glistens will crackle and feature what was behind it all along; something sinister and destructive.

Never have I needed more wisdom than in these last days when it’s hard to tell the church from the world. Demonic glitter abounds but if I’m willing to see the source of all the lights around me, God will show me. Once I see behind the mask, I’ll be so glad I asked for divine eyesight.

Make me uncomfortable in the presence of mask-bearers today. In Jesus’ name, Amen

When God Turns The Light On

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The directions of Yahweh are pure, enlightening the eyes.  Psalm 19:8

At creation, when there was darkness and chaos, God said, ‘Let there be light.’  He shed some light on the world and brought order. 

Do you have a situation in your life that lacks clarity?  Have you been asking God for understanding?  Once He chooses to bestow the gift of light, His influence over darkened, confused, and oppressed minds is pervasive.  He illuminates what is cloudy.  He puts a magnifying glass over the twisted strands of thread, and suddenly, we can see the steps we need to take to untangle what is knotted. 

For years, I may have struggled with a situation that seems wrong.  I’m not at peace.  I am in conflict when I think about it.  But I don’t have clarity on what it is that’s wrong.  Yesterday was one of those days that will go down in personal history.  God shed light on things that lived in the shadows.  Illumined, I could see everything clearly; today, there is a roadmap.  Yesterday, I was lost in the fog.  Today, I have discovered God’s plan.  Yesterday, I was grasping at spiritual straws.  Today, I have what I need in my hands.  Yesterday, I had faith but no enlightenment.  Today, I have hope because my prayers are precise.

The Word of God gives light to the eyes.  Today, God is going to be the Light-giver across this dark landscape.  For someone, He will cure spiritual blindness and allow them to see the light and glory of Jesus.  For someone else, He will turn the light on a concept that correctly diagnoses what has been spiritually disfigured.  For a teacher, He will enlighten a passage and give spiritual understanding for Sunday’s lesson.  For a mother, He will enlighten the spiritual condition of her child so that she can apply spiritual cures.  For a business owner, God will enlighten the discord within his company and lead him to replace worldly business strategies with scripture-based principles.

Light is a life-saving thing.  When I need it, and God gives it, I fall on my knees in gratitude.  And when He gives it, I am responsible for taking the light to the darkness and exerting spiritual rule in favor of the kingdom.

Show me what to do with what You’ve shown me.  I am Your city on a hill.  In Jesus’ name, Amen

It’s Not Always Physical!

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Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

Matthew 5: 11

When the prophets died, they were welcomed into heaven.  Jesus saw, firsthand, the joy that Isaiah, Jeremiah, and all the others experienced at their homecoming.  The same joy is predicted for us when we enter glory if we were mistreated here on earth for His sake. He told us to rejoice when we face the hardships the prophets faced because we’ll reap a future identical to theirs if we persevere through malignment, false rumors, gross misjudgments, and physical torture.

But persecution isn’t always physical.  Traumatic things often unfold when I do what is right and stand alone for it, when I speak an unwelcome truth, and when I follow my conscience. The wounds come, not because I failed, but because, by God’s grace, I was faithful.  

I’ll be excluded from groups that are uncomfortable with my passion for Jesus.  I’ll be rejected for being ‘too much’, too deep, too in love with the Word.  I’ll be isolated when hunger for righteousness is not shared and when there’s no willingness to compromise.  

If all of this resonates and makes your heart feel comforted, know this ~ We are not crazy.  We are not alone.  We are not forgotten.  We are walking the narrow path together ~ the Jesus path.  The ones the world rejects for righteousness are the very ones heaven welcomes with open arms.  What we lose for Jesus’ sake will be returned to each of us in glory.      

Help us hold fast. Amen

I Love Peace. Am I a Peacemaker?

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Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God. Matthew 5:9

I used to think I was a peacemaker. It was a shock when I realized that I wasn’t. I was too afraid to take a stand for righteousness. I despised conflict and feared rejection, so I tried to mend stress around me in any way I could. This is not what Jesus meant when he said peacemakers will be blessed.

If I’m a peacemaker, I will find myself in the center of the stress. I will stand in the tension to bring shalom to the situation. If others are enjoying making disparaging comments about someone, I will defend the one being talked about. I will try to bring gentle words to disarm the anger being expressed.  The Holy Spirit may also nudge me to express displeasure that such a lynching is taking place.

This is not easy.  People love to be angry.  Following Jesus and attempting to restore unity between offending parties can bring attacks from both sides.  It will be said that I’m not hearing them, that I don’t understand.  They might even say that I’ve betrayed them. But God’s Spirit whispers to me during the scuffle and says, “I will bless you for this.”

Jesus stood up for the outcast. He defended a woman at a dinner table who was the brunt of everyone else’s comments. And lately, I witnessed believers throw verbal stones at others. I knew all the parties involved and could discern unseen bruises. I felt Jesus’ aching heart for the ones being hurt.  As a witness, I knew I had to do something. To bring peace, I had first to bring a sword and cut unrighteousness asunder.  Although there was no great outcome, Jesus not only assured me of divine favor but also comforted me in the aftermath.

I don’t like to stand alone.  It’s not the way You created me.  But You had to do it too.  You will help me. Amen

Aligning My Heart

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Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.  Matthew 5:8

Being pure of heart doesn’t mean having a perfect heart. That’s good news because about the time I read the verse, I could feel a hopeless sense of inadequacy. I know that I’m not perfect and never will be on this earth. It would be tempting to throw up my hands. So, Jesus must be talking about something else.  Being pure in heart means ‘living with an undivided heart’.  My passions are not split between love for God and other lesser loves.  My inside world is not a divided kingdom.  By God’s grace, I live with an inner alignment where my heart is single-focused.

I feel it intensely when things aren’t right.  When my ego has crept in, when I struggle with mixed motives, when I’ve put on a disingenuous smile, I’m pretty miserable and ask the Holy Spirit for the strength to regain my spiritual equilibrium.  I long for that clear heart again.  

Knowing that it is those with an undivided heart who will see God, I find a lot of comfort in knowing that it is not the educated, nor the accomplished and admired, nor even the renowned Bible scholar, who shall see God. He reveals Himself in all of His glory to anyone who puts aside their idols and embraces Him as their one and only treasure. 

With competing idols removed, I don’t need to be impressive; I need to be true.  I don’t need to perform; I need to be authentic.  I don’t need to self-protect; I need to extend my heart when God nudges and know that He will catch me when there’s a disappointing outcome.  I don’t need to live in a civil war. Peace has been won and paid for by the blood of Jesus.  When I notice the first signs of anxiety, I will know that the kingdom inside needs attention.  If I address it and look upon the beautiful face of my Savior, soul and spirit alignment return.  

It’s so easy to be lazy, looking away, feeding wrong appetites.  Tune my heart to see You as You are until I am captivated again.  Amen