Author: Christine Wyrtzen

Our Cross Versus Satan’s Mirage

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Jesus, knowing all that was going to happen to him, went out.  John 18:4

The time for the cross is upon Jesus.  He knows it and surrenders willingly to the authorities coming to arrest him.  This is not the first time that his life has been in danger.  Numerous times before, he fled to retire for a while to some obscure place because he knew that the timing for his death was premature   Satan would have loved to tamper with God’s timetable but Jesus never allowed it.

We’re told that we will be called upon to take up our cross and follow Jesus.  However, knowing the proper time is as critical for us as it was for Jesus.  Satan brings crisis after crisis meant to overwhelm us and to bring us to destruction.  Often unaware of his tactics, we mistake painful scenarios as our time for bearing our cross rather than treating them as a mirage of the Evil One.  When we should be engaging in spiritual warfare, we retire instead, and then carry our counterfeit cross on the shoulders of immature, feeble faith.  Not able to withstand the pressure, we crumble in defeat and wonder why God wasn’t faithful to give grace in our time of need.

On the flip side, there are conflicts we should excuse ourselves from.  There are illnesses to pray against.  There are blows to our character needing a tough-love response rather than a turning of the other cheek.  Knowing when to retire or resist is critical.  God can show us what is needless pain meant to harm us and what is his cross, the cross that allows us to share in Jesus’ suffering.

If I face suffering that is in your perfect, plan, Lord, I surrender.  To all else I take up a sword of your Word against the plans of our enemy.  Amen

Picking Through My Past

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Deep calls to deep at the noise of your waterspouts; all your waves and your billows are gone over me. Psalm 42:7

The waves of trouble that passed over the head of this psalmist have, by his own admission, passed through the hands of God first. In speaking to God, he labeled them ‘your waves.’

The theological precedent is set. All the troubles of my life have also passed through the hands of God. Satan was given permission – not free reign! God ached with the evil that would ensue but triumphed in the redemption that would follow. Knowing that God was ultimately in control was a comfort and the peace of that knowledge has only grown with the years. I once feared becoming a sad old woman who never made peace with her past but today I can say, with years of hindsight, that I am struck by the kindness of God.

I can muse endlessly about my yesterdays. As I rehearse my choices, I play the ‘what if’ game. What if I had chosen differently and been spared the consequences? What if I had trusted others wisely and escaped betrayal? What if I had been born into another family and dodged the wounds of childhood? What if I had chosen another career path and done what I dreamt of doing instead of what others expected of me?

Focusing on ‘what ifs’ bring torment. I never stop to consider how each wound ultimately saved me. Each piece of suffering sent me further and further into the abyss from which there was no escape without God. To finally wrap my arms around my Savior was worth any price.

What piece of thorny history are you resenting today? Perhaps the past keeps repeating itself and you believe that you deserve what’s happened to you. Whether your suffering is due to poor choices or the result of injuries others inflicted, the results are the same. Bruises of the soul are invitations for God’s saving intervention. Every thorn is a saving thorn if it leads to the arms of God.

I don’t want to re-live any of it but I have lived long enough to see You reveal the treasures of the darkness. I wouldn’t change anything. I can trust Your sovereignty ~ past, present, and future. In Jesus’ name, Amen

Looking Where We Last Had It

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As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb. John 30:11

Jesus was last seen in the tomb, so when Mary discovers that Jesus’ body is missing, she begins her search there.

Losing someone can be frightening. Some years ago, my husband and I took our two children and Scott, the six-year-old son of some close friends, to a large amusement park for the day. I stopped to order drinks for all of us and dropped Scott’s hand to pay. When I turned to hand him his soda, he had vanished. For the next thirty minutes, there was sheer panic. Scott had wandered to the other side of the park and had asked for help from someone in uniform. We eventually recovered him in the lost and found area eating ice cream. But my point is this: The park employees suggested we begin our search around the area where he first disappeared.

This principle extends beyond what we can see. What are you missing today? Perhaps it’s the ability to trust. Where did you lose it? Go back to where you first learned to distrust. What happened? How did your beliefs about life change? We were not born distrustful. We lost trust when life’s experiences appeared to prove it invalid. As God helps us pinpoint places on our individual timelines, the events that caused us to lose trust, he holds us while we grieve, and then he slowly begins to realign our belief system. We can be whole. We can be free of childhood vows of distrust that, though they protected us for a time, are no longer expedient or necessary with God as our Father.

Oftentimes we get stuck in relational ruts and think we’re doomed to live in emotional exile. Our distrust, our cynicism, our inability to receive or give love, all these keep our hearts from thriving. God wants to heal us and he can with our cooperation. He wans to lead each of us on a search-and-rescue expedition. He designed us to live as much loved children in his kingdom. Where growth was stunted, limbs can heal and bear fruit.

One last thing. Scott is a powerful man of God, a pastor, the one seen in this picture. Some years after our incident in the amusement park, we learned that the name Scott means ‘wanderer.’

Mary’s weeping led to searching. May my tears be proactive, Lord. Amen

New Patch On An Old Coat

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Then the disciples of John came to Him, saying, “Why do we and the Pharisees fast, but Your disciples do not fast?” Jesus said to them, “No one puts a patch of unshrunk cloth on an old garment; for the patch pulls away from the garment, and a worse tear results.” Matthew 9:14,16

Don’t mix the new with the old. This is the principle behind Jesus’ words.

An old cloth shrinks considerably over time because of repeated washings. The new cloth is something that has not yet shrunk. Cut a patch out of it and get it wet, and it will shrink, pulling and tearing the old fabric.

So what doesn’t mix, according to Jesus? Religious rituals of the past and new faith in Him. Jesus came to do something entirely new by fulfilling the Law, something we couldn’t do with a pile of good works. The Law was meant to show us that we couldn’t keep it. It was not meant to turn us into kiss-ups that try to make God happy with our rule keeping.

The Pharisees were upset because they were fasting (and keeping all the other rules) but the disciples weren’t. The Pharisees were self-impressed but Jesus is impressed by those who acknowledge their sin and look to Him to make them righteous.

The Gospel is dazzling all by itself. The message is too good to be true. Sinners are forgiven; no strings attached. They are made righteous and have to do nothing to earn it. They enter into an intimate relationship with their Savior. No more priests. No more veil. But oh, how quickly something dazzling can be dulled when we add on anything that’s not supposed to be there. We put a new patch on an old coat and disfigure what is beautiful.

As a believer in Jesus, I need to keep things simple. I am a sinner, saved by grace; a woman grateful for God’s mercy. I want to share the news of this incredible gift with others, but when I do, I want them to see the Gospel in its beauty and brilliance. As soon as I add rules and expectations, mixed with a little church tradition, the Gospel is skewed and leaves a very bad taste in their mouth. What was supposed to be good news actually repelled them. May it not be.

Am I mixing the New Covenant with the stuff of the Old? Show me. Shatter all vestiges of self-righteousness. In Jesus’ name, Amen

The Extreme

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Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under His power.  He took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around His waist.  John 13:3-4
 
These are dark days.  There is something sad in the air.  Jesus talks of dying. The disciples’ dream of Jesus’ kingdom coming to pass in their lifetime is shattered.  Their group is fractured by the revelation that Judas is a traitor. There are eleven left.  They are stunned and sad.
Jesus, the ultimate communicator, doesn’t need words.  Sometimes words aren’t as effective as a physical gesture.  He connects with their hearts through an act that will astound them for years to come.  He washes their feet.
In Jesus’ time, only the lower servant in a household was given the chore of washing a guest’s foot.  Is Jesus minimizing His divinity?  No.  “The Father had put all things under His power.”  He is from eternity past and will inherit eternity future. With keen awareness of His deity, He chooses to love in the most humble way possible.  Can you close your eyes and feel the wonder? The men are incredulous, awkward, awed, and touched.  The sound of water lapping over the tops of their feet is the only sound in the room.  Jesus takes His time.  In the minutes it takes to love these men, every moment was pregnant with meaning.
This is the way Jesus says good-bye.  He chooses this act to say, “I love you.” Little do they know that a greater act will follow on a hill called Calvary.  But for now, they partake in something earthly made holy.
Jesus, I need a lifetime to comprehend how low you stooped to love me.  Give me courage to receive it.  Cleanse me from the soil of my sin.  Prepare my feet for eternity.  Amen

What Kind of Fuel Do I Burn?

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Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon son of Joh, do you truly love me more than these?”  “Yes Lord,” he said.  “You know that I love you.”  Jesus said, “Feed my lambs.”  John 21:15

Jesus asks Peter this important question, not once, but three times consecutively: “Do you love me?  Good. Feed my lambs.”  Jesus is so concerned about the welfare of His flock that He is very choosy about who he puts in charge of them.  Only a sincere love for Him will equip Peter to feed hungry lambs.

Jesus did not say, “Are you concerned about people?  Feed my lambs.”  Or, “would you like a rewarding occupation?  Fed my lambs.”   Or even, “would you like to be appreciated and respected?  Fed my lambs.”

Feeding lambs is a difficult calling.  Ask any pastor.  Some lambs are hungry and want to be fed.  Others want the food of their own choosing.  They think they know what they need, not understanding that what naturally appeals to them is deadly.  It brings self-centeredness and instability.  Then there is the small minority who comes to hear the Word and make trouble.  Because of the complexity of responses, only a love for Jesus will give shepherds the endurance and joy they need for the long haul.  If they serve for any other reason, burnout and disillusionment are inevitable.

For far too many years I gave out spiritual food while my own spirit was shriveled from lack of nourishment.  I had tried to feast on Christian education, but it was like eating sawdust after a while.  It was dry and tasteless.  Interesting facts failed to sustain my heart when hard times came.  When I finally connected to the heart of Abba, I found the feast I had been looking for.  The Word came alive, His voice made me tremble, and this constrained me to feed His daughters.

Keep my faith from becoming intellectual, Lord.  Keep me connected to you so I can feed your lambs.  Amen

Will I Miss It?

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And leaving Nazareth he went and lived in Capernaum by the sea, in the territory of Zebulun and Naphtali, so that what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled: Matthew 4:13-14

False prophets will give ‘feel good’ messages. Wanna-be prophets will give such broad predictions that the probability of them coming true is fairly certain. But, the prophecies within the Bible are specific, down to the smallest detail. Matthew told us that Jesus went to live for a brief period in Zebulun and Naphtali. That’s important because those two specific towns were prophesied in Isaiah.

The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali —the people dwelling in darkness there have seen a great light. Isaiah 9:1-2

Scripture doesn’t give us God’s reasons for moving His Son to these two small towns but from Isaiah’s details, we know that some saw His light. God opened their eyes to His glory.

God must open my eyes to the light of the glory of Christ, too. If He doesn’t, Jesus could live next door and I’d never notice. Every day, He is eager for me to see Him and I will if I’m asking and seeking.

So where is the Light to be found today? Where will I be dazzled by His glory? Where will my worship be breathless? He speaks in a passage, a verse, a promise, a song, in a nudge while in prayer. Jesus is everywhere but if I’m not tuned in, I’ll miss Him. Jesus once dwelt exclusively in the land of Zebulun and Naphtali but now His Spirit dwells in Athens, and Chicago, and in the very town where you live. He lives on your street and even in your home. As He moves and fulfills His Word all around you, can you perceive His fingerprints? Do you see traces of glory in the smallest answered prayers?

What did Jesus feel as He made His way to Zebulun in Capernaum? While He knew that some would receive Him, He also anticipated spiritual blindness. What is Jesus feeling today as He seeks to enter my world and bring the kingdom to every thought and every decision that is yet to be made? Is He filled with hope ~ knowing that my heart is open? Or is He saddened by the distractions I’ll allow to veil His presence?

Let me tell You tonight that I, indeed, ‘saw a great Light.’ Amen

How I Process The Gift

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Carrying his own cross, he went out to the place of the Skull.  John 19:17

The suffering of Jesus began before his crucifixion.  He lived with the knowledge that death was coming.  He always knew his purpose and functioned under the weight of it.  That any laughter marked his life was a miracle!  As I think about this, I realize that God is kind to me, not letting me know what tomorrow holds.

Jesus was made to carry his own cross through the streets.  His shoulders, which were torn and bleeding from the scourging he’d just received, bore the weight of this heavy cross.  Can I begin to imagine how painful every step was?  No.

If we saw our dearest family member extracted from our home and beaten out on the street by a gang of thugs, we would be traumatized for a long time.  Seeing one member take the wrath for our entire family would bring a mixture of reactions.  Anger.  Grief.  And then guilt that we were spared while our loved one suffered.

Is it any wonder that many of us don’t like to think about Jesus’ death too much?  It’s macabre material to begin with, and to know that he was innocent and did it willingly, just for each of us, makes us cringe.  How do we properly receive such a costly gift?  Not feeling worthy, we can shut down emotionally and just say our token ‘thank-you’ during Communion.  We miss out.  As we foster an intimate relationship with Jesus, we no longer look at his crucifixion forensically.  We are emotionally involved because we are connected to him.  As each nuance of his death overwhelms us, we reach out to embrace it.  It takes courage but there are two wonderful outcomes: humility and gratitude.

Jesus I will enter into your pain.  Help me fully receive the gift of your sacrifice.  Amen

Momentary Provision

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Jesus said to them, “Come and have breakfast.  John 21:12

Jesus never ceases to surprise me.  As soon as I think I have him pictured in my mind as a divine rabbi, public teacher, compassionate minister, and defender of the truth, he appears in a new way.  Today he is a culinary host.

Jesus is making breakfast for his disciples.  They are famished after a night of fishing.  Were it not for his guidance as to where they should drop their nets, they would have no food at all.

It has been a long night.  They are cold, wet, and weary.  Can you imagine how wonderful it is for them to not only see Jesus alive and well but also to smell the aroma of fish cooking over an open fire?  His care is tender and practical.

The resurrected Jesus is still alive today.  I know that in my head but my heart is still surprised when he shows up and offers me a spiritual meal.  Every morning, he calls my name.  “Christine, breakfast is ready.”  He prepares the right amount of nourishment for the day.  As soon as I catch the aroma of his meal, then close my eyes to inhale deeply, I find that I am ravenous.  Everything he creates appeals to my senses.

Though today’s banquet was more than satisfying, I have to admit that I will be hungry again tomorrow. Living here on earth takes its toll.  I am easily depleted, needing daily infusions of wisdom, love, and grace.  I can’t generate the I need on my own.  There’s no need to panic, though.  Jesus will still be tending the fire.  I can smell the fragrance of his provision.

There is no friend like you, Jesus.  You have anticipated my need for spiritual food and have already provided it.  I just need to sit down and eat.  Amen

Nothing I Can Do

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Jesus said, “It is finished.” With That, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.  John 19:30

Every climb a mountain?  The first part is often easy as you walk miles along flat terrain until the ascent begins.  The end usually requires supernatural effort as you push your muscles beyond their accustomed limits.  Standing at the summit, you declare victoriously, “I did it!”

There’s exhilaration over what you’ve accomplished.

Jesus finished the redemptive work when he spoke the words, “It is finished.” Heaven was exhilarated.  God prepared for his Son’s homecoming!  There was nothing more to be done to accomplish our salvation.  A spotless Lamb was needed to atone for sin, and Jesus was the only one qualified.  Our efforts are nullified though our relationship to sinful Adam corrupted our genetic makeup.

I once treated Jesus’ death as though it were insufficient, even though he stated otherwise.  I worked zealously to make my contribution to the redemptive cause.  I thought I could make it more complete.  I declared some of my worst acts unforgivable and refused to believe Jesus when he said, “You’re fully forgiven.  Dance with joy!”  Seeing myself as guilty, I labored feverishly to earn the rest of my salvation. I burned out for the cause of Christ, believing that he required it of me so my sin would be paid in full.  What a tragedy.  Radical forgiveness and complete restoration was mine to embrace.

You did it all, Jesus. You died so I wouldn’t have to.  Your blood was payment for all my sins and I was meant to walk out of sins’s prison as a free woman.  Amen