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What can I do when I face injustice?

/ Anthea Kotlan / Leave a comment

In the summer of 1994, my family was locked in a legal battle in a Houston courtroom with a powerful car manufacturer. Images of David and Goliath sprung to my mind, but our lawyer had no smooth stones or slingshot. His arguments were not enough to cause a jury to vote in our favor. Four long years after my sister was killed, no justice was served.

Once the shock wore off, sadness settled in, and we all went back to the business of grieving her death all over again and caring for her young children.

When faced with injustice, what does God call me to do?

We are called to praise God 

1 We praise you, God, we praise you, for your Name is near; people tell of your wonderful deeds.
(Psalm 75:1 NIV)

Psalm 75 begins with thanksgiving and praise for God’s sovereign rule.

This is counterintuitive to society’s expectations. Many of us have been influenced to believe that we don’t praise until we gain a victory.

Sharing testimonies of God’s wonderful deeds encourages other believers, and in a sense, sharing stories of God’s faithfulness reveals his work. God is always right there beside me, but I often need reminders of his presence. I become distracted by my daily stresses and lose sight of his work in my life. We need to remind one another of God’s continuous gracious interventions, especially when facing injustice.

Praising God does not deny the current circumstance, but it does remind my heart of God’s faithfulness to me and those I love.

We are called to be watching for God’s justice

2 You say, “I choose the appointed time; it is I who judge with equity.
3 When the earth and all its people quake, it is I who hold its pillars firm.
4 To the arrogant I say, ‘Boast no more,’ and to the wicked, ‘Do not lift up your horns.
5 Do not lift your horns against heaven; do not speak so defiantly.’”
(Psalm 75:2-5 NIV)

Every single day, I confront the brokenness of this world. I see those who believe they don’t have to follow the laws of the land. Some of society’s most vulnerable members become victims and cry out for justice.

Are you seeking justice for yourself or a loved one?

We are made in the image of a just God, so we each long for justice to be done here on earth. It is imprinted on our very souls.

In verses 4 and 5, God reassures his people that he not only chooses the perfect time to judge but will do so with balance, insight, and fairness.

Earthly judges may be corrupted or prevented from bringing justice to this world, but God will prevail. That may be now or years from now.

God reminds his people that he holds the foundations of the earth firm even when all is quaking. Notice that the scripture does not say if the earth and people shake. It says when. Sooner or later, we will all experience seasons of uncertainty and lack. But God will hold us close in the middle of the darkest seasons of our lives if we will only look to him.

God identifies the arrogant people, those who defy him, and he commands their obedience sooner or later. There is no escape for them.

We are called to wait on God’s placement


6 No one from the east or the west or from the desert can exalt themselves.
7 It is God who judges: He brings one down, he exalts another.
8 In the hand of the Lord is a cup full of foaming wine mixed with spices; he pours it out, and all the wicked of the earth drink it down to its very dregs.
(Psalm 75:6-8 NIV)

How far is the East from the West? This area covers the entire Earth; therefore, no one can exalt him or herself —only God can do that for a person.

While our society celebrates those who “take what they want” and make “power grabs” for fame and fortune, this is not God’s way. If the manner in which I succeed is questionable, God will not bless my efforts.

Therefore, I shouldn’t try to gain an elevated position because if I do, I won’t be able to stay there. But no force on Earth can remove me if God puts me there.

God knows our hearts, minds, and motivations. He will force the wicked to drink down the full measure of his judgment, and they will have no escape. Can I wait on God’s plan for judgment and justice? Not without his help, every single day.

We are called to persist in praise

9 As for me, I will declare this forever; I will sing praise to the God of Jacob,
10 who says, “I will cut off the horns of all the wicked, but the horns of the righteous will be lifted up.”
(Psalm 75:9-10 NIV)


When I come face to face with the goodness of God, I can’t help but praise Him.

Our praise will go on forever because God will go on forever. This is a glimpse of the now and not yet.

Someday, we will have endless days and nights to praise God in Heaven. We will never get weary but be filled with awe and wonder in his presence.

Psalm 75 begins and ends with praise because God wants to remind us of how he works. Jesus’ death and resurrection brought the ultimate reconciliation between God and man. This will someday pass away, all will be put to right, and real and restorative justice will prevail in all situations. We will live in the new heaven and earth, praise the Lord all day and night, and never grow weary.

All those years ago, my family did not receive a favorable verdict. It seemed that all was lost. Sadly, I don’t have a report of how eventually we prevailed or received what was owed. I have had to choose to release this situation to the Lord. Despite it all, I can praise God, watch for his justice, and await God’s placement.

All was not actually lost that day because despite massive damage to my sister’s car, her two children, aged just four months and not quite two, survived with barely a scratch. I learned during the trial that emergency responders had to use the “jaws of life” to cut my sister’s infant daughter out of her car seat, sitting inches from the full impact of a ¾ ton pickup truck. God miraculously shielded two tiny children that day, and I will be forever grateful to know and love them.

Prayer

We praise you, God, for your Name is near; let us be known as a people who tell of your wonderful deeds and encourage one another. Help us to be those who bear the light of your presence in a dark world where justice can be hard to find and painful to wait for. Help us to wait on you, Lord. In Jesus’ name, amen.

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HOW DO WE LIVE AS AN EASTER PEOPLE? Psalm 71

/ Anthea Kotlan / Leave a comment

Early Saturday morning, before the sun came up on the day before Easter, I read Psalm 71. It had been selected for the devotional our church was reading.

Psalm 71 begins with a desperate cry for help and hiding. The psalmist longs to be hidden with the Lord and away from evil enemies who seek to harm him. No doubt, the disciples huddled in the upper room gripped by grief and despair, might have cried out to the Lord in similar ways.

Where do we go when everything has gone wrong and we’ve ended up on the losing side of things? Or so it seems on Saturday.  

This will not be an isolated scenario in a broken world where people fail us. On this side of heaven, we will periodically sit in a dark room, waiting for God to show us the way over and over. It might also be a prolonged season of uncertainty, false starts, and further failures.  

A prescription for holding onto hope

Halfway through Psalm 71, the tone changes, and hope filters in through a crack in the curtains. What follows is a prescription for holding onto hope in dark situations.

14 As for me, I will always have hope; I will praise you more and more.
15 My mouth will tell of your righteous deeds, of your saving acts all day long— though I know not how to relate them all.
16 I will come and proclaim your mighty acts, Sovereign LORD; I will proclaim your righteous deeds, yours alone.
17 Since my youth, God, you have taught me, and to this day I declare your marvelous deeds.
18 Even when I am old and gray, do not forsake me, my God, till I declare your power to the next generation, your mighty acts to all who are to come.
(Psalm 71:14-18 NIV)

Praising

Verse 14 stands as a necessary declaration over my soul. Even when I can’t see the outcome or the upturn, I can praise the Lord more and more. How often does listening to the praise music and singing along transform my outlook?

Remembering & Reminding

Verses 15 & 16 remind me to remember because we are a forgetful people. A sort of amnesia comes over me during trials, and I fail to consider God’s track record in my life. I must choose to remind myself of God’s righteous deeds and saving acts. God is working things together in mysterious ways. God’s work is not limited by my ability to understand like the psalmist says, “though I know not how to relate them all.” (Psalm 71:15b)

I will also need to do this in the community. Sometimes, a friend or family member needs me to hold space for his or her hope by sharing our memories. The idea of proclamation creates the picture of me using every place I have influence in to testify about the Lord.

  • Do my social media posts reflect my hope in Christ?
  • Do the birthday cards I send shine the light of the Gospel?
  • Do my conversations foster a sense of God’s faithful care of me and those around me?
  • Do my text messages edify others?
  • Do my prayers (in public and private) feature thankfulness for all God has done and is doing?
  • Do I remind others of God’s faithfulness?

Persisting

Verse 17 points to the benefits of having a long-standing and persistent relationship with the Lord. I have been walking with him since I was a teenager. Not everyone has that privilege. Some people arrived much later in their lives to faith. A long-standing relationship with the Lord is a gift, but it also requires ongoing nurturing in a faith community, in the word of God, and in prayer.

Passing On

Verse 18 charges me to share my faith with the next generation. I don’t believe the Lord allows us to retire from this work. Anyone at any age can still influence the next generation with encouragement, prayer, and service. Playing an active and unique role in the discipleship of grandchildren and little ones in our faith communities is an ultimate privilege. We are called to actively pass on our faith.

How will you hold onto hope?

During this Easter season, how will you hold onto hope and be a beacon light for a watching world? How will you live faithfully as an Easter people?

Self-Help or Surrender – Psalm 70

/ Anthea Kotlan / Leave a comment

A prayer for help and lament

You can stop a hydrochloric acid leak with a hefty supply of chocolate bars.

Back in the 1980s, on his weekly television show, Angus MacGyver taught me many handy things like that. One never knows when that bit of survival trivia might come in handy. If you doubt this solution, I recommend you check out the circa 2003 episode of “Myth Busters” to see how well the technique works.

Whenever MacGyver found himself in serious trouble, and that seemed to be the premise of every week’s episode, he would use some household objects in a unique combination to save the day. He might call for help, but his efforts always brought about his rescue or the saving of a beautiful woman.

In Psalm 70, the psalmist finds himself in grave peril and cries out for help.

Waiting for God’s Rescue

1 Make haste, O God, to deliver me! O LORD, make haste to help me!
(Psalm 70:1 ESV)

Just like me, the psalmist wants help—right now. Suffering slows down the passing of time, or certainly my perception of time. It engulfs, isolates, and brings me to my knees. After an eternity, perhaps more like an hour, of waiting for a rescue, I’m ready for my MacGyver moment.

I want to reach into my Chelsey boot and bring out a penknife that cuts off what entangles me and lets me run free. It is a struggle to surrender and wait on God’s timing or seek out his ways.

Waiting on God’s Justice

2 Let them be put to shame and confusion who seek my life!
Let them be turned back and brought to dishonor who delight in my hurt!
3 Let them turn back because of their shame who say, “Aha, Aha!”
(Psalm 70:2-3 ESV)

When I place my order for a rescue from God, I would also like it served with a healthy portion of justice. Justice delayed is justice denied, right?

I want those people over there, the ones who have tried to take my life, the ones I feel have failed me, the ones who refused to help me, the ones who might have caused my suffering, the ones who hurt my loved ones. I want them to suffer…do your thing, God. Smite them or bring them to their knees and make them sorry.  

Meanwhile, could you spotlight their wrongdoing, bring them to repentance, and return whatever was lost to me?

When I make this audacious request, do I consider all the implications? Am I ready to experience this myself? Do I want my mistakes to be exposed for everyone to see?

Waiting on God’s Glory


4 May all who seek you rejoice and be glad in you! May those who love your salvation say evermore, “God is great!”
(Psalm 70:4 ESV)

In verse two, the psalmist calls out those who seek to take his life. This time, however, he specifies a different group of seekers. He wants to see the ultimate justice; the Godly ones, those who seek the Lord, should win and dance in victory.

Waiting on God’s Heroic Measures (and not my own)


5 But I am poor and needy; hasten to me, O God! You are my help and my deliverer; O LORD, do not delay!
(Psalm 70:5 ESV)

The final verse in this short prayer brings it all back to the beginning. The psalmist knows he needs help and knows it is beyond his ability to help himself. There will be no surge or music, and the MacGyver moment will not unfold. The psalmist is painfully aware of how poor and needy he is. He now waits in humility and certainty of God’s role as the ultimate deliverer.

Sooner or later, we all need a rescuer who can pull us out of peril and redeem our lives. Only the Lord can do this for us. Our self-reliance and innovations won’t be necessary. I can’t guarantee a quick rescue, but I know the God of the universe is working in our waiting times. His timing is perfect, and his rescue plans are always redemptive.

Prayer

Lord, help me to wait on you for my rescue. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Holding onto Hope in Advent – Psalm 80

/ Anthea Kotlan / Leave a comment

It is dark at my house this morning. The electricity went out at some point during the night, leaving my entire neighborhood shrouded in blackness. I wander about the house, gathering candles, a lighter, and my trusty book light. Without light, my home becomes a frustrating obstacle course featuring various objects ready to bruise my shins and trip me up. I feel desperate for the light to be restored.

God’s people find themselves in a season of darkness and desperation at the beginning of Psalm 80.

1 Give ear, O Shepherd of Israel, you who lead Joseph like a flock. You who are enthroned upon the cherubim, shine forth.
2 Before Ephraim and Benjamin and Manasseh, stir up your might and come to save us!
3 Restore us, O God; let your face shine, that we may be saved!
(Psalm 80:1-3 ESV)

Drawn to Light

Like us, they are drawn to light and know they need a restoration that can only come when God’s face shines upon them again. They are stumbling along in the darkness of sin and disappointment.

Just like them, we all find ourselves in seasons of spiritual darkness from time to time. God knows this about His people and provides certain rhythms and reminders for us on the church calendar.  

Advent

The season of Advent provides a time of preparation during the four Sundays leading up to Christmas. As the first candle is lit on Advent wreaths around the world, God’s people are reminded of Jesus’ miraculous birth and His promised return. The light glows forth and hope, the theme of the first week of Advent, ignites again in our souls.

The psalmist goes on to acknowledge God’s anger with his disobedient people.

4 O Lord God of hosts, how long will you be angry with your people's prayers?
5 You have fed them with the bread of tears and given them tears to drink in full measure.
6 You make us an object of contention for our neighbors, and our enemies laugh among themselves.
7 Restore us, O God of hosts; let your face shine, that we may be saved! 
(Psalm 80:4-7 ESV)

Shepherd

However, God is still a shepherd and gently and firmly guides His sheep through dark times. He alone can restore and reconcile His people.

Sadly, even though today’s believers are reconciled to the Lord through the saving blood of Jesus Christ, we often choose to walk in darkness and go our own way from time to time.

The psalmist describes His people’s repeated cycles of rebellion against the Lord.

8 You brought a vine out of Egypt; you drove out the nations and planted it. 
9 You cleared the ground for it; it took deep root and filled the land.
10 The mountains were covered with its shade, the mighty cedars with its branches.
11 It sent out its branches to the sea and its shoots to the River.
12 Why then have you broken down its walls, so that all who pass along the way pluck its fruit?
13 The boar from the forest ravages it, and all that move in the field feed on it.
14 Turn again, O God of hosts! Look down from heaven, and see; have regard for this vine,
15 the stock that your right hand planted, and for the son whom you made strong for yourself.
16 They have burned it with fire; they have cut it down; may they perish at the rebuke of your face!
(Psalm 80:8-16 ESV)

Hope Found and Lost

God brought the Israelites out of slavery and out of Egypt in a miraculous way. At that point, they flourished and thanked God, but all too soon they rebelled and ended up wandering in the desert in disbelief for forty years. Eventually, they settled in the promised land and flourished again, only to drift away in more cycles of sin and rebellion. Many enemies came against them and destroyed almost everything and everyone.

All hope seemed lost.

17 But let your hand be on the man of your right hand, the son of man whom you have made strong for yourself! 
18 Then we shall not turn back from you; give us life, and we will call upon your name!
19 Restore us, O Lord God of hosts! Let your face shine, that we may be saved! 
(Psalm 80:17-19 ESV)

Hope Re-ignited

In these final verses, hope is re-ignited. God gives His people eternal life through His son Jesus Christ. All will call upon God’s name, and the ultimate restoration will occur. In Advent, we remember how Jesus came as a baby, lived as a man, and died on the cross to save us. In Advent, we also keep a hopeful watch for Jesus to come back to rule and reign forever.

Prayer

In the meantime, as we light the first Advent candle, we see the light of hope and pray the repeated verse from Psalm 80, “Restore us, O Lord God of hosts! Let your face shine, that we may be saved!”

(Psalm 80:3,7 &19 ESV)

Can I Stand in Palm Sunday Promises? Psalm 116

/ Anthea Kotlan / 1 Comment
(A hand holding up a palm frond.)

Palm Sunday marks the first day of Holy Week for believers worldwide. Jesus began his journey to the cross with a triumphal parade through Jerusalem. As crowds joyfully mobbed Him, Jesus never lost focus on his priorities. Instead, he made provision for his disciples and invited them to participate with him in his final days on Earth by delegating jobs to them.  

Earlier that day, He asked two disciples to secure transportation for Him.  

"Go to the village ahead of you, and just as you enter it, you will find a colt tied there, which no one has ever ridden. Untie it and bring it here. 3 If anyone asks you, 'Why are you doing this?' say, 'The Lord needs it and will send it back here shortly.'"  (Mark 11:2-3 NIV)

He asked disciples to make dinner reservations for their group.  

"Go into the city, and a man carrying a jar of water will meet you. Follow him. 14 Say to the owner of the house he enters, 'The Teacher asks: Where is my guest room, where I may eat the Passover with my disciples?' 15 He will show you a large room upstairs, furnished and ready. Make preparations for us there." (Mark 14:13-15 NIV).

He wanted to have everyone together one last time before He would have to depart. So, even in His final days of ministry on Earth, Jesus sought to gather and include. He did not want anyone to miss His final teachings.   

Those who laid down palm fronds and his dinner guests must have believed this was the beginning of the new Messiah’s rule. Finally, the Jewish people were ready to throw off the oppression of Roman rule. How quickly the tone would change from celebration to despair! The cheering crowd would become an angry mob. 

Moments later, hard truths were spoken while breaking bread, and the subsequent few days’ events took a decidedly downhill turn. First, Jesus prayed blood-perspiring prayers alone in the garden. Next, his disciples failed to stay watchful and pray with Him. Then a close friend betrayed Him, and Jesus’ arrest caused even the most loyal followers to lose heart.  

Psalm 116 was written by a psalmist, perhaps King David, recalling God’s mercy and grace. What if this psalm could be re-read from the perspective of Jesus on His way to his Good Friday Execution? On Palm Sunday, Jesus could see what lay before Him and exactly how costly it would be. And yet he made the journey anyway, and every stop along the way was intentional.  

Psalm 116  

1 I love the Lord, for he heard my voice; he heard my cry for mercy.  

2 Because he turned his ear to me, I will call on him as long as I live. 
Psalm 116:1-2 NIV

Jesus began his march to the cross motivated by love. Like the psalmist, he was in constant communication with God. Praying at every point along his journey, He was in an ongoing conversation with His Heavenly Father. One of the last things He did before he died was to cry out to God from the cross and beg for mercy for those who persecuted him.  

At every step of Jesus’ journey to the cross, He cries out to God. If only I could pray every time, I find myself hurt, frustrated, or fearful?  

3 The cords of death entangled me, the anguish of the grave came over me; I was overcome by distress and sorrow.  (Psalm 116:3 NIV)

Sitting upon the donkey on Palm Sunday, Jesus could see the long road of anguish and suffering rolling out before him. He knew it all. From the street lined with adoring fans and palm branches to the lonely and humiliating walk to the cross, Jesus never gave up. He chose not to be overcome. Instead, when his physical suffering was extreme, he turned his attention to the needs of others.  

"Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were not willing." (Luke 13:34 NIV) 


4 Then I called on the name of the Lord: "Lord, save me!"  (Psalm 116: 4 NIV)

From the garden of Gethsemane, “He (Jesus) withdrew about a stone’s throw beyond them, knelt down and prayed…” (Luke 22:41 NIV) 

5 The Lord is gracious and righteous; our God is full of compassion. (Psalm 116:5 NIV)

Out of compassion, the Lord chose to allow His son to die so that I could live eternally. Jesus knew that God will always be both gracious and righteous. God’s grace made a way to meet the standard of righteousness through the ultimate sacrifice of Jesus’ death on the cross.

6 The Lord protects the unwary; when I was brought low, he saved me. (Psalm 116:6 NIV)

Who are the unwary?  

The people throwing down palm branches on Palm Sunday would be the same people crying out for Jesus’ crucifixion. Suspended in agony on the cross, Jesus again cried out on their behalf. 

When they came to the place called the Skull, they crucified him there, along with the criminals—one on his right, the other on his left. Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” And they divided up his clothes by casting lots. (Luke 23:33-34 NIV) 

Even in torture and humiliation, Jesus continued to intervene for the people who stood around, unaware of the impact of what they were doing. Some of them were even taunting Him.  

How often am I deeply hurt or frustrated by unwary people? Can I choose today to follow Jesus’ example and cry out to God and not complain? 

7 Return to your rest, my soul, for the Lord has been good to you. 

8 For you, Lord, have delivered me from death, my eyes from tears, my feet from stumbling, 
9 that I may walk before the Lord in the land of the living. 
(Psalm 116: 7-19 NIV)

Jesus had no rest, plenty of reasons to cry, and would even stumble as he carried his cross to his crucifixion. And yet, He never lost sight of the goodness of God. As a result, Jesus was delivered from death when He rose again on Easter Sunday.  

His death allows believers to walk in the land of the living before the Lord. Jesus gave us access to a relationship with our heavenly Father.  

10 I trusted in the Lord when I said, "I am greatly afflicted"; (Psalm 116:10 NIV)

Jesus began a journey on Palm Sunday that would end in tremendous affliction, and He knew what He would face. He did so with grace and dignity as He trusted in the Lord.  

How often do my doubts torture me on top of any afflictions I might suffer? Lord, help me to pour out those doubts to you. Help me trust you to give me strength for any temporary affliction I might suffer this side of Heaven.  

11 in my alarm I said, "Everyone is a liar." (Psalm 116:11 NIV)

During Holy Week, Jesus dealt with false accusations and those who testified against Him during his two trials with religious leaders and the Roman authorities. However, even these lies could not prevent God’s will from being done.   

12 What shall I return to the Lord for all his goodness to me? 

13 I will lift up the cup of salvation and call on the name of the Lord.  (Psalm 116:12-13 NIV)

When I spend time during Holy Week considering all that God has done for me as a lowly sinner, I realize I can never repay the debt I owe. Jesus drank from the cup of death for me so that I could drink from the cup of salvation forever. Help me cultivate an attitude of thanksgiving for all the Lord has done for me.  

14 I will fulfill my vows to the Lord in the presence of all his people. 

15 Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his faithful servants. (Psalm 116:14-15 NIV)

Jesus’ slow and methodical march to the cross had to be a public display. So, what began as a procession before all Jews and the Roman oppressors ended in a public crucifixion.  All those witnesses allowed more people to see and know.  
Jesus, the ultimate faithful servant, was precious in the sight of God and set the ultimate example of surrendered obedience.   

16 Truly I am your servant, Lord; I serve you just as my mother did; you have freed me from my chains. 

17 I will sacrifice a thank offering to you and call on the name of the Lord. (Psalm 116:16-17 NIV)

Jesus knew the pain his mother would suffer because of how He would die. So, he provided for her by giving her care over to his disciple John at the foot of the cross. He remembered how His mother had served God as a young pregnant woman when an angel first told her about Jesus. She trusted God completely when nothing seemed to be working out. She would continue to trust God even in the face of almost unbearable grief as she watched her son die.  

Jesus became the ultimate thank offering. His death paid for all of our sins once and for all.  

18 I will fulfill my vows to the Lord in the presence of all his people, 
19 in the courts of the house of the Lord—in your midst, Jerusalem. 

Praise the Lord. (Psalm 116:18-19 NIV)

The path Jesus traveled on Palm Sunday and all the way to the cross was done in the presence of all of God’s people and in the middle of Jerusalem. Therefore, his death and resurrection needed to be witnessed by enough people to be provable in a court of law.  

All Jesus did during Holy Week was to glorify God and bring about reconciliation for every believer. These final days of Jesus’ ministry here on Earth were marked with sorrow and suffering. These were the days in between the celebration of Palm Sunday and the joy of the Resurrection commemorated on Easter. 

As a follower of Jesus, I live life every day on Earth between the promise of Palm Sunday and the hope of the Resurrection Sunday. I see sin and suffering all around me, and yet I can follow Jesus’ example of faithfulness in the midst of pain. Because of Jesus’ death on the cross, I have a reconciled relationship with the Lord. I can pray and He hears me. The hope of the Resurrection points to the ultimate restoration. Someday, but not just yet, every eye will see and every knee will bow.  

On Palm Sunday, we catch a glimpse of the coming King Jesus who will rule forever. Watch for Him with me this Holy Week.

What detours are you facing? Psalm 72

/ Anthea Kotlan / Leave a comment

Thursday, January 6th, is a feast day for the church known as Epiphany. It’s the day we remember the magi or three kings who sought baby Jesus by following a star. The Feast Day of Epiphany then begins the season of Epiphany. Ash Wednesday (03/02/2022) will mark the end of the season of Epiphany.

Have you ever considered how the three kings dutifully followed the star all the way to Jerusalem and not Bethlehem? Was it a divine detour?

Matthew chapter 2 explains they began to ask about where the newly born King of the Jews might be. Their questions troubled everyone, but most especially King Herod. He was not about to let someone else claim his throne, so he enquired of his chief priests about the birthplace of Christ. They directed him towards the city of Bethlehem because it had been foretold.

King Herod then summoned the three kings and told them to go and find the child in Bethlehem. As soon as they did, he instructed them to report back the child’s location, so he could go worship him too. Honesty was undoubtedly not one of King Herod’s character traits.

After listening to the king, they went on their way. And behold, the star that they had seen when it rose went before them until it came to rest over the place where the child was. When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy. 
Matthew 2:9-10 ESV

These three kings persisted even when the route was challenging. Their journey to Jesus, even with the detour to Herod’s palace, fulfilled many prophecies about the promised Messiah. He would be worshipped and acknowledged by many nations. (Isaiah 60:3)

What detours are you facing in this season? Are you willing to persevere like the three kings?

These three kings sought Jesus because he was the promised Messiah and the savior of the world. So they came to worship him.

Psalm 72 concludes the second book of Psalms and was written as a prayer by King David. The verses appear to be a glance into the future at the ultimate king, Jesus.

1 Give the king your justice, O God, and your righteousness to the royal son!

2 May he judge your people with righteousness, and your poor with justice!

3 Let the mountains bear prosperity for the people, and the hills, in righteousness!

4 May he defend the cause of the poor of the people, give deliverance to the children of the needy, and crush the oppressor!

Psalm 72:1-4 ESV

These verses describe a ruler who will defend the cause of the poor, bring justice, and judge the people with righteousness. Only King Jesus can judge with complete righteousness.

5 May they fear you while the sun endures, and as long as the moon, throughout all generations!

6 May he be like rain that falls on the mown grass, like showers that water the earth!

7 In his days may the righteous flourish, and peace abound, till the moon be no more!

8 May he have dominion from sea to sea, and from the River to the ends of the earth!

9 May the desert tribes bow down before him, and his enemies lick the dust!

10 May the kings of Tarshish and of the coastlands render him tribute; may the kings of Sheba and Seba bring gifts!

11 May all kings fall down before him, all nations serve him!

Psalm 72:5-11 ESV

Jesus did receive gifts from other kings, and they did all fall down and worship him.

12 For he delivers the needy when he calls, the poor and him who has no helper.

13 He has pity on the weak and the needy and saves the lives of the needy.

14 From oppression and violence he redeems their life, and precious is their blood in his sight.

15 Long may he live; may gold of Sheba be given to him! May prayer be made for him continually, and blessings invoked for him all the day!

Psalm 72:12-15 ESV

Jesus even received the gift of gold from one of the three kings.

16 May there be abundance of grain in the land; on the tops of the mountains may it wave; may its fruit be like Lebanon; and may people blossom in the cities like the grass of the field!

17 May his name endure forever, his fame continue as long as the sun! May people be blessed in him, all nations call him blessed!

18 Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, who alone does wondrous things.

19 Blessed be his glorious name forever; may the whole earth be filled with his glory!

Amen and Amen!

20 The prayers of David, the son of Jesse, are ended.

Psalm 72:16-20 ESV

Someday every verse from this Psalm will be completely fulfilled when Jesus comes back to rule forever. Be encouraged in this season of Epiphany (January 6-March 1st) by the example of the three kings who followed a star and found the promised Messiah. The word Epiphany means revelation because God is showing us His son and promised ruler.

What does God wish to reveal to you in this season?

Leaving Well

/ Anthea Kotlan / 2 Comments

On one of those brilliant blue-sky days in early December, I stopped by to see my sister on my way back home. This would be our final conversation, as she unexpectedly died a few days later. I have often revisited that day and gone over every word that was said. I remember her insistent generosity of giving me large bags of baby clothes, even though I was neither pregnant, nor thought I might ever be. All the while holding her five-month-old daughter and keeping an eye on her active toddler. Her multi-tasking was impressive.

Over cups of tea in her kitchen, we talked about her recent reconciliation with my father. They had experienced a really hard season, but just days earlier my father had sent her flowers for Thanksgiving. This gesture was greeted by my sister’s grace and certain steely determination, “I’ll do anything to make sure my kids have a good relationship with him.”

Finally, I said goodbye and headed out the door. After backing down the driveway, I had turned my car around at the end of the cull de sac. As I passed her house, I saw her and the children outside on the driveway waving away to me as if I was setting sail on the Queen Mary for a transatlantic holiday. It struck me as so special that she came back outside to say goodbye again. To this day, I can still see them there.

On Maundy Thursday, we find Jesus gathering his disciples for the Passover Meal, and he begins by washing their feet in demonstration of humility. Jesus knew he had only a little more time left, and yet he chose to sit down and break bread with all of his disciples. Those who loved him, those who would deny him and even the one who would betray him sat around that table. Jesus gave his followers a mandate (hence the name, Maundy Thursday) to love one another with both words and actions (John 13:34). He modeled abundant love for others that was intentional, sacrificial, and generous.

Lord, help me to follow Jesus’ mandate to love generously and sacrificially. Help me to take no opportunity for granted that you give me in this life.

An Encourager

/ Anthea Kotlan / Leave a comment

Joseph and Mary have come to the Temple to present Jesus and to make a sacrifice according the requirements of the law. In the midst of the crowds, they encounter Simeon. This elderly, fragile man is blind, but he immediately recognizes that Jesus is the Messiah. Simeon had much to say about Jesus, but then he turns specifically toward Mary and says,

34  “…Behold, this child is appointed for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign that is opposed 35 (and a sword will pierce through your own soul also), so that thoughts from many hearts may be revealed.” (Luke 2:34-35)

  •  appointed for the fall and rising of many
  • a sign that will be opposed
  • a sword that will pierce Mary’s soul

These are not warnings any mother hopes to hear about her newborn. Mary knew that Jesus was to be the future king, but can you imagine her response to these proclamations? Perhaps she felt fear? Anxiety? Scripture tells us that at that very hour, a second prophet enters the scene, Anna.

36 And there was a prophetess, Anna, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was advanced in years, having lived with her husband seven years from when she was a virgin, 37 and then as a widow until she was eighty-four.[f] She did not depart from the temple, worshiping with fasting and prayer night and day. 38 And coming up at that very hour she began to give thanks to God and to speak of him to all who were waiting for the redemption of Jerusalem. (Luke 2:36-38 ESV)

The Bible only features nine female prophets, and Anna is the only named prophetess in the New Testament. (*See note below for a list of the female prophets in the Bible.) So, we know she is special and has been placed in Mary’s path for a reason. It as if God might have sent Anna as an encourager. She, like Simeon, recognizes Jesus immediately. While we don’t know exactly what Anna said to Mary, we know she gave thanks to God and acknowledged the Messiah.

This is Anna’s moment to shine a light in a dark time of Roman oppression. She has been waiting her whole life at this assigned place. Anna, an elderly widow, has not abandoned the Temple for decades. How has this widow spent her waiting time? Worshiping, praying and fasting all day and all night. Her focus has been on God, and in this moment her proclamation of thanksgiving is not only for Mary, but for all who wait in the agony under Roman opposition for the redemption of Israel. Because Anna has been so singularly focused on God for so long, it is easy for her to recognize God’s representative when he arrives in the Temple that day, even as a tiny helpless infant.

Finally, it is interesting to note Anna’s reaction.

And coming up at that very hour she began to give thanks to God and to speak of him to all who were waiting for the redemption of Jerusalem. (Luke 2:38)

Her thanksgiving shifts almost immediately to evangelism. She is speaking of Jesus to all who are waiting because her encounter with Christ fills her with a desire to tell everyone the good news.

Lord, far too often I am hesitant to speak of you to others who might not know you. Could they be waiting for redemption? Give me a grateful heart, like Anna that can’t help but overflow with a desire to love others by telling them about you.

*The others are Miriam, the sister of Moses (Exodus 15:20); Deborah, the judge (Judges 4:4); Huldah, the wife of Shallum (2 Chronicles 34:22); Isaiah’s wife (Isaiah 8:3); and Philip’s four unmarried daughters (Acts21:9). (GotQuestions.org)

Who Touched Me?

/ Anthea Kotlan / Leave a comment

Crowds of people surrounded Jesus, and somehow, she finds her way close enough to touch his garment. Transformation charged the atmosphere. Immediately the flow of blood dried up, and she felt in her body that she was healed of her disease. (Mark 5:29 ESV) Years of seeking healing from every source stopped with this divine appointment. 

And Jesus, perceiving in himself that power had gone out from him, immediately turned about in the crowd and said, “Who touched my garments?” 31 And his disciples said to him, “You see the crowd pressing around you, and yet you say, ‘Who touched me?’” (Mark 5:30-31 ESV) 

The disciples dismiss Jesus’ question, and yet, he persists. 

And he looked around to see who had done it. But the woman, knowing what had happened to her, came in fear and trembling and fell down before him and told him the whole truth. (Mark 5:32-33 ESV) 

This woman “came in fear” when she simply could have slipped away. Carrying with her the knowledge of her long-awaited healing. However, she “fell before him and told him the whole truth.” 

Fear might have gripped her heart as she turned to face this Rabbi. She had spent years in an unclean state unable to attend her local synagogue let alone have a conversation with a man in his position. What if he took her healing back?

How did she even find space to fall before him?  

Did Jesus need help understanding what had happened?  Did he need to hear the whole truth? No, he knew.  

Perhaps some answers emerge in the words Jesus spoke over her that day, 

“And he said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace, and be healed of your disease.” (Mark 5:34 ESV) 

By calling her daughter, Jesus speaks to her as someone who is deeply known, loved and valued. He affirms her for her faith and encourages her to walk into her new life in peace, knowing her disease is gone. Before the crowd, Jesus declared over her a new identity. Shame fell away. Health embraces both her body, mind, and spirit. By drawing near, this woman receives complete healing from the inside out. 

Prayer 

Jesus, show me how I need to draw near to you and remain there. Reveal to me how you define me and allow me to shed any false ideas that I might have taken on. Help me to come and go in peace because of you. Help me to believe in your healing touch in the now and the not yet. Amen