Jesus began his ministry when he was about 30 years old. He distinguished himself from the Jewish leaders of his day in many ways. Crowds began to be attracted to this new rabbi as he went throughout the Galilee region, “teaching in their synagogues, healing every disease and affliction among the people,” such that, “his fame spread throughout all Syria, and they brought him all the sick, those afflicted with various diseases and pains, and those oppressed by demons, epileptics and paralytics, and he healed them.” (Matt.4:23-25). Word spread and crowds followed him, both Jew and Gentile, from the surrounding region. 

Was it enough that Jesus was a fantastic teacher and miraculous healer? People came to him for a touch that would relieve their physical ailments; people flocked to him to hear words that inspired them. He spoke with conviction and authority unlike any of their leaders. They came for inspiration, they came for healing, but Jesus would require more of those who would become his followers. Jesus is still teacher and healer today, but to all that would truly become children of God, he offered a pathway that addressed the true need of every human heart.

“Seeing the crowds (those that had flocked to him as healer and teacher), he went up on the mountain, and when he sat down… he opened his mouth and taught them.”

This teaching, known as the Sermon on the Mount which is recorded in Matthew 5-7, begins with a pathway that speaks to the condition not of the body or of the mind, but of the spirit.

“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”

The entrance to the pathway of return is the acknowledgment of one’s poverty of spirit. Human history to this present day is a story of man’s attempts to satisfy an inner poverty of spirit by pursuing those things that are meant to satisfy that craving. Wealth, knowledge, power, physical strength, spiritual experiences, asceticism, relationships, freedoms, good deeds … all hold some promise for spiritual fulfillment, but inevitably fall short as temporary fixes to an eternal problem.

Solomon, a man renowned for his wisdom, who had access to all of these resources, drew a conclusion about all of these pursuits. “I have seen everything that is done under the sun, and behold, all is vanity and a striving after the wind.” (Eccl.1:14)

The 17th century author and brilliant thinker, Blaise Pascal, agrees, writing, “There is a God-shaped vacuum in the heart of each man, which cannot be satisfied by any created thing but only by God the Creator, made known through Jesus Christ.”

It is hard to divest oneself of one’s own attempts to fill this vacuum. There is always the temptation to believe that satisfaction lies just around the corner. Just a little more money, just a few less pounds, just one more relationship, just another degree, just better health, just new government leaders…

Through this sermon, Jesus was urging the crowds who were thronging to receive more healings, who were eager to be wowed by more inspirational teaching, to confront what they are really seeking. They are seeking security that can only be realized by being eternally reconciled to Father God. To these he says “Yours is the kingdom of heaven.” There is a way, but it will require acknowledging that none of these other pursuits are working to assuage your impoverished spirits. They are indeed, “ a striving after the wind”.

Ouch! This is not what the first people who listened to Jesus’ sermon expected to hear. Blessed are the poor in spirit? They would rather be blessed as those freed of diseases, blessed as those who are finally freed from Roman oppression, blessed  by not having to pay exorbitant taxes.

Are we any different? Yes, Jesus, I want to be blessed in ways that make me happy and healthy here and now. Do I want blessing on my terms, what I think I need and want or am I willing to acknowledge and address the spirit vacuum that resides within?

Eternally blessed are those who acknowledge their deepest need and desire is to be rich in spirit and are willing to sacrifice the trinkets for the treasure.

Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.

Jesus’ sermon is getting stranger. Blessed are those who mourn? Why would we find blessing in deep soul sadness? Those who face their poverty of spirit will inevitably mourn. We mourn over wasted time, money, energy; over striving, believing and  hoping, only to find ourselves disappointed and regretting that the created things we pursued failed to fill the vacuum in our souls.. 

The Old Testament prophet, Isaiah, asks this penetrating question, “Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread and your labor for that which does not satisfy?” (Isa. 55:2)

Later in his life, Jesus confronts a man with the same question that Isaiah posed. This man, who came to Jesus and fell at his feet, was described as a “rich, young ruler.” He had a lot going for him. He was wealthy, he had status and power as a ruler and he was a religiously devout Jew, scrupulously observing the commandments of the law. But he knew that something was still missing as he approached Jesus to ask, “Teacher, what good deed must I do to have eternal life?” and, “What do I still lack?” This man recognized his poverty of spirit and hoped that Jesus would tell him what to add to his life. “Jesus looked at him and loved him, and said to him, ‘You lack one thing; go, sell what you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me’.” (Mk.10:21) The answer to this man’s sincere request is not to add but to subtract from his life that thing to which he was clinging, his wealth. 

“When he heard these things, he became very sad, for he was extremely wealthy.” (Lk.18:23) “Disheartened by the saying, he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.”(Mk.10:22)

Why would Jesus tell this young man to renounce his possessions? Was it to add the good deed of philanthropy to his sense of having done enough for God? Or rather was it to divest himself of the last thing that impeded him from being poor in spirit so that he would receive the true treasure that Jesus promises, the kingdom of God? Because of Jesus’ great love for this young man, he was willing to say that which would cause him to be very sad, disheartened, even sorrowful; to mourn. It is sad to come to the end of ourselves. Mourning is an indication that we are facing the reality of the condition of our spirits, awaiting the comfort that only God can provide.

Blessed are those who pay the cost to face their own poverty of spirit and are willing to mourn the sadness of loss, either past or future, to gain what they can never lose.

Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.

This part of Jesus’ sermon must have bordered on offense to the listeners. The meek inherit the earth? It was obvious to every person listening that the Romans occupiers were fully in control of the known earth and that they certainly had not conquered through their meekness. 

The meekness that Jesus is speaking of is not cowardice or weakness. It has been described as having the right or power to do something, but refraining for the benefit of another. Meekness requires incredible strength and great humility to willingly relinquish control to the One who is greater. Jesus himself would later demonstrate this attribute in inaugurating the Kingdom of heaven on earth by defeating death, sin and Satan through meekness, submitting himself to a Roman cross. 

I recall the night that I submitted to becoming a dedicated follower of  Jesus Christ. I didn’t want to surrender myself to Jesus, knowing that in doing so, I was yielding my life’s trajectory to Him. My conclusions were that He would want me to become a missionary (weird) and He would expect me to be perfect (impossible). I wrestled all through that night, desperately wanting to know that I was a child of God, but loathing the meekness of releasing my right and power to run my own life as I chose. I finally yielded my grip on willful control over my life with this caveat about the perceived need to be perfect, “Fine! I give you my life, but I can’t change myself for You, (i.e. clean up my act and make myself perfect), You will have to change me!” 

Fifty years later, I was never called to be a missionary. I am still far from perfect. But I have experienced Him being entirely faithful to the deal I proposed, by changing me by His Spirit, from the inside out. Truly blessed are the meek,  for they inherit 100 fold in this life,… with persecutions, and in the age to come eternal life. Mk.10:30 

Blessed are those who Hunger and Thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied

At this point in Jesus’ sermon some may have heard enough. Poverty of spirit, mourning and meekness did not hold the same appeal as interesting teaching and miracles. Others however leaned in. They knew that He was putting his finger on the truth about their own souls. These ones were hungry and thirsty for a righteousness that only God can provide; these were the ones who have acknowledged their own poverty of spirit. They have mourned over past estrangement to God and they have relinquished their power to fix this condition. Thus, they are hungry and thirsty for what only God can give.

The righteousness for which they long is not the kind of righteousness that the religious leaders of their day exhibited. In fact Jesus stated that unless their righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, they would never enter the kingdom of heaven. Some of the religious leaders internally agreed, sensing that even their own devotion to Torah and the law had fallen short of creating a right relationship with God and people. 

One example of such a leader is Nicodemus, who is described as a ruler and teacher of Israel. He approached Jesus at night to learn more from this One who performs signs and teaches with authority. Humility, meekness and true hunger and thirst for righteousness drove him to seek this secret audience with Jesus. What he heard, “You must be born of water and Spirit to enter the kingdom of God.”, “whoever believes in the Son of Man may have eternal life.”, “he who believes [in the name of the only Son of God] is not condemned; he who does not believe is condemned already.”( John 3:1-21), revealed a pathway to satisfy his spiritual hunger that required faith in Jesus, the only Son of God, rather than faith in his own ability to fulfill the requirements of the Jewish law. 

 The apostle Paul, who described himself as a super Pharisee, saying of himself that as for righteousness under the Jewish law, he was blameless, also embraced the pathway of return. In his mind He had done righteousness right and he was zealous to punish those who were doing it all wrong. Yet, after his encounter with Jesus, the only Son of God, he writes that all of his self-righteousness through his scrupulous adherence to the Jewish law was rubbish because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus his Lord and being found in him, not having a righteousness of his own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ. The righteousness from God that depends on faith. Phil.3:5-9

There is no doubt that both Nicodemus and Paul suffered poverty of spirit, deep mourning, a willingness to assume a meek posture and an acknowledgement of their spiritual hunger and thirst to find life and peace that comes from a reconciled relationship with God through Jesus.  

Here, the sermon that Jesus gave takes a decided shift. Perhaps, at this point, many spectators had left. Jesus’  teaching was not to their liking. To those who remained, he continued as follows:

Blessed are the merciful for they shall receive mercy.

Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God.

Blessed are the peacemakers for they shall be called the sons of God

Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Those who respond to the pathway of poverty of spirit, mourning, meekness and hunger and thirst for righteousness assume a new vision and posture in the world. They then become the merciful, because they possess an empathy toward those who are fellow strugglers on the pathway of submission. They are the pure in heart since they have abandoned their agendas and attachments and have embraced the truth. They are the peacemakers in this world, who carry within themselves a tranquility of spirit that only those who are reconciled to God can offer. They are also those who will be persecuted even as Jesus himself was opposed. 

Those who approach God on His terms, become recipients of His tender mercy. Those who submit to receiving his righteousness through Jesus, begin to see God as he is. Those who taste what it is to be freed from striving to be good enough are called his dear children. Those who refuse to compromise the inestimable worth of knowing Christ, even in the face of opposition, are inaugurated into his eternal unshakable kingdom.

What about you? 

Are you one of those who leaned in as Jesus spoke? 

What do these beatitudes stir within you as you read them?

How will you respond to this “pathway of return” that Jesus preached to those who would follow him? 

Michael and I recently returned from a trip to Alaska. While there is so much natural beauty to captivate one’s imagination, it was a scene in Valdez that prompted this post.

On a rainy late summer’s day, we made our way out to the salmon hatchery beyond the port of Valdez, where we were led to believe that we might capture a glimpse of the end of the salmon run upstream to spawn. We were rewarded well beyond our expectation by waters thick with silver salmon (who knew that there were 5 Pacific varieties), and instructed through videos and placards, on the fascinating life cycle of salmon.

Here were some of the things that we came to understand:

1. Salmon will return to the same stream or river from which they were born, when they are ready to spawn.
2. Salmon grow up in freshwater rivers, move out to saltwater as mature fish and return to freshwater to spawn, after which they die.
3. To return to the rivers from which they came, salmon face many obstacles. Among these are the fact that they need to propel themselves against the current, often hurdling waterfalls, to access their spawning ground an average of 150 miles upstream!

They also face predators who await them as they travel back, bears, eagles and sea lions to name a few. It was next to the fish hatchery that we watched as a whole group of steller sea lions gorged themselves on the migrating salmon..

4.  Salmon change color and physical features as they move from saltwater to fresh in preparation for spawning. 
5. The adult salmon die after spawning and their decomposing bodies provide critical nutrients for the ecosystem including the next generation of baby salmon as they emerge.

At the hatchery, they have designed a net with a single opening that barricades the mouth of a small river where it empties into the ocean. The salmon we saw, returning from their years of living in the ocean, were all being drawn by an instinctual homing device that signaled to them that it was time to return to their origins. Desperate to begin their journey upstream, the fish swarmed next to the net to find the singular gate which would give them access to their upward journey toward home. Once they found and entered through the opening, they faced 29  artificial upstream and uphill plateaus to surmount before entering large tanks that simulate a river bed. Here the salmon spawn, the fertilized eggs are collected to raise and release the next generation.

The remarkable life cycle of salmon certainly made me ponder. What can I learn about our spiritual lives and journeys from this marvel of nature?

In thinking about people rather than fish, we are made body, soul and spirit. It is our spirit that is restlessly in search of alignment with our origin. Why am I alive? Who created me? What is my purpose? Is this life all that there is? Solomon, the writer of Ecclesiates echos this search as he writes, “He [God] has made everything beautiful in its time. Also, he has put eternity in man’s heart, yet so that he cannot find out what God has done from the beginning to the end.” Eccl.3:11

There is a yearning in our spirits that nothing in this world seems to satisfy. What is the gate that gives me access to meaningful, fruitful and everlasting life?

 Jesus said of himself, “I am the gate.” Elsewhere he stated, “I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except by me.” As the gate is the starting point for these fish to reach their spawning ground, the starting point for all who would return to their origins is Jesus. 

 Those who are yearning to be reconciled to God as their Father must enter through the gate which He has provided – Jesus the Son. Jesus, the one and only sin bearer, provides this access point. As he prayed to the Father on the night he was arrested, he said, “And this is eternal life, that people know you, the only true God, and that they know Jesus Christ, the One you sent.” John 17:3 

As the salmon throng to find the gate, there are lurking predators who are waiting to attack and devour. In the realm of faith, we also face predators who would prevent us from accessing Jesus as our entry into a reconciled relationship with God, or if we succeed in passing through the gate, will attempt to thwart our journey upward. Jesus spoke in parables about those impediments. He warned against dissipation, drunkenness and the cares of this world catching us like a trap. He also taught that the worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth and the cravings for other things can hinder or derail our pursuit. False teaching and teachers, hurtful circumstances which produce fear, trauma, disappointments and confusion, even apathy or laziness can all become predators that come in to “steal, kill and destroy” our pursuit. And all predators seek to isolate their prey. The temptation to pull away from the “school” of other Christ-seekers is another ploy that predators exploit, knowing that spiritual isolation leaves one vulnerable. Unlike fish, we have a defender and protector from predation. It is Jesus Christ who shared with his disciples right before his death, “In this world you will have [predators] trouble. But take heart. I have overcome the [predators of the] world. Jn.16:33 (insert mine) 

Entering the gate is only the beginning of an arduous journey for the salmon. For the remainder of their lives, they will be swimming against obstacles, like waterfalls, against lurking predators and against the current of the river that continually threatens to pull them back out to sea. Even at this fish hatchery, the 29 step ladder and the downstream current are intended to simulate the conditions that these fish might face in the wild. The obstacles are inevitable, the current is unrelenting and predators are ever-present opportunists. These will exist all along their journey toward their spawning ground.

 It is no different for anyone who puts their faith in Jesus as the gate of life. Predators, that the Bible calls spiritual forces of evil, are ever present to thwart or prevent our journey . In addition to predators, there are obstacles that we will all face in this fallen world. Sickness, loss, calamity, persecution are the waterfalls of the world that can seem insurmountable.  There is also the constant current of secular culture that pulls us away from our purpose in this world and from intimacy with our Creator. Sometimes the current is subtle, other times it is a veritable riptide. Jesus fully acknowledged to his followers the troubles that they might face in this world. His first followers found this to be true in their own lives and wrote to prepare others. Peter wrote to the Christians in Turkey who were facing severe persecution,

 “ Dear Friends, don’t be surprised at the fiery trials that you are going through, as if something strange were happening to you.” 1 Peter 4:12 

John, the disciple of Jesus, writes that pursuing Jesus and becoming like him will put us at odds with the current of the world. He warns other followers of Christ,

 “Do not love the world or the things in the world. For if anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in Him. For all that is in the world, the desires of the flesh, the desires of the eyes and pride in possessions is not of the Father but is of the world.” 1 John:2:15,16

So what would motivate those to whom Peter and John were writing or even us today to persevere in living a difficult upstream life? John continues to write, “And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever.” 1 John 2:17

 Our spirits inwardly know that we are made as eternal beings and created to effect eternal changes while on this earth. All that this world offers, and the current that drives every cultural value system, is transient. The world is indeed passing away but we are offered the privilege of investing our affections and energies in that which will last forever.

Another motivation to live a counter-current life is the promise of being loved by and loving the One for whom we are living. On the night before Jesus was crucified, he shared with his disciples the essence of their relationship, love.

 “Those who have my commandments and keep them (by continuing to live an upstream life), these are the ones who love me. And all who love me will be loved by my Father and we will love them and manifest ourselves to them.”Jn.14:21 

Living to love and please and serve God in this world is our expression of love toward Him which is met by God’s lavish promise of His presence and love. We are never alone. Some of Jesus’ last words to his disciples are ours today.” I am with you always even to the close of the age.” Mt.28:20

As the salmon travel further and further upstream, from salt water to brackish water, to fresh water, their appearance changes. The further upstream they travel, the more their color changes as well as their physical features.They no longer resemble the fish they once were.  

As we persevere in pursuit of a life lived for God, to know Him, to love Him and to serve Him and be loved by Him, we are changed. I often tell my kids that if you had met me as a teenager, you would not recognize me as the mom that you have come to know. It is not so much my outward appearance that has changed (although that has for sure) but my inward nature. Paul writes to the Corinthians that, “we all with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being changed into his likeness, from one degree of glory to another. And this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.” 2 Cor.3:18 

Finally the fish reach their spawning ground. The females release their eggs and the males swim over the eggs, releasing their sperm. From these two fish who persevered in their journey, thousands of offspring are born.The parents die but their death is not in vain. Their decaying bodies provide the very nutrients needed for the ecosystem that will supply food for their offspring.

For those who persevere in their spiritual upstream journey, there is the recognition that our lifelong pursuit is not just for us to be united with Father God and to become more like Jesus in this world. Our lives are meant to inspire and impact generations to come. We can leave behind a legacy of the worthiness of a life lived by faith, for the glory and honor of the God whom we have loved and longed to be united with, finally and forever, face to face. As we die to the entrapments of the world, we provide nourishment for the next generation who enter by the gate and begin their own spiritual journeys.

To those who have started this journey, don’t stop swimming! The current will try to drag you away from the full life of fruitfulness for which you are created. Remember God’s promise, that He is with you.  Keep companionship with others who are also heading home. 

To those who are being drawn toward discovering the meaning and purpose of life, Jesus invites you to come to Him. Don’t be intimidated by the predators that will attempt to draw you away from the path to life.” Keep on seeking, and you will find; keep on asking and you will receive what you are asking for; keep on knocking and the door will be opened for you.” Mt.7:7 NLT

As much as this has been a post about fish, the truth is that we are far more than fish to our heavenly Father who would send his Son to “swim” among us and die on our behalf to open the gate home. God did so love the world that he gave his one and only Son… who came that we might have life.

Where are you on this journey?

How have you tried to satisfy your innate longing for purpose and meaning?

What gates have you entered through to try to find fulfillment?

What do you believe about Jesus’ claim to be the gate to abundant and eternal life?

What predators have you faced and are you currently facing?

What obstacles are preventing you from progressing spiritually?

Have you asked God to help you? Are you willing to receive the help He gives?

How has your journey changed your character? 

What motivates you to continue living a counter-current life?

What legacy would you want to leave for the next generation?

In what ways can you encourage those around you to persevere?

In what ways do you need others to encourage and protect you?

This pathway is one that I have traveled many, many times. My first journey on the Isaiah 55 road was as a young college student during my spring break. Being new to faith in Christ and to the Bible, I was unfamiliar with this part of scripture. Lying on the living room floor with my grandmother’s Bible opened to this chapter, I spent the better part of the day eating and drinking  these words which were a feast for my hungry, thirsty soul. Since then I have returned frequently to let  these words nourish me in barren or wayward seasons. Everytime I come to this passage, I always feel invited.

Ho, everyone who is thirsty, come to the waters;

and he who has no money, come buy and eat!

Come buy wine and milk without money and without price. Isa.55:1

Ho can also be translated, Hey, Listen, You there! God is actually trying to grab our attention, lest we think that this invitation isn’t for us. Hey, listen, everyone – yes, even me, yes, even you – come, come, come. 

My excuse to resist this invitation may be that I don’t believe that this offer could actually be for me. I don’t deserve to come to God, I haven’t done enough good deeds, I have done too many bad deeds, I don’t go to church, I don’t have the spiritual currency to qualify for this invitation. But wait, what does this scripture say are the terms of this invitation to his table? No money? No price? How can it be that food, wine, milk, all representative of spiritual bounty, can be ours without money or price? Besides, what if the “food” that is being offered at this table is actually an invitation to a boring religious life? Do I really want that?

God in turn asks those who might be considering this invitation a penetrating question:

Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread? And why do you 

spend your labor for that which does not satisfy? Isa.55:2 (italics mine)

 How satisfied is your soul by those things that you are pursuing? Does money and more money buy you the kind of food that satiates your hungry soul? Does your career, your education, your straining to be a good person, your entertainment, your appearance, your achievements actually relieve your soul’s hunger pangs? Don’t they merely offer a temporary high and then leave you craving for more?

For me as a young college student reading this for the first time, I knew that the education that I was pursuing and the career that I would enter into and the money that I would make to live the quintessential American dream was hollow. The words,” labor for that which does not satisfy” resonated deeply. So how do I access this promised nourishment for my soul?

Hearken diligently to me and eat what is good,

and delight yourself in fatness!

Incline your ear and come to me; hear that your soul may live!

And I will make with you an everlasting covenant, my steadfast sure love for David.                                              Isa.55:2,3

Once God has our attention, He beckons us to lean in closer. Hearken diligently to Me, listen carefully to Me and keep listening, pay attention and focus on Me. Incline your ear toward Me, because I have something to say to you, I want to speak to you. What would God want to say to me? Does He have my full attention? Does He want to remind me of all the things that I have done wrong? Does He want to tell me what a disappointment I am to Him? Does He have some kind of penance for me to accomplish before I accept His invitation to the table? And how do I get still enough and close enough to listen to what He has to say? For me, reading at length through Isaiah 55 was a way to incline my ear so that I might  hear Him speak through the scriptures.

“Eat what is good and delight yourself in fatness”, is His response.  His portion is good, nourishing soul satisfying, thirst quenching, abundant, calorie-dense, dripping with Omega-3s fare. The “ delight myself in fatness” line made me laugh; for a girl who was always trying to lose weight and count calories, this was outrageous! He certainly had my attention. The table is set and there is an empty seat for me and for you, for us to begin to partake of the stuff that our souls need to live and thrive. And the invitation is based on love, not performance. It is based on our willingness to come and accept that our souls are bankrupt and emaciated without Him. This love, the same love that He exhibited toward David, is a patient, steadfast, covenantal, everlasting love. 

But how long is this invitation available? What if I decide to live a little and come back after I have explored my other options?

Seek the Lord while he may be found. 

Call upon Him while He is near.

Of course God does not force us to return to Him and sit at the table with Him and partake of that which He has prepared for us. It is an invitation, but we must be aware that if we choose to explore, indulge, rebel, get to the end of ourselves a little bit more, it may be too late. We do not have control over the number of days; circumstances are beyond our control. So the invitation is for now; He is near.

Let the wicked forsake His way and the unrighteous man his thoughts.

Let him return to the Lord, that He may have mercy on Him,

and to our God, for He will abundantly pardon. Isa.55:6,7

  My natural inclinations and my hidden thoughts are wayward, rebellious, selfish, even wicked.  Even with a hungry soul, I am often tempted to find my food at tables other than the one that the Lord invites me to.  Countless times since that first time reading these words, I have realized and acknowledged that I have departed from his table. Perhaps I have become too busy. Perhaps I have been enticed by ambition or appearances. Perhaps I have become apathetic. The only thing that returning to the seat at His table costs me is my willingness to humbly confess thoughts and ways that have displeased and dishonored him. Jesus’ disciple John says it this way,

“If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just, and will forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” 1 John 1:8,9

 Forsake and return, I have come to realize are a repeated process as I see my shortcomings more and more clearly after sitting in His presence. And how am I received when I recognize and let go of wicked ways and when I confess my unrighteous thoughts? Mercy and abundant pardon are generously available after each of these departures and I am welcomed back to the table of relationship with our Creator. Truly the more I spend time at the table of his presence, the more I am grieved by my departures, the more quickly I return and the less appealing other tables have become. 

Perhaps you have hesitated accepting the invitation to return to the Lord because of your dread of His disdain and disapproval. Let these words encourage you. 

“Let him [let yourself] return to the Lord, that He may have mercy on him [you], and to our God for He will abundantly pardon him [you].” 

Forsake the ways that will never satisfy the hunger in your soul, forsake the unrighteous thoughts that are hidden to the world but are entirely visible to holy God. And if it is too hard to do this, and it is, ask God, the Holy Spirit to help you. Let Him know that you agree with His assessment that the way you have tried to think and live have fallen far short of the satisfaction of being in his presence. Let Him know that you want to listen, learn and receive from Him as you let go of your own ways and thoughts. Have mercy on me and pardon me, for You are my God. 

The disciple John writes echos of Isaiah 55 in the closing book of the Bible as a final appeal to come to Him in Revelation 22:17

The Spirit and the Bride say,”Come.” And let him who hears say, “Come.” And let him who is thirsty come, let him who desires take the water of life without price.

Have you ever considered this invitation to come to God’s table? 

Why do you think that the scripture uses a table and meal as an allegory for relationship with God and satisfaction for our souls?

What do you picture if you were to be invited to sit at a table with Jesus? 

Would it feel awkward? 

Would you feel unworthy?

If you were to lean in to listen to what He wants to tell you, would you be excited?

Would you fear what He might say? 

Do you believe that He wants your soul to live full and free?

Do you believe that He offers an enduring, love-based relationship?

Do you know that Jesus paid in full for this seat in the Father’s presence?

Will you come?

Sometimes the pathway of return toward God is blocked by our own suppositions. We might suppose that because of what we have done, or said, or what we haven’t done, that God wouldn’t want us. 

 In the letter written by James, the brother of Jesus, we read about the heart of God and the pathway of return from one who had personally walked this journey. James grew up as the son of Mary and Joseph, with Jesus as his older half-brother. One would think that with this proximity to the Son of God, he would have been his ardent supporter and follower, but this wasn’t the case. In the gospels it was recorded that James and his brothers tried to stop Jesus’ ministry. The gospel writer, Mark, records, “when his family heard it  [crowds following him], they went out to seize him, for they were saying, ‘He is out of his mind!’ “(Mk.3:21) And the disciple John tells us that Jesus’ own brothers did not believe in him. (Jn.7:5)

 In looking back, James must have thought, how did I miss the truth that Jesus is the Son of God? How could I have not only doubted him but even ridiculed him as being a lunatic? And now that I have seen him alive, after having been crucified, I believe!  How will it ever be possible for me to be close to him after so many wasted years and such a wasted privilege?

James then writes these riveting words about his and anyone’s pathway of return, but especially to those who feel undeserving..

“Do you suppose that it is to no purpose that the Scripture says, ‘He yearns jealously over the spirit that he has made to dwell in us’? But he gives more grace. Therefore it says, ‘God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.’ Submit yourselves therefore to God. (James 4:5-7)

God yearns jealously. Jesus, the Son of God, longs for restored relationships. The Creator of mankind, James’ Creator, my Creator, your Creator yearns for our spirit to be indwelt by His Spirit. Can you imagine how this must have broken James’ heart when he realized that despite his behaviors toward Jesus because of his own human jealousy and unbelief, nevertheless, Father God had never stopped yearning jealously for James. Grace is often defined as undeserved favor. Indeed James recognized that the pathway of return for him was paved in undeserved grace and more grace. Any excuse that he had used to disqualify himself as being utterly unworthy of pardon or permission to belong to Him was countered by grace and more grace. 

Let’s travel down this pathway of return, thinking about our own life, while bearing in mind James’ own experience in writing these words.

God opposes the proud but he gives grace to the humble.

The pathway of return is one of grace. It requires great humility to receive great grace. Everything in us cries out to earn our way back into God’s good “graces”. But in so doing, we will always be able to attribute our standing with God as being based on what we have done to earn it. That is pride and God opposes the proud. Humility is the gateway to enter the pathway of grace. Humility agrees that God has done it all for me. I have merely to receive what he offers. No matter what we have done, as James remembered all too well, he gives more grace.

Submit yourselves therefore to God.

The response to grace is to humbly submit and say yes to God; your will not my will, your way not my way. Submission has the connotation to us of being defeated or of being enslaved. It could not be more opposite. Submission to the God who yearns for us, who gives more grace to us is actually freedom. Submission for James must have occurred in his encounter with the resurrected Jesus. I Cor 15:7 tells us simply, “then he appeared to James…”. One can only imagine what that encounter must have evoked in James; every doubt was canceled and the only fitting response was to surrender in submission to his Lord. Years later when writing this letter, he uses the following introduction, “James, a servant of the Lord Jesus Christ…”. Submission means that the proper order of right relationship to Jesus is Jesus as Lord and us as his willingly yielded servants. 

Resist the devil and he will flee from you.

The devil will do all in his power (and he is very powerful), to separate us from union with Jesus. Everyone who chooses to turn back toward the Lord will face an opposing force, a strong current. This may come in the form of believing that we are unworthy, unwanted. God would not possibly want us back since we walked away, we rejected him, we mocked his existence. James is testifying that these messages are not true; God actually yearns over us. Doubts, confusion, remembrances of past hurts, disappointments, fears, may all come rushing in as you turn back toward the God of grace and more grace. Resist the devil. How? In the strength of the One who has all authority, in the name of Jesus who asks us to come, and in His word of truth. Resist and keep resisting – it is not a one time encounter. Jesus is the victor. Keep resisting the devil and he will flee. 

Draw near to God and he will draw near to you.

Resisting the devil and drawing near to God go hand in hand. It is impossible to resist the devil such that he will flee unless we draw near to God. The curious thing is that as the devil tears at us to drive a wedge between us and God, it can have the opposite effect  of drawing us closer to Him for protection and help. Every accusation can propel us into His arms of forgiveness, every temptation can send us seeking His strength, every condemnation can draw us closer to hear who he says we are. Resisting and drawing near are to be expected over and over again as we walk the pathway of grace back toward his heart.

Cleanse your hands you sinners and purify your hearts you double-minded men.

The relief of calling sin what God calls sin is immeasurable. As I already mentioned, humility is the gateway for God’s grace. God is not interested in humiliating us, making us grovel or squirm. He is not trying to shame us, but He is the God of truth who yearns for a relationship that is based on truth. Hiding, pretending, wearing masks don’t work with the One who knows the thoughts and intentions of our hearts. So why do we need to “cleanse our hands of known sin” ? Because it is truth that sets us free. We are free from hiding what we hope that God doesn’t see or know and we are free to receive from that same One forgiveness. 1 John 1:9 says, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” 

What about purifying double-mindedness? I liken this to having a foot on two separate icebergs that are slowly drifting apart. Eventually it becomes not only uncomfortable, but impossible to keep one foot on each. We have to choose. Jesus expressed this reality in his Sermon on the Mount . “No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.” Matt.6:24 And James himself acknowledges this same truth in the beginning of his letter by stating that a double-minded person is unstable in all his ways. Jas.1:8 Choosing whom we will serve is not about perfection, but it is absolutely about our direction and devotion.  “Choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve…But as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD.” Josh. 24:15

Be wretched and mourn and weep. Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom.

James is doubling down on the seriousness that he applies to the pathway of return. He himself has experienced this portion of his own pathway, no doubt when faced by the risen Jesus. What must that moment have been like for this brother who had lived in opposition to his elder brother throughout his life? What wretchedness, mourning and weeping must have poured out of James as he re-lived his words, actions, ridicules and insults, in front of His risen Lord. It is one thing to have grown up in a Christ following household and have walked away and it is another to have grown up with Christ in the household. James was shattered. But “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.” Perhaps James is telling us not to be afraid to experience the depths of sadness and grief over our sin. It is there that His comfort comes. Psalm 130 was especially meaningful to me in a season of deep mourning and weeping.

Out of the depths I cry to You, O Lord, hear my voice…

If You Lord should mark my iniquities, who could stand;

But there is forgiveness with You, that You may be revered.

Humble yourselves before the Lord and he will lift you up.

How many times do we see that humility is the key that opens the gate to the pathway of return. Humility is the posture that propels us forward. And it is humility that is met with God’s open arms. When I see that phrase, he will lift you up, I picture one of my grandchildren running toward me in anticipation that they will be scooped up into my inviting arms, hugged tightly and lavished with kisses. The God who has yearned jealously for you to turn, submit, resist, confess, weep is more unrestrained than the father in the parable of the prodigal son who ran unceremoniously toward his returning repentant son. He will lift you up and welcome you home.

What perceptions do you have of God as you turn toward Him?

How does the phrase, He yearns jealously, strike you?

Think about the definition of grace – God giving us what we do not deserve or earn.

He gives more grace – where do you find yourself in need of more grace?

Do you believe that God is willing to give you grace and more grace?

 Why is humility the key to receiving God’s grace?

What does it mean for you to humble yourself before the Lord?

What is the difference between humility and submission?

What opposition are you facing in turning back toward Jesus?

How can you counter the opposition you feel or face by drawing near to God?

Have weeping and mourning been a part of your journey?

How can these emotions propel you into the arms of more grace?

In what ways can you relate to James’ journey of return?

Are you willing to take the first step down this pathway of return?