The Story Of A Wall
by David C. McCasland

Read: Ephesians 2:11-22

He Himself is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of separation. —Ephesians 2:14

While visiting the ruins of Hadrian’s Wall in Northern England, I reflected on the fact that this may be the most remembered achievement of the Roman emperor who came to power in ad 117. As many as 18,000 Roman soldiers manned this 80-mile-long barrier, built to keep the northern barbarians from invading the south.

Hadrian is remembered for building a physical wall to keep people out. In contrast, Jesus Christ is remembered for tearing down a spiritual wall to let people in.

When the early church experienced tension between believers of Jewish and non-Jewish birth, Paul told them that, through Christ, they stood equally in the family of God. “For He Himself is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of separation . . . so as to create in Himself one new man from the two, thus making peace . . . . For through Him we both have access by one Spirit to the Father” (Eph. 2:14-15,18).

One of the most beautiful aspects of the Christian faith is the unity among those who follow Jesus. Through His death on the cross, Christ has removed the barriers that so often separate people and has drawn us together in true friendship and love.

God’s people have so much to do
In serving Christ today
That they should use their precious time
To share, to love, to pray. —Branon

Christian unity begins at the cross.

our daily bread

Artist of the earth
by sheridan voysey

read>
Psalm 104 
O Lord, what a variety of things You have made! In wisdom You have made them all. The earth is full of Your creatures (v.24).

In her book Source, art historian Janine Bourke says that many of the world’s most celebrated artists developed their greatest work when they retreated to nature. Monet painted his Waterlily series after moving to his garden-home at Giverny. Picasso was most creative when based at Cỏte d’Azur in France. Jackson Pollock’s abstract paintings were inspired by Long Island landscapes. The sea became a theme for Ernest Hemingway after he moved to then unpopulated Key West in Florida.

Bourke also notes that many of these artists were animists or pantheists. Overwhelmed by the beauty of their locales, they believed that the earth was sacred and worthy of worship.

Artists aren’t the only ones to look at creation and see something divine. “For ever since the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky. Through everything God made, they can clearly see His invisible qualities— His eternal power and divine nature” (Romans 1:20). The sky reveals the glory and creativity of God (Psalm 19:1-2). Nature itself speaks of it (Psalm 19:3-4).

The Christian vision of the world, however, goes a significant step beyond the pantheist’s. Creation is not God but points to a Creator who is even more amazing.

An ancient Hebrew poet captured this idea extremely well. After a breathtaking survey of the earth’s beauties, he says, “O Lord, what a variety of things you have made! In wisdom you have made them all” (Psalm 104:24). Another poet called on these same valleys, streams, lions, and trees—exhorting them to bow and worship the Creator (Psalm 148:1-14).

The greatest artwork can only reveal a fraction of an artist’s genius. This world is the same. Why bow to the artwork of earth when the Artist behind it is so much greater?

our daily journey

Going Through Spiritual Confusion

Jesus answered and said, ’You do not know what you ask’ —Matthew 20:22

There are times in your spiritual life when there is confusion, and the way out of it is not simply to say that you should not be confused. It is not a matter of right and wrong, but a matter of God taking you through a way that you temporarily do not understand. And it is only by going through the spiritual confusion that you will come to the understanding of what God wants for you.

The Shrouding of His Friendship (see Luke 11:5-8). Jesus gave the illustration here of a man who appears not to care for his friend. He was saying, in effect, that is how the heavenly Father will appear to you at times. You will think that He is an unkind friend, but remember?He is not. The time will come when everything will be explained. There seems to be a cloud on the friendship of the heart, and often even love itself has to wait in pain and tears for the blessing of fuller fellowship and oneness. When God appears to be completely shrouded, will you hang on with confidence in Him?

The Shadow on His Fatherhood (see Luke 11:11-13). Jesus said that there are times when your Father will appear as if He were an unnatural father?as if He were callous and indifferent— but remember, He is not. “Everyone who asks receives . . .” (Luke 11:10). If all you see is a shadow on the face of the Father right now, hang on to the fact that He will ultimately give you clear understanding and will fully justify Himself in everything that He has allowed into your life.

The Strangeness of His Faithfulness (see Luke 18:1-8). “When the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on the earth?” (Luke 18:8). Will He find the kind of faith that counts on Him in spite of the confusion? Stand firm in faith, believing that what Jesus said is true, although in the meantime you do not understand what God is doing. He has bigger issues at stake than the particular things you are asking of Him right now.

my utmost for his highest

The Goodness Of Work
by Randy Kilgore

Read: Genesis 1:26-31

God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness.” —Genesis 1:26

Some Christians grow up believing work is bad—that it’s a curse brought about by Adam and Eve’s sin. Left uncorrected, this mistaken belief can cause people to feel that what they do in their jobs every day isn’t important to God—or at the very least, isn’t as important as the work of missionaries and pastors. This is not true, as Genesis 1:26-31 teaches us.

First, we learn that God Himself works, as evidenced by the labor involved in creation and by the fact that He rested on the seventh day. Then we discover that we were made in His image (v.26) and that we were granted dominion over creation. This implies that we are to work to tend creation. Clearly, the tending of God’s creation is work—noble work, for God looked upon His labors and declared them “very good” (v.31).

It mustn’t escape our notice either that work was declared good before sin entered the picture. In other words, work didn’t result from the fall and therefore is not a curse. We see this idea again in Genesis 2, when God “took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to tend and keep it” (v.15).

Let’s approach each day’s labor—whether at a job or doing another activity to help our family—with an awareness of the dignity and nobility God granted it in creation.

Our daily work is used by God

To help us care for daily needs;

And work that’s done as to the Lord

Gives witness to our words and deeds. —D. De Haan

  

God, give me work till my life shall end—

and life till my work is done.

our daily bread