For I am the LORD your God,
the Holy One of Israel, your Savior…
Because you are precious in my eyes,
and honored, and I love you.

Isaiah 43:3-4 

The preacher who trained me used to always ask at a funeral, Why don’t we give flowers to the living? 

He wasn’t just talking about flowers either. He was thinking too about all of the words of praise and affection offered regarding the one who had died. It meant nothing to the deceased at the funeral, but would have been such an encouragement to them before they had passed from this life.

This is something we can all work on. When someone means something to you why not tell them?

God sets an example for us in this regard. He shows unrestrained and uninhibited love and affection as he expresses what he feels in his heart toward us. He knows we will not fully return his love. He realizes we will take advantage of it and even despise and rebel against it at times. Our Father recklessly exposes his heart to us.

Such vulnerability is risky business. Perhaps that’s why we wait until someone has died. The affection of Christ doesn’t consider the risks involved. It selflessly expresses love and affection regardless of the danger.

Why not tell those special people in your life that you love them today?  

Give us a heart like yours, O God our Father. Thank you for not holding back your affection toward us.

The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork.

Psalm 19:1

 One of Caneta’s favorite stories about the Gardner’s camp for kids up in New Jersey is from their first year. He had a kid who had grown up in the city and had not the opportunity to enjoy nature outside an urban setting. They were singing one night when the child looked up and asked Gardner, “What are those lights up in the sky?”

Caneta says that is one of the moments that helped Gardner to see just how important this camp was. It was exposing many kids to new things, not just in terms of social interaction with other godly kids, but also helping them enjoy the wonder of God’s creation.

I’ve just finished a week of camp with kids down at Lake Martin in south Alabama and I’m on my way to another camp in north Alabama that is situated in a beautiful setting by a lake. And both of these camps prohibit electronics. No video games. No TVs. No iPhones, iPods, or iPads.

And you know what? They survive. They even enjoy it. They have a great time playing outside.

These kids get a rare double exposure to God’s revelation. Not only are they studying God’s Word every day (Psalm 19:7-11), they also get to step into God’s other classroom, which is nature (Psalm 19:1-6).

You can do both today! (And you don’t have to go to camp to do it.) If you don’t already do this, spend your quiet time with God outside. Let God dominate your thoughts by his inspired Word, which screams aloud of his wisdom, and through the glorious heavens he has made, that shout aloud of his majesty.

Amaze us today with wonders from your Word and your creation, O God!

“You brought me this man as one who was misleading the people. And after examining him before you, behold, I did not find this man guilty of any of your charges against him. Neither did Herod, for he sent him back to us. Look, nothing deserving death has been done by him.”

Luke 23:14-15

There are four different individuals who declare Jesus’ innocence in Luke 23:

• Pilate. Then Pilate said to the chief priests and the crowds, “I find no guilt in this man.” v. 4
• Herod. “Neither did Herod, for he sent him back to us.” v. 15
• The thief. “Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? And we indeed justly, for we are receiving the due reward of our deeds; this man has done nothing wrong.” v. 40-41
• The centurion. “Certainly this man was innocent!” v. 47

What do we do when we’re being unjustly persecuted or attacked by our enemies and everyone comes to us and says how wrong they are and how right we are? How do we tend to think about, talk about, or act toward our enemies when everyone is running to our defense.

Normally, not very well.

How did Jesus respond? In Matthew’s account we read on three occasions that Jesus made no defense for himself (Matthew 26:63; 27:12, 14). While everyone else was defending him (even Pilate’s wife, Matthew 27:19), Jesus made no attempt to assert his innocence.

Did Jesus not want justice? Did he not want revenge? Did he not want God to act on his behalf and right this terrible wrong?

Of course not. That would defeat the whole purpose.

He did not demand vengeance for himself, but prayed instead, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” (Luke 23:34)

Father, clothe us with the meekness and the humility of Christ.

 Tomorrow, Americans will celebrate Independence Day, a day which reminds us of our freedom from British rule.

 Today, Christians celebrate a much more significant Independence Day. The first day of the week is the day that reminds us of our liberation from…

 Sin. ”For one who has died has been set free from sin.” (Romans 6:7) “But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the fruit you get leads to sanctification and its end, eternal life.” (Romans 6:22)  

The law of sin and death. ”For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death.” (Romans 8:2)

Our yoke of slavery. ”For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery.” (Galatians 5:1)

Spiritual blindness. ”But when one turns to the Lord, the veil is removed. Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.” (2 Corinthians 3:16-17)

The curse on this earth. ”that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God.” (Romans 8:21)

An imperfect law to a perfect law. ”But now we are released from the law; having died to that which held us captive, so that we serve in the new way of the Spirit and not in the old way of the written code.” (Romans 7:6) “But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing.” (James 1:25)

To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood and made us a kingdom, priests to his God and Father, to him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.