Raise!

Scriptures: Acts 13:13-34, 2 Chronicles 6:14-15, Psalms 145:13, 2 Corinthians 1:20

Promise raised promise kept.

‘After removing Saul, he made David their king. God testified concerning him… 

From this man’s descendants God has brought to Israel the Saviour Jesus, as he promised’ (Acts 13:22-23 NIV)

When I was a young girl, I raised my hand and recited a familiar Brownie promise weekly. I realised at some point in my youthful journey that I was saying the promise incorrectly. I kept reciting that I would ‘do my duty to guard the Queen and my country’, when really it was ‘do my duty to God, the Queen and my country’. ‘Guarding the Queen’ was a promise I could never understand or keep! 

God does not need to raise his hand to make a promise. In 2 Chronicles 6:14-15 we read, ‘Lord, the God of Israel, there is no God like you…with your mouth you have promised and with your hand you have fulfilled it’. Easter reminds us of one of the greatest promises ever spoken and kept by God. He sent his Son, our Saviour. A promise made and a promise kept! ‘God has brought to Israel the Saviour Jesus, as he promised’ (Acts 13:23) 

We sing in the chorus of song 893 from The Song Book of The Salvation Army, ‘All the promises of God are sure’, and read in Psalm 145:13, ‘The Lord is trustworthy in all he promises and faithful in all he does.’ 

Paul, who at one point rejected and opposed Christ, was radically converted and received the Spirit of Christ. He proclaimed, ‘For no matter how many promises God has made, they are “Yes” in Christ’ (2 Corinthians 1:20). 

During a difficult season of life, we incredibly drove through the end of a rainbow, the colours mysteriously swirling around the car. Gentle tears came. The rainbow reminded me of God’s mighty living presence and uncompromised, covenant promises, affirmed in Christ. If he can promise and orchestrate life beyond the grave, he will not fall short in keeping his promises to us, his people. 

Is there a promise of God that you need to hold on to today?

Scriptures: Luke 19:28-40, Psalms 34:1

Raise a hallelujah! 

‘Raise it like a banner, raise it like a flag, raise it in the middle of the storm’ [1] 

Voices join to sing these words in worship. But what is ‘it’? What are the lyrics inviting us to raise? The first line of the song, not written above, says, ‘Raise a hallelujah.’ 

On that first Palm Sunday, disciples were raising palm branches as their hallelujah. Hallelujah means ‘God be praised!’ Because they thought Jesus was to be their earthly king, their actions could not be stilled, and their voices could not be silenced. They raised their hallelujah by joining a parade and shouting ‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord’ (Luke 13:35). 

Raising our hallelujah, ‘God be praised,’ is a response to what we know to be true. In Knowing God, theologian J.I. Packer asks, ‘How can we turn our knowledge about God into knowledge of God?’ [2] He then answers: ‘The rule for doing this is simple but demanding. It is that we turn each Truth that we learn about God into matter for meditation before God, leading to prayer and praise to God.’ 

Truths do help us raise our hallelujah. What truth are you learning about God that helps you raise your hallelujah, ‘God be praised!’?

Scriptures: Luke 23:23-34, Isaiah 52:14, Matthew 16:24-25

Raise one foot, then the other.

As the soldiers led him away, they seized Simon from Cyrene, who was on his way in from the country, and put the cross on him and made him carry it behind Jesus (Luke 23:26 NIV)

I am sure the last thing Simon expected that day was to be seized and ordered, ‘Carry his cross’. The cross was taken from Jesus ‘marred beyond human likeness’ (Isaiah 52:14 NIV) and raised on to the body of Simon. Simon surrendered to the weight, slowly raising one foot and then the other, following Jesus to Golgotha.

Sometimes we hear a voice. It is the Voice that calls us to carry a cross. Jesus is the one who called his followers to ‘deny themselves and take up their cross and follow’ (Matthew 16:24 NIV). We may find we are called to give up what is easiest for us, to take on that which demands complete surrender. The weight of this calling may be great and raising each foot, each step of the way, challenging.

Taking up a cross is not an easy calling. It stands in opposition to any form of Christianity that pursues and proclaims success, wealth, health and ongoing happiness.

My dad has lived with Parkinson’s disease. Putting one foot in front of the other is extremely hard work. Sometimes a tap on his leg reminds his brain to activate the raising of his foot. Following Jesus under the weight of his calling can be significantly hard work. Someone has said that simply putting one foot in front of the other is the hard work of holiness. Holiness is faithfulness to carrying our cross as we follow Jesus.

I do not know what the Lord is calling you to today. I do know that he calls. Sometimes his call is unexpected. Perhaps today he is tapping you, gently giving you strength to simply raise one foot and put it in front of the other, speaking the words, ‘but whoever loses their life for me will find it’ (Matthew 16:25 NIV).

Make some space to listen today. What is the Lord calling you to?

Scriptures: Luke 22:14-20, Luke 22:39-44

Raised Cups.

Jesus dined at many tables. He dined with his disciples, strangers, prostitutes, religious leaders and family. Imagine how many cups were raised by the hand of Jesus at the meals in which he partook.

In many cultures people raise cups at certain meals. A few examples of what a raised cup means are: in Dutch, ‘Op je gezondheid’ (to your health); in Polish, ‘Sto lat’ (one hundred years); in Korean ‘Geonbae’ (empty the glass); and in Hebrew, ‘L’chaim’ (to life). Raising our cup ‘to life’ we acknowledge the content of each person’s cup, and we affirm our life together, celebrating it as a gift from God.[1]

In the garden of Gethsemane Jesus prays that his cup be taken from him. He is aware that the content of his cup contains deep sorrow. He will bear the consequence of all sin and brokenness. Sweating drops of blood he agonises with his Abba Father saying, ‘If you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done’ (Luke 22:42, NIV). Have you ever prayed for the content of your cup to be removed?

Jesus drank his cup knowing that it was the will of his Father, and he was not alone. Jesus raised and entrusted the content to his Father because of the Father’s commitment to him. We read, ‘An angel from heaven appeared to him and strengthened him’ (Luke 22:43 NIV).

His raising and drinking brought salvation, freedom, glory and wholeness, establishing a new covenant family. His drinking established a community that could commit to walk life together and raise their cups together.

The Christian community, found in Christ, is to be one that helps each other discover joy amid sorrow, blessing amid challenge, hope in despair.

Today, may we help one another raise our cups. ‘To life!’

Scriptures: John 18:1-11, Luke 22:46-51, Zechariah 4:6

Rise!

Peter thought he was ready for battle when the soldiers came to arrest Jesus. He raised his man-made sword and proceeded to swing it wildly, chopping off the servant Malchus’s ear. We watch Jesus, with no anxiety or panic about him, reach out and touch the man’s ear, immediately healing it.

At the Mount of Olives, hours before Peter’s sword-swinging behaviour, Jesus teaches another way to fight battles. He kneels, agonising in prayer, wrestling with the will of God his Father. It is a battle with darkness for the restoration of the world. He is being called to give up his life. Jesus fights this battle on his knees, in relationship with his Father, sweating drops of blood, in agony. Peter, with the other disciples, sleeps. Jesus asks them, ‘What business do you have sleeping? Get up. Pray so you won’t give in to temptation’.

How do we fight life’s battles? What is the weapon we raise? We can fashion many self-made weapons. We can raise our voices, our emotions, our typed words, even our fists. Sometimes we swing wildly, expecting, like Peter, we will win the battle. I know, when I fight battles on my own the outcome is unproductive and anxiety-producing. Jesus tells us, ‘Put your sword away!’ and the Lord reminds us that the battles fought are ‘not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit’ (Zechariah 4:6). This is the gift of the cross and the empty tomb.

When the battle comes Jesus is prepared. He has been with his heavenly Father. He says to the disciples, ‘Rise! Let us go! Here comes my betrayer!’ (Matthew 26:46). Time with his Father has made him ready to rise and face the battle ahead.

On any day we face battles in this world and in our lives. Let us begin to fight by raising a prayer. Let us be with our heavenly Father, hear the word ‘Rise!’ and, with our Saviour, confidently go out to face the battle.

Scriptures: Matthew 27:27-37, Luke 23:34

Raise up an army.

In the biblical narrative of Jesus’ crucifixion we find soldiers busy in activity. The soldiers ‘took Jesus’, ‘gathered the whole company of soldiers round him’, ‘stripped him’ ‘put a scarlet robe on him’, ‘twisted together a crown of thorns and set it on his head’, ‘put a staff in his right hand’, ‘mocked him’, ‘spat on him’, ‘struck him’, ‘led him away to crucify him’, ‘divided up his clothes’, ‘kept watch over him’ (Matthew 27).

The soldiers were doing their job. They drifted along, led by routine behaviours, patterns and society’s shaping. Perhaps, without any thought, they went through the motions, not understanding their dreadful day’s work, unaware of what their activity of crucifying Jesus was truly accomplishing.

We can be challenged that we too, as soldiers of Jesus Christ, can drift through motions with thought patterns and behaviours that are part of society. We too can participate in routine soldier activity and behaviour with little thought, going through the motions, numb to what our activity is truly accomplishing.

The life of a soldier is fulfilling commands of the captain. A Christian, given the title soldier, is called to be faithful in fulfilling the commands of their Captain, Jesus Christ. The Father of the army is God himself. As soldiers, we seek to be faithful listeners to the voice of our Captain, Jesus. We pray:

Raise up an army, O God,
Awake your people throughout the earth;
Raise up an army, O God,
To proclaim your Kingdom, to declare your Word,
To reveal your glory, O God. [1]

Raise up an army that is awakened and not drifting or living routinely. Raise up soldiers who hear the voice of their Captain and respond with fresh Kingdom living. Raise up an army that lives beyond society’s patterns, revealing God’s glory.

Together we receive the pardoning words of Jesus, ‘Father, forgive them’, for where we have failed.

Scriptures: Matthew 27:39-46, Hebrews 12:2, 2 Corinthians 5:21, Revelation 1:16

Raise your face. 

Let us keep looking to Jesus. He is the one who started this journey of faith. And he is the one who completes the journey of faith. He paid no attention to the shame of the cross (Hebrews 12:2 NIRV) 

Corrie Ten Boom’s story has brought strength to my faith. During the Second World War she was imprisoned with her family. Released, she lived to share her faith. She said: 

If you look at the world, you’ll be distressed. 

If you look within, you’ll be depressed. 

If you look at God, you’ll be at rest. 

People looked at God, in flesh, when they saw Jesus on the cross. Faces raised to Jesus, they sought to further shame him by hurling insults at him. I wonder if Jesus met their gaze. 

When we feel ashamed or shamed we avoid the gaze of others. We will not look people in the eye. We may even avoid God. Jesus became ‘sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God’ (2 Corinthians 5:21 ESV). Jesus took our sin and shame and gave us the freedom to raise our face to meet the gaze of our Saviour. To be face to face with our Saviour is a gift given. He will never turn his face away from us. 

In a vision, John raises his face towards Jesus and says, ‘His face was like the sun shining in all its brilliance’ (Revelation 1:16). To a weary, persecuted church, needing the rest of God, he writes of the radiant Jesus who walks amongst his people; who enables them to shine their light in the darkness; who knows them and loves them; who gloriously rules over all things; who says, ‘I am the beginning and the end’. 

Jesus welcomes us to turn to him and raise our face towards his. Where will you choose to fix your attention today?

Scriptures: Matthew 27:45-54, Psalms 19:1-2

Raise your eyes.

On 8 April 2024, thousands of eyes focused on the Creator’s skies as the land turned dark for four minutes and twenty-eight seconds. The moon passed between the sun and the earth, completely blocking the face of the sun. It is said that more than 44 million people lived in the path of that eclipse. Many people purchased special glasses so they could raise their eyes to watch this phenomenon. Those who saw this eclipse spoke words of wonder and amazement. God’s sustaining hand was at work in the created order!

We pause and think about the darkness that covered the earth in the last hours of Jesus’ life before he gave up his last breath. God the Almighty Creator’s hand was at work. He was speaking through the darkness. Imagine how many people raised their eyes upwards noting this phenomenal occurrence of darkness as Jesus laboured for every breath.

Creation is incredible. The Almighty Creator even more so! In Psalm 19:1-2 we read: ‘The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they reveal knowledge.’

Let us take ourselves to the cross. Let us imagine the land turning dark for three hours. Raising our eyes to see the darkness may we be reminded of, yes, God’s hand at work through his creation, but also of the unfathomable darkness Jesus carried of yours, mine and all the world’s falsehood, sin, shame, brokenness and even death.

Eyes raised to Jesus throughout the day also observed the darkness that lingered as the centurion cried out the declaration, ‘Surely he was the Son of God!’ (Matthew 27:54 NIV).

Almighty God’s sustaining hand continues to be involved with creation. The skies continue to proclaim who he is.

Pray today that someone might come to know God through his creation.

Scriptures: Matthew 27:45-46, Job 38:3-12, Job 39:26, Psalms 9:10

Raise your questions.

During one season of life I lived with many exhausting questions, raising them to God daily. Tired of my questions, I flung open the Bible and said to the Lord, ‘I need a few answers’. I read from the book of Job which, like me, raises some pressing questions to God about his living presence in the world, pain, suffering and justice. After patiently listening, God answers him with this line: ‘Brace yourself like a man; I will question you, and you shall answer me’ (Job 38:3 NIV).

God raises his questions to Job, and he questioned me as I sat at my desk on that afternoon. I braced myself:

• ‘Where were you when I Iaid the earth’s foundation?’
• ‘Have you ever given orders to the morning…?’
• ‘Does the hawk take flight by your wisdom…?’

God asks Job around 70 questions. I found myself answering, ‘I don’t know the answer to any of these questions!’ Faith moved me to, ‘I will trust who you are.’

Jesus raised his own question for God his Father as he hung broken on the cross: ‘Why have you forsaken me?’ The pain of this question and the suffocating darkness of this forsakenness is one we cannot penetrate. The answer to this forsakenness is the unimaginable redemptive plan for restoration and salvation of the world, you and me.

Sometimes we feel God has forsaken us. Jesus, forsaken by the Father, promised us, ‘Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you’ (Hebrews 13:5).

God welcomes our questions and so we raise them. Yet, a growing faith invites growing trust.

What do you need to bring before God today? Take some time to remember who God is and find confidence in his faithfulness.

Scriptures: John 19:28-30, John 7:37-39, Revelation 22:17

A raised response to thirst.

Jesus hangs on the cross in the heat of the day. The scourging has come with an intensity that has left Jesus unrecognisable. He has endured excruciating pain. He is fully exhausted. If you meditate on this picture, like me you may find that tears gather in the corners of your eyes.

How loud were the words that came from Jesus’ lips when he pleaded for something to drink. ‘I thirst’ (John 19:28 ESV). This is a deeply human need that Jesus expresses.

When we humanly suffer, we may find ourselves pleading. ‘I thirst’ is an expression that speaks to the diversity of our human needs. We may not even know the depth from which our ‘I thirst’ comes.

Jesus receives a response to his ‘I thirst’. Scripture says they raised the stalk of a hyssop plant that held a sponge soaked in wine vinegar to his lips (John 19:29). My heart says this is a pathetic response to a cry of thirst.

Our world offers many responses to thirst. Many are pathetic. Synonymous words for pathetic are weak, ridiculous, useless, distressing, tragic. Pathetic solutions are raised to us, extended to us, to meet our human thirst.

Jesus understands our humanity and the depth of our soul’s thirst. He raises to us a true solution to our thirst. ‘“Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them.” By this he meant the Spirit’ (John 7:37-39).

Today, is your soul thirsty for the living water only Jesus can offer? Jesus says to you, ‘come to me and drink’.

Scriptures: Matthew 26:31-35, John 6:37, Psalms 132:4-5

Voices raised.

As followers of Jesus, we often raise our voices in allegiance to him and the ways of the Christian faith. We speak ‘I will…’ statements of commitment and lordship. Those who have chosen to become soldiers in The Salvation Army confess, ‘I believe and will live by the truths of the word of God.’ This statement is followed by a series of ten ‘I will…’ promises. In the dedication of a child or in a marriage ceremony the words ‘I/we will’ are spoken. It is common as followers of Jesus to verbalise ‘I will…’ statements regarding our faith and its practices.

It was hours before Jesus was moving towards the agony of the cross. The disciple Peter raised his voice with bold ‘I will…’ statements to Jesus.

‘“Even if all fall away on account of you, I never will”’ (Matthew 26:33 NIV).

‘“Even if I have to die with you, I will never disown you.” And all the other disciples said the same’ (Matthew 26:35 NIV).

Our voices raise personal and corporate ‘I will…’ statements alongside Peter and the other disciples. Peter’s ‘I will…’ was followed by denying relationship with Jesus three times.

King David had an ‘I will…’ that followed the selfish realisation that God had come second. He built himself a fine palace and then, in guilt, said, ‘I will not give sleep to my eyes, or slumber to my eyelids, until I find a place for the Lord…’ (Psalm 132:4-5 MEV).

Have you had, or are you living an experience of a failed ‘I will…’? Despite our failures we hear the uncompromised ‘I will…’ of Jesus raised to us. ‘Whoever comes to me I will never cast out’ (John 6:37 ESV).

We are invited to raise an ‘I will…’ confident in the One who helps us be faithful to the promises we make, and forgives and restores when we fail.

Scriptures: John 11:1-44, Ephesians 2:1-5, 2 Corinthians 2:12, Matthew 26:75, 1 John 1:9

Raise a confession.

Martha, the sister of the dead man Lazarus, argues with the words ‘Take away the stone’, saying, ‘…by this time there is a bad odour, for he has been there four days’ (John 11:39 NIV). But Jesus is not concerned about the odour that will come from the grave; his concern is for life. He calls ‘in a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!”’ (John 11:43 NIV).

We know that when living things die, they produce an unpleasant odour. I find an interesting comparison in Scripture because it says that before Jesus, we were dead in our sins (Ephesians 2:1) – we produced an odour. Not literally, but figuratively! But Jesus declares ‘Take away the stone!’ and God, who is rich in mercy, makes us ‘alive with Christ’ (Ephesians 2:5 NIV). Not only are we made alive, but we are also made to be a fragrance, an aroma of Christ. ‘We are like a sweet smell to God. It is the smell of Christ we have. We have this sweet smell among the people who are saved and among those who are lost’ (2 Corinthians 2:12 WE).

Despite sins forgiven, there may still be times in our lives when the stench of present sin lingers on or around us. Somehow the old grave clothes seek to enfold and entangle us. This is where raising words of confession comes as an important aspect to the Christian faith.

Peter denied Jesus three times. His anguish over this offence was deep. We read that his raised confession was to weep bitterly (Matthew 26:75).

What do you need to seek forgiveness for today? You may want to raise the confession of David:

‘Have mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love; according to your great compassion blot out my transgressions. Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin’ (Psalm 51:1-2 NIV).

Today, may our sweet aroma of Christ be offered to others.

Scriptures: Luke 24:1-12, 1 Corinthians 15:12-20, 2 Thessalonians 1:3, Galatians 2:20, 1 Peter 1:3, Luke 24:36

Raised to a living faith.

In 1 Corinthians 15:12-20 we find the word ‘raised’ nine times. Nine times! I invite you to take time and read this Scripture now.

Raised is past tense. It has happened. Jesus has been raised!

Christian living is based on the affirmative truth that Jesus has been raised from the dead. Without this truth our faith is futile, says Scripture (1 Corinthians 15:17). A quick glance in the dictionary tells us that futile means ‘serving no purpose’ or ‘completely ineffective’ (Mirriam-Webster).

Because Jesus has been raised, we live a present-tense faith. Paul celebrates a present-tense, now faith, saying to the Church of Thessalonica, ‘your faith is growing more and more’ (2 Thessalonians 1:3 NIV). Faith is not futile. Faith grows more and more. Faith brings Kingdom life!

Years ago, as a church leader at Mississauga Temple in Canada, Jack the custodian gave me a beautiful African violet plant. With a smile, knowing my plant-growing capabilities, he challenged me to keep it alive. It was a good effort on my part, but futile.

Faith is not futile. Faith grows as it is tended to. Faith in a raised Saviour invites us to say, ‘The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me’ (Galatians 2:20 NIV).

Jesus was raised, and we are raised to new life. Together we proclaim: ‘Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! … he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead’ (1 Peter 1:3 NIV).

As we journey by faith, I leave with you some of the first words spoken by our risen Saviour: ‘Peace be with you’ (Luke 24:36 NIV).