40 Days Closer to Christ

What if they decided to hold a concert and every member of the orchestra showed up with their instruments tuned anyway they wanted? I’ve been to a few middle school concerts and I have to tell you that it wouldn’t be good. There must be some standard to which all the instruments are tuned, or else you end up with a cacophony. But not only do the instruments need to be tuned, but they need to be tuned to a Master note.

In my house I have three guitars. (Actually since my kids played rock star with one of them only two are playable, but for illustration purposes lets suppose all three can be played.) If I tune one of them to with a pitch pipe or with an electronic tuner than I am pretty sure that it is conditioned for optimal performance. Now I can go to the second guitar and tune it by the first one. And I can get around to tuning the third one by using the second. Theoretically, all three should be tuned up just right. But if I strum a note on the third one, and check it with the tuner, more than likely it will be a little flat or a little sharp. It is just not quite in tune. No matter how good my ear is, a little variation sneaks in as they get tuned down the line. All three guitars have different tones and pitches but if they are all tuned with the electronic tuner and to the same standard then they sound good together.

It is the same way with us. We can get pretty close to where we should be in our spirituality, in our righteousness, and in our walk with God by sharpening ourselves against each other, but we will always be a little off. We need to go back to the Master to make sure that we are where we need to be. It is Christ alone who is the standard by which we measure ourselves. And it is by Him alone that we will be able to perform as we should. That is why we take forty days leading up to Easter and use it to draw closer to Christ and to reestablish our discipleship.

Forty days is the optimal period to form a new habit, to establish a new practice, and to change the pattern of your life. 40 Days – Closer to Christ is an activity (we won’t use the word program) that can change your life.

Forty is a significant number in the scriptures. When God brings about change, the scriptures often represent a significant event as having a forty day duration. Noah’s world was changed forever in forty days. Moses saw God face to face and in forty days received the word which is still the basis for law and government. The city of Nineveh repented in sackcloth and ashes and turned away God’s wrath in the space of forty days. David became a hero after all Israel cowered under Goliath’s forty day challenge. Elijah lived by faith for forty days after God sustained him with one meal. The disciples were given the mysteries of the kingdom as they were taught by the Lord during an intensive forty day seminar after the resurrection. Jesus prepared with a forty day fast for a ministry which culminated in the salvation of mankind.

We can grow closer to the Savior as we study His life and His appearances throughout scripture. We become the people we should as we strive to lead a life of diligent discipleship. In these forty days we can review and renew the vital things that bring us to the Lord. We can refresh our memories and recall the eternal truths of who God is, who we are, and how we can have a close relationship with Him. 40 Days – Closer to Christ is an opportunity to more fully develop that relationship, so that we may see as we are seen and know as we are known.

Wednesday, February 24, 2010

Day 4 ~ Living Water (John 7:38)


It was an extremely hot day. A late spring day in South Carolina can be quite warm. I was miserable, sweaty, and tired. There was no shady spot on the roof we were shingling. My hair was wet and matted from the sun's rays. The tar paper was warming my shoes to the point that my toes felt like they were too close to the fire on a scout camp-out. It was too hot to sit without burning the posterior. My thighs were worn out from trying to squat down and hammer and it was a backbreaker to continually stay bent over and do it. It was one of those afternoons where minutes seem like hours. And it was still a long way off to quitting time. My prospects for relief were not looking good. To top it off the water container we had was empty - and I was really thirsty. Parched. Did I say I was miserable?

Suddenly I saw it. The hose was just laying there by the bushes. And O, sweet joy of life! There was water coming out of it; just a small stream. I guess they forgot to turn it off all the way. Maybe it was watering the flowers. Who cared? It looked cool and refreshing and clear and ... well, it was water. I went down the ladder and walked to the hose. Ummm, water. I picked up the hose and put it up to my mouth. God is good, isn't he? I took a long healthy sip. Gag! Sputter! Blech! WHAT IN THE WORLD??? I dropped the hose immediately and spit out all the water I could - it had to be contaminated. This stuff was horrible. What was it? My brother called down to me, "Is it cold?" "Does it look like its cold from my body language?" I snapped back at him. Coincidently he later became an investigator with the South Carolina State Police. I guess some people's powers of observation blossom late.

Out of the house a gentleman came. He came a few steps over to where I was still spitting out the vile liquid. But I noticed he didn't come too close. By the way, what was he doing home? I thought he was at work. If I had known he was home I would have just knocked and asked to fill up the WATER CONTAINER ON THE ROOF!!! Anyway, he said, "Uh um, it probably won't hurt you any, but that's the drainage from the air conditioning unit. And you might not want to drink that." You know, I may not want to skydive without a parachute; I may not want to do dental work without anesthesia. But I know, definitely and without a doubt I did not want to drink that water. BUT, for the record, I am glad that it wasn't the sump pump draining, or I'd still be chewing altoids.

Bad water. Everybody hates bad water. And especially loathsome is water which misrepresents itself as refreshing or warming, but it isn't. It's a promise not kept. It's a purpose unserved. It's disappointing. Jesus hates bad water. He said so. To the Laodiceans he declared, "I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth" (Revelation 3:15-16) Laodicea was a model city. Built in the Lycos River valley it had location, location, location. It was a center of finance, manufacturing, medicine, and fashion. It had a great view of the mountains where the city of Heiropolis, with its white cliffs, had famous health spas. People would come from all over the world to bath in its healing hot water springs. Also, to the east of Laodicea is the huge snow-capped Mount Cadmus. At the foot was situated the city of Colossae. Colossae was famous for its cool, refreshing, running springs coming down from Cadmus. It was the Evian of its day. Colossae and Heiropolis were well-known and visited because of the usefulness of their waters.

Somehow the brain trusts at the Laodicean City Planning Council got the bright idea to bring the water from the mountains to Laodicea via aqueduct. The water was filed with copper and it clogged the pipes and carried the stream unfiltered to the city. The result was a brackish, mineral filled concoction. Laodicea had the distinction of having the dirtiest and foulest water supply in Asia Minor. Not only that, but the water was tepid – neither hot nor cold. It was nearly useless.

When Jesus says be cold or hot, I don't think He is saying be for me or against me, just don't be apathetic. I think He is saying, be useful for something. Be refreshing like the water of Colossae or be healing like Heiropolis. The Gospel fills us with life-giving Living Water and we are to share it.

Before you look up pensively and say, "You know what? Technically, I don't think Living Water is a title for Christ." You're right, it's not really a title for Christ, but it is a concept that is closely associated with Him, and I like it. And this is my devotional, so I'm using it. Christ is the Fountain of Living Waters (Jer. 2:13) and we are to let it bubble over into the lives of others.
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