Author: brianhilton9

The Hope of Glory

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”The Hope of Glory” is a realistic fiction short story inspired by the biblical account of Jesus Christ’s birth and subsequent ministry. The story is not intended to be viewed as scripture or an attempt to “fill in gaps.” Rather it is a fiction narrative prayerfully created to celebrate the real birth of Christ and God’s faithfulness to deliver His perfect promises. Namely, salvation for sinners through faith in Jesus Christ.

Broken up into 5 short “chapters,” each chapter begins with a verse that corresponds to the over arching theme of the story. I hope the story creates in you a desire to open the scriptures for yourself and behold the mystery of God revealed in Jesus Christ.

 Merry Christmas!

Chapter 1: Colossians 1:25-26

Moonlight coated the back wall as the curtain danced in the wind. Chaff from the nearby wheat field blew in through the doorway. Keinan continued spinning the wheel with his right foot while gently pressing his index finger against the clay. He squinted examining every inch of the jar as it circulated on the upper disk. Just as he began to slowly lift his hands from the finished product, a second large gust threw open the curtain and toppled the jar onto the dusty floor below.

“All that for nothing,” Keinan muttered as he slammed his fist against the table sending tools flying. He stared at the deformed masterpiece. His tears were quickly dried by the crisp night air. Keinan stepped down from his stool, shuffled over to the basin, and scrubbed his hands clean as he stared out through the window across the dark valley.

Since his father passed, Keinan tried day after day to master the same craft and keep the family business going. But inexperience and the painful nostalgia that hit him every time he placed his sandal on the same wheel his father had hundreds of times before left him better suited to tread the clay, not fashion it. Failing to produce and sell pottery left him no choice but to forfeit portions of his inheritance to the Romans to keep up with tax obligations. He had lost almost everything and was still drowning in debt.

Keinan grabbed his torch from its holder on the wall and exited the pottery house, tossing the front curtain aside and slamming it back against the other side of the door as he stepped outside. The torch flame flickered as he made his way along the trail past the barren wheat fields. As his sandals pounded the earth below, Keinan clenched his free hand tighter and tighter considering what his life had become.

As a boy, Keinan excelled in his study of the Torah. Memorizing the scrolls came easily to young Keinan who was highly regarded by the rabbis for his mental depository of Pentateuchal instruction. He particularly enjoyed the account of Abraham’s improbable fatherhood at 100 years old with his barren wife Sarai. Such an event inspired Keinan to worship the God of his ancestors. The one for whom nothing was too hard.

Keinan smirked, shook his head, and let out a sarcastic chuckle. Accounts that once quickened the young boy’s faith in Jehovah were now no more than a series of tales good only for putting young children to sleep. The scrolls once so clear to Keinan now seemed like a mystery after years of loss, pain, and dashed hopes.

Ahead of Keinan was a trail junction leading him back to Emmaus or the main route heading towards Jerusalem. As he neared the junction, a faint noise broke the silence of the valley.

“pit-pat-pit-pat”

Keinan’s head spun and his pupils swelled. His nerves tingled as the glow of a torch rapidly approached.

Chapter 2: Jeremiah 33:3

The dark silhouette advanced towards him as Keinan’s mind raced. Who would be trailing him at such an hour? Surely it wasn’t a sojourner traveling into town. The city gate was shut hours ago. Perhaps it was a Roman Centurion tracking him down by order of Quaestor Drusus for his delinquent taxes. Or worse. It was that demon possessed child everyone in the Decapolis was talking about. The one who lived among the tombs in Gadara and spent his days cutting himself with stones and screaming out at all hours. Keinan shivered considering these possibilities.

Keinan puckered his lips and blew out his torch. Just as he was about to take off running, a raspy voice cried out, “Shalom!”

Keinan looked back. The orange torch glimmer revealed an elderly man in a tattered tunic. He lumbered along the dusty trail as his torch bobbed up and down with his arms.

“Shalom shalom!” the man exclaimed as he gasped for oxygen. “I’m not the athlete I used to be,” he laughed.

“Shalom,” Keinan responded. “Why were you running towards me?”

“Better question. Why did you blow out your torch?” the man piped back. “Bet you thought I was old Drusus ready to shake you down for those delinquent taxes!” He chuckled as Keinan looked on quizzically.

“…How did you kn-“

Cutting Keinan off the man asked, “What? Know about the taxes?” “Everyone owes Rome something!” Keinan smirked. His muscles loosened and his pupils shrunk.

“What is your name, son?” asked the man.

“I am Keinan, son of Shahar.”

The man tilted his head and stared deeply into Keinan’s sunken eyes asking, “And Keinan, son of Shahar, what has you trouncing your way around the countryside in the middle of the night?”

Keinan looked down and pushed some dirt around with the top edge of his sandal. “Just trying to figure some things out,” Keinan said.

The man smiled and looked down. “Well, the answer isn’t going to be in that dirt, son.”

Keinan gave a half grin. “Yeah, I guess not. I’m not really sure there is an answer.”

The man looked at Keinan and smiled. After a long pause, he began to speak. “Do you remember in the days before the exile when Nebuchadnezzar had battering rams surrounding Jerusalem and God told Jeremiah to buy his cousin’s land? Ah, what was his name…”

“Hanamel,” Keinan spoke as he lifted his head.

“Yes! Very good son, Hanamel. It made little sense for Jeremiah to follow the law and be Hanamel’s kinsman-redeemer since the land he purchased was inevitably going to be in Babylon’s possession.”

The man’s pitch climbed. “Or do you remember when Habakkuk cried out to the Lord only to find out that Adonai was raising up the Chaldeans against Judah?”

Keinan released a long sigh and looked off into the distance. “I don’t mean to be rude bu-“

The man could hardly contain his excitement. “Or the time when God told Abram that he would be the father of many nations and changed his name to Abraham even though he was an old man, like me, with a wife who couldn’t give birth?”

Keinan locked eyes with the man.

“Sure, I remember. I remember my abba reading these stories to me as a child and believing them. I remember thinking these scrolls all made sense. I remember trying to love the Lord with all my heart, all my soul, and all my might. But it’s become increasingly clear to me that the feeling isn’t mutual. Since you bring up the prophet Jeremiah, explain to me why God says, ‘I will cause a righteous Branch to spring up for David, and he shall execute justice and righteousness in the land.’ Do you see justice here? Do you see righteousness here? Do you see a king from David ruling over the land? All I see is Herod and the continued oppression of our people – excuse me, God’s chosen people. All I see is God not keeping his promises. So, excuse me old man, but the last thing I need is a Torah lesson in the middle of the night from a total stranger.”

Keinan took off into the darkness before the man could fit in another word. Sunrise was mere hours away. He had to get home before the Romans arrived.

Chapter 3: Luke 19:10

“Do you remember?”

The man’s voice echoed in the corridors of Keinan’s mind. His words seemed so random, so purposeless. Yet, Keinan couldn’t help but wonder if they were profound.

“Why was he out there?” Keinan thought. “What did he mean?”

As he conversed with himself, Keinan’s trembling shook the leather haversack in his left hand as he threw various items in it with his right. He knew the Praetor would make an example out of him to the rest of the province if caught. He had to flee. Jerusalem and the surrounding towns, like Emmaus, were crawling with centurions.

Keenan placed his hands on the door and paused. He looked back one last time as tears filled his eyes. He spotted the clay water basin the family had used for feet washing. His tears of sorrow turned to joy as he remembered the time his father helped him make it as a gift for Keinan’s mother a year before she got sick. He missed his parents deeply. They would not be happy with what he was about to do, but Keinan felt he had no other choice.

After a deep breath, Keinan once again faced the door. He pushed gently, peering out the small opening to see if any of Drusus’ men were in the marketplace. Scanning the crowd, he smirked when he didn’t notice the glistening metal of a Roman galea. Keinan tip-toed out and then, finding a gap in the flow of traffic, swiftly joined the crowd.

Keeping a low profile, Keinan’s eyes darted around looking for centurions as he walked. If spotted, his intentions would be no mystery.

As Keinan approached the countryside, the herd of people on the path dwindled. He stared down at his sandals, pressing on towards the southern gate of Emmaus. He silently rejoiced as the prospect of escaping town seemed closer to reality with each step. Suddenly, his jubilation turned to horror. Five fingers dug into Keinan’s right shoulder and before he could blink, Keinan’s back clapped against the parched soil.

Chapter 4: Romans 6:23

“Drusus’ quarters are north, not south Jew,” the centurion barked out.

A crowd gathered at the sound of shouting as the soldier bloodied his fist on Keinan’s face.

“You really thought you could skip town on us?” asked a second centurion as he delivered blow after blow to Keinan’s side.

“Your miserable life isn’t even worth enough to cover your debt, but it will have to suffice.”

Keinan’s tears raced droplets of his blood to the ground as he cried out in agony. “Please – just a little more time! I will get it to you!”

“You’re out of time,” shouted the first centurion as he picked Keinan up by the tunic. “You’re Rome’s now.”

The silence of the crowd was suddenly shattered. A voice piped up, “Aren’t we all already? Let the boy go.”

The two centurions surveyed the group of onlookers. As their eyes turned, the heads of those in the crowd dropped. Nobody would have dared speak to a group of centurions in such a way. Yet one man kept his gaze on the soldiers as he made his way to the front of the group.

“Are you out of your mind old man?’ the centurion asked. “One swing from Rufus here would send you to the tomb.” The two soldiers chuckled.

“You say that like it’s a bad thing,” the old man laughed. “Will I have to pay Rome property taxes for my grave site?” The crowd snickered as the centurion released his grip and Keinan collapsed on the ground.

Rufus shoved the old man from the back as his fellow officer grabbed him by the neck, raising him into the air. “Your wish is my command you dog,” muttered the centurion as he reached for his dagger.

“It would cause quite an uprising, Emilian…” mumbled Rufus.

Emilian looked over at Rufus, then glared back at the old man. He tossed the man to the ground and turned around once again facing Keinan.

A rough twine pulled tight against his wrists as he moaned. Just as Keinan was about to let out his final plea for mercy, the old man coughed up some dust and asked, “How much?”

Emilian stood back up and slowly raised his head to the sky. Turning aside to Rufus, he murmured, “you sure an uprising wouldn’t be worth it?” Then the two centurions pivoted and stared at the old man still laying on the ground.

“How much does the boy owe?” said the old man as he continued to clear his throat.

The centurions looked at one another and then back at the man. “What’s it matter to you?” Emilian responded.

“I would like to pay his debt.”

Keinan’s vision came back into focus as he stared across the dirt at the onlooker’s sandals.

“You what?” asked Emilian.

“I will pay this man’s debt.”

Rufus scoffed. “I don’t think you can afford it, Jew. He owes Drusus 10,000 denarii.”

The crowd turned their focus to the man with mouths agape.

He smiled. “That’s it?”

Rufus’ head swiveled back to Emilian who continued to stare at the man.

Emilian opened his mouth to speak but before he could utter a word the old man said, “the house right there,” as he pointed. “There’s a large cedar chest right when you walk in. Take it.”

The crowd gasped. Keinan propped himself up off the ground and turned towards them.

Emilian looked at Rufus who tilted his head and rose his eyebrows.

“If it’s not all there, you both will be food for the birds,” said Emilian. As the two soldiers walked over to the house, Keinan’s line of sight was no longer blocked. His eyes met the old man’s. Keinan’s jaw dropped. The old man smiled.

“You didn’t let me finish what I had to say last night. Maybe now you will.”

Keinan was speechless. His battered face gazed in shock as the crowd murmured.

Everyone’s faces turned as the soldiers reapproached. Emilian looked first at the old man then at Keinan. His Adam’s apple bounced as he swallowed before speaking. “Get out of here, Jew. Guess it’s your lucky day.”

The crowd cheered and jeered at the centurions as they walked past. Keinan slowly propelled himself up with his arms as his knees shook.

His swollen face quivered as he continued to stare at the man who still sat on the ground.

“Who are you?”

Chapter 5: Colossians 1:27

The crowd began to dissipate as Keinan reached out his shaky hand to the old man. The old man squeezed Keinan’s hand and rose to his feet quickly brushing off his tunic with his calloused hands.

“Walk with me.” Keinan nodded as the unlikely pair set out on the northern trail.

“Who are you?” Keinan asked again.

“It doesn’t matter who I am,” said the old man bluntly. “You will understand why soon.”

Keinan wagged his head. “Wh-what do you mean?”

“Do you remember what I said last night?” the man asked.

“When you rattled off those Torah stories?” Keinan replied.

The man laughed. “Yes, exactly!”

Keinan spilled his thoughts. “I used to feel so clear about what the Torah was about, but as I’ve gotten older, it all just seems like a bunch of stories somebody made up to describe our history. God makes all these promises but never seems to keep them. I apologize that I ran off, but if you’ve been through what I have, you’d know where I’m coming from.”

“So, you don’t believe them?” the man asked.

“Well, no.” Keinan responded. “It all seems like a big mystery with no real answers. It can teach good lessons to kids and is well-crafted literature, but it’s nothing to base one’s life on as so many of our people do. Look at all the empty promises!”

“Hmm, I see,” the man responded. “What is it that you base your life on?”

Keinan looked down. “I – uh,” Keinan paused. “I don’t know, just trying to stay alive, I guess.”

The man patted Keinan on the back. “God’s word was once a mystery to me.”

Keinan looked at the man and then back at the trail. “And it is no longer?”

The man lifted his twinkling eyes to the sunset sky. “No.”

Keinan stayed quite for a moment. “Well, what happened?” he finally asked.

“The stories I told you about last night, from Jeremiah, Habakkuk, and of course Abraham. Have you ever thought that God’s word may have been a mystery to them?” The old man’s words were as gentle as they were stern.

Keinan looked at the man and then back at the path in front of him.

“They were a mystery to them,” the old man softly asserted.

“Because what God promised hadn’t happened yet.” Keinan’s eyes opened wide as he reasoned this to himself.

The man rapidly nodded his head. “And what ultimately ended up happening – even if they didn’t happen to see it in their lifetime?”

Keinan stopped walking and turned towards the man. “Exactly what Jehovah said.”

The man raised his feeble arms into the air and smiled ear to ear. “We are Abraham’s descendants, aren’t we? We are walking through Judah without any Babylonian control, right? God delivered on those promises and those mysteries have been revealed!”

Keinan smiled as he nodded.

The man laughed and posed another question. “And if that’s all made up, then why would the author make us constantly look so bad? After all, don’t most fiction works showcase the character’s strength and minimize their weaknesses? The Torah certainly doesn’t do that for us!” The two bellowed in laughter together.

Regaining his composure, the man asked, “As you spoke last night, you brought up a bigger mystery than you realize, son.” Keinan’s cheek muscles rested.

“You brought up the Branch of David. The King who will rule with justice and righteousness.”

Keinan’s face fell serious as he bobbed his head up and down.

“You were right about Herod. He certainly isn’t from David and he most definitely doesn’t reign executing justice and righteousness. We all know that.”

Keinan dropped his head and wagged it back and forth.

“Our people cry to be free from the Romans, but do we ever cry to be free from our sins?”

Keinan looked at the man and questioned him, “free from our sins?”

“Yes, son. Remember Jeremiah’s words regarding the new covenant the Messiah will bring? Jehovah said, ‘For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more.’”

Keinan’s eyes shifted back to the trail in front of him as a soft wind blew against his confused face.

“Your debt. The one I paid the Romans. The same is true of our sin’s before Yahweh. A debt so large, none of us, not even King David could pay. Nobody keeps the law perfectly! And as the law says, the payment for its violation is death – right? Yahweh graciously provides us the death of lambs, bulls, and goats so we can still live. But blood must be shed, just like that first Passover in Egypt.”

Keinan turned back to the old man. “Well, if I can’t pay it, then who does?”

The old man let out a joyous shout, “Hallelujah!” “My son, you ask the best question of all – the most majestic mystery in all of Torah.” The old man looked up and said softly, “He does.”

“Who does?” Keinan questioned.

“Isaiah’s words, son! The suffering servant. He who was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him. Yahweh’s ultimate promise, the one the Lord laid on the iniquities of us all, even gentiles!”

“Even gentiles??” Keinan retorted. “Who is he?”

“The hope of glory, my boy! The Son of God!” exclaimed the man as he gazed back into the dusk sky.

Keinan looked at the man and followed his eyes into the sky. “I don’t understand.”

“Keinan, son of Shahar,” the man replied. “I have waited all my life for the consolation of Israel. Yesterday, before we chatted on the trail, I held Him in my hands. They were in Jerusalem, at the temple. I held the Savior, the delivered promise, in my hands. God’s offer of salvation, the suffering servant. The grand mystery of our Torah has been revealed. He is here, Immanuel!”

Keinan’s head spun. “What does this mean?”

“Remember the exodus of our people from Egypt and the first Passover? Those families that applied the blood of the sacrificial lamb to their doorposts were spared the death of their first born. This baby will be the sacrificial lamb for all who receive Him by faith! We will be made right with God, as it was in the beginning. The wrath for our iniquities will be dealt with once and for all. No longer will we need to constantly offer lambs, bulls, and goats.”

So many years of pain and sorrow seemed to not matter in this moment to Keinan. Something was taking place in him that he had never experienced. He didn’t understand all that was being said but he had the sense that it carried far more significance than he could ever realize. He knew true joy as he considered the words of the man and the faithfulness of God despite his personal faithlessness. God had kept His promises all along and this baby was the ultimate delivery.

The man smiled. “Soon, you will meet Him too.” He placed his hand on Keinan’s shoulder as the two walked past another trail junction, making their way in the direction of the signpost labeled “NAZARETH.”

“Lord, now you are letting your servant depart in peace, according to your word; for my eyes have seen your salvation that you have prepared in the presence of all peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to your people Israel.”

– Luke 2:29-32

Impossible Thanks

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Have you ever been assigned an impossible task?

I remember the pit in my stomach as I registered for my first semester of college. I hadn’t declared a major. Picking classes felt like throwing darts while blindfolded. 120 credits and graduation seemed like a mirage in the desert. I thumbed through the paperwork detailing all I needed to do and was overwhelmed.

Nevertheless, four years later by the grace of God, I grabbed my diploma from the dean and all the weight that seemed to be crushing me as a recent high school grad was a distant memory.

There are many tasks that overwhelm us. Maybe it’s some sort of fitness goal. Or perhaps, a state of financial wellness. But in reality, most of the tasks that overwhelm us are achievable. Through perseverance, discipline, and encouragement, mountainous obstacles have been overcome by slow, methodical progress.

It’s an admirable thing to face a challenge head-on. It’s healthy. But are there tasks that simply aren’t possible?

Yes.

Last week, we celebrated Thanksgiving. A beautiful day built on gratitude and rejoicing over the many sources of provision in our lives. While our dialogue usually sounds pretty similar year in and year out regarding giving thanks, I found the following scripture uniquely potent when it comes to thanks.

“Praise the LORD! Oh give thanks to the LORD, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever! Who can utter the mighty deeds of the LORD, or declare all his praise?” – Psalm 106:1-2

The psalmist reveals an impossible task by asking the rhetorical question, “who can utter the mighty deeds of the LORD, or declare all His praise?” A negative answer is assumed, divulging the weighty reality that nobody can praise God as He truly deserves.

I sense that the right question to ask then, as it is in almost every scenario, is “why?” Why isn’t there anyone to declare all His praise? Why is uttering the mighty works of God an impossible task?

The answer is as beautiful as it is simple. These points of praise are innumerable. Not just in the sense that there are too many to count, but that they are connected to the very core of who God is – eternal, immutable, love, holy, wise, strong, just, and perfect. The goodness of God can’t be measured spatially as we often attempt to do in our finite minds and limited vocabulary. God Himself, and thus His mighty works, are deserving of endless praise because He Himself is endlessly praiseworthy.

While it is an impossible thing to complete the task of giving God praise and thanksgiving, the inverse is true of other overwhelmingly impossible scenarios in life which tempt us to throw our hands up and call it quits. God’s immeasurable goodness both in character and action leave us with an endless supply of motivation. With the Lord, we truly never run out of things to be thankful for because they aren’t tied to the fleeting and weak nature of our immediate surroundings. Our praise is first and foremost for God Himself, who makes known His love for us through the gift of Jesus Christ – the savior of all who trust in Him by faith.

It’s impossible to give God all the praise He is due. And that is yet another reason to praise the Lord!

Scripture References:

Psalm 106:1-2 – Infinite praise & thanks

Psalm 147:1 – How good it is to praise the Lord! It is fitting!

No More, No Less

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I had a bad habit as a kid of embellishing things.

My parents would graciously respond to all of my exaggerated hyperboles the same way.

“Okay. What really happened?”

Part of it might be because I’ve always loved a good story. Or maybe it’s because I wanted to influence their view on something rather than just present the facts. Either way, my family quickly learned to take what I said with a grain of salt.

Even today when I recount something, I have to fight the strong urge to add in or enlarge certain details. It’s quite easy to do and (sometimes) hard for the listener to detect. After all, can they really disprove the size of the fish I caught last summer? Or can they see my bank account to verify I make as much as I said I did? We perceive an easy benefit without a likely cost. This is not reality.

This simple equation is the principle behind lying or manipulating the truth. We place a premium value on a fabrication while setting the truth aside as if it were an old orange peel. Of course, such a scenario manifests in a variety of ways. Perhaps the most staggering is in the dissemination of God’s words.

Recently, I have been reading through the book of the Biblical prophet Jeremiah. The ancient nation of Judah, God’s chosen people, rebelled against their God in pursuit of false gods which resulted in all kinds of appalling behavior – such as sacrificing their own children. God speaks through His anointed prophet Jeremiah announcing the land He gave Israel will be invaded by Babylon as He judges the land for its sin. The people had many chances to return to God and receive mercy, but at the time of much of Jeremiah’s writing, the Babylonian exile is set in stone after numerous rejections of His merciful offers.

Jeremiah is tasked with bringing this terrible news to his fellow countrymen. So much so, that I’ve started to think that the phrase “don’t shoot the messenger” comes from this account. There are many attempts on his life, even by his own family. Everybody hated this dude.

Why? He spoke just what God told him to say. Words of defeat, death, and desolation. He urged the people to relent of their wicked ways and return to the God who made them to avoid the impending destruction. They didn’t like that message. So, they tried to silence him. Rather, they tried to silence God.

Alternatives to Jeremiah’s words began to sprout up like weeds in a garden. The first was by a guy named Hananiah. Jeremiah had prophesied that the Israelites would be in exile 70 years, Judah’s old king named Jeconiah would die in Babylon, and that those who brought their necks under the “yoke” of Babylon would survive. Hananiah announces later that same year that the exile would only last two years as the yoke of Babylon was broken and that Jeconiah would be brought back into Judah. Hananiah’s prophesy contradicted Jeremiah’s at every point. Obviously, Hananiah’s message was a little more palatable than Jeremiah’s and required no remediation of behavior.

While Jeremiah ironically hoped Hananiah’s message was true, he wisely reminded the people to examine a true prophet by seeing which actually happens. After 37 years of Babylonian captivity, Jeconiah aka Jehoiachin was freed – but he did not return to Judah. He lived in Babylon till his death, well cared for by Babylonian king Nebuchadnezzar’s son and successor, Evil-merodach. Hananiah didn’t see the end of that same year he made the false prophecy. He died because he turned the people from God and made them trust in a lie he created.

Even after, more weeds arose. Two men named Ahab and Zedekiah (not to be confused with the kings of Judah with the same names) spoke lies claiming to be from God while sleeping with their neighbors’ wives. In judgement, God consigns them to be “roasted in the fire” by Nebuchadnezzar. A so-called prophet named Shemaiah rebukes the priest Zephaniah for not chiding Jeremiah with stocks and neck irons for telling the people that their exile will be long, and they should settle in Babylon by building houses and planting gardens. Just like Hananiah, Ahab, and Zedekiah, God judges Shemaiah for making His people trust in a lie. Shemaiah’s family line is ended, and he is forbidden from seeing the redemption of the land that comes after the exile.

We see many here with a position of religious standing and influence proclaim something different than what God has actually spoken. The result is that people are ALWAYS driven AWAY from God. Had they listened to God’s words through Jeremiah, they would have repented of their sin, returned to God, and been saved from God’s wrath imposed through Babylon.

While those reading aren’t citizens of Judah and the nation of Babylon no longer exists, God’s words still do. He tells us that though all things will pass away, His words never will. His true word ALWAYS leads us TOWARDS Him. To change His words or claim He said something he hasn’t may not always be obvious, but it always results in death. Yours and those listening to you.

So, this begs the question– what is God’s word? What does it say?

The central message is one of His glory and our salvation through belief in the death, resurrection, and ascension of His Son Jesus Christ. Open it up to see true justice, amazing grace, and eternal hope. Sin is not justified. Instead it is explained in great detail and always exposed as leading to death. Judgement is promised, yet so is a way out for those who humble themselves before the Lord.

God’s word. It always points us to Jesus Christ. It always points us to our desperate need and His gracious supplication. It’s my prayer that you hear and see it in every post, action, and word I speak. No more, no less.

Scripture References:

Jeremiah 22:24-27 – Jeconiah won’t return to Judah but will die in Babylon

Jeremiah 25:12 – Babylonian exile will be for 70 years

Jeremiah 27 – Yoke of Babylon, death for those who rebel, life for those who submit and obey God

Jeremiah 28 & 29 – Hananiah, Ahab, Zedekiah, and Shemaiah’s false prophecies

2 Kings 25:27-30 – Jehoiachin dies in Babylon, but thrives under Babylonian captivity after surrender

Isaiah 13:9, Jeremiah 51 – Babylon destroyed (539 B.C.)

Matthew 24:35 – All will pass away, except for God’s words

Flow

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As clouds drift through the sky
So the river of God flows
Waters of peace
Satiate once parched souls

From Eden’s garden
To the Lamb on the throne
His living water springs
In those fully known

Why go to the dry riverbeds?
Why fill your pail with dust?
When the Almighty God calls
It’s His well or bust

Draw from the reservoir of Jesus
Believe, trust, obey
The suffering servant who ascended
After the third day

It’s his blood that flowed
For the blood guilt we carry
Judgement passes over my door
To Christ I am married

Dive in and swim
To the One who is faithful
Bring your questions, bring your skepticism
He is more than capable

Leave your pride at the bank
And with it your “righteousness”
Those will sink you
And keep you from his Highness

Come to Him now
While the river flows
Judgement is real
Don’t be lulled into comatose

Aphthartos, Amiantos, Amarantos

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What do you truly have?

It’s a question concerned with possession or affiliation. We frequently use the word “have” to describe our relationship to something. There are a variety of subjects in which we kick off our discourse with the words “I have.” Family. Employment. Romantic relationships. Material possessions. Wealth. The list goes on.

But do you truly have any of these things? This is a question that’s been heavily on my mind of late. I am not questioning the basic fact of relation or possession. I am more concerned with the longevity of that relationship. The things we comfortably say are ours – will they always be?

Shockingly, the answer is no for everything listed above. Think about it. A tree limb may fall on your car and total it in a matter of seconds. Your 401k account could be depleted in a single day of trading. You can lose your job at any time. Most tragically, those you love the most could perish in the blink of an eye. Every one of these things in a literal sense, are perishable.

Consider your very life. You can and will “lose” your possession of it.

This certainly isn’t a pleasant thought. Just the idea of losing these things breed our most paralyzing fears. This can drive us to several different places. To remedy the thought of losing something near and dear to us we may hold on to it so tightly so that it can’t conceivably be taken from us. Or maybe to save ourselves from any hurt, we don’t get attached to things and keep our distance. I think many of us fall somewhere in the middle, however. We try to “live life to the fullest” and go with the flow. But, if we’re honest, the fact that all things are temporary is a source of agony deep within our hearts.

It is here that we can begin to see the majesty of God’s promises in Jesus Christ. Through some simple comparing and contrasting, we see that there is something different about God’s promise of salvation and restoration in Jesus. I find the words of Peter in his first letter particularly encouraging:

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to His great mercy, He has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who by God’s power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.” – 1 Peter 1: 3-5

Peter uses three adjectives to describe the “inheritance” a believer in Jesus is given through His death and resurrection. The first is imperishable or aphthartos in Greek. This word is often used to describe something that is not liable to decay or corruption. The next is undefiled or amiantos which often speaks to being free from natural deformation or the impairment of power. The last is unfading or amarantos. The main idea is something that is not simply long lasting but a thing that can’t cease to exist in any capacity. This word is also used to describe a certain type of flower that blooms every year. We know them as perennials!

The hope believers in Jesus have is alive as Peter states because it is in the one who rose from the dead after offering Himself as the atoning sacrifice for the sins of the world. He lives and so does our hope. We have this hope not because we toiled long and hard to take possession of it. Rather, we have this because it has been given to us. A gift from God. It anchors the soul of the born-again believer.

Woefully, the hope those who reject Jesus have is dead and false. It is in things that perish. While they may be visible, they are not eternal. They are not sworn on by the Most High as He has His promised salvation through Christ’s blood. We were made to need the true, living, everlasting God. Anything that falls short of Him is no possession at all.

Imperishable, undefiled, unfading. Is there anything we know that can be described in such ways? To the praise of God alone, the only one thing I have to my name qualifies. That is the promise of salvation through Jesus Christ, my living hope. This promise is for you too. Come to Him.

Scripture References:

1 Peter 1: 3-5 – Imperishable, undefiled, unfading

1 Peter 1:18-19 – Redemption with the imperishable & precious blood of Christ

Hebrews 6:13-20 – The highest oath, an anchor for our souls.

Matthew 24:35 – God’s words will never pass away

Romans 8:35,38-39 – What shall separate us from the love of Christ?

Abide

/ brianhilton9 / 2 Comments

A poem inspired by John 15

I did not choose you

You chose me

That I might bear fruit

Unlike the fig tree

 

All things pass away

But your word

Which stands forever

Tested, tried and sure

 

You say this fruit lasts

For all time

Never perishing

Out of the true vine

 

No branch can bear fruit

By itself

The vine is the source

For water and health

 

The gardener prunes

For more fruit

Bare branches are gone

As He cuts them loose

 

The branch must remain

On the vine

Never on its own

But like sap on pine

 

The life of a branch

Is not alone

In the need it has

To call a vine home

 

Jesus is the vine

Giving life

Those attached to Him

Are given real sight

 

They are the branches

Those that fear

The almighty God

Who is always near

 

Connected they thrive

Now divine

By faith not by sight

With seal, not just sign

 

Sinner ingrafted

To God’s tree

Forgiven by Him

The captive now free

 

Redemption did cost

Precious blood

The Good Shepherd dead

Revealing true love

 

Yet on the third day

He rises

Atonement is mine

Free as the Son says

 

A servant no more

But now friend

A job to bear fruit

Appointed and sent

 

As life is foreign

So is fruit

To the branch cut off

From the vine and root

 

Help me remain

Draw me close

Abiding in you

My Lord and my boast

 

Secure I will rest

Delighting

In life eternal

And fruit from my King

 

 

Truth Seeker

/ brianhilton9 / 1 Comment

Why do you believe what you believe?

It’s a question that regularly crosses my mind as I scroll through my social media feeds. Housed in these digital courthouses, a plethora of issues are discussed daily. Sometimes in civil, respectful ways. Sometimes with toxic abhorrence.

There are times that logging onto Facebook feels like I’m walking into a 5th grade science fair where the majority of students have chosen to make one of those baking soda and vinegar “volcanoes.” Instead of these two common household items, insert any opposing commonly held belief system – whether political, religious, social, or even just about sports! Pressure builds, bubbles, and finally releases in an explosive decision. Maybe in the form of harmful language typed the person would never say to another’s face. Or possibly with the unfriending or eliminating someone from your virtual friend pool.

The contentious climate our nation finds itself in has created more of this than ever. Whether it concerns the COVID-19 pandemic, race relations and societal injustice, or the upcoming election, there’s a lengthy buffet of arguments to dish out onto your plate each day.

The upheaval of society and a recent study in the book of Jeremiah has me asking myself amidst this chaos,

“Are you looking for truth?”

I find it easier to speak my thoughts on something rather than listen to another’s. I find it easier to point out other’s flaws rather than my own. I find it easier to dismiss someone because I disagree with them than building a relationship while acknowledging differences. None of these instinctual pulls jive with truth seeking. In fact, I believe these tendencies lead us to an echo chamber where we only listen to people we agree with, which is a breeding ground for deception.

In the days of Jeremiah, his homeland of Judah was in peril. God had rescued the nation of Israel from Egyptian oppression and provided them with the land He promised to their forefather Abraham. Yet they were unfaithful to God and cheated on Him with false gods. They disobeyed God and lived double lives, surrendering their hearts to idols yet claimed to still be God’s faithful “spouse.”

For their sin, God promised judgement and appointed Jeremiah to relay this message to the people that they might repent, return to God, and once again enjoy His blessing on their land. They didn’t listen.

“Run to and fro through the streets of Jerusalem, look and take note! Search her squares to see if you can find a man, one who does justice and seeks truth, that I may pardon her. Though they say, ‘As the LORD lives,’ yet they swear falsely. O LORD, do not your eyes look for the truth? You have struck them down, but they felt no anguish; you have consumed them, but they refused to take correction. They have made their faces harder than rock; they have refused to repent.” Jeremiah 5:1-3

Despite the discipline they received, the people were too blind and hardened to be convinced of the truth. They chose a lie instead. What did they do to one who told them something they didn’t want to hear? They persecuted Jeremiah. They sought his life, mocked, and berated him and regarded him as a laughingstock. However, the people of Judah weren’t laughing when the prophesied “disaster from the north…a destroyer of nations” or Babylon, came and conquered Jerusalem in 587 B.C.

Truth and justice, as mentioned in the text, was not sought by anyone in the streets of Jerusalem. If it had been, they undoubtedly would have returned to God who is truth and is justice, and God in His grace would have spared the whole city. The evidence didn’t matter to them and neither did truth. They sought what they wanted to seek, and it earned them desolation.

I want to be careful here. I’m not saying America is Judah. But I do see many modern parallels that are addressed by this text when examined in its context. Truth is impartial, as is its creator. It doesn’t have a political affiliation or skin color. Man is not the author of it, no matter how bad we might want to be. Nobody is immune to ignoring the truth and seeking a lie. As one deals with God, so they deal with truth.

I’m also reminded as I write of the maddening refusal of the religious leaders in Jesus’ day to accept the fact that He raised a man named Lazarus from the dead. Instead of considering that Jesus may be who He claimed to be with this miracle as proof, they conspired on how to kill Lazarus. They would rather destroy the evidence, than accept the conclusion to which it pointed.

This tragic rejection of truth would be outdone when Jesus rose from the dead after laying His life down that the sins of mankind may be forgiven. When the guards standing outside the tomb told the religious leaders what had happened, once again, they denied the undeniable and circulated a theory that the disciples had come and stolen Jesus’ dead body. They didn’t want the truth, so they didn’t want Jesus.

As we navigate the complex issues of our time, may we run to God who is the truth. Not a political talk show, not social media, not what we’ve always heard, and especially not ourselves. May we seek truth and examine the source of our beliefs. May this practice drive us to “the way, the truth and the life,” Jesus Christ.

Scripture References:

Jeremiah 2:26-28 – Judah’s condition during Jeremiah’s time.

Jeremiah 4:6-7 – A “destroyer of nations” is their punishment.

Jeremiah 4:14 – God calls Jerusalem (and all of Judah) to repent.

Jeremiah 5:1-3 – They refuse to repent.

John 12:9-11 – They would rather kill Lazarus than believe in Jesus who raised him from the dead.

Matthew 27:62-28:15 – Jesus rises from the dead before their eyes, they try and cover up the evidence.

John 14:1-7 – Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life.

George Floyd

/ brianhilton9 / Leave a comment

George Floyd was murdered.

Much has been said about it, and much more will continue to be said. I don’t speak as someone with any intimate knowledge of the situation. I don’t speak as someone with any real credibility in combating these issues. But I am white, and I guess that is a pretty good starting point.

I took an African American culture class in college. I’ll never forget it.

I’m not really sure what I expected to get out of the class other than desiring to learn more about African Americans. Many of the people I have looked up to over the years are black, so I guess I wanted to gain more of an understanding of their culture and also make some sort of tangible effort to bridge the race divide.

Going into the class, I never thought of myself as a racist person. Never called anyone by the n-word. Never really thought of someone less because they were black. I didn’t even believe that race was a real thing. Needless to say, I assumed much of the course content pertaining to racism would not apply to me.

When we started talking about white privilege, however, I started feeling uncomfortable. At first, I internally denied the notion of being privileged whatsoever. I didn’t like how that sounded. It rubbed my pride the wrong way. God then softened my heart to see that it wasn’t an attack on white people, but that the fabric of our society was still stained with the blood of millions of slaves.

I began to realize the deep roots of institutional racism were still firmly in place despite years passing since the Civil War and civil rights movement. I had incorrectly categorized racial injustice and oppression as a “that was then” subject.

We frequently discussed police shootings of unarmed black Americans and for the first time, I began to understand that there is a fundamental difference in experience between a white person and black person. It was not one isolated case that my African American classmates saw when another hashtag came across their timelines. These are incidents that in some way, are consistent with the dark history of their ancestors reminding them that legacies of the past are still alive and well.

Racism is more than the explicit examples almost every white person condemns. It affects the daily experience of black Americans in a way that a white person like me cannot ever really understand. It pains me to think about my own inward biases and participation in this great evil of which I was not even aware. It is here that I rejoice in the mercy and forgiveness of Jesus Christ and gratitude for my black brothers and sisters who have put His glory on display through patient endurance, humble faithfulness and forgiving as Christ has forgiven.

Racism is wrong, but not because we say it is. God is the first one to be outraged by this heinous sin. He created man in His image. There were no exceptions based on pigmentation. When we say that someone is subhuman for any reason or treat them as such regardless of the condition, we claim we know better than God.

I am continually challenged by God’s words in the book of Philippians, chapter 2 where those who have believed in Jesus are given some pretty straightforward instructions on how to live:

“Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.” Philippians 2: 3-8

We are told to “count others more significant” than ourselves and to look to the interests of others. The reason why? Jesus did this for us. He “emptied himself” and laid His life down, even though He was God in the flesh. He humbly accepted the death that each man, woman, and child deserve for their sins. This isn’t merely a physical death but a judgement that is worse. The just wrath and separation from a perfectly holy God. If we acknowledge our sin and receive this gift of forgiveness, we have eternal life with Christ.

Counting someone more significant than our self seems to be at the very least grieving with them when they grieve and listening to their pain, not being so quick to dismiss their hurt. In light of what Christ has done for us, may the people of God be ones who bear the burdens of others and examine this current climate in light of the historical threads to which it is linked.

 

More scripture to consider on this topic:

Genesis 1:27 – God created mankind in His own image.

Psalm 139:14 – We are fearfully and wonderfully made.

1 Timothy 5:21 – Do nothing out of favoritism.

Colossians 3:13 – Forgive as the Lord forgave you.

Ephesians 4:32 – Be kind and compassionate to one another.

Exodus 22:21 – God instructs the Israelites to not mistreat or oppress a foreigner.

Galatians 3:28 – All are one in Christ Jesus, there is no distinction.

James 2:4, 8&9 – No favoritism.

 

For Him

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Sometimes the smooth gradient of everyday life is confronted with a question.

These questions are rarely the sort that demand an answer in the moment, making them easy to limbo underneath. These sorts of questions threaten to rattle our comfortable way of life. So, we naturally avoid contemplation because it often brings friction.

Eventually though, the questions become unavoidable. Life circumstances have a way of continually bringing us back to the same questions no matter how good we are at avoiding them.

This is especially the case with one question that has resided in my mind since my early adolescence.

“Why do I exist?”

This is a question that I am confident most ask at some point in their life.

Some try to do the most good they can in hopes that it will somehow positively benefit them in whatever happens after death. Others see pleasure as the ultimate goal of their existence and reject any notion of an afterlife. Many even believe there is no reason for their existence, they just exist.

These are only several of the many explanations we come up with for the “why” of our existence.

How often do we say “why” to that why?

What I mean is, are you truly satisfied with the understanding of your existence? Do you ever question it, even if you are confident you have it figured out? One genuinely seeking truth questions and is not afraid to place their own preconceived notions under the microscope.

I have found great comfort in what the Bible teaches regarding our existence and the more I live, the more I see its truth. Rather than existing simply for our own sake, our existence is not ultimately about us. As Colossians 1:16-17 states:

“For by Him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities – all things were created through Him and for Him.”

Not only are we told how we exist in this verse – which is a whole other conversation – we are taught that it is not only us, but all things that exist for Him. “Him” refers to Jesus Christ, who is called “the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation” just a verse prior to the ones above.

Essentially, we are shown here that the entire package of our existence is wrapped up in God Himself. It is He that is our significance, security and purpose. In other words, when He is receiving glory, then we are fulfilling our purpose.

I find it ironic that often the biggest names of the Bible are people who actually did very little when all is said and done. It is common knowledge to our culture that Moses parted the Red Sea. But did He really hold up the two banks of water? No, God did! He simply walked across dry land.

We can reflexively admire and revere the men and women of the Bible who God used to carry out His purposes. Naturally, we do the same with ourselves, regardless of our view of God. We want the glory of God. We want to be revered. We want to have influence. We want to be admired. We are duped thinking its why we exist.

When we believe we exist for anything but God himself, we are attempting to walk upstream as a raging rapid flushes against our legs. It results in hopes that produce nothing but empty accomplishments. Yet when we agree with what God says about us – that we are His creation in existence for His glory – we flow with the current. Things are as they should be.

This does not mean that your existence suddenly becomes a cake walk when you submit it to the will of God. It does mean that you can walk with true purpose that exists outside of yourself. You can walk in works the God has prepared in advance for you to do, that HE might receive glory.

Everything is already set-up – we just need to ask Him to help us to follow Him.

I hope that the words of God will penetrate your heart and soul and you will give your answer to the question of “why do I exist” a serious second or third look.

Scripture references:

Colossians 1:15-17 – All things exist through Him and for Him.

Exodus 14 – The Israelites cross the Red Sea.

Philippians 2:13 – It is God who works in us to glorify Him through good works.

Galatians 2:10 – God prepared these good works in advance for us to do.

Thirsty

/ brianhilton9 / 1 Comment

In northern Chile rests a place so dry, that it has been used by NASA to test instruments for future Mars missions. Mars on earth is the Atacama Desert, also known as the driest place on earth. A small number of organisms can live within its expanse, but certain parts are completely uninhabitable.

It almost never rains in the Atacama. Some researchers believe that there was not any “significant” rainfall between 1570 to 1971. In other words, if you thought your hands were dry after all that hand washing to prevent COVID-19, this desert puts the definition of dry into perspective.

Here in Pennsylvania, we live in what is classified as a humid continental climate with hot humid summers and cold winters. Seldom is our soil arid. In fact, I think we here in Southeastern PA must have received about ten times the amount of rainfall this past week than the Atacama has in decades!

This area is one with streams of fresh, natural spring water travelling through blossoming, early-spring banks. Fishing is one of my favorite springtime activities and while I love the thrill of getting a hit on my line, it’s a great excuse to spend an afternoon outside soaking in the beauty of creation.

When streams run dry, however, life itself is not far behind. Those living near the Atacama know this well. It will only be a matter of days till the living beings that once depended on the water source shrivel up just like the cracked soil where life giving water once flowed.

During certain seasons of our lives, a similar dehydration takes place deep within us. Where vigorous life once dwelled now sits a dusty pile of bones. The things we once looked to for significance and pleasure disappear.

In this time of uncertain quarantine, most of our lives have drastically changed. We’re scared. We’re frustrated. We’re bored! In all of it, there is an overwhelming sense of drought. People are literally dying around us. Jobs are being lost. The greenery of our lives is being replaced with brown decay. It’s starting to feel like we’re in the middle of the Atacama.

But it’s in the driest times that we can sometimes see the clearest. We see what really matters and what our real needs are when the things we once thought we needed no longer exist. As things evaporate, our thirst intensifies, and along with it, the search to quench our parched soul.

King David of ancient Israel knew this quest well.

 “O God, you are my God, earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you, my body longs for you, in a dry and weary land where there is no water.” Psalm 63:1

On multiple occasions in scripture including this specific verse, David writes of a cotton-mouth soul. The focus of his searching does not change amidst the shifting circumstances of his writing. He thirsts for God and that thirst leads him to seek God “earnestly.” Just like a dehydrated person seeking water.

But why? Why did David seek God in this way? Undoubtedly, David experienced equal to, if not more than the amount of grief and “dehydration” that every human being throughout history has faced. What made Him seek God and why does it matter for us?

David’s description of God here contains a truth that is easy to overlook but too profound to ignore. Hundreds of years later, this truth would be shared with a large group of Israelites, Samaritans and other people groups who in hearing it were polarized.

“On the last and greatest day of the Feast, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice ‘If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink.’” John 7:37

Jesus Christ, a carpenter from Galilee, was not offering the people at the feast free Dixie cups of water on a hot day. He spoke in the same metaphoric vein as David. Yet here, Jesus proclaimed to be the God David thirsted for all those years ago. By equating himself with water, Jesus said that apart from knowing Him, all men were dead and as dry as a desert.

Sandwiched between these numerous statements (see references below!) were miracles that also fulfilled prophecies about the one God would send to make an atonement for sins. Jesus matched the description during every stage of His life. Yet tragically, as Jesus tells the crowd in John 6:36 “But as I told you, you have seen me and still you do not believe.”

Was it just Jesus’ miracles that made Him water to those who believe in Him?

No.

What makes Jesus indispensable is that He is the only one who can pay the penalty for our sins. We can’t right our wrongs before God. We can’t ignore Him and make the price for our sins go away saying He doesn’t exist. Each one of us needs Jesus more than we need our next glass of water.

When we recognize that we are indeed a sinner deserving hell for our rebellion against God, then we can truly begin to understand why Jesus is like water to us. It was His death that satisfied God’s required payment for our sin.

“For our sake He (God the Father) made Him (Jesus) to be sin who knew no sin (Jesus), so that in him (Jesus) we might become the righteousness of God.” 2 Corinthians 5:21

In every calamity, many are brought to a place of deep despair. Blind hope that things will soon get back to normal offers fake refreshment that we can see through. Real security is knowing that whether the worst case scenario happens or not, my soul’s needs are covered.

So, whether you’re feeling like your world is the Atacama or a luscious green meadow right now, I pray that you’ll drink deeply of the water only Jesus provides through His death and resurrection. It’s virus proof. It’s war proof. It’s even death proof.

 

Scripture References:

Isaiah 55:1 – “Come everyone who thirsts…”

John 7:37 – “If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink…”

John 6:35 – “Whoever believes in me shall never thirst…”

Psalm 42:2 – “My soul thirsts for God, for the living God…”

Psalm 63:1 – “My soul thirsts for you…”

Psalm 143:6 – “My soul thirst for you like a parched land…”

John 4:13 – “Whoever drinks of the water I give will never thirst again…”

Revelation 21:6 – “To the thirsty I will give from the spring of the water of life without payment…”

Revelation 22:16 – “Let the one who is thirsty come…”