The sweeping language of the prophet Isaiah has struck me, in this season. The judgement of God against Israel and all the world is also blended with mystery, images of restored borders and those once scattered being returned. Isaiah is captivated by the awesome wrath and divine power of the Creator, the God of Israel, who raises kings and throws them down in perfect and matchless judgement. That is inspiring and worth contemplating. But — there’s more. Leaping up out of the warnings of judgement and the reminder that only Israel’s sin caused the evil they faced is Something else, Someone else. Who is He? What will He do? He promised a new thing, something besides judgement, something worthy of hymns of praise. What is this new thing — we are so in need of it, in a world that feels so cyclical and inevitable. There must be a force more potent, more real, than wants to help us?

Isaiah 43, like a bolt from heaven. Each phrase a cosmic thundering, inescapable, like water gushing from a dam.

But now thus says the Lord,
he who created you, O Jacob,
he who formed you, O Israel:
“Fear not, for I have redeemed you;
I have called you by name, you are mine.”

Before, there was judgement and loss, even loss of your own making. But now this is how it is: The Creator, the Former, the God of the Universe says: “Do not be afraid, because I have redeemed you — I call you by the name I gave you — you mine.” How this must have sounded to Isaiah’s ears? Israel was not damaged goods, but was called, redeemed, belonged. There is more than this. It is indeed wonderful that we are so thoroughly claimed, so marked for a purpose.

This is just the opening salvo. It is not just a court document, paperwork respectfully signed. This is not a voice mail providing small relief from a court date or jail time. No, the Creator and Former has more “thus”, and each lands with more unwieldy force:

When you pass through the waters I will be with you;
and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you;
when you walk through fire you shall not be burned,
and the flame shall not consume you.

The Creator and Former of the Universe, the Righteous Judge, says He is with us. Fear not, You’re mine, I know your name. No water, no fire can impede His closeness. No river, no fire will even leave a mark on you. He does not just shout over the roar of the waters or the licking of the flames, He dares the elements to take their shot, because He knows they’ll miss. It really is staggering to consider these bellows from Heaven — we are wanted by God.

In words we can understand, metaphor we can digest, our Creator and Former, our Father, tells us how much He’s willing to pay — what are we worth to Him?

For I am the Lord your God,
the Holy One of Israel, your Savior.
I give Egypt as your ransom,
Ethiopia and Seba in exchange for you.

Absurd. Entire nations, chunks of earth and dirt and mass, incalculable value, an astronomical price. The Holy One, the Savior, the Lord spares no expense. We are worth the treasures of Egypt and the plenty of distant lands. You, and me. Me, a blonde little boy with a big head, and He says I’m worth Egypt! An ancient empire full of history and power and meaning, and He trades it for my ransom. I write the words and can’t wrap my mind around them. Even what is hard or just annoying becomes a little matter when the Creator insists on your worth.

There’s more, if you can believe it. Why? Why are we called, redeemed? Why does He want to be close in everything, to walk us preserved and unharmed through fire and water? Why are we worth a trade of nations?

Because you are precious in my eyes,
and honored, and I love you,
I give men in return for you,
peoples in exchange for your life.

I read it over and over and weep. I don’t have self-worth issues, but sometimes, I’m sure you understand, the human desire for pity and angst rings its tiny bell. It’s beatable, but if you let even a sliver of it hang around — you can forget that Your God, the Holy One of Israel, sits before you, behind you, within you, all around you. That He looks you in the eye and draws closer with each word: “Why? I’ll tell you; because you are precious in my eyes, the center of my attention and my greatest treasure. You are honored, worth lifting up and brimming with destiny. Because I love you.”

It’s worth noting that what the Lord is trading in these passages is not human trafficking or paying off a mobster — He owns the whole planet and He calls all peoples to Him, yearning for their repentance. But He insists on using this language, Isaiah communicates the overwhelming love of God as a redeeming force that no weather pattern, empire, or person can hold back, not ever.

This next blast from Isaiah is not the end of it, but it was the “end” of what I believe the Lord highlighted from chapter 43. The Lord, the Holy One, who calls us and is with us, values us beyond any calculable cost, and says He loves us. What an encouragement, a trust we can and must lean into, that says “Because You said it, it is true, and I will live like it.” Awesome.

But wait, there’s still more!

“Fear not, for I am with you;
I will bring your offspring from the east,
and from the west I will gather you;
I will say to the north, Give up,
and to the south, Do not withhold;
bring my sons from afar
and my daughters from the end of the earth,
every one who is called by my name,
whom I created for my glory,
whom I formed and made.”

Don’t be afraid, because I called you and redeem you and am with you. But not just you! I will call offspring, from every direction. North or south, east or west, nothing can withhold from me. What you thought was lost or irrecoverable, I will bring back. Those whose hearts you long to call my name? I will bring them home as sons and daughters, even from the farthest edges of distance, time, and pain.

Every one whom is called by my name, whom I created for my glory, whom I formed and made.

Called. Created. Formed. Made.

Loved.

Safe.

The price He paid was far greater than any ransom. Even if every nation that has ever existed were given up, if every living person from Adam were traded, it would not measure up — it would not have been enough.

Jesus was — Jesus is. Why? Why such a cost, why did He announce these promises, these convictions, thousands of years ago, for eyes and ears spanning eternity?

For God, the Holy One and Savior of Israel, created us and formed us in His image and called us by His name. This same God viewed this Earth and every broken, frightened, aching human on it as precious in His sight, and loved us in such an incomparable way, that He ransomed and gave the life of His Most Beloved Son. This same God did this so that every son and daughter scattered across the four cardinal directions of the Earth, no matter who or how far, that believed in the Beloved would not be overcome by flood or burned by fire. Whosoever believes in Him will not face the fear and sting of death and separation, but will live forever and ever with the One who loved us first, and most, when we could give absolutely nothing in return.

Sound of Freedom should be considered a landmark movie, one that opens a door to powerful, hard stories that need telling. No story of ours supplants the Word of God, as if that needs saying, but when those stories are built on what that Book declares about God and humanity, they are given enormous influence. The effort to put this story in theaters and the generous giving that made it possible is impressive, too. There are a whole host of other reasons why it is deservedly causing a storm in the media and the entertainment industry.

None of those are as important as the simple, painful, righteous statement at the center of the film. A stern, teary-eyed, truth that no force in the cosmos has any power to argue against: “God’s children are not for sale.” This dramatization of real-world events is based on only one of the organizations waging a war against the sex-slave trade of children across the globe. It is a pandemic of increasing scope and filth, and the film does not hide it. Jim Caviezel, portraying Tim Ballard, in a desperate attempt to convince a wary ally of the insurmountable need, acknowledges that the reality is simply too much for “polite conversation.”

But it is real. These are innocent children being dragged into the deepest, ugliest, foulest pit of hell. While some are rescued, many are lost and can only succumb to the horror of what has been done to them. Like any truly good story, the facts the movie portrays are wounding and frightening. But, they give us opportunity and means to act however we can. Not all of us have the resources or ability to plan international operations or to deceive the wealthy and powerful. We can pour out gift after gift to fund groups whose only purpose is to risk ignoble deaths at the hands of criminals, in order to free those who our Master demands our faith reflect. We can encourage people to endure tough stories built to challenge and inspire action. Anyone with a heartbeat can do that, and we must.

What could be more noble than a story aimed to inspire the truth to be loudly declared, that the dark sludge of our world can be resisted by the smallest bit of courage? Anything else, according to the media of our own nation. Why in God’s name would anyone belittle, mock, or deride it? This real! It is happening here. The final blow of the film simply presents the stat, the fact, that the United States is the single largest destination and “production line” for child slavery.

Yet, mock and denial is the only things “critics” of the film have. They pretend it is a elaborate fantasy or conspiracy nut’s dream. Denial of the shame of this reality is as brave as burying your face in the sand. The concentrated effort to undermine and undervalue the message of this film reflects the spirit of perversion that hungers for the innocent. It is the same spirit that lies to children about their bodies and their identities. It is the same spirit that butchers them before they leave the womb, and aims to continue butchering them if they are lucky enough to escape the first time.

But the Spirit of God is stronger by far. The Truth wins out. Jesus moves louder and louder. Films like this are simply beacons that help shake apathetic and ignorant minds into action. It is easy to let the reality of this demonic empire of suffering become a black hole of self pity. But we can’t — we win by living in dramatic, holy opposition to even the hint of perversion. We insist on standards of living that only allow for God’s law for human sexuality. We demand that children are left to grow up in innocence. We ensure that the institutions that thrive on the destruction of the unborn becomes as much as a byword and subject of hate that the slavery is, today. We don’t care if voices cry bigot, we simply insist on the love and power of Christ that brings down strongholds. We don’t need violence — just our voice.

There is no middle ground or wiggle room. Jesus Himself gives only one end for the perverse, for the thief of innocence, for the butcher of children:

“It would be better to be thrown into the sea with a millstone hung around your neck than to cause one of these little ones to fall into sin.”

That is the choice. A life of bold freedom, unfazed by name-calling or bad headlines, that will not stop until the sound of freedom echoes. Or, the unfettered wrath of the Lamb who will treat the cries of the perverse with the same silence they showed His little ones.

Choose.

And when Jesus came to the place, he looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, make haste and come down; for I must stay at your house today.”

Jesus is making His way to Jerusalem. The most important destination in His life and in the history of the world. As always, He intentionally stops and meets sickness with compassion and continues to confront darkness. He stops briefly in Jericho, where his disciples and the crowds following must have thought it a simple pit-stop. There are countless bodies all cramming in the streets to see Jesus before He goes on to do much more important things, certainly! Zacchaeus has heard everything people say about Jesus, but now he has the chance to see Him. He abandons dignity and even risks the dark and ugly looks a tax collector would get — and he was the chief tax collector, marked by wealth and importance.

He climbs a tree, like a small boy would (he’s not tall, so that isn’t far from the mark), just to see Him. He’s heard all about this Jesus, about the things He does, and who He might be for Israel, but whatever his motivation, it is intense enough that he climbs a tree to see over the crowd. The well-dressed and significant chief tax collector, but he gets up into a tree just so he can at least watch Jesus. If he expected to be seen for his wealth and influence, he could certainly have made a fuss, but it didn’t matter if Jesus saw Zacchaeus, just that Zacchaeus could see Him.

Jesus, moving on a mission, certainly He must have bigger things to do, but maybe if I can see Him, that can be enough for me…

He stops beneath Zacchaeus’ tree. The crowd still loud, His disciples wary of their proximity to Jerusalem. The finish line, Jerusalem, is still just as certain as ever. He still stops under the tree to peer up at the man clinging to the branches, like He’d been watching the crowd to find him.

“Zacchaeus, come down, quickly! I must stay at your house, today!”

I must. There are no other options, I don’t want to stay anywhere else, I came here to Jericho just for this. Zacchaeus might not have been able to see Jesus through the Jericho crowd, but Jesus saw him. Jesus came there for Zacchaeus and no one else. In his fashion, Luke gives us no wiggle room but to come to this conclusion, elevating the miraculous, ridiculous, deeply personal affection Jesus has for the one, no matter their social standing, high or low. And, of course, Zacchaeus gets down with joy and speed. It probably was very funny to watch a well-dressed, not-very-tall man half-fall out of a tree as giddily as that.

The crowds start to mumble about Jesus’ choice to spend His time with a “sinner”. But Zacchaeus doesn’t seem to hear them, because the moment his feet touch the ground, he springs up.

“Lord, half of everything I own, I will give to the poor! Oh, oh, and anyone I cheated, they’ll get back what I took, four times as much!”

Jesus saw him and wanted to be with him, specifically, in his own house. Instantly, Zacchaeus is moved to insane generosity. Turning from his way of life, the oppression over others and over his own soul, he can’t help but respond to Jesus this way.

Jesus’ response to Zacchaeus again defies the murmuring bitterness of those who think they know who God should judge and who He should save:

“Today, salvation has come for this man and his household, for he is also a son of Abraham. For the Son of Man came to find and to save those who are lost.”

Jesus’ whole mission, His calling, His love and obedience-fueled identity, the point of the cross, is to save the lost. He seeks them out, intentionally, with a focus and determination that puts any bloodhound nose to shame. He came to Jericho for Zacchaeus, and nothing else mattered in the moment. It doesn’t matter how you got lost, how long you have been lost, if you still have “lost habits”. Jesus went looking for Zacchaeus until He saved him and his entire household and brought joy. Why?

As He said: “I must.” It is the unchanging character and nature of Jesus to find you. Tree or no tree, wealth or poverty, whether you even know you’re lost, He will find you.

A few days ago, we ran a bath in the big tub in my bathroom. It was built specifically for my comfort and safety, and ease of use. It is embarrassing, but I still found myself pushing back nerves about the water. I loved pools growing up, but I will admit that there was and something about water that I would let myself get frozen up and anxious over. Of course, what made the potential anxiety of a pool vanish quickly was the immediate reminder of the joy shared with my siblings, and the always-close proximity of my dad. That, and recognizing the illusion fear throws over anything and everything — and Who empowers us to defeat it.

That more recent evening, it took me some time to get over it, with the constant and gentle reminders of my father of just how safe the situation is and the water is, as always, as safe as it ever is. Phoning fear only ever makes you feel like a fool — it’s better to point out how silly it all is, to defeat it with honesty and humor. It has taken me, admittedly, a while to catch on to this fact. It’s easy to feel ashamed and tempting to give in to navel-gazing, huffing nonsense when it comes to the repercussions of letting fears’ little gnat-voice have a seat at the big table in your heart.

Tonight, I needed to spend some time in worship and dedicated prayer. My room was filled with some new songs from Bethel’s album, this one brimming with celebrations of Jesus’ holiness, faithfulness, trustworthiness and the eternal reliability of His blood and work. One song in particular has moved me to weeping every time I let it play: I am Your Beloved. The entire album is special and deeply moving, though that song is worth the whole thing.

Tonight, I lay back, confessing and letting the Holy Spirit speak, confronting some shadows I had yet to truly driven off into the blackness where they belong. It is a little difficult to type that out, but I believe there is something valuable the Lord does when we are open (without turning on a fire hose). One image that surfaced is something from that night, as I was in the tub — honestly still fluttering from reaching out to the wrong voice. I knew better, but the proximity and unshakable, patient gentleness from my Dad soon reminded me to drive them away.

The water was warm, and just bubbled over my ears, leaving a quiet, thrumming echo that became quite peaceful. I am pretty sensitive, so for a minute it wasn’t on the list of my favorite things! But as I focused, I believe the Lord used this instance and called it to my memory tonight. In that moment, there was a reduction in volume, a quiet, comforting thump of my heart and the movements of the water. I closed my eyes, and whenever I did open them for a moment, my dad was above me, smiling quietly and helping me get clean, comfortably and safely.

Sometimes, fear is something I choose to listen to. It isn’t a defining trait, absolutely not, but a habit that the Lord has and will continue to break with me. I feel ashamed and frustrated if it happens, and I haven’t always made the right choice in simply letting go and knowing God forgives me. But that feeling in the tub, of the water gently drowning out sounds and the only image of being tended to in a way that is all I have ever known. Just floating, in peace and warmth and gratitude.

I’m blessed to have a dad who has humbly, but intentionally reflected the nature of our Heavenly Father, as a father, to the very best of his earthly ability (which is a lot of ability).

But not everyone is. Not everyone has that image to rely on.

That’s okay, because the Lord is bigger than any kind of distraction, trauma, tension, or perceived lack. I was tearfully, repeatedly reminded of my heavenly Father’s love and of the total freedom, peace, and love this evening in a freeing, special way. That sensation of floating in still water, with only His presence, every other voice silent in the stillness, never to return. Why reach out for anything else when the alternative is far more holy and far more reliable?

If you also find yourself needing to throw fear’s chair out, I hope that this image helps you. Clear, still waters — just you and Your Father, every need met with a loving, happy, never weary, look on His face. The little gnat has no power over Him — and no power over you. Let that closeness fuel joy, gratitude, and peace in your mind and heart. I will do the same.

“Save me, I pray, from the hand of my brother Esau, for I am afraid he will come and attack me, and also the mothers with their children.

Jacob brings a desperate and honest prayer to God, as he approaches a meeting he has dreaded for years. I imagine he gave thought to Esau’s fury at his deception and robbery often during the two decades of service under Laban’s own deception. Right before his expression of fear, Jacob remembers how he came with nothing but the clothes on his back and the staff in his hand. But God brought him back over the border of the Jordan with enormous wealth and a host of spiritual encounters and dreams, to boot. Even just a few days earlier, he is granted a mysterious view into the march of the unseen armies of the heavenly host, as if they are going before him into battle.

He is still afraid — and he has a choice in front of him.

The first three patriarchs of Genesis all share a very human struggle with fear. Abraham had no example in front of him and had to find out God’s providence for himself. He has the brilliantly fearful idea to claim that Sarah is his sister (technically accurate) instead of his wife, so that the men of the land won’t just kill him and take her. This leads to the near destruction of both Egypt and Gerar, in that God threatens doom if they do not give Sarah back to Abraham.

In both cases, these leaders are understandably angry — but God’s providence simply forces them to give Abraham loot and land. It is nearly comical, but also profoundly humbling to consider. Abraham screwed up, and these pagan men are nearly punished for it, save God’s mercy and infinite wisdom. But, does God leave Abraham for this, or scold him, or punish him? No — His providence shows up when Abraham doesn’t.

Hilariously, Isaac pulls the same exact stunt later, in the same kingdom! It’s a different Abimelek, but Isaac makes the same call for the same reason: “Because I thought I might lose my life on account of her.” What happens here? Oh, God just makes Isaac so wealthy Abimelek begs him to leave. Isaac might have embarrassed himself, but God doubles down on being there.

Isaac has the benefit of Abraham’s life to look to and his own experiences with God’s favor, and he still decides “No, I think fear will help me more.” How human is that? We can’t mock them for it, because it is a choice we might make in the face of imagined problems.

Now, for Jacob. Jacob gets himself into a lot of trouble; his name means “Supplanter” or “usurper”, after all. God meets with Jacob, and he experiences dreams at Bethel and during the years he worked for Laban. He reveals one of these real experiences with God’s favor to his wives, and it informs us that God had blessed Jacob at Laban’s expense, vindicating him. God tells him that it is time to move on and continue the pilgrimage of obedience that Abram started long ago.

Once again, in human fashion, Jacob chooses to leave in the night without telling his father-in-law. He chooses to believe that Laban’s might is greater than that of the God who had been robbing that cheater blind for decades, justly blessing Jacob and his household. Who knows how much more peace Jacob would have had if he had allowed Laban to say goodbye, and then part with boundaries in place?

And once again, in His patient fashion, God reminds Jacob and Laban who the Boss is. Jacob’s fear caused harm where none should have been, but God’s favor intervenes and both man pass from the other with an understanding and borders they won’t cross. God’s favor always prevails, even when our always-needless fear leads us to anxiety and missed opportunities.

Right before he approaches Esau’s land, Jacob sees the armies of God and names the location in awe. With that experience of favor added to the long list, Jacob comes before God. This time, there could be danger, and he makes preparations to protect his family. But, instead of reaching for fear and acting, he reaches for God’s favor. His fear is on one path, but he looks to the other. The other path says: “But you have said, ‘I will surely make you prosper and will make your descendants like the sand of the sea, which cannot be counted.’”

Like clockwork, the pattern of God’s favor overpowering Jacob’s fear emerges. The night before the fateful day, Jacob has one of the most mysterious, personal encounters with God. He literally wrestles through the night with a man, one who seems to be bemused that Jacob asks his Name — as if Jacob may already know it. Despite an injury from the “stranger”, Jacob refuses to relent in holding on until he gets a blessing. Whatever comes next, he knows he must have that favor.

By the time the sun rises, Jacob knows that he has experienced something magnificent — God has shown his undeserving and glorious favor to the line of Abraham again: “I saw God face to face, and yet my life was spared.”

When Jacob finally reunites with his brother, every imagined fear, every fantasy of terror from an angry Esau vanishes. God brings a deeply delighted and wholly content man to face Jacob. Esau is moved to tears and is thrilled to see all of Jacob’s family and the blessings of his life. Esau has no desire for any of Jacob’s gifts, but only suggests traveling with him for a while as Jacob makes his way back to the land of Canaan. He offers Jacob protection, a reprieve, a chance to mend old wounds. God might have even provided a way for Jacob to restore a relationship long thought lost.

I won’t infer too much beyond that, as the narrator rarely supplies direct judgement to the actions of the patriarchs. But, the patterns are hard to read past. Here is Jacob, time after time seeing God’s providence being certain and his fears being vain, just as the fears of his father and grandfather were before him. He has seen the armies of heaven and, a mysterious expression of the very Person and Face of El Shaddai. Jacob even says this to Esau after they embrace: “For to see your face is like seeing the face of God, now that you have received me favorably.”

Surely, Jacob would not resist the current of favor, here?

Yet — he does. Like we all feel we do, if there are times we fail to remember God’s favor and covenant faithfulness. Jacob “politely” declines, but still seems to fear Esau, for no presented reason. There never really is, is there? We might convince ourselves that there really is something to be afraid of, but is there? He makes the mistake of settling instead of sojourning (apparently — once again, the narrator only describes what happens) near Shechem, and this leads only to total disaster for his family. His fear ends with two of his boys wreaking horrifying vengeance on every man in Shechem for the sake of their sister’s honor.

There’s a lesson to be drawn from consequences of fear, but this is not where God ends things. God does not abandon Jacob, the man He renames Israel. He calls him back again to Bethel, as before, and draws him to renew old vows and to abandon pagan thinking. The Promise hasn’t lessened in response to some of Jacob’s failures. It is just as unfathomably huge as it was before.

“I am God Almighty; be fruitful and increase in number. A nation and a community of nations will come from you, and kings will be among your descendants. The land I gave to Abraham and Isaac I also give to you, and I will give this land to your descendants after you.”

Every step forward and every step back, the favor of God hounds Jacob. We might fail, but as we continue to obey, the favor of God will always show up wherever we don’t, and everywhere else, too.

They have freely scattered their gifts to the poor, their righteousness endures forever; their horn will be lifted high in honor.

This is an assertion from the Psalmist, from Psalm 112. It is one of the many ways he describes the quality of life for those who revere the Lord and find great joy in obeying Him. So many of the Psalms burst with this unshakeable fact about those who gladly submit to generosity. No matter what may happen on this earth, those who pour out their selves to others in this way possess an eternal reward.

The apostle Paul, in his letter to Timothy, extols the results of generosity in the Kingdom of Heaven: “They are to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share, thus storing up treasure for themselves as a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is truly life.” (1 Timothy 6:9) Trigger-happy generosity is a virtue that the saints of old, those who have walked the walk before us, delighted in.

It is also something that defined Ed Vickers in this life — and continues to in that place which is “truly life.” I have personal experience receiving the kind of generosity Ed Vickers is renowned for.

I have not known Ed for decades, but it is impossible for me to remember a Sunday where he has not been the first person I saw. He always towered over me, but I always knew my mom and dad loved and trusted him. So, I did too. My earliest memories of Ed begin years ago, at Hazel Dell. Heritage’s children and family pastor (at the time), David, lead several VBS-style “camps” on-site. One of these was sports-themed, and I remember being excited to get up every morning to go.

The reality was that I was physically challenged in a way that meant I could not be as engaged or athletic as the other kids. Of course, I didn’t notice or care, I signed up for everything and loved every moment. I wasn’t raised to fixate on can’s or cant’s. It was more than that, however. It wasn’t just my joy or background that erased my awareness of my challenges at that camp. It was Ed Vickers.

He was one of the coaches who would lead small groups before we gathered for snacks and worship in the auditorium. Specifically, Ed led the basketball “team” at the camp. You can see him in the picture, joyfully leading some rowdy kids. I’m in the back, barely big enough to hold a basketball, and loving it.

I couldn’t move as fast as everyone else, and I couldn’t make baskets. I certainly could not make a slam dunk and listen to other kids my age make a racket and celebrate it with me. I was perfectly content to watch and be with my friends, even if I couldn’t do what they could. Or could I?

I did.

I did because Ed Vickers, without any hesitation, knowing what challenges I faced, lifted me to reach the little hoop just out of reach. I only remember feeling hot and tired, but full of joy because I dunked the ball. I remember him celebrating me that entire day — that whole week of the camp. That was when he started to call me “All-Star.” Every Sunday — every service — every time I saw me. From the time I was a little boy until I became a young man, that was one of my names.

That didn’t come from pity, or because I was the pastor’s son, but because Ed loved big and only knew how to be generous, in word and in action. I grew up knowing about Ed’s delight in giving, and his assertions that God truly loved and rewarded the generous, cheerful giver. I remember his special affection and attention towards our pastors during Pastor’s Appreciation Month.

I knew about his deep love for worship — it was easy to spot him busting a move near the entrance, clapping his strong hands with a massive grin. I knew that in his hometown, he had a day named after him, because of the life he lived before the Lord (For the record, every day at Heritage is Ed Vickers Day, so we win). I have profoundly fond memories of Fish Fry, year after year, as Ed took strides to break Jesus’ record. I know that Heaven delighted in the depths of Ed Vickers’ kindness.

He did these things because he loved people and loved to give his time and energy. There was no “just” for Ed when it came to his generosity. It wasn’t “just church” or “just giving” or “just food”, it was an act of worship from deep within. Whether it was coming to church every service, or remembering to celebrate a little blond-haired boy every time he saw him, Ed Vickers freely scattered all of his gifts.

I will miss hearing his life-filled voice boom whenever he spotted me. I know that I am not the only one who will feel a bittersweet joy when I walk into Heritage from now on. Jesus will not let that legacy fade. because of his faith, Ed’s righteousness will endure forever, and his horn will be raised high in honor of his life.

Ed, I hope that I can pursue a life fueled by generosity for the sake of our Lord, and for the sake of everyone I meet. Your life was blessed in every avenue because you pursued this kind of self-giving love. You never stopped talking about how much good a generous spirit will do, because you knew firsthand what that meant. I will miss greeting you every Sunday morning, and smiling when you call me out from across a hall or a parking lot. I’m sad that the space you filled so well is empty in this life, but that Heaven is full to bursting with joy. I know that Jesus calls you “good and faithful”, and for more reasons than I could count.

— All Star

This morning, a well-known activist in the pro-life community, known for “sidewalk counseling” outside of abortion clinics in his community, was arrested by the FBI. Early in the morning, at his home, while his children screamed. There were many armed agents, a full SWAT team with powerful rifles, as if they were ready to engage in a shootout with a dangerous gang of criminals. At first, they even refused to present the warrant they had brought, until after they had completed the arrest.

Why? Because of an alleged violation of the FACE Act, that had been thrown out of court and dismissed altogether in the last year. There are plenty of articles about the circumstances, in that this activist pushed an aggressive and unwell pro-abortion activist away from harassing his 12-year-old son. Another detail that colors the story differently is that this abortion activist had been harassing this minor for weeks on end, resulting in the altercation to move him away from the boy. The wife says that her husband pushed him away, and he fell, without any injuries. There was a lawsuit by the “injured” party later. However, as noted before, no actual injuries were sustained, and the lawsuit was quickly thrown out.

I apologize for any biased, bitter language. It is difficult for me not to want to be so angry that I could cry when I read these stories. It isn’t something that is meant to happen in godly governments or nations built on the principles of freedom. It feels like there continues to be too many instances of certain law enforcement officials behaving in a shocking manner, toward citizens of this nation. I read through my devotions after being enraged by this story, and there was a passage from Isaiah that cooled me in an instant. Then, I knew I had to write, or risk sitting on a frustration that would edify no one.

See my servant, whom I uphold; my Chosen One in whom I delight. I have put my Spirit upon him; he will reveal justice to the nations of the world. He will be gentle — he will not shout nor quarrel in the streets. He will not break the bruised reed, nor quench the dimly burning flame. He will encourage the fainthearted, those tempted to despair. He will see full justice given to all who have been wronged. He won’t be satisfied until truth and righteousness prevail throughout the earth, nor until even distant lands beyond the seas have put their trust in him. (Isaiah 42:1–4)

This is Jesus. This is who He is, and what He does. He reveals justice to the nations, not with violence but with perfect truth. He does not raise His voice in a shout or riot in the streets. He does not sit on anger until it stews into resentment. He does not focus on being so loud and vengeful that the broken are shattered beyond repair. He does not break those who are hurting, or put out the hope of the disappointed. He will see justice delivered to those who have been wronged, no matter who wronged them. Jesus’ perfect judgement will not be satisfied or finished until the whole earth is covered by it.

The prophet sees a Chosen One who will not only quell evil and injustice in Israel, but will reach out beyond to the most remote and distant place. When we read stories of infuriating injustice, it can weigh on us. Even our bodies can feel the weight of that need for injustice. For me, what I keep seeing is a haunting image of tear-streaked, terrified children, who can’t comprehend where their dad is going or why. That is hard — that makes me angry.

But Jesus is the balm for that. I can try as much as I can, but my anger won’t accomplish anything, not on its own. When I recall the prophets, remember that they were exposed to an onslaught of injustice and grotesque immorality for decades, I remember that God sees it, too. Those prophets poured out their anger and heartache and let the Lord replace it with warnings of judgement and promises of redemption. Most importantly, the saw Someone that would make it all right.

We live in a nation built upon freedom and godly principles, and we have endured much. Some of it of our own making, some the result of the harshness of reality. We have also seen too far much good for it to be thrown away by some foolish leaders. We will see much more good when others take their place. The prophets saw a similar kind of history unfold, good kings and bad, and God’s way always won out, no matter how much evil protested.

But what about right now, for that family? For children terrified by stern, armed men taking their dad in aggressive fashion? What about other families who read this story and wonder if the same could happen because of their own ministry toward abortion-minded women? What about legislators who are fighting to do what is right, feeling drowned out by popular policy and hunger for profit? What about the countless voices rising to resist the rot of immorality?

Jesus is the balm, the Chosen One, the bringer of gentle, perfect justice.

He will make all of it right. Now, and in eternity. Fixate on the good that He is already doing — before you know it, the dark will seem like nothing but a tiny, unnoticeable stain. I say that, because it is true, and because I needed to hear it, too.

He will make all things right.

“The natural progress of things is for liberty to yield and government to gain ground.”

This is from a letter penned by Thomas Jefferson, and serves as a warning and a principle for the governed and those who govern them. It is not normal for a government to be benevolent and restrained — in fact, human nature craves the exact opposite. Those in power inevitably want more and more, unless their ambitions are resisted. Only when offices are held under extreme standards and checks and balances can this tide be stemmed. It may be messy, but this is one pillar that has sustained the United States for centuries. It does not always work as intended, but liberty has always won out.

Freedom, however, is not a guarantee. The Founders also said a great deal about the constant warfare that freedom entails. Not bloodshed, but vigilance and stewardship. Jefferson also said this, quite plainly: “The price of freedom is eternal vigilance.” The master poet Phillis Wheatley, herself suffering under a demonic suffocation of freedom in slavery, pointed where freedom truly arises from. She declares: “In every human breast, God has implanted a principle, which we call love of freedom; it is impatient of oppression and pants for deliverance.”

When a government organization forgoes their boundaries and steps over a line that ought not be crossed, outrage must be the response. Not violence or destruction, but focused anger at rooting out injustice. Jesus Himself was no weakling when it came to addressing corruption. He did not only use His voice, but His might when he drove out those who turned the Temple into a place to cheat and oppress the poor.

The apostle Paul lays out what a truly godly government looks like in the oft-abused and misquoted passage from Romans 13. He says,

“For rulers hold no terror for those who do right, but for those who do wrong. Do you want to be free from fear of the one in authority? Then do what is right and you will be commended. For the one in authority is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for rulers do not bear the sword for no reason. They are God’s servants, agents of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer.” (Romans 13:3–4)

This, obviously, was rarely true for Christians living under Rome’s iron fist. But we, in these United States, have long lived (thank God!) under a government who initially aimed to be this very same sword against evil, and servants to those who do good. This, too, has often failed and fumbled, as our own history tells us. But it has not been for a lack of effort, and has produced good for the world.

When a government office flagrantly and shockingly invades a private citizen over something as flimsy and foolish as a document dispute, the people should rise up. When it is yet another fruitless effort by thugs to prove criminal intent, after four and a half-years of the same, the only response should be skepticism. Lawyers, former governors, and former cabinet members alike have all expressed, to varying degrees, how simply outrageous this entire situation with the FBI is.

When the Secretary of State has her devices destroyed by her staff to hide evidence, there is no consequence. When she and the administration behind her refuse to cooperate with authorities, her home isn’t raided. When a degenerate and serial drug abuser boasts about his familial connection to a now-sitting President, and has records of corrupt dealings, it is swept under the rug and buried. That is not justice. Where was the shocking early-morning raid, televised in an obvious attempt to humiliate?

I don’t intend to be a fear monger. But this truly is an unprecedented act, that very poorly reflects on the intents of current government toward freedom. Engaging in a wholly political act that uses the law as an unjust weapon against an opponent is not something that should ever happen. The American people have the right to know the character of their leaders, and to act accordingly. It is essential to liberty that the people be armed with the knowledge that they hold power over those who are meant to serve them:

“Liberty cannot be preserved without a general knowledge among the people, who have a right…and a desire to know; but besides this, they have a right, an indisputable, unalienable, indefeasible, divine right to that most dreaded and envied kind of knowledge, I mean of the characters and conduct of their rulers.” — John Adams

As an American, I am sick and seething with anger. I will not allow it to dominate me, but I know that this is a wild injustice.

As a Christian, I can (and must) respond with the same cold, powerful will as Christ, when He was faced with far worse and far more evil injustice:

“You would have no power over me if it were not given to you from above.” (John 19:11)

This was said to Pilate, a governor of a pagan and evil empire that represents everything the Founders would rather die than see their American experiment become. Even here, God is God. God endures the evil of man with gritted teeth and billowing heat from His nostrils — and a ready hand to mete swift, measured, and mighty justice. As a Christian, evil does not surprise me, nor do the instabilities of governments, nations, and people. But there comes a time where we must say these words to the faces of those who refuse to do justice:

“You are a child of the devil and an enemy of everything that is right! You are full of all kinds of deceit and trickery. Will you never stop perverting the right ways of the Lord? Now the hand of the Lord is against you. You are going to be blind for a time, not even able to see the light of the sun.” (Acts 13:10–11)

No violence, no permanent curses or unrestrained vengeance. Just the truth.

This, also, is the truth:

“The people…are the only sure reliance for the preservation of our liberty.” — Thomas Jefferson

We are the People. We have the power to take a stand, to do what is right. It will not be done through violence or anger, but we must preserve our liberty, and the liberty of those who will be here when we are gone. It will take courage, and it will take time.

Use your voice. It doesn’t matter whether you supported a specific candidate in the past, but it does matter that you seek out those who would defend liberty to the death alongside those they would govern and protect.

Partner with them— and win.

Let those who flirt with tyranny and mock liberty know they serve YOU.

Remind those who abuse their authority Who put them there.

“I have sworn upon the altar of God eternal hostility against every form of tyranny over the mind of man.” — Thomas Jefferson, Letter to Benjamin Rush, 1800

“Whoever corruptly, or by threats or force, or by any threatening letter or communication, endeavors to influence, intimidate, or impede any grand or petit juror, or officer in or of any court of the United States, or officer who may be serving at any examination or other proceeding before any United States magistrate judge or other committing magistrate, in the discharge of his duty, or injures any such grand or petit juror in his person or property on account of any verdict or indictment assented to by him, or on account of his being or having been such juror, or injures any such officer, magistrate judge, or other committing magistrate in his person or property on account of the performance of his official duties, or corruptly or by threats or force, or by any threatening letter or communication, influences, obstructs, or impedes, or endeavors to influence, obstruct, or impede, the due administration of justice, shall be punished as provided in subsection…”

This lengthy, run-on sentence is presented in the United States Code, Title 18, Section 1503. It ominously warns anyone who aims any kind of threat in any form of communication at a justice, juror, magistrate, or judge in the United States, that there will be hell to pay. Judges are God’s idea; the wisdom of impartial, educated adjudicators spared Moses from working himself to death. When they are threatened for doing their jobs, making indictments or coming to a verdict, it is a gross act of injustice and corruption.

“While this extremist Supreme Court works to punish and control the American people, Democrats must continue our fight to expand freedom in America…”

This isn’t a hastily sent tweet. This is from an official communication from the Office of the Speaker of the House, demonizing the Supreme Court of the United States of America. This comes during a time where the Department of Homeland Security has repeatedly warned about potential violence from extremists against U.S. judges. Extremists who will jump at any rhetoric or allowance of discrimination or aggression.

Whoever corruptly, or by threats or force, or by any threatening letter or communication, endeavors to influence, intimidate, or impede…

A sitting legislator made what can easily be construed as an implicit threat against one of the most essential institutions of these United States. The correct response to this should be immediate, no-holds-barred outrage. There should be pandemonium in the White House as the President forms an immediate rebuke. There should be calls for investigations and even shouts for impeachment. What kind of perverted, foolish person would even consider adding this kind of fuel to a fire?

Worse than that, what kind of leadership finds vitriol against an objectively, scientifically, morally right constitutional choice that will save innocent humans from death?

It is extremely difficult for me not to feel an overwhelming hurricane of anger in my gut, in this moment. Perhaps this is written out of emotion. Maybe I should have cooled off, before I set to writing. But if the President won’t correct this out-of-line, extreme behavior, a citizen of these United States will have to do.

BUT, I am not just a citizen of this earthly government. There is a recorded code that I follow that supersedes any other, no matter how well-constructed or well-meaning. While I feel enraged at evil, I do not meet it with force or threats. The disciples of Jesus knew (and still know) what we ought to do in the face of human threats, implicit or otherwise:

“And now, O Lord, hear their threats, and give us, your servants, great boldness in preaching your word. Stretch out your hand with healing power; may miraculous signs and wonders be done through the name of your holy servant Jesus.” (Acts 4:29–30)

This is how victory is accomplished. We don’t look at the threats of those with power, who foolishly abuse their sworn oaths for the sake of power and notoriety. They may have even abused a position they should have vacated years ago, with no apparent resistance. That does not matter, not to us. God is the avenger and the judge, not me. My job is to confront evil and to plea for the hand of God to strike with miraculous signs and healing power. I can rest knowing that God sees how human beings respond to justice, and that He will always reward according to our deeds. I am angry, but I know that my anger is simply fuel for the work of Heaven to redeem this fallen world and to save those under its shadow.

When justice is done, it brings joy to the righteous but terror to evildoers. (Proverbs 21:15)

September 17th, 1787.

This, many argue, is the day that the United States of America began in earnest. This painting, created a century-and-a-half after the year in question, portrays this day in dramatic fashion. The original text of the Constitution was signed and ratified after months of debate, compromise, and problem-solving. However, the text as it was had a caveat, a deal-breaker that had to have been included — or else it never would have come to pass. The Bill of Rights was an essential element to the Constitution. It clearly delineates essential examples of the rights the Constitution seeks to preserve.

But, the Bill of Rights does not invent these rights, nor does it give them to anyone. The Declaration of Independence asserts something every Founder believed:

“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights…”

The Bill only presents what should be obvious to every human being. We did not come up with the right to worship (even when corrupted by human idolatry). We did not birth the right to speak freely, out of our own brilliance. We are not assigned the power to defend ourselves from harm, even with violence (as a last resort) by our philosophy.

We have these rights because Someone made us to have them. The moment a human being is conceived, they are stamped with unalienable, irrevocable rights from their Father. These rights include, as the Founders repeat, “Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness.” But, once more — this was never our idea! No government that has ever existed, no document constructed by any human, has ever given anyone these rights. They have been ours, by birthright, since the beginning.

“And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.” (Genesis 1:28)

That word, “fruitful”, is pārâ. It means “to bear fruit”, and it refers to the life-making gift from God. Plants are fruitful, people are fruitful — Israel calls Joseph a “fruitful bough” that overtakes a wall. Bearing fruit is our right to Life itself.

The second word, multiply, comes from rāḇâ. This covers a wide range of meaning, always having to do with “many.” Another phrase is “to increase exceedingly.” In other words, this is God’s delight in more. More babies, more food, more gifts, more wealth, more blessing. It is the right to Liberty: freedom for more for everyone.

This third word, “replenish”, is rooted in mālā’. Now, this one is my favorite, because I’m convinced it’s God’s favorite. This word is “full.” “To be filled”, “content”, “satisfied”, “be ended.” It is complete, lavish, too much, not another bite. The Lord said “Make and keep on making — there’s room!” This isn’t the only time God is directly involved in this assertion of more.

“ All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.” (Acts 2:4)

“ Brothers and sisters, choose seven men from among you who are known to be full of the Spirit and wisdom.” (Acts 6:3)

“Then Saul, (who also is called Paul,) filled with the Holy Ghost, set his eyes on him…” (Acts 13:9)

By the way, these are three entirely different words for full! These words are associated with being filled up, to being hollowed out to fit, being drenched, abounding, lacking nothing. On and on. The Spirit is the full (can’t even use another word!) expression of God’s commandment. Being full isn’t a suggestion! It’s a Right because it must be exercised. This is the right to the pursuit of Happiness. This is the “keep on filling” life, one that pursues godly, healthy, fulfilling things, as long as one is alive.

“There is nothing better for a man, than that he should eat and drink, and that he should make his soul enjoy good in his labor. This also I saw, that it was from the hand of God.” (Ecclesiastes 2:24

Why say all this?

There is a fundamental misunderstanding of these rights. They are not given by the Constitution, they are only described by it. Not given by any human document, not the Cyrus Cylinder, the Magna Carta, or any country’s constitution. Even the Ten Commandments, written by the hand of God, are simply communicated versions of innate, created truths gifted by our Father.

So, when the Supreme Court asserted that slaves were free — that freedom wasn’t invented right then. It was a human institution repenting of the evil of suppressing this fact: “All men are created equal.”

When the Supreme Court shuts down an old, foolish law keeping lawful citizens from carrying protective firearms, they are merely reminding us that God values human life and demands it be defended.

And soon, when the Supreme Court demolishes an invented, false “right” that violates all others in the most violent, perverted, glorified fashion? That will be a human expression of profound sorrow and change. Sure, it won’t end this violation forever — but it is the first of many nails in a tiny, cramped, flaming, coffin, shoved back into the dark to suffer forever.

My rights trample your power, convenience, and sin. God says so, not some musty document.

So do the rights of those who cannot say so for themselves.

“I choose the appointed time;
it is I who judge with equity.
When the earth and all its people quake,
it is I who hold its pillars firm.
To the arrogant I say, ‘Boast no more,’
and to the wicked, ‘Do not lift up your horns.
Do not lift your horns against heaven;
do not speak so defiantly.’” (Psalm 75:2–5)