In college I took several semesters of German. I got pretty good, reading short articles and speaking coherent sentences. I even practiced my language skills one summer in Europe. Today, that ability has faded, although I did order coffee from a German speaking waitress in Italy last month. You might say that my German has passed away.

I’ve spoken to student groups and churches hundreds of times, and led just as many small group Bible studies. While someone might remember something I said, there’s no treasured compendium of my lectures.

An estimated 250 million books have been published throughout history. I’ve added two to that number, and hope to add a couple more. With all that material, who knows if anyone beyond my circle of friends will notice? Except for a few notable exceptions, even popular titles age out and fade away.

Do any words stand the test of time? Yes—those from the mouth of Jesus. In fact he told his disciples, Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.

The teachings of Jesus continue to motivate and change people for the good. The best-selling and most distributed book of all time is the Bible. Nothing else is even close. Something about the messages in that book keep people intrigued, generation after generation.

Of all the words I experience in our cacophonous world, scarcely any last beyond a breath. Like my German, a handful linger in the recesses of my mind. But when I invest a few minutes every day in the words of Jesus—solid, eternal, life-giving words—I know I’m connecting with words worth my time.

Luke 21:33

Photo by Noah Black

A visit from an angel spurred Gideon to action. Along with several servants, he pulled down an alter to Baal and chopped up an Asherah pole (an idol to a fertility goddess) and set it the whole lot on fire. Then he sacrificed a bull on the pyre. The next day his neighbors went ballistic.

Showing how far these men of Israel had fallen away from the Lord, they demanded Gideon’s death for the desecration. But Joash, Gideon’s father, craftily responded,Will you contend for Baal? Or will you save him?…If he is a god, let him contend for himself.

Joash pointed out that if Baal were truly a god, then Baal could handle a mere mortal. If Baal was not a god, then Gideon was right to destroy a worthless alter to a make-believe diety. As a result of his actions Gideon was given a new name—Jerubbaal—which means let Baal contend with him. As you might expect, Baal failed to show, and Gideon went on to deliver Israel from her enemies.

I’m reminded of the gods I allow to dominate my thinking. Money, prestige, pleasures, and entertainment compete for attention. Secular philosophies and world religions present as viable alternatives. Yet all their promises prove empty, holding power only if I let them.

Like Gideon, identity your counterfeit gods and lay into them with an ax. They can fight for themselves. Then, trust the Lord to fight in their place.

Judges 6:25-32

Photo by Christian Kielberg

Year ago David wrote: The sorrows of those who run after another god shall multiply. This truth plays out over and over.

I read every day of the churning anger over sexuality, politics, wealth disparities, and environmental degradations. Many place their ultimate hope in campaigning for such causes. Of course, all these issues are important and need attention. But none should become my god. Placing them at the core of life leads only mushrooming sorrows.

A superior way exists. David turns to the Lord in praise: You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.

We can allow the gods of this world to rollercoaster our lives toward a miserable end. Or, we can go after the Lord and experience his gift of joy. The decision is ours—we choose which way to run.

Psalm 16:2&11

Photo by Aleksandra Sapozhnikova

In the Basilica of San Pietro in Vincoli in Rome sits a breathtaking sculpture of Moses, created by Michelangelo over the years of 1513-1515. With the tablets of the Ten Commandments in hand, Moses glares at the people of Israel who’ve chosen a golden calf over the Lord God. Indeed, Moses glares at all of us tourists who clamor in, a bit unnerving if you look long enough (FYI, the “horns” on the head of Moses arise from a translation error in the Latin Vulgate).

I recently visited this church while on a mission trip in Italy. At the same time I was reading about the death of Moses in Deuteronomy. Here’s the line that popped in my head when I saw this statue: Moses was 120 years old when he died. His eye was undimmed, and his vigor unabated.

In this statue by Michelangelo, Moses is muscular, intense, and powerful—in others words, totally ripped. During his time leading Israel, Moses spent days and days with the Lord, from the experience of the burning bush to two separate 40 day periods on Mount Sinai. Along with the daily workouts of living in the wilderness, did so much time alone with God influence his physical body? Did sitting in the presence of God create robust health and unmatched energy?

Why not? Jesus, God in the flesh, healed with ease. The Lord created the universe in perfect form, only now corrupted by sin. What if the time Moses spent in the clouds covering Mount Sinai exposed him to the creative forces swirling around Yahweh? Like radiation but with the opposite effect, Moses grew stronger and healthier the more he was exposed.

Should we be surprised? The God who spoke our world into existence also spoke face to face with Moses. During those conversations massive amounts of divine energy flowed through Moses. As a result his body healed, his eyesight sharpened, and his mind clarified.

Here’s a foreshadowing for all who follow the Lord. On moving from this world to the next, those who enter His presence will grow wiser than any genius, stronger than any olympian, and able to leap tall buildings with a single bound.

Deuteronomy 34:5-7

Photo by Jason Steele