Happy Father’s day!  This will be a more difficult day for me and many others.   My father a few years ago in a car accident.  He was a great father and good Christian man.  While meditating on things that bring healing and hope I came across a powerful and unusual word in the Bible that has helped me greatly to process the loss and gave me comfort.

The word was spoken by Christ at a time of His greatest challenge.  It was in the Garden of Gethsemane when He was only hours away from death on the cross.

During this time the humanity of Christ was in total agony.  In His mind and imagination came the visions of what was going to physically happen soon.  He had seen other people crucified.  Not only the physical death but He was to die for all man’s sins. The stress of the situation is recorded in Matthew 26:38 “My soul is sorrowful, even to death…”  The Bible records His physical, mental and spiritual condition was so stressed that even His sweat was mingled with blood.  The rock He cried out to God on was red with Jesus struggle.

In Matthew 26:39 Jesus spoke to His father in prayer and said “Father, if there be any other way…please let this cup pass from me.”  Then Jesus spoke a powerful word.  You will not think of this word as one of the great words like faith, hope or love. It’s not recorded in the Ten Commandments or the Beatitudes.   The great word Jesus spoke was “nevertheless”.  What an odd word to find comfort in!  It is a word of transition.  It means although the topic before the word is true, the topic after this word is more true.  Jesus said to his Father “nevertheless,  not my will but Yours”.

Everything changed! Jesus rose up a conqueror of death and brought hope to all of us through His death on the cross.

The word is used in 2 Cor. 3:14-16 where the Bible talks about those without Christ living in a darkness of Spiritual realities.  Many are living day to day trying to find peace and direction without God.   All their efforts lead eventually to emptiness.  Peace and purpose in life is fulfilled only through Christ.  The Bible says there is a veil covering their hearts and minds

keeping them in a state of darkness.  Even as Christians share their experiences it seems unclear or even foolishness to them.  However,  in verse 16 the word “nevertheless” is used to say as they turn to Christ the veil is taken away.  Peace, hope and direction in life have come to them through a relationship with Christ.

As I answered the life changing phone call letting me know my dad had died the world turned upside down for me and my family.  Although many people are experiencing death each week the permanent emptiness settled on our family.   In the last few weeks this word kept coming back to me…nevertheless.

Dad is gone; nevertheless I will one day see him again.   His advice can no longer be received; nevertheless he has raised me with a life of examples and wisdom.    The death was instant and without warning, nevertheless he was a righteous man ready to meet God.

The word nevertheless helps us deal with the realities of life that are hard, painful and frustrating by reminding ourselves of the truths in Christ that are promised in God’s word.  It helps us deal with life by claiming God’s promises.  You might be in a difficult place today.  With Christ you can say…nevertheless the promises of God are true.  It may seem a silly word to focus on but it can replace fear with faith, stress with  confidence,  and  sadness with joy.

God has a “nevertheless” promise for you.

Simon Peter fished all night with no luck.  Jesus asked him to simply place the net on the other side of the boat!  His response changed his life for ever in Luke 5:5 he said to Jesus “Master, we have toiled all the night, and have taken nothing: nevertheless at thy word I will let down the net.’’  His net was full and so can your heart as we apply a God’s words to our situations.

The “good brother’s” dark side.

Prodigal Son’s Brother

Luke 15:11-32.   Much is written about the prodigal son who because of his own lust and rebellion demands his inheritance before his father’s death to live life to the fullest.  Of course the illusion of the sinful plans quickly places the son in ruins.  He has lost his fun, friends and himself.  Finally he begins to think about his life with the father.  The life he thought empty and dull were now suddenly rewarding and rich.  So he decides to return home in hopes of becoming at least a servant in his father’s house. Just to get a portion of the blessed life.

His father on the other hand sees the lost son coming home.  The father runs and reaches out his hands toward the lost son.  This is before any confession or apology of the son.  The actions of the father so overwhelmed the son’s expectations. He is accepted back into the family. A new family ring and robe is placed on the son and a feast given. Nothing is said about punishment or of the pain he caused the father. He is totally restored. This is a powerful picture of Christ’s love in action for us.

Now the prodigal son has a brother who witnessed all the actions of his little rebellious brother.  The other son has not left the father. He is faithful, consistent, self-disciplined and loyal.  But he has a flaw. He too is a prodigal son in his own thoughts of himself.  He feels his works and actions should recognize his father’s gratitude over the lost sons return.  He believes he is better than the son because of his actions. “Look at me, see what I have done. Look at my efforts.”  It is a slippery slope when we are aware of our efforts and begin to think those efforts make us worthy of God’s grace. Slowly we change in our attitudes:  Pride vs humility, works vs sinful repentance and, Justification vs coming clean with ourselves before God..

We are all a part of the two sons. We experience sin and brokenness. We also justify ourselves by works compared to other people. While we may experience some security by not publically becoming broken and coming home for all to see the errors of our ways, we may be in more danger of losing the blessings of God through justification and comparison.

There is a greater danger in our hearts as we only look outward at the troubles of others.  Christ said before you comment on others make sure your eyes are clean.  I have had this truth slap me in the face as I see issues coming up on the media.  We are all lost without God’s grace.  It is not what we do but whom we believe in and follow.

The biblical account of the prodigal’s brother ends without a repentance.

You cannot find joy, peace and freedom without continually coming to the cross and allow God to once again wash you.