Grief and Love

The life, experiences, and example of Jesus are a constant source of comfort to Christians.  He was in all points tempted, yet without sin.  This demonstrates how He walked in obedience to the Father and He will always lead us according to the Father's will.  The prophet Isaiah spoke of the Messiah being a "man of sorrows" and "acquainted with grief."  We have all experienced sorrow and grief, but never to the level of a holy God who completely knows the thoughts and hearts of men.  There is much which grieves God that escapes our notice, yet Jesus retained fullness of joy. Though He grieved Jesus did not despair, and this is a trap we can avoid by His grace.

Today in prayer I was speaking with God about things which grieve me.  The Webster's 1828 dictionary defines "grieve" in these ways:  "1. To give pain of mind to; to afflict; to wound the feelings; 2. To afflict; to inflict pain on; 3. To make sorrowful; to excite regret in; 4. To offend; to displease; to provoke."  I was reminded how Esau's choice of wives brought about great grief of mind to his mother, Rebekah.  Then in dawned on me:  Esau's poor decisions were a grief of mind to Rebekah because she loved her son.  She cared about him and wanted only the best.  This instance shows grief can be a result of love for others.  Love, when provoked by pains or harm of those dear to us, can respond with grief.

This is a surprising development, that increased love for others brings about additional grief for us - and in addition great happiness and satisfaction.  I am most pleased to be married to my wife and to be blessed by God with two sons.  Their friendship and companionship is a treasure to me, and it is a pleasure to know and spend time with them.  At the same time, because I do love them, their struggles or decisions can be a source of grief.  Their decisions do not grieve someone down the street or across the globe because they do not know or love them.  But because I love them I care, and I become more acquainted with grief because of God's love in me.

When we grow in love of God and others, we will experience grief.  God never does anything to be grieved over, but I can be grieved how I have often grieved Him by sinful choices, selfish behaviour, and hurtful words.  I have grieved him by my unbelief and folly.  I dislike the feelings of grief very much and try to avoid them, and my life has given cause for Jesus to be grieved.  But praise the LORD, I do not need to drown in grief perpetually because my Saviour does not.  He knows me, has saved and washed me, and made me righteous by His grace.  I do not need to grieve continually for others either, having committed them into the hands of God who loves them far more than I ever could.  We should keep on loving, but we don't need to grieve forever as those without hope.  Grief will someday be a thing of the past, and we can always rejoice in the our Saviour's love.

To God We Belong

"And now I urge you to take heart, for there will be no loss of life among you, but only of the ship. ²³ For there stood by me this night an angel of the God to whom I belong and whom I serve, ²⁴ saying, 'Do not be afraid, Paul; you must be brought before Caesar; and indeed God has granted you all those who sail with you.'"

Acts 27:22-24

During a voyage, the ship bearing Paul to Rome was caught in a severe storm in the Mediterranean sea.  When all hope had been given up of being saved, Paul addressed the men.  He shared with them a fantastic revelation spoken by an angel sent from God that every one of their lives would be preserved.  God had answered Paul's prayer and there would be no loss of life among them.  It was not uncommon for people to worship and serve many gods in a polytheistic culture - including the emperor.  People had household idols for protection, prosperity, good fortune, and countless more.  What was unique about Paul's statement was that he did not have gods or charms in his possession which belonged to him, but he belonged to God.  I imagine in the violent tempest many pagan gods literally overturned, were lost, or thrown overboard in a desperate attempt to lighten the ship and save their lives.  Paul could not lose his God, nor could he be lost by the God to whom he belonged.  What comfort this brings all who fear the God of Israel!

Idolatry has been a common error throughout history.  Micah was a man in the book of Judges who was a religious man.  He was religious, but was not at all righteous.  He was a thief who made a shrine full of idols in his home, made carved and moulded images, fashioned a copy of the ephod used by the priests in the tabernacle, and consecrated one of his sons and later a travelling Levite to be his priest.  He believed God would do him good because of his religious efforts and expense.  A day came when scouts from the tribe of Dan saw the shrine with the valuable images and spoke with the Levite.  They offered him the opportunity to be a priest not only of a household but a whole tribe!  The Levite was glad for a status upgrade, and so the shrine was robbed of both idols and priest.  As you might imagine, Micah was not pleased to be so robbed!  He and his household pursued, overtook the company from Dan, and boldly confronted them.

Judges 18:23-26 says, "And they called out to the children of Dan. So they turned around and said to Micah, "What ails you, that you have gathered such a company?" ²⁴ So he said, "You have taken away my gods which I made, and the priest, and you have gone away. Now what more do I have? How can you say to me, 'What ails you?' " ²⁵ And the children of Dan said to him, "Do not let your voice be heard among us, lest angry men fall upon you, and you lose your life, with the lives of your household!" ²⁶ Then the children of Dan went their way. And when Micah saw that they were too strong for him, he turned and went back to his house."  The gods which belonged to Micah were stolen, and he did not have the power or ability to take them back from the men of Dan.  Some gods those were which needed protection and security provided by Micah!  Micah felt he had lost everything because gods which belonged to him were taken, but the reality was he lost nothing.  Though fashioned with precious metals by a skilled craftsman artistically, those gods had no power to hear, speak, or save.

What a difference it is to belong to God who has chosen all who fear Him, rather than serving a god of your own devising and choosing.  Paul said to the intellectuals of Athens in Acts 17:29-31, "Therefore, since we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Divine Nature is like gold or silver or stone, something shaped by art and man's devising. ³⁰ Truly, these times of ignorance God overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere to repent, ³¹ because He has appointed a day on which He will judge the world in righteousness by the Man whom He has ordained. He has given assurance of this to all by raising Him from the dead."  We have not chosen the one true God but He has chosen us, and proved Himself to be Saviour and Judge of all the earth by raising Jesus Christ from the dead.  What a glorious relationship God has invited us to enter, that we could have the right through faith to be children of God!  We may not feel like we belong anywhere in this world, but as Christians we belong to God.  Our belonging and endurance does not depend upon our grip because He holds us close and speaks even in storms.

Jesus Has All Authority

People who speak the same language can have distinct accents.  As a person born in America now living in Australia, my status as a dual-citizen nor the years I have lived here have softened my foreign accent.  I can use and understand Aussie slang in conversation, but my accent still stands out.  I have discovered a similar phenomenon to this in Christian circles, how particular words they employ reveal their beliefs and background.  There is a Christian culture which places large emphasis on the "authority" of believers as children of God.  Whilst God has equipped His children to do His will and contend for the faith, I believe it is much better to focus on the authority and sovereignty of God.  Can you imagine a little child shouting at an advancing army, "Go away!  I have authority!" because he is the son of a king?  As an enemy that's not a kid I take very seriously.

I was reading A.W. Tozer and he had some excellent insights on how believers should conduct themselves in conflict - especially those of a spiritual nature.  There are no shortage of books on how to conduct "spiritual warfare," various praying techniques, and approaches to "deliverance ministry."  Our culture believes if it works for me it must be true or good, but God's Word remains the perfect standard.  This excerpt from The Crucified Life lays out great observations better than I could say myself.

One solution offered these days is to engage the enemy.  When we feel the enemy attacking us, we need to dig in our heels and have a face-off with him.  This is a display of spiritual machismo.  We want to show the troublemaker, and anybody else who might be watching us, that we're nobody to be fooled with.

The only problem is that the devil will never face you directly.  And I might as well say it:  the devil does not fight fair.  The devil uses rules that he makes up as he goes along...The devil loves us to engage him in battle.  This is what he lives for.  He knows that he cannot win, but he also knows that he can do some damage in the process.  The entire agenda of the enemy can be boiled down to one objective:  embarrass God through some of His children.  The devil thought he could do that with Job in the Old Testament.  But what the devil did not know was that God was in absolute control every step of the way.

Another solution that some Christians try is using Scripture to defy the enemy.  But what these Christians do not realise is that the devil knows Scripture better than some theologians.  The devil's heart is not filled with doubt but with hatred and jealousy.  His hatred of God and jealousy of God blind him to the reality of God's leadership.

For any Christian to use Scripture without the Spirit is like engaging in a battle with a paper sword.  It is not the Word only that will turn back the devil; rather, it is the Word and the power.  The devil can quote Scripture better than any seminary professor, but when the Word is under the direction of the Holy Spirit, it will always find its deadly mark.

When Daniel was thrown into the lion's den, he did nothing to defend himself.  He did not try to engage the enemy.  He did not try to defy his enemies by quoting Scripture.  He simply left his situation in God's hands.  This brings me to David's solution to his problems...In Psalm 57:1, David says, "In the shadow of thy wings will I make my refuge, until these calamities be overpass."  Instead of going out to fight his own battles, David took refuge in God.  How tempting it might have been for him to show the enemy his strength and might.  To show his enemy that he was not somebody to be messed with must have been a great temptation for a man like David.  Instead of engaging the enemy, however, David took refuge in the shadow of God's wings. 

 What a blessed truth to understand that, in the middle of all of our difficulties and calamities, we have a refuge.  Certainly, there is a time to go forth into battle and engage the enemy.  But this should only be under the direct orders of the Captain of our salvation. (Tozer, A. W., and James L. Snyder. The Essential Tozer Collection: the Crucified Life. Bethany House, 2017. pages 184-185)

Better than asserting my authority in Christ how much better it is to look to Jesus Christ who has all authority in heaven and on earth (Matt. 28:18-20).  God is able to protect all His children, and we can trust Him completely.  I am unable to remain vigilant at all times against human or spiritual assailants and have no strength to defend myself, but God is a refuge in every calamity.  We rest in His power and strength.  Praise the LORD He has claimed the battle and the victory as His.

A Time To Surrender

There are many comparisons made in the Bible to help us understand the roles God has called us to.  Each genuine Christian in the church is an important member of the Body of Christ.  The church (and Israel too) are compared to being God's bride.  At the same time we are children of God, and we should relate to Him as a trusting and obedient child would in relation to his father.  We are to be living sacrifices, ambassadors of Christ.  His is the Vine and we are the branches, and we are the sheep of in the fold of the Good Shepherd, Jesus.  All together this imagery creates a pictorial symphony, harmonising beautifully our relationship and roles before God.  It is important to maintain a biblical view, well-rounded by the many pictures provided in scripture.

One aspect of the Christian life alluded to in scripture is that of warfare.  This imagery is employed in 2 Timothy 2:1-4:  "You therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. ² And the things that you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also. ³ You therefore must endure hardship as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. ⁴ No one engaged in warfare entangles himself with the affairs of this life, that he may please him who enlisted him as a soldier."  Ephesians 6 goes into detail of the armour God has provided by the Holy Spirit, and our fight is not against flesh and blood but against principalities, powers, and spiritual rulers of wickedness.  Some people use these passages as a lens through which they view many conflicts, perceive they are "under attack," and take the battle to the LORD in prayer.  It is a good thing to remember it is God who fights for us, who protects and shelters us.  But people like doing things.  They like taking the fight to the enemy best they know how, being vigilant and watchful in prayer.

It occurred to me how it does take courage to trust God and fight.  Sometimes this "fight" may not look like anything which would pass for a "battle."  God directed the Israelites to walk through the parted Red Sea when the Egyptian army pursued them.  He also commanded they walk around Jericho day after day until the seventh day when God cause the walls to collapse.  After hearing the giant from Gath defy the army of the living God young David volunteered and defeated Goliath with a sling and stone.  Jonathan and his armour bearer stormed a Philistine garrison and slaughtered their foes.  On and on stretch the brave exploits and victories of God's people, even to this day.  We are easily stirred by gallant and noble deeds done by people of faith, and aspire to the privilege to see God work in our lives in like manner.

There is a time for victory, and a time to...surrender in defeat?  This is unexpected for a child of God, right?  Well, that's what the prophet Jeremiah spoke to king Zedekiah.  The Babylonians were drawing near to sack Jerusalem, and the king wondered what the correct course of action was.  He inquired of Jeremiah what he should do.  Jeremiah 38:17-18 reads, "Then Jeremiah said to Zedekiah, "Thus says the LORD, the God of hosts, the God of Israel: 'If you surely surrender to the king of Babylon's princes, then your soul shall live; this city shall not be burned with fire, and you and your house shall live. ¹⁸ But if you do not surrender to the king of Babylon's princes, then this city shall be given into the hand of the Chaldeans; they shall burn it with fire, and you shall not escape from their hand.'"  If Zedekiah wanted to survive and preserve the city (not to mention the people and the temple), he was directed to surrender to king Nebuchadnezzar.  God had determined the city would fall, but if Zedekiah would humble himself and surrender, he would be delivered.  This was not a popular course of action amongst the rulers who stood to lose land and power, and Zedekiah knew it.  It turned out he was not willing to obey the word of the LORD, and paid for it dearly:  his sons were slain before his eyes, his eyes were gouged out, he was bound in chains, and taken to Babylon for judgment.

When the hour of Jesus finally came, He was betrayed, arrested, and crucified.  Unlike Zedekiah (whose defences had fallen and army was weak), Jesus could have commanded legions of valiant, powerful angels to defend Him.  One of these angels could have defeated thousands of powerful fighters in an instant.  But because Jesus was obedient to the Father He willingly laid down His life on Calvary.  Jesus did not even need to fight to win, but He surrendered unto the will of the Father - by allowing wicked men to do all they wanted to Him.  This is a very hard saying, and it will not be popular for those who idealise "victory" and what it looks like.  Yet it is a biblical truth, and the Holy Spirit will lead us in following the example of Jesus in the power of His resurrection.  Zedekiah would not humble himself before Nebuchadnezzar because he refused to humble himself before God.  If we will adopt a humble posture before God and obey Him, we win even if to the world it appears we lose.  That is a glorious truth we glean from the Gospel.  He who tries to save his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for Christ's sake will gain everlasting life.

So how do we know when to fight and when to surrender?  Once we are surrendered to God in obedience He will reveal to us the next step as we abide in His love.  There is a time to cast stones and a time to gather them; a time for war and a time for peace.  Peace which passes understanding is ours when during conflict we look to Jesus in faith and honour Him with our choices.  Having surrendered before God we are provided enduring victory.

As Unto God

Jesus spoke of a future time when He would come in glory and all people would be gathered and judged.  After commending them for feeding Him when He was hungry, giving Him a drink when He was thirsty, visiting Him when He was sick or imprisoned, housing Him whilst a stranger, and clothing Him when He was naked, He said to the wondering chosen who would enter into eternal rest in Matthew 25:40,  "...Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me."  There is an example of this in the book of Jeremiah with the Rechabites.

In Jeremiah 35 God used the house of the Rechabites as an object lesson for His erring people.  The patriarch Jonadab the son of Rechab gave his sons clear commands:  they were not to drink wine, build houses, plant vineyards, sow seeds in a field, and were to only live in tents for all their generations.  Generations later the family members faithfully heeded the words of their grandfather Rechab and passed down the commands and prohibitions to their children.  Jeremiah 35:18-19 reads, "And Jeremiah said to the house of the Rechabites, "Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel: 'Because you have obeyed the commandment of Jonadab your father, and kept all his precepts and done according to all that he commanded you, ¹⁹ therefore thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel: "Jonadab the son of Rechab shall not lack a man to stand before Me forever."

The sons of Jonadab the son of Rechab would be established before God forever, and God ascribed their obedience as unto Him.  Paul lays out this principle of those who live by the grace of God in Romans 14:6-8:  "He who observes the day, observes it to the Lord; and he who does not observe the day, to the Lord he does not observe it. He who eats, eats to the Lord, for he gives God thanks; and he who does not eat, to the Lord he does not eat, and gives God thanks. ⁷ For none of us lives to himself, and no one dies to himself. ⁸ For if we live, we live to the Lord; and if we die, we die to the Lord. Therefore, whether we live or die, we are the Lord's."  We are to be intentional in living for the glory of God, and God also credits us with obedience to Him when we do so unto the least of these.

The Rechabites honoured their father and God would fulfil His promise to those who do so, proclaiming they would not lack a man to stand before Him forever!  Pretty awesome how God rewards eternally those who honour the authority He has ordained in our lives.

Faith and Humility

Today I was reminded of when Cain and Abel brought offerings before the LORD in Genesis 4:3-5:  "And in the process of time it came to pass that Cain brought an offering of the fruit of the ground to the LORD. ⁴ Abel also brought of the firstborn of his flock and of their fat. And the LORD respected Abel and his offering, ⁵ but He did not respect Cain and his offering. And Cain was very angry, and his countenance fell."  Cain was a tiller of the ground and brought an offering before the LORD, and Abel also offered of the firstborn of his flock.  Abel's offering was accepted by God, and Cain's was not.

Now the explicit reason why Abel's gift was accepted and Cain's was rejected is not mentioned here.  It would be unwise to claim we know hearts only God can righteously judge.  Personally I do not believe the issue is primarily what was offered but the condition of the heart of the one who offered it.  Hebrews 11:4 says Abel gave a more excellent offering because it was done so in faith and was therefore deemed righteous by God.  It is therefore implied if Cain had given humbly in faith in God, he too would have been accepted.  See in verse 5 God "did not respect Cain and his offering."  It was not that the offering was unworthy, but since Cain himself was not accepted by God his offering was also rejected.  The scriptures say that whatever is not of faith is sin (Romans 14:23), and though Cain acknowledged the existence of God and even conversed with Him, there was no reliance upon God or humility before Him.  1 John 3:11-12 reads, "For this is the message that you heard from the beginning, that we should love one another, ¹² not as Cain who was of the wicked one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his works were evil and his brother's righteous."  The wickedness of Cain was not only in a faithless offering but the murder of his brother, refusal to repent when convicted by God, and his self-pity when faced with consequences.

Humility before God is a result of faith in Him, for genuine humility comes from God alone.  I have seen people bowing with their faces touching the ground before monks on the street, but that does not mean they are humble people.  The outward show of humility or presentation of an offering is not always indicative of a heart of humility and faith before God.  The fact Cain's "countenance fell" suggests he was in some way lifted up.  Those who fear God and recognise His greatness - and our great sinfulness - will be drawn to Him in humility.  Jerry Bridges made excellent observations in the book Respectable Sins:

In Luke's account of the sinful woman who washed and anointed the feet of Jesus (Luke 7:36-50), Jesus said, "He who is forgiven little, loves little" (verse 47).  The opposite is also true, as Jesus clearly indicates in verses 41-43; that is, he who is forgiven much loves much.  Simon the Pharisee did not realise how sinful he was and how much he needed to be forgiven, so he loved little or actually not at all.  The sinful woman realised how sinful she was and how much she had been forgiven, so she loved much.  The way to grow in our new affection (for Christ) that Chalmers preached about is to grow in our awareness of Christ's love for us as revealed to us in the gospel.  The apostle Paul wrote that it is Christ's love for us that constrains us to live for Him (see 2 Corinthians 5:14-15).  Such love for Him that will drive out our love for the world can only be a response to the deep, heartfelt sense of His love for us. (Bridges, Jerry. Respectable Sins. NavPress, Published in Alliance with Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., 2016. page 174-175)

When we humble ourselves in the sight of the LORD, He will lift us up.  He divinely condescends to behold and have respect unto us.  Psalm 138:6-7 states, "Though the LORD is on high, yet He regards the lowly; but the proud He knows from afar. ⁷ Though I walk in the midst of trouble, You will revive me; You will stretch out Your hand against the wrath of my enemies, and Your right hand will save me."  How great is our God, that He will not only look upon or hear us but also desires to dwell with us.  He did not remain at a distance from us but Jesus Christ came to earth.  He not only dwelt among us but He chose to die on our behalf, willingly becoming a sacrifice for our sins.  How awesome is our God!  Let us bow humbly before Him, presenting ourselves as living sacrifices for this is our reasonable service.

Clothed With Humility

Some of my favourite fairy tales as a lad were ones written by Hans Christian Andersen:  "The Ugly Duckling" and "The Emperor's New Clothes."  I especially enjoyed the latter because of the incredible ridiculousness of the concept but how apt a depiction it was of the human heart.  The pride and vanity of the Emperor was targeted by deceptive and greedy weavers who promised to make him the most lovely apparel.  They sat before looms without yarn or linen, moving their hands without a thread to be seen.  The weavers claimed the fine fabric they wove was invisible to anyone who was unfit for their office or hopelessly stupid, and because the Emperor was obviously neither he agreed it was the finest he had ever seen.  The whole charade reached a climax when the "clothed" Emperor made a grand appearance before the townspeople who murmured with approval.  Only a child had the sense to say what all the people knew when the foolish king paraded by them nude:  "But he isn't wearing anything at all!"  Sometimes there is wisdom in a simple observation of a child which adults blinded by greed or ambition cannot see.

One of the common threads throughout the tale is how even good men cover for themselves and others.  At one point the Emperor couldn't see the clothes on the loom, so he sent a trustworthy old minister to report of the progress.  The elderly man was shocked when he did not see any fabrics or patterns, but did not want to admit he could not see them so he played along with the sham and provided a detailed report to the Emperor.  A trusted official was sent as well and he too was alarmed when he could not see the clothes!  He could not admit before the Emperor there were no clothes to be seen, for in doing so he would be admitting he was unfit for his position or hopelessly stupid.  So he too played the fool and repeated the words of the swindler weavers, using lies to cover his folly and insecurity.  It seems it was not only the Emperor who was laid bare by the weavers, but the minister, trusted officials, and all the townspeople who vainly praised the clothing they could not see.  It seems good standing before the Emperor was the clothing people used to cover their own pride.

This compelling fable, which well-describes the conflict in a human heart when we seek to please others or cover for ourselves, is an allegory applied to many circumstances we face in life - even when it comes to matters of faith.  The Jewish Pharisees wore clean clothes and searched the scriptures to find eternal life, but Jesus declared it was a cover-up for the rottenness they hid within.  They were like a cup which had been carefully buffed and polished to a high shine, but the cup was filthy within.  Just because the Emperor thought or hoped he was actually wearing clothes does not believe clothes are a sham, for evidence of genuine clothes are all around.  To say the Pharisees used religion as a cover for their own wickedness does not suggest there is not a God who has revealed Himself and can forgive and cleanse people from sin.  The fact there are many gods worshipped does not mean there is not one true God who ought to be feared and worshipped.  Because people have misplaced trust does not mean there is not an almighty God in whom we ought to trust.

Followers of Jesus Christ are not exempt from the folly of the Emperor or the people of the town.  In our Christian circles we can plaster on a smile, act like life is great and all is fine when we are struggling, depressed, and perhaps not even walking with Jesus.  Our lives can be full of compromises and contradictions.  Our knowledge of scripture and theology can be the invisible clothes with which we try to cover the nakedness of our lives polluted with doubts and sin.  We can know about God but it does not mean we are seeking Him; we can say prayerful words with heads bowed but never enter into the LORD's presence because we have never invited Him into us.  Scriptures or Christian catch-phrases can be repeated - not because we actually believe or are experiencing these truths - but if we say them enough perhaps they will.  How we need the truth of God's Word to pierce our hearts and to admit we are unfit for the task of following Jesus and hopelessly stupid on our own!  The ones who humble themselves before God are the ones He will lift up.

Jesus said in Mark 10:15, "Assuredly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will by no means enter it."  It was the shrill voice of reason which snapped the townsfolk to their senses in Andersen's fable, and may the words of Jesus strike us to our souls.  Let us never suppose we can rely upon our strength, resolve, or knowledge any more now than we did when we first believed.  We need Jesus to enter into the Kingdom of Heaven, and we desperately need Jesus to stay the course.  The faith of a child in Jesus - not the deceitful ambitions of an adult - is what is needed to be born again, fruitful, and faithful.  Instead of being puffed up with pride, let Christians of all ages heed the exhortation of 1 Peter 5:5:  "Likewise you younger people, submit yourselves to your elders. Yes, all of you be submissive to one another, and be clothed with humility, for "God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble."  This is fine clothing which is always in style and fit for the Kingdom of Heaven..

Lifted Hands in the Sanctuary

This morning I was impacted by Psalm 134:1-2, a passage put to music in my church long ago:  "Behold, bless the LORD, all you servants of the LORD, who by night stand in the house of the LORD! ² Lift up your hands in the sanctuary, and bless the LORD."  The priests and Levites were servants of the LORD who stood in the Temple and courts and "blessed" the LORD.  This blessing of God was an act of adoration, like kneeling before the king.  It is interesting the priests are described as doing this by night, as this typically was a time reserved for rest and sleep.  It is fitting to praise and bless the LORD at all times, especially since His people find rest in Him.  This posture of praise with upraised hands is most appropriate, for these hands would have been washed and empty before the LORD.  Night is a good time to sleep, and hands are designed for holding things and performing work, and to dedicate these to the LORD in service and praise is a beautiful act of worship.

I was prompted during prayer to look up a scripture and my eyes came upon Psalm 63:1-4 which described seeking the LORD in the early hours as well:  "O God, You are my God; early will I seek You; my soul thirsts for You; my flesh longs for You in a dry and thirsty land where there is no water. ² So I have looked for You in the sanctuary, to see Your power and Your glory. ³ Because Your lovingkindness is better than life, my lips shall praise You. ⁴ Thus I will bless You while I live; I will lift up my hands in Your name."  Whether morning or night, the one who blessed the LORD is portrayed with uplifted hands in the sanctuary.  David thirsted and longed for God in a dry land, and found satisfaction only in the presence of the Almighty.  He desired to see God's power and glory, and he lifted up his hands in praise.

A sanctuary is a holy or sacred place, and the Temple was a place set apart for the presence of God to dwell.  Since under the New Covenant we have been purchased with the blood of Jesus, Christians are now the temple of the Holy Spirit where God dwells.  Though God does not dwell in temples made with hands - as if He could be contained - it is good for us to praise the LORD in places set apart for His praise and worship with fellow believers.  The servants of the LORD stood and worshipped with hands raised unto the LORD in ancient times, and it is good for us to do the same today in churches, hired halls, and homes for the glory of God.  In raising our empty hands stretched out to our LORD and Saviour we present ourselves as living sacrifices of praise.  Our lips should utter praise to God and bless Him while we live, for it is He who has provided us abundant and eternal life.

In some churches (unfortunately) it is seen as inappropriate or even a self-seeking gesture to stand with arms raised to the LORD.  Only the LORD knows the heart, and He knows if we are putting on an act or are genuine.  There are practical ways to avoid being an distraction and to be discreet in worship, for we can truly worship God in Spirit and truth kneeling, sitting, or even as a prisoner in the stocks in a dungeon.  It is good to realise even evangelical and charismatic people and churches can have a style or culture of worship formed over the tradition of many years.  Instead of giving place to criticism or distractions, we can be as the servants of the LORD in the sanctuary whose sole focus was on the LORD God.  His lovingkindness is better than life and as long as we live He is worthy to be blessed - even if raising hands is a foreign idea or an odd practice to us.

Repentance and the Kingdom of God

Having recently returned from speaking at a Teen Camp for a week, it made me consider again the key components of the Gospel.  Paul summed them up well the implications of the Gospel in his address before Festus, King Agrippa, and Bernice in Acts 26:20 when he said Jew and Gentile "...should repent, turn to God, and do works befitting repentance."  Though Paul does not speak of the salvation we have by only grace through faith in Jesus, this emphasis on repentance should be no surprise to the converted.  It is interesting to me how Paul did not emphasise common themes camped on today like God's love, forgiveness, or grace.

Perhaps repentance is not a major theme in too many presentations of the Gospel today because it is confronting for both the speaker and the audience, yet without it none shall be saved.  When John the Baptist came to prepare the way for Jesus, Matthew 3:1-2 describes repentance as the primary thrust of his discourses:  "In those days John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea, ² and saying, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!"  Once the kingdom of God was manifested among them with the coming of the KING OF KINGS Jesus, the message did not change.  After John was thrown in prison Matthew 4:17 says, "From that time Jesus began to preach and to say, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand."  Jesus was crucified and rose from the grave and guess what?  The message to be preached in the name of Jesus was not to change.  Our risen LORD said to His disciples in Luke 24:46-47, "Thus it is written, and thus it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day, ⁴⁷ and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem."

Repentance involves changing our minds and making future choices which align with God's righteousness.  We must turn from sin, then we must turn to God and do the things which please Him.  This is not a call to return to Law but to walk in obedience to God according to His Word.  Jesus said during the Sermon on the Mount, "It has been written...but I say unto you...".  Jesus fulfilled the Law, and those who repent and trust in Him are filled with the Holy Spirit who guides us into all truth.  He conveys to us all Jesus says, and this Spirit-filled life transcends that of ordinances and traditions of men.  Jesus calls us to live on a plane higher than that of Law, and repentance and remission of sins is to mark our practices and preaching as we go on with God.  If we desire to enter God's kingdom, we must do so God's Way.

Don't Wrestle Alone

As a kid I always enjoyed wrestling with my dad and brother.  I remember once at a family gathering my uncle Rocky pounced on my brother and I and pinned us both on top of each other.  We loved it.  In high school my brother joined the wrestling team at school and quickly became a far more talented and capable wrestler than I ever was.  But over the years we enjoyed many a good-natured roughhouse together.  Well, most of the time it was good-natured. :)

Wrestling is an activity which one cannot really practice well or even compete in alone.  A person can watch take-downs, holds, and how to ride a leg all day long, but until he grapples with an actual opponent he knows nothing of the fatigue, reversals, and surprises a human opponent brings.  Competitive wrestling always requires another person to have a proper match.  The struggle, strain, and sweat of a good wrestle is only known to those who actively engage with others.

And it is on this point we must be watchful and wary concerning our own struggles and wrestlings.  As children of God, He has made us to be part of His Body, the church.  In this day of increased independence we can be duped to attempt to wrestle through personal struggles alone.  If we chose to wrestle alone we do not do well.  How much better it is to include select brothers and sisters to bat ideas around, to confess our confusion over evidence, and to work together to grow stronger and more equipped for future conflict!  That is the beauty of wrestling a teammate:  you can both improve and grow at the same time.  This is genuine discipleship.  Being on the same team your aim in wrestling is not to defeat each other but to train one another for the purpose of winning as a team.

Brothers and sisters, don't wrestle alone.  There may be times we might (an unadvisedly) wrestle against God as Jacob did, but as our Father He is able to bless us.  We are mistaken to think we can wrestle against principalities, powers, or even flesh and blood or arguments by ourselves, for we need the power of the Holy Spirit to stand strong under attack.  It must be incredibly rare indeed when anything we wrestle with would not be more easily overcome with the support, love, and aid from others in the church. We have responsibilities before God we are held accountable to, and one of these is to help each other - and this includes training others to walk righteously and live victoriously.  Galatians 6:2-5 reads, "Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ. ³ For if anyone thinks himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself. ⁴ But let each one examine his own work, and then he will have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another. ⁵ For each one shall bear his own load."

Finding Where We Fit

One of the themes I spoke on recently at a teen camp is the subtlety of sin, and it has an uncanny ability to appeal to our personal desires.  This is why examining our motives in light of God's truth is so important.  Thoughts and feelings are able to undercut biblical morality with ease and conceive sin before we even realise it.  A primary way this can happen is in relationships.  We all deal with insecurities on fundamental levels, and it is only when we find our identity in Christ and worth in His love of us where we can avoid being drawn away after sinful desires.

In an address titled "The Inner Ring," C.S. Lewis masterfully describes the subtle draw we all face in seeking to please people - and how elusive the belonging we desire can be.  He makes the point we are all parts of inner rings or circles, yet there are others we long to be a part of.  People are often willing to make concessions or compromise to be accepted, yet even when they achieve their end (having been further corrupted by the process) it cannot satisfy.  There is great risk of corruption of character in all those who aim to please men by "fitting in" instead of seeking to please God.  Here is an excerpt of this address as written in the book, "The Weight of Glory":

There must be in this room the makings of at least that number (two or three) of unscrupulous, treacherous, ruthless egotists.  The choice is still before you, and I hope you will not take my hard words about your possible future characters as a token of disrespect to your present characters.  And the prophecy I make is this.  To nine out of ten of you the choice which could lead to scoundrelism will come, when it does come, in no very dramatic colours.  Obviously bad men, obviously threatening or bribing, will almost certainly not appear.  Over a drink or a cup of coffee, disguised as a triviality and sandwiched between two jokes, from the lips of a man, or woman, whom you have recently been getting to know rather better and whom you hope to know better still - just at the moment when you are most anxious not to appear crude, or naif or a prig - the hint will come.  It will be the hint of something which is not quite in accordance with the technical rules of fair play; something which the public, the ignorant, romantic public, would never understand; something which even the outsiders in your own profession are apt to make a fuss about, but something, says your new friend, which "we" - and at the word "we" you try not to blush for mere pleasure - something "we always do".  And you will be drawn in, if you are drawn in, not by desire for gain or ease, but simply because at that moment, when the cup was so near your lips, you cannot bear to be thrust back again into the cold outer world.  It would be so terrible to see the other man's face - that genial, confidential, delightfully sophisticated face - turn suddenly cold and contemptuous, to know that you had been tried for the Inner Ring and rejected.  And then, if you are drawn in, next week it will be something a little further from the rules, and next year something further still, but all in the jolliest, friendliest spirit.  It may end in a crash, a scandal, and penal servitude; it may end in millions, a peerage, and giving the prizes at your old school.  But you will be a scoundrel.

That is my first reason.  Of all passions the passion for the Inner Ring is most skilful in making a man who is not yet a very bad man do very bad things.

My second reason is this.  The torture allotted to the Danaids in the classical underworld, that of attempting to fill sieves with water, is the symbol not of one vice but of all vices.  It is the very mark of a perverse desire that it seeks what is not to be had.  The desire to be inside the invisible line illustrates this rule.  As long as you are governed by that desire you will never get what you want.  You are trying to peel an onion; if you succeed there will be nothing left.  Until you conquer the fear of being an outsider, an outsider you will remain.

This is surely very clear when you come to think of it.  If you want to be made free of a certain circle for some wholesome reason - if, say, you want to join a musical society because you really like music - then there is a possibility of satisfaction.  You may find yourself playing in a quartet and you may enjoy it.  But if all you want is to be in the know, your pleasure will be short-lived.  The circle cannot have from within the charm it had from outside.  By the very act of admitting you it has lost its magic.  Once the first novelty is worn off, the members of this circle will be no more interesting than your old friends.  Why should thy be?  You were not looking for virtue or kindness or loyalty or humour or learning or wit or any of the things that can be really enjoyed.  You merely wanted to be "in".  And that is a pleasure that cannot last.  As soon as your new associates have been staled to you by custom, you will be looking for another Ring.  The rainbow's end will still be ahead of you.  The old Ring will now be only the drab background for your endeavour to enter the new one.

And you will always find them hard to enter, for a reason you very well know.  You yourself, once you are in, want to make it hard for the next entrant, just as those who are already in made it hard for you.  Naturally.  In any wholesome group of people which holds together for a good purpose, the exclusions are in a sense accidental.  Three or four people who are together for the sake of some piece of work exclude others because there is work only for so many or because the others can't in fact do it.  Your little musical group limits its numbers because the rooms they meet in are only so big.  But your genuine Inner Ring exists for exclusion.  There'd be no fun if there were no outsiders.  The invisible line would have no meaning unless most people were on the wrong side of it.  Exclusion is no accident; it is the essence.

The quest of the Inner Ring will break your hearts unless you break it. (Lewis, C. S. The Weight of Glory and Other Addresses. William Collins, 2013. pages 152-156)

I have grown out of many clothes and shoes by now, and as a grown man I am struck by all the things grown people do not and cannot grow out of by the passage of time alone.  The childish and adolescent desire for Inner Rings does not pass like a pubescent season of acne or a cracking voice but persists until it is done away with at the foot of Calvary through repentance.  How good it is to be loved and accepted by God, and only His acceptance buoys us in conflicts and heals the painful wounds of rejection.  Jesus knows what it is to be rejected.  He could never rise above the "carpenter's son" for some, and the religious elite viewed Him as a demon-possessed deceiver.  Yet Jesus was the Christ, the promised Messiah!  Jesus did not lose hope because He never placed His heart in the hands of men.  His satisfaction or pleasure was not sought in the accolades or praise of people but in doing the will of the Father.  Praise Jesus for His example, and that we can walk with Him every step of the way.  In Jesus I have found a perfect fit.

Worry-Free Rest

"Unless the LORD builds the house, they labour in vain who build it; unless the LORD guards the city,  the watchman stays awake in vain. ² It is vain for you to rise up early, to sit up late, to eat the bread of sorrows; for so He gives His beloved sleep."

Psalm 127:1-2

Have you ever lost sleep due to pressing worries or cares?  I typically sleep well, but there have been occasions when I struggled to sleep because my mind was working overtime on some problem out of my control.  If you can identify with this, you likely also can identify with this rationale:  "I just can't help it."  It is natural for all people - even followers of Jesus - to worry or fret over difficult or seemingly impossible situations.  There are a lot of things we naturally do which are sinful, and worrying is one of them.

I was blessed to read Psalm 127 this morning and have my mind renewed by God's changeless truth.  Recently we have been dealing with a drought in NSW, and God this past week has brought rain.  Worrying about dry creek beds and catchments cannot bring rain to fill them, but God is able to do so abundantly.  Worry wears us out, and we are best served seeking the God who does great works beyond number.  Psalm 127:1-2 reminds us our best efforts and labours are fruitless without divine aid.  God is almighty and sovereign, and without Him we can do nothing.

How awful it would be to work to exhaustion in building a house but in the end it proved to be all in vain!  I can imagine a tired watchman doing everything in his power to remain awake, but even if he does so it pointless unless God guards the city.  Seeing the advancing enemy does not mean you have the power to defeat the invaders.  Builders need supplies and strength from God to accomplish their task, and no amount of watchmen can prevent a city from ruin God has determined will fall.  It is good for us to realise the completion or preservation of God's work does not depend solely upon our efforts.  The watchmen of Jericho could not prevent its collapse, and we cannot do a constructive thing for God's glory without His help.

God gives His beloved sleep, and it is a shame for us to be robbed of such a gracious gift by our worrying.  Let us not miss the fact God's people are "His beloved."  The Good Shepherd knows it when a single sheep is missing or walking with a limp; He knows when the sheep of His flock are diseased and distressed.  He is the One who makes us to lie down in green pastures and leads us beside the still waters.  God is faithful to establish His people on a firm foundation and guards our souls from harm.  Sorrow may last for a night, but joy comes in the morning from the One who has promised fullness of joy and peace which passes understanding.  Those who seek Jesus and find rest for their souls are benefited by sleep without interruption due to worry.

The Privilege of Repentance

A great instance of poetic justice in the Bible is seen in the book of Esther.  The wicked adversary Haman plotted to destroy all the Jews and had access to the king of Persia.  Though he was able to pass a law to achieve his murderous intentions, he was foiled by the courage and bravery of Mordecai and Queen Esther.  The life of Haman well-illustrates Proverbs 26:27:  "Whoever digs a pit will fall into it, and he who rolls a stone will have it roll back on him."  The one who wanted to kill Jews was himself killed for his evil scheme - on the same gallows he had built for Mordecai.

When King Ahasuerus was informed of Haman's evil plot, he left the room in a rage to compose himself and collect his thoughts.  Haman knew his life was in great danger.  Esther 7:8 says, "When the king returned from the palace garden to the place of the banquet of wine, Haman had fallen across the couch where Esther was. Then the king said, "Will he also assault the queen while I am in the house?" As the word left the king's mouth, they covered Haman's face."  From this passage it seems the covering of the face indicates a person was doomed to death.  The laws of the Medes and Persians could not be changed, and once the cloth covered the face of a person, their life was finished without any appeal.

It struck me what a blessing and privilege repentance is!  Haman was not given the opportunity to repent of his crimes before a king, yet God has made a way for men to repent of their sins before Him.  God is just and righteous, but great is His mercy, love, and compassion towards us.  His anger is inflamed by wickedness into great wrath, yet when we repent He is gracious to forgive.  Repentance is often viewed as an unpleasant duty, but it truly is a privilege - a gift of God which should fill us with reverence and awe of His goodness towards us.  How glorious is our God who forgives and gives new beginnings to all who repent and trust in Him.

Our LORD and God

During devotions yesterday I was struck by something I read in Luke 4 when Jesus was being tempted by the devil.  After being led by the Holy Spirit into the wilderness, Jesus was met by Satan.  Few knew or were convinced of Jesus being the Christ at this point in history, the promised Messiah God sent to save sinners.  But Satan knew.  Because he knew Jesus was the Son of God and desires to oppose God at every turn, he tempted Jesus to forsake His lofty station ordained by the Father.

The first thing Satan did was appeal to His physical needs by telling Jesus to prove He was the Son of God by turning stones into bread.  Then he offered Jesus the power and glory of all the nations of the world if Jesus would worship him.  Finally the devil told Jesus to leap from the pinnacle of the Temple - likely in the sight of many people He would amaze - and even supported this course of action with scripture!  An ordinary man would have stumbled at these temptations, but Jesus replied most wisely in Luke 4:12, "...It has been said, 'You shall not tempt the LORD your God.'"

Jesus quoted from Deuteronomy 6:16 that says, "You shall not tempt the LORD your God as you tempted Him in Massah."  This prompts the question:  how did the children of Israel tempt the LORD in Massah?  Exodus 17 describes the scene which unfolded shortly after God brought the Hebrews out of bondage in Egypt.  The euphoria of victory and deliverance quickly evaporated in the arid heat of the wilderness when the people had no water to drink.  The people angrily accused Moses of bringing them out in the wilderness to kill them!  In his great distress Moses cried out to the LORD and God told Him to go with the elders, take the rod in his hand, and strike the rock in Horeb and God would cause water to flow from it.  Moses obeyed the LORD and God supplied water for the people, their families, and livestock.

Exodus 17:7 holds a key to understanding the answer of Jesus:  "So he called the name of the place Massah and Meribah, because of the contention of the children of Israel, and because they tempted the LORD, saying, "Is the LORD among us or not?"  The way the people tempted God was to doubt He was among them.  The people questioned whether God was among them in Massah, and the Jews in the days of Jesus wondered the same thing.  They wondered if John the Baptist was the Messiah, and others asked concerning Jesus despite signs and wonders confirming the Word, "Is this not the Christ?"  Satan offered a path to acceptance with the people, but Jesus knew His path must go through suffering of the cross and to rise from the dead in glory.  Jesus is the "LORD your God" whom Satan tried to tempt:  He was Satan's LORD and God he refused to submit to.  Jesus Christ is the LORD over all, and all authority has been granted to Him in heaven and on earth.


How awesome is the LORD our God Jesus Christ, also called Emmanuel which means "God with us."  In the days of Moses God tabernacled in the midst of His people, and Jesus has prayed the Father to send the Holy Spirit who dwells in our hearts.  Jesus has gone to the Father but has not left us without comfort, for the Comforter dwells with us; He resides within and upon us.  Matthew 18:19-20 reads, "Again I say to you that if two of you agree on earth concerning anything that they ask, it will be done for them by My Father in heaven. ²⁰ For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them."  Praise the LORD, for He inhabits the praises of His people!  Instead of tempting the LORD our God, let us trust, praise, and obey Him now and forever.

Don't Avoid Sin

"And He opened their understanding, that they might comprehend the Scriptures. ⁴⁶ Then He said to them, "Thus it is written, and thus it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day, ⁴⁷ and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem."

Luke 24:45-47

When the coming of Jesus the Messiah was announced by John the Baptist, the way had been prepared with baptism of repentance.  Spearheaded by the prophet John the Jews were struck with their need to repent of their sins.  People asked, "What shall we do?"  John was a mighty prophet, and his role was not to make disciples of himself but point to Jesus.  In fact, many who once faithfully followed John the Baptist left him and demonstrated a shift in their primary allegiance to follow Jesus instead.

John preached repentance, and so did Jesus throughout His earthly ministry.  The passage cited from Luke shows that even after the death and resurrection of Jesus repentance and remission (freedom, pardon, deliverance) of sins was to be preached in His name everywhere.  For the unbeliever and disciple alike, Jesus says repentance is to remain a major point of emphasis in preaching.  It is interesting to me Jesus did not say to emphasise grace, love, comfort, or purpose - common themes of books and sermons today.  There is nothing wrong with emphasising these biblical truths of course, but these potentially more attractive themes to sinners cannot replace the need for preaching of repentance and remission of sins in the name of Jesus.

To preach repentance, it is often necessary to lay groundwork John the Baptist and Jesus did not need to with their audiences.  The Jews were well-versed in the Law and their sins before God.  Many people today have their doubts about the existence of God, and before repentance can be preached there is a need to explain sin in detail.  Most men will proclaim their own goodness (Proverbs 20:6), and these have no idea of how profound and systemic their own sin is and the fatal consequences of it.  We must be brought to believe we have a dangerous disease before we will submit to a painful and costly cure, and sinners must be convinced of their sin before they will desperately seek a Saviour.  Unless the hard hearts of sinners are made contrite and broken in repentance before a holy God for their sin, there can be no salvation.  God and His Word does the breaking - not the preacher.

Even as it was necessary for Jesus to suffer, die, and rise from the dead for us to be saved, preaching concerning repentance and remission of sins are indispensable in Gospel preaching.  Let us not be surprised there are few or no genuine converts when we cautiously avoid the very topics the Holy Spirit was sent to address:  He has been sent to convict the world of sin, righteousness, and judgment (John 16:7-11).  We will be judged by our almighty Creator according to His perfect standard of righteousness, and God's Word reveals to a tender conscience how we are grossly sinful.  It is by grace through faith we are saved and by nothing we do, yet repentance is an important step in our forgiveness.  This change in us is only by God's grace as we are brought into agreement with God.

When a patient is diagnosed with a deadly illness, the doctor is forced by their sworn duty of care to inform the patient of the grave news and possible treatment options.  It is difficult for the doctor to share the bad news, and the patient is sorry to hear it.  But the severity of the illness must be communicated so the patient will respond appropriately for the good of their own health.  It is similar with Gospel work, for the disciple of Jesus must establish the need of repentance for sins before remission of sins can be addressed in Jesus' name.  Let us not shrink from this sober and joyful duty any more than a doctor or midwife prepares to bring a new child into the world by assisting a pregnant mother.  Addressing sin will be painful as the Word cuts deep, but there is healing, consolation, and comfort for all those who repent and rely upon Jesus for salvation.

Glitter and Gossip

Today I was confronted by the bane of custodians everywhere:  glitter.  At churches and preschools the only vacuums worth anything must pass what I will call “the glitter test.”  All vacuums which fail this most remedial test aren't worth much.

As I pushed an Oreck vacuum over the carpet at church, it occurred to me how glitter has a way of migrating.  A craft fashioned in a classroom manages to deposit glittery goodness on chairs and carpet throughout the whole building.  For the first time I realised glitter and gossip share a lot in common with their ability to spread – and stick.  Once that glitter is embedded in carpet it is surprisingly stubborn, and gossip once swallowed down is not easily eliminated.  Proverbs 18:8 says, “The words of a talebearer are like tasty trifles, and they go down into the inmost body.”

The best way to keep a building free of glitter is to ban the use of it.  A fire dies out when it is deprived of oxygen, and gossip ceases to spread when we no longer perpetuate it.  We cannot always help what we hear, but we can help what we take to heart.  We rarely ever talk about things in which we have no interest or knowledge.  Job 34:3 holds forth a good principle:  “For the ear tests words as the palate tastes food.”  Our tongues discern the difference between sweet, sour, and savoury, and our ears are capable of knowing gossip when we hear it.

Job made a covenant with his eyes he would not look upon a maid, and we should make a covenant to refuse to listen to or perpetuate gossip.  Vacuuming glitter is easier than cleansing our minds and hearts of gossip we have laid to heart.  Praise the LORD Jesus washes us clean and atones for our sins by His grace.  Having been freed and delivered from bondage to gossip, we can speak wholesome words to edify - with permanent, positive results.

God is Trustworthy

Today I was surprised by what the Bible didn't say.  I love how God is not like us, nor does He think as we do.  Our life following Jesus is filled with our need to change and grow in understanding of who God is and what pleases Him.

Psalm 115:9-11 says, "O Israel, trust in the LORD; He is their help and their shield. ¹⁰ O house of Aaron, trust in the LORD; He is their help and their shield. ¹¹ You who fear the LORD, trust in the LORD; He is their help and their shield."  The psalmists exhorted Israel, God's ministers, and all who fear the LORD to trust in Him.  The recurring phrase following is spoken as a matter of fact:  "He is their help and shield."  I was intrigued at the lack of a connecting word like "because" or "for" instead of a semicolon.  The implication is God is trustworthy.  He helps and shields us whether we trust in Him or not.  Isn't this true for all people?  He is our help and shield, and we ought to trust Him.

How sad it is when our lives before God are driven by what we gain from God.  To reduce prayer or faith to the level of a "deal" or business transaction is awful.  We should not trust God so He will help and shield us - though He does - but because He is worthy of being trusted.  He is not like a man we are obliged to show loyalty towards (though we owe Him our lives), nor do we embark on this relationship based upon what we offer God.  All we have is sin and wretchedness condemned before our holy Maker!  We ought to trust the One who is our help and shield, the God who has made a covenant with sinners signed with His blood.  God has established the terms and He is faithful to honour them.

This covenant is not a crude exchange of goods for services, a contract crafted to protect our interests:  it is all of grace established on what God has done.  We are required to respond to it by repentance and receiving Christ in faith, but He is worthy in Himself without a covenant being offered.  We have been provided salvation when we repent of sin and place our trust in Christ, even though we do not deserve the freedom and privilege to do so.  We were in bondage and dead in sins, senseless as heavy sleepers, blind as stones, and God helped and protected us.  Since He has done all this, isn't He worthy of trust?

Trembling Before God

"Tremble, O earth, at the presence of the Lord, at the presence of the God of Jacob, ⁸ Who turned the rock into a pool of water, the flint into a fountain of waters."

Psalm 114:7-8

There are many fearsome things on this planet, things like tornadoes, earthquakes, hurricanes, tsunamis, lightning, and volcanoes.  These powerful, earth shaking and changing events are only the edges of His ways (Job 26:14).  There are things people are afraid of for whatever reason, and many suffer from debilitating phobias.  Though there is much on earth which people fear, and the earth fears the Almighty God!  The psalmist bid the earth to tremble before its Maker who does marvellous things.

I don't know physical trembling for people is an everyday occurrence, and trembling due to fear does not have a positive connotation for me.  But if there are things on this earth which make us tremble from nervousness, fear, or excitement, then we should definitely tremble before the God who created them.  Think of it:  if you are afraid of heights, shouldn't you tremble before the God whose presence dwells above them?  If you are afraid to swim in the oceans, shouldn't you fear the God who inhabits the depths and created all living things who dwell therein?

Psalm 114:3-4 says at the presence of God "The sea saw it and fled; Jordan turned back. ⁴  The mountains skipped like rams, the little hills like lambs."  The psalmist personified the sea as one who fled, and the mountains and hills skipping and scattering like rams and lambs.  The creation knows and fears God our Maker, yet man can stand proud and resolute against God.  If this great earth trembles like a leaf before God, only ignorance, conceit or folly can be reasonable answers why men do not tremble also.  The irony is God has given man unique abilities among all He has created to observe, reason, and understand - and so our pride before God is most unreasonable.

Let us remember our great God and His wondrous works, worshipping Him in humility.  He can turn the rock into pools of water and flint into a fountain.  Praise the LORD from these once proud hearts of stone He can cause Living Water to spring forth and provide salvation through Jesus!

Waiting and Working

Waiting is a regular part of life, and something that is often not our first preference.  That may be putting it lightly:  I'm not sure anyone finds waiting wonderful in itself.  We wait out of necessity or because of beneficial end results.  When shopping we survey our options based on which lane will save the most time.  If the lines to pay are very long and the self-serve area is open, we might choose that option to save time.  If waiting wasn't an issue, we wouldn't regret our choice if our lane took the longest.

I have discovered recently I often view waiting as wasting time.  This is a perspective I believe God wants to change in me.  I recognise waiting is inevitable, but sometimes I am annoyed at what appears to be unnecessary delays.  On the golf course I aim to be as efficient as possible, approaching golf as an aerobic exercise rather than a leisurely stroll.  When there are players in front of me who are overly social and have no sense of urgency to clear the green, feelings of impatience begin to mount.  These feelings can spring upon us suddenly:  whilst driving behind a slow moving vehicle, when you have been placed "on hold" on the phone, or when the garage door button needs to be pressed and held for the door to open.

The Bible reveals waiting times are always working times.  God is always working, and in ways which He sovereignly has ordained to take time.  Think about planting seeds or the gestation of a child in the womb.  Without proper time to develop, plants nor people can survive.  It takes time for the sun to rise and set.  Cities are not built overnight, nor can nations form in an instant.  Skills at mathematics or sports are developed over many years and through much training.  We do not question any of these things.  But when we are suffering or struggling, we wonder why comfort and respite seem so far away.  We wonder why God doesn't do something.  But God is doing many excellent things, whether we recognise them or not.

We find perseverance to joyfully endure with unfailing hope when our gaze is fixed on our LORD Jesus Christ, the One who will never leave or forsake us.  God has given us exceedingly great and precious promises we ought always to lay to heart.  The scripture is full of examples of people who waited a long time and were blessed to see the LORD fulfil His Word.  And even when they were not able to see with their eyes the salvation of the LORD, it has been recorded for our benefit that we might believe.  We can gladly entrust our souls to our Maker, for our times are in His hands.  He is not ignorant of our struggles, nor is He easily overwhelmed as we are.  He rules over all and is able to do miraculously, marvellously, and great wonders for the glory of His name and our good.

God does not waste time but He works, and this is for our benefit.  Paul wrote in Romans 8:28-29, "And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. ²⁹ For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren."  All the circumstances of our lives are able to be utilised and leveraged to conform us into the image of Jesus Christ as members of His eternal family.  Can anything be better than this end result?