Rest and Abiding

During a drive running errands I saw a makeshift memorial by the side of the road with the familiar acronym:  "RIP" or "Rest in Peace."  After a person dies, their body is laid to rest because their lives on earth are over.  The body ceases to function and there remains no more work for them to accomplish.  My mind went to the rest Jesus promised to all who are weary and heavy laden, that He would give rest for our souls.  This is a different kind of rest because it goes beyond the physical realm we can see and we can spiritually experience it before our life on earth is over.

Hebrews 4:8-11 reads, "There remains therefore a rest for the people of God. ¹⁰ For he who has entered His rest has himself also ceased from his works as God did from His. ¹¹ Let us therefore be diligent to enter that rest, lest anyone fall according to the same example of disobedience."  The writer of Hebrews makes it clear there was a rest for the children of Israel many fell short of entering when their carcasses fell in the wilderness, and though people eventually took possession of the land there was still a rest for them.  The fact Jesus invites people to find rest for their souls by faith in Him proves there remains a rest for God's people that extends beyond acquiring land, houses and rest from war.  The word "rest" defined in the Greek gives us a better understanding of a word which is broadly used, most often to denote a break due to fatigue.

"Rest" is defined in the Strong's Concordance as, "reposing down, i.e. (by Hebrew) abode."  It suggests an inner calm free from the turbulence of worry, fear and cares of this life.  It is pictured in the sheep that lays down in a green pasture because the presence of the shepherd brings a sense of protection and security.  Jesus alluded to this abiding rest in John 15:4-5:  "Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me. ⁵ I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing."  This abiding, this rest is a contentment realised only by faith in Jesus Christ and obedience to Him.  Many people labour to be accepted of God and perhaps place great emphasis on feelings of affirmation and positive emotions.  The rest God provides transcends our thoughts and feelings because it is spiritually obtained by faith in Christ alone.  Our feelings are better at conveying when we are not at rest than when we are.

A follower of Jesus Christ must be diligent to enter the rest God has promised because our abiding does not work like justification.  Our abiding in Christ is a conscious act of the will to humble ourselves and trust Jesus in our current situation, and there are many inferior substitutes to the rest God gives.  The world offers pleasures, properties, the cliche "wine, women and song," early retirement, money, power, fame, travel, holidays and luxury.  All these are full of labour and provide no rest for our souls.  Knowing who Jesus is, how He loves us, believing and receiving from Jesus by faith when we feel weary enables us to enter into the rest God provides.  The Bible exposes our thoughts, motives and reveals how far we are from experiencing the LORD's rest.  Hebrews 4:16 concludes, "Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need."

This world is full of labour and will one day pass away.  We are born into this flurry of activity which resembles a proving ground to see if we will rely upon Jesus the Son of God, upon ourselves or pursue fleeting feelings which pass for "rest" in this world.  Every day we have countless opportunities to be diligent to enter the rest of God by faith marked by obedience, and not one of us need fall short.  The branch does not choose to be connected to the vine, but we have a choice if we will abide in Christ:  that because the Good Shepherd is near we will lay down in peace and security though we hear the howling of wolves and the roaring of lions.  What can separate us from resting in Jesus and His love apart from our unbelief?

God Speaks to Us

Once a friend of mine showed me a leather strap that was used for corporal discipline in his home.  I couldn't read the writing inscribed in Afrikaans upon it, but he translated it for me:  "I'm done talking."  The idea conveyed to me was the strap was the last resort after clear communication and warnings were given.  The Bible says parents who love their children will discipline them, and the LORD also corrects His children.  I am grateful for the word of God and the Holy Spirit who communicates God's loving and redemptive purposes even when correction is needed in our lives.

This morning I read of Eli's interaction with his sons who were infamous for their wicked conduct that unbecoming of a child of Israel, much less a priest.  Eli verbally rebuked his adult sons for their sinful behaviour which led God's people to trespass, but it did not go beyond speaking.  Eli did not take any action of removing them from their posts or excommunicating them until they repented and reformed their ways.  It seems the concerned words of Eli had no impact upon them, for Hophni and Phinehas continued in their wickedness until their deaths on the same day.

Eli was provoked to action because of their sins which were widely known to question them, but God did more than speak:  God sent a prophet to tell Eli of the coming consequences for honouring themselves more than Him.  Eli and his sons abused their privileged position and were unfit to continue in their roles.  God would "cut off the arm" of Eli's father's house, and it would be confirmed with a sign as it is written in 1 Samuel 2:34-35:  "Now this shall be a sign to you that will come upon your two sons, on Hophni and Phinehas: in one day they shall die, both of them. ³⁵ Then I will raise up for Myself a faithful priest who shall do according to what is in My heart and in My mind. I will build him a sure house, and he shall walk before My anointed forever."  God did more than than merely speak, and would take decisive action to purge His people of leaders who lightly esteemed Him.

What I love about this sobering example is the death of Hophni and Phinehas was a sign God would cut off Eli's house from the priesthood for their sin, but also a promise God would raise up for Himself a faithful priest who would do according to God's heart and mind.  This was fulfilled in 1 Kings 2 when Zadok was made priest, and ultimately will be fulfilled by Jesus Christ who is both KING OF KINGS and great High Priest.  This is explained in Hebrews 5 in greater detail, that Jesus is high priest of the order of Melchizedec.  God disciplines us not because He is done talking but because He wants us to hear and obey what He has said and has yet to say.

Praise God who created all things speaks to us as it says in Hebrews 1:1-4:  "God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, ² has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds; ³ who being the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person, and upholding all things by the word of His power, when He had by Himself purged our sins, sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, ⁴ having become so much better than the angels, as He has by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they."  No matter how old we grow to be, God will continue to speak and take action to uphold His glorious will.  How blessed we are to hear the voice of our King and High Priest Jesus Christ the Son of God!

Rights and Authority

Long before I arrived on this planet and to this day people hold their "rights" dear.  Most people want to have a high degree of autonomy over their lives and the freedom to exercise their right of choice in all areas of life.  What is intriguing about the concept of having rights is there must be governance at some level to authorise and uphold them.  A child has the right to stay up late to watch a movie because permission is granted by mum and dad; an employee has the right for compensation for injury because the government has provided it.  Governments have the right of rule because there is a God who has ordained them to do so, and before Him all men will give an account of the exercise of their rights because He is Creator and supreme.  Without the existence of God who created the universe which remains under His authority, the concept of having "rights" is foreign.

There is a right given by God that is greater than the freedom of speech, to assemble or to bear arms:  we are given the right to become children of God through faith in Jesus Christ.  John 1:11-14 says, "He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him. ¹² But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name:¹³ who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. ¹⁴ And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth."  There have been times in history when rights have been voluntarily relinquished or forcefully removed, yet this right God gives is available to all regardless of regime.  A government may forbid a person to mention the name of Jesus Christ, but no one can stop a person from being born again as a child of God.  Our God-given right to know and trust God has not been rescinded, nor will ever be for those who hope in Him.

It was not long ago a dual citizen of Australia had his Australian citizen revoked because of terrorist offences and was sent back to his nation of origin.  As a dual citizen myself it gave me pause to consider that my citizenship in Australia is permanent but not forever.  Australia can welcome me as a citizen who by choice makes an pledge of loyalty to Australia and its people under God, and also can someday revoke it without my permission.  For those who are born again children of God our citizenship in heaven will never be revoked.  There is no sin too great to be accepted by the Father because the justice of God has been satisfied by the atoning work of Jesus Christ on Calvary.  All our sins have been washed away and the righteousness of God imputed to us by grace through faith.  Isn't this wonderful news?  Isn't it great to know God has given us the right to become His children, and He will not rescind this right for all eternity?  We have on good authority our eternal security and acceptance as one of God's own.  Bless the LORD!

Be In Rest

One little word can make a big difference.  I love when I am reading the Bible and I find an unexpected word that makes me consider the implications of it.  A new twist of an old truth can be most invigorating to sedentary faith and provokes us to self examination.

I have been reading through the book of Ruth this week and it is a powerful and moving message of devotion, action and faith.  A foreign widow from Moab went to Bethlehem with her bereaved mother-in-law Naomi who was embittered due to personal loss and grief.  She returned from Moab feeling empty when she had a loyal daughter-in-law Ruth who was a hard worker and caring provider.  Ruth "happened" to glean in a field belonging to Boaz who was a near relative.  Over the course of the harvest Naomi directed Ruth to approach Boaz with the request for him to fulfill the duty of a kinsman redeemer, to take her as wife to raise up seed for the dead.

After Ruth communicated her desire in a lawful, honourable way, Boaz stated his clear intent and desire to take her as wife because she was a virtuous woman.  Having explored the matter himself Boaz told Ruth there was a kinsman who was nearer to them who had the right of redemption.  He assured Ruth he would handle the matter and she reported the happy news to Naomi.  Ruth 3:18 reveals the response of Namoi:  "Then she said, "Sit still, my daughter, until you know how the matter will turn out; for the man will not rest until he has concluded the matter this day."  Ruth had done what was required on her part to set the process in motion, and there was nothing for her to do but wait and see how everything worked out.  Her faith was to remain in God and without care and worry could sit still knowing Boaz would not rest until the job was done.

This verse is rendered in the KJV a little differently:  Ruth 3:18:  "Then said she, Sit still, my daughter, until thou know how the matter will fall: for the man will not be in rest, until he have finished the thing this day." (bold emphasis mine)  Naomi assured Ruth Boaz would not rest or "be in rest" until he had concluded the matter.  True to her prediction, Boaz busied himself to assemble 10 men at the gate to legally conduct the business of redeeming the property of Elimelech and Ruth as his wife.  The only way he would enter into rest was to have the job satisfactorily completed.  This is the rest available to Christians to enter into by the work Jesus Christ did on Calvary in demonstrating His love for us.  Life is full of labour, yet there is rest for us today through Christ's finished work.  He has entered into rest and ascended to heaven, and we ought not to fall short of the rest found in Him.

When Naomi's words are rendered "the man will not rest" it focuses on the action he will take; her statement rendered as "the man will not be in rest" speaks of an inner condition, a state of rest in mind and soul.  This is the rest God has for us as we labour to do the work He has called us to do.  No longer is our labour to try to earn favour or blessing from God because He has already accepted us by grace through faith.  Having received the fulness of God we are thus empowered to labour with our hands what is good as we do our part, and take time to sit still and know He is God and has all things in hand.  Let us be those who are in rest because of faith in our glorious Saviour who delights to love us.

The Dead End of Oversimplification

During an English class in high school, "KISS" was a principle regularly emphasised:  "Keep It Simple, Stupid!"  It was a funny reminder of our purpose in writing, to clearly and concisely communicate imagery and ideas to a reader.  We were taught to "keep the main thing the main thing" without seeing writing as an opportunity to show how intelligent or clever we were.  For all the great benefits of simplicity, however, we must be aware of the risk of oversimplification.  Stripping away the paint from a framed canvas does not leave a viewer with the impression the painter intended.  Oversimplification can lead to improper emphasis, misunderstandings and even worse--a smug contentment of knowledge founded upon ignorance.  In biblical and spiritual matters the dangers of oversimplification are very real.

I have heard it said there are always "two sides to a story" but the truth reaches beyond this assertion:  there is his story, her story, what I think after hearing the stories, and the reality only God knows.  Man has been designed by God with limits of understanding, memory and powers of observation.  We must be aware of our filters, bias and opinions which colour our interpretations of what we hear and see.  Perhaps due to our limitations, we regularly embrace an "either or" mentality, to stuff entire people into boxes where they are labelled generally under one banner:  Boomer, Millennial, feminist, vegan, Christian, gay, hipster, social-justice warrior, etc.  The reality is when we actually take the time to know, understand and walk in love towards each other the boundaries we erect to contain a person to our surprise are knocked down.

This is also true concerning the Bible and our understanding of it.  A great disservice is done to new believers to oversimplify terms in an attempt to be relevant or to show how simple things are.  Nothing about life is simple.  Take any hobby you have embraced and it will not take long before the depth to where it leads becomes overwhelming.  I used to enjoy 10-pin bowling for fun, and after I took it as a university course my eyes were opened to a whole new world of systems, equipment, oil patterns and ball-drilling placements I never imagined.  I grew to realise what passed as a winning score with friends at a birthday party was an embarrassment as a league average.  The concept of knocking over 10 pins grouped together by rolling a ball is very simple, but being able to do it over and over consistently with changing conditions over two lanes under pressure is not easy at all.

The Gospel is simple enough for a child to understand and receive it joyfully, but it is complex and challenging to walk in the light of it every day.  Christians are called to embrace theology, the study of the nature of God and doctrinal beliefs from scripture.  Oversimplifying words like "justification" or "sanctification" can strip them of meaning and significance to those who would greatly benefit from learning those definitions.  Careful observation of the Bible will provoke all kinds of questions which, if answered from the scripture, will be most fruitful to cause believers to grow to maturity.  Even for questions we can answer it is good to remember there remains more to explain and understand than what we currently know.  In our answering questions and considering the explanations of others we must remain vigilant to avoid the pitfall of oversimplification, to content ourselves with a sliver of truth and tout it as most important when there is more to know, believe and walk in.

A humble perspective and a teachable heart is vital to our spiritual growth and maturity.  Oversimplification of a text and interpretation is a dead end which leads to us cutting ourselves off from new avenues and applications to God's truth.  Limiting the meaning of a passage to only what we currently understand can strangle the life out of it.  The truth God reveals in His word does not shift and change, but our ability to recognise and connect it to our own lives and situations ought to expand.  Thus as we grow in wisdom and understanding instead of being proud of how much we know we will be humbled by how much we have yet to learn.

The Insight of Personal Application

During a conversation yesterday I received a good reminder I needed.  We need reminders because no matter how well we know something or are familiar with it, it can slip our mind--like the pin number to use a credit card.  When the contactless payment was permitted to reduce people touching the keypad, for months I did not have to enter my pin.  After this season finished, however, I entered a pin incorrectly because I had forgotten the correct order of the numbers.  I was able to use the card in the end but it caused a delay for myself, the cashier, and other customers to have to input the code again.  The implications of forgetting spiritual truth is far more costly than an extra 30 seconds to enter a code because the consequences can be far reaching, even for all eternity.

I was reminded of the importance to apply the things we read in the Bible (especially passages some call "stories") personally to our own lives.  We can be so caught up in the practical aspects of the historical events we can miss the spiritual and personal application.  Even simple, seemingly insignificant actions and statements can be most insightful.  Today I had such a moment after I finished washing my car.  For whatever reason, after I parked the car and went to close the garage door, I took a quick look back upon the now clean car.  I was reminded of Lot's wife who looked back to Sodom.  Whilst I know God commanded Lot and his family to leave Sodom and not look back, she did so and became a pillar of salt.

I asked myself:  why did I just look back?  I did not have a ready answer and needed to think it over.  I looked back because I like seeing a job done and there was satisfaction in seeing a dirty, dusty car become clean and shiny.  Lot's wife disobeyed God when she looked back on Sodom, and we are not expressly told from scripture why she did so.  The reality was she was looking back upon her city which was under God's judgment, and she was swiftly judged as well.  Lot's wife was never provided the opportunity to examine her heart and repent of sin, but praise the LORD we are.  There is nothing inherently sinful in looking back, but we should take the opportunity to examine our motives for looking back.  Was it pride in a job well done?  Was it a feeling of accomplishment, of superiority over others?  Was the sinful motivation to disobey God found in me in that fleeting look?

Moving beyond looking back to a city or a car, what about looking back to our past?  It is obvious there are aspects of our past which longing to return to or taking pride in would be sinful.  We have all looked back to past experiences in our lives for good or ill, and God has been gracious not to strike us down until now.  But it doesn't mean we should mistake His patient, gracious and longsuffering nature and assume looking back for us does not lead us to sin.  When we turn our eyes to Jesus, following Him in faith, we have a future which is far more glorious than the memories which fade.  To remember Lot's wife is to take heed of our own hearts, lest we disobey God by looking to the wrong things.  I do not know the heart of Lot's wife, but through personal application of scripture God provides insight and action for me to take today.

The Warning of Laish

An odd thing happened to me this morning.  After waking up I recalled to mind an incident which took place a long time ago at work.  I was a foreman in the dockyards and was doing my rounds toward the end of the day to check on the progress of the crew on board.  One of the spaces where work was supposed to be happening was dark, so I investigated further.  I caught my crew doing one of the cardinal sins of workers:  lying down for a nap on the job.  The one in charge was a bit sheepish and laughed it off when I confronted them.  The next day when my fellow foreman and I wrote them up with a formal warning, it was a different story.  The subordinate worker signed the form without hesitation, but the lead man would not:  he attempted to deflect, blame, made excuses and eventually broke down in tears.  It was a stunning scene of someone being called to account for bad behaviour, and he refused to accept it.

While memories of this scene swirled in my head, I sat down to read through Judges 18.  In the passage, five men from Dan traveled around the country looking for a place to settle down.  Having received the blessing of God from their Levite friend, Judges 18:7 says, "So the five men departed and went to Laish. They saw the people who were there, how they dwelt safely, in the manner of the Sidonians, quiet and secure. There were no rulers in the land who might put them to shame for anything. They were far from the Sidonians, and they had no ties with anyone."  Laish was just the soft target the spies from Dan were looking for.  They observed the people of Laish dwelt safely because of their isolation from others.  The men of Dan noticed there was no ruler or magistrate in the land "who might put them to shame for anything."  The people were careless, self-absorbed and clueless about the real danger they faced.  The consequences of isolation from leadership in Laish remind me of David's negligence to challenge his son Adonijah for folly in his youth in the first bit of 1 Kings 1:6:  "And his father had not rebuked him at any time by saying, "Why have you done so?"  A loving rebuke and searching question while he was young might have saved him from trouble when he was grown.

The tragic overthrow of the people of Laish and the folly of Adonijah are examples why godly leadership is important.  A good leader must at times say hard things people will not appreciate or agree with and take actions to arrest the attention of others for constructive purposes and necessary reformation.  One good ruler in Laish might have put off the spies from Dan from their plans to attack and take the city, even as a shepherd or sheepdog deters a pack of hungry wolves.  It is important to point out that a magistrate (from the KJV) was not a king but answered to a governor or king and served as rule on behalf of their sovereign.  The magistrate did not exist to be served any more than the sheepdog is served by the sheep.  The sheepdog serves the shepherd and at times makes the sheep uncomfortable by darting around, stimulating the prey instinct to flee when the dominant sheep would rather settle down to graze.  People can live in their own little world (magistrates, shepherds and dogs included!) and begin to live carelessly:  sleeping more, working less, drinking more, caring about God or others less, forgetting we serve a God who called and ordained us to do good.  Because He loves us He corrects us, we ought to take His correction to heart.  To drift to a place we cannot hear the voice of our Good Shepherd ultimately results in the demise of our fruitfulness and lives.

A church, a family and a person can become a Laish:  isolated, secure and careless, a place where uncomfortable truths are avoided, where recognised God-fearing leadership is scarce, where no one is willing to do anything that could potentially provoke a sense of shame--even when it is the loving thing to do.  This hits me in so many areas of my life as a child of God, dad, church leader and friend.  It speaks to my duty to be led by the Holy Spirit in taking the lead in love and gladly receiving rebuke and correction from others whether I think I need it or not.  It is a warning against me becoming a Laish in any area of my life, for the destruction of the city is a stark example of what awaits those who answer to no one.  We in the Body of Christ the church all must answer to Jesus and give account of our stewardship, and how good it is to respond in obedience to His guidance rather than being secure in complacency without help.

God is Good!

"So Micah consecrated the Levite, and the young man became his priest, and lived in the house of Micah. ¹³ Then Micah said, "Now I know that the LORD will be good to me, since I have a Levite as priest!"

Judges 17:12-13

The season of the judges in Israel is well-described as a time when everyone did what was right in their own eyes.  Without a godly king to govern people in the ways of God, the children of Israel plunged into idolatry.  Micah was a Hebrew whose house was full of idols, and at one stage even consecrated one of his own sons to be his priest.  When a wandering Levite came looking for a place, Micah was pleased to offer him the position in his home.  He was convinced God would certainly be good to him since he installed a "real" Levite as priest.  Micah hoped to score points with God when his shrines and idolatrous devotion were completely abominable according to God's word.

The mentality of Micah is a surprisingly common perspective today.  People work to please God motivated by the hope of receiving blessing for themselves or to avoid divine retribution.  Years ago I found a man in front of my house picking through flowers to find three specimens of the preferred shape and colour to offer to his deity, Brahma.  Why?  So Brahma would do him good.  I recall the moment well when a person selling their house buried a statue of St. Joseph in the yard, believing it would help the sale be profitable and smooth.  Like Micah's idols which were blind, deaf, dumb and lifeless, that statue would have been better suited as a paperweight, doorstop or a decoration than to place any hope of blessing from it.

There are people who do not believe in God who are willing to receive good from Him should He exist, yet the disciple of Jesus has a different view of God from Micah altogether.  We do not try to please God so He will be good to us, but seek to please Him because He is good.  The motive to obey God of those born again by faith in Jesus Christ begins with who God is and our relationship to Him as His beloved children.  Our actions to do good are in light of and in response to what God has already done in demonstrating His love for us.  It is the love of Christ that compels us to reciprocate with thanksgiving and gratitude for choosing us, suffering for us and adopting us as His own.  It is never in doubt God will do us good because He is good.

The relationship of a child of God to our Father in heaven is far greater than seeking good from Him but viewing Him as the greatest good who was, is and will ever be.  John 1:16 says of Jesus, "And of His fullness we have all received, and grace for grace."  God graciously created us and gave us life, and through Jesus Christ we have been born again by faith and received eternal life.  God's love for us is not based upon our good performance:  it springs from His goodness and grace.  Those who do things in the hope God will do them good do not understand who God is as revealed in His word.  God is good and of His fullness we have received, and grace for grace.

The Skill of Rumination

As I grow older it is strange to think how much technology has changed the way people live in the western world.  For all of our advancements in science, medicine and education, however, there is one thing that has remained the same:  people.  The Bible is so relatable because it nails the essence of the human heart perfectly and resonates with our conscience.  It is ironic the many digital devices which allow us to work from home and technology which enable us to do more at once seem to drain our time and can make life more difficult and complex.  I am not interested in throwing away modern technological conveniences which are not sinful in themselves because they are not the problem.  We are the sinners.

Though the word of God remains the same, advances in technology and transportation have drastically changed the way Christian and church ministry is done.  We have gone from having one church in a large parish with one preacher to a global deluge of sermons and services we can tap into without leaving our bedroom.  When I was a kid at our church we had a "tape lending library" where the Sunday sermon was quickly recorded on cassette tapes to buy, borrow or share with others.  Because Christian radio programming was rare in our area, people would listen to the same cassette throughout the week and bring it back to church on Sunday where it was erased and updated with the most recent offering.

It used to be a family would have to go to a church building to hear a sermon, and during the week as they farmed or conducted business their minds would think back upon what they had heard.  I believe we are in an age when we must again refine the simple art of rumination.  Think of a cow in a paddock, chewing the cud with contentment.  Over and over the ox munches the same bite of grass, regurgitating and chewing again and again until most of the nutrients are absorbed.  We live in a day of binge-watching a whole season of shows over a weekend and look forward impatiently until the next installment.  For many, gone are the days of listening to the same sermon over and over, reading the same chapter or verse of the Bible again and again.  And some Christians have never known a day other than ours, a day of click-bait titles and an insatiable thirst to hear something new.  Some have never read through the entire Bible while others speed through several times a year.

So we move on from a sermon and on from a passage of scripture, seeking a new revelation from God when there is priceless wisdom from God we have glossed over in our haste.  Like a person orders from a menu at a restaurant, we can scroll through messages to a popular sermon by title.  Within minutes we can choose to close the message and look for something of interest.  For all our hearing there can be little growing, and our stunted growth causes us to doubt the usefulness and practicality of--imagine it--even a message from God because of the messenger or style of delivery.  Familiarity with a passage dupes us into thinking we know it already when the reality is a foreign concept to our lives.  Knowing and doing are two different things as the story of the wise and foolish builders Jesus told reveals.

David wrote of the blessed benefits of careful and patient consideration of God's law in Psalm 1:1-3:  "Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stands in the path of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scornful; ² but his delight is in the law of the LORD, and in His law he meditates day and night. ³ He shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that brings forth its fruit in its season, whose leaf also shall not wither; and whatever he does shall prosper."  See the blessing of meditation on God's word?  God told Joshua in Joshua 1:8, "This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success."  God commanded Joshua to speak God's word, meditate on it day and night, and do what it said.  If Joshua met God's conditions, his way would be prosperous and could be successful in all endeavors God called him to do.

Let us develop our skill of ruminating on a passage of God's word so our understanding and lives will be fruitful.  Read the scriptures again and again:  observing what the text says, interpreting scripture with scripture and putting God's divine wisdom into practice personally.  And it must be personal; it will require patience and perseverance, but no one can argue with the results because what God promised He will perform.  A cow ruminates because God created it to do so, and we have a choice what we will ruminate or meditate upon.  Humans have always had a terrible propensity to ruminate on what worries and troubles us rather than on God and the good word spoken to us.  As a farmer cleans the rust from the blades of the plough by directing it through hard earth, let us develop our skill of rumination by putting it into practice in heeding God's word as we break up the fallow ground of our hearts.

The Unclaimed Blessing

Christians desire blessing from God like people go crazy over free stuff.  Drawings and giveaways keep our attention at the possibility of winning a valuable prize.  I wonder if believers can be like people who hang around an event for the chance of receiving something good from God when He has already blessed us with His presence, grace and love.  The reality is we are more blessed than we realise and comprehend.

What does God's "blessing" or "blessings" we ask for look like?  A lot of times our translation can be a bit selfish:  make life easy, remove difficulties, help me or give me what I want.  Last night I read about a blessing God has provided for us we do not always appreciate.  In sharing the Gospel with curious Jews who gathered in Jerusalem, Peter said in Acts 3:25-26:  "You are sons of the prophets, and of the covenant which God made with our fathers, saying to Abraham, 'And in your seed all the families of the earth shall be blessed.' ²⁶ To you first, God, having raised up His Servant Jesus, sent Him to bless you, in turning away every one of you from your iniquities."  God coming to earth is a great blessing, and He was sent to bless people in turning everyone from their sins.

We love to have options and alternatives.  Mankind was under bondage to sin, death and fear, and Jesus came to turn us from sin.  He is infinitely more than a different option like a switch to another channel on television:  it is now like we can turn off the religious television programming altogether and have a personal relationship with God through faith.  Jesus came to save us from our sin, to turn us from wickedness and to Him.  The Law could only condemn sinners and Jesus bore the sins of the world on Calvary out of love for us in obedience to the Father.  Christians often rejoice to be free of the penalty of sin (which is death) and even the power of sin:  God has blessed us to turn us away from sin so we can look to Him in faith.  Sometimes our past iniquity and present temptation to sin has more of our attention than Christ who has turned us from it.

Though Jesus has blessed us by turning from sin, the reality is we can turn back to it.  Because sinful desire forms within us, it can seem no matter where we turn we cannot escape from the whispers to indulge in what allures our flesh.  We do well to remember this reason Jesus came to earth at all:  to turn us away from our iniquities, to deliver us from the power of the devil and sin.  The shame and guilt associated with sin has been washed away by the blood of Jesus, and this is a blessing we must receive by faith in Him.  To a believer sin God has turned us from ought to be seen as most sinful, not a "bad habit" or "moment of weakness" we can justify.  In all our temptation God makes with them the way of escape who is Christ, and He enables us to steadfastly endure and do righteously.

It would be a great shame to have your name chosen for a free new car or house and you were unable to claim for yourself because you decided to leave 5 minutes before the drawing took place out of boredom.  How many believers pray for blessing who do not realise the blessing Jesus has already provided by His coming to earth to turn away every one of us from our iniquities!  The chains that bound us to what brings a curse, sorrow and death have been broken by Jesus Christ who came to set captives free.  Will we as believers lay those shackles of sin upon our hands and feet, lamenting our hopeless state in unbelief, while the lock is shattered to bits?  Because Jesus has come, paid the price from our sin and is risen, let us in faith rise with Him who has blessed us.  If we will not receive the blessing of turning away from our iniquities, why should we beg for another?

When the purposes for Jesus Christ's coming to us are fulfilled, we are empowered to live fulfilling lives.

Jesus Suffered For Us

In preparing for Sunday's message at Calvary Chapel Sydney, I was struck how consistently I try to avoid suffering if I can.  If I am experiencing pain or discomfort in my body I do what I can to find relief.  Suffering can seem like an unnecessary part of life as we seek happiness and comfort wherever we can.  We are pleased to avoid suffering, but unbelievably God chose to suffer and die so we could be free of suffering forever.

I remember an occasion when I was verbally blasted by an irate parent at a soccer game as the assistant coach.  As his volume grew to a crescendo and the profanity flowed, the parents around me slowly moved away.  I found myself standing face to face with a man who literally trembled with rage.  After the final insult was flung and his sons gathered, he left the soccer field.  Fellow parents slowly meandered back to the sideline.  One man put his hand on my shoulder and said with a smile, "Better you than me!"  After what had just occurred, I didn't know what to say except a sheepish "Thanks."

The scene is instructive, as the troubles man faces in hell for eternity for his sin is infinitely worse than being shouted at.  No one wanted to be the target of an angry verbal tirade, and certainly no one is pleased to suffer death and darkness in agony forever.  God looked upon man's sorry state on earth reigned by sin and said in contrast, "Better Me for you!"  God could not suffer as an immortal Spirit, so He cloaked Himself in human flesh and came to earth in the person of Jesus to suffer death and conquer it and Satan who wielded it for us.  It was man whom God gave dominion over the earth, and thus it was fitting for God to become flesh so He could deliver us from the power of death.

Hebrews 2:16-18 says, "For indeed He does not give aid to angels, but He does give aid to the seed of Abraham. ¹⁷ Therefore, in all things He had to be made like His brethren, that He might be a merciful and faithful High Priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people.¹⁸ For in that He Himself has suffered, being tempted, He is able to aid those who are tempted."  Because Jesus became a man He suffered in our place and we can become children of God.  Another incredible result of God's incarnation was He is also able to help us overcome temptation.  Jesus was "in all ways tempted" and remained sinless (Hebrews 4:15).  We who entrust our eternal souls to Jesus Christ for salvation can have all confidence in His deliverance from temptation even in the midst of suffering.

Suffering was made to serve God's good purposes, and this is one redemptive aspect of the Christian walk.  Jesus knows what it is like to suffer and even suffer what we have not:  physical death!  Three days later He rose from the dead in glory, and the power that raised Him is the power which resides in us through the Holy Spirit when we are born again.  Through faith in Christ we have comfort in our suffering, even as a person awaiting surgery takes confidence in the words of another who experienced the same procedure successfully.  Our hope is not in the opinions of men but in the person of Jesus Christ who suffered for us and has overcome all.

God's Not Finished

Discovering a sense of purpose is encouraging for the despondent soul.  Knowing God has a purpose in the trials and difficulties He allows strengthens us to persevere.  I read a message from a pastor recently that suggested if you are on this planet, it means God is not finished with you yet.  I have heard this phrase many times, and for the first time I realised it was only partly true.

The implication of the statement "God is not finished with you yet!" is that at some point God will be finished with you.  It implies after God is finished with you, or the job is complete He assigned to you to do, He will bring you home to heaven like a race-horse is turned out to pasture after the racing days are over.  God will never be "finished" with His beloved children He has redeemed with the precious blood of Jesus!  The reality is life on earth is preparation for greater usefulness and service in the kingdom of heaven where we will do His perfect will free from the weakness of our human flesh.  Heaven is not retirement in solitude but a place of abundant life free from all sorrow, suffering, pain and tears among our great God and all who love Him.

For those who feel they do not have an important or fulfilling role in life, knowing God still desires to use us today can be encouraging.  At the same time, better to find encouragement today in looking to the LORD in faith, rejoicing in His gracious love and all He has done and promised rather than what I can do, for without Him I can do nothing.  God has created people to work and find satisfaction in a job well done, and thus it is a blessing God uses us for His glory.  God's faithfulness to us is amazing as He sanctifies us despite our failings and rejoices to draw near to us as His own.  We are happy to be rid of a wrecked car that is written off, yet God delights to restore our souls, renew our minds and redeem our lives for His glory.

Believer, God will never be finished with you because He loves and has chosen you.  Jesus Christ is the Head of the body the Church, and you have a privileged place in Him no angel can possess.  We are blessed to serve God today and worship Him forever, for He is gracious and good.  The work God has begun in us He is faithful to complete, and after we have completed our days on earth we have eternity to look forward to by His side.  How fulfilling, satisfying and comforting it is to know God works with us today and will never will be finished with us.

The Example of Jesus

I find the statements and responses of Jesus fascinating because He never did what I would.  Though I have read the biblical accounts numerous times, I constantly re-examine them and think about what could have been said and contrast it with what Jesus actually said.  There are great lessons to be learned even in what Jesus did not say.  Jesus alone has the words of life, and faith in Him marked by obedience enables us to embrace the abundant life He promises.

For instance, I was blown away by what Jesus said after He donned a towel and washed the disciple's feet during the Passover meal.  John 13:12-15 states, "So when He had washed their feet, taken His garments, and sat down again, He said to them, "Do you know what I have done to you? ¹³ You call me Teacher and Lord, and you say well, for so I am. ¹⁴ If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet. ¹⁵ For I have given you an example, that you should do as I have done to you."  Jesus provided an example of the love and care His disciples were to show to one another by washing their feet.

Notice Jesus did not provide an example of how to wash one another's feet.  This was not a step-by-step tutorial in feet hygiene, and this is a very important distinction.  Jesus did not explain in detail what to do if someone is ticklish, how to discern when feet were truly in need of washing or exactly when to wash them.  I expect the way people washed feet was different even in one household.  Jesus allowed His followers to have freedom without being chained to rituals like the Pharisees under Jewish traditions.  By washing feet Jesus provided an example of what we are to do for one another:  to serve, minister and love one another as He gave us commandment.

Jesus did not provide people "how to" instructions concerning being a spouse, a pastor, neighbour, sibling, parent, friend or coworker.  The act of Jesus in the upper room transcended the washing of feet and can be extended to every activity and relationship, to guide our motivation behind what we do and why.  Sometimes we hold back from loving others because we are unsure how best to do it.  "It's the thought that counts," we might say, but we don't truly believe it because our pride stands in the way.  Too many times we have been distracted by extra or unnecessary steps other people took to "wash our feet" we did not appreciate or understand and thus do not receive the genuine love expressed.  In response we roll up our sleeves and think, "Now I'll show them how to really wash feet!" and miss the whole point of what Jesus said.

It's not the filthiness of the feet of others, the quality of our service or the extent of our humility that matters because Jesus has already given us an example we are to follow:  as He has done for us, so we ought to do for others.  He has provided us an example of sacrificial love, mercy, grace and forgiveness, and we are called to extend these freely to others.  We can be focused on a formula of "how to" when Jesus bids us trust Him and follow His example.  We "can do" what we should only because He lives and we live through Him.

God Cares For You

Once I was driving home from work on Interstate 8 in San Diego when traffic came to a sudden halt because cut logs had fallen out of the back of a truck and skidded across the road.  It happened right in front of me so I stomped hard on the brakes and narrowly missed one.  Once the cars behind me had also stopped, I put on my hazard lights and jumped out to join other motorists to move the stump blockade.  

My first instinct after I approached the massive cut off was to lift.  It was instantly clear how foolish and impossible the task before me was.  But because the wood was freshly cut and very wet, this immovable object slid neatly to the shoulder across the concrete surface.  Within minutes with the help of others all the logs were moved to the side, traffic was flowing freely again and I was thankful not to have a hernia from my poor attempt at lifting.  One takeaway from the incident for me is there are things I imagine I can lift that are far too heavy.  But dealing with an immovable obstacle a different way (with the help of others) proved fruitful.

Sometimes heavy weights are not obstacles in front of us but figurative ones that weigh upon us.  Our minds can be weighed down with problems we cannot solve and our souls can be cast down.  It is possible the burdens we bear were never for us to carry, but a test allowed by God to show us (when we are consequently overwhelmed) how much we rely upon our own strength.  A person with genuine faith in God can still be prone to try to lift what they cannot and attempt to carry what will crush us.  Our relationship with God is of primary importance, but we are not in this alone:  God has joined us together with other Christians in the Body of Christ and are called to bear one another's burdens as we carry our own load.

In light of the fact God resists the proud and gives grace to the humble 1 Peter 5:6-7 says, "Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, ⁷ casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you."  When we come to the realisation we are unable and humble ourselves before God in faith, we are also to keep casting all our care upon Him.  In verse 7 the words for care are different:  our care is translated from a word that carries the idea of distraction, whereas the word for God's care is one of concern and interest.  Our cares distract us from seeking or relying upon God, and He is faithful to care for us without distraction.

When we are troubled, worried and afraid, how good it is to view the "cause" of our anxiety to be, on a spiritual level, a mere distraction from Jesus Christ who sits on the throne holding the scepter as KING OF KINGS.  Our Good Shepherd knows the needs of every sheep in His flock, and He is able to lift us from the pit where we are stuck and protect us from howling wild dogs.  If we are robbed of our peace and joy by circumstances of this life, often the reason is we are trying to carry what we cannot; we are trying in vain to lift what is too much for us to budge.  It is wise for us to shift what could distract us from God to be what prompts us to draw nearer to God because He cares for us.

The Need for Preparation

Whether gardening, baking a cake, launching a satellite into orbit or doing surgery, an amount of preparation is required.  Before Jesus came to earth God sent John the Baptist to prepare the way for Him.  Jesus also sent disciples before Him into towns to prepare for Him, and the upper room was prepared by the disciples before Jesus observed the Passover with His disciples.  Preparation is a necessary part of our physical and spiritual lives.

A great example of this is seen in Gideon being called to deliver God's people from the oppressive rule of the Midianites.  Most familiar with the biblical account know Gideon was threshing wheat in a winepress when an angel revealed God's call upon his life.  What is not often mentioned is prior to Gideon's personal call a prophet spoke to Israel in Judges 6:7-10:  "And it came to pass, when the children of Israel cried out to the LORD because of the Midianites,⁸ that the LORD sent a prophet to the children of Israel, who said to them, "Thus says the LORD God of Israel: 'I brought you up from Egypt and brought you out of the house of bondage;⁹ and I delivered you out of the hand of the Egyptians and out of the hand of all who oppressed you, and drove them out before you and gave you their land.¹⁰ Also I said to you, "I am the LORD your God; do not fear the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell." But you have not obeyed My voice.'"  The message from God spoken by the unnamed prophet was given before the Angel of the LORD came to Gideon and should not be ignored.

After Gideon was urged to go in his might and deliver Israel, he presented an offering received by God.  That night God told Gideon to destroy his father's altar to Baal, cut down the grove and sacrifice a bull owned by his father as an offering to the LORD.  Gideon did so, much to the dismay of the local idolators who demanded his execution.  Judges 6:33-35 says, "Then all the Midianites and Amalekites, the people of the East, gathered together; and they crossed over and encamped in the Valley of Jezreel. ³⁴ But the Spirit of the LORD came upon Gideon; then he blew the trumpet, and the Abiezrites gathered behind him.³⁵ And he sent messengers throughout all Manasseh, who also gathered behind him. He also sent messengers to Asher, Zebulun, and Naphtali; and they came up to meet them."  This all occurred before Gideon laid out a fleece in faith to ensure he was not being presumptuous to lead God's people to victory over Midian.

The progression is insightful:  God spoke generally to the nation, God called Gideon, in faith Gideon obeyed God, then Gideon was filled with the Holy Spirit.  This word of God prepared Gideon to receive a call, faith in God quickened Him to obey, and then the Holy Spirit came upon Him in power for service.  We can reverse this order and start "laying fleeces" before God to discern His will before we have listened to His word or obeyed Him!  The Holy Spirit can come upon people in an instant because God is sovereign and does gloriously as He pleases.  Yet even as repentance precedes forgiveness and being born again precedes being baptised with water or receiving communion worthily, so submission to God in faith and obedience precedes the baptism with the Holy Spirit.  Being filled to overflowing with the presence of God is a free gift according to God's promise, and the life of Gideon shows how preparation is at times required.

There is no formula to receiving the baptism with the Holy Spirit as the book of Acts clearly demonstrates, but one thing is certain:  God prepared every soul to receive the Holy Spirit and operate in the gifts of the Spirit according to His will, and the promise of the Father is for us and as many as our LORD will call (Acts 2:38-39).  The life of Gideon shows us even in the midst of oppression God is moving and speaking; when we are filled with questions God is pleased to call and direct people in His service.  When nothing good seems to be happening, be sure God is preparing.  Those who prepare their hearts to seek the LORD and obey Him are the ones He will fill with the Holy Spirit.

We might think victory is simply given at our asking, but these scriptures reveal we are led into it by the Holy Spirit.  In one sense failure prepares us to enter into victory.  This is affirmed in 2 Corinthians 2:14:  "Now thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and through us diffuses the fragrance of His knowledge in every place."  The victory over the Midianites was most unorthodox and showed it was God who graciously gave His people the victory of their enemies, and this is true with us as well.  Do not lose heart in the midst of oppression, believer, for the LORD hears our cries and will always lead us in triumph in Christ--whether it is like Stephen who was stoned to death or David who stood on the neck of the deceased giant.  Praise the LORD for preparing us and accomplishing His will through us!

The Plain Meaning

As followers of Jesus Christ, we are called to know what we believe and why.  It is also important that we walk according to what we know through God's word.  Because we are finite and flawed it is reasonable that the scripture will expose areas of sin, unbelief and misunderstandings we have.  An ongoing challenge of the Christian experience is to humble ourselves and submit to God as He reveals Himself to us and opens our understanding.  As we mature in faith and our understanding grows, we learn to view and interpret scriptures in the light of other scriptures.  Verses which were problematic and confusing are more illuminated by the power of the Holy Spirit and harmonise with others.

It will never do for a child of God to ascribe blindly to a statement of faith or belief system of a sect without carefully considering the theology in light of scripture.  We should not defer to a party line when we have not examined the biblical evidence ourselves.  And when there are scriptures read in context that seem to contradict our views, it is wise to consider other scriptures and a wide array of perspectives with interpretations old and new before we jump to conclusions--or worse yet, in our ignorance assume we understand it perfectly ourselves and there can be no other possible interpretation.

In a study of Hebrews I recently began I came across something I had not noticed before.  Apparently the warnings in Hebrews are a bit of a "thing" among those who hold strongly to reformed theology.  Many books have been penned to explain how these warnings fit with their established beliefs.  One wrote, "How do we reconcile our theology with what appears to many to be the plain meaning of these passages, that believers can lose their faith?"  It is a dangerous position to adopt, that we must seek to avoid the plain meaning of a passage to justify our beliefs.  Of course the scope of this issue goes far beyond the warnings in Hebrews and the Pandora's box of implications that may undermine core beliefs of some.  If the Bible contradicts our beliefs, isn't it sensible our beliefs need to be revised accordingly?

The core beliefs of the revelation of the triune God, the infallibility of His word, the deity of Jesus Christ, and the way of salvation through the Gospel are all foundational truths of followers of Jesus Christ.  On what are sometimes called secondary issues there is room for different beliefs and practices in the Body of Christ, and they ought not to be cause for contention or division.  There is no room, however, for us to explain away the plain meaning of scriptures to maintain our beliefs.  At times I have found the plain meaning of scripture reveals I have been plain wrong.  It is one thing to be concerned about erroneous beliefs of others, but more important for us to ensure our theology is sound and we walk uprightly according to it.

God Makes Better

"A merry heart does good, like medicine, but a broken spirit dries the bones."

Proverbs 17:22

Have you ever laughed so hard you cried?  That's what happened to me last night as our family played a board game together.  Something struck me funny and the more I thought about it, the funnier it was.  Later I was reminded of this verse and the tendency is to quote the first part without realising there is a second, contrasting part.  This verse explains the way we feel on the inside has an impact on physical health and vitality.  The way we feel impacts our perspective and response.

As a fit of laughter which soon passes shows, humour and merriment are limited in their effects.  Medicine ingested has a temporary effect and must be taken again when needed.  There are maladies, however, no amount of medicine can cure.  Laughter may temporarily lighten the mood, but it is no cure for folly as Solomon wrote in Ecclesiastes 7:6, "For like the crackling of thorns under a pot, so is the laughter of the fool. This also is vanity."  Solomon knew laughter in itself was vanity and could not cure a broken spirit, for one of the most humorous people I ever knew ended his life by jumping off a bridge.  The joy of the LORD is distinct from merriment because it is a fruit of the Holy Spirit Who fills believers in Christ by grace.

King Solomon observed a broken spirit dries the bones.  This speaks of one who is afflicted, depressed and beat down.  Feeling down on the inside has the ability to sap gladness, thanksgiving and enjoyment of all the gifts and blessings God has provided all people.  Even feelings of brokenness can have curative properties for our character which endure.  Solomon also wrote of these benefits in Ecclesiastes 7:2-3:  "Better to go to the house of mourning than to go to the house of feasting, for that is the end of all men; and the living will take it to heart. ³ Sorrow is better than laughter, for by a sad countenance the heart is made better."  Merriment can leave us empty in the end without self-examination, and sorrow moves us to seek a cure for what ails us.  Jesus came to heal the brokenhearted, and thus in Him we find genuine hope that endures.  When we are sick we want to "get better" (as in a return to the good health we enjoyed previously) and the LORD can utilise continued sickness or sorrow to make us better people than before--more like Christ.

God has given humans the capacity for merriment and sorrow, the opportunity to consider how we feel and to decide to adopt God's perspective in every season of life.  A broken spirit needs more than medicine but supernatural healing from within by the power of Jesus Christ.  When we realise we are without strength, looking to the LORD in faith lifts ours spirits.  Whether your heart is merry or your spirit cast down, take to heart the words of Habakkuk 3:17-19:  "Though the fig tree may not blossom, nor fruit be on the vines; though the labour of the olive may fail, and the fields yield no food; though the flock may be cut off from the fold, and there be no herd in the stalls--¹⁸ yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will joy in the God of my salvation.¹⁹ The LORD God is my strength; He will make my feet like deer's feet, and He will make me walk on my high hills."  Though Habakkuk suffered and there were no obvious signs of his situation improving, he was able to better look to God in faith as his depth of character grew.  In the end this was of far greater benefit than hysterical laughter.

Jesus Heals the Brokenhearted

It is amazing how good or bad memories can be triggered by our experiences.  After our boys were grown I held an infant and was surprised how it suddenly took me back in time to when I used to carry them.  Feeling that little life snuggled in my arms, it was like the whole world stopped and I rushed back to a happy place with fond memories.  The smell of bacon being cooked in McDonald's produces a fleeting feeling of anxiety because of the stress I endured day after day at my first job.  Double-cheeseburgers were on the menu that month and during that initial season I cooked up plenty of bacon.  My experiences haven't ruined bacon or double-cheeseburgers for me, and for that I am grateful. :)

The reality is, everyone who is living will have positive and negative experiences.  We will experience grief, loss, sorrow and regret; we will also rejoice in happy news, unexpected blessings, fun and friends.  I have discovered the happiness of the good cannot negate the bad:  having a perspective focused on the goodness of God and His love and grace towards all enables us to patiently endure.  More than words can express I am grateful for the God who heals hearts, redeems lives and saves souls of those who trust in Him.  It is not the hope of a better life or the trappings of success which lift us from depression and fear but the living hope available in Jesus Christ we receive by grace.

In many respects I have led a sheltered life.  I grew up in a family where God's love was present and His grace experienced.  Where a lot of my childhood memories are good, I am aware the memories others have might be predominately painful.  When we have a pain in our leg or foot we limp as we attempt to avoid placing pressure on what hurts, and it is natural to avoid speaking about what has hurt us in the past.  Some hurts never heal on their own.  I heard a story yesterday of a boy who was dearly loved by his dying grandmother.  She promised to give him a special ring as his inheritance to remember her.  After she passed he asked his parents to give him the ring as she intended.  His parents were unmoved:  she was buried with the ring on her finger.  She had died, but her mourning grandson had to live with his parent's decision that deeply wounded him.

Friends, these sorts of wounds do not simply heal over time.  When our hearts have been broken like the shell of an egg it will never be the same--though we use much glue.  Sometimes the damage done in this life can be permanent; physical loss can be catastrophic and total.  Yet there is hope for all people, because there is hope of an abundant life now and a life beyond this world through faith in Jesus Christ.  Isaiah 61:1-3 records words Jesus applied to Himself:   "The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon Me, because the LORD has anointed Me to preach good tidings to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound; ² to proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all who mourn, ³ to console those who mourn in Zion, to give them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they may be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that He may be glorified."

To those bound in sin and guilt, to the brokenhearted and sorrowing Jesus came to comfort and console.  Those who trust in Christ find freedom from crippling anxiety, anger and grief over our childhood, and strength to overcome depression.  Having been born again by faith in Jesus, we receive beauty in exchange for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, and a garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness.  Our whole outlook can change for the better because we have been transformed by the power of God through the Gospel.  Because we have a Saviour and glorious present and future we can recall the past without continuing to be crushed by it.  With eyes of faith we can even begin to see God's hand present in our past to protect, provide and preserve us until now.  Praise God He is a redeemer, healer and Restorer of broken hearts.  In this broken world, in Jesus alone we have a living hope.