God's Good Purposes

Today we sang in church, "You make all things work together for my good."  This is entirely biblical, yet it does not mean we always actually believe this is true.  If we believed this was true without fail, we would receive every trial and trouble in life as a gift from our good and gracious God.  There would be no angry venting over what frustrates us, bitterness over what grieves us, or complaining.  Fear, worries and anxiety over unknowns because of our God we know and knows us.  Like Paul's exhortation to the Philippians, believing God makes all things work together for good enables us to rejoice in the LORD always, even when we experience sorrow and pain.

In the moment we cannot change the feelings or emotions that flood through our bodies or the thoughts that pepper our minds, but the born again Christian can build our entire lives upon the reality of God and His word.  God has revealed His goodness, power and sovereignty over all in His word, and these facts enable us to reject ungodly thoughts and replace them with God-honouring ones.  Even our feelings can be addressed by examining our hearts with the aid of the Holy Spirit Who guides us into all truth.  Knowing God makes all things work together for our good is a decent start, yet examples from the Bible actually go further.  The death and resurrection of Jesus did not only work together for the glory of Jesus Christ, but for the good of all who trust in Him forever.

Romans 8:27-30 says, "Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God. ²⁸ 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. ³⁰ Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified."  This "working together for good" is connected with the work of the Holy Spirit in the lives of born-again Christians.  Jesus makes intercession for saints (Christian believers) according to God's will, and we can be assured all things work together for good to those who love God.  We are those God knew before we knew Him, has predestined us to be conformed into the image of Jesus, and we are made His brethren--adopted into the family of God by faith.  Our future through Christ has been determined, and we are complete in Him.

Since God is working all things together for our good and His glory, we labour to do what pleases God.  The most fundamental work we can do, according to Jesus, is to believe on Him.  Regardless of how we feel or what happens (or seems to take forever to happen!), we can know God's good plans and purposes are being brought to fruition.  A thing that seems bad in itself, when coupled in context with good purpose, is acceptable to us--like the necessary incision of a surgeon who aims to cut out all the cancer.  Realising God and His ways and thoughts are above ours brings us to a place of contentment and rest in Him, even when we do not understand why God has allowed something or how to respond to it.  Praise the LORD He makes all things work together for good to those who love God, and may we be numbered among those who love Him because He is good.

Born Again and Belonging

A new baby being born is a significant event because a new person has come into the world.  This addition will have a huge impact on parents and family members for a lifetime.  The existence of one person has the power to make a difference in the lives of others long after their lives on earth are over.  Just yesterday I opened a book compiled of journals written in 1738 by John Wesley and I was positively affected by what I read.  Even when a child is conceived and sadly miscarried shortly thereafter, the parents will always remember what happened.

The teaching of Jesus to Nicodemus concerning the need of sinners to be born again to enter the kingdom of God is necessary and profound.  Being born again by faith in Jesus is a more incredible spiritual change as it is a physical change from a baby in utero to being a walking, talking adult.  Being born again is not gradual or progressive but in an instant going from being dead in sins to being raised to new life, made righteous by receiving the Gospel.  The Holy Spirit floods into our being, having been forgiven of all sin, deemed righteous by God's grace, and we are adopted into the family of God.  Our bodies retain the same flesh that is perishing, but our inward man is renewed daily by the presence of God within us.

Jesus addressed Jewish people in Jerusalem who were offended He claimed God was His Father, and they mocked Him as crazy and demon possessed.  Still, they wondered if Jesus actually believed He was the Messiah.  John 10:25-28 says, "Jesus answered them, "I told you, and you do not believe. The works that I do in My Father's name, they bear witness of Me. ²⁶ But you do not believe, because you are not of My sheep, as I said to you. ²⁷ My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. ²⁸ And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand."  Jesus identified Himself previously as the Good Shepherd, and the refusal of His hearers to believe Him showed they were not His sheep.  Some would write-off these unregenerate people as doomed to destruction in hell, and indeed they were.  But they did not need to remain that way!  They also could be born again if they would humble themselves and believe Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God!

In the preceding passage Jesus said in John 10:16:  "And other sheep I have which are not of this fold; them also I must bring, and they will hear My voice; and there will be one flock and one shepherd."  Jesus is LORD of all and the Good Shepherd to Jew and Gentile alike.  Whosoever will receive Him is given the right to become a child of God according to His will (John 1:12-13).  There was hope by faith in Jesus even for those who rejected and crucified our LORD, for He died to atone for the sin of the world.  Every believer was once an unbeliever, and the end of the chapter illustrates well the power of Christ to change hearts and minds after He went beyond the Jordan in John 10:41-42:  "Then many came to Him and said, "John performed no sign, but all the things that John spoke about this Man were true." ⁴² And many believed in Him there."  People who took up stones to slay Jesus in Jerusalem later believed in Him beyond the Jordan.  These who previously were not His sheep were born again, accepted in the beloved and belonged in His fold (Eph. 1:6).  Praise God for the new birth provided by His grace!

We Remember Him

"They shall grow not old,

as we that are left grow old;

Age shall not weary them,

nor the years condemn.

At the going down of the sun

and in the morning

We will remember them."

Ode of Remembrance

Yesterday I rose early and went with many others throughout Australia, New Zealand and across the globe to an ANZAC dawn service.  There may have been well over a thousand people who lined the streets in front of the cenotaph, standing in the dark chill of the morning for the sober occasion.  25 April is the anniversary of the first military action of Australians and New Zealanders in the first World War on the shores of Gallipoli.  It is also a time to remember those who have served and died in war for our nation.  It is a longstanding tradition to gather at dawn to remember them, lest we forget.

One thing that is always well done at the ANZAC dawn services I have attended is an explanation of what ANZAC Day stands for and why we gather.  The structure to the service is fairly predictable:  a welcome, prayer, hymns (favourites are "Abide with Me" and "Here's to the Heroes"), the recitation of the Ode, wreath laying as bagpipes are played, the Last Post is performed with a bugle, a minute of silence followed by The Rouse on the bugle, and the singing of the Australia and New Zealand national anthems.  A diverse group of people and families, young and old, united together in the street to remember and honour the fallen.  Next to a man standing at attention, his jacket adorned in medals and a sprig of rosemary, a mother tended to an infant in a pram.  It was wonderful to see this meaningful tradition being observed by parents who brought their children along.

Attending ANZAC Day dawn services is a common tradition for many that has been passed down through generations.  Anyone who goes to a service is reminded why we gather.  No one is there because it is a convenient hour, because of the quality of the amplification system, to be entertained by musicians, the rousing speeches by guest dignitaries or the angelic voices of a choir.  There was no comfortable seating available or air conditioning.  Those who gathered did so to remember the ANZACs and those who died in war and military operations.  When your mind is focused on this meaningful purpose for attending a dawn service, the discomfort of standing still for an hour on cold concrete, auditory pain of feedback through the speakers or the distraction of out-of-sync music and singers will pose no hindrance from returning the following ANZAC Day.

I feel the same concerning regular attendance to church where, with great fondness and admiration, we remember our LORD Jesus Christ who gave His life for us lost sinners.  If going to church is only a tradition and bereft of meaning or purpose, the quality of the sound system, comfort of the seats and air conditioning, and style of the preacher can deter us from continuing to attend.  Whether in church leadership or a parishioner, we can be drawn to focus on style over substance and actually be distracted from our primary focus:  to love, serve and worship God and one another in unity as the Body of Christ.  We gather for prayer, study and to sing praise, choosing to pour out our lives as a living sacrifice to God which is our reasonable service.  As people and families young and old met at the cenotaph at the break of dawn, so believers ought to frequently gather together to remember Him:  our Saviour Jesus.

Born Again to Be

"Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice. ³² And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God in Christ forgave you."

Ephesians 4:31-32

Some are under the impression Christianity is little more than a list of "do's and don'ts" Christians themselves do not always live up to.  This view can be formed due to the personal experience of feeling condemned by professing Christians, the pricking of a  person's own conscience and the changes we observe in people due to personal convictions after receiving Christ.  This really does not begin to tell the story of what Jesus does in transforming a person from within.  It isn't a matter of doing but of being, and verses like this one in the book of Ephesians emphasise this continually.

It would be a mistake to reduce Christianity to following a checklist, as the Law of Moses proved without a doubt man is incapable to keep God's commands.  God gave the Jews His laws so they would realise they naturally were not righteous but wicked, and this awakened their need for atonement, forgiveness and salvation.  Paul said the Law of Moses was like a tutor that led them by the hand to Jesus our Saviour.  When a person believes in Jesus Christ as the Messiah--God in human flesh who died on the cross, rose from the dead and has ascended to heaven--is born again and receives eternal life.  By the power of the indwelling Holy Spirit both Jew and Gentile are then empowered by God to do His will and walk in obedience to Him.

Mankind is born a slave to sin, and it is Jesus alone Who sets us free from the penalty and power of sin.  Because of Christ's life in them, Christians are able to put off the sins of bitterness, wrath, evil speaking and malice because of who God has made us to be.  Notice how Paul wrote, "Be kind to one another."  This is more than showing kindness but being kind, a spiritual transformation having taken place.  As Jesus Christ has done for us, because we are in Him we are also free to do this for others.  Jesus said in Luke 6:36:  "Therefore be merciful, just as your Father also is merciful."  Kindness and mercy demonstrated by Jesus is not something we try to do but the way we are and can be because He is in us.

This "being" is something God desired from His people from the start as written in Deuteronomy 18:13:  "You shall be blameless before the LORD your God."  Jesus doubled-down on this in Matthew 5:48:  "Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect."  We all know we are not perfect, and no amount of effort can accomplish this.  I grew up playing with superhero action figures and read comics that demonstrated the "powers" of each hero.  Superman had x-ray vision, could fly and had incredible strength because he was Superman.  He also had weakness to kryptonite his enemies often exploited.  It was not a challenge for Superman to use his powers, and it was impossible to change his weakness because of who he was and his planet of origin.  The only way for Superman to be able to overcome kyptonite was to avoid it or by the help of others.

This picture of helpless Superman is fitting for all mankind, for we are all born doomed to death because of our sin.  It is only by being born again by Jesus we are made new creations, having been freed from the power of sin and death by our Saviour.  We can now live as the people God has created us to be:  kind, compassionate, forgiving, merciful and perfect in God's sight.  Because we have been changed on the inside, we are commanded to put off the sins of the flesh and intentionally labour to follow the example of Jesus Who always did the will of His Father in heaven.  It is God Who works in us both to will and do of His good pleasure.  People outside the kingdom of God can see the effort we make to avoid sin and the good we do as oppressive rules to follow rather than expressions of the reality of Christ in us and we in Him.  Praise the LORD for the opportunity to be born again, to be free indeed from the tyranny of the sin, the flesh and Satan.

Praising Through Pain

I have noticed when I bring up the subject of personal discomfort or pain due to injury, illness or condition, people are very quick to offer suggestions of what I can (or should!) do.  Their input is vast and varied according to their own experience.  Remedies, treatments, exercises, physical therapists, specialists and diets only begin to summarise the array of options presented to reduce present pain and promote healing.   If we or others are in pain, our first response is to do whatever we can to reduce or eliminate it.

While I believe the Bible teaches it is God's will to heal every illness (since Jesus healed all those who came to Him, thus revealing His power over all sin, sickness and spirit), we must leave the timing of our healing to Him.  God allows things that are not His will to occur on earth (like death) and by His grace He redeems pain or the ending of it.  Some are miraculously healed in a moment, and others will not experience freedom from pain until they are given a new body in the eternal state.  I do not fault anyone for seeking to treat conditions or reduce the pain they experience.  Even in pain, however, there is a place of rest knowing God is God and allows pain for His good purposes.

Over the years I have picked up some arthritis in my fingers.  In severe cases surgery is an option, but the outcomes often leave much to be desired.  Sometimes it can be better to manage the pain and stiffness of fingers and joints rather than try to replace God-given joints with synthetic ones.  What this means for me is the reality of living with present pain that will continue for the duration of my life on earth.  I can choose to receive the pain in my fingers as a gift from God, a physical and constant reminder of His presence and power for good.  God gave me these hands, and He has the right to utilise them in any way He wants--even if it hurts.  Since I know this to be true and trust Him, I can feel pain and say with confidence:  "This hurts.  But I am fine with it and am thankful."

There can be pain we may never be able to embrace or be "fine" with.  That is understandable.  At the same time we can look beyond pain that is excruciating to Jesus Christ, crucified for our sakes for the joy set before Him.  A woman who gives birth to a child encounters unspeakable pain, yet through the traumatic experience a new person is miraculously born into the world.  Christians have been adopted by God through Christ's suffering, and God will see to it eternal glory will be borne out of ours.  As followers of Jesus there is a glorious present and future determined for us according to God's grace despite pain.  I have lived my life seeking to avoid pain, and it feels great to be divinely enabled to embrace it in surrender to my Creator by faith in Him.

Someday pain will be a thing of the past.  Revelation 21:3-4 reads, "And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, "Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God. ⁴ And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away."  We can only imagine a life and world without pain because we still experience it.  One day pain will be accounted as a former thing, something that will not be remembered nor come into mind.  Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 4:17-18, "For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, ¹⁸ while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal."

Having an eternal perspective helps us navigate pain and affliction in a profitable way.  Since we surrendered our lives to Jesus, let us surrender our pains as well.  When I complain about my pain may the LORD remind me to praise Him instead, for He is able use our pains to achieve for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory.

Jesus Sows, We Reap

A key theme in John 4 when Jesus met with the Samaritan woman and was met by the nobleman is sowing and reaping.  Whether Jesus conversed with an outcast woman or a nobleman, His truth convinced His hearers and bore spiritual fruit through faith.  After Jesus claimed to be the source of Living Water that gives everlasting life, He confirmed His statement with a word of knowledge concerning the woman being married 5 times and was living with a man she was not married to.  When she said she heard the Messiah was coming, Jesus told her:  "I that speak to you am He."  She immediately left her waterpot and went to the men of Samaria to bid them come and see:  "Is not this the Christ?"

After the woman of Samaria went to tell the townsfolk of her discovery, Jesus addressed His disciples.  While they were thinking about food to eat, Jesus told them His food was to do the will of God to gather a harvest--not of grain but of souls.  He said in John 4:36-38, "And he who reaps receives wages, and gathers fruit for eternal life, that both he who sows and he who reaps may rejoice together. ³⁷ For in this the saying is true: 'One sows and another reaps.' ³⁸ I sent you to reap that for which you have not labored; others have labored, and you have entered into their labours."  Amazingly, the woman provided an example of what Jesus spoke of.  He scattered good seed of Gospel truth upon the Samaritan woman she received, shared with others, and immediately bore fruit by people believing in Jesus based on her testimony.  They both rejoiced in the spiritual harvest.  More still came to faith in Him by hearing Him themselves as John 4:41-42 affirms:  "And many more believed because of His own word. ⁴² Then they said to the woman, "Now we believe, not because of what you said, for we ourselves have heard Him and we know that this is indeed the Christ, the Savior of the world."

When Jesus was in Galilee a couple days later He was approached by a nobleman whose son was sick.  He requested Jesus accompany him to his home to heal his son.  John 4:50 states, "Jesus said to him, "Go your way; your son lives." So the man believed the word that Jesus spoke to him, and he went his way."  While the man traveled home he was met by his servants who came to intercept him with the good news his son had made a miraculous, full recovery.  The nobleman asked when exactly the fever left his son and he began to recover.  They revealed it was the exact time Jesus said, "Your son lives."  John 4:53 tells us what happened:  "So the father knew that it was at the same hour in which Jesus said to him, "Your son lives." And he himself believed, and his whole household."  First the man believed what Jesus said, and then he believed (based upon the miraculous healing of his son) that Jesus was the Christ.  Convinced of this truth he excitedly shared the truth with his whole household, and they all came to saving faith in Jesus too.

Like the farmer in the parable sowed good seed that is the word of God, Jesus sowed truth in conversations He had with the Samaritan woman, His disciples and the nobleman.  Jesus sowed, and the Samaritan and the nobleman reaped spiritual fruit.  He had done all the work, and their work was to share the truth of what Jesus had said, done and Who He is.  Many people came to faith by the testimony of people who met and talked with Jesus, and the same is true for disciples of Jesus today.  He has sent us to reap for which we have not laboured, to enter into His labour by gladly sharing the truth about Jesus, the Messiah sent to seek and save sinners.  Whether we sow, water or reap, Jesus rejoices with us when fruit is gathered for eternal life.  Jesus sows and by His grace we reap.

A Cheerful Giver

On every piece of United States currency is written, "In God We Trust."  Jesus said no man can serve two masters:  we cannot serve God and wealth.  Until we recognise God and all that comes from His gracious hand as the true riches, then we will struggle to surrender the use of our finances to Him.  This is one reason why regular financial giving unto the LORD is a valuable spiritual discipline.  It affirms God's provision, prompts obedience to the LORD to give, and fills us with gratitude to be able to support His work in a practical way.

The use of our money is a touchy subject for many because it is ours.  We have worked to earn it, are careful to manage, save it and spend it according to our needs and desires.  A sense of entitlement often is connected with what is ours, and money is no exception.  Exchanging money for food, goods and services is common, and if there is not a set price our aim is usually to negotiate for the best deal--meaning we part with the least amount of money to obtain what we want!  We steer away from vendors that overcharge customers or utilise manipulative sales tactics.  Over the years preachers on television programs and churches have used emotional appeals to encourage giving.  People can be moved to give out of guilt or a feeling of obligation rather than joyously giving out of obedience to God.

Rather than telling New Testament believers a set percentage they must give, Paul laid down important principles we do well to keep in mind.   Under Law the Levites were supported by the tithes, sacrifices and free-will offerings to the LORD.  Because of their duties in the tabernacle or temple they were unable to herd cattle or plant crops, and God provided for their needs through the gifts of the congregation.  To a largely Gentile audience who had not been raised observing the Law of Moses, Paul used those scriptures to affirm it is right and legitimate for leaders in the church to be financially compensated for their labour in the word.  He wrote in 1 Timothy 5:17-18:  "Let the elders who rule well be counted worthy of double honor, especially those who labour in the word and doctrine. ¹⁸ For the Scripture says, "You shall not muzzle an ox while it treads out the grain," and, "The laborer is worthy of his wages."  In 1 Corinthians 9:11 he also said, "If we have sown spiritual things for you, is it a great thing if we reap your material things?"  If we have freely received the word of God from a church or ministry, it is natural to direct our giving there.

Paul also talked about when to give, that it ought to be a regular practice.  As he went through Gentile churches they gathered a collection for the believers in Jerusalem.  He said in 1 Corinthians 16:1-3:  "Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I have given orders to the churches of Galatia, so you must do also: ² On the first day of the week let each one of you lay something aside, storing up as he may prosper, that there be no collections when I come. ³ And when I come, whomever you approve by your letters I will send to bear your gift to Jerusalem."  The people were directed on a weekly basis to lay aside an amount proportional to their earnings.  The idea is those who made more could afford to give more than one who was barely scraping by.  A tithe was not demanded, nor should 10 percent be a limit.  They weren't to give with the aim to get, but it was in response to God's provision for them to set aside some to benefit others, giving unto the LORD.

The apostle also explained how they were to give in 2 Corinthians 9:7-8:  "So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver. ⁸ And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work."  God does not love us more for giving, but He loves those who give gladly like He does.  Having received His grace, goodness and provision we give.  We join ourselves to a church not as consumers or customers, but family united in Christ.  Even as it was fitting to receive material things for sowing spiritual things, God is able to make all grace abound toward us that affects every aspect of life when we give.  It is amazing that we are richer for giving, for His grace grants all sufficiency in all things.  One way we show our gratitude for all we have received from God is by cheerful giving, at rest in His love.

The Sin of Cowardice

Numerous Western Movies include tense face-offs with cowboy hat wearing, cigar smoking men staring each other down, fingers tapping or hands hovering over a holstered revolver.  Sometimes the better gunman tries to goad the other into drawing his pistol by insulting him:  "You're a coward!"  Among these Hollywood depictions there seems a code of honour foreign to my experience, that even a cold blooded killer waits for his opponent to make the first move lest it not be a "fair fight."  To kill a man in cold blood before an audience that cowered behind curtains seemed more dishonourable than being "Wanted Dead or Alive" or hanged by a sheriff for murder.

In school I read about people in the U.S. Civil War era who were literally branded on their face for deserting or cowardice.  Whilst armies defined this as deserting in the face of an enemy, being called a coward today is more an insult than a dereliction of duty.  It may be surprising to know the Bible speaks of cowards objectively and condemns cowardice as a sin.  Cowardice is totally opposed to God's character as demonstrated by Jesus Who was courageous, compassionate and resolute in the face of adversity and torture.  The contrast between born again believers and those who die in their sins based on their relationship with God is seen in Revelation 21:7-8:  "He who overcomes shall inherit all things, and I will be his God and he shall be My son. ⁸ But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death."  A person guilty of cowardice is one governed by fear for himself rather than the fear of God.  The cowardly is one who lacks courage, is timid and fearful.  In this motley assortment of sins common to all men, surprisingly cowardice is the first mention.

Cowardice and unbelief are sins in this grouping that always lead to additional sin.  I wonder how many times it was cowardice that prompted someone to lie in the hopes of avoiding trouble.  Now I have heard many sins warned against, but cowardice has never been one of them.  It is always good to put a face to our sin, to recognise its ugly mug and call it by name.  Rather than railing against sin as any hypocrite can do, we ought to repent of it.  A person who is born again by faith in Jesus continues to live in flesh that tends toward sin, and thus we must be sober and vigilant to not allow fear and timidity to rule our lives instead of obedience to Jesus.  Since my cowardliness once condemned me to the eternal flames of hell like unbelief, hatred (akin to murder), sexual immorality, idolatry and lies, I am to confess and repent of it.  True repentance compels me to walk by faith to serve Jesus and fear Him--rather than fear over what man thinks or can do to me.

Looking to Jesus provides an example of humility, boldness and courage that ought to continually inspire and guide us.  Rather than seeking to disgrace or condemn us for our cowardice, God would have us confess our idolatry of feelings that permits fear to rule us.  Cowardice is a sin Jesus has conquered, and thus there is hope for us in Him for all infected and afflicted by it.  We need not be ruled by it any more.  May God's words to Joshua echo in our hearts concerning our divine duties in Joshua 1:9:  "Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go."  By faith in God we can be courageous like Jesus who will never leave or forsake us.

Noise and God's Voice

Today I had a little project of re-routing air conditioning ducts at church.  Over the years rooms have shifted around and the hope is consolidating some branch lines will provide more even temperatures throughout the building.  As I worked, I was listening to a baseball game on my phone I carried around in my pocket.  I grew up using a trusty transistor radio to catch the games during baseball season so it feels quite natural.

After I was done moving ceiling tiles around, I vacuumed the carpets.  While it was very easy to hear the phone speaker in a quiet office building, the noise of the vacuum deafened the audio completely.  If you had told me, I wouldn't have believed the app on the phone was still working.  But the second the vacuum was switched off, the voices could be clearly heard again.  It struck me how this was a good illustration of how the world is full of noise--whether it be voices from a phone or the mechanical drone of a vacuum.  We can be so accustomed to needing some sort of visual or audio input we can neglect our need to seek the LORD in silence to hear His still, small voice.

When we are awake in this modern day our focus can be on beat of the pumping music, engaging with sermons and podcasts, listening to the news, scrolling socials or locked into a video game.  All this constant input reveals our need to intentionally set time aside to seek the LORD.  God's grace was ironically shown that despite the noise of the loud vacuum that drowned out the baseball commentators and advertisements, God was able to cut through it all like nothing and speak to me.  God is able to bypass the ears and go straight to the heart.  There are people who have become used to needing music to sleep or have a noise machine to help them drift off.  With all the noise in our lives, insomnia may be our needed break from the hubbub when God has us as a captive audience.

Today God reminded me of my need to seek and listen to Him intentionally throughout the day, even as we turn on an app to listen to a game or go to the maintenance closet for a vacuum.  The God who created the tongue and communication through language speaks to us.  If it has been a while since you have heard from the LORD it is not His lack of speaking but our hardness of hearing.  Make some of your time quiet time with the intention of drawing near to God, praying, reading His word and thinking about what He has said and is saying.  Jesus said in John 10:27, "My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me."  As we follow Christ, we ought to follow His example of praying, listening and obeying.

Healing for Bitterness

People of genuine faith in God are not immune from the blight of bitterness.  After Naomi returned to her inheritance in Bethlehem, she said to townsfolk who barely recognised her in Ruth 1:20-21:  "But she said to them, "Do not call me Naomi; call me Mara, for the Almighty has dealt very bitterly with me. ²¹ I went out full, and the LORD has brought me home again empty. Why do you call me Naomi, since the LORD has testified against me, and the Almighty has afflicted me?"  Naomi returned from Moab embittered against God, and her demeanor was the opposite of her name which meant, "lovely, delightful, pleasant and friendly."  Blaming her afflictions for her bitterness, she spewed it on anyone near her.  She suggested a more suitable name be Mara, which means "bitter."

Naomi's name suggestion was a historical reference that went back to the exodus of the children of Israel from Egypt.  While Mara seemed a fitting name for her bitter attitude, unwittingly this meant there was hope for her.  After God brought the children of Israel safely through the Red Sea, they looked for water and found none.  When they finally found water they were dismayed when it was found to be bitter and undrinkable.  That is how the waters of Marah were given their name.  But they did not remain that way, for God miraculously healed the waters so the people and their beasts could drink and their lives be sustained.  It took a miracle to heal the waters of Marah, and would take an act of God to change Naomi and us as well.

Exodus 15:23-26 says what happened:  "Now when they came to Marah, they could not drink the waters of Marah, for they were bitter. Therefore the name of it was called Marah. ²⁴ And the people complained against Moses, saying, "What shall we drink?" ²⁵ So he cried out to the LORD, and the LORD showed him a tree. When he cast it into the waters, the waters were made sweet. There He made a statute and an ordinance for them. And there He tested them, ²⁶ and said, "If you diligently heed the voice of the LORD your God and do what is right in His sight, give ear to His commandments and keep all His statutes, I will put none of the diseases on you which I have brought on the Egyptians. For I am the LORD who heals you."  When Moses cried out to God in prayer, the LORD directed Moses to cast a tree into the water and they were made sweet.  God made them a promise He would heal those who trusted and obeyed Him even as the bitter water was made drinkable and delicious.

Trials, affliction, loss and sorrow can embitter us, but God is faithful to heal us.  When Jesus was crucified on Calvary, a way of salvation was provided by faith in Him that fills believers with the Holy Spirit, the Living Water Jesus promised to provide.  Having been born again, we are empowered to follow Jesus and walk in obedience to Him--our Good Shepherd Who leads us beside still waters.  No matter what happens to us, we ought not justify remaining bitter.  Naomi returned to Bethlehem empty, but we are filled with the presence of the Living God born in Bethlehem.  True to His word, the end of the book of Ruth does not end with Naomi bitter over her loss but celebrated a grandson Obed through whom king David and later the Messiah Jesus Christ would come.  How great is God's grace to heal us of our bitterness.

Settled in Our Hearts

"But may the God of all grace, who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you. ¹¹ To Him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen."

1 Peter 5:10-11

As Peter wrapped up his letter, he warned how the devil prowls about seeking whom he may devour.  He told believers they all would experience afflictions and seasons of suffering, both of a spiritual and physical nature.  Jesus told His disciples they would hear of wars and commotions but not to be terrified, even when these proved to be more than rumours but the real thing.  There would be conflicts between nations, earthquakes, famine and pestilence.  Despite all these things, Peter said the God of all grace would be faithful to perfect, establish, strengthen and settle all who trust in Jesus.  When the lives of Christians are marked by fears, worries and anxiety, it is evidence we have stopped short of entering into the rest He has provided us to experience today.  God or our circumstances are not to be blamed for the cares we carry, but we must take responsbility for every one of them and cast them upon Jesus who cares for us.

When we hear what we deem to be bad or unwelcome news, we are naturally troubled--not settled.  We can be disturbed about the suffering others are experiencing or potential suffering we might someday face.  But God, the LORD who is a Saviour and has dominion forever, He has called us and is faithful to do all He has promised.  Christians are not at rest because they are ignorant of what people suffer in this world or never experience traumatic suffering themselves:  established by faith on our Rock of Salvation we are able to endure violent waves that would render others a ruin.  We can remain strong and steadfast in the LORD and in the power of His might because we trust Jesus and obey Him.

It is good for us to be reminded of our good standing and God's promises especially before and during times of trouble.  Jesus told His disciples what would happen in the future not so they would fret or worry, but so they would realise He was in control.  None of the persecution of the church was beyond the reach of God to redeem for His good purposes; not one satanic assault caught God off guard.  Jesus said in Luke 21:12-15, "But before all these things, they will lay their hands on you and persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues and prisons. You will be brought before kings and rulers for My name's sake. ¹³ But it will turn out for you as an occasion for testimony. ¹⁴ Therefore settle it in your hearts not to meditate beforehand on what you will answer; ¹⁵ for I will give you a mouth and wisdom which all your adversaries will not be able to contradict or resist."  Because God would perfect, establish, strengthen and settle His people, they could be settled in their hearts by faith God would make them His witnesses in pressure situations.

Here is an interesting thing:  Jesus told His disciples they would be hauled before councils.  One might assume He did this so they could prepare statements concerning the divinity of Jesus Christ, His worthiness to be praised and their loyalty to Him--almost like preparing for a test or a job interview.  But Jesus told them this, not so they would prepare a speech, but to settle their hearts to trust Jesus to help them speak on the day.  The preparation required was to settle their minds and hearts, that it would be as if it was already done.  We say "That's settled!" when a decision has been made and there is no more to do, and this is fitting in the case of the disciples because Jesus Himself would be faithful to do the work.  How encouraging it is that God will settle us, and we can be settled in our hearts, confident in in His word and wisdom.

Warnings and Prophecy

When God led the children of Israel into the promised land, He enabled them to have victory over their enemies.  At the same time there was a degree of personal responsibility required from each tribe to rise up and possess their inheritance.  This meant dispossessing the inhabitants of the land who were well-established there.

God promised to give tribes and families land by lot according to their relative size.  Then He provided a sobering warning in Numbers 33:55-56:  "But if you do not drive out the inhabitants of the land from before you, then it shall be that those whom you let remain shall be irritants in your eyes and thorns in your sides, and they shall harass you in the land where you dwell. ⁵⁶ Moreover it shall be that I will do to you as I thought to do to them.'"  I have learned that God never gives warning needlessly.  When He warns it is not to draw attention to what could theoretically occur but what will most certainly happen.  Warnings are always prophetic in a sense, for there is not a boundary God has set man has not willfully transgressed.

Land with defined boarders had all been given to the children of Israel by God's grace, yet labour was required by them to drive out the inhabitants of the land.  If they were slack to do this, God would see to it those remaining people would be like irritants in their eyes and painful thorns in their sides that would harass them.  And then God said an even more confronting thing:  "...I will do to you as I thought to do to them."  What had God determined for the inhabitants of the land when their sin was full?  To drive them out, to destroy them completely.  If God's people would not be His faithful instruments of justice, then their folly would be returned upon their own heads.  They would be the ones driven out and destroyed.

The follower of Jesus is under no such command of conquest of land under the New Covenant.  Our inheritance is in heaven, and we also have rest to enter today by faith in Jesus Christ and obedience to Him.  Our weapons of warfare are not carnal but mighty in God to pull down strongholds in our own minds and hearts, to bring our physical bodies under submission to God's rule, being transformed from within rather than allowing ourselves to be conformed to a worldly mould.  We are to put to death the sins in our flesh like pride, selfishness, lying and stealing.  Our call is to humble ourselves before God, love God and one another, and be led by the Spirit according to God's word.  Jesus guides us to walk righteously personally in public and private.

If we choose a life of sin, there will be inescapable consequences because God does not show partiality in judgment.  The neglect of the children of Israel to fully drive out their enemies caused problems for them, and the believer's reluctance to put sin to death leads to ongoing problems and pain for us also.  Since God has an abundant life promised and a full reward planned for us, let us be those who labour to enter into His rest by faith marked by obedience in our personal lives.  God's grace is sufficient for us, and in our weakness His strength is made perfect.  It is not our failures we are to glory in but our Saviour Who is glorious and good.  We glorify our LORD when we heed his warnings and do all He has said.

God's Little Ones

In my reading and study of the Gospels I have learned to observe links between dialogue, action and the illustrations Jesus used in teaching.  A lot of valuable information and meaning can be lost when these connections are ignored.  Keeping the immediate context is of great importance to shed light not only on what happened but how the passage instructs us and why.  Observing these connections brings us right into the middle of the action, for teachings of Jesus to His disciples are instructions for us to take to heart.

Luke 17 begins with Jesus warning people over offenses.  He said it would be better to have a millstone hung around our necks and be thrown into the sea rather than offend one of His little ones.  He said in Luke 17:3-4, "Take heed to yourselves. If your brother sins against you, rebuke him; and if he repents, forgive him. ⁴ And if he sins against you seven times in a day, and seven times in a day returns to you, saying, 'I repent,' you shall forgive him."  Jesus prefaced His statement that we ought to take heed to ourselves that we forgive others. The faults of our brother who sins against us seven times in a day is not to be our focal point:  our Master commands us to rebuke this brother so he might be restored, to forgive him when his offences are repeated again and again.  We cannot excuse our lack of forgiveness for his sin, for Jesus has given us this command and an example to follow by forgiving us.

Luke 17:5-6 reads, "And the apostles said to the Lord, "Increase our faith." ⁶ So the Lord said, "If you have faith as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, 'Be pulled up by the roots and be planted in the sea,' and it would obey you."  The disciples rightly connected forgiving others with faith in God, for with God nothing is impossible.  Our sin would be the death of us--like having a millstone lashed to our necks and being thrown overboard a ship in the middle of the ocean--but by faith in Christ we can have victory over sin and put it far from us.  A little faith in God can uproot a well-established tree of unforgiveness and cast it into the depths sea with the rest of our transgressions (Micah 7:19).  By faith in God we can respond to the rebuke of Christ for our lack of forgiveness, repent and forgive as He has freely forgiven us.

The instruction of Jesus to His disciples concerning their responsibilities before God continued with an illustration in Luke 17:7-11:  "And which of you, having a servant plowing or tending sheep, will say to him when he has come in from the field, 'Come at once and sit down to eat'? ⁸ But will he not rather say to him, 'Prepare something for my supper, and gird yourself and serve me till I have eaten and drunk, and afterward you will eat and drink'? ⁹ Does he thank that servant because he did the things that were commanded him? I think not. ¹⁰ So likewise you, when you have done all those things which you are commanded, say, 'We are unprofitable servants. We have done what was our duty to do.'"  Jesus taught His disciples by using a familiar example.  The role of servants were to cater to their master, to serve him until he was completely done eating and drinking.  After he was finished it was appropriate for the servants to enjoy the meal provided by him.  The servants did not do this out of the "goodness" of their hearts:  they did this because it was their responsibility and duty.

It might be when we forgive someone for an offence against us we feel we are being very generous and kind to them--like we are doing them a huge favour at our expense.  The story Jesus told shows it is not to our credit to rebuke or forgive anyone, for it is what Jesus requires of us as His servants.  Others may do as they will, but we (as one of God's little ones!) are to obey our Saviour and Master Jesus.  Our faith in Jesus is increased as we obey Him, trusting He is aware of our needs, how we feel and all we have suffered.  We can forgive others only because we have been forgiven by Jesus and been filled with the Holy Spirit.  Thus when we forgive it is not out of our goodness, fortitude or quality of character but because we are doing our duty as His servants.  In this way God receives the glory for our service unto Him in forgiving others and trusting Him, and He sees to it our needs are abundantly provided at His table.  Isn't God awesome?

A Discriminating Ear

"And He opened their understanding, that they might comprehend the Scriptures."

Luke 24:45

Until Jesus opened the understanding of His disciples, they could not comprehend the spiritual and practical truth of God's word--despite their familiarity of passages, rote memorisation, obedience to the Law of Moses and teaching by Jesus.  This opening of understanding correlated with the disciples receiving the Holy Spirit when Jesus breathed upon them (John 20:22).  We must be spiritually regenerated before we can understand scriptures that are spiritually discerned.

This morning I spent an hour metal detecting and it provided an illustration of the importance of having our understanding opened by Jesus.  By waving a calibrated detector over sand, metal objects can be sensed which cannot be seen.  After a bit of practice the user can determine what sort of target lies under the sand by the volume, duration and clarity of the tone.  Unless the metal detector is turned on, it is of no value whatsoever.  On the flip side if it picks up all ferrous content in the sand or soil it is constant noise and cannot alert the user to dig a potentially valuable target.  Once the worthless iron and aluminium foil is tuned out (using discrimination), then a metal detector can be used effectively.

For the first 20 minutes of detecting, I did not notice my settings had been changed from the "pro" to the "coin" setting.  This meant I was not hearing everything I am accustomed to and likely missed many good targets.  Once this setting was adjusted I was able to better determine what objects were buried in the sand.  This prompted me to think about how reading a Bible without the aid of Jesus opening our understanding leaves us missing out why we read the Bible in the first place:  to know God, hear His voice, to receive correction, instruction and wisdom.  Reading the scriptures without having the help of the Holy Spirit to enlighten our understanding is like waving a metal detector without batteries over the sand:  no signals and thus no spiritual benefit.  Whilst there is great truth littering God's word in plain sight, there remain priceless nuggets of wisdom discovered under the surface.

How wondrous is the grace of God who opens the understanding of unlearned, ordinary people to receive divine truth faithful Old Testament prophets and angels are ignorant of!  Through faith in Jesus, the Holy Spirit enabled fisherman and tax collectors to walk in wisdom the learned chief priests and religious Pharisees could not comprehend.  Jesus grants His followers the ability to hear His still, small voice and strength to walk wisely.  A faint signal of a metal detector can indicate a great find, while a loud beep could be an empty soda can.  Let us be those who dig into God's word to discover what He is saying to us, valuing His wisdom over the worldly clamour all around us.  The sheep of the Good Shepherd hear His voice, and thus we learn to tune out the deceptions and distractions that are not of God, taking to heart His good word.

Christ the LORD is Risen

Resurrection Sunday is a glorious reminder of Jesus conquering sin and death.  During visits to Israel I have gone to the Garden Tomb as well as the Tomb of the Holy Sepulchre, purported by some to be the place where Jesus Christ was crucified and buried.  It is difficult to prove whether this or another site is the actual place where Jesus was buried because He is not there; He is risen!  Even if the place of Jesus' death and resurrection could be authenticated, it is not a place to be venerated:  the only One worthy of worship is Jesus Who was received up into heaven and sits enthroned.

Many people witnessed the death of Jesus on Calvary, and hundreds of people affirmed the resurrection of Jesus from the dead.  For 40 days after His resurrection Jesus walked, talked and ate with His disciples.  During this period the empty tomb and corpse-free graveclothes could have been inspected by locals and travelers to Jerusalem.  The best evidence of the resurrection was by the person of Jesus Christ Himself as He appeared to His followers many times.  After He ascended to heaven, however, strong evidence for His existence, resurrection and power to save remains in full force.

Better than an empty tomb and silent linen as evidence of the resurrection are the born-again children of God by the power of Jesus Christ who proclaim Him daily.  Even as Jesus opened the eyes of those born blind, healed the lame and delivered countless from demonic possession, those who receive Him by faith are made new creations by the Holy Spirit who indwells us.  Jesus said in John 13:34-35, "A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. ³⁵ By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another."  Jesus passing from death to life was observed in His physical body, and the spiritual reality of rebirth through the Gospel causes people to fundamentally change.  People who are mean-spirited begin to exhibit the love of Jesus; people embittered by life are made sweet.  Those who stole previously become generous, and they choose to spend time with other Christians to worship God with hunger for His word.

The love of Jesus in Christians is evidence we are His disciples, and disciples are followers.  The psalmist said in Psalm 100 refers to believers as sheep of His pasture, and Jesus is the Good Shepherd who lay down His life for His sheep and took it up again.  It is impossible to follow someone who is lying in a grave and motionless.  Having been made alive by the Spirit of Christ (Romans 8:9), we are led by the Holy Spirit who dwells within us and guides us into all truth.  Every Christian is a living, breathing testimony of our risen LORD Jesus Christ who reigns on high, and thus the evidence for the resurrection is everywhere we go.  Christ is risen, and may our love for one another cause people to say, "He is risen indeed!" all to the glory of our awesome God and Saviour.

Compassion in Action

While it costs us little to say "Nobody's perfect," our pride takes a hit to say "I am a sinner."  Many people have grown up hearing and believing they are basically a good person, yet the Bible makes the case in the view of the holy God the exact opposite is true.  Psalm 14:2-3 says, "The LORD looks down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there are any who understand, who seek God. ³ They have all turned aside, they have together become corrupt; there is none who does good, no, not one."  Though mankind has been created in God's image, we have been irrevocably corrupted with sin.  Spiritually speaking, we are only fit for the fire.

By itself this would be incredibly terrible news, yet this is only part of the story.  The Bible also teaches God loves all people and thus was not content for mankind to be doomed without hope or help.  God's compassion moved Him to action, even as the father in the parable Jesus told of the prodigal son.  The father in the tale had two sons, and they were both deeply flawed.  Because of their sin they were both estranged from their father at different times:  one went to a distant country and wasted his inheritance, and the other refused to attend the feast held in his restored brother's honour.

The father was on the lookout for his estranged son in Luke 15:20:  "And he arose and came to his father. But when he was still a great way off, his father saw him and had compassion, and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him."  While the wayward son was a great way off, his father saw him, had compassion and ran to embrace him.  When the older son heard his father had received his brother and killed the fatted calf Luke 15:28 reads, "But he was angry and would not go in. Therefore his father came out and pleaded with him."  The father went out to plead with his angry and embittered son who refused to celebrate the return of his brother.  Whether a son was a great way off or out of sight for a moment at a feast, the father noticed and lovingly went to them to draw them to himself.

It is common vernacular to refer to people as "spoiled" or "rotten," and this is spiritually the case for every person.  Like spoiled fruit and rotten eggs have permanently gone bad, so humanity is ruined by pride, deceit, selfishness and greed.  We would not pay a dollar for a dozen rotten eggs or a bushel of spoiled apples, yet God has paid the price for our forgiveness, redemption and salvation with His own blood (Hebrews 9:12; Acts 20:28).  We come to Jesus as we are but He does not leave us as we are, for by faith in Him lost sinners are found, spiritually born again, pardoned of all sin and made righteous.  By the power of the Gospel people are transformed from within and indwelt by the Holy Spirit to love from a pure heart as Jesus does.  The death of Jesus on Calvary was compassion in action to draw all people to Himself for salvation.  Praise the LORD for all He has done by His grace!

Feelings and Self-Control

In his book Renovation of the Heart, Dallas Willard made astute observations of humans concerning our reliance upon feelings to direct and govern our actions:

"Often they cannot distinguish between their feelings and their will, and in their confusion they also quite commonly take feelings to be reasons.  And they will in general lack any significant degree of self-control.  This will turn their lives into a mere drift through the days and years, which addictive behavior promises to allow them to endure.

Self-control is the steady capacity to direct yourself to accomplish what you have chosen or decided to do and be, even though you "don't feel like it."  Self-control means that you, with steady hand, do what you don't want to do (or what you want not to) when that is needed and do not do what you want to do (what you "feel like" doing) when that is needed.  In people without rock-solid character, feeling is a deadly enemy of self-control and will always subvert it.  The mongoose of a disciplined will under God and good is the only match for the cobra of feeling." (Willard, Dallas. Renovation of the Heart: Putting on the Character of Christ. Form, 2021. page 130)

During His lifetime and in the days as His crucifixion approached, Jesus remains the perfect example of self-control, yielded entirely in submission to the will of His Father in heaven.  No human being ever voluntarily looked forward to being cruelly tortured and crucified, but Jesus for the joy set before Him embraced and endured the cross.  In Gethsemane Jesus prayed in Luke 22:42 "...saying, "Father, if it is Your will, take this cup away from Me; nevertheless not My will, but Yours, be done."  If Jesus had been led by His feelings, He would have run from the cross.  He did not "feel" like being crucified on that particular day.  By knowledge of God, His rock-solid character and total obedience, Jesus was able to overcome the draw of doing what He felt like doing--avoiding crucifixion.

Consider the impact of Jesus not confusing feelings to be reasons to do what He wanted:  in becoming a sacrifice for sin Jesus provided eternal life to all who trust in Him, having provided through crucifixion necessary atonement.  In was in laying down His life in obedience to the Father we have pardon and eternal life.  For those born again by faith in Jesus, we are given the Holy Spirit who provides knowledge of God's will and produces spiritual fruit--which includes self-control.  It is the power of our risen Saviour Who provides the strength and ability to remain in submission to God rather than being mired as a slave to feelings that prompt us to go our own foolish, disobedient way.

Preparation for Eternity

Since moving to Australia, my daily life has changed in many ways.  My family and I have adapted well to living in New South Wales despite not being born and raised here.  There is one thing, however, I am particularly hopeless at:  remembering to carry an umbrella in the car when rain is in the forecast.  Growing up in southern California, I never needed to plan for rain.  As an adult I have never owned an umbrella!  Perhaps this is one reasonable explanation why I do not think to bring a household umbrella with me, and when I do I am apt to leave it behind and lose it.  Living in Australia I still do not plan for rain--and thus am usually unprepared when the rain falls.

Jesus called out the hypocrisy of people who were observant of the weather and took appropriate action yet were negligent of present spiritual preparation for the future.  They were like people who never were caught in a downpour without an umbrella, waterproof jacket and shoes.  Though they could predict weather patterns with the accuracy of Doppler radar and plan accordingly, they did not recognise the signs of the times.  The scriptures had spoken clearly concerning the signs of the promised Messiah and Jesus fulfilled prophecies like being conceived by a virgin, being born in Bethlehem of the tribe of Judah, called out of Egypt and raised in Nazareth.  Wise men came from the east seeking to worship the King of the Jews because His star was seen in the heavens, and the Jews affirmed Bethlehem was the place confirmed in scripture--and ironically did not care to go themselves.  People who thought to bring a covering on a cold day were hypocrites to ignore their need of spiritual preparation when they would someday be judged by the righteous Messiah Who personally addressed them.

Jesus said in Luke 12:57-59, "Yes, and why, even of yourselves, do you not judge what is right? ⁵⁸ When you go with your adversary to the magistrate, make every effort along the way to settle with him, lest he drag you to the judge, the judge deliver you to the officer, and the officer throw you into prison. ⁵⁹ I tell you, you shall not depart from there till you have paid the very last mite."  If a person knows they are guilty of offending an adversary, it makes sense to do everything possible to settle out of court before a date is set.  On the way to the magistrate it would be wise to plead for mercy and make things right rather than having to appear before a judge in court who has power and authority to impose serious punishment.  An adversary will show no mercy, and a righteous judge will throw the book at someone so careless.  If we care about temporal things like fines, felonies and jail time we want to avoid, it follows we ought to be more careful about being in good standing with God because this has eternal consequences.

A point Jesus previously made in this chapter is a wise servant will be faithful even when his master has been away for a long time, because he knows his master will return and require a reckoning.  Knowing the master could return at any time prompts the servant to be responsible and be on the lookout for him.  In the same way, servants of Jesus Christ ought to be ready in these last days for His return.  Having been born again by faith in Jesus, our hearts, minds and lives are to be exercised in godliness.  1 John 3:2-3 says, "Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is. ³ And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure."  Knowing God is pure and has washed us in the blood of the New Covenant, we are purified and sanctify ourselves in preparation for the revelation of Jesus Christ.  Because Jesus has forgiven us, we forgive others; since He has been gracious and merciful to us, we freely extend these to others as well.  Since heaven is our eternal home in the presence of the righteous God and Judge, we are to do righteously today.

Divine Order

"You give your mouth to evil, and your tongue frames deceit. ²⁰ You sit and speak against your brother; you slander your own mother's son. ²¹ These things you have done, and I kept silent; you thought that I was altogether like you; but I will rebuke you, and set them in order before your eyes."

Psalm 50:19-21

God was faithful to address the sin of His people of sinning with their lips.  One aspect of their sin was their presumptuous belief God was altogether like them.  Their words spoken against their brethren were marked with deceit and slander, and God remained silent, observant and composed.  They sat in judgment and spoke with the authority of man, but God would rebuke them with unmatched power, wisdom and majesty.  The tendency for man to liken God to himself is an error repeated throughout scripture, and it was evident as people interacted with Jesus Christ--God in the flesh.  True to His word, Jesus gently rebuked those who were anxious or worried when their expectations of Him were unmet.

The first time Jesus went up to Jerusalem to observe the Passover with Joseph and Mary, He lingered behind.  Joseph and Mary assumed Jesus accompanied people in their group as they trekked home to Nazareth and were worried when they could not find Him.  They hastily returned to Jerusalem and found Him in the Temple discussing matters of the Law of Moses, listening and asking questions.  Luke 2:48-50 says, "So when they saw Him, they were amazed; and His mother said to Him, "Son, why have You done this to us? Look, Your father and I have sought You anxiously." ⁴⁹  And He said to them, "Why did you seek Me? Did you not know that I must be about My Father's business?" ⁵⁰ But they did not understand the statement which He spoke to them."  Mary blamed Jesus for her and Joseph's anxiety.  Jesus showed He was in the right place and their assumptions were in the wrong.  Jesus understood the most complex matters of Law, yet Joseph and Mary did not understand His simple question.

While crossing the Sea of Galilee with His disciples, a fierce storm whipped up and the ship was in danger of sinking.  The disciples, many of them seasoned sailors, feared for their lives.  Mark 4:38-41 reads, "But He was in the stern, asleep on a pillow. And they awoke Him and said to Him, "Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing?" ³⁹ Then He arose and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, "Peace, be still!" And the wind ceased and there was a great calm. ⁴⁰ But He said to them, "Why are you so fearful? How is it that you have no faith?" ⁴¹ And they feared exceedingly, and said to one another, "Who can this be, that even the wind and the sea obey Him!"  Because Jesus slept during the storm they viewed His actions as careless, perhaps even clueless.  Jesus amazed the disciples by speaking to the storm (that instantly obeyed Him) and bringing a great calm.  Jesus rebuked His disciples for their fear and questioned their total lack of faith.

Finally, there was a domestic conflict when Jesus went to the home of Lazarus, Martha and Mary in Bethany.  Mary sat at Jesus feet as He spoke the word of God, but Martha was distracted by feelings of being ignored and abandoned by her sister when there was much to do--and blamed Jesus for her troubles.  Luke 10:40-42 states, "But Martha was distracted with much serving, and she approached Him and said, "Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Therefore tell her to help me." ⁴¹ And Jesus answered and said to her, "Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things. ⁴² But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her."  Instead of pulling Mary aside and dealing with her offence, Martha confronted Jesus as if He did not care for her feelings.  Martha demanded Jesus tell Mary to do what she wanted Mary to do, but Jesus did no such thing.  He rebuked Martha for her anxiety and worries, and He commended Mary and others who do well to listen to Him.

These three occasions show when we give place to anxiety and worry, in one sense we have relinquished the authority and power of Jesus in our lives to our own fleshly thoughts and desires.  It shows at least for a moment we have forgotten Who Jesus is, His wisdom to always be doing His Father's will, His ability to bring peace to our situation and to do all that is necessary to provide for our physical and spiritual well-being.  It is shocking how often we have viewed God through our own human frailty, limitations and folly.  As a result we have looked for hope in all the wrong places, been overwhelmed with fear and anxiety, and felt like God does not even care about us.  We have thought God was altogether like us, but thank the LORD He is gentle and gracious to rebuke us so we might be instructed and learn to cast our cares upon Him.  Because God resists the proud and self-assured and gives grace to the humble, 1 Peter 5:6-7 exhorts us: "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."

God is not like us, and this realisation prompts us to humble ourselves to be more like Him.  A judge says, "Order in the court!" and God is the One who brings order to our hearts, minds and lives by His divine presence and power.

Divine Wardrobe Change

"You have turned for me my mourning into dancing; You have put off my sackcloth and clothed me with gladness, ¹² to the end that my glory may sing praise to You and not be silent. O LORD my God, I will give thanks to You forever."

Psalm 30:11-12

David cried out to the LORD who heard, healed and helped him.  What happened in the past could not be undone, yet God turned his mourning into dancing.  By God's grace David's sorrow was turned by God into celebration and gladness.  It is important to recognise God's role in David's shift of perspective and feelings, for God brought his season of mourning and wearing sackcloth to an end.

When it comes to grief and sorrow, it is a deeply personal experience.  There may be social norms concerning periods of mourning and appropriate clothing to wear, yet it is ultimately the choice of the individual.  Feelings of grief can extend beyond a funeral or memorial service, and what person has the right to tell the mourner to cease?  This passage shows us God was the one for David, and it is fitting because all comfort and consolation is found in Him.

We aren't told why David donned sackcloth in the first place, but God took it off to clothe him with gladness.  Sometimes when my wife and I are going to a special occasion, we will coordinate our clothing to compliment one another.  Speaking of the Son of God Jesus Christ Hebrews 1:9 says, "You have loved righteousness and hated lawlessness; therefore God, Your God, has anointed You with the oil of gladness more than Your companions."  Should God's people mourn perpetually when Jesus is anointed with the oil of gladness?  Even when our sorrow is justifiably great, the joy of the LORD remains a constant and in time He changes our wardrobe to match His.  God put off David's sackcloth and clothed David with gladness, and thus he was filled with praise and thanksgiving to God.

God turned David's mourning into dancing and put off his sackcloth to clothe him with gladness--to the end he would praise God with enthusiasm.  If God put off David's sackcloth, should he put it on again?  There are no shortage of things in this world that work to depress and overwhelm us, but looking to Jesus Christ has the ability to change us and our perspective.  It is in seeing the LORD that we are caught up in His goodness, mercy and grace that frees us from perpetual grief and mourning.  Our gladness springs from God's greatness, and He is always worthy of our praise and thanks.