Marching Forth!

When I was in high school, I remember going with a friend to a country club for a round of golf.  Because there were only two of us, we figured we would be able to "walk on" without booking a tee-time previously.  Perhaps it was because it was a Saturday morning or due to our intentionally loud sweaters, but we were turned away by an unimpressed staff member who said curtly, "You're not playing here today."  Being excluded from the golf course was a disappointment, and even a reasonable explanation wouldn't have changed anything.  We wanted to play golf, and it wasn't happening. Everyone, to some degree, has experienced being excluded from something we wanted to take part in.  Our job application has been rejected; our offer of friendship was rebuffed.  We have been made redundant from a job or had people refuse to even speak with us.  Even when we have achieved or obtained our desire, the actual experience may fall short of our expectations.  I p...

" As a dog returns to his own vomit, s o a fool repeats his folly ." Proverbs 26:11 Like seasons are cyclical and predictable, so we sinners tend to repeat our sins.  Like in the Steely Dan song "Do It Again," the gambler who swore he didn't have a gambling problem found himself back in Vegas with a handle in his hand without explanation.  Almost like by instinct, people are driven to sin and find themselves enslaved to it.  Though people have been created by God in His image, our freedom to choose and make wise decisions can be forfeited when we feed our flesh and go our own way.  Like babies born addicted to narcotics, all humanity lies under the curse of sin passed down from Adam, a chain broken only by Jesus Christ.  Without God's gracious intervention, we will continue pursuing and practicing what works to harm and destroy us forever. In Psalm 73 , Asaph wondered why those who continued in their sin seemed to flourish and not suffer trouble--despite t...

God created mankind in His own image, making human beings intrinsically unique among all living things fashioned by Him.  The almighty God also took human form and dwelt among us in the person of Jesus Christ, the Saviour and Messiah sent by God to save lost sinners.  As G.K. Chesterton masterfully argued in his book The Everlasting Man, mankind towers distinct and separate from all creatures in the animal kingdom, and Jesus is revealed in Scripture to be infinitely higher in wisdom and holiness above all other men.  Even a casual comparison reveals this to be truth as plain as day. Because God has created mankind in His image, it is natural for God's enemies who cannot touch or sully Him to turn their proud fury upon His image bearers.  During my lifetime I have observed an ongoing assault upon the human race by dehumanising the unborn, objectifying and degrading people in lust, and humanising animals.  It is a strange world we live in where domesticated pets a...

Our Bible study last night reminded me of an awkward interaction at camp when a worship leader emphasised David's joyful abandon in worshipping God when the Ark of God was brought into Jerusalem.  "He was so caught up in worship, he was dancing naked."  He looked at me to affirm the truth he claimed.  "He was naked, right?"  Actually, no:  David was not dancing in the nude.  The Bible passages say clearly he was wearing fine linen and a linen ephod, similar to what the priests or Levites wore ( 2 Samuel 6:14 ; 1 Chron. 15:7 ).  The idea of David being naked is likely based on the snide comments of Michal, David's wife, about David being "uncovered," which was to say he was not wearing his royal robes.  She was offended because she viewed his behaviour as immodest and inappropriate as a king.  Thinking someone should "cover up" does not assume total nudity. The worship leader's comments about David dancing naked in public made me unco...

" The LORD is known by the judgment He executes; t he wicked is snared in the work of his own hands. Meditation. Selah" Psalm 9:16 I have been meditating on this verse lately, thinking about God's judgments according to His righteousness.  Though He is absolutely just, He remains gracious, compassionate and full of mercy.  His desire is not to destroy but to draw people to Himself to be delivered and saved from sin and death.  God's judgments are inescapable, yet He provides sure deliverance for all who trust in Him. The LORD is known to be sovereign over all creation because He judged the whole earth with the great flood.  He observed humanity, not only their wicked deeds, but how the imaginations of their hearts was only evil continually ( Genesis 6:5 ).  He did not spring the coming judgment upon unsuspecting people without warning, but explained what was coming through Noah who built the ark and was a preacher of righteousness ( 2 Peter 2:5 ).  God...

"' I said to the boastful, 'Do not deal boastfully,' a nd to the wicked, 'Do not lift up the horn.  5 Do not lift up your horn on high; d o not speak with a stiff neck .'" Psalm 75:4-5 What goes up must come down, the cliche goes, and and those who are lifted up with pride God can easily bring low.  On the other hand, those who humble themselves God will exalt.  The Bible is filled with examples that illustrate God's ability to bring low the proud whether it be king Saul, king Nebuchadnezzar, Haman--or even Satan himself.  Asaph urged people not to be proud or boastful when they were promoted or advanced in stature, for he remarked in  Psalm 75:6-7 :  " For exaltation comes neither from the east n or from the west nor from the south.  7 But God is the Judge: He puts down one,  a nd exalts another ."  One distinction between God and all other judges is He is perfectly just and remains gracious and merciful.  Sometimes there is no jus...

In Proverbs 31 , Lemuel described a virtuous wife whose value to her husband and family was far greater than precious stones.  Many women have made the industrious qualities of this woman an inspiration to live up to, and others feel inadequate as they consider her superhuman work ethic.  Because this is written generally of "a virtuous woman," I do not believe all these specific skills or qualities are necessary to be considered virtuous.  At the same time, the praiseworthy description ought to inspire women (and men too!) to use their God-given talents to serve God and others in the roles He has called us to. A virtuous wife is a blessing to her husband as it is written in Proverbs 31:11-12 :  " The heart of her husband safely trusts her; s o he will have no lack of gain.  12  She does him good and not evil a ll the days of her life ."  The chaste, morally upright and active wife is marked by industry.  She takes initiative and prepares for the...

After hearing of the affliction and reproach Nehemiah's brethren were experiencing in Jerusalem, he was deeply grieved.  He wept, mourned and fasted and he prayed to God on behalf of those who lived in a city with the wall broken down and the gates burned with fire.  Four months after Nehemiah heard the shocking news, king Artaxerxes noticed he was sad in his presence--and this had never happened before.   Nehemiah 2:2-3 says, " Therefore the king said to me, "Why is your face sad, since you are not sick? This is nothing but sorrow of heart." So I became dreadfully afraid,  3 and said to the king, "May the king live forever! Why should my face not be sad, when the city, the place of my fathers' tombs, lies waste, and its gates are burned with fire ?" I am no expert on proper etiquette of cupbearers in the presence of a Persian king, but Nehemiah understood very well the importance of showing upmost respect and honour to his king.  To appear before ...

One key aspect of God's character and ways is that He does not change.  In this regard (and countless others!) God is entirely unique, unlike everything and everyone on earth.  There is much about us that changes over time:  our minds, bodies, reactions and abilities can improve or degrade in various ways.  Governments, laws, organisations, businesses, products, quality of components, and members of an association are among countless things that change--and not always for the better. Recently there was a change of the pope of the Catholic church, and this position of leadership has sway of the organisation as a whole.  One concern voiced by ministry leaders was how "progressive" the views of Pope Leo XIV are towards controversial topics such as abortion, a homosexual lifestyle and euthanasia.  As a Christian who believes God and His word do not change, the word "progressive" as a description sends off alarm bells because it is always a departure from God's...

" Behold, how good and how pleasant it is  f or brethren to dwell together in unity !" Psalm 133:1 God has created the human body to be comprised of many different parts that have unique functions that benefit the whole body.  Unity should not be confused with uniformity, for every person has their own personality and perspective.  Even identical twins that are difficult to tell apart are their own individual person, a unique soul endowed with gifts and abilities by our Creator. In Psalm 133 , David exclaimed how good and pleasant it was for brethren to dwell together in unity.  The Hebrews received an inheritance of land by lot, and they were separated into various tribes.  The tribe of Levi was distinct because God was their inheritance, and the ministry of the tabernacle and service to God was their privilege and responsibility.  The chief priests were of the line of Aaron, another distinction.  Yet all God's people were brethren, united by blood ...

" Ascribe strength to God; His excellence is over Israel,  a nd His strength is in the clouds.  35  O God, You are more awesome than Your holy places. The God of Israel is He who gives strength and power to His people. Blessed be God !" Psalm 68:34-35 Because God is awesome and strong, the outlook of Christians should never be grim.  When we focus on the problems in the world, regrets of our past or feelings of anxiety, it is natural for us to be overwhelmed and to despair.  This was our lot before coming to Jesus Christ as Saviour, but we cannot justify our procrastination of God's praise any longer due to fear or cares of this world.  God allows unhappy situations so we might be drawn to Him who gives fullness of joy and peace that passes understanding. Psalm 68 is wonderful as it extols the awesome strength and salvation of God, and I also love the descriptions of God's people throughout the chapter.  These are not people hunkered down in foxho...

When God confronted both Adam and Eve for their sin of disobedience to Him in the Garden of Eden, it is telling both of them blamed others rather than taking personal responsibility.  Adam blamed God for the wife He gave him, and Eve blamed the serpent who deceived her.  Adam and Eve presented themselves as unsuspecting pawns in the devil's game, except the devil wasn't the problem:  the situation exposed the sin that was in their own hearts.  Like a warm compress brings a boil to a head, Satan worked to bring mankind's natural corruption into full view.  All the descendants of Adam and Eve share their sinful, fallen condition. I have heard people quip, "If only Adam and Eve didn't eat that forbidden fruit!" not realising sin had already stirred in their hearts it entered their mouths.  The Law of Moses put great emphasis on commands to do and to avoid what was deemed sinful, and thus people saw physical acts as sinful--which they certainly can be.  Wh...

When it came to the game of baseball, my dad always had an appreciation for "small ball" to manufacture runs.  While hitting home runs and driving balls to the outfield gaps are flashy and impressive, my dad loved it when the batter noticed the infielders playing deep and dropped down a bunt for a base hit.  He would cheer what is called a "sacrifice bunt," when the batter bunts to move runners to the next base--even though he would be out at first.  Moving the runners set the table for the next hitter to drive in runs rather than grounding into an inning-ending double play trying to be a hero. As a kid, I never quite understood the draw to small ball.  Preceding the All-Star Game Major League Baseball hosts a "home run derby" where the league's best sluggers compete to see who can hit the most home runs.  They never had a bunt derby (and never will), though bunting remains a fundamental skill most players ought to practice and master.  Many games have...

 " You are all fair, my love, a nd there is no spot in you ." Song of Songs 4:7 In the love story Solomon penned, the Beloved and the Shulamite had a romantic relationship that resulted in an unlikely but happy marriage.  Both husband and wife were enraptured in the love of one another, and in their eyes their spouse was perfect in every way.  This is how people can be in the throes of romantic love, so smitten with happy emotions they overlook faults which become plain to them over time.  Though we admit theoretically no one is perfect, when someone exceeds our ideals we imagine we have found a person who is an exception to the rule.  Modern rates of infidelity and divorce suggest the discovery of flaws in one once chosen to be  their lifelong partner. I have found the greater my familiarity is with something or someone, their flaws become more apparent.  Take the purchase of a house, for example.  No matter how carefully I have observed the st...

One insidious aspect of idolatry is the human capacity to make idols of things or activities that are not bad in themselves.  The problem of idolatry goes far beyond graven images, money or stuff.  We can turn a memorial of God's victory into a shrine we venerate as holy ground.  The children of Israel preserved and later worshipped the bronze serpent Moses had made, naming it "Nehushtan" and burned incense to it ( 2 Kings 18:4 ).  Gideon destroyed his father's altar and image before facing the Midianites, yet after God delivered them into his hand he used plunder to fashion an ephod which became a snare to all Israel and His house.  In Jerusalem. I have witnessed people moved to tears as they caressed and kissed stones Jesus might have touched, pouring out affection upon relics that are not God. It isn't just objects that we can worship and put in God's place, but we can idolise things that can be good and even God-glorifying.  After king Solomon and the c...

 " Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path ." Psalm 119:105 Due to the orientation of our house and dining area, direct beams of sunlight shine through the sliding doors.  Light reveals what a lack of light conceals.  Glass that previously appeared, both on the sliding doors and on the hutch, were exposed as streaky with water spots and in need of cleaning.  Without the sunlight directly hitting the glass, I never would have noticed or known. It is one thing to realise glass is streaky, but another thing altogether to do something to clean it!  Streaky glass isn't the end of the world, but it certainly is more pleasing to look through clean glass.  Was this knowledge pleasing enough to drop what I was doing when streaks came to my attention and immediately clean the glass?  No.  I believe this provides a good illustration of how the LORD can make us aware of blemishes in our lives and character we do not bother taking intentional a...

Before mobile phones, once my friend and I went to his house and surprisingly, no one was home.  This posed a problem because he forgot to bring the key to the front door with him.  The prospect of sitting outside the house waiting for someone to come home potentially for hours did not appeal, so we looked around the house for an alternate means of entry.  I understood how to remove flyscreens without damage, and it turned out an open window accessed from the back yard was an easy way in.  This enabled us to open the front door from within.  Two lessons were learned that day:  always bring your house key when you leave the house, and for better security keep those back windows locked--that is, unless you choose to ignore the first lesson. David sang in Psalm 61:1-3 , " Hear my cry, O God;  a ttend to my prayer.  2 From the end of the earth I will cry to You, w hen my heart is overwhelmed;  l ead me to the rock that is higher than I.  3 ...

I am blessed there are countless people in this world that are more intelligent and learned than I am.  My life and perspective has been greatly enriched by their contributions--even when I was not in agreement with those with different biblical interpretations and conclusions.  This has goaded me to dive into the Scripture to ensure I am convinced in my own mind concerning doctrines as well as I can and worked to sharpen my own views with greater precision.  Like a sharp blade requires maintenance to operate at peak performance, so a biblical worldview is improved by sound doctrine put into practice.  Carbon steel knives rust simply by exposure to the air, and unless we are grounded in God's word inhabiting this sin-steeped world tends to dull us. Recently I read an abridged letter sent by Galileo Galilei (yes, THE Galileo) to the Grand Duchess Christina to defend his position from those who criticised his scientific discoveries as incorrect and heretical when ...

" He was clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God ." Revelation 19:13 Today at church we observed Communion together.  We ate of the bread that symbolised the body of Jesus broken for us and drank of the cup that represents the blood of Jesus shed for sinners to provide atonement.  Christ's trial, flogging and crucifixion were all bloody affairs, and He was pulverised beyond recognition as He drank of the bitter cup given Him by His Father out of love for lost sinners.  After Jesus was confirmed dead by a spear driven into His side, His body was removed from the cross, washed, wrapped with spices, and laid in a tomb.  When Jesus rose from the dead days later, He identified Himself to His disciples by the prints of nails in His hands and the mark on His side.  They were not open wounds but scars on a glorified body. When I heard the passage in Revelation recited recently, I was struck that the robe Jesus wore was dipped in blo...

This morning I awakened to the verse running through my mind:  "Where is my honour?"  This prompted me to look up the passage in the Bible, which I found in  Malachi 1:6 :  " A son honors his father, a nd a servant his master. If then I am the Father,  w here is My honour? And if I am a Master,  w here is My reverence?  s ays the LORD of hosts  t o you priests who despise My name. Yet you say, 'In what way have we despised Your name ?'  Through the prophet Malachi, God confronted priests and His  people who claimed they honoured God when their actions showed they despised Him--very strong words indeed.  A son honours his father by calling him "sir" and obeying him, but God's people had neglected to give Him basic respect.  A master was reverenced by his servants who knew they would answer to him, yet the priests did not behave as those who would answer to anyone--much less the living God. Posing rhetorical questions is...