Going to the Heart

When it comes to treating illness, we know the importance of identifying the root cause rather than seeking to only alleviate symptoms.  Taking an Aspirin may relieve a headache, but it will do nothing to treat a tumour that is causing intercranial pressure.  Negative symptoms are usually major components that prompt us to seek medical help, and in this way a bad symptom can be a positive thing.

I have spoken of my ongoing battle with ongoing scale problems in previous posts, and yesterday I had a breakthrough.  I discovered the reason I am losing the scale battle is because I had been focused on the symptoms rather than the root cause:  ants that place, farm and protect scale to feed on honeydew scale produces!  I had noticed ants on the tree, but I had no idea they were the culprits who persistently placed scale at strategic locations where there was fresh growth.  This knowledge has shifted my tactics dramatically because the scale was only a pawn in this battle.  Eliminating the ants is the first and most important step of ridding the tree of scale.  Unless I deal with the root cause, the symptom will persist.

In a recent study in Revelation 18, I had a similar enlightening moment concerning the Greek word "pharmakeia" that is translated "sorcery" in the KJV and NKJV.  During my youth a lot of teaching I was exposed to about this word happened to be in the 80's and 90's, a time marked in America with a "war on drugs" that aimed to better educate and rid the nation of the scourge of illicit narcotics.  Because "pharmakeia" bears a resemblance to "pharmacy," the application was often along the same popular lines of the day, to connect street drug use with witchcraft as abominable in God's sight.  While this is a fair point, to reduce the meaning of sorcery or "pharmakeia" to drug use runs the risk of doing exactly what I did with the scale--looking at it as the problem in itself when it was merely a symptom of ant activity--it more resembled a shoot than the root.  Unless the root cause of idolatry and self is dealt with drugs, sorcery, pride and sin will persist in a person.

One thing I observed of sorcerers in the Bible is their intention to draw people away from the worship of the true God.  Pharaoh's magicians sought to duplicate God's wonders to show their idols and powers were superior to the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.  Simon the sorcerer in Acts 8 amazed the people in Samaria with his magic arts and claimed to have the power of God.  He desired to draw attention to himself.  The Jew Bar-Jesus in Acts 13 sought to draw the proconsul away from faith in Jesus Christ.  In Acts 19 Christians in Ephesus gathered their books of magic and burned them because they were completely opposed to faith and obedience to Jesus.  This goes to the root of what "pharmakeia" is:  a seductive, deceptive lie that man can be god.  To reduce it to "doing drugs" misses the heart of rebellion that can manifest itself in countless ways.

How important it is for us to go to the hearts of the matters, and Paul did this with his exhortation to believers in the church in 2 Corinthians 7:1:  "Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God."   God has promised to dwell in us, have fellowship with us and receive us a father does his children.  Having been forgiven and cleansed of sin, in the fear of God we are to perfect holiness by cleansing ourselves--by repenting of sin in our minds, hearts and actions.  Our efforts to "say no to sin" will be just as ineffective as saying "no to drugs" when our hearts are inclined to please ourselves rather than God.  Being born again transforms us, and God's desire is for us to continue changing by further yielding to Him inside and out.

Good that Never Ends

While driving yesterday, I read a sign that faced a busy intersection that announced the sale of property was almost over.  It read, "All good things must come to an end."  That was not the first time I heard that quote, and it dawned on me from a worldly perspective it was true.  One could debate if that particular sale of property was a good thing, but the world and all the things in it and of it are passing away.  Where the statement falls down completely is in relation to God and what is of God, for He is good without beginning or end.  Jesus identified Himself as the first and the last, the beginning and the end--not to suggest He has an end, for no timeline can contain or restrict His eternal, immortal attributes.

What Jesus said in Luke 21:33 is repeated several times in the Gospels:  "Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away."  The word of God is timeless, good and will never come to an end.  God's word, even when fulfilled, remains a relevant, true and powerful declaration of God who is, was and will ever be.  Those who trust in Jesus Christ and receive eternal life will never die, even when their earthly bodies breathe their last (John 11:25).  It is written in 1 John 2:17, "And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever."  The good and abundant life Jesus gives us will never come to an end.

One thing I love about God's word is it is not a relic, fading words hidden away in dusty tomes.  Everything God said and says is in full force and powerful to instruct, convict, encourage and save.  Recently in Australia there was discussion around a possible "disinformation" or "misinformation" bill, that a government agency would be employed to determine what is true and false and to hold people accountable for intentionally misleading others.  Fraught with grave danger of overreach with opponents warning of potential Orwellian impacts and highly unpopular, the bill was scrapped.  But this desire to "control the narrative" extends beyond the government.  We who believe the word of God is true are on guard against theological heresies as well as humanistic distortions of the Gospel that fundamentally change it to no longer be the Gospel.

In Jeremiah 23, God spoke of dreamers and prophets who did not speak for Him but from their own hearts.  They passed off their own ideas as divinely inspired, yet God was not at all threatened by their folly.  God said in Jeremiah 23:28-29:  "The prophet who has a dream, let him tell a dream; and he who has My word, let him speak My word faithfully. What is the chaff to the wheat?" says the LORD. ²⁹ "Is not My word like a fire?" says the LORD, "and like a hammer that breaks the rock in pieces?"  Though they grow together, the stalk of wheat is nothing like the grain that contains nutrition and potential for life.  Plant chaff or straw and it will not grow; plant grain and it will produce life.  God compared His word to fire that immediately consumes chaff, like a hammer that fulfills its designed purpose to break rocks in pieces.  God's word will always accomplish His will in giving it (Isaiah 55:11).  It will always, eternally accomplish what God pleases and will prosper for His purposes.

In this world all good things do come to an end, but we can know God, His word and His good purposes will endure forever without fail.  People come and go, they say this and that.  The best among men are only here for a short season, and the good they do will be forgotten, unappreciated or undone.  But God's word will by no means pass away, and he who does the will of God abides forever.  God is eternal, and His word is living and powerful to continue doing His work and perfect will.  Praise God He is good and will never come to an end!

Be At Peace

The Bible is filled with life situations that provide encouraging illustrations for God's people who trust in Him.  In this way God's word is living and powerful to provide guidance that shifts our focus from troubles to the LORD, from what is unknown to God who knows us, and from what is totally out of our control to submit to the sovereign God who does everything.  During our lives we regularly arrive at the crossroads of needing to choose if we will lean on our own understanding or rely upon the LORD for all things.

I was recently struck by an important decision of King Jehoshaphat after he became king.  Prior to him, his fathers made building cities and fortifying them a high priority.  Rehoboam, Abijah, and Asa were involved in extensive efforts to capture cities and they constructed walls, towers and secure gates.  These building projects were wise and circumspect, good stewardship of resources to provide security for the people.  Jehoshaphat did not neglect the security of the land, for he added garrisons of armed soldiers in all the cities.  Yet Jehoshaphat took steps to address the spiritual insecurity and waywardness of the people--something walls, towers, gates and armed soldiers could not address.

In the third year of Jehoshaphat's reign, he sent leaders and priests throughout the region to teach his subjects the Law of God.  2 Chronicles 17:9-11 says, "So they taught in Judah, and had the Book of the Law of the LORD with them; they went throughout all the cities of Judah and taught the people."  See what happened after the people were taught of their God in 2 Chronicles 17:10-11:  "And the fear of the LORD fell on all the kingdoms of the lands that were around Judah, so that they did not make war against Jehoshaphat. ¹¹ Also some of the Philistines brought Jehoshaphat presents and silver as tribute; and the Arabians brought him flocks, seven thousand seven hundred rams and seven thousand seven hundred male goats."  When Jehoshaphat made teaching of God's word a priority with an aim to obey it, God was an infinitely greater defence and refuge for His people than walls and gates.  The fear of God on neighbouring countries was so great they did not dare attack, and some even brought gifts!  Walls, gates and armies did not deter or prevent attacks like God did.

God's people are wise to look to Him rather than relying on themselves or resources for strength and security.  We must decide if we are going to invest our efforts in fortifying earthly security that can be bypassed, ignored or prove inadequate or if we will build our lives on the rock-solid foundation of Jesus Christ and His word.  The words of Solomon in Proverbs 3:5-6 are timeless truth for all God's people to heed:  "Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; ⁶ in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths."  When we are walking in step with God like Jehoshaphat, we will see the principle held forth in Proverbs 16:7 fulfilled:  "When a man's ways please the LORD, He makes even his enemies to be at peace with him."  Even when troubles arise, we need not be troubled because our God is with us--the Prince of Peace.

Drawn By Love

An illustration many Christians are familiar with concerns a common way how shepherds dealt with wayward lambs or sheep.  The story goes a shepherd would carefully break the leg of the sheep, immobilise the limb, and carry the animal around.  By needing to rely upon the shepherd for everything, a strong bond was forged between the sheep and shepherd and the wandering issue was over.  A problem I have with this story (one I have likely perpetuated over the years) is there is no biblical evidence of this practice.  There is scant or any evidence outside the Bible this was ever a common way to correct sheep that wander.  I place this among the often parroted illustrations because we heard it from someone we respect and it made sense at the time.  The more I think about it, however, the less sense it makes.

Let me preface this by saying, I have never cared for a flock of sheep or even one little lamb.  My only interactions with sheep was at a petting zoo.  In a stinging rebuke to the religious rulers in Israel, God used the responsibilities of a shepherd to expose their failure to serve His people in Ezekiel 34:4:  "The weak you have not strengthened, nor have you healed those who were sick, nor bound up the broken, nor brought back what was driven away, nor sought what was lost; but with force and cruelty you have ruled them."  Among the things good shepherds did was to bind up the broken, but there is no suggestion it was their responsibility to break bones of the sheep.  Shepherds cared for the flock by lovingly nurturing them, protecting them from harm, calling out to them, counting them regularly so the lost might be sought and found, and bringing them back to the safety of the fold.  Breaking bones sounds forceful and cruel--characteristics that marked these wicked rulers but not God.

I was reminded of something that happened long ago that illustrates how love, patience and care makes a better, lasting bond than breaking a bone.  I was house-sitting for a workmate who had a dog named Buddy who was anything but my buddy.  I had dogs growing up and always enjoyed them, but for whatever reason Buddy was timid and did not care to be around me at all.  One morning I awoke to find the back room where Buddy slept in a crate looking like a crime scene:  the poor dog had lost control of his bowels and the mess was everywhere.  After calling the owner and being assured this was not out of the ordinary, Buddy seemed to know I was there to help.  He let me pick him up (and I don't think I had even pet him by that stage), place him in the deep sink, and wash him of his filth.  As the warm water poured over him, I remember him simply staring into my eyes as I talked to him.  Showing love to Buddy when he was willing to receive it marked the beginning of Buddy trusting me, and the ice melted.

It has been a long time since I read A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23, but there was a passage that always stuck with me.  Phillip Keller spoke of a quality ewe that was the epitome of a wayward sheep he named "Mrs. Gad-about."  The problem with this ewe is she was a skilled escape artist that was never content to remain in the fold and taught other sheep how to follow suit.  It seems Keller did not consider the broken-leg technique on the ewe, for she had to go.  He said, "...I took the killing knife in hand and butchered her. It was the only solution to the dilemma."  This was not a cruel thing to do because he was moved by love for all his sheep and the good of the flock.  This may not make for a homey sermon illustration, but it rings true with reality how shepherds dealt with problem sheep in their flocks.  Jesus Christ is our Good Shepherd and He laid down His life for the sheep so we can have eternal life.  Our call as sheep of His pasture is to love one another as He loves us.

Shepherds pursued sheep that wandered and were lost; they helped the ones that fell into a pit and broke bones on rugged terrain.  Jesus described the shepherd who left the 99 sheep to find one sheep rejoicing when he found it.  He would carry the sheep on his shoulders, call his friends and neighbours together, and ask them to rejoice with him because he found his lost sheep intact.  There were times this didn't happen, as Amos 3:12 says, that only piece of an ear or a couple legs would be found by the shepherd. The gladness of the shepherd and kindness towards his sheep was more likely to build bonds of love and loyalty in a sheep towards the shepherd than a shattered leg.  This agrees with God's word in Jeremiah 31:3:  "The LORD has appeared of old to me, saying: "Yes, I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore with lovingkindness I have drawn you."  When David or Jeremiah spoke of their bones or skeleton being broken by God, it is figurative indication of inner agony--not an allusion to the practice of eastern shepherds.

David sang in Psalm 51:17, "The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit, a broken and a contrite heart--these, O God, You will not despise."  God's desire is His people would humble themselves and be broken and contrite due to our sins.  God desires one person to be broken in spirit and heart like David was for his sin before a holy God more than a million burnt offerings.  Breaking a leg does not change a heart. God does not need heavy-handed tactics to convict us of sin nor will He force us to be with Him.  He wants us to love and want to be with Him even as He has demonstrated His love for us as our Good Shepherd by dying in our place.  We can humbly offer ourselves as living sacrifices to God (with all limbs intact!) as a spiritually acceptable offering, made whole by Jesus and transformed by His love.  Even if our physical body is broken we are accepted in the beloved by God's grace because of Jesus.

Scraping Off Scale

The LORD gave me a good object lesson today with the lime tree at our house that has been beset by scale insects.  No matter what treatments or care I have provided, the saga always continues!  When I stand at the kitchen window I always am on the lookout for scale, and there are times I can see them easily.  What I have learned is whether I see them or not from the kitchen, if I walk up close and look patiently and hard, gently lifting branches and leaves by hand, I will most certainly find scale all over.  Even though the tree is diminutive and the leaves fairly sparse (likely a combination of highly alkaline soil, Neem spray and those troublesome pests!), once I start searching for scale to remove by hand it can be a time-consuming process.

It struck me how finding scale under one branch or leaf leads to me finding more scale elsewhere.  This is an apt illustration how every person in the church of Jesus Christ has their problems and sin that easily latches onto us.  If all the people in the church are represented by leaves on my tree, it is apparent that all of us have our problems whether it be sin or flaws in our character.  One only need linger and look more carefully and undoubtedly our inconsistencies, hypocrisies, unbelief and pride would be apparent to the keen eyes of others--having vast personal experience and thus awareness of these chronic problems ourselves.

Sometimes problems in the lives of people or in relationships are brought to our attention through interactions at church.  For all the problems we know about in a church, know there are countless more troubles, issues and sins than can be counted.  Even if we were to try to tackle every one of them, like scale on leaves many problems would evade our notice and more will become apparent in time.  We can feel like people are picking on us when our problems are brought to light and pointed out, but I assure you I have no ill will against any leaf on the tree--whether it is fresh growth, is wrinkled, dusty with mould, or has holes eaten through it.  It is not fun and enjoyable in itself to stand in the sun and scrape off scale that will be back in a day (literally!), but it is good for the tree to have someone looking after it.

I observe and scrape away the scale for the good of each leaf and the whole tree, and sometimes it stings.  Citrus trees have sharp little spines, and these easily penetrate the skin of fingers and leave them sore.  In a similar way, it can be hard and hurt to address the speck in the eye of a brother even after we have removed the plank from our own eye.  Feeling rejected, dismissed or judged unfairly when we take action for the good of others and the health of the body of Christ can be painful, but if we love Christ and one another sometimes it must be done.  There is healing for our hearts in the LORD who loves us and gave His life for our sakes.  We can rejoice the LORD examines our hearts and minds continually as He dwells within us, and He works faithfully to convict us of sin so we can repent and be cleansed of all iniquity and be restored to fellowship with Him and one another.

Galatians 6:1 reads, "Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted."  Our tendency to ignore  dealing with sin in ourselves or others is almost as chronic as our persistence to sin in the first place.  It is easy to see how this is a vicious cycle that hinders repentance, humility and unity in God's love, grace and mercy.  As Christians we are not called to ferret out and condemn others for their sin but to confess our sins to the LORD and repent.  When it comes to our attention someone else is overtaken in any trespass, we are called to seek their restoration to fellowship with God and one another with gentleness.  It might be easier to rip leaves infested with scale off the tree, and that is how you kill a tree.  Let us take heed we do not cut off whom Jesus has grafted in.

When we are in a position where we have become aware of someone's struggles, troubles or sins, we can become impatient and judgmental.  This is evidence of spiritual immaturity--regardless of how much we know or how upright we see ourselves by comparison.  Praise the LORD He has made us members of the body of Christ where we can help one another be restored rather than being cast off for our mistakes.  God provides all members of the body of Christ opportunity for salvation by the Gospel, and He also generously offers opportunities for forgiveness, restoration and personal transformation.  As God identifies our sin and unbelief, He wisely connects our lives with other Christians who help us scrape away the scale and cleanse one another so we can be be healthy contributors to the whole church by His grace.

Exception or Rule of Life?

"O God, You are my God; early will I seek You; my soul thirsts for You; my flesh longs for You in a dry and thirsty land where there is no water."

Psalm 63:1

David made it a daily practice to seek the LORD early and often.  He had the perspective that seeking and  communing with God was necessary for his life, even as those who exert themselves need to drink more water to stay hydrated.  In a dry and thirsty land where there was no water, God proved Himself able and powerful to reveal Himself to David--the God who gives living water for our souls.

It is important to realise seeking God for David was his rule of life and not just an exception in dire times of need.  We do well to examine ourselves and see what our established rules of life are, especially concerning seeking the LORD.  Considering this in light of diet and exercise is a good illustration to see why we can languish physically and apply it to our spiritual walk with Jesus as Christians.  I have discovered when I am disciplined to exercise daily as a rule, my physical health improves more than when exercise is an exception to my typical daily routine of being sedentary.  If I am watching my portions and being intentional to eat healthier foods as a rule, I can make an exception for occasional sweet treats without ill effect.  But if my rule of life slides into eating more than I need to and having dessert after every meal, I will not see any physical benefit from denying myself one dessert.

The spiritual impact of seeking God as an exception rather than our rule of life is seen in king Saul.  Saul was the sort of fellow who sought the LORD when he faced calamitous trouble but not something he cared to do every day.  Early in his reign when Philistines mustered to attack, he offered a sacrifice to God out of the fear of man.  We do not read of Saul building an altar to God like Abraham or offering a sacrifice of thanksgiving like Solomon of his free will at any time.  Because seeking God was not his rule of life, when he tried to seek God he found it impossible--like people whose rule of life is binge eating junk food who hope skipping a meal will help them drop 20 kilos.  Towards the end of Saul's reign 1 Samuel 28:5-6 says, "When Saul saw the army of the Philistines, he was afraid, and his heart trembled greatly. ⁶ And when Saul inquired of the LORD, the LORD did not answer him, either by dreams or by Urim or by the prophets."  Saul's pride and self-confident rule of life exposed his poverty of heart before God, and when God did not answer when Saul hoped, he sought a medium in violation of God's word.  Doing his own thing and going his own way was Saul's rule of life, and thus his attempts to seek God were in vain.

David made seeking God his daily and continual practice, even as Daniel knelt three times a day and prayed facing Jerusalem.  When the command from Darius was signed into law that he alone could be the one to whom prayers were directed for a month, Daniel did not make an exception to his rule of life governed by God:  he turned towards Jerusalem with open windows and prayed to the God of Israel.  Now there is a man who obtained favour from God!  When he prayed for the interpretation of Nebuchadnezzar's dream, God answered with a vision in the night.  After being thrown into a den of hungry lions, God sent His angel to shut the lion's mouth all night and Daniel was unharmed.  God was with Daniel and gave him wisdom beyond his peers because he made seeking and praying to God his rule of life without exception.  It would have been easy for Daniel to become slack with devotion, reading God's word and worship of God when there was no temple, synagogue or priests in Babylon.  He sought the LORD as a man greatly loved of God, and he was told this personally by an angelic messenger because seeking God was Daniel's rule of life.

How about you?  Is seeking God early and meditating on Him night and day your rule of life or is it more of an exception to your normal routine?  Do not be surprised when you do not grow much spiritually or benefit much from times in prayer and Bible reading when you have reserved these activities only for trying times.  Reading the Bible for a few minutes will not offset all the nonsense we can meditate on as a rule throughout the day.  Worship God and make seeking the LORD your rule of life, and you will find yourself satisfied in Him regardless of your circumstances.  If you go to church, pray or wait on the LORD as an exception to your practice and rule of life governed by faith in God, don't be surprised when nothing seems to make a difference for you practically and spiritually.

The Mouse Problem

When we first moved into our current house, it wasn't long before we had an uninvited visitor:  a mouse that easily slipped under the garage door to explore what had previously been his domain.  I suppose during the build phase of the house the mouse had become accustomed to scouring the place for snacks left by workers, and with no garage door or interior doors this was easily done under the cover of night.  I immediately took steps to set out traps in the garage and constructed an aluminium "mouse guard" mounted underneath the door to prevent any further incursions.  Thankfully, it wasn't long before the mouse problem was no more.

One thing I discovered after baiting mousetraps with a little peanut butter (I recommend American style) is it can attract crickets that chirp all night.  Crickets and roaches love peanut butter and easily clean those traps in a night without setting them off.  Since I didn't want to trade one pest for another, I decided to keep the empty traps in place--just in case another mouse happened to wander in and look around.  Over time, the traps snapped closed for one reason or another due to wind from a leaf blower or a nudge from a box or broom, and I didn't bother setting them again.  There was no evidence of mice, and over time only one of the clean traps remained loaded by the internal garage door.  This week as I was coming in from gathering the recycle, I noticed the bare trap had caught a mouse!  Upon closer inspection, the mouse was at the early stages of decomposition with a bit of a smell.  Unless the trap had been set, a new mouse problem was set to start all over again.

The situation illustrated well the persistence of vermin and my need for vigilance when there is no evidence of a "mouse problem."  Due to a series of factors--especially the lack of mice--I had become complacent in my policing of the traps and ensuring they were ready for action.  With the exception of the sole trap that was set, the other traps served no purpose whatsoever.  Without thinking about it, I had adopted a reactionary approach to pest control rather than active prevention.  Had I seen chewed plastic or cardboard, if I noticed animal waste, I would have sprung into action to do everything in my power to eradicate destructive and potential disease-carrying pests.  The reality is there are mice outside, and experience has taught me I cannot keep them out of the garage.  Since I am aware of this, it is up to me to be observant and persistent to prevent the pests from making my garage their abode.

Being watchful of the state of a garage is important, and how much more do we need to be vigilant to be on guard of the state of our minds and hearts!  Mice and the devil share at least one thing in common, that they are opportunistic and prefer to operate under the cover of darkness.  1 Peter 5:8-9 says, "Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. ⁹ Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world."  I have never lived in a place where lions roar and prowl around looking for prey, and I imagine it could take a close call to impress upon a person the seriousness of the life-threatening risk lions present.  Christians are called to be vigilant to resist the devil by steadfastness through our faith in Christ, knowing we are not alone in the conflict.  Not one of us can match the devil's persistence, and thank God we have a Good Shepherd Jesus who is always aware of Satan's schemes.  The apostle continued in 1 Peter 5:10:  "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."

It takes a surprising amount of effort to keep a garage tidy and free of vermin, and it is far more difficult to resist an unseen enemy who is as sneaky and powerful as Satan.  We might not be able to get on top of a pest problem without professional help, but we can do all things through Christ who strengthens us.  God has called us to glory, and we are called to walk by faith in Jesus and live righteously.  When we recognise sinful thoughts, attitudes and desires, we are to take them captive even as a snap-trap catches a mouse.  Unlike traps that can be set that allow us to be passive and check on them occasionally (maybe only after we smell something), we are called to be sober and vigilant when the roaring is faint or afar off.  We must be aware that the problems we must be mindful of are primarily not "out there" in the world or in others, it is in the confines of our own flesh, hearts and minds where this battle is fought and won.  Even as springtime brings an influx of mice and insects, so a season with personal spiritual growth supplies opportunity for sin to sneak in and find a comfortable place to visit, hang out and finally settle in.

Giving Up the Boot

Decades ago my wife and I had season tickets to watch professional baseball, and I have many fond memories of things we experienced.  We saw some historical baseball feats, like John Olerud hitting for the cycle, Ben Davis breaking up Curt Shilling's perfect game bid in the 8th inning with a bunt single, and Ricky Henderson tallying hit number 3,000.  I was impressed to witness a blind man easily navigate to his seat in the club level where we sat--without any assistance from an usher.  I was not very impressed when our car was keyed in the carpark, a deep scratch that adorned our Jeep Grand Cherokee from that night forward.  I also found it interesting how possessive people can be of their particular seat when there were more vacant seats than ones filled with fans.  Our area was pretty tame, but on the weekends things were a bit more lively.

I was reminded of a funny moment when in the middle of the game a leather work boot flew from behind and plunked a woman sitting near us.  The fact she was hit by the boot wasn't funny at all, but her response was.  She whipped around looking for the culprit and wrapped both her arms around it as if her life depended on it and shouted, "And you're not getting it back!"  The ushers were quickly able to spot the fellow who threw the boot, sheepishly holding a beer and walking around in one shoe.  People booed the guy as he was escorted from the game and sheepishly ambled away.  True to her word, the woman never relinquished the boot.

It was evident by her reaction and following discussion about the incident the woman had not been injured by the ordeal.  But the way she claimed the boot that hit her and refused to give it back always stuck with me.  It occurred to me that we can do the same thing with insults, names and hurtful words people may hurl at as.  We can gather them up and cling to them, refusing to part with what wounded us.  When King Saul threw a spear at David, he needed to decide if he would return it pointy-side first with speed.  We can do this with our words as well, responding to sharp or critical comments in kind.  The lady could have thrown the boot back at the man with the aim to teach him a lesson, but she wanted to render his remaining boot worthless for the trouble he caused.

How do you respond when you are offended or hurt by the words people say to you?  Do you return fire or do you hold on to them as infamous trophies?  Rather than laying such words to heart, we ought to consider the good things our LORD has said to us.  We are to cast our cares upon the LORD and choose to relinquish all the hurtful things said or done to us as a freewill offering to the LORD we will gladly never reclaim.  As sure as we have been impacted or hurt by words people have said to us, we are wise to acknowledge we can be guilty of doing the same.  May Psalm 141:3-4 be our prayer:  "Set a guard, O LORD, over my mouth; keep watch over the door of my lips. ⁴ Do not incline my heart to any evil thing, to practice wicked works with men who work iniquity; and do not let me eat of their delicacies."  There may be an assortment of single boots that found their mark on us we've kept for some reason:  wouldn't it be good to finally be rid of them?

Water Carriers and Wood Hewers

Often God puts people  in places of leadership or in the spotlight who would rather avoid it.  Dr. Robert E. Speer was one of those people, who for 46 years served as secretary on the Presbyterian Board of Foreign Missions.  Based on the testimony of his biography, his faithfulness was an inspiration to many who sought to honour him upon his retirement, as the Presbyterian board had an age limit of 70.  As his retirement drew new, he wrote to the editor of a missionary magazine who planned to write an article about him, "In whatever you write, will you not make it just as impersonal as possible?  Let the cause fill the whole picture, and let us water-carriers and wood hewers who have sought to serve it be in our proper place out of sight." (Wheeler, W. Reginald. A Man Sent from God: A Biography of Robert E. Speer. Fleming H. Revell Co, 1956. page 253)

This reticence to public honour is evidence Dr. Speer continued to be small in his own eyes even when others considered him a spiritual giant.  The reference to the work of the ministry being as "water-carriers and wood hewers" takes me back to the Gibeonites, people of Canaan who deceived Joshua to make a league or covenant with them.  Having heard of the greatness of the God of Israel and knowing they were helpless before Him, they sent messengers wearing tattered clothes, with rations of mouldy bread and torn wineskins--as evidence they had been on a long journey--when they were neighbours.  When their ruse became apparent, Joshua and the elders confronted them for their deceit yet were bound by their oath before God to spare their lives.

Joshua gave his sentence upon the Gibeonites in Joshua 9:23-27:  "Now therefore, you are cursed, and none of you shall be freed from being slaves--woodcutters and water carriers for the house of my God." ²⁴ So they answered Joshua and said, "Because your servants were clearly told that the LORD your God commanded His servant Moses to give you all the land, and to destroy all the inhabitants of the land from before you; therefore we were very much afraid for our lives because of you, and have done this thing. ²⁵ And now, here we are, in your hands; do with us as it seems good and right to do to us." ²⁶ So he did to them, and delivered them out of the hand of the children of Israel, so that they did not kill them. ²⁷ And that day Joshua made them woodcutters and water carriers for the congregation and for the altar of the LORD, in the place which He would choose, even to this day."

What Joshua framed as a curse turned out to be an incredible blessing, for the lives of the Gibeonites were spared and were given a position of service for the congregation and the altar of the LORD wherever God led His people.  The Gibeonites were given a role to support the Levites and priesthood who served in the tabernacle, providing wood for sacrifices and water for ceremonial cleansing.  People who were once under the sentence of death were given life and the privilege of serving the great God of Israel they feared all their days.  Their lives were not their own but to be poured out as living sacrifices unto the LORD who accepted them by grace.  Doesn't this closely resemble our standing as Christians by faith in Jesus Christ, having been purchased by His shed blood to serve and glorify Him forever?

The woodcutters and water carriers worked to provide the supplies required for the service of God's tabernacle, and unlike the high priest who wore special vestments they wore the clothing of common men.  Rather than standing above and blessing the people, their blessed God and His people with every swing of the axe, pull of the saw and the endless repetition of drawing and lugging water.  Their toil may have been unnoticed and unappreciated by man, but God knew their sacrifices and pains well.  He saw the splinters and blisters; God valued those who continued to toil even when priests their age had long since retired from public service.  The Gibeonites who were once outsiders and foreigners God brought near by His grace, and He allowed them to serve Him as His chosen inheritance.  Let us be as the Gibeonites in our service to Jesus Christ our great High Priest regardless of our role in ministry, content to faithfully serve the LORD out of sight so Christ may have the preeminence.

Royal Robes of Hypocrisy

Drawing attention to yourself is as popular as ever, especially in our day of social media, influencers and advertising dollars.  A child throwing a tantrum to get his way, protesters shouting slogans and holding signs, content creators, politicians and musicians--really anybody--can seek the spotlight to achieve their ends.  One potential of drawing attention to yourself means your hypocrisy can be exposed on a grand scale.  The preacher who delivers sermons on morality and decries sin loses credibility when he is shown to be guilty of adultery.  The one who claims climate change is the greatest crisis the world faces shows a double-standard by globetrotting aboard a private jet to spread the message.

Actions speak truer than words, and a person of integrity will be honest with others.  We say a building has structural integrity when it is built to code in a manner that can withstand normal conditions--not just having a new coat of paint.  Jesus pointed out the hypocrisy of the scribes and Pharisees who were "holier than thou" with their trappings of religion marked by clean robes, tassels and tefillin but inside resembled tombs filled with the bones of dead men.  They were like unmarked, unclean tombs that defiled everyone who passed by.  We have likely experienced sickness because we were around people who pretended they weren't sick, they were "just getting over a cold" when they were especially virulent and contagious.  It is better to admit to ourselves and everyone else we are sick so we will seek medical treatment and prevent the spread of illness to others.

This is also true when it comes to personal struggles.  We can feel it is important we put on a strong front or the appearance of gladness when we are sorrowing and grieving--perhaps because of our role in a family or the church.  Nehemiah was not seeking attention when the king astutely realised he was sad, and after seeking guidance from God Nehemiah told him exactly what was the matter:  Jerusalem lay in ruins and the people were suffering.  Nehemiah did not put on a sad face or try to draw attention to himself for sympathy or a break from work, but it was his love for his countrymen and the glory of God that moved him to grieve over the awful situation over many days.  King Jehoram (son of Ahab) took a different approach, for he tried to hide his grief perhaps thinking he could improve the morale of people who suffered the devastating impact of a Syrian siege.

As King Jehoram walked through Samaria, a woman called out to him for help.  Jehoram answered her sarcastically that he was not greater than God, for if God was not helping her how could he?  He was shocked when the woman explained what had happened, how she and another mum had eaten her son yesterday, and she complained the woman hid her son afterwards!  King Jeroham was overwhelmed by the plight of his people and powerlessness to help and 2 Kings 6:30 says:  "Now it happened, when the king heard the words of the woman, that he tore his clothes; and as he passed by on the wall, the people looked, and there underneath he had sackcloth on his body."  When the king tore his royal robes, the people noticed the king was wearing sackcloth underneath.  He walked through the city sporting royal attire to keep up the morale of the people as their ruler, but what he wore underneath was a more accurate picture of how his present state.  If God did not help him or his people, what could he do?

A better approach in troubled times was demonstrated by the heathen king of Nineveh who responded publicly to the preaching of Jonah.  This king did not pretend that everything was fine or put on a strong face to lead his people well.  Jonah 3:6 reads, "Then word came to the king of Nineveh; and he arose from his throne and laid aside his robe, covered himself with sackcloth and sat in ashes."  Now this is good leadership that arose from belief in God's word.  The king led by example by laying aside his robes and put on sackcloth, sat in ashes, and commanded all (animals included!) be clothed likewise, fast from food and water, turn from their wickedness, and cry mightily out to God, for he said in Jonah 3:9:  "Who can tell if God will turn and relent, and turn away from His fierce anger, so that we may not perish?"  And God did exactly that.  The king put on sackcloth before the judgment came, and the public grief for sin and repentance moved God to deliver and save.

For Jehoram and Samaria judgment from the LORD had already come by the hand of the Syrians as predicted in God's word, yet he walked around in his royal garments that concealed sackcloth.  Leviticus 26:29-30 outlined judgments God would bring upon His people for idolatry:  "You shall eat the flesh of your sons, and you shall eat the flesh of your daughters. ³⁰ I will destroy your high places, cut down your incense altars, and cast your carcasses on the lifeless forms of your idols; and My soul shall abhor you."  It seems the king of Israel did not have the belief in God's word the king of Nineveh did as spoken through the prophet Jonah.  Had king Jehoram put off his royal robes in repentance, put on sackcloth, turned from his wicked ways and cried out mightily to God at the start of the siege, the situation in Samaria may not have grown so dire before Jehoram's hypocrisy was exposed.  Who knows if God would have delivered His people quickly from their enemies and destruction?  The king of Nineveh and his people answer that question in the affirmative.  May we learn, rather than drawing attention to ourselves, to turn from our problems to the LORD in humility and faith, knowing He alone is our Saviour, help and deliverer.

Saved For God's Sake

Some people are really into saving stuff.  They cannot bear the thought of throwing away items they or someone else could possibly use someday.  I have seen people go into the bin to stuff they believed had value just to store it and collect dust.  It did cost money at one stage, so people hold onto it.  In the trash of others some see dollar signs, and others have dreams of restoring dilapidated furniture or making artwork that never seems to happen because they are in the business of acquiring--not giving things away.  I remember walking into a storeroom and seeing hundreds of dusty old plastic chairs stacked to the ceiling.  No one had sat on those chairs for a very long time, and there was a reason they had been replaced.  Why they had been saved without a practical purpose was the question burning in my mind.

Christians are people who are no strangers to saving.  We have been saved from sin, death and hell by faith in Jesus Christ, and we desire others would be saved too.  The Bible teaches us this is good and aligns with the will of the Father in the context for praying for all people in 1 Timothy 2:3-4:  "For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, ⁴ who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth."  Like people who save items they value from landfills, so we are to be those who reach out to save people from eternal destruction by sharing the Gospel--pulling them out of the fire as it written in Jude 23.  It is common for people to express great concern to me about unsaved loved ones and how they worry they will face God's wrath poured out on the world during the Great Tribulation.

All this focus on saving from wrath, sin and death is warranted, yet it is only one side of the story--and the less important part.  God's desire is to save us from death and hell, but He desires to save us for His glorious purposes, so we can share a relationship with the living God today.  God is not like a hoarder who loads a truck to save potentially valuable or useful stuff from ending up at the tip and packs his garage and house full.  He is not content to gather up souls off the scrap heap to save us from hell and then stuff us into an empty space in the closet or attic without further interactions.  He gives us a seat at His table for fellowship; He spends time speaking with us and listens to our concerns.  God gives us spiritual gifts with the filling of the Holy Spirit and makes us stewards of His kingdom.  He adopts us, not to keep us from going into a home for orphans, but because He has chosen us as His beloved children to dwell in us and we in Him by faith.  God has saved us to do good works He has ordained for us to do (Eph. 2:8-10).

Are you more concerned about people being saved from hell forever or that they be saved for a relationship with God today?  For as much as we care about people, shouldn't we love God enough to want people saved for His sake--since that is why He sent His Son Jesus to die and atone for sinners?  We want to see people saved when God wants people saved for His good and glorious purposes that include them.  He desires a personal relationship with us where He puts in all the work to reach out, to speak, listen, never forgets us, delights to do things together and remains faithful forever--and that we would freely love Him and others as He loves us.

Responding to Grace

On the subject of opening the door to Jesus who knocks, there is an insightful interaction in the Song of Solomon.  At one time the Shulamite was deeply smitten by the affection and love of her spouse, but when he came knocking at the door it was evident her feelings toward him had cooled.  He lovingly called out to her as he knocked, his hair wet by dew, yet she was reluctant to climb out of bed to let him in.

In response to her husband standing at the door, Song of Songs 5:3 shows the Shulamite's made herself of focus and attention:  "I have taken off my robe; how can I put it on again? I have washed my feet; how can I defile them?"  Her husband knocked at an inconvenient and unexpected time since she had already climbed into bed.  Getting up meant unwanted labour of dressing and likely needing to wash her feet again after walking on the ground.  She did not spare a thought of how cold and wet her spouse was as she considered whether to rise from bed or not.

But she did love her husband, and she wanted to see him.  She warmed to the idea of opening the door to her husband, and apparently took time preparing herself to be presentable.  Verse 5 describes her fingers dripping with liquid myrrh as she went to open the door, a valued fragrance used in beauty treatments.  To her surprise, when she opened the door her husband was nowhere to be found.  It seems clear that had she opened the door immediately at his voice, bounding out of bed as he had previously as he leapt across hills to be with her, she would have been swept up in his embrace--without a robe, dirty feet and all.

I wonder if Christians can be with Jesus like the Shulamite was with her husband she loved.  Rather than responding to His voice immediately, our thoughts make ourselves the focus when we ought to consider Christ who loves us.  We do the equivalent of trying to make ourselves presentable when He knows what a mess we are behind closed doors, like the lukewarm church of Laodicea, spiritually we are wretched, poor, blind and naked!  Because of the love Jesus has demonstrated for us, it is no inconvenience to rise at his voice.  Since it is Jesus who empowers us to do His will and can raise the dead to new life, He can strengthen us to rise--even if we are comfy in bed.

How blessed we are to be called to fellowship by our gracious Saviour who loves us!  The love Jesus for us is not based on our worthiness or readiness but shown by His willing, complete sacrifice for us.  Let us be those who respond to God's grace not because it is convenient but because He is worthy.

Ditching the Crutches

Years ago I tore my ACL and was on crutches for awhile during the rehabilitation process.  While I would have preferred not to have needed crutches to walk around, they helped me move more easily in the early days of recovery.  Right after surgery the medical team wanted me up and bending my leg, embracing the pain to be back on my feet and working towards full health.  My physical therapist gave me exercises to strengthen my body, and the plan was to rely on the crutches less and less.  After a couple of weeks, the crutches were stored in the garage where they have remained unused to this day--and hopefully will not be needed again.

The subject of crutches came up for me while studying this week.  After gathering the prophets of Baal and the people of Israel together to Mt. Carmel, the prophet of God Elijah addressed everyone in 1 Kings 18:21:  "And Elijah came to all the people, and said, "How long will you falter between two opinions? If the LORD is God, follow Him; but if Baal, follow him." But the people answered him not a word."  I looked up the Hebrew words translated "falter between two opinions" and it is to "limp between two crutches."  It was evident the loyalty and reliance of the people was split between the God of their fathers and Baal, an idol of Canaan.  The visual of a person limping on two crutches is compelling, for that is how some people relate to the almighty God.  They view Him as a means of support and help, and when the difficulty or pain has passed they put Him away.  In a time of need they will reach for Him again, just like I would those dusty crutches if I sprained my ankle or tore an ACL again.

This illustration begs the question:  don't we do God a grave dishonour to attempt to use Him as a crutch?  Crutches possess no power to heal our injuries, and their usefulness completely depends on our strength and dexterity.  It is entirely possible we have been like the children of Israel and faltered between two crutches, limping along trying to use God or anything else that will deliver us from pain or support us so we can arrive at our desired end.  God is not a crutch that we should lean on Him:  He is the God who saves, heals and guides us to walk with Jesus by faith, who raises us to new life.  Jesus healed the blind and lame; He opened the eyes of the blind, cleansed lepers and raised the dead!  Why should we be content to lean on Him when we are hurting but alternatively lean on idols or people, relying on our own faltering strength?

No one said a word after Elijah confronted the people for faltering between two opinions.  After the people saw God miraculously consume the offering Elijah offered with fire from heaven, 1 Kings 18:39 tells us, "Now when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces; and they said, "The LORD, He is God! The LORD, He is God!"  Like a lame man who jumps to his feet and casts aside his crutches having been miraculously made well by Jesus, the children of Israel fell on their faces and acknowledged the LORD is God alone.  God's will is for us to be living sacrifices unto Him, and by God's grace we have been made holy and acceptable to God by the shed blood of Jesus.  Even if our bodies carry old injuries, spiritually speaking we have been redeemed to have a relationship and by faith walk unencumbered with the living God today.  Those who try to use God like a crutch will remain spiritually lame--even if their faith in God is genuine.  Isn't it time to ditch the crutches?

Strife Prevention

During my time working as a union mechanical insulator, our industry expanded to include firestopping.  This had nothing to do with fighting fires but was intended to contain fires and prevent them from spreading--especially in commercial buildings.  Wherever ducts, pipes and electrical conduit penetrate concrete floors and walls, fire and toxic fumes could potentially spread and endanger the lives of people trying to evacuate.  Most applications required packing the penetration with rock wool and then adding a layer of firestop caulking that, when heated, would expand and fill the gap left by melted pipes or wiring.  Stopping the spread of fire allows more time for people to escape and for firefighters to extinguish the blaze.

While not everyone is trained to install firestopping, it is everyone's calling as children of God to be one who takes action to ensure the fires caused by lies, boasting or gossip stop with us.  As fire is contained by a fire-rated corridor or door, so we are to stand in the gap to recongise gossip and take no part in spreading it.  We sometimes cannot control what we hear, but we are called to ensure we honour God and edify others with our lips.  James showed how our tongues can express sin that spread like a fire and is shockingly destructive in James 3:5-6:  "Even so the tongue is a little member and boasts great things. See how great a forest a little fire kindles! ⁶ And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity. The tongue is so set among our members that it defiles the whole body, and sets on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire by hell."  A spark can set a whole forest alight, and a little gossip can burn relationships to the ground.

Once a fire is "out of control," there is little we can do to try to control it.  Prevention of fires is better than needing to fight them, and the science of fire is fairly straightforward:  a fire needs fuel, oxygen and an ignition source.  If any of these three are not present, fires will not start; if one of these is removed, a fire will cease to burn.  Proverbs 26:20 says, "Where there is no wood, the fire goes out; and where there is no talebearer, strife ceases."  Talebearers, busybodies and gossips--whatever you call them--provide the fuel for strife by saying things about others in a sinful manner.  Proverbs 20:19 gives insight how gossip and flattery can go together:  "He who goes about as a talebearer reveals secrets; therefore do not associate with one who flatters with his lips."  The NIV puts it like this:  "A gossip betrays a confidence; so avoid a man who talks too much."  A little gossip can do great damage, and thus we ought to carefully consider what we say and why.  Gossips are like arsonists that find perverse enjoyment in lighting fires.  Such have great pleasure in being in the know, spreading stories and seeing people's eyes widen in wonder at their words.

Proverbs 11:13 states, "A talebearer reveals secrets, but he who is of a faithful spirit conceals a matter."  It is estimated by some nearly half of the bushfires in Australia are deliberately lit, and I suspect a lot of people who hear and spread gossip are unaware they have done or are doing so due to the subtlety of sin.  Gossip, boasting, flattery and lying are easy for us as speaking.  Perhaps those who gossip imagine they are doing good, like firefighters who backburn to eliminate fuel before the summer heat.  Yet the Bible is clear that talebearing--regardless of the justification--only adds fuel to a fire to make it burn out of control and stirs up strife.  There will always be good stories to tell others, but be sure all stories you tell are your own and spoken to edify others.  Let us be those who snuff out the drifting embers or flames of gossip with the refreshing Living Water of the Holy Spirit, guided by love and truth.  We who used to be talebearers can now serve as talestoppers by God's grace and prevent strife.

Warning Signs and Red Flags

I remember driving up a mountain road and noticed warning signs of something being wrong with our car.  Suddenly my wife and I commented on a sweet smell, like syrup on pancakes.  Then I saw water pooling around the front edge of the bonnet that slowly reached like long fingers towards the windscreen.  As I saw the temperature gauge quickly begin to soar, it was evident our radiator had sprung a leak, and we were losing coolant fast.  Thankfully because I recognised the warning signs of mechanical failure, I was able to pull over and have the vehicle towed and organise the repair without additional damage.

Many times it is not until after something goes catastrophically wrong that we realise we missed some warning signs.  Many of us have shrugged off or explained away warnings signs as irrelevant which would have been red flags to the observant.  Absalom, David's son, had many red flags that preceded his rise to power by usurping his father's kingdom.  He was highly praised for his handsome appearance, but what took place in his heart and mind was proud, selfish and sinful.  He lack of fitness for being king was seen with how he handled conflicts long before he stole the hearts of the men of Israel.

Absalom arranged the execution of his half-brother Amnon after he raped his sister, Tamar.  Rather than going through the proper channels of justice, he waited two years to lure his brother to a celebration where he gave the order to kill Amnon after he had been drinking.  Absalom knew he had done wrong, and thus he fled to Geshur where he remained for three years.  At the king's command Joab brought Absalom back home to Israel.  When Joab did not respond to two messages sent by Absalom, Absalom commanded his servants to burn Joab's field of barley.  This was no harmless prank, and it certainly achieved Absalom's desire when Joab came to confront him.  Absalom felt perfectly justified in doing what he did because it accomplished his designs he was entitled to.  He felt his time was being wasted, and he was the one who mattered most.

The plot to slay his brother and the smoke that rose from Joab's field of barley were red flags about the  sinful character of the man who went on to seduce the people of Israel, undermine his father's authority, and resulted in declaring himself king.  His brief "reign" was marked by adultery, spies and a bloody battle that ended with his death.  Had he remained on the throne, it is likely the nation of Israel would have suffered much more of the same at the hands of this cruel, brutal tyrant who was highly praised of everyone for his handsome looks.  May God open our eyes to warning signs and make them red flags we do not ignore and charge past--especially when it comes to choosing people for leadership roles.  Absalom's treacherous and narcissistic path to power would be the same way he exercised that power:  for his own personal gain at the expense of everyone else.

Proverbs 20:9-11 says, "Who can say, "I have made my heart clean, I am pure from my sin"? ¹⁰ Diverse weights and diverse measures, they are both alike, an abomination to the LORD. ¹¹ Even a child is known by his deeds, whether what he does is pure and right."  No man is able to cleanse and purify their hearts from sin, for only God can do this.  He knows what is right and wrong, and Absalom was a man of diverse weights and measures:  he appeared as an upright man who cared for others, yet he really only cared for himself.  Good quality of character can be observed in a child, and Absalom's deeds showed who he was as a man.  Heeding warning signs and investigating further is the key to making important decisions that take God's word and wisdom into account.  As children of God, let us be those who take God's warnings to heart and do what is right.

Going Through the Motions

Though it seems there is always a chore that needs doing, it is satisfying when it is done.  It is pleasing to see your cleaning, sorting or arranging makes a tangible difference.  While the marks of the wheels of the lawn mower are fresh on the lawn and the brushes of the vacuum are plain in carpet, it is gratifying evidence of progress.  I have noticed myself at times going out of my way to take a moment to look at a completed job, to bask in the glow of a task finished well.

Today I had an interesting moment while doing a bit of vacuuming.  After using a car, appliance or tool for awhile, I become aware when things sound different.  Though my hearing isn't the greatest, it seemed the vacuum had a higher pitched whine than usual.  For awhile I thought little of it as the carpet bowed before the vacuum brushes like subjects paying homage to their king.  When I used the crevice tool, the suction seemed a bit weak so I opened the case.  I was surprised to find the bag full enough to restrict the suction of the machine.  After the new bag was installed, it was a brand new vacuum again.

At that stage, half of the carpet had already been vacuumed.  It occurred to me the brush marks in the carpet made it look like it had been vacuumed thoroughly--but due to the lack of suction, it wasn't done as well as it ought to have been.  It is like smells we associate with "clean," like the scent of pine.  Many times just bringing the mop bucket into the toilet led to comments how it "smells clean in here" when I hadn't done anything.  The distinctive smell of products like Pine-Sol and the look of brush marks in carpet pile can convey cleanliness when it is a mirage.  Cleaner needs to come into direct contact with soiled materials to clean them, and a vacuum needs to have room in the bag to lift hidden dust.

The full vacuum bag today was a good illustration that even as we can go through the motions of cleaning (without optimal cleaning taking place), we can go through the spiritual motions of reading the Bible, praying and serving without much benefit.  We have experienced the sweet fragrance of God's word but stopped short of applying it to our hearts; we can be so full of our own thoughts or have neglected to cast our cares on the LORD we stop short of receiving His goodness and grace.  We have put in the time in seeking the LORD, so to speak, but we have not encountered the LORD's presence because we did not prepare our hearts by humility and repentance of sin.  God forbid the machine of ministry would continue humming along and thus we neglect our need to be filled with and submit to the Holy Spirit.  Unless we are filled with the Holy Spirit and God's love, all our efforts will be largely ineffective and empty.

Let us remember what is written in 1 Corinthians 13:1-7:  "If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. ² If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. ³ If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing. ⁴ Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. ⁵ It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. ⁶ Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. ⁷ It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres."  Rather than going through the motions, may God's love purify our motives and move us to trust Him as we follow Jesus faithfully.

Word Like a Hammer

"Is not My word like a fire?" says the LORD, "And like a hammer that breaks the rock in pieces?"

Jeremiah 23:29

This verse follows on from God saying through the prophet, "What is the chaff to the wheat?"  The chaff is a thin, papery coating that is distinct from the edible wheat that can be planted and produce more grain.  God followed on to ask, "Is not My word like a fire?"  There was a statute in Israel that all spoil obtained from enemies was to be purified by fire if it could endure fire.  Dreams and prophesies were thus tested and approved by the absolute truth of God's word He had spoken.  God's word would consume the chaff of lies and deceit and reveal the living word God spoke through His faithful ministers that would bear much fruit.  As it is written in Psalm 12:6, "The words of the LORD are pure words, like silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times."

God then likened His word to a hammer that breaks the rock in pieces.  A hammer wielded by a worker is able to accomplish what is impossible with bare hands.  Sometimes a hammer is used to pulverise rocks, and this morning I used a roto hammer to separate bricks from concrete.  While power tools did not exist when the prophet Jeremiah spoke these words, God's word remains true and relevant to this day.  Not only does God's word have the power to break hard hearts, it can make an accurate impact on our hearts and minds.  In the context of distinguishing faith in God from unbelief, Hebrews 4:12 says:  "For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart."

For a hammer to be useful, it needs to be accurately swung.  While separating concrete bedding from pavers, it was important to place the chisel bit in the correct location to create cleavage between the different materials.  It is important we do not use the Bible as a hammer to bash people, but that we humbly allow the Holy Spirit to administer the impact of God's word where it is best needed.  Because we cannot know people's hearts (or perfectly discern our own thoughts and motivations) we are called to exercise faith God is able to safely use all His word in a refining, purifying and constructive way.

Jesus said in John 16:12-14, "I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. ¹³ However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come. ¹⁴ He will glorify Me, for He will take of what is Mine and declare it to you."  Our call is to trust God by obeying His word and to leave all the "hammering" on others to God.  Not only does God always and only speak the truth, but God is perfectly accurate to accomplish His purposes by the redemptive work of His word in our hearts.  His word is able to make quicker work in the minds and lives of His humble children than a roto hammer through concrete bedding.

Remember God and King

Knowing we are to bear the infirmities of the weak and to edify one another according to Christ's example, Paul wrote of the Bible in Romans 15:4:  "For whatever things were written before were written for our learning, that we through the patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope."  Reading the Scripture illuminates our hearts and minds to reveal the truth about us with the light of God's wisdom, that we naturally follow examples of those who did not trust or rely upon God.  The Bible also illustrates time and again the confidence we can have in God who is faithful to deliver people from sin, adversaries and troubled hearts.

None of us are strangers to bad news, and it seems with the lightning speed of the internet bad news reaches our ears and eyes faster than ever.  Paul's teaching leads us to conclude that what happened in Israel long ago--before the advent of what we call snail mail--remains relevant and edifying for us today.  In 1 Samuel 11, Nahash the Ammonite rose up and encamped against Jabesh-Gilead.  He offered them conditions of peace on the condition he could gouge out every person's right eye.  It doesn't take a genius to know these were terrible and unacceptable terms.  But the men of Jabesh-Gilead responded with a request for 7 days of respite during which they would send messengers with a plea to come to their aid.  If no one responded, they grimly agreed with being disfigured and reproached to save their lives.

From a Christian perspective, it is strange the men of Jabesh-Gilead did not seek the LORD.  They also did not consider Saul had been anointed king to lead God's people to victory in battle.  It was as if in the minds of the people God nor the king He anointed existed, and the people of Jabesh-Gilead had absolutely no confidence in anyone responding to their alarming message.  The passage goes on to say messengers from Jabesh-Gilead arrived at Gibeah where king Saul lived.  Instead of seeking audience with the king in person, they told the bad news to the people.   1 Samuel 11:4-5 reads, "So the messengers came to Gibeah of Saul and told the news in the hearing of the people. And all the people lifted up their voices and wept. ⁵ Now there was Saul, coming behind the herd from the field; and Saul said, "What troubles the people, that they weep?" And they told him the words of the men of Jabesh."  The response of the people of Gibeah were as faithless as those of Jabesh-Gilead, for they too mourned without thought of God or their king without any expectation of help, hope or deliverance!

It was only after Saul inquired he heard what was the matter in 1 Samuel 11:6-7:  "Then the Spirit of God came upon Saul when he heard this news, and his anger was greatly aroused. ⁷ So he took a yoke of oxen and cut them in pieces, and sent them throughout all the territory of Israel by the hands of messengers, saying, "Whoever does not go out with Saul and Samuel to battle, so it shall be done to his oxen." And the fear of the LORD fell on the people, and they came out with one consent."  When the king was finally informed of the trouble the people of Jabesh-Gilead faced, the Spirit of God came upon Saul and he mustered the people to battle immediately.  Within a day the people of Jabesh-Gilead were delivered from Nahash the Ammonite by God's grace, and Saul's actions galvanised the nation Israel in the fear of God.

Because this passage has been provided for our learning, it reveals the tendency of God's people upon hearing bad news is not to consider the promises, presence or power of God--nor the King He has ordained.  In the case of Christians today, when situations cause us to feel powerless and helpless, we can send messages to other men rather than seeking the LORD.  When we hear bad news that overwhelms us concerning others, we can grieve and mourn without any thought of our anointed King Jesus who is a deliverer and Saviour.  We would love to see ourselves as king Saul in this analogy, but even Saul could not do anything to help unless he had been first filled with the Holy Spirit and given wisdom by God.  It is good for us to own the fact we naturally and perhaps often resemble the men of Jabesh-Gilead and Gibeah so we might change our ways in the fear of God and look to Jesus our Saviour as we cast our cares upon Him.

Seeing the Big Picture

While drawing spiritual parallels from biblical historical accounts can provide insights, we must remain vigilant to survey the big picture.  For example, this morning I read 1 Samuel 7 which explains how the Ark of the Covenant remained in the home of Abinadab for 20 years before the children of Israel returned to the LORD with all their hearts, put away their idols and served God only.  For a long time the nation of Israel had been oppressed by the Philistines, and drawing near to God according to His covenant was an important step in their restoration.  The Hebrews gathered at the word of Samuel and humbled themselves before God in acknowledging their sin with fasting and repentance.

The Philistines heard the Hebrews had gathered in Mizpeh, and they decided it provided an opportune time to attack.  The people were likely weakened from their fast and not organised to fight a battle, so it seemed they would be easy prey.  Some might read this passage and draw a spiritual parallel, that when God's people take steps to be right with God and serve Him the enemy of our souls will muster forces to attack.  We do observe it was after Jesus was led by the Holy Spirit into the wilderness and hungry from an extended fast Satan tempted Jesus to turn stones into bread.  While this interpretation may have merit, it is not the whole story.  If we hold fast to this interpretation of events on a spiritual level, we do a disservice to ignore what happened later.  Focusing on the enemy attack or satanic temptation results in poor--even unbiblical--personal application.

When the people saw the advancing Philistines, they were afraid and asked Samuel to intercede on their behalf with God.  Samuel cried out to God, and God heard him.  1 Samuel 7:10 reads, "Now as Samuel was offering up the burnt offering, the Philistines drew near to battle against Israel. But the LORD thundered with a loud thunder upon the Philistines that day, and so confused them that they were overcome before Israel."  In response to the cries of His people, God delivered them from their adversaries with a mighty hand, for He thundered against them.  The passage goes on to say in 1 Samuel 7:13-14, "So the Philistines were subdued, and they did not come anymore into the territory of Israel. And the hand of the LORD was against the Philistines all the days of Samuel. ¹⁴ Then the cities which the Philistines had taken from Israel were restored to Israel, from Ekron to Gath; and Israel recovered its territory from the hands of the Philistines. Also there was peace between Israel and the Amorites."  When the enemies of Israel seized an opportunity to fight and overcome Israel, God fought for His people, overcame their enemies, kept the Philistines out of Israel's territory, and restored cities long inhabited by Philistines!  God brought peace where there had only been oppression and warfare.

For those who would use the 1 Samuel 7 passage to suggest we ought to expect opposition when we turn to the LORD and serve Him wholly, we also ought to praise God because He will deliver us!  After the temptations of Satan proved futile, the Gospels of Matthew and Mark say after the devil left him angels came and ministered unto Him.  God allowed Job to suffer at the hands of Satan with the aim to doubly bless him in the end and reveal His compassion and mercy (James 5:11).  The devil imagined he could destroy Jesus on Calvary, but by God's grace the death of Jesus ushered in the means of justification and salvation for all sinners forever.  From these passages the big picture is revealed, that whenever God allows attacks and trials God is able to redeem them as a massive win for those who love Him.

If we only focus on the likelihood of attacks for seeking the LORD and serving Him, it follows people may conclude opposition is validation of their piety.  A better interpretation and application is to realise our sovereign God is able to deliver, save and minister to us because He preserves us by His grace.  Let us be those who cry out to Him for salvation and abide in His word.  John 8:31-32 says, "Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, "If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. ³² And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free."  In Christ we are free from the shackles of worry, sin, fear and pride, and we are free to worship, praise and thank God for His salvation.  As it is written in Psalm 34:6, "This poor man cried out, and the LORD heard him, and saved him out of all his troubles."  More than focusing on enemy attacks or what we must do to overcome, how good it is to rejoice in our Saviour who hears and saves us out of all our troubles.

The Shoulder Incident(s)

This morning I was reminded of a surprise revelation when I went to the doctor about shoulder discomfort.  While playing baseball, I stumbled and rolled onto my shoulder in tagging out a baserunner hung up between third base and home.  I ended up separating my shoulder and damaging the AC joint when I landed heavily on it.  There was no question what I did that hurt myself, but I was quite surprised after the doctor looked at scans.

The x-ray brought to light I had--at some point prior without my knowledge--sustained a Hills-Sachs fracture of the shoulder.  I could only theorise what had happened.  Maybe it happened when I injured my shoulder throwing a baseball during high school or at a point during my working career.  Looking at the scan it was clear there had been trauma to the shoulder, even though I could not say when it happened or what caused it.  Healing had taken place but the evidence of the break remained.

My situation illustrates to me the grace of God who enabled me to press on with playing baseball, worked in a trade to provide for my family, and continue living as if I had never sustained an injury.  God is faithful to protect and help us when we cannot help ourselves.  The LORD did a similar thing for me mentally and emotionally when I went to 8th grade after being homeschooled for years.  I remember in my adulthood I ran into one of my classmates in a Bible study where he apologised profusely for bullying me in school.  Honestly, I could not recall a single thing he did or said that disturbed or troubled me.  It was another case of God's protecting, healing hand upon my life when I was clueless of how completely I needed Him.

The separated shoulder event I knew perfectly well happened also had a valuable takeaway.  Rather than throwing the ball to my teammate to tag the runner, my lack of confidence in his ability and self-confidence led me to overexert myself by taking matters into my own hands.  Sure, the runner was tagged out, but it came at a heavy cost that has impacted my ability to sleep on that side every night until this day.  I should have distributed the responsibility to make the play to my teammate by throwing him the ball, yet the priceless lesson of learning to trust the LORD by entrusting important tasks to others has served me well.  Pain is a skilled teacher, but the LORD is the greatest Teacher because He can use every experience of life--and the experiences of others--to teach us life-changing lessons money cannot buy.