Wait For God

"Are there any among the idols of the nations that can cause rain? Or can the heavens give showers? Are You not He, O LORD our God? Therefore we will wait for You, since You have made all these."

Jeremiah 14:22

The prophet Jeremiah interceded in prayer on behalf of the children of Israel in the midst of drought.  Unlike those who offered sacrifices and incense to idols in the hope of bringing rain, Jeremiah looked to the God who created the heavens and earth.  There was no power in idols or the heavens itself to bring rain, for the heavens were shut up overhead as the water evaporated, grass withered and beasts perished.  There was no sense in looking anywhere else for the water God created and could provide, and thus Jeremiah determined to wait for Him.

Waiting is something we do not naturally enjoy--especially if we have been conditioned to believe we are entitled to speedy service, convenience and ease without effort.  Since patience is a fruit of the Spirit, the implication is our flesh tends to rush, hurry, worry and fret when our needs are not met.  If we discover our regular shop is out of a product we want, we go to another shop.  If our efforts are still frustrated, we check our online ordering options; we message friends, make calls or chat with bots.  We are persistent with our impatience over things we want:  how much more desperate we would be to supply our needs if we lacked water for drinking, cooking or washing, when our lives depended on it?

As I considered waiting for God's provision, guidance and answer to prayer, I was reminded of how we used to call people on a "landline" years ago with a rotary or push-button phone.  After the phone number was dialed, the caller could hear a click of a connection being made and subsequent ringing.  Some phones would ring and ring while others were connected to an answering machine that would record a message.  Because phones were not portable in those days, it would take several rings for someone to hear the phone and answer.  An impatient caller would let the phone ring, and as soon as the answering machine began a recorded greeting would hang up, wait for a few seconds, and call back again.  Some people preferred to "screen" their calls and waited for the caller to start talking--and if they knew the caller and felt like talking would pick up.  If the caller was unwilling to leave a message, however, communication would not happen.

It struck me today when it comes to waiting for God, we can be like that impatient phone caller with God.  When we don't receive an immediate answer we do the equivalent of hanging up and vent our complaints to anyone who will listen.  Verses like Isaiah 65:24 demonstrate God's omniscience and does not need to "screen" calls or requires caller ID to know intimately the needs of everyone who cries out  to Him:  "It shall come to pass that before they call, I will answer; and while they are still speaking, I will hear."  God would have us demonstrate our faith in seeking God and waiting for Him, trusting He will provide for our needs.  Jesus taught in Matthew 6:30, "Now if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?"  Only God who created us is able to meet our needs, and let us be those willing to patiently wait for God's answer.

Newness of Life

"Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life."

Romans 6:4

Because God is the creator of all things, He can also make "all things new."  This is not speaking figuratively or spiritually but literally and truly.  It is possible for the newness of the life we have in Christ to wear off on us because we can quickly become dull, forgetful and unwise.  If we are not actively looking to the LORD Jesus and consider Him, we can become wearied and faint in our minds (Hebrews 12:1-3).  Thankfully it is not by our good performance or the willpower of our flesh where our strength lies, for the LORD is the strength of our hearts and the lifter of our heads.

Paul spoke of Jesus who was pierced, battered and bloodied on the cross where He died and was buried.  He contrasted the body of Jesus dead three days with Jesus risen from the dead glorified, and His disciples were able to converse with Him, touch Him and confirm He was truly living.  The difference between the dead body of Jesus and the risen Christ was stark, and this is the difference God makes in the lives of believers who are born again by faith in Him.  We were once dead in sins, and having been crucified with Christ now we have been raised to new life in Him.  Thus we ought to walk in newness of life, for the life of Jesus is now being lived out through us.

The marked change in God's people in Isaiah 17:7-8 illustrates this fundamental change of perspective and life from within:  "In that day a man will look to his Maker, and his eyes will have respect for the Holy One of Israel. ⁸ He will not look to the altars, the work of his hands; he will not respect what his fingers have made, nor the wooden images nor the incense altars."  God is able to change the outlook of people and what they value.  The prophet spoke of a man whose habit and preference was to look to his shrines and the idolatrous works of his own hands for help and guidance--who suddenly looks to his Maker with respect and adoration.  Instead of man tending to look to what he made himself, God draws our attention to our creator who made us in His image.

Coming to Jesus Christ as our Saviour doesn't merely impact part of our lives--a spiritual itch that needs scratching--but results in a transformation from the inside out.  While this change is divinely enabled, we have a role to play in learning to forsake sin and to do what pleases God as is written in 1 Thessalonians 4:3-5:  "It is God's will that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality; ⁴ that each of you should learn to control his own body in a way that is holy and honorable, ⁵ not in passionate lust like the heathen, who do not know God..." (NIV)  Self-control is a fruit of the Spirit, and this good fruit is produced in our lives by choosing to deny oneself and willingly submit to God.  Paul exhorted Romans 6:19 that as Christians used to present ourselves as slaves of uncleanness, we are to present ourselves as slaves of righteousness for holiness.  Because Jesus makes all things new, He cares about all aspects of our lives--inside and out--for good.

Change of the Heart

"Can the Ethiopian change his skin or the leopard its spots? Then may you also do good who are accustomed to do evil."

Jeremiah 13:23

Through the prophet Jeremiah, God revealed the true condition of His people:  as those who followed the dictates of their own hearts, they were unable to do good.  Their sinful habits were so ingrained in them, such an intrinsic part of their nature, they were incapable of change.  While the world often assumes man is basically good and will make the best choices if given opportunity, the Bible reveals man's natural inclination, preference and custom is to gravitate toward sin and settle down there like a hog in the mire.

As I considered this verse, I was reminded of "A Christmas Carol" by Charles Dickens.  In film adaptations, the grumpy and stingy Ebeneezer Scrooge was particularly surly during Christmas, for he viewed the celebrations, feasts, gifts and extra expense as "humbug."  The night before Christmas, Scrooge was visited by the ghostly apparition of his deceased partner Jacob Marley who warned him of a tortured existence that awaited him.  Scrooge was given a glimpse into Christmas past, present and the future by three spirits, and the visions of that night opened his eyes to see how greedy and miserly he had been.  He was given a view of a ghastly future that could possibly be averted by a changed life.  The heartwarming part of the story is when Scrooge awoke on Christmas day a changed man:  generous, thoughtful and kind, the epitome of merry goodwill towards men.

While these films are enjoyable Christmas classics, from a biblical perspective they are works of romantic fiction gilded with humanism.  Somehow the frightful experiences of the night almost by magic stirred up gladness and generosity in the heart of Scrooge when he was a man with absolute poverty of soul.  Where did such carefree richness of generosity come from?  A leopard would change its spots before a Scrooge would.  Based on Jeremiah 13:23, such a marked transformation of a person that enables him do "better than his word" is impossible--that is, unless God miraculously does the changing!  The fear of death has no power to help people break off their sinful habits, and feeling lonely cannot change a man for good and free him of greed.  We have no power to redeem ourselves regardless how hard we try, but Jesus is able to redeem us by the Gospel.

"The Grinch Who Stole Christmas" by Dr. Seuss hints at the truth when the scheming, thieving Grinch stops short of dumping all the goods of Whoville when he heard them singing--despite the loss of all their food, toys and Christmas trees.  "Maybe Christmas," he thought, "means a little bit more."  Dr. Seuss leaves a blank for the reader or viewer to fill, and it is a void that is satisfied by Jesus Christ alone.  God is the only one who can make a heart three sizes or larger in an instant as 1 Kings 4:29:  "And God gave Solomon wisdom and exceedingly great understanding, and largeness of heart like the sand on the seashore."  God is able to make a person's heart far larger than any ribcage!  God is able to remove a heart of stone and replace it with a feeling, loving heart as He promised to His people (Ezekiel 36:26).  Only the God who created us can create in us a new heart (Ps. 51:10).

Jesus in His World

"Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, "I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life."

John 8:12

How blessed we are that God has given His only begotten Son Jesus to be the Saviour of the world!  One thing I love about the Bible is how Jesus is the central figure in it from beginning to end.  The first verse of Genesis tells us, "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth."  The Gospel of John starts this way in John 1:1-3:  "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. ² He was in the beginning with God. ³ All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made."  The celebration of Christmas reminds Christians how God did not remain distant from the world or mankind He created, but God put on human flesh in the person of Jesus so we might know Him and so He could save us from our sins.

The apostle John began his first epistle in 1 John 1:1-3 with his eyewitness account of Jesus:  "That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, concerning the Word of life--² the life was manifested, and we have seen, and bear witness, and declare to you that eternal life which was with the Father and was manifested to us--³ that which we have seen and heard we declare to you, that you also may have fellowship with us; and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ."  Jesus is the light of the world, the Word of life, the Word that became flesh, and He has manifested eternal life to us through the Gospel.  God is eternal and living, and from Him all living things have come.  Life has never been observed as arising spontaneously or by any means from what was not living.

Life is truly wonderful, and because this world is teeming with life the enormity of the implications of life's existence may be lost on us.  The fact we are alive is a little thing in itself, but it point to the clear fact life has been passed down to us.  Go all the way to the beginning and the living, eternal God was there--one God revealed in the Father, Son (Word) and Holy Spirit.  This reality impacts not only our past but our present and future.  Knowing we have been created by God for God, we ought to live our lives to glorify, praise and serve Him.  Having received assurance of eternal life by faith in Jesus, we are content knowing when we put off this mortal frame we will be gathered to the presence of our Saviour in eternal glory where we will live with Him forever with His redeemed saints.

It would be tragic to be alive and not realise our living Creator and His divine purpose for living.  We would be remiss to see the sun rise every day and not consider Jesus Christ is the light of the world who spoke the sun into existence.  To light the candles of the Menorah without recognising Jesus is the light of the world would be to miss praising God who always does miracles, who breathed life into dust and made man, who came as the light of the world to a world darkened by the spectre of sin and death.  To give and receive gifts on Christmas without realising Jesus is the greatest gift ever given we ought to treasure every day is to miss out on who is most important.  We can be central in our thoughts and little worlds we try to maintain for ourselves, but how blessed we are to make Jesus central and serve Him.  May the LORD open our eyes to perceive God as central in His word and His world God allows us to inhabit for a season.

The Giver is Greater Than the Gift

"Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning."

James 1:17

Our lives and all we have is a gift from God, and God is infinitely greater than His gifts.  Our flesh is prone to love the gift more than the giver because we naturally treasure ourselves over all others.  When Jesus gave 10 lepers the gift of cleansing and restoration to family and society because they cried out to Him, only one of them returned to even give thanks.  They were pleased to receive cleansing and go their own way, but a Samaritan among them recognised the greatness of Jesus who cleansed him and glorified God with thanks.

During my life I have been blessed to receive many gifts from loving, thoughtful and generous people.  I don't know that anyone has been more blessed than me by God's grace shown through immediate and extended family, friends and the body of Christ, the church.  In some cases, I received tools and possessions from my grandfathers and my dad before they passed away.  The generous gifts they gave me--even the intangible ones--cannot compare with them as people.  Having them around would be more precious and valuable than antique tools and rare artefacts that sit in my garage or on a shelf.  It is easy to see people we love are far greater than any gift they could give, even as the altar is greater than a gift offered on it.

In the parable Jesus told of the prodigal son, it could be said the younger son who demanded his inheritance loved the monetary gift more than his father who granted his request.  In the story, the wayward son had the opportunity to return to his father after he wasted his inheritance, and this is the opportunity God extends to all people as long as we live on earth.  The temporal things God gives us can be wasted, stolen or be parted from us, yet we can return to the LORD who was, is and will always be.  God who has given us life on earth provides the promise of eternal life to all who trust in Him, and His presence is a most generous gift which will never be withdrawn from His redeemed, beloved children.

The gifts which can mean so much to us were all provided by a giver who ought to be more precious and valued in our eyes than anything we have received.  The greatest of all givers is God, for every good and perfect gift is from Him--and He never changes.  I have with gratitude received gifts from people I have not spoken to in years because it seems their view of me has changed for whatever reason; evidently our relationship is not close as it once was.  But God is never far from those who seek Him, for Jesus has promised He will never leave or forsake us.  The giver is greater than the gift, and may we continue to return to God with thankful hearts for all He gives.

Enter Into Peace

God's thoughts and ways are past finding out, yet He miraculously reveals Himself to those who trust and seek Him.  The Bible is full of revelations from God for people in ancient times as well as today, for God does not change.  His word and wisdom are timeless and will endure forever--even after the heavens and earth pass away.

Today I read a passage that sheds light on God's ways in Isaiah 57:1-2 that we do not naturally consider:  "The righteous perishes, and no man takes it to heart; merciful men are taken away, while no one considers that the righteous is taken away from evil. ² He shall enter into peace; they shall rest in their beds, each one walking in his uprightness."  Though God has created mankind in His image, there is great diversity between each one of us.  We all have bodies with faces, our own personalities and perspectives, and how different they can be from others!  Even as God designed each one of us individually, knitting us together in the wombs of our mothers, God knows when we will be born and the day and hour when we will breathe our last.  God-fearing people have been killed in tragedies, and others died in their beds before tragedy struck.

When we suffer the loss of a godly friend or family member, we can keenly feel the loss.  The prophet Isaiah made the point in his day righteous people perished and they were not mourned.  It never entered into the minds of people the timing of their death was ordained by God to prevent them from experiencing coming judgment for evil.  We see an example of this when the wife of Jeroboam came to the prophet Ahijah to inquire concerning a prognosis for Abijah, her young son who was gravely ill.  Ahijah gave her the bad tidings he was sent to give her in 1 Kings 14:10-13 as a result of Jeroboam's sin:  "...therefore behold! I will bring disaster on the house of Jeroboam, and will cut off from Jeroboam every male in Israel, bond and free; I will take away the remnant of the house of Jeroboam, as one takes away refuse until it is all gone. ¹¹ The dogs shall eat whoever belongs to Jeroboam and dies in the city, and the birds of the air shall eat whoever dies in the field; for the LORD has spoken!" ¹² Arise therefore, go to your own house. When your feet enter the city, the child shall die. ¹³ And all Israel shall mourn for him and bury him, for he is the only one of Jeroboam who shall come to the grave, because in him there is found something good toward the LORD God of Israel in the house of Jeroboam."

God would bring disaster upon Jeroboam, and in days to come the men of his house would be denied the honour of a burial and memorial.  Their carcasses would be scavenged by dogs and carrion birds--with the exception of young Abijah, whose death would be lamented and he would be buried with royal honour.  Why would he die in his youth?  Not because he would grow up to be a vile person, but God saw in him as a child "something good toward the LORD God of Israel" in all Jeroboam's house.  God knew what He had in this little lad, and when everyone wished for his full recovery God was pleased to bring him home--knowing the great evil that would befall the house of Jeroboam on account of sin.  Those who share the perspective of the apostle Paul who preferred to be absent from the body and to be present with the LORD can gladly welcome God's wisdom, mercy and salvation (in His time and way) when He ushers us into peace in God's presence forever, home at last with our Saviour Jesus Christ.

The death of the body precedes being present with the LORD in eternal glory.  Since our righteousness is in Christ who rose from the dead, though our bodies will die our spirits will live--clothed in a new body that will never see corruption.  It is natural to mourn the loss of a loved one, but we never need mourn the present condition of the redeemed, glorified soul who is finally where they belong:  in peace and rest forever.  What peace we have in Jesus who is our Peace!

To God Belong Escapes from Death

"Blessed be the Lord, who daily loads us with benefits, the God of our salvation! Selah ²⁰ Our God is the God of salvation; and to GOD the Lord belong escapes from death."

Psalm 68:19-20

The LORD reminded me today that to Him belong escapes from death, for He is the God of our salvation.  This is a theme found throughout the Bible, and the book of Daniel provides several examples.  Daniel and his companions were spared from death when Israel was defeated by Babylon, and they were brought to Babylon to be trained, tested and serve king Nebuchadnezzar.

When the king became furious with his wise men and astrologers who could not tell the king what he had dreamed and suggested his request was unreasonable, he ordered their execution--Daniel and his fellow Hebrews included.  They cried out to God in prayer and appealed for Him to reveal the king's secret in His mercy.  After praising God, Daniel went before the king and told him the dream and interpretation which concerned the latter days, and the lives of Daniel and the rest of the wise men were spared.

King Nebuchadnezzar later constructed a massive image of gold and commanded all his assembled princes, governors and leaders to bow in worship when music was played--or else they would be thrown alive into a burning furnace which was on site and prepared for the occasion.  When Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego refused to bow before the image, they were hauled before Nebuchadnezzar himself.  He gave them a final opportunity to bow and said, "If you do not fall down and worship before the image I made, that same hour you will be cast into a burning fiery furnace:  and who is that God that shall deliver you out of my hands?"  Well, the king was given a first-hand opportunity to witness the God of Israel do just that, for He saved His servants who trusted in Him:  the LORD to whom belong escapes from death.  Though the heat was increased sevenfold, God preserved the lives of Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego.

After Babylon fell before the Medes and Persians, Daniel was promoted by king Darius to be first of three overseers of 120 princes over the whole kingdom.  Envious men proposed legislation with an aim to destroy Daniel, saying if someone over a 30 day period prayed to anyone other than the king, those guilty would be thrown into the lion's den--knowing Daniel would continue to pray to the God of his fathers.  It all happened as they hoped:  Daniel prayed to God, he was convicted under a law that could not be altered, and he was thrown into the lion's den.  What they had not counted on was God sent His angel to shut the lion's mouths and they were unable to harm him!  Daniel emerged from the den of ravenous lions unharmed.  To God belong escapes from death He grants to those who trust in Him!

In contrast Psalm 68:21 says, "But God will wound the head of His enemies, the hairy scalp of the one who still goes on in His trespasses."  The wicked men who conspired against Daniel and accused him, by the command of the king they were rounded up with their families and the lions broke their bones in pieces before they came to the bottom of the den.  As Nebuchadnezzar learned--following God saving him from his deadly pride--that all His works are truth, His ways judgment, and all who walk in pride God is able to abase.  King Darius declared in Daniel 6:26-27:  "I make a decree that in every dominion of my kingdom men must tremble and fear before the God of Daniel. For He is the living God, and steadfast forever; His kingdom is the one which shall not be destroyed, and His dominion shall endure to the end. ²⁷ He delivers and rescues, and He works signs and wonders in heaven and on earth, who has delivered Daniel from the power of the lions."

God or Mammon

"No servant can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon."

Luke 16:13

"Mammon" is a word I have never heard in everyday conversation, and this is a likely factor why it is not understood.  The most common alternative in Bible translations for mammon is "money" (capitalised in the NIV), but the meaning is greater than dollars and cents.  In his book The Call, Os Guinness goes beyond a definition to provide a useful description that helps us better understand Christ's meaning:

"Jesus' use of Mammon (Aramaic for wealth) is unique--he gave it a strength and precision that the word never had before.  He did not usually personify things, let alone deify them.  And neither the Jews nor the nearby pagans knew a god by this name.  But what Jesus says in speaking of Mammon is that money is a power--and not in a vague sense, as in the "force" of words.  Rather, money is a power in the sense that it is an active agent with decisive spiritual power and is never neutral.  It is a power before we use it, not simply as we use it or whether we use it well or badly.

As such Mammon is a genuine rival to God.  The recurring biblical demand confronts us:  "You shall not worship the work of your hands."  Jesus challenged his hearers to choose one master or another--God or Mammon.  Either we serve God and use money or we serve money and use God.  Ultimately we follow what we have loved most intensely to its natural destination--eternity or death--"for where your treasure is, there will your heart be also." (Guinness, Os. The Call: Finding and Fulfilling the Central Purpose of Your Life. Thomas Nelson, 2003. pages 134-135)

God is the Creator and giver of all gifts, and good things God has provided can lead to a spiritual mutiny in our souls, and our flesh tends to corruptly serve the gift rather than the giver.  Jesus illustrated the impossibility of serving two masters:  if one master said to kneel and another demands the servant stand, only one of the commands could be followed.  A servant obeys the master he loves, whilst the master he disobeys he plainly loves less.  Loyalty to Jesus Christ can be shown in our Spirit-led stewardship of the wealth He gives us, and if we are ruled by money we are not walking in obedience to God.  Our flesh suggests it is possible to please both masters, as if wealth and gain is a guarantee of God's approval--that wealth and God are the same--bringing down God to the level of money we control.  Jesus struck a contrast between God and mammon so His followers would not fall for this selfish ruse.  What we serve demonstrates who we love most.

In contract negotiations for big money in sport, government or business people will say, "It's not about the money."  It would be naive and deceitful to say money has nothing to do with it, otherwise people would contribute their skills, talents and time without financial renumeration.  Jesus put Himself opposite mammon because our desires, ambitions and needs are God's rivals we naturally side with.  In denying ourselves, taking up our cross daily and following Him, we are called to look to Jesus to guide us in giving when we would rather sock it away or spend it on ourselves.  Our flesh would rather have  the financial security that comes from having money in the bank when God would have us learn to find our present and eternal security in Him alone.  As we regularly give a portion of increase God gives us back to Him (1 Cor. 16:2), the power money once had over us is shattered and we begin to realise the inestimable wealth we have in Jesus.  If money management is a pain point, the LORD may stretch  us on the rack of divided loyalty so we might repent and experience the freedom and joy of giving freely as God does to us.

The New and Living Way

In family Bible reading, we have come to a series of psalms that provide brief overviews that testify of God's wondrous dealings and faithfulness to the children of Israel.  In facing present difficulties, how good it is to fix our eyes on God and consider His awesome and marvellous ways.  In a world that exuberantly shouts out the Fleetwood Mac refrain "You can go your own way!" and is intent on asserting and pleasing self, God has provided the only way to eternal life by faith in Jesus Christ.  This is a life free of bondage to sin, self and death entered into by denying self and following Jesus.

To the children of Israel who faced attacks from Assyria, would ultimately fall to Babylon and be brought into captivity for 70 years, in God there remained hope of a glorious future.  Through the prophet the LORD declared in Isaiah 43:15-19:  "I am the LORD, your Holy One, the Creator of Israel, your King." ¹⁶ Thus says the LORD, who makes a way in the sea and a path through the mighty waters, ¹⁷ who brings forth the chariot and horse, the army and the power (they shall lie down together, they shall not rise; they are extinguished, they are quenched like a wick): ¹⁸ "Do not remember the former things, nor consider the things of old. ¹⁹ Behold, I will do a new thing, now it shall spring forth; shall you not know it? I will even make a road in the wilderness and rivers in the desert."

God's word hearkened back to His mighty power displayed during the exodus from Egypt when He made a way through the Red Sea to deliver His people from the Egyptian army that pursued them.  The "way" God made was much more than just a way out of trouble but the way of salvation by faith in God.  For the Hebrews, God's way was entered into by faith and literally was a path to life, leading to fellowship and worship of God, and the destruction of their enemies.  To people who would be brought into captivity in Babylon, God would do a new thing, making a road back from captivity to Jerusalem and the land of promise.  As God miraculously caused water to flow from the rock in the wilderness, God would provide safe passage and supply all their needs in the desert.

Another way God fulfilled this word was heralded by John the Baptist who in the wilderness prepared the way for the revelation of Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world.  In a spiritually dry and barren world, Jesus identified Himself as the Way, the Truth and the Life (John 14:6).  Jesus said whoever believes on Him will out of his belly flow rivers of Living Water, speaking of the Holy Spirit the Father would send.  Going our own way brought us to ruin, yet God has provided a new and living way to God through faith in Jesus--the One who bid all who are thirsty to come to Him and drink (John 7:37-38).  The Hebrews drank water from the rock in the wilderness and thirsted again, yet those who come to Jesus by faith--the living Way God has provided--will ask and receive the Holy Spirit who is a fountain that springs up within us into everlasting life (John 4:10-14).

Settled Gladness

"Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice!"

Philippians 4:4

Paul exhorted and instructed Christians to rejoice in the LORD always, and this is significant seeing all he had suffered for the sake of Christ and the Gospel.  When Paul penned this letter he was a prisoner though he was innocent of all false accusations leveled against him.  The betrayal by false accusations of his fellow Jews, corrupt Roman governors, and constant persecution did nothing to quench the joy Paul had in Jesus.  Regardless of the circumstances of life, there is always great cause to rejoice in our LORD Jesus.

There is a positive optimism of youth that can be lost over time through disappointment, disillusionment and dashed expectations.  As people grow older, face chronic pain and process losing physical abilities, freedoms and mental acuity, attitudes and outlooks can become increasingly bitter.  This can be true concerning faithful Christians who become sour due to problems they observe in society, heresy creeping into the church, immaturity in fellow believers, or that the Rapture hasn't happened yet!  I find it delightful to see Christians who face difficult hardships and fierce opposition who, like Paul, rejoice in the LORD always with faces illuminated with joy in the LORD.  I find fellow believers like John Lennox inspirational, for when discussing matters of faith with skeptics hostile to Christ in a public forum, his visage shines with joy and peace like Moses whose face glowed from being in the presence of God.

Are you a Christian who is growing increasingly grumpy with the world and others?  Have you become more militant or bold to air grievances and complaints?  In 1 Peter 4, the apostle urged believers to arm themselves with a mind determined not to spend any more time pursuing lusts of the flesh but instead doing the will of God.  He said in 1 Peter 4:3, "For we have spent enough of our past lifetime in doing the will of the Gentiles--when we walked in lewdness, lusts, drunkenness, revelries, drinking parties, and abominable idolatries."  Following this logic, haven't we spent enough time looking for hope and encouragement in what is not Jesus?  We have spent enough time focusing on what is wrong in the church or wondering why people do not share our convictions:  how about looking to the LORD, rejoicing in fellowship with the few who attend church gatherings, and seek opportunities to encourage and edify one another in love?  Haven't we spent enough time being disillusioned by fickle folks when we should rejoice in God who is faithful and follow His example?

God's will is for us to rejoice in the LORD always, and may we grow in maturity, established by faith in Jesus, to have our attitude and outlook settled with gladness in God.  Peter wrote in 1 Peter 5:10-11, "But may the God of all grace, who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you. ¹¹ To Him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen."  How great is our glorious God and Saviour Jesus Christ who suffered for us for the joy that was before Him!  Unlike the Pharisees who disfigured their faces to show they were fasting, may our joyful countenance in the midst of trials, opposition, and even chronic pain bring Jesus honour and praise.  God knows what you are going through, and we can rejoice in our Saviour who is with us and loves us every step of the way.

Grace in Adversity

 "Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and extol and honor the King of heaven, all of whose works are truth, and His ways justice. And those who walk in pride He is able to put down."

Daniel 4:37

The almighty God opposes the proud whoever they may be.  King Nebuchadnezzar experienced exactly what James said, that God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble.  When the heart of Nebuchadnezzar was haughty and proud as the king of an empire, God was able to bring him down without a struggle.  For 7 years the king who reveled in his glory and majesty was reduced to behaving like a beast without understanding.  After God brought Nebuchadnezzar low, at the end of his time he humbled himself before God who restored him to his throne.  For him, humiliation was the path to saving faith in God, humility and wisdom.

The psalmist described the proud soul in Psalm 10:4-6:  "The wicked in his proud countenance does not seek God; God is in none of his thoughts.⁵ His ways are always prospering; Your judgments are far above, out of his sight; as for all his enemies, he sneers at them. ⁶ He has said in his heart, "I shall not be moved; I shall never be in adversity."  The proud man is so full of himself there is no desire to seek God and no room for the consideration of God, His judgments or power.  The Bible is full of examples of proud people saying what will happen (that God prevents from happening) and saying what cannot happen (and God chooses to do that very thing).  One reason why God does this is to bring people to their senses, that they might acknowledge His direct involvement, seek Him and may know Him as their LORD.  God is the LORD over all things, and He is willing to go to great lengths to soften hearts and break the pride of the haughty.

In the days of the prophet Isaiah, the Rabshakeh came from Assyria and spoke proud and boastful words against king Hezekiah and the God of Israel--whom he reduced to be just one of many gods that were powerless to save those who served them.  When Hezekiah sought the LORD for help and deliverance, God promised the proud Assyrians would not shoot an arrow or build a siege mound against Jerusalem, for God would zealously fight for His people.  In one night God routed the Assyrian army in fulfillment of His promise.  In the days of Jeremiah, the situation was reversed:  false prophets claimed Jerusalem would not see war or famine when God ordained the Babylonians to be His instrument of judgment against His proud, self-righteous, idolatrous people.  God said in Jeremiah 14:15:  "Therefore thus says the LORD concerning the prophets who prophesy in My name, whom I did not send, and who say, 'Sword and famine shall not be in this land'--'By sword and famine those prophets shall be consumed!"  The things false prophets presumed could never come upon them, God brought with great force to expose their deceit and affirm His truth and power.  The children of Israel came out of 70 years of captivity a people refined and humbled, wiped clean of idolatry.

It is God's grace and mercy that ordains opposition and adversity for proud souls who boast against God.  Left without rebuke or correction, those who walk in pride would not give God a thought.  God shows His power by doing what to us is unbelievable so we might believe in Him and actively rely upon Him--rather than leaning on our own understanding.  Nebuchadnezzar believed he was the greatest and no adversity could come to him, yet God was able to put him down.  He went down on all fours and crawled around for years but was not out because God is compassionate and merciful, desiring all people seek Him and be saved.  God opposes the proud because pride opposes God, and He gives grace to the humble.  Not being God, we all have a problem with pride, and the LORD uses adversity to guide us to greater humility and the fear of God.

Mercy Triumphs Over Judgment

"Speak and act as those who are going to be judged by the law that gives freedom, ¹³ because judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment!"

James 2:12-13 (NIV)

Jesus came to fulfill the Law, and He established a new covenant in His own blood that provides liberty from the Law of Moses, condemnation and death.  Having been born again by the Gospel we are not to be lawless but to walk in love, grace and righteousness that trumps the letter of the Law.  The one who walks in love will love God with all his being, and it is love that guides him to bless and help others rather than murdering them or stealing from them.  James referred to the "perfect law of liberty" in the previous chapter, and the Bible Knowledge Commentary explained it this way:  "The “Law that gives freedom” seems like a paradox. Law seems to imply restraint and therefore a lack of freedom. Not so with God’s Law. His perfect Law provides true freedom...One who does what God decrees will find full liberty and will be blessed in what he does."

The perfect law of liberty provides freedom to serve and honour God by eating food or by not eating food, by observing a day or choosing not to observe it unto the LORD.  Jesus demonstrated love for us by dying in our place, and we are to respond by loving God and others as we present ourselves as living sacrifices, freely giving as we have received from God.  One criticism people have made concerning "religious" people is a tendency to be judgmental--to be quick to condemn others as wrong as if they are without fault.  It is easy to make rigid judgments without caring for people; everyone can do this.  James exhorted believers to speak and act knowing we will be judged by the law that gives freedom by showing mercy.  Justice hardliners are naturally suspect of mercy, for they are concerned mercy will encroach upon or undermine justice.  Not so, for God is perfectly just and also is merciful to us sinners, providing an opportunity for salvation we never deserved.

Webster's definition of mercy is excellent:  "That benevolence, mildness or tenderness of heart which disposes a person to overlook injuries, or to treat an offender better than he deserves; the disposition that tempers justice, and induces an injured person to forgive trespasses and injuries, and to forbear punishment, or inflict less than law or justice will warrant."  Being merciful is a matter of the heart, an inclination and disposition that is for others rather than against them.  Even as all spiritual gifts, sacrifices, and good deeds are of little value without love, so judgment without mercy misses the point.  Consider what Jesus said in Matthew 23:23:  "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faith. These you ought to have done, without leaving the others undone."  The Jewish rulers were very strict concerning weighing out their herbs which were light as feathers, but they neglected the weightier matters of the law.  Justice, mercy and faith in God were to be exercised together, and Jesus weighed the scribes and the Pharisees and found them lacking due to hypocrisy.  They were big on giving 10% of their herbs yet ignored the most important matters of the heart.

James explained those who neglect to show mercy in judgment will be judged without mercy--similar to those who refuse to forgive will not be forgiven.  This is not speaking of eternal condemnation for Christians, but a loss of fellowship with God and eternal reward should we refuse to heed God's word.  Do you love God's judgment and mercy?  It is important for Christians to embrace both in the things we say and do.  Mercy is more than a matter of tone, for it is a weighty matter of the heart.  Having been made new creations by the Gospel, justified by grace through faith, forgiven and set free, illustrates perfectly that mercy indeed triumphs over judgment.

Revived to Rejoice

This morning during prayer I turned to the passage in Psalm 85:6 that reads, "Will You not revive us again, that Your people may rejoice in You?"  The God who gave us life desires we would be delivered from death, and that is a reason Jesus was sent to seek and save the lost.  Through the Gospel, people once dead in sins are given new life as born again Christians and granted eternal life.  Even in the Old Testament, people God had granted life and land desired revival, that God would turn His people to Him again by faith.  Revival and repentance go together, for it is a change of mind and heart that involves turning from sin and looking to the LORD with renewed devotion and obedience.

When people speak of revival, they do not always take into account repentance of sin and recognision of how far people have drifted from God as a necessary part of the equation.  The sons of Korah sang, "Turn us, O God of our salvation" and illustrate our need for God to do a work in us.  "Revival" is more than a growing interest in church gatherings, attending services or prayer meetings.  It is something accomplished by the Holy Spirit within the hearts of God's people that often impacts others for God's glory.  In one sense it would be wonderful that revival would not be necessary because by God's grace we continue to seek the LORD and obey His voice, allowing the life of Jesus to be lived out through us.  Because we do live in bodies of flesh that sleep and wake up, with limited energy stores and strength that is depleted and restored by nourishment and rest, in a world marked with seasons and cycles, our physical and spiritual need for renewal and revival is ongoing.

There could be countless reasons why people long for what they call revival:  an awakening to the goodness and power of God, more people coming to church, a miraculous increase of concerned souls who are saved, that people desire to see excitement in others concerning Jesus they are lacking in themselves.  But the reason connected by the psalmist for the revival of God's people is so they would rejoice in God.  How wondrous this is!  We are more apt to rejoice in revival than in God who is gracious and powerful to revive us again!  How easily we rejoice in the gift more than in the Giver, in our hope of salvation than our Saviour who calls us to Himself.  It is good for us to consider:  how much of our rejoicing is in God alone?

The song continues in Psalm 85:7-8:  "Show us Your mercy, LORD, and grant us Your salvation. ⁸ I will hear what God the LORD will speak, for He will speak peace to His people and to His saints; but let them not turn back to folly."  God has revealed His mercy and salvation through Jesus Christ to all, and in Jesus we have peace.  We can have total confidence in all God has done and He will be faithful to His word, yet will we turn back to folly?  God has spoken, speaks and will speak, and let us be those who are of good cheer because Jesus has overcome the world.  Though we remain physically in the world for a season, we are in Christ and He is in us forever.  Rejoice in the LORD, believer, for you have been revived to this end.

God the Healer

"Now see that I, even I, am He, and there is no God besides Me; I kill and I make alive; I wound and I heal; nor is there any who can deliver from My hand."

Deuteronomy 32:39

Unlike a doctor who uses medicine and other means to harness the natural healing processes of the body, God IS the healer.  He designed all the systems that protect, identify and eliminate harmful infections, and promote the health of the body.   I have found my typical response when I am not feeling my best is to downplay my symptoms.  I must be undeniably sick to admit I am sick, and I assume the healing process should act more quickly than it does.  After a couple of weeks of a cold or cough it feels like restoration to full health drags on forever!  Being ignorant of the extent or severity of my illness, I assume healing should occur quickly and easily.  As oncologists go to great lengths to destroy all cancer cells, so God is willing to take great pains to restore sinning souls to Himself.

The prophet Isaiah was chosen and sent by God to bring a message in Isaiah 6:9-10:  "And He said, "Go, and tell this people: 'Keep on hearing, but do not understand; keep on seeing, but do not perceive.' ¹⁰ "Make the heart of this people dull, and their ears heavy, and shut their eyes; lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and return and be healed."  This passage always confused me because it seemed contradictory God spoke yet did not want them to hear.  It seemed God worked to undermine the whole purpose for sending Isaiah at all!  The reality was quite different, for God's people had departed from Him, were entrenched in idolatry, loved the lies of false prophets and oppressed one another.  Like I tend to downplay my own illness, we can downplay the severity of the sin of others and ourselves.  When we are sick we take a tablet, but the children of Israel needed spiritual revival, a new heart and new mind obtained only by faith in God, repentance for sin and humble obedience.  They were unwilling to take their medicine.

Modern surgery likely would seem very extreme to people who relied upon poultices and bloodletting which could never clear clogged arteries or put cancer in remission.  Having a better understanding of the complex processes of the human body with scans and testing allows medical professionals to better diagnose and treat illnesses.  God's diagnosis for the children of Israel in Isaiah's day was grim, for they refused to listen to Him.  They were heading to destruction due to their sin, and God would surely judge them for their sins with the aim to ultimately restore them to Himself.  Half-doses would not be adequate for their healing.  God's prescription was for Israel to be cut down like a tree with a stump left in the ground by their enemies, be carried away captive, and after 70 years for a remnant return to Him.  In His wisdom God determined their spiritual blindness would lead to sight, their deafness result in hearing His voice, and being taken from their land lead to them choosing to return to Him.  This may seem counterintuitive, but this was the means God would employ to sanctify and heal His people.

The teaching of Jesus in parables also fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah, and Jesus affirmed this in Matthew 13:13-15.  At the same time, those who exercised faith in Christ were blessed with understanding as Jesus said in Matthew 13:16-17:  "But blessed are your eyes for they see, and your ears for they hear; ¹⁷ for assuredly, I say to you that many prophets and righteous men desired to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it."  Jesus came as the Light of the World and did not keep anyone in the dark, but those who loved darkness and refused to come into the Light would remain blind.  Amazingly, in part the blindness of the Jews served another divine purpose:  the unbelief of the Jews graciously opened a door to the Gentiles into the kingdom of God by faith in Jesus.  The refusal of the Jews to hear Jesus led Him to be proclaimed and heard by Jews and Gentiles to this day.  Paul wrote in Romans 11:30-32, "For as you were once disobedient to God, yet have now obtained mercy through their disobedience, ³¹ even so these also have now been disobedient, that through the mercy shown you they also may obtain mercy. ³² For God has committed them all to disobedience, that He might have mercy on all."

See the wisdom, grace and goodness of God upon all!  Through God's sovereign designs there is hope, healing and restoration for all people by faith in Jesus Christ.  Our own deafness, blindness and hardness of heart can be used by God to make us hearers and doers of His word, to bless us with spiritual insight, and to have our hearts of stone replaced with soft and responsive hearts.  As we may seek medical care only to alleviate our symptoms (as long as it is convenient and not too costly!), we can be content with minor reforms or partial healing God spoke of in Jeremiah 6:14:  "They have also healed the hurt of My people slightly, saying, 'Peace, peace!' when there is no peace."  Slight healing that enables us to stay as we are falls far short of God's intent to heal, revive and restore us to Himself which requires a more involved process of repentance, faith in God, submission and obedience to Him.  Because God loves us, He is willing to oversee and orchestrate events in our lives and nations so His will for healing and salvation will be fully accomplished for us and for generations to come.

Free To Do Good

"For you, brethren, have been called to liberty; only do not use liberty as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another."

Galatians 5:13

As born again children of God by faith in Jesus, we have been called to liberty.  We have been freed from sin, the sinful demands of our flesh, fear of man, worry, death and the condemnation of the Law of Moses.  Paul compared the Law to a tutor that guided the Jews to please God until Jesus Christ came, and then the Law took them by the hand and handed them over to Jesus for Him to lead them individually and corporately who is greater than the Law.  Claiming to have "liberty" in our individualistic society is akin to saying, "I can do whatever I want."  This is not at all the posture Christians should adopt, for it vaunts self instead of submitting to God and one another in love.  Rather than using liberty as an opportunity for the flesh, through love Christians are called to serve one another.

Paul's caution against the misunderstanding and misuse of liberty shows it is possible to use liberty as an opportunity for the flesh, to justify doing as we please because we feel entitled to do so.  Being raised in the United States, I cannot tell you how many times I heard people justify themselves by saying, "This is a free country."  My translation of that hackneyed phrase is, "I can say and do as I want because I can--regardless how it affects others."  As long as we live in a body of flesh in this world, we will be incorrigibly drawn to seek opportunity to please self rather than glorify God by serving one another in love.  The liberty Christ provides is not merely a liberty from law but liberty to love, forgive and serve others.  Prisoners released from prison can remain enslaved to sinful ways that landed them in prison in the first place, but our liberty is to be exercised as new creations through whom the life of Jesus is lived out daily.

Paul said in Galatians 5:14-18, "For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this: "You shall love your neighbor as yourself." ¹⁵ But if you bite and devour one another, beware lest you be consumed by one another! ¹⁶ I say then: walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. ¹⁷ For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish. ¹⁸ But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law."  Our natural, fleshly appetite is to bite and devour one another, to lash out with words or actions that work to destroy people, reputations and relationships.  We are called to mortify these deeds of the flesh by the power of the Holy Spirit, and this is accomplished by following and obeying the Holy Spirit who guides us into all truth.  Those who try to control and force their flesh to submit by power of the flesh will ultimately fail, but all who walk in the Spirit shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh.

The liberty we have been called to is not primarily focused on what we do or avoid doing but all God has called us to be.  By Jesus Christ the world was crucified to Paul and he was crucified unto the world: they were dead to one another by all Jesus mightily accomplished by His death and resurrection, having made Paul a new creation.  Adherence to the Law of Moses regarding whether a male was circumcised or not (which was a huge point of contention in the early church) had no power over people who were in Christ.  Jesus provided an example of serving one another in love when He took the place of a slave and washed the feet of His disciples before dying on the cross for their redemption.  Those who are born again and filled with the Holy Spirit will heed Paul's exhortation in Galatians 6:10:  "Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith."

Peace From Sea to Sea

Psalm 72 is a song written by David and the heading in my Bible says, "A Psalm for Solomon."  When I read the lyrics of the song, what is written about David's son Solomon and fulfilled in part will be ultimately and completely fulfilled by the Son of David:  Jesus Christ.  In the song, David asked for the king to be given God's judgments and righteousness.  Though Solomon was given great wisdom from God, he did not always walk wisely.  The more I read in this passage, with a prophetic lens we see it alludes clearly to someone greater than Solomon--and Christ affirmed He was indeed that person.  Speaking of Himself and the present generation that rejected Him, Jesus said in Luke 11:31:  "The queen of the South will rise up in the judgment with the men of this generation and condemn them, for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and indeed a greater than Solomon is here."

The name of Solomon pales in comparison to the name of Jesus Christ, the Messiah who is both KING OF KINGS and great High Priest.  David wrote prophetically of Jesus whose name is above all in Psalm 72:17-19:  "His name shall endure forever; His name shall continue as long as the sun. And men shall be blessed in Him; all nations shall call Him blessed. ¹⁸ Blessed be the LORD God, the God of Israel, Who only does wondrous things! ¹⁹ And blessed be His glorious name forever! And let the whole earth be filled with His glory. Amen and Amen."  Paul affirmed it was at the name of Jesus every knee would bow and every tongue confess to the glory of God the Father.  Solomon will one day bow before Jesus Christ His king along with every other created being.

There is one part of the song which has been my meditation the past couple days in Psalm 72:7-8:  "In His days the righteous shall flourish, and abundance of peace, until the moon is no more. ⁸ He shall have dominion also from sea to sea, and from the River to the ends of the earth."  The long and prosperous reign of Solomon is a hint of Christ's future millennial reign when He returns to judge the earth in righteousness, and His reign will endure after the sun and moon no longer shine.  The righteous reign of Jesus will be a global dominion, for King Solomon's lands only reached from the Jordan River to the Mediterranean Sea.  In recent times I have heard a slogan that goes, "From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free."  This slogan does not account for Psalm 72:7 which says the domain of the Son of David is from sea to sea, from the Jordan River to the ends of the earth.  The rule and authority of Jesus extends over the entire earth He created with words from His mouth, and the whole universe is filled with His glory.

Jesus cautioned His disciples not to be deceived or troubled in Matthew 24:5-6:  "For many will come in My name, saying, 'I am the Christ,' and will deceive many. ⁶ And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not troubled; for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet."  Slogans and fighting words against Israel and God's people ought not to trouble us, and even when the end comes we have nothing to fear but God as we follow Jesus.  The rise of deceptions, threats and violence will grow, but now and forever we have peace with God through our LORD Jesus Christ (Romans 5:1).  Killing Jesus did not result in Him rotting in the grave, for He has risen in glory and will ultimately rule the nations with a rod of iron.  Even threats and murder can be redeemed by God to advance His kingdom.  What peace and comfort we have as Christ's disciples, for His yoke is easy and His burden light.

Daily Spiritual Renewal

"For all things are for your sakes, that grace, having spread through the many, may cause thanksgiving to abound to the glory of God. ¹⁶ Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day."

2 Corinthians 4:15-16

As I walked early this morning, evidence of spring renewal was everywhere.  Trees were covered in white and pink blossoms, small green leaves have begun to emerge on deciduous trees, magpies foraged for their young, and the winter chill was gone from the air.  In His wisdom, God created the earth with seasons where winter rest precedes a period of renewal, growth and fruitfulness in the spring.  This led me to consider what Paul meant when he said the "inward man" of a believer is being renewed day by day.  Unlike the four seasons we experience in nature that last for months, spiritual renewal of Christians is intended by God to be our daily experience.

People can lose heart due to disappointments, dashed expectations and physical pains.  Many can be frustrated and feel hopeless about our physical bodies which wear out and perish like everything on earth that at one time was new.  Paul did not lose heart in the tribulations he faced for Christ's sake or his aching joints because day by day he was being renewed with spiritual strength and sure expectation of receiving good from God according to the riches of God's grace.  The psalmist spoke of the renewal of animals on the earth by God's power in Psalm 104:29-30:  "You hide Your face, they are troubled; You take away their breath, they die and return to their dust. ³⁰ You send forth Your Spirit, they are created; and You renew the face of the earth."  After Noah, his family and animals were preserved in the ark during the great flood, God's renewal of the earth has continued every year and every day without fail.  Observing God's renewal in the natural realm illustrates the spiritual renewal God desires to do in us day by day.

It struck me:  what if Noah, his family and animals decided to remain in the ark due to fear of future rains and flooding?  When the ship rested on Mt. Ararat and the olive leaf had been fetched by a dove from a tree to affirm the waters had dried up on the earth, it was time for a new season to emerge from the ark, explore and inhabit the new world God brought out of the previous global devastation.  All living things saved alive in the ark were to go forth, and God would make them to be fruitful and multiply.  Though exploring and settling in the land would require hard labour, it was good for Noah and his family to depart the cramped quarters of the ark and even use it for scrap in building projects--knowing God would keep His word to never again flood the earth with water to destroy it.  Spry youths grow weary and faint, but those who wait on the LORD will have their strength renewed to miraculously do spiritually what is impossible for our bodies:  to mount up with wings as eagles, to run without weariness and walk with Christ without needing to stop (Isaiah 40:28-31).

The invitation of the beloved to the Shulamite to venture outside to appreciate God's renewal of the land is fitting for Christians to consider spiritually in this new day God has made in Song of Songs 2:10-14:  "My beloved spoke, and said to me: "Rise up, my love, my fair one, and come away. ¹¹ For lo, the winter is past, the rain is over and gone. ¹² The flowers appear on the earth; the time of singing has come, and the voice of the turtledove is heard in our land. ¹³ The fig tree puts forth her green figs, and the vines with the tender grapes give a good smell. Rise up, my love, my fair one, and come away! ¹⁴ "O my dove, in the clefts of the rock, in the secret places of the cliff, let me see your face, let me hear your voice; for your voice is sweet, and your face is lovely."  The Shulamite needed encouragement to rise and go toward the one who loved her, and Christians need encouragement as well to rise from our winter slumber.  The winter is past, the rain is over and gone; the flowers are blooming, birds are singing and fruit is growing.  This is the spiritual reality when Jesus Christ renews our inward man day by day.  Will we remain bundled up in the dark, afraid of being rained on when the Light of the World shines and calls us by name to rise and seek Him?

Danger of Abiding Anger

"Do not hasten in your spirit to be angry, for anger rests in the bosom of fools."

 Ecclesiastes 7:9

How grateful I am the almighty God is slow to anger!  His anger is not easily inflamed, nor does His rage burn continually.  Psalm 103:8-12 speaks of the character of God:  "The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in mercy. ⁹ He will not always strive with us, nor will He keep His anger forever. ¹⁰ He has not dealt with us according to our sins, nor punished us according to our iniquities. ¹¹ For as the heavens are high above the earth, so great is His mercy toward those who fear Him; ¹² As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us."  God's righteous anger for sin is always justified, and His wrath and vengeance will be ultimately satisfied.

It is ironic the God who lives forever will not always be angry, yet anger is given residence in the hearts of fools for the duration of their lives which are soon over.  The Bible describes fools as those who do not believe God exists, that there is no Creator or Judge of the earth before whom they will appear on the day of judgment, the almighty who has the power and authority to cast souls into hell or save them for eternity.  Even God's people can be angry and vengeful, and thus many Bible passages warn of the dangers of remaining angry and being filled with wrath--regardless of the reason.  We observe the folly of Cain who was angry because Abel's offering was accepted and he was rejected by God, and he lashed out and killed his brother.

Anger rested in Cain's heart, and it did not remain hidden or contained there.  Pride and envy urged anger to violent action, and Cain felt justified to murder his brother.  Cain's sin had a devastating effect upon his family, brother and his own life--and it started with feelings of anger we have all experienced.  Ephesians 4:26-27 tells us Christians can be angry without sin, but remaining filled with wrath gives opportunity for Satan's wicked, lying influence:  "Be angry, and do not sin": do not let the sun go down on your wrath, ²⁷ nor give place to the devil."  Paul concluded the chapter with a good exhortation for all followers of Jesus in Ephesians 4:31-32:  "Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice. ³² And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God in Christ forgave you."

Since we Christians have the Holy Spirit indwelling them, we are divinely enabled to do as Paul has said.  Rather than justifying anger that fuels us to say evil and seek vengeance, the life of Jesus can be lived through us by being longsuffering, slow to anger and forgiving.  A desire to see justice done is from God, but when anger resides in our hearts we are no longer being led by the Holy Spirit.  Rather than justify harbouring anger in our hearts, we ought to enter the rest God provides all who are weary, hurting and needy by active reliance upon Jesus.  He is the Judge of all the earth, and as Abraham said, He will always do right.  Knowing vengeance is the LORD's, we need not allow anger, hatred or wrath to dwell in our hearts any longer.

The Good Master

"Whoever keeps the fig tree will eat its fruit; so he who waits on his master will be honoured."

Proverbs 27:18

We understand the concept of one who plants, waters, and tends a tree having the privilege of eating the fruit it produces.  Harvesting and eating figs is likely the main reason a fig tree was planted in the first place!  The owner of the land fertilises and prunes his trees in the right season so he will benefit the most from fruitfulness.  In an odd way, serving a fig tree leads to being served delicious figs.

The second stanza of this proverb is intriguing, for I would have assumed the master would be the one having an expectation of benefit from his servant.  Solomon turns it the other way round, that a faithful servant who waits on his master can expect to be honoured.  We catch a glimpse of this with Mordecai the Jew who was promoted by king Ahasuerus after he foiled a murder plot by eunuchs.  Mordecai was clothed in the king's clothes, was seated on the king's horse, and a noble proclaimed before him as he was led through the streets of Shushan:  "Thus shall it be done for whom the king delights to honour!"  Later Mordecai was promoted to the high-ranking position previously held by Haman, the enemy of the Jews.

There may be a master who does not esteem or care to honour his servants, but we can know God certainly does crown His servants with honour.  Jesus Christ came to earth as the servant of all, only doing His Father's will, and God has exalted His name over all other names.  Paul affirmed God will give every man according to his deeds and said in Romans 2:10-11 also "...glory, honour, and peace to everyone who works what is good, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. ¹¹ For there is no partiality with God."  James 4:10 says, "Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up."  It is written of Christians and servants of the living God in Revelation 1:5-6 that Jesus is the ruler of the kings of the earth who has made us kings and priests to His God and Father.  What greater honour could be bestowed upon anyone?

There likely have been people who planted and tended fig trees that never produced figs, and such would have been disappointed to look for fruit and never find it.  There are no such disappointments possible for the born again Christian who waits on the LORD and serves Him faithfully, for he who waits on his Master will be honoured.  David urged in Psalm 27:14, "Wait on the LORD; be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart; wait, I say, on the LORD!"  Those who wait on the LORD will be strengthened, honoured and blessed now and forever.  We do not serve God to be honoured, but we can know God honours those who honour Him.

The LORD Always Wins

"There is no wisdom or understanding or counsel against the LORD."

Proverbs 21:30

What confidence and comfort God's people can have in His sovereign rule over all!  Paul was convinced he and all believers who love God can know He makes all things work together for good.  Thus situations that we would say are bad or are intended by others for evil will not undermine or prevent God's good purposes from ultimately being accomplished.  Sometimes, like Joseph in Egypt, God can provide insight into His redemptive operation in our circumstances and ourselves.  He explained to his brethren in Genesis 50:20:  "But as for you, you meant evil against me; but God meant it for good, in order to bring it about as it is this day, to save many people alive."  It was evil when Joseph's brothers sold him as a slave and fabricated evidence to deceive his father into believing he was dead, yet God meant it for good--that in time nations, Joseph, his father and even his brothers would be spared from starvation and death.

Paul suffered many things for the sake of Christ.  His personal introduction to Jesus on the road to Damascus rendered him blind for days and this led to great spiritual insight as God's chosen vessel to bear Christ's name to the Gentiles.  Wherever he went, Paul regularly faced opposition, death threats, beatings and was incarcerated many times.  He took courage in Jesus Christ in such moments, for there is no wisdom, understanding or counsel against the LORD.  While imprisoned he wrote in Philippians 1:12-14:  "But I want you to know, brethren, that the things which happened to me have actually turned out for the furtherance of the gospel, ¹³ so that it has become evident to the whole palace guard, and to all the rest, that my chains are in Christ; ¹⁴ and most of the brethren in the Lord, having become confident by my chains, are much more bold to speak the word without fear."  One might assume Paul would be hindered, silenced and isolated by his chains, yet new doors of fruitful ministry opened up to him because of it.  We do not read of Paul complaining or ranting about the injustice of his arrest or the need of judicial reforms, for the Gospel was being furthered and Christians were increasingly bold without fear.

In His wisdom, God sent His only begotten Son Jesus to become wisdom for us.  King Herod tried to kill Him, Satan tried to tempt Him, the religious rulers tried to trap Him in His words, and His brothers did not initially believe in Him!  Murderous schemes, deceit and unbelief failed to undermine or hinder the fruitfulness and reception of the Gospel by many followers.  When Satan influenced Judas to betray Jesus, the Jewish rulers condemned Him to death in illegal proceedings and pushed for His crucifixion, God accomplished everything He planned from the beginning by providing atonement for sinners by Christ's shed blood.  Paul said in 1 Corinthians 2:6-8, "However, we speak wisdom among those who are mature, yet not the wisdom of this age, nor of the rulers of this age, who are coming to nothing. ⁷ But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, the hidden wisdom which God ordained before the ages for our glory, ⁸ which none of the rulers of this age knew; for had they known, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory."  Since there is no wisdom, understanding or counsel against the LORD, everything Satan and man did to silence Jesus has glorified Him forever in His resurrection--proving His divinity, His authority, power over sin and death, and He is able to give eternal life to all who trust in Him.

Knowing there is no wisdom, understanding or counsel against the LORD, how good it is to be in Jesus Christ by faith in Him!  This means whatever is intended to be evil against us God will use for good, that injustice will lead to an outpouring of grace and salvation, and the miraculous power of God displayed in response to wicked schemes will be so great that Satan will lament having foolishly played into God's hands.  The devil is proud enough to believe he handed God an easy victory, but the credit for every redemptive victory belongs only to Jesus Christ our LORD.  How would it transform your perspective of your life and the world, seeing there is no wisdom, understanding or counsel against the LORD?