A Feast for Our Souls

During the long season in the wilderness after the exodus from Egypt, God taught His people that man shall not live by bread alone but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.  At His command living water flowed from the rock, bread from heaven appeared on the ground, and quail flew in on the breeze.  Though God gave His people His Law, revealed Himself in power and sent prophets to speak to His people, at times they forsook Him for false gods.  When God's people in the northern kingdom of Israel refused to hear and obey His word, He sent a famine of hearing the word of the LORD.

Amos 8:11-12 reads, "Behold, the days are coming," says the Lord GOD, "that I will send a famine on the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the LORD. ¹² They shall wander from sea to sea, and from north to east; they shall run to and fro, seeking the word of the LORD, but shall not find it."  It was not that Hebrews did not have His word written down in a language they spoke fluently, for it was carefully transcribed for generations to this day.  The prophets God sent did not speak in a foreign tongue, for their clear voices were understood perfectly by their hearers.  Yet because the listeners disregarded the word of God and did not obey it, God sent a famine of hearing the words of the LORD.  They prayed and received no answer; they inquired of the LORD and were met with silence.  The heavens were like impenetrable brass to their cries that echoed back to them.

If God's chosen people Israel could be stricken with a spiritual famine of hearing the words of the LORD, so can those who are born again by faith in Jesus Christ.  We can have an assortment of Bibles translated into our own language, read them every day, and not hear God speak because we have not put into practice what we know God has already spoken.  Because we have not walked according to the truth God has revealed, He can send a famine of hearing His word so we might humble ourselves and seek Him.  Imagine, reading the Bible and not hearing from God!  We can sit through a Bible study or sermon where God is quoted often yet not hear from Him ourselves.  We do not likely need to imagine what this is like, for we have also experienced seasons of famine of hearing the word of the LORD.

Should we find ourselves in a midst of a famine of hearing the word of the LORD, God provided a solution for His people in Amos 5:4-7 we ought to take to heart:  "For thus says the LORD to the house of Israel: "Seek Me and live; ⁵ but do not seek Bethel, nor enter Gilgal, nor pass over to Beersheba; for Gilgal shall surely go into captivity, and Bethel shall come to nothing. ⁶ Seek the LORD and live, lest He break out like fire in the house of Joseph, and devour it, with no one to quench it in Bethel--⁷ you who turn justice to wormwood, and lay righteousness to rest in the earth!"  God urged His people to seek Him, not to imagine the cure for their ills lay in a geographic location or performing religious rituals when the issue was one of their hearts and will.  God commanded His people seek Him, and having done so the implication was they were to do what was just and righteous, to walk in His ways.  It was not in the house of God but in the God of the house they would find salvation, redemption and abundant life.

Prayer is more than talking to God but waiting on Him to guide and direct us.  Reading the Bible ought to be more than reading chapters or verses but considering and ruminating on what God is saying and how it is personally applicable to our lives, a call to action by our LORD.  More than gleaning information, God's word works transformation in those who yield to Him in humble faith and obedience.  It is a good question to ask ourselves:  have I heard a word from the LORD today?  When God speaks He goes beyond thoughts in our heads but touches our hearts, and this impacts how we live our lives.  God who created us with ears can also hear, and He who created our mouths and all languages still speaks.  May we be those who are not content until we have heard and walked according to the word of the LORD.  The souls who hear and do what God says enjoy a spiritual feast that is vital for the abundant life God has given us by faith in Jesus.

Blessed to Fear the LORD

"Blessed is every one who fears the LORD, who walks in His ways."

Psalm 128:1

There are plenty of things in the world which can move us to fear.  These rational and sometimes irrational fears often spring from negligence to consider God, His promises and power.  People who believe in the existence of spirits seek to placate or protect themselves against them.  Charms, amulets and crystals can be utilised in superstitious occultic practices to wield power to benefit the user by warding off evil, attracting wealth or emanate "good" energy.  In the world people's practices and beliefs differ, but fear is a common enemy we all face (or try to avoid!) in various ways and degrees of success.

I watched a comedic foreign film where one character was a eastern religious stereotype who did everything he could to placate deities for personal benefit.  Though he didn't receive any measurable benefits from his religious habits and piety, he imagined the key to success in education and life was by paying homage to idols and wearing trinkets for good luck.  In a nutshell, the character in the film was scared to death of failing out of school and returning home in shame.  He needed to commit his life and future to something greater than himself.  With his confidence placed in traditions of men, he always lacked assurance he gained the favour of the gods.  It would be a shame if Christians who know and serve the living God give place to fear when our God lives, speaks, helps and comforts us.

The one who fears the LORD and walks in His ways is blessed, and nothing can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus.  The devil and demons have no power to strip us of our blessed Father or of all His great benefits offered us.  A child of God ought to fear God but not the devil, for God's power is infinitely greater.  Fear can prompt us to seek help and comfort, like when a child hears a strange sound in the dark.  The little one runs to their mum or dad for safety, scared by what they heard, thought they saw or imagined was there.  The fear of God attracts us to God rather than repelling us, for we know He is stronger, wiser and capable than we are.  It is good for the sheep of God's pasture to run to Him, not because they are afraid of the wolves that howl nearby, but because they fear the Good Shepherd who loves, protects and provides for them.

A vast majority of fears we give place to are in the realm of the imaginary, what might or could be.  Compared to the goodness and power of God to deliver and save, all fearful things might as well be imaginary.  Who can compare with the greatness of God?  What danger exists that can separate the child of God from the Father's love?  What can man, sickness or spirit do to us without God's guiding, limiting, redeeming hand?  Having established God is love and we abide in Him, 1 John 4:17-19 says, "Love has been perfected among us in this: that we may have boldness in the day of judgment; because as He is, so are we in this world. ¹⁸ There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love. ¹⁹ We love Him because He first loved us."  If we are made complete in God's love, fear of man and what might happen is expelled from our hearts.  The one who fears God walks in His ways, and the love of God casts out all fear.

Delivered from Afflictions

"Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the LORD delivers him out of them all. ²⁰ He guards all his bones; not one of them is broken."

Psalm 34:19-20

It occurred to me recently that I have not given the miraculous preservation of the bones of Jesus on the cross just due:  how many times have bones been broken in innocuous or routine ways?  People have broken bones playing games like hide-and-seek and dodgeball!  Others have broken bones while working, accidentally kicking a table or falling down.  God allowed His only begotten Son Jesus to be cruelly tortured and crucified, yet all His bones were preserved.  He was beaten and battered beyond recognition, yet Jesus did not suffer a broken jaw, tooth, orbital bone or rib--because God's word cannot be broken.

John cited this Psalm after witnessing the death of Jesus on the cross and observed the breaking of the legs of the criminals crucified beside Him.  John 19:33-36 reads, "But when they came to Jesus and saw that He was already dead, they did not break His legs. ³⁴ But one of the soldiers pierced His side with a spear, and immediately blood and water came out. ³⁵ And he who has seen has testified, and his testimony is true; and he knows that he is telling the truth, so that you may believe. ³⁶ For these things were done that the Scripture should be fulfilled, "Not one of His bones shall be broken."  It is amazing the human hands have 27 bones in them and the human foot 26 bones, and though the hands of Jesus were pierced by nails not one of them was broken.  God sent His Son as a Saviour to be broken on the cross so all who believe in Him can be made whole.  He was afflicted and broken, yet all His bones were preserved.

This is very encouraging for believers given the context of Psalm 34, a song David penned after God delivered him from the Philistines.  David was afflicted when his father-in-law Saul tried to kill him and pursued him without a cause; he was troubled when he heard of the deaths of the priests at Nob.  He was greatly afraid when the Philistines recognised him as a great warrior of Israel as he went to see king Achish.  "This poor man cried out," David sung speaking of himself, "and the LORD heard him, and saved him out of all his troubles."  David was afflicted but God delivered him out of all his trouble; Jesus was also afflicted, yet God preserved His bones.  We are greatly comforted to know when we are afflicted God will deliver us too, having been made righteous by grace through faith in Jesus.  Jesus was battered, bloodied and died, yet His intact bones are a testimony of God's faithfulness to keep His word and to deliver us out of every affliction.

When afflicted, let us cry out to the God who hears us as David did.  Then the beginning of Psalm 34:1-4 can be our anthem and testimony as those delivered by our awesome, gracious God:  "I will bless the LORD at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth. ² My soul shall make its boast in the LORD; the humble shall hear of it and be glad. ³ Oh, magnify the LORD with me, and let us exalt His name together. ⁴ I sought the LORD, and He heard me, and delivered me from all my fears."

On Keeping the Law

"Do we then make void the law through faith? Certainly not! On the contrary, we establish the law."

Romans 3:31

The Law of Moses is good when used lawfully under the New Covenant established by Jesus Christ, for by Law is the knowledge of sin.  Unless there is a righteous standard in force that holds man accountable before God, there would be no righteous judgment of grace possible.  The Law's power to condemn a Christian has been nailed to the cross, even as our sin has been destroyed forever by atonement in Christ's blood.  We have been justified by faith and held to a higher standard than that of Law.  The fact Jesus did not come to destroy the Law but to fulfill does not mean "Law-plus" for the Christian.  No one but Jesus ever kept the Law or even came close, nor does God call Gentiles to to live as Jews.  This was clearly established in the early church when Jewish believers were pushing circumcision and keeping the Law of Moses as necessary for salvation after people believed on Christ.

They were not saved by the works of the Law, but there was a legalistic draw for them to place upon others a yoke they nor their fathers were able to bear.  Did they forget what Jesus said about the Law on the Sermon on the Mount:  "It has been said...but I say unto you?"  Since Jesus is the substance, Christians are no longer obligated to keep the Law that was a shadow of the Righteousness Who has now been revealed.  We are justified by faith in Jesus Christ alone by God's grace.  Now if we do what is written in the law by faith in God we do not sin nor are condemned, but to lay this yoke or requirements upon others for salvation or good standing with God is clearly in error.  The Galatians returned to what Paul called the "beggarly elements" in their zeal without knowledge or consideration of all Jesus accomplished, and we can too.

To fail to keep the Law in one point means a person is guilty of breaking the whole Law.  Legalism is the demand placed upon others to keep the Law (usually picking and choosing because much of it is impossible to keep today regarding feasts, sacrifices, etc.) as the standard God has called us to live up to when Jesus leads us to go further.  Instead of merely honouring our father and mother God would have us also love them--including all our enemies.  The legalist pushes against lawlessness; antinomianism pushes against the idea God holds Christians accountable to any moral standard.  Antinomianism means "against Law," and this view discards the Law as completely irrelevant and unnecessary when it still is profitable to bring knowledge of sin, establishes a righteous standard for living, and magnifies God's grace.  God did not save us to keep the Law of Moses, nor are we to be lawless, immoral or use grace as a cloak for our sin.

Jesus has fulfilled the Law, added to it, and finished it.  It does not need to be kept (as far as legalistically followed as a means of earning good standing before God) but it should be kept (as in retained and considered) because it is God's word and His righteous standard that reveals man's sinfulness and need for a Saviour, leading us by the hand to Jesus as LORD.  Our confidence ought to shift from our efforts to keep the Law to our LORD Jesus Who fulfilled it, provided atonement for our sins, and gives us commands to obey.  Rather than keeping the letter of the Law, Jesus has given new commands founded upon His love.  1 John 5:1-3 says, "Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and everyone who loves Him who begot also loves him who is begotten of Him. ² By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and keep His commandments. ³ For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome."  Having been justified by faith, we are called to love God, one another and obey Jesus Christ.

My Times in God's Hand

"But as for me, I trust in You, O LORD; I say, "You are my God." ¹⁵ My times are in Your hand; deliver me from the hand of my enemies, and from those who persecute me."

Psalm 31:14-15

With our busy schedules, meetings and deadlines it can feel like we are being governed by time.  The word "inconvenient" can suggest an unwanted obligation to waste effort and time.  It is inconvenient to be in a rush to be on time and then be stuck in traffic or have a flat tyre.  It is disappointing to need to cancel and reschedule an appointment or party because someone is ill--and who knows when people will be able to set aside time to gather in the future.

Today I was lamenting the timing of a unexpected illness in our household that impacted my plans for the day.  But then I remembered this scripture when David said of God, "My times are in Your hand."  Since God is sovereign over all and my times are in His hand, despite the inconvenience of rescheduling a service call or the extra effort required to cancel plans, there remains rest for my soul by faith in God.  When things seem to be perfectly timed to maximise inconvenience, the believer in God can rejoice and be thankful He knows all and will supply all my needs in due time.

When Jesus walked this planet, He often remarked how His hour had not yet come.  God not only marks our times but our hours.  It is fitting this psalm also contains the verse quoted by Jesus as He breathed His last on the cross in Psalm 31:5:  "Into Your hand I commit my spirit; You have redeemed me, O LORD God of truth."  Jesus' hour finally did come when He would lay down His life on Calvary to provide atonement for lost sinners so they could be saved.  Jesus committed His life, times and even His hour to the care of His Father in Heaven Who would accept the price paid and redeem sinners from death for eternal life.

In our lives there will be delays, cancellations, disappointments and bad timing that seems so inexplicably precise it is funny, but we have assurance from God's word our times are in His hands.  These situations that test our patience are also opportunities to place our faith in God, His purposes and plans that are higher than ours.  Let's keep trusting in Him when we feel we have waited long and done enough, for God is still working His wonders in situations we would rather avoid if it was all up to us.  We wouldn't have considered crucifixion of one Man as the means to redeeming His adopted children, but praise the LORD He did. :)

Receive Encouragement

"And from there, when the brethren heard about us, they came to meet us as far as Appii Forum and Three Inns. When Paul saw them, he thanked God and took courage."

Acts 28:15

As Paul's voyage continued towards Rome, brethren who heard of them came quite a distance from Rome to meet with them.  Instead of being content to wait until Paul and those who travelled with him arrived, they took the initiative to introduce themselves and extend a gracious welcome.  Paul responded by thanking God and he took courage.  Their difficult voyage over many months was finally coming to an end and God had been faithful to bring them all safely to Rome as He promised.

A popular worship song begins, "Everyone needs compassion..." and I think it is also true that everyone needs encouragement--even a bold and hardy fellow like Paul.  Webster defined "courage" as "Bravery; intrepidity; that quality of mind which enables men to encounter danger and difficulties with firmness, or without fear or depression of spirits; valor; boldness; resolution."  Paul took courage from the interaction with the brethren who came to meet him, and it is possible he did not realise how much he needed encouragement on the cusp of finally arriving at Rome.  A difficult, protracted voyage was coming to an end but many new challenges awaited him that would require refreshed bravery to navigate resolutely.

We don't often realise we need encouragement until we receive encouragement.  Only then do we say, "Thanks, I really needed encouragement!"  It is after eating a hearty meal that we sit back satisfied afterwards and say, "I was really hungry!"  The satisfaction of hunger pangs reveals we had been feeling them more than we realised before we sat down to eat.  I believe the same is true concerning in-person Christian fellowship.  It is only after people have been away for a week or a month from genuine, loving fellowship in the body of Christ they realise what they have been missing.  Fellowship resulted in Paul giving thanks to God and taking courage, and engaging personally with other believers at church services can have a similar result for us.

The thing about taking courage is we must be willing to receive it.  Undoubtedly God has brought much encouragement our way that led to increased discouragement because we were unwilling to trust God and thank Him in our current circumstances.  There is much that happens (like a shipwreck) or bad feelings (like rejection) that can lead to fear, weariness or despair.  The one who chooses to place their faith in God despite what has happened, is happening or might happen can take courage in Him.  The little things like meeting up with people for a couple hours suddenly become a big encouragement to keep going.  When we see fellow brothers and sisters in Christ, let us thank God and take courage.  Our faithful God is with us and has good purposes and plans in what we have experienced and where He is leading us.  Thank the LORD!

Communion of Bread and Body

"The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ? ¹⁷ For we, though many, are one bread and one body; for we all partake of that one bread."

1 Corinthians 10:16-17

Jesus Christ is the Head of the body, the church which is comprised of all nations, tongues and tribes of all the earth who trust in Him.  By the offering of Jesus on the cross for sinners He perfected forever those who are sanctified, set apart as people holy unto the LORD.  The worship of believers and receiving of communion together was an act of unified worship that illustrated the spiritual reality Jesus makes possible by the Gospel.

As I considered the broken bread and cup partaken of during a communion service, it struck me that it was the same for everyone in attendance.  It was not only for the pastor but all parishioners; the rich do no receive a double portion, nor do believing visitors to the church service receive less.  As much as we hear about equity and equality in this world, nothing comes close to the full measure of grace God extends to every one of His born-again children.  When a person books a flight, there are many upgrades on offer to those willing to pay the price.  Though the same aeroplane transports all passengers, people travelling first class and business class board first and are seated separate from economy customers.  Their drink, menu options and amenities are a cut above others.

It is not so for born-again children of God by faith in Jesus.  We are all partakers of that one Living Bread come down from heaven; we all drink of the same cup that symbolises His blood shed for us.  This does not mean we are all clones, nor are we faceless and nameless passengers all crammed together:  we are beloved children of God given specific roles and spiritual gifts according to the will of the Holy Spirit (Heb. 2:4).  We cannot tell where one cell of our bodies begins or ends, yet God knows and loves every member of the body of Christ individually and intimately.  God who knows the number of the sand on the seashore and calls every star by name knows and keeps His eye on us, for not one sparrow falls without Him knowing.

How amazing, that we can all have forgiveness, eternal life and fellowship with God by faith in Jesus!  No one has special privileges others are given or denied because of age, wealth, family associations, or worldly success.  Just like God has given each of us all the time there is during the span of our lives on earth, He has freely offered Himself as our Saviour for continual communion and fellowship.  Hebrews 13:8 says, "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever."  How blessed Christians are to be afforded all goodness that is and will ever be by God's grace through Jesus Christ Who unites us as one.

The Word Revealed

By His grace God has made Himself known to the world.  The living God spoke with Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and Moses to whom He gave His law.  Moses emphasised how accessible and understandable God's law was in Deuteronomy 30:11-14, "For this commandment which I command you today is not too mysterious for you, nor is it far off. ¹² It is not in heaven, that you should say, 'Who will ascend into heaven for us and bring it to us, that we may hear it and do it?' ¹³ Nor is it beyond the sea, that you should say, 'Who will go over the sea for us and bring it to us, that we may hear it and do it?' ¹⁴ But the word is very near you, in your mouth and in your heart, that you may do it."

God and knowledge of His laws was not in a far off, inaccessible location found by the wisest or most pious among them.  They did not need to develop technology to launch into space to find answers to life's questions, nor did they need to invent submersibles.  They did not need to be professors like Indiana Jones who followed clues, deciphered riddles, found relics and made discoveries to know the exact spot where they needed to dig.  God's people simply were called to love God and do the things He told them to do.  Now we know how easy it is for people to complicate things, and the Law of Moses was no exception.  The Jews went beyond the letter of the Law by defining how to properly do what God said.  Jesus went further still by illuminating the thoughts and intents of our hearts that condemn us as sinful even when we have followed the Law without fail.

Jesus fulfilled the Law and summed it up in a sentence:  to love the LORD with all our hearts and our neighbour as ourselves.  Jesus gave a new commandment, that we would love one another as Jesus loves us.  Our righteousness is not according to the Law but by faith in Jesus Christ who has redeemed and reconciled us to God.  Jesus, the Word of God, has come near us--into our hearts by faith--and provides the Holy Spirit to help and guide us into all truth.  Ironically, we can feel like opportunities for ministry are far off.  We imagine we must have a particular role or ministry in the church to be fruitful, or more education is required for us to understand and enter into the deeper things of God.  People think the satisfaction they long for will be enjoyed after they are married, are in the mission field, are part of a larger or smaller church.  It is a wonder disillusionment does not derail them from faith after they actually have what they sought and still lack peace or satisfaction they assumed was guaranteed.

Though we often complicate things, the truth remains simple and very near us:  our peace, satisfaction and fruitfulness is found in Jesus Christ alone.  We do not need to go to a foreign field to freely serve God, for we can walk in His love to people in our own houses, at our jobs, in our current sphere.  The person who thinks there will be a feeling of accomplishment after preaching the Gospel to 10,000 people in one arena will be disappointed, but we can be blessed beyond words by sharing the Gospel with a friend we are eating lunch with.  We can walk in the light of the Gospel to help mum clean the kitchen, choosing to deny ourselves for the sake of obedience to Christ.  Deuteronomy 29:29 said previously, "The secret things belong to the LORD our God, but those things which are revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may do all the words of this law."  The secret things only God knows have great allure, but Jesus has revealed Himself to us as LORD and commanded us to love one another.  We can do this today, right where we are, today.  What wisdom and satisfaction we have at hand in Jesus who leads us to do God's will!

Our Suffering Saviour

"Therefore, in all things He had to be made like His brethren, that He might be a merciful and faithful High Priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. ¹⁸ For in that He Himself has suffered, being tempted, He is able to aid those who are tempted."

Hebrews 2:17-18

God came to earth in the person of Jesus Christ and experienced life as a common person.  Conceived by the Holy Spirit in the virgin Mary, Jesus was carried in the womb and born into this world as a helpless, crying baby.  Whilst we learn often by failure and correction, our righteous Saviour learned obedience by the things He suffered (Hebrews 5:7-8).  He suffered falls, injuries, trials, rejection and grief, yet He continued fervent in prayer and faithful to intercede for others.  Jesus was put to the test in every possible way and has overcome all, our glorious and risen King.

The writer of Hebrews wrote that Jesus was in all things like His brethren, in a human body with physical limitations, under the authority of Joseph, Mary and the Law of Moses.  The book goes on in great detail to show how Jesus was greater than the high priests who offered the sacrifices of clean animals according to the Law for He once for all offered up Himself to provide atonement for sin.  The sacrifice of animals needed to be repeated daily and annually to cover sins, and Jesus established an infinitely better covenant in His own blood that rendered the Law obsolete as a means to approach God.  Jesus opened up a new and living way to fellowship with God by grace through faith in Him that provides spiritual rebirth, forgiveness and pardon of sins, and eternal life.

Verse 18 explains an important principle which is a source of comfort for us:  because Jesus suffered, He is able to help us.  Jesus faced every manner of temptation to sin possible, and yet He remained without sin.  He was put under extreme pressure as He was put to the test and never failed.  Spiritually speaking it would be like putting an object into a hydraulic press and the press breaking from the incredible pressure it created--and the object coming out without a scratch.  But Jesus was not some impervious object:  He was a person made of flesh with feelings, emotions and desires.  With knowledge comes sorrow, and Jesus knew the heart and thoughts of every person.  He was tempted to use His power as God to gain glory for Himself, to humiliate others, to boast in pride, to give place to worry and fear, to satisfy the desires of the flesh or seek comfort rather than submitting to God's will when it meant suffering.

If Jesus had not suffered being tempted, He would not be able to aid us who are tempted.  A prince in a palace who eats royal dainties and is waited on by attendants has no idea of what it is like to live in abject poverty and go hungry for days because there is no food.  Jesus knows what it is like to be hungry, thirsty, tired and sorrowful.  He has personally experienced every temptation to sin and overcame all without sin, so He is able to lead us in the trail He blazed in righteousness.  In fact, Jesus had an infinitely greater capacity to be tempted than anyone else because of the incredible divine power and unlimited resources at His disposal.  We are tempted to lie rather than tell the truth while Jesus could have been tempted to wipe a person's memory of an event, cause them to fall into a coma or drop dead--when He was in another city.

Jesus suffered being tempted, but He did not resist with clenched teeth only focused on Himself.  He was joyful, patient, gentle and kind--all the fruit of the Spirit evident through His life continually even in trials.  He did not commit sin in thought, word or deed and did not leave any good His Father in heaven directed Him to do undone.  Even when it meant going to the cross as a sacrifice for sinners, Jesus did so for the joy that was set before Him.  He wondrously lay down His will in Gethsemane to do the will of the Father and was lifted up on a cross like Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness.  1 Corinthians 10:13 says, "No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it."  With every test and temptation God allows He also makes the way of escape, and Jesus is the Way.  It is Jesus who helps us when we are tempted to bear it even though we suffer, for He is our merciful and faithful High Priest Who suffered for us and has overcome.

Guided by God's Eye

"I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will guide you with My eye. ⁹ Do not be like the horse or like the mule, which have no understanding, which must be harnessed with bit and bridle, else they will not come near you."

Psalm 32:8-9

During Friday night Bible study we discussed Psalm 32, and these were standout verses for me that prompted useful conversation.  God promised to instruct and teach His people in the right way to go and would guide them with His eye.  It was not a situation where all the instruction was given beforehand and then, once the examination is passed, His people could fall back on their qualifications.  Instead, God offered a relationship with His people to be lead by Him in real time to know where to go and what to do, a life available to Christians who are filled with the Holy Spirit.

Our eyes are one of the most expressive, non-verbal means of communication we possess as human beings.  By opening our eyes extra wide for a split second or by winking we can send a message to someone who maintains eye contact with us.  A king seated at his table during a meal attended by servants who knew what to look for would spring into action with a subtle look from their master.  An abrupt lift of the chin accompanied by looking at an empty glass was enough to move a servant to refill it.  While playing sport, without speaking a word, our eyes can communicate effectively to help our teammates anticipate our moves and be in the correct position.

On the other hand, horses and mules cannot communicate in this visual fashion.  While words can be useful training aids, horses naturally communicate through body language and touching.  They respond to the tone of spoken words rather than recognising the meaning of the word itself.  During an equestrian dressage competition, riders are not permitted to speak or use verbal commands and will receive a penalty for doing so.  God told His people not to be like the horse or mule without understanding, that needed to be harnessed with bit and bridle or else they would run away.  No horse or mule will do profitable work without first being extensively trained to respond properly to the bridle and submit to being led.  God's desire is for His people to have understanding of Him and willingly look to Him for guidance--without needing to bridle us with afflictions and troubles to keep our interest.

So how can we maintain eye-contact with God we cannot see with our eyes?  The first part of James 4:8 says, "Draw near to God and He will draw near to you."  We are to draw near to God with eyes of faith, learning of our Saviour in God's Word, desiring and choosing to walk in His ways.  Because we are spiritually regenerated by the Holy Spirit by faith in Jesus, God dwells within us and guides us into all truth.  In one sense He looks through our eyes at the world around us and opens our understanding to perceive needs and opportunities to minister His love and grace we were once blind to.  Instead of fitting us with a bit and bridle of Law, we are governed by His love, righteousness and compassion to follow Christ's example of living out the Gospel by the leading of the Holy Spirit.  Because of the relationship we have by faith in Jesus, we are instructed and led by Him in real time by His grace.

Through God's word and the Word that became flesh, Jesus Christ, we can personally know God.  By the Gospel we are brought to an understanding beyond what Job said in Job 42:5:  "I have heard of You by the hearing of the ear, but now my eye sees You."  God created ants to follow one another and do profitable work for the benefit of all without a guide or ruler by chemical pheromones invisible to our eyes, and God makes Christians new creations He guides, enables and empowers to be fruitful for His glory by the indwelling Holy Spirit.  Let us be those who seek and understand God, guided by His eye.

Commended to the LORD

"So when they had appointed elders in every church, and prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord in whom they had believed."

Acts 14:23

Paul and Barnabas visited churches they were instrumental in establishing by the preaching of the Gospel, and they appointed or ordained leaders in every church.  Among this group there were those who laboured in the word and doctrine as pastors do to this day, overseers who provided sound teaching from the word of God.  As a newborn baby needs to drink milk regularly, so believers needed to have their faith in Jesus Christ grounded in His word, promises and new covenant.  Christians of a Jewish background were pressured to return to the Law as their measure of righteousness that could never save, and there was no shortage of stumbling blocks facing Gentiles as well.

These elders were appointed in every church with prayer and fasting, an acknowledgement that man does not live by bread alone but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.  As they communed with God concerning the elders raised up by the LORD, their reliance for wisdom and life itself was according to God's wisdom and word.  God spoke the words of life, about this new and living way to approach God through faith in Jesus Christ.  Through His sacrifice on Calvary, Jesus provided access to the presence of God for every Christian:  the torn veil in the Temple that revealed the Most Holy Place alluded to His torn flesh that makes fellowship possible by faith in our Great High Priest Jesus.  Because Jesus lives Hebrews 4:16 exhorts, "Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need."

After prayer and fasting, Paul and Barnabas "commended them to the LORD in whom they had believed."  They commended or entrusted, committed them to the care of their living God who saved them, would protect, help and cause them to be fruitful.  This was a very important step for all involved.  It was faith in God that would prevent Paul and Barnabas from worry, fear and meddling with believers who needed to learn to depend upon God for everything.  Only God could guide, provide, protect and strengthen the Body of Christ the church to be all He created us to be.  The fact they prayed and fasted shows Paul and Barnabas were not passive or careless, but they and the elders withheld food from themselves in reliance upon God going forward.  God made every member of the church members of one another by faith in Jesus, and the health of their relationships were maintained with Jesus at the centre.

Paul and Barnabas avoided the pitfall of potentially stunting spiritual growth by fostering dependence upon them personally by commending fellow believers to the LORD with continued support.  We can entrust our pastor, spouse, friends and children into God's most capable care and hands, knowing He loves them more than we ever could and His plans and purposes are better than ours.  We too can pray and fast, denying ourselves necessary food because we trust the LORD to meet all of our needs.  To throw a child to the wolves would be heartless and brutal, but no genuine child of God is without the protection and help of the Good Shepherd Jesus Christ.  Praise the LORD we can support and intercede on behalf of one another, just one of many ways we can avail much--praying, fasting and entrusting others to God--rather than worrying or meddling.

Born Again to Be

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

Ephesians 4:31-32

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

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

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

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

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

Jesus Sows, We Reap

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

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

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

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

Settled in Our Hearts

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

1 Peter 5:10-11

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

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

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

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

God's Little Ones

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

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

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

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

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

A Discriminating Ear

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

Luke 24:45

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

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

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

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

Divine Order

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

Psalm 50:19-21

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

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

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

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

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

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

Divine Wardrobe Change

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

Psalm 30:11-12

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

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

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

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

Rejoice and Be Glad Today

Psalm 118:24 was made into a song we used to sing at church often:  "This is the day the LORD has made; we will rejoice and be glad in it."  It is a song fitting for every day because it is true, yet the immediate context of verse 24 speaks of a very specific day--a momentous day in the history of the world when Jesus provided atonement for lost sinners on Calvary.  The psalmist sung of God's enduring mercy and waxed prophetic as the song advanced, each of the latter verses loaded with Messianic prophecies fulfilled by Jesus.

To those who are born again and know Jesus Christ as the Messiah, the allusions are difficult to miss.  The LORD is our strength and song, and Jesus has become our salvation   I encourage you to read the  entire song, but for the sake of providing the context of verse 24 consider Psalm 118 from verse 19 to the end:

¹⁹  Open to me the gates of righteousness; I will go through them, and I will praise the LORD.

²⁰  This is the gate of the LORD, through which the righteous shall enter.

²¹  I will praise You, for You have answered me, and have become my salvation.

²²  The stone which the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone.

²³  This was the LORD'S doing; it is marvelous in our eyes.

²⁴  This is the day the LORD has made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.

²⁵  Save now, I pray, O LORD; O LORD, I pray, send now prosperity.

²⁶  Blessed is he who comes in the name of the LORD! We have blessed you from the house of the LORD.

²⁷  God is the LORD, and He has given us light; bind the sacrifice with cords to the horns of the altar.

²⁸  You are my God, and I will praise You; You are my God, I will exalt You.

²⁹  Oh, give thanks to the LORD, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever.

Jesus revealed Himself to be the Door (John 10:7, 9), the only Way to God through whom sinners are made righteous by faith in Him.  Verse 21 connects with Psalm 22, a song Jesus uttered the opening line as He was crucified to reveal Himself as the suffering Saviour God heard and answered.  The apostle Peter identified Jesus as the stone which the builders rejected which God made the chief cornerstone, the anointed One sent by God to seek and save the lost.  When Jesus entered Jerusalem riding on a donkey and fulfilled scripture, the people shouted:  "Hosanna!  Blessed is he who comes in the name of the LORD!"  Jesus is the Light of the World provided by God as an acceptable sacrifice for sin and shed His own blood once and for all.  The day the LORD has made is one that provided salvation, forgiveness and eternal life for all who trust in Jesus by the Gospel.

This day the LORD planned from before the foundation of the earth was when the hour of Jesus on earth came, the moment atonement would be made to redeem and reconcile lost sinners to God.  For the joy that was set before Jesus He endured the cross, despised the shame and now sits alive and exalted in eternal glory.  Let us rejoice and be glad in our Saviour Jesus Christ and all He has accomplished, giving thanks to the LORD for He is good.  Today is the day of salvation; today is the day to rejoice and be glad with praise and thanksgiving to the KING OF KINGS, our righteous LORD.

God's Grace Everywhere

God's awesome grace is constantly affirmed in the Bible and will be for all eternity.  Once our eyes of faith are opened to God's goodness we see the prevalence of His grace everywhere--even in unexpected situations.  God's grace is not like a fragile orchid that can only grow and flourish in a carefully controlled and maintained environment, but is as enduring and eternally hearty as He is.  In our imperfect world among sinners, God's grace flourishes everywhere.

In Numbers 12, the older siblings of Moses complained about his choice of spouse.  The text suggests the  motive behind the complaint of Miriam and Aaron was to undermine his authority before the people, for they said:  "Has the LORD only spoken through Moses?  Hasn't He also spoken through us?"  God heard their comments and bid them all appear before the LORD at the tabernacle.  God rebuked Miriam and Aaron for their trespass and when His presence departed Miriam was struck with an advanced case of leprosy.  Aaron begged Moses would not hold their foolish sin against them, and Moses instinctively cried out to God for healing.  By God's grace Miriam was restored to health.

As a consequence for Miriam's sin, God commanded she be shut out of the camp for seven days before she be received again.  Numbers 12:15-16 says, "So Miriam was shut out of the camp seven days, and the people did not journey till Miriam was brought in again. ¹⁶ And afterward the people moved from Hazeroth and camped in the Wilderness of Paran."  God's grace toward Miriam, her family and people is displayed yet again because the movement of the camp was God's choice.  Previously in the book of Numbers we read how God directed when it was time to move, where to go and how long to stay.  The people did not journey until Miriam was brought in again, and this shows God's hand in facilitating her restoration to her people and Himself.

We might imagine because of our sin God moves on without us or leaves us behind, but this passage illustrates the opposite is true.  Sin brings awful, deadly consequences even for believers, yet let us never lose sight of God's grace to forgive, heal and restore us to Himself.  For the sake of one person God waited 7 days so she could be received before breaking camp and moving on.  While no stone or pillar was erected, God has memorialised His awesome goodness in the scripture for us to consider and rejoice He has extended such grace to us.  People might leave or abandon us because humans are fickle, but God is faithful.  We deserve eternal death for our sins, yet God gives the Gospel of grace so we sinners might draw near to Him as He has to us.