Content in God

It's been a long week.  My wife and I have been floored with a virus since last Wednesday.  I can't remember if I have ever had a fever for five straight days, and I hope that is the last time!  We were very thankful to have a doctor home visit and have scripts written for both of us for a course of antibiotics.  This is the first time I have missed teaching on a Sunday morning due to illness in almost nine years, which is quite remarkable.  It is not a testimony to my constitution, but to the grace and sustaining power of God.

As bad as it is to be sick and exhausted, Laura and I talked about how gracious God has been to our family since arriving to Australia concerning illness.  When moving to a new country there are many new strains one can be exposed to.  Despite the differences, I believe God protected us and kept us healthy.  This is where some become quite cynical:  "Does God only answer your prayers?  What about the people who have been sick many times?  How about those with cancers and debilitating illnesses who suffer every single day?"  God did not keep our family from illness because of any goodness in us or because we are more "special" than other people.  God gives people good health who don't even believe in Him!  He gives according to His grace.  We have asked Him for good health and God gave it to us.  We have thanked Him profusely.  And guess what?  This past week He said "No" to good health.  I hate being sick and run-down, but if God sees fit to allow me to be sick, then I am content in Him.

God is only good, in total contrast to this fallen world.  He is trustworthy.  My family and I are sheep of His pasture.  Jesus is our Good Shepherd who watches over us, protects us, binds up our wounds, heals our bodies, and brings rest to our souls even when we are sick.  This world cannot offer true rest, healing, and restoration!  There is no peace in the hearts and minds of the cynics who lash out angrily at God only when things go wrong and credit themselves when things go well.  Some are happy enough to forget about "God" until they feel a need to blame someone.  Job asked his wife, "Should we receive good from God and not evil?"  A fair question.  If God is in control and knows what is best, who are we to doubt Him when He allows discomfort and pain?  Never forget He is a Redeemer.

David wrote in Psalm 120:1 after the priests had been slaughtered in cold blood save one:  "In my distress I cried to the LORD, and He heard me."  When I was in agony during these days I have cried out to God in my distress like I have not for a long time.  It was a good reminder that I need to have that sense of urgency to seek God when it is not my body or comfort on the line.  God uses distress and illness even for good concerning those who love God.  What a wonder, to be heard by God!  To be heard is a greater blessing than to be healed!  When bad things happen, how much greater and good is our God!

Levi and Lot's Wife

"After these things He went out and saw a tax collector named Levi, sitting at the tax office. And He said to him, "Follow Me." ²⁸ So he left all, rose up, and followed Him."

Luke 5:27-28

Jesus called people to follow Him from many walks of life:  fishermen, a zealot, doctor, and a tax collector.  It is most instructive that in many cases Jesus called people to follow Him when they already had careers and even called them during their work day!  Jesus knew His disciples before He called them, and He no doubt knew their daily routine and working hours.  But He did not wait for a convenient time.  This is always the case when it comes to following Jesus.  Following Jesus means leaving other things behind, and Levi illustrates this well.

What I find most interesting in this passage is the order of verse 28.  Before Levi stood to his feet, he already left all.  His heart was no longer yoked to his career, money, or even his responsibilities before the Roman authorities who had employed him.  Jesus simply said, "Follow me."  A decision was made in Levi's mind in union with his heart that he was going to answer that call immediately.  No discussion, no contract, guarantees, or promises of success or prosperity.  Levi did not wait to answer Christ's invitation after providing a two week notice for his employer, after he asked permission from his boss or family, no half days, no weaning period to build financial support, no training up of a new tax man.  Levi walked away from financial security and his pay for work already performed.  Levi was willing to place his whole life in the hands of Jesus.  He left all, rose up, and followed Jesus.

Now some might wrongly use this passage to accommodate and justify impulsive, fleshly decisions when it comes to life or ministry.  Moved by pride or ambition and not the Holy Spirit, there are some who might be cavalier and flippant because they expect God's approval and nurse a sense of entitlement of subsequent blessings due to their efforts, sacrifice, or service.  The problem is, when our steps are not ordered by faith in God confirmed by His Word, we can be presumptuous and exhibit folly.  Levi had no doubt it was Jesus who called him and was certain the open invitation had been leveled specifically to him.  I have heard it said "The need is the call," but frankly "need" does not necessarily constitute calling.  There is no shortage of need in this fallen world, just like there is no shortage of telemarketers who call my residence asking for help or money.  Jesus says His sheep know His voice and follow Him.  Through the power of the Holy Spirit and the scriptures we can discern God's voice and take the appropriate steps of faith for His glory.  God does not need us, but the wise recognise their need to entrust our lives to Him alone.

One final point concerning verse 28:  the heart departs and the mind agrees before the body moves.  Every single Christian at times and in varying degrees during their walk with Christ will choose to accommodate the flesh rather than walk in faith.  We can make the error of thinking the problem with our wandering feet is constant temptation, the ferocity of Satan's assault on our minds, our past, or weakness.  The problem primarily every time is one of the heart.  James tells us in chapter 1 that when temptation and the lusts of our own heart combine in agreement sin is conceived.  Jesus explained the desire for divorce is primarily indicative of hardness of heart, not irreconcilable differences between you and another person.  Our hearts must be reconciled before God first, and then we are able to deal with conflict biblically, flee from temptation, and resist the devil.

Have you decided to follow Jesus, even when you are on the job, at home, watching TV, or reading the Bible?  Are you willing to leave all so you might rise up and follow Him?  Too many try to rise up and follow Jesus before our hearts and minds and left all.  The result?  We never follow Christ in absolute surrender, joy, victory, and power as He intends - if we ever follow Him at all.  It is hard to keep your eyes fixed upon Jesus when our heart's desire is to remain in Sodom.  Jesus said in Luke 17:32, "Remember Lot's wife."  When it came time for her to flee Sodom's destruction, she left her home and treasured things behind - with a little bit of her heart.  She cast longing eyes towards Sodom and became a pillar of salt, a memorial of death for all who love the things of this world.  To whom Jesus has revealed Himself, the same must be willing to leave all, rise up, and follow Him.  We can't take any part of this world with us, but Christ deserves and desires to be our all in all.  If we seek to save our lives we will lose them, but if we lose all for Christ's sake our lives will be preserved.

Levi chose life.  Are you willing to leave all, rise up, and follow Jesus?  He's calling you right now!

Redeeming the Moments

"Therefore He says: "Awake, you who sleep, arise from the dead, and Christ will give you light." ¹⁵ See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, ¹⁶ redeeming the time, because the days are evil." 

Ephesians 5:14-16

Sleeping is a necessary aspect of life for human beings.  Though some need more sleep than others, physically we all require a regular amount of sleep to function at our best.  Spiritually speaking, those who have been born again through the Gospel need not sleep.  Our bodies need sleep and rest, but we are called to awake to righteousness and sin not (1 Cor. 15:34).  A biblical definition of a fool is one who does not believe God exists or lives in a way that does not acknowledge Him or His wisdom.  A wise man is the one who has heard God's Word and obediently applies it to his life.  A fool - being spiritually insensible and asleep - does not walk with this knowledge of God or His wisdom.  There is a sense of urgency in Paul's words, that Christians not become complacent, careless, or sleepy.  He goes on to say we should not be unwise, but understand what the will of God is (Eph. 5:17).  The implication is knowing God's will should profoundly affect the way we live.

A characteristic of the wise man is one who walks circumspectly and "redeeming the time."  What does it mean, to be redeeming the time?  It is God's will we would be continually redeeming the time He has granted us for His glory.  Our time on earth is limited, and no man knows precisely the time or manner of his own death.  Therefore we are to live earnestly, purposefully, and intentionally according to the wisdom and will of God.  We only have so many years, months, days, hours, and minutes left on this planet to glorify God.  A wise man recognises the brevity of his existence and seeks to make every minute count for eternal purposes.  God has been showing me lately that it is not only the minutes or seconds we must continue to redeem, but the moments.  There are countless moments throughout the day we can be redeeming to glorify God we can easily miss.

In fact, this can be taken even further:  I suggest the ways we handle our "moments" is indicative of the true condition of our hearts before God.  We may have to spend hours in front of the TV before we experience guilt or acknowledge we have "wasted" time.  Yet it is not necessarily the big blocks of time where the real waste happens.  It can be when we are waiting for the kettle to boil, when we are sitting on the toilet, or waiting at a traffic signal.  In those moments, where do you turn to occupy your mind?  Are you redeeming those moments for God, or are you using them for yourself?  During those moments wouldn't it be more profitable rather to be praying, thanking and praising God, reading the Bible, or memorising scripture?  God is challenging me not only to be redeeming hours or minutes but even the moments.  God help me!  When we commit to redeeming our moments before God, the minutes, hours, and days will be redeemed for God's glory.  It reminds me of a maxim attributed to an uncle of mine:  "Take care of those pennies and the dollars will take care of themselves."  If we are careless with our pennies, it will affect the ways our dollars are spent or if we have them at all!

Here is an illustration of the necessity to guard against the little wasters.  Song of Songs 2:15 reads, "Catch us the foxes, the little foxes that spoil the vines, for our vines have tender grapes."  During the night whilst the farmers slept, foxes would squeeze their way through fences and access grape vines.  Foxes are a relatively small animal and only need a tiny hole to weasel their way in.  Once inside a vineyard, when they fed on the grapes they would also ruin the vines.  When foxes or other animals find a source of good, easily obtained food, one can be certain they will return.  It would be folly for a farmer to shrug his shoulders when he saw evidence of vine damage, ignore the hole in the fence (It's just a small one!), or hope vainly the foxes would not return the next night.  The fact is this:  if we are sleeping during moments we should be redeeming through the day, more and more foxes will be emboldened to come.  It will be only a matter of time before the whole vineyard is spoiled because the little foxes were not trapped and the holes in the fence not repaired.  Life is filled with little foxes - sneaky, subtle, destructive thoughts, motives, activities, and affections - which work to spoil our spiritual vitality and fruitfulness.

So what should we do?  Romans 13:10-14 states, "Love does no harm to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of the law. ¹¹ And do this, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep; for now our salvation is nearer than when we first believed. ¹² The night is far spent, the day is at hand. Therefore let us cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light. ¹³ Let us walk properly, as in the day, not in revelry and drunkenness, not in lewdness and lust, not in strife and envy. ¹⁴ But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts."  Instead of making provision for the flesh, we are to put on the LORD Jesus Christ.  It is high time for us to awake out of sleep, for we only have a short time left.  Round up the little foxes without compromise and decide to walk wisely, redeeming even the moments.  In this God will be pleased!

The Hedge of Thorns

"The way of the lazy man is like a hedge of thorns, but the way of the upright is a highway."

Proverbs 15:19

During the WORD Bible study on Friday night at Calvary Chapel Sydney, we discussed this verse.  Passages like this can reveal our tendency to filter biblical claims through our experience or current understanding rather than believing the text at face value.  It is very common for us to read an objective statement and accept it because it confirms previously held views.  If we will read honestly, openly, and inspired by the Holy Spirit, God's truth will confront and dash the presumptuous assumptions of the flesh.  A man of understanding seeks knowledge with the intent to apply it to his own life.  Those who are faithful to heed the truth of God's Word will grow, be fruitful, and richly blessed.

This verse paints a compelling contrast between the way of the lazy man and the upright.  Proverbs 20:6 says, "Most men will proclaim each his own goodness, but who can find a faithful man?"  Laziness is not a particularly desirable quality, nor is it a characteristic to strive for.  A lazy man will not strive for much except his own comfort and ease!  Solomon compares the way of a lazy man like a hedge of thorns.  Picture a man trapped in a thorny hedge.  Remarkably, through a series of decisions and procrastinations (for no decision IS a decision), he found himself wedged in with thorns in front and behind with no clear view to escape.  Should he move forward, thorns jab into his brow.  Scooting backwards seems not to work either, for the thorns press into his legs!  Seemingly painful obstacles encircle the lazy man, so he stays in his uncomfortable situation, paralysed.  "There's no way out for me," he cries aloud.  "Whether I move forward or try to move back, I am surrounded by painful obstructions.  Who wants to pluck thorns from their socks or perhaps suffer injury?  If I am to do anything, I will do nothing."

There are several characteristics of a slothful, indolent man.  He demands a guarantee of success before he will pay a price, risk effort without reward, or make a sacrifice.  Difficulty and unknowns surround every possibility, so in his distorted, short-sighted view it seems advantageous to do nothing - except perhaps to complain about his unique predicament!  Unless there is a certainty of being brought toward his preferred, ideal end immediately, he is unwilling to take the first step towards the goal.  Being lazy, his goals all centre around himself.  There may be one or more ways out of the hedge of thorns, but he will wish and wait for a comfortable option he prefers - even if it kills him.  Notice how the Psalmist contrasted the lazy with the upright man, the man who trusts in God and walks faithfully in obedience.  The upright man does not wait for wishes to be miraculously fulfilled without effort or intentional steps, but has placed his hope in God.  The lazy man is preoccupied with self, yet the upright man has God in His view.  The highway he walks is well-marked, for even a fool could stick to the path (Is. 35:8).  He knows where he is going, and he is willing to continually put one foot in front of another though the path is long, hilly, and potentially hazardous at times.  The upright man cannot tell what might happen to him on the road, but he has determined to stay on the path and persevere to the end.

Motive is key in both the lives of a lazy and upright man.  A spiritually upright man might at times exhibit laziness, but a lazy man is never upright.  It is true there are people who know not God but have a strong, desirable work-ethic.  Their motive may be self-serving, yet they are willing to pay the price to achieve their ends.  The same may be indolent and willfully ignorant concerning spiritual responsibilities.  The existence of the lazy man provides no reasonable justification for Christians to embrace laziness.  Jesus did not come to be served but to serve and give Himself as a ransom for many.  Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life.  He is no hedge of thorns but a highway of holiness that leads us to salvation.  Thorns are a result of sin, and a crown of thorns was pressed into the scalp of Christ the Saviour when He was crucified.  He died on the cross so we might be dead to sin and enter into the good works He has prepared beforehand for us to enter into (Eph. 2:8-10).

If your way resembles a hedge of thorns, take the first step in admitting laziness and repent.  God has a miraculous way of clearing the thorns when we ask Him for help in ordering our lives for His glory.  Taking the first step of faith will lead to more!  Gideon taught the reluctant elders in Succoth a lesson with thorns and briers, and God is willing to use the discomfort of a hedge of thorns to prick our consciences and bring us to our senses as well.  Jesus said in John 9:4-5, "I must work the works of Him who sent Me while it is day; the night is coming when no one can work. ⁵ As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world."  Jesus is the most upright man this world has ever seen, and we do well to heed Him and follow His example.