Come When Called

Growing up we had several different dogs as pets.  All of them were trained to some degree, but none of them could be reliably trusted to run free off the leash.  We didn’t know better in those days, and we never managed to train them to come when called – despite dog obedience training.  When people came over to visit we had a “dog run” to contain them, to keep them from jumping on visitors.  If the gate to the back yard ever swung open, we had to act fast because ours were the sort of dogs who imagined it was a fun game to remain just out of reach and lead us on a slow chase down the block.  It was unimaginable we could take them to Dog Beach or to a park and let them off the lead.  It simply wasn’t worth the grief.

I was reminded of my childhood pets when a friend told me about how Australian Blue Heelers are sometimes trained.  A common method is to take an older, well-trained dog and connect their collar to a younger, untrained dog.  The trained dog will respond instantly to the commands of his master and literally drag the other dog along.  After a while the younger dog will begin to connect the commands of the master with the action performed by the trained dog.  Simply by obedience to his master the older dog effectively trains the other.

The life of the trained sheep or cattle dog running around a green pasture and the dog cooped up in the dusty dog run are quite different.  Perhaps my dogs imagined they had a bit of freedom when their escaped our yard, only to be caught and corralled moments later.  It is the dog who can be trusted to immediately come when called by his master that can be trusted to go everywhere with him: to the beach, the park, to be sent out into a large field to gather up the flock or herd.  Under the watchful eye of his master, what freedom the reliable and trained dog has!  Before God, I want to resemble the obedient dog which can be trusted to do his master’s work.  I want to be faithful to be about my Father’s business, quick to respond to discipline with humility and repentance, like the dog a master would choose to link with an untrained dog because he is trustworthy.

Which sort of dog do you resemble:  the one which needs to be kept on a short lead or in the dog run or one the master can direct to do his will in a pasture without fences?  Be grateful when God sees fit to train you, even when it feels like you are being dragged all over the place, losing your footing, and when you are weary from running.  Even as a good shepherd knows how to train his sheep dog, God knows how to train and develop His faithful servants.  Learn how to run side-by-side with faithful ministers of Jesus Christ, and I don’t mean pastors only.  There are countless faithful servants of the Most High who are not called to pastoral or teaching ministry.  Someday the lead will come off and you will need to choose if you will obey God’s commands or strike off on your own, doing your own thing.  It is in obedience to God we experience our greatest freedom and joy.

Jesus chose His disciples, going to their place of work whether they were mending their nets or sitting at their desk.  It didn't matter if they were alone in their boats or if the hired servants were there.  Without explanation or apology Jesus simply said to them, “Follow Me.”  Jesus Christ comes to you right now wherever you are and says the same thing.  Will you come when called?  There will always be a high cost of following Christ, for it is the voluntary surrender of your entire life to God’s control and guidance.  To refuse Christ’s call, however, is far more costly.  There are a lot of Christians who resembled bored, lazy dogs in dusty kennels when they could be running free doing what they were bred to do.  I can tell you our greatest aspirations and dreams are little more than a dusty dog run compared to the green, sun-swept pastures where God will establish you.  There will be rainy days, cold mornings, and windy nights which at times never seem to end, but we can always have the comfort of sleeping by our Master’s side and the excitement about the next thing He calls you to do with Him.

Confirm Your Love

Have you ever been hurt or offended when you became aware of sins of other people?  Though all sin is primarily and ultimately against God alone, we can be swept up in a flood of emotions:  anger, grief, confusion, disappointment, and even betrayal.  God taught me an invaluable lesson when I found out a person I trusted intentionally deceived me.  I was so angry when I discovered the lies!  My initial response was to withdraw and give the "silent treatment."  But as I knelt in prayer beside my bed, my anger and indignation was immediately quenched by the LORD's stern voice:  "Was this sin against you?  Is it right for you to be angry?"  God showed me my anger was due to my own pride and I was immediately convicted.  Once I repented for my sin, I was able to extend God's grace in love to the person who was sorry for what they had done.  Fellowship was then restored.  The person had sinned against God, and God used my sinful response to reveal pride within me He wanted to cut off.  Despite our faults, it ended up being a win-win.

Offense is common to all men, yet it is particularly destructive in the church.  The way people respond to secret sin discovered or sin freely confessed by each individual matters.  Sin divides and cuts people off from fellowship with God and other Christians, but when we are unloving and proud the way we deal with repentant sinners can isolate too.  The church in Corinth made the mistake of allowing a man who was in an incestuous relationship continue in fellowship without rebuke or discipline.  It seems after Paul exhorted them to correct this matter in 1 Corinthians, they were severe in their handling of this individual.  They cut him off even after he repented.  This is often the case:  to make up for our neglect or leniency the pendulum swings back too far with harshness.  But Paul was not content for the man to be made an example of as a warning to frighten potential future offenders.  He encouraged Christians to exhibit the love and grace of God to the sorrowing sinner.  He wrote in 2 Corinthians 2:6-8, "This punishment which was inflicted by the majority is sufficient for such a man, ⁷ so that, on the contrary, you ought rather to forgive and comfort him, lest perhaps such a one be swallowed up with too much sorrow. ⁸ Therefore I urge you to reaffirm your love to him."  A brother offended is harder to win than a strong city, and in faith and obedience to Jesus - not our faith in people's improved performance - we ought to forgive, comfort, and confirm our love to broken sinners.

So what does this mean, to reaffirm or confirm your love to someone who has repented for their sin?  Jesus Himself provides a lovely example after Peter denied Him.  Jesus predicted all His disciples would abandon Him and Peter would deny Him, but Peter was adamant he of all the disciples would be faithful unto death.  The very night Jesus was betrayed and brought before Caiaphas the High Priest, Peter indeed denied Jesus three times.  When the rooster crowed, Peter remembered what Jesus had said and he wept bitterly with remorse.  After Jesus rose from the dead, on several occasions He appeared to His disciples.  But even before Jesus did so an angelic messenger mentioned Peter specifically by name at the empty tomb in Mark 16:7, "But go, tell His disciples--and Peter--that He is going before you into Galilee; there you will see Him, as He said to you."  Jesus confirmed His love for Peter by sending Him a personal message.  He had not forgotten him and He wasn't even angry with him despite his fear and failure.  Through this simple message Jesus said clearly, "I love you and have not forgotten about you.  You are still part of my future plans."

Peter denied Jesus three times, and the Gospel of John provides an account when Jesus appeared to His disciples - and Peter - for the third time.  The disciples were fishing and Jesus called out to them from the shore to cast their nets on the right side and they would catch some fish.  As their nets were filled with large fish, Peter recognised Jesus as His LORD and jumped out of the boat to greet Him.  John 21:15-17 reads, "So when they had eaten breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, "Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me more than these?" He said to Him, "Yes, Lord; You know that I love You." He said to him, "Feed My lambs." ¹⁶ He said to him again a second time, "Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me?" He said to Him, "Yes, Lord; You know that I love You." He said to him, "Tend My sheep." ¹⁷ He said to him the third time, "Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me?" Peter was grieved because He said to him the third time, "Do you love Me?" And he said to Him, "Lord, You know all things; You know that I love You." Jesus said to him, "Feed My sheep."  Jesus initiated contact and confirmed His love for Peter by giving him an important job to do.  Jesus committed the feeding of His sheep and the tending of His lambs to a man who had recently denied Him.  Jesus knew Peter was grieved and repented for his sin, for He knows the hearts and minds of all men.  He lovingly restored Peter to fellowship by intentionally reaching out to him and entrusted His ministry to him.

What a good and challenging example this is to me!  When I have been wronged and offended, my flesh demands people prove themselves worthy before they can be considered as a viable part of ministry.  But Jesus didn't make Peter earn anything.  There was no waiting period between Peter's repentance and Jesus forgiving, comforting, seeking, calling, and commissioning him to do His work.  Jesus confirmed His love for Peter graciously, and this is what we are called to do as well by the power of the Holy Spirit.  The Holy Spirit will convict and lead them even as He has led us.  We are called to trust God and walk in obedience to His leading and His Word, regardless of the legalistic standards of this world.  God is able to maintain the purity of His church without us adopting proud tactics of the flesh.  Hebrews 12:28-29 reminds us, "Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us have grace, by which we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear. ²⁹ For our God is a consuming fire."  We are to put away from ourselves those professing believers who refuse church discipline and remain in sin without repentance, yet for those who repent we ought to practically confirm our love to them, reach out to them, speak comfort, and freely give them opportunity to serve.  Isn't it wonderful to be loved by God who freely grants us new beginnings?

Listen to Your Father

"Now go, write it before them on a tablet, and note it on a scroll, that it may be for time to come, forever and ever: ⁹ that this is a rebellious people, lying children, children who will not hear the law of the LORD; ¹⁰ who say to the seers, "Do not see," and to the prophets, "Do not prophesy to us right things; speak to us smooth things, prophesy deceits. ¹¹ Get out of the way, turn aside from the path, cause the Holy One of Israel to cease from before us."

Isaiah 30:8-11

The nature of man since Adam has not changed.  Rebellion and wickedness comes standard in all the hearts of men.  God has given human beings a conscience, the ability to reason, and the freedom of choice.  Despite his great capacity for knowledge, when it comes to the truth man often does not have the stomach for it.  The almighty, living God has issued an invitation for all to enjoy a glorious life of fellowship with Him, but most would rather make a god after their own image they can conveniently manage than relinquish control of their lives to God alone.

In the book Transformational Discipleship I am reading for our discipleship course at Calvary Chapel Sydney, the authors make a good point our relationship with God is intended to be a full-surrender, not a treaty.  Should God exist, most men would be content to make a treaty with Him if they also could maintain their individual sovereignty.  But this arrangement is not a possible option.  We either live for God or ourselves.  The children of Israel provide a good example of the tension which exists in the lives of all born-again Christians.  As God's adopted children through the Gospel, our hearts can still be lured away from the simplicity of faith and obedience to God.  Like the people of Israel and Judah of old, we can shun true messages of scripture because they reveal our faults.

In the passage above, God wrote an eternal memo about the children of Israel.  He discerned their rebellion, lies, and refusal to heed His law.  They were not interested in hearing the truth which came from God because it was the promise of judgment for their refusal to repent.  They wanted to hear "smooth things," deceit their flesh deemed easy to swallow and digest.  The Holy One of Israel spoke the truth, but it was too narrow a view for God's wayward children.  This passage reveals words of prophecy from God will seem a bit rough for our taste - especially when we are in sin.  God's message may be things very difficult to say and make a person very unpopular, as Isaiah and Jeremiah learned firsthand.  God's faithful witnesses must value the approval of God over the approval ratings of the recipients of the message.  Woe to the man who prophecies deceit, who leaves the way, turns aside from the path of righteousness, and chooses to mute the Holy God of Israel.

As Joshua chose which God he and his house would serve, all Christians must choose if we will boldly speak God's truth with hearts compelled by love.  We who have tasted and seen the LORD is God and have received the truth of the Bible should not smooth out the words God intended to be rough on sinners.  A messenger should not edit his king's message in an attempt to make it palatable.  It is a satanic deception to think changing the message will aid its effectiveness.  Diluting the medicine renders it useless to promote healing, and God has freely provided the cure for all our ailments by His grace.  Since we are the children of the true God and follow Jesus who is the Way, the Truth, and the Life, let us speak the truth and refuse to trade it for anything.  Proverbs 23:22-24 exhorts us, "Listen to your father who begot you, and do not despise your mother when she is old. ²³ Buy the truth, and do not sell it, also wisdom and instruction and understanding. ²⁴ The father of the righteous will greatly rejoice, and he who begets a wise child will delight in him."

We Have Overcome!

My family and I have been keeping tabs on the Olympic competition in Rio.  It is a rare opportunity to see the best athletes in the world competing for Olympic gold and global acclaim.  One thing spectators can count on is surprise victories and stunning defeats.  There are always compelling stories about athletes who will never grace the platform but have sacrificed much in pursuit of mastery and excellence.  Behind every athlete is a long story of training, overcoming injuries and long odds to earn the chance to compete.  Some fail to make the semi-finals, and others win multiple medals.  While the medal counts for certain countries stack up, there still remains countries that have never won a single medal.

Until the Olympics in Rio, one of those countries without an Olympic medal was the island nation of Fiji.  They had been widely tipped to have a superb team heading into the Games, and they lived up to the hype in claiming a gold medal with a decisive victory in the final.  The moment I savoured most was when after the game the team circled up and sung a hymn.  At first I couldn't understand the words.  But as they harmonised the words suddenly came in English:  "We have overcome!  We have overcome by the blood of the Lamb and the Word of the LORD!  We have overcome!"  It was an emotionally moving moment for me, and I've been singing the song to myself through the day.

I didn't win a gold medal, but I felt like I could rightly sing that song of praise to God with them.  No one can take a gold medal or any accolades from earth when their life ends, but that is a song those men who trust in Christ as Saviour and I will be singing to God for eternity.  Jesus is the One who has overcome the power of sin, death, Satan, and hell through His death and resurrection.  All who repent and trust in Him enter into His victorious life granted for eternity.  In Jesus Christ we have a prize greater than medals, crowns, kingdoms, or all the fame and wealth on this planet combined.  The twenty-four elders are described as singing to Jesus Christ in Revelation 5:9-10, "And they sang a new song, saying: "You are worthy to take the scroll, and to open its seals; for You were slain, and have redeemed us to God by Your blood Out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation, ¹⁰ And have made us kings and priests to our God; and we shall reign on the earth."  People from island nations and every corner of the world will one day lift their voices in praise to God, harmonising together as one for the glory of our Messiah and King, the One who has overcome.

The rugby pitch can be a violent place, but for a few moments yesterday it was a genuine slice of heaven.  I don't know anyone on the Fiji rugby team, but I imagine there were Christians among them.  If that is the case, then Jesus was out on that pitch.  Jesus explained in Matthew 18:20, "For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them."  As their words rose up to heaven, I celebrated with them our shared victory we have through Jesus.  How sweet He is!