Love Meets Needs

"When you reap the harvest of your land, you shall not wholly reap the corners of your field, nor shall you gather the gleanings of your harvest. ¹⁰  And you shall not glean your vineyard, nor shall you gather every grape of your vineyard; you shall leave them for the poor and the stranger: I am the LORD your God."

Leviticus 19:9-10

In the Law, God made provisions for the widow and fatherless, for the poor and the stranger.  It was forbidden for the Israelites to harvest all the crops which grew in their field so those without an inheritance could gather food for their survival.  All the crops produced in their fields was a gift of God, and He gave them enough to spare.  God was a generous Father for  His people, and through them He would bless the fatherless.  Those whose husbands had died would find practical needs met by God through the people He had betrothed to Himself.  The children of Israel had experienced poverty as foreigners in Egypt, and they were called to remember their humble beginnings so they might retain humility.

Further on God said in Leviticus 19:18, "You shall not take vengeance, nor bear any grudge against the children of your people, but you shall love your neighbour as yourself: I am the LORD."  The children of God were to consider the needs of others and love them without bitterness or resentment.  The measure of their kindness to others was according to the preference we naturally extend to ourselves.  When Jesus came, He immeasurably increased the standard we ought to follow, for He said in John 15:12:  "This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you."  The love of God expressed through Christ's life and demonstrated in His death is beyond measure, and only through the power of the Holy Spirit can we begin to fulfil His glorious command.  As we have freely received from God we are to freely give to God and others.

James 1:27 reads, "Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world."  Jesus has come to us, and it is fitting we would visit those who are in trouble, motivated by the love Jesus has given us.  God has shown His love to us practically by meeting our spiritual and temporal needs, and we too can show the protective and providing love of a husband and father to those God brings across our path.  God does not change, but may we be changed into His loving likeness, willing to sacrifice and give for the benefit of others and the glory of our God.

Black and Whites

Yesterday during the discipleship course I am leading we discussed a message delivered by a precious sister in Christ, Corrie Ten Boom.  Once when she was being interrogated in the concentration camp Ravensbruck about her "misdeeds," her judge showed her "dangerous" papers which contained damning evidence of her efforts to save Jews.  When she realised the papers had particulars of people she loved and wanted to protect, she said she had nothing to say about them.  She was elated when the man opened the grate and threw all the papers into the stove.  All the handwriting which condemned her and others was gone without a trace, and how grateful she was.

Later in her life, Corrie spoke with her biographer about a troubling incident which filled her with resentment and bitterness - which did not involved the Gestapo or concentration camps - but a mean thing done by fellow Christians.  When the biographer gently probed concerning how the situation had been resolved Corrie said gladly, "It has been forgiven and forgotten and I will not speak about it anymore."  Her friend continued to dig about how the offending party had been since.  "They take it easy," Corrie offered.  "They simply say they have not done it.  They can say that, but I have everything in black and white in the letters they have written me."  "What?" said her friend in surprise. "Say, where are your sins?  You have said that when you brought your sin to the LORD, He has thrown them into the depths of the sea with a sign that says "No Fishing Allowed," and for the sins of your friends you have black and whites?  O LORD, give Corrie the grace to burn all the black and whites of sins of others as a well-smelling sacrifice to you."  And she did.  She exhorted her listeners, "You can't forgive and I can't either, but Jesus can."

From her talk there are indicators which help us know if we have truly forgiven others from the heart as Jesus has forgiven us.  The first is when we intentionally free others from the burden of guilt of their wrongdoing in light of how Jesus has lovingly forgiven us.  This is illustrated in the parable Jesus told of the servant who owed his master an enormous debt.  He fell down at his master's feet and begged for mercy.  His master had compassion on him and loosed him from the debt, forgiving all.  Another way we work towards forgiveness is to refuse to ruminate on how we have been wronged and wallowing in self-pity.  Bad feelings and resentment are signs we have yet to fully forgive others.  We take critical ground in forgiveness when we never again feel the need to mention - to the offender or to others - the situation in detail.  In her message Corrie never laid out exactly what had happened or who had done it, but how God used it to change her.  A negative was thus made positive.  Finally, we must burn our "black and whites," even destroying evidence we would use to prove others wrong or to protect ourselves in the future.  Corrie had forgiven her "friends" in her heart, but burning those black and whites was the final nail driven home into the coffin of unforgiveness.

How about you?  Have you black and whites?  Perhaps it is time to pertinently delete those old emails, burn those hurtful letters, or decide that you will never recount that story you tell about how you were wronged or betrayed by those you trusted.  Praise the LORD God does not have a secret stash of the evidence of our sin, just waiting for an opportunity to throw it in our face.  He has taken all our sins and put them as far from us as the east is from the west.  Like Jesus on the cross we can say with compassion, "Father, forgive them - even if they know what they are doing."  If we refuse to forgive others after receiving such great forgiveness from God, we torture ourselves needlessly (Matthew 18:34-35).  Let us love and forgive our enemies, even when they are brethren.

Ability and Availability

A cliche is defined in the Oxford Dictionary as, "A phrase or opinion that is overused and betrays a lack of original thought." I agree with this assessment, even when it comes to commonly used cliches in Christian circles.  Since truth can endure careful inspection, it is wise for us to carefully evaluate Christian cliches rather than smugly repeating them.  I do not judge anyone for using cliches, and as I continue to follow Jesus I have found cliches to be far less useful than the plain word of God.  When a statement is recognised as cliche, it is a wise practice to filter it through scripture.  Often there is a more biblically accurate description than commonly parroted ones.

One cliche I considered this week is, "God is not looking for ability but availability."  On the surface this seems true enough, but look deeper and substance is clearly lacking - it is a cliche, after all!  The use of alliteration makes it more convincing like a famous one-liner from years back:  "If the glove don't fit, you must acquit!"  A reason for using the ability/availability cliche may be to stress a person's perceived lack of ability is no hindrance to God accomplishing His will through them.  People greatly used by God were often reluctant like Moses and Gideon because they did not see themselves capable to answer God's call.  And it begs the question:  are "available" people those whom God is looking for?  Isaiah 66:2 tells us who God is looking for:  "...But on this one will I look: on him who is poor and of a contrite spirit, and who trembles at My word."  2 Chronicles 16:9 reveals, "For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is loyal to Him...".  Also Jesus said in John 4:23:  "But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshippers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him."  Based on these verses God is not looking for "ability" in people or "availability" but He for God-fearing hearts which are humble, contrite, loyal, and worship Him in spirit and truth.

Based on the cliche, it seems "availability" is a chief qualification of usefulness by God.  After considering this carefully, my concerns of this emphasis are two-fold.  The first problem I see with this is the terminology is passive.  In one sense it is putting the onus on God to "use us" rather than us actively serving Him in practical ways.  There is nothing passive about the Christian walk.  We are called to be filled with the Spirit and intentional in prayer: trusting, obeying, giving, asking, speaking, and doing the will of God.  We are called to seek the LORD whilst He may be found, not just free up our schedules or momentarily set our plans aside when we deem it worthy.  The second problem is bigger still, because it suggests we maintain the right of full ownership and control of our lives when we as Christians have been bought with a price and are no longer our own (1 Corinthians 6:19-20).  Imagine if a soldier said to his commanding officer in preparation for battle, "I'll be available soon, maybe next week."  Being an employee "on-call" sounds a lot closer to reality than "being available."  Saying "Here I am, LORD. Send me!" has a decidedly greater commitment than availability, for it is a voluntary choice to honour and obey God in faith.

We are not able, but God is able.  He has given spiritual gifts and talents according to His will, and we ought to seek to use these for His glory.  As we humbly seek Him, God will provide supernatural abilities and resources to accomplish His plans.  When God looks at your heart, He is looking for particular characteristics which are indications of a life transformed by His love, grace, and mercy through the Gospel.  Those who wait on the LORD will be fruitful by His grace.  We never earn the right to be used or increased fruitfulness, but as we walk with Jesus led by the Holy Spirit He will make us useful.  Praise the LORD He is able and available for us at all times!

Remembering Rizpah

Yesterday I read an amazing and enlightening article in The Sword and the Trowel written by C.H. Spurgeon on Rizpah, Saul's concubine.  The brave deeds of this noble woman impressed King David and are an inspiration to this day.  Masterfully written and powerfully applicable, I highly recommend you to seek out an online copy to read the entire article.  I have read much Spurgeon over the years, and this is the "prince of preachers" at his very best.  This call to vigilance in our walk with Christ and unconquerable love for Him is widely applicable.

He expounds upon a Bible passage found in 2 Samuel 21:10:  "Now Rizpah the daughter of Aiah took sackcloth and spread it for herself on the rock, from the beginning of harvest until the late rains poured on them from heaven. And she did not allow the birds of the air to rest on them by day nor the beasts of the field by night."  For five months this vigilant woman grimly guarded the corpses of her children hanged before the LORD for the atrocities committed against the Gibeonites.  Seizing upon this picture of a mother's love and devotion for her dead children, Spurgeon observes how few of us have ever matched her in devotion to our living Saviour Jesus Christ and how she is a worthy example for us.  Since copies of this article are easily found online, I will only highlight portions of it.  Had there been no copies available, I would have gladly typed it out in its entirety - that's how good it is.

"This woman Rizpah, though a word is used in connection with her which is full of shame, for she was but Saul's "concubine," was yet a woman of noble spirit, for when she found her [two] sons thus put to death, she took sackcloth, making a little tent of it on the brow of the hill, just underneath the seven gallow-trees, and there she watched all through the burning summer, and the fierce autumn heats, till the Lord's mercy sent the rain to cool the sun-burnt earth.  The carrion birds came to feed upon the corpses, but she chased them away with her wild shrieks and cries; and when the jackals and the bears came by night, she, as if she were some fabled destroyer of dragons, and not a poor timid woman, drove them all away.  Neither by night nor by day did she cease from her dreadful task of love until at last, when the scant harvest was sorrowfully housed, the Lord accepted the atonement made, and made the blessed rain to drop from heaven - the rain which had been withheld so long because sin had bound up the bottles of heaven.  Until it was clear that God's wrath was removed, Rizpah stood to her post, protecting as best she could the unburied relics of those who were so dear to her.  It is a ghastly picture..."

Notice this woman in the constancy of her watching.  As, in my solitude, I read of Rizpah's watchfulness, I felt ashamed of myself - so thoroughly ashamed that I thought I heard my Master say to me, "What, could ye not watch with me one hour?"  Here is a woman who watches with the dead, not one hour, nor one day, but weeks and months, while we are so unspiritual and so carnal that a little watching with our Lord soon tires us out!  Even when we draw near to the master's table our thoughts wander.  When our minds should concentrate all their faculties upon the one topic of the Wellbeloved's flowing wounds and purple sweat, his bleeding head, and hands, and feet, our imaginations wickedly ramble abroad, and we cease to keep watch with Jesus; yet here is Rizpah, with undivided heart, faithful to her charge from month to month..."

Emulate Rizpah again, and like her make your watch a loving one.  If any compassionate traveller had saluted her, he might have said, "Woman with the grey hair, have pity on thyself, and go thy way!  Why tarriest thou here alone, on the bleak side of Gibeah's hill?  Why lingerest thou amidst these putrid corpses, which pollute the air?  Go, unhappy woman, where there are friends to shelter thee!  The nightdews will chill thy marrow, and the fierce sun will parch thy soul; have pity on thyself, and leave the dead, lest thou too soon be one of them.  Go home to kinsfolk, who will comfort thee!  There are still some left that love thee.  The fame of thy deed of love, hath won thee hearts that will yield respectful homage to thy griefs.  Go home, thou venerable woman; though like Naomi, thou shouldst say, 'Call me Mara!  for the Almighty hath dealt bitterly with me;' go thy way, and peace be with thee."  Do you not hear her firm reply, "I will not; by the love of God, I will not leave them!  for they are my children, my children - the offspring of my bowels.  Wherefore bid me leave them?  Shall yon vultures tear their flesh, which is my flesh as much as theirs?  Shall the grim wolf devour those who once lay on this bosom?  Wherefore bid me go?  Ye see nothing but ghastliness there, but I see myself in my children yonder.  Would God I had died for them; that I had died for them, and given up this wrinkled form, that their young lives might have been spared to them!  I cannot and I will not leave them.  Till the soft bosom of their mother earth shall give them shelter, their mother's hand shall defend them."  O love, what canst thou not do?  Beloved of the Lord, love is the great force which will keep you close to Jesus.  If you love him with a deep, passionate love, you will abide with him.  If the mere love of nature could keep a woman watching thus, what ought the love of grace to do?  For grace would conquer nature, and gratitude, for countless blessings, should create in us a love more deep and impetuous than the love of women - a love which many waters cannot quench, and which the floods cannot drown..."

"Behold how Rizpah suffered for her dead children's sake, and take heed that thou learn to endure as seeing him who is invisible.  Brethren, if all the world at once should point the finger of scorn at us, if all the devils in hell should hiss at us from their mouths of flame, if God himself for awhile should hide success from us, yet for the wounds of Christ, and for the bloody sweat, and for the precious death of Jesus, we ought still to press on in service and in sacrifice, since Jesus' sacrifice deserves of us all we are, and more than all; deserves our whole being in its most intensely energetic condition; deserves us evermore toiling at the utmost possibility of diligence, or suffering at the highest imaginable degree of resignation.  O come, ye lovers of my Master, come to his cross, and ask him to nail you there, to crucify you with himself.  Ask him that he would make your hearts wholly his.  Ask to be consecrated, spirit, soul, and body, and henceforth to reckon yourselves not your own, but bought with a price.  O Holy Spirit, press these truths upon thy people's hearts, and help them to watch and worship, to watch and suffer, to watch and serve with Jesus, till the rain shall drop from heaven, and thou shalt take them up to dwell with thyself, where they shall see the despised One exalted, the crucified One enthroned, and the buried One for ever living, King of kings, and Lord of lords." (Spurgeon, C. H. C.H. Spurgeon's works as published in his monthly magazine The Sword and the Trowel. Vol. 2. Pasadena, TX: Pilgrim Publications, 1975. Print. pages 69-76)