A Faithful Doorkeeper

During medical mission trips to Cambodia at times I had the role of "policeman."  What this job entailed was ensuring the patients/guests were ushered to the correct station in a timely manner.  After a presentation of the Gospel, visitors were permitted to choose two different free services at a medical, dental, or eye-glass stations.  Part of the role was to ensure people did not sneak in without being checked in at the triage station or jump the queue.  Keeping a friendly eye on the people and coordinating movement to stations was employed for their comfort, safety, and for the benefit of all who offered the services.  Without guidance the stations would be overwhelmed with inquisitive or demanding people and services would suffer.

The role of "policeman" is an important one for medical outreaches to run smoothly, but it is not nearly as important as those tasked with keeping watch of the doors of the temple in Israel.  At the gates trained men were stationed who ensured only those who were permitted entered.  Women and Gentiles were restricted to the outer court, whilst men who were purified according to the Law of Moses could enter the inner court.  Only Priests and Levites on duty could enter the temple itself, and it was a place of absolute reverence and purity before God.  To be a doorkeeper at the temple doors was a privilege and honour few were afforded and taken most seriously.

The role of a doorkeeper came to mind when I read Psalm 84:9-12:  "O God, behold our shield, and look upon the face of Your anointed. ¹⁰ For a day in Your courts is better than a thousand. I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of wickedness. ¹¹ For the LORD God is a sun and shield; the LORD will give grace and glory; no good thing will He withhold from those who walk uprightly. ¹² O LORD of hosts, blessed is the man who trusts in You!"  To be entrusted to keep watch over the holy place where the presence of the Almighty God dwelt was of great importance.  God was for His people a sun and shield, and the doorkeeper was responsible to provide entry for those serving in the temple and deny entrance to all that would defile.  In a way the doorkeeper acted as a shield, to guard the holy place from corruption.

Under the New Covenant of grace, Jesus is our Great High Priest and we have become the temple of the Holy Spirit who lives within us.  He has not withheld any good things from those who walk uprightly, from those who trust in Him.  Our righteousness comes by grace through faith in Him, and as His sanctified children we in a sense have the role of a doorkeeper concerning our bodies.  Often we must bear the responsibility for allowing filth to enter our consciousness through our eyes and ears.  The air drawn through our nostrils is exhaled, and all the food and drink we consume are eventually eliminated, but this is not so for what we see and hear.  These things are meticulously stored in our memories and imprinted upon our hearts.  Most that spiritually defiles us within comes through these senses, and therefore we must be discerning and vigilant to be on guard continuously.

As priests unto our LORD we also ought to recognise anything that defiles which is discovered within the holy place, for from our fleshly hearts arises all matter of corruption from inside.  We could keep the doors of our eyes and ears closed and suddenly lust, greed, selfishness, pride, and deceit can spawn and appear within us.  Jesus Christ Has atoned for these sins with His shed blood on Calvary, and should we see them appear within us - like filthy rats which have squeezed through an open window in the temple - we must swiftly deal with them through repentance.  The Psalmist said to be a doorkeeper of the LORD's house for one day was better than a thousand, and what a sober privilege and responsibility we are given by God's grace to set a guard upon our hearts and minds.  As those chosen and anointed, let us walk in faith in our God who is our sun and shield.  Let us be vigilant to keep ourselves in purity and thus sanctify our God whose glory outshines the sun.

Diffusing the Fragrance

"Now thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and through us diffuses the fragrance of His knowledge in every place."

2 Corinthians 2:14

Growing up I remember many products which were used to treat household odours.  In bathrooms it was common to see a dusty old bowl of potpourri or a can of aerosol spray to neutralise (or mask) offensive smells.  "Odor Eaters" were marketed to reduce smells from inside shoes, and Glade made a product to plug into a power point which heats oil into a vapour.  There were sprays which made fabric smell fresh, and the women in the TV ads were always smelling curtains and sheets (pretty weird if you ask me!).  Then there were products made to smell bad, and in my junior high years "stink bombs" were not uncommon.  The smell of rotten eggs was horrible, distinctive, and provided an amusing distraction in the daily routine.

My sense of smell is not nearly as sensitive or refined as other people I know, and this has positives and negatives.  Sometimes I cannot smell things my wife finds overpowering.  A strong scented candle might be enough to give me a headache, but the sense of smell makes eating much more pleasant.  The fragrance of a flower, cedar, or pine are welcome smells for me.  The fragrance of Christ, however, is a sweet smell beyond compare.  God has chosen to diffuse "the fragrance of His knowledge in every place" through those who have received Jesus by faith.  For us eternal life has begun, and the truth, love, grace, compassion, and mercy which was revealed to us through Jesus can be generously diffused wherever we go.

It would be very convenient if the aroma of Christ was as easy to share as body odour, which is altogether passive.  When we have been exercising, working outside, or just on a hot day without deodorant or washing, the smell the human body is capable of producing is awful!  We often aren't as sensitive to our own scent as others are because it is foreign to them.  There is no one I know who smells better when they wash less frequently.  If we want to smell good, there are actions to be taken.  Soap, shampoo, clean water, fresh clothes, cologne, and perfume help people smell good.  In the same way if we want to diffuse the fragrance of Christ, there are actions we must take.  It is possible by God's grace we share His love, truth, and grace without realising it, but a majority of the time this involves intentional acts of denying self and obeying Jesus.

What a shame it would be to poorly represent our Saviour by allowing sinful attitudes, words, and deeds to foul His fragrance.  Solomon wrote in Ecclesiastes 10:1, "Dead flies putrefy the perfumer's ointment, and cause it to give off a foul odour; so does a little folly to one respected for wisdom and honour."  In Christ there is healing balm, and let us walk in wisdom instead of folly.  Whilst intentional actions are required for us to diffuse the fragrance of Christ - repentance from sin and obedience to God - 2 Corinthians 2:14 makes it clear this is God's work in and through us.  We cannot by the efforts of our flesh shine for Christ, nor can any gain victory over sin by our efforts alone.  It is God who leads us in triumph in Christ, and God through us diffuses the fragrance of His knowledge in every place.  God is able to cause us to be a witness everywhere for His glory.  How amazing is this?

Speak of God's Deeds

It's easy in life to be overwhelmed with circumstances beyond our control.  The trials and seemingly insurmountable obstacles can be legion, and the most enthusiastic people can waver and faint from the onslaught.  There are temptations within and pressure from without; physical weakness and illness can sap our resolve.  There are always suggestions to doubt and temptations to quit.  And when you aren't sleeping well and perpetually exhausted it just adds another level to the difficulty.

You might not be able to relate to this, but based on Psalm 77 I believe Asaph knew this very well.  He was a man who cried out to God in his trouble and was heard.  There were times when sleep eluded him, and in the darkness fears and doubts crept in.  He had intimate and historical knowledge of God's goodness and mercy towards His people, but these aspects of God's character were difficult to reconcile with the present troubles Asaph experienced.  He knew God was powerful and mighty to save, yet situations in his life unsettled him and brought him low.  As he lay awake in his bed he wondered:  has God forgotten all about me?  Is He finished showing me grace?  Are God's promises obsolete?  Is God's anger keeping me from His mercy?  It was only after Asaph stopped focusing on himself and his feelings and began to remember the goodness of God that doubts were swallowed up with overcoming faith and joy.

He wrote in Psalm 77:10-12, "And I said, "This is my anguish; but I will remember the years of the right hand of the Most High." ¹¹ I will remember the works of the LORD; surely I will remember Your wonders of old. ¹² I will also meditate on all Your work, and talk of Your deeds."  Asaph reached back beyond his own personal experience and considered the great and glorious things God had done long ago.  He hearkened to the days of his forefathers in Egypt and how God delivered them miraculously with a mighty hand from their oppressors.  He remembered the grievous plagues God poured out upon the nation who enslaved his people, the mighty signs God worked among them.  He thought about "the works of the LORD" and His "wonders of old" he was familiar with in scripture.

Yet Asaph did more than simply think about what God had done. Verse 12 says, "I will...talk of Your deeds."  Asaph made a decision and commitment to speak with God concerning what He had done in prayer - and likely to others as well.  It is good for us also to make this our practice, being brought to a place of rejoicing over our God's greatness, might, and power.  Asaph went on to write in Psalm 77:14-15, "You are the God who does wonders; You have declared Your strength among the peoples. ¹⁵ You have with Your arm redeemed Your people, the sons of Jacob and Joseph. Selah"  Remembering and speaking about what all God did in the past gave Asaph great confidence to approach God in his current difficulties, truly a great God beyond compare.

It is telling how Asaph mentioned Jacob and Joseph by name, for Joseph's deliverance from slavery and prison and promotion to ruler over all the land of Egypt is amazing.  After Jacob and Joseph were reunited in Egypt, Joseph having saved all from famine by wisdom provided by God, Jacob adopted Joseph's two sons (Ephraim and Manasseh) and gave them an equal portion among his own sons.  Eventually (hundreds of years later) the children of Israel all departed Egypt as a single nation.  God was faithful to His Word, merciful through the people for a long season were afflicted, gloriously brought them through the Red Sea, destroyed their enemies, provided for their needs, revealed Himself in power to them on Mt. Sinai, guided them with His presence day and night, led them through the wilderness, and brought them safe into Canaan.  This is the God Asaph remembered and spoke of, and this is the God we also serve and worship.  Is there any God who can deliver like this, who is gracious, merciful, keeps His Word, hears the cries of His people and delivers?

Revive Us Again

"Will You not revive us again, that Your people may rejoice in You?"

Psalm 85:6

The psalmist penned this rhetorical question he believed God would answer in the affirmative.  During a time of prayer last night the Holy Spirit brought this verse to remembrance and shed light on the subject of revival.  God is the source of all life, and He has promised to provide eternal life to all who repent and trust in Jesus Christ as LORD and Saviour.  Having been born again by the Gospel, we are spiritually made alive by the Holy Spirit within us.  One fruit of the Holy Spirit is joy, and therefore rejoicing ought to mark our lives and personalities as children of God.

During my Christian pilgrimage I have enjoyed fellowship with people of various backgrounds and different doctrinal points of emphasis.  Some are especially enamoured with the subject of "revival" and a fervent desire to see or experience a revival of religion.  Some read solid books like Why Revival Tarries by Leonard Ravenhill (yes, it is in my library!) and read of notable revivals which have occurred over the years all over the globe.  They pray often for revival as a cure for all ills, something that happens "out there" when revival is needed in our own hearts first.  See what the psalmist said:  "Revive us again!"  Like the new life God gives us, revival is not enduring and perpetual.  We will always need revival again even as our physical bodies daily need to drink water.  Would to God He revive us, but revival must never be our desired end:  God must be our end, for in Him is life, fruitfulness, and salvation.  Jesus Christ must be our chief and only pursuit, and we will find ourselves revived when we follow Him.

Do you desire revival?  Why might that be?  Would you ask revival for yourself, for others, or for God's sake?  Is it so people will be more committed or serious in their Christian walks or so masses will descend upon church gatherings begging, "What must I do to be saved?"  Revival is not something to helplessly long for but is ours when we respond to Jesus Christ in faith.  There have been times even the world took notice of the move of the Holy Spirit in the church with wonderment, but genuine revival is not measured by numbers of converts, increased church attendance, interviews, or news articles.  Revivals among God's people occur when they, in brokenness for sin repent, cleanse themselves of idols, seek the LORD, and walk humbly before God in obedience.  Prayer paves the way for revival but it is not a formulaic means to some experience.  It is not increased church attendance or faithful servants which are the results of revival, but as Psalm 85:6 says it is rejoicing in God!  What else should our redeemed lives be but joyful praise and thanksgiving unto our God?

Consider Psalm 85:7-9 as the song continues:  "Show us Your mercy, LORD, and grant us Your salvation. ⁸ I will hear what God the LORD will speak, for He will speak peace to His people and to His saints; but let them not turn back to folly. ⁹ Surely His salvation is near to those who fear Him, that glory may dwell in our land."  Has God forgotten to be merciful?  Is He incapable of saving or delivering those who fear God and cry out to Him?  Of course not!  Verse 8 contains a warning we ought all to take to heart, that after we have been born again we would turn back to folly.  When we turn back to folly it is little wonder we are cold, listless, paralysed, and hopeless.  Imagine that, a hopeless Christian!  Friends, we have all been there; I have been there.  God will revive all those who fear and seek Him.  His salvation is near to us "...that glory may dwell in our land."  Who is more glorious than our God?