Not Godforsaken

Places that are inhospitable or bleak are sometimes called "godforsaken," but looks can be deceiving.  No matter how barren the landscape or isolated the place the Bible teaches the presence of the almighty God is available and accessible right there and now.  In the darkest dungeon, in the most frantic emergencies, when no help is coming and no one seems to care, God is there and ready to save.

Remember the story of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego?  They were Jews who were taken captive by the Babylonians and trained to serve King Nebuchadnezzar.  He made an image of gold and commanded when music was played all his subjects would bow down in worship before it.  These three men of faith refused.  They were ultimately thrown into a furnace heated seven times hotter than normal.  In that moment a remarkable miracle occurred:  those who threw them into the fire were consumed by the flames, but only their bonds were burnt off.  They walked free in the midst of the roaring furnace with the Son of God, and when they emerged alive and unharmed from the furnace they did not even smell of smoke.

In Australia we have been reeling from tragedy upon tragedy.  Lives, homes, towns, and countless animals have been lost in the bushfires across the eastern states.  Weeks ago a report reached our shores of a terrible tragedy when White Island erupted in New Zealand and killed many people--including Australians.  Daily there are horrific reports of conflict, tragedy, and great suffering by people all over the globe.  This earth is full of trouble and troubled people looking for someone to blame, looking for answers, trying to make sense of the mayhem.  One thing I know for certain is this world is not godforsaken:  the great I AM has revealed Himself, He has come, and He is here.

Christians look unto Jesus our Saviour who will someday return in glory to judge the world in righteousness.  But in the meantime we are called to walk in love as we follow and serve Him, making disciples of Jesus.  The irony is we can know the abiding presence of Jesus Christ who was forsaken on Calvary when the the sins of the world were laid upon Him.  From the cross He cried out in the darkness, "My God, My God, why have you forsaken Me?" hearkening back to the opening words of Psalm 22 penned by David.  David was not forsaken by God (though it felt like it), but Jesus experienced desolation, cut off from the Father.  Because Jesus was thus afflicted those who trust in Jesus as LORD will never be because atonement has been made.  Just because this world isn't what we wish it was Hebrews 13:5 exhorts us to remember what God has promised: "Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, "I will never leave you nor forsake you."

In Christ our Saviour we sinners find all our needs miraculously met because through Him God has supplied all we need for life and godliness.  Our eyes look for hope and help, for answers which evade our sight, but what we see is like a slight-of-hand trick with cups where the hand is faster than the eye.  We who have beheld the glory of God in the person of Jesus Christ can know we are not forsaken, nor the world God loved enough to send His only begotten Son.  God sent Jesus to seek and save the lost, to open the eyes of the blind, to turn hearts back to faith in God so people might be redeemed.  With our renewed minds and faith in Jesus we can see beyond the current circumstances and how we feel to know God is with us and will never leave or forsake us.  It is Jesus Christ who gives the the strength in fiery trials to trust and press on with joy.

Jabez and Prayer

At the moment my family and I are reading through 1 Chronicles, a book heavy with genealogies.  Because the names can be a mouthful and sound foreign to English speakers the temptation might be to skip them.  Even in genealogies there are some delightful insights, like Jabez in 1 Chronicles 4:9-10:  "Now Jabez was more honorable than his brothers, and his mother called his name Jabez, saying, "Because I bore him in pain." ¹⁰ And Jabez called on the God of Israel saying, "Oh, that You would bless me indeed, and enlarge my territory, that Your hand would be with me, and that You would keep me from evil, that I may not cause pain!" So God granted him what he requested."

The Strong's Concordance defines the name "Jabez" as "to grieve, sorrowful."  The birth of Jabez was painful, yet out of pain was borne great blessing because he called on the God of Israel.  He prayed believing and God granted him what he requested.  Jabez is mentioned here because he was more honourable than his brothers, yet his prayer was answered because God is good and gracious.  The prayer uttered by Jabez is not to be viewed as a formula to obtain blessing from God, but all who call on the God of Israel will surely be blessed.  Even those who do not call upon God or acknowledge God's existence have been unknowingly blessed by God without measure.

Jabez called out to God and asked for the blessing of His presence.  Jabez was so named because his mother bore him in pain, but he did not want to be a pain.  Through God's answer to his prayers he was kept from evil and was not defined by his name.  I praise God He answers prayers not to rise above a bad name but to shed our sinful nature by being born again through faith in Jesus.  In a moment the one who repents of sin and trusts in Jesus Christ as Saviour has a new identity and infinite blessing which endures forever.  This is God's will for everyone:  to know, trust, and dwell with Him always.

Many people hope for utopia or enduring peace on earth, but until Jesus Christ in judgment peace will remain a mirage.  Those who receive Christ now are not guaranteed land ownership on earth but a place in heaven where righteousness dwells.  By the grace of God He is not only with us but has made us His dwelling place.  Jesus has redeemed us from the power and penalty of sin, having provided wisdom, guidance, and strength to walk uprightly in a world full of sin.  In this world we will experience pain and suffering, yet one day all things will be made new and our eyes wiped free of every sorrowful tear.  We do not need to wonder if God will answer this prayer, and it is not only the "more honourable" God will hear.  God will answer the humble heart that cries out in faith, "God be merciful to me a sinner!" can be justified right now and for all eternity.

God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble.  Praise the LORD, for all blessings come through Him.

Peace be Unto You

God's Word has the miraculous ability to sustain believers in trials.  There is no shortage of unwelcome and troubling news we receive, but a word from God draws our eyes to consider Him.  God knows what we need even before we ask, and He also knows exactly what we need to hear so we can say with the faithful, "I have been greatly helped."

Yesterday in the morning I read through John chapter 20 after Jesus rose from the dead.  Twice in the chapter Jesus addressed disciples who were afraid and did not believe, "Peace be unto you."  What a gracious, compassionate, and merciful thing to say!  They did not earn the right to experience this peace nor were they qualified by their courage.  They had fled from the presence of Jesus during His arrest and Peter denied even knowing Jesus.  Jesus kept the promise made previously in John 14:27 despite their folly:  "Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid."

God's peace is always for us, graciously provided for our benefit.  To experience the peace of God which passes understanding faith in Jesus Christ is required.  Philippians 4:6-7 says, "Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; ⁷ and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus."  As we lay aside worries and cast our cares upon Jesus because He cares for us the peace of God guards our hearts and minds.  Our feet are shod with the "preparation of the Gospel of peace" though the indwelling Holy Spirit, even as shoes protect bare feet from sharp or hot surfaces.  The Gospel gives us traction to stand.  Jesus has declared "Peace be unto you," and the wise walk in it.

David wrote in Psalm 28:6-7, "Blessed be the LORD, because He has heard the voice of my supplications! ⁷ The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusted in Him, and I am helped; Therefore my heart greatly rejoices, and with my song I will praise Him."  Recalling and receiving the words of Jesus personally when He said, "Peace be unto you" has carried me along throughout the day.  He didn't just say this to anyone but to the fearful, weak, confused, and overwhelmed--to people who followed Jesus who are a lot like me.  If God be for us, who can be against us?

Feeling Secure?

"And Gideon went up by the way of them that dwelt in tents on the east of Nobah and Jogbehah, and smote the host: for the host was secure."

Judges 8:11

People these days go to great lengths to ensure the security of their homes, possessions, and identities.  Layers of identification help online banking and shopping transactions maintain high levels of safety and security.  For this reason it seems ironic Gideon was able to smite the host who encamped east of Nobah and Jogbehah when the scripture says, "...for the host was secure."  The NKJV sheds light on the situation:  "Then Gideon went up by the road of those who dwell in tents on the east of Nobah and Jogbehah; and he attacked the army while the camp felt secure." (emphasis mine)  Shaved Samson who said, "I will arise as at other times and free myself" and did not know the Holy Spirit had left him, faith in self--instead of God alone--makes us complacent and vulnerable.

Being secure and feeling secure are two different things.  Personally there is no tent that makes me feel secure, a thin wall of canvas or nylon separating me from the elements and wild animals.  This feeling of security made them vulnerable to attack.  Because they felt secure perhaps they weren't vigilant to keep watch at all hours, have their weapons at the ready, or devise a battle plan.  This passage provides insight into how our possessions or position in this world can lull us into a false sense of security:  a profitable career, sound health and mind, investments, and money in the bank can cause our faith in God to drift.  Since we feel secure with what the world can provide, what daily need do we have for God?

Jesus spoke a parable about the danger of covetousness in Luke 12:16-21:  "Then He spoke a parable to them, saying: "The ground of a certain rich man yielded plentifully. ¹⁷ And he thought within himself, saying, 'What shall I do, since I have no room to store my crops?' ¹⁸  So he said, 'I will do this: I will pull down my barns and build greater, and there I will store all my crops and my goods. ¹⁹ And I will say to my soul, "Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years; take your ease; eat, drink, and be merry." ' ²⁰ But God said to him, 'Fool! This night your soul will be required of you; then whose will those things be which you have provided?' ²¹ So is he who lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God."  The rich man in the parable had an abundance of food and possessions and felt secure concerning his future.  But in reality he was vulnerable because he had poverty of soul towards God.  He felt secure but did not realise that night God would require his soul.

Genuine fellowship with other believers in the reading and teaching of God's Word keeps us sharp and fit for our Master's use.  The rust of complacency which quickly forms on our faith in God often requires the friction of trials and difficulties to remove.  We need to feel insecure so we will seek God and cry out to Him for protection, provision, and help.  It is ironic much of our labours in this world is to provide feelings of security and independence which hinder a close walk with Jesus.  Praise the LORD as Proverbs 27:17 relationships with God and godly people works to prepare us to face unforeseen conflicts:  "As iron sharpens iron, so a man sharpens the countenance of his friend."  Only God provides security in this life and for all eternity.  Leaning on our own understanding brings false security, but all who place their faith in God can rest assured of His presence and provision for all things.