Intentional Salvation

When I checked the news this morning the top story was top-ranked tennis star Novak Djokovic was disqualified from the U.S. Open after accidentally hitting an umpire with an errant ball.  He hit a ball in frustration intentionally but could not have imagined the ball would have collected a line judge in the throat and she dropped to the ground.  Apparently this is not the first time this has happened to a professional player, when striking an official accidentally led to an ejection and disqualification from a tournament.

Quoting news.com.au, "The US Tennis Association released a statement saying Djokovic would be fined all prize money and lose all ranking points earned during the major.  'In accordance with the Grand Slam rulebook, following his actions of intentionally hitting a ball dangerously or recklessly within the court or hitting a ball with negligent disregard of the consequences, the US Open tournament referee defaulted Novak Djokovic from the 2020 US Open.'”  According to the rules, Djokovic's reckless and negligence required him to be sent off the court and to forfeit all earnings and points even though he did not intend to hit the lineswoman.

This situation shows the unflinching nature of rules in sport enforced by a qualified umpire and well illustrates the absolute nature of God's Law to which He will hold all accountable.  Accidentally breaking God's law or being ignorant of it does not spare anyone famous or not from the righteous demands:  the soul that sins will surely die.  Djokovic is reported to have spent 10 minutes pleading his case to no avail because the rules of the game must be held with integrity for there to be a game to play.  The God who created life has provided His laws which govern all aspects of life:  what He says is sin is sin, and those deemed guilty by Him cannot question His righteous judgments.

I am grateful God the Father sent His only begotten Son Jesus Christ as a sacrifice for sinners so according to God's justice we can be forgiven and receive eternal life.  There are consequences of our choices on earth whether we approve or not, and happy is the man who is approved by God through faith in Jesus.  We have all sinned accidentally, purposefully, and maliciously and have no way to defend ourselves from the exacting demands and punishment of God's unalterable laws.  Maybe there is a judge somewhere who would have let play continue, but let us not think God because of His gracious, merciful, and loving character is in any way soft on sin.  We might sin by accident, but salvation received by faith is intentional.  How good is God to make forgiveness possible!

Rejoice with Gladness

God created the earth to have days, seasons, and years.  Not every day is the same, and one season may be preferred over another.  The memories of times past should never be permitted to overshadow the start of a new day, a new season which holds great promise for all those who hope in God.  Instead of lamenting what we can no longer do as the flower of youth fades, we can glory in the strength of God who sustains us and will present us without fault before the throne of God with exceeding joy.

I have heard many people speak disparagingly of the year 2020, yet it is a year comprised of days God has made.  It is true in Australia we have seen fires, floods, a pandemic, and a recession.  These trying circumstances do nothing to take the shine from our great God and the wondrous plans He has for all who love and trust Him.  If they do in our eyes it is evidence things other than God have clouded our vision and purpose.  In our gracious God there is always cause to be glad and experience fullness of joy despite a bleak economic forecast or failing health.  Though our outer man is perishing, God is faithful to renew our inner man day by day (2 Cor. 4:16).

The fullness of joy we receive from God is not received by burying our heads in the sand and ignoring the problems of the world:  it is when we look beyond what puts us in fear and look upon Jesus Christ with eyes of faith we find rest for our souls.  Joshua and Caleb's hearts did not fail them when they saw giants and fortifications because they remembered God's promise.  David did not run from the cursing Philistine who defied the armies of God because He remembered how God had delivered him in the past.  Years later when angry men spoke of stoning because they blamed him for the loss of their families and goods he strengthened himself in the LORD who put His Spirit upon him.  When King Hezekiah received threatening letters he spread them before the LORD, and when King Jehoshaphat heard a great army had been assembled against him he could not defeat his eyes turned to God who fights for His people.

Oh, that we would rejoice and receive the peace God graciously gives us!  Sandwiched within a passage loaded with prophetic references to Jesus Christ the Son of God, those who fear God are exhorted to rejoice and through Jesus are free to!  Quoting Psalm 118:19-29:  "Open to me the gates of righteousness; I will go through them, and I will praise the LORD. ²⁰ This is the gate of the LORD,through which the righteous shall enter. ²¹ I will praise You, for You have answered me, and have become my salvation. ²² The stone which the builders rejected Has become the chief cornerstone. ²³ This was the LORD'S doing; it is marvelous in our eyes. ²⁴ This is the day the LORD has made; we will rejoice and be glad in it. ²⁵ Save now, I pray, O LORD; O LORD, I pray, send now prosperity. ²⁶  Blessed is he who comes in the name of the LORD! We have blessed you from the house of the LORD. ²⁷ God is the LORD, and He has given us light; bind the sacrifice with cords to the horns of the altar. ²⁸ You are my God, and I will praise You; you are my God, I will exalt You. ²⁹ Oh, give thanks to the LORD, for He is good! for His mercy endures forever."

In context the day spoken of here alludes to the atoning sacrifice of Jesus on Calvary.  For the joy that was set before Him Jesus enduring the cross, despised the shame, and is set on the right hand of the Father.  We are to consider Him who endured such contradiction of sinners against Himself lest we be weary or discouraged in our minds (Hebrews 12:1-3).  Happy is the man who blesses the LORD at all times, for at all times God is good.  

Off The Rails

An attraction that never interested me at Disneyland was "Autotopia," a miniature car connected to a rail that guided the car along the course.  There was a steering wheel in the car but it did not allow the driver to make meaningful decisions.  Go-carts were a much more exciting prospect for me because of increased speed and the opportunity to be in control, take turns as fast as possible, and the fun challenge of passing other riders.  For other people, even go-carts are a yawn when you could go off-road.  Why be confined to a small oval track when there is a world to explore?

When the cliche is used "off the rails" it can mean a person, business, or group is like a train that has jumped the track that is no longer safe or able to reach the desired destination.  A train needs a track for the conductor to guide it to the next station.  The ironic thing is when it comes to life there are no rails that force us on the right path.  Very rarely are our choices of attitude or thoughts between changing our current track for one other option:  a whole world of input, feelings, experiences, and beliefs impact our decisions, and sometimes even we realise we have made or are making the wrong choices.  Personal change isn't as easy as pulling a lever.

Another term of phrase used to reference a lapse of sobriety is "falling off the wagon."  Like the train that relies upon the guidance of rails to reach a station, the implication is the wagon--the program, support, and principles--are constructed to guide a person to continued sobriety and to kick addiction.  As good as structure, routine, and boundaries are, they have their limits because of the free agency God has given people to choose for themselves.  Sometimes our ability to reason is hijacked by lies we believe, doubts in God and His Word, and because we are naturally stubborn and rebellious.  We can jump off the wagon because it doesn't seem to be working as fast as we hoped.  One who falls off the wagon can choose to remain on the ground as the wagon plods towards the destination with one less rider.

The example Jesus gives of Him being the Good Shepherd and His hearers being like sheep is a far more accurate representation of the Christian walk than wagons or trains.  Jesus did not herd sheep into wagons to carry them to grassy fields and still waters but we must voluntarily choose to follow the call of Christ step after step.  The church is not intended to be heavy machinery engineered to carry passengers along a rail to heaven but is a living organism, a Body of believers where Jesus Christ is the Head.  I believe people like the idea of a train that has tracks leading them to heaven or a wagon carrying them to sobriety and victory.  The only decision that must be made is to climb aboard and then it will carry us home without us needing to pay a personal cost to repent of sin or exercise faith in Jesus whatsoever.

When used as modes of transportation wagons and trains were modified for comfort with springs, padded cushions, ventilation, and windows.  In addition to these features these vehicles were attractive because they could bring occupants to their desired destinations much faster than walking on foot.  Yet there is a comfort sheep that walked great distances in the sun a businessman in an air-conditioned coach may not have:  the presence of a Good Shepherd who loved them and gave His life for His sheep.  Jesus indeed is the Way, the Truth, and the Life.  He does not promise a luxurious, first-class experience of comfort in this life, yet He provides the Comforter who fills us with the presence of God.  It is vain to trust the machinery of church ministry or the wagon of programs to keep us on the "straight and narrow" when Jesus Christ is faithful and loving to lead us every step of the way.

As we follow Christ in faith and obedience life becomes less about what we do or don't do but who Jesus is and all He has done for us.  When "the Way" becomes our Way in daily experience we are more secure, better directed and comforted than any train or wagon could boast.  Where the train and wagon picture works well is we are not alone in the journey, for Jesus connects us with other believers who are on the same journey by grace through faith.  He has given us a command to love one another as He loves us so when another falls we are there to lift them up.  Circumstances may prompt us to desire an express train to heaven, yet we are wise to enjoy the journey God has planned for us.  Like runners who are intentional to compete according to the rules to prevent disqualification, may we each press on for the finish line as we follow Christ's example of love and sacrifice.

The LORD God

"Then Moses said to God, "Indeed, when I come to the children of Israel and say to them, 'The God of your fathers has sent me to you,' and they say to me, 'What is His name?' what shall I say to them?" ¹⁴ And God said to Moses, "I AM WHO I AM." And He said, "Thus you shall say to the children of Israel, 'I AM has sent me to you.' "

Exodus 3:13-14

I have read this passage many times in the past, but when I read this recently it impacted me like never before.  When God identified Himself to Moses by name, it reveals He is sovereign, supreme, and eternal.  A man is identified by a personal first name, family surname, and place of birth to distinguish him from others.  A picture, date of birth, fingerprints, dental x-rays, and unique tattoos or birthmarks help to uncover the true identity of a person.

God is the eternal Creator of the world and cannot be tied down to a geographic area on earth.  Nothing in the universe existed before Him, and all has been made by Him.  He will endure beyond everything He has created so creation alone is insufficient to describe His power or wisdom.  No human being can look upon the all-powerful God who is spirit and live thus an attempt at a physical description would be pointless.  There is absolutely nothing in heaven or earth God could rightly use as a frame of reference to identify Himself so the unique, self-existent One wisely appealed to who He was, is, and ever will be:  "I AM WHO I AM."  Isn't He awesome?

When God met with Moses on Sinai He revealed additional truth about His righteous, unchanging nature.  Exodus 34:5-8 says, "Now the LORD descended in the cloud and stood with him there, and proclaimed the name of the LORD. ⁶ And the LORD passed before him and proclaimed, "The LORD, the LORD God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abounding in goodness and truth, ⁷ keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, by no means clearing the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children and the children's children to the third and the fourth generation." ⁸ So Moses made haste and bowed his head toward the earth, and worshiped."  Moses bowed reverently before the LORD God who is merciful, gracious, and forgiving.  His love, truth, and goodness is not according to the shifting standards of man but are perfect in purity and infinite in power.  The God who forgives sin is the Judge of all the earth before Whom all men must give account.

How great is the LORD and worthy to be praised for His power, holiness, and divine condescension.  Psalm 113:4-6 says, "The LORD is high above all nations, His glory above the heavens. ⁵ Who is like the LORD our God, Who dwells on high, ⁶ Who humbles Himself to behold the things that are in the heavens and in the earth?"  Our God is so glorious it shows humility for Him to stoop to look into heaven, to earth, and to reveal Himself to sinners.  The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Moses went even further, sending His only begotten Son Jesus Christ, to put on human flesh and walk on the earth, to go to the cross, that "I AM WHO I AM" would become our God and Father through faith in Jesus.  Worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness, for He is altogether wonderful, eternal, and good.