The Mundane and Miraculous

As a carpenter for decades my dad has worked on many impressive sites.  One notable home he helped build in Julian was featured in San Diego Home/Garden Lifestyles Magazine described as "zero-carbon-footprint, fireproof, concrete house with an observation tower and compound curves everywhere."  It is like a house I have never seen which masterfully combines vision, building skills, architecture with artistry and stunning presentation.  The opportunity to work on such a grand and monumental design is a rare privilege because the house is so unique.  For a builder it is an honour to contribute labour and lend skills to complete a project of overwhelming quality and scope.

It is easy to be impressed by the pictures of magazine-worthy homes in person or on glossy pages, yet the kingdom of God is far more glorious being divine and eternal.  However, the kingdom of God in this world under Satan's sway is not as glamorous:  it involves walking by faith in Jesus and not by sight.  Jesus did not come to earth in His unrivaled glory but as a baby born of a virgin in Bethlehem.  The builders of Babel were able to see the slow progress of their efforts, yet children of God may not see any tangible results of their prayers or labouring in the word of God for decades.  The workers in a vineyard could see the grapes they harvested and felt their baskets growing heavy.  Those who scatter the good seed of God's word to others may never see the seed take root or germinate.  All the time the servants of God do not seek recognition for themselves because we live to glorify our Saviour and Rock of Salvation Jesus Christ.  The glory of the house my dad helped build can be seen by our eyes and will in time fade; the glory of the kingdom of Jesus Christ yet to be revealed in fullness will increase in glory forever.

How humbling it is to be a worker in the kingdom of God!  God does not need us but has chosen to use us.  Have you noticed all the times in scripture miracles done by God involved objects which had no power in themselves?  Moses cast a tree into the bitter waters of Marah to make them sweet and drinkable (Exodus 15:23-26).  Elisha  threw flour in a poisoned pot of stew and God made it edible (2 Kings 4:38-44).  The prophet threw salt into the spring at Jericho and God healed the waters to this day (2 Kings 2:19-22). He also threw a stick into water and caused a borrowed axe-head to float to the surface (2 Kings 6:4-7).  Jesus placed mud on the eyes of a blind man and told him to go and wash and miraculously was able to see (John 9:6-7).  Normally adding salt does not make water more drinkable, nor does mud on the eyes help to see better.  In all these cases a common, mundane object was chosen to be used sovereignly by God to accomplish His miraculous, redemptive purposes.

Do you see how we are like the tree cast into the water, the flour thrown into stew, or mud applied to the eyes of the blind?  We are nothing in ourselves but according to God's will He uses us to contribute to His glorious kingdom.  All glory to God who has created all things for His good pleasure and will create a new heavens and earth where righteousness dwells.  By grace through faith in Jesus sinners are born again and endowed with the power of the Holy Spirit who gifts us and makes us fruitful.  Having been given fellowship with God we are enabled to contribute to the glory of God's kingdom.  There was no power in the stick, salt, or mud to do the miraculous:  that is God's glorious domain and He delights to employ us to do His amazing, awe-inspiring works with glory which will be revealed in due time.

Built on Love

 During a visit to Israel years ago our group went to an ancient "tel" which is an artificial mound of accumulated rubble that was inhabited by successive victors.  It was common for those who sacked a stronghold to break down the clay structures and rebuild on top of them, effectively wiping the previous civilisation from the map.  Archaeologists determined the tell we toured had at least 24 layers, a depth of destruction and loss through the violence of conquest.  It was ironic that the victors were nowhere to be found as the mound was a ruin of its former glory which passed away long ago.

The ruined tels in Israel paint a stark contrast from the kingdom of God established by Jesus Christ.  The Messiah Jesus came to earth not with angelic armies or chariots of fire but as a humble baby born in Bethlehem.  He did not send His disciples into battle with swords and bows.  He sent them as lambs among wolves without supplies for the journey, walking by faith in God and not by sight.  Jesus promised in Luke 12:32, "Do not fear, little flock, for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom."  What kings of this earth are willing to give their kingdom to others out of love and grace?  This kingdom received by faith would not be one built on the ruins of former civilisations through violence.  It would be established on the Rock of Salvation Jesus Christ who would lay down His own life and shed His blood so all who trust in Him will be born again and receive eternal life.

Since when does a king lay down His life for subjects, much less for ones who are foreigners and aliens from the commonwealth of God's covenant?  Many men have died for king and country, yet Jesus died for the sake of unworthy sinners.  When He prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane, "Father, not my will but yours be done" Jesus knew exactly what God's will entailed:  He would be betrayed, rejected, condemned and crucified.  Three days later Jesus rose from the dead and confirmed His authority as the Son of God, His power to forgive sins and to provide eternal life by grace through faith.  Jesus Christ ascended to the Father in the sight of many witnesses and has promised to return to establish His kingdom which is in our grasp by the power of the Gospel.  All kingdoms of the world are temporary, but the kingdom of God endures forever.

Knowing we have received the invitation to God's kingdom, this ought to provoke humility in us and service to one another.  After Jesus was approached by the mother of James and John who asked they be at the right and left hand of Jesus when He entered His kingdom, the other 10 disciples were offended because they wanted this honour for themselves.  Mark 10:42-45 says, "But Jesus called them to Himself and said to them, "You know that those who are considered rulers over the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. ⁴³ Yet it shall not be so among you; but whoever desires to become great among you shall be your servant. ⁴⁴ And whoever of you desires to be first shall be slave of all. ⁴⁵ For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many."  Believers are not to be haughty or arrogant but serve one another in love.  Our age gives us no tenure, our fruitfulness provides no honour for ourselves, nor does our sacrifice warrant any respect from others or special privilege.  As slaves of the KING OF KINGS who has purchased us we rejoice to serve and fulfil His good purposes by grace.  All glory and honour to the Most High who has adopted sinners as His precious saints!

The Glory of the LORD

"Then the cloud covered the tabernacle of meeting, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle. ³⁵ And Moses was not able to enter the tabernacle of meeting, because the cloud rested above it, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle." 

Exodus 40:34-35

As an apprentice tradesman I was taught concerning safety and confined spaces.  When I worked on ships at industrial facilities this was especially important with the high concentration of burning, welding and cutting.  All employees were warned about the dangers of these spaces collecting invisible gases which could render a worker unconscious and even prove deadly.  We were told if we saw a "man down" in a confined space not to attempt their rescue without first alerting emergency personnel who had the proper breathing equipment.  There have been cases where workers rushed in to help their co-workers only to be overcome by the fumes themselves.

In all the years I worked on ships there were few if any incidents.  However, there was one occasion which involved a confined space that resulted in severe injury.  I saw someone being rushed off the ship by paramedics who caused an explosion when he struck a cutting torch.  Unknown to him a flammable gas (believed to be oxygen) had leaked and settled in the space he was working in and created a combustible situation.  The mix of oxygen in the atmosphere only needs to be one percent higher than the standard 21% to be a potential fire hazard.  The accident was a sobering reminder of the dangers that exist even when strict safety protocols are followed.

After the tabernacle was constructed according to God's command, the priests and articles sanctified, the lamps lit, and all was in place the Spirit of God descended upon the tent in glory.  Moses could not remain in the confined space of the tabernacle because of the glory of the almighty God filled it.  There was no odour like the rotten egg smell of natural gas added for safety; there was no risk of explosion or being overcome by fumes:  it could only be described as divine glory which prevented Moses from entering.  There was such weight to God's power and majesty it was impossible for a mere man--physically fit and spiritually anointed as Moses was--to enter.  It was like when flames have taken hold of a building and the heat is so intense it is not possible to enter.  The God who is unapproachable in glory came and took up residence within the tabernacle in the midst of the camp of Israel.

I find it incredible beyond words our glorious God should take up residence in followers of Jesus Christ who trust Him.  The God who is glorious beyond measure comes not to crush us under His weight but wields a gentle influence, the Almighty who does not force.  Moses knew he could not enter the tabernacle because the glory of God was there, yet the believers whom Paul addressed in 1 Corinthians 6 had forgotten through faith in Christ they had been made members of His Body the Church.  It is sad the presence of God in them could be so overlooked Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 6:19-20, "Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? ²⁰ For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God's."

Instead of making us feel empowered God would condescend to redeem and reconcile sinners to Himself, it ought to fill us with humble, holy reverence.  Moses could not enter the tabernacle because of the glory of God, and He has filled us with His presence as the temple of the Holy Spirit.  As followers of Jesus, we need to remember who we are:  the KING OF KINGS has called us to salvation by grace through faith in Him.  We have been given an unthinkable relationship and connection with the glorious Creator of heaven and earth.  The aspect of personal purity especially concerning sex is of great importance, for a husband who loves and is faithful to his wife will refuse to lust over other women, much less sleep with them.  Blatant adultery is easier to spot than our negligence to glorify God with our bodies.  Our bodies are for the LORD, and the LORD for our bodies.  The One who sanctifies us with His presence we ought to glorify now and forever, and may He glory in us.

God's Delight

"Dishonest scales are an abomination to the LORD, but a just weight is His delight."

Proverbs 11:1

As I read through Proverbs it is no wonder people connected righteousness with good works.  The contrasts are extreme between right and wrong, good and bad, the wise and wicked.  A tree is known by its fruit, a child known by his doings, and it follows a righteous man will do righteously.  The error entered in when people imagined themselves to be righteous because they did right things.  Both Cain and Abel offered sacrifices to God:  Abel's offering was accepted and Cain's rejected because God looks upon the heart.  Samuel was ready to anoint the eldest son of Jesse named Eliab king because of his stately bearing, yet God had refused him and chose David, the youngest of Jesse who was tending sheep.

Proverbs 11:1 says God delights in a "just weight" which conveys honesty in business.  In one sense focusing on the fine-tuning of scales misses the point entirely.  A man for fear of losing business or being jailed as a crook ensures his scales are accurate, and another man in the fear of God dials in balances and measures to honour God and be honest towards others even if it costs him.  Do you see the difference?  When the corrupt tax-collector Zacchaeus came to faith in Jesus Christ, his first order of business was to give half of his goods to the poor and restore all funds he unlawfully excised from people fourfold.  The man whose heart was once abominable before God previously exposed by selfishness, greed and theft was suddenly changed and desired to make restitution.

Attempts to keep the Law of Moses never resulted in making anyone righteous before God:  Law was a mirror which exposed hearts full of sin and a straight line which revealed our natural crookedness.  The Law and the Prophets pointed to Jesus who became righteousness for all through faith in Him.  It is being born again by faith in Christ which causes our sins to be forgiven by the atonement provided in Jesus' shed blood and imputes His righteousness to us.  Paul explained in Romans 9:30-33, "What shall we say then? That Gentiles, who did not pursue righteousness, have attained to righteousness, even the righteousness of faith; ³¹ but Israel, pursuing the law of righteousness, has not attained to the law of righteousness. ³² Why? Because they did not seek it by faith, but as it were, by the works of the law. For they stumbled at that stumbling stone. ³³ As it is written: "Behold, I lay in Zion a stumbling stone and rock of offense, and whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame."

Dishonesty is an abomination before a just God, and a just weight is His delight.  Let us not think God cares more about the precision of our measurements than the character of our hearts.  No man can commend himself to God as righteous because he has given every customer a fair share, for God looks upon the heart.  He sees our selfishness and greed, hears our mumuring, grumbling and gossip.  He knows how we use the proceeds of the sale and if He or others are in our thoughts concerning our expenditure.  The one who delights in God and fears Him will be guided righteously by God His redeemer.  When we have done wrong like Zacchaeus the LORD directs His own to repent and make amends.  Having been made righteous by grace through faith, we are to walk righteously and are enabled to do so by the Holy Spirit who convicts us of sin, helps and comforts us always.