The Life-Giving God

 Often God does not answer our prayers in the way we expect.  Because we believe there is no time like the present for God to do His miraculous works we can become disillusioned and complacent when nothing good seems to happen.  So many of our problems stem from a perspective which focuses on the problems rather than God who is sovereign, powerful and glorious.  We forget God operates outside of the confines of times to accomplish His purposes which are far greater in scope and impact than our requests give Him credit for.

Baruch was a man who feared God who was troubled and dismayed with the state of Israel.  Life was hard and the word from the LORD was not uplifting in the slightest.  When it seemed life could not be any worse, life became exponentially more so!  After Baruch wrote the words of woe dictated by the prophet Jeremiah he thought, "Woe is me!  The LORD has added grief to my sorrow and I find no rest."  A child of God who feels and says this often has neglected to consider the goodness of God who graciously speaks to us and brings comfort to our hearts.  The fiery trial we beg God to bring to an end may be permitted to continue, and the exercise of faith in looking to the LORD will work to refine us through it.

God had a word for Baruch and for those who find rest elusive in Jeremiah 45:4-5:  "Thus you shall say to him, 'Thus says the LORD: "Behold, what I have built I will break down, and what I have planted I will pluck up, that is, this whole land. ⁵ And do you seek great things for yourself? Do not seek them; for behold, I will bring adversity on all flesh," says the LORD. "But I will give your life to you as a prize in all places, wherever you go."  Baruch was looking for rest where none could be found, in the cessation of judgment from the LORD upon a rebellious, faithless people marked for judgment.  God pointed out how Baruch's lack of rest came from striving to seek great things for himself when he could have been best served seeking God.  God would tear down what He had built like a builder does an unsafe, condemned house from its foundation to make a habitable structure again.

Israel would go into captivity and there would be great adversity, yet God would give Baruch life wherever he went.  In Jerusalem, Babylon and along the way God would be a loving Father to Baruch.  It may not have been the life Baruch would have chosen for himself, but it was better than he or anyone else deserved.  Has not also God been gracious to us through Jesus Christ who is the Resurrection and the Life?  In Christ we are protected and preserved in all seasons of life because our souls have been redeemed by the sacrifice of Jesus who died on Calvary and rose from the dead so we can live forever.  We have a life to live beyond the boundaries of this earth in the presence of God forever!  Isn't He the great One we ought to seek, the God who is with us and will never leave or forsake us?  The God who gave us life knows how to live to the full, and this abundance is ours in Jesus Christ alone.

Encouragement from Discouragement

I spent the majority of this week speaking at a teen camp, and it was a fruitful time.  It was a blessing and privilege to have the opportunity to teach young people about God as we studied Psalm 1.  Much prayer and study went into preparation for the delivery of messages and answering questions.  The LORD didn't just speak through me but spoke to me, and told me exactly what I needed to hear when I needed it most.

The impetus for this post was born out of a discouraging situation.  During one of the talks I misspoke when talking about the boab tree and off the cuff related the tree's incredible ability to store water to a camel.  Of course camels do not "store" water in their humps and thus it was an awful analogy--one I would not be allowed to forget.  A camp film was made which one camper was asked about what he thought about the talks and he did not hold back:  "He botched the talk," he said with a frown.  "Camels don't store water in their humps.  It's fat."  When I saw the footage I was disappointed an off-handed comment would be so distracting and send the wrong message.  Everyone had a good laugh, and it was certainly awkward for me.

Later I was praying and a bit discouraged about my mistake, how it likely (at least for one person!) took away from the impact of the Gospel.  Before bed I felt led to continue reading through the scriptures and arrived at Psalm 7. Though I had read through this copy of the Bible many times I discovered something I never noticed before:  a typo at the end of chapter 7 that ended with a colon instead of a period.

Out of discouragement God brought encouragement!  I had not noticed the typo before and it took nothing away from the meaning of the passage.  In a similar way my error was not a hindrance in any way from people receiving the truth of the Gospel because God's word is living and powerful.  I also found encouragement that the publisher had made a punctuation error but God still chose to use them to print His word.  God chooses to use imperfect people like me who make mistakes and He is able to redeem even our failures for good, to humble us and instruct us concerning our need to rely upon Him.  Isn't it amazing God chooses to use flawed people?  We are all undeserving of the privilege to serve Him as He keeps refining and sanctifying us along the way.  Jesus doesn't wait until we attain an arbitrary level of skill before connecting us as a functional, fruitful member of His Body the Church:  by grace we are saved through faith, and we walk by faith despite our failures.

How glad I was to hear a report at the end of the week that many campers chose to follow Jesus Christ as LORD and Saviour!  All glory to Him who does wondrous things even when we miss the mark.  We are fools to place our confidence in ourselves, experience or preparation:  we are wise to continually rely upon God to lead us and make our feeble efforts fruitful according to His glorious design.

The Joy of Waking Up

There is much about our lives we take for granted.  The fact we fill our diaries with plans suggests we expect to live and undertake future activities.  The reality is our future is wholly in the LORD's hands and we may not rise from our beds:  one day our bodies will lay down never again to rise.  It is good to recognise the sovereignty of God who sustains us as James exhorts us in James 4:13-15:  "Come now, you who say, "Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, spend a year there, buy and sell, and make a profit"; ¹⁴ whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away. ¹⁵ Instead you ought to say, "If the Lord wills, we shall live and do this or that."

Did you see that?  If the LORD wills, we shall live!  Our lives on earth and for eternity depend upon the God who is our Life.  We do not know what will happen tomorrow, yet we are secure in knowing God who gives strength for the day and everlasting life through faith in Jesus.  David was a man who learned to trust and rely upon the LORD in many trials.  When his son Absalom rebelled to usurp the throne, the threat upon his life was so intense David did not know if he would live to see tomorrow.  He wrote in Psalm 3:4-6, "I cried to the LORD with my voice, and He heard me from His holy hill. Selah ⁵ I lay down and slept; I awoke, for the LORD sustained me. ⁶ I will not be afraid of ten thousands of people who have set themselves against me all around."  For a lot of people the ability to fall asleep is a far greater concern than waking up.  Every time we are wakened from sleep we can rejoice (though it may feel inconvenient!) because God has graciously sustained us.

David also wrote in Psalm 4:6-8, "There are many who say, "Who will show us any good?" LORD, lift up the light of Your countenance upon us. ⁷ You have put gladness in my heart, more than in the season that their grain and wine increased. ⁸ I will both lie down in peace, and sleep; for You alone, O LORD, make me dwell in safety."  There were many in David's day who wondered when they would ever see any good.  The year 2020 has copped a lot of hate because of the fires, drought, floods, a global pandemic and financial recession.  But remember believer, the LORD has lifted up the light of His countenance upon us.  Despite trials, strife and uncertainty God puts gladness and fullness of joy in the hearts of those who fear Him.  We can lie down in peace, sleep and be awakened because God has made us to dwell in safety.  There is no doom or gloom in our God who is the Light of the World!  Praise Him for His faithfulness.  We can rise joyfully because our LORD and KING is risen!

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.