Growing In Grace

How gracious God is to teach us and give us time to grow!  A farmer does not pull or throw out seedlings because they have not yet produced fruit, and God does not expect us to have a biblical perspective from spiritual infancy.  Like a child grows to walk and talk outside the womb, once we are born again God enables us to develop into mature children of God.  It may be a surprisingly quick process to the casual observer, but it still requires time and the wisdom of God to accomplish.

Children have many misconceptions of the world around them due to their naivete, ignorance or from being misinformed.  In a similar way, many Christians can bring misunderstandings into their relationship with God after trusting in Jesus and being born again.  The transformation of a heart justified by faith may be immediate, yet even the most mature believers require a renewing of their minds.  All believers have the potential to lack faith, to forget what God has said and done, and to be slack in seeking God.  Let us also not forget the impact of growth.  As it grows a sapling sends roots down deeper, the trunk grows thicker and the branches grow longer.  Before too long there are new branches and leaves where nothing before grew, and as we grow in grace and knowledge of God a framework of theology is established.

No matter how extensive or "correct" our theology may be, there is also a need for our lives to align with what we say we believe.  Without obedience to God we will not grow or be fruitful as we ought.  Heresy is as deadly to souls as sin, and fallacies potentially sap our fruitfulness.  There are many genuine believers who hold onto misunderstandings which have stunted their growth.  One of these which I encountered recently is the assumption that if Jesus did not say something on a subject, we have "open slather" to do as we please, to fill in the blanks with what seems equitable or fitting for us.  The problem with this perspective is it ignores the fact Jesus is the Word who became flesh and dwelt among us, the God who existed before He was manifested in human flesh, the same God who has given us 66 books that comprise the scriptures.  Those who hold to this perspective run the risk of invalidating all other scriptures which do speak on the subject because they are not printed with red ink.

We live in a "pick and choose" world where it is natural to choose the news coverage you prefer, to alter recipes, to order from a menu where you are free to choose what you want and refuse what you do not like, to build bespoke homes or vehicles where man's demands are king.  This is not how it works for a child of God, for God is not a doting Father who is at the mercy of the whims and dictates of His children.  God is; God has spoken, and He speaks according to what is written.  He has revealed Himself in the person of Jesus Christ but also as God the Father and the Holy Spirit.  The words of Jesus who is the Way, the Truth and the Life are to be heard and heeded, yet let us not forget the rest of the scriptures are also God-breathed.  It takes time to marinate or brine meat, and it takes time for the washing of the water of the word to cleanse us of the many misconceptions and errors we continue to make.  Praise the LORD Jesus is wisdom for us, for the Holy Spirit who fills us, and our heavenly Father who loves us.

Stones That Speak

There are many tasks we "leave to the professionals" because we lack the training, skills, tools or time to do a quality job.  When hiring a contractor we spare no pains to read through pages of reviews to ensure the price is reasonably and professionalism is adequately high.  One thing I find remarkable about God is His gracious choice to rely upon volunteers to gladly proclaim His praises and goodness.  God never shies away from using the weak and foolish to do His perfect will, broken vessels through whom His immeasurable glory shines.  Should a vessel God uses be proved flawed, He remains righteous, holy and good.

When the children of Israel passed through the Jordan river, God caused the waters to stand in a heap.  The priests who bore the ark of the testimony stood on dry ground in the midst until all passed over.  Joshua instructed a man from each tribe in Israel to carry a stone from the riverbed of the Jordan which were later set up in Gilgal.  Joshua 4:21-24 says, "Then he spoke to the children of Israel, saying: "When your children ask their fathers in time to come, saying, 'What are these stones?' ²² then you shall let your children know, saying, 'Israel crossed over this Jordan on dry land'; ²³ for the LORD your God dried up the waters of the Jordan before you until you had crossed over, as the LORD your God did to the Red Sea, which He dried up before us until we had crossed over, ²⁴ that all the peoples of the earth may know the hand of the LORD, that it is mighty, that you may fear the LORD your God forever."  Silent stones were used by God as a memorial of the mighty deliverance He worked among them:  He brought them out of Egypt through the Red Sea, and He also caused them to pass over the Jordan to enter into the land He promised them.

The stones themselves were not sufficient to present the message of God's might and power.  God instructed the people to give their children an answer for why the stones were set up in Gilgal and to acknowledge the mighty hand of God Who worked in their midst.  The parents and their children were chosen by God to be a witness to the "all the peoples of the earth" of God's might that He might be feared now and forever.  Isn't it amazing God would use mortal men to proclaim His goodness?  Our lives on earth are compared to grass that dries up, a vapour that quickly dissipates and yet He has called us to fear the LORD our God forever.  Even as God made a way for the Hebrews to escape the advancing Egyptian army by parting the Red Sea and caused them to pass into Canaan through the Jordan on dry ground, God is able to overcome every obstacle so we can perform His perfect will.  Our lives on earth are short but God has miraculously overcome the curse of sin by the atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ so we can live forever with Him.

God did not reserve His public relations to priests and prophets but to everyone called by His name, having been born again through faith in Jesus Christ.  Paul spelled this out in 2 Corinthians 5:20-21:  "Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ's behalf, be reconciled to God. ²¹ For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him."  We are to make known the might of God to the ignorant as well to those who know God.  Paul and his fellow apostles urged believers to be reconciled to God and to walk righteously before Him and the world.  We are living stones whose mouths open with praise to God and minister His truth to all in the fear of the LORD.  Once we were drowning in sins that brought death, and now we have been set free and made His holy habitation.  Believer, God has chosen you and me to be His ambassadors, and though we be unworthy let us walk worthily before Him.

Navigating Unfamiliar Territory

"So it was, after three days, that the officers went through the camp; ³ and they commanded the people, saying, "When you see the ark of the covenant of the LORD your God, and the priests, the Levites, bearing it, then you shall set out from your place and go after it. ⁴ Yet there shall be a space between you and it, about two thousand cubits by measure. Do not come near it, that you may know the way by which you must go, for you have not passed this way before."

Joshua 3:2-4

On the cusp of finally crossing the Jordan river and entering into the Promised Land, God's people were told to keep their distance from the ark of the covenant carried by the Levites as they followed.  During their pilgrimage in the wilderness the presence of God led them with a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night to the next location to make camp.  The children of Israel were told to keep almost a kilometre distance between them and the ark of God so they could see the way God was leading them.

God was leading Israel to a new place with which they were unfamiliar.  They did not know the way, nor were they to assume they knew where their final destination would be.  Everyone has a different idea of what is ideal, and the people were to wholly submit to God's leading in real time as they went together.  As we embark in a new year and every day this is wise for us to hold to this principle.  We have lived many days and years on earth, yet who but God can say where He will lead us or the way He will take us?  We have never lived today before.  We can apply this to Christian ministry as well because we run the risk of relying on our experience, our own ideas or the opinions of others to guide and direct our steps.  We can assume we know the way to go, that God, having reconciled us to Himself by His grace, will "rubber stamp" our movements with His approval.  Our call is to walk by faith in God, not by sight.

The children of Israel were to see and follow the priests bearing the ark of the covenant, but every step they took was to be by faith in God's sovereignty, provision, protection and presence.  Walking in God's ways meant God was with them and would not leave or forsake them.  Israel knew pushing the flocks to hard would cause many to perish, and God knew throwing His people into warfare quickly after being delivered from slavery would be too much to bear.  So like a good shepherd, God led His people gently toward His intended destination that they did not know and could not by experience predict.  We have been given the inspired word of God and we need to be taught by the Holy Spirit to comprehend what God is saying to us.  God was leading to a place they had never before, and today is unfamiliar territory for us though the scenery might remain the same.

Isn't this a lovely reminder of God's love and care for His people?  If we imagine we know the way to go we might make a decision like Lot who moved his family to the well-watered plains which ended up being utterly destroyed in God's judgment.  The tribes of Ruben, Gad and Manasseh were content to dwell on the east of Jordan because the land was suitable for cattle and they had cattle:  they were the first tribes to be absorbed by heathen nations.  Friends, when God moves in your life do not assume you know where He is leading you or even what the day will hold:  you have never been here before.  Unlike the Israelites who followed the ark at a great distance, we are called to follow Jesus Christ our Saviour closely as we heed His voice as sheep that heed their Shepherd.  Jesus is the Way and we enjoy safety, peace and hope in His presence.  Let us go after Him that we might go where Jesus is as the Holy Spirit leads us.

Jesus Gives Peace

A phrase I keep hearing lately in light of current events in the world is, "Buckle up!  It's going to be a bumpy ride!"  I ask in response, "Who's sitting at the wheel of your life?"  If we look to politics, policies or people for peace and security, we are looking in the wrong place.  A metaphorical seat belt does nothing to help us endure turbulent times with hope.  If we allow things of this world to drive us, we are helpless and hopeless passengers at the mercy of fools.  This is not a wise posture for children of God to adopt.

On one occasion Jesus told His disciples to cross over the Sea of Galilee.  Suddenly their small fleet of boats was overwhelmed by a serious storm and started filling with water.  The disciples panicked.  Mark 4:38-40 reveals Jesus did not share their grave concerns:  "But He was in the stern, asleep on a pillow. And they awoke Him and said to Him, "Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing?" ³⁹ Then He arose and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, "Peace, be still!" And the wind ceased and there was a great calm. ⁴⁰ But He said to them, "Why are you so fearful? How is it that you have no faith?"  The inactivity of Jesus brought fear to the surface in His disciples.  They were willing to obey but lacked faith to trust Him when their situation seemed dire.  They feared death and questioned the love and power of the One who was their Life.

Jesus did something they did not expect.  Instead of helping them bail water out of the boat, Jesus addressed the stormy sea that heeded His command:  "Peace, be still!"  Circumstances which caused men to scream in fear Jesus overruled with a word.  He did not ask the sea why it raged:  Jesus asked His disciples why they were so fearful.  They were afraid because they had no faith.  Though they knew Jesus by sight and spent countless days side by side, they didn't understand who He was.  For Christians today this is most relevant.  People who have known and followed Jesus for years still freak in fear because of unexpected trials with a hopeless outlook.  They fumble for security and in their desperation will strap themselves into a sinking vessel to escape what they fear.  Yet Jesus stands by us quick to listen, ready to save while we steel ourselves for a bumpy ride.

Gritting our teeth in worry or anger will not provide peace, hope or salvation we desperately need.  Blessed is the man whose eyes are open to who Jesus is and the folly of fear when we abide in our Good Shepherd.  A shepherd does not drag his sheep by a lead but leads them with His voice.  Our troubled hearts at the sound of His voice can be like a storming sea where there was a great calm when we heed Him.  Jesus said to His disciples in John 14:27, "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."  Faith holds to Jesus and refuses to let circumstances of life rob us blind of the peace God has given us through our LORD and Saviour.  It is not the troubled sea where the problems lay but in the troubled hearts devoid of faith of God's people.  The world offers peace but cannot deliver; Jesus gives peace and leaves it with us.