Full of Goodness

There was concern among the staff at a camp when it was realised one of the girls had not been eating much.  Whenever she was encouraged to eat there were always excuses given:  she wasn't feeling well (possibly from not eating), had a headache, she didn't like the food on offer or claimed to have eaten already.  Eating disorders can pose a dangerous and even a deadly risk to the health and well-being of those who suffer from them, and thus the duty of care of leaders at camp was to ensure all had access to wholesome food.  At the same time we could not force anyone to eat anything or everything.  But we could call parents of campers, and praise the LORD loving parents have the well-being of their children in mind.

A similar thing is true concerning pastoral teaching ministry.  Pastors and teachers are called and equipped by God to hold forth the word of God as the spiritual and practical nutrition it is for our souls.  People are also enabled by God to feed on the word they hear in sermons or read themselves.  While all God's word is wholesome and vital to promote our spiritual health, we can be finicky and aloof eaters.  We can eat so much fruit or bread that we have no room for the mains.  There can be subjects or passages we find unpalatable and refuse to receive, choosing to hide it in a serviette to throw away or to feed it to the dog under the table--as if God doesn't realise.  Like a person I heard about who basically survives on chicken nuggets, we can develop a taste for one doctrine or flavour that we willfully deny our bodies and minds the benefit of a wide range of nutritious options.

It is good for us to realise that all God serves up in His word is good and for our maturation.  2 Timothy 3:16-17 says, "All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, ¹⁷ that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work."  It would be a shame to only read the New Testament when all scripture is given by inspiration of God.  There is profitable doctrine and instruction throughout the entire Bible when God opens our eyes to see it.  When we open our mouths wide He will fill them, and this means we must trust Him.  It is good when God has such a reputation in our minds of being perfect and good that we will joyfully receive whatever He supplies in His word for us.

This is why reading through the Bible in its entirety is a good spiritual discipline to embrace.  Learning to read and study the Bible in context is very useful to help us receive the most benefit from God's word as we observe, interpret and personally apply the ageless wisdom and divine truths.  As God reveals Himself through His words coupled with our experience our tastes begin to be refined.  Instead of pitting two rigid views against each other as right or wrong, we begin to realise aspects of Christianity complement each other beautifully like sweet and sour.  In the world there are an abundance of flavours we have yet to experience that are good, and we grow in the grace and knowledge of God through His word may He bring delight to our souls.

Little Details and God

The old cliche goes, "The devil's in the detail."  This statement is not typically to espouse a belief in Satan or God, but I am convinced humans give the devil too much credit and God not enough.  I've also heard the large print gives and the small print takes away.  Again, God is intimately acquainted with all the most minute detail that escapes our notice, and all we have is a gift from Him.  Just because business owners and world leaders do not have much time for fellow citizens, it doesn't follow God is anything like that.  He is God, and thus has knowledge and interest in every person and details beyond our notice.

I was struck by the details God considers when I read through a promise of coming judgment God would bring upon his people through Isaiah.  Isaiah 5:27-28 says, "No one will be weary or stumble among them, no one will slumber or sleep; nor will the belt on their loins be loosed, nor the strap of their sandals be broken; ²⁸ whose arrows are sharp, and all their bows bent; their horses' hooves will seem like flint, and their wheels like a whirlwind."  God was determined to bring judgment upon the nation of Israel and would see their vigorous enemies would have success--right down to providing good footing for each soldier and their belts well-fastened.  Even as God ensured the shoes of the children of Israel were sustained in the wilderness after the Exodus, God would make their the sandal straps of the invaders strong.  Their knots, leather and weapons would be miraculously improved.  God would see to it their arrows stayed sharp, not blunted even if they fell to the ground.  Any hope their bows would snap when drawn or misfire were misguided, for God would see it done.

Isn't this amazing?  While generals and officers were busy counting men and considering strategies of defense, God was considering belts and sandal straps.  While the watchman in Israel was drowsy, every one of the invaders was wide awake and vigilant.  God did not do this because He is cruel or jilted but in accordance with all He has revealed in the Law of Moses which held forth blessing to those who obeyed and curses upon all those who forsook the LORD.  Deuteronomy 28 and other places in the Pentateuch explains in expansive detail the consequences of departing from God and His ways.  All aspects of life would be negatively affected by their sin, yet their returning to the LORD brought with it countless blessing.

Immense heavenly bodies far beyond our sight even high-powered telescopes cannot perceive God sees clearly, and He comprehends the tiniest particles we cannot identify clearly with a microscope.  He is able to discern what the wisest counselors cannot, and His wisdom and knowledge is infinite.  God has made Himself known to us through Jesus Christ in the power of the Holy Spirit by the Gospel and thus a broken sandal strap does not mean God is against us.  These little details provide us the opportunity to trust, thank and praise the God who rules on high and among men, who knows every little thing and how we feel.  That good night's sleep?  Thank the LORD and put your trust in Him--not your chamomile tea.  Did you have a poor night's sleep?  It may have been the best opportunity for prayer and fellowship with God than you have had in a month.  Praise Him who gives us strength, keeps us upright and is the lifter of our heads.

Strength in Weakness

God gave us feelings, and this is a good thing.  A problem arises, however, when we allow our feelings to dictate what we do or how we respond to a situation.  Knowledge of the truth helps keep our feelings in check, and faith in God enables feelings to serve us well rather than being mastered by them.

Generally, parents have healthy and positive desires for their babies.  They want to nurture them to grow, learn to roll over, crawl, walk and talk.  A little child comfortable with crawling is not always keen to learn to walk because their legs are wobbly and uncoordinated.  Imagine a child who is barely able to stand with the aid of an object is made to stand in the middle of a room at a distance from a smiling parent who coaxes them to take a step.  The little one fusses or drops to the ground, not feeling happy about this torturous situation.  What is wrong with crawling?  Why is mum or dad just out of reach?  And why do we have to keep playing this awful game over and over?

A parent has a purpose and plan in mind for the child the child does not realise.  A parent knows the act of trying to stand will build strength and muscle coordination the baby does not yet possess.  Adults realise crawling on all fours provides limited mobility for developing infants, but we have feet and legs God created for us to be able to stand, walk, run, leap and dance!  Like babies, we are troubled when God does the equivalent of putting us at arms reach where we feel vulnerable so we will grow in strength and use it to walk towards Him in faith.  Sometimes we want to feel strong to run a marathon before we are willing to learn to take a stand by faith in God.

Though at times we may feel like God is not supporting or helping us, let us not lose heart.  It is faith in the goodness of God in the land of the living that prompts us to seek the LORD and trust He will supply the strength and ability to please Him.  He is good to remove things we used to balance ourselves and to lift us onto our feet where we feel alone and unsteady so we might learn to exercise ourselves in godliness.  Feelings of loneliness or being overwhelmed is a good signal for us to cry out to God as Psalm 61:1-2 says, "Hear my cry, O God; attend to my prayer. ² From the end of the earth I will cry to You, when my heart is overwhelmed; lead me to the rock that is higher than I."  We would rather feel strong and able to take on the world, but God wants us to look to Him and rejoice in our weakness so He can be our strength.

Labour and Prosperity

The Bible is packed with wisdom and encouragement all who trust God ought take to heart.  We need to look to the LORD continually to align our perspective according to His miraculous strength and good purposes.  It is easy for us to allow other people, circumstances and feelings to dictate what we do rather than the almighty God.  We check a weather report to see if we should bring along a jacket or umbrella or we decide not to mow our lawn that needs a trim due to a drizzle.  Jesus spoke about how sailors observed the sky to predict the conditions on the water.  Our call is to look beyond the natural world with eyes of faith on God, to do the work He has called us to do regardless of the weather or how profitable our efforts seem to be.

Solomon spoke about how external factors can impact us without considering God's role in this world in Ecclesiastes 11:4-6:  "He who observes the wind will not sow, and he who regards the clouds will not reap. ⁵ As you do not know what is the way of the wind, or how the bones grow in the womb of her who is with child, so you do not know the works of God who makes everything. ⁶ In the morning sow your seed, and in the evening do not withhold your hand; for you do not know which will prosper, either this or that, or whether both alike will be good."  We naturally do not give God enough credit.  We can allow the wind or clouds to prevent us from doing necessary work when we have no idea how God does His wonders.  We make excuses not to put in effort because of perceived obstacles when we would be best served to serve God by obedience in all seasons of life.

A farmer who will not sow on a windy day will not have a crop for food or seed, and the one who is intimidated by dark clouds and the prospects of working in the wet will see his crop rot in the field.  God knows and does what we cannot, for He makes the wind to blow and causes the bones of a child to form in the womb.  We cannot know how God will use our efforts to accomplish His purposes in fruitfulness and new life.  Paul explained how he planted, Apollos watered and God brought the increase.  God used the efforts of those who trusted and served Him to be spiritually profitable.

Solomon's conclusion is we ought to do what work we can and not be put off by potential hindrances because God knows and does what we cannot do by effort alone.  Should we cease preaching God's word or praying because people seem dull, unresponsive or agitated?  Since we do not know how God will make our labours to prosper, let us labour unto the LORD with all our might.  We can put our backs into sowing seed despite wind and to bind and gather sheaves even in gloomy weather.  These steps of faith are pleasing to our LORD and Saviour Whom we follow and emulate, for Jesus worked while it was day in His Father's business.  As long He was in the world He was the Light of the World, so may He make our light shine bright despite wind and clouds for His glory.