Like People, Like Priest

The old saying goes, "The apple doesn't fall far from the tree."  The meaning behind this phrase is usually that children exhibit character or qualities also found in their parents.  One could also say, "Like father, like son."  The genetic information in the seeds of apples grow trees that produce the same variety of apples, and genetics are passed down in people as well.  While physical appearance, personality traits or mannerisms can closely resemble parents, every child is uniquely created by God.  It would be presumptuous to credit or blame parents as entirely responsible for their children's choices and behaviour.

It is assumed by some people are the product of their environment, family and society, almost fated by external factors to respond in a particular way.  There are so many exceptions to this I wonder how it could be assumed true.  Many people who have grown up in a worldly environment have been born again by faith in Jesus, and others who made a profession of faith and grew up going to church have abandoned any semblance of a life in pursuit of Christ.  God is glorious in His power to transform lives, while He still gives people the freedom to make a choice to heed Him or not.

Recently I was reminded of a principle God laid forth in Hosea that reverses the apple and tree cliche in regards to governance.  God revealed Himself to the children of Israel, lead them with His presence, provided for them in the wilderness, established them in the Promised Land, and gave them His laws.  Priests were tasked with teaching the people of God and His ways, upholding God's laws with justice.  In the book of Hosea, God noted how His people were destroyed for the lack of knowledge of God and His righteous ways.  Because the people were corrupted with hearts set on sin, God spoke forth His judgment in Hosea 4:9:  "And it shall be: like people, like priest. So I will punish them for their ways, and reward them for their deeds."  God would allow priests to minister who resembled the people who were base; that would be a reward to people for their iniquity before the LORD.

We see this on display before Hosea spoke those words, for Hophni and Phinehas were priests borne out of a day when everyone did what was right in their own eyes.  This was not foreign to the prophet Jeremiah either, for he said in Jeremiah 5:30-31:  "An astonishing and horrible thing has been committed in the land: ³¹ the prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests rule by their own power; and My people love to have it so. But what will you do in the end?"  When legislation is passed that is a grief to God-fearing people, it is wisdom to realise the problem is not primarily a political party or left or right-wing agenda:  sinful legislation that calls evil good and good evil is allowed by God to discipline a city, state and nation that have wandered from the fear of God.  God's people are not helpless or hopeless even when the wicked rule, for God is a hope and refuge for all who seek Him.

Daniel was a righteous man, and the best men are willing to view themselves in the worst light, confessing their own sin before the LORD.  It is a cop-out to decry those who rule as wicked without recognising those who rule are of the people--each of them one of us--and we also are not innocent of great transgression before the LORD.  For all who grieve over the godless state of our people and nation, let us humbly receive correction and pray as Daniel did in Daniel 9:17-19:  "Now therefore, our God, hear the prayer of Your servant, and his supplications, and for the Lord's sake cause Your face to shine on Your sanctuary, which is desolate. ¹⁸ O my God, incline Your ear and hear; open Your eyes and see our desolations, and the city which is called by Your name; for we do not present our supplications before You because of our righteous deeds, but because of Your great mercies. ¹⁹ O Lord, hear! O Lord, forgive! O Lord, listen and act! Do not delay for Your own sake, my God, for Your city and Your people are called by Your name."

Be As Jesus Is

A way parents can undermine their credibility and respect of their children is to adopt a, "Do as I say and not as I do" approach.  It may be one thing concerning bedtimes or age-restricted activities by the government like drinking alcohol or driving a car, but entirely another when it comes to moral choices like cursing, lying or stealing.  A parent who scolds or punishes their child for swearing but does so all the time plays the hypocrite, and we can be guilty of hypocrisy at any age.

It is imperative we look to God and His word to guide us in our choices and conduct.  God never invokes a "Do as I say or do" approach but rather commands us to "Be as I am."  This goes to the heart of being born again and a new creation by faith in Jesus Christ.  This is what Paul was getting at in Galatians 6:15:  "For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails anything, but a new creation."  There is no possible way we can successfully do what God does in the effort of our flesh, for we are not God.  Having been born again by faith in Jesus and indwelt by the Holy Spirit, we are divinely enabled to do God's will because we have been united with Him.

After the prophet detailed the Messiah would be born in Bethlehem, following verses spoke of the Person and ministry of Jesus in Micah 5:4:  "And He shall stand and feed His flock in the strength of the LORD, in the majesty of the name of the LORD His God; and they shall abide, for now He shall be great to the ends of the earth..."  These verses apply perfectly to Jesus revealed in scripture:  the Good Shepherd, identified Himself as "I AM," commanded His disciples to abide in Him and how the Father had given all authority in heaven and earth unto Him.  Jesus said in John 15:4-5, "Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me. ⁵ I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing."  As Jesus abides in the Father, so we abide in Jesus and His love (verse 10).

God who created the eye can see, and He who fashioned the ear can hear.  Because Jesus is risen from the dead and lives forever, He is able to give eternal life to all who are born again by faith in Him.  It is only because of our new identity in Christ Paul could write truly in 1 Corinthians 15:57-58:  "But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. ⁵⁸ Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord."  Notice Paul says we are to be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the word of the LORD.  This springs from who we are rather than what we strive to accomplish.  We ought to work out our own salvation with fear and trembling, doing the good works God has prepared beforehand for us to do (Eph. 2:8-10).  This cannot occur before we are born again after the image of Jesus Christ, for this flows from Who He is.

Let us thank God who gives us the victory through our LORD Jesus Christ, the One who makes us to stand steadfastly and to feed the flock by His grace.  By faith and obedience of His people may the name of Jesus be made great to the ends of the earth, and our efforts will not be in vain because Jesus is LORD of all.

Comfort For Today

"Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble."

Matthew 6:34

We would like to justify our preoccupation with upcoming events as a modern necessity, yet Jesus spoke to correct this tendency in His day.  Planning ahead is required for holidays, to book flights or accommodation, but that does not mean we are capable of the mental and physical load worry over the future brings.  Jesus commanded His followers not to worry about tomorrow, and it is helpful for me to consider this in terms of not "stressing" over it.

Today I woke on this New Year's day in Australia singing in my heart, "This is the day the LORD has made, let us rejoice and be glad in it."  This is the start of a new year in our diaries but we need not carry a burden of a whole year, month or even tomorrow.  God has given us today, and we can rejoice in our LORD who makes all things new--including us.  It is easy to be caught up in things beyond eating, drinking and clothing and fix our minds on events, trips and all manner of things that trouble us with the uncertainty of them.  We can stress and worry over what we are confident will happen long before it eventuates.

Praise the LORD in Him all of our needs are abundantly met and He provides strength and wisdom to endure the day--even a day full of trouble infinitely beyond our capacity to cope with.  Our heavenly Father knows what we need even before we ask Him and thus Jesus said in Matthew 6:33:  "But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you."  When joy, peace and rest are elusive, it is usually because we (on some level) are trying to play God ourselves,  Instead of seeking the LORD and resting in His sufficiency and timing, we are easily stressed by what is not but what we imagine might be.  How good it is for us to break this habit of feeling stressed and justifying it--a tendency we fall into a naturally as breathing--and focus on the LORD who is eternal and infinite in power, love and wisdom.

By God's grace we are able to rejoice in the LORD always, even today.  Needing to learn new things or going new places still may be stressful, but the rest God provides is greater than any stress we might feel.  We will discover this reality by exercising faith through obedience to Jesus.  Each day has its own trouble, but we need not be troubled.  2 Corinthians 1:3-4 says, "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, ⁴ who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God."  Our God is the God of all comfort who comforts in all our tribulation each day brings.  His comfort is so great and abundant people who naturally would be stressed beyond measure are "able to comfort those who are in any trouble."

This is what I needed to hear today instead of stressing over it, and I pray the LORD ministers the reality of His mercy and comfort to your heart today too.

The Praise of God

"Nevertheless even among the rulers many believed in Him, but because of the Pharisees they did not confess Him, lest they should be put out of the synagogue; ⁴³ for they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God."

John 12:42-43

This observation of John gives us insight into the hearts of the rulers of the Jews who believed in Jesus, that they "loved the praise of men more than the praise of God."  Men ought to always praise God, yet we see God also gives praise to men who believe in Jesus Christ and confess Him.  Because a distinction is made between the praise of men and the praise of God, our actions demonstrate whether we value the praise of men or God more.

When God says "Well done!" to His good and faithful servants, this is praise.  While God is worthy of all praise, by His grace and strength His people can do what is praiseworthy because we are in Him.  Webster defines "praise" as, "Commendation bestowed on a person for his personal virtues or worthy actions, on meritorious actions themselves, or on any thing valuable; approbation expressed in words or song."  Because God is worthy to be praised, when we do according to His will in any thing praise is appropriate and fitting.  Unlike vengeance, which is God's sovereign territory, we have the freedom by the love of God to praise others who do what is right.

There is a notion that we ought not to praise others for their merit, as if this has the power to bestow humility.  The main problem with what we may call praise is it is often insincere and dishonest.  We praise children who have not done well to manipulate them into doing better.  Flattery has often been disguised as praise with self-serving motives.  "It is the voice of a god, not a man!" the men of Tyre and Sidon shouted in Acts 12, not that they really thought Herod was a god, but because he was angry with them and they desired peace.  Then there is the concern that praising one for doing well might foster pride in them or make others feel somewhat less.  While it is true a person can take pride in praise, a proud person can also refuse to accept it and respond with self-depreciation.  We cannot help how people will receive praise for a job well done, yet we can freely offer it by God's grace and example.

It is important to point out God has many things to say unto men, and much of it is not praise.  God's word is filled with correction, instruction, rebuke and commands.  Jesus spoke of servants who did their duty and were not commended for doing it.  We ought not need to be fueled by the praises of men to do our God-given duty when He has also supplied the wisdom, strength and guidance to do so.  We need not try to soften the blow of correction with insincere praise because this prevents both from landing properly.  If we praise, let it be done honestly to please the LORD.  Those who love the praise of God more than the praise of men will live to please Him in all they say and do, longing for the day they will hear Him say "Well done, good and faithful servant!" and give Him all the glory and praise for it.