Hearing and Sharing God's Word

It dawned on me today that due to the advent of the internet and social media, opinions have never been less or more influential at the same time.  People's views are broadcasted so frequently and cheaply they don't matter much, and people are hungry and thirsty for likes to build personal platforms.  Going viral has led to instant fame, and public outcry can lead to dismissal akin to social banishment.  Despite the facade of social media friendship many still feel desperately lonely, their lives hanging by the thread of superficial connections.

In contrast to the shifting sands of public interest and sentiment, God's word remains sure and absolute, rooted in God's wisdom that encompasses all that matters.  In the Bible, God does not give us His opinions but unchanging judgments concerning what is true.  He has given mankind freedom to choose what we will believe, who we will follow and what voices we will listen to.  I have observed the voices we listen to are the ones we will often repeat as relevant to us and others.  I love that the almighty God does not need to raise His voice to be heard, but in a quiet voice is able to communicate timeless truth with those who know Him.  Jesus said in John 10:27-28, "My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. ²⁸ And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand."

One challenge we face is allowing man's ways or opinions to sway us from what God has said plainly in His word.  Even faithful followers of Jesus can be distracted from what our LORD has said, similar to how David was influenced by Saul's proud example.  After David's men returned from an interaction with Nabal who spoke harshly to them, David sounded much like Saul as he went to avenge himself and spouted an oath in 1 Samuel 25:22:  "May God do so, and more also, to the enemies of David, if I leave one male of all who belong to him by morning light."  In that moment, David reacted to the unflattering opinions of Nabal and forgot the LORD who anointed him as king and would provide for the needs of he and his men.  How quickly we can be swayed from peace and rest in God by man's ways and words!

David wrote concerning God's word in Psalm 19:7-11:  "The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul; the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple; ⁸ the statutes of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes; ⁹ the fear of the LORD is clean, enduring forever; the judgments of the LORD are true and righteous altogether. ¹⁰ More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold; sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb. ¹¹ Moreover by them Your servant is warned, and in keeping them there is great reward."  Better than sharing our opinions on a matter is to speak forth what God has plainly spoken, for His word is perfect, right, enlightening, precious, valuable, sweet and rewarding.

Casting Our Burdens

"Cast your burden on the LORD, and He shall sustain you; He shall never permit the righteous to be moved."

Psalm 55:22

When David wrote Psalm 55, he was clearly burdened by many things, including a host of enemies, the oppression of the wicked, and betrayal by a friend.  Unable to fly away from his troubling situation or dread, he sought the LORD he knew would hear and answer him.  Toward the end of the song he turned his attention to the reader and urged all to cast their burdens on the LORD who would sustain those made righteous through faith in Him.

To sustain means "to hold."  When people are burdened in a literal sense, it means we are carrying something.  I picture someone encumbered with bags after coming home from the shops or a person carrying a load of firewood on outstretched arms.  When doing work, we like to make our effort and time worthwhile.  Rather than making several trips, we might load an extra bag or log to finish the job more efficiently.  In contrast to physical burdens we carry in doing work, we can be weighed down with mental and spiritual burdens that go to work on us--and not in a good way.  These cares, worries, fears and anxiety can paralyse us under a weight we struggle to carry.  We would rather carry what we able to carry rather than permitting others to assist us, and this tendency can be carried over to our relationship with God.  He allows burdens we cannot even carry for a moment, for we can easily be overwhelmed and collapse under the weight of them.

There are burdens that situations may place upon us, and there are burdens we voluntarily choose to pick up and carry as something we feel responsible to do or bring justice to bear on them.  At times we may not even realise we are burdened by thoughts and feelings that are weighing us down.  We can become rather attached to burdens, even finding our identify or sense of purpose in carrying them.  But David exhorts us to cast our burden (whatever it may be or however we obtained it) on the LORD and pour out our complaint to Him alone, knowing he will never permit the righteous to be moved.  Christians are exhorted in 1 Peter 5:5-7:  "Likewise you younger people, submit yourselves to your elders. Yes, all of you be submissive to one another, and be clothed with humility, for "God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble." ⁶ Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, ⁷ casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you."

In Bunyan's allegory the Pilgrim's Progress, the protagonist Christian was loaded with a burden of sin, and it is something he always carried that grew weightier over time.  It was when he knelt at the foot of the cross it fell from his shoulders, and Jesus is able to carry the weight of our sin and all other burdens we accumulate as we cast them upon the LORD.  What we can hardly carry He gives us supernatural strength to cast on Him.  It may be we have known the LORD a long season and perhaps we have burdens we have always carried to this day--and thus feel a bit attached to them, even justifying their existence.  We can proudly hold onto our burdens rather than casting them on the LORD, shrinking back from trusting He will sustain and hold us because we have yet to experience this.  What do we have to lose by casting our cares on Him who cares for us?  He rejoices to exalt and lift up those who humble themselves to cast their burdens on the LORD.

The Freedom of Gratitude

When we observe people of God making head-scratching decisions that are inconsistent with what they know to be true or right, know we are looking at a mirror image of ourselves.  Sure, our failings may not mirror the exact circumstances people experienced in the historical narrative, but we share the same weaknesses, are prone to spiritual dullness and have our own blind spots.  We wonder, how can people who saw the miracles God did to deliver them from slavery in Egypt murmur against Him in unbelief shortly thereafter?  Isn't it true that after coming to faith in Christ we too have complained of far less trying circumstances--despite our knowledge of what God has done and promised?

This inconsistency in people who fear God can be easily found throughout Scripture.  Peter spoke courageously in front of Jesus and the other disciples and even lashed out with a sword when Jesus was being arrested in the Garden of Gethsemane.  Yet he wilted under the scrutiny of servants who identified him as a disciple of Jesus as he warmed himself by the fire, trying in vain to shield himself with oaths and curses out of fear.  David did a similar thing.  He was bold and fearless in the face of Goliath of Gath, a towering giant who hurled vicious insults that made the men of Israel run for cover.  Yet when he travelled to Gath while on the run from King Saul, he was afraid when he heard Philistines identify him as a famous warrior.  He feigned insanity before the people and the king to show he was not a threat, and it was God who graciously delivered him again from death--not Goliath's sword he carried.

This madness seen in Peter and David is as natural for us humans as living in our own skin.  We can neglect to consider the faithfulness of God in the past or presently as relevant to our current struggle.  The disciples who witnessed Jesus miraculously multiply five loaves and two fish to feed over 5,000 people at one time did not imagine the power of Jesus extended to causing a storm to cease by His word alone.  Jesus' power to do so as God was alluded to in Psalm 107:28-30:  "Then they cry out to the LORD in their trouble, and He brings them out of their distresses. ²⁹ He calms the storm, so that its waves are still. ³⁰ Then they are glad because they are quiet; so He guides them to their desired haven."  Since God is able to stir up and calm a storm by His power, like the disciples we are guided to cry out to Him in turbulent times (whether in a boat, train or aeroplane) knowing He will hear and answer.

Four times in the song the psalmist burst forth with praise as recorded in Psalm 107:31:  "Oh, that men would give thanks to the LORD for His goodness, and for His wonderful works to the children of men!"  It is one thing to keep the good things God has done for other people and us in mind, but we are to go further in giving God thanks for His goodness and wonderful works.  When our thanksgiving and gratitude for God's deliverance wanes because we are ungrateful, forgetful or distracted, Peter and David illustrate how we can gravitate to the snare of self-preservation rather than God's glorification.  It is good that we repent of our neglect to give thanks to God so we might learn to abide in Christ by faith, trusting He protects and provides perfect peace in all circumstances of life.

Sending and Sovereignty

Jonathan was a man who feared God and believed God was in control of situations that were out of his control.  When people say, "God is in control," it is likely the details of their circumstances are different than others or could mean different things.  The overarching point Christians likely agree on is what the Bible plainly declares:  God rules over all, is good, and He can redeem all things together for our good.  We can find rest and comfort in knowing God is totally aware of our situation and that He is able to do everything necessary to accomplish His good purposes through it.

It is good for us to acknowledge God is all-knowing, all-powerful and a present help in time of trouble whose desire is to save rather than destroy.  This is not true, however, concerning people who may have authority over us.  After David become acutely aware of King Saul's intention to murder him, he confided in Jonathan who was a good friend and son of the king.  Jonathan was taken aback by the accusation as he expected his father to confide in him and assured him all was well between the king and David.  Having dodged a couple spears already, David was not convinced.

Together Jonathan and David hatched a plan to see what Saul's intentions were towards David.  David proposed he be absent from the king's table, and if Saul noticed Jonathan was to explain David had asked permission to visit his family.  If the king was satisfied and content with this revelation all was well, but if he became angry his fury would lay his murderous intentions bare.  Then it was decided how Jonathan would secretly convey the message to David, if he should stay or flee for his life.  While David hid in the field near a particular rock, Jonathan would go out with a lad to fetch arrows he shot.  1 Samuel 20:21b-22 reads, "...If I expressly say to him, 'Look, the arrows are on this side of you; get them and come'--then, as the LORD lives, there is safety for you and no harm. ²² But if I say thus to the young man, 'Look, the arrows are beyond you'--go your way, for the LORD has sent you away."

See how Jonathan viewed the exposure of the king's murderous plot as an act of God's grace, that God was sending David away rather than King Saul driving him away.  Being "sent" carries with it the idea of thought and purpose preceding definite action to accomplish the desire of the sender.  For me to successfully send a letter by the Australian Post, I need to place it in an addressed envelope, affix the stamp and drop it in a red postbox.  David's departure was not to be regretted, for it was God who sent him away for His good purposes:  to preserve David's life and ultimately to grant him the kingdom as his chosen, anointed king.  I love Jonathan's perspective in the midst of this difficult trial that saw his father angrily pitted against his dear friend, for he proclaimed the sovereignty of God in a situation completely out of his control.  It gives God glory when we do this--not blaming Him as if He is cruel or selfish--but knowing He has a good and glorious future for us in mind.