The Supremacy of Christ

God's grace, mercy and love has no equivalent in this world.  All this world can offer are lesser, cheaper substitutes that may have a similar appearance but lack the good motivation God always has.  It struck me today that world aims low (compared to God) and preaches "tolerance" as ethical when Jesus preached and lived according to God's love.  The world is fine when we tolerate people who are different from us while Jesus demonstrated loving His enemies.  God does not merely "put up with" those who malign and falsely accuse Him of wickedness, but He truly loves them and proved it by Jesus dying on the cross for sinners.

People are quite skilled to learn what things to say or do to have their way, to get what they want.  Children learn from a young age the doors good manners can open for them, how by saying "please" and "thank you" they find favour from parents, teachers and even strangers.  Good manners are a far cry from humility, and cultured behaviour is no indicator of the heart.  God's desire is for us to live righteously and godly in this present age, and this is only possible by being transformed from within, born again by faith in Jesus Christ.  There are no shortage of self-righteous people in this world, yet doing good is no substitute for calling on the LORD out of a pure heart (2 Tim. 2:22).

The wisdom of the world has great fleshly appeal because it makes sense to us, yet God's ways and wisdom are infinitely beyond ours.  God's wisdom appears foolish to people who do not know Him, and despite man's wisdom he remained completely ignorant of God who created him.  So God revealed Himself to the world through Jesus Christ.  1 Corinthians 1:22-25 says, "For Jews request a sign, and Greeks seek after wisdom; ²³ but we preach Christ crucified, to the Jews a stumbling block and to the Greeks foolishness, ²⁴ but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. ²⁵ Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men."  Paul does not infer God is foolish but showed how man's wisdom is pathetic when compared with the weak and foolish things God uses in His wisdom to confound the wise.

Some pursue what they call the "good life" when all this world can offer will fade away into obscurity forever.  Jesus is both good (because He is God) and the Life who alone offers eternal life by the Gospel.  Jesus asked in Mark 8:36, "For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?"  Jesus was asked many questions, and often Jesus answered questions of those who sought to entrap Him with questions of His own His enemies could not answer without self-incrimination.  God has the incredible ability to say things a child can easily understand while at the same time the most learned dare not answer.  Isn't His love, righteousness and wisdom awesome?

God's Service

We can view deliverance as all or nothing, yet God was intentional to grant His people some deliverance.  Because His people humbled themselves before the LORD, He decided not to pour out His wrath on Jerusalem by Shishak, king of Egypt.  But He said in 2 Chronicles 12:8, "Nevertheless they will be his servants, that they may distinguish My service from the service of the kingdoms of the nations."  This made me consider:  how is the service of God distinguished from the service of the kingdoms of the nations?  Only after personally experiencing the two options the wise of God's people would come to appreciate and love God more because His yoke is easy and His burden light by comparison.

When God appeared to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and later revealed Himself to the Hebrews on Sinai, God made a covenant with them.  He made promises to make them great and prosperous, to provide for their needs, protect them from enemies and establish them in their own land as an inheritance.  He chose them, not because Abraham or the Jewish people were the mightiest people, but because He is a gracious, merciful and awesome God who chose them.  In the Law of Moses God gave His people statutes to keep and sins to avoid, and He did all this for their good and to enable privileged fellowship with Himself.  God gave His people a covenant and precious promises He would be faithful to keep, and they were beneficiaries of His goodness and generosity.

Shishak, on the other hand, was all about taking anything he wanted from the Jewish people.  He only sought to enrich himself from their labours.  He was not interested in helping or giving them anything.  There was absolutely no love, kindness or relationship to be enjoyed.  The children of Israel found themselves impoverished and lacking with no promise of prosperity or protection.  They were slaves to a cruel master who did not care about them, their children or future.  Compared to God Shishak had no power at all, yet the power he had was never inclined to be used for their good.  There was no satisfaction of a job well done but a fear of reprisal if Shishak was ever displeased--and it is doubtful he was ever pleased with them.

The children of Israel experienced the difference between serving to be blessed and serving because they were blessed.  They could never earn the favour or approval of Shishak, for this was never an option on the table.  They worked to placate an adversarial ruler, avoid punishment and grimly hang onto survival.  The service of God was completely different, for the LORD loved His people as the apple of His eye.  He cared for them like a good shepherd who led his flock, provided for their needs and protected them from harm.  Shishak would suddenly come with demands and leave, but the LORD dwelt among His people as their God who fought their battles, was faithful to bless and gave them peace.  The children of Israel had no idea how good life was under God, so God gave partial deliverance so they could compare serving God or Shishak.

To people weary and burdened by the cares of life under Roman occupation and the demands of lifeless religion, Jesus called in Matthew 11:29-30:  "Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. ³⁰ For My yoke is easy and My burden is light."  How blessed we are to serve alongside Jesus Christ because of His humility, gentleness and generosity.  He truly loves us like no one else would or could.

The Rest of Your Life

When I was thinking of my dad this morning I looked up a jazz/big band album that was among my favourites of his:  Woody Herman Thundering Herd from 1974.  The album cover was memorable because of some pretty amazing 70's hair on nerdy-looking guys posing as football players.  We kids were always allowed to play his records on his turntable, and over the years Dad introduced me to Glen Miller, Buddy Rich, Tommy Dorsey and classical music as well.  He would point out the instruments as I listened along and helped me learn to distinguish them.  A lot of his music was instrumental, so it was a perfect opportunity to practice whistling and imitating the sound of a trombone--an instrument he played.

Amazingly, when I searched for the album the first song that come up was the song I always thought of as "his song" to me because it features a long trombone solo.  I couldn't have told you what the title was before today, but it hit me a bit different because today happened to be his last day on earth.  The song is titled,  "What are you doing with the rest of your life."  There may not be what is considered a perfect song, album or life, but we can have our favourites--and Dad is that for me.  When I think about the body of work my Dad accumulated during his 70 years of life on earth, by God's grace he quietly and steadily accomplished incredible things.  He loved God, family and country; he ate, worked, read and slept with an emphasis on work.  Yet his work never took him away from us or people, for his labours always drew people closer.

At the end of a timed exam people are told by the teacher to put their pencils or pens down, and so it was for Dad--who was content to remain on the tools his entire carpentry career.  A day came (earlier than Dad expected) when God determined it was time for my dad to put down the tools, and he did.  He ran his race God set before him with joy even when there was bad news, unexpected obstacles, valleys and uphill climbs.  He faithfully expressed his love for God by using his gifts and building skills to help others free of charge.  There is no one I admired more or aspired to be like than Dad, and I'm grateful for a life filled with happy memories of a man with a sense of humour who didn't mess around, a fellow who swung a hammer for a living and also tied balloon animals with those calloused hands to minister God's love to kids at church or outreaches.

My dad's favourite verse in the Bible is found Psalm 116:15:  "Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of His saints."  God loved us sinners so much He sent His Son Jesus to be the Saviour of the world, and He provided atonement with His own blood.  Considering the precious payment God made to redeem mankind, those He has purchased are most precious in His sight having chosen them as His own inheritance.  My dad said many times if he was ever to have a tattoo it would be, "Do not resuscitate" emblazoned across his chest because when God called him home, that is exactly where he wanted to be--glorified in the presence of God without pain and sorrow, loosed from a failing body, finally home and whole for eternity.  It wasn't that Dad wanted to die, but he earnestly looked forward to the day when He would see Jesus in person.

What am I doing with the rest of my life?  It's one of those questions that cannot be answered with words:  looking back may supply a more accurate assessment of our character moving forward than staring into the unknown or having aspirations.  Knowing Jesus is my life as His redeemed through the Gospel, may God help me to run the race set before me with joy, to faithfully follow Jesus all my days no matter what comes--a decision my dad nor countless saints will ever regret.  For those who are in Christ, the rest of our lives lead to rest in God's presence as we serve Him faithfully.

What God Does

There is no one more generous than God, for He has given everyone our lives and all that we have.  He is willing to give people what they want, like when the Hebrews told the prophet Samuel they desired him to anoint a king over them.  God will give justice to those who demand it, and He will also freely give the gift of salvation and the Holy Spirit to those who request this of Him.  God gives grace to the humble and demonstrates love even to His enemies, for Jesus laid down His life to save sinners.

Incredibly, all God gives is able to work towards and accomplish His good purposes from beginning to end.  I think about the parable Jesus told of the prodigal son, how at his demand the father gave his ungrateful and entitled son his inheritance early--likely knowing full well the money would not be invested wisely.  All his inheritance was subsequently wasted, and his lack led the son to come to his senses.  He chose to humble himself and return to his father, and this led to a restoration of a relationship the son never realised was so far gone.  Dad saying "yes" to his wayward son led to a change in his son that was as stark as the difference between death and life.

Daniel knew God as the almighty who raised up kings and deposed them, the sovereign God who rules over all.  The LORD who gives is also the LORD who takes away for His good reasons.  Job 12:24-25 says of the living God:  "He takes away the understanding of the chiefs of the people of the earth, and makes them wander in a pathless wilderness. ²⁵ They grope in the dark without light, and He makes them stagger like a drunken man."  As people with limited strength and resources, we can look to leaders for help and guidance.  It is not good when our leaders and bosses are heartless, without understanding and are like those who wander aimlessly, who are blind as those in darkness and stagger like drunkards.  This can be a very apt description of people we observe in positions of leadership, and God is willing to allow this so we might realise our need for Him!

See how God is infinitely greater than man and worthy of trust as it is written Psalm 146:3-9:  "Do not put your trust in princes, nor in a son of man, in whom there is no help. ⁴ His spirit departs, he returns to his earth; in that very day his plans perish. ⁵ Happy is he who has the God of Jacob for his help, whose hope is in the LORD his God, ⁶ who made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them; who keeps truth forever, ⁷ who executes justice for the oppressed, who gives food to the hungry. The LORD gives freedom to the prisoners. ⁸ The LORD opens the eyes of the blind; the LORD raises those who are bowed down; the LORD loves the righteous. ⁹ The LORD watches over the strangers; He relieves the fatherless and widow; but the way of the wicked He turns upside down."

To those who are unworthy, weak, hungry and oppressed, we can rejoice in God our help.  We know and serve our Creator who loves us, keeps truth, feeds us, gives freedom, opens our blind eyes and raises us when we are cast down.  Jesus loves us freely without reservation, and as those made righteous by faith in Jesus we rejoice to receive and walk in His love.  When God turns the way of the wicked upside down, He sets things right.  No matter what God allows to befall us in this world, He is our hope who freely helps those who trust Him.  Even when situations are not "good," we can know all things will work for good who know God, for He is faithful and true.