A Timely Rebirth

It is normal to read a passage of scripture and have no idea what it means because it is God's word and is foreign to us.  With the help of the Holy Spirit, however, reading the Bible with understanding is far easier than sifting through tax forms, legal documents or medical publications.  The LORD is able to make His word go straight to our hearts and sheds light on life in ways we never previously considered.  I love and appreciate God's word is true, trustworthy and relevant.  Often God's word is a personal call to action, and He supplies instruction and correction that is always wise and practical.

Ecclesiastes 6:3-4 was part of my Bible reading this morning God shed light on for me:  "If a man beget an hundred children, and live many years, so that the days of his years be many, and his soul be not filled with good, and also that he have no burial; I say, that an untimely birth is better than he.  ⁴ For he cometh in with vanity, and departeth in darkness, and his name shall be covered with darkness."  The contrast between the man with 100 children who lived a long life and a stillborn child was unexpected and shocking.  It is remarkable a child who never lived a day outside the womb could be better thought of and remembered than a father of many children, and it is indeed possible.  Man can achieve and acquire many possessions; he can sire children and build an empire.  But if his soul is not filled with good--if he is ungodly and no one cares to remember him--an unborn child has more going for him.  From Solomon's temporal, worldly perspective, what advantage did the man who lived a long life have over the unborn child when they both go to the grave?

This comparison provoked much thought for me.  To live and develop the reputation of being greedy, wicked, surly and selfish, what a waste it would be of the opportunity God gives us to honour Him and reflect well upon the grace and blessings God has provided us.  It is incredible the one who lived long and accomplished much can be less thought of than the stillborn child who never said a word or lived a day.  We do not know how long we will live, but our choices make a difference how we will be remembered by God and other people.  Those who are born again by faith in Christ and live life in light of God's goodness to them will be well-remembered on earth and have an eternal legacy in the presence of God.  Right when we needed God, Jesus came to us in His time and way to be with us forever.

God gives us one lifetime, and the only day we can do anything is today:  we have this one day to be generous, loving and kind.  Today we can be a caring listener, helper and godly leader.  Today is our one chance to love our spouse, children and friends, and in His strength we can make the most of this present moment to serve and do good.  In looking to God we see what is truly good, and He guides us to live in the way that pleases Him.  People do not need children or a long life to be satisfied in the life God graciously gives us, for to be His children forever is our greatest privilege.  Without Christ our lives spiritually resemble a stillborn child, great potential for life ultimately unrealised.  Paul considered himself "born out of due time" (1 Cor. 15:7) and when it comes to being born again by faith in Jesus:  "Better late than never!"

Way of Agape

In The Call written by Os Guinness, he provides insight of the contrast between love that is of the world and the love of God.  God's love is truly foreign to this world, and it is revealed by Jesus coming to us sinners for our good though we are unworthy.  We look upon what we love with favour that is fickle and can quickly dissipate when our needs, desires or expectations are unmet, yet God is love.  He has demonstrated His love for us by sending His only begotten Son to die for us while we were sinners.  Consider the contrast between eros and agape explained in The Call:

"One view of love is the way of eros.  It sees the search as "the great ascent" of humans toward their desired goal.  For the Greeks in particular and the ancient world generally, eros was love as desire, yearning, or appetite aroused by the attractive qualities of the object of its desire--whether honor, recognition, truth, justice, beauty, love, or God.  To seek is therefore to long to love and so to direct one's desire and love to an object through which, in possessing it, one expects to be made happy.  From this perspective, seeking is loving that becomes desiring that becomes possessing that becomes happiness.  For experience shows that "we all want to be happy," as Cicero said in Hortensius, and reasonable thought would indicate that the greatest happiness comes in possessing the greatest good.

The rival view of love is the way of agape, which sees the secret of the search as "the great descent."  Love seeks out the seeker--not because the seeker is worthy of love but simply because love's nature is to love regardless of the worthiness or merit of the one loved.  This view agrees with both the Eastern and the Greek views that desire is at the very core of human existence.  But it agrees with the Greek view and differs from the Eastern in believing that desire itself is (or can be) good, not evil.  The legitimacy of the desire depends on the legitimacy of the object desired.  All human beings are alike in seeking happiness.  Where they differ is in the objects from which they seek it and the strength they have to reach the objects they desire.

The way of agape is the way introduced by Jesus.  It parts company with the way of eros at two points:  the goals and the means of the search.  First, the way of agape says, "By all means love, by all means desire, but think carefully about what you love and what you desire."  Those who follow eros are not wrong to desire happiness but wrong to think that happiness is to be found where they seek it.  The very fact that we humans experience desire is proof that we are creatures.  Incomplete in ourselves, we desire whatever we think is beckoning to complete us.

God alone needs nothing outside himself, because he himself is the highest and the only lasting good.  So all objects we desire short of God are as finite and incomplete as we ourselves are and, therefore, disappointing if we make them the objects of ultimate desire.

Our human desire can go wrong in two ways:  we we stop desiring anything outside ourselves and fall for the pathetic illusion that we are sufficient in ourselves, or when we desire such things as fame, riches, beauty, wisdom, and human love that are as finite as we are and thus unworthy of our absolute devotion.

The way of agape insists that, because true satisfaction and real rest can only be found in the highest and most lasting good, all seeking short of the pursuit of God brings only restlessness.  This is what Augustine meant in his famous saying in Book One of Confessions:  "You have made us for yourself, and our hearts are restless until they find their rest in you."

Second, the way of agape parts company with the way of eros over the means of the search.  Considering the distance between the creature and the Creator, can any de Vinci-like seeker--however dedicated, brilliant, virtuous, tireless, and however much a genius by human standards--hope to bridge the the chasm?  The answer, realistically, is no.  We cannot find God without God.  We cannot reach God without God.  We cannot satisfy God without God--which is another way of saying that our seeking will always fall short unless God's grace initiates the search and unless God's call draws us to him and completes the search.

If the chasm is to be bridged, God must bridge it.  If we are to desire the highest good, the highest good must come down and draw us so that it may become a reality we desire.  From this perspective there is no merit in either seeking or finding.  All is grace.  The secret of seeking is not in our human ascent to God, but in God's descent to us.  We start our searching, but we end up being discovered.  We think we are looking for something; we realize we are found by Someone.  As in Francis Thompson's famous picture, "the hound of heaven" has tracked us down.  What brings us home is not our discovery of the way home but the call of the Father who has been waiting there for us all along, whose presence there makes home home." (Guinness, Os. The Call: Finding and Fulfilling the Central Purpose of Your Life. Thomas Nelson, 2003. pages 12-14)

Disagreement Without Division

While studying the book of Ruth, I was struck with an interaction between Naomi and her daughter-in-law Ruth.  As they travelled to Bethlehem, Naomi urged both of her widowed daughters-in-law to return to their mothers houses, to go back to their own people and gods.  Orpah eventually did so, but Ruth clung to Naomi and professed her unwavering commitment to Naomi.  She was willing to leave behind the hope of remarriage and children to live where Naomi lived, and chose to embrace a new identity by faith in the God of Israel. 

Ruth 1:18 described Naomi's response:  "When she saw that she was determined to go with her, she stopped speaking to her."  Naomi had been very forthright and insistent returning to Moab was in Ruth's best interest, but Ruth was of another mind.  When Naomi saw Ruth's mind was made up, that her heels were dug in and she would not be swayed, Naomi dropped the subject.  The verse does not mean Naomi gave Ruth the silent treatment and refused to converse because her advice had been rejected.  The following chapters contain much conversation between the two, so it is clear they remained on speaking terms.

The decision of Naomi to strongly make her case and to drop the subject when it was clear she and Ruth disagreed is a good example for Christians to observe--especially when disagreements arise about personal or controversial subjects.  God has given everyone unique personalities, perspectives, interests and convictions, and with our diversity brings differences.  It is a tragedy when differences of opinion, emphasis or practice become divisive because people are unwilling to drop a subject after it becomes clear people are not in agreement.  In such cases it is good to be reminded of all we share in common by faith in Jesus Christ who has united us with the Holy Spirit as one to follow, serve and glorify Christ together.

After Naomi repeatedly urged Ruth to depart, Ruth told her not to say anything further on the subject. Naomi showed wisdom by listening to her daughter-in-law even as she wanted Ruth to listen and consider her advice.  Naomi was willing to agree to disagree on the matter of their opinions where Ruth should go and live, and Christians ought to extend grace to others as well.  It is reasonable those God has given His word and Spirit can judge among themselves, have different views, and remain united in the love of Jesus Christ.  Since coming to Christ, haven't your views been refined over time?  God who gives discernment for us to walk wisely can instruct and refine others as well.

Knowing only God can change hearts and minds, even when we are convinced we are in the right we need not continue to hammer away at those who have different or contrary views.  Paul affirmed this freedom concerning convictions in Romans 14:5:  "One person esteems one day above another; another esteems every day alike. Let each be fully convinced in his own mind."  While Paul put forth strong arguments to support his doctrine and manner of life, he did not imagine it was his responsibility to change people's minds because God is able to do the impossible.  He said in Philippians 3:15, "Therefore let us, as many as are mature, have this mind; and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal even this to you."

Humans are inclined to be divided by differences and become divisive.  We prefer to pressure others to change than God using a person we do not agree with as being His instrument to change us.  We would rather leave or have others leave us than trusting and submitting to God by leaving the convincing of others to God and continuing in fellowship with them.  If we say we love God, then we ought to love one another and value the unity and oneness we share by faith in Jesus.

A Disciple Illustration

During a recent men's breakfast at church, we were treated to hear testimonies of God's faithfulness to work in the lives of His people.  I was encouraged and blessed by those who shared from the heart.

There was one story that opened up a fresh perspective of discipleship.  When people speak of or consider discipleship, often people look to spiritual disciplines like reading the Bible, regular times of prayer, attending gatherings with fellow believers to worship God, giving, fasting and Christian service--actions that are done outwardly and are quantifiable.  Some feel if they are doing these things more whilst avoiding sin they are doing well in their relationship with God, and this can be true.  Since the Pharisees were very good at maintaining their religious exterior without having hearts transformed by the Gospel, the embrace of spiritual disciplines do not necessarily correlate with being saved.

A brother rehearsed an event which happened years ago as a teen when he was smacked in the mouth by the school bully.  Raised in a Christian home, he said it was the first time he remembered doing something contrary to his will for the sake of Jesus.  After being struck in the mouth, he heard three voices:  his mother saying "Destroy him!", his father advising "Do what you think is right," and the voice of Jesus who said, "Turn the other cheek" (Matthew 5:39).  He had previously identified as a Christian, read the Bible, went to church and prayed, but that deliberate act to turn the other cheek was a massive step of faith in Jesus to deny himself and instead follow Jesus as LORD.

This is a wonderful illustration of what it means to deny ourselves, take up our cross daily, and follow Jesus.  As Christians, there should be moments on a daily basis when we deliberately lay aside our will to obey what Jesus has commanded us, to follow His example rather than the inclinations of our flesh.  Intentional obedience to Jesus is divinely translated into love for Him, for Jesus told His disciples in John 14:15:  "If you love Me, keep My commandments."  There are many voices that impress themselves upon us, but genuine disciples of Jesus will deny themselves to do as He says.