God Has Chosen Us

Years ago we enjoyed an annual Easter family tradition of an egg hunt at my grandparent's home.  This epic hunt required a lot of preparation and expense to buy and fill the plastic eggs--not to mention hiding them so well.  The "silver" and prized "golden" egg were always expertly hidden on an acre of property, and there could be a lull of more than 15 minutes when no eggs were found as the search area was whittled down to find that elusive golden egg.  As an adult it was fun observing the children (including my own) look around for hidden treasures, and I discovered some children (not my own) quickly grew impatient and complained when they weren't easily finding eggs.  They snatched eggs that lay in full view on the grass and quickly moved on for more.  When finding eggs meant moving grass or pushing past a prickly pine tree or crawling near a cactus, they begged to be told where the best eggs were.  In our family hunts, this sort of seeker never found the prized eggs.

The discouragement in children who are not easily finding eggs can at times bear a resemblance to what Christians can experience.  I have met many believers who are disappointed when they have sought a particular spiritual gift but have yet to operate in it.  Some feel left out because they are not aware of God's calling upon their lives, and want someone to tell them what to do or say--a formula to follow--to obtain what they are looking for.  Discouragement will come when we prioritise the search for a gift rather seeking the Giver, and we choose disappointment in pursuing a call rather than Christ who calls us.  Spiritual gifts and callings are not like eggs that contain a special prize we hold in our hands, but they are the divine fruit of our relationship with God who holds us.  As we are not our own, having been bought with a price, our spiritual fruitfulness, gifts and call are not primarily for our feelings of fulfillment but God's glory.

In his book The Call, Os Guinness made an excellent observation how being called by God "subverts the deadly modern idolatry of choice":

"Choice in modern life is central, powerful, unquestioned, and enshrined in how we think and all we do--so much so that it cannot be undermined merely by an appeal to another choice.  Choice for modern people is a right that overwhelms both responsibility and rationality...Arguments against choice need to recognize the special, godlike power of choice.  But ultimately only one thing can conquer choice--being chosen.  Thus, for followers of Christ, calling neutralizes the fundamental poison of choice in modern life.  "I have chosen you," Jesus said, "you have not chosen me."  We are not our own; we have been bought with a price.  We have no rights, only responsibilities.  Following Christ is not our initiative, merely our response, in obedience.  Nothing works better to debunk the pretensions of choices than a conviction of calling.  Once we have been called, we literally "have no choice." (Guinness, Os. The Call: Finding and Fulfilling the Central Purpose of Your Life. Thomas Nelson, 2003. Page 167)

It is good to realise choice can be idolised, and really this modern luxury is an extension of the ancient tendency to idolise ourselves.  We can be moved to seek a particular gift or calling because of how it could benefit us.  By God's grace disappointment and disillusionment by our preferences not being met can be the means God employs to draw us to Himself, to begin to know and understand God--and have our eyes opened to better recognise how much we need Him.  To be chosen and called by God is wonderful, and to know Him is greater than unlocking a new ability that will someday pass away.  While the focus in our family Easter egg hunt was finding eggs, the real treasure was those loving, generous women who made the effort to prepare, spend and oversee the event.  As we continue on our pilgrimage of faith in Jesus, may God open our eyes to see when we have been searching for and prioritising gifts over the Giver, a calling over the Caller, or our choices rather than God who chose us.

Who God Delights In

I have been greatly encouraged by Jeremiah 9:23-24 which reads:  "Thus says the LORD: "Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, let not the mighty man glory in his might, nor let the rich man glory in his riches; ²⁴ but let him who glories glory in this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am the LORD, exercising lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness in the earth. For in these I delight," says the LORD."  It is an awesome privilege God has made Himself known to mankind, and we have tasted and see our LORD is good.  He doesn't promise much but deliver little like a politician who is hamstrung by monetary limitations, the party in power, a desire to please special interest groups or avoid offence.  The almighty, living God of Israel is sovereign over all nations, the Creator of heaven and earth--and delights to exercise lovingkindness, judgment and righteousness in the earth.

Politicians are amazingly deft at dodging direct questions and hammering away at rehearsed talking points to take control of a conversation.  The public rarely ever has the opportunity to know anything for certain about those in governance in Australia, for what is said in front of the press is never anything personal.  As public servants in a parliamentary democracy, those serving in parliament are at the mercy of their party, constituents and need to secure the most votes in the upcoming election to retain their seat or stay in power.  God is pleased to tell everyone that He delights in lovingkindness, judgment and righteousness--the very things He exercises continually.  He told Moses, "I AM WHO I AM," and God will forever delight in everything He delights in today.

Rather than glorying in our knowledge, wisdom, might or wealth, God said people ought to glory in knowing and understanding Him.  For those who have come to know and understand God through faith in Jesus Christ, He is truly the delight of our lives.  While it may seem these things God delights in are exceedingly rare in the world (as they are not of this world), we see them all converge at once in the person of Jesus Christ who personified love, wise judgment and righteousness.  It was a demonstration of God's love when Jesus laid down His life to atone for sinners on the cross (Romans 5:8), God's justice was satisfied with His shed blood (1 John 1:9), and Jesus became righteousness for us (1 Corinthians 1:30-31).  Lovingkindness, judgment and righteousness did not dissipate when Jesus ascended alive into heaven, as these qualities have continued to be spread abroad by God's children through the Gospel.

Having been filled with the Holy Spirit, Christians are among those through whom God's lovingkindness, judgment and righteousness are exercised.  How blessed we are to understand and know God, to be strengthened and enabled to do what pleases God as the life of Christ is lived through us.  Our flesh is always inclined to glory in what is not God, to be pleased by our abilities, accomplishments and possessions, yet Jesus Christ has taught us the best way to live.  Rather than being anxious over all we seem to lack, 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."  Those who deal truly are God's delight, and may Psalm 119:16 be a true reflection of God's people:  "I will delight myself in Your statutes; I will not forget Your word."

Revive Us Again

When discussing passages from the Bible or theology, it is important to define key terms.  There are many common words and phrases which mean different things to different people.  I have found "revival" to be one of those words.  A casual browse through the Strong's Concordance also shows how one particular Hebrew or Greek word has been translated into a variety of words.  The context of a word is helpful--along with other passages in the Bible that employ the same word--to better grasp the intended meaning.

During a recent Bible study at church, we briefly discussed Psalm 85:6:  "Will You not revive us again, that Your people may rejoice in You?"  The psalmist asked God to revive him and all God's people spiritually to the end they would rejoice in God.  He astutely realised God's people need God's spiritual empowerment to respond to God as we ought.  As the fire consumes wood in the fireplace, gravity causes logs to settle further into the grate and smoulder in the ash.  The person who intentionally started the fire will need to adjust the logs with a poker and add additional wood with gaps so oxygen will cause the fire to blaze up again.  God who gave us life on earth also provides eternal life by the Gospel, and having been born again we need God to revive us continually by His Spirit.

Even as fire is lit upon a hearth for a purpose--for instance to supply heat for a home, to boil stew or to toast marshmallows--the psalmist connected being revived again by God with rejoicing in Him.  This is one of many purposes God revives His people to the end He would be glorified and His people edified, strengthened, encouraged and made spiritually fruitful.  Some Christians I have met have a different view of revival than the psalmist, focused primarily on what they desire to see in other people, a church or a city:  more people coming to church, more interest in spiritual things, an widespread "awakening" like historical moves of the Holy Spirit in "revival meetings" long ago.  There can be a desire for this sort of revival in others which we see no need for in ourselves.  And what can follow is unless our arbitrary, grandiose concept of "revival" is realised, people who pray to this end can be discouraged that their prayer has gone unanswered.

Like God fills us with the Holy Spirit when we ask Him (Luke 11:13), we can have complete confidence God will revive us again according to our humble request in faith because it is His will for us.  He gave us life and spiritually revived us, but this "revival" will be for His purposes--not to accommodate our romantic spiritual longings.  When we are moved to rejoice in the LORD, especially when our circumstances are difficult and troubling, it is evidence of the Holy Spirit at work in and through our lives.  God has revived us many times when we despaired, wandered away, forgot about God and His promises simply because He is good and faithful:  won't He also revive us when we ask Him to the end we would rejoice in Him?  Isn't He worthy of our praise and thanks always?  It is clearly God's will we would rejoice in Him as Paul urged believers in Philippians 4:4:  "Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice!"  Let us thank God for reviving us again, for He has done so more times that we have given Him credit.

The Real Thing

Having watched a lot of sport over the years, Hollywood is notorious for missing the mark completely with the depiction of sport.  At times I have wanted to pull my hair out when I see things allowed to occur in a boxing match that would never fly in a professional bout.  Mistakes in small details betray complete ignorance of the rules, basic physics and technique that in my eyes undermines the believability of a film.  Admittedly I am picky, but while zooming in on the ball on a long drive in golf or while playing baseball a home run is launched or a fastball is pitched, the ball should not have topspin in slow motion.  I tend to steer clear of sport-themed movies because I enjoy watching actual sport--not dramas that use sport thematically but have no resemblance to the real thing.  I do like Hoosiers, though (maybe because I never played organised basketball).

The one thing Hollywood historically does as bad or worse than sport is the depiction of pastoral guidance.  Movies can have this thing where a person facing conflict goes into an empty church to sit or pray and has an interaction with a collared minister who is hanging around.  To this day in those scenes I cannot recall one minister direct anyone to Jesus Christ or provide wisdom from God's word.  In Man of Steel the nervous priest asked, "What does your gut tell you?"  The priest in Million Dollar Baby had a more awkward, even bizarre interaction:  "Frankie, I've seen you at Mass almost every day for 23 years. The only person who comes to church that much is the kind who can't forgive himself for something."  After indirectly warning Frankie not to commit murder, the priest simply stood up and walked away.  Either the writers of these scenes have never been to church in their lives, or they have been going to the wrong church.

The Bible gives very different guidance concerning those who find themselves at a crossroads.  Infinitely better than going with our gut Proverbs 3:5-6 says, "Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; ⁶ in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths."  Is it guilt that ought to move a person to go to church every day--as if God is not able to forgive sins and justify the souls who repent and trust Him?  The Bible speaks of a woman named Anna who was at the temple in Jerusalem day and night because she was devoted to God in Luke 2:36-37:  "Now there was one, Anna, a prophetess, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was of a great age, and had lived with a husband seven years from her virginity; ³⁷ and this woman was a widow of about eighty-four years, who did not depart from the temple, but served God with fastings and prayers night and day."  Perhaps if those movie ministers opened their Bibles and considered Christ, they would have spoken wisdom worth heeding--and not judged people poorly because of their devotion.

God is not far away from the soul who seeks Him, for He has spoken plainly in His word and come to earth in the person of Jesus Christ.  The Holy Spirit has been sent to fill every Christian, for these redeemed children of God are now His temple and dwelling place.  Oh, that people would know and understand God!  Would to God all foolish notions (perpetuated by Hollywood or otherwise) be swallowed up by a true relationship with the living God by the power of the Gospel who loves us, is with us, and will never leave or forsake us!  My prayer is if people do indeed wander into a church in a search for God and His wisdom, that they find in me and all God's people genuine love, compassion and grace because we lead every seeker to Jesus.