God Allows Hunger

When I was a kid, one of my favourite places to go at Sea World in San Diego was the shark exhibit.  Sharks always piqued my interest, and to see them slowly swimming overhead in the aquarium was nearly awe inspiring.  I was impressed by the thickness of the glass and was glad to be on the safe side of it!  But I always wondered:  what kept the sharks from eating all the other fish in the exhibit?  I later found out the primary secret, one that really isn't too complicated:  the sharks are so well-fed they are not hungry to feast on their tank mates.  Sharks in captivity are similar to most animals who learn quickly when it is feeding time.  When they are full there is little motivation to expend effort to feed.

This morning I read a scripture which shed light on God's dealings with His people after delivering them from slavery in Egypt in Deuteronomy 8:3:  "So He humbled you, allowed you to hunger, and fed you with manna which you did not know nor did your fathers know, that He might make you know that man shall not live by bread alone; but man lives by every word that proceeds from the mouth of the LORD."  Though they were slaves, the people needed to be humbled before God.  One way God did this was to allow them to hunger.  He supplied manna as their daily bread, and apparently it didn't take long for the novelty of "bread from heaven" to wear off.  Numbers 11 says the people longed for their old diet, and no matter how they dressed up manna it wasn't what they wanted.  Numbers 21:5 tells us the people complained about God's provision, that their souls loathed it.  God could have manipulated the situation by providing all the people wanted in abundance every day.  But He didn't because He wanted to teach them something:  that man does not live by bread alone, "but man lives by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God." This shows us by preventing our desires or even needs for a season to be met, God humbles us and teaches us indispensable truths we must learn to progress.

The proceeding verse in Deuteronomy 8:2 also says, "And you shall remember that the LORD your God led you all the way these forty years in the wilderness, to humble you and test you, to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep His commandments or not."  Giving the people manna six days a week was not a divine science experiment so God could see how the people would respond.  He already knew what was in their hearts.  He allowed them to be hungry and tested them as He led and taught them.  God gave His people the opportunity to do what pleased Him while keeping them well-fed.  The hunger God allowed brought murmuring, complaining, anger, hatred, and rebellion to the surface.  The people didn't only covet fish and fresh vegetables:  they wanted power, honour, authority, wealth, independence, to call the shots, and have their own way.  See what a little hunger brought to light?  God then disciplined His people to restore them to fellowship which had been broken by their sin.  This is for our learning and provides practical wisdom even in parenting.

All children are delightful gifts from God.  We as parents can make the mistake of doing our best to keep them as those well-fed sharks, pandering to satisfy their desires to keep them from exhibiting undesirable behaviour.  Allow a shark to be hungry and he will chase and consume the fish around him, and deny a child's demands and you will see another side too!  I am not happy when the denial of a request brings a negative reaction from my child, but the behaviour indicates pride in the heart of a child which must be addressed.  Shouting or slamming a door is not really the problem, but the issue to lovingly address is the selfish pride, hatred, and rebellion being expressed outwardly.  The worst thing for pride is to feed it and not realise it lurks seething below the surface ready to strike out at everyone - even God.  Our hearts and those of our children can only be delivered from pride and cleansed of sin by spiritual transformation through the Gospel.  Aiming at behaviour will not result in an inner change, but the Bible exposes the thoughts and motives of the heart.  Life is much more than activities, stuff, and food, but is only available when we rely and partake of the Living Bread which has come down from heaven Jesus Christ.  Lasting satisfaction and contentment is found only in Him.

God has allowed us to be hungry for food, significance, belonging, love, and many other things.  It is good when we recognise our hunger and that our satisfaction can only be met by God and the truth of His Word.  When we feed regularly on the Word of God, our souls are satisfied.  Manna was never meant to address the hunger of our souls but Jesus is.  I am glad God allows us to be hungry because otherwise we would never see our need of Him.  We would never know we are doomed to destruction for our sin, cut off from relationship with our Creator.  Psalm 37:3-6 reads, "Trust in the LORD, and do good; dwell in the land, and feed on His faithfulness. ⁴ Delight yourself also in the LORD, and He shall give you the desires of your heart. ⁵ Commit your way to the LORD, trust also in Him, and He shall bring it to pass. ⁶ He shall bring forth your righteousness as the light, and your justice as the noonday."  Let us rest in the LORD and do good, feeding on His faithfulness, and rejoicing in the Holy Spirit who guides and comforts us continually.  When we humbles ourselves before God, He will lift us up.

Exercise and Godliness

"But reject profane and old wives' fables, and exercise yourself toward godliness. ⁸ For bodily exercise profits a little, but godliness is profitable for all things, having promise of the life that now is and of that which is to come."

1 Timothy 4:7-8

The past decades have brought new awareness to the importance of physical exercise for optimal health.  From the leg-warmer Jazzercise look of the 80's to the modern gym membership or fitness camps with participants sweating through circuits in a park, many have embraced physical exercise.  For some exercise is a craze, but it is here to stay.  The fact Paul said exercise of our bodies is profitable almost 2,000 years ago is proof gymnasium junkies are not going anywhere.

What I find intriguing about the passage written to Timothy is the admonition to "exercise yourself toward godliness."  Physical exercise, while beneficial for the body, has its limits.  Whether you run, lift weights, or play competitive sports, all physical gains are temporary.  It isn't long after exercise before muscles begin to atrophy and unwanted kilos begin to pile on.  Physical fitness is harder to maintain as our bodies grow older.  A day will come when we cannot physically do (for any amount of time without severe or chronic injury) the things we once did.  Ultimately our bodies, fit or not, will breathe their last and our lives on earth will end.  A lifestyle which includes quality exercise may add a few years to our lives, but all benefits fought for are trumped by death.

See what Paul says about exercising ourselves toward godliness:  "godliness is profitable for all things, having promise of the life that now is and of that which is to come."  Walking according to God's will brings lasting benefits on earth and for all eternity.  Exercising ourselves towards godliness, which is the intentional practice of godliness in our lives practically, will enable us to live an abundant life now as well as providing eternal rewards.  Speaking for myself, I grow weary of the limited and temporary gains of physical exercise.  How much better it is to personally invest my efforts into what will endure forever, not to mention that it is profitable for all things today.  Choosing to live a life which honours Christ positively affects all areas of our lives.  Having fellowship with God and knowing Him is better than having all the riches of the world.

Jesus said in John 10:9-10, "I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture. ¹⁰ The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly."  Jesus offers an abundant life today for all who trust and follow Him, a life of plenty and salvation.  We must first be born again through faith in Jesus, and then as a sheep of the Good Shepherd He will ensure all our needs in this life and the next are met.  If we give heed to "profane and old wives' fables" or useless debates instead feeding on God's Word and obeying it, we deny ourselves the blessings God has granted us.  A lack of fitness limits what we can physically do, and a lack of spiritual fitness hinders our ability for us to freely and faithfully serve our LORD.  Therefore let us exercise ourselves towards godliness, for this is the will of our Saviour, our Good Shepherd who leads us into green pastures.

Stretch those legs, people!  Enjoy time with Jesus today and follow His example.

Same Same, but Different

During my travels to Cambodia over the years I have heard the phrase "Same same but different" repeated many times.  It is used so widely and frequently by some people the meaning can become a a bit hazy!  I have seen the t-shirts in shops, but have not bought one.  A native English speaker might say of an item, "It is the same tool but a different brand."  "Same same but different" takes on a new meaning entirely when you see vendors in the Russian Market repackaging knock-off items in plastic to look like the real thing.  There are brand-name sunglasses, electronics, and clothing sold cheaply in many shops because they are not genuine.  I don't know about you, but if I am going to spend money on a product I want it to be the real thing.  I want the logo to match the genuine product and the protective plastic sealed by the manufacturer, not by a vendor in a shadowy kiosk.

When it comes to following Jesus, an authentic correlation between our beliefs and deeds is more important than if those Beats headphones you paid $30 for are the real deal.  We Christians ought to be "same same," genuinely practising what we preach.  There are many sides to all of us as multifaceted human beings, but we should be the same person in every setting.  I went to watch a game of rugby with friends the other day and one person remarked upon seeing my enthusiastic engagement, "Wow, I'm seeing another side of you today."  I believe that is a good thing.  People who see us in our Sunday best should see us in track pants as well.  I ought to be the same man in the pulpit as I am at home.  At the same time "another side" of me should not compromise or contradict the other.  The credibility of Christians is undermined when areas of our lives do not agree.  It sends a confusing message to people when our language and practices change based upon our role in church or who our friends are.

We should be "same same," meaning regardless of who is watching, what we do for a living, or what our role in church is, and we must consistently maintain biblical values.  But we are also called to embrace our sanctification, part of which is the process of becoming more Christ-like in word and actions.  It is right for us as disciples of Jesus to be "same same, but different" because we are being transformed more into the likeness of Christ.  We remain the same people in one sense, but we are continually being made new, more loving, gracious, and obedient to our God we fear and honour.  Before God I wish to have interactions with people who knew me five, ten, or twenty years ago and say with amazement, "You're the same goofy guy but I can see you are different.  Jesus means much more to you now.  I had no problem recognising you, but now talking to you it is obvious you have been changed - for the better."

Is your life with Jesus consistent, both in private and public?  Or would it be better said Christianity is a stiff suit you put on for special occasions when it benefits you to do so?  If Christianity is only an external exercise for you, it isn't real.  When we are justified by God's grace through the Gospel we are born again, and this is an inner transformation through the Holy Spirit.  He empowers us to labour and make godly decisions to be set apart for the glory of God, and we should keep changing for the better.  By God's grace I can be "same same" - consistent in beliefs, personal convictions, and practice - but different as I increasingly trust in God for guidance, wisdom, and strength.

The Indispensable Word

Though the word "indispensable" is not often used in casual conversation, the meaning is plain enough:  absolutely necessary.  The Word of God, the Bible, is absolutely necessary to the Christian walk of knowing God and His perfect will.  Romans 10:17 says "...faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God."  Without the revelation of God's Word there is nothing definite to place our faith in.  When the Bible touches a believing heart, it is most profitable.  The writer of Hebrews pointed out the importance of God's truth to mix with faith by using the example of Jews who did not enter into the land of promise in Hebrews 4:2:  "For indeed the gospel was preached to us as well as to them; but the word which they heard did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in those who heard it."  Faith combined with knowledge of God's Word leads to obedient action.

The Bible is not merely a launching pad for faith, but it is the foundation our lives are to be continuously built upon.  God's Word illuminates the narrow road which stretches on before all of us, a "...lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path." (Ps. 119:105)  There should be in all faithful servants of God complete submission to the truth of God's Word.  We can all sadly become as King Saul, who began humble in his own eyes but was later lifted up with pride.  On one occasion he commanded the priest to bring the Ark of the Covenant before him to inquire of the LORD.  But when he heard the sounds from the Philistine camp growing he told the priest of the Most High God, "Withdraw your hand" (1 Sam. 14:19), basically saying, "Never mind.  I've got this."  So said the man who intentionally fell on his own sword, and when we toss aside God's Word as a light or trite thing we do the same.

I recently purchased R.A. Torrey's book, How to Obtain Fullness of Power.  In the first chapter he made a very good observation concerning the importance of God's Word in bringing people to salvation through the Gospel.  The Philippian jailer, shaken body and soul by the earthquake, sprang into the cell of Paul and Silas and asked, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?"  I expect many people familiar with the passage will remember their response in Acts 16:31, "So they said, "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and your household."  It is what they did next which is indispensable, giving the man something definite to believe and do according to scripture.  It goes on to say in Acts 16:32-33, "Then they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all who were in his house. ³³ And he took them the same hour of the night and washed their stripes. And immediately he and all his family were baptized."  They did not just tell the man to believe, but "spoke the word" so the man could know what to believe and how to respond.  Being mixed with faith, the word of God was used to bring a family to eternal salvation.  Our words cannot save sinners, but the Bible can.

Paul's exhortation to Timothy is an important one to lay to heart today in 2 Timothy 4:1-2, "I charge you therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who will judge the living and the dead at His appearing and His kingdom: ² preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching."  This great error of drifting from the preaching of the Word of God was a temptation from the infancy of the church.  Paul did not preach himself, making his personal experiences a central focus of his talks.  Stories and illustrations have their place in an engaging discourse (as we see demonstrated with Jesus with His parables), but the Word should be as indispensable in our preaching as Jesus said the Holy Spirit is to guide and lead us into all truth.  Man's opinions are fickle, but God's Word endures forever.  There is no life in our sermonising or discussions except we make the Word of God central to them, for God alone has the words of life.  Stories lead to more stories, but God's Word brings salvation and personal transformation.