“Think positive!” sounds good
when a person is wrestling with some set of circumstances that can be
changed with perseverance and courage. But, when the challenge is life and
death, optimism has met its limit. Death tosses aside our slogans and
songs like a playful child throws a ragdoll. Bev and I wept together this
morning as another long night ended with more weakness and pain. It is
cruel and unfair to ask her to ‘be brave,’ or to ‘be positive.’ We talked
together about life and that eventually death comes to us all. The fear
of death cannot be overcome with a poem or an exhortation to positivity.
Where
optimism falls short, faith begins. Faith is greater because it is anchored to
the word of God. (Just to be clear, she is not going to die right now.
The context of our discussion was human mortality in general.)
What we need are ears that
hear God’s Word! At Judah’s darkest moment, when the armies surrounding
Jerusalem were about to overwhelm the city’s defenses, we read that "King
Zedekiah sent for him (Jeremiah, the prophet) and had him brought to the
palace, where he asked him privately, “Is there any word from the LORD?”
(Jeremiah 37:17, NIV) Spiritual deafness is an affliction in so many who
want a God subservient to their desires. From partial hearing comes false
expectations. When our expectations meet reality what results? We grow
disillusioned and disappointed. It is just a short hop from there to
discouragement. If we persist in holding onto our insistence that God
must act in a way we desire, and we support that conclusion with select
proof texts from the Bible, we will form a ‘faith’ that is not real
faith. What we have is presumption. American Christians love this kind of
religion. God exists to make the outcomes they want happen. Except
that He does not! When some challenge comes along that reveals the
shallow ‘faith’ that is not truly anchored in His Person and Promise and they
fall into despair.
Job experienced a wonderful
life in the blessing and favor of the LORD. But, then came the days of
loss. He could not see the battle that raged in the spiritual realm
around him. Even when we read his story, we are aghast at the unfairness
of it all when viewed from a purely human perspective. Even righteous Job comes
to the end of his optimism and demands that God show up and explain
Himself.
Read the revelation of the
Holy Word thoughtfully. "Then the Lord said to Job, “Do you still want
to argue with the Almighty? You are God’s critic, but do you have the answers?”
Then Job replied to the Lord, “I am nothing—how could I ever find the answers? I
will cover my mouth with my hand." (Job 40:1-4, NLT)
He learned that true faith is informed by knowing God in His
fullness, in surrender that loves Him equally in life and death, times of great
sorrow and triumph.
Are you merely optimistic
about life, fond of saying “Jesus loves me” and confident that in that
confession you will find only days of sunshine?
You are a great risk of
disappointment, disillusionment, discouragement, and despair.
Worship Him in the beauty of
His holiness. Seek to know Him fully, richly, faith-fully. Go beyond
knowing how quote the Bible to knowing the Word Incarnate, Jesus Christ.
Listen to His word which never passes away. “I am the resurrection and
the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever
lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?” (John
11:25-26, NIV) “Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also
in me." (John 14:1, NIV)
May we hear the whole Word of
the Lord.
________________
My hope is built on
nothing less
Than Jesus’ blood and
righteousness.
I dare not trust the
sweetest frame,
But wholly lean on Jesus’
Name.
On Christ, the Solid Rock,
I stand,
All other ground is
sinking sand.
Edward Mote
Public domain
Public domain
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