One of the great tragedies of our time is the growing distain that exists towards the Christian church among those who are not Believers. Barna Research, a reputable firm, reports that 38 percent of young Americans (16-29) have a negative impression of present day Christianity.
Christians are perceived as unintelligent and out of touch with the world, as judgmental and quick to find fault, as people who do not live what they teach, and as those who are too willing to readily and uncritically adopt the political views of the right wing. Gabe Lyons, author of unChristian: What a New Generation thinks of Christianity (Baker, 2008) writes of Believers: "we've almost forgotten what it means to be human, or to suffer with other people, or to admit to our brokenness, or to connect with people in areas where we don't have it all figured out. We've tried to portray an image that we have it all together, that our life is best now, that in a lot of ways we have conquered major issues. And we all know that is not reality." ('Christianity In Crisis,' Willow Journal, Winter, 2008)
What a telling observation! Is the assessment of Believers accurate or is it based on superficial perceptions? That I cannot say with certainty. I know many Christians on whom the indictments of insincerity, hypocrisy, blind allegiance to one political party, and judgmentalism can be hung with justice. But, I also know many Believers who work hard to serve the world in Jesus' Name with gentle love, who desire no recognition as they give of their time and resources to help those who are weighed down by terrible sorrow and/or pain. I want to be latter, so help me, God! Don't you?
Even from the 'inside,' as one who has lived his entire adult life in the shadow of the organized church and as a Pastor, I realize that we Believers are often too prone to trust government to make our world a better place, instead of rolling up our sleeves and getting about the business of building the Kingdom of God! Additionally, we let agencies do what Christ calls us to do - care for the poor, love the weak and the sick, and defend the powerless! Too often, we seek places of power instead of service; rejecting the servant's towel in favor of the weight of the law. We think that our society will be redeemed by stricter judges, with the election of politicians who use 'church speak,' or through enactment of laws more narrowly and punitively written. After years of enjoying political influence, the mirage of a legislated morality ought be obvious to Christians. National politicians that have been elected with wide support by evangelical Believers have not been able to do what only the Gospel of Christ can do - change human hearts.
Though the ages, the good news about Jesus has been validated by Christians who have served Him as they served others. Wherever the Church attempted to advance its influence on the tip of a sword, there was only failure, the establishment of a religion perhaps, but not the transformation of a culture. We need to study those history lessons and remember what Jesus urged on us when He showed us the heart of a Servant while He lived among us.
We do not lack for ministry opportunities, Believer! The prisons of America are overflowing. Are we stepping up to share the Word with inmates in Bible studies, and as we do, are we ready to show them the genuine love of Jesus Christ as we embrace them, weep with them, and ask God to bring them new hearts? The families of America are breaking up under terrible pressures. Are we teaching people to keep their covenants by keeping ours; to choose to live with less things so they can live more sanely and wholly by reducing our consumption? Are we modeling concern for those who are oppressed? As ignorant persons foment hatred, do we speak fearlessly to the prejudice that grows from fear, even at the cost of popularity? A sin-sick society, plagued with sexual dysfunction and greed needs models of purity and generosity. Do we confront our own sins and weaknesses with earnest prayer and pursuit of the fruit of Spirit life outlined in Galatians 5; "love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control." (5:22-23, NIV) so that we might lead the way to Christ, who saves from sin?
Nehemiah, the restorer of Jerusalem, points us in the right direction in our desire to bring God to our world. The Word tells us that when he encountered the threats of those who wanted to stop his work he "prayed to our God and guarded the city day and night to protect ourselves." (Nehemiah 4:9, NLT) We cannot just disappear into our churches and pray, nor can we only take on the challenges with hard work. Prayer without hard work produces few results. Hard work without prayer produces no lasting results.
Our response to the criticisms of our culture must not be defensive. We must never return attack for attack! Instead, with the same humility Jesus showed to those who constantly attacked Him, we must serve without needing affirmation. We must ask the Spirit to empower us, not in the usual sense, but in our hearts with courage and stamina to continue to do good, for God's glory alone. Our Master asks nothing less of us.
"Go to the people of all nations and make them my disciples. Baptize them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, and teach them to do everything I have told you. I will be with you always, even until the end of the world." (Matthew 28:19-20, CEV) "The Father alone has the authority to set those dates and times, and they are not for you to know. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth." (Acts 1:7-8, NLT)
Here I am, Lord. I will serve You and my world in Your Name, so help me, God.
____________________
Friday, April 04, 2008
Thursday, April 03, 2008
Nostalgia's Rosy Tint
Nostalgia is a powerful part of the human experiences. I'm not an old man, but, even now, paging through our family picture albums or watching family videos from 10 years ago stirs up such such longing for a return to the time when my kids were running through the house, that I get depressed for hours! Interestingly, those same pictures that make me so morose make my wife thankful that our kids are all grown up. She was a full-time Mom and remembers that era in our family life quite differently than I do! Both of us agree about one thing, however; we can't relive those joys, so we'll find the joys that today offers!
Some people are attempting to navigate their way into the future while staring into the rear-view mirror called the 'past!' They are largely missing the present because they are remembering the past. Every experience of the 'now' is evaluated in the light of 'then.' There's a big problem with living that way. Memory is highly selective. We rewrite history to fit our perceptions, our needs. So, as we remember the 'good old days,' we tend to forget the difficulties and recall the moments of joy. Try to think back just 10 or 20 years. Memory is mostly limited to big moments of joy - birthday celebrations, Christmas, family vacations, or the awful moments of breakups, financial loss, or death. But the ordinary moments - the flat tires, broken appliances, frustrations, arguments, sun rises, unremarkable days... they have disappeared into the mist of memory.
I find that some Christians fall into the trap of nostalgia in their faith walk, too. They bemoan the state of the church, criticize the youth program, and/or long for the preaching of some by-gone pastor or teacher. "It's not the way it used to be," they say. They're right! Change is inevitable!
Churches that work to stay exactly the same - and many do - slide into isolation and gradually die. Some of you are objecting, "Jerry, Christianity is ancient. Traditions are important." And you're right. The Bible assures us that "Jesus Christ is the same; yesterday, today, and forever." The ritual celebrations of Communion and Baptism are valuable rites that preserve continuity in the Christian community. However, the ways that the Gospel is communicated; the forms in our worship will all change over time. Each generation's innovations in Christian worship has provoked the ire of the previous generation! The church organ was a scandal in the time of Bach. Few evangelical Christians who defend traditional worship today realize that the hymns of Isaac Watts provoked splits and great commotion in the 18th century American church!
Are you missing out on what God wants to do in your life TODAY, because you're attempting to recreate the spiritual experiences of another time?
Do you fondly remember a decade when God was so close to you? Rejoice in that! Don't try to erase yesterday. What He did for you and with you yesterday is foundational for your walk with Him today, but those things are the past, and He's doing a new thing in you, in me! Ask God to help you to see and appreciate today.
If you think the Church has gone a little 'off the rails,' pray for those who lead, asking the Spirit to make His Presence known - and be ready for God to do a new thing - in you, in your church, in this world!
Here's a word from the Word -
"No one tears a piece of cloth from a new garment and uses it to patch an old garment. For then the new garment would be torn, and the patch wouldn't even match the old garment. And no one puts new wine into old wineskins. The new wine would burst the old skins, spilling the wine and ruining the skins." (Luke 5:36-37, NLT)
"Sing a new song to the Lord, for he has done wonderful deeds. He has won a mighty victory by his power and holiness." (Psalm 98:1, NLT)
Some people are attempting to navigate their way into the future while staring into the rear-view mirror called the 'past!' They are largely missing the present because they are remembering the past. Every experience of the 'now' is evaluated in the light of 'then.' There's a big problem with living that way. Memory is highly selective. We rewrite history to fit our perceptions, our needs. So, as we remember the 'good old days,' we tend to forget the difficulties and recall the moments of joy. Try to think back just 10 or 20 years. Memory is mostly limited to big moments of joy - birthday celebrations, Christmas, family vacations, or the awful moments of breakups, financial loss, or death. But the ordinary moments - the flat tires, broken appliances, frustrations, arguments, sun rises, unremarkable days... they have disappeared into the mist of memory.
I find that some Christians fall into the trap of nostalgia in their faith walk, too. They bemoan the state of the church, criticize the youth program, and/or long for the preaching of some by-gone pastor or teacher. "It's not the way it used to be," they say. They're right! Change is inevitable!
Churches that work to stay exactly the same - and many do - slide into isolation and gradually die. Some of you are objecting, "Jerry, Christianity is ancient. Traditions are important." And you're right. The Bible assures us that "Jesus Christ is the same; yesterday, today, and forever." The ritual celebrations of Communion and Baptism are valuable rites that preserve continuity in the Christian community. However, the ways that the Gospel is communicated; the forms in our worship will all change over time. Each generation's innovations in Christian worship has provoked the ire of the previous generation! The church organ was a scandal in the time of Bach. Few evangelical Christians who defend traditional worship today realize that the hymns of Isaac Watts provoked splits and great commotion in the 18th century American church!
Are you missing out on what God wants to do in your life TODAY, because you're attempting to recreate the spiritual experiences of another time?
Do you fondly remember a decade when God was so close to you? Rejoice in that! Don't try to erase yesterday. What He did for you and with you yesterday is foundational for your walk with Him today, but those things are the past, and He's doing a new thing in you, in me! Ask God to help you to see and appreciate today.
If you think the Church has gone a little 'off the rails,' pray for those who lead, asking the Spirit to make His Presence known - and be ready for God to do a new thing - in you, in your church, in this world!
Here's a word from the Word -
"No one tears a piece of cloth from a new garment and uses it to patch an old garment. For then the new garment would be torn, and the patch wouldn't even match the old garment. And no one puts new wine into old wineskins. The new wine would burst the old skins, spilling the wine and ruining the skins." (Luke 5:36-37, NLT)
"Sing a new song to the Lord, for he has done wonderful deeds. He has won a mighty victory by his power and holiness." (Psalm 98:1, NLT)
Wednesday, April 02, 2008
Sweeter Than Honey!
I recently read a book titled: The Year of Living Biblically. A. J. Jacobs, a man who knew nothing about the Bible, decided that he would spend a year following the Bible's words to the letter. His book, which tells the story of his quest, is a hoot, somewhat irreverent, but extremely compelling. Despite his early skepticism and his secular worldview that held no real regard for the reality of the revelation of God in the Bible, Jacobs found that his encounter with the Bible was changing him, turning an atheist into an inquirer. He met up with all kinds of fundamentalists in that year, people who think they are following the Bible and miss the point entirely by focusing only on the words. For example, he handled snakes with a little church in Kentucky that completely ignore the context of Jesus' words found in Mark 16. Yes, he made a huge effort to keep the letter of the Law, but Jacobs never really allowed the Bible to change his heart. What makes his story both funny and sad are his efforts to shape his daily habits by rules that were divorced from a love for God and an openness to the guidance of the Holy Spirit.
I am a Biblical man. No, I don't handle snakes, grow a long beard, or observe rigid dietary codes. However, my views, my speech, my values; all come from the Bible. From the earliest days of my life, the Book has been the source of truth around which my life is shaped.
From the Book, I learned early that I am not a god and that there is a God to Whom I will give account for the way that I live my life. That singular idea has kept me from giving in to many temptations as well as motivating me to serving faithfully when I preferred to be served.
From the Book, I gained the concept of a loving personal Lord that cares for people and that has caused me to have a high regard for the dignity and personal worth of other people.
From the Book came my sense of eternity, the realization that this present world is just the prelude to the 'forever' life that is promised to all of God's children. Eternity, out there on time's horizon and growing closer each day, makes me hopeful and peaceful.
I don't have a lot of patience with those who twist the wonderful Word into strange doctrines, who use snippets of the Word to support their pet theories. Few things make me more disturbed than hearing someone 'interpret' the Scripture with little or no real skill or study. It is simply too precious to be misused by charlatans, misquoted by simpletons, or ignored by misguided sophisticates! With the Psalmist, I say - "How sweet are Your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth! Through Your precepts I get understanding; therefore I hate every false way. Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path." (Psalm 119:103-105, NKJV)
Paul admonished Timothy, a younger pastor, about the importance of good teaching. He said, "Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth." (2 Timothy 2:15, NKJV) And James held this caution out to those who would take the podium to teach- "Not many of you should presume to be teachers, my brothers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly." (James 3:1, NIV)
John Ortberg writes that
"Some 65 million copies of the Bible are bought or distributed in the U.S. every year-nothing else is a close second. The average house has at least three. People cheer the Bible, buy the Bible, give the Bible, own the Bible-they just don't actually read the Bible. According to George Gallup:
One third of those surveyed know who delivered the Sermon on the Mount.
Fewer than half can name the first book of the Bible;
80 percent of born-again Christians believe the phrase God helps those who help themselves is in the Bible (it's actually Ben Franklin)." Leadership, Winter, 2008
Are you a person of the Word?
Don't make the mistake of just owning a Bible and thinking that makes you Biblical! Read it. Of course, without the practice of group study, which has precedent spanning three millennia, you will miss much, most, in fact, of what the Bible actually has to say. Really understanding what God says is a life-long quest, a serious study, and demands that we allow the Spirit to make the Word plain to us. But, the reward of knowing and doing what the Word teaches is beyond estimation.
"Every word you give me is a miracle word— how could I help but obey? Break open your words, let the light shine out, let ordinary people see the meaning. Mouth open and panting, I wanted your commands more than anything. Turn my way, look kindly on me, as you always do to those who personally love you. Steady my steps with your Word of promise so nothing malign gets the better of me." (Psalm 119:129-133, The Message)
____________________
I am a Biblical man. No, I don't handle snakes, grow a long beard, or observe rigid dietary codes. However, my views, my speech, my values; all come from the Bible. From the earliest days of my life, the Book has been the source of truth around which my life is shaped.
From the Book, I learned early that I am not a god and that there is a God to Whom I will give account for the way that I live my life. That singular idea has kept me from giving in to many temptations as well as motivating me to serving faithfully when I preferred to be served.
From the Book, I gained the concept of a loving personal Lord that cares for people and that has caused me to have a high regard for the dignity and personal worth of other people.
From the Book came my sense of eternity, the realization that this present world is just the prelude to the 'forever' life that is promised to all of God's children. Eternity, out there on time's horizon and growing closer each day, makes me hopeful and peaceful.
I don't have a lot of patience with those who twist the wonderful Word into strange doctrines, who use snippets of the Word to support their pet theories. Few things make me more disturbed than hearing someone 'interpret' the Scripture with little or no real skill or study. It is simply too precious to be misused by charlatans, misquoted by simpletons, or ignored by misguided sophisticates! With the Psalmist, I say - "How sweet are Your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth! Through Your precepts I get understanding; therefore I hate every false way. Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path." (Psalm 119:103-105, NKJV)
Paul admonished Timothy, a younger pastor, about the importance of good teaching. He said, "Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth." (2 Timothy 2:15, NKJV) And James held this caution out to those who would take the podium to teach- "Not many of you should presume to be teachers, my brothers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly." (James 3:1, NIV)
John Ortberg writes that
"Some 65 million copies of the Bible are bought or distributed in the U.S. every year-nothing else is a close second. The average house has at least three. People cheer the Bible, buy the Bible, give the Bible, own the Bible-they just don't actually read the Bible. According to George Gallup:
One third of those surveyed know who delivered the Sermon on the Mount.
Fewer than half can name the first book of the Bible;
80 percent of born-again Christians believe the phrase God helps those who help themselves is in the Bible (it's actually Ben Franklin)." Leadership, Winter, 2008
Are you a person of the Word?
Don't make the mistake of just owning a Bible and thinking that makes you Biblical! Read it. Of course, without the practice of group study, which has precedent spanning three millennia, you will miss much, most, in fact, of what the Bible actually has to say. Really understanding what God says is a life-long quest, a serious study, and demands that we allow the Spirit to make the Word plain to us. But, the reward of knowing and doing what the Word teaches is beyond estimation.
"Every word you give me is a miracle word— how could I help but obey? Break open your words, let the light shine out, let ordinary people see the meaning. Mouth open and panting, I wanted your commands more than anything. Turn my way, look kindly on me, as you always do to those who personally love you. Steady my steps with your Word of promise so nothing malign gets the better of me." (Psalm 119:129-133, The Message)
____________________
Tuesday, April 01, 2008
A Smart Fool?
If you're a student of American history you know about the "Higgins boat" which Dwight Eisenhower credited with changing the course of World War 2. Andrew Higgins built the boats, called LCVP (Landing Craft, Vehicle, Personnel) in military jargon, that carried our soldiers and supplies to the beaches for the invasion. According to historian Stephen Ambrose, Higgins refused to hire engineers who were graduates of college programs because he believed that schools of engineering taught students to think too narrowly and turned out engineers that began their processes from what they thought could not be done in design, rather than attempting innovation. Higgins wanted men with wisdom and common sense and he found them! His self-taught engineers came up with a shallow draft boat that could go right up to the beaches, drop a ramp on the front, and allow the men to disembark without having to crawl up and over the sides, a slower process that exposed them to enemy fire for a longer period of time. {Source - REV! March-April, 2008}
Wisdom and education are not necessarily one and the same. Mastering a great body of information and having the ability to recall those facts can be a valuable skill, but if learning is not matched with wisdom - which includes:
the ability to apply information to life,
to adapt and create solutions to problems, and
an understanding of how to relate to other people-
a person may well end up being a smart fool! It has been said wisely that "A little knowledge is a dangerous thing!" That is not to suggest that education, in itself, is undesirable. Having the opportunity and inclination to gain an education is important. What we must never forget is that information, especially today, has a very short shelf life. The world changes rapidly and the person who is truly wise, will be a life-long learner, continuing to study, to read, and to seek to understand the world in which he lives.
I once thought that by the time I reached my fifth decade of life, and my third decade of pastoral ministry, that my calling to the church would grow easier. It hasn't. Much of what I learned about 'how' to do ministry yesterday no longer applies in an ever-changing world. However, I enjoy greater effectiveness now than I did twenty five years ago, but it isn't because I'm in control of more facts or that I am smarter today than I once then. Truthfully, I get frustrated by my tendency to forget names, faces, and facts. I know that my mental processes are beginning to slow a little; but, I am wiser today than I was twenty years ago. That wisdom makes me more useful to the Kingdom. I'll leave it to you to say if I am actually wise! I am content to make a comparative statement - wiser than I once was! After all, the Bible warns about the folly of becoming 'wise in your own eyes!' (Proverbs 26.12)
Wisdom is not reserved for those who have graduate degrees, those with high IQ's, or those over the age of 50! Wisdom is available to anyone of us who will seek it.
The first step towards true wisdom is revealed in this passage from the Word. "Who is wise? He will realize these things. Who is discerning? He will understand them. The ways of the LORD are right; the righteous walk in them, but the rebellious stumble in them." (Hosea 14:9, NIV) There can be no real wisdom without submission to God and His ways. Let me state what might be obvious - the ability to spout Bible trivia is not the same as understanding the ways of the Lord!
The second step on the road to wisdom is humility. A wise man realizes that there is much he does not know and reveals his wisdom by gathering wise counselors! "Without good direction, people lose their way; the more wise counsel you follow, the better your chances." (Proverbs 11:14, The Message) Who is on your life team? From whom are you taking advice and counsel? Are you walking with the wise?
Then, too, there is this paradox. The wiser a person becomes the more willing he is to live with mystery and ambiguity! Job was a wise man. When his life turned from good to bad, then from bad to worse, he demanded an explanation - from others and from God. His friends consumed day after day with tedious philosophical arguments about the reasons for Job's suffering. In the end, the Lord swept away their musings. Job himself rose up to demand fair answers from the Lord, to which God said "Will the one who contends with the Almighty correct him? Let him who accuses God answer him!" Then Job answered the LORD: "I am unworthy—how can I reply to you? I put my hand over my mouth." (Job 40:2-4, NIV) Job learned wisely to live with the mystery of faith.
Here's a word from the Word to take with you through this April Fool's Day.
"Do not rebuke a mocker or he will hate you; rebuke a wise man and he will love you.
Instruct a wise man and he will be wiser still; teach a righteous man and he will add to his learning. "The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding. For through me your days will be many, and years will be added to your life. If you are wise, your wisdom will reward you; if you are a mocker, you alone will suffer."
(Proverbs 9:8-12, NIV)
Wisdom and education are not necessarily one and the same. Mastering a great body of information and having the ability to recall those facts can be a valuable skill, but if learning is not matched with wisdom - which includes:
the ability to apply information to life,
to adapt and create solutions to problems, and
an understanding of how to relate to other people-
a person may well end up being a smart fool! It has been said wisely that "A little knowledge is a dangerous thing!" That is not to suggest that education, in itself, is undesirable. Having the opportunity and inclination to gain an education is important. What we must never forget is that information, especially today, has a very short shelf life. The world changes rapidly and the person who is truly wise, will be a life-long learner, continuing to study, to read, and to seek to understand the world in which he lives.
I once thought that by the time I reached my fifth decade of life, and my third decade of pastoral ministry, that my calling to the church would grow easier. It hasn't. Much of what I learned about 'how' to do ministry yesterday no longer applies in an ever-changing world. However, I enjoy greater effectiveness now than I did twenty five years ago, but it isn't because I'm in control of more facts or that I am smarter today than I once then. Truthfully, I get frustrated by my tendency to forget names, faces, and facts. I know that my mental processes are beginning to slow a little; but, I am wiser today than I was twenty years ago. That wisdom makes me more useful to the Kingdom. I'll leave it to you to say if I am actually wise! I am content to make a comparative statement - wiser than I once was! After all, the Bible warns about the folly of becoming 'wise in your own eyes!' (Proverbs 26.12)
Wisdom is not reserved for those who have graduate degrees, those with high IQ's, or those over the age of 50! Wisdom is available to anyone of us who will seek it.
The first step towards true wisdom is revealed in this passage from the Word. "Who is wise? He will realize these things. Who is discerning? He will understand them. The ways of the LORD are right; the righteous walk in them, but the rebellious stumble in them." (Hosea 14:9, NIV) There can be no real wisdom without submission to God and His ways. Let me state what might be obvious - the ability to spout Bible trivia is not the same as understanding the ways of the Lord!
The second step on the road to wisdom is humility. A wise man realizes that there is much he does not know and reveals his wisdom by gathering wise counselors! "Without good direction, people lose their way; the more wise counsel you follow, the better your chances." (Proverbs 11:14, The Message) Who is on your life team? From whom are you taking advice and counsel? Are you walking with the wise?
Then, too, there is this paradox. The wiser a person becomes the more willing he is to live with mystery and ambiguity! Job was a wise man. When his life turned from good to bad, then from bad to worse, he demanded an explanation - from others and from God. His friends consumed day after day with tedious philosophical arguments about the reasons for Job's suffering. In the end, the Lord swept away their musings. Job himself rose up to demand fair answers from the Lord, to which God said "Will the one who contends with the Almighty correct him? Let him who accuses God answer him!" Then Job answered the LORD: "I am unworthy—how can I reply to you? I put my hand over my mouth." (Job 40:2-4, NIV) Job learned wisely to live with the mystery of faith.
Here's a word from the Word to take with you through this April Fool's Day.
"Do not rebuke a mocker or he will hate you; rebuke a wise man and he will love you.
Instruct a wise man and he will be wiser still; teach a righteous man and he will add to his learning. "The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding. For through me your days will be many, and years will be added to your life. If you are wise, your wisdom will reward you; if you are a mocker, you alone will suffer."
(Proverbs 9:8-12, NIV)
Monday, March 31, 2008
Suffering and Victory
I held the dear saint tightly as she wept. She has served the Lord faithfully and lovingly, even radically, for most of her life. Now, her mind is failing. Physicians have told her that she is in the early stages of dementia. She watched her husband slide into the hazy confusion of mental deterioration before he died and she fears the future holds the same for her. Is her suffering and/or fear the result of some sin? Do her tears reveal a lack of faith that would allow her to 'claim her victory?' There is a kind of triumphal Christianity in the land that would say, yes to both of those questions. Suffering has no place in the theology that see God as the Dispenser of perpetual happiness! But, my study of the Word reveals something different.
The Bible teaches the Believer to live in victory and to embrace suffering: two themes that seem, at first glance, to be in direct contradiction. How do we reconcile Jesus' words- "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest." (Matthew 11:28, NIV) with this- "So if you are suffering in a manner that pleases God, keep on doing what is right, and trust your lives to the God who created you, for he will never fail you." (1 Peter 4:19, NLT)?
First, we must conquer our culture's love of "now."
We have little patience with problems that persistent beyond a few days. We crave the satisfaction of our desires right now, many of us convinced that we are entitled, as children of a good God, to a better life right here and right now; however we might define it. Christians are not immune to this impatience. We expect God to heal us, now! We demand freedom from our pain, now! We think that we should attain spiritual maturity and depth of intimacy with God, now! We think that Jesus should step in and fix the things that trouble us, now! But, God does not work in our limitations of time. His desires for us span our lifetime; and beyond into eternity.
Second, we must try to understand the difference between momentary happiness and the greater work of grace.
When I am wrestling with temptation and the fight exhausts me, I just want God to come now and 'do something!' When pain, of body or emotion, gnaws away at me, I want something or someone to soothe me. And that is natural. However, the Word reminds me, "We do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory." (2 Corinthians 4:16-17, NKJV) For me, it takes greater faith to walk willingly with God through fiery trials, than it does to holler long and loud for Him to 'get me out of this mess!'
Third, we allow for mystery!
I have no idea why God allows some of his saints to pass through dementia on their way to Heaven. That makes no sense to me! But, then again, neither does electricity or nuclear physics! I lack the knowledge to grasp how much of life works. Charles R. Swindoll in Growing Strong in the Seasons of Life says, “We’re not supposed to have airtight answers! Why? Because our understanding is earthbound. . . . Our focus is from the ground up. . . . We see now, He sees forever. We judge on the basis of the temporal; He, on the basis of the eternal. . . . His vantage point is infinity." [Discipleship Journal : Issue 32. 1999]
In the book of James there is this direct instruction- "Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray." (James 5:13, NKJV) What is prayer? It is the communion that we enjoy with Him - ranging from praise, to petition, to weeping wordlessly, to shouting in exultation, to silent contemplation, to watchful waiting.... and more. To think that prayer is only making a list of wants and grievances to be recited before the Lord, bracketed with a Scripture and 'I ask this in Jesus' Name, Amen' is both immature and foolish.
My God reveals Himself as the Creator of Awe-inspiring Majesty and as a tender Father. Relating to Him, in faith, in both ways can be a stretch, but it is exactly the stretch that I need to make to remain steady. And, I would urge that you do the same.
Are you suffering? Pray! But not just a simplistic, childish prayer that says, "God, if you love me, get me out this trouble right now." Instead, talk it over with the Lord. Tell Him the desire of your heart. Ask boldly of Him, even as you confess His goodness and His greatness. Jesus said, "Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you." (Matthew 7:7, NKJV) One author writes, "The angry person bangs, the guilty person lightly taps, and the confident person knocks. If I know I am asking and seeking with the right spirit and motives, I can confidently knock. Believing in my status as God’s child, yet accepting His sovereignty over my life, helps me exert just the right amount of pressure. That kind of knocking reveals my reverence and respect for God’s omniscience. " [Discipleship Journal : Issue 32. 1999]
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The Bible teaches the Believer to live in victory and to embrace suffering: two themes that seem, at first glance, to be in direct contradiction. How do we reconcile Jesus' words- "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest." (Matthew 11:28, NIV) with this- "So if you are suffering in a manner that pleases God, keep on doing what is right, and trust your lives to the God who created you, for he will never fail you." (1 Peter 4:19, NLT)?
First, we must conquer our culture's love of "now."
We have little patience with problems that persistent beyond a few days. We crave the satisfaction of our desires right now, many of us convinced that we are entitled, as children of a good God, to a better life right here and right now; however we might define it. Christians are not immune to this impatience. We expect God to heal us, now! We demand freedom from our pain, now! We think that we should attain spiritual maturity and depth of intimacy with God, now! We think that Jesus should step in and fix the things that trouble us, now! But, God does not work in our limitations of time. His desires for us span our lifetime; and beyond into eternity.
Second, we must try to understand the difference between momentary happiness and the greater work of grace.
When I am wrestling with temptation and the fight exhausts me, I just want God to come now and 'do something!' When pain, of body or emotion, gnaws away at me, I want something or someone to soothe me. And that is natural. However, the Word reminds me, "We do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory." (2 Corinthians 4:16-17, NKJV) For me, it takes greater faith to walk willingly with God through fiery trials, than it does to holler long and loud for Him to 'get me out of this mess!'
Third, we allow for mystery!
I have no idea why God allows some of his saints to pass through dementia on their way to Heaven. That makes no sense to me! But, then again, neither does electricity or nuclear physics! I lack the knowledge to grasp how much of life works. Charles R. Swindoll in Growing Strong in the Seasons of Life says, “We’re not supposed to have airtight answers! Why? Because our understanding is earthbound. . . . Our focus is from the ground up. . . . We see now, He sees forever. We judge on the basis of the temporal; He, on the basis of the eternal. . . . His vantage point is infinity." [Discipleship Journal : Issue 32. 1999]
In the book of James there is this direct instruction- "Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray." (James 5:13, NKJV) What is prayer? It is the communion that we enjoy with Him - ranging from praise, to petition, to weeping wordlessly, to shouting in exultation, to silent contemplation, to watchful waiting.... and more. To think that prayer is only making a list of wants and grievances to be recited before the Lord, bracketed with a Scripture and 'I ask this in Jesus' Name, Amen' is both immature and foolish.
My God reveals Himself as the Creator of Awe-inspiring Majesty and as a tender Father. Relating to Him, in faith, in both ways can be a stretch, but it is exactly the stretch that I need to make to remain steady. And, I would urge that you do the same.
Are you suffering? Pray! But not just a simplistic, childish prayer that says, "God, if you love me, get me out this trouble right now." Instead, talk it over with the Lord. Tell Him the desire of your heart. Ask boldly of Him, even as you confess His goodness and His greatness. Jesus said, "Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you." (Matthew 7:7, NKJV) One author writes, "The angry person bangs, the guilty person lightly taps, and the confident person knocks. If I know I am asking and seeking with the right spirit and motives, I can confidently knock. Believing in my status as God’s child, yet accepting His sovereignty over my life, helps me exert just the right amount of pressure. That kind of knocking reveals my reverence and respect for God’s omniscience. " [Discipleship Journal : Issue 32. 1999]
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