The fuzzy edges

Certainty is a wonderful thing if you don’t like mystery, wonder, and discovery. I have experienced two kinds of Christianity in my lifetime. Once I was in the ‘certainty’ group. When I was younger, I had the answer for every question. It was easy to point out who was in and who was out. Outcomes were predictable in that world. I just knew that if you did the right things, then you would find the kind of life you wanted. Tragically, I judged those with brokenness and pain in their lives as defective. After all, wasn’t God ‘on call’ and ready, if we had enough faith, to do what we asked Him to do? I shudder at the Pharisee that lived in me.

Well, certainty didn’t quite work out for me. Many questions are now beyond even asking for me now. I am unwilling to crawl onto God’s throne and declare the eternal destiny of another. To do that is a blasphemy! And, while I still hope for the best, faith compels me to trust Him when life refuses to follow the script. I do a lot more crying with others than blaming them for their circumstances.

God is not smaller for me now, as you might think. Actually, He is much, much larger to me than He was when I ‘knew it all!’ I now understand that I once was the kind of like a man standing with his face pressed up against the Empire State building in New York City at ground level, thinking that the brick he sees right in front of him defines the whole thing! What a fool! The Empire State Building is experienced differently from the top than at street level. And, then too, it appears differently from an airplane window when I’m on approach to Newark airport. The building is the same. My perspective alters my experience.

The Lord is the same, unchanging Being, but He is experienced differently! When I am studying Scripture I glimpse Him through the eyes of a prophet. When I am standing alongside of a suffering saint, I glimpse Him through her words and tears. In surprise moments, He opens my eyes by the revelation of His Spirit working in me. I know Him differently in worship among the congregation than when standing alone in the early morning darkness of my backyard.

I am sure of one thing: before I close my eyes for the last time, there will be much more adventure in this walk of faith He’s leading! Along the way there will be plenty of mystery, wonder, and hopefully – discovery of new truths about Him. Meanwhile, I am resting in His grace, secured by His love, held in His hand.

I quoted this passage in an earlier CoffeeBreak this week, but here it is again. Ponder the majesty revealed in the words.
"Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God!
How unsearchable his judgments, and his paths beyond tracing out!

“Who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been his counselor?”

“Who has ever given to God, that God should repay him?”

For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be the glory forever! Amen." (Romans 11:33-36, NIV)
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"I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know
the hope to which he has called you,
the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and
his incomparably great power for us who believe."
(Ephesians 1:17-19, NIV)
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What a mighty God we serve,
What a mighty God we serve,
Angels bow before Him!
Heaven and earth adore Him!
What a mighty God we serve.

Oh, what a sight to see!

From the top of the Empire State Building, you can see several states and take in an unbelievable view of the huge metropolitan area. At 14,000 feet above sea level, Pikes Peak in Colorado offers a spectacular vista – the great plains to the East, the majestic Rocky Mountains to the West. I will never forget standing in a sea of men on the Mall in Washington, DC at a PromiseKeepers event. More than a quarter of a million men sang praise to God and then fell to the their knees in silent prayer. What a sight!

Nothing, however, compares to the scene described by John in the 4th chapter of the Revelation. “Come up here,” John hears Jesus say. And, caught up in the Spirit, he sees a vision of the Throne Room of God. What a sight to see! Reflecting from a great expanse of crystal, like a ‘sea of glass,’ John sees the Being on the Throne ablaze with Light, fiery red. A glowing aura of emerald green surrounds Him. Twenty four thrones surround His Throne, where elders representing the People of God offer up their worship to Him. Amazing winged creatures pour out a refrain of “Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God Almighty, Eternal!” amidst flashes of light and thunderous rumblings. So, what do we do with these images?

More to the point, what do such images do to us?

John’s vision has but one goal – to bring the reader to awe! The average Christian is woefully impoverished when it comes to worship! Say, “worship,” they think singing several devotional songs, or perhaps raising their hands, or maybe offering a prayer. There’s nothing wrong with those things and they are a kind of worship, but true worship is birthed by a vision of God that is terrifying, that evokes the same kind of awe from us that Isaiah felt when he glimpsed the Throne! Don’t miss the point of John’s vision by reducing it to its component parts. Instead, stand back and gaze on it. Embrace the Mystery!

Dr. Don McCullough wrote a book bearing the title, The Trivialization of God, in which he encourages us to recover our sense of the Transcendent God, who is wholly Other. Our highly individualized faith in a ‘personal Lord and Savior’ results in a Jesus who is ‘just like me’ and strips the Lord of the Heavenly Armies of His majesty, reducing Him to the status of being our Big Buddy! Yes, we do have a friend in Jesus.

But, this is not the only way that God is revealed to us. The awesome and terrible Being glimpsed by Isaiah, Ezekiel, and John is equally real. But, we reject that revelation because we cannot reduce it to our explanations and therefore it frightens us. We tame God to fit in our boxes. No wonder we find it so hard to abandon ourselves to His care, to trust Him with our life and destiny. No wonder our holiness is so shallow, our ethical behaviors so questionable. There is no fear of the Lord among us.

Ponder the vision. Step back, as you would from a painting done by a master, and take in the whole, without criticism. My prayer is that the Spirit will make it so real, you will be reduced to silence, incapable of anything short of awful admiration.

"At once I was in the Spirit, and there before me was a throne in heaven with someone sitting on it. And the one who sat there had the appearance of jasper and carnelian. A rainbow, resembling an emerald, encircled the throne. Surrounding the throne were twenty-four other thrones, and seated on them were twenty-four elders. They were dressed in white and had crowns of gold on their heads.

From the throne came flashes of lightning, rumblings and peals of thunder. Before the throne, seven lamps were blazing. These are the seven spirits of God. Also before the throne there was what looked like a sea of glass, clear as crystal. In the center, around the throne, were four living creatures, and they were covered with eyes, in front and in back. The first living creature was like a lion, the second was like an ox, the third had a face like a man, the fourth was like a flying eagle. Each of the four living creatures had six wings and was covered with eyes all around, even under his wings. Day and night they never stop saying: “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty, who was, and is, and is to come.”

Whenever the living creatures give glory, honor and thanks to him who sits on the throne and who lives for ever and ever, the twenty-four elders fall down before him who sits on the throne, and worship him who lives for ever and ever. They lay their crowns before the throne and say:

“You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they were created and have their being.”
(Revelation 4:2-11, NIV)
Amen and amen.

When there is no future

A friend told me about his depression this past Lord’s Day. I’m concerned for him, because I know what it feels like to be trying to outrace the darkness! My melancholy disposition tends to depression. Fifteen years ago, I went through a terrible year of real and persistent depression that was worse than any physical ailment or pain I have ever experienced. At the time, there were days when I questioned if I wanted to struggle on. God assembled a team of friends who walked with me, loved me, prayed for me, and kept me safe until I could see tomorrow again. So, when I hear about someone who takes his own life, questions fill my mind. What went wrong? How did he come to the place where there was no future? Did someone fail to see his need?

Despair has many sources.

• Exhaustion- emotional, spiritual, and/or physical-- can push us to the edge. We all have those months when demands converge and whichever way we look, life looks like one BIG problem waiting to be solved. If we to manage that heavy load by ourselves, we risk being crushed by it.
• Sometimes it is born of real guilt that alienates us from the Presence of God. If so, genuine repentance and confession, is where we begin the healing process.
• Our brain chemistry can get scrambled, too. These complex bodies produce too much of this, not enough of that, and our thoughts can become confused. Yes, Christian, it happens to people of faith, too! Thank the Lord, we are blessed with physicians who can work with us to restore the balance.
• Rage over situations that seem to defy change or people who continue to resist our will can feed self-destructive thoughts, too. Suicide is sometimes the ultimate irrational 'get even' choice. That's why the Word tells us to settle our issues so the Devil cannot find a foothold in our life!
• Then, too -- there is the spiritual dimension. "The Devil prowls looking for prey," Peter tells us. The enemy's goal is our destruction. He takes great joy from the choice for self-destruction and in the chaos that suicide leaves behind.

There is JOY in serving Jesus, but that joy is sometimes delayed! Yes, there will be suffering in the lives of the best of Christians. Peter wrote those who are being chased by the darkness of despair. He says, "Dear friends, don't be surprised at the fiery trials you are going through, as if something strange were happening to you. Instead, be very glad—because these trials will make you partners with Christ in his suffering, and afterward you will have the wonderful joy of sharing his glory when it is displayed to all the world." (1 Peter 4:12-13)

In this broken world, suffering is all too common. We cannot escape it, but we can stand up in the times of trial. "So then, those who suffer according to God's will should commit themselves to their faithful Creator and continue to do good." (1 Peter 4:19 NIV) That's so hard to do- alone; so don't! IF you're in God's waiting room, ask a friend to wait with you, to pray with you - until the joy returns. IF recurrent thoughts about ending your life fill your mind, REACH OUT and tell somebody how much you're hurting! Don't try to wrestle the demons of despair alone. Gather prayer partners who will gently embrace you with their love and point you in the direction of someone who can help you choose life.

Most of us will never experience the depth of despair or rage that makes suicide a considerable option. BUT, we will have friends, even people of deep faith in the Lord, who do. We must be our brother's keeper. Be proactive in listening when you are with your friends. Care enough to ask the hard questions, but gentle and loving so that you will invite those who are suffering from despair to share their heart.

Today, I am thankful for that era of depression. It made me realize even more the importance of loving one another. It taught me something about the folly of trying to be my own god and controlling my life. It brought me a deeper love of the Scripture. The truth of the Word fights the lies of the prince of despair!

Psalm 73 is about a man who lost hope. Life turned upside down, nothing made sense. He despaired of life until he turned to the sanctuary of God’s Presence.
I encourage you to meditate on this passage. It’s a beauty!

"When I tried to understand all this, it was oppressive to me till I entered the sanctuary of God; then I understood their final destiny. …
When my heart was grieved and my spirit embittered, I was senseless and ignorant; I was a brute beast before you.
Yet I am always with you; you hold me by my right hand. You guide me with your counsel, and afterward you will take me into glory.
Whom have I in heaven but you? And earth has nothing I desire besides you. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever."
(Psalm 73:16-17, 21-26, NIV)
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Where do I go
When there's no one else to turn to?
Who do I talk to
When no one wants to listen?
Who do I lean on
When there's no foundation stable?
I go to the Rock I know that's able,
I go to the Rock!

Where do I hide
'Til the storms have all passed over?
Where do I run to
When the winds of sorrow threaten?
Is there a refuge
In the time of tribulation?
When my soul needs consolation,
I go to the Rock!

I go to the Rock of my salvation,
Go to the Stone
That the builder rejected,
Run to the Mountain and
The Mountain stands by me;
When the earth all around me
Is sinking sand:
On Christ, the solid Rock, I stand;
When I need a shelter,
When I need a friend,
I go to the Rock.

I Go To The Rock

Rambo, Dottie© 1977 John T. Benson Publishing Company (Admin. by Brentwood-Benson Music Publishing, Inc., 741 Coolsprings Blvd., Franklin TN 37067)
CCLI License No. 810055

Is God a big tipper?

At dinner yesterday, our waiter was a woman named Cheryl. She was friendly, took note of remembering my wife from a previous visit to the restaurant, and provided excellent service throughout dinner. Is she just a conscientious, good person who always does a good job or was her financial interest in a larger tip motivating her behavior? Since I lack the ability to read minds, her thoughts remain a mystery. That interaction made me wonder about my own motivations especially in my spiritual life. What motivates me to serve God? Do I hope He is a big tipper?

Many Christians do not publicly or perhaps even consciously acknowledge that they have a ‘quid pro quo’ expectation of the Lord, yet they do!

· “If I faithfully give my tithe, He’s obligated to provide for my needs.”
· “If I maintain my spiritual disciplines, He’s obligated to make my life more meaningful.”
· “If I take on a regular ministry, He will bless me for my sacrifice.”

Were I to ask disciples if they thought these things, most would deny it. But, when life goes into reverse, when things get tough, more than a few have allowed bitter complaints of injustice to escape their lips. Job, the suffering saint of the Old Testament, held onto his faith, but wondered about the fairness of God, too. In the 31st chapter of the book that bears his name, he recounts a long list of his righteous acts which were consistent and offered from a heart that loved God. He bitterly complains that he thinks he deserved a different result than came his way in life. "Isn’t calamity reserved for the wicked? Isn’t disaster supposed to strike those who do wrong? Isn’t God looking, observing how I live? Doesn’t he mark every step I take? " (Job 31:3-4, The Message)

As you read this, perhaps you’re thinking, “So, Jerry, if what you suggest is true, why serve God? If He’s not a big tipper, what’s the point of faithfulness?” God is worthy of our worship, our devotion, our service because He is God! If we merely ‘serve’ Him with the expectation of gaining a better life, we are only religious, not devoted. If we think He is somehow obligated by our ‘gifts,’ we have completely misunderstood His Word and will!

Yes, God loves us and cares for us as His children. He does reward ‘good and faithful servants,’ but not because we can put Him under contractual obligation. He does so because He is good and because He is just. His rewards, however, may wait for Eternity. As has been said many times, “His payday is not always next Friday!” We demean our relationship with Him if we allow ourselves to think, “You owe me now.” We also risk becoming bitter when He does not cause life to work out as we thought He should.

Job, pressed his complaint before the Lord. In chapters 38 and 39, God replies, but not with explanation of His actions. Instead, He directs Job to ponder His majesty.
“Have you ever commanded the morning to appear and caused the dawn to rise in the east? Have you made daylight spread to the ends of the earth, to bring an end to the night’s wickedness? … Can you direct the movement of the stars— binding the cluster of the Pleiades or loosening the cords of Orion?" (Job 38:12-13, 31, NLT) He was not trying to frighten Job into submission. The Lord was inviting him to increase his faith by increasing his vision of the One he served. Oh, that our response would be like this great man. He becomes humble, and though he suffers, acknowledges that God is great. Then Job replied to the Lord: “I know that you can do anything, and no one can stop you. … I had only heard about you before, but now I have seen you with my own eyes. I take back everything I said, and I sit in dust and ashes to show my repentance.” (Job 42:1-2, 5-6, NLT)

Here’s one of my favorite benedictions.
Let the wisdom of the Word fill your mind and heart today. Pray for the faith to walk before Him without looking for a big tip!

"Oh, how great are God’s riches and wisdom and knowledge! How impossible it is for us to understand his decisions and his ways! For who can know the Lord’s thoughts? Who knows enough to give him advice? And who has given him so much that he needs to pay it back? For everything comes from him and exists by his power and is intended for his glory. All glory to him forever! Amen." (Romans 11:33-36, NLT)

_______________

O Lord, my God,
When I in awesome wonder,
Consider all the worlds
Thy hands have made;
I see the stars,
I hear the rolling thunder,
Thy pow'r thru'out
The universe displayed.

And when I think
That God, His Son not sparing,
Sent Him to die,
I scarce can take it in;
That on the cross
My burden gladly bearing,
He bled and died
To take away my sin.

Then sings my soul,
My Savior God, to Thee,
How great Thou art!
How great Thou art!
Then sings my soul,
My Savior God, to Thee,
How great Thou art!
How great Thou art!

When Christ shall come
With shout of acclamation
And take me home,
What joy shall fill my heart!
Then I shall bow
In humble adoration,
And there proclaim,
"My God, how great Thou art!"

How Great Thou Art

Hine, Stuart© 1941,1953,1955, Stuart K. Hine, Renewed 1981 Manna Music, Inc. ARR UBP of Manna Music, Inc. (35255 Brooten Road, Pacific City, OR 97135)CCLI License No. 810055