Terror or Trust?

Are you afraid today?  There are enough reasons for fear in this turbulent world, as well in our individual lives, IF we choose to focus on them. Russia’s dictator bragged of the readiness of his nuclear forces and threatened the West with destruction yesterday.  Our own government is a mess of dysfunction, unable or unwilling to address even the basics of budgeting and immigration.  Much closer to home, many of us struggle with health, or marriages that are broken, or children who have difficulties making their way in the world. And then, too, inside our own heads we hear the whispers of insecurity wondering if we are ‘enough.’

Christian, God promises peace IF we will accept His way, His love, and learn to live in faith.  So, what will we choose today - terror or trust?  Here is what I know - when fear owns our emotions, we never make the best choices. We become reactionary, sometimes angry, and self-defeating!  The 14^th chapter of the Exodus is a great teaching moment for those who are afraid. 

Through the miracles of His mighty hand, God had delivered the Israelite people out of Egypt. They were joyous over their new-found freedom, ready for the journey to Canaan, their home, God’s Promised Land. Then this happened. "When word reached the king of Egypt that the Israelites were not planning to return to Egypt after three days, Pharaoh and his officials changed their minds. “What have we done, letting all these slaves get away?” they asked. So Pharaoh called out his troops and led the chase in his chariot." (Exodus 14:5-6, NLT) "As Pharaoh and his army approached, the people of Israel could see them in the distance, marching toward them. The people began to panic, and they cried out to the Lord for help." (Exodus 14:10, NLT)    

Let’s not make little of their crisis! There was an army behind them and the sea in front of them. But, somehow in spite of all the miracles they had witnessed over the previous year or two, those people quickly turned on Moses with angry accusations. “Why did you bring us out here to die in the wilderness? Weren’t there enough graves for us in Egypt? Why did you make us leave? Didn’t we tell you to leave us alone while we were still in Egypt? Our Egyptian slavery was far better than dying out here in the wilderness!” (Exodus 14:11-12, NLT)  The Scripture says that they cried out to the LORD, too, but their cry was not born out faith, it was a wail of terror.

God spoke to Moses and told him to face forward, to expect to be delivered, to move on in faith. He took that Word to the people. “Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the LORD will bring you today. The Egyptians you see today you will never see again. The LORD will fight for you; you need only to be still.” (Exodus 14:13-14, NIV)  We often read that last line as one of comfort, but the Hebrew text has the context of rebuke. The phrase in Hebrew is an obscure one that can include the meaning of steadiness, of forward focus, like a man plowing a field! The Message picks up that context translating the verse this way: “God will fight the battle for you. And you? You keep your mouths shut!”

When we find ourselves in the middle of a crisis, when we are full of fear, one of the most difficult choices we can make is shut up and keep moving forward in faith. The very source of our strength, hope, and wisdom is the quiet voice of the Holy Spirit, but He is often drowned out by the panic, the wailing of fear.

We know the rest of that story. God opened a way for them through the sea and then closed the waters over the army of Egypt and the threat was gone.

This principle of quiet faith and patience waiting on God’s will and deliverance is one repeated often in the story of God’s people.  “Now then, stand still and see this great thing the LORD is about to do before your eyes!" (1 Samuel 12:16, NIV)  

David, the shepherd King of Israel, lived through many crises. His song says-
"Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for him;
do not fret when men succeed in their ways, when they carry out their wicked schemes." (Psalm 37:7, NIV)

Terror or trust, it is a choice that we who live in the Spirit can make. Will we?
God invites us to go steady on, to keep plowing the field!

Here is a word from the Word. "Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings. And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will Himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast. To him be the power for ever and ever. Amen." (1 Peter 5:8-11, NIV)

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(Video of this blog at this link)

Goodness Of God

I love You Lord
Oh Your mercy never fails me
All my days
I've been held in Your hands
From the moment that I wake up
Until I lay my head
I will sing of the goodness of God

All my life You have been faithful
All my life You have been so so good
With every breath that I am able
I will sing of the goodness of God

I love Your voice
You have led me through the fire
In darkest night
You are close like no other
I've known You as a father
I've known You as a friend
I have lived in the goodness of God

Your goodness is running after
It’s running after me
Your goodness is running after
It’s running after me

With my life laid down
I’m surrendered now
I give You everything
Your goodness is running after
It's running after me

Ben Fielding | Brian Johnson | Ed Cash | Jason Ingram | Jenn Johnson © 2018 Capitol CMG Paragon; SHOUT! Music Publishing Australia; Fellow Ships Music; So Essential Tunes; Bethel Music Publishing
CCLI License # 810055

I’ll make you pay!

So, have you ever been offended? I feel the stir of irritation, from time to time!  Sometimes it’s a momentary thing as when a careless driver cuts me off in traffic. At the other extreme,  I can remember deep soul wounds that kept me from sleep and even, I confess, provoked thoughts of retaliation. Nursing the anger, unholy thoughts of making the other person pay for what they have done or said take over my mind - temporarily!

Everybody gets angry at someone, sometime. Kids persist in behavior too often requiring correction. Husbands leave the toilet seat up! Neighbors speak angry words over a trivial matter and go on to build fences. 

The issue for followers of Christ is not so much will we become offended or even why we get offended. What’s of greatest importance is this - how will I respond when I feel offended?  

Scripture’s wisdom teaches us that "The discretion of a man makes him slow to anger and his glory is to overlook a transgression. " (Proverbs 19:11, NKJV)  A more modern phrasing sayd "People with good sense restrain their anger; they earn esteem by overlooking wrongs."

When we face our response of offense honestly and maturely, we usually will find elements of pride and/or insecurity. Recently, when I felt offended by another’s words, after the moment passed and I thought it over, the realization came that I was wondering if I were still up to the task, if my age was making me less capable. I heard words through a filter that set me up for offense! Almost always in the offended person there is more than a small amount of self-love, self-concern; is there?  When we get worked up because someone pulls into that parking slot in front of us, or we when find someone sitting in ‘our’ pew, or because our work does not find the expected appreciation, or … (you can fill in your own issue here.)  

We all desire to experience respect, to know that we are regarded with worth.  That is normal and healthy.  A person without good self-esteem becomes prey, subject to manipulation and abuse. And yet, it is also a fact that if we gauge our personal worth by measuring the response of other people to us, we will spend inordinate amounts of time angry or in despair.  

Here’s what I know - what we see as a slight, when we are wounded, most of the time it is not malice in the other person. It is just thoughtless or pre-occupation with their needs in the moment. Maturity in our emotions and discipleship brings about an inner strength that allows us to absorb the bumps and bruises of everyday life, a self-awareness that gives us insight into our own strengths and weaknesses.  A key part of this serenity is the love of God!

The great message of grace is that God, because of Jesus' sacrifice for our sins, forgives us, removes our shame and guilt, and restores our dignity. We, who were broken by sin in ourselves and by the sins of others, are called 'children of God!' And we are not just tolerated kids, either. We are His beloved sons and daughters. When we remember the profound way in which we are loved, anchoring ourselves in this turbulent, often cruel, world, we can become tender, gentle, and loving.  T

his passage is a favorite of mine.  "See how very much our heavenly Father loves us, for he allows us to be called his children, and we really are! But the people who belong to this world don’t know God, so they don’t understand that we are his children. Yes, dear friends, we are already God’s children, and we can’t even imagine what we will be like when Christ returns. But we do know that when he comes we will be like him, for we will see him as he really is. And all who believe this will keep themselves pure, just as Christ is pure." (1 John 3:1-3, NLT)

Here is the kernel of truth about this. The more we are filled with the Spirit of God, the less we will grow offended by others. 

John has in mind the need to overcome offense and builds on God’s love to point the way. "We should love one another. We must not be like Cain, who belonged to the evil one and killed his brother. And why did he kill him? Because Cain had been doing what was evil, and his brother had been doing what was right. So don’t be surprised, dear brothers and sisters, if the world hates you. If we love our Christian brothers and sisters, it proves that we have passed from death to eternal life. But a person who has no love is still dead. Anyone who hates another Christian is really a murderer at heart. And you know that murderers don’t have eternal life within them. We know what real love is because Christ gave up his life for us. And so we also ought to give up our lives for our Christian brothers and sisters." (1 John 3:11-16, NLT)

It’s too simple to direct the ‘blame’ for offense outward saying things like - “She just makes me so mad!” or “He just drives me right over the edge!”  No, that’s really not true. We are not given the ability to shape another’s actions but we are fully in charge of our own response.  Feeling offended?  Take God’s grace to heart... really!! And you will find yourself at peace- loved, and therefore, loving.

The word from the Word is two-fold today.  First a warning - “An offended brother is more unyielding than a fortified city, and disputes are like the barred gates of a citadel.”  Proverbs 18:19 (NIV)  Knowing that, here is the call of Christ. “Stop judging others, and you will not be judged. Stop criticizing others, or it will all come back on you. If you forgive others, you will be forgiven. If you give, you will receive. Your gift will return to you in full measure, pressed down, shaken together to make room for more, and running over. Whatever measure you use in giving—large or small—it will be used to measure what is given back to you.” (Luke 6:37-38, NLT)

So, in a world where there is so much tension, one in which people are constantly offended, let us as the children of God live in peace and pray to become peace-makers. That is a noble and high calling.

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(Video of this blog at this link)

Refiner's Fire

Purify my heart
Let me be as gold
And precious silver
Purify my heart
Let me be as gold
Pure gold

Refiner's fire
My heart's one desire
Is to be holy
Set apart for You Lord
I choose to be holy
Set apart for You my Master
Ready to do Your will

Purify my heart
Cleanse me from within
And make me holy
Purify my heart
Cleanse me from my sin
Deep within

Brian Doerksen © 1990 Mercy / Vineyard Publishing; Vineyard Songs Canada

CCLI License # 810055