October 24, 2000
Laptop computers are small enough to tuck into a briefcase. For that convenience, they are also a target for thieves, until now.
A Vancouver company has developed a unique software package. Computrace is reasonably priced and now able to catch crooks within days of their heist. This program is so effective that the FBI is using it in the United States.
When installed, Computrace is foolproof. Even if the hard drive is reformatted, a unique IP number or Internet fingerprint inside the computer cannot be erased. As soon as a thief connects to a phone line, an easily-traced signal is sent to a monitoring station, then reported to the police. Through the marvels of technology, computers now have fingerprints and can be as unique as the people who own them.
No two fingerprints are alike just as no two people are alike. We were unique without special software. While being individuals is important to our sense of value, it can make us feel isolated, as if no one really and fully understands us.
Yet there is one who does. Hebrews 4:13 says “Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account.”
If we consider that God is all-knowing, we can understand that He knows what we are doing, where we are going, even what lies ahead in our lives. It takes a bit more faith to accept Jesus’ words, that He “knows the number of hairs on our head,” however, if God is all knowing, He must know even what seems like trivia to us.
The verses prior to Hebrews 4:13 challenge us to even greater faith. They imply that God also knows “the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.” A friend or close relative may know many things about us, even our dreams and hopes, but they cannot be absolutely sure of what we are thinking or exactly how we feel.
Psalm 139 is David’s cry to the all-knowing God. He says, “O LORD, you have searched me and you know me. You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar. You discern my going out and my laying down; you are familiar with all my ways.”
He goes even farther, ending in worship: “Before a word is on my tongue you know it completely, O LORD. You hem me in — behind and before; you have laid your hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too lofty for me to attain.”
Years ago, a strange pair of women began reading my thoughts, even the very words I was thinking. I was terrified. A godly man told me that they were likely demon-controlled. I had to agree. My experience as a child of God has shown me that when God gets into my head, it may be startling but it does not terrify me. His all-knowing power is a comfort for several reasons.
One, I need someone to help me figure myself out. I act or respond to situations and then cannot always understand what I did or why I did it. God does and His insights are always helpful.
Second, He knows my sorrows and pain. People who know and understand how I feel can be a comfort to me, but what goes on inside me is unique. Besides, some difficulties cannot be shared with other people. Because God knows my heart, I do not feel alone.
Third, when I am misunderstood by other people, I know that God understands perfectly. He knows what I cannot seem to explain. Nothing is too complex or too vague for Him. I am comforted by His knowledge.
Most important, I can trust Him to deal with sin in me that I do not see myself. I can pray the same way David did: “Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.”
Computrace is pretty good but it cannot do that!
Showing posts with label trusting our Father. Show all posts
Showing posts with label trusting our Father. Show all posts
Monday, January 8, 2018
Friday, December 1, 2017
Fight or Flee or...? .......... Parables 674
June 20, 2000
Our neighbor boys discovered a coyote in one of their grain bins. Ignoring any danger, they waved sticks and shouted at the critter who cowering in a corner. Finally the coyote dashed past them, tail between its legs, determined to escape. The boys hooted and called themselves brave.
For humans and animals both, threatening situations produces a response. Adrenalin begins to flow. The mind makes a choice: do we pick up a stick? Or look for the nearest exit?
For the boys, fighting was brandishing since that coyote was more afraid of them then they of it. In other situations, fighting might mean actual combat. However, it often takes another form. If we chose to stick around, we might resist with noise, anger, anxiety and determination.
This week, I fought using all four. I talked a lot. I got mad. I worried and chewed on my situation trying to figure out what to do about it. I determined how to win. But nothing worked. All I got out of it was a headache, a sore neck, and fatigue. Fighting is hard work. In my case, the hard work would have been worth it had I won, but I wound up fighting a foe bigger than myself. It didn’t start that way but my battle was against God.
No wonder I was worn out. Someone told me that beating your head against the wall uses 150 calories an hour. Imagine the calorie burn from fighting the Almighty. I should have lost weight as well as sleep and peace of mind.
From this experience, I realized some realities. First, it is true that the person losing the argument is the one who does the most talking. The more I slipped into second place, the more I tried verbal defense, but it didn’t work.
Second, it is not wrong to be angry but it is wrong to let anger motivate sin. Someone lied about me and lied to me. I was hot. God gets angry at lies (He is Truth so He can do that) and since He lives in me, some of that anger may have been His. What I did wrong was call down fire on the other person. I judged him, accused him, and if I could have reached his neck, I might have rattled his teeth. Not a godly response to lies. Besides exhaustion, this added fuel to the situation.
Anxiety didn’t help either. I worried myself stiff over this. How would other people react to these lies? Would they believe them? Would the lies hurt others? What could I do to stop this person? How should I defend myself? I plotted (not hard for a writer) but the ending eluded me. Determination might do it for some people, but without a cool head, a reasonable solution, and any energy, my resolve was rapidly shriveling. Besides, God reminded me of a few things.
“When words are many, sin is not absent, but he who holds his tongue is wise.” My dad often told me there is a reason we have two ears and one mouth, and that no one can listen and talk at the same time. To really hear God and His solution, I had to shut up.
“In your anger, do not sin: do not let the sun go down while your are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold.” Anger may be justified but it needs to be resolved quickly, not nursed. By persisting in it, I pushed God aside and let my enemy confuse the issue with more lies.
“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
My tension started to dissolve when I began to thank God for allowing this to happen, and for His promise to use it for good in my life. As my determination to fix things or get even faded, it was replaced by prayer for the one who upset me. At that, I was presented with another of God’s mysteries; I could think about the incident yet not feel upset. I do not understand how that works but it sure beats having a headache.
Our neighbor boys discovered a coyote in one of their grain bins. Ignoring any danger, they waved sticks and shouted at the critter who cowering in a corner. Finally the coyote dashed past them, tail between its legs, determined to escape. The boys hooted and called themselves brave.
For humans and animals both, threatening situations produces a response. Adrenalin begins to flow. The mind makes a choice: do we pick up a stick? Or look for the nearest exit?
For the boys, fighting was brandishing since that coyote was more afraid of them then they of it. In other situations, fighting might mean actual combat. However, it often takes another form. If we chose to stick around, we might resist with noise, anger, anxiety and determination.
This week, I fought using all four. I talked a lot. I got mad. I worried and chewed on my situation trying to figure out what to do about it. I determined how to win. But nothing worked. All I got out of it was a headache, a sore neck, and fatigue. Fighting is hard work. In my case, the hard work would have been worth it had I won, but I wound up fighting a foe bigger than myself. It didn’t start that way but my battle was against God.
No wonder I was worn out. Someone told me that beating your head against the wall uses 150 calories an hour. Imagine the calorie burn from fighting the Almighty. I should have lost weight as well as sleep and peace of mind.
From this experience, I realized some realities. First, it is true that the person losing the argument is the one who does the most talking. The more I slipped into second place, the more I tried verbal defense, but it didn’t work.
Second, it is not wrong to be angry but it is wrong to let anger motivate sin. Someone lied about me and lied to me. I was hot. God gets angry at lies (He is Truth so He can do that) and since He lives in me, some of that anger may have been His. What I did wrong was call down fire on the other person. I judged him, accused him, and if I could have reached his neck, I might have rattled his teeth. Not a godly response to lies. Besides exhaustion, this added fuel to the situation.
Anxiety didn’t help either. I worried myself stiff over this. How would other people react to these lies? Would they believe them? Would the lies hurt others? What could I do to stop this person? How should I defend myself? I plotted (not hard for a writer) but the ending eluded me. Determination might do it for some people, but without a cool head, a reasonable solution, and any energy, my resolve was rapidly shriveling. Besides, God reminded me of a few things.
“When words are many, sin is not absent, but he who holds his tongue is wise.” My dad often told me there is a reason we have two ears and one mouth, and that no one can listen and talk at the same time. To really hear God and His solution, I had to shut up.
“In your anger, do not sin: do not let the sun go down while your are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold.” Anger may be justified but it needs to be resolved quickly, not nursed. By persisting in it, I pushed God aside and let my enemy confuse the issue with more lies.
“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
My tension started to dissolve when I began to thank God for allowing this to happen, and for His promise to use it for good in my life. As my determination to fix things or get even faded, it was replaced by prayer for the one who upset me. At that, I was presented with another of God’s mysteries; I could think about the incident yet not feel upset. I do not understand how that works but it sure beats having a headache.
Monday, August 7, 2017
Defeating stress .......... Parables 624
January 5, 1999
One brave Canadian couple allowed a television crew to follow their home renovation project. Like most renovations, theirs evolved into a bigger mess than they expected.
First, they thought they could live in it while the work was being done. They quickly realized this was impossible and rented a town house. As work progressed, so did unexpected extras and with them, difficult decisions. Some days, their contractors or sub-trades failed to show. Everything took longer than anyone planned. Deadlines moved back. The weather interfered. What else could go wrong?
Well, with December arriving, they realized their rented town house had no room for a Christmas tree. The family felt isolated. Then their landlord served notice. He had sold the place. In two weeks, they would have to move, but their house would not be finished for two months. Finally, the husband lost his job. On national television, the couple admitted that stress was putting a strain on their lives.
According to statistics, 60 per cent of Canadians experience a high level of stress at least once a week. Two out of ten are at their stress limit. This means if they needed to detangle several strings of tree lights, they would crack under the strain.
A certain amount of stress is important. Without it, we would not stand up straight and most people would never get out of bed in the morning. However, unwanted circumstances and difficult relationships produce an inner resistance that is unwanted and unhealthy.
How can we manage stress? We could avoid stressful situations. Consider the couple with the renovation project. As they fear losing their home, they admit that instead of letting this renovation project take over their lives, leaving it the way it was would have been easier.
We could also reduce stress in some way. If the man could find a new job or the contractors could work overtime, perhaps that would reduce their stress. Others reduce stress by taking a holiday, enjoying a hobby, even turning to drugs (prescribed or otherwise) and alcohol.
How did Jesus manage stress? There is no doubt He experienced situations that were stressful. Imagine being on a small fishing boat in a terrible storm with twelve terrified men. Imagine being pressured all day long, day after day, by people wanting you to do something for them. Imagine being rejected by the very people you came to help and eventually being tried and convicted for something that was not a crime.
Jesus had two things going for Him. He knew that His Father in heaven was sovereign over everything. That is, God did not necessarily instigate any of these situations against His Son but He could stop them if He wanted to. Jesus knew who was in control.
He also knew that people would be cruel and mean. While rejection and harsh treatment do not feel good, this never surprised Him. I know that much of my stress comes from thoughtless or unkind actions that I did not expect.
The Bible says that Lord took a different attitude than we do toward stressful situations and harsh treatment. A passage in 1 Peter talks about how we should react to unfair treatment and says of Jesus, “He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth. When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly.”
Jesus did not welcome the stress curves thrown at Him. However, instead of meeting them with inner resistance or any form of retaliation, He trusted God. By yielding to the things that threatened Him and knowing God would use them into good, He defeated their power over Him.
One brave Canadian couple allowed a television crew to follow their home renovation project. Like most renovations, theirs evolved into a bigger mess than they expected.
First, they thought they could live in it while the work was being done. They quickly realized this was impossible and rented a town house. As work progressed, so did unexpected extras and with them, difficult decisions. Some days, their contractors or sub-trades failed to show. Everything took longer than anyone planned. Deadlines moved back. The weather interfered. What else could go wrong?
Well, with December arriving, they realized their rented town house had no room for a Christmas tree. The family felt isolated. Then their landlord served notice. He had sold the place. In two weeks, they would have to move, but their house would not be finished for two months. Finally, the husband lost his job. On national television, the couple admitted that stress was putting a strain on their lives.
According to statistics, 60 per cent of Canadians experience a high level of stress at least once a week. Two out of ten are at their stress limit. This means if they needed to detangle several strings of tree lights, they would crack under the strain.
A certain amount of stress is important. Without it, we would not stand up straight and most people would never get out of bed in the morning. However, unwanted circumstances and difficult relationships produce an inner resistance that is unwanted and unhealthy.
How can we manage stress? We could avoid stressful situations. Consider the couple with the renovation project. As they fear losing their home, they admit that instead of letting this renovation project take over their lives, leaving it the way it was would have been easier.
We could also reduce stress in some way. If the man could find a new job or the contractors could work overtime, perhaps that would reduce their stress. Others reduce stress by taking a holiday, enjoying a hobby, even turning to drugs (prescribed or otherwise) and alcohol.
How did Jesus manage stress? There is no doubt He experienced situations that were stressful. Imagine being on a small fishing boat in a terrible storm with twelve terrified men. Imagine being pressured all day long, day after day, by people wanting you to do something for them. Imagine being rejected by the very people you came to help and eventually being tried and convicted for something that was not a crime.
Jesus had two things going for Him. He knew that His Father in heaven was sovereign over everything. That is, God did not necessarily instigate any of these situations against His Son but He could stop them if He wanted to. Jesus knew who was in control.
He also knew that people would be cruel and mean. While rejection and harsh treatment do not feel good, this never surprised Him. I know that much of my stress comes from thoughtless or unkind actions that I did not expect.
The Bible says that Lord took a different attitude than we do toward stressful situations and harsh treatment. A passage in 1 Peter talks about how we should react to unfair treatment and says of Jesus, “He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth. When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly.”
Jesus did not welcome the stress curves thrown at Him. However, instead of meeting them with inner resistance or any form of retaliation, He trusted God. By yielding to the things that threatened Him and knowing God would use them into good, He defeated their power over Him.
Friday, June 23, 2017
God’s wisdom might seem odd . . . .......... Parables 605
July 28, 1998
What would you do if you owned a business and your customers complained continually that your parking lot was full of kids on skateboards? Most businesses put up signs. There is one at our local mall that says NO SKATEBOARDING IN THE PARKING LOT.
Signs like these make customers and shoppers happy, but what about the youngsters who like to skateboard? After meeting with his church board, a youth pastor in Florida came up with a novel solution. A local youth staged a protest demonstration about off limits signs that kept them from having fun. This pastor in Dunedin, Florida showed up and invited them to use the church lot. Thus began “Live Wire,” a program for skateboarders and their friends.
Each Tuesday, the church parking lot is open from 6:00 to 7:00 for skateboarding, skating, and pickup basketball. Then the church offers food and a short Bible study, followed by more games. Because they feel welcome, young people are attending the study and learning that Jesus loves them too.
Christians soon discover that the Holy Spirit is quite willing to give wisdom and creative solutions to all who ask Him for it. I recall one of our sons being threatened by two older and larger boys at school. I prayed for wisdom and God gave me an interesting idea.
I told my son to tell those two boys he would be in big trouble with his parents if he got into any fights. Instead, why not come over to our house and they could don boxing gloves and have it out in our garage?
Our son was puzzled. What if they came? I said, “Before you have your fight, I will serve milk and cookies.” He laughed and left for school. When he came home, he was laughing again. The boys decided they should be his friends and the conflict was over.
James 1 says, “If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him.”
That sounds easy but there is one catch to it. James goes on: “But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all he does.”
God gives wisdom to those who believe in Him, to those who trust that He will. We are not given the option of asking then when we get an idea, second-guess it or wonder if it is from God or if it will work. In my son’s situation, we could have let the idea “what if they come” grow into real doubt that the plan would work. Instead, we trusted that God gave the idea and since His idea’s are good, it would work. We could go ahead, placing our confidence in Him for the outcome.
God also gives practical wisdom. He knew that skateboarders need to use their skills in an appropriate place. He also knew that these young people needed to know that someone cares about them and that He also cares about them. He gave a good idea to a youth pastor who saw the problem as an opportunity to seek God’s wisdom.
Whatever the problem, our God is wise enough to give us answers. The problem may not be quickly solved, but if we trust Him, He will lead us through to an amazing resolution, one that we would not have thought of without His help.
What would you do if you owned a business and your customers complained continually that your parking lot was full of kids on skateboards? Most businesses put up signs. There is one at our local mall that says NO SKATEBOARDING IN THE PARKING LOT.
Signs like these make customers and shoppers happy, but what about the youngsters who like to skateboard? After meeting with his church board, a youth pastor in Florida came up with a novel solution. A local youth staged a protest demonstration about off limits signs that kept them from having fun. This pastor in Dunedin, Florida showed up and invited them to use the church lot. Thus began “Live Wire,” a program for skateboarders and their friends.
Each Tuesday, the church parking lot is open from 6:00 to 7:00 for skateboarding, skating, and pickup basketball. Then the church offers food and a short Bible study, followed by more games. Because they feel welcome, young people are attending the study and learning that Jesus loves them too.
Christians soon discover that the Holy Spirit is quite willing to give wisdom and creative solutions to all who ask Him for it. I recall one of our sons being threatened by two older and larger boys at school. I prayed for wisdom and God gave me an interesting idea.
I told my son to tell those two boys he would be in big trouble with his parents if he got into any fights. Instead, why not come over to our house and they could don boxing gloves and have it out in our garage?
Our son was puzzled. What if they came? I said, “Before you have your fight, I will serve milk and cookies.” He laughed and left for school. When he came home, he was laughing again. The boys decided they should be his friends and the conflict was over.
James 1 says, “If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him.”
That sounds easy but there is one catch to it. James goes on: “But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all he does.”
God gives wisdom to those who believe in Him, to those who trust that He will. We are not given the option of asking then when we get an idea, second-guess it or wonder if it is from God or if it will work. In my son’s situation, we could have let the idea “what if they come” grow into real doubt that the plan would work. Instead, we trusted that God gave the idea and since His idea’s are good, it would work. We could go ahead, placing our confidence in Him for the outcome.
God also gives practical wisdom. He knew that skateboarders need to use their skills in an appropriate place. He also knew that these young people needed to know that someone cares about them and that He also cares about them. He gave a good idea to a youth pastor who saw the problem as an opportunity to seek God’s wisdom.
Whatever the problem, our God is wise enough to give us answers. The problem may not be quickly solved, but if we trust Him, He will lead us through to an amazing resolution, one that we would not have thought of without His help.
Friday, November 11, 2016
A fresh definition of patience .......... Parables 509
April 30, 1996
“I try to be patient with my children but sometimes lose my temper and yell at them.”
“You sew your own clothes? Not me. I don’t have the patience for sewing.”
Ever try to define patience? Is it finishing a difficult project? Is it restraint instead of interfering? Is it waiting without pacing the floor? Is it fishing all day without catching anything?
Most agree, patience is enduring a difficulty without over-reacting. For those who trust God, patience is based on a deep faith that He is in control. Because He is good, and is a God of purpose and design, we can trust Him and be patient, even if all goes wrong. The trouble is, we do not learn this virtue unless it does!
Job is an interesting case. People often say, “She has the patience of Job” without realizing what happened to Job. He was a biblical character, probably from the same era as Moses or earlier. In one day, he lost his family, servants and all his possessions. Soon after, his health was also taken. If patience is tested in troubles, Job faced a supreme test.
He did well in the beginning. When his wife suggested suicide or euthanasia as a way out and told him to “Curse God and die,” Job patiently replied, “You are talking like a foolish woman. Shall we accept good from God, and not trouble?”
Was this true patience based on deep faith? Or was he in shock? God knew. Before his trouble began, Job’s faith was discussed in heaven. Satan challenged God with the insult that His people only trusted Him because He kept them safe from harm. God said, in effect, “Is that so?” He then allowed Satan to do whatever he wanted to Job, except take his life, to prove that genuine faith is not based on circumstances but on God’s own character.
As far as we know, Job never knew about this challenge. Although he started out well, his troubles multiplied. Not only did his wife fail to support him, his friends began accusing him. They were certain God would not have allowed this to happen to a righteous man. He must be punishing Job for some hidden, unconfessed sin.
Job was angry. He defended himself with sarcasm, his comments interlaced with groaning. Soon he was less verbal about his commitment to accept whatever God allowed and more vocal in his frustration and pain. However, as he ranted, not all his words were dark. His faith was deep and it wrestled with his feelings. In the midst of his complaining, he did affirm that God had a purpose. He declared, “When He has tested me, I shall come forth as gold.”
Also, Job was determined that God was not punishing him. He didn’t know why this trouble happened but he knew he had kept short accounts with His maker. Even though many of his protests were aimed at God, he expressed trust: “Though He slays me, yet will I trust Him.”
Towards the end of the story, Job made one more defense of his life and clung to his conviction that he was innocent. Finally God broke His silence: “Who is this that darkens my counsel with words without knowledge? ...Where were you when I created the world? ...Will the one who contends with the Almighty correct Him?”
Job hung his head. “Surely I spoke of things I did not understand, things too wonderful for me to know... My ears had heard of you but now my eyes have seen you. Therefore I despise myself and repent in dust and ashes.”
Genuine faith is able to confess sin and inadequacy. Job did not know everything, and, unlike his friends, he was able to admit it. God restored his health, wealth and family. He proved His point. Faith is enough — as long as it does not rest on our ability to believe but on the One who holds us secure.
“I try to be patient with my children but sometimes lose my temper and yell at them.”
“You sew your own clothes? Not me. I don’t have the patience for sewing.”
Ever try to define patience? Is it finishing a difficult project? Is it restraint instead of interfering? Is it waiting without pacing the floor? Is it fishing all day without catching anything?
Most agree, patience is enduring a difficulty without over-reacting. For those who trust God, patience is based on a deep faith that He is in control. Because He is good, and is a God of purpose and design, we can trust Him and be patient, even if all goes wrong. The trouble is, we do not learn this virtue unless it does!
Job is an interesting case. People often say, “She has the patience of Job” without realizing what happened to Job. He was a biblical character, probably from the same era as Moses or earlier. In one day, he lost his family, servants and all his possessions. Soon after, his health was also taken. If patience is tested in troubles, Job faced a supreme test.
He did well in the beginning. When his wife suggested suicide or euthanasia as a way out and told him to “Curse God and die,” Job patiently replied, “You are talking like a foolish woman. Shall we accept good from God, and not trouble?”
Was this true patience based on deep faith? Or was he in shock? God knew. Before his trouble began, Job’s faith was discussed in heaven. Satan challenged God with the insult that His people only trusted Him because He kept them safe from harm. God said, in effect, “Is that so?” He then allowed Satan to do whatever he wanted to Job, except take his life, to prove that genuine faith is not based on circumstances but on God’s own character.
As far as we know, Job never knew about this challenge. Although he started out well, his troubles multiplied. Not only did his wife fail to support him, his friends began accusing him. They were certain God would not have allowed this to happen to a righteous man. He must be punishing Job for some hidden, unconfessed sin.
Job was angry. He defended himself with sarcasm, his comments interlaced with groaning. Soon he was less verbal about his commitment to accept whatever God allowed and more vocal in his frustration and pain. However, as he ranted, not all his words were dark. His faith was deep and it wrestled with his feelings. In the midst of his complaining, he did affirm that God had a purpose. He declared, “When He has tested me, I shall come forth as gold.”
Also, Job was determined that God was not punishing him. He didn’t know why this trouble happened but he knew he had kept short accounts with His maker. Even though many of his protests were aimed at God, he expressed trust: “Though He slays me, yet will I trust Him.”
Towards the end of the story, Job made one more defense of his life and clung to his conviction that he was innocent. Finally God broke His silence: “Who is this that darkens my counsel with words without knowledge? ...Where were you when I created the world? ...Will the one who contends with the Almighty correct Him?”
Job hung his head. “Surely I spoke of things I did not understand, things too wonderful for me to know... My ears had heard of you but now my eyes have seen you. Therefore I despise myself and repent in dust and ashes.”
Genuine faith is able to confess sin and inadequacy. Job did not know everything, and, unlike his friends, he was able to admit it. God restored his health, wealth and family. He proved His point. Faith is enough — as long as it does not rest on our ability to believe but on the One who holds us secure.
Friday, May 13, 2016
Importance of humble submission .................. Parables 431
July 26, 1994
The baby sitter sat on the swimming pool’s edge. She enjoyed taking care of these children. Not only was the pool a nice bonus, these children were obedient. Their parents had diligently taught them to obey with a pleasant spirit. When she told them to do something, they did it with a smile.
As she dangled her feet in the water, a flicker of light and faint buzzing attracted her attention. She looked up into the cloudless sky and saw nothing. In a few seconds, she heard the noise again. It sounded like an angry insect. Her eye caught a flash of light near the house where cables carried electricity into the family home. Wires sparked and cracked.
The sitter jumped to her feet and quickly called the children. She didn’t have time to think what might happen if they argued with her. “Get out of the pool, right now,” she cried.
Each child obeyed instantly. Moments after they backed from the edge of the pool, the cable sizzled once more. With sparks flying, it separated and one end fell into the water with a loud crack, then a bang as the breaker tripped. No one was injured.
When we heard this story, we thought most children would have responded to a command to get out of a swimming pool on a hot day with: “What for? We are having fun. Give us a break...” or something similar. These children were different. The rest of the story explained why.
At the root of their response was training received by parents who were dedicated to the Word of God. They tried to know it, understand it, and teach it to their children. They also realized teaching alone would not insure obedience, so they tried to follow it as closely as possible in their own lives.
They particularly modeled what the Bible said about couples. Their father tried to love their mother and serve her needs, just as Christ loves and serves the church. Their mother made it her aim to respond to her husband as the church should respond to Christ. Their children saw how God’s plan for families resulted in parents who worked well together without missing any of the enjoyment of life.
That example made it easier for them to obey Ephesians 6:1-3: “Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. Honor your father and mother--which is the first commandment with a promise--that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth.”
The phrase, “obey your parents in the Lord” refers to the children in their obedience, not to the parents in their giving orders. In other words, the children are “in the Lord,” trusting Him, rather than waiting for parents to be godly before listening to what they say.
In the sight of God, children are significant and able to make choices. He knows children can choose to trust and obey Him, even if their parents do not. However, verse 4 shows that God is concerned parents do their part. Moms and dads are not supposed to exasperate their children or provoke them to anger. Instead, they are responsible to lovingly teach their little ones as the Lord would, nurturing and caring for them.
Even though the primary message of the Bible concerns eternal life in heaven, this story illustrates one way that simple obedience to God can result in a longer life here on earth.
The baby sitter sat on the swimming pool’s edge. She enjoyed taking care of these children. Not only was the pool a nice bonus, these children were obedient. Their parents had diligently taught them to obey with a pleasant spirit. When she told them to do something, they did it with a smile.
As she dangled her feet in the water, a flicker of light and faint buzzing attracted her attention. She looked up into the cloudless sky and saw nothing. In a few seconds, she heard the noise again. It sounded like an angry insect. Her eye caught a flash of light near the house where cables carried electricity into the family home. Wires sparked and cracked.
The sitter jumped to her feet and quickly called the children. She didn’t have time to think what might happen if they argued with her. “Get out of the pool, right now,” she cried.
Each child obeyed instantly. Moments after they backed from the edge of the pool, the cable sizzled once more. With sparks flying, it separated and one end fell into the water with a loud crack, then a bang as the breaker tripped. No one was injured.
When we heard this story, we thought most children would have responded to a command to get out of a swimming pool on a hot day with: “What for? We are having fun. Give us a break...” or something similar. These children were different. The rest of the story explained why.
At the root of their response was training received by parents who were dedicated to the Word of God. They tried to know it, understand it, and teach it to their children. They also realized teaching alone would not insure obedience, so they tried to follow it as closely as possible in their own lives.
They particularly modeled what the Bible said about couples. Their father tried to love their mother and serve her needs, just as Christ loves and serves the church. Their mother made it her aim to respond to her husband as the church should respond to Christ. Their children saw how God’s plan for families resulted in parents who worked well together without missing any of the enjoyment of life.
That example made it easier for them to obey Ephesians 6:1-3: “Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. Honor your father and mother--which is the first commandment with a promise--that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth.”
The phrase, “obey your parents in the Lord” refers to the children in their obedience, not to the parents in their giving orders. In other words, the children are “in the Lord,” trusting Him, rather than waiting for parents to be godly before listening to what they say.
In the sight of God, children are significant and able to make choices. He knows children can choose to trust and obey Him, even if their parents do not. However, verse 4 shows that God is concerned parents do their part. Moms and dads are not supposed to exasperate their children or provoke them to anger. Instead, they are responsible to lovingly teach their little ones as the Lord would, nurturing and caring for them.
Even though the primary message of the Bible concerns eternal life in heaven, this story illustrates one way that simple obedience to God can result in a longer life here on earth.
Monday, December 7, 2015
The importance of fathers ............. Parables 362
March 23, 1993
An ad in a Madrid newspaper said: Dear Paco, meet me in front of this newspaper office at noon on Saturday. All is forgiven. I love you. Your Father. The next Saturday, 800 boys named Paco were standing outside the door of that newspaper office looking for their fathers.
As a mother, I enjoy the special bond I have with my daughter. We are friends who share ideas and activities that do not interest the male members of our family. While we did not always experience this camaraderie, it is a relationship well worth nourishing and preserving.
As an observer, I also know the special relationship between a father and son. How delicate and important that relationship is to the emotional well-being of both. Deprived of the affection and attention of his father, a son’s identity is challenged. Some men spend their entire lives trying to impress a father who would never say “Son, I am proud of you.” Some spend years fighting with the desperate feeling that dad never loved, wanted, or had any interest in them. To lose or never have a father’s acceptance is devastating.
There is a tremendous spiritual principle behind this parent-child relationship: children (and many adults) tend to think of God as somehow being like their parents, especially like their father. Thus the earthly relationship they have (or don’t have) affects the Heavenly one that is possible with God. Thinking God is like dad causes many people to pull away from Him and want nothing to do with Him. At the very least, this confusion of identity can be frustrating and interfere with having a deep relationship with the Lord.
Both myself and my husband found ourselves in this situation. While we could mentally assent that God is not the same as our dads, it has been a struggle to really believe it down deep where our beliefs affect everything we do.
Since dads are the only models with the title “Father,” those who do know very little about God may not even realize there is a conflict in their perception. This is one reason why people from abusive situations find it difficult, or even impossible, to worship and serve a heavenly Father. How could such a One love them when their own fathers did not?
But even those with the most loving and supportive parents know there is no perfect human father, nor does anyone have a perfect understanding of the perfection of God.
While this concept adds a challenging dimension to the already awesome responsibility of raising children, it does not have to be overwhelming. Fathers (and mothers) cannot be perfect models of God for their children, but we can still teach them what God is like and admit that we fall short. That promotes awareness of the differences so they will not attribute God with our less than perfect characteristics.
The story of the 800 Pacos is touching. It illustrates a deep need of the heart — everyone wants to be loved and in the full favor of their father. Since this is not always the case with earthly fathers, that is why the gospel is such good news. It is God’s advertisement — calling His little ones to come and meet with Him, not at the front door of a newspaper office, but at the foot of the Cross where each one finds forgiveness and acceptance. With Him, it is as the psalmist declared: “If my mother and father forsake me, the Lord will receive me.”
An ad in a Madrid newspaper said: Dear Paco, meet me in front of this newspaper office at noon on Saturday. All is forgiven. I love you. Your Father. The next Saturday, 800 boys named Paco were standing outside the door of that newspaper office looking for their fathers.
As a mother, I enjoy the special bond I have with my daughter. We are friends who share ideas and activities that do not interest the male members of our family. While we did not always experience this camaraderie, it is a relationship well worth nourishing and preserving.
As an observer, I also know the special relationship between a father and son. How delicate and important that relationship is to the emotional well-being of both. Deprived of the affection and attention of his father, a son’s identity is challenged. Some men spend their entire lives trying to impress a father who would never say “Son, I am proud of you.” Some spend years fighting with the desperate feeling that dad never loved, wanted, or had any interest in them. To lose or never have a father’s acceptance is devastating.
There is a tremendous spiritual principle behind this parent-child relationship: children (and many adults) tend to think of God as somehow being like their parents, especially like their father. Thus the earthly relationship they have (or don’t have) affects the Heavenly one that is possible with God. Thinking God is like dad causes many people to pull away from Him and want nothing to do with Him. At the very least, this confusion of identity can be frustrating and interfere with having a deep relationship with the Lord.
Both myself and my husband found ourselves in this situation. While we could mentally assent that God is not the same as our dads, it has been a struggle to really believe it down deep where our beliefs affect everything we do.
Since dads are the only models with the title “Father,” those who do know very little about God may not even realize there is a conflict in their perception. This is one reason why people from abusive situations find it difficult, or even impossible, to worship and serve a heavenly Father. How could such a One love them when their own fathers did not?
But even those with the most loving and supportive parents know there is no perfect human father, nor does anyone have a perfect understanding of the perfection of God.
While this concept adds a challenging dimension to the already awesome responsibility of raising children, it does not have to be overwhelming. Fathers (and mothers) cannot be perfect models of God for their children, but we can still teach them what God is like and admit that we fall short. That promotes awareness of the differences so they will not attribute God with our less than perfect characteristics.
The story of the 800 Pacos is touching. It illustrates a deep need of the heart — everyone wants to be loved and in the full favor of their father. Since this is not always the case with earthly fathers, that is why the gospel is such good news. It is God’s advertisement — calling His little ones to come and meet with Him, not at the front door of a newspaper office, but at the foot of the Cross where each one finds forgiveness and acceptance. With Him, it is as the psalmist declared: “If my mother and father forsake me, the Lord will receive me.”
Wednesday, April 8, 2015
Liars or Lovers? .............. Parables 258
(March 13, 1991)
“But I trusted you...”
Batted about by broken promises and countless betrayals, trust comes tough at times. People we relied on have let us down, sometimes more times than we can count. Most of us give up, we figure our limit has been reached. But has it? What is the maximum we can trust another person? Will anyone ever be so faithful as to never push us beyond that boundary? Besides, what is the foundation of trust? Is it the other person’s performance? Or some sort of a blind I-hope-he-keeps-his-word-this-time kind of trust?
Biblically, neither are what trust is all about. To understand, we must first understand the nature of man. God created us in His own image, thus people are capable of great good. However, the human race has disobeyed God and turned away from Him. We have all sinned and fallen short of His goal for us. Because of sin within, man is also capable of great evil. As we look at the world around us, we know both are true.
Because of that, the Bible says never to put our trust in people. That is, we are not to expect anyone to be 100% trustworthy, even those who appear to be. If we do, we are setting ourselves up for disappointment. All are sinners, remember? So everyone will let us down, at one time or another.
But does that mean we must always be on guard, that no one can be trusted? Not exactly. Notice the words of the psalmist: “It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in man. We can trust God. (Ps.118:8)
When I first became a Christian, I did that, but my trust was based on a thought that God was like my earthly father and would give me what I wanted simply because I wanted it. It was painful to learn God is not like that, yet it felt good to learn He lovingly gives what is best for me. Did knowing His real nature change my trust in Him? Yes it did; trust was deepened.
The parallel is this: we tend to base our trust in others on what we want or expect from them instead of having a proper understanding of their nature. They may deliver and if they do, we tend to say “I trust you.” But if they don’t, we moan, “How can I ever trust you?”
Trusting someone based on their human performance is foolish. Performance is never 100%. We are sinners, remember? No matter how well intentioned anyone might be, his very nature determines that brand of trust will someday be disappointed.
Fortunately, God IS trustworthy because He loves us. He does not break promises, betray us or act out of keeping with our best interests. Those very qualities enable us to trust Him in a deep way (after we get over the idea that He will not spoil us or pamper us). But what do we do with people? How can we trust the untrustworthy? Or do we live our lives as sceptics?
I have been learning something in that regard. Trust is a by-product. The initial issue is love — not sentiment or romance but that deep commitment to care for the current and eternal well-being of another, no matter the personal cost. It is unconditional love, the love God has for us; He loved us so much He sent His Son to die for us while we were sinners. That love has no strings attached... but we can accept it or reject it.
When I accepted it, it became available to me as a resource for living. With His love I can love other people and His love perseveres, even if promises are broken or lies are told.
I don’t like being lied to. Neither does God. I don’t like it when someone says one thing and does another. Neither does God. I also don’t like it when I depend on another and they let me down. But God LOVES us anyway, even when we let Him down! His love is willing to give its all, regardless of the response, even if people walk all over it.
Let’s face it, even if we say “no” to lies, we have to eventually come to grips with the fact that people will lie or hurt us regardless of our decisions. No one is immune from being sinned against. If we are Christians, our responsibility is not to be liars who grieve and offend, but lovers who show the world how God responds to those who foolishly sin against Him.
“But I trusted you...”
Batted about by broken promises and countless betrayals, trust comes tough at times. People we relied on have let us down, sometimes more times than we can count. Most of us give up, we figure our limit has been reached. But has it? What is the maximum we can trust another person? Will anyone ever be so faithful as to never push us beyond that boundary? Besides, what is the foundation of trust? Is it the other person’s performance? Or some sort of a blind I-hope-he-keeps-his-word-this-time kind of trust?
Biblically, neither are what trust is all about. To understand, we must first understand the nature of man. God created us in His own image, thus people are capable of great good. However, the human race has disobeyed God and turned away from Him. We have all sinned and fallen short of His goal for us. Because of sin within, man is also capable of great evil. As we look at the world around us, we know both are true.
Because of that, the Bible says never to put our trust in people. That is, we are not to expect anyone to be 100% trustworthy, even those who appear to be. If we do, we are setting ourselves up for disappointment. All are sinners, remember? So everyone will let us down, at one time or another.
But does that mean we must always be on guard, that no one can be trusted? Not exactly. Notice the words of the psalmist: “It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in man. We can trust God. (Ps.118:8)
When I first became a Christian, I did that, but my trust was based on a thought that God was like my earthly father and would give me what I wanted simply because I wanted it. It was painful to learn God is not like that, yet it felt good to learn He lovingly gives what is best for me. Did knowing His real nature change my trust in Him? Yes it did; trust was deepened.
The parallel is this: we tend to base our trust in others on what we want or expect from them instead of having a proper understanding of their nature. They may deliver and if they do, we tend to say “I trust you.” But if they don’t, we moan, “How can I ever trust you?”
Trusting someone based on their human performance is foolish. Performance is never 100%. We are sinners, remember? No matter how well intentioned anyone might be, his very nature determines that brand of trust will someday be disappointed.
Fortunately, God IS trustworthy because He loves us. He does not break promises, betray us or act out of keeping with our best interests. Those very qualities enable us to trust Him in a deep way (after we get over the idea that He will not spoil us or pamper us). But what do we do with people? How can we trust the untrustworthy? Or do we live our lives as sceptics?
I have been learning something in that regard. Trust is a by-product. The initial issue is love — not sentiment or romance but that deep commitment to care for the current and eternal well-being of another, no matter the personal cost. It is unconditional love, the love God has for us; He loved us so much He sent His Son to die for us while we were sinners. That love has no strings attached... but we can accept it or reject it.
When I accepted it, it became available to me as a resource for living. With His love I can love other people and His love perseveres, even if promises are broken or lies are told.
I don’t like being lied to. Neither does God. I don’t like it when someone says one thing and does another. Neither does God. I also don’t like it when I depend on another and they let me down. But God LOVES us anyway, even when we let Him down! His love is willing to give its all, regardless of the response, even if people walk all over it.
Let’s face it, even if we say “no” to lies, we have to eventually come to grips with the fact that people will lie or hurt us regardless of our decisions. No one is immune from being sinned against. If we are Christians, our responsibility is not to be liars who grieve and offend, but lovers who show the world how God responds to those who foolishly sin against Him.
Monday, March 2, 2015
Permutations and Prophecy ................. Parables 242
(November 14, 1990)
Remember permutations and combinations in high school mathematics? I don’t know what they call it now but it was the mathematical science of calculating the odds or the probability of something happening. For example, if you had three beans, and one was black, the odds of picking the black one out of the hat was a simple calculation.
Anything more complex than one chance in three was always beyond my comprehension. If the teacher started using numbers like 120 times 10 to the 22 power, I was lost. I knew the probability factor was a long shot but couldn’t grasp the numbers or their magnitude.
This week someone brought this science to my level. It was an explanation of probability regarding the Old Testament predictions (or prophecies) made about the coming Messiah. There are more, but this calculation was made on the basis of only 300.
It went like this: suppose you had enough American silver dollars to cover the state of Texas three feet deep. Not having been to Texas, I looked at a map and realized it is gigantic compared to the states we have driven through. That is a Scrooge McDuck-sized pile of money. Anyway, take one of the coins and paint it red. Bury that coin anywhere in the pile. Then, blindfold a volunteer, take him anywhere in that pile of money, turn him around a few times and tell him he gets one pick. The chances of him picking the red coin are the same as the likelihood of one man fitting those 300 very specific descriptions of a coming Messiah.
There isn’t room for all 300 prophecies here but look at a few:
Isaiah 7:14: “Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call His name Immanuel.” Fulfilled at the birth of Christ, see Matthew 1:18.
Zechariah 9:9 “Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem: behold, thy King cometh unto thee: He is just, and having salvation; lowly, and riding upon a donkey, and upon a colt the foal of a donkey.” Fulfilled at His entry into Jerusalem, John 12:13,14.
Zechariah 11:12 “And I said unto them, If ye think good, give me my price; and if not, forbear. So they weighed for my price thirty pieces of silver.” Fulfilled when betrayed by Judas, Matthew 26:15.
Psalms 22:18 “They part my garments among them, and cast lots upon my vesture.” Fulfilled when Jesus was crucified, Mark 15:24.
Each of these passages referred to someone who would come. The Jews interpreted them as Messianic prophecies, to be fulfilled in a Deliverer sent from God. When Jesus came, He fulfilled not only the above four but each one related to His first coming.
What do we get out of this? For one thing, that the exact science of permutations and combinations illustrates that the Bible couldn’t have been written by mere mortals without some sort of divine revelation. How could they know a Deliverer would even come, never mind how each of the variety of authors would and could agree on many of the details of His birth, life, death, and resurrection? Most of them didn’t even live during the same era, never mind know each other.
Secondly, it shows the power of God to not only know ahead but to control history. Had Judas been paid only 29 pieces of silver, or 31, the Bible would be flawed. Yet not one detail has been proven wrong, despite all the challenges against Scripture.
From this, we can be assured that the same God who brought all of this together can also be trusted with other things, for instance... our lives.
Remember permutations and combinations in high school mathematics? I don’t know what they call it now but it was the mathematical science of calculating the odds or the probability of something happening. For example, if you had three beans, and one was black, the odds of picking the black one out of the hat was a simple calculation.
Anything more complex than one chance in three was always beyond my comprehension. If the teacher started using numbers like 120 times 10 to the 22 power, I was lost. I knew the probability factor was a long shot but couldn’t grasp the numbers or their magnitude.
This week someone brought this science to my level. It was an explanation of probability regarding the Old Testament predictions (or prophecies) made about the coming Messiah. There are more, but this calculation was made on the basis of only 300.
It went like this: suppose you had enough American silver dollars to cover the state of Texas three feet deep. Not having been to Texas, I looked at a map and realized it is gigantic compared to the states we have driven through. That is a Scrooge McDuck-sized pile of money. Anyway, take one of the coins and paint it red. Bury that coin anywhere in the pile. Then, blindfold a volunteer, take him anywhere in that pile of money, turn him around a few times and tell him he gets one pick. The chances of him picking the red coin are the same as the likelihood of one man fitting those 300 very specific descriptions of a coming Messiah.
There isn’t room for all 300 prophecies here but look at a few:
Isaiah 7:14: “Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call His name Immanuel.” Fulfilled at the birth of Christ, see Matthew 1:18.
Zechariah 9:9 “Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem: behold, thy King cometh unto thee: He is just, and having salvation; lowly, and riding upon a donkey, and upon a colt the foal of a donkey.” Fulfilled at His entry into Jerusalem, John 12:13,14.
Zechariah 11:12 “And I said unto them, If ye think good, give me my price; and if not, forbear. So they weighed for my price thirty pieces of silver.” Fulfilled when betrayed by Judas, Matthew 26:15.
Psalms 22:18 “They part my garments among them, and cast lots upon my vesture.” Fulfilled when Jesus was crucified, Mark 15:24.
Each of these passages referred to someone who would come. The Jews interpreted them as Messianic prophecies, to be fulfilled in a Deliverer sent from God. When Jesus came, He fulfilled not only the above four but each one related to His first coming.
What do we get out of this? For one thing, that the exact science of permutations and combinations illustrates that the Bible couldn’t have been written by mere mortals without some sort of divine revelation. How could they know a Deliverer would even come, never mind how each of the variety of authors would and could agree on many of the details of His birth, life, death, and resurrection? Most of them didn’t even live during the same era, never mind know each other.
Secondly, it shows the power of God to not only know ahead but to control history. Had Judas been paid only 29 pieces of silver, or 31, the Bible would be flawed. Yet not one detail has been proven wrong, despite all the challenges against Scripture.
From this, we can be assured that the same God who brought all of this together can also be trusted with other things, for instance... our lives.
Friday, January 2, 2015
Faith simply says ‘yes’ and then obeys ................. Parables 217
(May 16, 1990)
The Old Testament father of faith, Abraham, rolled up his tent, called to his family to pack their belongings and went “he knew not where.” Can you imagine doing that? Maybe a single person, without a family and able to afford an adventure might easily do it. Or someone who was so fed up with their situation that they could launch out into the unknown, expecting anything to be better. But Abraham wasn’t like that. He had possessions and roots. He lived in a thriving city. Not only that, he was 75 years old.
This elderly, prosperous man moved from his home because, are you ready for this, God told him to go. That’s all. He just did it, no record of any questions asked or explanations given. God said it -- he trusted God so simply obeyed Him. Little wonder Abraham became known as the father of faith.
I know my faith has some growing to do if it will ever match that of the patriarch Abraham. I’m not 75 yet. We are not moving lock, stock and barrel. We at least have the name of a city. But these days, as I read his story in Genesis 12, I find God has blessed me with something of the same trust... at least some of the time!
My husband has already started his out-of-province assignment. The past few weeks I have alternated between a full-of-confidence “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” -- to a moaning “I CAN’T DO THIS.” It is not easy planning a move without knowing even our next address. Every now and then, my ability to trust God with the details takes a nose dive into the dirt. Then He pulls me out and assures me “His eye is on the sparrow...” and on all His children too.
One exciting fact about Abraham’s faith helps keep this radical relocation in perspective for me. Hebrews 11 says this old man was able to “live like a stranger in a foreign country... for he was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God.”
Abraham’s destination was not particularly Bethel or any other location in Canaan. He was headed toward the spectacular metropolis described in the last book of the Bible, the place where the streets are paved with gold and no sun or moon are necessary for the Lord provides its light. Because he knew (by faith) that he was going THERE, where he lived HERE was irrelevant.
What an important thing to know. Before this job confirmation, we were kept up in the air for days; we didn’t know if we would stay here or go. But I don’t have to be up in the air about my eternal destination. God assures me that all who believe in His Son can KNOW what will happen after their physical body quits. His Word was written for that purpose: “These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God” (1 John 5:13).
Whether we go or stay, no matter what happens to this body, Christians can say, along with the writer of Hebrews: “Here have we no continuing city, but we seek one to come.”
I will admit the uncertainty regarding our physical residence has been uncomfortable. I feel for anyone without a secure dwelling place... however, there is a worse uncertainty -- that of spending a lifetime not knowing for sure what will happen after it is over. To never be quite sure of a place in heaven, to only have a “hope so” faith, would be the ultimate anxiety.
Through faith in Christ though, anxiety can become confidence that “if our earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal home in heaven...” With that assurance, so what if we have to break camp every now and then while we live here?
The Old Testament father of faith, Abraham, rolled up his tent, called to his family to pack their belongings and went “he knew not where.” Can you imagine doing that? Maybe a single person, without a family and able to afford an adventure might easily do it. Or someone who was so fed up with their situation that they could launch out into the unknown, expecting anything to be better. But Abraham wasn’t like that. He had possessions and roots. He lived in a thriving city. Not only that, he was 75 years old.
This elderly, prosperous man moved from his home because, are you ready for this, God told him to go. That’s all. He just did it, no record of any questions asked or explanations given. God said it -- he trusted God so simply obeyed Him. Little wonder Abraham became known as the father of faith.
I know my faith has some growing to do if it will ever match that of the patriarch Abraham. I’m not 75 yet. We are not moving lock, stock and barrel. We at least have the name of a city. But these days, as I read his story in Genesis 12, I find God has blessed me with something of the same trust... at least some of the time!
My husband has already started his out-of-province assignment. The past few weeks I have alternated between a full-of-confidence “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” -- to a moaning “I CAN’T DO THIS.” It is not easy planning a move without knowing even our next address. Every now and then, my ability to trust God with the details takes a nose dive into the dirt. Then He pulls me out and assures me “His eye is on the sparrow...” and on all His children too.
One exciting fact about Abraham’s faith helps keep this radical relocation in perspective for me. Hebrews 11 says this old man was able to “live like a stranger in a foreign country... for he was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God.”
Abraham’s destination was not particularly Bethel or any other location in Canaan. He was headed toward the spectacular metropolis described in the last book of the Bible, the place where the streets are paved with gold and no sun or moon are necessary for the Lord provides its light. Because he knew (by faith) that he was going THERE, where he lived HERE was irrelevant.
What an important thing to know. Before this job confirmation, we were kept up in the air for days; we didn’t know if we would stay here or go. But I don’t have to be up in the air about my eternal destination. God assures me that all who believe in His Son can KNOW what will happen after their physical body quits. His Word was written for that purpose: “These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God” (1 John 5:13).
Whether we go or stay, no matter what happens to this body, Christians can say, along with the writer of Hebrews: “Here have we no continuing city, but we seek one to come.”
I will admit the uncertainty regarding our physical residence has been uncomfortable. I feel for anyone without a secure dwelling place... however, there is a worse uncertainty -- that of spending a lifetime not knowing for sure what will happen after it is over. To never be quite sure of a place in heaven, to only have a “hope so” faith, would be the ultimate anxiety.
Through faith in Christ though, anxiety can become confidence that “if our earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal home in heaven...” With that assurance, so what if we have to break camp every now and then while we live here?
Wednesday, December 31, 2014
Preparing for Change ................. Parables 216
(May 9, 1990)
In the past month, my husband’s favorite Bible verse: “A man plans his way but the Lord directs his steps,” again proved itself true.
Our plans included staying put. After moving all over the place and back to Fort Saskatchewan four times, we have become comfortable here, enjoying what we thought was goodbye to packing and relocating. However, my husband was offered a short term assignment a few weeks ago... so after praying for wisdom, we made a major decision. Soon we leave our home and most of its contents to live in furnished accommodations in another province for a couple of years.
Now that everything is coming together, I can tell the story with anticipation, however when the proposal first hit us, it was akin to being hit by a train. We didn’t like it. We didn’t want to go anywhere. I went through all five stages of grief in about two hours. Finally, after choosing to accept the opportunity, we found ourselves able to effectively weigh both the positives and the not-so-positives.
This spells a radical change in lifestyle. Up front, it attacks our comfort zone. My husband will take a position of responsibility that is not unlike his past experience -- but there are some significant differences. The location and the time frame will enable me to fulfill a 15 year dream -- going to Bible College, so I will be studying full-time. However we can come home at least every long weekend, and move back when the project is complete. The challenge of the thing is now exciting.
Major decisions certainly involve emotional upheaval. I can remember a far greater choice I had to make -- when I was confronted with the claims of Christ. Saying yes to Him also implied a change of direction, destination and lifestyle and, up front, all of those were a threat to my comfort zone.
However, after the decision was made, I was able to look more objectively at the positives and even the few not-so-positives. Saying yes to Christ meant I would enjoy freedom from guilt, peace with God, and a multitude of blessings promised to those who put their faith in Him. Certainly the greatest benefit of all was the change regarding my destination. From the point of that decision on, He promised assurance of eternal life with God, rather than separation from Him in everlasting judgment.
That was certainly no small decision either. As one person said, it is not a simple matter to turn your life over to the control of someone else. In fact, I could not have done it unless the Lord had revealed Himself to be loving in His motives, wise in His dealings, and totally reliable in His Sovereign authority. Once He is seen to be all of that, and more, the decision is much easier.
Regarding salvation, He opened my eyes to see Him as righteous in all that He does, so I could choose Christ, and joyfully settle into the new lifestyle He gives, anticipating the end result of that choice. Regarding our decision to relocate, we realize since we put our trust in Christ, He has never led us foolishly or with evil intent. Whatever the future holds, we can trust Him with it. He has proven Himself with our past.
As we put the emotion of the decision behind us and prepare for the changes that will come as a result of our choice, we think of all He has done to help us overcome the fear of the unknown and walk ahead with Him. We know that even should His plans change our plans, the way He wants us to go will be for His glory and our good. He will not fail to give us direction, strength and encouragement, even in moves and changes. Best of all, no matter what else happens, the ultimate outcome, eternity with Him, will remain secure.
In the past month, my husband’s favorite Bible verse: “A man plans his way but the Lord directs his steps,” again proved itself true.
Our plans included staying put. After moving all over the place and back to Fort Saskatchewan four times, we have become comfortable here, enjoying what we thought was goodbye to packing and relocating. However, my husband was offered a short term assignment a few weeks ago... so after praying for wisdom, we made a major decision. Soon we leave our home and most of its contents to live in furnished accommodations in another province for a couple of years.
Now that everything is coming together, I can tell the story with anticipation, however when the proposal first hit us, it was akin to being hit by a train. We didn’t like it. We didn’t want to go anywhere. I went through all five stages of grief in about two hours. Finally, after choosing to accept the opportunity, we found ourselves able to effectively weigh both the positives and the not-so-positives.
This spells a radical change in lifestyle. Up front, it attacks our comfort zone. My husband will take a position of responsibility that is not unlike his past experience -- but there are some significant differences. The location and the time frame will enable me to fulfill a 15 year dream -- going to Bible College, so I will be studying full-time. However we can come home at least every long weekend, and move back when the project is complete. The challenge of the thing is now exciting.
Major decisions certainly involve emotional upheaval. I can remember a far greater choice I had to make -- when I was confronted with the claims of Christ. Saying yes to Him also implied a change of direction, destination and lifestyle and, up front, all of those were a threat to my comfort zone.
However, after the decision was made, I was able to look more objectively at the positives and even the few not-so-positives. Saying yes to Christ meant I would enjoy freedom from guilt, peace with God, and a multitude of blessings promised to those who put their faith in Him. Certainly the greatest benefit of all was the change regarding my destination. From the point of that decision on, He promised assurance of eternal life with God, rather than separation from Him in everlasting judgment.
That was certainly no small decision either. As one person said, it is not a simple matter to turn your life over to the control of someone else. In fact, I could not have done it unless the Lord had revealed Himself to be loving in His motives, wise in His dealings, and totally reliable in His Sovereign authority. Once He is seen to be all of that, and more, the decision is much easier.
Regarding salvation, He opened my eyes to see Him as righteous in all that He does, so I could choose Christ, and joyfully settle into the new lifestyle He gives, anticipating the end result of that choice. Regarding our decision to relocate, we realize since we put our trust in Christ, He has never led us foolishly or with evil intent. Whatever the future holds, we can trust Him with it. He has proven Himself with our past.
As we put the emotion of the decision behind us and prepare for the changes that will come as a result of our choice, we think of all He has done to help us overcome the fear of the unknown and walk ahead with Him. We know that even should His plans change our plans, the way He wants us to go will be for His glory and our good. He will not fail to give us direction, strength and encouragement, even in moves and changes. Best of all, no matter what else happens, the ultimate outcome, eternity with Him, will remain secure.
Monday, December 22, 2014
The Love of God ................. Parables 212
(April 11, 1990)
I love my kids. I care about their happiness, health and education. I want them to function well in life and achieve meaningful goals. I’ve hurt when they fall down and tried to stop them when they did something life-threatening. Most parents do the same, right? Loving our kids enough to set rules, or even use force to stop them from hurting themselves is not a difficult concept to understand. What puzzles me is why we resist the same kind of love, no, a purer more noble love, from our heavenly Father.
God, like us, cares if His children are happy and healthy. When He came in the person of Jesus Christ, He gave joy, healed the sick and met human needs. He also cares about what we learn, even gave us a “textbook” for life and the Holy Spirit to help us understand and follow it. He wants us to function well, to live meaningful lives. Besides that, He will help us do it, promising to supply all of our needs “according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.” Our parenting pales beside His kindness and His ability to provide.
But as any parent, He is grieved when we do things that hurt ourselves or others. As “children”, we may not think some things are wrong or we may not understand how our actions could ruin our life or someone else’s, but like many a loving father, He foresees consequences that we are too immature or inexperienced to see for ourselves. So when He tells us to “stop it,” surely He has our good in mind.
Hebrews 12 points out how God, like a father who chastens a child he loves, will chasten (“train or discipline”) those HE loves. While the chapter doesn’t specify what kind of chastening or training He uses, our own parenting might be a good example. Imagine a child who wants to play in the middle of a busy street. His father says he cannot. The child asks why. The father may explain or he may say, “Just do as you’re told.” Whatever the case, imagine how unloving a parent would be if that child ran out to play on the street anyway and he or she only commented, “Who cares? let him find out the hard way.”
We would never condemn a parent for putting a gate on the yard to keep his toddler safe inside but when God throws restraints in our path so we won’t hurt ourselves, we chafe and complain. How easily we forget that love doesn’t look the other way when children disobey. Love cares enough to do something about disobedience, knowing it can lead to destruction.
God’s love invites us to share in His holiness rather than live in our ungodliness... not just to satisfy His nature but because it is best for us that we forsake sin and rebellion and follow Him. Moses told the Israelites in Deuteronomy 6:24: “The LORD commanded us to do all these statutes, to fear the LORD our God, for our good always, that He might preserve us alive...”
Like children, we have to see Him as a wise and loving Father who wants what is best for us, not a kill-joy who is cramping our style. Jeremiah understood. He told God’s people, “Your iniquities have turned away these GOOD things, and your sins have withheld GOOD from you.”
We are so quick to blame God if things go badly, yet He is the loving Father who faithfully warns us regarding the consequences of our BEHAVIOR even though we often ignore Him and get ourselves into trouble.
Does His love end when we persist in rebellion? Some parents disown their children if they go too far but this Parent, while we were busily going too far, loved us so much that He “sent Christ to die for us.” What we do about Christ will determine whether or not God ever says: “ENOUGH!”
Right now, His love is still available. When anyone puts their faith in Jesus Christ, trusting Him for eternal life, they are made members of the family of God, and brought into the joy of knowing that “nothing... shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord”. His parental love, including the discipline, surely is for our good... always.
I love my kids. I care about their happiness, health and education. I want them to function well in life and achieve meaningful goals. I’ve hurt when they fall down and tried to stop them when they did something life-threatening. Most parents do the same, right? Loving our kids enough to set rules, or even use force to stop them from hurting themselves is not a difficult concept to understand. What puzzles me is why we resist the same kind of love, no, a purer more noble love, from our heavenly Father.
God, like us, cares if His children are happy and healthy. When He came in the person of Jesus Christ, He gave joy, healed the sick and met human needs. He also cares about what we learn, even gave us a “textbook” for life and the Holy Spirit to help us understand and follow it. He wants us to function well, to live meaningful lives. Besides that, He will help us do it, promising to supply all of our needs “according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.” Our parenting pales beside His kindness and His ability to provide.
But as any parent, He is grieved when we do things that hurt ourselves or others. As “children”, we may not think some things are wrong or we may not understand how our actions could ruin our life or someone else’s, but like many a loving father, He foresees consequences that we are too immature or inexperienced to see for ourselves. So when He tells us to “stop it,” surely He has our good in mind.
Hebrews 12 points out how God, like a father who chastens a child he loves, will chasten (“train or discipline”) those HE loves. While the chapter doesn’t specify what kind of chastening or training He uses, our own parenting might be a good example. Imagine a child who wants to play in the middle of a busy street. His father says he cannot. The child asks why. The father may explain or he may say, “Just do as you’re told.” Whatever the case, imagine how unloving a parent would be if that child ran out to play on the street anyway and he or she only commented, “Who cares? let him find out the hard way.”
We would never condemn a parent for putting a gate on the yard to keep his toddler safe inside but when God throws restraints in our path so we won’t hurt ourselves, we chafe and complain. How easily we forget that love doesn’t look the other way when children disobey. Love cares enough to do something about disobedience, knowing it can lead to destruction.
God’s love invites us to share in His holiness rather than live in our ungodliness... not just to satisfy His nature but because it is best for us that we forsake sin and rebellion and follow Him. Moses told the Israelites in Deuteronomy 6:24: “The LORD commanded us to do all these statutes, to fear the LORD our God, for our good always, that He might preserve us alive...”
Like children, we have to see Him as a wise and loving Father who wants what is best for us, not a kill-joy who is cramping our style. Jeremiah understood. He told God’s people, “Your iniquities have turned away these GOOD things, and your sins have withheld GOOD from you.”
We are so quick to blame God if things go badly, yet He is the loving Father who faithfully warns us regarding the consequences of our BEHAVIOR even though we often ignore Him and get ourselves into trouble.
Does His love end when we persist in rebellion? Some parents disown their children if they go too far but this Parent, while we were busily going too far, loved us so much that He “sent Christ to die for us.” What we do about Christ will determine whether or not God ever says: “ENOUGH!”
Right now, His love is still available. When anyone puts their faith in Jesus Christ, trusting Him for eternal life, they are made members of the family of God, and brought into the joy of knowing that “nothing... shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord”. His parental love, including the discipline, surely is for our good... always.
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