Unspoken

Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought,

but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.

     Romans 8:26 (NKJV)

 

A Psalm of David. LORD, I cry out to You; Make haste to me! Give ear to my voice when I cry out to You.

Let my prayer be set before You as incense, The lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice.

     Psalm 141:1-2 (NKJV)

During our church service, after the pastor mentions specific prayer requests, he asks if there are any unspoken requests and there always seem to be some.  At first, I didn’t understand why people would ask the congregation to pray for something and not tell us what it was.  But I realized there may be various reasons for not wanting to publicly share the details.  And I remembered that there is indeed is a Scriptural basis for unspoken prayers.

Concerns weigh heavy on our hearts and we can’t seem to put them into words. We may be overwhelmed with emotion and yet can’t articulate our feelings. We may see events playing out in our world and not know how to pray. We may have prayed for the same person for so long and can’t seem to find any fresh way to intercede. But Jesus promised that the Holy Spirit would be with us in these times of weakness, help us pray and make intercession for us.  What a blessing to know that He hears our hearts even when we don’t speak.

During Old Testament times, the priest would take a glowing coal from the temple altar and use it to light the incense in the holy place. As the children of Israel would pray at this time, they could visualize their prayers ascending to God’s throne as the smoke and aroma of the burning incense would arise from the sanctuary.  What a beautiful picture of the Holy Spirit’s work with our prayers, even ones we don’t utter out loud. 

We can be comforted to know that God hears our unspoken prayers and He helps the burden on our heart even when we can’t put it into words.

Unspoken a song by the Jordan Family Band

Pagan Messiahs?

 Unworthy. Ever felt that way? It seems there was an instructor to preachers who claimed that, "If God could speak through Balaam's ass, He can speak through you." Oddly, that never helped me much. It's the challenge to believe that my worth is entirely founded on Jesus: dead, buried, and raised.

While I know that Jesus' death atoned for my offenses toward my Creator, and I know His burial removed the safety of the enemy, and I know it is the power of His resurrection that empowers my walk with Him; I don't always feel those things. This is no surprise to my Savior, so He preserves this odd poetic prophecy in Isaiah 45. It begins with this statement:

“This is what the LORD says to his chosen one,
to Cyrus, whose right hand I hold
in order to subdue nations before him,
and disarm kings,
to open doors before him,
so gates remain unclosed:
‘I will go before you
and level mountains.
Bronze doors I will shatter
and iron bars I will hack through. (Isaiah 45:1-2 NET)

In case you were curious, "chosen one" is actually the Hebrew word, messiah. You can see the Strong's reference here. Notice that it has a special reference to "Cyrus". That's because this reference is weird. You might think that's because God knows that Cyrus' heart will change toward him, but those kings are Nebuchadnezzar and Darius, in Daniel. Cyrus' heart is never said to have acknowledged the God of Israel.

As this poetic prophecy continues, Yahweh says He gives Cyrus a bunch of blessings to reveal Himself to him. Look at the following verses:

I will give you hidden treasures,
riches stashed away in secret places,
so you may recognize that I am the LORD,
the one who calls you by name, the God of Israel.
For the sake of my servant Jacob,
Israel, my chosen one,
I call you by name
and give you a title of respect, even though you do not submit to me.
I am the LORD, I have no peer,
there is no God but me.
I arm you for battle, even though you do not recognize me. (Isaiah 45:3-5 NET)

God gives this pagan king "hidden treasures", "title of respect" and "arms him for battle", all this even though "you do not submit to me" and "you do not recognize me". Why? "For the sake of my servant, Jacob, Israel my chosen one". Unfortunately, the NET translators chose "chosen one" for both the Hebrew adjective "chosen" in verse 4, and "messiah" in verse 1. That's not really helpful, in my opinion. Even so, it's clear God uses this pagan king in spite of his lack of acknowledgement of the God of Israel.

The prophecy concludes with these verses:

I do this so people will recognize from east to west
that there is no God but me;
I am the LORD, I have no peer.
I am the one who forms light
and creates darkness;
the one who brings about peace
and creates calamity.
I am the LORD, who accomplishes all these things. (Isaiah 45:6-7 NET)

So we're clear about this, when there is only one God, even evil has its source in Him. Which is why the verse has the line, "the One making peace and creating evil". It almost never is translated that way, but check out the King James Version. And that's not embarrassing, it's true, and should give us encouragement.

Don't focus on God creating "evil", focus on the whole point of these two verses: There is no god (no Elohim) but Yahweh, He has no peer, no equal, no true rival. All things, whether we like them or not, have their ultimate source in Him. Which means, they also can be destroyed by Him. And yet, that's not even the best part.

Now go back and read all seven verses together. Our Creator uses this boastful pagan king to accomplish His plan. Cyrus can boast, conquer, posture, threaten, do whatever, but, in the end, remains a tool of his Creator. And, so it is today.

In our country, some have celebrated the new president, some have lamented. Some were sure the previous guy was the "antichrist", others think it's the new guy. I look at Isaiah 45, and I think, who cares? As long as our Creator remains on His throne (no worries there), any ruler, of any type, will merely be His pawn, for His purposes. That view of history can be really unsettling, considering the horrific leaders who have marred the history of this world.

Closer to home, though, if my Master can use such kings, then, even with my flaws, He can use me. He can use you. Perhaps, you might say, the more flaws, the more He shines. Why? So that people, from the east to the west, will recognize that our Creator has no competitor. 

Okay, if I have no other purpose than that, that'll work.

The King's Work

 

“For a day in Your courts is better than a thousand. I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God

Than dwell in the tents of wickedness. For the LORD God is a sun and shield; The LORD will give grace and glory;

No good thing will He withhold from those who walk uprightly. O LORD of hosts, Blessed is the man who trusts in You!”

     Psalm 84:10-12 (NKJV)

After celebrating the mountaintop glory of Christ’s resurrection at Easter, it can be a let-down to get back to the normal routine of life and work. Yet God calls us to do everything for His glory (1 Corinth. 10:31) and that includes what we do every day.  We’re to think of doing our work as worship and even the mundane tasks of our daily life are worthy when offered to God.

One illustration of this is in 1 Chronicles chapters 1-9, which lists the genealogies of “all Israel” and records many of their jobs and daily life. They went to battle, got married, had children, died. Some called on God, some did wickedly.  Interestingly, it says that some were potters, some dwelt among the plants and hedges, and “there they dwelt with the king for his work” (1 Chron. 4:23, NKJV).  Doing it for the King makes all the difference.

 

As the psalmist notes, even one day with the Lord is better than a thousand without Him, and being a doorkeeper in God’s house is better than dwelling in the world’s wickedness.  We are blessed to be saved and redeemed, but that doesn’t mean we live in idleness.  We have work to do and we must take care of our families and homes, which involves many routine and even tedious tasks.  Yet if we submit everything we do to God as an offering, He gives us grace sufficient for all we do.

 

I read about a community of believers who worked at the Dohnavur Fellowship in India, toiling day in and day out at menial jobs. Yet their faces were radiant and their smiles joyful despite the drudgery of their lives.  There was a plaque on a wall where they worked and it said “There they dwelt with the King for His work.”  May that attitude be ours as we offer all we do in service for the King.

Asking The Tough Questions

 Yesterday was Easter, or, more properly, Resurrection Day. It's been a rough weekend. I have been moving all weekend, trying to shoehorn 3,000 sq. ft. of stuff into 1,900 sq. ft. of house. The church family lined up to help couldn't because the weekend was already full of church events. So, Friday my wife and I loaded a truck with several tons of boxes, which were easy to fit, but heavy. We couldn't unload it because the transaction didn't record and we didn't get the keys until late Friday afternoon.

Still, Friends helped unload on Saturday, friends helped again empty out and clean the house on Sunday. We had to move quickly because on Friday, my mom fell, and is in the ICU in southern California. We are leaving today to head south to be with her and my family. With all this swirling around in my head, worship was very emotional for me. And I went from there into the Bible study with the youth.

Rather than ask them what question they had from the week, I had a set of questions from one of them from the week before. The questions came from Ephesians 4:1 - 

I, therefore, the prisoner for the Lord, urge you to live worthily of the calling with which you have been called, (Ephesians 4:1 NET)

Here are the questions:

1. What type of life is considered "worthy"?
2. How can I develop such a life?
3. Where does such a life come from? 3a. Are people born with it, do they DO certain things to have it, is it something given, or??
4. What is the calling itself?
5. How can someone "walk worthy" of such a calling? 5a. Is it even possible?
6. What would such a "worthy" life look like practically lived out daily?
7. How can you practice walking with god aside from praying and worshipping?
8. How do you join God on his mission?

I don't know adults who come up with such great questions. And I'm not sure this person came up with them on their own, but that's what they claimed, so I'll go with that.

To answer these questions, we continued on in Ephesians 4, clarifying elements that Paul used to try to explain these very questions. The questions break down into defining a few terms:

1. Walk - What is our walk look like?
2. Worthy - How do I show how much I value my Savior?
3. Calling - What has my Savior called me to do/be?

Terms 1 through 3 are answered in verses 2 and 3. And the definition of 3 is continued in verses 4 through 6, but especially 4. The problem is that Paul really doesn't define them in ways that we want. Instead, he refers to attitudes (humility, gentleness, patience, love) we are to have as we relate to other disciples. And then focuses on the singleness and superiority of our Savior.

So, the "walk" (or beliefs lived out in daily choices and actions) is characterized by the attitudes of humility, gentleness, patience, and love. The choice to live this way declares the value we place on our relationship with our Savior. It's the calling that isn't well defined, at least until you step back a bit. Verse four doesn't help much:

There is one body and one Spirit, just as you too were called to the one hope of your calling, (Ephesians 4:4 NET)

We are called to one hope of our calling. But what is the calling? The way I tried to help them grapple with it was by stepping back and seeing all of it as our calling. But that's not really complete either. When Paul uses the term "hope" it generally is a reference to heaven.

So, if that were true here (and that isn't certain, only possible), then the calling would be the "end game", not just the journey. I suppose you can make a case that the whole of it, the walk here, and the walk there, are what we are called to. If that is the case, then the "walk" is the content of the call. Conveniently, our walk is described further from verse 17 through the end of the chapter, specifically in verses 25 through 32:

Therefore, having laid aside falsehood, each one of you speak the truth with his neighbor, because we are members of one another. Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on the cause of your anger. Do not give the devil an opportunity. The one who steals must steal no longer; instead he must labor, doing good with his own hands, so that he will have something to share with the one who has need. You must let no unwholesome word come out of your mouth, but only what is beneficial for the building up of the one in need, that it would give grace to those who hear. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. You must put away all bitterness, anger, wrath, quarreling, and slanderous talk—indeed all malice. Instead, be kind to one another, compassionate, forgiving one another, just as God in Christ also forgave you. (Ephesians 4:25-32 NET)

This is one of my favorite "behavior lists" of Paul. This one plays off negatives with positives side-by-side. So, lay aside falsehood and speak the truth. Don't steal, but work. Don't speak unwholesome words, but beneficial ones, building up others. Put away bitterness, anger, wrath, quarreling and slander. Replace them with kindness, compassion, and forgiveness.

It is these sorts of things that form the boundaries and definition of our "walk". These attitudes define the neighborhood in which we walk. As we walk before our Creator, we can be found walking with our Creator when this is what we behave like. When this is how others would describe us, then we know we are walking in a manner worthy of the amazing calling of our Creator. 

The thing is, they become true as we walk with Him. They don't make us worthy to be in His presence. Only Jesus accomplishes that. These attitudes characterize someone who walks with their Creator, who walk with Him because of their Savior, and live in the joy of knowing they are One and same Person (or substance, with three Persons, for you staunch theologians). Basically, when we "hang out" with our Savior, we tend to be more like Him.

Sacrifice

Then the king said to Araunah, "No, but I will surely buy it from you for a price; nor will I offer burnt offerings to the LORD my God with that which costs me nothing." So David bought the threshing floor and the oxen for fifty shekels of silver.

     2 Samuel 24:24 (NKJV)

Then King David said to Ornan, "No, but I will surely buy it for the full price, for I will not take what is yours for the LORD, nor offer burnt offerings with that which costs me nothing."

     1 Chron. 21:24 (NKJV)

David believed he should not offer anything to God without cost to himself.  Similarly, sacrifice is essential in whatever we offer to God—in worship, service or giving--should cost us something.   We let go of our will and our ego when we follow Christ.  We are to think of others and their needs before our own.  We are to give of ourselves (our time, talent, treasure, resources), without considering what we might lose or miss or have to give up. We are to defer to others and their preferences.

I recently read a book by Elisabeth Elliot and she said she had this quote (attributed to Pr. Ugo Bassi) on her wall:

                                                 “Measure thy life by loss instead of gain;

not by the wine drunk but by the wine poured forth;

for love’s strength standeth in love’s sacrifice, and

whoso suffers most hath the most to give.”

Of course, the greatest example of this kind of loving sacrifice is Jesus.  On this Good Friday, we marvel that He who was sinless became sin for us, that He paid the penalty we deserved in order to set us free. 

Remembering the price our Savior paid for us should stir our hearts to want to offer everything to Him regardless of the cost to ourselves.  Let us measure our lives by loss instead of gain.

Mad Cow Disease

 My internet is out at home. Thankfully, my business phone functions quite well as a mobile hotspot. It frustrates me when stuff is out of my control, I can't fix it, don't truly understand it, or simply have to wait, whether I understand it or not. I feel like I should be in a therapy group, introducing myself, "Hi, I'm Matt, and I'm a selfish whiner", imagining the rest of the group replying, "Hi Matt..." I don't think there's a 12-step for that, though. There sure should be.

And yet, even though I dislike, intensely, wandering around my life without a map, my King has dropped me into a "Bible study" situation where I begin each session with, "what have you read, and what are your questions?" How terrifying is that? Yesterday, someone asked a question I truly thought I'd never hear, "What about that guy in the Bible who God turned into a beast?"

Can you just sense the palpable collision of synapses, with the imagined sounds of a 100-car pile up added for good measure? Where do you start trying to untangle everything that's wrong with that question? There are absolutely no werewolves in  Scripture! NONE! My mind is racing around trying to guess what movie is being overlaid on top of some Scripture passage, twisted to fit a corrupt modern interpretation or adaptation.

Suddenly, across the room, another guy says, "Yeah, my mom was teaching us about that." (more brain concussive activity, flashing red light in the corner of my eye, a winking "idiot light" - "danger! danger!") "He had long hair and nails...like a cow or something." Sudden flash of insight, relief and joy! Nebuchadnezzar! It was like Jesus calming the storm on Galilee, only in my soul. 

We spent the next 15 to 20 minutes going through Daniel 4, one of the only passages in Daniel, not written by Daniel. It is purportedly written by Nebuchadnezzar himself. And it is a fascinating story.

The account begins with King Nebby having a bad dream. It started well, with an impressive tree, but then the tree is cut down and the stump capped with iron and bronze. All the "wise men" of Babylon can't (or are too afraid to) tell the king what it means, until Daniel shows up. He explains the dream, but then warns and encourages the king to desist in his "pride". And he does, for about a year.

A year after the dream, King Nebby is on his roof looking at his "hanging gardens", the splendor of Babylon, and starts extoling himself. Here's how it reads:

Now all this happened to King Nebuchadnezzar. After twelve months, he happened to be walking around on the battlements of the royal palace of Babylon. The king uttered these words: “Is this not the great Babylon that I have built for a royal residence by my own mighty strength and for my majestic honor?” While these words were still on the king’s lips, a voice came down from heaven: “It is hereby announced to you, King Nebuchadnezzar, that your kingdom has been removed from you! You will be driven from human society, and you will live with the wild animals. You will be fed grass like oxen, and seven periods of time will pass by for you before you understand that the Most High is ruler over human kingdoms and gives them to whomever he wishes.”

Now in that very moment this pronouncement about Nebuchadnezzar came true. He was driven from human society, he ate grass like oxen, and his body became damp with the dew of the sky, until his hair became long like an eagle’s feathers, and his nails like a bird’s claws. (Daniel 4:28-33 NET)

"Brag, brag, brag...mooo". That's pretty much how it went. When you look at the description of what he becomes, I can see the whole "beast-man" thing. It never occurred to me before, but leave it to the imagination of a bunch of young people to totally see something new (or new to me).

Pride is a constant problem for lots of people, and I count myself among them. Wanting control, to have a "map", to know or understand, are all prideful responses to fear. But, I also have a sneaky evil suspicion that I'm somehow better than other people, that I have "it" figured out, and that others don't. That's not fear, it's the "original sin" of selfish pride, self-centered godless arrogance. 

That selfish pride is what plagued King Nebby. He thought he had "arrived". He had no fear, and that is a dangerous place to be. "Brag, brag, brag...moo". That's where anyone not facing their selfish pride authentically is headed. And my King knows it. So, he sent King Nebby a dream, He sent Daniel, and He knows there will be failure in spite of all that.

But there is also redemption:

But at the end of the appointed time I, Nebuchadnezzar, looked up toward heaven, and my sanity returned to me.
I extolled the Most High,
and I praised and glorified the one who lives forever.
For his authority is an everlasting authority,
and his kingdom extends from one generation to the next.
 All the inhabitants of the earth are regarded as nothing.
He does as he wishes with the army of heaven
and with those who inhabit the earth.
No one slaps his hand
and says to him, ‘What have you done?’
At that time my sanity returned to me. I was restored to the honor of my kingdom, and my splendor returned to me. My ministers and my nobles were seeking me out, and I was reinstated over my kingdom. I became even greater than before. Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and exalt and glorify the King of heaven, for all his deeds are right and his ways are just. He is able to bring down those who live in pride. (Daniel 4:34-37 NET)

Fortunately for me, pride is not necessarily terminal. The Creator of the universe seeks me in spite of my pride and restores me as I repent. It sometimes feels like a game of "Whack-a-Mole", trying to keep the pride in the grave. But all my Master wants of me is to keep working at it. He restores me when I look to Him and praise Him. 

Have you ever felt like that?

Lot in Life

 

O LORD, You are the portion of my inheritance and my cup; You maintain my lot.

The lines have fallen to me in pleasant places; Yes, I have a good inheritance.

     Psalm 16:5-6

The phrase “my lot in life” often has a negative connotation—implying that we don’t like our circumstances in life but we’re resigned to them.  But the Bible has a different perspective.  Our lot in life comes from the Lord, from His gracious hand. The Lord allocates to us a portion of a glorious inheritance when we put our faith in Christ and He is our cup, all we need.  So we we can trust His plans and purposes to bring what's best for us.

Of course, that does not mean all our circumstances will seem favorable to us. God may allow something to “run aground” (Acts 27:26) that we’ve put our hearts and soul into, thinking it was His will. We can expect pruning, a sharp cutting off of even good things in our lives (John 15:2), so that we might bear more fruit for God’s glory. We may not experience poverty or disease, but God often permits us to suffer some kind of loss in our lives, the withdrawal of something we valued, according to His good reasons.

We may feel that something is missing in our life.  But Scripture assures us that God knows our needs (Matthew 6:8) and that He supplies each one (Phil. 4:19). So we are to be content with what we have, trusting that if more is needed or if something different would be best for us, our gracious Lord will so provide.  Contentment is a wonderful blessing that comes from trusting Him and believing the He makes no mistakes.

He Maketh No Mistake, a poem written in 1932 by Pastor A.M. Overton.

When We Don't Ask

 

Now go and say to my servant David, ‘This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies has declared: I took you from tending sheep in the pasture and selected you to be the leader of my people Israel.  I have been with you wherever you have gone, and I have destroyed all your enemies before your eyes. Now I will make your name as famous as anyone who has ever lived on the earth!  And I will provide a homeland for my people Israel, planting them in a secure place where they will never be disturbed. Evil nations won’t oppress them as they’ve done in the past, starting from the time I appointed judges to rule my people Israel. And I will give you rest from all your enemies.  2 Samuel 7:8-11

Loretta (my wife) and I had been having some struggles on how to best get our daughter to focus a bit more on her schoolwork as she had started to get lax.  As such, she had been faithfully praying over it as I had been.  It had been a while since I went to God with great despair and concern.  I felt that I had been pushing what I wanted more than I should and needed to ‘let go and let God.’

There is something about just meditating on letting God handle things.  It is like a sacred trust, and while we as followers of Jesus Christ know God’s word is true, there are times I might wander into the ‘God, are you really with me on this’ territory.  So, I just said the things I knew were true in my heart.  I prayed, “God, I want things to be better as you would want them to be.  I can’t do this.  Guide me to do what you see is right.”  That is where I left it.

The next day, God gave me a hint to give my wife something.  So, I sent her some money using my cash app with a little note saying, “Because sometimes, you shouldn’t have to ask.”  Later in the day, our daughter came to me, and we had a good long talk about school.  We had not talked like this all year.  Later that evening, our daughter came to us distraught about her heart being broken by a dear friend, and for the first time in a while, my wife and me were lock and step each moment of the conversation supporting her.  Had my daughter and me not had our long talk prior to then, she probably would not have talked to us at all.  It then occurred to me how we serve a God who not only meets our needs but also anticipates it even before we ask.  I am always amazed how God provides beyond what I ask for.

God’s provisions always exceed expectation.  I was reading today’s verses with an understanding of how God was so generous to King David.  Whether it had been a bear, lion, giant, or king, God always had David’s back often more than he would deserve.  I don’t believe when David slayed Goliath he did so with the expectation of becoming the greatest king of Israel.  He just wanted to do God’s will, and that is precisely the point.  David was not given God’s provision because it was what he wanted.  It was given because he loved God and was obedient to Him.  Thus, God provided for David despite his imperfections and as written in one article, “legendary indiscretions.”  God did not just give David victories or make him king.  He exceeded saying “Now I will make your name as famous as anyone who has ever lived on the earth!”  That’s well beyond what David asked for and a reminder to us how giving God truly is.

The omniscience of God is beyond anything we could possibly comprehend.  A preacher once told me about prayers that even when our prayers our poor, God intercedes with the Holy Spirit to strengthen them for what is truly needed.  This should give us assurance that when we pray to Him, we can be certain God not only hears us but also will answer.  Even when the answer is not what we would have wanted, we must trust that God is providing for us in a way we did not anticipate.  Let us remember that like with David, God always has our back.  Where has God provided for you in unexpected ways?  How can you be more thankful for Him in times when the answer seems to be ‘No?’  My prayer is we are always thankful for the completeness of God’s provisions even when we don’t ask.  Amen!

Relating to Our Creator

 The popular phrase, "It's a relationship, not a religion" has always bothered me. Like teachings that claim Jesus would have gone to the cross had it been only me who was lost, something rubs me wrong with claims like that. I am processing an idea about why it bothers me. I think I know at least one reason.

My relationship with my wife and daughter, the two closest people to me, run into trouble when I have a false concept of who they are. When I don't allow my daughter to grow up, when I see my wife the way I want her, not as she is, I am relating wrongly to them.

My daughter lives 5 hours from us, and we don't hear everything that happens in her life. Sometimes, it seems we only hear the bad stuff. It's easy for us to believe her life is all bad or tough, and we want to be the ones to rescue her. The truth is often very different. She often shares the good with her closest friends, rather than us.

My wife has "issues". She has amazing strengths, talents, gifts, and skills. She also struggles in areas, sometimes in her walk with her Savior. In general terms, she's just like everyone else, including me. So, when I make decisions, react, or act without considering all of who she is, or without consulting her, I am liable to make a bad "relational" decision, action, or reaction. Again, this is generally true for all of us.

Not only are these example not unusual, they are truly common. We know we need, should, or will work on our earthly relationships. How common is it for us to do the same with our Creator? How common is it for us to try to get to know Him truly, as He is? It's not easy work, and there are dangers.

Relationships are messy. So, when we use some version of a claim to have a "relationship" with our Savior, we should expect it to be messy, and not entirely on our part. Think about WHO we have that relationship with. He is not your spouse, nor your parent or child. We may use those terms as metaphors, but they are not adequate descriptions.

In the vacuum of our understanding of our Creator, we tend to "fill in the blanks" on our own. The truth is often very different than our imagination. Consider just the crazy difference between how we imagine our Savior, and someone capable of forming stars and galaxies with the spoken word. Those two things are very different. And we sort of fill in the blanks in between. But with what?

In this context, this passage may apply to us:

To whom can you compare God?
To what image can you liken him?
A craftsman casts an idol;
a metalsmith overlays it with gold
and forges silver chains for it.
To make a contribution one selects wood that will not rot;
he then seeks a skilled craftsman
to make an idol that will not fall over.
(Isaiah 40:18-20 NET)

We skip right through these passages, assuming they don't apply to us, the dangers described are no our dangers. The truth may be more unsettling. Think through the pragmatic elements described. The idol is more "tangible", the idol is propped up so it doesn't totter, the wood that won't rot, it's gold-plated, silver chains.

We like to worship a "good god". But what do we mean by that? Is God still good when my circumstances aren't? We say that God is loving, or God is love. But when we hurt, when disaster or catastrophe strikes, do we still think of God as loving? 

And those may be when our Savior shines the brightest for you. So, is your Savior the one who caused a man to be born blind for His glory? Do you worship a Creator who heals a guy who shows no faith or interest in following Him, and yet, doesn't heal everyone? Do you praise the God who destroyed everyone the planet, except a single family? 

Sure, we love to quote Jeremiah 29:11, but what about 1 through 10? Are we willing to consider the One with plans for us but leaves us in captivity? Are you willing to worship Job's God? When we say "God is good, all the time" and echo back, "And all the time, God is good", do we have in mind the God brining disaster on cities (Amos 3:6). 

I'll bring it up again, Jephthah, after the Spirt of Yahweh came upon him, offered God whatever came through his door first. His daughter came through the door and, though it wrecked him, he offered her up. He gave God the choice, and God chose his only daughter. And the faith of Jephthah (see Hebrews 11:32) was present in his daughter, who submitted willingly to the sacrifice. And before you claim Jephthah was wrong, consider Hebrews 11. And consider God required the same of Abraham with Isaac. There God changed his mind, but up to that point, His command and its effect remained on Abraham. What if the order had not changed?

Will you worship your Savior knowing these things about Him? Consider the parable of the Kingdom in Matthew 22:1-14, the king is harsh and that is heaven. Consider the parable of of the Ten Minas in Luke 19:11-27, especially verse 27. This is heaven. Is this what you look forward to, Who you worship? Is your Savior truly good, as you define the word? When you think of God as love, what do you have in mind? Is it these things?

You have probably guessed where I'm going with this. The uncomfortable reality is that, unless we worship our Creator as He has revealed Himself, we worship idols. As the nation of Israel suffered for this sin, so will we. Consider how Jesus ends the Sermon on the Mount:

“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter into the kingdom of heaven—only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven. On that day, many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, didn’t we prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many powerful deeds in your name?’ Then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you. Go away from me, you lawbreakers!’
Matthew 7:21-23 NET

Did you notice that, even though they prophesied, cast out demons, and did many powerful deeds in your name, they were cast out. Tremble. This is the sort of thing that should help us "work out our salvation with fear and trembling". Is your Savior your "friend"? Okay, but consider that means you are close, very close to the most dangerous being in existence. 

It is with good reason that James calls us to weep and wail before our Creator (James 4:4-10). I suppose instead of "fearless" we should dive into the truths of God in spite of fear. Stand near Him, trembling and nearly wetting our pants. Be unsure about whether to embrace, fall on our face, or bow our heads before Him. Stutter and stammer in our words to Him because we are in awe of Him. 

So, is it still "about a relationship, not about a religion"? If, for you, it is, then be sure you are relating to the right God, not some god which only exists in your imagination. Religion, whatever that means for you, may help remind you of the awe of your Creator. On the other hand, religion, if it's only rote, separates and insulates you from your Savior. 

Both approaches have dangers and flaws. And both approaches can be correct. Each can serve to deepen the other and give meaning to the other. Maybe our "call to worship" should sound more like this:

Then the LORD answered Job out of the whirlwind:
“Who is this who darkens counsel
with words without knowledge?
Get ready for a difficult task like a man;
I will question you
and you will inform me.
(Job 38:1-3 NET)

Heaven is Sweeter

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life; and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.

     Psalm 23:6 (NKJV)

 

Jesus said, "Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father's house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.”

    John 14:1-3 (NKJV)

 

Christians are promised eternal life and a home in heaven, but how much time do we actually spend pondering these wonderful promises?   We’re exhorted to set our mind on things above, not on earthly things (Col. 3:2).  And yet most of us  mistakenly assume that heaven is something to think about just when we get old. But there’s nothing like the promise of heaven to encourage someone now who is weary or going through a difficult time.

Many passages of Scripture present heaven as a glorious reality that believers have to look forward to.  David said “surely” he will dwell in the house of the Lord forever. He was convinced that heaven was real and he would be there.  The Lord Jesus said He is preparing a place for us and describes the many mansions in His Father’s house, where we will be.  Christ said that if it were not so, He would have told us—and Jesus does not and cannot lie, for He is truth.

God has showered amazing grace on us now and the best is yet to come. I’m so grateful that this life is not all there is and that this world is not my home. This helps me to put challenges in perspective and to hold earthly things lightly.  My heavenly home seems sweeter to me with each passing year. Knowing I will one day see my Lord Jesus and spend eternity with Him surely comforts my heart.  I hope this encourages you today too.

Home is Sounding Sweeter by the Inspirations.