Legacy - Pt 2

In the seventh month, on the twenty-first day of the month, the word of the Lord came by the hand of Haggai the prophet: “Speak now to Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and to all the remnant of the people, and say, ‘Who is left among you who saw this house in its former glory? How do you see it now? Is it not as nothing in your eyes? Yet now be strong, O Zerubbabel, declares the Lord. Be strong, O Joshua, son of Jehozadak, the high priest. Be strong, all you people of the land, declares the Lord. Work, for I am with you, declares the Lord of hosts, according to the covenant that I made with you when you came out of Egypt. My Spirit remains in your midst. Fear not. For thus says the Lord of hosts: Yet once more, in a little while, I will shake the heavens and the earth and the sea and the dry land. And I will shake all nations, so that the treasures of all nations shall come in, and I will fill this house with glory, says the Lord of hosts. The silver is mine, and the gold is mine, declares the Lord of hosts. The latter glory of this house shall be greater than the former, says the Lord of hosts. And in this place I will give peace, declares the Lord of hosts.’” (Haggai 2:1-8 ESV).

As we continue, let's look more closely at the second message of Haggai. It seems as though the work has slowed or come to a complete stop, because Haggai's message is that they take courage and get on with the work (v. 4). What makes this message so practical and relevant is that we can see ourselves so easily in the workers. And God's encouraging words become very easily words of strength for us, too. The discouragement is palpable, as it often is in our lives. The workers are discouraged because the memory is still alive of how glorious the temple used to be. Less than 70 years ago it stood in this very spot, the apple of God's eye, the magnificent achievement of Solomon, for centuries the center of holy worship. But instead of inspiring the people, this memory made the people look at the pitiful edifice they were building and feel hopeless. What's the use, they say. We can't match the glory of Solomon's temple. We're wasting our time. Nothing beautiful or worthwhile will ever come of it. We got along without it in Babylon; we can do without it here. Better to have the beauty of a great memory than a paltry imitation. So their hands are slack in the work. I think anybody who has ever lived through faith in Christ has felt that kind of discouragement. It is that sense that you work and work and the product seems so paltry. You pour yourself into your children or others week after week and month after month and the result seems to be so minimal. Worse, you look back in history or across town and see the grand achievement of others and your work seems so trivial. We get discouraged and are tempted to quit and put away your aspirations and drop your dreams and put your feet up in front of the television and coast. But God promises to take your work, fill it with his glory, and make your labors with a million times more than you ever imagined. Take heart!

Legacy - Pt 1

Now the prophets, Haggai and Zechariah the son of Iddo, prophesied to the Jews who were in Judah and Jerusalem, in the name of the God of Israel who was over them. Then Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel and Jeshua the son of Jozadak arose and began to rebuild the house of God that is in Jerusalem, and the prophets of God were with them, supporting them. (Ezra 5:1-2 ESV). One of the definitions of the word “legacy” is “anything handed down from the past, as from an ancestor or predecessor.” Finishing the little series dealing with the event in David’s life when God told him he could not build the Temple, I was naturally turned to this topic. Legacy has been used in other ways; however, here God’s message to David is that he has a different legacy to leave. It was not a mere building, as grand as that would become. David’s son, Solomon, would build the Temple; but, David’s legacy was not to be found in that structure.

To start this series dealing with our legacy, let’s look at some background first. In 586 BC the Babylonians sacked Jerusalem, destroyed Solomon’s temple, and took most of the Jews into exile. About 50 years later Cyrus, the Persian, took Babylon, and brought the Babylonian Empire to an end. The next year (538 BC) he allowed the Jews to return to their homeland and rebuild the temple at Jerusalem. All of this was owing to the sovereign hand of God fulfilling the prophecies of Jeremiah (cf. Ezra 1:1). Among the returning exiles were the prophets Haggai and Zechariah. Our reading today sums up for us what these two contemporaries accomplished. So Haggai and Zechariah were sent by God to assist in the rebuilding of the temple. This work began on the 24th day of the sixth month of the second year of the reign of Darius, which in our dating is September 21, 520 BC (cf. Haggai 1:15). So you can see that about 18 years went by between the return of the exiles and the rebuilding of the temple. This delay is what brings forth the message of Haggai. The way Haggai motivates the Jews to build the temple of God has a powerful application to our own to accomplish the legacy God intends for us to leave. Today I’ll leave you with just one story to illustrate. Jonathan Edwards felt God's call to become a minister. He and his wife, Sarah, began a pastorate in a small congregation. During the years that followed, he wrote many sermons, prayers, and books, and was influential in beginning the Great Awakening. Together they produced eleven children who grew into adulthood. Sarah was a partner in her husband's ministry, they spent time talking about these things together, and, when their children were old enough, the parents included them in the discussions. The effects of the Edwards's lives have been far-reaching, but the most measurable results of their faithfulness to God's call is found through their descendants. In their direct descendants there are: 100 lawyers and a dean of a law school; 80 holders of public office; 66 physicians and a dean of a medical school; 65 professors of colleges and universities; 30 judges; 13 college presidents; 3 mayors of large cities; 3 governors of states; 3 United States senators; 1 controller of the United States Treasury; and, a Vice President of the United States. The question for us then becomes what kind of legacy will we leave?

When God Says, "NO!" - Pt 4

And I will give you rest from all your enemies. Moreover, the Lord declares to you that the Lord will make you a house. When your days are fulfilled and you lie down with your fathers, I will raise up your offspring after you, who shall come from your body, and I will establish his kingdom. He shall build a house for my name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. I will be to him a father, and he shall be to me a son. When he commits iniquity, I will discipline him with the rod of men, with the stripes of the sons of men, but my steadfast love will not depart from him, as I took it from Saul, whom I put away from before you. And your house and your kingdom shall be made sure forever before me. Your throne shall be established forever. (2 Samuel 7:11-16 ESV).

When God says no to our dreams, He often bridles our disappointments with wonderful blessings, greater than any we could have anticipated or expected. Look at our reading again. God says to Nathan, And I will give you rest from all your enemies. Moreover, the Lord declares to you that the Lord will make you a house (v. 11). God instructs the prophet to tell David that he can't build God a house. Instead, God was going to build David a house. God's purpose was larger than David could have imagined. David simply wanted to build a house for the ark of the Lord, but God had a bigger purpose. God's purpose involved something larger. David's plan involved building a temple. The temple was a temporary structure. When Solomon did wind up building the temple, it would eventually be destroyed. It became a ruin. God's plan involved something much more lasting than a stone structure. It involved the plan of salvation for the world. God speaks through Nathan with this great prophesy: "When your days are fulfilled and you lie down with your fathers, I will raise up your offspring after you, who shall come from your body, and I will establish His kingdom" (v. 12). After his great confession of faith, Jesus said to Peter, “And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.” (Matthew 16:18-20 ESV). This is that bigger purpose; this is the eternal kingdom God was raising up through David. This is the establishment of David’s eternal throne through his lineage. That house can never be shaken; it can never be overcome by any enemy. Whatever “no” you have been given, please hear the everlasting “yes” that God spoke through the work of Jesus. Whatever you may feel you have been denied in this world will be nothing compared to the eternal home that is guaranteed and waiting for your occupation. When God says “no,” respond with, ”thank you.” His yes has already been given; and, it is much better!

When God Says, "NO!" - Pt 3

Now, therefore, thus you shall say to my servant David, “Thus says the Lord of hosts, I took you from the pasture, from following the sheep, that you should be prince over my people Israel. And I have been with you wherever you went and have cut off all your enemies from before you. And I will make for you a great name, like the name of the great ones of the earth. And I will appoint a place for my people Israel and will plant them, so that they may dwell in their own place and be disturbed no more. And violent men shall afflict them no more, as formerly, from the time that I appointed judges over my people Israel. And I will give you rest from all your enemies. Moreover, the Lord declares to you that the Lord will make you a house.” (2 Samuel 7:8-11 ESV).

God did not intend for David to build an earthly temple and communicated that fact through Nathan. The Hebrew word that is translated "house" is used in this passage two different ways. When it is used in verse 5, "Would you build a house for Me to dwell in," it means "structure, home," or in this case, temple. Here we see the other meaning for house which is descendants or a dynasty that carries on your name. From his lineage would come the Messiah for all men! Sometimes God says “No” to our dreams and to our plans. When He does, it is not to defeat us or to discourage us. He does it because He has something far better than we could have ever imagined planned for us. David thought he would build a temple and that would be the end of it. He found out that it was not God’s will for him to build a temple. He also found out that God had some things planned for his future that he never could have dreamed up on his own. Some of you have witnessed the death of your dreams. You have watched as life has altered the plans and dreams of your youth. In fact, we look back and often believe our lives have been wasted; perhaps we view life as a failure. We cannot miss two essentials: 1. First, God’s message in every circumstance and event is “I’ve got this!” God has not abandoned us to our own efforts or devices. We are his children and he always works our journey for our good (cf. Romans 8:28). 2. Second, our ultimate end in life is not anything we can accomplish. God has not put us here to build anything for anyone. He has put us here to glorify him by completing this path and entering into our eternal home that he has prepared and secured through the work of Christ. That is the real good news for us! God really has “got this!”

When God Says, "NO!" - Pt 2

Now it was in the heart of David my father to build a house for the name of the Lord, the God of Israel. But the Lord said to David my father, “Whereas it was in your heart to build a house for my name, you did well that it was in your heart. Nevertheless, it is not you who shall build the house, but your son who shall be born to you shall build the house for my name.” (2 Chronicles 6:7-9 ESV).

Let me refresh your memory a bit. Yesterday we began this little series concerning those times when God tells us “no.” The thoughts are born out of my preparation for a message that I will preach in February at Gospel City Church in Arlington. At this writing, the pastor, Mark Mangrem, is preaching a series dealing with the life of David. In his absence one Sunday, I am continuing that series with this experience of David when God told him he could not build the Temple. This might have been the loneliest moment of David’s life. Make no mistake; it was a good dream. As David sat in his palace, he felt guilty that he lived in the lap of such luxury when the presence of God lived inside of a tent. David believed that a God of such glory should have a house befitting His majesty. Our reading today is from the dedication of the Temple after Solomon, David’s son, finished the work; and, in it we are shown with certainty that David’s dream was a good desire. David is not asking for anything at this point, his desire is not to receive, but to give. He wants to give something back to the God who has given him everything. That ought to be the desire of all of us. We could never possibly repay the Lord for all that He has done for us. And thankfully he hasn’t asked us to even attempt that! But, there should be a desire within us to see Him honored and glorified, regardless of the cost. David had no ulterior motives in wanting to build the Lord a house. His desire was to see the Lord glorified and honored. He wanted God to be exalted and he wanted the Lord to receive the glory and honor that He deserved. David possessed a godly desire. It is ALWAYS good to have a dream! We do need to be certain that our dreams are from the Lord. While David had a good dream, his dream was not God’s dream. He is even encouraged to follow the dream by the prophet Nathan (cf. 2 Samuel 7:3). He didn’t even pray about it. It sounded good to him, and he thought the dream was of the Lord too. Apparently, David’s dream had all the earmarks of a desire impressed upon him by the Lord. But, his dream turned out to be his own creation and not the will of the Lord. The incredible grace of God is so apparent here. God does not tell David he cannot build the Temple because of some sin or failure in his life. He has plenty of those, but God had long since forgiven him. God told him “no” because he had a much greater “yes.” God’s plan for our lives is always better than we can think ourselves. His call is for trust. That’s difficult sometimes; however, it is always better!

When God Says, "NO!" - Pt 1

But that same night the word of the Lord came to Nathan, “Go and tell my servant David, ‘Thus says the Lord: Would you build me a house to dwell in? I have not lived in a house since the day I brought up the people of Israel from Egypt to this day, but I have been moving about in a tent for my dwelling. In all places where I have moved with all the people of Israel, did I speak a word with any of the judges of Israel, whom I commanded to shepherd my people Israel, saying, “Why have you not built me a house of cedar?”’ (2 Samuel 7:4-7 ESV).

Have you ever reached a point in your life when you could sit down and breathe a sigh of relief and just relax? You’ve reached your goals, your dreams have been realized, and there’s not really anything “wrong” in your life. It’s an enviable position; and, it is one which is rare. There are those times that we get a glimpse of such peace. It’s usually when we reach those milestones in our lives. When you get your driver’s license; or, graduate from high school or college; perhaps it’s when you get married or have your first child; it may be that first job in your chosen career; maybe it’s retirement, that last day when there’s really nothing left for you to do but attend a party in your honor for the service you’ve provided and the recognition of a job well done. It is that wonderful moment when everything is going your way. This is where we find David today in our reading. These were possibly the best days in the life of King David. He was the King of Israel. His nation was united and at peace. David was enjoying a time of rest, after all the problems that he had been forced to endure. For David, these days gave him the luxury of reflection; and, he naturally turned to the many blessings of God. Out of this, a dream was born in his heart. He wanted to build God a permanent dwelling place. Remember, since the time the Tabernacle had been built during the days of Moses, God’s presence had dwelt in the Holy of Holies of that temporary building. David wanted to give the Lord a proper, permanent place to manifest His glorious presence. It's a wonderful thing to dream of doing something to honor God. Often people come to this place in their lives and become bored and restless. Rather than using their stability as a base from which to do good, they focus on themselves in an effort to become more secure or find more pleasure. David wanted to use his time, resources, and knowledge to honor God. This is not a self-serving, sinful dream. David genuinely wants to do something for God. The only problem with this dream is that God said “No!” And this is where we can learn something essential in our lives. We will explore these essentials in the next few days. Today, remember God’s “no” is just another way of saying there’s something better planned for us!

Winners and Losers

Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul? For the Son of Man is going to come with his angels in the glory of his Father, and then he will repay each person according to what he has done. Truly, I say to you, there are some standing here who will not taste death until they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom.” (Matthew 16:24-28 ESV).

It’s always been the case, although recently the headlines have seemed to be screaming for me to notice the announcement of “winners and losers” in some category of life. It may have been at the conclusion of an athletic event, a political issue, a cultural event, or some other well reported contest. Regardless of my personal position on any of these things, one thing is sure: historically losers have been scandalized as those unworthy of winning because of something they did or didn’t do. Most laugh, and mock losers as unproductive people of society. Yet both history and Scripture would disagree with this assessment. Alfred Landon lost in a landslide to Franklin Roosevelt, yet he had a distinguished career thereafter. He witnessed 8 more presidents including America’s oldest president, Ronald Reagan who helped him celebrate his 100th birthday. Roosevelt died in office at the age of 63. No one lost a larger landslide election than George McGovern when he lost to Richard Nixon in 1972. He has had many humanitarian awards since losing, and though near death he has lived to be 90 years old. Nixon left office in the scandal of Watergate, and died in obscurity and shame. Though not a politician and hardly a loser, George Burns was always second to his wife Gracie Allen. When she died, George’s career began. In fact, George Burns became a movie star at the age of 79. He went on to live to be 100. Gracie died at the moderate age of 69 of a heart attack. These same trends have been duplicated over and over again throughout history. In our Christian life Jesus asked all of his followers to be losers. That’s the reference in our reading today. We see that in the Scripture repeated often. The prophets and the apostles sacrificed their lives for their faith. They understood an incredible principle that produced this incredible commitment and hope. They did not love this present life. They understood what was waiting for them was exponentially greater. The call for us today is the same. What the world may see as losing because of our faith is the ultimate victory. It last for an eternity! We are real winners in Christ!

Go Rest High on that Mountain - Pt 9

“Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.” (Matthew 6:25-34 ESV).

The last argument says, “Do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Let the day’s own trouble be sufficient for the day.” In other words, God has appointed to each day its portion of pleasure and trouble. And as your days so shall your strength be (v. 34). So don’t misappropriate God’s allotted troubles for tomorrow. Don’t bring them forward into today in the form of anxiety. Believe that God will be God tomorrow. The main point of all this is clear and unmistakable: Jesus does not want his followers to be anxious. He does not secure his kingdom by keeping his subjects in a state of worry. On the contrary, the more primary, the more central his kingship becomes in our lives, the less anxiety we will have. Jesus came, lived, died, and rose from the dead, in order that he might reign as King over an anxiety-free people. I know that sounds much easier than it is; however, remember what your paygrade is. It is his work in your life that makes the difference. Let me give you an image to remind you when things spiral out of your control. It is the way of the dandelion. The seeds of this delicate little flower of the fields are a fragile little bundle. They are like the opportunities of life. See all your circumstances as something that will provide you the means to become. Look again at the dandelion. They willingly empty themselves. They allow themselves to be reduced to nothing but a stem, as their seeds are gradually scattered to wherever the wind blows them. They share the little they have with the rest of the garden. They offer their beauty to the wind, for the renewal and the growth of other flowers. So let the wind blow it’s hardest. It will only make whatever of Jesus is in your life take root in others. It will be okay, God has got this! This belief and this alone is the way to freedom from anxiety.

Go Rest High on that Mountain - Pt 8

“Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.” (Matthew 6:25-34 ESV).

One of my coffee mugs reminds me of our seventh truth. The seventh reason not to be anxious is that when you seek the kingdom of God first, he works for you and provides all your needs (v. 33). Many people interpret this verse in a way that emphasizes what we need to do to insure our peace. Nothing could be further from the truth. In fact, it is a way Jesus has of reminding us that peace and security are simply “above our paygrade.” So, we can say with certainty that when we stop taking on God’s role and being anxious about the things of life, God starts being anxious for you. It’s such a foolish thing to insist on carrying anxious burdens which God has promised to carry for us. This is how Isaiah says it: For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. (Isaiah 55:8-9 ESV). So, how do we get there? It’s about “seeking.” If you set yourself to seek the Lord today in the stillness of your room or under the stars, the first thing you will do is call on the Lord. The religious word for this is "pray." Many people feel that they can't pray. They feel that it takes a lot of Bible knowledge to know how to say things just right. And that it takes a certain way with words, so you don't sound too coarse or too casual. The word is "call." And that is part of our everyday language, just like it was then. We call the waiter. We call a friend on the telephone. We call for help on 911. The first thing we do to seek the Lord is call to him. We might use words like these: "O God, help me!" Or: "God, if you are really there, show me!" So, rescuing yourself is not an option. That’s above your paygrade. It’s not for God. Call on Him!

Go Rest High on that Mountain - Pt 7

“Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.” (Matthew 6:25-34 ESV).

Today we will actually look at two things Jesus says about anxiety. They are linked together. The fifth and sixth reasons why a follower of Jesus shouldn’t be anxious are: We shouldn’t be anxious about what we eat or drink or wear because “the Gentiles seek all these things; and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all” (v. 32). Anxiety about the things of this world puts us on the same level with the world of unbelievers. It shows that we are really very much like the world in what makes us happy. And that ought not to be. It also shows that we don’t think our Father in heaven knows our needs. Or perhaps we don’t think he has the heart of a loving Father. Anxiety shows that we are too close to the world and too far from God. So don’t be anxious. The world has nothing eternal to offer, and your loving heavenly Father knows your needs now and forever. It really is an amazingly simple truth. I have found that I am easily distracted with the temptation to believe that somehow God doesn’t really know what I need. It usually looks something like a deadline. We’ve all been there. We have something that appears to us as being difficult and not being able to see the future, we often fear it. The closer the time approaches for us to need something to overcome the obstacle, the easier it is to panic a bit and think maybe God has forgotten. Of course, we never admit that. It is easier to believe that we have somehow misinterpreted God’s will. Whether we have misread God’s will or not, he does not forget what we need. That’s the real truth. And, worrying about all those things simply drains our faith. The real rest is found in our absolute faith in God’s consistency in meeting all our needs. Don’t allow yourself to go to the world of the unbeliever. There is no hope or peace to be found there!

Go Rest High on that Mountain - Pt 6

“Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.” (Matthew 6:25-34 ESV).

I’ve gone back to Cades Cove in the Great Smoky Mountain National Park to illustrate our fourth principle. The fourth reason Jesus gives for not being anxious is that he delights to adorn things. There is beauty in our world because he gets pleasure in making it so. Jesus says, “And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they neither toil nor spin; yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?” (vv. 28-29). When you see the tress change their colors in the fall even though they have no power to do so and have not worked to make it so, you must draw at least this one conclusion: God delights to adorn things. But if his delight finds expression in adorning nature, that’s here today and gone tomorrow, then surely his delight in adornment will express itself in how he clothes his children! I know the retort well. Some would remind me that very few people are “adorned as Solomon.” That’s true. But we couldn’t do our work if we were. I would only ask this question: Where have you ever seen a disciple of Jesus who did not have the adornment he needed to do what God had called him to do? Be careful. Do not measure the perfection of God’s provision by some standard below his calling. And do not forget that when we have finished carrying our crosses on torn shoulders in this life like Jesus, there will be kingly robes for us all. The measure of our beauty is often not seen outwardly. Take heart that the value of your clothing is beyond worldly accounting.

Go Rest High on that Mountain - Pt 5

“Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.” (Matthew 6:25-34 ESV).

The third reason not to be anxious is very pragmatic: anxiety doesn’t get you anywhere. It doesn’t do you any good. Jesus says, “And which of you by being anxious can add one cubit to his span of life?” (v. 26). Whatever problem is causing you to feel anxious, you can be sure your anxiety will not lessen the problem. It will only make you miserable while you try to deal with it. So don’t be anxious. It’s useless. I have seen it said that worry and guilt are opposite sides of a wooden nickel, two useless emotions facing different directions. Worry looks ahead, seeing threat and disaster at every turn. Guilt looks behind, imposing self-blame for perceived misfortunes and disappointments. Behind every disturbing emotion is a disturbing thought. Disturbing thoughts contain logical flaws or distortions, such as being too harsh on yourself, exaggerating the importance of negative events, or focusing only on the negatives. To control negative emotions, you need to take control of the thoughts that lay behind them. Capturing disturbing thoughts involves monitoring or recording your inner speech or self-talk. The best self-talk is rooted in the truth of Scripture. It shouldn’t come as a surprise that we are encouraged to meditate on the things of God. I have found it incredibly helpful to memorize verses from the Scripture. Inevitably one of those verses comes to mind when I am in a stressful situation. The Bible is the repository of truth; and, it is the truth that sets you free.

Go Rest High on that Mountain - Pt 4

“Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.” (Matthew 6:25-34 ESV).

As we continue looking at the principles Jesus describes in our reading dealing with anxiety we can see the second reason for not being anxious is perseverance. Jesus says, “Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?” (v. 26). What we see when we look at the birds is not a lesson in laziness. They dig their worms and snatch their bugs and pad their nests with strings and leaves. But Jesus says it is God that feeds them. What we see when we look at the birds is a creature who does not act as though God is only a merciful provider for today but won’t be tomorrow. Birds don’t anxiously horde things for the day of God’s demise. They go about their work as though when the sun comes up tomorrow, God will still be God. How much more, then, should we reckon with the reality and mercy of God tomorrow, since we are not mere sparrows, but children of our heavenly Father? The biggest difference between a disciple of Jesus and a bird is that we have the capacity of honoring God by our faith. And God values the exercise of our faith more than he values birds. So we ought not to be anxious because the birds have taught us that God can be counted on to work for us tomorrow just as much as today. The real key is in knowing this truth so that we may exercise our abilities for the glory of God, not the gain of our substance. Even when there is “more month than money” we can rest in the unshakable truth that God has an answer to all our needs. Persevere. Continue in that hope. That’s the light that dispels the darkness of difficulty. There is no “energy-saver mode” for the child of God.

Go Rest High on that Mountain - Pt 3

“Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.” (Matthew 6:25-34 ESV).

This passage we are focusing our attention on is very clear: Jesus does not want me to be anxious. Now, that’s the negative way of stating the main point of this passage. There is a positive way. Jesus says, “Seek first God’s kingdom” (v. 33). In other words, when you think about your life or your food or your clothes or your spouse, don’t fret about them. Instead make God the king in that affair and in that moment, and hand over the situation to his kingly power and do his righteous will with the confidence that he will work for you and meet all your needs. To seek the kingship of God first in every affair and every moment of life is a thrilling way to live. It’s full of freedom and peace and joy and adventure. It’s also full of hardship, but it’s worth it all. If you believe in the kingship of your heavenly Father, you do not need to be anxious about anything. So, now let’s begin with the specifics; let’s look at some of the reasons why. I see at least eight reasons Jesus gives in this passage why we should not be anxious. The first is “Do not be anxious about your life, what you shall eat or what you shall drink, nor about your body, what you shall put on” (v. 25). Food and clothing are essentials, aren’t they? We certainly believe they are. Indeed, to lose either would mean we would lose some pleasures. Food tastes good. It is pleasurable to eat; and, we would lose some human praise and admiring glances if we didn’t have nice clothes. Of course we know that we would lose long life if we had no food at all or weren’t protected from the cold with warm clothes. So we get anxious about food and clothing because we don’t want to lose physical pleasures or human praise or length of life. And to this Jesus responds: if you are gripped by anxiety over these things, you have lost sight of the greatness of life. Life was not given primarily for physical pleasures, but for something greater. Life was given primarily for us to spend an eternity with God in the age to come. We ought not to be anxious about food and clothing because food and clothing cannot provide the great things of life, the pursuit of his gracious favor, or the hope of eternity in his presence. Shift your focus to those things. It lifts the burden of anxiety.

Go Rest High on that Mountain - Pt 2

“Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.” (Matthew 6:25-34 ESV).

Jesus spoke these words of our reading precisely for you; they are intended to help you overcome whatever is making you anxious today. I suppose I chose this text for the next few devotionals because of the thoughts that came to me recently when I went to the Pharmacy to pick up a prescription. As those of you who have Medicare and the requisite supplementary insurance know, there is a deductible required at the beginning of each calendar year. For Mary and I, we were informed ours had risen a bit this year. It is now $410.00 per person. No problem. It’s just the cost of retaining our health; and, after all, a few dollars more to meet the deductible won’t break us. Well, I guess I was startled back to reality when I went to pick up one of my prescriptions and given the bill. I guess I should’ve known. It is not a generic. That’s not available yet. However, when the technician said, “That will be $409.00, I was a bit shaken. Since I didn’t have a heart attack at that moment, I was able to later reflect that at least I have now met my deductible for the year! But my struggle with anxiety is not just at the beginning of the year insurance deductibles. I can be anxious as a result of many circumstances beyond my control. I’m going to blame it on some weird quirk in my personality, or maybe some remnant of imbalanced parental upbringing. After all, that’s easier than thinking it could be because there is sin in my mind and heart every day. Whatever the reason, it is a very real experience that I hate and have to deal with every day. But I know it’s not just my problem. We all find ourselves in that predicament at some point. We all need this word from the Lord Jesus to remind us that his kingship is not built on the anxiety of his people. He has made himself king over us for the very opposite purpose, namely, to take away our anxiety. In my own life the sheer statement from the Lord that he does not want me to be anxious has a great tendency to give me peace. But when you add to it the reasons he gives why we don’t need to be anxious, his word becomes tremendously powerful. Tomorrow we will begin the specifics. Today, dwell on this: your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. He hasn’t forgotten. He will provide it all!

Go Rest High on that Mountain - Pt 1

“Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.” (Matthew 6:25-34 ESV).

Sometimes I just get in the mood to go to my computer and pull up various country songs from The Grand Ole Opry. It seems to clear my head and focus my mind when I find circumstances challenging. Today was one of those days when I needed a little focus. One of the first videos to pop up was “Go Rest High on that Mountain” with Vince Gill, Alison Krauss, and Ricky Skaggs do the vocals. It’s not much of a secret that song is one of my favorites. I hope you’ll take a few minutes and click on the link. You can find it at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NwFiWCUkk4M. There are some people in positions of authority or power who find it very effective to keep their people in a state of constant anxiety. They reason that if the people are anxious about their life, and worry about where their next meal is coming from, then perhaps they will be more willing to do more work. They reason that anxiety keeps them in their place. Fear makes their position firm. But one of the greatest things about Jesus is that he does not want his people to be anxious. The main point of today’s text is that God does not secure his position by cultivating anxiety. On the contrary, the aim of God’s kingdom is to free us from anxiety. God doesn’t need to keep us anxious in order to establish his power and superiority. Instead, he exalts his power and superiority by working to take away our anxiety. If you are born again his will for you this morning is that you not be anxious about anything, but that you enjoy deep serenity and peace and security. He gives us real rest both today and forever. There is a day coming when I can “go rest high on that mountain.” And, that thought clears my head and focuses my mind. We’re going to be looking at that more in the coming days. Perhaps it’s merely because I need it. Perhaps you do as well. My prayer is that you will find the tools and the means to be at rest in your life regardless of what is happening.

My Little Faith - Pt 2

The apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith!” And the Lord said, “If you had faith like a grain of mustard seed, you could say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea,’ and it would obey you. “Will any one of you who has a servant plowing or keeping sheep say to him when he has come in from the field, ‘Come at once and recline at table’? Will he not rather say to him, ‘Prepare supper for me, and dress properly, and serve me while I eat and drink, and afterward you will eat and drink’? Does he thank the servant because he did what was commanded? So you also, when you have done all that you were commanded, say, ‘We are unworthy servants; we have only done what was our duty.’” (Luke 17:5-10 ESV).

We return to yesterday’s reading so that we may learn Jesus’ second secret to growing a strong, vibrant faith. In the latter part of this passage he tells them that when they have done all they are commanded to do, they are still radically dependent on grace. Jesus gives an illustration. You might want to read it again (verses 7–10). The gist of it is that the owner of a slave does not become a debtor to the slave no matter how much work the slave does. The meaning is that God is never our debtor. Listen to the final verse: “So you also, when you have done all that you were commanded, say, ‘We are unworthy servants; we have only done what was our duty.’” We are always his debtor. And we will never be able to pay this debt, nor are we ever meant to. We will always be dependent on grace. We will never work our way up out of debt to a place where God is in our debt. “Who has given a gift to him that he might be repaid?” (cf. Romans 11:35). When he says that the owner does not “thank” the slave, the idiom for “thank” is provocative. I think the idea is that “thanks” is a response to grace. The reason the owner does not thank the slave is that the servant is not giving the owner more than what the owner deserves. He is not treating the owner with grace. Grace is being treated better than you deserve. So it is with us in relation to God. We never treat God with grace. We never give him more than he deserves. Which means that he never owes us thanks. God never says “Thank you” to us. Instead he is always giving us more than what we deserve, and we are always owing him thanks. So the lesson for us is that when we have done all we should do, when we have solved all our pastoral care problems and fixed the attitudes of all our people and mobilized the most missions and loved the poor and saved marriages and reared godly children and boldly proclaimed Christ God owes us no thanks. Instead we will at that moment relate to him as debtors to grace just as we do now. This is a great encouragement to faith because it means that God is just as free to bless us before we get our act together as he is after. Since we are “unworthy” slaves before we have done what we should, and “unworthy” slaves afterwards as well, it is only grace that would prompt God to help us. Therefore he is free to help us before and after. This is a great incentive to trust him for help when we feel like our act is not together. “We will never be able to pay this debt, nor are we ever meant to.”

My Little Faith - Pt 1

The apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith!” And the Lord said, “If you had faith like a grain of mustard seed, you could say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea,’ and it would obey you. “Will any one of you who has a servant plowing or keeping sheep say to him when he has come in from the field, ‘Come at once and recline at table’? Will he not rather say to him, ‘Prepare supper for me, and dress properly, and serve me while I eat and drink, and afterward you will eat and drink’? Does he thank the servant because he did what was commanded? So you also, when you have done all that you were commanded, say, ‘We are unworthy servants; we have only done what was our duty.’” (Luke 17:5-10 ESV).

In our reading the apostles ask Jesus to increase their faith. I find myself often in the same position. I intellectually know the answers; however, applying them often requires more faith than I seem to have. Luke recalls how Jesus helped them with their seeming lack of faith. Both of these speak truth into their minds and souls. So, today and tomorrow we’ll examine each of them in the hope that it will help you develop even more strength in your faith too. First, he strengthens our faith by telling us that the crucial issue in accomplishing great things not the quantity of our faith, but the power of God. He says, “If you had faith like a grain of mustard seed, you could say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea,’ and it would obey you.” By referring to the tiny mustard seed after being asked about increased faith, he deflects attention away from the quantity of faith to the object of faith. God moves mulberry trees. And it does not depend decisively on the quantity of our faith, but on his power and wisdom and love. In knowing this we are helped not to worry about our faith and are inspired to trust God’s free initiative and power. Often we are confused with the admonition that we need to know more information. If I just knew more theology; or, if I knew the original languages of the Bible; or perhaps, if I could have more experience, then I could really believe. After all, doesn’t strength come from a good plan? And, doesn’t a good plan come from knowing all the pertinent information related to that decision? If I really knew the future, I could be strong in the present, right? NO! That’s simply wrong-headed. We don’t need to know the future because we can know the One who does. Knowing the One who does know the future we can also know that He only has our good in mind for every circumstance we may experience. Now my faith, my belief in those unseen things becomes easy to both possess and apply. Tomorrow is no step for a stepper; and, we walk with the greatest “stepper” of all!

What am I Going to Do?

Someone in the crowd said to him, “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me.” But he said to him, “Man, who made me a judge or arbitrator over you?” And he said to them, “Take care, and be on your guard against all covetousness, for one's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.” And he told them a parable, saying, “The land of a rich man produced plentifully, and he thought to himself, ‘What shall I do, for I have nowhere to store my crops?’ And he said, ‘I will do this: I will tear down my barns and build larger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. And I will say to my soul, “Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; relax, eat, drink, be merry.”’ But God said to him, ‘Fool! This night your soul is required of you, and the things you have prepared, whose will they be?’ So is the one who lays up treasure for himself and is not rich toward God.” (Luke 12:13-21 ESV).

Have you ever really given much thought to why we struggle so much with unfounded fear? Our reading today simply says we don’t need to. It points to at least four things that we are prone to fear. First, in verse 4 Jesus says, “I tell you, friends, do not fear those who kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do.” So it implies that we are prone to fear death, especially death by persecution. Death is not a thing to fear for the child of God. Second, in verse 11 Jesus says, “And when they bring you before the synagogues and the rulers and the authorities, do not be anxious how or what you are to answer or what you are to say; for the Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what you ought to say.” So Jesus implies that we are prone to fear public shame. We are prone to be anxious about what others will think of us if we don’t have the right thing to say. Our culture is built on the prized position of peer acceptance. The only acceptance that makes an eternal difference is that which we have already received in Christ. Third, in verse 22 Jesus says, “Therefore do not be anxious about your life, what you shall eat nor about your body, what you shall put on.” So he implies that we are prone to worry about whether our basic physical needs will be met, food and drink and clothing and shelter. The truth is that death is not the worst thing, hell is. And God will keep you out of hell and care for you with detailed tenderness. He says the hairs of your head are all numbered. Jesus also tells us that the Holy Spirit will teach you what to say in an hour of public testing. You will not be left alone. And, last Jesus reminds us that our Father knows our daily needs and is far more inclined to give you what you need than he is to feed the ravens and clothe the lilies, but look how he takes care of them! So Jesus does not want us to fear. That is great news! There is now no fear of death, no fear of public shame, no fear of poverty and want. He wants us to see that God is the kind of God whose people do not need to fear.

Peace

But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you. Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid. (John 14:26-27 ESV).

Maybe it’s the dreary skies or colder temperatures of winter, whatever the motivation, I’m brought back to memories of times spent traveling the roads through the Great Smoky Mountain National Park. This picture today was taken at sunset in Cades Cove. There have been a few times when we have been and though good fortune we have found a moment when it appeared we were all alone in this idyllic setting. Sometimes I wonder why we didn’t go more frequently when we lived so close. Perhaps that was a squandered opportunity. I do know, that the memories I have of those trips are all filled with a strong sense of peace and joy. Today, I miss that. So, I have turned to the Scripture for a bit of encouragement. Perhaps it’s that kind of day for you and these verses will be of help to you as well. Let’s begin with today’s reading. Jesus was facing his imminent betrayal and arrest that would lead to his death. His concern was that his friends be left with peace. So he simply declares that blessing on them. I am no different than they; he has bestowed that peace on me as well. To really feel that peace in my soul I simply must recognize that this day is really temporary. The psalmist says we are “to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom” (Psalm 90:12). That’s just encouragement to be a wise steward of my remaining days. That great day of home-going is getting closer with each passing moment. David understood that. Luke writes in Acts, “David, after he had served the purpose of God in his own generation, fell asleep” (Acts 13:36). Whatever I do today, I really do pray it has been done to serve the purpose of God for me in my time. This past year has been full of surprises. It doesn’t take long to think that the “status quo” is forever and change is impossible. How far from the truth that has been! It has been a great reminder for me as the changes have come, that God is never changing. Whether it was a diagnosis of a chronic illness for Mary, new health issues for me, or the move of our middle son and his family to Florida I can be at peace knowing that it is His peace I have been given. So, now I am looking forward to brighter days both here and there. Now, I am certain they will come. Now, I am at peace. Think on these things with me as I pray for you and you for me. We are overcomers in His wonderful name!

A Friend

A man of many companions may come to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother. (Proverbs 18:24 ESV).

It’s been almost five years now since 10-year-old Christian Bucks thought his family was moving to Germany for his dad’s job and his mom showed him brochures about his potential new schools. He would be the new kid there; he would be the one without anyone to play with. He was just in first grade then, but he knew what loneliness on the playground looked like. He’d seen it at his own elementary school in York, Pa. But one German school he and his mom looked at had a solution for this. It was called the buddy bench, and if a child was sitting on it alone, it was a signal to the other kids to ask him or her to play. Christian’s family never did move to Germany, but the little boy is credited with introducing buddy benches to America. There are thousands scattered across the country in schools and parks. They may not be a timeless staple like the chain-link swings or the classic monkey bars, but the buddy bench is certainly a wonderful addition. Think of it in spiritual terms for a moment. While it is no more than a simple wooden seat planted on the edge of the kid-filled chaos, it is a silent summons to be seen instead of overlooked, fortified instead of forgotten, loved instead of lonely. It carries no stigma nor shame; it merely issues an unspoken invitation: Will you join me in my time of need? It’s a question we’ve all asked, isn’t it? Haven’t you asked that question at some point in your life? When the discouragement of life presses us from so many directions and our sadness seems to overwhelm us like a flood, we wonder who will offer us hope, extend to us mercy, or ease our burden. It is then that we must have the “friend” spoken of in our reading today. Thankfully we do. Thanks to Christ’s accomplished work on the cross, we are all invited to sit next to Him in prayer and find someone who sticks closer than a brother. The writer of Hebrews puts it like this: Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need. (Hebrews 4:16 ESV). Sounds a little like a spiritual “buddy bench” to me! So, the next time there seems to be no one to sit with you in your struggles, turn to Jesus. And, if you happen to look closely, you may see someone who is sitting alone. Go sit with them. You don’t need any answers; you only need to be present. Be that friend!

The Thicknesser of Life

For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it. Therefore lift your drooping hands and strengthen your weak knees, and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be put out of joint but rather be healed. Strive for peace with everyone, and for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord. (Hebrews 12:11-14 ESV).

Over the Christmas holidays, our youngest son, Aaron, came home. He is an excellent cook, an amateur gourmet chef. When we visited with him in the summer at his home in Washington DC, I noticed his cutting board was very small and well-used. I asked if he wanted one bigger. His answer was revealing: “Sure. But they are really expensive to get a good one.” Well, I’ve got the answer to that. We could build it when he came home. I have all the necessary tools for such a fun project. We took a trip to a local exotic wood dealer and bought some hardwoods. We choose Purpleheart, walnut, African mahogany, curly maple, and oak. Our first step in the process was to get the wood to the same thickness and desired width for each piece. Without taking a lot of time describing that process, suffice it to say it required some significant cutting and shaving of the wood. After we were done with that step there was plenty of sawdust and shavings on the floor! One of the machines essential in this process is a “thicknesser” (planer). If you’ve never seen one of these in action you will find it difficult to imagine. Let me merely say that it is rather “violent.” There are very sharp blades that rotate very fast and “shave” the wood all across its surface. That must be repeated as often as necessary to get it the right thickness. If the wood had “feelings” I’m sure it would be very painful! Yet, that is the only way to get it to the place where it can become a beautiful, useful piece for the kitchen. So, here’s the application. God designs and ordains what we are to become from the beginning. Along the way, it may require that we be run through the “thicknesser.” I’ve been there; and, I know from those experiences that they are never painless. This is not punishment. Jesus took all of our punishment on the cross. This is the Master Craftsman making us into that perfect piece for our lives. Real beauty and usefulness is rare in combination. Yet, this is precisely what God does in our lives. I know it sounds crazy for me to tell you to welcome those times on your life, even though that’s exactly what our reading today directs us to do. Remember, the pain is not forever. It will pass and leave an incredible work in your life. Draw strength from that truth.

Feeling Fragile

And I lifted my eyes and saw, and behold, a man with a measuring line in his hand! Then I said, “Where are you going?” And he said to me, “To measure Jerusalem, to see what is its width and what is its length.” And behold, the angel who talked with me came forward, and another angel came forward to meet him and said to him, “Run, say to that young man, ‘Jerusalem shall be inhabited as villages without walls, because of the multitude of people and livestock in it. And I will be to her a wall of fire all around, declares the Lord, and I will be the glory in her midst.’” (Zechariah 2:1-5 ESV).

Receiving packages in the mail is one of life’s little pleasures. You’ve placed your order and the day of delivery has arrived. You see the carrier drive up and politely wait, showing some dignity befitting someone of an adult age even though you feel like a three-year-old on Christmas morning; and, you open your door and there on your porch the package sits, crushed and mangled beyond recognition. It is broken and ruined. We’ve all been there both literally and emotionally in our lives. There are simply some days when we wake up feeling fragile and expecting to be broken by some yet unrevealed disappointment. The word is “vulnerable.” It’s often vague. No single threat. No one weakness. Just an amorphous sense that something is going to go wrong and I will be responsible. It’s usually after a lot of criticism. Lots of expectations that have deadlines and that seem too big and too many. By the way, according to research the number reason why packages marked fragile are damaged is: “Packaged in an old box.” Well, that’s no help for me. I am an “old box!” As I look back over the many years, I am amazed how the Lord Jesus has preserved my life. There is always both a compelling temptation to run away and an exhilaration concerning the responsibilities of life. The only way I have ever overcome the temptation to run away is reviewing the “I wills” and the “I shalls” of God. It is through those Scriptures that God has always answered my fears with concrete promises.” Today’s reading is one of those passages. After having my life broken and left in pieces recently I was reading in Zechariah as this promise jumped off the page for me: “I will be to her a wall of fire all around, declares the Lord” (v. 5). If it is true for the vulnerable villages of Jerusalem, it is true for me, a child of God. God will be “a wall of fire all around” me. And it gets better. Inside that fiery wall of protection he says, “And I will be the glory in her midst.” God is never content to give us the protection of his fire; he will give us the pleasure of his presence. It is so typical of God. He has consistently rescued me with concrete promises. This time he said, “I will be to her a wall of fire all around” and “I will be the glory in her midst.” Cry out to him. Then ransack the Bible for his appointed promise. We are fragile. But he is not. No matter how old your box is, God is new every morning!

Remembering - Pt 6

He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. (Psalm 23:1-4 ESV).

This is the last of our brief look into the “remembering” of Deuteronomy. I have chosen a very familiar reading for today. David wrote this psalm while he was traveling a particularly challenging path in his life. Yet, he comes to this incredible thought that no part of the path, even “the valley of the shadow of death,” is too much for our Shepherd. Even there we have no need to fear. He is with us and that is the message that relieves us of any questions concerning our safe arrival home. As Christians, we focus so much on triumph and victory, which is definitely the outcome we will experience, that we fail to remember there's a middle step. We can't be over-comers without anything to overcome. I am thankful for the confirmation of the Scripture and how it confirms so many things in my life. I haven't made a wrong turn anywhere along the way of my journey, even though I have at times strayed off the path. I'm just walking in an area that requires me to hold His hand a little tighter and to draw in a little closer because He can see things in darkness I could never see in broad daylight. It's not by coincidence, it's not by happenstance, but it's by design that you are where you are. I know the promise of Jeremiah 29:11 is primarily about the nation of Israel; however, since Christians are the “New Israel” we may lay claim to the truth in it for all of God’s children. There the prophet declares that God “knows” the plans for us. May I remind you that is just another way of saying we don’t know them. God is the one in control and He's the one ordering our steps and He knows the way. Even if that way happens to go through the darkest, lowest, loneliest times of our life, it's worth being there because it is taking us precisely where our good will be produced. It may not look good, and Lord knows it doesn't feel good, but be confident in knowing that it's all for your good. Take assurance in knowing that He purposely brought you to this "valley" so He could purposefully bring you out. This dark place is just another opportunity to experience Christ in a closer way. God covers us on all sides. We have not been forgotten, though there are times when it feels that way. He walks with us, sometimes carrying us through every experience. Trust Him!

Remembering - Pt 5

Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. In my Father's house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also. (John 14:1-3 ESV).

Where God resides is where we should live our lives out. That is our shelter from every storm of life. No circumstance can separate us from Him. It is one of the most amazing and wonderful things in the Bible to realize that just hours before Jesus was crucified he was concerned for the peace and the joy of his followers. Think of it. He is about to be tortured to death with one of the most horrific means of torture ever devised, and his burden was to solidify in the souls of his followers peace, joy, and faith. So, his simple message is found in our reading today. For us this message is past tense. He has already gone before us, forging the path to an eternal future free from every bad thing. It is not difficult to doubt the truth of this promise. We can easily be drawn to the thought that this is mere subjective, emotional, individualistic, socially and culturally and politically correct speech in the face of the moment. It certainly can seem disconnected from the great public, systemic, global crises and injustices and calamities of our time. Many come to this conclusion when they hear the Lord doing this. After all, how can he be concerned enough at this time about the building peace and joy and faith into the hearts of his followers? For me it is simple. Pick your crisis, your injustice. Choose poverty with all its internal and external causes; or, pick the devastation of drug addictions, white collar corruption like Ponzi schemes or nepotism or money laundering or planned obsolescence or redlining or embezzling or insider stock movements or bribery. Or pick ethnic and religious hostilities like the Burmese against the Christian Kachin, or the Nigerian Muslims against the Nigerian Christians, or the butchery in Syria. All of these things come from hearts devoid of the peace of Jesus Christ, and the joy of Jesus Christ, and the faith of Jesus Christ. But where that peace and that joy and that faith hold sway, those behaviors are overcome. My encouragement to you, regardless of your experience of the moment, is to remember that He is already preparing you place in heaven. When it is ready, you will be ready. Then He will come and get you to escort you safely home. Then we need not concern ourselves with the “what” of this life; we only focus on the “when” it shall be finished! There is our joy, peace, and faith for this awful day!

Remembering - Pt 4

Can a woman forget her nursing child, that she should have no compassion on the son of her womb? Even these may forget, yet I will not forget you. Behold, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands; your walls are continually before me. (Isaiah 49:15-16 ESV).

We return to Isaiah for our reading today as we look at the second truth from our study in Deuteronomy: God is faithful and loving to His own. He cannot, He will not forget us even for a moment. There are so many examples of the impact of this assuring promise of God. When Isaiah declares that God has “engraved” us on His hands he is declaring that He will never forget Zion, the city (people) of God. They are inscribed (engraved) upon the palms of His hands so that they will always be in His sight and kept as an everlasting remembrance. This expression is referring to an actual custom among the Jews who actually tattooed their hands or arms with paintings of Jerusalem or the Temple, thus they would always have a remembrance ever before them. They would have an impression on a block of wood of something relating to the city such as the Temple and print it onto the palm or arm with powder or charcoal. Then they would take two needles tied close together and dipping many times in certain inks they would make small punctures quickly and accurately all along the lines of the figure they had printed. This verse teaches us that God constantly cares for and remembers His people, using an imagery that was familiar to the ancient custom of the day. Even in the midst of the most terrible trials, as in the background of this verse, He will always remember His beloved. Just as their city walls were built for safety, so our safety and protection depends upon His continual care. The wounds in Christ's hands when he was crucified are a clear message calling us to remember this verse. He will always protect those for whom he suffered and died, and His remembrance of us is as close to God as He is to Himself. When Jesus wanted to prove himself and assure the disciples that he was indeed the Messiah, he said: And he said to them, “Why are you troubled, and why do doubts arise in your hearts? See my hands and my feet, that it is I myself. Touch me, and see. For a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see that I have.” And when he had said this, he showed them his hands and his feet. (Luke 24:38-39 ESV). His message is no different to us. Whatever you may be experiencing he has not forgotten. How could he? He has written your name on his hands in the most personal way possible. He did it on the cross for your eternal life. And that is the life he is developing in you!

Remembering - Pt 3

Listen to me, O house of Jacob, all the remnant of the house of Israel, who have been borne by me from before your birth, carried from the womb; even to your old age I am he, and to gray hairs I will carry you. I have made, and I will bear; I will carry and will save. (Isaiah 46:3-4 ESV).

We are continuing the study of “Remembering” through the inspiration of the Book of Deuteronomy. Today’s reading is from the prophet Isaiah as he proclaims the words of the Lord to the nation of Israel at a particularly difficult time in the nation of Israel. You may recall my brief experience from yesterday’s devotional as I recounted receiving a telegram just before entering the sanctuary to preach my first sermon. It was from Deuteronomy 31:6. It has continued to shape and direct me throughout the years of ministry since. You may also recall that the first suggestion I called you attention to was: “God is our help. He can do to and for us the impossible to accomplish His will.” Not long ago I had a client who came in for their session and said, “Some days I wake up crying. When I do, I often don’t even know why. Perhaps it is the weight of unspoken problems that I’m too afraid to articulate, coupled with a vague dread of what might come next. Or perhaps it’s the growing realization that the pain I’m feeling will only intensify throughout the day.” That began one of the most difficult sessions I have had in recent memory. I knew their circumstance very well. In the midst of their deteriorating health there was also the complete abandonment from their family and friends. Divorce and separation from fiends who could no longer bear the weight of their depression and grief had led them to question whether God had forgotten them or not. “Your life is miserable. You’re a burden. You can’t do anything for yourself,” were the ugly voices they kept hearing from the moment they awoke each day. This is the point of remembering. God is for us. Even when life looks like it’s splintering, God is for us. He has unmistakably shown us that in Jesus. And, if God is for us, he is orchestrating everything in our lives for our good. We can trust him even when everything looks dark. The psalmist tells us this truth: For you have delivered my soul from death, yes, my feet from falling, that I may walk before God in the light of life (Psalm 56:13 ESV). He indeed has delivered our soul from death. He has kept our feet from stumbling. He has empowered us to walk before him in his light, even though our legs and feet may have become increasingly frail, and walking is getting harder. He who created us knows every detail of our life, and he will keep us from falling. There is the answer. God IS our help. He has proven it and will continue to do so. Plant that thought in your mind as you take another step.

Remembering - Pt 2

So Moses continued to speak these words to all Israel. And he said to them, “I am 120 years old today. I am no longer able to go out and come in. The Lord has said to me, ‘You shall not go over this Jordan.’ The Lord your God himself will go over before you. He will destroy these nations before you, so that you shall dispossess them, and Joshua will go over at your head, as the Lord has spoken. And the Lord will do to them as he did to Sihon and Og, the kings of the Amorites, and to their land, when he destroyed them. And the Lord will give them over to you, and you shall do to them according to the whole commandment that I have commanded you. Be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be in dread of them, for it is the Lord your God who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you.” (Deuteronomy 31:1-6 ESV).

Perhaps a little background is important as we continue our study today. The picture you see is a scanned image of the actual telegram I was handed just moments before I walked into the sanctuary of First Baptist Church, Bryan, Texas, to preach my first sermon. I know, many of you have never seen or received one of these in our electronic, instant messaging culture. That was forty-seven years ago. I have not kept up with the number of sermons I have preached and the places I have preached them in since then. It has been too many years and too little memory. I do know that the Lord has always been with me every time. There was never anything to fear or dread! However, I can vividly remember that evening. The pastor, Bailey Stone, was away and had asked me to preach for him. To say I was terrified is an understatement. I had prepared diligently. I had practiced and rehearsed to the point that it was both measured and perfect in delivery, if not content. Bob Butler, a wonderful servant of God and friend was my aide that evening. Just before I walked in to the sanctuary he said, “Here’s a little something from Bailey.” And, he handed me the telegram. “Read Deuteronomy 31:6” has stuck with me through every experience since then. I was called to remember. It worked. My confidence was bolstered and I was able to let go of the fear and embrace the next step in my journey. As we began yesterday focusing on “remembering” let me outline just a few things from the Scripture that we’ll explore more deeply in the coming days: God is our help. He can do to and for us the impossible to accomplish His will. God is faithful and loving to His own. He cannot, He will not forget us even for a moment. Where God resides is where we should live our lives out. That is our shelter from every storm of life. No circumstance can separate us from Him. The safety that we so desperately seek is in Jesus. He is the One who holds and sustains us through life. God covers us on all sides. We have not been forgotten, though there are times when it feels that way. He walks with us, sometimes carrying us through every experience. Trust Him!