El Roi

 

And the angel of the LORD said to her, “Behold, you are pregnant and shall bear a son. You shall call his name Ishmael, because the LORD has listened to your affliction. He shall be a wild donkey of a man, his hand against everyone and everyone’s hand against him, and he shall dwell over against all his kinsmen.” So she called the name of the LORD who spoke to her, “You are a God of seeing,” for she said, “Truly here I have seen him who looks after me.” Therefore the well was called Beer-lahai-roi; it lies between Kadesh and Bered. And Hagar bore Abram a son, and Abram called the name of his son, whom Hagar bore, Ishmael. Abram was eighty-six years old when Hagar bore Ishmael to Abram. (Genesis 16:11-16 ESV).

 

Today we see a fourth name of God in the Old Testament. Our reading is a part of a larger story (cf. Genesis 16). The story centers on the painful triangle of relationships between Abram, Sarai, and Sarai’s slave Hagar. The story contains weakness, jealousy, competition, contempt, scorn, rejection, meanness, and other emotional violence. When the situation becomes unbearable, Hagar runs away. But now she is in a desperate situation: pregnant and alone in the desert.

 

But there’s grace and mercy in this raw story too. The name for God in this text draws from the Hebrew word roi, which has to do with “looking,” “appearance,” “seeing,” and “sight.” Alone and utterly forsaken in the desert, in her darkest moment, Hagar realizes that El Roi (pronounced “EL-raw-EE”), “the God who sees,” has never lost sight of her.

 

I find this description of the character of God very encouraging. Don’t we all find ourselves at times in desperate situations? Even if our circumstances are not desperate, they can certainly be difficult at times, and we can feel as if we have no hope. It is those very times when we may feel as if no one really “sees” us. But even in times of hopelessness, we can be assured: El Roi, “the God who sees,” is watching over us, seeing us, and providing for us in our darkest hour of need.

 

It is so easy to feel alone, as if there is no “us” in our lives. However, even in our bleakest moments we can know that El Roi, “the God who sees,” has never lost sight of us and promises to care for us. What greater companion in life can we find? He is our assurance in every circumstance of life.

 

El Elyon

 

After his return from the defeat of Chedorlaomer and the kings who were with him, the king of Sodom went out to meet him at the Valley of Shaveh (that is, the King’s Valley). And Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine. (He was priest of God Most High.) And he blessed him and said, “Blessed be Abram by God Most High, Possessor of heaven and earth; and blessed be God Most High, who has delivered your enemies into your hand!” And Abram gave him a tenth of everything. (Genesis 14:17-20 ESV).

 

Today we see another name for God that occurs in the Old Testament. It is also a compound of the general name for God, “El.” It reveals another important quality of God’s character. It is “Elyon,” a Hebrew word meaning “go up” or “ascend.” So the name El Elyon reveals God as “The Most High God.” The name El Elyon isn’t used often, but it occurs three times in our reading for today.

 

In Genesis 14 we read about battles taking place between several kings in the Valley of Siddim, near the Dead Sea. In these skirmishes, Lot, Abram’s nephew, is taken captive. After Abram rescues Lot, he meets up with the defeated kings in another valley near Jerusalem. Then Melchizedek, the king of Salem (Jerusalem), brings Abram an offering of bread and wine. We know almost nothing about Melchizedek, except that “he was priest of God Most High [El Elyon].” With this offering Melchizedek bestows on Abram a blessing from “God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth.”

 

How does Abram respond? He acknowledges the blessing of the Creator God by giving Melchizedek a tenth of all his possessions. But Abram’s offering isn’t to Melchizedek; it is to El Elyon, “the Most High God.” We should note that neither Melchizedek nor God required such and offering. Abram gave the offering as a means of expressing his gratitude and acknowledging the great work he had performed in saving Lot. I have heard many people use this passage to indicate the requirement of the tithe (giving a tenth of our income). While that came to be the practice of the Israelites in their worship, we must not be caught up in merely “obeying the law.”

 

The meaning of this name helps us to understand our position in relation to God. He is THE Most High. Giving to God is a means of honoring who He is in our lives. After all, hasn’t He already given us the greatest of all gifts? Our deliverance from death through Jesus is far greater than anything we could give. When you give, do so as a result of your understanding of who God is… El Elyon!

 

Elohim

 

In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters. (Genesis 1:1-2 ESV).

 

The most common name for God in the Hebrew Bible is El, meaning “God.” Derived from a Semitic language, the root meaning of El is “might, strength, power.” This name for God occurs widely throughout the Bible. In the first chapter of Genesis it is used 35 times. Sometimes the word el refers to the pagan gods of nations surrounding Israel. When it refers to the one true God, however, the word is always capitalized, meaning “God of gods.” More often (about 2,600 times in the Old Testament), the name El occurs in plural form as Elohim (pronounced “e-loh-him”). This form, sometimes called the “plural of majesty,” emphasizes that the God of Israel is “the one true God of the universe.”

 

The names El and Elohim set the God of Israel in stark contrast with the false gods of other nations, proclaiming them counterfeit and stating that he is the one true God. No wonder our reading today (which is the very first verse of the Bible) reads, “In the beginning God [Elohim] created the heavens and the earth.” No one knows the reason for the plural form here, but the early church fathers suggest it points to the Trinity—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—one God in three persons.

 

Regardless, El or Elohim, “the one true God,” declares that our world along with all of creation belongs to Him. Perhaps the most encouraging thing about this truth is found in the meticulous care God has given to both the creating and sustaining of His creation.

 

I’m often reminded of this when I spend time in my shop. I have some tools that are decades old. My table saw is over thirty years old. Yet, I have maintained it with care. I can be found waxing the top on many occasions to insure both proper cuts and protecting the surface from rust and corrosion. I do that with all of my tools. None of them are special to anyone but me. They are not the most expensive; nor are they irreplaceable to anyone but me. If I would do that with tools, how much more will God care for and protect His pinnacle of creation? We can trust Him to care for us in the best ways possible. He is Elohim!

 

The Names of God

 

Then Moses said to God, “If I come to the people of Israel and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’ and they ask me, ‘What is his name?’ what shall I say to them?” God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM.” And he said, “Say this to the people of Israel: ‘I AM has sent me to you.’” (Exodus 3:13-14 ESV).

 

Today we are beginning a short series looking at the names of God in the Scripture. Our reading today is an example of one of those, “I AM WHO I AM.” Often you will see this name of God in all caps as “THE LORD.” The reason is that it was held in such high regard that the people of Israel would not even verbalize it. In Hebrew it is may be transliterated as Yahweh. We are most familiar with it as “Jehovah.” We certainly will look more carefully at this particular name of God later; however, today I bring it to mind simply to underscore how important names were in the days of the writing of the Scripture.

 

In Shakespeare’s play Romeo and Juliet, Juliet asks, “What’s in a name? … That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet.” She’s certainly right. The person we love is far more valuable than his or her name. Still, names are important. Names today don’t reveal much about us, but names in Bible times often did. For example, Adam’s name comes from the Hebrew noun adamah, meaning “ground” or “earth.” People are truly earthlings. Throughout the Bible, names tend to reveal something about the person they name.

 

If the names of the people in the Bible reveal something important, how much more do the names of God, the main actor in all of Scripture! God has graciously stooped to reveal himself to us. He reveals his personality and character through his actions and his names. This month, as we look at God’s names in the Old and New Testaments, we learn who he is by reflecting on the meaning of his names.

 

My hope is that as we learn more about God’s names we will be challenged us to take him seriously in all areas of our lives. Each one carries a specific detail about God and His character that has been especially helpful to me in my journey. Today, recognize that when God introduces Himself as “I AM”, He is saying that He is more than enough for all that we may need in this life or the next!

 

Job - Pt. 7

 

Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place1 of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.” (Revelation 21:1-4 ESV).

 

The Book of Job is so difficult. While I have attempted bring encouragement to you in the midst of whatever trial you are experiencing, the story is exhausting in both its complexity and length. However, today we come to the last of our questions. The first three are “Who?”; “Why?”; and, “When?” The last and final question that Job helps us answer is “What?” If God is indeed responsible; if He is producing good in our life; and, if He is going to give us the final revelation of that good when we are sanctified and ushered into His glory; then, shouldn’t we be able to know “What?” After all, what is it that is so good that the Lord would be willing to continue to allow our suffering? Our answer is in today’s reading. Job didn’t have this answer fully. Jesus had not yet come. The end was not nearly as plain as it is for us looking back on what Jesus has already finished on our behalf.

 

I have often been asked at this point in counseling the people who feel lost and without hope “What about now?” I am not diminishing the real pain people are feeling when they are in the midst of Job-like struggles and grief when I say, “What about now?” The really is the question though. “Now” is such a fleeting moment. It certainly cannot compare to “then.” It is at this point when we all must come to an understanding of a phrase that I have adopted long ago: One day closer.

 

With every passing moment, with every passing hour, we get that much closer to our ultimate deliverance. Until that time, we have an unshakable, eternal relationship with the God of all things. As great as we may have come to believe any challenge or difficulty might be, it is nothing compared to the great God and Creator of all things. He is the One we call “Father”; and, there is no good thing that He will withhold from His children. That day is coming. For some of us it may be sooner than we even imagine! That is the “what”!

 

Job - Pt. 6

 

[Job said] “Let me have silence, and I will speak, and let come on me what may. Why should I take my flesh in my teeth and put my life in my hand? Though he slay me, I will hope in him; yet I will argue my ways to his face. This will be my salvation, that the godless shall not come before him. Keep listening to my words, and let my declaration be in your ears.” (Job 13:13-17 ESV).

 

Just WOW! So far as we have barely scratched the surface of Job’s pain, we see no end in sight for this man who has been declared the most righteous man on earth. He has done nothing to deserve what he has received; the pain is excruciating; and, he continues to suffer. The question now becomes, “When God allows tremendous and seemingly inexplicable pain, what does he expect from us?” If we can find no explanation of our pain in relation to our sins or God’s good desire to grow us into maturity, what does God want us to do?

 

The answer in the book of Job is surprisingly simple. Satan predicted that Job would curse God when he lost everything (cf. Job 1:11). He declared that Job would give up on God, cut off his relationship with him and demean God as unworthy of any love or worship. In fact, Job did the opposite and blessed God when God seemed to be cursing him (cf. Job 1:21). It is my belief that both with Job and every believer, the Lord has no other requirement. It is true that the Lord will confront some of the foolish things Job has said in the dialogues (cf. Job 38:3), God never rebukes Job for any sin.

 

This is the conundrum in our third question. Remember, the first two: “Who?” and “Why?” These are plainly answered in Scripture. However, this third question is “When will it get better?” When will the pain cease? After all, when all seems lost, when the pain is so great, when will it end? The Scripture does tell us the ultimate end of our suffering will be at death. Then we receive our entrance into the presence of God in a way that will be plain and evident. But, what about until then!

 

We are told in this incredible account of this Old Testament hero of the faith that we are to hold on to our relationship with the Lord and not give up on him. Like Job, we may say some very foolish things about God in our pain. Like Job, these careless words will cause us intense pain when God restores us, as they did for Job (cf. Job 42:6). But God’s response to this foolish speech is extraordinarily gentle. We should not miss the truth that God does tell Job to prepare himself for the encounter (cf. Job 38:3). This is an extremely gracious way to respond to someone who has said just about everything negative one can say without cursing God. The real strength comes not from knowing more; it comes from knowing the Lord who knows all and oversees all to our good.

 

Job - Pt. 5

 

Then Job arose and tore his robe and shaved his head and fell on the ground and worshiped. And he said, “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return. The LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD.” In all this Job did not sin or charge God with wrong. (Job 1:20-22 ESV).

 

Today’s reading helps us expand the thought from yesterday. Let’s summarize a bit. First, God alone is sovereign over all of creation. He alone has ultimate control and authority. Second, God has ordained each of our lives in such a way as to bring good from every circumstance. This truth is typically met with some doubt as we think of those things that really are a direct result of our sin. Fortunately the Scripture speaks to this.

 

In our current culture we have developed two explanations for suffering: sin on our part or God’s work of growing us as Christians. Both are, of course, thoroughly biblical. First, it cannot be denied that suffering is often a result of our sin. David writes that his wounds “stink and fester” because of his own foolishness (cf. Psalm 38:5). David is in pain, but it is no mystery why, and clearly the best response in such pain is repentance. There is a second explanation of suffering clearly taught in the Scripture. James urges us counter-intuitively to regard trials as joy, because God is working perseverance in us, which ends in the very precious state of a Christian mature and complete, lacking nothing (cf. James 1:2–4).

 

This brings us to the final explanation for our suffering. The Book of Job goes to great length to show us that it is not because of any fault in Job’s life that his affliction comes. In fact, it is a result of his righteousness that attracts such unfortunate attention (cf. Job 1:8). God is not “teaching” Job. He is working good in his life. When God puts us into a position where we must hold onto our relationship with God for God’s sake only—in which we stand to gain nothing but God—we start to receive him more fully than we ever had before. Job’s amazed cry, “Now my eyes see you,” becomes our own.

 

We need to be very clear at this point. God’s desire for us is this intimate relationship that can only come from complete trust. Notice Job worships after his declaration of God’s working in his life. He both acknowledges God as the overseer of his pain and the source of his comfort. The Book of Job has much more to teach us; however, for now we should learn that our only hope and healing come from the One who is in control. Turn to Him alone.

 

Job - Pt. 4

 

Now there was a day when his sons and daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother’s house, and there came a messenger to Job and said, “The oxen were plowing and the donkeys feeding beside them, and the Sabeans fell upon them and took them and struck down the servants with the edge of the sword, and I alone have escaped to tell you.” While he was yet speaking, there came another and said, “The fire of God fell from heaven and burned up the sheep and the servants and consumed them, and I alone have escaped to tell you.” While he was yet speaking, there came another and said, “The Chaldeans formed three groups and made a raid on the camels and took them and struck down the servants with the edge of the sword, and I alone have escaped to tell you.” While he was yet speaking, there came another and said, “Your sons and daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother’s house, and behold, a great wind came across the wilderness and struck the four corners of the house, and it fell upon the young people, and they are dead, and I alone have escaped to tell you.” (Job 1:13-19 ESV).

 

While we are still in the beginning of this very complex book of the Bible, our reading tells us of the calamities that fall on Job. Job loses nearly everything dear to him. He is put into a position where he has every earthly reason to give up on God. We will see later (cf. Job 13:24) that God appears to act like an enemy, like someone who has betrayed him. It is a clear revelation that there is this sense in which God must allow these temporary and tragic interruptions in his goodness if he is to prove the reality of our relationship with him. This is the case because a relationship with God for God’s sake is the only kind of relationship that will save us. As I wrote yesterday, the true character of our faith, whether we have faith at all, is exposed in this kind of crucible. This is how we arrive at the answer to our first question of “Who is ultimately in control of our journey?” It is God.

 

With this answer in mind, we can move to the second question (which is usually our first one): “Why is this happening to me?” I am reminded of a wonderful quote from C. S. Lewis. Although he was not discussing the book of Job, he expressed this conundrum well as he journeyed through the collapse of his faith:

 

If my house has collapsed at one blow, that is because it was a house of cards. The faith which “took things into account” was not faith but imagination. . . . It has been an imaginary faith playing with innocuous counters labelled “Illness,” “Pain,” “Death,” and “Loneliness.” I thought I trusted the rope until it mattered to me whether it would bear me. Now that it matters, I find it didn’t.

 

When our rope fails we must have an answer to why it did so. Knowing the character of God and having received the bounty of His grace in the past, how could we be abandoned at such a time as our present trial? The answer is simplest in the Apostle Paul’s letter to the Romans: And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. (Romans 8:28 ESV). Everything that God directs in our life is a part of His design to bring good to us. Of course, that does not appear comforting as the pain of trial is always at the very limit of our perception of our ability to bear it. However, as we are going to see in Job it all absolutely works for Job’s good.

 

When God allows extreme and inexplicable suffering, when he appears to treat those who love him as if he hates them, the book of Job teaches that God is delivering us from our trivialization of God as a means to our ends and giving us opportunity, in the midst of unhidden and public grief (cf. Job 1:20), to worship God as God, for his own sake, regardless of any secondary blessing we might gain or lose. Such worship is painful, costly, and deeply honoring to God as the LORD and not a pet deity. Without these tragic experiences, even the best among us will slowly and unconsciously drift away from Job’s costly and beautiful worship in the first chapter of this book. In suffering, God is saving us, delivering us into a relationship with him where he is actually God and Lord. And, that after all, is the best “good” to be experienced.

 

Job - Pt. 3

 

And the LORD said to Satan, “Have you considered my servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, who fears God and turns away from evil?” Then Satan answered the LORD and said, “Does Job fear God for no reason? Have you not put a hedge around him and his house and all that he has, on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land.” (Job 1:8-10 ESV).

 

Let’s piggyback off yesterday’s thought and dive a bit deeper. The key to interpreting the book of Job is this first question of Satan: “Does Job fear God for no reason?” (v. 9). Satan is implying that Job is not faithful and obedient to God for nothing, but only because of secondary blessings which accrue in the relationship. Take those away, he says, and Job will openly curse God (v. 11). A curse does not, of course, refer to obscene speech in the Scripture. It is the act of abominating someone or something, regarding it as utterly ugly and worthless. The accusation is that a relationship with God is impossible, because Job loves the gifts more than the Giver. Once the gifts are taken away, the game of “bribery and payoffs” will stop, and Job will curse God by cutting off his relationship with God, by demeaning God as unworthy of love or trust.

 

This is the issue at stake in the book of Job: will human beings continue in a relationship with God in which all they gain from the relationship is God? Will we ever treat God as anything more than a vending machine or a means to an end? The opening chapters of Job show God putting his beloved servant in a position in which he loses every other reason to stay in a relationship with God except God himself. It starts to cost Job dearly to hold on to his relationship with God.

 

This is an issue of deep relevance for God’s people in our culture. While the outward form of the secondary blessings is not the same for us—faithful Christians are not promised wealth, cattle, and many slaves (1:2–3)—we all enjoy benefits in our relationship with God through Jesus Christ which are secondary to the ultimate blessing of the forgiveness of sins, eternal life, and communion with God. As I read Job 1–2, I must ask myself: if my family were suddenly killed, would I praise God any less as I grieved and mourned that very real loss? Without suppressing his pain, Job considers God no less worthy of worship when he takes than when he gives. In other words, Job’s relationship with God is entirely on terms of grace.  Since everything he enjoyed was a gift rather than reward for good behavior, God is not to be faulted when it is taken away. On the other hand, if God allows a Christian to suffer some great and painful loss, and if the Christian’s response is, “How dare you, Lord? You’ve betrayed me!,” then that Christian’s motives for faithfulness are certainly different than Job’s.

 

We are only at the first chapter of a long and complicated book, but already we are deep into the complexities of the book of Job. Part of what the prologue of Job teaches is that sometimes God temporarily interrupts his normal policy of giving earthly blessings to his saints (remember Job’s restoration in 42:10–17) and puts us in a position where we have every earthly reason to give up on God. Sometimes God will appear to act like an enemy (13:24), like someone who has betrayed us. Furthermore, there is a sense in which God must allow these temporary and tragic interruptions in his goodness if he is to prove the reality of our relationship with him. This is the case because a relationship with God for God’s sake is the only kind of relationship that will save us. The true character of our faith is exposed in this kind of crucible.

 

Job - Pt. 2

 

The LORD said to Satan, “From where have you come?” Satan answered the LORD and said, “From going to and fro on the earth, and from walking up and down on it.” And the LORD said to Satan, “Have you considered my servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, who fears God and turns away from evil?” Then Satan answered the LORD and said, “Does Job fear God for no reason? Have you not put a hedge around him and his house and all that he has, on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land. But stretch out your hand and touch all that he has, and he will curse you to your face.” And the LORD said to Satan, “Behold, all that he has is in your hand. Only against him do not stretch out your hand.” So Satan went out from the presence of the LORD. (Job 1:7-12 ESV).

 

I am often fond of asking people four separate questions when they are faced with a calamity, especially one that is not of their own making. It is another way of helping people answer the age old question of “why bad things happen to good people?” I must warn you that the way I phrase the first question is purposefully shocking. The intention is to start people down the path of understanding that there is only one person who possesses the power to deliver us. It is much the same as Jesus’ teaching after he is approach by the rich young man (cf. Mathew 19:16-26). Ultimately the young man is sorely disappointed. The disciples question Jesus at the point of how can anyone possibly get into heaven if not this young man. Jesus answers:

 

[Jesus said] “Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.” When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished, saying, “Who then can be saved?” But Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” (Matthew 19:24-26 ESV).

 

The question Satan asks God in our reading leads me to this question: “Does Job fear God for no reason?” (v. 9). So, my question to folks then becomes, “Who’s to blame for your suffering?” Remember, it is true that sometimes we simply “reap what we have sown”; however, the ultimate question is “who?” After all, we have seen people who seem to get away with so much evil that there seems to be a disparity in consequence. This is especially true when we really haven’t done anything to precipitate the suffering. It’s easy to blame Job’s suffering on Satan. It’s even easier to cite the cause of some of the things that befell him as mere coincidence. He happened to be “in the wrong place at the wrong time.” That is not what the Scripture says. We are told God gave Satan permission to do these things to Job. God is ultimately in control. That’s good news! If God is in control, we have the ultimate advocate who works on our behalf for good. We should never “fear God” for what we receive from Him. We have a relationship with Him because of His love and grace toward us. We must always go back to this absolute truth when we experience trial. He is our only hope!

 

Job - Pt. 1

 

There was a man in the land of Uz whose name was Job, and that man was blameless and upright, one who feared God and turned away from evil. 2 There were born to him seven sons and three daughters. He possessed 7,000 sheep, 3,000 camels, 500 yoke of oxen, and 500 female donkeys, and very many servants, so that this man was the greatest of all the people of the east. His sons used to go and hold a feast in the house of each one on his day, and they would send and invite their three sisters to eat and drink with them. And when the days of the feast had run their course, Job would send and consecrate them, and he would rise early in the morning and offer burnt offerings according to the number of them all. For Job said, “It may be that my children have sinned, and cursed God in their hearts.” Thus Job did continually. (Job 1:1-5 ESV).

 

As I have mentioned previously, I will be teaching some basics within the framework of the Book of Job later this spring at Gospel City Church, Arlington. I am preparing for that study now. Therefore, I thought it might be instructive to share with you through Morning Devotionals some of the insights I have gained from a return to this book of the Old Testament. I have preached through it several times over the years; however, the perspective of this study requires a different approach. Thus far it has been incredibly instructive to me personally. I hope it will inspire you as I share each day some of the things that have encouraged me.

 

So, let us begin. In the little drama that opens the book of Job, God tells Satan: “There is no one on earth like him.” For Job “was blameless and upright; he feared God and shunned evil.” Job is also described as “the greatest man among all the people of the East.” He was wealthy, and God had blessed him with seven sons and three daughters. Job worshiped God faithfully. Every day he sacrificed a burnt offering for each of his children, in case they had sinned against God. But the devil claimed that Job only served God for what he could get out of it. In other words, Job’s faith lacked integrity; Job only walked with God because it made him prosper.

 

God allowed Satan to test Job’s faith. God allowed Satan to take away Job’s children and wealth. And although Job’s faith became strained, it did not break. Job never cursed God. He remained faithful, even confessing, “The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away; may the name of the LORD be praised.” Maybe you are going through a “Job moment” in your life. Life is tough right now. Your walk with God isn’t making you rich, keeping you from sickness, or protecting your children from troubles. The key truth is that God is the beginning and ending of all of our experiences. Because of that we have the promise of good at the end of every circumstance, whether of our making or not. Our Father in heaven protects and keeps His children. We must remember that as we go forward.

 

Our Earthly Tents

 

For we know that if the tent that is lour earthly home is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. For in this tent we groan, longing to put on our heavenly dwelling, if indeed by putting it on we may not be found naked. For while we are still in this tent, we groan, being burdened—not that we would be unclothed, but that we would be further clothed, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life. He who has prepared us for this very thing is God, who has given us the Spirit as a guarantee. (2 Corinthians 5:1-5 ESV).

 

Our reading today uses a particularly interesting image. The Apostle Paul uses the image of a “tent” to speak of our bodies. As you can see from the photo I’ve attached I may have a much different view of what my “tent” looks like. It is taken from an advertisement with the lead title being: Canvas Tent: “Classic Camping with the Tents of Yesteryear.” Since I was born in 1949 I suppose you could say that I belong in the category of “yesteryear.” I can unequivocally say that I’m not even “as good once as I was,” much less that “I’m as good as I once was.” Lots of stuff just doesn’t work as well as it did decades ago. My tent has gotten old, tattered and repaired more times than I could recount.

 

Someday it will cease to function at all. It will be set aside to “return to the dust from which it was made. Death does come to all of us. And, generally the closest we come to realizing our human mortality is when we see the earthly remains of someone who has passed on to eternity. The apostle Paul offers a fitting perspective on this passing. He points out that this life and body are temporary, and our whole being yearns for its permanent dwelling in heaven. When believers in Christ take their last breath, they are swallowed up by life and not death. Our camping adventure in these earthly tents is over, and we move into a new place that Jesus has prepared for us (cf. John 14:2).

 

Life in these tents can be as varied as the places we may have camped. My experience is that some of these places have been rich and full, and some have been barren and challenging. Mary has never enjoyed “camping.” Her retort was always that “a tent didn’t have a door that locked.” My retort was always a feeble attempt at injecting some humor into the invitation to camp, though it never worked. It is amazing how like our lives that really is. We recognize how much more we need assurance of our security as our “tent” gets older. Well, God has given us the proof of our perfect security in the Holy Spirit. As weak and insecure as we might get, God has a plan in place for changing all of that to perfection. Getting older really is just getting closer to that moment!

 

Suffering - Pt. 6

 

Be patient, therefore, brothers, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, being patient about it, until it receives the early and the late rains. You also, be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand. Do not grumble against one another, brothers, so that you may not be judged; behold, the Judge is standing at the door. As an example of suffering and patience, brothers, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. Behold, we consider those blessed who remained steadfast. You have heard of the steadfastness of Job, and you have seen the purpose of the Lord, how the Lord is compassionate and merciful. (James 5:7-11 ESV).

 

Through the last five decades I have had many people tell me that they simply can’t go on. I remember one conversation in particular from a family member who asked why God would really want her to suffer as she was, day after day, with no relief. Her illness was incredibly painful even with the drugs being administered during the last few weeks of her life. Her illness was tormenting her, and she was looking for answers that we often do not have.

 

Suffering for the sake of suffering is not God’s will. It is a part of life in this broken world; God’s light has broken into the darkness, but we still long for the complete fulfillment of God’s plan. Jesus is coming again to restore everything. Meanwhile, life can be excruciatingly difficult, and we, as God’s children, are called to persevere. Hold on tightly to hope.

 

James in our reading today reminds us of the perseverance of the prophets and of Job, a man who suffered greatly when he lost all his children, all his possessions, and his health. Yet he did not lose hope or give up. God was there with him and eventually restored his possessions and gave him abundantly more. The point of Job’s story is not that he regained possessions but that he persevered in his faith in God and that God demonstrates compassion and mercy.

 

Often it is simply a matter of where we place our “care.” Another friend messaged me recently and said that she had tried not caring about her difficult circumstance, but that only made matters worse. It made her feel empty and broken. My response was from 1 Peter 5:6-7:

 

“Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.”

 

Kermit was sort of right… however, just hanging on is not nearly as effective as trusting God to take over when we don’t feel as if we can possibly go on.

 

Suffering - Pt. 5

 

The king is not saved by his great army; a warrior is not delivered by his great strength. The war horse is a false hope for salvation, and by its great might it cannot rescue. Behold, the eye of the LORD is on those who fear him, on those who hope in his steadfast love, that he may deliver their soul from death and keep them alive in famine. Our soul waits for the LORD; he is our help and our shield. For our heart is glad in him, because we trust in his holy name. Let your steadfast love, O LORD, be upon us, even as we hope in you. (Psalm 33:16-22 ESV).

 

Yesterday I mentioned my time of stillness during the hospital stays of the last three years. Today I want to center our attention on “hope.” You may remember that I had cancer surgery in 2014. Each year as I returned to the oncologist I “hoped” for a report that the cancer was gone. Still, almost nine years later, I continue to hope for the doctor to tell me that my lab report shows the results of “undetectable” in regard to the cancer. When I say, “I hope my cancer doesn’t come back again,” it’s both a wish and a prayer. But when I say, “God gives me hope for the future,” that is confident assurance in the promises of the God who has never failed me.

 

The picture I’ve included today is of the eruption of “Old Faithful.” It is one of the most viewed scenes in Yellowstone National Park. We got our seats along the edge, a safe distance away and simply waited for the eruption. The incredible thing was that it was right on time, as it has been for decades. Of course, this is the reason for the name of the geyser. As faithful as it is, it cannot compare with the absolute faithfulness of God. He is always on time with the perfect answer to our every need.

 

For the people of God, hope is drawn from a deeper well. As the psalmist explains, we cannot rely on our own armies and horses—our own resources—to deliver us. The beautiful image is that of the God whose eyes are locked on us, whose love never fails, who is our help and shield. God paints a positive picture of our forever future. When our hope and trust are firmly connected to our unchangeable God, we know deep in our souls that God’s love will sustain us through this life and into eternity. This means that even if our struggles return, our hope in God remains. This is the sustaining thought to capture us in the midst of our suffering. He is The Faithful One!