A Big, Big God

I will extol you, my God and King, and bless your name forever and ever. Every day I will bless you and praise your name forever and ever. Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised, and his greatness is unsearchable. One generation shall commend your works to another, and shall declare your mighty acts. On the glorious splendor of your majesty, and on your wondrous works, I will meditate. They shall speak of the might of your awesome deeds, and I will declare your greatness. They shall pour forth the fame of your abundant goodness and shall sing aloud of your righteousness. The LORD is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. The LORD is good to all, and his mercy is over all that he has made. All your works shall give thanks to you, O LORD, and all your saints shall bless you! They shall speak of the glory of your kingdom and tell of your power, to make known to the children of man your mighty deeds, and the glorious splendor of your kingdom. Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and your dominion endures throughout all generations. [The LORD is faithful in all his words and kind in all his works.] (Psalm 145:1-13 ESV). About fifteen years ago, a wonderful song was released with a targeted children’s resource, “Our God Is a Great Big God.” It was designed to emphasize the wonder of the majesty and power of God. Originally developed through Vineyard Ministries, the lyrics are: Our God is a great big God, Our God is a great big God, Our God is a great big God And He holds us in His hands.(repeat) He’s higher than a skyscraper And deeper than a submarine. He’s wider than the universe And beyond my wildest dreams. He’s known me and He’s loved me Before the world began. How wonderful to be a part Of God’s amazing plan. David writes the thought wonderfully in our reading today. Perhaps you are feeling a bit overwhelmed today. My encouragement is to remember just how big God really is. He is big enough to shoulder our responsibilities; he is big enough to share our deepest and darkest secrets; he is big enough to carry us when we feel as though we aren’t strong enough to take another step; and, he is big enough to ensure that every one of our days have been planned out for us. That’s good news! Our God is a big, big God!

The Great Imponderables

Behold, God is exalted in his power; who is a teacher like him? Who has prescribed for him his way, or who can say, ‘You have done wrong’? “Remember to extol his work, of which men have sung. All mankind has looked on it; man beholds it from afar. Behold, God is great, and we know him not; the number of his years is unsearchable. (Job 36:22-26 ESV).

There are always questions that make us scratch our heads and simply respond with a “hmmm”. For example, “Why don’t cats like to swim?” or, “Do penguins have knees?” or, “Why do clocks run clockwise?” Sometimes there simply isn’t an adequate answer to our question. David Feldman has written a series of eleven wonderful little books asking some of these “imponderables.” They are filled with wit and humor, and cause us to think a bit more deeply about a life we often take for granted. The study of Theology is something like that. It causes us to think a bit deeper about the character and nature of God. It also helps us to formulate an answer to some of questions we have about God with something other than “just because.” I have heard it said that all the great theological questions have been asked by three- and four-year-olds. Art Linkletter once said, “Kids say the darndest things.” He was certainly right. I read of a teacher who each year in her preschool class would ask a “buddy” class of fourth graders to visit her classroom to write letters to God with the younger children. Some of the questions were priceless: “Where exactly is heaven?” and, “How do you hear everyone’s prayers?” and, “Will I see my grandma there?” and “God, how can you be three people at the same time?” and, finally, “Will we eat in heaven?” Pretty simple, but they are “head-scratchers” all at the same time. I am struck by how many are the same questions I have heard through the years. Perhaps you have some of these questions, or others that simply cause you to wonder. The temptation to become impatient as we wait on an answer that simply is not forthcoming often causes us to trust the first voice that seems to be reasonable. Often the correct answer is not reasonable by the estimation of human logic. The cross is such an unreasonable truth. The apostle Paul said it this way: For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. For it is written, “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and the discernment of the discerning I will thwart.” (1 Corinthians 1:18-19 ESV). So, as you ponder the imponderables, rest in this fact. God loves you so much, he gave His only Son to deliver you in His grace!

Your Happy Dance

That is why it depends on faith, in order that the promise may rest on grace and be guaranteed to all his offspring—not only to the adherent of the law but also to the one who shares the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all, as it is written, “I have made you the father of many nations”—in the presence of the God in whom he believed, who gives life to the dead and calls into existence the things that do not exist. In hope he believed against hope, that he should become the father of many nations, as he had been told, “So shall your offspring be.” He did not weaken in faith when he considered his own body, which was as good as dead (since he was about a hundred years old), or when he considered the barrenness of Sarah's womb. No unbelief made him waver concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God, fully convinced that God was able to do what he had promised. (Romans 4:16-21 ESV).

As I help us break into our happy dance because it’s Friday, can I dig a little deeper so that we can celebrate as much on Monday through Thursday? I know this may have been the week that ends all weeks as far as challenges are concerned. It may be that things started out messed up on Monday and each day seemed to get worse. The more you tried to untie the knot of mistakes, disappointment and failure, the tighter the knot became. It may be that there was one challenge on top of another and you seem to have reached your breaking point. The end of this day will be a signal to just breathe and start over on Monday. I’ve had those kinds of weeks. In fact, I’ve had those kinds of years! Sometimes life is just like that. Sometimes we can identify the direct results of our sin, failure, and disobedience. Sometimes, we don’t see any connection, things are just messed up. Circumstances just seem to swell to a depth that we simply cannot continue to tread the depth any longer and sinking seems like a wonderful alternative. We do have hope. It is not just that the weekend has arrived. With a brief review of Abraham’s life (c.f. Genesis 12-16), it is very clear he did not live a peaceful, trouble-free life. He certainly made mistakes. He also was responsible for some of his bad times. But there were other times when he was the picture of faithfulness and still life seemed to rise up to drown him in trouble. It’s these times in his life that we learn much about faith under stress. It all revolved around his “trust.” Go back to our reading today. Look at the “trust”: Paul talks about “hope believed”; “without weakening”; “did not waver”; “strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God”; and “fully persuaded.” That’s an incredible picture of trusting. Through all of this he kept trusting in God (v. 21). Through all his mistakes, sins and failures, Abraham kept on trusting. And God “credited it to him as righteousness.” He does the same for you and me. With that truth firmly entrenched in your heart and soul… please resume your happy dance!

Summer Vacation

After the death of Moses the servant of the LORD, the LORD said to Joshua the son of Nun, Moses' assistant, “Moses my servant is dead. Now therefore arise, go over this Jordan, you and all this people, into the land that I am giving to them, to the people of Israel. Every place that the sole of your foot will tread upon I have given to you, just as I promised to Moses. From the wilderness and this Lebanon as far as the great river, the river Euphrates, all the land of the Hittites to the Great Sea toward the going down of the sun shall be your territory. No man shall be able to stand before you all the days of your life. Just as I was with Moses, so I will be with you. I will not leave you or forsake you. Be strong and courageous, for you shall cause this people to inherit the land that I swore to their fathers to give them. Only be strong and very courageous, being careful to do according to all the law that Moses my servant commanded you. Do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may have good success wherever you go. This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success. Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.” (Joshua 1:1-9 ESV). Our reading today gives us a glimpse of the courage of Joshua. It couldn’t have been easy for him to take the lead in delivering Israel into the Promised Land without Moses. It shouldn’t come as a surprise that God understood this fear and gave him information he needed to be able to accomplish the calling to lead. In many ways the month of August is something of a scary month for many people. This is especially true of children and teens with the start of school coming in just a few days or weeks. For many of them there are lots of questions to be answered. It is like being on the border of a new country. Adults face the same temptation to fear as well. There are very few of us who can say with certainly what our day will be like. There is always a sense of uncertainty about our immediate future. Like Joshua we can easily be shaken with a real reason to be frightened. Think about Joshua. He had been Moses’ helper, but now the responsibility for all these people was his. Plus they were supposed to strike off into new territory and wage war on the inhabitants. God knew Joshua was scared. In one paragraph, he commands Joshua three times, “Be strong and courageous!” It sounds much easier than it really is to do. However, the key is that God is always gracious. God brackets this powerful paragraph with a twice-repeated promise (verses 5 and 9b): “I will be with you everywhere you go.” What new venture does God want you to start? Trust him to be with you and empower you. Listen, obey, trust God and begin!

The Big Picture

For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us. For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God. For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now. And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. For in this hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience. Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified. (Romans 8:18-30 ESV).

Life is full of puzzles. Some of them are fun. Faith and I have recently finished an Aggie puzzle that can be displayed in any of three different ways. We chose to display the football field. I always enjoy jigsaw puzzles. There was a time when I always had one in the process of being put together. They are a great reminder concerning the vagaries of life. We all have experienced the frustration of life’s puzzles. At times they seem to sweep the joy of life away. When we are confronted by the challenges of life it can seem as though we will never find a solution. And, then as often is the cased with a puzzle, that one piece that seems to be the key to the rest simply appears. I find it easier when I continue to focus on the picture of what the competed puzzle should look like. We may be certain that we cannot solve the puzzles of life by looking within ourselves. We don’t have the strength, the insight, or the resources to solve the puzzles of life. And, that’s the key. We must keep our eyes fixed on the distant goal. The distant goal in our reading today is our eager expectation of the glorious freedom and the final transformation of believers. Life’s puzzles have a purpose. God designs them to do good in our lives. Life’s puzzles seem less alarming when we focus on the glory God has prepared for us. Look at the big picture again!

Another Day Closer

Brothers, join in imitating me, and keep your eyes on those who walk according to the example you have in us. For many, of whom I have often told you and now tell you even with tears, walk as enemies of the cross of Christ. Their end is destruction, their god is their belly, and they glory in their shame, with minds set on earthly things. But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself. (Philippians 3:17-21 ESV). Today’s devotional may seem a bit morose. I hope you will stay with me until the end of this short bit of rumination. While I am writing this a few days early in order to get it to the publishers of the web site, I am looking forward to celebrating my sixty-seventh birthday on this day. I have chosen today’s reading because it seems to be a summary of one of the greatest temptations of our day. As I grow older I can only count the days, months, and years in terms of how much closer I am to the end of this earthly life. That’s the morose part. Please be assured that I am doing all that I can to follow the doctors’ orders to extend that time as much as possible. And, I now have several other “care-takers” that watch closely over my behavior. In fact, now that my granddaughter has a cell phone, whenever I do something that doesn’t seem to be in my best interest, she immediately texts both her grandma and her parents to “tattle.” I suppose that’s a good thing, though it does seem a bit extreme. At any rate, go back to our reading for a moment. The Apostle Paul draws a clear contrast between those who are enemies of the cross and those who are not. He says, “Their end is destruction, their god is their belly, and they glory in their shame, with minds set on earthly things.” In these sixty-seven years I have seen the relevance of this description to our culture. People do seem more interested in satisfying their personal desires (belly); they do seem to celebrate their rebellion (glory in their shame); and, there is little doubt that their concentration is on temporal pleasure (earthly things). Paul’s answer to all of that is that we remember our citizenship is heaven. This is simply not our home. With that thought, he comes to the conclusion that our struggles and failures all will be completely swept away in the power of our Savior. Now, that is a thought that is worth celebrating. I cannot say with the apostle that you should imitate me. I have had plenty of moments that can only be classified as a failure; however, that moment in 1969 when I was born again takes all of those moments and casts them aside in favor of the overwhelming victory I have through Jesus. I am one day closer to receiving the reward of that great gift of grace in a way that cannot be imagined now in this life. So, celebrate with me that we are both one day closer!

Baguio City

Thus says the LORD to his anointed, to Cyrus, whose right hand I have grasped, to subdue nations before him and to loose the belts of kings, to open doors before him that gates may not be closed: “I will go before you and level the exalted places, I will break in pieces the doors of bronze and cut through the bars of iron, I will give you the treasures of darkness and the hoards in secret places, that you may know that it is I, the LORD, the God of Israel, who call you by your name. For the sake of my servant Jacob, and Israel my chosen, I call you by your name, I name you, though you do not know me. I am the LORD, and there is no other, besides me there is no God; I equip you, though you do not know me, that people may know, from the rising of the sun and from the west, that there is none besides me; I am the LORD, and there is no other. I form light and create darkness, I make well-being and create calamity, I am the LORD, who does all these things. (Isaiah 45:1-7 ESV).

Please don’t ask how I manage to find and retain so many seemingly useless bits of trivia. The haphazard way I have of filling my brain with these tidbits of information surprises me on many occasions. Be that as it may, a bit of trivia came to my attention regarding a city. It was Baguio, on the Philippines’ Luzon Island. The official paragraph from the city’s web site says it is “a mountain town of universities and resorts.” It is called the “City of Pines.” More of the promotional information says: “It’s particularly popular in summer due to unusually cool weather. At its center is Burnham Park, with gardens and a lake. Nearby, Baguio Cathedral, completed in 1936, has a rose-hued exterior. The main thoroughfare is Session Road, lined with shops, restaurants and entertainment options.” I found a picture of Session Road. As you can see it is not much more than controlled chaos. I suppose that could be seen as a “tourist destination,” though I cannot imagine navigating my way through those confines. But, isn’t our lives often little more than controlled chaos. We have assignments due, deadlines to meet, pressure at work, sudden illnesses to face, and unsettling news to face. It is easy for us to ask if anyone is really in control. When life doesn’t make sense and stress mounts, where do you look for order? When chaos erupts in our lives it is essential that we recognize that there is someone in control. In our reading today God’s words were spoken to Cyrus, a pagan monarch. God assures Cyrus that he has anointed and appointed him to accomplish his perfect plan. We ought to remember that God’s promise to us is the same. We need not panic in the face of chaos; God has not abandoned control of circumstances. “He creates light and darkness, happiness and sorrow” (v. 7) so that all people may recognize that he alone is God. He wants us to know this so that we will trust him alone. I don’t know about you, but I’d rather trust the God who loves me than blind fate or chance when chaos strikes.