Home Is Where the Anchor Drops

 

By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place that he was to receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going. By faith he went to live in the land of promise, as in a foreign land, living in tents with Isaac and Jacob, heirs with him of the same promise. For he was looking forward to the city that has foundations, whose designer and builder is God. (Hebrews 11:8-10 ESV).

 

Most of us have a warm spot in our hearts for “home.” Even the word home can bring feelings of warmth, love, and security. Though we may grow up and eventually leave our home of origin, our home never quite leaves us. You may remember me citing the many “homes” we have lived in across the country. We’ve loved each of them for different reasons. I suppose our favorite place to live would have been Middle Tennessee. It was a wonderful place to spend nearly seven years. We were privileged to know many wonderful people and found it to be as close to our “dream home” as any. However, the place our children call home is where we live now. They didn’t move quite as much later in their lives as we did early in our married life. We spent seventeen years in Parker County; and now have added another seven years to that total. Nearly half of our married life has been spent in this place. Yet, it really isn’t our home. Mary and I have always practiced making home wherever our anchor dropped. The place was never as important to us. We had each other and the Lord at every place we’ve lived.

 

Abraham was different in many ways. For much of his life, he was a nomad, moving from one place to another. Even though he left behind places that he could have called home, the book of Hebrews tells us he was “looking forward” to finding his home with God. That’s because God called him and by faith Abraham followed. Oftentimes Abraham lived as an outsider in a foreign land. He knew what it was like to be different from the people around him. As a sojourner, he faithfully followed the Lord as his guide and as God fulfilled promises in his life.

 

All of us who consider ourselves spiritual children of Abraham have a similar mindset. We follow where the Lord leads. As followers of Jesus, we are never completely comfortable or at home with the value system and lifestyle of this world. As a result, we don’t drive our stakes too deeply into the ground. Instead, we travel lightly. Even if we don’t travel to distant lands, we focus on living as citizens of God’s kingdom. We live in such a way that we long not only for our home with God but also to help bring his coming kingdom here on earth. Wherever your anchor is now, remember your real “home” is being prepared for you in heaven! That’s where the final anchor will be!

The Promise of God to Lead Us

 

Now the LORD said1 to Abram, “Go from your country and your kindred and your father’s house to the land that I will show you. And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.” (Genesis 12:1-3 ESV).

 

Yesterday I wrote about the practice of walking by faith even when we don’t have sight to direct us. The question is “how?” We find the answer in our reading from yesterday and repeated today. It would be an understatement to say that these verses are a pivotal passage in Scripture. Many of the key events in God’s calling and saving his people flow from this passage. Before sending Abraham out on his world-saving mission, God loads him up with an armful of promises. God says, in effect, “I will give you my presence, my guidance, my protection, and my favor.”

 

It’s easy to focus on everything Abraham is leaving behind as he follows God’s call. But we must remember what Abraham receives as he follows. God promises that Abraham will inherit a great land and become the father of a great nation, and that all peoples will be blessed through him. Later God made this even clearer by sending his Son, Jesus, born as a descendant of Abraham, to be the promised Savior of the world. Abraham didn’t fully understand all the implications of God’s promises. He didn’t have to. God just called him to walk forward with confidence, trusting in his word.

 

In many ways, it’s no different for us today. Though we have a fuller revelation of God’s plan than Abraham did, we do not see all its glorious details. This means that faith is still required if we want to see God’s great blessings, and to be God’s great blessing to others. The promise He has made to us is even greater than that of Abraham’s promise. He will never leave us or forsake us. He will work all things to our good. He will prepare a place for us and come again to take us to where He is for eternity! We can trust Him to keep those promises.

 

Faith without Sight

 

Now the LORD said to Abram, “Go from your country and your kindred and your father’s house to the land that I will show you. And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.” So Abram went, as the LORD had told him, and Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he departed from Haran. (Genesis 12:1-4 ESV).

 

Abraham had lived in Ur, a big city in its day, and with his extended family he had moved to Harran (Genesis 11:31). Ur was in modern-day Iraq, and Harran was in modern-day Turkey. Abraham was prosperous, and even if he wasn’t looking for God to take over his life, God was looking for him with a special plan in mind. Because of this, Abraham’s life changed in a big way. At that time his name was Abram, but God later changed his name to Abraham (cf. Genesis 17:5.) In effect, God said, “Leave your country, your culture, your clan, and follow me.” That’s not easy to do when you are 25 years old, much less 75 years old. He was successful and settled making it even more difficult. And God didn’t give Abraham a map to follow. God simply said, “Go … to the land I will show you.”

 

Mary and I have moved many times in our half-century of marriage. We’ve lived in three different states, over 20 different houses, and 10 different cities. In every one of those moves we felt certain God was leading us; however, we always had some idea of what we were moving to. Abraham had no such foreknowledge. I can’t imagine the faith it must have taken for him to simply go where God told him.

 

When it comes to God’s calling in our life, we like to have both clarity and content. We want a detailed description of where to go and what to do when we get there. But God seldom works that way. God wants us to exercise faith, not simply our intellect. He wants us to learn to walk by faith in him, rather than simply by sight. Not every call of God involves relocation, but every call does involve leaving some of our past behind and venturing into the unknown with God as our guide. What is your next step in your journey of faith? Trust Him. He will always give you what you need.

 

A Little July 4th Trivia

 

Happy Independence Day! I hope you are enjoying the holiday. Our devotional today begins with a bit of July 4^th trivia.

 

§  What is known as “The Dunlap Broadside” was first printed on July 4, 1776. Copies of this broadside were read to announce independence in New York on July 9th and in Boston on July 18th. Only 26 copies of this broadside are known to exist (the 26th was recently discovered in the collections of the British National Archives). It is the earliest of the documents to have actually been done on July 4^th.

 

§  John Adams’ Draft Copy of the Declaration of Independence was written by hand and included in the Addams Family Papers. It is one of the early drafts later to be amended and changed by the full Continental Congress.

 

§  On July 3, 1776, John Adams sent a letter to his wife, Abigail. In this letter, Adams predicts the great celebrations which would mark future Independence Days (but he suggests it will be 2 July, not 4 July, which would be so honored: “But the Day is past. The Second Day of July 1776, will be the most memorable Epocha, in the History of America. I am apt to believe that it will be celebrated, by succeeding Generations, as the great anniversary Festival. It ought to be commemorated, as the Day of Deliverance by solemn Acts of Devotion to God Almighty. It ought to be solemnized with Pomp and Parade, with Shews, Games, Sports, Guns, Bells, Bonfires and Illuminations from one End of this Continent to the other from this Time forward forever more.” We ought to remember that Congress voted for independence on July 2nd, and approved the text of the Declaration two days later.

 

As believers we have our “Independence Day.” We celebrate it during Easter Week every year. The Apostle Paul gives us this brief explanation:

 

Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. (2 Corinthians 3:17 ESV).

 

We should not diminish the act of the Founders and all those who fought and died for our political freedom; however, we must remember that the greatest freedom is not derived from a political solution. It comes only through the work of grace in the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus! Enjoy your holiday and remember the real freedom waiting for you in eternal life through Jesus!

 

In Times of Trouble

 

God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear though the earth gives way, though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea, though hits waters roar and foam, though the mountains tremble at its swelling. (Psalm 46:1-3 ESV).

 

Triple digit air temperatures and dry weather have allowed the fire danger to return to North Central Texas. The fire pictured here is burning over hundreds of acres and spreading even as I write this devotional in a county near us (Palo Pinto County, Texas). As you can see it is a terrifying sight. Many fire departments are responding, though the danger to homes and other structures has not yet been brought under control. Our prayers for those in the path of this wildfire continues.

 

This challenging condition is not the only danger we face in our world. In fact, since Adam and Eve were cast out of the Garden of Eden hearts of God’s people have been challenged by such circumstances. Our reading today offer encouragement, bolstering our faith in the goodness of God. In our troubled times we may still turn to this psalm.

 

While we will celebrate our hard-won freedom tomorrow, I wonder how many of us really feel free? Has the fear of such trying times given you a sense of dead and discouragement? It may be because of some personal trial of health or finances. Perhaps you are facing the end of a relationship that seems too difficult to bear. Or, you may simply be without hope in the face of the violence that seems to surround us in our modern culture. Hatred and prejudice seem to erupt regularly in our nation. It does drive us to wonder if Jesus can wait much longer before He comes and restores sanity to the world.

 

In the face of that, may I suggest that you remember the words of the psalmist: “Therefore we will not fear… The Lord almighty is with us…”

 

Can You See Jesus?

 

[Jesus said] “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne. Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. And he will place the sheep on his right, but the goats on the left. Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.’ Then the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’” (Matthew 25:31-40 ESV).

The Jesus Optical Illusion (attached here) is a popular afterimage illusion.  Stare at the dots in the center of this image for approximately 60 seconds.  When the time is up, quickly close your eyes and look at a bright light source (like a lamp).  Alternatively, you can also look at a blank wall.   You should see a white circle with an image inside of Jesus. Give it a try!

 

At first glance it looks nothing like what we have come to recognize as Jesus. It is more of a group of odd shapes that make little sense. I am reminded when I see this little illusion that Jesus can be with us even when we don’t see him.

 

One of the wonderful memories I have in my life comes from my experience in Alaska. A group of men and I traveled to a small Inuit village on the tundra to help build a church and parsonage. It was a wonderful week of hard work that was enormously satisfying. One particular experience stands out for me. While the weather was a bit uncooperative most of the week with temperatures in the 50’s and off and on drizzle, one day the sun did shine and the children of the village came to our worksite. They approached us with small pails full of Arctic Tundra Berries. These blue berries grew wild on the surface of the tundra and were a tasty treat for the people there. They were kind enough to offer us some of their harvest. I must admit they were very tart. However, their kind gesture touched me deeply.

 

Isn’t that exactly what Jesus meant in our reading today? I think we all could do a better jib of seeing Jesus in the faces of the people we meet along our journey, even when their customs and beliefs are quite different than ours!

 

The Sanctuary

 

One thing have I asked of the LORD, that will I seek after: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD and to inquire in his temple. For he will hide me in his shelter in the day of trouble; he will conceal me under the cover of his tent; he will lift me high upon a rock. And now my head shall be lifted up above my enemies all around me, and I will offer in his tent sacrifices with shouts of joy; I will sing and make melody to the LORD. (Psalm 27:4-6 ESV).

 

This spring and summer have been one for the record books. The weather in Texas has been unpredictable and very dangerous. We have seen floods, hailstorms, tornados, high sheer-winds, and record-breaking heat. If ever there was a time to have a safe shelter in place it has been the last few months for many Texans. Our reading today uses the word “shelter” to describe the protection of God. It is actually the Hebrew word for “sanctuary.” In English it can refer to two different things. It describes a place that is holy, set apart for worship; and, it also describes a place of safety, where someone in danger can go to find shelter and protection.

 

Psalm 27 helps us understand how the two meanings of this word overlap. When we have received salvation from God, we are called to worship God. We go to the “sanctuary” to offer God our worship. We do this not for our own sake, but for God’s sake. God is holy and beautiful and calls us to worship him, so we offer God our worship.

 

But when we give God our worship, we receive a wonderful gift as well. Psalm 27 describes the presence of God as a place of safety. Because God is our Savior, we receive comfort and security in God’s presence. When we go to the sanctuary to worship God, we give God worship, and we receive peace from God. This is why the psalmist longs to worship God. The beauty of the Lord compels the psalmist to go to the sanctuary of the Lord and worship him.

 

We can rejoice in following God’s command to worship too. For as we worship God, we receive his comfort, peace blessing, strength, and renewed energy to live for him. God is our stronghold!