Tag: war

What Happens in Gibeah…

Near the end of the book of Judges, there is a curious story; one often overlooked because of its sad and gruesome nature. Read the whole story here: https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Judges%2019-21&version=TLB

When one first encounters this story, it seems horrific but also disconnected somehow. Throughout the rest of the book of Judges, the narrative focuses on individuals who led the nation of Israel as they moved into and settled in the Promised Land. Moses and Joshua had led them TO the land, and now others were leading them IN the land. Some of them became household names as their stories echoed through the ages– Gideon, Samson, and to a lesser extent, Barak and Deborah and Jael–heroes in battle, but often weak in leadership. But as the book continues, the stories are much less heroic and much more appalling. The story of Gibeah is a tragic and disgusting downfall for the entire nation, rife with rape, murder, and civil war.

Hundreds of years later, the prophets Isaiah and Hosea make reference to Gibeah, and the horrors that were committed there. As bad as the story of Gibeah is, I believe it holds lessons and warnings for us even today.

  • At the beginning of the story, we learn that a Levite (a priest or priestly worker) who lived in a remote town took as his concubine a woman from Bethlehem in Judah. He brought her to the remote hill country where he lived. But she ran away and returned to her father’s house. Four months later, the man decides to track her down and bring her back home. Why are these details important? They seem innocuous, until you see how far from God’s plan and purpose the people have strayed.
    • The Levite was not supposed to take a concubine at all. He was to marry only a virgin from his own tribe. The passage is a little confusing on this point, calling her a concubine AND a wife. Either way, it seems she was not the sort of woman with whom he was supposed to create a family.
    • And she left him, so it seems that this was not a solid and committed relationship. He doesn’t follow her immediately.
    • He waits four months before going to check on her and attempting to bring her back. Once again, the context is unclear– maybe he was exercising patience, hoping that “absence makes the heart grow fonder” or hoping that time would mend whatever was wrong between them, but it could also be that he was just not in a great hurry to resume a relationship with her, but merely retrieving a bit of property.
  • Once the Levite tracks down the concubine, he is lulled into staying several days in the house of his father-in-law.
    • This would not have been unusual for that time period or region; hospitality was a hallmark of the people, and the father-in-law may have wanted to help smooth things over by giving his daughter more time at home to reconcile herself to the long journey and the return to her husband’s household. But this interaction does not feel like hospitality. There seems to be an undercurrent between the Levite and the woman’s father. The story never explores this, and maybe I am reading more into the story than what is there, but it seems that this relationship is not one based on love and deep affection, but more of a business transaction or power struggle.
    • If the woman was a concubine, she may have been returning to a household where she was a lesser wife and faced scorn or abuse from the Levite’s other wife or wives. Again, we do not know this from the context, but she does not seem eager to leave her father’s house, and the father does not seem comfortable sending her away.
    • The Levite seems reluctant to spend time with his father-in-law, yet it takes little convincing for him to stay four extra nights. Finally, on the fifth day, he insists that he will leave, even though it is now growing late.
  • As the Levite approaches the area around Jebus (Jerusalem), he refuses to stay there, as the Israelites have not conquered the city, and he does not want to stay with “foreigners.” He pushes on to Gibeah precisely because he assumes it will be safer to stay among his “own people.”
  • What happens that night in Gibeah begins almost the same as the scene that was described in Genesis 19, when the angels of the LORD visited the wicked city of Sodom, and the men of the city demanded to have sex with them. Just as Lot offered his two virgin daughters, the host offers his own virgin daughter to the mob. But this time, the concubine is trapped outside all night, left to be gang-raped and abused all night.
    • How horrified are the host and the Levite at the demands of the men of Gibeah? The host, much like Lot in Genesis, seems to be aware of the wickedness going on all around him, but powerless or without a will to stand up to it. The Levite does nothing to defend the woman he just “rescued” from her father’s house. He seems reconciled to the idea that she will be raped but is furious when she is left for dead?! Again, some of this is lost in the context of the story and the culture of that time, but surely none of this behavior lines up with the laws and regulations of the Israelites as given by Moses– not just the behavior of the men of Gibeah, but also that of the Levite.
    • The incident at Gibeah is actually WORSE than the one in Sodom! Israel has fallen so low that Sodom looks less wicked in comparison! The prophet Hosea, speaking of Israel’s prostitution with false gods and their coming judgment, refers to Gibeah as the place where judgment will (and should) begin because they have rejected their God. Jesus echoes this sentiment when He says in Matthew that judgment will be worse for those who reject Him than it was for the people of Sodom and Gomorrah. Sodom was a wicked city, but the people of Israel had heard the story of Sodom’s judgment and destruction. They had been warned– they had been sent to the Promised Land and told NOT to follow the wicked practices of the inhabitants they were to conquer. Yet they became worse than the people they were to destroy!
  • The reaction of the Levite, and the entire nation of Israel is not one of turning to God, but turning to vengeance and warfare
    • There is something about cutting up the dead body of his concubine and sending her bloody bits around the country that horrifies the reader of this story. Yes, her death was horrific and violent. But the aftermath is equally violent and impersonal. There is no mention in this story of grief or remorse or human compassion. There are only actions and reactions.
    • The men of Gibeah (and all of Benjamin) show no shame or repentance for this horrible incident. Instead, they are willing to slaughter their own countrymen (and die at their hand) in defiance and continued wickedness.
    • The “plan” after the war against the Benjaminites– allowing the men of the tribe of Benjamin to kidnap women in Shiloh– is evidence that no one has learned a lesson. The Israelites meet and ask God “Why has this happened?” But instead of asking God for an answer, they come up with their own plan.

The last verse in chapter 20 gives a sad and sobering summary–“In those days, Israel had no king, so the people did whatever seemed right in their own eyes.” (Judges 21:25)

What can we learn from this horrible incident? Most of us (I hope!) don’t go around gang-raping, torturing, and killing women; we don’t slaughter entire towns or tribal groups because of a single horrific incident; we don’t offer reparations to enemies that sanction kidnapping innocent victims. But do we turn our backs on God’s guidelines because we have a plan that seems “right in (our) own eyes”? Do we foster relationships that conflict with God’s word? Do we ignore the wickedness taking place in our own neighborhoods and right under our noses? Do we try to justify bad policies and practices because they are “no worse” than what others are doing?

What happened in Gibeah can happen anywhere. What happens in Gibeah doesn’t “stay” in Gibeah. It brings chaos, suffering, and judgment to an entire nation and impacts generations.

I pray that God’s people will open our eyes. Instead of pretending that we can do whatever “seems right” that we will focus on what is really “right,” and that we will confess and grieve for our sins, instead of defiantly redefining our values and morals.

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A Whole “Lot” of Trouble

I’ve been following the story of Lot– a Biblical character in the book of Genesis, and the nephew of Abram/Abraham. I left off in Genesis 13, where Abram and Lot had to separate their flocks and herds. Abram offered Lot the opportunity to choose the best of the land– and Lot jumped at his opportunity. He chose the well-watered valley along the Jordan river, near the thriving cities of Sodom and Gomorrah, and moved his tents just outside of Sodom.

But the author of Genesis (likely Moses, writing generations later) adds a single sentence that foreshadows events to come: “ But the people of this area were extremely wicked and constantly sinned against the Lord.” (Genesis 13:13 NLT via http://www.biblegateway.com). It doesn’t take very long for this small detail to add up to a “lot” of trouble. The fertile Jordan valley may look like a paradise, but there are perils and pitfalls all around. In Genesis 14, we hear of a great war– five regional kings against four– with Sodom and Gomorrah caught in the middle. (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Genesis+14%3A1-16&version=NLT) The armies and kings of Sodom and Gomorrah flee the battlefield, and straight into a series of tar pits. The opposing armies loot the cities, taking all the food and supplies. They also kidnap Lot and take all his possessions, because he was “living in Sodom.”

Notice two important details here– Lot is no longer pitching his tents outside the city; he has moved into Sodom. When we make the choice to live “on the outskirts” of evil, thinking we will remain separate and untouched, we are asking for trouble. Lot cannot live in paradise and avoid the evil and war all around him. And he isn’t prepared for the consequences. The war is happening all around him, yet he has made no plan to escape or to fortify his home or property.

Secondly, Lot wasn’t among the army or fighting with the kings– on either side! Lot stood for nothing; fought for nothing; defended nothing. Lot placed all of his hope and faith in blind chance– thinking somehow he would be spared the violence and war happening all around. He seems to have had no concern about his neighbors or their fate. He seems indifferent to their losses, and uncaring of their needs. One might argue that if the neighbors were so wicked, Lot had no obligation to help them, but his level of apathy and inactivity suggest that Lot was both self-centered and inept.

One of Lot’s men manages to escape and bring word of this disaster to Abram, who mobilizes his men, makes a daring night raid on the army of the five kings, rescues Lot and restores all of the stolen property and other kidnapped people. The king/priest of the city of Salem (meaning peace) blesses Abram. The rescued King of Sodom offers Abram all the captured loot in exchange for the people, but Abram refuses. Unlike his nephew, who is enticed by lands and goods and wealth, Abram seeks only peace and goodwill.

This might have been the end of Lot’s troubles; he might have learned a valuable lesson. But he didn’t.

Will we?

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Prayers in the Dark

We live in dark times. War, hatred, terrorism, oppression, destruction, and despair– they are all around us. And yet, we pray. We do not succumb to the darkness, but we seek out the light. Many Christians pray in literal darkness, as they have no electricity, or they are in dark prisons, or they worship in secret locations and inner rooms. But many of us pray in figurative darkness– our minds and eyes clouded with overstimulation and muddied theology. And we may pray “in the dark” about the situations faced by our brothers and sisters in other parts of the world– even in other parts of our local communities!

Praying in the dark, much like walking in the dark, involves a lot of caution, and a lot of trust. We pray strategically, knowing there are unseen obstacles and dangers around us, but confident that, with God’s wisdom and presence, we can avoid them and reach our goals.

What are some specific features that prayer should have when we find ourselves in the dark places of life?

  • Fervency–There is a quality of urgent and whole-hearted commitment to seeing God’s face, God’s wisdom, God’s will, God’s timing, and God’s guidance as we pray. “Not my will, but THINE, be done!” Christ, as He prayed in Gethsemane (see Matthew 26:36-46) We may not sweat drops of blood, but we should pray with a fervent desire to offer our bodies as living sacrifices (Romans 12:1)
  • Focus– Sometimes, we can “see” more clearly in the dark. This is because we have fewer (visual) distractions. When we are overwhelmed with darkness, we let go of lesser things and concerns, and we pray for those things we really need, rather than those things we desire. We also have a greater sense of God’s provision and power, so we grow more grateful and joyful for what we DO have.
    ” For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” 2 Corinthians 12:10 (ESV)
  • Frequency–I pray almost constantly when I am burdened or facing obstacles that seem impossible to overcome. Dark times can remind us that God alone can be trusted to lead us through. HE is God, and I am NOT! And like the men and women of the Bible who faced incredible odds, I can trust Him to hear and act. He sees me, He hears me, He Loves me, and He has a plan for my life that includes being with Him for Eternity!
    “Whom have I in heaven but you?
        And earth has nothing I desire besides you.
     My flesh and my heart may fail,
        but God is the strength of my heart
        and my portion forever.” Psalm 73:25-26 (NIV)
  • Fellowship– This one may seem counter-intuitive. Many times, I feel more alone in the dark. But I have learned that I can actually feel just as lonely in a crowd and in the light. Dark times may make our “circle” smaller, but we may find that our few relationships grow stronger, and we open ourselves up to suffering in others that we would ignore in our carefree days. I think of those who end up on refugee camps or cancer treatment centers– the friendships made there are sometimes stronger than family! 
    “Every time you cross my mind, I break out in exclamations of thanks to God. Each exclamation is a trigger to prayer. I find myself praying for you with a glad heart. I am so pleased that you have continued on in this with us, believing and proclaiming God’s Message, from the day you heard it right up to the present. There has never been the slightest doubt in my mind that the God who started this great work in you would keep at it and bring it to a flourishing finish on the very day Christ Jesus appears.” Philippians 1:3-6 (The Message)

Darkness and trials can drive us away from help and hope. But when we learn to Pray in the dark– to seek God with a whole and undivided heart– He will be our light in the darkness and our hope in the midst of desperate circumstances. And we can take comfort, even in the midst of pain and danger, in knowing that we are NEVER alone when we pray– even in the dark! We may not know the perfect words or have the perfect circumstances; we may not be able to see our next step– but we serve a perfect God, who will never let us go. There is no darkness– no circumstance– that can separate us from God’s love or His salvation, or keep our prayers from reaching Him.

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Praying to Win

Have you ever watched a sporting event–a real nail-biter–and prayed for your team to win?  Do you wonder if God is concerned about Little League or High School Basketball, or which team wins the Superbowl?  And what about the parents and coaches on both teams praying to him–one side has to “lose”–how does God answer such prayers?  DOES he answer such prayers?

While the Bible doesn’t give us a specific answer, I think there are some general principles that apply.  When teams prepare for a big game, they may talk about their desire to win, they may study their opponents, assess their own strengths and weaknesses, and give themselves pep-talks about winning, but they don’t practice winning– they practice playing their best, improving those areas where they are weakest, and working to bring their best on game day.  They don’t pray to win by default or by bad sportsmanship.

The apostle Paul uses athletic analogies for the Christian life– he talks about running the good race, fighting the good fight, and working to be worthy of the prize.  But he doesn’t direct Christians to pray that God gives us a victory.  Instead, he points out that the greatest victory– that over sin and death– has already been won!  We don’t fight the battles wondering if our victory or loss will turn the tide of the war.  We fight in the hope of strengthening our fellow warriors and bringing our victorious Savior more glory and honor.

This holds true in other areas as well.  In politics, we fight to win, but not in desperation or despair, knowing that if we lose this battle, God is not defeated or even surprised by the outcome.  Even in situations of corruption, despotism, and chaos, God can raise up leaders, topple evil powers, and bring renewal and revival.  In war, we fight to win, we fight to defend what we know to be right; but even if we lose the battles, we don’t lose faith.

God doesn’t always give us “wins.”  He doesn’t guarantee that we will never face setbacks or disappointments.  In fact, sometimes we need to “lose.”  We need to lose our selfish ambition, our pride, our drive to compare ourselves with others, our envy and greed, and our failure to submit to God’s best plan.

We pray for victory, but more than victory at any cost, we pray for God’s will to be victorious– for his strength to be shown even in and through our own weakness.  We pray for victory on God’s terms– which may mean a painful loss today, and grieving for the night, but joy that comes in the morning.  Great teams, great nations, great leaders– are not forged in continuous expectation of easy victory.  Sometimes we learn more and become greater by learning from our failures.

Let’s not just pray to win– let’s pray to be more than conquerors (Romans 8:37)!

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Who’s on First?

Baseball season is off to a great start! I love baseball, and I love word-play, so it’s probably no surprise that I really love the Abbot and Costello routine, “Who’s on First?” (watch here)

The idea behind the famous routine is that Abbot is trying to explain the positions on the baseball team, but the players’ names lead to all sorts of needless confusion.  You don’t really have to know a lot about baseball to be entertained by the comedy routine, but the more you do know, the funnier it gets.  Baseball depends on coordinated team effort– knowing who is playing where can make the difference between spectacular plays and disasters– both offensively and defensively.  But as much as I would love to talk about both baseball and comedy today, I really want to use baseball as a metaphor for prayer.

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Prayer is very personal, especially confessional prayer, but often it is also communal and a coordinated team effort.  Every player (pray-er) wants to play our best, and we are gifted for certain positions on the “team.”  Some of us are great at pop-ups– catching people “in the moment” and praying with them, sharing their burdens and joys with concise sentence prayers.  Some are sluggers– prayer warriors who “knock it out of the park.”  Some are outfielders, patiently persistent in praying for the lost, and ready to chase down a line drive or jump up to make the save.  Some are basemen– praying to keep the enemy from gaining ground, or catchers, defending home base from all attempts to score.  Some are good at bunting–providing the necessary support and sacrifice so that someone else can advance.   And some are master pitchers–crafting prayers that strike out or even shut-out the enemy.  Our coach, our mascot, our general manager and MVP?  The Almighty, Triune God!   He knows our strengths, weaknesses, and how we can improve our performance and standing.  He also wants to help our team become closer and stronger.  After all, baseball is wonderful, but Christian living is even better– it has eternal consequences!

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When we ask, in relation to prayer, “Who’s on First,” we need to remember a few things:

  • Always listen to the coach!
  • Remember you are not alone.
  • PRAY to win!
  • Look out for and support your teammates.
  • Each inning is a new beginning– don’t live in the last inning.
  • Don’t let the current score determine your play.
  • Don’t let the other team’s players or their fans take you “off your game.”
  • (Spoiler alert)– We are the champions!

Let’s get suited up and ready to take the field for today’s game…after all, you or I may be on first!

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Memorials

Today is Memorial Day.  For anyone who is unfamiliar with the American holiday, also known as Decoration Day, it is a day set aside primarily to honor soldiers who were killed in battle.  In recent years, it has come under some criticism from those who feel that it celebrates a culture of war, or that it places too much focus on the past– especially a past that has been idealized at the expense of progress.  Instead, it has become a time of recreation– backyard barbecues, beach parties, and bargain hunting at flea markets and yard sales.

But much of the real focus of Memorial Day has been lost.  Memorials should not be used to idolize or idealize the past; but they serve a purpose in reminding us of hard lessons and the need to keep learning from them.  Memorial Day is not about being thrilled or puffed up by our past– it is to be reminded of both the good and the bad, and the need to see the larger picture.  We have inherited both freedoms and frustrations; triumphs that came at the expense of others, and trials that will impact future generations.  It is right and good that we take time to reflect on such things.

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The Bible gives us several examples of memorials– signs and altars and ceremonies that are meant to call things to memory.  Some of the memorials involve battles, but many more involve both promises and prophecy.  We are to remember God’s faithfulness; His power to rescue, redeem, and restore.

Our greatest memorial as Christians, is not a soldier’s tomb– it is the Empty Tomb!  It is the reminder that our greatest battle has already been won, and the one who died to bring us the victory has conquered both Sin and Death.

For God so Loved the world, that He gave His only Begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting Life.   (John 3:16  KJV)

Memorial Day is also a good time to remember others in prayer– pray for those who have lost loved ones in the service of our nation; but also those who sacrifice daily for their families, communities, and around the world.  Pray for wisdom and opportunity to serve others around us better.  Pray for healing and grace– for those who fight internal battles with unforgiveness, betrayal, guilt, vengeance, and more. And don’t forget praise– thank God for His redemptive plan; for the victory won; for the sufficiency of His grace.  Thank others around you for their services and sacrifices. Finally, as we honor the sacrifices of others, let’s look for ways we can serve one another better.

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The Prince of Peace

They have healed the wound of my people lightly, saying, ‘Peace, peace,’ when there is no peace. Jeremiah 8:11(ESV)

While people are saying, “There is peace and security,” then sudden destruction will come upon them as labor pains come upon a pregnant woman, and they will not escape. 1 Thessalonians 5:3 (ESV)

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 14:27 (ESV)

I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.” John 16:33 (ESV)

4 Jesus answered: “Watch out that no one deceives you. 5 For many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am the Messiah,’ and will deceive many. 6 You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. 7 Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. 8 All these are the beginning of birth pains…21 For then there will be great distress, unequaled from the beginning of the world until now—and never to be equaled again. Matthew 24:4-8; 21 (NIV)

One of the prophetic names given to Jesus in the book of Isaiah is “Prince of Peace” (Isaiah 9:6). And yet, Jesus did not bring an end to the Roman occupation of Judea while He walked the earth. He did not end slavery or war or oppression. He did not bring the kind of “peace” that most of us look for even today. We live in a world of war, dissention, upheaval, and chaos. There is hatred, injustice, slavery, abuse, and oppression, and none of the efforts to bring peace in our world have succeeded in wiping out any of these evils. In the nearly 2000 years since His crucifixion and the rise of the Christian Church, these evils have remained. Great strides have been made over the years– slavery is officially outlawed in many areas of the world; human rights have been codified. Humanitarian efforts have greatly decreased the number of people who die of starvation and disease, homelessness and exposure to the elements. But there are thousands, and indeed hundreds of thousands of people around the world who are refugees from their home countries, who are denied human rights, who live in fear of bombing raids and terrorist attacks.

Where is the Peace?

Jesus spoke freely of the tribulations His followers through the generations would face. He never promised us a world without any trouble. He promised that, in this life, we WILL have trouble. And it will increase over time. People will grow suspicious, hateful, and cold. Nations will rise up against other nations; families will be divided in such a way that one’s greatest enemies will be their closest relatives! Wars and natural disasters will intensify. And ONLY Christ’s return will stop any of it. Human efforts may make a difference for a short while, or make a small difference for a long while, but nothing we can do, single-handedly or as a human race, will deliver us from the evil that lives in the human heart. In fact, we often delude ourselves into thinking that we can change the world on our own; we seek to force our plans on others “for their own good,” little knowing that we may be sowing the seeds of bitterness, backlash, and revenge.

Jesus Christ is the Prince of Peace. He will administer perfect peace and justice when He returns. And in the meantime, He offers us an inner peace that passes all understanding. We can experience peace as bullets whip around us; as we are being misunderstood, mistreated, and abused; as we face injustice and oppression. We can do this because Jesus gave us the example. He did not fight back or even complain as He was arrested, falsely accused, sentenced, and executed. He did not seek to force everyone to accept His rightful claims. He did not even protest the unjust treatment of His people by the Romans.

What He did instead was to focus on God’s mission– He interacted with those who were suffering; He healed the sick; He brought comfort to those who were grieving. He brought sinners to repentance and sought to make peace between individuals and God. Jesus is the Prince of real and lasting Peace– not just peace in “our time” or peace for a generation, but eternal and everlastingly joyous Peace. This is the kind of peace that sees trouble and tribulation for what it is– temporary and transformational. Suffering can make us bitter or better, and Jesus shows us how to experience the latter. When we protest instead of pray, we forfeit that peace. When we pray, we gain wisdom in how to stand firm against injustice without losing our own peace and perspective.

These are not peaceful times, but we can still experience peace, hope, trust, endurance, joy, and light in the days ahead, thanks to our Prince of Peace.

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Where is God When…?

A priest, a Baptist minister and a rabbit go to a pub for lunch. The hostess meets them at the door with a message. “Today, we are helping a local blood bank. Your lunch is free if you donate a pint of blood.” All three agree to donate blood in exchange for a free lunch. The hostess asks each one in turn for his blood type. The priest says, “I believe my blood type is A negative. The minister says, “It’s been a long time, but I seem to remember that I am AB positive.” Finally, she turns to the rabbit. “I was supposed to be a Rabbi, so I must be a Type O!”

I love puns, and like many puns, the humor in this one comes from a grammatical or spelling error. Something in the story is almost, but not quite, as it should be. It is a good thing to be able to laugh at small mistakes. But what happens when things are terribly wrong? It’s not funny at all. It’s devastating, confusing, and frightening. We want answers. We want the situation “fixed.” We want to find out what went wrong, why it went wrong, and who is responsible.

California is burning as I write this. Thousands of acres destroyed; hundreds of homes and businesses reduced to ashes; thousands of people left homeless. Where is God in these fires? When an innocent child is abducted, raped, mutilated and left for dead, where is God? Where is God amid the unrest in Mozambique, where typhoons and political unrest have caused so much havoc? Where was God when the hurricane and storm surge displaced tens of thousands of people in North Carolina, Tennessee, and Georgia less than six months ago? Where is God in the war-torn regions of the world, where innocent families are being terrorized by bombing raids and invading armies? Where was God when millions were dying of COVID just a few short years ago?

I’d love to say that I have an answer. One that is comfortable, unassailable, logical and easy to understand. But I don’t. The “glib” answer is that God is on His Throne, omnipotent and all-wise. And He is. He is not to “blame” for personal tragedies or for sweeping disasters. Sometimes, God intervenes in miraculous ways to “save” us from certain death, “accidents,” or even attacks. But often, He chooses not to do so. And I have no explanation, no all-encompassing, deeply soothing answer for those who are left suffering.

What I do know is this: God is a redeeming God. He is a God who can and often will turn tragedy into triumph. And even if, in such cases, the triumph is often bitter-sweet. This is a God who created mankind, knowing we would reject His goodness and go our own way. This is a God who took a single faithful man (Abraham) and made him the father of many nations– some of whom are still at war to this very day. This is a God who did not spare His Only Begotten Son, but allowed Him to go through a sham trial, be falsely convicted, and die a painful, publicly humiliating death. And then, Christ arose!

What does that mean for someone whose son or daughter is still dead after five (or 25) years of grieving? For someone who lives every day with the trauma of having been raped or abused as a child. It does not give immediate comfort. It does not take away the sting of injustice, pain, and questioning. But it is the promise of redemption– that just as Christ rose victorious, He will cause the pain and grief of the past to disappear in the Joy and Wonder of Eternity with Him. He WILL bring ultimate and complete justice, and it will be perfectly overwhelmed with mercy, grace, and freedom from the past.

It may seem slow and painful, but it WILL happen. Those who have suffered; they will laugh again. Those who are drowning in the senselessness of their own sorrow will experience healing and have answers to their questions. Those areas of the world where suffering is so great in the present– they will recover. Trees and gardens will grow again. Houses will be rebuilt. And yes, there will still be disasters and devastation in our lifetime, and in the years to come– UNTIL THAT DAY. That day when Christ returns to make all things new. Whatever hurts and griefs we carry now, they will be overtaken by joy and healing. No more fires, no more floods, no more war, no more disease, no more “mistakes.”

I don’t know why God allows us to suffer now. I’ve heard some philosophers try to explain, and they have many “good” reasons:

Suffering often leads to growth and necessary change.
Suffering produces resilience and develops character.
Suffering teaches us that there are consequences to our selfish and sinful actions.
Suffering often brings people closer together and brings out the best in us as we offer help and hope and encouragement.
Suffering teaches us to be compassionate toward others in their suffering and grief.
Suffering contrasts with joy, helping us to appreciate what is truly good in our lives.

These are not bad answers. But they are not complete. They are not “enough.” And I think that’s part of God’s plan. God doesn’t want us to live life on autopilot. He doesn’t give us “easy” answers– just like He doesn’t give us a life without any purpose or challenge. He doesn’t want us to focus on having all the answers. He wants us to learn from each other, depend on one another, and ultimately to trust that He knows best. It’s not an easy lesson to learn. But if we stay in pursuit of Prayer, and closeness to God, it’s a lesson well worth struggling through.

And sometimes, we can learn to laugh at life’s “typos” and other little mistakes as we travel this life.

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Peace on Earth

Christmas is a joyful season– for most people. And it is a giving season; a busy season; a bright and noisy season. But for most of us, it is NOT a peaceful season. Our small city had a lighted parade earlier this month It was festive and bright; there were a lot of happy people cheering on marching bands, floats, dancers, decorated fire engines and tractors, horse-drawn carriages, and other entries. People were eating, drinking hot cocoa, enjoying the entertainment, and even singing carols. The whole downtown was decorated with brilliant lights and banners and festive plants. But before the parade started, and after it ended, there were angry drivers trying to find (or leave) parking spots, bawling toddlers, rowdy people who had more to drink than just the cocoa, and several others who were just tired, and cold, and overstimulated.

While parades and festivities, parties and pageants have become part of the seasonal celebrations in many parts of the world, they are not what Christmas is really about. Jesus did not come to the world to bring “fun.” He did not come to bring toys or games, parties or feasts. He did not come to bring cheerful songs and fragrant holiday decorations, or hot cocoa and cookies. The angels who announced His arrival did not bring good tidings of candy canes, flying reindeer, or twinkle lights.

We sing about “Peace on Earth.” We talk about it, send greeting cards about it, and pray for it. But what do we MEAN when we talk about Peace on Earth, Good will to Men (Humankind)? For many, it is a wish or a prayer that wars would end, or that the petty differences between rival political factions or even rival churches would end. We speak of global peace or universal peace– peace between men (and women). And it is good that we should want such peace. But is that really the kind of peace Jesus brought with Him? He didn’t put an end to wars and disagreements during His ministry here. He didn’t “settle the score” for those who experienced oppression– the Roman Empire remained; the tax collectors still took more than their fair share; there was still slavery and abuse; greed and adultery and murder did not cease. And the world has been noisy, and messy, and angry and depressed in the two millennia since. And yet…

There IS peace on earth–it is the profound peace that comes with “Good will to Men.” God’s good will found its ultimate expression in the gift of the Savior. There may still be wars and pestilence, angry drivers, bad hair days, injustice, confusion, grief, and pain among people. But there is power to be at peace in the midst of it all– the power of a Peace that passes all understanding (Philippians 4:7); the power of Peace with God (Romans 5:1).

Jesus came to a world that knew only the rumor of such peace. Even King David– a “man after God’s own heart,” a man who wrote songs about peace and safety and joy in God’s presence–knew this kind of peace as something that had been promised. David could know the immediate peace of God’s forgiveness; he could know the blessings of obedience and the restoration of the joy of salvation (Psalm 51:12). But the everlasting Peace that has been accomplished by the Advent of the Christ– David, Moses, Abraham, and all the prophets had longed to know it; to experience it from within.

And THIS Peace we can experience– not just during the Advent and Christmas Season, but throughout our lives. Chaos, loneliness, grief, separation, injustice– it HAS BEEN defeated. It has no power to separate us from God’s Good Will or from His Loving embrace! The noise and anger and clutter and abuse is still real. We should not ignore it, and we certainly must not contribute to it or sanction it. But we no longer have to live without hope; we no longer have to fret and live in constant fear or defeat.

There is no parade tonight as I write this– there are still lights and occasional noises downtown– a door closing, a dog barking, a car passing. But there is Peace within– no matter how loud or bright, how festive or even forlorn things seem.

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Praying in the Dark

(This post is an updated version of one that first appeared three years ago, during the COVID pandemic. I have updated a few of the references to reflect the change. There is still a lot of darkness and confusion in the world, but some of the sources have changed a bit.)

The past few days have been a dark place for me. I don’t mean that something horrible has happened, or that my life has been upended. But things seem dim and indistinct. Some things I took for granted turn out to be less than sure. Events have been chaotic and tinged with evil and sadness. The present economy seems far from certain, and rumors swirl around the upcoming elections. Many places around the world are at war, and there is violence, unrest, crime, and uncertainty nearly everywhere. Even traditionally “safe” institutions like the family and the Church are under constant attack. It is difficult to know who or what to trust– everything seems shadowed and indistinct.

I read a novel a while ago, set in the early days of World War II in London. Because of the threat of air raids from Germany, the people were required to “black out” their windows at night, and drive with no headlights. People who had driven or walked around the streets of London with confidence just weeks before were being injured or even killed because they could no longer trust the once familiar streets. Craters and rubble from bombing raids, or hastily built ditches and barricades; hidden dangers filled neighborhoods. And people could not count on streetlights, headlights, or lights in windows to guide them safely home. At the same time, thousands of people, fearing that the Germans would use deadly gas, were carrying around gas masks (just in case!), and leaving them on buses or at pubs or train stations, because they were unused to the extra responsibility. Suddenly, the gas mask they were depending on was lost, and all the extra preparation turned out to be useless, anyway.

It reminds me how often I would see people just a couple of years ago, getting ready to enter a store, only to return to their car for their required mask. Many people wore them “the wrong way:” others wore them for months longer than necessary. Still others wore the same mask for several days but failed to wash their hands. Some people stayed in their homes for weeks, even when they could have spent some time getting fresh air at a park or one their porch or stoop. Others took great risks going to stores where other customers were sick. And many workers had no choice but to report to work, knowing they would be exposed to COVID. Many people refused to get the vaccines once they became available, while others were demanding that everyone had to get the vaccine or be charged with a crime. No one was sure if they were “safe”– even with masks, vaccines, and other protocols. It was a very dark time.

Hard times and difficult situations can cause us to shift our focus and have to learn new routines–even new vocabulary! At certain times, life almost seems “normal.” At others, we seem to be tossed by every new wave that comes along. It can be easy to lose one’s way in the fog and darkness of chaos and changing times.

The Psalmist and King, David, had words of wisdom for times like these: “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.” (Psalm 119: 105 KJV)

Even when things seem dark and it feels like I’ve lost my way, God is right beside me. If I have no other “light” to see by, God’s word will be enough to guide me on. When I pray– even in the dark–God sees me clearly, and knows the way ahead.

Photo by Pat Whelen on Pexels.com

And I needed to be reminded of that again this week.

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