Do you pray fervently? Do you pray faithfully? I confess that sometimes I go through periods of fervent prayer, but it doesn’t always last. And, while my goal is to pray faithfully, I sometimes struggle with daily prayer seeming bland.
Thankfully, God does not demand constant fervor and faithfulness (though He does provide His Spirit to help us with both!) God wants us to come before Him exactly as we are; He KNOWS exactly what we are feeling, and He wants us to experience His presence THROUGH both the peaks and valleys. Experience has taught me that faithfulness in prayer can often lead to renewed fervor. Fervor and ardency can be influenced by our emotions. I pray most fervently when I feel needy, or when I am swept up in joy, or when I am surrounded by others who are riding a particular emotion. But I pray most faithfully when I choose to step out in spite of my emotions or circumstances.
Recently, I was reading in 2 Chronicles about “Good King Asa” of Judah. If you read chronologically through the Bible, you meet King Asa in 1 Kings (briefly in chapter 15), and again in 2 Chronicles (chapters 14-16) Both times, he is classified as a “good” king in Judah, one who “did what was right in the eyes of the Lord.” He reigned for 41 years, and was a champion of reform. He was a fervent and devoted king throughout most of his reign, and was mourned upon his death. But sadly, King Asa ended his reign in rebellion against the God he had so staunchly served for most of his life.
God had blessed Asa with astonishing military victories and years of peace and prosperity. But after 36 years of faithful and fervent service, Asa seems to have turned his back on his faith. Another army threatened to invade Judah, and Asa, instead of turning to God as before, brokered a treaty with another local king for protection. He sent silver and gold from “the treasuries of the House of the Lord” to King Ben-Hadad of Aram for help in repelling the army of King Baasha of Israel (the northern kingdom of the Jews). He bribed Ben-Hadad to break his treaty with Israel, and together, they sacked the fortifications and caused Baasha to back off.
In spite of King Asa’s victory, the Lord sent a prophet to rebuke him. King Asa, who had sought the Lord throughout more than three decades of devoted service, became so angry that he had the prophet thrown in jail. He then began oppressing his own people! Three years later, Asa developed a severe disease in his feet. But instead of calling on God, he consulted only his own court physicians. He suffered for two more years before finally dying. This “Good” King, famous for his passionate pursuit of reform and devotion to God, ended his life embittered, angry, diseased, and despotic.
God still chose to use King Asa for good– Asa’s reforms were a key ingredient in keeping Judah from suffering the fate of neighboring Israel. Asa’s reign was marked by years of peace and prosperity. Many of the faithful Jews living in Israel moved to Judah, where Asa’s reforms meant that could worship freely and fully. In fact, there was such a revival that people took extreme vows to follow God whole-heartedly. What a shame that the leader who inspired such devotion would himself fall victim to greed, pride, and bitterness, and fail to truly experience the blessings he had helped bring about!
I pursue fervent prayer. I want to serve God whole-heartedly, and I want all the joy and peace of a close relationship with Him. But I also want to serve God faithfully, even when I don’t feel the passion I had last week or last month. Because I know that God is both Eternally Fervent and Eternally Faithful!
If you are going through a season where the feelings just aren’t as “strong” as they have been in the past; if you are tempted to coast on the strength of past victories; if you are wondering why your prayer life is flagging, or lacking in the zeal you once had– DON’T GIVE UP! Don’t let your story end up like Asa’s.
We are called to FINISH the race. And yes, we want to race to “win the prize” (1 Corinthians 9:24). But remember that our strength comes from God, not our own desires.
Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. (Hebrews 12:1-2 ESV)
We don’t have to make a choice between fervor and faithfulness, but let’s not pursue one without the other. Let’s be fervent in the sprinting, and faithful in the long stretches. Let’s finish the race well!
“A Mighty Fortress is our God; a bulwark, never failing..” These words are known and sung (in various translations and languages) around the world. But Martin Luther wrote this song over four hundred years ago. What relevance can these words have in an age of nuclear bombs and globalized economies and climate change? What do they mean to us today?
I don’t live in a nation of many castles. There are two stone “mansions” in the small town where I live. They seem tiny compared to mansions in other parts of the U.S. and the world. And we have a small armory; home to a National Guard outpost. But a mansion (or even an armory) is not the same as a castle or a fortress. Mansions are built to be impressive; armories are built to be immediately prepared for disasters or attacks; castles are built to be impregnable and permanent. Our God is not just a fortress; one outpost among many mighty gods– He is The Mighty One–uniquely sovereign, eternally victorious, and perfectly protecting all within His power.
And this protection doesn’t depend on my might or fighting ability, or my weapons or strategies. It depends on my being inside the fortress, safe and sound. The war rages all around, but it cannot defeat me, so long as I am in the fortress.
There are mighty castles, forts, towers, citadels, and walls around the world– all built by people and victims of the ravages of war, time, weather, fire, bad management, etc. Over the years, types of fortresses have given way to new weapons designed to bring them down. Wooden forts are susceptible to fire; stone castles can be brought down by catapults, battering rams, and bombs. Underground bunkers can even be ruined by earthquakes or nuclear assault. And yet, we are still amazed at the power and legacy they represent. Many have stood for hundreds or even thousands of years. But God is eternal; His might and protection will never fail. No weapon forged or imagined can triumph over His power and sovereignty.
Prayer brings us into the safe and powerful presence of God Almighty. There is nothing of our worries, our guilt, our doubts, or the accusations of the enemy that can shake the foundations of God’s fortress. And the cornerstone is none other than Jesus Christ– unshakable, victorious, and eternally one with the Father and the Spirit.
That doesn’t mean that we won’t ever find ourselves in battle, trusting in God’s armor against the arrows of the enemy. But the war is already won– His Kingdom is forever! And ever!
Every year, I try to read the Bible from cover to cover…a little each day, beginning with Genesis on January 1, and ending with the last of Revelation on December 31. So yesterday, I finished the last verse of Revelation 22– AMEN! And today’s reading begins with “In the beginning…”
Once again, I will read the Bible as a cycle– “beginning” to “AMEN.” But the Bible, like most other books doesn’t really have a beginning and an end. Things happen “before” the beginning, and things happen after “the end.” The Bible tells us of the beginning and the end of our created earth. But where Genesis begins with darkness and void, Revelation ends with light and joy and victory! ”They all lived happily ever after…”
And I am reminded that God’s character shines through every page of His Word. He makes all things new! He creates! He redeems! He Blesses!
As we go into a new year, we can take great encouragement from the message of the Bible. Every year– every day, and even every moment–is filled with God’s presence and His promise of eventual renewal and redemption. We face an uncertain year in terms of human achievement and “progress.” War, famine, economic collapse, natural disasters, disease, heartbreak, and death– all are possibilities and even probabilities in our fallen world. But the Bible teaches that our problems, as enormous as they seem to us, are not outside of God’s power to redeem and redress.
His plan is to recreate, rejuvenate, and replenish. All our relationships; all our ambitions; all the landscapes of all our dreams– will one day be reshaped. All the terrors and tribulations of Sin and Death will be vanquished. There will be no more need for fear or distrust or even cautious optimism. It will be NEW– not just “new and improved”, but new and perfected! Whatever we pray for in the coming year, we can know that God will bring situations full circle from tragedy to eventual triumph. It may not happen today; it may not happen this year or even in this lifetime. But God keeps His promises from “the beginning” to the Final “AMEN!”
And on this first day of a New Year–let’s rejoice that God is the God of all New Things; the Maker of All Good and Perfect Gifts; the God who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or imagine (see Ephesians 3:20-21)!
It was almost 160 years ago, during the darkest days of America’s Civil War, that Henry Wadsworth Longfellow wrote a poem “Christmas Bells” that would become the Christmas Hymn, “I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day.” His son had been badly wounded in battle; his wife had died just a few years earlier, and the nation was in ruins and chaos. No one knew how much longer the war would continue or what the final outcome would be; Longfellow did not know if his son would live, or if he would be paralyzed for life. As he listened to the bells of Christmas ringing from church towers, he poured out all his doubts and fears in verse. Yet he concluded, “The Wrong shall fail, the Right prevail, with peace on earth, good-will to men.”
Christmas is not just a celebration of “comfort and joy” that comes from tinsel and lights, cozy fires, or gifts under brightly lit trees. Christmas is about Hope in times of darkness. It is about promises kept; prophesies fulfilled, victory assured, even when it looks as though the Enemy has the upper hand.
It is horribly tempting in troubled times to wonder and question God’s ways– does He hear? Does He see? Is He asleep? Does He exist? How can a “good” God allow such suffering and pain? And like Longfellow, we listen to our circumstances, and they seem to drown out the message of Christmas– “For Hate is strong, and mocks the song of peace on earth, good-will to men.” The cannons of yesteryear may have been replaced with 24-hour news cycles or Facebook news feeds, with protests and terrorist attacks; war and political corruption; social tensions and economic turmoil, but the noise is still the same. There is hatred, deceit, destruction, and doubt in our world–it was present during the Civil War; it was present during the Roman occupation at the time of Christ’s birth. But that birth brought a singular hope– one that has become so familiar, and so casual as to be almost forgotten amidst the immediate urgent noises of the day.
The trappings of Christmas sometimes hide the very Glory of Christ’s Advent. God CAME. He LIVED AMONG US. He was humble. He felt the cold and heat of long days and nights; his feet got dirty from walking. He laughed and cried. And, He DIED. He felt agony and shame and fear as he gasped for breath, naked and bloody and facing sneers and anger from the crowd. But God IS NOT DEAD–He conquered death; He rose again victorious. And He did it so that our suffering is not in vain– our suffering is not the end of our story.
GOD IS NOT DEAD. Hope is not in vain. Nor does He sleep–even in the silence of our lonely nights, even in the noisy chaos of life in 2023–God has not stepped off His throne; He has not turned His back on mankind. “The Wrong shall fail–” though it may seem strong and strut arrogantly through the streets, shouting and threatening–God is the final authority. Nothing is hidden from Him. He sees every injustice, every secret sin; He hears every lie, every twisted truth, every deceit. And He has no favorites– there is no excuse, no “religious” exemption– ALL have sinned, and all will be held to account.
EXCEPT– because of that one birth and death and resurrection–the debt is already paid. “The Right (shall) prevail with peace on earth, good-will to men.” For those who listen beyond the noise of battle, the bells of Christmas ring “more loud and deep” with the hope and joy and strength that overcome our pain and struggle. Longfellow found that truth– and I’m so glad he shared it. I hope his words will continue to remind us to listen through this season for the true message of Christmas.
“O come, all ye faithful, joyful and triumphant, O come ye, O come ye to Bethlehem!”
“Come to Bethlehem and see Him whose birth the angels sing; come, adore on bended knee Christ the Lord, the new-born King.”
“O little town of Bethlehem, how still we see thee lie! Above thy deep and dreamless sleep the silent stars go by. Yet in thy dark streets shineth the everlasting light; the hopes and fears of all the years are met in thee tonight.”
“Come!” It echoes in our Christmas Carols; it echoes throughout Jesus’ ministry. It thrums and courses through the prophets and into the Revelations, “Amen, Come Lord Jesus!”(Revelation 22:20)
Christmas is all about coming– the coming of the Christ Child; the coming of the angels to shepherds; the coming of the shepherds to see the newborn King; the coming of the Wise Men. And we are bidden to “come” to Bethlehem and share in the joy and wonder of God coming to be our Emmanuel– God With Us.
But the journey to Bethlehem is not as easy or a joyful as one might imagine. Bethlehem is crowded. It is dark and dreary. It is not “silent” as the hymns make out. It is noisy, dirty, and filled with people who “aren’t from around here.” There is no room here. There is no joyous welcome. There is not enough to eat, what with all the out-of-town travelers; shelves are bare, while garbage is piling up in the streets. Tempers are high, and patience is low.
“Come to Bethlehem.” At this moment, Bethlehem is caught in the chaos and struggle of war. Hospitals are in danger. People live in fear and violence. There is no peace and quiet– no silent streets or glorious angels in the sky– only the light and noise of rockets. We may not be able to physically travel to Bethlehem at the moment, but we can focus our prayers on the Middle East– to the hurting people in Israel and in Gaza– to earnestly pray for truth and peace there. We may not be able to travel back in time to Bethlehem, but we can travel across town to help our neighbors who need encouragement; we can step out of our safe and comfortable lives to share light in the dark regions of today’s world. And we can “Come” to prayer– to lift up those who are hurting, to ask for strength and courage to help, to own our own limitations and emptiness.
“Come to Bethlehem.” At this season, we are tempted to stay where it is cozy and familiar; or to travel somewhere warm and welcoming. We want the joy and peace of the Christmas Season to come to us! But we are bidden to come to Bethlehem, with its crowded streets and suspicious strangers; its unfamiliar alleys and rude Roman officials. We are bidden to come and share this message of peace where there IS no peace. We are asked to come where there is need and darkness and fear– to spread the Good News, not to sit on it.
“Come to Bethlehem.” Are we avoiding our own “Bethlehem?” Are there places we could visit to spread light; places we’re being called to, or places where we should go to “be counted,” but we refuse to come? Are there people we can encourage? Ways we can share hope and help– if we are willing to come away from our own comfort and (manufactured) joy?
Perhaps we long to hear the angels shouting “Glory to God in the Highest!” (Luke 2:14) But if we won’t “come” to Bethlehem, we may miss their song. We may miss seeing the message of Christmas if we insist that it comes to our pleasant palace, instead of seeking the Babe in the Manger of the Little Town of Bethlehem.
“Come to Bethlehem and See.” “Come, Let us Adore Him!” “Come!”
We’re getting some rain outside as I write this. Not pouring rain; nor torrential rain; just a steady drizzle. But it looks as though we will get rain for another two days at least. Without stop. Cloudy, wet, chilly, dreary weather.
The news has been dreary, too. War, political upheaval, economic disaster looming, and general unrest. And it isn’t just localized. There is trouble everywhere, and, seemingly, all the time. And yet…events march along as though things are normal– as though the future will be bright tomorrow. There are festivals being planned (some with rain dates, others may be cancelled or lightly attended if the rain continues or worsens); people seem to be in the same hurrying, scurrying rhythm as yesterday. Some complain, or seem a bit oppressed, but most don’t even comment on the catastrophic events unfolding around us. They buy and sell, eat and drink, and rush to and fro like always.
There seems to be a universal weariness– people are tired of bad news, anger, protests, and arguing, but no one seems to want to DO anything positive, unless it is to live in denial of what is actually happening. “Oh, they are just exaggerating.” “That might happen elsewhere, but it will never happen HERE!” “Things will work out– we just need to wait it out.”
It reminds me of the warning of Jesus in Matthew 24:
For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day when Noah entered the ark, 39 and they were unaware until the flood came and swept them all away, so will be the coming of the Son of Man.
Matthew 24:38-39 ESV
While I can listen to or watch bad news unfolding, it hasn’t impacted me directly. I don’t have to worry about bombs coming into my neighborhood (at least, I’m not expecting any today); I haven’t lost my home or a loved one in the past week. I watch the clouds and rain from the safety of a warm, dry apartment. It is easy to become apathetic. And, if I think about any of it, it is easy enough to say a quick prayer for “others” “over there.”
But I’m not building an ark. Jesus’s warning was not to “toss off a quick prayer” as we see signs of danger and await His return. Prayer is important, but it isn’t something to be done lightly. Living for Christ is more than wearing the name “Christ Follower” and a t-shirt or cross necklace. When was the last time I spent an hour in earnest prayer? When was the last time I fasted? When was the last time I felt compelled to act for the cause of Christ?
I’m not surprised that most people walk around angry, or apathetic about the state of the world. But as Christians, we should be working to make a visible difference. And that means our prayers must also be different than the comfortable “good wish” prayers that many of us (and I must include myself) often practice.
In the days of Noah, people were going about their daily lives without any clue of the horrors to come. And yet, there were signs, even then. There was evil everywhere– corruption, fighting, cheating, lies, danger, disease, famine, and oppression. But only Noah was building an Ark. He wasn’t caught up in watching CNN or trolling the internet, but he also wasn’t leading an “ordinary” life. His life stood out, because he listened to God. He was focused on what really mattered– saving those who would enter the Ark and survive the judgment to come. The Ark had room for more people– but they refused the invitation. Maybe they had a dentist appointment scheduled for that day; maybe they didn’t want to miss their “girls day out.” Perhaps they were planning a fishing trip or they were buying a house.
But he said to him, “A man once gave a great banquet and invited many. 17 And at the time for the banquet he sent his servant to say to those who had been invited, ‘Come, for everything is now ready.’ 18 But they all alike began to make excuses. The first said to him, ‘I have bought a field, and I must go out and see it. Please have me excused.’ 19 And another said, ‘I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I go to examine them. Please have me excused.’ 20 And another said, ‘I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come.’ 21 So the servant came and reported these things to his master. Then the master of the house became angry and said to his servant, ‘Go out quickly to the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in the poor and crippled and blind and lame.’ 22 And the servant said, ‘Sir, what you commanded has been done, and still there is room.’ 23 And the master said to the servant, ‘Go out to the highways and hedges and compel people to come in, that my house may be filled. 24 For I tell you, none of those men who were invited shall taste my banquet.’”
Luke 14:16-35 ESV
Again, Jesus warns that we are to be prepared to drop the “business” of daily living; to be prepared for the Return of Christ. There is a cost involved in being a “Christian” or a “Christ Follower.” We are not to be like those who are walking around with our heads in the clouds, or worse, with our heads filled with apathy or gloom. We are to be salt and light in this dark world. We should be praying for boldness and wisdom to seek out opportunities to serve, to encourage, and to share the Gospel.
“Lord, take over my days and my prayers, that I would not settle for comfort, but seek you with a fervent heart, and seek not to just observe, but to serve!”
Over there, over there, Send the word, send the word over there, That the Yanks are coming, the Yanks are coming, The drums rum-tumming everywhere. So prepare, say a prayer, Send the word, send the word to beware, We’ll be over, we’re coming over, And we won’t come back till it’s over over there.
“Over There” by George M. Cohan, 1917
In 1917, as war was raging in Europe, songwriter George M. Cohan wrote a song urging young men in America to take up arms and fight in a war that seemed remote and unconnected with American interests (at that time). Americans were reading about the atrocities and massive numbers of dead and dying in the fields and trenches of France, Germany, Belgium, and Russia (among other places), and they were moved to do something bold and dramatic. Little could they imagine the true horror that awaited them in the mud- and blood-covered lands across the sea. Driven by emotion, rage, and a certain optimism that came from being an emerging “world power,” the “Yanks” swept into Europe, and they fought and died to bring an end to “the war to end all wars.”
Of course, they didn’t abolish war– less than a generation later, Europe and Asia were engulfed in World War II. Wars have been almost constant– somewhere in the world– throughout history. Violence, vengeance, terror, torture, oppression and lawlessness well up and spill over all the time. Just over the past weekend, terrorists carried out vicious attacks on Israel, and Israel has responded with vicious retaliation.
The soldiers who went “over there” in WWI and WWII were no safer or braver or smarter than the many thousands who had already died. They arrived, and they were forced to march through mud, suffer through trench warfare, breathe in deadly mustard gas, and risk dying in order to bring peace–just like their European counterparts. Many of them died within days, never knowing the outcome of their sacrifice. And many of them were too young to remember first-hand stories of our own horrible Civil War and the devastation in our own land, or the full-scale destruction of the Napoleonic, Germanic, and Crimean wars of the nineteenth century.
I have seen memes and posts, sent from Americans, asking for prayers for Israel, prayers for Gaza, prayers for Palestine, and prayers for peace in the Middle East. We are moved and horrified by what we see and hear on TV or over the internet. Some of us are moved to pray; some are moved to seek governmental or even military intervention. And this is natural– we can only imagine what horrors have already taken place, and what others await as the violence continues to escalate.
But, in another sense, it is all happening– “Over There.” We see footage of atrocities– families being ripped apart or slaughtered in front of cameras– many recorded precisely to amplify the terror of their actions. But we sit in comfort and safety. We imagine that such viciousness would not happen in our own neighborhood; would not affect our own families–not that it NEVER could; but that it would not– not here; only “over there.” The Middle East, or central Africa, or Eastern Europe.
Among American Christians, there is a dangerous mindset that such atrocities might not happen here because we are a “Christian” nation, or just because of our geographical distance from some of the current “hot spots.” But God has no sacred contract with the United States. There is nothing sacred about the North American continent that God will not allow terror to overwhelm us (We should know this from 9/11)! He does not “owe” us His sovereign protection; we do not “deserve” a pass on hard times, violent conflict, or upheaval. And we must resist the urge to “explain” away such horror. “Oh, they’ve always had conflict in the Middle East.” “Well, if ________(event) hadn’t happened, this wouldn’t have been necessary.” There were many here in America who tried to rationalize the wars of the 20th century by referring to colonialism and reparations– as though war and violence, genocide and massive destruction are rational acts.
We SHOULD be praying for the region of Israel and Gaza– as well as the conflicts going on elsewhere around the world. We should speak out against the horrors and atrocities of terrorism and war– wherever we find them. But we must do so with the humility and humanity that recognizes the following:
God is still sovereign– these attacks and retaliations have not taken God by surprise. The chaos and bloodshed break His heart– but they do not change His plans, or alter His Holiness, or nullify His mercy. We can pray with hope and confidence in His timing and judgment, but we cannot pray in our own “righteous” opinions or knowledge. He is God– We are NOT.
God sends rain and sunshine on both the “righteous” and the “wicked.” We can take sides in any conflict, but we cannot know God’s full plan or His purposes in letting conflict arise, or letting it continue. Our prayers should reflect that, even as we pray for peace.
God’s message to us is the same as always– Trust Him and Obey His Word. Go, and preach the Gospel; make disciples, and BE disciples. Whether we are called to fight, to provide help and support, or even to wait in silence, we need to seek God’s wisdom, not our own.
God Loves Israel with an everlasting covenant–that does not mean that God does not love other nations and peoples, but it should cause us to remember that His covenant is with the descendants of Abraham and Isaac– not because they are holier or more worthy of His love, but because God chose them to be an example of His Mercy and His Wrath.
God is omnipresent– He is WITH all those who are suffering during this time. He is not willing that any should perish, not willing that any should succumb to hatred and destruction. Yet He is willing to allow for free will and giving people a chance to repent and turn from the path of violence and death. And, if such horrors rise up “over here,” God will still be the same God, the same all-knowing, all-seeing, all-powerful, and all-gracious God He is now, and always has been.
How firm a foundation, ye saints of the Lord, Is laid for your faith in His excellent word! What more can He say than to you He hath said— To you who for refuge to Jesus have fled?
“Fear not, I am with thee, oh, be not dismayed, For I am thy God, and will still give thee aid; I’ll strengthen thee, help thee, and cause thee to stand, Upheld by My gracious, omnipotent hand.
“When through the deep waters I call thee to go, The rivers of sorrow shall not overflow; For I will be with thee thy trouble to bless, And sanctify to thee thy deepest distress.
“When through fiery trials thy pathway shall lie, My grace, all-sufficient, shall be thy supply; The flame shall not harm thee; I only design Thy dross to consume and thy gold to refine.
“The soul that on Jesus doth lean for repose, I will not, I will not, desert to his foes; That soul, though all hell should endeavor to shake, I’ll never, no never, no never forsake.”
“How can you believe in a God who lets bad things happen?” We live in perilous times; dangerous times. Fires have swept through Canada and Hawaii (and elsewhere); massive heat waves have caused drought and death in many parts of the world; hurricanes have hit California and and the Caribbean, and another threatens Florida even as I write this. Wars rage in Ukraine and elsewhere; crime seems rampant in major cities on every continent. Diseases– even those we considered eradicated or “tamed” are making a comeback. Waste and pollution devastate our oceans, rivers, woodlands, and even the air we breathe. Often, it seems as if God is absent or powerless–sitting on the sidelines and letting bad things happen. Those of us who claim faith in an omnipotent, loving, and gracious God are mocked and challenged. How can we believe in the face of such evil, disaster, and injustice? How can we offer the empty comfort of prayers and assurances?
It can be very difficult to face such challenges– there are no easy answers and “mic-drop” moments for us in this world. But that doesn’t mean that there are no answers or that our faith is “blind” or without merit.
The Bible is filled with examples of people who followed God in extraordinary circumstances, often in the face of great evil and with little logical expectation of God’s blessing or help. Abraham traded a wealthy, safe, and honorable life in his native land to live as a stranger and a nomad among foreigners. Even after God seemed to fulfill the promise of a son, he tested Abraham’s faith, asking him to sacrifice his only son Read the complete story here... Many people see this story as a horrific example of injustice and cruelty– and if Abraham had been required to go through with the sacrifice, it might seem even more unjust and cruel. However, there are two points to consider:
God clearly planned to rescue Isaac–there was a ram in the thicket all ready and waiting. Abraham may not have known God’s purpose in asking such a thing, but he had faith that “God will provide for himself the lamb…” God may have been “testing” Abraham, but he already knew the outcome. The “test” was not for God–perhaps not even for Abraham–the test was for Isaac and all who would follow and experience the blessings that came through this amazing act of faith.
The story of Abraham, like so many others, is given to illustrate difficult truths– sometimes about God’s character, or OUR character, or the nature and consequences of Sin. These stories also often form patterns of allegory, foreshadowing, or illustrations of key principles and events. Abraham was told to sacrifice his only and very beloved son– a horrible prospect for any father. But God provided a substitute sacrifice– a lamb– allowing Isaac to live and become the father of many nations. God’s plan for the salvation of the world was built on the same pattern. God sent his only and very beloved “son” to be the substitutionary sacrifice for the sins of all mankind– a horrible prospect for a loving Heavenly Father. And this time, the son willingly gave His life to become the fulfillment of the promise acted out in Abraham’s story.
And, of course, there are hundreds of other stories– throughout the Bible, and throughout history– that demonstrate the blessings that come through radical and even tiny acts of faith in God.
Hebrews, chapter 11 lists several examples. And a key verse in the chapter points out:
13 These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.
Hebrews 11:13 (KJV)
These great examples of faith died without seeing the end results..but the end results are there for US to see! Faith in humanity– faith in Science– faith in ourselves– these are doomed to end in disappointment. Not because we don’t believe enough; not because these things are “bad”– but because faith needs an unshakeable, immovable, solid, and eternal foundation. Our faith in Christ is not a blind faith, an empty faith, or a desperate faith– it is a Faith that is firmly rooted in history, in observable facts, and in revealed truth. And even in the fiercest storms, the worst of disasters, and the overwhelming flood of hatred and evil in the world, our faith stands firm and sure– not because it is “our faith”, but because it is built on Him who is before and above all things–yesterday, today, and forevermore.
Our very firm foundation may seem invisible to the world, but that doesn’t change its reality or its power. We pray to the ONE who calms storms, who tears down and builds up kingdoms, and who holds all of eternity, including our future, in His hands. Fires, floods, trials, and terrors cannot overwhelm those who put their trust in Jesus. We may still get wet, singed, singled out, persecuted, and knocked down, but we will never be abandoned or defeated, or forsaken. Even if it seems like God is holding a knife to our neck– remember how the story ends! There is a lamb who has taken our place. God will not put an end to our hope. Even death cannot separate us from His Love and His Purpose for eternity. It’s all there– in His Excellent Word!
Today is Memorial Day in the United States–a day when we remember all those who have given their lives in service to their fellow countrymen and women. People decorate the gravestones of soldiers who were killed in action, they march in patriotic parades, and they hold memorial services, with military rites, prayers, and speeches.
Not everyone celebrates in the same way. Some just use the day as an excuse to have a pre-summer cookout or swim-party. Some don’t commemorate the day at all. Some people use the day to honor veterans of the armed forces, or even those who risk their lives in emergency services– EMT’s, Firefighters, Police officers, and others. Others use the day to honor their ancestors, regardless of whether they served in the military.
My husband and I fall on this end of the spectrum. We like to pay tribute to those who came before us– to those who left everything behind to start a new life as “pioneers”; those who lived through wars and diseases and struggles; those who left a legacy to our grandparents and parents–a legacy we hope to pass on. But we don’t worship our ancestors; we don’t worship the soldiers who died. We honor them, we remember their sacrifice, but we recognize that they were human, just like us. They may have died in battle or as the result of battle, but they died, just as we will. Their sacrifices may have been heroic; their efforts may have preserved freedom for us, or brought freedom to those who were oppressed. And that is what we honor. That is what we remember.
Jesus Christ was not a soldier. Yet He sacrificed His life for a purpose much greater than the honor of a nation, or the freedom of family and friends. His sacrifice opened a way for us to be reconciled with God– to be declared righteous and Holy, in spite of what we have done (or failed to do). Our best efforts may end in tragic death on a battlefield– or in a hospital bed fighting cancer or AIDS. But our best efforts end in death. His best efforts destroyed the power of Death, and offered hope to all the world.
Memorial Day comes once a year in my country. Other nations have similar days. It is important to remember those who have come before– those who have made sacrifices, and paved the way for future generations to live free. But around the world, Christians have reason to celebrate every day– to remember the death AND resurrection of our Savior that gives us eternal freedom from the sting of Sin and Death.
Before His death, Jesus gave his disciples a rite– a ceremony– to remember His death, and what it would mean in light of His resurrection. We call it Communion or Eucharist– the “body” and “blood” of Christ–consumed and memorialized each time we take it. We don’t hold parades or play Taps or plant flowers. We don’t have pool parties and barbecues. But we reflect with solemnity and gratitude on the sacrifice that conquered the grave once and for all!
I’ve been reading through the book of Job this past week. Job’s story challenges us– especially if we trust in our circumstances to confirm God’s love for us. Job was a seeming pawn in a situation beyond his control or understanding. He lost nearly everything– his cattle, flocks, all his children, and even his health. The only thing he did not lose was his nagging wife, and his faithful, but very unhelpful friends.
At first, Job’s friends seem very supportive. They stay with him, saying nothing, just offering their presence for a week! But then, they start spouting the kind of useless aphorisms and accusations that make Job’s bad situation infinitely worse. They “remind” him that good people don’t suffer–only the wicked experience pain and loss. This knowledge, they assure him, comes from their own experience, and the wisdom of the past. When Job protests that he is innocent, that his suffering is NOT because of his own wickedness, they become increasingly angry and irrational– making up accusations and heaping blame on Job for daring to “question” God.
But Job’s friends, even though they speak with confidence and sound very much like many people we hear today, are wrong. Job’s experience is real–suffering comes to the innocent, while the wicked often “get away with” their sin, living lives of ease and comfort at the expense of others. We see it in the world around us– innocent people are the targets of mass shootings, or war, or famine, or disease. Meanwhile, criminals get “off” on a technicality; decorated war “heroes” destroy entire cities; powerful tyrants bend laws and oppress the helpless.
Where is God in all this? WHO is God in all this? There are many different responses, but I want to look at three that are all present in the book of Job:
Mrs. Job: “Curse God and Die.” Some people look at evil and suffering, and they decide that God must be a fraud. Either He cannot or He will not destroy evil, or He would have done so before now. They declare with great defiance that either God does not even exist, or He must be malicious, capricious, petty, and weak.
Job’s friends: “Everyone knows that God rewards good and punishes evil.” Doesn’t the Bible say this? Isn’t this what we learned in Sunday School? Surprisingly, most of us would say, “Yes, that is exactly what I learned as a child, and it is exactly what the Bible says!” But look closer. The Bible says that “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:23) It goes on to say that “The Just shall live by faith” (Habakkuk 2:4 and Romans 1:17)–not their good works. God DOES reward goodness, and he DOES punish evil– but He also redeems the wicked and causes the good to go through times of trial and suffering. God is more than a two-dimensional dispenser of rewards and punishments. God’s ways are not our ways (Isaiah 55:8), and there are times that He chooses not to explain His ways “in the moment” of our suffering, or in the moments when wickedness seems to be “winning.” Unfortunately, when bad times come; when we experience pain, or watch someone else going through inexplicable suffering, if our view of God is incomplete or two-dimensional, we are left repeating the little we KNOW (or think we know) about God, and defending, not God’s character, but OUR knowledge. This is especially true if we have not been tested ourselves.
Job: “Though He slay me, yet will I trust in Him.” (Job 13:15) “I know that my redeemer lives, and that in the end he will stand on the earth. And after my skin has been destroyed, yet in my flesh I will see God;I myself will see him with my own eyes—I, and not another. How my heart yearns within me!” Job 19:25-27 Even when Job struggled with his pain and suffering–even as he defended his character to his accusing friends, Job KNEW that God was GOD. He knew all that his friends were saying ABOUT God, but he also knew God–even when he didn’t understand His actions. And after all the arguments had been made and all the “easy” answers had been spilled out, GOD did not slay Job; he did not leave him in his agony. Neither did He provide Job with detailed answers or explanations. But He redeemed the situation– Job ended up with more blessings than before. More importantly, Job ended up with a greater understanding of who God is.
When all is not well with our health, or our finances, or our safety, or our relationships, it can still be “well with (our) Soul.” God does not change, but He does ask us to trust Him, even when His ways are not our ways. God will reward good and punish evil– but it may not be in our lifetime or as we imagine. God may stay silent during times of great stress and pain, but He will not leave us! In every situation, we can trust Him.
Pursuing Prayer 