One, to attain to pleasant circumstances, and hope that this great moment could last forever, or would always return. But it never does.
Another, to present to God your messes and raw emotions, and trust that they are only temporary. You may well receive the perspective that what distresses you doesn't matter all that much. But you may not feel that as a calming certainty, only as a theoretical notion of how you should be feeling, don't give up on presenting to God and asking for help.
A startling song
Mac Brock's song I Am Loved depicts a meeting with our heavenly Father. The refrain distracted me at first:
But as I thought further, I think the song is right. I am indeed forgiven, so deeply forgiven. That's what the Scripture means to say our sins are removed from us as far as the east from the west. That's what it means when it says he will remember our sin no more. That is what the loving father showed when the prodigal came home, dressing him anew in fine robes and the golden ring and commanding a feast.
Why do I hesitate at this picture of the depths of grace? Am I still thinking that being saved by grace is fine for other people, but I'd like to earn a gold star? Isn't the central act of this story really about the wonder of who God is, the forgiver and reconciler? Why do I keep wanting to (or why am I driven to) think the story needs to be about how well or poorly I have done?
There is no disappointment in Your eyesI thought "no disappointment?" That's overdone. Surely I've disappointed God in many ways.
There is no shame there is only pride
But as I thought further, I think the song is right. I am indeed forgiven, so deeply forgiven. That's what the Scripture means to say our sins are removed from us as far as the east from the west. That's what it means when it says he will remember our sin no more. That is what the loving father showed when the prodigal came home, dressing him anew in fine robes and the golden ring and commanding a feast.
Why do I hesitate at this picture of the depths of grace? Am I still thinking that being saved by grace is fine for other people, but I'd like to earn a gold star? Isn't the central act of this story really about the wonder of who God is, the forgiver and reconciler? Why do I keep wanting to (or why am I driven to) think the story needs to be about how well or poorly I have done?
Anniversary
46 years ago, attending a campus fellowship group I hadn't intended to go to (but was too embarrassed to leave), I ended up praying to ask Jesus Christ to forgive me and come into my life. I was astounded by the sense of peace that I felt for the next hour or two. But the feeling faded, and the next morning I wondered what on earth I had done.
In those first few hours, I see a pattern I've seen many times since. God is surprisingly powerful and active, but also surprisingly subtle. Sometimes he shows his power, sometimes he does not, and you have to remember what you have seen of it.
In those first few hours, I see a pattern I've seen many times since. God is surprisingly powerful and active, but also surprisingly subtle. Sometimes he shows his power, sometimes he does not, and you have to remember what you have seen of it.
In this imperfect world
a strategy of "I will be OK as long as nothing bad happens to me," is not going to work. It may already have obviously failed, but if it hasn't, don't trust it.
A real strategy must face that bad things happen that we cannot always prevent. We should try to prevent bad things where we can, but we cannot prevent them all. How to recover when bad things happen? Seek a relationship with God. God instructs and guides how to live so that bad things happen less often, but he also offers wisdom and grace to recover and keep going when bad things do happen.
A real strategy must face that bad things happen that we cannot always prevent. We should try to prevent bad things where we can, but we cannot prevent them all. How to recover when bad things happen? Seek a relationship with God. God instructs and guides how to live so that bad things happen less often, but he also offers wisdom and grace to recover and keep going when bad things do happen.
Seeking status
What does the Gospel really say to the desire for success and status, the longing to be better, more powerful, better off than our neighbors? It says there is a far greater status than the wildest dreams of success we could possibly hope for. It informs us we are known to God, and by his help we can turn our lives to pleasing him, and that we are indeed loved. It tells us too that worldly success is of secondary importance, we should regard what success we attain as a gift from God. And we should learn to be content with what success we are given, not long for more. It really doesn’t matter that much if we are better off or better known than our rivals. If God gave us more gifts of success, that is good. If he gave us fewer gifts of success, that too is good. We can learn to trust and bless God for the gifts he has given and the gifts he has not given. Success and status are not finite in quantity, that my neighbor getting more diminishes how much I could receive. God is infinite in love and attention, there is more than enough honor for everyone.
How great a gift would be real contentment! To know deep down that you are chosen, loved intensely by God, prepared for a unique and thoroughly meaningful niche within the kingdom not yet fully come. To understand that your desire to be known, to be recognized, is fulfilled beyond your wildest dreams. Your maker chooses you, includes you, plans for you. To understand in that light that for others to be recognized, acclaimed or talked about does not diminish the unimaginable gifts you are given. Status and acclaim in this life is only temporary, only a small part of what is to come. We all long to be recognized, be known for something, we grab at any chance to get noticed, and put down or are jealous of those who get more notice than we do. Why not remember the wealth we have from God, and accept that the small trinkets of worldly acclaim and status are distributed unfairly. Where we get more than our share, let us be humble, thank God for those gifts rather than take them as our due. Where we get less than our share, let us be patient, and strive to remember the wealth of recognition we receive and will receive from God.
How great a gift would be real contentment! To know deep down that you are chosen, loved intensely by God, prepared for a unique and thoroughly meaningful niche within the kingdom not yet fully come. To understand that your desire to be known, to be recognized, is fulfilled beyond your wildest dreams. Your maker chooses you, includes you, plans for you. To understand in that light that for others to be recognized, acclaimed or talked about does not diminish the unimaginable gifts you are given. Status and acclaim in this life is only temporary, only a small part of what is to come. We all long to be recognized, be known for something, we grab at any chance to get noticed, and put down or are jealous of those who get more notice than we do. Why not remember the wealth we have from God, and accept that the small trinkets of worldly acclaim and status are distributed unfairly. Where we get more than our share, let us be humble, thank God for those gifts rather than take them as our due. Where we get less than our share, let us be patient, and strive to remember the wealth of recognition we receive and will receive from God.
The false Gospel we grew up on
We Americans, and perhaps anyone in the modern world, grow up learning a false gospel. We're told that every day, in every way, things are getting better and better. Death, hardship and suffering, once universal, are becoming optional and should soon disappear forever. Life used to be hard and short, modern medicine has ended scourge after scourge, and works on the ones that remain. Work used to be hard, machines and labor saving technology make it easier and easier. The American version says we declared our independence, and afterwards tyranny has become unknown in our land.
But the Christian gospel says this is far too simple. With all the progress science and technology have made, we each carry seeds of evil in our hearts, and are all too prone to give in to it. Progress does end certain evils, but new evils come. And weakened by our lack of persistence because of the adversity we thought we’d never have to face, despair and apathy are strong.
An inadequate view of the gospel can combine with a willingness to believe in progress, and result in a Christianized view of progress. Hardship, pain and suffering are still temporary, a sign of being far from God. When we come to God, learn some basic discipleship, they should go away. If not, we wonder where we’ve gone wrong. What is the missing spiritual secret to make our life in Christ become effortless as it ought to be? This question fuels the susceptibility to health and wealth doctrines, we want to believe the life of faith should work like that. God is all powerful, and loving, so he can’t want us to suffer can he? I’ve never fallen for straight health and wealth doctrines, but I have yielded more than once to the analogous thinking — if I am seeking God’s kingdom, rather than my own comfort, my life should be nearly effortless. Yes, there may be awkwardnesses, outward hardships, but they won’t really bother me, will they?
There is a startling and surprising truth that leapt out at me from the pages of Scripture when I tried to take an overview of God’s work in history. God, standing outside time, has a plan to bring all things together, to sum up all things in Christ. Yet he has little urgency about this, in the way we imagine urgency. He had no hesitation to permit thousands of years for the accomplishment of his plan. Abraham was called, centuries later Israel was in Egypt, and Moses led them out. Then centuries in the promised land, until David came and established the kingship. David and Solomon’s golden age only lasted a short while, then centuries of mostly corrupt kings and prophets that few listened to. Then exile, and slow rebuilding after. Then more centuries and Christ the promised Messiah is born. He dies to accomplish our forgiveness, then returns from the grave, the Spirit descends and starts the church. And two thousand years later the church has still not reached every language group with the Good news. Why does this take so long? Was God caught off guard that the people following Moses would rebel? Or that the judges would call people back to God, and they would wander away again? Was he surprised that the church would so often become corrupt and lifeless, that no revival would ever be permanent, that open doors would close and churches would fossilize? No, he knew all this was coming, included it in his plan.
Yet we think, like other generations that have gone before, for us everything ought to proceed smoothly. We’ve learned to trust God, we’ve learned how to organize churches, how to do mission. Scriptures that speak of persistence, and long suffering were for the previous generations; we have learned, gotten it right. We have seen God at work and will never look back or go astray. Such thoughts show more pride in ourselves than real faith.
I’m convinced one lesson we ought to learn from the book of Revelation is that Satan and the powers of evil keep coming back, keep coming out on top time and time again. God protects and preserves his people, and will win in the end — but that end can be a long time away. God often employs plots where things get a lot worse before they get better. I believe in the life of faith through the centuries, the default is not the one who turns to God in such a powerful way that everything is forever changed there and then, but the default is the one who believes God’s word that all will be changed, some time coming but who knows when, and out of that hope finds the strength and persistence to keep hoping that the present mess is not permanent.
But the Christian gospel says this is far too simple. With all the progress science and technology have made, we each carry seeds of evil in our hearts, and are all too prone to give in to it. Progress does end certain evils, but new evils come. And weakened by our lack of persistence because of the adversity we thought we’d never have to face, despair and apathy are strong.
An inadequate view of the gospel can combine with a willingness to believe in progress, and result in a Christianized view of progress. Hardship, pain and suffering are still temporary, a sign of being far from God. When we come to God, learn some basic discipleship, they should go away. If not, we wonder where we’ve gone wrong. What is the missing spiritual secret to make our life in Christ become effortless as it ought to be? This question fuels the susceptibility to health and wealth doctrines, we want to believe the life of faith should work like that. God is all powerful, and loving, so he can’t want us to suffer can he? I’ve never fallen for straight health and wealth doctrines, but I have yielded more than once to the analogous thinking — if I am seeking God’s kingdom, rather than my own comfort, my life should be nearly effortless. Yes, there may be awkwardnesses, outward hardships, but they won’t really bother me, will they?
There is a startling and surprising truth that leapt out at me from the pages of Scripture when I tried to take an overview of God’s work in history. God, standing outside time, has a plan to bring all things together, to sum up all things in Christ. Yet he has little urgency about this, in the way we imagine urgency. He had no hesitation to permit thousands of years for the accomplishment of his plan. Abraham was called, centuries later Israel was in Egypt, and Moses led them out. Then centuries in the promised land, until David came and established the kingship. David and Solomon’s golden age only lasted a short while, then centuries of mostly corrupt kings and prophets that few listened to. Then exile, and slow rebuilding after. Then more centuries and Christ the promised Messiah is born. He dies to accomplish our forgiveness, then returns from the grave, the Spirit descends and starts the church. And two thousand years later the church has still not reached every language group with the Good news. Why does this take so long? Was God caught off guard that the people following Moses would rebel? Or that the judges would call people back to God, and they would wander away again? Was he surprised that the church would so often become corrupt and lifeless, that no revival would ever be permanent, that open doors would close and churches would fossilize? No, he knew all this was coming, included it in his plan.
Yet we think, like other generations that have gone before, for us everything ought to proceed smoothly. We’ve learned to trust God, we’ve learned how to organize churches, how to do mission. Scriptures that speak of persistence, and long suffering were for the previous generations; we have learned, gotten it right. We have seen God at work and will never look back or go astray. Such thoughts show more pride in ourselves than real faith.
I’m convinced one lesson we ought to learn from the book of Revelation is that Satan and the powers of evil keep coming back, keep coming out on top time and time again. God protects and preserves his people, and will win in the end — but that end can be a long time away. God often employs plots where things get a lot worse before they get better. I believe in the life of faith through the centuries, the default is not the one who turns to God in such a powerful way that everything is forever changed there and then, but the default is the one who believes God’s word that all will be changed, some time coming but who knows when, and out of that hope finds the strength and persistence to keep hoping that the present mess is not permanent.
The Joy of the Lord
“The joy of the Lord is your strength.” We’ve all seen this many times laid over a beautiful image. What is the context?
The whole sentence: “Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.”
The whole verse: “Nehemiah said, ‘Go and enjoy choice food and sweet drinks, and send some to those who have nothing prepared. This day is holy to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.”
What was the situation? Nehemiah had come to Jerusalem, and inspired the people to start rebuilding the wall. They had begun, Nehemiah called the people to persist despite the opposition. The work was not yet finished, but well under way. The people all gathered in Jerusalem and urged Ezra the priest to read the Law to them. Ezra and several Levites read and explained the Law to the people. And the people wept. Nehemiah, Ezra and the Levites said this was a holy day, they should not weep but celebrate. Verse 10 is the key of Nehemiah’s exhortation — don’t mourn, celebrate.
Why did the people mourn? I’m sure they must have listened to the Law and thought of all the times they had not obeyed. They were reminded this is why their ancestors were sent into exile, failure to keep the Law. They heard “Do these things and you will live,” and thought “We have not done these things. We are doomed.”
But Nehemiah and the other leaders insisted they should not mourn but celebrate. And we in the New Covenant should rejoice even more. Even the old covenant had grace, the message that God wanted to make a people for himself and would be with them. And the new covenant makes this clearer. God will do these things in our hearts so we will live. Don’t perceive the commands of God as things to do to be saved, but as the promises of God, what God will do in us because he longs to save.
The whole sentence: “Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.”
The whole verse: “Nehemiah said, ‘Go and enjoy choice food and sweet drinks, and send some to those who have nothing prepared. This day is holy to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.”
What was the situation? Nehemiah had come to Jerusalem, and inspired the people to start rebuilding the wall. They had begun, Nehemiah called the people to persist despite the opposition. The work was not yet finished, but well under way. The people all gathered in Jerusalem and urged Ezra the priest to read the Law to them. Ezra and several Levites read and explained the Law to the people. And the people wept. Nehemiah, Ezra and the Levites said this was a holy day, they should not weep but celebrate. Verse 10 is the key of Nehemiah’s exhortation — don’t mourn, celebrate.
Why did the people mourn? I’m sure they must have listened to the Law and thought of all the times they had not obeyed. They were reminded this is why their ancestors were sent into exile, failure to keep the Law. They heard “Do these things and you will live,” and thought “We have not done these things. We are doomed.”
But Nehemiah and the other leaders insisted they should not mourn but celebrate. And we in the New Covenant should rejoice even more. Even the old covenant had grace, the message that God wanted to make a people for himself and would be with them. And the new covenant makes this clearer. God will do these things in our hearts so we will live. Don’t perceive the commands of God as things to do to be saved, but as the promises of God, what God will do in us because he longs to save.
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