Know Your History

History was always may favorite subject in school. I loved learning about past people, events, wars, etc. In eighth grade I had to do a massive history paper where we researched a principle character involved in the American Civil War. I picked Jefferson Davis, the president of the Confederacy, and dove into learning as much as I could about him. For some reason, projects like this fascinated me. To this day, I love reading a good biography, historical account, and even the occasional piece of historically-based fiction.

As I read through Psalm 106 today, I realized anew how important it is to know our history in the context of our faith. In Psalm 106, the psalmist essentially summarizes the history of Israel from their slavery in Egypt to their exile in Assyria and Babylon. The contrasting themes in the psalm are the recurring rebellion of Israel and the unwavering love and faithfulness of God. The people of Israel had very short memories when it came to God’s miraculous deliverance and provision. They failed to adhere to the covenant, and thus God would allow famine, war, and eventually captivity to overtake them. The people would then realize how foolish they had been and cry out to God for help — and he was always faithful.

It struck me that Christians, collectively and individually, are no different from Israel. It’s easy for me to read the Old Testament and scratch my head saying, “How could they forget so easily?” But then I stop and think about how I am so much like Israel. The psalmist says of Israel, “…they mixed with the nations and learned to do as they did. They served their idols, which became a snare to them…Thus they became unclean by their acts, and played the whore in their deeds. Many times he delivered them, but they were rebellious in their purposes and were brought low through their iniquity.” I read those words over and over, and felt like they could just as easily have described my life, and the church at large. Instead of continually remembering all that God has done through Christ, and instead of living under the law of the “Spirit of life” (Romans 8), I fall into patterns of sin and seek after what the world has to offer.

We need to know our history. We need to study the Scriptures and the history of the church. We need to see the thread of God’s faithfulness weaving its way throughout the centuries. And we need to remember the life, death, and resurrection of our Lord. Israel always had a hard time remembering God’s miraculous acts of deliverance. As Christians, we must never forget the miraculous deliverance and victory brought by Christ.

Paul wrote in Romans 8:14-17,”For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, ‘Abba, Father!’ The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs — heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided that we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him.” We need to remember what God has done for us, and why He has done it.

God has brought us out of bondage and slavery to sin, so that we might live in relationship with Him — just as He brought Israel out of Egypt so that they would live freely under His rule. We must take care to avoid the amnesia that plagued Israel. Know your history. Remember who God is and what He has done. And then live in light of it.

Misunderstood

Earlier today, my brother told me about a recent news story which reported that Sacramento Kings forward DeMarcus Cousins had the word “misunderstood” tattooed on his leg. Controversial professional athletes have a tendency to claim that they are misunderstood in order to justify their questionable behavior. It’s kind of like prefacing a potentially offensive statement with, “No offense, but…” Just as one can still be offended by a “no offense” comment, so it is that people might actually understand Mr. Cousins perfectly well.

In John chapter 8, Jesus tells a crowd of people that they have failed to fully understand his message. And it is a misunderstanding that is far more impactful than anything DeMarcus Cousins could claim.

Jesus is speaking to a crowd of “Jews who had believed in him” (v. 31). These Jews are having a hard time wrapping their minds around Jesus’ teaching when he said, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free” (vv. 31-32).  Perplexed, the crowd informs Jesus that they had never been enslaved to anyone in their lives, so what exactly are they being set free from?

Jesus then goes on to explain their enslavement to sin, but they simply cannot wrap their minds around Jesus’ teaching. John reports that, despite their belief in him, these Jews were out to kill Jesus because of his claims of divinity.

Jesus, recognizing that the people are unable to comprehend his connection with the Father, lowers the boom on them in verse 43. Jesus says, “‘Why do you not understand what I say? It is because you cannot bear to hear my word.” 

This hit me like a ton of bricks when I read it. In recent months, I have been seeking answers regarding God’s will for my life. I have spent the three months since my college graduation unsuccessfully seeking my “dream job.” My prayer times have yielded little in the way of a picture of what God might have for me. Reading these words has caused me to ask the question, what if I am not getting an answer because I cannot bear to hear it? What if I have put God into a box, limiting him to just a few “acceptable” options about what I might like to do with my life?

Jesus was not one to mince words in his public ministry. He said what he needed to say, leaving nothing out. But his teachings were often incomprehensible to earthly-minded hearers, who simply could not bring themselves to think from another perspective. The Jews had their idea of who the Messiah would be, and Jesus did not fit it (even Peter fell prey to this after Jesus had predicted his own death).

I am convinced that I, along with a whole lot of other people, have the same problem when it comes to comprehending what God is trying to say. I come to God with my mind already made up and expect him to accept with my terms. Or I come to him with a couple of job possibilities and ask him to bless one or the other, never asking him whether either option is in accordance with his will.

I must be willing to truly submit to God and the path that he is leading me on. The last few months have not gone according to plan…my plan, that is. But there is no doubt that God is using them to show how small my faith in him really is. Why have I not been able to understand what God is saying and where he is leading? It is because I cannot bear to hear what he he really has to say. Until I can learn to come to him with open hands, open heart, and open mind, I will never be able to truly grasp his will for my life.

The Focus of our Devotion

Yesterday morning I woke up and got out of bed hoping to have a nice, relaxing morning. I wanted to make a hot cop of coffee, listen to some music, and have quality time reading my Bible and spending time with the Lord. Sounds nice, doesn’t it? Needless to say, my morning did not exactly pan out how I had hoped. When I came downstairs there was a pile of dishes in the kitchen, so while my coffee was brewing I began washing pots and pans and loading things into the dishwasher–most of which, I noted, I had not been responsible for in the first place. This process took a considerable amount of time, far exceeding the time needed to brew my coffee.

By the time I finished with the dishes and sat down with my coffee–about 25-30 minutes later, it was no longer up to my temperature specifications. Lukewarm coffee is not nearly as enjoyable (and for those who might suggest the microwave I offer two rebuttals: 1) I was using my microwave-unsafe San Francisco Giants 2010 World Series Champions mug, and 2) the microwave tampers with the taste of the coffee).

I decided to get by with the lukewarm coffee and sat down. As I got my music ready to go and began my devotional time, a request to make a run to the grocery store interrupted me.  I was frustrated by this request, as I knew that it removed any possibility of achieving the desired outcome of my morning. I begrudgingly went to the store and returned just in time to leave for my brother’s baseball game (which we arrived late for, adding further annoyance).

Do you see the irony in the above story? I was so committed to what I wanted–MY music, MY Bible study, MY prayer time–that I was thoroughly annoyed by having to serve and meet the needs of others. This dawned on me later in the day as I was still dwelling on my “lost morning.” The reality is, my morning didn’t have to be  “lost.” I had the opportunity to joyfully clean up around the house and go to the store so that other people didn’t have to, yet I chose to dwell on what I could have been doing instead.

My intent here is not to marginalize time spent alone with the Lord. Such time is vital to maintaining a healthy, vibrant relationship with Him. However, the selfish way with which I approached my time with Him on this particular morning distracted me from being obedient in service to others.

I think that it is common for Christians today to allow their piety to inhibit their service. There seems to be somewhat of a disconnect between what happens on Sunday mornings (or Wednesday night or Saturday night) and in our quiet times, and how we live and interact with people on a daily basis. I am reminded of Jesus’ words in Matthew 15:11-18:

And he called the people to him and said to them, “Hear and understand: it is not what goes into the mouth that defiles a person, but what comes out of the mouth; this defiles a person.” Then the disciples came and said to him, “Do you know that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this saying?” He answered, “Every plant that my heavenly Father has not planted will be rooted up. Let them alone; they are blind guides. And if the blind lead the blind, both will fall into a pit.” But Peter said to him, “Explain the parable to us.” And he said, “Are you also still without understanding? Do you not see that whatever goes into the mouth passes into the stomach and is expelled? But what comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart, and this defiles a person. For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false witness, slander. These are what defile a person. But to eat with unwashed hands does not defile anyone.”

We need to be very careful when it comes to emphasizing different worship rituals over the actual content of how we live our lives. Jesus condemned this type of living when he encountered it, teaching that what comes out of us (e.g. how we live) is far more important than the pious appearances we may construct through “devotional time.” When I cast my personal time with the Lord as more important than living in a Christlike manner so that others might be drawn to Him, I am in error. On the contrary, a healthy devotional life will energize our desire to love and serve others. The natural result of a relationship with the Lord is an overflowing of His love out of our lives onto other people. We must never think that our time is too valuable to spend on others.

 

Quote of the Day, from Oswald Chambers:

The real fasting of the preacher is not from food, but rather from eloquence, from impressiveness and exquisite diction, from everything that might hinder the gospel of God being presented.

A Healthy Appetite

“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.” -Matthew 5:6 (ESV)

The Beatitudes (Matthew 5:2-12), for good reason, is a passage of Scripture that receives a lot of attention. Anyone who has spent more than a few years in the church has likely heard many messages exploring the rich depth of these proverb-like statements of Jesus delivered in the Sermon on the Mount.

In my most recent encounter with the Beatitudes, I was particularly struck by the fourth statement of Jesus–that God blesses and satisfies those who hunger and thirst for righteousness. The appetite of the Christian ought to be righteousness. What does it mean to have an appetite? The definition is quite simple: “A desire or liking for something.” The funny thing about our physical appetite for food and water is that it cannot be satisfied just once and then never addressed again. Abstain from food and water for too long and your body will begin to function improperly, with death following soon after. We cannot physically survive without meeting our appetite for food and water. We have a natural desire for them.

Jesus’ words here in the Beatitudes are foreshadowed by his temptation at the hands of Satan in Matthew 4. After being baptized, Jesus went out into the wilderness and fasted for forty days and forty nights. As Matthew astutely points out: “he was hungry.” It is at this time that Satan comes and tells Jesus to “command these stones to become loaves of bread.” Considering Jesus’ ability to turn water into wine (John 2), turning stones into bread would not have been beyond his ability. But Jesus responds by saying, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’” This direct quote from Deuteronomy 8:3 reveals a stunning truth: meeting our physical hunger and thirst is not adequate for remaining healthy and satisfied. We will only be healthy and satisfied when we desire the righteousness that comes from the words of God.

The sin of Adam and Eve, and every sin committed by every person since, is the result of misplaced desire. We turn away from God to hunger and thirst after the wrong things. We completely and utterly neglect and reject Jesus’ promise in Matthew 7: “Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.”

What a beautiful and glorious truth! God recognizes the desires and needs that we have, but these only come to us when we are not seeking them. They will come when we are so captivated by pursuing and desiring Him that we forget about them altogether—when we hunger and thirst for righteousness.

Now for the obligatory C.S. Lewis quote (from Weight of Glory):

Indeed, if we consider the unblushing promises of reward and the staggering nature of the rewards promised in the Gospels, it would seem that our Lord finds our desires, not too strong, but too weak. We are half-hearted creatures fooling about with drink and sex and ambition when infinite joy is offered us, like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at the sea. We are far too easily pleased.

God does not offer us a boring life in which we must deny the things that make us happy and joyful in exchange for boring worship services and an outdated manuscript. He offers us new life, a life filled with joy and excitement in which we are completely satisfied in Him and by Him alone. The trouble is we don’t often believe that the holiday at the sea is better than making mud pies in a slum. We continue to pursue our desires by our own strength because we do not trust that the life offered by God is better than what we can create ourselves.

How foolish of us! The promise is plain to see in Jesus words: ‘Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be satisfied.” Not “might be” or “could be”—no…”will be.” Our problem is not our desire to be satisfied, but that we misplace that desire. The only way to be healthy and satisfied is to place your desire in the only One who can fully satisfy, both now and forever and unto ages of ages.

Trust Issues: 1 Kings 18 & 19

I read through 1 Kings chapters 18 and 19 this morning, which tell of a critical time in the history of the nation of Judah. Hezekiah is king, a king who “trusted in the Lord the God of Israel, so that there was none like him among all the kings of Judah after him, nor among those who were before him” (18:5).

Just 10 years earlier, Shalmaneser king of Assyria had captured Samaria and sent the northern kingdom of Israel into captivity. This happened because Israel had turned from the Lord. In this passage, Sennacherib is king of Assyria and he has brought his army to Jerusalem.

These were certainly dire circumstances for the people of Judah. They certainly knew the fate of Israel a decade before and would have trembled at the sight of the Assyrian army outside the gates of Jerusalem. In verses 30 and 33 of chapter 18, we hear the message from Assyria: “Do not let Hezekiah make you trust in the Lord by saying, ‘The Lord will surely deliver us, and this city will not be given into the hand of the king of Assyria’…Has any of the gods of the nations ever delivered his land out of the hand of the king of Assyria?” Sennacherib calls upon Judah to trust in him instead, and he will deal kindly with them.

So the people of Judah are faced with a challenge: to trust Sennacherib or to keep their trust in the Lord. Verse 36 is a beautiful description of the people’s response: “But the people were silent and answered him not a word.” The people followed Hezekiah’s leadership and kept their trust firmly in the Lord for their deliverance. Assyria eventually returned home and Sennacherib was assassinated by his own sons.

Years later an evil king would turn Judah away from the Lord, resulting in Jerusalem’s conquest by Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon. However, in this passage we see the proper response to adverse circumstances. There might be an option that seems safe and easy (surrendering to Sennacherib), but that way will lead to destruction because it causes us to turn from the Lord. Trusting God in Judah’s situation seemed preposterous, especially given Sennacherib’s words and Assyria’s many previous conquests–including Israel. But the people were unwavering in their commitment to the Lord and made the hard choice–they decided to follow Him not knowing what would happen. But God was faithful, and it was only when Judah eventually abandoned the Lord that harm came upon them.

Stay committed to the Lord in the hard things, and He will always be faithful.

Kaph- Psalm 119:81-88

I’m back!

My soul longs for your salvation; I hope in your word. My eyes long for your promise; I ask, “When will you comfort me?” For I have become like a wineskin in the smoke, yet I have not forgotten your statutes. How long must your servant endure? When will you judge those who persecute me? The insolent have dug pitfalls for me; they do not live according to your law. All your commandments are sure; they persecute me with falsehood; help me! They have almost made an end of me on earth, but I have not forsaken your precepts. In your steadfast love give me life, that I may keep the testimonies of your mouth.

The psalmist has an unwavering commitment to God’s truth that I think we need to recapture today. He is unshakably committed to the Lord, regardless of the opposition he receives. He says here that he has almost been killed because of his dedication to God’s law, and yet he has not even considered abandoning Him.

This is strikingly similar to Paul, a man who suffered every persecution imaginable (2 Cor. 11:16-33) and yet never wavered in his love for the Lord and his desire to see the church spread across the globe. How different my faith is! I am so quick to turn away and retreat to “safety” when things get hard.

But true safety and security comes from God. It really makes a lot of sense at the end of the day. Yes, the Christian life is hard, uneasy, and filled with affliction–but God is our refuge and our fortress (Psalm 18). I hope that, by God’s grace alone, my faith can become more like that of Paul and the psalmist.

 

Yodh- Psalm 119:73-80

Your hands have made and fashioned me; give me understanding that I may learn your commandments. Those who fear you shall see me and rejoice, because I have hoped in your word. I know, O Lord, that your rules are righteous, and that in faithfulness you have afflicted me. Let your steadfast love comfort me according to your promise to your servant. Let your mercy come to me, that I may live; for your law is my delight. Let the insolent be put to shame, because they have wronged me with falsehood; as for me, I will meditate on your precepts. Let those who fear you turn to me, that they may know your testimonies. May my heart be blameless in your statutes, that I may not be put to shame.

This throws a wrinkle into things. The psalmist says that his affliction has come from God. How can he say this and yet still ask God to comfort him? We generally do not seek to be comforted by the very one who is afflicting us. The difference here is the psalmists’ perspective. He begins this section by saying that God’s “hands have fashioned and made me.” This perspective changes things. As Maker, God has a thorough understanding of our inner workings and He knows–better than anybody else–what is best for us.

This perspective, and this perspective alone, makes it possible for the psalmist to claim that God shows his faithfulness through affliction. God’s rules are not as much a “Do this or else…” paradigm as they are a “Do this and you will have abundant life, don’t do this and walk alone in darkness” paradigm. When we understand this, we realize that affliction–though not necessarily punishment–should always bring us to dependence on the Lord. The testing of faith develops steadfastness. Affliction and suffering should cause us to rejoice because we know that God is faithful and rewards obedience.

Teth- Psalm 119:65-72

You have dealt well with your servant, O Lord, according to your word. Teach me good judgment and knowledge, for I believe in your commandments. Before I was afflicted I went astray, but now I keep your word. You are good and do good; teach me your statutes. The insolent smear me with lies, but with my whole heart I keep your precepts; their heart is unfeeling like fat, but I delight in your law. It is good for me that I was afflicted, that I might learn your statutes. The law of your mouth is better to me than thousands of gold and silver pieces.

This passage runs in the same line of thought with James 1. In fact, all of Psalm 119 should be considered alongside James 1.  James writes in his opening chapter, “Count it all joy my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness…For the sun rises with its scorching heat and withers the grass; its flower falls, and its beauty perishes. So also will the rich man fade away in the midst of his pursuits.”

The pursuit of God and the pursuit of money stand against each other. If you pursue one, you cannot pursue the other. Jesus says this himself in Matthew 6:24, “No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.”

The writer of Psalm 119 has chosen his master. He, like Paul, rejoices in his afflictions because in them he has learned more deeply the word of God. I love the wording in verse 67: “Before I was afflicted I went astray, but now I keep your word.” It is in times of suffering and affliction where the value  of money is exposed for what it truly is. Those who pursue riches will fade away in these times and be left with nothing, but those who pursue the Lord–though everything else be stripped from them–will be secure in His truth.

Heth- Psalm 119:57-64

The Lord is my portion; I promise to keep your words. I entreat your favor with all my heart; be gracious to me according to your promise. When I think on my ways, I turn my feet to your testimonies; I hasten and do not delay to keep your commandments. Though the cords of the wicked ensnare me, I do not forget your law. At midnight I rise to praise you, because of your righteous rules. I am a companion of all who fear you, of those who keep your precepts. The earth, O Lord, is full of your steadfast love; teach me your statutes.

The word entreat really jumps off of the page. It means “to ask earnestly; beseech; implore; beg.” The psalmist has already established his love for God’s law and his desire to follow obediently. Now here he begs the Lord to reward him for his obedience. I think there is a connection to be made to God’s original covenant with Abraham, in which God promised to bless Abraham and his offspring because of Abraham’s obedience. As a descendant of Abraham, the psalmist is begging the Lord to extend His blessing.

As spiritual descendants of Abraham we as Christians are also descendants of God’s promise, though we take part in the new covenant sealed in Christ’s blood (1 Cor. 11). As members of the new covenant we also should “hasten and not delay” to keep God’s commandments. It is in doing so that God will be compelled to grant our entreating for His favor.

Zayin- Psalm 119:49-56

Remember your word to your servant, in which you have made me hope. This is my comfort in affliction, that your promise gives me life. The insolent utterly deride me, but I do not turn away from your law. When I think of your rules from of old, I take comfort, O Lord. Hot indignation seizes me because of the wicked, who forsake your law. Your statutes have been my songs in the house of my sojourning. I remember your name in the night, O Lord, and keep your law. This blessing has fallen to me, that I have kept your precepts.

I think it’s pretty clear by now what the psalmist is passionate about: being obedient to God. In each section he emphasizes his commitment to following after God’s word. This commitment is again the focus of verses 49-56, in which the psalmist says that God’s law gives him comfort during times of affliction.

Verses 54 and 55 (bold above) were of particular interest to me as I read through this section. The phrase “house of my sojourning” should strike us as odd. The word house implies permanency, while sojourning means “to live temporarily.” Put together this seems to mean “always going from place to place.” This reminded me of Matthew 8:20 where Jesus tells a scribe, “Foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head.”

In other words, following Christ is not easy. If our faith is authentic we will not necessarily always feel settled and comfortable. That’s what Jesus taught his disciples, and that’s what the psalmist experience. He was always sojourning, but he stayed committed to the Lord. He says that the Lord’s statutes have been his “songs.” This to me implies joy since he is still able to sing in the midst of sojourning.

To further hammer home this point he writes, “I remember your name in the night, O Lord, and keep your law.” Even in times of darkness, the psalmist finds his peace in God. We must find our joy in the Lord regardless of our circumstances.