He is coming again…

 

We soon celebrate the arrival of God in the flesh, marveling that He chose to come as a baby, grow up as we do, and then die for our sins. But He is coming again. And why is it taking such a long time?

In Charnock’s wonderful book, the author writes a long section on God’s patience. He illustrates from Bible accounts such as in 1 Samuel where we are told that even though God spared the Amalekites a long time after the injury committed against the Israelites in their passage out of Egypt to Canaan, but when he came to deal with them, he would destroy them  quickly and utterly. His patience has limits. Isaiah describes this in vivid language:

For a long time I have held my peace; I have kept still and restrained myself; now I will cry out like a woman in labor; I will gasp and pant. I will lay waste mountains and hills, and dry up all their vegetation; I will turn the rivers into islands, and dry up the pools. And I will lead the blind in a way that they do not know, in paths that they have not known I will guide them. I will turn the darkness before them into light, the rough places into level ground. These are the things I do, and I do not forsake them. They are turned back and utterly put to shame, who trust in carved idols, who say to metal images, “You are our gods.” (Isaiah 42:14–17)

This morning’s news tells of one city in the middle east that is nearly out of water. This is just another description of disasters everywhere in the world. Earthquakes, floods, freak weather, and more. Are we in a phase where God is saying, “I’ve had enough”? Some polls say that we are in a “post secular” period where people are again thinking that God is real and involved in this world. Are such thoughts prompted by these many disasters and the rising evil in human behavior?

The NT has hints that this messy world is telling us that Jesus will come soon. While some scoff, others look again at what He says will happen:

For this we declare to you by a word from the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord. Therefore encourage one another with these words. (1 Thessalonians 4:15–18)

PRAY: Lord, You clearly say no one knows the day or the hour, but You do give signs of the times. You also tell Your people how to live, not in fear, or as if we need to worry, but to behave as usual. I’m to respect those who mentor me, be at peace with all Christians, admonish the idle, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with them all, seeking to do good to everyone. Also continue to rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances, heed the Holy Spirit, listen to what You say, value godliness and avoid evil. You will set me apart for Yourself and keep me blameless until You come. You are faithful and You will do it. (1 Thessalonians 5:12–25)  
And I am certain of this that You will work together all things for good, for those who belong to You and are being transformed into Your image. We are justified and glorified. If You are for us, who can be against us? You gave up Your life and gave it to me — You will graciously give me all things! (Romans 8:28–32) And even though I long to see Your face, when that time will happen is up to You.

He holds all my days in His hands. . . .

This week has been crammed with events. When added to the usual, this results in fatigue for me, sometimes confusion, and even disappointment in what seems to be many wasted hours and years. I have a birthday in a couple days and have reached an age when that number is large and hard to believe.

Today’s devotional was instruction in defending the gospel of grace which is not a problem at the moment, so I opened a book called “Everyday Prayers” and was so blessed to read it.

First, God guided me to remember that from before I was born He saw me and thought about me. His knowledge and presence has always been with me:

Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them. How precious to me are your thoughts, O God! How vast is the sum of them! If I would count them, they are more than the sand. I awake, and I am still with you. (Psalm 139:16–18)

Part of my dreams and early morning thoughts were about regrets, things I wish I could do over, but the next verse was this one, and it brought tears and joy. God says:

I will restore to you the years that the swarming locust has eaten, the hopper, the destroyer, and the cutter, my great army, which I sent among you. (Joel 2:25)

Years ago, I presented a devotional at a senior’s home in Saskatchewan, an area known for its invasions of grasshoppers. I used this verse to encourage those aging people regarding their regrets. Now God uses it to bless me. Such a wonderful promise.

Then the writer wrote that this day is his birthday “and the number just keeps getting bigger. Yet as ‘vast’ and ‘great’ as the sum of my years seems to me today, vaster and greater are my thoughts of you. The number of my years is calculated merely in terms of decades, but if I tried to ‘do the math’ concerning your glory and grace, I’d have to count every grain of sand on every beach that has ever existed. With David I can honestly say, “How precious to me are your thoughts.” Again, I am blessed. The birthdays keep coming, but is that not better than dreading each one? Greater than wishing I could turn back the clock?

The prayer writer also wrote more, which is so easy to personalize. . . . 

“Father, keep on rescuing me from all wrong thinking about you. Keep showing me how little I really see and understand about the greatness of your love for me in Jesus. . . .  May the gospel keep on getting bigger and bigger and bigger. It’s a source of incredible peace and freedom to know that you’ve ordained all of my days for me. That feels not like unfair fatalism but rather Fatherly affection. I’ll not live one day more or one day less than you decree, by your sovereign purposes and eternal pleasure.”

He also wrote about wanting to turn back the clock for a do-over for certain parts of his life. Me too, but again, God “restores years eaten away by locusts.” It is a far better choice to rest in His love rather than be depressed with my regrets. He even commits to make all things new.

I can echo this writer’s prayer as well:

PRAY: Oh Jesus, every day, week, month, or year you may add to my life be full of a greater grasp of Your love that will never let go of me. Grant me the strength to comprehend the breadth and length and height and depth of the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, and fill me each day with all the fullness of God. (Ephesians 3:18–19) This I ask in Your matchless and merciful name. Amen.

Faith and Doubts

“Doubting Thomas” is often applied to anyone who has trouble believing the obvious. This term is from the New Testament Gospel of John. Thomas heard the other disciples saying they had seen the Lord, but he responded, “Unless I see in his hands the mark of the nails and place my finger into the mark of the nails, and place my hand into his side, I will never believe.” (John 20:25)

The name calling isn’t fair because — Thomas got it! Jesus came and pointed to his hands and side. This man’s doubt immediately turned to faith and high praise as he proclaimed, “My Lord and my God!” (John 20:28)

Many doubters echo the “I want proof” statement of Thomas. Do they realize that apart from a heavenly vision, they will not get the specific proof they are asking for? Jesus no longer walks this earth. We cannot see His hands and scars. However, He left us His words and the Holy Spirit. We have the biblical record of Him that enables faith . . .

Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name. (John 20:30–31)

I keep going back to these verses because they are the foundation of faith. Read about Jesus. Consider what He did. Knowing about Him can change doubt to faith, and with faith comes the gift of eternal life.

How can that be? John opens his book with this:

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. (John 1:1–5)

Jesus is called the Word because it was a term familiar to the Greeks of that time. It is not foreign to me though. The OT begins with: “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth” (Genesis 1:1) and tells how God spoke and things popped into existence. Consider that the words that He spoke equal to His very being, His self — that is Jesus. I know, this is not a great theological description, but modern technology gives me an image of God’s words becoming or morphing into a human being who came to earth to walk among us.

And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. (John 1:14)

Jesus is called Emmanuel, which means God with us. He did miracles that no mere man can do. These proved His deity. He died at the hands of those who rejected His claims, but He rose to life, offering His life, eternal life, to all who believe.

This is so outrageous that the human mind needs help grasping it. Therefore He sent the Holy Spirit to open our minds by first convicting us that God exists, then making us aware of our need for Him because we have resisted and sinned against Him. As the Holy Spirit does this and as we respond and are drawn to Jesus, He continues to shed His light on our journey. Each step brings us closer to that day when the doors of our hearts are open to Him and He walks in, changing us, changing everything.

So today, salvation’s story is on my mind along with the deity of Jesus Christ which is the focus of John’s Gospel. This is an amazing wonder, a reality too incredible for my mind to grasp. I know that without the Holy Spirit, I would be just as ornery and skeptical as any doubting Thomas. But because of His grace and mercy, He brought me along so I could say with Thomas, “My Lord and my God!”

^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Jesus, again I say thank You. Keep me on the path. Illuminate my way. Show me what to do next and grant me the grace and power to obey You, no matter what.

A mystery, a miracle

December 25, 2018 (Our day was long . . . when we came home from our son’s, I simply fell asleep and forgot to post this!)

“And they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in a manger.” (Luke 2:16)

Of all the expectations of God’s people, the idea that He would come from heaven and take on the body of a baby never entered their heads. It is the most incredible notion, both a mystery and a miracle.

This year, like every Christmas, I try to grasp it, to let the reality of it grip my mind and heart. At times, it is elusive, like a shadow that moves the closer I get. At times, I’m simply overwhelmed. Here is God, in a manger. Here is God, born to a young girl who deep in wonder asked how this could be.

“The angel said to her, ‘Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David’” (Luke 1:30–32)

Then she heard the angel’s answer, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy—the Son of God.” (Luke 1:35)

Did this make sense? Would anyone simply say, “Oh, that’s what will happen. Good. Now I get it”? Even after experiencing God answer prayers in unlikely ways, I’m thinking that if I had been Mary, my immediate acceptance of the angel’s explanation would be unlikely. God has done many amazing things but appearing as a baby? Even though I know that He did, it still seems somewhat preposterous.

No wonder the world mocks the idea. God with us? Really? God as a baby in a manger? Really? God born to a virgin? It seems so utterly impossible and yet the angel said, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you . . . .”

Such is the power of God. I have a verse on my lock screen, coming into view every time it is turned on. The verse says what I should always remember:

“Whatever the Lord pleases, he does, in heaven and on earth, in the seas and all deeps.” (Psalm 135:6)

It pleased God to come and dwell with us. It pleased Him to take on human flesh. It pleased Him to take the name, Emmanuel. It pleased Him to live a sinless life so He could take on our sin and die in our place. It pleased Him to redeem sinners and live forever to intercede for us.

He does what He pleases, and to do all that He is doing and has done, part of the plan was to be born of a virgin, born in a manger, discovered by lowly shepherds, giving us a reason for celebration like no other reason or excuse for a party.

The gifts are fun. The turkey and all are delicious. Being with family is precious. Even here where we live the snow is pretty and the lights are too. But there is nothing like the thrill of knowing that God so loved us that He gave His only Son — that whoever believes in Him might have eternal life. Outlandish and amazing to the point of “can it really be true?” but nevertheless, a wonderful reason to have a party!

^^^^^^^^^^

Thank You Lord God and thank You Lord Jesus.