No Special Treatment

 

For the past week, I’ve suffered what seems to be a Job-like experience. If things go awry, the Lord normally reveals to me why or what He wants to teach me. This time, no clue. A pinched nerve in my neck giving me stabbing headaches, and a rash that seems without cause or even identity. I did find out they were not related to each other, and the pinched nerve seems to becoming ‘unpinched’ if that is a word. But the rash has not responded to four expensive creams or any home remedies, nor does there seem to be a reason for it.

The Bible tells me that God rules all things and is no respecter of persons, meaning He does not play favorites. He does have reasons, but as with Job, He is not obligated to tell anyone the ‘why’ of everything, only to trust Him. This shows up early in the OT:

For he says to Moses, “I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.” So then it depends not on human will or exertion, but on God, who has mercy. For the Scripture says to Pharaoh, “For this very purpose I have raised you up, that I might show my power in you, and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth.” So then he has mercy on whomever he wills, and he hardens whomever he wills. (Romans 9:15–18)

During the past few days, I could not concentrate in prayer. I’d start and immediately my mind went somewhere else. That is frustrating. Also, I slept several hours each day. That is not normal either, but seemed necessary.

Today’s reading is about God not being a respecter of persons. That means I cannot say I am immune from trouble for any reason on my part. He can protect me — or not. One pastor said this week that some Christians in our church are suffering but remain cheerful. That is a Holy Spirit thing and all I wanted to do was sleep?

Paul didn’t have the same problems, but he knew that the job he was given would bring suffering. Reading this passage makes me feel I need to think more like he thought:

Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord, nor of me his prisoner, but share in suffering for the gospel by the power of God, who saved us and called us to a holy calling, not because of our works but because of his own purpose and grace, which he gave us in Christ Jesus before the ages began, and which now has been manifested through the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus, who abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel, for which I was appointed a preacher and apostle and teacher, which is why I suffer as I do. But I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed, and I am convinced that he is able to guard until that day what has been entrusted to me. (2 Timothy 1:8–12)

While my issues do not seem to be related in a specific sense to respecter of persons, the idea that God is going to give me special treatment while others suffer is not true. I’ve often called myself “God's spoiled brat” but He does not favor and protect me for who I am. His working is according to His will, and I cannot claim to be honored above anyone else.

Today’s reading ends with this statement and it is an important truth, one for which I need a good reminder as I seem to be giving myself too much respect:

“God is no respecter of persons,’ and neither should we be. There is no place in the church of God for the honoring of human flesh. We court none and we despise none. We receive as brethren all who worship our God. All are to be treated with equal love, care and esteem. Rich and poor, black and white, male and female—are all equals in Christ.”

PRAY: Jesus, I’m no wiser on the why of this experience, but like Job, I need to simply respect who You are and what You do without insisting You give me a reason or any other special treatment. You have saved me, given me Yourself and eternal life. That is special treatment — and totally not at all related to anything I’ve done to deserve it. Forgive me for thinking that I am more special than I am. You are the Lord, no matter what happens!

Am I Listening?

 
The popular idea of each person having a ‘love language’ reveals that I feel most loved when engaged and listened to in conversation. Gifts are nice, as are hugs, but communication is my thing.

One of our friends is a lousy listener. Any clear explanation brings questions from this person that reveal her ears heard but she didn’t really listen. I had relatives who did this and finally understood that each sentence they heard reminded them of something familiar from their own life — so that is where their mind went. It was their way of trying to relate to the speaker.

The annoying part is that many ‘listeners’ respond with something about themselves rather than a, “Oh that is interesting. Tell me more” kind of answer. If too many ‘listeners’ do this, I generally stop talking and try to do for them what they didn’t do for me.

Listening is important. A young woman told me God saves us because of our good works. I had her read this aloud:

For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. (Ephesians 2:8–9)

Then I asked what it said about how people are saved. She said, “Oh, by doing good works.” She was not listening, even to her own words as she read.

What goes on in the minds of poor listeners? Several possibilities include: a desire to talk rooted in a need to prove self-worth, dismissing the importance of what others say, self-defensive, not really caring about what the other person is saying, using the speakers words as a reason to talk about themselves, and so on. These sound negative and from my own life I can see how self-centered a poor listener can be. Been there, done that.

1 Corinthians 13 is called the love chapter in the NT. Two verses say: “Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful.” (1 Corinthians 13:4–5)

While this does not say love is a good listener, these words indicate qualities that apply. For instance, a good listener is patient and lets others finish speaking rather than being so busy thinking of a response that they stop listening to what the other person is saying. Love is also kind indicating that a loving listener cares about what the other person says and will express that rather than jumping to memories of their own life and experiences.

Pride can be at the root of not listening too. That means a proud person can be bored by what others have to say thinking their own life is more interesting and want to boast about a similar experience. If not, they may envy the experiences of others and play a “I can top that” game. If someone is rude and refuses to listen to me, that is not an excuse to stop listening to them.

I’m glad God is a good listener. He is not bored when I pray, or half-listening and thinking how He will answer me, or judging my words, or being rude. If people in my life do not listen, I can run to Jesus and know that He gives me His full attention.

The eyes of the Lord are toward the righteous and his ears toward their cry…. When the righteous cry for help, the Lord hears and delivers them out of all their troubles. The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit. (Psalm 34:15–18)

Sometimes Christians feel like God is not listening. Job had that problem too, yet he also knew differently:

Oh, that I knew where I might find him, that I might come even to his seat! I would lay my case before him and fill my mouth with arguments. I would know what he would answer me and understand what he would say to me. Would he contend with me in the greatness of his power? No; he would pay attention to me. There an upright man could argue with him, and I would be acquitted forever by my judge. “Behold, I go forward, but he is not there, and backward, but I do not perceive him; on the left hand when he is working, I do not behold him; he turns to the right hand, but I do not see him. But he knows the way that I take; when he has tried me, I shall come out as gold. (Job 23:3–10)

The ‘silence’ of God can build patience. If it seems He is not listening it is folly to conclude He does not love me. I must not wander away because He seems no longer interested in me. Those negatives are lies from the enemy who told Eve that God didn’t really care about her, and is still using the same lie to tempt me to sin. I cannot measure His truth or faithfulness by my lack, or by the lack in others.

PRAY: Jesus, I can see my own failures to be a good listener. I get impatient with self-centered boasting and me-me-me stories, but must remember that the habit of poor listening can go both ways. Enable me to be the kind of listener that You are, always there, always paying attention, and always connecting with others who are sharing what is on their mind. Help me be a good example of Your wonderful ability to be listening one hundred percent when others are speaking to me.

Speak — He replies

 

 

For a couple weeks, I’ve been selecting the next day’s devotional word the night before. Last night, I looked at REPLY and thought of how God answers prayer. Simply put, He replies by saying either “Yes, No, or Wait.” The “Yes” responses are almost always something unexpected. Seems odd to pray in faith that God will hear and answer, and then be surprised when He does, but it happens.)

For example, I’ve been praying for a certain person to turn to Christ. This morning I get the news that God answered. He surprised me. I thought it would take longer. God delights my heart when the events of life match up with the selected word!

Reply is simply “to answer, respond” and is used of interactions with people but also to describe God’s response to human cries. One of the first OT examples is when Abraham prayed that God would not destroy Sodom. The conversation culminated with Genesis 18:32, when this man said, “Oh let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak again but this once. Suppose ten are found there.” God answered, “For the sake of ten I will not destroy it.”

Another OT example is God’s conversation with Job. He challenged this man with “Shall a faultfinder contend with the Almighty? He who argues with God, let him answer it.” Job replied in humility, “I am of small account; what shall I answer you?” and refused to say more. God answered with, “Dress for action like a man; I will question you, and you make it known to me. Will you even put me in the wrong? Will you condemn me that you may be in the right? Have you an arm like God, and can you thunder with a voice like his?”

This conversation is similar to the experience of all God’s children. We talk to Him and He replies. It may not be this vivid yet His response is often from His Word, or from another of His people, or from an event or just comes as an insight. At times He replies by engaging us in intimate conversation.

NT conversations with the Lord are face to face in the Gospels. Rarely was Jesus silent if someone asked a question even a startling one. For instance, the disciples saw Jesus walking on water toward their boat. He said to them, “Take heart; it is I. Do not be afraid.” Peter answered, Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.” Jesus replied, “Come.”

I remember asking God an outlandish request. I’d seen some scrimshaw jewelry in Alaska. It was beyond my budget. However, I asked God if He would let me have one of those pieces and said that I could not think of any reason why, except that He loved me. He replied, not in words. The owner of the store told me that very day, as again I admired the jewelry, that she would trade me for one of my paintings. I was surprised and deeply humbled when she gave me not one, but two pieces.

After Jesus left this earth, He had a conversation with a man named Saul who was persecuting His people. Paul later tells of his conversation with Jesus in Acts 22:7–10.

“And I fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to me, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?’ And I answered, ‘Who are you, Lord?’ And he said to me, ‘I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom you are persecuting.’ Now those who were with me saw the light but did not understand the voice of the one who was speaking to me. And I said, ‘What shall I do, Lord?’ And the Lord said to me, ‘Rise, and go into Damascus, and there you will be told all that is appointed for you to do.’ “

Again, not all conversations with Jesus are that vivid, yet even the least of His people know His voice and can hear Him reply to their fears, pleas, prayers and questions. Sometimes His responses are comforting, reassuring, convicting, or specific with answers and instructions. Once I was fussing in my prayers about things I could not control and He clearly responded with, “Elsie, you need to get out of my to-do list.”

GAZE INTO HIS GLORY. When my kids were little and came to me with requests, I was sometimes negligent in not giving them my full attention. “Mom, are you listening?” I never need to ask the Lord that question. He is always listening and ready to reply. The real issue is — am I listening?

 

 

That the world will know . . .

1 Kings 8; Psalm 89; Ezekiel 38; Ephesians 5

When David died, his son Solomon reigned. He was known for his wisdom and for building a magnificent temple dedicated for worship to the only true God. When this structure was finished, Solomon stood before the altar of the Lord in the presence of all the assembly of Israel. He spread out his hands toward heaven and prayed a long prayer of dedication. In this prayer, he asked God to make this building a special place of communion where His people could bring their problems and deepest needs to Him. One of those needs corresponds to the situation in our world today . . .

“If there is famine in the land, if there is pestilence or blight or mildew or locust or caterpillar, if their enemy besieges them in the land at their gates, whatever plague, whatever sickness there is, whatever prayer, whatever plea is made by any man or by all your people Israel, each knowing the affliction of his own heart and stretching out his hands toward this house, then hear in heaven your dwelling place and forgive and act and render to each whose heart you know, according to all his ways (for you, you only, know the hearts of all the children of mankind), that they may fear you all the days that they live in the land that you gave to our fathers.” (1 Kings 8:37–40)

If God’s people are hit with a plague or sickness, Solomon wisely says any person or all the people should pray concerning the affliction that has hit them. God knows all about it yet wants everyone to ask and He will hear, forgive and act on behalf of those whose hearts He knows — that these who pray may reverence Him all the days of our lives in the place God has put them.

I’m blessed by this affirmation of the rightness of prayer and of the power of God to answer according to what I need. I’m also glad to know that the purpose of prayer is not necessarily to do what I want but that through it God will act according to all His ways — and this will change my life and the lives of those who pray for their concerns.

In another way, the psalmist echoes the thoughts of many who are wondering where God is during this time of fear that has covered the earth. He speaks 37 verses of praise for God and reminders of His promises. Then he finishes with questions about God hiding Himself when the people need Him the most. Is it wrath? Has He forgotten how short life is? Has He stopped loving us? Yet the psalm ends with, “Blessed be the Lord forever! Amen and Amen.” He knows that God is still good even when He is silent.

I’m certain that this also describes the prayers of many these days. We may not praise God as much, but there are certainly those who wonder if God has turned His back. From this psalm, I’m instructed to keep praying and to continue recalling the power and love of God along with His promises. He is still here.

Ezekiel reminds me that God will do whatever it takes for the world to know that He is God. In this case, it will be through a powerful attack from northern enemies, named but not biblically identified. He will later rescue His people but the purpose is the same — that the world will know that He is God.

This describes a strong reason Christ came to this world; “He is the image of God” (Colossians 3:4) and shows us what God is like. Not only that, Christians are His people who are being transformed into that image. It is sometimes a slow process yet we are given the glorious task of proclaiming Him as well as being like Him that the world may know that God is God.

APPLY: I don’t know about the rest of God’s people, but I feel as if I’ve not done all I can to be the image-bearer that He wants me to be. This sense of falling short can pull me into pity-parties and other me, me, me, distractions to keep me from focusing on my primary role. Reading God’s history in this world helps me to remember who He is, what He can do, and who I am without Him and who I am with Him. He motivates me to pray like Solomon and the psalmists, to share with others what He tells me like the prophets did, but also that Jesus Christ is the Savior. In Him, I am and have all that I need to walk with Him. Read, believe, obey, read, believe, obey!