Life can be Odd

 

Two odd events happened this week. In the first, another person was given credit for something I created. In the second, I was left off an email that told a group of friends that an event was cancelled. I showed up and no one was there.

A twinge of “I don’t matter” took a bite out of me, but I decided that God is my friend and had reasons for allowing me to be ignored. He did whisper in my ear, “I am your best friend.”

Today’s readings give more insight into the sovereign dominion of the Lord. One example that points to the mystery of His will: why does one person who seems not very wise and does only a little work have great success, while another with a greater measure of wisdom and who works diligently winds up with their projects melting into nothing? A wise man wrote this as an answer:

Again I saw that under the sun the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, nor bread to the wise, nor riches to the intelligent, nor favor to those with knowledge, but time and chance happen to them all. (Ecclesiastes 9:11)

God does not give me power over the events of my life. I can plan, but “I know, O Lord, that the way of man is not in himself, that it is not in man who walks to direct his steps.” (Jeremiah 10:23) 

Some things just happen and seem very odd, yet God’s dominion means that He determines my calling and the events of my life, even the odd ones. The hairs of my head are under His sovereign care. Everything else is of greater concern, yet I can trust Him with all things.

Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, was called to be an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God, (Romans 1:1). God made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined allotted periods and the boundaries of their dwelling place, (Acts 17:26) Onesimus, running from his master, is guided by God’s sovereign order into Paul’s company, and thereby into Christ’s arms. This man who went to prison as a fugitive, comes out as a Christian (Philemon 10, 15). Our length of life is also in God’s hands (Psalm 31:15); either cut short or to continue long.

How does this work? Look to the story of Lazarus. Jesus cried out with a loud voice, ‘Lazarus, come forth.’ Making a command to a dead man seems odd, yet this man who had died came forth. Could it be that the command carries the power to create new life? 

Piper says that obedience to the command means doing what living people do. He says this is extremely important. The command of God, ‘Rise from the dead!’ carries in it the power we need to obey that command. We do not obey it by creating life; but by doing what living people do — so Lazarus came forth. He rose. He walked out to Jesus. The call of God creates life. We respond in the power of what the call created.

To illustrate, if my house was on fire and someone yelled, “Wake up! Save yourself! Get out!” I don’t obey by waking myself up. The loud, powerful command itself wakes me up. I obey by doing what an awake person does in the face of danger — I get up and leave. The call creates the waking. I respond in the power of what the call created.

Yesterday God spoke to me about being in awe of Him and trusting Him. How would I respond if others neglected me? Would I be upset with them? Or would I see this as God's will and not throw a pity-party? His words to me created the response He called for.

PRAY: Dear Father, the verses from yesterday call me to both humility and joy. You are in charge and You want me to be like Jesus… who is far more neglected, ignored, and mistreated than I will ever be. The odd things that happen to me are nothing compared to the grace You shower upon me. 

Not only that, You say: “Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.” (Philippians 2:12–13) affirming that I can obey You only because You sovereignly work in my heart to make that obedience possible. May I listen well and respond to Your voice according to Your will.

A Vital Truth

 

After years of reading through the Bible and the past two years of reading Stephen Charnock’s incredible book on the attributes of God, I’m noticing one spiritual truth that seldom is preached or taught. I’m also noticing that out of that omission comes many misguided notions about God and about ourselves and our responses (or not) to His Word.

What seems to be absent is clarity on the meaning and application of this passage:

For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. For the whole law is fulfilled in one word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” But if you bite and devour one another, watch out that you are not consumed by one another. But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another. (Galatians 5:13–26, italics mine)

This is not a new teaching. The prophets spoke to God’s OT saints about their inability to please God because they were not filled with the Spirit, and were instead walking in the flesh.

I know, O Lord, that the way of man is not in himself, that it is not in man who walks to direct his steps. (Jeremiah 10:23)
For I solemnly warned your fathers when I brought them up out of the land of Egypt, warning them persistently, even to this day, saying, Obey my voice. Yet they did not obey or incline their ear, but everyone walked in the stubbornness of his evil heart. Therefore I brought upon them all the words of this covenant, which I commanded them to do, but they did not.” (Jeremiah 11:7–8)
But if you will not listen, my soul will weep in secret for your pride; my eyes will weep bitterly and run down with tears, because the Lord’s flock has been taken captive. (Jeremiah 13:17)

This distinction is connected to the “rules” in the NT that are intended to show the difference made when walking in the Spirit or not. One application concerns prayer:

You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions. You adulterous people! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. (James 4:3–4)

God also told His people that they were set free from bondage in Egypt, but He had to give them “rules” because they were not living like they should. Isaiah defines sin as simply doing our own thing rather than obeying God. 

The NT picks up on that. We are set free from sin when we are born-again, then told to be Spirit-filled so we can obey Him. However, far too many do not realize how that works, or that  fleshy activity is really doing our own thing. It is only when selfish living deepens into grossly  immoral or illegal action that we call it sin, but seldom is “I will do it myself” called sin like it was called in the OT. For that reason, the NT is also filled with “rules” about how to live as a person set free from sin… we should know what it means to walk in the Spirit or at least know when we are not and confess it (see 1 John 1:9).

So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. (1 Corinthians 10:31)

The biblical truth that I should do all things for God and His glory. This includes giving thanks rooted in the excellency of the Giver rather than merely for His good gifts. If gratitude is more about answered prayer and personal comforts and desires, it is likely disguised idolatry. This is one example only. If the fruit of the Spirit is absent, something needs to be confessed.

PRAY: God grant me a heart to delight in You for who You are — so all my gratitude for Your gifts, all my decisions, words, actions and motivations are for Your glory — and I will not twist any of it to make myself the focus and dismiss or forget Your excellence. Amen.  

Making Plans . . .

 

This morning began with an evaluation of the past few days. They all seemed scattered with chores not getting done or interrupted. Procrastination and frustration partner to make me wonder about better planning.

At the same time, these verses came to mind as a caution that the will of God must be in the planning:

Proverbs 16:9. The heart of man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps.

Jeremiah 10:23. I know, O Lord, that the way of man is not in himself, that it is not in man who walks to direct his steps.

Then there is that passage in James that warns against boasting in my plans rather and leaving God out of them. It ends with, “Whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin.”

Then I thought, isn’t God a planner? Doesn’t He have a schedule? I was soon chuckling because by divine providence, I discovered my word for today is PLAN.

Scripture says much about God’s plans. In general, the history of the world is in His hands. A word book adds this from the OT use of this word plan:

“When used of God, it refers to his plans for humanity and his reactions to human activity. Thus, God plans protection for his people, and when they sin, he plans punishment for them. Ultimately, God’s plans are too deep for human understanding and are eternal. One implication of this word is that God’s plan for humanity (and by extension, for individual humans) is thoughtful, intricate, detailed, and intentional. God’s choice of individuals for salvation, blessing, or calling is calculated and the result of careful consideration and, perhaps, evaluation.”

Jeremiah 29:11 makes obvious that His plan is good: “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.”

Are the plans of God general or specific? I’d say both. The above verse is general, but today He put thoughts in my head about planning then pointed me to that specific topic! This cannot be a coincidence and often happens.

The major plan of God presented in Scripture is His plan of salvation. This is marvelously presented in Ephesians 1:5–10.

“(God) predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth.”

The scope of this plan is declared in Acts 2:23 by Peter, “This Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men.” God planned redemption before the foundation of the world.

In contrast to human plans, God’s plans are vast and last forever. Psalm 33:11. “The counsel of the Lord stands forever, the plans of his heart to all generations.” Obviously, Isaiah 55:9 is correct in saying, “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.” I cannot know what tomorrow will bring and, in a moment, circumstances can change everything. However, I can do better in setting goals and being more God-like in my efforts to accomplish them.

GAZE INTO HIS GLORY. Considering God’s ways makes a difference in planning, but I need to consider the differences. God can plan but only He can declare “My counsel shall stand, and I will accomplish all my purpose.” He plans with foresight, forethought, care, and even at creation He already determined the whole course of history. He even draws sinful human actions into fulfilling His divine plan. I don’t have that power.

God can also stop my plans. Psalm 33:10 says, “The Lord brings the counsel of the nations to nothing; he frustrates the plans of the peoples.” This means, as James says, to consider the will of God in planning and being willing to have my plans interrupted by something else that He wants for me or from me. Unlike God, I don’t know these things ahead of time, but keeping in tune with Him means having the discernment to know if the interruption is His idea or a swipe from the enemy to throw me off target. Also, some of God’s ideas could be unpleasant, yet as Jesus said, “Not my will but thine be done.”

Proverbs 12:20 is a good place to start any plan: “Deceit is in the heart of those who devise evil, but those who plan peace have joy.”