‘Normal’ doesn’t cut it . . .

Leviticus 21; Psalms 26–27; Ecclesiastes 4; 1 Timothy 6

This morning’s first thought was that the will of God be done. Life is not predictable, and if I didn’t believe that before, it becomes clear in these days of social distancing and death statistics. After a few weeks, many are calling for a plan, a timeline. When can we go back to work, back to ‘normal’ and get on with life? The need for money is strong, as is the need for a sense of purpose and fulfillment is not satisfied by the rules of isolation and efforts to flatten the curve.

But was ‘normal’ doing it for everyone anyway? Didn’t people have fears and uncertainties before this virus came along? Were we driven by things that didn’t seem to ever produce the results hoped for? Before Covid-19, didn’t we wonder what would satisfy the deepest longings and desires of the human heart?

This morning’s reading in the Psalms gave me a resounding amen to my desire for God’s will to be done. David wrote:

The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid? When evildoers assail me to eat up my flesh, my adversaries and foes, it is they who stumble and fall. Though an army encamp against me, my heart shall not fear; though war arise against me, yet I will be confident. One thing have I asked of the Lord, that will I seek after: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and to inquire in his temple. For he will hide me in his shelter in the day of trouble; he will conceal me under the cover of his tent; he will lift me high upon a rock. (Psalm 27:1–5)

David expressed his desire for contentment, confidence, and a rich life that is secure. He realized ‘normal’ didn’t do it. Instead, he sought the Lord, something not done very often in ‘normal’ life. He recognized that resting in God’s presence was his security. Gazing on the beauty of the Lord gave him a sense of ‘this is enough’ and he was not only content but overjoyed to be under His care.

In contrast, Solomon describes the futility that relates to ‘normal’ and is becoming more evident in this pandemic. In a culture where a person’s success has been motivated by envy, selfish greed and/or a desire for prestige, this virus threat has brought back the idea that labor back is a basic, a necessity on which our lives depend. People want to go back to work and stay alive. For many, the loss of what was giving their life meaning, even though it didn’t always do that, is too much to bear. No one wants to think that work does not work, just as isolation is not working. To face that means asking a deeper question — where will that satisfaction, sense of purpose and fulfillment come from?

David knew where. I know it too. This contentment and sense of purpose and well-being is found in the Lord God who gives it as part of the package, as part of the eternal life gained by abandoning sin and self and trusting in Him. The NT writers knew it too. This morning, I also read:

But godliness with contentment is great gain, for we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world. But if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content. But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare, into many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs. (1 Timothy 6:6–10)

Instructions for a good life tell me to “flee these things, to pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, steadfastness, gentleness. I am to fight the good fight of the faith (these days it is a fight) and take hold of the eternal life to which I have been called and about which I have told many others . . . .” (1 Timothy 6:11–12) It goes on:

As for the rich in this present age, charge them not to be haughty, nor to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly provides us with everything to enjoy. They are to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share, thus storing up treasure for themselves as a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is truly life. (1 Timothy 6:17–19)

If ‘normal’ means going back to self-centered motivations for work and for life, that which cannot be found in isolation will not be found there either. It is only in seeking the face of Jesus that satisfies the empty space, the longing of the human heart. In a saving, trusting relationship with God through faith in His Son, I settle down and rest — yet every day I must seek that place of rest and not get caught up in the fears and foibles of trying to do it without Him.

APPLY: Trust Jesus. Be centered in Jesus. Talk about Him. Tell others that He is the Savior, from sin but also from fear, enemies, discontent, purposelessness, snares and uncertainties. Practice what I preach. Trust Him with all my heart — I gave Him my life and I must allow Him to do with it as He wills — a big part is loving others —  and trust His will to be perfect.

Content with God’s plan?

God arranges devotional readings to fit whatever is going on in my life. I don’t know how He does that but am so thankful for it. Some days I need correction or a rebuke. He knows and does it. Some days I need something new to challenge me. He does that too. Some days I need to be encouraged and He always knows what to say, both from the Scriptures and from Tozer’s refreshing perspectives.

My main function in the Body of Christ is prayer. I used to teach and be more involved with other people. Now I am still with people, yet my role has changed from talking and teaching to observation and intercession. God is teaching me to pray as I listen to the Holy Spirit. It is a wonderful thing, yet at times I feel disconnected. I sometimes wonder if this is all He wants.

Tozer says that many ordinary folks may have nothing to recommend them but a deep devotion to the Lord and the fruit of the Spirit which they unconsciously display. The Lord says to me, “This is where you fit.”

Then Tozer goes on. He says the church could not carry on without these people. Some of them are the first to come forward when work is required. My health spoils this, but then he says some are the last to go home when there is prayer needed. The way I see it, prayer is always needed. Tozer says I might not be known outside of the local church because faithfulness and goodness are rarely newsworthy, but people like this are a benediction wherever they go.

I am encouraged. Being great might produce admiration in carnal people but God helps me be content to walk with Him in the fullness of His Spirit that I might pray His will and be satisfied that this is a relatively hidden ministry. He also encourages me in small ways that far out-weigh any accolades. For instance, in the past month He put on the hearts of three children, a three-year-old girl, a boy of about six and a girl of about four to make cards for me. One said, “We hope you are feeling better. I love you.” The boy’s said, “I pray that you are not afraid because God is with you.” Last week, I was blessed by a card with hearts and handprints. Her mother said it was totally the child’s idea to make it for me.

Today’s verses are about what comes from the heart. The children’s cards tell me of their openness to the Holy Spirit and as a result are blessing others. The devotional does that too. Those verses begin with Jesus’ rebuke to the hypocrisy of religious leaders:

“You brood of vipers! How can you speak good, when you are evil? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. The good person out of his good treasure brings forth good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure brings forth evil. I tell you, on the day of judgment people will give account for every careless word they speak, for by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.” (Matthew 12:34–37)

Those children leave a fragrance of Christ that lingers in my heart. I want to be like them. God assures me that in praying for them and for others, this role in His kingdom has great value. He hears my heart, puts blessing into the hearts that listen to Him, even the hearts of “the least of these” so that they become a blessing to others, even to me. There is great joy in being loved by little people who hardly know me. Imagine the joy in the heart of Jesus when those who know Him express their love by obedience and by loving others.

^^^^^^^^^

Dear Lord Jesus, Tozer ends with this: “Come unto God, unite yourself to God, and the doing power you have is infinite!” You have encouraged me. Prayer is sometimes a delight, yet also at times very hard work. It is spiritual warfare for the enemy wants to stop me, but also is an unimaginable link to You — and it sometimes results in great surprises.

Content with God . . .

In the Greek language, love is expressed by several words, each with a different meaning. For instance, eros refers to the physical attraction between man and woman and phileo is more affection between family and friends. However, agape is a special word. It means the love that God gives. This is a love that no one can express apart from God’s power being at work in their lives.

This morning I checked a Greek dictionary and discovered a definition for agape that I’d not notice before. Besides conveying the idea of self-sacrificing service for the good of others, it also means being perfectly content with, or well-pleased with someone.

Using that definition, the following verse becomes specific about the promise that it makes. It is not for everyone . . . 

And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. (Romans 8:28)

This promise is for those who love God and are called according to His purpose. The next verse further defines that purpose God promises to those who love Him. For all who are perfectly content with God, He will use all things to transform them into the image of His Son.

This promise to bring good out of things is not about making all turn out right so that we feel good, although that is not ruled out. Instead, it is about remaking our thinking and way of life so that we are like Jesus. Again, the “our” means those who believe in God and are content to let Him be our Savior. We don’t try to save ourselves by the trappings of religion, but are totally happy to be saved by grace.

Spurgeon adds further description to the assurance in this promise. He says those who love God in this way know that He “sits in the stern-sheets of the vessel when it rocks most.” That is, Christians know that God’s hand is on the world’s tiller. Wherever providence drifts, Jehovah God steers it.

This reassurance holds me firm. When I look over the raging waters during the great storms of life, I see Jesus walking and hear Him say, “It is I, be not afraid.”

I also know that God is wise. In Him there are no accidents or mistakes. As Spurgeon says, “If I should lose all I have, it is better that I should lose than have, if God so wills: the worst calamity is the wisest and the kindest thing that could befall to me if God ordains it.” I can say this because I know that all things work together for good to those who love God.

This is no mere theory. Throughout my forty years of walking with Him, He has faithfully worked for good all events, even those that hurt deeply. It is as my devotional reading says; the sharp cuts of the lancet have cleansed out the proud flesh and facilitated the healing.

Each event has brought divinely blessed results. God rules all. He also governs wisely and brings good out of evil. I am content with Him.

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Oh God, my heart is once again assured. You enable me to calmly meet each trial. I can also pray with assurance for others who are in the middle of a storm. Even if they do not yet know You or have not yet learned to be content with You, You still have Your hand on the tiller. Your plans are perfect and Your way is always just and right. Thank You again for reminding me that I have good reason to love You and be fully content with You. 

(Photo credit)

The greatest contentment

In the late sixties I had two children, a farm with a garden, and for a few months, less than $10 a week to spend on groceries. I don’t remember envying people with money. I do remember the kindness of those who slipped care packages into my pantry and the neighbor who bought me a hunting license and the venison to go with it.

Those days are long gone, but that experience made a lasting impression. I learned that God takes care of His people, and that happiness is not found in having money or things. I also learned that people can survive on garden veggies plus macaroni and cheese!

My devotional reading is again in James. He writes about the purpose of trials and how they produce the fruit of patient endurance in Christians. He says to ask God for wisdom, not doubting that He cares and will give it, and not relying on my own ideas. He also hints that I should not rely on money.

Let the lowly brother glory in his exaltation, but the rich in his humiliation, because as a flower of the field he will pass away. For no sooner has the sun risen with a burning heat than it withers the grass; its flower falls, and its beautiful appearance perishes. So the rich man also will fade away in his pursuits. (James 1:9-11)

Some think that the “rich” is a wealthy brother in Christ. Others say it is merely a rich person whom Christians might envy, and that a poor Christian can console himself that all meet the same fate (death) and that great leveler of humanity will show that riches do not make any difference when it comes to eternal matters.

The words indicate that the rich can “glory . . . in his humiliation” which seems to indicate that he is a believer and that both the rich and the poor have the same thing in which to glory — they both need God because both will die, and money has nothing to do with that fact.

When I was without, I learned that God cares for me. Now that situation has moved toward the other end of things, the lessons remain in my heart. I’m thinking that if someone was born into money, they would need to experience a humbling process to learn the same lesson —  that true contentment is about God’s grace and not material possessions.

As today’s reading says, trials humble everyone to the same level of dependency on God because money cannot buy anyone out of anything but economic problems. If I lost a child or my husband, it would not matter how much money I have. Cash cannot help in a trial like that, nor in many other difficulties.

There are lessons in life, whether poor or rich, that God uses to teach His people to humbly recognize that He is our source and resource. Without Him, money might produce a life of outward ease, but I know from experience that the greater contentment comes through knowing that He loves and cares for me.

Painting: "Contentment" by Marion Coltman

I get to trade it in for a new one

My maternal grandfather became a Christian late in life. He was also blind from diabetes. When he died, my mother was comforted when she realized that, “Now Dad can see!”

The Bible promises new bodies and I’m sure that includes perfect vision. I don’t know anyone who would not like having a new bod. My waistline could be smaller. My hair could be thicker. I’d like firmer skin under my chin. The list goes on and I try to take care of myself, but no matter what I do, as they say, after fifty, gravity takes over.

I’m encouraged by my mom’s realization about Grampa. When she thought about what was happening to his body, she was near rejoicing, even in her grief. Her hope came from verses like these:

The creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation groans and labors with birth pangs together until now. Not only that, but we also who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, eagerly waiting for the adoption, the redemption of our body. For we were saved in this hope . . . (Romans 8:21-24)

Sin brought corruption. Without it, everyone would be strong and healthy forever. Sin resulted in thorns and thistles, but also sickness and aging with its aches, pains, and problems. As my husband constantly says, everyone is terminal. The Bible affirms that “The wages of sin is death” but the same verse also adds, “but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 6:23).

So God gives this hope. Salvation through faith in Jesus Christ gives eternal life, but also a taste of this life in the one that I now live. He heals my sicknesses or prevents them altogether. He also gives daily strength, not just to aging me, but to everyone. The Bible says,

He gives power to the weak, and to those who have no might He increases strength. Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall, but those who wait on the Lord Shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint. (Isaiah 40:29-31)

While God doesn’t promise to reverse the aging process, He keeps me going, and even gives self-control as a fruit of the Spirit. This means I do not have to overeat or indulge myself in destructive habits that make aging even worse by adding illness and other complications. He also gives motivation to be productive and do things that keep me active and feeling as if life has purpose.

Sure, I’d like a new body right now, but knowing that will happen later does help me be content with the things I cannot change about this one. Exercise is good. Eating well is good. Getting enough sleep and so on is also good. But even better is having contentment now because of hope in the promises of God — who has better things for the future.

True Prosperity

Lately I’ve been bothered by injustice. People seem to get away with everything. In some parts of the world, terrorists are killing children simply because they are in school and the terrorist is against education. Armies are sent to try and stop this, but people in the sending countries are screaming to bring them home so their soldiers will not die, as if oppression and terrorism should go unchecked.

We have injustice at home too, in a different form. Here, a person can use a car to kill someone and be sentenced for less than five years, but someone else can embezzle funds from A Rich Company, Inc. and is put away for twenty-five.

In our prosperous and wealthy city literally thousands of women are turned away from shelters for battered women because there is no room. While they suffer without a home or any care, what is happening to the men who beat them?

These women are not the only homeless in this booming economy. People move here in droves thinking the boom will bulge their pockets, but they come in empty-handed. This is folly, yet little is being done to help them. They live in tents in the parks, without work and rapidly fading hope.

In all of this, many may have more than we need, but even then, a few fall into another clash; the conflict of trying to live a godly life in the midst of those who don’t give a damn about God or justice or even goodness.

I suppose I feel something like the author of Psalm 73 in that I too am perplexed by “the prosperity of the wicked.” I don’t envy them though. I used to, at least the prosperity part, but not anymore. Back then, as the psalmist says in verse 22, “I was so foolish and ignorant.”

It takes awhile to learn the advantages of being a child of God in comparison to those who abandon God and goodness. They seem to do well. They are happy and “Have more than heart could wish.” They scoff, speak wickedly and in pride,“set their mouth against the heavens.” In their minds, God either doesn’t know what they are doing or doesn’t care. They are at ease as they increase in riches and in their unjust and unfair ways.

I have felt as the psalmist did in that living a clean life is in vain. What is the point? God is always dealing with me. He chastens me for the slightest sin, and every morning I hear Him speak about my need to change, but those who don’t know Him, or care to know Him, never hear any correction or His rebuke. They go on their merry way, doing whatever they want. If I didn’t know better I would be as the psalmist, bitter and envious.

Yet he learned, and I learned from him. He “went into the sanctuary of God” and there learned about God. He says, “Nevertheless I am continually with You; You hold me by my right hand. You will guide me with Your counsel, and afterward receive me to glory.”

He knew the powerful presence of God, a presence that makes the circumstances of life easier to bear, even seem as nothing. If I am a victim, I have Almighty God with me. Who can over-power me with Him right here? I don’t go through life needing lawyers, guidance counselors, therapists, and so on, because the Lord holds me and guides me into glory.

One commentary says about this: “‘Into glory’ could also be translated ‘with glory,’ meaning that God would guide him (the psalmist) through his troubles so that he would enjoy honor (and not shame; cf. 4:2) in this life. Since ‘glory’ for individuals in the Old Testament seldom meant heavenly glory the psalmist was probably looking for deliverance in his lifetime. This would demonstrate that he was in God’s favor.”

In other words, ‘glory’ (which signifies the attributes and qualities of God), is on me when I walk with Him. I’m hardly a loser for being “not of this world” but have gained something far more precious than the prosperity and ‘freedom’ enjoyed by those who hate God. I have His favor!

The psalmist expresses the bottom line of his tussle with what seems like injustice. He says to God, “Whom have I in heaven but You? And there is none upon earth that I desire besides You. My flesh and my heart fail; but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.”

Where would I be without faith in Jesus Christ? I might be more prosperous. I might be free to do whatever I felt like, free to enjoy all sorts of indulgences and free to sin without the conviction of the Holy Spirit, but the psalmist knew and I know too: “For indeed, those who are far from You shall perish; You have destroyed all those who desert You for harlotry.”

The supermarket of life contains all sorts of goodies, and we are free to pick up whatever we please, but everyone of us must go through the checkout. There we pay the price, and unless that price has already been paid for us (by the death of Jesus Christ, which also affects what we pick up), the bill will be costly indeed.

With the psalmist I have to say, “It is good for me to draw near to God; I have put my trust in the Lord God.” Prosperity, freedom to sin, all that may seem good to those who are indulging in it, yet they are “set in slippery places . . . utterly consumed with terrors” and not able to know or enjoy the incredible right hand of God who will eventually make all things right.