Transformation can be costly

To whom shall I speak and give warning, that they may hear? Behold, their ears are uncircumcised, they cannot listen; behold, the word of the Lord is to them an object of scorn; they take no pleasure in it. Therefore I am full of the wrath of the Lord; I am weary of holding it in. 
“Pour it out upon the children in the street, and upon the gatherings of young men, also; both husband and wife shall be taken, the elderly and the very aged. Their houses shall be turned over to others, their fields and wives together, for I will stretch out my hand against the inhabitants of the land,” declares the Lord. For from the least to the greatest of them, everyone is greedy for unjust gain; and from prophet to priest, everyone deals falsely. They have healed the wound of my people lightly, saying, ‘Peace, peace,’ when there is no peace. Were they ashamed when they committed abomination? No, they were not at all ashamed; they did not know how to blush. Therefore they shall fall among those who fall; at the time that I punish them, they shall be overthrown,” says the Lord. (Jeremiah 6:10–15)

While Jeremiah is an OT favorite book, I understand why many Christians do not read it, and many pastors do not preach from it. Why not? Because much of it is strong warnings and rebukes for sin. We know that the Messiah came and died for all of it and offers us forgiveness and a new life, and that is our focus. However, we all know how that victory does not make our battle against sin go away.

Nor does it lessen our responsibility to tell those still caught it its lies the truth of what Jesus has done to defeat death and offer us no condemnation for our guilt. He bore it all. Why then do Christians still get tempted and sometimes fall back into that trap? Didn’t Christ free us from sin?

Yes, the guilt and punishment, even sin’s power has been defeated, but not everyone walks in the truth of that. Our old nature is dead, separated from God, yet it hangs on to us like the dead body of murdered people were one hung on the backs of those who did the deed. The stench is supposed to be a reminder to never yield to sin or pull me back into repeating my old ways, yet that pride of “I’m okay and good” becomes a snare to slide into running my own life.

Not only that, in my new life I am supposed to love others enough to help anyone who gets caught or recaptured by sin:

Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted. Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. For if anyone thinks he is something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself. (Galatians 6:1–3)
We who are strong have an obligation to bear with the failings of the weak, and not to please ourselves. Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, to build him up. For Christ did not please himself, but as it is written, “The reproaches of those who reproached you fell on me.” (Romans 15:1–3)

This is hard work. Those caught in sin have problems with being restored. Pride keeps me from admitting my problems. Selfishness keeps me from wanting to take time and effort to gently restore others. It is less trouble to ignore them, not care, walk the other way, look down my nose, or even pray now and then, than it is to really want or take action to encourage holiness — both in myself and in those around me.

This is reason enough to pray for and support other Christians, especially our pastors, not question or criticize them or their work. God goes to great lengths to transform us into the image of His Son. Should I not be willing to be transformed to that same image? What do I need to give up to be more like Him? Reputation? Friends? Time? Energy? The list can be long.

Jesus, I’m not thrilled to read all these OT rebukes and warnings, but they do apply to the transformation You intend in my salvation. Work Your will into my heart and increase my desire to do and be whatever You spell out for me.

Dealing with despair?

Piper begins today’s meditation with a comment that words do not always reveal the heart. He points to a verse spoken by Job whose ‘friends’ have rebuked him for what he has spoken during the despair he feels about the great losses in his life and about his perplexity that God is silent.

Do you think that you can reprove words, when the speech of a despairing man is wind? (Job 6:26)

Then Piper writes: “When in grief and pain and despair, people often say things they would not otherwise say. . . .  such as “Where is God?” Or, “There is no use in going on.” Or, “Nothing makes any sense.” Or, “There’s no hope for me.” Or, “If God were good, this couldn’t have happened.” He asks, “What shall we do with these words?”

While my experiences of despair are not like Job’s, it seems that if I am thinking or saying these words, it is because my flesh is talking. The Holy Spirit is not behind them for He would be supportive and encouraging. As soon as I recognize that, I need to confess it to God and seek His thoughts so my words are true rather than filled with dark thoughts.

Yesterday was a full, busy day, almost normal, but by suppertime, and for no reason I began feeling as if all was over, that I might die any minute. My body was yelling and my mind picked up that sense of despair. I had not felt tired, but dropped on the sofa during a loud hockey game on TV and fell sound asleep. A bit later, still thinking dark thoughts, I woke up and complained with mutterings, but not yelling, and then went to bed.

All this was gone in the morning. Was my speech from the night before like the wind that Job said? Piper says, “Let us not spend our time and energy reproving such words. They will be blown away of themselves, on the wind.” In other words, these words do not reveal truth about the state of my heart. Instead of being rooted in me, they were colored by temporary feelings.
In my view, they were tempered by self-pity. Instead of thinking of the power of God, and the triumph that comes when He takes me home (or even at the thought of it), I was thinking more about life undone, and not getting more of it so I could do what I want to do. Simply put, this is lack of trust in the wisdom and love of God. It is an attitude promoted by the world, the flesh, and the devil, and should be recognized as such.

As for Job, what else could he say? The flesh is not great at words like, “God will take care of me” or even, “Oh don’t pay any attention to me, I’m just having a pity-party.” I’m fully aware that many times I just need a sharp rebuke, not for my words but maybe a prompt like, “What is making you think that way?” to get my focus off things that I don’t really believe and turned to something like:

If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us. My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. (1 John 1:8–2:1)

The words are just wind for they are not real or true, but they are serious enough to reflect that I’m saying stuff that counters what God says. In other words, I am true and God is lying? Since that is close to blasphemy, then praying for a strong wind is called for.

Jesus is just that. He takes the selfish thoughts and words to the Father seeking forgiveness for me, not based on “She is just ignorant and thoughtless” but on “I died for that outburst and cover those dark thoughts with My blood.”

Job was not being flippant. He was not saying his words were not worth worrying about but that his mind was tripped up by his losses and that reproving him for his complaints was like telling the wind to stop blowing. He needed the words of the Holy Spirit and truth, not a reproof. Nothing less than the Word of God would help him in his situation. The same is true for me.

PRAY: Lord, this is a lesson for me. I know to seek You when I feel terrible about life, but how do I treat others when their words reveal the same feelings? A downcast person needs truth spoken in love, not a rebuke for their self-pity. A rebuke is like a hurricane when what is needed is the gentle breeze of Your wisdom and grace. Help me to stop blowing gale-force and be more considerate of how to deal with those who speak despairing words.

 

Living in a Pandemic

Leviticus 11–12; Psalms 13–14; Proverbs 26; 1 Thessalonians 5

How are Christians supposed to live in days like these? Some are supposing that this is just the beginning of what they call “the end times” without realizing that the Bible says since Christ ascended to heaven, we are already in the end times. This pandemic is raising many fears and many questions for everyone yet as God’s child, I am supposed to be aware of what will be going on when “the end” draws near. From these verses, I’m given clues and also instruction and comfort regarding my behavior and thoughts.

Now concerning the times and the seasons, brothers, you have no need to have anything written to you. For you yourselves are fully aware that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. While people are saying, “There is peace and security,” then sudden destruction will come upon them as labor pains come upon a pregnant woman, and they will not escape. But you are not in darkness, brothers, for that day to surprise you like a thief. For you are all children of light, children of the day. We are not of the night or of the darkness. So then let us not sleep, as others do, but let us keep awake and be sober. For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk, are drunk at night. But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and love, and for a helmet the hope of salvation. For God has not destined us for wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us so that whether we are awake or asleep we might live with him. Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing. (1 Thessalonians 5:1–11)

According to this, Jesus will not show up when everyone is agitated and fearful but when they feel at peace and secure. That means this pandemic likely is not it. He is going to return, but His Word says it will be unexpected, not predictable. However, that gives me no excuse to not think about it or be oblivious to these words. He can show up anytime, and for that reason, I’m supposed to be always ready — as if today is the day.

Faith, hope and love are to be my garments, worn every day, virus threat or not. I’m to be deeply aware that my salvation is real and when I die, no matter what causes that death, I will live with Jesus forever. In the meantime, I’m to encourage others — not with platitudes or witty cartoons or anything else but the truth that one day, whether the virus gets us or something else, we who believe will spend eternity with Jesus Christ.

This passage says to build one another up. That refers to encouraging faith and hope. Here is the Bible’s instruction on how to do that:

And now I commend you to God and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up and to give you the inheritance among all those who are sanctified. (Acts 20:32)

We who are strong have an obligation to bear with the failings of the weak, and not to please ourselves. Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, to build him up. (Romans 15:1–2)

This is clear to me: God’s Word builds me up (brings me closer to completion) and I can build others up by using it, and by doing things that help others move closer to the maturity of any Christian — which is to be like Jesus. Do it this way:

. . . respect those who labor among you and are over you in the Lord and admonish you . . . esteem them very highly in love because of their work. Be at peace among yourselves . . . admonish the idle, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with them all. See that no one repays anyone evil for evil, but always seek to do good to one another and to everyone. Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. Do not quench the Spirit. Do not despise prophecies, but test everything; hold fast what is good. Abstain from every form of evil. Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. He who calls you is faithful; he will surely do it. (1 Thessalonians 5:12–24)

APPLY: I’m not sure how to react to those who think helping others means giving them some inane information other than hitting the delete button, but God makes it clear what I’m supposed to do. Maturity means being like Jesus, loving others and directing them to the promise of eternal life, the joy of walking in the Spirit and being fruitful in this life. It means caring about the heart and nourishing the soul with truth that is eternal. For this, I need the grace of God and the fullness of His Spirit.

Sharing with others what God has given . . .

A few days ago God brought to my attention that whatever I go through; trials, joys, challenges and so on, all things help me identify with others. Today, as I begin reading 2 Corinthians, I’m reminded again, this time more pointedly . . .

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. For as we share abundantly in Christ’s sufferings, so through Christ we share abundantly in comfort too. If we are afflicted, it is for your comfort and salvation; and if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which you experience when you patiently endure the same sufferings that we suffer. Our hope for you is unshaken, for we know that as you share in our sufferings, you will also share in our comfort. (2 Corinthians 1:3–7)

The Lord makes this practical. Yesterday I talked with someone who struggles with various problems. While I’d not had the same severity, I had enough of those problems to identify and even be a comfort to this person. One of the devil’s lies is making us think we are alone in our struggles. We are not — and this was an important part of that conversation.

This letter, written by Paul to the Christians at Corinth, begins with these verses then goes into the struggles Paul experienced. He begins with . . .

For we do not want you to be unaware, brothers, of the affliction we experienced in Asia. For we were so utterly burdened beyond our strength that we despaired of life itself. Indeed, we felt that we had received the sentence of death. But that was to make us rely not on ourselves but on God who raises the dead. He delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us. On him we have set our hope that he will deliver us again. You also must help us by prayer, so that many will give thanks on our behalf for the blessing granted us through the prayers of many. (2 Corinthians 1:8–11)

Odd as it sounds, this may have been Paul’s way of ministering to these believers — by asking them to minister to him! He had been so utterly burdened that he wanted to die, even thought he would. He realized this extreme affliction was teaching him to rely on God. In it all, he saw God’s faithfulness, but he asked these believers to pray for him, to help him by trusting God for him. He could have presented to them his ‘perfect’ life as their example but instead, he identified with them by sharing his weaknesses and struggles.

I’ve asked God to give me an application for today. This morning, I’ll be meeting with a few other ladies for prayer. Will one of them be in affliction? Will I be able to comfort someone? Or will I need to share some of my afflictions (which seem small compared to Paul’s life). I need to pay attention to the unspoken needs behind their prayer requests.

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Lord Jesus, this is a simple passage, yet You give me a good challenge in it. I can comfort others but being ‘on top of things’ is not always the best way to encourage someone. Sometimes they need to hear that everyone struggles and we all need each other, both to give and receive comfort. We especially need to pray for each other. Keep me alert to what You want from me today.

Today’s thankful list . . .  

A wonderful time of prayer with others.

Being back to the gym for a workout with my trainer who is wise beyond her years.

Hot chocolate.

Short rests.

Able to finally get that pink baby quilt on the longarm.

Nearby grocery store and the money to buy food.

God’s Holy Spirit who blesses me with peace, joy, contentment and faith to trust the Lord.