God is still God

1 Chronicles 23:1–23:32; 2 Timothy 3:1–9; Psalm 88

When David was old, he made Solomon his son king over Israel. Then he did something that could be a great example to the kingdom of God today. He made some changes . . .  

First, David assembled all the leaders of Israel and the priests and the Levites. The Levites, thirty years old and upward, were numbered, and the total was 38,000 men. Then David said, “Twenty-four thousand of these shall have charge of the work in the house of the Lord, 6,000 shall be officers and judges, 4,000 gatekeepers, and 4,000 shall offer praises to the Lord with the instruments that I have made for praise” as he organized them in divisions corresponding to the sons of Levi. (1 Chronicles 23:2–6)

He explained later, “The Lord, the God of Israel, has given rest to his people, and he dwells in Jerusalem forever. And so the Levites no longer need to carry the tabernacle or any of the things for its service.” (1 Chronicles 23:25–26) Their situation had changed, so they didn’t need to do things they way they always did them.

My first thought went to those congregations who become stuck in habits that are no longer effective, but this applies to me also. Since graduation a couple weeks ago, I’m no longer studying several hours a day. My routine must change. I don’t want to go back to pre-study days because what God has taught me needs to be put into practice. I’ve thought of several things, and am now in the process of figuring out what to do next.

And times have changed. Since the NT was written, putting the history of Christianity on a popularity graph would reveal plenty of ups and downs. Currently, depending on what part of the world is in view, it could be at either end of the spectrum. Right now, Christian is not popular in my culture. This was predicted . . .

“But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty. For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people. For among them are those who creep into households and capture weak women, burdened with sins and led astray by various passions, always learning and never able to arrive at a knowledge of the truth.” (2 Timothy 3:1–7)

Not too many decades ago, most people knew the Gospel and many considered that the Bible is the Word of God even if they had not put their faith in Christ. This has changed. Greater numbers consider the Bible obsolete and for many, Jesus is only a swear word. This has an impact on how they hear what Christians have to say and how they view what Christians do.

Complicating that is the sense of God abandoning His people. We pray and see no answers. We struggle against the enemy and feel beaten. We talk to people about faith and at best get blank stares. Yet I’m encouraged by those ‘Psalms of lament’ that express my feelings, such as this one. It begins with these sad words . . . 

“O Lord, God of my salvation; I cry out day and night before you. Let my prayer come before you; incline your ear to my cry! For my soul is full of troubles, and my life draws near to Sheol. I am counted among those who go down to the pit; I am a man who has no strength, like one set loose among the dead, like the slain that lie in the grave, like those whom you remember no more, for they are cut off from your hand.” (Psalm 88:1–5)

Today’s devotional writer offers comforting thoughts for those days when I feel that God is far away. He says if God was willing to abandon His only Son on a cross to redeem me, then He is certainly trustworthy. He will not forsake me. I also know He will help me as I consider changes and adapt to new things. Regardless of what goes on I our world, God is still God. Amen!

To Live is Christ — with constant new beginnings

Part of the “good news” of the Gospel of Jesus Christ is that salvation is available to everyone. No sin is too great because the blood of Christ covers all sin. No sinner is too awful or too far gone that the mercy and grace of God cannot reach him.

For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age. (Titus 2:11–12)

The first part of this passage affirms that all of humanity is included. It does not say that all humanity is saved. (The Bible is clear that salvation belongs to those who respond to grace by faith and are given new life in Christ.) But it does use that word “all.” Christianity is not an exclusive faith in the sense it is only for white people, or only for a certain social group. Christ appeared for all so that all might have the opportunity of forgiveness and the victory described in the second part.

This morning before reading this, I read a section of Old Testament Law in Deuteronomy and hung my head. No one could keep this Law perfectly, least of all me. The high standard of the Law made me feel condemned and ashamed, at least for a few moments until my mind turned to the reality of Jesus Christ. Apart from Him and from the grace that brought salvation to me from Him, I would have no hope at all.

Yet He brought salvation, and in this I rejoice. I am forgiven! However, as the passage in Titus says, I continue to need the grace of God. Grace enables God’s people to live out this wonderful salvation that is ours.

The passage says grace teaches me to deny ungodliness and my sinful desires that are like those that fill the world. This denial is not something that I know by myself nor can do by myself. Grace teaches me how to recognize sin and say no to it.

Grace also teaches me how to live soberly. The word means self-controlled, or as I like to say it, “self under the control of the Holy Spirit.” I can nor more control myself than fly to Mars. This is a God thing, a product of grace. It comes from Jesus, not from me.

It goes without saying that my life is not righteous nor godly either — apart from grace. I need Jesus, plain and simple.

Today is a new day, the beginning of a new week and a new month. I sense the “start fresh” that goes with that, but in my spirit, and because of the grace of God, this is an encouragement that He gives every day. His grace forgives sin, conquers strongholds, renews hope, and blesses me in so many ways that again I hang my head, this time not with shame but with amazed gratitude.

If the conditions are right . . . growth happens

Spending time with someone results in a rubbing off of some of that person’s characteristics. We lived in Southern California and our daughter picked up a slight drawl. We lived in Illinois where our son went to school with a boy from the Bronx. He soon talked with that particular accent. I have a friend that moved to an adjacent province and do not talk to her enough, but when we do spend our two hours on the phone, I come away thinking more deeply about things, and feeling the energy of her creative mind.

The Lord promises to use all things in my life to transform me into the image of His Son. Is there anything I can do to assist the process? How can I become more like Jesus? The answer is obvious; spend time with Him, both reading about Him and talking with Him.

I want to be like this perfect God-Man who never sinned because sin is my biggest stressor, but there are other advantages. Spending time with Him keeps me steadfast in my determination to be spiritually mature. It also keeps me from falling into unbiblical thinking and spiritual or moral error.

2 Peter 3:17-18 says, “You therefore, beloved, since you know this beforehand, beware lest you also fall from your own steadfastness, being led away with the error of the wicked; but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory both now and forever. Amen.”

The author of my devotional book says that spiritual growth isn’t a clever secret or a psychological formula, but rather simply matching my practice with my position.

As a believer, Colossians 2:10 says I am “complete in Him, who is the head of all principality and power.” Complete is not about halfway, but about having all I need.

2 Peter 1:3-4 says this mouthful: “His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue, by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.” Again, these two verses declare that God has given me all that I need to live a godly life.

Ephesians 1:3 tells me Jesus Christ has blessed me with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ. Again, I have all I need. I am to live that way, matching my practice with my position.

This position/practice thing could be compared to a newly enlisted soldier. He is in the army and can be called a soldier, but at this early stage of his military career, he has not yet learned to act like one. Spiritual life is like that. God put me in His family and gave me Jesus Christ — all that I need. I am a Christian, but in the beginning, and even now, I am still learning how to act like what I am. I do that by grace (God’s unconditional blessing) as I draw near to His Son and learn about Him.

Today’s devotional adds another thought: giving glory to God is directly related to spiritual growth. The more I exalt Him (and the less I focus on me), the more I grow to be like Jesus. My children did not study or try to imitate the speech patterns of their friends. That would be phoney, affected and self-centered. Instead, they just enjoyed their friends, spent time with them, and those accents just happened. Growing in grace is like that; by spending time with Jesus, it just happens.

Practice, practice, practice

Playing the piano well means hours of practice. Drawing, writing, painting, quilt making, baking, interior decorating, or any artistic effort (and other skills too) usually improve with the doing. Do I have any reason to think that spirituality is different?

Paul wrote about the stuff in his life that he considered worthless and must be left behind. Instead, he wanted to know Christ and reach the perfections promised him in redemption. He wrote, “Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 3:12-14).

He had been a Christian for many years when he wrote this, yet he knew that he had not yet arrived. Being like Jesus is a lifelong pursuit. In fact, 1 John 3:2 says, “Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when he appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is.”

In other words, when I see Jesus, the transformation will be complete. This incredible hope is based on the promise and power of God, yet, verse 3 is clear; spirituality is like music lessons and other endeavors. It says, “Everyone who has this hope in him purifies himself, just as he is pure.”

In other words, if I want to be like Jesus, I need to practice.

The Scriptures contain all kinds of ways to do that. Some call them spiritual disciplines. I call them ‘places of grace’ and my reason for that is simple; spiritual disciplines are what I do, the places I put myself, but grace is what transforms me. I cannot make myself into the image of Christ any more than a stone can turn itself into a poodle, or a poodle into an oak tree.

Author Richard J. Foster in his classic book, “Celebration of Discipline” lists these categories: inward disciplines, outward disciplines, and corporate disciplines. He says, and I agree, that the practice of these put us into places where God can perfect us. In ourselves, the mere doing can be ritual or even a waste of time, but as God takes hold of me while I do them then my life changes.

Inward disciplines include meditation, prayer, fasting and study. Study gives me truth to fill my mind in meditation. Study also helps me pray in the will of God. Fasting sharpens the mind so I can hear God’s direction and guidance as I study and pray.

Outward disciplines are simplicity, solitude, submission and service. Simplicity is setting my mind and space around me free from clutter. I’m really working on this one these days. Solitude, being alone to commune with God and experience His presence, has the amazing effect of making His presence and that two-way communion easier to experience in a crowd.

Submission is saying yes to God and others and sets me free from the tyranny of always insisting on my own way. Some things matter, but most of my ‘I wants’ are not that important. Being like Jesus means serving others, meeting their needs, putting them first.

Corporate disciplines include confession, worship, guidance and celebration. Confession is a dual thing. In the Bible, this word means ‘agreeing with God’ or saying the same thing as God. I must agree with Him about my sin, that is, confess my sins. I must also say what He says about my salvation and confess Jesus Christ as my Savior and Lord.

Worship is a lot of things, mostly the expression (in some way or other) of the glory of God. It is tied closely to celebration (see yesterday’s post) and according to Allen P. Ross, true worship makes me a participant in the glory of God—thus as I worship I become more like Jesus.

Guidance is also a spiritual discipline, emphasis on the word ‘discipline.’ Sin, as defined in Scripture, is that deep-rooted inclination to go my own way, do my own thing, ignoring God, and in most cases ignoring everyone else. Seeking His guidance involves reading the Bible, prayer, listening to His Spirit, but also listening to His people. No one has spiritual insights in their absolute fullness. We need one another. I need to hear the unique perspective of others so I can stay on track as I press on toward that prize. This requires discipline.

My devotional book uses a phrase that prompted these thoughts. It says until we reach glory and worship in the heavenly sanctuary with the angelic choirs, “we are merely tuning our instruments.”

I’d drop the word “merely” because as significant as that goal is over the warming up (and as discordant as my playing along sometimes is), God tells me over and over that He wants me to work hard at keeping myself in tune.

Come up higher

Yesterday my husband went to an “after your heart attack” session at the hospital. It was about emotions, and he came home with some wisdom for me. He said that spouses might have strong responses too, one of them being grief over the losses that this brings.

I’d not felt much before that. Under stress, I seldom get emotional, usually absent-minded. However, after we talked about it, I was swept with great sorrow. It wasn’t just the heart attack that has produced loss in our lives. Things changed when he was diagnosed with CLL last June. Things changed in August when our granddaughter moved in. Now things change again.

With CLL, the immune system must be guarded. To have a healthy heart, we must follow the Mediterranean food plan, get enough exercise. With another person in the house (who still has a particular set of problems) we must guard other areas of our lives, and hers. Before, the calendar was filled and we were busy. Now the calendar is still full and we must add more things.

No one can add without subtracting, and subtracting means loss, sometimes loss of things held dear, or at least greatly enjoyed. This isn’t for just one month while healing happens; these are changes that have no end, no going back to ‘normal’ — which is only a setting on the dryer anyway! But unlike that setting that we can control, we didn’t ask for these events, nor expect them. While I have done my best to accept what God has ordained, at the same time, there is a huge sense of being grossly inadequate to settle into this new ‘normal.’

This morning Psalm 42 sounds a bit like I feel. The writer is thirsty for God and for what used to be. He is cast down, disquieted, remembering the best of the past. He feels that God has forgotten him and says, “Deep calls unto deep at the noise of Your waterfalls; all Your waves and billows have gone over me” (Psalm 42:7).

While this is an expression of drowning in trials, I got a picture in my mind of what God’s waterfall would be like. I’m looking up at a torrent coming over a precipice and think, He is up there letting all this come down on me. Then I thought, If I was up there too, I wouldn’t feel as if I were under this, but above it.

At that, I hear a still, small voice saying, “Come up higher” and suddenly my understanding changes. I’ve been sitting in the back row like the man commended by Jesus in Luke 14:7-11, and God is asking me to move from what I’ve known to a new place, a place closer to Him. Yes, it means leaving the old and comfortable, but how can I fear changing where I am if it means being nearer to Him? Isn’t that what I want anyway?

In My Utmost for His Highest, Oswald Chambers says, “If in the externals of your life you live up to the highest you know, God will continually say—‘Friend, go up higher.’ The golden rule in temptation is—‘Go higher.’ When you get higher up, you face other temptations and characteristics. Satan uses the strategy of elevation in temptation, and God does the same, but the effect is different. When the devil puts you into an elevated place, he makes you screw your idea of holiness beyond what flesh and blood could ever bear. It is a spiritual acrobatic performance, you are just poised and dare not move; but when God elevates you by His grace into the heavenly places, instead of finding a pinnacle to cling to, you find a great table-land where it is easy to move.” (March 27).

Deep calls to deep. In the calling, I can see beyond this flooded and drowning sensation to a glassy clear and very deep lake, a place to rest and enjoy—before He again calls me to go upstream.

Two Heart Attacks

Because marriage makes “two people one flesh” (Genesis 2:24), what happens to my husband affects me. Whatever happens to me, affects him. We share our lives, and this past week that sharing has become more distinctive in several ways.

For one thing, the hospital nutritionist said that his diet was pretty good, but suggested he follow the Mediterranean Diet, good to promote a healthy heart. It makes sense that both of us eat the same things, so I’m also following the same diet. Already, we have both dropped a few pounds and feel really good.

I’m also seeing that his heart attack is my heart attack, but not the physical kind. God is using what happened to my husband to show me how to improve some of my heart’s attitudes. One of them involves submission.

I’ve often said that submission means being free from the tyranny of always needing to have my own way. However, being a “kept woman” who does not work outside the home and most of the time has freedom to plan her own day, by default, I usually have a lot of freedom to make my own choices. This is not in a sinful sense since God overrides and is my constant Guide who directs my decisions, but unless He tells me otherwise, my days are routinely predictable.

All that has changed. I am now chauffeur and errand runner. Every day brings trips, errands or appointments that I normally would be involved in, as well as lifting, carrying and so on, all things that my husband would usually do for himself.

Normal-me would find this role irritating to say the least. After years of being alone most of the day, even having someone around all the time takes adjustment. But the heart attack, both his and mine, has an effect of changing normal. I’m noticing an unexpected lack of feisty in me, a surprising willingness to go along with this without impatience or annoyance.

Some might think, Of course. You should be darn glad you still have your husband, glad that he is here for you to help. They are right, and I am, but I am also aware of my own selfish and proud heart. I like to decide my agenda and plan my activities. I like to pace myself, think of what comes next. Now all of that is impossible, and I know without a doubt that apart from grace, I couldn’t accept these changes, at least not easily.

Today’s devotional verse is 1 Peter 5:5. It says, “Likewise, you younger people, submit yourselves to your elders. Yes, all of you be submissive to one another, and be clothed with humility, for ‘God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.’”

This tells me the reason I need to submit to my circumstances. It is not only to be helpful and generous with my time and energy, but also that pride does not have an opportunity to interfere with grace. If I refuse submission, I would dearly miss out on a great blessing from God.

My husband needs me right now, but I know how much I need grace all the time. This verse shows me that if I, in stubborn pride, refused to yield to his needs (even in my thoughts) and insist on having my own way, I would cut myself off from the grace of God and nothing gives me a greater horror. I see grace as God revealing Jesus Christ to me in such a way that I am changed to be like Him. Apart from grace and apart from seeing Jesus, I would be stuck in the tyranny, stuck in the darkness of a selfish heart. Again, the thought of losing grace is a great horror.

Bob’s heart will heal, but forever bear a scar. That is the way of a heart attack. My heart will never be the same either. That is the way of grace. Through my heart attack, the old me is losing something in it’s struggle to have control. That is a good thing.

It also puts a different spin on Psalm 73:26 which says, “My flesh and my heart fail; but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.” Today, the new me rejoices that the Lord is the strength of my heart. Because that is true, the normal me is failing but He is stepping up to take His place and be what my heart needs.