A glimpse of heaven?

 

Years ago, God did something so remarkable that I often think of it. One morning I woke with a very sore back. No reason, but I stayed in bed not able to rise. I prayed, concerned that I could not care for my children. The answer was unexpected. The Lord filled me with incredible joy. The pain stayed, but the joy was so intense that it faded from my priorities. Today’s reading reminds me of that day. It points to this verse:

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places... (Ephesians 1:3)

Before reading this, I read more in Charnock’s book, “The Existence and Attributes of God” in a section about God’s knowledge and how it relates to eternity and that He knows all things even before they happen. These two realities meld. God has blessed me in heavenly places (future for me, eternal for God) and that incident gave me a taste of what He can do even in this life when trials come. As the reading says, I could be crushed or they could carry me to heights of victory. He compares this to an event in the life of Elisha, the prophet.

Elisha was translated into heaven above and that may not happen to me, but He can translate His people into the heaven within us, which “is almost a grander translation” than what happened to him. God is able to carry us up and away from the earthly plane of life where there is hurt and sadness into the “heavenly places in Christ” where we will experience triumph over all below.

Even though these “heavenly places” are interior not exterior, the road that leads to them is interior also. They come with some outward loss, trial, or disappointment, or even chastening that is not joyous, yet even chastening leads to joy...

For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it. (Hebrews 12:11)

I have a poster on my fridge that says: “God may not change my circumstances because He wants to change my heart.” For that reason, no matter what happens, as my mom always said, “I must need it or I would not be getting it.”

I’m to look on trials and chastening as God’s chariots sent to carry my soul into the “high places” of spiritual peace and uplifting, no matter how grievous they may be for the present. Even in pain, God can give great joy. He did that for me.

And it is my prayer that my love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment, so that I may approve what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God. (Philippians 1:9–11, personalized)

PRAY: Lord, the days have been strenuous with de-cluttering, packing, and many responsibilities, yet You give great joy. Fill me with the fruit of righteousness in every hour. Enable me to be a blessing to all who help us with this move and to You also, to Your glory. Fill my heart with praise and that amazing joy and peace that often do not make sense, but certainly do enable me to do Your will without fear, worry or grumbling.

Surrender…

I once read of two alcoholics who were given faith in Christ and eternal life. They met twenty years later and one said to the other that he had been saved all that time and never once was tempted to drink again. The other man smiled and told him he had been saved all that time also, and never drank again, even though he was tempted every day. The question is: who had the greater victory?

This week, I spoke of a man who walks with a cane and has been pulled back from death several times. He is diabetic, has knee and hip problems, and moves slowly. However, when asked how he is doing, he is joyful and always says, “I’m fine.” We chatted about this and he agreed that there is a secret to joy — God gives it even if the pain is not taken away.

As I spoke of his attitude to others, one person said, “If he would just admit his pain then others would pray that he would be healed.” That statement shocked me. Again, who has the greater victory? The one whose life has no problems and is always comfortable, or the one whose life is filled with trials and they are filled with joy in spite of them?

Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. (James 1:2–4)

These verses and the Apostle Paul’s stories of his trials convince me that the greater victory is not total comfort or any other human or worldly source of well-being, but the grace of God that gives strength in weakness, and in fact, uses those who are weak as a testimony to His power and love. There are many ‘healthy and happy’ sinners, but a scarcity of Christians who can be joyful in trials.

I’m preaching to myself too. We are moving and that involves de-cluttering, filling boxes, shoving furniture around, and all sorts of work. I cannot pray that God will send a band of angels to do all that for us. However, He is guiding us through the process and giving us surprises each day. We offered several items for sale and those we thought no one would want were the first to go. Changes to the new place have been scheduled for the most convenient days, and business people who could not help us directed us to their competitors who could. Stuff like that. And strength for each day. When I purged some books, the Holy Spirit kept nudging me what to keep and what to pass along to others.

Being and feeling helpless is not my enemy. My enemy is the notion that I have to have everything working the way I want it to along with confidence that ‘I can do this’ but God works far more when I admit that I cannot and rely on Him.

PRAY: Lord, help the person who missed the point of joy in trials to see that yielding to Your will in trials is far more of a miracle than making trials go away. You faced the greatest trial, one that we will never experience, and sweat drops of blood at the prospect. Nevertheless, You said, “Not my will but Thine be done.” May You grant me the same willingness to press on, no matter what You ask me to do.

God uses suffering…

 

As I watch my hubby struggling to move in any direction without severe pain, God is making me more aware of the need to be disciplined, not so much about moving my body but about not letting it dictate to me what I can and cannot do.

A few weeks ago, it was my turn. After few days in the hospital, God turned my focus by showing me how easily I can let the desire for personal comfort be an ambition. Had Jesus done that, there would be no salvation or the opportunity to be united to Him. He would never have gone to the cross if He put His comfort above obedience.

For it was fitting that he, for whom and by whom all things exist, in bringing many sons to glory, should make the founder of their salvation perfect through suffering. (Hebrews 2:10)

It works the same in our perfecting. We suffer and in that suffering we learn to let God have His way with us. He could use it to comfort us for another reason…

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. (2 Corinthians 1:3–6)

This is how I learn empathy. If I am never sick, then I cannot understand the struggles of sick people, never mind feel their pain or comfort them.

But there is another lesson. God wants me to be perfected by suffering, meaning that I will seek the filling of the Holy Spirit and be bearing His fruit, including joy — rather than whining and feeling sorry for myself. I’m sure this is what Paul had in mind when he wrote:

But I discipline my body and keep it under control, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified. (1 Corinthians 9:27)

My hubby knows that God is using this pain in his life. Both of us see how the Lord has used pain in the life of our friend B.T. He is joyful all the time, no matter what is going on in his body. He is a delight to be around because God has perfected his spiritual walk with suffering.

Most people complain, run to the doctor or pills or booze, to get it fixed rather than seek the will of God. How badly we need that “Not my will but thine be done” attitude that Jesus had.

As for me, taking care of him involves loving patience and help with what he is unable to do because of the pain. He will heal and yet the larger thing is that through this, God has a great purpose.

PRAY: Lord Jesus, give my hubby what he needs to trust You in this trial. I thank You that he can laugh even in pain and seek Your face and Your will for him. Grant him the ability to surrender to You and wait on You for the blessings to come. And give me what I need to encourage and care for him.

Deep Dive into His amazing love . . .

 

Psalm 113–118

The physical problems of this week are nothing compared to discovering the power of God’s presence. Once before and years ago I had a sore back yet was joyful. This time it was not my back but the pain was far more intense. Yet God gave me unexpected joy, deep joy. The average person may have questioned my sanity or wondered if the pain was imagined. All I can say is: “Blessed be the name of the Lord from this time forth and forevermore! From the rising of the sun to its setting, the name of the Lord is to be praised!” (Psalm 113:2–3)

This experience has done something important in my attitude; if I had any fears of any kind of disaster or loss or even death, God has shown me the reality of David’s words: “I will fear no evil for thou art with me” (Psalm 23). His presence means full joy, no matter what else is going on.

I look at the world around me and feel sorrow for those who have no idea of the power of God or even His reality I’ve been praying with the psalmist:

Not to us, O Lord, not to us, but to your name give glory, for the sake of your steadfast love and your faithfulness! Why should the nations say, “Where is their God?” Our God is in the heavens; he does all that he pleases. Their idols are silver and gold, the work of human hands. They have mouths, but do not speak; eyes, but do not see. They have ears, but do not hear; noses, but do not smell. They have hands, but do not feel; feet, but do not walk; and they do not make a sound in their throat. Those who make them become like them; so do all who trust in them. (Psalm 115:1–8)

This is truly the day the Lord has made, a day of counting my blessings and a day to be glad in the Lord. Other verses from this reading echo the thoughts of my heart, such as:

I love the Lord, because he has heard my voice and my pleas for mercy. Because he inclined his ear to me, therefore I will call on him as long as I live. (Psalm 116:1–2)

Praise the Lord, all nations! Extol him, all peoples! For great is his steadfast love toward us, and the faithfulness of the Lord endures forever. Praise the Lord! (Psalm 117:1–2)

Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; for his steadfast love endures forever! (Psalm 118:1)

Again, “This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.” (Psalm 118:24) I do understand how this is also true: “Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints.” (Psalm 116:15) It is not just that I should be glad to finally see Him face to face, but that He is delighted to welcome me into His eternal home. God looks on that as precious because I am His beloved. Of course He is fully able to make that homegoing, no matter how it may look on the outside, a delightful experience — not something to dread. Because He gave me joy in pain, I know that He can do that same thing no matter what happens next!

You are my God, and I will give thanks to you; you are my God; I will extol you. Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; for his steadfast love endures forever! (Psalm 118:28–29)

This is grace. I’d not been praying about any fears nor aware that I was fearful. He just brought this into my life so I could shout to the world to trust God — His love and His presence overcomes everything, so drop the idols, drop the self-effort, drop the excuses . . . and deep dive into the love of Christ!