His school of higher learning…

A childhood illness kept me out of public school and away from other children for most of grades one to seven. Later, I realized how much I did not learn from being with my peers, particularly the people skills that are learned by experience. I didn’t know what to say or do in many normal situations. I felt the awkwardness of having a blank mind or no opinion rather than knowing what my peers learned from growing up in a social setting. 

When I became a Christian in my late twenties, this lack became an acute reality. However, it was not totally negative. Instead, God used it to His advantage. I did not have many worldly ideas to unlearn. I also felt like a servant coming to Him eager to learn how to live.

Behold, as the eyes of servants look to the hand of their master, as the eyes of a maidservant to the hand of her mistress, so our eyes look to the Lord our God, till he has mercy upon us. (Psalm 123:2)

Many other verses became a comfort to me and an encouragement when I felt stupid or not like other people, verses like these:

Make me to know your ways, O Lord; teach me your paths. (Psalm 25:4)
I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my eye upon you. (Psalm 32:8)
I am your servant; give me understanding, that I may know your testimonies! (Psalm 119:125)
So teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom. (Psalm 90:12)
Put false ways far from me and graciously teach me your law! (Psalm 119:29)

The image of having an empty platter for Him to fill became particularly strong. Many times I’ve felt like that, particularly after seeing other Christians who seemed to know very easily what to do and say, even in awkward situations. 

Struggling to be more like that, I realized two things: one is that this is not about learning it in school but about relying on the Holy Spirit. And secondly, even when feeling blank about many things, I have a great deal of pride and can be stubborn about having ‘my way’ instead of obeying God. Doing and saying the ‘right’ thing involves being humble and lowly, teachable and willing to listen to and obey the Spirit. This is not learned in grade school either.

My part involves spiritual disciplines such as Bible reading, study, and prayer, being alone with God, asking for His wisdom and trusting what He says. It helps to pray His Word, and learn of Him. Obedience is an intentional choice, but it can be stalled by unforgiveness, failure to confess my sins, and failure to be accountable to others. 

While I might have learned many things from my peers in class and on the playground, I would not have learned obedience from a changed heart. That involves lessons that come only from the Lord because He is the only one who can make the changes. This is certainly why this verse has always part of my learning experience:

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:9)

PRAY: Lord, would being in school as a child made learning about You easier? I don’t think so. It might have given me more worldly notions that require ‘mind renewal’ (Romans 12:2) and deepened my stubborn pride, but I can’t know that. I just know that You governed my life from birth to this day, and You know what still needs to be done to transform me into the image of Your Son (Romans 8:28-29). For all that You do as my Savior and Teacher, I am deeply thankful even though I realize how far I am from that goal.

The see-saw of pride and humility. . . .

  

Writers are taught to write what we know. Christians are taught to share in the same way. I cannot share a doctrinal truth if it is unknown to my heart or not practiced in my life. In other words, I must walk the talk. Today’s reading says my goal is to share with others in such a way that the glory of God has satisfied the longings of my own heart. If what I tell others betrays that God has not met my needs, my words would be dishonest, even deceitful. If I want people to believe me, Christ must be real to me when I tell them about Him.

Last week a group of my quilting friends became upset with political shenanigans. I suggested that when they went home, to get a Bible and read Psalm 2. If reading this did not bless and calm my heart concerning the current political scene, then I would have no right to tell them to read it and be calmed in their hearts. I must ‘practice what I preach’ and avoid saying, “I know we are supposed to do” such and such but not be doing it.

Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples, “The scribes and the Pharisees sit on Moses’ seat, so do and observe whatever they tell you, but not the works they do. For they preach, but do not practice. They tie up heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on people’s shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to move them with their finger. They do all their deeds to be seen by others. For they make their phylacteries broad and their fringes long, and they love the place of honor at feasts and the best seats in the synagogues and greetings in the marketplaces and being called rabbi by others. But you are not to be called rabbi, for you have one teacher, and you are all brothers. And call no man your father on earth, for you have one Father, who is in heaven. Neither be called instructors, for you have one instructor, the Christ. The greatest among you shall be your servant. Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted. (Matthew 23:1–12)

Telling others to do what I don’t do myself reveals fleshy and sinful motives. In the case of these religious leaders, they wanted to be seen, exalted by others, put on pedestals as if better than anyone else. Purely pride. But pride in me is not the way to glorify God. I know. I’ve been there, breaking my arm as I pat myself on the back.

What makes me sad is that others are sometimes reluctant to recognize human weakness that enables godly people to rely on Him. My sister once admitted her inability to a group of other Christians and they said to her, “Oh no, not you, Janet.” She didn’t know how to respond to that reaction to her admission of being unable and her desire to glorify the Lord. They saw her strengths but refused to recognize where they came from.

PRAY: Jesus, I know You were often in this awkward place. You equaled yourself with God yet also said You did only what He told You to do. That enraged those who merely talked but did not do what they told everyone else to do — and they eventually crucified You. I’m not nearly so solidly like You. Help me to not only be gracious to those who have a problem with honest admissions of weakness, but to always remember the truth of it — You are my everything and apart from You I can do nothing.

Guard my heart . . .

There are several kinds of heart problems; some caused by hardened arteries, blocked vessels, injuries, or other concerns. My hubby has a stent. I have a pacemaker. However, not one of this list gives anyone as much grief as a troubled heart. The disciples found themselves upset when they began to understand that Jesus would leave them. So He said:

“Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also. And you know the way to where I am going.” Thomas said to him, “Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?” Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you had known me, you would have known my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him.” (John 14:1–7)

At one point Peter said Jesus should not leave them and He strongly rebuked him with “Get behind me, Satan” because Peter proudly thought he was defending Jesus. In reality, this man was thinking as many modern Christians do; that Jesus and every disciple of His is only blessed if life is without stress of any kind.

Peter learned a great lesson: the love of God does not mean being coddled. If hardship will make me more like Jesus, then hardship will be used. If He was willing to die for me, what does that tell me about my willingness to suffer for Him. Peter finally was able to say:

Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you. (1 Peter 5:6–7)

In the list of heart problems, pride is close to the top. My pride thinks I’m too good to have trials so when they come, so does stress and deep inner sorrow. Spurgeon noted that most of our sorrows arise from within and said, “When self is conquered, sorrow is to a great extent banished from the human heart.”

That said, others would put unbelief as the chief cause of all heart trouble. Worry, anxiety and fear are the fruits of unbelief and every physician would agree these also wear out the heart. But if I totally trust and believe God… why worry?

Unbelief has other fruit, like covetousness or wanting something that God has not given. This lack of trust stresses the heart. God wants me to learn “in whatever situation I am to be content.” (Philippians 4:11) It is the same with envy (wanting what someone else has) and even with complaining about everything from bad weather, to daily news, to political issues, to who won the hockey game. This is saying without the words that God does not rule the world my way and puts knots in my muscles.

With a pacemaker, I do a regular heart check. I have a device that connects to the clinic like a phone and it sends a full set of signals to an expert at the other end. They can change the speed, know the remaining battery life, and report on how well the pacemaker is working. This is important to my physical well-being. How much more important to do a heart checkup with God by connecting with His Spirit and making certain all causes and issues are confessed and cleansed — and that my faith is fully in Him, not in anything else.

PRAY: Lord, forgive my lax attitude in allowing these negatives to do damage instead of dealing with them as diligently as needed. You are the Great Physician, not merely to keep my body working well, but to keep my heart right with You. Forgive me for missing far too many appointments for a check-up, or even just a chat with You.

God’s ways are higher than mine

 

During our group Bible study we were asked in which ways we were limited in our Christian lives by our past. The assumption was that our past contained sins and mistakes that we were not proud of. This is illustrated in Jesus’ parable of the prodigal. He asked for his inheritance and took off on his own:

And when he had spent everything, a severe famine arose in that country, and he began to be in need. So he went and hired himself out to one of the citizens of that country, who sent him into his fields to feed pigs. And he was longing to be fed with the pods that the pigs ate, and no one gave him anything. “But when he came to himself, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have more than enough bread, but I perish here with hunger! I will arise and go to my father, and I will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Treat me as one of your hired servants.” ’ (Luke 15:14–19)

But when he arrived home, his father was overjoyed and threw a party to celebrate. No scolding, no questions even, illustrating that the past is not the measure of our acceptance by our heavenly Father. There is a great deal of joy in heaven over one sinner who repents. God forgives and puts our sin as far as the east from the west.

There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. (Romans 8:1)

On the other hand, some come to God with many assets. Paul was one of them, and this was his testimony about his past:

Though I myself have reason for confidence in the flesh also. If anyone else thinks he has reason for confidence in the flesh, I have more: circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the law, a Pharisee; as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to righteousness under the law, blameless. But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith— that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death... (Philippians 3:4–10)

His past could be a hindrance if he let himself be proud of it and lord over others because of it. For some, a ‘good’ life, wise choices, wealth, high IQ and any number of other ‘successes’ are easily relied on by the flesh and like Paul, Christians with that kind of past have to learn to be joyful in weakness and rely fully on Jesus, not their old nature with its resources.

Today’s devotional reading points out that our strength lies in our helplessness. If I am helpless to do anything myself, Jesus can use me as He pleases. My past and whatever it includes, shame or pride or both, will not get in the way or delay obedience. The NT suggests the struggles of Paul to learn this may have been longer and more difficult than for those who were less endowed.

For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men. For consider your calling, brothers: not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, so that no human being might boast in the presence of God. (1 Corinthians 1:25–29)

Humility comes easier to weak and lowly people for they have little to boast about in themselves. This suggests that pride in myself and what I can do may be a greater impediment than a shameful past.

PRAY: Jesus, You know that shame and pride both can ruin my walk with You. I’m so glad that You forgave all my sin, including the sin of thinking my way is better than Your way. Keep me in Your will that I may boast only in You.

Martyrdom without Love

 

Fire is on my mind. Last night’s videos showed its destructive power as a lovely city in Maui, Hawaii went up in flames. Many people died or are missing. Thoughts of those caught unawares and those who jumped into the sea to escape fill my heart with grief.

Fire ties with today’s devotional thoughts. 1 Corinthians 13 begins by saying that without love, what I say, or know, or believe, or give is without gain. It also adds the sacrifice of life, but even martyrdom is useless without love.

If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing. (1 Corinthians 13:3)

Some think this is about being branded with a hot iron as a slave. Even though being burned at the stake was not common then, Nero did burn Christians to create light for his events. However, other examples in this passage used extremes to make a point, such as speaking with the tongues of angels, knowing all mysteries and having all knowledge, having all faith, and giving all one’s possessions to feed the poor, the horror of death by fire is consistent with those extremes.

Jesus said this about martyrdom: “Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you.” (John 15:13–14) He implies that this includes laying down my life for Him, my ultimate friend.

However, people give their lives for lesser reasons. Some examples include the Japanese kamikaze pilots in World War II or monks or students who burned themselves in protest of some political or social injustice. As already studied, the NT says those motives rob God’s people of spiritual gain, even the greatest sacrifice of dying unless it is motivated by godly love.

I’m not exempt from wrong motives. MacArthur reminds me that Christians in the early church wanted to die for the faith so they could become famous like the martyrs before them. This martyr complex can make such action look sacrificial but it is motivated by pride, a self-glorifying ‘look at me’ attitude rather than what it will do for others or to glorify God.

This ultimate sacrifice has not been part of my experience, but at times I’ve said or thought “ . . . after all I have done for you” expecting a thank you or a reward when making a ‘sacrifice’ for someone else. That expectation of a reward, or of something that I wanted, reveals that the motivation for my ‘sacrifice’ was for me, not for the other person. I can also look as if I am in obedience to God but wanting my own glory. That makes it useless; only love sanctifies what I do. All self-centered motivations are not about His love and will not profit me. Only God’s love has eternal value and the power to change things in this life.

PRAY: Jesus, You showed me the love of God by dying for me even when I was still a sinner (Romans 5:8). If anything brings me to a place where my death would benefit even an enemy, obedience would be impossible without Your supernatural love for people. Keep me thinking of what You have done for me should the occasion ever happen when I must love others to that extreme.

PONDER: Revelation 2:1–7 noticing the strengths in the church in Ephesus and their one weakness. What was His solution for that issue?