Fishing for . . .

As a child, my dad took me fishing once. We were on the Bow River in a boat, just the two of us. I caught a fish, but my two brothers, who were envious that I got to go and they didn’t, never believed me. I never went fishing again, at least until I was much older.

We were living in Alaska, where everyone must go fishing. My husband took my dad out for halibut. They forgot how many they caught and I couldn’t imagine that being possible. So my hubby took me the next time. I listened carefully to the captain’s instructions and did exactly what I was told. After a time, my hubby asked how many halibut I’d pulled in and put in the holding tank. I sheepishly admitted that I forgot.

If I could pick which experience describes my efforts as a Christian to be a fisherman, I’d like that AK trip off the coast of Homer to describe my success, but it doesn’t. :-(

And Jesus said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you become fishers of men.” (Mark 1:17)

There are two parts to this: the invitation and the promise. To become a fisher of men, one must first follow Jesus. Chambers says people seldom just follow Him. Instead, we make excuses, offer our talents as if He needs them, or hum and haw with other reasons. We realize God asks for our right to ourselves.

“I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.” (Romans 12:1)

Chambers says that if I give God my right to myself, He will make a holy experiment or a new person out of me, one that is original and also successful. He will become in me a wellspring of original life all the time as He engineers circumstances and makes life an adventure.

When I live in reckless abandon as His follower, there is no crawling off the altar, no pity parties or complaints, no self-seeking. Not only that, He will help me see Him being as original with others as He is with me, so none of this ‘every Christian has to be like me’ stuff either.

Chambers points out that when I am abandoned to Jesus, coming when He says ‘Come,’ He continues to say ‘Come’ through me. That is, my life will be an echo of His invitation — I will be telling others to come to Jesus and He will take them fishing too.

There are consequences for these fishing trips. Sometimes the fish run and hide. Sometimes other fishermen don’t believe that I am capable of catching anything. Sometimes the fishing expedition is a success, but the work of it leaves me totally exhausted (my arms ached for two weeks after pulling in more halibut than I can remember).

Another consequence is that the enemy doesn’t want God’s people to invite others to Jesus. Satan is might be subtle with his efforts, like keeping me busy with other and less important occupations. However, he more often openly attacks with an obvious onslaught to push me off a cliff so that I will stop urging others toward Jesus.

For the fishing part, I trust the Lord and do my best to obey. For the onslaught part, trusting the Lord AND obeying Him is the prerequisite to resisting and overcoming the one who tries to stop me . . .  

“Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” (James 4:7)

It also helps to talk and share with other fishermen. We might embellish our fish stories, but the sharing of our common experience of difficulties in the task helps us to stay firm in faith . . .

“Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world. And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you.” (1 Peter 5:8–10)

It helps me to know that others struggle, yet God’s promise is also vital. It helps me stay at the task and endure the enemy’s efforts to stop me. I know that ‘this too shall pass’ because Jesus is in charge of my life and will use all of the enemy’s strategies for my good. It is for these reasons that I can say “Come, follow Jesus” to others.

Eating and drinking

This blog is called “Practical Faith” because I’m pragmatic. If there is no good reason for doing something, I’m apt to opt out. This is fine most of the time, but it also means that I’ve learned many tough lessons by refusing to obey God because I could not see any reason for His commands.
 

Practical faith is about purposeful living, with one main purpose. I’m supposed to glorify God and do so for all of life…

So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. (1 Corinthians 10:31)

Eating and drinking are ordinary activities that everyone does. Interesting that in the early history of the world, God mentioned these ordinary activities in describing the godlessness that brought judgment upon the earth…

For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day when Noah entered the ark… (Matthew 24:38)

The text does not say that these activities were sinful, but the word used could mean “eating like the beasts” without any thought of food or gratitude to God for it. The description of life at that time also says that, “The Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intention of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually” (Genesis 6:5) and that “the earth was corrupt in God’s sight, and the earth was filled with violence. And God saw the earth, and behold, it was corrupt, for all flesh had corrupted their way on the earth” (Genesis 6:11–12).

From this and other passages, I understand that a Christian who has surrendered to the Lord will also sanctify eating and drinking by doing these ordinary activities in such a way that God is glorified.

How is that possible? I’m thinking of the hundreds of people I’ve watched in restaurants who overeat or drink too much alcohol and how that is usually not God-honoring. I also think of myself and my efforts to lose ten pounds. Is God glorified when I let Him control what I eat and how much? I suspect He is at least pleased with such decisions. So having self-control is one way. Other ways might include sharing meals with others, pleasant conversations at the table (many people fight at mealtime), and giving special attention to an attractive and tasty meal presentation for the sake of my family and guests.

Today’s devotional says that regard for the glory of God is like salt served up with every dish. The great work of my life is to glorify Him, even in my natural actions such as eating, sleeping, walking, and the like. I am a new creature, redeemed that I should glorify the Lord, not eat and drink as I please, any more than pray or worship or do Christian service as I please. All must be done in submission to God and that submission will glorify Him.

While on holidays and away from a normal routine, it is easy to slip out of good eating habits. I’m thankful for this reminder. What I eat and drink, and how I eat and drink isn’t just about health. It is even more important to glorify God. I need to keep that thought – in every restaurant and at every meal, and especially when we pass by those candy stores and chocolate factories.

To Live is Christ — how to practice abiding

Tonight my husband has an appointment at 6:45 p.m.. I plan to make supper a little earlier than usual so he can eat before he leaves for that appointment. I suppose I could say no, that doesn’t work for me, but in my marriage, we realize a far greater harmony and pleasure by a little cooperation.

We also realize the importance of listening to one another. He told me about his appointment. Had I been preoccupied or indifferent, those plans might be ignored. Then he would be unhappy that supper was not ready when he got home, and I would be unhappy that he had to leave without eating it.

It is a choice. I can fit my life into the plans of my spouse and vice versa, or we can each do our own thing and pay no attention to what the other is doing. By acting the latter way, we make marriage look like a bad idea, and are certainly going to find ourselves annoyed at each other, or worse.

This is another way of explaining today’s verses from John’s gospel. Abiding in Christ is about relationship, and is much like a good marriage.

If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples. (John 15:7–8, ESV)

Abiding is about paying attention to the will of my Lord and Savior. He certainly is in tune with me and my needs, knowing them better than I know them myself. He longs to walk in harmony, but He is never the one that is out of step. If anyone is, it is always me. (This isn’t necessarily true about marriage — but no illustration is perfect!)

In a marriage, harmony, communication, and even mind-reading take time to develop and perfect. It is the same with abiding in Christ. While John puts them in reverse order, a major part of learning this is making sure His Word abides in my heart. I have to read it, think about it, remember what it says. When I know Scripture, I am more apt to understand what Jesus is thinking and planning. When that happens, life becomes very exciting and I am eager to do my part and fit into the drama that He is directing.

It is the same in marriage. Communication makes abiding possible. If I don’t know what my spouse is thinking, how can I fit in with his plans? Impossible.

Abiding in Christ could involve simple things like timing. When my relationship with Him is close, I know when to do or say something (or keep still). It could also involve the content of my words or actions. In the case of my recent dental fiasco, I had some strong ideas of how to respond to this unfolding situation. However, the Lord clearly instructed me to simply trust Him. In the abiding, He is revealing to me His will on this matter. Had I done what my own mind first considered, I would have separated myself from the will of God. That would have been foolish and costly.

Today, I have a to-do list. However, abiding means that both ears are open to His changes in my plans. Jesus may have guided my pen when I wrote the list, but should He give me an unexpected chore or interrupt the list with a greater need, abiding means that I will go with the flow of His leading and adjust accordingly.

While this concept totally riles many women, some of them Christian, the Bible talks about wives in this kind of relationship with their husbands. We struggle because fitting in with our hubby’s plans goes against our old nature. Women want to be independent and do their own thing. Nevertheless, God asks us to do it. In my experience, abiding in Christ is impossible if I cannot learn this on a human level.

That is, following the leading of Christ becomes impossible if I refuse to shift my routine so my DH can eat before his suppertime appointment. God gave me this relationship as a parallel. If I can harmonize my plans to fit with what my husband needs to do, abiding in Christ is clarified and practiced on a day-to-day level. It is also becoming much easier because I am learning how an attitude of abiding looks and feels.

God is so smart.

Mysteries of submission

God works in mysterious ways. People say so when something pleasing happens unexpectedly, yet choke on positive words when suffering. Do we grasp the fact that His thoughts are not our thoughts? Does anyone really understand the mysteries of God?

Several times in the past few weeks I’ve talked with women who do not like the biblical commands about submission. In their minds, all this will do is cause them suffering and hardship. I’ve fought these commands too, but also found that obedience is a blessing. God gives them to protect me from my selfish and sinful self. I’ve even used the definition of submission as “being set free from the tyranny of always needing to have my own way.”

However, as my devotional reading focus on the purpose of suffering and the response God wants to it, I’m beginning to see something else about submission.

Jesus didn’t want to suffer. He prayed in the garden, “If it be possible, let this cup pass from me.” He knew what was coming. The “cup” refers to the wrath of God, and He knew it was going to be poured out on Him and that He was about to bear God’s punishment for the sins of the whole world.

He then said, “Nevertheless, not my will but Thine be done.” Jesus submitted to certain pain and a terrible and unjust crucifixion, not because He wanted to but because He was determined to obey His heavenly Father and determined to not sin by disobeying. As His enemies put Him on the cross, and as He submitted to their treatment of Him, He said,

“Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do.” And they divided His garments and cast lots. And the people stood looking on. But even the rulers with them sneered, saying, “He saved others; let Him save Himself if He is the Christ, the chosen of God.” The soldiers also mocked Him, coming and offering Him sour wine... (Luke 23:34-36)

Injury and insults. It could not have been worse, yet those who mocked Him had no idea what was taking place. They thought they had stopped Him, but didn’t realize that God would not only bring back to life the One that they murdered, but also use His submission to death as the only means of salvation for their souls. In the mystery of God, the One who said yes to His plan and died because of it, became the One who lives forever and is able to redeem all who believe in Him.

We are told to follow the example of Jesus. How then can a woman know what God will do with her acts of submission? I think the same way as the people who mocked Jesus when I assume that submission even to death is the end of God’s plan. I think like a sinful human when I fear that my obedience will amount to nothing. What do I know about the mind of God?

God isn’t being mean when He tells me to do anything else. It isn’t mean of Him to ask that I love others, or pray, or give to the poor. All of His commands are good. They bring blessing to me and glory to His name. The commands also have purpose. How could anyone assume that God (or those He inspired to record His Word) is just flapping His jaw and picking on the female gender?

I’ve changed my thinking a bit about submission. Now I can see that it might not bring a blessing, at least not at first. People who obey God might suffer because of their obedience. Yet God used history’s greatest act of submission to suffering as His greatest expression of love for humanity. With what Jesus did, God offers redemption and life to sinners. The obedience of Jesus Christ changed human history forever.

Now, whenever I fear that submission will bring me stress, I can challenge that notion because of what Jesus did. I can ask myself, “What might God do with my obedience — even if I suffer for doing what He asks of me?”

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Note: this is not about submission to spousal abuse. It is about my attitude towards God's commands.