As we scatter each to his own home . . .

Exodus 37; Proverbs 13; John 16; Ephesians 6

Yesterday my son sent a photo of a sign outside a church. It said, “Shopping Tip: Even Noah only took two of each.” He was a wise man and did what he was told. I remembered him today while reading Proverbs.

Proverbs are not promises nor do they fit every situation all the time but are generally true and worth my attention. With the virus still rapidly spreading, our governments are cracking down on those who refuse to do what they are told. Proverbs 13 has this to say:

By insolence comes nothing but strife, but with those who take advice is wisdom . . . . The teaching of the wise is a fountain of life, that one may turn away from the snares of death . . . . Poverty and disgrace come to him who ignores instruction, but whoever heeds reproof is honored. (Proverbs 13:10; 13; 18)

I went out for a few groceries this morning and discovered toilet paper filled the shelves in one store (limiting customers to two of each) but none in the other. However the second store had the vegetables I needed. I felt like the Proverbs 31 woman who “is like the ships of the merchant; she brings her food from afar.” (31:14) But I also didn’t mind the restrictions to two of each. Had that been in place earlier, the shortages may not have happened, even though we are living in troubled times!

In John, Jesus is telling His disciples that He will be leaving them. For them, that was dire and they were troubled. They pledged their faith but His answer revealed it would be tested. In grace, He gave them assurance regarding their greatest need in that time . . .

Jesus answered them, “Do you now believe? Behold, the hour is coming, indeed it has come, when you will be scattered, each to his own home, and will leave me alone. Yet I am not alone, for the Father is with me. I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.” (John 16:31–33)

His words fit their situation yet they also fit ours. This covid-19 virus has us scattered each to his own home. Some are struggling with their faith in God, wondering if He has abandoned them. Many are worried about future needs not being met. Jesus assures each of us as we try to adjust to social isolation and deal with our fears that He is with us. In Him, there is peace. He overcame the world’s tribulations and we can too.

Admittedly, my struggle with fear is like a child playing with an on/off switch. Each time I feel overwhelmed, or the thoughts of “what if” take the upper hand, I need to deliberate choose to trust God. Sometimes I ask myself if I really believe He is big enough, powerful enough, to take us through this.

Then God tells me to, “Put on the “whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.” (Ephesians 6:11-12)

Note, the enemy is not a virus as much as it is the spirit of fear which is not from the God. He promises us peace! Not only that, I need all that God provides so I can stand against that Liar who wants to ruin my peace and joy, my testimony to others, my prayer life, and anything else he can mess up by having me scared instead of taking heart and remembering truth.

This armor puts the “belt of truth” first in the list. How practical. Someone told me that this virus was predicted by B.G. of Microsoft, and this morning I checked it out — not true. How many falsehoods are in social media scaring people and with useless advice? Lots.

This armor includes “the gospel of peace” which comes through using the “shield of faith” and wearing the “helmet of salvation” while I pray using “the sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God.” Without my armor, I’m a blubbering coward unable to share Christian hope with others who desperately need hope. With it, I have peace and stop worrying.

APPLY: Easy to say, harder to do . . . rely on Jesus Christ and all the provision God gives to protect myself against the Liar and to have what is needed to be an encouragement to others. Abide in Christ. Trust in Him with all my heart and do not let fear invade my thoughts and decisions. Amen.

Troubling times

Many people have told us that they no longer read a newspaper or watch the news on television. They are unaware of local and world events. While I use the news to pray, it overwhelms me at times as well. I’d like to hide in my own little world and merrily go about my life without the concerns of the headlines.

For instance, last night an email from a Christian in Kenya who feared he and others probably could be fleeing for their lives because of today’s elections. He wants to be wrong, but is preparing for the worst. Crime and senseless events happen closer to home. A woman kills her children because they were disobedient. Fires build and rage out of control just over the mountains to the west of us. Another stabbing occurs in our city. Even closer, a family member may have cancer and another is living in la-la land while her children are neglected. These bring pressing helplessness and my desire to hide becomes stronger.

If placed on the front page of any newspaper, many would consider today’s devotional verses as pie-in-the-sky. They are about the second-coming of Jesus Christ, certainly scoffed by those who do not believe in His first coming, but even many who profess to be Christians are skeptical. We have waited so long.

However, Jesus told His anxious disciples that He would return:

“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.” (John 14:2–3)

After His resurrection, this promise was repeated, likely by two angels:

“And when he had said these things, as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight. And while they were gazing into heaven as he went, behold, two men stood by them in white robes, and said, ‘Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.’” (Acts 1:9–11)

Paul also wrote about it in even greater detail:

“But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope. For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep. For this we declare to you by a word from the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord. Therefore encourage one another with these words.” (1 Thessalonians 4:13–18)

These verses stir and encourage me. Life was not peaceful in the first century for Christians. They were persecuted and mocked, chased from place to place, yet they pressed on to follow Him in great hope; He was coming back for them.

Peter told them to “remember the predictions of the holy prophets and the commandment of the Lord and Savior through your apostles, knowing this first of all, that scoffers will come in the last days with scoffing, following their own sinful desires. They will say, ‘Where is the promise of his coming? For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all things are continuing as they were from the beginning of creation.’” (2 Peter 3:2–4)

The scoffers are here, and they are wrong on both counts. All things are not as they were at the beginning of creation. Back then, the people had the promise of a coming Messiah who had not yet arrived. Now we look back at that arrival and those who rejoice in it now also have the promise of His second appearance. Should we be like those who denied the first and missed it to their peril? Or like those who believed and lived in great joy and hope?

The last book of the Bible has John writing to the seven churches that are in Asia. He says:

“Grace to you and peace from him who is and who was and who is to come, and from the seven spirits who are before his throne, and from Jesus Christ the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of kings on earth. To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood and made us a kingdom, priests to his God and Father, to him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen. Behold, he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him, even those who pierced him, and all tribes of the earth will wail on account of him. Even so. Amen. ‘I am the Alpha and the Omega,’ says the Lord God, ‘who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.’” (Revelation 1:4–8)

^^^^^^^^^

Jesus, today Your return is a sweeter expectation because I’m focused on the mess in this world. That should not be my primary motivation for being eager. Instead, it ought to be because I long to see Your face. . . and I do. Yet I am also weary of the evil, the injustice, the violence and long for the peace of eternity and the beauty of Your smile.

He is our peace

In a New Testament story, a jailer was dismayed when an earthquake happened and all the cell doors were open. He knew that any escaped prisoners would mean his death so was about to kill himself. However, the Apostle Paul stopped him; no one had run out of the prison. At that, the jailed asked, “What must I do to be saved?” and Paul told him about Jesus. The man believed and his fear was replaced by joy.

This passage does not say exactly what Paul told the jailer. However, the simple gospel message is that Jesus died for our sin, was buried, and rose again to offer us forgiveness and eternal life. Another way of saying it is in these two verses:

“For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.” (Ephesians 2:8–9)

For the jailer, being safe motivated him to ask the question about his salvation. Others are motivated by fear of death, or guilt over sin, or a sense of failure and falling short. Some are drawn by the beauty of Jesus Christ, or the way Christians love one another, or for a desire to have inner peace.

The question Christians ask is: “Have you made peace with God?” However, that isn’t quite how it works. We do very little; it is God who has offered us peace with Himself through the saving work of Jesus Christ. This peace is a major part of the gospel package. It is given to all who believe.

These days, people are agitated by fearful events and happenings. I made the mistake last night of looking at the news, then reading several chapters in a well-written murder mystery. I felt wired, mostly by the news. I could dismiss the story as fiction, but the news is real. Praying about it didn’t help. I wanted to ‘do something’ and could not sleep soundly until my thoughts rested on Jesus. As Ephesians 2:14 says, He Himself is my peace.

With many thoughts swirling around in my head, the rest of Ephesians 2 calms my heart. This world is fractured and disjointed. True Christians clash with false teachers. Children are caught in the middle of not only false teaching but the folly of parents who cannot tell them the truth because they are also trapped in the enemies lies. When I read the news, lack of peace is the negative image that highlights every news story. The book I am reading will likely end well, but even fiction can throw a darkness over God’s good news.

Those immersed in falsehood and lies feel the effects, even act out fears and frustrations in terrible ways. Yet, whenever my focus is on the Prince of Peace, I am lifted from that pit, my feet firmly planted on the Rock. God puts me in the company and support of many others who have also been lifted to new life by His good news.

“And he came and preached peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near. For through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father. So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit.” (Ephesians 2:17–22)

The difference is that peace. It starts as a gift along with faith and new life. This is the grace of God — not from good works. Peace with God is a position, a standing with God, a reality for those who believe. Nothing can take away that reality, yet negative circumstances will threaten our feelings of peace. When that happens, God says:

“Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:4–7)

This ‘peace with God’ is a state of being, a reality regardless of my feelings. However, God also gives me this ‘peace of God’ — an emotion, a sense of well-being that fills and guards my heart, even when it makes no sense at all to be at peace. By grace, I know that God is in control; His seal on my faith is His peace.

^^^^^^^

Jesus, my citizenship is built on the peace I have with You. This peace also enhances my joyous fellowship with other Christians and creates a unity that goes beyond our differences. Your peace goes well beyond the realities of the news, the mess in the world from political situations, conflict, and tragedies. While those things drive me to prayer, the peace of God allows me to praise You and rest in You. Jesus, You are my peace. Amen!