Highly Irregular Meets Absolutely Amazing

To say that Jesus was impressed would be putting it mildly.  He said so—out loud. 

“I say to you, not even in Israel have I found such great faith."

 Luke 7:9

Don’t you wonder what made Him say that?

The Backdrop:  Luke 7:1-10.  Those ten verses are packed.  This quick link will take you straight to it.

Highly Irregular

This centurion is not your typical Roman.  He is out of character for a Roman.  First of all, he is respected by the Jews, who, incidentally, think he is worthy of Jesus granting this favor.  Yet the man himself doesn’t think so.  Next, he loves the Jews and built them their synagogue.  I wonder if he worshipped Jehovah.

This centurion regards his slave highly--maybe because the centurion respected God.  He also has a good enough relationship with the Jewish elders that they are willing to go to Jesus to ask Him to save his slave’s life.  So let me get this straight . . . the Jewish elders get involved with Jesus for the sake of a Roman centurion’s dying slave.  This is really quite bizarre.

Here is a man who is willing to go against his own culture and tradition to identify himself with God.  He is willing to humble himself and acknowledge his own unworthiness.  He knows Jesus is his servant’s only hope, and that he himself isn’t worthy of asking Jesus for His help.  In spite of his unworthiness, he sends a delegation to ask for Jesus’ help. 

What was so great?

Was his great faith simply that he believed Jesus could heal his servant?  Plenty of others believed Jesus could heal.  So there must be more to it.

In purely human terms, Jesus was actually subordinate to the centurion.  Yet the centurion makes it plain that he believed that Jesus was far above himself (that he, the centurion, was unworthy).  So was part of his great faith that he recognized that Jesus was no mere man?  The Jewish elders did not believe this.  Nor did they share the centurion’s belief that he was unworthy of this favor.  Note that Jesus says that “not even in Israel” has He found such great faith.

And was part of his great faith also that he believed that Jesus was so full of grace that He would heal his servant even though he was unworthy of even coming to ask Jesus for help, unworthy of even being in Jesus’ presence (under his roof)?  Think about that.  He’s totally convinced that he is unworthy of the favor, yet he is determined to ask Him to grant it.  Why?  Even though he believed that Jesus had the power and authority to heal, he knew he was unworthy to ask for the healing.  So why would he still ask?

He must have been equally convinced of not only the power and authority of Jesus, but also the goodness, the generosity, and the mercy of Jesus toward the undeserving.  Jesus is not only able to heal; He is willing.

Absolutely Amazing Grace

Jesus is God; He has authority to heal.  God is good; He is willing to heal, in spite of the fact that we don’t deserve it. 

This centurion recognized both his own condition and Jesus’ position, and he trusted in Jesus’ wonderful mercy and grace.

Have you been afraid to ask for help?  Have you hesitated because you have felt you didn’t deserve His help? 

You are absolutely right that you are unworthy.  So am I.  Every one of us is unworthy.  But we should still ask.  Why?  Because the question of His help is not contingent on our worthiness.  His help is available on the basis of His character.

"Behold, I am the LORD, the God of all flesh;

is anything too difficult for Me?

. . . I will rejoice over them to do good. . ."

Jeremiah 32:27, 41

Friend, there is no problem you face that is too difficult for Him.  His grace invites you to ask.

Living By Faith

"The righteous will live by faith." says Habakkuk 2:4

and Romans 1:17

and Galatians 3:11

and Hebrews 10:38.

God used a short comment in Sunday's sermon from Steve Mozingo, one of our church's beloved teaching elders, to spark a whole train of thought for me.  The whole message was good (you can find Steve's sermons on sermonaudio.com), but it was one particular comment that ignited an especially revolutionary idea for me.

Faith is no spectator sport

The text was Acts 11, and speaking of verses 19-24, Steve commented that this record—of how these Christians were preaching, how God’s hand was with them, how considerable numbers were brought to the Lord—was not preserved just so we could say, “Now, that’s a really great story.”  We need to understand that we are meant to be participants in this, too.  “Get in the game!” he said.  

And that is the part I can't stop thinking about.  The more I thought about it, the more I realized that we tend to think, as we read the Biblical record, “Wow, that was really amazing how those people obeyed and trusted God.  And, wow, how God worked in their  situation!”  But then, too much of the time, even though we wouldn’t actually articulate it, we live as though we think, “ . . . but that wouldn’t happen in my world, and it would never happen to me.”

This could be you

When we read about the people in the Hebrews 11 hall of faith, do we actually dare to think that God might use us like He used them?  I don’t mean in a prideful kind of way, but in a way that sees God for as big as He really is—and in a way that realizes that those "heroes" of the faith were just as ordinary as we are.  That’s the point James makes about Elijah in James 5:17, “Elijah was a man with a nature like ours . . .”  There was nothing extraordinary about those people; the God they chose to trust was the extraordinary one.

Have you ever even dared to think that God might use you to be the means of deliverance for people, as he used Moses?  Have you ever thought that, like Abel (Hebrews 11:4), your faith might still speak to inspire others years and years and years after you’re gone?  Have you ever dared to think that your obedience and faith might be catalogued with those in Hebrews 11?  Why should it not be?  The record of their faith wasn’t put there to set them apart or on a pedestal, but instead to give us an example of what is possible if we are willing to remember that He is coming, and to not shrink back, but to lay aside encumbrances and sin—and then RUN with our eyes on Jesus—believing God!  (Hebrews 10:36-39 and 12:1-3)  The call of Hebrews 12 is not that we should bow in awe before those who've gone before us, but that we join them in faith in their God, who is also our God! 

To dare to think these things is not to be prideful, but is a recognition that this life and our impact isn’t about us or our abilities.  It’s only about who God is!  We simply trust Him, obey, and be willing to be used by Him.

We were made for this

The life of faith is what we were made for.  God never meant for us to read the accounts of those who lived lives of faith simply for our entertainment.  We aren’t meant only to be observers of other people's faith.  Right in the midst of the list of faith-filled examples is a riveting statement that applies to every one of us.  

"And without faith it is impossible to please Him,

and he who comes to God must believe that is He,

and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him.”

Hebrews 11:6

If we can't picture ourselves with those in the Hebrews 11 hall of faith, if a vibrant life of faith seems an unattainable impossibility, could it be that we don’t know our God well enough?

Oh, I want to know and trust Him more!

Two Foundations and One Outrageous Scam

About thirty years ago, I created and posted a sign on the outside of my college dorm room door.  On it was a quote from an unknown author:

Two Foundations for human enlightenment:

1) There is a God.

2) You are not Him.

The two Foundations were indeed relevant to our campus culture, particularly Foundation One, as the prevailing philosophy on campus was that the earth and everything on it came into being by random chance, and that no God had anything to do with it.  At that time, Foundation Two seemed almost so obviously true, in a literal sense, that it generated virtually no argument.  The "no God" folks that I knew weren't going so far as to claim divinity, simply that they were their own authority, responsible to no higher being.  So Foundation Two applied figuratively to our campus culture, but literally not so much.

From NO GOD to I'M GOD

Today, however, in a bizarre about-face, the philosophy rapidly rising in popularity in our culture is not one of "no God," but one of "everyone is God."  Today, to say, "You are not Him," is to contradict one of the most popular streams of thought.

Practically everywhere you turn, somebody's reading--or selling--a book about everyone and everything being divine.  Divine power in the rocks, in the trees, in spiders, in everyone.  TV hosts and magazine writers, too, are talking about "descending into themselves" (By the way, I find "descending"--meaning going down to an inferior or shameful level--to be an uncannily accurate description) to find their "true divine selves."  You can attend seminars that will teach you how to harness the ultimate source of goodness that supposedly already exists in everyone.

Incidentally, our family is currently in need of an internet domain name, and so far, almost every domain name we've come up with has already been claimed--and not just claimed, but claimed by someone disseminating the "you're divine; everything is one; everything is divine" message in one form or another.  It's everywhere.  Why?

An Open Door And A Scam

People are looking for solutions.  They are not happy with the way things are.  They know in their heart of hearts that they are not what they should be.  They long to be better--better friends, better employees, better spouses, better parents.  They are dissatisfied.  They are disillusioned with material success, and longing for a simpler, more satisfying life.  They want real joy.

The terrible tragedy of our day is that people are being told that the answer to their longing is inside themselves, when in reality, it is not.  That's exploitation.  That's dastardly unscrupulous.  That's a scam, plain and simple.  And it's not right.  People are being offered a sham solution to their deepest needs and being milked for a myth.  The real Enemy of the human soul knows people are empty and hurting and is offering them a lie.

Reality Check

The deeper we dig into ourselves, the more mess we find.  If we are willing to be honest, we don't find innate goodness, like some are telling us.  No, we find a frustrated self who, even in moments of wanting to do good, finds it impossible to perpetually sustain good intentions, let alone good behavior.  The solution to the human dilemma is not in uncovering some hidden divine self, but in acknowledging our real, hopelessly flawed, desperately wicked self and being transformed by the renewing power of the God who is entirely independent from us.  It's what the Bible calls being born again, and, incidentally, it's free.  You can't buy it or earn it, but God will transform you if you ask Him to.  It's what I wrote about in The Relentless Heart.

It's not a bad thing to admit that the human condition is hopeless on its own; it's actually an incredibly freeing relief to openly acknowledge what we already know from experience to be true.  The solution, then, is in having the corrupt nature we're born with cleansed by the resurrected Jesus Christ.  Then He works in us to remake us from the inside out.

Only the power of God can make us what we were meant to be, but we'll never find that power by looking inside our own selves.  Jesus Christ was the only true God, and He came to earth in a human body in order to literally give His life to make our permanent cleansing and forgiveness possible.  He proved He was God by coming back to life, and He is real and alive and willing to transform anyone who will ask and believe what He said. 

An Invitation To Real Life

Jesus said, "The thief comes only to steal, and kill, and destroy; I came that they might have life, and might have it abundantly.  I am the good shepherd; the good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep."  (Recorded in John 10:10, 11)

"These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may be in you, and that your joy may be made full."

--Jesus (recorded in John 15:11)

Don't settle for a sham of a life, when a real, joyful life is available from Jesus.

Things have come full circle...
When I recently found my original sign with the Two Foundations (I have no idea why I still had it around after 30 years), our daughter, who was packing for college, wanted to take it with her.  

Denial Is Delusion--Take 2

(One of my most dear and trusted readers suggested that this post, in its original form, needed a bit more context.  I believe she is right.  And so I offer the following version with more context  to better communicate what's on my heart.)

"I am the way, and the truth, and the life."  

--Jesus of Nazareth, God come in the flesh  

recorded in John 14:6

   In today's postmodern world of relative truth, a strategy has emerged for dealing with uncomfortable ideas.  People just simply choose not to believe something and feel confident that they have sufficiently invalidated the idea by doing so.  They choose to deny whatever they don't like or whatever makes them uncomfortable.  If they view truth as relative (so nothing is absolute), they are able to let themselves off the hook when an idea has implications they don't wish to face.

   But denial is only a delusion.  It changes nothing.  Absolutely nothing.  If my house is on fire, no amount of denial will put the fire out and restore my burnt possessions.

    Delusion-- (from the Apple Dictionary) an idiosyncratic belief or impression that is firmly maintained despite being contradicted by what is generally accepted as reality or rational argument.

   Denial is often accompanied by a companion strategy that is equally delusional.  Denial's companion strategy is that of concocting one's own "truth."  Simply create a belief system that appeals to your personal whims and live by it.  However, no amount of dreaming will put money in the bank to cover my checks when my account is empty.  No merchant will accept my concocted delusion as payment. 

   The problem is that neither of these strategies acknowledges reality.  Yet this is the kind of world we live in.

  We are now down to two weeks before our first daughter leaves for college.  For nineteen years, we have seen God prepare her to stand unashamed and to speak boldly and winsomely for God's truth.  In today's world where, increasingly, the environment in our culture, and even in the Church at large, has been one of watering down at the least, if not outright denial of, truth, our young people must be apprised of the kinds of strategies they may face, be assured that Truth is unchanging, and be prepared to defend their beliefs and challenge the delusions.

"Beloved, while I was making every effort 
to write you about our common salvation, 
I felt the necessity to write to you appealing 
that you contend earnestly for the faith 
which was once for all delivered to the saints.  

For certain persons have crept in unnoticed, 
those who were long beforehand marked out for this condemnation, 
ungodly persons who turn the grace of God into licentiousness 
and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ."
Jude 1:3-4

~ Remember, friends ~ 

Denial of reality doesn't change reality;

it only delays one's apprehension of reality.

Eventually, the elaborate delusion always crumbles,

and one is right back to simple reality.

"But false teachers also arose among the people,

just as there will also be false teachers among you, 
who will secretly introduce destructive heresies, 
even denying the Master who bought them, 
bringing swift destruction upon themselves.

And many will follow their sensuality, 
and because of them the way of the truth will be maligned;
and in their greed the will exploit you with false words; 
their judgement from long ago is not idle, 
and their destruction is not asleep."
II Peter 2:1-3
(excerpt from a letter from one of Jesus' original followers)


~ Take Heart, my friends ~
Denial of the truth will never change its substance.
Truth is a constant.
For no matter how hard denial tries to undo,
Unbelief does not make truth untrue.

So don't be ashamed to hold fast to truth; be neither ruffled nor dismayed when someone denies it.  Instead, pray that Truth will shatter that someone's delusions before it's too late.

Quoteworthy #1

"Mama, see those rays of sunlight poking through the clouds?
That's what we're supposed to be in this world!" --Megan Carpenter

With No Apologies

(Shared with the IAHE)

Warning:  Exclusive claims ahead.  

I am about to make an exclusive claim about a foundation. Actually, I’m not personally making the claim.  Someone else did; I’m just committed to publicizing it.  

Allow me to digress for a moment.  I find the word “panoply” fascinating.  According to my Apple dictionary, panoply means a “complete or impressive collection of things; a splendid display”--especially, historically, in the context of a “complete set of arms or suit of armor,” and originally referring to “complete protection for spiritual warfare.”  

But what’s a panoply got to do with a foundation and exclusive claims?  Well, everything actually.  Many leaders, even some among those who claim to be part of Christendom, would have us believe that all the varied ideas and diverse religious philosophies promoted around the world today represent a panoply from which it is perfectly right and proper to choose our spiritual tools and practices.  People speak of drawing from the wells of various “wisdom traditions” (i.e. other religions) in order to enhance their relationship with God. (An example of one prominent practice drawn from non-Christian wells, yet white-washed and paraded through Christendom in an intricate deception, is what's commonly called "contemplative prayer.")  

And here I show my hand, with no apologies.  This highly touted, supposed panoply, brought to you courtesy of the world's religions, is an absolute fraud, an elaborate deception--highly billed, yes, but a hoax all the same.

All ideas, all philosophies, and all religions are not equally valid.  There, I said it. But the idea is not originally mine.

It was Jesus of Nazareth who made exclusive claims to truth. Listen to this from Luke 6:46-49.

“And why do you call Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say?

Everyone who comes to Me, and hears My words, and acts upon them,  I will show you whom he is like:

he is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid a foundation upon the rock; and when a flood rose, the torrent burst against that house and could not shake it, because it had been well built.

But the one who has heard, and has not acted accordingly is like a man who built a house upon the ground without any foundation; and the torrent burst against it and immediately it collapsed, and the ruin of that house was great.”  (italics mine)

Do you see?  Jesus didn’t say that the ones who don’t listen and act on His words didn’t build a house.   No, they built a house all right.  They invested the effort, the time, and the money to build.  But they did all that “without any foundation.” Interestingly, until the storm came, the house with no foundation may have looked to the casual observer to be just as solid as the house built on rock.  But, in fact, what they built on was loose and shifty.  Let’s face it; even wind can push sand around.

Further, He doesn’t even say they built on a wrong foundation. He says they built “without any foundation” at all.  And He says the only way to have a foundation that withstands the deluge is to listen to His words and act accordingly.  Nothing else but His teaching will do as a foundation.  Nothing else even is a foundation.

This is an exclusive claim.  It’s His way or nothing.  There aren’t any alternate foundations.  The options are 1) a solid foundation of obedience to Jesus’ words or 2) no foundation at all.

Jesus most certainly made exclusive claims.  He said if you’re not acting according to His teaching, you have no foundation.  No foundation.  That’s not just what I like to think.  It’s what He said, and a person who is true to the real Jesus will uphold those claims.  

Contrary to today’s popular thought, Jesus most certainly did not proclaim either the equality of all religions, or their neutrality.  In the Old Testament, God said, “I am the Lord, and there is no other.  Besides Me there is no God.”  (Isaiah 45:5)  In the New Testament, Jesus said (John 14:6), “No one comes to the Father, but through Me.” And, yes, in Luke 6, if you’re not putting "My" words into practice, you have "no foundation," and you are doomed to go down with a big crash one day.  A person who is true to the real Jesus will not contradict His exclusive claims by embracing the idea of “truth” in all religions.  In fact, Jesus said good fruit isn’t produced on a bad tree.  (See Luke 6:43)  It would be foolish to go looking for true spiritual fruit on a tree of false religion whose roots grow straight out of hell.

Consistent with this, in Acts 17, God’s messenger Paul didn’t tell the Athenians they were just fine for adding one more statue (“to an unknown god”) to their line-up of idols.  Rather, in verse 16, “...his spirit was being provoked within him as he was beholding the city full of idols.”  He boldly told the Athenians where they were theologically wrong, and that though the Creator had overlooked their prior ignorance, God was “now declaring to men that all everywhere should repent, because He has fixed a day in which He will judge the world in righteousness through a Man who He has appointed [Jesus], having furnished proof to all men by raising Him from the dead.” (verse 30, italics mine)

What has this got to do with education and parenting?  Just why should we care? Here’s why: our children’s spiritual destiny hangs in the balance.

If we believe our children’s spiritual life is the most important aspect of their lives, then intentionally teaching them the truth should be highest priority.  Warning them of false teachers and false teachings, as the New Testament writers did, should be highest priority.

I would grant that traditional subjects, like Math and English, are important, even necessary, but in the final analysis, they have no strong and direct link to our children’s spiritual destiny. While we make time for the necessary traditional subjects, and for sundry extra-curriculars, have we neglected to also devote sufficient time to giving them the only real foundation to build the rest of their education and lives upon?     

Right now, we still have an opportunity to teach our children the truth.  We can anchor them in God’s Word.  We still have the freedom to expose the lies and arguments of the “no absolute truth” and “truth in all religions” crowd.  But even as we do, the heralds of “no absolute truth” and “truth in all religions” are mobilized, strategizing, and boldly advancing. It could be that your family has already crossed paths with some of the most famous proponents of these ideas, though you may not have recognized them at the time.  They are even showing up in homeschool catalogs.

We still have freedom, and there is still time, but realistically, it may not last. Sometimes, carefully thinking through and spelling out the things we are going to regret not doing can help to clarify which things we are doing that aren’t really worthy of as much of our time.

The context of the original word “panoply” was spiritual warfare.  Interestingly, if all religions and all ideas are equally valid and good, then what is the point of spiritual warfare anyway?  Why would there be a war of ideas if all ideas are all equally good?

The fact is that there is a war of ideas over Jesus' exclusive claim that there is only one foundation.  The only real panoply--the complete set of armor for protection in spiritual warfare-- is found in Jesus and His Word.  The only foundation for building a life on is Jesus and His Word.

If we don’t want our children stepping out in fake armor, cherry-picked from the false religions of the world, building lives “without any foundation” that are destined for great ruin, then we must make a serious priority of making sure they understand and can choose to apply and defend the exclusive truth of God’s Word and the exclusive claims of His Son.  And that means we have got to be willing to dig in and do the hard work to understand, apply, and defend the truth ourselves, if we’ve any hope of properly arming them.  We dare not leave it to the church or to anyone else.  Though the choice to obey is ultimately theirs, the responsibility is squarely in our own laps to make them well-aquainted with the truth.

There is only one foundation. It's time to build on the Rock--while there's still time. The coming storm will reveal whose house stands and whose house falls.

May yours be one that stands.

In Step With The Spirit

Only three verses in all of Scripture about her, but I’m convinced I would have loved her.  Anna was one amazing old lady in love with an amazing God.

Someone in her circumstances might have become overwhelmed, bitter, and lonely, being married only seven years before becoming a widow, but not Anna.  She spent her time attached to the Lord’s interests—and He communicated with her (she was a prophetess, says Luke 2:36).  Now as an 84 year old, “she never left the temple, serving night and day with fastings and prayers.”  (Luke 2:37)  I wonder just how long she had been doing this.

Nowadays, people twenty years younger than Anna was are retired, but not Anna.  She obviously wasn’t sitting around at home doing nothing or feeling sorry for herself.  No, she was in step with the Spirit.  “At that very moment . . .” as Simeon was prophesying about little eight-day-old Jesus as he held Him in his arms, she came up and starting giving thanks to God.  Oh, to be so close to Him, so in step with the Spirit, that when the Lord is doing something significant in my vicinity I, too, would be in the center of it, and not missing it.

Most of the people on the planet, whether young or old, let their own selfish purposes dictate their lives, but not Anna.  Anna let God’s purposes direct her time and energy.  She “continued to speak of Him to all those who were looking for the redemption of Jerusalem.”  (Luke 2:38)  Interestingly, it was those who were looking to see what God would do who got in on the news of what God was up to.  I wonder if the ones who weren’t looking for the redemption of Jerusalem ever found out what God was doing?

And that’s it.  Just three verses, yet her life has inspired and challenged mine.

Where is my focus?  On my situation or on the Lord’s interests?

Am I in step with His Spirit, or I am I too focused on me to see what He’s doing?

What directs my time and my energy?  Am I ready at any moment to step up and begin giving Him thanks?

O Lord, in all my days, I don’t want to miss even one moment of what You are doing or one opportunity to give You thanks!

Moment by moment, may I, too, be a praying woman who hears from You, keeps on speaking of You, and gives You thanks that others can hear.  Shape me in such a way that the simple snippets from my life would point others to bless Your name.

“Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.”

Galatians 5:25 (NIV)

My Night Job

This post (also shared with the IAHE) is dedicated to everyone

who has ever lain awake worrying over something,

or might ever be tempted to. . .

At 5:12 last Wednesday morning the lights came on.

No, not the electric lights.  Something dawned on my heart--and I realized something.

I awoke to use the bathroom, and as I got out of bed, I began to marvel.  The things I have historically worried about in the night are never the really "big" things.  The things I know I have absolutely no control over--and that are entirely in God's hands--are not the things that keep me awake.

No, what keeps me awake are those smaller things that I think I have some control over.  The things I think are up to me, that I somehow control the outcome of.  I lie awake concerned about how I am going to get them done.

And then it hit me.  This line I've drawn between what's in my control and what's in God's control is an illusion--it's a non-existent line!  There's really no difference at all.  He is sovereign over the big things, and He's no less sovereign over the small ones.  What ever was I thinking?!  He reminded me that apart from Him I can do nothing (John 15).  My life is fruitful only as I depend on Him.  And His power to mastermind and accomplish the big things is more than sufficient for the smaller things of my life.

So I resolved to retire from my night job as worrier.  I've known all along it wasn't right, but somehow, I kept getting pulled into it.  Without actually consciously acknowledging it, I sort of imagined that I ultimately had control over the things I stayed awake over.

I'm learning to trust Him more.

"Why are you in despair, O my soul?

And why have you become disturbed within me?

Hope in God,

for I shall again praise Him for the help of His presence.

The Lord will command His lovingkindness in the daytime;

And His song will be with me in the night*,

A prayer to the God of my life.

Hope in God,

for I shall yet praise Him,

The help of my countenance, and my God."

Psalm 42:5, 8, 11b

P.S. * So I've taken a new a new night job (when I'm not asleep, that is).  I'm singing His song.

He Took Hold of Me

I said something two days ago that I now regret.  And it's been haunting me.  Ever had that happen?

I thought so.  So you can relate.

Well, I told some friends that my life was a logistical nightmare.  I was feeling just a bit overwhelmed--okay a lot overwhelmed.  So what's to regret about saying that?  Well, they certainly weren't the words of a faithful witness to God's capableness, and it just wasn't true.  First of all nightmares aren't real life, and secondly, it wasn't an accurate statement.  On top of that, I certainly didn't want my children to feel like I was insinuating that they were part of the problem; they're not.

My life may feel like a logistical challenge to me at moments, but it's not all up to me.  What was I thinking?!

Logistical challenges are nothing to my God.  

The real problem was that I took my eyes off my Redeemer and looked at the wind around me.  (Thinking just now I have a lot in common with the Peter of Matthew 14:22-34.)  "But seeing the wind, he became afraid, and beginning to sink, he cried out, saying, 'Lord, save me!"

Jesus didn't let the doubter sink; He didn't just let him go down.

"Immediately Jesus stretched out His hand

and took hold of him . . ."

And He didn't just let me go down either.

My God stretched out His hand and reminded me (Numbers 1-10) that He organized millions of His people in the desert after they left Egypt, told them who was to camp where--significantly, all centered around His presence, assigned their duties, set up the signals they would use to communicate, and directed when to set out and when and where to camp.  And, with my God's perspective, my life is beginning to look rather uncomplicated now. . .

My God--the One who holds me safely (John 10:27-29), whose everlasting arms are under me (Deuteronomy 33:27), and whose wings cover me (Psalm 91)--wants me to understand that nothing is too difficult for Him (Jeremiah 32:27).

There are days when I, like David did, just need Him to tell me again.

"O Lord . . .  say to my soul,

'I am your salvation.'"

Psalm 35:3b

"There is none like the God of Israel

 who rides the heavens to your help,

and through the skies in His majesty.

The eternal God is a dwelling place, 

and underneath are the everlasting arms . . ."

Deuteronomy 33:26-27

 "'O you of little faith, why did you doubt?'

And when they got in the boat the wind stopped."

Matthew 14:31b-32

Life can be hard.  Sometimes it even gets darker before the light comes, but whatever it is, however big it is, however impossible it looks to you, He can handle it.  And He'll take hold of you, too.

It's Enough

In the darkest and stormiest of nights and the hardest of days,

the promises of God

give sure light, a steady anchor, and unwearying wings.

Well, the season is past, but I’m still pondering.  Incidentally, I seriously doubt that Mary was ever finished pondering as long as she lived (see Luke 2:19).

Can you get your mind around this?  It finally happened!  The most anticipated event in the entire history of the world finally happened!  The long-promised Messiah arrived in the flesh.

Just knowing He’d come was enough for Simeon (See Luke 2:212-35).  Seeing the Messiah was what He was living for, waiting for.  You see, the Holy Spirit had actually revealed to him that he wouldn’t die ‘til he’d seen the Lord’s Messiah.

I’ve often wondered what it must have been like when Simeon saw Joseph and Mary walk into the temple with Jesus.  Did the Holy Spirit whisper, “See that baby being carried in just now?  He’s the One you’ve been waiting for—there’s your Messiah, Simeon!”

However He did it, the Holy Spirit made it obvious to Simeon who Jesus was, and Jesus’ parents were absolutely amazed at what Simeon said as he held Jesus in his arms and blessed God.  

For Simeon, this was enough; there was nothing greater to live for.  He’d seen the Messiah, and even if he didn’t live to see how his Messiah would accomplish everything, he trusted what God had told him.  Everything would work out the way it should.  Everything was going to be okay.

Now I’m asking myself, “Do I have that kind of faith?”  I want to have that kind of faith.  I want to be like those spoken of in Hebrews 11 who—even though they didn’t see all the final fulfillment of God’s promises in their lifetimes—died in faith, seeing and welcoming His promises from a distance.

All His precious and magnificent promises (see II Peter 1:1-4) are true.  He is faithful.  Not one of His promises has failed.  All came to pass. (I’m thinking just now of Joshua 21:45 and 23:14.)

We can’t rest in those promises, though,

if we don’t know what they are.

It’s long past time for all who claim to be God’s to know what His Word says, to really know it— not just as second-hand knowledge, but because we’ve seen it with our own eyes, and we can’t get it out of our heads.

“Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for,

the conviction of things not seen.”

Hebrews 11:1

It’s enough for me to have met the Messiah.  (Have you?)

And I believe He will do what He has promised.  (Do you?)

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(If you've never heard the song Captain's Anthem,
now might be a good time to pause to listen.)