light in the darkness

Don’t Do As They Did

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1 For I do not want you to be unaware, brothers, that our fathers were all under the cloud, and all passed through the sea, 2 and all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea, 3 and all ate the same spiritual food, 4 and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank from the spiritual Rock that followed them, and the Rock was Christ. 5 Nevertheless, with most of them God was not pleased, for they were overthrown in the wilderness.

6 Now these things took place as examples for us, that we might not desire evil as they did. – 1 Corinthians 10:1-6 ESV

Paul is still dealing with the problem taking place in Corinth. They are experiencing disunity within their fellowship over the issue of eating meat sacrificed to idols. Actually, it was about much more than that. There were those within the church who were using their newfound freedom in Christ to excuse their continued participation in the sacrificial feasts or meals offered on behalf of false gods. These individuals had rationalized that there was no harm in participating in these pagan practices because they false gods don’t really exist.

But others, who once worshiped the same false gods, felt that it was wrong for a Christian to have anything to do with idols. While Paul agreed that the logic behind the first group’s argument was sound, their motivation was not. They were more concerned about their own rights than they were about the spiritual well-being of their fellow believers. He let them know that their rights needed to take a back seat to the spiritual health of the church, and he used himself as an example.

Now he lets them know that they are overlooking something even more dangerous: the serious threat of falling into idolatry. While there were those in the church who, in their pride, felt free to associate with others who worshiped false gods, Paul warns them that they are playing with fire. While idols pose no danger because they represent non-existent gods, idol worship is real and dangerously deadly.

Paul wanted his audience to know that their relationship with God, as His chosen people, was not an antidote or protection against the temptation to idolatry. Paul uses the people of Israel as a primary example and uses five comparative illustrations to make his point. First, he talks about the pillar of cloud that guided them in the wilderness during the exodus. This manifestation of God’s presence represented His glory and power and was used to lead, direct, and protect them.

And the Lord went before them by day in a pillar of cloud to lead them along the way, and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, that they might travel by day and by night. The pillar of cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night did not depart from before the people. – Exodus 13:21-22 ESV

As they were leaving Egypt, the cloud settled between the people of Israel and the advancing armies of Pharaoh, protecting them throughout the night.

Then the angel of God who was going before the host of Israel moved and went behind them, and the pillar of cloud moved from before them and stood behind them, coming between the host of Egypt and the host of Israel. And there was the cloud and the darkness. And it lit up the night without one coming near the other all night. – Exodus 14:19-20 ESV

The next day, the people of Israel passed through the sea on dry ground, and Paul uses that miraculous event as his second illustration. God intervened on Israel’s behalf and provided a way of escape, delivering every one of the Israelites to the other side, while completely devastating the armies of Pharaoh. God’s people were eyewitnesses to the Lord’s salvation.

Next, Paul refers to their “baptism” into Moses. In following the cloud and passing through the Red Sea, they were submitting to, or immersing themselves under, the leadership of Moses, God’s chosen deliverer. He was to be their God-ordained instrument of redemption, leading them all throughout their time in the wilderness.

During their days traveling through the wilderness, God provided all the food they needed for the journey. Paul refers to the spiritual food they enjoyed from God’s hand. In His mercy and grace, Yahweh provided them with manna and quail, as well as water from a rock. He miraculously provided for their physical needs, providing food and water when none was available, and He did so despite their grumbling and complaining. Paul makes it clear that the rock symbolized Christ, the provider of living water.

For they drank from the spiritual rock that traveled with them, and that rock was Christ. – 1 Corinthians 10:4 NLT

But Paul brings all of these marvelous illustrations to a sudden and surprising close when he states: “Nevertheless, with most of them God was not pleased, for they were overthrown in the wilderness” (1 Corinthians 10:5 ESV).

Regardless of their unique status as God’s chosen and redeemed people, and despite all that God had done for them, they were “overthrown in the wilderness.” In reality, they all died. An entire generation of Israelites would spend the rest of their lives wandering in the wilderness and never experience the joys of entering the promised land. Paul is going to unpack exactly why this was the case and how their mistake was meant as a warning to the people of God living in Corinth.

One of the most significant moments in the history of the people of Israel occurred early in their wilderness wanderings. They had not been free from bondage very long when God called Moses up to Mount Sinai to receive the law. While he was there, something took place down in the valley. Moses records the tragic event for us:

When the people saw that Moses delayed to come down from the mountain, the people gathered themselves together to Aaron and said to him, “Up, make us gods who shall go before us. As for this Moses, the man who brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him.” So Aaron said to them, “Take off the rings of gold that are in the ears of your wives, your sons, and your daughters, and bring them to me.” So all the people took off the rings of gold that were in their ears and brought them to Aaron. And he received the gold from their hand and fashioned it with a graving tool and made a golden calf. And they said, “These are your gods, O Israel, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt!” When Aaron saw this, he built an altar before it. And Aaron made a proclamation and said, “Tomorrow shall be a feast to the Lord.” And they rose up early the next day and offered burnt offerings and brought peace offerings. And the people sat down to eat and drink and rose up to play. – Exodus 32:1-6 ESV

In Moses’ absence, the people engaged in idol worship. They had been delivered, led, fed, and protected by God and were about to receive the law of God. They would also receive instructions to build the Tabernacle, a structure designed to house the very presence of God. But they responded to the unmerited favor of God with unfaithfulness. They had seen God perform ten miraculous plagues in Egypt. They had seen Him part the waters of the Red Sea. They had walked across on dry land, then witnessed the devastating destruction of Pharaoh’s army. And yet, they chose to put their trust in a false god rather than the one true God.

Paul explains, “Now these things took place as examples for us, that we might not desire evil as they did” (1 Corinthians 10:6 ESV). Their deadly mistake serves as a warning to God’s people. Their ingratitude and unfaithfulness are a powerful reminder to all those who call themselves children of God. As His chosen people, they enjoyed His presence, provision, and protection, but that did not make them immune from His punishment for their disobedience. That seems to be Paul’s point. As God’s chosen people, we must never think that we are incapable of sin or insusceptible to temptation. Unfaithfulness is a real and present danger for each of us. Paul warned the Ephesian believers of the ever-present potential for unfaithfulness.

For once you were full of darkness, but now you have light from the Lord. So live as people of light! For this light within you produces only what is good and right and true. Carefully determine what pleases the Lord. Take no part in the worthless deeds of evil and darkness; instead, expose them. It is shameful even to talk about the things that ungodly people do in secret. – Ephesians 5:8-12 NLT

As God’s chosen people, the Israelites had been set apart and were expected to live distinctively different lives. They were to shine as lights in the darkness that surrounded them. Their behavior was to be determined by God and designed to bring Him glory. Their lives were supposed to be marked by righteousness and faithfulness. And yet, Paul states, “with most of them God was not pleased.”

Paul wanted the Corinthian believers to learn from the Israelites’ mistakes. He longed to see Christ-followers embrace the grace, mercy, and love of God with a determination to live godly lives. He told the believer in Colossae that he prayed for them constantly, “asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him: bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God (Colossians 1:9-10 ESV). And that should be the prayer of every believer.

Father, the story of the Israelites fills the pages of the Old Testament and paints a bleak picture of their unfaithfulness in the face of Your goodness and grace. You showered them with undeserved blessings and they returned the favor with ingratitude and spiritual infidelity. Yet, as Paul points out, their mistakes were meant to serve as powerful lessons for us. While it’s easy to to judge them for their ungratefulness and disobedience, their actions serve as a mirror, reflecting our own behavior back to us. We can be just as prone to idolatry and spiritual infidelity. We too, can end up spending all our time complaining about our lot in life or wasting our time pursuing the pleasures of this world. We have been blessed and You have called us to be a blessing to the world around us. We are to shine like lights in the darkness. We are to live as Your children and display Your character to a lost and dying world. Help us walk in a manner that is worthy of Your name and brings joy to Your heart. Amen

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Light in the Darkness

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1 Vindicate me, O God, and defend my cause
    against an ungodly people,
from the deceitful and unjust man
    deliver me!
2 For you are the God in whom I take refuge;
    why have you rejected me?
Why do I go about mourning
    because of the oppression of the enemy?

3 Send out your light and your truth;
    let them lead me;
let them bring me to your holy hill
    and to your dwelling!
4 Then I will go to the altar of God,
    to God my exceeding joy,
and I will praise you with the lyre,
    O God, my God.

5 Why are you cast down, O my soul,
    and why are you in turmoil within me?
Hope in God; for I shall again praise him,
    my salvation and my God. – Psalm 43:1-5 ESV

Psalm 42 begins what is commonly referred to as Book 2 of the Psalms. This section includes Psalms 42 through 72. Some believe Psalm 43 is a continuation of Psalm 43 because it is the only psalm that contains no heading. It also appears to carry on the theme found in the previous psalm. In Psalm 42, the author describes his soul as being “cast down” (Psalm 42:5 ESV). He feels oppressed by his enemies and abandoned by God. He longs to escape the mocking taunts of his enemies and experience a restored relationship with his God and Savior. Though he is disheartened, he remains hopeful that God will vindicate him. Psalm 42 ends with the psalmist practicing a bit of self-motivation intended to draw his attention away from his circumstances and back onto God.

Why are you cast down, O my soul,
and why are you in turmoil within me?
Hope in God; for I shall again praise him,
my salvation and my God.– Psalm 42:11 ESV

Yet, in Psalm 43, the psalmist continues to debate with himself, displaying his difficulty in dismissing the devastating nature of his predicament. He wants to hope in God but can’t help but feel that his prayers for vindication and restoration are going unheard. He describes God as his “safe haven” (Psalm 43:1 NLT), but the conditions surrounding his life remain unchanged and anything but safe. Desperate, he vents his frustration to the only one who can save him.

Why have you tossed me aside?
Why must I wander around in grief,
oppressed by my enemies?– Psalm 43:2 NLT

The psalmist holds nothing back, describing his circumstances as God-ordained and, therefore, inevitable and unavoidable. He feels helpless and at a complete loss as to what to do. He calls out to God but receives no answer. He begs and pleads, but nothing changes.

Yet, God’s apparent delay and non-responsiveness do not stop the disheartened psalmist from crying out for help. He is persistently prayerful and stubbornly hopeful.

Send out your light and your truth;
let them guide me.
Let them lead me to your holy mountain,
to the place where you live. – Psalm 43:3 NLT

Engulfed by the darkness of his circumstances, he longs for the light of God’s glory to break through and provide a clear path back into His presence. His reference to light is reminiscent of the theophany the Israelites experienced as they made their way through the wilderness from Egypt to Canaan. God appeared to them in the form of a pillar of cloud and a pillar of fire so they might experience His presence and know He was guiding them day and night.

The Lord went ahead of them. He guided them during the day with a pillar of cloud, and he provided light at night with a pillar of fire. This allowed them to travel by day or by night.And the Lord did not remove the pillar of cloud or pillar of fire from its place in front of the people. – Exodus 13:21-22 NLT

God’s presence is always associated with light, representing His glory and majesty. When He appeared on Mount Sinai, His presence was accompanied by fire, lightning, and thunder.

All of Mount Sinai was covered with smoke because the Lord had descended on it in the form of fire. The smoke billowed into the sky like smoke from a brick kiln, and the whole mountain shook violently.– Exodus 19:18 NLT

When the prophet Ezekiel was given a vision of God’s glory, it was accompanied by indescribable light.

Above this surface was something that looked like a throne made of blue lapis lazuli. And on this throne high above was a figure whose appearance resembled a man. From what appeared to be his waist up, he looked like gleaming amber, flickering like a fire. And from his waist down, he looked like a burning flame, shining with splendor. All around him was a glowing halo, like a rainbow shining in the clouds on a rainy day. This is what the glory of the Lord looked like to me.– Ezekiel 1:26-28 NLT

The apostle John was given a vision of the New Jerusalem, the eternal city where God will dwell with His people on earth. He described it as having “no need of sun or moon, for the glory of God illuminates the city, and the Lamb is its light” (Revelation 21:23 NLT).

The psalmist longed to be immersed in the light of God’s glory and have the truth about his life exposed. He was confident that he would be acquitted and vindicated by God. That is why he boldly cried, “Declare me innocent, O God! Defend me against these ungodly people. Rescue me from these unjust liars” (Psalm 43:1 NLT).

Light eliminates the darkness and illuminates the truth. The God who knows all and sees all can shine the light of His glory into the darkened recesses of life and expose the truth. He can take the confusing circumstances of our lives and reveal their God-ordained purpose to bring about good while displaying His glory. Like the psalmist, we may not understand or like what is happening in our lives, but we can trust that God knows what He is doing and has a plan that will one day make sense.

This trust in God’s faithfulness and reliance upon His light-giving nature and truth-revealing power allowed the psalmist to close Psalm 43 the same way he did Psalm 42.

Why am I discouraged?
    Why is my heart so sad?
I will put my hope in God!
    I will praise him again—
    my Savior and my God! – Psalm 43:5 NLT

Father, You are light and truth. There is no darkness in You (1 John 1:5). Wherever You are, darkness cannot exist. When You speak, truth always prevails. You never lie or fail to keep Your word. But I still struggle with doubt and allow the seeming darkness of life to convince me that Your light has somehow diminished and Your truth has been overwhelmed by the lies of the enemy. Don’t let me lose heart. I don’t want to stop hoping and believing in You, but I sometimes feel overwhelmed by life and prone to give in to doubt and despair. When those times come, please continue to reveal Your light and truth to me. Thank you for never giving up on me. Amen

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Hope Shines Eternal

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A Psalm of David.

1 To you, O LORD, I call;
    my rock, be not deaf to me,
lest, if you be silent to me,
    I become like those who go down to the pit.
2 Hear the voice of my pleas for mercy,
    when I cry to you for help,
when I lift up my hands
    toward your most holy sanctuary.

3 Do not drag me off with the wicked,
    with the workers of evil,
who speak peace with their neighbors
    while evil is in their hearts.
4 Give to them according to their work
    and according to the evil of their deeds;
give to them according to the work of their hands;
    render them their due reward.
5 Because they do not regard the works of the LORD
    or the work of his hands,
he will tear them down and build them up no more.

6 Blessed be the LORD!
    For he has heard the voice of my pleas for mercy.
7 The LORD is my strength and my shield;
    in him my heart trusts, and I am helped;
my heart exults,
    and with my song I give thanks to him.

8 The LORD is the strength of his people;
    he is the saving refuge of his anointed.
9 Oh, save your people and bless your heritage!
    Be their shepherd and carry them forever. – Psalm 28:1-9 ESV

In this Psalm, David’s pleas for God’s intervention seem far more immediate and intense. The dangers he faces are imminent, and he feels a desperate need for Yahweh’s assistance. He acknowledges God as his rock, his place of refuge in the storm. Whatever the nature of his predicament, David feels death is a real possibility. He mentions going down to “the pit,” a thinly veiled reference to the grave. This is not a case of hyperbole or exaggeration; David is legitimately concerned about his well-being and cries out to God for help.

Listen to my prayer for mercy
    as I cry out to you for help,
    as I lift my hands toward your holy sanctuary. – Psalm 28:2 NLT

David is looking for protection and vindication. He believes his suffering is undeserved and his enemy’s attacks are unprovoked. He describes them as wicked and doers of evil. They are duplicitous con-artists “who speak peace with their neighbors while evil is in their hearts” (Psalm 28:3 ESV). Their deeds are evil, and “they care nothing for what the Lord has done or for what his hands have made” (Psalm 28:5 NLT). And David doesn’t hesitate to express his opinion about what God needs to do.

Give them the punishment they so richly deserve!
    Measure it out in proportion to their wickedness.
Pay them back for all their evil deeds!
    Give them a taste of what they have done to others. – Psalm 28:4 NLT

David isn’t just looking for deliverance; he wants divine retribution and demands that God mete out justice on his enemies. It’s clear from his language that David is agitated and upset.  While he prays in the “holy sanctuary” (Psalm 28:2 ESV), his enemies plot his demise. They are destructive by nature and show little regard for “the works of the LORD or the work of his hands” (Psalm 28:5 ESV). This may reference David’s kingship, the Tabernacle, or the city of Jerusalem. Whoever these people are, they show a blatant disregard for God’s will, as expressed through David’s reign and personified in the royal capital. Perhaps these enemies were posing a threat to Jerusalem. If so, David viewed this as a direct attack on the will of Yahweh. He firmly believed that any attempt they made to harm the Israelites or their capital city would fail because God would “tear them down, and they will never be rebuilt!” (Psalm 28:5 NLT).

In verses 6 and 7, David expresses his firm confidence that God will hear his prayer and respond. He displays no hint of doubt or disillusionment about God’s ability to step in and solve his problem.

Praise the LORD!
    For he has heard my cry for mercy.
The LORD is my strength and shield.
    I trust him with all my heart.
He helps me, and my heart is filled with joy.
    I burst out in songs of thanksgiving. – Psalm 28:6-7 NLT

For David, his rescue was as good as done. He could praise God before it happened because he knew the answer was forthcoming. David could joyfully sing and thank God even while the problem remained unresolved. It was just a matter of time, and it wasn’t a question of if God would answer, just when and how. David’s confidence in God was high, and so were his hopes for deliverance. Yahweh had a long and proven track record with David, and this history of faithfulness led David to trust even in the face of uncertainty and overwhelming odds.

The Psalms are filled with testimonies about God’s faithfulness. These admissions of confidence in Yahweh’s power and provision are intended to inspire faith among His people.

The LORD is for me, so I will have no fear.
    What can mere people do to me?
Yes, the LORD is for me; he will help me.
    I will look in triumph at those who hate me.
It is better to take refuge in the LORD
    than to trust in people.
It is better to take refuge in the LORD
    than to trust in princes. – Psalm 118:6-9 NLT

I trust in God, so why should I be afraid?
    What can mere mortals do to me? – Psalm 56:4 NLT

I trust in God, so why should I be afraid?
    What can mere mortals do to me? – Psalm 56:11 NLT

As David expresses in the 23rd Psalm, his trust in God’s ability to deliver him saw him through the darkest moments of his life.

Even when I walk
    through the darkest valley,
I will not be afraid,
    for you are close beside me.
Your rod and your staff
    protect and comfort me. – Psalm 23:4 NLT

The valleys were normal parts of life, and days of darkness were to be expected. But David knew he could count on God to protect and comfort him even when things took a turn for the worse. David didn’t have a Polyanna, rainbows-and-unicorns perspective on life that demanded a trouble-free existence. He was a realist and knew that difficulties were normal and not anomalies. Life could be challenging, and enemies were to be expected. But, at the same time, God could be trusted to show up when His children needed Him. As another Psalmist so eloquently put it, the worst circumstances cannot prevent God from doing what is best for His children.

God is our refuge and strength,
    always ready to help in times of trouble.
So we will not fear when earthquakes come
    and the mountains crumble into the sea.
Let the oceans roar and foam.
    Let the mountains tremble as the waters surge! – Psalm 46:1-3 NLT

David believed this with all his heart and ended his Psalm with a final plea for God to save His people.

The LORD gives his people strength.
    He is a safe fortress for his anointed king.
Save your people!
    Bless Israel, your special possession.
Lead them like a shepherd,
    and carry them in your arms forever. – Psalm 28:8-9 NLT

The darkness of his surroundings didn’t prevent David from seeking the light of God’s goodness and glory. He would put his hope and trust in the One who had always shown up before. Because God had never let David down, David would continue to look up and expect God to show up.

Father, it is so easy to allow the circumstances of life to determine my view of You. When things don’t go as expected, I can begin to doubt Your presence, goodness, love, and power. I can question Your faithfulness and begin to fear the worst. But You’ve never failed me or abandoned me. If anything, You’ve shown up in ways I never could have expected and produced results I didn’t deserve. While I doubted, You delivered. When I feared, You proved Yourself faithful. Would you help me to live with the same perspective David had? I want to praise you even before the answer comes. I want to trust You even when the darkness keeps me from seeing You. I believe, but help my unbelief. Amen.

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Waiting on God

/ kdmiller55 / Leave a comment

A Psalm of David.

1 The Lord is my light and my salvation;
    whom shall I fear?
The Lord is the stronghold of my life;
    of whom shall I be afraid?

2 When evildoers assail me
    to eat up my flesh,
my adversaries and foes,
    it is they who stumble and fall.

3 Though an army encamp against me,
    my heart shall not fear;
though war arise against me,
    yet I will be confident.

4 One thing have I asked of the Lord,
    that will I seek after:
that I may dwell in the house of the Lord
    all the days of my life,
to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord
    and to inquire in his temple.

5 For he will hide me in his shelter
    in the day of trouble;
he will conceal me under the cover of his tent;
    he will lift me high upon a rock.

6 And now my head shall be lifted up
    above my enemies all around me,
and I will offer in his tent
    sacrifices with shouts of joy;
I will sing and make melody to the Lord.

7 Hear, O Lord, when I cry aloud;
    be gracious to me and answer me!
8 You have said, “Seek my face.”
My heart says to you,
    “Your face, Lord, do I seek.”
9     Hide not your face from me.
Turn not your servant away in anger,
    O you who have been my help.
Cast me not off; forsake me not,
    O God of my salvation!
10 For my father and my mother have forsaken me,
    but the Lord will take me in.

11 Teach me your way, O Lord,
    and lead me on a level path
    because of my enemies.
12 Give me not up to the will of my adversaries;
    for false witnesses have risen against me,
    and they breathe out violence.

13 I believe that I shall look upon the goodness of the Lord
    in the land of the living!
14 Wait for the Lord;
    be strong, and let your heart take courage;
    wait for the Lord! – Psalm 27:1-14 ESV

David begins his Psalm by acknowledging his unwavering trust in God. Despite the pervasive presence of enemies and the constant threat of difficulties, David knew he could rely upon God. He describes Yahweh as his light and salvation. Amidst the darkest days of his life, David viewed God as the rays of the sun at dawn, eliminating the shadows and uncertainties that accompany the night. The apostle John echoed David’s assessment of God’s illuminating nature.

God is light, and there is no darkness in him at all. – 1 John 1:5 NLT

For both men, God was the epitome of sinless perfection. Wickedness and darkness were con-conspirators. Nothing good happens in the dark, which, according to the Book of Proverbs, makes it the perfect metaphor for the wicked.

But the way of the wicked is like total darkness.
    They have no idea what they are stumbling over. – Proverbs 4:19 NLT

The apostle John described Jesus as a light shining in the darkness (John 1:5 NLT), but went on to say, “But people loved the darkness more than the light, for their actions were evil” (John 3:19 NLT). According to John, those who love evil “hate the light and refuse to go near it for fear their sins will be exposed” (John 3:20 NLT).

The apostle Paul shared this contempt for deeds done in darkness.

Take no part in the worthless deeds of evil and darkness; instead, expose them. It is shameful even to talk about the things that ungodly people do in secret. But their evil intentions will be exposed when the light shines on them, for the light makes everything visible. – Ephesians 5:11-14 NLT

It was the light of God’s glory that provided David with a sense of confidence and calm even in the darkest moments of his life. Fear of man was replaced by faith in God.

Though a mighty army surrounds me,
    my heart will not be afraid.
Even if I am attacked,
    I will remain confident. – Psalm 27:3 NLT

But David was realistic. He knew his enemies’ threats were real, and God was his only source of hope. Without Yahweh’s intervention and vindication, he could be overwhelmed by their wicked desires. But David wanted more from God than rescue; He desired a relationship. He longed for God to teach him and not just bail him out of trouble. He wanted God to lead him, not just provide him with a trouble-free life. David seemed to understand that the trials of life were there to help him turn to and trust in God. They were opportunities for him to see God work. So he prayed to God. He put his confidence in God. He looked to God as his source of strength and protection. He knew God would provide him with salvation as well as direction. So he was willing to wait patiently on Him. And he could encourage others to do the same.

Wait patiently for the Lord.
    Be brave and courageous.
    Yes, wait patiently for the Lord. – Psalm 27:14 NLT

Prayer and patience are two things that don’t come easily for most of us. We may pray regularly, but we wait impatiently for God’s answers to appear. We don’t like to wait. We have difficulty understanding God’s delays, especially when we’ve already told Him what we want Him to do. What could He be waiting for? Why doesn’t He just fulfill our request just like we shared it? However, David’s confidence in God was based on his understanding of His character. Amid difficulty, David could experience rest and a lack of fear because he knew that God would save and protect him. If he found himself surrounded by the enemy and even under attack, he would not fear but remain confident because he could trust God.

David had learned to take his needs to God. His greatest desire was to spend time in God’s presence and experience the light of His glory and grace.

Hear me as I pray, O Lord.
    Be merciful and answer me!
My heart has heard you say, “Come and talk with me.”
    And my heart responds, “Lord, I am coming.” – Psalm 27:7-8 NLT

But for David, spending time with God was both inspiring and instructive. He knew that communion with God provided him with insight into living righteously even when surrounded by the unrighteous.

Teach me how to live, O Lord.
    Lead me along the right path,
    for my enemies are waiting for me. – Psalm 27:11 NLT

Waiting on God’s answer had become second nature to David. The circumstances surrounding him were only significant in that they provided him with an opportunity to trust God and spend time in communion with Him. They offered the chance to talk to God personally and intimately. While he waited for his answer, he continued to spend time with God, and he refused to let delays in getting his answer dissuade him from trusting in God’s goodness.

Yet I am confident I will see the Lord’s goodness
    while I am here in the land of the living. – Psalm 27:13 NLT

God is faithful. Like a shepherd who lovingly holds his sheep in his protective arms, God carries and cares for us. He is our source of strength, safety, security, and salvation from anything and anyone that comes against us. So why should we be afraid? Why should we become impatient?

Father, what a great reminder of who You are. My fear and impatience are nothing more than a reflection of my own doubt and ignorance of who You really are. I see my troubles as greater than You are. I see my circumstances as too much for You to handle. When I fear and doubt, I am casting dispersions on Your love and faithfulness. I am saying You either won’t or can’t save me in my time of need. But You are always faithful and loving. Help me to wait patiently and confidently in You. Help me to be brave and courageous because of the reality of who You are. Amen

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Turning Homes Into Lighthouses

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1 Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. 2 “Honor your father and mother” (this is the first commandment with a promise), 3 “that it may go well with you and that you may live long in the land.” 4 Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord. – Ephesians 6:1-4 ESV

Next, Peter turns his attention to the parent-child relationship, where the filling of the Spirit could help the believers in Ephesus to dispel the darkness engulfing their community. A home where godly parents and children lived in submission to the will of God would be a beacon of light and life to the lost. Their Spirit-empowered interactions with one another would bring glory and honor to God as they lived in keeping with His good and perfect will.

Paul begins by addressing the children within the Ephesian church. He calls on them to obey their parents “in the Lord” (en kyrios). In his earlier passage addressed to believing wives, he called on them to submit to their believing husbands “as unto the Lord” (hōs ho kyrios). The idea is the same here. Paul is calling on children to obey “in the Lord.” The obedience of the children was not to be dependent upon the belief of their parents, but they were to obey because it was the will of God. Paul was essentially telling young children who came to faith in Christ, “you need to understand what the Lord wants you to do” (Ephesians 5:17). Regardless of age, every member of the body of Christ was to “submit to one another out of reverence for Christ” (Ephesians 5:21 ESV).

It would seem that Paul has believing children in mind because he calls them to obey “in the Lord.” He seems to assume that these children are old enough to understand their Christ-honoring commitment to submit to their parents in the same way they would submit to Christ Himself. And Paul quotes from the Hebrew Scriptures to drive home his point.

Honor your father and your mother, as the Lord your God commanded you, that your days may be long, and that it may go well with you in the land that the Lord your God is giving you. – Deuteronomy 5:16 NLT

In this passage, Moses is reciting the Ten Commandments to the people of Israel, and this verse, he shares God’s command that His people show proper honor and respect to their earthly parents. This commandment was applicable to children of all ages, including those who had reached adulthood. In a society that had no welfare system, it was the responsibility of adult children to take care of their elderly parents. God was ordering His covenant people to treat their loved ones with dignity and respect, and He tied future fruitfulness to present faithfulness. If they continued to treat their parents with honor all the days of their lives, then they would enjoy a long and fruitful stay in the land of promise. This is why Peter refers to this as a “commandment with a promise” (Ephesians 6:2 ESV). As long as the people obeyed it, they would enjoy the blessings of God. Faithfulness to do the will of God would be accompanied by fruitfulness.

It’s interesting to note that, in his second letter to Timothy, Paul included disoBelibedience to parents among the list of godless characteristics that will mark the end of the age.

…in the last days there will be very difficult times. For people will love only themselves and their money. They will be boastful and proud, scoffing at God, disobedient to their parents, and ungrateful. They will consider nothing sacred. They will be unloving and unforgiving; they will slander others and have no self-control. They will be cruel and hate what is good. They will betray their friends, be reckless, be puffed up with pride, and love pleasure rather than God. They will act religious, but they will reject the power that could make them godly. Stay away from people like that! – 2 Timothy 3:1-5 NLT

It seems that Paul is describing people who are old enough to know what they are doing. Their behavior reflects the status of their hearts. Their outer actions are simply byproducts of their inner condition. Jesus made this point quite clear when He stated, “the words you speak come from the heart—that’s what defiles you. For from the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, all sexual immorality, theft, lying, and slander. These are what defile you” (Matthew 15:18-20 NLT).

Paul doesn’t seem to be focusing his attention on small children. They were not the problem. It was those children who were old enough to come to faith in Christ but also old enough to be tempted by the inevitable allure of autonomy and freedom from their parents’ control over their lives. He is calling them to remember their commitment to do that which is pleasing to God. They were to emulate Christ, who willingly submitted Himself to do His Father’s will.

“For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me.” – John 6:38 ESV

“I seek not my own will but the will of him who sent me.” – John 5:30 ESV

Paul states that children who obey their parents are doing what is right. The Greek word is dikaios, and it means “that which is righteous, in keeping with the commands of God” (Outline of Biblical Usage). To obey earthly parents is righteous because it is in keeping with our Heavenly Father’s will. It is what He desires, therefore, it is right and good.

This command is intended to last a lifetime. It doesn’t end at the age of 18 or whenever the child moves out of the home. No, it lasts as long as the parents remain alive. And in a culture where the family unit tended to stay intact for much longer periods of time, this command carried special significance. It was not uncommon for young married couples to take up residence in the home of the husband’s parents. Multiple generations would end up residing under the same roof, making obedience to this command more essential than ever. A home where parents, children, and grandchildren lived together was the perfect environment for displaying the Spirit-filled lifestyle to which Paul was calling his audience.

And it was within this kind of familial context that Paul called on fathers to treat their children with love and respect, raising them in accordance with the will of God. And that included “the discipline and instruction that comes from the Lord” (Ephesians 6:4 NLT). Once again, Paul is emphasizing the need for all believers to do things according to God’s will, not their own. And they were not to use the prevailing cultural context as their model for godly behavior. Paul has already warned the Ephesian believers not to pattern their behavior after the world.

Don’t participate in the things these people do. For once you were full of darkness, but now you have light from the Lord. So live as people of light! For this light within you produces only what is good and right and true. – Ephesians 5:7-9 NLT

Instead, they were to “carefully determine what pleases the Lord” (Ephesians 5:10 NLT). And for fathers, that meant leading their children in such a way that it produced godliness rather than bitterness. Paul demands that father’s not “provoke” or exasperate their children. Believing fathers were to submit themselves to the will of God and minister to their wives and children in a loving and self-sacrificing manner. Their God-ordained role as the heads of their households didn’t give them the right to lord over those under their care. They were to be servants and shepherds. They to were to model Christ-likeness as they provided instruction in godliness.

God holds Christian fathers responsible for the care of His flock. A godly father is to recognize that his children are gifts from God.

Children are a gift from the Lord;
    they are a reward from him. – Psalm 127:3 NLT

And because God has assigned believing fathers with the role of shepherding His young lambs, He will hold them responsible if they fail to care for them well. The warning that God applied to the spiritual shepherds of Israel can be applied to those Christian fathers who abdicate their God-given responsibility to shepherd their children as God has commanded.

“What sorrow awaits you shepherds who feed yourselves instead of your flocks. Shouldn’t shepherds feed their sheep? You drink the milk, wear the wool, and butcher the best animals, but you let your flocks starve. You have not taken care of the weak. You have not tended the sick or bound up the injured. You have not gone looking for those who have wandered away and are lost. Instead, you have ruled them with harshness and cruelty. So my sheep have been scattered without a shepherd, and they are easy prey for any wild animal. They have wandered through all the mountains and all the hills, across the face of the earth, yet no one has gone to search for them.” – Ezekiel 34:2-6 NLT

And God went on to describe what He would do to those shepherds who failed to carry out their God-ordained role.

“I now consider these shepherds my enemies, and I will hold them responsible for what has happened to my flock. I will take away their right to feed the flock, and I will stop them from feeding themselves. I will rescue my flock from their mouths; the sheep will no longer be their prey.” – Ezekiel 34:10 NLT

In a similar way, Paul is pleading with the fathers within the church at Ephesus to step up and do what they have been called to do. They were to model the self-sacrificing love of Christ. They were to teach their children to honor God by demonstrating it through their own lives. Their homes were to be lighthouses, illuminating the darkness of Ephesus with the glory of God’s grace and the life-changing power of His Spirit.

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

New English Translation (NET)NET Bible® copyright ©1996-2017 by Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C. http://netbible.com All rights reserved.

 

Health, Hope and Healing.

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The word of the Lord came to Jeremiah a second time, while he was still shut up in the court of the guard: “Thus says the Lord who made the earth, the Lord who formed it to establish it—the Lord is his name: Call to me and I will answer you, and will tell you great and hidden things that you have not known. For thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, concerning the houses of this city and the houses of the kings of Judah that were torn down to make a defense against the siege mounds and against the sword: They are coming in to fight against the Chaldeans and to fill them with the dead bodies of men whom I shall strike down in my anger and my wrath, for I have hidden my face from this city because of all their evil. Behold, I will bring to it health and healing, and I will heal them and reveal to them abundance of prosperity and security. I will restore the fortunes of Judah and the fortunes of Israel, and rebuild them as they were at first. I will cleanse them from all the guilt of their sin against me, and I will forgive all the guilt of their sin and rebellion against me. And this city shall be to me a name of joy, a praise and a glory before all the nations of the earth who shall hear of all the good that I do for them. They shall fear and tremble because of all the good and all the prosperity I provide for it.

“Thus says the Lord: In this place of which you say, ‘It is a waste without man or beast,’ in the cities of Judah and the streets of Jerusalem that are desolate, without man or inhabitant or beast, there shall be heard again the voice of mirth and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom and the voice of the bride, the voices of those who sing, as they bring thank offerings to the house of the Lord:

“‘Give thanks to the Lord of hosts,
    for the Lord is good,
    for his steadfast love endures forever!’

For I will restore the fortunes of the land as at first, says the Lord.

“Thus says the Lord of hosts: In this place that is waste, without man or beast, and in all of its cities, there shall again be habitations of shepherds resting their flocks. In the cities of the hill country, in the cities of the Shephelah, and in the cities of the Negeb, in the land of Benjamin, the places about Jerusalem, and in the cities of Judah, flocks shall again pass under the hands of the one who counts them, says the Lord.”  – Jeremiah 33:1-13 ESV

While Jeremiah was still locked up by Zedekiah, God visited Him a second time. And this time, He commands Jeremiah to pray to Him and promises to answer when he does.

“Call to me and I will answer you, and will tell you great and hidden things that you have not known.” – Jeremiah 33:3 ESV

The term, “hidden things” in the Hebrew is a single word that is most often used to refer to the defensive capabilities of a city. It can actually be translate as “fortified” or “inaccessible”. It is somewhat ironic that God uses this word, because it can mean the walls of a city that are impenetrable. Here was Jerusalem, surrounded by Babylonian troops, with siege walls and ramparts set up all around its perimeter, and it’s fall eminent. But God said He was going to tell Jeremiah things that, unlike the walls of Jerusalem, were impenetrable or unknowable. Man could lay siege to God, demanding to know His will and His ways, but unless God determined to reveal His mysteries, man would remain ignorant and in the dark. The prophet, Isaiah, also recorded the words of God declaring His plan to reveal new and hidden things.

“From this time forth I announce to you new things,
hidden things that you have not known.
They are created now, not long ago;
before today you have never heard of them,
lest you should say, ‘Behold, I knew them.’
You have never heard, you have never known,
from of old your ear has not been opened.” – Isaiah 48:6-8 ESV

Unless God makes Himself known to man, He remains unknowable.

Oh, how great are God’s riches and wisdom and knowledge! How impossible it is for us to understand his decisions and his ways! – Romans 11:33 NLT

Behold, God is great, and we know him not; the number of his years is unsearchable.
 – Job 36:26 ESV

He has planted eternity in the human heart, but even so, people cannot see the whole scope of God’s work from beginning to end. – Ecclesiastes 3:11 NLT

God is unknowable, unless He chooses to make Himself known. While He has revealed His divine nature through His creation and men are without excuse who refuse to acknowledge His presence, they can only know Him in a limited sense. God had chosen to reveal Himself more intimately and deeply to the Israelites. He had chosen them as His own and revealed Himself to them in incredible ways. But they had chosen to reject Him and treat their relationship with him with disdain. So, now God was going to give Jeremiah a glimpse into the unknown, the hidden things of God. He was going to reveal to His prophet the incredible future of Israel and Judah. While He was going to bring punishment on them for their sins and allow the Babylonians to defeat them, He said:

“Nevertheless, the time will come when I will heal Jerusalem’s wounds and give it prosperity and true peace. I will restore the fortunes of Judah and Israel and rebuild their towns. I will cleanse them of their sins against me and forgive all their sins of rebellion.” – Jeremiah 33:6-8 NLT

God was going to do something remarkable and unbelievable. Just when things appeared to be catastrophic and the fate of Judah was sealed, God promised that their future would be bright. They would experience hope and healing.

“…in the empty streets of Jerusalem and Judah’s other towns, there will be heard once more the sounds of joy and laughter. The joyful voices of bridegrooms and brides will be heard again, along with the joyous songs of people bringing thanksgiving offerings to the Lord.” – Jeremiah 33:10-11 NLT

The future. We can’t see it. We can only hope for it. Oh, we can worry about it and attempt to do things that we think will improve or impact it, but when all is said and done, we have very little influence over how the future will turn out. There are far too many things that can derail our plans and destroy our best intentions. But God knows the future. Yesterday, today and tomorrow are all the same to Him. He is not bound by time. And His plans for the future are not speculative, but predetermined. They will happen just as He has planned them. No wishful thinking. No hoping for a good outcome. What God says will happen, will happen, with the same degree of certainty as if it had already taken place. And we know from history, that the people of Judah did return to the land, seventy years later, just as God had said they would. So, we can also know that His plans for His as-yet-fulfilled promises regarding their future will also take place. He has proven Himself trustworthy and faithful. And one of the things God had in store for the nation of Judah was the future coming of the Messiah, the descendant of David. It would be hundreds of years before Jesus appeared on the scene. And when He came, He brought with Him the revelation of God’s plan for mankind: Salvation from sin and restoration to a right relationship with Him. Sadly, the people of Judah did not receive Him when He came.

The true light, who gives light to everyone, was coming into the world. He was in the world, and the world was created by him, but the world did not recognize him. He came to what was his own, but his own people did not receive him. But to all who have received him—those who believe in his name—he has given the right to become God’s children—children not born by human parents or by human desire or a husband’s decision, but by God. – John 1:9-13 NLT

But as John reveals just a few verses later, Jesus came to make God known and to reveal yet another impenetrable mystery regarding God’s plans for mankind.

No one has ever seen God. But the unique One, who is himself God, is near to the Father’s heart. He has revealed God to us. – John 1:18 NLT

And John would later declare the true nature of Jesus’ arrival on earth.

Look, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! – John 1:29 NLT

God’s ways are beyond finding out. There was no way Jeremiah could know that God had a rich and fruitful future in store for the people of Judah. God had to tell Him. And there was certainly no way that Jeremiah could have known that one day God would send His Son, as a man, born to a woman from the tribe of Judah, who would die for the sins of men. It was a mystery. But in time, God revealed His plan by sending His Son. And His Son revealed the Father, proving the incredible love of God for sinful men. Hope and healing were going to come, but in a form that no man could have envisioned, including Jeremiah. For Jeremiah, sitting in jail as the Babylonians laid siege to his beloved city of Jerusalem, the future looked grim. But God was revealing something mysterious and unknowable to mere mortals: His unstoppable, unwavering plan for the world He had created. It’s important to note that God opened up His address to Jeremiah by describing Himself as “the Lord who made the earth, the Lord who formed it to establish it” (Jeremiah 33:2 ESV). The God who created was going to recreate. The God who spoke light into darkness was going to send the true light into the darkness of man’s sin. Hope and healing are always in God’s hands. He is the only source for what mankind really needs. And as bleak as things may appear, we can rest in the knowledge that God has plans for us – “plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope” (Jeremiah 29:11 ESV).

English Standard Version (ESV)
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT)
Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

The Message (MSG)
Copyright © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene H. Peterson≠≠

1 Chronicles 9-10, Philippians 2

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Lights In The Darkness.

1 Chronicles 9-10, Philippians 2

Do all things without grumbling or disputing, that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, holding fast to the word of life. – Philippians 2:14-16 ESV

Over in 1 Chronicles, we read these sobering words:

“And Judah was taken into exile in Babylon because of their breach of faith.” – 1 Chronicles 9:1 ESV

“So Saul died for his breach of faith. He broke faith with the Lord in that he did not keep the command of the Lord, and also consulted a medium, seeking guidance. He did not seek guidance from the Lord.” – 1 Chronicles 10:13-14 ESV

The nation of Judah broke faith with God and ended up a broken people living in exile in a foreign land. King Saul broke faith with God and not only lost a battle, but his son, Jonathan. Defeated and alone, the great king would end up taking his own life in a final act of faithlessness and desperation. He had abandoned God, not the other way around.

Broken faith always has its consequences. This wasn’t just a case of a lack of faith. If we’re not careful, we could easily conclude that Judah and Saul just couldn’t muster up enough faith to trust God. But theirs was a sin of commission. It was more a case of what they had done, not what they had lacked. The nation of Judah had ended up in exile because they had committed acts of unfaithfulness against God. They had sinned. Unfaithfulness is always a sin. It involves disobedience and infidelity. The chronicler makes it clear, Saul had not kept the Lord’s commands. When he needed help and direction, he had turned to a witch rather than God. He did not seek guidance from the Lord, and his choices resulted in the loss of his kingdom and his own life. Saul was one king out of many who failed to live in faithful obedience to God. The entire nation of Judah was marked by infidelity and sin. They had failed to live up to their responsibilities as the children of God.

What does this passage reveal about God?

God was not shocked or surprised by the failure of Judah or the fall of King Saul. He had not been caught off guard by their breach of faith. He had fully expected it and had even warned the people of Judah that their exile was coming. He had already anointed David as the next king and had told Saul, “now your kingdom shall not continue. The LORD has sought out a man after his own heart, and the LORD has commanded him to be prince over his people, because you have not kept what the LORD commanded you” (1 Samuel 13:14 ESV). Their unfaithfulness had been expected by God. He knew that they would find it impossible to keep His commands. He was fully aware that Saul would prove to the kind of king the people wanted, but not the kind of king God required. He had allowed the people of Israel to have a king of their own choosing, a man who met their own standards. “Now appoint for us a king to judge us like all the nations” (1 Samuel 8:5 ESV). But when Saul had failed, God had a replacement ready to step into the gap, a man after His own heart. And when the nation of Judah found themselves languishing in captivity, God had a plan for their ultimate restoration. He was not done with them yet. After 70 years of exile, He would bring them back to the land and orchestrate the rebuilding of the walls of Jerusalem, the restoration of the Temple, and the repopulation of the city.

What does this passage reveal about man?

All of the events of the Old Testament point toward a day in man’s faithfulness to God could be not only a possibility, but a reality. They foreshadow the coming of the Son of God, who would make faithfulness achievable by making our sinfulness fully forgivable. God did for us what we could have never done for ourselves. He made our own righteousness a reality by providing it for us through the death of His Son. He made sinlessness possible by providing us with new natures and His Holy Spirit to guide and empower us. God not only made our salvation possible, but He made our sanctification or holiness possible. We don’t have to break faith with God. We don’t have to live in disobedience. We have the capacity to live differently and distinctively, holy and blameless, all because of what He has done for us through Christ. That is why Paul calls us to exhibit our new lives through changed behavior. He challenges us to “be blameless and innocent, children of God, without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world” (Philippians 2:15 ESV). He encourages us to “work out” our salvation with fear and trembling. In other words, we are to love out the reality of our salvation in everyday life. Our changed lives should result in changed behavior. But he reminds us that the power for change has been provided by God “who works in you” (Philippians 2:13 ESV). God has provided the power for us to live like Christ. We don’t have to live our lives controlled by rivalry and conceit. Instead, we can live humbly, obediently, and sacrificially, counting others as more significant than ourselves. We can care about others more than we care about ourselves. We can have the same attitude that Christ Himself had, willingly submitting to God’s will for our lives and faithfully following His Spirit’s leading in our lives. We can be lights in the darkness as long as we hold fast to the word of life. We must remember that the same power that saved us is available to change us.

How would I apply what I’ve read to my own life?

Because of Christ’s death on the cross, my sins have been paid for in full. By recognizing my own sinfulness and my incapacity to save myself from the penalty of death, and placing my faith in His sacrifice and payment for my sin, I was given a new nature and a new status as a child of God. I am fully forgiven and stand uncondemned before God. I am righteous before His eyes because He sees me through the blood of His own sinless Son. But I have also been called to live a life that reflects my new nature. I have been given the Holy Spirit to make this new life possible. I have the capacity and power to live differently, like a light shining in the midst of darkness. I am not to rest on my salvation and find comfort in my ultimate guarantee of a place in heaven. I am to work out my salvation with fear and trembling. I am to take my position as God’s child seriously, and reflect my new nature in all that I do. My old sinful habits and nature are to become increasingly more a thing of the past. I am to put on Christ and reflect His character in my daily life. The more I become like Him, the brighter my light will shine in the darkness. God has redeemed me, not just to some day take me to heaven, but to reflect the character of His Son while I live on this earth.

Father, I want to be a bright light in the midst of the darkness. I want to live faithfully committed to Your Word, submitted to Your Spirit and reflective of the nature of the character of Christ. I want to have His mind. I want to live as He lived. I know that I still have the capacity to break faith with You and fall back into my old sinful nature. But help me to work out my salvation daily, with fear and trembling, never forgetting what Your Son has done for me and what You expect of me. Amen

Ken Miller
Grow Pastor & Minister to Men
kenm@christchapelbc.org

Ephesians 5:1-14

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Bright Lights In the Darkness.

Ephesians 5:1-14

For once you were full of darkness, but now you have light from the Lord. So live as people of light! For this light within you produces only what is good and right and true. – Ephesians 5:8-9 NLT

The believers in Ephesus were surrounded by darkness. These people had come to faith in Christ and been placed into the family of God, but still found themselves living in a pagan culture where all kinds of ungodly activity and influences surrounded them. While they were now part of the body of Christ, that did not mean that they were free from external pressures or the temptations to go back to their old ways of life. Paul had helped found this church and had spent over three years with the believers there, so he knew their situation well and had a deep concern for their ongoing spiritual well-being. He had seen first-hand the transformation that had taken place in their lives. Once they had been “full of darkness.” They had lived like the other Gentiles around them, whose “minds are full of darkness; they wander far from the life God gives because they have closed their minds and hardened their hearts against him” (Ephesians 4:16 NLT). Those among whom the Ephesian believers lived, “have no sense of shame. They live for lustful pleasure and eagerly practice every kind of impurity” (Ephesians 4:19 NLT).

So Paul reminds the members of the church in Ephesus that they have a responsibility to live differently and influentially in the midst of the culture in which they find themselves. They are to live as people of light. Paul loved the imagery of light. So did Jesus. He described Himself by saying, “I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won’t have to walk in darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life” (John 8:12 NLT). Paul had written to the believers in Corinth, “For God, who said, ‘Let there be light in the darkness,’ has made this light shine in our hearts so we could know the glory of God that is seen in the face of Jesus Christ. We now have this light shining in our hearts, but we ourselves are like fragile clay jars containing this great treasure. This makes it clear that our great power is from God, not from ourselves” (2 Corinthians 4:6-7 NLT). Paul was reminding his readers that they had been radically transformed and enlightened by the very presence of God in the form of the Holy Spirit. And that light within them was to shine from them, impacting and influencing everything and everyone around them. Light shines in the darkness. Light and dark cannot coexist. Darkness is simply the absence of light. So the more brightly the light within them shone out of them, the less darkness would be present in their midst. That’s why Paul wrote, “Let there be no sexual immorality, impurity, or greed among you. Such sins have no place among God’s people. Obscene stories, foolish talk, and course jokes – these are not for you” (Ephesians 5:3-4 NLT).

Light dispels darkness. It doesn’t attempt to cozy up to it and tolerate it. As soon as a light is turned on, the darkness goes away. The same should be true in the life of the believer. The brighter the light of Christ shines in our lives, the more the darkness will recede. The more the light of Christ shines out of our lives, the less influence the darkness around us will have on us. The believers in Ephesus were just as prone as we are to tolerate sin, to excuse it and justify it. There will always be those who try to excuse sin and find a way to make it acceptable. But Paul warns, “Don’t be fooled by those who try to excuse these sins, for the anger of God will fall on all who disobey him” (Ephesians 5:6 NLT). Tolerance and compromise have no place in the life of the believer. We are not to take part in the things that are done in darkness. “For once you were full of darkness, but now you have light from the Lord. So live as people of light!” (Ephesians 5:8 NLT). Light refuses to tolerate darkness. Instead, it exposes and expels it. Paul starts out this chapter by saying, “Imitate God, therefore, in everything you do, because you are his dear children” (Ephesians 5:1 NLT). That’s quite a challenge. But it is simply a reminder that we are no longer of this world. We have a new family and a new Father. We have been adopted and placed into a new home with a new set of standards. We should live in such a way that our actions please our heavenly Father. Rather than take part in the worthless deeds of evil and darkness, we should expose them. We shouldn’t even talk about them. Paul writes, “It is shameful to talk about the things that ungodly people do in secret. But their evil intentions will be exposed when the light shines on them, for the light makes everything visible” (Ephesians 5:12-13 NLT). That light resides in believers, so our very presence in the world should expose the darkness around us. Our existence on this planet should make everything visible, providing a stark contrast between what is pleasing to God and what is acceptable in this world. We are lights, but we need to shine. “No one lights a lamp and then hides it or puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where its light can be seen by all who enter the house” (Luke 11:33 NLT).

Father, may the light of Christ shine out of us, not just inside us. May we learn to live as lights in the darkness, exposing sin and expressing the love of Christ for those whose lives have been dominated by darkness for far too long. Our lives are to be different and distinct. We have the Light of the world inside us, now help us to let it shine through us. Amen.

Ken Miller
Grow Pastor & Minister to Men
kenm@christchapelbc.org