trouble

When Life Doesn’t Make Sense

/ kdmiller55 / Leave a comment

Yodh

73 You made me; you created me.
    Now give me the sense to follow your commands.
74 May all who fear you find in me a cause for joy,
    for I have put my hope in your word.
75 I know, O LORD, that your regulations are fair;
    you disciplined me because I needed it.
76 Now let your unfailing love comfort me,
    just as you promised me, your servant.
77 Surround me with your tender mercies so I may live,
    for your instructions are my delight.
78 Bring disgrace upon the arrogant people who lied about me;
    meanwhile, I will concentrate on your commandments.
79 Let me be united with all who fear you,
    with those who know your laws.
80 May I be blameless in keeping your decrees;
    then I will never be ashamed.

Kaph

81 I am worn out waiting for your rescue,
    but I have put my hope in your word.
82 My eyes are straining to see your promises come true.
    When will you comfort me?
83 I am shriveled like a wineskin in the smoke,
    but I have not forgotten to obey your decrees.
84 How long must I wait?
    When will you punish those who persecute me?
85 These arrogant people who hate your instructions
    have dug deep pits to trap me.
86 All your commands are trustworthy.
    Protect me from those who hunt me down without cause.
87 They almost finished me off,
    but I refused to abandon your commandments.
88 In your unfailing love, spare my life;
    then I can continue to obey your laws.

Lamedh

89 Your eternal word, O LORD,
    stands firm in heaven.
90 Your faithfulness extends to every generation,
    as enduring as the earth you created.
91 Your regulations remain true to this day,
    for everything serves your plans.
92 If your instructions hadn’t sustained me with joy,
    I would have died in my misery.
93 I will never forget your commandments,
    for by them you give me life.
94 I am yours; rescue me!
    For I have worked hard at obeying your commandments.
95 Though the wicked hide along the way to kill me,
    I will quietly keep my mind on your laws.
96 Even perfection has its limits,
    but your commands have no limit. – Psalm 119:73-96 ESV

The psalmist continues to describe his less-than-ideal circumstances, using descriptive imagery to heighten the tension and emphasize his reliance upon Yahweh. Whatever was going on in his life, he saw Yahweh as the only solution, and he viewed his love for Yahweh’s word as the basis for his hope. In verse 78, he describes the “arrogant people” spreading lies about him. These unidentified individuals were making his life miserable, and the only thing worse than their slanderous words was the stress-inducing delay waiting for Yahweh’s deliverance.

I am worn out waiting for your rescue,
but I have put my hope in your word.
My eyes are straining to see your promises come true.
When will you comfort me? – Psalm 119:81-82 NLT

He describes himself as “shriveled like a wineskin in the smoke” (Psalm 119:83 NLT). This rather cryptic-sounding imagery suggests that his life quality had been radically altered by his circumstances. A wineskin was usually filled with life-giving liquid “that gladdens the heart of man” (Psalm 104:15 BSB). But as a result of the unrelenting attacks of his enemies, the psalmist’s life was empty and void of joy. He was a dried-up, smoke-infused shell of his former self and in great need of Yahweh’s help and healing.

How long must I wait?
When will you punish those who persecute me?
These arrogant people who hate your instructions
have dug deep pits to trap me.– Psalm 119:84-85 NLT

But despite the difficulty of his situation and the disappointing delay in Yahweh’s response, the psalmist declares his unwavering trust in Yahweh’s promises as found in His word.

I have put my hope in your word… – vs 74 NLT

…let your unfailing love comfort me,
just as you promised me… – vs 76 NLT

…your instructions are my delight…  – vs 77 NLT

My eyes are straining to see your promises come true. – vs 82 NLT

I have not forgotten to obey your decrees.– vs 83 NLT

I refused to abandon your commandments.– vs 87 NLT

His persistence was fueled by his understanding of Yahweh’s character. He knew the LORD was trustworthy, faithful, and reliable. As the Creator and sustainer of all things, Yahweh was all-powerful and sovereign over all that happens on earth. In verse 73, the psalmist acknowledges that he was the byproduct of Yahweh’s creative power. He echoes David’s words found in Psalm 139.

For you formed my inward parts;
    you knitted me together in my mother’s womb.
I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.
Wonderful are your works;
    my soul knows it very well. – Psalm 139:13-14 ESV

But while the psalmist gratefully acknowledged Yahweh’s role in giving him life, he wanted more.

…give me understanding that I may learn your commandments. – Psalm 119:73 ESV 

In a sense, he was saying, “You created me, now equip me with understanding.” He prayed for divine enlightenment to better comprehend God’s ways because much of his experience made no sense. He viewed his predicament as having come through the hands of God, but that didn’t mean he understood the why behind it.

I know, O Lord, that your regulations are fair;
    you disciplined me because I needed it.
Now let your unfailing love comfort me,
    just as you promised me, your servant. – Psalm 119:75-76 NLT

The psalmist was willing to trust that the attacks of his enemies were part of Yahweh’s plan for his life. He viewed their assaults as disciplinary in nature because he believed Yahweh had sent them. He just didn’t understand why and wrestled with knowing how long his suffering would last. His attitude reflects a healthy confidence in God’s sovereignty. The One who made him could also enlighten him.

“He only who gave life to our bodies can give light to our minds, and if our minds are enlightened by His Spirit, His word will teach us how to do His will.” – Thomas Cobbin

Verses 81-88 honestly portray the psalmist’s confusion and frustration over his situation. He believes in Yahweh, but is wrestling with the prolonged nature of his suffering. Whether the psalmist was familiar with Psalm 22 is unclear, but his words echo David’s pain.

My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?
    Why are you so far away when I groan for help?
Every day I call to you, my God, but you do not answer.
Every night I lift my voice, but I find no relief. – Psalm 22:1-2 NLT

But as bad as things seemed, David didn’t lose hope.

Yet you are holy,
    enthroned on the praises of Israel.
Our ancestors trusted in you,
    and you rescued them.
They cried out to you and were saved.
    They trusted in you and were never disgraced. – Psalm 22:1-5 NLT

Like his ancient ancestors, the psalmist cries out to God, begging to understand what He is doing.

How long must I wait?
    When will you punish those who persecute me? – Psalm 119:84 NLT

He pleads for divine intervention so that he might continue to live a life of obedient submission to the word and will of God.

In your unfailing love, spare my life;
    then I can continue to obey your laws. – Psalm 119:88 NLT

These verses and Psalm 22 could have been written by Jesus Himself. In fact, Jesus quoted the words of David during His final moments on the cross.

The leading priests, the teachers of religious law, and the elders also mocked Jesus. “He saved others,” they scoffed, “but he can’t save himself! So he is the King of Israel, is he? Let him come down from the cross right now, and we will believe in him! He trusted God, so let God rescue him now if he wants him! For he said, ‘I am the Son of God.’” Even the revolutionaries who were crucified with him ridiculed him in the same way.

At noon, darkness fell across the whole land until three o’clock. At about three o’clock, Jesus called out with a loud voice, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” which means “My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?” – Matthew 27:41-46 NLT

Just hours earlier, when Jesus and His disciples gathered in the Garden of Gethsemane on the Mount of Olives, Jesus prayed the following prayer: “Father, if you are willing, please take this cup of suffering away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine” (Luke 22:42 NLT). Facing the reality of His pending death by crucifixion, Jesus displayed his human nature by declaring His desire to escape such a gruesome and painful end. But He was committed to doing His Father’s will. 

When he appeared in human form,
    he humbled himself in obedience to God
    and died a criminal’s death on a cross. – Philippians 2:7-8 NLT 

Jesus was willing to suffer and die to fulfill His Father’s will. He trusted His Father’s plan and wholeheartedly committed Himself to carrying it out. And the psalmist reflects the same determination and dedication to trusting Yahweh’s will for his life.

Your eternal word, O LORD,
    stands firm in heaven.
Your faithfulness extends to every generation,
    as enduring as the earth you created.
Your regulations remain true to this day,
    for everything serves your plans. – Psalm 119:89-91 NLT

He may not have liked what was happening in his life, and he certainly didn’t understand it. But he was willing to trust Yahweh with it. This was a man who wrestled with the uncertainties of life. He loved the LORD with all his heart and tried to live in keeping with His Word, but things didn’t always turn out as expected. But he kept trusting and remained hopeful. His God was eternal and faithful. The words of God were non-negotiable but also reliable. Things might not go as planned. Life could be difficult and disappointing. But he remained faithfully committed to Yahweh’s words, will, and ways.

Though the wicked hide along the way to kill me,
    I will quietly keep my mind on your laws.
Even perfection has its limits,
    but your commands have no limit. – Psalm 119:95-96 NLT

For the psalmist, a life of perfect peace and tranquility was wishful thinking. Nothing in this life will last. Nothing man makes will endure. Everything has its limits, except the word of God. No matter what the future held, he knew that Yahweh held his future.

Father, we all want the good life and, as believers, we somehow think it’s guaranteed because of our faith in Jesus. When He said, “I came that they may have life and have it abundantly” (John 10:10 ESV), we hear Him promising our best life now. We conjure up images of a trouble-free, blessing-filled life that looks a lot more like heaven than earth. We want to define the “abundant life” on our terms and then demand that You deliver it. But, like the psalmist, we end up discovering that this life is not always easy and things don’t always turn out the way we want. Yet You are always faithful and reliable. You are unchanging and unwavering in Your love for us and Your willingness to mold us into the likeness of Your Son. Give me endurance to suffer well and to never lose hope in Your sovereignty plan for my life. 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.

When Circumstances Make Us Circumspect

/ kdmiller55 / Leave a comment

To the choirmaster. A Maskil of the Sons of Korah.

1 O God, we have heard with our ears,
    our fathers have told us,
what deeds you performed in their days,
    in the days of old:
2 you with your own hand drove out the nations,
    but them you planted;
you afflicted the peoples,
    but them you set free;
3 for not by their own sword did they win the land,
    nor did their own arm save them,
but your right hand and your arm,
    and the light of your face,
    for you delighted in them.

4 You are my King, O God;
    ordain salvation for Jacob!
5 Through you we push down our foes;
    through your name we tread down those who rise up against us.
6 For not in my bow do I trust,
    nor can my sword save me.
7 But you have saved us from our foes
    and have put to shame those who hate us.
8 In God we have boasted continually,
    and we will give thanks to your name forever. Selah

9 But you have rejected us and disgraced us
    and have not gone out with our armies.
10 You have made us turn back from the foe,
    and those who hate us have gotten spoil.
11 You have made us like sheep for slaughter
    and have scattered us among the nations.
12 You have sold your people for a trifle,
    demanding no high price for them.
13 You have made us the taunt of our neighbors,
    the derision and scorn of those around us.
14 You have made us a byword among the nations,
    a laughingstock among the peoples.
15 All day long my disgrace is before me,
    and shame has covered my face
16 at the sound of the taunter and reviler,
    at the sight of the enemy and the avenger.

17 All this has come upon us,
    though we have not forgotten you,
    and we have not been false to your covenant.
18 Our heart has not turned back,
    nor have our steps departed from your way;
19 yet you have broken us in the place of jackals
    and covered us with the shadow of death.
20 If we had forgotten the name of our God
    or spread out our hands to a foreign god,
21 would not God discover this?
    For he knows the secrets of the heart.
22 Yet for your sake we are killed all the day long;
    we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.

23 Awake! Why are you sleeping, O Lord?
    Rouse yourself! Do not reject us forever!
24 Why do you hide your face?
    Why do you forget our affliction and oppression?
25 For our soul is bowed down to the dust;
    our belly clings to the ground.
26 Rise up; come to our help!
    Redeem us for the sake of your steadfast love! – Psalm 44:1-26 ESV

Things don’t always go as expected. As God’s people, there is no guarantee that our lives will be trouble-free or exempt from difficulty. The truth is, bad things happen to good people. That is the primary theme of this psalm of lament.

Written by one of the sons of Korah, this psalm begins with a stirring tribute to God’s past faithfulness to His people. The opening lines record how God miraculously delivered the land of Canaan to the people of Israel under the leadership of Joshua.

You drove out the pagan nations by your power
    and gave all the land to our ancestors.
You crushed their enemies
    and set our ancestors free. – Psalm 44:2 NLT

Every Hebrew child grew up hearing about the exciting exploits of Joshua as he led the people of Israel in their conquest of Canaan. They could recite the details of the battle at Jericho, where the “walls came tumblin’ down.” These stories were part of the collective imagination of Israel, passed down from generation to generation to remind them of God’s power and promise-keeping nature. The psalmist freely admits, “We have heard it with our own ears—our ancestors have told us of all you did in their day, in days long ago” (Psalm 44:1 NLT).

These stories had been recorded for posterity in the books of Joshua and Judges, providing proof that God had fulfilled the promise he made to the people of Israel long before they set foot in the land of Canaan.

“I will send my terror ahead of you and create panic among all the people whose lands you invade. I will make all your enemies turn and run. I will send terror ahead of you to drive out the Hivites, Canaanites, and Hittites. But I will not drive them out in a single year, because the land would become desolate and the wild animals would multiply and threaten you. I will drive them out a little at a time until your population has increased enough to take possession of the land. And I will fix your boundaries from the Red Sea to the Mediterranean Sea, and from the eastern wilderness to the Euphrates River. I will hand over to you the people now living in the land, and you will drive them out ahead of you.” – Exodus 23:27-31 NLT

God had kept His word, fulfilling His promise to provide His chosen people with a land of their own. The former slaves had become the masters of their own domain, thanks to God’s gracious intervention in their lives. Their conquest of the land had not been the result of their superior military might; it had been God’s doing, something the psalmist openly acknowledges.

They did not conquer the land with their swords;
    it was not their own strong arm that gave them victory.
It was your right hand and strong arm
    and the blinding light from your face that helped them,
    for you loved them. – Psalm 44:3 NLT

Seeming to speak on behalf of the king, the psalmist proclaims God’s sovereignty and the nation’s continued dependency upon His power for their survival. In the centuries since Joshua led the people across the Jordan River into Canaan, the Israelites remained reliant upon God’s strength for their protection and continued existence.

Only by your power can we push back our enemies;
    only in your name can we trample our foes. – Psalm 44:5 NLT

But something had happened that caused the psalmist to question God’s faithfulness. A national tragedy had left the people wondering whether God had turned His back on them. An unnamed enemy had humiliated the Israelites in battle, leaving them confused and conflicted and questioning the cause of their unexpected defeat. From all appearances, they had trusted in God, and He had let them down.

But now you have tossed us aside in dishonor.
    You no longer lead our armies to battle.
You make us retreat from our enemies
    and allow those who hate us to plunder our land. – Psalm 44:9-10 NLT

None of this made sense. The psalmist can think of no sin that would have warranted the devastating loss they had suffered. From his perspective, the nation remained faithful to God and undeserving of their humiliating defeat at the hands of their enemy.

All this has happened though we have not forgotten you.
    We have not violated your covenant.
Our hearts have not deserted you.
    We have not strayed from your path. – Psalm 44:17-18 NLT

There was no sin to confess or repent of. The psalmist can think of no instance of corporate immorality or iniquity that would have warranted such an obvious act of divine punishment. This loss had God’s hands all over it. It appeared to be a clear case of God’s judgment, but it seemed to lack justification. They had done nothing wrong. This led the psalmist to accuse God of punishing them unjustly.

You have covered us with darkness and death. – Psalm 44:19 NLT

He knew God to be all-wise and all-knowing. There was nothing that escaped His notice or went undetected. If they were guilty of unfaithfulness or idolatry, God would know it because He is omniscient. Yet, as far as the psalmist could tell, their corporate calamity had been God’s doing — whether deserved or not.

Yet because of you we are killed all day long; we are treated like sheep at the slaughtering block. – Psalm 44:22 NET

The psalmist boldly declares his belief that their tragedy was God’s doing. He could think of no other logical explanation and this led him to beg God to relent and restore His people.

Wake up, O Lord! Why do you sleep?
    Get up! Do not reject us forever.
Why do you look the other way?
    Why do you ignore our suffering and oppression? – Psalm 44:23-24 NLT

This psalm reflects the earth-bound, limited perspective of all believers. We are temporal creatures attempting to understand the ways of God in a fallen world where things don’t always make sense. The presence of evil and the experience of pain and suffering it can produce can leave us doubting God’s goodness and questioning His justice. We somehow expect that our faith in Him should exempt us from the trials and tribulations that others suffer.

Yet, the apostle Paul reminded the Christians in Corinth that trials and tribulations were to be expected in this life.

That is why we never give up. Though our bodies are dying, our spirits are being renewed every day. For our present troubles are small and won’t last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever! So we don’t look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever. – 2 Corinthians 4:16-18 NLT

The Israelites were not exempt from difficulty, and neither were the Corinthians. Life can be hard. Suffering is an ever-present reality for believers and non-believers alike. Paul was well acquainted with that fact, having endured his own fair share of difficulties. He provided the believers in Corinth with a short list of some of his undeserved troubles while serving as an apostle of Jesus Christ.

I have worked harder, been put in prison more often, been whipped times without number, and faced death again and again.  Five different times the Jewish leaders gave me thirty-nine lashes. Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned. Three times I was shipwrecked. Once I spent a whole night and a day adrift at sea. I have traveled on many long journeys. I have faced danger from rivers and from robbers. I have faced danger from my own people, the Jews, as well as from the Gentiles. I have faced danger in the cities, in the deserts, and on the seas. And I have faced danger from men who claim to be believers but are not. I have worked hard and long, enduring many sleepless nights. I have been hungry and thirsty and have often gone without food. I have shivered in the cold, without enough clothing to keep me warm. – 2 Corinthians 11:23-27 NLT

Paul wasn’t complaining or bragging; he simply reminded his readers that no one is immune from suffering. Jesus Himself suffered and died as part of His faithful adherence to His Father’s will. He was falsely accused, viciously abused, and crucified on a Roman cross, though He was innocent of any crime and completely free from sin.

Paul wrote to Christians living in Rome, reminding them their circumstances were a lousy barometer of God’s love and faithfulness. These new believers were living in the capital city of the Roman Empire and under constant threats from a hostile government that had played a major role in the death of their Lord and Savior. Persecution and suffering were a daily reality but were never to be seen as a lack of God’s love for them.

Can anything ever separate us from Christ’s love? Does it mean he no longer loves us if we have trouble or calamity, or are persecuted, or hungry, or destitute, or in danger, or threatened with death? (As the Scriptures say, “For your sake we are killed every day; we are being slaughtered like sheep.”) No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us. – Romans 8:35-37 NLT

Notice that Paul quotes Psalm 44:22. He turns the psalmist’s lament into a statement of praise. Rather than blame God for any suffering we may have to endure, Paul suggests we see it as an opportunity to praise Him for His goodness and grace. He has a plan for us, and He can use every aspect of our lives on this earth to glorify Himself — even through tragedy, heartache, and suffering. That is why Paul told the Corinthians believers to view their present suffering as an opportunity to see God work.

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.

We are pressed on every side by troubles, but we are not crushed. We are perplexed, but not driven to despair. We are hunted down, but never abandoned by God. We get knocked down, but we are not destroyed. Through suffering, our bodies continue to share in the death of Jesus so that the life of Jesus may also be seen in our bodies. – 2 Corinthians 4:7-10 NLT

Father, it’s so easy to let the circumstances of life become the barometer by which I measure Your faithfulness and love. When things are going well in my life, I tend to view You positively. But if one thing goes wrong, I rant and rail about Your apparent disinterest and seeming distance from my life. I judge Your love based on the physical conditions of my life. But You are always loving, faithful, and quick to reveal Yourself — even in the darkest moments of my life. Give me the ability to see You clearly even when life doesn’t make sense. Your plan is perfect and Your love for me is unwavering. I know I can trust You, but sometimes life causes me to doubt. Keep me focused on Your faithfulness so I won’t let the seeming failures of life distract and defeat 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.

The Goodness of God

/ kdmiller55 / Leave a comment

Of David, when he changed his behavior before Abimelech, so that he drove him out, and he went away.

1 I will bless the LORD at all times;
    his praise shall continually be in my mouth.
2 My soul makes its boast in the LORD;
    let the humble hear and be glad.
3 Oh, magnify the LORD with me,
    and let us exalt his name together!

4 I sought the LORD, and he answered me
    and delivered me from all my fears.
5 Those who look to him are radiant,
    and their faces shall never be ashamed.
6 This poor man cried, and the LORD heard him
    and saved him out of all his troubles.
7 The angel of the LORD encamps
    around those who fear him, and delivers them.

8 Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good!
    Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him!
9 Oh, fear the LORD, you his saints,
    for those who fear him have no lack!
10 The young lions suffer want and hunger;
    but those who seek the LORD lack no good thing.

11 Come, O children, listen to me;
    I will teach you the fear of the LORD.
12 What man is there who desires life
    and loves many days, that he may see good?
13 Keep your tongue from evil
    and your lips from speaking deceit.
14 Turn away from evil and do good;
    seek peace and pursue it.

15 The eyes of the LORD are toward the righteous
    and his ears toward their cry.
16 The face of the LORD is against those who do evil,
    to cut off the memory of them from the earth.
17 When the righteous cry for help, the LORD hears
    and delivers them out of all their troubles.
18 The LORD is near to the brokenhearted
    and saves the crushed in spirit.

19 Many are the afflictions of the righteous,
    but the LORD delivers him out of them all.
20 He keeps all his bones;
    not one of them is broken.
21 Affliction will slay the wicked,
    and those who hate the righteous will be condemned.
22 The LORD redeems the life of his servants;
    none of those who take refuge in him will be condemned. – Psalm 34:1-22 ESV

The goodness of God. We read about it, hear sermons about it, and are encouraged to believe in it. But the truth is, sometimes doubts about God’s goodness set in when trouble shows up. We may find it easy to sing, “God is so good,” but in times of trouble, we question the validity of that statement. We wonder whether God will come through for us. We waffle and waver in our belief that God has our best interest at heart, and then we try to take care of the problem on our own.

David had moments like this, and Psalm 34 was written after such an experience. He found himself at odds with King Saul. Things were so bad that the king had tried to kill David with his own hands. Then, when the king’s own son, Jonathan, questioned his actions, Saul tried to kill him as well. So, David was forced to run from Saul and go into hiding. This was a difficult time because he had to leave everything he knew and loved behind. Doubt and confusion plagued David as he considered his unexpected circumstances. He had been anointed by Samuel the prophet to be the next king of Israel, and God had given him a great victory over Goliath, the Philistine warrior. In recognition of his defeat of Goliath, Saul made him a member of his court, where David gained a reputation as a mighty warrior. He even married the king’s daughter and became best friends with his son. Now, he was running for his life. None of this must have made sense to David. He must have questioned the goodness of God.

In his fear and panic, David sought refuge from Saul in the city of Gath, the hometown of Goliath, the Philistine he had killed with his sling and a stone. It’s unclear what David was thinking when he made this less-than-ideal decision, but it reveals the depth of his despair and fear of Saul. The Book of 1 Samuel provides the details behind David’s arrival in the Philistine stronghold.

So David escaped from Saul and went to King Achish of Gath. But the officers of Achish were unhappy about his being there. “Isn’t this David, the king of the land?” they asked. “Isn’t he the one the people honor with dances, singing,

‘Saul has killed his thousands,
    and David his ten thousands’?”

David heard these comments and was very afraid of what King Achish of Gath might do to him. So he pretended to be insane, scratching on doors and drooling down his beard.

Finally, King Achish said to his men, “Must you bring me a madman? We already have enough of them around here! Why should I let someone like this be my guest?” – 1 Samuel 21:10-15 NLT

David knew he was in trouble, so to save himself, he devised the idea of feigning insanity. His ploy was effective because the king of Gath allowed David to leave unharmed. David ended up hiding in a cave in the wilderness, where he was joined by his family and other disenchanted and disenfranchised individuals who were chaffing under the reign of King Saul. It was sometime during this period of David’s life that he penned Psalm 34.

At this challenging moment of his life, David exhibited doubts about the goodness of God. He allowed his circumstances to influence his belief in God’s inherent goodness and unfailing love. Even though he had been chosen by God and anointed as Saul’s successor, David had a hard time comprehending any good coming out of all that was happening to him. He could not see the hand of God behind the difficulties he was experiencing. So he panicked and came up with his own plan. But David would learn that God is good – all the time.

It is only through our experiences that we truly discover the goodness of God. As a result of his experience in Gath, David would discover that “The righteous person faces many troubles, but the LORD comes to the rescue each time” (Psalm 34:19 NLT). This wasn’t pious-sounding rhetoric but the words of a man who had experienced the truth of this statement in his own life. This difficult situation proved to be life-changing and faith-building, leaving David a changed man with a dramatically altered outlook on God’s goodness.

I will praise the LORD at all times.
    I will constantly speak his praises. – Psalm 34:4 NLT

In my desperation I prayed, and the LORD listened;
    he saved me from all my troubles. – Psalm 34:6 NLT

Taste and see that the LORD is good.
    Oh, the joys of those who take refuge in him! – Psalm 34:8 NLT

The LORD hears his people when they call to him for help.
    He rescues them from all their troubles. – Psalm 34:17 NLT

Those are the words of a man who has discovered the truth about God’s goodness. He is not speculating or trying to convince himself that God might show up; he has seen the goodness and greatness of God in real time and can’t help but sing about it.

I will praise the Lord at all times.
    I will constantly speak his praises.
I will boast only in the Lord;
    let all who are helpless take heart.
Come, let us tell of the Lord’s greatness;
    let us exalt his name together. – Psalm 34:1-3 NLT

David would have plenty of times in his life when things would make no sense. There would be more than a few occasions when he found himself under attack, overwhelmed, out of his league, and down on his luck. But he would learn to trust God and endeavor to share this life-changing lesson with others.

Fear the LORD, you his godly people,
    for those who fear him will have all they need.
Even strong young lions sometimes go hungry,
    but those who trust in the LORD will lack no good thing. – Psalm 34:9-10 NLT

David’s fateful trip to Gath had threatened his life, but it also ended up strengthening his reliance upon God. His unwise decision put him in a dangerous predicament, but it also gave God a chance to prove His goodness and power to provide for His own.

David was learning to rely on God’s goodness. No matter what he encountered along the way, he knew God would hear his cries for help and rescue him out of trouble. God would meet all his needs regardless of what was happening to him. This assurance in God’s goodness led David to write:

The righteous person faces many troubles,
    but the LORD comes to the rescue each time.
For the LORD protects the bones of the righteous;
    not one of them is broken! – Psalm 34:19-20 NLT

Through life’s experiences, David learned the reality and reliability of God’s goodness.

Father, You are good. You have never shown Yourself to be otherwise in my life. There have been plenty of times when I have doubted it and, like David, I have come up with my own solution to my problems. But my plans always prove to be a bad substitute for Your goodness. Continue to teach me to trust You regardless of what I see happening around me or to me. Troubles are going to come, but so is help, because You are good. 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.

The Testing of Our Faith

/ kdmiller55 / Leave a comment

17 By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises was in the act of offering up his only son, 18 of whom it was said, “Through Isaac shall your offspring be named.” 19 He considered that God was able even to raise him from the dead, from which, figuratively speaking, he did receive him back. – Hebrews 11:17-19 ESV

This story deserves a second look. There are four little words that should raise a certain amount of suspicion and create a bit of confusion in our minds – “when he was tested.” The account of this story found in Genesis says, “After these things God tested Abraham” (Genesis 22:1 ESV). But why did God test Abraham? The Hebrew word for “tested” is nacah and it can mean “to test, try, prove, tempt, assay, put to the proof or test” (Hebrew Lexicon :: H5254 (KJV). Blue Letter Bible). Again, why would a good God test Abraham? We might also ask why an omniscient, all-knowing God would need to test Abraham. What was the purpose of the test? Was it to prove, test, or try Abraham’s faith? Wouldn’t an omniscient God have known what the outcome of such a test would be? Didn’t he already have a ram ready to serve as a substitute offering in place of Isaac? Was God really waiting to see what Abraham would do?

On further examination, it would appear that God was testing Abraham, not for His own enlightenment, but for Abraham’s. God already knew the outcome. The psalmist would have us remember that God is all-knowing.

O Lord, you have examined my heart and know everything about me. You know when I sit down or stand up. You know my thoughts even when I’m far away. You see me when I travel and when I rest at home. You know everything I do. You know what I am going to say even before I say it, Lord. – Psalm 139:1-4 NLT

God did not need to know what Abraham would do. But Abraham needed to know what God would do in response to his obedience – even in the face of an impossible, illogical request. The test was for Abraham.

There is another story that speaks of God’s testing. It is found in the book of Exodus. It took place early in the story, immediately after the Israelites’ deliverance from
Egypt and God’s miraculous parting of the Red Sea.

Then Moses made Israel set out from the Red Sea, and they went into the wilderness of Shur. They went three days in the wilderness and found no water. When they came to Marah, they could not drink the water of Marah because it was bitter; therefore it was named Marah. And the people grumbled against Moses, saying, “What shall we drink?” And he cried to the Lord, and the Lord showed him a log, and he threw it into the water, and the water became sweet. There the Lord made for them a statute and a rule, and there he tested them… – Exodus 15:22-25 ESV

In recording this event, Moses used the same Hebrew word, nacah. God tested them. But notice the difference between the two stories. In this case, the people of Israel, who had just witnessed God’s divine deliverance, arrive at Marah and immediately begin to complain about the lack of water. Remember, they had seen God send ten plagues upon the people of Egypt. They had seen Him destroy Pharaoh’s army in the Red Sea. But when they found themselves in the wilderness without water, they grumbled and complained, saying, “What shall we drink?”

They didn’t even take their problem directly to God, the one who had delivered them. Instead, they went to Moses, and he delivered their complaint to God. Despite their complaining, God took care of their need and provided them with sweet water. There he tested them. But again, who was the test for? Did God not know how they were going to react? Was He not fully aware of their hearts and completely unsurprised by their reaction? Wasn’t He the one who led them right to that spot, fully knowing that there was no water? The answer to all three questions is “Yes.” God knew. So, this test was for them.

After God miraculously provided them with drinkable water, He said to them, “If you will diligently listen to the voice of the Lord your God, and do that which is right in his eyes, and give ear to his commandments and keep all his statutes, I will put none of the diseases on you that I put on the Egyptians, for I am the Lord, your healer” (Exodus 15:26 ESV).

God wanted them to know that He could be trusted. He wanted them to know that He was all-powerful. He was testing their knowledge of Him and their faith in Him – for their benefit. The lack of water at Meribah revealed to them that they didn’t know or trust God. It revealed their lack of faith. When they had stood on the banks of the Red Sea with the army of Pharaoh bearing down on them, Moses had told them, “Fear not, stand firm, and see the salvation of the Lord, which he will work for you today” (Exodus 14:13 ESV). And God had delivered them. But as soon as they faced their first problem, they doubted God. They failed the test.

But Abraham passed his test – with flying colors. God was not surprised. He knew Abraham would be obedient. He even had a ram caught in a thicket to serve as the stand-in for Isaac. But that day Abraham learned a great deal about himself and about His God. His faith grew. His hope in God’s promises increased. His conviction deepened that those things promised by God, though as yet unseen and unfulfilled, would actually happen. God was good for His word.

The test was for Abraham’s benefit, not God’s. He learned what true obedience to God looks and feels like. In a way, Abraham was testing the faithfulness of God, counting on Him to come through. He even told his son, Isaac, “God will provide for himself the lamb for a burnt offering, my son” (Genesis 22:8 ESV). He was putting all his faith in God, counting on Him to spare his son or even raise him back to life should he have to follow through with God’s command and take his life.

God was not testing Abraham in order to see what he would do. The test was so that Abraham could see what God would do. The result of the whole affair was that Abraham’s faith in God increased. The apostle Peter gives us an insight into the tests we face in this life.

So be truly glad. There is wonderful joy ahead, even though you have to endure many trials for a little while. These trials will show that your faith is genuine. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold—though your faith is far more precious than mere gold. So when your faith remains strong through many trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world. – 1 Peter 1:6-7 NLT

Like Abraham, our faith will be tested at times. We will find ourselves facing situations and circumstances that will reveal whether our “faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen” (Hebrews 11:1 ESV). Will we allow the lack of water to cause us to complain? When God leads us to do something we find unreasonable or uncomfortable, will we balk at His request and refuse, or will we obey? God knows exactly what we will do. He is never surprised. But the question is whether we know what God will do, and are we willing to trust Him with the outcome? Paul gives us a word of encouragement.

For our present troubles are small and won’t last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever! – 2 Corinthians 4:17 NLT

This present life is filled with troubles, trials, and tests that take us by surprise and catch us off-guard. We don’t see them coming and their sudden appearance in our lives presents us with a test of our faith. They are not so much tests to determine what we will do as much as they are opportunities to examine our trust in God. What will He do? How is He going to respond to our trials and difficulties? Abraham passed his test not because he picked up the knife to take the life of his own son, but because he believed God would somehow fulfill all the promises He had made, even if Isaac died in the process.

God had assured Abraham, “Through Isaac shall your offspring be named” (Hebrews 11:9 ESV). That promise was good enough for Abraham. God had said it and Abraham believed it. And nothing, including the potential death of Isaac, was going to keep God from doing what He had promised to do. 

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001

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.

False Help and Hope.

/ kdmiller55 / Leave a comment

1 In the year that the commander in chief, who was sent by Sargon the king of Assyria, came to Ashdod and fought against it and captured it— 2 at that time the Lord spoke by Isaiah the son of Amoz, saying, “Go, and loose the sackcloth from your waist and take off your sandals from your feet,” and he did so, walking naked and barefoot.

3 Then the Lord said, “As my servant Isaiah has walked naked and barefoot for three years as a sign and a portent against Egypt and Cush, 4 so shall the king of Assyria lead away the Egyptian captives and the Cushite exiles, both the young and the old, naked and barefoot, with buttocks uncovered, the nakedness of Egypt. 5 Then they shall be dismayed and ashamed because of Cush their hope and of Egypt their boast. 6 And the inhabitants of this coastland will say in that day, ‘Behold, this is what has happened to those in whom we hoped and to whom we fled for help to be delivered from the king of Assyria! And we, how shall we escape?’” – Isaiah 20:1-6 ESV

Map-of-Assyrian-Expansion.jpgAs has already been stated, this whole section of the book of Isaiah is designed to expose the futility of Judah placing their hope in other nations. Faced with formidable foes threatening to destroy them, the people of Judah were quick to turn to other nations for assistance. Their first line of defense was to make an alliance with a pagan nation like Egypt or Cush.  They had even considered aligning themselves with the Assyrians. But God wanted them to know that He alone was to be their source of safety and security. They had long ago abandoned Him, turning to the false gods of the nations around them and even when faced with His divine judgment in the form of foreign invaders, they remained obstinate, refusing to repent and turn to Him. They thought they could evade and escape His punishment by placing their fate in the hands of a foreign king.

And yet, they watched as, one by one, other nations and cities fell before the unrelenting power of the Assyrian army, including the city of Ashdod. Ashdod was the northern-most Philistine city, located only 35 miles to the west of Jerusalem and, in 713 BC, its king, Ahimiti, had decided to rebel against the the Assyrians, prompted by the promise of aid from the Egyptians. As a result of his rebellion, Ahimiti was replaced by the Assyrians. When the people of Ashdod continued to rebel, the King Sargon II turned the city into an Assyrian province. And the Egyptians never lifted a finger to help them. In fact, the people of Ashdod had pleaded for help from Judah, Moab and Edom, but none ever materialized.

At the time of the fall of Ashdod, God gave Isaiah a strange assignment. He told him to “Go, and loose the sackcloth from your waist and take off your sandals from your feet” (Isaiah 20:2 ESV). He was to remove his outer garment as well as his shoes and the text says, “he did so, walking naked and barefoot.” But before we jump to conclusions and assume that Isaiah was being forced by God to expose himself to all those around them, it is important to know that the Hebrews word translated as “naked” is`arowm and can refer to complete or partial nudity. In many cases it was used to refer to someone who had taken off their outer garment, only to reveal their tunic or undergarment. It seems unlikely that God would have required Isaiah to expose himself completely. But, in demanding that Isaiah strip down to his undergarments and walk the streets of Jerusalem, God would have been demonstrating the shame that Judah would soon experience. Isaiah’s condition would provide a visual demonstration of the humiliation and shame coming to all the nations on Judah’s list of potential allies. Like someone stripped of his possessions by thieves, Isaiah would be a walking reminder of the fate of Judah’s false saviors. And he would do this for three long years.

But Isaiah’s three-year-long dramatic display was intended to send a message to the people of Judah. God wanted them to know that their refusal to place their trust in Him would prove to be a poor decision.

“As my servant Isaiah has walked naked and barefoot for three years as a sign and a portent against Egypt and Cush, so shall the king of Assyria lead away the Egyptian captives and the Cushite exiles, both the young and the old, naked and barefoot, with buttocks uncovered, the nakedness of Egypt.” –  Isaiah 20:3-4 ESV

They Egyptians and Cushites would fall, just as the city of Ashdod did. Their people would be led away, their fine garments and sandals removed, looking more like slaves than the citizens of a once-powerful nation. While Isaiah’s dramatic performance was nothing more than theater in the round, what God describes as happening to the people of Egypt and Cush will be real and not an act.

And God reveals that it will be only then, as their two allies are led away as captives, that people of Judah “shall be dismayed and ashamed because of Cush their hope and of Egypt their boast” (Isaiah 20:5 ESV). It is going to take the fall of these two nations to bring the people of Judah to the point of brokenness. The two Hebrew words used to describe their emotional state at that time are chathath and buwsh, and they paint a picture of confusion, fear and loss of hope. They will have placed all their hope and trust in these two nations, believing that they would be the ones to protect them from their enemies. But their hopes will be dashed when their allies fall.

Isaiah is told to warn the people that when this prophecy takes place, it will leave them wondering what happened. It will leave them in a state of hopelessness and helplessness.

“Behold, this is what has happened to those in whom we hoped and to whom we fled for help to be delivered from the king of Assyria! And we, how shall we escape?” – Isaiah 20:6 ESV

And in 701 BC, God’s warning came to fruition. The Assyrians defeated Egypt at Eltekeh, leaving the people of Judah were left without help or hope. Or so they thought. But God was there. He always had been. And God was ready to help them, to provide them with hope in the midst of the darkness and despair surrounding them. But they would have to turn to Him. They would have to place their trust in Him. And later on in this same book, Isaiah describes the goodness and greatness of the God who stood ready to assist those who will call out to Him in their time of need.

He gives power to the faint,
    and to him who has no might he increases strength.
Even youths shall faint and be weary,
    and young men shall fall exhausted;
but they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength;
    they shall mount up with wings like eagles;
they shall run and not be weary;
    they shall walk and not faint. – Isaiah 40:29-31 ESV

God possesses power greater than that of any nation. And He offers that power to those who find themselves suffering from physical, emotional and spiritual weakness. But He requires that we wait on Him. That means we must allow Him to operate on His time schedule, not ours. We must not allow our impatience with His seeming delays to tempt us to turn to other forms of help. The key to enjoying the benefits of God’s strength is learning to trust His timing. Notice that those described in this passage are faint, lacking in strength, weary, and exhausted. They can’t take another step. They are on their last legs. In other words, they have come to an end of their own strength. And it is at that very moment, that we tend to start looking for outside sources of strength. But will we turn to God? Will we wait on Him? Will we place all our hope in His ability to provide the very help we need? God calls out to us as He did to the people of Judah.

“…fear not, for I am with you;
    be not dismayed, for I am your God;
I will strengthen you, I will help you,
    I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” – Isaiah 41:10 ESV

He is our help and our hope.

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

Light In the Darkness.

/ kdmiller55 / Leave a comment

Now Absalom and all the people, the men of Israel, came to Jerusalem, and Ahithophel with him. And when Hushai the Archite, David’s friend, came to Absalom, Hushai said to Absalom, “Long live the king! Long live the king!” And Absalom said to Hushai, “Is this your loyalty to your friend? Why did you not go with your friend?” And Hushai said to Absalom, “No, for whom the Lord and this people and all the men of Israel have chosen, his I will be, and with him I will remain. And again, whom should I serve? Should it not be his son? As I have served your father, so I will serve you.”

Then Absalom said to Ahithophel, “Give your counsel. What shall we do?” Ahithophel said to Absalom, “Go in to your father’s concubines, whom he has left to keep the house, and all Israel will hear that you have made yourself a stench to your father, and the hands of all who are with you will be strengthened.” So they pitched a tent for Absalom on the roof. And Absalom went in to his father’s concubines in the sight of all Israel. Now in those days the counsel that Ahithophel gave was as if one consulted the word of God; so was all the counsel of Ahithophel esteemed, both by David and by Absalom. – 2 Samuel 16:15-23 ESV

Absalom entered Jerusalem. His carefully and patiently planned coup had come off without a hitch. Without lifting a sword or shedding a drop of blood, Absalom had stolen his father’s throne and elevated himself to the highest position in the land. And yet, from God’s perspective, nothing had changed. David was still the anointed king of Israel. God had not chosen Absalom to replace David. But God was using Absalom to fulfill the words He had spoken against David for his sins of adultery and murder. The prophet, Nathan, had given David the bad news:

“This is what the Lord says: Because of what you have done, I will cause your own household to rebel against you. I will give your wives to another man before your very eyes, and he will go to bed with them in public view. You did it secretly, but I will make this happen to you openly in the sight of all Israel.” – 2 Samuel 12:11-12 NLT

And in keeping with His word, God saw to it that this was exactly what happened. Based on the counsel of Ahithophel, Absalom took the ten concubines who had been left behind by David to maintain the palace, and had sexual relations with them. This was intended to be an insult to David, showing that Absalom had not only taken David’s kingdom and palace, but everything that had once belonged to him. And this final slap in the face to David was done in public view so everyone would know exactly what was happening. A tent was erected on the roof of David’s former palace and the news was of what Absalom was doing was spread throughout the city. But it is essential that we recognize this all part of God’s will. He had warned David this very thing would happen. From that very same roof top, David had spied Bathsheba bathing and lusted after her. He had sent for her and slept with her. Then to cover his sin and the unexpected news that she was pregnant, he would have her husband executed. David’s sin had been done in secret. But God’s discipline of David would be for all to see.

Like so many other times in the Scriptures, God was using an enemy to teach His child a lesson. God was using an unexpected source as a means of discipline in the life of one of his children. And it would seem that the counsel Ahithophel provided to Absalom came directly from God Himself. God was using this former counselor of David, who had treacherously aided Absalom in his overthrow of the kingdom, to accomplish His divine will concerning David’s punishment. This was all part of God’s plan. At no point was God out of control or up in heaven shaking His head in surprise at all that was taking place. God was using these events to accomplish His will and He had more in store for Absalom than his surprising ascension to the throne. While, from a human perspective, all looked lost, God was in complete control of every single aspect of this entire affair. As demoralizing and humiliating as all of this was to David, God was at work. He was simply fulfilling what He had promised and accomplishing all that He had planned. What appeared to be an unmitigated disaster was actually part of God’s sovereign will.

There is an invaluable lesson in this chapter for each of us who claim to be children of God. When we encounter difficulties and trials in our lives, it is so easy for us to automatically assume that God is somehow out of control. We have somehow convinced ourselves that the presence of difficulties in our lives is a proof of the absence of God. When we see our enemies celebrating their victories over us, we jump to the conclusion that God doesn’t care. It would have been easy for David to assume that God was now with Absalom. After all, he had won the hearts of the people. And David could think of plenty of reasons why God would want to replace him as king. But David didn’t have access to the mind of God. He had no idea what God was doing behind the scenes. And one of the hardest things for the child of God to do is to trust God, regardless of what we see happening around us. From a human perspective, it all appeared as if Absalom’s plans had succeeded. But the Scriptures would have us remember that God’s plans trump those of men each and every time.

We can make our plans, but the LORD determines our steps. – Proverbs 16:9 NLT

You can make many plans, but the LORD’s purpose will prevail. – Proverbs 19:21 NLT

The LORD of Heaven’s Armies has spoken – who can change his plans? When his hand is raised, who can stop him? – Isaiah 14:27 NLT

Absalom believed his plan had succeeded. And it had. But only because God had a greater plan in store for all involved. While Absalom gloated over his victory from the throne in Jerusalem and David mourned over his fate somewhere along the banks of the Jordan, God was working His plan. He was orchestrating affairs in such a way that both men would be in for a surprise as to how this whole affair turned out. God had chosen David to be king, and nothing Absalom did was going to change that fact. He could take over David’s throne temporarily, but not permanently, and only because God had allowed it. David found himself defeated, dethroned, and demoralized, but God was not done yet. He was still God’s choice to be king. His son, Solomon, would be God’s handpicked successor, not Absalom. And while things looked bleak, God was in full control.

When our circumstances create uncertainty and leave us in a state of doubt and confusion, we are to look to God. He is always on His throne. His power is constant. His will is unavoidable. His plans are unstoppable. His love for us is inescapable. It was during this difficult time in David’s life that he penned the words of Psalm 3. They reflect his trust in God’s unfailing love for him – even in the darkest moments of life.

O Lord, I have so many enemies;
    so many are against me.
So many are saying,
    “God will never rescue him!” Interlude

But you, O Lord, are a shield around me;
    you are my glory, the one who holds my head high.
I cried out to the Lord,
    and he answered me from his holy mountain. Interlude

I lay down and slept,
    yet I woke up in safety,
    for the Lord was watching over me.
I am not afraid of ten thousand enemies
    who surround me on every side.

Arise, O Lord!
    Rescue me, my God!
Slap all my enemies in the face!
    Shatter the teeth of the wicked!
Victory comes from you, O Lord.
    May you bless your people. – Psalm 3

 

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

A Living Hope.

/ kdmiller55 / Leave a comment

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who by God’s power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. – 1 Peter 1:3-5 ESV

Peter was writing to a church that was facing persecution. He was trying to encourage them in their faith by reminding them of who they were in Christ. And it is interesting to note that the very first thing he emphasizes is their inheritance. As they were going through earthly trials, he attempts to redirect their attention to their heavenly hope. He calls it a “living hope” because it is unending and undying. It is unstoppable and, therefore, inevitable. And it is a hope based on the resurrection of Jesus Christ. He was once dead, but was raised to life again by the power of the Holy Spirit, and He now sits at the right hand of the Father in heaven. He is where we should long to be. He told the disciples that He was leaving, but that He would be returning for them one day. “Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also” (John 14:1-3 ESV).

Peter reminded his readers that their inheritance was “imperishable, undefiled, and unfading” and “kept in heaven” for them. It is for that hope we wait. It is for that future hope our bodies groan. Paul said it this way, “we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. For in this hope we were saved” (Romans 8:23-24 ESV). As we live in this world, it is very easy to forget about the world to come. Heaven can become an abstract, somewhat ethereal concept that is hard to imagine, let alone long for. We can tend to view it as some kind of nebulous reward that we will receive after death. But in the meantime, we live with our attention and our appetites firmly rooted in the here and now, and attempt to place all our hope in this life. But Peter would want us to remember that we are “exiles” here. This is not our home, no more than Babylon was the home of the Israelites for the 70 years they were captives there. Egypt was not the home of the descendants of Abraham, even though they had lived there for more than 400 years. God had promised Abraham that the land of Canaan would be their home. The Promised Land was to be their inheritance. And while they had to suffer and wait for the day God’s promise would be fulfilled. they were to keep their hope firmly focused on what God had promised. The author of Hebrews, in his great chapter on faith, reminds us of those Old Testament patriarchs who lived their lives with a future-focused faith, hoping in and waiting for the promise of God.

All these people died still believing what God had promised them. They did not receive what was promised, but they saw it all from a distance and welcomed it. They agreed that they were foreigners and nomads here on earth. Obviously people who say such things are looking forward to a country they can call their own. If they had longed for the country they came from, they could have gone back. But they were looking for a better place, a heavenly homeland. That is why God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them. – Hebrews 11:13-16 NLT

They were looking for a better place, a heavenly homeland. There were expecting more. But if we are not careful, we can become like the Israelites who, after being set free from bondage in Egypt and making their way to the promised land, began to look back. At the first sign of trouble, they started longing for Egypt. When the journey got rough, they found themselves viewing a return to slavery preferable to enduring hardship on the way to that which God had promised. When we lose sight of heaven, we make earth our hope. When we take our eyes off the prize, we tend to seek rewards that are temporal in nature, rather than eternal. We settle for less. Unwilling to suffer in this life while we wait for what God has in store, we seek to find our satisfaction and contentment in this life. But Paul had a different outlook. He said,  “For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us” (Romans 8:18 ESV).  He was heavenly-minded and it gave him a much more healthy perspective on his earthly life.

God has something incredible in store for us. The problem is that we can’t see it. It’s invisible to our eyes. We don’t know exactly what heaven looks like. We can’t make out what our experience there will be like. So we tend to focus on what we know and what we can see. We begin placing all our hope in this life, demanding from God that He give us our inheritance NOW. We want heaven on earth. But again, Paul would have us consider that hope is not hope if it is based on what we can already see. “Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience” (Romans 8:24-25 ESV). Heaven is invisible to us. It it outside our range of view and beyond our faculties of comprehension. Yet Peter tells us that God is guarding and protecting us in this life so that we might enjoy that which we can’t see – “a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.” Our salvation has an ending, a completion point. It culminates in heaven. We have been born again to a living hope – the hope of eternal life.  

2 Corinthians 1:1-11

/ kdmiller55 / Leave a comment

Learning to Lean.

2 Corinthians 1:1-11

We were crushed and overwhelmed beyond our ability to endure, and we thought we would never live through it. In fact, we expected to die. But as a result, we stopped relying on ourselves and learned to rely only on God, who raises the dead. – 2 Corinthians 1:8-9 NLT

Going through difficulties is, well, difficult at times. No one enjoys trials and troubles, in spite of James’ admonition to “consider it all joy…when you encounter various trials” (James 1:2 NLT). Trials can be trying. Difficulties are difficult. Suffering can be insufferably hard. Unless we share Paul’s perspective on the subject. And there are few people who understood suffering as well as he did. In this follow-up letter to the Corinthian believers, Paul provided them with a primer on how to handle suffering, and he spoke from first-hand experience. He wrote of the trouble he had encountered somewhere in Asia during one of his missionary journeys. He didn’t provide any details, but simply said that it was a life-threatening experience. He and his traveling companions fully expected to die. So whatever it was, it was bad. Paul wrote that they were “crushed and overwhelmed beyond our ability to endure” (2 Corinthians 1:8b NLT). And yet, the result of this overwhelmingly difficult circumstance was positive. Paul learned to give up and look up. His strength and self-confidence at an all-time low, Paul understood just how much he needed God to see him through the trial. He learned to rely on God, instead of himself. One of the fascinating things about trials is that they can reveal to us just how lousy we are at being god. Through trials, we discover our weaknesses, fears, ignorance, inadequacies, and vulnerabilities. We are no match for life. And yet, small personal victories over trials and troubles along the way can lull us into a false sense of confidence and cockiness. We can begin to believe that we are our own savior. We can deliver ourselves from any and every difficulty – with a little ingenuity, creativity and determination.

But Paul knew better. He had encountered a trial that was beyond his personal capacity to endure. And it drove him to his knees and into the arms of God. “We placed our confidence in him,” Paul wrote. And guess what? “And he did rescue us from mortal danger, and he will rescue us again” (2 Corinthians 1:10a NLT). Paul gave up, looked up, and God showed up. He delivered. He rescued. And Paul learned an invaluable lesson: That God who rescued once, will do it again. He learned to trust God, because God is trustworthy. And that wasn’t just some academic understanding, gleaned from a book sermon, or seminar. Paul had learned it first-hand and up close and personal. Paul’s God wasn’t some ethereal, disembodied deity who lived in some invisible realm and watched over His subjects with disinterest and disdain. He was transcendent, but He was also eminent. God was involved in the lives of His people. He got His hands dirty. He saw what was going on. He heard the prayers of His people. And He did something about it. And Paul had learned to rely on God. He had learned to place his confidence in God.

But there was one other thing Paul had learned and attempted to pass on to the Corinthians. Paul had experienced the comfort of God in the midst of trials. God doesn’t always deliver. At least not on our terms or according to our time table. A big part of trusting God is being willing to let Him do what He knows to be best for us, regardless of whether we particularly like it or not. It’s interesting that Paul had to endure difficulties that practically crushed and overwhelmed him. From his perspective, his difficulties were bad enough to make him believe he was going to die. And yet, God was in the midst of it all. And while it was going on, God was not distant or disinterested. He was providing comfort. The Greek word Paul uses for comfort is parakaleo, and it means to “come alongside, to console, to encourage and strengthen.” God had been there. He had provided them with encouragement, exhortation and comfort – even in the midst of all the difficulties. Sometimes we fail to see God in the middle of our messes. He is there, speaking to us, encouraging us, teaching us – but we are so busy staring at our difficulty or scheming how to get out of it, that we fail to see or hear God.

And Paul had learned one more valuable lesson about trials. Not only does God comfort us in the midst of our trials, He expects us to pass on that comfort to others. One of the most beneficial things about enduring the difficulties of life is that we get the opportunity to come alongside others in their times of trouble, comforting them just as God did us. We can share our intimate knowledge of God’s love, compassion and mercy. We can encourage them to trust in the midst of trials, because we have learned to rely on God. We have seen Him prove Himself faithful in our own lives. So we can speak from experience and “come alongside” those in need and encourage them to wait on the Lord. We can become a source of comfort to them. God never wastes our suffering. He uses it to reveal our weaknesses, expose our pride, dismantle our self-reliance, and increase our faith. He shows up when things are looking down. He comes alongside right when we think He is nowhere to be found. He provides comfort and strength to endure. And He rescues right when He knows it’s time. All so we will learn to place our confidence in Him.

Father, the trials of life are real and regular. They come without warning and, sometimes, in waves. And the tendency is to miss You in the midst of them. Open my eyes so that I can see You in my trials. Help me to hear Your words of comfort and encouragement. Patiently pry my hands off the rudder of my life, so that I will allow You to direct my path and set my course. Forgive me for my self-reliance and stubborn self-sufficiency. I want to rely on You more and me less. I want to experience Your comfort and pass it along to all those You bring into my life who need it. I want to place my confidence in You – at all times and in every circumstance. Amen.

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

Proverbs 18b

/ kdmiller55 / Leave a comment

 

Where To Run.

“The name of the Lord is a strong fortress; the godly run to him and are safe.” – Proverbs 18:10 NLT

Think about it. Where do you run when things get tough? Who do you turn to when facing difficult circumstances? In what or who do you put your trust or place your hope? Solomon says that the godly run to the Lord and are kept safe. But if we’re honest, most of us have a long list of other options we consider before we go to God. We have our money, friends, family members, the government, and our own resourcefulness to bail us out in time of need. But again, Solomon reminds us that “the name of the Lord is a strong fortress” (Proverbs 18:10 NLT). Isn’t it interesting that he refers to the name of the Lord. That is a common expression in the Old Testament and it speaks of God’s reputation or fame. It refers to those things He has done that have established who He is. It is another way of expressing His character. God has made a name for Himself. He has a solid reputation. He is known by His actions. And in this context, God has proven Himself to be a safe place to turn to for protection. He is faithful, powerful, gracious, consistent, and never fails in providing the protection we need and seek.

God’s reputation is impeccable and totally reliable. So the godly “run to him.” They don’t casually walk or stroll to God, they run. There is a sense of urgency and immediacy to this statement. There is no hesitation. He isn’t a second or third option or a last resort. God is the first choice of the godly person. It reminds me of the response of my children when they were young and found themselves scared or in trouble. They would make a bee-line to dear old dad. No hesitation. No reservations. When in trouble or fearful, dad’s arms were where they wanted to be. And the same thing should be true of us as believers. We should want to run to God, whole-heartedly, unashamedly, unwaveringly – because He has proven Himself trustworthy time and time again.

But as our kids grow older, they grow less willing to turn to dad when scared or in trouble. They have been trained to be self-sufficient. They learn to develop other options and plans for maintaining their safety. They develop other resources to keep them safe and secure. Dad becomes less necessary, and the thought of jumping into his arms for safety becomes slightly embarrassing. And we do the same thing with God. Over time, before we even know it, we have moved God way down the list in terms of where we turn in times of trouble. We even do our best to develop plans to stay out of trouble so we don’t have to turn to God in the first place. It’s interesting that the very next verse in Proverbs 18 says, “The rich think of their wealth as a strong defense; they imagine it to be a high wall of safety” (Proverbs 18:11 NLT). Plenty of people try to create their own safety net for life, and in our society, financial stability is seen as a high priority. Think of all the commercials you see that deal with money, savings, retirement planning and financial security. Money has become the new Messiah. It is the answer to all of life’s problems, in spite of its lousy reputation for actually being able to deliver any real security or safety. There’s nothing wrong with money, saving, planning, or preparing for the future financially. But when all is said and done, there is only one reliable place to turn for protection: The name of the Lord. His reputation is spotless.

Father, Your name or reputation is impeccable. You are completely trustworthy. You aren’t just LIKE a strong fortress, You truly ARE one. You have proven Yourself to be a secure choice in the midst of life’s difficulties time and time again. But I still look elsewhere so often. Forgive me. Help me understand that You are always the safest, most secure place to turn in times of trouble. Amen.

Ken Miller

Grow Pastor & Minister to Men
kenm@christchapelbc.org

 

Psalm 143 – Day 2

/ kdmiller55 / Leave a comment

A Prayer For Direction, Not Just Deliverance.
(Based on Psalm 143)

Hear my prayer, O Lord,
Listen attentively to my cries for help!
Answer because of Your faithfulness and righteousness.
Whatever You do, don’t pass judgment on me,
Because there’s not a man alive who could pass that test.
I am calling to You because my enemies constantly pursue me,
The grind my life into the ground, forcing me to live in the dark like a dead man.
As a result, my spirit is weak within me, my heart is barren and lonely.
But I can recall the past, and I think about all those things You have done;
I reflect on all the things You have done with Your hands.
So I reach out to You, my soul thirsts for You, like dry land longs for rain.
Please answer me quickly, O Lord, because my spirit is fading fast,
Don’t turn Your back on me or I am as good as dead.
Let me tell others about Your unfailing love when I wake up in the morning,
Because I trust in You.
Show me the way in which You want me to live my life,
Because I am bearing my soul to You.
Rescue me from my enemies O Lord,
I run to You for protection.
Teach me to do what pleases You, because You are my God;
By Your good Spirit, lead me to a place marked by righteousness.
For the sake of Your reputation, revive me!
For the sake of Your righteousness, deliver my soul out of trouble.
And for the sake of Your unfailing love, destroy my enemies,
Put an end to all those who harass my soul,
Because I am Your servant.