Christian hope

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Ban the teaspoons!

Is there anything that fills you? Yes, I know. We talk about being filled with love for someone. Filled with compassion. Filled with anger. But are we speaking perhaps more of floodings than fillings? A span of time when the feeling or motivation floods through us but later ebbs? Even food fills us physically only for a time.

Can we say there is anything that truly fills us?

Our women’s Bible study is looking at Scriptures on joy. Jesus said He intends to fill us with His joy. Fill. Not just a wave of joy here and there, an hour or so of God-bequeathed happiness once a week, a drop or two on a cloudy day. No, He wants to fill us with joy.

Someone in the Bible study group suggested that there are buckets and barrels of joy available. “But,” another woman pointed out, “we just go to God with little teaspoons.”

God says He will supply and bestow overwhelming abundance, buckets and barrels of gifts and mercies and grace, but we arrive at His throne with just a teaspoon in hand.

I propose that we ban all teaspoons from the Kingdom.

When God tells us what He has for His children, he uses words with meanings of enormous and unlimited proportions. Here’s a sampling. Many of these passages we can rattle off by memory, but do we understand the extravagance, completeness, and perfection they detail? Try hard to grasp the beyond-measurement of the words I’ve bolded in these familiar phrases.

… that your joy may be complete

hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace … so that you may overflow with hope …

the God who gives life to the dead

The earth is filled with your love, O Lord

to know this love that surpasses knowledge

the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds

he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion

Grace and peace be yours in abundance

with God all things are possible

him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine

rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit whom he poured out on us generously

this all-surpassing power is from God

out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power

His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness

He is able to save completely those who come to God through him

the hope of eternal life, which God, who does not lie, promised before the beginning of time

ask God, who gives generously to all

Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow.

as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.

And this is what he promised us — even eternal life.

he who promised is faithful

And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches

I am come that they may have life, and have it to the full

God’s abundant provision of grace … brings life for all men

How priceless is your unfailing love!

They feast on the abundance of your house.

the Lord’s unfailing love surrounds the man who trusts in him

his incomparably great power for us who believe

How our lives would be changed if we understood the depth and breadth of these statements!

God apparently does not deal in drops or smidges or smatterings or pinches or trickles or dabs or teaspoons. Not even in buckets and barrels. He pours and fills; He promises and is faithful and completes.

God’s vocabulary of abundance saturates Scripture. What if we start looking for the hugeness of His promises, start thinking in His dimensions … start believing and living in God proportions?

That’s impossible, of course. As long as we dwell in these human tents, we can never fully understand the reservoirs of God. But we can ask the Spirit for a glimpse … and then we can begin to believe-live.

Let us go to Him with more than teaspoons.

　

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Scriptures taken from: John 15:11; Romans 5:5; Romans 15:13; Romans 4:17; Psalm 119:64; Ephesians 3:19; Philippians 4:7; Philippians 1:6; 1 Peter 1:2; Matthew 19:26; Ephesians 3:20; Titus 3:5-6; 2 Corinthians 4:7; Ephesians 3:16; 2 Peter 1:3; Hebrews 7:25; Titus 1:2; James 1:5; Isaiah 1:18; Psalm 103:12; 1 John 2:25; Hebrews 10:23; Philippians 4:19; John 10:10; Romans 5:17-18; from Psalm 36:5-10; Psalm 32:10; Ephesians 1:19 (All NIV)

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“A message to those in the battle”

I am disappointed. I have not yet figured out how to upload music here. So if I want to share a song with you, it loses some power because there is no music.

But these words are powerful and inspiring. And when I get the uploading gizmo conquered, then I’ll give you the whole package.

Here are the words to “He is Our Song,” written and sung by Tina Luce.

You have been wounded by those who have said that they loved you,
You have wept in the night when you thought there was no one to hear,
And your heart has been pierced by the thorns of doubt and betrayal,
And the call that you heard once before doesn’t seem so clear.
You have suffered the loss of loved ones and family,
You have witnessed to hearts on fire and to hearts that were stone.
You have heard the cry of the needy and those weak in spirit,
You have traveled the path of the one who is always alone.

But I’m here to tell you that your Lord and mine
Has a message for those in the battle,
That if we are weak we must cling to the Vine
And trust in the Lord who is faithful.

He is our friend when all others have failed us,
He is our strength when the road is too long.
He gently leads us beside the still waters.
And when all we can offer is silence,
He is our song.

Jesus was wounded by those who said that they loved Him,
And He wept all alone in a garden where no one could hear,
And His heart has been pierced by the thorns of doubt and betrayal,
As He watched those He loved deny Him and then disappear. 
Jesus suffered the loss of loved ones and family,
And He set many hearts on fire but some remained stone.
He answered the cry of the needy and those weak in spirit,
He traveled the path of the one who was always alone.

But He bore the sin of the whole human race
And on Calvary He suffered and died.
It was there on a cross that He died in place
So in Him I’ll forever abide.

He is our friend when all others have failed us,
He is our strength when the road is too long.
He gently leads us beside the still waters.
And when all we can offer is silence,
He is our song.

With permission from Tina Luce. http://www.eyesoffaith.com/

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Patience and Endurance

Today, Grandson and I plant on barren ground. Scattering seeds, leaving them to soak up sun and water, we hope for a sea of wildflowers next summer.

And I am reminded that I am an impatient person.

Chances are, these wildflowers will not be at the height of their glory for two or even three years. IF they germinate and take root. IF they are not choked out by other grasses and weeds. IF the mix of sunlight and shade is right. When it comes right down to it, I have no idea if I will ever see one blossom from these seeds.

But we scattered, hoping.

This morning, it was only wildflowers. But throughout my days, I plant many other seeds. I’m beginning to realize what an impatient person I am. I would prefer to see results now. I want guarantees. I grow weary of sowing, when I see nothing sprouting.

Do you grow tired of planting in hope on barren ground? Do not give up! The Scriptures encourage us.

We all know the admonishment, “Do not be weary in well-doing….” But sometimes, we do grow weary. Sometimes, we do want to give it up. Sometimes, we think all we do is in vain.

So how do we hang in there?

Willpower will not keep us in the race. Willpower is too easily convinced to quit. The only thing that keeps us hanging in there is hanging onto the Vine.

Patience is one of the fruits of the Spirit. He gives us the power to endure, even though we do grow weary, even though we might sometimes want to call a halt to the sowing.

Christ promises that His Spirit brings us the power to endure. I suspect that most of us have experienced only a tiny speck of the power and endurance that the Spirit can produce within us.

And — the strange thing that we know but that our human nature resists — it is only in the battle, in weakness, in struggle, that we learn to cling to the Vine, who builds our endurance and makes us strong.

I guess that’s why James tells us to Consider it pure joy, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. (James 1:2)

But when you cannot see the joy, when you grope in darkness for encouragement, when it seems you have nothing left within you to continue to plant hopeful seeds, then cling to the Vine.

The Father says,

Don’t be afraid, for I am with you.
Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you and help you.
I will hold you up with my victorious right hand.
             (Isaiah 41:10 NLT)

When we hold onto the Vine, the Vine holds us. And He promises victory!

We pray also that you will be strengthened with all his glorious power so you will have all the endurance and patience you need. May you be filled with joy, always thanking the Father. He has enabled you to share in the inheritance that belongs to his people, who live in the light.   (Colossians 1:11-12)

May His power give us patience and endurance, fill us with joy, and enable us to live in our inheritance as His children.

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Psalm 40: In the Pit, Remember

Because I am a writer, part of my job is to study the craft, sharpen my skills, practice, practice, practice. Someone once suggested that Psalm 40 is “the writer’s psalm”, a passage to combat writer’s block, fatigue, burnout, fear of failure, discouragement, lack of courage—everything that writers face in their writing lives.

I’d suggest that it’s also the mother’s psalm, the retiree’s psalm, the factory worker’s psalm, the administrator’s psalm, the bookkeeper’s psalm, the social worker’s psalm, the student’s psalm, the truck driver’s psalm …

David writes for all of us whose hearts are set on pilgrimage. He was, like us, one who trusted in God, who believed and received God’s unfailing love and faithfulness. He was also one who sometimes landed in the mud at the bottom of the pit of despair.

Jeremiah 38 tells the story about the prophet who is doing exactly what God tells him to do, yet he is thrown into a cistern and left to die, because those who don’t like what he’s saying want to silence him. At the bottom of the pit, Jeremiah sinks into mud and will soon starve, unless rescue comes quickly.

And sometimes we’re thrown into the pit and we start sinking into the mud of despair, the mire of discouragement, the muck of … what? Fatigue? Low self-esteem? Guilt? Loneliness? Worry? Temptations? Fill in that last word yourself. What is it that drags you down, holds you captive, and keeps you from walking on solid ground and singing new songs?

I waited patiently for the LORD to help me,
    and he turned to me and heard my cry.

He lifted me out of the pit of despair,
    out of the mud and the mire.
He set my feet on solid ground
    and steadied me as I walked along.

He has given me a new song to sing,
    a hymn of praise to our God.
Many will see what he has done and be amazed.
    They will put their trust in the LORD.

Although the writer puts this in the past tense, not all of the muck and mud and mire is behind him. If you read the entire chapter, you’ll see him crying for help yet again. Rescue me! I’ve lost courage! I can’t find my way out!

It’s as though he begins writing to remind himself of what God has done in the past, remembering that God can — and will — pull him out of the pit.

A lesson for us. A lesson for me. God has pulled me out of the mud so many times when I could not free myself, when I could see no escape, when all I could do was cry, “Help! I’m sinking!”  I’m guessing He has rescued you, too. He hears our cries. His love for us is never forgetful or absent.

Not only does He pull us out, He sets our feet on solid ground, steadies us as we go onward, and gifts us with a new song of praise. Out of our times in the pit come new strengths and new thankfulness.

These three verses remind me to remember. Remember what my Lord has done in my life. When I’m in the mud at the bottom of the pit, I must remember. Cry for help and rescue, yes. But do not lose heart, because I know that He hears, He rescues. And then He strengthens and renews!

He brings good things from our hard places, not only for us, but also for others. Many will be amazed. Many will know that only the LORD could have done this. Many will put their trust in Him, too.

I hope when people look at my life they know that only God could do what has been done, what is being done. I do know this—when you share with me stories of your hard times and rescues, you encourage me, my faith is strengthened, I am reminded —

If God is for us, who can be against us ?

Scripture: Psalm 40:1-3 (NLT); Romans 8:31 (NIV)

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The Might of Higher Communings

One more statement to add to the list of swallowings: My human desires swallowed up by His divine nature.

 

By his divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life. We have received all of this by coming to know him, the one who called us to himself by means of his marvelous glory and excellence. And because of his glory and excellence, he has given us great and precious promises. These are the promises that enable you to share his divine nature and escape the world’s corruption caused by human desires.
2 Peter 1:3-4 (NLT)

 

Read the first statement in that passage again, and try to answer this question honestly:  Do I believe that?

On the days when you feel overwhelmed, on the days when all that is mortal within you rises up and shows its ugly face, on the days that living a godly life seems like a hopeless ideal … can you still believe that God makes available to you everything you need to live a godly life?

Even more radical, can you believe that your nature can change, that you can share God’s divine nature? Wow. Sounds extreme, doesn’t it? Spirit, help our unbelief!

Tucked between those two statements is the secret of “how” this happens. We have received all of this by coming to know him, and by acting on the promises He has made us.

In Diary of an Old Soul, George MacDonald writes:

And he who thinks, in his great plenitude,
To right himself, and set his spirit free,
Without the might of higher communings,
Is foolish also…..

How we long to have our spirits set free. On those days when discouragement, defeat, black moods, temper, selfishness, bitterness, unforgiveness, and a host of other mortal powers threaten to shipwreck our lives — how our spirits cry to be free of those things!

We struggle to right ourselves. But we’re very much like the disciples of Jesus, tossed about in a little boat in the middle of a stormy lake. We know we can’t save ourselves. All we can do is cry “Master, Master! We’re going to drown!” 　

Only the Master calms the waves. Only the Spirit of God can cleanse us. Only the “might of higher communings” sets us free.

Isn’t it wonderful that Peter is the one who writes this to us? Peter, the disciple who walked on water, and then sank. Peter, the one who declared Jesus was the Son of God, and then deserted Him when He was arrested. Peter, who surely knew just as many ups and downs in his faith walk as we do, but whose life was changed by the power of the Holy Spirit.  Now Peter knows his death is near, and he encourages us, tells us that God gives us everything we need to live godly lives.

We receive what we need by coming to know God and by acting on His promises to us. 　

Psalm 25:15,20

My eyes are ever on the LORD,
for only he will release my feet from the snare.
Guard my life and rescue me;
let me not be put to shame,
for I take refuge in you.

Only the LORD releases us from the snare, from the mortal. He rescues us, guards our lives, holds us in His hands, gives us everything we need to live His life. 

Our mortal is swallowed up by his divine nature. Amazing.

This is the hope to which you’re called today, child of God.