All things are possible, not promised

Yesterday we were visiting a church in SoCal and during the service sang a song that included the lyric, "nothing is impossible" for Jesus. The Bible does tell us this. My favorite is in the Abraham story where Abe doubts the possibility of a son at his and Sarah's age (and they should have because they were ancients by that time!). God's responds, "Is anything too hard for God?"

But we, in our desire to have things go our way, put more into this statement than is there. While all things may be possible, all things are not promised. God's people suffer and die just like everyone else; and, in cases of martyrdom, cruelly for the sake of the gospel. I know for a fact that in most cases of suffering within the family of God, many are praying for God to intervene in a miraculous, or at least a providential, way. Many, and I might be so bold to say...most, times he does not.

This confronts us with a difficult tension. Though God loves us (very clear in scripture) and can do all things (also quite clear), his love and ability does not guarantee a fix for everything, like often we think it should. The Father even said "no" to the Son in the garden before his crucifixion.

There are deeper story lines than our surface ones. Though we want to believe that all things revolved around us, they actually revolve around God. Then there is the mystery that is free will. Not sure we will ever figure that one out. God controls it all but we have choice and can rebel. In the end he brings about redemption anyway, somehow bringing glory to himself in spite of...or even through...our rebellion. Wow.

Where are we left? In the middle of the need for faith. The following poem expresses it well.

Do you trust me?
Do you believe that I love you?
Do you trust me?
Do you believe that in all things
I'm bringing about what is best for you?
Do you trust me?
Do you trust me?

If Jesus showed up...

We find ourselves today in the middle of Advent. In many contemporary churches this tradition has become antiquated and forgotten. In some it has been recast with more current terminology. Some mainline and retro churches still celebrate it now as in years ago. For those who may not know, Advent is a season in the church calendar, the four Sundays leading up to Christmas day with the final celebration on Christmas Eve, in which we are challenged to prepare our hearts for Christ’s coming.

Though the history of this celebration is of interest, it is not my focus here. Here and now I am wondering, “What if he did come today?” Not in glory, as we anticipate in the last days, but, what if Jesus came in a way similar to his coming 2000+ years ago? What if the real God showed up??

There would skeptics, of course, and I would be among them. How often have I chuckled at stories of sightings of the Virgin Mary, or a certain saint, or of an angel. Besides, if he did come, I am sure someone in church leadership would know. We have scripture. We have spent centuries studying, watching and wondering.

My dear friends, the real God did show up and the studied scholars were completely taken off guard. They had scripture. They had studied it for centuries and, for generations, had been waiting, watching and wondering. Would we react so differently than they? I hope we would, but I have my doubts about myself.

The song I am linking to here, Real God, was not originally written as an Advent song but it certainly relates to the thoughts above and may serve to help us in our preparation for Christmas. I trust that you will have a great season of celebration and thanksgiving for the Greatest Gift.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/y36bsgeojm54ly8/01%20Real%20God.m4a

So, where was Jesus?

Where was Jesus? Once again we ask the question; once again, no easy answers. It seems that, in this last year, we have been pushed to this place too many times. There will never be an answer to “why?” that will relieve us from throwing ourselves at Jesus feet in faith.

Jesus is present, though, if we are to take him at his word. He is present in his people who are responding to this tragedy with his love and compassion. It seems that in the greatest times of potential doubt, God’s people respond in his stead, with his care, as his voice, hands and feet. May it be true of all of us. We don’t have to understand the “why” question to act as God would want us to.

This morning my mind went to a biblical story that helped me. It is the story from Daniel about the response of three young men from Judah to tragedy and the threat of death. This is the story of Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah…who we know better by their Babylonian names, Shadrack, Meshach and Abednego. These three, along with others including Daniel, were taken captive from the southern kingdom of Israel by Nebuchadnezzar. I am sure from reading the accounts of Jeremiah and other prophets that the experience was horrific, not unlike what occurred on Friday at Sandy Hook Elementary. Though God had warned this people of the impending disaster I am sure they, too, were asking where God was and why he had abandoned them. Not all of his people were rebellious but they were punished right along with those who were.

Fast forward to Nebuchadnezzar’s idea of a gold statue of himself to which all people in the kingdom would bow. Shad, Shack and Abe decided to respectfully refuse to bow. This is what they said to the king in Dan. 3:17-18 (NIV). “If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to deliver us from it, and he will deliver us^[c] from Your Majesty’s hand. ¹⁸ But even if he does not, we want you to know, Your Majesty, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up.”

“But even if he does not…” Those three knew that there was a chance that God would not save them. That was his decision; but, whether he chose to save or not, they wanted the king to know that they would still obey their God instead of him. So, Nebuchadnezzar heats up the furnace and throws them in. To everyone’s surprise, a fourth was with them in the flames. We don’t know who the fourth was, exactly. The king calls the extra being an angel. Maybe it was the pre-incarnate Jesus himself.

Herein lays the comfort for me. God does not always save; but, in this story we see that he is present with his people in the hottest of fires. Jesus put it this way, recorded in John 16:33 (Jeff’s paraphrase), “I have told you these things so that you will have peace because, while you are in this world, you will have troubling times; but, take courage because I have the victory over the world.” Not much later, as he is leaving them, he tells them that he will always be with them (Matt 28:20).

Lord, have mercy on me and help me to trust you even when I don't have a clue of what you are doing. Help me to understand that, for some things, the answers lie only in you and that is okay.

A Thanksgiving thought and Christmas music

If I were to write the text for a Thanksgiving card it might go something like this:

This season may find us

Far apart; but,

In Faith, Hope and Love

We're one...at heart

 

And for that

We are truly thankful!

 

Happy Thanksgiving!!

We hope that you and your family enjoyed a great celebration of thankfulness this last week! Maybe you got some Christmas shopping done too! We braved the crowds one day, but generally enjoyed time together with family here in Colorado.

As you may remember, some years ago, some friends and I published a Christmas choral piece with Mark Foster Music. Stanton, a sheet music source, posted a recording of the song. You can find it at this link

http://listeninglab.stantons.com/title/comfort-and-joy/326648/?s=1

May it bring a smile to your face and heart as you enter the Advent season.

Glorify God

Yesterday our pastor led us in a time of special prayer for those who have been suffering with illness in our church family. It was a special, but difficult, time. Many are hurting. Some possibly facing death, if God does not intervene.

As I sat there, my first thought was, "Am I ready?" If I found out today that I had a terminal form of cancer and had a short time to live, could I be at peace? I think, though it would certainly be a very emotional and difficult time, I could be. My greatest concern, of course, would be for my family.

My second thought was on how God gets glory in our lives. You know that this is a subject I spend a lot of time complaining about to God. I hope that, in his grace, he sees me in the same light as King David as David spends a lot of time complaining to God in the Psalms when things are not going well.

If God is truly our GOD, then our main priority is to gain glory for him. Our needs, and most certainly, wants, take a distant place in value to that one goal. I am certain that most of us go about our lives with bringing glory to God as a major part of what we do. However, we are hoping for the "both/and" version; God gets glory AND we live a comfortable, enjoyable, successful life. I am sure that this happens for some; but, I am also sure God doesn't always go with the "both/and" plan.

Hence, he doesn't always save. He doesn't always heal. He allows his people to suffer; to be martyred; to be abused. Truly horrible things happen to his people, much of which we are blind to here in the United States. We must trust that in all of this, God brings himself glory and will ultimately fulfill his promise to bring about the best for those who love him and are called according to his purpose. Such is the fragility of our faith.

Why would we continue to trust? This morning in chapel one of our missionary kids, Ian Smith, shared the answer. We trust because we, and others in the Family, have experienced God's faithfulness, kindness, mercy and love. We hold those things in our collective stories as monuments to God's active work in and through us.

I had a part in writing a song committing ourselves to God's glory above all else. You can hear it at
https://docs.google.com/open?id=0B974RmAHjuPSTm8xNmktUFZLcms

Honestly, this is a hope for every day...that I would have the attitude shared in these lyrics. But, you know, though hope springs eternal most days I find myself grasping for it. Lord, have mercy on me!