Even Before I Knew

 In the early morning darkness, I watched as she walked down the steps and to the street where the school bus was waiting.  As it disappeared around the corner, it occurred to me that we hadn't prayed.  In the 45 minutes since the alarm clock went off, we had hurriedly dressed, combed her hair, breakfasted, and checked her backpack for homework.  But in that span of time we had never stopped to thank God for rest or ask his help and direction for the day. 

I quickly offered a prayer for protection for Hannah and then I realize, God has been here all along; his holy angels are ever watching and guarding his little ones.  Once again, I am awed by how wonderful our God is.  He is faithful, even when I am not.  He never forgets me.  He is never too busy or distracted to care for me.  He was thinking of me while I slept.  Each morning he wakes the sun and pushed the darkness away just for me.  He gives me all I need for life, and he does it faithfully every morning.

"Know therefore that the Lord thy God, he is God, the faithful God, which keepeth covenant and mercy with them that love him and keep his commandments to a thousand generations."  Deuteronomy 7:9


Rest assured, God is way ahead of us.  He planned for this moment long before I even knew him.  He knows exactly what I need even before I ask.  He is ever working in my behalf to teach me, to lead me, to care for me, and to prepare me for the things that lie ahead. 

"But God commended his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us."  Romans 5:8

Comforting, isn't it?  Even before I knew I needed a savior, he provided one!

God Speaks Through Trials

Trials!  Ugh....don't you just hate that word!  Nobody in their right mind wants to have trials.  Our trials slow us down, cause us pain and sadness, and frustrate us to no end.  No one is immune either; they are common to us all.  Trials are the stuff-of-life; our path is laden on every side with setbacks and struggles and suffering. 

For years, I have not wanted to admit that suffering is part of the Christian experience.  I would skip over the Bible verses about trials, sweep them under the rug, so to speak.  I believed that my faith in Christ would somehow shield me from suffering, and there is some truth to this idea, because Jesus suffered for us, taking our place when he died on the cross for our sins.  So, there is great comfort in the fact that Christ has paid the just penalty for my sins and I am no longer charged as guilty of those  sins.

A good place to go to find out more about the topic of suffering is the Bible, of course.  One major theme of the book of 1Peter is the willingness of Christians to suffer for Christ's sake.  So, it is there that we will look to find some answers to the problem of suffering.  Here we find that Christ suffered for our sake, to bring us to God (1Peter 3:18).  We learn that Christ's suffering was an example for us to follow (1Peter 2:21) and the trial of our faith is more precious than gold (1Peter1:7).

We can be certain then, that we will have trials.  Experience has proven that I was not exempt from suffering even though my life was hidden in Christ.  Like everyone else, I have had my share of trials and problems to deal with.  These trials and problems were the very "things" that have shaped my life.   "Things" I encountered, like financial woes caused by debt and over-spending, "things" like difficulty in relationships caused by divorce and estrangement and unforgivness, and "things" like the heartbreak of caring for a child with a disability.

Suffering is inevitable because we live in a fallen world.  When Adam and Eve disobeyed God, they died as a result of that one act and today we still live under the curse of that one act.  We are born in sin and unless we accept God's salvation through Christ, we will die in sin and be eternally separated from God.

Let's look again at 1Peter 4:12-19; here we find some answers as to why we suffer and how we are to respond to trials whenever they come our way.  We are instructed in verse 12 to think it not strange; to understand that it is normal, something to be expected.  We will encounter persecution and opposition because we have an enemy of our souls and we are engaged in a war between the forces of good and evil.  Our response to suffering, we see in verse 13, is to rejoice because  Christ is glorified in us when we suffer.  This is a reminder to us that even though we live in this world; this world is not our home.  We are to live for the world to come.  We are to invest in the kingdom of heaven.  And we are to lay down our lives for the sake of others.     Finally, in verse 19 we see that our response to trials is to commit the keeping of our souls to him in well-doing.  This is where our faith takes over; we believe that God is in control, that he knows where we are and what we are going through, and he will bring us through it.


Most everyone who has suffered will admit that now, looking back on that time, they can see that God was at work in their life.  God speaks to us through trials; it is at these difficult times that God has our full attention.  We are brought to the end of ourself and we realize that we need his help.  We grow stronger in our faith as we endure,and in time, like gold that is tried by fire, we too are purified and strengthened by the fire of suffering.  The key is to endure; to remain true to Christ, to keep-on, keeping-on.  God is speaking through trials.....but, are we listening?

A SERVANT LEADER

Servant and leader are not two words that we would put together to describe someone.  Usually, we think of someone being either one or the other.  Either they are a leader or they are a servant.  A leader is one who is highest in rank or authority, an important, influential person.  A servant, on the other hand, is subject to an owner or master and is made to do tedious and sometimes menial work.  Which of these words would best describe you?  Are you a leader or are you a servant?

We don't have to look far in scripture to see that when God calls an individual to be a leader, he also is calling that person to serve.  The best leader is one who is subject to his owner, (God) and one who is willing to sacrifice his own desires to serve the needs of others.  Jesus is an prime example of a servant leader.  In Hebrews 10:9a he said, "Lo I come to do thy will, O God."  He was subject to the Father when he prayed in the garden, "O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt." (Matthew 26:39)  He taught this principle to his disciples, as seen in Mark 9:35, "If any man desire to be first (a leader), the same shall be last of all, and servant of all."

While reading 1Samuel I discovered another servant leader. Samuel served Israel as both prophet and priest for many years and was respected as a great leader.  In chapter 12 we read Samuel's words  as he is about to retire.  As, I looked closely at these verses, what I found was a picture of what a servant leader looks like. 

1. He showed them how to live by his example.  (Verse 3)
2. He reminded them of the righteous acts of God in the past.  (Verse 7)
3. He instructed them in the truth.  (Verse 14 & 15)
4. He interceded for the people.  (Verse 19)
5. He advised the people which direction to take.  (Verse 20)
6. He reassured the people that God loved them.  (Verse 22)      
7. He taught them the good and right way.  (Verse 23)       

We can all learn from Samuel's example of what a servant leader looks like.  It would do us good to evaluate our own leadership roles, whether it's in our homes, our workplace, our church, our community, or our world.  We need leaders who will live exemplary lives, who will speak the truth and teach what is good and right.  We need leaders who will intercede for those God has  placed in their care.   And remember that Jesus said he that would be first, must be the servant of all.

Give Thanks to the Lord; for He is Good

Each morning in my prayer time I have been thinking of one of God's attributes and praising him for it.  I just choose a word that describes God and use it as a tool to worship Him.  For example, God is Sovereign, God is Holy, God is Just, God is Trustworthy.  As I meditate on what that characteristic means, I think of ways that God exemplifies that quality.  It has been a good tool to help me in my daily devotions to know him better and to love him more.

One word that describes God is the word Good.  God is Good.  Goodness is his nature.  Every thing that God does is good.  All of his works are good.  He made the heavens and the earth and all that is in them, "And God saw every thing that he had made, and behold, it was very good".  (Genesis 1:31)  Not only are the works of creation good, but he shows us his goodness everyday by his provision and care. 

Somehow, I think good is one of those words we use so often we don't attribute it to God.  We use the term loosely in our greeting, "Have a good day".  We say "This pizza is good."  But, when we say, "God is Good", we mean so much more.  God's goodness is entire, flawless, perfect, unblemished, whole, able, authentic, exemplary, benevolent, moral, righteous, and upright. 

Think about it, because God is Good.

Psalm 106:1a  "Praise ye the Lord.  O give thanks unto the Lord; for he is good."

Blessed are the poor....

I have been reading Angela's Ashes: a memoir, by Frank McCourt who paints a vivid picture of the impoverished lifestyle endured by Irish immigrants who came to America looking for a better life.  They suffered disease and malnutrition, they went without shoes, and lived in unspeakable housing conditions.  The book is a real eye-opener, making one wonder at just how much the human soul can bear because of poverty and misfortune.  Thinking of my own childhood, in comparison, I realize that I was not so poor as the McCourts from Limerick, Ireland.  And even though we had no indoor plumbing in our house, and no central air or heat, we never went hungry and we always had enough clothes to keep us warm.  Lack of proper medical care and poor health and nutrition took the lives of three of the McCourt children.  Ignorance and lack of education are also associated with poverty.  With all the negatives that are associated with being poor, could there be any advantage to being poor or does poverty only have negative effects?

What does God's Word have to say about being poor?  God has compassion for the poor, we read in Psalm 140:12, "I know that the Lord will maintain the cause of the afflicted, and justice for the poor,"  and he expects us to do the same.  See Exodus 22:21-27.  There is no shame in being poor.  In fact, Jesus himself was poor.  His parents were poor; they offered a sacrifice of two turtledoves or two young pigeons, rather than a lamb, when they dedicated their new infant to the Lord.  When Jesus called his disciples to follow him in Luke 9:58 he warned them that, "Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man has nowhere to lay his head."  Discipleship comes at a great cost; those who would follow Christ have to forsake all.  He goes on to say in Matthew 19:24 that, "it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God."

From these verses we can gather that being poor does have its advantages and maybe poverty is a blessing.  Riches can be a hindrance that keeps us from following Christ; as with the young man in Matthew who asked what he could do to inherit eternal life.  Jesus requires that we give up everything.  If our hearts are entangled with wealth and possessions and things, then our hearts do not belong to him; and we are spoiled and think only of ourselves.  But Jesus said in Matthew 5:3, those who are poor in spirit are blessed, for theirs is the kingdom of God. The poor in spirit are the submissive ones, the ones with humble hearts.  And a humble heart is a heart that will listen and obey; a humble heart is a heart that Christ can use for his glory.  On the other hand, a heart that is filled with pride and self is still holding tightly to the things of this world.

I thank God that I was born into 'poor' circumstances, and because I was poor, my heart was humble.  I have been blessed through out my life and it has been to my advantage that I grew up in a modest, simple home.  I had fewer temptations and less things to ensnare my heart.  From my childhood beginnings to the end of my journey, it is his grace that covers me and keeps me and will bring me safely to my eternal home. 

Omniscient

Omniscient is one of those fancy, theological words that people seldom use and many do not understand.  If it is so difficult to understand, then why even bother to bring it up?  My reason - to challenge you to consider the attributes of God.  For, to know God  is our highest calling, our chief goal in life.

A.W. Tozer, in his book, The Knowledge of the Holy, gives meaning to the word omniscient, "To say that God is omniscient is to say that he possesses perfect knowledge and therefore, has no need to learn.  But it is more; it is to say that God has never learned and cannot learn."

We can add, that nothing escapes his attention.  He is mindful of everything; everything concerning me, everything concerning his kingdom, and yes, everything concerning the world.  He knows all things.  Nothing is hidden from his watchful eye.  My mind is limited.  I only know what I see, what I hear, or what I experience.  God can see in the darkness; he knows the private thoughts of every person.  He is not limited by time, as we are, but sees the past and the future as well as the present.  His word tells us that he knows the number of hairs on my head.  For that matter, he knows my heart rate, my blood pressure, my cholesterol count, you name it, he knows it. God has intimate knowledge of me.  He knows what I will do even before I know I have a choice.

Oh the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God!  How unsearchable are his judgements, and his ways past finding out!  Romans 11:33