Say to those with fearful hearts, “Be strong, and do not fear for your God is coming to destroy your enemies. He is coming to save you.”Isaiah 35:4
Peace Through Strength
A simple three-word statement can mean so many different things to so many different people. I was in high school and then college when President Ronald Reagan served his two terms as President of the United States. During this same period of time my political ideals began to mature and form. I was squarely aligned with conservative political principles and beliefs. I was what was known as a “Reagan Youth.”
Peace through strength was a common plank in the foundation of conservative beliefs. The political and strategic approach in those days was to build up superior defenses, troop numbers and weapons capabilities that created a deterrent for any foreign enemy considering a challenge. This led to the arms race and the escalation of tensions between the two most powerful and wealthy super-powers of the day. Our strength was determined by holding a tight grip on the sure demise of the enemy.
Those were the days of the Cold War. The U.S., under Reagan’s strong conservative stance was clearly and ideologically opposed to the Red Communist Russia– the “evil empire”. Mikhail Gorbachev was the leader of the Soviet party and the target of Reagan’s famous words while standing at the Berlin Wall – “Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall.” President Reagan, understanding the opportunity at hand, called into focus his years of theatrical training and vocation, captured the world’s attention and started what would begin the eventual decline and crumbling of the Russian empire and it’s stranglehold on the Eastern bloc.
But the Lord is faithful; he will strengthen you and guard you from the evil one.2 Thessalonians 3:3
While many of my political beliefs, alignments and passions are similar today as they were 35 years ago, my perspectives have changed. Peace through strength has a different meaning to me now.
Peace doesn’t hold the same overarching meaning of “World Peace” and lack of foreign wars. Peace has become more personal and internal. The Hebrew word for peace is shalom and includes the notions of completeness, wholeness, fulfillment, harmony and well-being.
That type of peace is not of my making but is delivered from the strength of God’s powerful promises and proven acts of salvation.
My peace through strength today comes from the foundational strength I know from promises that have already been delivered in my life from Jesus. My peace occurs because I know that regardless of what happened yesterday, what occurred today and what unknowns will occur tomorrow I am forgiven, protected and preserved for all time. My grip is not focused on keeping others who oppose me away. My hands are both firmly attached to the vine who guides, leads and sustains me.
“Come now, let us settle the matter,” says the Lord. “Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool. 19 If you are willing and obedient, you will eat the good things of the land; 20 but if you resist and rebel, you will be devoured by the sword.” For the mouth of the Lord has spoken.
Isaiah 1:18-20
Sometimes I feel like I’m in a bit of a tug-o-war with God. He’s trying to get me over that line and I keep resisting – pulling back to my way of doing things. Like a two-year old saying, “I can do it myself,” I resist the pull of God because I think I know better.
Have you ever been in a tug-o-war and the other side decides to completely let go? Your side is pulling so hard you all tumble to the ground. Even though the other side knows they’ll lose they think it’s hilarious to see the results. It’s a dirty trick. Thankfully God promises to never let go of His end. His grace and forgiveness keep me upright even when I pull on that opposite end with all my might.
When I am weak and give in to my earthly ways God gives me grace and forgiveness. I want to resist and rebel. He works in so many ways to pull me back toward Him.
But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore, I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.
2 Corinthians 12:9
The context of that verse is Paul writing to the people of Corinth and sharing a constant pain he endured. He pleaded with God three times to remove the thorn in his side (we don’t know exactly what the thorn was). And God replied that His grace is sufficient. How many times have we complained, maybe just today alone, to God to remove something from our lives? That’s not to say that He won’t. But He reminds us that sometimes we must be weak to truly rely on Him.
Sometimes God does meet the need by substitution (ie health instead of sickness); but other times He meets the need by transformation. He gives us His grace so that the affliction works for us and not against us.
Warren Wiersbe, The Bible Commentary, New Testament
At times when we pray for God to remove something awful in our lives and He doesn’t perform the way we expect, we then enter into that tug-o-war game. Pulling into our own ways of “fixing things” ourselves, complaining, or even turning our backs on God by letting go of our end of the rope. We give in to our idols, our wants and needs.
We should remember the saying that God, through grace, gives us what we do not deserve, and in His mercy, He does not give us what we do deserve. So, when situations do not turn out as we have directed God, we need to pray to God to help us see what He wants us to see. To help us understand what He wants us to understand.
God does not require us to understand His will, just obey it, even if it seems unreasonable. Life Principle # 5
Dr. Charles Stanley, 30 Life Principles
When we allow God to pull us back toward Him, He showers us with His mercy and forgiveness. He cleanses our crimson souls to be white as snow. And another covenant agreement is balanced at both ends of the rope.
“Turn to me and be saved,
all you ends of the earth;
for I am God, and there is no other.
By myself I have sworn,
my mouth has uttered in all integrity
a word that will not be revoked:
Before me every knee will bow;
by me every tongue will swear.
They will say of me, ‘In the Lord alone
are deliverance and strength.’”
All who have raged against him
will come to him and be put to shame.
Isaiah 45:22-24
On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him.
Matthew 2:11
Glory to God the King! I praise you, God, and bow down to you in thankfulness for your covenant with us! Your promise to deliver us, through your son Jesus, is the great gift for all mankind.
It has really hit home to me this year about the idols so many of us rely on for strength and deliverance. We cling to our routines. We put our trust in government officials. We place our joy in dining out, going to the movies, gathering with friends. Our peace rests in financial security. And God comes and reminds us that no idol can bring us any of these. He is God and there is no other.
In a God-like way it’s perfect that we can see a light at the end of this pandemic as vaccines begin rolling out and we celebrate the birth of His son. God is the savior of Babylon – for those who believe. And yet so many, even Christians, fail to truly grab a hold of this truth.
I was talking with my BSGs the other day about the “spirit of Christmas” and how many rely on an outside source to descend upon them for this feeling. My own parents sit alone in their home without any sign of Christmas to be seen. I asked my mother the other day why that was. And her response was, “We just don’t have any Christmas spirit this year.” Now granted, they aren’t Christians either. They are just two of millions across the globe who have chosen not to bow down and accept God as the Almighty. One of the BSGs describes her brother’s family in much the same way. They wait to be lifted by the outside world. They wait to feel joy in the material. They wait to find peace in routine.
It made me realize how, once I accepted Jesus as our deliverer, I no longer need idols to feel “saved.” I no longer need idols to experience the joy of Christmas. My “spirit of Christmas” comes from above and within and I’ve been holding on tightly to that gift.
We are such comfort-seeking souls! I think of a soldier at war during Christmas. Laying in a foxhole or cave in a foreign land. There’s no twinkly lights or Christmas tree laden with gifts. There’s no Christmas ham and glazed carrots. There’s just cold, and the distant sounds of gunfire. And yet, the Christmas spirit still is there – in the small pocket Bible or the verses kept close to his heart.
This Christmas is not unusual in that there is strife in the world. This Christmas is not unusual that many are in dire financial need. This Christmas is the same as it was on that day that Christ was born – He has come to be our deliverer. That’s all the Christmas spirit I need.
Listen diligently to me, and eat
what is good, and delight yourselves
in rich food. Incline your ear,
and come to me;hear, that your soul
may live;and I will make with
you an everlasting covenant,
Isaiah 55:2-3
Jesus said to them, “I am the
bread of life; whoever comes to
me shall not hunger, and whoever
believes in me shall never thirst.
John 6:35
As so many of us prepare to enjoy delicious Christmas meals and beautifully wrapped gifts it’s easy to overlook that most of what we call “Christmas” isn’t necessary. Stripped down, Christmas is about one thing – God’s promise to deliver us the greatest gift, His son Jesus.
This year our “Christmas” seems a bit different. We are missing family and friends. But the promise I wanted to share with you is this, he always provides for us. Even in times that seem bare, He provides. In fact, the opportunity to truly appreciate what we do have is when situations seem the most difficult. It’s lessons like that which Jesus passed along to us through His bloodline.
He will provide in the most God-like ways – a stranger lends a hand, a paycheck bonus comes at the right time, an offer of food from a neighbor when you need it most. And the covenant agreement we need to uphold and hold on to is to trust in that promise.
I pray every day that what I write in this blog is what someone, even just one person, needs to hear from God. And the other day I was thinking about which Isaiah verse to use for Christmas. That day, my friend Betsy shared a story written by her sister for her local church. As she read it, all I kept hearing was “He provides.” I asked if I could share her beautiful family story here. Betsy’s family bloodline has passed down some amazing lessons. I hope you enjoy it!
A Privileged Life Growing Up By Rachel Mueller
I’m the oldest daughter of an Episcopal priest. I found growing up totally immersed in the culture of the Episcopal Church something very special.
This photo was taken July 2, 1953 for the Glendale California News Press announcing that my father was to be the new rector of St. Luke’s of the Mountains, La Crescenta, California and it introduced our family to the community. One of five and the oldest, you will see me pictured to the right of my father and holding my favorite Madam Alexander doll. My younger two brothers and two sisters completed our family – yes, five children in six years, something my mother said raised eyebrows at our new church! We lived in the large rectory, which was next door to the church and suited our big family perfectly. Apparently while constructing this new house, there was some opposition on the vestry to its size. And supposedly the previous Rector said, “Well, who knows? The next Rector might have five children.” Perhaps the Search Committee went looking for a priest with five children to justify their new building.
Living next door to the church, we were very much aware of all the church activities on a daily basis. There was always something, be it the regular church services, a wedding, funeral or special events. My father believed his family was an extension of him, so we were taught to answer the telephone properly; in my case “St. Luke’s Rectory, Rachel speaking” and to take messages in detail and often answer questions such as the times of the church services, or dates of meetings. In a way our parents used us as extra employees — we gave out keys, opened doors, passed the cookies at vestry meetings, set up the tables and chairs for parish events, washed the coffee cups after church on Sunday, went with our father to visit people in the hospital, took food to orphanages, helped relocate refugees (first the Dutch Indonesians, then Cubans, and later Vietnamese), and helped load real sheep into our station wagon for the live Nativity outside the front of the church at Christmas. Anything going on at the church was dinner table conversation, including who was sick and in the hospital, or just died, or had a baby. The doorbell rang morning, noon and night with someone wanting something, or wondering “Where’s Fr. Sadler?” It was a constant in our life. The parish got to know us, and we quickly learned the names of all the parishioners.
In contrast to many clergy today, our father always wore a black shirt (not grey, or blue or some other color) and his clerical collar. I don’t remember ever seeing him not wearing this “uniform” until years after he retired. Even on his day off he was dressed in “the collar”. He was very active in our community which made him well known, which in turn brought great benefits to our family. He was usually the clergyman on stage at our school graduations, there to give the invocation or benediction, which made me very proud. Everywhere we went folks would stop him to say hello and show us special kindness. We were often invited to parishioners’ home to swim on hot afternoons. We were treated to Disneyland when it first opened. There were always special gifts of food and goodies at holidays – items that weren’t part of our regular family fare.
The most important lesson I learned from my father was “God will provide.” So many wonderful things happened to us, I thought we were very wealthy. It wasn’t until I went away to college that I learned what salary my father actually made. I couldn’t believe it. On paper we were poor. But our lives were rich and much more interesting than those of my friends. For example, we might suddenly have some homeless folks at the dinner table. My mother would just say “Rachel, please set the table for three more.” We often would never see those people again but the memory and lesson of hospitality remain.
I could fill a book with stories of wonderful things that happened to us as a result of living in a family grounded in love, trusting that “God will provide” and accepting life as it comes; but enough for now.
And he said to his disciples,
“Therefore I tell you, do not
be anxious about your life, what
you will eat, nor about your body,
what you will put on. For life is
more than food, and the body more
than clothing. Consider the ravens:
they neither sow nor reap, they
have neither storehouse nor barn,
and yet God feeds them. Of how much
more value are you than the birds!
Luke 12:22-24
Do not fear, for I have redeemed you;
I have summoned you by name; you are mine.
When you pass through the waters,
I will be with you;
and when you pass through the rivers,
they will not sweep over you.
When you walk through the fire,
you will not be burned;
the flames will not set you ablaze.Isaiah 43:1-3
Around the holidays we inevitably start seeing helpful news stories on how to deal with our families at social gatherings. How to handle the uncle who drinks too much. What topics not to bring up around your opposite political leaning parents. And yet we still attend these family events. Why? Because they are our family and we still love them. It’s amazing what we will put up with when it comes to family.
That idea of “blood being thicker than water” keeps us closely tethered to our loved ones. It reminds me of those pre-school ropes with little fabric rings the children hold on to so they don’t wander off and get lost. The teacher admonishes the children to grab hold of their ring tightly so the little family stays together. And if Jimmy gets distracted and starts to head in a different direction, the group pulls him back in.
Now imagine God as our head of household. He provided the roof over your head, the food for the feast and the gifts about to be received. He created that uncle, your parents, and even that really weird cousin. And He calls you His child. He calls us to grab hold of our place on His family rope so we don’t get lost.
There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.Galatians 3:28-29
We drink too much. We gossip. We steal. We withhold forgiveness and mercy. We look to the world for guidance. We work so hard to let go of God’s tether and yet He sticks with us. He still shows up. He never leaves us. We are his. He is Immanuel — God is with us.
I was reading a prayer by Charles Spurgeon called “The Presence of the Word.” He describes God’s Holy Word as always being with us. The divine teachings through the Bible are at our fingertips, on our mind and at the ready whenever we need Him.
“Oh, let it (Your Word) be in us a living seed that will produce in us a life acceptable before God…..Lord, we ask that your Word may chasten us whenever we go astray. May it enlighten us whenever for a moment we get into darkness.”
Charles Spurgeon
If we make the mistake that the Bible was written long ago and has little or no connection to our life, we have attempted to untethered ourselves from God. He is always with us through His living Word. The Bible is meant for us right now — to be His constant voice and sense of being part of His family.
My son, keep your father’s command
and do not forsake your mother’s teaching.
Bind them always on your heart;
fasten them around your neck.
When you walk, they will guide you;
when you sleep, they will watch over you;
when you awake, they will speak to you.
For this command is a lamp,
this teaching is a light,
and correction and instruction
are the way to life.
Proverbs 6:20-23
When we keep the Word of God tethered to our heart and mind, He is sure to be always with us. You might say, “I’m not good about memorizing scripture.” But here’s a little secret: So much of our lives are already seeped in God’s Words and commandments. We can all probably list a few of the 10 commandments right here and now. And if we were to stick with those the rest of our lives and truly follow them, we’d be closely tethered through eternity.
But His Word has so much more wisdom and comfort available to us. The first verse I truly memorized was:
Be still and know that I am God.
Proverbs 46:10
And it’s funny. As soon as I decided to try and remember that verse it started popping up everywhere! God was with me, guiding me, encouraging me to remember. Like a parent cheering on a baby taking her first steps.
He promises to never leave us. We were called to Him by name. We are His. And when we feel the pull of that blood to bring us back home, we need to show up — be the other half of the covenant. Our family is not complete without you.
Therefore go and make disciples of all nations,baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.Matthew 28:19-20
In a surge of anger I hid my
face from you for a moment,
but with everlasting kindness
I will have compassion on you,”
says the Lord your Redeemer.
“To me this is like the days of Noah,
when I swore that the waters of Noah
would never again cover the earth.
So now I have sworn not to be angry
with you,never to rebuke you again.
Though the mountains be shaken
and the hills be removed,
yet my unfailing love for you will
not be shaken nor my covenant of
peace be removed,” says the Lord,
who has compassion on you.Isaiah 54:10
I recently stumbled upon these verses while doing a study of Genesis. As you read above, verse nine discusses “the days of Noah” and recounts the covenant God made with Noah after the flood waters receded. Noah then built an altar in remembrance of all from which God had delivered him. In witnessing Noah’s obedience, God established a covenant of peace with Noah, promising him that never again would he wipe out all of mankind in anger (Gen. 8:20-22).
When God called Noah to build the ark and spared his family from the worldwide destruction, God extended Noah a lifeline of love. Because he had compassion on Noah and truly loved mankind, God created a way out of death by giving Noah clear guidance for surviving the flood.
God showed Noah that while yes, sin had entered the world and man was disobedient, that He still loved His creation. We often get caught up on God’s wrath by sending the flood in the first place. Mass destruction and death seems a bit harsh. But if God was so harsh, then why did he save Noah? He could’ve wiped out all of mankind on Earth and started over, but His steadfast love for Noah and his offspring prevailed. God showed Noah that no matter how bad things got on Earth, His lifeline of love would always be there for those who trust in Him with complete obedience.
That lifeline shown to Noah, is Jesus. When the Lord states, in Isaiah 54:10, that his steadfast love shall not depart from you – He is talking about His son Jesus. You see, from Noah until now, we as believers all still hold on to the same lifeline that Noah, Abraham, Moses and David held onto.
The covenant God established with all those men was the covenant of His Son. The promise that one day, there would be complete restoration of all sinners who call on His name and that those holding on to the lifeline of His steadfast love, would all be brought into the glories of heaven.
Though 2020 has seemed like a worldwide disaster – think again. There will be the day when every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus is Lord because of the power of God they see all around them. God’s steadfast love for us believers never expires. We have the eternal hope of God’s love forever – into eternity.
This is love: not that we loved God,
but that he loved us and sent his
Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.1 John 4:10
Until then, we hold fast to His lifeline of love. Hold fast to the God that established His covenant with ordinary people like Noah and Abraham and you and me. Through His son Jesus Christ, he once again established his eternal love with us – until the day we see him again.
God’s love is abundant to those who trust in Him. He cares for us and loves us as His children – are you resting in that truth today? Have you accepted your side of the covenant?
Since you are precious and honored in my sight,
and because I love you,
I will give people in exchange for you,
nations in exchange for your life.Isaiah 43:4
Zion shall be redeemed by justice,
and those in her who repent, by righteousness.
But rebels and sinners shall be broken together,
and those who forsake the Lord shall be consumed.
Isaiah 1:27-28
My husband and I love vacationing in Kauai. Our favorite activity is exploring hidden beaches. When people think of Hawaii, they might picture long sandy beaches lined with palm trees that butt up against beautiful resorts. But in Kauai there’s very few beaches like that. In fact, part of the adventure is just finding the hidden turnoff from the highway that will take you to the trailhead down to the beach. Many of the beaches sit far below the volcanic cliffs of Kauai. Once you park you then need to search for a tiny indication you have found the trailhead. And then the adventure really starts.
On one such adventure I was laden down with my beach chair on my back and our small cooler. The narrow, dirt trail hugged the cliff. And someone had secured a weathered rope in the most precarious places. I kept my eyes down, for the most part, keeping watch for pesky roots and vines that would trip me up. I kept hold of the safety rope, until I didn’t. In a flash I found myself hanging off the side of the cliff – held up from sure death by my beach chair which had snagged on a few branches. I had taken my eyes of the sure path laid out in front of me – distracted by the spectacular scenery.
The view from atop the cliff
I was like a helpless turtle on my back with waves crashing on the deadly rocks below. I yelled to my husband, who was a few feet ahead of me. He scrambled to me and with a lot of pulling, untangling and the blessing of God I was rescued.
God’s promised justice, mentioned more than 40 times in the book of Isaiah, requires us to do what I had failed to do on that hike – to keep my eyes fixed on the savior with a firm grip on Him. But thank God He also gives us mercy when we fail.
Yet the Lord longs to be gracious to you;
therefore he will rise up to show you compassion.
For the Lord is a God of justice.
Blessed are all who wait for him!
Isaiah 30:18
You notice that both these verses require that agreement, the covenant? Those who repent will receive a positive justice outcome. Those who wait for Him will be blessed with compassion. When I finally made my way safely back onto the path that day, I thanked God for saving me. And I promised God that I would be more careful. I would hold on tightly to the safety rope as the path narrowed and I’d be watchful of tripping hazards.
The book of Isaiah starts almost like a trial. It describes in detail the failings of the Israelites. The supposed believers had taken their eyes off God and were living outside His covenant. They sat accused of murder, robbery, idolatry, and corruption. They attended temple and brought their sacrifices, all the while leading hypocritical lives. And so, they were warned of punishment, of judgement.
One only needs to turn on the news for a few minutes to see the moral corruption throughout the current world. Thankfully, God has built a safety rope for us. Not with which to hang ourselves, but rather to grasp hold of and pull us back onto the path.
I was certainly humbled on that cliff in Kauai. I got a bit cocky with thinking I knew the path well enough to not pay full attention. God decided He still had some work for me to do.
But what about those “evil doers?” When is God’s justice raining down on them? He promises they will be consumed by His justice. When we keep our focus squarely and firmly on God, we can have faith that on God’s time, justice will be done. And, we can thank Him each and every time we fail Him yet are not judged.
I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. With justice he judges and wages war.
Revelation 19:1
God is waging a war against evil we cannot see. His justice is at work right now. And the final judgement is coming. I heard a well-known evangelist once make the statement: “Imagine the looks on the people’s faces when Jesus comes back – and He is coming back. All the people that tried to eliminate Jesus from the world about to face justice.”
None of us deserve to be free from God’s promised justice and judgement. His mercy and love provide that rope for us to grasp when we pray for forgiveness — when we fall down on our knees and say to Him, “Have mercy on me, exalted One!”
Then the eyes of those who see will no longer be closed, and the ears of those who hear will listen.
The fearful heart will know and understand,and the stammering tongue will be fluent and clear.Isaiah 32:3-4
When I started going to church regularly about 20 years ago, I thought for sure I was the least knowledgeable christian in the sanctuary. I knew, for certain, that all the hundreds of other church members in attendance certainly knew the Bible inside and out and they had zero questions about what the pastor was saying. That also meant that there was no way I was going to share my faith with anyone. I wasn’t even sure what my faith really was all about. And people might ask me questions.
This fearful possibility reminds me of that show “Who Wants to Be A Millionaire.” When a contestant was unsure or downright stymied by a question, they could use a lifeline. My favorite was to “Call A Friend.” I always wondered what my reaction would be if I was the friend that got called. I mean, you could be asked any random question and your friend’s chance at a million dollars could be on the line!
If only there were an encyclopedia-type book that was like that lifeline and it gave us answers about God. You know, a book that would help us gain wisdom about God’s character and His promises. A sort of history of how God has worked throughout the ages. If there were such a book then I bet all christians would memorize it from end to end. Their eyes would be opened to the majesty of God’s authority. Their hearts would know how He wants the best for us and we would stop being fearful. We would gain wisdom to be able to fluently and clearly share the Good News about salvation and eternity. And, of course, we know such a helpful book exists – the Bible.
I have a christian friend who believes the Bible is just “some book written by men.” And yet we could say the same about our very own selves. We are in fact created by a man and a woman coming together and creating us. But that doesn’t negate God’s Holy hand in our creation. To dismiss the Bible as having been divinely commissioned is truly to dismiss God’s hand in all of creation. And yes, we can nitpick over the specifics of a word – be it the Greek translation or the Hebrew – but even when we do that we are led to even greater understanding of the Almighty. He promises that if we take the time to get to know Him, he will bless us tenfold. Ah, there’s that covenant, that agreement.
I spent the first 15 years of my christian life barely cracking open this amazing lifeline to the promises and wisdom of God. It started when the church I was attending began encouraging us to pick up the pew Bible and start taking notes in it. Oh, the heresy! It’s funny now to think how uncomfortable so many people felt taking this action.
This year, my BSGs have made it a point to select Bible studies which require us to do just that — actually study the Bible. We’ve done studies which focused on one chapter in one book (Proverb 31). We’ve studied 1 & 2 Kings and discovered how much of the land around Jerusalem is still the same today. And we’ve spent time in studies which take us on a broad spectrum of verses about what God wants from us as believers. We’ve gnawed and chewed and scribbled in and soaked up our Bibles like never before. We’ve grabbed a hold of our chance at a priceless prize – the knowledge of God and His unfailing love for us.
The Bible is an amazing, almost magical creation. It seems to change each time I read it. I believe when we grasp a Bible lesson, God, like the game show host, brings us up a notch and presents us with more chances to gain wisdom. We get deeper as we learn not just about the basic words but how the people of that time lived, how the politics of the time were playing out, and the values they held dear. We get insight when we see the more than 4,000 connections between the Old and New Testaments.
The people of the Bible were at a disadvantage. We get to see the beginning, middle and end of the entire story. But so often when the possibility of sharing His Word arises, we look like that contestant who’s been asked about nuclear physics.
Jesus replied, “You do not realize now
what I am doing, but later you
will understand.”John 13:7
Today is later. That book on the shelf is God’s promise of wisdom for us. One of the other lifelines on “Who Wants to be A Millionaire” is called “ask the expert.” And while it’s good to have christian friends that can be a resource isn’t it nice to know we have an expert waiting to speak to us day and night through His Holy Word? That sounds like a winning strategy to me.
A voice of one calling:
“In the wilderness prepare
the way for the Lord;
make straight in the desert
a highway for our God.
Every valley shall be raised up,
every mountain and hill made low;
the rough ground shall become level,
the rugged places a plain.
And the glory of the Lord will be revealed,
and all people will see it together.
For the mouth of the Lord has spoken.”Isaiah 40:3-5
A few years ago, I came home on my birthday and opened my garage door to a beautiful, new, baby blue Vespa scooter. On it sat a giant bow. I was so excited I jumped out of my car and proceeded to run toward the scooter. I suddenly realized, however, I had yet to put my car in park and turn it off. So as my car inched toward disaster I jumped back in, turned it off and started laughing. Once the excitement wore off, I realized I now was faced with a task I had long put off – getting my motorcycle license.
Since I was 15, I had wanted to ride motorcycles but my mom was fearful I’d kill myself. So here I was, 53 years old, and finally doing it. After successfully attaining that goal, my husband and I made a new one. We decided to do a long ride with the local Vespa Club out to Palm Springs, California. Taking the non-freeway route made it a 113-mile ride over a minimum of three hours. And as the ride went along, I held my own. Just before you drop from the mountains into the desert floor of Palm Springs, you’ll find a motorcyclist’s dream road. On a map it looks like a mess of squiggles. In reality it’s seven steep and sharp curves. Having ridden with the group for more than two hours I recognized the most experienced and safest riders. I picked one and decided to follow his line down the hill.
In motorcycle terms “following the line” means keeping an eye on the leader to see the smoothest, quickest and safest path along curvy roads. A few years later on a Vespa trip through the Alps, following our guide’s line was crucial as he was the most experienced rider of our group. And I certainly didn’t want to find myself riding off the edge of a cliff or smacking into a giant tour bus!
That’s me waving! As we ride through Austria!
It’s amazing the people, some of whom we barely know, that we are willing to put our trust in. Yet with God, who has been with us from the beginning, we seem to struggle in following His line. He promises to make our way straight. He will make our ground level. Yet, we are the ones that decide to take a path all on our own.
We know better. Or worse, we just don’t think He knows what we really need. My youngest daughter was famous for going against my directives. I once found her, at 2 years old, standing up on the kitchen counter attempting to get a glass down from an even higher shelf. She had asked me for some juice and I had said, “no.” I turned my back for a minute. You see, she would explain to me, I just didn’t understand why she needed x,y or z. If I had only just understood her need better I would’ve apparently said “yes.” So, to her, that justified her standing up on the kitchen counter that day.
How many times a day do we do that to God? How many times a day do we tell God what He needs to do for us? Or how many times do we just think, “if only He really understood what I need.”?
Whoever has my commands and keeps
them is the one who loves me. The
one who loves me will be loved by
my Father, and I too will love them
and show myself to them.”John 14:21
How many times have we thought our kids or friends or spouse or employees don’t respect us because they refuse to take the path you’ve laid out for them? You’ve tried sparing them from hardship and yet they still don’t listen. Now think how God must feel.
We are asked, entreated, implored by God via His prophets throughout the Bible to trust Him and follow His line. He knows the best, quickest, and safest path for us. The book of James has so many wise words about His path. It happens to be one of my favorite books of the Bible. Why? Because I like lessons to be clear. And James also makes it clear that when we learn what that path is, we need to hold steady to it.
But when you ask, you must believe
and not doubt, because the one who
doubts is like a wave of the sea,
blown and tossed by the wind.James 1:6
I’m thankful for that Vespa rider, whose name I don’t remember and I may never meet again, for leading me down that treacherous road into the desert. But I’m most thankful to Jesus, whose name I hold in my heart and on my lips, for leading me out of my desert and into a bright and beautiful path.
“I, the Lord, have called you in righteousness;
I will take hold of your hand.
I will keep you and will make you
to be a covenant for the people
and a light for the Gentiles,
to open eyes that are blind,
to free captives from prison
and to release from the dungeon those who sit in darkness.Isaiah 42:6-7
In the United States, during particularly heated political disagreements, you’ll hear a lot about an issue’s “constitutionality.” The United States Constitution is our country’s guardrails. It’s our safety net and our guiding path for laws. To many, it was a divinely created document. The wisdom and foresight our founding fathers had when creating it was nothing short of amazing.
We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.
Preamble, United States Constitution
The precursor to the Constitution, the Declaration of Independence, was a bold statement by many of the same people. For some, it was like signing their own death warrant. But the goal of both was not to create a new kingdom where one man would rule the peasants. No, it was to place God firmly as the head and the people to organize and live in His ways. Lest anyone try to convince you different, a visit to the highest court in the United States – the Supreme Court – will show images of Moses and the Ten Commandments in both sculpture and engraving form. Enshrined on the bronze doors of the Chief Justice of the court you will find these same images.
And although the Ten Commandments and the US Constitution have the commonality of “do not” in their directives, so much of what they are purposed to do is about freedom. The Constitution, unlike many world government founding documents, is about limiting what the government can do to its citizens – giving a wide berth to freedom. And the basis is that our freedoms are given by God and God alone.
Likewise, God’s plan and promise for us is about freedom. When we accept Him as our safety net, our guiding path, He removes not just the past sin, but puts us on the path to removing the future desire to sin. He takes the alcoholic and the drug addict and the sexually immoral out of their old ways and leads them to freedom. He opens our eyes to His love and compels us to live in our new selves by loving others as Christ loves us. He removes the fears and anxieties that imprison us by giving us eternal life.
I lived a lot of my life as a “woulda,” “coulda,” shoulda,” person. It was a prison of my own making. And the world was happy to hold the key. I never felt good enough or kind enough or smart enough. I looked out of my prison bars at people that seemed happy and fulfilled. I allowed competitiveness and outrage and hurt and worldly desires take control of my heart, mind and soul. I sat in the darkness of the dungeon.
By all accounts I looked to have a perfect life. A very busy and active life. But I prayed constantly for joy and peace and lightness of spirit. Yes, you got that right – I was a believer and still felt this way. And one day I realized I believed but I didn’t follow. You see, we can believe in all kinds of things but then not pay much attention to them. There are many people in the United States that understand the laws and Constitution but choose not to follow what it says. That leads to tumult and strife. I believed in God but I didn’t believe God. I read the Bible but didn’t put my full faith and trust in its directives and lessons.
Therefore, if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed.John 8:36
The day I decided to grab hold of God’s safety net was the day He smiled at me and said, “Finally.” It set me firmly on His path to removing the old me and old lies and refocusing my sights on what God wants from me. It was freeing. My eyes are truly open and my prison bars have melted away. I have chosen not to dance around the hard lessons of the Bible, His Word. And in doing so I have found my life so much simpler.
For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God. The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship.Romans 8:14-15
We are so good at disobedience — since the beginning of time. And we don’t like people to tell us what to do. And for many, following God is seen as taking away freedoms. It’s true, we aren’t to engage in any number of sinful behaviors. But time and time again society proves that so much of that behavior creates bondage rather than freedom.
When we follow the laws of our communities, we find ourselves in safer and calmer environments. When we follow and believe God, He opens our eyes and unlocks our prison doors. He promises a life of joy, a love greater than we can ever know, and eternal salvation.
emboldened.net 