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The Wisdom of God

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20 Where is the one who is wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? 21 For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, it pleased God through the folly of what we preach to save those who believe. 22 For Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom, 23 but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles, 24 but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. 25 For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men. – 1 Corinthians 1:20-25

Christ Crucified

It’s that simple.  It is often said that the death of Christ on a Roman cross is both the greatest manifestation of the wrath and the love of God.  I certainly cannot argue either point.  But Paul adds to the wonder of the cross.  Not only is it where the wrath and love of God collided, but the cross also wonderfully displays the power and wisdom of God.

The Messiah dying on a cross was unthinkable to many Jews.  God on a cross being mocked during His execution was utter foolishness to many Gentiles.  Scriptures seem so obvious in pointing to the death of Christ as man’s only hope for salvation.  But many are too intelligent or logical (in their own eyes) to accept this truth.  We know that in reality they are blinded.  Their pride does not allow them to embrace a humble God.  Man’s unmet expectations don’t alter the Truth.  Christ crucified, though not the sign the Jews demanded or the wisdom the Greeks sought, is evidence of God’s infinite wisdom.

The Fall

We are all familiar with Genesis chapter three; when Adam and Eve ate of the forbidden fruit, desiring to know what God knows.  We refer to their sin as the Fall, but do we really understand the depths to which humanity plummeted because of their disobedience?  Can we grasp the fellowship with God that was foregone because of their lust for the fruit?  As their descendants, are we really aware just how dangerous the enemy of our souls is when he begins to appeal to our pride?

Satan may be the great deceiver, but he is not the only one practicing the art.  Take an honest look in a mirror.  We share not only in the sin of Adam and Eve, but in their faults and weaknesses as well.  The family resemblance is strong.  The quest for wisdom apart from God is not only futile, it is foolish.  A foolishness with great consequences.

Clothed

How can fallen man be reconciled with God?  How can sin and perfect Holiness commune?  How can pure light look on tainted darkness?  By covering them!  Along with their deed, Adam and Eve were exposed.  Beauty became shame.  Innocence became death.  The innocent died so the guilty could be covered.  Unable to help themselves, God had to intervene.

21 And the Lord God made for Adam and for his wife garments of skins and clothed them. – Genesis 3:21

Eternal Wisdom

God was not surprised by the Fall.  He knows the weakness of men.  He knows the consequences of giving men the will to choose.  Before He had Adam name the animals, He knew Adam would need to be covered by their skins.  And He knew the sacrifice that would be necessary; and who would have to make it.  The wisdom of God preceded the Fall, and it preceded creation.

7 But we impart a secret and hidden wisdom of God, which God decreed before the ages for our glory. – 1 Corinthians 2:7

As Paul discusses the wisdom of God, he tells us that God’s wisdom is eternal.  It is unlimited.  It lifts people from darkness to light.  It is the source of salvation and glory.  Those who deemed themselves to be wise in their own eyes merely carried out the plan of God for salvation by crucifying Christ.

8 None of the rulers of this age understood this, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. – 1 Corinthians 2:8

Christ Crucified

How else could God’s wrath be appeased?  How else could the law be fulfilled?  How else could God’s holiness be uncrompromised?  How else could the pride of man be circumvented?  How else could man’s weakness become moot?  Who but God, would decree before the ages, the crucifixion of the Lord of glory for our glory?  A God who knew that the only way for man to be lifted from his Fall was to come down and lift him up.  With a cross.  Christ crucified.  The Innocent died so the guilty could be covered.  With His righteousness.

Revealed Wisdom

Who can embrace the wisdom of God?  As Paul points out, the worldly wise, the scribes and the debaters of this age never will.  At least; not on their own.  The wisdom of God is not only eternal and limitless; it is also a secret; a mystery.  In other words, left to ourselves we would never discover or discern it.  Rather, God must reveal it to us.  And He does so through the Holy Spirit.

10 these things God has revealed to us through the Spirit. For the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God. 11 For who knows a person’s thoughts except the spirit of that person, which is in him? So also no one comprehends the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God.12 Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might understand the things freely given us by God.13 And we impart this in words not taught by human wisdom but taught by the Spirit, interpreting spiritual truths to those who are spiritual. – 1 Corinthians 2:10-13

Worldly wisdom feeds the flesh.  It appeals to our pride.  It leads to self promotion.  It is foolish.  It belongs to a realm God has rescued us from by lifting us out.  Thank God we can now share in His wisdom.  True wisdom.

God Alone

Only God can comprehend His holiness.  Only God can truly understand the consequences of the Fall.  Only God in His infinite wisdom had a perfect plan of salvation.  He alone knew before the ages the sacrifice that would have to be made.  He alone knew who would have to make it.  To Him alone belongs all the glory.  God, in His wisdom, has given us His Spirit.  God in His mercy, has given us the mind of Christ. May we, like Paul, promote the wisdom of our Father.

2 And I, when I came to you, brothers, did not come proclaiming to you the testimony of God with lofty speech or wisdom. 2 For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. 3 And I was with you in weakness and in fear and much trembling, 4 and my speech and my message were not in plausible words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, 5 so that your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men but in the power of God. – 1 Corinthians 2:1-5

Sojourners and Exiles

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11 Beloved, I urge you as sojourners and exiles to abstain from the passions of the flesh, which wage war against your soul. – 1 Peter 2:11

Sojourners and Exiles

Do you have a difficult time thinking of yourself as a sojourner or exile?  I take great pride (although rapidly diminishing) in being a citizen of the United States.  After fifty plus years of living in the same town and traveling the same roads, I have become pretty attached.  It is often said that familiarity breeds contempt, but I have found that it fosters comfort.  I think if we are honest with ourselves it is the prospect of change and the unknown that we often struggle with.  I’m not talking about changing the color schemes of our living rooms; I’m talking about real changes.  Changes that are often beyond our control.  What does the prospect of a job loss do to your heart rate?  Does a divorce in the family help your blood pressure?  Not to be morbid, but what causes greater anxiety than the fact that you are terminal?  We all are.  Death is imminent for us all.  But we can take courage and hope from Peter’s words.  We are sojourners and exiles on the earth.  This life we love and cling to is just a seed or shadow.  The best is yet to come.

Holiday Shadows

Christmas season is a good time to reminisce.  As we listen to our favorite Christmas music our minds wander back in time.  Often different songs trigger different memories.  Perhaps it’s Bing Crosby singing White Christmas or Nat King Cole’s version of The Christmas Song.  For my wife, it is Evie singing Come on Ring Those Bells.  My siblings and I grew up with the Christmas music of Mitch Miller.  His Christmas songs will always be dear to me.  But it’s not just Christmas we enjoy, we love the Holidays in general.  Whether it’s decorating the Christmas tree, trimming the Thanksgiving turkey or donning the new Easter outfit, these events are special.  We look forward to celebrating them with family and loved ones.  Without the relationships, what would the Holidays be?  But as attached as we are to them, they are but shadows.

Terminal Limits

Speaking of shadows, who doesn’t like a pretty sunset?  Or for that matter a pretty sunrise.  How often have you looked at either and marveled at the colors?  And then there are the colors of a rainbow.  Beauty that reminds us of God’s mercy and faithfulness.  I haven’t seen the splendor of the Rocky Mountains, the Grand Canyon, or the Niagara Falls, but the sights I have experienced have whetted my appetite.  God’s wonders are all around us.  There is no way possible to experience all of them.  Better make that bucket list.  Speaking of which, if anybody is going to Ireland or New Zealand and has room in their suitcase let me know.  Seeing the green hills of Ireland and stag hunting in New Zealand are on my list.  Not sure what your bucket list looks like, but I’ll bet I can confidently say, for most of us the items on the list will never all be crossed off due to limited resources, including time.  Tough being terminal isn’t it?

Favorite Things

In the classic musical The Sound of Music, Julie Andrews sings the song My Favorite Things.  When she is feeling down, she thinks of things such as “raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens”.  We all have our “favorite things”.  Things that bring us solace. Things that bring us joy.  Things that help us keep a proper perspective.  Blossoms in the spring.  Time on the lake in the summer.  Changing leaves in the fall.  And a cozy fireplace when the winter snows are falling.  Time out of doors is certainly a favorite, but when indoors, I love to read a good book.  Dickens, Lewis, Tolstoy, Dostoevsky, and Tolkien are just some of my favorites (sorry Shakespeare).  As much as I enjoy and appreciate these things, I realize they are temporary.  They will be consumed.  These things merely accompany me on my journey as an exile.  I won’t be taking them home with me.

Passing Seasons

For my wife and I, spring and summer have passed.  I thank God we could experience those seasons together as exiles on earth, and hope we can share fall and winter together as well, but we know there are no guarantees in that regard.  As we progress through the seasons of life, our appreciation for God’s blessings increase.  As much as I enjoy reading the Classics, they can’t compare to the Bible, God’s living Word.  As much as I enjoy the beauty of nature, no sunset has ever compared to holding a grandchild.  But as precious as earthly bonds are, they can’t compare to our relationship with our Savior.  I suppose that with age we learn (hopefully) to wean ourselves from the temporal and devote more of our lives to the eternal.  But that doesn’t mean there is no value in the shadows.

Homeward Bound

The seasons were God’s idea.  The mountains and oceans and rolling hills of Ireland are His creation.  He blesses mankind with creativity.  He made us relational beings.  He gave us the ability to enjoy our “favorite things”.  He blesses us with so much on earth not to satisfy us, but to whet our appetite.  He enables us to enjoy the temporary to give us a glimpse of how great the eternal will be.  Don’t hold onto that bucket list too tightly.  Enjoy your time under the sun with the recognition that every good and perfect gift is from God.  He wants you to not only enjoy His blessings, but more importantly to anticipate an eternity with the Blesser.  Don’t think of the afterlife as an unknown to fear, think of it as going home to experience earth’s seeds coming to fruition.  The appetizer will be over and the main course will be served.  You will enjoy more beauty and deeper relationships than you ever could on earth.  And there will be no limit in resources, including time, to check off everything on your list, if there is such a thing in Heaven.  Knowing we are going home to such a loving Father helps us to keep the titles sojourner and exile in perspective.  Until we are home, enjoy the road signs.  Just don’t cling to them too hard.  God has so much more in store for us!

14 For here we have no lasting city, but we seek the city that is to come. – Hebrews 13:14

Look at Us

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4 And Peter directed his gaze at him, as did John, and said, “Look at us.” – 3:4

Lame Beggar

As Peter and John were going up to the temple for the hour of prayer, they encountered a lame man.  It was this man’s practice to lay at the temple gate (Beautiful Gate) and beg for alms.  On this particular day, he was being carried to his usual spot as Peter and John were approaching.  Lame since birth, the lame man did what he had most likely done thousands of times before.  He pleaded for mercy from his fellow man; his only apparent hope for survival.  To the beggar, Peter and John probably appeared no different than any other men.  Little could he have known the consequence of his humble request from them.  But he had more in common with them than he ever could have known.  What is true of this lame beggar was true of Peter and John, and it is true of you and I as well.  Our infirmities are no match for the power of the Holy Spirit.  Physical or spiritual.

Promised Power

4 And while staying with them he ordered them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father, which, he said, “you heard from me; 5 for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.” – Acts 1:4-5

The lame beggar looked at Peter and John expecting money.  Unable to walk, it is probable that he was unable to work and provide for himself and family if he had one.  Try to imagine his feeling of helplessness.  Dependent upon others to be carried from place to place.  Dependent upon others for money once he was carried to the temple.  After a day of begging, he would need to be carried home again.  Day after day after day.  No help, no hope.  And then came Peter and John.  Men once paralyzed by fear now filled with the Holy Spirit.  Fishermen now transformed into fishers of men.

The lame man’s request was met by a command, “Look at us”.  Peter and John had no silver or gold.  They did not possess what the lame man begged for.  They possessed so much more.  They possessed the promise of the Father; the power from on high.  Peter’s command to look was followed by another, “rise up and walk!”.  Peter then extended his hand to the lame man and helped him to his feet.  His weak and atrophied feet and ankles were immediately made strong.  The lame man was healed.  Try to imagine his joy as he walked and leaped.  For the first time in his life, he had the use of his legs.  No more would he need to lay at the temple gate.  No more would he have to depend on others to carry him.  Instead, he walked into the temple with Peter and John, praising God as he leaped.  Three men forever changed by the power of the Holy Spirit.  What an hour of prayer they must have experienced together.

Greater Works

12 “Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Father. – John 14:12

The birth of the church at Pentecost has forever changed the world.  We read the book of Acts and we see ordinary, uneducated men radically changing the world.  Men whose lives were changed because they had been with Jesus.  Once common men now boldly performing miracles in the power of the Holy Spirit.  No longer living in fear of persecution, they can say to the world, “look at us”.  No silver.  No gold.  No shame.  I realize the Book of Act is a transitional book, but I can’t help but look at the early church and the power of the Holy Spirit so incredibly manifested and ask, “where have I/we gone wrong?”.

Plugged In?

I remember reading a story years ago of a young boy who came home from church all excited one Sunday.  Caught up in his excitement, his parents asked him to pray for their lunch.  As he prayed, the young boy innocently said, “Dear God, we had a great day at church today.  Too bad you were not there.”  Is his prayer a true reflection of most churches in the West today?  Is it true of most lives of professing Christians?  The question has been posed, “If God were to remove His Spirit, how many church services would go on just the same and not miss a beat?”.  We could ask the same of ourselves as individuals.  We plan out our lives.  Our days are structured in such a way that from waking to sleeping we are dependent upon no one but ourselves.  I realize that God is a God of order and not chaos, but James also warns us against presumption.  It is okay to make plans but we must not forget to consult God first.  We must be sensitive to the prompting of the Holy Spirit.  We must not rely on our talents, abilities or wisdom alone.  We can’t be so busy counting our “silver and gold” that we are unaware of the lame laying outside our doors.

Look at us!!

Do we recognize the power we possess?  Do we believe we can do “greater works”?  Are we more concerned with silver and gold than the Spirit?  Have we forgotten what the Spirit has done for us?  In short, do we grieve the Holy Spirit?  We can’t help the spiritually lame in our own strength.  Our silver and gold will never save a soul.  We are surrounded by lame, helpless beggars.  Again I ask, do we recognize the power within us?  The Spirit of love.  The Spirit of boldness.  The Spirit that gives us the confidence to gaze at the world and say, “look at us”.  We possess the Helper.  We possess their hope.  God has saved us to make us fishers of men.  He wants to see the spiritually lame transformed into worshippers, leaping into the temple with praise on their lips.

I am certainly no expert on the Person of the Holy Spirit, but I believe in His efficacious work.  If my Christian life or the life of the church seems weak and ineffective, the fault does not lie with the Holy Spirit.  I look at the church and like so many saints throughout history, long for a revival.  The world will always be the world, but I cringe when the line between the church and the world is blurred.  Somehow we need to get plugged back into our power source.  We need to humble ourselves before God and surrender every aspect of our lives to His control.  We need to admit our weaknesses and the worthlessness of our silver and gold.  No one wants to see the power of the Spirit unleashed in the church more than God.  It is His intention to set us as lamps on a hill in a dark world saying, “look at us”!

7 Nevertheless, I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you. 8 And when he comes, he will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment. – John 16:7-8

A Living Hope

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3 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. – 1 Peter 1:3

2017

2017 has been a difficult year.  To say the least.  For our church family, the year began with a funeral of a young man in his twenties.  Despite multiple autopsies, the cause of death remains a mystery.  He went to work one morning a healthy man with his “whole” life ahead of him.  But he never came home.  He leaves behind a young bride; widowed in the prime of her life.  All who knew him were shocked.  How could this happen?

This unexplainable death was just the first in a string of trials as we turned our calendars to 2017.  Our church has buried other saints since.  People we have had precious fellowship with.  Friends we have worshiped with for years, even decades.  Brothers and sisters in the faith who have exhorted us, and rebuked us when necessary.  Real friends.  Those who are willing to share your sorrows and your joys.  We miss their smiles.  We miss their faithfulness.  We miss their prayers.  How will the church stand when such pillars are removed?

Night

For our immediate family, the year has been dominated by my mothers declining health.  Diagnosed with stage four cancer early in the year, her health issues have kept us busy and under stress.  While we would like to lead our “normal” lives, it is awful hard to ignore the elephant in the room.  It casts a shadow over everything else in our lives.  Welcome to “night”.

My intention is not to depress you.  I share this not because I think these issues are monopolized by me, my family or my church, but because I know everyone experiences such things at some time in their life.  When they occur, I know how easy it is to become discouraged.  I know how quickly we can lose our focus.  And so did Peter.  He wrote his epistles to encourage us in our trials and help us maintain a proper perspective.

8 By day the Lord commands his steadfast love,
and at night his song is with me,
a prayer to the God of my life. – Psalm 42:8

Misery & Hope

It is said that misery loves company.  But what is the benefit of shared misery?  As Christians, let’s make ourselves miserable company to a pity party.  Why?  We are not defined by our misery, but our hope.  While “night” experiences are common to all, let’s show the world how to sing in the night.  Ours is the privilege of pointing others to the One who gives us a song.  A song we can sing in the greatest darkness because our hearts are filled with the Light of the World.  Our hope is in One who rose from the dead.  Our hope is alive!  Pity?  As Paul reminds us in 1 Corinthians chapter fifteen, that would be our lot if our hope were only in this life.  But Peter reminds us of the truth that Paul so eloquently defends.  The resurrection is a historical fact.  Jesus is alive.  And because He is, so is our hope.  No need to pity Christians.

26 But concerning the dead, that they rise, have you not read in the book of Moses, in the burning bush passage, how God spoke to him, saying, ‘I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’? 27 He is not the God of the dead, but the God of the living. You are therefore greatly mistaken.” – Mark 12:26-27

Resurrection

The Sadducees did not believe in the resurrection.  In their ignorance, they questioned Jesus about the subject with a riddle packaged as a hypothetical question.  You can almost sense the smugness in the question.  If seven men had the same wife on earth, which of the seven would claim her as his wife in heaven?  Their affluence and education was no match for God.  In order for a syllogism to be valid, your assertions have to be true.

Unfortunately for the Sadducees, their’s were not.  After addressing their misunderstanding about the marriage institution, Jesus used Exodus chapter three (Sadducees only recognized the Pentateuch as authoritative) to challenge their error regarding the resurrection.  God is not the God of the dead, but of the living.  Poor Sadducees.  Denying the resurrection would have limited their understanding of God’s mercy.

Firstfruits

As we know, the resurrection is not exclusive to Jesus.  Rather, He has been raised as the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.  Our God is no tombstone.  He is no graveyard sentinel.  No!!  He is the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.  Men who are not dead; but alive because of the resurrection of Christ.  Jesus has blazed the trail.  A trail not just for the Patriarchs but rather for all of Abraham’s spiritual children (Galatians 3:7).  The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob is your God.  If you have placed your faith in Christ, you have a living hope.  A hope we receive because of the mercy of God.  A hope we have experienced.  A hope we see lived out.

When we go to church, we are reminded of our losses by the empty seats.  We are reminded of the reality of separation when we see the widows and widowers and others left behind.   But these reminders are put into perspective when we witness and experience living hope.  As we gather for corporate worship, what a blessing it is to see the spouses, parents, siblings, and children of the deceased lifting their voices in song.  They can lift their eyes towards heaven and raise their hands in praise because their loved ones are still alive.  Just like their hope.  As Peter reminds us; such is our experience when we are born again.

Living Hope

Take a moment to dwell on this.  Biblical truths are not just facts written on parchment with ink.  They are not just bits of information we accumulate to make us more intelligent.  The Bible is not just another book.  God’s Word is alive and active.  The Holy Spirit not only lives within us but He enables us to appropriate Truth; to live out the inspired Word.  In other words, we don’t and can’t manufacture hope.  Rather, it is a part of our Christian DNA.  It flows through our veins.  It is the air that fills our lungs.  It is a hope no trial can take from us.

The Sadducees can have their tombstones; their lives with no ultimate hope.  Their theology had no room for the resurrection.  It had no room for angels.  It had no room for a Messiah.  Accordingly, they had no living hope.  We will leave the pity parties for them and their spiritual descendants.  We will continue to look to our God who gives us songs in the night (Job 35:10).

This has been a difficult year, but our trials will not have the last word.  Death is difficult, but I have seen its sting succumb to worship.  I have seen its pain transformed to praise.  Rather than defeating, death has been swallowed up in victory.  When we turn our calendars over to a new year, we never know what difficulties await.  There may be an empty chair at your table this year.  There may be the unexpected diagnosis.  There may be a job loss.  But keep your eyes focused on heaven.  There is always Hope.  And He is alive.  Forever.

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ!  Our living hope.

The Omnipotence of God

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2 “I know that you can do all things, and that no purpose of yours can be thwarted.”- Job 42:2

Job’s Perspective

If only we all had the same perspective of God that Job did after his confrontation with his Creator.  Despite the creation account of Genesis and the “redemption” account of Exodus, followed by numerous other displays of the mighty power of God, His power is often questioned.  When a natural catastrophe occurs, many assume that God, if He exists at all, was powerless to stop it.  Certainly, we are told, He is no match for Mother Nature.  When a loved one succumbs to a terrible disease, the same charges are leveled.  If we see “innocent” young children suffering, God is accused of being either unloving or unable to intervene.  Does the fact that God is all powerful obligate Him to exercise His power according to our desires?

God’s Power & Character

God is able to “do all things”, provided those “all things” are consistent with who He is.  His power is tempered by His holiness, wisdom, perfect love, etc.  In other words, the only limitation on the power of God is His perfect character.  He can create the heavens and earth and fill them with men and beasts, stars and planets; but He cannot sin.  He can mold the mountains, carve out the canyons, and set the boundaries for the oceans and seas; but He cannot change.  Speaking light into darkness; no problem.  Bringing vegetation out of the soil; no sweat.  Breaking a promise; impossible.  God can do all things that are in accordance with His will.

Man & Creation

It was the will of God to have fellowship with man.  Accordingly, God spoke creation into existence in six days.  The light and the vegetation and the gases in the atmosphere are all in accordance with the requirements for His apex of creation to thrive.  The intricacy of the human body, the complexity of the eyes and brain, the marvel of the data in DNA, all reflect the wisdom of the Creator.  And He started with dust (in Adam’s case).  Amazing how He shapes such clay, only to have the clay question and doubt Him.

Seeing that it was not good for man to be alone, God created a helpmate out of a rib.  When sin became rampant, God flooded the entire world.  When He promised never to do so again, He put the rainbow in the sky.  He confused the plans of tower builders, He destroyed wicked cities with fire and brimstone, and He opened old and barren wombs.  He turned a sea to dry ground, brought water from a rock, and brought dry bones to life.  This is just a sampling of the power of God, a power whose evidence speaks to us every day.

24 Thus says the Lord, your Redeemer,
    who formed you from the womb:
“I am the Lord, who made all things,
    who alone stretched out the heavens,
    who spread out the earth by myself. – Isaiah 44:24

Mountain Peaks & Ocean Bottoms

Both the stars on a clear night and the clouds on an overcast day reveal the power of God.  We look up and see either in the sky above and take them for granted, but a study of the composition of either would give us a new appreciation.  Consider the size and heat of a star and try not to be impressed the next time you lift your eyes to heaven and see the sky filled with them.  As the clouds drift over us blocking out the light of the sun stop and consider how God has taken water and suspended it in space only to tell it where to drop its rain.  As God “spread out the earth by Himself”, He chose to give us majestic mountains and rolling hills.  He gave us oceans of salt water and lakes and streams of fresh water.  He made the mountain goats to ascend to the mountain peaks, and the lanternfish to plumb the depth of the sea.  He adorned the mountains with edelweiss and the seas with a giant plumose anemone.  The next time you stop to smell a rose, consider who gave it its beauty and fragrance.

A Newborn

As awe-inspiring as nature is, nothing compares with a newborn child in my book.  The same God who suspends great burning balls of gases in space and floats masses of condensed water vapors in the atmosphere knits human life in the womb.  What does He start with?  One cell from dust and one from the rib of dust.  God takes these two cells and makes a new creation.  One bearing His image.  As we hold a newborn baby and look into its eyes, we see a reflection of the incredible “power” of God.  Don’t let the little fingers and toes deceive you.  Despite its size, the child in our arms is not only special, it is extremely intricate.  The stars and oceans may remind us of the majesty of their Creator, but only the offspring of Adam and Eve, formed in the womb, can bear His image, and house His Spirit.  In fact, God Himself,  became a newborn, to show us His greatest power.

Man & Recreation

16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes. -Romans 1:16

I don’t understand all of the details of stars or clouds.  I have not had the vantage point of the mountain goat or lanternfish.  The human body is too complex for my comprehension.  But I have experienced the power of God for salvation, and someday will experience His resurrection power.  Not because of my intelligence, understanding or comprehension, but because of my belief.  I believe I am a sinner in need of a Savior.  I believe that Christ, as the second person of the Trinity, became a baby in a manger.  I believe that Jesus lived a perfect life; fulfilling the Law.  Further, I believe He died for my sins on the cross and three days later rose from the dead according to Scriptures.  In short, I believe the Gospel; the power of God for salvation.

3 For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, 4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures. – 1 Corinthians 14:3-4

Abundant in Power

God used a star to lead the wise men to the Christ child.  He used the clouds to hide the sun when Christ hung on the cross.  He used an earthquake to release the saints from their tombs and to accompany an angel to roll away the stone.  God’s power is in accordance with His will.  His will is that all might be saved (1 Timothy 2:4).  God’s power is still being displayed on a daily basis.  God may not stop every catastrophe or every “premature” death according to our wishes, but He does offer hope for our greatest need.  And only He has the power to secure it.  Instead of questioning the power of God, why don’t you put your faith in it and experience it for yourself?  The cross and the empty tomb beckon you.

Behold, the Lord’s hand is not shortened, that it cannot save. – Isaiah 59;1 

Great is our Lord, and abundant in power;
    his understanding is beyond measure. – Psalm 147:5

24 Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy, 25 to the only God, our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen. – Jude verses 24 & 25

Got Discipline?

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7 Have nothing to do with irreverent, silly myths. Rather train yourself for godliness; 8 for while bodily training is of some value, godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come.  – 1 Timothy 4:7-8

Obese & Undernourished

Training (discipline) seems for most of us to be dead.  I realize that there are a lot of different types of exercises and a plethora of training videos, but to me, they seem to be more of a fad than anything else.  We make resolutions and buy the bright shoes and stylish clothes, but how quickly are these items relegated to the status of dust collectors, while the training videos are relegated to bookends (something has to support the books we don’t read).  Think I’m exaggerating?  Chew on this fact; perhaps for the first time in the history of civilization, we have a generation that is obese and undernourished.  Instead of combatting this crisis with discipline, we too often resort to promoting loose fitting or dark colored clothes.  But who are we deceiving?  We need to change our lifestyles not our wardrobes.  Are we facilitating laziness and apathy?  This is a serious problem that comes with a hefty price tag (pun intended).  But, how much more serious and costly is this laziness and apathy when it carries over into the spiritual disciplines?

Why do we avoid discipline?

It costs us something.  We have to invest time.  Often we have to do things we don’t enjoy and sacrifice things we do.  But most appalling of all; we have to exert energy.  If we are not careful, we might even break a sweat.  And you thought sweatpants were a fashion statement!  So why bother?  Because the benefits are greater than the costs.  This is true in both realms, but as Paul reminds us, infinitely more so in the spiritual where, “godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come.”

I personally believe the greatest value in bodily training is that discipline is a lifestyle choice.  Disciplining our bodies is crawling, whereas spiritual disciplines are walking/running.  We have to see the benefit of running the race before we will commit to taking the first step of training.  Paul’s audience understood this, therefore he encouraged them to transition their discipline from one realm to the other.  He was not implying that they could not do both, but they had to recognize the relative importance of each.  Bodily discipline is not the end all, but it can serve as a stepping stone.  Besides, our bodies are the temple of the living God, bought at a price.  Being a wise steward of them is only logical.

The Pursuit of Godliness

In his letter to Timothy, Paul equates discipline with the pursuit of godliness.  When we pick up the classics on spiritual disciplines, we will be encouraged to do such things as pray, study the Bible, fast, meditate on the Word, etc.  But in our text, Paul doesn’t delineate, he simply encourages his audience, and us by extension, to pursue godliness.  I hope to do the same.  My objective today is not to teach how to, but to promote what for.  I guess you could say that my role today is more of a cheerleader than a trainer.

This world is not our eternal home.  Our earthly bodies will be replaced by heavenly bodies.  But, while we reside on planet earth, ours is the privilege and ability to be conformed to the image of Christ through the process of sanctification.  By actively being engaged in the spiritual disciplines, we can facilitate the process of dying to self and becoming more godly.  But it won’t happen if we don’t see the value in the “prize”.  Listen to the motivation of Paul.

12 Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. 13 Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. 15 Let those of us who are mature think this way, and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal that also to you. – Philippians 3:12-15

Good Intentions

I don’t want to make an idol of spiritual disciplines, they are not the end, but a means.  As I have already stated, our goal is Christlikeness.  Our ultimate objective is being, not doing.  However, the doing helps us to become.  Our motive is much more important than our motions.  But the Word of God encourages each.  Good intentions are not so good if they never become action.  Again, listen to Paul, my fellow cheerleader.

24 Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it. 25 Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable. 26 So I do not run aimlessly; I do not box as one beating the air. 27 But I discipline my body and keep it under control, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified. – 1 Corinthians 9:24-27

Reflections

James, the brother of Jesus, in the first chapter of his letter, refers to the man who looks intently into a mirror and then walks away, forgetting the image he just saw.  He likens him to a person who hears the Word, but does not do it.   Don’t be a hearer only.  My challenge is for you to take a personal inventory.  Look into your spiritual mirror.  Are you content with the reflection looking back at you?

Now reflect on the truths you know about Christ.  Look at the image the “writers” of the Bible painted of Him with their divinely inspired “pens”.  Meditate on the condescension of Christ reflected in the His incarnation.  Dwell on the love of Christ as He ministered to the lost, regardless of race or social status.  Our Savior was always obedient to the will of the Father no matter the cost.  He was always passionate about the Kingdom of God.  He was always concerned about the needs of others.  Think of His humility as Paul so eloquently worded it in Philippians chapter 2.

5 Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus,6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. 9 Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, 10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Reward

Can you think of anything more important than becoming Christlike?  Is it a prize you are willing to discipline yourself for?  Don’t worry about sweating a little.  It’s a small price for the prize.  Certainly trivial compared to what He did for you.

41 And he withdrew from them about a stone’s throw, and knelt down and prayed, 42 saying, “Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me. Nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done.” 43 And there appeared to him an angel from heaven, strengthening him. 44 And being in agony he prayed more earnestly; and his sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground. – Luke 22:41-44

Thanksgiving

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4 Enter his gates with thanksgiving,
    and his courts with praise!
    Give thanks to him; bless his name! – Psalm 100:4

Be Thankful

I woke up at 4:00 this morning and panicked.  Today is Thanksgiving day and I am not prepared.  I knew it was coming.  It’s on the calendar.  My employer gave me a box of food.  I have the day off work.  The island in the kitchen is covered with pies and cookies.  Tables and chairs are all taken care of.  So what is there left to do?  Be thankful.

No Shortage

Is it only me, or are most of us in our society “spoiled”?  Christ tells us to pray for our daily bread, but do we do it in faith and gratitude when we have a refrigerator and multiple freezers full of food?  Daily bread?  We’re stockpiled for a zombie apocalypse.  No shortage of bread here.

My closet is in competition with my freezers.  It is crammed with clothes.  If I can’t decide what to wear it is because of excess, not lack.  The only shortage in the closet is hangers and hooks.  No shortage of clothes.

How about shelter?  Most of us have plenty of room to spare.  If necessary, we could accommodate upwards of fifty people in our homes.  They wouldn’t all have a cozy bed but we could keep them warm and dry in a crisis.  And that is only our residence.  How about that cottage or second home?  No shortage of housing.

How about transportation?  I remember when most families had one car.  If you had two, you were wealthy.  Now, it seems there are more cars in the driveway than drivers in the house.  We are a society on the go and our plethora of autos reflects such.  Like our clothes, our dilemma is which auto to drive today.  No shortage of transportation.

How about Bibles?  We’ve got them in King James, New King James, New American Standard, NIV, and ESV.  Those are only the translations, how about the niche bibles?  Bibles for students, teens, grandparents, etc.  I’m having a hard time locating my bible for CPA’s with blue eyes, but I know it is around here somewhere.  If I can’t locate it soon, I’ll just order the bible for blind CPA’s over 50 years old.  No shortage of Bibles.

Excess Danger

Why do I talk about excess on Thanksgiving?  For the obvious reason, that excess can rob us of our thankfulness.  If our excess doesn’t, our greed will.  Let’s face it, we struggle with both.  Thanksgiving has evolved from a special day set aside to recognize our dependence upon God, to a speed bump on the road to Christmas, to an afterthought, steamrolled by the new “spirit” of Christmas.  As if we don’t already have enough possessions, Black Friday “begins” well before we prepare our Thanksgiving meals.

See why I woke up in a panic?  We need to look in our mirrors.  Are we truly thankful?  I am not saying that having material things is wrong, but ingratitude is.  Excess and thankfulness are not mutually exclusive, but they aren’t exactly Siamese twins.  It takes a mature Christian, and I personally have not yet arrived.  I’m spoiled, but at least I recognize it.  Which means, there is hope.

Simplify & Share

I have resolved to simplify my life.  The guns I haven’t shot for years are going.  Same with the clothes I haven’t worn since who knows when.  As I have thought about this issue, I have come to the conclusion that it is better to share my excess, when possible, rather than giving it away.  When I share my possessions, I share myself as well.  I know this is a wise plan because it is what God has done with His wealth.

When God looks at us, he sees lack, not excess.  Spiritual zombies walking in darkness totally unable to save ourselves.  God did not send a legion of angels to save us, rather He came and shared in our flesh and blood (Hebrews 2:14).  He gave of Himself.  He didn’t just reach down, He reached out.  He shared in our flesh and blood, so we could share in His divine nature (2 Peter 1:4).

Excess In Christ

Want to talk about excess?  God has given us the body of Christ as our bread and wine.  Through faith in His sacrifice, we will never have an unsatiated spiritual hunger or thirst.  We will have food to nourish us that the world doesn’t comprehend.

As children of God, we have been clothed with the Righteousness of Christ.  According to Colossians chapter three, our closet now contains clothes of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience.

As children of God, Christ has promised us a heavenly dwelling.  In fact, He is preparing it for us right now.  Until He calls us home, He has turned our hearts into temples and taken up residence in us.

As children of God, we have been transported into the Heavenly places with Christ.  We have been blessed with every spiritual blessing in the Heavenly places (Ephesians 1:3)!!   As citizens of Heaven, we can now store our treasures there where they will await our arrival.  Never will they be subject to decay.

As children of God, our fellowship is with the incarnate Word.  Obviously, He speaks to us through His written Word, but with the Holy Spirit indwelling us, we now have the ability to understand any translation of the Bible and have the Word speak to our souls and not just our minds.

Thanksgiving Reminders

Don’t let your material excess blind you of your spiritual wealth.  God has blessed you beyond comprehension.  He loves you with an everlasting love.  His mercies are new every morning.  When you were dead in your sins, He offered you eternal life.  The list is endless.  James tells us that every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from God, Himself (James 1:17).

This Thanksgiving may your material excess remind you of your spiritual blessings.  Might your Thanksgiving cornucopia proclaim the generosity of God.  I challenge you to look for someone to share your blessings and by extension, yourself with.  Use your blessings to bless others.  More importantly, take time to come into God’s presence with a thankful heart and praise on your lips.  He didn’t save you from being a spiritual zombie to see you become an ungrateful child.  As the Psalmist says, we are to thank Him and praise His name.

Thanksgiving day is just another reminder.

18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. – 1 Thessalonians 5:18

Omniscient

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139 O Lord, you have searched me and known me!
2 You know when I sit down and when I rise up;
    you discern my thoughts from afar.
3 You search out my path and my lying down
    and are acquainted with all my ways.
4 Even before a word is on my tongue,
    behold, O Lord, you know it altogether. – Psalm 139:1-4

Daunting Task

It is rather daunting for the finite to write about the infinite, for the sinful to write about the sinless, and the ignorant to write about the all knowing, but such is the case when men try to communicate the attributes of God.  As I try to work my way through (some of) the attributes of God, I have found this attempt to express God’s omniscience, pushed to the back burner.  I touched on the subject briefly when we looked at the fact that the “secret things” belong to God, yet there is so much more to say.  Obviously it is a topic we could never exhaust.  Fortunately that is not my goal.  Rather, my hope in writing about the attributes of God is to remove any frames you might have in your mental pictures of God.  None can contain Him.  Any delusions that we can comprehend God is not only a path down the trail of idolatry, it is flirting with blasphemy.  Such is an attempt to reduce God to the level of man.

All Knowing

When we look at today’s text, we see that David did not attribute human limitations to God or His knowledge.  According to David, God not only knew every move he made but also every thought he had.  Before a word could even cross David’s lips God already knew it.  Do we believe the same things?  Is David wrong or is he not to be taken literally?

39 Then hear in heaven your dwelling place and forgive and act and render to each whose heart you know, according to all his ways (for you, you only, know the hearts of all the children of mankind) – 1 Kings 8:39

So prayed Solomon, the son of David.  According to Solomon, God, and only God, knows the hearts of all the children of mankind.  Is this possible? Jeremiah writes that the heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick, who can understand it?  God, Himself, answers the question, 10 “I the Lord search the heart and test the mind, to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his deeds.” (Jeremiah 17:10).  The greatest enigma is no challenge for an all-knowing God.  The heart of man may be deceitful, but God sees it clearly.

Like Father, Like Son

This ability to know every action and thought of man was also evident in Christ.  Before He ever met Philip, Jesus saw him under the fig tree.  Before He ever conversed with the woman at the well, He knew about her life history.  Furthermore, Jesus knew of the death of Lazarus before the news could reach Him.  Before the last supper, He described to His disciples in detail the person they were to meet to make arrangements.  When His audience had evil thoughts (Matthew 9:4), Jesus confronted them.  When the Pharisees had blasphemous thoughts (Matthew 12:25), He challenged them with a parable.  When the scribes entertained thoughts that Jesus was guilty of blasphemy (Mark 2:6-8), He corrected them.  When the scribes and Pharisees vindictively thought that they might be able to level an accusation against Jesus (Luke 6:6-11), He exposed their hypocrisy.

Number of Stars

Not impressed?  Let’s look at another Psalm.  4 He determines the number of the stars; he gives to all of them their names. 5 Great is our Lord, and abundant in power;  his understanding is beyond measure. (Psalm 147:4-5).  From what I have read, an Australian study claims that the number of stars we can see is 70,000 million, million, million (70 followed by 22 zeros).  I have not verified that number due to a shortage of fingers and toes, but the number is not staggering to God.  He has not only created the stars, but has named each one.  God knows the way to the dwelling of light, and the place of darkness (Job 38:19).  He knows when the mountain goats give birth (Job 39:1) and when a sparrow falls (Matthew 10:29). 

Before Creation

Before Adam and Eve were created, much less ate from the forbidden fruit, God had a plan of redemption (1 Peter 1:20).  A plan which God revealed years before it’s fruition (Isaiah 7:14).   God also revealed to Isaiah His plans for Cyrus, a century before Cyrus was even born.  Likewise, Christ could see into the future.  Events such as Peter’s denial and Judas’ betrayal were known in advance to Jesus.  Same with the destruction of the Temple.  God’s knowledge has no limits.  He knows every detail of His creation, He knows our every move and thought, and He knows the future.  

Do I understand the omniscience of God?  Absolutely not.  When God challenged Job, Job’s response was classic.  He repented and covered his mouth.  The attributes of God should have the same effect on us.  God is so much above us, that all we can do is to be amazed.  While we can not grasp the knowledge of God, we can find comfort in it.

He Knows & Cares

Our omniscient God not only knows about every detail of your life; He is concerned about them.  He cares about you.  He knitted you in your mother’s womb and is cognizant of every breath you take and every beat of your heart.  Not because you are great, but because He is.  Christ tells us that our Heavenly Father knows the number of the hairs on our head to impress upon us just how intimately God knows each and every one of His children.  God is not just some piece of automation that stores a lot of information; rather, He is the intimate Being who created us for a personal relationship with Himself.  Rather than being intimidated by God’s perfect knowledge of us, we should recognize that we can approach Him just as we are.  We can have confidence that He understands our struggles and weaknesses.  He knows our cares and our doubts.  God knows we are finite, sinful and ignorant, but He loves us regardless.  He knows our deceitful hearts and offers us new ones.

I concur with Elihu.

“He does great things that we cannot comprehend.” – Job 37:5b

No Greater Joy

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4 I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth. – 3 John v. 4

Lies, Lies, Lies

I don’t know when I was last as angry with the lies of the enemy as I was last night as I attended the memorial service of a young lady.  When I saw her picture on the cover of the order of service the first thought that came to my mind was simply, Satan won.  The thought felt blasphemous coursing through my mind but I don’t know how else to explain what I was feeling.

The face looking back at me belonged to a pretty girl of thirty-one years of age.  She had a warm smile and looked so happy.  She was intelligent, apparently an avid reader of Shakespeare.  She was talented.  She liked to dance and perform in plays from what I understand.  To an outsider, it would certainly appear that this young lady had so much to offer.  Unfortunately, this young lady who had the ability to touch so many lives decided to take her own.  Why?  Lies.

Suicide

When we think of suicide candidates, we often think of social outcasts or misfits.  For instance, the media likes to exploit the consequence of bullying.  Experience teaches us that peers prey on the weak and vulnerable; those that don’t fit in because of their looks, intelligence level, social status, social skills, you name it.  When one of these so-called misfits commits suicide we try to raise awareness condemning bullying and promoting tolerance and acceptance.  But we have a greater problem and a more dangerous enemy.

Satan

As I was reminded last night, the father of lies doesn’t limit his attacks to the weak and vulnerable.  He preys on everyone.  He is the ultimate bully.  His lies are so dangerous because they are so subtle; often they are letters delivered in envelopes of truth.  I am not sure which lies he used against this young lady, but ultimately I know it boiled down to this, “You are a failure, there is no hope, life isn’t worth it.”  Consequently, she ended her life and to most of the world became just another statistic.

Spiritual Battle

But she was certainly, more than a statistic.  That is another lie of the enemy.  We have to expose the dangers of the ultimate bully.  We have to counter him with the Truth.  The media is not going to do it.  As believers, it is our responsibility to understand the spiritual battle going on and to be actively engaged in it.

Truths, Truths, Truths

The truth is, this young lady was not a failure, rather she was fearfully and wonderfully made, knitted together in her mother’s womb by God Himself.  He created her in His image.

The truth is as long as we have breath, we have hope.  Hope that is tethered to the death and resurrection of Christ.  I am not sure what demons this young lady was battling, but I know that none of them was greater than Christ.

The truth is her life was worth living.  Her heavenly Father created her with the capacity to enjoy fellowship with Him.  What could possibly give life more meaning and purpose than walking with God?  Like Gaius, she had the ability to walk in the truth.

Anger & Action

As I saw her grieving parents I was forced to do some reflecting.  Sure I was angry at the enemy of our souls, but anger doesn’t do any good if it doesn’t result in action and change.  The money tables need to be overturned, and the cord needs to be wielded.  Time for a little soul searching.

How often do I succumb to the enemy’s lies in regard to my own children?  What are my highest priorities for them?  Do I just want them to be happy?  Do I just want them to be safe and comfortable?  Do I worry about their popularity?  Perhaps my main concern is financial stability?  For some, it is a college education.  Maybe it’s a good marriage.  Find a doctor or rocket scientist for my daughters to marry and everything will be okay.  In time they will give us grandchildren to play with and enjoy and send home when we are tired.  Lies, Lies, Lies.

God created them for so much more.

Walking in THE Truth

When the disciple whom Jesus loved wrote to Gaius, his heart was blessed because it was reported to him by the brothers that Gaius was walking in the truth.  As Gaius’ spiritual father, John could not have been prouder.  In fact, he said, nothing brings him greater joy than to hear that his children are walking in the truth.  Quite a statement.

John was intimate with Jesus.  He penned some of the most beautiful words ever written.  As we resolve to battle the lies of the enemy, it might be wise to saturate our minds with the Gospel that bears his name.  Paul tells us that Christ is the image of the invisible God. Perhaps no one gives us a clearer picture of Christ than John.  In his Gospel, Jesus is presented as the Way, the Truth, and the Life.  God’s answer to Lies, Lies, Lies.

Greatest Joy

We need to remember that we are in a spiritual battle.  Ultimately our enemy is not drugs, alcohol, bullies, divorces, unemployment, etc.  Our enemy is Satan and his lies.  But he is no match for God, and that is the truth.

As a fellow believer, I ask you today to commit with me to consistently saturate your mind with Truth.  Might we resolve to read and meditate on the Word of God on a regular basis.  If you are a parent, I challenge you to diligently train your children in the Word of God as well.  Might we have a desire for our children and grandchildren to have a healthy fear of God and hunger for His Word.  As parents, may we strive for and experience the “greatest joy”!

The father of lies will not have the final word.  The truth is, even a sad memorial service can result in His glory.

“If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, 32 and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” – John 8:31b-32

Ministering Spirits

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14 Are they not all ministering spirits sent out to serve for the sake of those who are to inherit salvation? – Hebrews 1:14

Tragedy

I remember the day my mother in law passed into eternity.  Like the rest of the family, I was stunned.  One week prior she was a vibrant, healthy, bundle of energy (a polite way of saying hyperactive!).  She was the proverbial straw that stirred the drink, at least in our family.  Ministering to and encouraging everyone she came into contact with.  And then there was the accident.  A fall from a bicycle from which she never regained consciousness.  The closest thing to perpetual motion I have ever seen in a human was now stilled.  Never again to perform a kind act.  No more words of encouragement would come from her mouth.  No more prayers of intercession for those she was burdened for.  Who would stand in the gap?

Ministering Spirits

With so many memories of the past and questions about the future going through my mind, I picked up my Bible and read Hebrews chapter one.  In all honesty, I had a hard time concentrating on the words I was reading.  Not the recommended way of reading God’s Word, but God decided to bless me anyhow.  As I set down my Bible, God spoke to me.  What did I just read about angels?  I quickly picked my Bible up again and re-read verse fourteen, “Are they not all ministering spirits sent out to serve for the sake of those who are to inherit salvation?”  I wasn’t sure what the future would look like with the loss of someone so important in our lives, but God assured me we would be taken care of even if He needed to send His angels to minister to us.  As He does for all of His children if necessary.

Down Story

A few years ago we made a trip to Frankenmuth during the Christmas season.  One of the highlights for the kids was sitting on Santa’s lap.  We don’t really promote Mr. Clause, but we let Caleb see him never the less.  After the visit with Santa, we passed by a welcome center.  Upon seeing Caleb, one of the workers behind the counter lit up like a Christmas tree.  She almost literally ran around the counter and upon approaching us asked if she could hug Caleb.  I don’t think a response of “no” would have stopped her.  We knew a story would ensue.  Sure enough, she had a Down’s brother.  The pride and joy of her family.  Like everyone with Down Syndrome, he had a compromised immune system.  Susceptible to every bug and slower to recover once “bitten”.

A Doctor’s Okay

She proceeded to tell us how her brother became ill and her mother became worried.  A few trips to the doctor’s resulted in nothing more than being told her son was okay and she was anxious for nothing.  The diagnosis was an overprotective mother.  If I can attest to one thing from experience, a bond between a mother and her Down’s son is a very strong one.  Deciding to trust her intuition over the advice of the doctor, the mother took her son to the ER where he was promptly admitted for pneumonia.

A Nurse’s Okay

It was obvious from the passion with which she was telling the story, that this young man with Down Syndrome was the “straw” of the family.  Definitely their pride and joy.  It was with great anguish that they had to watch his health decline.  How much did he comprehend?  How much did he suffer, perhaps unnecessarily?  Where was God in all of this?  In the midst of this hospital room clouded with such despair and confusion, entered a pretty blond nurse.  A nurse the family had not seen before.  When she entered the room she brought an aura of peace and confidence.  The nurse checked the patient and comforted the family.  Assuring them over and over that everything would be okay.  They had no need to worry about their brother/son.  And then she left.

What Nurse?

The family spent a little more time with their loved one and discussed the new nurse.  Wanting to learn more about her they approached the desk outside of their room to inquire about her.  The nurses stationed outside looked at each other perplexed.  They assured the family that their station was never abandoned and the whole time the family was in the room, no one else ever entered it.  Certainly, no one matching the description of the pretty blond nurse.

To say that this stranger who so desperately wanted to hug our Down’s son had our interest would be an understatement.  I was certain there was going to be a happy ending to her story.  But, I wasn’t expecting what she proceeded to tell us.  Shortly after this occurrence with the special visitor, her Special brother passed away.  Heartbroken, her mother also passed away shortly after.  I was dumbfounded.  Here we are at the Christmas capital of the world, to celebrate the season with family and in-laws and I am listening to one of the saddest stories I have ever heard.  And yet, this stranger had such a peace about the whole thing.  While our son reminded her of her deceased brother, she reminded us of the truth of Hebrews 1:14.

Angels

When Abraham sent out his servant to find a wife for Isaac, he assured him that he would be guided by an angel.  When Daniel was cast into the lion’s den, an angel stopped the mouth of the lions.  When Peter was in prison, he was released by an angel.  An angel guided Philip, and an angel encouraged Paul.  Jesus, Himself, was ministered to by angels in the wilderness.  The list goes on, but this is sufficient to validate the fact that angels are heaven sent ministers.

Trials will come.  Doctor’s, like all humans, will make mistakes.  The “helpless” and so-called handicapped will suffer like everybody else.  Certainly, no one is immune from the pain of separation.  But like the angel in the hospital room repeated to the family, “Don’t worry, everything will be okay.” Like this stranger reminded us, God can take a heavy heart and buoy it with hope.  The angels may not stop the trials, but they will help us keep the faith until we are home.  That is a happy ending.

28 And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. – Romans 8:28