Don’t Make Jonah’s Mistake

This article by Ruth was in our archives. She returns to her regular place on Fridays next week.

Jonah and the Psalm

A while ago, I posed this question as an informal Facebook poll: “Did the story of Jonah happen literally as it appears in the Bible?” The majority said yes. No surprise. The Church has been defending the story’s miraculous nature since the early Church Fathers. For many, it’s even a test of faith in God’s sovereignty; can you believe God didn’t do it, without believing God couldn’t do it?

People often say that it “must have happened—Jesus says it did.” Fair statement, but one that needs some thought. What is the relationship between Jesus and Jonah?

Let’s assume that the event literally happened to Jonah, son of Amittai, prophet to King Jeroboam. That Jonah’s psalm in chapter 2 was his prayer, recorded as he prayed it.

Why would Jonah sing his gratitude to God in the middle of this mess? Why does Jonah never expresses remorse?

And where does Jesus fit in?

Now the Lord had appointed a huge fish to swallow Jonah, and Jonah was in the fish three days and three nights. Jonah prayed to the Lord his God from inside the fish.

Matthew records Jesus saying: “…For as Jonah was in the belly of the huge fish three days and three nights, so the Son of Man will be in the heart of the earth three days and three nights.” Matthew 12:40 (HCSB)

Both events involve a prophetic man who comes back after three days of being given up for dead, but in all other respects, narrative contrasts are greater than similarities.

• Jesus is in conversation with God all through his approach to the grave: Jonah is silent until he can’t stand it any more.
• Jesus laments God’s turning His face away; Jonah is the one who turns his back.
• Jesus enters his grave as an act of submission: Jonah embraces death as part of his defiance.
• Jesus, as God, returns by an act of power and of will: Jonah as vomit.

I called to the Lord in my distress, and He answered me.
I cried out for help in the belly of Sheol; You heard my voice.

Jonah finally breaks his silence. Some suggest he’d been unconscious, others that Jonah physically died and was resurrected, based on Matthew’s “sign of Jonah,” and the reference to Sheol.

For Christians, “Sheol” can bring to mind medieval pictures of Hell, but to Jonah himself the image was very different. Sheol was beneath the earth, the farthest place from Heaven, where the dead descended to (or were raised from if God opened the gate). Those who entered it became silent shadows, without knowledge, passion, or hope. Yet God ruled there, and in the Messiah’s day the righteous would be released to joyously participate in His kingdom.

Some see a connection here with 1 Peter 3:18-20 and Ephesians 4:9 but there’s no real support in scripture for the idea of Jesus “descending to Hell.” Peter speaks of earth, and Paul of the past, not of metaphysics. Instead, they drive home for us the understanding that Jesus overcame time and space to walk in the dust, and “humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death—even to death on a cross.”¹

You threw me into the depths, into the heart of the seas,
and the current overcame me. All Your breakers and Your billows swept over me.

For modern songwriters, switching ‘voice’ mid-song is a no-no. Not true for the Psalmists who switch from addressing God, to His people, to the writer’s own soul and back again. Jonah moves from speaking about God, to direct, dramatic accusation.

Jesus also recognizes God’s hand in directing his path, but He does it with an attitude of humility and submission that culminates in His prayer, “If this cannot pass… Your will be done,”² modelling not blame but trust and obedience.

But I said: I have been banished from Your sight,
yet I will look once more toward Your holy temple.
The waters engulfed me up to the neck;
the watery depths overcame me; seaweed was wrapped around my head.

Jonah has what he wanted—to be far from the face of God—and realizes he should have been more careful in his wishing.

He’s bound and suffocating, tangled in something beyond his strength. He echoes Psalm 88: drowning, God’s wrath, an innocent sufferer, accusation, demands for rescue, loneliness.

At His loneliest moment, Jesus draws instead from Psalm 22 and its anticipation of praise in better days. Like Jonah, Jesus grieves God’s absence. Like Jonah, He identifies Himself as an innocent. Unlike Jonah, He actually is one.

At least Jonah is looking in the right direction—back where he came from.

I sank to the foundations of the mountains;
the earth with its prison bars closed behind me forever!
But You raised my life from the Pit, Lord my God!
As my life was fading away, I remembered Yahweh.
My prayer came to You, to Your holy temple.

Jonah continues to deny the cause of his trouble—his own choices. But something has changed.

He’s run as far as he can but still has a connection to the One from whom He ran. He knows to whom he speaks, how he will sound in those ears and what the response is likely to be.

In the darkest place possible, his heart and mind turn toward the brightest. In the grip of the worst monster, he looks toward the most loving Father. At his farthest from home, his mind turns to the Holy of Holies, the centre of all Creation.

To “remember” is not just to recall, but to be intentionally mindful. Of the past—what God has done. Of the present—where He meets us. Of the future—in which He awaits.

This is where Jonah comes closest to Jesus, who in His own climactic moment on the cross contradicted His own sense of abandonment and declared the words of Psalm 31:5, “Into Your hand I entrust my spirit…”…trusting God to “…redeem me, Lord, God of truth.”

Jonah, weakened and lost, cannot save himself but Yahweh-remembered can and will. Jonah is freed from the pit.

Those who cling to worthless idols forsake faithful love

Has Jonah learned anything? Has he changed? He hasn’t admitted his guilt. We see no contrition. Instead, he condemns “those” who forsake faithful love which comes from the God that Jonah fled. So who is he talking about?

“Those” sailors whose misfortune it was to give Jonah a ride? They’d been pagan until they met with Yahweh. Afterward they’d sacrificed and made vows to the LORD, a step toward becoming “Hebrews.” But Jonah didn’t see that happen. He was already underwater and sinking. All Jonah knew of them was that they were “those who cling to worthless idols.” Perhaps he assumes they’ve lost their chance.

“Those” Ninevites, violent and cruel people? He’s endangered his own life to scuttle their chance at receiving the faithful love of God. Is he hoping that this proverb is a promise?

All that’s left is himself—the prophet who clung to the idol of his nationalistic hatred, forsaking the faithful love of God. Jonah’s not the only prophet to object to his assignment. So did Moses, Isaiah, Ezekiel and Jeremiah. He is, however, the only one who upped sticks and ran. The others spoke honestly to God and received His response. Jonah built a wall of silence and refusal between himself and God.

Jonah and Jesus again part ways. Jesus didn’t only accept His role, He chose it. “…He emptied Himself by assuming the form of a slave, taking on the likeness of men.”

One rabbinic writer said:

“Jeremiah sought the honor of God and the honor of Israel;
Elijah sought the honor of God and not the honor of Israel;
Jonah sought the honor of Israel and not the honor of God.”

One might even substitute “Jonah sought the honor of himself…” Jesus sought the honor of the Father through obedience, pursuing and rescuing those who clung to their idols and could not, on their own, find the freedom of letting go.

…but as for me, I will sacrifice to You with a voice of thanksgiving.
I will fulfill what I have vowed. Salvation is from the Lord!

Then the Lord commanded the fish, and it vomited Jonah onto dry land.

The fish has been carrying around 180 extra pounds of ballast. Enough is enough. The LORD lets her off the hook. It’s time for Jonah to head inland.

Three days of petulant silence, followed by a burst of eloquent gratitude, and either hypocritical self-righteousness, or an excuse to head to Jerusalem instead of Nineveh. No wonder she was sick.

Jonah heads reluctantly to Nineveh, wanders around—in silence for three days—before delivering his message.

But Jesus spent His ministry reaching out and being available to not only men like Himself, but to enemies and invaders, strangers and rejects, women and children, heretics and hypocrites. After His resurrection, He allowed only moments to pass before reconnecting with the people He’d come to save.

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However… what if instead of Matthew’s rendering, we look at Luke’s record of the same statement: For just as Jonah became a sign to the people of Nineveh, so also the Son of Man will be to this generation. Luke 11:30 (HCSB)

Despite the fact that Luke wouldn’t have heard it first hand, his understanding of the Jonah/Jesus parallel seems better grounded: just as Jonah’s message of God’s grace toward Nineveh had “overturned” the city, so would Jesus’ overturn the world.

The verb in Jonah’s message to Nineveh seems intentionally ambiguous. Throughout Scripture, it’s translated as demolished, overturned, overthrown, transformed or turned around. Those who (eventually) heard it inferred a threat of destruction, creating fearful repentance. But was this true prophet of Israel not also used to point to an alternative fulfillment?

Nineveh was beautifully, life-givingly “overturned.”

So, yes. Jesus wanted us to remember this story. He wanted us to learn from it.

I’d argue that the least important question about this story is whether it “happened.” What matters is that we learn from Jonah’s mistakes and are free to not repeat them. That we learn from Jesus’ example and are free to make it real in our lives.

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1 Philippians 2:8 HCSB

2 Matthew 26:42

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More about Jonah: Here’s an article by Ruth that’s also about Jonah which appeared here just a few weeks ago.

Ruth Wilkinson is a pastor in south central Ontario, Canada.

Lord, Do Not Delay

Psalm 70 NLT
For the choir director: A psalm of David, asking God to remember him.

Please, God, rescue me!
Come quickly, Lord, and help me.

May those who try to kill me
be humiliated and put to shame.
May those who take delight in my trouble
be turned back in disgrace.

Let them be horrified by their shame,
for they said, “Aha! We’ve got him now!”

But may all who search for you
be filled with joy and gladness in you.
May those who love your salvation
repeatedly shout, “God is great!”

But as for me, I am poor and needy;
please hurry to my aid, O God.
You are my helper and my savior;
O Lord, do not delay.

That was a long one yesterday! A total of 2,222 words! Since some of you are still working your way through it, here’s a shorter read for today…

This is our fifth time featuring Stanley J. Groothof who blogs at The 4th Point.

Come Quickly

You can hear the desperation in his voice:

I am poor and needy;
come quickly to me, O God.

These words come near the end of Psalm 70, at the point in the psalm where you’re hoping for some resolution, a happy ending. Instead of that neat bow, the writer leaves us hanging with a confession of faith and fervent cry for God’s help.

Compared to most of the rest of the world, I am neither poor nor needy. However, there’s been a time or two when our checking account ran low following some unexpected expenses. Besides that, I often compare myself with others who appear to have more disposable income than me. So I’ve been tempted to also pray, “I am poor and needy.”

But had I been the psalm writer, my next words would have gone something like this: “…so refill my checking account.” Or “…so give me what I need.” Or “…so drop some cash from the sky.” The Spirit-inspired psalmist, however, goes in a very different direction: “Come quickly to me, O God.”

The psalmist does not ask for more money. Or more opportunities. Or more control. Or more things. Or more time. Instead, the psalmist asks for more of God.

More of God.

How often don’t I substitute stuff for God’s presence? How often don’t I chase after the gifts rather than the Giver? I want more of lots of things but often not more of God.

The psalm ends with these words to realign my priorities:

Lord, do not delay.

In Christ, God has answered the final petition of the psalm. At the end of the day, all the money in the world will not bring the happy ending anyone is looking for. This psalm recently reminded me that ultimately my “poverty” and emptiness are filled by God’s presence and love in Jesus right now, without delay. As Greg Dutcher puts it: “When we receive Christ as our treasure, we have found the very thing for which our souls have most longed.” Money, time, and more stuff may be nice, but this psalm tells me afresh that Jesus is my all in all.

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It turned out that yesterday’s article was not the first time we’d looked at Cain and Abel. Not by a long-shot! To review past columns use this link.

When Friends Hurt Us

I want to open with a verse that is not the verse we’ll be landing on today, but because I know it will come to mind instantly for most of you, I want to deal with it first. That verse is Proverbs 27:6:

Faithful are the wounds of a friend, But deceitful are the kisses of an enemy. (NASB)

Most translations keep the imagery of wounding here, but in case there is doubt, the Amplified Bible includes clarifications:

Faithful are the wounds of a friend [who corrects out of love and concern], But the kisses of an enemy are deceitful [because they serve his hidden agenda].

Although we have to be careful not to self-appoint ourselves judge and jury* over every detail in the lives of our friends, occasional loving correction — that doesn’t create the polarization or loss of friendship we’ve seen so often in the internet/social media age — can be useful.

I’m really loving switching all my text searches over to Bible Hub partly because of the inclusion of cross-references on the page. I think this one is significant. The first part of Psalm 141:5 reads,

Let the godly strike me! It will be a kindness! If they correct me, it is soothing medicine. Don’t let me refuse it… (NLT)

Let the righteous man strike me; let his rebuke be an act of loving devotion. It is oil for my head; let me not refuse it… (Berean Study Bible)

and for readers here, I don’t need to do more than mention the iron sharpens iron principle, or the build each other up concept. (I’ll let you dig for those!)

So… with all that as a backdrop, I found myself yesterday morning in Psalm 55: 12-14.

If an enemy were insulting me,
I could endure it;
if a foe were rising against me,
I could hide.
But it is you, a man like myself,
my companion, my close friend,
with whom I once enjoyed sweet fellowship
at the house of God,
as we walked about
among the worshipers.

Some Bible commentators say that we don’t know specifically to whom David is referring, but the commentary I’m going to cite seems to indicate that it is Ahithophel. I’ve had search engines refer me to very diverse sources before, but this one was at Britannica (i.e. the encyclopedia people!) which tell us that Ahithophel was

one of King David’s most trusted advisers. He took a leading part in the revolt of David’s son Absalom, and Ahithophel’s defection was a severe blow to David. Having consulted Ahithophel about his plans to proceed against David, Absalom then sought advice from Hushai, another of David’s counselors. Hushai, who remained secretly loyal to the king, betrayed Absalom’s cause by opposing Ahithophel’s plan and proposing in its place a scheme of his own, which actually gave the advantage to David. This plan Absalom accepted. Ahithophel, recognizing that Hushai had outwitted him, foresaw the disastrous defeat of Absalom’s forces and took his own life.

That summary is sourced from II Samuel 15:31–37; 16:20–17:23. David’s wounding was in fact a treacherous betrayal. If you’ve been in pastoral/vocational ministry, the first thing that came to mind when you read the verses in Psalm 55 may have ranged on a spectrum between insult and insurrection.

Let’s jump back several decades to see what Matthew Henry said about these verses:

No wickedness so distresses the believer, as that which he witnesses in those who profess to be of the church of God. Let us not be surprised at the corruptions and disorders of the church on earth, but long to see the New Jerusalem. He complains of one that had been very industrious against him. God often destroys the enemies of the church by dividing them. And an interest divided against itself cannot long stand.

but then he adds an important parallel

The true Christian must expect trials from professed friends, from those with whom he has been united; this will be very painful; but by looking unto Jesus we shall be enabled to bear it. Christ was betrayed by a companion, a disciple, an apostle, who resembled Ahithophel in his crimes and doom. Both were speedily overtaken by Divine vengeance. And this prayer is a prophecy of the utter, the everlasting ruin, of all who oppose and rebel against the Messiah.

Author and Pastor Marvin McKenzie writes,

This Psalm is often ascribed as a prophecy of Judas’ betrayal of Christ. No doubt that this is a powerful portrait of that and many profound truths may be drawn from it in this light.

It seems most likely that David wrote this Psalm on the occasion of Absalom’s rebellion and that the man David refers to, as his equal was Ahithophel. There is, therefore in this Psalm, instruction on dealing with betrayal by loved ones and close friends. How to handle the broken heart.

This is a prayer
Vs 1
Let us always remember to flee to God in prayer. The loss of a friend can drive us so low we forget that we have a friend that sticks closer than a brother.

His impulse was to run
Vs 6-8
There are times when the pain is so great we just want to get away. We want to hide. We want don’t want to confront the fact of our trouble. David did flee from Jerusalem but not from responsibility. Some of the very trouble David experienced might have been avoided if he had simply confronted Absalom earlier.

This was a friend
Vs 12-13
I think both Absalom and Ahithophel might be referenced by David. Absalom, the rebellious son. Ahithophel, the trusted counsellor. We understand we have enemies. What we never understand is how a dear friend can turn against us.

David left judgment to God
He expected judgment to happen (verse 15) but as for David, he said he would call upon the Lord (vs 16)

Let this be a lesson
Verses 19-23 take on the flavor of a sermon rather than a prayer. Having prayed and given this trial to God, David then fixed his eyes on those around him and used his trial as a teaching moment. We may, as he, cast our burdens upon the Lord and trust that He shall sustain us.

I thought that verses 19-23 might be a good place to leave this today, but I know many of you have suffered from the betrayal of people who, as David said, you have worshiped with. We sometimes write this off as “church politics” but often the degree of hurt can’t be written off in a short time and if you’ve been in vocational ministry, it may have been career/life altering.

Know that you are not alone, and that as Matthew Henry points out, the betrayal of Jesus was by a man with whom he had spent three years in active ministry.

God, who is enthroned from of old,
who does not change—
he will hear them and humble them,
because they have no fear of God.

My companion attacks his friends;
he violates his covenant.
His talk is smooth as butter,
yet war is in his heart;
his words are more soothing than oil,
yet they are drawn swords.

Cast your cares on the Lord
and he will sustain you;
he will never let
the righteous be shaken.
But you, God, will bring down the wicked
into the pit of decay;
the bloodthirsty and deceitful
will not live out half their days.

But as for me, I trust in you.

(vv19-23 NIV)

 

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*an exception to this would be a case where the person has formally acknowledge their desire for discipleship and mentorship by us; or conversely we have asked them to critique elements in our attitudes, or doctrines, or lifestyle, etc. Otherwise, such rebuke/correction would normally be occasional or infrequent. If it develops into a pattern, that person will no longer be our friend, and perhaps the verse we looked at next as greater application.

Communication without Words

I know few people who have been as faithful to this medium (the original blog platforms like Blogspot and WordPress) as Canadian pastor Kevin Rogers who writes at The Orphan Age. I invite you to read today a couple of articles based on Psalm 19 (and click to read the third.) If you visit the blog, you’ll also find he’s doing a series on the concept of “Greenhouse Churches” which some might appreciate.

The Wordless Message Of The Universe

Psalm 19

^9a The fear of the Lord is pure, enduring forever…

When we have the fear of the Lord, it brings a purifying effect on our life. We become truly changed in ways that go on forever.

What is purity? It is the un-distorted, unpolluted substance that gives a person or thing its worth. Pure means consistent in its essence. The pure is always wonderfully the same.

It’s not shame or terror that inspires us to become pure. It is more likely that a curious fascination with the Almighty One will reshape our heart.

Purity is the look of love and the trustworthiness as we look upon the highest possible Being in whom all things are fashioned and held together.

German philosopher Immanuel Kant said something that segues nicely into this Psalm we want to look at:

“Two things fill the mind with ever new and increasing wonder and awe, the more often and the more seriously reflection concentrates upon them: the starry heaven above me and the moral law within me.”[1]

About Psalm 19, C.S. Lewis said,

“I take this to be the greatest poem in the Psalms and one of the greatest lyrics in the world.”[2]

The Psalm is broken into three stanzas. Each part emphasizes a key thought.

• Verses 1-6 – the wordless message of the Universe
• Verses 7-9 – God’s pure communication
• Verses 10 – the listening that changes me.

Psalm 19:

¹ The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands.
² Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they reveal knowledge.
³ They have no speech, they use no words; no sound is heard from them.
⁴ Yet their voice goes out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world.
In the heavens God has pitched a tent for the sun.
⁵     It is like a bridegroom coming out of his chamber, like a champion rejoicing to run his course.
⁶ It rises at one end of the heavens and makes its circuit to the other; nothing is deprived of its warmth.

David says in poetry what an open heart knows to be true. The fascinating wonder of Creation is a messenger that speaks without words to the soul. This is what gives every person an advantage in finding God.

The word glory has the meaning of weightiness. Creation speaks to the weightiness of an implied Creator. The world is fashioned by incomprehensible genius and runs with great precision and calls out for us to examine her.

Theologians call this the principle of General Revelation. It is the most obvious way for anyone to observe and reflect on the good world that we are part of. General Revelation summons up the image of God placed in us as a marker of someone greater at work.

The pioneers of the natural sciences explored nature as a way to know God better.

But since the Enlightenment, the natural sciences have typically studied creation not to know God but to know creation, and therefore are not focused on general revelation through creation. General revelation, properly speaking, is God’s clear display of His glory and power in the works of creation and providence.[3]

Without the fear of the Lord to guide inquiry, people eventually worship the science and the created things to the exclusion of knowing God.

Warren Wiersbe raises some good questions in this regard. He said,

David worshipped the God who had created nature. Why is it wrong to worship nature instead of God? What can we learn about God by observing nature? What important things can’t we learn about Him by observing nature alone?[4]

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[1] Warren Wiersbe BE Study Bible Series ©Warren W. Wiersbe

[2] Warren Wiersbe BE Study Bible Series ©Warren W. Wiersbe

[3] https://www.ligonier.org/learn/articles/general-revelation

[4] Warren Wiersbe BE Study Bible Series ©Warren W. Wiersbe

God’s Pure Communication

The second stanza of Psalm 19 is praise for the certainty and purity of God’s Word. While General Revelation can inspire us, there is another way that God speaks with actual words that we can understand.

Special Revelation is the act of God communicating directly with humanity. While the General Revelation has an effect on us, spoken words call us to a conversation and specific relationship with God. We are talking of course about the Bible.

Psalm 19:

⁷ The law of the Lord is perfect, refreshing the soul. The statutes of the Lord are trustworthy,
making wise the simple.
⁸ The precepts of the Lord are right, giving joy to the heart.
The commands of the Lord are radiant, giving light to the eyes.
⁹ The fear of the Lord is pure, enduring forever.
The decrees of the Lord are firm, and all of them are righteous.

 In these verses, we find many descriptors that articulate what we know God has said.

• The Law
• The statutes
• The precepts
• The commands
• The fear of the Lord
• The decrees

Here the fear of the Lord is a descriptor of God’s words. Warren Wiersbe said,

This is an unusual name for the Scriptures, but it reminds us that we cannot learn the Word of God unless we show reverence and respect for the God of the Word. To teach the Bible is to teach the fear of the Lord, and the mark of a true Bible student is a burning heart, not a big head. While some of the fears people have might be distressing and even defiling, the fear of God is clean and maturing. We do not decay or deteriorate as we walk in the fear of the Lord.[1]

In the same way that a scientist can study nature without acknowledging God, it is possible to study the Bible without knowing God. It is the fear of the Lord that keeps us connected to Him in all our ways.

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[1] Warren Wiersbe BE Study Bible Series ©Warren W. Wiersbe

Click this link to read part three of this look at Psalm 19:

The Listening That Changes Me

The Law and Liberty

At its most simple level, the longest chapter in the book of Psalms is about celebrating the joy of reading God’s word. In many ways it’s an exercise in, ‘How many different ways can we say the same thing?’ (The answer is 176.)

On closer observation however, there are nuances of difference in each verse. Psalm 119, for all its repetition, is not repetitive! As an example, let’s look at verse 45:

I will walk about in freedom, for I have sought out your precepts. (NIV)

I will walk freely in an open place because I study your precepts. (CSB)

I will walk in freedom, for I have devoted myself to your commandments. (NLT)

For those who find a book about commandments or statutes too restrictive and constraining, the writer of Psalm 119 here celebrates the liberty and freedom gained by studying and following God’s teachings (CEV) and guiding principles (GWT).

American Pastor Andy Stanley did an entire series called “Guardrails,” about seeing the security and safety provided by having barriers along the route which protect us crashing into a valley or a lake.

Surprisingly, yesterday’s devotional was the first time the term ever appeared here. In a moment of candor, the author said, “Now, with these guardrails, when I begin to sway or follow the directional signs not meant for me, I can pull the wheel back onto the path. Lately, this has been the case for me. I have wavered in my commitment and focus, making unhealthy, unhelpful choices.”

Without repeating too much, a devotional that appeared here just eight weeks ago included my often-repeated paraphrase of 2 Timothy 2:15

All scripture has its point of origin in God’s mind, and

• shows us the path God would have us walk
• highlights when and where we’ve gotten off the path
• points the way back to the path
• gives us the advice we need to keep from wandering off the path in future

and also reminded us of the imagery from Psalm 23 of seeing God’s “rod and staff” as comforting.

Andy Stanley’s sermon series has a subtitle, “Avoiding Regrets in Your Life.” How many regretful situations wouldn’t exist had we put the principles of God’s Word into practice?

I had a situation in my life where I found myself unexpectedly deep into a circumstance wherein many people would have collapsed under the pressure of temptation. Because I had “pre-booked” by choices in such a situation, I was able to walk away unscathed.

For years after, my triumph over temptation was the subject of some prideful boasting. And I do think the idea of determining your reactions to situations ahead of time is useful.

However, one time it was though a voice out of nowhere was speaking to me saying, “To truly walk away unscathed might mean never having gotten yourself into that situation in the first place.”

Lesson received.

One of the cross-referenced passages to Psalm 119:45 is found in verses 10-13 of Proverbs 4:

My child, listen to me and do as I say, and you will have a long, good life. I instruct you in the way of wisdom and lead you along straight paths. When you walk, your steps will not be hindered; when you run, you will not stumble. Take hold of instruction; do not let go. Guard her, for she is your life. (ass’t translations)

Now then… because this is Christianity 201 and not Christianity 101, I do need to add a caveat.

Right now, there are one or two growing movements in Evangelicalism in which doctrinal beliefs, as taught by the leaders, is very highly structured. There appears to be a generation, currently in their 20s and 30s, who are looking for an authoritarian type of man who will tell them, to the very last detail, what the Bible says, how it is to be interpreted, and what they therefore ought to believe (their sect’s orthodoxy) and practice (their sect’s orthopraxy). It’s often not healthy.

Of all the various denominations I’ve walked in, I’ve never been an Anglican or a Roman Catholic, but I do admire the way they leave room for mystery. Walking in the way of Jesus is sometimes going to cause us to take the absolute principles of God’s word, and write our own rules. Remember principles are for all people, in all times, in all places; rules derive from principles. Principles are going to teach us the ways of the Lord; rules can sometimes try to dictate things which can’t 100% be codified for the various circumstances of modern life.

Psalm 119 isn’t celebrating the harsh or rigid expectations established by a strong leader for their followers. It’s talking instead about the big picture principles of God’s law, which reflect the ways of the Lord.

For the Psalmist to write this is rather astounding. Some of the law — in Leviticus for example — had to sound rather restrictive. But the Psalm reflects the joy of having guardrails, which in turn reflects the joy of having a loving and caring Father.

 

Be Really Busy and Know That He is God

In the last five years, I’ve noticed a spike in interest in giftware products containing Psalm 46:10, “Be still and know that I am God;” and at the same time many people commenting on the deeper context of the verse and how all these “trendy scriptures” (such as “For I know the plans…) are taken out of context.

Still, (pun intended) there is value in stillness. One of my favorites is Isaiah 30:15b

…“Only in returning to me and resting in me will you be saved. In quietness and confidence is your strength…” (NLT)

So why the title of today’s post?

July 1st is Canada Day and in the U.S., July 4th is… well, it’s better known simply as “The 4th of July.” (Independence Day to be precise.)

Many times people feel very lonely and even severely depressed on holidays, especially when they (a) have no one to share the time with and (b) they don’t have the distractions of their job.

If you are single and you think marriage is the cure for this, think again. For many years, my wife and I would have said that we currently do not have any other couple that we, as the kids would say, hang with.

Also, being in a crowd doesn’t help. Many times it simply reinforces the detachment or loneliness that some experience. Holidays simply aggravate this current state of social affairs, and as I type this, we’re actually dealing with another byproduct of having no one we call on to help with a particular need.

The Psalmist understood this; Psalm 73: 25 says

Whom have I in heaven but you? And earth has nothing I desire besides you.

Some might argue that the key to this verse is “in heaven;” that Asaph is comparing the God of Israel to other gods. But I believe he is also contrasting “friends on earth” to having a “friend in heaven.”

A similar passage is in John 6:68, when Jesus has asked the disciples if they wish to leave

Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.

Cynics would say that Peter is simply saying he has no other options, almost implying that he might leave if something better came along.

But time will prove the prophetic nature of his statement. Jesus remains faithful to Peter even when Peter doesn’t remain faithful to Jesus. Peter messes up but Jesus restores him. Truly, this is a friend who stays closer than a brother.

One who has unreliable friends soon comes to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother. – Proverbs 18:2

Typically, people have seen a Christological element in this verse; that the friend described is the Son of God Incarnate, now seated at the right hand of God.

That’s the kind of companion you have in Christ, even on a holiday when waves of depression roll in.

So again the title of today’s post…

…I believe that times of loneliness and depression are best defeated by engagement in activity. That hand-in-hand with Christ we can avoid the over-intensive introspection that comes with idleness and the temptations that often accompany solitude.

Mental health issues are not to be taken lightly. Sometimes medical intervention is necessary in cases of depression. But the ‘holiday depression’ described here is something I believe we can remedy through a change of attitude and by getting out into the community — and away from our phone/computer screens — ironic as you read this, I realize — still knowing that He is God.

Yes, Christ can present himself in the stillness, but so can anxiety, fear, and the isolation of the stillness itself. Find ways to connect with people. Especially God’s people. Don’t let your affiliation with one particular congregation stop you from joining an activity being organized or presented by another.

Have a blessed Canada Day, 4th of July, or whatever holidays present themselves where you live.

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Just for my Canadian readers:

Whenever Canada Day happens, I am reminded that the current revision of the country’s national anthem, O Canada, has the chorus cast as a prayer. “God keep our land; glorious and free.”

There is a second verse that has been sung in churches I attended that is based on the song Lord of the Lands. It continues in the form of a prayer.

Almighty God,
by Thy mysterious power
In wisdom guide,
throughout this crucial hour
Be ours a nation evermore
that no oppression blights
Where justice rules from shore to shore
From lakes to Northern Lights

and then we usually return to the anthem’s chorus,

God keep our land
Glorious and free
O, Canada, we stand on guard for thee.
O, Canada, we stand on guard for thee.

This is a crucial hour; not just for Canada, but for the world. We can all pray for wisdom in this cultural and historical moment.

 

Delivered from the Guilt of Sin

Today we’re thrilled to introduce another new writer to you. Rebecca L. Johnson has returned to her blog — tag line: Notes About Faith and Encouragement — with three posts this month after a nearly four year break. Her education includes Criminology with a dose of Theater, and she has one published book. I hope you find today’s devotional as interesting as we did. Click the title which follows and read this where it first appeared.

Context Matters

Case in Point: Psalm 32:7

Since the advent of commercializing Scripture into bite sized quotables, believers in Jesus have become more and more anesthetized to caring about the context of said Scriptures. I could point to a hundred or more examples, but this is one that I was guilty of extrapolating many years ago. The Lord has recently reminded me that in order to appreciate the sweet, we must often have to endure the ultra-sour. In order to understand the depth of His grace, we sometimes have to face the depths of despair and confront our own desperate need for His rescue.

This was highlighted for me in Psalm 32. My oldest daughter was born into a tempest as her biological father decided that he didn’t want the responsibility of being a father and so I found myself in the midst of a divorce during my pregnancy. I vowed that God would be the Father of my children and that earthly relationships of any intimate nature were a thing of the past. I got on my knees the night that he left us and handed the keys of my life and everything in it back to the Lord – You see I had been trying to control and manage my responses to external events in my own strength for about six years at that time without consulting the Lord, and my life felt like the tail end of a hurricane – I was done fighting. I had no strength left.

I searched the Scriptures for a Word that would bring comfort to myself and to my daughter specifically. I came across Psalm 32:7 “You are my hiding place; you will protect me from trouble and surround me with songs of deliverance.” This sounds, and is, poetic, beautiful and hopeful. However, we don’t stop to ask ourselves what we are being delivered from. This is the entire text of Psalm 32 from the New International Version of Scripture (the spacing is owing to its poetic form):

Blessed is the one

Whose transgressions are forgiven,

Whose sins are covered.

Blessed is the one

Whose sin the LORD does not count against them

And in whose spirit is no deceit.

When I kept silent,

My bones wasted away

Through my groaning all day long.

For day and night

Your hand was heavy on me;

My strength was sapped

As in the heat of summer.

Then I acknowledged my sin to you

And did not cover up my iniquity.

I said, “I will confess

My transgressions to the LORD.”

And you forgave

The guilt of my sin.

Therefore let all the faithful pray to you

While you may be found;

Surely the rising of the mighty waters

Will not reach them.

You are my hiding place;

You will protect me from trouble

And surround me with songs of deliverance.

I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go;

I will counsel you with my loving eye on you.

Do not be like the horse or the mule,

Which have no understanding

But must be controlled by bit and bridle

Or they will not come to you.

Many are the woes of the wicked,

But the LORD’s unfailing love

Surrounds the one who trusts in him.

Rejoice in the LORD and be glad, you righteous;

Sing, all you who are upright in heart!

The introduction to this poem sets the stage for blessing then reveals the story. This person was weighed down by sin and struggles and had no strength left. THEN! Don’t you just love those transitional words?! It signals a turning point. “THEN I acknowledged my sin to you…” I came clean. I brought into the light what had been shrouded in darkness. I handed over all my broken pieces and confessed my shame. “AND You forgave…” Wow. The weight is lifted. The relationship is restored. You forgave…Me. I didn’t deserve it. I had nothing to bargain with. There was no good excuse for my waywardness, but You forgave me anyway! THEREFORE!

I have been remarried to an amazing man for over eighteen years now because God knew that I needed a running mate in this crazy life race, and my husband (the preacher and professor) likes to say “Always see what the ‘therefore’ is there for.” “THEREFORE” – in light of this information, because of what comes before this word – “Let the faithful pray to you while you may be found…”

The rising waters will not reach them – the faithful, those who have turned from their sin, confessed, and are no longer following their own desolate path. Those who are faithful to the LORD…They will be protected from drowning and surrounded with songs of deliverance. They will find the strength in God to fill their lungs with the breath supplied by the LORD and join Him in song!

To those of you who feel like you are being led around like cattle, or blown and tossed by the wind…To those who are still trying to go your own way, follow your own heart, or find your own path…The Bible doesn’t teach you that those things will lead to life or deliverance or truth or rest for your weary soul! The Bible teaches you to turn from all those cultural cliches and to obey what the LORD is telling you to do because He loves you and knows what is best for you… what will make you thrive and excel…what will bring you joy and peace…what will protect you and preserve you when everything else around you is falling apart.

“If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9 NIV). Believe in the One who saves – His name is Jesus. Confess where you have tried to do things your own way instead of His way. Be forgiven. Then you are protected. Then you can sing!

When Anger and Suffering Consume Your Life

We’re back again at the site My Morning Meal, written by Peter Corak. You might want to have your Bible handy for this one. Click the title which follows to read this where it first appeared…and then click around to find other great articles.

He Spoke

He had become “the taunt of fools” (v.8). And he knew it was best to keep his mouth shut (v.1). Yet, his “pain intensified” (v.2). His “heart grew hot” within him as the more he thought about it the more “a fire burned” (v.3). Finally, like a volcano that could contain the pressure of the steam building within it no more, he blew. He spoke. And what I’m chewing on this morning is to whom he spoke and of what he spoke.

David was being scorned by fools. As Peterson puts it he suffered under the “contempt of dunces.” He was hammered by the reproaches of those who, in the original, were nabal (Rings a bell? Check out 1Samuel 25, particularly verse 25, “His name is Nabal and stupidity is all he knows”). But rather than try and deal with their stupidity and foolishness, he kept silent. But when he could keep silent no longer, he spoke. Yet, not to his accusers but to the Lord. How come?

First, by looking into the face of Him who is eternal, it gave him perspective on the temporal.

“Lord, make me aware of my end
and the number of my days
so that I will know how short-lived I am.
In fact, You have made my days just inches long,
and my life span is as nothing to You.
Yes, every human being stands as only a vapor. Selah”

(Psalm 39:4-5 CSB)

His days were short, thus the season of suffering would be short. While the suffering was real, while it was consuming too much of “the vapor” of his life, in terms of eternity it measured just fractions of an inch. While weeping would last for a night, joy would come in the morning (Ps. 30:5). And in the grand scheme of eternity, morning was coming soon.

Second, he knew that while the accusations were from those without sense, he was not without fault himself. In some manner, his fleshly weakness had, it seems, provided fuel for these fools’ fire.

“Now, Lord, what do I wait for?
My hope is in You.
Rescue me from all my transgressions;
do not make me the taunt of fools”.

(Psalm 39:7-8 CSB)

He owned his sin. Thus, he looked to the only One who could rescue him, not only from his accusers, but most importantly from himself.

For finally, he knew that whatever was happening to him was happening according to the permissive will of the One in whom He hoped. It was being allowed by the God who works all things — even purifying crucible types of things — together for good for those who love Him (Rom 8:28). That those the Lord loves, He disciplines (Heb. 12:6) and that, while so painful in the season, if he would submit himself to the Lord’s “angry gaze” (v.13) concerning his sin, he would benefit from sharing in the Lord’s holiness as it yielded the fruit of peace and righteousness (Heb. 12:10-11).

“I am speechless; I do not open my mouth
because of what You have done.
Remove Your torment from me.
Because of the force of Your hand I am finished.
You discipline a person with punishment for iniquity,
consuming like a moth what is precious to him;
yes, every human being is only a vapor. Selah”

(Psalm 39:9-11 CSB)

The spark that ignited his suffering was struck by fools. Yet the fire that was lit made him aware of his own sin. And so, when words could be contained no longer, he turned to the One in whom was his hope. And, he spoke.

“Hear my prayer, Lord,
and listen to my cry for help;
do not be silent at my tears.”

(Psalm 39:12a CSB)

By God’s grace. For the psalmist’s good. For God’s glory.

A Familiar Psalm as Poetry; As Drama

Four years ago I was composing a book review where I noted that while there has been much emphasis lately on the importance of respecting the various genres of scripture and reading each according to its unique style; the author of the book I was reviewing “suggests that they are all narrative, even to the point of labeling the poetic books as ‘wisdom stories,’ existing alongside ‘war stories,’ ‘deliverance stories,’ ‘gospel stories,’ ‘origin stories,’ and yes, in a category by themselves, ‘fish stories.’”

So when our son Aaron posted this to his blog earlier this week, I needed to read it twice to see the movement from micro-narrative to macro-narrative.

To make it easier for you to do, I’ve added a few sentences in italics below. It’s also helpful to ask yourself, “What is my present vantage point in this narrative?”

You can also click the title below to read the original.

^{Psalm 23 (CEV) 1} The Lord is my shepherd.
    I lack nothing.
² He lets me rest in grassy meadows;
    he leads me to restful waters;
³         he keeps me alive.
He guides me in proper paths
    for the sake of his good name.

⁴ Even when I walk through the darkest valley,
    I fear no danger because you are with me.
Your rod and your staff—
    they protect me.

⁵ You set a table for me
    right in front of my enemies.
You bathe my head in oil;
    my cup is so full it spills over!
⁶ Yes, goodness and faithful love
    will pursue me all the days of my life,
    and I will live in the Lord’s house
    as long as I live.

The Shadow of the Valley of Text

by Aaron Wilkinson

I’ve been reading about Hebrew poetry lately and I’ve realized that I may have been reading Psalm 23 all wrong.

Over-familiarity is our worst friend when we’re trying to develop a deep understanding of a text. I’ve heard the words “The Lord is my shepherd” and everything that comes after so many times that I’ve come to take it for granted. It becomes an absent-minded recitation. While I think all of us who grew up in the church have a grasp for the basic ethos of the poem, I’m discovering that Hebrew poetry demands that the reader slow down to really unpack the parallel images and words that characterize it.

I’ll assume you’ve read or heard or sung this poem before. Shepherd, Green Pastures, Quiet Waters. This part makes me feel nice. Although the line “I shall not want” feels more like a wish than an assertion. When I see my friends getting promoted or engaged, I definitely do want. I could say a lot about how profoundly rebellious this statement is against an ambitious and consumeristic culture, but that’s not my main point.

The tranquil tapestry of this mellow meadow ends with this.

“He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.”

And then…

New paragraph. A gap in the formatting of the text! Now we’re going to talk about a new idea. If this were a film, we might put a scene transition here.

The camera pulls back from a tight close-up to a wider shot.

The tone is still optimistic but we’re no longer in that prior pastoral paradise.

But were we ever?

The way that the text is usually formatted suggests a shift that I’m not sure is meant to be there. Verse 3 and Verse 4 both use language of journeying. Being lead down the path and walking through the valley. Verses 1 and 2 show us images of stillness. Verses 3 and 4 get us moving. Unless the editors of the text are using the gap between the verses to symbolize a valley between hills, I think this break can be misleading.

Picture this: our scene opens on a young lamb, grazing on grass and sipping from a stream. We then see the lamb approached by a strong but gentle shepherd who signals to the lamb with his staff that it’s time to get moving. The lamb hops up and begins following the shepherd. As they go, they walk. They don’t run. They don’t hide. They walk.

The camera pulls back again.

Zoom out and we see that the two are, in fact, in a dark valley. Clouds thunder overhead and predators growl in the distance. Abandoned arrows, slash marks from swords, and spots of blood speak of some battle that was fought here recently. Warriors may still be crouching around the next bend. And there they walk, the sheep and the shepherd. Stopping for a break and a snack every now and then.

The green fields with quiet waters and the valley of the shadow of death aren’t two places. They are one. And Verses 5 and 6 will confirm this for us. How does the poem begin? Fields to graze in, water to drink, rest for the soul. Food, drink, rest. How does it end? A table in front of my enemies, an overflowing cup, goodness and mercy following me all the days of my life. Food, drink, rest – not in some idyllic ethereal otherworld, but in the very presence of enemies and threats. There are always the enemies, the shadow of death, but also the shepherd offers provision and comfort.

The camera pulls back one last time, this time showing a macro-image beyond imagination.

What’s more, we’ve zoomed out even further. We began in the sheep’s little world: the grass, the water, the shepherd. We zoomed out to see what the shepherd is protecting the sheep from: the valley. Now we are in “The house of the Lord, forever.” We end in the eternal transcendent House (surely this encompasses all creation) and the enemies and valleys are left sandwiched – surrounded – between the immediate local provision of the shepherd and the eternal promises of the future.

I’m sure there are layers of this poem that I’m still missing. The Israelites were masters of poetry so I’m sure that there are layers that shine out much better in the original language. But this poem is dense even in English. It’s packed. The images are tied together brilliantly and even the subtle implications of a verb like “walk” are carefully selected to tell us something about the beautiful relationship that God has to his creation, and the relationship between his providence and our challenges.

I think we miss this when we treat the Psalms first as theology and as poetry second. When we slow down and read them as poetry, their theology becomes much more profound.

A Crestfallen Soul

Psalm 61:2 – From the ends of the earth, I cry to you for help when my heart is overwhelmed. Lead me to the towering rock of safety (NLT)

Upon deciding which devotional should appear here, I always use an alternative title to the one the original author used, and then incorporate the author’s title in the body of the teaching/study which follows. (There’s a few reasons for this, but we don’t need to look at those right now.) The author’s key verse today used the word “downcast” and I picked up on that and looked for a synonym and found “crestfallen.” Anyone out there crestfallen? Other synonymns are “downhearted,” “disconsolate,” and “distressed.” (There seems to be an alphabetical theme.)

We periodically visit the devotional website of The Presbyterian Church in Canada, which features a different writer each day. The author today is Lynne Phipps. Clicking the title below will also provide you with the option of hearing today’s thoughts on audio.

The Flat Tire

Each time I take my granddaughters for a walk, I make sure that I check the stroller tires, as one of them has a tendency to lose air and become flat.

As I was using the air compressor to top up the tires the other day, I, too, was feeling rather flat: flat in spirit. I’m not really sure why. Sometimes, it just is that way. I expect that most of us understand exactly what I am saying. Sometimes, we are up, and sometimes, we are down. Our spirits sag. Life seems to be just one big disappointment or annoyance. Our energy deflates, and it is a push to get through the day or the week, or sometimes, even longer.

But as Christians, we are assured that the flat times will not always be with us, for the Lord God loves us. He is with us always and goes before us, clearing our way. His Holy Spirit lives within each of us, a breath of God guiding, directing, and granting wisdom, power, and energy to live as God calls us to live, even amidst the down times. Sometimes, I wonder if the flat times come so that we might appreciate even more the times when our spirit is renewed, invigorated, and inflated by a word from the Lord, or a God moment — when we know that what has just happened is not a coincidence at all, but God Himself Who has been at work within our day or special situation.

Psalm 42:5-6 – Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Saviour and my God. My soul is downcast within me; therefore I will remember you from the land of the Jordan, the heights of Hermon — from Mount Mizar. (NIV)

None of us is alone in regard to flat days. The psalmist experienced and understood these days, too. Because he had a faith history with God, he also understood that they do not last forever. During his low days or weeks or months, he wisely turned his mind to remembering. He chose to remember how in due time, the Lord had always lifted him up. The Lord had always rescued him from his feelings of deflation and despair, and restored his spirit so that he could praise and glorify his Creator once again.

So, like the psalmist, may each one of us also choose wisely amidst our flat days. May we choose to dwell upon our own faith history with God and all the great and wonderful things that He has done for us in the past. Those memories have the power to begin to reignite and reinflate our tired or worn-out spirits with the hope of God within us and the promise of better days to come.

Prayer: Father God, thank You that amidst our down times — whether they be momentary or over an extended period — when we choose to remember our faith history with You, our spirits once again can be uplifted and strengthened. For You are a good God Who loves and rescues Your people — a wondrous God Who is able to draw us up out of the pit and to set our feet upon the solid Rock of Your unending love and goodness once again. In Christ’s name, we pray. Amen.

The Holy Spirit Makes My Sin Apparent to Me

Has it been a year already? Today we’re back with writer, speaker, entrepreneur and marketing consultant Bill Hood, who writes at Brothers of the Book. This one is fairly representative of Bill’s devotionals, but in preparing this, I looked at five different ones and they were all great!

Clicking the header below takes you to read this where it first appeared a few weeks ago.

Acknowledge You Have A Problem

Psalms 32, 51, 86, 122

The first step in recovery either as an alcoholic or a sinner, is to acknowledge that you have a problem. Have you admitted you have a problem?

They say that the first step an alcoholic must take toward sobriety is acknowledging that he has a problem. Can a drunk be cured of his addiction if he doesn’t believe he has an addiction? A drunk won’t make a commitment to the radical life style change needed to become, and stay, sober if he doesn’t think he has a problem. A drunk must come to the end of himself, he must be broken, he must hit bottom, before he can begin his climb up out of the pit.

David was known as a “man after God’s own heart”. We have seen in our time reading about him that he was typically in right relationship with God. Yesterday we read of David’s sin with Bathsheba. David didn’t seem to be too concerned about his sin until Nathan came and made clear that he had a problem. Before I go on about this, let me share my astonishment. David had a right relationship with God. He knew what was right and wrong. He knew how much God had blessed him, and yet he, seemingly out of know where, sinned in spectacular fashion. How could he do such a thing?

I submitted my life to Christ. I have sinned after that life changing moment. How can that be? I’m supposed to be a new person; the old is gone. I have the Holy Spirit residing within me, so how is it possible for me to sin once more? You know a recovering alcoholic never says he is cured. He is forever a recovering alcoholic. He knows that he is always just one thought, just one sip, away from relapse. If he truly accepted that he had a problem, and that he wanted to get better, then he accepted the fact that he would forever more need to be on his guard.

This was true for David, it is true for me, and it is true for you. I love God, and His will is what I desire most in my life. The old dead self, every once in a while, rears its ugly head, and I must be ever vigilant to keep from slipping over the precipice back into the hole. If, like David, I fail in that task, I will suffer the consequences of my relapse. What about the Holy Spirit? The Holy Spirit is my Nathan. The Holy Spirit makes my sin apparent to me and causes my heart to break for my faithlessness. It is the Holy Spirit that helps me to acknowledge my sin, to seek forgiveness, and to get back on the straight and narrow wagon again.

Once Nathan helped David to see his sin and his need for forgiveness, David started on the path to recovery. He would still need to suffer consequences for his sin, but God’s forgiveness would mean that he wouldn’t suffer the ultimate penalty for sin – death. Psalm 51, written by David, shows us how he approached God following his interview with Nathan.

Psalm 51:3-6 ESV
“For I know my transgressions,
and my sin is ever before me.
Against you, you only, have I sinned
and done what is evil in your sight,
so that you may be justified in your words
and blameless in your judgment.
Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity,
and in sin did my mother conceive me.
Behold, you delight in truth in the inward being,
and you teach me wisdom in the secret heart.”

David acknowledged his sin to God and himself. Coming face to face with his wretchedness before a Holy God brought him to a place of brokenness. It was in this state that he could find forgiveness and be brought back into right relationship with God.

Psalm 51:16-17 ESV
“For you will not delight in sacrifice, or I would give it;
you will not be pleased with a burnt offering.
The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit;
a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.”

Brothers, every day we should become more like Christ as we discover the new creature we became the day we submitted to His authority. As we mature in Christ we should have fewer stumbles along the way and every stumble will hurt like the dickens. At the moment of every stumble, let us get on our knees, acknowledge that we have a problem, confess our sin to God with a truly broken and contrite heart, and then let us get up, go, and sin no more.

Vivere Victorem! (Live Victorious!)

Your brother and servant in Christ,
Bill

Dying to self, living to serve!

Contentment at Both Ends of the Financial Spectrum

Today we have another author’s writing to highlight and another blog to feature for the first time. Simply going by the name Wills, his site is named With Wills. He grew up in Southern California and now lives in Portland, OR, and has been involved in various types of ministry. Clicking the header which follows will take you to the place where we located it, which we encourage you to do.

Financial Satisfaction

In Hebrews 13, the author ends a string of extremely practical commands with this verse:

“Keep your life free from the love of money. Be satisfied with what you have, for he himself has said, I will never leave you or abandon you” (Hebrews 13:5).

In this verse, he gives us two “whats” and a “why.” The “whats” are commands for believers to follow and the “why” explains why we should obey these commands.

The first “what” teaches us that we, as believers in Jesus, are to keep our lives free from the “love of money.” The love of money was an issue in the early church and it can be for us, as well, today. When we love money, we determine our value by it; we find our satisfaction in it; we find our sense of security in it. And in doing so, we lose our faith in God. God wants our love: he is the one who has determined our value (and it can’t be counted in dollars); he is the one who provides ultimate satisfaction; he is the one we should look to for security. He is worthy of our trust. We should love him instead of money. (See Matthew 6:24).

The second “what” tells us to “be satisfied with what [we] have.” This can be applied to anyone, but let’s consider it in relation to two groups: the poor and the rich.

If a poor Christian, or one suffering from persecution or discrimination, were to read this, he should take the command literally: “be satisfied with what you have.” Most of us have a desire to get out of difficult situations as quickly as possible. If we are struggling financially, we usually want to get just a little bit (or a lot) more so we don’t feel the pressure that comes with looming bills that we can’t afford to pay and pending purchases that we can’t afford to pay for at the moment. Yet, God does not command us to, necessarily, “work harder so we can pay for those things.” He commands us, instead, to “be satisfied with what we have.” (We will see the “why” in a little bit. But, now, let’s consider how the rich are supposed to apply this verse.)

If a rich believer reads this, they should also take the command literally: “be satisfied with what you have.” Those who have wealth tend to want to increase their wealth. This often comes from a desire to “keep up with the Jones’” or to be “responsible” with what God has given them. Unfortunately, both desires have the tendency of revealing an underlying “love of money.” Instead of striving to “store up treasures” (Matthew 6:19), well-off Christians should strive to “be satisfied with what they have” and put their faith in action by using their wealth for the direct benefit of those around them who are in need. (See James 2:14-26, Luke 12:13-21; 18:17-23.)

The “why” explains that we should keep our lives free from the love of money and be satisfied with what we have because, “[The Lord] will never leave or abandon [us].” It’s that simple. God is with us and he wants to be our provider. He has already provided so much for us- our lives, our talents, and our salvation- just to name a few. And he is infinitely capable of meeting our every need. He wants to free us from the love of money so that we can love him. He wants to free us from the anxiety of not having- because he is infinitely wealthy, he is with us, and he will never leave us. He wants to free us from the anxiety that comes with storing up earthly treasures- because he knows what we need and he is able to provide for us as we go. He is omniscient, sovereign, and he will never abandon us.

So, brother or sister, if you see the love of money in your life or you find yourself feeling dissatisfied with what you have, remember that God wants you to be free from these sinful dispositions. He wants you to be satisfied. He knows what you need and has already provided it or he will provide it. He wants you to remember that he will always be with you: he will never leave you or abandon you. Abandon your self-sufficiency, greed, and dissatisfaction and trust him.

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Some additional, unrelated resources:

First, some of you are often called upon to read the scriptures in your local churches, and hit a passage with a proper noun (usually a person or place name) that leaves you lost as to how to pronounce it correctly. Here are three supports for that situation:

• The online tool BibleSpeak lets you actually hear someone saying the word in question.
• In September of 2020, we wrote a slightly lighthearted piece On Pronouncing Bible Names in which we stressed you don’t want to stumble and give people the impression the Bible is a difficult book to read, study and enjoy. Or that it’s simply ancient, uses an ancient vocabulary, and is therefore irrelevant.
• In a much older article, from September, 2011; we encouraged you to add some dramatic reading elements to the printed copy you’re speaking from, to make the reading of the scripture more impactful. Check out the short article, When It’s Your Turn to Lead the Scripture Reading.

The second additional resource today introduces a new book containing prayers inspired by the first 75 Psalms. I’m hoping we can include an excerpt here at some point. Check out my review.

Let Your Praises Multiply Each Day

Back in May of 2020, we introduced you to Chad Reisig, who is a pastor, podcaster and author of two books. Today he takes us to a scripture which I had rushed past in previous readings of the Psalms. Clicking the heading which follows will take you to his site.

Praise Multiplier

I will praise you seven times a day because all your regulations are just.

Psalm 119:164 (NLT)

I have a pastor friend who was relaying a story to me some time ago. He was talking about how discouraged he was at his church. He had been at the church for several years, yet had never received a thank you note, or so much as a “thanks,” for anything that he had done. He felt like a failure. He felt like none of his church members actually cared for, trusted, or loved him. One day, in a moment of pure truthfulness, he asked his head elder if the church members actually appreciated him as their pastor. (The pastor was thinking perhaps it was time to move on if they didn’t.) The elder responded with, “Oh, yeah, we all love you pastor! We didn’t want you to get prideful.” In other words, the church members never showed any appreciation because they didn’t want their pastor to develop an ego problem.

Of course, this story has nothing to do with pastors, really. It is starting to become a global norm that giving thanks is becoming less and less of a thing. We may nod or smile at someone who has done something nice, but actually showing gratitude seems to be dying out in this world. It’s sad, really. Gratitude goes a long way in helping people feel valued.

Unfortunately, in our faith life, this lack of appreciation can spread from our human relationships to our relationship with God. How often do we spend time actually just thanking God for who He is, what He has done, and what He promises to do? Is it only in song at church? Is it just when we pray before a meal? Does our gratitude only express itself during ceremonies, or do we let it pour out in our everyday life?

As the psalmist wrote, “I will praise you seven times a day because all your regulations are just.” I think it’s a bit weird to have a set number of times to offer praise and thanks to God, but let’s look at it this way. Doing so at that level would refocus us on the thankfulness we need to show to God. At this pace, we’d offer praises forty-nine times per week, 196 times per month, 2,352 times per year. (Not including the songs at church) It’s a good start, but I think we can do even better. We need to let our praises multiply with each passing day.

Today, and every day, when you remember God, see beauty, experience love, observe forgiveness, or a million other things to be thankful for. Stop, pause, and give thanks. After all, Jesus gave up His life to save you and me. We have everything to be thankful for.

Bonus devotional:

Because Chad’s devotionals are shorter, here’s another!

Tuning In

Tune your ears to wisdom, and concentrate on understanding.

Proverbs 2:2 (NLT)

Growing up, we didn’t have Ipods, Androids, MP3 players, tablets, laptops, portable DVD players, Switch, or a million different handheld devices to keep us entertained on long road trips. We couldn’t just play a game on our device, Facetime a friend, stream Netflix, or livestream how bored we were. We just sat there in the car. Hour after hour would crawl by.

However, there was one thing that perhaps helped to save our sanity. If you were lucky enough, you had a Walkman. For those who have no clue what that is, it is a battery-powered radio the size of a cellphone. Plug in some headphones and you got to listen to the radio rather than your annoying brother or sister. Back then, you couldn’t just punch in a radio station number, like 102.3. There was no scan or seek button that would magically scan the airwaves and stop when it found a station. Nope. There was a dial that you would turn which would move a vertical orange line across a bunch of numbers. You would move it very slowly, listening for the faintest sounds. When you started to hear something, you would then begin the process of tuning in the station, which was generally moving the dial very slowly back and forth until the station came in strong. You just prayed that it was the type of music you wanted to listen to.

In our completely digital word, we’ve lost most of our knowledge of how to tune things in. The computer chips do that for us now. But, when it comes to our spiritual life, it’s still very much analog. Tuning in the voice of God requires some work on our part.

When we are seeking God’s wisdom, direction, calling, whatever you want to call it, are we moving the dial slowly or racing through life? You see, when it comes to hearing God, you’ve got to slow things down and listen for Him. You’ve got to make the effort to tune Him in. That means focusing on Him. That means focusing on listening for His voice. That means when you start to hear Him, you focus even more intently so that you make sure you hear Him loud and clear. As King Solomon tells us in our verse today, “Tune your ears to wisdom, and concentrate on understanding.”

Each day, spend time in prayer tuning into God’s wisdom. Spend time listening for His voice. You’ve asked something of Him, He’ll answer. But, you’ve got to be paying close attention to hear it. Spend time tuning Him in until you can hear Him loud and clear.

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To listen to this Daily Dose episode, go the the Podcasts Page and click on your favorite podcast platform.

The Safety and Protection David Knew

For a weekend reading, we’re introducing another new source to you. Salty Saints are a husband/wife team that’s been serving our Lord Jesus Christ together for 14 years. Their tag line for the blog is, “Sprinkling some salt and shining our light all over this world for Jesus!” Angela, who does most of the writing, is currently in a series on the Psalms. Click the header which follows to read this there, and then explore more well-written, thoughtful devotionals.

Psalm 27

¹ The Lord is my light and my salvation—
    so why should I be afraid?
The Lord is my fortress, protecting me from danger,
    so why should I tremble?
² When evil people come to devour me,
    when my enemies and foes attack me,
    they will stumble and fall.
³ Though a mighty army surrounds me,
    my heart will not be afraid.
Even if I am attacked,
    I will remain confident.

⁴ The one thing I ask of the Lord—
    the thing I seek most—
is to live in the house of the Lord all the days of my life,
    delighting in the Lord’s perfections
    and meditating in his Temple.
⁵ For he will conceal me there when troubles come;
    he will hide me in his sanctuary.
    He will place me out of reach on a high rock.
⁶ Then I will hold my head high
    above my enemies who surround me.
At his sanctuary I will offer sacrifices with shouts of joy,
    singing and praising the Lord with music.

⁷ Hear me as I pray, O Lord.
    Be merciful and answer me!
⁸ My heart has heard you say, “Come and talk with me.”
    And my heart responds, “Lord, I am coming.”
⁹ Do not turn your back on me.
    Do not reject your servant in anger.
    You have always been my helper.
Don’t leave me now; don’t abandon me,
    O God of my salvation!
¹⁰ Even if my father and mother abandon me,
    the Lord will hold me close.

¹¹ Teach me how to live, O Lord.
    Lead me along the right path,
    for my enemies are waiting for me.
¹² Do not let me fall into their hands.
    For they accuse me of things I’ve never done;
    with every breath they threaten me with violence.
¹³ Yet I am confident I will see the Lord’s goodness
    while I am here in the land of the living.

¹⁴ Wait patiently for the Lord.
    Be brave and courageous.
    Yes, wait patiently for the Lord.

This Psalm really resonated with me this morning. With all that is going on in this evil world right now and the fear-driven agenda that’s all around us, the best thing we can do is remind ourselves of God’s character and goodness and the safety and protection we find in Him, just as David did. The dark and the unknown are things that scare us, but we need to remember that the Lord is our Light and our Salvation, our Fortress and Protector. No matter what may come, we can remain confident that He will take care of us always.

Even if we get to a point where we are surrounded by enemies, attacked, and suffer violence for our faith, we can rest assured that God will guide, guard, and keep us. We can be bold in the face of whatever lies ahead.

Three things that I notice that David did: He

• reminded himself Who God is (built himself up in his faith),
• he desired more than anything else to worship in the Lord’s presence, and
• he prayed and waited on God.

These are all the very same things we can and should do when we are facing trying times. These are the things we should do at all times, actually!

As followers and disciples of Christ, we need not fear what tomorrow holds for we know Who holds all tomorrows! So let’s work on building up our faith in these days by seeking the Lord consistently through His Word and becoming a living sacrifice, worshiping and honoring and giving Him praise in all things, and communicating with Him in prayer about everything. There is nothing we can’t go to Him with and He already knows our heart and all of our thoughts, so let’s talk through those things with Him and receive His peace, joy, and direction.

As David had assurance that God would always be with him and never leave or abandon him, we can be sure of this too. No matter who else may leave our side, He won’t. No matter how hard things may seem and how alone we may feel at times, He sees us and feels great mercy and compassion toward us and He offers us comfort and even joy that passes all understanding. He IS a good, good Father and verse 10 says, “He will hold me close.” That’s awesome to think of, isn’t it? I imagine Him just holding me in His arms close to His chest as the kindest, loving Father in such a warm embrace and just never letting me go.

This also says that He teaches us the way we should go. We have to be constantly seeking Him in order to be guided along life’s journey by Him. He will show us which path to take and it will always be the narrow one. Remember that broad is the way that leads to destruction and MOST are on it. So we must stay on the narrow path that leads to life, even if it’s a lonely path because everyone else seems to be on the other one.

David was confident that he would “see the Lord’s goodness in the land of the living” but he knew that he had to be brave, courageous, and patient. This holds true for us as well.

We are sure that we will see His goodness, in life and in death, and we must face both in this same way. We do not need to give in to fear, for that is Satan’s number one tactic. We must be brave and courageous…these are characteristics that God has always instilled in and demanded of His soldiers. Cowards have no place in the Kingdom of God and Heaven. And much patience and endurance (to the end) is going to be needed for all that lies ahead until we meet Jesus face to face and are ushered in and hear that long-awaited, “well done, my good and faithful servant.”

These are just some thoughts I had as I read this beautiful and encouraging Psalm this morning and thought I would share with all of you. I hope you have a blessed day in the Lord! Remember, let’s be about the Father’s business!

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Read more: Here’s another shorter devotional from Salty Saints based on Psalm 29: Click here. (Actually, all of the recent articles we looked at are really good!)

What’s the Deal with Psalm 151?

There’s only 150 Psalms, right? And number 150 caps off the Bibles music- and singing-related book with a crescendo of musical instruments. So what is Psalm 151.

Actually, it’s mentioned in a scholarly work called the Psalms of the Pharisees (just to make it more interesting, but we don’t have time for that right now) and the five are also referred to as the Five Apocryphal Psalms of David.

It’s found in the Greek Old Testament (commonly called the Septuagint) but isn’t part of the common canon (meaning the official collection) of scripture used by Protestants and Evangelicals. It’s found in some Catholic Bibles, and is officially recognized as part of the canon by major Orthodox denominations.

It is not sanctioned by Jewish scholars.

Specifically, it is a poetic midrash historically tied to 1 Samuel 16-17

The version of it on Biblia.com states that it is quoting the NRSV version of it, but BibleGateway.com does not yield any results when you type Psalm 151 and NRSV into a search. The full text on Biblia reads,

This psalm is ascribed to David as his own composition (though it is outside the number), after he had fought in single combat with Goliath.

1 I was small among my brothers,
and the youngest in my father’s house;
I tended my father’s sheep.

2 My hands made a harp;
my fingers fashioned a lyre.

3 And who will tell my Lord?
The Lord himself; it is he who hears.

4 It was he who sent his messenger
and took me from my father’s sheep,
and anointed me with his anointing oil.

5 My brothers were handsome and tall,
but the Lord was not pleased with them.

6 I went out to meet the Philistine,
and he cursed me by his idols.

7 But I drew his own sword;
I beheaded him, and took away disgrace from the people of Israel.

However, that version is not the only version. This is discussed on the website BibleOdyssey.org:

…Greek Psalm 151 was not a simple combination of the two psalms we now see in the scroll but an edited version.  It lacks some essential elements that are in the original Hebrew and rearranges a few phrases in the Greek version verses 4 and 5. You can see this by comparing the psalm to the story in 1 Samuel. Psalm 151 shortens the story of Samuel’s choosing David in order to merge the two poems.

But the most interesting change is that the Greek version omits six phrases from the original Hebrew. (Consequently, the Old Latin and Syriac translations also lack them.) The six phrases, omitted in the Greek translation, appeared in the original between verses 2 and 3 to read:

Thus have I rendered glory to the Lord,
thought I within my soul.
The mountains do not witness to him,
nor do the hills proclaim;
The trees have cherished my words
and the flock my works.

…Whichever version one reads, Psalm 151 lifts in relief the moving story of David’s selection by Samuel and his victory over the Philistines as epitomized in his slaying Goliath. That victory anticipates his reign over the United Kingdom of northern Israel and southern Judah in the tenth century BCE. Whether in two parts or amalgamated, the psalm comes last in the various Psalters in which it appears. Perhaps it gained its place at the climax of the Psalter because of the growing belief at the time that David was responsible for the entire Psalter, whether he actually composed all of the psalms or not…

The website ReasonsForHopeJesus.com is emphatic that,

No! Psalm 151 should not be included in our Bibles. Why? Because our Bibles only contain Scripture that has been deemed officially part of the ancient sacred texts, which are inspired by God.

However, that said, many non-Catholics find the apocryphal books helpful in various ways. I and II Macabees continues the history found in books such as I and II Samuel and I and II Chronicles. Some have found the Proverbs-like wisdom in books like Sirach and Tobit helpful in personal relationships and the raising of children; and in knowing more about God’s dealings with his people.

To that end, the answer to the question, ‘Should we read it?’ is the same as with other apocryphal texts, and that is: Start looking at those only after you’ve fully digested the common 66-book canon of the Old and New Testaments.

But if you’re reading a study Bible that mentions the text as you progress through I Samuel, then it’s okay to pause and read it as you would read the study notes in that Bible.

A more detailed commentary on the Psalm is available at BibleWise.com.

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Tomorrow, I promise we’ll get back to more familiar territory when it comes to our key study texts!