Lifting Our Eyes

To you I lift up my eyes, O you who are enthroned in the heavens! Psalm 123:1 ESV

At the close of his third missionary journey, the Apostle Paul had been warned by numerous brothers and sisters through the Holy Spirit about the troubles awaiting him in Jerusalem. Still, he felt led and compelled to go. Within days of arriving, Paul was beaten and thrown in a local jail, soon thereafter he was spirited away by night (to avoid a plan by certain Jews to kill him) to Caesarea where he spent the next two years in prison. He appealed to Caesar which catapulted him on an arduous and imperiled journey to Rome and more jail time.  Just in Caesarea and Rome alone, most scholars presume Paul spent four to six years in prison (or house-arrest) before being beheaded by Emperor Nero.

Paul is considered to be one of the greatest apostles of the Church; he is certainly one of the heroes of the faith. God used him mightily in planting churches all over the known world. It is surprising, perhaps, that a sovereign God would choose to set such a man aside at the peak of his ministry. Ever the purposeful optimist, however, Paul used his time in prison or under guard very well, encouraging the churches through epistles and emissaries.

I want you to know, brothers, that what has happened to me has really served to advance the gospel, so that it has become known throughout the whole imperial guard and to all the rest that my imprisonment is for Christ. And most of the brothers, having become confident in the Lord by my imprisonment, are much more bold to speak the word without fear. Philippians 1:12-14 ESV

Paul did not feel “set aside” and did not believe the Kingdom suffered because of his imprisonment; he probably expected incarceration was always a possibility at every stop. Further, it was Paul’s firm belief that imprisonment was not a glitch or hiccup in God’s plan, but part of God’s plan.  A modern example may be found in the story of Richard Wurmbrand, the Romanian Christian pastor, author of Tortured for Christ, and founder of The Voice of the Martyrs. For him, prison was just a different location for ministry. He recounts that while in prison he and another Christian brother used the chains on their wrists as tambourines to sing “This is the day that the Lord has made.”  

Both of these examples demonstrate an ability to live unmoved by or above one’s circumstances. Apparently one can celebrate the Lord’s Day in or out of prison. In the minds of such saints, God chooses the setting, and they choose to praise and worship Him.

There must be something Paul, Wurmbrand, and countless other imprisoned believers learned that allowed them to see the positives in their circumstances. What could possibly be positive about such an experience? Well think of this, in Paul's case:

·         He was able to brush up on his Latin;

·         He learned the basis for his “full armor of God” study;

·         The food in Italy was better;

·         He got to witness to and mentor some swell guys; and

·         Uh, um, hmm . . .

Actually, positive thinking runs out of gas after awhile. Positive thinking only goes so far because it is still limited to one’s perspective—what you or I can see or sense. The positive thinker is still rooted in his or her circumstances (he or she is just choosing to see the best part of them). Paul and pastor Wurmbrand learned that faith and contentment must (instead) be rooted in faith in God.  Regardless of circumstances, men and women of faith must put their confidence in

·         The Word of God,

·         The character of God,

·         The provision of God, and

·         Their experience with God  

Faith’s most necessary perspective requires that we move our eyes from our circumstances (completely) and move them to God (completely). No peaking at the waves!

There will be times when the believer will encounter life storms bringing chaos and pain that threaten to destroy them. There will also be times when faithful Christians encounter persecution. Believers will also experience time “in the desert” where they are taken out of productive ministry, seemingly just waiting for something to happen. These are distressing, discouraging, and frightening events that can dominate one’s prayers and thoughts. These threats are ever before you and I, and sometimes they are right before our eyes.

Mental note-- we were never commissioned to live by our sight anyway.

So we are always of good courage. We know that while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord, for we walk by faith, not by sight. 2 Corinthians 5:6-7 ESV

Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. For by it the people of old received their commendation. By faith we understand that the universe was created by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things that are visible. Hebrews 11:1-3 ESV

If you have to look at something, look up!

Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. Hebrews 12:1-2 ESV

And, don’t forget faith is not a human enterprise; living by faith has to be powered by God’s grace.

And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work. 2 Corinthians 9:8 ESV

So, if you find yourself in peril or feeling set aside, hang in there. God is still at work (He really is)!

And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ. Philippians 1:6 ESV

What's In A Name?

What’s in a name? My wife and I confronted this ancient question when our children were born.  Do we name them after relatives? Do we pick names from the Bible? Do we name them after persons we admire? Do we look for interesting names we haven’t heard before? Dare we leave it to chance and just peer into their newborn faces to see what names might fit?

Though most take pains to choose just the right name for their children, names are really a shot in the dark. We might be named after someone we will never, ever resemble in either looks or deeds. Or that interesting name we were given suddenly becomes the next trendy name and forty percent of our classmates bear the same handle. Our names are no guarantee of anything really—and perhaps lend little influence to our course in life.

Next to one’s name, however, people are often “known” by their vocations, associations, and reputations (pardon the rap). Certainly what we do says something about us; perhaps more revealing is the company we keep— whether it is other people, or organizations with which we choose to lend ourselves. Reputations are derived from a variety of factors, but like our associations they reveal our character—who we are. How wonderful to have a good reputation. How outstanding to be the poster child for a particular virtue; to be the next “Honest Abe,” for instance.

In the second book of the Chronicles, there, among a list of generals, is a particularly amazing and unexpected statement that leaps off the page. The writer was prompted by the Holy Spirit to lend a particular descriptor to one of the commanders under King Jehoshaphat of Judah.

This was the muster of them by fathers' houses: Of Judah, the commanders of thousands: Adnah the commander, with 300,000 mighty men of valor; and next to him Jehohanan the commander, with 280,000; and next to him Amasiah the son of Zichri, a volunteer for the service of the LORD, with 200,000 mighty men of valor. Of Benjamin: Eliada, a mighty man of valor, with 200,000 men armed with bow and shield; and next to him Jehozabad with 180,000 armed for war. These were in the service of the king, besides those whom the king had placed in the fortified cities throughout all Judah. 2 Chronicles 17:14-19 ESV

How wonderful when a name and vocation are so easily forgotten because they are placed beside a reputation that outshines them both! And what a wonderful reputation to have! Notice his contemporaries were described as “commander,” or” mighty man of valor,” but Amasiah is remembered because he performed his role as a volunteer for the Lord. Amasiah didn’t work for money, and he didn’t work for the king; rather he voluntarily gave his service to the Lord! He was at the Lord’s command, and he did so without worrying about remuneration.

Little is known about Amasiah beyond this reference. Finances are a small part of this consideration, however. Most of us find that our time is extremely valuable. We may also value our health. Most of us certainly value our comfort. Amasiah, who may have valued these same things, nonetheless, freely chose the to place himself at God’s disposal. Reading in the white spaces, one might surmise that Amasiah was ever

·         Thankful—for what God had done and was doing in his life;

·         Listening— to hear what God wanted him to do;

·         Flexible—to adjust his plans to accommodate God’s plans;

·         Generous—to freely give up his time and resources;

·         Content—to let God control his future;

·         Compassionate—to care about needs other than his own;

·         Obedient—to do and not merely to think about God’s will.         

Perhaps part of the secret is in his name: Amasiah means “Jehovah bears.” The notion that “God bears or carries” means (foremost) that we don’t bear or carry. God is in charge! God is all powerful! God has the answers! God can perform miracles! God knows best! God cares for and bears the burdens of the volunteer! . . . See the shift in perspective? When one is convinced of these things, there comes a freedom to lay aside all efforts to preserve and advance oneself.  . . . Suddenly one is free to serve (and worship).

How do we get there? How do we get to the point where we see more of God and less of ourselves? How do we get to the point where we let go of our own agendas and gladly choose God's? I'm convinced it comes naturally as we grow in gratitude. 

The one who offers thanksgiving as his sacrifice glorifies me;

to one who orders his way rightly

I will show the salvation of God!” Psalm 50:23 ESV

So the sixty-four dollar question is “What will we be known for?” 

The Good Eggs

Have you ever wondered if Peter was any good at fishing? How about James and John? Was Matthew an excellent tax collector? How about Luke? Was he one of the finest physicians of his day? In other words, did Jesus choose the twelve because of some success they had achieved or successful tendency they possessed? Did He see the twelve as young men who were “going places” even though they were currently a little on the rough side?

If we were in a court room, a sharp defense attorney might ask the court about the relevance of the question. Like any good prosecutor I might respond, “The question deals with motive, your honor.” Specifically, the motive behind the choices Jesus made regarding the foundation of the future Church.

The account in the fifth chapter of Luke is interesting. Simon and his partners were washing nets after a long, frustrating, and futile night of fishing. Jesus suggested they should try again, and, against their better judgment, attempt to catch some fish

• ·         In the wrong spot
• ·         At the wrong time of day

Peter and his partners were tired, perhaps irritated, and maybe they were just humoring Jesus’ odd request; they may not have used all their nets, or dropped them in the correct manner. In other words, their effort may have been a little half-hearted. Look at Peter’s words:

And Simon answered, “Master, we toiled all night and took nothing! But at your word I will let down the nets.” Luke 5:5 ESV

Then a miracle happened. The ninth and tenth verses reveal that these seasoned fishermen “were astonished at the catch of fish that they had taken . . .” Listening to Jesus, and obeying Him made the difference; not the boat, the nets, the experience of the fishermen. Hmm.

As Jesus walked the shores of that huge lake, and as He walked the streets of the cities and villages of Israel He collected an odd assortment of followers—from all walks of life. Depending upon the time and place, this group of followers numbered in the hundreds to several thousand. But from among these followers He chose just twelve.

Contrary to popular belief, Jesus didn’t pick the disciples based upon the shine of their halos. In reality, a close reading of the Gospels reveals that these were ordinary men—ordinary in the sense of "quite unremarkable." Others recognized their unremarkable qualities, too.

Now when they [rulers, scribes, and elders] saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated, common men, they were astonished. And they recognized that they had been with Jesus. Acts 4:13 ESV

I would commend to you that achievements outside the kingdom are pretty worthless inside the kingdom. At least that is the impression that the Apostle Paul gives us:

--though I myself have reason for confidence in the flesh also. If anyone else thinks he has reason for confidence in the flesh, I have more: circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the law, a Pharisee; as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to righteousness under the law, blameless. But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith—that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead. Philippians 3:4-11 ESV

It is not that Jesus could not attract “better people.” There were wealthy men and women who were interested; there were scholars who were interested. There were a few scribes, lawyers, Pharisees and Sadducees who were truly looking for a Messiah. With a little forbearance and encouragement, a little deference to their position, or a little special treatment Jesus might have won these people over. But (amazingly) He didn’t even try.

Jesus preferred to work with those considered weak or ignorant by the world’s standards. Imagine choosing a team for your weekly sandlot baseball game and purposely choosing the worst players available. In his letter to the Corinthian church Paul explains--

For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.

For consider your calling, brothers: not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, so that no human being might boast in the presence of God. 1 Corinthians 1:25-29 ESV

Remember the high school physics experiment in which students are asked to design and build a container that will protect an egg when dropped from the roof of their school? Why do they use eggs instead of ball bearings or rocks? Simply, the latter do not need any protection. By contrast, an egg is incredibly fragile and best demonstrates the effectiveness of the packaging. The weaker, more fragile passenger assures that the experiment will measure the strength of the packaging and not the strength of the passenger. Hmm. The egg gives greater glory to the package than the rock.

The world is full of “self-made” men and women who boast of their accomplishments. Even Frank Sinatra crooned “I did it my way . . .” Raving successes on earth are dim lamps compared to the glory of God, but even their dim light is misleading. American Christianity must guard itself against the leaven of worldly achievements and excellence. Worldly excellence does not glorify God, rather humility, contrition, and brokenness do.

The insult uttered by the religious elite about Peter and John-- uneducated, common men—was their badge of honor! Because it meant Peter and John’s words, boldness, and wisdom could only have come from one place: And they recognized that they had been with Jesus.

So, [drum roll, please] if it has been awhile since you made your first million, or (worse) if you haven’t even done it yet, there’s Good News! You may be perfect for the kingdom!

The Voice of Reason

“For the love of pizza, please listen to the voice of reason!” Similar words are spoken or thought multiple times a day (and that is just in our house!). The question, then, must be asked, “Who or what is the voice of reason?”

When most people make that statement, they are appealing to logic or conventional thinking. For example, “don’t remove your spare tire so you can pack more stuff in your trunk, what if you have a flat? Please, listen to the voice of reason for once . . .” Certainly having a spare tire is good advice; and the voice of reason is often good advice. But, what would happen if we always listened to it?

A couple of brothers from Dayton, Ohio had a bicycle repair shop. Like every other bicycle repair team they dreamed of building a “flying machine.” Actually, the Wright Brothers were quite lonely in that aspiration. Though a handful of brave tinkerers around the globe were thinking about motorized flight, no bank, company, or group of investors were backing any of them. Why would they? There was no proof out there that man was capable of flight. The voice of reason was shouting at the Wright brothers—

·         Doesn’t it give you pause that no one else is doing this? 

·         Pay attention to your business! There are thousands of bikes to repair and the world will always have bicycles. 

·         If you have to invent something, invent a better bicycle. At least you know something about that! 

·         Have you considered a motorized bicycle? Now that would make sense! 

·         Things that go up “must come down.” This fascination with flight will get you killed! 

·         Ahem . . . You are running short of cash. Better get back to serving your paying customers!

The “voice of reason” likes to throw around the notion that his parents are “experience” and “logic” (he hints there may even be a little “wisdom” on his mother’s side). In reality, if one does a careful search, however, one will find that VOR’s parents might just be “self-preservation” and “fear of failure.”

Noah was called by God to build an ark and fill it with animals, because a mighty rain and flood were coming (Genesis 7). Noah built the ark even though he didn’t know what “rain” was.

Abram (Abraham) was called by God to go to a country that would be revealed later (Genesis 12). Abram scooped up his family and started out though his life was just fine in Haran.

Moses had a quiet and undemanding life as a shepherd. Even though life could be boring most of the time, it was safe and good. But, he believed God and chose to return to Egypt to face the suspicions and obstinance of both the pharaoh and the people of Israel (Exodus 3).

The Bible is full of narratives about men and women who chose to ignore the voice of reason and instead were led (by faith) by a different voice: the voice of truth.

Is faith the absence of reason? Is faith the absence of logic and knowledge and experience? Is faith the absence of using our brains? Before we answer that question let’s look at origins.

Did God’s call to Noah accomplish anything? Certainly! A remnant of man and the rest of creation were preserved through the promised flood. God spoke truth and led Noah to respond to that truth.

Did God’s call to Abram accomplish anything? God did lead Abram to a new “promised land” and did indeed make him the father of a new race of people. God spoke the truth and Abram responded correctly to the truth.

Did God’s call to Moses accomplish anything? Through Moses, God’s people were delivered from the bondage of Egypt and back to their promised inheritance. God spoke the truth and Moses obeyed. It would seem that God has a habit of speaking the truth. The voice of reason, on the other hand, is generally based upon probabilities; but, in some cases, it is more malevolent.                                                        

The voice of reason was in the garden with Adam and Eve. God said one thing and the voice of reason said the opposite (Genesis 3). To be sure, in response to God’s calls to Noah, Abram, and Moses, the voice of reason brought pages and pages of bullet points about why obeying God was not a good idea.

So, faith is not the absence of reasoning, or logic, but rather a reasonable response to the truth. Faith is believing someone who can (by definition) only speak the truth. Satan, on the other hand will use some facts, our deepest fears, probabilities and outright lies to steer us in the wrong direction.

For example, we live in a world in which five small loaves and two little fish will feed a boy and maybe a young friend. God operates in a world where the same meal can feed more than five thousand people (Matthew 14)! Reading deeper into the same chapter of Matthew we realize another impossibility: people can't walk on water! Or at least the lake needs to freeze before we can. Those rules do not apply to our Lord--nor did they to Peter when He called!

Living by the law of probabilities, listening to the voice of reason is often a safe course; but those “safe” options become wrong (even evil) when we are encouraged to oppose the Words and Will of God.  Take this innocuous little example: everyone knows that when a guest visits one must show hospitality. In many cultures that includes a meal. Experience, cultural norms, one’s own understanding of hospitality, and the desire to win the approval of others might all factor into how one might show hospitality. Jesus encountered two sisters who responded quite differently to His visit (Luke 10). One bustled in the kitchen while the other sat at His feet and visited with Him. Jesus chided Martha for her reasoned, conventional, though heart-felt actions, while praising Mary for just being there—“she has chosen the better thing.”

Is responding by faith to God's truth a license to do all sorts of illogical and improbable things? Of course not!  If, however, God asks you to do something beyond your abilities, or something that frightens you, or something that others may not understand, do not let the “voice of reason” talk you out of it! God speaks truth! He lives above our thoughts and methods (Isaiah 55) and He is not constrained by our probabilities (Matthew 19). He is indeed (still) a God of miracles!

But Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”  Matthew 19:26 ESV

Firm in Our Faith

Nothing raises our defenses like a personal attack. Whether it is a disagreement with a co-worker, friend, or family member, or the acute awareness of our own mistakes or failure, we feel the assault and then prepare to repel the invading feeling or criticism. No one likes being wrong; certainly,  no one likes being caught being wrong. 

Conversely, no one likes being blindsided by adversity either. Sometimes difficult experiences find us, and these, too, can evoke a cascade of "why me?" feelings. So, when those assaults to our pride come (and, simply,  that is what it often is) there is a time of "deflation" when we feel the attack, often followed by a time of "inflation" as we mobilize to deal with it: the punchline "I'm going to do something even if it is wrong " isn't far off the mark. After news of an impending assault and in the midst of defensive feelings and thoughts, God dispatched Isaiah to King Ahaz.

In the seventh chapter of Isaiah word comes to the people of Judah and King Ahaz (grandson of Uzziah) that the kings of Syria and Israel were mounting an attack on Jerusalem. Isaiah recounts that “When the house of David was told, “Syria is in league with Ephraim,” the heart of Ahaz and the heart of his people shook as the trees of the forest shake before the wind.” Isaiah 7:2 ESV

In the face of multiplied threats and incredible betrayal, both Ahaz and his people had reason to be very concerned. On paper, this was an impossible situation! These potent adversaries were already discussing who they would install as the next king.

Almost immediately God instructs Isaiah to speak a word of faith to Ahaz:  "And say to him, ‘Be careful, be quiet, do not fear, and do not let your heart be faint because of these two smoldering stumps of firebrands . . .’”  Isaiah 7:4 ESV

Still later Isaiah warns, "If you are not firm in faith, you will not be firm at all . . .” (Isaiah 7:9b).

Ahaz needed this advice, because he had other options. Often countries would seek a costly alliance with a neighbor in these circumstances. The Kings of Israel and Judah had often done so--against God's instruction through His prophets. In this circumstance, Ahaz was already leaning toward invoking the help of king Tiglath-Pileser III of Assyria who seemed all too willing to jump into this particular war.

Isaiah shares God's perspective and it is pretty direct language. God’s encouragement through Isaiah seems to be (1) be careful (of unbelief[i]), and rash action, (2) do not give voice (or feet) to your fears, and be still; (3) do not let fear consume and immobilize you, (4) do not lose hope, and (5), the threats before you are no longer as threatening as you think they are. Last, Isaiah exhorts Ahaz to hold fast in faith; for faith in God's provision brings strength, stability, resolve, calm, and the ability to wait for God’s deliverance.

The application for modern readers couldn’t be more transparent. There are many threats out there. In addition to the worlds’ fragile economies and its growing political instability, we each have our own valleys of trial from time to time. The encouragement, however, remains the same.

If our faith is not firm (consistent), we lay aside our only defense. In the absence of faith we will collapse into the panic of our fears, and act unwisely.

Isaiah “preached” a lot of imperatives for Ahaz. By heeding them, Ahaz could have “walked” his way back to trusting God and experiencing His deliverance. Ahaz, unfortunately, was not inclined to listen and chose a course that took Judah further away from God and His providential care. The message of Isaiah is reprised in other Scripture passages—most notably:

. . . The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. Philippians 4:4-8 ESV

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[i] The idea of “taking heed” or “being careful” of doubts or unbelief which motivate seeking the aid of someone other than God is echoed specifically in Wesley Notes, and  Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible [Internet], as accessed on August 22, 2012 at http://biblecommenter.com/isaiah/7-4.htm

"Tough Love" or just "Love"?

On a mission trip years ago I met a Russian carpenter. As we shared tools, he became particularly fond of one of our power tools. To him it was not just a “good” tool, but a beautiful one. My friend was not describing the appearance of the tool, but rather its function. It was so good it was beautiful—“good” to the highest order!

God is described as “good” repeatedly in the Scriptures.

But our understanding of “good” robs us of those verses’ intentions. For instance, when I go to a hardware store, often times they have a choice of (say) paint brushes; they are actually labeled “good”, “better”, and “best.” I rarely buy the “good” one as it looks too cheap. We are a nation of superlatives, so if someone tells us that a restaurant is only “good” we are not apt to go there.

The second problem we have with God is this whole “heavenly Father” thing.  Many of us are fathers and most of us have had fathers so the term “father” already carries some meaning for us.

·        Some fathers are absent, either by choice or necessity.

·        Some fathers are emotionally absent—always concerned about other things.

·        Some fathers are high achievers and work too many hours.

·        Some fathers are really into this “tough love” thing and are strict disciplinarians.

·        Some fathers are abusive.

·        Some fathers are immature and selfish.

Well, you get the picture, most fathers are very imperfect, and we still call most of them “good” “fathers”.

We are raising another puppy right now, and I put him out in the yard yesterday and later on our deck and he wasn’t happy. He is part Viszla, which is Hungarian for large lap dog. So absent a human’s touch and proximity he was barking. Remembering my parenting training from a few years ago, I thought, well, I can’t reward the crying, he will just have to cry himself to sleep—tough love.  Later I spanked him for barking, still later I thought about shooting him—that is very tough love; and all this frustration boiling out of a card carrying animal lover.  It’s natural to then think, just as that puppy frustrates me, I must really frustrate God. He is, after all, the originator of “tough love” or so it seems.

So, when the psalmist tells us that God is good, our heads and our hearts nod and say, “yea, yea, yea, we know that . . .” But in our minds we see a Supreme Being who is grouchy, impatient, preferring tough love and discipline, a God of high expectations and full of disappointment with us. We carry around this feeling, “I’ve got to do better somehow, and God has to be getting tired of me . . .”

Luckily in Psalm 107, the phrase “God is good” is unpacked for us a little.

Before we get to that, however, I want us to read an account from the book of John that has really captured my attention lately.

So, in the second chapter, John recounts Christ’s first miracle and the circumstances couldn’t be more unusual. Jesus is an invited guest at a wedding—a wedding apparently being directed or managed by his mother. It may have been a relative’s wedding—a poor relative. Early into the festivities they run out of wine.

On the third day there was a wedding at Cana in Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there. Jesus also was invited to the wedding with his disciples. When the wine ran out, the mother of Jesus said to him, “They have no wine.” And Jesus said to her, “Woman, what does this have to do with me? My hour has not yet come.” His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.”

Now there were six stone water jars there for the Jewish rites of purification, each holding twenty or thirty gallons. Jesus said to the servants, “Fill the jars with water.” And they filled them up to the brim. And he said to them, “Now draw some out and take it to the master of the feast.” So they took it. When the master of the feast tasted the water now become wine, and did not know where it came from (though the servants who had drawn the water knew), the master of the feast called the bridegroom and said to him, “Everyone serves the good wine first, and when people have drunk freely, then the poor wine. But you have kept the good wine until now.” This, the first of his signs, Jesus did at Cana in Galilee, and manifested his glory. And his disciples believed in him. John 2:1-11 ESV

Now to bring this account into our context we need some common ground. In that time, a Jewish wedding had several social requirements and a feast of several days was one of them. Americans have no equivalent tradition; we loathe traditions especially ones that cost us money. Anyway, this feast and its food and wine were a big deal. To fail to provide an appropriate experience for the guests was disastrous—not just an embarrassment.

Here’s a little analogy for comparison: In western North Dakota there is a small farming community that hosts an annual Settler’s Day picnic. It is a pretty big deal, and something that has been done very well over the years. Each year they honor a local resident (usually an original settler of the area—or those who are descendents of the original settlers). The lucky honoree provides a good portion of the beef for the picnic. This is an all-day BBQ, so to run out of beef at noon would be a major embarrassment to the honored family. That particular picnic would be forever remembered as the “Olson debacle,” and instead of honor, the family would live in perpetual embarrassment. Multiply that shame a few times and you get the picture Jesus confronted at the wedding in Cana.

So, imagine this, Jesus’ first miracle was to make wine for a wedding. He makes wine to hide or make up for someone’s poor planning and preparations. . .

So, there was no healing, no raising people from the dead, no feeding the multitudes; Christ’s first miracle was to make wine for a poor couple’s wedding.

Further, at first reading, the passage suggests that Christ’s mother, Mary, talked Him into performing the miracle even though He didn’t want to. That is problematic on several fronts.

Theologically speaking (and John’s Gospel is brimming with Theology), it makes no sense to conclude--

·        Jesus was at the wedding by accident

·        He didn’t know about the shortage of wine

·        He was unwilling (initially) to perform this miracle.

The Alpha and Omega, the WORD, God incarnate, the Lamb of God, the Good Shepherd, the Light of the World—whatever names you may call Him was fully human and fully divine. His ministry on earth was planned from the beginning of time. There were no accidental encounters with Jesus Christ; there were no hurried and unplanned “signs” and miracles.

There were no “oh mom, don’t make me do a miracle today” events in Christ’s life.

·        Jesus turned water into wine at a wedding in Cana.

·        He did so by God’s plan and intention.

·        And, achieved three things simultaneously:

·        Provided wine for a feast, saving a young couple a life of embarrassment and scorn.

·        Drew His disciples close to Him

·        Glorified His Father in heaven

Why would Jesus care about a wedding? Why would He care about their wine?

Now this is just me, but I believe the terse exchange between Jesus and His mother was theater for a mother and son who loved each other very deeply. Let’s take a closer look. In effect, Jesus says, “Woman, what makes you think I am concerned with your concerns?  I’m here to do bigger things!”

I think the conversation (with a wink) was more like, “Mom, what am I going to do with you. Is this really part of my ministry?”

No matter the translation, Mary immediately knew Jesus would fix the problem (and do so miraculously) as she instructed the servants to “do whatever He tells you.”

So, John 2 describes a “nice miracle.”

·        Jesus didn’t preach

·        He didn’t heal

·        He didn’t teach

·        He didn’t meet a desperate “need.”

·        He didn’t change the world

·        He merely answered a plea for help for a somewhat ordinary thing.

·        Jesus answered His own question, “Is this really part of my ministry?” Apparently it was! Apparently it is!

Psalm 107 supports the behavior in John 2, when the Psalmist reminds us – “God is good.”

The big question, then, is “Who is God good to?”

For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die—but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:6-8 ESV)

First and foremost, God is good to sinners.

1.   God is good to the unbeliever. Even before an unbeliever is ready to accept the love of Christ, Jesus paid the debt ahead of time. At our worst, at our time of greatest need and least understanding, Christ died for us. 

      This past weekend, Kim and I drove to North Dakota for a wedding. When we got to the little town where the wedding would be held, there was a hotel room waiting for us in our names—completely paid for! The financial arrangements were made weeks ago, but it became our room when we showed up. Jesus paid a debt ahead of time for us, but it is only available to those who show up and ask. God is so good to us even ahead of our needs.

 God is good to sinners, who else is He good to? Psalm 107 helps us with that question, too. The Psalmist begins with the general statement, “Let the Redeemed of the Lord say so . . .” and then goes on to describe some of the circumstances of the redeemed.

Oh give thanks to the LORD, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever! Let the redeemed of the LORD say so, whom he has redeemed from trouble and gathered in from the lands, from the east and from the west, from the north and from the south.

Some wandered in desert wastes, finding no way to a city to dwell in; hungry and thirsty, their soul fainted within them. Then they cried to the LORD in their trouble, and he delivered them from their distress. He led them by a straight way till they reached a city to dwell in. Let them thank the LORD for his steadfast love, for his wondrous works to the children of man! For he satisfies the longing soul, and the hungry soul he fills with good things.

Some sat in darkness and in the shadow of death, prisoners in affliction and in irons, for they had rebelled against the words of God, and spurned the counsel of the Most High. So he bowed their hearts down with hard labor; they fell down, with none to help. Then they cried to the LORD in their trouble, and he delivered them from their distress. He brought them out of darkness and the shadow of death, and burst their bonds apart. Let them thank the LORD for his steadfast love, for his wondrous works to the children of man! For he shatters the doors of bronze and cuts in two the bars of iron.

Some were fools through their sinful ways, and because of their iniquities suffered affliction; they loathed any kind of food, and they drew near to the gates of death. Then they cried to the LORD in their trouble, and he delivered them from their distress. He sent out his word and healed them, and delivered them from their destruction. Let them thank the LORD for his steadfast love, for his wondrous works to the children of man! And let them offer sacrifices of thanksgiving, and tell of his deeds in songs of joy!

Some went down to the sea in ships, doing business on the great waters; they saw the deeds of the LORD, his wondrous works in the deep. For he commanded and raised the stormy wind, which lifted up the waves of the sea. They mounted up to heaven; they went down to the depths; their courage melted away in their evil plight; they reeled and staggered like drunken men and were at their wits' end. Then they cried to the LORD in their trouble, and he delivered them from their distress. He made the storm be still, and the waves of the sea were hushed. Then they were glad that the waters were quiet, and he brought them to their desired haven. Let them thank the LORD for his steadfast love, for his wondrous works to the children of man! Let them extol him in the congregation of the people, and praise him in the assembly of the elders.

He turns rivers into a desert, springs of water into thirsty ground, a fruitful land into a salty waste, because of the evil of its inhabitants. He turns a desert into pools of water, a parched land into springs of water. And there he lets the hungry dwell, and they establish a city to live in; they sow fields and plant vineyards and get a fruitful yield.

By his blessing they multiply greatly, and he does not let their livestock diminish. When they are diminished and brought low through oppression, evil, and sorrow, he pours contempt on princes and makes them wander in trackless wastes; but he raises up the needy out of affliction and makes their families like flocks.

The upright see it and are glad, and all wickedness shuts its mouth. Whoever is wise, let him attend to these things; let them consider the steadfast love of the LORD. Psalm 107 ESV

2.   “Some wandered in desert wastes finding no way to a city to dwell in; hungry and thirsty, their soul fainting within them . . .”

A desert is a place where there are scant resources to live on. The psalmist tells us that God is good to those who are struggling to survive. They may be oppressed or outcasts. These people may be those who suffer for their faith, or identity; they may be people who are experiencing difficulties due to health or economics, or politics. There may be myriads of reasons for how one finds oneself in the desert, but when we are there, the psalmist reminds us that when we cry out to the Lord He answers and saves.

3.  “Some sat in darkness and in the shadow of death, prisoners in affliction and irons, for they had rebelled against the word of God and spurned His counsel . . .”

This third group seems to be in trouble because of some bad decisions. Perhaps the prison is a literal one, perhaps the prison is “debt”, addiction, or other poor choices. In any case, this group is partially to blame for their difficulty. But, when even they called to the Lord He answer and saved.

4.   "Some were fools through their sinful ways" and because of their iniquities suffered affliction . . .”

The fourth group seems to be the victims of their own repeated sinful and willful behavior. Consulting God about anything is way down their list. They do their own thing—and as a consequence they encounter lots of avoidable problems.

This is the least likely group to make my list. Why would God be good to these folks? One is reminded of the phrase, “you made your bed, now lie in it . . .”

Oddly, this is the probably the group I would feel most comfortable with. So, praise the Lord, even this group (when they tire of their consequences and turn to God) He answers and saves. 

5.   "Some went down to the sea in ships"—[and encountered fierce and frightening storms] . . .

The fifth group is harder to qualify. The psalmist describes people who are engaged in commerce and shipping. In those days, when a ship encountered a storm it wasn’t uncommon to throw all of their freight overboard in an effort to save the ship and the sailors. Shipping was a risky business, selling goods in far-away lands was also very risky. A businessman could lose everything very quickly. You know we might be able to add a number of business ventures here. In this economy, retirement savings, business accounts, jobs, and livelihoods can disappear very quickly. For those who experience that devastation and call upon the Lord, He answers and saves!

I think the psalmist was trying to convey that God is good to ALL that call upon His Name!

Let me repeat that: God is good to ALL that call upon His name!

He cares about the grand problems of our lives and He cares about the minute problems we have. He cares about the problems that visit us uninvited and He cares about the problems we have caused for ourselves.

So, let the redeemed of the Lord say so! Tell your brothers and sisters how God has provided for you. Tell them how God--

·        helped you find a parking space before that important job interview.

·        helped you find twenty dollars for gas when you didn’t have any money.

·        helped you find something you were sure you had lost.

·        helped you figure out how to repair your vehicle.

·        helped you with last month’s rent.

·        helped you finish some homework on time.

·        helped you endure a difficult medical procedure.

·        gave you inspiration to finish a difficult project.

·        gave you encouragement when you were feeling very down.

·        found a Christian friend for you when you needed one.

·        Or, how His Grace was sufficient for you during one of the toughest and driest times of your life!

God is good to all who call upon His name. He is good because He loves with an amazing love!

Let the Redeemed talk about His goodness. Let us daily recite the work God has done in our lives and remind one another how good our God is!

Whoever is wise, let him attend to these things; let them consider the steadfast love of the LORD!

The Best WE Can Do

Many years ago, when I was called to serve a little church in North Dakota, I assumed God had called me to pastor that Church because He had made me ready to do so—that He had prepared me to be equal to all the challenges. "Ready," and "prepared" are relative terms; basically I had a"learner's permit." Quite honestly, I never felt like I knew what I was doing. I have never struggled with a job as much as I did that one and felt completely out of my element from day one.

Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. He who calls you is faithful; he will surely do it. 1 Thessalonians 5:23-24 ESV

The passage above refers to sanctification, and not merely to other callings, still the message is the same: there are some things we will not be able to do on our own (no matter how hard we try).

In Genesis 15 (and again in chapter 17), God gave Abraham a wonderful promise that his heirs would outnumber the stars in the sky. Wow! There was just one problem: the promise came too late in the couple’s lifetime. Abraham and Sarah had no children and no hopes of having any. But, ever the resourceful couple, they devised a plan to accomplish God’s promise. Painfully aware of their age and childless condition they resorted to an ancient form of surrogacy using Sarah’s maid servant, Hagar. Their plan did produce an heir (and a host of new problems), but it wasn’t God’s plan.

God promised a miracle. In giving the promise to Abraham, God also committed to making it happen—in His way and in His time. In other words, God gave a calling and promise knowing Abraham and Sarah had no way of accomplishing it themselves. This promise would indeed take a miracle. To his credit, Abraham believed God would do it and that belief was credited to him as righteousness (15:6). The promise wasn’t predicated on Abraham’s belief, however; the promise was based in God’s power.

God gave a promise and calling to Moses, too (Exodus 3:7-10). Moses, the rescued baby-turned Egyptian prince-turned exiled murderer-turned reluctant shepherd, alone and forgotten in the wilderness had turned from person of influence to outcast. Moses had potential, influence, riches, education, and a bright future in Egypt. In the wilderness of Midian he had sheep. God’s call seemed to come too late to him, too.

In reality, there are times you cannot travel from point “a” to point “b” because of the obstacles in between. By the time Moses switched careers in Midian, he had burned his bridges, he was now effectively useless to the Hebrew people. At that point God called him and gave him a fantastic promise—God wanted to use him to deliver the people of Israel.

An angel of the Lord appeared to Gideon with an equally amazing calling (Judges 6:11-14). Hiding from roving bands of marauders, Gideon was trying to thresh some wheat in his wine press. What can you see from the bottom of a wine press? One can only see choking dust and rock if one is misusing the winepress to thresh grain. One might also "see" futility, despair, and fear. Perhaps Gideon could remember the old days, too—and felt some anger and resentment that the formerly joyful harvest had become a fearful and furtive gesture.

Why was Gideon in the wine press? He had good reason to fear Midianite gangs who would often appear on the horizon to steal his food. Threshing wheat in the wine press was the humanly wise thing to do. But threshing in the wine press was a small deliverance compared to the one God had planned.

Mary, the mother of Jesus, had an impossible calling, too (Luke 1: 26-38). She voiced the obvious obstacle to achieving the promise, but at the end believed the angel and agreed to serve.

There are times we come to the end of ourselves. We lose strength, opportunity, interest, energy, ability, position, and time. Some opportunities are just too challenging. Some responsibilities are just too daunting. Some obligations are just too tedious. From time to time, for whatever reason, we are stuck—unable to grasp that blessing, calling, or promise that we feel God has given us.

Few of us suffer today as the saints of God did; our enemies are less threatening. Yet we may find ourselves at the bottom of a dusty wine press wondering how in the world we got there, and how long we will have to stay in that cloudy confinement.

The angel’s greeting to Gideon was an ironic, “O Mighty Warrior!” Certainly Gideon didn’t feel very valiant at the moment.

Abraham, Moses, and Mary were certainly overwhelmed by their calling, too. The timing just seemed so off . . . But in a discussion about Abraham, the apostle Paul reminds us

. . . as it is written, “I have made you the father of many nations”—in the presence of the God in whom he believed, who gives life to the dead and calls into existence the things that do not exist. In hope he believed against hope, that he should become the father of many nations, as he had been told, “So shall your offspring be.” He did not weaken in faith when he considered his own body, which was as good as dead (since he was about a hundred years old), or when he considered the barrenness of Sarah's womb. No unbelief made him waver concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God, fully convinced that God was able to do what he had promised. That is why his faith was “counted to him as righteousness.” Romans 4:17-22 ESV

It is safe to assume that God sees the bigger picture, and has power to do something about it. He is the one “who gives life to the dead and calls into existence the things that do not exist!” When often (in our winepress) all we can see are dust, enemies, and obstacles, God sees something much different. God knows where we are! --And reminds us that we serve someone who speaks the truth and sees a bigger reality. Though you cannot see or accomplish God’s promise for your life from where you stand, God can. God will. He specializes in catching people at the end of their ropes and propelling them forward into the center of His will.

The word of faith—in opposition to all that the world might say—is “Lord, I cannot do this, but I know You can. Refit me, remake me, re-energize me for the work and promise You have for me to do . . . “

I am convinced that God allows us to discover the end of our abilities and talents from time to time just so we can remember what living by faith looks like. If we could accomplish all that God intends for us-by ourselves—there would be no need for a Savior.

Further, I am convinced that God allows us to experience failure in areas where we have previously had success for the same reason—to drive us toward a deeper reliance on Him. As admirable as self-reliance and self-sufficiency might be, they are not useful in growing to be more Christ-like. Self-reliance, instead generates pride, and helps us become less motivated to seek the Savior.

If you feel stuck; if you have recently encountered defeat in some area of your life; If there is something you feel God wants you to do and that something remains just outside your reach; if your calling and circumstances don’t seem to match, then take courage! God is at work!  He has just reminded you that you need Him. Stop trying to deliver yourself. Stop your meager and frustrating efforts and instead pray for His wisdom, strength, and inspiration. The best you and I can do (on our own) is usually too small, too late, and too ineffective to be useful for the Kingdom. . . But with God? A few loaves and fish can feed a multitude!