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

---

[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!