Where Is God?



A street in Tagajo, Miyagi prefecture.

As I read the reports and view the pictures of the tragic loss and suffering in Japan following the earthquake and tsunami along with fear of nuclear danger, I am stunned. To see buildings and vehicles swirling inland on the rushing flood and to know that in the wreckage are hundreds of human bodies is almost incomprehensible.
Where is God? If one is among those who are overwhelmed by the disaster, that might well be the question.

It certainly may feel at such a time of anguish that God has forsaken us. David, the psalmist and “a man after God's own heart,” cried out in his deep distress, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me? Why are You so far from helping Me, and from the words of My groaning? O My God, I cry in the daytime, but You do not hear; and in the night season, and am not silent.” (Psalm 22:1, 2) Here was a godly man who did not “deserve” the trauma in his life, but circumstances closed in on him until he felt that he had been abandoned by his God. But he had not been left alone; he would see the light again and feel hope once more.

Even Jesus, being made one of us, suffered that crushing sense of loss. On the Cross, he too cried, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?” (Mark 15:34) He had not been left alone either, but would rise again in triumph three days hence. Can it be that this experience of feeling abandoned is not uncommon to the human condition, and that we must wait through it if we would see what is on the other side? May God give me grace, should my turn come, to affirm boldly, “He has not abandoned me.”

MaryMartha

Scripture taken from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Photo:  AFP/Kazuhiro Nogi  3/14/11

The Safest Place

A security camera
is watching!



Some months ago, I read an article about what is possibly the safest house in the world. The five-story residence sits high in the hills above Los Angeles with a 360° view of the surrounding area. Inside are thirty-two luxurious rooms, discreetly disguising the fact that the house is heavily fortified and super-secure. Six cars can park in the virtually impenetrable cave-like garage below the living areas. Should an intruder manage to breach the high-powered exterior security measures, there are two hidden panic rooms plus architecturally invisible safe cores. These are entire sections of the house that can be shut off from the rest of the building, and would provide safety from any outside threat: intruders, natural disaster and even nuclear, biological, or chemical attack.

This modern-day fortress can only provide a certain measure of peace of mind. The man/woman who is owner of this house is just as likely to have a heart attack as the next person. He/she is as susceptible to cancer, lung disease, or brain tumor as other people are. What then? The safest house in the world isn't really safe at all.

I believe in taking precautions that will help me be safe physically. Don't I have a basement equipped for waiting out a tornado? A fire extinguisher? Air bags in my car? Grab bars in the bathroom? But no effort of mine will be enough to give me spiritual safety. Psalm 23 is not yet worn out! Here is a verse of assurance: Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me." (Ps. 23:4) When we die certainly, but at other times too, when we pass through a dark place and experience the "dying" of something precious to us, we experience "the shadow of death." It is then that Jesus is right with us, not driving us through the valley, but leading us. His staff reassures and even rescues us, His rod protects us

The safest place? In His care. Whether we're in an elegant, fortified house or in a tiny apartment, "My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father's hand." (John 10:27-29)

MaryMartha

Scripture taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®. NIV®. Copyright©1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved.

Art from http://www.sxc.hu/

God Is Reasonable

One of a series on "The Endearing Personality of God"


When I say that God is reasonable, that doesn't mean I can subject Him to examination and figure Him out. He is far, far beyond that! I have learned in practice the reality of " 'For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,' declares the LORD. 'As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.' " (Isaiah 55:8, 9) We cannot fit all of God into our tiny little frame of reference.

The story of Job shows us, though, that God is reasonable in that He can be reasoned with; things can be discussed with Him, arguments weighed, and conclusions reached. Notably, Moses and Abraham reasoned with God and He gave consideration to their pleas. This doesn't mean we always get the answer we would like. Job did not. He stormed at God, demanding to know why he was suffering such loss—his riches, his family, his friends, his health. And God did discuss the matter with Job, although the conclusion they came to was not exactly what Job was expecting. It was along the line of: "I am God! And just who do you think you are? What do you really know about anything?"

God is always working for the good of those who love Him. (See Romans 8:28) Many of our problems lie in not knowing what will be, in the end, best for us. We may say, "Well, God had a reason." Yes, perhaps that is true. He may have had a reason, and we were not given that understanding. Or often, just because we live in a broken world, bad and "senseless" things happen to good people. Contrariwise, because our world sometimes operates in an inverted fashion, good things happen to bad people! There may be no other reason.

When we come to those baffling times, we can trust God's goodness. He is just. He is also merciful. If we actually need to know the reason, God will give it—maybe now, maybe later. Because He is reasonable.

MaryMartha

Scripture taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®. NIV®. Copyright©1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved.

Art from http://www.sxc.hu/

Staying with It

Whew!

It is HOT in Kansas! Some lawns are turning a crispy brown, a few trees are shedding leaves prematurely, and wide cracks are appearing in soil banks. Some of us were discussing the heat, but we agreed that this was nothing like the summer of '80. That was the summer I moved here, and though the large city from which I came was very hot, I was almost convinced I'd made a mistake. That year we had temperatures of 100° or higher for 46 days, 18 of them in a row! By contrast, the summer of 2010 has had a dozen or so, with probably just a few more on the way. The schools were not yet air-conditioned then, and the little house in which I lived did not for awhile have AC either!

But what I'd have missed if I had not stayed with it! I established firm family ties which before had been shaky. I reared my family in a comparatively safe environment. I found exceptional professional people: doctor, dentist, attorney, auto mechanic, and pastor. I met and married the love of my life. I embarked on a satisfying career, lasting even into retirement years. I am fully convinced that God is involved in the choices we make, often more intimately involved than we realize. "The LORD directs the steps of the godly [not godlike, but God-fearing]. He delights in every detail of their lives." (Psalm 37:23) I've found it so.

MaryMartha

Scripture quotation is taken from The Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. United States of America. All rights reserved.

Art from http://www.sxc.hu/

Re-Framing

I have been listening to a CD on which the gospel singer declares that she had questions with answers she couldn't understand. I think that is probably true for all of us, and sometimes the questions don't seem to have answers at all. As we struggle with the things that perplex us, a wonderfully helpful verse from the Bible is this: "Let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think." (Romasns12:2) Difficulty itself does not necessarily set us free, but reframing it—changing how we think about it—does liberate us. Jesus said, "You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” (John 8:32)

If you are in a hard place now, where can you find the truth that will change how you think and set you free? Many of us are convinced that the Word of God is ultimate truth, but often our traditional views and personal opinions cloud our understanding of it.

4 A Popular Notion: Jesus said whatever I ask for, the Heavenly Father will give to me. So I'm going to ask for a Lexus and a new tri-level house.

8 What the Word Teaches: "When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your own pleasures." (James 4:3 NIV)

4 A Popular Notion: Didn't God say He would supply all my need? Well, I actually do need a _______ [new car, new house, new clothes, new spouse—you fill in the blank.]

8 What the Word Teaches: Yes, but the Apostle Paul—a remarkable Christian, after all—tells us, "Actually, I don't have the sense of needing anything personally. I've learned by now how to be quite content. I'm just as happy with little as with much, with much as with little." (from Philippians 4:11, 12)

4 A Popular Notion: If I serve the Lord, I will have fewer troubles. Jesus said, "My yoke is easy and my burden is light."

8 What the Word Teaches: Jesus also said, "Here on earth you will have many trails and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world." (John 16:33)

4 A Popular Notion: God obviously is pleased with my life because I have good health and financial success.

8 What the Word Teaches: It's quite possible to enjoy some of God's gifts without really having His blessing! Examples are Samson, Baalam, and any who "speak with the tongues of mean and of angels and have not love." (See I Corinthians 13)

"The Lord directs the steps of the godly. He delights in every detail of their lives." (Psalm 37:23) This does not mean that every act and thought of ours is predetermined, and we have only to live mechanically what has already been established. What it does mean is that God has orchestrated our lives in such a way that we will come face to face with His reality. Quite often this comes to us through pain or loss, disappointment, difficulty or perplexity because it is when we are searching for answers that we look up—and there is God! Would we actually want to wish away the critical events that have caused us to search for Him? Although they may have seemed almost unbearable at the time, we can ask God to change the way we think and then we can see how fruitful those times really were!

MaryMartha

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from The Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. United States of America. All rights reserved. Scripture quotation marked NIV is taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®. NIV®. Copyright©1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved.

Art from http://www.sxc.hu/

Antidotes

Sometimes we need an antidote for something we have contacted or ingested: poison ivy or a bee sting, a medication to which we are allergic or just too much pizza! Doctors know, and many mothers too, know what will soothe the itchy skin or the upset stomach.

I have found a spiritual antidote as well. When I have contacted too much negative talk or encountered too many discouraging circumstances or remembered too many painful memories, the Word of God helps make things right.

But as for me, I almost lost my footing. My feet were slipping, and I was almost gone. For I envied the proud when I saw them prosper despite their wickedness. They seem to live such painless lives; their bodies are so healthy and strong. They don’t have troubles like other people; they’re not plagued with problems like everyone else. . . Did I keep my heart pure for nothing? Did I keep myself innocent for no reason? I get nothing but trouble all day long; every morning brings me pain. . . So I tried to
understand why the wicked prosper. But what a difficult task it is!

Then I went into your sanctuary, O God, and I finally understood the destiny of the wicked. Truly, you put them on a slippery path and send them sliding over the cliff to destruction. In an instant they are destroyed, completely swept away by terrors. Then I realized that my heart was bitter, and I was all torn up inside. . . Yet I still belong to you; you hold my right hand. You guide me with your counsel, leading me to a glorious destiny.

Whom have I in heaven but you? I desire you more than anything on earth. My health may fail, and my spirit may grow weak, but God remains the strength of my heart; he is mine forever." (Psalm 2:2-5, 13-14, 16-19, 21, 23-26)

This antidote works even better than calamine lotion or Tums!

MaryMartha

Scripture quotations are taken from The Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. United States of America. All rights reserved.

Flying by Instrument

My brother, having his private pilot's license, was flying my toddler daughter and me to see "Grampy" who was very ill in the hospital. He had never met the little girl as her adoption into the family had occurred only a few months before. I recall that day as being overcast, perhaps even rainy, and visibility was extremely limited. How could we land safely if we couldn't even see the ground? "Not to worry," my brother told me as he spoke to controllers by radio and listened to their instructions.

At last we burst through the layer of gray clouds—and there was the runway, exactly in front of us. I was hugely impressed! What the pilot couldn't determine with his own skillful judgment, he entrusted to the instruments in his cockpit and to people on the ground who could direct him.

We often cannot see clearly where each aspect of our faith journey is taking us. We are completely "clouded" in, and cannot imagine how we will ever come safely to a place of peace and rest. That is the time to fly by "instrument," not our own senses. We have the Word of God to direct us. We also have the wisdom and experience of others who are on this journey; some, having already completed it, have left us valuable encouragement and advice. We have the Spirit of God, Who is the ultimate "control tower operator."

Our feelings can be unreliable when in comes to determining our course, just as I could not have found the landing strip through those heavy clouds. And even when we can see, our judgment may be faulty, just as airplanes crash all the time "due to pilot error." But when we put our trust in the instruments we have been given to make our spiritual journey, and we will reach our Destination safely.

MaryMartha

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The Good and the Not-So-Good

In my shaded front yard, there is some grass that is stubborn enough to try growing where in a few more days there will be almost no sunshine. Even wild violets and white clover (weeds to real lawn people) are more desirable, I think, than the weedy grass that sticks up more than a foot above anything else. I have elected to deal with it by grubbing it out by hand. Wouldn't it be easier to spray the whole area with Roundup and start over? Yes, it might, but there are some things growing—like the vinca minor I planted as ground cover last year, and the violets and clover until I'm ready to replace them. I don't want to destroy what I've already done by getting rid of everything.

That reminded me of Jesus' parable about the tares (weeds) and wheat:

The Kingdom of Heaven is like a farmer who planted good seed in his field. But that night as the workers slept, his enemy came and planted weeds among the wheat, then slipped away. When the crop began to grow and produce grain, the weeds also grew.

The farmer’s workers went to him and said, "Sir, the field where you planted that good seed is full of weeds! Where did they come from?"

"An enemy has done this!" the farmer exclaimed.

“Should we pull out the weeds?" they asked.

“No," he replied, "you’ll uproot the wheat if you do. Let both grow together until the harvest. Then I will tell the harvesters to sort out the weeds, tie them into bundles, and burn them, and to put the wheat in the barn.” Matthew 13:24-30)

The problems in our society are so obvious and so serious that some people would like to just pull up our educational system, our politicized government, and even our religious institutions by their roots. As it is now, they believe, things are hopeless. But the result of such action—were it even possible—would be sheer chaos. No, we sometimes have to let the "weeds" grow too or else we will destroy what is good and necessary in our effort to eliminate the undesirable.

God will eventually sort out the weeds. We can trust Him with that job.

MaryMartha

Scripture quotation is taken from The Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. United States of America. All rights reserved.

Art from http://www.sxc.hu/

Hold Onto the Lord

Recently I bought a CD of southern Gospel music, and I play it often in the morning while I'm preparing to go to work. Because I am not sitting right there listening, sometimes I don't get exactly right what the words of the song are. I was hearing, "Grab hold onto the Lord." I thought that was a bit strange, so I listened again carefully, and yes, that is what I heard. So I finally checked the liner notes, and found out that I was very badly mistaken! However, because I had listened to the music so many times while hearing the wrong words, that is still what comes to mind first. "Grab hold onto the Lord." But maybe that is not such a bad thing, after all. The concept is certainly true, although not very poetic!

Moses instructed the children of Israel—and it goes for us too—"You are to follow only God, your God, hold him in deep reverence, keep his commandments, listen obediently to what he says, serve him—hold on to him for dear life!" (Deuteronomy 13:4)

MaryMartha

Scripture taken from The Message. Copyright © 2003 by Eugene H. Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress Publishing Group.

Art from http://www.sxc.hu/

Developing in the Dark

I remember my first camera: a Baby Brownie Special by Kodak, an absolute wonder of technology! It was tiny; it took 1-5/8 inch by 2-1/2 pictures on a roll of 127 film. The camera was molded Bakelite (a plastic now found only in collectible items), with a white push-button shutter release and a white film winder knob contrasting smartly with the sleek black body. A braided handle completed the stylish look! I was only ten or twelve, and easily impressed, I suppose!

When the whole roll of film had been exposed—I knew this by peering into the little red window in the back—I rolled it back onto the spool, and my mother or someone took it to the photo shop for developing. In a week or so (or whenever the next trip to town took place), I held in my hand the eight little photographs of my brothers, the dog, the cow barn, and grandma and grandpa at their house, their likenesses preserved forever!

Eventually I moved up to a slightly better camera, but still just a box that took black-and-white pictures. I enrolled in an elective photography class in high school. In the darkroom, in complete blackout, I rolled exposed film into a light-tight canister and poured the developer in. After the prescribed time elapsed, I clipped the negatives up to a line to dry and later printed the photos or cropped and enlarged them with only a faint red light in the room. Mostly I worked in the dark to produce my work.

Sometimes life is like that. Everything is bright and sunny for a time. All is well, and we suppose this is how things are going to be now. But sometimes we have to work in the dark. In fact, that is often how God accomplishes His purposes. We don't stay in the dark always, for He leads us in the way of light. But sometimes while something is "developing," we have to wait without seeing clearly. The children of Israel were guided along their wilderness trek by the cloud of God's presence. God was in the dark cloud that covered the mountain as He issued the Ten Commandments. When Moses went to the Tent of Meeting to speak with God, a cloud covered the entrance. When the Tabernacle for worship was set up, a cloud of God hovered over the place of atonement which covered the Ark. When Solomon's temple was dedicated a great cloud filled it. When Jesus gave up His life on the Cross, darkness filled the land.

"He made darkness His secret place; His canopy around Him was dark waters and thick clouds of the skies." (Psalm 18:11 NKJV) Know that when the process of "developing" and "enlarging" is finished, something of lasting value will have been worked into your life.

MaryMartha

Scripture taken from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Art from http://www.brownie-camera.com/manuals/babybspecial/index.shtml

Who Would Be God?

Years ago, when I made an ill-informed choice and landed in some distressing circumstances, I blamed God! In fact, I was pretty mad at Him. "How could this happen to me?" I stormed. "How could you let me make such a huge mistake?"

God is very calm when He answers such questions. "If you couldn't make a mistake," I heard Him say in my heart, "who would be God in your life?" Now I may have been foolish to ask God such a thing, but I am not stupid! I knew for sure that I did not want to manage life by myself. I did not want to be my own God.

Sometimes we are so determined to see our own agenda worked out, that we try to use God to enable that. I believe that God hears us when we pray, and I believe that sometimes He does things in answer to prayer that He would not otherwise do. But that He can be manipulated because we invoke His name is far from true. I believe in miracles too; sometimes there is no explanation for an outcome except such Divine intervention. But to expect God to unhinge the regular working of the Universe because there is something I want is likewise false.

s If we could re-route tornadoes and floods and earthquakes at will, who would be God?

s If we could always prevent broken bones and car breakdowns and layoffs in the lives of those we love, who would be God?

s If we could provide bountiful crops and a cure for cancer and blissful marriages, who would be God?

s If we had the power to end world hunger, threats of terrorism, and illiteracy, who would be God?

Sometimes it's quite easy to see that our circumstances, pleasant or otherwise, are the direct result of choices we have made. But it is not always that clear. Sometimes simple cause-and-effect doesn't apply, but we still want desperately to believe there is an existential reason for everything. So when good happens, people say, "I—or you or they—must be living right." When bad things happen, we wonder, "What did I/we/they do to deserve this?"

There is spiritual wisdom in asking God if He wants to teach us something through the situation in our lives or in the world, but He does not owe us explanations for everything. Father Cavanaugh explains to Rudy (in the "movified" story of an aspiring football player, 1993), "In thirty-five years of religious study, I have only come up with two hard, incontrovertible facts: there is a God and I'm not Him."

We're not God. And aren't you glad?

MaryMartha


Related posts:
What Job Learned about Reasons (here)
Is There a Reason for Everything? (here)
Reconciling (here)

Art from http://www.sxc.hu/

The Government on His Shoulders

"For a child is born to us, a son is given to us. The government will rest on his shoulders. And he will be called: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. His government and its peace will never end." (Isaiah 9:6, 7)

If there are things about our government that trouble you, if you worry about our posture as a nation, if you fret about the world's "isms"—terrorism, humanism, socialism, and so on—remember that government finally rests and surely upon the shoulders of our God. For a time, He has given authority to the rulers of the world's nations, and eventually their rule will be over. His government will never end, but come to its full revelation when "at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." (Philippians 2:10, 11) Until then, don't be afraid!

Martin Luther wrote the great Reformation hymn, "A Mighty Fortress Is Our God." One of the verses says, "That word [the name, Jesus] above all earthly powers—no thanks to them—abideth. The Spirit and the gifts are ours through Him who with us sideth. Let goods and kindred go, this mortal life also. The body they may kill; God's truth abideth still. His Kingdom is forever!"

Rejoice! The Savior, Redeemer, Governor has come!

MaryMartha

Scripture quotations are taken from The Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. United States of America. All rights reserved.

Art from http://www.sxc.hu/

Things Mama Taught Me: Ask Jesus

I don't remember praying, as a child, for a bicycle or a new coat or to have a friend. I just had confidence that these things would be provided in due time by my parents. But I learned early that there were some things they could not provide for us. For these I must pray for Jesus' help.

I remember an early lesson taught by example. My youngest brother was rather fearful that something would happen to our mother; she would die and leave him alone. He was a very small child, still in a crib in my parents' bedroom when I heard him say his bedtime prayers as my mother led him. "Now I lay me down to sleep—" then God bless Mama, God bless Daddy, and all the other God blesses he could think of.

"But Mama, what if you die?" I am not sure how he came to have this fear, but living on the farm, we learned early about life and death. It would not be hard to imagine the stiff coldness that happened to a bug or a kitten could also come to someone you loved and on whom you depended.

My mother explained very simply to him, "When your daddy was a little boy, he prayed that his mama would live until he was a grown-up man. And she did. You can ask Jesus for that too."

"God bless Mama. God bless Daddy." All the God blesses he could think of, and then at the end, "And help my Mama live until I get to be a big man. Amen."

And she did.

What happens if a child prays and the answer is "No"? The same thing, on an appropriate level, that happens when you or I pray and the answer is "No." We learn to accept that God is loving, fair, and above all, wise. We learn to trust Him more. We learn to ask with better understanding. We learn to wait and see. We learn to not quit asking.

MaryMartha

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Difficulties in Prayer

Does prayer seem more complicated to you now than when you first learned to pray? Why do you suppose that is?

One of the reasons prayer is sometimes so tangled with difficulty for us is that our requests are more complex as we grow older and our lives become more complicated. We may not ask just for daily bread, as Jesus taught His disciples to pray, but something more like, "Lord, you know I need a better job so I can support myself and my family. The price of gas has gone up so high that I need to work not too far from home. And I for sure don't want a boss like Mr. So-and-So at the Such-and-Such place. Oh, that reminds me, there's that problem with my insurance. Make those guys see the reasonableness of my position; my attorney says that I've got a good case, but they are just so stubborn. Speaking of stubbornness, please do something about my –– [kids, spouse, neighbor, trash hauler, or whoever is causing exasperation at the moment]. I've about had it. Oh wow, it's getting late! Wish I had more time to spend with you, Lord, but I've got to run. See ya!" If we're not careful, we can burden prayer with a recitation of our unhappy circumstances!

Another reason for perceived difficulty in prayer is that we simply make it too hard! Without minimizing the seriousness of prayer, we must recognize that we too often approach it as a laborious task! "The world is full of so-called prayer warriors who are prayer-ignorant. They're full of formulas and programs and advice, peddling techniques for getting what you want from God. Don't fall for that nonsense. This is your Father you are dealing with, and he knows better than you what you need. With a God like this loving you, you can pray very simply." Matthew 6:7)

Try this:
"God, here is my situation . . . I know that You care for me and everything that concerns me. I am confident that You'll attend to this, because Your Word says that I don't have to be preoccupied with getting things from You. If I keep the focus of my attention on the gain and glory of Your Kingdom, you will take the initiative to work out my situation. I am not going to be further distracted by this concern but am leaving it in Your hands. Please help me. Is there anything You want me to do to cooperate with Your plan? I am listening . . . "

Were God not the loving and generous Being that He is, He could have just preempted every smaller concern of ours. He might well have chosen to run everything by Himself for Himself. But it's just like Him to take what is His and to share it with us!

"What a Friend we have in Jesus, all our sins and griefs to bear!
What a privilege to carry everything to God in prayer!
Oh, what peace we often forfeit, oh, what needless pain we bear
All because we do not carry everything to God in prayer!"
--Joseph Scriven, Irish poet, 1819-1886


MaryMartha


Scripture taken from The Message. Copyright © 2003 by Eugene H. Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress Publishing Group.

Art from http://www.sxc.hu/

Reconciling

I ran across an interesting book the other day, entitled Lousy Rotten Stinkin' Grapes. This is a retelling of the famous Fox and Grapes fable especially for children, wherein the Fox mightily desires the delectable grapes hanging just out of his reach. He is full of convoluted plans for engaging the other animals in reaching the tantalizing prize. But since he considers himself sly, clever, and smart, he rejects their other more practical suggestions. When all his efforts fail, he goes off in a huff, declaring that he wouldn't dream of eating those lousy, rotten, stinkin' grapes which are probably sour anyway!

The Fox's grand expectations were blindsided by cold reality. His independent thinking was confronted by an inescapable new understanding. He had a choice to make: either change his usual cocky attitude and listen to advice, or rationalize why he no longer was going after the delicious-looking grapes.

People as well as fabled foxes sometimes come to a place in life where we find ourselves saying, "This doesn't make sense. This is not how it's supposed to be," or "I don't see why doesn't this work out for me," or even, "I can't believe this is happening. I thought if I lived for God, He would look out for me." We say this because we cannot "reconcile" two very different views. On one hand, we have our customary attitudes, beliefs, and awareness of our selves. On the other hand are the realities or realizations that make us uncomfortable by being inconsistent with our previously-held view! When we cannot fully give up one in preference to the other but try to hold the contradictory ideas simultaneously, we may feel anxious, guilty, embarrassed, or angry. Like the Fox.

I have learned that I am not going to figure everything out. I will not always get my own way—even when I know good and well it's the right way! Not every new idea—even when it has the ring of real truth—will cause me to say, "Oh, that's right. Now I see!" I will have to give up knowing the reason for some things. I cannot define every decision as a choice between black and white. I will not be able to reconcile every duo of opposing ideas, deciding this one is right and this one is not. So what to do?

I will find peace in knowing that life's inconsistencies are not a problem for God. "He [Christ] was supreme in the beginning and—leading the resurrection parade—he is supreme in the end. From beginning to end he's there, towering far above everything, everyone. So spacious is he, so roomy, that everything of God finds its proper place in him without crowding. Not only that, but all the broken and dislocated pieces of the universe—people and things, animals and atoms—get properly fixed and fit together in vibrant harmonies, all because of his death, his blood that poured down from the cross." (Colossians 1:18-20)

If you can't figure it out, let it go. If it doesn't go your way, well, maybe next time. If you don't know for sure what you think about a certain situation or issue, maybe you don't need to know yet. If you can't see the reason for something, relax; either you'll see the reason after awhile—or you won't. If you think that all your issues will be clearly black or white, you're missing the shades of gray that add perspective to a picture. And if you try to reconcile everything to yourself, you're really going to be frustrated because you're trying to take over Jesus' job!

MaryMartha

You may want to read: "What Job Learned about Reasons" [here]

Scripture taken from The Message. Copyright © 2003 by Eugene H. Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress Publishing Group.

God Knows the Way

As I was growing up, I often sang the chorus, "My Lord knows the way through the wilderness, all I have to do is follow." This refers, I suppose, to the experience of the Israelites spending forty years in desert surroundings after they left Egypt. I've been in some pretty bleak places where I felt lost, even though I actually wasn't: a treeless pasture I hiked through in north Texas, a busy foreign city where I didn't speak the language of the people, a just-barely-marked two-lane highway through a Washington forest, even a cornfield maze in Kansas—but never in a desert. I really dislike not knowing where I am, so I can't help but think how lost those wandering people must have felt. There were no roads at all and no signs, and they could be pretty sure there were no National Park guides or emergency vehicles! Except—

God knew the way! All they had to do was follow. They didn't like that very much at times. In fact, they complained a lot, and disobeyed the leadership God had appointed, and decided it wasn't really God who had delivered them from slavery after all. Still, God faithfully led the younger generation into the land He had promised to Abraham and his descendants.

That old chorus has been a stabilizing thought when I have encountered some "wilderness" experiences in my life. Just as I want to see where I am in my natural surroundings, I really would like to know what lies ahead in my spiritual walk too. That doesn't always happen! I have to rely on God, for He knows the way.

Recounting another part of the exodus, the Psalmist writes, "Your road led through the sea, your pathway through the mighty waters—a pathway no one knew was there!" (Psalm 77:19) Whether we are looking at trackless desert sand or foamy waters—or our own disappointing circumstance or financial difficulty—God knows the way. It is actually already there; many times we just can't see it!

MaryMartha

Scripture quotation is taken from The Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. United States of America. All rights reserved.

Be Afraid or Not—Our Choice

I have come to suspect that some of the people around me would like for me to be afraid—if not very afraid! Do they think that if others join them in considering what terrible things may happen before we get out of this world, that gives some credibility to their own fears? Or if enough people worry long and loudly about perceived calamity that will somehow ward it off? All the fuss will neither cause nor prevent the adverse circumstances which they fear.

Unless I am missing something, Jesus told His followers only once to be afraid. Recorded in Matthew and in Luke, He said, “Dear friends, don’t be afraid of those who want to kill your body; they cannot do any more to you after that. But I’ll tell you whom to fear. Fear God, who has the power to kill you and then throw you into hell. Yes, he’s the one to fear." (Luke 12:4, 5 NLT) The rest of the time, over and over and over again, He told them, "Don't be afraid" or "Fear not." His last discourse with the disciples included the words, "I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid." (John 14:27 NLT) The message could not be clearer.

Yes, there things in our world that can very well cause fear. But the Psalmist was firm in his choice of trust rather than fear. "Whenever I am afraid, I will trust in You." Then he was able to declare, "In God I have put my trust; I will not fear. What can flesh do to me? . . . In God I have put my trust; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?" (Psalm 56: 3, 4, 11 NKJV) One might suppose that this song was composed on a peaceful hillside as David watched his sheep. No, he has taken refuge from King Saul who is after him. He is in the enemy camp of the Philistines, and they have discovered who he is! Shouldn't you be afraid, David? "No, I will not be afraid."

First we decide, "When I am afraid, I will trust God." Then we work that out, day by day. We hear a scrap of news that strikes fear to the heart. We get an e-mail that warns of some dire "probability." The conversation we hear is negative and full of fear. Rather than going into an immediate defense mode, I suggest we stop and calmly repeat to ourselves, "In God I have put my trust. I will not be afraid." (And it wouldn't hurt to say it out loud too!) If media reports scare you, don't watch/listen. If forwarded e-mails are frightening, don't open them. If your acquaintances speak of fearful things, move on. Better to be a bit uninformed than fearful and angry. Guard your heart.

MaryMartha

Scripture quotations marked NLT are taken from The Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. United States of America. All rights reserved. Scripture marked NKJV is taken from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

But If Not

These are troubled times, economically and socially, and some of the voices I hear around me express fear or anger. How anxious we become if any of the comforts and conveniences to which we've become addicted are threatened! Compared to much of the rest of the world, we live very privileged lives. Some of the things which we consider our "rights," are totally unknown in other places, but ease is not an essential part of the Gospel. We would like to think that it is, but the experience of Christians elsewhere does not attest to that. If the "American" gospel of peace and prosperity does not work in slums and refugee camps and political prisons, then it is not really the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

As Jesus' followers, we cannot be harmed! But, one could argue, ineffective leadership and questionable legislation and illogical court decisions harm believers too, just the same as people who don't love God. Yes, of course. That is the point: "just the same." Christians are not excluded from the difficulties that a broken world full of searching people causes. But surely God delivers His people, doesn't He? Yes, but not always from the calamity or out of the distress. Hear what the Apostle Paul has to say: "Can anything ever separate us from Christ’s love? Does it mean he no longer loves us if we have trouble or calamity, or are persecuted, or hungry, or destitute, or in danger, or threatened with death? . . . No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us." (Romans 8:35, 37 NLT) We cannot ultimately be harmed!

"God wouldn't let it happen," we fondly hope: all-out war, religious persecution, a broken home, desperate poverty, wasting disease, violent death. "We have to live." No, the experience of Christians in many other parts of the world does not bear that out, and neither does the experience of Paul and thousands of people since his time. Death may be the last enemy of Jesus Christ, but it is not the worst. Jesus taught His followers not to fear those who could destroy the body, because "there's nothing they can do to your soul, your core being. Save your fear for God, who holds your entire life—body and soul—in his hands." (Matthew 10:28 MSG)

I love the attitude of the young Hebrew men in the Old Testament who were threatened with death if they did not worship the image set up by the king. I hope Christians in these uncertain days can develop the same stand. "Our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and He will deliver from your hand, O king. But if not, let it be known to you, O king, that we do not serve your gods, nor will we worship the gold image which you have set up.” (Daniel 3:17, 18 NKJV) It is almost incidental that God did spare them; the fire burned only the ropes that bound them. When they came out, there was not even the smell of smoke on them. God did not have to do that, because they were already free! The king had no power over them when they set their hearts on God and declared, "We won't bow down." The fire could not destroy their determination to trust and honor Him with their lives—or their deaths.

While we desperately look for a way to escape distress or to avoid it altogether, the Enemy of our souls has us at his mercy. He can bind us with fear, self-pity, bitterness, and doubt. "God can and will deliver" is an important stand of faith, and when we can say, "But if He doesn't . . ." nothing can ultimately harm us. We are already delivered.

MaryMartha

Perhaps of interest to you:
http://findingthefaithway.blogspot.com/2008/07/god-sees-sparrows-fall.html
http://findingthefaithway.blogspot.com/2009/05/does-god-always-provide-bread.html

Scripture quotation marked NLT is taken from The Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. United States of America. All rights reserved. Scripture marked MSG is taken from The Message. Copyright © 2003 by Eugene H. Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress Publishing Group. Scripture marked NKJV taken from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Things Mama Taught Me: "It Will Turn Up"

On the Futility of Stressing

Don't you just hate it when you lose something and a helpful friend or family member asks, "Well, where did you leave it?" Duh! If I knew where I'd left it, I'd go right there and retrieve it!

My mother had an alternative to frantic searching. She would calmly say, "It will turn up." "Turning up" seems to suggest that the lost object had a will of its own, and just would keep staying hidden until it finally decided to let itself be found. The truth is, she understood that frenzied rummaging around sometimes distracts us from the thoughtful consideration that might lead us to discovery. Sure enough, usually whatever I was trying to find did eventually surface, sometimes even in a place where I had already looked.

There just are not very many things in our ordinary lives that are improved by going into panic mode. Some things do require quick action: a fire, a personal threat, a close call on the road. And some things require deliberation: an impending decision, a weighty responsibility. But in none of these is panic useful. The ability to rise to a challenge or to take advantage of an opportunity does not come from fear, but from trust. "For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind." (II Timothy 1:7 King James Version) Just as agitated searching may hinder rather help, so unsteady thinking may keep us from the very understanding we desire.

Few situations—regardless of how desperate they make us feel—are improved by our "going bananas." Mama knew that.

MaryMartha

Does God Always Provide "Bread"?

Some months ago, my Bible study group was using a series of lessons based on "The Lord's Prayer." I admit that I wrestled with the part that says, "Give us this day our daily bread." The author of our study guide assured us that the God who put the glittering stars in the sky would certainly not fail to give us food. God is committed to caring for us, he said, and our provision is His priority. Even though we may not have had a feast, hadn't we always had food? Perhaps there wasn't a banquet, but wasn't there at least bread? And he quoted Martin Luther who defined bread thus: “Everything necessary for the preservation of this life is 'bread'. This includes food, a healthy body, good weather, a house, a wife, children, good government and peace.” [Unfortunately, I do not have a primary source for this quote, only the repeated assertions of various writers and speakers who may, of course, be simply quoting one another.] I agree that it is fitting to ask for these things; what troubles me is the seeming assumption by many that God then is under obligation to provide them for us.

This raises some questions for me. I just cannot reconcile this expectation with suffering believers in Ethiopia and even school children in my own city who don't have anything to eat on weekends. I went through a brief period in my own life when there simply was not enough to eat, and nothing I could do about it. So, was I not in God's will, not praying correctly, or what? Or was I in company with Paul who had to learn "the secret of being happy . . . when I have enough to eat and when I go hungry, when I have more than I need and when I do not have enough. I can do all things through Christ, because He gives me strength." (Philippians 4:12, 13) We have all these promises about provision, and yet . . .

If the Gospel we preach in America doesn't work in India and Africa and Appalachia, then it's not the Gospel, is it? So how should well-fed, middle-class Americans who really would like to believe that the Lord is their shepherd and they shall not want, interpret the Scriptures?

David, the shepherd boy, was not stupid. He knew that grass doesn't magically appear in a desert place; he had to lead the sheep where there was pasture. He knew he was responsible for the safety and welfare of his flock. When he wrote the shepherd poem (Psalm 23), he was acknowledging the role of God as the shepherd watching over him. "He always goes ahead of me; He is in charge of my need just as I am for my sheep." The key idea, then, in praying for daily bread is not "God, gimme," but "God, take care of me." That does not preclude times of need or even suffering, for the Scriptures don't really say that we'll never be in want. (Just read the Apostle Paul's personal accounts!) They tell us that we shall never be abandoned.

Why do we try so hard to convince those with ample supply that God will never let them down, while those whose supply ran out long ago continue to put their trust in God? We could learn something from them: "A Gospel that makes my personal comfort God's priority fails to take into account the realities of almost every other historical period the Church as experienced."

MaryMartha

You may be interested in another entry, God Sees Sparrows Fall