Grace Unending

This week during communion I was thinking about the grace and mercy of forgiveness, and remembering that there’s nothing I can do to earn or repay that grace and mercy. But then my thoughts took me a step farther than I’ve gone before. Not only can I not repay it, but I will also never be good enough to not need it! Of course that’s logical, but I think we tend to overlook or forget that part. It is clear that the Christian life is to be one of growth in obedience and holiness, as well as growth in grace. Even though we know we’ll never be perfect in this lifetime, perhaps we think that we’ll reach some point where we won’t need God’s mercy. But that’s just what our imperfection means.

Have you ever thought about some of the saintly older ladies of the church and thought, “I wonder what they need to confess at their age?” I can think of a few who probably spend (or spent) a good portion of their time in prayer and Bible study. And then I compare my life and wonder if I’ll ever get to the point where sin “X” is no longer an issue. I certainly can’t imagine some of those ladies ever struggling with sin in a significant way.

In The Shelter of God’s Promises, Sheila Walsh writes, “I know that for most of your life you have believed that God’s love is based on whether we make good choices or bad choices, but the cross makes it pretty clear that no amount of good choices would ever be good enough. You are loved just the same on the days when you feel you’ve done a good job as on the days when you know that you have blown it.” It’s encouraging to know that God’s love never changes, and also to know that there’s no end to His grace. Imagine God saying, “Sorry, you’ve messed up one too many times. You should be better than that by now!” Instead He says, “Yes, I know that you’re ashamed of your ongoing struggle with sin, but I’ll always love you and I’ve already forgiven you.”

He knows that we are weak, He knows we are imperfect, and He knows we are slow-growing. At the same time, we tend to have a higher opinion of ourselves than we ought. We think we are strong (1 Cor. 10:12), we think perfection might actually be attainable (James 3:2), and we think we ought to be growing faster than we are (Col. 2:19). Sin is often a reality check, reminding us that we need God—His strength, grace, love, and forgiveness—far more than we realize. If we could fulfill our own wishes, we would be perfect and we wouldn’t need God. That was the temptation in the Garden of Eden, “you’ll be like God” and therefore will be self-sufficient.

I’ve been wrestling with 2 Corinthians 12 and Paul’s description of the thorn he had to deal with. He refers to it as “a messenger of Satan to harass me, to keep me from becoming conceited.” As we know, he never specifies what that thorn is, and it’s been speculated that it was some physical problem (like impaired vision), some particular temptation, or something else altogether. Whatever it was, it caused Paul to see his need for God’s grace. I’ve questioned whether this passage could actually refer to temptation. One would think that if Paul pleaded to be freed from a temptation then God would be glad to deliver him. But perhaps that’s not the case. James reminds us that God does not tempt anyone, but that man is tempted by his own desires (1:13-14). So it may be that God allows those desires to continue to tempt us. Hopefully we learn to turn immediately to God instead of giving in to sin, but we are slow learners.

In either case we need God’s grace. We need grace to keep us from sin, and we need grace when we do sin. We’ll never be beyond the need of His grace. May we not think of ourselves more highly than we ought (Rom. 12:3).

“As a father shows compassion to his children, so the Lord shows compassion to those who fear Him. For He knows our frame; He remembers that we are dust” (Psalm 103:13-14).

Wounded Healers

I recently read God Loves Broken People by Sheila Walsh. She quotes from Thornton Wilder’s play The Angel That Troubled the Waters, “They very angels themselves cannot persuade the wretched and blundering children on earth as can one human being broken on the wheels of living. In love’s service only the wounded soldiers can serve.” Walsh goes on to ask, “What if the brokenness we ask God to fix is in fact a gift? What if the wounds we beg God to heal, the burdens we plead with Him to remove, are the very things that make us fit for His service?”

Henri Nouwen wrote in Bread for the Journey, “Nobody escapes being wounded. We are all wounded people, whether physically, emotionally, mentally, or spiritually. The main question is not ‘How can we hide our wounds?’ so we don’t have to be embarrassed, but ‘How can we put our woundedness in the service of others?’ When our wounds cease to be a source of shame, and become a source of healing, we have become wounded healers… When we experience the healing presence of another person, we can discover our own gifts of healing. Then our wounds allow us to enter into a deep solidarity with our wounded brothers and sisters.”

I wonder if that has been your experience in the church? How many of us can really be honest in our relationships within our local church? No, we don’t have to bare it all before the whole body, but are there a few people or a small group with whom we don’t have to remain hidden? I suspect that for a vast number of church-goers the answer is no. It may be that we’ve been hurt by gossip, or we’ve seen someone else knocked down for daring to be open. We naturally fear the judgmental attitudes we’ve seen displayed in the past.

How can we move forward in intimacy and unity within the Body of Christ? The quote from Nouwen suggests a couple things to do: 1) seek healing in relationship with another person, and 2) become an instrument of healing for someone else. Both require some discernment in knowing who can be trusted. Perhaps a good place to start would be with someone who is in leadership within the local body. In most churches the pastor, deacons, and elders are people of spiritual maturity who should be trustworthy with difficult matters. It doesn’t necessarily have to start with someone in the local body. Trained counselors are an excellent resource for beginning the healing process, but it can’t end there. Binding up the wounds is only part of the process. True healing requires developing healthy relationships that promote continuing growth in grace and truth.

Imagine a cardiologist who says, “OK, I’ve completed your transplant surgery, now you’re on your own. Good luck!” You’d quickly be seeking another doctor for the necessary follow-up care. It’s not really any different with our emotional and spiritual wounds. One doctor may help us become functional again, but full, vibrant health involves other people to exhort, encourage, and teach us day after day and year after year.

Beginning the process of healing puts us in a unique position to help others who have not yet gotten that far. Someone who has wrestled with depression and anxiety can speak to those wounds far better than someone who has only read about the issues. I would bet that the vast majority of people who become professional counselors have dealt with significant issues in their own lives. As Sheila Walsh suggests, maybe the fact that we have been wounded is just what God wants to use to help someone else. When the risen Jesus met Peter on the seashore, He didn’t just ask “Do you love Me?” He also gave him a job to do, “Tend my sheep” (John 21:15-17). Restoration of the relationship wasn’t enough. Peter needed to move forward in loving others by sharing God’s truth and grace with them. The same was true of others that Jesus healed. The man freed from the demons was commissioned to tell his community about what Jesus had done for him (Mark 5:19). A couple times Jesus instructed someone “Tell no one,” and yet the word got out (Luke 5:14-15).

Perhaps if we are willing to be honest with a small group, that will be the spark that initiates transformation within our church. Wounded people becoming wounded healers can make God’s love tangible to a lot of scared, hurt, and lonely people. May God use our wounds for His glory!

“If we are afflicted, it is for your comfort and salvation; and if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which you experience when you patiently endure the same sufferings that we suffer” (2 Cor. 1:6 ESV).

Seek the Kingdom

Matthew 6:25-34 “Do not worry about what you will eat, drink or wear…”

Generally speaking, I don’t think most of us worry about food, drink, and clothing. Yes, it is part of our daily planning, but we don’t really worry about it because we know we have what we need. Even if the cupboards are bare, we have credit cards in hand and stores within driving distance. Our worries are more along the lines of: “Will I have enough money in the bank to cover the bills this month?” “Will the car keep running long enough to save up for a new one?” “Did I put enough time and information into that report my boss needed?” “Did I remember to fill out all my tax forms on time?” “What crisis is the next phone call from a customer (or child, or parent) going to bring?”

Most of our worries aren’t really about physical needs like Jesus was addressing. Instead we worry about things that impact our comfort or reputation. Regardless of our worries, Jesus’ advice is the same: “Seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness.” I dare say He would be even more emphatic when we consider our modern worries. Why are we worried about personal comfort and convenience when there are people around the world who are starving or homeless? Why are we worried about our reputation and self-image when we are supposed to be glorifying God alone? Many of our so-called worries could be eliminated by planning ahead and exercising self-control with our money and time. Not surprisingly, self-control is part of the Fruit of the Spirit, which points us back to seeking first the Kingdom.

How would our lives be different if we truly sought the Kingdom of God first and foremost? Would we be spending money on toys and amenities we don’t really need, or would we be satisfied with a used car, a smaller home, and store-brand clothes and foods? Would our evenings be spent watching the news and the latest reality TV show, or would we be reading the Bible or listening to worship music or a sermon? Would our kids need to participate in every local sports team, or would we play games together as a family?

Would our lives exhibit more of the Fruit of the Spirit if we kept drawing our attention back to the Kingdom of God? Who doesn’t want more love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness, and self-control? And if we truly want those things in our lives, why do we keep seeking them in things that will never satisfy?

I’m very conscious of the fact that I’m pointing fingers at myself here. I certainly haven’t figured out how to apply the right priorities to every situation in every day. I usually don’t even notice it until I have to face the consequences of anxiety, depression, anger and sin. Only when I realize things are screwed up do I start thinking about what I need to do to change.

While the advice is simple, “Seek first the Kingdom,” applying it consistently is extremely difficult. My suggestion would be to start small: turn off the TV for a night (or longer); pick up an inspirational book instead of that novel; find a more encouraging radio station, or turn off the radio altogether; instead of shopping for yourself, pick up something for the current fundraiser (school supplies, canned food drive, etc.) or for someone in need. While it is easy to make small changes, it’s also easy to slip back into old habits. We need constant reminders of why we’re doing this is and what our priority should be—the Kingdom. That’s where the Body of Christ comes in. On our own we may have little motivation to seek the Kingdom, but we can encourage one another to keep making those small changes that will add up over time.

“Let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together” (Heb. 10:24-25).

Slave or Free

This blog will be a bit more theological than usual. I’ve been reading in Galatians this week, and something suddenly made more sense than it has in the past. Spending a couple years in Romans will do that to you. In Galatians 4:21-31 Paul is talking about Abraham’s children through Hagar and Sarah. Ishmael was born to Hagar the slave “according to the flesh” because Abraham thought he had to take things into his own hands to fulfill the promise of having an heir. Then Isaac was born to Sarah as the actual child of the promise. Paul goes on explain in verse 24 that these two women represent the two covenants—the Law and Grace, or flesh and Spirit.

Ishmael was the son of a slave, and the Law enslaves all of us (see Gal. 3:23). Isaac was born to the free woman through God’s promise, and all those who are in Christ are freed from the Law and are heirs of God (see 3:29).

What I find interesting is that we’re children of two different “mothers.” In the flesh we are children of slavery just as Ishmael was. We were born as slaves of the Law and we have no hope for freedom in and of ourselves. (It’s terrible to be a slave to a master you can never hope to please!) And yet through Christ we become children of the promise, freed from sin and the Law. “So, brothers, we are not children of the slave but of the free woman” (v. 31). Not only do we have a new mother, but a new Father as well. We no longer belong to the father of lies (John 8:44), but we belong to God the Father (1 John 3:1).

Unfortunately, just as Ishmael persecuted Isaac, so we too have to deal with the battle between flesh and Spirit throughout this lifetime. Even though the flesh has been “dethroned” and should have no power over us, it’s a constant challenge to learn to listen to our real Father and obey Him. That’s the whole point of the book of Galatians. “For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery” (5:1). I can practically hear Paul yelling at them (and all believers), “You’re free! Don’t live like a slave to sin! Ignore the old master! Listen to the Spirit and you won’t be listening to the flesh!”

I think we’d all agree that’s easier said than done. Even the venerable Apostle Paul said the same thing in Romans 7:15-25. The battle rages within us. Temptation seems so strong and its fruit so desirable. Paul reminds us in Romans 6:21-22, “But what fruit were you getting at that time from the things of which you are now ashamed? For the end of those things is death. But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the fruit you get leads to sanctification and its end, eternal life.” The fruit of sin will never really satisfy, and only leads to a desire for more sin. “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control… And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires” (Gal. 5:22-24).

We can take heart that we’re not in this alone. This civil war started in the Garden of Eden and will continue until the end of time. Even though the war has already been won, there are daily battles being fought within each of us. One day we’ll get to see the final victory over sin and death, and by faith and grace we will be on the winning side.

In the meantime, may we often be reminded of our freedom in Christ. Our chains are gone!

Longing for Heaven

I wonder if everyone has the same difficulty that I have in imagining what the kingdom of heaven will be like? In our imaginings, can we even create a place we’d actually want to stay for eternity? I’d have to say that I’m rarely so inspired. Most of my thoughts of eternity are of those things that will be absent there—no more pain, sorrow, sin and shame, failing bodies, frustrating work, or irritating people. I often long for the day when those things will be gone, but I give little thought to what is beyond that.

One definition of “ethereal” is heavenly or celestial; but another definition is light, airy, or tenuous. The common illustrations of heaven are so insubstantial and inconsequential as to be unappealing to all but a few. Fluffy clouds and harps? Does that appeal to anyone? Don’t we long for something of substance, weighty and meaningful?

The few pictures of heaven from Scripture don’t do much to excite me either. The images from the book of Revelation are too bizarre to make me say “I want to be there,” (except perhaps in an idle curiosity as to what those creatures are actually going to look like). The thought of the wedding supper of the Lamb is tainted by memories of awkward meals with strangers, or even worse, memories of junior high cafeteria cliques. I wouldn’t mind the occasional Gaither-style homecoming concert, though not forever.

Brent Curtis and John Eldredge point out in The Sacred Romance that one key factor of heaven is intimacy. We will know God and be known by Him as the dearest of friends (see 1 Cor. 13:12). I don’t think that is going to be experienced as a crowd of people bowing down before the throne. That doesn’t sound at all intimate, or even enjoyable. C.S. Lewis writes in The Weight of Glory, “The sense that in this universe we are treated as strangers, the longing to be acknowledged, to meet with some response, to bridge some chasm that yawns between us and reality, is part of our inconsolable secret. And surely, from this point of view, the promise of glory, in the sense described, becomes highly relevant to our deep desire. For glory meant good report with God, acceptance by God, response, acknowledgment, and welcome into the heart of things.”

Jesus says, “I go to prepare a place for you” (John 14:2). He’s not just preparing a general place for all believers, but a place for me. He’s preparing a place that each one of us can call home. My idea of the perfect meal would be a quiet dinner with a few close friends, enjoying one another and sharing laughter. The perfect evening might be spent watching the sun setting and the stars appearing one by one. I’d rather have a cabin in the country than a room in a mansion. One of my favorite recurring dreams is of going swimming and finding I can breathe under water. It would be awesome to go reef diving without special gear and without fear. I believe God is creative enough to satisfy each person’s deepest desires. And with the new heavens and new earth, there will be plenty of space for a wide variety of opportunities.

Other authors have pointed out that just as the original creation began with God’s work and included a form of work for mankind (tending the garden), so the new creation will include work. It will begin with God’s re-creation of heaven and earth (Rev. 21). I don’t suppose we’ll hear the command to “be fruitful and multiply,” but somehow mankind will have a purpose to fulfill as well. No longer will work be arduous and frustrating, but something we can enjoy and glorify God with. We probably can’t even begin to imagine what God will have us doing because we have nothing on this earth with which to compare it.

The enemy uses our misconceptions of heaven for his purposes. If heaven is not a place that we long for, what is our motivation for sharing the gospel? That’s like trying to get someone excited about going to the dentist. Sure it’s necessary, but you won’t enjoy it.

If our ideas of heaven create a sense of boredom or perhaps even revulsion, we can be sure they must be wrong. C.S. Lewis says, “If I find in myself desires which nothing in this world can satisfy, the only logical explanation is that I was made for another world.” Curtis & Eldredge suggest that our three essential desires are intimacy, beauty, and adventure. We may use different terminology, but the idea is that those things which stir our longings in this life are windows to the life to come. Perhaps as we think about what we desire most deeply, we will begin to imagine what that other world may look like. And then we can look forward to that day with hope and anticipation. Otherwise we’re just biding our time until the pain of this life is over, and there is no hope in that.

“Blessed by the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to His great mercy, He has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you” (1 Peter 1:3-4).

Roller Coaster Faith

I’m not a big fan of roller coasters, or of theme parks in general for that matter, though I’ve been to several over the years. In high school our band went to Disney World, and of course I had to ride Space Mountain. In the middle of the ride, the cars came to a stop and the lights came on inside the mountain. There was some malfunction that they had to fix. They let us all ride a second time so we could get the full experience. Somehow the ride isn’t the same once you’ve seen that the tracks just circle around inside an undecorated dome. But I’d prefer to see where I’m going anyway.

Sometimes it feels like life is a roller coaster in the dark. We are never quite sure whether we’re headed uphill, about to drop off a cliff, or taking a sudden turn. At least as Christians we have the assurance that we’re buckled into the car and staying on God’s tracks. Eventually the ride will end safely for us no matter where it takes us in the meantime. “All the days ordained for me were written in Your book before one of them came to be” (Psalm 139:16 NIV).

We’d probably all love to see where the tracks are going in the coming days, months, and years, but only God knows those details and He isn’t telling. If we could see the big drop coming, we’d probably get anxious about it or try to change the tracks. Instead, when we find ourselves heading for the valley we have to trust that God still has His hand on us. And if we could see a coming mountain, we might worry that the climb will be too arduous. Yet the Father is the one making it possible by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Jesus said, “Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble” (Matt. 6:34 ESV). And Paul reminded us, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God” (Phil. 4:6 ESV). God knows that we are weak and we can’t handle full knowledge of the future and still keep trusting Him. Today is enough trouble, and these few hours are enough to test our faith. If we can’t trust Him for our daily bread, how can we trust Him with life, family, career, and even death? If we know exactly what the future holds, why would we need faith?

I guess what makes some people love roller coasters is the adrenaline rush of being out of control, yet they know in the back of their mind that everything is completely under control. It feels dangerous and yet it isn’t. I would bet that there are some people who have ridden Space Mountain so many times that they have the track almost memorized. Would that still be as fun?

Part of the joy of being a Christian is that no matter what happens we are under the Master’s control. We can sit back and enjoy the ride with our fellow believers because we know the final destination. One day we’ll get to look back and see that all the mountains, valleys, and turns in our lives weren’t nearly so bad as we’d imagined at the time. Everything was used for a purpose and accomplished God’s will in our lives. But for now we’ll have to look ahead and face each day with faith and hope.

“‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future’” (Jer. 29:11 NIV).

Holding On

I’ve been wrestling with several Scriptures lately (ESV):

• Jude 24-25- Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy, to the only God, our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and forever.
• 1 Corinthians 10:13- No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.
• Romans 6:14- For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace.
• 1 John 3:9- No one born of God makes a practice of sinning, for God's seed abides in him, and he cannot keep on sinning because he has been born of God.

Those verses, along with others, seem to present a dilemma for the believer. If these promises are true, why do we continue to struggle with sin day after day and year after year? You would think that if God can keep us from falling He would do so. But even when we pray “lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil” (Matt. 6:13), victory over sin begins to sound like a pipe dream.

As I was trying to make sense of this for myself, I started reading Max Lucado’s A Gentle Thunder and, big surprise, found an answer I can grasp—literally! He talks about climbing a simulated rock wall and losing his grip. He fell just a short distance because he was harnessed in and his spotter was doing his job. After dangling a few seconds he was able to resume his climb and get to the top of the wall. What might have happened if he had fallen all the way to the ground? What if he gave up and refused to try again? Can you picture a grown man hanging there and crying to be let down?

That presents a good mental image of the consequences of sin for the believer. Yes, we lose our grip on truth and our feet slip. But we don’t go crashing to the ground, never to climb again. We may fall a few feet, but we’re not back where we started because we’re secured to the Rock of Ages. The fact is that God does keep us from falling as far or as often as we would without Him, but I think we tend to lose sight of that. We get discouraged because we aren’t completely free from all the old temptations, but we don’t stop to think where we’d be if we weren’t Christians. For myself, that picture of the alternate life is pretty ugly, which should make me even more thankful that God has brought freedom and growth into my life by His grace.

We have to be careful that we don’t think about the climbing wall as our path to salvation though. Salvation is more like the harness that we allow God to strap on while we’re still standing on the ground. Without the harness we can’t even begin to climb, but with it we are secure regardless of how far or how well we may climb. The wall itself shows our growth in obedience, and each step requires faith that we’ll be safe in His hands even if we do make a mistake.

“If the Lord delights in a man’s way, He makes his steps firm; though he stumble, he will not fall, for the Lord upholds him with His hand” (Psalm 27:23-24 NIV). This verse is a reminder that even when we desire to live in obedience we will stumble, but God has a grip on us and won’t let go. The next time you fall, remember Who holds your hand!