Not Good

In his novel Deadline, Randy Alcorn imagines hell as complete isolation, being left alone with just your own thoughts. Quarantine may be a small taste of hell for many of us. Drew Hunter writes in Made for Friendship:

“[We] find that friendlessness isn’t just depressing; it’s actually quite dangerous. When we come unglued from others socially, we come unraveled emotionally, psychologically, and even physically. This is because we’re embodied beings… So when we experience loneliness, it affects every part of us… relationships put us back together. Friendship is the missing medicine for many of our afflictions” (40-41).

God’s statement in creation, “It is not good that the man should be alone” (Genesis 2:18), was not a result of the Fall but before it. It also did not just refer to the marriage relationship. In His triune nature God is relational, and He made us for relationships as well. Hunter quotes Tim Keller,

“Adam was not lonely because he was imperfect, but because he was perfect. The ache for friends is the one ache that is not the result of sin… This is one ache that is part of his perfection… God made us in such a way that we cannot enjoy paradise without friends.”

Adam had daily access to God walking with him, and yet that was not sufficient.

“Wonderful as are both the presence of the Lord Jesus every day and the prospect of his coming on the last day, they are not intended to be a substitute for human friendships… When our spirit is lonely, we need friends… To admit this is not unspiritual; it is human” (John Stott as quoted by Hunter).

Matthew Stanford writes in Grace for the Afflicted: A Clinical and Biblical Perspective on Mental Illness:

“An active and supportive faith community cultivates life, while isolation beings frustration and fatigue… A strong faith community offers comfort and support, gains wisdom as it learns from one another, shares and upholds common values, strengthens one another, takes risks together, and always looks to encourage one another… The key is staying connected to a few trusted and supportive people, not trying to keep up with the gathering or community events that are wearing them down. Living in community is more about being connected to life-giving relationships than trying to attend events with people a person doesn’t know well” (ch. 15).

The author of Hebrews warns us, “But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called ‘today,’ that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin… And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near” (Hebrews 3:13, 10:24-25).

“We can’t experience this everyday encouragement with every person in our church. This command gets traction as we carry it out in smaller networks of relationships—in friendships. In other words, perseverance in the faith requires the practice of friendship. This means that we should view discipleship as a form of friendship. Real discipleship—helping others follow Jesus—happens in the rhythms of everyday life. Discipleship works best when we pursue it in life-on-life relationships” (Hunter 93).

As we’ve all been experiencing varying degrees of isolation during this pandemic, I hope we’re all realizing the value and need of our relationships within the Body of Christ. Like me, you may be discovering which relationships mean the most to you, or perhaps seeing a lack of true friendships that you hadn’t noticed till now. I would challenge all in church leadership to reassess all the programs of their churches and see whether they are contributing to the relational discipleship we all need. How much connection is there between members outside of Sunday morning?

Those who think that online services are just as good if not better than in person services have a very limited view of what the church is or should be. If teaching is all you’re looking for, then there are thousands of good options out there. But teaching is only one part of the biblical prescription for the Body of Christ. “Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into Him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love” (Ephesians 4:15-16). We can’t grow up in Christ unless we grow together.

“In [Christ] the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. In Him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit” (Ephesians 2:21-22).

© 2020 Dawn Rutan. Unless otherwise indicated all images are copyright free from pixabay.com. The opinions stated do not necessarily reflect the views of my church or employer.

In the Face of Faith

At the beginning of his second letter to Timothy, the Apostle Paul wrote, “As I remember your tears, I long to see you, that I may be filled with joy” (2 Tim. 1:4 ESV). We’re not told what caused Timothy’s tears. Was he sorrowful about being parted from his friend and mentor Paul? Was he anxious about being left in charge of the church in Ephesus? We know he was young (1 Tim. 4:12) and had some ailments that were perhaps exacerbated by stress (1 Tim. 5:23). Judging from the type of instruction that Paul wrote in his letters, Timothy needed some specific guidelines to follow in the ministry. When we’re anxious about something, if someone will clearly outline what needs to be done it helps to ease the fear. There was apparently controversy in the church that probably added to Timothy’s struggles.

Besides addressing the immediate problems and questions Timothy must have had, Paul reminded him of several things in just a few verses:

1) He had been gifted for and appointed to this ministry by God and by Paul himself. “For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands” (v. 6).

2) He displayed faith that others could see. “I am reminded of your sincere faith” (v. 5).

3) He was being prayed for by Paul. “I remember you constantly in my prayers night and day” (v. 3).

4) He had access to the same spiritual resources that Paul did. “Grace, mercy, and peace from God our Father and Christ Jesus our Lord” (v. 2). “God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control” (v. 7).

All these things (and many more) contributed to the close relationship that Paul and Timothy had. Although Paul refers to many people as “beloved brothers,” Timothy is the only one he refers to as his “beloved child” (v. 2 and 1 Cor. 4:17). (He refers to Titus as “my true child in the faith.”) No doubt Timothy prized that relationship just as much as Paul did. It appears that Timothy’s father was not a believer (Acts 16:1), so he may well have viewed Paul as his true father. And since Paul was in prison and likely facing death, Timothy was surely concerned about him and what the future might hold.

One particular phrase in this section stands out to me— “I long to see you that I may be filled with joy” (v. 4). The Apostle John used a similar statement in 2 John 12, “Though I have much to write to you, I would rather not use paper and ink. Instead I hope to come to you and talk face to face, so that our joy maybe complete.” Joy comes in personal interactions with those you love.

I’d be curious to know how perceptions have changed among church members as a result of stay-at-home orders. Are there people you long to see, not just so you can catch up on the news, but so you can find out how God has been working in and through them? Are there people you are praying for night and day that they may be strengthened in the faith? Are you encouraged by the evidence of faith you see in someone’s life?

Recently a friend posted a Facebook video of her son leading a devotional. Even though I haven’t seen this young man in at least a decade, I was filled with joy because of his evident faith. Another friend shared about the joy of listening to her son lead worship online from his bedroom. It brought back memories of hearing kids in our church singing along with the music, seeing them baptized, and taking part in the service in other ways. All of those joys make me long to see that same kind of faith in other young people I know.

As hard as this pandemic has been for all of us, I hope and pray that we are all discovering both the longing we have to be with the Body of Christ and the joy in knowing that others are persevering in the faith. This is what the apostles longed for in each church they established and every believer they knew.

“For I long to see you, that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to strengthen you—that is, that we may be mutually encouraged by each other’s faith, both yours and mine” (Rom. 1:11-12).

“But since we were torn away from you, brothers [and sisters], for a short time, in person not in heart, we endeavored the more eagerly and with great desire to see you face to face” (1 Thess. 2:17).

“[You] always remember us kindly and long to see us, as we long to see you—for this reason, brothers, in all our distress and affliction we have been comforted about you through your faith. For now we live, if you are standing fast in the Lord. For what thanksgiving can we return to God for you, for all the joy that we feel for your sake before our God, as we pray most earnestly night and day that we may see you face to face and supply what is lacking in your faith?” (1 Thess. 3:6-10).

“I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth” (3 John 4).

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See also Matt Broadway’s brief devotional on 2 Corinthians 7:13-16 “Finding Joy.”

© 2020 Dawn Rutan. Unless otherwise indicated all images are copyright free from pixabay.com. The opinions stated do not necessarily reflect the views of my church or employer.

Continual Praise

The following is something I wrote in my prayer journal this week after reading and being convicted by Psalm 34:1:

“I will bless the Lord at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth.”

When things are going smoothly and I feel blessed,
I will give You praise.

When trouble comes and I need Your helping hand,
I will give You praise.

When days are full of sorrow and pain,
I will give You praise.

When I am lonely and depressed,
I will give You praise.

When loved ones suffer and die,
I will give You praise.

When uncertain times make me anxious,
I will give You praise.

When I don’t know where to turn,
I will give You praise.

When I know I’ve sinned and need Your forgiveness,
I will give You praise.

When weeping endures for the night but joy comes in the morning,
I will give You praise.

For You are the Creator, Redeemed, Healer, Comforter, Savior,
Friend of sinners, Provider, Guide, Counselor, Lord, and soon-coming King.

© 2020 Dawn Rutan. Unless otherwise indicated all images are copyright free from pixabay.com. The opinions stated do not necessarily reflect the views of my church or employer.

Finding Your Way

The book of Ecclesiastes seems to be very apropos for this season in our world. Several verses have stood out to me in my reading this week:

“For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven: a time to be born, and a time to die… a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance… a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing” (3:1-5 ESV).

 “Vanity of vanities! All is vanity. What does man gain by all the toil at which he toils under the sun?” (1:2-3).

“Then I considered all that my hands had done and the toil I had expended in doing it, and behold, all was vanity and a striving after wind, and there was nothing to be gained under the sun” (2:11).

This is a time when many things are being stripped away. Perhaps we are learning what is vain and what really matters. Perhaps we are finding out what actually forms our identity. If we find our meaning in our careers, what happens when we can’t go to work? If our value is in our achievements in education or sports, who are we when we can’t do those things anymore? Even if we find our identity in our relationships, as valuable as those relationships are, where do we turn when we lose them?

It’s not surprising that people turn to drugs, alcohol, pornography, or other addictive behaviors to try to fill the holes or at least numb the sense of loss. We all like to avoid the difficulty of realigning our worldview when everything familiar and comfortable is taken away. It’s painful to discover that the things we placed so much value on can disappear without notice. And most of us have lost multiple things we valued. A video I watched described it as a kind of culture shock. We have to adapt to a new way of life while also mourning the old way.

While many people view religion as a crutch or a fantasy, those of us who do have faith understand it to be a different perspective on reality. While the world focuses on the here and now and each person is looking out for their own interests, we Christians remember that this world is not our permanent home. We look forward to the day when all things will be made new and we’ll no longer have to live in a world broken by sin. We still mourn the things we’ve lost here, but we do not mourn as those who have no hope for eternal life. If this world is indeed all there is then indeed “Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die” (1 Corinthians 15:32). But if there is more to come, we should “be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain” (1 Cor. 15:58).

Will we realign our priorities according to the world’s constantly changing standards or according to God’s standard? Will we find our identity in things that will eventually fall away or in the One who created us and gives us eternal life and value in Christ?

“Remember also your Creator in the days of your youth, before the evil days come… and the dust returns to the earth as it was, and the spirit returns to God who gave it… The end of the matter; all has been heard. Fear God and keep His commandments, for this is the whole duty of man” (12:1, 7, 13).

© 2020 Dawn Rutan. Unless otherwise indicated all images are copyright free from pixabay.com. The opinions stated do not necessarily reflect the views of my church or employer.

Fear or Faith

“Let the morrow be what it may, our God is the God of tomorrow. Whatever events may have happened, which to us are unknown, our Jehovah is God of the unknown as well as of the known. We are determined to trust the Lord, come what may. If the very worst should happen, our God is still the greatest and best. Therefore will we not fear…” -Charles Spurgeon

Several years ago I wrote a post (here) based on Exodus 2:25: “God saw the people of Israel—and God knew.” They’d been in Egypt about 400 years with conditions getting progressively worse. God didn’t suddenly remember that they were there. He’d known all along, but for whatever reason He allowed them to stay and suffer there until what He deemed to be the perfect time. Moses was in wilderness training in Midian for forty years while the Israelites suffered. Even through the ten plagues the people had to keep waiting. Curiously, for most of plagues the Bible does not specifically say that the Israelites living in the land of Goshen were protected from the effects of the plague. They probably wondered where God was and what He was doing. They certainly feared Pharaoh’s retribution, particularly when they were hemmed in by the Red Sea while Pharaoh’s army pursued them.

Even when they were safely across the sea and in the wilderness they couldn’t figure out why they were there or where they were going. They faced one doubt after another as they wandered, and they rebelled against God repeatedly because they didn’t trust His plan for them.

Our current trial with COVID-19 raises a lot of questions too. Why doesn’t God intervene with a miraculous cure? Why didn’t He stop it a long time ago? Is the Church going to suffer because of governmental restrictions? Are our religious freedoms in jeopardy? What good is going to come out of this? Although those are all valid questions, some of which we may never know the answer to, I think there are more important questions we need to ask ourselves: Are we going to feed our faith or our fear? Are we trusting that God knows every detail of what’s going on today and that He is still in control? Are we helping others to trust God through their doubts and fears?

I’ve been pleased with the way some churches, pastors, and leaders have stepped outside their comfort zones to use social media as a tool to share vital truths from Scripture. But I’ve also been frustrated by others who have a running negative commentary on society. At times like this, I think we need to be constantly looking for and sharing reasons for hope and peace and joy. That’s not to say we close our eyes to everything else, but there are already plenty of sources of negative news.

Going back to the Exodus story, think how different the ending would have been if it hadn’t been just Joshua and Caleb who encouraged the people to enter the Promised Land. What if the all of the spies had reported, “The land… is exceedingly good land. If the Lord delights in us, He will bring us into the land and give it to us… Do not fear the people of the land… Their protection is removed from them, and the Lord is with us; do not fear them” (Numbers 14:7-9). But the people chose fear over faith and paid the price of an entire generation dying in the wilderness before they could enter the Promised Land.

Jesus said,

“You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven” (Matthew 5:14-16 ESV).

Are we living as light in the world by sharing faith and hope, or are we contributing to its darkness by promoting fear and pessimism? Do unbelievers look at us and say “I want that kind of hope,” or do they say “They look just like everyone else now”? Do others see that we truly believe that “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear though the earth gives way, though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea” (Psalm 46:1-2)?

Let’s get busy sowing seeds of faith, not fear!

“For it is You who light my lamp; the Lord my God lightens my darkness… He is a shield for all those who take refuge in Him. For who is God, but the Lord? And who is a rock, except our God?” (Psalm 18:28-31).

© 2020 Dawn Rutan. Unless otherwise indicated all images are copyright free from pixabay.com. The opinions stated do not necessarily reflect the views of my church or employer.

For Jesus' Sake

This week I’ve been listening to the audio book of The Insanity of God: A True Story of Faith Resurrected, by Nik Ripken, about the stories of believers in other countries who are regularly persecuted for their faith. One person in particular urged, “Don’t give up in freedom what we have not given up under persecution” —the right to share our faith. Dr. Ripken goes on to say that sharing our faith is not a matter of religious freedoms, but the choice of whether we will be obedient to God’s commands. It doesn’t matter whether we will be thrown in jail, tortured, mocked, or just slightly embarrassed for what we believe, God has commanded every believer to be His witnesses wherever we go (see Acts 1:8 and Matthew 28:18-20).

Hearing those words today built on the Good Friday message from our pastor on 2 Corinthians 5:11-15 that the logical response to the cross is to live for Jesus instead of ourselves. It also goes along with the meditations on Romans 12:1-8 that we were urged to dwell on today. Are we really willing to be living sacrifices? Is Jesus worth living for, worth dying for, worth giving up our freedom and family for? Missionary Charles T. Studd said, “If Jesus Christ be God and died for me, then no sacrifice can be too great for me to make for Him.” I think many of us want to believe those words, but when it comes down to our daily choices we can’t quite justify giving up our comfort, our habits, our pride, our self-sufficiency.

This morning I was trying to find a Christian song lyric that was running through my mind. The first CD I looked at was one produced by a person who later embraced a sinful lifestyle. Whenever I think of him I pray that God will convict him and bring him to repentance. He reminds me of 1 Corinthians 3:15 (ESV), “If anyone’s work is burned up, he will suffer loss, though he himself will be saved, but only as through fire.” There will be many at the judgment who see all their “good” works burned up. There will be many more who will be told, “I never knew you; depart from Me, you workers of lawlessness” (Matt. 7:23). The question is, will you or I be in one of those groups or will we be among those who hear “Well done, good and faithful servant” (Matt. 26:21)?

As it turns out, the song stuck in my mind was from Chonda Pierce’s A Mother’s Prayer: “If I die before they wake, they’ll know I’ve lived for Jesus’ sake.” I hope that is the clear message of my life, and it’s one of the reasons I write my blogs. I may not be good at sharing my faith in conversations with people, but I have to share it in some way. It is not just obedience to a command (though it is that), but the love of Christ compels me to do so (2 Cor. 5:14). I wasn’t planning to write anything today, but my thoughts needed an outlet. It is not always easy, and I’m certain there are people who immediately turn away because they don’t want to read what I have to say. But I believe that in Christ I am a new creation and that He has entrusted me with this particular ministry (2 Cor. 5:17, 19). Therefore I will offer myself as a living sacrifice to God, using the gifts He has given me to serve His body for as long as He enables me to do so. “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect” (Rom. 12:2).

Will you join me in living for Jesus’ sake?

“And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment, so that you may approve what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God” (Philippians 1:9-11).

© 2020 Dawn Rutan. Unless otherwise indicated all images are copyright free from pixabay.com. The opinions stated do not necessarily reflect the views of my church or employer.

You Alone Are Able

Most people don’t know that I dabble in arranging music for piano or euphonium. Usually that takes the form of taking SATB choral arrangements and boiling them down to a piano score (probably the opposite of what most arrangers do!) mostly because I’m too cheap to buy the piano music for myself. All that aside, I have actually written one song of my own. The words and melody were written during one of Pastor Matt’s first sermons in October 2008, though I promise I did listen to him. This week I’ve been revising the accompaniment and may make still more changes. You can listen to the audio file of the current version here. (No, that’s not me playing piano.) Here are the words:

You Alone Are Able

You are holy
And worthy of praise.
I fall before You
In awe of all Your ways.
You are worthy.
How I need Your love and grace.
Show me who You are today.

You alone are able
To take away my sin.
You alone are able
To cleanse me deep within.
You alone are worthy
Of all my praise.
I will give You glory
All my days.

Some day I may actually record the vocals, but for now I’ve been singing it to myself as a reminder of the One “who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us” (Ephesians 3:20 NIV).

Words and music © 2020 Dawn Rutan. All rights reserved. Unless otherwise indicated all images are copyright free from pixabay.com. The opinions stated do not necessarily reflect the views of my church or employer.