Rejoice in Forgiveness

Some time back I was reading Nehemiah where Ezra is reading the Book of the Law to the people, and these verses caught my attention: “This day is holy to the Lord your God; do not mourn or weep… And do not be grieved, for the joy of the Lord is your strength” (8:9-10 ESV). When the people heard the law, they were convicted of their sin and their natural response was mourning, but Nehemiah told them they had reason to rejoice. His words are reminiscent of David’s experience some 500 years earlier—“David said to Nathan, ‘I have sinned against the Lord.’ And Nathan said to David, ‘The Lord also has put away your sin; you shall not die.’” (2 Samuel 12:13). After which David wrote, “Blessed is the one whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. Blessed is the man against whom the Lord counts no iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no deceit.” (Psalm 32:1-2).

From my own experience and things I’ve read from many different authors, I think we all have a tendency to hang onto guilt longer than we need to. We know that God’s forgiveness is available and is freely given to all who confess, and yet we can’t let go of the mourning and turn to celebration.

When the woman was caught in adultery, Jesus told her, “Neither do I condemn you; go, and from now on sin no more” (John 8:11). He didn’t scold her or give her penance to do. He simply released her from guilt so she could have a fresh start. She could have been stoned to death for her sin, but instead she was set free. I have no doubt she celebrated that day.

Although a contrite attitude could indicate that we think our sin is too big to be forgiven, I wonder if the bigger problem is that we think we can contribute something to our forgiveness? Our view of sin is too small—we don’t realize that every sin is worthy of death. How can a person on death row do anything to earn forgiveness? We deserve death just as much as the woman caught in adultery, yet we are forgiven because of Jesus’ death on our behalf. That should be reason enough to rejoice! To remain mournful when God has delivered us from death is to say that His forgiveness isn’t good enough. Are we questioning His power, mercy, love, and authority?

I shared this quote on Facebook as it related to the sermon we heard this Sunday, but it’s worth revisiting:

“I cannot imagine the depth of love the Savior had for us in those moments of extreme suffering—unfathomable love causing Him to choose moment after agonizing moment to subject himself to what He could have ended. Thanks be to God that Jesus persevered till the task was completed! With His last breath He exclaimed, It is finished, and committed His spirit to the Father, dying in our place” (Marci Julin, When You Can’t Trust His Heart, 87).

So as we celebrate Thanksgiving this week, may we all remember the greatest reason to give thanks— 

“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life… These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full” (John 3:16, 15:11).

© 2016 Dawn Rutan. 

Unseen and Seen

Her heart was pounding as she looked at the crowd in front of her. What she was about to do was by far the most terrifying thing she’d ever done. Harder than twelve years of calling out “Unclean!” as people walked by. Harder than twelve years of explaining her problem to doctors just to have them shake their head instead of providing a cure. Harder than twelve years of being banned from the Temple and isolated from her family. Her shame was a heavy burden, but her desperation was greater. She hid her face and slipped into the crowd, hoping that no one would recognize her and point her out. “If I can just touch the Healer’s garment...” Desperation drove her forward when fear tried to hold her back. Her hand slipped between two men and brushed the fringe of His cloak. She knew immediately it had worked and she quickly started to move away, but the Healer had noticed. He stopped and looked around, asking who had touched Him. His eyes met hers and she fell at His feet as the shame of twelve years crushed her to the ground. She started babbling an explanation, but she wasn’t even sure if the words were coming out. All she could hear was the pounding of her heart. “Daughter...” What did He say? “My daughter, lift up your head. Look at Me.” He reached down and grasped her hands, the first person to touch her in twelve years. As He drew her to her feet, she looked into His eyes and saw no condemnation, only love. Twelve years of shame and fear, pain and weakness, all fell away in that moment. “Daughter, your faith has made you well. Go in peace and be healed of your disease.”

The faith of this unnamed woman not only brought her healing, it also got her mentioned in three of the gospels. A woman who had been unclean and unseen caught the attention of the whole crowd. It must have been a memorable experience if Matthew, Mark and Luke all felt the need to share her story. Of all the names Jesus could have called her, He chose to call her Daughter, the same name used of Jairus’s child whose healing she was interrupting. This woman was no less important than the daughter of a synagogue ruler. Both of them received new life that day.

Although none of us really understand what it would be like to be unclean and outcast under the Jewish law, we all can think of moments of shame when all we wanted to do was disappear. Jesus could have let the woman be healed quietly and covertly and no one else needed to know what had just happened. He called her out, not just to reveal that she was physically healed, but to bring wholeness out of her brokenness, grace out of her shame, and strength out of her weakness. Her moment of deepest shame became a moment of splendor. God’s glory was revealed in a life that was not just healed but transformed.

God wants to do that for each of us. When we would settle for relief from pain and disease, He has a much greater plan of redemption. When we would like to simply enjoy a measure of healing, He wants to use our stories for His glory. He can take all our shame and weakness and brokenness and bring comfort, encouragement, and faith to many others, but only if we are willing to be seen. He can redeem our shame for His splendor. All we have to do is take those fearful, trembling steps forward to fall at His feet.

As much as I want to be used by God, I confess that shame is a powerful demotivator. It seems far easier to stay hidden and hurting than to take those little steps of faith toward wholeness. It seems easier to find ways to cope with the hardships of life than to let God uncover them for all the world to see and to judge. But His grace is greater than all our sin, shame, and suffering. Do I believe that today? Do you? Will we choose to be trust the One who knows all our secrets and risk being seen?

“Oh, guard my soul, and deliver me! Let me not be put to shame, for I take refuge in You” (Psalm 25:20 ESV).

© 2016 Dawn Rutan.

Pinpoints

Awhile back I was walking in my yard after dark and in the grass I saw a tiny little point of light. I turned on my flashlight and poked around and decided it was coming from a glowworm larvae that was about a quarter inch long. The glowing part was only a little dot on one end. It was quite amazing to think that something so small could catch my attention in the dark.

This world that we live in is getting darker all the time with legislation, politics, terrorism, persecution, etc. Things are getting progressively less comfortable for Christians. It’s not hard to bear the name of Christian when we’re in the majority or at least are respected. It’s easy to be a light in a light world. It’s not so easy when even the tiniest light draws hostile attention. Yet that is exactly what we are called to do: “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 5:16 ESV). Obviously the people who see us will not all give glory to God, but our actions should glorify God regardless of how others react. His approval should be all that matters.

Paul wrote, “For God, who said, ‘Let light shine out of darkness,’ has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ” (2 Corinthians 4:6). That comes in the midst of a whole chapter about persecution, affliction, and perseverance. The psalmist said, “It is good for me that I was afflicted, that I might learn Your statutes” (Psalm 119:71). Affliction is the fire that refines our faith. Many who once claimed to be Christian will no longer do so when it has negative consequences. Others who have been on the fringes may accept that God’s way is the only way and their light will shine that much brighter.

With some of the statements being made by prominent Christians in recent weeks, defending positions that are incompatible with Scripture, I mourn the fact that their lights have grown dim. They claim to represent Christ and His Word, but they have exchanged the truth of God for a lie. They are no longer glorifying God as a light shining in the darkness because they are indistinguishable from the world and they are leading people away from the truth.

Scripture has a lot to say about the light, walking in the light, and the judgment that will come against those who walk in darkness. For example:

• “For such men are false apostles, deceitful workmen, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ. And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. So it is no surprise if his servants, also, disguise themselves as servants of righteousness. Their end will correspond to their deeds” (2 Corinthians 11:13-15).
• “And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved darkness rather than the light because their works were evil… But whoever does what is true comes to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that his works have been carried out in God” (John 3:19, 21).

We who belong to God need to be careful to guard against error, deception, and compromise, so that our light will shine more brightly as the darkness around us grows.

“For at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light, for the fruit of light is found in all that is good and right and true, and try to discern what is pleasing to the Lord” (Ephesians 5:8-10).

© 2016 Dawn Rutan. 

Fearless

I’m reading the book Fearless, by Suzanne D. Williams, which has some helpful and encouraging thoughts in regards to fear. She points out that Philippians 3:13 calls us to forget (no longer care for) those things that lie behind. “Allowing the cares of life, in this case the fear, to operate in my mind causes any seed of God’s Word planted in my heart to never do what it was planted to do… It is God’s will that ‘not a trace’ of the memory of this fear remain. Instead, we remember the power of the Lord, which brings our deliverance” (44). She urges readers to lay hold of these verses:

Isaiah 41:12-13 (ESV)- “You shall seek those who contend with you, but you shall not find them; those who war against you shall be as nothing at all. For I, the Lord your God, hold your right hand; it is I who say to you, ‘Fear not, I am the one who helps you.’”

Isaiah 26:13-14- “O Lord our God, other lords besides You have ruled over us, but Your name alone we bring to remembrance. They are dead, they will not live; they are shades, they will not arise; to that end You have visited them with destruction and wiped out all remembrance of them.”

It’s amazing how fears seem to take on a life of their own—a family member doesn’t call at the designated time, and suddenly they “must be” at death’s doorstep; a boss criticizes you so he “must be” planning to fire you; and so on. If all our fears came true, the world would have exploded long ago.

Why do we let our fallen imaginations have more power over us than God’s Word? The past and the future are not living beings. Whatever we remember and whatever we can imagine have no real power. God dwells with us in His eternal present. As we live in His presence, and because of His power and love, we have nothing to fear. And yet many of us live quite fearfully. We live in a culture of anxiety, and we try to medicate the symptoms without addressing the root problem. At heart, we are not trusting God to be God. We have set ourselves on the throne, desiring to be in control but lacking the ability to control anything.

I’m not trying to point fingers at anyone but myself. I would love to blame physiology, sociology, or psychology, but mostly it is bad theology. My thoughts don’t line up with what I say I believe about God. Either He is in control, or He’s not omnipotent. Either He knows the future better than I do, or He’s not omniscient. Either He’s at work all around me in ways I can’t begin to comprehend, or He’s not omnipresent. Who am I to worry whether He’ll take care of my problems?

“God, did you know that…?” -I know.

“But what about…?” -I’m taking care of it.

“But the deadline is…” -My timing is perfect.

“OK, so what can I do?” -Just rest, child.

“He who keeps you will not slumber. Behold, He who keeps Israel will neither slumber nor sleep. The Lord is your keeper; the Lord is your shade on your right hand” (Psalm 121:3b-5).

For more on this subject, check out- http://www.desiringgod.org/articles/use-anxiety-to-your-advantage

© 2016 Dawn Rutan. 

Innocent

In How to Really Love God as Your Father, Deborah Newman comments: “Imagine yourself at five years old. What is on your five-year-old mind? Do you carry the weight of the world on your shoulders? ...Unless your childhood included some extenuating circumstances... remembering yourself as a little child should include carefree innocence.” I’ve recently read a couple different books that mentioned the idyllic nature of childhood for many children—freedom from worry and major responsibilities, and having time for fun and enjoying life. Although I would contend that such experiences are more rare than we would like to admit, they do bring to mind some images worth considering.

Jesus said, “Let the children come to Me; and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of God. Truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it” (Mark 10:14-15 ESV). While we can all enjoy the thought of Jesus embracing the little children and blessing them, Jesus’ words were actually for His disciples. His message was for the adults, including us. Yet I doubt that most of us can really grasp what it would mean for us to come to Him like a child. Why is that?

It occurred to me that there are two ways that we use the word “innocent.” One is the innocence of being free from guilt. The other is the childlike trust and naiveté that knows someone else is in control so there is no need for worry. As we grow up (and sometimes before we grow up), we lose both of those types of innocence. We know we are guilty of sin, and we know that the world is a dangerous place where we have to look out for ourselves. I believe that Jesus intends for us to reclaim our lost innocence by coming to Him.

First, He grants us freedom from the guilt of sin as we accept His sacrifice on the cross. “For our sake He made Him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God” (2 Corinthians 5:21). He exchanged His righteousness for our sinfulness so that we could once again be innocent. We can lay aside the guilt and shame we have carried because of our own sin and the sin of others against us. “Everyone who believes in Him will not be put to shame” (Romans 10:11). The forgiveness found in Christ can remove a lot of the burden that weighs us down as grownups.

Second, God reminds us that He is in control and He is trustworthy. Of all the worries and concerns that darken our days, most will either never come to pass or are outside our control anyway. Like a child worried about what’s in the dark, we need to trust that our Father can see what we can’t and He will take care of us. I think this is perhaps the harder innocence to recover. Once we’ve seen the pain and suffering that this world can bring, it’s hard to trust that God really knows best and will not let us endure anything that He won’t equip us to handle. We would prefer for life to be a lot less difficult and a lot more fun.

Coming to Jesus like a child is a daily choice to accept His forgiveness for our sins and to ask for His provision for our needs. He is our Father who supplies our daily bread, and who forgives those who confess. He is also the Creator of the universe, who is able to supply all our needs according to His riches in glory. He is Abba, who heals the brokenhearted and raises the dead to new life. He is the One who bids us to come to Him in our weakness, neediness, and filth, so that we might see His strength, abundance, and cleansing power.

Jesus invites us, “Let all My children come unto Me in faith to receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”

© 2016 Dawn Rutan. 

Called by God

Joseph told his brothers, “So it was not you who sent me here but God...” (Genesis 45:8 ESV). Mordecai told Esther, “Who knows whether you have not come to the kingdom for such a time as this” (Esther 4:14). God told Jeremiah, “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you; I appointed you a prophet to the nations” (Jeremiah 1:5).

These few examples from Scripture point to a couple truths. Although some people, such as Jeremiah, receive a clear calling from God for a specific mission, most of us are called to follow God in whatever circumstances we may find ourselves. We tend to think of “calling” as a directive to pursue a career in ministry, but God is calling each of us to be ministers of His love and grace in whatever career we pursue.

For Joseph, Esther, Jeremiah, and many others in Scripture, the calling to do something spectacular was only fulfilled because they were faithfully seeking God in the normal course of life. Service to God was part of life, not a separate, unique vocation. God uses those who are faithful in the small things. We can’t expect to receive a divine word of commissioning if we aren’t committed to doing the tasks that are close at hand. And Scripture is pretty clear about the things we are to be doing day by day: loving others, making disciples, serving the church, worshiping together, praying for others, etc.

In addition, these people were called by God for an important purpose, but they did not fully understand that calling until troubled times hit. Joseph went through slavery and imprisonment before he had the opportunity to save his family and thereby ensure the future of Israel. Esther faced the potential decimation of the Jews before she really knew why she was in the palace. Jeremiah learned his calling up front, but he had the unpleasant job of calling Judah to repentance as captivity was coming. In the process he endured death threats and various other difficulties. God’s calling is not to a life of ease but to a life of purpose. And given the fallen nature of our world, fulfilling God’s purpose requires us to walk through suffering, not away from it. It is human nature to want to seek out comfort and pleasure, but that is not where God is doing most of His work. We seem to be easily deterred from obeying God’s calling whenever it is inconvenient, uncomfortable, or potentially dangerous to our lives, careers, or reputations.

Everybody likes the first half of Romans 8:28, “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to His purpose.” However, we can’t take that verse out of the context of the rest of the chapter, which talks about setting the mind on the things of the Spirit, putting to death the deeds of the body, suffering with Christ, enduring the corruption of the world, tribulation, distress, persecution, etc. Being called to the purpose of God takes place in the context of the challenges of life in a fallen world. It is through the suffering of this life that we are conformed to the image of Christ “in order that we may also be glorified with Him” (8:17).

We are all called to follow God, but that calling is going to look different for each of us because each life is unique. Whether spectacular or mundane, public or private, upper class or third world, may we be found faithful to Him day by day.

“For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in His steps” (1 Peter 2:21).

© 2016 Dawn Rutan.

Put on Christ

This post builds on one I wrote in August. In the midst of some recent research, I came across this statement in Gilbert Bilezikian’s book Beyond Sex Roles:

“Where God wants to create unity and cohesion, the enemy seeks to cause alienation and separation. From the moment of our birth, a fallen society presses us into compartments and niches that become our private prisons for life. The concept of sex roles is one of those bondages from which the gospel can set us free. Nowhere does the Scripture command us to develop our sex-role awareness as males or females. It calls us—both men and women—to acquire the mind of Christ and to be transformed in His image (Gal. 3:27; Eph. 4:13; Phil. 2:5; and so on). Both men and women are called to develop their ‘inner man,’ which means their basic personhood in cooperation with the Holy Spirit. The ‘fruit of the Spirit,’ or the result of the Holy Spirit’s impact on human personality, is a character that exhibits ‘love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control’ (Gal. 5:22-23). Biblically, such qualities pertain neither to masculinity nor femininity. They are the reflection of the person of Christ Himself” (208, 2^nd ed.).

I have to say that in light of our current culture wars on gender perceptions, this is one of the most encouraging quotes I’ve read in recent years. We seem to get so caught up in styles, trends, and preferences that we lose sight of what really matters. Although we may look to other role models, Jesus is the One who is our supreme example. He perfectly characterizes the fruit that we are to develop as we are conformed to His image.

Clothing, hair, makeup, mannerisms, interests, etc. are constantly changing and have no eternal impact. Heaven is not going to be divided into sections for hippies, geeks, tomboys, or fashionistas. Nor will it be divided by race, denomination, political affiliation, or any other label. There will be only one group—Christ-followers. We know this is true from Scripture, but I think we forget when it comes to daily living.

• “Man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart” (1 Samuel 16:7b ESV).
• “Do not let your adorning be external—the braiding of hair and the putting on of gold jewelry, or the clothing you wear—but let your adorning be the hidden person of the heart with the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which in God’s sight is very precious” (1 Peter 3:3-4).
• “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus” (Galatians 3:28).

The enemy has indeed maximized the opportunity for alienation and division. It is far easier to see how we are different from other people instead of finding what we have in common, as the recent riots in Charlotte have proven. It takes time and effort to see the heart of another person, along with the vulnerability to let others see our hearts. Let’s slow down and think carefully before we endorse or condemn any person or group.

“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” (Romans 12:2).

© 2016 Dawn Rutan.