The Valley of Baka

Blessed are those whose strength is in you,
whose hearts are set on pilgrimage.
As they pass through the Valley of Baka,
they make it a place of springs;
the autumn rains also cover it with pools.
They go from strength to strength,
till each appears before God in Zion.

Psalm 84:5-7

Since the psalmist didn’t live in Jerusalem, he had to go on pilgrimage to be near God’s presence at the temple. Israelites were supposed to make this trip to worship three times a year. I think it’s difficult for us to really understand what it was like to have to travel by foot for days or even a week or more to Jerusalem to worship. But this was a shared experience for many Israelites. They would all travel the same roads and pass through the same places on their way up to Jerusalem to worship.

One of those places that they passed through was the valley of Baka. The word 'baka' comes from the Hebrew word for weeping or wailing. And we think that this was a dry or desert-like valley. Yet... the psalmist says that the pilgrims make it a place of springs. It’s hard to say for sure but it’s possible that the image here is of pilgrims weeping in the valley of Baka. They “make it a place of springs” because of the tears that spring forth from their eyes as they go up to Jerusalem to worship.

But if so, it’s important to note that salty tears aren’t the only source of water in this dry valley. The psalmist says that the autumn rains cover it with pools as well. This, I believe, is a picture of God providing water for His people in a dry, difficult place associated with suffering. This is a picture of God helping His people and providing for them as they travel the hard road to worship.

And what I want to point out to you today is this idea found in Psalm 84 that the road to worship can sometimes lead through a valley of tears. Mourning, weeping, and wailing can draw us nearer to God. They can, in the end, lead to worship. Because it is often in the dry, lonely, difficult places of life that God meets us and provides for our needs.

And that makes the hard roads of life, no matter how difficult they may be, precious to the believer. Even the hardest of roads can become precious to us if it leads us into God’s presence.

Maybe your own path has been painful. Maybe you have done more than your fair share of weeping. Don’t give up! The psalmist is telling you that the difficult road you are walking can lead you into God’s presence. It can lead you to worship, if you will let it. I know this has been true in my own life. My prayer for you today is that any difficult roads you must take in this life will lead you to worship in the very presence of God as well.

Now You'll See What God Will Do

Moses returned to the Lord and said, “Why, Lord, why have you brought trouble on this people? Is this why you sent me? Ever since I went to Pharaoh to speak in your name, he has brought trouble on this people, and you have not rescued your people at all.” Then the Lord said to Moses, “Now you will see what I will do to Pharaoh: Because of my mighty hand he will let them go; because of my mighty hand he will drive them out of his country.”

Exodus 5:22-6:1

In Exodus chapter five God walks right up to the biggest bully on Israel's block and picks a fight with him. At least that's how I read the story. God's people had been slaves in Egypt for 400 years serving one cruel Pharaoh after another. When God calls 80 year old Moses (a washed up, old, nobody in Egypt's eyes) to go to Pharaoh and say, "let My people go." Not only is Pharaoh not impressed by Moses or his miracles, he is not at all afraid of this God of the slaves either. In Exodus 5:2 he says, "Who is the LORD, that I should obey him and let Israel go? I do not know the LORD and I will not let Israel go."

"I've never heard of God, so how famous can He be?" he reasons. "If this God's people are all slaves serving me then doesn't that prove that my Egyptian gods are more powerful than He is?" To Pharaoh it did. He was insulted that Moses and this unknown god would dare approach him in this manner, so he added to the Israelites burden. He stopped providing them the straw they needed to make bricks, but he still required them to make the same quota of bricks each day. Of course, the Israelites failed to meet the quota, the Israelite foremen were beaten, and Pharaoh refused to relent. He renewed his demanded that they find a way to meet his impossible expectation.

When God stepped in to save them it actually made their situation worse. But here's the thing, when things got worse, God was just getting started. In the first verse of chapter six God tells Moses, "Now you will see what I will do..." What a powerful verse! Can you imagine hearing that come out of God's mouth?! 

So often when things get worse in our lives we see it as the end. We run to God to complain that things are worse now than before. But so very often when things get worse in our lives it's because God is just getting started on a new and amazing work. How does the old saying go? You can't make an omelet without breaking a few eggs. Sometimes the beginning of a great work looks messy and destructive. Trust God anyway because it's in those moments that you are best positioned to see what He will do.

Praise God No Matter What!

All creatures look to you

    to give them their food at the proper time.

When you give it to them,

    they gather it up;

when you open your hand,

    they are satisfied with good things.

When you hide your face,

    they are terrified;

when you take away their breath,

    they die and return to the dust.

When you send your Spirit,

    they are created,

    and you renew the face of the ground.

May the glory of the Lord endure forever;

                                      Psalm 104:27-31a

God is worthy of praise. This is true even when He isn't blessing you. God gives life, and He takes it away. In both these ways He shows power and His glory and therefore both reveal that He deserves praise. God provides for all creatures everywhere and sometimes He hides His face allowing them to go without. In both these ways He shows that He is the Great Provider and that we have nothing that does not come from Him.

As many psalms do, Psalm 104 makes this point in more than one way. Consider, for example, this psalm's recurring theme of water. In verses 6-8 it calls to the readers mind how God used water to flood the earth in judgment. Not even the tallest mountain was left uncovered. Yet just a few verses later it details many of the ways God blesses His people and creation using...water. So not only do blessings and curses both come from God, but He can also use the very same thing to bless or curse. Often whether it is counted a blessing or a curse depends on quantity. Too much or too little may bring hardship whereas the right amount is a blessing. 

This means that your biggest blessings can become curses. Conversely, in time your worst trials may prove to have an element of blessing in them. So, if some terribly destructive event is carving deep ravines through your life right now, remember that those same ravines may one day be used to deliver God's blessings right where they are needed most. Verses 10-12 give us this image as springs of life-giving water flow through the ravines that were likely carved by the flood to nourish the earth and animals. So, remember this, it doesn't matter if you are in a season of blessing or judgment, plenty or hardship God is still worth praising! Though it is difficult and counter intuitive, we can look back on God's judgment and offer up praise just as much as we can look back on His blessing and do the same. Both reveal who He is. Both reveal He deserves praise.

Death or Fire

“Awake, sword, against my shepherd, against the man who is close to me!” declares the Lord Almighty. "Strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered, and I will turn my hand against the little ones. In the whole land,” declares the Lord, "two-thirds will be struck down and perish; yet one-third will be left in it. This third I will put into the fire; I will refine them like silver and test them like gold. They will call on my name and I will answer them; I will say, ‘They are my people,’ and they will say, ‘The Lord is our God.’”

Zechariah 13:7-9

When God pours out His wrath, we only have two options. The first we find in verse 8. Two-thirds of the people "will be struck down and perish." A majority are destined for destruction due to their sin. Jesus put it this way.

"Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it." (Matthew 7:13-14)

The other third, you might think, are saved and blessed, but not in Zechariah. In Zechariah the remaining third are "put into the fire" to be refined and tested. 

It seems kind of depressing at first. My choices are death or fire. But then you look at the reward of those who go through the fire. What is their end? Even though they had to endure the fire, it's worth it because they are refined and purified. The fire transforms them for the better into a rare and precious commodity. What's more, they get God! Having been refined they dwell in close relationship with Him.

In Matthew 26:31 Jesus says that Zechariah 13:7 was talking about Him and His disciples. I think these next two verses continue to apply to Jesus' disciples as well. Even if you don't think these verses were written for New Testament believers, they do give us a compelling image of what the believer should expect in this life. We are the minority who have escaped God's wrath by the atonement of Jesus, but we should not expect to escape the fire. Our lives will be difficult in this life not only because of our enemy but also because God is working to refine and purify us. He is preparing us for close relationship with Him in Heaven.  

So don't be surprised when you go through the fire. Instead "[fix your] eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God." Focus on Heaven and bear your cross with joy.

For further reading...

• 1 Peter 1:6-7- "In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed."
• James 1:2-4- "Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything."
• Isaiah 48:10- "See, I have refined you, though not as silver; I have tested you in the furnace of affliction."

Lessons in Philemon: The Gospel Changes How We Live

I am sending [Onesimus]—who is my very heart—back to you. I would have liked to keep him with me so that he could take your place in helping me while I am in chains for the gospel. But I did not want to do anything without your consent, so that any favor you do would not seem forced but would be voluntary. Perhaps the reason he was separated from you for a little while was that you might have him back forever— no longer as a slave, but better than a slave, as a dear brother. He is very dear to me but even dearer to you, both as a fellow man and as a brother in the Lord.

So if you consider me a partner, welcome him as you would welcome me.

Philemon 12-17

It's clear that Onesimus had taken great pains with considerable effort to escape slavery in the house of Philemon and head to Rome. So why in the world would he now willingly march right back to his old master? This is a puzzling thing to do! The only thing that has changed since Onesimus has been gone is that he has been saved. I think it's safe to say that Onesimus still shuddered at the thought of being re-enslaved, so how can we make sense of him returning to his old master?

In Paul's letter to Philemon, we have been learning that the gospel changes everything. It changes who we are, how we relate to other people and it also must change how we live. Philemon had an economic claim on Onesimus. An unjust claim to be sure, but a legal claim by the laws of the time. He owned him. Thus, when Onesimus ran away he had, at least in some sense, robbed Philemon. Now that he has become a Christian I believe Onesimus realized that he has wronged a brother in Christ and therefore sinned against God. I know it is hard for us to think this way because Philemon has wronged Onesimus in a far greater way by enslaving him. Yet, the Bible teaches clearly that Christians are not to return evil for evil. We are to turn the other cheek and if someone wrongs us by taking our shirt then we should willingly offer to give them our tunic as well. (Matt. 5:39-40) Having been forgive by God of his sin then, Onesimus cannot fathom willingly sinning against Him in any way. So in one of the most awe inspiring examples in all of Scripture, Onesimus chooses to do the right thing even when it is incredibly difficult.

This is admirable. Clearly the early church thought so as well since church history tells us that Onesimus later became the bishop of Ephesus. A willingness to do the right thing at all costs is part of the change that must accompany the life of any believer. It is all too easy to make excuses for our sins. It is all too easy to use God's grace as a license to sin. Onesimus sets an example for us. The Christian ought to be so dumbfounded by God's forgiveness, that he would go to any length to obey His new Master. We must obey God even when it is incredibly difficult. The gospel must change how we live. What right things have you neglected to do because they just seemed too difficult to you? 

Let me tell you the story of one of my own grandmothers. I was mostly unaware of her life story as I grew up, but one night, near the end of her lucid days just before the Alzheimer's kicked in, my sweet grandmother shared with me the story of her marriage. She met the love of her life when she was only a teenager. He was a bit older, and they secretly got married one night without their parents' knowledge. Some time later they revealed their marriage, moved in together and started a life. Unfortunately, my grandfather became an alcoholic and worse still an abusive one. They raised four children and lived a hard life on the farm. But God always provided and they counted their blessings. After some time, my grandmother could no longer allow herself or her now adult special needs son who was living at home to be hurt physically, verbally, and emotionally. So she took her son and left. On the night my grandmother relayed this story to me, late in her seventies, she looked me square in the eye and told me she always loved my grandfather, she just couldn't live with him anymore. But she knew that marriage was sacred. So my grandmother decided to do the right thing even though it was incredibly difficult. "I never looked at another man," she told me. "He was my husband." 

Many in the Christian community would argue that abuse is grounds for divorce, even if there isn't a specific provision for it in Scripture. I am not sure that I am fully qualified to answer that question, but I am certainly not sitting in judgment of anyone who did turn to divorce to escape an abusive marriage. But what I do know is that my grandmother believed staying true to my grandfather was the right thing for her to do. And she did what she believed was right even though it was incredibly difficult. She is just one of many Christians who have lived out this principle for those around them. They loved God enough to do the right thing even when it was incredibly difficult. And even though their names won't be written down in any history books, the impact of their lives is plain to see on those they have inspired. 

For further reading...

• If you haven't kept up with the devotionals through Philemon you can read the first one here and the second one here.
• It should be noted that the Bible does not condone slavery in this letter. It is true that Paul stops short of commanding Philemon to free Onesimus, but he does this because he wants Philemon to act from a heart changed by the gospel. His hope is that Philemon would free Onesimus of his own accord. In fact, this is exactly what we believe happened. Otherwise why would Philemon hold on to this letter and later provide it to be included in the Bible? Paul's tact in this letter is in line with the stance the New Testament church as a whole took on slavery. They sought to indirectly undermine it by commanding believing slave masters and slaves to love one another as brothers in Christ. In time this love created a climate in which slavery could not continue to thrive. Slavery in the ancient world was mostly eradicated as Christianity's influence increased.

When Enemies Loom Large

Psalm 5 tells the troubled heart where to find hope in the face of circumstances or enemies more powerful than itself. I can imagine Israel singing this psalm in times of trouble and learning from it the best course of action.

Listen to my words, Lord, consider my lament. Hear my cry for help, my King and my God, for to you I pray. In the morning, Lord, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait expectantly. (Psalm 5:1-3)

There were many places David could have taken his cry for help when his enemies abounded. He could have assembled his mighty warriors to create a battle plan. He could have entreated a neighboring country to come to his aide. He could have tried to blunt the worry of his troubles through drink and other pleasures. But David runs to the Lord. He prays persistently morning by morning, placing his needs before the Lord while he waits in faith.

Do you face troubles or enemies today that are more than you can handle on your own? Pray persistently in faith.

But David does not stop at prayer. He intentionally shifts his perspective from the difficulty of his circumstances to the excellence of his God.

For you are not a God who is pleased with wickedness; with you, evil people are not welcome. The arrogant cannot stand in your presence. You hate all who do wrong; you destroy those who tell lies. The bloodthirsty and deceitful you, Lord, detest. But I, by your great love, can come into your house; in reverence I bow down toward your holy temple. (Psalm 5:4-7)

There are times in this world, when your circumstances will not align with what you know to be true of God's character. In those times you can either focus on your circumstances or you can focus on God's character. This world is unjust. It is filled with our sin and thus is filled with pain. This is the very reason we look forward to heaven. It is there that justice will be served finally. It is there that every tear will be wiped away. In the meantime, when the cruelty of this world finds your door, run to the Lord for help. Comfort yourself with the truth that He intervenes even in the here and now. And remind yourself of His righteous character: that He judges the wicked and upholds the righteous. When your whole world seems hopeless, take comfort in the truths of who God is. Trust that His character has not changed and that He will bring justice eventually.

Having reminded himself of God's impending judgment on the wicked, David appeals to the Lord for aid in maintaining his own righteousness.

Lead me, Lord, in your righteousness because of my enemies— make your way straight before me. (Psalm 5:8)

Apart from some level of righteousness we have no reason to expect God to rescue us from our enemies. If we are in fact the wicked, then our circumstances just may be God's judgment on our sin. Thankfully, God has extended an offer of grace to all sinners. Because of Christ, we can all accept His forgiveness and ask Him to lead us in righteousness from this point forward.

David prays specifically for God to defeat his enemies in verses nine and ten then finishes his song with one last request of the Lord and one statement of praise.

But let all who take refuge in you be glad; let them ever sing for joy. Spread your protection over them, that those who love your name may rejoice in you. Surely, Lord, you bless the righteous; you surround them with your favor as with a shield. (Psalm 5:11-12)

After lifting his prayer up persistently to the Lord, reminding Himself of God's great character, and establishing his right relationship with the Lord, David is now free to praise God in faith. David honors the Lord by stating that He blesses and protects the righteous. This act of worship is also an act of expectant faith for David. He praises God, and in the same sentence foreshadows what His faith tells him the Lord will do for Him.

Sooner or later trouble finds us all. It is the nature of the world we live in. When it does find you, remember this psalm. Pray persistently to the only one who controls your destiny. Shift your perspective from focusing on how big your problems are to focusing on how great your God is. Make sure that you are right with the Lord so that nothing in your relationship prevents Him from acting on your behalf. Then praise the Lord in faith for all that you expect He will do for you.

For further reading...

• Luke 11:1-13 & Luke 18:1-8- Some passages on persistence in prayer.
• Exodus 34:6-7 & Isaiah 40- A few favorite passages on God's character.
• Psalm 34 & Psalm 75- A few psalms of praise.

God Made it Worse

Stephen was "full of faith and of the Holy Spirit," well respected in the first church (Acts 6:5). He was one of seven men chosen by the church and charged with ministering to the believing Greek widows. But Stephen did more than simply distribute food. He performed miracles and spoke with wisdom (Acts 6:8-10). It wasn't long before he was opposed by a faction of the Jews. When this faction could not refute God's wisdom that Stephen taught, they resorted to a familiar tactic. They trumped up false charges against him and brought him before the Sanhedrin just as they had done to Jesus (compare Acts 6:8-14 to Matt. 26:59-61). When Stephen rebuked the religious leaders for killing Jesus, tempers in the Sanhedrin began to boil over. Then God did something interesting...He made it worse.

When the members of the Sanhedrin heard this, they were furious and gnashed their teeth at him. But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, looked up to heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. “Look,” he said, “I see heaven open and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.”

At this they covered their ears and, yelling at the top of their voices, they all rushed at him, dragged him out of the city and began to stone him.

Acts 7:54-58a

God not only allowed Stephen to die, He practically caused it. Why would He do that? One of His followers was in trouble, and far from coming to the rescue God made it worse. And how do we reconcile God's actions in this passage with Romans 8:28? "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose." The Christian calling is in line with God's purpose for the world and our individual good. Often this means suffering for the faith. From the early church up to today this has been a reality of the Christian life. The Bible itself does not hide this. Jesus is Christianity's first martyr. Stephen is martyred shortly thereafter. Paul and others of the apostles are imprisoned, beaten and whipped. Though the Bible does not record it church history tells us that many of the apostles and other early believers suffered and died for their faith. The simple truth is that God's best for His children has always been in heaven. He blesses us here on earth as well, but our greatest blessings were always going to come in heaven.

So how did this work out for Stephen's good? The good that it worked for Stephen wasn't in this life. Stephen's reward is in heaven. The Bible assures us that all those who suffer faithfully will receive their reward in heaven (Matthew 5:11-12 & Mark 10:28-30). God's vision gave Stephen the strength and wisdom to stand strong until the end, to die a good death in defense of the gospel. He enabled Stephen to endure his stoning with peace and forgiveness in His heart. He accomplished the purpose for which God called him and for that Stephen will be blessed.  

Still why would God allow Stephen to die? How does it further His purposes to see one of His followers die? Acts 8:1-4 is instructive.

On that day a great persecution broke out against the church in Jerusalem, and all except the apostles were scattered throughout Judea and Samaria. Godly men buried Stephen and mourned deeply for him. But Saul began to destroy the church. Going from house to house, he dragged off both men and women and put them in prison. Those who had been scattered preached the word wherever they went.

Because of the persecution that broke out against Stephen and the church as a whole, the gospel was taken out of Jerusalem and preached in many surrounding areas. Christianity spread and began to grow as a direct result. The early church father Tertullian has been quoted as saying that "the blood of the martyrs is the seed of the church." It certainly seems that in the case of Stephen, he was right. Had Stephen not suffered the church might have remained primarily restricted to Jerusalem. So in the end we can see that God can work even the suffering of His saints for their good and for the furthering of His kingdom in the world.

Is the Lord allowing a trial in your life right now? I wish that I could tell you that believers always beat cancer or they never go bankrupt, but I can't. What I can tell you is that God is with you in your trial, just like He was with Stephen. God has promised that all things work together for the believer's good either in this life or in the next. And God always keeps His promises. Persevere under your hardship! Resist the urge to strike out at God and blame Him. Instead, consider how it might be used by God to further His purposes in the world. Bear up under it with peace and joy looking forward to your reward in heaven. God is aware of your suffering, and you can rest assured that He has not allowed it to happen for no reason. 

(*I praise the Lord for our 200th blog post! And I thank my wife, Stacy, for tirelessly editing these posts over the past three years and ten months. She is a great blessing to me and to every reader of this blog.)

For further reading...

• Acts 7- In this passage Stephen responds to the charges brought against him with a masterful summary of the Old Testament from Abram's call (Genesis 12) to Solomon's building of the temple (I Kings 6 & II Chronicles 5:1).
• Matthew 5:11-12 & Mark 10:28-30- Rewards for those who suffer in the name of Jesus.
• A Share in His Sufferings- Read another WoW blog post on suffering. 
• Entitled- Do you have an entitled attitude before the Lord? Read this WoW blog post to find out. 

Safe in Daddy's Arms

There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy place where the Most High dwells. God is within her, she will not fall; God will help her at break of day. Nations are in uproar, kingdoms fall; he lifts his voice, the earth melts. The Lord Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress.

Psalm 46:4-7

 

 

My nine month old daughter is afraid of dogs. I'm not sure exactly why. She's never been bitten. I think maybe the loud barking scares her. As her dad I have the distinct privilege of serving as her protector; so anytime a dog is around I make sure to hold her tight and high above where the dog can reach her. I even whisper in her ear sometimes to make sure she knows I am there with her. "Daddy's here, Hallie. You're okay. I'm not going to let that dog get you." She is learning more and more to lean into me in these times and to trust me to keep her safe.

 

There is something about a father's presence. We feel less scared when Daddy is around. This is a helpful parallel for God's presence in our lives. Psalm 46 urges God's people to take comfort in His nearness even as their enemies rage outside the city walls warring against them. These enemies are described as shaking the whole earth in verses two and three and as being in an uproar in verse six above. But the psalmist assures us that their bark is worse than their bite for God dwells among His people. God is within the city walls of Jerusalem; it cannot fall unless God Himself were to fall! And in verse six we find that God defeats Israel's enemies with a word.

 

The believer can take comfort in this for God lives among us as well. His very Spirit lives inside us. No matter the problem you face, no matter how big and powerful your enemy, no matter how scared you are or how out of your depth you might be- God is with His people. He is a stream providing for your every need within the sanctuary of His protection. You cannot be beaten, because He stands with you. As Romans 8:31 says, "If God is for us, who can be against us?" No one! He fights for you. God is your fortress.

 

Interestingly the word for fortress means a high place, a refuge that is at a secure height. It is not at all unlike being held in your daddy's arms high above and out of reach of a dog. Eventually there will come a time when I lower Hallie and let her closer to her fears... closer to a dog. I will of course make sure to choose a nice dog and ensure that she is safe the whole time. Hopefully by the time I do this Hallie will have learned to trust me enough to know that what seems terrifying to her in that instant is for her own good.

 

God doesn't always hold us high above our problems. Sometimes he allows them to get much closer to us than we would like. But He never abandons us. He is always "an ever-present help in trouble" (verse 1). We must learn that His presence is enough. We must learn to lean into Him and trust Him to keep us safe even in times of trouble.

 

For further reading...

• Zechariah 2:5- God promises to be a wall of fire around the city of Jerusalem and to protect it.
• Isaiah 54:17- No weapon formed against us shall prevail.
• Psalm 2- Why do the nations rage?
• II Chronicles 20- An excellent example of God fighting for His people.

 

* Certain insights in this post I owe to Charles Spurgeon's The Treasury of David on Psalm 46.

Let 'em Laugh

He went in and said to them, “Why all this commotion and wailing? The child is not dead but asleep.” But they laughed at him.

Mark 5:39-40a

We've all been laughed at. Getting a good laugh when you are going for one can lift your spirit and cause your confidence to soar. The same laughter - when directed at you as the butt of the joke - can crush your spirit and lay your confidence in the dust. Yet notice Jesus' response in this passage. He simply shuts their laughter out (v. 40). 

By this time Jesus was a known miracle worker. So much so that the girl's father believed Jesus could save his daughter's life if he could only get Him there in time. Yet, even Jesus the great healer, when He suggests that death isn't the ultimate reality for this girl, is laughed to scorn. How much more will the world laugh at you and I if we dare to take seriously the Bible's teaching on the resurrection! In a culture dominated by scientific logic, what could be more final than death? There are no observable phenomena after death, therefore death is the end. Praise God that it isn't so! 

For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall always be with the Lord. (I Thessalonians 4:16-17) 

This is THE great hope of the Christian faith. Though this world is hopelessly marred by sin so that even young children get sick and die, it is not our final destination. No! Jesus has gone to prepare a place for us. In the resurrection we will experience the world as God always meant it to be. As Paul says, "if only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied" (I Corinthians 15:19).

If you take Jesus' teaching on this subject seriously and order your life around it, then there is little doubt that you will be ridiculed. And yet, what difference does that make? Their laughter did not prevent the little girl from rising when Jesus said “Talitha koum” (v. 41). Neither will their laughter prevent you from rising on that day. On that day, dear believer, you will be vindicated for believing in the resurrection and you will enjoy the rewards you have laid up before yourself in the kingdom (Matthew 6:20). So, let them laugh, but continue to work all the more diligently knowing the time is short. Let them laugh, but proclaim the truth. Let them laugh, but serve God faithfully. Let them laugh, but pray for their souls. Let them laugh, but continue to believe in the great hope of the resurrection of all the saints in Christ Jesus our Lord. Let them laugh, but fix your eyes on the joy set before you and never, ever, ever change your course. 

For further reading...

• I Corinthians 15- Where o death is your sting?
• I Thessalonians 4:13-18- When the trumpet sounds.
• Revelation 20:11-22:5- The New Heavens and the New Earth.

Who is this Guy?

That day when evening came, he said to his disciples, “Let us go over to the other side.” Leaving the crowd behind, they took him along, just as he was, in the boat. There were also other boats with him. A furious squall came up, and the waves broke over the boat, so that it was nearly swamped. Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion. The disciples woke him and said to him, “Teacher, don’t you care if we drown?”

He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Quiet! Be still!” Then the wind died down and it was completely calm. He said to his disciples, “Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?” They were terrified and asked each other, “Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!”

Mark 4:35-41

Jesus is the one that told the disciples to set out for the other side of the lake. Obedience to Him put them right in the middle of a big problem and a dangerous situation. But God does all things for His own reasons. This was a divinely orchestrated teaching moment designed especially for the disciples (many of whom were experienced fisherman and sailors) so that God could begin to open up their understanding to who Jesus really was. So let's put ourselves in their place. Let’s learn their lesson and use it for our good today. Imagine that you are one of these disciples in the midst of the storm with Jesus and let's ask ourselves the same question that the disciples ended up asking themselves. “Who is this Jesus?”

We see first that Jesus is unmistakably human for He is sleeping (ESV Study Bible). Scripture speaks plainly that God doesn't sleep (Isaiah 40:28 & Psalm 121:4). Yet here we find Jesus, in the midst of a great storm as water floods in the boat all around Him sound asleep. However, the disciples needed no reminder that Jesus was human; they knew that full well. What they needed to know was what stands out most in this encounter: Jesus does something which only God could do (The New Bible Commentary by IVP). Only the Creator God has the power to command the wind and the waves. Yet, we find Jesus doing exactly this. So who then is this Jesus?

Scripture tells us that He is not only human, but He is also God the Son and the Creator of the heavens and the earth.

The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For in him all things were created… all things have been created through him and for him. (Colossians 1:15-16)

Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. (John 1:3)

In his commentary on this passage, Matthew Henry rightly notes that had the disciples known the answer to their own question, they would have feared the storm less. They feared the wind and the waves more than they should have because they feared Jesus less than they should have. If they had known who Jesus really was, then they would have feared the storm much less and Jesus much more. It is easy though when the problems of this world are clamoring all around us and the lives which we have carefully constructed are crashing down upon us to focus exclusively on the storm and to think that it is ultimate reality... but it is not. No matter what your storm is, it is not ultimate reality. The most pertinent fact in the whole world to whatever problem you are facing is this: God loved you so much that He sent His Son to take on flesh to suffer and die in your place so that your sin could be atoned for and forgiven. God has accepted you in grace. Respond to Him in belief. If you will (or if you have), then He has promised your ultimate destination is heaven. He is in control of your journey. Each storm is allowed by Him to draw you nearer to Him and to conform you more into the image of His Son. If God is for you, then who can be against you? (Romans 8:31). No one!

So learn a lesson from the disciples today. Don't attack God with accusations and unbelief like they did Jesus (see vs. 38). Implore Him for help, but from a place of faith. If He has given His son for you, how will He not also, along with Him, graciously give you all things that you need? (Romans 8:32). As your storm rages all around you, remind yourself who Jesus is. Remind yourself that no matter how big, loud, or painful your storm is, Jesus is bigger, He is more real, your destiny is in His hands, and He has already proven His love for you. So ask for help, but do so in faith.

For further reading...

• Romans 8:18-39: Read what Paul has to say about present suffering, future glory, and ultimate reality.
• John 1:1-18: John tells us who Jesus is.
• Colossians 1:15-20: Paul tells us who Jesus is.
• John 10:1-21 & John 14:1-14: Jesus tells us who He is.
• Revelation 5: The Revelation vision tells us who Jesus is.

Contaminated

A man with leprosy came to him and begged him on his knees, “If you are willing, you can make me clean.” Filled with compassion, Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man. “I am willing,” he said. “Be clean!” Immediately the leprosy left him and he was cured. Jesus sent him away at once with a strong warning: “See that you don’t tell this to anyone. But go, show yourself to the priest and offer the sacrifices that Moses commanded for your cleansing, as a testimony to them.” Instead he went out and began to talk freely, spreading the news. As a result, Jesus could no longer enter a town openly but stayed outside in lonely places. Yet the people still came to him from everywhere.

Mark 1:40-45

In the Old Testament and in life we get a clear picture of the way that contamination works. From experience we know that if you toss a piece of clean white linen into the mud, the mud doesn't miraculously become clean. On the contrary, the linen is soiled. That's the direction that contamination flows. Dirty things mar clean things. The Old Testament tells us that, much like that mud, sick people contaminate well people. This is why God gave the Israelites a lot of specific instructions on how to handle leprosy (Leviticus 13 & 14). I don't know of anywhere in the Old Testament where it says that the leprous man should touch something or someone who is clean, and upon doing so he will become clean. In fact, the Old Testament had a lot of instructions for how leprous people were to avoid coming into contact with anyone who was healthy. Leviticus 13:45-46, for example, requires certain lepers to live outside the camp and cry out "Unclean! Unclean!" to help keep people away.

But in this passage Jesus reverses the flow of contamination. When Jesus touches the leprous man, He is not contaminated with his leprosy. On the contrary, the leprous man is contaminated with Jesus' cleanness and health. Jesus has power over this illness. He has the power to remove and to restore and to make whole again. And what is perhaps even more interesting is that Jesus doesn't have to touch the man to heal him. He could have simply said, be healed. He heals from a distance elsewhere (Matthew 8:5-13). But Jesus chose to heal him by touching him. We cannot imagine what this must have meant to this man. His leprosy has placed a stigma on him. No one touches him anymore. No one hugs him, or comes near him, unless they also have the disease. But the maker of the universe walks over and enters into his uncleanness...his sickness and takes it away. What a beautiful example of God's love and of how Christ humbles Himself to enter into our circumstances to show us that love. It is downright incarnational.

Jesus has this same power over all illnesses, all weaknesses, and all sin. It is only Jesus who restores and makes clean and whole. It is only Jesus who died on the cross to pay the penalty for our sin. It is only He who can restore you to right relationship with God. Whatever your problem, whatever your illness, whatever you are lacking, rest assured that Jesus is the answer. This doesn't mean that He will do exactly what you want Him to do. Or that all your problems will go away immediately. But Jesus will set you free from your sin if you ask. He will give you the perseverance and strength to face your struggles and be victorious over them. Sometimes, He chooses to heal people through death, setting them free from their disease by leading them home to heaven. At other times, He heals them right here and now and sends them off to live for God in this world. Don't get me wrong, Jesus isn't going to pay all your bills, and beat up all your enemies, and get you a raise at work. But He alone is the storehouse that can provide for all your needs, and He alone has the wisdom to discern when to simply meet your needs and when to help you as you struggle against them. Come to Jesus. Bring your illness, your disease, your sin, and let His Spirit touch you and heal you today. And then go out and help others carry their burdens the way He has carried yours.

For further reading...

• Matthew 8:5-13: Read a story of Jesus healing from afar.
• John 1:1-18, Philippians 2:1-11, II Corinthians 8:9- Read these passages on the incarnation of Christ and see what connections you can find to Jesus' action of healing the leprous man.

A Father's Discipline

Which of you will listen to this or pay close attention in time to come? Who handed Jacob over to become loot, and Israel to the plunderers? Was it not the Lord, against whom we have sinned? For they would not follow his ways; they did not obey his law. So he poured out on them his burning anger, the violence of war. It enveloped them in flames, yet they did not understand; it consumed them, but they did not take it to heart.

Isaiah 42:23-25

Christians today often shy away from pointing to difficult circumstances or situations in our lives and considering them to be God's punishment. I think this is partly because we don't like to think of God punishing us. "Sure we find passages like the one above in the Old Testament" we think, "but not in the New Testament." Actually, the New Testament has some pretty specific examples of God punishing His children for their sin. (See for example the story of Ananias and Sapphira.) We don't much like this though. We prefer to think of God as loving Father more than righteous judge. But the truth is, when God punishes us, He acts as both our Father and Judge. Let me explain...

In the above passage, Isaiah prophesies over the people of Judah who will one day be taken into Babylonian captivity. The Lord, speaking through Isaiah, makes it perfectly clear that He will be responsible for their exile. He will send them into captivity as a punishment because of their continued disobedience. But the passage also makes clear that God's punishment is an opportunity for correction. God wants them to "listen" and "pay close attention." He wants them to "take it to heart" so that they will change their ways and live in accordance with His commands. We must always consider God's discipline in our lives as Proverbs 3:11-12 would have us. "My son, do not despise the Lord’s discipline, and do not resent His rebuke, because the Lord disciplines those He loves, as a father the son He delights in." God punishes us as a Father so that we may avoid later judgment. 

When we refuse to even consider that the difficult circumstances and situations in our life may be the Lord's discipline, then we miss out on important warnings from our Heavenly Father. Now, I don't advocate constantly chalking up your difficulties as an assault from the Lord, but it does make good Christian sense to stop and ask yourself a few questions when you encounter a season of uncommon difficulty. 

1. Is there persistent sin in my life that God may be disciplining me for? 
2. Is the difficulty I am experiencing tied to or the result of sin in my life? 
3. Is this simply normal suffering as a result of the fallen nature of this world? We all suffer. Sometimes we suffer greatly at no fault of our own. The fact that we are suffering does not necessarily mean we are being punished.
4. Could this be an attack of the devil? Am I following the Lord closely enough to warrant an attack from the Devil?

Don't be quick to rush to judgment when it comes to difficulty in your life. Suffering is common to all mankind. Only through prayer and self-examination can you determine if your difficult circumstances are really the Lord's correction, but I urge you not to skip over considering this possibility. Ignoring the Lord's discipline comes at a very high cost.

For further reading...

• Acts 5:1-10- Read the story of Ananias & Sapphira.
• Acts 8:9-24- Peter has some choice words for Simon the sorcerer after he tries to buy the Holy Spirit.
• I Corinthians 11:17-32- Paul talks clearly about God's judgment on those who misuse the Lord's Supper.

Last Letter

Large crowds were traveling with Jesus, and turning to them he said: “If anyone comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters—yes, even their own life—such a person cannot be my disciple. And whoever does not carry their cross and follow me cannot be my disciple.

“Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Won’t you first sit down and estimate the cost to see if you have enough money to complete it? For if you lay the foundation and are not able to finish it, everyone who sees it will ridicule you, saying, ‘This person began to build and wasn’t able to finish.’

“Or suppose a king is about to go to war against another king. Won’t he first sit down and consider whether he is able with ten thousand men to oppose the one coming against him with twenty thousand? If he is not able, he will send a delegation while the other is still a long way off and will ask for terms of peace. In the same way, those of you who do not give up everything you have cannot be my disciples.

“Salt is good, but if it loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is fit neither for the soil nor for the manure pile; it is thrown out.

“Whoever has ears to hear, let them hear.”

Luke 14:25-35

It used to be the case that missionaries who were called to the field would write a last letter to their family and friends before they left. This letter was a manifesto of sorts. It was an attempt to explain to their families why they were leaving to go to the mission field, why they were willing to die for the cause of Christ. This was necessary because at that time a call to the mission field was a call to die. The missionaries would literally pack their belongings in a coffin and load them on a boat to sail to their mission field, because they knew they wouldn't be back. One way or another, either very soon or possibly in the distant future, these missionaries would die in a foreign country. Often they never even made it to the field because of the hazards of sea travel. So these letters were an effort to explain their strange commitment to Jesus to their families and to say anything they wanted or needed to say to them before they died. 

The simple truth is that American culture values security and safety. We buy insurance to protect ourselves and our families from all types of potential disasters: fires, floods, disability, car wrecks, even death. (This last one we call life insurance because death insurance just sounds too morbid.) So it shouldn't surprise us that our culture struggles to understand why believers are willing to follow the call of Jesus to take the gospel to the nations when we know that persecutions and potential death await them. Often their families, even the Christian ones unfortunately, still find it odd when they choose to follow Jesus into risky areas or situations. 

Jesus warned us about this though. He tells us that our families will not always support us in following Him, and we must choose our priorities (Luke 12:49-53). Jesus demands the number one spot in our lives. We must be willing to follow Him above all else, even our families. Jesus makes this explicit because He knows that sometimes even our families will stand between us and faithful service.

Count the cost. Even if Jesus doesn't call you to missionary service, He still expects the same level of surrender out of you. Are you willing to make Him your first priority? Are you willing to follow Him in risky propositions? Maybe you have committed your life to Christ but today you realize that you are like the salt who has begun to lose its saltiness. Repent and return to Christ! Sometimes God takes our all. Sometimes He requires the ultimate sacrifice. We choose to trust Him anyway. We trust that even if He asks for our lives in His service, that He will use it for His glory and our good. Because of this we can say with Paul, "I know whom I have believed and am convinced that He is able to guard what I have entrusted to Him until that day" (2 Timothy 1:12). Like Stephen, we gladly lay down our lives when called to do so, in the hopes that somewhere in the crowd of a persecutors, there is a Saul waiting to be called to salvation and service by our God.

For further reading...

• thelastletter.org- Check out this website. It has a good video and some other stuff on it. Think about writing your own last letter. What would it say? What are you willing to die for?
• Acts 6-8:1- Read the story of Stephen.

Desolate Places

Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed.

Mark 1:35

By this time in His life Jesus seems to have learned* that desolate places can be great conduits for nearness to God. Though I cannot prove this is the case, I think Christ might have learned this during His time of temptation in the wilderness. The desolate places and difficult times in our lives can be extremely effective at drawing us nearer to God... if we let them. If we humble ourselves under God's hand like Job who said, "The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away. May the name of the LORD be praised," then these difficult times in our lives can actually become times of sweet fellowship with our Father (Job 1:21).

These difficult and desolate times test our resolve to persevere in service to God. When everyone else is driven away from us because of our circumstances, when everyone is proven incapable of soothing or comforting us, then only one person remains- our Heavenly Father. Christians who draw near to Him in these times, and who "trust in the LORD with all their heart and lean not on their own understanding" often enjoy new levels of relational intimacy with the Father because of it (Proverbs 3:5). Though these times are often low points in our earthly lives, they can become high points in our heavenly relationship. I have found that I often come back again and again to these high points for continued strength and encouragement. It is possible that this is exactly what we see Jesus doing here. Perhaps, by retreating to a desolate area again He is reminding Himself of the intimacy with God and the sustaining hand He felt during His temptation in the wilderness. Perhaps His time in the wilderness taught Him that lonely places can often be the best places to pray. 

So let me ask you, what difficult test or desolate situation are you going through in your life right now? Continue to trust God in the midst of it! Don't lean on your own understanding. Draw near to the Father and He will draw near to you (James 4:8). Remember that His timing is not our timing, and His ways are not our ways (II Peter 3:8 & Isaiah 55:8-9). So be patient and above all have faith. Take a moment to reflect on and return to some of the high points in your relationship with the Lord. How many of them took place in the midst of difficult and desolate circumstances?

For further reading...

• Check out the book of Job. In the end God brings his nearness but not necessarily an explanation.

*Because Jesus was 100% human as well as 100% God, it is appropriate for us to speak of Him learning things as awkward as that may seem. C.f. Luke 2:52.