Battleground

Have you thought about the story of Job lately? Some people don’t like his story because it reminds them that following God doesn’t always make sense. Sometimes following God (being a Christian) finds us experiencing excruciating physical and/or mental distress, for which there is no logical explanation – surrounded by family and friends who say exactly the wrong things.

Here’s the thing, we want the “happily ever after” part of the story without having to go through the messy parts of the story to get there. Remember, before Cinderella rode off to the palace with her prince, she was orphaned and treated like a servant; Hansel and Gretel were abandoned by their parents and kidnapped by the owner of the gingerbread house; and Snow White was put into a 100 year coma while everyone she had ever known grew old and died before she woke up. Be careful when you wish for a fairy tale life, the unpleasant parts take up most of the story.

Anyway, we get caught up in looking for that happy ending, and when we not only don’t find it, but end up in often seemingly hopeless situations, we want to ask God, “Why?” 

That question will never have an answer that is going to help us in any way. The only answer to “Why” is “because there is sin.” The only explanation for bad things happening in this world is that we not only live on the battleground of the Great Controversy between God and Satan, we are the battleground. Once we’ve committed to God’s side, Satan is going to do everything in his power to change our minds. We have to be ready for that.

In one predominantly Hindu South Asian country, a Christian mission agency has a list of seven questions that they ask new believers to think about as they consider being baptized. These questions help them to think through the possible consequences of living openly as a Christian.

1.    Are you willing to leave home and lose the blessing of your father?

2.    Are you willing to lose your job?

3.    Are you willing to go to the village and those who persecute you, forgive them, and share the love of Christ with them?

4.    Are you willing to give an offering to the Lord?

5.    Are you willing to be beaten rather than deny your faith?

6.    Are you willing to go to prison?

7.    Are you willing to die for Jesus?[1]

Those are some serious questions, and those of us who live in, what we consider, Christian countries, may think those questions aren’t realistic. But at some point, they will be real for all of us – our examples are the believers in the Bible, not to mention Jesus, Himself.

We are not promised a peaceful, easy existence as Christians, in fact, we are guaranteed the opposite:

“Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and kill you, and you will be hated by all nations for My name’s sake.” Matthew 24:9

There it is – from Jesus’ own lips – just one of the many verses that make us wriggle in our seats just a little bit when we are reminded of them.

Look at those seven questions again … are you still willing to openly live your life so that the universe can see the truth about God, even if it means that you will most likely, at some point, be persecuted for it? Are you willing to be surrounded by well-meaning, but completely wrong-thinking friends and family who, instead of offering support, tell you all the ways what you’re going through is your own fault? What if the persecution doesn’t come from humans? What if it’s like Job’s trials that looked like random tragedies?

“Schutt Sports, a major supplier of football helmets for the National Football League, issues the following warning label on all their helmets and on their website's homepage: WARNING …. NO HELMET SYSTEM CAN PREVENT CONCUSSIONS OR ELIMINATE THE RISK OF SERIOUS HEAD OR NECK INJURIES WHILE PLAYING FOOTBALL.
The warning label continues with some information about the symptoms for concussions and concludes by repeating the original warning: ‘TO AVOID THESE RISKS [OF PLAYING FOOTBALL], DO NOT ENGAGE IN THE SPORT OF FOOTBALL.’[2]

By the same token, the only way to eliminate the risk of becoming a Christian, is NOT to become a Christian. What are you willing to go through to be associated with Jesus Christ?

I don’t know if you’ve ever heard of Amy Carmichael, she was from Ireland, but spent 55 years of her life working as a missionary in India. Her life was rarely smooth or easy, but she did amazing things for God. She had quite a lot to say about her experiences but one of my favorite quotes is this one.

“Certain it is that the reason there is so much shallow living—much talk but little obedience—is that so few are prepared to be, like the pine on the hilltop, alone in the wind for God.”[3]

I have to ask myself, am I willing to stand “alone in the wind for God?” As we come closer and closer to Jesus’ return, Satan is working harder and harder to make following Jesus more and more unpleasant. He wants us to give up, to take the broad road that leads to destruction. Whether he uses persecution, our own health, or our friends against us, we have to be willing to say with Job, “For I know that my Redeemer lives, And He shall stand at last on the earth;  And after my skin is destroyed, this I know, That in my flesh I shall see God, Whom I shall see for myself, And my eyes shall behold, and not another. How my heart yearns within me!” Job 19:25-27

“In shady, green pastures, so rich and so sweet,God leads His dear children along;Where the water’s cool flow bathes the weary one’s feet,God leads His dear children along.Refrain:Some through the waters, some through the flood,Some through the fire, but all through the blood;Some through great sorrow, but God gives a song,In the night season and all the day long.Sometimes on the mount where the sun shines so bright,God leads His dear children along;Sometimes in the valley, in darkest of night,God leads His dear children along.Though sorrows befall us and evils oppose,God leads His dear children along;Through grace we can conquer, defeat all our foes,God leads His dear children along.Away from the mire, and away from the clay,God leads His dear children along;Away up in glory, eternity’s day,God leads His dear children along.”[4]

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[1] South Asian nation struggles to shape itself, Mission Network News (1-17-12)

[2] Schutt Sports, Schuttsports.com, last accessed August 23, 2013

[3] Amy Carmichael, Irish missionary to India (1867–1951)

[4] George A. Young, God Leads Us Along 1903

Hedged In

"Have you not put a hedge around him and his household and everything he has? You have blessed the work of his hands, so that his flocks and herds are spread throughout the land.” Job 1:10

What does the writer of Job mean when he talks about God having put a hedge around Job?  Have you ever thought much about that concept?  I have thought a little about what it might mean to have God place a hedge around my family and me.  I’ve heard people talk about people “praying a hedge around” someone.  I’m don’t believe I spent very much time thinking about what that actually might mean.

The implication is that if you and I walk with God, He will protect us.  I can see the logic in that theory, but I also believe there is an element of “degree” involved.  I also believe there are some differences of opinion of what  “walk with God” and “protect us” might look like.

For example, an article that appeared on July 30, 2004 in the Friends Bulletin, states, very simply, “There is safety in following God.”  The author uses the example of the Israelites in the wilderness.  “Although we talk about them wandering in the wilderness, they weren't strictly lost.  Certainly, they didn’t know where they were, where they were going, or when.  But they were being clearly guided every step of the way.”  I find enormous hope in that statement, because it reminds me so very much of my own life, much of the time.  I don’t know where I am, where I’m going, or when I’ll get there, but I know that as long as I let Him, God is guiding me every step of the way.  Isn’t that awesome?

From there, though, I’m not sure about some things.  For one thing, if we understand that God “puts a hedge around” those who obey Him, does that mean that those who don’t obey Him are out there completely on their own?  Hmm. 

According to one gentleman from Grand Prairie,  TX, the answer is an absolute YES.  He describes a time when He was not a member of a church.  He was attending, but He was not member.  One week he felt he was being strongly urged to join the church he had been attending.  So he did and two days later, his little girl was the only child not seriously injured in a school bus accident.  His belief is, that if he had put off joining that church that day, the outcome of the bus accident would have been very different.    I’m not altogether sure.  I could be wrong, but that seems to take this whole concept of “hedge” to a superstitious level.  What do you think?  Let me know what you think.

When we think about Noah’s life, we don’t see superstition, we just see Noah obeying God quietly and steadfastly.  Linda Michaels a CBN.com producer quoted this line from a devotional she was reading. "The safest path is dangerous if it is outside of God’s will.  The most dangerous path is safe if He is calling you to walk that way.”  That certainly describes Noah’s experience, doesn’t it.  Even though John hadn’t written it down yet, Jesus could have been talking about Noah when He said, “If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father’s commands and remain in His love.”  John 15:9-10

Another idea that seems to be tied to the “hedge” is guardian angels.  It’s an idea that I really, really love.  I love knowing that I have an angel who is watching over me all the time.  I love the idea that when I get to heaven I will be able to talk to my angel and learn about all the times he (she?) protected me when I didn’t even know I was in danger.  With that in mind though, I remember when I was younger being told that if I went somewhere I was not supposed to go, my angel wouldn’t go with me.  Do you remember hearing that?  I found many articles by people who also believe that theory. 

One article, in particular, got my attention because of this author’s “hard line” on when God’s protection is available to us.  His example goes like this, “… if that angel hears your mother tell you to stay out of the street, would the angel stay in the yard or would he go in the street with you?”  And his conclusion is that the angel would not go in the street and that the child who disobeyed his mother would then be on his own, because to go with you where you were told not to go would be the same as the angel pardoning your transgression. 

I have to tell you I have a problem with that theory.  If our angels left us every time we stepped out of God’s will, I don’t believe any of us would be living right now, much less coming to church and growing in Jesus.  I understand that sin has natural consequences and that we experience those when we step away from God’s plan for our lives, but I don’t believe He ever leaves us on our own.  Again, I could be wrong.  Maybe I’m just trying to comfort myself, but I believe that even in times when God and I both knew I was not living the way He wanted me to live, He never left me.  His heart was breaking because of my behavior and my poor choices, but He never left me.

Now this author I was just telling you about completely lost me when he equated God with the President of the United States by saying 

“The president doesn’t personally read or answer all his mail.  He has staff to take care of it.  The president’s ‘angels’ deal with the mail using predetermined rules.  What they can’t handle they refer to him for a decision.”  

His conclusion is that when we pray to God, a guardian angel actually hears our prayer and then determines whether he can handle it or if he needs to send it up to God.  Definitely not.

The God I believe in hears my innermost thoughts, my deepest fears and my heart’s desire.  My God is the God that David describes in Psalm 91.  Check it out:

"He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.  I will say of the LORD, 'He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.'  Surely he will save you from the fowler's snare and from the deadly pestilence.  He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.  You will not fear the terror of night, nor the arrow that flies by day, nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness, nor the plague that destroys at midday.  A thousand may fall at your side, ten thousand at your right hand, but it will not come near you.  You will only observe with your eyes and see the punishment of the wicked.  If you make the Most High your dwelling—even the LORD, who is my refuge-then no harm will befall you, no disaster will come near your tent.  For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways; they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.  You will tread upon the lion and the cobra; you will trample the great lion and the serpent.  ‘Because he loves me,’ says the LORD, ‘I will rescue him; I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name.  He will call upon me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him.  With long life will I satisfy him and show him my salvation.'"

In God’s Hands

“For all this I considered in my heart even to declare all this, that the righteous, and the wise, and their works, are in the hand of God: no man knoweth either love or hatred by all that is before them.”  Ecclesiastes 9:1

“In the hands of God” is one of those Christian clichés that we hear all the time, but have you ever thought about what it really means?

Man, I thought this would be easy.  I figured I’d just do a quick word search and grab a couple of texts to illustrate what I thought “in God’s hands” meant to me.  Was I in for a huge surprise! Nearly 2,000 texts with the word “hand” in them.  I had no idea there could be so many contexts for a single word.  Now I’m really confused!  In some of the texts, having God’s hand on you was not a good place to be.  “Your right hand, O LORD, shattered the enemy.” Exodus 15:6 for example.  Or “The Lord's hand was against them until he had completely eliminated them from the camp.” Deuteronomy 2:15.  Then we read about Job, who talks about the Lord’s hand being against him.  That was definitely NOT where I thought this search would take me!  Pretty unsettling, …so I kept looking.

Then I found Ezra and Nehemiah who report a more positive experience with the hand of God:

“And because the gracious hand of my God was upon me, the king granted my requests.” Nehemiah 2:8 and “The hand of our God was on us, and he protected us from enemies and bandits along the way.”  Ezra 8:31. 

Ok, I liked those much better.

 

Then we get to the Psalms where the psalmists talk a lot about being in or touched by God’s hand. Just a couple of examples are:

"My times are in your hands; deliver me from my enemies and from those who pursue me.” Psalm 31:15

”…though he stumble, he will not fall, for the LORD upholds him with his hand.” Psalm 37:24

”Like your name, O God, your praise reaches to the ends of the earth; your right hand is filled with righteousness.” Psalm 48:10

I was definitely on the right track now, but I still want to know, “What does it mean?”  Clearly, it’s not always a good thing.  In fact, if we asked Job, I think he would say that sometimes it’s pretty awful.

I think the most obvious meaning is ownership.  Right?  When something is in someone’s hand, that person owns whatever it is.  So, if we are in God’s hands, we are owned by God.  Many times in the Old Testament God tells a commander of the Jewish army that He would deliver a certain city or people into the commander’s hand.  That pretty much meant that they were going to own that city when the battle was over.  And to go one step further, ownership means control.  So “in God’s hands” could be interpreted as being under His control.  Is that someplace we want to be?

Well, I also read this from something called The Upward Look by Ellen White:

True faith consists in doing just what God has enjoined, not manufacturing things He has not enjoined. Justice, truth, mercy, are the fruit of faith. We need to walk in the light of God’s law; then good works will be the fruit of our faith, the proceeds of a heart renewed every day.
We must not in any way make self our god. God has given Himself to die for us, that He might purify us from all iniquity. The Lord will carry on this work of perfection for us if we will allow ourselves to be controlled by Him. . . .
The work of righteousness cannot be carried forward unless we exercise implicit faith. Move every day under God’s mighty working power. The fruit of righteousness is quietness and assurance forever. If we had exercised more faith in God and had trusted less to our own ideas and wisdom, God would have manifested His power in a marked manner on human hearts. By a union with Him, by living faith, we are privileged to enjoy the virtue and efficacy of His mediation. Hence we are crucified with Christ, dead with Christ, risen with Christ, to walk in newness of life with Him.
We are not to hold ourselves in our own hands. We are to drop self into the hands of God. . . . Our lack of faith is the reason that we have not seen more of the power of God. We exercise more faith in our own working than in God’s working for us. God designs that everything possible shall be done to enable us to stand heart to heart, mind to mind, shoulder to shoulder. This lack of love and confidence in one another weakens our faith in God.
We need to pray as we never have prayed before for the baptism of the Holy Spirit, for if there was ever a time when we needed this baptism, it is now. There is nothing the Lord has more frequently told us He would bestow upon us, and nothing by which His name would be more glorified in bestowing, than the Holy Spirit. When we partake of this Spirit, men and women will be born again. . . . Souls once lost will be found, and brought back.--Letter 105, Nov. 28, 1898, to Elder and Mrs. S. N. Haskell.

I know that’s a really long quote, but it is so clear about what we need to do.  I love the way Mrs. White says that we should “drop self into the hands of God.”

The question is, do we trust God enough to give Him complete control over our lives?  Are we really ready to surrender everything of ourselves to God no matter where He takes us or what happens to us?  We have no assurance that just because we’re in God’s hands, that we’ll always have sunshine, rainbows, and butterflies, in fact, we’re promised some pretty unpleasant/ uncomfortable experiences if we stay with Him.

“In his dying agony, as he yields up his precious life, he has by faith alone to trust in Him whom it has ever been his joy to obey. He is not cheered with clear, bright rays of hope on the right hand nor on the left. All is enshrouded in oppressive gloom. Amid the awful darkness which is felt even by sympathizing nature, the Redeemer drains the mysterious cup even to its dregs. Denied even bright hope and confidence in the triumph which will be his in the near future, he cries with a loud voice, "Lord into thy hands I commit my spirit." He is acquainted with the character of his Father, his justice, his mercy, and great love. In submission he drops into the hands of his Father. Amid the convulsions of nature are heard by the amazed spectators the dying words of the Man of Calvary, ‘It is finished.’” The Love of Christ, Signs of the Times, February 15, 1883

Once again, Ellen White says it all.  Jesus knows that even though the sins of the world have separated Him from His Father, He knows that God is still there, still loves Him and will hold Him in His hands.

Bounce - Back - ability

Commentary on the Sabbath School Lesson dated 2.12.11

That would be the word I just made up as a synonym for resilience.  Some other synonyms, according to Wikipedia are "psychological resilience", "emotional resilience", "hardiness", "resourcefulness", and "mental toughness",[1] and it seems to be a pretty big deal at the moment. Especially when we’re talking about kids.  See, everybody is trying to figure out why some kids turn out alright, even when they get teased and bullied while others bring guns to school and start killing people, and still others quietly kill themselves. 

Resilience isn’t just important in childhood, and it didn’t just become something to think about.  Even way back during Bible times, some people experienced some really terrible things and still turned out okay.  A couple of examples would be Joseph, Ruth, oh, and let’s not forget a biggie: Job.

What makes the difference?  Well, believe it or not, one excellent explanation comes from M. Night Shyamalan’s movie Signs.

“Signs is the story of the Hess family, … who wake up one morning to find a 500-foot crop circle in the middle of their cornfield. Graham Hess (Mel Gibson), his brother Merril (Joaquin Phoenix), and Graham's two children, Morgan and Bo, watch TV news reports with growing alarm as they learn that the crop circle in their corn field is similar to others around the world, all the products of an alien invasion force. On the TV screen they see 14 lights in the night sky over Mexico City, visual evidence of the invaders.Merril turns to Graham, a former pastor who has lost his faith, for some comfort.“… ‘People break down into two groups. When they experience something lucky, group number one sees it as more than luck, more than a coincidence. They see it as a sign, evidence that there is someone up there, watching out for them.‘Group number two sees it as just pure luck, a happy turn of chance. You can be sure that the people in group number two are looking at those 14 lights in a very suspicious way. For them, their situation is 50/50. Could be bad, could be good. But deep down, they feel that whatever happens, they're on their own.“‘And that fills them with fear. But, there's a whole lot of people in group number one. When they see those 14 lights, they're looking at a miracle, and deep down they feel that whatever's going to happen, there will be someone to help them. And that fills them with hope. So what you have to ask yourself: What kind of person are you? Are you the kind that sees signs, and sees miracles? Or do you believe that people just get lucky? Or look at the question this way. Is it possible that there are no coincidences?’”[2]

What do you think?  Would you agree that one of the reasons some people bounce back from huge amounts of adversity is that they believe that they aren’t all alone – that Someone is watching over them?  These people can say with the psalmist:

“God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.  Therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea; Though the waters thereof roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with the swelling thereof. Selah.” Psalm 46:1-3

Does it help you to remember that you’re not going through life all by yourself?  Does it comfort to know that

“We are assured and know that God being a partner in their labor] all things work together and are [fitting into a plan] for good to and for those who love God and are called according to [His] design and purpose.”? Romans 8:28 Amplified Bible

When I think about how many times that one Bible verse has given me comfort, I have to wonder, where does someone who does not believe in a loving God find comfort during difficult times?  Where can someone who believes that, as the character in Signs says, “whatever happens, they’re on their own”?

I believe that the only reason Joseph could hang on at all with all the ups and downs he experienced was to know that no matter where he was, God was with Him.

“As the caravan journeyed southward toward the borders of Canaan, the boy could discern in the distance the hills among which lay his father’s tents. Bitterly he wept at thought of that loving father in his loneliness and affliction. Again the scene at Dothan came up before him. He saw his angry brothers and felt their fierce glances bent upon him. The stinging, insulting words that had met his agonized entreaties were ringing in his ears. With a trembling heart he looked forward to the future. What a change in situation—from the tenderly cherished son to the despised and helpless slave! ...   
“His thoughts turned to his father’s God. In his childhood he had been taught to love and fear Him. Often in his father’s tent he had listened to the story of the vision that Jacob saw as he fled from his home an exile and a fugitive.... His soul thrilled with the high resolve to prove himself true to God—under all circumstances to act as became a subject of the King of heaven. He would serve the Lord with undivided heart; he would meet the trials of his lot with fortitude and perform every duty with fidelity. One day’s experience had been the turning point in Joseph’s life. Its terrible calamity had transformed him from a petted child to a man, thoughtful, courageous, and self-possessed.”[3]

I’m probably, once again, over-simplifying what other folks see as a very complex set of issues, and I’m sure there are many reasons that some people find the resilience to bounce back from emotionally devastating experiences.  I believe, though, that people who believe that the world they live in is only a string of astronomical and biological accident, have nowhere to hide when circumstances become difficult.

“Faint not. Cast yourself at the feet of Jesus, who has been tempted, and knows how to help such as are tempted.... Plead your case before God, through Jesus, until your soul can with confidence rely upon Him for strength, and you feel that you are not left to do the work of overcoming alone. God will help you. Angels will watch over you. But before you can expect this help, you must do what you can on your part. Watch and pray.”[4]

That’s where bounce-back-ability  comes from!

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[1] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Psychological_resilience

[2] Signs (Touchstone Pictures, 2002), rated PG-13, written and directed by M. Night Shyamalan

[3] E.G. White, Conflict and Courage, page 73

[4] E.G. White, The Faith I Live By, page 224