Whispers

Posted on by June 18, 2014
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2 Samuel 23:1-2 — Now these be the last words of David. David the son of Jesse said, and the man who was raised up on high, the anointed of the God of Jacob, and the sweet psalmist of Israel, said, The Spirit of the Lord spake by me, and his word was in my tongue.

It occurred to me the other day that I have been writing these pieces for a little more than a year. I don’t remember missing many days. Now I don’t say that every piece has been all that good (I am no “sweet psalmist of Israel”!) — but there has never been a day when I didn’t know what to write about when the time was right. Now this is difficult for me to share in some ways, because it might seem that I am claiming the same kind of guidance as trained and Spirit-filled preachers and teachers. I don’t want to make such a large claim. All I can say is that each day, by the time I come to write these devotional pieces, I know what I’m supposed to write about — although sometimes I have no idea why!
Someone was it Myra?) asked me how long I thought I would keep on writing. I said “as long as the Spirit keeps whispering”. It was just a casual answer, I thought, but I realized — on reflection — that there was more to it than that.
I think I’ve written before about how we discern the will of God. One thing that I’ve come to know is that more often than not, the message comes very quietly. It might come silently as we read the Bible, or as a “heard” voice. Often His will is revealed through circumstances — and sometimes we just “know”.
It happens in the same way when I write. Perhaps a passage in our morning devotions, or an idea that comes from nowhere, or something that happens in the day … the subject is whispered to me.
Part of what came to me today, fully formed, was the thought that it doesn’t just work that way for me. It works that way for you too! You can think of it as the witnessing engine, We’re all witnesses. We all need to know what to say. Give the Spirit a chance and He will whisper the message to us. This shouldn’t be a surprise. The circumstances are not quite the same, but you might remember Jesus promised the disciples “But when they deliver you up, take no thought how or what ye shall speak: for it shall be given you in that same hour what ye shall speak. For it is not ye that speak, but the Spirit of your Father which speaketh in you.” (Matthew 10:19-20)
The circumstances of witnessing might change — a trial, a devotion, or just a chat with a friend — but if our hearts and minds and ears are open, the Holy Spirit will whisper the words!

Not MY Problem

Posted on by June 17, 2014
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2 Kings 20:19 — Then said Hezekiah unto Isaiah, Good is the word of the LORD which thou hast spoken. And he said, Is it not good, if peace and truth be in my days?

Numbers 32:23 — But if ye will not do so, behold, ye have sinned against the LORD: and be sure your sin will find you out.

I think we all know that if we do something we shouldn’t, sooner or later we’ll get found out. It’s not just the clear Biblical statement of the principle that makes us aware of this certainty. Our own experience confirms it. So how come we so often behave as though we have never learned the lesson? Here’s a couple of examples of what I mean.
I wonder if, like me, you’ve been appalled at the mess at the Veteran’s Administration?  According to a June 9 report by the Associated Press:

More than 57,000 U.S. military veterans have been waiting 90 days or more for their first VA medical appointments, and an additional 64,000 appear to have fallen through the cracks, never getting appointments after enrolling, the government said Monday in a report newly demonstrating how deep and widespread the problem is.
It’s not just a backlog issue, the wide-ranging Veterans Affairs review indicated. Thirteen percent of schedulers in the facility-by-facility report on 731 hospitals and outpatient clinics reported being told by supervisors to falsify appointment schedules to make patient waits appear shorter.

It’s not just the failure in performance that’s appalling, nor even the cover up, but the stupidity that seemed to believe that the truth would not out.
Then there’s the scandal at the heart of manufacturing industry. Another news report, this time from the New York Times of June 5:

A sweeping internal investigation of General Motors released on Thursday condemned the company for its decade-long failure to fix a deadly safety defect, one that led to “devastating consequences,” including at least 13 deaths.
The report, written by the former United States attorney Anton R. Valukas, set off the dismissal of 15 G.M. employees, including a vice president for regulatory affairs and a senior lawyer responsible for product liability cases, and forced broad changes in how the company handles vehicle safety.
The report illustrates in unsparing detail how employees across departments neglected for years to repair a defect and issue a recall, despite a mountain of evidence that lives were at risk.

Yet again, a dreadful case where people who surely knew that there were problems taking no action, as though they believed that somehow the truth would never emerge. Between us, I’m sure we could find many instances of this peculiar blindness. What’s behind it? I think Hezekiah’s response to Isaiah reveals the truth. When he was rebuked for his boasting to the Babylonians and warned that it would cause the Babylonians, one day, to invade and take all his treasure back to Babylon, his response was “that’s fine, as long as it’s after my time”. So many people, I think, believe that as long as uncomfortable revelations can be delayed past their time they won’t have to worry. Not only is their confidence in the here-and-now misplaced, as the two stories above reveal, they forget the hereafter. How much better it would be to remember Paul’s warning and promise to the Galatians:

Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting. And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not. (Galatians 6:7-9)

The Bloody Way

Posted on by June 16, 2014
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Luke 10:30 — And Jesus answering said, A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, which stripped him of his raiment, and wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead.

The story of the “Good Samaritan” has many aspects. As I thought on it today, I wondered “why?” Why did the four men — the victim, the priest, the Levite and the Samaritan, take the road they did?
J. W. McGarvey, in his 1914 book “The Fourfold Gospel” wrote that “The road from Jerusalem to Jericho is eighteen miles long, and descends about 3,500 feet. About two miles from Jerusalem it passes through the village of Bethany, and for the rest of the eighteen miles it passes through desolate mountain ravines without any habitation save the inn, the ruins of which are still seen about half way to Jericho. This district from that time till the present has been noted for robberies”. The fourth-century church father Jerome reported that the road was called the “bloody way.”
So why take such a notorious route?
The priest and the Levite, it might be assumed, would go that way because they had been engaged in their duties in the Temple and were returning to their homes in the large priestly and Levitical community in Jericho, where it is said that as many as twelve thousand of their community lived.
It is hard to say anything about the motive of that “certain man” was so brutally assaulted as he went down from Jerusalem to Jericho for, being a Jew, he might reasonably have had habitation or occupation in either place.
The interesting question is “what was the Samaritan doing on that road”? As a Samaritan he could not safely be in Jerusalem. To me it is clear that he was there by “divine appointment” — like Phillip on the “road less traveled” (Acts 8:26)
There’s another question, too. Why did the priest, the Levite, and the Samaritan behave the way they did?
Let’s take the Priest first. Was he perhaps rushing to his place of service? No, for he was heading from Jerusalem. It seems more likely that he didn’t want to approach the poor victim, in case he was dead. Leviticus 21:1 says “And the Lord said unto Moses, Speak unto the priests the sons of Aaron, and say unto them, There shall none be defiled for the dead among his people:”.
What about the Levite? His motives seem at first sight to be the same as the priest’s. There is a little detail, though, that perhaps makes the case even worse. “And likewise a Levite, when he was at the place, came and looked on him, and passed by on the other side.” He “came and looked on him, and passed by”. He saw he wasn’t dead, but could not be bothered to help!
The Samaritan, perhaps, presents no such difficulty. He traveled well prepared and, seeing opportunity, said go himself “Here’s someone who needs help. I’m ready.”
So what is all this to us? Two things I think, simply stated.
First, the convenient road might be a dangerous road.
Second, religion should never be allowed to get in the way of compassionate service. Better a religious outsider serving than an insider passing by.

Happy Father’s Day

Posted on by June 15, 2014
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Matthew 6:9-10 — After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven…

I have few regrets in life, they are not productive, but one is that I am not really a father. I acquired a stepson late in life but we don’t really have a father/son relationship. Some of you will know, too, that I never had that kind of relationship with my own father.
It has taken me a long time to realize how holy the whole business of fatherhood is.
Fatherhood is a key expression of the Trinity — the truth that there is one God in three mutually interdependent persons.
The prayer that Jesus taught us has perhaps been analyzed as much as any part of scripture. Still, as I pray it, and study it, and read about it, new aspects are revealed. Martyn Lloyd-Jones points out in his “Studies In The Sermon On The Mount” that the sequencing of the prayer is revealing — the first three requests in the prayer are related the the Father’s glory. And, if you are inclined to make much of Biblical numerical details, you might also note that three is the number of the Trinity.
Mr. Lloyd-Jones’ insight was new to me, but there’s nothing new about the point that the first words of the prayer are Our Father. The model prayer starts by expressing the family unity of all Christians, under the Father, with the Son and the Holy Spirit.
It’s interesting that the Bible offers few, if any, really good examples of great fathers. Perhaps Joseph would come close if we knew more about him — but we know so little, and I am in any case inclined to doubt it. Jesus had another model! That business of models is an interesting one. We hear so much about how important is is for fathers to be good role models for their sons that you might expect the Bible to be full of good examples. I think it goes another way. Every father there ever was has messed up — many times, and in many ways. The message of Biblical fatherhood is “It’s OK. That’s what human father’s do. Here’s a lot of advice about how you can do better — but your best plan is to look up for guidance!”
The Father and the Son. I’m sure there is one, but I’ve never seen a book that just talks about their relationship — culminating in those desperate personal moments in the garden of Gethsamene and the terrible separation of the cross — and what must have been a glorious celebration after the Father reached down and lifted the Son out of the grave. I’m expecting my thoughts to dwell on the relationship over the next few months …
For now, God bless all you men who are seriously working at one of the hardest challenges a man can face — happy Father’s Day.

I Ain’t Heavy, He’s My Father!

Posted on by June 14, 2014
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Isaiah 46:3-9 — Hearken unto me, O house of Jacob, and all the remnant of the house of Israel, which are borne by me from the belly, which are carried from the womb: And even to your old age I am he; and even to hoar hairs will I carry you: I have made , and I will bear ; even I will carry , and will deliver you. To whom will ye liken me, and make me equal , and compare me, that we may be like? They lavish gold out of the bag, and weigh silver in the balance, and hire a goldsmith ; and he maketh it a god: they fall down , yea, they worship . They bear him upon the shoulder, they carry him, and set him in his place , and he standeth ; from his place shall he not remove : yea, one shall cry unto him, yet can he not answer , nor save him out of his trouble. Remember this, and shew yourselves men : bring it again to mind, O ye transgressors . Remember the former things of old: for I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like me,

Do you remember the song, “He ain’t heavy, he’s my brother”? I’m not sure if Neil Diamond or the Hollies had the bigger hit with it. It came to my mind as I thought about this piece. The origin is really interesting — the notion passed through several hands but it is said to have started with James Wells, Moderator of the United Free Church of Scotland, who in his 1884 book “The Parables of Jesus” tells the story of a little girl carrying a big baby boy. Seeing her struggling, someone asked if she wasn’t tired. With surprise she replied, “No, he’s not heavy; he’s my brother.” Perhaps you remember the lyrics? They start:

The road is long
With many a winding turns
That leads us to who knows where
Who knows where

But I’m strong
Strong enough to carry him
He ain’t heavy, he’s my brother

So on we go
His welfare is of my concern
No burden is he to bear
We’ll get there

Myra became a Christian when she was thirty eight years old. I’m slower on the uptake. I was forty seven years old. But we have come to realize the truth of this beautiful passage from Isaiah. God is our Father, and we are no weight for Him to carry.
We both had moments in our lives, before we became Christians where — looking back — we see God was taking care of us, when our welfare was His concern. Myra, for instance, knows that she would have died in a motorcycle accident when she was only eighteen if God had not held His hand over her in front of an advancing double-decker bus.
We have both followed long and winding paths to bring us to where we are now. We both know that only God could have planned the way we eventually met, married and moved to America.
God was carrying us from the moment when we were conceived. He’ll carry us until the moments that we die.
There are people today who, just like the Babylonians that Isaiah was prophesying about, place their faith in idols. Isaiah surgically skewers the notion that there’s any point to such a silly idea. Many people build those idols — house, position, lifestyle, possessions — based on their wealth, their “silver and and gold”. What happens next ?They have to keep working, keep struggling, to maintain the idol. The idol becomes a burden to bear, and anything but a help and support when times get hard.
Let us be men and not fools, and remember that there is no other “god” like God. He is the only one who tells his worshippers “you ain’t heavy, I’m your Father”!

Perspectives

Posted on by June 13, 2014
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Psalm 119:9-12 — Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? By taking heed thereto according to thy word. With my whole heart have I sought thee: O let me not wander from thy commandments. Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee. Blessed art thou, O Lord : teach me thy statutes.

The “through the year” Bible that Myra and I are using as part of our devotions this year follows a different approach from the others we have used. Instead of breaking the Psalms into pieces each day there is a complete Psalm. Instead of just one or two proverbs there is a whole chapter. I’ve found it has an interesting effect.
I used to like the way the other approaches focused my attention on one or two verses, and I wasn’t sure that I would like the change. I’m finding that I’m liking it though. It makes me look at the whole theme and sweep of the Psalm. It helps me see the connections between proverbs.
Discovering that reading the Bible in a different way helps me see more of what God is saying to me made me think about the other ways of seeing from different perspectives. The thought was reinforced as I considered a sweet, and unexpected, experience that I had earlier this week. It was one of those “bumping into each other in the car park” encounters. Usually, of course, there’s nothing in those meetings — but this time my colleague shared about how he was getting into God’s word to help deal with life’s difficulties. As we talked he shared about how his Biblical interest has taken him back to polishing his language skills so that he can compare translations in different languages. It’s another way of going deeper and seeing from different perspectives.
Bible translations in different languages led my thoughts to the variety of English translations. Now I know some of you have very rigid views of this question, believing that only one version is “right”. I have, respectfully, to disagree. I don’t believe that the only time God provided inspiration to translators was to a group of Godly — but politically motivated — men in seventeenth-century England. But my views are fairly rigid too! I’m careful to compare version with version and to check back to Greek and Hebrew (as best as my limited knowledge allows) — but I often find that cross-checking process opens my eyes to previous hidden truths.
The best, and most valuable, way of gaining added perspectives, though, is when Myra and I follow the instruction from Deuteronomy:

And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart: and thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up. (Deuteronomy 6:6-7)

There may be other ways too, to add perspective. Seek them out! The Bible is God’s main way of talking to us. The more we can do to hear His complete message, the more value we will add to our lives.

Power Corrupts

Posted on by June 12, 2014
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Deuteronomy 17:14-17 — When thou art come unto the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee, and shalt possess it, and shalt dwell therein, and shalt say, I will set a king over me, like as all the nations that are about me; thou shalt in any wise set him king over thee, whom the Lord thy God shall choose: one from among thy brethren shalt thou set king over thee: thou mayest not set a stranger over thee, which is not thy brother. But he shall not multiply horses to himself, nor cause the people to return to Egypt, to the end that he should multiply horses: forasmuch as the Lord hath said unto you, Ye shall henceforth return no more that way. Neither shall he multiply wives to himself, that his heart turn not away: neither shall he greatly multiply to himself silver and gold.

But they did … As soon as the Israelites chose a King, he started to go astray. By the time it got to Solomon we can read “And Solomon had forty thousand stalls of horses for his chariots, and twelve thousand horsemen.” (1 Kings 4:26 KJVA)
I don’t know if you’re a historian. If not, you’ll have to take my word for it. If you are, here’s a challenge. How many kings (or even presidents) can you think of who didn’t abuse their power. I don’t think you’ll find many!
So is this just an easy “political” blog — a cheap shot at the big shots? Well no — that’s not the idea.
Here are a few questions. Did you ever take something you weren’t really entitled to, just because you could? Did you ever treat one of your colleagues better than another, just because you could? Did you ever take a little gift to do a little favor? Did you ever … well, you get the point. The thing is, given a little power, we’re all at risk of abusing it. The English historian, politician, and writer Lord Acton famously wrote in a letter “Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Great men are almost always bad men.” He might also have said “small powers beget small abuses”.
So much for the observation, and the analysis — but what about the explanation?
There’s a good definition of corruption in Martin Manser’s Dictionary of Biblical Themes: “A state of spiritual decay and moral dishonesty, arising from the effects of sin, which expresses itself in disobedience towards God.”From this it follows that all of us are corrupt by nature, tainted by the original sin of our father Adam, “Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:” (Romans 5:12 KJVA)
What’s the cure then, for corruption? There isn’t one, of course. All we can do is be vigilant. Watch ourselves, keep the rich and powerful as accountable as we can … and then be ready to confess our sin, and rely on the beloved remedy, “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:8-8)

It’s Good To Talk

Posted on by June 11, 2014
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Genesis 3:7 — And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons.

I was saddened to see, a month or so ago, that British actor Bob Hoskins had died. He once famously said about his career, “I came into this business uneducated, dyslexic, 5ft 6in, cubic, with a face like a squashed cabbage – and they welcomed me with open arms.” Being 5ft 6in myself (though more spherical than cubic) I appreciate the quote. More to my point today, he once was the voice for a British Telecom TV commercial for which the tag line was “It’s good to talk!”
Let me change gear for a moment. Myra and I had a disagreement this morning. My fault. Myra had asked me to do something and I hadn’t got it done. So what do you suppose happened?
What happens when this happens in your house? (Those of you who says it never does, you have deeper problems …) Does one of you go quiet and withdrawn? Does it turn into a shouting match? Or maybe a slow burn followed by a damaging explosion?
We don’t know how usual our approach is. We talk about it. We try to understand root causes. We confess our weaknesses. Sometimes we agree to differ. We forgive, and move on …
There’s a funny thing about what the Bible says directly about communication in marriage. Do you know what that is? Nothing — that’s what the Bible says directly about communication in marriage. But indirectly is another matter.
Yesterday I said that Genesis 2:25 might be the best Biblical definition of marital intimacy. My verse at the top of this piece, Genesis 3:7, gives a painful picture of the flip side. Dennis Rainey, the President of Christian Ministry Family Life, writes with great insight on these two verses:

Communicating effectively begins with discovering transparency. Transparency in marriage is described in Genesis before the fall: “The man and his wife were both naked and were not ashamed” (Genesis 2:25).
Adam and Eve were without disguise or covering, without any mask. They were uncovered physically, and they did not cover up emotionally. Before the fall, Adam and Eve were a picture of true transparency—being real, open to each other, and unafraid of rejection.
But after the fall, we read, “They knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves loin coverings” (Genesis 3:7). Those famous fig leaf aprons were only part of their cover-up. Sin introduced a lot more than modesty. It also brought deceit, lying, trickery, half-truths, manipulation, misrepresentation, distortion, hatred, jealousy, control, and many other vices, all causing us to wear masks.
Many people spend tremendous time and energy building facades to hide their insecurities. They are afraid that if someone finds out who they really are, they will be rejected. For many men in particular, deep and honest communication can be very threatening. Too many wives and husbands are afraid to be honest with each other.

It’s all too true. I can give a witness from my first, failed , marriage. And if you were to ask Myra, I’m pretty sure she’d tell you that it’s taken years of work (mostly on her part) for us to get to where we are now. But both of us will tell you that the benefits are more than worth all the work.
The Bible doesn’t speak directly about communication in marriage. It does say a lot about communication in general. The most important principle might be the one expressed in Ephesians 4:15, “but speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ”. Husbands and wives have to be brave enough to speak the truth, and wise enough to speak in love. It’s good to talk!

Cleave!

Posted on by June 10, 2014
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Genesis 2:23-25 — And Adam said, This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man. Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh. And they were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed.

Did I ever tell you that Myra and I are big on marriage? Actually, with us it’s personal. We’re big on being married to each other.
I love these verses from Genesis. The first verse of the three is beautiful poetry, especially when you consider the Hebrew words for “woman” (ishah) and man (ish). The third verse might be the best definition ever, anywhere, of the glorious intimacy that should be between husband and wife. It’s in the third verse, though, that I find the heart of the text.
Cleave: It’s an Old English word, with roots at least a thousand years old. It means “to adhere firmly and closely or loyally and unwaveringly.”
The Hebrew word that “cleave” translates is “dabhaq”. Exactly the same word is used in Deuteronomy 10:20, “Thou shalt fear the Lord thy God; him shalt thou serve, and to him shalt thou cleave, and swear by his name.” I mention it because it says exactly how seriously the covenant of marriage should be taken. How seriously do you take your commitment to God? That’s how seriously you should take your commitment to your spouse! No less a person than John Calvin beautifully describes what that looked like in Eden and what it should look like now:

If man still had today the wholeness which he had in the beginning, God’s ordinance would be fulfilled and the sweetest harmony would reign in marriage. For man would look to God; and woman, equally faithful, would be his helper. Being both of one mind, they would cherish an association no less holy than friendly and peaceful.

That definition of “cleave” contains such great ideas. “Adhere firmly too” … implies an active commitment. Not just “stick together” but work hard at being stuck together. Then there is the idea of “loyally” — don’t even think about looking at anyone but your husband (or wife). And “unwaveringly” — marriage is for life!
If you read the whole passage from Genesis 2:18-25 you can find a lot of God’s plan for marriage. You find the wife as a helper or supporter — but in the same way as God helps and supports a man, not in any way as an inferior! You find primacy of marriage as the most important family relationship. You find that marriage is to be monogamous, between one man and one woman …
Like I said, I love these verses, and Myra and I are blessed because our marriage seems to fit the plan. And we want to keep it that way, so every day we’re working on it, looking for ways to maintain it!

Infinite Variety!

Posted on by June 9, 2014
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Psalm 8:4-8 — What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him? For thou hast made him a little lower than the angels, and hast crowned him with glory and honor. Thou madest him to have dominion over the works of thy hands; thou hast put all things under his feet: all sheep and oxen, yea, and the beasts of the field; the fowl of the air, and the fish of the sea, and whatsoever passeth through the paths of the seas.

Are you creative? I am, a bit, I suppose. I can write a little, and I can “see” things … things I would draw, or paint, if only I wasn’t “blessed” with hands that just won’t do what they’re told!
My eyes, though, are a real blessing. They allow me to appreciate the work of the greatest Creator of all. It’s funny what put that thought into my mind today. It was looking out at the overcast sky and thinking that it would likely rain. Somehow that led to a thought about the varieties of rain — drizzle, shower, spitting rain, downfall … It’s not quite like the Yupik people who have words for at least 99 varieties of sea ice, but still the diversity is impressive.
It’s becoming a cliché to marvel at the number of species of birds, insects, animals and the like. Myra and I love to marvel at quieter things. Did you ever count how many grays there are in the sky? Many more than fifty, I promise you! And then there are the greens in the leaves. I’ve always loved those words if J. R. R. Tolkien’s, “For still there are so many things that I have never seen: in every wood in every spring there is a different green.” I spent many of my early years in that central part of England that I think was at the heart of Tolkien’s shire and I’ve always noticed those greens.
While we’re among the poets, we might give Shakespeare a nod. He was talking about anything but divine Cleopatra when he wrote “Age cannot wither her, nor custom stale her infinite variety” — but I can’t help thinking that the description is wonderfully appropriate to God’s marvelous creation.
Despite our “best” efforts to replace God’s creation with man’s construction, His infinite variety still shines through. As Myra and I were on our short evening stroll tonight I noticed it once more. Our Development was unusually quiet, and all the different birds were singing — a joyous harmonious chorus that brought to mind another of the great creation Psalms — ” O Lord, how manifold are thy works! In wisdom hast thou made them all: the earth is full of thy riches. (Psalm 104:24)