Why?

I finished re-reading the book of Job in the MacArthur Daily Bible. John MacArthur's note from Day 23 was powerful. I quote part of it here.

Why doesn't God answer all of Job's (and our) questions?

"This question assumes that if God answered all our questions, it would be easier to believe. This is not true. Trust goes beyond answers. Sometimes, questions become a way to avoid trust. (emphasis mine)

Take, for example, a little girl invited to jump off the stairs into her father's waiting hands. She asks, "Will you catch me daddy?" He answers, "Yes, I will!" She may jump or she may proceed to ask endless versions of her first question. If she does jump, it will be more because of whom she knows her father to be than because of his answer to one of her questions. The fact that she jumps does not mean that she has run out of fears or questions; it means that her trust is greater than her fears or questions."

How I agree with this! I know that I have thought that if only I had some answers, I would be able to trust God. In avoiding trusting God, I missed out on the peace and joy that comes from jumping into my daddy's arms. Perhaps instead of asking God why He allows things to happen, I need to spend time getting to know His character. Trust will follow.

What changed my mind?

I accepted Jesus Christ as my personal Savior in college at age 19. Prior to becoming a born again believer, I lived as most of the people my age did. I was in the world and I was of the world. Therefore, when I heard what the world said about a particular "hot button" issue, I accepted it as truth.

When I became a Christ follower, more mature Christians bought me a Bible and explained the importance of reading it. So I read it. Then I read it again and again. I read it so much that it fell apart and there wasn't much to highlight anymore! (I still have that special Bible) And what happened? I began to change my thinking on certain issues. I began to adopt a Christian Worldview. My husband has been saying it over and over lately: "you cannot change someone's mind or actions if they have not given their life to Jesus Christ and have not left their nets to follow Him."

I believe a Christ follower reads the Word of God and accepts all of it as Truth. I am not saying that we won't struggle to accept some of it, for there are many mysteries in it, but I am saying that it will become a strong foundation for the believer. Jesus Christ is the Word. Therefore, to know the living Christ, you must know the written Word. Change begins in the mind, therefore I encourage everyone who calls themselves a Christ follower to read the Word. A lot of people I know are reading it "together" through a cool Bible App. Check it out at https://www.youversion.com/

Depression

I suppose many people are blogging about the death of comedian Robin Williams. Are they blogging about suicide or depression? What can I add to the conversation?

Well, for one thing, I have experienced depression firsthand. As a follower of Christ, I believe there is another whole dimension of depression. In addition to the typical symptoms, you often experience a crisis of faith or "a dark night of the soul" as many refer to it. The book Mother Teresa: Come Be My Light reveals that this saint experienced her own dark night. During it, God is silent, leaving you to feel as if He has abandoned you. It is not a fun place to be, trust me. My own dark night (which lasted years) began as grief after the death of two of my children. No one understood my pain. Some scriptures helped me to understand that I was not alone (see Psalm 13:1-4), others horrified me (see Lamentations 3:1-20). The whole time God refused to answer any of my questions.

The turning point came when I gave up trying to understand and I surrendered myself to His plan, no matter what. It was then that I began to move back into the light. Later I found this poem written by Amy Carmichael that I now refer to over and over again, especially when I am tempted to despair again. I hope it brings someone help.

In Acceptance Lieth Peace by Amy Carmichael

He said, “I will forget the dying faces;
The empty places—
They shall be filled again;
O voices mourning deep within me, cease.”
Vain, vain the word; vain, vain:
Not in forgetting lieth peace.

He said, “I will crowd action upon action,
The strife of faction
Shall stir my spirit to flame;
O tears that drown the fire of manhood, cease.”
Vain, vain the word; vain, vain:
Not in endeavour lieth peace.

He said, “I will withdraw me and be quiet,
Why meddle in life’s riot?
Shut be my door to pain.
Desire, thou dost befool me, thou shalt cease.”
Vain, vain the word; vain, vain:
Not in aloofness lieth peace.

He said, “I will submit; I am defeated;
God hath depleted
My life of its rich gain.
O futile murmurings; why will ye not cease?”
Vain, vain the word; vain, vain:
Not in submission lieth peace.

He said, “I will accept the breaking sorrow
Which God to-morrow
Will to His son explain.”
Then did the turmoil deep within him cease.
Not vain the word, not vain;
For in acceptance lieth peace.

No fear

This is a quote by Albert Barnes, theologian (December 1, 1798 – December 24, 1870)

"If a man had perfect love to God, he would have no fear of anything - for what would he have to dread? He would have no fear of death, for he would have nothing to dread beyond the grave. It is guilt that makes people fear what is to come; but he whose sins are pardoned, and whose heart is filled with the love of God, has nothing to dread in this world or the world to come."

Rebuilding is possible.

I am currently reading through Ezra and Nehemiah in the Old Testament. Much of it centers around the rebuilding of Jerusalem after the 70 year exile in Babylon. This topic of rebuilding is especially interesting to me as I navigate a season of rebuilding in many different areas of my own life. One of those areas is the rebuilding of a lost relationship. As with the Israelites, I was responsible for the break in the relationship. Therefore, although the separation was difficult, it was not a surprise. But what is more surprising is the methodical, merciful way God orchestrates rebuilding.

Here is what I am learning.

1. God usually gives you a promise regarding the restoration. (Jeremiah 29:10)
2. Well meaning family & friends will want to see your relationship repaired quickly so they might make suggestions that you must ignore. (Jeremiah 28) Stay focused in prayer and wait on God!
3. God will move the heart of the one you've offended toward you! (This happened to me!)
4. The enemy will not be happy about the rebuilding. (Ezra 4; Nehemiah 4) He uses fear and lies to weaken and intimidate us. (Nehemiah 6)
5. The relationship will not be the same (the temple was never the same as when Solomon built it), but it will still be a blessing to God.
6. Give thanks!

Sabbath

A few months ago, our leadership decided that it was time for our church to put into action the second half of our motto, "Out to love." They decided that we would do a service project on the last Sunday of every month that has 5 Sundays. June 29th was our first such Sunday. 50 people showed up at an elementary school in the city of Reading. Our mission? To show God's love by helping to make this a clean place for the children of that neighborhood.

The principal of that school anticipated some push-back from her superiors, but it did not come from them. Instead, it came from some of the people who attend our church! They refused to come because we were working on the Sabbath. In Matthew 12:11-12 Jesus makes Himself very clear when He said to the Pharisees:

"If any of you has a sheep and it falls into a pit on the Sabbath, will you not take hold of it and lift it out? How much more valuable is a man than a sheep! Therefore it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath."

And in Mark 2:27 Jesus says:

 "The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath."

Perhaps we have not taught these people that The Sabbath was a sign of the Mosaic Covenant, whereas Christians are under the New Covenant (2 Cor. 3; Heb. 8). Perhaps they don't realize that there is no New Testament command to keep the Sabbath. Or do they not realize that neither the Jerusalem Council (Acts 15) nor Paul cautioned Christians about breaking the Sabbath. Finally, perhaps they missed Colossians 2:16:

"Therefore do not let anyone judge you by what you eat or drink, or with regard to a religious festival, a New Moon celebration or a Sabbath Day. These are a shadow of the things that were to come; the reality, however is found in Christ."

So, we don't find Christ just by going to church on Sunday, we find Him by doing His will too! The next "fifth Sunday" falls on Labor Day weekend so we may go out at a different time. We'll keep you posted.

Authority

In Acts 19:15 there is a fascinating account of some Jewish itinerant exorcists who were trying to drive out evil spirits using the name of Jesus. The evil spirits recognized that they had no authority to do this. One evil spirit actually spoke out and said to the exorcist:

"Jesus I know, and I know about Paul, but who are you?"

This is powerful and sobering. In Titus 2: 15, Paul says to Titus:

"These, then are the things you should teach. Encourage and rebuke with all authority. Do not let anyone despise you."

Only true believers in Christ have the right to encourage and rebuke with authority. One way to exercise that right is in the home. I often said to our son while he was growing up that if he learned to obey us while under our authority, then, when he left our home, he would be more likely to obey God's authority. There is also a lot more weight using the authority of God's Word to rebuke a child for lying than just telling him that you don't like him doing it or worse "because you said so!"

As a child gets older, it is preferable to lead him to the Word of God and have him discover himself what God says about lying. Of course this is only effective if, as parents, you have already established the authority of God's Word in your own lives and in your home. If your child sees you lying, with no fear of God's discipline, why would he fear yours? If you delay obedience to a command, don't be surprised when your child does not pay attention to you the first time.