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The Righteousness of God

Packages (Part 6)

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Dear reader, Packages is an allegory. There will be roughly a dozen parts before Bobby wakes up from a very long, lifelike dream. He'll then seek an interpretation.

Part 1 

Part 2

Part 3

Part 4

Part 5

I found myself on the packages again on Saturday, with no body of water in sight. I sat deep in a valley, surrounded by towering piles of boxes. The rising sun remained hidden from view; its presence only hinted at by the pastel hues of dawn. The location matched my mood.

The sobering events of the previous day made me cringe as they seeped into my groggy consciousness. As troubling as the work situation was, I was more concerned about not being reconciled with Jill. Over the years, we’d learned to navigate through difficulties, particularly when one could sense the other’s reaction stemmed from unresolved past hurts. Together, with faith in God, we’d learned to reveal and dismantle the longstanding falsehoods that had troubled our lives. It was rare for us to sleep without settling our differences and kissing. The previous night was particularly challenging because we both reacted from deep-seated pain and failed to extend grace before the day’s end. I knew it was my responsibility to lead in that regard, but I hadn’t.

I recalled His words that the packages were brimming with kindness, grace, and love—qualities I desperately needed to embrace the day ahead. Accepting His grace proved particularly challenging. Especially in light of how I’d failed to lead Jill and, with my growing unforgiveness and bitterness with Mike.

Even so, I was certain nothing could separate me from God’s love, not even my own shame.

I contemplated the Hebrew word “Hesed,” which translates to lovingkindness.

And Psalm 23 verse 6: Surely goodness and lovingkindness will follow me all the days of my life, And I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

I recalled that this word embodies a divine love which transcends human understanding; like how God pursues us, in spite of our disobedience. Like how Hosea pursued Gomer, his harlot wife. [1]

Immersed in a deep awareness of His lovingkindness, my heart grew tender. I longed to embrace Jill and admit my mistake. We never do well when we’re not right with each other. 

“There’s something else in these boxes,” He said, again catching me off guard. “You’re absorbing more than just kindness, grace and love.”

“Read II Corinthians 5:21.”

I picked up the Bible resting on the box in front of me and read, He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.

“Can you guess what else you’ve been soaking in?” He asked.

“The righteousness of Christ Jesus?”

“Very good. Can that righteousness be diminished by anything you do or don’t do?” 

I paused a moment before answering. A new understanding was budding in my heart. “No. Since You chose me, by Your mercy, to be Your son before I was even born, nothing I do or don’t do can affect it. Right?”

 “That’s right,” He said. “My children know this, but our enemy is relentless in seeking to hide My grace and love. His efforts are multiplied as his end draws near. Bobby, sometimes you still soak in his lies and not My truth”

“What did Paul say about righteousness in Ephesians 6?”

“He told us to put on the breastplate of righteousness, as we gird our loins with truth and take up the shield of faith.” I felt faith rising and continued. “This allows us to extinguish all the flaming missiles of the evil one. All of them!”

“Never drop your shield of faith. Believe you have My righteousness. No matter what happens, stay the course.”

Having rekindled my faith, He left me to my reflections. The shame I felt now appeared absurd. I knew my life was meant to be rooted in His righteousness, not my own. I realized that whenever I lost focus on this truth, I was on shacky ground and very vulnerable.

Unbeknownst to me, I was no longer in a valley; the mound of packages I rested on had ascended beyond the horizon. I was now in full view of a crystal blue sea, which reflected the magnificence of the eternal dawn.

Jill and I were able to have a cup of coffee together before I went to the office. I apologized for acting out of my fear of failure and need to succeed. I also told her I was sorry for not initiating forgiveness the night before. 

“I forgive you on both counts,” she said, as we hugged. “I’m not sure I was ready to be resolved last night anyway. I was stewing in my own feelings of rejection. But I recognized this morning that these lies are ancient. I’m sorry too. God has used you to help me see the lies from the past I still tend to live in.”

“I’m glad,” I said. “Us honoring our covenant of marriage before God has been what’s held us together and allowed our love to grow. We’ve had some very hard stretches.”

She agreed.

As I entered the office, I heard, “Ask Me.”

I found Kevin at his desk, his head in his hands, same shirt on from the day before. “The batches of data are two large,” he said in a defeated tone when he noticed me. “I tried dividing them into smaller datasets, but they lose the associated header, footer and provider tags. I’m out of ideas.”

I’d never seen Kevin in such a state. His perseverance and determination were remarkable, but he was clearly at the end of his rope.

Remembering His message, I asked Him for guidance. Then I ran through different possibilities in my mind.

“I have an idea,” I said after a few minutes. “I think I can use Easytrieve, a mainframe programming tool, to generate smaller datasets while preserving the tags. This would mean we’d be handling smaller batches during the data transfer and the script processing.”

Kevin thought it was a good idea and assisted me in mapping the fields. In forty-five minutes, we’d successfully written a quick program and validated the theory with a batch of data which had previously abended. 

“Eureka!” Kevin exclaimed. We did a computer nerd version of a high five.

 We kicked off a batch of scripts, which we hoped would process all the data by early Sunday afternoon. He showed me how to check for problems in his script and how to monitor the progress remotely.

I sent him home to rest and made sure the first few batches were successful.

When I got home, Jill was wrapping Alice’s surprise birthday gift.

The plan was for us to distract Alice in the backyard while friends and family streamed into her house to surprise her. 

“I can hide her present in the bottom of my purse,” Jill exclaimed. 

“I knew that giant bag would come in handy for something,” I joked, earning me a playful elbow to the ribs.

I was so excited about our gift to Alice. Knowing his days on earth were winding down, her husband, Ray, had asked me to video a message to his family. Jill and I downloaded it to an electronic picture frame, which was our present to Alice and their kids. 

Right before we knocked on the back door, my phone vibrated with a text. Jill heard it too and looked at me with disappointment.

“Is it work?” she exclaimed bitterly.

The extensive time and mental energy I devoted to work-related activities over the years had become a longstanding source of pain and feelings of neglect for Jill. I endeavored to understand my wife better, continually learning more about her. I was beginning to realize that some of her reactions stemmed from deep-seated pain, some of which originated in her childhood and was triggered by something I did, said, or failed to do. While I acknowledge that I have also caused her pain, I was learning not to take it personally all the time. This approach helped me to remain non-defensive, at least some of the time. Which is hard for a guy like me who thrives to succeed and please people.

“No, it’s Sammy,” I replied, also happy it wasn’t work related. “He’s asking if he and his family can join us at our church tomorrow.”

“Wow! That would be great,” Jill exclaimed. “Alton as well?”

“I’m not sure,” I replied, as I knocked on Alice’s back door. I heard, “Be bold.“

To Be Continued

[1] The book of Hosea

Please Check out the  Cola City Podcast . Discussions that impact the vision of reaching every man, woman, and child in a city.

Joy in the Journey is about the gladness of God’s nearness in the midst of life’s adventures.

Subscribe below to get email notifications of new posts. We post a few times a month. Thank you for reading. 

 

Robby Buck

Novels by the Author:

What happens when a professor figures out how to send messages to his younger self to try and avoid the suicide of his best friend? Did he change more than he bargained for?  Beyond Time

By finding two undelivered letters in a old shack deep in the woods, Cassie and Daniel unknowing set off a series of events which uncover a plot to wipe out a whole family Hope Remains

 

The Lord our Courage

Packages (Part 5)

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Dear reader, Some of you have asked where this Packages series is going. It's an allegory. There will be resolution and interpretation.

Part 1 

Part 2

Part 3

Part 4

As I found myself resting on the packages the next morning, I wondered again if I was experiencing a long dream. If so, I hoped it would end soon. I had so many questions.

How did my time resting on these packages each morning seem to fuel my interaction with people that day.? How could cardboard boxes cause me to be filled with a quality of love which seemed out of this world? It had to be Him and not the packages.

Though I saw packages addressed to each person, I never remembered physically handing them to anyone. Was delivery really about the interaction and not the actual packages?

I did get my job back, but with conditions. I was put on probation and warned not to “push” my faith on anyone. I wasn’t sure what that meant, but I didn’t trust Mike enough to ask him. 

I determined to still offer to pray with folks as the opportunity arose. And if asked, I would explain the reason for my hope to anyone. Resting on the packages, I felt certain of this. I hoped I’d stand firm when opportunities for boldness arose.  

I didn’t want to regret not allowing the light of Jesus to shine through me.

Then He spoke. This time, my anger at Fred’s cancer was not within me. Being with Sammy and Alton had given me a new perspective.

Reading my thoughts, He said, “You are learning my son. Like Sammy, like Fred, God sized problems are meant to prove you can’t. And when you see that, you learn that I can.

“What did Paul write in II Corinthians 1:8-9?”

I picked up the Bible resting on the box in front of me and read, “For we do not want you to be unaware, brethren, of our affliction which came to us in Asia, that we were burdened excessively, beyond our strength, so that we despaired even of life; 9 indeed, we had the sentence of death within ourselves so that we would not trust in ourselves, but in God who raises the dead;”

“What was Paul going through?” He asked.

“So many difficulties that he despaired of his life. I guess he’d come to the end of his strength.”

“Exactly, you’ve read in other places what he endured.  [1] So you have an idea of what it might have been. What was his conclusion?” 

“He realized since the situation was beyond his abilities to endure, trusting in himself was no longer an option. He had to learn to trust in You.”

“That’s right,” He said. “Can you relate?”

I could. Several situations came to mind, including our difficulties with our oldest child. I remember thinking once, when that and other problems seemed to multiple, that if I knew where to go to give up, I would. I wasn’t suicidal, but like Paul, I’d come to the end of me.

Again, reading my thoughts, He said, “You made a wise choice back then. You could have wasted the pain by trying to numb it, but you brought it all to Me.” 

It was Friday.  The end of a very weird week. I was hoping Mike had assigned someone to handle my duties. Otherwise, it was going to be a long weekend. I imagined Kevin would have been given some of my tasks, but he had his own work to do.

Kevin looked up from his cubicle when I arrived and followed me into my office. 

I heard, “Be courageous.”

After discussing the current work load, Kevin said, “I’ve been thinking about what you said on Monday. I really appreciated you trusting me enough to tell me about the times of despair you’ve experienced. You alluded to a deep hope which lifted you from your discouragement. As I’ve told you before, I’m not a religious person, but I respect your opinion and would love to hear more. The situation with Clarissa has me pretty down.”

I had no idea I’d be tested about being bold with my faith so quickly. I told him I’d love to tell him what happened and the reason for my hope. We agreed to have lunch on Monday.

When Kevin walked out of my office, Mike came in. I wondered if he’d been outside listening. I heard, “Keep your peace.” 

Mike said nothing about my being with Kevin. He seemed to be only interested in work. We’d gotten a new client, so work had gotten dangerously backlogged. He was getting pressure from the top to get caught up or risk breaking contracted deliverables with our customers. He told me he expected us to be caught up by Monday morning. When he said “us” I grumbled in my spirit about what part of “us” he was doing. 

When Mike left, I could feel my stomach begin to twist.

During the next couple of hours, I was able to get a handle on how much work had to be done. It was massive. I could see myself missing my Friday date night with Jill and Alice’s surprise party on Saturday. I’d invited Fred and his wife to church with us, seems I’d miss that too. 

I heard a knock. It was Kevin. I glanced at my watch and was astonished it was already time for break. I’d always told Kevin it was important to take breaks, but this time I wanted to renege. 

In the canteen, I explained my conversation with Mike to Kevin. He already knew some of it. “Mike came to me on Wednesday and tried to hand off a ton of work to me. I think they hoped I’d be able to pick right up and handle it,” Kevin began. “I got started but have questions and needed your help. So, I reported that back to Mike. In the meantime, I’ve been playing around with a Visual Basic script we could possibly use to scrape the data from the mainframe and then kick off our processes. I’ve had some success, but need some procedural direction.”

After hearing Mike’s interaction with Kevin, I felt more like I was being used. I certainly didn’t feel like anyone in management really cared. Were they allowing me to work just to solve the present crisis? I felt insecure.

For the rest of the day I feed Kevin information to further fine tune his script. By days end, we had it working on a small sample. However, when we tried it on a batch of larger data, we kept getting region abends. Even after we maxed out the value, there was no success. I was getting a sinking feeling.

When I noticed it was approaching 6pm, and said, “Let me call Jill and cancel our date.”

Kevin stopped me. He had some ideas he wanted to try. He couldn’t get over the fact that we still dated after over forty years of marriage and he didn’t want us to miss it. We agree to reconvene in the morning.

When I pulled into our driveway to pick Jill up, I heard. “Cast your cares on Me.” They were fine words, but my heart couldn’t receive them.

Jill and I had a nice Italian dinner at one of our favorite spots. Then we walked across the dam at sunset, one of our favorite things to do. I tried to stay present, but she could tell I was preoccupied. I resisted the temptation to check on how Kevin was doing, but my lack of truly being “with” Jill hurt her. This resurfaced some unresolved bitterness toward me.

Then, her disappointment in me stirred up a deep failure place in my soul and I became defensive. Not a good posture for a loving date.

To top it off, I got a late text from Kevin saying he was going home with little success. He suspected a memory leak, but he needed some time away to ponder a solution.

Without Kevin’s script, I could work the next 48 hours and come well short of what Mike and his directors were expecting. 

Jill and I went to bed back to back and unresolved. The knots in my stomach were only growing tighter as I tried to sleep.

To Be Continued

[1] II Corinthians 11:23-33

Please Check out the  Cola City Podcast . Discussions that impact the vision of reaching every man, woman, and child in a city.

Joy in the Journey is about the gladness of God’s nearness in the midst of life’s adventures.

Subscribe below to get email notifications of new posts. We post a few times a month. Thank you for reading. 

 

Robby Buck

Novels by the Author:

What happens when a professor figures out how to send messages to his younger self to try and avoid the suicide of his best friend? Did he change more than he bargained for?  Beyond Time

By finding two undelivered letters in a old shack deep in the woods, Cassie and Daniel unknowing set off a series of events which uncover a plot to wipe out a whole family Hope Remains

 

God is our Reward, The Goodness of God

(In the Moments) What is Good?

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I’m on our back porch enjoying the breeze of a chilly spring morning. The flowers are blooming, the trees are just beginning to bud and the grass is greening. I’m soaking in the spender of “now”.  A few birds visit our feeder suspended above the wooded path to our barn. A steady flow of cascading water from our fountain forms the background rhythm for their melodious songs.

I rest in the goodness of God. When I’m present with Him, the troubles of my life are out of view. Because He’s good, I’m good.

However, when I remember my present difficulties, if I’m not careful, they can suck the good right out of me.

Psalm 73 tells a story of a man who’s dealing with a crisis of belief. Things are not going well and he really doesn’t know what to do.

When the Psalm opens up, Asaph is in a bad way. He doesn’t like his circumstances. He’s come close to stumbling and almost slips. He feels as if he’s wasted his time keeping his heart pure. He feels stricken all day long and chastened every morning.

To add to his unrest, envy has crept in. He sees wicked people who are prideful and arrogant, yet they seem to be doing fine.  They’re not in trouble or plagued. They prosper and are even fat, which was considered a good thing back then.

Asaph feels embittered and pierced within, yet he makes a wise choice. He brings his confused mindset honestly before God.

When I pondered to understand this,
It was troublesome in my sight
17 Until I came into the sanctuary of God … (Psalm 73:16-17a NASB).

This is the key to what happens next. No matter what our state, no matter how badly we’ve screwed up, no matter how angry we are at God, we should follow Asaph’s example and enter God’s sanctuary.

God is always ready to hear where we are and the honest condition of our hearts. He can handle whatever we want to dish out. The worst thing we can do is shy away from Him because of shame, guilt or disappointment.

As Asaph talks to God, his heart begins to shift. Though his feelings haven’t changed, he sees the end of those who don’t follow God.  Then I perceived their end. Surely You set them in slippery places; You cast them down to destruction (Psalm 73:17b-18 NASB).

Then in verses 23 and 24, a dramatic turn occurs. Talking to God he says, Nevertheless,  I am continually with You. You have taken hold of my right hand and with Your council will guide me, and afterwards receive me to glory.

Whatever pit we find ourselves in right this moment, whatever evidence we see around us that life is not good, we can repeat Asaph’s words above in sincerity to God, releasing our lives into His care.

How reassuring! This truth can completely change our perspective as well.

It did for Asaph. See what he wrote next in verse 25.

Whom have I in heaven but you? And beside you I desire nothing on earth.

By bringing his concerns to God, even his complaints, the Lord performed a 180 degree shift in Asaph’s heart.

Let’s recognize, as Asaph did, that goodness is not in how our lives are going. Goodness is in God’s nearness. God is always with us and He is always good, no matter what goes on in our lives.

Asaph ended his Psalm with bedrock truth we can build our lives around.

 But as for me, the nearness of God is my good (Psalm 73:28a NASB).

Challenge:

What circumstance threatens your sense of well-being this very moment? In other words, what has to be right in your life for you to be okay: a thriving marriage, prospering children, successful career, etc. All these good things can never replace the fact that we are good because God is good. Place the Lord above all things. He is worthy. He is trustworthy. He is good.

Prayer:

Lord, I’m sorry I often slip back into seeking my “okayness”  from the circumstances of this world. I’ve asked You to help me to surrender more and more of my life to You. You’re answering this prayer, often with trials I would have never asked for. But, through it all I’m good because You are good and You are near.

Thank You.

With all my love, Amen.

Other posts in our series In The Moments:

As Sea Gulls Fly

The Gift of Presence

It is Finished

Behold the Moments

Tranquility

Stop Striving

Simplicity In Christ

Joy in the Journey is about the gladness of God’s nearness in the midst of life’s adventures.

Subscribe to get email notifications of new posts. We post a few times a month. Thank you for reading. 

 

Robby Buck

Nonfiction books by the Author:

Because joy is rooted in God and is eternal, it doesn’t ebb and flow with the waves of circumstances. In fact, as we grow in our understanding of joy, we can even experience it more acutely when life is hard. Why? Because God uses trials to conform us into the image of Christ. With this awareness, which gives us glimpses of God’s greater purposes, we rejoice because of His masterful work to free us from needing anything but Him.

For these reasons, and many others, joy in the Lord is commanded in scripture. It’s not just a good idea, it’s vital to our journey as human beings. Rhythms of Joy

Novels by the Author:

What happens when a professor figures out how to send messages to his younger self to try and avoid the suicide of his best friend? Did he change more than he bargained for?  Beyond Time

By finding two undelivered letters in an old shack deep in the woods, Cassie and Daniel unknowing set off a series of events which uncover a plot to wipe out a whole family Hope Remains

Please Check out the  Cola City Podcast . Discussions that impact the vision of reaching every man, woman, and child in a city.

What is Good?

Packages (Part 4)

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Part 1 

Part 2

Part 3

Like the previous morning, the bright blue expanse of water appeared in the distance, yet this time it seemed nearer. The dawn’s warmth and splendor persisted in an unnatural way as I tried to shepherd my heart.

I was emotionally perplexed. A few years back, I’d learned that suppressing difficult emotions and proceeding as if nothing had occurred—akin to the adage “just rub some dirt on it and keep playing”—was not beneficial. This stoic posture had done nothing for me but deaden my emotions and stifle my tears when I really needed to grieve, such as after the death of my parents. 

This morning the problem was trying to sort through all I was feeling.  I felt accused by Harrison, betrayed by Mike, and grieved about Fred’s cancer diagnosis. Additionally, I was worried about the upcoming meeting with Mike and its potential impact on my job, especially since our savings was not substantial.

As had been the case each morning, as I rested on the packages, I reflected on a section of Scripture. This morning it was Psalm 42. The psalmist wrote that his soul was in despair and disturbed within, or, in another translation, sad and discouraged.  [1]

This captured my emotions: sadness and discouragement.

After a bit of time, I heard, “I’m here.” 

Instinctively, I yelled, “Why? Why Fred? How can his cancer be considered good in any way?” I guess I was also angry.

A silence followed, then a question, “What do you mean by good?”

Caught off guard, I had no answer. 

I had arranged to have lunch with Jill around noon but had some time to spare until then. So, I decided to give Sammy a call.

“Hello,” Sammy answered. 

“Sammy, It’s Bobby. How’s your car running. Any more leaks?”

“Mr. Bobby. I was going to call you today.”

“Please, just call me Bobby.”

“I’ll try, but it’s a hard habit to break. The car’s running smoothly. In fact, Milly made some fried chicken, collards, and macaroni and cheese for you and your wife in appreciation for all your help.”

“She didn’t have to do that,” I replied. “Just being with you helped me more than you know, but certainly I won’t turn down a meal from her. You told me what a great cook she is. Do you want me to come by and get it?”

“Smart man,” Sammy chuckled. “It won’t be ready until around noon. Would you and your wife like to join us for a meal then?”

“That would be great,” I responded. “Jill doesn’t get off for lunch until then. Would it be alright if I came over now, and she could join us at your place later?”

Sammy was thrilled at the idea. I called Jill and gave her the address and she agreed to meet me there.

The prospect of seeing Sammy again brought joy to my heart. En route, I noticed a package beside me addressed to Sammy, Milly and Alton. I wasn’t sure who Alton was, but I heard, “Allow them to serve you and learn from them.” Strange delivery instructions indeed. 

Sammy and Milly resided on a quaint family farm located on the town’s west side, a short drive from Jill’s office. The property boasted a single-story house, a barn, and a pond. As I pulled up, Sammy was waiting by his truck. The sincere smile that spread across his face when he saw me comforted my weary soul.

The smell of country cooking wafting from the house as Sammy showed me around. He nimbly maneuvered on his artificial leg, as he showed me chickens, pigs, goats, a nice sized vegetable garden, and a small grove of peach trees.

“Are the chickens just for eggs?” I asked.

“No, we eat them too,” he smiled, nodding toward the house.

Wandering the farm with Sammy, my thoughts were flooded with childhood memories. Growing up near my grandfather on his small farm, I was whisked back to simpler times, before life’s hardships had dimmed the light of youthful joy.

Jill drove up just as Milly popped her head out of the front door and called us in for lunch.

The meal was exceptional: the chicken was perfectly crunchy, the macaroni delightfully cheesy, and the collards were richly savory. Our feast included buttery cornbread, lemony sweet tea, and homemade peach cobbler for dessert, crafted from their own harvest.

The joy they both exhibited was remarkable, despite facing persecution and discrimination due to their skin color. Being with them filled our hearts with gladness. I wished we could have stayed longer, but knew we had to leave soon.

Standing up, I asked, “Sammy mentioned your large family the other day, does anyone else live with you?”

“Yes,” Milly responded. “Our grandson Alton stays with us. His mother passed away at his birth.”

“We almost lost him too,” Sammy chimed in. “Would you like to meet him?”

“Yes, I would,” I replied.  

“Come on,” Sammy motioned for us to follow him. 

In a room at the end of the hall, a middle-aged man was seated in a rocking chair, gazing through the window at the weeping willow tree beside the pond. Under it, a pig and a goat appeared to be playing chase.

“Hey bud,” Sammy said.  “I want you to meet some new friends of ours.”

Alton turned to us and smiled. During our brief time with him, we saw a man whose entire life was enveloped in love and joy, embodying the essence of childlike faith.

Later, Sammy conveyed that the umbilical cord had restricted oxygen to his brain at birth. He was unable to communicate verbally. However, it was undeniable how deeply he loved his grandparents; and us.

“Alton is a constant source of joy,” Sammy told me as I got in my car. Brushing away a tear, he said, “He embodies love and grace. People often pity us because they think Alton is a burden. It’s been a tough journey. We think about his mother daily. Yet, we believe our loving Father entrusted Alton to us for our good. Our time with Alton has strengthened our faith in Jesus Christ in ways we never thought possible. What we can’t do, God can.

I almost shouted, “Amen!”  Probably should have.

I was strangely peaceful, as I drove to meet Mike. What Sammy said about life with Alton being “good,” brought me back to what He’d asked me that morning. “What do you mean by good?”

I now had at least a partial answer. 

Entering Mike’s office, I noticed a document at the corner of his desk that read, “Probation”.

 And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. 29 For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren (Romans 8:28-29 NASB)

To Be Continued

[1] Psalm 42:5 (NASB, NLT)

Please Check out the  Cola City Podcast . Discussions that impact the vision of reaching every man, woman, and child in a city.

Joy in the Journey is about the gladness of God’s nearness in the midst of life’s adventures.

Subscribe below to get email notifications of new posts. We post a few times a month. Thank you for reading. 

 

Robby Buck

Novels by the Author:

What happens when a professor figures out how to send messages to his younger self to try and avoid the suicide of his best friend? Did he change more than he bargained for?  Beyond Time

By finding two undelivered letters in a old shack deep in the woods, Cassie and Daniel unknowing set off a series of events which uncover a plot to wipe out a whole family Hope Remains

 

The Death of Discouragement, The Lord our Courage

Courage For the Dis-Couraged

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Zerubbabel started out well. He’d led a group of Jews returning to Jerusalem from the Babylonian captivity. His mission was to rebuild the destroyed temple. 

He had the credentials;  a descendent of King David [1] and an ancestor of Jesus Christ. [2] But there were difficulties.  Zerubbabel, along with the rest of the people, got side tracked from building God’s house while they built houses for themselves. Work on the temple slowed to a standstill for a number of years. [3] 

Part of the problem was the opposition Zerubbabel faced from the Samaritans, who wrote slanderous letters to the Persian kings and hired counselors to intimidate and frustrate the workers. [4]

Zerubbabel and the Jews were discouraged. Amidst todays social and political unrest, as well as as economic instability, many of us can relate.

So what turned the tide? Four years later we read about a joyous dedication of the temple:  And the sons of Israel, the priests, the Levites and the rest of the exiles, celebrated the dedication of this house of God with joy (Ezra 6:16 NASB).

Along the way, discouragement was replaced by courage to accomplish what God was calling them to do.

That kind of courage would serve us well today.

What was the recipe for the courage which turned the whole affair around?

Turning the Tide from Discouragement to Courage.

A Call to Obedience

First, the Jews had to change their behavior. This was prompted by a call to obedience from the prophet Haggai: Thus says the Lord of hosts, “Consider your ways! 8 Go up to the mountains, bring wood and rebuild the temple, that I may be pleased with it and be glorified,” says the Lord. 9 “You look for much, but behold, it comes to little; when you bring it home, I blow it away. Why?” declares the Lord of hosts, “Because of My house which lies desolate, while each of you runs to his own house … (Haggai 1:7-9 NASB) 

This rebuke from God was a call to stop focusing on their paneled houses and complete the job of rebuilding the house of the Lord, which remained in desolate ruins. [5]

God’s word was heeded and the Jews obeyed. Then Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest, with all the remnant of the people, obeyed the voice of the Lord their God and the words of Haggai the prophet, as the Lord their God had sent him. And the people showed reverence for the Lord (Haggai 1:12).

Obedience is always the first step.

A Call to Courage

Then the Lord told the people, “I am with you.”  Hearing this, the spirits of Zerubbabel,  Joshua, and all the people were stirred up. They pushed past the apathy and opposition and resumed work on the house of God. [6]

Then came the call to courage. But now take courage, Zerubbabel,’ declares the Lord, ‘take courage also, Joshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and all you people of the land take courage,’ declares the Lord, ‘and work; for I am with you,’ declares the Lord of hosts. 5 ‘As for the promise which I made you when you came out of Egypt, My Spirit is abiding in your midst; do not fear!’  (Haggai 2:4-5).

The promise of God’s presence stirred up the spirits of the Jews and gave them great courage.

God’s presence turned the tide and mustered the hearts of His people to accomplish what He desired. 

But it’s not just a one time reminder. We need to continually realize God’s nearness, especially when facing our own challenges. This awareness of His presence changes everything.

Rebuilding the temple was never easy. Zerubbabel the the Jews needed to constantly know they weren’t alone as they went about God’s business.

How about us? 

Paneled Houses

Like Zerubbabel and the Jews, are we focused on our concerns while God’s work is being neglected? What are our paneled houses? 

It’s a great question to ask. God was not condemning the Jews for having nice houses. The problem was their focus. Their desires had taken the place of what God desired.

What’s our focus? Are we consumed with our “needs” above God’s business? God tells us that if we focus on His kingdom, not our own, He’ll take care of what we need.

But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you (Matthew 6:33 NASB).

“Aim at Heaven and you get Earth ‘thrown in’: aim at Earth and you will get neither.” (A Joyful Christian  C.S. Lewis) 

God is With us

As we endeavor upon what God is calling us to do, we’re never alone. The things God asks us to do, and to endure, are often extremely difficult. In our work for God, our weaknesses are exposed. 

This a good thing. We sometimes face what we might call God sized problems – tasks which are impossible to accomplish without God working through us.

In our weaknesses, God is strong. [7]  

As God’s children, we’ve been given His Spirit, which Paul calls the Holy Spirit of promise, [8] to indwell us.

The Holy Spirit, the promised presence of God, is to guide and empower us and give us courage for whatever we face. Right this moment, God’s Spirit indwells His children. Though we may not feel His nearness, He never leaves us.

Whatever our circumstances, we can embrace God’s presence. When we do, courage rises.

Prayer

Lord, what great encouragement You’ve given us with the story of Zerubbabel and the rest of the Jews. Though they were discouraged and distracted, they obeyed You. They drew great courage from their belief in Your nearness and from Your powerful presence. Thank you.

Today, You are as close as breath to us, Your children. You are with me right this moment, indwelling me, empowering me, guiding me, comforting me and loving me. Thank you!

Please help me abide in Your nearness and live my life in utter dependence upon You. Apart from You I can do nothing of eternal worth. I want to be about Your kingdom and Your business.

Please show me quickly when I focus on my own paneled houses and neglect what You desire for my life.

I love you.

  Amen

Journal Time

With your journal in hand, spend time thinking about things of this world which tend to consume your focus. Ask God to bring clarity and write down your own “paneled houses”. Ask Him to show you what business of His you might be neglecting, like Zerubbabel and the Jews leaving God’s temple in ruins.

Based on what you believe He is telling you, write a prayer of repentance and obedience, asking Him to guide and empower you by His presence.

Thank Him for giving up His life up to save you and giving you His Holy Spirit to be your constant Helper. Thank Him for the Joy of His presence and the courage He gives you by His nearness.

Come back to this journal entry often.

[1] I Chronicles 3:16-19

[2] Matthew 1:12-13

[3] Haggai 1:1-4

[4] Ezra 4:1-24

[5] Haggai 1:4

[6] Haggai 1:13-14

[7] 2nd Corinthians 12:9-10

[8] Ephesians 1:13

Other Posts in our Rhythms of Joy Series:

Joy is important because it’s an experience of God

The amazing connection between grace and joy

Please Check out the  Cola City Podcast . Discussions that impact the vision of reaching every man, woman, and child in a city.

Joy in the Journey is about the gladness of God’s nearness in the midst of life’s adventures.

Subscribe below to get email notifications of new posts. We post a few times a month. Thank you for reading. 

 Novels by the Author:

Rob Buck

What happens when a professor figures out how to send messages to his younger self to try and avoid the suicide of his best friend? Did he change more than he bargained for?  Beyond Time

By finding two undelivered letters in a old shack deep in the woods, Cassie and Daniel unknowing set off a series of events which uncover a plot to wipe out a whole family Hope Remains

 

Joy Flowing From Grace, Rejoice Evermore

The Amazing Connection Between Joy and Grace (Republished as Rejoice Always (Embracing God’s Grace) In the Moments

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I’m in a very contemplative mood. In fact, I feel quite weary. There’s plenty of tough circumstances to go around. We’ve had two deaths in our family in the last couple of months. We also have a family member who is struggling with addiction and a number who don’t know Jesus. The thought of them facing an eternity without Him is very sobering.

And so many friends are dealing with hard situations as well. Even though, in John 16:33, Jesus told us this would be the case, it doesn’t make it easy to deal with death, broken relationships, addiction, illness and the like. This world is full of trials and problems and at the moment they weigh heavy on my soul.

Sometimes I handle the trials of life well and other times, not so much. I think it comes down to my perspective. If I get swallowed up in the details of the moment and see only what’s going wrong, life becomes a drudgery. However, when I can gain an eternal view, even in the midst of hard times, my outlook is different.

Right now, my heart is heavy, and I need God’s truth.

Turning to the Bible, I come across a verse that if someone said it to me right now, I’d take it as a trite answer and very insensitive.

But no one said it. I read it. It’s I Thessalonians 5 :16 – “Rejoice Evermore.”

Rejoice Evermore! This unconditional command seems impossible. With all that’s going on, rejoicing is the last thing I feel like doing. But, since God said it, I’ll take this as an invitation to dig deeper, asking Him to show me how this is possible.

Lord, how is it possible to rejoice evermore?

How is it Possible to Rejoice Evermore?

Rejoicing Requires Dependence Upon the Holy Spirit

After years of trying to obey God’s commands in my own strength, I must first recognize that obedience requires dependence upon the indwelling Holy Spirit. Until I understood this, I literally wore myself out trying to be like Jesus in my own strength. A life of self-fueled “obedience” leads to burn out and deeper sin.

“It’s all up to me” is a lie from the pit of hell. It’s prideful and sinful. 

Learning what it means to rejoice evermore is no different than any other command. It can only be obeyed by yielding to the Holy Spirit within me.

What Does it Mean to Rejoice Evermore?

When Paul tells us to rejoice, he uses the Greek word “chairo”, which means to be cheerful, calmly happy or well off, be glad. “Chario” is derived from the root word “charis”, which means grace, or unmerited spiritual blessings granted to those who trust in Jesus Christ.

So, in the Greek language, “rejoice” and “grace” are closely related. Rejoicing is seen as a natural response to receiving and experiencing God’s grace. The bedrock quality of rejoicing is trusting and resting in what has been done for me, apart from anything I could ever do. The more I comprehend this unbelievable fact, the less I’ll strive for value and purpose based on what I do and how the world sees me.

“Evermore” comes from the Greek word “pantoteh” which literally means every when, or at all times, always.

So, I’m to be glad and cheerful, at all times, based on the fact that I’ve been freely given God’s spiritual blessings.

All times!

When I’m grieving, my joy comes from God, fullness of all joy, and the grace He’s given me.

When life is fun and my wife and I are loving hanging out with our grandkids and kids, my joy comes from God, fullness of all joy, and the grace He’s given me.

When relations are strained or broken, my joy comes from God, fullness of all joy, and the grace He’s given me.

When life seems stale and plain, my joy comes from God, fullness of all joy, and the grace He’s given me.

When I’m afraid and worried, my joy comes from God, fullness of all joy, and the grace He’s given me.

I’m always living in a physical world, with real trials, problems and heartaches. So, if I am to make this command to “rejoice always” a real, legitimate part of my life, certain spiritual truths, based on the “grace” or unmerited favor bestowed upon me, can’t be forgotten.

Rejoicing in God’s Grace

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him. In love He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, which He freely bestowed on us in the Beloved. In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace  which He lavished on us.  (Ephesians 1:3-8a NASB).  

Rejoicing in God’s grace, shown to me in His love and sacrifice for my sins, sustains me and gives me courage. 

Before the world began, I was chosen to be loved as a child by God Almighty. My eternal relationship with God, my new Father, was secured by the cruel death of His Son Jesus, the Messiah, on a Roman cross. This was all done for the praise of the weightiness or glory of God’s grace. His grace, was literally lavished upon me, abounding and overflowing, manifested in the shedding of Jesus’ life blood.

This is how I rejoice evermore. Regardless of what I’m going through, the root of joy is God’s grace, expressed in His love. It happened before the world began, so nothing can change His grace for me today.

In God’s grace, I rejoice evermore.

God’s grace gives me a peace which is greater than any circumstance I can face, including the very hard difficulties I face today. 

Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:6-7 NASB).

In my opinion whatever we may have to go through now is less than nothing compared with the magnificent future God has planned for us  (Romans 8:18 J.B. Phillips Translation).

Prayer

Lord, You have totally answered my prayer. Though hard times continue, and problems are not resolved, I rejoice in You. Your word has given me great courage. Please help me to take each care, each concern and cast upon You because You care for me. I can stop striving to make everything “okay” for me to be all right. My hope and stability are in You. I rejoice in the grace You showed me, before I was even born. And I know nothing can change that.

In You, and in Your love and grace, I rejoice evermore.

  Amen

Rejoice in the Lord always; again, I will say, rejoice! (Philippians 4:4 NASB)

Journal Time

With your journal in hand, spend time thinking about things going on in your life which are hard. Write a prayer asking God how to trust Him in the difficulties you face. Even in the midst, ask Him to show you how to rejoice in Him during these and all moments in your life.

Other Posts in our Rhythms of Joy Series:

Joy is important because it’s an experience of God

Please Check out the  Cola City Podcast . Discussions that impact the vision of reaching every man, woman, and child in a city.

Joy in the Journey is about the gladness of God’s nearness in the midst of life’s adventures.

Subscribe to get email notifications of new posts. We post a few times a month. Thank you for reading. 

 

Robby Buck

Nonfiction books by the Author:

Because joy is rooted in God and is eternal, it doesn’t ebb and flow with the waves of circumstances. In fact, as we grow in our understanding of joy, we can even experience it more acutely when life is hard. Why? Because God uses trials to conform us into the image of Christ. With this awareness, which gives us glimpses of God’s greater purposes, we rejoice because of His masterful work to free us from needing anything but Him.

For these reasons, and many others, joy in the Lord is commanded in scripture. It’s not just a good idea, it’s vital to our journey as human beings. Rhythms of Joy

Novels by the Author:

What happens when a professor figures out how to send messages to his younger self to try and avoid the suicide of his best friend? Did he change more than he bargained for?  Beyond Time

By finding two undelivered letters in an old shack deep in the woods, Cassie and Daniel unknowing set off a series of events which uncover a plot to wipe out a whole family Hope Remains

Please Check out the  Cola City Podcast . Discussions that impact the vision of reaching every man, woman, and child in a city.

Joy is Essential

Joy, an Experience of God (Published in Rhythms of Joy)

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This is the first post in a series entitled Rhythms of Joy.

In this series we’ll explore why joy is important, how joy fits into suffering, what kills our joy and how to experience joy.

Joy, an Experience of God

Joy is important. It’s not just a nice to have part of our lives.

Joy is an experience of God’s nearness.

Joy is commanded.

Having joy is a mark of being a follower of Jesus Christ.

Our joy in God brings Him glory.

Joy can easily be confused with happiness and sometimes they intersect, resulting in good feelings. Happiness is tied to happenings, but joy is much deeper.

The difference between happiness and joy might be illustrated by the difference between a ship and a submarine in a sea storm. The status of the ship is totally dependent upon the waves and the condition of the sea.

Whereas a submarine can travel several hundred yards below a hurricane and not be affected.

Since God is the source and fullness of all joy, [1] it has an eternal quality which is deeper than the circumstances we encounter. Like a submarine, joy is deeper than the storm.

Eternal Void

God created us with an eternal void. [2]     

Our hearts long to be satiated with a joy which can only come from God. He is the originator of joy. All earthy whiffs of gladness point to Him. Early in our lives we tend to experience joy much easier.

     

As we grow older, when the pains of life press in, we can lose the scent of joy and travel down long forsaken paths looking for lasting satisfaction.

Think about some things which brought you joy as a child.

Searching for Joy

As a child,  I remember the joys of snow, Christmas, the community pool and hanging out with my grandfather, Pop. My grandparents lived next to me growing up.

On summer afternoons, much to my delight, Pop hit me pop balls in the field in between our two houses.

As I got older and began to feel some independence, I remember thinking how happy and satisfied I’d be when I was old enough to drive and had my own car. I worked and bought an F85 Deluxe Oldsmobile and it did satisfy me for a short while.

Then I began to think that if I had a girl friend to ride in the car with me, I’d be happy and satisfied. I met Annie and that satisfied me for a short while.

Then I began to think that if I could move away to college, I’d be happy and satisfied. I moved away to Columbia, SC and attended the University of South Carolina and felt satisfied was for a short while.

Then I began to think about how satisfied I’d be when I  graduated college and began a life on my own.  And when I did, I felt satisfied for a short while.    

“There is a God shaped vacuum in the heart of each man which cannot be satisfied by any created thing, but only by God the creator made known by Jesus Christ.” Blaise Pascal

The endless search for joy continued.

Eventually, I would surrender my life to the God, the source of all joy.  But it would be years before I fully understood that God Himself would satisfy the deep longings of my heart. As a young believer, I still tried to draw my happiness and sense of well being from my circumstances. And sometimes I still do.

I’m realizing now that the joy which exudes from God, satisfies the deep longing of my heart.

On top of that, the joy of God fills me with courage and strength.

A Matter of the Heart

It’s really a matter of our hearts, the well spring of our lives. [3]

The condition of our hearts determine our courage.

No wonder the French word for heart—”coeur” is where we get the word “courage”. The state of our heart determines whether we’re en-couraged or dis-couraged.

God’s joy fortified us with strength [4] and infuses us with courage. [5]  

Joy is like a nectar for our hearts. 

Since joy is more than a feeling, we can choose it, even during the hardest of times.

Joy is an awareness of the nearness of God. 

In Your presence is fullness of joy (Psalms 16:11b).

In the next post, we’ll continue to explore the importance of joy in our lives when we look at the commands to be joyful.

From 1 to 10, where would you say your joy meter is at this moment? 

Prayer

Lord, thank you for leading me to You. You are who I’ve been searching for all my life, though for years I didn’t know it. Only You satisfy me completely. I’m sorry for seeking my satisfaction in anything but You. Please show me quickly when I try and find lasting satisfaction apart from You. You are my Highest Joy. I praise You and rejoice in who You are.  Amen

Journal Time

With your journal in hand, spend some time thinking about your own journey. Write about the deep longings in your heart?  Document your search for joy. What have you tried other than God to satisfy your soul? How do you still depend upon your circumstances to feel okay? Write a prayer to God expressing your delight in Him. 

[1] Psalms 16:11

[2] Ecclesiastes 3:11 

[3]  Proverbs 4:23

[4]  Nehemiah 8:10b

[5] Hebrews 12:1-2

Please Check out the  Cola City Podcast . Discussions that impact the vision of reaching every man, woman, and child in a city.

Joy in the Journey is about the gladness of God’s nearness in the midst of life’s adventures.

Subscribe below to get email notifications of new posts. We post a few times a month. Thank you for reading. 

 Novels by the Author:

Rob Buck

What happens when a professor figures out how to send messages to his younger self to try and avoid the suicide of his best friend? Did he change more than he bargained for?  Beyond Time

By finding two undelivered letters in a old shack deep in the woods, Cassie and Daniel unknowing set off a series of events which uncover a plot to wipe out a whole family Hope Remains

 

Dealing with Aging, The Joy of Journey's End

The Shadow of Death

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God has given me such a joy and delight in diving deeply into His words. I write to clarify my thinking and understanding, but also to share and to encourage others, both those who confess Christ and those yet to become His disciple. Glenn Livingston (Guest Blogger)

Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil for you are with me (Psalm 23:4a).

In previous seasons of my life the shadow of death seemed like a remote idea. But now, being over 80, I’m sensing the continuing erosion, loss of my physical vitality and abilities to deal with life.  More and more it’s as if my demise, my death is looming over me as an increasingly, uncomfortable shadow. This has caused me to pursue developing a Biblical perspective regarding aging and death.

I find the Lord has given us great encouragement for dealing with living in the shadow of death as it relates to aging.  It’s not to be feared.  Is it not a natural process ungoverned by God? This season of life, with its attending suffering, is not without purpose.

In a general way, God seeks to use the problems of our aging to sharpen our focus on the transcendent [1] realities surrounding our existence.

And for those who are disciples of Jesus, to further develop our spirituality. The way we deal with the difficulties of life, and our infirmities, stimulates others in their faith and trust in God. [2]

What Does God say about our Impending Death?

OUR PHYSICAL BODIES function as temporary intermediaries between us as persons, our inner self  (our souls) and the physical world.  2 Corinthians 5:1-8 speaks of our present physical body as a tent that is our earthly home, something temporary and of limited duration.

OUR AGING involves losing our physical abilities to function in this physical world. 2 Corinthians 4:16-18 speaks of this as…our outer self is wasting away…  This is but our souls being prepared to depart from our physical bodies and be able to put on our heavenly dwelling 2 Corinthians 5:2. (More on this below)

The circumstances of our aging are governed by the Lord.  He uses it all to reveal how weak and fragile we are.  This causes us to think less and less of this present life and more on present and future transcendent realities.

OUR PHYSICAL DEATH is not the end of our existence. 2 Peter 1:13-14 The apostle Peter speaks of death as but putting off our physical body ( this earthly tent), not the end of our personhood. 

Jesus said; I am the resurrection and the life.  Whoever believes in me though he die, yet shall he live (John 11:25). 

Jesus told the criminal who confessed faith in Him even as he was being crucified; Today you will be with me in paradise. This man’s physical death on the cross would not be the end of his existence. [3]

Moses writes of Rachael’s physical death. As her soul was departing for she was dying …i.e. her soul was departing her physical body. [4]

In our physical death we only lose the limitations and vulnerabilities we possess through our physical fleshly bodies. 

 OUR ETERNAL FUTURE involves our receiving a spiritual body which we see manifested in Jesus’ post resurrection appearances. Examples John 20 and 21. Romans 6:5 …we shall certainly be united with Him in a resurrection like His.

Jesus’ resurrected body is a prototype for ours. Through Adam we received our natural physical bodies and through the last Adam (Jesus) we receive our spiritual bodies. [5] 

The apostle Paul writes…the Lord Jesus Christ who will transform our lowly body to be like His glorious body…(our physical body vs a spiritual body with an enhanced capacity to know and enjoy and love God) [6]

 We will be further clothed so that what is mortal – subject to death is swallowed up by life…by what is immortal, not subject to death. [7]

Then we will in no way be restrained (limited) in the manner imposed on us by our present physical bodies. See 1 Corinthians 15:44-49  (frailties, sicknesses and death)

we groan…as we await this future reality, the redemption of our body. [8]

Fear No Evil

Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil for you are with me (Psalm 23:4a).

Back to Psalm 23, WHY NO FEAR?

BECAUSE OF THE PRESENCE AND ACTIVITY OF GOD, OUR SHEPHERD.

 Surely goodness and loving kindness will follow me all the days of my life and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever. (Psalm 23:6)                 

 WHY DO I HAVE SUCH CERTAINTY REGARDING MY FUTURE ?

Because God has given us His words that, by His grace, He has given the opportunity to have the eternal, personal experience of knowing Him; a relationship with God.

FOR I KNOW YOU ARE THE GOD; WHO has REVEALED HIMSELF to me in Jesus.

Luke 10:22 …no one knows who the Son is except the Father, or who the Father is except the Son, and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal Him.

For God who said let light shine out of darkness, has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ  (2 Corinthians 4:6). 

WHO has REDEEMNED me in Jesus’ death on the cross. 

For there is One God and there is One mediator between God and man, the man Christ Jesus (1Timothy 2:5).  

Who gave Himself as a ransom for all…who would receive Him (John 1:12). 

In Him we have redemption thru His blood (Ephesians 1:7) .

He who raised the Lord Jesus from the dead will raise us…into His presence  (2 Corinthians 4:14) .

WHO has given the SPIRIT OF JESUS to reside within me, guiding and empowering me into living a qualitatively different life than I would have ever known, even as I experience aging. [9]

When the fulness of time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those who are under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons, and because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of His Son into our hearts… (Galatians 4:4-6).  

When the Spirit of Truth comes, He will guide you into all Truth (John 16:13). 

Galatians 5:22-23 ..and the fruit of the Spirit is…the believers inner transformation is the evidence of the Spirit of Jesus’ presence and activity.

I identify with the Apostle Paul who wrote in Philippians 1:21-23; For me to live is Christ and to die is gain. I am hard pressed between the two. My desire is to depart and be with Christ, that is far better. (i.e. the best is yet to come). But to remain in the flesh is necessary… for God is not through working in my life and using me in the lives of others.

 And in another place God’s word says; But as it is written, What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love Him (I Corinthians 2:9).

Bottom Line Biblical Perspective For My Live

  • I treat my death and moving towards it as but a shadow. It is a difficult time, but not to be feared for God is with me. The best is yet to come.  
  • I sense this time of decline is not wasted. God has given the promise that He uses all things for our good. [10] In our experiencing the weaknesses of aging and becoming increasingly weary of this life, He is weaning us off our sense of self-sufficiency in order to develop our spirituality [11] more fully.
  • The promise of a personal resurrection and living in the close presence of God energizes my heart with hope and endurance through all the trials of life. 

I often meditate on the testimony of Job who was physically afflicted in many ways. He testifies that it was God’s words and promises that sustained his faith in dealing with so much.

From Job 19:23-27 KJV:

Oh that my words were written, Oh that they were inscribed in a book  That with an iron stylus and lead they were engraved in a rock forever!      

 As for me, I know that my redeemer lives  – (Job acknowledges his need of a Redeemer that has overcome death)

and He will stand in the latter days upon the earth  – ( He knows how it’s all going to turn out)  

and though worms consume my body, –  (It’s a sure prospect Job will die and his body will decay)

yet in my flesh I shall see God,  (He has confidence in his personal resurrection and that he will see God)

whom I shall see for myself – (and that he would have a close, personal encounter) Yes I will see Him with my own eyes.                    

I am overwhelmed at the thought!    (It takes precedence over everything else).

[1]  transcendent – beyond what we can know by our physical senses

[2] Colossians 1:24

[3] Luke 23:43 

[4] Genesis 35:18

[5] 1 Corinthians 15:44-45

[6] Philippians 3:21

[7] 2 Corinthians 5:4

[8] Romans 8:23

[9] John 16:13

[10] Romans 8:28-29

[11] spirituality – living out of a heart valuing God and eternal realities

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Joy in the Journey is about the gladness of God’s nearness in the midst of life’s adventures.

 Novels by the Author:

What happens when a professor figures out how to send messages to his younger self to try and avoid the suicide of his best friend? Did he change more than he bargained for?  Beyond Time

By finding two undelivered letters in a old shack deep in the woods, Cassie and Daniel unknowing set off a series of events which uncover a plot to wipe out a whole family Hope Remains

Knowledge which changes everything

Soap

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In the mid 1800s a large number of babies were dying soon after childbirth. During that time Ignaz Semmelweis, a Hungarian doctor, learned something which would change the medical community forever. In his studies he noticed more babies were dying after being delivered by medical students than by midwives. Digging deeper, he realized the students often performed autopsies prior to delivery, contaminating their hands with microbes.

Dr. Semmelweis instigated a regiment of hand washing which substantially dropped the number of infant deaths. Though soap had been around since Biblical times, its total benefit was not known until then. This began the great soap-related hygiene revolution which radically changed the medical field.

It’s amazing how a bit of knowledge about soap could save countless lives.

Is there knowledge we can gain which can have an even larger impact on us? 

Yes.

Knowing God’s love for us is even more vital that knowing the benefits of soap during medical procedures. Us knowing God’s love has eternal ramifications.

Following are three reasons knowing God’s love is so essential. To grasp it we need to realize its more than information to be stored in our heads. It must also come alive in our hearts.

May the eyes of our hearts be enlightened. [2]

Perfect Love Drives out Fear and Allows us to Love

There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves punishment, and the one who fears is not perfected in love. We love because He first loved us (I John 4:18-19 NASB).

As I examine my heart, much of my sin is rooted in fear. Fear of failure. Fear of rejection. Fear of poverty. Fear of unhappiness. Fear of . . . 

Fear causes worrying and robs me of essential peace.

In the above verses, John writes about a love which drives out fear, a perfect love, flowing from the heart of God. 

While we still fear, we’re yet to be perfected in God’s love. However, to the degree we realize God’s amazing love for us, our fears melt away and peace reigns in our hearts.

As I write, I imagine a life with no fear. Fearless. Oh the freedom! Oh the joy! And it’s not just something to wish for. God’s perfect love is real, the chaser of all fears. 

But there’s much more.

God’s love for us is the source of all true love. To the degree we realize His perfect love, we’re able to reflect His love back to Him and to others. 

Perfect love not only gives us courage, is also the source of all of our love.

We love because He first loved us.

God’s Love Enables Our Obedience

And He said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the great and foremost commandment. The second is like it, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’  On these two commandments depend the whole Law and the Prophets.” (Matthew 22:37-40 NASB)

Since our love is rooted in God’s love for us, His love enables our obedience. In the above verses, Jesus gives two vital commands which basically summarizes the entire Bible. Our obedience is characterized by love. It’s the overarching filter to govern everything we do. As the ten commandments state, loving God (first four) and loving others (last six) should guide our every word and deed.

So, why is God’s love for us important?

God’s love enables us to love. And loving is how we obey Him.

God’s Love Roots and Grounds Us

For this reason I bow my knees before the Father,  from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name,  that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in the inner man,  so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; and that you, being rooted and grounded in love,  may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled up to all the fullness of God (Ephesians 3:14-19 NASB)

God’s love for us surpasses our knowledge. It’s beyond our understanding and our intellect. Even so, Paul prays that the superlative dimensions of God’s love might be comprehended or realized in a way which comes alive in our hearts.

Paul is praying that what does not fit in our heads, will dwell in our hearts as God is pleased to illuminate it.   

God’s love roots us and grounds us and gives us a vital firm foundation. To the degree God’s surpassing love is illuminated and made real to us, our souls are secured against the storms and trials of life.

Story: There’s a song based on the verses above about the deep, deep love of Jesus. Many years ago, the song was sung at the funeral of Rachel, a little two-year old play mate of my oldest son.

O the Deep Deep Love of Jesus [3]

As the song was sung, I looked over at her parents. I couldn’t comprehend what they were feeling. In my raw state, I wondered how the song could possibly fit since Rachel had died. 

Then it hit me. As deep as the pain Rachel’s parents were feeling, God’s love was deeper still. In their pain, they had an opportunity to experience the depth of God’s love in a way they might not have otherwise known. 

Since then, my wife and I have experienced some deep relational pain of our own, kind of like the death of a child. But through it all, God’s love is deeper still. We can truly say that we know God’s love more deeply because He’s met us in the depth of our grief and pain.

Conclusion

From Zephaniah 3:17 we learned that God delights to be with us and that we make Him happy.

The Lord your God is in your midst,
A victorious warrior.
He will exult over you with joy,
He will be quiet in His love,
He will rejoice over you with shouts of joy.

What makes this and other facts about knowing God’s love for us so VITAL is that:

  • God’s love chases away ALL fear
  • God’s love and is the source of our love
  • God’s love enables us to obey Him
  • God’s Root and grounds our soul, no matter what

Prayer

Lord may my comprehension of Your amazing love for me continue to grow as I soak in its reality. Thank You for chasing away my every fear with Your perfect love. Please remind me quickly when fears arise. Thank you that Your love enables me to love You. May I receive Your love and give it away.  Thank You for delighting to be with me. Please help me to grasp Your love more and more. Steady my heart in the firm foundations of Your delight in me. Amen.     

[1]https://www.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/europe/11/21/tenthings.changedtheworld/index.html         

[2] Ephesians 1:18

[3] Written by Samuel Trevor Francis

Other posts on God’s Love

God’s Everlasting Love

Experiencing the Freedom of God’s Love

God’s Love in a Broken World

Completely Loved

God’s Delight in Us

When we don’t Feel God’s Love

What we Need is Love

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Joy in the Journey is about the gladness of God’s nearness in the midst of life’s adventures.

 Novels by the Author:

What happens when a professor figures out how to send messages to his younger self to try and avoid the suicide of his best friend? Did he change more than he bargained for?  Beyond Time

By finding two undelivered letters in a old shack deep in the woods, Cassie and Daniel unknowing set off a series of events which uncover a plot to wipe out a whole family Hope Remains

God's Everlasting Love, Loved in spite of how we feel

U Can’t Touch This

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Stanley Burrell was batboy for the Oakland Athletics from 1973 to 1980. During that time, he was given the nickname “Hammer” because he looked so much like the homerun, king Hammering Hank Aaron. 

After his time with the Athletics, Hammer went on to write and perform the first rap song ever nominated for a Grammy Award record of the year. It became the  winner for best R&B and best rap solo performance. 

The song – U Can’t Touch This. The artist – M.C. Hammer.

I like it. It has an inviting, catchy rhythm. The title is repeated many times during the song.

U Can’t Touch This.

What’s interesting is how these words have helped me get a deeper understanding of some key aspects of God’s love.

You may wonder how the title of a rap song could possibly illuminate God’s love. Let’s take a look. 

Everlasting Love

On a vacation in Highlands N.C. a number of years ago, I was struck by the  the following verse.

The Lord appeared to him from afar, saying, “I have loved you with an everlasting love; Therefore I have drawn you with lovingkindness” (Jeremiah 31:3 NASB)

 As I rocked on the front porch, staring at the Appalachians, towering above the small mountain town, I dug deeper. I discovered that “Ahabah,” the Hebrew word  translated “everlasting love,” describes a quality of love which is beyond corruption. It can’t be changed by anything physical or what goes on in our souls.

With all the recent devastation in the world, the idea of God’s love not changing, no matter what the circumstance, is extraordinary news. It also means neither choices, thoughts or feelings can affect His everlasting love.

The steady embrace of God’s love for us can’t be changed. It remains untouched and unaffected by any external force. You can’t touch God’s love in a way which can change it.

U Can’t Touch This.

As believers, this changes everything about us, especially since we’ve been chosen to be loved by God since before the world began. [1]  

And how do we more fully grasp this quality of love which is not only unchangeable, but vast beyond belief?

As we ponder and meditate on the enormity of God’s everlasting love, let’s consider other aspects which add to the quality of His amazing love:

God’s Love Rescued Us

But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him. For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life (Romans 5:8-10 NASB)

We were apart from God, facing eternal darkness with no ability to change the situation. In our helpless state, while we were still hostile toward Him, God choose to rescue us. And He did it by sending His Son to die in our stead.

Please don’t allow the familiarity of this great news to cheapen the impact!

We were hostile and helpless, but God, out of His unparalleled love, gave His Son to save us.

And, not only did He save us from God’s wrath by His death, much more will He now preserve and heal us by His indwelling life. 

Jesus Loves Us as Much as God Loves Him

“Just as the Father has loved Me, I have also loved you; abide in My love.”[3] Jesus

As much as God loves Jesus, He loves us. How can this really be? It seems unimaginable. Yet, Jesus said it. It is true!

Don’t rush past this. Remain in the truth of Jesus’ abiding love. 

But, we can’t assume upon the love and grace of Christ. [4] Though our actions can’t change God’s love for us, we can choose to disobey. As believers, the strap of His love holds, but Jesus desires us to walk in the fellowship of His love and joy. This is done by relying on Him and walking in obedience. 

Conclusion

As believers in Christ’s finished work for us on the cross, gazing upon and beginning to grasp the magnitude of God’s love for us is a first step in prioritizing and nurturing our relationship with Him.

God’s love has an eternal quality which keeps it from being affected by anything of this world, seen or unseen.

Even when we were against God, His love for us moved Him to send His own Son to die in our place, rescuing us and making us whole.

As much as God the Father loves Jesus, Jesus loves us and we’re called to walk in the fellowship of His love.

Prayer

Lord, I’ll never fully comprehend the extent of Your love for me. It’s beyond my ability to comprehend. However, because You describe it in Your word, I believe it and want to walk in it. Though I don’t understand Your love, please make it real in my heart that it might shape every moment of my life. Amen.

[1] Ephesians 1:4-5

[2] Romans 8:29

[3] John 15:9

[4] Romans 6:1-2

For Further Reading on God’s Love

Completely Loved

Why is Knowing God’s love Essential?

The Connection between Love and Joy

What Threatens us knowing God’s Love?

Experiencing the Freedom of God’s Love

God’s Love in a Broken World

Being Loved by God is our True Identity

Please Check out the new Cola City Podcast . Discussions that impact the vision of reaching every man, woman, and child in the Midlands of South Carolina.

Joy in the Journey is about the gladness of God’s nearness in the midst of life’s adventures.

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 Novels by the Author:

Rob Buck

What happens when a professor figures out how to send messages to his younger self to try and avoid the suicide of his best friend? Did he change more than he bargained for?  Beyond Time

By finding two undelivered letters in a old shack deep in the woods, Cassie and Daniel unknowing set off a series of events which uncover a plot to wipe out a whole family Hope Remains