Understanding the Kindness and the Severity of God

 

Have you ever heard someone say, "I don't understand God"? Perhaps that is a line that you have used yourself, having never been able to reconcile the things you have read or heard about God. May I offer you some food for thought?

As a disclaimer I need to say upfront, that I am not a theologian.  You will get that if you continue to read this page!  However I have been a follower of Jesus Christ, a lover of God, and a student of the Bible for over 60 years, and I continue to learn.  One of the things about the Christian life that I love, is that there is always something more to discover about God. The Apostle Paul who wrote most of our New Testament wrote this, Oh, how great are God’s riches and wisdom and knowledge! How impossible it is for us to understand his decisions and his ways! Romans 11:33.  If we could fully understand God, he wouldn't be God.  There is mystery about Him. But God made Himself more fully known through Jesus Christ, "His Son in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge". Colossians 2:3

In writing to believers in Corinth Paul wrote, "Now we see things imperfectly, like puzzling reflections in a mirror, but then we will see everything with perfect clarity. All that I know now is partial and incomplete, but then I will know everything completely, just as God now knows me completely."             1 Corinthians 13:12. NLT. Paul was referring to having a full understanding when we meet Him.

Just as we cannot really know a person until we live under the same roof with them day in and day out, we can't even hope to begin to understand God unless we ask the Spirit of God to give us understanding.  Why, because as Paul writes, "The person without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God but considers them foolishness, and cannot understand them because they are discerned only through  [or with the help of] the Spirit." 1 Corinthians 2:14 NIV.

It is not difficult, as we look around our world and as we watch the news, to see how evil our world has become, and how desperately people are trying to 'save the planet'.  In so many ways our society is becoming more and more unjust.  The rallying cry is for social justice, yet there is more inequity than ever.  Why?  Because people choose their own way and not God's way.  They  value the 'created' more than the Creator. They choose their own wisdom, rather than His. If we turn away from the all wise God, we can expect to walk in foolishness.  

The Bible tells us in Proverbs 9:10 (and many other verses), that "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of understanding...".  To fear God means to choose to believe and obey Him. Only then can we begin to understand and make sense of the principles of life, death, heaven, hell and eternity. 

God's truth, according to the Bible, is this; "For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard." Romans 3:23.  Therefore if God is just, he must punish our disobedience. How does He do that?  "And just as each person is destined to die once and after that comes judgment,  so also Christ died once for all time as a sacrifice to take away the sins of many people." Hebrews 9:27-28.

So, in short, the kindness of God is that He sent His Son, Jesus Christ to bear the penalty of sin for all who would believe in Him. They will receive eternal life in Heaven with God. "For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved." John 3:17

The severity (or justice) of God is that "He who believes in the Son has everlasting life; and he who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him.” John 3:36.  

As I see our world "going to hell in a hand basket" as some say, and as I come nearer to the end of my life,  I feel an urgent desire for people to know and to understand,  that we get to choose our destination before we leave this earth.  We cannot just assume that our loved ones are 'up there' or that we 'hope to get there'. The good news is that we can be assured of our place in heaven if we choose to believe in and follow Jesus Christ as our Lord and Saviour.

Will you consider praying this prayer if you have never professed faith in God.  If you do, that please let me know so that I can encourage you in taking steps in your new life of hope in Jesus Christ.

Heavenly Father I thank you for your kindness in sending Jesus to die for my sins. Help me to choose the wisdom of believing in and following Him in my daily life that I might be assured of a place in heaven with you forever.  Amen

Patience and Petulance

Petulance is a word that is little-used these days.  One definition says it is 'the quality of being childishly sulky or bad tempered'.  I find it interesting that it says the 'quality of....'.  I usually associate quality with that which is good but I guess we  also speak of poor quality goods.

I was reading a story in the Bible which many people think is just a myth, but Jesus didn't refer to it as a myth when he used it as an illustration of his death in Matthew 12:40. Yes, I'm talking about Jonah.  He was a man who God wanted to use to warn a large city of impending doom so they could repent and be spared destruction. You would kind of think that would be an awesome mission but Jonah didn't want any of it.  Instead he bought a ticket on a ship that was going in the opposite direction!

Jonah's act of disobedience almost cost the loss of the ship and many lives on board during the great storm that rose up.  The ship's captain and the sailors were frantically crying out to their gods and they pleaded with Jonah to pray to his God. Instead, Jonah said, "I'm the cause of this storm, just throw me overboard!" Did he think by doing this he was going to escape his mission? No, God wasn't giving up on him yet!

During an incredible 3 days and nights in the belly of a large fish Jonah came to his senses and repented of his disobedience.  On God's command the fish vomited Jonah out onto a beach and he went on to Ninevah to give them God's message. Did he have to go through such turmoil? I don't think so, but I think God was working on this fellow's character as the rest of the story shows.

You would think Jonah would be happy that people actually listened and believed that his message was from God, that they repented and cried to God for forgiveness.....think again.  Jonah watched and waited to see what God would do and when God relented from destroying Ninevah, Jonah was angry and petulant.  He actually said to God, "I know that you are a gracious and merciful God, slow to anger and abundant in lovingkindness.  One who relents from doing harm. Therefore take my life now, it is better for me to die than to live." Jonah 4:2-3.  Jonah showed himself to be childishly sulky and utterly selfish in not being able to rejoice in God's mercy on Ninevah. Maybe God was showing him some areas in his life that needed changing.  We all have those, and God knows how to put us in positions that test us to grow us.

There are many lessons we can take from this story and please, look for what God wants to say to you about it.  I want to highlight what Jonah knew about God, and that is, his patience and long-suffering, his mercy and kindness.  As 2 Peter 3:9-10 tell us 'The Lord isn’t really being slow about his promise, as some people think. No, he is being patient for your sake. He does not want anyone to be destroyed, but wants everyone to repent. But the day of the Lord will come as unexpectedly as a thief. Then the heavens will pass away with a terrible noise, and the very elements themselves will disappear in fire, and the earth and everything on it will be found to deserve judgment.'

I feel like I am beating the same drum, but even as I was writing, I didn't know how this article was going to finish until I prayed about what I was to take out of this for myself.  I believe it is this, that God, in his love and mercy, is continuing to call people to repentance and faith in Jesus Christ so that they do not perish when his judgement finally comes on our world.  He's calling us to wake up and walk with him, to speak up, and to love people enough to lead them to the Great Lover of their souls.....Jesus Christ, the son of God who takes away the sins of the world.  

PRAYER; Lord God, help me to be a lighthouse for you, looking for the lost, warning of danger, guiding to safety and leading them to your light.  Amen

What Will Lighten Your Darkness?

 

As we stand on the cusp of 2024, do thoughts and questions assail your mind about what this brand new year will look like?  The year past has certainly brought with it many disasters, deaths and distractions, both natural and man-made. Do you worry about many things - finances, family, the future?  Perhaps you wonder even if there is a future for this troubled world.

Although 2023 has been an increasingly difficult year in some aspects, and we certainly don't know how the next year will shape up, I am thankful for the hope, the picture of what the future holds, and the security that my wonderfully wise and loving God gives me day by day as I read His Word. I am thankful that I received His gift of faith in Jesus Christ so many years ago.  He is the One who gives me hope.

The Bible is, contrary to the assertions of some 'modern thinkers', the inspired word of God.  The more I read it and compare it with the historical evidence of the many prophecies fulfilled (and there are hundreds), I am inspired. The more I study it and discuss it with other believers, the more I am encouraged.  The more I take its words at 'face value' and not try to overthink it, the more I am challenged. The more I choose to believe it and obey it as best I can, the more peace and joy I have in my everyday life.  It is surely, in my humble opinion, the Manufacturer's Handbook, and we neglect it to our detriment.

This is a Book that will definitely lighten your darkness if you choose to walk through it with God's Holy Spirit guiding you.  It says that a person cannot understand it without having the Spirit of God in them.  You can be very religious, you can do more good works than your Christian friend, but unless you choose to have faith in God's wonderful gift of Jesus Christ who came to save us from our sinful selves, the Bible will not make sense to you, and you will have no hope of eternal life.  

Today as I prayed I felt the Spirit say, "Read My Word, Love My Word, Live My Word." This will certainly be what I will take into whatever the new year will bring, because "His Word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path." Psalm 119:105.  

"How is that?” you may ask.  Because it tells me that He is faithful, true and protective of me, that I can rely on Him and His wisdom in the most difficult of situations.  It tells me that His love and protection will never leave me no matter what happens.  It tells me what the future of this world looks like and what comes next.  Because of that I am not afraid.  I believe what this Book says.

If you want to walk in lightness of spirit, and be filled with hope in 2024, then choose to walk closely with Jesus Christ for He is the Light of the World, and not in the wisdom of you own thoughts.  Read His Word, Love His Word, Live His Word.

PRAYER:  May the Spirit of God keep your heart and mind in peace as you choose to live His way. May God's joy be yours as you believe in Him and trust your future to His care.  God bless you with peace and faith in the year to come. Amen

No Offence!

 

Have you ever heard someone make a comment and then quickly qualify it with "No offence meant....! The qualification itself would probably give you pause for thought....."Should I be offended?"....or....."Too late, I am offended!" If it was the latter, it would probably be left unsaid.  I recently thought of two examples of women in the Bible who found themselves in a position of choosing whether to take offence, or not.

Hannah was one of two women married to Elkanah in the days when polygamy was allowed (1 Samuel 1). Elkanah's other wife, Peninnah, had given him children but Hannah remained childless.  Every year when they made their family visit to the temple at Shiloh, Peninnah would taunt Hannah about her childlessness and make her so upset that she couldn't eat.  After the sacrificial meal, a distressed Hannah left and went to the temple to pray.  

She poured out her heart to God in silent prayer with much weeping.  Eli the priest heard her crying, saw her lips moving and thought her to be drunk.  He spoke to her telling her to put her wine away and move on!  Hannah would have had cause to be offended; she could have left in a huff, but instead she answered respectfully.  “No, my lord, I am a woman of sorrowful spirit. I have drunk neither wine nor intoxicating drink, but have poured out my soul before the LORD.  Do not consider your maidservant a wicked woman,  for out of the abundance of my complaint and grief I have spoken until now.” (Vs 15,16) Eli, the priest then pronounced a blessing upon her that God would answer her prayer.  Soon after Hannah conceived and bore a son, Samuel.  

The other Bible woman who came to mind is nameless.  We do know that she came from Tyre, was not a Jew, and that she had a demon-possessed daughter.  Having heard all the healing that Jesus had been doing she came to Him and fell at his feet asking for a miracle for her daughter whom she'd left sick at home.  As if to test her Jesus said, ""First I should feed the children—my own family, the Jews.  It isn't right to take food from the children and throw it to the dogs." (Mark 7:27) Jesus was referring to the fact that his ministry was primarily to the Jewish people.  This woman, instead of feeling insulted, pressed in and said, "That's true, Lord, but even the dogs under the table are allowed to eat the scraps from the children's plates." Jesus commended her for her good answer and sent her home saying that her prayer had been answered.  Returning home she found her daughter well.

For these two women there was blessing to be found in not taking offence.  Each one knew where to take her need - to God.  Both received answers to their heartache prayers because they didn't walk away offended.   

Proverbs 19:11 says "Good sense makes one slow to anger, and it is (their) glory to overlook an offense."  Even if we have cause to be offended, it is to our credit if we don't.  It also makes for peace.

Prayer:  Father God, thank you for the wisdom of your word and for the practical examples for living a peace-filled life that we can read in your word, the Bible.  Help me to choose to forgive, rather than to take offence.  Amen

Conversation

 

If you know how many times you have had to 'bite your tongue' as my mother used to say, you will agree with the apostle James who wrote, "And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity (James 3:6) and "..the tongue no-one can tame, it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison" (James 3:8).

I've had a few occasions recently to think about a Bible verse which says, Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouth, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. (Ephesians 4:29 NIV).  This is quite a challenge, but wait, there's more!  Jesus said  "A good person out of the good treasure of the heart brings forth good things: and an evil person out of the evil treasure brings forth evil things." Matthew 12:35, and "out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks" Luke 6:45. He then went on to give this serious challenge, "I tell you, on the day of judgment people will give account for every careless word they speak." That's a very sobering thought!   

The Bible has a lot to say about the tongue, particularly in James 1:26 there is this very strong word, "If you claim to be religious but don’t control your tongue, you are fooling yourself, and your religion is worthless."   Later it likens the tongue to a small flame that can set a whole forest on fire. James then goes on to say in 3:6, "We all stumble in many ways. Anyone who is never at fault in what they say is perfect, able to keep their whole body in check."  Phew!  We know that there was only one perfect person, Jesus Christ.  Does that let me off the hook?  No! But it does mean we should try to do better, without 'falling into a hole' when we fail......which we will. 

So what is 'unwholesome talk'?  Some translations say 'foul language', but I think it means much more than that.  It's words that criticise or put people down, even people we don't know but see on TV or read gossip about.  It's words that are not kind, words of anger and frustration.  You can make your own list.  Ephesians 4:29 says our words should aim to be helpful and encouraging, that they may benefit those who listen.  That's a really good thing to aim for. 

It's too easy to get caught up in conversations that don't fit into those parameters, and so easy to  speak careless, unnecessary words. It is so easy to be misunderstood and our words misinterpreted, even if we have the best of intentions.  What a different world it would be if we all thought about our words a little more, and the effect that they might have on others.  Some use the guideline "is it good, is it necessary, is it kind?"  The psalmist prayed this useful prayer, "Set a guard over my mouth, LORD; keep watch over the door of my lips." Psalm 141:3

Prayer:  Lord you know my weakness, you know my moods, my opinions, my sins.  Forgive me, I pray and help me to cooperate with your Holy Spirit to let my conversation be acceptable to you. Help me not to cause others to stumble.  Amen

Still On The Potter's Wheel

                                                                        Photo: Brad Wood

Life is full of surprises.......my friend Brad, who made this beautiful pot, only  recently discovered the joy of moulding clay into useful vessels and works of art.  He has been so busy 'at the wheel' I cheekily asked him if it had become an obsession.  He then shared with me how he had discovered this wonderful gift, but that's his story to tell.

I was reminded of a song from many years ago that was based on some Bible verses from Isaiah 64:8....... And yet, O LORD, you are our Father.  We are the clay, and you are the potter. We all are formed by your hand.  Then of another similar passage.....But the jar he was making did not turn out as he had hoped, so he crushed it into a lump of clay again and started over. Jeremiah 18:4 NLT.

Why was I thinking about the potter's wheel?  Stuff happens!  I have learned over the years that, for a follower of Jesus Christ, it usually happens for a purpose, and often it's for the purpose of making us more like Him.  It's called sanctification.  When 'stuff happened' for me recently it made me realise that I am still on the Potter's wheel.  I needed a bit more moulding and shaping, a bit more growing and learning! It's not comfortable, but it's worth it if we allow ourselves to be shaped by the Master Potter.

I often say that we should wear a T shirt which reads "Be patient with me, God isn't finished with me yet". It's so true, we are all a work in progress and to remember that should enable us to be patient with ourselves and with others.

The good news is that we don't have to remain a 'wonky pot'!  If we give God permission to reshape us, we can become something beautiful, something good......the words of a Bill Gaither song come to mind......

         Something beautiful, something good

        All my confusion, He understood.

        All I had to offer Him was brokenness and strife

        But He made something beautiful of my life.

Don't despair if you keep falling or failing.  Allow the Potter to remould you and make you into something for His pleasure and glory. Be warned though, it's a lifelong process until we move to glory.

Prayer:  Father God, help me to allow you to make me like you.  Amen

The Pace of Life

 

One of the huge pressures of life in today's world is "so much to do, so little time".  Each of us is given 24 hours and how we use it is largely up to us.  Sometimes it doesn't feel like we are in control though, as there are so many things we 'ought', or need to do.

When I was a young mum..... about a hundred years ago....... I had posted behind the toilet door a pretty poster with the words of a poem that I have since found out, (in the days of Google), were written by one Wilfred Arlon Peterson.  Here are the first few lines.

Slow me down, Lord

Ease the pounding of my heart by the quieting of my mind.

Give me, amid the confusion of the day, the calmness of the everlasting hills.

Break the tensions of my nerves and muscles with the soothing music of the singing streams

that live in my memory.  Help me to know the magical restoring power of sleep.

Teach me the art of taking minute vacations - of slowing down to look at a flower,

to chat with a friend, 

to pat a dog, 

to read a few lines from a good book.......

I was blessed to be a full-time mum while my children were growing up, but I obviously still felt the pressure of time.  Though it must have been quite unlike the pressures today, my heart was crying out for the Lord to slow me down.  It is only now, all those years later, that I am learning (or yielding) to trust God in this.  You will often hear people who have retired say, "I don't know how I found time to work."  Retirement can also be busy and demanding, depending on how much we put into our calendar, or allow others to do so.

Something I have long struggled with is a feeling of guilt about needing to do this or that, to attend this meeting or that, or help this one or that.  I have always enjoyed offering hospitality to people but it often became a nightmare for poor Col as I became stressed about 'getting everything done right'.  Oh dear!  But that is what happens, isn't it?  The people around us pay a price for the pressure we put upon ourselves.

In very recent years I have begun to love, love, love The Message version of Matthew 11:28-30, and maybe it will grab you too.  Jesus says....

"Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion?  Come to me. Get away with me and you'll recover your life.  I'll show you how to take a real rest.  Walk with me and work with me - watch how I do it.  Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won't lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you.  Keep company with me and you'll learn to live freely and lightly."

If you feel it's impossible to 'come to Jesus and get away with him', can I encourage you to ask God how to do that.  Allow him to somehow rearrange your programme so that you can learn the unforced rhythms of grace from him.  In his 3 short years of ministry, Jesus always seemed to be surrounded by the demands of people but he never seemed in a hurry.  He 'stopped for the one' as Heidi Baker says.  He also often went aside, alone, to talk to his Father in heaven.

All these years later I am still growing and learning, it never stops, but the peace I am finding in trying to walk with Jesus in these unforced rhythms of grace is something I long for you to find too.  The place where we find peace and joy, strength and patience and all those wonderful fruits of the Spirit, that hopefully bring joy and glory to God.

Prayer:  Jesus, help me to come away with you, leave my burdens with you, to ask your wisdom and your help for each day.  Help me to walk in your unforced rhythms of grace.  Amen