Paralyzing Belief!

“Then Jesus said to the centurion,
“Go! It will be done just as you believed it would.”” Matthew 8:13

If, as we believe from Scripture, that Jesus is the Son of God and that the Son and the Father are intimately related through the Trinity, in hearing Jesus speak to the centurion, we hear him speak to us!

But it is more than mere auditory reception. This is the conjoining of beings, one divine and one created humanity, which share in the eternal fabrication of reality. It is not that the divine needs our help, because there is ample evidence to see that the created order was spoken into existence (Genesis 1; John 1), but rather a deferring of that godly initiative in order to involve us in the very essence of what He has created.

Certainly the miraculous was demonstrated when those who were lame could walk, who were blind, could see, who were deaf could hear, who were dead were raised to life. Many of these coming about because Jesus saw the need and was moved with compassion. Here, however, we read of the mutual symbiotic relationship which brought about other forms of deliverance.

In this particular account, Matthew tells us that the one on whose behalf the centurion was imploring Jesus to act was a servant. This was not a personal plea or request but an intercession on behalf of another. Yes, his servant and therefore some sense of value was inherent, but there is a perspective which places this request of Jesus as a distance from the man himself. In articulating his request, the centurion declares his unworthiness to have Jesus come to his humble home. But also says that he knows the power which accompanies authority. In so stating, he was exercising his faith in the ability of Jesus to heal from a distance obviating the necessity of his presence with the servant.

Such faith became the basis of healing for the servant and this expression from Jesus, “Go! It will be done just as you believed it would.” There is that word on which this whole account hinges – believe. When we examine the Greek we see the following: to believe, put one’s faith in, trust, with an implication that actions based on that trust may follow; (pass.) entrust.

To entrust, to put one’s faith in, to trust with an implication that actions based on that trust may follow are powerful concepts which deserve our attention. Here the concept of belief is not merely nebulous, uniformed, blind trust as we sometimes say, but rather the purposeful, knowledgeable, decision to place one’s future to some degree into the hands of another with the hope and anticipation that the one so entrusted will care passionately and compassionately for your well being. It was with this intent that the centurion placed the future of his valued servant on the initiative of Jesus knowing that he would act with compassion and with concern.

Behind this request lay the confidence that Jesus alone could remedy the situation, which to all intents and purposes, was hopeless. It is in such circumstances that one is forced to either lose hope or re-orient one’s future to the providence of God Himself.

Understanding that God works in our lives actively we know: Rom. 8:28 We know that all things work together (that God works together in all things) for the good (ultimate good) of those who love God: those who are called according to His purpose.

It is in this understanding that the true essence of belief, trust, hope, faith and assurance are ultimately resting – God works! God works together! God works together in all things! God works together in all things for the ultimate good of those who love God.

If our calling is certain, if our love for God is real, then our faith is anchored securely to that which cannot harm or destroy! Amen.

Waiting in Hope!

“I wait for the Lord, my soul waits, and in his word I put my hope.
Mu soul waits for the Lord more than watchmen wait for the morning,
more than watch\men wait for the morning.”

Lord as I ponder this passage I am impressed that this is part of the poetic literature. Additionally, this is one of the psalms of ascent written by David. I can picture the pilgrims as they made their way up the twisting paths which led to Jerusalem, stopping periodically to catch their breath and to rest allowing themselves and those older devout godly people, to regain some of the energy needed to continue. They waited. But as they slowly mounted the intervening hills, they sang - songs of hope, songs of deliverance, songs of faithfulness, songs of miracles and this song of agonizing tinged with hope.

Here was the soul marching to Zion, fulfilling the requirements of the law, but all the while wrestling with the issues of life and the future:
“Lord, I call to you from the depths; hear my cry, O lord!
Let your ears pay attention to the sound of my pleading.”

The soul, the heart keeps its secrets which only song can express - words seem inadequate to open the heart to the pain and the longing which resides there. The pleading admits to the presence of hope and that, not in the self, but lodged within the divine presence which seems so distant, yet the sole focus of any change. The words of the focus verses resound with the pathos of longing, of sorrow, of having been here before, not only physically on this trek to the Temple, but more importantly at this place where we have no reason, no place, no energy, no means but to place ourselves once again, in HIs presence.

Stern translates these verses in the following manner:
“I wait longingly for Adonai.
I put my hope in his word.
Everything in me waits for Adonai
more than guards on watch wait for the morning,
more than guards on watch wait for the morning.”

In keeping with the Jewish understanding of the holistic nature of man, he avoids the duplicity of the NIV and says, I wait for the Lord. Here there is no separation of ‘me’ and ‘soul’, but rather one single creation which is longingly waiting. Oh, the depth of passion evoked by the timelessness emanating from the longing soul, the waiting heart, the patient individual whose steps retraced what had become the annual pilgrimage with the hope of some answer, some deliverance.

But for the Godly, there is not place for desperation because there is always the Lord! David, clearly understands that there are two aspects to waiting longingly. First there is the recognition that the circumstances of life, often endured for long periods of time, have a tendency to wear us down, to grind us into powder with the millstones of time. It is this seemingly endless process of divine pruning, of eternal sifting, of sanctified purification which entails the waiting coupled with the unfulfilled longing for seeing the resolution and the sight which is encapsulated in the divine presence in Zion, in HIs Temple. But secondly, there is the human recognition that nothing we can do to hasten, alleviate or eliminate the process in which we are called to live – except Adonai! It is this recognition, that we are beyond ourselves in alleviating our situation and realizing our hope that the pilgrim clings to the Lord.

This is reinforced in David’s conclusion to the psalm:

“Israel, put your hope in Adonai!
For grace is found in Adonai,
and with him is unlimited redemption
He will redeem Israel from all their wrong doings.”

It is in Adonai alone that any hope resides – hope which can deal with the truly significant issues of life – redemption, forgiveness. Yes, they are found within the grace of Adonai and the limitlessness of His redemption. There is no end to what He can redeem, no sin too awful that HIs grace cannot atone, not demands fro redeeming, that HIs provision cannot meet. In a significant intimation of actual redemption through Jesus Christ many centuries later, we have here the same concepts imbedded that Paul so articulately phrased, “Where sin abounded, grace abounded more.” Rom. 5:20 “The law came along to multiply the trespass. But where sin multiplied, grace multiplied even more, 21 so that, just as sin reigned in death, so also grace will reign through righteousness, resulting in eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”

Thank you David, for the insight into the walk of life, but more importantly into the life of hope, victory even though you looked forward and we look back to the person of Jesus Christ. Yes, you saw in God and the annual pilgrimages to the Temple that the divine presence of God was sufficient to do whatever was demanded – grace sufficient for all our sin – unlimited redemption! Hallelu Yah!

Gideon's Encounter

“Gideon replied, “If now I have found favor in your eyes,
give me a sign that it is really you talking to me.
PLease do not go away until I come back and bring my offering and set it before you.”
And the Lord said, “I will wait until you return.” Joshua 6:17, 18

As I read the context in which these verses rest, I find a strange parallel with my own life. Here is a man who finds himself in the midst of a people who are being persecuted because of their lack of belief and practice. Into such a situation, God reaches out and touches the heart of a man to lead HIs people out of the morass of iniquity and to lead them back to God. Like Moses, like the prophets, Gideon finds himself inadequate to the task and wants to know why he has been nominated by God.

There seems to be no human reason why Gideon should have been selected – family was not prominent, he is young, he is experiencing the same circumstances as those he is selected to lead. How can I do this is the thought which courses through his mind and to which God provides an answer: “Go in this strength of yours and save Israel from the hands of Midian. Haven’t I sent you? … Because I am with you, you will strike down Midian as easily as if they were just one man.”

Powerful calling! Powerful instructions! Powerful anointing! Powerful accompaniment and mandate! We naturally ask – wasn’t that sufficient to initiate Gideon’s active role in leading his people back to God? Would it be for us? Would we understand as clearly as Gideon that God had called us? Would we take the initiative and move forward counting on God’s provision and action in our situation?

Perhaps we are more Gideonite than we want to admit. The mind becomes a battlefield and out thoughts race between extremes – was that God speaking? was that just my active mind at work? Was my mind playing games and really just putting my wants and wishes out there as “from God”? How do I know which is God and which is my wishful thinking? How did Gideon know?

As the next verses show, he struggled similarly to how we do – uncertainty ruled even though “The angel of the Lord came … sat down …appeared … said …turned and said …said …” How could Gideon be certain? After all, if this was merely his mind at work, think of the ridicule to which he could be exposed! Think of the impact on his future reputation! Think of …

Gideon was seeking a greater level of assurance and so went to get a meal prepared. I find it interesting to read that while Gideon was in conversation with the angel (Adonai), he still felt the need for further confirmation. In answer to his query, the angel responds and says, “I’ll wait until you get back.”

STOP and consider! This passage presents both ideas of “the angel of the Lord” and “Adonai” speaking to Gideon and then this so human response, “I’ll wait.” This is God who is going to wait while Gideon prepares a meal. God, the Creator, waiting on the created! Somehow we want to believe that there are more urgent tasks for God to busy Himself with than waiting on a Gideon, or us. But isn’t that this mystery of relationship with God? He reached down to fallen humanity and desires to have fellowship with them – you and me!

But the Lord was not finished with Gideon just yet. When the meal was presented – the meat, the matzot, the broth – the instructions were given to “lay them on the rock and pour out the broth.” In an instant, that which was common, became an offering acceptable to God and was blazingly consumed with a mysterious fire which ascended from the rock. As sight registered on the mind, Gideon realized in a flash, in that split second, I am in the presence of God Almighty! What terrible consequences am I going to experience? –  Similar to the experience of Isaiah, of Ezekiel, of Moses, of Paul … Terror filled his mind, “Oh no! My Lord! Adonai! Because I’ve seen the angel of the Lord face-to-face!”– certain death!

In that moment of immense doubt, terror, intimidation and fear, God speaks words of peace, “Shalom to you, don’t be afraid, you won’t die!”

Today as the inadequacies of our own strength, training, understanding and mission clarify in our minds, may the experience of Gideon give us courage to follow where He leads!