Saturday, July 31, 2010

Words for the Weekend



“It takes grace to give grace, takes hope to give hope, takes love to give love. I can give these to you because Christ gave them to me.”


Paul David Tripp, Twitter post

Friday, July 30, 2010

The Palms of His Hands

The second half of Isaiah 49 is just as amazing as the first. We see a strong promise early on that the God of the universe will have compassion on His people; but these later verses also describe God in very human terms.

“Sing for joy, O heavens, and exult, O earth;
break forth, O mountains, into singing!
For the Lord has comforted his people
and will have compassion on his afflicted.

But Zion said, ‘The Lord has forsaken me;
my Lord has forgotten me.’

‘Can a woman forget her nursing child,
that she should have no compassion on the son of her womb?
Even these may forget,
yet I will not forget you.
Behold, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands...’” (v. 13-16a)

In the midst of grief and sorrow it is so easy to feel abandoned by God. But God assures us in these verses that even if a human mother could turn away from her hurting child, God cannot. And to prove His great love and care for us, He has gone so far as to engrave our names on the palms of His hands. Oh that we could truly envision this - it would give us a new appreciation of the endless depths of His compassion.

Does He have anything else on the palms of His hands, besides our names? Yes, He does. He has the visible marks of the nails that were hammered in during His crucifixion. Is that not proof enough of His everlasting love?

May we always look to His hands whenever we are tempted to believe that He has forgotten us.

Wednesday, July 28, 2010

Singing For Joy

There is a beautiful passage in Isaiah 49 that has meant a great deal to me personally. It brings me comfort because it displays the great character of God. I hope it will do the same for you.

“Sing for joy, O heavens, and exult, O earth;
break forth, O mountains, into singing!
For the Lord has comforted his people
and will have compassion on his afflicted.

But Zion said, ‘The Lord has forsaken me;
my Lord has forgotten me.’

Can a woman forget her nursing child,
that she should have no compassion on the son of her womb?
Even these may forget,
yet I will not forget you.
Behold, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands...” (v.13-16a)

At first glance, the opening of this passage seems strangely out of place for what follows. The context, though, explains the exuberance that is contained here. Immediately prior to this God encourages the Israelites to persevere in the midst of a very difficult struggle, the upcoming exile. God is very clear, though, that His intent is to restore Israel someday.  Until that time His people need to remember all His promises, especially when they become tempted to believe that God had forsaken them. Don’t grieving souls need this help as well?

John Calvin explains it in this way:

“Afflictions trouble our consciences, and cause them to waver in such a manner that it is not so easy to rest firmly on the promises of God. In short, men either remain in suspense, or tremble, or utterly fall and even faint. So long as they are oppressed by fear or anxiety, or grief, they scarcely accept of any consolation; and therefore they need to be confirmed in various ways. This is the reason why Isaiah describes the advantages of this deliverance in such lofty terms, in order that believers, though they beheld nothing around them but death and ruin, might sustain their heart by the hope of a better condition. Accordingly, he places the subject almost before their eye, that they may be fully convinced that they shall have the most abundant cause of rejoicing; though at that time they saw nothing but grief and sorrow.”

These truths are for us, also. Whenever we are overwhelmed by fear, anxiety, or grief, we need to turn to the One who makes great promises and then keeps them. God will never leave us or forsake us. He will comfort His people and have compassion on those who are afflicted. One day we will be delivered from the oppression of our sorrow. One day we shall be transported to a much better condition - Heaven itself. And one day we will sing for joy.

More on this passage in the next post.

Monday, July 26, 2010

Wolves and Lambs


To be honest, I have lived my whole Christian life confused about the Prophetic books of the Bible. I never really understood this type of literature: the symbolism, the hyperbole, the nuanced language. This was the case until I faced grief. As often happens with God, His Word meets us where we are and takes us where we need to go. Now I find that Isaiah, Jeremiah, and the rest of the prophets comfort my heart with the anticipation of future Heavenly realities. It is to these writings that I now turn when I am in distress and in need of hope.

Isaiah contains numerous passages that are good examples of this new experience. There are so many gems here for those of us who mourn. While the Bible is sprinkled with hints of Heaven, Isaiah seems to abound with verses that cannot be interpreted in any other way than as explicit images of Heaven.

For instance, Isaiah 11:
“The wolf shall dwell with the lamb,
and the leopard shall lie down with the young goat,
and the calf and the lion and the fattened calf together;
and a little child shall lead them.
The cow and the bear shall graze;
their young shall lie down together;
and the lion shall eat straw like the ox.
The nursing child shall play over the hole of the cobra,
and the weaned child shall put his hand on the adder's den.
They shall not hurt or destroy
in all my holy mountain;
for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord
as the waters cover the sea.” (v. 6-9)

Or Isaiah 25:
“He will swallow up death forever; and the Lord God will wipe away tears from all faces, and the reproach of His people He will take away from all the earth, for the Lord has spoken.” (v. 8)

How else can we explain these verses except that they are very clear promises of what is to come for God’s people? There seems to be now no earthly possibility that wolves will dwell peacefully with lambs, that it would ever be safe for babies to play near cobras, or that death will die in our present lifetime.

But God will give us this and much more in Heaven. It helps those of us struggling with grief to read these passages, to consider, to dream, and to believe.

Saturday, July 24, 2010

Words for the Weekend

“God saw Abraham’s sacrifice and said, ‘Now I know that you love me, because you did not withhold your only son from me’ [Gen. 22:12]. But how much more can we look at his sacrifice on the Cross, and say to God, ‘Now, we know that you love us. For you did not withhold your son, your only son, whom you love, from us.’ When the magnitude of what he did dawns on us, it makes it possible finally to rest our hearts in him rather than in anything else.”

Tim Keller, Counterfeit Gods

Friday, July 23, 2010

Survey says...


Isn’t it amazing how many people believe in Heaven? There is a frequent Gallup poll which asks people about faith in God and the afterlife. Every year about 80% of Americans indicate their belief in the existence of Heaven.

Why such a high number? Ecclesiastes 3 has an answer for that:

“...He has put eternity into man’s heart.”

God has given each of us an internal testimony of a life beyond this life. There is something inside of us which attests to the fact this life cannot be all that there is. Surely there must be something beyond the grave.

As those who recognize the truth of the Bible, we have something more than the hints that God has placed within every heart. We have the words of the prophets, the teachings of Jesus, and the accounts of the resurrection appearances of our Redeemer.

God has put eternity into our hearts, but He has also given us a sure Word. We have heard that Word, and have come to believe it, despite our moments of doubt and struggle.

Wednesday, July 21, 2010

Summertime Reading

Okay, so I ran out of time to write a decent blog for today. My new toy was delivered, and I got seriously distracted by playing with it. It's an iPhone4, and so far I LOVE it. My brain was seriously hurting last night trying to learn as much as a I could while my tutors (my kids!) were here helping me.

Anyway, I thought I would have a little fun and let you see what I ordered today on amazon.com as Women's Study book possibilities. I just love summertime when I have the opportunity to purchase books, read them, and make a decision as to which one the ladies of EPC get to study. Here they are:

How Long, O Lord?: Reflections on Suffering and Evil
By: D. A. Carson

Confessions of a Happy Christian
By: Zig Ziglar

Confessions of a Grieving Christian
By: Zig Ziglar

The Practice of Godliness: Godliness has value for all things
By: Jerry Bridges

Battling Unbelief: Defeating Sin with Superior Pleasure
By: John Piper

A Sweet and Bitter Providence: Sex, Race, and the Sovereignty of God (Study on the Book of Ruth)
By: John Piper

Voices From The Past - Puritan Devotional Readings
By: Richard Rushing

The War of Words: Getting to the Heart of your Communication Struggles
By: Paul Tripp


These are the newest selections, although I have another stack of books sitting in my library which are serious contenders as well. So many books, so little time...

Later today I will turn the air conditioner on, grab a Diet Coke from the fridge, and start my reading. Let the fun begin!!!

Monday, July 19, 2010

Seasons

Trivia question: What song from our popular musical heritage is entirely from the book of Ecclesiastes, except for 6 words written by the musician himself? If you guessed “Turn, Turn, Turn” you would be right! Pete Seeger wrote this hit in the 1950s. It was then popularized by the Byrds in a 1965 album of the same name. The only non-Scripture phrase which is sung is “I swear it’s not too late.”

There are a few verses from the underlying Biblical text worth considering here on the topic of grieving and the hope of heaven:

“For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven: a time to be born, and a time to die... a time to weep, and a time to laugh... a time to mourn, and a time to dance.” (Ecc: 3:1-4)

While these words make for a good song, they make for an even better commentary on life. There is no doubt that our lives “under the sun” are incredibly complex. The various emotions and life experiences described in this passage are dizzying to comprehend, especially while undergoing them. For instance, at the time when we are celebrating the joy of new life, we don’t give a moment’s thought to the reality that this adorable baby we are embracing will die one day. Or when we weep and mourn over the loss of someone very dear to us, we cannot imagine being able to once again laugh and dance. But these are realities that are common to nearly all of us. And if you are reading these words at all, it is probably because you have entered into a season of grief.

While death, weeping, and mourning are all sad events, one day we will be able to laugh and dance again. This earth and our troubled lives are ultimately in the control of Almighty God. Though we cannot always understand what He is doing, He is ruling over all things perfectly, and He loves us.

Therefore, we can trust Him in every season of our lives. One day He will take us beyond this world of “Turn, Turn, Turn,” bringing us to an eternity of joy. Let the laughing and dancing begin even now, since God’s promises to us can never fail.

Saturday, July 17, 2010

Words for the Weekend

“You don’t realize Jesus is all you need until Jesus is all you have.”

- Timothy Keller, Counterfeit Gods


“Christians don’t think God will love us because we’re good, but that God will make us good because He loves us.”

- C.S. Lewis

Friday, July 16, 2010

Precious

There is a lovely verse in Psalm 116 which causes me to marvel about God’s care for His people:

“Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His saints.” (Verse 15)

How is the death of a saint “precious” to God? John Piper, writing after the death of two good friends, explains:

“The death of every saint is a demonstration to all creation that Christ's atoning death was gloriously successful. It was not in vain. Therefore, the arrival of every saved saint in heaven is another trumpet-tribute to the preciousness of Christ's life and death on this earth. He must (it seems to me) take each one by the hand, as it were, and lead the saint to the Father, and say, "Look! Another trophy! Another 'fruit of my travail.' Another sinner saved and soul made perfect. O Father, look what we have wrought! Is this not precious!" ”

“Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His saints.”

God loves His people. When we think of our loved one’s death, we, who are left behind, tend to focus on the details of how the person we miss so much left this world, and on the pain of life now without him. God, though, turns our attention to how he was welcomed into a better life beyond this one. From this perspective, the death of a saint can be a reminder of the Lord’s special care for His children. He has a perfect life of future blessing prepared for each one of them.

God loves His saints more than we do. He proved this through the life and death of His own precious Son. Without the Cross and the reality of Heaven, we would not see our loved ones again, and their deaths could never be spoken of as something “precious.”

Wednesday, July 14, 2010

Waiting

For those of us who grieve, there is a lot of time just spent waiting. We wait for the present day to end, seeking relief in sleep. We wait for the crying and despair to give way to calm and peace once again. We wait for those “first” important events to be over: the birthday of our loved one, the anniversary of her death, the holiday season. We wait to see actual progress in our journey of grief, but it is too slow in coming. How will we ever survive the next twenty years (or more?) of our lives before we are reunited with our loved ones in Heaven? God’s Word tells us how to survive these painfully long periods of waiting:

“Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord!” (Psalm 27:14)

Oh, if only it were that simple! Our tendency is to feel just the opposite: we are certainly not strong, and our hearts are so broken that courage is not even on the radar screen. We are overcome with fear and weakness.

But this verse is not just a suggestion, it’s a command. God is instructing us in the way we should wait upon Him. In fact, the “Wait for the Lord” phrases serve as the bookends to the “be strong and courageous” component of the verse. Why is waiting, with strength and courage, so important?

Paul Tripp helps us in our understanding of this concept in his book: A Shelter in the Time of Storm - Meditations on God and Trouble.

“For the child of God, waiting isn’t simply about what the child will receive at the end of his wait. No, waiting is much more purposeful, efficient, and practical. Waiting is fundamentally about what we will become as we wait. God is using the wait to do in and through me exactly what he has promised. Through the wait he is changing me. By means of the wait he is altering the fabric of my thoughts and desires. Through the wait he is causing me to see and experience new things about him and his kingdom. And all this sharpens me, enabling me to be a more useful tool in His redemptive hands.”

Not a single one of us would ever have volunteered to undergo grief and loss in order to be a useful tool in God’s hands. Almost everyone living in this fallen world will, at some point, have to deal with the sorrow that accompanies the death of a loved one. But given that reality, isn’t it merciful of God to bring some good out of something really awful? Doesn’t it help to know that we will be changed through this experience into more caring and compassionate people? Won’t our eyes see the misery of others more clearly as a result of our own pain?

Ye fearful saints, fresh courage take,
The clouds ye so much dread
Are big with mercy, and shall break
In blessings on your head. (William Cowper)

So take the words of Psalm 27 as God’s good command to you, a mercy in the midst of a cloud that you did not ask for: “Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord.”

He is worth waiting for.

Monday, July 12, 2010

Walking Through The Valley

No walk through the Bible on the subject of death or Heaven would be complete without a consideration of Psalm 23. This Psalm is perhaps the best known chapter in the entire Bible - to believers and unbelievers alike. It is quoted most often at funerals or in other situations where death is imminent. It provides assurance and comfort in the most difficult of times.

The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
He makes me lie down in green pastures.
He leads me beside still waters.
He restores my soul.
He leads me in paths of righteousness
for his name's sake.
Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil,
for you are with me;
your rod and your staff,
they comfort me.
You prepare a table before me
in the presence of my enemies;
you anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me
all the days of my life,
and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord
forever.

For most people, and in most contexts, this Psalm is particularly poignant and comforting when contemplating one’s own death. Very often this is quoted to those facing a terminal illness or some other end-of-life experience. At least, that’s how I looked at Psalm 23 until faced with the sudden death of my son. Now, I have a different perspective.

Those of us who have undergone the traumatic death of a loved one feel that we are actually living in the “valley of the shadow of death.” In the beginning, our loss pervades nearly every waking moment. As time passes and we work through our grief, the darkness lifts just a little. My own personal experience, and those of others who have walked this road before me, confirm that the valley can last for years. How can we survive such a long ordeal?

This Psalm helps us a great deal. We affirm that the Lord is our Shepherd. What do shepherds do? They are in charge of the flock every moment; they protect, shield, guide, and nourish the individual lambs. And that, of course, is what the Lord does for us.

We remind ourselves that we are to fear no evil because God’s rod and staff are there for us. Despite our grief, we can live out the rest of our days with the assurance and confident expectation that at some point our cup will overflow again with many gifts of goodness and mercy from the hand of God. And best of all, we have the sure hope that we will dwell forever in the house of the Lord.

That’s the kind of message we need to hear when the shadows around us seem so dark.

Saturday, July 10, 2010

Words for the Weekend

“Let those be appalled because of their shame who say to me, ‘Aha, Aha!’” (Psalm 40:15)

"The 'Aha!' game, also known by its modern variation of 'Gotcha!' was well known to Jesus. The Jews would catch Jesus healing a man on the Sabbath, and say 'Gotcha!' They would see Jesus’ disciples eating grain in a field on that Sabbath and would spring from behind a bush and yell 'Gotcha!' They would lay a trap with questions pitting Caesar against God and couldn’t wait to say 'Gotcha!' They would concoct improbable scenarios about seven-times married women going to heaven and meeting all her exes, and they would wear serious faces and seem to care deeply about the issue, but inside they would say 'Gotcha!'

One would think the devil would be dispirited about the 'Aha!' game by now. He said 'Aha!' when Cain killed Abel, but God just created Seth. He said 'Aha!' when Noah got laughed at for the hundred years he built a boat on a hot dry field, but God sent the rain and vindication. He said 'Aha!’ when Abraham’s and Sarah’s bodies were getting too old to produce that promised seed, but that just gave Abraham a chance to show the angels what hoping against all hope looks like. He said 'Aha!' when Moses didn’t seem to amount to much the first 80 years of his life, but that just gave God a chance to show what He can do with washed up old men. He said 'Aha!' when Samson wasted his life, but that just gave God a chance to show that He is an 11th-hour God.

In other words, the 'Ahas' of the devil are fighting words in God’s ears. If you want to fill up the Hebrews 11 chapter with tales of faith, just let God hear you say 'Aha!' To say it is to release into the situation all of God’s zeal for His name and to set yourself up for being appalled by your shame.'"

Andree Seu, World Magazine, July 8, 2010

Thursday, July 8, 2010

Heaven in the Psalms

Where does one begin to discuss all the references to Heaven in the book of Psalms? There are so many verses that speak directly about Heaven, while many others don’t use that exact wording, but are still referring to life-after-life realities. There is suffering and grief and hope and glory present - sometimes even within the same Psalm!

To start us off, I skimmed through all 150 Psalms one day and wrote down just the references that used the word “Heaven.” Here is a sampling:

“The Lord is in his holy temple; the Lord’s throne is in heaven; his eyes see, his eyelids test, the children of man.” (Ps 11:4)

“The Lord looks down from heaven on the children of man, to see if there are any who understand, who seek after God.” (Ps 14:2)

“He will send from heaven and save me; he will put to shame him who tramples on me. God will send out his steadfast love and his faithfulness!” (Ps 57:3)

“O kingdoms of the earth, sing to God; sing praises to the Lord, to him who rides in the heavens, the ancient heavens; behold, he sends out his voice, his mighty voice.” (Ps 68:32-33)

“Turn again, O God of hosts! Look down from heaven, and see; have regard for this vine, the stock that your right hand planted, and for the son whom you made strong for yourself.” (Ps 80:14-15)

“For who in the skies can be compared to the Lord? Who among the heavenly beings is like the Lord, a God greatly to be feared in the council of the holy ones, and awesome above all who are around him? (Ps 89:6-7)

“Let this be recorded for a generation to come, so that a people yet to be created may praise the Lord; that he looked down from his holy height; from heaven the Lord looked at the earth, to hear the groans of the prisoners, to set free those who were doomed to die, that they may declare in Zion the name of the Lord, and in Jerusalem his praise, when peoples gather together, and kingdoms, to worship the Lord.” (Ps 102:18-22)

“Our God is in the heavens; he does all that he pleases.” (Ps 115:3)

“To you I lift up my eyes, O you who are enthroned in the heavens!’ (Ps 123:1)

“Give thanks to the God of heaven, for his steadfast love endures forever.” (Ps 136:26)

“Praise the Lord! Praise God in his sanctuary; praise him in his mighty heavens!” (Ps 150:1)

Even this cursory walk through the Psalms shows us how central heaven is to God. These poems and songs that the Lord gave for the worship of His Old Testament people prepare us for a life beyond this earth. God rules from that higher place. The Lord wants His people in all ages to live with an awareness of the blessing that is reserved for us even now in the heavens.

Tuesday, July 6, 2010

Long Before the Apostles Creed...


While Job is to be remembered as someone who affirms the sovereignty and goodness of God even in the midst of severe trials, we must not miss his incredible faith as well. In the midst of the pain at the loss of his property, children, and health, and with miserable friends accusing him of bringing on this trial because of some yet un-confessed sin, Job makes one of the most astounding professions of faith in the resurrection and the reality of Heaven of anyone recorded in the Bible:

“Oh that my words were written!
Oh that they were inscribed in a book!
Oh that with an iron pen and lead
they were engraved in the rock forever!
For I know that my Redeemer lives,
and at the last he will stand upon the earth.
And after my skin has been thus destroyed,
yet in my flesh I shall see God,
whom I shall see for myself,
and my eyes shall behold, and not another.
My heart faints within me! (Job 19:23-27)

The ironic component of this verse is Job’s wish that he could write down all his words and all his experiences. God certainly answered this desire in an amazing way! Throughout the centuries Christians have turned to this book of the Bible to receive comfort from the Rock of Ages Himself.

But then Job turns to the main point of this passage, and possibly the main point of the entire book. He professes that “at the last” the Redeemer will return to the earth. Long after Job has rested in the grave he KNOWS that he shall yet “in my flesh see God.” As if to affirm this point a second time, he emphasizes that he “shall see for myself, and my eyes shall behold” God.

Long before there was an Apostles Creed, Job knew in his mind and felt in his heart the last two phrases that multitudes of believers have uttered countless times:

“I believe in the resurrection of the body; and the life everlasting.”

All of our hearts should faint at the wonder of these truths!!!

Saturday, July 3, 2010

Prayers for the Weekend

I must pray for the good things of life, with a humble submission to the will of God.

Lord, you have told me that godliness holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come; 1 Timothy 4:8 and that if I seek first the kingdom of God and its righteousness, other things will be added to me; Matthew 6:33 and therefore, I cast all my anxieties about these things on you, who cares for me; 1 Peter 5:7 for my heavenly Father knows that I need them all. Matthew 6:32

I must pray to be preserved from the calamities to which I am exposed.

You, Lord, are my refuge and my fortress, Psalm 91:2 and under your wings will I find refuge; your faithfulness is a shield and buckler; let me therefore not fear the terror of the night, nor the arrow that flies by day. Psalm 91:4-5 Having made the Lord my refuge and the Most High my dwelling place, let no evil befall me nor any plague come near my tent. Psalm 91:9-10

Let the LORD be my keeper, even he who keeps Israel and neither slumbers nor sleeps. Let the Lord be my shade on my right hand, that the sun may not strike me by day, nor the moon by night. Let the Lord keep me from all evil; the Lord keep my life; the Lord keep my going out and my coming in, from this time forth and forevermore. Psalm 121:4-8

Lord, put a hedge around me and my house and all that I have on every side; Job 1:10 and take sickness away from me. Exodus 23:25

Matthew Henry, Method for Prayer

Friday, July 2, 2010

Wherein Lies the Hope?

Another lesson to be learned from studying the life and trials of Job has to do with guilt and regret. Next to immense feelings of sadness, my experience (both personally and in facilitating group discussions with other grievers) is that these two emotions are nearly universal. Everyone seems to have some area of doubt about what they could have/should have/would have done differently to possibly prolong the life of their loved one or to make the last interactions with them better. I have heard “I should have noticed the symptoms earlier,” or “We should have chosen a different doctor,” or “I could have driven my daughter to the store instead of allowing her to take the car on her own,” or “I wish I hadn’t argued with my husband that morning.” Such thoughts are traumatic and overwhelming, particularly in the early stages of grief. How can we escape such mental torture?

As mentioned before, Job underwent incredible suffering - loss of children, possessions, and health. The reader knows the story behind the story - that God had praised Job in the presence of Satan, and that Satan had challenged God to see if Job would still be faithful to Him if all were taken away. By the end of the book, we saw (previous post) that Job aced the test and was greatly praised by God Himself. But in the midst of his pain and anguish, before everything was restored to him, he was still able to say: “The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away: blessed be the name of the Lord.' (Job 1:21)

Wherein lies the hope? For me it is in the realization that I don’t know what has gone on in the Heavenly councils to bring about my present suffering. Like Job, I have not been made privy to the conversations that might have taken place. But I do know this: The Lord gives, and the Lord takes away. Blessed be the name of the Lord.