ResponsiveReiding

Job 38:1 “Then God answered Job out of the whirlwind and said…”

Over the years, the book of Job has become increasingly precious to me. I’ve probably considered myself more righteous that Job – assuming that in trials I would not have the same doubts, fears and questions he so openly expresses. Of course, that is just sinful hubris. Whether I express them or not – I do indeed have them nevertheless. I just don’t want to admit it.

And then we come to these closing chapters. And here, after all the theologizing is done; after all the attempts at “Biblical counseling” from his 3 friends; after Elihu’s attempt to re-frame everything by serving as God’s defender rather than as Job’s prosecutors as the other were – God speaks. And it is a marvel.

When I was growing up, there was a chorus which was popular in the Churches our family attended. We seldom (if ever) sang the verses which had to do with willingness to serve God wherever He might seem fit to send us. Instead, the chorus took on a life of its own – a prayer to hear God speak. It went:

Speak, my Lord, speak, my Lord,

Speak, and I’ll be quick to answer Thee;

Speak, my Lord, speak, my Lord,

Speak, and I will answer, “Lord, send me.”

In more recent years, we’ve seen both a spate of books like A. J. Russell’s poorly conceived “classic” – “God Calling” – and teachings from multiple ministries supposedly providing the key to hearing God. By which is usually meant God directly communicating some data we desire in answering a question of life, or some specific direction in decision making and the like. I won’t go into all of that here, but want to keep with the amazing account we have here in Job.

The ancient expositor John Chrysostom (AD 347-407) comments on this opening verse: “Since the cloud is a symbol of heaven, it is as if God wanted to place heaven itself over Job, as if he had moved his throne near him.” In more modern dress – God speaking to Job out of the whirlwind is equivalent to pulling up His chair to sit and lean in to speak.

What a glorious and gracious God. 

No one argues but that Job was in dire straits. His grief was genuinely and legitimately overwhelming. And from his perspective, there was no way to reason through why he was suffering as he was. He wanted answers. The way we do. He wanted direction – what to do and how to do it – especially in terms of ending his excruciating circumstances. He was hurt, confused and in agony in both body and soul.

Now one thing was for sure – delving into the mystery of evil with his theologically savvy friends didn’t do it. Trying to sort out why some of the wicked prosper so much while at the same the righteous suffer – didn’t yield any fruit. Being unable to tie any specific sin or sinful pattern directly to his suffering was a dead end. And if he took his comforter’s advice – he had no idea what it was he was supposed to repent of to get the relief they promised, should he do so. He was stuck. And what he thought he wanted was 2-fold, an explanation, and a chance to plead his case with God face to face. Neither would be forthcoming. Though the latter would almost get there.

So what does this text tell us then? What does it say about hearing God? One thing above all others. For in this encounter when God pulls his chair up to speak with Job – he receives no answer from Him either. He receives no new data with which to bring light to his darkened and depressed soul. He gets no vindication. God does not reveal even one new thing to him – the kind of revelation so many of us seem to thirst for.

What does Job get? The one thing he needs the most: God’s self-revelation. That’s what renewed to his soul. He gets God Himself, up close and personal. So it is the text says “Yahweh answered Job.” All of a sudden, the covenant name by which God revealed Himself to Moses and to Israel makes its appearance. And with it, the simple reminder that God is perfectly wise; orders and administrates every minute aspect of His creation, down to the feeding of unseen (by human eyes) animals; has designed all with infinite precision; and that in that wisdom and power – is simply to be trusted and worshiped for who and what He is.

As I have often concluded in this book, the thing we need most, is not to know the “whys” of life – but the Who behind it all.

God simply drew close – and revealed Himself afresh.

So let me ask you today – have you set aside things for a few minutes to let God speak to your soul out of His Word? Not looking for new data. Not looking for answers. Not looking for high and shaking experiences. Just reading His Word so that He can pull the chair up close and remind you who He is that loved you so, that He gave His only Son, that by believing in Him, you might have everlasting life. Quieting yourself long enough for His Word to sink in, to refresh you in who and what He is. To rest and marvel that He has ordered, and still administrates every sub-atomic particle of His universe – which must by default include you, and everything pertaining to you – and everyone else. God of the nations. God over all governments. God over nature. God over pain, sickness, disease, loneliness, helplessness, confusion, weakness, sin and sorrow. God. Yahweh. The personal “I am that I am.”

Nothing else is what is needed. As when Jesus spoke to Martha in Luke 10 about Mary: “but one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her.” And what was that? To sit as His feet and listen to His teaching (v. 39). And where do we get that? Open your Bible.

By all accounts, it is a momentous day in the history of the United States. The Supreme Court ruling overturning what is known as Roe v Wade – the 1973 ruling which found a “right” to abortion on demand in the United States Constitution – has been prayed for, fought for and longed for, by so very many. God has been gracious to make this aspect of the abortion issue moot – for the time being. We are justly grateful. At the same time, we need to look at what this really is, what it is not, and what it may or may not mean.

Some things today’s decision is NOT:

First, it is not a declaration that abortion is illegal.

It is not a declaration that abortion is murder.

It is not a declaration that abortion is immoral.

It is not a declaration that abortion will be outlawed in the United States.

It is not a guarantee that something similar to Roe will not be found in subsequent Courts through other arguments.

It is not free from challenges. They can and will come. And unless I miss my guess, in massive waves.

For all of the above to be true, there is infinitely more thought, work, prayer to be done. The battle for the sanctity of human life in the womb is not even remotely over. And in our increasingly secular society, I fear the decision will be controverted by some other means. God willing, perhaps not.

It means abortion rights advocates will become increasingly vocal, virulent and maybe even violent.

It means pro-life advocates will be disdained more, and perhaps attacked more openly.

What the decision does NOT MEAN:

It does not mean the United States has averted the judgment of God regarding the millions whose deaths we already sanctioned since 1973.

It does not mean the nation has in any way, shape or form, repented nationally from the murderous sin of abortion.

It does not mean we are somehow a more Christian nation.

It does not mean that as a nation, that we have suddenly become more moral.

Something today’s decision IS:

It is a finding, that the original decision by the Supreme Court was bad law. That it was reasoned poorly.

And little more.

Some things today’s decision MEANS:

It means that some lives will be wonderfully saved during the (probably short) time before the pro-abortion forces regroup to focus on increasing the role of pro-abortion states (like New York) and access to them.

It means states like New York will make abortion a much more massive industry than it already is. Remember, the Supreme Court cannot (or ought not) rule on the basis of what its members think or feel is moral or immoral – it rules on Constitutional legality. We must not confuse the 2. They impact one another, but are not one and the same.

Now for 2 Chronicles 34.

Don’t get me wrong here, America is not “God’s nation” the way Israel was. That line of thinking is clearly un-Biblical. God has only instituted one nation as His own in history, and that is the Jewish nation. Over application of how God dealt with (or may still deal with) Israel to ourselves is exegetical nonsense. And the source of some grave misunderstandings.

That said, we do see Biblically that God does deal with individual nations. So it is 7 people groups in Canaan God marked out for destruction due to their sin – prior to Israel’s conquest of them. Destruction due to their unrepentant immorality on many fronts – not just idolatry. Among the worst of those being the practice of sacrificing children to appease their “gods.” A thing God found most abhorrent in Israel when it began to adopt those same practices in her decline.

Now God is His grace is seen to give Israel several kings over her history, who brought in sweeping reforms to rid the nation of its idolatry. Names like Asa and Hezekiah head the list. But none was as zealous, thorough and devoted to God in those reforms as was king Josiah. The accounts of his passion to serve His God with all fidelity, and to lead his nation in a restoration to serve the true and living God rightly are equaled by none. And God took notice.

Here is my point: For all the reformation and perhaps even revival which took place under Josiah – God also told him this: “Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel…because your heart was tender and you humbled yourself before God when you heard his words against this place and its inhabitants, and you have humbled yourself before me and have torn your clothes and wept before me, I also have heard you, declares the LORD. Behold, I will gather you to your fathers, and you shall be gathered to your grave in peace, and your eyes shall not see all the disaster that I will bring upon this place and its inhabitants.’ ” 2 Ch 34:26–28.

Note first, that the reversal or Roe v Wade, as good, glorious and right as it is – is not even remotely akin to our nation (or our leadership especially) humbling ourselves before God in repentance. This, isn’t that. For true Christians, there is a connection, but it is still not the same. America has not repented, it has addressed a point of bad law.

Note secondly, that even though Josiah’s reforms were sweeping and pervasive – they did not stop the judgment that God had already pronounced for Judah’s sins – but did, mercifully delay them. And I pray that may be the very same for us. But I do not think so. Not as it all stands as it is.

I am no prophet nor the son of a prophet. I cannot say with any certainty, but it seems to me that when the US codified Roe v Wade, we set ourselves under the judgment of God in a way that will not be reversed in terms of our nation. I “think” we signed a national death warrant that day That is not to say there weren’t lots of other heinous sins of which we were guilty – though flimsily hidden under the false veneer of our Leave-It-To-Beaver moralism. But the wholesale slaughter of babies in their mother’s wombs for whatever god was served other than the God of Heaven, is so closely allied to the idolatrous act of “passing their sons through the fire” that it cannot be ignored. And in sheer numbers, we have far outstripped either the pagan nation’s or apostate Israel’s actions.

Now does that mean we just give up the ship? NO!

Now is the time to pray and work for a season of revival as never before. To seek the Lord for sweeping repentance IN the Church first, that our nation may be blessed as a whole. To plead for a season of refreshing and revival greater even than that under Josiah’s reign. That God may be pleased to give us yet another reprieve before that great and terrible day of His judgment arrives. Perhaps our God in His infinite mercy will be willing to say something similar to Believers in our generation as He did to Josiah: “Behold, I will gather you to your fathers, and you shall be gathered to your grave in peace, and your eyes shall not see all the disaster that I will bring upon this place and its inhabitants.”

But either way – let us seize the moment this Supreme Court decision brings to national awareness – as a catalyst to press even further in Christ’s Kingdom personally, Church wide, and hopefully, nationally. That our neighbors may be blessed, that Christ may be glorified, and that countless among the lost will be brought to saving faith in Jesus Christ.

“Yet all this is worth nothing to me, so long as I see Mordecai the Jew sitting at the king’s gate.” Es 5:13.

Haman was anything but an admirable character. Elevated to 2nd in the Kingdom of Persia under Ahasuerus, the mere fact that one exiled Jew wouldn’t show him the deference he thought was owing to him – found that deprivation – as our text says: “worth nothing…as long as I see Mordecai the Jew sitting at the king’s gate.”

And I am forced to stop and ask:

What is it, that when I consider all the riches and glories that are mine because of Christ – I remain dissatisfied without?

Note how it is Haman first recounts all that is his: Riches; Family; Standing; Honors; Power. And still he can say, “all of this is worth nothing to me, so long as…”

Heavenly Father – forgive me for having anything of the spirit of Haman in my own breast. You tell me that I have received the riches of your kindness, forbearance and patience in Christ, leading me to repentance and salvation (Rom. 2:4); The riches of Christ’s glory as a vessel of mercy (Rom. 9:23) and the riches of Christ Himself for all who call upon Him (Rom. 10:12)

And what a family I have been both adopted and born into: “to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.” (John 1:12-13); “See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God.” (1 John 2:8); And “beloved, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when He appears we shall be like Him, because we shall see Him as He is.” (1 John 3:2).

What a standing I have before you Father: with a faith which brings an equal standing before you as the very Apostles themselves (2 Pet. 1:1); all we who were dead in our trespasses and sins, have been raised from the dead and raised up with Christ – so as to be seated with Him in the heavenly places! (Eph. 2:1-7).

What unspeakable honors you have bestowed upon us – that we will one day rule and reign with Christ – “Blessed and holy is the one who shares in the first resurrection! Over such the second death has no power, but they will be priests of God and of Christ, and they will reign with him for a thousand years.” (Rev. 20:7).

And what power – through Christ, free access to you Father – Creator of and Lord over all things (Eph. 2:18); and not just access, but that with boldness and confidence (Eph. 3:12).

And still I find it somehow reasonable to treat all of this as though it were nothing – just like Haman, because someone slights me? Because some supposed or perceived “right” is infringed upon? Because I am denied some earthly pleasure or desire? Or my situation isn’t just as I would prefer, or I am subject to some temporary loss, un-comfortableness; have a denied or delayed preference etc? Father! Forgive my blasphemous ingratitude, self-centeredness and sinful perspective.

Teach my heart to cherish anew each and every hour the wonders, glories, and astounding riches that are all mine in Christ Jesus. And to count with Paul everything this world may have to offer but rubbish in comparison. Fill my heart with Christ and Him crucified.  

And those who had set their hearts to seek the LORD God of Israel came after them from all the tribes of Israel to Jerusalem to sacrifice to the LORD, the God of their fathers. They strengthened the kingdom of Judah, and for three years they made Rehoboam the son of Solomon secure, for they walked for three years in the way of David and Solomon. 2 Ch 11:16–17.

Reading through 1 & 2 Samuel, 1 & 2 Kings and 1 & 2 Chronicles, one is always left sad. Yes, there are extraordinary high points – like David’s accession to the throne and the early years of Solomon. But it isn’t long after Solomon’s death, that the cracks in the foundation of God’s united people – sown through Solomon’s own spiritual compromise – began to bring disastrous results. The very next generation, under the leadership of Rehoboam brings civil war and division. Long division. One which was never healed. And led both Israel and Judah to their demise.

The nation split, Judah and Benjamin – under Rehoboam and the other 10 tribes under Jeroboam, the real fracture became known. God had made His dwelling place the Temple in Jerusalem. If all the Israelites were to maintain access to the Temple and obey God in His commands regarding the annual feasts and such – they needed to seek a solution to the division. But they didn’t. Neither the leaders nor the people. Though in this case, the people should have taken the lead. Those in Israel, following the example of those cited in the text above should have said: “no matter what goes on politically – we will serve our God as one people according to His commands.” Instead, Jeroboam, in order to keep power, set up a new religious system in Israel. It would stop (he hoped) any who were more motivated to seek the Lord, than to keep blind allegiance to him. And for the most part, it worked.

And so we ask – are there political or social concerns which in any way prevent us from uniting with others we know in Christ are seeking to serve Him well? When men an women who profess saving faith in Christ, are committed to His Word, and to the Gospel, and to growing in holiness, find extra-Biblical conflict keeping us from one another – something’s wrong.

As in our text, yes, those who were determined to worship the Lord aright, and to find that their focal point, ended up also making the throne of Rehoboam more secure. They were not making a political statement. It was not their aim. It just was, what it was. That, they had to let God sort out. For these, the real issue was that nothing would prevent them from joining with those who sought to serve God rightly. The political parties were not the issue. The differences between them were not the issue. God’s people, seeking God sincerely, and together was.

Fidelity to serve God as His people trumped everything else.

Now, therefore, thus says the LORD of hosts: Consider your ways. Hag 1:5.

The Bible as revelation is written such, that an uninitiated reader would come away with the following things as controlling concepts:

1. God created the world and everything in it.

2. Mankind as a race, was created in the image of God.

3. In love, God gave man every benefit, and a warning not to eat that which God had put off limits, or man would die.

4. Man was tempted by the serpent, and disobeyed God’s command.

5. Man hid in his shame.

6. Instead of man dying (in terms of final and absolute judgment) right away, God showed mercy. He sought man out, covered his nakedness and promised to send the “Seed” of the woman who would bruise the serpent’s head – the tempter behind the Fall. The race was spared.

7. Man lost his access to the Tree of Life and suffers the effects of this loss in physical and spiritual corruption. All human misery is linked to this fall.

8. Man very quickly descended into envy, hatred and murder.

9. While man continued to digress, in love God continued to sustain him.

10. God repeatedly intervened in the affairs of mankind to prevent its total demise, displaying special grace to certain individuals, thus preserving the race while also letting it suffer the first pains of His just wrath.

11. Out of the mass of fallen men, God chose one man – Abraham – and in making a covenant with him (a promise confirmed by signs) set Abraham and his offspring apart to be the means of preserving the witness, worship and Word of the true God among men. Through this arrangement (Abraham was told), all of the nations of the earth would eventually be blessed. 

12. For the most part, the rest of mankind outside of this new nation were given up to their sin, though through this nation (Israel) the testimony of God, His purposes and His Word were preserved and could be sought. 

13. Irrespective of their repeated rebellion and sinfulness, in grace, God preserved the nation which came from Abraham, and the promised “seed” eventually did come through them in the person of Jesus Christ.

14. This Jesus who was fully both God and man, was rejected as the “seed” by the vast majority of the nation (Israel) God had preserved all along.

15. This Jesus announced that God loved not only the Jews, but the whole world. So much so that He (Jesus) had been sent so that whosoever – without qualification – would believe in Him, would be reconciled to God the Father, spared from the final wrath of God still due on their sin, and instead gain eternal life with Himself.          

16. Dying on the Cross at Calvary and experiencing God’s wrath which is justly due to fallen mankind, Jesus rose from the dead on the third day, and commissioned those who believed in Him to make the good news of His death, burial and resurrection known to every living creature.

17. Those who believed God’s willingness to receive them if they believed on Christ, and demonstrated that belief in obeying His commands, would be saved. Those not believing would remain under God’s wrath and would finally be condemned. 

18. His disciples engaged in telling this good news immediately, but still needed to be shown that this news was in fact to be made known to all men – not just the nation of Israel.

19. With supernatural signs attesting to it, this message began to be taken everywhere, and preached freely to everyone. “To him all the prophets bear witness that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.” (Acts 10:43)

20. God has demonstrated His love in sending His Son, so that if I believe – I can be saved too.

21. This same Jesus is coming back to judge the entire world in righteousness. Believers will be gathered to Him forever. Unbelievers will suffer the eternal consequences of their rebellion.

Amazing!

Oh give thanks to the LORD; call upon his name; make known his deeds among the peoples! Sing to him, sing praises to him; tell of all his wondrous works! Glory in his holy name; let the hearts of those who seek the LORD rejoice! Seek the LORD and his strength; seek his presence continually! Remember the wondrous works that he has done, his miracles and the judgments he uttered, O offspring of Israel his servant, children of Jacob, his chosen ones! He is the LORD our God; his judgments are in all the earth. Remember his covenant forever, the word that he commanded, for a thousand generations, the covenant that he made with Abraham, his sworn promise to Isaac, which he confirmed to Jacob as a statute, to Israel as an everlasting covenant, saying, “To you I will give the land of Canaan, as your portion for an inheritance.” When you were few in number, of little account, and sojourners in it, wandering from nation to nation, from one kingdom to another people, he allowed no one to oppress them; he rebuked kings on their account, saying, “Touch not my anointed ones, do my prophets no harm!” Sing to the LORD, all the earth! Tell of his salvation from day to day. Declare his glory among the nations, his marvelous works among all the peoples! For great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised, and he is to be feared above all gods. For all the gods of the peoples are worthless idols, but the LORD made the heavens. Splendor and majesty are before him; strength and joy are in his place. Ascribe to the LORD, O families of the peoples, ascribe to the LORD glory and strength! Ascribe to the LORD the glory due his name; bring an offering and come before him! Worship the LORD in the splendor of holiness; tremble before him, all the earth; yes, the world is established; it shall never be moved. Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice, and let them say among the nations, “The LORD reigns!” Let the sea roar, and all that fills it; let the field exult, and everything in it! Then shall the trees of the forest sing for joy before the LORD, for he comes to judge the earth. Oh give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; for his steadfast love endures forever! Say also: “Save us, O God of our salvation, and gather and deliver us from among the nations, that we may give thanks to your holy name and glory in your praise. Blessed be the LORD, the God of Israel, from everlasting to everlasting!” Then all the people said, “Amen!” and praised the LORD.

There is no question that King David was a man who gave himself over easily to the worship of his God. The sheer number of the Psalms which bear his name give testimony to that – let alone an account like this one in 1 Chronicles 16. It was sung at the bringing of the Ark of the Covenant to Jerusalem. It was a profoundly joyous time, and we are told here that David appointed this song – which he appears to have composed – to Asaph and his brothers to be sung on that occasion. And in it, we see a number of elements which are fitting for the saints in all ages to offer up proper worship before the Lord. Let’s catalog them briefly.

1. Right worship of God begins with thanksgiving: (8) “Give thanks to the Lord.”
2. Worshiping God aright requires that we trust Him with our needs: (8) Call upon His name. God is not worshiped, if His character and power are not trusted.
3. The things He has done are to be celebrated: (8) Make known His deeds among the peoples.
4. “Sing praises to Him” (9) It is interesting to note that in modern American Evangelicalism, many think this is the sum of worship altogether. It is not. Music is not the “worship” part of the service. It is but one element. If it is not preceded by a thankful heart, trusting Him with our needs, and making His goodness toward us known – we haven’t paved the way to sing yet.
5. “Glory in His holy name”: (10) Marvel that God is light, and in Him is no darkness at all. This may require a time of contemplation.
6. 6. Rejoice (10): The worship of the living God is both solemn and joyous. If is is dull and lifeless, we’ve not yet connected with the glory of His holy name. That He is august, majestic, grand, transcendent.
7. “Seek the Lord and His strength” (11) Come needing all. Recognizing our utter dependence upon Him for everything.
8. “Seek His presence continually” (11) Come, having sought Him outside of gathered worship – and not just in Church.
9. “Remember” (12) Remind yourself of how He has met you in the past. How He has ordered your life. How He has been actively sovereign in every joy, sorrow, fortune, trial and step along the way.
10. “Remember His covenant” (15) Go back and recall the covenant under which you live in agreement with Him – the one sealed in the blood of Jesus. The wonder of mercy and grace in saving work of Jesus Christ.
11. “Ascribe to the Lord the splendor He deserves” (28-29) Stop to be amazed at Him.
12. “Bring an offering” (29) Do not come empty handed. Come with sacrifice of Jesus fresh in your heart and mind.
13. “Worship the Lord in holy attire” or, as the ESV – “in the splendor of holiness.” (29) – Not considering your own worthiness, but how you must be clothed with Christ’s own, by faith.
14. “Tremble before Him” (30) Do not treat Him lightly. He is not your buddy or pal. He is your God. Your Lord. Your Creator.
15. “Say this prayer: “Deliver us, O God who delivers us!” (35) Delivers us from your wrath. From the power of indwelling sin. From the grave. From the very presence of sin. From this present evil age. Know and acknowledge that you need His constant deliverance.

This, beloved, is a template for true worship. How anemic most of what we call worship today seems in comparison. May He make us those who worship Him in spirit and in truth indeed.

The line in the graphic above from the Office’s Michael Scott – could well describe many in modern Evangelicalism. To be sure, most of us would not actually categorize ourselves that way. But it is something worth considering.

I Chronicles 13 contains one of the most enigmatic passages in the Bible. David, after solidly becoming King over all Israel, decides it is time to bring the Ark of The Covenant up to Jerusalem – the place to become the seat of power of the nation. Verse 3 notes David’s reasoning: 1 Chron. 13:3 “Then let us bring again the ark of our God to us, for we did not seek it in the days of Saul.”

During Saul’s reign, he was not as interested in seeking the face of God for what God wanted to do in Israel. He was more interested in simply using God to do what He decided he wanted to do. The prime example of that being one of the most dark moments in Israel’s history – the battle with the Philistines where the Ark was captured, and Saul and Jonathan lost their lives in battle. They had taken to Ark into battle as a sort of good luck charm. And it failed. Tragically.

Now David, with basically good intentions, wants to honor God and bring the Ark to a resting place in the capitol city. The Ark is being transported on a cart instead of being carried on the shoulders of the priests as God had required. And when hitting some rough road, the Ark looked like it might tumble and fall. Uzzah, a man nearby, stuck out his hand to steady the Ark. And God killed him for it. The text then notes that David was angry. We’re not sure if it was with God, himself or what. But in the meantime, he goes back to consult the Word, finds his error, and brings the Ark to Jerusalem properly this time. Verse 12 is very telling: 1 Chron. 13:12 “And David was afraid of God that day, and he said, “How can I bring the ark of God home to me?” And from then on, before David enters any battle – battles which would seem to be no-brainers – repelling attacks. David first consults the Lord before going.

Why?

Because David had learned that even though he was King, he was King to carry out God’s program. God was not the means for David to carry out his own. He was there to do God’s will. God was not there to do David’s.

Truth be told, many of us are like David before the incident with Uzzah. We seek God’s presence, say our prayers, go to worship, have our daily quiet time, etc., with a subtext of getting God on our side in the things we want to do in life. We treat the Christian life like a good luck charm. After all, God is here to bless and accomplish our agendas isn’t He? Doesn’t He want us to be healthy and prosperous and above all – happy? And isn’t it His role to serve us in achieving our dreams and ambitions? Won’t reading our Bibles every day influence Him to make our business deals go well, make our wives nicer, our kids more obedient, our sports team win and our candidate take office?

No.

God is not a good luck charm. The crosses on our necklaces are no amulets against the powers of darkness. The “Jesus Saves” bumper sticker on our car is not a magic talisman. Nor are Church attendance, small groups, prayer, tithes or quiet times. For He does not exist to enable us to achieve our wills and bless our endeavors: We exist to serve His plans and purposes. We are here to make Him known. To carry out His will. We cannot carry Him about to make life nice.

Don’t use your pastor that way either. As if you can live any way you want, but if he performs your marriage ceremony – somehow that make it all right even when making a bad choice in a mate.

Don’t serve God superstitiously. Even a little-stitiously. Serve Him as your Lord, and God and King. As here to do His bidding. There is no life so satisfying, as living it the way we were designed: To be His image-bearers; Informed by His Word; empowered by His Spirit – to carry out His desires.

How can you know if you are superstitiously serving God? When you tie a troublesome event – like a flat tire – to whether or not you have your quiet time today. When you are discouraged from reading the Word, prayer or attending worship because things aren’t going your way. When you are frustrated with God for not answering prayer the way you wanted Him to – and are ticked off at Him for it. When in sum, He refuses to be manipulated, and it bugs you. You’re doing all the “right stuff” and He’s not responding the way you want. It is then that you have begun to try and magically make God your servant. And He’ll have none of it. As God warned the Israelites before entering Canaan – citing the pagan practices of the nations they were to dispossess – “You shall not worship the Lord your God in that way.” (Deut. 12:4) For ALL false religion functions on the premise of getting cosmic powers to do one’s bidding by rites, rituals, ceremonies, sacrifices etc.. And God WILL NOT be served that way.

We do not serve God as a means to obtain our pre-conceived goodies. We serve God, because He Himself is our inheritance – as a nation of priests – even as He swore to the Levites. If the Holy Spirit is the down payment of our inheritance, nothing else could be the full measure of it other than the fullness of God Himself in all of His triune glory. Not things – HIM!

Christian – serving God for stuff, is rank superstition. Idolatry. Serve Him for Him. And you have everything.

Psalm 130 “A Song of Ascents. Out of the depths I cry to you, O Lord! O Lord, hear my voice! Let your ears be attentive to the voice of my pleas for mercy! If you, O Lord, should mark iniquities, O Lord, who could stand? But with you there is forgiveness, that you may be feared. I wait for the Lord, my soul waits, and in his word I hope; my soul waits for the Lord more than watchmen for the morning, more than watchmen for the morning. O Israel, hope in the Lord! For with the Lord there is steadfast love, and with him is plentiful redemption. And he will redeem Israel from all his iniquities.”

Up the Down Staircase was the title of Bel Kaufman’s famous book, and of its subsequent movie. I’m relatively certain she had no idea how relevant that title is to the Christian life. For as humanity has descended into sin, and in age, we all descend toward the grave, nevertheless, for the Believer, we are also ascending toward our final home with Christ. We’re going up the universal down staircase.

Now one of the peculiar experiences of those who have entered the stage where the living days behind us are far more than those in front of us – at least in terms of this present life – is that we tend to reflect a lot. And if one has a tender conscience because of Christ (hopefully more and more tender as we age) past sins, failures and regrets seem inexplicably to surface and resurface. It can be quite disturbing. And in our present age of “cancel culture”, we can begin to cancel ourselves over past incidents, words spoken, things undone, or things unwisely done etc. But there is a blessing to be had in the phenomena even as there can be real danger to our soul’s condition if the experience is not brought back to our faithful Lord in the light of the Gospel.

The Psalms contain 15 of what are called “Songs of Ascent.” These traditionally were sung either going up to the Temple in Jerusalem, or on the way to Jerusalem for the annual Feast of Tabernacles. And among them is Psalm 130. And it could not be a more appropriate prayer during this later age experience of reflection and regret.

Note first the grace of God in refusing to let us be comfortable with our past sins. Paul’s “forgetting those things which are behind” is not a total dismissal of the past. He himself will go on to recount some of his previous sins, and they are in fact recorded in God’s eternal Word. What changes, is not the facts of the past, but our relationship to them. Once in Christ, all is new. Praise God! Past sins can still (and rightly do) grieve us, even if they cannot condemn us. How good our God is. So the opening lines of the prayer have the Ascender recognizing their need for mercy. Mercy promised and accomplished in Christ – but ever necessary.

Then comes the reality that if our standing before Him was based on not having sin – no one could possibly qualify. “If you, O Lord, should mark iniquities, O Lord, who could stand?” Indeed! And if that were all to consider, we are all lost. But then comes the refrain: “But with you there is forgiveness, that you may be feared.” Yes! With Him, there IS forgiveness! And as only He can forgive sin which is always ultimately against Him – He is to be feared as the dispenser of that forgiveness only as He sees fit. How precious the Gospel is then. God extending forgiveness, His personal and cosmic forgiveness, for all to flee to Him in Christ. No matter how grievous those sins.

Now there is truth to the reality that in recounting old sins, there might still be things which on the human level should be made right if they can be. Apologies made. Forgiveness asked. Maybe even restitution. Repentance is a remarkably sweet thing. But due to time, some of those things are impossible to address now. What to do? “I wait for the Lord, my soul waits, and in his word I hope; my soul waits for the Lord more than watchmen for the morning, more than watchmen for the morning.” We cast it upon Him, awaiting the glory of Heaven where all we cannot address here, will at last be made right. When especially those Believers with whom we have some outstanding issues, will be so expunged and met in Christ, that we will simply all rejoice together around His glorious throne – oblivious to all but His transcendent glory. Oh precious promise!

And what do we do now as we ascend this downward staircase to our Heavenly home? “O Israel, hope in the Lord! For with the Lord there is steadfast love, and with him is plentiful redemption. And he will redeem Israel from all his iniquities.”

We hope in Him. We trust in Him. We lavish in His steadfast love, that more than comprehends all the sins we may be able to recall – knowing full well we only know the tip of the iceberg of our sin. But He knows it all, and provided for it all in Christ. We leave the unresolvable with Him – in joy, hope and peace.

When plagued by the past, we view it through the lens of atonement accomplished, and the promise of what is just before us – His all encompassing glory. Jesus has won a “plentiful redemption.” More plentiful than all our sins. And we reflect on His accomplished work on the Cross. We safely rue our past sins, in the light of His cleansing power and promises. And they become occasions to worship Him for His grace.

“The road to Hell is paved with good intentions.” No one is quite sure where the saying came from, but it first appeared in this form in a London newspaper in 1828. It probably came from an 18th century German proverb. And it carries with it two ideas: First, what has come to be known as the “Law of Unintended Consequences.” We can make decisions which seem really good at the time, but have not been thought out well enough to guard against results we never considered. Years ago there was a big push to tax the very wealthy by placing an onerous levy on yachts. The idea was to raise revenue. In response many of the rich said, “oh wow – too expensive for me now.” And the result was the decimation of the yacht industry. The super rich didn’t really care. But the majority of those buying previously, disappeared. Instead of raising revenue, it put multitudes out of work and lowered revenue. Oops. But many of us can attest to making similar foolish moves in our own lives. I know I can.

The second idea in the proverb is that which is more closely related to what Jesus said in Matt. 7:13 – “The gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction.” Taking no pains to know the truth of God’s Word and to live in the light of it is much easier than serving Christ. Jesus went on to say that “the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life.” Walking contrary to the World and our own flesh is hard. It is fraught with difficulties. Jesus would again tell His disciples: “In the world you will have tribulation.” (John 16:33) And Paul would preach in Lystra, Iconium and Antioch: “through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God.” (Acts 14:22)

What makes this so? Nothing to me, makes it more difficult than fighting the battle of the remnants of indwelling sin. If we are really engaged in it – we have both the promise of eventual victory and total deliverance, as well as the piercing reality of failure at times. To the true Believer, nothing so pierces the heart as those times when we have fallen into an old sin, and grieved the Holy Spirit within. It is hard in those moments to guard against the grace of conviction being deformed into condemnation. How glorious that the new nature within, and the indwelling presence of God will no longer let us sin comfortably. But it doesn’t feel glorious when our heart is smarting from the sting of knowing how we have offended our precious Savior, grieved His indwelling Spirit, perhaps hurt other brothers or sisters in Christ, or misrepresented our Lord to the World. It is grace that makes those things grievous to us. AND, it is grace that bids us consider over and over and over – that “Jesus paid it all, all to Him I owe, sin had left a crimson stain; He washed it. White as snow.”

To this end then, is why we are admonished to be sure we take advantage of what might just be the most neglected part of the “armor of God” as given to us in Ephesians 6: The provided shoes for our feet, in the readiness given by the Gospel of peace. To preach the reality of the Gospel to ourselves over and over and over. To remember that we stand before our God NOT in our own righteousness, but in the righteousness of Christ. There is nothing else which keeps us so ready to continue our trek toward the Celestial City with a calm heart and assured mind as when we stand firmly on the Rock of our Salvation alone. When we protect ourselves from being debilitated by the thorns, pits, sharp stones and debris which litters our path – by resting only in the finished work of Christ – and not in our performance. Nothing gives a more “ready” mind to face the challenges of the day, then when our feet are firm in the Gospel.

Maybe you are smarting today from a fresh wound of your own sinfulness. Then hear me Christian – Christ has died. His blood has atoned. He has made you His own, and taken full responsibility for you. He cannot fail. His cross is all sufficient. He who began this good work in you WILL complete it until that great day of His return. Stand steadfast and sure on the Gospel. For in Christ, you have peace with God. And in that peace, is the means to fight still, and press forward.

I’m not quite ready for the Rasin Ranch yet, but I’m not as peppy as the Six Flags guy either. What I am learning however, is that every season and circumstance of life, brings with them their own, peculiar temptations. Age not excluded. It is true that there is some generalization in this observation, but the tendencies remain typical.

In 1 Kings, we read the following of Solomon: “When Solomon became old, his wives shifted his allegiance to other gods; he was not wholeheartedly devoted to the Lord his God, as his father David had been.” (1 Kings 11:4)

Age weakens resolve. This is a lesson every Christian must take to heart. And it shows itself in two ways.

Now it is true that in some things, the wisdom of age and experience may teach us where we have been too harsh or made poor judgments in the past. At the same time, we must beware we do not fall to compromise when making corrections. Due to the loss of energy in old age (and I think mainly of emotional and mental energy here) we can lose the resolve to keep from growing soft on the non-negotiables, as well as intractable in areas where moderation is legitimately called for.

In areas of clear Biblical truth, we dare not compromise. What God’s Word teaches unambiguously, must be clung to with a tenacity which allows no modification, no matter how compelling the reason. In Solomon’s case, as the NET puts it, Solomon was “irresistibly attracted” to his foreign wives. That they had a “powerful influence over him.” And in time, with age, he gave in to providing idolatrous places of worship for them, which eventually snared his own soul. He wanted to please them. More than he wanted to please his God. And it spelled disaster for him personally, and for the nation.

At the same time, when age robs us of mental energy, it is easy to become so fixed in areas where there may be legitimate differences among sound Biblical people – we can lose a proper elasticity of charity and write off any who do not share our exact understanding in things non-essential to the Gospel and Biblical truth. Or, worse yet, make every difference an issue of Gospel fidelity. So for instance in Romans 14 where there were disagreements over regard of certain days and of eating certain foods. Such areas can bring unnecessary division when we make the debate so pointed, as to fail to allow for any legitimate difference. And to argue the issues to the point where we claim any holding any other view are compromising the Gospel. When we lack energy to treat legitimate shades and subtleties, we can grow overly hard in places where we ought to remain generous. These aren’t necessarily age-related – but I do sense in myself how much more prone I am toward them as I grow older.

Not all gentleness is weakness. Not all strength is loving. Not all freedom to disagree is license. Not all refusal to agree need be condemnation. Such matters are not always easy to distinguish. And more difficult to discern and maintain as we grow older. I do believe it is a good thing to be warned of such realities, and to pray that the Lord may guard our hearts accordingly.     

Heavenly Father, preserve us in such days. Preserve me. Help me to keep a clear eye. Let me keep from compromise in every area, and at the same time, soften my heart when it has been my flesh that has made me overly strict or opinionated. Let the Spirit of Christ dominate my heart and mind. Be glorified in and through me. You are ageless, and never change. In contrast, I begin to reckon with the creeping frailty of age more each day. With temptations both to compromise, and toward hardness. So fill me with your Spirit afresh, that I may always walk in the perfections of Christ, and not according to the weaknesses of my fallen flesh. For Jesus’ sake, and for His name.