New Math

 

"She gave birth to her first child, a son. She wrapped him snugly in strips of cloth and laid him in a manger, because there was no lodging available for them." Luke 2:1-7
 
After watching the film "Greater" recently, I was confronted once again with the harsh reality that blessings from God do not always follow obedience to God. The family in this true story was absolutely rocked to the core. If you haven't seen this film yet, please watch it. We have such a hard time embracing God's sovereign 30,000-foot reality when we are living in a 10-foot world. Good = Blessed. Right? 
 
I have to believe some of these thoughts had to be whirling through Joseph's mind as he brought his betrothed to Bethlehem. She's very pregnant with a child that isn't his. They're forced to travel over rough terrain for miles. He couldn't even find a proper place to stay to have the baby. Another account records he had to flee with them to Egypt to escape a homicidal king. Can you hear his thoughts? "God, I did and I'm doing what you told me to do. Why all this struggle and hardship? I just don't understand. It doesn't add up." 
 
This side of heaven we operate in a world infected by sin. God has never promised to insulate us from all the effects of that sin. We will hurt. We will suffer. We will be disappointed. We will be mistreated. We will grieve loss. And yes, God could eliminate each and every one of them from our lives if he chose to do so. In addition, as much as we may think it should, our obedience to him does not force his hand to prevent the hard realities of life from hitting us. Just ask Joseph. Just ask Paul. Just ask Jesus. The testimony of their lives is clear. It's by living for the "there and later" that we will be able to trust in the "here and now." Our losses will be great, but God is greater.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Tested

"He was testing Philip, for he already knew what he was going to do." John 6:1-13 Test day. I remember all too well the feelings of discomfort connected to that expression from my school days. I was so thankful the last time I had to take one. Tests felt so much like a cruel game of, "Guess What I'm Thinking?" with the author of the test. During one particularly grueling test, I noticed one of my classmates cheating like there was no tomorrow. Predictably, he aced it and I let's just say, didn't. It occurred to me later that I was actually being tested in two different ways that day. By God's grace alone, I passed them both. Philip was in the hot seat that day. Jesus, out of the twelve disciples, decided to single him out for testing. From all appearances, there was a massive resource shortage. Five thousand men plus women and children all hungry up against whatever money Judas had in the money bag. Philip was apparently incredulous as he emphaticall
Read more

Nothing Left

"'What do you mean what's the matter?' Micah replied. 'You've taken away all the gods I have made, and my priest, and I have nothing left!" Judges 17, 18 Unaware of some purchases that my wife had made earlier in the day, I didn't even hesitate to use my debit card at the checkout line. However, our bank was fully aware of all those purchases as well as the one I was attempting to make at the present moment. Clearly, the math didn't add up. Something from nothing is something less than nothing and that, as it turns, is frowned upon by our aforementioned bank. In short, the bank told the merchant there was nothing left and the merchant told me, "Declined." Micah was one panicked individual. His personal little self-directed and self-centered religion was coming apart at the seams. He had idols. He had priests. He had a shrine and even a sacred ephod (a priestly garment). All this, he thought, secured the LORD's blessing. When the warri
Read more

Who is Jesus?

“But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?” Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” (Matthew 16:15, 16 NIV) What are your thoughts about Jesus? Every major religion on earth has an opinion on who he was. Mostly they say that he was a good man, a powerful teacher, and a peacemaker. All of that is true. But what about him being the Son of God? Peter, after being with Jesus non-stop for 4 years was confident of his identity. He was assured that Jesus was God in the flesh, the Messiah that was to come. You essentially have three options when it comes to what you believe about Jesus: 1) He was a Liar 2) He was a Lunatic (out of his mind) 3) Or that He was Lord If he was, and is, Lord, then he deserves our worship and our entire lives. If Jesus is Lord, it is true that we have access to God by His sacrifice on the cross. Join us Friday night at 7, as we reflect on Jesus going to the cross for the sins of the entire world (Good Frida
Read more