for good Acquire truth and do not sell it– wisdom, and discipline, and understanding. (Proverbs 23:23 NET)
Remember the good old days of broadcast news? When Walter Cronkite signed off each weeknight with the words, “and that’s the way it is,” we had no reason to doubt him. Polls showed he was the most trusted man in America. Cronkite signed off for good a long time ago. What used to be a news hour has turned into a news cycle. Instead of one person reading news stories into a camera, we are now treated to 24 hours of over-caffeinated news personalities seasoning opinions with occasional facts. News stories are morsels of fresh meat thrown into a cage of opinionated experts - tossed back and forth but never fully digested. One of the cardinal rules of classic journalism is to accurately communicate current events with fairness and accountability. What we view on the big news networks is not classic journalism. Corporate sponsors don’t pay for classic journalism. Viewers don’t tune in for accuracy and fairness anymore. Sad to say, we watch the news to affirm our personal perspective. If we don’t like the angle, we turn the channel. There’s always another voice speaking our language somewhere. I yearn for a news source that broadcasts the truth. I want “that’s the way it is” without “and here’s what you should think about it.” I’m embarrassed when good Christian friends link to stories on social media that simply are not true. I wince when satirical stories are passed off by well-meaning dupes as news. Just as cringe-worthy is when real news is dismissed as fake news because it’s uncomfortable. How can we respond properly to what’s happening around us when the truth eludes us? As is often the case, the Bible has something to say about this. We shouldn’t be surprised by the cryptic nature of truth in our day, or the rush to self-affirming conclusions. Paul advised his acolyte, Timothy, “For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths.” (2 Timothy 4:3-4 NIV) Paul, of course, is talking about the twisting of the gospel. His concern is with the doctrines of the Christian faith, not the news. While this is true, consider the parallel. If we are quick to embrace news stories that uphold our political perception, only to discover the premise is false, aren’t we falling into the same trap? Whatever the subject matter, sacred or secular, Christians should be people who desire truth; not people who repeat the buzz because it sounds “truthy.” If I choose to listen to a particular news source because it confirms my feelings, am I seeking the truth or scratching an itch? Sometimes it takes work to uncover the truth, like panning for gold. The lazy accept what seems true, fools gold. In their book, un•Spun, Brooks Jackson and Kathleen Hall Jamieson demonstrate this point, “Psychological experiments have shown, for one thing, that humans tend to seek out even weak evidence to support their existing beliefs, and to ignore evidence that undercuts those beliefs. In the process, we apply stringent tests to evidence we don’t want to hear, while letting slide uncritically into our minds any information that suits our needs. Psychology also tells us we rarely work through reasons and evidence in a systematic way, weighing information carefully and suspending the impulse to draw conclusions. Instead, much of the time we use mental shortcuts or rules of thumb that save us mental effort.” Since Christians are people of the truth following a Savior who taught that truth sets free, shouldn’t we do the extra work it takes to champion truth? I want to encourage you to practice the dying art of journalism. When a story pops up on your news feed, and your brain tells you, “This is just too good not to share,” that’s the signal for your inner journalist to get to work. It takes just a few extra minutes to track down sources, to weigh the evidence, to research the claims, and to decide if it’s really worth sharing. Ask the question, “Would I risk my reputation on this, or am I just spreading gossip?” Be thankful our omniscient God decrees the facts behind every headline and fills each story with purpose. One day we will see as he sees, the way it is. Until then, let’s do the Lord’s work. Let’s embrace the truth.
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I am a Pastor. A spiritual leader. I’m supposed to have the right words to say in situations like this. For now, however, I choose to listen. A preacher once said, there is “a time to be silent and a time to speak.” Right now, for me, it’s time to listen. To open my ears to the cries of the hurting. To find some empathy. To seek understanding.
I’ve turned to the voices of trusted leaders within the African-American community to hear what they are saying. To silently sit at their feet, quiet my thoughts, and listen. What have I been hearing? The killing of George Floyd by police brutality in Minneapolis is not the underlying cause of the anger we are seeing on the streets of our nation. White people like me can explain away a tragedy like this. We can excuse ourselves. “Well, that was one bad cop, who acted improperly. He should be charged and punished. Case closed. Problem solved.” But if you will take the time to listen to the voices of the protesters, you’ll know that the killing of George Floyd is not the main issue. It’s a symptom of a much deeper problem. I’ve known people who have gone to the doctor with a persistent cough and walked out with a diagnosis of metastatic lung cancer. A cough drop won’t begin to address the problem. Likewise, the arrest of one police officer doesn’t cure this deep-seated, social cancer. What is the underlying problem, here? If you have to ask, you haven’t been listening. We could use the word racism, or we could get even more specific and use the words racial injustice. But, again, it’s too easy for white people like me to excuse ourselves from the blame of those categories. “I’m not a racist. I would never harm a person of color.” Living in a 90% white county, I can easily dismiss the problem. It’s a news story, not a personal crisis. It’s a problem “those people” need to deal with. Not me. The more I listen, though, the more I hear the word systemic added to racism and injustice. That changes the conversation. I’m forced to ask additional questions. Do I unknowingly contribute to a system that is racially unjust? Do I comfortably and unquestioningly participate in a system that holds people back and oppresses them because of the color of their skin? Wait. Don’t answer that question too quickly. Take some time to listen. Listen to Dr. Tony Evans, Senior Pastor of Oak Cliff Bible Fellowship in Dallas and President of The Urban Alternative… “What this situation has manifested is the brokenness of our nation on a lot of levels. Yes, we have individual decisions being made, but we also have a culture in crisis, based upon a history that has gone largely unaddressed, as it needs to be addressed fully, in our personal lives and in the systems that operate in the culture. But at the core of all of this is a spiritual problem, and that’s why the church has got to be the leader in fixing it. In fact, it is the church to a large degree that caused it. Our failure to be the comprehensive people of God with righteousness and justice has opened the door for many of the things we’ve not been able to resolve and for much of the hopelessness that comes from it. God is waiting on the church, because if he could ever fix the church-house he could do something about the White House and the House of Congress and the Governor’s House and all the other houses of society and culture that need healing and help.” Listen to Dr. William J. Barber, Pastor of Greenleaf Christian Church, Disciples of Christ in Goldsboro, North Carolina and President & Senior Lecturer of Repairers of the Breach… “Deadly racism is always with us, and not only through police brutality. In the midst of the current pandemic we are painfully aware that our families bear a disproportionate burden of COVID-19 deaths. In some cities where racial data are available, we know that Black people are six times as likely to die from the virus as their white counterparts. Even before COVID, large numbers of Black Americans died because of the racial disparities in healthcare, which are systemic and not unintentional. African Americans are three times more likely to die from particulate air pollution than our fellow Americans. The percentage of black children suffering from asthma is nearly double that of white people, and the death rate is 10 times higher. This is but a reflection of the fissures of inequality that run through every institution in our public life, where the black wealth gap, education gap, and healthcare gap have persisted despite the civil rights movement, legal desegregation, and symbolic affirmative action.” Are you listening? Don’t react, yet. Don’t rise to defend yourself or make a counterpoint. Fight back the knee-jerk reaction to excuse yourself. Take some time to hear the hurt and anger from which these protests rise. Don’t equate the protests with the looting and rioting, either. Spiritual leaders condemn the senselessness of those crimes. Don’t let the loud lawlessness drown out the heartfelt voices of the peaceful protesters. We really need to listen. To feel the weight of their burden so we can share it. Listening leads to learning. Learning leads to repentance. Repentance leads to action. But first, let’s commit to listening, carefully and tenderly, with the ears of God. The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit. (Psalm 34:18 NIV) "The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor." (Luke 4:18-19 NIV) Many envision God as a distant figure – unapproachable and unknowable. He sets the world in motion but doesn’t interfere. He just stands back and watches what happens in your life. Nothing could be further from the truth. In fact, The God of the Bible brings you into the world with purpose. He wants you to know him. He surrounds you with the beauty of each new day so you will understand his glory. Impressive landscapes, towering mountains, intricate flowers, powerful thunderstorms, endless galaxies, and tart summer berries all speak of his nature. The psalmist sings, “The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands.” (Psalm 19:1 NIV)
God doesn’t stop there. Over the course of 16 centuries, through 40 prophets and apostles, the Holy Spirit of God breathes out words to reveal himself to you. As you read the words of Scripture, his Spirit fills your mind with understanding of who he is and what he’s doing. The psalmist continues his song, “The law of the Lord is perfect, refreshing the soul. The statutes of the Lord are trustworthy, making wise the simple.” (Psalm 19:7 NIV) God doesn’t stop there, either. To personally reveal himself to the world, he sends his Son, Emmanuel; God with us. Jesus touches lepers, shares meals, tells stories, laughs, cries, and suffers. He is the visual reality of God in human flesh. The writer of Hebrews says, “The Son is the radiance of God's glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word.” (Hebrews 1:3 NIV) To know Jesus is to know God. God wants you to know him. Through creation, written word and Living Word, he speaks. If you claim you haven’t heard, the Bible says you are without excuse. His presence is all around you. It could be you’re just too busy living the life he gave you to notice. There is another way God makes himself known – through His people. Those who trust in Jesus become his witnesses. Our lives exhibit the presence of God in us. Changed hearts, loving service, and godly attitudes direct others to find God. Jesus commissioned his followers to continue his work and spread the good news. If you know God, its probably because you were impressed by his creation and began to seek him. Maybe you saw him in the love of one of his followers and asked about him. Maybe someone was kind and brave enough to tell you about Jesus. Eventually your questions led you to the person of Jesus Christ, and the Bible where his story is told. It all begins with the truth that God is knowable and he wants to be known. You could not know God apart from his desire to be known. J.I. Packer in his classic book, Knowing God, writes, “Once you become aware that the main business that you are here for is to know God, most of life’s problems fall into place on their own accord.” Knowing God is an eternal journey worth pursuing and a privilege to embrace daily. He wants to be known, and you need to know him. A federal judge’s ruling on Saturday temporarily blocked Governor Roy Cooper’s executive order restricting indoor worship at North Carolina churches due to COVID-19 concerns. Churches are now free to return to regular indoor worship services as long as they take proper precautions. So, why isn’t Quaker Gap reopening worship services yet?
Speaking only on behalf of myself, I feel our Deacons have made a good decision in continuing to keep the doors to the sanctuary closed on Sunday mornings for the time being. We encourage adult Sunday School classes and small groups to meet outdoors as soon as they feel comfortable, while remaining socially distanced. Our Picnic Shelter is a good location for such meetings. We will make a decision regarding Sunday worship as we get closer to July, but for now we continue our internet worship, online meetings for children and youth, and take-out meals on Wednesday evenings. One reason why this is a good decision is because the number of cases is still growing in our area. It took some time for this virus to affect us here in Stokes County, but the numbers are increasing. Now does not seem like the best time to risk exposing our congregation. Church buildings are not like grocery stores, where we go in, grab what we need, and leave. When we worship indoors, we sit in a room together for an hour singing and breathing recirculated air. This is why the risk is greater in church sanctuaries than it is in Wal-Mart. We must keep an eye on the numbers and be vigilant to limit our contact. Another reason behind this decision is that our congregation has a number of treasured members who are high risk with regard to the outcome of the virus. These members are also conditioned to be in the building any time the door is open. As a spiritual leader, this is something I deeply respect about them. I don’t wish to set up a situation where anyone feels guilted into coming to public worship when they should be staying home. While the number of cases rises in our area, it’s best to stay safe. I believe in religious freedom. We are blessed to live in a nation where religious freedom is protected, and the recent ruling by the federal judge is no doubt a good thing. With that in mind, however, I also believe that Scripture encourages believers in Jesus to use freedom with caution. Just because we are free to open the doors on Sunday morning doesn’t mean we should. Freedom needs to be exercised within biblical boundaries. One of those biblical boundaries is LOVE. In his letter to the Galatians, Paul writes, “You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love. For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’" (Galatians 5:13-14 NIV) One of the questions we need to ask before exercising freedom is, “What is the most loving thing to do?” If my freedom violates the principle of love and humble service, then it’s not worth it. I’m willing to surrender the right to worship inside our sanctuary for a handful of Sundays if it protects the health of our community. That is exercising freedom within the boundary of love. What message does it send to our community if we risk our health and theirs by potentially spreading this virus? It’s more Christ-like to prove we love our community than prove we have the right to meet in our building. We serve a Savior who surrendered His rights and died on a cross to show the world His love and to offer life. It seems right to me that His people might be willing to temporarily surrender rights in order to demonstrate love and life to their communities. I hope this explains why I believe our decision is right for Quaker Gap at this time. I don’t judge other church leaders for the choices they feel led to make. Each congregation needs to seek the Lord’s wisdom and use good discernment. I look forward to bringing the flock together under one roof again. But until that day we will continue to be unified in worship, spirit and love, if not in proximity. Who may live on your holy mountain?
The one whose walk is blameless, who does what is righteous, who speaks the truth from their heart; whose tongue utters no slander, who does no wrong to a neighbor, and casts no slur on others; who despises a vile person but honors those who fear the LORD; who keeps an oath even when it hurts, and does not change their mind; who lends money to the poor without interest; who does not accept a bribe against the innocent. Whoever does these things will never be shaken. (Psalm 15:1-5 NIV) Have you ever felt completely out of your league? I remember the first time I auditioned for Regional Band as a High School trumpet player. It was my freshman year. I walked through the doors of an enormous school, completely foreign to me. I checked in, took my number, and wandered to the warm-up room. It’s not like I wasn’t prepared. I knew all my scales. I could play the audition piece by heart. Sight reading was scary, but my instructor gave me some pointers. As I removed my horn from its case, I heard other players warming up their instruments. They ran through scales with precision. They performed the same piece of music I had memorized, but it sounded crisp and confident. One player showed off his range, his notes climbing above the staff and off the page. It wouldn’t have surprised me to have looked up and seen Doc Severinsen standing in the corner. I didn’t look up. I wanted to act as if I were unphased by what seemed like virtuosos all over the room. It was too late. Before I could get one breath into my instrument, I was already defeated. In Psalm 15, David asks, “Lord, who may dwell in your sacred tent? Who may live on your holy mountain?” His answer puts me right back in the warm-up room. “The one whose walk is blameless, who does what is righteous, who speaks the truth from their heart…” By the time he comes to the end of the list, nobody is left. The psalm could be much shorter. “Who belongs in God’s presence? Nobody!” If Psalm 15 is the checklist by which we enter God’s presence, we are all doomed. Are you blameless? Are you righteous? Are you truthful? Do you always respect others, especially the godly? Do you always keep promises? Do you sacrifice to help the needy? If you can honestly answer yes to all of these questions, you are unshakable. You are impeccable. You belong in God’s presence! Either that or you are lying. Let’s face it. We don’t belong in God’s presence. He’s way out of our league. If He’s in the majors, we’re still in tee-ball. But this is just Old Testament stuff, right? God doesn’t expect perfection anymore. Otherwise, how can anyone anticipate heaven? I hate to burst your bubble, but the New Testament writers must have studied David’s hymns. They agree. Paul writes, “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,” (Romans 3:23 NIV). Jesus Himself says, “Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.” (Matthew 7:21 NIV) Truthfully, none of us belong in God’s presence. Our sin disqualifies us. No amount of practice will ever make us good enough to blow our horn in the same room. This is where Jesus steps in. Born of a virgin, sin is not organic to Him. He checks all of the boxes of Psalm 15. He passes the test of temptation. He lives and breathes blamelessness, righteousness, truthfulness and sacrifice. Though walking here in this world, He never fully leaves the presence of God. Jesus dwells in God’s sacred tent. He strides into the audition room with quiet confidence, knowing He belongs. He plays a song of sacrifice, pleasing to the Father. There is no other in His league. His performance is spotless. What good does Jesus’ righteousness do for you, though? This is where the good news gets personal. Even though you don’t have what it takes to pass the Psalm 15 test, there is still a way to enter God’s presence. Jesus is the way. He says, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” (John 14:6 NIV) What if it were possible to come into God’s presence not in our own righteousness, but in the righteousness of Jesus? Well, that is actually the only way any sinner will ever enter God’s tent. Paul describes his salvation by saying, “not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ-- the righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith.” (Philippians 3:9 NIV) Rather than fall in our unrighteousness, by faith in Jesus we can stand in his righteousness. When Jesus stands in for us, we pass the Psalm 15 test. We are unshakable. We are impeccable. We rest in the assurance that, in Christ, God’s presence is our home. In retrospect, the psalm might be expanded to say, ““Who belongs in God’s presence? Jesus does, with all who believe in Him.” Do you belong in God’s presence? Can you boldly enter the warm-up room, knowing you cannot fail? The good news is that anyone who turns away from their sin and trusts in the crucified and risen Jesus Christ is welcome in God’s presence as His child. You can read Psalm 15 with appreciation for what Christ has done for you rather than fear of what you can never achieve. Trust in Jesus and rest in God’s presence. For Christ did not enter a sanctuary made with human hands that was only a copy of the true one; he entered heaven itself, now to appear for us in God's presence. (Hebrews 9:24 NIV) God created us with a need to be together. None of us can survive alone. Our lives are connected and intertwined. We depend on each other for food and medicine; for physical health, mental wellness, and spiritual growth. Togetherness is fundamental to life, but getting close to people is risky.
Hospitals are sending doctors and nurses home in the midst of a pandemic. Some floors of the hospital have become ghost towns. It’s not because people don’t need the hospital. They do. It’s because people are afraid of the hospital. They would rather suffer with heart symptoms at home than risk the emergency room. We fear the very people who can save our lives. We need each other, but it’s dangerous to be together. COVID-19 illustrates these facts, but this situation is nothing new. It’s been this way since the beginning. Look at Genesis. God created Adam and Eve to help each other. God crafted Eve out of Adam’s rib to be Adam’s ezer. Ezer is a Hebrew word, translated “helper” or “companion.” Contrary to popular belief (at least among men), the word does not mean “maid” or “plaything”. In fact, the word ezer is sometimes used of God. God is nobody’s maid or plaything. The notes for the New English Translation define ezer as “one who does for us what we cannot do for ourselves.” So, Eve was created by God to do for Adam what he could not do for himself. Adam was also to be Eve’s companion. The two were designed by God to work together as a team. Whatever Adam lacked; Eve was to provide. Whatever Eve lacked; Adam was to provide. Their relationship is a model not only for marriage, but for all human interaction. It was a great plan, until they teamed up to rebel against God and their relationship became toxic. They suffered the consequences of their sin. They faced a curse. The Lord said to Eve, “Your desire will be for your husband, and he will rule over you.” (Genesis 3:16 NIV) There was a struggle between the man and the woman. They should have worked as a team, but sin created dissension. Eve desired Adam. Adam controlled Eve. Jealousy and hatred led to murder among Adam and Eve’s sons. God’s design for human interdependence was shattered. The virus of sin infected Adam and Eve and still infects us today. They hid from God and covered their nakedness from each other. We also hide from God and wear masks to cover our vulnerability. Some masks are visible, like the bandannas covering our faces at the grocery store. Some masks are unseen, like the defense mechanisms covering our emotional vulnerabilities. We need each other but choose to remain six feet apart. While Jesus encourages us to love one another, Jeremiah warns us, “Beware of your friends; do not trust anyone in your clan. For every one of them is a deceiver, and every friend a slanderer.” (Jeremiah 9:4 NIV) Jesus was deceived by a friend. His love earned Him a cross. There is delight and danger in human relationships. I don’t know about you, but I miss handshakes and hugs at the doorway of the church. Then again, I’m suddenly aware of the risk of physical interaction. The latest advice from church consultants warns against things like passing offering plates and communion plates when starting regular church services back up. They advise against choirs singing too close to each other, not sharing microphones, and deep cleaning everything after every public service. I guess I never knew how risky it was for people to come together for worship. This pandemic illustrates physically what has always been true about relationships emotionally and spiritually. Being together is hazardous. But God created us to be together, and Jesus died on the cross to bring us back together. When the time seems right, and we open the doors to the church building once again, we will be taking a risk. Whenever we get close to other people, we take a risk. When you open your life to relationships with others, you expose yourself to potential pain. But when you slam the shutters, you risk something even worse. Loneliness. In the end, the rewards of fellowship far outweigh the risks. Can a hurricane’s eventual path in Texas be influenced by something as small as the flap of a butterfly wing weeks earlier in China? Edward Lorenz was a mathematician and a meteorologist who discovered large changes in weather models resulting from very small variations in initial conditions. His work sought to promote a “chaos theory” whereby very small differences in initial conditions can result in very large differences. Lorenz used his theory to demonstrate that predictability in systems such as weather is inherently limited due to these small variations. In other words, small things can make a huge difference.
The “butterfly effect” as it came to be known, shouldn’t be difficult for us to understand given our world’s situation at the moment. A virus infected a single human being in China, and now the majority of the world’s population are staying home and wearing masks in public, economies are threatened, oil prices plummet, unemployment soars, close to 175,000 people have died worldwide as 2.5 million cases are confirmed. The only way a virus can replicate is inside the cells of a living organism. The virus is spread from one person to another when the virus makes the jump from one host to another. In the last month or so, this has taken place over and over again to arrive at the numbers we now see. A microscopic virus has agitated the entire world. Small things can make a huge difference. Consider the life of one man named Jesus who lived two thousand years ago. The Population Reference Bureau approximates that 110 billion people have inhabited planet Earth since the beginning of human life. Yet, this one life continues to have such a tremendous influence. The message of the gospel, like a virus, is spread mainly through human contact. Faith in Jesus is passed from one person to another. The gospel of Jesus is not caught by accident, though. It is spread intentionally and received willingly. The gospel of Jesus cannot be seen through a microscope. Its effects are evidenced not in death and destruction but in life and love. The outcome of Jesus’ life perpetuates through your life and mine. It grows as we become more obedient to His influence in our lives. It spreads as others experience it and it is born within them as well. That one human life has eternal impact, because He was both God and man. It is a privilege to be included in a chain with links that extend all the way into eternity. Consider how your small acts of kindness, accomplished in the name of Jesus, might make a big difference in this world. You may think your tiny, mustard seed act of faith will have very slight impact. But you would be wrong. Worldwide revivals are fueled by small acts of faith, the origins of which may never be known. British revivalist Henry Varley once told Dwight Moody, “the world has yet to see what God will do with a man fully consecrated to Him.” It was an inspirational word that Moody carried in his soul throughout his extensive evangelistic ministry. Later asked about it, Varley couldn’t recall having said those words. Think of the throwaway lines we speak each day that might inspire a future Moody. Though the originator of the butterfly effect theory, Edward Lorenz, didn’t figure God in his calculations – we can. The small things you do to the glory of God today will yield surprising results spreading to eternity. So don’t neglect the small things. Flap your little butterfly wings. Don’t underestimate your diminutive contributions. As the musician, Kittie Suffield, wrote in an enduring hymn, “Little is much when God is in it.” In the shadow of your wings I will take refuge, till the storms of destruction pass by.
(Psalm 57:1 ESV) King Saul and his mightiest mercenaries relentlessly pursue David. The king seethes with a toxic mix of jealousy, insecurity, and power. He wants blood. Meanwhile, David shelters in a cave. He knows he can only hide from Saul so long. It’s just a matter of moments until Saul’s warriors overrun his rocky retreat. How does David pass the time? Does he fear and fret? Is his heart filled with worry and dread? Does he imagine the gory details of his impending demise? Not quite. In fact, he pulls out his guitar and sings a song of praise to the Lord. Don’t believe me? Look at Psalm 57. David knows he is vulnerable, and he knows the power of the enemy. He says, “I am in the midst of lions; I am forced to live among ravenous beasts – men whose teeth are spears and arrows, whose tongues are sharp swords.” He knows that he is the object of their violent search. Nonetheless, into a long night the fugitive David sings, “My heart, O God, is steadfast, my heart is steadfast; I will sing and make music. Awake, my soul! Awake, harp and lyre! I will awaken the dawn.” How is it possible for a man like David to sing, a man with a price on his head, a man with a target on his back, a man whose face adorns wanted posters along every road? The secret is in the condition of his heart. “My heart is steadfast,” he says. To be honest, I’m not sure if my heart would be steadfast in a predicament like David’s. At best, I might claim steadfastness like the cowardly lion claimed courage. Say it enough times and it comes true. We all could use some steadfastness right about now. As I write we are in the midst of a shelter-in-place order from the government due to the threat of a microscopic enemy with pandemic power. Public gatherings are halted. Weddings are postponed. Schools and churches are confined to the internet. No concerts. No ball games. Just four walls and endless news reports. Of course, there really is no comparison. I’d much rather be sheltered at home with my family and modern conveniences than in David’s cave, but, I can learn a thing or two from his steadfastness. The word for “steadfast” can also be translated “established”, “fixed”, or “confident.” David’s confidence is so great that he makes music. His creativity excels in the darkness and acoustics of the cave. How is it possible to be steadfast while on high alert? David leaves no doubt in the Psalm he composes. This isn’t self-confidence. David’s confidence is in the Lord, his God. He sings, “Be merciful to me, O God, be merciful to me, for in you my soul takes refuge; in the shadow of your wings I will take refuge, till the storms of destruction pass by.” David’s well-being is established in the mercy and protection of God. He fully embraces the assurance that King Saul’s toughest men don’t stand a chance against the armies of the Almighty. So, David breathes deeply, rests in the refuge of God’s shadow, and sings full-hearted praise to his Lord. The combination of his meditation, his prayer, his song, and his faith, fixes his heart securely to God’s heart. As a teenage camp counselor in the Adirondack Mountains of Upstate New York, I learned the power of singing from a trembling heart. One night a number of counselors were awakened from our sleep and pulled from our cabins. There was a fire at Blue Ledge, a popular hiking destination with a breathtaking view overlooking the Hudson River. Someone neglected to fully extinguish their campfire. A number of us were charged with the responsibility of strapping heavy tanks of water on our backs to head down the trail and battle the fire. Together, as we hiked the roughly two miles to Blue Ledge with sloshing backpacks, we had strength in our camaraderie and flashlight power. We arrived to a root fire, mostly burning below the ground. We carefully began to drain our packs through the attached sprayer hoses. When my water was empty, I turned to my head counselor and asked, “Now what?” I kind of hoped he would say, “Go back to bed, we got this.” Instead, he said, “Go back to camp. Fill your tank, and return.” I hit the trail by myself. It seemed much darker without the posse. Just me, a winding trail, and a dead flashlight. I trudged through the darkness trying to keep my eyes on a trail lit only by moonlight, my ears full of strange scurrying sounds in the woods around me. Probably squirrels, but in my imagination, definitely bears and wolves. Strangely enough, in that moment, the Lord brought a song to my mind. I learned the song at camp, and led it around many campfires, but now it emerged as a weak solo from an unsettled voice. “My Lord knows the way through the wilderness, all I have to do is follow. My Lord knows the way through the wilderness, all I have to do is follow. Strength for today is mine always, and all I need for tomorrow. My Lord knows the way through the wilderness, all I have to do is follow.” The more I sang the more confident I became. Until another counselor ran up the trail behind me. He didn’t see my embarrassed face in the darkness, but he did join his voice with mine as we sang our way down the trail. I don’t know how many times I went back to refill my tank that night, but I do know I saw the sunrise. Your steadfast heart can sing words of praise into thick darkness, and God will be your light. David puts it this way, “I cry out to God Most High, to God, who vindicates me. He sends from heaven and saves me, rebuking those who hotly pursue me-- God sends forth his love and his faithfulness.” Here we go again, trudging through the gloom of an uncertain time. Fearful thoughts echo through our minds. What will the future hold? Let’s not give in to fear. Let’s take courage in the Lord. He knows the way through the wilderness. Let’s follow. Let’s sing into the shadows. He’ll send forth His love and faithfulness. He’ll establish your steps. He’ll awaken the dawn. During these days of social distancing, social media has become a lifeline for many. It provides a way to stay connected despite being apart. You may have followed a social media link to find this article. Who ever thought we would be thankful for Facebook? However, social media can also be a source of fake news, bullying, grandstanding and flame wars. So, yeah, let’s take it in small doses.
There was a time in the early days of social media when I felt obliged to engage people over their substandard opinions and general lack of information. It turns out that people don’t like being engaged that way, and thoughtful conversations are generally rare on social media platforms. Who knew? That’s why I decided to write this blog article rather than open an extended dialogue leading to nowhere. I recently saw a cute little post on social media, written by a person who enjoys triggering believers in God. The gist of his opinion was this: “Once we get past this crisis there will be many lessons learned. One of those lessons will be that god did not answer anyone’s prayers to stop this virus.” The implication is that there is no God, and praying is useless. I take issue with this opinion because it’s based on a number of false premises. The first false premise is, “The purpose of prayer is to get something you want from God.” The second false premise is, “If God doesn’t answer your prayer in your way, God doesn’t exist.” A third false premise is, “God only deserves credit for miraculous healing, not natural healing.” This is an important week of worship for Christians all over the world. We remember all that Jesus Christ did for us by going to the cross to die for our sins, and rising from the dead to secure eternal life. One of the details of the story is relevant to our discussion regarding prayer. Jesus suffered through a difficult night in prayer preparing to go to the cross. He was all alone, as His disciples kept nodding off to sleep. The prayer of Jesus, and the results of that prayer speak volumes about what prayer truly is all about. Some of the words of Jesus’ prayer are recorded for us in the Gospel of Mark. “Abba, Father, everything is possible for you. Take this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will.” Of course, we know that God did not take the cup of suffering from Jesus. Jesus drank that cup all the way down to the final drop. So what are we left to think? God did not answer Jesus’ prayer. Does this mean God doesn’t exist? Does this mean Jesus’ prayer was a failure? If prayer is simply a way to change God’s will and get what you want, then I suppose you might fall into the trap of the atheist. But that severely misconstrues the purpose of prayer. Prayer is more complex than trying to talk God into getting your way. What was the result of Jesus’ prayer at Gethsemane? He ended up going to the cross to do the Father’s will. Jesus' will was perfectly united with the Father’s. He went to the cross in full confidence that God is sovereign and God’s plan is perfect. What’s the lesson? Sometimes the purpose of prayer isn’t to change God, but rather to change me. Sometimes when God doesn’t bow to my petitions, He is teaching me to bow to His purposes. Prayer isn’t a means of attaining my way, it’s a means of aligning me to God’s will. So, sure, I am praying that God will resolve this crisis as soon as possible. But, I am aware as Jesus was that “everything is possible” with God, and so, I pray, “not my will but thine be done.” Is that a weak prayer? Not if Jesus prayed it. Our hope is that God will bring this crisis to an end in his time according to his will, whether in natural or supernatural ways. In the meantime, we pray that God changes us. As Eugene Peterson wrote: “A changed world begins with us . . . and a changed us begins when we pray.” At the beginning of our virtual church service on Sunday morning, we sang the song, “Days of Elijah.” Even though the song is starting to show its age, it’s a favorite at the Gap. Whenever we sing it together, voices get a smidge louder. The song, written by Irish worship leader Robin Mark, hearkens back to the great prophet of Israel, Elijah, and his experience proclaiming the word of the Lord. Elijah did the Lord’s bidding and witnessed great miracles from his own hands. But, as the song reminds us, Elijah lived through days of great trial, of famine and darkness and sword. This takes me to one of my favorite childhood Bible stories. Something about Elijah sitting by a creek being air-dropped bread by a raven has always appealed to me. God provided his servant everything he needed during the great famine. Of course, eventually God allowed the creek to run dry in order to move Elijah from that place to another. Necessity moved him from Cherith Creek to Zarephath. He went from being fed by a raven to being fed by a widow with miraculous regenerative bread ingredients. Wherever he went, Elijah had to trust the Lord for his next meal. You may think you are different from Elijah, but you aren’t. Raven or not so raven, your daily bread comes from God. We all trust Him for our next meal. Sure, our methods have become more sophisticated. These days our funds are air-dropped electronically into our bank accounts. But make no mistake, God is still the source of our daily bread. This time of quarantine reminds us just how dependent we really are on the Lord. The bread shelf at the supermarket empties quickly. Even bread flour is scarce, as people resort to baking their own. One thing we know about bread is it has a short shelf-life. We’re always looking for the next loaf. Perhaps this is why Jesus taught His disciples to pray to the Father, “Give us this day our daily bread.” He was reminding them that they were dependent on God for all of their needs. On another occasion, after miraculously feeding a large crowd of people, Jesus told them, “I am the bread of life.” Jesus is the spiritual daily bread God gives us. All our spiritual needs are met in Him. When we need physical food, God provides bread. When we need spiritual life, joy, and peace, God provides Jesus. I'm praying that this time in our lives passes quickly. But I'm also praying that we won't miss out on all of the rich lessons God has for us as we sit by the stream and wait for the raven. If nothing else I pray we are reminded that there’s truly no god like Jehovah. |
AuthorDr. Jack Darida Archives
March 2024
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