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The Bible has four grand themes: Creation, Fall, Redemption, and Restoration. God creates all things in the beginning. He declares everything good. And those whom he’s created in his image? They are very good. But soon his very good creatures, Adam and Eve, fall into sin. What was perfect and pure became polluted. Now there was fear. Now there was shame and blame. But God pursues and God responds. There are curses and grave consequences but also a glorious, yet veiled, promise.

Genesis 3:15 says this – “I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel.”

Bound up in this promise is a great expectation. Eve’s name – which means the mother of all living – is imbued with that expectation and hope. There will be a coming deliverer, a seed of the woman, who will bring a future redemption. But where there’s expectation and hope, there’s also waiting. Genesis 3:15 is the beginning of this waiting for redemption. There were many who looked like potential deliverers but eventually fell short: Noah, Moses, David, Solomon. There were hundreds upon hundreds of years of waiting for the promised deliverer who would bring our redemption.

What we celebrate this week in Christmas is the answer to that waiting: The Incarnation. God kept his promise. He came. He sent his own Son, Immanuel, to redeem his people. He who knew no sin came to be the sin that had stained and wrecked the world, the sin that had condemned us. And he rose, confirming the victory over sin and death.

But still we wait. We aren’t waiting for redemption any longer but a restoration, a coming consummation. The story isn’t over yet. He will come again, to save those who are eagerly waiting for him. Meanwhile, we can learn from those who waited in the past. They can teach us. For our waiting now mirrors their waiting in the past.

So we must learn to wait in this world as we wait for the next. We wait for the mundane like next year’s baseball season to start or for our child to be old enough to drive. We also wait for the more important things like an end to Covid-19 and the restrictions we’ve been living under. But let this worldly waiting prepare you for the eternal. Because this worldly waiting should train us in how to wait for the eternal things, for THE eternal thing. All our waiting here on earth, all our longing is an echo of a greater longing. A longing for an eternal consummation when all will be made right. When Christ will come again.

Lord, teach us to wait.

What will I choose to focus on today? Will I allow my mind to bounce back and forth between the news and social media? I have a choice today, like I do every day, of what I will allow my mind to dwell on. Today, I will dwell on what I know for sure.

What I Do Know For Sure

God is sovereign over nations, over rulers, over all. I will dwell on these words spoken by Nebuchadnezzar, a pagan king whom God humbled:

“At the end of the days I, Nebuchadnezzar, lifted my eyes to heaven, and my reason returned to me, and I blessed the Most High, and praised and honored him who lives forever, for his dominion is an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom endures from generation to generation; all the inhabitants of the earth are accounted as nothing, and he does according to his will among the host of heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth; and none can stay his hand or say to him, ‘What have you done?'” Daniel 4:34-35

And these words of David:

“The Lord has established his throne in the heavens, and his kingdom rules over all.” Psalm 103:19

It is foolish to trust in man. I will take these words to heart:

“Put not your trust in princes, in a son of man, in whom there is no salvation. When his breath departs, he returns to the earth; on that very day his plans perish.” Psalm 146:3-4

“The fear of man lays a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord is safe.” Proverbs 29:25

Life is fleeting and often seems futile. I will remind myself of these sobering truths:

“For all our days pass away under your wrath; we bring our years to an end like a sigh. The years of our life are seventy, or even by reason of strength eighty; yet their span is but toil and trouble; they are soon gone, and we fly away.” Psalm 90:9-10

God’s purposes will stand. I will counsel my heart with this declaration:

“Remember this and stand firm, recall it to mind, you transgressors, remember the former things of old; for I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like me, declaring the end from the beginning and from ancient times things not yet done, saying, ‘My counsel shall stand, and I will accomplish all my purpose.'” Isaiah 46:8-10

Now, if I stopped there I may be left a little depressed. Yes, God has all authority and his purposes will stand. And yes, I am a sinner and my life is but a blip in relation to eternity. So now let’s focus on the rest of the story, and the reasons I can rest.

God’s story is one of redemption. I will recall Zechariah’s prophecy about his son John who would prepare the way of the Savior:

“And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High; for you will go before the Lord to prepare his ways, to give knowledge of salvation to his people in the forgiveness of their sins, because of the tender mercy of our God, whereby the sunrise shall visit us from on high to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.” Luke 1:76-79

He has redeemed me and transferred me to another kingdom. I will rejoice in this truth:

“He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.” Colossians 1:13-14

I have an identity that transcends any earthly kingdom. I will remember who I am, by God’s grace through faith (see Ephesians 2:1-10):

“But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.” 1 Peter 2:9

I am called to reflect this identity to a watching world. Because of this transfer of citizenship, I am called to act accordingly:

“Be subject for the Lord’s sake to every human institution, whether it be to the emperor as supreme, or to governors as sent by him to punish those who do evil and to praise those who do good. For this is the will of God, that by doing good you should put to silence the ignorance of foolish people. Live as people who are free, not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil, but living as servants of God. Honor everyone. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the emperor.” 1 Peter 2:13-17

What will happen in the coming days? I don’t know. But these are the things I do know for sure. This is the truth I need to tether my heart to not just today, but every day.

I was overwhelmed this morning while reviewing one of my favorite passages – Hebrews 6:13-20. Sometimes, not all the time, the Spirit illumines your understanding in a way that stuns you. This morning God used this passage to show me the freedom of his grace. Let me explain what I mean by that – God is not constrained in any way; he is not required to show grace to all; as he told Moses in Exodus 33:19 – “And I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show mercy on whom I will show mercy.”

So God is utterly free from human constraint. No one and nothing forces his hand. Knowing this, we dare not presume upon his mercy or take his grace for granted. But so often we do. Over the years, I have even noticed myself growing dull to songs like, ‘Amazing Grace’! But as I read and prayed through Hebrews 6:13-20, the Spirit revealed to me the overwhelming superabundance of God’s grace to his people. Follow along as I highlight what the Lord showed me.

“For when God made a promise to Abraham….” Stop. Did God have to promise Abraham anything? Absolutely not. Did Abraham ask God to make a promise to him? Again, the answer is no. Go back to Genesis 12 and look. Abram was minding his own business when God reached down and called him to go to a land he didn’t know. There was no initiation on Abram’s part. The freedom of grace.

“…since he had no one greater by whom to swear, he swore by himself, saying, ‘Surely I will bless you and multiply you.'” Stop. God not only makes a promise to Abraham but then swears by himself and says surely I will bless you and multiply you. The God of the universe swears by himself. Just take some time to think about that. He is making a promise to a sinful man, a man who has done nothing to deserve that promise. This is stunning! Every other so called god demanded sacrifice and service. They were capricious and you couldn’t depend on them. But the God of Abraham is altogether different. He initiates a covenant and swears by himself, promising to bring blessing and multiplication! Super-abounding grace.

“And thus Abraham, having patiently waited, obtained the promise. For people swear by something greater than themselves, and in all their disputes an oath is final for confirmation.” So here we have the conclusion of this example of Abraham. Abraham is not the point of the passage, but is a key to understanding the gravity and glory of the passage. The author of Hebrews is trying to help his audience understand how Jesus is superior to what they had under the Old Covenant, and to warn them of apostasy. He is using Abraham to make a larger point about the certainty of God’s promises in the midst of their suffering. So this verse is getting us ready to see the dazzling reality of God’s free grace that pours forth from the certainty of his promise. First, he reminds them of the nature of human oaths, how even fickle human beings make vows and oaths in order to confirm their word. But look at what God does in comparison.

“So when God desired to show more convincingly to the heirs of the promise the unchangeable character of his purpose, he guaranteed it with an oath…” Stop right there. There is so much in that one verse that jumps out at me about God’s character and his free grace. First, look at the words, “God desired.” Have you ever wondered what God desires? This passage answers that question, but I have to break it down word by word because each word carries the weight of grace. God longs for something. This is his heart. And what does he long to do? He longs to show something, but he wants to show it a certain way – there are adverbs here! He wants to show it more convincingly, to make it absolutely clear. God longs for his people to have assurance! And God’s people are called heirs, heirs of the promise. Those who have the faith of Abraham are heirs according to Romans 4:13-16 which makes clear that the promise we’re inheriting rests on grace! And what does he want to make absolutely clear to the heirs of Abraham’s gracious promise? He wants to show them the unchangeable character of his purpose. And to prove that to them, and to us, God guarantees it with an oath. Again, does God have to do this?! Absolutely not. But this is his heart, this is his desire for his people, the heirs of Abraham’s promise. He wants them to be sure, he wants them to have rock solid confidence in who he is and what he’s promised. Maybe we could call that take-it-to-the-bank free grace.

Hang on though, because it gets even better. The verse continues – “…so that by two unchangeable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled for refuge might have strong encouragement to hold fast to the hope set before us.” The author of Hebrews continues to encourage his readers, the ones who were being tempted to abandon the faith, to focus on the character of God and this hope they’ve been given. It is impossible for the God who made this oath to lie. Bank on that. Find refuge in that. God wants to encourage them (and us) to hold fast to the hope set before them. What other god, what other religion is like this? In any other system of religion, it is up to us to work and to strive for approval. There is no promise of encouragement, there is no assurance. But our God is utterly unique in his character and his purposes. He is for his people. He desires his people to have this refuge, to have this confidence in who he is and what he’s promised. Undeserved favor indeed.

Then we have this final glorious crescendo of grace: “We have this as a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul, a hope that enters into the inner place behind the curtain, where Jesus has gone as a forerunner on our behalf, having become a high priest forever after the order of Melchizedek.” There may not be a more beautiful image in Scripture than this – our hope as a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul. If we hadn’t been convinced already of God’s gracious purposes towards his people, he confirms it again with this image. The meaning is profound. Our souls are adrift and wretchedly sinful, separated from God and deserving of condemnation. The inner place, behind the curtain is a reference to the Old Covenant sacrificial system and the Holy of Holies. The Holy of Holies was where God dwelt and where sacrifice for sins was made. The way into this Holy of Holies was limited to one man though, the high priest, and only once a year. But what’s special about our hope now? What’s special is our hope is anchored in the person and work of Jesus Christ who has gone into God’s presence on our behalf as our great high priest and won us access to the Father. It is finished. Our sin is forgiven, there is no more condemnation, we are secure and can come boldly to the throne of grace! (See Hebrews 4:14-16) Jesus Christ is grace personified. We didn’t deserve him or ask for him. We were weak, we were sinners, we were God’s enemies, “But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ – by grace you have been saved…” Ephesians 2:4-5

The beautiful freedom of God’s grace is embodied and demonstrated by our Savior Jesus Christ. I don’t think ‘Amazing Grace’ will be dull the next time I sing it.

I tap my foot impatiently in front of the microwave while I wait the 2 minutes and 22 seconds for my water to heat up. Why 2:22? It’s faster than punching in 2:30 of course! It’s a hack and we all love hacks, those tips and tricks that make our lives more efficient, faster and easier.

Have you noticed how badly people drive nowadays? People’s traffic manners have just degraded, myself excluded of course! People roll through stop signs and take advantage of any driver’s inattention by laying on the horn. If someone’s not going fast enough they get passed in the breakdown lane or the turn lane or even on a double yellow line! People just want to get where they’re going. After all, traffic rules are for student drivers or those slow Sunday grandmas who can barely see above the wheel, right? Just hurry up!

But I’m not excluded from this hurry up mood as evidenced by the microwave example above. I find myself in a hurry up mood way too often, even on the weekends. I can even find taking a shower a necessary inconvenience! As a dear friend told me one time, I just wish I could snap my fingers, and BAM! – I’m showered, dressed and ready for what’s really important.

There’s a style of play in football called the hurry up no huddle offense. This style is employed near the end of the game. The offense doesn’t take time to huddle up and discuss strategy. The quarterback calls the play as quickly as possible and chooses plays that will get his team down the field as quickly as possible in order to score. Maybe the hurry up offense is an analogy for my life. Just hurry up! I’m noticing myself wanting to hurry up in writing this post. Just get it done! Hurry up and publish!

We avoid waiting. We look at screens while waiting in line. We bring a book to pass the time in the doctor’s office. We constantly check the tracking information on a package we’re waiting for.

Have you noticed that faster, easier and more efficient has earned a positive moral judgment? We’ve somehow been convinced that it’s morally good to have things be faster and easier. Slower, harder and more cumbersome is therefore morally bad. How did this happen? Where did these moral judgments come from?

The Bible speaks with completely different language. It calls for us to have a completely opposite perspective. For example, we read this in Habakkuk 2:2-3:

“And the Lord answered me: ‘Write the vision; make it plain on tablets, so he may run who reads it. For still the vision awaits it’s appointed time; it hastens to the end – it will not lie. If it seems slow, wait for it; it will surely come; it will not delay.'”

Habakkuk had hard questions for God and God graciously answered him. But in answering he also gives a warning. He says the timing may seem slow. Can anyone relate to that?

In 2 Peter 3:9 we read this:

“The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.”

He says the Lord is not slow as some count slowness. I think the problem is our perception, not God’s supposed inaction. We don’t understand time and how God works in time. It’s our faulty understanding that’s the issue. God told Habakkuk what to do if the vision seemed slow in being fulfilled: he was to wait.

We are also called to wait. But how do we do that, especially in this hurry-up world of ours? And what is waiting anyway? This is what I want to start exploring. Let me know what you think.

I’ve been thinking a lot about contentment and have been drawn back into the Puritans. Who were the Puritans? They were a group of English Reformed Protestants in the 16th and 17th century who sought to reform the Church of England. John Bunyan, the author of Pilgrim’s Progress, was a Puritan, as was William Bradford, the governor of Plymouth colony. If you’ve never read the Puritans you’re really missing out on something special. They are difficult to get used to, but once you get adjusted to their language, you’ll realize what a profound treasure they are. J.I. Packer (1926-2020), who made it part of his life’s work to study the Puritans, was so right when he said they were folk who lived slowly enough to think about God deeply. Jeremiah Burroughs wrote one of the most insightful and challenging books on contentment. He called it The Rare Jewel of Christian Contentment. It’s short but densely populated with great Biblical truth. I also just picked up Thomas Watson’s book on the subject called The Art of Divine Contentment.

Burroughs defines contentment as a mystery and an art that every Christian must learn: “Christian contentment is that sweet, inward, quiet, gracious frame of spirit, which freely submits to and delights in God’s wise and fatherly disposal in every condition.”

Many of us desire to be content but we try to get there from the outside in. We apply various salves to our harried souls (food, vacations, relationships, organizational schemes) but soon find ourselves empty again. What makes Burroughs’ and Watson’s writing so penetrating and powerful is their foundation, the basis for their convictions. They both make an essential presupposition – God’s sovereignty. Go back and read Burroughs’ definition and focus on the end. The contented person freely submits to and delights in God’s wise and fatherly disposal in every condition.

But what is God’s sovereignty? Can you define it? Most of us can’t if pressed. Here is Jonathan Edwards, the great American theologian of the 18th century and one who was devoted to Puritan Reformed theology, on the subject:

The sovereignty of God is his absolute, independent right of disposing of all creatures according to his own pleasure.

Imagine the opposite. If you don’t believe that God is in complete control of all things, from the falling of a sparrow (Matthew 10:29) to the rise of nations (Isaiah 40:21-24), how can you possibly be content? There is no sure and steady foundation for life and so you’re constantly tossed to and fro. Contentment requires confidence that there is someone in complete control of outcomes. Contentment doesn’t depend on the predictability of events but on the One who controls those events. And if we love God, we are promised that all those events will work for our good, for our growth in Christlikeness. (Romans 8:28-30) For the God who is sovereign is also good.

One of the deep and abiding convictions in the hearts of the Puritans was God’s sovereignty. That conviction was born out of diligent and careful study of the Scripture, and it was a key ingredient in the soil of their hearts that allowed many graces to grow including contentment. What constitutes the soil of your heart? Of my heart? Is there some tilling and fertilizing that I need to do in order to allow contentment to grow? I commend the Puritans but I also commend the study of God’s sovereignty.

This post is a continuation of one I wrote here. I looked at a passage in 1 Peter 2 and discussed how our Bible reading and study can be unduly influenced by our different perspectives – where we grew up, what our family structure was like, our education level, our gender and many other things.

In this post I want to go back to that passage, add another from Titus, and talk a little about how being an American can influence how we react to and interpret these passages. Here’s the 1 Peter passage again:

“Be subject for the Lord’s sake to every human institution, whether it be to the emperor as supreme, or to governors as sent by him to punish those who do evil and to praise those who do good. For this is the will of God, that by doing good you should put to silence the ignorance of foolish people. Live as people who are free, not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil, but living as servants of God. Honor everyone. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the emperor.” 1 Peter 2:13-17

And here is the passage from Titus:

“Remind them to be submissive to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for every good work, to speak evil of no one, to avoid quarreling, to be gentle, and to show perfect courtesy toward all people.” Titus 3:1-2

What is your initial reaction to these passages? If you’re a Christian who lives in America you may bristle at these phrases: be submissive, be subject, emperor as supreme, honor the emperor, speak evil of no one. We don’t have emperors; we’re used to speaking our mind on every issue, especially on social media. Politics is a kind of sport in this country. We have fun mocking and scoffing at the stupidity of the other side of the aisle. We’ve also inherited a tradition of freedom that has allowed for widespread dissent, the creation of new political movements, as well as the ability to sign petitions and effect change and protest on the streets. We feel it’s our birthright to call out the government when it’s doing something wrong. Don’t misunderstand – I love our country and our freedoms. God has blessed us immensely and we shouldn’t take it for granted.

It is not my aim in this post to discuss the believer’s relationship with government and when we are called by God to disobey. This is a post about how we look at Scripture. What is influencing our reactions? Do we even acknowledge and examine these reactions? This is what I’m calling people to do. Do you read and study out of your identity as a Christ follower who happens to be an American or do you identify primarily as an American and then as a Christian? Your initial reactions to passages like these can help you answer that question.

It’s interesting to look at how Peter identifies his readers. In the beginning of the letter he calls them exiles who have been dispersed among various geographical areas. Then in chapter 2 verse 9 he calls them a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession. We are God’s people. This is the way we should identify ourselves.

Another crucial thing to keep in mind is that these letters were written to believers during times of oppression and persecution. The believers Peter was writing to were living under the tyrannical and brutal rule of Nero. And Peter is exhorting his fellow brothers and sisters to honor this emperor! That will definitely grind against our American sensibilities. What does that mean? I don’t know specifically, but I do know that it has something to do with realizing that someone else ultimately has authority over Nero. (See Romans 13) And knowing that persecution is ordained by God for the good of his people, his church. In Acts, the stoning of Stephen led to the scattering of the church and its tremendous growth led by Paul – the one who approved of Stephen’s stoning! Peter also makes it clear in his epistle that when we suffer it is according to God’s will. (See 1 Peter 3:17; 4:19)

What does it mean to submit to and honor the rulers and authorities in our context? That will vary according to the situation and will require prayer, great wisdom and humility. But the first step is to humble ourselves under God’s Word, submitting our perspectives to it, letting it moderate and control our biases, not the other way around.

After you read this, I urge you to listen to this sermon by David Platt and this sermon by John Piper. A lot of what I have to share in this post was influenced by the words of these two godly men.

Anxiety can come upon us suddenly and unbidden, like this morning when I woke up at 4:29am with anxious and despairing thoughts about my children. Questions dogged me as I probed into their futures.

I was able to go back to sleep but I didn’t get at the roots of my anxiety until later. It’s what I should’ve done at 4:29am, but who thinks clearly at 4:29am? Did I also mention I’m on vacation? Who wants to battle sin when they’re comfortably ensconced in a mountain cabin? But I guess anxiety never goes on vacation.

I needed to stop (like David Platt suggests) and examine and pull up the roots of my anxiety. I don’t often do that. Often I just try to get through life accepting that there will always be this kind of low level anxiety hovering around. It seems to be the default atmosphere we live in and even more so in our current state of affairs. But anxiety is a sin. We are commanded by Jesus (Matthew 6) and Paul (Philippians 4) to not be anxious.

So if anxiety is a sin then we need to fight against it, not accept it. And in order to fight any sin it’s helpful to get at the root of it. Did you know sin starts in the mind? Sins don’t come out of nowhere. They begin in the mind, create desires in the heart, and eventuate in sinful action.

There could be many roots to my anxiety but the root I needed to get at today and pull up like a noxious weed was the root of unbelief in God’s sovereignty.

Isaiah 46:8-11 (which Piper preached on) was one of the ways I started pulling up that weed. “Remember this and stand firm, recall it to mind, you transgressors, remember the former things of old; for I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like me, declaring the end from the beginning and from ancient times things not yet done, saying, ‘My counsel shall stand, and I will accomplish all my purpose,’ calling a bird of prey from the east, the man of my counsel from a far country. I have spoken, and I will bring it to pass; I have purposed and I will do it.”

God knows the future, he has a purpose for the future and he will accomplish that purpose, for the world, for me and for my children. I had forgotten. When I woke up at 4:29am I thought I was on the throne. I thought I was God. And I panicked. I let my thoughts go to the future I didn’t know, a future I didn’t really have a plan for, and a future I certainly didn’t have the authority or strength to accomplish. That left my heart vulnerable for despair to creep in, just like a weed.

My husband has been trying to kill off the weeds in our backyard so he can eventually grow some good grass back there. He sprayed the whole backyard with weedkiller and eventually the weeds disappeared. It was fine for a few weeks but he didn’t lay down new topsoil and spread grass seed. And guess what happened? Almost overnight it seemed, weeds sprung up where there were none.

This is what will happen if we forget to renew our minds with the truth. We can pull up the weeds of anxious thoughts by confessing and asking for forgivenesss, but if we’re not diligent and watchful those weeds will come back. We need to lay down the topsoil of the truth of God’s Word and spread the seed of his promises. We need to consistently preach to ourselves and to others the truth that God is God and we are not (Isaiah 46:8-11), that his mercies are new every morning and great is his faithfulness (Lamentations 3:22-24), that he knows what we need before we ask him and so we can seek his kingdom and his righteousness knowing he will provide (Matthew 6:8, 25-34), that he will never leave us or forsake us (Hebrews 13:5-6).

Weeds don’t take a vacation and neither does sin. So let us then encourage one another all the more with these truths, especially in these anxious times.

“Be subject for the Lord’s sake to every human institution, whether it be to the emperor as supreme, or to governors as sent by him to punish those who do evil and to praise those who do good. For this is the will of God, that by doing good you should put to silence the ignorance of foolish people. Live as people who are free, not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil, but living as servants of God. Honor everyone. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the emperor.” 1 Peter 2:13-17

This passage has been on my mind lately, especially in light of current events concerning the virus. When I read it I’m struck by my initial reactions. I bristle at the words, be subject to…the emperor, honor the emperor. It seems foreign to my sensibilities as an American. We don’t have emperors. We have duly elected presidents and representatives. We have free elections.

This kind of discomfort can happen with other passages as well, and for other reasons. Because I’m a woman, I may react with discomfort at the passage in 1 Timothy 2 that begins, “I do not permit a woman…….” Children may react negatively at first to Ephesians 6 which begins, “Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right.”

What should we do with these reactions? Do we start with the assumption that our initial reactions and observations are right and let them control how we read and interpret the Bible? Or do we start with the conviction that God’s Word is true, authoritative and ultimate and we need to submit our reactions, bristlings and discomfort to it?

The right place to start is with a recognition of the uniqueness of God’s Word. As Christians we believe that God’s Word is true, that it is inerrant. It also has the power and authority to change us. It is truly unlike any other book. Psalm 19:7-11 says this: “The Law of the Lord is perfect, reviving the soul; the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple; the precepts of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes. The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever; the rules of the Lord are true, and righteous altogether. More to be desired are they than gold, even much fine gold; sweeter also than honey and drippings of the honeycomb. Moreover, by them is your servant warned; in keeping them there is great reward.” And Hebrews 4:12 says this: “For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.”

When we start from this perspective, acknowledging the tremendous value of God’s word and its power to transform, we can avoid the mistake of placing ourselves over the word of God and having our initial reactions be the judge when we encounter difficult passages. We should allow the Bible to judge us, not the other way around.

Having acknowledged the authority and power of God’s Word, the next step is to evaluate my discomfort and figure out where it’s coming from. I call this reading with awareness. We need to be aware of the different perspectives we bring to our reading of the Bible. Our different perspectives are like glasses we wear. Now, if you wear prescription glasses or contacts you know they make your eyesight better, but the glasses I’m talking about here in regard to Bible reading can actually hinder your spiritual sight and blur your understanding when you read Scripture. And we must be aware of these different perspectives.

We all bring different perspectives to our Bible reading because we are all different people. I’m a 48-year-old, college educated, white married woman with children who lives in the suburbs of an American city in the South. These things shape who I am and my perspective, and there are many more: I used to be a professional musician; I love sports; I am the youngest of two children; my family moved around a lot when we were kids. How I grew up and all my experiences since then have worked to make me think in certain ways, and they all influence the way I engage with the Bible.

I can’t change how I grew up and the experiences that have shaped my perspective, but I need to be aware of all these things and actively work against letting my perspective control the way I read and interpret the Bible. Next time I’ll talk about how being an American can tempt us to read and react to these verses in 1 Peter 2 in a certain way.

For almost 25 years I’ve been used to going to church early. It’s been the early service for most of my married-with-kids life. That has meant rushing to be there on time, making sure everyone has what they need. For many of those Sundays it’s meant playing my instrument in the church orchestra.

A lot has changed in the past few months obviously. First it was online church with less pressure to be out the door but still we chose the early service. We’re now back to in person worship but I’ve only played in service once, so we’ve decided to go to the later service. This has allowed me to rethink my Sunday morning habits and schedule. I’m an early bird and naturally wake up before 6 so if I don’t have to be at church until about 10, that leaves me some free time. And I love the quiet early morning hours.

For the past few weeks I’ve taken advantage by doing some prayer walking through my neighborhood and to the Dunkin Donuts . Dunkin is a mere half mile from the house so it makes for a nice turn around. I’ll walk slowly through the cul-de-sacs of my neighborhood and then head over for a coffee and maybe some conversation if the Lord gives me opportunity. There are always interesting people at the Dunkin on an early Sunday morning.

Last Sunday I settled on Psalm 115 for prayer and reflection. It was a wonderful reminder of the most important things – God is God, I am not, and I need to trust him.

“Not to us, O Lord, not to us, but to your name give glory, for the sake of your steadfast love and your faithfulness!” Reflection: I am ambitious and want to do things for the Lord, but he alone deserves the glory. Why? Because of his steadfast love and his faithfulness. Steadfast love. Faithfulness. I needed to stop and ponder those two rich and precious attributes.

“Why should the nations say, ‘Where is their God?’ Our God is in the heavens; he does all that he pleases.” Reflection: This brings a smile to my face because no matter what this world says, no matter what accusations are hurled in God’s direction, he is sovereign above all. As Nancy DeMoss Wolgemuth is fond of saying, “Heaven rules.”

“Their idols are silver and gold, the work of human hands. They have mouths, but do not speak; eyes, but do not see. They have ears, but do not hear; noses, but do not smell. They have hands, but do not feel; feet, but do not walk; and they do not make a sound in their throat. Those who make them become like them; so do all who trust in them.” Reflection: Idols can be more than statues. They can be anything we look to for security and hope. Those who make them become like them. You become what you worship.

“O Israel, trust in the Lord! He is their help and their shield. O house of Aaron, trust in the Lord! He is their help and their shield. You who fear the Lord, trust in the Lord! He is their help and their shield.” Reflection: It amazes me how he repeats this three times. Hebrew poetry uses repetition for emphasis so I guess this is important! “Lord, how do I not trust you?” And faithfully and tenderly, the Spirit impresses something on my heart about having a hurried spirit, always wanting to do, do, do. I need to trust. I need to rest.

“The Lord has remembered us; he will bless us; he will bless the house of Israel; he will bless the house of Aaron; he will bless those who fear the Lord, both the small and the great.” Reflection: God can never forget us, so what does it mean that he remembers us? It has to do with setting his favor upon us. And again, he repeats the refrain, ‘he will bless us’, four times! I am flooded with joy as I think about how the Lord desires to bless his people.

“May the Lord give you increase, you and your children! May you be blessed by the Lord, who made heaven and earth.” Reflection: More blessing! My Lord is the One who made all things and he desires to bless. So I am led to intercede for my children. O how I long for them to really know this gracious God!

“The heavens are the Lord’s heavens, but the earth he has given to the children of man. The dead do not praise the Lord, nor do any who go down into silence. But we will bless the Lord from this time forth and forevermore. Praise the Lord!” Reflection: There are some who will miss their chance to praise and bless the Lord, but, by God’s grace, I will not be one of them. I will bless the Lord all the days he’s given me.

That was a glorious morning spent. I stopped to really look at the beauty of his creation. I walked slowly and sipped the goodness of my coffee. And I lifted up my soul to my God in prayer, taking the advice of George Mueller who said, “The first great and primary business to which I ought to attend every day is to have my soul happy in the Lord.”

This is the third in a series of posts about safety. You can read the other posts here and here.

Last time I mentioned Luke 12:7 in reference to God’s intimate knowledge of us: “Why, even the hairs of your head are all numbered.” But as I went back to that verse and read it in context, I found so much more to ponder. Context is crucial, but especially when reading the Bible. I won’t go on about that, but if you’re interested in learning more, you can listen to the episode of my podcast called Context.

Here is the immediate context of that verse in Luke 12:

“I tell you, my friends, do not fear those who can kill the body, and after that have nothing more that they can do. But I will warn you whom to fear: fear him who, after he has killed, has authority to cast into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear him! Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? And not one of them is forgotten before God. Why, even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not, you are of more value than many sparrows.” Luke 12:4-7

But wait, there’s an even fuller context to consider. It’s tempting to just stop there with the surrounding verses, especially when the editors of our Bibles separate this section from the others and give us headings that summarize it and help us quickly understand what’s going on. But it’s important to see Luke 12:4-7 in an even larger context. What comes before that, even in chapter 11? And what comes after it? We can’t take these little sections of the gospels and interpret them in a way that’s disconnected from the whole. Luke didn’t write his gospel to be read or interpreted that way.

In chapter 11 it is becoming increasingly clear that Jesus is not going to appease the people and tell them what they want to hear. At the end of the chapter, after being invited to dine in the house of a Pharisee, he calls out their hypocrisy by pronouncing woe upon woe. When a lawyer speaks up and says he’s insulting them as well, Jesus doesn’t back down. He pronounces judgment on them too! Jesus is beginning to tick off all the important people, but still, at the beginning of chapter 12, the crowds increase. At this point, Jesus pulls his disciples aside to warn them.

He warns them of whom they should fear. Not man, but God. God is the one who has ultimate and eternal authority over you. He says, “Yes, I tell you, fear him!”

If Jesus had stopped there, his disciples may have been left shaking in terror. But he goes on to say something remarkable. Look closely for the next occurrence of the word fear. “Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? And not one of them is forgotten before God. Why, even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not, you are of more value than many sparrows.”

Did you catch it? First he tells them to fear God who alone has the authority to cast people into hell. But then he says fear not. Which one is it? It’s both. Let me explain. We are to fear God, having a humble and awestruck sense of reverence for the One who created us from the dust and who alone has the authority over our eternal souls. But then he paints two pictures that are meant to dramatically underscore our value in God’s eyes. If God places value on the smallest of the birds, never forgetting them, then we, carefully crafted in his image, are of much more value to him. And he knows us so intimately that all the hairs of our head are numbered. When we come to know and fear this God, calling him Father (which he invited his disciples to do in chapter 11 by teaching them the Lord’s prayer), and also acknowledging him before others (which he challenges his disciples to do right after this passage), we do not have to fear that we will perish at that final judgment.

Let me tie this all to what I’ve been saying about safety. The message of Luke 12:4-7 sums up everything because I think it answers the two questions I started with: 1. Where or to whom do we look for safety? and 2. What kind of safety has God assured us of?

We desire safety because we want to be free from harm, but Jesus warns his disciples away from the fear of man and the harm we can experience on earth. He points them to eternity and emphasizes the most important kind of safety – eternal safety.

We can and do experience harm on this earth, from people and storms, viruses and our own sins and mistakes; none of us are immune in this sin-stained world. But when we realize that God our Father is sovereign and good and is a refuge in any and every storm and will keep us from eternal condemnation on the day of judgment when we place our faith in his Son, Jesus Christ, then and only then, can we know the kind of safety that really counts and gives rest to our souls.