They say familiarity breeds contempt. Which is a way to warn us that we can get used to things and take them for granted. If you were asked to quote Matthew 6:9-13 you might pause for a moment. Perhaps even wonder what these verses might be. However, you could most likely quote them with just a little prompting. "Our Father, which art in heaven, hallowed be thy name." Sound familiar? Perhaps you know a more modern translation like "Our Father who is in heaven, holy is Your name." There is a strong possibility you are familiar with the passage, you just usually do not quote the chapter and verse. The Lord's prayer, or perhaps the disciple's prayer, is one of the most commonly known passages in all of Christendom. No matter if you are Catholic, Orthodox or some flavor of Protestant, this is a passage we can quote together. The words were provided by Rabbi Yeshua to His disciples when they asked Him how to pray. It was not an unusual request. Jewish rabbis often taught their disciples prayers to recite and model prayers to follow. It is a good prayer. But, has it become so common that we do not really take the time to consider what the Lord was teaching?
Referring to God as Father was not a new concept for the Jews. In Psalm 86:5 David writes, "A father of the fatherless, a defender of widows, Is God in His holy habitation." Speaking of Solomon, God tells David, "I will be his Father, and he shall be My son" (2 Samuel 7:14). God has been the One who has repeatedly rescued Israel; He is their tender Father. He also disciplined them as a loving father. Hebrews 12:7 reminds us of that truth, "It is for discipline that you endure; God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom his father does not discipline?" The Apostle Paul proclaims that we can see God as our intimate father, calling Him Abba Father, a most familiar name not unlike our word "daddy". God is our tender and compassionate father who is there to care for us, encourage us, correct us and to love us unconditionally.
Knowing humanity as well as He does, Messiah Jesus, gives us more than a reminder of God's tenderness as a father. Jesus also gives us a reminder of God's majesty. This is the God of the Heavenlies. He is the God who is above all and oversees all. He is not the god of a nation, He is the God of the universe and beyond. The worlds cannot contain Him. This truth cuts both ways, He is that God and Father who has the power and presence to care for us like no other. He is not the god of the Romans, or the Philistines made of wood or stone. No, He is the God of creation Who is also our loving Father. It should give us great confidence in prayer and security as we move through each day. However, Jesus reminds us that even though God is our Father, He is not to be taken lightly or for granted. The God of the heavens is also holy.
The Greek word is, hagios, the companion Hebrew word is, qodesh, they both mean to separate or to be set aside. To be sacred, set apart from what is common. God is not to be treated profanely. He is not to be seen as common or ordinary. He is not to be viewed as just another being. This father is unique in His majesty and glory. In Isaiah 43:15, God reminds Israel of Who He is, for Israel has forgotten and treated the Lord with contempt. "I am the LORD, your Holy One, the Creator of Israel, your King." The disciples would be well familiar with Exodus 20:7, the third commandment, "You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain; for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that takes His name in vain." God's name is to be exalted above all names. His name is not to be used profanely. Saying,"Oh my God, the traffic was terrible" is not a prayer. I am not sure replacing "God" with "gosh" is that much better. The disciples had great respect for God's name. It was holy, set apart, from all other names. It was never even spoken so to be sure not to use it in a common fashion. It should be held in reverence by us as well. We can take comfort in God as our Father, however, we should never get used to Him, in the sense that He is just another being we occasionally pray to. He is both tender and Holy. His name is to be held in high honor. When was the last time we let the wonder of all God is touch the depth of our souls at the mere mention of His name?
The danger we may face is treating our heavenly Father as we might treat our earthly fathers. Letting some distance build up and communication break down. As an earthly father, time with my children is precious. Communication is treasured. Unlike the days when our Lord gave His disciples this prayer our families are scattered. Our days are overflowing. Our schedules overloaded and our "to do" lists unending. Relationships suffer. It has become a part of life. It may leave us with times when, as full as life is, people seem distant. Generations no longer surround the family farm. Regular "family time" becomes an event rather than the routine. Our culture and society has made texting and an occasional e-mail a substitute for family intimacy. We may schedule a moment or two for touching base now and then, but it is difficult to experience that real communication the old close community had to offer. It is not by intent or design. It is just how life has evolved in much of the world.
The same can become true with our Heavenly Father. Schedules get tight and, as a father, God understands and is forgiving, treasuring the time we have for Him. However, taking the time to truly fellowship with the Holy One of Israel may be more than we can fit in. God is so much more than just your tender, forgiving, heavenly dad. He is to be held in awe and worshiped in humility. The simple mention of His name should fill us with a little sense of wonder. If you feel that the God of Heavens is a bit distant. it unlikely that He is the one who moved away. Messiah Jesus knew that His followers needed the balance of a Heavenly Father and a Holy God if they were to grow in grace and holiness themselves. He is your tender Father; do not allow Him to become your distant God.
Monday, August 27, 2018
Tuesday, August 21, 2018
Have You Made Yahweh Into a Greek God?
How much does the culture you live in impact the way you believe and behave? Culture is hard to escape. From birth we are not just exposed we are indoctrinated to a particular way of viewing things. It becomes who we are. Be it America, Russian, from Nigeria or the Philippines, the culture you were reared in is intricately woven into how you think and often how you behave. For those who live in Europe and America we are the product of Greek thought. It is not something most of think about. However, that ingrained culture does touch who we are. For the most part this is pretty benign. The basis for much of our government is of Greek origin. As is much of our value structures and even some of our architecture. However, when it comes to matters of faith and belief in Yahweh and Messiah Jesus it has the potential to rob us of the relationships that the Lord has reveled to us in His Word.
I would guess that most of us have some admiration for people like Abraham, Jacob, Moses, David and a whole series of Prophets. Their recorded lives show a relationship with God that we might long to know. As I have written before, it is easy for us to get things out of balance. It is not that what we hold to is necessarily wrong, just out of balance at the expense of other truths. Greek thought, from those like Aristotle and Plato, saw the divine as unknowable and unattainable. God was completely "other". We are mortal flesh bound entities with a plethora of limitations. God is a Spirit being removed from the confines of the physical and tangible. It is true that Yahweh is far greater than we are. He is Creator we are the created. His ways are beyond ours and the Apostle Paul tells us, in Romans 11, that His ways are past our understanding. There is no real argument there, yet have you really looked at the interaction between God and those folks we admire from the Scriptures?
God comes looking for Adam and Adam hides, then blames Eve and in essence God, (The woman You gave me) for the problem. Abraham negotiates with the Lord over the fate of Sodom. Moses, the friend of God, intervenes on behalf of the Israelites implying that his Friend, God, is acting rashly. God changes His mind based on the argument from Moses. David tells God to rescue him based on the idea that dead men cannot praise Him. The Prophets question God's directives be it Isaiah, Jeremiah, Hosea, Joel or Habakkuk. These men had no apparent problem calling God out on things that they didn't understand or disagreed with. They treat God as if on human terms. God was One who could be talked to, disagreed with, even challenged to reconsider something that seems out of line or an overreaction. The personal conversations recorded for us can seem pretty bold, perhaps even lacking reverence. After all His ways are higher than ours and His thoughts above ours. We do not have a right to question. Do we?
Have we made God so "other", like the Greek philosophers, that we have sacrificed this kind of intimacy and confidence in coming to the Lord with our brokenness, disappointments and questions. Have you ever told God, "You can't do this, it will diminish your Name before the nations". Or told God you will not let go until He blesses you. Do we keep God at an arms length out of respect or because our Greek culture tells us God is really not approachable? Does our cultural comfort level keep us from the same intimacy and friendship that we see in the lives of Abraham and David? I do not mean that we foster an attitude of arrogance or disrespect. However, if you have a very good and intimate friend you know that you have a lot of freedom to ask questions, question what they are doing and to seek counsel knowing they want the best for you. Isn't that something to be desired from the One Who is to be closer than a brother?
I often wonder what the nights were like around the campfire as Jesus and His disciples talked and joked about the days events. Those intimate times with the Master. The informal conversations that were just among friends. Times when questions could be asked away from the crowds and the business of the day. Shouldn't there be an element of that in our quiet times with the Lord? A closeness that says "I do not understand" or even, "You know Lord, your name is being down trodden because it seems You lack the will to act". Hezekiah takes that approach in 2 Kings 19. Judah is in trouble but Gid's name is at stake. Do we sacrifice that friendly relationship as we keep this completely "other" being in such a state of awe that He is somewhat unapproachable? Have we exchanged the God of the Bible for a colder more distant, more Greek, version of Who He really is and longs to be for us?
I would guess that most of us have some admiration for people like Abraham, Jacob, Moses, David and a whole series of Prophets. Their recorded lives show a relationship with God that we might long to know. As I have written before, it is easy for us to get things out of balance. It is not that what we hold to is necessarily wrong, just out of balance at the expense of other truths. Greek thought, from those like Aristotle and Plato, saw the divine as unknowable and unattainable. God was completely "other". We are mortal flesh bound entities with a plethora of limitations. God is a Spirit being removed from the confines of the physical and tangible. It is true that Yahweh is far greater than we are. He is Creator we are the created. His ways are beyond ours and the Apostle Paul tells us, in Romans 11, that His ways are past our understanding. There is no real argument there, yet have you really looked at the interaction between God and those folks we admire from the Scriptures?
God comes looking for Adam and Adam hides, then blames Eve and in essence God, (The woman You gave me) for the problem. Abraham negotiates with the Lord over the fate of Sodom. Moses, the friend of God, intervenes on behalf of the Israelites implying that his Friend, God, is acting rashly. God changes His mind based on the argument from Moses. David tells God to rescue him based on the idea that dead men cannot praise Him. The Prophets question God's directives be it Isaiah, Jeremiah, Hosea, Joel or Habakkuk. These men had no apparent problem calling God out on things that they didn't understand or disagreed with. They treat God as if on human terms. God was One who could be talked to, disagreed with, even challenged to reconsider something that seems out of line or an overreaction. The personal conversations recorded for us can seem pretty bold, perhaps even lacking reverence. After all His ways are higher than ours and His thoughts above ours. We do not have a right to question. Do we?
Have we made God so "other", like the Greek philosophers, that we have sacrificed this kind of intimacy and confidence in coming to the Lord with our brokenness, disappointments and questions. Have you ever told God, "You can't do this, it will diminish your Name before the nations". Or told God you will not let go until He blesses you. Do we keep God at an arms length out of respect or because our Greek culture tells us God is really not approachable? Does our cultural comfort level keep us from the same intimacy and friendship that we see in the lives of Abraham and David? I do not mean that we foster an attitude of arrogance or disrespect. However, if you have a very good and intimate friend you know that you have a lot of freedom to ask questions, question what they are doing and to seek counsel knowing they want the best for you. Isn't that something to be desired from the One Who is to be closer than a brother?
I often wonder what the nights were like around the campfire as Jesus and His disciples talked and joked about the days events. Those intimate times with the Master. The informal conversations that were just among friends. Times when questions could be asked away from the crowds and the business of the day. Shouldn't there be an element of that in our quiet times with the Lord? A closeness that says "I do not understand" or even, "You know Lord, your name is being down trodden because it seems You lack the will to act". Hezekiah takes that approach in 2 Kings 19. Judah is in trouble but Gid's name is at stake. Do we sacrifice that friendly relationship as we keep this completely "other" being in such a state of awe that He is somewhat unapproachable? Have we exchanged the God of the Bible for a colder more distant, more Greek, version of Who He really is and longs to be for us?
Monday, August 13, 2018
Quiet Desperation
How desperate are you? In our plastic Christian bubbles we like to claim that we have all we need in Messiah, Jesus. Life is not perfect, however, we are doing okay. We pray, read the Word, sing the praise songs, and attend our local church, at least when we can. The are a multitude of responsibilities and directions we are pulled toward. God must understand that sometimes, well, there is not enough time to do all that I would like in the spiritual side of my life. We sing along with Micheal W. Smith declaring that God is the very air we breath and how we are "desperate for You", whenever we can carve out the time. The pace of life is my greatest nemesis. Oh, there are other issues that sap my vitality and temp me to bang my head against a wall, however, not having time for God to be the "air I breath" tops my list. I actually get paid to study, pray and talk to people. So how could this ever be a problem?
In reality, I am my own worst enemy. I accept responsibilities and make commitments that suck up time and energy. I do, occasionally, marvel that God has graciously allowed my aging body to do the stuff I do. The growing wood pile for winter is just one thing this mortal flesh is capable of doing. As well as lawn care, home repairs and working to move sixteen truckloads of mulch that found its way to our church property. No exaggeration, sixteen dump truck loads of mulch. There is also the emotional drain of the coming and going of people I care about. I wobble in and out of the disciplined life I long to enjoy. Its just that stuff keeps getting in the way. Things like people and car trouble, and rain, and the need to prepare to feed the wood stove. And did I mention people? People I care about and enjoy and like to talk to and spend time with and do projects with and watch meaningless movies with and that other stuff we do.
I also spend quality time staring into empty space or reading commentaries three times because there seems to be a disconnect between my optic nerve and the rest of my brain. Ummm, what was I saying, there was this cool looking squirrel outside the window. No, I do not suffer from ADD it was just a really provocative squirrel. I can understand the Apostle Paul's apparent frustration recorded in Acts chapter seven. Not doing what I want, distracted from what I long to do. Sometimes it is sin or temptations or struggles with the haunting past. However, lots of time it is just the brainlessness of life that causes me to get quiet and just want some revelation from the Lord. Not a big lightning bolt, I do not want to get hurt, something more on the line of static electricity so I know He is there and I am still in His care. Do not get me wrong, I am not discouraged or depressed, just feeling pressed more often than I would like. Life is actually pretty good. Just too much of it.
It seems that the society we live in gives little time to be desperate for God and lots of time to live in quiet desperation. Perhaps it is time to cut back on the calendar, the activities,the projects, maybe even a little less stuff of people and allow our spirits to know how desperate we really may be. Every breath actually is a gift from God. He actually is the reason we breath. And we would be lost without Him, if we took the time to notice. I know the issues. Understand the overload. And it is likely I will still understand the problem next week. Desperate for Him or just quiet desperation. Which will you choose?
In reality, I am my own worst enemy. I accept responsibilities and make commitments that suck up time and energy. I do, occasionally, marvel that God has graciously allowed my aging body to do the stuff I do. The growing wood pile for winter is just one thing this mortal flesh is capable of doing. As well as lawn care, home repairs and working to move sixteen truckloads of mulch that found its way to our church property. No exaggeration, sixteen dump truck loads of mulch. There is also the emotional drain of the coming and going of people I care about. I wobble in and out of the disciplined life I long to enjoy. Its just that stuff keeps getting in the way. Things like people and car trouble, and rain, and the need to prepare to feed the wood stove. And did I mention people? People I care about and enjoy and like to talk to and spend time with and do projects with and watch meaningless movies with and that other stuff we do.
I also spend quality time staring into empty space or reading commentaries three times because there seems to be a disconnect between my optic nerve and the rest of my brain. Ummm, what was I saying, there was this cool looking squirrel outside the window. No, I do not suffer from ADD it was just a really provocative squirrel. I can understand the Apostle Paul's apparent frustration recorded in Acts chapter seven. Not doing what I want, distracted from what I long to do. Sometimes it is sin or temptations or struggles with the haunting past. However, lots of time it is just the brainlessness of life that causes me to get quiet and just want some revelation from the Lord. Not a big lightning bolt, I do not want to get hurt, something more on the line of static electricity so I know He is there and I am still in His care. Do not get me wrong, I am not discouraged or depressed, just feeling pressed more often than I would like. Life is actually pretty good. Just too much of it.
It seems that the society we live in gives little time to be desperate for God and lots of time to live in quiet desperation. Perhaps it is time to cut back on the calendar, the activities,the projects, maybe even a little less stuff of people and allow our spirits to know how desperate we really may be. Every breath actually is a gift from God. He actually is the reason we breath. And we would be lost without Him, if we took the time to notice. I know the issues. Understand the overload. And it is likely I will still understand the problem next week. Desperate for Him or just quiet desperation. Which will you choose?
Monday, August 6, 2018
Feeling More Like Jabez than Abraham
When was the last time you carefully read and contemplated the "Heroes" of Hebrews 11? It is an amazing list and succinct account of so many faithful ones that have gone before us. Followers of Yahweh who trusted and obeyed. It seems there was no easy road for any of them. In spite of hardship and delayed promises they maintained their faithful journey with the Lord. Now we know they were flawed and often times broken examples of what it is to be Godly, yet the writer to the Hebrews reminds us that they were, overall, steadfast. Even though some were cut in two, or died yet waiting, they continued their walk with God.
I have never been asked to sacrifice my son on an alter, or look to a land promised but never received. I have never gone through the Red Sea with Egyptians in pursuit. I have never been tortured refusing deliverance so I would receive a better resurrection. I have never faced the mocking of a trial or been slain with a sword. I have been pretty comfortable in life, never destitute or really afflicted. I honestly like looking at all this from a safe distance. I do look at life as a treasure given by God, so it is His and not mine. I do have a faithful yet imperfect walk with my Savior and cannot imagine myself denying Him is some official court proceeding. I am blessed and encouraged by His Word and promises. I ponder what it will be like to wander the golden streets of a New Jerusalem. However, I must admit I have times of quiet discontent. It is a bit unreasonable when I see the way God answers and provides.
Perhaps you have moments like Abraham and I do. You know, Abraham that remarkable man of faith and faithfulness. Leaving the security of home to live as a Bedouin much of his life and passed on that Bedouin lifestyle to a few generations yet to come. The Abraham who looked at the practical reality of life and responded to God with, “You have given me no children; so a servant in my household will be my heir" (Genesis 15:3). God's promises seemed a bit out of reach. After all Abraham is in his later years and has a wife past child bearing years. God's answer is to promise Abraham that, after four generations, or 400 years, his descendants will inherit the land promised to Abraham. No children makes it hard to to be the "father of multitudes" and 400 years before the promise comes true is a long time to wait. Abraham will have become a part of the dust of the promised land before any of his, yet to be produced, off spring will lay claim to it. Waiting for God to do what is promised is not always easy. I do not like to wait.
I know that the Lord wants to build His church. He wants to see disciples made and His Word proclaimed. That seems pretty clear in the Scriptures. He has called me and given me a gift to teach. That also seems pretty clear both from my experience and the confirmation of others for some forty plus years. So, I study, pray, prepare and teach week by week. And wait for that increase that seems like it should come. I do not want to wait for the harvest to come four generations from now. I want to see many lives changed, souls delivered, families rescued and God's community of believers multiply soon. Today would be good. I admire the list in Hebrews eleven, I just do not want to be on that list. I want to see God move now. I empathize with Jabez and his cry for blessing and increased borders. I might feel blessed to know that generations from now God will move, however, my real desire is more of a right now today move on His part.
I trust in the God who delivered me and gave me life. I am blessed with a wife and children that love me and Him. I have seen God's hand move in the lives of many and have witnessed His healing power in the broken lives that often surround me. But, like Abraham, I wonder about the wait. I wonder about the timing of God's blessing. I am not excited to think of myself as the faithful servant of Hebrews eleven that never saw the fruition of his labor. I have, however, walked long enough to know this is not my call. It is His. And I am His and that is all that really matters. Still, today I feel more like Jabez of 1 Chronicles 4 than the Abraham of Hebrews eleven. Bigger borders of ministry now rather than in 400 years just sounds better to me.
I have never been asked to sacrifice my son on an alter, or look to a land promised but never received. I have never gone through the Red Sea with Egyptians in pursuit. I have never been tortured refusing deliverance so I would receive a better resurrection. I have never faced the mocking of a trial or been slain with a sword. I have been pretty comfortable in life, never destitute or really afflicted. I honestly like looking at all this from a safe distance. I do look at life as a treasure given by God, so it is His and not mine. I do have a faithful yet imperfect walk with my Savior and cannot imagine myself denying Him is some official court proceeding. I am blessed and encouraged by His Word and promises. I ponder what it will be like to wander the golden streets of a New Jerusalem. However, I must admit I have times of quiet discontent. It is a bit unreasonable when I see the way God answers and provides.
Perhaps you have moments like Abraham and I do. You know, Abraham that remarkable man of faith and faithfulness. Leaving the security of home to live as a Bedouin much of his life and passed on that Bedouin lifestyle to a few generations yet to come. The Abraham who looked at the practical reality of life and responded to God with, “You have given me no children; so a servant in my household will be my heir" (Genesis 15:3). God's promises seemed a bit out of reach. After all Abraham is in his later years and has a wife past child bearing years. God's answer is to promise Abraham that, after four generations, or 400 years, his descendants will inherit the land promised to Abraham. No children makes it hard to to be the "father of multitudes" and 400 years before the promise comes true is a long time to wait. Abraham will have become a part of the dust of the promised land before any of his, yet to be produced, off spring will lay claim to it. Waiting for God to do what is promised is not always easy. I do not like to wait.
I know that the Lord wants to build His church. He wants to see disciples made and His Word proclaimed. That seems pretty clear in the Scriptures. He has called me and given me a gift to teach. That also seems pretty clear both from my experience and the confirmation of others for some forty plus years. So, I study, pray, prepare and teach week by week. And wait for that increase that seems like it should come. I do not want to wait for the harvest to come four generations from now. I want to see many lives changed, souls delivered, families rescued and God's community of believers multiply soon. Today would be good. I admire the list in Hebrews eleven, I just do not want to be on that list. I want to see God move now. I empathize with Jabez and his cry for blessing and increased borders. I might feel blessed to know that generations from now God will move, however, my real desire is more of a right now today move on His part.
I trust in the God who delivered me and gave me life. I am blessed with a wife and children that love me and Him. I have seen God's hand move in the lives of many and have witnessed His healing power in the broken lives that often surround me. But, like Abraham, I wonder about the wait. I wonder about the timing of God's blessing. I am not excited to think of myself as the faithful servant of Hebrews eleven that never saw the fruition of his labor. I have, however, walked long enough to know this is not my call. It is His. And I am His and that is all that really matters. Still, today I feel more like Jabez of 1 Chronicles 4 than the Abraham of Hebrews eleven. Bigger borders of ministry now rather than in 400 years just sounds better to me.
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