What Now? Humble Trust

 Wouldn't it be nice if God just did what we asked on our time schedule? We ask for good things and it often seems to take an extraordinary amount of time before anything happens. There are those moments when the Lord seems to answer even before we ask. However, it is not unusual for us to sit in  that heavenly waiting room to receive some response from the Almighty. As we have noted, 2020 has been a difficult year for many people and God's people are not exempt. For some, the turmoil from the American election goes on unabated. In addressing these things there are still things we can do. Advancing God's kingdom does not stop due to a virus or the outcome of an election. With that in mind we have been looking to the familiar verses of Matthew 6:9-13, what is commonly known as, "The Lord's Prayer".

First, we are called to keep going forward, knowing that our heavenly Father is with us. By His holy name we can find comfort and purpose. Second, we were reminded to advance His kingdom. We can do so in a variety of ways, one being the opportunity and responsibility to live out the nine aspects of the fruit of the Spirit. The world needs to see the children of God putting, love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control, on display. The Lord's encouraging words go on to instruct us to pray for God to give us our daily bread and to be those whose lives are marked by forgiveness. They are examples of holding a humble trust for the God and Father Who loves us.

For some of us praying for, "Our daily bread", might seem a bit of a waste of time. After all many of us live beyond abundance. Finding daily bread might seem easier that trying to curb the intake of bread to help reduce our waste-lines. The phrase would be more meaningful if we were Jewish folk following Messiah Jesus around the highways and byways of Judea. Daily bread was an absolute necessity for the Hebrews during forty years of wilderness wanderings. Manna was the daily bread that came down from heaven to allow the children of Israel to survive. Without God's daily provision the people would have perished. It was a powerful reminder that they were fully dependent upon the Lord for their survival. If you have food in the cupboard such dependence and trust might seem unnecessary. We live in the illusion of self sufficiency. It is humbling to recognize our dependence upon God. Jesus is our bread from heaven. We need Him daily, moment by moment, if we are to survive in this fallen world. John 6:35 explains, "And Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst." We need to be humble, trusting, dependent, people if we are to advance His kingdom and move forward in the days to come.

Humility is one of those difficult things to foster and integrate into our lives. We prefer to be independent and self sufficient. This trait may become glaringly obvious when someone offends us. We say things like, "I don't get mad, I get even" or "I can forgive but I will never forget". We hang onto offenses and irritations like they were precious metals. Morbid jewels infesting our lives or closeted away in lock boxed memories. The guardian of pride protects the hurt and eventually sucks the very life from our bones. The Lord knows the danger. Thus, He instructs us to forgive those who have trespassed or become indebted to our wounded spirits. It takes a humble person to forgive. It is often much easier to proudly hold onto the trespass or emotional debt we maintain in their account. It is wise to remember this warning from James, "But He gives more grace. Therefore He says: God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble" (James 4:6). If we are to ask our Heavenly Father's forgiveness we must forgive others as well. We cannot move forward anchored to past hurts and preserved transgressions.

The New Year is approaching. Many are praying this would be a year of revival and the outpouring of God's Spirit in new and refreshing ways. To see God's will done here on earth as it is in heaven. If we are to be a part of that revival or to have the power of prayer with us, we need to be those who live with humble trust. To come to the Lord fresh every morning asking to to nourished by the very Bread of Heaven Who rescues our souls. We must be those quick to forgive and slow to take offense. To follow Paul's directions to the Ephesians in 4:32, "And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you." 

There are yet a few more  forward thoughts here in Matthew 6, but this is enough to think about for this week. What now? Maybe we need a little more of that humble trust and forgiving spirit if we are to advance God's kingdom in the days to come. 

Self Impossed Destruction

What are the greatest threats to your life? We may look at the world and come up with an imposing list as we see raging forest fires, erupting volcanoes, unstable economies, wars and rumors of wars. The world can be a pretty threatening place. However there may be even greater threats much closer to home. Threats that can grow within our very souls. Quiet thoughts that fester like silent cancers quietly destroying our lives. The past few posts here at Torah Paranoia have been a review of, what is commonly known as, The Lord's Prayer. In Matthew 6 and again in Luke 11, we find some instructions on prayer from Rabbi Jesus, our Messiah. Today's portion may well be the most challenging and the most important. Matthew 6:12 reads, "And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors." Luke's version in 11:4 is as follows, "And forgive us our sins; for we also forgive every one that is indebted to us." Asking the Lord for forgiveness is a pretty common prayer for most believers. However, there is more to this prayer than asking forgiveness.

The Lord instructs His disciples to ask forgiveness based on the attitude of forgiveness that is already at work in their lives. We are to ask God to forgive us in the same fashion that we have and are forgiving others. We are asking God to follow our example of forgiveness. Our desire is that God, Himself, will model His forgiveness after our forgiveness of others. Forgiveness is a huge deal to God. He knows that lack of forgiveness leads to bitterness which will poison our lives. Lack of forgiveness is incredibly destructive. Back in the days of David, David had a trusted advisor named, Ahithophel. You will find the account in 2 Samuel 16. David's son, Absolom, is trying to kill David and take the throne by force. Ahithophel sides with Absolom to the point of asking to be the one to personally kill David. Why would this close friend and advisor to King David want to see David dead? If you check out the genealogies you will find that Bathsheba is his grand daughter. The woman David took, had her husband killed, and the result was that Ahithophel's great grandson died. Those are some pretty hefty sins to forgive. Ahithophel's counsel to Absolom is rejected so he kills himself. Actually, his unforgiving heart bred a bitterness that was waiting to take his life all along.

Forgiveness is so important God recorded a personal letter from the Apostle Paul to his friend Philemon that is a letter calling for forgiveness. A slave Philemon owned, named Onesimus, has apparently stolen from him and run away. Most guess that Onesimus was a trusted house servant so the violation to his master, Philemon, is no small matter. Onesimus has come to faith under the ministry of Paul. Paul sends him back to Philemon interceding on behalf of Onesimus. Philemon is asked to put Ephesians 4:32 into action, "Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you."

The Lord, Jesus, also shares a parable about forgiveness that has some unsettling words. It is a tale of a man who owed his lord a massive debt. He pleads for forgiveness and that is granted. The forgiven man then assaults a fellow servant who owes him pennies and has him thrown in prison. When the master finds out this unforgiving servant is also cast into prison. The account in in Matthew 18. The point of the parable comes in verse 35, “My heavenly Father will also do the same to you, if each of you does not forgive his brother from your heart.” Our forgiveness is also to be generous, seventy times seven to begin with (Matthew 18:22). Forgiveness is not optional it is required of the children of God. We are to reflect our Heavenly Father's heart of forgiveness before we ask for forgiveness for ourselves. If we do not forgive, we are told God will not forgive.

I have been in ministry long enough to see the instructive power of an unforgiving heart. I have seen families torn apart as one spouse cannot forgive another. Children haunted by wounds they will not release. Churches have been torn apart by the bitterness of an unforgiving spirit. A lack of forgiveness is also a sign of pride. Pride is a partner with a lack of forgiveness that leaves untold numbers in its ruinous wake. The unforgiving one is never satisfied and often fails to see their own life sucked down into darkness. It is a tragic waste of life.

If there are unhealed wounds that are preserved by unforgiveness it is time to let them go. Death in some measure awaits the bitter soul. Do not let pride keep you from His grace. God does warn us that, “God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble " (James 4:6). It is time to forgive, so that God can forgive and pour out His grace upon your wounded heart. "And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors." is no small thing before the God Whose name we are to hallow, to honor, to respect. Your Heavenly Father waits to brings to bring His forgiveness to you. This time it depends on you.

Can You Be a Tender-Hearted Snail?

How soft is your heart? There are those who find it easy to be touched by the discomfort or joy of others. Their emotions are moved by the slightest tug on their hearts. They tear up during scenes portrayed by Hollywood to depict the sorrows and joys of life. Even commercials can break the barrier of the tear ducts and have them reach for a tissue. Others tend to be far more guarded and a bit stoic. Some of this is due to culture and our upbringing. However, God has instructed us to be "tender hearted" followers of Christ. Are those easily moved just more "Tender hearted" than those who feel deeply but reserve their tears? Just what does it mean to be tender hearted and how do we get there? It seems important to know, seeing as the Lord expects us to live that way.

To be honest, there are times when the personal nature of God's Word can be hard to grasp or accept. Vulnerability is not high on our "to do" list. We like to keep ourselves protected. To guard our hearts so we do not get wounded or abused. Every hurt or betrayal, no matter how trivial, puts a brick in our emotional wall. We may buy the lie that isolation from potential pain will keep us warm not knowing it leads to the disease called isolation that leaves us chilled to the core. I fear petrified hearts run rampant among the children of God. Yet, the Apostle Paul tells us to be gracious and tender-hearted toward one another. How do we integrate this truth into our lives in a world where self preservation and self protection are a priority in life? In addition, we have this growing movement that tells us almost any act of compassion or concern could be interpreted as sexual harassment. If you notice a person whose body language proclaims they are emotionally hurting do you dare ask if they need someone to talk to? Do you dare offer comfort or your time just to listen? What does Paul mean when he encourages us to have a tender heart toward one another as brothers and sisters in Christ? God knows there are times when we need more than just a verse, we need some flesh and blood warmth that tells us someone understands or at least cares enough to ask.

In Paul's letter to the believers in Ephesus he instructs them to, " Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you" (Ephesians 4:32. Simple kindness is to be one of the marks of the believing community. However, to be tender-hearted is more. The Greek word is a compound word εὔσπλαγχνος or eusplagknos the εὔ means well or good the second part σπλαγχνος literally refers to your intestines. Thus the King James often translates the word as "bowels". It is a deep seated emotion that touches the core of our physical being. Even in American English we say something is "gut wrenching" or that we have a "gut" feeling about something. Tender-hearted people are moved deeply concerning other people, their needs and their emotional state. The NIV translates the word as compassionate. However, that really does not capture the intensity of how Paul is challenging us to relate to one another. The truth is we cannot respond to one another in a tender-hearted way and keep our distance. This sort of community takes vulnerability and time. Two commodities we often are not willing to part with. The tender-hearted expend themselves and open their lives to the possibility of being wounded. Sometimes deeply.

In my college days we had a large African-American guy in our dorm who was blind. He was a bit older than most of us and was lovingly known as Papa Bear. Some of us held the distinction of being his cubs. For a blind man he saw extremely well. He saw past the facade that most of us wear. He knew when you were discouraged and hurting. He would find his way to your room and ask how you were doing. Then sit on you, sometimes literally, until you told him of what you were in the midst of. He would never betray a confidence. He would grieve with you. He was tender-hearted. He once told me that the way God builds a tender heart was by repeatedly allowing it to be broken until our comfort was fully in Him so we could bear the pain of others. God uses broken people to heal the wounded. This is not the experience most of us invite into our lives. Caring for others is costly for they may not care in return. They may even turn back against you or leave you alone with barely a word. The depth of your sorrow may be splagknos, gut wrenching personal discomfort.

As followers of Christ we are to feel deeply about things, especially about people. This does not mean we are glum and pitiful, for joy can be felt deeply as well. It does mean that we must be vulnerable enough to care and allow ourselves to take the risk to enter into the life of someone else. And to let them enter into ours. Anything less misses the point of being tender-hearted. It also robs us of being able to truly forgive, as Christ has forgiven us. Until we experience some of the pain He did in being vulnerable for us we cannot see the depth of the forgiveness He so freely granted us.

Just briefly let me touch on the other aspect of being tender-hearted. This one is less intrusive and far easier to accomplish. Time. Time spent with others. Time spent listening. time used to let others know we care and are thinking and concerned for them. Let me suggest a profound yet simple way to achieve this. Send someone a "Snail-Mail" letter of encouragement. A typed or hand written tangible physical piece of paper that expresses your prayer and concern. Be honest if you do not know what to write. Just write, "I was thinking of you and praying for you. I honestly do not know how to put my thoughts into words for I cannot fully understand what you are going through ... " See how easy that was? We live in an impersonal world guarded by technology so we can avoid being vulnerable or the need to expend time. We can text, post on Facebook, express all we need to in the limited characters of a tweet. 

We can hide behind our smart phones and never feel the pain of a real relationship. Or we can sit down and write, and rewrite, and maybe rewrite again, as we try to find the words that express our concern or joy for a brother or sister in grief or celebration. It may just be a few words on a card. I have noticed that the New Testament is mostly letters that people took time to write. We have Luke, who writes two massive letters to his friend, "I too decided to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus" (Luke 1:3). Then there is John who sends a postcard to Gaius called Third John. We have some pretty diverse examples to follow when we add personal letters to Timothy, Titus and an appeal to Philemon. There is something different about that paper letter. It took time to write, fold, put in an envelope, address, add a stamp and drop it in the mail. It took time to care, to be a little tender-hearted and then trust the "snail-mail" folks to get it there. Something to arrive that was not an ad or a bill, just a note from a friend who cared. It just might lift someones day. It might be placed in a box to be read and reread when life seems more than they can bear. A simple reminder that they are not alone. For they have a tender-hearted friend.

There is No Thanksgiving in Cartoon Land or I Want to Build a Snowman

I grew up watching Saturday morning cartoons. Mighty Mouse and Looney Tunes. Animation has come a long way since those days. I am not thinking of just the technology that allows things to be more detailed and realistic but of the writers and producers that draw us in emotionally. My heart was never moved much by Daffy being disrespected or felt tension as Elmer was hunting wabbits. However I really wanted Elsa to leave her room and help Anna build a snowman. I also have to admit that I got a little misty eyed when Carl Fredricksen’s true love dies in “Up”. After nearly forty years of being in love and devoted to Debbie, if I lost her, I might be tempted to fill my van with balloons and float off to Australia or Scotland and fulfill one of our unrealized dreams.

Yet, even with the advancements and the tug on our heart strings it is still not real. It is still two dimensional. It is still safe. For that matter so is most of our entertainment. We are spectators who allow ourselves to become emotionally invested in what is not real. But that is okay, for we can just wipe our eyes and walk away. Neither Elsa nor Daffy is offended.

Unfortunately, it seems that we have been infected with the attitude of Cartoon Land. Most of our relationships are two dimensional. They are safe. Our emotional commitment is no deeper than that to a Disney animation. This is not what God intends. This is not how the Body of Christ is to function. However, if we are honest, that is our approach fellowship with our family of faith. Having been involved in ministry for over thirty years I can attest to the fact that the Body lives much more in Cartoon Land than in agreement with the Word of God. Participation in a local assembly is a convenience, not a commitment. We keep ourselves at an emotional distance and seem far more moved by the world of make-believe that by the lives of our brothers and sisters in Christ. "This is my commandment, that you love one another, just as I have loved you." So says John 15:17, Romans 13:8, 1 Peter 1:22 and about 20 other references in the New Testament.

God tells us that agape, that love, is not an option. It is a commandment. "As I have loved you" suggests more than convenience. It demands a commitment. To do this we also need to implement Ephesians 4:32, "Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you." Forgiveness and love is easier if we keep our relationships sort of two dimensional, you know, where you can just walk away at any moment for any reason and leave the old "body" behind and attach yourself to a new one. We should be most grateful that these verses are not reciprocal. What if Christ forgave and loved us only in the same way we loved one another? How would your relationship with Him be?

The world of medicine has made great strides in organ transplants. Taking parts from one body and implanting them in another. This surgery has been practiced to perfection in the Body of Christ from the days when the Apostle Paul was writing to the churches. We amputate ourselves from one fellowship and attach ourselves to another with barely a skip of a heartbeat. This should not be so. I understand that there are times when we are directed to move to a new ministry or some doctrinal issue demands our parting. On occasion God does lead this way.

But most of the moves I have observed are ones of personal "needs" and ambition rather than the Lord. Things like, "We need a more dynamic worship experience so we are going to X church. They have a bigger band and a better audio visual system." "They didn't pick my color for the nursery." "I don't like the direction of the leadership." The other church has more activities" and one of my favorites, "Johnny likes the other church better, the teaching is shallow but we have to make the sacrifice for him." (Because we all know that a nine year old is more spiritually aware than his parents as to where is the best place to grow spiritually.) The thing we fail to consider is that the donating body almost always suffers loss when the amputated part leaves to attach itself to a new organism. The church in America is more like robotic entities with interchangeable parts and just as much emotion. Yes, we might have to wipe a tear or two as we leave the theater but it will only be a short time when we arrive at a new show. Once again we can join the audience and be moved by the performance, step away any time we want, avoid any real commitment or emotional connection and enjoy living in Cartoon Land.

There are over two hundred "one anothers" in the Scriptures. The New American Standard has Two hundred fifty. The Apostle Paul says we are to: Love, teach, be members of, share gifts with, edify, forgive, encourage, be devoted to, submit to, speak no evil to, and do not defraud one another. Just to name a few. But, all these demand a commitment, actually a selfless commitment to others. It means becoming vulnerable and open. It means giving of ourselves and sacrificing our personal agendas for the benefit of others. It means leaving Cartoon Land and investing ourselves in the local Body we are a part of. The attitude of shallow commitment and easy departure will leave us felling safe, at least in the short run. In the long run we rob ourselves of the experience God desired us to have as a part of His family.

There is one other thing that must be realized. Cartoon Land does not just impact our life in the Body. It has the same effect in the Spirit. If we cannot love the family we see, how can we learn to love the God we cannot? So we rob ourselves of a deeper relationship with God. We protect ourselves from emotional hurt and pain with people and in so doing distance ourselves from the one true God. There are no true relationships in Cartoon Land. No real understanding of joy, or thanksgiving, No real delight in the God who loves us. We cannot shut off one without shutting down the other. Oh, we may have a few who we let in, a spouse or close friend. However, we will never know the full expression of God's love, joy, peace, patience, His fruit without one another.

God did not inspire Paul to give us the "body" illustration because it looked good on paper. He gave it so we could see how important it is for us to be bound to one another. As we have forsaken that commitment and vulnerability we have become two dimensional characters in a Disney animation. The world sees no reality in our midst. We are as plastic and alone as they are. We speak good words but at the end we just wipe away a tear or two and walk away from the theater with little or nothing to offer the world that needs to see the reality of God's loving commitment on display with one another.

In truth, we all know it is safer to live in a Cartoon Land of our own design. Here we write the endings. Here we mark the exits and concluding scenes. Here we can move freely from body to body a bit more like a parasite who feeds on others than the committed part God called us to play. There is no deep reality in Cartoon Land. No depth of love, no understanding of sorrow, no joy in restoration, no real thanksgiving. Just a world of our creation keeping people and God at a safe distance. If we get disenchanted with the director or other actors we can leave the theater at any time and write another shallow chapter and deny the life God intended.

I guess the real question is, "will you stay in the safe confines of your own emotional little room?"  A place where you can leave real commitment and relationships outside. A place where you are the only "one another" you have to deal with. Or, do you want to build a snowman out here with one another?