How Well Do I Know Myself?

We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all. Isaiah 53:6

Most of us have a problem recognizing our personal iniquity. Oh! We recognize it in others readily enough, and bemoan and berate the social and international violence that pervades our planet. But we consider ourselves living above all that; in fact, seeing others’ sins in which we have no part, gives us an arrogant sense of moral superiority

The hare may vaunt his superior speed to the tortoise, but he is no match for the jet plane that thunders overhead. Our goodness is in the gutter compared with the blinding holiness of God. So much so, that the price of our sin was the horrific death of Jesus on the cross—if I was the only person in the world, His death would have been no less necessary.

It’s sobering to realize that Christ’s death is the measure of our individual sin. The idea of hell is nonsense to those who trivialize their sin. In reality, the misery of hell is really the measure of sin’s vileness, and the ultimate sacrifice that is necessary to pay its debt and overcome it. Have we come close enough to the cross to measure that depth of our own sin?

Remembrance Day

Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. John 15:13.

The Bible League diary, from which I take my daily texts, has chosen an appropriate reading for today. We all have only one life, and to sacrifice it for another is to lose everything. Even posthumous adulation will give us no personal advantage. That’s not to say we shouldn’t remember them and the sacrifice they made for us. It is beyond measure.

What’s more to the point: what we are doing with the freedom we have gained? When life is prosperous and easy, it’s easy to take it for granted and fritter it away. Those who have had a brush with death appreciate the fragility of life and of making every moment count. Certainly, as we grow old and time left decreases, we may regret time wasted needlessly.

I cannot help but ruminate on the sacrifice most westerners seem unwilling to make in order to maintain the life we have inherited. Significant examples—and not the last I’m sure—Greek riots at austerity measures, French demonstrations against raising retirement to 62, and yesterday’s obnoxious student violence in England at raising tuition rates.

These entitlement demands fly in the face of, not only economic reality, but also the service our fallen gave for our current life standards. Without it, make no mistake, we would be subject to Nazi domination, Communist servitude or, even yet, Islamist cruelty. And without some economic sacrifice on our part, the west could easily slip back into the “dirty thirties.”

It comes down to us personally. What sacrifices are we willing to make to maintain even a remnant of our current prosperity? The life we hand to our children and grandchildren may well hinge on what we are willing to sacrifice for their security. That may be our lives for their freedoms, but more likely a reduced lifestyle for their financial well-being.

The pattern is clearly set by “the Son of Man [who] did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” (Matthew 20:28)

Feeling Forsaken?

About the ninth hour Jesus cried out in a loud voice, "Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?"-which means, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" Matthew 27:46.

It’s only too easy to feel forsaken. For the last two days I’ve had grumbling pains in my lower abdomen. Not sure what the problems was, even the hospital doctor had no firm diagnosis. I’m glad the problem seems to be easing itself and I am up to some work again.

But it was a reminder not to come to conclusions or make decisions when I’m not feeling well. The whole world looks blacker, personal goals seem remote, and there’s no doubt God seems further away. I remember feeling like that when Ann and I were pastoring a church that had dwindled to half a dozen people and had built a reputation to match.

After three or four years little seemed to be happening, and I cried to God to get me out of it. He didn’t, and it was eight years before the church built up sufficient numbers to be re-constituted with board and members.

I realized afterwards, that for a while at least, it was not necessarily my job to progress, but to hold the ground. My sense of being “godforsaken” was nothing to that experienced by Jesus on the cross. But in both instances, the sense of loneliness was part of the process in accomplishing God’s purposes.

And in that, we shared in the loneliness God felt when His creation forsook Him.

The Lifetime Guarantee

Even to your old age and gray hairs I am he, I am he who will sustain you. I have made you and I will carry you; I will sustain you and I will rescue you. Isaiah 46:4

I wouldn’t mind a few more grey (gray!) hairs for the ones I’ve lost! The desert up there has been pretty barren for a while and is likely to spread. But this promise is the most comforting of all—a lifetime guarantee to end all guarantees! I am only one of millions that can vouch for the truth of these words.

For the life of me, I cannot understand those who refuse the companionship and succour of the One who is the source of the life we have. Why go through life without the security He brings? And why face eternity without Him? It just doesn’t make sense to reject the only one who has the desire, but also the power to fulfill that promise.

After all, as Ann reminded me, He is the “Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” He is sovereign over all the events of our lives. Isn’t it reasonable to trust Him for our present and future? If God has a purpose for the whole of history, He can be trusted for our minimal slice of time.

I am so glad I joined my life with His as a child and maintained that union throughout life. I admit, the relationship has sometimes been one sided. Fortunately, He sees the desire of our hearts when our actions don’t always reflect it. No wonder my heart is so often “lost in wonder, love and praise.”

Have You Noticed the Light?

See, darkness covers the earth and thick darkness is over the peoples, but the LORD rises upon you and his glory appears over you. Isaiah 60:2

Have you ever noticed the opposing characteristics of light and darkness? Light penetrates and repels darkness, which retreats before it. Light dispels and scatters darkness, and darkness cannot overcome it. Have you ever watched the dark of night recoil westward before a cloudless sunrise? Light displaces, replaces darkness, but darkness cannot respond in kind.

You are probably aware that Scripture uses light and darkness to symbolize truth and falsehood. Today’s text uses “thick darkness” to symbolize the prison of lies propagated by the evil one. Can you imagine a world without Christianity? Judaism would be a fading faith and Islam unthought of; it is an aberrant offshoot of the Bible. Would the world be atheist, animist, or drifting in the mysticism of the east?

Perhaps the whole world would be Satanist, seeking truth in the occult, chicken entrails, or the stars. Where would you be, what would be your position in life, would your family still be intact? What would be your view of life, or hope for the future? Where would you gain an ethical view of life? What would be your first priorities?

Eventually, fabrications about this life and the next cannot stand against the truth, as darkness cannot exist in lit space. We may live in a culture of confusion as the devil attempts to oppose the truth, but truth establishes itself as the Gospel continues to redeem society and the men and women that populate it.

Discovery of truth leads to those “aha” moments when the “light goes on.” When has that happened for you?

The "Self-made Man"

You may say to yourself, "My power and the strength of my hands have produced this wealth for me." But  remember the LORD your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth, and so confirms his covenant, which he swore to your forefathers, as it is today. Deuteronomy 8:17–18.

Ever notice we tend to blame God when things go wrong—“Why has God let this happen,” or “why is He doing this to me?” Yet we congratulate ourselves when things go well! A sign of our typically perverse human nature.

We are all aware of the “self-made man,” who has worked hard and provided abundantly for his family and others, claiming credit for his achievement. Does a man deserve praise because he has fulfilled his duty to provide for his family? It is certainly preferable to indolence, but, as our text reveals, his work is useless without God’s provision.

I recall in younger years, I questioned the appropriateness of giving thanks to God before meals when I had worked hard to put food on the table. It suddenly dawned on me that without God’s power to infuse life into the dead seeds, I would have no food, however hard I had worked to provide some.

Following that reasoning to its logical conclusion, I am often overwhelmed at God’s provision in every corner of my life; for family, food and even comfortable furniture—always thankful for that comfortable bed at the end of a tiring day!

God warned the Israelites of the same trap. In the desert, God’s provision was clear, He provided manna, clothes that never wore out, and feet that never swelled. The land they inherited grew bunches of grapes so large, they were carried on a pole between two men (Numbers 13:23). Then, in that situation, it would be easy to believe in their self-sufficiency.

Now, in our time of relative prosperity, it is easy to forget God’s role in supplying our needs. But thankfulness has a positive side effect: it is a source of security in adversity. Recognizing God as our source in plenty, He is still our source in want. Instead of blaming God in our lean times, we have peace, knowing He will still provide for us (Philippians 4:6–7).