CLOSER!

Every single time. Every single time! I can’t remember any—any!—conversation that I’ve had with Don when he didn’t bring up the topic. Not one. He would always make mention of it. With a fulsome grin and in his resonant voice, beard going everywhere, eyes bright with anticipation, Don would remind me (and everyone else he spoke to): This could be the day! One day closer!

Don was a part of the church where I was preaching during a pastoral transition several years ago. Faithful member. Full of life, despite his many ailments and hospitalizations. Focused on one thing: Jesus is coming again! And it could be … today! One day closer!

For you yourselves know full well
that the day of the Lord will come
just like a thief in the night.
1 Thessalonians 5:2

One day closer!

It was like Don was living in this world, but eagerly expecting the next. A two-clock man, simultaneously in two time zones—Central and … Celestial.

Therefore if you have been
raised up with Christ,
keep seeking the things above,
where Christ is,
seated at the right hand of God.
Set your mind
on the things above,
not on the things
that are on earth.
When Christ, who is our life,
is revealed, then you also will be
revealed with Him in glory.
Colossians 3:1–2, 4

No more. Don is now a one-clock man. Celestial time zone—always daylight. Last week, he went to be with the Lord He loved so much. No more the sad notes of earth for him. No more the frailty of body. Finally, finally, he is in the presence of God, to be there forever. And for Don, there will be a special reward.

In the future
there is laid up for me
the crown of righteousness,
which the Lord, the righteous Judge,
will award to me on that day;
and not only to me,
but also to all who have
loved His appearing.
2 Timothy 4:8

Don did! A crown is reserved for him.

But we will miss that cheery smile, that radiant demeanor, and that signature greeting: One day closer!

And we need to be reminded of that more often. The imminence of Christ’s coming is a good incentive to live in a manner worthy of Him, whom we will see soon.

But the day of the Lord
will come like a thief ….
… what sort of people
ought you to be
in holy conduct and godliness,
looking for and hastening
the coming of the day of God ….
2 Peter 3:10–12

Patience in these painful days.

Therefore be patient, brethren,
until the coming of the Lord.
The farmer waits for the
precious produce of the soil,
being patient about it,
until it gets the early and late rains.
You too be patient;
strengthen your hearts,
for the coming of the Lord is near.
James 5:7–8

Endurance in these enervating times.

For you have need of endurance,
so that when you have
done the will of God,
you may receive what was promised.
For yet in a very little while,
He who is coming will come,
and will not delay.
Hebrews 10:36–37

Sobriety in a seductive world.

So then let us not sleep
as others do,
but let us be alert and sober.
1 Thessalonians 5:6

And sanctification.

Now may the God of peace Himself
sanctify you entirely;
and may your spirit and soul
and body be preserved complete,
without blame at the coming
of our Lord Jesus Christ.
1 Thessalonians 5:23

One day closer! Amen!

BREAD!

Continuing on the theme of the Lord’s Prayer …

Give us this day our daily bread.
Matthew 6:11

This request recognizes our dependence God, the one who provides. He is the one who gives us health, gets us a job, enables us to earn, survive, live. We depend on Him. Totally. Completely. Utterly. Every breath in our bodies, every pulse of our hearts, every impulse across our synapses—sustained by God, given by God, graciously provided by God.

… in Him we live and move and exist.
Acts 17:28

We are dependent on Him, and we acknowledge that verity as we make our request for our daily bread.

Not daily cake, but daily bread! Basic necessities, the essentials of life. “Daily rice, Lord, give to us,” as we of Asian origin would rather say. (Though, personally, peanut butter—Jif— will do fine, thank you!)

So this line of the Lord’s Prayer eliminates greed, because we seek the basic necessities—food, clothing, transportation. Not everything in the Neimann Marcus catalog.

We’ve already recognized that the King and His kingdom is coming. In fact, we’ve prayed it along. When it comes, in that realm and in that life, we will be blessed beyond imagination.

… just as it is written,
“Things which eye has not seen
and ear has not heard,
and which have not entered
the heart of man—
all that God has prepared
for those who love him.”
1 Corinthians 2:9

But not necessarily here-and-now. Not necessarily on this side of death. That day will come! And soon!

In this life, instead, we are to depend on Him for the basics and therewith to be content.

For we have brought
nothing into the world,
so we cannot take anything
out of it either.
If we have food and covering,
with these we shall be content.
1 Timothy 6:7–8

Contentment vs. Greed. A constant struggle that we all face, irrespective of financial state. Are we content enough not to seek for more, and to give freely?

Did you notice the first-person plural pronouns? “Give us this day our daily bread”? So what happens if I and my sister are praying for bread, and I get two loaves and she gets nothing?

Happens all the time, doesn’t it? Some Christians are wealthy. Some are not. Some have more than what they need. Others hardly have enough. Some never go through financial crunches. Others barely get through the day.

So what if I get two loaves and my brother gets zero? Then what?

I didn’t get God’s provision to eat one now and to freeze another for a rainy day. Oh, no. God gave me more than what I need to share.

Worldwide, 29,000 children die every day of preventable causes (a child every 2 seconds)! 800 million children are malnourished. 1 billion do not have access clean water, 8 million children are refugees, and 15 million children have lost parents to AIDS. They, without loaves, and we with hundreds/thousands each.

What would God have us do?

“Is it not to divide your bread
with the hungry
and bring the homeless poor
into the house?
When you see the naked, to cover him,
and not to hide yourself
from your own flesh?
Then your light
will break out like the dawn,
and your recovery
will speedily spring forth,
and your righteousness
will go before you.”
Isaiah 58:7–8

So pray with responsibility! Give freely, cheerfully, responsibly, to those who have no loaves of bread, for God has abundantly answered our prayer to “Give us this day our daily bread.”

PASSWORD!

It is estimated that 32% of one’s waking hours is spent typing passwords and usernames and all that stuff. The remaining 68% is spent trying to remember what on earth the password was for this or that website or service.

(Of course, 79.36% of all statistics is concocted without any respect for reality, so you can’t trust any of these numbers.)

But the fact remains that waiting to log on is the story of our lives.

Those sage and sapient experts warn us never—never!—to write down our passwords. Excuse me? I had, at last count, 87 passwords. Most of them meaningless permutations and combinations of characters (e.g., 3Oa%1*M@sT) and I’m expected to carry them all around in my head? Yeah, right!

Having forgotten yet another password the other day, and as I was thinking about my sermon this weekend on prayer, I thanked God that I didn’t need a password to access the throne-room of Almighty God. Or I’d forever be staring at a blank monitor.

… through Him [Christ] we … have
our access in one Spirit to the Father.
Ephesians 2:18

Free access to God the Father, through Christ, in the Spirit. And no password needed!

On second thought, while no password is necessary, there is a username we need in order to gain access to God: Child of God.

Nothing to pay. No email address to give out. Last 4 of your SSN not required. Color of skin, hair, and nails irrelevant. But you do need a username—the username: Child of God.

And that is obtained when one places one’s trust in Jesus Christ, an act of faith, believing that the penalty of our sin has been paid, fully and finally, by His sacrificial death on the cross.

Everyone who believes
that Jesus is the Christ
is born of God.
1 John 5:1

No more is sin a barrier between the child and the Father.

… Christ Jesus our Lord,
in whom we have boldness
and confident access
through faith in Him.
Ephesians 3:11–12

And so we can pray about our ailments, our jobs, our patients, our families, our churches, our society, our nation, our world. We can pray about little Johnnie’s future, Aunt Sue’s job, Jake’s car, and everything else we can think of and are concerned about—terrorism, economy, elections, weather. For our God is a prayer-hearing God.

O You who hear prayer,
to You all men come.
Psalm 65:2

What a terrific verse and a marvelous encouragement to us. No hurdle to climb, no obstacle to remove, no wait to enter. So keep praying!

In fact, the Bible commands us to do so.

Pray without ceasing.
1 Thessalonians 5:17

And we have a model to follow in prayer—our Lord. He prayed at His baptism. He prayed at the beginning of His ministry. He prayed at the Transfiguration. He prayed in Gethsemane, sweating blood. His last words on the cross were an address to God, in the throes of death. In fact, the Bible tells us that Christ continues to intercede for us before the Father.

… we have an Advocate
with the Father,
Jesus Christ the righteous.
1 John 2:1

If He, the only-begotten of the Father and the Son of God, the sinless Second Person of the Trinity prayed so often, how much more we?

Therefore let us draw near
with confidence
to the throne of grace,
so that we may receive mercy
and find grace to help
in time of need.
Hebrews 4:16

Keep praying!

WILL!

Continuing on the theme of the Lord’s Prayer …

“Your will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.”
Matthew 6:10

The Kingdom program was the concern of the previous clause of the Lord’s Prayer. Now, as we pray this sentence, we are affirming, “Father, even though your kingdom is not yet fully established, may you rule in our lives right now.” Even now, already, in this in-between time as we wait for the end, and until that day arrives, until your Kingdom comes, O God, rule in our lives. Your will be done.”

This is a particularly important petition to bring before God. You see, the rest of the Lord’s Prayer focuses on our particular needs. But before we rush to present our grocery list to God, we must pay attention to this line, to his will. He is no cosmic vending machine, you know. So we pray, “Father, even before we ask you for our needs, we acknowledge that your purpose comes first, your will is preeminent. Yes, we are going to ask you for a number of things, Father, but we remember that your will must be done first. And we, we are OK with that. We willingly align ourselves to your will and to your purpose. Even if we don’t get what we want, even if our desires do not come to pass, may your will be done.”

So pray with submission! This is our acceptance of God’s purpose in our lives. This puts the will of God very early in our praying. Before we begin praying for ourselves, we have settled God’s will—we submit to that. Indeed, if we are aligned with His purpose completely, we can be sure God will meet our requests.

This is the confidence
which we have before Him,
that, if we ask anything
according to His will,
He hears us.
1 John 5:14

“Your will be done.” Are we ready to have His will done in our lives, to submit to His demands, even if it means what we want may not necessarily be realized? Are we ready to swallow all the pills God gives us—sweet and bitter, to accept with joy all that He takes us through—pleasure and pain?

“Your will be done.” Remember Jesus’ prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane?

“Father, if you are willing,
remove this cup from me;
yet not my will,
but yours be done.”
Luke 22:42

“Your will be done.” God’s Purpose. Pray with submission! Not easy. The agony of what lay before Him, caused Jesus’ sweat to take on the appearance of blood. No, not easy at all. “Your will be done.”

And this submission to God’s will involves understanding His purpose for our lives.

For this is the will of God,
your sanctification ….
1 Thessalonians 4:3

Our holiness. Not our happiness, but our holiness. That’s God’s purpose. And so may “Your will be done.”

And do not be
conformed to this world,
but be transformed by
the renewing of your mind,
so that you may prove
what the will of God is,
that which is good
and acceptable and perfect.
Romans 12:2

And there is a reward promised for those believers in Christ who have actualized this prayer in their lives—“Your will be done.” For those in whose lives the will of God has been done, there is the promised recompense of God’s pleasure.

For you have need of endurance,
so that when you have
done the will of God,
you may receive
what was promised.
Hebrews 10:36

Endure … and pray with submission!

KINGDOM!

Continuing on the theme of the Lord’s Prayer …

“Your kingdom come.”
Matthew 6:10

Elections are just around the corner for those of us in the US of A. (Five more months of campaigning—Lord, have mercy!) Who knows who the successful candidate will be? Pollsters and pundits pontificate. Talking heads produce verbiage ad nauseam. Who will win? Who will lose?

I know one thing—whoever wins or loses, one thing is for sure: Our God never loses. Ever. His rule is not going to be determined by ballot boxes and majority votes.

And it’s coming—His kingdom. His reign is going to be established. It’s going to happen. The clock is ticking. God’s program is already being executed. His plans are already in place, already undergoing fulfillment. And to this grand finale of His kingdom, all history is moving inexorably.

God highly exalted Him,
and bestowed on Him the name
which is above every name,
so that at the name of Jesus
every knee will bow,
of those who are in heaven
and on earth and under the earth,
and that every tongue will confess
that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father.
Philippians 2:9–11

The King is coming! The kingdom is coming! The seer in Revelation depicts His grand arrival.

And I saw heaven opened,
and behold, a white horse,
and He who sat on it
is called Faithful and True,
and in righteousness
He judges and wages war.
His eyes are a flame of fire,
and on His head are many diadems;
… and His name is called
The Word of God.
And the armies
which are in heaven,
clothed in fine linen, white and clean,
were following Him on white horses.
From His mouth comes a sharp sword,
so that with it He may strike down
the nations, and He will rule them
with a rod of iron ….
And on His robe and on His thigh
He has a name written,
“King of Kings, Lord of Lords.”
Revelation 19:11–16

Praying “Your kingdom come,” reminds us that God is even now working to bring about His reign and rule on earth. God’s unchanging program, already set in motion.

The kingdom of the world
has become the kingdom
of our Lord and of His Christ;
and He will reign forever and ever.
Revelation 11:15

We may be in dire and desperate situations here and now, but take heart. A glorious eternity awaits us, soon. Pray with hope! Harrowing troubles? Agonizing trials? Tormenting tumults? The King is coming. The kingdom is coming! So pray with hope!

Soon is coming a day when there will be no more tears, no more sorrow, no more grief, no more distress, no more disease (and I’ll be out of a job!), and no more death.

And I heard a loud voice
from the throne, saying,
“Behold, the tabernacle
of God is among men,
and He will dwell among them,
and they shall be His people,
and God Himself
will be among them,
and He will wipe away
every tear from their eyes;
and there will no longer
be any death;
there will no longer
be any mourning,
or crying, or pain;
the first things have passed away.”
Revelation 21:3–4

Soon and very soon. “Your kingdom come.” God’s Program. Pray with hope!

We give You thanks,
O Lord God, the Almighty,
who are and who were,
because You have taken
Your great power
and have begun to reign.
Revelation 11:17

The King is coming. The kingdom is coming! Pray with hope!

HALLOWED!

Continuing on the theme of the Lord’s Prayer …

Hallowed be your name.
Matthew 6:9

Hallow. To treat as holy, and therefore, to reverence, to honor, to respect, to glorify. This line of the Lord’s Prayer underscores the priority of God. God is the central focus—not only of our prayer, but of everything in the universe. Everything revolves round His throne. Everything exists for His hallowing, not ours.

Not to us, O LORD, not to us,
but to Your name give glory
because of Your lovingkindness,
because of Your truth.
Psalm 115:1

Everything exists for His glory, not ours.

Oh, the depth of the riches
both of the wisdom
and knowledge of God!
How unsearchable
are His judgments
and unfathomable His ways!
For from Him and through Him
and to Him are all things.
To Him be the glory forever.
Amen.
Romans 11:33, 36

So when we pray “Hallowed be your name,” we are, in essence, praying …

“To Him who sits on the throne,
and to the Lamb,
be blessing and honor
and glory and dominion
forever and ever.”
Revelation 5:13

Everything in the universe is moving towards God’s glory. This is the end, the goal, the terminus, the Omega of all creation—the glorification of God. The priority of God. He is to be pre-eminent in all things. That is what it means to glorify Him.

It should be the basis of everything we do. I.e., the priority of God should be our priority.

So whether you eat or drink
or whatever you do,
do it all for the glory of God.
1 Corinthians 10:31

This is what believers were called for.

But you are a chosen race,
a royal priesthood, a holy nation,
a people for God’s own possession,
so that you may proclaim
the excellencies of Him
who has called you
out of darkness
into His marvelous light.
1 Peter 2:9

Our part in the grand scheme of God is to manifest His glory. The Westminster Shorter Catechism (1648) declares:

“The chief end of man
is to glorify God
and to enjoy Him forever.”

And one way we do that, the essential way we work towards the hallowing of His name, is by being holy ourselves.

You shall be holy, for I am holy.
1 Peter 1:16

God’s demand for glory is met when His creation becomes like Him in His holiness. That is how we contribute to the hallowing of His name. “Hallowed be your name.”

… He chose us in Him before
the foundation of the world,
that we would be holy
and blameless before Him.
Ephesians 1:4

God desires to receive glory through our life of holiness. One of my colleagues at Dallas Seminary puts it this way:

“Glory relates to how good
God looks through me,
holiness relates to how much
I look like God.”

We hallow His name by looking like God, being holy ourselves. “Hallowed be your name: we agree, O God, with your priority and demand for glory. Hallowed be your name: may we honor your holy character and not embarrass you.” So we pray with purity.

The priority of God—His glory. And we should seek to be like Him.

Be exalted
above the heavens, O God;
let Your glory
be above all the earth.
Psalm 57:5

“Hallowed be your name.” Pray with purity!

… the temple of God is holy,
and that is what you are.
1 Corinthians 3:17

May prayers of purity arise from the temple of God.

FATHER!

The other day, I had the opportunity to teach on the Lord’s Prayer. Parts of that exercise will keep showing up in the next several installments of the aBeLOG.

Our Father, who is in heaven ….
Matthew 6:9

Imagine the sun is an orange, about 3 inches in diameter. On that scale, the earth is a grain of sand about 26 feet away. On that scale, the next nearest star, Proxima Centauri, is a staggering 1,500 miles away (the distance from Dallas, TX to Washington, DC). And these, plus another 200–400 billion stars, populate the Milky Way, which—on that same scale—would be about 37.5 million miles wide. (In actuality, the Milky Way is about 100,000 light years in diameter = 600,000,000,000,000,000 miles.) And the Hubble Space Telescope estimates there are 100s of billions of such galaxies. Can you even imagine the vastness of the universe?

“To whom then will you liken Me
that I would be his equal?”
says the Holy One.
Lift up your eyes on high
and see who has created these stars,
the One who leads forth
their host by number,
He calls them all by name;
because of the greatness of His might
and the strength of His power,
not one of them is missing.
Isaiah 40:25–26

Every one of the billions of stars in the universe is there by God's specific appointment. He knows their number. And He even knows them by name—they do His bidding as His personal agents.

And all this magnificence is only the hem of his grand and glorious garment.

In the beginning
God created
the heavens and the earth.
Genesis 1:1

The Almighty God, the Creator of the universe, unlike no other, incomparable, sublime.

And—wonder of wonders—this God is … our Father. This is the one to whom we pray: “Our Father who is in heaven.” This great God, omnipresent (being ever present from the distant reaches of the farthest planet to the inscrutable interatomic spaces), omniscient (knowing everything—past, present, future, actual and possible, real and imagined), and omnipotent (finding nothing impossible for Him), is—believe it or not—our Father.

The New Testament calls God “Father” almost 300 times. Jesus used nothing but “Father” to address God when He prayed (except on the cross). This sovereign God … our Father. Here is the essence of Christian life: it is a relationship—a child-parent relationship with God, that begins when we place our trust in Jesus Christ as our Savior. A relationship that recognizes our ongoing need of God. As we call Him “Father,” we acknowledge our continued dependence on Him and His absolute capacity to be sufficient for us.

Life, I have discerned, is messy! I realize that for some to call God “Father” might bring back painful memories. Jesus was aware of that, too. He realized how fallible earthly fathers were, how inadequate. He said:

“Do not call anyone
on earth your father;
for One is your Father,
He who is in heaven.”
Matthew 23:9

What we must ask is not whether we should call God our “Father.” We should. He is. The question is can we ever call our earthly fathers our real Father. God is better than the best earthly father you could ever have had. He is the true Father. The real Father, who cares, who loves, who gives. That’s why we can go to Him …

… casting all your anxiety on Him,
because He cares for you.
1 Peter 5:7

That’s why we can pray, “Our Father!” So … pray with confidence!

SHADOW!

Shadow. Darkness. Transient. Flat. “Unreal.” But where there is shadow, there is light, and substance, and tridimensionality, and “reality.”

My days are like
a lengthened shadow,
and I wither away like grass.
But You, O LORD, abide forever,
and Your name to all generations.
Psalm 102:11–12

No wonder the prayers and poems of the Bible frequently refer to human life as a shadow. Darkness. Transient. Flat. “Unreal.” But, for believers in Christ, a representation of things to come. A foreshadowing. Of light, eternity, multidimensionality, and … REALITY!

… our God, we thank You,
and praise Your glorious name.
For we are sojourners before You,
and tenants, as all our fathers were;
our days on the earth
are like a shadow,
and there is no hope.
1 Chronicles 29:13, 15

Hope there would not be, were it not for the mercy and grace of God that brought us out of the shadow.

There were those
who dwelt in darkness
and in the shadow of death,
prisoners in misery and chains.
Then they cried out
to the LORD in their trouble;
He saved them
out of their distresses.
He brought them
out of darkness
and the shadow of death
and broke their bands apart.
Psalm 107:10, 13–14

The work of Christ on the cross, paying the price for our sin, rescued us. The coming of the Light. Christ came. Christ shone. Christ conquered.

The people who were sitting
in darkness saw a great light,
and those who were sitting
in the land and shadow of death,
upon them a light dawned.
Matthew 4:16

Believers in Christ are now no more in darkness. No more do we fall under the shadow.

But you are a chosen race,
a royal priesthood, a holy nation,
a people for God’s own possession,
so that you may proclaim
the excellencies of Him
who has called you out of darkness
into His marvelous light.
1 Peter 2:9

And now we dwell under His shadow.

How precious
is Your lovingkindness, O God!
And the children of men
take refuge in
the shadow of Your wings.
For You have been my help,
and in the shadow of Your wings
I sing for joy.
Psalm 36:7; 63:7

The shadows of this world no longer need hold any fear for the child of God.

Even though I walk through
the valley of the shadow of death,
I fear no evil,
for You are with me;
Your rod and Your staff,
they comfort me.
Psalm 23:4

We have a refuge.

He who dwells in
the shelter of the Most High
will abide in
the shadow of the Almighty.
I will say to the LORD,
“My refuge and my fortress,
My God, in whom I trust!”
Psalm 91:1

Now we have a responsibility to live as in the Light.

For you were formerly darkness,
but now you are
Light in the Lord;
walk as children of Light.
Ephesians 5:8

No more do we need to live under the sway of the shadow.

The night is almost gone,
and the day is near.
Therefore let us lay aside
the deeds of darkness
and put on the armor of light.
Romans 13:12

Children of light, living in the Light. Awake. Alert. Attentive.

But you, brothers and sisters,
are not in darkness,
that the day would
overtake you like a thief;
for you are all children of light
and children of day.
We are not of night nor of darkness;
so then let us not sleep as others do,
but let us be alert and sober.
1 Thessalonians 5:4–6

Sharp. Shining. Sober.

REWARDS!

We’re well into the season of graduation these days in the US.

And I had the privilege of speaking yesterday at the commencement of a local home-schoolers’ association here in North Texas. It was a delight for me to participate in the intimate gathering of parents, grand-parents, siblings, teachers, friends, well-wishers, and acquaintances to celebrate the achievements of this group of ten bright students (among whom was Meredith, one of the daughters of the Morgans, my good friends).

There are distinct advantages to being part of a small graduating class. The entire ceremony was highly personalized. When the time came for the granting of diplomas, the graduate and his/her parents were asked to come up to the front. On cue was a 60-second slideshow of significant events in the life of the student, followed by an audio recording made by the parents. Each parent then spoke briefly of their love and appreciation for their son/daughter—a touching time of affirmation, an opportunity to vocalize in public what their child means to them, a chance to encourage their offspring as they enter into a new phase of life.

What a joyous and moving experience! Very few dry eyes in that hall yesterday.

You know, there is soon coming a day when we, too, will stand before our Lord. I wondered what He would say about me then, when that slideshow of my life is replayed. Will it be this?

“Well done,
good and faithful slave ….”
Matthew 25:21

That is the day for the allotment of rewards. What will be mine?

Everyone who competes
in the games exercises
self-control in all things.
They then do it to receive
a perishable wreath,
but we an imperishable.
1 Corinthians 9:25

Will I have Paul’s confidence?

In the future
there is laid up for me
the crown of righteousness,
which the Lord,
the righteous Judge,
will award to me on that day.
2 Timothy 4:8

Are these literal crowns? Perhaps. But whatever these turn out to be, notice the “fate” of these crowns, as depicted in the action of the twenty-four elders (probably representing the church) in the presence of Christ.

The twenty-four elders
will fall down before Him
who sits on the throne …
and will cast their crowns
before the throne, saying,
“Worthy are You,
our Lord and our God, to receive
glory and honor and power;
for You created all things,
and because of Your will
they existed, and were created.”
Revelation 4:10–11

The rewards we obtain are, after all, the result of God’s grace, His power working within us to do those things that are pleasing in His sight. To Him, therefore, belongs the glory.

For we are His workmanship,
created in Christ Jesus
for good works,
which God prepared beforehand
so that we would walk in them.
Ephesians 2:10

Were it not for His grace, there would be nothing. All we have, all we do, all we achieve—all of it is graciously, generously, given to us. Nonetheless, there is a responsibility on our part to labor for God’s glory, trusting in His grace to see us through.

But by the grace of God
I am what I am …;
but I labored even more
than all of them, yet not I,
but the grace of God with me.
1 Corinthians 15:10

Therefore …

Whatever you do,
do your work heartily,
as for the Lord
rather than for men,
knowing that from the Lord
you will receive
the reward of the inheritance.
It is the Lord Christ whom you serve.
Colossians 3:23–24

“Well done, ….”

LEARNING!

The biggest day of the academic year at Dallas Theological Seminary arrived yesterday. Commencement. The graduation of over 300 of our best: Certificates of Graduate Studies, Masters of Arts, Masters of Theology, Doctors of Ministry, and Doctors of Philosophy.

Families. Friends. Fellows. Speeches. Songs. Scripture. Applause. Acclaim. Awards. Elation. Euphoria. Exultation. Cheering. Clapping. Clicking.

Elgar’s Pomp and Circumstance March No. 1 ad infinitum.

Funny hats. Weird robes. And the colors. Oh, the colors! The pinks, greens, scarlets, golds, purples, blues, grays, whites, …. Academic regalia and panoply in glorious procession, signifying a variety of colleges and universities, degrees and honors. A veritable rainbow of academic achievements.

Yours truly got to wear ye olde toga rubra (red robe), the doctoral gown of the University of Aberdeen, and don the John Knox hat that gilds the scalp of Scottish doctors. I am not alone in this radiant declaration of my affiliation. Darrell (PhD, 1983), and Nathan (PhD, 1996) (and David, PhD, 1987—absent today) are my compatriots and fellow–Aberdonians at Dallas Seminary. All clad appropriately (except for the kilt—but, ah, laddie, one of these days, we’ll surprise these Americans).

As (I speculate) they used to say in ancient Rome and (possibly) medieval Aberdeen …

Qua solvam prece nescio:
Beatum ornat te toga rubra!

Who leadeth forward the ignorant:
Blessed is thy splendid red robe!
(Or something close.)

So there we are at DTS, ostensibly leading forward the ignorant.

Sometimes I wonder.

But I think I’ve finally figured it out—I’ve met the ignorant, and the ignorant is … me! Teaching has revealed to me, the one who professes, the depth of my own ignorance. A healthy, humbling enterprise—teaching. And, engaging in that activity, I am learning a lot more than my students are.

Surprise, surprise, I am not there yet. Oh, well, neither was Paul. I’m in good company.

Brethren, I do not regard myself
as having laid hold of it yet;
but one thing I do:
forgetting what lies behind
and reaching forward
to what lies ahead,
I press on toward the goal
for the prize of the upward call
of God in Christ Jesus.
Philippians 3:13–14

And he, Paul, and all of us, press on, striving for excellence, by the gracious power of the Spirit, for the glory of God.

Run in such a way
that you may win.
Everyone who competes
in the games exercises
self-control in all things.
They then do it to receive
a perishable wreath,
but we an imperishable.
Therefore I run in such a way,
as not without aim;
I box in such a way,
as not beating the air;
but I discipline my body
and make it my slave, so that,
after I have preached to others,
I myself will not be disqualified.
1 Corinthians 9:24–27

So that, one day, at the “Commencement Exercises” for believers in Christ, we might affirm, as Paul does:

I have fought the good fight,
I have finished the course,
I have kept the faith;
in the future there is laid up for me
the crown of righteousness,
which the Lord,
the righteous Judge,
will award to me on that day;
and not only to me,
but also to all who have loved
His appearing.
2 Timothy 4:7–8

Better than any graduation anywhere, anytime.

What a day that will be
When my Jesus I shall see,
And I look upon His face,
The One who saved me by His grace;
When He takes me by the hand
And leads me through the Promised Land,
What a day, glorious day that will be!
Jim Hill, 1955

TEAMWORK!

Done! The final class session was yesterday. Last night, the students in one of my preaching classes (and their spouses) gathered here at home for pizza and dessert and some edifying entertainment—three sermons from the last set of student preachers.

And thus endeth my first full-time academic year at Dallas Theological Seminary. [Big sigh of relief!] It has been busy, I must say, tackling three classes each semester, committee meetings, office hours, weekly chapels (at least three a week that I’m required to attend), departmental meetings, faculty meetings (while juggling a part-time dermatology practice on the side).

But it has also been a delight to be part of the team that is the Pastoral Ministries Department (some of us are depicted above, at the Seminary’s annual Faculty Workshop). The delight of fellowship. The joy of allied goals. The pleasure of ministering to one another, spurring one another, being responsible for one another, being accountable to one another.

The discipline of teamwork!

And discipline it is. It takes effort. It doesn’t come easily. It isn’t always natural to us inherently self-focused beings. It often calls for a stepping out of one’s comfort zone to help another, to fill in for another, to watch out for another ….

But that is what God has ordained—believers are to function in concert, as the family of His children, the organism of the church, the fellowship of believers, the body of Christ, the temple of God, the dwelling of the Spirit.

Do you not know
that you are a temple of God
and that the Spirit of God
dwells in you?
1 Corinthians 3:16

A collective, united, joint, corporate enterprise. The entity through which God seeks to exhibit His glory most directly in this age.

… to Him be the glory
in the church and in Christ Jesus
to all generations
forever and ever.
Ephesians 3:21

And this calls for the discipline of teamwork.

… and let us consider
how to stimulate one another
to love and good deeds,
not forsaking our own
assembling together,
as is the habit of some,
but encouraging one another;
and all the more
as you see the day drawing near.
Hebrews 10:24–25

The discipline of teamwork, recognizing that in all that we undertake, individuals subserve the grander goal of the body, the glory of God, the furtherance of His kingdom.

For when one says, “I am of Paul,”
and another, “I am of Apollos,”
are you not merely human?
What then is Apollos?
And what is Paul?
Servants through whom you believed,
even as the Lord
gave opportunity to each one.
1 Corinthians 3:4–5

It is not about Tim or Timothy or Vic or Sandy or Reg or Aubrey or Oscar or Jonathan or Abe. The discipline of teamwork calls each of us to focus on the greater good of the Pastoral Ministries department. And neither is it all about this department alone, but we join hands with the rest of the academic departments to work in harmony for God’s glory within Dallas Seminary. A joint effort that God blesses with fruit. The discipline of teamwork.

… [be] of the same mind,
maintaining the same love,
united in spirit,
intent on one purpose.
Do nothing from selfishness
or empty conceit,
but with humility of mind
regard one another as
more important than yourselves;
do not merely look out
for your own personal interests,
but also for the interests of others.
Philippians 2:2–4

The essence of teamwork!

I’m looking forward to the next academic year, to continue working on this great team.

CHILDREN!

This picture was on the website of their Christian school where, the other week, their annual Bible Conference was being held. Here they are with their buddies, Kai, Jonathan, and Jim, praying for the speakers and listeners. Unprompted. Unbidden. Unforced. They’re just … praying. An impromptu prayer meeting, its only motivation the tenderness of their hearts and sensitivity to their God.

Not that I had anything to do with it, but as the uncle of two of these warriors in prayer—John and Jacob—I am immensely proud! I can imagine what it must be like for believing parents to see their children walking with God. Worth it all, isn’t it—the pain, the pouring out of lives, the years of toilsome parenting?

For I rejoiced greatly
when brethren came
and testified to your truth
—how you are walking in truth.
I have no greater joy than this,
to hear of my children
walking in the truth.
3 John 3–4

The joy of knowing that our children—ones we have raised in the flesh and in the Spirit—are maturing, now seeking the Lord on their own. Unprompted. Unbidden. Unforced.

For the report of your obedience
has reached to all;
therefore I am rejoicing over you ….
Romans 16:19

After all, is there anything more important? Not their attaining lofty career goals, nor their obtaining envious financial stature; not their acquiring impressive academic credentials, nor their winning illustrious athletic fame. All these temporary achievements pale before the eternal benefits of a life walked with God.

What a privilege to be able to say, with Paul, …

We give thanks to God always
for all of you, making
mention of you in our prayers;
constantly bearing in mind
your work of faith
and labor of love
and steadfastness of hope
in our Lord Jesus Christ .…
You also became imitators
of us and of the Lord …
so that you became an example
to all the believers ….
For the word of the Lord
has sounded forth from you,
… in every place your faith
toward God has gone forth.
1 Thessalonians 1:2–4, 6–8

The faith of our children, the faith of those we have led to the Lord, the faith of those we have mentored, discipled, and taught in the ways of God—a remarkable faith, a reputed faith, a respected faith. What joy!

And may they continue in that direction, on that trajectory, with that momentum.

Therefore, my beloved brethren
whom I long to see,
my joy and crown,
in this way stand firm
in the Lord, my beloved.
Philippians 4:1

Our children—physical, spiritual—standing firm. What a magnificent legacy to leave. So let us keep parenting, continuing to invest our lives in those of our children. That they might walk worthily.

But we proved to be
gentle among you,
as a nursing mother tenderly
cares for her own children.
Having so fond an affection for you,
we were well-pleased
to impart to you
not only the gospel of God
but also our own lives ….
You know how we were
exhorting and encouraging
and imploring each one of you
as a father would
his own children,
so that you would walk in
a manner worthy of the God
who calls you into
His own kingdom and glory.
1 Thessalonians 2:7–8, 11–12

And today, those two, my nephews John and Jacob, are being baptized by their father!

For what thanks
can we render to God for you
in return for all the joy
with which we rejoice
before our God
on your account!
1 Thessalonians 3:9

Amen!

REMNANT!

It wasn’t hard to find this church. Grace Bible Church, in Mena, Arkansas. Population: 5,637. Area: 7 square miles.

A 250-mile drive from ye olde city of Dallas. And … 76 miles from the nearest Starbucks! Mercy!

Mena sits on the Ouachita Mountains, the only range in the Western hemisphere, I am told, that runs East–West. Mena was named after Mena Janssen de Goeijen, wife of de Goeijen, a Dutch investor. This notable gentleman also got a neighboring town named after him. Unfortunately, in the process, the Dutch surname got somewhat mutilated: that metropolis is called DeQueen.

Nope, it wasn’t hard to find this church. If I had blinked real long (and, driving into town on a hot afternoon after a hectic week in Dallas, I was in frequent danger of blinking real long!)—if I had blinked real long, the pastor said, I’d have missed the entire town. But my name on the signboard woke me up and I slammed on the brakes! How often does one see one’s own name on the marquee when one is perambulating through Arkansas! Surely a brake-slamming kind of experience.

I had arrived!

Anyhow, the delightful bunch of God’s people in Mena, at Grace, reminded me again of the joy of ministry and made me forget my weariness, sleepiness, and Starbuckslessness. As great a company of believers as any, anywhere, anyplace. It has been a terrific weekend.

God’s people are everywhere! Isn’t that amazing! A remnant in Mena! And, instantly, one connects, no matter what one’s race, accent, passport, or epidermal melanin content is. God’s people are everywhere.
Elijah doubted that some time ago. He thought he was the only one remaining.

Or do you not know
what the Scripture says
in the passage about Elijah,
how he pleads
with God against Israel?
“Lord, they have killed
your prophets, they have
torn down your altars,
and I alone am left,
and they are seeking my life.”
Romans 11:2–3

While it is a little hard to compare my deStarbuckization as I fled Dallas for Mena to Elijah fleeing Jezebel, it’s all just a matter of degree (yeah, right!). I and ye olde prophet figured we were the only ones left in that part of the world—I in Arkansas, he in Ahab-land. But he was wrong, and so was I.

God responded to Elijah:

“I have kept for Myself
seven thousand men
who have not bowed
the knee to Baal.”
In the same way then,
there has also come to be
at the present time a remnant
according to God's gracious choice.
Romans 11:4–5

There is a believing “remnant” everywhere, chosen by God’s grace. In Kuwait, in India, in Houston, in Boston, in Scotland, and … in Mena. No Starbucks, but plenty of saints. And lots of love—I can vouch for that. Refreshed by the remnant in Mena. I think I can do without the caffeine!

For I have come to have
much joy and comfort
in your love,
because the hearts
of the saints have been
refreshed through you, brother.
Philemon 1:7

This is no humanly conceived and contrived refreshment that the remnant proffers. Rather, it is actually Christ’s refreshment that is offered through human agency. Same word. Same noun form.

Come to Me,
all who are weary
and heavy-laden,
and I will refresh you.
Take My yoke upon you
and learn from Me,
for I am gentle
and humble in heart,
and you will find
refreshment for your souls.
Matthew 11:28–29

I was refreshed by Christ, refreshed by His remnant in Mena. Who needs Starbucks?

EYE!

Several months ago, I took in a grand view of London atop the “London Eye,” notably the tallest Ferris wheel in Europe. 1800 tons heavy, the whole contraption is supported on a single A-frame on one side only. On the circumference of the wheel are 30-odd air-conditioned capsules, each capable of carrying 25. A single revolution, for which one pays about US$30, takes about 30 minutes. The Eye is one of the most popular attractions in London; roughly 3 million enjoy the ride each year. The reason for its popularity is the remarkable view of London that one experiences 500 feet up in the air in that revolving contrivance. Sitting on the South Bank of the Thames, adjacent to the Westminster Bridge, the Eye offers a grand panorama of the that magnificent city. Truly spectacular. And rightly named—the Eye!

The eye of the omniscient God has a remarkable and spectacular view as well—of all things and everyone. ALL and EVERY!

And there is no creature
hidden from His sight,
but all things are open
and laid bare
to the eyes of Him ….
Hebrews 4:13

Unfortunately, much of what God sees is highly distasteful to Him. The litany of human misdeeds recorded in the Bible is striking. The recurrent statements that Israel’s actions were evil in the eyes of the Lord batter like a staccato of hammer blows.

The sons of Israel
did what was
evil in the eyes of the LORD,
and forgot the LORD their God ….
Judges 3:7
(and 2:11; and 3:7; and 4:1; and 6:1; and …)

Indeed, no one seems to have worried about God’s eyes at all.

In those days
there was no king in Israel;
everyone did what was right
in his own eyes.
Judges 21:25

Things didn’t get better after that. Israel’s subsequent demand for a king was evil in God’s eyes as well.

… your wickedness is great
which you have done
in the eyes of the LORD
by asking for yourselves a king.
1 Samuel 12:17

And those kings? Here are the first three—Saul, David, and Solomon.

Why then did you [Saul]
not obey the voice of the LORD,
but … do what was evil
in the eyes of the LORD?
1 Samuel 15:19

Why have you [David]
despised the word of the LORD
by doing evil in His eyes?
2 Samuel 12:9

Solomon did what was evil
in the eyes of the LORD.
1 Kings 11:6

And so on for the rest of the history of Israel. Ditto for the rest of humankind!

But God continues to observe. He constantly watches. His eyes are open. And upon those who fear the Lord, His eye looks favorably.

Behold, the eye of the LORD
is on those who fear Him.
Psalm 33:18

He watches out for them. He listens to them.

The eyes of the LORD
are toward the righteous
And His ears are open to their cry.
Psalm 34:15

He cares for them.

For the eyes of the LORD
move to and fro
throughout the earth
that He may strongly support
those whose heart is completely His.
2 Chronicles 16:9

On such is the focus of the Lord’s eyes. Blessed are they!

Those who have placed their trust in Christ, have already found favor in God’s eyes. And, now, in the strength of the indwelling Spirit, they seek daily to be pleasing to Him.

Finally then, brothers and sisters,
we request and exhort you
in the Lord Jesus,
that … you ought to walk
and please God
… that you excel still more.
1 Thessalonians 4:1

In His eyes!

MARKETPLACE!

Meandering through Manhattan yesterday, amidst the jungle of jagged skyscrapers rending the heavens, I spied a quaint Georgian style edifice built in the late 1700s—the home of Elizabeth Seton (1774–1821), the first native-born U.S. citizen to be canonized by the Roman Catholic Church (in 1975).

Fascinating was the cross proudly pronouncing its presence on an imposing technological and architectural landscape, located by the pulse of the financial district, the throb of our modern society, the nerve-center of our insensate and materialistic culture—New York City.

I was reminded of a poem by the Very Rev. George MacLeod (1895–1991), once Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland and the only Church of Scotland minister honored with a peerage (that made him Baron MacLeod of Fuinary). He called his poem “The Cross be Raised Again.”

I simply argue
that the cross be raised again
at the center of the market place
as well as the steeple of the church,
I am recovering the claim that
Jesus was not crucified in a cathedral
between two candles
but on a cross between two thieves;
on a town garbage heap;
at a crossroad of politics
so cosmopolitan
that they had to write His title
in Hebrew and in Latin and in Greek,
and at the kind of place
where cynics talk smut,
and thieves curse and soldiers gamble.
Because that is where He died,
and that is what He died about
and that is where Christ’s followers
ought to be,
and what church people
ought to be about.

Indeed! We must be about the business of proclaiming Christ to a lost world—in the marketplace.

For Christ did not
send me to baptize,
but to preach the gospel,
not in cleverness of speech,
so that the cross of Christ
would not be made void.
For the word of the cross
is foolishness to those
who are perishing,
but to us who are being saved
it is the power of God.
… we preach Christ crucified.
1 Corinthians 1:17–18

The cross raised in the market place! For one, for all. For rich, for poor. For strong, for weak. For all. In fact, God seems to be somewhat “partial” to the poor and weak.

For consider your calling, brethren,
that there were not many wise …,
not many mighty, not many noble;
but God has chosen
the foolish things of the world
to shame the wise,
and God has chosen
the weak things of the world
to shame the … strong,
and the base things of the world
and the despised God has chosen,
the things that are not,
… so that no man may boast before God.
1 Corinthians 1:26–29

On the other hand, we must—we should—boast in the cross, the cross raised in the marketplace.

But may it never be
that I would boast,
except in the cross
of our Lord Jesus Christ,
through which the world
has been crucified to me,
and I to the world.
Galatians 6:14

The cross raised in the marketplace! And raised by all of us, borne by all of us, suffered by all of us who seek to be Christ-followers.

And He [Jesus]
was saying to them all,
“If anyone wishes
to come after Me,
he must deny himself,
and take up his cross daily
and follow Me.
Whoever does not
carry his own cross
and come after Me
cannot be My disciple.”
Luke 9:23; 14:27

The cross raised in the marketplace! For “that is where Christ’s followers ought to be, and what church people ought to be about.”

HITCHED!

A venerable “dawg” got married yesterday. Ashish, aka Canis conditor—the founding “dawg.” (For more on the erstwhile “Dawgs” at the University of Aberdeen, see here and here.) To add my humble barks to that canine’s celebration, I, Canis medicus, made a day trip to San Antonio.

In the guest book, as I scratched in my name, I noticed a column for “comments.” I couldn’t resist. My sage remark was, I confess, a plagiarism.

“It is not good,” I wrote, “for the man to be alone.”

Persnickety scholars of Scripture will immediately point long and bony fingers at my theft; the Lord, Himself, uttered those words long ago as He went about creating humankind.

"It is not good
for the man to be alone;
I will make him a helper
suitable for him."
Genesis 2:18

Why, then (they invariably ask me), did you decide to remain alone?

Because (I invariably answer them) I was born single!

But ...

By all means marry.
If you get a good wife,
you'll be happy.
If you get a bad one,
you'll become a philosopher.
Socrates

Seriously …

Mine is not vocational singleness (for professional reasons), ideological singleness (for philosophical reasons), biological singleness (for physiological reasons), provisional singleness (for practical reasons, single until …), etc. It is ecclesiological singleness—by choice, for life, unto Christ, in community.

Does that sound too extreme? It wouldn’t have, to Paul … or Jesus, for that matter! Or to Jeremiah, John the Baptizer, Augustine, Aquinas, or Francis of Assissi; or to Handel, Isaac Watts, Amy Carmichael, or John Stott. All singles. And I am proud to be a midget in the company of these giants—a single.

This is not a screed on marriage! Not at all! According to Paul, either state is a gift:

… each person has
his own gift from God
one in this manner
[to be single],
and another in that
[to be married].
1 Corinthians 7:7

They are both valid and valuable platforms for fruitful ministry unto God. The question is: What is your gift?

Paul, in 1 Corinthians 7, does highlight the advantages of lifelong singleness for ministry.

But I want you to be
free from concern.
One who is unmarried
is concerned about
the things of the Lord,
how he may please the Lord;
but one who is married
is concerned about
the things of the world,
how he may please his wife,
and his interests are divided.
The woman who is unmarried,
and the virgin,
is concerned about
the things of the Lord,
that she may be holy
both in body and spirit;
but one who is married
is concerned about
the things of the world,
how she may please her husband.
1 Corinthians 7:32–34

It is true, there is an unusual degree of freedom a single person has: freedom to focus on the body of Christ, freedom from co-scheduling with family, freedom to suffer, …. For those reasons, I decided, about two decades ago, to forego the preoccupations (and pleasures) of family life. My personality, my passion for ministry, what profit I had witnessed as God used me—all led me to that momentous decision.

And what will I lose, you ask? Nothing!

No good thing
does He withhold
from those
who walk uprightly.
Psalm 84:11

No good thing is beyond the grasp of any of God’s children, whether single or married … as long as they walk uprightly. Our God is a faithful God, a providing God.

So what will you choose for His glory? Marriage … or singleness? What is your gift?

ARISEN!

A few years ago, to celebrate the 500th anniversary of King’s College at the University of Aberdeen (King’s is in the background—the building with a crown atop it), award-winning Scottish sculptor Kenny Hunter was commissioned to do a piece. Youth with a Split Apple it is called; it now adorns the campus of our fair alma mater.

Supposedly, the work represents one of the fundamental poses of the human form in classic art—the reclining figure. It has, however, always reminded me of someone just waking up, heavy lidded and drowsy. (The raucous cackle of gulls in coastal Aberdeen is enough to wake anyone up, even a bronze artifact!)

And the sculpture base looks, to me, suspiciously like a coffin. And, yes, this reclining youth does hold a “split apple,” though for the life of me I can’t figure out what he is doing with a split fruit in that rather awkward horizontal, somnolent position.

Maybe Mr. Hunter was thinking of Adam and apples, and death and burial, and about waking up some day. If he had actually been ruminating about such serious matters, he’d have been on the right track theologically.

While the “wages of sin” is, indeed, death, …

… the free gift of God
is eternal life
in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Romans 6:23

In other words, there is hope for those of us—all of humanity—stricken with the terminal disease of sin. The price of sin has been paid, fully and finally.

… He [Jesus Christ] Himself
bore our sins in His body
on the cross,
so that we might die to sin
and live to righteousness;
for by His wounds
you were healed.
1 Peter 2:24

Thus, for believers who have placed their trust in Christ for salvation, there is no more “death.”

Jesus said …,
“I am the resurrection
and the life;
he who believes in Me
will live even if he dies,
and everyone who lives
and believes in Me
will never die.”
John 11:25–26

This death that believers in Christ escape is, of course, not physical death—part of the curse we are afflicted with, after that deplorable affair of a bitten “apple” long time ago. The life that Jesus promises is eternal life in the presence of God after our days here on earth. In fact, that this will happen is so certain that Paul calls the death of believers “sleep.” They will wake up!

For if we believe
that Jesus died and rose again,
even so God will bring
with Him those who
have fallen asleep in Jesus.
1 Thessalonians 4:14

And all of this is guaranteed by the resurrection of the Lord who died for us.

… now Christ has been
raised from the dead ….
For since by a man came death,
by a man also came
the resurrection of the dead.
For as in Adam all die,
so also in Christ
all will be made alive.
1 Corinthians 15:20–22

One man started it all. One Man will end it all. Indeed, He already has! The victory has been won!

Christ, the Lord, is risen today,
Sons of men and angels say, Alleluia!
Love’s redeeming work is done,
Fought the fight, the battle won, Alleluia!

Lives again our glorious King,
Where, O death, is now thy sting? Alleluia!
Once He died our souls to save,
Where thy victory, O grave? Alleluia!

Soar we now where Christ hath led,
Following our exalted Head, Alleluia!
Made like Him, like Him we rise,
Ours the cross, the grave, the skies, Alleluia!

Charles Wesley, 1739

Happy Easter!

FIRE!

I’m scribbling this from Pittsburgh, where I’m visiting friends. Today, it was cold, dreary, cloudy, and wet. Reminded me of Aberdeen in bonnie Scotland. (No wonder Texas always looks/feels good!)

Anyhow …

One good thing (among many) about the abode of my friends was the blazing fire in the hearth. Ban the cold, I say. Away with temperatures below 80˚F (27˚C). A pox on winter. Fire. Cosy and comfortable. Balmy and blessed. Good fire.

But the same entity that provides bright bliss also is the agent of dire distress. Wildfires. Arson. Conflagrations. Bad fire.

Good and bad fire. And so it is, even in the Bible.

A “bad” fire is on the horizon.

But who can endure
the day of His coming?
And who can stand
when He appears?
For He is like a refiner’s fire ….
Malachi 3:2

But thanks be to God! Believers have been saved from the fiery wrath of God by the sacrificial payment of their sins on the cross by God incarnate, the Lord Jesus Christ.

… there is now no condemnation
for those who are in Christ Jesus.
Romans 8:1

Yet there is a fire for believers—in this world—a fire that purifies, a fire that refines, a fire that disciplines. A “good” fire.

In this you greatly rejoice,
even though now
for a little while, …
you have been distressed
by various trials,
so that the proof of your faith,
being more precious than gold
which is perishable,
even though tested by fire,
may be found to result
in praise and glory and honor
at the revelation of Jesus Christ.
1 Peter 1:6–7

This “good” fire we can expect. It will come. Sooner or later. A strengthening fire. A stretching fire.

Beloved, do not be surprised
at the fiery ordeal among you,
which comes upon you
for your testing,
as though some strange thing
were happening to you.
1 Peter 4:12

This “good” fire will also test our works for potential rewards.

Now if any man builds
on the foundation
with gold, silver,
precious stones, wood,
hay, straw, each man's work
will become evident;
for the day will show it
because it is to be
revealed with fire,
and the fire itself will test
the quality of each man's work.
If any man's work
which he has built on it remains,
he will receive a reward.
1 Corinthians 3:12–14

And, one day, the fire of God’s judgment will signal the end of time, the Bible teaches.

But the day of the Lord
will come like a thief,
in which the heavens
will pass away with a roar …
and the earth and its works
will be burned up.
But according to His promise
we are looking for
new heavens and a new earth,
in which righteousness dwells.
2 Peter 3:10, 13

Peter assumes that if the end is coming this way, soon and very soon, there is a mandate for the kind of life we ought to be leading.

Since all these things
are to be destroyed in this way,
what sort of people
ought you to be
in holy conduct and godliness,
looking for and hastening
the coming of the day of God …!
2 Peter 3:11–12

The fire’s a-comin’. The end approacheth. Look for it. Hasten it.

Therefore, since we receive
a kingdom which cannot
be shaken, let us show gratitude,
by which we may offer to God
an acceptable service
with reverence and awe;
for our God is a consuming fire.
Hebrews 12:28–29

“Good” fire … and “bad!” So … holy conduct and godliness, reverence and awe.

HANDS!

If you noticed something strange about those hands playing the Steinway, you did good. There is something strange. While those hands—right and left—share genes, they don’t belong to the same body. No, I haven’t been up to any Photoshop tricks. I did this the old-fashioned way, getting a ten-year old to wiggle his arm through the shirt of his forty-year old Dad, and having them contort themselves to create the illusion of one pianist with two hands—two different hands. (Thanks, Philip and Rick!) While the youngster is, himself, a budding musician, Dad’s got a doctorate in the field. One dabbles; the other produces and performs (and “professes”) music. The humble endeavors of one are augmented and transformed and complemented by the “musicmanship” of the other.

Grace for the believer is like that! After all, there ain’t much (read: “anything”) we can do with which to please God, without His prevenient (“going before”) grace. Grace is absolutely necessary if we are to continue in a relationship with God. In other words, it is not only essential for our justification (being set right with God), but we also cannot be sanctified (grow in holiness) without grace. We need help in every way, being hopelessly incapable and inadequate for these things. I need a hand! And a hand, God gave. In fact more than a hand. Paul proclaims:

Christ lives in me ….
Galatians 2:20

Grace! A helping hand.

Therefore let us draw near
with confidence
to the throne of grace,
so that we may receive mercy
and find grace to help
in time of need.
Hebrews 4:16

It is grace that enables us to be what we are.

But by the grace of God
I am what I am,
and His grace toward me
did not prove vain;
but I labored even more
than all of them, yet not I,
but the grace of God with me.
1 Corinthians 15:10

It is grace that gives us the perspective and incentive for a godly lifestyle.

For the grace of God
has appeared,
bringing salvation to all men,
instructing us
to deny ungodliness
and worldly desires
and to live sensibly, righteously
and godly in the present age.
Titus 2:11–12

It is grace that manifests God’s power through us.

And He has said to me,
“My grace is sufficient for you,
for power is
perfected in weakness.”
2 Corinthians 12:9

It is grace that prepares for us the good works we will do.

For we are His workmanship,
created in Christ Jesus
for good works,
which God prepared beforehand
so that we would walk in them.
Ephesians 2:10

It is grace that helps us perform those good works.

And God is able to make
all grace abound to you,
so that always having
all sufficiency in everything,
you may have an abundance
for every good deed.
2 Corinthians 9:8

It is grace that gives us spiritual gifts.

But to each one of us grace
was given according to
the measure of Christ's gift.
Ephesians 4:7

And of course, grace is also operative in our glorification—the full conformation to the image of Christ.

Therefore, prepare
your minds for action,
keep sober in spirit,
fix your hope completely
on the grace
to be brought to you
at the revelation of Jesus Christ.
1 Peter 1:13

Without His helping “hand,” we would remain lost in our sin—unjustified, unsanctified, unglorified. His helping hand—what amazing grace!

’Tis grace hath brought me safe thus far,
And grace will lead me home.
John Newton, 1779

Amen, it will!

BOATS!

Something strange about them in the Gospel of Mark. Not the best place to be; not the safest way to travel. Always a complication. Storms. And tests. Particularly tests. Tests of faith in boats in Mark. Maybe the sea ain’t a good place to be. It’s always a test of faith in a boat on water.

And those poor disciples. They don’t do to well on those quizzes in water. Surprising: “Fishermen fail sea tests!” They do! In all three major boat dramas in Mark.

The first vignette. Jesus is in the boat with them on a stormy sea. The irony: the carpenter sleeps; the fishermen panic. Though, of course, this was no ordinary card-carrying, labor-union-belonging worker of wood. Anyway, Jesus calms the sea in a trice. And asks the stricken disciples:

“Why are you afraid?
Do you still have no faith?”
Mark 4:40

“How come you aren’t believing yet?” You see, in the first four chapters of Mark, they had already seen Christ healing various diseases—nothing seemed too difficult for Him to cure, not even a mother-in-law! The disciples had seen Christ drive out demons. Indeed, they had themselves been given the authority to cast out demons. They—simple, unsophisticated Galilean fishermen—were waging spiritual warfare. This Jesus was no mere spiritual teacher. No prophet had ever done the things he did. Why, He was even going around forgiving people! Now who could do that but God? The disciples had seen it; they had heard it; they had experienced it—the power and presence of God in Christ. They should have put it all together—He was God. But … they had forgotten!

Then, two chapters later, another boat complication. Jesus, not with the disciples when they commence the journey, shows up walking on water, in the middle of their perilous journey in the thick of another storm. And there they go again—they’re scared.

… they all saw Him
and were terrified.
But immediately He spoke
with them and said to them,
“Take courage; it is I,
do not be afraid.”
Then He got into the boat …
and the wind stopped; and
they were utterly astonished,
for they had not
gained any insight from
the incident of the loaves,
but their heart was hardened.
Mark 6:50–52

Just before this incident, Jesus had just multiplied five loaves and two fish to feed five thousand. Nope, they hadn’t learnt anything from that.

Two more chapters later. Another vessel episode. No storm though. But these dudes begin to fret. They had only brought one loaf aboard with them and they had 12 +1 people to feed. What were they going to do for food? Oh, dear! They just might starve to death. On a boat. In the water.

And Jesus, aware of this,
said to them,
“Why do you discuss
that you have no bread?
Do you not yet see
or understand?
Do you have a hardened heart?
Having eyes, do you not see?
And having ears,
do you not hear?
And do you not remember,
when I broke the five loaves
for the five thousand ….”
Mark 8:17–19

The path of discipleship—Mark’s theme—is strewn with ship situations. Indeed, these watercraft examinations are part and parcel of our lives—our own journeys of discipleship. How will we respond? With faith, trusting in God’s presence, His power? Remembering what He has done? Responding in anticipation of what He will do?

… for we walk by faith, not by sight.
2 Corinthians 5:7

And not just walk. We pilot our boats by faith as well.