Day 110: Our Strength

"For our defense is from the Lord and from the Holy One of Israel, our King."  Psalm 88:19 (89:18)

This is a verse that is very powerful, but it's something that we don't always take entirely seriously.

We live our lives in a very rough and cruel world.  We live where there are people so filled with hate that they will kill indiscriminately.  There are people so filled with greed that they will lower as many people as possible just to get the riches that they want.  There are people so filled with envy that they will lie about so many people around them just to feel better.  After thinking about this, it becomes apparent that we do need a defense in this world and in this life.

To go a step further, if we know where our defense is, wouldn't that also be where all of our lives are coming from?  The one who gave us life is the one who is protecting us, just as a mother does for her children.  Our defense comes from the one who gives us life and power.  This is important to remember because we can't just be living our lives as if we are alone in all that we do.  When you think about how many things you have to take care of, it can start to get overwhelming.  Think about that dream you are pursuing.  Now think about the job you're working at.  Is that where you want to be?  What about your family?  Are you satisfied with it?  Are you satisfied with your friends?  Your body?  The list can go on forever.

The reason why we need to remember that our defense comes from the Lord is because the Lord has a plan for each one of us.  God has a plan for all of our lives, and God defends all of those lives because they need to go in the way they need to go.  God provides us with moments to celebrate the grace that we have, moments to strengthen our faith, moments to come closer to God, moments to preach, moments to cry, moments to come, and moments to go.  When we remember to put our lives into God's hands, there is nothing that can get in the way.  God is our ultimate defense.  It's time to respect that and live accordingly.

Day 099: Strengthening Faith

But as they sailed He fell asleep.  And a windstorm came down on the lake, and they were filling with water, and were in jeopardy.  And they came to Him and awoke Him, saying, "Master, Master we are perishing!"  Luke 8:23-24

As I have been learning more about philosophy and taking more time to contemplate the wisdom literature of the bible, I have started to understand that wisdom involves a change of perspective.

This event shows a contrast between the wise person and the doubting one.  It seems that the end goal of wisdom is to find peace amidst all of the terrible things all around.  Jesus does this by falling asleep and remaining asleep during a storm.  Now, I don't know about you, but I know that I wouldn't be able to stay asleep (except for that one time while I slept through one of the worst hurricanes that swept through Houston).  I would probably be just like the disciples: scared, frightened.

But that's our problem with how we live our lives.  Despite the fact that we can describe ourselves as the good soil that accepts the seed from the sower and allow it to grow into something bearing the most beautiful of fruits, we might waver when we are faced with danger.  That's not what the Gospel calls us to do, though.  All throughout the Gospel, we find many words of encouragement.  Jesus has come to save us.  God will not test us beyond our means.  Go out into the world and preach the good news.  Behold!  The ill are healed and the poor are receiving the Gospel.  He is risen!

So why do we have trouble with accepting these words?  The issue is that we still deceive ourselves.  We like to say that just because we go to church we are faithful.  It's easy for anybody to walk into a church.  We say that just because we read a few words of the bible that we are faithful.  Just take a moment to scroll through Facebook to see how easy it is to read a word, even if one doesn't believe a single word.

"The wisdom of astute men will know their ways, but the folly of men without discernment is in their deceit." (Proverbs 14:8)  We can't live our lives deceiving ourselves about what faith we have.  We need to be diligent in our faith.  That involves knowing why we are faithful.  We need to take time every day to understand our faith.  We can only strengthen it through the practice of meditation through prayer, and through discernment while we read the bible.  We can only prepare ourselves for the storm when we actually prepare ourselves.  It's one thing to be in a house and say that you've watched all the safety videos for hurricane preparedness, but it's another to go to the store and buy a preparedness kit and know all of the ins and outs of the disaster.  We can tout our faith all we want, but God knows what's actually going on.

In order for us to make it through the storm, we have to reject all of the distractions from our faith.  We have to follow and stick with Jesus through all the times: the good and the bad.  When we do this, we will find that our faith is stronger than ever.  Jesus has called us to follow him; let us follow him.

Day 092: Encouragement

Then Moses called Joshua and said to him before all Israel, "Be valiant and strong, for you must go before this people to the land the Lord swore to their fathers to give them; and you shall cause them to inherit it.  But the Lord, He is the One who goes before you.  He will be with you, He will not leave you nor forsake you; do not be afraid, nor be terrified."  Deuteronomy 31:7-8

How would Joshua have felt hearing this?  Of course, for a while before this point he had been appointed to lead, but now it was getting serious - it was time for him to take the reins.

Joshua was there in Israel, witnessing all the issues.  He saw the people turn away from God so many times, but he continued to follow God.  He also saw what struggles Moses had in order to lead Israel forward.  He even saw the punishment that Moses received for doubting God.  Now he was supposed to take up this glamorous position.  I, for one, would be utterly terrified by such a job.  I'd run away as far as I could from the position.

We don't like for things to be difficult in our life.  We want things to go the way we plan them to, and we want everybody around us to understand us and follow our lead, whatever that might be.  However, God has very important plans for each and every one of us.  God appointed us before we were born, and as we grow, we learn more and more about where we are supposed to be going.  But that's where things get difficult.  Rather than follow things as they are written in our own minds and books, we are called to allow for God to lead us the way we need to be led.  We need to allow God to guide us to the Promised Land.

If it seems impossible, just take a moment to read about what Joshua did.  He ended up leading Israel to many different victories during battles so that they could control more land.  That all happened because he was faithful to God.  When we are faithful to God, we will find so many things falling into place.  God blesses us with this same benediction.  God does not want to scare us.  In fact, God is always calling our name, before all the peoples, commanding us to be strong as we will lead our way into the Promised Land. 

Day 089: Strengthening Light

"Not that I speak in regard to need, for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content: I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound.  Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need.  I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me."  Ephesians 4:11-13

Here's one of the most, if not most, popular verse in the bible.  I find that it is much more powerful when taken in the context of the letter Paul is writing.

Despite the fact that there are many things that I do not agree with that Paul writes, I still think that there are many things that he admonishes us to do.  In fact, when taking all the things he encourages (or commands) together, they seem to make up a large code of law not unlike that of the Old Covenant.  There are so many different things to keep track of, but they are all for our own betterment.  Many of the things he says are ones for us to live better with those around us, in order to strengthen our communities.  Still, though, they sound overbearing.

However, at the end of all these sorts of things, we read Paul, who says that he has accomplished many of these things.  Unlike a person wanting to boast about his own prowess, Paul actually teaches us why he is able to accomplish all of these things: Christ.

Jesus is walking all around us, following and reaching out to us.  Jesus is not following us so that he can push us down.  He didn't come into the world just to judge and condemn it.  We already have enough of that coming from our humankind.  Instead, Jesus came so that we all can be strengthened.  We have to face many challenges, and we all want to be the light for others to see, but the only way we can do that is by receiving the light in the first place.  I think of lighting candles.  A room can be full of candles, but without a lighting source, they will just stay there, filled with so much potential, but left completely still.  It is when we receive the light of Christ that we can shine and light others around us.

Jesus is right there with us, everywhere we go.  We just need to receive him as he receives us. 

 

Day 54: God Is Faithful

"No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it."  1 Corinthians 10:13

This is one of my top five favorite verses from the bible.  Reading it in context caused the verse to have extra resonance with me.  If you can, I recommend you committing some verses to memory, at least enough so that you can come across it and speak the words before they appear on the page/screen in your reading.

This verse is very powerful because it comes at the end of a summary of the unfaithfulness of many of the Israelites during the period of time covered in the Pentateuch.  Paul even makes it a point to say that it was some of the Israelites who strayed, not all.

No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man

This statement can hurt a little, because it makes any situation you're in sound quite diminished.  But that's the point.  We like to bring our troubles to our neighbors, while they have just as many issues to deal with as we do.  However, this statement is also there to help us, because we can then look for how other people dealt with our problems.  We can consult our parents, grandparents, priests, teachers, friends, and so many other people.

But God is faithful

If you're struggling with a specific situation, you need to look no further than the bible.  In 1 Corinthians 10, you can find the different temptations that came about.  But, you can also see that God delivered the entire nation of Israel from destruction time and time again.  Read Exodus to see one story of deliverance.  Read Joshua for yet another story.  Read Kings and Chronicles for so many more stories of deliverance.  And, most definitely, read the gospels, any of the four: Matthew, Mark, Luke, or John.  You'll understand that God has been faithful to us throughout all our troubles and tests.

[God] will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape

Here is our safeguard.  Times are going to get tough, but they will never get impossible.  Even at the point of death, God is there to save our soul, and when our time comes, God is in control.  Our legacy will last as an example for all those who are struggling.  The great thing about living as Christians is that we have one great escape: the church.  We can go and refresh ourselves with prayers we pray or from those of our fellow Christians.  We can talk to many more faithful people to learn about how great God is.

That you may be able to bear it

Here is an important distinction.  It is one thing to have a way out of our problems.  The easiest way out of any problem is just by doing nothing at all.  We can stay in the comfort of our bed all day unto eternity, allowing our bodies to waste away, let away our minds, our dreams, our talents.  But that's not what God wants.  God is sending us out there into the world as sheep against wolves.  God will guide us through all the difficult parts, but it will all be for our personal growth.  This last clause implies that we weren't able to bear our challenges to begin with.  What's the only way to bear a heavy weight?  Get stronger!  God is guiding us through our difficult times so that we can become stronger beings.

During this Lent, let God guide you through your discipline, whether it's giving up sweets, reading more of the bible, saying a prayer every once in a while, or even just to step foot in church just once this season.  God is faithful, and will guide us through all of our trials.