Now and Then

"For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us." Romans 8:18

         This verse takes it for granted we will all endure some suffering in this life, and I don’t think any of us would disagree. There is nothing meritorious per se about suffering; but according to Philippians 3:10, it does qualify one for admission into a special club: “the fellowship of his [Jesus Christ’s] sufferings.” Not only that, Peter tells us it serves to “stablish, strengthen, and settle [us] (1Pet. 5:10). That couldn’t be too bad, could it?

         Still, these and other benefits do not readily come to mind while one is in the throes of an especially long and/or hard trial. In Paul’s case, his means of perspective was the little word “reckon.” He uses the same word in chapter six to give us a handle on achieving victory in our lives by reckoning ourselves to be dead to sin and alive to God (6:11).

         One of the meanings for the word “reckon,” as found in the Oxford English Dictionary, is “to calculate, or keep count of, in relation to some starting point or base.” In other words, suffering must be judged against, or in relation to, something else. And Paul lets us know just what that something else is: “the glory that shall be revealed in us.” I’m not sure all that this entails, but I do know from the previous verse that it has to do with our being “joint-heirs with Christ,” and assumes we will share and share-alike with Him. If so, then in this case, the end truly does justify the means.

         I share these observations with you not to minimize any suffering you may be experiencing now, or will experience in the future, but simply to sharpen your “reckoner.” If anything, we women should understand this concept even better than men, since the prospect of finally seeing and holding in our hands the life that grew under our hearts is the overriding thought that gets us through the pain of childbirth. That’s exactly the principle Paul is trying to teach us.

          It’s not about the suffering now; it’s all about the glory then.

The Night-Light

“…her candle goeth not out by night. – Prov. 31:18b

         Whenever I have had occasion to teach on the virtuous woman of Proverbs thirty-one, which, as you might imagine, has been often over my husband’s and my ministry together of over fifty-five years, I, like most others, have used this portion of her story to extol her work ethic. She rises early and stays up late ministering to her family, all the while running her household in a frugal and prosperous fashion. But I was recently challenged to read this particular portion of verse eighteen in a different light, no doubt for personal and pertinent reasons.

         No matter how decorative and festive a candle may be, the whole idea is to give light. Now, however, one of the most sought after by-products is a pleasant aroma that fills a room and sets a mood. But any old candle that will burn brightly is all we need when the sun isn’t shining, and all of our artificial means of light have been extinguished. Jesus said of you and me, “Ye are the light of the world…Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven” (Matt. 5:14 & 16). This should give us an idea of how important “this little light of mine” is. It’s all about the glory of God.  But remember it says of the woman in Proverbs thirty-one, “her candle goeth not out by night.” Ah, that’s where the rubber meets the road.

         There used to be a saying, “The darker the night, the brighter the light.” A candle that may look faint and small in the light of day can shine with brilliance and glory in the blackest night. The time when it may be the hardest and the scariest to shine may be the greatest opportunity we will ever have to virtually “outshine” ourselves for His glory and honor.  And verse fifteen of this chapter tells us the most important candle is the one that gives light to “all that are in the house.”  In other words, it’s family who are the best judge of the quality of our candle and its light; and it is they to whom we owe this lasting legacy.

         What is the most important light in your house? Not the beautiful chandelier you may proudly own, or the bright lights around your bathroom mirror that help you look your best. No, it’s the little, insignificant night-light that keeps others from stumbling in the dark and shows us the way to go.

“Father, make me a night-light for You!”

A Woman's Faith

“For a certain woman, whose young daughter had an unclean spirit, heard of him, and came and fell at his feet: The woman was a Greek, and a Syrophenician by nation; and she besought him that he would cast forth the devil out of her daughter.”  Mark 7:25-26                                                                               

         I remember being in the company of a young woman who was asked why she stopped going to a certain church. Her answer had nothing to do with doctrine, morality, or even administration. No, she explained, it was just that the pastor said something from the pulpit that offended her. I thought to myself, “Dear girl, you wouldn’t have followed Jesus Christ very long.” (Maybe she should have read Psalm 119:165.) Someone who is quick to take offense is always a poor risk for a friend, and an unlikely prospect for a disciple. “Blessed is he,” said our Lord, “whosoever shall not be offended in me” (Matt. 11:6).

         The woman in our story probably wouldn’t have been blamed had she taken offense at what Jesus said to her, but neither would she have received the petition she asked of Him, either. She came at a time when the Lord was hoping to have some time alone, or at least just with the disciples, but verse twenty-four says “[H]e could not be hid.” And this Gentile woman, driven by desperation, found Him. She had left a daughter at home who was uncontrollable because of an evil spirit that consumed her. When she saw Jesus, she cried, “Have mercy on me, O Lord, thou Son of David; my daughter is grievously vexed with a devil” (Matt. 15:22). It’s obvious she knew exactly who He was: He was the Lord, and He was heir to King David’s throne.

         It’s now that we see the first instance of what would seem to be rude and heartless behavior by Jesus. Matthew says, “[H]e answered her not a word” (15:23). But we will soon find out, He wasn’t trying to kill her faith; He was trying to kindle it.  She evidently turned then to the disciples, imploring them to intercede for her, because they, in turn, said to Jesus, “Send her away; for she crieth after us.” Then follows a pathetic dialogue that defies all rules of common courtesy. When He does speak, his first words to her are, “I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” To which she cries, piteously, “Lord, help me.” Then, to add insult to injury, it would seem, He adds, “It is not meet to take the children’s bread, and cast it to the dogs.”

         Of all the mean things Jesus could have said to her, this surely was the meanest (or so it would appear). “I was sent to those of the nation of Israel (of which you are not), so why should I take spiritual bread that belongs to the Jews, and give it to Gentile dogs (of which you are).” I doubt Jesus’ words would fit the criterion of “political correctness” in today’s world! But in reality, Jesus was not only testing her faith, He was providing her a rebuttal, if she was wise enough to see it. And, God be praised, she was.

“Truth, Lord, yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from the masters’ table,” was the quick reply. Instead of leaving in a huff, she immediately picked up the idea of Jesus’ terminology and reasoned, “You don’t have to be one of the family to get bread, if you’re willing to take crumbs—and I am.” Her words were what got her what she wanted. Jesus said so in Mark 7:29), and faith gave her the courage to say them.  

This Syrophenician was a woman resolved. She refused to let a rebuff and offensive language dishearten her from her holy purpose.  She was a woman of reason. She was spiritually minded and quick-witted enough to challenge the God-Man, who said in the Old Testament, “Come now, let us reason together, saith the Lord” (Isa. 1:18).  And, eventually, she was a woman rewarded. The Man who had seemingly done so much to discourage her, ended his conversation with these words of hope and cheer: “O woman, great is thy faith: be it unto thee even as thou wilt” (Matt. 15:18).

It would seem to me, this woman can teach us all we need to know about faith...and O, how we need to know about faith! I know I need it more today than I ever have before.

Faith sees the invisible, believes the impossible

Receives the incredible, no matter what was;

Faith moves the unmovable, proves the un-provable;

For anyone willing to trust,

Believe and you’ll see what faith does.

                          Donna Brooks, Marty Funderburk, Scott Wilemon

Hasty Moves

Beware of a life of fitful impulse; live and act on sustained principles.

I read these words somewhere, with no recognition of who said them. I was especially impressed by the contrast between "fitful impulse" and "sustained principles." It makes a very stark comparison, doesn't it? Impulse is not all bad, of course. Sometimes it’s called for in order to take advantage of a passing opportunity; and, indeed, there are times when failing to act with haste can be positively disastrous. Still, it cannot be denied that haste always carries with it the dimension of chance. It's certainly possible to make a wrong decision after much deliberation, but it's more probable without any at all.

Several Scriptures immediately come to mind. For instance, Isaiah 28:16b tells us, "[H]e that believeth shall not make haste." One of the great earmarks of a strong faith is the ability to wait. It's tempting to make a move before one is called for, when it seems as though nothing is happening. We would do well to follow Naomi's advice to Ruth: "Sit still my daughter, until thou know how the matter will fall..." (Ruth 3:18). God says in Isaiah 52:22, "For ye shall not go out with haste...for the LORD will go before you..." You see the obvious danger here, don't you?

But not only can we move in haste, often we speak with very little forethought, as well. David admits in Psalm 31:22, "For I said in my haste, I am cut off from before thine eyes..." His first impulse during a difficult time in his life was to strike out, even against God. Bitterness is a terrible thing to harbor, but it's even worse to speak under its influence. God says of someone who is hasty in his words, “…there is more hope of a fool than of him” (Prov. 29:20).

  

In addition, haste often leads to exaggeration. For example, the Psalmist says in Psalm 116:11, "I said in my haste, All men are liars." Well, it is true that there is not a man or woman who has not at one time or another told a lie. But it's also true that "all liars shall have their part in the lake of fire." So, if all men are liars, we're all sunk! It's very easy to make broad, sweeping statements before thinking them through.

There's a time to make haste; and there's a time to make sure. Be sure you know the difference.

Bad-Mouthing God

“Yea, they spake against God; they said, Can God furnish a table in the wilderness…can he give bread also? can he provide flesh for his people? Therefore the Lord heard this and was wroth: so a fire was kindled against Jacob, and anger also came up against Israel; because they believed not God and trusted not in his salvation.” (Psalm 78:19, 21-22)

        Want to really make God mad? Just doubt His ability to take care of you. He will consider it a direct insult to His character. We may put faithlessness low on the totem pole of sins, but God doesn’t. Romans 14:23 tells us, “Whatsoever is not of faith is sin.” And the writer of Hebrews describes a heart of unbelief as downright “evil” (3:12).

        You and I may become greatly exercised over sins of the flesh (as we well should), while at the same time consider our fretting and fussing as merely shortcomings and weaknesses. Yet the woman caught in adultery and Zacchaeus, the crooked tax collector, were both dealt with far more kindly than the people spoken of in this Psalm. The first two were sinners, yes, who needed to repent; but they did not question Jesus when He offered them forgiveness. They took Him at His word. The children of Israel, on the other hand, after having seen God miraculously provide for them time and time again, still questioned Him. And when they did, the Psalmist accused them of speaking against God. What could be worse than that?

        Why risk the anger of God? We should deal with unbelief as we would any other sin and experience the same peace promised to those who repent of their wickedness. God has promised to save us (v.22) and take care of us (v.19). And to deny this verbally or experientially is to speak against Him, bad-mouth Him, if you will. There’s no getting around it.

 When it comes to God and His attributes and abilities, there is no such thing as “honest doubt.”