The Lord’s Joy is Our Strength

Is it possible to be joyful when your life is turned upside down? A notable story about this was penned after a traumatic event in the life of Horatio Spafford. First, there was the death of his son at the age of two. Shortly after that, the Great Chicago Fire (1871) ruined him financially as he had significant investments in properties that were damaged in the fire. That fire led to the economic downturn of 1873, when he had planned to travel with his family to Europe. In a late change of plans, he sent his family ahead because he was delayed by problems following the fire (Spafford had been a successful lawyer in Chicago). While crossing the Atlantic, the ship his family was on sank rapidly after a collision with another vessel. All four of the Spafford’s daughters died. His wife, Anna, survived and sent him the now famous telegram, “Saved alone …” Spafford hurried to meet his grieving wife and, when passing near where his daughters had died, he penned the words of the now great hymn, It Is Well With My Soul.

Spafford drew strength from the joy of knowing God was present with him and for him.

Many centuries before Spafford’s account, Jewish exiles in Babylon returned to Jerusalem in times of great struggle. Let me summarize the time for you. They managed to rebuild the walls of the city but hadn’t yet built houses to live in. As they discussed their plans for the future, they asked Ezra to read from a scroll of the Law of Moses. He did, and the people listened attentively to the “Book of the Law.”

When the priests explained what the words meant, the people began to weep, perhaps convicted by how far they had strayed from God’s word. That event prompted Nehemiah to cry out, “Don’t be dejected, disappointed, and sad. The joy of the Lord is your strength.” When they heard that, the people celebrated with joy because they heard the word of the Lord and understood it. [That’s my loose translation of Nehemiah 8.9-12]

The walls were finished, but Jerusalem still lay in ruins. Still, God’s word brought them great joy. Strengthened by it, they kept on working and building. My desire is that you do the same. Regardless of the difficulty you find yourself in, get your strength from the joy of knowing and abiding in Christ.

Then he said to them, “Go your way, eat the fat, drink the sweet, and send portions to those for whom nothing is prepared; for this day is holy to our Lord. Do not sorrow, for the joy of the LORD is your strength.” Nehemiah 8.10

Introverts Welcomed

My Mother was one of those people who didn’t want anyone to notice something amiss. In fact, she didn’t want anyone to notice anything at all. In a word, she was an introvert. If you knew my Mom, she wouldn’t have appeared a worshipful person, but nothing could be further from the truth. She was a whole-hearted worshipper.

I remember countless times seeing her read the Bible. I recall the countless prayers I heard her pray for our family and others. And I couldn’t begin to tell you about her times of selfless service to others. I suppose they would add up in the thousands. My Mom has passed on to glory, but if she were here, she wouldn’t want me to call attention to her or solicit any praise on her behalf. But I must say this, she lived out her faith with the personality that God gave to her, without question.

God doesn’t always choose the dynamic personality of the likes of Elijah or Paul. Sometimes, He chooses the unexpected, unassuming, quiet introvert. I think that Ruth may fall into that category. She never did anything flashy that would draw attention to herself. All we see in her is a fierce faithfulness and unrelenting loyalty. 

How interesting it is, then, that her faithfulness and loyalty provide a plot-twist only a Master Storyteller could fabricate: Ruth became the Grandmother of David [Matthew 1.5-6] and, ultimately, an ancestor of Jesus [1.6-16]. 

Whether you are Ruth-like or Elijah-like, quiet or exuberant, our confidence must always be rooted in Christ.

And Boaz answered and said to her, “It has been fully reported to me, all that you have done for your mother-in-law since the death of your husband, and how you have left your father and your mother and the land of your birth, and have come to a people whom you did not know before. The LORD repay your work, and a full reward be given you by the LORD God of Israel, under whose wings you have come for refuge.” Ruth 2.11-12 

Another Word on Peace

I’ve written dozens of eDevotions on the subject of peace, and here I am again with peace on my mind. In the messed up world we live in, peace is a wonderful thing. Here’s what I want to remind you about peace today: Jesus, yes, Jesus Himself, is our peace. When you need peace, God doesn’t dispense peace like a pharmacist fills your prescription. You’ll never hear Him say, “Take two of these and call me in the morning.” Instead, He gives us Himself. He doesn’t give us something, He gives us Someone. So, I repeat, Jesus is our peace. Listen now, Jesus is God’s fulfillment for peace. 

It’s Christ’s presence that takes away fear.

It’s Christ’s sovereignty that assures and calms us in the face of doubts.

It’s Christ’s goodness that renews us when we are weighed down by despair.

It’s Christ’s watchfulness and intervention that keep us from faltering.

And it’s Christ’s inevitable victory that assures us we will not fail.

Perhaps you’re living with some level of uncertainty. You aren’t alone. In fact, I’m living with a couple of question marks too. What form is yours taking? A health crisis? A financial issue? A self-destructive family member or friend? A career change? 

Things like that may keep you awake at night; certainly they keep you on the edge of your seat. If we could only see into the future for the final outcome. Maybe then you could bear the waiting. Rather than you bearing it, why not let Jesus carry the load for you? The invitation has been given: “Cast all your cares on Him for He cares for you” [1 Peter 5.7], or, “… take My yoke upon you and learn of Me, for I am meek and lowly of spirit and you will find rest for your souls” [Matthew 11.29].

Jesus wins in the end. Because of that, I cannot fail. Along the way I may experiences some wins and losses, but in the end, Jesus wins. And so do I!

For He Himself is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of separation …” Ephesians 2.14

Rocks and Hard Places

Oh, that preverbal rock and hard place! You’ve been there, haven’t you? I don’t know of anyone who likes being there, and yet, it seems that God likes it when we get there. Could it be that He leads us there so that He can do His greatest work in our lives? What do you think?

God led the Children of Israel to that place. In their case, it was the shore of the Red Sea. After leaving Egypt, they started their journey to the Promised Land. Pharaoh had a different idea. He would either capture them and bring them back, or destroy them in the desert. So, he pursued them. 

Can you imagine his glee when he first got sight of their plight. The Red Sea before them. He was hot on their tail. The desert on one side of them and mountains on the other. They had no place to go — no place to run, and no place to hide. I call that, between a rock and a hard place.  

What Pharaoh didn’t know (and what we sometimes forget) is that Moses’ God was a Sea-Parting God! When Moses stretched out his rod over the Sea and the people moved forward in faith, the Sea opened up to give them safe passage to the other side. Not so for Pharaoh and his army. The rock and hard place of the Israelites became their death-knell.

If you are struggling between a rock and hard place, keep moving forward. God is still a Sea-Parting God!. Trust Him no matter what your circumstances say or how hopeless you feel. With God, all things are possible. 

And Moses said to the people, “Do not be afraid. Stand still, and see the salvation of the LORD, which He will accomplish for you today. For the Egyptians whom you see today, you shall see again no more forever. The LORD will fight for you, and you shall hold your peace.” Exodus 14.13-14

Be Quiet & Get Close

“How does God speak to us, Pastor Rick,” I was asked recently, “Does He say, ‘Thus saith the Lord’ like Old Testament times?” That’s a great question but a little difficult to answer. God didn’t always “thunder” from heaven as He did at Sinai. Neither does He speak from heaven and send a dove as He did at His Son’s baptism. I have found, most often, that He speaks rather quietly through His Word. 

For an example of the “soft-spoken” God, I offer you Elijah who, waiting on God, heard a mild whisper [read 1 Kings 19 to get the story]. But why a whisper? I can think of a couple of reasons. To hear a whisper, you must first …

Be Quiet. By that I mean, rid yourself of the distracting noise around you and give your undivided attention to the whisperer. Do as young Samuel did. Quiet yourself before the Lord and say, “Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening” [1 Samuel 3.10].

Next …

Get Close. The closer you are to the whisperer, the more likely you will hear what is being said. So, get as close as you can to the Lord. That way, you’ll hear every whisper that comes from His lips. Do as James said, “Draw close to God, and God will draw close to you” [4.8].

Be quiet. Get close. Easy to say, but not as easy to do. But, when we do, the rewards are out of this world! 

Then He said, “Go out, and stand on the mountain before the LORD.” And behold, the LORD passed by, and a great and strong wind tore into the mountains and broke the rocks in pieces before the LORD, but the LORD was not in the wind; and after the wind an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake; and after the earthquake a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire; and after the fire a still small voice. 1 Kings 19.11-12

The “Whack-A-Mole” Syndrome

I’m not a fan of arcade games, but I did enjoy a game or two of “Whack-A-Mole” — many years ago. Have you played it? You have a padded mallet and stand behind a board with a dozen holes or more, and when a mole puppet raises its head, you “whack” it. They pop up randomly, and faster, as you get better at the game. I have to admit it, I was not known as the “Fastest Whack in the West.”

It struck me this morning (no pun intended) that a lot of people play “Whack-A-Mole” with their family. We notice every wrong in them when it pops up and we grab our mallet, often unpadded, and start whacking away. Some of us have gotten really good at it — if you consider that a good thing!

The trouble is, after a while of whacking, the “moles” give up and stop popping up. You may hear it like this:” What’s the use of trying? I can never please them, no matter what I do.”

Let’s try something new. Put away the mallet! Be observant of the good they do and “whack” them with praise. Encouragement is a great blessing. How do we know this? Because Jesus doesn’t play “Whack-A-Mole” with us! If he whacked us for every wrong we commit, we’d be beaten to despair. The Psalmist said it well, “If You, LORD, kept a record of sins, O Lord, who could stand? But there is forgiveness with You so that we can, with reverence, serve You” [130.3-4].

“There is forgiveness with You…” Aren’t you glad for that!

But exhort one another daily, while it is called “Today,” lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. For we have become partakers of Christ if we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast to the end, while it is said: “Today, if you will hear His voice, do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion. Hebrews 3.13-15

The “I Am” God

I was talking with a man the other day who asked me how many gods there were. While I believe there is only one, true God, I remembered a clever answer someone gave to a similar question. He said, “There are seven billion people in the world. And everyone has a personal god.” I gave him the same answer and concluded with, “There are countless gods."

The ancients worshiped Zeus, Apollo, Artemis, Diana and a host of other named gods. Today, it’s common for people to worship gods that go by different names, like: popularity, financial comfort, and political power. 

So today, I’m going to ask you, “What is the name of the God, or god, you worship?” That was Moses’ question, “What is Your name?”  — [ a loose translation of Exodus 3.13]. 

“I AM WHO I AM … the God of your ancestors — Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob — … that’s the name to remember for all generations” [3.14-15].

The “I AM” God! He has no limitations. He is not dependent on anything or anyone. He simply exists as the Greater and Sustainer of everything. 

Wherever “I AM” is, its a holy place. Dirt is holy if “I AM” is there. “I AM” said to Moses, “Take off your sandals, for you are standing on holy ground” [Exodus 3.5].  The Psalmist was right, “Exalt the Lord our God! Bow low before His feet, for He is holy” [Psalm 99.5].

Take off your sandals, for you are standing on holy ground. Exodus 3.5