Whom shall I fear–and WHY?

LIVE IT!

The Lord is the refuge of my life; of whom shall I be afraid? Ps.27:1

I was struck this week by Nehemiah’s confident perseverance in the face of fear. He had undertaken a daunting project—the rebuilding of the walls of Jerusalem.  He was surrounded by enemies opposed to this work.  But he didn’t succumb to their taunts.  He refused to be discouraged or to run and hide.  He just kept on building and spurring the work crews on till the job was done.1

It set me thinking about my fears. I am easily disheartened, readily fearful. As a Mom I know the taunts that can come when a daunting project is undertaken.  Rearing children is such a task.  Mine have outgrown their nest but not their mother’s care. It’s the most natural thing in the world to fear what may come of them.  The possibilities are endless.  This is the stuff of nightmares.  And yet we serve a living God, an awesome God, a God who is worthy of our fear and our faith.

Because Nehemiah feared God he persevered, refusing to be deterred even by threats to his life. (See Neh.6:10-14)  Because he knew his calling and His God, the fear of man had no power over him.  What if I were to fear God like that?

What if we were to fear God alone, no one else and nothing else—only Him? Not impending disaster, not pain, not cancer, not prodigals straying forever, not… (you name it), not radon poisoning (see cancer), not loss of life, of love, of current comforts, not even being laughed at, only God.

What if we were to relinquish our insistence that life go as we desire, (i.e. no disaster, no pain, no cancer, no prodigals, no loss, no ridicule…) and rest our case with the One who has given us life and truly keeps us in life for His glory, not our own, for His purposes, not our comfort, for His Kingdom’s sake, not the success of ours?

Could such a fear of God free us from all our petty temporal fears–even those fears we mothers legitimize as needful for the well-being of our offspring?  These are my thoughts as Mother’s Day makes it approach.  Fearing God leaves no room for fearing for our children’s welfare. Our worst nightmares are no match for His power.  He calls us to stand firm in faith, to call on Him,  and to find our refuge in Him when fears array themselves around our sleepy heads.  He is their Savior, not us.

He may well call us to face our fears with sling in hand, to take action.  But these Goliaths of the mind won’t topple by our strength, we must come in ‘the name of the LORD of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel. ‘
I Sam.17:45.  He must win the battle. And it will be our faith not our fear that brings the victory.  If God is our singular fear we are in Good Hands.

Jesus’ own words come to mind:  “Be not afraid of them that kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do.  But I will forewarn you whom ye shall fear: Fear him, which after he hath killed hath power to cast into hell; yea, I say unto you, Fear him.”  2 In this context Jesus was warning his disciples not to fear the Pharisees or be tainted by their hypocrisy.  Their hearts were hard toward God despite appearances. They lived to look good before people and to be made much of.  Consequently their own fear of men exceeded their fear of God.   And in fact it undermined their ability to believe in Jesus. (see: John 5:44)  But this fear was propagated because they held great power to ostracize those who believed.  Jesus said, Don’t fear them; they may kill you but that is all they can do.

If we are honest with ourselves, this fear of death lurks in the backdrop of our worst nightmares and is the root of many fears. And yet it is for this that Christ died for the godless: “that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery.” Heb.2:14,15  What if we were to relinquish our right to life and health and happiness and trust God with the length of our lives and the quality of our days?  What if in the face of each of our worst fears we were to confess that God is our One and only fear and leave the outcome with Him?

Jesus continues:  Are not five sparrows sold for two farthings, and not one of them is forgotten before God?  But even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not therefore: ye are of more value than many sparrows.   But interestingly, He is not finished.  He goes on to say that: Whosoever shall confess me before men, him shall the Son of man also confess before the angels of God. Lk.12:1-8

It hasn’t yet become a matter of life and death in North America to confess that we are God’s and obedience to Him takes precedence over obedience to the laws of men.  But it may yet… Perhaps it would be good to practice putting the fear of God before our other petty fears.  And don’t miss the rest of the picture—the Son, Jesus, confessing that we are HIS before the angels—His trophies, ‘the children God has given me’. (Heb.2:13)  If we are His He will keep us by His grace, safe and sound for eternity.  And by His grace our own children will be there to present as well—‘Behold, I and the children God has given me.’  This is my Mother’s Day hope and prayer.  I will trust Him with the outcome.

–LS

rose

“Do not be afraid of them.  Remember the Lord, who is great and awesome, and fight for your… sons, your daughters, your wives, and your homes.” Neh.4:14

“For they all wanted to frighten us, thinking, ‘Their hands will drop from the work, and it will not be done.’  But now, O God, strengthen my hands.” Neh.6:9

Therefore lift your drooping hands and strengthen your weak knees, and make straight paths for your feet…Heb.12:12

Therefore do not throw away your confidence, which has a great reward.For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God you may receive what is promised. Heb.10:35,36

And He will be the stability of your times,
A wealth of salvation, wisdom and knowledge;
The fear of the LORD is his treasure. Is.33:6

Blessed is the one who fears the LORD always, but whoever hardens his heart will fall into calamity. Pr.28:14

Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord. And you are now her children if you do right and let nothing terrify you. I Pet.3:6

—————-

1 I haven’t begun to do justice to the story of Nehemiah.  Please read it for yourself in the book by his name! It is a strong and encouraging testimony to the courage that comes with fearing God alone and living to do His will.

2 Luke 12:1-8

Settling into the Word

LOVE IT!, READ IT!

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The boxes of necessities are unpacked.  The furniture is placed. Best of all I’ve found a place to nestle in for morning quiet times and I’m settling back into the Bible reading plan I had suspended during our recent move. I started reading this way, several chapters a day drawn from all throughout the Bible, in 2014.  It has ‘hit the spot’ for me.  I took a little hiatus and stuck with just one little book at a time recently.  That was good, but I have missed the big perspective.  So I am glad to be back to my plan.

I’m reading now in Leviticus, Nehemiah, Isaiah, Psalms, Proverbs, Mark and Hebrews–just a chapter a day from each. If this were any other book than the Bible this would seem a crazy way to read it! [And even so I wouldn’t recommend this plan to anyone unfamiliar with the various book and genres of Scripture. ] But because it is all inspired by One great Author and centered in one Great Epic of Redemption, I find that reading it in this way really makes that theme stand out.  Each component part, each book and genre, is like one facet of a diamond.  Reading them side by side adds to the collective ‘sparkle’ as one passage reflects and magnifies the truth made clear in the other!

In hopes of encouraging you to try it, let me see if I can give an example using one day’s reading this week.  Notice how the themes in these various readings complement one another…

  • Leviticus is sometimes thought of as a dull book of endless ceremonial rules and the penalties for their violation.  But today’s reading brings its purpose into focus.  I paraphrase from Leviticus 18:   You shall not do as they do in the land of Egypt or in Canaan.  The things they do make the land unclean and themselves unclean. Do not do those things because I am the LORD your God.

This was God’s design for HIs people.  He intended for them to reflect His nature and character in the midst of nations who had no idea of God’s design for the human race.  This is still His intention. When His people violated that design bad things happened….

  • As Nehemiah considers the shambles that Jerusalem is in he prays remembering God’s promises to scatter and to gather His people.  When they forgot their God and copied the nations, they were taken captive by them.  God promised that if they returned to Him in repentance He would gather them again to the place where He has chosen His name to dwell, i.e. Jerusalem.

Nehemiah prays: “They are your servants and your people, whom you have redeemed by your great power and by your strong hand.  O Lord, let your ear be attentive to the prayer of your servant, and the prayer of your servants who delight to fear your name…” Neh.1:10,11   And as Nehemiah prays God begins to impress on his heart His plan for the restoration of Jerusalem.

  • Moving on to Psalms we get a picture of this God who is to be feared as King of all the earth,

“Ascribe to the Lord glory and strength.  Ascribe to the LORD the glory due His name; worship the LORD in the splendor of holiness…The voice of the Lord is powerful—it thunders, it’s majestic, it breaks cedars, it flashes like fire, it shakes the wilderness…The Lord sits enthroned as King forever. May the LORD give strength to his people!” (Ps.29 excerpts)

This is the God Nehemiah fears.  His day job may be cupbearer to a pagan king, for after all he lives in exile as a result of Israel’s rebellion.  But his heart is to see God’s kingdom restored in Jerusalem. (Neh.2:12) Its walls may be torn down, the returned exiles may be in a sorry state, but God is on the move.  His will will prevail; His kingdom will come.  And Nehemiah will be His agent in this restoration project.  But first he must get a leave of absence from the Babylonian king.  No problem…

  • As our Proverb for the day puts it:
    The king’s heart is a stream of water in the hand of the Lord; he turns it wherever he will.” (Prov.21:1) And peeking ahead to tomorrow’s reading in Nehemiah we see this illustrated:

“And the king granted me what I asked, for the good hand of my God was upon me.” (Neh.2: 8)  Indeed, “No wisdom, no understanding, no counsel can avail against the LORD.” ( Prov. 21:30)  God has the plan, and Nehemiah is His man for the job.

But where were we…

  • Isaiah chapter twenty-nine describes the siege of Jerusalem that has brought them into that sorry state Nehemiah was reckoning with.  Why did it happen?

“Because this people draw near with their mouth and honor me with their lips, while their hearts are far from me, and their fear of me is a commandment taught by men.” (Is.29:13)

They had lost their fear of God.  They pretended to honor Him but their lives did not reflect His glory.  So He brought foreign nations against them.  He turned His might (remember the description of it in Psalm 29?) toward punishing them so they might turn from their unfaithfulness and be saved.

God’s intent was not to destroy His people but to restore them.  This passage in Isaiah ends with a beautiful prophecy of good things to come:

“Jacob shall no more be ashamed, no more shall his face grow pale. For when he sees his children, the work of my hands, in his midst, they will sanctify my name; they will sanctify the Holy One of Jacob and will stand in awe of the God of Israel.  And those who go astray in spirit will come to understanding and those who murmur will accept instruction.” (Is.29:22-24)

This is a prophecy specific to Israel but in it is the pattern of God’s dealings with the people He intends to redeem for His own glory. We were designed to reflect His nature, the beauty of His holiness, and so to bring Him glory.  He is still at work in the world to bring people back to this design.

But HOW?  And that brings us to our New Testament readings.  First,

  • Mark
    John the Baptist appears on the scene in the first chapter of Mark to announce Jesus’ soon arrival. He will come to redeem man to God, to make a way for them to fulfill the design only hinted at in the Old Testament. The Old Testament rules laid out in our first reading, in Leviticus,  were insufficient to make men holy.  They illustrated God’s holiness but were powerless to transform men into His likeness.  Now John the Baptist announces Jesus is coming to baptize men with God’s Holy Spirit.  This is something new, something transformative.  This is the Good News Jesus has come to announce. It is how the Kingdom will come to earth: “The Kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.”

So by the time we reach the New Testament it becomes evident that restoring the walls of Jerusalem, the city God chose to represent His character to the nations, was only the beginning of His grand scheme.  His desire is that His name should dwell in people, not just in the Jewish nation, but in all those who will repent of their own ways of making life work and believe in Jesus.  The first chapter of Mark suggests that it isn’t enough just to know that Jesus is ‘the Holy One of God’.  Even those rebel angels, the demons, knew who He was (Mk.1:24).  Whether they liked it or not they were subject to Him for He is the King of Kings!  No, it will be those who, like Nehemiah, know the fear of God and willingly bow to His Kingship who will inherit this Kingdom.

  • Hebrews paints the picture beautifully of what it means to be a subject in this kingdom.  Chapter 12 was the perfect round-up of all the day’s readings.
    Leviticus (18)was all about God’s holiness.  Here, ‘He disciplines us for our good, that we may share his holiness.’ (10)
    Nehemiah (1)referred to rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem.  Here we find reference to ‘the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem’, to which we are invited.(22)
    Psalms (29) emphasized the awesome might of God’s voice. Here in Hebrews we are warned not to refuse Him who is speaking!  “For if they did not escape when they refused him who warned them on earth, much less will we escape if we reject him who warns from heaven.  At that time his voice shook the earth, but now he has promised, ‘Yet once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heavens’ “.
    Isaiah (29) spoke of an imitation fear of God.  Here we are called to the real thing!
    And finally, in Mark (1), Jesus came announcing the coming Kingdom of God while here in Hebrews we are admonished to ‘be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken,’ and to ‘offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe, for our God is a consuming fire.’

Do you get a glimpse of why I so much love reading the Bible in this way? The God of the New is no different than the God of the Old.  There is no contradiction in His character.  He is beautiful.  He is good.  He is worthy of our worship!

–LS

P.S. Are you bogged down in your Bible reading or just in need of a more consistent  plan?  This plan requires only about a half hour per day. Once you’ve committed to carving out the time you’ll be hooked.  Read the details by clicking on Bible Reading Plans on the side pop-out menu.

(If you’re reading this  post in your email, you’ll need to click on the post title to go to the Dawn Ponderings site.)  

A summary of my plan is here.  It is especially helpful if you’re very familiar with the Scriptures. As you look for related themes , familiar passages will shine in a fresh way!

 

 

 

Just Following…

Jots and Tittles

The Lord watches over the sojourners…Ps.146:9

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The packing was finished with the energetic help of a couple from our church.  Don’t know how we’d have gotten off without them!  It all got tucked in a 17ft. moving van with the precision of Tetris experts. The excess spilled over to fill the Previa nearly to the roof and we were off.  My job was to stay awake and to follow Jim.

I rarely drive on trips these days, not like old times when we traversed the continent in our VW van trading off the drivers’ seat so we could maximize the hours when the kids were likeliest to be asleep…

Those were long hauls.  I remember the torture of trying desperately to stay awake.  Now I gladly doze while Jim takes the helm.  But this trip was different.  He had the moving van to manage; I, the laden Previa.

My job, though dreaded, was easy.  Stay awake and follow.

I had only to keep that bright block of a van in my sights and my foot on the gas pedal… When it got lost from sight I had only to believe that Jim was just ahead, and there he’d be wending his way along while I tucked back in behind.

It’s kind of like that on the journey of life, don’t you find?  We may not exactly know where we’re going or how we’re going to get there but we have only to stay awake and follow.  Our paths have been planned since before the foundation of the world. (Eph.2:10) The good works designed for us to walk in are like the highway miles…We keep our foot on the gas, our eyes open, and we follow alert to brake lights, bumps in the road and turns.  The One ahead knows the way, sets the pace, and plans the stops.  We follow.

I’m spending time with Psalm 25 these days, making its words the prayer of my heart.

Make me know your ways, O LORD teach me your paths.

Lead me in your truth and teach me,
for you are the God of my salvation;
for you I wait all the day long. Ps.25:4,5

We can’t see what’s coming down the pike for us these days.  We are in a temporary quarters with a whole lot of life all boxed up and on hold, wondering, waiting, and keeping our eyes fixed on the One who watches over us.

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–LS

All the paths of the LORD are steadfast love and faithfulness. Ps.25:10

Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob,
whose hope is in the LORD his God…Ps.146:5

Clinging to Gratitude

Jots and Tittles

One last post from this place…

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One last Friday I sit in this chair to post my thoughts of the week.
I’ll be giving up this particular vantage point of window and willow very soon. It feels like we are giving up a lot lately in the selling of this home.
But it is time. The kids are grown. And we have grown too, older. It’s too much to keep up with. Still, it has been such a paradise to me…

I sat out on the back step yesterday to gobble my quick lunch of leftovers. But I stayed a bit longer. The sun was shining in that delectable way it does in the springtime… So I sat a while to count the robins, to savor the moment. I can pack away my other treasures in boxes. This I must leave. So I took a snapshot in words:

A frog ‘RIB–B-I-T’s in the distance

Twenty robins worm the lawn

Singing

          Scent of fresh mown grass

Dandelion song

Birds delirious with delight that spring has come,

transients come home to cheer my farewell.

A raven circles calling greeting from far above…

How is it that we were given this?

So much

So rich

Tears of loss mingle with welling gratitude

Thank-you Lord

for pastures green

and ways yet untraversed

where you will yet my Shepherd be.

I will fear no evil. You are with me.

Surely goodness and mercy

will yet be mine

         for You are good

                               and merciful

And I am

Yours.

=============

I have found gratitude to be a great solace, and a safety net too. When sadness at all that I must leave here threatens to edge out the hope of what’s to come, gratitude saves the day. I can dwell on all that I am giving up or I can remember with gratitude all I have been given for these nearly twelve years. To be honest, I fluctuate lately between the two.

But it is in the being grateful that hope is born. I recall God’s lovingkindness in so many particulars. And in this remembering I am reassured that though I may be leaving this custom-fit place, He goes before to fit another and will not cease to meet the needs of my heart. Wherever we may wander…He is my Rock, and in His purposes hope springs eternal!    It give me hope for all the good that is to come. Surely goodness and mercy will follow me all the days of my life…..

One day this week I was packing to the music of GLAD.  The CD happened to be on ‘repeat’.  Over and over came this reminder that I have a High Priest whose name is Love who ever lives and pleads for me.  It was just what I needed.   May it bless you today as well!

Before the throne of God above—Glad
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=soICOzv3CUc

Before the throne of God above
I have a strong and perfect plea.
A great high Priest whose Name is Love
Who ever lives and pleads for me.
My name is graven on His hands,
My name is written on His heart.
I know that while in Heaven He stands
No tongue can bid me thence depart.

When Satan tempts me to despair
And tells me of the guilt within,
Upward I look and see Him there
Who made an end of all my sin.
Because the sinless Savior died
My sinful soul is counted free.
For God the just is satisfied
To look on Him and pardon me.

Behold Him there the risen Lamb,
My perfect spotless righteousness,
The great unchangeable I AM,
The King of glory and of grace,
One in Himself I cannot die.
My soul is purchased by His blood,
My life is hid with Christ on high,
With Christ my Savior and my God!

Charitie L. Bancroft, 1863.

–LS

Finally, my brothers, rejoice in the LORD.  To write the same things to you is no trouble to me and is safe for you.  Phil.3:1

Rejoice in the LORD always, again I will say, Rejoice!  Phil.4:4

Who will roll away the stone?

Jots and Tittles

[It has been a distracting week.  I have only a skeleton of thoughts to share inspired by Sunday’s message entitled:  “Who will roll away the stone?” It was taken from Mark’s gospel account of the resurrection in Mark 16.—LS]

Who will roll away the stones in our lives–those things we are powerless to either change or move?

It will be neither I nor you.  But we move forward carrying the spices, doing the ‘next thing’, the only thing we know to do, meaning to bless Jesus even in His death… The ladies that came to Jesus tomb in the early morning hours had intended merely to anoint His body for burial, to do this customary thing in honor of Him, for love of Him…

They were in for a surprise beyond their highest hopes.

God saw to the rolling back of the stone revealing more than they dared hope, but at first there was doubt and disbelief.

Even so sometimes we weep and wonder where He has gone and how we will make it without Him…

The He speaks our name and we see Him and know that all will be well (John 20:16ff)  He means for us to know resurrection power, to live because He lives.

He calls us His own and invites us into His family!

“I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.”Jn.20:17

All will be well.

Therefore do not throw away your confidence, which has a great reward.

We have only need of endurance that after we done the will of God—after we have believed, we may receive what is promised. (Heb.10;35,36)

Who will roll away the stone?  God will do it.

Weeping endures for a night, but joy comes in the morning.

The words of an old hymn come to mind…and with it I close.

Jesus Lives and So Shall I

Jesus lives, and so shall I.
Death! thy sting is gone forever!
He who deigned for me to die,
Lives, the bands of death to sever.
He shall raise me from the dust:
Jesus is my Hope and Trust.

Jesus lives, and reigns supreme,
And, his kingdom still remaining,
I shall also be with him,
Ever living, ever reigning.
God has promised: be it must:
Jesus is my Hope and Trust.

Jesus lives, and by his grace,
Vict’ry o’er my passions giving,
I will cleanse my heart and ways,
Ever to his glory living.
Me he raises from the dust.
Jesus is my Hope and Trust.

Jesus lives, I know full well
Nought from him my heart can sever,
Life nor death nor powers of hell,
Joy nor grief, hence forth forever.
None of all his saints is lost;
Jesus is my Hope and Trust.

Jesus lives, and death is now
But my entrance into glory.
Courage, then, my soul, for thou
Hast a crown of life before thee;
Thou shalt find thy hopes were just;
Jesus is the Christian’s Trust.

Amen!

–LS