The Unfailing Love of Almighty God - Psalm 51:1

The Unfailing Love of Almighty God – Psalm 51:1

In this immortal psalm and prayer for forgiveness, restoration, reconciliation and resilience, David describes the love of Almighty God as unfailing.  This characterization is one of my most favorite biblical descriptions of the remarkable and infinite love of God.  David begins this psalm, written after his confrontation with the prophet, Nathan, regarding David’s adulterous affair with Bathsheba and murderous plot of Uriah, with a plea for mercy.  “Have mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love; according to your great compassion.”  Appealing to the unshakable affection of God, David asks for forgiveness and pardon.  He offers this penitent petition because he knows that God’s love is never in question.

It seems rather bold that a man who greatly abuses his royal and political power by summoning a married woman to him so that he may commit adultery with her and then designing a scheme that results her husband’s death, would audaciously refer to the love of God as his defense.  Yet, David’s enduring and vibrant relationship with God reassures him that God’s love never fails irrespective of the circumstances in which David finds himself.  The God, who spares David’s life on several occasions when Saul unjustly and jealously attempts to murder David; protects him from wild beasts as a shepherd; and guards David’s soul as he walks through the valley of the shadow of death; also loves David enough to forgive these egregious sins and transgressions of moral law.  The Hebrew word for love in this passage is hesed which means undying loyalty.  Accordingly, the devotion of God’s love can surmount any situation regardless of its unfortunate nature.

As a father of a nine-year old son, I appreciate the hesed of Almighty God.  There are times when my son makes some unwise choices.  He may antagonize his sister.  He may fail to do his chores.  His tone may not have the right modulation of respect and deference.  He may join the crowd at school in laughing and misbehaving.  But, the sum of all those things never equates with nullifying my love for me.  My love for my son is never in question!  I cannot imagine anything that he would do that could cancel my love for him.  That insight emerges from my increasing understanding of the infinite and unfailing love of God.  Nothing that I do can ever call the love of my Heavenly Father into question.

However, God allows me to face the consequences of my choices.  In 2 Samuel 12 and 13, David faces extreme outcomes to his self-aggrandizing choices.  The son that Bathsheba conceives dies as David’s just punishment for his despicable actions.  You will recall that David intercedes fiercely for the life of this child when he learns that the baby is sick.  Nevertheless, the Lord, in His direct will, insists through the prophetic condemnation of David’s dastardly deeds that David must experience the pain and bitter fruit of his choices.  Notwithstanding the firmness of divine justice in this instance, God’s love remains unfailing.  He walks with David as David accepts accountability for his sins and lives into the results of his choices.

Regrettably, many believers retain an image of God as the great big “Gotcha God” who resides in heaven as an autocrat waiting to delve out punishment to all persons who transgress minutely upon His holiness and law.  The fear of hell prevents many of us from experiencing the love of God.  The fallacious notion that our sins exceed His willingness to love us into a right relationship with Him prevents us from appealing to that very same love as our best and most formidable defense in the midst of moral and ethical lapses. 

A recent incident in American legal history vividly depicts the loyal and unfailing love of Almighty God.  The individual ultimately held legally responsible for the bombing of Alfred P. Murrah Building in Oklahoma City, OK was executed by the U. S. government.  I recall that his father made a very public demonstration of the torment that he felt about his son’s actions on the eve of the execution.  I trust that this son went to his death knowing of the undying love of his father.  How is it that a man can still love a son who is convicted of the deaths of one hundred and sixty-eight people inclusive of mothers and their babies?  Reason and logic are unable to answer that question.  However, love which knows no bounds can straightforwardly respond with an unrelenting loyalty and steadfast faithfulness which transcends social mores.  The father of this son would simply reply, “I love my son because he is my son.”

Finding God's Grace in Every Challenge and Adversity

Finding God’s Grace in 

Every Challenge and Adversity

“There is no failure in God!”  The spiritual and gospel song by that title often sets a congregation ablaze with affirmation, praise and excitement.  Most disciples assent to this spiritual maxim.  Living in the will of Almighty God inherently means that one cannot fail.  Yet, the question remains, “What do you do when things do not work out?”  How do you respond when challenge and adversity seemingly conspire to derail your God given dreams and goals?  How does one resolve negative circumstances that spew forth like the relentless, destructive, merciless and annihilating lava of a fomenting volcano?  Bewilderment is the natural reaction for the child of God who finds himself or herself in such a situation after he or she carefully confirmed that God led him or her in this direction.  Does God set us up for failure and then sadistically laughs at our humiliation in the process?  Consider the book of Job and his self-righteous indictment of the will of God in Job’s predicament.  Nevertheless, the eternal attributes of Almighty God and His unquestionable faithfulness (Lamentations 3:22-23) in every scenario substantiates the foregoing saying.  They further explain the continual chorus of “Amens” to the idea, “There is no failure in God!”

In his phenomenal and recently renowned lecture, “The Last Lecture,” Professor Paul Rausch, in discussing successful methods for actualizing one’s dreams, speaks consistently about the necessity of responding appropriately to the “Brick Walls” of life.  A Computer Science Professor at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, PA until last fall, Dr. Rausch recently discovered that he is dying from an incurable form of pancreatic cancer.  Invited to give his very last lecture, Professor Rausch shared intimately from his personal experience of pursuing his five heartfelt childhood dreams.  In the process, he encountered several brick walls.  Ironically, he utilized that occasion to reveal for the first item publicly that initially he had been denied admission to the doctoral program at Carnegie Mellon; eventually, he became one of the most distinguished and popular members of the faculty.  Nonetheless, he persevered beyond that brick wall.  Professor Rausch posits that we encounter brick walls to determine whether we really want what we say that we want.  Further, he says that brick walls separate the people who possess heartfelt dreams from those persons who merely had a fleeting thought.

In spiritual and biblical terms, brick walls afford us the opportunity to pause and renew our commitment to the necessity of inner spiritual transformation and the practice of spiritual discipline.  I reiterate the seven practices of SPAMBID: self-evaluation, prayer, affirmation of the Word of God, meditation, Bible study, imaging a new and triumphant life, and daily quiet time.  Admittedly, this is not an exhaustive list.  Most assuredly, it is not meant to comprise a full-proof formula.  Rather, it portends a suggested method of strengthening one’s relationship with our Lord as one humbly, earnestly, and diligently seeks His guidance in the face of challenge and adversity.  Put quite simply, brick walls enable us to find the grace of Almighty God in everyday life.

Finding God's Grace in Every Challenge and Adversity Part II

Finding God’s Grace in Every 

Challenge and Adversity – Part II

Failure befalls those persons who uncritically accept the brick walls as road blocks and dead ends.  Second, failure emerges in the lives of people who surrender hope.  Third, fear certifies failure for people who allow a few defeats to paralyze them.  Simply, they stop trying to achieve their dreams and goals because they are so afraid that they will fail continually.  The lack of faith in God is another reason some people fail.  “Accordingly to your faith be it unto you.”  Jesus warns a person who entreats Him for a miracle about the spiritual maxim of living a self-fulfilling prophecy of faithlessness.  If you expect nothing in life, you usually get it.  Equally, important, self-questioning and self-doubt inevitably results in the loss of dreams and goals.

In the first chapter of Ephesians, the apostle Paul prays that God opens the eyes of the hearts of the church so that they may be enlightened unto the “good, pleasing and perfect will” Almighty God.  This prayer endures for contemporary Christians.  When we face challenge and adversity, we have the further and perhaps greater test of finding the unending grace of God in every situation.  In His mysterious, mystical, majestic and magnificent way, God embeds grace into every potential failure.  In everything, He sows the seed of providence.  Accordingly, “every exit is an entrance.”  Whenever one door closes, God immediately opens another door that leads toward the fulfillment of His will which usually coheres with the actualization of our heartfelt dreams and goals.

Tunnel vision ensues when we doggedly pursue success even when our present activities do not equate with God’s situational will for us.  Myopia is the natural outcome of unwavering focus.  The loss of a panoramic view regrettably leads us to struggle and persevere within losing predicament.  Why should “failure” surprise us?  Yet, this commendable determination often blinds us to the unnecessary burdens that we may carry when our energies, talents and abilities could be used elsewhere.  As God opens the eyes of our hearts, we are able to see how He graciously closes doors and opens others.  Moreover, He releases us from burdens and frees us to assume other tasks.

The Bible offers us tremendous encouragement as we seek the grace of God in every challenge and adversity.  Isaiah 40:29 states, “He giveth power to the weak and to them that have no might, He increaseth strength.”  In Matthew’s gospel, the Lord Jesus invites the heavy burdened and ladened masses to come to Him.  He says take my yoke upon you and learn of Him.  He is gentle and humble.  His burden is light and His yoke is easy. In 1 Peter, the apostle recommends that believers cast their cares and anxieties upon the Lord for He cares for them.  Finally, the apostle Paul tells the Corinthians that he discovers that the grace of Almighty God is sufficient regardless of the test or tribulation.  Inexplicably, God’s power is made perfect in our weakness.  How incredible it is that overwhelming obstacles and perplexing problems equip us with the very best view and position to find myriad opportunities fruitful possibilities to receive God’s favor.

Beliefs, Threats, Changes and Blessings

Beliefs, Threats, Changes and Blessings

Recently, I attended a three-day strategic planning session for the Metropolitan Nashville Public Schools.  The commission, under the initiative of the Director of Schools and The School Board, seeks to chart a course for success within our system by 2014.  Hopefully, we will pursue a myriad set of action plans, with the requisite commitment, to reverse negative statistics relative to our inner city schools.  Nevertheless, the coordinator from The Cambridge Group shared some rather insightful thoughts about beliefs, threats and change.  Because these concepts possess spiritual values and even have biblical bases, I offer my paraphrase and summary of them for your consideration.

Beliefs express deep and abiding convictions.  Beliefs are principles that you will not compromise.  As moral imperatives, beliefs do not contain escape clauses.  Beliefs are absolutes.  Accordingly, you would use absolute words in the statement of your beliefs.  State a principle about which you will not negotiate.  In so doing, avoid coordinating clauses and commas.  Beliefs are not platitudes (sound bites and wimpy words), facts, education specific or prescriptions for solutions.  Again, beliefs are moral fundamentals.

Interestingly, beliefs are proven by behavior.  The only way to determine the worth of what you believe is by the way that you act.  Practically speaking, beliefs give you a personal plumb line which keeps you straight.  Grounded in your ideals, beliefs seek perfection.  A belief statement is the only part of a strategic plan that must be understood immediately by all people.  Similarly, people should be able to determine immediately that we believe in the redemptive and salvific work of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ by our behavior.

We live in a postmodern world that posits that the only absolute is that there are no absolutes.  “Truth” is relative to the experiential and ideological lenses of the person speaking, writing or expostulating.  This fallacy heightens the necessity that we stand firmly upon orthodox and biblical principles in our determination of the “Truth,” whom we confess is the Person of our Risen Lord and Savior. 

With regard to threats, the coordinator posits that threats choose us; we do not choose them.  By definition, a threat is any factor or force that is contrary to who we are.  As a result, threats contradict our core beliefs.  Therefore, threats possess the capacity to debilitate, defeat and destroy us.

As believers in the unerring providence and infinite wisdom of Almighty God, we consider threats as a part of God’s overarching plan to conform us to the character of Christ.  Disasters do not exist for us.  The immortal verse, Romans 8:28, assures us that God mysteriously and majestically uses all of the circumstances of our lives to accomplish His purposes.  Ironically, God embeds within every threat its own resolution.  Mostly, we face the challenge of genuinely relying upon the unfailing love, unquestionable faithfulness and unending grace of Almighty God in the midst of adversity.

Next, the coordinator spoke about two levels of change.  “Level One Change” happens when you attempt modifications within your current operating system.  You use the same paradigm with the erroneous hope of achieving different results.  “Level Two Change” occurs when you completely alter your reality and replace your petrified paradigm.

Fascinatingly, the Hebrew word, blessing, is the clearest explanation of “Level Two Change.”  Blessing is the combination of time and timing (circumstances).  A blessing is something that is uniquely ours at that time.  Usually, God graciously chooses to orchestrate the minute details and sequences of our lives to share His favor with us. 

Moreover, achieving the fruit of “Level Two Change” requires the spiritual application of imagination (Ephesians 3:20).  You can’t think that way that you were brought up and develop a plan for the future.  Utilizing intuition, spiritually speaking, we think in terms of discernment, we reconfigure our priorities, purposes and plans.  See what you can be!  If you can’t see what you can be, then no else can.  Paint a word picture of your life.  Envision the future.  Grasp the specification of detail, physical and aesthetic qualities.

Recent Thoughts on The Spiritual Dimension of the Study of History

Recent Thoughts on 

The Spiritual Dimension of the Study of History

Probably, most people consider the discipline of history one of the most boring subjects that we teach.  On a few occasions in Bible study, one member of the church suggested that reading history is the cure to insomnia.  I could not disagree more vehemently!  Actually, the study of history has a very vital spiritual dimension.  Both the Old and New Testaments contain substantial sections of history.  The Bible records the history, religion and literature of the Hebrew people in its first division and the origins, theology, and sacred writings of the early Christians in its second part.  The current generation of biblical scholars approaches the study of the scriptures by beginning with the social, economic, political and religious contexts of the Bible.  Practically speaking, they start outside of the text and work their way into its meanings for the original audience and for contemporary believers.  The previous cohort of Bible scholars did the reverse.  Their method of rigid textual exposition, while most rewarding for the average disciple interested in the rhetoric and nuances of the words, leaves the inadvertent impression that the historical, critical and analytical method is optional.  In actuality, the study of biblical origins which includes an in-depth evaluation of the people greatly informs our current challenges as people of faith in scientifically advancing, technologically rapid and post-modern world.  Our forebears in the faith faced similar struggles relative to their historical era.  From a spiritual point of view, we glean tremendous empathy and encouragement from their past way of life.  Yet, if we relegate the study of their past lives to meaninglessness, we rob ourselves of incalculable blessings.

The recent death of the very public historian, the late Arthur M. Schlesinger, Jr., reignited my considerations and passions for the study of history.  As he exited the stage of life, Professor Schlesinger, at a lunch held in honor at the end of last year, took another opportunity to remind us of “the relevance of history” in all matters.  He particularly addressed his rather serious concern about the escalating conflict in Iraq and the significant role that history could have played in helping the leaders of the country to avoid engaging this catastrophe.  “History is the best antidote to delusions of omnipotence and omniscience forcing us to a recognition of the fact, so often and so sadly displayed, that the future outwits all our certitudes.”  The costly and painful lessons of Vietnam and Korea should have sufficed to warn the Executive and Legislative branches of our government, specifically, and the American people, generally, of the potential dangers to invading a sovereign nation embroiled within an internal dispute.  History is a great teacher if we are willing to study and learn.  In ways, this most important discipline amongst the natural sciences, humanities and social sciences crystallizes what the Bible refers to a “Wisdom” or “Sophia” as the collection of books, in the Old Testament by those name, detail.

A rather laudatory editorial, published in The New York Times to commemorate the life and work of Professor Schlesinger, noted another aspect of his valedictory warnings to the academic community, the government, the policy decision-making cadre and concerned citizens at-large.  “But a far more grievous failing, he said, is to ignore history altogether, especially in a nation that has so often demonstrated imperial appetites.”  We ignore history to our great detriment.  In the last four years, we have spent one half trillion dollars ($500,000,000,000); sacrificed the lives of more than 3300 American military personnel (many of whom were in their late teens and early twenties age wise) and allowed more than forty thousand (40,000) other enlisted men and women to return home with lifelong and severe wounds.  A serious historical reading of the Vietnam conflict foreshadows those current results of the Iraq war.  We often hear that those persons who fail to respect history end up repeating it.  The intractable hubris and infinite recalcitrance of the Bush Administration substantially undermines the prosperity, security and standing of the United States.  Simply, the President’s ignorance of history and that of his chief advisers continues to extract an innumerable toll upon our nation.

On an individual level, failure to know one’s history leads to self-doubt, fear and a lack of self-acceptance.  On a benign basis, one falls for the social mores of the dominant culture.  The wizards of Madison Avenue easily convince one of their correctness about one’s self-worth with regard to clothing, cologne, cars and other material consumption.  On a more sinister and cynical level, one might fall prey to the abyss of self-contempt and self-hatred.  When the pervasive standards of beauty insists upon hues, features, skin tones and physiques that are not African-American, how does one love and accept one’s self as a Black person who does not possess those societal expectations?  I posit that a genuine acceptance and detailed knowledge of one’s history considerably mitigates the overbearing and perhaps unjust nature of society’s assessment of one’s worth.  Professor James H. Cone, the Charles Augustus Briggs Distinguished Professor of Systematic Theology at Union Theological Seminary in the City of New York, submits, “A person without a history is a person without a personality.”

Recent Thoughts on The Spiritual Dimension of the Study of History Part II

Recent Thoughts on 

The Spiritual Dimension of the Study of History 

Part II

The grand verses of Psalm 139:13-16 teach us to love and accept ourselves as unique children of Almighty God.  Inner healing and wholeness cannot emerge in the life of a person who fails to accept himself or herself as a child of God.  Self-doubt negates one’s ability to discover God’s purposes for life.  Wishing that one was someone other than one’s self greatly impedes one’s willingness to enjoy the abundant and eternal life that God offers in Christ.  Accordingly, I find the study of history central to the acquisition of the necessary self-acceptance to lead a holistic, successful, peaceful and fulfilling life.  History, then, possesses a very spiritual dimension.  It provides the emotional, psychological, mental and intellectual foundation for one’s personality.

Surprisingly, my trip to Turkey in July of last year with my colleagues in the Nashville Institute for Clergy Excellence taught me a lot about the substantive contributions of Africans to the ancient world.  As an African-American clergyperson, I find spiritual empowerment in discovering the myriad and majestic ways in which Almighty God revealed and continues to embody His creativity, contributions and gifts to humankind through people of African descent.  In the words of the Chaplain at Dartmouth College during my undergraduate years, The Rev. Dr. James P. Breeden, “Thank you God for your Blackness!”

In the center of Istanbul, a 3500 year old monument from Egypt stands prominently, piercing the surrounding skyline.  I posit that the Washington Monument in Washington DC was modeled after this structure, the name of which escapes me.  Incidentally, this monument was transported from Egypt in one piece via the “arcane” and “archaic” boating system of that time.  It still possesses the deeply engraved beauty of its original artwork, symbols and hieroglyphics.  Simply stated, it is a commanding structure which survives as an enduring testament of the invaluable origins of the African people to the ancient world.  This perspective is often left out of the great Western survey courses.  Second, we visited a synagogue on the first day of the trip.  In its sanctuary, we viewed the most ornate and rich wood, deeply black, which encased The Torah.  The guide mentioned that the wood came from Africa.  It was not painted.  Third, we traveled to the ruins of the great library at Pergamum.  At one time, this library contained more than 200,000 scrolls.  The library at Celsus in Ephesus had approximately 120,000 scrolls.  But, the ancient library at Alexandria in Egypt had more than 500,000 scrolls, making it the largest library in the ancient world.  Had it nit burned in the ninth century B.C., imagine the incalculable worth of its collection today.  Lest I fall pray to fallacy of a atavistic view of African history and culture, I cite these facts as being as central to the preaching of the gospel in the United States as a more imaginative and definitive reading of the book of Ephesians.  The cherished New Testament was used historically to subject people of African descent in the U. S.  Contemporarily, many expressions of American televangelism and the “Religious Right” acquiesce the residual White supremacist notions and theological hegemony of American Christianity.  Therefore, as an African-American clergyperson, I find it necessary to emphasize the contributions of African people in Diaspora, generally, and to the Christian faith, specifically.  It was most serendipitous to learn some new facts in this regard during my recent trip to Turkey.

In addition to learning about the inventions, artwork, labor, and cultural contributions of my African and African-American forbears, I am most interested in their intellectual, theological and ideological legacy.  To that end, I devour the books of DuBois, Baldwin and John Hope Franklin.  Primarily, I chose to attend Union Theological Seminary in the City of New York so that I could study with Professor James H. Cone, “the father of Black theology,” in that his writings formally systematizes the religious heritage and positions of African-Americans.  Additionally, Professor Albert Raboteau’s enduring book, Slave Religion, catalogues the distinct way in which American slaves interpreted Christianity despite the religion that the slaves masters in conjunction with the White clergy tried to force feed them.  Appropriating the immortal stories of the Israelites and the Exodus, slaves did not believe that God meant for them to be in bondage.  Their relationships with Christ necessitated their freedom, spiritually and mentally.  In time, they expected it physically.  Even secular historians agree that slaves undoubtedly prayed for the day of emancipation.  When I look upon my past, as a descendant of slaves perhaps only five generations removed from the horrors of that “peculiar institution,” I do not dwell upon the degradation, commoditization and subjugation that my forebears experienced.  Instead, I mine the historical past for the gems of their creative expression of faith in God and their determination to be free.  In so doing, I find spiritual empowerment to face life’s daily challenges with a similar Christian maturity.

Recent Thoughts on The Spiritual Dimension of the Study of History Part III

Recent Thoughts on 

The Spiritual Dimension of the Study of History

Part III

We live in a world with a twenty-four news cycle.  Sound bites dominate public discourse, most regrettably.  The cable news channels air myriad programs with celebrity announcers and guests who constantly and rudely interrupt each other.  Not surprisingly, very few, perhaps less than one percent, of the topics that are discussed are ever put in any historical context.  Major public policy makers and governmental officials attempt to resolve substantial societal challenges without any consideration of the underlying etiology of these political, social, economic and religious issues.  Unfortunately, armchair analysis and decision-making are the rotten fruit of glitzy cable news.

Four years ago, the U. S. Supreme Court again extended the constitutionality of affirmative action in collegiate and graduate school admissions decisions.  You may recall the numerous and vociferous, even cacophonous, calls for summarily ending this significant social, legislative, economic and academic policy of establishing fundamental fairness in all areas of the American marketplace.  None of the formidable critics of affirmative action bothered to explore the historical origins of the policy.  Further, they did not undertake either a quantitative or qualitative evaluation of this remedy to the longstanding racial discrimination and White supremacists notions that have undergirded historically American legislation, public policy and market trends. 

Several well respected historians and other academicians argue that contrary to popular belief that African-Americans have not been the primary beneficiaries of affirmative actions.  Instead, this initiative enables them to enter the mainstream of U. S. society as it relates to education, employment, enterprise and the emerging mosaic of diverse cultures and ethnic backgrounds.  More significantly, the critics lacked any appreciation for the fact that affirmative action remains a modern iteration of the Reconstruction (1865 to 1877) plan of awarding Black Americans “forty acres and a mule” so that they could compete in commerce as emancipated persons.  How startling that such an important social policy would be eroded with such historical ignorance!

Entry level collegiate and graduate school courses usually begin with a recitation of the “great” achievers, theorists, thinkers and pragmatists in any given field.  You may recall the national, academic debates of the 1980s about the great canon of literature that all learned people should read and study.  Whether one accepts the existence of a canon in every discipline or not, one could reasonably argue that it would comprise a diverse list of authors inclusive of race, ethnicity, sex, creed, religion and national origin.  However, many students of color have to listen to a list that is disproportionately Anglo-American and European.  As a consequence, a potential crisis of monumental psychological, emotional, intellectual and spiritual dimensions ensues for students of color.  They ponder silently, “Have not my people contributed anything meaningful to this field of study?  Are we not great people too?”

Greatness in its many forms emerges fundamentally from a healthy and holistic spirituality.  A strong ego can only manufacture an external appearance of greatness.  Genuine excellence and superlative achievement are the natural outgrowth of divine creativity.  Hence, we hear the celestial inspiration of Duke Ellington, Whitney Houston, Kathleen Battle, Wynston Marsalis, Dizzy Gillespie, Mahalia Jackson, Thomas Dorsey and countless other vocalists and musicians.  Divine imagination extends to fields beyond the fine and performing arts.  Consider the passion of Avon Williams, Sr., Charles Hamilton Houston, Thurgood Marshall, Carter G. Woodson, George Washington Carver, W. E. B. DuBois and many other historical luminaries within African-Americana who worked with godly energy to create a more just and equal society.  I contend that all of these persons acted from an inner spiritual core in which they accepted the divine approval of their African-American heritage. 

Again, the study of history greatly fosters self-acceptance and in turn self-love as one sees God’s embodiment of His talents, abilities and gifts in one’s forebears.  Realizing that God is not a respecter of persons, one knows that Almighty God has given one a comparable and uniquely suited set of personal gifts. 

Recent Thoughts on The Spiritual Dimension of the Study of History - The Conclusion

Recent Thoughts on 

The Spiritual Dimension of the Study of History

 The Conclusion

The historical method contains three major steps.  First, one gathers evidence based upon a hypothesis about a certain historical phenomenon.  Second, one evaluates the evidence to determine its worth in substantiating the initial theory.  Embedded within that analysis is an assessment of the legitimacy of the evidence.  Is it fraudulent?  Is it credible given the historical context?  Is the writing genuine or is it the rhetoric of purposeful legend to cloud the bitter truth?  Third, one synthesizes the evidence to find meaning for the persons of a former era and practical application for those of us who live today.

This analytical, critical method formalizes the spiritual discipline of self-evaluation.  Often, when we find ourselves emotionally disturbed by the actions of others and the circumstances of life, an intensive analysis of our thoughts, feelings and responses will greatly aid us in identifying the root of the problem.  Usually, our familiar emotional friends (anger, bitterness, resentment, and strife) drop by for a visit during such trying times.  Their cacophony drowns out the comforting and sustaining voices of meditation and wisdom.  Yet, were one to pull aside from the rapidly spinning merry-go-round of life and be still, one would gain a divine perspective on one’s problems.  Following the steps of the historical method is a most practical and beneficial way of resolving life’s daily challenges.

Additionally, the study of history insists upon a four dimensional analysis: (1) politics, (2) economics, (3) sociology and (4) theology.  These four significant perspectives capture humankind’s attempt to find meaning in life regardless of the historical era, geographical location or racial and cultural nuances.  Contemporarily, clarity about one’s ideology, use of one’s financial resources, relationships with and obligations to people and one relationship to Almighty God is equally important to the quest for determining one’s purpose in life.  However, more than an academic exercise in the discipline of history, defining these four critical components of one’s worldview is a spiritual experience. 

Compartmentalizing our faith from our politics is one of the current fallacies in the Church today.  Some believers vote for candidates whose philosophies and actions are diametrically opposite our biblical and theological beliefs.  Superfluously, we separate the worlds in which we live.  We identify ourselves as a member of a political party during election season.  While at Church, we strongly proclaim our beliefs in the Lordship of Jesus Christ and the inerrancy of the Bible.  In exhorting us to seek the kingdom of God and His righteousness first, the Lord directs us to align our faith and worldview.  Parenthetically, I hasten to add that striving for intellectual coherence and practical consistency in this vein need not necessitate moral absolutism.  Pragmatism can be principled in many instances.  What is most crucial is spiritual progress toward a way of life that honors the Lord and obeys His Word.

The Bible contains more 2650 verses relating to purpose and use of money.  We cannot serve God and mammon.  We will love one and hate the other.  The Lord knows the temptation toward self-reliance and egotism that lots of money holds for the average person.  Accordingly, He urges us to develop a concept of faithful stewardship in which we humbly acknowledge that He owns everything and that we merely manage the resources with which He blesses us.  It stands to reason that we use our resources to obey The Great Commandment (Matthew 22:34-40) and The Great Commission (Matthew 28:16-20).

The second half of The Great Commandment instructs us to love our neighbors as ourselves.  The burgeoning global village makes neighbors of all people in the world.  The Iraq conflict looms large in the mental horizon of most U. S. citizens.  Have we taken the time to learn anything about the people with whom we are joined militarily?  How do we understand the people of Iran and their provocative leader?  The horrible situation in Darfur captivates our hearts and demands our finances and activism.  The twelve million Mexicans who cross the southern U. S. border in hopes of making a better life for their families are our neighbors.  They are the people about whom the Lord speaks in the immortal parable of The Good Samaritan.  Will we risk, finding the strength of our faith, and live on the right side of history in the present by advocating reasonable immigration reform that esteems these people as children of God? 

Inevitably, our worldview, stewardship relating to money and treatment of other people emerge from our understanding and relationship with Almighty God.  God must possess four non-negotiable attributes in order to be the Sovereign Creator and Lord of the universe: omniscience, omnipotence, omnibenevolence and omnipresence.  If God were limited in any way, He would not be a divine being worthy of worship and unequivocal devotion.  Nevertheless, the Bible substantiates those characteristics of God and further reveals Him as the Father of all people.  In order to love Him with all of our heart, mind, soul and strength, we must be willing to love others with the same fervor with which we claim to love God.  “A tree is known by its fruit.”  Consequentially, love is as love does.  We demonstrate our love of God by meeting the practical needs of others.  This effort requires that we parallel our spiritual rhetoric with daily reality in the distribution of our resources, politics and relationship with others.

The study of history is most fascinating in and of itself.  I derive the same pleasure from reading a good history monograph that others have when reading good fictional literature.  However, I am most pleased to posit that studying history possesses some inherent spiritual dimensions which empower us to grow closer to our Lord.

Thoughts on Scripture Part I

 Greetings in the Name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ!  I hope this memorandum finds you in good health, spiritually and physically.

 As I reflect upon last week’s discussion about the Bible, its trustworthiness and our interpretation of it, I find it necessary to clarify my views on the issue.  The dynamism, fluidity and length of our discussion did not allow me the opportunity to answer completely the question regarding whether we must unilaterally and uncritically accept scripture. 

You will recall the various opinions about Joseph’s instructions to his brothers.  His advice to them enabled them to receive the best tract of land.  Did Joseph operate out of selfish motives in giving these recommendations?  Were they a part of God’s direct will?  Granting that Joseph operates within the will of God’s plan, does it stand to reason that Joseph’s every action is a part of the divine plan?  What role does human choice play in the will and purposes of Almighty God?  Does every scenario in the Bible and every action of each person in the Bible perfectly reflect the divine will?  If we choose not to agree, does that mean that we question the worth of the Bible?

 The Infallibility of the Bible

Unquestionably and unwaveringly, I adhere to the orthodox theological position on the inerrancy of the Bible.  It is trivially true that if the scriptures are the Word of God then they must be infallible because God (all-knowing, all-powerful, all-kind and ever-present) cannot err.  It stands to reason that God cannot fail nor make mistakes.  Anything that arises from Him must be perfect because His character and abilities are perfect.  As His revealed Word to humankind, the Bible must possess His prefect imprimatur.

However, the traditional view on the inerrancy of the Bible insists that the original manuscripts, commonly referred to as the “Autographs,” were perfect.  Unfortunately, for a number of reasons, they have been lost.  Yet, the preponderance of remaining manuscripts (25,000 New Testament documents alone) yields reasonable and reliable translations of the original documents.  Parenthetically, there are more manuscripts to support the claims of the Bible than there are to substantiate Shakespeare, classical literature and other historical documents.  Nevertheless, the Bible in its original form perfectly reveals the Word of God.

The Bible itself makes the claim of its infallibility.  I refer you to the following verses.

·         2 Timothy 3:16

·         2 Peter 1:21

·         Hebrews 4:12

·         Matthew 5:18

·         Matthew 24:35

·         Psalm 19:7

·         Psalm 119:89

Additionally and more practically speaking, the Bible has proven to be historically reliable.  It has endured the test of time and the course of human history.  The Bible has withstood the challenges of science and technology.  All societies have found it relevant regardless of the social, economic and political situations of any nation.  In fact, the atrocities of human history have clearly demonstrated the validity of the doctrine of original sin.  Whether one believes in God or not, one must conclude that human beings are inherently flawed given past wars and current acts of genocide.  Nonetheless, the Bible continues to offer a plan of salvation to humankind.  As long as time persists, the Bible will speak forcefully to the human condition.  We can rejoice that the scriptures offer an intellectually respectable and scientifically and technologically acceptable answer to all human challenges, individually and collectively.

Thoughts on Scripture Part II

Thoughts on Scripture Part II

Our Interpretation of the Bible

Because the Bible has been used and continues to be utilized to justify some of the previously mentioned atrocities, I caution us against equating our interpretation of the Bible with the “Word of God.”  Slave masters, imperialists, colonialists, misogynists, industrialists, bigots, racists, etc., using the “doctrine of divine election,” searched the Bible for verses to support their crimes against humankind.  The give-and-take of our weekly discussions is necessary for the spiritual growth and personal development of all of us.  We learn from God as we learn from each other.  Whereas God is perfect and the Bible, His Word, is also perfect, we are not.  Accordingly, we cannot equate our experience of God and our interpretation of His Word with the perfection that coheres in them.

In addition, I caution us against a “wooden literalism” in interpreting the Bible.  In the Sermon on the Mount, the Lord Jesus Christ strongly recommends, “If your right eye causes you to sin, gouge it out and throw it away.  It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell.  And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away.  It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to go into hell.”  Were we to interpret those verses literally, the average Christian would not have his or her right eye or right hand. 

The majesty and mystery of scripture contains a lot of symbolism and hidden meanings, which the Holy Spirit reveals to us as we rightly relate ourselves to Almighty God and diligently study the Word of God. (John 14:26, 2 Timothy 2:15 and Acts 17:11)  The entire book of Revelation was written during a time of great turmoil and oppression for Christians.  John cloaks the message to the churches in the language and symbolism of the Old Testament.  The extravagant symbolism of Revelations was used to protect the Christian readers who could decipher it using the Old Testament, but if caught with the book stood the danger of being imprisoned or murdered.

However, I hasten to add that our interpretation of the Bible must adhere to the holy nature and will of Almighty God.  We cannot use our interpretation of the Bible to justify sin, our personal preferences or offenses against other people.  “God is light and in Him, there is no darkness.”  We cannot deify our personal opinions and experiences.  That error has permeated the writing of theology for the last quarter century.  Our relative experience is just that, our limited outlook on life subject to the limitations of time and circumstance.  In as much as we should not automatically digress to a “wooden literalism” when interpreting scripture, we must acknowledge that there are very clear and unequivocal directives found in the Bible about the way in which we relate to God and each other.

In the great hymn of love, 1 Corinthians 13, Paul says that love greatly surpasses knowledge, spiritual gifts, miraculous abilities, faith and hope.  In the ninth verse, he acknowledges that all knowledge is limited.  Then, in the twelfth verse, he offers this timeless, cautionary admonition, “Now we see but a poor reflection.”  In the King James Version, it says, “We see through a glass dimly.”  As creatures of time, culture, history and personal experiences, our interpretations will be flavored, favorably or unfavorably, by various circumstances and limitations.  Acknowledging those potential biases and presuppositions can yield the requisite humility to consider other’s interpretations as equal to ours.  It also helps to keep our interpretations in proper (human size) perspective.

The Word of God as Personified in the Lord Jesus Christ

The neo-orthodox, Swiss theologian, Karl Barth, posits that the Lord Jesus Christ embodies the Word of God.  The Bible testifies to God’s clearest revelation of the divine, the Person of Jesus Christ.  He is the Word of God.  The author of Colossians submits “In Him the fullness of the godhead dwells bodily.” (Colossians 2:9; also see Colossians 1:15-20)  The opening verses of the gospel of John assures us that the Word is God; was with God at the creation and came to earth to dwell among us.  For our purposes, Barth’s theology and these verses encourage us to utilize the Bible to further our relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ.  In addition to our reading and interpreting scripture, we relate to the Word of God as we rightly relates ourselves to Christ, the personified Word.

I agree with Brother Lloyd C. Elam’s point that our interpretations of scripture should help us to better love, obey, understand, and serve the Lord Jesus Christ.  Also, our study should help us to preach the gospel of Christ and expand the kingdom of God on the earth. 

I think that this is a very worthwhile litmus test.  Does any interpretation honor, glorify and serve Christ?  Does it seek His will and the guidance to accomplish it?  Answering those questions before settling in dogmatically would greatly aid us in sifting out our personal preferences and selfish motives.  Moreover, it would encourage us to avoid the pitfalls of equating our interpretation with the Word of God and will of God.

Additionally, the Holy Spirit leads and guides us into all truth.  He reminds us of the teachings of Christ. (John 14, 15 and 16)

Thoughts on Scripture Part III

Thoughts on Scripture Part III

The Will of God and Our Daily Choices

When we act in accordance with the will of God, does it stand to reason that our every action and choice are a part of God’s larger plan for us?  The spiritual practices of trust, discernment, patience and humility are essential when we resolve that we are fulfilling God’s will.  God reveals His will in relationship.  The story of Joseph as well as those of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Hagar, Esther, Deborah, David, Solomon, Samson, and Josiah fundamentally emerges from the relationship that these biblical characters have with Almighty God.  These heroes and heroines of the faith had the daily challenge of seeking God’s will.  Each morning, they had to “steal away” and receive a fresh revelation.  I doubt very seriously that any of them would say that his or her every choice and action equated with the will of God.

In fact, the Bible tells us otherwise.  David’s escapade with Bathsheba did not fulfill God’s will.  Yet, God redeemed the situation.  Solomon’s love of women eventually undermined his relationship with God such that Solomon tolerated spiritual practices that were abominable in the eyes of God.  Josiah faithfully adheres to the will of God in removing the Asherah poles and other residue of idolatry in the kingdom.  Yet, at the end of his life, Josiah goes to battle without consulting God.  Not surprisingly, Josiah loses his life in the conflict.

Daily, we must remain in constant communication with Almighty God just as we do with our spouses, children, friends and colleagues in order to ascertain the best choices.  On some days, we will operate out of self-centered fear and personal will.  Examining our motives is crucial to fulfilling the will of God in every instance.  What happens when the will of God clashes with our personal will?  What happens when we become afraid that we might not get something that we resolve that we deserve or want very much?  What about the periodic crises of faith in which we fail to trust God to provide for our needs?  The answer to any of the foregoing questions may encourage us to practice the spiritual attribute of self-evaluation.  We must sift our selfish motives in order to more clearly see the will and purposes of God.

Further, I find the notion that our every action equates with the will of God questionable on moral grounds.  Such an uncritical belief erroneously leads one to the fallacy that God sanctions his or her behavior, even when it may be morally dubious.  Furthermore, it allows one to evade accountability for his or her actions and choices.  In regards to the moral matters, the blanket excuse, “God told me to do it,” can become the flip side of “The devil made me do it.”  In both instances, the individual avoids personal responsibility for his or her choices.  We cannot reasonably excuse moral lapses under the aegis of fulfilling the will of God.

I radically believe that Almighty God gives us free choice.  Although, I hasten to add that human choice cannot nullify the direct will and purposes of Almighty God.  Should we choose to disobey God or to fulfill our will instead of His, then He majestically and mysteriously orchestrates our unfortunate choices toward a redemptive purpose, which ultimately fulfills His will.  The clearest biblical example of God’s redemptive orchestration of human infidelity and disobedience is the sacrificial gift of our Lord Jesus Christ, “the One and Only begotten Son of the Father.” 

I admit that there are some factors that are determined within our choices.  Genetics, history, tradition, natural law, etc. demonstrate a reasonable level of determination in life.  Within those parameters, we still have choices to make. 

The ultimate choice that we make is the one to live to the honor and glory of Almighty God and in accordance with the Lordship of Jesus Christ.  Every other choice stems from that fundamental one.  Our use of time, treasure, talent and temperament flows from that significant choice.  Moreover, daily, we must reaffirm the choice to love God by obeying His commands and seeking His will.  In order to have our every action be a part of His larger plan, we must faithfully seek revelation of His will.

Interestingly, God desires that our every action cohere with His will and plan.  In the immortal twenty-third psalm, David reminds us that God leads us in paths of righteousness for His name’s sake.  Out of His character of love, goodness and holiness, Almighty God wants us to choose the actions that lead us toward right relationship with Him.  On a daily basis, if we communicate consistently and willingly yield our wills to His, then He will direct us toward the very actions that accomplish His larger will in our lives.

Thoughts on Scripture Part IV - The Conclusion

Thoughts on Scripture Part IV – The Conclusion

Weathershead’s Thoughts on the “Will of God”

A Protestant theologian, Weathershead characterizes God’s will in three distinct perspectives.  He argues that there are three dimensions to God’s will: (1) God’s intentional will, (2) God’s circumstantial will and (3) God’s ultimate will.  Others have described these classifications as God’s direct, permissive and eventual or redemptive will.  Nevertheless, human action does not always result in God’s intentional will.  The fiasco of the Garden of Eden illustrates this point.  God intended to enjoy an eternal and blissful relationship with humankind.  Though he foreknew the fall of humankind, God did not intend nor did He cause it.  In His largesse of love and benevolence, God’s permissive will allowed the fall to occur.  In the Law and Prophets and the redemptive work of Christ, God’s ultimate will emerges.  The atoning work of Christ reconciles humankind to Almighty God (2 Corinthians 5:10-6:2). 

The Notion of “Higher Biblical Criticism”

You recall that we spent some time discussing the method in which scripture evolved.  Some members of the class pointed out that the events concerning Joseph’s life were written years after they occurred.  The stories were transmitted orally through the generations until they were finally recorded on scrolls possibly during the exilic period.  In addition, there are theories that predominate in seminaries about the multiple biblical authors and their objectives in writing.  These hypotheses have been used to undermine the validity of scripture.

I do not adhere to them.  The process of “higher biblical criticism” is primarily built on a deck of cards, essentially.  None of the persons who ascribe to such notions have any concrete evidence to support the theories.  They attempt to utilize logic and analysis to prove the point that the Bible is just another book written by forty very human authors with personal, historical and cultural biases.  These purported higher biblical critics have imposed upon themselves epistemological quandaries that that they fail to answer.  As a result, they spend their careers polishing the theories.  Interestingly, one of my New Testament professors who adhered to these theories granted that the Bible possessed a power that “biblical scholarship” could not negate.

I posit that Almighty God in His infinite wisdom, knowledge, will, majesty and mystery carefully coordinated the writing of scripture.  It is amazing that forty different persons would contribute to a compilation of writings that offer a coherent and enduring message of salvation for humankind.  The core of the message is God’s eternal covenant of love for humankind as embodied in the person of the Lord Jesus Christ.  The same God who meticulously designed the intricacies of the universe and the natural order chose to just as majestically, mysteriously and inexplicably manage the development of the Bible.

The Rule and Guide for Faith

Summarily, the Bible is the revealed Word of God.  It is the rule and guide for the Christian faith.  All Church practice must be biblically based.  The wisdom of the principles of Almighty God as outlined in the scriptures greatly exceeds the human understanding embedded in the corporate, secular, and humanistic society in which we live.  We cannot elevate the shadowy thoughts of humankind to the level of the Creator  (Isaiah 55:9-11). 

Regardless of your interpretation, you will find wisdom in the Word of God.  I have thoroughly enjoyed our discussions on this critical issue in the Church.  I pray that all of us will imitate the spiritual practice of the Bereans who searched the scriptures daily to verify the truth of the apostles’ teaching.

A Daily Dose of Gratitude

 “A Daily Dose of Gratitude”

Gratitude is an important spiritual discipline.  The apostle Paul exhorts the church at Thessalonica to “give thanks in all circumstances for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”  (1 Thessalonians 5:17)  This recommendation at first seems odd if not possibly insensible.  Are there not self-evident situations in which one finds one’s self for which one could not reasonably expect to be grateful?  I recall a bereavement visit to plan the funeral program in which the surviving widower forthrightly refused to include “Words of Comfort” in the service.  He asked, “What could someone say that could possibly comfort me at this time?”  What if a loved one was in a car accident and was injured substantially?  Are we to be thankful for the incident, the expense, long road to rehabilitation and recovery, and the forthcoming bureaucratic maze with the hospital and insurance company?  What about the stack of bills on the kitchen table and the definitively limited funds in the checking account?  Where should someone find thankfulness in the chasm of those two realities?  Many other versions of these questions come to mind.  Yet, in every instance, we can be grateful to Almighty God and for the myriad blessings we receive notwithstanding the daily adversities we face.

In droughts of gratitude, we see the glass as half empty as opposed to being half full.  We ponder that half that is missing.  We ruminate about the different strategies that we might employ to acquire those things that we feel we lack.  Usually, we begin with making a list of missing items from our lives.  Compiling this list necessarily means that obtaining these things will result in the wonderful, happy and successful life that we always imagined.  A new job with a fancy title is a great start.  Of course, a promotion yields a salary increase.  That achievement enables the purchase of clothing, technology, décor, furniture, and cars that we have desired for some time.  A new job, wardrobe, car and home inevitably brighten the essence of marital and familial relationships as well as friendships.  The list could proceed infinitely.  However, we fail to appreciate that making such a list usually eclipses the things already in our lives for which we can and should be grateful.  Wish lists ironically cause depression.  We lament what is missing instead of offering gratitude for what we have.

A most effective and practical way to practice the spiritual discipline of thanksgiving is to make a gratitude list.  I particularly recommend taking a pen and paper and itemizing every person and each thing in your life for which you are grateful.  Writing a gratitude list when complaining excessively habitually disperses the clouds of doubt, anger, confusion, and ingratitude.  By the time that I list the fifteenth item, I am typically so thankful that I forget my complaints.  They pale in comparison to the tremendous blessings that I already enjoy.

Gratitude lists fundamentally change my perspective on life.  When my children irritate me, I out their names on my list because they are a blessing.  They are healthy, gifted, talented, smart, handsome, pretty, vocal and spiritual.  Every father can appreciate the depth of such a blessing.  I have ten-point list of repairs that the house needs.  Dwelling upon the finances, timing, and extent prevents me from being grateful for having a home in the midst of the national housing crunch and mortgage crisis.  Drooling about my possible dream car impedes my ability to be thankful for my current transportation and the divine provision of fuel.  My family is comfortable in this vehicle.  I rejoice at their satisfaction and because of it I am most assuredly grateful to Almighty God.  I could go on ad infinitum.  Effectively, reflecting upon one’s enduring blessings of life, health, love, marriage, family, and daily sustenance yields an “attitude of gratitude.”  You will find joy and praise swelling up within your mind, heart and soul.

What about Paul’s admonition to give thanks in all situations?  He urges this action on the basis of God’s unquestionable faithfulness, unfailing love and unending grace.  Paul assures the Church at Thessalonica that regardless of dire state of affairs God is always there to sustain them with His love, power and presence.  Each daily challenge affords us a new opportunity to experience the character, love and provision of Almighty God.  We need not fret or be afraid; God is always with us.  Indeed, we can be thankful because we never walk alone.  Moreover, God redeems our pain and suffering toward His eternal purposes.  He uses these adversities as mechanisms in which to conform us more greatly into the character of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

An attitude of gratefulness trumps the bottomless pit of desire that our natural eyes create when we dwell upon what we lack.  An enduring hymn admonishes us to count our blessings and name them one by one.  In counting our many blessings, we reflect upon what God has done in our lives.  Taking a daily inventory of God’s faithfulness eradicates the tendency of indulging our fears that new challenges will eclipse God’s power.  A daily dose of gratitude parallels an insecticide that exterminates the mental pests of doubt, cynicism, greed, complaining and restlessness.  Moreover, gratitude leads to praise and worship of Almighty God and a renewal of faith in His ability to supply everything that we need and even some of our desires according to His infinite riches and limitless grace.

The Pitfalls of Waiting - Isaiah 30:18

The Pitfalls of Waiting - Isaiah 30:18

An interminably long time in a line at the post office!  Long lines seem to form when you are ready to check-out at the grocery store.  At your favorite department store, suddenly a line forms as you approach the cashier with your one sale item.  Then, there is the family member, friend or colleague who makes us wait for them despite our warnings and encouragement to the contrary.  Our repulsion of lines is indicative of our hatred of waiting.  Quite simply, we detest waiting on anyone or anything.  We particularly hate waiting on Almighty God!

Spiritually speaking, waiting contains several significant pitfalls.  Our frustration with waiting on God often leads to counterproductive choices.  Impatience inevitably results in impulsivity and its concomitant decisions.  The Bible contains two contrasting images of places to wait for God.  First, there is the wilderness full with its daily challenges of preservation, protection and provision.  There, the children of Israel constantly complain about what they lost in the exodus from Egypt and what they lack as a result of their liberation from 450 years of slavery in a foreign land.  Instead of expressing their gratitude for the gracious gift of freedom, they articulate their contempt for Almighty God by detailing His failure to provide bread, meat, and water.  Actually, they recall the spices with which the meals in Egypt were prepared.  The Israelites incessant complaints demonstrate one of the major pitfalls of waiting on God.

Second, in contradistinction, the apostles obey the Lord’s command, after the resurrection, and retreat to the “Upper Room.”  There, the Holy Spirit comes upon  them and infuses they with divine power, literally, dynamite.  Empowered with the Spirit of God, the apostles leave the upper room with the internal, spiritual, and personal fortitude necessary to preach the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ.  They face many obstacles as the book of Acts records.  Yet, they count it all joy because the power of God flows through them and empowers them to succeed in their ministry.  For them, this period of waiting becomes a time of preparation, focus, empowerment and affirmation.  Accordingly, they avoid the pitfalls of waiting.

There are five strong temptations that arise when we experience a period of waiting for God.  First, we begin to fret.  You may recall a young child who waits eagerly for his father to come home from a trip with a gift.  As the time approaches for his dad to arrive, the child becomes more and more anxious.  He fidgets and speaks incessantly out of the bottomless pit of his anxiety.  The agony of waiting makes him insufferable to any surrounding adults.  The child keeps asking about the time.  A minute seems equal to an hour.  He repeats the question about time in as many different ways as he can.  Despite his mother’s pleas to calm down and wait, the child must occupy the time with some noise or activity that he thinks will make the time pass more quickly.  Should it appear that his father will be late, the child starts fretting.  He fears that his father is in some danger or is lost and cannot get home.  The child is afraid that his father will not come home.  He entertains the awful thought that his father has forgotten him and the family.  True to his selfish nature at this point in his development, the child ponders whether the father remembers to bring home his gift.  The sum of the lad’s fretting exhausts him emotionally, mentally, psychologically and physically.  Not surprisingly, the child falls asleep.  In the morning, he awakes and discovers his gifts beside his pillow.  He then wonders why he began to fret and doubt his father’s words and actions.

As we wait for God, we digress to the state of that child.  We hold pity parties.  We allow ourselves to slip into depression. We begin to ask a litany of unhelpful questions which resemble the previously mentioned grumbling of the children of Israel in the wilderness.  However, the psalmist encourages us, “Fret not!”  Bleak circumstances tend to trick us into believing that Almighty God has abandoned us to the negativity of our present situation.  Like a particularly cloudy day, we forget that the sun actually shines and gives warmth and life to all that it touches.  Fretting is the first pitfall of waiting that we must avoid in order to realize the emergence of the “good, pleasing, and perfect will of God” in our lives.

The Pitfalls of Waiting - Isaiah 30:18 Part II

The Pitfalls of Waiting – Isaiah 30:18 – Part II

For those persons who triumph over fretting, resorting to idolatry may be the temptation that ensnares them.  You will recall the “Golden Calf” incident during the wilderness period the Israelites.  Moses and Joshua went to Mt. Sinai to commune with the Lord.  They were gone for forty days and forty nights, in the Hebrew, a long period of time.  In the interim, the people confront Aaron about Moses’ extensive and lingering absence.  They want a leader and a god that they can see.  Aaron’s spiritual, personal and existential shortcomings in character cause his acquiescence to the people’s wishes.  Upon Moses’ return with the Law of Almighty God, he finds the people having a rather risque party and serving a golden calf, an idol. 

In times of impatience, we tend to resort to alternative plans.  Also, because our dreadful circumstances appear to eclipse Almighty God, we reach for supplements to the Bible.  We dabble in alternative spiritualities and philosophies which might contain some truth that the scriptures do not.  Practically speaking, we may rely upon our business and social contacts more than we depend on the faithfulness of our Heavenly Father.  We fall prey to the temptation that such significant contacts with their political, social, economic and religious “power” may be able to resolve our dilemmas given God’s longstanding absence.  In addition to ideologies and relationships, we resort to creature comforts to fill the vacuum of God’s absence.  If we are to be depressed and even oppressed, we may as well be as physically comfortable as possible.  In sum, idolatry in all its various forms is the second great pitfall of waiting for the emergence of God’s will in our lives.

Should we be able to escape the entrapment of fretting and idolatry, willfulness lurks right around the corner.  God’s silence and Moses’ absence made the children of Israel think that they had to take matters into their own hands.  Impatience assuredly fuels the prideful thoughts and feelings synonymous with personal willfulness.  Because God delays, we dismiss Him and His word.  We become self-reliant.  Really, we elevate our minds and thoughts to that of God’s level.  We fall prey to the fallacy that we can resolve our situation as well as God could, if He were to intervene favorably.  An old adage says, “Any person who defends himself in a court of law has a fool for a lawyer.”  Likewise, when we take our lives into our own hands, we make foolish choices.  Our human perspective remains limited by the time and context in which we live.  When we disregard God’s word, we will undoubtedly make rash judgments due to an incomplete outlook on our situation.  The Bible teaches that God’s will for us is simply the very best thing for us!  In fact, He always wants something for us that is far greater than anything we think or imagine, according to Ephesians 3:20.  As a consequence, our personal willfulness ironically results in the loss of many blessings that God would freely give if we simply unconditionally trust Him.

That old reliable personal demon, fear, is the fourth pitfall that awaits us when we refuse to wait on God.  It is said that “fear is the chief activator of our character defects.”  Giving in to fear during times of restlessness will lead to moral compromise and indifference.  As we wait for God, we may develop a nonchalant attitude toward life.  We may fall for the fallacy of indulging our self-centered physical and emotional instincts.  We do believing that we deserve some fun and happiness considering what we are experiencing.  For example, as a person waits for a spouse of God’s choosing, he or she may act out sexually.  Obviously, such behavior can lead immediately to another set of health, self-esteem, reputation and spiritual problems.  Nevertheless, the fear that we may lose something we greatly value or fail to acquire something of equal worth can propel us to hasty and unfortunate mistakes.  Moreover, fear creates emotions of desperation and powerlessness.  Those volcanic feelings manipulate us in immediate actions with disastrous results.  As a consequence, the psalmist encourages his soul to wait and hope in Almighty God knowing that in the fullness of time he will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living (Psalm 27:13-14).